Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Pentagons Inspector General is investigating the Defense Department's top spokesperson for the possible misuse of her authority for personal purposes.



Two U.S. officials confirm that the Department of Defense's Inspector General is investigating Dana White, the chief spokesperson for the DOD, for potential misconduct of misusing her authority for personal reasons.



The allegations were made by former staffers who worked for White and have been reassigned within the department.



CNN was first to report the existence of the investigation.



One U.S. official said among the allegations being made against White are that she asked staffers to make personal errands and purchases, get her dry cleaning from the Pentagon's dry cleaner and drive her to work at least a dozen times, including on snow days. One staffer was asked to assist in the adoption of a foster child.



The allegations also note that staffers who raised complaints were reassigned. Government ethics rules strictly forbid the use of government staff for personal reasons.



"This is an ongoing review about which we cannot comment," said Charlie Summers, the principal deputy assistant to the secretary for public affairs



When Dana White was asked by a TV network pool reporter in Argentina about the investigation, she deferred to the statement from Summers and would not add an additional comment. White is in Argentina traveling with Defense Secretary James Mattis, who is carrying out official visits to South American countries.



"The DOD IG does not deny or acknowledge the existence of an investigation," said Bruce Anderson, a spokesman for the DOD IG, when asked for comment .



Typically the Inspector General's office does not comment on ongoing investigations.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Just like most Filipinos over the stormy weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte was "keeping warm" amid the heavy rains and severe flooding, according to the Palace.

The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo was trending online over the two days of torrential rains brought on by Tropical Storm Karding and the southwest monsoon (habagat) as netizens wondered where the President was.

In Duterte's defense, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Chief Executive was in touch with concerned officials and monitoring the situation the whole time.

"He was very concerned. He talks about resilience. He talked about readiness of government agencies to provide assistance. He was in contact with individuals to make sure that the delivery of assistance would be facilitated," he said Tuesday.

The spokesman added that the President was doing his job quietly as he dislikes having reporters following him around when he gives help to those in need.

"I know that when the president goes around and assists individuals, he really does not want media coverage," he explained.

Duterte was supposed to conduct an aerial inspection of areas affected by the floods and visit displaced families on Monday but this was cancelled due to bad weather. Roque said chopper flights were still disallowed at this time.

Last week, rising water levels and flooding hit the country with weather officials saying more than half of the expected rainfall for August already poured last Saturday. Low-lying areas and communities near river systems were badly affected, including Marikina City which was also submerged in 2009 when Typhoon Ondoy devastated many parts of the country.Obama and Pelosi also teamed up on 2009s massive spending package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which used government money to jump-start infrastructure projects and other economic activity after the financial crisis. Pelosi said Democrats in the next Congress, if in the majority, could work with Republicans on a new infrastructure bill to help more people get better jobs. If you are going to improve the economy of the country, its not about trickle-down economics, she said, making an apparent reference to Trumps tax reforms. Its about increasing consumer confidence.August 15 2018

Members of the public are invited to pass comment on revised plans for a 34m health science hub at Inverness Campus with the display of updated visualisations of the scheme.

A joint venture between NHS Highland, the University of the Highlands and Islands and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the Centre for Health Science 2 will be the largest single development at the campus to date.

The latest plans to be drawn up by architects Oberlanders involve creation of an elective care unit together with a business incubator, day care unit and outpatient facilities.

Ruaraidh Macneil, NIEs Inverness Camps director, said: This is a major development for Inverness and for the Highlands and Islands, delivering on a number of fronts. It will improve the health outcomes and patient experience across the region, while supporting the ongoing growth of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

At the same time, it will also create new commercial opportunities and high value career options, thereby helping to attract and retain new talent for the region.

Plans will be exhibited on-site at An Lochran, 10 Inverness Campus, between the hours of 08:00 and 19:00 until Friday.Russia's ban on imports of fruit from Macedonia comes into force As of Wednesday, Macedonia won't be exporting peaches in Russia.

Skopje, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Russia's ban on imports of fruit from Macedonia comes into force As of Wednesday, Macedonia won't be exporting peaches in Russia. Russia's decision to ban import from Macedonia on allegedly found fungus in batches of fruit from Macedonia comes into force.

Russia's food safety regulator imposes temporary import ban of fruit from Macedonia, but according to the Minister of Agriculture, Macedonia hasn't been informed yet about the temporary import ban introduced by Russia, because communication between the two countries has been hindered. A meeting with Russian diplomatic officials was initiated Tuesday. Careful attempts are being made to help both producers and buyers.

"At the moment, the problem is the new government structure in Russia. Russia hasn't appointed yet a co-chairman of the Macedonia-Russia inter-governmental commission, which makes our communication difficult. I represent Macedonia as co-chairman. We have been making all kinds of attempts, when I was in Moscow and when I met with the former co-chairman, to build relations as partners," Minister Nikolovski told a news conference.

In the meantime, efforts are made to export peaches in other countries. At the same time, inspection is underway to determine the quantity of peaches that won't be imported in Russia.

"Macedonia is yet to be officially informed. Neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the diplomatic office hasn't sent an official notification. Nevertheless, we took all necessary measures, letters have been sent by both the state agriculture inspectorate and the phytosanitary administration," Nikolovski said.

Recently, contacts are being established with producers to solve the problem. Nikolovski said he had been personally invested to invite a company from London to consider importing produces. Company officials will consider the offer first hand tomorrow in Rosoman.

"Mainly, contacts are made with companies coming to invest in Macedonia. Officials from the UK are here now. We are making efforts to export the products in Kosovo and Albania," the Minister said.

Russia also imposes temporary import ban on some fruits from Serbia.Five ships, Maersk Denver, Maria Elena, Anarita, Tomson Gas and Mega-I carrying Containers, Coal, LPG and Palm oil were allotted berths at Qasim International Container Terminal, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, Multi- Purpose Terminal, Engro Vopak Terminal and Liquid Cargo Terminal respectively on Tuesday.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Five ships, Maersk Denver, Maria Elena, Anarita, Tomson Gas and Mega-I carrying Containers, Coal, LPG and Palm oil were allotted berths at Qasim International Container Terminal, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, Multi- Purpose Terminal, Engro Vopak Terminal and Liquid Cargo Terminal respectively on Tuesday.

Meanwhile three more ships MOL Generosity, Maud and Maritime Riyal with Containers, Coal and Palm oil also arrived at outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours.

A total of nine ships namely, Maersk Denver, Maria Elena, African Buzzard, Navios Christine-B, Anarita, RB Leah, Chem Bullgog, Mega-1 and Tomson Gas are currently occupying PQA berths to load / offload Containers, Coal, Soya been, Palm oil and LPG respectively during last 24 hours.

A cargo volume of 139,181 tonnes, comprising 133,101 tonnes import cargo and 6,080 tonnes export cargo inclusive of containerized cargo carried in 3,420 Containers (TEUs) (3,100 TEUs Imports and 320 TEUs exports) was handled at the Port during last 24 hours.

Two ships, Navios Christine-B and Tomson Gas sailed out to sea on Wednesday morning, while two ships African Buzzard and MOL Generosity are expected to sail on same day in the afternoon.

Five ships, MOL Generosity, HS Tosca, Doro, Maud and As Olivia scheduled to load/offload Containers, Condensate, Coal and Chemicals are expected to take berths at QICT,PIBT, PQEPT, EVTL and FOTCO respectively on Wednesday, while two more container ships MSC Ludovica and GSL Tianjin are due to arrive at PortQasim on Thursday.Thailand is expected to earn more income from the sales of food to the world markets this year.

BANGKOK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Thailand is expected to earn more income from the sales of food to the world markets this year.

Wisit Limluecha, head of the Federation of Thai Industries' food industry division, said on Wednesday that Thailand is forecast to export 1.08 trillion Baht (about 31.76 billion U.S. Dollars) in raw and processed food to the world markets throughout this year, accounting for an 8-percent increase from last year.

Of those exported food, the volume of processed food will increase while that of raw food will decline, according to the FTI's food division head.

The prices of the processed food bound for export will likely increase while their qualities will as well be enhanced and upgraded to meet the world demands, Wisit said.

He said Thailand currently ranks the 14th among the world's largest food exporters and would rise among the top 10 in foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, the country's Office of Industrial Economics is currently drafting a masterplan for food industry development with focus on processed food for export.

The masterplan is scheduled to be submitted for cabinet approval next month.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

:The massive presence of Indian occupation army in Kashmir has not stopped young Kashmiris from making preparations to celebrate Pakistan Independence Day through public displays of allegiance to Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :The massive presence of Indian occupation army in Kashmir has not stopped young Kashmiris from making preparations to celebrate Pakistan Independence Day through public displays of allegiance to Pakistan.

YFK International Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir), in a statement received here on Wednesday, has said that "Kashmir is the unfinished agenda of Pakistan's independence." Kashmiris passed a resolution in Srinagar on July 19, 1947 to join Pakistan. This resolution was passed by Kashmiri leaders, and came a month before the actual declaration of Pakistani independence.

Indian Independence Day is being celebrated as Black Day by Kashmiris all over the world. India has no moral or legal grounds to celebrate independence day when it snatches the basic rights of Kashmiris. If world want to see what Kashmiris aspire for, have a look that they celebrate 14 August and mourn 15 August.

The YFK insisted that India's military occupation end immediately and called on New Delhi to meet international standards of justice and fair play by withdrawing the occupation army from Srinagar and all other Kashmiri cities.

India should allow Kashmiris to take charge of their government as a first step towards resolving the international dispute in accordance with UNSC Resolutions.

YKF has also appealed to the European Parliament, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, OSCE, ASEAN, SAARC, the Arab League, and the OIC to recognize the right of Kashmiri people to Self-Determination, and view it as the unfinished agenda of the freedom movement that led to the independence of both Pakistan and Indian in 1947 through a democratic and legal struggle where people voted to join either Pakistan or India after the departure of British forces from the region. India sought UN help in 1948, culminating in the Security Council Resolution of January 5, 1949.

YKF is the world of the democratic nature of this Resolution. The first clause reads: 'The question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite.

YKF urged the United Nations Security Council to seize itself of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Kashmir, where India's military occupation authorities have been found involved in arbitrary and extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, denial of basic civil liberties, and the use of rape as a weapon of war. We urge that the world body should play its key role in resolving the Kashmir dispute for perpetual peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia.DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Aug, 2018) The Dar Al Ber Society has launched and supported 91 humanitarian and charity projects in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, as part of its development and charity efforts in Africa.

The projects aim to promote the teachings and values of islam and implement the UAEs charity and humanitarian policies and vision around the world, as part of the initiatives and events of the Year of Zayed.

A delegation from the society visited Ghana and the Ivory Coast and met with the societys partners in both countries.

Omran Mohammed Abdullah, Chairman of the Charity Projects Sector of the Dar Al Ber Society, said that the visit of the delegation, which is part of the societys annual plans and projects, aimed to inspect its humanitarian and charity projects in the two countries. The delegation met with students, teachers and partners from two partner organisations that support the societys projects in both countries, to discuss their cooperation and mechanisms of organising and developing future charity and humanitarian work, he added.

The delegation met with 270 orphans who are supported by the society, presented them with gifts, and delivered a guidance speech to them, their mothers and supervisors from relevant authorities. The delegation also met with several government officials, including the Minister of Islamic Affairs of Ghana, who briefed its members about the situation and needs of Muslims in the country.

The delegation then met with contractors that are implementing the societys charity and humanitarian projects and urged them to speed up the process of completing the projects, apply the required quality standards, and commit to the approved specifications, in the presence of representatives of relevant authorities.

The delegation also monitored the progress of the societys projects and evaluated the satisfaction of local residents of the two countries.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the worlds largest district cooling services provider, has stressed its commitment to enhancing the role of employees in district cooling and enriching their knowledge in the industry and the technology, by increasing their communication with the rest of the world.

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Aug, 2018) Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the worlds largest district cooling services provider, has stressed its commitment to enhancing the role of employees in district cooling and enriching their knowledge in the industry and the technology, by increasing their communication with the rest of the world.

Empower strives to promote district cooling services to the highest level by training and developing the skills of its staff, especially Emiratis, through an annual agenda of training programmes offered to the employees. This reflects positively on their performance levels and productivity, and supports the UAEs development drive.

Empower has organised 36 training courses for its employees, with the participation of more than 400 staff members in 2018. Empowers staff also take part in various global events, mainly the International District Energy Association (IDEA) Annual Conferences & Tradeshows, the latest being held in the USA. The conference allows the employees to gain experience, learn about best practices in the district cooling industry and exchange expertise with their counterparts in other countries.

"Empower is committed to achieving progress through its Emirati staff as they are the key in developing the district cooling industry.

We constantly urge them to continue to acquire more knowledge and skills by organising programmes and training courses to raise their performance levels and equip them with the necessary skills according to the highest international standards. We believe that human resources are the real capital, and investing in minds is the investment of the future," said Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower.

"We work in line with the Government's efforts to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to mobilise energies and intensify work to achieve the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021. Empower is committed to hire young Emiratis, as part of its efforts to support Emiratisation in different job positions," added Bin Shafar.

Bin Shafar highlighted the scarcity of sufficient information and knowledge available on district cooling. He explained that Empower is working to spread awareness about district cooling in local and international forums, to shed light on Dubais achievements in this field and review the UAE's successful experience in adopting district cooling systems.ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Aug, 2018) Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, has received a copy of the credentials of Oto, Pungartnik, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the UAE, during a meeting at the ministry's premises.

Al Mazrouei wished the ambassador success in carrying out his duties and strengthening relations of cooperation between the two countries.

In turn, the ambassador expressed his pleasure at representing his country in the UAE, a nation which, he said, enjoys a prestigious regional and international standing.The relations between the UAE and Norway have witnessed increasing development, in line with their strong bilateral ties over the past decades with the value of their trade exchange reaching around US$639.9 million in 2017, compared to $326.7 million in 2016, according to Ministry of Economy's Trade Policy Review Report.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 13th Aug, 2018) The relations between the UAE and Norway have witnessed increasing development, in line with their strong bilateral ties over the past decades with the value of their trade exchange reaching around US$639.9 million in 2017, compared to $326.7 million in 2016, according to Ministry of Economy's Trade Policy Review Report.

The value of imports from Norway reached around $533.2 million in 2017 while the value of the UAE's non-oil exports to Norway reached around $80.5 million during the same period, and its re-exports were valued at $26.2 million.

The Ministry of Economy highlighted several statistics from Norway's "Trade Policy Review Report," which was issued by the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Secretariat, as part of its periodic review of the trade policies of its member countries.

The statistics, which were drafted by the Trade Policies and International Organisations Administration of the Ministry of Economy, highlighted the growing trade links between the UAE and Norway, as well as the solid foundations that helped to reinforce the Norwegian economy, despite the recent fluctuations in oil prices.

Aisha Al Kubaisi, Director of the Administration, said that releasing the statistics is part of the ministrys efforts to introduce stakeholders from the UAEs public and private sectors to the key economic and trade policies of its partner countries, which will promote cooperation and encourage investment and trade.

Al Kubaissy added that the statistics include key economic indexes and provide an accurate analysis of the foreign trade policies adopted by Norway to support its economic growth. They also address several issues, most notably exports, imports, production, investment environment, privatisation programmes, customs and market openness, as well as key developments to Norways various economic sectors.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

O mark 71st Independence Day and keeping the university's traditions alive, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) celebrated the National Independence Day here on Tuesday with great zeal and enthusiasm and organized a flag hoisting ceremony

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :To mark 71st Independence Day and keeping the university's traditions alive, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) celebrated the National Independence Day here on Tuesday with great zeal and enthusiasm and organized a flag hoisting ceremony.

The flag hoisting ceremony was performed by Prof. Dr Samina Amin Qadir, Vice Chancellor, (VC) FJWU in the university premises.

National Anthem was also played on this occasion.

A large number of faculty, staff members and students were present at this event.

The VC addressing the participants said "To protect and wisely use the national assets is our prime responsibility. Pakistan is our identity and it is a day to fulfill our commitments to this motherland. Every one of us should own Pakistan and every member of the society should perform his/her duties honestly.

" She stressed upon character building of the new generation as the nation which did not have ethical values and characters could not value her independence.

She said, "Young students are the future of this country and they should use their abilities for the progress of the country. We must look into the past to get lesson but also move forward for better and prosperous Pakistan." The staff members of the university and students paid tributes with their melodious voices to this land in the form of national songs.

The program concluded with special prayers offered for the peace, solidarity, unityand prosperity of Pakistan.

At the end, Prof Samina Bukhari, Registrar FJWU gave vote of thanks to the faculty members, students and the program organizers.One reason Uber and Lyft are so popular is their ubiquity. You dont have to wait long after tapping on your app and agreeing on a price. What if, however, there was a limit to the number of Uber or Lyft cars that could ply Chicago streets? Fewer ride-share cars would mean longer wait times for pickups. And with the supply of cars restricted, demand would go up  which would likely lead to higher prices.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Flag hoisting ceremonies were held at various institutions and departments in connection with Independence Day of Pakistan on Tuesday.

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :Flag hoisting ceremonies were held at various institutions and departments in connection with Independence Day of Pakistan on Tuesday.

The flag ceremony were held at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Air University, Virtual University, Institute of Southern Punjab, Water and Sanitation Office, Police Lines, Volunteer Centre at Kalma Chowk, Railways Station and other places.

Students from different schools presented tableau, sang national songs and enthralled the audiences by their attractive performances.

The main flag hoisting ceremony was held at Fort Qasim Bagh. Commissioner Multan Division Nadeem Irshad Keyani hoisted the flag.

On this occasion, a smartly turned out contingent of Police presented guard of honour to the national flag.

Addressing on the occasion, Commissioner Multan Division Nadeem Irshad Keyani lauded the performances of students.

He urged upon citizens to play their vital role in progress and prosperity of the country.

Deputy Commissioner Mudassar Riaz also spoke and highlight the concept of two nation theory. He also urged upon citizens to plant maximum plants.

Later, the commissioner visited Nishtar hospital and inquired after the ailing patients. He also distributed sweets and gifts among the patients.

Talking to patients and their attendants, the Commissioner observed that Jashan-e-Azadi was blessing and it should be marked with zeal, zest and national fervour.

Commissioner Nadeem Keyani and Deputy Commissioner Mudassar Riaz Malik also spent time with staffers of Solid Waste Management Company and shared joys of Independence Day. They also cut cake and distributed sweets among sanitary workers.

The Commissioner Multan also rushed to Qasim Blind Centre and cut cake. He said that blind kids were very much special for him and also added that we should include them in joys.(@rukhshanmir)

Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari has emphasized the need for following the teachings of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari has emphasized the need for following the teachings of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal.

He expressed these views while addressing the ceremony held at Hazoori Bagh in connection with the 71st Independence day of Pakistan on Tuesday.

The founders of the country realized the dream of a separate homeland with the blessing of Allah Almighty besides their historic struggle and we could not forget their great sacrifices in this regard, he added.

Dr. Askari congratulated the nation on the occasion and said that he was very happy to attend this beautiful ceremony.

He also congratulated the children for beautifully singing national songs.

"The future of the country is linked with the youth and the more youth is empowered the more Pakistan will progress steadily", he added.

He said that 21st century was an era of knowledge and technology and different human societies were progressing through a well-developed system of education.

He said all types of resources must be utilized to educate the youth and education would have to be prioritized if Pakistan intends to achieve a position of glory in the comity of nations.

Today is an occasion to pay tributes to those who had sacrificed their lives in struggle for Pakistan as we should not forget the sacrifices of our heroes, he added.

Askari said that first step of struggle was completed in 1947 while the struggle for a strong and prosperous Pakistan would continue.

The CM said that islam has introduced the golden principles of social justice and equality and Quaid and Iqbal had also stressed for the implementation of these concepts.

Strengthening the social norms like social justice and equality is the collective responsibility, he maintained.

Lord Mayor Lahore Mubashir Javed, provincial ministers, secretary, IG police, consul generals of China, Turkey and Iran, administrative secretaries, leading personalities andstudents attended the ceremony.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Like other parts of the country, Pakistan's independence day was celebrated in Gilgit Baltistan with great national enthusiasm on Tuesday.

GILGIT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :Like other parts of the country, Pakistan's independence day was celebrated in Gilgit Baltistan with great national enthusiasm on Tuesday.

The day dawned with special prayers for progress and prosperity of Pakistan and liberation of Muslims occupied territories including Indian held Kashmir and Palestine and eternal peace of all martyrs of Pakistan Movement.

Flag hoisting, fireworks and cake cutting ceremonies was held in all districts of GB and national anthem and songs were presented by schools and college students.

The major function was held at Yadgar Shuhada in Skardu where national flag was hoisted followed by national anthem and patriotic songs by students.

Floral wreath was also laid on Yadgar Shuhada. A smartly turned out contingent of GB police presented salute to the national flag.

Flag hoisting ceremonies were also held at Gilgit, Hunza, Ghazar, Chilas and other districts where speakers paid rich tributes to heroes of Pakistan Movement and Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for achieving a separate homeland for Muslims of sub continent in the shape of Pakistan.

National flag is being hoisting on all major buildings, vehicles and houses decorated with green and white clours looking festive looks.

Fireworks were also held in Gilgit and Skardu in connection with Pakistan's independence day.The 71st Independence Day anniversary was celebrated in Sukkur district with enthusiasm and fervour on Tuesday.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :The 71st Independence Day anniversary was celebrated in Sukkur district with enthusiasm and fervour on Tuesday.

The day began with special prayers in all mosques and places of worship for the solidarity and unity of the country.

The main event of flag hoisting ceremony was held at Jinnah Stadium Ground where Commissioner Sukkur Division Manzoor Shaikh, Mayor Sukkur Arslan Shaikh and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Raheem Bux Maitlo hoisted the national flag.

All officials of the Federal and provincial government including school children, leaders of business community and elite of the town were present on the occasion.

The school children presented national songs, shows and tableaus on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Commissioner said that Pakistan is a gift from God and "we must consider ourselves fortunate that we were born in a free Muslim country".

He advised youngsters to work hard with sincerity for the well being of the country.

Commissioner Baloch said that Pakistan had come into being due to unparalleled leadership of Quaid-i-Azam and sacrifice of four million lives.

He said that it was now the duty of each and every Pakistani to work for the unity, integrity and solidarity of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the 71st Independence Day anniversary of Pakistan was celebrated at Pano Aqil Garrison with traditional zeal and fervour.

The day started with special prayers after Fajr in all mosques of Pano Aqil Garrison for solidarity, progress and prosperity of the country.

A colourful ceremony also held at Government High School Numaish, Old Sukkur, organised by Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) which was addressed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Muhammad Dital Kalhoro.

Besides, Central Prisons Sukkur also celebrated the Independence Day with enthusiasm and fervour.

Special prayers were offered in all the jails of the Sukkur region for solidarity, prosperity and progress of the country followed by Qirat and Naat competitions among jail inmates, including convicts and under trial prisoners.

The business community, educational institutions and individuals also celebrated the Independence Day in a multitude of ways all over the northern Sindh.

As the clock hit midnight, fireworks coloured the sky and aerial firing resounded in several districts, while hundreds of big and small rallies moved on the streets throughout the day.(@rukhshanmir)

A Lahore High Court (LHC) bench Wednesday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and others on a petition of bureaucrat Fawad Hassan Fawad challenging arrest.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :A Lahore High Court (LHC) bench Wednesday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and others on a petition of bureaucrat Fawad Hassan Fawad challenging arrest.

The bench headed by Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi heard the petition.

During the proceedings, the petitioner's counsel argued that NAB arrested his client in connection with the Punjab Land Development Company / Ashiana Iqbal Housing scam without fulfilling legal requirements.

He said inquiry against his client for having illegal assets was initiated during the remand period and requested the court to order his release. He also requested the court to issue directions for formation of a medical board for medical examination of Fawad.

However, the bench declined the request for formation of a medical board and asked the counsel to move a civil miscellaneous application for the purpose.

The court then adjourned the hearing.(@FahadShabbir)

National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) Mandwa Film Club would organize screening of Iranian film "Paradise" on August 18 at its media center.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) Mandwa Film Club would organize screening of Iranian film "Paradise" on August 18 at its media center.

Starring comedy superstar Javad Ezzati and esteemed character actor Mehran Rajabi, Paradise is reminiscent of The Lizard, the most popular Iranian comedy of all time.

The story centres on a pair of young students at a school for Muslim clergymen. When one of them strikes up an online friendship with a German girl who invites him to Europe for a conference, his friendand the school's headmaster decide to travel along with him.

Paradise is constantly walking on the edge of Iranian cinema's red lines, and the result is a remarkably funny film that pokes fun at stereotypes about clergymen and their perception in and outside Iran.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to former DPO Kasur Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and police driver Amanat in Mudassar encounter case.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to former DPO Kasur Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and police driver Amanat in Mudassar encounter case.

However, the court rejected the bail applications of DSP Arif Rasheed and SI Younas Dogar in the case.

Acting LHC Chief Muhammad Anwaarul Haq heard the bail applications of the accused.

During the hearing, the petitioner' s counsel argued that the accused were not involved in the Mudassar encounter but the joint investigation team declared them guilty despite the fact that they were not nominated in the FIR. He pleaded with the court to grant benefit of the bail to the accused.

However, Additional Prosecutor General Abdul Samad opposed the request saying that the accused were found guilty in the investigations. He pleaded with the court to reject the applications.

However, the court after hearing detailed arguments of the parties granted bail to the former DPO and driver besides rejecting bail applications of other two accused.

It is pertinent to mention here that Mudassar was picked by Kasur police on Feb 24, 2017 in the rape-cum-murder of a minor girl of the locality, and was killed the same day.

However, the DNA profiling and revelation of Imran, later, showed that the minor girl was raped and killed by him (Imran).(@ChaudhryMAli88)

To mark the 71st anniversary of Independence Day of Pakistan, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka on Tuesday where a large number of Pakistan community in Bangladesh, officers, officials and their family members participated in the ceremony.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :To mark the 71st anniversary of Independence Day of Pakistan, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka on Tuesday where a large number of Pakistan community in Bangladesh, officers, officials and their family members participated in the ceremony.

Pakistan National Anthem was played while the Charge d' Affaires Shah Faisal Kakar hoisted the national flag. The messages of the president and prime minister of Pakistan were read out.

Charge d' Affaires Shah Faisal Kakar, in his speech, felicitated the Pakistani community on the auspicious occasion of the Independence Day of Pakistan.

He emphasized on the need of collective efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent which was only possible by following the golden principles of "Faith, Unity and Discipline" as laid down by the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He remarked that under the great leadership of Quaid-e-Azam our forefathers achieved homeland for us and now it is incumbent upon all of us to serve and safeguard the national interest of Pakistan.(@mahnoorsheikh03)

The Punjab governor announced his resignation during his address in the High Court Bar on Wednesday.

Lahore (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News  15th August, 2018) Punjab Governor Muhammad Rafique Rajwana has resigned.

The Punjab governor announced his resignation during his address in the High Court Bar on Wednesday.

Addressing the High Court Bar, Rajwana said, Bar is my home and I have returned here.

The leadership trusted me with this designation and I tried to fulfil my responsibilities, he said.

He further said, I started my professional life with a black coat, Ill wear it again.



Earlier, Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair tendered his resignation from his office.

Addressing a press conference at Governor House, he said his resignation is in compliance to the democratic norms as a new party has been voted to power.

"It is not necessary that a governor may resume till the new government assumes power," said Muhammad Zubair in reply to a question.

Following his resignation, the PTI nominated Imran Ismail as the new governor of Sindh.A steel cutting ceremony of 2nd Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV-II), being constructed for Pakistan Navy, was held at M/s DAMEN Shipyard Galati, Romania.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :A steel cutting ceremony of 2nd Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV-II), being constructed for Pakistan Navy, was held at M/s DAMEN Shipyard Galati, Romania.

Ambassador of Pakistan to Romania Safdar Hayat was chief guest on the occasion, said a Pakistan Navy (PN) press release issued here Wednesday.

Among others, the ceremony was attended by Rear Admiral Faisal Rasul Lodhi, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations) along with officials from the Ministry of Defence Production and Naval Headquarters, besides senior management of the DAMEN Shipyards, Gorinchem (Netherlands) and Galati (Romania).

Contract for the second state of the art, multi-purpose Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV-I & II) for Pakistan Navy, was signed between Ministry of Defence Production and the DAMEN, Netherlands in 2017.

The OPVs will significantly enhance the combat capabilities and capacity for peace and war time operations of the Pakistan Navy.

The Ambassador highlighted that August 14 is a historic and important day for Pakistan as the nation was celebrating its 71st Independence Day. On this auspicious day, steel cutting ceremony of 2ndOPV has added more colour to national celebrations, he expressed.

He said after induction, both the OPVs would further augment the initiative of PN for independently conducting Regional Maritime Security Patrol of Indian Ocean Region for protection of national and international shipping against threats of Maritime terrorism, piracy, narcotics, arms smuggling and human trafficking.Rauner waited until Monday to take a real stab at addressing the crime question. Clearly (Madigans) been doing unethical things, he said, alluding this time to allegations that Madigan had engaged in the old campaign trick of running sham candidates in an effort to dilute the support of his opponents. I hope hes been doing something illegal, and I hope he gets prosecuted. Later in the day he added, We should find out if its illegal, and it should be prosecuted if its illegal.(@rukhshanmir)

The Civil Defence Sukkur Wednesday chalked out to mark the World Humanitarian Day with commitment to work for the prevention of emergencies.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :The Civil Defence Sukkur Wednesday chalked out to mark the World Humanitarian Day with commitment to work for the prevention of emergencies.

According to the district warden, civil defence Agha Jabbar appealed to the citizens to come forward and help the needy people.

The poor enforcement of fire & life safety provisions in high rise buildings were putting the lives of citizens and rescuers at risk, he added He said on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, we will pay rich tribute to those workers, who have lost their lives in the line of duty.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister of Belarus Oleg Belokonev is expected to discuss the development of cooperation in joint military training during his official visit to China, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

MINSK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister of Belarus Oleg Belokonev is expected to discuss the development of cooperation in joint military training during his official visit to China, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

The visit will take place on 15-18 August.The plans are to hold talks with Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of China Li Zuocheng. The parties will discuss cooperation in the areas such as joint military training, military education, and also interaction in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the ministry informed.

On 17 August Oleg Belokonev is expected to observe the active phase of the joint Belarus-China anti-terror exercise Hunting Falcon 2018 in the city of Jinan. He is also expected to attend the official closing ceremony.

The drill is underway in Jinan, Shandong Province on 4-18 August. About 50 servicemen of the special operations forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus are taking part in the exercise. Hunting Falcon is a regular exercise designed to strengthen the partnership between the two armies in counteracting terrorist threats.(@rukhshanmir)

The first meeting of a working group on implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea will be held in Azerbaijan in November, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov in a statement, released on Wednesday.

ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The first meeting of a working group on implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea will be held in Azerbaijan in November, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov in a statement, released on Wednesday.

"On the eve of the summit, foreign ministers agreed to establish a high-level working group on issues of the Caspian Sea. The first meeting is expected to be held in November this year in Azerbaijan," Abdrakhmanov's statement, released by the foreign ministry's press service, read.(@rukhshanmir)

Some 931,763 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in the first six months of 2018, up 75.8 percent over the same period last year, the Tourism Ministry's latest report showed on Wednesday.

PHNOM PENH, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Some 931,763 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in the first six months of 2018, up 75.8 percent over the same period last year, the Tourism Ministry's latest report showed on Wednesday.

Chinese holidaymakers accounted for 31 percent of the three million international tourists visiting Cambodia during the January-June period this year, the report said, adding that China topped the chart among the top 10 international arrivals to the kingdom.

Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon predicted that the Southeast Asian country could attract at least 1.7 million Chinese tourists in 2018 and up to 2.

5 million in 2020.

Cambodia is well-known for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, the Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province.

Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching in the length of 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the country's economy. Last year, the country received 5.6 million foreign tourists including 1.21 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 3.6 billion U.S. Dollars.(@rukhshanmir)

The conclusion of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has prevented the United States and NATO from conspiring to deploy troops and establish military bases in the region, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The conclusion of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has prevented the United States and NATO from conspiring to deploy troops and establish military bases in the region, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

The convention was signed on Sunday by the leaders of littoral nations of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan after being over 20 years in the making.

"The conspiracies of the Americans and even NATO were to be present in these waters and deploy their soldiers, frigates, helicopters and bases on the coasts of Caspian Sea. In this agreement, the five countries agreed to ban the presence of foreign vessels in Caspian Sea," Rouhani said, as quoted on presidential website.

The convention regulates access to the surface water and seabed as well as various issues, including fishing, pipeline construction and environmental concerns.(@rukhshanmir)

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) German Chancellor Angela Merkel has thanked Nigers President Mahamadou Issoufou for acting to end uncontrolled migration to Europe, three years after a historic Malta summit on Africa.

"Id like to express my gratitude to Niger for successful cooperation on illegal migration," Merkel said Wednesday at a press briefing before the meeting outside of Berlin.

She admitted it was crucial that Europe helped Africa create more opportunities for education and economic growth.

"These efforts should go hand-in-hand: fighting illegal migration on one side and [creating] opportunities for people in affected regions," Merkel told reporters.

President Issoufou estimated that the influx of Africans to Europe had dropped since 2016 from 100,000 to 10,000 people a year as a result of agreements reached between EU and African nations at the November 2015 summit on migration in the Maltese capital of Valletta.A Libyan criminal court sentenced 45 former militiamen to death for killings demonstrators in Tripoli in August 2011, Arab News newspaper reported on Wednesday citing the Justice Ministry.

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) A Libyan criminal court sentenced 45 former militiamen to death for killings demonstrators in Tripoli in August 2011, Arab news newspaper reported on Wednesday citing the Justice Ministry.

Another 54 people received five-year prison sentences, while 22 were acquitted, the ministry added.

In mid-February 2011, Libya experienced mass rallies demanding the departure of leader Muammar Gaddafi, who had been in power for over 40 years. The protests developed into an armed conflict between government forces and the rebels.

On August 21, 2011, dozens of demonstrators were killed in Tripoli by militiamen supporting Gaddafi.

Overthrow of Gaddafi in 2011 resulted in creation of two rival governments in Libya struggling for control over the country.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

T its regular session Tuesday, the government adopted a decision on launching a public campaign on the referendum question 'Are you in favor of the EU, NATO membership by accepting the name agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece'.

Skopje, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :At its regular session Tuesday, the government adopted a decision on launching a public campaign on the referendum question 'Are you in favor of the EU, NATO membership by accepting the name agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece'.

The campaign aims at sharing information with citizens/voters on the content of the agreement with Greece, the benefits of Macedonia's accession to the European Union and NATO and the country's plan of activities to that effect, the government said late Tuesday in a press release.

The campaign will be conducted in line with standards for public communications, namely in a professional, politically neutral and impartial manner.

'During the campaign the Government communication and PR officials will perform their duties ?in compliance with the Law on Civil Servants, the Code of Ethics and universal principles of integrity, honesty and impartiality,' the press release reads. lk/sk/09:3(@FahadShabbir)

Russia condemns the Latvian governments plans to ban usage of any language except Latvian in the education system, thus expelling the Russian language from the countrys public life, Russian Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

SVETLOGORSK (Russia) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Russia condemns the Latvian governments plans to ban usage of any language except Latvian in the education system, thus expelling the Russian language from the countrys public life, Russian Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

In early July, Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis approved amendments to the education law, which were adopted by the parliament on June 21. Under the new legislation, Latvian private colleges and universities are to use Latvian as the sole language of instruction starting from January 1, 2019. A foreign language will be only used in cultural exchange programs and language courses.

"We believe that today one of the most urgent issues is expulsion of the Russian language from all spheres of public life.

I am primarily speaking about Latvia where there are plans to fully switch school education to the Latvian language  These discriminating measures are strongly condemned by the Russian side," Zakharova said at a youth forum in the western Russian town of Svetlogorsk.

The spokeswoman added that the Latvian authorities plans were aimed at assimilation of the Russian-speaking population of the country.

The only state language in Latvia is Latvian, while all other languages, including Russian, have the status of foreign languages. Russian-speaking residents have repeatedly protested against the governments plan to force the schools of ethnic minorities to switch to the Latvian language.

About 40 percent out of about 2 million residents of Latvia are Russian-speaking.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

SVETLOGORSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday to be more responsible when dealing with the issue of Syrian refugee repatriation, noting that the offices support for the evacuation of members of the self-proclaimed aid group White Helmets was a mistake.

Earlier this month, Zakharova said that the White Helmets organization, which claims that its activities aim to protect Syrian civilians, had close ties with Syrian extremists and was fueling the conflict in the country. According to Syrian President Bashar Assad, the group is affiliated with al-Qaeda terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia).

"We would like to draw the attention of UNHCR representatives ... to the need to approach their work responsibly and avoid measures that can harm not only their image and reputation but, most importantly, the effectiveness of the UN's contribution to solving humanitarian problems, in particular, in Syria ... Any support from the UNHCR for the provocative activity of the White Helmets is, at best, a big mistake," Zakharova said at a briefing.

She also called on the UNHCR to avoid political biases, adhere to the humanitarian principles of neutrality and focus on providing the maximum amount of effort in helping Syrian refugees who wanted to voluntarily repatriate.

In late July, over 400 White Helmets activists and their families were evacuated from Syria at the request of Canada, European countries, and the United States amid a full-scale offensive of Syrian government troops against terror organizations in the countrys southwestern regions.

The Russian permanent mission to the European Union said that the White Helmets' evacuation from Syria proved that the states organizing the operation were seeking to cover up the provocative actions of the self-proclaimed humanitarian group.

Damascus and Moscow have accused the White Helmets of helping to stage a chemical attack in Syria's Eastern Ghouta in April. That attack prompted the United States, the United Kingdom and France to launch more than 100 missiles on multiple targets in Syria one week later.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The governments of the Netherlands, Ireland and Poland do not make active efforts to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees, Russian Foreign Ministry representative Nikolay Burtsev said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The governments of the Netherlands, Ireland and Poland do not make active efforts to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees, Russian Foreign Ministry representative Nikolay Burtsev said Wednesday.

"According to the information from the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands, the government of the country does not take active measures to facilitate repatriation of the Syrian refugees, citing the absence of necessary conditions for safety and decent life in Syria," Burtsev said at a meeting of the Russian interdepartmental coordination headquarters on the return of refugees to Syria.

According to Burtsev, the Russian mission sent a note to the Dutch Foreign Ministry with an offer to cooperate on helping Syrians return home on a voluntary basis with necessary safety guarantees. The Syrian government was ready to tackle issues related to confirmation of property rights papers, recovery of lost documents and humanitarian assistance, the representative added.

"The Irish Foreign Ministry confirmed that Dublin supported the common European stand on the issue," Burtsev said, adding that the Russian mission was also working with the Polish authorities to "find common grounds" in the question of Syrian refugees.

Earlier in the week, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that it was premature to talk about a mass refugee repatriation program in Syria as the country remained volatile but pledged UN support for those voluntarily returning to Syria.

Syria is gradually recovering from the seven-year conflict. Russia actively supports the refugees voluntary return and assists the Syrian government in reconstructing the infrastructure and providing humanitarian aid. According to the Russian Defense Ministry's latest estimates, up to 300,000 Syrians have returned to the country from abroad over the past 2.5 years, while more than 1.7 million Syrians in nine countries have expressed their desire to return to their homes.(@rukhshanmir)

A prominent watchdog called on Wednesday on the Senegalese authorities to put an end to the intimidation of opposition leaders and ensure fair justice for them amid increased repression against dissidents in the country ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) A prominent watchdog called on Wednesday on the Senegalese authorities to put an end to the intimidation of opposition leaders and ensure fair justice for them amid increased repression against dissidents in the country ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

"Senegal must make guaranteeing fair trials a priority and immediately stop intimidation and harassment of opposition leaders and crackdown on dissent, which has increased in the run up of the 2019 presidential elections," the Amnesty International said in a press release.

According to the rights watchdog, judicial impartiality cannot be exercised in a country, where the president and justice minister are members of the Supreme Judicial Council.

"Amnesty International is calling on Senegals authorities to amend laws relating to the Supreme Judicial Council and the statute of magistrates, in order to remove the President of the Republic and Minister of Justice from the Council," the press release read further.

Among unfair trials, the human rights watchdog mentioned the case of Khalifa Sall, a member of the Socialist Party of Senegal and the mayor of the country's capital of Dakar, who was arrested in March 2017 on charges of misappropriation of public funds, criminal conspiracy and fraud. The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ruled ijournalists, who express dissent.n June that that the principle of presumption of innocence was not respected in the case of Sall, who was subject to arbitrary detention and repeatedly refused bail.

The watchdog also criticized the Senegalese authorities for oppression of human rights defenders, political activists and journalists, who express dissent.(@FahadShabbir)

The individual countries that have remained committed to the Iran nuclear deal following the United States' withdrawal, namely Russia, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, continue working to preserve trade and economic cooperation with Tehran amid recently reinstated US sanctions, Russias Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Wednesday

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The individual countries that have remained committed to the Iran nuclear deal following the United States' withdrawal, namely Russia, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, continue working to preserve trade and economic cooperation with Tehran amid recently reinstated US sanctions, Russias Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Wednesday.

The first batch of US anti-Tehran sanctions, previously lifted under the Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), took effect on Tuesday, targeting the countrys acquisition of Dollar bank notes, trade in gold and other metals, transactions related to the Iranian rial, and purchases of cars and commercial passenger aircraft. The second wave of sanctions, which will target the oil and gas industry in Iran and its energy sector, as well as transactions with the Central Bank of Iran, is slated for November.

"The remaining five countries continue their efforts to preserve trade and economic cooperation with Iran under the US sanctions," he told reporters.

The diplomat stressed that the JCPOA was still valid, despite the United States' withdrawal.

"Objectively, the interests of the European Union [the final party to the JCPOA] and Russia on this track are almost identical. We were co-authors of this fragile agreement on the Iran nuclear program, therefore it is in our interest to preserve it. At present, one can acknowledge that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action after the US withdrawal has not died," Chizhov stressed.

In May, President Donald Trump announced that his country would exit the 2015 JCPOA, which stipulates the gradual lifting of the anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for Tehran maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The remaining parties to the agreement have denounced the US move and committed themselves to preserving the deal.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Russian Investigative Committee said on Wednesday it would request the court to take two young activists of the New Greatness opposition group, Anna Pavlikova and Maria Dubovik, accused of extremism-related activities, out of custody and place them under house arrest.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The Russian Investigative Committee said on Wednesday it would request the court to take two young activists of the New Greatness opposition group, Anna Pavlikova and Maria Dubovik, accused of extremism-related activities, out of custody and place them under house arrest.

In March, Pavlikova and Dubovik along with seven other members of the New Greatness group were arrested on suspicion of setting up an extremist group in Moscow.

"Tomorrow [on Thursday] an investigator ... of the Russian Investigative Committee will request the court to change the preventive measures from remand in custody to house arrest for Anna Pavlikova, 18, and Maria Dubovik, 19, accused of organizing the New Greatness extremist association .

.. The decision has been taken based on the information about the personalities [of the accused] and the absence of grounds for the girls' further detention," the committee wrote in a post on its Whatsapp channel.

Earlier in August, media reported about the two detainees' sharp deterioration in health. The Russian penitentiary service responded to the claims last week, saying that Pavlikova and Dubovik were in a medical unit and their health condition was assessed as satisfactory and that there was no need for urgent medical assistance.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The Russian cabinet approved on Wednesday the draft agreement on cooperating with Guinea in the sphere of fish production and processing, the government said on its portal.

"The agreement project envisions, in particular, that the parties will cooperate in fishing, processing and marketing of fish products, and developing other fisheries-related sectors, including shipbuilding, ship maintenance, refrigerating facilities," the cabinet said in a statement.

Russia and Guinea already cooperate in chemical, automotive and agricultural industries. This year, the two countries celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Russia's Sberbank has once again ranked first in top 50 most valuable Russian brands in 2018, according to a report by the London-based Brand Finance consultancy company, published on Wednesday.

Sberbank also topped the list in 2017 with its brand value reaching 569.467 billion rubles.

"Sberbanks brand value has surged by 18% to 670.4 billion [rubles, $9.9 billion]. Sberbanks remarkable performance further extended its lead as the most valuable Russian brand, worth more than twice as much as the second-ranked brand, Gazprom (brand value up 5% to 320.

8 billion)," the report read.

According to the report, Sberbank's brand value increased significantly in light of "an encouraging performance" in Russia's domestic market.

"The brand is also investing in future growth, as earlier this year it announced new plans to combat the threat from tech competitors," the report said.

Russia's Lukoil oil and gas company ranked third with its brand value standing at 281.063 billion rubles, followed by Rosneft energy company with brand value of 203.869 billion rubles.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The heads of the Serb municipalities of the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo supported on Wednesday the idea floated by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to allow Kosovo to be partitioned between ethnic Albanians and Serbs for the sake of resolving their long-standing conflict.

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The heads of the Serb municipalities of the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo supported on Wednesday the idea floated by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to allow Kosovo to be partitioned between ethnic Albanians and Serbs for the sake of resolving their long-standing conflict.

Last week, Vucic said that he advocated partitioning Kosovo along ethnic lines to avoid further conflicts. The president's remarks were criticized by part of the Serbian opposition. The president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, has rejected the idea.

"We assure you that any decision you come to that will mean more rights for the Serbs, more security for our citizens and the preservation of our holy sites, as well as a better economic situation for our people, we will support them all, whether it be partitioning, adjustment or something else," an open letter by the heads of the Serb municipalities said, as quoted by Radio Television of Kosovo.

In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia, which has not been recognized by China, Greece, Iran, Israel, Russia, Serbia, Spain and a number of other states. The European Union persuaded Serbia to begin cooperating with Kosovo in 2011. This led to the signing of the Brussels Agreement on normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo in 2013, and the 2015 accord on forming the Community of Serb Municipalities, a self-governing association of the Serb-dominated regions of Kosovo.MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will visit Latvia on Wednesday and meet with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics.

Hunt started his three-day visit to Finland, Latvia, Denmark and the Netherlands on Tuesday in order to discuss the United Kingdom's relationship with its European partners following Brexit.

"The ministers intend to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, including cooperation on strategic communication and strengthening independent media, which is important for providing the public with reliable and objective information," the Latvian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Among other topics, Hunt and Rinkevics are expected to touch upon transatlantic ties, namely business, trade and security, as well as topical issues on the international agenda.Bamako, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Aug, 2018 ) :The United Nations and European Union called for restraint in Mali on Tuesday after the opposition candidate said he would reject the results of a presidential run-off.

Provisional results of the faceoff between President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 73, and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, 68, are expected on Wednesday, according to an official source.

The president's camp claimed Tuesday that he would be re-elected by a "comfortable" margin.

"We are calmly waiting for the official results which will be announced shortly by the competent authorities," the president's campaign manager Boukary Treta told a press conference.

Opposition leader Cisse said on Monday he would reject the results of the vote, which was marred by violence, low turnout and accusations of fraud.

He called on "all Malians to rise up... (against) the dictatorship of fraud." "Responsibility for what is going to happen in this country lies with the president's side," he declared.

In New York, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on "all parties to remain calm through the conclusion of the electoral process" and avoid "incendiary rhetoric." The EU mission called on candidates to "show restraint" and "avoid announcing their own result estimates before the results are published." Cisse's team and other opposition contenders have repeatedly accused the government of fraud, including ballot-box stuffing and vote-buying.

"The fraud is proven, this is why there are results we will not accept," Cisse said at his party's headquarters in Bamako on Monday.

He said the computer programme his party uses to tally votes -- which had put him in the lead until then -- had been hacked.

His team also said half a dozen of their members were detained for two hours in a Bamako police station and their phones and laptops had been seized.US Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urging him to investigate the killing of three Russian journalists in the Central African Republic (CAR).

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) US Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urging him to investigate the killing of three Russian journalists in the Central African Republic (CAR).

"We respectfully ask you to engage the relevant UN mechanisms to conduct a full and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the murder of Orkhan Dzhemal, Kirill Radchenko and Alexander Rastorguyev, and to ensure full cooperation by the governments of the Central African Republic and the Russian Federation," Rubio and Coons wrote.

On July 30, Radchenko, Rastorguev and Dzhemal were found dead in the CAR. The Russian Investigative Committee has already opened a criminal investigation into the case.

Russias Foreign Ministry said the preliminary information showed that a robbery was the motive for the killing of the three journalists.

Rubio and Coons said in the journalists were killed while working on documentary about possible presence of the Wagner military group in the CAR, while noting that Russia has increased its involvement in the country.

"With UN approval, the Russian Federation has delivered arms and ammunition and provided instructors for the car military," the senators said in the letter.

An investigative media outlet of Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky confirmed that it had sent the journalists to the CAR to work on producing a documentary film.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

A prominent human rights watchdog on Wednesday called on the Mauritanian authorities to cease arrests of activists, journalists and opposition politicians ahead of the upcoming parliamentary, regional and local elections.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) A prominent human rights watchdog on Wednesday called on the Mauritanian authorities to cease arrests of activists, journalists and opposition politicians ahead of the upcoming parliamentary, regional and local elections.

Earlier in August, a prominent opposition figure, an anti-slavery activist and two journalists were detained by the authorities. While two of them had been charged with various offenses, from threats of violence to complicity, the two others remained in custody without charges, Amnesty International said.

"Authorities in Mauritania must immediately put an end to the wave of arrests of journalists, opposition figures and anti-slavery activists in an apparent pre-election crackdown on dissent," the group said in a statement.

One of those detained is Biram Dah Abeid, a prominent opposition politician, who heads Mauritanias Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA).

The activist was detained on August 7. Biram informed his associates about the situation on the same day by saying that the police cited some order received "from above," not an official warrant, while detaining him.

Francois Patuel, Amnesty Internationals West Africa researcher, said in the statement that the recent detentions sent "a worrying signal of intimidation, harassment and crackdown on dissenting voices by the Mauritanian authorities."

Slavery is one of the most vital concerns human rights groups voice about the situation in Mauritania. However, the African nations human rights record also includes various types of discrimination, impunity for state-sponsored atrocities, and the authorities intolerance of dissent.

For years, Mauritanian rights activists have been facing restrictions and pressure from the authorities, hindering their attempts of free speech and assembly.The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, with the Chairman of the USCCB's Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, has issued a statement following the report of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury on sexual abuse by individuals within the Church, and the sytematic cover-up of abuse.

By USCCB

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is hosting a series of meetings this week responding to the broader issue of safe environments within the Church. An update will be offered upon their conclusion.

In response to today's Pennsylvania grand jury report, Cardinal DiNardo joins Bishop Timothy L. Doherty of Lafayette in Indiana, in issuing the following joint statement. Bishop Doherty is Chairman for the USCCB's Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People.

FULL STATEMENT

"The report of the Pennsylvania grand jury again illustrates the pain of those who have been victims of the crime of sexual abuse by individual members of our clergy, and by those who shielded abusers and so facilitated an evil that continued for years or even decades. We are grateful for the courage of the people who aided the investigation by sharing their personal stories of abuse. As a body of bishops, we are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops.

"We are profoundly saddened each time we hear about the harm caused as a result of abuse, at the hands of a clergyman of any rank. The USCCB Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People and the office of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection will continue to offer avenues to healing for those who have been abused. We are committed to work in determined ways so that such abuse cannot happen.

"The Pennsylvania grand jury report covers a span of more than 70 years. In 2002 the U.S. Catholic bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which commits us to respond promptly and compassionately to victims, report the abuse of minors, remove offenders and take ongoing action to prevent abuse. This Charter was revised and updated in 2011 and again in 2018. We pledge to maintain transparency and to provide for the permanent removal of offenders from ministry and to maintain safe environments for everyone. All policies and procedures regarding training and background check requirements are made publicly available by dioceses and eparchies.

"We pray that all survivors of sexual abuse find healing, comfort and strength in God's loving presence as the Church pledges to continue to restore trust through accompaniment, communion, accountability and justice.

Useful links:

Statement of the Diocese of Scranton

Staement of Diocese of Pittsburgh

Statement of Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Homily of Bishop Edward Malesic of the Diocese of Greensburg

Statements of Bishop Lawrence Persico of the Diocese of Erie

Statement of Bishop Mark Bartchak of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnston

Statement of the Diocese of Allentown

Statement of the Diocese of HarrisburgFor Phorn Yen, leaving Cambodia was not really a choice.

Like so many of their compatriots, Yen and his wife left behind their children and hometown in Poipet to find a job in neighboring Thailand as the price of goods and services in Cambodia rapidly outpaced wages.

Yen wanted to save enough money to buy a modest home for his family, costing about $10,000 -- a vast sum considering the average annual household income when the family left in 2013 was about $850.

The couple were able to save about $600 per month to send home, but the challenges of working abroad took their toll. Yen and his wife returned to Poipet earlier this year, but since they returned neither have been able to find work.

I have no idea what I should do for work now, he said. Im clueless. Farming is not an option as the climate is not productive for agriculture. I considered fishing, but its not profitable either.

Since 2005, millions of Cambodians have made the same journey, often from deprived neighborhoods and villages where employment and farming opportunities have dried up. Young Cambodians are also increasingly looking far afield for independence and new opportunities.

Many Cambodians who travel overseas for work do so illegally, while the government facilitates some of the economic migration to Thailand and other countries. But even legal economic migration is plagued by accounts of exploitation by unscrupulous brokers and foreign firms.

Since the Cambodian labor movement won concessions from the government after at least five people were killed by security forces in violent factory strikes in 2014, the minimum wage for garment workers has risen to $170 per month. But the wage rises have not kept pace with rising living costs, experts say.

Sok Heng, 32, a Cambodian garment worker who made the move to Thailand in 2014, said conditions and wages were considerably better than what was on offer in Kampong Cham province, where she previously worked.

If my wages increased, so did the cost of rent, she says. Its different in Thailand. Expenses do not increase when the wages increase.

But despite the improvements Heng says she still does not earn enough money to support her family back home.

Heng says she did not want to leave her hometown and would like to return if wages and conditions were improved. Im so exhausted. I am homesick. Its not like our country. We are far away from our family. Its good to live with our family, even if we are hungry, we live happily. But if I was at home, I dont know what I would do [for work], she says.

Yon Chomnab, 30, a former migrant worker in Korea who now drives a taxi, said setting clear savings goals for himself helped with the time away from home and allowed him to focus on his plan to set up his own small business on his return.

After you finish working there, what do you do next? How much money can you save? We should manage our money properly. If not, when we arrive in [the country to work] we will forget that we went there to work and just spend extravagantly, he said. Theres a risk that you will come back empty handed.

The average monthly salary of a migrant worker in Thailand is $163 and $137 in Malaysia, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). Experts suggest that the practice has short-term benefits for many workers, but carries considerable risks as much of the migration is unregulated,

Most migrant workers will be unemployed on their return to their home country because of a lack of job opportunities and programs to get people back into work.

Moeun Tola, executive director of the Center for Labor Protection and Human Rights (Central), said more than two million Cambodians were migrant workers, mostly working in uncredentialed jobs. These migrant workers must be repatriated to their home country before a deadline. They cant work there forever. So once they [foreign companies] stop recruiting workers, we will encounter a serious issue, he said.

There will be many unemployed people. The government ought to respond to this issue. If not, those unemployed people will soon start to steal or rob in order to feed themselves, which will place a burden on society as a whole.

Eight in ten Cambodian migrant workers experience rights abuses while overseas, according to the ILO and International Organization for Migration (IOM). About 70 percent also suffer from physical and mental health problems after their arrival.

Ngeth Chou, an economist, said most migrants do not improve their skills while overseas, meaning that after their return they are no more employable than when they left. More elderly Cambodians are entrusted with the care of their children while the parents are abroad and more young adults are forced to leave education early as a result of economic migration, Chou said.

I do not consider [unskilled economic migration] as a long-term benefit, rather it is a short-term solution.

I have serious concerns about this issue since we are in a competitive market. Furthermore, we are not really good at producing and our human resources are assisting the economy of a foreign country; there is little chance for us to benefit from the competition.

According to the ILO, only about one in 20 Cambodians find work overseas that matches their skills, as migrant workers are hired to meet the requirements of low-wage industries that are not attractive to the local population.

But Heng Sour, a labor ministry spokesman, said overall economic migration was a long-term benefit to Cambodia. Migrant workers earn a higher income and obtain new working experiences, he said, adding that the government was working on improving the situation for returning migrants.

First we ought to have a system of protections for our fellow migrant workers who are overseas illegally. Second, if they are being repatriated, we should provide them with information so they can consider which jobs they can pursue and we also have to certify their overseas work skills and experience, he said.

A large-scale government scheme over the past several years has seen hundreds of thousands of Cambodians registered as migrant workers after Thailand forcibly repatriated tens of thousands of undocumented migrant workers since 2014.

Some 1,000 Cambodians have been rescued by the authorities from abusive conditions in recent years.

Tola of Central said the governments measures did not go far enough.

The government should come up with measures to prevent economic migration. The government should strengthen the labor market by setting wages and providing land as concessions to citizens to promote agriculture, he said.

When we implement this kind of action, we will be able to prevent migration and provide workers' jobs domestically. If they cannot find a job in Cambodia, they will have to leave and find another job.

Such sentiment is popular with Cambodias migrant workforce.

I want the government to offer more jobs to the people so I do not always have to leave and work abroad, said Yen. In foreign countries, no matter how old you are, you can always find a job, unlike in Cambodia, where there is no work. I want that and I dont want to work abroad, he said.This week Taiwan's president is in Los Angeles, marking the first time in 15 years that a Taiwanese leader is speaking publicly in the United States, in another sign of growing ties between Washington and Taipei.

President Tsai Ing-Wen met with U.S. lawmakers and Taiwanese Americans on Monday and Tuesday, drawing an official protest from China, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province.

The division between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan sharpened this year when the U.S. Congress unanimously passed the Taiwan Travel Act, which allows U.S. officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan and for high-ranking Taiwanese officials to visit the United States.

Tsai Ing-Wens trip to the U.S. this week is the first since the Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump, and there is support for greater engagement.

Rep. Brad Sherman, Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, told VOA that he looks forward to welcoming Tsai in Washington in the future.

There may be a time when the president of Taiwan addresses to the joint session of congress but I think that will be a willing in the next decade, Sherman, who called himself a strong advocate for U.S.-Taiwan alliance, said. It will begin not with the presidential visit but perhaps at the foreign ministerial level.

China routinely objects to U.S. support for Taiwan and meetings with its leaders, but many U.S. lawmakers champion support for the democracy as a key American foreign policy priority. On Tuesday, Chinas Taiwan Affairs office reiterated its opposition to any attempt to promote Taiwans independence.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. We firmly oppose any attempt to create two Chinas, one China, one Taiwan and Taiwan independence in the international arena, it said in a statement responding to a question from AFP.

Championing democracy

During a brief speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library during her two-day stopover in Los Angeles, Tsai vowed to defend the values of freedom and democracy.

Everything was negotiable except two things: our freedom and our future, Tsai quoted from former U.S. President Reagans remarks in her talk, adding that this is also how Taiwanese people feel at the moment.

We will keep our pledge that we are willing to jointly promote regional stability and peace under the principles of national interests, freedom and democracy, she said.

Although there are no official diplomatic ties between the governments of the U.S. and Taiwan, the U.S. sees the island as a strategic partner in the region, and Washington has long been Taipeis strongest informal ally and chief arms supplier.

Im excited to welcome President Tsai to the U.S. Its a great opportunity to continue to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan, Senator Cory Gardner, Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, told media before his meeting with Tsai.

Besides Senator Gardner, three U.S. Congress members from California also met with Tsai during her short visit to Los Angeles, including Ed Royce, Brad Sherman and Judy Chu.

However, the Trump administration on Tuesday rejected speculation there was any change in policy toward Taiwan.

"Our policy on Taiwan has not changed," State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

She said of Tsai's stop that the United States allows "from time to time representatives of the Taiwan authorities to transit the United States. Those are largely undertaken out of consideration for the safety and the comfort of those travelers, and that is in keeping with our One-China policy."

Bullying tactics'

Recently China has stepped up a pressure campaign against Taiwan as it tries to assert Chinese sovereignty.

Beijing has ordered foreign companies, including U.S. airlines companies, to label Taiwan as a part of China on their websites and is excluding Taiwan from many international forums.

I think the U.S. needs to be extremely tough when it comes to Chinas bullying tactics,Senator Gardner said, "I think it's unacceptable for U.S. companies to be bullied by China and I have encouraged along with my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats to stand up against Chinas bullying behavior and tactics that try to intimidate U.S. companies over the way they recognize Taiwan.

Rep. Ed Royce, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee, told VOA that the focus of his work has been to develop policy to deepen U.S.-Taiwan economic relations.

What we have tried to do is to have policies that will strengthen Taiwan Travel Act, and at the same time keep up the security in peace in strength, Royce, who announced his retirement next January, said. Most of my focuses have been what we can do to keep Taiwan economically strong. So we are working on a lot of trade initiatives, more investments, investments between the US and Taiwan. We think that is the right focus in terms of long term security.

Tsai arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday for a transit stop on the way to a state visit to Paraguay and Belize, two of 18 nations that still have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. She is expected to make another U.S. stopover in Houston on her way back on Aug. 18.A deadly airstrike by a Saudi-led coalition killed at least 40 children in northern Yemen last week, prompting international outrage. The U.S. State Department has called on the coalition of Gulf Arab states to investigate the incident, one of the deadliest in the three-year-old war. The United Nations Security Council is also calling for a credible, transparent investigation. VOA's diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine has more from the State Department.Ugandan farmers are joining their counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop a method of early detection of the fall armyworm  an invasive pest that originated in the Americas but since 2016 has devastated crops in Africa. A new mobile application, the fall armyworm Monitoring and Early Warning System, may help farmers defeat the destructive larvae, as Halima Athumani reports from Mukono, Uganda.Despite major attacks by the Taliban in various provinces of Afghanistan including southeastern Ghazni province in recent days, the Afghan government is still considering attempting a possible cease-fire with insurgents ahead of the Eid holidays, a government spokesperson told VOA.

Recently, the Afghan president had many consultative meetings [about possible cease-fire] with representatives of various fractions of the Afghan society. The issue of cease-fire is under review and we will announce the decision when we get to a conclusion, Shah Hussain Mutrazawi, a spokesperson for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, told VOA.

Murtazawi added that the cease-fire is part of a larger quest of the Afghan people, who demand peace and an end to violence in the country. He did emphasize, though, terror groups that resort to violence would be dealt with decisively by the country's security forces.

Taliban reaction

Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban also reportedly are considering a new four-day cease-fire during the upcoming Eid holidays.

Two senior members of the Taliban, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said their friends advised them to announce the cease-fire.

As usual there would be divided opinion on a cease-fire like we faced last time during Eid-al Fitr but our supreme leader Sheikh Habitullah Akhundzada would then play his role and would either announce the cease-fire or may ask the fighters to continue their fight, a member of the Taliban leadership council told Reuters.

In a televised address on June 7, Ghani, in an unprecedented move, announced the unilateral week-long cease-fire with the Taliban ahead of the holidays in June of this year, which was followed by the Talibans announcement of a three-day cease-fire.

Afghan Taliban fighters roamed around cities across Afghanistan and celebrated the Eid festival with Afghan soldiers and civilians. Taliban fighters were seen taking selfies with Afghan security forces.

Ghazni clashes

In the latest spike of violence, Taliban insurgents have been fighting with Afghan government forces in Ghazni province for the past five days.

So far, 70 Afghan police officers, 30 Afghan army personnel, more than 30 civilians and over 300 Taliban insurgents have been killed, Sayed Ghafoor Ahmad Jawid, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told VOA.

Ghazni city is under the government control. Clearing operations are underway outside of the city. Afghan and international humanitarian aid, including medication and food supplies by the Red Cross International Committee, are on their way to Ghazni province, Jawid said.

Ghazni is a strategic province due to its geographical location. The province connects the capital city of Kabul to Kandahar, another major province in the south of the country.

The province also is a historic city, and was the capital of Ghaznavids Empire several centuries ago. The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) named Ghazni as the capital of Islamic culture in the Asian region in 2013.

Security lapses

Some analysts charge that the reason why Ghazni is the scene of fierce fighting between the government and the insurgents is because the province lacks the necessary security measures and is therefore susceptible to attacks.

Abdul Karim Matin, former governor of Ghazni province, said one of the reasons why the Taliban easily could infiltrate the province is because it lacks what he called a security belt that could defend the province.

Another reason for the Taliban's infiltration in the province is the limited number of troops. Our current force is based on a 17-year-old force structure that cannot meet the current security threats, Matin told VOA.

We cannot win this fight unless we adjust and boost our forces based on the current threat level, he added.

Optimism about peace

Despite the violence by the Taliban across Afghanistan, the countrys High Peace Council (HPC), a government body tasked with talking to them, says Afghanistan is at war, and a cease-fire is a requirement to launch peace talks and end the war in the country.

A sustained and lasting armistice is what Afghan people desire. We are hopeful to witness another cease-fire, like the one we had last Eid. To end the war and violence, we should be engaged in the peace process, relentlessly, Sayed Ehsan Tahiri, a HPC spokesperson told VOA.

We welcome any steps toward ending the war in Afghanistan, Tahiri added.A pre-dawn Taliban raid on a military base in northern Afghanistan has killed at least 40 security forces, the latest in a series of insurgent attacks across the country inflicting heavy casualties on government forces.

A security official in the province of Baghlan, where the attack occurred, told VOA on condition of anonymity that 31 Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and nine policemen were among the dead.



A Taliban spokesman claimed the offensive captured two bases in the area and killed up 70 Afghan forces, though insurgent battlefield claims are often inflated.

The attack came a day after the Taliban seized a key ANA base in the neighboring Faryab province, killing and capturing dozens of soldiers.

Officials told VOA on Tuesday that 40 of the 70 soldiers stationed at the base surrendered to the Taliban. The rest, they said, had either been killed or fled to nearby mountains during the two days of intense clashes.

Situation eased in Ghazni

Meanwhile, the United Nations warned Wednesday that days of fighting in the embattled southeastern city of Ghazni has inflicted terrible suffering on the civilians.

The Taliban assaulted the strategically important city Friday morning, sparking deadly clashes with Afghan forces for the next five days. Much of the city buildings were set ablaze during the fighting, according to families who fled immediately after the insurgents attacked.

Provincial authorities announced Tuesday afternoon that insurgents had been evicted from much of Ghazni and clearing operations were underway on the citys outskirts.

For its part, the Taliban said its fighters have pulled back from the city after inflicting heavy casualties on government forces. The insurgents control or influence a majority of the districts in the province, also named Ghazni.

The Afghan army chief has confirmed the government lost 100 soldiers and police personnel while battling the Taliban and nearly 200 insurgents were also killed. The provincial governor told VOA the clashes in Ghazni also left 30 civilians dead. U.N. officials said unconfirmed estimates ranged from 110 to 150 civilians

Reliable information indicates that the Ghazni Public Hospital is overwhelmed by a continuous influx of injured government forces, Taliban fighters and civilians, said Tadamichi Yamamoto, who heads U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)

The hospital was overcrowded with hundreds of wounded people and dozens of bodies, residents and doctors said.

Relief supplies needed

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was doing all it could to help the people of Ghazni and the aid agency has also provided emergency supplies to the hospital.

The situation in Ghazni, particularly for non-combatants remained grim, as the fighting has led to electricity outages along with water and food shortages, Yamamoto noted.

The fighting has disrupted communication networks in the city of 270,000 people and roads remain blocked, preventing freedom of movement for families seeking safety, he said.

The fighting in Ghazni must stop and the fighting in Afghanistan must stop. Confidence-building steps that immediately reduce violence are crucial, and talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are necessary to identify and expand common ground, said Yamamoto.

Afghan security officials have said foreign fighters, including Arabs, Chechens and Pakistanis, were also among Taliban fatalities in Ghazni, though they have not offered any proof.

A Washington-based Afghan diplomat twitted a video showing Pakistani villagers allegedly organizing funeral for a suspected militant who died while fighting alongside the Taliban in Ghazni. It was difficult to ascertain when and exactly where the video was filmed.

Authorities in Pakistan maintain that some insurgent "facilitators and abetters" might be hiding among the nearly three million Afghan refugees still living in the country.

Pakistani militants had filled Taliban ranks in Afghanistan when the Islamist group was ruling most of the war-shattered country until it was ousted from power by a U.S.-led military coalition in 2001 for sheltering al-Qaida leaders.

Pakistan maintains it has boosted security on the porous Afghan border and is unilaterally building a robust fence to deter militant infiltration in either direction. Officials also reject the Afghan Taliban is using Pakistani soil for insurgent activities in Afghanistan.Last year, Brazilian farmer Gustavo Lopes sized up his sugar cane plantation against his soybean fields.

He looked at global trends, including rising U.S.-China trade tensions and a stubborn sugar-market glut. Then he tore up the last of his cane fields and ditched a decades-old supply contract with a local sugar mill.

Lopes planted soybeans across his 1,600-hectare (4,000-acre) farm in Sao Paulo state - a bet that paid off earlier this month when Chinese buyers loaded up on South American soy after Beijing imposed tariffs on U.S. beans. The farmer got his highest price ever for soybeans.

"It was unusual for this time of year," Lopes said in an interview at his farm, where he's prepping to plant another soy crop in September. "It's got to be a result of Chinese demand."

Shifting trade flows are redefining the Brazilian landscape, spurring more farmers to align their crops with Chinese appetites. The nation's soy plantings have expanded by 2 million hectares in two years - an area the size of New Jersey - while land used for cane shrank by nearly 400,000 hectares, according to government data.

China's growing demand for meat has supercharged soy imports for animal feed. The Asian nation paid $20.3 billion last year for 53.8 million tons of soybeans from Brazil, nearly half its output -- and up from 22.8 million tons in 2012.

A new 25 percent Chinese tariff on U.S. soybeans  a retaliation for U.S. levies by President Donald Trump  is expected to boost Brazil's soy exports to an all-time record this year.

Brazilian soybean exports to China rose to nearly 36 million tons in the first half of 2018, up 6 percent from a year ago.

In July, they surged 46 percent from the same month a year earlier to 10.2 million tons.

Brazil's grains boom has it rivaling United States as the world's top soy producer this year, after outpacing U.S. exports over the past five years.

All that soy is eating into Brazil's sugarcane belt, which is reeling from sugar prices near multi-year lows. Chinese sugar tariffs have weighed on the global market for the sweetener as developed nations continue to cut back consumption.

"We lost 3,000 hectares of cane area to grains in the last two years," said Roberto de Rezende Barbosa, chief executive of Nova America, one of the largest cane growers in Brazil, managing 110,000 hectares.

Rezende said he had seen farmers migrating from sugarcane into grains in nearly every state where both crops are viable.

Shuttered Sugar Mills

The crop swap is catching on quickly with farmers, threatening the survival of cane mills they once supplied.

About 60 cane mills have closed in the past five years in Brazil's center-south cane region. About 270 that remain open must fight harder than ever to secure cane supplies.

Agroconsult, an agribusiness consultancy, said it has received requests from mills to calculate the premium they will have to pay producers to keep them from switching to grains.

Douglas Duarte, a director at the Londra mill in Itai  which used to lease part of the Lopes farm  said he has plans to add 500,000 tons of capacity at the mill but has yet to line up enough cane supplies.

With so many farmers focused on grain, Duarte has worked to sign leases with families who are not interested in actively managing their land.

"In places where the owners have expertise with grains  the equipment and everything  then you can't compete," he said.

In some places, the closing of cane mills has also discouraged planting.

Farmer Antonio de Morais Ribeiro Neto gave up planting cane last year after the closure of the sugar mill that he supplied, called Usina Maracaju. Biosev SA, the Brazilian sugar arm of global commodities trader Louis Dreyfus, shut it down in a cost-cutting move.

So Riberio replaced 400 hectares of cane with soybeans, adding to the 2,000 hectares of soy he already had planted. As he watched the U.S.-China trade war escalate, he bought two new grain silos, more soybean-planting machinery and a new harvester.

'Betting Big'

Plenty of sugar mills, which often grow part of the cane they process, have realized they cannot fight the soy boom and decided to plant their own soybeans as part of a crop rotation strategy.

Cane fields typically need to be replanted after five or six years, and mills are using the renovation window to produce soybeans.

"In the past, those areas subject to renovation would be left fallow until the following year," said Victor Campanelli, who has exploited the niche.

His firm, Agro Pastoril Paschoal Campanelli, manages the planning, inputs and equipment for sugar mills' one-off soy crops, sharing in the profits.

While the grains bonanza has many farmers flush with cash, some are wary about relying so much on one crop and one massive importer.

"This Chinese demand has attracted all the farmers," said Marcos Cesar Brunozzi, who switched part of his land from sugar to grains in the state of Minas Gerais. "I hope the whole situation doesn't change suddenly, because we are betting big."

Lopes has no regrets about tearing up his cane fields.

Last year, his sugar cane yielded a net profit of 480 reais per hectare  compared to 2,600 reais per hectare for his soy fields.

"I know it won't always be that way," he said. "But still, it's a huge difference."Supporters of former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva marched on Brasilia on Tuesday to support his attempt to take part in presidential elections, despite serving a prison sentence for corruption.

The New York Times published an article by Lula on Tuesday in which he branded his sentence  which has been confirmed by an appeals court after a trial  as "the latest phase in a slow-motion coup" against Brazil's left.

The "extreme right wing is seeking to knock me out of the race," Lula wrote.

Lula leads in opinion polls ahead of the October 7 first round of presidential voting. However, he is almost sure to be barred under Brazil's clean slate law.

In addition, his polling results mask equally strong rejection rates, making him the most popular but also arguably the most divisive politician in the country.

For the approximately 1,000 people, divided into three groups converging on Brasilia, Lula's absence from the election would be a travesty.

The activists from the Workers' Party and the Landless Workers Movement were due to meet up Wednesday outside the Supreme Electoral Court in the capital to officially register Lula's unlikely candidacy.

With them was former Sao Paulo governor Fernando Haddad, who is designated as vice president on Lula's ticket.

Lula, 72, was convicted of taking an apartment as a bribe from a big construction company. The case was part of a mass of graft prosecutions conducted in Brazil's giant "Car Wash" probe into systemic embezzlement and bribery throughout the country's political parties.

The electoral court has until September 17 to rule on Lula's candidacy registration. If he is barred, Haddad would likely run in his place.The Canadian government said on Wednesday it would move to restrict use of two types of crop chemicals that have been linked to deaths of aquatic insects and bees, in a victory for environmentalists and the latest setback for companies that sell the pesticides.

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) said it would phase out, over three to five years, the outdoor use of thiamethoxam, made by Syngenta AG, and clothianidin, produced by Bayer AG.

A review found the chemicals at levels in water bodies high enough to harm aquatic insects that are food for fish and birds. The widely used chemicals protect corn, soybean and canola crops from insect damage.

Health Canada's move is subject to a 90-day consultation period, followed by final decisions in late 2019.

Neonicotinoids, also called neonics, are a class of pesticides applied as a seed treatment or sprayed on leaves.

Neonics have drawn scrutiny after research pointed to risks for honey bees, which have been in decline in North America, possibly due to pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change.

Health Canada also plans a final decision by the end of this year whether to phase out a third neonic, Bayer's imidacloprid. Canada's moves come after European Union countries in April backed a proposal to ban all outdoor use of neonics.

The United States has not taken similar action, but is reviewing neonics and plans to seek public comment on proposed action next spring, a spokesperson for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.

Ontario beekeepers blame overuse of neonics for devastating honey bees, after an estimated 46 percent of colonies in the province did not survive winter.

"I'm thankful we're going to see a phase-out. I'd like it to happen sooner," said Jim Coneybeare, present of the Ontario Beekeepers' Association.

Alberta beekeeper David Tharle, however, said neonic use on canola fields has not harmed his hives, and he worries farmers will turn to harsher chemicals. "I haven't seen [neonics] affect the bees one iota."

Neonics are an "important tool" for farmers, with few alternatives, said Barry Senft, CEO of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

Syngenta is disappointed with the decision and believes the PMRA did not consider all relevant information, said Chris Davidson, spokesman for the company's Canadian unit.

Bayer believes clothianidin has a "favorable environmental profile," said Paul Thiel, vice-president of innovation and public affairs at Bayer CropScience.The International Organization for Migration says the number of African migrants coming to Spain is rising while the number coming to Italy is falling.



The IOM says 47,000 irregular migrants have entered Spain using the Western Mediterranean over the past two years, a huge increase from the steady trickle taking that route in previous decades.



IOM spokesman Joel Millman said the nationalities of the migrants arriving in Spain mirror those that used to leave Libya for Italy. He told VOA migrants from Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Senegal and Ivory Coast appear to have changed the route they traditionally followed to reach European shores.



It indicates that probably West African migrants who were using the Sahara route up to Agadez into Tripoli have realized that the expense, the danger, the risk and then what happens to them in Libya all combine to make that a less attractive route than what had been an older route up along the coast into Morocco. So, they seem to be returning to that route, he said.



Libya has seen a virtual flood of refugees and migrants in the past half-decade. But human rights groups say tens of thousands have fallen victim to abuse, torture, kidnappings for ransom and exploitation by smugglers, traffickers, and organized crime syndicates.



The IOM says 25,000 migrants have arrived in Spain this year compared to 19,200 arrivals in Italy. While that is a large number for Spain, Millman said Italy used to receive that number of arrivals every month during the peak migration years of 2014 and 2015.



IOM data also show that two-thirds of the nearly 1,500 migrant deaths in the Mediterranean this year have happened on the route to Italy.



Millman said no one is sure why deaths on the route to Spain is so low, but speculates that people in Spain are on the lookout for incoming boats and may be responding faster and better to those that appear to be in trouble.Cubas government said it provided free internet to the Communist-run islands more than 5 million cellphone users on Tuesday, in an eight-hour test before it launches sales of the service.

Cuba is one of the Western Hemispheres least connected countries. State-run telecommunications monopoly ETECSA announced the trial, with Tuesday marking the first time internet services were available nationwide.

There are hundreds of WiFi hotspots in Cuba but virtually no home penetration.

Dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez, considered the countrys social media pioneer, raved that she had directly sent a tweet from her mobile. In another tweet, she called the test a citizens victory.

On the streets of Havana, mobile users said they were happy about the day of free internet, even as some complained that connectivity was notably slower than usual.

This is marvelous news because we can talk with family abroad without going to specific WiFi spots, there is more intimacy, said taxi driver Andres Peraza.

Forty percent of Cubans have relatives living abroad.

Leinier Valdez, one of a group of young people trying to connect, said, this is great. Its better and more so when you can connect for free.

Hotspots currently charge about $1 an hour although monthly wages in Cuba average just $30.

The government has not yet said how much most Cubans would pay for mobile internet, or when exactly sales of the service will begin. But ETECSA is already charging companies and embassies $45 a month for four gigabytes.

Analysts have said broader Web access will ultimately weaken government control over what information reaches people in a country where the state has a monopoly on the media.

Whether because of a lack of cash, a long-running U.S. trade embargo or concerns about the flow of information, Cuba has lagged far behind most countries in Web access. Until 2013, internet was largely only available to the public at tourist hotels on the island.

But the government has since made boosting connectivity a priority, introducing cybercafes and outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots and slowly starting to hook up homes to the Web.

Long before he took office from Raul Castro in April, 58-year-old President Miguel Diaz-Canel championed the cause.

We need to be able to put the content of the revolution online, he told parliament in July, adding that Cubans could thus counter the avalanche of pseudo-cultural, banal and vulgar content on the internet.You know Sheila the She-Wolf from "Glow" on Netflix? "Alpha" would be her favorite movie. She'd watch it every day on a VHS tape, memorizing each line of Cro-Magnon dialogue, fashioning her costumes in tribute to the fur-trimmed Hot Topic looks sported by the characters, adopting a Czech wolf dog like the one in the movie. It's sweet, really, to imagine the kind of devotion "Alpha" might inspire, a film that's very simple, kind of strange, but will melt any dog-lover's heart. It's the story of a young boy living in Europe's last Ice Age, his fight for survival and the special relationship with a wolf that keeps him alive. It's something Sheila the She-Wolf would really dig, and maybe you will too.The United Nations on Wednesday welcomed Malta's agreement to allow a European rescue ship carrying 141 migrants to dock at one of its ports after the vessel became the latest to stuck in a disagreement among various nations about what to do with people rescued at sea.

The U.N.'s refugee agency further commended France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain for joining Malta in taking in the migrants once they reach shore.

But the agency's chief Filippo Grandi said the situation never should have existed, calling it "dangerous and immoral" that rescue ships are left to sit at sea while governments do their best to take as little responsibility as possible.

"There is an urgent need to break away from the current run of impasses and ad-hoc boat-by-boat approaches on where to dock rescued passengers," Grandi said. "Only with clearly identifiable ports of safety will shipmasters feel confident when responding to distress calls that they'll be able to promptly disembark passengers, and won't become objects of lengthy negotiations."

After initially refusing to let the Aquarius dock, Malta changed its mind when five other European Union nations agreed to take in the migrants. Malta called it a "concrete example of European leadership and solidarity."

The migrants to be given refuge across the EU include 141 from the Aquarius, and 114 others Malta rescued in the Mediterranean Monday.

France, which has agreed to take in 60 of the migrants, is thanking Malta "for its humanitarian gesture."

"Maybe European states have finally understood that this concerns our common border at the south of Europe, that this is a problem for the 28 member states, and that we can't avoid responsibility," said Frederic Penard of the European rescue group SOS Mediterranee, which operates the Aquarius with Doctors Without Borders.

On Friday, the Aquarius picked up the 141 migrants who were stuck in unstable wooden boats off the Libyan coast.

SOS Mediterranee said most of the migrants came from Somalia and Eritrea and had been held in inhumane conditions in Libya before heading out to sea. Many were suffering from malnutrition.

Thousands of people from sub-Saharan Africa and countries such as Syria and Afghanistan try crossing the Mediterranean every year to escape war, terrorism and poverty for a better life in the European Union.

Italy had been the most popular destination for the migrants because its islands are closest to the coast of North Africa.

But Italy is refusing to accept any more, saying it has done enough and that other EU members must pitch in.

It also said cooperating with private rescue ships like the Aquarius plays into the hands of human traffickers who get large sums of money and abandon their passengers at sea.As a small group of "Unite the Right" white nationalists held a rally Sunday in Washington, D.C., former neo-Nazi Shannon Martinez and former jihadist Jesse Morton joined hundreds of counterprotesters.

But their attendance was to do more than condemn white supremacy. They tried to help the nationalists leave hateful groups by providing counseling and sharing the stories of their transformation from violent extremism.

Wearing a black T-shirt with white letters that said, "I am a former neo-Nazi ask me questions," Martinez told VOA she hoped direct conversations could help de-radicalize people adhering to extremist ideologies.

"I love that the counterprotesters outnumbered them," she said. "We have to show up everywhere that the white supremacists try to organize and just shut it down. We should let them know that this is not culturally acceptable, and this is not the legacy that we want to carry forth into 21st century America."

Martinez, 44, never thought she would protest a white nationalist gathering before she left the ideology behind 25 years ago. She was a white supremacist at age 16, tagging public property with swastikas and posing with Nazi signs in photographs.

Her friend Jesse Morton, a former jihadi and al-Qaida recruiter, was helping her dissuade white nationalists in the rally next to the White House on Sunday.

In an interview with VOA, Morton said Islamists and white supremacists share many similarities and are mutually reinforcing, despite holding great hostility toward each other.

"Extremists offer a sense of purpose and meaning and a cause to fight and perhaps die for," Morton told VOA, arguing that Islamists and neo-Nazis bear anti-Semitic sentiments and reject multiculturalism.

"They suck adherents in and merge individual identities with a totalitarian collective. They are essentially antiglobalist and cling to tradition when confronted with the rapid changes we have witnessed in an interconnected world over the last few decades," he added.

Conversion to Islam

Morton, a 39-year-old Pennsylvanian, converted to Islam when he was 20 and changed his name to Younus Abdullah Muhammad.

Over the years as a jihadist, Morton communicated with over a dozen American and British individuals convicted of terror-related charges and used his now-defunct extremist Revolution Muslim organization in New York to distribute Islamist propaganda and help recruit for al-Qaida. He urged followers to kill people whom he accused of insulting Islam, including the writers of the popular animated series South Park for depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit.

Morton was later arrested by the FBI and sentenced in 2012 to more than 11 years in prison. However, he only served three of those years due to his cooperation with law enforcement.

He has since worked to "make amends" by helping U.S. law enforcement track down jihadists and help other extremists who are seeking a way out.

Similar experience

Morton and Martinez said they shared similar experiences falling into extremism. They said traumatic experiences during their upbringing played a major role in pushing them into radical ideologies.

Martinez was a victim of sexual assault at age 14 and struggled to meet her parents' expectations. Morton ran away from home when he was 16 due to child abuse.

Martinez said what ultimately persuaded her to leave neo-Nazi ideology was reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X and getting support from the mother of a man with whom she had a personal relationship.

"Essentially, I was taken in by a woman who extended compassion to me when I didn't feel like I deserved it at all. When she took me in and let me live in her house, she knew my ideology, which was something she did not remotely believe in. But she didn't challenge me. By her extending that compassion and sympathy, it allowed me the space to shift and begin to look at my life," Martinez said.

The transformation from a violent jihadist was similar tor Morton. He told VOA that his de-radicalization began in confinement due to the "empathetic" treatment of a female prison agent, and after reading Malcolm X's autobiography and other enlightenment-era books in the prison library.

Western world division

Morton charged that Islamist groups are intentionally encouraging the emergence of white supremacists to create division among Western societies.

"In many ways, Revolution Muslim was responsible for giving them the fight they needed to promote this anti-Islamic view that Muslims in America were attempting to implement Sharia by force," Morton said. "We deliberately antagonized right-wing bloggers in the beginning before there was a massive rally of anti-Islamic sentiment. And we played off that to the point where we were able to introduce a symbiotic relationship between the two."

Officials and counterextremism experts recently have tried to better understand the linkage between white supremacists and Islamists and address the security threats they impose.

A German government-funded study by the Jena Institute for Democracy and Civil Society last June concluded that Islamists and right-wing extremists meet ideologically in anti-Semitism, in conspiracy myths and in the goal of homogeneous societies.

In Britain, where Islamic State and the far right have been blamed for several attacks, British counterterrorism officials have said both groups pose a great threat to the security of the country.

"[Islamic State] and the extreme right wing are more similar than they might like to think. They both exploit grievances, distort the truth and undermine the values that hold us together. And they don't hesitate to learn lessons from each other," Britain's Home Secretary Sajid Javid said last month, while announcing his country's new counterterrorism strategy.

Counterterrorism measures to address immediate extremist threats are important, but the main focus should remain on providing a platform for open dialogue, according to Morton and Martinez.

"As a Caucasian convert from the white working class, I can get my mind around the grievance, which gives me empathy to a degree that I do not demonize the right-wingers I interact with," Morton told VOA.

Martinez warned that "too much" demonizing could ultimately cause more violence by depriving would-be extremists of an open platform to disengage.

"Let's shift our thinking about this and address the people who hurt people rather than the monstrous actions. Let's try to understand how these people get to those positions, because there is almost always a story of trauma, hurt and personal violence, whether that is abuse, assault, wars, terrorism or extreme forces of racism," she said.The foundation of Democrat Ilhan Omars historic primary election win to represent Minnesotas 5th District in the U.S. Congress was built on a simple campaign message.



I am a millennial with student debt, the 35-year-old state lawmaker told an audience in a crowded auditorium at the University of Minnesotas Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs during a pre-election forum with two of her competitors, both of them older.



And a renter, she added, someone who isnt ready, or cant yet afford, to purchase a home.



It was a simple yet effective message by Omar, conveying that  despite her origins in Somalia and the hijab upon her head  she was just like the many younger, progressive and liberal voters she needed to court in the Congressional district she seeks to represent.



It was ultimately a winning message, both now and two years ago when she first made history in her election (which her campaign says saw increased voter turnout by 37 percent) to the Minnesota state House of Representatives.

Before Ilhan, I think a lot of us didnt know what type of government we had, but now that she was elected, a lot of us started paying attention, says 25-year-old Somali American Khalid Mohamed. She represented us at the state level and we saw how productive she was.



Mohamed is just one of the tens of thousands of Somali Americans who voted on this primary election day for Ilhan Omar, who is one step closer to making history as the first elected refugee from the African continent  and the second Muslim American woman  to join the body. She follows in the footsteps of Keith Ellison, the first Muslim American in Congress, who currently represents this Minneapolis Congressional District, but stepped down to pursue the states Attorney Generals office  an election which he too also won the same night as Omar.



Around America it might seem odd that one of the whitest states in the country would be sending its second Muslim to Congress, says University of Minnesota Professor Larry Jacobs. But not so in Minnesota, a state that is home to the largest number of Somali refugees in the United States. But Jacobs says their votes are only part of Ilhans success story.



That is not enough to prevail in a district in which Somalis really numerically are not a large number and in this race were split with another Somali candidate, Jacobs told VOA. What Omar has been able to do for the second time now in a few years is build a broad coalition that includes progressives who agree with her Bernie Sanders light agenda and people who believe the Democratic Party needs to become more diverse and welcome in new voices.



New voices that have new  and old  challenges to face.



Right now I am well equipped to organize against an administration that is using the politics of fear to further their divisive and destructive policies at a time when our nation is at a dangerous crossroads, Omar explained to the crowd during the candidate forum. She is the Democrats Assistant Minority leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and has spoken out against family separations at the U.S. border. She is also a critic of the Trump administrations so-called Muslim Ban.



Khalid Mohamed agrees with Omars policy positions, and hopes her personal experience coming from a Kenyan refugee camp will shape the ongoing debate in Congress over U.S. immigration policy.



As a refugee, says Mohamed, she had experienced the struggles of being a refugee, and the vetting process, and something Donald Trump has not understood quite well.



In my last race I talked about what that win would mean for that eight year old girl in that refugee camp, Ilhan Omar emotionally explained to the jubilant crowd gathered for her primary election night victory party, acknowledging her improbable journey from Kenyan refugee camp to the doorstep of the U.S. Capitol. And today, I still think about her. I think about the hope and optimism, of all those 8 year olds out of the country. And around the world.



Many in Minnesotas Somali Muslim American community are refugees like her, and Omars election represents an opportunity to change public perceptions  and misperceptions  about their circumstances, and their faith.



Often our community are deemed as not very supportive of in terms of gender, especially towards females or women, says 25-year-old voter Khalid Mohamed. It would show the world and everyone in the state of Minnesota, that we often uplift and encourage Somali women, Muslim women, to run for offices to be part of the democracy that we have here in America... to participate and also to vote. It will showcase that often the media portrays us that we oppress our women as a Muslim community - we always tell them what to do and they dont have a freedom - but that would totally tell a different narrative today.



Mohamed also believes that Omars election sends a message of hope to not just a larger religious community, but an entire continent.



For her to be the first African born congresswomen, I think its a big deal on the continent," he said. "It sends a message to everyone from Africa that you might be a refugee, you might have come here as an immigrant, but you have rights, and you can be whoever you want as long as you put the work in.

Work that begins for Omar after a November general election that she is also likely to win, as the district she seeks to represent heavily favors Democratic candidates.India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday as part of India's independence day celebrations.

He said India will become the fourth country after Russia, the United States and China to achieve the feat and its astronaut could be a man or a woman. The space capsule that will transport India's astronauts was tested a few days earlier.

Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to travel in space, aboard a Soviet rocket in 1984. As part of its own space program, India successfully put a satellite into orbit around Mars in 2014.

India won independence from British colonialists in 1947. Modi's 80-minute speech, broadcast live from the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, comes months before national elections.

Modi listed his government's achievements in the past four years in reforming the country's economy, reducing poverty and corruption. He announced a health insurance scheme for 500 million poor people providing a cover of 500,000 rupees ($7,150) per family a year.

He said India will become a growth engine for the world economy as the "sleeping elephant'' has started to run on the back of structural economic reforms.

He said its economy was seen as fragile before 2014 but was now attracting investment. India is the sixth largest economy in the world and Modi said international institutions see India as giving strength to the world economy for the next three decades.

He said the structural reforms like a national tax replacing various national and local taxes, bankruptcy and insolvency laws, and a crackdown on corruption have helped transform the economy.South Korean President Moon Jae-in says he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take a "bold step" in their upcoming summit to formally ending the six-decade old war that split the two sides.

President Moon made the declaration Wednesday during a ceremony in Seoul marking the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese colonial rule.

The two Koreas announced earlier this week that Moon and Kim will meet in Pyongyang sometime next month. The two leaders have already met twice this year, both times in Panmunjom, the truce village in the border zone that separates the autocratic North from the democratic South.

During their first summit in April, Moon and Kim agreed to seek a formal end to 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with a truce rather than a peace treaty, leaving the sides in a technical state of war. Those efforts have been complicated by an impasse between the North and the United States over the pace of North Korea ending its nuclear and missile development programs, which the two sides agreed to during the historic meeting in April between Kim and President Donald Trump in Singapore.

President Moon said ending the "deep-rooted distrust" between the North and the United States would be necessary in carrying out the agreement. But he added that any improvement of inter-Korean ties was not dependent on relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

Moon said that even if "political unification" between the North and South is a long way off, establishing peace, allowing travel between the North and South and forming a joint economic community "will be true liberation for us."An Iranian Kurdish journalist who has been summoned for questioning by Iran's security and judicial authorities twice this year says he has been ordered to face a third round of questioning in the coming days.

In a message posted on Twitter, journalist and civil rights activist Ejlal Ghavami said he received a summons from a judiciary office in the northwestern city of Sanandaj on Tuesday morning local time. Ghavami said the document, a photograph of which he attached to his tweet, called for him to appear before prosecutors of Iran's Kurdistan province within five days. It was not clear why he was being summoned.

In his tweet, Ghavami said the summons represented a new case against him. He said he still faces a November court appearance in relation to an earlier case involving his journalistic and civil rights activities.

In a report published Tuesday, the Iran-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) said Ghavami had been summoned for questioning by Iranian authorities twice before in recent months.

HRANA said Ghavami and two other activists in Kurdistan province were called to an intelligence office of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in June for unknown reasons. It said that a few months earlier, Ghavami also appeared at a provincial judiciary office where cyber police questioned him about ties to anti-government protests that swept Iran in January, and to anti-government channels on the messaging app Telegram.

HRANA said Kurdistan provincial prosecutors charged Ghavami on March 25 with publishing false information and cooperating with anti-government Telegram channels. It said Ghavami later was acquitted of spreading anti-government propaganda, but prosecutors appealed and an appeals court agreed to re-examine the case in November.Israel allowed commercial goods back into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in a sign of easing tensions as neighboring Egypt pursued a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian enclaves dominant armed faction.

But the prospect of an agreement between Israel and the Islamist group prompted concern within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus right-wing government that Hamas would take advantage of any respite from fighting to build up its rocket arsenal.

Israels security cabinet, a forum of senior ministers headed by Netanyahu, discussed the situation. In a statement issued by Netanyahus office, an Israeli diplomatic official said Hamas would have to prove its commitment to the truce.

As well as wanting calm along the border, Israel has said Hamas must return the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war and release two civilians whose fate is unknown, whom it says are being held by Hamas in the Strip.

There will be no proper agreement with Hamas without the repatriation of our sons and citizens, and without (it) ensuring calm for an extended period, part of the statement from the prime minister's office said.

At Israels Kerem Shalom commercial crossing with Gaza, consignments of fruits and vegetables, fuel and construction material moved into the territory of 2 million people.

Israel announced on Tuesday it would lift the commercial goods ban it imposed on July 9 in response to the launching by Palestinians of incendiary balloons across the frontier. There have been fewer reports in recent days of such incidents, which have burned large tracts of agricultural land and forests in southern Israel.

Israel also expanded Gazas fishing zone, in waters under Israeli naval blockade, from 3 to 9 nautical miles off the southern coast and to six nautical miles in the north, the head of Gazas fishermen's union said.

The Oslo interim peace accords in the early 1990s set a 20 nautical mile limit, which was never implemented. Since then the zone has ranged in size between 3 and 6 nautical miles.

We are hoping for a big catch at nine miles now, said Khader Baker, 25, who owns two fishing boats. There had been almost no fish within three miles. We nearly starved.

Prior restrictions on the import of commercial goods that Israel says could also be used for military purposes remained in effect, a Palestinian border official said. He said they included balloons and tyres.

Comprehensive truce

Egypt and the United Nations have been trying to broker a comprehensive truce to prevent more fighting and to ease the deep economic hardship in Gaza.

Hamas officials said Palestinian factions were in Cairo to discuss terms for a ceasefire with Israel.

Welcoming the reopening of the crossing, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement he was encouraged to see that those concerned have responded to calls to avoid the devastating impact of yet another conflict on the civilian population in and around Gaza.

Guterres urged all parties to support the efforts of U.N. Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov and Egypt to avoid an escalation and address all humanitarian issues in Gaza and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party in the governing coalition, put Netanyahu on notice that his faction would vote against an agreement with Hamas.

This quiet will give Hamas total immunity so that it can rearm itself with tens of thousands of rockets, Bennett said in a statement.

For more than a decade Gaza has been controlled by Hamas and subject to an Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has wrecked its economy, creating what the World Bank has described as a humanitarian crisis with shortages of water, electricity and medicine.

Israel says it has no choice but to enforce its blockade to defend itself against Hamas, a group that has called for its destruction.Japan's Emperor Akihito expressed his "deep regret" Wednesday for his country's actions during World War II.

The 84-year-old emperor revealed his remorse during a ceremony at Tokyo's Budokan Hall to mark the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender to Allied forces, following the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki just days before.

"Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated," Akihito said, accompanied by his wife, Empress Michiko. It was the final appearance at the annual ceremony for Akihito, who will abdicate the throne next year.

Emperor Akihito has spent much of his reign visiting many places in the Pacific region that were invaded by wartime Japanese forces and expressed his regret for their actions carried out in the name of his father, Hirohito.

The emperor's statements of remorse contrast with that of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has pushed to revise Japan's post-war pacifist constitution and strengthen the country's self-defense forces.

Abe also spoke at Wednesday's ceremony, pledging to never again repeat the devastation of war.

Abe stayed away from the controversial Yasukuni shrine that honors millions of Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals, sending a religious offering instead. His last visit to the shrine in 2013 angered China and South Korea, which considers the landmark a celebration of Japan's 20th century military aggression.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine II surrender, but did not visit in person.



Past visits by Japanese leaders to Yasukuni have outraged China and South Korea because the shrine honors 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal, along with war dead.



Ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masahiko Shibayama, who made the offering on Abe's behalf, said the prime minister asked him to pray for the souls of the departed and that Abe regretted being unable to pay his respects in person.



Abe has only visited the shrine in person once since taking office in 2012 but has previously sent offerings.



China's relations with Japan have long been haunted by what Beijing sees as Tokyo's failure to atone for its occupation of parts of China before and during World War II, although ties have thawed somewhat recently. Japan occupied Korea from 1910-1945 and bitter memories still rankle.



Abe was due to speak at a separate annual memorial ceremony for war dead later on Wednesday that will also be attended by Emperor Akihito - the last time he will take part in the event before abdicating next year.



Akihito, 84, has carved out an active role as a symbol of peace, democracy and reconciliation during his three decades on the throne, visiting wartime battlefields to pray for the war dead of all nationalities.



Akihito expressed "deep remorse" over the war on the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in 2015. That departure from his annual script - repeated on subsequent anniversaries - was seen by many liberals and moderate conservatives as a subtle rebuke to the conservative Abe, who has said future generations of Japanese should not have to keep apologizing for the conflict.



Akihito's father, Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japanese fought World War II, stopped visiting Yasukuni after the wartime leaders were first honored by the shrine in 1978, and Akihito does not pay his respects there.More than 300 Catholic priests sexually abused at least 1,000 children over the last 70 years and church leaders did all they could to cover it up, a Pennsylvania grand jury report released Tuesday said.

The report said the number of victims might actually be in the thousands because church records have been lost and some victims were too scared to report the crimes.

"Church officials routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling and inappropriate conduct," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. "It was none of those things. It was child sex abuse, including rape."

The grand jury report said both boys and girls in six dioceses in Pennsylvania were victims. One priest was accused of raping a girl in her hospital bed just after she had her tonsils taken out.

One boy said he was given juice, only to wake up the next day, bleeding from his behind, without any recollection of what had happened to him. Some priests were accused of sharing child pornography and photographs of naked boys.

The report said various bishops and other church leaders knew about the crimes but did not report them to police because they were afraid of bad publicity and lawsuits.

Abusive priests instead were sent to what the church calls treatment centers, and many returned to their ministries, where they continued to serve for decades.

Of the more than 300 priests named in the report, only two have been criminally charged. The rest are either dead or cannot be charged because the statute of limitations has run out.

"We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated," the report said.

The Vatican has not yet commented on the report, but the Diocese of Pittsburgh asked Tuesday for forgiveness.

Former Pittsburgh Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who is now archbishop of Washington, D.C., denied the grand jury allegations that he protected abusive priests. He said he acted with "diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse."Less amusing is the dialogue spouted by the school's director (Jennifer Ehle), a priggish cartoon who chides Cameron for her nickname: "Cameron is already a masculine name. To abbreviate it as something even less feminine only exacerbates your gender confusion." Ehle's one-dimensional portrayal of humorless certitude  she's given to making such pronouncements as "There's no such thing as homosexuality"  seems unflattering to Christians, especially in the context of a film that features a Jesus-centric exercise video titled "Blessercise." (As it turns out, that tape's not satire. Akhavan's producer and co-writer Cecilia Frugiuele actually found  and obtained the rights to  a vintage exercise video from the 1990s that Akhavan has described as "Jazzercise for Jesus.")Following days of relentless attacks and fierce fighting in various parts of the country, a suicide attack Wednesday on an educational institution in Kabul killed almost 50 people, testing Afghan security forces.

The blast in Mowoud Academy, in a Shiite-dominated part of town, happened when students were taking a university entrance examination. Afghan Taliban have denied responsibility. Previous attacks on Shiites in Kabul have been claimed by Islamic State.



Earlier in the day, the Taliban raided a military base in Baghlan, in northern Afghanistan, killing 40 security personnel.



Almost simultaneously, a group of armed Taliban stormed a police check post near Qalat city in Zabul province, killing several policemen. Several Taliban also died in the fighting.



A day before, Taliban managed to seize another army base in nearby Faryab province after two days of heavy fighting. Officials said 40 of the 70 soldiers at the base surrendered to the Taliban.



Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan warned of dire humanitarian consequences for residents of Afghanistans second most populous city Ghazni that faced five days of fighting. Taliban had launched an attack last Friday and managed to make their way to the city center.

WATCH: Afghan peace efforts

Fighting continued in densely populated areas, causing as many as 150 civilian deaths, along with hundreds of Taliban fighters and security personnel, according to UNAMA.



The city, about 150 kilometers southwest of Kabul, lost power and faced shortages of food and water. The U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 270,000 people were trapped in the city even as many residents fled town. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the wounded. The fighting has subsided and Ghazni seems to be back under government control.



Afghan news site Pajhwok reported that 70 security personnel have been under siege in central Uruzgan provinces Dehraud district for the past 20 days and likely were to surrender to the Taliban if they did not receive help urgently. Militants apparently have shut down all supply routes to the area, blocking access to both food and weapons.



The attacks have dimmed hopes for a cease-fire for the Muslim holy festival of Eid-al-Adha later this month. In June, both the Afghan government and the Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire to mark the end of Ramadanthe first one in almost two decades of war.



The flare-up in violence also has occurred after news broke that the United States had started talking to the Taliban directly in order to jump-start a peace process.



According to UNAMA, the first half of 2018 was the deadliest for Afghan civilians since the U.N. mission starting tracking civilian casualties in 2009.Fresh off a two-nation visit to Zimbabwe and Malawi, Shaka Ssali, talks about the people he met and the political landscape in both countries. Together, with VOA reporter Pail Ndiho they observed and reported on the election process in Zimbabwe. Shaka afterward traveled to Malawi where he interviewed former President Bakili Muluzi and current Vice President Saulos Chilima. Peter Clottey interviews Shaka and Paul about the experiences and brings in VOA reporter Chris Gande, who provides insight into the political situation in Zimbabwe.The life of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was "littered with lies" as he pursued a lavish lifestyle, a U.Sprosecutor said in his closing argument Wednesday.



"Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didn't," prosecutor Greg Andres told the 12-member jury in Manafort's tax and bank fraud case.

But Manafort defense attorney Richard Westling told the jury Manafort should be acquitted. He said the government had not met its burden to prove that Manafort was "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," the standard for a conviction in the U.S. legal system.

Westling said that is the reason the defense decided to rest Its case without calling any witnesses to testify, including Manafort himself.



Westling attacked the government's contention that Manafort hid millions of dollars in offshore accounts to avoid U.S. taxes so he could fund luxurious purchases. He said Manafort had an adjusted net worth of $21.3 million at the end of 2016.



"Given this evidence, how can we say he didn't have money?" Westling said.



Westling also attacked the prosecution's star witness  Manafort's former deputy chairman in the Trump campaign Rick Gates  as a liar and a thief

Gates had already pleaded guilty before Manafort's trial to helping him hide millions in income from U.S. tax authorities and is awaiting sentencing.



Along with hours of testimony about Manafort's finances, Gates acknowledged he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort in part to finance an extra-marital affair in London and lied about his own role in hiding money in offshore accounts.



The jury could get the case as early as Wednesday after the prosecution has a chance to rebut the defense's closing arguments.

Prosecutor Andres alleges that overall, Manafort "failed to pay taxes on more than $15 million" in income. It is money the government claims he used to buy palatial mansions,elaborate landscaping, fancy suits and jackets, electronics and other high-priced items.

Much of the money, the government alleges, came from Manafort's lobbying for deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was toppled in a popular 2014 uprising in Kyiv before fleeing to exile in Russia.



But Andres alleged that when the stream of money from Yanukovych dried up four years ago, Manafort financed his luxurious lifestyle by securing about $20 million in bank loans in the U.S. by lying about his assets and debts on loan applications.



"He lied and lied again," Andres said.



If convicted, he faces a lengthy prison sentence. He also is set to stand trial on related charges next month.



Prosecutors for special counsel Robert Mueller presented two weeks of testimony against Manafort, accusing him of hiding millions of dollars in offshore accounts he earned while lobbying for Yanukovych in the years before Manafort joined Trump's campaign.

Campaign ties

The case has drawn particular interest in the U.S. because it is the first trial conducted by Mueller's prosecutors in their wide-ranging investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.



They are probing whether Trump associates conspired with Russia to help Trump win the White House and whether Trump, as president, obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation.



However, the case against Manafort, a long-time Washington lobbyist, only peripherally touched on the campaign. Instead, it dealt almost totally on accusations about his financial transactions and what he did with the money from Yanukovych and the bank loans.The Taliban's use of civilian homes in Ghazni as fighting positions is forcing Afghan government forces to move slowly in expelling the insurgents in order to limit civilian casualties, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

Mattis told reporters during a visit to Brazil and Argentina that the fighting in Ghazni was continuing, five days after the Taliban overwhelmed defenses and pushed deep into the city, which is the capital of the province with the same name.

"It looks like many of the enemy have run, but some are in the town, in homes, fighting from inside homes,'' he said.

Asked whether the Taliban assault reflected any new capability on their part, Mattis said, "To me it's simply a continuation of their willingness to put innocent people in harm's way. There's nothing new. It's the usual: endangering civilians. That's part and parcel of what they've done the past 20 years.''

The United States has carried out airstrikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces in the city.Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has cautioned South American allies against Chinese aggression, slamming what he called Chinas predatory economics and its militarization of increasingly important areas in both sea and space.

Speaking to a group of military students in Rio de Janeiro, Mattis called for partnering with Brazilians to defend American assets in space, adding that steps toward building a U.S. Space Force were reactionary based on Chinese and Russian attack capabilities.

He provided the example of when China used a missile to destroy one of its satellites in space in 2007.

We understand the message China was sending, that they could take out a satellite in space, Mattis told the group. We dont intend to militarize space. However, we will defend ourselves in space, if necessary.

U.S. satellites are used for communications, weather forecasting and GPS. They also bring in trillions of dollars of economic output, according to Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

China has shown growing interest in boosting Latin American space efforts, even financing and operating a space center in Argentina.

American space firms are enthusiastic about the possibility of launching satellites out of Brazil's new space center in the city of Alcantara, on the country's northern Atlantic coast.

South China Sea

Mattis also criticized Chinas placement of weapons and other defense assets in the disputed South China Sea, home to one of the worlds most important trade routes.

China is shredding the trust of the nations in the area by its muscular militarization, Mattis said.

Earlier this year, the defense secretary disinvited China from biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises involving more than 20 countries. He said he came to that decision after China acted contrary to what their president had publicly promised by moving weapons into the Spratly islands.

There is no need for militarization of those islands, he said. China benefited in its economic rise from the freedom of navigation that all nations large and small enjoy, so we want to return it to that status.

Predatory economics

Experts say the Chinese have increased their interest in South America mostly for commercial reasons. However, Jason Marczak, director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, told VOA that Beijing has also been trying to develop greater defense cooperation in order to ensure the security of getting products to market.

Mattis cautioned against Chinese deals in the Americas, citing last December when Sri Lanka had to handover a port to Beijing for 99 years, after failing to make its payments on loans from China.

The respect for each other comes first, Mattis said. You cant use predatory economics and pile massive debt on a country and then remove its sovereignty over its port like in Sri Lanka.

The Pentagon says U.S. military equipment sales across the globe are up $5 billion compared to last year. Officials hope competition from China won't affect future U.S. sales to Latin America.A U.S. Space Force is necessary to protect American satellites from being targeted by attack weapons in the hands of China and Russia, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

Mattis comments came days after Vice President Mike Pence announced ambitious plans to create a sixth, separate U.S. military war-fighting service by 2020 to ensure American dominance in space.

Speaking during a trip to Brazil, Mattis said repeatedly that the U.S. has no plans to put weapons in space, but he emphasized the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy.

He recalled Chinas use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, which he suggested was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.

We understand the message that China was sending  that they could take out a satellite in space, Mattis said in remarks to about 270 military officers and civilians at Brazils premier war college. Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability.

He was responding to a question from an audience member who expressed concern that the planned Space Force could lead to an international arms race in space.

Mattis said the U.S. cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.

So this is a reality, he said. We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We dont intend to militarize space. However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary.

He did not say this meant the U.S. would respond to a satellite attack by attacking the aggressors satellites or with any other use of force. But that scenario is one that worries many who have warned that space could become the next global battlefield. The U.S. military has worked on anti-satellite weaponry in the past but has no deployed weapon dedicated to that mission today.

Asked later to elaborate on how the U.S. would respond to an attack on a satellite, Mattis said he preferred to maintain ambiguity.

I dont tell adversaries in advance what we will do or what we will not do, he said. We will not stand idly by if someone tried to deny us the use of space. He added: I wouldnt read anything more into his comments.

Mattis point about countering the space capabilities of other nations was reinforced Tuesday by the State Department's top arms control official, Yleem Poblete, speaking in Geneva at the U.N. Conference on Disarmament.

She said that despite Russian claims it wants to prevent an arms race in outer space, Moscow is developing new anti-satellite missiles and has given its forces a mobile laser system. She also voiced suspicion about Russias deployment last October of a satellite whose behavior she said was inconsistent with its supposed purpose of conducting in-orbit space inspections.

Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development, Poblete said. Russia denies any hostile intent.

The timing of Mattis visit to Brazil, so soon after Pence announced the Space Force plan last Thursday, was coincidental. Mattis trip, which includes follow-on stops in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, had been in planning for many months.

In a speech prior to fielding questions from the war college students, Mattis made a detailed pitch for closer U.S.-Brazilian security relations. He noted that Brazil was an ally during World War II; later he visited a monument in Rio to Brazils role in the conflict.

He emphasized U.S. interest in partnering with Brazil in space research, an area in which China has shown growing influence in South America. The Chinese operate a space center in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Brazils Alcantara space center is located near the equator, making it advantageous for space launches. The closer a launch is to the equator, the more velocity the rocket gets from the Earths rotation.While the media and the American presidency have long had a symbiotic but frequently antagonistic relationship, since Donald Trump took office it has largely turned toxic.

Trump has repeatedly termed the media the "enemy of the people." He has called the press "dangerous and sick" and even alleges journalists can "cause war."

Some American media outlets are declaring they have had enough of the president's rhetoric, which they decry as dangerous. Newspapers across the country pushed back Thursday with an unprecedented and coordinated editorial campaign, led by The Boston Globe, which declared "the dirty war on the free press must end." The Globe said nearly 350 news organizations have pledged to participate.

The New York Times' editorial page editor, James Bennet, told his newspaper that "our publisher has put a stake in the ground on this issue, and at a time when newspapers around the country are under real commercial and political pressure, we think it's important to show solidarity."

WATCH: News Outlets Denounce Trump's 'Dirty War' on Media

According to Trump, who made public an off-the-record meeting last month with Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger, the two discussed "the vast amounts of fake news being put out by the media."

Sulzberger subsequently issued a statement, saying he found the president's language "not just divisive but increasingly dangerous."

"News reporters and editors are human, and make mistakes. Correcting them is core to our job," the Times' editorial Thursday says. "But insisting that truths you don't like are 'fake news' is dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy. And calling journalists the 'enemy of the people' is dangerous, period."

Every participating newspaper in Thursday's campaign  which includes large and small newspapers across the political spectrum  will write its own editorial, not necessarily using the same rhetoric as the politically left-of-center Globe.

"What I like about the coordinated effort is not so much that we're going to have a message that aligns with them, because they may have a much more aggressive message," said David Plazas, the opinion and engagement editor of The Tennessean in Nashville. "Our message is one that's consistent with our values, which is to defend the First Amendment, to stand for civility and to give voice to the voiceless people."

At The Tennessean, one of the largest newspapers in a state that voted 2-to-1 for Trump in 2016, Plazas emphasized that Thursday's editorial would not target the president.

'Beyond one person'

"I may not even mention President Trump in my particular editorial," he told VOA. "This is beyond one person. This is about defending our values and institutions."

The Dallas Morning News wrote in its editorial that while previous U.S. presidents have had grievances with the media, Trump has publicly challenged the legitimacy of the country's major news organizations at an unprecedented level.

"The crucial difference is that rather than taking issue with one story or even a series of stories, the intention seems to be to undermine the credibility of the press as a whole with a large swath of the citizenry," it wrote. "We see this as dangerous for the simple reason that by diminishing the press, those who hold high office gain a greater ability to govern without the steadying force of public scrutiny."



Not only newspapers are participating in the campaign. The Radio Television Digital News Association is asking its 1,200 members to dedicate airtime, post online editorials and share information on their social media platforms about the role they play in preserving the public's right and need to know about government.

"I have covered White Houses myself. I've watched this for a very long time. I have never seen  and I cannot imagine  a situation where there is more tension, hostility between the press corps and the president, mostly coming from the president," said professor Frank Sesno, a former CNN White House correspondent who is now director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Some conservative media critics, however, contend the media are overreacting.

The Globe's campaign "shows how thin-skinned the media is in this case," according to Don Irvine, chairman of Accuracy in Media, a nonprofit media watchdog organization.

"While Trump's attacks on the media have been more pronounced than any president since [Richard] Nixon, he is well within his rights to express his opinion," Irvine told VOA. "The press seems to be under the impression that there is some unwritten rule that the president can't attack the media, even if they are wrong. Trump knows that public trust in the media is at an all-time low, and he is taking advantage of it."

The president "took advantage of a pre-existing negative attitude towards the media," concurred Gallup Poll editor in chief Frank Newport.

However, "I have to reinforce that we've seen very negative attitudes towards the news media for a number of years, long before Donald Trump thought about running for president," he told VOA. "There is no doubt about it: A lot of Americans, when we interview them and other pollsters interview them, say the media are biased."

Difference by party

A Quinnipiac poll, conducted by telephone August 9-13, found 51 percent of Republican voters expressing an opinion that the media are the enemy of the people rather than an important part of democracy. Just 26 percent of voters overall felt that way, according to the poll.

The survey also revealed that 44 percent of American voters were concerned that Trump's criticism of the news media would lead to violence against people who work in media. Breaking it down by party affiliation, 76 percent of Democrats felt that way, while 80 percent of Republicans did not. Fifty-five percent of those with no party affiliation expressed such concern.

Such attacks could occur at one of Trump's frequent rallies where the crowd is stoked by the president's anti-media rhetoric, according to Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization.

"So far, there's been intimidation but no violence. But that line can easily be crossed, and anyone who's seen the videos of some of these rallies knows we're very close up against that line," Weissman told VOA.

The Trump administration contends many American mainstream media outlets treat it unfairly. While journalists note that being the target of presidential criticism is often part of the job, for some, being labeled enemies of the people  a phrase equated with the brutality of Stalinism  goes far beyond the pale.

The frustration was palpable at a briefing on August 2 when CNN's Jim Acosta pressed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to declare on the spot that the media are "not the enemy of people. I think we deserve that."

Sanders demurred, instead noting that she is the first in her position to require Secret Service protection, partly blaming reporters for that.

"The media has attacked me personally on a number of occasions, including your own network, said I should be harassed as a life sentence, that I should be choked," Sanders replied to the CNN White House correspondent.

For some critics, the blame for the lack of civility falls squarely on the president's shoulders.

"If you're a true conservative, you're supposed to respect American institutions like the free press, the judiciary and law enforcement that have stood us so well over the centuries. And he's just tried to tear them down," Allan Lichtman, a professor of history at American University in Washington, told VOA. "And that really is, hopefully, not a new normal, but certainly something we haven't seen for some time in America."



Elizabeth Cherneff, Jim Malone and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.Mexico is offering a 30 million pesos ($1.56 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera whose cartel is blamed for driving heroin shipments to the United States, the attorney general said on Wednesday.

Known as "El Mencho," Oseguera has risen to become Mexico's most-wanted drug lord after Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was extradited to the United States last year to face trial.

In March, U.S. agents in Chicago named El Mencho public enemy No. 1 and blamed his gang for using "extreme violence" to expand their share of the heroin trade. The United States is offering $5 million for information leading to his capture.



Oseguera's Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion is considered by authorities to be the most powerful Mexican drug cartel, with operations in the United States, Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia.



The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion "is known to produce multi-hundred kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, and traffics in multi-ton quantities of cocaine," according to the U.S. Department of State.



Mexico arrested Oseguera's wife in May on charges of laundering funds for his cartel.In November 2012, former North Dakota attorney general Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat, won a hotly-contested race for a seat in the U.S. Senate, a win attributed to the states Native American voters. Shortly after that, lawmakers in the majority Republican state passed a tough voter-ID law, making it a lot harder for tribe members to vote.

The nonprofit Native American Rights Fund (NARF) sees the new law as racially motivated and has taken North Dakota to court.

This year, NARF conducted field hearings across Indian Country to hear testimony on voter suppression in other states.

And what we heard was really disturbing, said NARF attorney Jacqueline D. De Leon, a member of the Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico.

Neglect ... with animus

The 1965 National Voting Rights Act (NVRA), amended several times, was intended to end discrimination in voting. The law requires states to provide voter registration forms in all public offices.

Tribes are sovereign, which means they have their own officials and voter registration systems to elect them. Many tribe members dont realize they also need to register for local, state and general elections, because officials rarely conduct voter registration drives on reservations. Activists report challenges when they intervene to help.

In Montana, a community organizer was going from house to house trying to register Native Americans, said De Leon. But this particular county is hostile toward Natives, so when she would return to the county office to drop off completed registration forms, she was told, Youre not allowed to submit all of these forms at once. Come back and submit them at different times.

In Arizona, a state that allows voting by mail and has the third largest Native American population in the country, Republican lawmakers in 2016 made it a felony for non-family members to mail or deliver someone elses ballots to polling places. State lawmakers said they wanted to prevent voter fraud. Democrats and Arizona tribes claimed it was an attempt to suppress the minority vote.

Revisions in law

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key NVRA requirement that certain state and local jurisdictions get preclearance from the federal government before making any changes to voting laws and procedures.

Thats when preclearance states began enacting really stringent laws, disenfranchising Native and other minority voters, even deleting names from voter rolls, said De Leon.

Natives face challenges on election day, such as fewer early voting hours, a scarcity of nearby polling places, and poll workers who dont speak Native languages.

In 2014, Buffalo County, South Dakota, refused to place a ballot box on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, whose 2,000 members make up 85 percent of the countys population. But De Leon said officials were willing to place a ballot box in a community miles away, where the total population was only eight people, all non-Native.

And at a certain Wisconsin reservation, local authorities put the nearest ballot box inside the sheriffs office, said De Leon. And on election day, police were positioned just outside of the reservation, pulling peoples cars over and checking tags and licenses - basically making people afraid to go off reservation.

What were seeing, she added, is a deliberate campaign of neglect accentuated with animus.

Overcoming obstacles

In 2014, Pima County, Arizona, sympathetic to local tribes, appointed Jason Chavez from the Tohono Oodham Nation as a tribal voter outreach coordinator.

One of the things we did during the 2014 midterm elections was to create mobile early voting sites, he said. Basically, I traveled throughout the reservation for two weeks operating these mobile sites. Tribe members would come in and cast their votes.Id place the ballots in a secure location and take them back to the county every night.

Chavez also worked with tribal and district officials to provide transportation for tribe members who didnt have cars. His efforts paid off with a 300 percent increase in early voter turnout on the reservation.

Elsewhere, Utah Navajos forced San Juan County to redraw voting districts that had been configured to prevent them from holding office.

And in 2014, NARF won a lawsuit filed on behalf of Alaska Natives, forcing the state provide voting information in the Yup'ik, Inupiaq and Gwich'in languages.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has launched a national #NativeVote campaign to mobilize tribes and help Native voters navigate the election process.

NCAI also encourages Native Americans to run for public office, a campaign that looks to be paying off. A record number of Native Americans are running in midterm primary elections. So far, two women, Sharice Davids of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin and Deb Haaland of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, have won the Democratic Partys nomination for seats in the U.S. Congress.

Two Native women are party nominees for governor, Democrat Paulette Jordan of the Coeur dAlene tribe in Idaho, and Republican Andria Tupola, a Native Hawaiian, in Hawaii. And four Native women are nominees for Lieutenant governor in Alaska, Minnesota and Oklahoma.Five public works employees were sent a letter Oct. 13 informing them that they were being laid off "due to a lack of work," said one of the employees.Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School returned to a more secure campus Wednesday as they began their first new school year since a gunman killed 17 people in the freshman building. But some say they still won't feel protected despite $6.5 million spent on security enhancements, including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance.

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence. Volunteers greeted them with German shepherds, and a helicopter hovered overhead as a throng of media watched from across the street.

Samantha Deitsch, 15, said she's grateful for the changes, but "there's literally no place that I am every day that I feel 100 percent safe and the thought doesn't go through my head that someone could come in with a gun."

Anijah Avera, 16, said she mostly doesn't think about the shooting except for "a little bit this morning ... we have better security now, so I feel a little more at ease."

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors will be on patrol. They'll be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter.

Visitors will have only one way in, and they'll be screened through a video intercom system. The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell.

All classroom doors have new hardware that automatically locks when doors are pulled shut. Witnesses said teacher Scott Beigel and student Joaquin Oliver were fatally shot as they ushered students inside to safety, in part because the old hardware required relocking from the outside.

Many reminders have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials. But the freshman building still stands as a solemn reminder of the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case. The classes it once held have been diverted to nearly three dozen new portable classrooms.

Haunting memories

Aria Siccone, 15, was there during the Valentine's Day rampage. She watched one of her classmates pounding on the classroom door, trying to flee the shooter, and remains haunted by his terror-stricken face moments before he was gunned down. The gunshots started shortly after he knocked, and they couldn't let him in. When a SWAT team later led her out of the building, she saw bodies in the hallway.

"I am happy to be able to see all of my friends, but I have been very anxious about returning to school," she said. "I'm scared of being at any school, not only Douglas, because I feel unsafe no matter how much security we have."

Deitsch, who spent her summer meeting with state lawmakers to advocate for gun safety, texted with her friends Tuesday night about first-day jitters and what their teachers would be like. She got a new backpack. She's grateful she'll be sharing a lunch period with some of them. But her friend Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed, won't be with them.

"The stress, the nerves, all that normal stuff is still there," she said. "It's like normal teenager stuff and at the same time it's not normal teenager stuff."

'Challenging time'

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request. "It feels like it happened yesterday, so there's a lot of emotion going on. It's still a challenging time for students and faculty."

Marcos Aguirre, 16, said he tries not to think about that day, and is trying to move forward.

"I like this school. I'm happy to be back," he said.

The case against shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz continues in court, where the Broward County school board wants a judge to hold the South Florida Sun Sentinel in contempt, and other issues involving evidence and a trial date could come up at a Wednesday hearing.

The board claims the newspaper violated court orders by publishing details about Cruz's educational background that were supposed to be redacted to protect his privacy. The newspaper contends the board had already exposed those details by mistakenly releasing them in a way anyone could see.Poland's president voiced hope for a permanent U.S. military presence in his country, speaking as the nation put on a large military parade on its Armed Forces Day holiday Wednesday replete with tanks and people marching in historic uniforms.



Poland is fearful of Russia's renewed aggression, and President Andrzej Duda said a permanent presence by the U.S. Army would "scare away every potential aggressor."



The U.S. military, on its own and as part of a NATO effort, began rotating troops in and out of Poland and other nervous countries on NATO's eastern flank, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, after Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.



Poland has recently been lobbying for a permanent U.S. base and more American forces. There hasn't yet been a response on whether Washington will agree to a move that would be expensive and sure to infuriate Moscow.



Some of the troops from the U.S. and other allied countries also marched in the parade. Poland considers the U.S. its key protector, with some doubts about whether Europe's NATO members really would ever come to its defense.



Duda said if the economy allows, he also wants Poland to increase its own defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2024, above the current 2 percent NATO target, which Poland already meets.



The parade is part of a national holiday observed every August 15 that celebrates Poland's defeat of Russian Bolsheviks in 1920 near Warsaw  celebrated as a near-miraculous victory for a country that has seen more than its share of defeat and occupation in past centuries.



"We won. Yes, we won. We Poles won," Duda said. "Today we look with pride at those times."



This year's event was especially large and colorful to mark the centenary of Poland regaining its independence in 1918 after having been swallowed up for 123 years by Russia, Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.



There was a show of military might by the armed forces, while hundreds of members of historical reconstruction groups also paraded in historic uniforms, including from the Middle Ages, the Napoleonic era and the 20th century.century.A proposed 60-40 split favoring the Philippines over China in rights to any oil or gas discovered together in a contested sea helps Beijing protect an iffy but valuable diplomatic relationship with Manila and prove its neighborly credentials in other parts of Asia, analysts say.

The foreign minister under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was quoted saying July 31 Beijing is willing to take the minority stake in any fossil fuel discoveries found under a tract of the South China Sea where the two countries have competing sovereignty claims.

A minority stake for China would help Beijing prove itself to a skeptical Philippine public, analysts say. Philippine President Duterte has sought strong relations with China since he took office in 2016 by laying aside their maritime sovereignty dispute. China has offered aid and investment in return. But polls have shown many Filipinos still do not trust China.

The two countries once vied bitterly over the South China Sea, culminating in Manilas victory in a world arbitration case two years ago.

This plan for the government has received a lot of criticisms, because others would argue if these areas are in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, that belongs to the Philippines and it should not be shared, said Maria Ela Atienza, political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Unsettled dispute, Chinese military strength

Duterte advocates friendly ties with China because, he says, the Philippines could not win a war with the country. China, which commands Asias strongest armed forces, has built military installations on three islets in the Spratly Islands, a South China Sea archipelago that each side claims as its own. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also dispute rights to the Spratlys.

Chinese vessels pushed Filipino fishing boats out of Scarborough Shoal near the Philippine island Luzon in 2012, plunging relations and leading to the arbitration case that wrapped up in 2016.

Some Filipinos cite constitutional issues with letting China explore for fuel under a sea that the Philippines calls its own. Others point to private oil firms, for example from Japan, that are willing to develop undersea gas and oil without a sovereignty hassle, Atienza said.

Goodwill toward the Philippines

China, if it inks the deal, would be taking 40 percent to show goodwill toward the Philippines, which might otherwise tap Chinas geopolitical rival the United States for help, experts say.

Joint development in the Philippines is a contentious issue with respect to provisions in the Constitution, said Carl Thayer, a Southeast Asia-specialized emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

By agreeing to a lesser portion, China seeks to disarm domestic opposition by Filipinos, he said. President Duterte has taken a more conciliatory stance and China is eager to capitalize on this, hoping to pressure other states to follow suit.

A deal to explore off the coast of the Philippine island Palawan with a consortium of private firms would also give the government a 60 percent share of revenues.

A message for other Asian countries

China wants to placate not just the Philippine but also other Southeast Asian countries with competing maritime claims, analysts believe. Shows of goodwill could mute impacts of the arbitration ruling, which rejected the legal basis for Chinese maritime claims, and stop other countries from seeking aid from the United States, they argue.

A conciliatory oil deal could resonate around Asia where China is developing infrastructure as part of its $1 trillion, 5-year-old Belt and Road initiative, said Alan Chong, associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

Beijing wants to keep favor with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations as the two sides discuss a code of conduct for avoiding accidents in the disputed sea, he added.

I think this is one way of signaling that China is willing to be different kind of aid giver, Chong said. And then I think China wants to help Rodrigo Duterte a little, because hes facing a lot of criticism from his own countrymen about selling out to China, youre being cozy with China, and youre not getting very much in return.

Chinas end of the deal

China might not go for a 60-40 deal requiring that a Chinese drilling company get a license from the Philippines under Philippine law, said Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative under the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But a purely commercial license could eliminate political disputes, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

China might not come through on its pledge, he warned. China sometimes does not have the good reputation of fulfilling its capital commitment, he said. From the very beginning there are many reports, but sometimes the funding [is] not met.Jimmy Fallon remembers a summer a few years back when it seemed everybody was reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

"Everyone had that book. If we had people over, or went on vacation poolside, people had that book wrinkled and curled up. I read it with my wife and we read every chapter together and we'd be like, '[Gasps] This is great!' It was the world's smallest book club," he laughed.

This summer, Fallon decided to expand his book club of two to include his late-night audience. In June, he launched "Tonight Show Summer Reads." Fallon presented five book options on his show and instructed viewers to go online and vote for their favorite. The results exceeded his expectations with 140,000 votes. The winner was Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

"Any way to engage the audience and to do stuff with them is always more fun," said Fallon.

He also enthusiastically tracked how the books performed on Amazon after a mention on his show. The company confirms he had an impact.

"When a celebrity decides to get behind a book, we generally see a lift in sales," said Chris Schluep, an editor at Amazon. "For instance, Children of Blood and Bone has been selling well this year. But the week after Jimmy Fallon selected it as the first Tonight Show book club selection, it sold nearly three times the number of print, Kindle and Audible books that it had sold in the previous week at Amazon."

Reese Witherspoon

Fallon isn't the only celebrity to follow in Oprah Winfrey's footsteps with a book club. Reese Witherspoon has made such a success of her monthly literary picks that publishers are now putting Reese stickers on her selections.

"It's fantastic and we have a great experience," said Witherspoon, who has bought the rights to many of her picks to adapt for film or television. One of her selections, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Cg will be a limited series on Hulu starring Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.

The Oscar winner has also partnered with the audio producer-distributor Audible on audio recordings of her selections.

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts has turned her lifelong love of reading into a pet project she calls Belletrist. A website and social media for Belletrist celebrate all things books. Each month they feature a new book to read and even an independent bookstore to check out.

"Belletrist is my baby," said Roberts, who runs the site with her partner, Karah Preiss.

She says there is "no criteria" for books she features because her personal taste is so varied, but she does tend to lean toward highlighting female authors.

She wants to create a community for Belletrist followers to share thoughts and ideas about what they read.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker is so committed to reading that she's partnered with the American Library Association to share her own suggestions. The goal, she says, is to not only get people to read but to also support their own local libraries.

When Parker was approached by publishing house Hogarth to start her own imprint, her respect for writing initially made her think it wasn't a good idea.

"I didn't think I had the experience and had too much respect for people who've been in publishing for a long time," she said. But Parker then thought it could be a way to help champion works in the literary fiction space which isn't always as commercial. The first novel printed by SJP for Hogarth, A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, is a New York Times best-seller.

Parker said she also enjoys posting about books on social media because it's a safe topic.

Books are the "one thing I can talk about on Instagram that's not controversial," she said. "Everybody wants to talk about their favorite books or their feelings about books and share title recommendations. I mean, it's a huge exchange of information and enthusiasm and it's really the easiest part of my relationship with social media certainly."

Like Witherspoon, Roberts and Parker are open to the idea of giving a book they recommend the Hollywood treatment.

"One of the most exciting things about reading is thinking about how to bring it to life. I'm always imagining the show or the movie. We're in an exciting time," said Roberts.

Parker stresses her goal first and foremost is to help the author.

"I'm in it really for the genuinely purest of intentions  to introduce new authors to readers. And if the opportunity exists for there to be a discussion about any television or film rights, I would certainly enter in to those conversations. But that isn't in any way my incentive."As hundreds of rescuers sorted through mountains of concrete slabs and other rubble Wednesday in search of more survivors one day after a deadly bridge collapse in Italy, anger mounted over possible design flaws and poor maintenance.

Italian authorities raised the death toll Wednesday to at least 39 after two more bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the fallen section of Genoa's Morandi Bridge. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said three children were among the dead and that more people were still missing.

Mounting concern of additional collapses prompted authorities to evacuate 630 people who live near the highway bridge.

The collapse Tuesday sent dozens of cars plunging 45 meters, while huge pieces of concrete and steel fell onto warehouses in an industrial park below. Authorities said all of the deaths involved drivers on the bridge and no one standing near it was killed.

Italy's Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli cast blame Wednesday on the company that manages the bridge, Autostrade per l'Italia, saying it did not live up to its contract. Toninelli also said the government would launch a nationwide inspection of all aging bridges and tunnels.

"A civilized and modern country such as Italy cannot see tragedies like this," Toninelli said at the scene of the bridge collapse. "It is not acceptable, and those who have failed, have to pay until the very end."

Deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio accused the private company that manages many of Italy's toll highways of keeping the profits instead of investing them in maintenance.

"When you don't invest in maintenance and you just give the profits to the shareholders, that is when these bridges collapse," said Di Maio, who added he was looking at revoking the tolls.

But bridge management company Autostrade said it relied on "companies and institutions which are world leaders in testing and inspections" to regularly perform detailed checks on the bridge before it collapsed. "These outcomes have formed the basis for maintenance work approved by the Transport Ministry in accordance with the law and the terms of the concession agreement," the company added.

The bridge connected two major highways between Italy and France. It was opened in 1967 and has made engineers uneasy in recent years because of what they said has been its gradual deterioration.

Salvini said Tuesday's disaster shows Italy has to spend more on its infrastructure, even if it means breaking EU budget rules.

"We should ask ourselves whether respecting these limits is more important than the safety of Italian citizens. Obviously for me, it's not," he said.

The bridge underwent renovation in 2016, and more work was scheduled. But Salvini also publicly demanded the names of those he said may be responsible for the disaster.

"They will have to pay  pay for everything, and pay a lot."U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, under fire from Florida's Republican governor, isn't backing down from comments that Russian operatives have penetrated some of his state's election systems ahead of this year's crucial election.

During stops in north Florida over a two-day period, the three-term Democrat said that state and local officials need to take Russian meddling as a "serious threat" and that county election supervisors need to make sure they have help to protect their election systems. Russian hackers targeted at least 21 states, including Florida, during the last election.

"It would be foolish to think that the Russians are not continuing to do what they did in Florida in 2016," Nelson said. "It is unfortunate that some Florida officials are trying to use this for partisan purposes."

Nelson, while responding to questions from a reporter, said last week that Russians were able to get inside the election systems of "certain counties" and "now have free rein to move about." He added that "the threat is real and elections officials  at all levels  need to address the vulnerabilities." But Nelson has declined to go into details, saying the information is classified.

Scott, who is challenging Nelson this fall, has demanded that Nelson provide proof of Russian efforts and has suggested that the senator was either making it up or releasing classified information. Scott is challenging Nelson in this year's election.

"People need to know the facts and I don't think he's been transparent," Scott said Tuesday.

Later in the day, Scott put out a statement calling Nelson "irresponsible" and said "he is the one who has politicized a serious concern that our supervisors of elections and state officials are focusing on every single day."

The Scott administration has called on federal authorities to rebut Nelson's statements. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security put out a statement that the agency had not seen "any new compromises by Russian actors of election infrastructure." But U.S. Senator Richard Burr, head of the Senate intelligence committee, and Senator Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican who sits on the committee, have declined to either confirm or deny Nelson's statements.

During his campaign stop in Monticello that attracted a small crowd of Democrats, Nelson was asked about Russian meddling. He noted that both he and Rubio were asked by the Senate intelligence committee to write officials in Florida in early July and warn them.

Nelson maintained that foreign nations have the capability to infiltrate election systems and that the threat of American retaliation is the only thing preventing more aggressive actions.

"You take a sophisticated nation state like Russia or China, they can get into anything," Nelson said.

While many details of the 2016 hacking efforts have remained murky, an indictment released last month said that Russian operatives sent more than 100 fake emails to elections offices and personnel in Florida. State officials have never acknowledged how many counties were targeted by the Russians.The Taliban says it has withdrawn its security assurances for the International Committee of the Red Cross staff working in Afghanistan.

The insurgent group accused the neutral humanitarian group of failing to meet its obligation to monitor detention conditions and provide medical aid to Taliban prisoners in Afghan jails.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said health conditions of its prisoners in the Pule-e-Chharkhi detention facility in the capital, Kabul, have deteriorated in recent months and resulted in the deaths of some prisoners, but the ICRC has failed to respond to the situation under its stated obligations.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [the Taliban] is, therefore, announcing withdrawal of a security agreement we had with ICRC for its operations in Afghanistan. Safety of their workers is no longer guaranteed, Mujahid said.

A spokesman for the ICRC Afghan mission told VOA the agency will engage bilaterally with the Taliban and will not comment publicly on this issue.

We have always sought to build relationships of trust with all parties to the conflict through a bilateral and confidential dialogue. We rely on the parties to allow us to work in safety to protect and assist victims of the conflict. This is our sole objective, said Roya Musawi.

The insurgent group's action comes amid escalating hostilities in many Afghan provinces where civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence. The ICRC was among the first few organizations to reach the embattled southeastern city of Ghazni earlier this week and provided urgent medical assistance, and gave water to thousands of residents.

The city of 270,000 people, had been without electricity, water and food for several days after a Taliban offensive last Friday sparked days of deadly clashes.

The ICRC is an independent and neutral organization that has been working in Afghanistan for more than 30 years, including areas controlled by the Taliban.

The relief group closed two of its offices in the country and significantly scaled down its operations last October following two deadly attacks on its employees. Militants ambushed an ICRC convoy in the northern Jowzjan province, killing six aid workers, while a physiotherapist was gunned down by a longtime patient in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.Tonga Prime Minister Akalisi Pohiva has called for China to write-off debts owed by Pacific island countries, warning that repayments impose a huge burden on the impoverished nations.

Chinese aid in the Pacific has ballooned in recent years with much of the funds coming in the form of loans from Beijing's state-run Exim Bank.

Tonga has run-up enormous debts to China, estimated at more than US$100 million by Australia's Lowy Institute think tank, and Pohiva said his country would struggle to repay them.

He said the situation was common in the Oceania region and needed to be addressed at next month's Pacific Island Forum summit in Nauru.

"We need to discuss the issue," he told the Samoa Observer in an interview published on Tuesday.

"All the Pacific Island countries should sign this submission asking the Chinese government to forgive their debts."

"To me, that is the only way we can all move forward, if we just can't pay off our debts."

Tonga took out the Chinese loans to rebuild in the wake of deadly 2006 riots that razed the center of the capital Nuku'alofa.

Beijing has previously refused to write-off the loans by turning them into aid grants but did give Tonga an amnesty on repayments.

Pohiva said China now wanted the debts repaid.

"By September 2018, we anticipate to pay $14 million, which cuts away a huge part of our budget," he said.

Tonga's ability to pay has been further dented this year by another massive rebuilding effort in Nuku'alofa, this time after a category five cyclone slammed into the capital in February.

"If we fail to pay, the Chinese may come and take our assets, which are our buildings," Pohiva said.

"That is why the only option is to sign a submission asking the Chinese government to forgive our debts."

His comments come as Australia and New Zealand ramp up aid efforts in the Pacific to counter China's growing presence in the region.

Australia has raised fears in recent months Pacific nations' debts to China leaves them susceptible to Beijing's influence.

It has resulted in a race to win hearts and minds in the region.

Canberra recently announced plans to negotiate a security treaty with Vanuatu, while also funding and building an underseas communications cable to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Meanwhile, Chinese company Huawei has agreed to build PNG's domestic internet network with funds supplied by Exim Bank.The security clearance of a former Central Intelligence Agency director was revoked Wednesday by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said in a statement that John Brennan had been sowing "division and chaos" about his administration.

The clearances of other former officials also were under review, including those of former U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice, former National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

"Security clearances for those who still have them may be revoked, and those who have already their lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said to reporters Wednesday, reading out the statement in the president's name.

Sarah Sanders Reads Trump Statement Revoking Clearances

Sanders, responding to reporters' questions, denied that Brennan and others were being singled out because they were critics of Trump.

The president's statement accused Brennan of "erratic conduct and behavior" that "has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him." It also accused Brennan of "a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility."

Brennan has been extremely critical and outspoken about the president's conduct. For example, he called Trump's performance at a joint press conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland  "nothing short of treasonous.''

Brennan, on Twitter, termed Trump's action Wednesday part of a broader effort "to suppress freedom of speech and punish critics," adding that it "should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out."

Brennan, who spent 25 years with the CIA, concluded: "My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent."

"Two things, in my view, are true at the same time," Carmen Medina, former CIA deputy director of intelligence, told VOA. "It was unwise for Brennan to be so vitriolic in his comments  unwise but not illegal. And it is an abuse of power for Trump to revoke clearances, unless he can prove misuse of classified information, which I don't think he can."

Such former top officials, as a matter of courtesy, retain their government clearances so that they may be able to consult with current government officials or take outside positions for contracted entities that are involved with sensitive intelligence matters.

An official with knowledge of the process told VOA that senior intelligence officials "had no hand in this, no role in this."

Both the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Central Intelligence Agency referred to the White House all questions from VOA about the matter.

Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, applauded the president's action, saying he had urged the president to do so because Brennan's "behavior in government and out of it demonstrate why he should not be allowed near classified information."

"He participated in a shredding of constitutional rights, lied to Congress, and has been monetizing and making partisan political use of his clearance since his departure," Paul said in a statement.

Danger seen to free speech, security

But critics of the move to strip Brennan's clearance called it a threat to free speech and even national security.

"It's unprecedented. I don't know of a case where this has ever been done in the past," former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on CNN.

Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who had been appointed to top intelligence posts by both Republican and Democratic presidents, called Trump's action "an infringement of our right to speak and apparently the appropriateness of being critical of this president, in which one degree or another all of us have been."

Clapper noted he'd had no access to intelligence information since he left government on the day Trump was inaugurated, succeeding Barack Obama.

The threat to pull his security clearance, Clapper added, would not silence him. "I don't plan to stop speaking when I'm asked my views on this administration," Clapper said on CNN.

Retired General Michael Hayden, who headed both the CIA and NSA during his career, said losing his clearance would "have a marginal impact" on the work he's doing now. He also said fear of losing that clearance wouldn't stop him from speaking his mind.

"With regard to the implied threat today that I could lose my clearance, that will have no impact on what I think, say or write," he said in an emailed statement.

Most of the names on the list that Sanders read "have been open or outspoken about the administration or have directly run afoul of it," Clapper said.

The current administration has questioned the loyalties of such officials, viewing their comments as attacks against the president, especially those focusing on the intelligence findings that Russia intervened in the 2016 election won by Trump.

Paul Pillar, a former senior CIA officer now with Georgetown University in Washington, told VOA that arguments could be made for and against former senior officials retaining security clearances after they've left those positions. But he added that the decision should not be made because of opinions they express.

Politicization of process

"Deciding on such a basis represents a corruption and politicization of an important national security process," Pillar said. "The harm to U.S. national security comes from that corruption, much more so than from not being able to get advice in classified channels from John Brennan or any other former official. What's to stop Trump from politicization of the clearance process for currently serving officials?"

A former CIA deputy director, John McLaughlin, speaking on MSNBC after Sanders read the names, said, "The message that goes out is: Be careful what you say" about Trump.

McLaughlin said it was critical for intelligence professionals, especially those still in their jobs, to be able to deliver unpleasant news to a president, and he expressed hope that Trump's action would not have a chilling effect on those who brief the president.

"This has zero to do with national security. This is an Official Enemies List. The offense: exercising 1st Amendment rights," tweeted Michael Bromwich, a former inspector general of the Justice Department, which oversees federal law enforcement.A Turkish court has ordered the release of the local chairman of Amnesty International, the rights group said Wednesday.

Taner Kilic had been imprisoned for more than a year on terror-related charges. He was accused of supporting U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for a failed coup in July 2016.

The decision to release Kilic came one day after a Turkish court released two jailed Greek soldiers, raising prospects for warmer relations between Turkey and the European Union.

The EU had condemned Kilic's jailing, citing what it believed was a heavy-handed approach to enforcing the law in Turkey, a candidate for entry into the EU.

Kilic was one of several human rights activists who were swept up in Turkey's nationwide crackdown following the failed coup.

Amnesty International's new secretary-general, Kumi Naido, applauded Kilic's pending release but said the fight for human rights in Turkey would continue.

"Today we take a moment to celebrate, but tomorrow our struggle will continue, re-energized by the example set by Taner himself: a man who knows the importance of human rights and is willing to dedicate his life to defending them," he said.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  President Rodrigo Duterte, in a rare rebuke of China, said Beijing cannot simply claim jurisdiction over airspace above artificial islands it built in the disputed South China Sea.

"You cannot create an island," Duterte said in Go Negosyo's Pilipinas Angat Lahat program in Malacanang Tuesday. "It's man-made and you say that the air above this artifical island is yours. That is wrong."

Duterte said the right of innocent passage is granted over open seas thus there is no need to ask for permission from China.

"So I hope that China will temper its, at least its behavior," he added. "I do not want to quarrel with China."

The President's statement comes following a report last week by the BBC of the Chinese threatening a Philippine military aircraft flying over the South China Sea  an area where the two countries have ongoing maritime disputes.

In the British broadcasting network's report aboard a U.S. military plane, the Chinese could be heard warning the U.S. aircraft: "China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters. Leave immediately and keep far off to avoid misunderstanding."

But the warning took on a harsher tone when it was directed at the Philippine aircraft  "Philippine military aircraft, I'm warning you again. Leave immediately or you will bear responsibility for all the consequences!,"

The Chinese military routinely warn foreign aircraft flying over the South China Sea but Duterte apparently reacted after the television report caught the warnings on video.

Duterte has been criticized for his warm ties with China, despite Beijing's refusal to comply with the 2016 arbitral ruling recognizing the Philippines' sovereign rights over contested areas in the region.

In a speech in February before Chinese and Filipino businessmen as well as China's ambassador, he jokingly offered to make the Philippines a province of China.Voter engagement in the 2018 U.S. midterm races remains feverish, primaries in notable swing states Wisconsin and Minnesota showed on Tuesday.

Both states showed sharp increases in participation as voters picked candidates for Congress, Senate and governor, with Minnesota's turnout surpassing a two-decade high and Wisconsin's hitting levels not reached for a state primary since at least 2002.

Democrats are hoping to replicate successes seen around the nation throughout the past 18 months in local and state special elections, where high levels of enthusiasm have propelled them to victories in races from Alabama's Senate seat in December to a southwest Pennsylvania congressional district in March.

The party is desperately seeking to flip control of Congress and capture more statehouses across the nation, as Republicans have control of both houses of Congress and the majority of state legislatures.

In Minnesota, more than 900,000 voters turned out in a state known for high levels of voter engagement, according to unofficial state figures on Wednesday. That equals a turnout rate of roughly 22 percent, according to Minnesota's secretary of state.

It was also the highest for state primary nominating contests since 1994, not including presidential primaries, according to state data. More than 580,000 people voted on the Democratic side.

"Competitive races for open seats, and partisan enthusiasm for many of the candidates in a highly polarized climate, fueled the high turnout," said Kathryn Pearson, political science professor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.



'Enthusiasm is high'

In Wisconsin, nearly 1 million voters cast ballots, or about 22 percent of the voting-age population, surpassing the 14 percent rate posted in both 2016 and 2014, according to a spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission. That is the highest since a 22.5 percent turnout rate in 2002, but the official figure could still exceed that when all votes are counted.

Turnout was strong in Democratic strongholds such as Madison, the state capital, and the largest city, Milwaukee, but also in Republican suburbs around Milwaukee.

Democrats picked Tony Evers to challenge Governor Scott Walker, who is seeking a third term, while Republicans chose state senator Leah Vukmir as their opponent to Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin. Early polls have shown the governor's race to be close, with Baldwin holding larger leads in polls of the Senate race.

"Democratic enthusiasm is obviously high: They've won two key special elections for state senate seats and a Supreme Court election. If the election were held today, it's highly unlikely that Trump would carry Wisconsin again," said Charlie Sykes, a conservative commentator and longtime Trump critic.

Trump became the first Republican to win Wisconsin in 32 years when he edged out Hillary Clinton there in 2016.

However, David Canon, professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, said not too much could be read into Tuesday's turnout given several hot contests in the state.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be decided in November's contests.

Democrats are trying to recapture at least one house of Congress to stall Trump's agenda and have promised additional oversight of the president.

epublicans are trying to motivate voters by promoting the strong economy and tax-cut legislation while Trump's approval rating remains in the low 40s.Two top-ranking officials in Kenya were charged with corruption this week in a $3 billion Chinese-built railway project, as part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's efforts to show no official is out of reach in the war on graft. However, some analysts question if the charges will lead to convictions or if they are simply political theater.

Kenya Railways' managing director Atanas Maina and Lands Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri are accused of overseeing $2 million in fraudulent compensation payments. More than a dozen other Kenyan officials and business people are also facing charges related to the illegal buying and selling of the state corporation's land.

While the accused deny the charges, the arrests were hailed in Kenya as a rare crackdown on top-level corruption.

However, political analyst Linda Oloo says the prosecutions are less about systemic change and more about Kenyatta.

"Uhuru [Kenyatta] is more concerned about his legacy [and] how will history judge him after his presidency, so that is why he is trying to play the good-man syndrome right now, by doing things that will appeal to the general public. What he is doing is mostly for his image after office," Oloo said.

In June, Kenyatta announced that all public servants would undergo a compulsory "lifestyle audit" to account for the sources of their income and assets.

Some argue it's not all political theater.

Kenyatta and Swiss President Alain Berset signed an agreement aimed at helping Kenya recover corrupt assets stashed by Kenyan officials in Swiss banks.

In addition, Kenyatta's director of public prosecutions has arrested top officials at Kenya's National Youth Service, electric power provider, and more than a dozen firms accused of benefiting from illegal tenders and misappropriated funds.

And Kenyatta on Sunday declared his determination to win the war on graft, even if he has to go after his close associates.

"Over the last few weeks, I have lost many friends," Kenyatta said. "Many have called me asking, 'How can you be watching when all the destruction is going on?' I say a time has come to fight impunity."

Opposition leader Raila Odinga last year accused the president of diverting the railway to benefit the Kenyatta family. Odinga ceased his criticism in April after making a deal with Kenyatta to work together.

In June, a Kenyan lawmaker linked Kenyatta's younger brother, Muhoho, to the importation of contraband sugar. In response, President Kenyatta said that if there is evidence, then his brother should be investigated and prosecuted.

But going after a sitting president's family is unlikely in Kenya, and the National Land Accord Movement's David Kimanzi doubts top officials will be among those punished.

"There has not been a single conviction of a person who has looted the public coffers. Every person now is looking for how it is going to be their turn to eat," Kimanzi said.

Despite this week's high-level arrests, there are still officials who are untouchable, according to Kimanzi. If you touch them, he says, you touch the very core of the government.U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols has said the southern African country must embark on genuine reforms if it wants Washington to remove sanctions against some of the country's top officials. The ambassador spoke Wednesday after meeting with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the State House in Harare.

The approximately hour-long meeting took place a week after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act of 2018, also known as ZIDERA.

The act renewed sanctions the U.S. imposed on Zimbabwean individuals and companies starting in 2002, following accusations of human rights abuses and election rigging against then-president Robert Mugabe.

Current President Mnangagwa is among those targeted by the travel bans and financial restrictions.

When Mnangagwa came into power last November, he promised to normalize relations with the U.S. and with European countries that also imposed sanctions.

Nichols said Wednesday that the U.S. likes the reforms introduced since Mugabe's ouster last November, but is troubled by the post-election violence seen August 1, when troops opened fire on demonstrators protesting a delay in presidential election results.

"President Mnangagwa's commitment to a transparent investigation of those events is very, very important for my government," Nichols said. "The violence of August 1st, the death of six people in the streets here, intimidation of the opposition polling agents, violence in the areas around Harare, have all been issues of concern."

Mnangagwa eventually was declared the winner of the July 30 poll, but the opposition has filed a legal challenge in the Constitutional Court, saying the results are false and that opposition leader Nelson Chamisa was the actual victor.

Nichols said Wednesday he hopes the court will be impartial in its handling of the case.

Mnangagwa described the Wednesday meeting with Nichols as "very, very positive."

"[Nichols] must have a correct appreciation of the environment in the country," Mnangagwa said. "We were able to share his views and my views on the current situation in the country. And we are moving forward as a country and we want our people to be peaceful. Only when the country is peaceful and stable can development thrive, not when you are throwing stones at each other."

When asked to comment on ZIDERA, the 75-year-old president laughed off the question before departing in a waiting car.

The Constitutional Court has about two weeks to rule on the opposition's electoral petition.The Trump administration believes missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice, thought to have been captured in Syria six years ago, is still alive.

"We believe him to be alive," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on the sixth anniversary of his disappearance. "We remain deeply concerned about his well-being, and we are actively working to bring Austin Tice home."

Nauert declined to provide details about the U.S. conclusion or where Tice is thought to be held, and by whom.

Tice was a 31-year-old freelance photojournalist working for AFP, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS, and other news organizations when he was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012.

A former Marine, he appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men in a video a month later.

Since then, there has been no official word about whether he is alive or dead.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government announced a reward of $1 million for information about Tice.

Speaking to the Post, his parents said they hoped the Trump administration would open direct talks with the Syrian government to secure his release.

"We really do believe that this administration has a greater commitment to bring people home," his mother, Debra Tice, said.

With U.S.-Syria relations broken off, Nauert declined to answer directly when asked whether direct talks with Damascus on Tice were possible.

"I can assure you that we're doing everything that we can to try to bring him home," she said.The races for U.S. political offices became further defined Tuesday with the latest round of primary elections setting up congressional battles in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In Wisconsin, Republicans chose state lawmaker Leah Vukmir to go up against Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin, who is trying to earn a second term in office.

Vukmir has the support of President Donald Trump, who just ahead of Tuesday's primaries also voiced approval for Governor Scott Walker in his re-election campaign. Democrat Tony Evers won the Democratic primary to face Walker in November.

Republican voters chose Bryan Steil, a former aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan, as their candidate to replace Ryan when he retires at the end of the current term. Steil will face Democratic candidate Randy Bryce to represent the congressional district in a suburb of Milwaukee.

Democrats seem to be particularly energized in Wisconsin, where Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win in 32 years, although by one percentage point, in the 2016 elections.

In the November election, all 435 House of Representatives seats, 35 of 100 Senate seats, and 36 of 50 governors' offices will be up for election. Democrats must win 23 seats in the House and two seats in the Senate to gain control of those chambers.

In Minnesota, former Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has been critical of Trump, saw his campaign to reclaim his old job end Tuesday as the one-time favorite in the race lost the Republican primary to county commissioner Jeff Johnson. Democrats chose Congressman Tim Walz as their candidate for governor.

Rep. Keith Ellison won the Democratic nomination for Minnesota's attorney general on Tuesday after his campaign was rocked by recent allegations of domestic violence.

Ellison is the first Muslim elected to Congress, and in the race to fill the seat he is vacating Democrats picked state representative Ilhan Omar, the nation's first Somali-American legislator as their candidate. She will go up against Republican Jennifer Zielinski for a seat Democrats have held since 1960.

Senator Tina Smith won the Democratic primary to seek her first full term after taking office to replace fellow Democrat Al Franked who resigned in December amid multiple allegations of unwanted sexual touching. Smith will face Republican state senator Karin Housley.

Primary contests were also held in the heavily Democratic northeastern states of Vermont and Connecticut.

Democrats selected Christine Hallquist as their nominee for governor in Vermont as he tries to become the nation's first transgender governor. She will face Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who has strong support in his re-election bid.

And Sen. Bernie Sanders, who ran for president in 2016, won the Democratic primary for his seat, but is expected to turn down that nomination and continue as an independent.The U.S. on Wednesday sanctioned companies in China, Russia and Singapore it says were violating the trade embargo with North Korea, Washington's latest effort to keep pressure on Pyongyang to end its nuclear weapons development.

The U.S. Treasury accused China's Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co., along with its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Ltd., of falsifying documents to ease "illicit" shipments of alcohol and cigarettes into North Korea that netted the companies more than $1 billion a year.

The U.S. also said that Profinet Ltd. in Russia violated United Nations sanctions by providing port services to already-sanctioned North Korean-flagged ships involved in oil shipments at three eastern Russia ports. The company's director general was also blacklisted.

The sanctions freeze any assets they may have in the U.S. and blocks Americans from doing business with them.

In announcing the sanctions, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, "Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams" to North Korea. "Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed at a June summit in Singapore with U.S. President Donald Trump to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, but there were no details about when and how that would occur. Since then, the U.S. and North Korea have engaged in further talks about ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, but no agreements have been reached.Ethiopia has released thousands of prisoners as a new prime minister reverses decades of security abuses. No one knows how many were tortured.

But some of those torture victims are now talking openly  to the media, to their relatives and to their friends  about what happened to them after they were jailed, in many cases for protesting against the government.

Their stories raise a hard question for the government: How will it address the injustices committed by security forces behind prison walls?

Since coming to power in April, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 41, has made peace with Eritrea, ended a state of emergency, freed political prisoners, and announced plans to sell shares in state-owned firms to promote growth and create jobs.

Abiy acknowledges that many prisoners suffered abuses, which he has denounced as acts of "state terrorism."

He has not, however, announced plans to investigate abuses committed by the security forces or set up a process for victims to seek redress. But he has preached forgiveness.

"I call on us all to forgive each other from our hearts. To close the chapters from yesterday, and to forge ahead to the next bright future through national consensus," Abiy said in his inaugural address.

Rights groups that have documented the torture  from psychological torment to the use of water and ceiling hooks  say there must now be a greater focus on justice.

"Despite all the reforms, there have yet to be any detailed commitments regarding investigations into abuses or justice for victims," said Maria Burnett of Human Rights Watch.

Since late 2015, when protests against ethnic marginalization and inequality began, tens of thousands of people were detained, according to Human Rights Watch.

The attorney general's office and government spokesman Ahmed Shide did not respond to calls and messages requesting comment.

'We need help'

Those who spent years imprisoned and were recently released say they are cautiously hopeful.

"I never expected such changes were possible as long as the EPRDF [ruling coalition] remained in power. But even now we don't know what will come of all this," said Keyfalew Tefera, 33, who says his legs were amputated in a prison hospital after security forces shot him in 2006 when he was passing by a student protest.

Keyfalew, who studied plant science before he was detained, says his suffering should not be forgotten.

"I'm still a prisoner. I left half my body in there, I have no legs," he said, in an interview in a friend's living room.

His mother and father died during his 12 years in prison. "I don't consider myself free."

Another former prisoner, Mesfin Etana, 43, spent 16 years behind bars for alleged membership in the Oromo Liberation Front, a group removed from the government's banned list of "terrorist" groups in June.

No evidence against him was produced by authorities, he said, but after six years in prison, a court gave him a life sentence.

He told Reuters that he was repeatedly stripped naked and sexually humiliated by warders during a five-month stint at Maekelawi, a detention center shut down after Abiy took office.

He cannot afford treatment for health problems that are mainly related to torture. It is not only physical injuries he is confronting.

Before Mesfin's arrest in 2002, he was a trader and shop owner and was preparing to marry his fiancee, Zinash.

He was released on July 4. One of the first things he did was call Zinash, to find she had married another man at her family's insistence.

"It was very sad," he said of their conversation.

He was happy to be alive, but without earnings from his business, his family had fallen into poverty.

"We don't want revenge, but we need help," he said.

"We would be happy if the government returned what we used to have," he said, adding that he felt justice was important to prevent the country from "going backward."

Past crimes

Due process for victims will require overhauling the institutions that failed Ethiopians in the past, some argue.

"A lot of work needs to be done because the judiciary has been disgraced," said lawyer Wondimu Ebsa, who represented hundreds of prisoners and opposition leaders in trials he decried as a mockery of justice.

Many of his clients have been freed but they are struggling. "They don't have money for food, they can't get work," he said. "So many of them are living in worse conditions than they were in prison."

Ethiopia's constitution requires the state to compensate torture victims, he said, because the government failed to protect them from harm.

Concerns that past crimes may be papered over were raised by an encounter in Zimbabwe earlier this month that went viral on social media.

Former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who resigned in February and was in Harare observing elections, met Ethiopia's exiled former Marxist dictator, Mengistu Haile Mariam.

During Mengistu's 17 years in power, millions of Ethiopians died of famine amid "Red Terror" purges. In 2007, he was sentenced in absentia to life in prison, but Zimbabwe declined to extradite him.

"This photo [of Hailemariam and Mengistu] ... is confounding," Ethiopian law professor Awol Allo wrote on Twitter. "It is fantastic that our government is talking about love, forgiveness, & reconciliation but does that mean we are prepared to give a free-for-all, no-questions-asked, amnesty?"The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

VOA reporter Paul Ndiho reports on his experience covering Zimbabwe's July 30th election, together with host Shaka Ssali of VOA's Straight Talk Africa. The report examines the climate surrounding Zimbabwe's election, and the shake up in Malawi's govt following the resignation of the VP.Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has filed submissions in the country's highest court opposing a court challenge to his victory by main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance.

The ruling Zanu-PF party's secretary for legal affairs, Paul Mangwana, said his party is ready to face the opposition party in court.

"We have successfully filed our opposition papers to this application which we think is just a waste of time but that's for the courts to decide," said Mangwawana.

The opposition MDC Alliance formally filed court papers on Friday, to back its claim that the July 30 vote was rigged, and is challenged the result which gave Mnangagwa 2.46 million votes against Chamisa's 2.15 million votes for him.

The country's constitutional court has 14-days to make a ruling which will be final and paves the way for either a new election or the inauguration of the current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Speaking at the commemorations of Heroes Day and Defense Forces Day, Mnangagwa applauded the country's citizens for participating in peaceful elections.

He however accused the MDC Alliance of instigating the violence a few days later that resulted in the intervention by the country's military, which left six people dead.

The MDC Alliance has denied that it institgated the violence, and pins blame instead on the ruling Zanu-PF party and government.If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online:

Follow the new volcanic eruption on La Palma Island, the first since 1971! We collect infos, links and news latest always on top.

A beautiful stratovolcano in northern California that last erupted in 1914-17.

Several magnitude 7 quakes occurred in 2016 (but none above M8): Papua New Guinea, NZ, Ecuador, Solomon Islands, Sumatra, Chile, Alaska and others - nearly all major earthquakes were located near active subduction zones.See the top 20 list of largest quakes in 2016 with this map.

A selection of photos of different features: lava flows, lava fountains, lava lakes, fumaroles and more.

Support us - Help us upgrade our services!

Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.

We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated.

Improved multilanguage support

Tsunami alerts

Faster responsiveness

Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards

Detailed quake stats

Additional seismic data sources

Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently:T-Birds and Golden Knights: Flying in their F-16 Fighting Falcons, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds often approach the speed of sound while executing their intricate and precise maneuvers. Have the binoculars handy to witness the men and women of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights and the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs jumping out of an aircraft 12,500 feet above the ground and sticking the landing on North Avenue Beach.Members of the committee were concerned the contract could make the city liable to pay the company $130,000 for work it already has done. That provision was there in case the city decides to go another route, according to Steve Andras, interim airport director.Sprint said Tuesday it has partnered with phone maker LG Electronics to launch a 5G smartphone in the first half of next year, the first 5G device deal for the wireless carrier. The LG phone will be customized to Sprint's planned 5G network and will be compatible with

T-Mobile only on that carrier's existing 4G network, said John Tudhope, Sprint's director of product development. The price of the phone and exact launch date will be announced later, Sprint said in a news release.But as two of the most prominent food critic jobs in America are up for grabs, editors are grappling with larger cultural, ethical and financial questions: Should a single critic be responsible for an entire region? What kinds of restaurants should be reviewed? Should the criticism be limited to the food on the plate, the decor, the service? Or should it look at broader societal issues, since Yelp and other sites are already packed with amateur reviews? Should editors strive to hire men and women of color, who would bring fresh perspectives?E.C. Robinson, who runs a third-generation-owned upholstery business in Alexandria, will quote you on labor and material charges if you email him photos and dimensions of your piece. But he cautions its a ballpark estimate until he takes off the old fabric and gets a look inside. A lot of times the frame is loose from all the sitting and moving in and out of it for years. It may need frame work, spring work or re-webbing. You may need new foam, Robinson says. So, dont be surprised if the project is more expensive. Its not done by machine; reupholstering is all done by hand, he says.I am so impressed with these young people. They are exactly the kind of people we want to be here and yet they live under the threat that they could be kicked out, he said.Tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe had to cancel their trips to Yosemite, which shut its famed valley on July 25 due to smoke from a nearby wildfire that has burned 150 square miles and killed two firefighters since it started July 13. Though the blaze didnt reach the heart of Yosemite Valley, it burned in remote areas of the park and choked popular areas with smoke.Newtowne Dr., 700 block, 7:30-7:55 a.m. Aug. 8. Two males entered a locked utility room and took a mini motor bike. Officers patrolling the area spotted the males attempting to hide the stolen vehicle in the rear of a building in the 800 block of Brooke Court. A 16-year-old Annapolis male was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and trespassing, and a 15-year-old District male was arrested and charged with burglary and theft.But, like IDEA, some schools in the charter sector  which are privately run but publicly funded and educate nearly half of D.C.s public school students  are opting for a different route. Rydstrom said the machines often inaccurately detect metal objects on students, leading to unnecessarily invasive searches. He said that students should arrive at school early, eat a healthy breakfast and go to class, and that metal detectors slowed morning arrival.Pidgeon Hill Dr., unit block, 4:52 p.m. Aug. 6. A store employee confronted a man attempting to leave the store without paying. The man claimed he was armed with a knife and after a brief struggle, he fled without the items in a vehicle driven by another male.Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

Email address

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy PolicyMr. Calder, who was born in Montreal, worked in the family timber business before founding the London-based Calder Publications in 1949. It published classic European writers including Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy and Emile Zola, as well as modern authors  notably Samuel Beckett, whom Mr. Calder considered the greatest of 20th-century writers.Woodbridge area, July 31. Two Woodbridge men, 18, and 20, were arrested in connection with larcenies from autos and related burglaries on June 28 in the Somerset Crossing area of Gainesville. A third accomplice is at large. The 18-year-old was charged with burglary, two counts of grand larceny, credit card theft, and two counts of trespassing into vehicles. The 20-year-old was charged with possession of stolen property.Police did not provide other details except to say they have no information to believe there is a threat to the public.The teens mother has said previously that her son struggled socially and academically. He attended five schools in eight years, was often uncomfortable in social settings and had few friends. She said she was initially thrilled to find out her son had a girlfriend, until their relationship soured toward the end of last year.In the double shooting on Mount Pleasant Street, both of the two men who were hit were said to be conscious and breathing when taken to hospitals. Police said they were looking for as many as five black males in connection with the 8:45 p.m. attack.Mattocks, too, has trouble understanding how to a raise a child who is different from her seven other children. Alonzo, now 7, is always behind in his schooling, and she worries about what sort of life he will have. Im worried that, as an African American male, theyre already having so many issues with police brutality and being discriminated against that Im fearful . . . that this will be another barrier that hell have to try to get through.These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Criminal Investigation Division at 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194, the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.Kelly is to turkeys what Melville was to whales, which is to say he doesnt really write about turkeys but about humans. He writes about our glory and our ignominies, our modesty and our braggadocio, our capacity for wonder and our penchant for self-delusion, all filtered through the lens of a magnificent North American bird that has about as much in common with your Thanksgiving Butterball as a guppy does with a great white shark.Two people speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on his behalf said Blau has said he wanted to returned to Florida, where he and his wife lived before he joined the campaign, and did not want to renew a lease in the Washington region.The case heightens attention to the philosophical divide over the compact between the government and the nations poor. Conservatives, including the administrations senior health officials, say that Medicaid recipients should be required to fulfill certain obligations, such as work requirements, and that such activities would lift people out of poverty and government reliance. Liberals regard the health-care program as a right for anyone who is eligible, and they maintain that access to care is an underpinning for poor people to improve their lives.Granted, most of the settlers live in large blocs along the 1949 Green Line that, in theory, could be incorporated into Israel in return for territorial compensation to the Palestinians in a final settlement. But uprooting 8,000 settlers from Gaza was traumatic enough; moving at least 80,000 out of the West Bank would be far harder, especially given the political strength of the settler lobby. The religious right is more powerful in Israeli politics (and the Israeli army) than it was in 1998, while the left is weaker. One result is the recent passage of a nation-state law affirming Israels Jewish character that has Arabs and Druze fuming that they are second-class citizens.What underlies this frustration is a fundamentally different understanding of what President Trump and Kim Jong Un had agreed upon in Singapore. Yes, both sides agreed that North Korea would denuclearize, but what does that mean exactly? The Trump administration interprets it as a simple two-step process: complete and immediate denuclearization, after which sanctions would be lifted and all benefits would flow. Kim, however, came away believing he had secured an agreement for a step-by-step process that would take place in tandem with a package of measures that would bring about normal diplomatic, political and economic relations with the United States. That would include the lifting of economic sanctions, diplomatic recognition, security guarantees and a peace treaty that would replace the current cease-fire agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953.Now I have a routine every time I travel: Arrive at the airport more than three hours early. Explain to the airline agents at the help desk that they must call Washington to clear me for travel  a process that can take an hour. Try to be patient when TSA officers escort me from the boarding area to the gate for a private security check. Allow them to rummage through my things and grit my teeth as they pat me down multiple times. Dont bother telling them about parts of my body that are sensitive from surgery, since theyll be rough regardless. Run to the boarding area and dont make a scene as they pat me down again, trying not to feel embarrassed as other passengers watch. Stay as brave as possible.A compromise was reached. News organizations would be given opportunities to take photos, but long lenses intruding on his and my mothers personal space were no longer used. The media may have realized that reaching an agreement was a good idea after my father took matters into his own hands. He walked outside the small ranch house, swayed as if something was terribly wrong with him, then stumbled forward, clutched his chest and fell to the ground as if he were having a heart attack. He stayed down for a few seconds, then got to his feet, faced the hillside and waved at the unseen journalists with a big smile on his face. Obviously, his Secret Service agents had been let in on the prank; otherwise, he would probably have given them heart attacks.Trumps response? He tweeted that former Apprentice producer Mark Burnett called to say that there are NO TAPES of the Apprentice where I used such a terrible and disgusting word as attributed by Wacky and Deranged Omarosa. He needed someone else to verify that he did not say the word? (Burnett, for his part, has yet to publicly confirm.) And then, as a sign of his great respect for African Americans, Trump immediately turned to the same loaded, intelligence-based disparagements that he has made the centerpiece of his insults to African Americans who dare speak up, and went one further  referring to Managault Newman as a lowlife and that dog.The diplomat was Yousef al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emiratess ambassador to the United States, and he was speaking at a public gathering last month at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. He explained to an audience of policymakers and journalists the consequences of disengagement: One very senior [U.S.] official looked at me once and said theres no constituency in the U.S. for us doing more in the Middle East. When we hear that, it means we need to do things on our own.Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, says Kansas offers a particularly dramatic example of what is happening in many other Republican-led states. Everyone knows about the Trump effect, but the untold story is Republican governors going on ideological tears in their states, Inslee said in a telephone interview. You have a one-two punch to Republican prospects both from the White House and from the damage thats been wrought out of the statehouses.Its fair to say that most whites who are racist usually dont think they are. This is because they dont use the n-word or actively seek to bring harm to nonwhites. But racism is a pernicious, passive plague. You dont have to burn crosses in peoples yards. All you have to do is see African Americans (or Asians or Latinos) in stereotypically demeaning ways. Thus, when Trump became angry with Omarosa, he didnt say she was a disgruntled former employee  or make some other dismissively neutral comment. Instead, he tweeted:There are three important lessons from North Carolinas CON mischief. First, domestic protectionism that burdens consumers for the benefit of entrenched economic interests (e.g., occupational licensing that restricts entry to professions for no reason related to public health and safety) is even more prevalent and costly than are tariffs and import quotas that interfere with international trade. Second, the sprawling, intrusive, interventionist administrative state  a.k.a. modern government  that recognizes no limits to its competence or jurisdiction is inevitably a defender of the entrenched and hence a mechanism for transferring wealth upward. Third, only courts can arrest the marauding of the political class when, with unseemly motives, it pretends to know more than markets do about societys needs.Yet those papers are being disclosed to the public in an unusual fashion: A lawyer working for Bush and his legal team are scouring the reams of documents, determining what can be released and sending them to the Senate. The National Archives is doing its own nonpartisan review, but that wont be finished for weeks  long after Kavanaugh is likely to be confirmed and has taken his seat on the nations most powerful court.Im not perfect, but I know the struggles working people go through, Bryce said in a statement after his arrests became an issue in the race. I understand the mistakes that any of us can make. Ive certainly learned from mine.Jessie Rodriguez, 48, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gina Presley. He was babysitting the youngster when the attack happened, said assistant states attorney Cheryl Galvin in her opening statement Wednesday to a jury at the courthouse in Bridgeview.FEMA said the allegations against Coleman  detailed by Long and other officials in a July 30 interview with The Washington Post  have been turned over to the inspector general for Homeland Security. FEMA leaders declined to answer specific questions from The Post about Coleman and the broader sexual misconduct investigation while it is still underway. The agency also declined to make Long available for an interview, refused to provide a copy of the full preliminary report on the Coleman investigation and asked employees to refer any questions to the press office. Colemans attorneys called for the release of the full report.Trumps endorsement reportedly came against the wishes of some Republican insiders, who had hoped the president would stay out of the race. Nevertheless, Trump  who has been known to demand and reward loyalty  waded in at the last minute in support of Kobach, who has long played up his ties to the president and his family.There is one crowd size that we would be proud of, and that we would brag about, Vedder said, taking a dig at Trumps claims about the crowd size at his inauguration. And that is if the state of Montana had the largest youth vote, the largest crowd, that came together in this upcoming election. That I would brag about all [expletive] day.But something else still baffled the 24-year-old Syrian refugee. I live in Germany. Germans gave me the opportunity to start my life over. Theyre my friends, said Amro, who asked that his last name not be used because his family is still in Damascus, a city he fled to escape the countrys all-consuming war. I cant understand how people like this could do something like that.We employed the companies and institutes that are world leaders in testing and inspecting based on the best international practices, the company said, adding that it spends more than $1 billion per year on road security and maintenance. That investment, the company said, helped to decrease the accident fatality rate on its highway network. Many aspects of the disaster response will fall to Italys government, which came to power in late May. Its two parties, the League and the Five Star Movement, share a strand of populist DNA but also hold some key differences  including spending priorities. They have since wrestled internally over one major infrastructure project, a high-speed rail link that would connect Italy and France through the Alps; Five Star politicians have generally opposed the construction. The two parties have also pledged spending increases elsewhere, calling for tax cuts and new benefits for the poor and unemployed. Those ideas, coupled with euroskeptic sentiments from some Italian leaders, have raised concern in Europe that the country will push back against the blocs budgetary rules. Neither party had previously emphasized roads and highways. But Wednesday, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli, a Five Star leader, called for a Marshall Plan to secure the countrys infrastructure, much of which was built in the 1960s and 1970s. Toninelli said the government has started a process to levy fines of $170 million on Autostrade per lItalia. Atlantia SpAs largest single shareholder is a holding company controlled by the Benetton family, known primarily for its fashion company, United Colors of Benetton.It was the most serious insurgent attack on an Afghan urban area since 2015, and it appeared to sabotage rising hopes for a truce during the next weeks Eid-al-Adha holiday and for revived peace talks in the 17-year conflict. It also put added pressure on the government of President Ashraf Ghani, which has scheduled parliamentary elections in October but may not be able to secure them.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Hours after the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) concluded the first leg of its dry run banning driver-only vehicles on EDSA, some Senators called for its suspension.

Senators Vicente "Tito" Sotto, Franklin Drilon, Miguel Zubiri, and Ralph Recto on Wednesday signed Resolution 845, urging the Metro Manila Council, the MMDA's policy-making body, to recall the recent regulation expanding high occupancy vehicle lanes in EDSA during the rush hour.

The trial run for driver-only vehicles will initially last for a week, and full implementation happens on August 23.

The resolution mainly contends that the regulation violates due process of law because of the lack of public consultations conducted prior to its passage.

It also argued that the regulation "deprive thousands of people of the use of the country's major thoroughfare" since it takes effect during the peak commuting hours of the week.

MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago earlier said the driver-only ban and the newly implemented provincial bus ban was established to ease heavy traffic on EDSA as these cars occupy up to 70% of the lanes.

Based on the 2017 EDSA annual average daily traffic data, 367,738 vehicles use the road on a daily basis, 67 percent of which are private motor vehicles.

The resolution contends, however, that these figures were not proven. It also cited multiple research saying that high occupancy vehicle lanes were rendered ineffective in other countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Indonesia.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia addressed the complaint and said it's up to the courts to decide on the issue.

"The court will say kung sino ang tamaKung anong sabihin ng korte yun ang gagawin namin," he said.

[Translation: The court will say who is rightwhatever the court says, that's what we will follow]

He maintained that the new traffic scheme were only "short-term solutions" as the MMDA continues to wait for developments on the government's "Build,Build,Build" project.

"Kailangan gumawa ng polisiya habang naghihintay ng long-term solution," Garcia said.

[Translation: We need to create a new policy while we wait for a long-term solution]

RELATED: MMDA says traffic schemes ease EDSA congestionI cant believe how some parents let their children be the boss of the family. Apparently these so-called adults have forgotten about discipline and respect. Instead, they let their kids get away with whatever they want. That means the rest of us have to deal with spoiled brats who whine and cry until they get their way. How is this preparing them for real life? When these children grow up theyll be in for a rude awakening. Will they stamp their feet at the workplace when they disagree with their bosses? Im sure that will go over really well. Not. Hopefully young parents will somehow come to their senses instead of letting their children treat them like theyre the kids.A senior staff member at Catholic Superannuation Fund failed to declare that businesses associated with his brother and wife were winners of lucrative million-dollar-plus marketing contracts in a major breach of conflict of interest rules, the royal commission has heard.

Catholic Super general manager investor relations Rob Clancy failed to disclose that his brother and wife were shareholders or directors of companies that picked up plum contracts from the industry super fund that holds $9 billion of funds on behalf of mainly teachers within the Catholic sector, the royal commission has heard.

Mr Clancy has been put on leave as Catholic Super reviews the matter, the royal commission heard on Wednesday.

Mr Clancy's brother Paul Clancy's company Australian Family and other companies associated with Paul Clancy and Rob Clancy's wife Jennifer Kernahan won contracts of up to $2 million from the superannuation fund.The $4 million cap on research and development tax refunds for businesses should be raised in some circumstances, WA Senator Linda Reynolds said on Wednesday.

Businesses from the emerging lithium and battery sector have raised concerns the cap on refunds available for R&D expenditure, introduced in this year's federal budget, would hurt Australia's chances at moving further up the battery supply chain, beyond just mining minerals.

WA Senator Linda Reynolds led a delegation of lithium and battery industry representatives to Canberra this week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The cash refunds were intended to be used by R&D-heavy businesses to invest back into their operations.

Ms Reynolds led a delegation of industry groups and major lithium mining companies to Canberra this week to garner federal government support of the burgeoning industry, culminating in a round-table discussion with the Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan and Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo.With conditions easing on Wednesday evening, the RFS tweeted around 9pm that all fires in NSW were downgraded to Watch and Act alert level. But the fires around Ulladulla and Bemboka continue to burn out of control  and are expected to do so for several days due to the lack of easy containment lines. A fire burning out of control north of Bemboka. Credit:Elaine Bateman Fire 'whipped up unbelievably quick' NSW RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd said the Ulladulla region fire had "whipped up unbelievably quick" on Wednesday morning under the strong gusts.

"The fire is moving quickly under some very strong north-westerly winds towards the Burrill Lake area," he said. "It's very erratic and it's very dangerous." By late afternoon, attention turned to Bemboka where conditions had become "very dangerous", the RFS tweeted. "The fire is burning in difficult terrain, which is making conditions dangerous for firefighters and residents. Seek shelter if the fire impacts."

Any easing of conditions is likely to be short-lived, with temperatures and wind whipping up again on Saturday. "We are concerned about a return to these gusty conditions on Saturday," RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said. A resident hoses down a shed destroyed by the fire at Bomaderry. Credit:Adam McLean With the entire state drought-declared and unseasonably warm winter temperatures, Mr Rogers said firefighters were expecting this season to be bad. "We do get fires in August, but the big difference is 100 per cent of the state is drought declared," he said. "Its only been three months since the last fire we had in Holsworthy in April.

"Hopefully this isnt going to be a sign of things to come." 'I haven't seen anything like this' Milton resident Jodi Smith said the fire was a "small glow on the mountain" when she went to work at 4.30am on Wednesday. She had to leave after the wind picked up and she was overcome by smoke on the property. "I have lived here for 45 years ... but I havent seen anything like this," she said.

Nearby resident Barry Matthews said "absolutely howling" winds woke him about 6am. A bushfire burns in Milton near Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast. Credit:Milton Ulladulla Times "It had been burning for a few days, but we werent concerned at all," he said. He watched the fire as he ate his breakfast before he was evacuated about 9am. Fire crews on high alert across NSW

The RFS has urged property owners to think twice before burning off on Wednesday, as temperatures rise to the mid-20s. A bushfire burns in Milton near Ulladulla on Wednesday. Credit:Milton Ulladulla Times Fire crews had already been on high alert with warm and windy weather forecast across the state. The driest start to a year in NSW since 1965 has set the state up not only for a worsening drought but elevated the risk of bushfires. Earlier this week, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of higher fire risks by Wednesday as rising temperatures and expected strengthening winds combined with the very dry conditions across the state.

Parts of the north-east have already had their official fire season brought forward a month to August 1, while the government is understood to be considering similar moves for other at-risk parts of NSW. Loading Even without an early declaration of the fire season  which brings restrictions on burning-off activities  authorities are understood to have been preparing to shift assets to regions that are considered to have especially high fire risks this spring. Countering the ability to bolster resources is the deployment of about 200 firefighters to North America at the start of August, many of them from NSW.

That contingent is helping to co-ordinate responses to huge blazes that continue to burn in California and other US states. The early-season bushfires are also likely to stretch the aerial resources of NSW and other states in Australia. Most of the large firefighting aircraft don't typically arrive in Australia until after September, and demand for their services is likely to remain high in Europe and North America amid record summer heat in many regions. An aircraft helps to fight the fire at North Nowra. Credit:Adam McLean The RFS says the state has access to many aircraft but those planes and helicopters typically have less fire suppressant capability than the leased jets and other aircraft brought in ahead of the summer fire peak.I could tell everyone was excited, Lucy said of the crowd. I was feeling happy. But what she found out soon after left her feeling sad. The Sydney event featured only two modelling agencies, one that has since pulled its support, and no overseas prizes, TV interviews or classes for junior contestants. The promised gala dinner was a self-service pub-style buffet with none of the advertised free drinks, and contestants were told they had to pay for photos that were meant to be free. Some parents said they didnt receive photos or videos they paid for and were later shocked to see images of their children on the Indigenous Connections website used without their permission.

Marjoleine Cras, who is Lucy's grandmother  though she calls her "Mum"  described the situation as exploitative. These people have paid out thousands of dollars. We spent a lot of money, she said. Shes just been pocketing the money. You cant rip off your own people. Ms Townsend, who describes herself as a former model and lives in NSW, is accused of not paying her bills, false advertising - including the involvement of SBS and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) - and crushing the dreams of dozens of young people. Sharlette Townsend.

Questions have also been raised as to whether shes been operating without an Australian Business Number (ABN). The Australian Business Register shows Ms Townsends Indigenous Connections Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations ABN was cancelled in July 2017. The corporation, which operated under the business name Aboriginal Model Search, was registered as a not-for-profit organisation with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations in February 2017. Its objectives included assisting in the relief of poverty, sickness, destitution, helplessness, distress, suffering, and misfortune, among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through the process of supporting social and economic development. Ms Townsend also promoted a second national final for the Gold Coast to be held at Sea World on July 13 and 14 that appears to have not gone ahead. The itinerary for the Gold Coast final.

The $185 Gold Coast contestant ticket was said to include entry to the theme park, gifts, a host of classes and a three-course dinner. As the date changed to to be announced and ticket-holders emails and messages went unanswered, parents became suspicious something wasnt right. Ms Townsend got married on the Friday before the planned event. The day before the advertised event, a Facebook post showed Ms Townsend was getting married rather than organising the competition. A call to Sea World by Fairfax Media revealed Ms Townsend had never booked an event at the venue and the theme park had asked her to remove its logo from her advertising material.

Bobbie-jo Williams, whose 11-year-old daughter Mileekah was a contestant, had planned a family holiday around the Gold Coast event. She said she was lucky to be able to cancel a week-long hotel booking after her emails to Ms Townsend went unanswered. Sharlette Townsend - the bride. People have lost more than us, she said. We only lost the tickets we paid for. But it was seeing Mileekah heartbroken that upset her the most. She asked why did they do that? It was hard to explain, Ms Williams said. "She had been so excited."

Angered, Ms Williams turned to Facebook and found a group, with about 60 members, set up by Ms Cras to collect information in the hope of taking legal action against Ms Townsend. Fairfax Media has spoken to and received documentation from about half-a-dozen members of the Facebook group. Ms Townsend, whose Facebook profile says life isnt about getting and having, its about giving and being, first advertised the Sydney event as free, but later changed the price to $150 for contestants and $100 for guests. She also changed it from three to two days and requested contestants bring costumes, which many either spent money on or made themselves.

Kira Dargin-Barsukoff, who claims her business Aboriginal Model Management was destroyed due to the similar name, said she had registered complaints with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and had encouraged others to do the same. She said the ATO confirmed it was investigating her complaint. A spokesman for the tax office said he was unable to comment on the tax affairs of any individual or entity due to their obligations of confidentiality under the law. Lucy's still smiling despite it all. Credit:Simon Schluter It is understood SBSs NITV also asked for their logo to be taken down from the Indigenous Connections website after seeking legal advice. It has since been removed. NITV had never agreed to cover or support the Indigenous Connections Model Search in 2018, a spokesman said.

The NIDA also confirmed it didnt have any association with the model search. Child modelling agency Bettina Management pulled its sponsorship after the January event. Weve heard a lot since [the event] and we didnt want to be associated with it anymore, spokeswoman Selby Holland said. Ms Townsend, who is now calling herself a photographer, recently opened a Sharlette Jane Media Facebook page that advertised a modelling and self improvement workshop in Coffs Harbour, NSW. Backlash from the Indigenous community led to the workshop being cancelled.A member of the Stolen Generation who claims she was molested at a Catholic Aboriginal mission in rural Western Australia in the 1960s has denied she wrongly accused her former teacher.

Michael Francis Moran, 83, is on trial in the District Court of WA, charged with indecently dealing with a child.

The matter was heard in the Perth District Court. Credit:Viki Lascaris

The complainant, now 68, came forward after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, filing a statement with police in 2015.

The court heard she was removed from her family, made a ward of the state and taken to the mission at age four, where she was initially raised by nuns.Australia's political leaders have united to heap condemnation on a "dangerous" speech by Senator Fraser Anning that a shocked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warned was "only helping the terrorists".

The call by Senator Anning, from Katter's Australian Party, for a ban on Muslim immigration and a return to a discriminatory immigration regime akin to the White Australia Policy dominated the political debate and sparked outrage across the spectrum, from the Greens to One Nation.

In a potential turning point in the debate over race-baiting in Australian politics, Mr Turnbull called the speech "racism" and "stupidity", and stressed that targeting Muslims in that way was dangerous.

"Let's be quite clear - those who seek to demonise all Muslims on the basis of the crimes of a tiny minority are helping the terrorists," he said.The chief concern about EMSA was its use of the Neil Building, which closed in 2011 when the Fox River Country Day School shut down and was being maintained the city of Elgin, which owned it. The heat and electricity had never been shut off, city officials said, and its only significant problem had been a burst water pipe several years before charter school officials expressed an interest in it.Political leaders across the spectrum - from the Greens to One Nation - have united to condemn an "appalling" speech by Senator Fraser Anning in which he called for a "final solution" on immigration.

The Katter's Australian Party senator, who defected from One Nation, also used his maiden speech to urge a ban on Muslim migration and a return to the discriminatory White Australia Policy.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described Senator Anning's remarks as "appalling" and said there was "no place in Australia for racism".

"We are a nation that does not define its nationality, its identity, by reference to race or religion or cultural background or ethnic background," he said.Labor and the Greens are hoping last-minute pitches by billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest will prompt crossbench senators to join them in blocking a reduction of protection in Australia's marine parks.

Five disallowance motions will go to a vote in the Senate on Thursday on the Turnbull government's plan to retain 3.3 million square kilometres of Australia's protected offshore regions but allow commercial fishing and other activities in new areas.

The Coral Sea marine park, home to a range of endangered turtles, faces having its protection levels reduced by the Turnbull Government.

We cannot as a Senate give a seal of approval to management plans that provide nowhere near enough protections to our marine life to call these places marine parks," Peter Whish-Wilson, the Greens marine spokesman, said.

"I hope that when it comes to the vote the cross-bench will put the ocean first."Questions have been raised over a senior WA Labor minister and his relationship with the Chinese billionaire who ended the political career of former senator Sam Dastyari.

A Fairfax Media investigation has revealed Treasurer Ben Wyatt accepted thousands of dollars in overseas travel from an organisation linked to China's communist regime and controversial property developer Huang Xiangmo.

Mr Wyatt described the all-expenses-paid, five-day sojourn to China in 2015 as a delegation organised by federal Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen, but it was paid for by the Australian Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, which is run by Mr Huang.

Mr Huang is the Chinese businessman who was tipped off by Mr Dastyari in 2015 that his phone may have been under surveillance by intelligence agencies and who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Australian political parties, including Labor.Manila: The Philippine President said on Tuesday that China's claim to air space above newly built islands and surrounding waters in the disputed South China Sea "is wrong" and Beijing should not tell others to leave those areas to avoid possible clashes.

Rodrigo Duterte's remarks in a speech to an audience that included the American ambassador and other foreign guests were a rare public criticism of China. In the past he has refused to antagonise Beijing in the interest of closer relations.

"They have to rethink that, because that would be a flashpoint someday and even, you know, warning others," Duterte said of China's actions to uphold its claims in the disputed waters. "You cannot create an island, it's man-made, and you say that the air above these artificial islands is yours."

"That is wrong because those waters are what we consider international sea," the President said. He added that "the right of innocent passage is guaranteed. It does not need any permission to sail through the open seas."

The Associated Press reported two weeks ago that the Philippines has expressed concern to China over an increasing number of Chinese radio messages warning Philippine aircraft and ships to stay away from Beijing-held artificial islands in the disputed waters.New York: A former energy company executive from Vermont has made history by becoming the first transgender candidate to be nominated by a major party for a governorship in US history.

Christine Hallquist, 62, easily won the Vermont Democratic primary on Tuesday night US time, winning 48 per cent of the vote - more than twice that of her nearest rival.

Vermont Democratic gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist shakes hands with her supporters during her election night party in Burlington, Vermont. Credit:AP

If elected in November Hallquist would be America's first transgender governor.

She has said that running for office is far easier than embracing her identity as a transgender woman.New York state has joined the growing list of states and local governments suing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma for alleged fraudulent marketing of its drugs, as the legal pressure shows no signs of relenting against the Stamford-based company.

The accusations in the complaint  which center on Purdue purportedly misleading prescribers and patients about the risks and benefits of its opioids  parallel those filed in hundreds of other lawsuits filed against Purdue in the past few years. Purdue continued to deceptively market its products after pleading guilty to criminal conduct in 2007 and pledging to correct its misleading marketing in a 2015 agreement with the state Attorney Generals Office, the lawsuit said.

Our investigation found a pattern of deception and reckless disregard for New Yorkers health and well-being  as Purdue lined its own pockets by deliberately exploiting our communities and fueling an opioid epidemic thats destroyed families across the state, New York state Attorney General Barbara Underwood said in a statement. Were now holding Purdue to account for this reprehensible and illegal conduct.

In statement similar to its responses to previous lawsuits, Purdue officials said they denied the allegations, although they said they shared New York officials concerns about the opioid crisis.

The state claims Purdue acted improperly by communicating with prescribers about scientific and medical information that FDA has expressly considered and continues to approve, the statement reads in part. We believe it is inappropriate for the state to substitute its judgment for the judgment of the regulatory, scientific and medical experts at FDA.

In 2016, 3,086 people in New York state died from overdoses involving opioids in 2016; 2,399 of those deaths involved opioid painkillers, some of which were sold by Purdue, according to state officials.

Since the beginning of May, the attorneys general of Florida, Nevada, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia have also announced lawsuits against the company.

In total, about two dozen states have sued the firm, which is headquartered at 201 Tresser Blvd., in downtown Stamford. New York City filed a similar complaint in January.

Amid its legal battles, Purdue has undergone sweeping organizational changes in recent months. Last month, it announced the appointment of a new board chairman and general counsel.

In late June, it would announced it would eliminate its already-downsized sales force, a move that cut 175 jobs. Another 175 people were laid off at the same time. About 90 of those laid off in that round worked in Stamford.

About 550 remain with the company, including some 250 who still work at the headquarters. Just five months ago, the company reported employing about 1,100.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschottIn it, he mentions some of the more noticeable changes. Chromebook computers will be distributed to all 12,000 high school students this school year, devices students will work with in school and be able to take home during the year. Several hundred middle schoolers will also receive Chromebooks this year if they enrolled in certain math courses.On a superficial glance, they look like a couple of Connecticut shoreline CEOs, each funding his own campaign, separated mostly by where they stand on the political spectrum.

Ned Lamont favors investment in cities and health care, green energy, a higher minimum wage and revamped transportation infrastructure. Thats how we can reclaim this great, fallen state, he says.

Hes willing to say we may need to raise even more revenue  preferably, in his view, from wealthy folks like him along with out-of-state truckers  as part of a government overhaul.

Bob Stefanowski wants to see the state tighten its fiscal belt so brutally that he can eliminate the estate tax, eliminate the corporate earnings tax and, mostly, eliminate the $9 billion-plus personal income tax. His anti-government, up-with-individuals bromides sound so clear that he looks, to believers, like the long-awaited savior of a battered state.

Both of them talk in soaring terms about restoring Connecticuts glory by fixing what we all agree is a broken economy.

But the differences are far deeper than ideology, and they say something about how we as residents, taxpayers and voters see our way out of a two-decade economic fall, a slowly shifting sand dune under our feet thats eroding with the wind.

It comes down to a deceivingly simple message of lower taxes and less government vs. a call for a tough slog of efficiency and investment with no easy answers.

Stefanowski spends a lot of time on whats wrong and offers a quick solution  cut taxes and government involvement, with little detail. Lamont recognizes the problem quickly and spends his energy on the many hard steps of a fix.

Stefanowski, like President Donald Trump, depends on low information in the electorate, a tough-guy swagger and sweeping generalities shaped by anger and publicly expressed alienation  not only by voters but by himself.

How else could he have beaten back four other accomplished Republicans, two with government experience and two without, while refusing to answer why he went 16 years until 2017 not voting even in a presidential election; and why he spent nine months as a Democrat, not decades ago but from the month before Trumps election until last summer?

The potent force of low information and alienation from the very government he wants to run allows Stefanowski to say he can eliminate the sources of 60 percent of Connecticuts tax revenue  and amass enough support to win the nomination.

Obviously he cant cut taxes and spending that deeply. Even the most conservative members of the General Assembly, among them his running mate, Sen. Joe Markley, have proposed nothing cbling that level of cuts. Anyone in the game knows that state government, unlike the businesses Stefanowski helped turn around, cant just stop doing things if they arent profitable.

For the first time in decades, Connecticut will actually have a real CEO, Stefanowski said in his victory speech.

Thats true whether the November winner turns out to be Stefanowski, of Madison, a former financial executive at General Electric and UBS who later ran a high-interest, short-term lending firm in London; or Lamont, of Greenwich, who founded and sold a cable TV business; or R. Nelson Oz Griebel, the former regional bank and chamber of commerce CEO from Simsbury running as an independent candidate who submitted signatures to petition onto the ballot.

Lamont has no such luxury of alienation and low information when it comes to winning votes. Hes less detailed about his economic plan than, say, the vanquished Republicans Steve Obsitnik and David Stemerman. But his ideas on rebuilding the state rely on a dense and coordinated mix of creative forces; and his momentum depends on a roll-up-the-sleeves will to take action in the thick of it, often without the liberal ideology that hes rightly known for.

For example, while Stefanowski re-enrolled as a Republican and cast what might have been his first ballot of the century late last year, Lamont recruited his old business school pal, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, to help bring Indian consulting and outsourcing giant Infosys to Connecticut for a commitment to add 1,000 jobs in Hartford.

There are no catchy slogans in Lamont economic view. He hasnt held statewide office but Lamont has slogged through the muck of making government work in various roles. That includes support for, and from, public employee unions  which will help him on the ground but not in the war of rhetoric in this age of union backlash.

By Wednesday, Lamont was calling his opponent  endorsed by Trump  Trumpanowski and Stefanowski dubbed Lamont Ned Malloy. That theater aside, both need to find a way to win the middle, where most Connecticut voters live.

I saw it at the Mary L. Tracy School in Orange, where Bill and Louise Weaver, Republicans, and Edina and David Ostreicher, Democrats, all talked about what theyd like to see after they voted. Big differences, but basically a middle path with smart investment but more spending discipline.

Youve got to do both, thats the reality. You have to find a way to compromise, said Edina Ostreicher, a dean at the University of Bridgeport, who happened to run into her husband at the polls in a lovely moment. I dont hear anybody really with that message.

Not so far, but a path of hard solutions is closer to it than bluster and magical thinking about tax cuts.

dhaar@hearstmediact.comThere are several statewide Democratic primaries on Tuesday. Heres a list of who is on the ballot.

Governor

NED LAMONT , 64

Democratic Party-

endorsed candidate

Lives in: Greenwich

Experience: Founded Campus

Televideo, served one term on the Greenwich Board of Selectmen, defeated Joe Lieberman in 2006 U.S. Senate primary, lost to Dannel P. Malloy in 2010 primary for governor

JOE GANIM , 58

Lives in: Bridgeport

Experience: Bridgeport mayor from 1993-2003, resigned after he was convicted on federal corruption charges, spent seven years in prison, re-elected mayor of Bridgeport in 2015

Lieutenant governor

SUSAN BYSIEWICZ , 56

Democratic Party-endorsed candidate

Lives in: Middletown

Experience: Secretary of the State from 1999 to 2011, ran for attorney general in 2010 but was disqualified, lost 2011 primary for U.S. Senate to Chris Murphy, ran for governor this year before moving to the lieutenant governors race

EVA BERMUDEZ ZIMMERMAN , 31

Lives in: Newtown

Experience: Labor organizer for the Service Employees International Union, worked on campaigns, served on the Newtown Legislative Council and was secretary of the Democratic State Committee

Attorney general

WILLIAM TONG , 45

Democratic Party-

endorsed candidate

Lives in: Stamford

Experience: Six-term state representative, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee

CHRIS MATTEI , 40

Lives in: Hartford

Experience: Former federal prosecutor best known for sending ex-Gov. John G. Rowland back to prison for campaign fraud

PAUL DOYLE , 55

Lives in: Wethersfield

Experience: Six-term state senator and co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, served 12 years in the state House

Treasurer

SHAWN WOODEN , 49

Democratic Party-endorsed candidate

Lives in: Hartford

Experience: Represented the state treasurers office for the past 15 years,

attorney for Day Pitney who assists public pension funds with investments and securities law

DITA BHARGAVA , 46

Lives in: Greenwich

Experience: Former investment manager for Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse,

Citigroup and others,

explored a run for governor

5th Congressional District

MARY GLASSMAN , 60

Democratic Party-endorsed candidate

Lives in: Simsbury

Experience: First

selectman of Simsbury from 1991 to 1999 and from 2007 to 2014, ran for lieutenant governor in 2006 and 2010

JAHANA HAYES , 45

Lives in: Waterbury

Experience: 2016 National Teacher of the Year, Waterbury School District talent and professional development supervisor, educatorI took up a callers challenge to investigate presidential lies on the internet. I learned Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Obama is a Muslim. Hillary Clinton makes child porn in her basement. Hillary Clinton will be immediately jailed upon President Trumps election. All immigrants are murders and rapists unless they are strippers or X-rated models. Global warming is a myth. Wild fires, floods and hurricanes are a normal part of human existence.Prospective Uber Eats drivers got a taste of what the food delivery service job is like at a sign up session Tuesday: they waited in line.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prospective Uber Eats drivers got a taste of what the food delivery service job is like at a sign up session Tuesday: they waited in line.

If hired on by the restaurant food delivery service, they won't have to wait in line to fill out paperwork though. They'll be waiting for orders of pizza and sushi at Winnipeg restaurants on the job instead.

There was a steady flow of traffic of Winnipeggers interested in becoming "delivery partners" for Uber Eats -- the food delivery off-shoot of global ride-hailing brand Uber -- at the Millennium Library Tuesday, the first day of the company's driver sign up event taking place Aug. 14 and 15.

Uber Eats offers its food delivery service in 20 Canadian cities to date, from Vancouver to St. Johns. The U.S. company said it will launch its services in about a dozen new cities in Canada this month and will be active in 100 Canadian cities and towns by the end of the year, including Winnipeg.

Terry Szydlik, 45, was one of a handful of applicants who went to the library Tuesday afternoon to speak to Uber Eats representatives about becoming a driver in Winnipeg.

"Most of the guys and gals who do this, it's just about the extra money; it's not a career. You just want to work a couple hours and make some extra money," he said Tuesday.

Szydlik has worked in the food delivery business for 10 years. This fall will mark one year since he started working as a courier for Uber Eats competitor SkipTheDishes. He said he figured he should give Uber Eats a try to see which job is the most profitable.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Uber Eats hosted a sign-up event at the Millennium Library in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for SkipTheDishes said Tuesday the company welcomes new competition and understands "the appeal of the Winnipeg market," where its headquarters employs more than 1,800 employees.

While Szydlik normally makes a predictable $65 to $80 per shift with SkipTheDishes -- what adds up to about $16 an hour -- he said the job can be frustrating when it's a slow day for orders because he has to schedule and set aside three to five hour blocks of time for courier shifts; he can't just clock in and clock out as he pleases.

"With Uber Eats, there's no schedule at all. You just click a button, you're working. If it's slow, you click a button, you're not working. An hour later, you feel like working again, you can start up again," he said.

While Uber Eats hires "delivery partners," Winnipeg-based SkipTheDishes hires "couriers." Both titles are synonymous with independent contractors, meaning the workers don't get any employee benefits, minimum wage, vacation days or overtime.

The 45-year-old said he doesn't mind being an independent contractor. He said he'll start working both jobs once Uber Eats launches next week; then he'll have to decide whether he wants to choose one or continue doing both.

Vincente Torrefranca, a 40-year-old who works at SkipTheDishes full-time, said he too is going to test out Uber Eats to see how it compares to his other delivery gig.

"When I started Skip, I really liked the job, so I quit my other job because I like driving," he said, adding that being a courier allows him the flexibility he needs as a busy father and husband.

People new to the gig economy scene in Winnipeg also came out to the sign-up event, citing Uber's good reputation or their previous experience driving with Uber elsewhere as the reason they wanted to get involved with the company here.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Uber Eats hosts a sign-up event at the Millennium Library in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Winnipeg Free Press 2018.

Uber Eats first launched Canadian services in Toronto in 2015; now there are more than 8,000 restaurants on the platform.

East India Company Pub & Eatery, Jeffrey's Restaurant and Saucers Cafe have already signed up on the service in the city.

Saucers Cafe, a popular lunch spot on Academy Street, was one of the first clients to sign up with SkipTheDishes in 2014.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Co-owner Stuart Deacon said the restaurant will still use SkipTheDishes services -- alongside Uber Eats -- for now, but he's looking forward to testing out the new service since "SkipTheDishes is a hard company to work with."

Uber Eats will charge Saucers Cafe 25 per cent of every order made through their app or website, he said. SkipTheDishes charges about 23 per cent of every order upfront, he said, but with all the additional fees, Deacon said it's more like 28 per cent.

SkipTheDishes charges restaurants for every minute a delivery driver has to wait if the food isn't ready on time. The company also charges restaurants if they want to change their menu options on the platform, Deacon said, adding that Uber Eats doesn't charge restaurants for either.

"I'm always looking for the next shiny thing and (Uber Eats) has a really good formula," he said.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggieOTTAWA  Last month saw a slight uptick in asylum seekers crossing into Manitoba from the United States, though the numbers remain much lower than the winter 2017 peak.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadian border guards are silhouetted as they replace each other at an inspection booth. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)

OTTAWA  Last month saw a slight uptick in asylum seekers crossing into Manitoba from the United States, though the numbers remain much lower than the winter 2017 peak.

The RCMP released data this week showing that in Manitoba, officers had taken 51 asylum claimants into custody in July, a jump from 31 people in the previous month.

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen was quick to point out that each month of 2018 has seen fewer claimants arriving in Manitoba than any of the summer months last year.

"July and August were big months last year, and we built a contingency plan [for 2018] based on that," Mathieu Genest said.

While authorities are still compiling data for August, Genest said none of the federal agencies has informed the minister's office of a sudden spike, suggesting the pace of crossings across Canada (overwhelming in Quebec) has remained around 50 people daily this month.

In Manitoba, the peak of 170 people came in March 2017.

Meanwhile, Quebec saw its highest month for crossings in July 2017, when almost 3,000 people entered. Another spike came this spring when 2,479 people entered that province in April. July's 1,552 crossings into Quebec represents a quarter more crossings than the previous month, but also half the peak of last year.

Genest said Ottawa is still talking with Manitoba officials about how much the province should be compensated for asylum seekers, after the province submitted a formal request in April.

In June, Ottawa gave $3 million to Manitoba and a proportionate amount to Quebec and Ontario to deal with housing asylum seekers. Premier Brian Pallister has called that a good start, but has asked for a total of $8 million.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The federal Tories have castigated the Liberals for creating what they call a parallel refugee system that undercuts housing spots, refugee-hearing waitlists and integration supports for those arriving through normal means  an argument that seems to be buoying the party's support.

A late July poll by Angus-Reid poll found two-thirds of Canadians calling the issue "a crisis" with "too many people" for social services to handle  despite the number and ratio of asylum crossers being drastically lower than almost any Western nation.

The survey found 48 per cent of respondents saying Tory leader Andrew Scheer was most trusted on the issue, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ranking 35 per cent and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at 16 per cent.

Trudeau shuffled his Cabinet last month, dedicating a minister to "border security and organized crime reduction." He later assigned another minister to lead the task force that works with provincial governments, after a heated spat between Hussen and his Ontario counterpart at a Winnipeg meeting, over whether to call asylum claimants "illegal" or "irregular."

Asylum seekers have been avoiding formal border posts to evade a rule that would send most back to the U.S., instead entering Canada on-foot through towns like Emerson, Man. That breaks federal law, but a United Nations decree absolves asylum claimants from prosecution if they report immediately to police and undergo security checks.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.caThe sentencing of a former union director and political adviser who admitted to fraud has been delayed.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The sentencing of a former union director and political adviser who admitted to fraud has been delayed.

Heather Grant-Jury, 55, who advised former premier Greg Selinger, has fired the criminal defence lawyers who were handling her case and must now wait for her new lawyer to get up to speed.

She was set to be sentenced Aug. 27 for fraudulently claiming thousands of dollars in credit card expenses over the course of four years while she worked for the United Food and Commercial Workers training centre. Now, that sentencing won't happen. A new sentencing date hasn't yet been set.

Defence lawyer Richard Wolson told provincial court Judge Ryan Rolston Wednesday afternoon Grant-Jury had phoned a junior lawyer working on the case to say she was "going to go in a different direction." Grant-Jury then retained defence lawyer Zilla Jones, who also appeared in court Wednesday to make the change official.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Jones needs to receive all of the Crown's disclosure in the case before the sentencing can go ahead.

Grant-Jury pleaded guilty to fraud in January for expense claims she filed between May 2011 and December 2015, when the union found out. Using a credit card meant for union educational business, Grant-Jury incurred thousands in charges and lied to the union's accountant so she could expense them to the union.

Exactly how much money she stole is unclear. Crown prosecutors say it's about $160,000 in total, but her former defence lawyers had planned to argue it was a much lower amount, and that it should not result in jail time.

Grant-Jury, who was considered a loyal ally to then-premier Selinger, was seconded from her union position to serve as Selinger's principal secretary after five of his cabinet ministers resigned during a cabinet revolt in November 2014.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemayMEMBERS of Ukraines military will soon be looking through the target sights of a Winnipeg-made sniper rifle.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MEMBERS of Ukraines military will soon be looking through the target sights of a Winnipeg-made sniper rifle.

Ross Spagrud, the owner of PGW Defence Technologies, said Global Affairs Canada and Foreign Affairs minister Chrystia Freeland recently signed off on a contract worth just under $1 million for its LRT-3, .50 BMG bolt action rifles.

Spagrud said the deal includes not just the rifles, but also spare parts and accessories.

"Were hoping they will be over there by December," he said on Tuesday.

Tory MP and defence critic James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman) said he is pleased with the sale.

"It is great that PGW Defence Technologies of Winnipeg got the contract," Bezan said.

"(The company) just continues to build on their reputation of building the best sniper rifle in the world. Ukraine needs it and weve been pushing for this for some time so Ukraine can defend itself from Russia."

Bezan said he believes the sale also helps stabilize the geopolitical situation between Ukraine and Russia.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"(Russian president Vladimir) Putin is provoked by weakness," he said.

"The stronger we make Ukraine the less chance of something happening there."

Spagrud said the deal is nowhere near the largest the company has ever received, but its great to get.

He said while Ukraine actually awarded the contract to his company about six weeks ago, it took a few weeks of checking into the deal by Global Affairs Canada before the deal was fully completed.

Spagrud said Ukraines assistant defence minister had to provide a letter that stated the weapons would be used by the countrys military and would not be resold or given away to anybody else before the Canadian government approved it.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.caMARTIN Boroditsky has lost his lawsuit against Red River College and the Winnipeg Free Press over the cancellation of his radio show.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MARTIN Boroditsky has lost his lawsuit against Red River College and the Winnipeg Free Press over the cancellation of his radio show.

Justice Sheldon Lanchbery, of Manitoba Court of Queens Bench, said in a 12-page ruling released on Monday that Red River College did not violate Boroditskys rights when they cancelled The Great Canadian Talk Show from the colleges Kick FM radio station in 2010. The talk radio show, which he hosted under the name Marty Gold, had started broadcasting in 2006.

Lanchbery dismissed Boroditskys allegations "to be without merit" that the Free Press, and its editor at the time, Margo Goodhand, conspired with the college to have him removed from the airwaves.

Lanchbery ordered Boroditsky to pay the legal costs for both Red River College and the Winnipeg Free Press.

When contacted, Boroditsky said in a statement that "I have found a number of errors in the judges comprehension of the facts regarding the cancellation.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"My lawyer and I will review the judgment further and we will also review my options."

In the decision, Lanchbery said Boroditsky, who was allowed to sell four advertisements per hour on the daily 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. show and keep 50 per cent of the revenue, was an independent contractor and not an employee.

"Businesses end such relationships every day," the judge wrote.

"Business (sic) are not even required to provide an independent contractor with a reason for termination."

Lanchbery said while Goodhand sent a letter to the college, saying the radio show was giving negative treatment to the paper, she also urged the college not to take any action against Boroditsky.

The judge said the evidence from the stations board of directors was the letter didnt factor into its decision to cancel the show. The colleges evidence to the court was the show was cancelled because it "was not in keeping with proper broadcast standards," but no evidence was put forward about what the standards were.Mayoral candidate Jenny Motkaluk has promised to overhaul the citys entire transit operation in six years with more buses, all-electric buses and a new route system.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayoral candidate Jenny Motkaluk has promised to overhaul the citys entire transit operation in six years with more buses, all-electric buses and a new route system.

Motkaluk vowed to buy 830 electric buses over the next six years, replacing all of Transits 640 diesel buses and increasing the size of the fleet by another 190 vehicles.

Standing at a downtown bus stop Tuesday morning on Portage Avenue, Motkaluk also said she would reconfigure the entire transit route system, eliminating the hub-and-spoke system that sends most buses through the downtown.

"Unreliability, frequent pass-ups and routes that make no sense, along with safety concerns, have caused our transit ridership to actually decline for the past two decades," Motkaluk said. "While Im against Brian Bowmans version of BRT (bus rapid transit), make no mistake  I am pro-transit, because efficient and reliable public transportation is a necessary part of a thriving city."

Motkaluk said she would finance the massive transit overhaul by accessing a share of the $1.1 billion Ottawa has allocated to Manitoba through the federal green infrastructure fund and redirecting funds targeted for the construction of five additional transit corridors.

Unreliability, frequent passups and routes that make no sense, along with safety concerns, have caused our transit ridership to actually decline for the past two decades,  mayoral candidate Jenny Motkaluk

"The key to better service is more buses, more often, on routes that make sense."

Motkaluks announcement Tuesday morning is one of several she has made regarding transit issues.

She previously vowed to halt the construction of any further transit corridors following the completion of the southwest corridor and would assign police to provide security on buses.

Like previous announcements, Motkaluk was unable to provide an explanation of how she would pay for the transit overhaul, saying only that she would release a detailed costing plan for all of her campaign promises at a later time.

Motkaluk has been busy as of late, holding regular news conferences on policy positions all the while trying to establish herself as a credible alternative to incumbent Brian Bowman.

There are seven other candidates who have registered to challenge Bowman in the Oct. 24 election, but only Motkaluk has been holding regular news conferences.

In addition to her transit promises, Motkaluk has previously outlined positions on expanding the police-in-schools initiative and keeping pedestrians out of the Portage and Main intersection.

In contrast, Bowman said last week that he wouldnt begin campaigning in earnest until after the September council meeting.

Motkaluks transit announcement drew a mixed response from the union that represents most transit employees, which was encouraged by her support to expand the size of the fleet and convert it to electric.

But Aleem Chaudhary, president of ATU Local 1505, said he remains disappointed with Motkaluks previous proposal to halt future transit corridor construction.

Chaudhary said electric buses and their charging infrastructure are ideally suited for bus-only transit corridors, adding the city should not pit transit corridors against improvement to regular transit service.

Motkaluks plan reflects many of the same proposals suggested in the past by the transit advocate group Functional Transit Winnipeg, which did not go unnoticed by its chairman Joseph Kornelsen.

"We were aware she was going to be making a (transit) announcement but I didnt realize she was going to be using language exactly as ours," said Kornelsen, who has brought the same message to city hall for the need to expand the fleet and increase frequency of service.

Kornelsen applauded Motkaluks desire to transform Transit but, like Chaudhary, he said he was troubled by her insistence on putting a stop to rapid transit.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Bowmans campaign said the mayor supports electrification of buses, but it should be done slowly, following the recommendation of a joint province-city task force which proposed the addition of 12 to 20 electric buses.

"Half a billion dollars to switch out a just-recently-renewed bus fleet is a total waste of taxpayer money, is extremely risky and is not an approach supported by industry experts," said Kelly McCrae, Bowmans campaign spokesman. "Electrifying the citys bus fleet needs to be undertaken in a careful, phased in approach that respects taxpayers rather than handing them a half a billion dollar liability."

McCrae said Bowman is already involved in discussions with the province to leverage federal funds to improve Transit.

Motkaluk said converting the transit fleet from diesel to electric would save almost $22 million annually in fuel costs, but she conceded an entirely electric system would require a massive charging infrastructure.

Expanding the size of the fleet by 30 per cent would also require an additional 30 per cent more transit drivers, she said, which would cost about $18 million a year.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.caThe lack of information about recent murder-suicides in Winnipeg has shined a light on the need for police agencies to develop better policies on how the crime -- which is often left shrouded in secrecy -- is tracked and disclosed, according to experts.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The lack of information about recent murder-suicides in Winnipeg has shined a light on the need for police agencies to develop better policies on how the crime -- which is often left shrouded in secrecy -- is tracked and disclosed, according to experts.

On Tuesday, police released the names of the victims in the citys latest murder-suicide, one week after the bodies of two men were found in a quiet, suburban neighbourhood. Luis Miguel Almeida, 33, murdered his partner, Kok Aun Tee, 37, before killing himself last Tuesday at their home on the first 100 block of Wordsworth Way.

Other than providing those sparse details, however, police remain tight-lipped on the incident. No information is set to be released on what happened and why  despite the fact the matter will never see a courtroom. Since the suspect in murder-suicide cases is dead, no charges are laid and the details of the attack are not made public record.

"This is the second homicide this year where the suspect killed themselves, the first being a domestic-related homicide at a residence in the 600 block of Buckingham (Road) in May 2018," Winnipeg Police Service Const. Jay Murray told reporters Tuesday.

The earlier murder-suicide took place May 21, when Lorne Turner, 58, is alleged to have killed Angela Turner, 50, his wife of 31 years, before taking his own life.

The lack of public disclosure on murder-suicide cases isnt confined to Winnipeg, experts say, as the attacks are often left shrouded in secrecy by law enforcement agencies across the country.

Critics of that approach say its time for police to update the way they track and handle information in these cases. Other than the two murder-suicides in Winnipeg this year, it remains unclear how common the crime is in Manitoba and its capital.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The police homicide unit investigated an aparent murder-suicide at 625 Buckingham Road in Winnipeg on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press 2018.

"Thats a good question. We may have had one last year. I think it would be premature to comment on if theres a rise why that would be," Murray said, when asked if the WPS has seen an increase in murder-suicides.

Later, in a follow-up email to the Free Press, Murray said the WPS does not track murder-suicides or domestic homicides. Manitoba RCMP has confirmed it doesnt either.

Why police dont break out murder-suicides and domestic homicides -- like they do with domestic assaults, for example -- remains unclear, with experts saying theres no excuse for not charting the crimes.

According to Jane Ursel, a University of Manitoba sociology professor and domestic violence expert, better tracking of domestic homicides and murder-suicides is vital to combatting intimate partner violence.

"Absolutely (police) should be doing this. We know they can do it, because theyre doing it with domestic assaults. Its never a matter of blaming or shaming any service providers or family members who are affected by this, but its a matter of improving our response," Ursel said.

"It was discovered that police dont always report things on a domestic. Sometimes the details arent released or the relationship isnt necessarily made clear."  Jane Ursel, a University of Manitoba sociology professor and domestic violence expert

"When and where intimate partner violence becomes lethal, its critical for us to know about that and for all of society to become aware of it, because thats how we can improve. We need to have a better understanding of the histories and red flags that result in lethal domestic relationships."

Ursel pointed to recent efforts by the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (CFOJA) to track female murder victims, as evidence of the deficiencies in the current law enforcement approach. (The vast majority of domestic homicide victims are women and perpetrators are men).

"In trying to compile that list, it was discovered that police dont always report things on a domestic. Sometimes the details arent released or the relationship isnt necessarily made clear. It also depends on what the newspapers pick up in terms of the relationships. The reality is that the information is sporadic. Sometimes we get it. Sometimes we dont," Ursel said.

Peter Jaffe, director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children (CREVAWC) and a Western University professor, wasnt surprised to learn the WPS and Manitoba RCMP werent tracking domestic homicides and murder-suicides. Nonetheless, he said its a best practice that should be implemented.

"I think theyd want to have that data," Jaffe said.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Under Jaffes leadership, the CREVAWC is currently developing a national database, in partnership with coroners and medical examiners across the country, to track domestic homicides and murder-suicides in Canada.

While Jaffe said he understands why law enforcement cant always release information immediately, he made clear its important for those details to come out eventually so "lessons can be learned" and "systems improved."

"The best practice seems to be to have the police wait an appropriate amount of time, then release the information on a delayed basis. Its important to educate the public on what the red flags were and what might have been done in hindsight," Jaffe said.

"That helps us recognize what the patterns are. Domestic homicides dont just happen out of the blue. They happen in a context of multiple risk factors."

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpeOne hundred years after the Spanish flu killed between 50 and 100 million people worldwide, a team of Manitoba researchers has discovered what made the virus so much deadlier than other types of flu.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One hundred years after the Spanish flu killed between 50 and 100 million people worldwide, a team of Manitoba researchers has discovered what made the virus so much deadlier than other types of flu.

In a study published this month in EBioMedicine, the researchers did a quantitative analysis of proteins in lung cells, some of which had been infected by the flu virus while others hadnt been. They then compared both sets of cells, and found dozens of cellular proteins in the Spanish flu sample had their levels boosted or decreased significantly, including many proteins which hadnt previously been thought affected by the Spanish flu.

By singling out those cellular proteins affected by the virus, the researchers hope their work will help provide a road map in developing effective vaccines, not only against the Spanish flu, but also more recent strains that affect the world today.

"Ultimately, this is going to help all researchers to better understand what makes a bad pandemic flu virus so deadly, so that we can create better medicines to combat it," said Kevin Coombs, a professor of medical microbiology at the University of Manitobas Max Rady College of Medicine.

Coombs co-authored the study with doctors Darwyn Kobasa and Charlene Ranadheera of the Public Health Agency of Canada, the organization that runs the National Microbiology Laboratories in Winnipeg, the only place in Canada where the virus is available for study. Other groups in Canada are doing similar research, but the lab being in Winnipeg made the study possible, Coombs said.

The study is the last in a series of six the researchers have done over the past six years. The experimental work for the most recent study took about a year, and the analysis took about two more. Using the universitys mass spectrometry facilities, the group was able to measure the regulation of those cellular proteins, and managed to compare how the Spanish flu affected cellular pathways as opposed to less deadly flus.

What they found was that the Spanish flu virus turns on a key cellular regulatory pathway more than other flu viruses tested, which leads to more significant impact on the host. In 2009, when the H1N1 pandemic flu broke, a similar phenomenon occurred, Coombs said. In both the case of the 1918 flu and the 2009 one, he added, it isnt the virus that kills people, but the bodys response. By triggering the pathway to go into overdrive, to put it simply, the body responds at a level of intensity that could kill those infected. A high inflammatory response often leads to a massive release of fluid, which can then enter lung cells and essentially drown the body from the inside, Coombs said.

"Its analogous to anaphylactic shock," he said. "It causes the body to have an abnormally strong response against the virus."

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

While the Spanish flu outbreak occurred a century ago, Coombs says its important to note that the flu has been affecting humans for about 600 years. And although the Spanish flu was "the single worst infectious disease event in human history," humans still die from flu viruses each year. To make matters more difficult for researchers, the viral proteins related to flu viruses mutate rather rapidly, and vaccines change in accordance with the mutations.

Thats why this research has the potential to make a difference, Coombs said. Cellular proteins dont mutate anywhere near as much as viral ones do, so to isolate cellular material used by flu viruses provides new insight into potential vaccines.

"If we can identify cellular proteins the virus absolutely requires to carry out disease, and if those proteins arent important to the cell, then we can target those instead of the virus, and thereby get closer to a universal vaccine," Coombs said.

Next steps for research include analyzing the proteins qualitatively, looking at how the proteins "talk to each other," Coombs said. As well, future studies will test how animal models respond to changes to the proteins found to be involved in the Spanish flu (this round of research was all done in test-tubes).

"Better understanding host cell responses to the flu may be the only way to stay ahead in the microbial arms race in order to prevent re-emergence of this and of other deadly flu viruses," Coombs said.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.caAfter three decades, giant pandas are returning to Winnipeg from its sister city Chengdu, China. Only this time, instead of fur, the animals are covered in light bulbs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After three decades, giant pandas are returning to Winnipeg from its sister city Chengdu, China. Only this time, instead of fur, the animals are covered in light bulbs.

A dozen fiberglass panda cubs are among the Chinese cultural installations that will light up 10 acres at Red River Exhibition Park at the end of the month to mark 30 years since the twinning of Winnipeg and Chengdu, a city of 15 million in the southwest Sichuan province.

The Lights of the North exhibit  the largest show of its kind ever mounted in Canada  will be on display to showcase Chengdu culture from Aug. 31 to Oct. 14.

Dorothy Dobie, co-chair of The Lights Of The North Chinese Lantern Festival. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

The total light bulb count for the event is about one million, said Dorothy Dobbie, co-chair of the events organizing committee.

"Just think about the power that comes into this site to run the big rides for the Ex and so on; were going to be stretching that to the limit, which they dont usually do  and were using LED lights," she said.

The festival's $4-million price tag is being covered by local private investors, Dobbie said.

Fifty people flew to Winnipeg from Chengdu to install the structures  with materials packed into 20 shipping containers  on the fairgrounds at the beginning of the month. Theyve been slowly erecting colourful pandas, a Chinese temple and a replica of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, among others.

Light artist Jian Wang puts the finishing touches on a 60-metre dragon at the Red River Ex grounds Monday. The Chinese lights festival opens at the end of August to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the twinning between Winnipeg and Chengdu, China. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

LED lights will make the figures glow during the six-week-long event. They'll also shine on a 37-metre-long dragon made entirely of china plates, cups, saucers and spoons.

"The lantern has become an art (in Chinese culture)," said Patrick Choy, president of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural and Community Centre.

The Chinese also light flying lanterns  what Choy describes as "miniature hot-air balloons"  during celebrations, he said, so it's fitting the first Lights of the North festival is in 2018, the Canada-China Year of Tourism, and on the sister agreement anniversary.

The agreement's aim is to promote cultural, educational and commercial ties between Winnipeg and Chengdu, the fifth-largest city in China. Adopting sisters was a popular way to stimulate inter-city trade and cultural exchange throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s. For instance, Winnipeg imports jet engines from Chengdu and international students from the city come study in Winnipeg, Dobbie said.

Light artists Shu Fang Zhu (left) and Gui Mei Tu fill bottles with coloured water for a bison light exhibit. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

Between 1970 and 1999, Winnipeg signed 11 sister-city agreements.

Dobbie, a Winnipeg businesswoman and former politician, travelled to China in 1988 to witness the Winnipeg-Chengdu twinning alongside Philip Lee, former lieutenant governor of Manitoba.

The cities' relationship came about from Winnipeg's desire to bring pandas to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, Lee said. So a deal was made between the two cities: in exchange for a free six-month long visit from two giant pandas, Winnipeg would donate zoo admission profits to a panda research centre in Chengdu. Winnipeg was the first city in Canada to babysit giant panda bears.

Since then, municipal officials have visited each other's cities. There have been cultural exchanges, including 2015's Chengdu Days in Winnipeg, featuring performances from Chinese acrobats and dancers over four days.

Dorothy Dobie, co-chair of The Lights Of The North festival, said about one million light bulbs are being used for the various displays. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

There will be similar performances during Lights of the North, Dobbie said. Visitors will also be able to make their own lanterns, buy handicrafts from Chengdu artisans and taste the city's traditional spicy cuisine.

As a Chinese-Canadian, Choy said he thinks the exchanges are beneficial.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Understanding each other is a very good thing."

Winnipeg's Chinese community  nearly 26,500 people  makes up about three per cent of the city's total population.

"Bringing the world to Winnipeg and Winnipeg to the world, I think, is really important," Dobbie said, adding she hopes Lights of the North becomes an illuminating, tourism-boosting annual event; advance tickets have been sold to people in Mexico and the United States as well as Canadians.

"What this festival does is open Winnipeggers' eyes to what China is like; most people have no idea."

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggieClimate change policy was a key issue in the 2010 Australian federal election. Liberal leader Tony Abbott, similar in temperament and political philosophy to Stephen Harper, opposed a carbon tax, describing it as a great big tax on everything. The election ended in a dead heat, with the balance of power held by a handful of independent and Green MPs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Climate change policy was a key issue in the 2010 Australian federal election. Liberal leader Tony Abbott, similar in temperament and political philosophy to Stephen Harper, opposed a carbon tax, describing it as "a great big tax on everything." The election ended in a dead heat, with the balance of power held by a handful of independent and Green MPs.

The price of their support was a carbon tax. Julia Gillard brokered a deal to form government and quickly introduced the tax. She and the carbon tax, however, did not survive long. Unrest in her own Labour Party led to her replacement by former prime minister Kevin Rudd. Climate change policy featured prominently in the next federal election, with Tony Abbott promising to repeal the carbon tax if he was elected. He was, and he did. The carbon tax was repealed his first day in office.

Similarly, Premier Doug Ford in Ontario has wasted no time dismantling Kathleen Wynnes climate change policy. And federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer would surely do the same to Justin Trudeaus carbon tax.

The major flaw in carbon taxes is that they are politically toxic, especially if they are to be effective. Climate economists argue that the tax rate has to exceed $300/tonne to achieve their goal, far more than the Trudeau carbon tax of $50/tonne or Premier Brian Pallisters $25/tonne.

But the Trudeau tax hits the sweet spot of ineffective policy: too small to achieve the objective, but more than large enough to inflict significant economic harm. Well done!

A carbon tax reduces economic growth. That is by design. Indeed, reduced economic growth is the fastest route to greenhouse gas reduction. Greenhouse gas production fell in Europe fastest, not because of green energy policy, but because of the 2008 global economic crisis. It fell even faster after the outright economic collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

A carbon tax works by creating incentives for virtuous behaviour, making the use of fossil fuels more costly. You pay more to do the same as you did before. It reduces fossil fuel consumption, but also economic productivity.

Progressive politicians promise that no economic harm will arise from a carbon tax. Instead, we all benefit by growth in the new green economy. Oilsands workers will transition into jobs as solar panel installers, Tesla mechanics or electric airship captains. Perhaps these green jobs will eventually emerge in a utopian future. But back in the real world, right here, right now, carbon taxes impair economic growth.

With a carbon tax, our products become more expensive and less desirable when competing with the same products produced elsewhere, especially the U.S., where there is no carbon tax. Its the equivalent of a tariff on exported products. Ask American soybean farmers how thats working out for them. Answer: not well.

But even worse, Trudeaus carbon tax is a one-size-fits-all model that simultaneously fails to meet Paris Accord targets while inflicting disproportionate harm on Manitoba. Greenhouse gas production in our province already falls below the national average, due largely to our reliance on hydro power.

Curbing Canadas greenhouse gas production cannot be done without recognizing that all provinces are not equal contributors. Two provinces with just 15 per cent of Canadas population (Alberta and Saskatchewan) produce half the greenhouse gases. One-tenth of Canadas greenhouse gases come from the oilsands.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Instead of virtue-signalling without material benefit, Trudeau could adopt effective policy that would rapidly reduce greenhouse gas production. Start by replacing the natural gas used to extract heavy oil with clean hydro power from Manitoba and B.C. That would mean a transmission line extending west from Manitoba. And continue by building the national east-west electricity grid so that fossil fuels can be replaced with renewable hydropower.

It would be Canadas quickest and most cost-effective way  at least among the politically viable options  to reduce greenhouse gases.

Instead, the approach of Trudeau and his ministers is to vilify the opposition who do not accede to his ineffective and increasingly conflicted environmental policy: care to buy a slightly used pipeline, anyone?

This is unfortunate. As long as climate-change policy remains so highly politicized, the underlying problem will remain unsolved.

As it stands, it looks increasingly likely that Trudeau and his "great big tax on everything" will join Gillard and Wynne on the sidelines watching helplessly as political foes dismantle cherished but costly climate-change initiatives.

Scott Forbes is an ecologist at the University of Winnipeg.WiGBits Headline News Would you like to receive our WiGBits? Signup today!

WiG Entertainment News Would you like to receive our WiG Entertainment News? Signup today!

Digital Issue Would you like to receive our Digital Issue? Signup today!China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.

Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.6 hours ago

US Democratic governors to participate in U.N. climate talks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  U.S. governors want a seat at the table as international leaders prepare to gather in Scotland at a critical moment for global efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions and slow the planet's temperature rise. At least a half dozen state governors  all Democrats  plan to attend parts of the two-week United Nations' climate change conference in Glasgow, known as COP26.

Read ArticleThe following companies are subsidiares of Centene: APS Parent Inc., AWC of Syracuse Inc., Absolute Total Care Inc., AcariaHealth Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #11 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #12 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #13 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #14 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy Inc., AcariaHealth Solutions Inc., Access Medical Acquisition LLC, Access Medical Group of Florida City LLC, Access Medical Group of Hialeah LLC, Access Medical Group of Lakeland LLC, Access Medical Group of Miami LLC, Access Medical Group of North Miami Beach LLC, Access Medical Group of Opa-Locka LLC, Access Medical Group of Perrine LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa II LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa III LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa LLC, Access Medical Group of Westchester LLC, Accountable Care Coalition Direct Contracting LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Chesapeake LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers IV LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers V LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VI LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VII LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Florida Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland Primary Care LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Mississippi LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of New Jersey Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of North Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northwest Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Prime Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Physician Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Wisconsin LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Tennessee LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Texas Inc., Agate Resources Inc., AirLogix, Ambetter of Magnolia Inc., Ambetter of North Carolina Inc., Ambetter of Peach State Inc., America's 1st Choice California Holdings LLC, American Progressive Life and Health Insurance Company of New York, Apixio, Apixio Inc, Arch Personalized Medicine Initiative LLC, Arkansas Health & Wellness Health Plan Inc., Arkansas Total Care Holding Company LLC, Arkansas Total Care Inc., B2B Gestion Integra S.L.U., B2B Salud S.L.U., Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Blackcrow Asistencia Medica S.L, Bridgeway Health Solutions LLC, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona Inc., Buckeye Community Health Plan Inc., Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions Inc., CCTX Holdings LLC, CMC Real Estate Company LLC, CT Poprad s.r.o., CT Presov s.r.o., Calibrate Acquisition Company, California Health and Wellness Plan, Cantina Laredo Clayton LP, Cardium Health Services, Care 1st Health Plan of Arizona Inc., Care1st Health Plan Administrative Services Inc., Carolina Complete Health Holding Company Partnership, Carolina Complete Health Inc., Casenet LLC, Casenet S.R.O., CeltiCare Health Plan Holdings LLC, CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts Inc., Celtic Group Inc., Celtic Insurance Company, Cenpatico Behavioral Health LLC, Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona LLC, Cenpatico of Arizona Inc., Centene Center I LLC, Centene Center II LLC, Centene Center LLC, Centene Company of Texas LP, Centene Europe Finance Company Limited, Centene Health Plan Holdings Inc., Centene Institute for Advanced Health Education LLC, Centene International Ventures LLC, Centene Investments LLC, Centene Management Company LLC, Centene Venture Company Alabama Health Plan Inc., Centene Venture Company Florida Inc., Centene Venture Company Illinois Inc., Centene Venture Company Indiana Inc., Centene Venture Company Kansas Inc., Centene Venture Company Michigan Inc., Centene Venture Company Tennessee Inc., Centro Inmunologocia De La Comunidad Valenciana S.L., Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, Centurion Detention Health Services LLC, Centurion LLC, Centurion of Arizona LLC, Centurion of Delaware LLC, Centurion of Florida LLC, Centurion of Kansas LLC, Centurion of Minnesota LLC, Centurion of Mississippi LLC, Centurion of New Hampshire LLC, Centurion of Pennsylvania LLC, Centurion of Tennessee LLC, Centurion of Vermont LLC, Centurion of West Virginia LLC, Centurion of Wyoming LLC, Chrysalis Medical Services LLC, Clinica Santo Domingo De Lugo S.L., Collaborative Health Systems IPA LLC, Collaborative Health Systems LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Maryland LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Virginia LLC, Comfort Hospice of Missouri LLC, Comfort Hospice of Texas LLC, ComfortBrook Hospice LLC, Community Medical Group, Community Medical Holdings Corporation, Comprehensive Health Management Inc., Comprehensive Reinsurance Ltd., Coordinated Care Corporation, Coordinated Care of Washington Inc., Country Style Health Care LLC, Discare CZ a.s., District Community Care Inc., Dr Magnet s.r.o., Elche-Crevillente Salud, Envolve Benefits Options Inc., Envolve Captive Insurance Company Inc., Envolve Dental IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Dental Inc., Envolve Dental of Florida Inc., Envolve Dental of Texas Inc., Envolve Health, Envolve Holdings Inc., Envolve Inc., Envolve Optical Inc., Envolve PeopleCare Inc., Envolve Pharmacy IPA LLC, Envolve Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Envolve Total Vision Inc., Envolve Vision Benefits Inc., Envolve Vision IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Vision Inc., Envolve Vision of Florida Inc., Envolve Vision of Texas Inc., Essential Care Partners LLC, Exactus Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Family Nurse Care II LLC, Family Nurse Care LLC, Family Nurse Care of Ohio LLC, Fidelis Care, Forensic Health Services LLC, Foundation Care LLC, Godgrace Asistencia Medica S.L., Golden Triangle Physician Alliance, Grace Hospice of Austin LLC, Grace Hospice of Grand Rapids LLC, Grace Hospice of Illinois LLC, Grace Hospice of Indiana LLC, Grace Hospice of San Antonio LLC, Grace Hospice of Virginia LLC, Grace Hospice of Wisconsin LLC, Granite State Health Plan Inc., Growly Asistencia Sanitaria S.L., HHS Texas Management Inc., HHS Texas Management LP, Hallmark Life Insurance Company, Harmony Behavioral Health IPA Inc., Harmony Behavioral Health Inc., Harmony Health Management Inc., Harmony Health Plan Inc., Harmony Health Systems Inc., Health Care Enterprises LLC, Health Net Access Inc., Health Net Community Solutions Inc., Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc., Health Net Federal Services LLC, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon Inc., Health Net LLC, Health Net Life Insurance Company, Health Net Life Reinsurance Company, Health Net Pharmaceutical Services, Health Net of Arizona Inc., Health Net of California Inc., Health Plan Real Estate Holdings Inc., HealthSmart Benefit Solutions Inc., HealthSmart Benefits Management LLC, HealthSmart Care Management Solutions LP, HealthSmart Information Systems Inc., HealthSmart Preferred Care II LP, HealthSmart Preferred Network II Inc., HealthSmart Primary Care Clinics LP, HealthSmart Rx Solutions Inc., Healthy Louisiana Holdings LLC, Healthy Missouri Holdings Inc., Healthy Washington Holdings Inc., Heritage Health Systems Inc., Heritage Health Systems of Texas Inc., Heritage Home Hospice LLC, Heritage Physician Networks, Home State Health Plan Inc., HomeScripts.com LLC, Hospice DME Company LLC, Hospinet S.L., Hospital Polusa S.A., Hospital Povisa S.A., Hudson Accountable Care LLC, IAH of Florida LLC, Illinois Health Practice Alliance LLC, Infraestructuras y Servicios de Alzira S. L., Integrated Care Network of Florida LLC, Integrated Mental Health Management LLC, Integrated Mental Health Services, Interpreta Holdings Inc., Interpreta Inc., Iowa Total Care Inc., Kentucky Spirit Health Plan Inc., LBB Industries Inc., LifeShare Management Group LLC, LiveHealthier Inc., Louisiana Healthcare Connections Inc., MH Services International Holdings (UK) Limited, MHM, MHM Correctional Services LLC, MHM Health Professionals LLC, MHM Services Inc., MHM Services of California LLC, MHM Solutions LLC, MHN Government Services LLC, MHN Services LLC, MHS Consulting International Inc., MHS Travel & Charter Inc., MR Centrum Melnick s.r.o., MR Poprad s.r.o., MR Zilina s.r.o., Magnolia Health Plan Inc., Managed Health Network, Managed Health Network LLC, Managed Health Services Insurance Corporation, Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Maryland Collaborative Care Transformation Organization Inc., Mauli Ola Health and Wellness Inc., Medicina NZ spol s.r.o., Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc., Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc., Meridian Management Company LLC, Meridian Network Services LLC, MeridianRx IPA LLC, MeridianRx LLC, MeridianRx of Indiana LLC, Michigan Complete Health, Mid-Atlantic Collaborative Care LLC, Nebraska Total Care Inc., Network Providers LLC, New York Quality Healthcare Corporation, Next Door Neighbors Inc., Next Door Neighbors LLC., North Florida Health Services Inc., Northern Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Novasys Health Inc., OB Care, OB Klinika, Ohana Health Plan Inc., Oklahoma Complete Health Inc., One Care by Care 1st Health Plans of Arizona Inc, Operose Health (Group) Ltd., Operose Health (Group) UK Ltd., Operose Health Ltd., OptiCare Health Systems - Managed Vision Business, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, Panther Pass Co LLC, Panther Specialty Holding Co LLC, Pantherx Access Services LLC, Pantherx Specialty LLC, Parker LP LLC, Peach State Health Plan Inc., Penn Marketing America LLC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Inc., Phoenix Home Health Care LLC, Pinnacle Home Care LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Illinois LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Indiana LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Kalamazoo LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Missouri LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Wisconsin LLC, Premier Marketing Group LLC, PrimeroSalud S.L., Pro Diagnostic Group A.S., Pro Magnet CZ s.r.o., Pro Magnet s.r.o, Pro RTG s.r.o, Progress Medical A.S., Prowl Holdings LLC, QCA Healthplan Inc., Qualchoice Life and Health Insurance Company, Quincy Coverage Corporation, R&C Healthcare LLC, RMED LLC, RX Direct Inc., Rapid Respiratory Services LLC, Ribera Lab S.L.U., Ribera Salud II, Ribera Salud Proyectos S.L., Ribera Salud S.A., Ribera Salud Tecnologias S.L.U., Ribera Slaud Infraestructuras S.L.U., Ribera-Quilpro UTE, Salus Administrative Services Inc., Salus IPA LLC, Secure Capital Solutions 2000 S.L.U., SelectCare Health Plans Inc., SelectCare of Texas Inc., Seniorcorps Peninsula LLC, Servicios De Mantenimiento Prevencor S.L.U., SilverSummit Healthplan Inc., Social Health Bridge LLC, Social Health Bridge Trust, Specialty Therapeutic Care GP LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care LP, Sunflower State Health Plan Inc., Sunshine Health Community Solutions Inc., Sunshine Health Holding LLC, Sunshine State Health Plan Inc., Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions Inc., Superior HealthPlan Inc., The Practice Properties Limited, The WellCare Management Group Inc., Torrejon Salud S.A., Torrevieja Salud S.L.U., Torrevieja Salud UTE, Traditional Home Health Services LLC, Trillium Community Health Plan Inc., U.S. Medical Management Holdings Inc., U.S. Medical Management LLC, UAM Agent Services Corp., US Script, USMM Accountable Care Partners LLC, Universal American Corp., Universal American Financial Services Inc., Universal American Holdings LLC, WCG Health Management Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of America, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Louisiana Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Nevada Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Washington Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Connecticut Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Hawaii Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of New York Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of North Carolina Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Southwest Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans, WellCare Health Plans of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Plans of California Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Massachusetts Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Missouri Inc., WellCare Health Plans of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Rhode Island Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Vermont Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare National Health Insurance Company, WellCare Pharmacy Benefits Management Inc., WellCare Prescription Insurance Inc., WellCare of Alabama Inc., WellCare of Arkansas Inc., WellCare of California Inc., WellCare of Connecticut Inc., WellCare of Florida Inc., WellCare of Georgia Inc., WellCare of Illinois Inc., WellCare of Indiana Inc., WellCare of Kansas Inc., WellCare of Maine Inc., WellCare of Michigan Holding Company, WellCare of Mississippi Inc., WellCare of Missouri Health Insurance Company Inc., WellCare of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare of New York Inc., WellCare of North Carolina Inc., WellCare of Ohio Inc., WellCare of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare of Pennsylvania Inc., WellCare of Puerto Rico Inc., WellCare of South Carolina Inc., WellCare of Texas Inc., WellCare of Virginia Inc., WellCare of Washington Inc., Wellcare Health Plans Inc., Western Sky Community Care Inc., Windsor Health Group Inc., Winning Security S.L., Worlco Management Services, and nirvanaHealth LLC.A: I didnt realize it at the time, but living in Glenview and having access to the resources that we had around us was incredible. I was able to take percussion lessons with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I was a big figure skater when I was growing up, so I was able to be on the best figure skating team in the area. I was able to be in my youth orchestra, which opened up so many doors that led to Juilliard. That led me to meeting my husband, which led to me moving to the farm. The teachers at Glenbrook South were so good and I remember what I was taught in my English class, and I still use that today when I am writing. I think about if I didnt have those good English classes growing up I would not know how to keep a blog, I would not know how to write, I could not have written a book. It really laid a foundation to have a blog and to be a writer.The following companies are subsidiares of Fluor: 202 Maintenance Services LLC, 3Angle B.V., 3Angle EPCM V.O.F., 684033 N.B. Ltd., AAR 2007 Limited, ADP Marshall Contractors Inc., ADP/FD of Nevada Inc., AG&P Fluor Joint Venture Company Inc., AJS V.O.F., AMECO COLOMBIA S.A.S., AMECO Caribbean Inc., AMECO Holdings Inc., AMECO PANAMA S.A., AMECO Peru S.R. L., AMECO Project Services Inc., AMECO Services Inc., ATCO  Fluor Support Solutions Ltd., Acqyre B.V., Agensi Pekerjaan TRS Malaysia SDN. BHD., Ameco Chile S.A., Ameco Equipment Services Inc., Ameco Inc., Ameco Mexico Administracion y Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Ameco Pty. Ltd., Ameco Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Ameco Services S. de R.L. de C.V., American Bridge/Fluor Enterprises Inc. A Joint Venture, American Construction Equipment Company Inc., American Equipment Company Inc., Arbeitsgemeinschaft BAB A S Ausbau Augsburg - Munchen, Asset Management Solutions S.A.S., B.C. Mining Joint Venture, Bellefonte Construction Services LLC, Bouwcombinatie Sluizen 4-5-6 V.O.F., Brady-Fluor LLC, CEJV Ingenieria y Construccion Limitada, CGF Projects Ghana Limited, COOEC-Fluor Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., CSP EG S.L., Canadian National Energy Alliance Ltd., Cascadia Monorail Company LLC, Cavendish Fluor Partnership Limited, Cibolo Creek Infrastructure Joint Venture, Colorado River Constructors JV, Compania Minera San Jose Del Peru S.A., ConOps Construction Ltd., Connect 202 Partners LLC, Consorcio Generation P135 MASA-VEPICA, Consorcio Grupo Stork, Consorcio KGM JV, Consorcio MASARTEC POWER JV, Consorcio Stork Y Masa JV, Consorcio Turnaround Alliance JV, Consorsio MSC JV, Consorsio Stork-TMI, Contingent Mission Sustainment Inc., Cooperheat Franchising B.V., Cooperheat GmbH, Cooperheat Saudi Arabia Company Limited, Corrosion Inspection & Integrity Services Sdn. Bhd., Crown Energy Company, D/FD Operating Services LLC, DAX Industries Inc., DSC Maintenance V.O.F., Daniel International Corporation, Dean / Fluor LLC, Del-Jen Inc., Denver Transit Constructors LLC, Denver Transit Holdings LLC, Denver Transit Operators LLC, Denver Transit Partners LLC, Denver Transit Systems LLC, Desarrolladora De Etileno S. de R.L. de C.V., Dominican Republic Combined Cycle LLC, Duke Fluor Daniel, Duke/Fluor Daniel, Duke/Fluor Daniel Caribbean S.E., Duke/Fluor Daniel International, Duke/Fluor Daniel International Services, Duke/Fluor Daniel International Services (Trinidad) Limited, Duke/Fluor Daniel LLC, EQIN B.V., EQIN Industrial B.V., EQIN N.V., ESSI LLC, Efdee Connecticut Architects Inc., Efdee Engineering Professional Corporation, Efdee Mississippi Architects A Professional Corporation, Efdee New York Engineers & Architects P.C., Elgin RBG (Pty) Limited, Empresa Constructora Fluor Salfa SGO Limitada, Encee Architecture Services P.C., Energy Resourcing Limited, Etileno XXI Contractors SAPI, Etileno XXI Services B.V., Europea de Ingenieria y Asesoramiento, Evergreen Equipment and Personnel Leasing Inc., FBT Services Inc., FCI/Fluor/Parsons a Joint Venture, FD Architects & Engineers Corporation, FDEE Consulting Inc., FDH JV, FDH JV KNPC AZRP/ZOR, FDHM Inc., FHdB LLC, FIID LLC, FLAG Joint Venture, FLUOR M Ltd., FM Operating Services LLC, FMC Holding Company LLC, FPMM XXK (FPMM LLC), FWPJV Limited, Federal Maintenance Logistics Solutions LLC, Fluor (China) Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., Fluor (Nigeria) Limited, Fluor A&E Services Inc., Fluor A27/A1 B.V., Fluor AMEC II LLC, Fluor Aker Solutions Indonesia JV, Fluor Alaska Inc., Fluor Americas Inc., Fluor Arabia Limited, Fluor Argentina Inc., Fluor Argentina Inc. Sucursal Argentina, Fluor Australia Pty Ltd., Fluor B.V., Fluor BC Ltd., Fluor BNA GP Inc., Fluor BNA Holdco Inc., Fluor BNA O&M GP Inc., Fluor BNA O&M USA LLC, Fluor Boke Inc., Fluor Brasil Ltda., Fluor Brasil Servicos de Engenharia Ltda, Fluor Canada Ltd., Fluor Caspian Services Limited, Fluor Cebu Inc., Fluor Central Asia LLP, Fluor Chile Inc., Fluor Chile Ingenieria y Construccion S.A., Fluor Colombia Limited, Fluor ConOps Limited, Fluor Construction Services Pty Ltd., Fluor Constructors Canada Ltd., Fluor Constructors International. Inc., Fluor Consultants B.V., Fluor Craft Services Inc., Fluor Daniel (Japan) Inc., Fluor Daniel (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Fluor Daniel Asia Inc., Fluor Daniel Brasil Ltda., Fluor Daniel Caribbean Inc., Fluor Daniel China Inc., Fluor Daniel China Services Inc., Fluor Daniel Coal Services International Inc., Fluor Daniel Construction Company, Fluor Daniel Development Corporation, Fluor Daniel E&C LLC, Fluor Daniel Eastern Inc., Fluor Daniel Engineering Inc., Fluor Daniel Engineers & Constructors Inc., Fluor Daniel Engineers & Constructors Ltd., Fluor Daniel Engineers & Consultants Ltd., Fluor Daniel Engineers SA (PTY) Limited, Fluor Daniel Espana S.A., Fluor Daniel Eurasia Inc., Fluor Daniel Global Limited, Fluor Daniel Global Services Limited, Fluor Daniel Holdings Canada Inc., Fluor Daniel Holdings Inc., Fluor Daniel Illinois Inc., Fluor Daniel Inc.  Philippines, Fluor Daniel India Inc., Fluor Daniel India Private Limited, Fluor Daniel International (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Fluor Daniel International Services Inc., Fluor Daniel Latin America Inc., Fluor Daniel Maintenance Services Inc., Fluor Daniel Mexico S.A., Fluor Daniel Mining & Metals Ltd., Fluor Daniel Modesto Inc., Fluor Daniel Nigeria Limited, Fluor Daniel Overseas Inc., Fluor Daniel P.R.C. Ltd., Fluor Daniel Pacific Inc., Fluor Daniel Pulp & Paper Inc., Fluor Daniel Services Corporation, Fluor Daniel South America Limited, Fluor Daniel Technical Services Inc., Fluor Daniel Venture Group Inc., Fluor Daniel a Professional Architectural Corporation, Fluor Daniel-AMEC Philippines Inc., Fluor Daniels Holdings (Botswana) (Pty) Limited, Fluor Driver Inc., Fluor Energy Technology Services LLC, Fluor Engenharia e Projetos S.A., Fluor Engineering Corporation, Fluor Engineering N.V., Fluor Engineering Solutions Ltd., Fluor Enterprises Group Inc., Fluor Enterprises Inc., Fluor Europe B.V.IIIIIX, Fluor Facility & Plant Services Inc., Fluor Federal Global Projects Inc., Fluor Federal Inc., Fluor Federal Petroleum Operations LLC, Fluor Federal Services Inc., Fluor Federal Services LLC, Fluor Federal Services NWS Inc., Fluor Fernald Inc., Fluor Finance International B.V./S.a.r.l., Fluor Finance U.S. Inc., Fluor Flatiron Balfour Beatty Dragados DBJV, Fluor Global Plant Services (Proprietary) Ltd., Fluor Global Services Australia Pty Ltd., Fluor GmbH, Fluor Government Group International Inc., Fluor Government Group  Canada Inc., Fluor Guinea Inc., Fluor HDR Global Design Consultants LLC, Fluor Hanford Inc., Fluor Heavy Civil LLC, Fluor Holding Company LLC, Fluor Idaho LLC, Fluor Industrial Construction Corp., Fluor Industrial Services Canada Inc., Fluor Industrial Services Inc., Fluor Industrial Services Limited, Fluor Infrastructure B.V., Fluor Intercontinental Arabian Peninsula LLC, Fluor Intercontinental Germany GmbH, Fluor Intercontinental Inc., Fluor Intercontinental Solutions LLC, Fluor International C.V., Fluor International Holdings B.V., Fluor International Inc., Fluor International Limited, Fluor International Nigeria Limited, Fluor Investments LLC, Fluor Ireland Limited, Fluor Island ehf., Fluor Kazakhstan Inc., Fluor Kazakhstan LLC, Fluor Kuwait KSC, Fluor Limited, Fluor Maintenance Services Inc., Fluor Management Company L.P., Fluor Management and Technical Services Inc., Fluor Marine Propulsion LLC, Fluor Mediterranean Inc., Fluor Middle East LLC, Fluor Mideast Limited, Fluor Mining and Metals France Inc., Fluor Mocambique Limitada, Fluor NE Inc., Fluor Ocean Services Limited, Fluor Pension Trustee Limited, Fluor Plant Engineering S.A., Fluor Power Services Pty Ltd., Fluor Project Services B.V., Fluor Projects Limited, Fluor Rail Services Pty Ltd., Fluor S.A., Fluor S.A. (Pty) Limited, Fluor SPN Inc., Fluor Services B.V., Fluor Services LLC, Fluor South Africa (Pty) Limited, Fluor Spain Holding S.L., Fluor Supply Chain Solutions B.V., Fluor Supply Chain Solutions LLC, Fluor Supply Chain Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., Fluor Techint SRL Construccion y Servicios Limitada, Fluor Technologies Corporation, Fluor Texas Inc., Fluor Transworld Services Inc., Fluor US Services Inc., Fluor Uganda Engineering and Construction Limited, Fluor Virginia Inc., Fluor WEP Holdings Inc., Fluor WorleyParsons Arctic Solutions, Fluor environmental Resources Management Services Inc., Fluor-B&W Oak Ridge LLC, Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth LLC, Fluor-Brady LLC, Fluor-CDM Space Services LLC, Fluor-Habboush International Limited, Fluor-Igoda Projects (Proprietary) Limited, Fluor-Lane 95 LLC, Fluor-Lane LLC, Fluor-Lane South Carolina LLC, Fluor-SKM Iron Ore Joint Venture, Fluor/Technip Integrated JV, Fluor/Westinghouse Liquid Waste Services LLC, FluorAMEC LLC, Fru-Con/Fluor Daniel Joint Venture, GLT-Plus V.O.F., GLX Constructors an unincorporated joint venture, Genesys Telecommunications Holdings Limited, Genesys Telecommunications Limited, Giovenco Industrial Services Pty Ltd., Giovenco Industries (AUST) Pty Limited, Giovenco Industries (AUST) Trust, Giovenco/Insulations International JV Pty Ltd., Giovenco/Insulations International JV Unit Trust, Gladstone Pressure Welders Pty Ltd., Global Project Execution Inc., Goar Allison & Associates, Goar Allison & Associates LLCndo-Mauritian Affiliates Limitednfrastructure Civil Equipment LLC, Greenville Technical Services Inc., Grupo Alvica SCS, Grupo Empresarial Alvica S.A., ICA Fluor Daniel S. de R.L. de C.V., ICA Fluor Operaciones S.A. de C.V., ICA Fluor Operaciones S.A. de C.V., ICA Fluor Petroquimica S.A. de C.V., ICA Fluor Servicios Gerenciales S.A. de C.V., ICA Fluor Servicios Gerenciales S.A. de C.V., ICA Fluor Servicios Operativos S.A. de C.V., ICA Stork S. de C.V., ICA Stork S. de R.L. de C.V., IF Proyectos S.A., IFD Servicios de Ingenieria S.A. de C.V., IT Development Centre B.V., IXAS Gaasperdammerweg B.V., IXAS Zuid-Oost B.V., Industrial Del Hierro S.A. de C.V., Industrial Services France SAS, Industrial Services SF Peru S.A.C., Industrial Services SR Peru S.A.C., Infra Combinatie Zuid-West, Infraspeed Holdings B.V., Ingenieria y Construccion Fluor Daniel Chile Limitada, Iraq Construction Ltd., Iraq Water General Contracting Company L.L.C., Istimewa Electrotechniek B.V., J Crowder Corporation, J. Crowder Corp., J.A. Jones International, JGC Fluor BC Joint Venture, JGC Fluor Kitimat LNG Project JV, JGC  Fluor Mocambique Lda, JGC/FEI Joint Venture, JGC/Fluor JV, KDPC Limited, KMK-DJI JV, KPJV Limited, Karratha Engineering Services Pty Ltd., Kazakh Projects Joint Venture Limited, KazakhNefteGasServis LLP, Koninklijke Machinefabriek Stork B.V., Lone Star Infrastructure Joint Venture, Lone Star Infrastructure LLC, Louisiana Operations and Maintenance Services LLC, M&W/Marshall a Joint Venture, MGJV Pty Ltd., Maquinaria Ameco Guatemala Limitada, Mecanicos Asociados S.A.S., Mid-America Conversion Services LLC, Middle East Fluor, Mineral Resource Development Corporation, Mongolian National Facility Services (MNFS) LLC, Mourik Istimewa Combinatie V.O.F., NWKC LLC, Najmat Al-Sabah for General Services Limited Liability Company, NuScale Holdings Corp., NuScale Power LLC, Oregon Bridge Delivery Partners Joint Venture, P.T. Fluor Daniel Indonesia, P.T. MITRA BERSAMA ENGINEERING, P.T. Nusantara Power Services, PFD (UK) Limited, PFD International LLC, PRI/DJI A Reconstruction JV, PT Signet Indonesia, PT Singgar Mulia, PT. MITRA BERSAMA ENGINEERING, Pacific Defense Constructors LLC, Palmetto Seed Capital Ltd. Partnership, Parkway Infrastructure Constructors, Pegasus Link Constructors, Pegasus Link Constructors LLC, Phoenix Constructors Joint Venture, Pipeline Maintenance Alliance JV, Plant Engineering Services LLC, Plant Performance Services, Plant Performance Services Caribbean Limited, Plant Performance Services International LLC, Plant Performance Services International Ltd., Poort van Den Bosch B.V., Poort van Den Bosch V.O.F., Prairie Link Constructors JV, Prairie Link Constructors LLC, Pro-V/ConOps JV, Provo River Constructors, Purple Line Transit Constructors LLC, Purple Line Transit Operations LLC, Purple Line Transit Partners LLC, Qatar National Facility Services, RBG Kazakhstan LLP, Rash Inversiones 2007 S.L., Rock Island Integrated Services, S-M V.O.F., SDT Maintenance Management Group Limited, SFS 007.298.633 Pty Limited, SSLP/FCCL JV, Sacyr Fluor Bolivia S.R.L., Sacyr Fluor Colombia S.A.S., Sacyr Fluor Participaciones S.L., Sacyr Fluor S.A., Saddleback Constructors, Sakhalin Neftegas Technology, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC, Servicios Cuyuni E.T.T. C.A., Servicios Mineria Inc., Servicios de Construccion del Pacifico Inc., Servitrade  Servicos Investimento y Trading Limitada, Servitrade  Servicos Investimentos y Trading Limitada, Signet Engineering Pty Ltd., Signet Holdings Pty Ltd., Soli-Flo Inc., Soli-Flo LLC, Soli-Flo Material Transfer L.P., Soli-Flo Partners L.P., Soli0Flo Partners L.P., Springfield Resource Recovery Inc., Springfield Resource Recovery Limited Partnership, St. Joe Participacoes, St. Joe Participacoes Ltda, Stork Asset Management Consultancy B.V., Stork B.V., Stork Caspian LLC, Stork Colombia S.A.S., Stork Elecon Ltd, Stork Gear & Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Stork Gear & Services B.V., Stork German Holding GmbH, Stork Getriebe & Services GmbH, Stork H&E Turbo Blading Inc., Stork Holding, Stork Holding B.V., Stork Integrated Solutions B.V., Stork Intellectual Property B.V., Stork International B.V., Stork International Limited, Stork Mechanical Works and Maintenance Co. K.S.C.C., Stork Nederland B.V., Stork Oryx Turbo Machinery Services LLC, Stork Peru S.A.C., Stork Peru S.A.S., Stork Plastic Machinery B.V., Stork Power Services & Technology Beijing Limited, Stork Power Services B.V., Stork Power Services OOO, Stork Power Services USA Holding Inc., Stork TS Holdings Limited, Stork TS UK Limited, Stork Technical Services (Holdings) Limited, Stork Technical Services (RBG) Limited, Stork Technical Services (STS) Ltd., Stork Technical Services Australia Pty Ltd., Stork Technical Services Beheer B.V., Stork Technical Services Belgium N.V., Stork Technical Services GmbH, Stork Technical Services Group B.V., Stork Technical Services HOLDCO B.V., Stork Technical Services Holding Australia Pty Ltd., Stork Technical Services Holding B.V., Stork Technical Services International Limited, Stork Technical Services International South Africa, Stork Technical Services Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Stork Technical Services New Zealand Limited, Stork Technical Services Norway AS, Stork Technical Services Sadaf LLC, Stork Technical Services Saudi Arabia Co., Stork Technical Services Trinidad and Tobago Ltd, Stork Technical Services UK Limited, Stork Technical Services USA Inc., Stork Thermeq B.V., Stork Turbo Blading B.V., Stork Turbo Service B.V., Strategic Organizational Systems Enterprises Inc., Strategic Organizational Systems Environmental Engineering Division Inc., Support Services International LLC, Supreme Modular Fabrication Inc., TDF Inc., TRS Consultants JLT, TRS Craft Services Inc., TRS Far East Sdn. Bhd., TRS International Group S. de R.L. de C.V., TRS International Payroll Co., TRS Labour Hire Solutions Pty. Ltd., TRS SA Holdings Company (Pty) Ltd., TRS Search and Selection (Pty) Ltd., TRS Staffing Solutions (Australia) Pty Ltd., TRS Staffing Solutions (Canada) Inc., TRS Staffing Solutions (Pty) Ltd., TRS Staffing Solutions B.V., TRS Staffing Solutions Inc., TRS Staffing Solutions India Private Limited, TRS Staffing Solutions Limited, TRS Staffing Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., TRS Staffing Solutions Mozambique Limitada, TRS Staffing Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., TRS Staffing Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd., Tappan Zee Constructors LLC, Technical Resource Solutions S.L., Technip-Fluor JV, Thermoprozess Cooperheat GmbH, Trans Florida Express LLCenezco Inc., Trans-Africa Projects (Pty) Ltd., Trans-Africa Projects Ltd., UNEC Engineering, United Rentals Industrial Services LLC, WODECO Nigeria Limited, Walsh-Fluor Design-Build Team, Wescon (B) Sdn. Bhd., Wescon International B.V., Williams Brothers Engineering Company, Williams Brothers Engineering Limited, Williams Brothers Process Services Inc., Wilmore/Fluor Modesto LLC, Windsor Essex Mobility Group GP, WorleyParsons Arabia Limited Fluor Arabia Limited Joint Venture, Wright Engineers (Chile) Limitada, Wright Engineers Limitada Peru, and ZuidPlus V.O.F..Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere

Read MoreFirst American Financial Corp. operates as an insurance company. It provides title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries. The company operates its business through the following segments: Title Insurance & Services and Specialty Insurance. The Title Insurance & Services segment provides title insurance, escrow, closing services and similar or related financial services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Specialty Insurance segment issues property & casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. It also provides title plant management services, which include title and other real property records and images, valuation products and services, home warranty products, property and casualty insurance and banking, trust and investment advisory services. First American Financial was founded in January, 2008 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA.

Read MoreGlencore plc produces, refines, processes, stores, transports, and markets metals and minerals, and energy products in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It operates through two segments, Marketing Activities and Industrial Activities. The company produces and markets copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, lead, chrome ore, ferrochrome, vanadium, alumina, aluminum, tin, and iron ore. It also engages in the oil exploration/production, distribution, storage, and bunkering activities; and offers coal, crude oil and oil products, refined products, and natural gas. The company markets and distributes physical commodities sourced from third party producers and its production to industrial consumers in the battery, electronic, construction, automotive, steel, energy, and oil industries. It also provides financing, logistics, and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. The company was formerly known as Glencore Xstrata plc and changed its name to Glencore plc in May 2014. Glencore plc was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.

Read MoreOriginally, it was erected to define a trail or make a memorial, Wolfe said. But the spiritual meaning to me came about because when you come upon something like that, you can add to it or you can take away from it. Its knowing that someone has come before you and somebody will come after you. Youre truly not alone in the world.Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG.

Read MoreLSC Communications, Inc. provides various traditional and digital print services, print-related services, and office products in the United States and internationally. It operates through Magazines, Catalogs and Logistics; Book; Office Products; and Other segments. The Magazines, Catalogs and Logistics segment produces magazines and catalogs, as well as provides logistics solutions to the company and other third parties. This segment also provides other print-related services, including mail-list management and sortation. The Book segment produces books for publishers; and provides supply-chain management, and warehousing and fulfillment services, as well as e-book formatting for book publishers. The Office Products segment manufactures and sells branded and private label products in various categories, such as filing products, envelopes, note-taking products, binder products, and forms. The Other segment produces magazines, catalogs, directories, statements, forms, and labels, as well as provides packaging and pre-media services; and provides outsourced print procurement and management services. LSC Communications, Inc. serves printed products service retailers, including catalogers and merchandisers; publishers of magazines, books, and directories; online retailers; and office superstores, office supply wholesalers, independent contract stationers, mass merchandisers, and retailers and e-commerce resellers through the United States Postal Service or foreign postal services, as well as through direct shipment and online retailers. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Read MoreThe Jacobs team will have to go through that process again, as it wants to modify the design of the showroom to display Jaguar vehicles, too. The entrance to the showroom faces Ogden. Instead of having room for five vehicles across the front of the showroom, the building would be expanded to the west, so there would be room for eight vehicles with the entrance and reception area in the center. An additional service bay would be added to total 20.Varian Medical Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through Oncology Systems and Proton Solutions segments. The Oncology Systems segment offers hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, artificial intelligence based adaptive radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, as well as quality assurance equipment. Its products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment accessories, and quality assurance software; and information management, treatment planning, image processing, clinical knowledge exchange, patient care management, decision-making support, and practice management software. This segment serves university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, physicians' offices, medical oncology practices, radiotherapy centers, and cancer care clinics. The Proton Solutions segment designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services products and systems for delivering proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The company has a strategic agreement with McKesson Corp. to supply treatment delivery systems and planning, services, and radiotherapy information system solutions to its U.S. Oncology Network and Vantage Oncology affiliated sites of care; and a strategic partnership with Siemens AG to represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in the United States and other select markets. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Varian Associates, Inc. and changed its name to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. in April 1999. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI China A ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI China A ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Salzgitter AG, together with its subsidiaries, engages in steel and technology businesses worldwide. It operates through five segments: Strip Steel, Plate/Section Steel, Mannesmann, Trading, and Technology. The Strip Steel segment manufactures branded and special steels, such as hot-rolled strip steel and steel sheets, sections, tailored blanks, and components for the construction industry. The Plate/Section Steel segment produces various high-grade heavy plates for engineering, shipbuilding, and mechanical engineering, as well as trades in scrap. The Mannesmann segment is involved in the manufacture of line pipes, HFI-welded tubes, precision and stainless-steel tubes, and spiral-welded and longitudinal-welded large-diameter pipes; and seamless and welded tubes for the energy, automotive, and mechanical engineering sectors. The Trading segment operates a European sales network, as well as trading companies and agencies worldwide. The Technology segment engages in the provision of machinery and plants for the filling and packaging of beverages, as well as special machinery engineering for shoe manufacturing and elastomer production. The company also provides IT, facility management, logistics, automotive engineering, and research and development services, as well as supplies raw materials. Salzgitter AG was founded in 1858 and is headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany.

Read MoreMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Tour guide and cultural activist Carlos Celdran got an ally in the Office of the Solicitor General in seeking acquittal on a charge for "offending religious feelings" over his 2010 anti-Church stunt.

In a 20-page appeal signed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, the OSG asked the Supreme Court (SC) to reverse its decision that upheld the conviction of Celdran for lack of "enough factual basis."

It also urged the high court to declare as unconstitutional Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code that defines the crime offending religious feelings.

"The prosecution failed to prove, much less identify, a religious practice, dogma or ritual that was allegedly ridiculed by Petitioner's act of displaying the placard 'DAMASO' in the Manila Cathedral resulting in an offense to religious feelings," the OSG said in the pleading.

Celdran today also submitted a motion for reconsideration calling for his acquittal and even urging the SC to conduct oral arguments on the case.

Celdran, through his lawyer, argued that the crime of offending religious feelings contradicts the constitutional mandate that separates state and religion.

He also pointed out the crime violates the constitutional right to due process for being "vague and overbroad."

Celdran also stressed that the criminal prosecution raises a free speech issue.

The SC last week released a resolution affirming the Court of Appeals' decision in 2012 that found Celdran guilty of violating Article 133.

The charge came after Celdran in September 2010 interrupted an ecumenical service at the Manila Cathedral to protest against the Catholic Church's opposition to the Reproductive Health Bill that was then pending in the Congress.

Dressed-up like national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, he stood at the main altar and shouted while raising a placard with the word "Damaso" on it. The word is a reference to a notorious character in Rizal's novel "Noli Me Tangere."

CNN Philippines correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.Gallagher said her field of study was one that might not have received as much attention as some others in the past, but that was changing, saying, its definitely up and coming.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.China is set to overtake Australia as the largest donor to countries in the Pacific region. According to data released last week by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, Beijing committed during 2017 to spend four times more than Canberra in the region.

The think-tank collected data on nearly 13,000 projects in 14 countries, supplied by 62 donors from 2011 onwards. Data, cited in US dollars, has been provided up to and including 2016. For the period 20172018 the data is incomplete, and not representative of all aid into the region.

Australia pledged an estimated $815 million in aid for 201718 financial year, compared to Chinas $4 billion for the 2017 calendar year. Most of Beijings funds are earmarked for infrastructure projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a former Australian colony.

China will become PNGs largest donor after contributing to a $3.5 billion PNG road project in 2017. The project brings Beijings overall commitment in the region since 2011 to $5.88 billion, compared to Canberras total of $6.72 billion.

In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with PNG Prime Minister Peter ONeill in the lead-up to the APEC summit to be held in Port Moresby in November. Beijing has funded the $A35 million National Convention Centre for APEC. The leaders agreed to promote bilateral relations to a new level, with ONeill formally signing on to Beijings One Belt One Road initiative. The massive cross-continent project is designed to counter Washingtons offensive against China in the Asia-Pacific.

The ruling elites in Australia and New Zealand, the two local imperialist powers that have brutally exploited much of the Pacific for over a century, view Chinas rise as a threat to their interests.

According to the Lowy Institute, Australia and New Zealand were responsible for 55 percent of aid to the Pacific between 2011 and 2016. China only contributed 8 percent of all aid in this period. Overall aid to the Pacific shrank by 20 percent. The US, EU, and France, previously significant donors, all reduced their commitments. The Australian Liberal-National coalition government has made cuts of $11 billion since assuming office in 2013, bringing the aid budget to its least generous level.

PNG, Tonga and other Pacific countries joined a strategic partnership with Beijing in 2014 and have since received increasing amounts of aid and investment. Jonathan Pryke of the Lowy Institute said countries such as Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Fiji are no longer accepting Chinese concessional loans, which need to be repaid with interest, whereas PNGwith a much larger population and economyis still taking on large loans.

After PNG, the recipients of the largest amounts of Chinese aid for the decade to 20062016 were Fiji (US$359.8 million), Vanuatu ($243.48 million), Samoa ($230.12 million) and Tonga ($172.06 million).

China has concentrated on funding major infrastructure projects. Its average project is 10 times bigger than those backed by Australia and New Zealand. China has spent $80.56 million on the Luganville Wharf redevelopment in Vanuatu; and $74.22 million on the Pacific Marine industrial zone in PNGs Madang Lagoon to construct canneries and other port facilities.

The new figures will escalate ongoing concerns in Canberra and Wellington. Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) political editor Peter Hartcher said in a television interview in June that Australia has been caught napping in the Pacific.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the Lowy report demonstrated the depth of Australias commitment to the Pacific. She pointed to criticisms of Beijings aid program. As the regions major development partner Australia encourages investments that ensure local communities are sustained, that labour forces are used and dont impose onerous debt burdens on local communities, Bishop said.

In January, Australias minister for international development and the Pacific, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, lashed out at Chinese aid, declaring it was creating white elephants and threatening economic stability without delivering benefits. Chinas foreign ministry lodged a formal protest, describing the ministers comments as irresponsible.

In response to the Lowy report and Bishops comments, Chinas foreign ministry said its aid to the Pacific provides what aid it can on the basis of respecting the wishes of the island nations without attaching any political conditions, vigorously promoting socio-economic development.

Tensions are escalating. New Zealands Foreign Minister Winston Peters warned in a speech at the Lowy Institute in March that the Pacific was an increasingly contested strategic space, no longer neglected by Great Power ambition. Peters called for New Zealand, Australia, the EU and the US to better pool our energies and resources to maintain our relative influence against external actors and interestsi.e., China.

Peters subsequently announced a massive boost in funding for New Zealands foreign service, taking its total four-year allocation to nearly $NZ1 billion, as part of the Labour-led governments Pacific Reset policy.

The Pacific Reset dovetails with Washingtons militarisation of the Asia-Pacific, including threats of war against North Korea, and trade war measures, aimed primarily at economically isolating China.

Anti-China propaganda was ramped up earlier this year with lurid claims that Beijing is in talks with Vanuatu to establish a military base in the country. The SMH described it as a globally significant move that could see the rising superpower sail warships on Australias doorstep. The Vanuatu government vehemently rejected the claims.

Acting in concert with Washington, Australia and New Zealand are strong-arming small Pacific island countries into signing a security agreement directed against alleged Chinese influence. A Pacific pact, ostensibly covering defence, law and order, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, is expected to be signed at Septembers Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru.

Australia and New Zealand, meanwhile, have been encouraging a heightened European and US presence. In a recent speech at Otago University, Peters welcomed the UKs decision to open three new diplomatic posts in the Pacific.

NZ Prime Minister Ardern has courted increased military cooperation with both France and Britain. She and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to work on defence in the region, where France has 8,000 military personnel stationed. In May, Macron travelled to Australia and the French outpost of New Caledonia, and has accepted an invitation to visit New Zealand, which will make him the first French president to do so.

Underpinning the deepening preparations for war, New Zealands Labour-led government released a new Strategic Defence Policy Statement on July 6 which for the first time explicitly targets China and Russia as the principal threats to the international community. Topping the list of concerns is Chinas confident assertion of its interests, expansion through the Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative, military modernisation and positioning in the South China Sea.The investigation headed by Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election has entered a new stage.

Mueller is seeking to substantiate the case he advanced last monthas part of the indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officersthat Trump campaign insider Roger Stone and WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange were part of a conspiracy to hack and publish emails sent by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clintons campaign chairperson John Podesta (see: In run-up to Trump-Putin summit, Mueller charges 12 Russian officers with DNC email hack).

At least eight alleged associates of Roger Stone have been questioned or subpoenaed by Muellers investigation. One, Kristin Davis, gave a voluntary interview last month and was instructed to give formal testimony again to a grand jury last Friday. Another, Andrew Miller, refused to appear the same day and has been ruled in contempt of court. Last Thursday, Mueller also subpoenaed radio commentator and WikiLeaks supporter Randy Credico to testify on September 7.

Credicos lawyer stated last Friday that the Mueller investigation probably want to talk to him about Roger Stone and Julian Assange. Kristin Davis told CNN on Monday that the grand jury had questioned her about whether or not any collusion happened with Russia.

The purported evidence of a nefarious plot involving Russian intelligence, Stone and WikiLeaks is threadbare to the point of being ludicrous.

Julian Assange

Julian Assange publicly revealed in an interview that WikiLeaks had information on the Democratic campaign in June 2016. It published the DNC leaks on July 22, 2016.

Roger Stone claimed to be communicating with Assange on August 8. His first alleged messages to Randy Credico, however, asking the radio host if he could use his connection with Assange to find out if WikiLeaks had more material, were not even sent until September.

Likewise, Stones tweets to alleged hacker Guccifer 2whom American intelligence claims was a front for Russian agencieswere sent after WikiLeaks was in possession of the leaked emails and had already published the DNC files.

While WikiLeaks cannot and does not reveal its sources, a credible claim has been made by one of its supportersBritish whistleblower Craig Murraythat the leaks were made by DNC insiders, not hackers.

In regard to the DNC and other Democratic Party emails, the source is irrelevant in any case. By any standard of journalism, they were newsworthy. They exposed the real conspiracy that had taken place in the course of the presidential election: a deliberate campaign by the ostensibly impartial DNC to undermine the campaign of Bernie Sanders and ensure Hillary Clinton won the nomination.

WikiLeaks published the DNC emails on the eve of the Democratic Party National Convention. The revelations provoked fury among many of the 13 million Americans who had voted for Sanders in the Democratic primaries, in large part due to their support for his denunciations of the billionaire class and populist vows to fight for greater social equality.

DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was forced to resign in disgrace before the convention. After it concluded, DNC CEO Amy Dacey, CFO Brad Marshall, and Communications Director Luis Miranda also resigned.

On October 7, 2016, WikiLeaks published a trove of emails sent by John Podesta, the chairman of the Clinton campaign. As with the DNC leaks, the information was highly newsworthy. The emails included transcripts of speeches given by Hillary Clinton to various bank and corporate forums, where she boasted of her support for Wall Street and commitment to the interests of the financial oligarchy.

The exposures made by WikiLeaks only served to underscore what millions of American workers and youth had already decided, faced with the choice between Trump and Clinton: neither big business candidate could be supported. Trump won the Electoral College and the presidency because, amid an overall fall in voter turnout, Clinton did not win sufficient support in a small number of key states, despite winning the overall national popular vote by more than three million. Russian meddling, even if it were taking place, had no significant role in the outcome.

The entire Russian interference conspiracy theory could be dismissed as absurd if it were not being so relentlessly pursued by powerful sections of the American establishment, and did not have such immense implications for both democratic rights in the US and world political relations.

The campaign has served deeply reactionary purposes. Firstly, it has been used to demand sweeping censorship of oppositional, primarily left-wing views from internet search engines, Facebook and other social media sites, on the pretext of purging fake news.

At the same time, it has played a significant role in the intensified persecution of Julian Assange himself. The WikiLeaks editor has been slandered as a Russian stooge, even as his communication with the outside world has been cut off and preparations made to force him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he was granted political asylum in 2012. Assange faces the danger of being detained in Britain while American authorities file to extradite him to the US to stand trial on false charges of espionage.

Secondly, the hysteria over meddling has been used to pressure the Trump administration to maintain a bellicose foreign policy against Russia, threatening to trigger conflict in the Middle East and Europe.

Finally, the claim of collusion is clearly viewed as a possible means to force out or impeach Trump, ending his erratic presidency through a palace coup, and replacing him with his right-wing, Christian fundamentalist vice president Mike Pence.

The accusations against Roger Stone are central to this agenda. The unstated insinuation is that Trump, through his relations with Stone, was in some way aware of, and consented to, a plot to influence the election outcome.

On September 27, 2017, Stone faced down hostile questioning by the House Intelligence Committee. He specifically denied the charge that I had advance knowledge of the timing, content and source of the WikiLeaks disclosures from the DNC. He stated that his only communication with WikiLeaks had taken place through a journalist who served as a go-between. He later named Randy Credico.

Credico has indicated he will contradict Stone before the Mueller investigation, to the extent that he denies that exchanging some messages made him a go-between for the right-wing political operator with WikiLeaks. He has also indicated, however, that he will testify that he does not have any knowledge of a direct relationship between Stone and Assange.

WikiLeaks has repeatedly tweeted that it did not discuss the details or schedule of its publications with Stone.

The main consequence of Muellers subpoena of Credico, and ongoing pursuit of Stone, over alleged links to WikiLeaks is that it ensures that Russian meddling will remain prominent in the US media in the lead-up to the November congressional elections.

The forces that stand behind the hysteria appear to be calculating that the constant accusations that the Trump campaign engaged in collusion or even treason will help ensure the Democratic Party wins a majority in the House of Representatives. This would provide a new base of power for conducting investigations and otherwise putting pressure on the administration, as well as raising the possibility of impeachment.The state of Nebraska carried out the execution Tuesday morning of Carey Dean Moore, marking the states first execution in more than two decades. The state used a lethal injection protocol including fentanyl, the powerful synthetic drug at the center of the US opioid crisis that claimed more than 70,000 lives last year alone.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and the states prison authorities have the dubious distinction of pioneering the use of fentanyl for state-sanctioned murder.

The execution proceeded after both a federal district court and a US Court of Appeals refused a request by a German pharmaceutical company for a temporary restraining order to halt the execution. Fresenius Kabi said it had grounds to believe that two drugs of the four-part lethal injection protocol were the companys products. Nebraska has not identified the source for its lethal injection drugs.

Moore, 60, was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1979 killings, five days apart, of two Omaha cabdrivers, Reuel Van Ness and Maynard Helgeland, both 47. Moore reportedly targeted the two because he knew they carried cash.

Moore was transported in advance of his execution from death row at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution to a holding cell at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, which houses the states execution chamber. He had served 39 years on death row.

Moore, who had seven previous execution dates that were delayed for various legal reasons, did not fight his final date with death, telling his family, friends and reporters that he was tired of living so long on death row, according to the Omaha World-Herald. As a born-again Christian, he said he had received forgiveness from God for his crimes.

World- Herald reporter Joe Duggan, a witness to the execution, said Moore looked composed but slightly shaken when he referenced a statement he had delivered earlier to prison officials. In it he wrote that he wanted his twin brother released from parole. He also said that he believed 4 of the states remaining 10 death row inmates might be innocent.

Scott Frakes, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services director, said the first of four execution drugs, the sedative diazepam, was administered at 10:24 a.m. local time. Media witnesses reported that Moore mouthed the words I love you toward his official witnesses.

The World- Herald reported that Grant Schulte, an official witness from the Associated Press, said that Moore went still at 10:31 a.m.and his face gradually turned slightly red, then purple. At 10:39 a.m., Frakes had the curtain to the execution chamber lowered. The Lancaster County coroner declared him dead at 10:47 a.m.

Frakes claimed the execution was carried out with professionalism, respect for the process and dignity for all involved. The state killing described by the corrections director as dignified included a four-drug protocol never before used in a US execution.

The execution team is composed of prison staff who volunteer to participate in the grisly process. On the orders of the corrections director, the IV team leader begins the injection of the drugs, beginning first with diazepam, a sedative, followed by fentanyl. Fentanyl is an opioid pain killer that is around 100 times stronger than morphine, while some similar compounds such as carfentanil are around 10,000 stronger. Nebraska is the first US state to use fentanyl in its execution protocol.

The third drug is cisatracurium, a paralyzing drug to stop the inmates breathing, followed finally by potassium chloride, to induce cardiac arrest.

Fresenius Kabi contends that the cisatracurium and potassium chloride may have been its products. It also argued that the drugs may have been obtained illegally and that they may have been stored and handled inappropriately. The company asked Governor Ricketts for assurances that the drugs wouldnt be used in Tuesdays execution, but received none.

The state has refused to say where it obtained the drugs. A statement from the office of Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said simply: Nebraskas lethal injection drugs were purchased lawfully and pursuant to the State of Nebraskas duty to carry out lawful capital sentences.

Initial witness reports have said nothing went awry in Moores execution. Executions proceeding according to protocol generally take 10 minutes, Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), told the World-Herald. However, Moores execution took 23 minutes, according to prison officials, which could indicate problems with the lethal injection.

If the IV team misses a vein and the drugs are injected into the inmates muscles, death can be prolonged and painful. If the inmate regains consciousness, the inmate can experience excruciating, burning pain. Death penalty opponents also warn that if the cisatracurium has paralyzed the inmate, but the person is still conscious and feeling pain, the inmate would be unable to indicate this was occurring.

In several executions in 2014, including in Oklahoma and Ohio, condemned inmates were victims of lethal injections in which the first drugs used did not adequately sedate them. On January 9 of that year, Oklahoma used a three-drug protocol including pentobarbital obtained from an unidentified compounding pharmacy in the execution of Michael Lee Wilson. During the execution, he cried out, I feel my whole body burning, an indication that the pentobarbital was not fully effective and he was suffering excruciating pain.

Before Tuesday, the most recent execution in Nebraska was in 1997, when Robert Williams was put to death in the electric chair. The state has carried out four executions since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Between 1879 and 1976, Nebraska executed 34 inmates, according to the ESPY File, database of executions in the US. Before 1914, the executions were carried out by hanging, and between 1914 and 1997, electrocution was the method.

In 2015, state lawmakers voted to abolish the death penalty in Nebraska. Governor Ricketts, a Republican, then helped finance a ballot drive to reinstate capital punishment after lawmakers overrode his veto, the Associated Press reported. Ricketts contributed $300,000 of his own money to a petition drive organized by several close associates to place the issue on the November 2016 general election ballot, AP said. Nebraska voters approved the measure by a 61 percent majority.At around 11:30 a.m. local time Tuesday in Genoa, Italy, a major highway bridge collapsed, killing at least 35 people. A 209-metre (686-foot) section of the Ponte Morandi, centred on the western-most pillar and crossing the Polcevera stream and an industrial area of the city, fell into the river during a torrential rain storm.

Besides the 35 dead, there are at least seven people seriously injured and 440 forced to evacuate their homes following a gas leak. Rescue efforts are still underway to try to recover those who may still be trapped under the tangled debris.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing lightning strike the bridge immediately before it collapsed. Motorist Alessandro Megna reported to RAI state radio that he was stuck in a traffic jam below the bridge when he saw the collapse. Suddenly the bridge came down with everything it was carrying. It was really an apocalyptic scene, I couldnt believe my eyes, he said. Shocked bystanders screamed, Oh my god, oh my god as the bridge collapsed.

An official with Italys civil protection agency reported that between thirty and thirty-five cars and three to five trucks were on the bridge at the time of the collapse. The portion of the collapsed bridge, with the vehicles on it, fell into the flooded Polcevera stream, while other fragments landed on the tracks of the TurinGenoa railway and warehouses belonging to Ansaldo Energia, one of Italys leading energy production companies.

As of this writing, the central governments official line is that the collapse was caused by lightning, however, expert engineers say that the collapse is likely caused by a structural weakness due to the bridge being in use far beyond the life span of its design.

Italian Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli tweeted that the incident is an immense tragedy. Giovanni Toti, governor of the Liguria region, said the loss of the bridge was an incident of vast proportions on a vital arterial road, not just for Genoa, but for the whole country. But none of these officials offer any explanation for what happened.

The bridge, designed by Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, was built between 1963 and 1967 by the Italian Society for Water Pipelines to cross the Polcevera stream in Genoa between the districts of Sampierdarena and Cornigliano. It serves as the primary artery to the Italian Riviera and to Frances southern coast.

Many of the cement structures built in the 1960s are at great risk. Most of them were planned and designed in anticipation of a lower traffic volume than today.

A 2011 report by Italian highways company Autostrade per lItalia said that the Morandi viaduct was suffering from serious decay due to the enormous amount of traffic and it requires continuous maintenance. In the immediate aftermath of the tragic collapse, the company also reported that regular maintenance had been carried out and a bid for a 20 million contract was about to be awarded for extraordinary work on that particular section.

What is being prepared is a whitewash of the entire incident: a few scapegoats will be singled out, there may even be hypocritical shouts against corporate greed and similar populist slogans, while the entire operating system will be left intact and slashing funds for infrastructure work will continue unabated.

In 2016, Professor Antonio Brencich, a lecturer in structural engineering at Genoa University, wrote that the bridge is no longer structurally sound and should be replaced.

These warnings were ignored. Infrastructure projects across Italy have been delayed or scrapped as a consequence of decades of cuts to vital social and crucial infrastructural programs.

Todays disaster resulted in an 11 percent drop in the stock price of the roads operator, Atlantia, before it recovered somewhat, closing slightly below 5 percent for the day.

The reaction of the political establishment has been an operation in control damage. In typical Mussolini-like fashion, leader of the neo-fascist Lega and co-Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini threatened that he will do everything humanly and government-wise possible to get the full names of those who erred. Make them go to jail and pay until the end.

The 5 Star Movement (M5S)currently governing Italy in coalition with the Legawas also caught in flagrant contempt for the need of infrastructure and maintenance projects. In 2014 after a major flood hit the city of Genoa, Beppe Grillo, then leader of M5S, aligned the party with the No Gronda movement (Gronda is the name of the alternative highway project), denounced the waste of public funds for big infrastructure projects saying, we need to stop them with the army.

The Gronda road project seeks to relieve traffic from the Morandi Bridge, by diverting at least the heavy goods vehicles, but M5S deemed it a waste of money and appealed to its supporters to block the project. To make matters worse, the current Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Danilo Toninelli, a member of M5S, presented a proposal which includes the Gronda among the public works that should be subjected to a total revision, which contemplates even the abandonment of the project.

The other co-deputy prime minister, M5S leader Luigi Di Maio, struck a similar chord when he suggested diverting the funds allocated to the Gronda project to boost public transportation, shared mobility  and to allow rail passenger transport.

For decades, Italian governments have pursued policies of militarism and austerity, whether center-right or center-left coalitions like those led by the Democratic Party (PD) with the support of various pseudo-left parties such as Rifondazione Comunista.

The resulting social catastrophe and political vacuum on the left allowed the M5S and Lega to win a hearing with demagogic attacks on the corruption and self-enrichment of Italian politicians. M5S in particular gained a foothold among youth who correctly identified the so-called left around the PD as equally responsible for the crisis as the center-right.

The current coalition government, the most right-wing since the fascist regime of Mussolini, pledges to continue austerity and vows to focus most of its efforts to attack and expel immigrants, which also serves the purpose of diverting social opposition to austerity and inequality. Italys crumbling infrastructure will not be addressed within this political framework.Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of ZimbabweThey have really taken us under their wings, she said. We are aware of the vigil on Friday and are tremendously grateful to those organizing it. I believe a lot of our friends and family will attend. We are needed by Leah's side, and although we can't be there physically, we will be there in spirit.The company already has a plant in China and another in Mexico, and its only U.S. factories were the two in the Chicago area, Fletcher said. The layoffs affect manufacturing jobs, warehouse jobs and some office staff, and those employees will be given the option to relocate to El Paso, Texas, just over the border from the Juarez plant, he said. Engineering and sales and marketing employees will be retained and relocated within the Chicago area.The start of the school year at Mary N. Tippin Elementary in Texas turned into a nightmare after a mother was killed while protecting children from a speeding vehicle, the El Paso Times reports.

Kharisma James, 33, died after attempting to shield three students  including her own two children, aged 6 and 7  from an out of control car in the schools parking lot on Monday afternoon.

James tried to get the attention of the driver and intervene by stepping in front of the cars path and was hit, school district police chief Victor Araiza told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday.

The driver, identified as a 58-year-old man by authorities, had become disoriented after picking up his grandchildren at the end of their first day of class, a spokesperson for Tippin Elementary told the Times. He allegedly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes while attempting to exit the parking lot and headed toward James two children and another 10-year-old student.

Basically, what we had occur is a driver that was pulling out of a parking space, he struck another vehicle, Araiza told reporters. When he struck that vehicle, apparently, it seems he became somewhat disoriented, he continued out into the roadway of the parking lot (and) he struck three children.

Victoria Bruce, a parent who was near the scene and was a friend of James, said she immediately knew something was wrong when she heard the sound of the crash.

RELATED: Mom Dies While Shielding Teen Daughter as Their New Jersey Home Collapsed

You heard the metal crash so loud that you knew that something awful had happened. Everybody went running over, Bruce told KFOX. I kept my kids back because I knew at that point there was nothing I could do and I didnt want [my children] to see whatever had happened. You could hear people shouting is there a doctor or nurse.

Shortly after being hit by the errant vehicle, James died.

The injured three children were transported to nearby hospitals and are listed in serious condition as of Tuesday morning, officials said.

Story continues

The El Paso Independent School District police department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Araiza emphasized that the accident is still under active investigation, and officials do not know yet what exactly lead the driver to become disoriented while behind the wheel. No charges have been filed at this point, Araiza added.

It sounds like the driver was disoriented and confused, he said. We dont know if the driver was having a medical issue. We just dont know yet.

RELATED VIDEO: Parents Killed, Daughters Seriously Injured in Car Crash During Their First Disney World Vacation

According to a blog post on the Womens Fund of El Paso, James is an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Iraq during her tenure. After returning home, she enrolled in community college and worked her way up to earning a nursing degree while raising her two children as a single mother.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family and has raised over $3,400 from 98 donors.

While speaking to KFOX, Bruce said James loved her babies, and hopes that the community can recover from the tragedy.

Its just unthinkable that on the first day of school that this is something the children will never forget, Bruce told KFOX. Walking into school, all of us, we dont feel safe at a place. It shouldnt have never happened.Princess Sofias transition from a reality star and mens magazine model to a Swedish royal was anything but easy.

She opened up about the online bullying she encountered after revealing her relationship with Prince Carl Philip during a new interview with Swedens TV4.

I was met with an enormous hate storm from people who had opinions about me as a person, about my relationship, Sofia, 33, explained. I was surprised and it definitely affected me. I didnt understand that people had such need to express how badly they felt about me. It was very tough.

Cant get enough of PEOPLEs Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

As a result of her own experiences, the Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia Foundation works to combat hate speech and online bullying.

I was adult when this happened to me, so I can only imagine in a school environment and in other instances how big this can be in a childs world, she said in the interview. They dont have the same perspective on life and dont have the understanding that its not really about you and that you should just see past it.

The mother of two added, For me, I learned to actively stay away from reading about myself. So in my world, I felt like things died down.

Story continues

Sofia said in an Instagram post shared to her joint account with her husband on Friday, Yesterday I met TV4s Casten Almqvist for a talk about children and adolescents lives online. She added that she would appear at the Lets Make Love Great Again festival in Stockholm over the weekend to speak about the issue.

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia

Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip

During her days as a glamour model, a side job she pursued while studying in Stockholm, Hellqvist posed for Slitz, a Swedish mens magazine, wearing just a bikini bottom and a boa constrictor.

The notoriety that came along with Slitz earned her a spot on the Swedish version of the reality show Paradise Hotel, a Real World and Survivor hybrid. The show follows a group of singles living in a luxury resort and pits them against each other to see who will remain at the hotel the longest. Sofia lasted until the final round on the show.

Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip celebrated their third anniversary this summer and are parents to two sons  Prince Alexander, 2, and Prince Gabriel, who will turn 1 later this month.

We do get glimpses that its going to be tougher with two than with one, Sofia told Swedish magazine Kupe in November. But there is also twice as much love.14-year-old is running to be Vermont's next governor originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

One of the candidates in Vermonts Democratic primary for governor is too young to vote -- even too young to get his learners permit.

Ethan Sonneborn, 14, is on the ballot Tuesday, just a few weeks before he is set to begin his freshman year of high school.

Just about everywhere I go people think what were doing is important, he told ABC News. We need to have leadership thats listening to Vermonters instead of having leadership that makes Vermonters listen.

Sonneborns primary comes among a surge in youth participation in politics. Last week, a group of teenagers ran in the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries in Kansas.

(MORE: They cant vote, but these Kansas teens are running for governor)

Vermont has no minimum age requirement to run for governor; a candidate only has to have lived in the state for four years. Vermonts secretary of state office said that no other minor in recent history has run for governor.

Sonneborn is running on a progressive platform, supporting a carbon tax, a higher minimum wage and a workers bill of rights. On his campaign website, he calls himself a proud backer of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders "Medicare-for-All" legislation.

The 14-year-old has been involved interested in politics for as long as he can remember, recently serving as a legislative page in Vermonts legislature.

Ive been an activist pretty much my whole life, he said. Ive been active in my community on issues that Ive cared about.

Sonneborn has been traveling the state, talking to Vermonters about the issues. He said that almost nobody in the state has told him hes too young to run for governor, although there have been a few internet hecklers.

Story continues

PHOTO: Ethan Sonneborn, of Bristol, Vt., who is one of the four Vermont Democrats seeking the party nomination to run for governor in the Aug. 14, 2018, primary election. (Buzz Kuhns/Ethan 2018 Campaign/AP)

(MORE: 18 for 18: Young people use their vote to call for change on climate policy)

Sarah Anders, a spokeswoman for James Ehlers, another Democratic candidate for governor, said that Ehlers admires Ethans engagement on the issues and his activism as a young person and feels that Ethan has elevated the discourse throughout the course of the gubernatorial primary.

His parents havent had a huge influence on his campaign, which has been mostly self-driven. While they knew their son was interested in running for governor, they didnt know when he announced he was running.

Sonneborn has endorsed candidates for the legislature and participated in a gubernatorial candidate forums.

Franklin County is a crucial battleground and we need to elect @KateLaroseVT to the house. She has a strong track record and work ethic. Donate to her campaign and send her to the house.https://t.co/0hPka5qc75 pic.twitter.com/lDwjlVFOne  Ethan Sonneborn (@RealESonneborn) July 21, 2018

Kate Larose, a candidate for the Vermont House of Representatives, said she was honored to have Sonneborn's endorsement.

Ethans campaign and the issues he champions provide a needed response in this atmosphererevival, interest, and youth engagement, while building our the bench strength of our democracy for years to come, she told ABC News in a statement. Ive no doubt hell be the youngest governor of Vermont someday.3-star US general pushing Saudis to investigate deadly Yemen strike: Pentagon originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

The three-star American general dispatched by Defense Secretary James Mattis to look into last week's deadly Saudi airstrike in Yemen is pushing Riyadh to conduct a "timely and transparent investigation" into the incident, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

In a statement on Monday, Lt. Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich told ABC News that the general "adjusted his already scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia to discuss the incident with the Saudis and look into the situation."

Rebarich later identified the general as Lt. General Michael X. Garrett of U.S. Army Central/Coalition Forces Land Component Command.

The airstrike occurred last Thursday morning, killing at least 50 people including dozens of children traveling on a bus in the countrys Saada Province, local health officials said.

Saudi officials originally contended that the strike was a "legitimate military action."

On Friday, the Saudi-led coalition announced via the Saudi Press Agency that it would investigate the attack. According to the agency, a senior official in the coalition made the decision after having seen media reports, including reports from relief agencies, about the incident.

The area is a stronghold for the Houthis  an Iranian-backed rebel group that overthrew the Yemeni government in 2015. The U.S. has backed a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to restore the government.

MORE: Saudi-led coalition airstrike kills dozens of children on bus in Yemen

On Sunday, Mattis told reporters traveling with him to Brazil that he had "dispatched a three-star general into Riyadh to look into what happened here and if there is anything we can do to preclude this from the future."

"The general discussed investigative processes and prevention of civilian casualties with the Saudis and the need for a timely and transparent investigation into this incident," Rebarich said. "He pressed the Saudis to devote the resources and oversight required to do a thorough and complete investigation and release the results to the public."

Story continues

PHOTO: A Yemeni child is transported to a hospital after being being wounded in a reported air strike on the Iran-backed Huthi rebels' stronghold province of Saada, Aug. 9, 2018. (AFP/Getty Images)

Rebarich stressed that Mattis never said the general would be conducting an investigation, but urging the Saudis "to expeditiously and thoroughly investigate this tragic incident."

Mattis' statement echoed what State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said last week when she called for the coalition to conduct "a thorough and transparent investigation."

The U.S. backs the Saudi-led coalition by supplying bombs, intelligence, and fuel for Saudi planes.

Still, Rebarich told ABC News last Thursday that "U.S. Central Command was not involved in the airstrike in Saada."

"U.S. military support to our partners mitigates noncombatant casualties, by improving coalition processes and procedures, especially regarding compliance with the law of armed conflict and best practices for reducing the risk of civilian casualties. The final decisions on the conduct of operations in the campaign are made by the members of the Saudi-led coalition, not the United States," she said.

On Sunday, Mattis told reporters that the U.S. is "not engaged in the civil war," emphasizing that the U.S. military does not do any dynamic targeting for the coalition.

"We will help to prevent the killing of innocent people, we're very concerned about the humanitarian situation," Mattis said, adding, "Wars are always tragic, but we've got to find a way to protect innocent in the midst of this one."

PHOTO: A Yemeni child awaits treatment at a hospital after he was wounded in a reported air strike on the Iran-backed Huthi rebels' stronghold province of Saada Aug. 9, 2018. (AFP/Getty Images)

Col. Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the coalition in Yemen, said last week that the coalition had launched an operation in Saada in response to Houthi fighters firing a missile on the Saudi city of Jizan on Wednesday evening.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its medical teams received the bodies of 29 children, all under the age of 15. They also received 48 injured people, including 30 children, the ICRC said.

Yemens rebel-run Al Masirah TV aired footage of injured children weeping as blood streamed down their faces. Some of the children carried blue UNICEF backpacks, spotted with blood.A few weeks ago a friend texted me about dim sum, using only Chinese characters. "Oh no, youre fake Asian. Hold on," he continued before he translated his order into English for me. "Fried dough, scallion pancakes with egg, and soy milk."

"You mean you tiao, but OK," I replied. "My family only eats it with juk." I speak very little CantoneseIm talking 20 words at mostbut when it comes to dim sum, I know how to order.

Weve been friends for years, and while I can usually put up with his antagonistic brand of teasing, its been getting to me lately. I'm "only" half-Asian, something the world feels the need to remind me of at every turn, like when the guy at dim sum hands me a fork and I hear my dad say my name as he's speaking Cantonese to my nainai. But I'm also Italian, which for some reason didnt come up when the popular girl in seventh grade called me a chink, and when everyoneat the coffee shop, in the cabplays the "But where are you really from?" game. I might be made up of two ethnicities, but I dont really count as either.

Thats why Im probably more offended than most at the "controversy" surrounding some of the cast members of Crazy Rich Asians and why, conversely, their inclusion is so legitimizing to me. Henry Golding, the male lead, and supporting actress Sonoya Mizuno are both half-Asianand thus, according to some critics, not Asian enough to star in the movie. Actress Jamie Chung referred to Goldings casting as "bullshit" in an interview. (She later apologized.) One op-ed about Golding had the candid title, "Wed Love to See a Full Asian Lead for Once."

MCDCRRI EC024 Sanja Bucko

I understand the frustration at the constant whitewashing in Hollywood. (See Scarlett Johanssen playing a Japanese character in Ghost in the Shell, Emma Stone starring as a woman of Hawaiian descent in Aloha, and Matt Damon somehow playing the hero in a movie literally entitled The Great Wall, as if we haven't been defending that shit for centuries.) It's so rampant that a producer even suggested casting a white woman for the lead to Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwanwho, of course, gave it a hard no.

Story continues

But to impose whitewashing narratives onto biracial people feels like erasure of half of who I am. And, for me, it's not "whitewashing," anyway. It's more like "whatwashing": What are you? What's your background? It's what so many mixed-race people who don't pass as white have to contend with on a daily basis.

Since when does being more than one thing cancel the other out? According to Golding, who's Malaysian and English, some people implied he won the role because he's half-white, as if being biracial comes with special perks. Please. Science, for what its worth, backs me up here. (See how Asian I am?) A 2008 study from UC Davis found that Asian Caucasian mixes are twice as likely to suffer from psychological disorders, like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, than full Asians. Lauren Berger, one of the authors, surmises that a lower or conflicting ethnic identitythat is, the extent to which someone ascribes to one identity over anothermay contribute to it.

It's hard to establish any sort of ethnic identity when I keep receiving conflicting messages about what that identity is. I'm too white for my Chinese friends to consider me a "real" Asian, but still Asian enough to catch the occasional slur. And I dont understand why other people are slicing and dicing my ethnicity in the first place, something both Golding and Mizuno have called out. "If I cant play that [Asian] part, what can I play?" Mizuno asked in an interview earlier this month. "A part that's half Japanese, a quarter English, and a quarter Argentinean? How many parts are there for that?"

Golding concisely summed it up in an interview with Glamour: "It was quite strange that people were saying I wasn't Asian enough. It's like, 'Oh, you're not Asian enough to play an Asian role.' So what does that mean for people who come from mixed heritage? I grew up in Asia; I'm Malaysian. You can try to justify how Asian you are, but you're never going to make everybody happy. When does the point come that these stereotypes are thrown to the wind? Making something the norm is the only way of not making it a talking point."

However, I think one reason for it may be my own doing. I refer to myself as "half": Im half-Asian or, if I'm feeling generous, half-Chinese and half-Italian. Ive been saying it for as long as I can remember, mostly because its succinct and typically satisfies whoever's rude enough to ask. And its accurate (although recent results from 23andMe suggest that theres some Mongolian and North African mixed in there).

Courtesy of Deanna Pai

But maybe I should start to replace the word half with both. I am both Chinese and Italian. One doesnt have to negate, or overpower, or defer to the other. It's like how my comfort food is fried rice with lap ceung, but Im also freakishly good at making dragged pastas like cavatelli. Both can be true.

In a new interview, Golding described this ownership over identity in a way that made me tear up. "There was always a struggle with being Asian and not being Asian enough. It's going to be down to me to own my race," he said. "Once youre secure with yourself, it doesnt matter who the fuck says whatever."

It's validating to see people like me confront similar feelings in real time. They get it! And better yet, theyre talking about it. Sure, the haters will hate. Theyll say were fake Asians, that were not Asian enough, that were watered down. But that wont make it true.

Deanna Pai is a writer and editor currently based in New York.Fact: Pregnancy is grueling. Tack on four international trips and its practically hellish. So it only makes sense that with all of the royal engagements Meghan Markle has on the docket for fall, she may be delaying getting pregnant.

Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made their desire to start a family ASAP abundantly clear, the Express suggests that Markle may be pumping the baby breaks in order to avoid traveling while pregnant.

She and her beloved are slated to embark on their first royal tour together in October and will visit Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand. Thats a lot of travel time, and as miserable as morning sickness is, its even worse 40,000 feet in the air. Even more, this is Markles first tour as a duchess, and its highly likely she wants everything to go smoothlywhich means not vomiting on any fellow dignitaries.

Hey, at least we have Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks wedding to curb our royal milestone fever.

RELATED: Heres How Meghan Markles Royal Duties Will Shift When Prince William Becomes KingDecember 2017 saw some of the biggest wildfires in California history, and now the state is battling to put out at least 17 blazes. While on a tour of Redding, the site of the Carr fire (Californias largest at the moment), Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had a suggestion for how to prevent future wildfires: cut down trees.

The Sacramento Bee reported that on August 12th, while speaking near the Carr fire at Whiskeytown Lake, Zinke argued in favor of cutting down more trees in national forests. He spoke of needing to reduce the fuels and criticized environmental groups for blocking logging operations in public lands.

The public lands belong to everybody, not just the special interest groups, Zinke told reporters. Later, he added: It doesnt matter whether you believe or dont believe in climate change. What is important is we manage our forests.

Zinkes comments echo an August 6th tweet from President Donald Trump that suggested we must tree clear to prevent wildfires. In the same tweet, the president claimed that bad environmental laws resulting in water being diverted to the Pacific Ocean were to blame for the fires. In response, firefighters said that they had plenty of water.

California wildfires are being magnified & made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which arent allowing massive amounts of readily available water to be properly utilized. It is being diverted into the Pacific Ocean. Must also tree clear to stop fire from spreading!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2018

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection already practices controlled burns to thin out excessive undergrowth in forests.

In May, Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order calling for the state to double the amount of land subjected to controlled burns as a means of fire prevention. But many environmentalists argue that cutting down trees (as opposed to thinning out shrubbery and undergrowth) would do more harm than good.

Story continues

A. LeRoy Westerling, a professor and co-director of the Center for Climate Communication at the University of California Merced, tweeted about tree clearing earlier this month.

Tree clearing isnt going to help with the fires burning in grass and shrub fuels, Westerling said. As CNN noted, the Carr fire began as a brush fire.

Tree clearing isnt goint to help with the fires burning in grass and shrub fuels. But California is investing millions in fuels treatments funded by our carbon permit auction revenue. It would be wonderful if the Federal gov emulated us, since it owns most of the trees here https://t.co/4NJ1Qh54LE  A. LeRoy Westerling (@LeroyWesterling) August 6, 2018

Further, naturalist James Lowery told the Los Angeles Times that clearing forests in Southern California could have a devastating effect on local wildlife.

So far, as HuffPost notes, the Carr fire has killed eight people and burned more than 191,000 acres. Theres no question that something needs to change to prevent these devastating wildfires, but its not clear if logging would be helpful. Our government needs to protect the environment at all costs, which means talking to environmentalists to work out how to stop wildfires and preserve our forests.I heard a little girl the other day tell her father not to feed the ducks, and I wanted to go over and hug her, Penick said. I know there are people who said they fed ducks when they were young, but weve learned a lot in the past 30 or 40 years and there is so much data to support that feeding wildlife is not good. We want people to remember that.Sanaa (AFP) - Forty children were among 51 people killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike on a bus in rebel-held northern Yemen, the Red Cross said Tuesday, after thousands protested at a mass funeral.

Fifty-six children were also among the 79 people wounded in the Thursday strike on Saada province, a rebel stronghold that borders Saudi Arabia, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a new toll.

The child deaths have been an embarrassment for Western governments which supply the coalition with warplanes and other weapons and have sought to prevent the conduct of the war being scrutinised too closely.

The coalition has promised an internal inquiry but analysts and aid groups have voiced doubt it is ready to provide the transparency and accountability demanded by the wider international community.

The new casualty toll came after a mass funeral was held for many of the dead children on Monday at which thousands vented anger against Riyadh and Washington.

Mourners raised pictures of the children and shouted slogans against Saudi Arabia and its ally and key arms supplier, the United States.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 as Huthi rebel fighters closed in on the last bastion of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government.

The conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since then -- the vast majority of them civilians -- and caused what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The UN Security Council called on Friday for a "credible" investigation into the deadly strike.

But it stopped short of demanding an independent inquiry as urged by UN chief Antonio Guterres after past probes failed to lead to any significant reduction in the high civilian death toll from the coalition's more than three-year bombing campaign.

- Western powers back ally -

The coalition has been repeatedly blamed for bombing civilians, including a strike on a wedding hall in the Red Sea coastal town of Mokha in September 2015, in which 131 people died. It denied any responsibility for those deaths.

Story continues

In October 2016, a coalition air strike killed 140 people at a funeral in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

Coalition commanders have admitted a small number of mistakes, but there has been no public disciplinary action or changes to the rules of engagement.

Commander have accused the rebels of using civilians as human shields.

The coalition initially called the strike on the bus a "legitimate military action" in response to a rebel missile attack on the Saudi city of Jizan on Wednesday.

But as photographs of dazed and bloodied children flooding into hospitals were beamed around the world, it was forced to concede to an investigation.

Western government have condemned the civilian deaths, but they remain political and military backers of Saudi Arabia, which is a regional ally and spends billions of dollars on arms from the United States, Britain and France.

During US-led air campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria since 2001, Western forces occasionally admitted "collateral damage" when civilians were killed unintentionally.

But they too resisted independent investigations into the circumstances of major errors.

Key Saudi coalition ally, the United Arab Emirates, said Monday that the child deaths were a manifestation of the "ugly" side of war for which both sides were to blame.

"Unfortunately, this is really part of any confrontation," the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said, adding that those calling for independent investigations should instead urge tighter rules of engagement.Mike Trout, his wife Jessica, and both of their families are mourning the death of former Los Angeles Angels minor league pitcher Aaron Cox, who was Jessicas brother. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Aaron Cox, the 24-year-old former Los Angeles Angels minor league pitcher and brother-in-law of Mike Trout, died on Wednesday morning at age 24. A statement from Trout, his wife Jessica (Aaron Coxs sister), and both the Cox and Trout families was released on Wednesday.

Early this morning our families lost a phenomenal human being. Aaron Cox was a tremendous son, brother, and brother-in-law. He had a deep love for his family, and a passionate dedication and commitment to his friends. As our families grieve together, we will also celebrate the memories, the laughter, and the love we each shared with Aaron in the short time we had him. He will forever be at the forefront in the hearts and minds of the Cox and Trout families. We will rely on the love and strength of God first and foremost during this difficult and challenging time, as well as our dear family and friends. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and our Lord and Savior for His precious gift of Aaron Joseph.

The Angels also released a statement about Coxs death.

The Angels Organization is saddened to hear of the passing of Aaron Cox, a member of the Angels family since 2015. We are deeply heartbroken and shocked by this tragic loss. Our heartfelt prayers and condolences to his family and friends. Aaron will always have a special place in the hearts of those within the organization.

Cox, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted by the Angels in the 19th round of the 2015 draft. He spent three years in the lower minors exclusively as a reliever, and had a 3.64 ERA over 68 appearances. He missed the entire 2017 season due to two separate incidents: first, he suffered a fractured orbital bone after taking a line drive off his face during spring training. And second, he was suspended 50 games for testing positive for Ritalin, a banned substance.

A cause of death wasnt given in either statement. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times asked the Angels if they would release it, but they wont at this time.

Story continues

Asked if he could discuss the cause of death, Tim Mead, the Angels vice president of communications, said, That is not important right now. What is important is that every member of Aarons family and every one of his friends take time to digest this loss and grieve in their own way.

Cox was placed on the voluntary retired list on Aug. 6, just nine days before his death.

     

Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter at @lizroscher.

More from Yahoo Sports:

 Jags star goes scorched-earth on rival QBs

 Report: Rockets Harden linked to Arizona nightclub incident

 Benches clear during Giants-Dodgers brawl

 Eric Adelson: Football players death leaves Maryland stunned

Paris (AFP) - The Aquarius was due to dock in Malta on Wednesday after EU countries thrashed out a deal to take in the 141 migrants onboard the rescue ship, which had yet again become stranded in the Mediterranean.

The ship was set to arrive in the Maltese port of Valletta at around 1.30 pm (1130 GMT), according to a spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee, the French charity which charters the ship.

The Aquarius had rescued the migrants off the coast of Libya in two separate missions last Friday, only for Italy and Malta to refuse access to their ports.

The standoff was a repeat of that seen in June when the vessel was at the centre of an international diplomatic crisis.

Stranded with 630 people onboard after Rome and Valletta turned it away, the Aquarius had finally been allowed to dock in Spain.

On Tuesday, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain agreed to take in its latest passengers, along with 114 others who arrived in Malta on Monday.

The agreement is the fifth of its kind between Western European governments since June when Italy -- until now the main landing point for rescue boats -- began turning them away.

Italy's new populist government has said it has had enough of migrant arrivals, taking in 700,000 people since 2013.

Far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed that the Aquarius will "never see an Italian port" again, though the Italian coast guard continues to rescue migrants.

NGOs say they have a moral obligation to rescue people making the perilous crossing, who could otherwise join the estimated 1,500 killed en route this year alone.

Most of the 114 people onboard the Aquarius are from Somalia or Eritrea, and many of them are unaccompanied children.

burs-kjl/nlaBRASILIA, Brazil (AP)  The Workers' Party registered jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as its candidate for president Wednesday, attempting to muscle him into the race to lead Latin America's largest nation and forcing a showdown with Brazilian electoral authorities.

More than 10,000 of da Silva's supporters flooded the area around the Supreme Electoral Court in Brazil's capital, while party leaders went inside to file the candidacy on the final day for registering. Soon after, Workers' Party Chairwoman Gleisi Hoffmann emerged, proudly showing reporters the proof of registration.

Former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad was registered as the left-leaning party's vice presidential candidate.

"I will only not be a candidate if I die, give up or am ripped from the race by electoral authorities," da Silva said in a message read to the crowd by Haddad. "I don't expect to die. I will not give up. And I will fight for my rights in the electoral justice system until the end."

Da Silva is serving a sentence for a corruption conviction, but he continues to lead polls for October's presidential election. The electoral court is expected to bar him from running because of the conviction.

Da Silva and his supporters insist he is innocent, contending the charges were trumped up to prevent him from returning to the presidency.

Hours after the party registered, Attorney General Raquel Dodge filed a request at the electoral court seeking to bar da Silva from running. Several others, including leaders of conservative groups, did the same.

Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso will handle the case himself or share it with a full panel of the electoral court. Both Dodge and Barroso have suggested in the past that da Silva's bid to run again for president would not be allowed.

The police presence was heavy around the court during the day, though the rally was peaceful. Many of the supporters wore red shirts or T-shirts with da Silva's face on them. Some more masks of his face. The crowd shouted: "Free Lula!" or "Lula, warrior of the Brazilian people!"

Story continues

Da Silva is revered in many parts of Brazil for his humble beginnings and for sharing the fruits of the country's boom years with the poor and working classes. But his conviction and the question over whether he can run for office has split Brazil, where some see his jailing as proof that no one is above the law and others feel he is being persecuted by a justice system being manipulated to prevent him from taking power again.

Brazilian law bars anyone like da Silva who has had a conviction upheld from holding office, though the court has the final say.

"We don't even think about the possibility (of an election without da Silva) because an election without Lula would be a fraud," Elen Neves, a 22-year-old farmer from Parana state, said, using the name most Brazilians call the former president. "But if by any chance his candidacy is rejected, we will keep fighting for him to achieve the presidency."

Haddad emphasized that da Silva's political rights have not yet been suspended and that he is still appealing his conviction. It is unclear how long the electoral court's decision will take, but the Workers' Party has until Sept. 17 to put someone else at the top of its ticket if da Silva is barred from running. It is thought that Haddad would take his spot.

Da Silva was convicted last year of trading favors with a construction company in exchange for the promise of a beachfront apartment.

That conviction was part of the huge "Car Wash" corruption investigation in which prosecutors have alleged that Brazil's government was effectively co-opted for years, with politicians doling out favors and state contracts in exchange for bribes and campaign contributions. The investigation has shaken Brazil's political system and put dozens of powerful people in jail, including some of the country's richest men.

___

Associated Press writer Mauricio Savarese reported this story in Brasilia and AP writer Sarah DiLorenzo contributed from Sao Paulo. AP video journalists Mario Lobao and Diarlei Rodrigues in Brasilia contributed to this report.An impediment to electric car adoption is the fact that they can take a long time to charge. That means for people to be able to actually use their cars to travel long distances (an understandable aspiration, to be sure) widespread electric car adoption would also require the widespread installation of charging stations. Thankfully some Scottish chemists think they have a plan that can kick this whole process into hyper speed.

It relies on a new method of energy storage called a flow battery, which essentially uses a dense liquid thats filled with highly charged nano-molecules that store power. Crucially, once the energy is released either as electricity or hydrogen gas, it can be replaced and then re-charged for the next car. The whole process would be not unlike the process of gassing up your car at a conventional tank, except the fuel itself could be recharged for the next vehicle.

For future renewables to be effective high capacity and flexible energy storage systems are needed to smooth out the peaks and troughs in supply, Professor Leroy (Lee) Cronin told the University of Glasgow news. Our approach will provide a new route to do this electrochemically.

Their paper, Highly reduced and protonated aqueous solutions of [P2W18O62]6 for on-demand hydrogen generation and energy storage was published Monday in Nature Chemistry.

The race is on to deliver batteries that can cheaply and efficiently outmode fossil fuels.

Who Is Building the Best Batteries?

On the other hand, so-called battery breakthroughs arent particularly uncommon.

Back at the start of June, researchers at the Michigan Technological University had a breakthrough in the field of solid state batteries, which try to increase efficiency by replacing the liquids in batteries with a solid conductor. At the time they told Inverse their solution could pose a long term replacement for electric car batteries with charges that last up to 300 miles.

Barely a month ago, some researchers from Norway claimed that they had actually developed the next breakthrough in battery technology by developing a new technique that substitutes the graphite found in lithium batteries with silicon. According to CleanTechnica those researchers said their innovation could lead to electric cars that sustain a charge for 600 miles or more.

Story continues

So why so many battery breakthroughs? A 2015 book called the Powerhouse details how promising innovations in energy storage quickly collide with reality. According to a review of the book in MIT Technology Review, battery innovation is particularly susceptible to unanticipated setbacks.

In the case described in Powerhouse, a company called Envia tried to develop a new battery by incorporating two new experimental materials into its electrodes. While it worked at first, the battery degraded over time in ways the researchers behind it couldnt fully understand, let alone fix.

In other words, we know so little about how batteries work we have trouble studying the batteries we already have. Fortunately, lots of smart people  backed by lots of money  are hard at work on a number of promising fixes.

Photos via Gogoro, eMotorWerks

More From InverseBy Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill signed by President Donald Trump on Monday asks the Pentagon to pursue more options for defeating U.S.-bound North Korean missiles by using radar and more missiles to spot and shoot down inbound threats. The National Defense Authorization Act gives the Pentagon $716 billion, with almost $10 billion going to the Missile Defense Agency to fund the expansion of missile defenses, emphasizing the need to stop any North Korean or Iranian attacks. The military is already exploring whether the United States can add another layer to defenses to those already in place for intercepting incoming missiles in flight, Keith Englander, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's director for engineering, said at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, last week. The Missile Defense Agency's head, Lieutenant General Samuel Greaves, has said he wants to integrate the Aegis Combat System into the current ICBM defenses of the U.S. homeland. The Aegis system, mainly found on ships, could be fitted with the Standard Missile 3 Block IIA (SM-3 IIA) interceptors that are being developed in a joint venture between Raytheon Co and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. The Lockheed Martin Corp-made Aegis system is currently deployed aboard 36 U.S. Navy ships, as well as at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Hawaii. If given the new mission, the ships could patrol the Pacific Ocean and augment the network of Ground-Based Midcourse Defense interceptor missiles in Alaska and California that protect the nation from intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attacks. This is one of several avenues the Pentagon is studying to knock down inbound missiles. These include shooting the missile down soon after takeoff, stopping it in space as it flies above the Earth's atmosphere, and killing it soon after it re-enters the atmosphere before hitting its target. Concern about U.S. missile defenses has grown with the escalating threat from North Korea. Last year, North Korea conducted about a dozen missile tests, including the launch of a suspected ICBM that could hit the U.S. mainland and the test of a purported hydrogen bomb. North Korea and the United States are struggling to agree on how to bring about the North's denuclearization, after Kim vowed to work toward that goal at a landmark summit in June in Singapore with Trump. The potential new defenses must first be tested to make sure the intercepting missile can take out what could be an ICBM fired by Pyongyang. In a previous spending bill, Congress mandated that the Missile Defense Agency perform an intercept test with the SM-3 IIA missile against an ICBM by the end of 2020. Last year, Reuters reported that the Pentagon was investigating adding a missile defense layer under the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. In May 2017, the Missile Defense Agency held its first live-fire test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense against a simulated ICBM, and hailed the successful intercept as an "incredible accomplishment." (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)London (AFP) - British police on Wednesday obtained more time to question a man arrested outside the Houses of Parliament for attempted murder and suspected terrorism after a car ploughed into cyclists before crashing into protective barriers.

Three people were injured when the 29-year-old, named by media as Salih Khater, careered over a pavement and into the group of cyclists during Tuesday's morning rush-hour in Westminster.

Police said the man, a British national originally from Sudan, was initially arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences but had now been "further arrested for attempted murder".

Westminster Magistrates' Court approved a warrant Wednesday to continue holding the suspect until Monday, authorities added.

The BBC reported that he came to Britain as a refugee and had been granted asylum. He remains in custody at a south London police station.

Two of the injured victims -- a man and a woman -- were taken to hospital but have now been discharged. The third was treated at the scene.

The incident had disturbing parallels with an attack last year, when a man drove his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing outside parliament and running inside.

Khalid Masood fatally stabbed a police officer guarding parliament -- one of five people killed that day -- before being shot dead.

The man involved in Tuesday's incident was believed to be from Birmingham, according to his local MP -- the same English city where Masood also lived.

Police searched two addresses in Birmingham on Tuesday and were at a third address on Wednesday. Another location in nearby Nottingham was also searched.

- Son of Sudanese farmers -

Top police counter-terrorism officer Neil Basu said on Tuesday that the suspect was not believed to be known to intelligence agencies, but British media reported he was known to local police.

Reports said that Khater is a shop manager in Birmingham and had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology, citing his Facebook page.

Story continues

His brother described him as a "normal person" with no fanatical ideas, and no links to any religious group, according to the BBC.

Abdullah Khater told the broadcaster his family -- who are originally from Darfur in Sudan -- was in "a state of shock" over the incident.

Meanwhile Abubakr Ibrahim, a childhood friend, told The Times: "He is not a terrorist. I have known him since childhood. He is a good man."

He told the newspaper Khater was the son of sorghum farmers, and had moved to Britain about five years ago in order to earn money to help his family.

A spokesman for Coventry University in central England confirmed Khater began studying accountancy there in September, but dropped out in May.

The Daily Mail tabloid reported friends of Khater saying that his father and brother had recently died within months of each other.

It added that he had shared music with his friends on Facebook, including Celine Dion, Eminem and Rihanna, but had not posted much for several years.

One of the places police have visited is an internet cafe in Birmingham, where Khater regularly visited.

The cafe owner said Khater lived in a flat above the parade of shops where it was located, but moved out a few months ago.

Local resident Ahmed Abdi, who is originally from Somalia, told reporters he was "shocked" to see Khater's picture in the news.

"He was around here almost every day and I was here yesterday when the police turned up," he said.

"He was very, very quiet and he never spoke to anybody."

- Banning vehicles -

Police believe the car involved in the attack, a silver Ford Fiesta, travelled from Birmingham to London on Monday night, arriving just after midnight.

It drove around the Tottenham Court Road area -- near Oxford Street -- from around 1:25am (0025 GMT) before heading to the area around parliament around 6:00am (0500 GMT).

The alleged attack took place around 7:30am.

The car crashed into a security barrier, one of many erected on key British sites in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001, and reinforced in recent years.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he backed the idea of banning vehicles from some areas around parliament.

"I've been an advocate for a while now of part-pedestrianising Parliament Square," he told BBC radio.

But he warned any changes must not lose "the wonderful thing about our democracy which is people having access to parliamentarians, people being able to lobby Parliament, visitors being able to come and visit".SAO PAULO (AP)  A leading rightist presidential candidate blamed the left on Tuesday for Brazil's rise in crime as he promised to give further protection to one of the most lethal police forces in the world.

Legislator Jair Bolsonaro, who is running second in polls on the October election, published a platform of generic suggestions for the economy, education and health care. But he also loaded it with criticism of human rights groups and left-leaning politicians, accusing them of permissiveness that he says has fueled the rise in violence and drug use.

Bolsonaro registered the plan at Brazil's top electoral court in Brasilia, saying that "policemen need to be sure they will be protected by a judicial backbone in the exercise of their professional activities."

He calls for an extension of the right of self-defense, which human rights groups see as an authorization for police to kill without prosecution when they commit excesses.

A report released last week counted an average of 14 deaths a day at the hands of Brazilian police officers last year, which it said was a 20 percent increase over 2016.

Overall, a record 63,880 people were slain in Brazil in 2017, the report said. The South American country is the world leader in overall homicide numbers, and now its per-capita homicide rate is one of the highest.

In a crowded presidential field, Bolsonaro trails only jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in opinion polls, but the popular ex-leader is expected to be barred from the ballot by Brazil's electoral justice.

Bolsonaro released his platform on the same day that he faced questions about using government funds to pay for the upkeep of a vacation home.

He denied wrongdoing in payments to Walderice Conceicao dos Santos, listed by his office as a secretary.

The newspaper Folha de S. Paulo reported Tuesday that Dos Santos had been fired following news reports that she actually worked selling acai in Angra dos Reis, about 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Rio.

Bolsonaro told the newspaper that she helped take care of his vacation home near Angra dos Reis.

The congressman's office said that he had no further comment.Phnom Penh (AFP) - Cambodian leader Hun Sen has swept all seats in parliament after holding an election with no opposition, as the country settles into one-party rule and a government that could face questions of legitimacy on the world stage.

The strongman has been in power for 33 years but the vote late last month was widely decried as a sham after a crackdown on the rival Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November.

A spokesman for the National Election Committee told AFP Wednesday as official results were released that the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 seats up for grabs and took nearly 77 percent of the vote.

In a post on his Facebook page later Wednesday Hun Sen said the election was "free, fair and just."

Cambodia's new government will be formed next month but problems of credibility could dog the regime as experts believe Hun Sen will try to bolster popular support at home.

"It's like pushing a cart uphill," said independent political analyst Meas Ny. "From now on the new government will be under attack and defending itself."

The results were in line with preliminary tallies and Hun Sen said in a speech earlier in the day that he would take suggestions from parties who contested the election on ideas to "build the country."

Nineteen other political parties took part in the sixth national vote since UN-backed polls in 1993 but many are new or obscure and posed no challenge.

The dissolved opposition is planning on ramping up efforts with governments abroad to put more pressure on Hun Sen.

"We will not abandon more than half of the country who voted for change but were excluded from exercising their choice," Mu Sochua, deputy CNRP leader, told AFP from self-exile.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would expand its restrictions on granting visas to include Cambodians "responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up to the flawed July 29 election".

Story continues

Nauert said Wednesday the visa sanctions would apply to people in and outside the government as well as their immediate family members in some cases.

The CPP pointed to 83 percent voter turnout as evidence that a boycott by the opposition failed, but allegations of voter intimidation and some 600,000 spoiled ballots undermined the claims.

- 'Outright dictatorship' -

Hun Sen has held onto power for decades through a complex mix of development dollars and alliances in the police, army and courts.

The 66-year-old helped bring roads and mega-malls to a country ravaged by decades of civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime, which killed a quarter of the Cambodian population from 1975 to 1979.

A former commander in the group, he defected and was installed as prime minister in 1985 at the age of 32, later presenting himself as saviour while warning of conflict if his regime falls.

The message has resonated with segments of society.

"I don't care about having a one-party parliament. What I want is calm after the election," a tuk-tuk driver named Nhem Ry told AFP ahead of the results.

"We had demonstrations during previous elections which I do not like."

Western governments pulled funding for the vote and condemned it as not credible, but China, which has showered the country with loans and stayed silent on human rights issues, maintained support.

Independent election monitors also steered clear but representatives of populist parties in Europe and Asia filled the void.

The CPP has long dominated Cambodia but the CNRP, which was founded in 2012, capitalised on discontent with corruption and inequality.

It earned 44 percent of the vote in 2013 and took home a similar amount in local 2017 elections.

Analysts say the threat to Hun Sen prompted a rewind of democratic freedoms as civil society, NGOs and the press were squeezed in the run-up to this year's ballot.

Sam Rainsy, a co-founder of the CNRP, said in a statement after the official results were released that the election was "fake" and compared the victory to polls in communist and authoritarian states.

John Cavanaugh, who was serving as Cambodia country director for the National Democratic Institute when Hun Sen expelled the group during the sweeping crackdown last year, told AFP that hardline regimes often get tough on dissent before voting.

"But rarely to the degree and with the focused intensity... (of) the Cambodian government's methodical campaign to entirely shut-down the space for true democratic participation, and unfortunately move the country towards outright dictatorship."Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty, Reuters

ALEXANDRIA, Va.  Paul Manaforts opportunities to attack the weighty federal case against him here have dwindled to a two-hour closing argument.

President Trumps former campaign managers defense team lost all of the motions it made publicly (not counting a few edits to jury instructions that it proposed jointly with Muellers team), declined to offer any evidence or call any witnesses of its own, and accepted a half-hour reduction in the time allotted for its final case to the jury.

After hearing 10 days of prosecution evidence, the jury entered the courtroom for a only few minutes after lunch on Tuesday to hear lead defense lawyer Kevin Downing formally rest Manaforts case. The jurors then learned from the judge that they would have the rest of the afternoon off. Closing arguments began Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., with Greg D. Andres, the lead attorney from the special counsels office, offering a measured presentation of the prosecutions case. The defense is set to present its closing starting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday; the defense team confirmed to the judge that two of Manaforts attorneys, Downing and Richard Westling, will take turns presenting different aspects of the defenses closing argument.

From the outset of the trial, it has been difficult to discern the defenses theory of the case. Two members of the defense team declined to comment about strategy.

Slideshow: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manaforts trial in Alexandria, Va. >>>

However, a member of the special counsels team has a concise assessment of the defenses approach, at least when it comes to cross-examination. Last week, Uzo Asonye, one of Muellers prosecutors, told me what he thought the defense was driving at in its cross of a witness from Citizens Bank.

We like clarity, Asonye observed. They like confusion.

The defense teams cross-examinations of the prosecutions witnesses have not adhered to any one theme. Instead, they have presented a patchwork, stitching together suggestions that, among other things: Rick Gates is the true criminal mastermind; the government has gone overboard elevating into a federal case the messy process of exchanging information with ones bookkeepers, accountants and bankers; and the special counsels indictment pushed Manaforts healthy finances toward oblivion.

Story continues

Each of these themes is superficially appealing, but on closer examination appears to be poorly supported by the evidence. If Gates was the real bad actor, why did most of the illicit funds and creature comforts (from ostrich jackets to ultra-premium Yankees tickets) flow into Manaforts hands? How can the messy process defense account for a series of apparently deliberate fabrications, and why  time after time  did the supposed mistakes seem to always paint a rosier picture of Manaforts finances than reality? Given the evidence that Manafort was in a desperate financial situation throughout 2016, what evidence supports blaming the indictment for his financial problems?

The defense team has decided not to present any defense witnesses, nor any further documents, to answer these questions before the jury. If they are to be answered, Downing and Westling will have to do it Wednesday afternoon. And ultimately the jury will decide whether the defense has managed to piece together reasonable doubt.

Kevin Downing, lead defense lawyer for Paul Manafort, speaks to the media outside District Court in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday. (Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

When the government rested its case against Manafort yesterday, the defense had an opportunity to move for the judge to throw out some or all of the charges before the jury begins its deliberations. While defense lawyers made the formal motion on all 18 counts, they chose to present arguments to the judge attacking only four counts, conceding that the other 14 counts would go to the jury. This limited motion may have been an effort to concentrate fire on what the defense views as the most vulnerable part of the indictment.

The four counts the defense challenged in earnest concern the bank fraud charges against Manafort relating to the Federal Savings Bank in Chicago. The prosecutors presented evidence that Manafort, as part of his applications for $16 million in loans, submitted false income statements to the bank and fabricated a story about lending his American Express Plum Card to Rick Gates in order to explain away hundreds of thousands of dollars of outstanding credit card debt (when, in fact, Manafort had created the balance by buying ultra-premium Yankees season tickets for his own use).

Prosecutors also introduced evidence that Steve Calk, the CEO of that bank, was extremely eager to get a job in the Trump administration, saw Manafort as his way in, and pushed his bank to approve Manaforts loans as part of a heavy-handed quid pro quo. Manaforts defense team, rather than challenging this evidence, tried to turn it into a defense. Manaforts lies couldnt be material misrepresentations, they argued, because Calk was steamrolling everyone inside the bank, and those loans would be approved no matter what Manafort had submitted.

Prosecutors responded by pointing out, among other things, there wasnt actually evidence that the loans would have been made no matter what, and what counts as a material representation is what a reasonable bank would consider material, and that Calk and the bank are legally separate entities. Ultimately, the defense lost the motion.

Notwithstanding the high stakes of the case, the attorneys for the prosecution and defense appeared to be getting along. After the judge recessed court for the day on Tuesday afternoon and most of the reporters and other spectators had filed out, the opposing teams hung around in the well of the courtroom familiarizing themselves with the presentation system to prepare for their closing arguments Wednesday morning.

Westling called up a sample powerpoint slide. The slide appeared to be designed to express the idea that the jury can convict Manafort of a charge only if the government meets a very high burden  proving every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The design included about a dozen colored boxes arranged one on top of the other to form a sort of culpability gradient. All but the very top box were the varying bluish shades of acquittal  fading from a dark, deep cobalt and approaching white. The box at the very top was labeled guilty, and it alone was fire engine red.

Im glad were using red, white and blue, Andres, the lead prosecutor from the special counsels office observed, looking up at the slide.

Red, white and blue are the colors of everyone, Westling replied.

What do you mean  Ukraine? Andres shot back with a smile, prompting laughter in the emptying courtroom.

No one mentioned that the Ukrainian flag is blue and yellow. Or that the Russian flag is white, blue and red.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:FILE PHOTO: A sign advertises a house for sale on a residential street in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 12, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

Canadas biggest banks are better equipped to weather a domestic housing price downturn than they were two years ago, even though total mortgage-related losses would be larger, and the nations two riskiest provinces account for a bigger chunk of mortgage portfolios, according to a new report.

Moodys Investors Service found that Canadas seven largest lenders built up more robust capital cushions between 2016 and 2018, reserves that would come in handy during the credit rating agencys hypothetical housing crash scenarios.

Our analysis shows banks capital ratios have substantially increased since 2016, which enables them to absorb higher expected losses in their growing mortgage exposures, Moodys Vice President Jason Mercer wrote in a news release on Wednesday.

Lenders put to the test include Toronto-Dominion Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bank of Montreal, National Bank of Canada, and Quebecs Desjardins Group.

While the basket of lenders may be better prepared to absorb losses from a housing shock, the Moodys stress test found aggregate losses from the stress tests jumped from $12.1 billion in 2016 to $14.3 billion in 2018.

The Moodys analysis also shows a drop in insured mortgages compared to 2016, and more lending growth in two provinces with notoriously hot housing markets  Ontario and British Columbia.

A shift in portfolio mix toward Ontario and British Columbia also contributed to higher losses, Mercer wrote. In addition, the increasing proportion of uninsured residential mortgages is credit negative, since they have higher loss given default than secured residential mortgage debt.



Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.Beijing (AFP) - China has blasted US tariffs on solar panel imports, filing a complaint at the World Trade Organization in the latest salvo of the trade battle between the world's two economic giants.

US President Donald Trump approved steep tariffs on solar panel imports in January to protect US producers, triggering an outcry from China, South Korea and even protests from the US solar industry.

China's commerce ministry accused Washington of erecting trade barriers while subsidising its domestic industry.

"While taking protectionist measures against imported photovoltaic products, the US provided subsidies to domestically produced photovoltaics and other renewable energy products," the ministry said in a statement.

China lodged its challenge at the WTO on Tuesday, the statement said.

The US subsidies have given an unfair advantage to domestic companies and "damaged the legitimate rights and interests of China's renewable energy companies," it said.

Beijing said the US measures are suspected of violating trade rules and that it would turn to the WTO's dispute resolution mechanism to protect its interests.

Trump's tariffs were not popular with the US solar industry, which claimed the rising cost of imports would cause the loss of thousands of jobs.

Imports of cheap Chinese panels helped triple US annual solar electricity generation between 2012 and 2016. But they also drove prices down by 60 percent, causing most US producers to stop production or declare bankruptcy, the US Trade Representative said in January.

The USTR accused China of using state incentives, subsidies and tariffs to increase production and said manufacturers had evaded US tariffs by repeatedly shifting production to new countries.

The United States and China have slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars worth of goods from each country, with another round of levies scheduled to being next week.By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - China rejected on Monday allegations raised by a U.N. panel that 1 million Uighurs may be held in internment camps in the restive Xinjiang region, but said that some people underwent re-education after being deceived by extremists. Hu Lianhe, a senior Communist Party official, said authorities in the far western Xinjiang region guarantee citizens freedom of religious belief and protects "normal religious activities". China says that Xinjiang faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists who plot attacks and stir up tensions between the mostly Muslim Uighur minority who call the region home and the ethnic Han Chinese majority. Gay McDougall, a panel member, said on Friday it had received many credible reports that 1 million ethnic Uighurs were held in what resembles a "massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy, a sort of no rights zone". "The argument that 1 million Uighurs are detained in re-education centers is completely untrue," Hu told the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. "There are no such things as re-education centers." Speaking on the second day of the review of China's record in protecting the rights of its 55 ethnic minorities, Hu accused foreign terrorists and extremists of trying to ignite secessionist forces in Xinjiang, leading to assassinations, arson and poisonings. He said China had clamped down on such crimes in accordance with the law and did not seek "de-Islamisation" of the region, but added: "Those deceived by religious extremism ... shall be assisted by resettlement and education." He said China had imprisoned people for grave crimes, while minor criminals were assigned to vocational training and not subject to arbitrary detention or ill-treatment, without giving numbers. U.N. human rights experts and Uighur activists voiced dismay with the delegation's comments. The panel will issue its findings on Aug. 30. "I notice that you didn't quite deny that these re-education or indoctrination programs don't take place," McDougall told the Chinese delegation on Monday, seeking clarification on how many people undergo re-education. She told Reuters after the review: "We have quite a long way to go in terms of our dialogue with China." Panelist Gun Kut described most of the delegation's answers as "very defensive", adding: "I'm sure you didn't come all the way from China to basically say that everything is okay and there is not much to be done." Dolkun Isa, president of the exiled World Uighur Congress who attended the session, voiced disappointment. "They even denied there are re-education camps. This is not a couple of hundred people - it is more than 1 million to 3 million in detention. But the Chinese government just closes its eyes," he told Reuters. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Alison Williams)Pachuca (Mexico) (AFP) - An incoming member of Mexico's Congress was kidnapped at gunpoint Tuesday, an official said, the latest violent episode surrounding the July 1 elections, the bloodiest in the country's history.

Azucena Rodriguez Zamora, who was elected to the lower house of Congress for the eastern state of Veracruz, was driving on a highway in the neighboring state of Hidalgo when gunmen in another car opened fire on her vehicle, said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The car flipped over, injuring two people who were traveling with Rodriguez.

The gunmen then pulled her from the car and abducted her, said the source.

It is the second such kidnapping in Hidalgo in recent days.

On August 6, the mayor of the town of Naupan, in Puebla state, was found dead after being abducted at gunpoint on a Hidalgo highway.

At least 152 politicians were murdered in the run-up to Mexico's elections, according to the consulting firm Etellekt.

The murders -- mostly of local-level politicians, the most frequent targets for Mexico's powerful drug cartels -- were recorded between September, when candidate registration opened, and election day.

It is by far the most violent election on record in Mexico.

The country also registered a record number of murders across the board last year: 28,711.

And the record is on track to be broken again in 2018.

Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence since the government deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006.

Since then, more than 200,000 people have been murdered. Another 30,000 are missing.(LINCOLN, Neb.)  Nebraska carried out its first execution in more than two decades on Tuesday with a drug combination never tried before, including the first use of the powerful opioid fentanyl in a lethal injection.

Carey Dean Moore, 60, was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. Moore had been sentenced to death for killing two cab drivers in Omaha in 1979. He was the first inmate to be lethally injected in Nebraska, which last carried out an execution in 1997, using the electric chair.

Witnesses said that there appeared to be no complications in the execution process, which also was the first time a state used four drugs in combination.

At one point while on the gurney, Moore turned his head and mouthed several words to his family, including I love you.

In his final written statement, Moore admitted: I am guilty. But he said there are others on Nebraskas death row who he believes are innocent and he said they should be released.

How might you feel if your loved one was innocent and on death row? Moore asked.

Moores execution comes a little more than three years after Nebraska lawmakers abolished the death penalty, only to have it reinstated the following year through a citizen ballot drive partially financed by Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts. The governor, a wealthy former businessman, has said he was fulfilling the wishes of voters in the conservative state.

The Nebraska drug protocol called for an initial IV dose of diazepam, commonly known as Valium, to render the inmate unconscious, followed by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, then cisatracurium besylate to induce paralysis and stop the inmate from breathing and potassium chloride to stop the heart. After each injection, prison officials sent saline through the IV to flush out any residue and ensure all the drugs had entered the inmates system.

Diazepam and cisatracurium also had never been used in executions before.

According to prosecutors, Moore was 21 when he fatally shot Reuel Van Ness during a robbery with his younger brother, and used the money to buy drugs and pornography. Moore fatally shot Maynard Helgeland by himself five days later, saying he wanted to prove he could take a mans life by himself. Moore was arrested a week later. He was charged and convicted of first-degree murder, while his 14-year-old brother was convicted of second-degree murder.

Story continues

In his statement, Moore also apologized to his brother, who was with him during the 1979 robbery and murder of Van Ness.

I should (have) led him in the right way to go instead of bringing him down, way down, Moore said of his brother.

Moore had faced execution dates set by the Nebraska Supreme Court seven times since he was convicted, but each was delayed because of legal challenges and questions over whether previous lethal injection drugs were purchased legally. For some relatives of Moores victims, that was far too long  and they hope his name and crimes will finally vanish from headlines.

Were sick of hearing about Carey Dean Moore, Steve Helgeland, one of Maynard Helgelands three children, said ahead of the execution.

Helgeland said the numerous delays in executing Moore had left him ambivalent about whether his fathers killer dies by lethal injection or spends the rest of his life in prison. Helgeland said he plans to be present at the prison for the execution to honor his fathers memory, but that he wont witness it.

There was a point in my life when I probably would have pulled the switch myself, but 39 years has a way of dissipating your anger, he said.

A Germany-based drugmaker tried to halt the execution last week, filing a lawsuit that alleged the state had illegally procured at least one of the companys drugs. The company, Fresenius Kabi, argued that allowing the execution to go forward would harm its reputation and business relationships.

But a federal judge sided with state attorneys , who argued that the publics interest in carrying out a lawful execution outweighed the companys concerns. The judge also noted that Moore had stopped fighting the states efforts to execute him.

A federal appeals court upheld that ruling Monday, and Fresenius Kabi decided not to take the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court.United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Rebel groups from Sudan's Darfur region are strengthening their foothold in Libya, building up their military strength in a bid to return to Sudan and fight on, according to a confidential report seen by AFP on Wednesday.

The report by a UN panel of experts said Sudan was continuing to pour weapons into Darfur to support its military campaign there, in violation of a UN arms embargo.

"In recent months, most of the Darfur rebel groups have consolidated their presence in Libya," said the 53-page report sent to the Security Council this month.

Many of them have joined Libyan armed groups and are "reportedly building up their military capabilities in order to be ready to return to Sudan when the environment becomes more conducive."

South Sudan, once a key backer for the rebels fighting Khartoum, has lost sway as "Libya has emerged as an important source of financing for Darfuri armed groups."

The report confirmed that renewed heavy clashes in Darfur's mountainous Jebel Marra area after nearly a year-long lull have resulted in a "significant number of casualties on both sides and among civilians."

Fresh fighting in Jebel Marra since February has forced thousands to flee, with many taking refuge in caves and valleys with no access to food, water or proper shelter, said the report.

"The situation has been uniformly characterized as a dire humanitarian situation," it said.

- One rebel group left in Darfur -

The only rebel group remaining in Darfur, the SLA-AW, has about 1,000 fighters who are "well-versed in guerrilla, mobile tactics" in the mountainous terrain.

All of the major Darfur armed groups are present in Libya, many of whom have joined the ranks of military strongman Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army which controls the east.

The experts traveled to Sudan twice, in April-May and again in June-July, for talks with the government, which stressed that there were no military operations in Darfur but rather security sweeps against bandits.

Story continues

Sudan's government "continues to transfer military materiel to Darfur in support of the various security forces deployed there in violation of the arms embargo," the report said.

The independent experts report to the council every six months on Sudan.

The United Nations is drawing down its huge joint peacekeeping mission with the African Union, known as UNAMID, and has put in motion steps that could lead to its closure in two years.

In Libya, the United Nations is pushing for elections to be held this year, possibly in December, to turn the page on years of chaos since the 2011 ouster of Moamer Kadhafi.

The conflict in Darfur erupted in 2003 when rebels took up arms against Sudan's government.

The United Nations says that over the years the conflict has killed about 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.5 million, with many having set up home over the last decade and a half in sprawling semi-permanent camps.Cordoba (Mexico) (AFP) - From the southern border with Guatemala to the northern border with the United States, AFP spent 24 hours traveling with migrants who are crossing Mexico to chase their American dreams.

Here are seven of their stories.

Andres Sanchez, 18

"Being a migrant means being an outcast," says Sanchez, a day after being deported from the US for the second time.

A native of Puebla, in central Mexico, he tried to cross the border two months ago with a fake tourist visa he bought from a smuggler for $3,500.

But the document was registered as stolen, and US authorities detained and deported him.

Now, carrying nothing but a Bible and a plastic wallet, he is contemplating his next move at a migrant shelter in the border city of Ciudad Juarez.

The Americans warned him he would face six months in prison if he tried to enter the country illegally again.

Having just spent two months in detention, that is giving him second thoughts.

"It's really cold in prison. You can barely sleep," he says.

Going back home does not sound appealing, either. But neither does his current state of limbo on the border.

"It's hard to be far from your family," he says.

Micaela Perez, 24

Crossing illegally into the United States is risky business, says Perez, who nearly died trying.

"The most horrible part is crossing the desert. I ran out of food and water, so I had to turn myself in," she says, a day after being deported for the third time.

She paid $1,500 to a human trafficker to smuggle her in. But the ordeal left her with nothing, not even the clothes on her back. The ones she is wearing now were given to her at a migrant shelter in Ciudad Juarez.

A native of Mexico's poorest state, Chiapas, in the south, she is desperately trying to reunite with her husband, who snuck into the US two years ago.

She spent six days in detention before being deported. US authorities warned her she would face 20 years the next time.

Story continues

Angel Saravia, 61

"We have to emigrate to get ahead," says Saravia, a life-long border-jumper.

"We suffer for it, but we have to take the risk."

However, after his last deportation six years ago, Saravia decided he had had enough of being treated as an "illegal alien."

Today, he lives in a remote cabin in the Matadero canyon, near the border that separates Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego.

"This is a kind of sanctuary. I live far away from everyone, from people who think deported migrants are criminals. Here, nobody points their finger at me. People just leave me alone."

Sandra Hernandez, 28

Hernandez left two children behind in her native Honduras to make her way north with her youngest daughter, four-year-old Danaya.

They have traveled most of the way by hopping the freight train known as "The Beast."

A domestic worker in Honduras, Hernandez says her pay was too meager to support her family.

"It's hard to leave your children behind," she says.

When she calls them on the phone, she cries. They are six and nine years old.

Pausing at a migrant shelter in Guadalupe, in eastern Mexico, she is planning to hit the road again in three days' time.

But she fears being separated from her daughter at the US border.

David Ramirez, 23

Ramirez has traveled by truck, boat and train to make it from Honduras to this shelter in Guadalupe.

He has already been deported from the United States twice, but is determined to try again, even though he has been targeted by the criminal gangs that attack and rob migrants.

At the shelter, he is helping prepare bags of food to give to migrants riding "The Beast."

"It makes me really happy to hand out food to them. But also really sad," he says.

Soon he plans to join them again, trying to reach his aunt's home in Michigan.

Raquel Padilla, 27

"Every Central American dreams of migrating," says Padilla.

Still, she misses the son she left behind in her native Honduras.

Four months pregnant, she has paused at a migrant refuge in Guadalajara, in western Mexico, before continuing her journey.

Asked what her most prized possession is, she smiles.

"The baby in my belly."

Graciela, 16

Graciela started her journey by giving birth to a baby boy, Cesar, in a bathroom near the Mexican-Guatemalan border.

Now she is at a migrant shelter in Tijuana, on the US-Mexican border, waiting for Mexican authorities to issue him a birth certificate.

She wants to obtain Mexican papers, then seek asylum in the United States.Virginian Pilot

Tom Luckman used to sit on a bench in his backyard, sipping coffee and taking in the view. He and his wife, Sis, live on hole No. 3 of the shuttered Signature at West Neck golf course, designed by Arnold Palmer, in the southern part of the city. The Luckmans home, in the Villages of West Neck, backs up to the fairway where golfers hit onto the green. His wife, who had a massive stroke years ...The addition of mixed-use developments that would bring multi-unit residential properties to the villages commercial areas has some Oak Brook residents and officials concerned about the financial impact of such a move and how it could change the character of the village.President Donald Trump speaks in Utica, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, at a joint fundraising committee reception in Utica, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning took to Twitter, as he often does, to lambaste some of his favourite targets: the U.S. Justice Department, the rigged Russian witch hunt (a.k.a. the Robert Mueller investigation), and of course, undocumented immigrants.

He also brought up one of his past greatest hits, tariffs, writing that the United States was built on Tariffs, and Tariffs are now leading us to great new Trade Deals (capitalization his, not ours).

Our Country was built on Tariffs, and Tariffs are now leading us to great new Trade Deals  as opposed to the horrible and unfair Trade Deals that I inherited as your President. Other Countries should not be allowed to come in and steal the wealth of our great U.S.A. No longer!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2018

Of course, tariffs have been a mainstay in Canadian headlines for the past several months, with Trump levying duties on U.S. imports of Canadian steel and aluminum. The U.S. president has recently threatened more tariffs on Canadas auto industry.

Hes also slapped massive duties on goods from China, Mexico and, most recently, Turkey. Those nations, along with Canada, have come back with retaliatory tariffs of their own.

Many users on Twitter are pointing out the holes in Trumps latest tweet. Like the fact that no new trade deals have actually been signed:

1. President Trump has only IMPOSED tariffs. He has yet to get any other countries to remove their tariffs or to REMOVE his own tariffs. 2. There are not yet ANY trade deals. NONE. There is NO evidence that any deals that would eliminate trade barriers are imminent. https://t.co/NpWVgPHon1  Chad P. Bown (@ChadBown) August 15, 2018

Or that many of the people Trump claims his tariffs will help arent really happy with them at all:

Story continues

When I was in rural Illinois last month, soybean farmers told me they've lost 20-25% of the value of their crops because of Trump's tariffs. Their biggest concern: Trump has no long-term plan. https://t.co/V4fi3pocU2 https://t.co/quPTZcXezA  Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) August 15, 2018

The Wall Street Journal points out that Trumps action against Turkey actually goes against longstanding U.S. policy of minimizing foreign crises:

The U.S. has long seen it in its interest to tamp down crises abroad. Trump is pouring fuel on the fire with tariffs against Turkey, Greg Ip writes. https://t.co/NTdbCect1G via @WSJ pic.twitter.com/OgaGm6fMKD  WSJ Graphics (@WSJGraphics) August 15, 2018

And lets not forget the obvious  that the Boston Tea Party, the event that arguably sparked the American Revolution, was a revolt against tariffs:

Those Boston Tea Party folks are gonna be stunned to learn our country was built on tariffs. https://t.co/N5wCq0SFLt  Dan Primack (@danprimack) August 15, 2018

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.Friends now? Donald Trump and Scott Walker: (AP)

He is the Republican governor of Wisconsin who was once called a mess by Donald Trump.

Scott Walker is a nice guy but Wisconsin is in turmoil, borrowing to the hilt and doing poorly in jobs, the now-president previously tweeted. Massive deficit, bad jobs forecast, he added later.

Something, it seems, has changed

With the US midterm elections looming in November and Mr Walkers position up for grabs, Mr Trump once again took to Twitter on Monday  to enthusiastically back the man he once labelled not smart.

Scott Walker of Wisconsin is a tremendous Governor who has done incredible things for that Great State, he wrote. He has my complete & total Endorsement! He brought the amazing Foxconn to Wisconsin with its 15,000 Jobs-and so much more. Vote for Scott on Tuesday in the Republican Primary!

For other presidents, the contradiction may have seemed like an embarrassing climbdown. For Mr Trump  a leader increasingly renowned for his shifting position and apparent changes of heart  it was arguably just another day on social media.

His previous slating of Mr Walker came during the Republican presidential primaries in 2015 after the governor had a brief run at the top job himself. People wont be voting for him, Mr Trump declared.

But the two mens relationship has apparently improved since.

They have met several times, including at the White House in July, when the president declared Mr Walker was a favourite of mine.

That came shortly after the governor was forced to explain how he came to have his photo taken in 2015 with Maria Butina, a woman now accused of being a Russian agent.

"As we go to events, we meet people, they introduce themselves, often they ask for a picture," he told reporters. "And that's not a meeting. A meeting is where you sit down in a room and have a discussion."By Abdul Qadir Sediqi KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban attack on a military outpost in Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan on Wednesday killed up to 44 Afghan police and soldiers, provincial officials said, as the insurgents kept up pressure on government forces. The attack, which came as the central city of Ghazni struggles to recover from five days of intense fighting, underlined how hard the insurgents have been pressuring badly stretched local security forces. The defence ministry confirmed the incident early on Wednesday, but gave no details. Officials in the area said nine police and 35 soldiers were killed in the latest attack of a series that has killed dozens of security forces nationwide. A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the group targeted a military base and two checkposts in Baghlan, killing 70 Afghan security forces, and seizing armoured vehicles and ammunition. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan called for the fighting to stop, saying up to 150 civilians are estimated to have been killed in Ghazni, where the public hospital was overwhelmed and water and electricity supplies cut. "The extreme human suffering caused by the fighting in Ghazni highlights the urgent need for the war in Afghanistan to end," the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said in a statement. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was providing dressing packages and oral and intravenous medicine to treat the wounded, along with electricity generators and fresh water for about 18,000 people. The Taliban, who launched their Ghazni assault early on Friday and battled Afghan forces backed by U.S. air strikes in the middle of the city for days, said their fighters were pulled out to prevent further destruction. "They were facing severe shortages of food and drinking water as the power supply was also suspended two days ago," a Taliban commander, who declined to be identified, said by telephone. The Ghazni attack, one of the Taliban's most devastating in years, has left questions over hopes for peace talks aroused by an unprecedented ceasefire during the Eid celebration in June and a meeting last month between Taliban officials and a senior U.S. diplomat. Two senior Taliban leaders told Reuters this week the group was considering announcing a ceasefire for the feast of Eid-al Adha, which begins next week, but the future of any peace process remained uncertain. In the southern province of Zabul, Taliban insurgents clashed with soldiers on Tuesday, forcing the government to send reinforcements from neighbouring provinces to retain control of two checkposts. The clashes killed 11 soldiers and one policeman, with three soldiers wounded, said Haji Atta Jan Haqbayan, a Zabul provincial council member. Separately, six girls younger than 10 were killed when an unexploded mortar they picked up to play with suddenly went off on Wednesday, officials in the eastern province of Laghman said. (Additonal reporting by Jibran Ahmad, in PESHAWAR; Editing by Robert Birsel and Clarence Fernandez)Mark Zuckerberg, White nationalists torch-lit march in Charlottesville. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Andrew Harnik/AP, Stephanie Keith/Reuters, Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO  Facebooks role in aiding Donald Trumps victory in 2016 is widely misunderstood, according to a prominent science fiction author and internet critic.

Facebook spies on everyone, Cory Doctorow told Grant Burningham, host of the Yahoo News podcast Bots & Ballots, adding, Its not a mind-control ray. Its a surveillance system for locating people with hard to find traits.

It was that characteristic that enabled Russian bad actors and American enemies of Hillary Clinton to build Trumps coalition on the platform, said Doctorow, the best-selling author of dystopian novels like Little Brother who also writes on politics and technology for the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

The trait that Facebook helped identify, Doctorow said, was racism.

There were, as it turned out, a bunch of Americans who were latent white supremacists who were willing to vote for a liar profiteer if he would promise to be mean to black and brown people, Doctorow said. They were pretty thinly distributed, but the electoral system was so gerrymandered and in such a fragile equilibrium that anyone who could even bring out a small number of nonvoters stood a pretty good chance of winning some key elections because things were really closely balanced and the only thing that guaranteed that balance was that most people never showed up and voted at all.

Download or subscribe on iTunes: Bots & Ballots by Yahoo News

Likening Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to a special kind of sociopath, Doctorow sees the platform as a breeding ground of sorts.

Facebooks primary value both to advertisers and to users is its ability to locate hard to find traits in large populations. So if youve got a rare disease or you want to track down people you went to high school with, or you want to find other people who will carry a tiki torch with you in Charlottesville, or you want to organize people who got to Standing Rock and protect the water from the pipeline, Facebook is a tool that will help you find these widely distributed but thinly distributed groups of people, Doctorow said.

Story continues

He continued: So thats why advertisers like it because most people arent going to buy a fridge most of the time, so you need really fine-grain tracking to find people who have this very rare trait. And if you spy on people enough you can probably find people who have correlates with fridge purchasing, like, for example, they just bought a house, right, or just renovated a house, and so thats a pretty good predictor for buying a fridge.

Facebook did not respond to a request to comment on Doctorows critique of its platform. To hear Burninghams full interview with Doctorow, click here.

______

More Bots & Ballots episodes from Yahoo News:A father who saw his son steal a car on a security camera turned him over to police. (Photo: Getty Images)

A father who spotted his son allegedly stealing a womans car on a surveillance video made a difficult parenting decision that crushed and devastated him: He turned his child over to the police.

According to Alabama news station, WVTM 13, Edmund Randall, 20, was arrested for first-degree property theft after stealing a womans Chrysler Sebring at a Chevron gas station in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Upon realizing her car was being stolen, the woman rushed over and tried to stop the driver, eventually falling onto the pavement and suffering minor injuries, while the car sped off.

Its just sad that you cannot come to a service station and get gas and somebodys jumping in your car to pull off, the victims mother Eva Portis told WVTM 13. But we have you on camera, so whoever you are, you need to return my daughter her car. She has a daughter she has to take to school. So youre on camera. Whoever you are, we are going to find you..

According to the news outlet, Edmund Randall Sr., saw the gas stations surveillance footage and felt strongly that his son, who is now being held in Jefferson County Jail, should face consequences for his crime. So he drove his son down to the police department.

Yahoo Lifestyle could not reach a spokesperson at the Birmingham Police Department for comment.

You did this, you need to go answer for what you did right now, said Randall Sr., who Yahoo Lifestyle could not reach for comment. The father also apologized to the victim.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co disclosed Tuesday it will spend $740 million on a project to revamp Michigan Central Station, Detroits historic but dilapidated former rail station, as well as other neighborhood sites. Ford aims to turn the building into a campus of offices for up to 5,000 tech workers and software engineers focused on self-driving vehicles and ancillary technologies and services. The second largest U.S. automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, about 10 miles from Detroit, announced the project in June, but had not previously disclosed costs until a community meeting on Tuesday. The company said Tuesday in a statement it is "working with federal, state and local economic development groups and officials, seeking at least $250 million in tax or other incentives to support the development of the five Corktown sites Ford has purchased." Ford said total investment in the development of the train station and developing 45 acres of vacant land will cost approximately $740 million over the next four years. The figure includes acquiring the buildings and land as well as rehabilitation costs "which takes into account the requirements of restoring a historic building such as the train station," the company said. The automaker said the project costs do not require additional capital beyond what it previously committed as part of its overall 10-year campus plan in 2016. The Detroit train station closed in 1988 and fell into disrepair, becoming a symbol of the decline of the "Motor City." In the first half of the 20th century Detroit prospered and became Americas fourth-largest city, its name synonymous with U.S. manufacturing prowess. But riots in the 1960s and the oil shocks of the 1970s heralded decades of manufacturing decline. By mid-2017, Detroits population had fallen to 673,104, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, from a peak of 1.8 million in 1950. In 2009 the city council voted to tear the railway station building down, but it survived. (Reporting by David Shepardson)From left: Essence Uhura Atkins, Gabrielle Union, Ajiona Alexus, and Valarie Pettiford in the new Gabrielle Union Collection #AllTogetherNow for New York & Company. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union is championing fashionable women everywhere in her new inclusive pre-fall collection and #AllTogetherNow ad campaign for New York & Company.

Her latest collaboration with the brand marks the one-year anniversary of the Gabrielle Union Collection, which seeks to empower women through Unions line of statement sweaters, off-the-shoulder dresses, plaid jumpsuits, wide-leg trousers, and suiting.

Union has been a proponent of inclusivity since her lines inception, and the big reason why comes down to her family. When I was approached about doing a line with New York & Company, my biggest thing was I wanted to create a line that my own family could wear, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Union says she recognizes that the world isnt made up of prepubescent models; instead, people are all shapes and sizes. With that, Union has also learned throughout the design and manufacturing process how much materials cost to create specific designs that accommodate a wider market, but accessibility was important to her, even if that meant tweaking to make sure that [the clothes] stayed affordable.

From left: Ajiona Alexus, Essence Uhura Atkins, Valarie Pettiford, and Gabrielle Union in the new Gabrielle Union Collection #AllTogetherNow for New York & Company. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Inclusivity in the fashion industry is still a work in progress. Many European brands, in particular, are trailing behind New York designers. Its astounding that some people seem to think that exclusion creates  more demand, she said. Although Union recognizes that inclusivity is a large issue affecting many industries, not just fashion, she doesnt know why. I think its an interesting business choice. I think its an interesting human choice, and by interesting  I mean terrible, she said. For her collection, it was a no-brainer to create clothing for every woman.

The inspiration for the new Gabrielle Union Collection stems from her own personal style, her moods, and her travels with her husband, Dwyane Wade, which are famously tagged on Instagram as #wadeworldtour. All of these #wadeworldtours have sort of influenced each collection in their own sort of way, whether its someone I saw on the streets of Shenzhen or, you know, a really fly woman in the south of France. Union admits that even her husbands style has influenced items for the collection. For example, Wades denim kimono will be iterated on in an upcoming collection. Still, the line has plenty of denim-inspired looks for fans to choose from  from chambray jumpsuits and blazers to wide-leg trousers and rompers.

Story continues

One particular cropped sweater is Unions favorite from the line. The back of the sweater reads Rule the World when you spread your arms out, which was part of the design intent. The sweater was inspired by no sense of limits. The more free you are, the more open you are, the more inclined you are to sort of spread your wings, Union says. I just love that sweatshirt. It encourages women to feel empowered, dream big, and push their limits.

This sense of female empowerment is also instilled in the ad campaign, for which Union enlisted a mix of her friends, colleagues, and, more largely, her family. Ajiona Alexus, Essence Uhura Atkins (who officiated Union and Wades wedding), and Valarie Pettiford star alongside Union in the campaign. You know theres the family that youre born into and then the family that you create, Union says in describing the women.

The new Gabrielle Union Collection is available in sizes XXS-XXL, or 00-20, and retails for $34.95-$129.95. Below are a few of our favorites; these and more are available on New York & Company.

Rule the World power look. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union Collection Rule the World Sweater, $60, nyandcompany.com

Gabrielle Union Collection Double-Waistband Wide-Leg Pant, $80, nyandcompany.com

Plaid utilitarian jumpsuit. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union Collection Zip-Front Jumpsuit, $130, nyandcompany.com

A striped tank top and wide-leg trousers make a casual yet put-together look. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union Collection Stripe Sweater Tank Top, $55, nyandcompany.com

Mustard-yellow dress is perfect for the workplace. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union Collection V-Neck Sweater Dress, $80, nyandcompany.com

The perfect weekend date look. (Photo: Courtesy of New York & Company)

Gabrielle Union Collection Crop Tie-Front Blouse, $60, nyandcompany.com

Gabrielle Union Collection Pleated Wide-Leg Pant, $70, nyandcompany.com

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

 Gabrielle Union opens up about her rape and infertility: Ive seen the devil up close

 Gabrielle Union just got her first major haircut  and youll love her short, shaggy bob

 Gaps new ad campaign features deaf trans activist Chella Man and the internet is loving it

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.



The committee also asked the school to research the root causes of student tardiness and address the racial disparities in OPRFs student tardy data. According to a report released earlier this year, 44 percent of students disciplined for being late to class at least five times between August and December 2017 were black, despite the fact black students make up only 22 percent of the student body.SuperDuperKyle, Ezinma, Carlotta Kohl, Chella Man, and Kelvin Davis in new Gap fall campaign. (Photo: Courtesy of Gap)

American heritage brand Gap enlisted Chella Man, a transgender advocate, artist, and model who is deaf, for their international fashion campaign. Chella Man is joined by a diverse group of young artists, models, musicians, and activists including Kimberly Drew, Carlotta Kohl, Kelvin Davis, Ezinma, and SuperDuperKyle.

Chella Man in particular is a rare combination: He is Chinese, Jewish, deaf, and trans, and hes gained notoriety for his artwork and documentation of his transition on social media  an arena that has garnered him more than 200,000 followers collectively. He uses Instagram to post his artwork and has created resourceful videos on YouTube, such as Being in a Relationship with Someone Transitioning and a short film called Moments of Mom, which was inspired by the letter he wrote to his mother when he decided to transition.

Hes known for his mantra, Be your own representation. In May, Chella Man told Yahoo Lifestyle, Representation permits you to know there are others in the world with similar experiences to you due to your common identity. It has [the] power to diminish the negative aspects of solitude.

His latest appearance in Gaps inclusive ad campaign has hit home for many of his followers, who are sharing their support on social media.

i opened the gaps website and saw chella man and my heart? its warm  jo (@mrgicshop) August 9, 2018

For Chella Man personally, this was a full circle moment, having worn Gap as a child and now being able to represent the brand in its newest campaign, which focuses on diversity and beauty in all shapes and forms.

Story continues

The diverse casting was intentional by Gap, which was all about choosing talent that strongly aligned with Gaps core brand values and overall positive influence and impact in the world, according to the brands press release. The cast for the campaign includes multiple musicians, artists, performers, and activists who have existing reputations as advocates for positivity, are clearly dedicated to doing good, and are change agents across generations and gender.

WE ARE THE FUTURE! It was my honor to be a part of this beautiful casting with @gap! I ALSO DISCOVERED this highly classified photo of me wearing my favorite Gap sweatshirt back in the day. You know Ive reached bliss when I smile so big I cant see anymore. pic.twitter.com/pMIfdSJ3zW  CHELLA MAN (@chellamanart) August 13, 2018

The new Gap campaign celebrates the launch of Gaps new Soft Wear denim line and Vintage Wash T-shirt collection, which are available in stores now and online at gap.com.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

 This 19-year-old deaf, transgender artist will teach you a lesson on representation

 Ami McClure speaks out about why she waited to tell the truth about the McClure twins father

 Camp rock! Priyanka Chopra finally flashes diamond engagement ring from Nick Jonas in new selfie

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.The collapsed Morandi Bridge is seen in the Italian port city of Genoa - REUTERS

Italian prosecutors are opening an investigation into the Genoa bridge collapse, as questions swirled over what caused the structure to crumble.

At least 38 people died when a 650-foot portion of the Morandi motorway bridge in northern Italy disintegrated on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old structure, designed by celebrated Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, has been beset with problems since its construction in the 1960s, leading to expensive maintenance and drawing fierce criticism from engineering experts.

Possible mafia connections have been raised.

Dave Parker, Technical Editor Emeritus of New Civil Engineer told Radio 4's Today programme that the quality of the materials could have been affected by mafia involvement in the construction industry.

"According to urban myths, the mafia had a very big finger in the pie of the concrete industry back then, charging full price and putting less cement in," he said.

Genoa motorway bridge collapses

Concerns have also been raised about the integrity of other structures built following the Second World War, with one engineering body saying tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts in Italy could be at risk.

Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister, said "all infrastructure" across the country needed to be double-checked. "We must not allow another tragedy like this to happen again," he added.

Danilo Toninelli, the Transport Minister, said the collapse was "unacceptable" and that if negligence played a role "whoever made a mistake must pay."

Built between 1963 and 1967, the bridge had a maximum span of 718 feet, a total length of 0.7 miles, and concrete piers - vertical structures buttressing the arches of a bridge - that reach 295 feet in height.

'Structural doubts' over design

The technology of pre-stressed reinforced concrete used in the construction was the hallmark of its designer, Mr Morandi, who died in 1989.

Story continues

Dubbed patent "Morandi M5", he had used the technology for other works, including a wing of the Verona Arena in 1953.

This technique also characterises another, even longer and just as problematic Morandi bridge: the 5.4 mile long General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge that spans the bay of Maracaibo, Venezuela, and was completed in 1962. It partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker and was rebuilt.

The Morandi bridge in Genoa had always presented "structural doubts", according to an article published by specialist engineering website "Ingegneri.info", which called it "a tragedy waiting to happen".

Antonio Brencich, a professor of reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, echoed those concerns.

"It was affected by extremely serious corrosion problems linked to the technology that was used (in construction). Morandi wanted to use a technology that he had patented that was no longer used afterwards and that showed itself to be a failure," Professor Brencich told Radio Capitale.

Professor Brencich has long been a critic of the bridge. Two years ago, he told "Ingegneri.info" that the bridge's construction went over budget and poor calculations over concrete viscosity led to an uneven road surface which wasnt fully corrected until the 1980s.

Safety work had been commissioned

Mr Toninelli said the company that has the concession to operate that section of highway said its maintenance on the bridge was up to date and no work was being done at the time of the collapse. But he added that they were about to launch a 20 million euro (17.8 million) bidding process for significant safety work on the bridge.

"There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed - almost all - during the 1960s," he said.

The tender provided for a strengthening of the bridges pier cables, including those of pier nine, the one that collapsed on Tuesday.

Notwithstanding the importance of a road that sees 25 million vehicles pass along it every year, the demolition of the bridge was being studied as far back as 2009.

Bridges such as the Morandi viaduct should have a lifespan of at least a century, "Ingegneri.info" reported, but the structure had been the subject of major maintenance work in the years after its completion, in particular to repair cracks and combat degradation of the concrete.

In the early 2000s the suspension cables put in place in the 1980s and 1990s were replaced.

"Fifty years ago, we had unlimited confidence in reinforced concrete, we thought it was eternal, but now we know that it only lasted a few decades," Diego Zoppi, former president of the Genoa branch of the order of architects, told reporters on Tuesday.

Rescue teams work among the rubble of the collapsed Morando highway bridge in Genoa Credit: AP

Mr Zoppi warned that it was impossible to say similar tragedies would not happen again without serious work on infrastructure built after the Second World War.

"The Italy built in the 1950s and 1960s is in urgent need of renovation. The risk of collapses is underestimated, the works built at that time are coming to an age when they are at risk."

'Tens of thousands need to be replaced'

The Italian CNR civil engineering society said structures as old as the Morandi Bridge had exceeded their lifespan. It called for a "Marshall Plan" to repair or replace tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Updating and reinforcing the bridges would be more expensive than destroying and rebuilding them with technology that could last a century.

They cited previous accidents: a bridge that fell in April 2017 in the northern province of Cuneo, crushing a carabinieri police car after the officers and driver had barely managed to get away in time; and an overpass that in the northern city of Lecco that collapsed under exceptional weight, crushing a car and killing the driver.

A truck is seen at the collapsed Morandi Bridge site in the port city of Genoa, Italy Credit: Reuters

Experts also said it was possible the thunderstorm could have contributed to the collapse after witnesses said it was struck by lightning shortly before it crumbled.

"As this reinforced and pre-stressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor," said Ian Firth, former president of The Institution of Structural Engineers. He called the bridge "an unusual design."

"The fact that there was reported to be a storm at the time may or may not be particularly relevant.

Mehdi Kashani, an associate professor in structural mechanics at the University of Southampton, said maintenance issues and pressure from "dynamic loads," such as traffic and wind, could have resulted in "fatigue damage in bridge components."Students at a Roman Catholic high school in Indiana have come to the defense of a guidance counselor reportedly fearing for her job after administrators discovered shes in a same-sex marriage.

Shelly Fitzgerald has worked for Roncalli High School in Indianapolis for 15 years, the Indianapolis Star reported Monday. She and her wife married in 2014. Theyve been together for 22 years and have one child.

ABC affiliate WRTV cited a Facebook post written by Fitzgerald and distributed to a select group of parents that outlined her story. In it, she said shed kept quiet about her relationship during her years at the school. She went on to allege that someone sought out my marriage certificate and presented it to school administrators. From there, she said, the certificate was turned it over to the archbishop of Indianapolis and Roncalli Principal Chuck Weisenbach.

Fitzgerald said she met with Weisenbach and the school president, Joseph D. Howell, and they gave her three options: to resign, to dissolve her marriage, or to wait it out and stay quiet and maybe I can make it the rest of the year, with the knowledge that her contract would not be renewed.

Noting that she has no intention of getting divorced, quitting or not telling anyone why I have to leave the job Ive loved so much, Fitzgerald added: I ask that you pray for my family, for change in the world, and know I have absolutely loved my job for the past 15 years.

Roncalli administrators on Sunday responded to Fitzgeralds claims in a lengthy Facebook post. Calling the situation a confidential personnel matter, they nonetheless added: The personal conduct of every teacher, guidance counselor and administrator and staff member, both at school and away from school, must convey and be supportive of the teachings of the Catholic Church.

When the expectations of a contract are not being met, the employee and the school will attempt to reach a resolution so that the contractual requirements are fulfilled, the schools post added.

Story continues

Meanwhile, Hollowell confirmed to the Indianapolis Star on Monday that Fitzgerald had been placed on paid administrative leave, but did not comment further.

A Facebook page in support of Fitzgerald was created Sunday and had more than 2,900 members as of Tuesday morning.

Supportive students left flowers and T-shirts on a bench outside of the Roncalli High School campus in solidarity with their guidance counselor Monday.

Show of support outside Roncalli High School for counselor Shelly Fitzgerald. Shes on paid administrative leave, told by school & Archdiocese that her job is at risk because shes married to a woman. (Pic courtesy Roncalli parent) Hear from Shelly at 5 on @WTHRcom pic.twitter.com/FO2nZ71P9a  Jennie Runevitch (@JennieWTHR) August 13, 2018

Happening right now: a group of Roncalli HS alumni are taking their t-shirts and placing them in front of the school. It comes as they are trying to show support for guidance counselor Ms. Fitzgerald. @rtv6 pic.twitter.com/j7wlPJhHZi  Nicole Griffin-RTV6 (@NicoleGriffinTV) August 13, 2018

At the moment, we have ... a fair amount of LGBTQ students here at this school, 11th grade student Madison Aldrich told the Indianapolis Star. I hope that this sends a message that no matter who you are  race, gender, sexual orientation  you are welcome at Roncalli.

Fitzgerald, in a Monday interview with WTHR, thanked students and parents for their support.

We taught [students] to use their voice, she said, and they are.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.A majority of Republicans agree with President Donald Trumps assertion that the media is the enemy of the American people, according to a new Quinnipiac poll released on Tuesday.

Republicans, however, are in a minority on the issue. About 65% of those polled said they believe the news media is an important part of democracy, while 26% of voters said the media is the enemy of the people. About 51% of Republicans polled said they believed  the news media is the enemy of the people. Five percent of Democrats and 24% of independents responded the same.

Trump has been vocal about his distain for the media, particularly news outlets that report on negative stories about him or his administration. He has on more than one occasion called the press the enemy of the American people and when pressed, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would not disavow the statement.

The Quinnipiac also revealed that while 44% of American voters are concerned that Trumps criticism of the news media will lead to violence against people who work in media, 52% of voters are not worried. Democrats and Republicans showed stark difference in concern for this issue, with 76% of Democrats saying they are concerned about violent retaliation while 80% of Republicans said they were not.

The media, so frequently excoriated by the White House, is not considered an enemy of the people. Far from it, Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said in a statement.

When asked if they feel that Trump should stop tweeting from his personal Twitter account, Republicans seemed split, 47% of Republicans said yes, 44% said no. Eighty-two percent of Democrats and 68% of independents polled said he should stop tweeting.

The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,175 voters nationwide between Aug. 9 and 13. It had a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points.Robert Farley

Security, Europe

Paris had other options. What would have happenned if they had kept fighting?

Hitler's Worst Nightmare: What If France Had Kept Fighting in 1940?

Many Frenchmen (led most notably by Charles de Gaulle) maintained an honorable resistance to the Germans, even after the armistice. By 1944, a strong resistance movement in metropolitan France was supported by the infusion of large numbers of troops from North Africa and elsewhere. So, as was the case with Poland, France did continue to fight, even after defeat.

France surrendered to the Nazis in 1940 for complex reasons. The proximate cause, of course, was the success of the German invasion, which left metropolitan France at the mercy of Nazi armies. But the German victory opened profound rifts in French society. Instead of fleeing the country and keeping up the fight, as the Dutch government and a residue of the French military did, the bulk of the French government and military hierarchy made peace with the Germans.

(This first appeared in 2016.)

But what if key figures (such as Marshal Philippe Petain) had viewed the situation differently? If the French government had decided to go into exile in the Empire, rather than re-establish itself in the German protectorate at Vichy, then the rest of World War II might have gone very differently.

The Military:

France had extensive assets available to continue its resistance against the Axis powers. The French Fleet was the most notable of these; France possessed two of the worlds most modern fast battleships, numerous powerful cruisers and destroyers, and a host of support vessels. Had the French acted with any speed to the success of the German Ardennes offensive, this fleet could have evacuated a substantial portion of the French Army to Britain and to North Africa, possibly with much of its equipment intact.

In Allied service, these ships could have helped hem in the Italian Navy, and cut Axis supply lines to Africa. Against Germany, French squadrons could have hunted raiders, driving the Germans to the Arctic even before the entry of the United States. And when war came to the Pacific, the Fleet could have deployed in defense of French Indochina and other French possessions, as well as giving critical support to the Royal Navy. For their part, the Army and Air Force could have contributed to the war in the Mediterranean, the defense of Greece, and to resistance against Japanese encroachment in French Indochina.

Story continues

The Empire:

In Africa, while we can assume that the problems that bedeviled French-British operations in France would have persisted, the continued resistance of the Empire would have put Italy in an untenable position. Italy struggled to supply Libya when faced with just the British; the presence of the French fleet, as well as an active military threat in Tunisia, would have made it very difficult for the Axis to sustain operations in Africa.

Given the lukewarm Italian enthusiasm for the war in the first place, a concerted Franco-British offensive in the Mediterranean might have pushed Italy out of the conflict early, or at least curtailed Romes contribution to the Eastern Front. If Mussolini persisted in foolishly declaring war on Greece (as might have happened in case of the loss of Libya) French and British forces together could have sustained a serious Greek war effort, although probably not enough to hold off the Germans.

In the Pacific, Japan occupied French Indochina (first in part, and then wholly) because of the collaboration of the Vichy regime. Had the French government remained at war with Germany, authorities in Indochina would have had both the means and the motivation to resist Japanese advances. Unless Tokyo was willing to risk an early war with the British (and possibly the Americans), it would have needed to seize French Indochina in the first days of its December 1941 offensive, which would have significantly delayed Japans larger offensive into Southeast Asia.

On the Other Hand

The biggest reason that many French decided to collaborate with the Nazis was fear of what Germany would otherwise do to occupied France. To be sure, the Germans took great care in 1940 and 1941 to assure the French of their (relatively) benign intentions. At the same time, the Germans looted what was left of the French military and the French treasury, funding the Nazi war machine as it undertook campaigns against Britain and the USSR. Still, France mostly avoided Polanisation, the complete destruction of the national unit that the Germans carried out in the East.

Recommended: Imagine a U.S. Air Force That Never Built the B-52 Bomber

Recommended: Russia's Next Big Military Sale - To Mexico?

Recommended: Would China Really Invade Taiwan?

Without a Vichy, the situation might have gone much worse for France, especially if the military continued an effective resistance from the Empire. The Germans always found some collaborators, and whether or not the French government continued to resist, some local authorities would have cooperated with the Nazis. But conditions in the occupied portions of France were worse than in Vichy, especially for those (Jews and political opponents) specifically targeted by the Nazi regime. In the south, Mussolinis Italy might have been able to carve away a bigger chunk of France that it eventually took control of.

The availability of French territory in Africa might have made both Franco and Hitler more amenable to each others entreaties, although much would depend on how effectively the French and the British fought Italy. At the extreme, persistence of French resistance in Africa might have forced Hitler to delay his invasion of the Soviet Union, although even in this case Germany lacked much in the way of means to bring the British and French to heel.

Parting Thoughts:

Many Frenchmen (led most notably by Charles de Gaulle) maintained an honorable resistance to the Germans, even after the armistice. By 1944, a strong resistance movement in metropolitan France was supported by the infusion of large numbers of troops from North Africa and elsewhere. So, as was the case with Poland, France did continue to fight, even after defeat.

Nevertheless, the eventual course of World War II put an especially bad light on the decision of the French military and political hierarchy to cease resistance against Germany. Even without foreknowledge of the German disaster in Russia, however, the French had meaningful means to resist Germany, and to continue to put pressure on the Nazi regime. The refusal of the bulk of the French government to continue the war, if under disadvantageous circumstance, undoubtedly extended the suffering of the European continent.

Robert Farley , a frequent contributor to TNI, is author of The Battleship Book . He serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky. His work includes military doctrine, national security, and maritime affairs. He blogs at Lawyers, Guns and Money and Information Dissemination and The Diplomat .

Read full articleThe devastating Carr Fire is now the eighth-largest wildfire in California state history. The blaze, which ignited on July 23 near Redding, has claimed the lives of at least seven people, as firefighters work to quell the flames.

The fire was caused by a minor incident. A couple, traveling with a trailer, got a flat tire. The steel rim for that tire scraped the asphalt, and the sparks lit up dry brush along the highway.

Rachel Pilli, a Redding resident, wanted to reach out to the couple, who blame themselves for igniting the blaze, to tell them that it wasnt their fault.

An inmate firefighter pauses during the Carr Fire near Redding, Calif., on July 27. (Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images)

I was thinking if I could send a card, maybe my friends would also send a card, Pilli told KRCR.

She took to social media to ask if anyone else would like to send the couple a note as well. The post was then put up on a Facebook page called Carr Fire Stories, where those affected by the fire could share stories of rebuilding their lives.

The post has gotten more than 500 comments since it was added to the page on Monday. Commenters have offered the couple forgiveness and assurance that they should not bear the blame for what transpired.

We had firefighters out there fighting the fire send notes; weve had counselors saying they would be willing to meet with the couple; weve had people whove lost everything, and they are even saying its not your fault, Hope Seth, the pages administrator, said. The grandfather Ed Bledsoe who lost his wife and grandchildren. His granddaughter, I believe, made a post about how they werent to blame.

Seth said she plans to print out the Facebook comments and add them to a physical letter to send to the couple.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.



Minnesota state Rep. Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary on Tuesday for the states 5th Congressional District, putting her on a path to make history.

Omar defeated four other Democratic candidates in a crowded race to fill the seat that opened up when Rep. Keith Ellison (D) announced his bid to become the states attorney general. Shell face Republican Jennifer Zielinski in Novembers general election. In the solidly Democratic district, Omar is the favorite to prevail.

If Omar wins the seat, she will become one of the nations first Muslim women in Congress  shell likely be joined in the historic feat by fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib, who won her primary for a House seat in Michigan last week. Tlaib is all but guaranteed to win in November in her heavily Democratic district, earning a spot in the nations history books.

For Omar  who was born in Somalia and spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the U.S. at age 12  breaking barriers will be nothing new. When she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016, she became the nations first Somali-American legislator.

I hope my candidacy would allow people to have the boldness to encourage people who dont fit into [a] particular demographic to seek office, she told HuffPost that year. To believe in the good will of the people to select someone they believe shares their vision and not necessarily their identity.

(Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Omar, a mother of three whos lived in Minnesota for two decades, is one of a record number of Muslim candidates running for office in 2018, along with an unprecedented number of women.

Shes also part of a movement of progressive candidates seeking to push the Democratic Party establishment further left. Omar is running on a progressive platform, including a $15 per hour minimum wage, Medicare for All and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She was endorsed by the Justice Democrats  the progressive political group that backed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York in her now-famous upset win.

Story continues

Omar on Tuesday night tweeted her thanks to those who helped her win the primary.

We started this campaign to prove people are ready and willing to fight for an America that works for all of us. To every staff member, volunteer, donor, and voter, this win is just as much yours as it is mine.



Together, we will move our district, state and nation forward.  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 15, 2018

Omars candidacy comes at a particularly trying time for Muslim Americans, who over the past couple of years have faced a spike in hate crimes amid President Donald Trumps election, as well as Islamophobic rhetoric and policies from the White House and a travel ban upheld by the Supreme Court that targets mostly Muslim-majority countries.

Oftentimes, you are told to be everything but bold, but I think that was important for me in running as a young person and running as someone who is Muslim, a refugee, an immigrant, Omar told HuffPost in 2016. To believe in the possibility that all of my identities and otherness would fade into the background, and that my voice as a strong progressive would emerge if I was bold and believed in that.

This story has been updated with Omars tweet.

Related Coverage

These Candidates Could Make History In November

These Candidates Could Be Americas First Muslim Women In Congress

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Brasilia (AFP) - Imprisoned leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's unlikely bid for Brazil's presidency took a big step forward Wednesday with the formal registration of his candidacy in the capital Brasilia.

About 10,000 red-clad Workers' Party faithful marched on the Supreme Electoral Court, where top Lula allies did the paperwork to name the two term ex-president, now in jail for corruption, as their champion in Brazil's October election.

"I registered my candidacy for the presidency of the republic..., certain that I can do a lot to pull Brazil from one of its worst crises in history," Lula, who leads in the polls, declared in a letter released to the party.

The gesture shook up an already wildly unpredictable contest which features a former army captain who praises Brazil's past dictatorship and an environmental campaigner among the other frontrunners.

"Today is a very important date. We came here to register comrade Lula's candidacy, despite those who didn't want it to happen," said Gleisi Hoffmann, head of the Workers' Party founded by Lula, after she emerged from court brandishing the official registration paper.

But the drama could prove little more than symbolic.

Lula only began serving a 12-year prison sentence for accepting a seaside apartment as a bribe this year and under Brazil's clean slate law he is likely to be barred. The electoral court will soon issue a ruling.

Supporters of the one-time shoeshine boy, who rose to become a hugely popular leader and major figure on the world stage during his 2003-2010 presidency, believe he has been deliberately excluded from the race.

Despite all his legal troubles, Lula easily heads opinion polls. At the same time, he has soaring rejection ratings, reflecting his evolution into an intensely divisive figure.

- Victim or culprit? -

Backers see Lula as a political prisoner persecuted by a vengeful right-wing that never forgave him for raising millions from poverty and attacking Brazil's shocking racial and social inequalities.

Story continues

Foes equate Lula, 72, with everything that has gone wrong in Brazil since his chosen Workers' Party successor Dilma Rousseff took over the presidency in 2011.

Rousseff was brought down in impeachment proceedings in 2016.

After years of recession, rising crime and a corruption scandal that sucked in everyone from Lula to many of his enemies, a large portion of Brazilians would be happy to see the Workers' Party founder also removed from the scene.

The New York Times published an article by Lula on Tuesday in which he branded his graft sentence -- which has been confirmed by an appeals court after a trial -- as "the latest phase in a slow-motion coup" against Brazil's left.

The "extreme right wing is seeking to knock me out of the race," Lula wrote.

Rousseff hammered home that claim on Wednesday, telling the energetic leftist crowd saying that the candidacy registration alone represented a triumph.

"They thought we would stop resisting but we're still on our feet," she said. "They have been defeated because the coup plotters have no candidate who can beat the Workers' Party candidate."

Among the other leaders representing Lula on Wednesday was former Sao Paulo governor Fernando Haddad, who is designated as vice president on Lula's ticket.

The electoral court has until September 17 to rule on Lula's candidacy registration. If Lula is barred, Haddad would likely run in his place, facing right-winger Jair Bolsonaro and center-leftist environmental campaigner Marina Silva among others.On August 13, NASA made history with the launch of the Parker Solar Probe, humanitys grand first attempt to touch the sun. But amid all the anticipation and fanfare, a different team of scientists continued work on its own solar mission, nearly halfway across the world from Cape Canaveral. The scientists have been laboring quietly for a decade, in the shadow of their global and regional competitors. Now, theyre ready for their own moment in the sun.

The team is from India, and its mission is launching the Aditya-L1, a satellite designed to study the solar corona, just like the Parker Solar Probe. Set to launch in 2019, Aditya  Sanskrit for sun  will be the Indian Space Agencys (ISRO) second high-profile space mission since it launched its Mars orbiter in 2013.

The Mars mission was meant to send the world a message: India is a force to be reckoned with in the international space race, and not only because of the nations advanced space technology. ISROs previous lunar and Mars missions were deployed at a fraction of NASAs enormous cost, and Aditya-L1s attempt to touch the sun aims to do the same. With Aditya-L1, India seems poised to advance its status among the global science community and, indeed, among private companies seeking a bargain on space exploration technology.

But some argue that Aditya-L1s race to touch the sun could  and should  be used to achieve another important goal: Giving India a leg up in the political and military sphere. Nearby Russia and China have established their scientific might in the international space race, and, depending on who you ask, have used their technological success to intimidate their slightly smaller (but no less populous) neighbor.

The solar mission is also, again, a mission that is being driven by the scientific community more than the political community, Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, the current Head of the Nuclear & Space Policy Initiative at Indias Observer Research Foundation, tells Inverse. This is an important mission, but theres a gap I see between the political establishment and the scientific establishment.

Story continues

Aditya-L1 will orbit the the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, about 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth. It's carrying seven payloads of delicate instruments to investigate the Sun's corona.

The solar mission is also, again, a mission that is being driven by the scientific community more than the political community.

A Shoestring Budget

If you were to imagine an Olympic podium of space research, the winners would be very clear, says Cameron Hickert, an expert on China-United States relations and a research assistant at Harvards Kennedy School of Foreign Affairs. Nobodys really talking about beating the US in the space realm, he tells Inverse. Thats why, when we talk about this space race, were thinking about the more feasible race that happens on the regional level.

Few would contest that NASA takes home the global gold when it comes to space. Trailing behind is Russias ROSCOSMOS, but theres a competition for bronze between India and China. If you ask Rajagopalan, who was the former assistant director of Indias National Security Council Secretariat, the reason India is neck and neck with China in the regional space race rather than far beyond it is because ISRO has long prided itself on its ability to cut costs. It wanted to show that it could achieve the same status of scientific inquiry and research without burning through cash at the rate of the United States or Russia.

ISRO has kind of shown itself as reliable and economically feasible  one of the cheaper options, she says. India has shown it is capable of undertaking a large and credible mission, but China is fast coming up in that regard.

India has prominently featured its space success stories on its currency.

Indias space program operates on roughly one-tenth of the budget of other programs across the world. Frugality, Rajagopalan explains, is not a choice made out of necessity but rather a strategic decision. Less expensive technology will always be more attractive to commercial space programs, which very likely wont stay loyal to technology from a single country if theres a safe, scientifically capable bargain to be had.

Hey, we can do what they do, but well do it for one-tenth of the cost.

ISRO is so committed to its mission that its insistent on going to space for less money than it costs Americans to make movies about it. In February, the Times of India reported that ISROs Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission is on track to cost less than $165 million  less than the budget for the movie Interstellar. The cost of its 2013 Mars orbiter mission was less than $100 million, the budget for Gravity.

According to ISRO budget documents obtained by Inverse, Aditya-L1 will be no exception, if it stays on track. Between 2016 and 2017, ISRO allocated 30 million rupees to Aditya-L1 research  about $428,000. Jitendra Singh, ISROs Minister of State, told the Mumbai Times in 2016 that the approved cost for Aditya-L1 is 378.53 crore, or roughly $55 million. In 2005, when NASA launched STEREO, a solar mission involving instruments similar to those on Aditya-L1, it cost $460 million in U.S. investment alone.

Theres definitely an emphasis on low-cost prototyping, Hickerson adds. Where they can basically turn to the world and say, Hey, we can do what they do, but well do it for one-tenth of the cost. Economically and scientifically, its a wise albeit ambitious goal. But to Rajagopalan, it suggests that India doesnt have its priorities straight.

Science Versus Politics

Although India has been able to undercut China costwise, Rajagopalan worries that China and India have different space priorities that might leave India vulnerable. The policy side of things is one aspect that India has not done well, she says. This is because ISRO, for decades, has focused purely on scientific exploration. For better or for worse, its projects have been led by scientists who are more interested in photographing the solar corona than, for instance, creating anti-satellite missiles.

Letting scientists take the reins has had its benefits. For one, its allowed Indias scientific community to grow and conduct research at its own pace. This has led to some notable innovations, like the launch of ISROs Mars orbiter, which was such a point of national pride that its now pictured on the 2,000-rupee bank note. But the apolitical nature of ISROs space program has left India vulnerable, Rajagopalan fears, because China, its main competitor, has no qualms about using space to indicate military might.

Rajagopalan cant forget January 11, 2007, the date China conducted an anti-satellite missile test that made headlines around the world. Though at the time it was well known that the US and Russia both had anti-satellite technology, China had always been a bit of a wildcard. Its missle test, Rajagopalan says, made ISRO nervously consider reallocating its resources to reframe the space program as an instrument for science as well as a means for national security.

The Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007 was a wake-up call for India, and it gave rise to a new set of debates within the country, she says. Because right now, we have three countries  the US, Russia, and China  so if there is a trend of developing anti-satellite technology, then India will follow so we are not outside the club.

Engineers at ISRO at work on India's Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan

In 2010, India went as far as to draft a technology roadmap to create an anti-satellite program by 2014. This was meant to show that, if it came to a show of arms, they too could stand on the podium with China. But as 2010 came and went, India still hadnt developed a way to shoot down enemy satellites. The Ministry of Defense drafted another call for ISRO to create anti-satellite technology earlier in 2018, but it seems that, at least for now, the space agency remains dedicated to science and exploration. Though this makes her nervous, Rajagopalan can admit the organization has executed well on its goals in the past, despite setbacks like the delay on its second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, which was delayed for the second time earlier in August.

ISRO is one public sector institution that has done India proud, she says. Its one of the rare public sections that has delivered. Theyve delivered on a number of different missions.

In light of this, India doubled down in its commitment to scientific exploration by promising citizens they would fly to the Sun, right on NASAs heels.

A Solar Mission Youve Never Heard Of

Aditya-L1 wont just be carrying the burden of Indias political and military concerns toward the center of our solar system. Along with the hopes of ISROs scientists, it will also carry seven payloads of delicate instruments intended to study the solar corona, the part of the suns atmosphere that burns nearly 300 times hotter than its core. The data gathered by those gadgets, designed also by ISROs engineers, will be key to advancing Indias status among its space-faring peers.

While Aditya-L1 wont get as close to the corona as NASAs solar probe  the plan is to hover nearby enough to take good photographs  it has a couple of tricks up its sleeve, too.

After the very successful Mars mission, Aditya-L1 is our second dedicated mission to astrophysics, Durgesh Tripathi, Ph.D., the primary investigator for Aditya-L1 and an engineer at Indias Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, tells Inverse. This is the first solar mission of ISRO. So there are a number of important factors.

To Tripathi, the crown jewel of Aditya-L1 is its visible emission line coronograph (VELC), a special type of telescope that can take pictures of the magnetic field surrounding the solar corona. The VELC will study the solar corona in detail by taking pictures of it every second for the estimated five years it will hang in orbit.

The uniqueness of it [Aditya-L1] is continuous observations and measurement of coronal magnetic field, Tripathi says. The payload VELC shall provide measurements of coronal magnetic field for the first time from space using spectro-polarimetric observations.

The photos that NASAs STEREO spacecraft, launched toward a solar orbit in 2006, has snapped of the corona have been invaluable for research. In July, analysis of those photographs revealed fine-grained structures showing that there is actually a physical structure to the suns atmosphere  something that scientsits had before only guessed at. ISRO hopes that by taking its own photos of the solar corona on condensed intervals, it may be able to reveal even more levels of detail about what this structure does and how it might impact the solar winds that emerge from this area in the suns atmosphere. It could pave the way for future missions  the same way STEREO did for NASAs Parker Probe.

This scientific value is just part of the value of Aditya-L1, Rajagopalan says. Every now and then India has felt that they need to do some kind of big light show to demonstrate that we are a capable space player when it comes to writing the rules and regulations.

That light show, at least for the time being, seems to be Aditya-L1.

Photos via ISRO (1, 2, 3), Reddit , NASA, Flickr / Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, Flickr / dcysurfer / Dave Young, Flickr / Hubble Space Telescope / ESA, Flickr / NASA on The Commons, Wikimedia

More From InverseThe school will show the second episode at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday, Sept. 4, which is the day after Labor Day. After that, showings will be on Mondays, a day after the show airs on Starz, except for the finale, which will be shown on a Sunday, Oct. 28. Also, the first episode will be screened with discussion at L!VE Cafe in Oak Park at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26. That event is sold out, according to L!VE Cafes website.JERUSALEM (AP)  The Israeli military said on Wednesday its investigation into one of the bloodiest incidents of the 2014 war in the Gaza Strip found no criminal wrongdoing by Israeli forces and there were no grounds to prosecute any troops.

The announcement drew condemnations from Palestinians and human rights advocates, who accused the military of a whitewash.

The investigation focused on an Aug. 1, 2014, battle in the southern Gaza town of Rafah that erupted after an Israeli military officer was feared abducted by Palestinian militants during a cease-fire. Over 110 Palestinians were killed in daylong fighting, and Palestinian witnesses had complained of heavy and indiscriminate shelling by Israeli forces.

Following what it called a comprehensive investigation, the army said its military advocate general determined "a criminal investigation is not warranted into the incidents that occurred during the fighting."

Fearing a soldier had fallen into enemy hands, Israel invoked its "Hannibal" procedure  a protocol that allowed the heavy use of force to prevent the capture of a comrade. Israeli forces attacked the area with artillery fire, tanks shells and airstrikes.

At the time, Palestinian residents described a terrifying ordeal as they fled their homes and searched for cover amid heavy shelling of their neighborhood, located on the outskirts of the city. Human rights groups identified 121 people killed and accused Israel of committing war crimes by allegedly using disproportionate or indiscriminate force and failing to distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The Israeli investigation identified over 110 dead  including 42 militants and up to 72 civilians who were "unintentionally killed." In one instance, it said 16 civilians were killed in an airstrike on a family home that was targeted due to faulty intelligence.

But it said all of its actions had "clear and legitimate military purposes" and found no evidence that attacks were indiscriminate, aimed at civilians or motivated by revenge.

Story continues

"The MAG did not find that the actions of the IDF forces that were examined raised grounds for a reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct," it said. "The MAG found that the IDF's policy with respect to the use of firepower during the fighting whether by tanks, by artillery and mortars, or from the air  accorded with Israeli domestic law and international law requirements."

The "Hannibal" directive was canceled by the military in 2016 following heavy criticism. Last year, the military introduced a revised version.

Human rights groups have accused the Israeli military of ignoring or covering up wrongdoing in its investigations over the years. B'Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights group, condemned the latest findings.

"The military advocate general proves again that no matter how high the number of Palestinians killed is, nor how arbitrary the circumstances of their killing by the military was, the Israeli whitewash mechanism he heads will find a way to bury the facts," it said.

Wael al-Namla, who lost three family members that day, said the army's findings were "crazy." Al-Namla, as well as his toddler son, both lost legs in the shelling as well.

"They were bombing us from the ground and air randomly. They did not just violate the human rights, they forgot that there were humans in Rafah," he said. "I want an independent international investigation that can guarantee my rights."

The 2014 war was the third and most devastating round of fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers. Over 2,200 Palestinians were killed, including hundreds of civilians, and widespread damage was inflicted on Gaza's infrastructure. During the 50-day war, 73 people were killed on the Israeli side and continued rocket fire on Israeli cities disrupted life throughout large parts of the country.

The Palestinians are seeking to press war crimes charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The court's prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation, but not made a decision on whether to move ahead with a case.

A key factor in that decision could be whether the prosecutor believes Israel's own investigations into actions by its troops are credible.

___

Associated Press writer Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.(Bloomberg)  Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini seized on the collapse of a bridge in northern Italy to question whether his country should respect European Union budget constraints.

The failure of a roughly 50-year-old suspension bridge in Genoa shows how important it is to increase investment spending in Italy, Salvini told reporters Tuesday in Catania, Sicily, hinting that EU spending limits had put lives at risk.

If external constraints prevent us from spending to have safe roads and schools, then it really calls into question whether it makes sense to follow these rules, Salvini, who heads the euroskeptic League, said. There can be no tradeoff between fiscal rules and the safety of Italians.

At least 20 people were killed when the structure, part of the main highway running along Italys Mediterranean coast, gave way, the Associated Press reported.

The tragedy comes as Italys anti-establishment coalition is preparing its 2019 budget, with Salvini and his populist ally Luigi Di Maio of the Five Star Movement already demanding want the EU bend its rules on deficit targets to allow them to boost spending and cut taxes. Previous Italian governments have long pressed for certain types of investment to be excluded from EU calculations and Salvini made it clear he plans to use the Genoa disaster to press that point.

In the coalition agreement presented in May, the League and Five Star said theyd seek a deal with other EU members and the European Commission to exclude some investments from deficit calculations to allow for consolidating economic growth and the countrys development.

Concerns that Five Stars planned citizens income and the Leagues flat tax would widen Italys budget deficit, combined with contagion from Turkeys currency crisis, sent the spread between Italian and German bond yields to the widest since early June on Monday.Grand-Alepe (Cote d'Ivoire) (AFP) - "We're not earning anything from it any more, we have nothing," says a rubber farmer in Ivory Coast, Africa's top producer, where revenues from natural rubber have been slashed by global oversupply.

Over the past decade, world rubber prices skyrocketed only to quickly slump to the point where they are now a fifth of what they once were because of a glut in the market, with many Ivorian producers seeing their profits vanish into thin air.

Farmers and the country's natural rubber association APROMAC, which represents the sector, also blame the high state taxes.

Ivory Coast accounts for 60 percent of Africa's rubber output and ranks seventh in terms of global production, with a predicted output of 720,000 tonnes in 2018, up from 468,000 tonnes in 2016 and 603,000 last year.

And that figure is set to grow by 20 percent over the next three years.

But despite the increase in production, individual income has fallen.

The history of rubber production in Ivory Coast dates back to France's epic defeat in the 1954 battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam.

That triggered the collapse of France's colonial empire in Indochina, and the loss of its vast rubber plantations in the region, which were key for manufacturers like French tyre maker Michelin.

It was then that the first rubber seeds were sown in Ivory Coast, which had been under French colonial rule since the late 19th century, although the production of latex there would remain insignificant until 2009.

In that year, rubber production surged thanks to an ambitious investment plan by the rubber development foundation (FDH) worth 40 million euros ($56 million at the time).

Over the past nine years, the plan has funded the creation of 110,000 hectares (270,000 acres) of new rubber plantations as well as new rural roads.

It has also funded training, notably in the art of rubber tapping, a meticulous process in which farmers make circular incisions in the tree's bark to allow its milky sap, or latex, to collect in a cup attached to the trunk.

Story continues

And the farmers were quickly able to benefit from global prices which back in 2010 reached $5,000 per tonne as Asian rubber production fell, causing a drop in supply at a time when the oil price was also high.

Rubber prices are linked to that of crude because of the tyre industry, which uses a mix of natural and synthetic petroleum-based products.

But the sudden explosion of the rubber industry was to cost the country's all-important cocoa sector, Ivory Coast being the world's biggest producer.

Even in regions in the east and west of the country where cocoa reigned supreme, farmers caught up in the frenzy pulled up their established crops to plant rubber seedlings.

Rubber trees can be tapped for their latex for 10 months of the year and "generate a consistent monthly income, unlike cocoa which is harvested twice a year," explains rubber producer Justin Okingni.

- From boom to bust -

But its success was short-lived, and things began going downhill in 2011.

"Today we can hardly get $1,000 a tonne," says APROMAC president Eugene Kremien, a former civil servant who left his job to go into rubber farming some 35 years ago and who owns a manufacturing plant.

The problem for Ivory Coast's 160,000 rubber farmers was the arrival of additional supply onto the market. Some 100,000 hectares of trees reached maturity in Malaysia.

Within three years, world production levels rocketed from nine million tonnes in 2014 to 13 million last year.

And demand has not kept up.

- A new dream? -

In Alepe, an Ivorian town in the southeast, farmers who had cleared their land of cocoa to cash in on the latex boom see little hope for the future.

"Being a rubber farmer has become a synonym for being poor," Herbert Adou Bokpet says heavily, an expression of defeat on his face as he contemplates his 10-hectare plantation.

Fellow farmer Magloire Mambo blames the state.

"Rubber farmers have been reduced to poverty by taxes," he charges, referring to the government's move back in 2011 to levy an additional five percent tax on turnover.

"You don't usually tax turnover, you tax profits," says APROMAC's Kremien, denouncing the measure for "syphoning off the cash flow to factory owners and blocking their processing capacity."

Ivory Coast has the capacity to transform its natural rubber into semi-finished products before export, but its production capacity has barely been able to handle the increased output since the tax was put in place.

APROMAC is urging the government to drop the tax, and it is also demanding exemptions on the import of industrial machinery in the hope of realising a new dream, Kremien says: that of "manufacturing tyres that are 'Made in Ivory Coast' by 2025."Sebastien Roblin

Security, Asia

So what goes in their place?

Has Japan Just Given Up on the Tank?

The JSDF was uncommonly forward-thinking when it appreciated that a traditionally high-value assetits main battle tankswere expensive to maintain yet unlikely to be useable in many plausible conflict scenarios. Whether the Type 16 is an ideal solution may be debatable, but recognizing when a cherished platform no longer provides good value for money invested is a skill that many militaries across the world could benefit from.

The Japanese Ground Self Defense Force has the unusual challenge of defending an archipelago of 6,852 islands that stretches over two thousand miles. Deploying powerful Type 90 and Type 11 Main Battle Tanks weighing around fifty tons to defend the smaller one would prove extremely difficultso Tokyo has decided to eventually ditch half of its heavy tanks in favor of cannon-toting armored cars it can stuff into a cargo plane.

(This first appeared last month.)

During World War II, Japan deployed independent light tank units to fortified island across the Pacific. However, in battles such as Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and even the Soviet invasion of the Kuriles, Japanese tanks fared poorly in the face of superior Allied firepower. For example, in 1944 at Peleliu island, fifteen Japanese Type 95 light tanks weighing eight tons charged a beleaguered U.S. beachheadand were blasted to pieces by thirty-five-ton M4A2 Sherman tanks in a matter of minutes.

During the Cold War, Japan perceived a Soviet invasion from the north as its primary threat, and deployed beefier fifty-ton tanks like the Type 74 and Type 90 to a relatively static defense strategy. In the twenty-first century, however, Tokyo is more concerned it may clash with China on the small islands of its southern flank. While the uninhabited Senkaku Islands (called the Diaoyu by China) have caused the most heated disputes with China, Beijing-backed scholars have begun arguing that the Ryukyus island chainwhich host over a million Japanese citizens and includes a major U.S. military base at Okinawais historically Chinese territory.

Story continues

The JSDF decided to trade out much of its heavy armor for vehicles it can swiftly deploy to these widely dispersed islands, planning to cut down its MBT fleet from 740 to 300 vehicles (Japan currently operates 440 Type 90s and 11s.) But would the new light armor muster the firepower to deal more effectively with enemy tanks than the hapless Type 95s of World War II? Japans solution was to reach back for a concept dating back to World War IItank destroyers.

In the early 1940s, the U.S. Army conceived of relatively fast vehicles equipped with tank-busting cannons to ambush enemy armor and provide fire support for the infantrybut which lacked the heavy armor to, say, lead a breakthrough into enemy territory. Despite vehicles like the M10 Wolverine being essentially less-well-armored tanks used primarily for infantry support rather than in massed units as envisioned, U.S. tank destroyers were surprisingly successful on the battlefield.

Japans twenty-first-century tank destroyer is the Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle, an eight-wheeled armored car with a 105-millimeter gun situated in a three-man turret. The MCV has a crew of four and weighs twenty-eight tonsstill twenty tons less than Japans compact Type 10 Main Battle Tanks. This is light enough to fit in Japans new Kawasaki short-takeoff-or-landing C-2 transport jets for rapid deployment to modest airfields on far-flung Japanese islands. However, critics point out that MCVs nearly max out the thirty-two-ton to thirty-seven-ton payload limit of the C-2 cargo jet, meaning a company of twelve Type 16s might require twenty C-2s (out of fifty to sixty planned for service) to lift once support personnel, fuel, ammunition and so forth are accounted for.

The MCVs 105-millimeter gun has a fifty-two-caliber rifled barrel and is derived from the famous British L7 gun used on the Centurion and Leopard I tank. A human loader loads hefts either kinetic Type 93 Armor Piercing Fin-Discarding Sabot Rounds for maximum penetrating power, or dual-purpose Type 91 High-Explosive Anti-Tank rounds, which also work against soft targets. A 7.62-millimeter machine gun is mounted coaxially next to the cannon, while an M2 .50-caliber machinegun is perched on the turret for anti-aircraft defense.

Recommended: How China Plans to Win a War Against the U.S. Navy

Recommended: How the Air Force Would Destroy North Korea

Recommended: 10 Reasons No Nation Wants to Fight Israel

The commander makes use of a panoramic sight to spot targets and engage the hunter-killer fire-control system adapted from the Type 10 tank, automatically slewing the gun to track the target. The gunner then makes adjustments peering through a night/day thermal sight.

The Type 16s gun has a recoil-absorption mechanism that reduces the shock on the vehicle and stabilizes the gun on target for follow up shots. This is critical, because the U.S. Armys twenty-one-ton M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun System, another eight-wheeler with a 105-millimeter gun, was so battered by the recoil of its main gun that its computers sometimes shut down.

The MCVs wedge-shaped front and side use spaced armorarmored plates separated by an empty gapand can mount modular armor, which could theoretically include explosive-reactive bricks or composite plates. The dimensions of the Type 16s steel armor have not been publicized, although the frontal armor can reportedly withstand the twenty-millimeter or thirty-millimeter autocannons commonly found on other light armored vehicles, and possibly light infantry anti-tank weapons. The side armor more is modestly rated against heavy machine-gun rounds and heavy artillery splinters.

Two laser-warning receivers that alert the crew if they are painted by targeting lasers from the frontal arcs, giving them a chance to employ two four-cell smoke-grenade dischargers to obscure themselves. Critics have noted, however, that the vehicle lacks strong belly armor for protection against mines and IEDs, as the JSDF does not anticipate waging counter-insurgency warfare defending Japanese soil.

The MCVs 540-horsepower liquid-cooled diesel engine can scoot it along at over sixty miles per hour, and its eight wheels each benefit from independent oil-hydraulic suspension for decent all-terrain mobility and gun recoil absorption. The Michelin tires can also be selectively inflated or deflated to conform with terrain. The controversial decision to eschew the all-terrain mobility of tracks was made due to much lower operating costs and superior speed while using road infrastructure.

Obviously, the MCV is designed more for defensive ambushes and wouldnt survive hits from tank main guns or long-range anti-tank guided missiles. However, U.S. tank destroyers engaged better-armored German tanks scored favorable kill ratios simply because their defensive role usually meant they spotted and hit the enemy first, which is a better predictor of victory in tank warfare than heavier armor.

Another issue is that even with modernized ammunition, the MCVs 105-millimeter gun may struggle to penetrate the armor of heavier contemporary main battle tanks like the Chinese Type 99. However, lighter tanks are more likely to be deployed by adversaries in an island-invasion scenario.

Currently, there are roughly seventy MCVs serving in the Japanese Armys 8th Division and 6th Brigade, with thirty more on order and a few hundred more possible. Type 16s have already been incorporated into the 15th and 42nd Rapid Reaction Regiments of the 14th Brigade and 8th Division respectively. These are light mechanized units incorporating organic heavy mortar and short-range air defense detachments designed to quickly relieve the southern islands. There are planned to equip at least two more newly rapid-reaction regiments in the 6th Division and 11th Brigade, as well as the 4th divisions reconnaissance battalion. And, most importantly, the MCVs have already seen action in the latest Godzilla movie!

The JSDF was uncommonly forward-thinking when it appreciated that a traditionally high-value assetits main battle tankswere expensive to maintain yet unlikely to be useable in many plausible conflict scenarios. Whether the Type 16 is an ideal solution may be debatable, but recognizing when a cherished platform no longer provides good value for money invested is a skill that many militaries across the world could benefit from.

Sebastien Roblin holds a masters degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring .

Image: Creative Commons.

Read full articleBy Linda Sieg TOKYO (Reuters) - Emperor Akihito, in his last appearance as reigning monarch at an annual ceremony marking Japan's World War Two surrender, expressed "deep remorse" on Wednesday over the conflict, while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed no repeat of the horror of war. Early in the day, Abe sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead but did not visit out of apparent consideration for ties with South Korea and China. Past visits by Japanese leaders to the shrine have outraged China and South Korea because it honours 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal, along with war dead. China's relations with Japan have long been haunted by what Beijing sees as Tokyo's failure to atone for its occupation of parts of China before and during World War Two, although ties have thawed recently. Japan occupied Korea from 1910-1945 and bitter memories rankle. A silver-haired Akihito, 84, who will abdicate next year, spoke at the memorial for war dead after a moment of silence. "Thinking of the peaceful times that have extended for many years after the war, reflecting on our past and with a feeling of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated," said Akihito, who was accompanied by a kimono-clad Empress Michiko. Akihito has carved out a role as a symbol of peace, democracy and reconciliation during his three decades on the throne, visiting wartime battlefields to pray for the dead of all nationalities. His remarks on Wednesday echoed those he first spoke on the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, which were seen by many liberals and moderate conservatives as a subtle rebuke to Abe, who has said future generations should not have to keep apologising for the conflict. "I will humbly face the past and resolutely uphold this promise," the prime minister said on Wednesday. 'WRONG PRACTICES' In Beijing, the foreign ministry said, "The Yasukuni Shrine enshrines Class A war criminals who were directly responsible for the war of aggression. "We firmly oppose the wrong practices of the Japanese side," the ministry said in a statement. South Korea's foreign ministry expressed "deep regret" over Abe's sending of an offering to the shrine. "Our government urges Japan's political leaders to show a serious introspection and sincere attitude of self-reflection towards past history," the ministry said in a statement. Separately, a group of about 50 conservative Japanese lawmakers including Shinjiro Koizumi, the popular son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, who is often spoken of as a future premier, paid their respects at the Yasukuni Shrine. Ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masahiko Shibayama, who made the offering on Abe's behalf, said the prime minister asked him to pray for the souls of the departed and that Abe regretted being unable to pay his respects in person. Abe has only visited the shrine in person once since taking office in 2012. That December 2013 visit angered China and South Korea and prompted an expression of disappointment from ally the United States. Since then, he has sent offerings on Aug. 15 and Yasukuni's twice-yearly festivals. Akihito's father, Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japanese fought World War Two, stopped visiting Yasukuni after the wartime leaders were first honoured by the shrine in 1978, and Akihito does not pay his respects there. (Additional reporting by Mayuko Ono and Hyonhee Shin; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Michael Perry and Darren Schuettler)HOUSTON  A Jordanian immigrant was sentenced to death on Tuesday after being convicted in what prosecutors described as the honor killings of his daughters American husband and an Iranian womens rights activist in Texas.

Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan was found guilty of capital murder last month in the 2012 fatal shootings of his son-in-law, Coty Beavers, and his daughters best friend, Gelareh Bagherzadeh. Jurors in Houston deliberated for just 35 minutes  after five weeks of testimony  before reaching the verdict , and the sentencing phase of the trial took another two weeks.

Prosecutors say the 60-year-old conservative Muslim became enraged after his daughter, Nesreen Irsan, married Beavers, a 28-year-old Christian, and converted to Christianity. Investigators said Bagherzadeh had encouraged Nesreen Irsan to marry Beavers.

Irsans wife, Shmou Alrawabdeh, testified at trial that her husband tried to clean his honor with the killings.

Police said Irsan, his wife and their son, Nasim, followed Bagherzadeh to her parents home in January 2012, and that Nasim Isran shot her in her car. Nasim Irsan is awaiting trial on a capital murder charge in the two killings.

Eleven months later, Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan slipped into Beavers unlocked apartment near Houston, waited for his daughter to leave for work, then shot his son-in-law, according to Alrawabdeh, who testified as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Irsan portrayed himself as a devoted father who became upset after his daughter ran away from home. At trial, Irsan told jurors that he wasnt involved in the deaths. He said his daughter had caused his family pain by marrying Beavers.

The daughter, Nesreen Irsan, testified that she had to obtain a protective order to prevent her family from harassing her after she moved out. Alrawabdeh told jurors that her husband had also planned to kill his daughter.

Irsan, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced to federal prison in 2015 for scamming the Social Security Administration.Kellyanne Conways husband, George Conway, slammed President Donald Trumps behavior in the White House on Twitter Tuesday.

George Conway spotted an analogy made by Philip Bump, a national correspondent for The Washington Post, that considered how Trumps remarks about his staff would sound coming from a CEO about his business employees. The president recently called former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a crazed, crying lowlife and a dog.

How would the board of a company react if the CEO told them that he hadn't fired an unqualified employee who was disliked by coworkers because the employee constantly praised him? https://t.co/HmVOcYaceK  Philip Bump (@pbump) August 14, 2018

George Conway took the analogy a step further, pointing out the problems a business would have if its CEO consistently lied, attacked its partners and got cozy with a dangerous competitor  a clear nod to Trumps interactions with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Interesting analogy. Likewise, what if a CEO routinely made false and misleading statements about himself, the company, and results, and publicly attacked business partners, company divisions (w/ scare quotes!), employees, and analysts, and kowtowed to a dangerous competitor? https://t.co/dTjUk7kApQ  George Conway (@gtconway3d) August 14, 2018

George Conways response almost immediately went viral.

This isn't the first time George Conway has gone rogue and veered off-course from the presumed political beliefs of his wife, who is the chief counselor to the president.

Earlier this year, the high-profile attorney questioned claims made by Trumps legal team that the president hadnt violated campaign finance laws with his payment of $130,000 to Stephanie Clifford to silence an alleged encounter between the adult film star and the president.

Story continues

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the proposed tobacco excise tax increase will generate more revenue for the government's health care program and at the same time encourage Filipinos to be health conscious.

Duque made the statement in a media briefing Wednesday, in relation to the passage of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Bill, a measure certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The proposed tax increase will help fund the proposed Universal Health Care system, once it is signed into law.

"To make the UHC (Universal Health Care) feasible, we are looking at the proposed increase in tobacco tax particularly to cover the premium payment of the non-contributory sector," Duque said in the presser.

"Not only will it increase the funding for UHC, tobacco taxes are also estimated to reduce smoking prevalence- thereby translating to lower number of cases of cancer and non-communicable diseases, which are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the country," he added.

Duque said the officials are supporting the proposal to raise tobacco excise tax to 90 pesos from 35 pesos per cigarette pack.

He, however, said Congress still has the final decision on the suggested tax increase.

"Kung maipapasa, at sana naman ay maipasa ang 90 pesos na panukala ay malaking tulong ito sa pagtustos ng ating programa ng PhilHealth."

(Translation: If the P90 increase is approved, and hopefully it will be approved, it will be a big help for our program in PhilHealth.)

The government, through Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Law, aims to finance the Universal Health Care program by increasing excise taxes on tobacco and alcoholic products, among others.

Wise investment

Duque said universal health care can be costly, but will be a good investment in the long run.

"Funding universal health requires significant investment from the government. I would like to highlight, however, that investing in UHC is actually a wise investment, because it is investing in our people," he said.

The Health Secretary said the program will not entirely rely on the excise taxes tobacco and alcohol, but will also gather from other tariffs imposed by the government.

Proceeds will go to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to cover premium payment of members. This will sustain full coverage for the citizens, according to the Health Department.

Duque said once signed into law, the UHC bill will help reduce poverty by "protecting Filipinos from the high cost of health care."

Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address last month, urged lawmakers to prioritize the passage of the measure.A: I love learning the culture that comes with it. It is truly eye-opening when you meet people who share a different culture. It is exciting to learn the different backgrounds and old-fashioned [and] new signs from different regions.A family is searching for answers after a 19-year-old seemingly vanished from Arizona a little over a week ago.

Kiera Bergman was reportedly last seen after leaving work on Aug. 4 in Glendale, but its not clear what happened to her afterward.

Her parents, who live in San Diego, California, are now waiting for any leads as police investigate the case.

Bergmans mother, Kiersten Bragg, told "Good Morning America" she last heard from her daughter in text message on July 30 but said the teen was not her normal, happy self

We are going to find her, we are going to find out what happened and we're going to bring her home, Bragg said.

She explained that her daughter moved to Arizona from San Diego in March and was living with her boyfriend.

Bragg told News 12 Bergman started changing when she started dating this guy, emphasizing that she is not the type of person to vanish and not contact her family or friends.

The teen reportedly left her purse and car at home before she went missing.

Her disappearance is unique, in that we dont have any answers and no leads as to where she currently might be, and this is out of character for her to not speak with friends or family, Phoenix police Sgt. Vincent Lewis told the station.

The case is currently being investigated as a missing persons case, police added.

Im very scared ... I just want her home, Bragg told News 12.

RELATED STORIES

As Mollie Tibbetts Search Enters 4th Week, a Look at Other Women Gone Missing

New Video Shows Missing College Student Mollie Tibbetts the Day Before She Vanished

The Anatomy of a Disappearance: A Look at the Mollie Tibbetts Case Since She Vanished 3 Weeks Ago

Related Articles:Alexandria (United States) (AFP) - Lawyers will begin closing arguments Wednesday in the explosive trial of former Donald Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort, after which the veteran political operative's fate will rest with the jury.

After hearing some 20 witnesses for prosecutors describe how Manafort allegedly evaded taxes on millions of dollars and repeatedly lied to banks as he borrowed millions more, a jury of 12 could begin deliberating on the case as early as late Wednesday.

Lawyers for Manafort, 69, who faces 18 counts related to tax and bank fraud, had tried to get federal Judge T.S. Ellis to throw out some or all of the charges against him, but Ellis rejected the motion.

In a two-week trial that highlighted Manafort's lavish spending on clothing, including $15,000 for an ostrich-skin bomber jacket and landscaping one of his homes with a flower bed shaped like the letter "M," the jury heard from a former partner and a former accountant on how the longtime political consultant doctored his accounts and laundered tens of millions of dollars through offshore banks.

Defense attorneys rested their case without calling witnesses on Manafort's behalf.

"The reason Mr Manafort put on no witnesses in his defense is that his lawyers and he believed that they created doubt through their examination of the government's witnesses," said Jacob S. Frenkel, a former US federal prosecutor and partner at Dickinson Wright law firm.

"The challenge for the government is to present the case to the jury as a very simple case. That is Mr Manafort had an obligation to pay taxes, complete his tax returns correctly and be truthful in borrowing from banks.

"If the government can keep it simple, then the case for the jury may be compelling," Frenkel said.

It is the first case to be tried that is tied to the sprawling investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which is focused on possible illegal collusion between President Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia.

Story continues

Trump has denounced the probe as a politically motivated "witch hunt" and denied there was any collusion with Moscow to defeat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

While several others charged in the investigation, including former Manafort aide Richard Gates, have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate in the Mueller probe, Manafort has maintained his innocence.

Yet Trump and the 2016 election campaign were barely mentioned during the trial.

The charges against Manafort relate mostly to his handling of money he earned working for Russian-favored politicians in Ukraine from 2005 to 2014, including helping tycoon Viktor Yanukovych become president in 2010.

Besides the trial underway in the US district court in Alexandria, Virginia, Manafort faces multiple charges of conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction of justice filed separately by Mueller's team in a court in Washington.An Afghan soldier keeps watch at a checkpoint on the Ghazni-Kabul highway - REUTERS

Taliban fighters overran a northern Afghan army base, officials said Tuesday, killing at least 17 soldiers with dozens feared captured in a stinging blow to security forces already struggling to push insurgents from eastern Ghazni.

The fall of the base in Ghormach district of volatile Faryab province came with security forces - who have struggled to hold back the Taliban since Nato combat troops pulled out in 2014 - already stretched by the days of fighting in Ghazni, a strategic provincial capital two hours from Kabul.

Militants gained control of the base after days of heavy fighting, according to army spokesman for northern Afghanistan, Mohammad Hanif Rezaee.

He said around 100 soldiers were on the base when it was first attacked Sunday.

"It is a tragedy that the base fell to the enemy. Some soldiers were killed, some captured and some fled to nearby hills," Mr Rezaee told AFP.

Afghan children ride in a vehicle as they flee their houses following heavy fighting in Ghazni Province Credit: REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail

At least 17 were killed in the attack, according to defence ministry spokesman Ghafoor Ahmad Jawed, while a local MP said Taliban fighters captured another 40 in the base, known as Chenaya.

"Preparations are underway to launch an operation to recapture the base," said the ministry's spokesman.

Tahir Rehmani - head of Faryab's provincial council - said the base fell after the soldiers begged for reinforcements and air support from Kabul but were ultimately ignored.

"They were too busy with Ghazni," said Mr Rehmani.

Ghazni, further east and which the Taliban first assaulted late Thursday, remains in government hands, officials have said.

But the insurgents appeared entrenched there Tuesday, according to residents who said they were burning buildings, killing civilians and firing on security forces conducting a clearing operation.

Afghanistan puff

Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and under intense pressure, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led Nato troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

Story continues

The attack on Ghazni is the largest tactical onslaught by the Taliban since an unprecedented truce in June brought fighting between security forces and the Taliban to a brief stop, providing battle-worn Afghans some welcome relief.

Analysts have said the insurgents may also be seeking to demonstrate strength as they come under increasing pressure since the ceasefire to join peace talks.

The assault in Ghazni and the fall of the base also illustrate the challenges facing Afghan forces as they battle insurgents across the country, said analyst Abdul Hamid Sofof.

"The Taliban know this and they make Afghan forces fight on several fronts, making them run thin and vulnerable to their mobile attacks," said Mr Sofof.CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 22 primary school children drowned on Wednesday when a boat carrying more than 40 people sank while crossing the Nile in northern Sudan, state news agency SUNA said. Civil defence forces were searching the waters for the bodies of the missing children, the agency added. A female hospital employee also drowned. It said the boat's engine failed in a high current while it was cross the river to a school in Kabna, a small village in northern Sudan. The woman was identified as a hospital employee in the village. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Amina Ismail; Editing by Sami Aboudi and Matthew Mpoke Bigg)Tripoli (AFP) - A Libyan court on Wednesday sentenced to death by firing squad 45 militiamen for killing demonstrators in Tripoli during the 2011 uprising against dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the justice ministry said.

It was the highest number of death sentences passed by a Libyan court in a single case since the overthrow of Kadhafi's regime seven years ago.

Dozens of demonstrators were killed on August 21, 2011 when pro-regime militiamen opened fire near the Abu Slim district of the capital as rebel forces closed in on the capital, eight months into a NATO-backed revolt.

The ministry said in a statement that 54 other defendants were sentenced to five years in jail, 22 were acquitted, and three others had died before the verdict was reached.

The case against three other defendants was closed without a reason stated.

Kadhafi, who had ruled the country since a 1969 coup, was killed in October 2011 near his hometown of Sirte, south of the capital.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since the uprising, with two rival authorities and a myriad of militias vying for control of territory and the country's vast oil wealth.

An agreement struck in Paris in May to hold elections by the end of this year has done little to calm tensions.

Taking advantage of years of chaos, people smugglers have established Libya as a major transit point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe.

On top of insecurity and violence, ordinary Libyans have been hard hit by power cuts, fuel shortages and sharp rises in the price of basic goods.A professional pilot has died after crashing a plane into his own house following an argument with his wife.

Duane Youd flew the Cessna Citation jet into his 500,000 home in Payson, Utah.

His wife and her son, who were both inside, walked away unhurt.

The 47-year-old is reported to have taken the drastic course of action on Monday hours after being arrested for domestic assault.

Investigators believe that Youd, a medical evacuation pilot, took a plane belonging to his employer for the unorthodox mission.

Video posted online shows the house engulfed in flames but later pictures show the building still very much standing and intact. The plane lies entirely shattered and charred on the front lawn.

Sergeant Noemi Sandoval of Payson police said the tragedy unfolded after Youd and wife, Sandy, had been arguing after drinking.

The pair  who had been having marriage guidance  went for a walk to talk but he is reported to have assaulted her at the nearby American Fork Canyon.

Duane Youd (AP)

Police arrested him on suspicion of domestic violence  the second time in just a few weeks he had been detained on such a charge  and then bailed him.

Youd, a father of a 17-year-old son, requested an escort to go to his home and collect his truck and some belongings around midnight local time, which occurred without incident, Sgt Sandoval said.

But at roughly 2.30am on Tuesday, he took off from the Spanish Fork-Springville Airport, 15 miles north of his house.

The plane barely missed power lines and other homes as it flew directly into Youds own house, Sgt Sandoval added.

The US Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.After winning a Democratic primary Tuesday night to replace current US House representative Keith Ellison in Minnesotas Fifth Congressional District, Muslim-American refugee Ilhan Omar is poised to become the first Somali, hijab-wearing Muslim to serve in Congress.

Omar, now 36, immigrated to the US with her family 20 years ago, escaping war-ravaged Somalia. She has served in the state legislature since 2016, becoming the first Somali-American legislator in US history. She announced her bid for the Fifth Congressional District earlier this year after Rep. Ellison announced he would not seek reelection. The district is strongly Democratic and many politics watchers expect Omar to handily win in November.

During a rally after the announcement of her primary win, the mother of three told supporters that she still thinks back to her childhood in refugee camps and what her US political career would mean for that child.

In my last race, I talked about what my win would have meant for that eight-year-old girl in that refugee camp, she said. And today, today, I still think about her and I think about the kind of hope and optimism all of those eight-year-olds around the country and around the world get from seeing your beautiful faces elect and believe in someone like me.

Along with Muslim-American Democratic House nominee Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, the womens expected wins will make them the first two Muslim women in Congress. Currently, there are two sitting members of Congress who identify as Muslim and both are men (one of them is Ellison).

Like many running in the 2018 primaries (such as the freshly-minted primary winner Christine Hallquist in Vermont), Omar admits that her run for national politics was inspired by the current political climate and President Trumps politics of fear that got her to set her sights on Washington.

[The Fifth Congressional District] is a district that is very much interested in making sure our progressive values are represented, she said when she announced her bid. And they know the only way theyll continue to be represented is if we have people who are not going to just think about getting themselves to Washington, but think about getting other progressives to Washington.

Story continues

(Photo via Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

You Might Also LikeJen Hatmaker hands out a mom hug to a person attending the Austin Pride parade over the weekend. (Photo: Jen Hatmaker via Instagram)

I miss this.

My mom doesnt love me anymore.

My Dad hasnt spoken to me in three years.

Please just one more hug.

These were a few phrases that Jen Hatmaker, a New York Times bestselling author, heard while she gave out free mom hugs at the Austin Pride parade this weekend.

The mother of five attended the parade alongside her husband, Brandon, and her church, Austin New Church, to give those participating in the Pride event some much-needed mom, dad, and grandparent hugs. Brandon also happens to be the churchs pastor. You can only imagine what Pastor Hugs did to folks, Jen wrote.

Our arms were never empty. We happy hugged a ton of folks, but dozens of times, Id spot someone in the parade look our way, squint at our shirts and posters, and RACE into our arms, Jen shared. [W]e told them over and over that they were impossibly loved and needed and precious. And we hugged until our arms fell off.

Story continues

Hatmaker and the members of Austin New Church credited Sara Cunningham of Free Mom Hugs for the inspiration to show love to the LGBTQ community who, sadly, dont always have the unconditional love and support from their own family members.

Hatmaker has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ community, and she doesnt just talk the talk  she walks the walk. When asked if she thought an LGBTQ relationship could be holy, Hatmaker answered: I do. And my views here are tender. This is a very nuanced conversation, and its hard to nail down in one sitting. Ive seen too much pain and rejection at the intersection of the gay community and the church. Every believer that witnesses that much overwhelming sorrow should be tender enough to do some hard work here.

As a result, LifeWay, a Christian bookstore chain, removed her books from sale, and plenty of anti-LGBTQ folks flooded her comment sections. But Hatmaker stood by her words, and her husband wrote that he was 100 percent on the same page as his wife.

In 2016, Hatmaker wrote: It is high time Christians opened wide their arms, wide their churches, wide their tables, wide their homes to the LGBT community. So great has our condemnation and exclusion been, that gay Christian teens are SEVEN TIMES more likely to commit suicide.

Nope. No. No maam. Not on my watch. No more. This is so far outside the gospel of Jesus that I dont even recognize its reflection. I cant. I wont. I refuseLGBT gang and all those who love you: You are loved and special and wanted and needed.

Jen Hatmaker did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyles requests for comment.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.



The first four NASA astronauts set to enter space in SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule met the team behind the pod at the factory on Monday. The meeting comes ahead of the first launch, an historic moment for travel as the first American astronauts on board a commercial spacecraft.

The four men visited the companys Hawthorne, California headquarters in a visit captured on the SpaceX Instagram page. The visit comes less than two weeks after NASA announced the first crew members for the SpaceX capsule and Boeings competing CST-100 Starliner pod. The missions will ferry people to and from the International Space Station after the agencys contract expires with the Russian Soyuz craft in November 2019. As well as the first American commercial astronauts, the launches will mark the first time an American spacecraft has launched from U.S. soil since the shuttle program was retired in 2011.

Hurley, Behnken, Glover and Hopkins line up.

See more: NASA Unveils Its Dream Team of Astronauts for the First Commercial Flight

The Crew Dragon test flight will see Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley embark on the historic trip. Behnken is a Missouri native whos worked as an astronaut since 2000, flying aboard space shuttle Endeavour twice where he undertook six spacewalks. Hurley is from New York and also worked as a NASA astronaut since 2000, also embarking on an Endeavor voyage as a pilot.

Following a successful test flight, astronauts Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins will be the first two to fly on a full mission. Glover is a test pilot with almost 3,000 hours of flying experience in over 40 aircraft, but this will be his first time in space. Hopkins is an Air Force colonel from Missouri that was first selected as an astronaut in 2009, subsequently completing 166 days and two spacewalks on the International Space Station.

When these flights will occur is unclear. The Government Accountability Office warned last month that both SpaceX and Boeing may be unable to plug the gap left by the Soyuz expiration, leaving NASA to scramble for a solution. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed confidence earlier this month that his firm will be able to send humans into space by April 2019.

Story continues

The new space race is taking shape.

Photos via SpaceX/Instagram

More From InverseI think some of them are trying to hold back a smile; you can see it, said Mandy Davis, director of elementary curriculum and instruction. Davis high-fived students as they entered the school at 1400 W. 61st Ave.Managua (AFP) - Nicaragua's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a drastic cut to the national budget because of the economic impact of months of anti-government unrest.

The lawmakers adopted a 9.2-percent reduction of the 2018 budget, projecting $180 million less in spending to partly make up for a drop of $220 million in government income.

It was the steepest cut seen in the past 11 years that President Daniel Ortega has been in power.

The minister for finance and public credit, Ivan Acosta, blamed the reduction on protesters accused of trying to stage a "coup" against Ortega's government.

The demonstrations against Ortega began in April in anger at moves to cut back social security. But when security forces cracked down, they quickly spread to become marches demanding Ortega's ouster.

More than 300 people have died and thousands of Nicaraguans have fled what they say is harsh repression and persecution.

After operations against protest hubs in July, the president claimed the unrest was over and the country was getting back to normal. But demonstrations are continuing.

Acosta said that before the protests the economy had been expected to grow 4.3 percent this year. The government has now lowered that target to one percent, although some independent analysts say a contraction of 3.5 percent could be in the cards.

The minister told the National Assembly that the fall-out from the unrest had forced 8,700 small businesses to close, leaving 71,000 people without work. The important tourism sector has lost $235 million, he said.

The private sector estimates that 200,000 people were left unemployed by the continuing crisis.

Acosta said the budget cuts would not affect social spending, public investment or involve a reduction of government workers.

"This reform is tough," he said. "Right now we are working on the premise that the country is returning in the direction of normality and stability."

A fiscal and tax reform was needed to make up for the diminished growth, he added, warning that "those who must pay will be made to pay."

That warning appeared to be aimed at Nicaragua's business owners who have abandoned Ortega because of the deadly violence ordered against the protesters.Dave Majumdar

Security,

The Marine Corps, which is the sole remaining operator of the classic Hornet in active U.S. military service, hopes to replace the mechanically-scanned Raytheon AN/AGP-73 radar with a new AESA radar.

Northrop Grumman's New Radar Could Mean Big Things for Marine Corps F/A-18C Fighter Jets

Northrop Grumman has performed a fit check of its new AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) on a Boeing F/A-18C Hornet strike fighter at the request of the U.S. Marine Corps on Aug.2.

The U.S. Marines hope to retrofit roughly 100 F/A-18C/D aircraft with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars as the service extends the operational life of its Hornet fleet before those jets are eventually replaced by Lockheed Martins F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Marine Corps asked for an Active Electronically Scanned solution due to the radars increase in reliability and sustainability with no decrease in operational performance, Greg Simer, Northrop Grummans vice president for integrated avionics systems, said.

The Marine Corps stated objective is to modify an in-production, fielded AESA while meeting the current size, weight, power and cooling requirements of the F/A-18 C/D. We have proven our production APG-83 SABR radar fits into the F/A-18 C/D, achieving the objectives and bringing the technical maturity needed to attain the Marine Corps fleet insertion timelines.

The Marine Corps, which is the sole remaining operator of the classic Hornet in active U.S. military service, hopes to replace the mechanically-scanned Raytheon AN/AGP-73 radar with a new AESA radar. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), which is managing the upgrade program for the Marine Corps, released a solicitation for the new radar on March 20.

The APG-73 has been subject to ongoing maintainability, supportability, and readiness issues, NAVAIR said in its solicitation.

To alleviate these issues, the USMC is pursuing a replacement to the APG-73. Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) solutions are required due to the increased reliability and sustainability requirements as well as the associated capability improvements.

Story continues

Northrop Grumman is competing with incumbent Raytheon, which is offering its AN/APG-79(V)X Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (RACR), for the Marine Corps contract. The APG-79(V)X is a derivative of the original APG-79 AESA radar, which is installed on the majority of the U.S. Navys Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet. While the original APG-79 would not fit into the Hornet or the early model Block I version of the Super Hornet, the APG-79(V)X is designed to drop into the original F/A-18 nose easily.

Specifically designed for the Hornet upgrade market, Raytheon's APG-79(V)X AESA radar slips easily into the F/A-18 C/D nose cone, Raytheon said on its website.

The simple, non-disruptive retrofit can be performed in the field and takes less than an hour to complete.

The APG-79(V)X would offer the Marine Corps and the NAVAIR an AESA radar that is not only common with the newer Block II Super Hornet fleet, it would also allow the U.S. Navy to retrofit older Block I F/A-18E/F aircraft with a AESA radar. From that perspective, the Department of the Navy could make a solid case for selecting Raytheons APG-79(V)X for the Marine Corps legacy Hornet fleet.

Recommended: Why No Commander Wants to Take On a Spike Missile

Recommended: What Will the Sixth-Generation Jet Fighter Look Like?

Recommended: Imagine a U.S. Air Force That Never Built the B-52 Bomber

However, the Marines would also have a compelling case for selecting Northrop Grummans APG-83 because of that radars commonality with the F-35Bs APG-81 AESA radar, which is also made by the same company. The Marines hope to eventually replace all of their tactical fixed-wing combat aircraft with the F-35B and the F-35C, thus the APG-83which is based on APG-81 technologywould offer the service commonalities across their fleet.

Moreover, the Marines could also take advantage of software and hardware commonality with the United States Air Force and other services that operate the F-35, F-22 and the upgraded F-16. The U.S. Air Force has already selected the APG-83 for its F-16 fleet and there are other air arms around the world that have also adopted the new radar.

Our SABR team has secured its fifth production customer and now has orders for more than 400 systems, of which 56 have been delivered through the end of the second quarter, Kathy Warden, Northrop Grummans president and chief operating officer, told investors on July 12.

The F-16 Air National Guard upgrade program is progressing on schedule, with flight testing for Phase One to be complete this year and initial production deliveries to begin March of 2019. Our teaming agreement with Lockheed Martin positions us to support additional new F-16 buys and capability upgrades of existing F-16 fleets worldwide, highlighting SABR's superb capability, reliability, interoperability and long-term affordability.

It is not clear when NAVAIR will make a decision on which radar it will select for the Marine Corps Hornet fleet, but the Department of the Navy does have a set timeline for fielding the new upgrade. In order to meet fleet readiness requirements, retrofit installations will begin in 4th Quarter 2020 and complete in 4th Quarter 2022, for fielding of a total of 98 systems (7 fleet squadrons retrofitted with 14 replacement radars each), NAVAIR said in its solicitation.

As of right now, it is a toss up as to which radar NAVAIR will select. Either way, the Marines legacy Hornet fleet will receive a massive boost in combat capability. Moreover, there are plenty of legacy Hornets in still service around the worldsuch as in Canada and Spainwhich might eventually be upgraded in lieu of being replaced. Thus, winning the Marine Corps tender might open doors to the larger international Hornet upgrade market, which could prove lucrative to the winning contractor.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for the National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Read full articleAn Oklahoma middle school was forced to cancel classes earlier this week after a 12-year-old transgender student received an onslaught of threats online from adults.

It all started when Maddie, who is in her second week of the 7th grade, needed to use the bathroom last week in the middle school the district had just re-opened. Her mother Brandy Rose told local television station KXII that for the past two years, Maddie had been using the staff's bathroom.

But in this new campus, she was unsure of where it was. So, Maddie used the girls' bathroom  the one that corresponds with her gender identity  just once.

An angry mother of a fellow student found out about Maddie's bathroom use and took to a private Facebook group for parents at Achille Independent School District to express her grievances.

"Heads up parents of 5th thru 7th grade girls," the woman, Jamie Crenshaw, wrote. The transgender is already using the girls bathroom. We have been told how the school has gone above and beyond to make sure he has his own restroom yet he is still using the girls. REALLY . . . Looks like its gonna be a long year."

What followed was a shameful display of hate from fellow parents, who posted a series of threats against a 12-year-old just because of her gender identity. A post suggesting Maddie should be violently castrated read: "If he wants to be a female make him a female. A good sharp knife will do the job really quick."

Another person encouraged Maddie's peers to beat her up. Just tell the kids to kick ass in the bathroom," the person wrote, "and it wont want to come back!!" One parent called Maddie a "lil half baked maggot" and a "thing."

After being closed for two days, the school re-opened Wednesday. The district said that the conversations online didn't reflect its views.

"Achille schools and administration take the safety of every student very serious," Superintendent Rick Beene told The Oklahoman. "Private discussions held on the social media do not reflect the views of Achille school, staff, administration, or school board. Achille school believes everyone should receive a safe and free education. We have a very talented staff that cares about each and every student."

Story continues

LGBTQ+ folks, particularly transgender women, are often at risk of violence because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. In fact, the Human Rights Campaign found that 2017 was the deadliest year on record for transgender people.

Their killings were committed by lovers, acquaintances, family members, neighbors, and strangers, the report reads. While every story highlighted in this report is unique and tragic, they all also reflect a legacy of intolerance, hate, and discrimination that transgender people must navigate and surmount every day.

The report also said that the lack of laws protecting transgender people can lead to violence against them.

"In many states, anti-transgender bias is ingrained and systematically enforced in nearly all aspects of life," it said, "including in laws and government agencies, schools, housing, health care, and employment."

In the past, the Oklahoma Legislature has tried to implement legislation requiring transgender students to use the bathrooms that correspond to their assigned sex, not their gender identity. And at the federal level, the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era directive that allowed trans students to use the restrooms that matches their gender identity. The Department of Education also stopped investigating civil rights complaints from transgender students.

Maddie's family filed a protective order against a person that shares the surname of one of the parents who threatened her.

These are adults making threats to a child. I dont understand it, Rose, Maddie's mother, told KXII. "Shes just an awesome kid, and then to see any fear in her like that ... I cant explain how bad that hurts me."

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Millennial Women Tell Us What They Really Think About Ivanka Trump

Will Voters Care About The Domestic Violence Allegations Against Rep. Keith Ellison?

This Is How Lyric McHenry Should Be RememberedA school district in southern Oklahoma was forced to shut down for two days after parents used a Facebook group to threaten violence against a transgender seventh-grade student.

Superintendent Rick Beene closed Achille Public Schools on Monday and Tuesday after parents posted claims on a Facebook group Achille ISD Parents Group that the student, who identifies as a girl, was looking over the stalls in the girls bathroom.

Heads up parents of 5th through 7th grade, parent Jamie Crenshaw said in a now-deleted post. The transgender is already using the girls bathroom. We have been told how the school has gone above and beyond to make sure he has his own restroom yet he is still using the girls. REALLY Looks like its going to be a long year.

Beene would not confirm whether the alleged bathroom incident occurred.

The post set off reactions from other adults who referred to the 7th grade student as this thing and half baked maggot. One parent repeatedly referred to the student as he and suggested a good sharp knife stop the student. Another parent said that their child should whip his ass until he quits coming to school.

Beene tells TIME he made the decision to close both the elementary schools, which houses kindergarten through eighth grade, and the high school on the advice of local law enforcement.

LGBTQ rights supporters were planning a demonstration at the school and police believed it would be safer to close the district  which has 400 students  because of the possibility of counter-protestors, Beene says.

The school will reopen Wednesday with police on campus.

Bryan County Sheriff Johnny Christian says deputies are currently investigating the Facebook posts and could file charges. He says most of the responses were from parents outside the Achille area  some even from out of state.

He says the transgender students family has a protective order against the parent who made the comment about using a knife.

The main thing is the kids feel safe, Christian says. This is an unfortunate incident, we have an amazing county and we all take of each other.

Story continues

Bathrooms have long been a flashpoint in the fight for LGBTQ rights  and recently became a hot-button political issue as several states debated bills restricting transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity. Transgender teen Gavin Grimms battle to use the boys bathroom at his Virginia school gained national attention.

In January, an Oklahoma state lawmaker introduced a bathroom bill that critics said would have restricted the rights of transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice, but the bill never came up for a vote.

Sara Cunningham, executive director of LGBTQ support non- profit, Free Mom Hugs, wrote a letter of support to the transgender student and condemned the Facebook threats from parents. Cunningham offered to help train staff and students at the school and offered counseling to the transgender student.

We have seen the post involving parents from your school district and are more than disheartened, Cunningham said in her letter. But, we, in our experience have seen that so much hate and and abuse stems from fear and ignorance. The tragedy is, this level of emotional torture and and threats of violence from adults will undoubtably lead to depression, mental illness and the prompting of suicidal thoughts. Please let us know how we can be of assistance, the time is now to say enough is enough.

Achille is a town of 492 people about 90 miles north of Dallas.

Beene says he has spoken to several LGBTQ organizations that have reached out and plans to take them up on their offers of training the staff.

Beene says the controversy over the Facebook page, which is not officially associated with the school district, does not not represent schools mentality toward LBGTQ students. He says teachers and administrators are working hard to make sure the student feels comfortable and to ensure she is not threatened again.

Our school administration takes the safety of students seriously, Beene says. Private discussions on social media does not represent our school and administration. Our school believes everyone should receive safe and free education.Donald Trump rode to the White House by hammering Hillary Clintons handling of classified information, charging that her use of a private email server put state secrets at risk in a way that was negligent and potentially criminal.

She set up this illegal server knowing full well that her actions put our national security at risk and put the safety and security of your children and your families at risk, he said at a Phoenix rally in 2016.

But since hes become president, Trump has regularly fallen short of stringent national security rules typically followed in the White House, according to former White House officials who worked in national security.

Most recently, former Apprentice contestant and White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman revealed this week that she secretly taped a conversation with Trumps chief of staff in the White House Situation Room, considered to be among the most secure places in Washington.

This is incredibly troubling, said Samantha Vinograd, who served on the White House National Security Council under the Obama Administration and in the Treasury Department under President George W. Bush.

Any staff member that works for the White House is a highly valuable and highly vulnerable target, Vinograd said. Someone like Omarosa made herself highly vulnerable because she knowingly brought in a [recording] device.

She knew foreign intelligence services [would want] to penetrate it. Its the oldest spy trick in the book, she said.

This is not the first time that the Trump Administration has faced questions over its handling of what is known as operations security, often abbreviated as opsec.

Shortly after inauguration, Trump and top advisers were seen having an impromptu strategy session at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Documents were read at his personal resort with the assistance of his aides cell phone flashlights, which could have allowed hackers to view them with the phones built-in cameras.

Story continues

Trump has reportedly refused routine cell phone screenings to identify hacking risks. According to Politico, hes gone at least five months without having his devices scanned by experts, compared with every 30 days under President Obama. Additionally, Politico reported at least one of Trumps iPhones has a microphone and camera, leaving him susceptible to hackers.

In May of 2017, Trump was also criticized for revealing highly classified information from a foreign intelligence service to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador during a meeting in the Oval Office.

And Trump faced criticism in April for tweeting out a threat of a potential U.S. strike against Syria, breaking with typical national security procedures designed to avoid tipping off a military adversary of a military mission.

Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and smart! You shouldnt be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018

Ned Price, a former special assistant to the president and a National Security Council spokesperson under Obama, said part of the problem lays with Trumps untraditional hires.

The White House is a place that is built on the honor system. Its built on a system of trust. And its built that way because the people who work there are supposed to be the finest public servants we have  people who have in many cases years if not decades of experience, who have handled the nations most sensitive secrets in a responsible and adequate way previously, Price said. In many cases, [Trumps hires] have never served in government, have never demonstrated any semblance of trustworthiness.

Another issue arises from the lack of trust among current White House staffers, who have reason to fear that their input  which they could traditionally presume to be private  could be recorded and distributed to a national audience, Vinograd said.

I think this is really going to impact, operationally, how things go at the White House, she said. I never walked into the White House and worried about whether a colleague of mine was going to be recording conversations for future use, so I felt completely comfortable speaking about sensitive topics in secure spaces.

Most troubling, according to Price, is that the checks and balances that exist in other departments and governmental offices, are not necessarily there in the White House. People who make it to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW are just expected to put the security of the United States as their utmost priority.

Its kind of baked in that people who are there belong there, and people who are there know how to handle sensitive information, he said. Time and again, we have seen that thats really not the case with this administration.By Andrew Hay

TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - A New Mexico judge received death threats and Islamophobic abuse on Tuesday a day after she granted bail to five Muslims charged with child abuse and accused of training children at their compound to carry out attacks, court officials said.

Police raided the compound in Taos County on Aug. 3 following a tip-off that children held there were starving. They found 11 children in need of food and water, and three days later unearthed the body of a toddler.

In an order published on Tuesday, district Judge Sarah Backus said prosecutors had produced evidence that was "troubling and unusual" but failed to show the defendants abused the children and were a threat to society if released on bail.

One caller on Tuesday told Backus "her throat would be slit" while another said he wished "someone would smash her head," New Mexico courts spokesman Barry Massey said.

Backus was bombarded with abuse and criticism on Twitter, and received hundreds of calls and emails, most of which referred to her using terms like "Islamic terrorism sympathizer", Massey said.

Backus closed her court and the Taos County courthouse went into lockdown after threats of violence against all staff.

Prosecutors alleged the dead toddler was a severely ill boy abducted from Georgia by his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, the son of a prominent New York imam. Prosecutors said the boy died at the compound in February as Ibn Wahhaj tried to heal him through prayer.

Prosecutors allege Wahhaj gave firearms training to two teenage boys at the compound to attack "corrupt institutions."

New Mexico's Republican Governor Susana Martinez slammed Backus' bail decision in a statement, saying the state's Supreme Court had been "dictating pretrial release for all kinds of dangerous criminals."

The five defendants - two men, their wives and a sister - must wear GPS ankle bracelets once released on $20,000 bail each and are not allowed back to the compound, Backus ruled.

Story continues

DIVIDED COMMUNITY

Their 11 children are in protective care and the defendants may visit them once released, Backus said.

The case has split the Taos County community between those who believe the group was involved in a failed attempt to live "off the grid," and others who fear they were hatching a plot to attack schools, banks and police, as prosecutors alleged.

"There's a murderer in the bunch," said Larry Salazar, 67, a rancher who lives about 2 miles from the high-desert compound. "What are we going to do to protect ourselves? Where are they going to be going to?".

Another resident, named Quincy, who requested his full name not be used, said he didn't think the defendants were dangerous, "especially when they came in here using their real names and introduced themselves to every possible person who was their neighbor."

Ibn Wahhaj has not entered a plea but the other four adults have plead not guilty. Wahhaj must remain in custody as he still faces a Georgia arrest warrant for the abduction of his son.

Ibn Wahhaj's wife Jany Leveille, 35, from Haiti, was taken into custody by immigration officials on Tuesday, according to the Taos County Sheriff's Office.

(Reporting by Andrew Hay; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Darren Schuettler)The photos of Cara Delevingne kissing Pretty Little Liars star Ashley Benson got attention  including some from the British model and actresss ex-girlfriend Paris Jackson.

Paris took to Twitter on Wednesday to seemingly comment on those photos, which showed the couple making out outside Londons Heathrow Airport while waiting for a cab  with Ashley wearing a C necklace. Welp. She makes you happy so  Whatever makes you happy, wrote Paris, 20. She followed up with a second post that said, Girls. SMH, as in shaking my head.

welp. she makes you happy so.. whatever makes you happy..  Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) August 15, 2018

girls smh  Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) August 15, 2018

After all, it was only recently that the world wondered whether Paris and Cara would be making their relationship red carpet official. They had started spending time together last year, and in March, Paris and the 26-year-old Suicide Squad actress were photographed kissing in the street during a double date with Pariss godfather, Macaulay Culkin, and his girlfriend, Brenda Song. Their first red carpet was supposedly going to happen at the Met Gala on May 7. It didnt.

Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson took their relationship public, kissing outside Londons Heathrow Airport. (Photo: SplashNews)

In June, Paris, also a model and actress, confirmed that she and Cara had a thing but noted that they were never officially exclusive. At the time, she denied she was dating Ashley, whom she referred to as Miss Benzo, as well as her straight and married friend Caroline DAmore.

ive never met miss benzo. caroline is one of my bestest friends who is **straight** and **married**, and also the mother of my godchild. cara and i were never officially exclusive, you guys made that up. https://t.co/mhXzZvdvLG  Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) June 20, 2018

Much has been made of Pariss sexuality, but she also addressed that in July on social media. After a fan asked if she was bi, she replied on her Instagram Story, Thats what you guys call it so i guess but who needs labels. She used a second post to clarify her comments, writing, I came out when I was 14.  Ive referred to the community as my fellow LGBTQ+ on stage before. Ive talked about having a crush on girls when i was 8 in my Rolling Stone article. There are pictures of me kissing girls online. why are people just now saying this is news?

Story continues

Cara Delevingne and Paris Jackson kiss during a double date with Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin in March. (Photo: Roger/BackGridUSA)

So what do we know about Caras romance with Ashley, 28? Welp  it first became buzzed about after they were photographed together at a Lauryn Hill concert on May 1. Yes, the week before Cara and Paris attended the Met Gala separately. Theyve been seen together several times since, but this is their real PDA debut.

We also now know that Paris is coping with the development  with a head shake or two.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:



In nearly every case in the grand jury report, prosecutors found that the statute of limitations has run out, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed. More than 100 of the priests are dead. Many others are retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave. Authorities charged just two as a result of the grand jury investigation, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty, though some of those named had been charged years ago.Paul Manafort is the first former Trump aide to face a criminal trial as a result of the Mueller probe: Reuters

The defence has rested its case in the trial of Paul Manafort, former 2016 campaign manager for Donald Trump, clearing the way for the jury to hear closing arguments.

Mr Manaforts trial on several counts of tax evasion and bank fraud is almost over after his legal team did not call any witnesses to the stand in the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.

The former foreign political agent decided not to testify in what is the first trial related to the FBI investigation, led by special counsel Robert Mueller, of alleged collusion between Mr Trumps 2016 campaign team and Russian officials.

The jury will now hear closing arguments from both sides and Judge TS Ellis will consider any motions to acquit the defendant.

His charges were not directly related to his work on the campaign but Mr Mueller and the prosecution claimed some of the fraudulent activity occurred while Mr Manafort served as the chairman.

Mr Manafort is accused, among other things, of hiding millions of dollars in more than 30 overseas bank accounts which he did not report on his personal taxes.

Prosecutors allege the $16m (13m) came from pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians like Viktor Yanukovych, for whom Mr Manafort had done work until the politician fled to Moscow following the Russian invasion of Ukraines Crimea region.

His lawyers immediately attacked Mr Manaforts campaign deputy and longtime business partner Rick Gates, claiming it was he who was responsible for the account management.

Mr Gates had pleaded guilty to the counts outlined in the October 2017 indictment.

During the trial, Mr Gates testified he helped Mr Manafort commit crimes in an effort to lower his tax bill while funding extravagant clothing, car, and real estate purchases.

Mr Gates was also forced to admit embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Mr Manafort and conducting an extramarital affair in the course of his testimony.

The defence rested its case after more than two hours of closed-door proceedings.

Story continues

Mr Ellis did not provide an explanation as to why he chose to bar media from that portion of the trial, but noted a transcript would be available after the case concludes.

Kevin Downing, one of Mr Manaforts lawyers, told journalists they rested their case without any witness testimony "because [Mr Manafort] and his legal team believe that the government has not met its burden of proof".

However, just the day before Mr Ellis dismissed a motion by the defence to dismiss the case based on those grounds.

He said the defence made a significant argument in claiming Mr Manafort could not have defrauded the Federal Savings Bank of the millions in loans given to him because bank chairman Stephen Calk was aware of Mr Manaforts massive debt and lack of income during the Trump campaign and still approved the loan.

Witnesses later testified Mr Calk had been seeking a political appointment from the incoming Trump administration.

Prosecutors rested their case on 13 August after a host of exhibits and witness testimony  including employees from high-end boutiques like House of Bijan and Alan Couture to illustrate Mr Manaforts lavish lifestyle and spending using foreign account wire transfers rather than cash or credit cards.

As the case comes to a close, Mr Trump tweeted his apparent agitation at the over-arching FBI investigation, which he has repeatedly called a witch hunt.

The president has thus far maintained distance from Mr Manafort and Mr Gates, the latter who served on his campaign far longer and even into the transition team in January 2017.

Closing arguments are set to begin on 15 August.

Agencies contributed to this reportPaul Walkers daughter, Meadow, didnt take part in the new I Am Paul Walker documentary  and his brothers, Cody and Caleb, are now sharing insight into why.

Paul Walkers brothers, Cody and Caleb Walker, pictured on Aug. 8, opened up about how the late stars daughter, Meadow, declined to participate with the rest of the family in the new I Am Paul Walker documentary. (Photo: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)

The brothers spoke to E! News about the film, which looks at the off-camera life of the Fast & Furious franchise star, who died in a car crash nearly five years ago, leaving behind his only child. They said they participated in the film as a way of honoring Paul, but they talked about Meadows decision not to be part of it.

Shes a reserved young lady, Caleb said to explain why the now 19-year-old declined to participate in the movie, which is currently out. Shes on the shyer, more reserved side. Maybe she needed a few more years, who knows. But we totally respect that. Obviously we wouldve loved to have her in it, but she wasnt ready.

They said that the teen, who has been doing some modeling in recent years, also didnt go to the Walker familys private screening of the doc, which was attended by 100 family members and friends. However, she has seen it. Her reaction? Paul was a lot of things to a lot of people, and its tough because being the daughter that grew up in a nontraditional type of household with a dad she had to share the world with is really difficult, Caleb said. Shes dealing with it in her own way, as everybody has done.

Cody added, I think shell be proud of it.

Story continues

Think is the key word. Cody goes on to say theyre not as close as we would like to be with Meadow, who is active with the Paul Walker Foundation and recently announced the organizations Youth Leadership Award & Scholarship recipient.

She grew up in Hawaii, Cody said about Meadow, who was mostly raised by her mother, Rebecca Soteros, before moving to California with Paul one year before his death. We would see her for all of the holidays, but otherwise, to be truthful, we didnt see her all that often. Were here for her 100 percent. Whenever shes ready, she has a family that loves her. Things take time. Everybody deals with things differently. I think thats all that it is.

The brothers talked about the year that Meadow lived with Paul  and the impact it had on him. Cody called it a huge conflict for him because he was so excited when she came. However, he had just inked a three-movie deal and that made him want to immediately pull himself out of it but it was too late. He would always say, I only have five more years until she graduates high school. Four more years He was really starting to figure that out. He added that Pauls final year was hectic because he was in the middle of filming Fast 7 and trying to figure out how to navigate being a dad.

The brothers mentioned that Meadow stays in touch with some members of the Fast & Furious crew. They all check in on her, Caleb said, with Cody adding, Vin [Diesel] and Tyrese [Gibson] for sure do. (Jordana Brewster does too.)

The brothers also talked about Pauls final day  before he went to a charity event and got into a car crash with his friend Roger Rodas at the wheel of a Porsche Carrera GT  saying that Paul was making plans for Meadows future. Caleb described it as spooky in hindsight, saying his brother had a groundbreaking kind of come-to-Jesus [conversation] with my mom that day about how he was going to map out being with Meadow and deciding on the films he was going to work on. Cory added: He called me right after [and said], Meadows living with me now. I want to retire Mom. I want her to be full time for Meadow. I want her to go to the same high school you went to. Like the whole nine. He died hours later.

Back in action A post shared by Meadow Walker (@meadowwalker) on Mar 24, 2018 at 6:37pm PDT

After Pauls death, his mother, Cheryl, made a bid for custody of Meadow, claiming that the girls mother had a drinking problem. However, she later dropped the bid. Meadow, who is signed with Women Management modeling agency, was the sole beneficiary of the actors $25 million estate. She also received a $10.1 million settlement from Rodass estate, as well as a settlement for her wrongful death lawsuit with Porsche.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:By Darren Staples and Sarah Young BIRMINGHAM, England/LONDON (Reuters) - A man detained on suspicion of carrying out a terrorist attack outside Britain's parliament is Salih Khater, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, a European security source told Reuters on Wednesday. Police believe a car was deliberately driven into pedestrians and cyclists, injuring three people, before ramming a security barrier outside parliament on Tuesday morning. The 29-year-old driver was arrested by armed officers at the scene moments later. He is currently being questioned on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism and on Wednesday was further arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, although police have said he is not co-operating with detectives. On Wednesday police said that they had obtained a warrant to detain him for longer before deciding whether to charge him. The security source told Reuters that Khater was from Birmingham, central England, and was not known to security services before Tuesday. Nassar Mahmood, a trustee at Birmingham Central Mosque, said that he had spoken to members of the local Sudanese community, and understood that Khater had gone to London for visa reasons and had paperwork with him. "He was actually trying to apply for a visa, through the Sudanese embassy, to go back to Sudan," he told reporters. Mahmood said he had heard that Khater did not worship at the mosque and had not shown signs of radicalization. A spokesman for Coventry University, also in central England, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper Khater had studied accountancy from September 2017 until May 2018 but failed his first year course and lost his place. On Wednesday, London police confirmed that they were satisfied they knew the identity of the arrested man, saying he was originally from Sudan although they did not name him. In a statement, police said officers were still searching one address in the city of Birmingham but had concluded their investigations at two other properties in Birmingham and Nottingham, also in central England. "The priority of the investigation team continues to be to understand the motivation behind this incident," the statement said. Speaking shortly after the incident, Britain's counter-terrorism police chief said that given the iconic location and the method used, it appeared the incident was "a deliberate act" and was therefore being treated as a terrorist incident. Video footage showed the car veering across the road and into a security lane leading to parliament before smashing into the barrier. No one else was in the vehicle at the time and no weapons have been found. The car involved, a silver Ford Fiesta, has been removed and the security lane was open as usual. The Fiesta was driven down to the British capital from Birmingham on Monday night and was then in the Tottenham Court Road area, near central London's main shopping district, for about four hours, police said. At about 0500 GMT it headed to the Westminster and Whitehall area where parliament and most central government departments are located before the incident occurred at 0637 GMT. PEDESTRIANIZING PARLIAMENT Police said the incident appeared to be the second terrorist attack at the parliament building in just under 18 months, after a British-born Muslim convert killed four people on nearby Westminster Bridge in March 2017. He also stabbed to death an unarmed police officer in the grounds of parliament before being shot dead. That was the first of five attacks in Britain last year that police designated as terrorism, three of which used vehicles as weapons. The latest attack has prompted a debate about banning traffic from the square and making it a pedestrian area, an option favored by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. "I've been an advocate for a while now of part-pedestrianizing Parliament Square, but making sure we don't lose the wonderful thing about our democracy which is people having access to parliamentarians, people being able to lobby parliament, and visitors being able to come and visit parliament," he told BBC radio. London police chief Cressida Dick said they would discuss the idea with Khan, parliament's authorities and the intelligence agencies. "As with anything, there is a balance to be drawn. Vehicles are on our streets all the time. We have crowds on our streets as well. The terrorists want us to completely change our way of life," she told LBC radio. "We're not going to just change our lifestyle but it is important that we take reasonable measures, as I think we have been doing over the last several months to try to make sure that the most iconic sites, including those in central London, are well protected." (Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Michael Holden and Alistair Smout; Editing by Jon Boyle and Alison Williams)Andrea Lees husband, a convicted killer with a Nazi tattoo, stands accused of assaulting her after the two watched UFC 227 in their Louisiana home. (Getty)

UFC flyweight Andrea Lee made headlines in June when she came to the defense of her husband Donny Aaron for sporting Nazi tattoos.

On Tuesday, MMANews obtained a police report that paints an even darker picture of the couples relationship.

Couples roommate describes violent night, history of abuse

Lee and Aarons roommate, fellow MMA fighter Andy Nguyen, accuses Aaron of serially abusing Lee and filed a police report describing an unhinged Aaron allegedly assaulting Lee on Aug. 4 after they watched UFC 227 in their Louisiana home.

From Nguyens account on the police report, which can be seen in its entirety here:

Donny is trying to burn a cigarette on her arm and her body. Shes yelling to stop trying to burn her.  I opened up the door and was like Donny, leave her alone. He looked like he was lost. He hadnt slept in two days. He was drinking for two fing days straight. I dont know what he is on. Im backing up as he is coming towards me. Andrea was buttoning up her shorts and she was barefoot and ran out the back door.  Its fed up because Donny used to be a cop. Hes fed up in the head. He was making her do things to try and fake evidence that she was cheating. He was trying to get her to pull her pants off and take pictures to send to a guy so it looked like she sent it. Hes fed up in the head.  They had been arguing all week. She couldnt train because he kept her home. He wouldnt let her leave. I didnt call the cops until it got physical and I couldnt do nothing anymore.  The domestic violence has been going on for years. I just never saw it.

Aaron a convicted killer in shooting death

Aaron, a former police officer, has a history of violence and was convicted in 2009 of negligent homicide with a firearm after shooting an unarmed man seven times. He escaped more serious charges of manslaughter that could have landed him in prison for 40 years.

Junes controversy arrived when Lee posted a picture of herself with Aaron on Instagram. Aarons arms were exposed in the photo, revealing a swastika tattoo near his elbow.

Story continues

Instagram/ @andreakgblee

Lee defended Aaron over Nazi tattoo

Lee made waves when she issued a vehement defense of Aaron, calling his critics sensitive ass mofos.

Neither one of us are racists, we have an Asian & a black guy that live with us! Oh my gosh guys its a tattoo he got when he was in prison, get over yourselves. He covers them up all the time & we happen to have a lake day and it makes an appearance. Sensitive ass mofos.

Aaron then apologized on Twitter before Lee issued an apology of her own for her initial reaction to the response to the photo.

Aaron stands accused of false imprisonment and domestic abuse and battery, but has yet to be charged as he fled the scene, MMANews reports.

Lee is not cited in the police report. An active Twitter user, she has not posted on Twitter since Aug. 4 at the time of this post.

Lee and Aaron have a daughter together.

More from Yahoo Sports:

 Report: Rockets Harden linked to Arizona nightclub incident

 Maryland takes action after football players tragic death

 Old man goes viral with savage basketball move

 NFL stars simple advice on Trump? Ignore him.

In night of primary elections, Christine Hallquist makes history as the first transgender nominee for governor for a major party

Democrats in Vermont have nominated Americas first transgender nominee for governor for a major party, in a night of primary elections that also saw Minnesota Republicans reject a familiar face of the Republican old guard in favour of a candidate more aligned with President Donald Trump.

Minnesota also picked a woman who could be the first Somali-American member of Congress, and Connecticut Democrats nominated a candidate who could become the first black woman from the state to serve in Congress.

Tonight we made history, Hallquist, 62, told supporters during her victory speech. Im so honored to be part of this historical moment.

Hallquist told CNN on Wednesday morning that she had not necessarily run to make history, but as a reaction to the election of Trump to the White House.

The reason Im here is because of what happened in 2016, she said. In physics we say for every action theres an opposite and opposing reaction. Well, Im definitely a reaction to 2016.



Hallquist follows in the footsteps of Danica Roem, the Virginia Democrat who in 2017 became the first transgender state legislator in the US.

She will face incumbent Republican Phil Scott in November. Scott, a moderate who faced a primary challenge on the right fueled by his support for gun control, is considered the favorite of the two. According to one recent poll the incumbent Republican has a 61% approval rating from Vermont Democrats.



Last week she spoke to the Guardian about her chances of becoming the Democratic candidate, saying: I tell people this isnt the hardest thing I ever did. In fact, I think after transitioning everything else looks pretty easy.

Her success caps a remarkable journey, which has included decades of internal strife over how her family would accept her as Christine, the five-year transition process before she felt ready to present herself as a woman in her job as a high-powered CEO, and even dodging an exorcism attempt as a child.

Story continues

Hallquist said she was inspired to run for governor when Trump became president.

November 8, 2016, I realized the world changed, she said.

I went to bed, and of course like any other trauma I was in political depression and I just didnt know what to do. I mean, many of us in this country shed a lot of tears for what happened on November 8.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty lost the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor on Tuesday after his opponent repeatedly attacked him for calling Trump unfit for the White House in the aftermath of the Access Hollywood tape.

In Minnesota, Pawlenty, who was governor from 2003 to 2011 and mounted an unsuccessful president bid in 2012, had been considered the favorite in the primary and was one of the GOPs best hopes for picking up a governors mansion in an unfavorable national environment. However, like a number of other establishment Republicans his past criticism of Trump proved to be his Achilles heel.

Tim Pawlenty Photograph: Jim Cole/AP

Instead, Republican Jeff Johnson will face Congressman Tim Walz in November.

Hallquist was not the only candidate to make history on Tuesday.

Ilhan Omar is poised to become the nations first Somali-American and one of the first Muslim women in Congress after winning the Democratic nomination in Minnesotas Fifth Congressional District. Omar will likely join Rashida Tlaib, who won a Democratic primary in Michigan last week on Capitol Hill in January. Both are expected to easily win their general elections in safe Democratic districts.

In the special election for the Senate seat vacated by Al Frankens resignation, appointed incumbent Tina Smith easily beat former White House lawyer and television pundit Richard Painter. Smith will face Republican Karin Housley in November to fill the remaining two years of Frankens term.

Congressman Keith Ellison easily won the Democratic nomination for state attorney general despite allegations of domestic abuse and a video recording the abuse. Ellison, a progressive icon, has strongly denied the allegations and insisted this video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterisation otherwise is false.

Wisconsin Democrats nominated Tony Evers to be their standard bearer against Scott Walker, who is facing his fourth statewide election in eight years. Walker who has faced a recall in addition two hard fought campaigns for office, drew national attention through his efforts to break public sector unions in the state and support for right to work legislation.

Walkers protege Leah Vukmir also won a competitive primary against businessman Kevin Nicholson for the Republican Senate nomination. She will face incumbent Tammy Baldwin in November.

In Connecticut, businessman Ned Lamont easily won the Democratic nomination for governor against Joe Ganim, the mayor of Bridgeport who mounted a political comeback after a 2003 conviction for fraud.

Connecticut Democrats also picked former teacher of the year, Jahana Hayes, to run for the seat vacated by Elizabeth Etsy, who is leaving Congress after bungling sexual abuse claims levied against a former staffer. Hayes could become the first black woman from the state to serve in Congress.Alexandria (United States) (AFP) - President Donald Trump defended former campaign chief Paul Manafort as a "very good person" on Friday as jurors wrapped up a second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in his explosive trial for tax evasion and bank fraud.

The six-man, six-woman jury weighing the 18 charges against the once high-flying Republican political consultant are to resume deliberations at 9:30 am (1330 GMT) on Monday.

Manafort, 69, is accused of providing fraudulent statements to secure bank loans and failing to pay taxes on tens of millions of dollars he earned while advising Russian-backed politicians in Ukraine between 2006 and 2015.

The jury met for seven hours on Thursday and for another seven hours on Friday before retiring for the weekend.

Asked whether he thought the fact the jury needed more time was a good sign for the defense, Manafort's lead attorney Kevin Downing told reporters: "I do."

On Friday, Judge T.S. Ellis revealed that he had received unspecified "threats" and was under the protection of US Marshals.

Citing their "peace and safety," he also declined a request by a group of media outlets to release the names of the jurors hearing the case in Alexandria, Virginia.

"To do so would create a risk of harm to them," the judge said. "It's important to keep their names confidential."

"I had no idea this case would excite these emotions," Ellis added.

The case stems from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election -- and possible collusion between the Trump campaign team and Moscow.

Trump again denounced the Mueller probe on Friday, calling it a "witch hunt," and -- in an extraordinary commentary by a sitting president about an ongoing trial -- weighed in on the Manafort case.

- 'Very sad day' -

Asked if he would pardon his former campaign chief if he is convicted of the charges which could send him to prison for the rest of his life, Trump declined to comment.

Story continues

But he went on to say: "I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad.

"When you look at what's going on there, I think it's a very sad day for our country," he said.

"He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person," Trump said.

"I think it's very sad what they've done to Paul Manafort."

Manafort is not charged with any crimes related to his brief time as Trump's campaign chairman, but the trial is seen as an important test for the Mueller probe.

Trump has stepped up his attacks on the investigation and his denials that there was any collusion with Russian entities to try to sway the election in his favor.

A Manafort acquittal would provide ammunition to the president and his allies to ramp up the pressure on Mueller to conclude his investigation.

- Luxury homes and a python jacket -

The case went to the jury on Thursday after 12 days of gripping testimony about hidden bank accounts, betrayal and lavish spending by Manafort on luxury homes, cars, antique rugs and clothes including an $18,500 python jacket.

Prosecutors outlined schemes allegedly used by Manafort to avoid paying US taxes on the millions of dollars he earned in Ukraine and then deposited in bank accounts in Cyprus.

Manafort also filed false statements to obtain millions of dollars in loans from banks when his Ukraine consulting fees dried up, according to prosecutors.

Defense attorneys sought for their part to cast doubt on the credibility of the prosecution's star witness, Manafort's former trusted deputy, Rick Gates, who took a deal from the government and turned against his former boss.

During his testimony, Gates, 46, acknowledged stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort and having an extramarital affair.

While Gates and several others indicted by Mueller have pleaded guilty, Manafort refused to cut a deal and insisted on having his day in court.

Manafort, who worked on the presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole, was Trump's campaign chairman from May to August 2016.

He was forced to step down amid questions about his work for Ukraine's former pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych and legal experts say he may be holding out hopes of a pardon from Trump.Doha (AFP) - The emir of wealthy Qatar flew to Turkey Wednesday to meet close ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an apparent show of support as Ankara grapples with a currency crisis.

State media in Doha said Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was travelling to Turkey for a "working visit".

The emir "will discuss with the Turkish president bilateral relations and means of strengthening the existing strategic cooperation between the two countries in various fields," said a Qatar News Agency statement.

Turkey has been rocked in recent days by a sharp decline in the value of its lira after US President Donald Trump tweeted last Friday that Washington was doubling aluminium and steel tariffs for Ankara.

Washington's move came during an ongoing dispute over Turkey's holding of an American pastor for two years.

In response, Erdogan has called for a boycott of US electrical goods.

The turmoil has raised fears of a looming economic crisis in Turkey and prompted alarm that foreign investors in the country, including Qatar, could be hit in the fallout.

Turkey and Qatar have become close economic and political partners in recent times.

Doha has $20 billion worth of investments in Turkey, official figures showed last month, and Ankara is now one of the top exporters to the emirate.

In recent days, Qatari supporters of Turkey have begun a public campaign in Doha to change their riyals into lira in an attempt to shore up the plunging Turkish currency.

It is believed many Qatari investors could be at risk from a Turkish economic crisis.

Underscoring the ties between the countries, Sheikh Tamim was the first foreign leader to phone President Erdogan during the aborted coup in Turkey in 2016.

And Ankara has been conspicuous in its support of Doha as Qatar battles with continued Saudi-led isolation from Arab neighbours.

Turkey also maintains a small military base in Qatar.The algal blooms leave sea life dead, and contribute to respiratory illnesses for humans: EPA

For many communities in seven counties along Floridas gulf coast, daily reports of Dead Fish: Heavy have become commonplace as toxic algae has bloomed, killing sea life, scaring tourists, and making breathing difficult for locals.

The bloom, known as a red tide, have forced Florida Governor Rick Scott to promise $1.5 million in emergency funding and declare a state of emergency in seven counties from Tampa Bay to the fringe of the Everglades.

The algae bloom has led to grotesque scenes along the beaches in the red tides path: Popular beaches have been scattered with dead fish, porpoises, eels, turtles, manatees, and even a 26-foot whale shark. Meanwhile, the local populations are struggling with respiratory illnesses, and hospitals have clocked a 50 per cent increase in hospital visits for respiratory conditions during the algae blooms.

The emergency has come just as Mr Scott, a Democrat, is gearing up to take on three-term Senator Bill Nelson in the upcoming midterm elections in November. Each has attempted to use the red-tide algae blooms as ammunition against the other, with both placing blame on the other for failing to fix the problem.

Meanwhile, local communities are suffering.

The red tide has been gradually moving north, according to state tracking data, and is heading towards the mouth of Tampa Bay. Scientists say that the levels of algae they are seeing in the water is enough to kill virtually any fish that may find themselves in the waters.

Theres no fish left. Red tide killed them all, Rick Bartleson, a research scientist with Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, told The Washington Post. All of our concentrations of red tide are still high and would still kill fish if they were out there.

Sea turtles have been hit particularly hard by the algae, which exists in the water year round but can bloom as a result of various factors including sunlight, nutrients available, and salinity, according to the Associated Press. More than 300 turtles have been found dead from the red tide.

Story continues

While algae blooms have occurred historically, human development has altered the land and waterways near the ocean, making it more likely that conditions that would support those blooms.

In Lee County, for instance, the land there was previously 50 per cent wetlands, and that has dropped to around 10 per cent wetlands. Conditions like those have altered the way that rainwater behaves once it drops on the land, and now rushes into rivers, bays, and the gulf often loaded with agricultural nutrients, which feed algae growth.

Algae blooms stand to show up in the fall, and will slow down by the end of winter or in early spring.Peter Strzok left a Wal-Mart in South Carolina and then texted his girlfriend about how he could smell the Trump supporters inside. Maybe he never realized that it would cost him his job being so biasee, having to explain to a Senator just what a President Trump supporter smelled like. Let us commenters know how you feel about the president and his supporters with your childish name-calling on a daily basis. And then let us know what your crystal ball is telling you about the next election.Photo credit: Joe Raedle - Getty Images

From Popular Mechanics

A harmful red tide has forced Florida to declare a state of emergency throughout the Gulf of Mexico, in an area spreading 150 miles up and down the state. The red tide has killed more than five tons of fish and has become a dolphin-killing epidemic.

Florida wildlife experts estimate around 200 sea turtles have been killed, too. For humans, red tide has made it dangerous to be even near the beach. People are suffering irritation to the eyes and mouth, which, for those with asthma, represents a serious health risk.

What's behind the problems? In a word, algae.

The Bad Kind of Bloom

Red tides are algae blooms, a sudden and rapid accumulation of algae in a water system. Specifically, they're known as a harmful algae blooms, or HABs. HABs can happen in just about any body of water. All they need is an excessive amount of nutrients.

There are two main types of HABs, most commonly differentiated by color: There are red tides, and also blooms of blue-green algae. Blue-green HABs are made up of cyanobacteria and mainly appear in freshwater rivers or lakes. They're deadly for animals, and eventually they can reach levels beyond what water treatment plants can sort out. That's what happened in Toledo, Ohio, in 2014 when a HAB left the entire city of 500,000 without clean drinking water.

Red tides are caused by a type of unicellular algae known as a dinoflagellate. In Florida, the culprit is a specific dinoflagellate known as Karenia brevis, or K. brevis, which produces 12 neurotoxins that can kill marine animals including fish, turtles, sea birds, manatees, and dolphins. The nicest thing one can say about K. brevis is that it is named in honor of Karen Steidinger, a renown expert who studied the harmful dinoflagellate for 40 years.

Photo credit: Joe Raedle - Getty Images

A Long History-But Not Like This

K. brevis is native to the Gulf of Mexico. As early as the 15th century, as the Spanish began to explore and colonize the region, they would take note of sudden fish kills that would have been caused by red tides. When interacting with native tribes in the region such as the Calusa, the Spanish learned that these people had an understanding of the problem, and that shellfish could become poisonous through what scientists suspect were red tides. Modern major fish kills caused by red tides were first identified back in 1844.

Story continues

Photo credit: Jerry Cooke/The LIFE Images Collection - Getty Images

Typically, K. brevis blooms are most likely to occur in the fall, but as this summer's episode shows, they favor no particular season. They also occur sporadically, some years not coming at all.



Florida's red tide algae feast on a variety of nutrients, some natural and others man-made. They include Trichodesmium, more commonly known as sea sawdust, decaying fish and picoplankton, tiny life forms that K. brevis consumes.

The problem may be getting worse. A study from 2007 showed that "K. brevis was approximately 13-18-fold more abundant in 1994-2002 than in 1954-1963.""We know of no natural sources of nutrients that have increased 13-18-fold," the study says. "The most plausible hypothesis for a large increase in nutrient availability is that the large increase in human activities in South Florida is involved."

Photo credit: Joe Raedle - Getty Images

Take fertilizer for example. When this nutrient-rich material gets washed out to the sea through runoff, it becomes a feast for K. brevis. Considering the massive development Florida, along with the rest country, has undergone in the last 50 years, it's no surprise more fertilizer is making its way into the ocean.

What the Future Holds

There are a growing number of studies looking at connections between K. brevis and climate change, too, because rising ocean temperatures are directly related to a number of the issues stated above: warmer water is likely to kill off more fish, for example, giving K. brevis more nutrients to feed on. However, a lack of data means scientists are not ready to definitively say climate change is increasing red tides.

However, human life is more than just pumping carbon dioxide into the world. For some scientists in Florida struggling with the current red tide, like Rick Bartleson of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, there's clearly more to the current red tide than naturally occurring nutrients.

There are other factors that had to work together [to create] this perfect storm for the developing red tide population," he tells The Guardian. "Its obvious that you cant have dense blooms like this, and long lasting blooms, without having a high nutrient supply rate to the algae.



('You Might Also Like',)By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - A third summit of Korean leaders planned for next month will be a further step toward denuclearization of the peninsula and a peace treaty to end the Korean War, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to work toward denuclearization at a landmark summit in Singapore with U.S. President Donald Trump in June, but the two countries have since struggled to agree on how to reach that goal. Advancement in ties between North and South Korea is the "driving force" behind denuclearisation, Moon said in a speech, lauding Monday's pact for next month's summit in Pyongyang, the North's capital. The two leaders will "take an audacious step to proceed toward the declaration of an end to the Korean War and the signing of a peace treaty as well as the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Moon added. The neighbors remain technically in a state of war since the Korean War of 1950 to 1953 ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. Moon said he hoped for speedy progress in talks between the United States and North Korea, with steps by Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programs matched by "corresponding comprehensive measures" from Washington. "When the deep-rooted distrust between the two Koreas and between the North and the United States is lifted, the mutual agreement can be implemented," he said on the peninsula's 73rd anniversary of liberation from Japanese rule, which lasted from 1910 to 1945. During their first summit in April, Moon and Kim had agreed to push for an end to the Korean War together with the United States this year, but Washington has said its focus is on denuclearisation, although Trump in Singapore had promised security guarantees for the North. "When peace is established on the Korean peninsula along with complete denuclearisation, economic cooperation can be carried out in earnest," Moon said. Plans to build a railway across the peninsula will kick off this year, he added, proposing an East Asian railroad community that groups China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia and the United States. Moon seeks to resume business cooperation with the North, including the railroad and a joint industrial park, but has been cautious because of international sanctions, chiefly spearheaded by Washington, over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. Moon said he aimed for "unification economic zones" along border provinces when military tension eases and there is lasting peace. He estimated cross-border economic cooperation could be worth at least 170 trillion won ($149.9 billion) over the next 30 years, citing a study by a state-run think tank. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez)Picture Google Maps

Conspiracy theorists and UFO fans have got seriously excited about a Stonehenge-like ring of objects spotted on Google Maps in Chinas Gobi desert.

Conspiracy theorists love to pore over Google Maps looking for unusual objects  which are then hailed as crashed spacecraft, alien bases and so on.

This time, UFO channel Thirdphaseofmoon claims that the structure seen in the Gobi desert could be a runway for extraterrestrials.

Commenters on the popular UFO channel suggested that it might be Chinas Area 51 (ie a place where the government supposedly investigates alien technology).

MOST POPULAR STORIES ON YAHOO UK TODAY

Watch: Shocking moment car crashes into barriers outside Parliament

Google is specifically tracking your location even if you tell it to stop

Simulation predicts world is going to end in 2040

Foul-mouthed parrot swears at firefighters during rooftop rescue

Jeremy Corbyn embroiled in Twitter spat with Israeli PM over wreath row

Other excited commenters suggested that it might be the landing pad for some vast spaceship.

But, like most of these sightings, the reality is almost certainly much more prosaic.

Many supposed alien bases spotted on Google Maps turn out to be military ranges, and some commenters believe this is the case here.

One said, Stop with the hype, its a test rang for reconnaissance aircraft, their cameras and targeting equipment. Every country that puts satellites up, has ballistic missiles or a fleet of ISR aircraft has a range like this.Golan Heights (AFP) - Near an abandoned United Nations observation point whose wall had been riddled with bullets, Syrian and Russian policemen gazed across the Golan Heights near the Israeli border.

The faded UN logo on the hut's rusty roof was barely visible in Tal Krum, just inside the buffer zone that separates war-torn Syria to the east, from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the west.

His back to the hilly Israeli side, the Russian army's Lieutenant-General Sergei Kuralenko on Tuesday told reporters on an organised press tour how "stability" had returned to the buffer zone.

Apart from "a few problems with the Islamic State" jihadist group in its southern tip, the demilitarised zone was "entirely under control of Syrian military police", Kuralenko said.

"Everything is ready" for the return of UN troops, he said, after the peacekeepers were forced to withdraw in 2014.

With help from its Russian ally, President Bashar al-Assad's regime has expelled rebels and jihadists from large parts of the country's south since June.

After retaking most of the two southern provinces adjacent to the buffer zone, regime forces last month raised their flag inside, above the key border crossing of Quneitra.

The Russian military police have set up four observation points along the demarcation line on the Syrian side of the buffer zone, Kuralenko said, and plan to set up four more in the near future.

They are "willing to hand them over to the UN if it says it is ready to ensure the monitoring of the Golan alone", he said.

- 'Ensure security' -

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the 1967 "Six-Day War" and later annexed it in a move never recognised internationally.

In 1974, a UN peacekeeping mission was created to monitor the ceasefire line separating Israelis from Syrians.

But in 2014, the United Nations Disengagement Observation Force was forced to withdraw after Syrian rebels and jihadists overran it, briefly kidnapping more than 40 Fijian UNDOF troops.

Story continues

UNDOF resumed its activities on the Syrian side in February, and earlier this month carried out its first patrol since 2014 to the Quneitra crossing.

"There should be no military forces in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF," according to a UN Security Council resolution in June.

With that in mind, Russia is demining the areas around the observation posts abandoned in 2014 to help establish secure patrolling routes for the UN troops, Kuralenko said.

"Our mission here is to ensure security so that the UN flag can fly above their posts and that (UNDOF) work without restriction in the zone," he said.

A UN spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

But on Tuesday, Syrian Defence Minister Ali Abdullah Ayub received a UN delegation including UNDOF chief Francis Vib-Sanziri in Damascus, Syrian state news agency SANA said.

They spoke of redeploying UN forces on the Syrian side, it said.

- Iranians? -

During the media tour Brigadier-General Muhammad Ahmad, from Syria's military police, accused the peacekeepers of fleeing when they were needed in 2014 but said they were welcome to return.

"The UN is welcome -- if it wants to cooperate with Russia and with us," he said.

In Hamidiyeh, less than a kilometre (mile) from the demarcation line with Israel, buildings lay in ruins and the white dome of its mosque appeared battered by bombardment.

In front of a destroyed bridge, two Syrian policemen observed a Russian military convoy drive past twice, flying its country's flag and with its gyrating lights on.

Syrian military police patrol the area, "from time to time" helped by Moscow's forces, Russian army spokesman Igor Konachenkov told journalists on the press tour.

Though Russia has maintained friendly ties with Israel, it has backed Assad's regime alongside two sworn enemies of the Jewish state: Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

Israel has repeatedly pledged to prevent Iran from establishing a military presence along its border. A series of air strikes that killed Iranians inside Syria have been attributed to Israel.

Asked about any Iranian presence in the Golan, Konachenkov's face became tense.

"The Russian army has nothing to say about the presence or not of any Iranians," he repeated several times.

Syrian military police members also systematically refused to answer the question.

In late July, Russia offered to keep Iranian forces 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the demarcation line, according to an Israeli official.Reuters

Afghanistan's Taliban government is pressing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new migration crisis. Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money has been frozen since the Islamist Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in August. A spokesman for the finance ministry said the government would respect human rights, including the education of women, as he sought fresh funds on top of humanitarian aid that he said offered only "small relief".By Ori Lewis MITZPE RAMON, Israel (Reuters) - Thousands of star-gazers gathered overnight at one of the darkest spots in Israel hoping to be dazzled by the annual Perseid meteor shower, only to be left somewhat disappointed by the show. Locals had the rare task of directing traffic on a moonless Monday night in Mitzpe Ramon in the heart of the Negev Desert, a spot surrounded by terrain described as similar to a lunar or Martian landscape. The Feinberg family from the Tel Aviv region drove for two-and-a-half hours for the display but the number of meteors, about one or fewer per minute, failed to truly light up the Ramon Crater's dark night sky as in previous years. "We are here waiting for the stars to fall, the children are very impatient," said Eliran Feinberg, 42, who works for an air cargo company. The Perseid meteors, which reach their peak every August, are produced by debris from the 109P/Swift-Tuttle comet that passes by the Earth every 133 years. It last passed in 1992. Professor Rennan Barkana, head of the astrophysics department at Tel Aviv University, said this year's shower was not as intense because the Earth had passed through a sparser part of the comet's debris than previously and a smaller amount of particles had entered the atmosphere. (Additional reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo, Writing by Ori Lewis. Editing by Patrick Johnston)SAADA, Yemen (Reuters) - Thousands of mourners on Monday buried dozens of children killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike on a bus in northern Yemen, one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the three-year-old war. At least 40 children were killed in Thursday's strike, which hit the bus as it drove through a market in Dahyan, a town in Saada, the armed Houthi group which controls the province said. Amid outrage from international human rights groups and U.N. officials, Riyadh continued to defend the raid as a "legitimate military action" intended to hit Houthi leaders, a day after it authorized a coalition investigation of the strike. Wooden coffins, most with a picture of a child, were taken by cars and carried by pall bearers to a graveyard from a square where prayers were held earlier. "Death to America, death to Israel," the crowd chanted, echoing the Houthis' slogan. The shrouded bodies were removed from the coffins and placed in a row of unmarked graves that had been dug on Friday. "My son went to the market to run house errands and then the enemy air strike happened and he was hit by shrapnel and died," said Fares al-Razhi, mourning his 14-year-old son. "For my son, I will take revenge on Salman and Mohammed Bin Zayed," he said, referring to the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Gulf Arab states are leading the alliance of Sunni Muslim countries that intervened in Yemen's war in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government that was expelled from the capital Sanaa by the Houthis in 2014. The coalition said on Friday it would investigate the strike after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and called for an independent probe. But on Saturday, state news agency SPA said Riyadh's mission to the world body delivered a message to Guterres reiterating that the raid was "legitimate" and targeted Houthi leaders "responsible for recruiting and training young children". "War cant be a clean operation unfortunately," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told reporters in Dubai when asked about the Saada attack. "But I will say all parties need to accept their part in what they are doing today." TALKS PLANNED The coalition initially said after the attack that the strike had targeted missile launchers that were used by the Houthis to attack the southern Saudi province of Jizan. The Houthis' health minister Taha Mutawakil said last week that the number of casualties stood at 51 killed including 40 children, and at least 79 people wounded of whom 56 were children. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported the same toll on Friday, citing authorities in Saada. The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Monday quoted a health official as saying another child had died from his wounds, raising the toll to 52. The head of the Houthis' supreme revolutionary committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, attended the funeral and blamed the United States for "this ugly massacre of Yemeni children". The United States and other Western powers provide arms and intelligence to the alliance, and human rights groups have criticized them over coalition air strikes that have killed hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets. A U.S. military spokeswoman said U.S. forces were not involved in Thursday's air strike. The U.S. State Department urged the alliance to "conduct a thorough and transparent investigation". U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday he has dispatched a three-star general to Riyadh to "look into what happened". The coalition says it does not intentionally target civilians and has set up a committee to probe alleged mass casualty air strikes, which has mostly cleared it of any blame. The Houthis have also been criticized by rights groups. The U.N. special envoy to Yemen has been shuttling between the warring parties ahead of holding consultations in Geneva on Sept. 6 to try to end the conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed the impoverished Arab country to the verge of starvation, according to the United Nations. Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani said on Al-Hadath channel on Monday that his government welcomed the Geneva talks. The UAE's Gargash said he hoped the Geneva talks signaled the start of a process that would lead to a political solution to the conflict -- which is widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and its regional foe, the Shi'ite Muslim Iran. (Reporting by Reuters team in Yemen, Maha El Dahan in Dubai and Yara Bayoumy in Washington; additional reporting by Ali Abdelaty in Cairo; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous, Editing by Alison Williams, William Maclean)The head of China's government-run Buddhist association quit his post on Wednesday amid an investigation into allegations that he coerced several nuns into having sex with him.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of the Beijing Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement.

In a 95-page report that circulated online late last month, two monks accused Xuecheng of sending explicit text messages to at least six women, threatening or cajoling them to have sex with him, claiming it was a part of their Buddhist studies.

The same report also claimed the Beijing Longquan Monastery is in financial trouble.

China's top religious authority launched an investigation shortly after the allegations were made public.

Xuecheng, 51, stepped down at a meeting of the Buddhist Association of China on Wednesday.

"The council accepted Xuecheng's resignation as president of the Buddhist Association of China," said a statement posted Wednesday on the association's website.

It was tucked into a long report detailing a council meeting which neither elaborated on the abbot's reasons for quitting nor referred to the recent probe.

The same statement was also posted by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the government body overseeing religious groups.

His resignation was welcomed by many online, some who called him a "vulture who takes from the poor".

"Sexual assault, if established, is something against the law and should not be protected by politics," one user wrote on the Twitter-like Weibo platform.

- Prominent personality -

The abbot is also a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a top advisory board.

A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng's Weibo account has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting allegations of sexual misconduct.

Story continues

In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

One of the authors said on social media that he was compelled to speak out after the victims were ignored by authorities who said they could not investigate the matter.

There is no legal definition of sexual harassment in China and no national regulations on how to handle sexual assault cases in schools and workplaces.

The report and posts about it have been taken down or censored on social media.

Both men were also asked to leave the monastery after news of the report broke.

Located on the outskirts of Beijing, Longquan Monastery has made headlines for combining Buddhism with modern technology, launching last year a two-foot high robot monk that dispenses mantras and karmic advice.

The #MeToo movement ignited in China earlier this year with more women starting to open up about sexual assaults, especially on university campuses.

Unlike in the West, where #MeToo has forced resignations and sparked widespread public debate, authorities in China have sought to control the discussion, sometimes allowing and at other times censoring social media commentary.Public Utilities Commission hears concern over nuclear energy

A Colorado Public Utilities Commission hearing was held at the El Pueblo Museum Oct. 28 where activists opposed the possibility of a nuclear power plant.WASHINGTON  After decades of being able to shut people up with threats of lawsuits, President Donald Trump is likely in for a rude awakening as he goes after a former White House aide who has written an unflattering book.

Trumps re-election campaign is trying to force Omarosa Manigault Newman to stop disparaging Trump, based on a nondisclosure agreement she signed when she was working for his campaign but which covered future activity.

Thats going to fail, predicted Bradley Moss, a Washington, D.C., lawyer specializing in federal employee rights. [Trump is] used to a world where he can threaten financial ruin on people with these NDAs.

While Trump could prevail regarding Manigault Newmans time with the campaign, he will be unable to stop her from discussing her time in the White House, Moss said. During that time, she was technically working for the United States government, not a private entity under Trumps control. In those circumstances an NDA would be unenforceable as a matter of law, according to Moss.

Trump campaign officials did not respond to HuffPosts queries on the matter, and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would not comment on the campaigns attempt to enforce its NDA through arbitration in New York City. Trump White House officials have acknowledged that many staff members have signed White House NDAs as a condition of employment.

Sanders did claim  falsely  that previous administrations also used NDAs in the White House itself. Every administration prior to the Trump administration had NDAs, particularly specific for anyone that had a security clearance, she said during Tuesdays briefing.

But experts like Moss and employees of the Obama and George W. Bush administrations knew of no other administration in modern times that has used similar agreements. Trumps NDAs attempt to keep staffers silent about Trump and their time in the White House even after they leave those positions.

Story continues

All staff for all administrations, including Trumps, are bound by the laws and rules that proscribe the release of material under the rubric of national security. And classified material cannot be released until it is declassified. But the courts have refused to restrict federal employees First Amendment rights about their time in government service, Moss said  meaning Manigault Newman will be able to say whatever she wants about her time as a top White House adviser.

That outcome is unlikely to surprise current and past officials in the Trump White House, some of whom acknowledge privately that the NDAs are clearly unenforceable and were only drafted by White House lawyers against their own advice because Trump insisted on them.

Manigault Newmans new book, Unhinged, argues that Trump is unfit for the presidency because of his bigotry and lack of mental aptitude. She has released segments of conversations with Trump and chief of staff John Kelly that she secretly recorded, leading White House officials to worry that there are more recordings still to come.

Her official title was communications director for the White Houses Office of Public Liaison, but it was never clear what she actually did in that job in the 11 months she held it before Kelly fired her. Prior to the campaign, Manigault Newman had been a contestant on Trumps reality-TV game show, The Apprentice.

Trump in recent days has taken to insulting Manigault Newmans appearance and sanity both verbally and via Twitter. He called her a lowlife in a photo opportunity during his New Jersey vacation over the weekend, and a crazed, crying lowlife and a dog on Twitter Tuesday morning.

The president also claimed this week that Manigault Newman had poor relationships with her co-workers, and that the only reason he let her continue at the White House was that she publicly praised him.

Nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work. When Gen. Kelly came on board he told me she was a loser & nothing but problems. I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said GREAT things about me - until she got fired! he wrote on Monday.

Related...

Omarosa Claims Trump Has 'Mental Decline That Could Not Be Denied'

Trevor Noah: 'Omarosa! How Can You Say That About The President ... ?'

Donald Trump Sparks Outrage After Calling Omarosa A 'Dog'

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.WASHINGTON  White House press secretary Sarah Sanders began her briefing on Wednesday by reading a statement from President Trump announcing his decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, a prominent critic of the current administration. The statement went on to list other current and former officials whose clearances would be under review.

Brennan served as CIA director from 2013 until Trump took office last year. In the statement, Trump said he made the decision because of his unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nations classified information.

In a written statement released Wednesday afternoon by the White House, Trump accused Brennan of engaging in erratic conduct and behavior that eliminated his value as a potential counselor to current officials and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him.

The president cited two examples of alleged improper behavior by Brennan, including 2014 congressional testimony in which the then CIA director claimed the agency had not spied on Senate Intelligence Committee staffers who were preparing a report on the agencys interrogation techniques. The inspector general concluded it had, in fact, spied on the staffers.

Trump also accused Brennan of lying when he said that the so-called Steele dossier was not in any way used as the basis for the intelligence communitys assessment that Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election in an effort to boost Trumps chances of winning.

Trump has vehemently denied the allegations in the dossier, which was compiled by a former British spy and alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had tendrils in Trumps campaign and possessed compromising material that could be used to hold sway over the U.S. president.

In addition to accusing Brennan of lying, Trumps statement suggested the former CIA directors recent critiques of the White House were improper.

Story continues

Mr. Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on the internet and television about this administration, Trump wrote.

Brennan, like many former intelligence agency officials, regularly appears on cable news, where he has emerged as a prominent Trump critic. The ex-CIA director has also expressed concerns about the Trump administration through a Twitter account that he set up last September. Brennans most recent post on the site came Wednesday night when he sent a message attacking Trump for calling former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman a dog.

Its astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation, Brennan wrote.

After announcing the decision to revoke Brennans clearance, Trumps statement declared he would be evaluating action against nine other current and former officials. Those on the list were former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper; ex-FBI Director James Comey; Michael Hayden, who led both the NSA and CIA; erstwhile deputy Attorney General Sally Yates; President Obamas national security adviser Susan Rice; ex-deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe; recently fired FBI agent Peter Strzok; Lisa Page, an FBI attorney; and Bruce Ohr, a member of the Justice Departments Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

Ohr was the lone current official cited by the president.

Former CIA Director John Brennan. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

All of those on Trumps list have publicly criticized the White House or been linked in some way to investigations of the president. Several of the people named by Trump are also potential witnesses in the ongoing probe by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether Trump obstructed justice when he fired Comey last year.

Maintaining security clearances is important to former officials as it can help them secure future employment.

At the press briefing, Sanders dismissed the notion Trump was focusing on his political rivals. She insisted Trump would also be willing to consider stripping clearances from officials who support him if they act improperly.

If we deemed it necessary, we would certainly look into that, Sanders said.

Following Sanderss briefing, the White House sent out a written version of Trumps statement that was dated July 26. The White House subsequently sent out a corrected undated version. This discrepancy led to some speculation the announcement was timed for political purposes. Asked about this, a White House official simply said the revocation of Brennans clearance was dated today.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment about who initiated the clearance review and whether security professionals were involved in the decision making. CNN reported that current Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was not consulted about the decision. Speaking on the channel, Clapper, the ex-director, described that as unprecedented.

I dont know of  a case where this has ever been done in the past, Clapper said. Access to clearances normally would be done completely by a sponsoring agency.

Brennan took to his Twitter page to describe the move as part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics.

It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent, Brennan said.

Hayden, the former CIA and NSA director, similarly cast the move as an attempt to stifle criticism in an appearance on CNN in which he said Sanders announced the decision almost in a tone to be threatening to the rest of us.

In an email, Hayden said revocation of his clearance would have a marginal impact on the work I do.

He cited, as an example of a possible effect, board work he did ensuring an American subsidiary of an Irish company respected U.S. rules on classified information.

If my memory is correct, I visited the agency once to get a background briefing on Africa about nine years ago, he added. All my other visits were either to attend a ceremony, at the request of the agency, or to research my book (every word of which had to be cleared by the CIA and NSA).

Hayden concluded by declaring that the potential of losing his clearance would have no effect on his public statements.

With regard to the implied threat today that I could lose my clearance, that will have no impact on what I think, say or write, Hayden wrote.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:Trump again slams special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe and his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for allowing the "witch hunt" to take root in the first place.

Trump says fired FBI agent Peter Strzok should be "criminally investigated."

Trump escalates his attacks against former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, calling her a "dog" and a "crazed, crying lowlife."

President Donald Trump attacked special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia probe on Tuesday, saying it's "looking at the wrong people," and slammed his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions , for allowing the "witch hunt" to take root in the first place.

"If we had a real Attorney General, this Witch Hunt would never have been started!" Trump wrote at one point during a Twitter rant spanning more than two hours.

Trump tweet Attorney General

Trump has repeatedly attacked Sessions on social media, zeroing in on the embattled attorney general's recusal from investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign. Sessions disqualified himself in early 2017, after he came under fire for failing to disclose during congressional testimony that he had been in contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The Justice Department declined CNBC's request for comment on the president's tweet. The White House did not immediately provide comment on Trump's tweet about Sessions.

Quoting conservatives and Trump-supporting personalities from Fox News Channel, the president endorsed the view that Peter Strzok , an ex-member of Mueller's team, should be "criminally investigated." Strzok was fired from the FBI on Monday over anti-Trump texts.

Trump tweet Fitton 1

Trump tweet Fitton 2

Trump tweet Strzok fraud

"The whole thing ... should be shut down," Trump tweeted, quoting Tom Fitton, the president of conservative legal activist group Judicial Watch.

Story continues

Just after 9 a.m. ET, the president suggested that the probe should be investigating his Democratic rival from 2016, Hillary Clinton . "Why aren't these angry and conflicted Democrats instead looking at Crooked Hillary?" Trump tweeted.

Trump tweet Hillary

Trump has often and inaccurately referred to Mueller's team as consisting of strictly Democrats. Mueller himself is a Republican. He was named special counsel by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a Republican and a Trump appointee.

The president also focused his ire on current FBI employee Bruce Ohr, whose wife Nellie worked for Fusion GPS, the research firm that produced a dossier alleging salacious connections between Trump and Russia. Bruce Ohr is not a member of Mueller's team.

Trump tweet Bruce Ohr

Amid Trump's latest assault on the investigation of Russian election interference  and potential conspiracy between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin  the president continued his attacks against Omarosa Manigault Newman , a former senior advisor in his administration, calling her a "dog" and a "crazed, crying lowlife. "

Trump tweet Omarosa

In the run-up to the release of her White House expose, Manigault Newman has claimed that tapes exist of Trump using racial epithets including the N-word, and has produced other recordings herself. In an MSNBC interview Monday night, she said she would cooperate with the special counsel and hand over the recordings she made if she were contacted again, appearing to confirm that she has been in touch with Mueller's office.

Following his latest salvo against the ex-"Apprentice" star, Trump weighed in on reports of an incident in London being treated as a terror attack.

Trump tweet animals





More From CNBC

By David Gaffen (Reuters) - Voter engagement in the 2018 U.S. midterm races remains feverish, primaries in notable swing states Wisconsin and Minnesota showed on Tuesday. Both states showed sharp increases in participation as voters picked candidates for Congress, Senate and governor, with Minnesota's turnout surpassing a two-decade high and Wisconsin's hitting levels not reached for a state primary since at least 2002. [L1N1V50KY] Democrats are hoping to replicate successes seen around the nation throughout the past 18 months in local and state special elections, where high levels of enthusiasm have propelled them to victories in races from Alabama's Senate seat in December to a southwest Pennsylvania congressional district in March. The party is desperately seeking to flip control of Congress and capture more statehouses across the nation, as Republicans have control of both houses of Congress and the majority of state legislatures. In Minnesota, more than 900,000 voters turned out in a state known for high levels of voter engagement, according to unofficial state figures on Wednesday. That equals a turnout rate of roughly 22 percent, according to Minnesota's secretary of state. It was also the highest for state primary nominating contests since 1994, not including presidential primaries, according to state data. More than 580,000 people voted on the Democratic side. "Competitive races for open seats, and partisan enthusiasm for many of the candidates in a highly polarized climate, fueled the high turnout," said Kathryn Pearson, political science professor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. 'ENTHUSIASM IS HIGH' In Wisconsin, nearly 1 million voters cast ballots, or about 22 percent of the voting-age population, surpassing the 14 percent rate posted in both 2016 and 2014, according to a spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission. That is the highest since a 22.5 percent turnout rate in 2002, but the official figure could still exceed that when all votes are counted. Turnout was strong in Democratic strongholds such as Madison, the state capital, and the largest city, Milwaukee, but also in Republican suburbs around Milwaukee. Democrats picked Tony Evers to challenge Governor Scott Walker, who is seeking a third term, while Republicans chose state senator Leah Vukmir as their opponent to Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin. Early polls have shown the governor's race to be close, with Baldwin holding larger leads in polls of the Senate race. "Democratic enthusiasm is obviously high: They've won two key special elections for state senate seats and a Supreme Court election. If the election were held today, it's highly unlikely that Trump would carry Wisconsin again," said Charlie Sykes, a conservative commentator and longtime Trump critic. Trump became the first Republican to win Wisconsin in 32 years when he edged out Hillary Clinton there in 2016. However, David Canon, professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, said not too much could be read into Tuesday's turnout given several hot contests in the state. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be decided in November's contests. Democrats are trying to recapture at least one house of Congress to stall Trump's agenda and have promised additional oversight of the president. Republicans are trying to motivate voters by promoting the strong economy and tax-cut legislation while Trump's approval rating remains in the low 40s. (Reporting by David Gaffen in New York and Jim Oliphant in Washington; Editing by Paul Tait and Matthew Lewis)Thessaloniki (Greece) (AFP) - Two Greek soldiers held in a Turkish prison for more than five months on espionage charges landed home early Wednesday, after a court ordered their release.

The two had been detained since March for illegally crossing the border in a case that has stoked tensions between Athens and Ankara.

Lieutenant Aggelos Mitretodis and Sergeant Dimitros Kouklatzis told prosecutors shortly after their arrest that they mistakenly crossed the border after getting lost in the fog.

The case added to a long list of troubles between Turkey and Greece which, though both NATO members since 1952, have tense relations.

On Tuesday, Turkish media reported that a court in Edirne region had ruled that the two soldiers would now be tried without being held in detention.

Greek officials promptly travelled by plane to Turkey to collect the soldiers.

The pair, dressed in their uniforms, arrived at Thessaloniki airport in the early hours of Wednesday morning, greeted by a guard of honour, Greek officials and their parents.

"I hope that their release will mark a new chapter for Greek-Turkish relations," Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos told reporters.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed the Turkish court's move as an "act of justice".

Their release will "contribute to a reinforcement of friendship, good neighbourliness and stability in the region," Tsipras said in a statement.

The court had previously refused several requests for the two soldiers to be released from detention.

The European Union had backed member state Greece in the dispute, condemning the detention of the soldiers and calling for their release.

The release order for the two men -- which was wholly unexpected -- comes as Turkey is engulfed in a bitter dispute with its NATO ally the United States which has seen the Turkish lira plunge to record lows.

Turkey charged the two soldiers with "attempted military espionage" as well as entering a forbidden military zone.

The prosecution said the pair testified they entered the Turkish side by tracking footsteps in the snow and filmed images on their mobile phones to send to higher ranking officials.

Athens and Ankara have also clashed over Turkish demands that Greece extradite eight Turkish troops wanted over the July 2016 attempted coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Two US military Osprey aircraft made separate emergency landings at airports on Japanese islands on Tuesday, with no injuries or damage reported, local media said.

One of the two MV-22 Ospreys landed at Amami Airport in southwestern Kagoshima prefecture Tuesday afternoon, according to the Kyodo and Jiji news agencies.

The tilt-rotor aircraft left the Japanese airport two hours later, interrupting some commercial flights, public broadcaster NHK said.

The other Osprey made an emergency landing further south at the US Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Friday afternoon, Kyodo said, quoting government sources.

There were no reports of injuries or damage following the two incidents.

Immediate confirmation of the news reports was not available.

The Osprey, a hybrid helicopter-turboprop with a chequered safety record, has two engines positioned on fixed wingtips that allow it to land and take off vertically. It can travel much faster than a helicopter.

Several accidents involving US military aircraft in Japan have stoked tensions between Washington and Tokyo and led to protests against the deployment of Ospreys by residents living near US bases.

The incidents have included emergency landings by US military helicopters, a piece of a helicopter falling on the grounds of a Japanese school, and the deadly crash last year of an MV-22 Osprey which forced a massive rescue operation.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis apologised to his Japanese counterpart over the mishaps in January.In the long history of Korea, nothing compares to the 20th century division of the peninsula or the war that followed. That war has not finished, and a peace treaty remains elusive. China, North Korea and South Korea all seek a peace treaty, but 11 U.S. presidents since 1953 have been unwilling to agree.

If President Trump turns out to be the exception, that shift could help put an end to more than a half-century of conflict  and the role of the United States in determining whether peace arrives is not a small one. Neither is it coincidental: in fact, the U.S. has played a key role in keeping the conflict going as long as it has.

The division of Korea is not what Franklin Delano Roosevelt intended as World War II ended. As President, he had discussed with British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin an international trusteeship of Korea that would help bring the country out of Japanese colonial rule and restore its sovereignty. But Roosevelt died in April 1945 and President Truman had different priorities. The change of thinking by the Truman administration led to a change of direction that altered the course of history in northeast Asia.

In 1945, the Soviet army joined the Pacific war, and marched into Manchuria at the invitation of the United States. In the wake of that move, President Truman and Stalin agreed to divide Korea militarily, along a line of demarcation selected on Aug. 10, 1945, by two colonels in the Pentagon. The Korean people were not consulted. What started as a military partition in 1945 became a political division in 1948 when separate states were created in the north and the south  an invitation to conflict that made a war for the reunification of the peninsula inevitable. North Korea invaded the south in June 1950 but three months later, when US-led forces crossed the 38th parallel and threatened the Chinese border, Kim Il Sungs war for reunification transformed into a global conflict in which China and the United States became the major players.

Story continues

In July of 1951, armistice negotiations commenced. They continued for more than two years and consisted of 575 meetings. When the military commanders signed an armistice agreement on July 27, 1953, a ceasefire occurred. Hostilities ended more or less where they began. The armistice was predicated on the creation of a peace treaty and the withdrawal of foreign forces. The agreement was intended to be temporary and negotiations for a peace treaty were required to take place within three months.

Negotiations took place in Geneva in 1954 but no progress was made and no peace treaty eventuated. The U.S. Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, would not negotiate and was not prepared to shake the hand of Chinese Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai. Zhou described Dulles attitude as obstructionist. Other representatives, including those from Britain and Belgium, were privately critical of the approach of the United States at the conference. At the conclusion of the conference, Dulles, who became TIMEs Man of the Year for 1954, refused to agree to a proposed joint statement reflecting a common desire to achieve the peaceful settlement of the Korean question.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

A few years later, the prospect of a peace treaty was further diminished. In 1956, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs announced that the Pentagon intended to introduce nuclear weapons into South Korea in contravention of clause 13 (d) of the armistice.

That clause prevented all parties from introducing new weapons or further troops onto the peninsula, other than as a like-for-like replacement. In 1957, despite the concerns of allies and the advice of the State Department, the United States announced its unilateral abrogation of clause 13(d) of the armistice. It said that North Korea had already breached the armistice, though no specific allegations were identified. From January 1958 on, the U.S. military brought Honest John nuclear missiles and atomic canons onto South Korean soil. The effect was to undermine the armistice. And the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, whose purpose was to ensure compliance with the armistice, largely lost its function. North Koreas pretensions to develop its own nuclear arsenal date from this period.

After 65 years, there is still no peace treaty. Somewhat ironically, the nuclear status of North Korea has been one of the major sticking points.

Yet at the Singapore Summit with Kim Jong Un on June 12, President Trump revealed his aspiration to finally bring an end to the war. When asked if he touched on the issue of a peace treaty in his discussions with Kim, he answered Of course, and he ended his press conference by saying that he would also like to involve China and South Korea as signatories to a peace treaty.

There is much, including denuclearization, that must occur before peace can finally come. But when it does, it will conclude a sad and unresolved chapter of Korean history  one that Kim Dae Jung, former president of South Korea, has described as a brief anomaly in 13 centuries of unified kingdom.

Michael Pembroke is the author of Korea: Where the American Century Began, published this month by Oneworld Publications.Dave Majumdar

Security,

The United States Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a second contract to develop a hypersonic missile called the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

The U.S. Military Is Going All In on Hypersonic Weapons

Washington is stepping up its efforts to develop and field hypersonic weapons as it competes to retain Americas technological advantage over Russia and China, both of which are developing similar systems.

As part of the Pentagons efforts to keep abreast of Moscow and Beijings developments, the United States Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a second contract to develop a hypersonic missile called the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). Earlier this year in April, the Air Force awarded the company a contract to develop the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW). Under the new contract, Lockheed Martin will provide the critical design review, test and production readiness support for the ARRW.

"We are going to go fast and leverage the best technology available to get hypersonic capability to the warfighter as soon as possible," Air Force secretary Heather A. Wilson said in a statement.

The ARRW award is what the Pentagon calls an undefinitized contract. This undefinitized contract action allows the Government to meet urgent needs by authorizing the contractor to begin work before reaching a final settlement on contract terms and conditions, to include a final negotiated price, the Air Force said in a statement. The contract is expected to be definitized within 180 days of award.

As mentioned previously, the ARRW is the second of two Air Force hypersonic weapons programs. On April 18, 2018, the service awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the HCSW air launched hypersonic missile that is worth $928 million through to an early operational capability that is expected in 2021.

Our goal is rapid development and fielding of the HCSW system, and this contract is the first step in achieving that goal, John Snyder, vice president of Air Force Strategic Programs at Lockheed Martin, said at the time. Design, development, production, integration and test experts from across Lockheed Martin will partner with the Air Force to achieve early operational capability and deliver the system to our warfighters. We are incredibly proud to be leading this effort.

Story continues

The Air Force is pursuing the ARRW and the HCSW as prototyping efforts to accelerate American hypersonics research and development. As such, the Air Force is using rapid prototyping authorized by Section 804 of the FY16 National Defense Authorization Act to explore the art-of-the-possible and to advance these technologies to a capability in 2021, the service said in a statement.

While both weapons are similar in that they are air-launched hypersonic systems, the two missiles are not redundant or duplicative. The ARRW and HCSW efforts are developing unique capabilities for the warfighter and each has different technical approaches,  the Air Force said. The ARRW effort is pushing the art-of-the-possible by leveraging the technical base established by the Air Force/DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] partnership. The HCSW effort is using mature technologies that have not been integrated for an air-launched delivery system.

Recommended: Forget the F-35: The Tempest Could Be the Future

Recommended: Why No Commander Wants to Take On a Spike Missile

Recommended: What Will the Sixth-Generation Jet Fighter Look Like?

But the ARRW and HCSW are not the only hypersonic weapons technologies the Pentagon is pursuing. The Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency,

Air Force, Navy and Army signed a memorandum of agreement to work cooperatively on hypersonic boost glide technology development on June 28. Russia and China have already made significant strides in the development of such boost glide weapons.

"The Joint Team requires the right mix of agile capabilities to compete, deter, and win across the spectrum of competition and conflict," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein said. "We must push the boundaries of technology and own the high ground in this era of great power competition and beyond."

In this particular case, both Russia and China have pushed the boundaries of technology when it comes to hypersonic weapons. Russia has fielded the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile and is developing the Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle and the Tsircon hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile. China has also been working on hypersonic boost-glide vehicles and other hypersonic weapons technologies. The United States is essentially playing catch up at this point.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for the National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Read full articleAn Australian politician was widely condemned Wednesday after demanding "a final solution" to immigration and calling for a return to the White Australia policy that favoured "European Christians".

Fraser Anning stunned lawmakers during his maiden speech to the senate when he invoked the infamous Nazi phrase used under Adolf Hitler in reference to annihilating Jewish people from Europe.

He also sparked widespread anger by urging a ban on Muslim migrants and defending the race-based White Australia immigration policy that was in place for seven decades from 1901.

"We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominantly reflect the historic European-Christian composition of Australian society," Anning told the upper house late Tuesday

"Those who come here need to assimilate and integrate."

He added that "ethnocultural diversity ... has been allowed to rise to dangerous levels in many suburbs".

"In direct response, self-segregation, including white flight from poorer inner-urban areas, has become the norm."

Anning, who represents Queensland for Katter's Australian Party, called for immigrant numbers to be slashed, and for a ban on Muslims, justifying his call by saying they had "consistently shown to be the least able to assimilate and integrate".

"While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims, so why would anyone want to bring more of them here?"

He added: "The final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote."

Immigration remains a hot button issue in Australia, amid concern about jobs and overcrowding in major cities.

Data released last month showed migration numbers hit a 10-year low last year, with the annual intake falling by 20,000 to 162,000 as vetting procedures were tightened.

- 'Shocking insult' -

Anning's comments sparked a backlash from all sides of politics, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who emphasised Australia was one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world.

Story continues

"So we reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all," he said, adding that the "final solution" jibe was "a shocking insult to the memory of six million Jews who died in the Holocaust".

Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten called the speech "a low point for our parliament", while independent senator Derryn Hinch said there "was hardly a group of Australians he did not offend unless you were very close to being a member of the Ku Klux Klan".

Despite the criticism, Anning was unrepentant Wednesday and claimed he did not know the connection between the phrase "final solution" and Nazi Germany.

"I don't regret anything, I am not going to apologise or regret anything that I say," he said.

He won support from his party leader, Bob Katter, who said he "1,000 percent" backed him.

"His speech was absolutely magnificent and it's everything that this country should be doing," he said.US soldier in Afghanistan dies from wounds in roadside blast originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A U.S. Army soldier has died from wounds sustained when a roadside bomb detonated near him while he was on patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced Monday. Staff Sgt. Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion is the fifth American military service member to be killed in Afghanistan this year.

Transfiguracion, 36, of Waikoloa, Hawaii, sustained his injuries on August 7 while on a combat patrol in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. The Pentagon said in a statement that the incident is under investigation.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, where he served as an engineer sergeant.

The Green Beret joined the Army in 2008 and had previously deployed to Iraq and the Philippines.

There are about 14,000 American service members serving in Afghanistan in support of a NATO training mission known as Resolute Support. They advise and assist the Afghan military in its fight against the Taliban. Most of these personnel carry out their missions at bases in eastern and southern Afghanistan.

A smaller portion of the U.S. force serves in a counter-terrorism mission known as Operation Freedom's Sentinel targeting ISIS-Khorasan and al Qaeda.

Born in Sarrat Ilocos Norte, Philippines, Transfiguracion enlisted in July 2001 with the Hawaii National Guard July 2001 serving as a motor transport operator. He deployed to Iraq with the Hawaii National Guard from 2005-2006.

He joined the active duty Army in February 2008 and again deployed to Iraq.

He then deployed to the Philippines for six months in support of Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines from 2010-2011.

He was selected for Army Special Forces and was assigned to Joint Base Lewis - McChord and B Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) as an engineer sergeant. He deployed to Afghanistan in March 2018.Numerous unique candidates are competing for power in Vermont's primaries ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, as voters head to the polls on Tuesday.

Phil Scott, the Republican governor in the reliably Democratic state, is running for re-election despite growing concerns from the right surrounding his stance on gun control. After passing a series of measures tightening gun restrictions in Vermont, guns rights groups like the Gun Owners of Vermont launched a campaign calling on voters to write-in other conservative candidates, including Keith Stern and John Rodgers.

If he loses the support of his base, Mr Scotts seat could very well go to one of four Democrat candidates.

Ethan Sonneborn is one of those candidates. Hes a 14-year-old progressive who decided to launch his campaign after violence erupted last year during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, North Carolina. State law allows anyone who has lived in Vermont for four years to run for governor after securing enough signatures to get on the ballot, making Mr Sonneborn legally qualified despite his age.

While his campaign has only raised a reported $1,700, other progressive candidates appear to be viable contenders for the governors mansion. Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman and former executive of the Vermont Electric Co-Operative, would be the first transgender gubernatorial candidate from a major political party if she were to win the Democratic nomination.

She's ran on a platform of addressing local and state issues, from rural economic development to climate change, and has described her gender as just one of many defining traits.

Please allow the live blog to load

And, of course, theres Bernie Sanders. Vermonts current senator is also seeking re-election as an independent, and will reject the Democratic partys nomination if he wins it  as he had done since 2006.

Vermont isnt the only state holding a primary on Tuesday  Minnesota, Wisconsin and Connecticut also held elections to determine which candidates will face off come November.The man arrested after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament in a suspected terror attack has been named as Salih Khater.

It is believed the 29-year-old, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, remains in police custody after his arrest on suspicion of preparing an act of terror.

He was subsequently further arrested for attempted murder.

Salih Khater has been named as the suspect in the Westminster terror attack (PA)

Khater is thought to have lived in a first-floor flat in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, until he moved out around four months ago.

Residents who knew the suspect described him as a quiet man.

Local resident Ahmed Abdi, who is originally from Somalia, told reporters: I recognised his picture from the news and I was shocked.

He was around here almost every day and I was here yesterday when the police turned up. He was very quiet and he used to drive a small white car, a really old one.

He was very, very quiet and he never spoke to anybody. He would say nothing to nobody.

A 29-year-old man arrested following the incident in Westminster yesterday remains in custody. All cordons in #Westminster now lifted. https://t.co/9BpxgPxOQS pic.twitter.com/xuwA9bhYpP  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 15, 2018

Khater was previously an accountancy student at Coventry University.

A spokesman for the university said: Salih Khater studied accountancy at Coventry University between September 2017 and May 2018.

As of May 2018 he is no longer enrolled at the university.

The car used in the attack has now been recovered by police (PA)

The silver Ford Fiesta used in the attack was driven from Birmingham to London late on Monday and spent almost five hours in the Tottenham Court Road area.

It was then driven around the Westminster area for more than 90 minutes before it crashed into a security barrier outside the Houses of Parliament just before 7.40am on Tuesday.

Story continues

Counter-terrorism officers have since conducted searches at two addresses in Birmingham and a residential property in Nottingham as part of the probe.

Plainclothed police officers could be seen outside an address in Peveril Street, Nottingham, on Tuesday evening, said by neighbours to be home to six Sudanese people.

MOST POPULAR ON YAHOO NEWS UK

In pictures: The top 10 most liveable cities in the world

Westminster terror attack: Theresa May says Britain under severe threat after huge rise in active terrorist investigations

Baby boy dies from cold sore virus less than two weeks after birth

Genoa bridge collapse: Rescue workers hunt for survivors among the rubble as first victims named

Celebrity Big Brother 2018: Line-up confirmed

There was also a police presence near the Bunna Internet Cafe on Stratford Road in Sparkbrook, Birmingham.

Khater, who was said to not be co-operating with officers, was not known to security services, Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism head Neil Basu said.

He said the apparent deliberate nature of the act, the method used and the iconic location of Parliament led the force to treat it as a terrorist incident.

A residential property (left) on Peveril Street in Nottingham which was searched by police (PA)

The route of the car that crashed into security barriers (PA)

Footage showed the cars approach towards Parliament, where it crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with cyclists before entering a small sideroad and crashing into a security barrier.

Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries. One man was treated at the scene while another man and a woman were taken to hospital but were discharged by Tuesday evening.

Images posted online showed a man wearing a black puffer jacket being led away in handcuffs from the car as armed police swarmed the scene.

There was nobody else in the vehicle and no weapons were found, police said.

A bicycle is loaded onto a van after a car ploughed into cyclists and pedestrians (PA)

Police and forensic teams surround the car used in the attack (PA)

Mr Basu added no other suspects have been identified and there is no intelligence at this time of further danger to Londoners.

The car was removed from the scene late on Tuesday night.

After a meeting of the Governments emergency Cobra committee, Theresa May urged the country to come together and carry on as normal.

In a statement the Prime Minister, who is on holiday, praised the formidable courage and professionalism of the emergency services who ran towards danger.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who also thanked the emergency services, urged people to keep an open mind about the incident.

A forklift truck removes the security barrier that the car crashed into (PA)

Witnesses described an emotionless driver ploughing through cyclists in what appeared to be a deliberate act.

Kirsty Moseley, of Brixton, was a passenger in the first car behind the cyclists, who were thrown everywhere after being struck at what she estimated was 25mph.

Ms Moseley, 31, added: He (the driver) wasnt shouting anything, he wasnt screaming, he didnt look crazed or out of control  he was just deadpan.

What we know so far about the suspected terror attack at Westminster:

A car collided with cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into a security barrier outside the Houses of Parliament shortly before 7.40am.

The man driving the silver Ford Fiesta, 29-year-old UK national Salih Khater, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. He is believed to have been living in the Birmingham Hall Green constituency, MP Roger Godsiff said.

Three people were treated for injuries after the incident. One man was treated at the scene while a man and woman were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Both have since been discharged.

The man was alone in the car and no weapons were recovered from the vehicle. Police said in the hours after the incident that the suspect was not co-operating.

The Metropolitan Police said they were treating it as a terrorist incident because of the method used, the fact it appeared to have been deliberate and due to the iconic location where it happened.

The car, which is privately owned and was first registered in March 2010 according to gov.uk, was driven from Birmingham to London on Monday night and arrived into London just after midnight on Tuesday. It was then in the area of Tottenham Court Road between 1.25am and 5.55am, before being driven around the areas of Westminster and Whitehall from 6am until the time of the incident.

Searches were being carried out at two addresses in Birmingham and one in Nottingham on Tuesday evening. Plain-clothed police officers could be seen outside an address in Peveril Street in Nottingham, which was said by neighbours to be home to six Sudanese people. There was also a police presence near the Bunna Internet Cafe on Stratford Road in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, but it was not confirmed whether that was in relation to the Westminster probe.

We cannot accept comments on this article for legal reasons.Paul Nehlen, right, is introduced at a "Drain the Swamp" campaign rally for Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore last December. Moore lost the special election that month; Nehlen lost his bid for a House seat in Wisconsin on Tuesday. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images)

Paul Nehlen  a white nationalist so racist and anti-Semitic he was kicked off Twitter  lost Tuesdays Republican primary in Wisconsins 1st Congressional District.

Bryan Steil won the GOP nomination for the seat House Speaker Paul Ryan (R) is giving up. Steil, a former Ryan aide who the speaker endorsed, faces Democrat Randy Bryce in the November general election.

Nehlen, a businessman-turned-aspiring-politician, finished far behind Steil in the six-candidate GOP primary. His defeat marks his second failed attempt at securing the Republican nomination in the district. In 2016, he received just 15 percent of the vote in a head-to-head race against Ryan.

In the 2016 race, Nehlen enjoyed the support of prominent right-wing figures including Sarah Palin, Anne Coulter and Steve Bannon, who that year became Trumps campaign manager and would later serve as the presidents chief strategist in the White House. Breitbart News, the far-right site where Bannon was executive chairman, showered Nehlen with positive press.

But Nehlen enjoyed no such support in his primary bid this year. Republicans have raced to distance themselves from Nehlen since December, when HuffPost was the first to confront Nehlen about his open embrace of explicit white nationalism.

HuffPost  piggybacking off reporting from the site Angry White Men, which monitors the activity of white supremacists  documented Nehlens history of making racist and anti-Semitic posts on Twitter and Gab, a social media platform used primarily by racists and fascists.

Nehlen demonstrated a fluency with the lingo of the so-called alt-right, posting Its Ok To Be White, Pepe The Frog and other white nationalist memes. He expressed support for the white supremacists who marched at the deadly 2017 Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a neo-Nazi allegedly drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing anti-racist activist Heather Heyer.

(Photo: Screenshot)

On Dec. 9, 2017  two days before speaking on stage at an official campaign event for Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore in a special election that Moore would lose  Nehlen was a guest on an anti-Semitic white power podcast called Fash the Nation, chatting with the shows hosts for about an hour. (Fash is shorthand for fascist.)

Story continues

On that show, Nehlen proudly recounted telling a Jewish magazine editor to self-deport and eat a bullet. He also told the hosts  who support the creation of a white ethnostate  that he was honored to be a guest on their show.

HuffPost asked Nehlen three times in December if he considered himself a white nationalist. Three times, Nehlen didnt deny it.

In the following weeks, Bannon cut ties with Nehlen, and Breitbart News scrubbed its archives of articles Nehlen had written for the site. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker eventually called Nehlen a racist and the Wisconsin GOP disavowed him.

Nehlen, meanwhile, doubled down on being a white supremacist, appearing in January as a guest on the podcast of former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke. He talked with Duke about how Jews control the media and discussed turning Trumps proposed border wall on the Mexican border into a fortress for gunning down immigrants. Armed machine gun turrets every 300 yards, he told Duke of his vision for the wall. And you can automate those. Anyone who approaches that barrier will be treated as an enemy combatant. Man, woman or child.

That same month, Nehlen was suspended from Twitter for posting neo-Nazi propaganda showing predominantly journalists marked with the Star of David. The following month, Nehlen was kicked off Twitter  no easy feat  after posting a racist meme about Meghan Markle.

Last month  despite being permanently banned from Twitter  Nehlen reappeared on the site under a different handle to apologize to his fans for running a bad campaign. He blamed his failure, however, on hiring a Jewish campaign spokesman. (The spokesman, Josh Smith, admitted to HuffPost to growing up Jewish, despite being an anti-Semite himself.)

Lets start by admitting that I was wrong to have ever trusted a ***, Nehlen tweeted, the asterisks undoubtedly obscuring the word Jew.

They are never to be trusted. Ever.

Nehlen is among a frightening number of out-and-proud white supremacists who have run or are running for office as Republicans in 2018  some of whom have won Republican primaries in their respective districts.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know whats going on. Tell us your story.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Leah Vukmir, the Republican Senate candidate from Wisconsin, and Tim Walz, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota. (Photos: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP)

Top Story:

Want to know which direction the countrys going in the Age of Trump? Watch the Upper Midwest.

The results of Tuesdays primaries in Minnesota and Wisconsin were the latest in a series of revealing soundings from the region  tremors on the electoral Richter scale that help delineate the underlying forces shaping American politics.

First came 2016, when Donald Trump flipped tens of thousands of white working-class Barack Obama voters and, with the benefit of weak Democratic turnout for Hillary Clinton, eked out narrow victories in Michigan and Wisconsin  states that hadnt voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1988 and 1984, respectively.

At the same time, Trump also finished a mere 1.5 percentage points behind Clinton in Minnesota, a state that hasnt gone red since 1972.

Then came 2018. In January, with Trumps approval rating stuck at a historic low, a Wisconsin Democrat snagged a state Senate seat by attracting the same rural voters who propelled the president into office. In April, Democrats drove up turnout in a typically little-noticed Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Soon, beleaguered House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has struggled to strike a balance between his own old-school conservatism and the GOPs ascendant Trumpism, was announcing his surprise retirement, setting off a fierce battle for his seat, Wisconsins First District, representing the southwestern suburbs of Milwaukee.

Ryans would-be replacements, both Republican and Democratic, were on the ballot Tuesday. But they were hardly alone. In the sheer concentration of competitive races, its hard to think of a pair of neighboring states that exceed Wisconsin and Minnesota. The latter has four House seats rated as tossups: two currently held by Democrats, two currently held by Republicans. Only California has more. The Senate and governors contests are competitive as well. Next door in Wisconsin, a Senate seat, a House seat and the governors mansion are all up for grabs. Those numbers alone suggest how much is at stake in November.

Story continues

House Speaker Paul Ryan with Leah Vukmir and her children, Elena and Niko, during a campaign stop on Aug. 13. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

So what do Tuesdays primary results tell us about where things stand, three months before Election Day?

Lets start with the GOP. Despite the fact that Trump won Wisconsin and nearly won Minnesota by breaking with Republican orthodoxy and running as populist firebrand, neither state nominated any real Trump clones Tuesday. Instead they tended toward establishment types.

In the days marquee (and most expensive) contest  the $12 million battle for the Wisconsin GOP Senate nod  state Sen. Leah Vukmir handily defeated Kevin Nicholson, a former Marine and former Democrat, by 6 percentage points. Vukmir is longtime GOP stalwart and close ally of Gov. Scott Walker, who controls Wisconsins Republican Party, and even though Walker didnt endorse Vukmir directly, his former operatives and family members worked and weighed in on her behalf. Nicholson, buoyed by $8 million from Republican megadonor Dick Uihlein, tried to tar his rival, a la Trump, as a political insider, just like (he said) Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin.

The attack fell flat. Vukmir ran up huge margins in the Milwaukee suburbs, which have been the center of Republican power in the Walker era, while Nicholson fell short of Trumps margins in rural north and west Wisconsin. As a result, the self-styled outsider couldnt keep up.

Meanwhile, Walker, a past Trump critic, cruised to victory in the GOP gubernatorial primary, as did former Ryan aide Bryan Steil, the speakers handpicked successor. Steil opponent Paul Nehlen, a white nationalist who echoed and escalated the presidents rhetoric on trade, immigration and race, finished a distant third.

The story was similar in Minnesota. In the two Republican-held House tossups  Rep. Jason Lewiss Second District seat, in the Twin Cities southern suburbs, and Rep. Erik Paulsens neighboring seat in the Third District  the incumbents ran unopposed. As for the two tossups where Democrats arent running for reelection, Republicans selected former police officer Pete Stauber (in the Eighth District, which covers Duluth and the Iron Range) and renominated Jim Hagedorn (in Minnesotas First, a rural district on the states southern border).

Both Stauber and Hagedorn have some Trumpian tendencies. Hagedorn has posted a lot of controversial things about women and minorities on the internet; Stauber received Trumps endorsement on Monday. And the same goes for the winner of the Minnesota GOP gubernatorial primary, former Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, who never missed a chance to slam frontrunner and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty for his history of anti-Trump remarks.

Minnesota First Congressional District candidate Jim Hagedorn works a parade in Waterville, Minn., on June 10. (Photo: Jim Mone/AP)

But whether any of these candidates won because of Trump  as many of the post-primary headlines suggest  is far from clear. Hagedorn was the GOPs First District nominee in 2010, 2014 and 2016. Stauber faced only nominal opposition, winning 90 percent of the vote against a Duluth school board member. And even Johnson, who overcame a serious fundraising and name-ID deficit to torpedo Pawlentys comeback bid, wasnt a pro-Trump purist; in 2016, he backed Marco Rubio for president and called his partys eventual nominee a jackass.

On the Democratic side, a similarly simplistic narrative has emerged in the wake of Tuesdays vote: that Upper-Midwestern Dems won by running as proud progressives, even though their poor showing in 2016 would seem to call for a shift to the center. In terms of messaging, this is true enough: Rep. Tim Walz, a six-term Minnesota congressman who decided to compete for governor after Trump won his rural First District by 15 percentage points in 2016, no longer ran, as he had in the past, with the backing of the National Rifle Association.

But Walz, who won, remains an establishment-minded moderate, and the other Democrats nominated in Wisconsin and Minnesotas most competitive races are more like him than, say, Erin Murphy, the pro-single-payer progressive he defeated in Tuesdays primary. Theres Tony Evers, Wisconsins public school superintendent for the past decade, who will challenge Walker for governor in November. Theres former state Rep. Joe Radinovich, the man national Democrats wanted to win in Minnesotas Eighth District, and Iraq War veteran and former Defense Department official Dan Feehan, the partys pick in the First District. Theres Sen. Tina Smith, the Minnesota Democrat appointed in January to replace Al Franken. And then there are Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, both relatively centrist incumbents. The only exception, perhaps, was ironworker Randy Bryce, an economic populist who won the Democratic primary in Ryans district.

In other words, Tuesday demonstrated that the type of Republicans and Democrats being nominated in Wisconsin and Minnesota havent changed all that much, even if their messaging has become more pro-Trump on the GOP side and somewhat less middle-of-the-road among Democrats.

Democratic candidate for Minnesota governor Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, greet supporters in St. Paul after his victory. (Photo: Anthony Souffle/StarTribune via AP)

The question for November, then, isnt whether the candidates have changed. Its how much the voters themselves have shifted. In 2016, Trump overperformed in the Upper Midwest because he ran up his totals in rural and blue-collar areas with strong labor traditions where Democrats used to compete. Democratic gains in well-educated suburban areas that usually vote Republican werent enough to offset this surge, in part because Democratic turnout was down in urban strongholds like Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis.

To win in November, Democrats are banking on an anti-Trump backlash: more enthusiasm in the cities, more converts in the suburbs and perhaps closer margins in the outlying areas.

Tuesdays primaries didnt offer conclusive evidence that Dems will pull this off on Election Day. But two data points suggest that theyre on the right track.

In Wisconsin, the contested Democratic gubernatorial primary drew about 20 percent more voters than [the] contested Republican primary for U.S. Senate, even though the GOP race was more competitive and generated far more television advertising, according to state political expert Craig Gilbert. Especially striking, Gilbert noted, was the fact that the ultramobilized blue bastion of Dane County  including the University of Wisconsin college town of Madison  produced 40 percent more votes than ever before in a Democratic primary for governor or Senate.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, more Democrats than Republicans turned out in every crucial race: governor (+82 percent for Dems); First District (+12 percent for Dems); and Eighth District (+38 percent for Dems).

If those trends keep up, the party could very well reverse its 2016 losses in a region thats become a bellwether of sorts for how the country as a whole is responding to the rise of Trump.

Verbatim:

Best of the Rest:

Democratic Diversity: Continuing whats been a banner year for Democratic female and minority candidates, Tuesday ushered in groundbreaking primary victories for a transgender woman in Vermont, a Muslim woman in Minnesota and an African-American woman in Connecticut.

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar celebrates with her children after her Congressional Fifth District primary victory Tuesday. (Photo: Mark Vancleave/Star Tribune via AP)

The latter two are almost certain to win in November: Minnesota State Rep. Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American legislator elected anywhere in the country, is running in the Fifth District, a deep-blue Minneapolis district, while Jahana Hayes, who overcame poverty and a teenage pregnancy to win the 2016 National Teacher of the Year award, is running in Connecticuts Fifth District, a northwestern district where retiring Rep. Elizabeth Esty defeated her Republican opponent by 16 percentage points in 2016.

The race to watch this fall is the one between Vermonts Christine Hallquist, a former energy utility executive seeking to become Americas first transgender governor, and incumbent Republican Phil Scott. Until recently, Scott was one of the most popular governors in the country, but his net approval rating plummeted 38 percentage points earlier this year after he signed three gun control bills into law.

Vermont Democratic gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist during her election night party in Burlington, Vt., on Tuesday. (Photo: Charles Krupa/AP)

We should note that Scott is still popular among Democrats, and the Republicans who turned against him over guns are unlikely to flock to Hallquist in November. But what remains to be seen is whether the historic nature of Hallquists candidacy  and all the attention it is already attracting  is reason enough for Vermont Democrats to vote against a Republican theyre otherwise fairly pleased with. If that kind of scenario can happen anywhere, its probably Vermont  the most socially liberal state in the union.

New England Republicans: Have reports of their death been greatly exaggerated? The partys newly crowned Connecticut gubernatorial nominee Bob Stefanowski will be putting that proposition to the test in November. The former CEO of a global payday loan company, Stefanowski, 56, defeated a crowded field by ignoring Connecticuts GOP establishment, opting out of the states public-financing program and pledging to eliminate its income tax. Like Trump, Stefanowski is a political outsider: For 16 years, he even didnt bother to vote, and he recently reregistered as a Democrat, only to revert back to Republican last year. He also praised Trump on the trail, inviting the president to campaign with him in Connecticut after claiming we need more of his policies in the state.

Stefanowskis opponent, Ned Lamont, also a wealthy businessman, who famously defeated Sen. Joe Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic primary (Lieberman won reelection as an independent), will, of course, attempt to make hay of the Trump connection in November.

Connecticut gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont dances with State Rep. Toni Walker as he celebrates his win in the Democratic primary in New Haven, Conn., Tuesday. (Photo: Jessica Hill/AP)

Connecticut Republican candidates have spent the entire primary pledging their undying loyalty to Donald Trump, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, said Tuesday. Ned Lamont is the only candidate in this race who will stand up to Donald Trump when his policies hurt Connecticut and govern with strong principles that will create a bright future for Connecticut. This November, voters will have a clear choice between Connecticut values and Trump values.

But two-term Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy, who is not running for reelection, ranks as the least popular governor in the nation  even less popular than Trump, according to polls conducted earlier this year. Which means, counterintuitively in what has been a deep-blue state, that Malloy could be an even bigger drag on Lamont than Trump will be on Stefanowski.

Verbatim:

Extremist Watch:

Paul Nehlen, the white nationalist Republican who challenged Paul Ryan in 2016 and ran for his partys First District nomination again this year in Wisconsin, lost Tuesdays primary. To be precise, he finished third, about 24,000 votes behind winner Bryan Steil, with 11 percent of the vote.

Thats the good news for the national GOP, which recoiled at the thought of a nominee who has repeatedly put his racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and xenophobia on proud display.

The bad news is that, somehow, Nehlen still got more than 6,600 votes. And hes not alone. Among the other extremist Republicans who have run for major office this cycle: House candidate John Fitzgerald of California, who recently declared that everything weve been told about the Holocaust is a lie; Senate candidate Patrick Little of California, who told Newsweek he admires Adolf Hitler; and North Carolina state House candidate Russell Walker, who opines on his campaign website about the superiority of white people and claims there is no such thing as equality.

Paul Nehlen, a Republican primary challenger to House Speaker Paul Ryan in 2016, in Janesville, Wis. (Photo: Scott Bauer/AP)

Like Nehlen, all of these candidates have been denounced and disowned by the GOP, and none have won their partys nomination. But others have slipped through the cracks.

In Illinoiss Third District, in the Chicago suburbs, Republicans recently nominated Arthur Jones, an avowed member of the American Nazi Party who denies the Holocaust and sympathizes with the Ku Klux Klan.

In New Jerseys Second District, which covers the southern end of the state, Republicans recently nominated Atlantic City attorney Seth Grossman, who has called Islam a cancer, compared Muslims to Nazis, characterized Kwanzaa as a phony holiday invented in 1960s by black racists to weaken and divide Americans, wrote a Facebook post that said black children will murder our children, and linked approvingly to an article at a white nationalist website that argued African-Americans are a threat to all who cross their paths, black and non-black alike. (The Republican Party later withdrew its endorsement.)

In Illinoiss 17th District, Republicans nominated conspiracy theorist Bill Fawell, who ran unopposed. Fawell claims 9/11 was an obvious false flag attack whose work was farmed out to Israels Mossad by elements high up in our government, according to reporting by CNN and Media Matters, and has promoted a range of conspiracy theories regarding Pizzagate and recent mass shootings.

And just last week, Republicans in Missouris State House District 15 nominated Steve West, who takes to the radio every Monday to promote fanatical conspiracy theories about Jewish cabals that are harvesting baby parts through Planned Parenthood, that torture and molest children and that run the GOP.

Looking back in history, unfortunately, Hitler was right about what was taking place in Germany  and who was behind it, West said on Jan. 23, 2017.

West won his primary with 49 percent of the vote  25 points more than his closest opponent.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, a record number of right-wing extremists and outspoken bigots are running for office this year, and enjoying more exposure today than at any time in recent history.

Up Next:

Aug. 21: Alaska and Wyoming primaries

Aug. 28: Arizona and Florida primaries; Oklahoma primaries runoff





_____

Read more from Yahoo News:By James Oliphant and Brendan O'Brien WASHINGTON and MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Voters chose nominees on Tuesday in the key battleground states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, setting up what are expected to be tight races as November's congressional elections draw near. Wisconsin Republicans tapped state senator Leah Vukmir to battle incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, according to an Associated Press projection, after a bruising primary that could hamper her chances in November. That state helped drive Republican Donald Trumps surprising presidential win two years ago and turnout there and in neighboring Minnesota could serve as a barometer of Democratic strength headed into the midterm elections. Both states have shown signs of drifting rightward in recent years. Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win Wisconsin in 32 years and he narrowly lost to Democrat Hillary Clinton in Minnesota. All 435 U.S. House members and one-third of the Senate are running for re-election in November. Democrats need to add two Senate seats to seize control of that chamber. In the House, Democrats need to win 23 seats to take control, which would derail or stall much of Trump's policy agenda and increase congressional oversight and investigation of the administration. Vukmir emerged victorious after a bitter primary fight with Kevin Nicholson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran backed by conservatives such as Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Steve Bannon, the former Trump political adviser, in which each candidate accused the other of a lack of fealty to Trump. "It's now critical for our party to unify behind Leah so we can achieve our ultimate goal: defeating Tammy Baldwin," U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement congratulating Vukmir. Charlie Sykes, a longtime Republican commentator in Wisconsin, said the bruising primary could help Baldwin keep her seat, a blow to Republicans who once saw her as a top target. "The biggest winner is Baldwin," Sykes told Reuters. "It was an unnecessarily nasty intramural fight." Republicans also made their choice to replace Ryan, who is retiring from his seat in southeast Wisconsin. Bryan Steil, a former aide to Ryan, was projected to trounce Paul Nehlen, an avowed white nationalist, to be the Republican nominee. Steil will face Randy Bryce, an ironworker known on Twitter as "Iron Stache," in November in a suburban Milwaukee district that Democrats covet. Wisconsin Democrats tapped Tony Evers, the state schools chief, to battle incumbent Republican Governor Scott Walker, who is seeking a third term. Whether Walker, a former presidential candidate, can survive the challenge will be closely watched, as another measure of Democratic intensity. "A really strong Democratic turnout in November could cause him to lose," said Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist in Washington. State Democrats will be motivated by their opposition to Trump in trying to bring down Walker, he said. TRADE FACTORS Minnesota Republicans picked state senator Karen Housley to take on Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Tina Smith, appointed after former Senator Al Franken resigned last year amid sexual harassment accusations. Primaries in two House districts representing regions affected by Trump's trade policies could play a key role in determining control of Congress. Former state representative Joe Radinovich outlasted a bevy of Democrats in an open-seat race in the state's northeastern mining region called the Iron Range, which has seen some benefit from the administration's steel and aluminum tariffs. Trump has campaigned in the district for the Republican favorite, Pete Stauber. In the state's south, Republican Jim Hagedorn defeated Carla Nelson in a district the party hopes to seize after the Democratic incumbent, Tim Walz, ran for governor. Farmers there have complained over harm from retaliatory tariffs by China and elsewhere. Walz won the Democratic nomination for governor, while former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty lost to Republican Jeff Johnson, ending Pawlenty's political comeback bid. Beyond the Upper Midwest, Connecticut and Vermont also held primaries on Tuesday. In Vermont, unofficial results showed Christine Hallquist as the first openly transgender person to win a major U.S. party nomination for statewide office in the Democratic governor's primary. Senator Bernie Sanders, the former presidential candidate, easily won that state's Democratic Senate primary. But Sanders, as before, is expected to decline the nomination and run as an independent. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and James Oliphant in Washington; Additional reporting by David Gaffen in NEW YORK; Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez)By Charlotte Greenfield WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand school teachers went on strike on Wednesday for the first time in more than 20 years, challenging the Labour government's plans to balance promised fiscal responsibility against growing demands to increase public sector salaries. Almost 30,000 primary school teachers did not turn up to work and held protests across the country, leaving parents of roughly 400,000 children aged five to 13 at public schools scrambling to find childcare. "Teachers and principals voted for a full day strike...to send a strong message to the government that the current collective agreement offers from the Ministry of Education would not fix the crisis in teaching," said Louise Green, lead negotiator at NZEI, the union that represents teachers, in a statement. The stand-off with its traditional union support base comes nine months after Labour formed a coalition government, promising to pour money into social services and rein in inequality, which has increased despite years of strong growth. NZEI said it has asked for a 16 percent pay rise for teachers over two years, whereas the government has offered between 6.1 and 14.7 percent, depending on experience, over three years. The action comes in the wake of a one-day nationwide nurses' strike in July and a series of smaller actions by government workers, challenging Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's centre-left government. Arden made a surprise appearance outside parliament on Wednesday with a group of ministers to welcome the more than 1,000 protesting teachers. "There is no you and us, there is only us," she said on Television New Zealand footage, to applause from the crowd. "The only point we would make is unfortunately sometimes radical change takes time. So I'm here today to ask you to work with us as we try and move forward." Wage growth has remained sluggish in the island nation for years, despite soaring housing costs, which labor groups and economists say has left workers struggling despite robust growth. Labour has put raising workers' wages at the heart of its policies, lifting the minimum hourly wage by 5 percent to NZ$16.50 in April, with further plans to hike it to NZ$20 by 2021, as well as rolling back restrictions on union bargaining power. Business confidence in New Zealand is at a 10-year low and economists and the central bank are worried higher wages could hamper growth if firms' hold off on further investment. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Eric Meijer and Michael Perry)Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday filed a counter-petition challenging the opposition's court bid to overturn election results that gave a narrow victory to incumbant Emmerson Mnangagwa.

ZANU-PF submitted its papers to the Constitutional Court, which is considering an appeal by the opposition MDC party alleging that the election was rigged in favour of Mnangagwa, Robert Mugabe's former vice president.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has accused ZANU-PF and the election commission of ballot fraud in the July 30 vote, Zimbabwe's first poll since the ousting of Mugabe in November.

"We have filed our papers opposing the petition filed by the MDC," Paul Mangwana, a ZANU-PF spokesman and member of the legal team, told AFP.

"Its now up to the court to decide."

Mnangagwa narrowly won the presidential race with 50.8 percent of the vote -- just enough to avoid a run-off against the MDC's Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 percent.

Mnangagwa's inauguration  which has been planned for last Sunday -- was postponed until the court makes its ruling.

Mnangagwa had vowed the elections would be free and fair, and would turn a page on Mugabe's repressive 37-year rule.

The election was marred by the army opening fire on protesters, killing six, allegations of vote-rigging and a crackdown on opposition activists.

Analysts say that MDC's legal challenge has little chance of success given the courts' historic tilt towards ZANU-PF, which has ruled since independence from British colonial rule in 1980.

"It's a high hurdle to get over," Derek Matyszak, a senior researcher at the Institute of Security Studies, told AFP. "It's almost a foregone conclusion."

Judges have 14 days from August 10 to rule on the case.Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Two Israeli universities, the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, were included in the annual list of worlds best universities published by Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as Shanghai Ranking.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The two universities are ranked 77th and 95th on the list, respectively.

Both academic institutions went up in rankings since 2017, with the Technion going up 16 places from last years 93rd spot, while the Hebrew University was not in last year's top 100 at all.

A few weeks ago, a similar list was published but with an emphasis on fields of study. In that list, the Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University reached the 35th place in the worldwide rankings, while the university's mathematics department was placed 19th.

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Technion took the 22nd spot, and the Faculty of Biology at Tel Aviv University was ranked between 51th and 75th place.

Harvard University in Boston topped the Shanghai Rankings list, followed by Stanford, Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California in Berkeley, Princeton, Oxford, Columbia University, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of Chicago.

Hebrew University President Prof. Asher Cohen praised the efforts of universitys academic staff. "The upward trend in the rankings since the end of last year is a testament to hard work and uncompromisingly striving for excellence by members of the academic community and the university," he said.

"We are proud that this year the Hebrew University is recognized as one of the top 100 universities in the world. The competition is becoming more challenging each year, especially in light of massive investments in academia made by countries in East Asia, compared to investments in Israel," he added.

The Shanghai rankings are determined, among other things, by the number of Nobel Prize winners produced by the academic institution and the number of publications published in leading academic and scientific journals.

Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that despite the improved rating, the Hebrew University has been dealing with an economic crisis over the past few years, accumulating more than NIS 900 million in debt. A recovery plan, signed by the university and the Ministry of Finance in February, will inject NIS 700 million over the next 10 years and save the university from bankruptcy.

Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie also thanked the hard work of the institutions academic and administrative staff.

"The Technion being on the list for seven consecutive years is the result of hard work and dedication by the Technion's administration, faculty members and employees. The universitys staff is accepted based on only one criteriaexcellence.

"In order to elevate further the Technion's status as the world's leading scientific-technological research university, we are also working on the global front  Regardless of the international rankings, we continually improve ourselves, but it is clear that our rise in the Shanghai ratings is an exciting stamp of international approval of the Technions excellence," he exclaimed.IDF and Border Police forces arrested a Palestinian in the Binyamin region of the West Bank overnight Tuesday on charges of disseminating inciting content against the State of Israel and the IDF on social media.

The Palestinian filmed and edited videos of IDF soldiers carrying out operational duties, while encouraging violence against them, and incited to terrorism, the IDF Spokesman's Office said.White House national security adviser John Bolton will visit Israel next week for meetings with officials, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Tuesday.ISTANBUL - Turkey has doubled tariffs on some US imports, such as passenger cars, alcohol and tobacco, in what its vice president said was a response to deliberate US attacks on the Turkish economy.

A decree published in Turkey's official gazette and signed by President Tayyip Erdogan doubled the tariffs on passenger cars to 120 percent, on alcoholic drinks to 140 percent and on leaf tobacco to 60 percent. Tariffs were also doubled on goods such as cosmetics, rice and coal.

"The import duties were increased on some products, under the principle of reciprocity, in response to the US administration's deliberate attacks on our economy," Vice President Fuat Oktay wrote on social network Twitter.HOUSTON - A Jordanian immigrant was sentenced to death on Tuesday after being convicted in what Texas prosecutors described as the honor killings of his daughter's American husband and her friend who was an Iranian women's rights activist.

Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan was found guilty of capital murder last month in the 2012 fatal shootings of his son-in-law, Coty Beavers, and his daughter's friend, Gelareh Bagherzadeh. The Harris County jury deliberated for just 35 minutesafter five weeks of testimonybefore reaching the verdict in Houston.

The same jury deliberated about nine hours before sentencing him to death for the killings, which occurred about 11 months apart.The outcry caused over the Shin Bet's questioning of American-Jewish journalist Peter Beinart at Ben-Gurion Airport earlier this week prompted American-Iranian author Reza Aslan to share a similar experience he went through at the Israeli border.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Beinart, who arrived in Israel on Monday for a family visit, was detained for an hour upon landing. He said he was sent to a small room where a security official asked about his political activities and whether he was involved in groups that advocate violence, threaten democracy or promote anarchy.

Beinart said he was then asked about his participation in a nonviolent West Bank protest two years ago.

Reza Aslan (Photo: AP)

The Shin Bet internal security service apologized for causing any anguish and said it was investigating the incident. The attorney general is also looking into the incident.

American-Iranian author Reza Aslan, 46, took to Twitter on Tuesday to describe a similar experience he had about two weeks ago.

"Peters experience has spurred me to share mine," he wrote.

Peter Beinart (Photo: AP)

Aslan arrived in Israel with his wife, children and in-laws after a visit to Jordan. He was separated from his family upon arrival at the border and detained by the Shin Bet, who allegedly warned him: "We can make it so you dont see your kids for a long time."

The Shin Bet interrogator also allegedly told him: You think because youre a public person I cant do whatever I want with you?

"I was floored. This is how interrogations begin in police states," Aslan noted.

He then described the following exchange:

Shin Bet interrogator: "Why do you hate Israel?"

Aslan: "I dont hate Israel."

Interrogator: "But you hate our Prime Minister."

Aslan: "Im sorry is your Prime Minister Israel?"

Interrogator: "He was democratically elected!"

Aslan: "So was Trump and I hate him and still love America."

Interrogator: "Oh I know all about you and Trump."

As an aside, Aslan notes to his Twitter followers: "I forgot the Israeli Right Wings affection for our racist Neo-Nazi loving president."

"You dont think Israel should exist yes?" the Shin Bet interrogator then allegedly asked him.

"Thats absurd. Im against the occupation not Israel," he responded.

Then, he said, "the police state part began in earnest: Write down names of journalists you associate with. Write down names of Palestinian organizations you support. And constantly, repeatedly, this threat: 'if you dont cooperate it will be a long time before you see your kids again.'"

Aslan said he tried to cooperate as best as he could, but was accused of lying over every answer he gave.

He was then asked what his father did in Iran, and when he said he didn't know, explaining he was only seven years old when the family left, the Shin Bet interrogator doubted his honesty. "Oh Mr Scholar! You can tell me everything about the Ottoman Empire but you dont know your own fathers history?"

Aslan said the interrogation lasted for hours, at the end of which the Shin Bet interrogator agreed to let him into Israel but warned him "I may let you into Israel but, who knows, I may not let you out. I will keep you here and kick out your family. It depends on you. You would miss your kids yes?

She also warned him not to enter the Palestinian territories, not to meet with or speak to any Palestinians or any Israeli troublemakers, and concluded with: "We are watching you."

Aslan concluded his tweets with harsh criticism against Israel, "This was my 4th trip to Israel in ten years and every time its gotten worse. Its becoming unrecognizable as a democracy. It is becoming a full-blown police state."

"And it cant last. When I was released my evangelical in-laws were in shock. 'I had no idea it was like this,' they said. Now they do. So do more Americans each day. And if Israel loses them, who will continue to shield it from pressure to change course? The clock is ticking," he cautioned.

The Shin Bet has yet to comment on Aslan's accusations.

Aslan emigrated from Iran to the US with his family in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution and the rise of the ayatollah regime. In his youth, he converted from Islam to Evangelical Christianity. He has been working to promote human rights and gender equality in Islamic nations while promoting religious tolerance.The United Nations agency dealing with Palestinian refugees may not be able to open schools for half a million children because it has run out of money since the United States cut its funding, UN officials say.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



UNRWA, which runs more than 700 schools for Palestinian refugees, already faces what it described as a "very tense" situation in Gaza after job cuts drew protests by its own employees, leaving some senior staff unable to work in their offices.

Some fear for the survival of the agency, which this month must decide whether it can open its network of schools across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon for the coming academic year.

UNRWA School in Gaza (Photo: AP)

"We are running on empty. We simply don't have enough money to pay 22,000 teachers who in 711 schools provide a daily education for over half a million children," said UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness, who described the situation as "catastrophic" and unprecedented.

UN officials say that aid cuts by the United States, the single largest donor to UNRWA, were a major cause of the crisis.

In January, US President Donald Trump said he would scale back aid to the Palestinians unless they cooperate with his plans to revive peacemaking with Israel. Those peace efforts stalled in 2014.

"The actions that we are now seeing are consequences of the decision by the Trump administration to withhold $305 million for UNRWA this year, so whether it is political or not it has catastrophic implications and consequences for us on the ground," said Gunness.

Worry at schools

Palestinian families, children and teachers said they were worried about whether schools will open at the end of August.

In the West Bank, Reem Nakhla's children attend an UNRWA school in Jalazone refugee camp. In June staff and pupils were thrilled to be visited by Britain's Prince William during his tour of Israel and the West Bank. But now there is confusion outside the school gates.

UNRWA rally against US funding cuts (Photo: AP)

"Of course I am worried, I think about where should I send them," said Nakhla. "The UNRWA school is a big help to people," she added. "Our situation in the camp is very difficult."

UNRWA was founded in 1949 in the aftermath of the War of Independece.

That conflict saw 700,000 Palestinians forced to leave their homes or flee. UNRWA now helps around 5 million Palestinian refugees, who include descendants of those displaced by the fighting nearly 70 years ago.

Funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, the United States has long been its largest donor. But officials say that after the Trump administration slashed its contribution, UNRWA now needs more than $200 million from other donors to cover its deficit.

In January Trump tweeted "we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don't even want to negotiate a long overdue peace treaty with Israel." The US State Department has said the agency needed to make unspecified reforms.

Protest against US cuts on UNRWA funding (Photo: AP)

Israel has accused UNRWA of favoring Palestinians, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump's decision to cut funding. "This is how to rid the world of UNRWA and deal with genuine refugee problems, to the extent that such remain," he said in January.

In Gaza, Amal Al-Batsh, deputy chairman of the union of Palestinian employees at UNRWA, feared that the United States was targeting UNRWA's existence "not as an institution but as a symbol and a witness to the issue of Palestinian refugees".

President Mahmoud Abbas's Western-backed Fatah faction said the Palestinian leader would seek donations for UNRWA at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in September.Four students aged 14 and 15 have been hospitalized at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak on suspicion they caught leptospirosis during a trip to the Jordan River.

The four were staying at a kayak site at Jordan Park as part of a youth group trip two weeks ago.

Following the trip, they began showing similar symptoms to those shown by Israelis who visited streams in the Golan Heights and later diagnosed with leptospirosis.Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman sent a message to Gaza residents on Wednesday morning after reopening the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

"I differentiate between the Hamas leadership and regular Gaza residents," he wrote on the Facebook page of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

"That is why I've decided to reopen the Kerem Shalom crossing and expand the fishing zone back to 9 miles, as a clear message to the residents of the strip: Calm pays off and violence does not," he added.

"The Gaza residents have something to gain when Israeli citizens enjoy quiet and security, and something to lose when this quiet is broken."The family of fallen IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains are held by Hamas in Gaza, petitioned the High Court of Justice on Wednesday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Security Cabinet, claiming the special ministerial committee on MIAs and POWs has not been convened or made any decisions since January 2017.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Furthermore, Simcha and Leah Goldin claim in the petition, the special committee hasn't given the family any updates on their son's case since November 2016.

The special ministerial committee on MIAs and POWs was established by the Cabinet on June 30, 2016, after the ministers approved the reconciliation agreement with Turkey, which did not include a clause requiring Ankara to use its clout with Hamas to return the bodies of Goldin and another soldier who suffered a similar fate, Oron Shaul, for burial in Israel.

The Goldin family protests outside the UN building in Jerusalem (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

The special committee, which is headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, also includes Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. It was this committee that recommended to the Security Cabinet in January 2017 to make a series of decisions to put pressure on Hamas.

The Goldin family asked the High Court to issue an injunction that would prevent any action to advance an agreement with Hamas in Gaza until the special committee convenes to discuss returning to Israel the remains of the soldiers and Israeli citizens believed to be alive.

"The petition does not target one decision or another, but rather the prime minister's intentional halt to convening a committee meant to discuss and make crucial decisions. The Israeli government has turned the committee into an Isra-bluff," the petition notes.

The Goldin family said that "We recently learned that as part of the hollow declarations that the government is doing all it can to return the boys from Gaza, even the special committee appointed by the Cabinet, which is headed by Netanyahu, has stopped its activities. Not convening the committee on a regular basis, particularly at this time when there are discussions on conditions for an agreement and capitulation to Hamas, is another proof the Cabinet has decided to betray the values of the IDF and to continue abandoning soldiers in Gaza."

The Goldin family also protested Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman's decision to ease some restrictions on Gaza, saying, "730 trucks will pass through Kerem Shalom today on their way to Hamas in Gaza. Can you please ask Netanyahu and the Cabinet ministers what Israel is getting in return? And did it even ask for something?"Italian authorities have raised the death toll in the Genoa highway bridge collapse to at least 37.

The Italian city's prefect office announced the updated figure on Wednesday even as rescuers searched through tons of slabs of broken roadbed, smashed concrete chunks and twisted steel for any more survivors.

At least two people were missing.

The Morandi Bridge collapsed without warning Tuesday, sending dozens of vehicles plunging as much as 50 meters (180 feet) below. Sixteen people were injured. State radio said among them was a woman who suffered smoke inhalation from a fire sparked by debris falling into her home and a Czech truck driver who suffered a chest injury.Chief Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Sharon Afek has decided to close the case on an event during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge in Gaza that has been dubbed as "Rafah's Black Friday" without launching any criminal investigations against those involved in the deaths of over 70 Palestinians not involved in the fighting.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



On August 1, 2014, Hamas took advantage of a ceasefire reached with Israel during Operation Protective Edge to ambush an IDF force, killing Lt. Hadar Goldin, Givati recon company commander Maj. Benaya Sarel and signal operator Staff Sgt. Liel Gidoni.

The Hamas force was able to grab Goldin's body and drag him with them into a tunnel. His body remains in Hamas hands to this day.

Exclusive recordings from Black Friday (:  ",  ,  ynet,  -:  , :  )

X

During the aggressive pursuit by Givati soldiers of Goldin's kidnappers, some 70 non-combatant Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded by IDF fire.

The decision not to launch criminal investigations was made after the IDF collected and examined thousands of documents relating to that day, including aerial photos, intelligence data, testimonies from the IDF soldiers and officers involved, operations logs, Palestinian testimonies, reports from both international and Palestinian organizations, radio communication recordings, and reports from internal IDF investigations into the events of that day.

IDF bombardments in Rafah on August 1, 2014 (Photo: EPA)

According to three different inquiry teams led by brigadier generals, which examined the events of "Rafah's Black Friday" over the past four years and submitted their findings to the Chief Military Advocate General, 72 Palestinians were killed that day who were legally defined by the IDF as "uninvolved"meaning, non combatantsincluding women and children. In addition, 42 terrorists were killed by IDF forces. There were 16 other Palestinians killed in the same area that day, but the IDF has been unable to determined where and how they were killed.

However, the examination also found professional errors and failures in IDF actions that day, and a list has been drawn up of lessons, some of which are already being implementedincluding clarifications of the IDF's fire opening policy and the "Hannibal Directive."

The chief military advocate general also determined there was no justification to taking any steps against any of the officers who led the fighting in the Rafah area that daysuch as reprimanding or not promoting them.

As part of the examination of the events of "Rafah's Black Friday," dozens of soldiers involved in the fighting that day provided their version of events to the General Staff's examination team. Most of them were officers who were leading the fighting and some were combat soldiers from the air and ground forces that took part in the intensive pursuit of the terror cell that abducted Goldin.

Among the officers who gave their version of events were then-Givati Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter, who commanded the forces in the field from the front, and the commander of the Gaza Division at the time, Maj. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, who commanded the forces from the rear.

The Gaza Division was in charge of managing the Air Force's fire during the incident, which killed most of the non-combatant Palestinians. Ten of them were killed by canon fire and five by tank fire. None of the Palestinians who weren't terrorists were killed by small-arms fire, meaning by a combat soldier on the ground.

The chief military advocate general determined that every one of the hundreds of attacks carried out that day was legal. Afek explained this by noting the circumstances of the incident were unusual: This wasn't an isolated incidentthat can be controlled and containedin which an uninvolved Palestinian was killed, but rather a large-scale war event in hostile, dangerous, enemy-filled surroundings, with a clear and unusual missionto locate a soldier captured, which throughout most of the day was believed to be alive.

The chief military advocate general examined a number of other unusual incidents from Protective Edge in which uninvolved Palestinians were killed. Here too he decided there was no indication of criminal wrongdoing by the forces, finding no instance in which a force opened fired at uninvolved Palestinians intentionally or because of criminal negligence.

Wounded Palestinian children in Rafah after IDF bombardment (Photo: Reuters)

Overall, Maj. Gen. Afek determined that there is no justification to filing criminal charges against any IDF combat soldier or officer who was involved in the fighting in any of the incidents throughout the 51 days of Operation Protective Edge, including incidents in which hundreds of uninvolved Palestinians were killed.

The same appears to be the case for two remaining open criminal investigations out of 31 that have been opened and have since been closed without charges being filed. These two investigations concern a Palestinian claim civilians being killed by IDF artillery fire in Jabalia, and another incident in which IDF soldiers allegedly used a Palestinian manwho was unharmedas a human shield.

Destruction in Gaza following IDF bombing in Rafah (Photo: Reuters)

The only criminal incident during Protective Edge that resulted in imprisonment concerned Golani soldiers who looted a Palestinian home in Gaza City's Saja'iyya neighborhood, stealing thousands of shekels.

Some 50 additional unusual incidents are still being examined by the General Staff's inquiry mechanism. These examinations are said to be at very advanced stages, and the chief military advocate general is not expected to order a criminal investigation into any of them.

In total, the IDF examined some 500 complaints concerning some 360 incidents throughout Protective Edge. About 220 of them were examined by the General Staff's inquiry mechanism, which includes lawyers from the Military Advocate General's Office.

Wounded Palestinian taken to Rafah hospital after IDF bombardments (Photo: AFP)

The IDF released Wednesday a 30-page summary in both Hebrew and English of its report on the investigations into "Rafah's Black Friday." It summarizes hundreds of detailed pages about each of the battles that took place that day in the Rafah area.

In addition, the Military Advocate General's Office examined the claims made in reports published since Protective Edge by different bodies, including the UN's Human Rights Council, B'Tselem, Amnesty International and the Palestinian Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. The findings of the examination of these claims were incorporated into the conclusions on each battle and incident.

Destruction in Gaza following IDF bombing in Rafah (Photo: MCT)

The main reason it took the chief military advocate general to reach a decision on the case is the fact the IDF was having a hard time collecting testimonies from Palestinians or international elements who witnessed what happened that day.

For the same reason, the IDF has a hard time fully reconstructing the many different operational events of that day, which began at 9am and lasted into the late afternoon, when the forces collected enough findings inside the Hamas tunnel to allow the IDF to declare Goldin a fallen soldier whose place of burial is unknown.

The legality of each attack the IDF carried out in the Rafah area that day was examined separately by a team of lawyers from the Military Advocate General's Office. The team was able to obtain testimonies of Palestinians in indirect mannersthrough Palestinian aid organizations and Gazan lawyers representing the families of the dead. Their testimonies were collected in meetings at the Erez border crossings, phone calls, and email exchanges. In most of the cases, they provided the IDF with specific information about the death of a Palestinian, based on the coordinates of where it happened.Five students aged 14-17 have been hospitalized on suspicion they caught leptospirosis during a trip to the Jordan River, with concerns other students may have also been afflicted.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The five visited a kayaking site at Jordan Park as part of youth movement educational tour two weeks ago.

Following the trip, they began showing similar symptoms to those shown by Israelis who visited streams in the Golan Heights and later diagnosed with leptospirosis. They were hospitalized at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak and received antibiotic treatment.

The Jordan River (Photo: Efi Sharir)

So far, 12 people have contracted the leptospirosis infection and 50 others are suspected of having caught it.

Professor Eli Somech, head of the Pediatric Division at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, said that two of the boys were hospitalized on Monday evening and two more on Tuesday.

They displayed clinical symptoms of leptospirosis and their lab tests results were suspicious and are now being treated with suitable antibiotics and fluids. The Mayanei Hayeshua ER is preparing for admitting other students in the upcoming 24 hours.

Somech said the hospital reported the incident to the Ministry of Health, emphasizing the students visited a different region to the one other patients who contracted the infections had. The ministry published a warning to all visitors to the Golan Heights streams, but the current suspected leptospirosis patients kayaked in the Galilee Jordan river in close proximity to the Sea of Galilee.

Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Director Prof. Mordchai Ravid said that the lab tests were sent for analyzing and final results will arrive in two days.

In the past few days, many Israelis who have visited the Golan Heights streams arrived in hospitals reporting possible leptospirosis symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. They received antibiotic treatment and some were discharged to their homes.

Jordan river kayaking (Photo: Efi Sharir)

The reason for the infection outbreak is yet unclear. It is thought to be related to cattle herds that graze in the Golan Heights and contaminated streams with feces, as well as low volume flow due to the continuing drought.

Prof. Michal Hovers, who runs the infectious diseases unit at the Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, explained that the infection is caused by the Leptospira bacteria, who originates in animals.

"Animals infected the waters and streams, and people who either bathe there or come into contact with mice urine in outdoor habitats can catch this infection," she said in an interview with Ynet.

"Symptoms can be mild in some cases but in others the infection can become severe and lead to kidney and liver failure, she continued.

Prof. Hovers added that symptoms include fever, flu-like symptoms and sometimes corneal infections but emphasized that not all symptoms require admission to the hospital.

The Upper Galilee Regional Council fears visitors would abandon the region. A discussion we had today with the Health Ministry determined that bathing or kayaking in the Galilee streams in completely safe. The news published this morning that Galilee streams are going to be closed are false," the council said in a statement.

The council added that The Israel Nature and Parks Authority is also unaware of any guidelines from the Health Ministry about a leptospirosis scare in the Galilee streams."

However, it appears the Health Ministry is expected to order the closing of other streams on Wednesday.

The Golan Heights stream infection also disrupted the Mey Eden mineral water companys supply. Customers have called customer service and complained about the shortage.

Mey Eden water

The Mey Eden water company stopped production on Wednsday morning after irregularities were found in a sample taken from the Golan Heights spring that provides water to the company.

Company officials said on Tuesday that in the last month, we had to stop the production twice for a few days at a time, after the spring water test results deviated from normal. The company resumed production only after it was certain the water was clean and safe, and after the Ministry of Health approved.

The Ministry of Health said that during the summer two irregularities were detected in the Mey Eden spring water. From the moment irregularities were discovered the factory immediately stopped production and marketing, until August 6 when standard result resumed. Since then repeating examinations showed no irregular results.

The ministry further added that the irregularities found had nothing to do with leptospirosis and were not reported further.Police said Wednesday it thwarted a stabbing attack in Jerusalem's Old City last week and arrested a 26-year-old Palestinian from Hebron who was carrying a knife and tear gas.

His remand has been extended until Monday.The United States is trying to make Iran surrender through the imposition of sanctions, Iranian vice president Eshaq Jahangiri said on Wednesday.

"The first priority for all of us under a sanctions situation is to work toward managing the country in a way that brings the least amount of damage to people's lives," Fars News quoted Jahangiri as saying. "America is trying by applying various pressures on our society to force us to retreat and surrender."

President Hassan Rouhani made similar comments to Jahangiri, although he did not specifically refer to the United States.

"We will not let the enemy bring us to our knees," Rouhani said, according to state TV. "If the enemy thinks they will defeat us they will take this hope to the grave with them."

"America itself took actions which destroyed the conditions for negotiation," Rouhani said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). "There were conditions for negotiation and we were negotiating. They destroyed the bridge themselves," he said. "If you're telling the truth then come now and build the bridge again."Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA's speaker in Gaza, told Ynet on Wednesday that people do not want to hear that Gaza will become Singapore or anything of that sort, they just want basic thingsclean water to drink, electricity for more than three hours a day."

Earlier, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a message to Palestinians in the strip that "Gaza could be the Middle East's Singapore."

"We cannot leave Gaza, there is no freedom, nothing, no dreams," Abu Hasna said.Alon Schuster , the head of Shaar HaNegev Regional Council said Wednesday the reopening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing was a positive step.

Israel has a humane and security interest in improving civil life in Gaza, he said.Police officers foiled a stabbing attack in Jerusalem's Old City last week, it was cleared for publication on Wednesday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The officers arrested a 26-year-old Palestinian from Hebron who planned to stab Israeli civilians or security forces in the city.

The Palestinian aroused the officers' suspicion and they detained him for questioning. During a search, police found a knife and a tear gas canister in his possession.

(Photo: Israel Police)

He was taken to the local police station where he told investigators he entered Israel to pray in the capital, but they suspected he was hiding something and the investigation was handed over to the police's Central Unit.

At the end of the investigation, which was conducted under a strict gag order, police investigators uncovered the suspect's true intentionsto carry out a stabbing attack.

(Photo: Israel Police )

His remand was extended by five days to allow police to complete the investigation.

"There's no doubt the arrest of the suspect and revealing his intentions prevented an attempt to carry out an attack in the Jerusalem area, the results of which could've been serious," the police said.

"The efforts to locate, prevent and thwart attempts by attackers and terror organizations to carry out terror attacks continue at all times in the Jerusalem area and in the nearby crossings," police added.The Shin Bet denied Wednesday threatening a prominent Iranian-American author and questioning him about his politics during a recent visit.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



In a statement, the internal security agency confirmed its agents briefly detained and questioned Iranian-born Reza Aslan at a border crossing, saying his "behavior there raised suspicion."

It denied Aslan's claim he was questioned about his politics.

Aslan, 46, took to Twitter on Tuesday to describe his experience which happened two weeks ago when he arrived in Israel with his wife, children and in-laws after a visit to Jordan. He said he was separated from his family upon arrival at the border and detained by the Shin Bet, who allegedly warned him: "We can make it so you dont see your kids for a long time."

Reza Aslan (Photo: PR)

The Shin Bet interrogator also allegedly told him: You think because youre a public person I cant do whatever I want with you?

"I was floored. This is how interrogations begin in police states," Aslan noted.

He then described the following exchange:

Shin Bet interrogator: "Why do you hate Israel?"

Aslan: "I dont hate Israel."

Interrogator: "But you hate our Prime Minister."

Aslan: "Im sorry is your Prime Minister Israel?"

Interrogator: "He was democratically elected!"

Aslan: "So was Trump and I hate him and still love America."

Interrogator: "Oh I know all about you and Trump."

"You dont think Israel should exist yes?" the Shin Bet interrogator then allegedly asked him.

"Thats absurd. Im against the occupation not Israel," he responded.

Then, he said, "the police state part began in earnest: Write down names of journalists you associate with. Write down names of Palestinian organizations you support. And constantly, repeatedly, this threat: 'if you dont cooperate it will be a long time before you see your kids again.'"

Aslan said he tried to cooperate as best as he could, but was accused of lying over every answer he gave.

Aslan said the interrogation lasted for hours, at the end of which the Shin Bet interrogator agreed to let him into Israel but warned him "I may let you into Israel but, who knows, I may not let you out. I will keep you here and kick out your family. It depends on you. You would miss your kids yes?

She also warned him not to enter the Palestinian territories, not to meet with or speak to any Palestinians or any Israeli troublemakers, and concluded with: "We are watching you."

Aslan concluded his tweets with harsh criticism against Israel, "This was my 4th trip to Israel in ten years and every time its gotten worse. Its becoming unrecognizable as a democracy. It is becoming a full-blown police state."

"And it cant last. When I was released my evangelical in-laws were in shock. 'I had no idea it was like this,' they said. Now they do. So do more Americans each day. And if Israel loses them, who will continue to shield it from pressure to change course? The clock is ticking," he cautioned.

This is the second such case that emerged this week. On Monday, American-Jewish journalist Peter Beinart, a vocal critic of Israeli policies, said he was also detained by the Shin Bet at Ben-Gurion Airport.

Beinart, who arrived in Israel for a family visit, was detained for an hour upon landing. He said he was sent to a small room where a security official asked about his political activities and whether he was involved in groups that advocate violence, threaten democracy or promote anarchy.

Beinart said he was then asked about his participation in a nonviolent West Bank protest two years ago.The Jerusalem District court of appeals, which hears appeals regarding status of residency in Israel, presented the state with an exceptional and unusual decision on Tuesday recommending the expulsion of all Eritrean asylum seekers back to their country

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



"Regardless of their political position as supporters or opponents of the regime," the decision read.

Eritrean asylum seekers' demonstration (Photo: Amit Hoover)

The court's ruling was given during the hearing of a 44-year-old Eritrean citizen who appealed the Population and Immigration Authority's decision not to grant him a refugee status.

The appellant infiltrated Israel in 2009 after he deserted the Eritrean army and asked to be recognized as a refugee fleeing persecution by the authorities in his country.





The Immigration Authority rejected his request about a year ago on the grounds that "desertion or evasion of military service does not constitute grounds for political persecution and therefore does not constitute grounds for recognizing deserters as refugees."

The judge based his decision on the "the raging crime committed by infiltrators on the streets and the helplessness of the judicial system in bringing them to face criminal charges."

"The solutions proposed by the state so far (Saharonim detention facility, expelling Eritreans to a third country, the Deposit Law, and the UN proposition) have failed," the judge added.

As for infiltrators from Sudan, the judge said he has no intention of discussing their status" in the framework of this hearing."

The judge also stated that the courts ruling is reinforced by a change in the political-regional circumstances (Eritrea-Ethiopia peace deal signed last month), the reduction of the length of the Eritrean national service to 18 months, and the ruling of the Federal Court of Switzerland (issued on July 10) which stated that approving the expulsion of Eritreans infiltrators back to their country.

Eritrean asylum seekers (Photo: Amit Huber)

According to the judge, in light of reports regarding the peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and the new restriction on the Eritrean national service, now "the door is open and the time is ripe for a change in the Israeli policy. The government should order the expulsion of Eritreans back to their country, as long as the state denied their asylum application."

The judge ruled that the Refugee Convention's clauses do not apply to this case, since the asylum seeker failed to submit evidence showing otherwise.

However, the Population and Migration Authority emphasized that the appellant will continue to benefit from the temporary group protection given to all Eritrean citizens residing in Israel, including army and national service deserters, in accordance with the "non-refoulement" principle and in light of the decision to recognize Eritrea as a country in a state of crisis.

Yonathan Yaakobovich (Photo: Moran Hajbi)

Yonathan Yaakobovich, director of activities at the Israeli Immigration Policy Center, praised the decision and said that "this is an important ruling that confirms what we have known for yearsthere is no justification for their stay in Israel, and most of the infiltrators can, in fact, return to their countryone can only hope that this ruling will restore some common sense to Israel's asylum system."

Human rights organizations, including the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, strongly criticized the decision.

"The judge decided to share his own political doctrine and launch an unprecedented attack on the rulings of the Supreme Court and the government," they said.

"The judge's decisions and recommendations are based on false reports and unverified theories, since the Eritrean regime has yet to address recent reports about the new restriction posed on the length of the army service.

"Forced recruitment is still taking place in Eritrea, as the Swiss embassy in Israel explained, contrary to reports; Switzerland does not expel Eritreans to their homeland.

"In addition, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Security Council made it clear that Israel cannot deport Eritreans to their homeland since their life are in danger in Eritrea," the organizations concluded.

(Photo: Motti Kimchi)

A member of the Tel Aviv Residents Center, Shefi Paz said in response to the ruling: "the way I see it, the judge is the boy who came out against the lies and political correctness and said that the emperor has no clothes, for many years we have been saying exactly thatsend them homeOn August 30, on the anniversary of the Prime Minister's promises to the residents of South Tel Aviv and the citizens of the state, we will hold a large demonstration at the same spot."Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has admitted he made a mistake in allowing the country's foreign minister to speak to his US counterpart during negotiations that led to a 2015 international nuclear agreement.

International sanctions on Iran were lifted when the pact with world powers came into force in 2016, but the expected level of foreign investment to help revive the economy has never materialised. Then this May President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement and is now reimposing US sanctions in stages.The Russian Defense Ministry says it's coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home.

Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said in a conference call on Wednesday that included Russian and Syrian officials that work is underway to rebuild dozens of Syria's power stations, schools and other vital infrastructure destroyed by the war.Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said that "Hamas is not willing to reach a settlement, and there are those who encourage it."

In a speech at the PLO Central Council meeting, Abbas added that "Egypt is making efforts towards reaching a peace agreement and we will agree only to a full resolution under one government, one law, one weapon and no militias."Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has admitted he made a mistake in allowing the country's foreign minister to speak to his US counterpart during negotiations that led to a 2015 international nuclear agreement.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



International sanctions on Iran were lifted when the pact with world powers came into force in 2016, but the expected level of foreign investment to help revive the economy has never materialized.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Photo: Reuters)

Then this May US President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement and is now reimposing US sanctions in stages.

Khamenei, who rarely admits in public to making errors, said he had done just that over the nuclear talks. "With the issue of the nuclear negotiations, I made a mistake in permitting our foreign minister to speak with them. It was a loss for us," he said.

The comments made by Khamenei, the highest authority in the country, were tweeted on Wednesday by the Khat-e Hezbollah newspaper, a weekly affiliated with his official website.

Khamenei made the remarks on Monday, but the newspaper said it was now quoting them due to inaccurate accounts published previously by other media.

US President Donald Trump on an Iraninan newspaper (Photo: AFP)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif negotiated the deal with counterparts from six powers, including then US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Tehran undertook to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from the international sanctions which have been throttling its economy.

New US sanctions against Iran took effect last week, and Trump said companies doing business with the country will be barred from the United States.

Washington had said Tehran's only chance of avoiding the sanctions would be to accept an offer by Trump to negotiate a tougher nuclear deal.

Iranian President Rouhani and President Trump (Photo: AFP, AP)

Iranian officials, from Khamenei down, have rejected the offer. Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Wednesday that the United States is trying to make Tehran surrender through the imposition of sanctions.

"The first priority for all of us under a sanctions situation is to work toward managing the country in a way that brings the least amount of damage to people's lives," Jahangiri said.

"America is trying by applying various pressures on our society to force us to retreat and surrender," the Iranian vice president continued.

The new sanctions targeted Iranian purchases of US dollars, metals trading, coal, industrial software and its auto sector, though the toughest measures targeting oil exports will only take effect in four months.

Few US companies do much business in Iran so the impact of sanctions mainly stems from Washington's ability to block European and Asian firms from trading there.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: Reuters)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made similar comments to Jahangiri, although he did not specifically refer to the United States. "We will not let the enemy bring us to our knees...America itself took actions which destroyed the conditions for negotiation" Rouhani said.

"There were conditions for negotiation and we were negotiating. They destroyed the bridge themselves...If you're telling the truth then come now and build the bridge again" the Iranian president added.

The Iranian economy is beset by high unemployment and a Rial currency which has lost half its value since April. The decision to reimpose the sanctions could also make the economic situation worse.

Rouhani said the economy is the biggest problem facing the country.

Thousands of Iranians have protested in recent weeks against sharp price rises of some food items, a lack of jobs and state corruption. The protests over the cost of living have often turned into anti-government rallies.In the Middle East, nothing is incidental. If a prominent Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri is in Cairo for a second time in two weeks, if all senior members of Palestinian factions in Gaza left in a rush for the Egyptian capital on Tuesday, if hours before their arrival the defense minister decided to reopen the kerem Shalom border crossing, if a number of incendiary balloons launched into Israel is close to zero, then it can be assumed with a certain degree of certainty that, besides the threats being issued by both sides, something concrete is happening.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



One Palestinian source, familiar with the details of the proposed arrangement, said that everything has already been agreed upon and the current round of meetings between Hamas leaders is a matter of formality.

Hamas delegation in Cairo

"If they already held a meeting with the factions in Cairo, then the assumption is that Hamas has already agreed to the ceasefire agreement. The meeting is a final stage of the proposal," asserted the source.

In other words, Hamas has already informed Egypt of their acceptance of the ceasefire arrangement and the meeting with the rest of the Gaza factions is only a formality, in order for Hamas to get a seal of approval and not be the only signatories of the agreement.

How serious is this? Here is a small example: Among those who attended the meeting in Cairo, were leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees. Their name may not ring a bell as far as the Israeli public is concerned, but it is only because everyone knows them by an alternative name given to them by the IDFthe recalcitrants, and even if they were asked to attend the discussions in the Egyptian capital then the peace talks efforts have shifted into high gear.

Kerem Shalom border crossing (Photo: Barel Efraim)

The arrangement with Israel is not the only issue on the agenda. An attempt to re-implement the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah is being pursued as well. The proposal by Egypt and UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov is particularly ambitious, and its success depends on many regional players and aspectswhich is what makes it susceptible to failure. There are too many interests, egos and bad blood.

It is enough that Mahmoud Abbaswhose irritability and entrenchment in his positions have become his dominant qualitiesdecides that he will continue to impose sanctions on the Gaza Strip, and the possibility of a wide scale arrangement is put in jeopardy.

Arrangement have a spectrumfrom limited to wide scale. The options are on the table and in the end Israel and Hamas will have to choose a scale of the arrangement and the compromise that they are prepared for. The more comprehensive the arrangement will be, the longer the quiet along the southern border will last.

Kerem Shalom border crossing (Photo: Barel Efraim)

Only five days ago hundreds of rockets and missiles flew across the Gaza border in both directions, and today the ceasefire discourse is more dominant than ever. This sharp transition is a result of typical negotiations in the Middle East, when the parties involved always make a point to remind each other that every coin has two sides.

If the ceasefire negotiations fail, then there will probably be no escape from a large-scale military operation in Gaza, but in the meantime Hamas and Israel want to reach an agreement without entering a war.

However the talk of calm can quickly turn into another escalation so the two sides continue to display their preparedness. The Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip has lowered its public profile and Israel has deployed Iron Dome batteries even in the center of the country.A suicide bomber struck a private education center in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday where high school graduates were preparing for university entrance exams, killing 48 young men and women and leaving behind a scene of devastation and tragedy.

The bombing, blamed on the Islamic State group, was the latest assault on Afghanistan's Shiite community, which has increasingly been targeted by Sunni extremists who consider Shiites to be heretics.

It also showed how militants are still able to stage large-scale attacks, even in the heart of Kabul, and underscored the struggles of the Afghan forces to provide security and stability on their own.

The attack comes amid a particularly bloody week in Afghanistan that has seen Taliban attacks kill scores of Afghan troops and civilians.

It was not immediately clear how the bomber managed to sneak into the building, used by the Shiite community as an education center, in the Dasht-i Barcha area of Kabul.The Security Cabinet convened on Wednesday for a four-hour discussion dedicated, in part, to the negotiations on a ceasefire arrangement in the Gaza Strip, and while sources in the security establishment claimed that Hamas promised to stop the incendiary terror, some ministers asserted that there is no arrangement.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The ministers were briefed on the discussions held with Hamas, mediated by the Egyptians and UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov. One of the proposals main point is cessation of all violent Hamas-led activity from Gaza, while the Israeli side will be required to permanently open the Kerem Shalom crossing, expand the Palestinian fishing zone off the blockaded enclave's coast and increase the supplies of fuel.

Kerem Shalom border crossing (Photo: AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot and the deputy head of the Shin Bet gave an overview of the ongoing negotiations.

The defense establishment believes that the ceasefire will last and Hamas is committed to avoid an escalation of hostilities.

The security sources believe that what convinced Hamas to commit to the ceasefire is a destruction a multi-story building at the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City by the IDF in the latest escalation round along the southern border.

According to sources, Hamas viewed the bombing of the building as a declaration of intent by Israel, and was very concerned that similar attacks would follow.

Kerem Shalom border crossing (Photo: Barel Efraim)

Mahmoud Abbas, according to the sources, is indifferent to the proposal. Although he allows the negotiations to proceed, he did not attend any talks on the issue and did not promote the possible arrangement in any way.

Despite the fact that Hamas has reportedly committed itself to stop incendiary terror, many members of the Cabinet remain skeptical.

"There is no arrangement. We are hoping that the understandings weve reached so far will eventually lead us to a wide scale agreement, but the return of the remains of the soldiers and Israeli citizens held by Hamasis an essential precondition. The other side is so unpredictable that no one really knows what will happen, concluded the source.

The official Israeli response, provided by "a political source, reiterated similar sentiments.

Kerem Shalom border crossing (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

"There will be no genuine deal with Hamas without the return of our sons and citizens home and the promise of long lasting calm in the region. The current quiet along the southern border, which was achieved with the help of the Egyptians and the UN, is the result of aggressive IDF action that will continue as long as necessary.

In light of this, the Kerem Shalom border crossing was reopened and the fishing area was expanded, and as long as this commitment is maintained, the government will be able to start tackling humanitarian issues, including the return of our sons and citizens," the source explained.

Half of the Cabinet ministers did not take part in Wednesdays discussion since many of them are either on vacation, or have chosen not to attend.

The participants included the prime minister, minister of defense, Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan, Minister of Transportation and Intelligence Yisrael Katz and Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri.

Naftali Bennett (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The Cabinet ministers went on to attack Minister of Education Naftali Bennettwho did not attend Wednesdays meeting, and who over the past few days has issued numerous public statements against the ceasefire agreement.

One of the ministers scolded Bennett suggesting its ludicrous that a minister who issues statements against the ceasefire does not actually attend the Cabinet sessions that discuss it.News

Jefferson, New York - Remarks by President Trump at a Signing Ceremony for H.R. 5515, John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you everybody. Its a great place; Ive been here before. We love this location. We love this base and, most particularly, the people that are working so hard here and so effectively.

So I want to start by saying, At ease. Just relax. Do you have seats? You can sit down. Come on. Sit. If you want to stand, you can. Well just get one big standing ovation, right? (Laughter.) Sit down. Thank you. Thats pretty good. Everybody has got a seat. Thank you very much.

I want to thank our wonderful Vice President, Mike Pence, and say a special hello to the incredible patriots of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division. Special people. Thank you. (Applause.)

A few moments ago, I witnessed your extraordinary capabilities firsthand during an artillery raid demonstration. So Id like to begin by applauding the 10th Mountain Division Combat Aviation Brigade, along with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery. (Applause.) I hate to say this, but nobody stands a chance against you folks. Nobody stands a chance. (Applause.)

Im here today to sign our new defense bill into law and to pay tribute to the greatest soldiers in the history of the world: the United States Army. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.)

The National Defense Authorization Act is the most significant investment in our military and our warfighters in modern history, and I am very proud to be a big, big part of it. It was not very hard. You know, I went to Congress; I said, Lets do it. We got to do it. Were going to strengthen our military like never, ever before. And thats what we did. I want to say, very strongly, there is no better place than right here at Fort Drum to celebrate its passage. No better place.

After years of devastating cuts, were now rebuilding our military like we never have before, ever. Because we know that to survive and having that survival of our freedom, it depends upon the might of our military. And no enemy on Earth can match the strength, courage, and skill of the American Army and the American Armed Forces. Nobody is even close. They never will be.

Were grateful to be joined today by many of our nations top military leaders. Id like to recognize Deputy Secretary of Defense Shanahan, whos with us. Please, Mr. Secretary. (Applause.) People Ive heard about all my life  a very prestigious title; I always loved the ring: The Joint Chiefs of Staff. Right? Thats got a good ring. Anybody in the audience going to be a member of that someday? I think so. Raise your hand. If you think youre going to make it, raise your hand. Go ahead. Oh, come on. Thats all? Only a few? I dont know. (Applause.)

I want to thank General Dunford, General Milley, General Neller, Admiral Richardson, General Goldfein, General Lengyel, and Vice Admiral Ray. Thank you all for your leadership. Youre magnificent. We appreciate it very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you.

A very special thank you to the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division, Major General Walt Piatt. What a special man. Walt, I want to thank you. Where is Walt? Where is Walt? Walt, thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Walt is back on American soil after a deployment in Iraq. And I just want to welcome you home. You have tremendous respect. They have great, great admiration and respect for you, Walt. Thank you very much.

I also just had the chance to meet Division Command Sergeant Major Jason Roark, along with 10th Mountain Division Soldier of the Year, Michael Lima. Wheres Michael? Where is Michael? Soldier of the Year. (Applause.) Michael. Pretty good. And thats Soldier of the Year, Michael, out of how many?

SERGEANT LIMA: Eighteen thousand

THE PRESIDENT: How many?

SERGEANT LIMA: Eighteen thousand

THE PRESIDENT: Thats a lot of soldiers. Eighteen thousand? Do you want to work for me? (Laughter.) Thank you, Michael. Great job.

We would not be here for todays signing ceremony without the dedicated efforts of the members of Congress who worked so hard to pass the National Defense Authorization Act. Id like to recognize Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, whose district proudly includes Fort Drum. And I have to tell you about Elise. She called me so many times. I said, I dont want to take her call. She wanted me to be here. I said, I wont be able to; well have to change a lot of scheduling. But that didnt suit her. She didnt stop. And here I am. (Applause.) Here I am.

Elise, come here. Come here, Elise.

REPRESENTATIVE STEFANIK: Thank you, Mr. President. It is truly an honor to welcome you to Fort Drum, home of the historic 10th Mountain Division, the most deployed unit in the U.S. Army since 9/11. Thank you for being here to sign the historic National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the largest pay increase, support for our military families, and investing in our military readiness. Climb to glory, 10th Mountain Division! Thank you. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Shes an incredible representative.

I also want to thank Representatives Don Bacon, Dan Donovan, and Joe Wilson, who are with us today also. Thank you. Where are you? Stand up, please. Hi, Dan. Stand up. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, fellas.

Theres another member of Congress here today who is not only an Air Force veteran, but the first woman ever to fly a fighter jet in combat in U.S. history. And Ive gotten to know her very well, and she is terrific. Congresswoman Martha McSally. Congresswoman. (Applause.) Thank you, Martha. Thank you for being here. Thank you very much.

Thank you all for fighting for our military and for fighting for our vets. Nobody has made more progress on anything than what weve done with our vets. We have Choice approved. You know that. We have so many other things approved for our vets, and its really moving along well.

I think, maybe, almost as important as Choice is Accountability. Now, when we find somebody not treating our vets probably, you know what we say, right? Youre out. Get out. Youre fired. Get out. (Laughter.) They couldnt do that. They couldnt do that. Now they can do it. (Applause.) Now they have to treat our vets properly. Our vets are our great people, and they get treated properly.

So you have Choice and you have Accountability, and nobody thought that would ever get approved. Theyve been trying for many, many decades.

Finally, I want to thank a very special group of patriots at Fort Drum: all of the amazing spouses and family members whose love and support make your service possible. Whether you like it or not, they make it possible. Please. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) They know. They know. Right? Look at them. Hes smiling. They know.

Last year, we secured a historic $700 billion to rebuild our military. And now, the National Defense Authorization Act paves the way for another 1,700  listen to this now. So weve been trying to get money. They never gave us money for the military for years and years. And it was depleted. We got $700 billion. And next year, already approved, we have $716 billion to give you the finest planes, and ships, and tanks, and missiles anywhere on Earth. Nobody makes them like we do.

And very, very far distant, in this case  jobs are very important in all cases  but in this case, military might is more important than even jobs. But all of this equipment is made right here in the USA, and its the best equipment on Earth. Nobody makes it like we do. So you have $700 billion and now $716 billion. So congratulations. (Applause.)

America is a peaceful nation. But if conflict is forced upon us, we will fight and we will win. Right, General? Right? Right? Better believe it, generals. (Applause.) Theyre the guys. Were powered by the unstoppable force of the United States Army. Very special.

With this new authorization, we will increase the size and strength of our military by adding thousands of new recruits to active duty, reserve, and National Guard units, including 4,000 new active-duty soldiers. And we will replace aging tanks, aging planes and ships with the most advanced and lethal technology ever developed. And hopefully well be so strong well never have to use it. But if we ever did, nobody has a chance.

It all includes 135 brand-new, beautiful M1 Abrams tanks, 60 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and over 3,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the Army Armored Brigade Combat Team. New Black Hawk and Apache helicopters  finest in the world  for the Army National Guard. Seventy-seven F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. You know, thats stealth. I talked to a couple of pilots  great pilots  I said, How are they? They said, Theyre hard to beat because you cant see them. Its always hard to beat the enemy when you cant see it. The greatest in the world.

Full funding for the B-21 Raider bomber program. Thirteen new Battle Force ships and support ships, including a fourth Ford-class aircraft carrier and three additional Littoral Combat Ships.

Funding to modernize our nuclear arsenal is so important. Were doing a major upgrade of our missile defense. Were spending a tremendous amount of money on our nuclear arsenal. Nobody will have close. We will hopefully never, ever have to use it. But nobody will be close.

More than $11 billion for the military construction, including family housing. And we are proudly giving our troops the biggest pay increase in a decade. And I know you dont want it because youre very patriotic. Youll say, just save the money. Were going to pay down debt. Does anybody not want it? Please raise your hand. Whats going on here? (Laughter.) Are these real patriots? I dont know, General. I dont know. Its the biggest increase in a decade.

A strong military also requires a strong economy, and our economy is setting records like never before. We have the great economy weve ever had. I think thats going to help us a lot in a lot of ways. It also helps us a lot in funding and doing all of the things were doing for our great military.

Weve created almost 4 million new jobs since the election. A number that the media in the back would never have said would be possible if during the campaign. (Applause.) Im so proud of myself; I didnt call them the fake-news media. I didnt call them. (Applause.) I said to myself, I will not today, in front of our great armed forces, call them fake news. (Laughter.) We know the real truth, but we wont say it today. (Laughter.) But they wouldnt have believed it possible  4 million new jobs. Nobody would have thought that possible on the campaign trail.

If when we were campaigning, Mike, if I would have said that  if I would have said, Two million new jobs, people would have laughed us off the stage. Well, we have 4 million new jobs.

Something Im very proud of: the African American, Hispanic  Hispanic American, and Asian  Asian American  the unemployment rates for all three have reached the lowest levels in the history of our country. Unemployment for African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, the lowest level in the history of our country. (Applause.)

Womens unemployment is not  Im sorry  doing quite as well. Its only the lowest level in 65 years. (Laughter.) So were not doing as well. (Applause.) But well do better. I think within about three weeks, when the new numbers come out, youll probably be lowest in history also.

Very importantly, the veterans unemployment rate recently reached its lowest level in nearly 20 years. Its a big one. (Applause.)

And we are creating manufacturing jobs again. Remember during the campaign, they said, Oh, you cant create manufacturing jobs. I said, Really? Were not going to make things anymore? Is that what its come to? Were going to have other country make things? Theyre going to make things and were going to buy them? And theyre going to have the jobs and were not? Doesnt work that way. Were doing manufacturing jobs at the fastest pace in many, many decades.

No longer are we apologizing for America. Instead, we are now standing up for America. Its called America First, if thats okay with you. (Applause.) Were standing up for our military, and were standing up for our great American flag. Were standing for our flag. (Applause.)

The armed forces have endured continuous combat for the past 17 years. Yet, since the 1990s, the number of soldiers on active duty was cut by more than one-third. Our bases and vital equipment were allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. And I saw some of them. Total disrepair. But those days are over. Every day the Army is fighting for us, and now we are fighting for you  100 hundred percent. (Applause.)

No one better understands how stretched our military has become than the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division. Is that right, General?

You were the first conventional combat force to deploy after 9/11. Since then, no division in the Army has been deployed more times to Iraq and Afghanistan than you. Youve sent over 9,000 courageous soldiers to 26 different countries all around the world in the past year alone.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team just returned from a rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, and later this year they will once again bravely answer our nations call and deploy to Afghanistan. Through it all, youve proven to the world, to our country, to your families, that Fort Drum soldiers arent just tough; youre mountain tough. Thats what you are  youre mountain tough. (Applause.)

I said to you, General, Whats the difference? He said, Sir, trust me, theres a difference. So I said, I trust you, General. Right? I said, Dont go into it. I trust you.

One of those soldiers is Specialist Brayden Cook, who is with us today. Wheres Brayden? Wheres  oh, Brayden  good location, Brayden. Very good. (Laughs.) (Applause.)

Last October, his team came under heavy fire while cleaning and clearing  clearing out Taliban strongholds in various locations in Afghanistan. An Afghan soldier fighting alongside U.S. troops was badly wounded when an explosive detonated nearby. Specialist Cook braved the hail of bullets and mortar rounds all over  they said it was all over; it was heavy fire  saving the life of that wounded soldier and earning a Bronze Star for Valor for his courageous action.

Brayden, I want to thank you. A brave young man. Thank you. Please, stand up again, Brayden. (Applause.) Great.

Were also inspired by the devotion to duty shown by the family members who serve their nation here at home.

Ashley Shepard is one of those family members. She has been married to Sergeant First Class Ian Shepard for more than 14 years. Ashley supports military families in every way you can imagine. She has served as a Family Readiness Group leader, co-leader, treasurer, and assistant treasurer for three companies. She works hard. She raises money for scholarships, organizes charity events for Gold Star families, and feeds homeless veterans. Ashley, I want to thank you. Ashley? Where is Ashley? I had a feeling that was you, Ashley. Stand up, Ashley. (Applause.) Thank your husband too. Thank you.

America is eternally grateful for every soldier, service member, and family member here at Fort Drum. And we are forever in the debt of every American who has ever served our nation in uniform  from the snows of Valley Forge to the jungles of Vietnam and the mountains of Afghanistan. Its just incredible what you do.

A few days ago, Vice President Pence flew to Hawaii to greet the remains of some of our nations greatest heroes: our fallen warriors who gave their lives many years ago in Korea. Now these American heroes are finally starting to come home. They will be laid to rest on American soil. We believe in no American left behind. (Applause.)

And we believe our warfighters deserve the tools, the equipment, and resources they have earned with their blood, sweat, and tears.

In a few moments, in honor of that sacred obligation, I will put my signature on the National Defense Authorization Act. This authorization will give Americas warfighters the firepower they need to win any conflict quickly and decisively.

Thanks to the leadership of Representative Stefanik, were also making an unprecedented commitment to developing our artificial-intelligence capabilities.

In order to maintain Americas military supremacy, we must always be on the cutting edge. That is why we are also proudly re-asserting Americas legacy of leadership in space. Our foreign competitors and adversaries have already begun weaponizing space, developing new technologies to disrupt vital communications, blind satellites, and just  I mean, you look at what theyre doing. Theyve given me rundowns. Ive seen things that you dont even want to see, what theyre doing and how advanced they are. Well be catching them very shortly. They want to jam transmissions, which threaten our battlefield operations, and so many other things. We will be so far ahead of them in a very short period of time your head will spin.

China even launched a new military division to oversee its warfighting programs in space. Just like the air, the land, the sea, space has become a warfighting domain. It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space.

So that is why, just a few days ago, the Vice President outlined my administrations plan to create a sixth branch of the United States military, called the United States Space Force. (Applause.) Got to get it, Joe. Got to get it, Joe. Right, Joe? Right?

We will ensure that the next great chapter in history is written by the heroes of the United States military. America will always rise to every challenge and overcome every danger, because we are backed by the strength and power of the American soldier.

Speaking to his troops, General George Patton  a great one  once said: We have the finestequipment [and] the best spirit, and the best men in the world. Now, if it were today, he would be saying the best men and women in the world. Things do change. But that was quite a statement many years ago.

Continuing his remarks, Patton then declared: I dont want to get any messages saying, I am holding my position. We are not holding a [God]damned thingWe are advancing constantly. That was Patton.

Nearly 75 years later, Pattons words still ring true. America has the best equipment anywhere in the world. We have the best spirit, the best soldiers ever to set foot on any battlefield, anywhere, at any time. We are the most powerful. We are the best funded. We are the biggest. We are the strongest. We are the smartest.

And we are still not holding a damned thing, because America is on the move once again, and we are not backing down. Our country is respected again. I dont know if you see it, but America is respected again. Theres a big difference, and a big difference in the air. You take a look around; theres a big, beautiful difference.

We are advancing forward with our confidence renewed, our might restored, and the unwavering conviction that our destiny is our victory. Americas future is safe, sound, and brighter than ever, because each of you is Mountain tough, Mountain proud, and Mountain strong, and always will be climbing to glory. You will be climbing to glory.

Thank you again for the incredible men and women of Fort Drum. Special, special, great people. God bless our troops. And God bless the United States of America.

Id now like to invite a few of our fantastic soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division 2nd Brigade Combat Team to join me onstage to sign the National Defense Authorization Act. Its been an honor to be with you today. Thank you all very much. Thank you. (Applause.)

(The Act is signed.)News

Jefferson, New York - Remarks by Vice President Pence at a Signing Ceremony for H.R. 5515, The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019:

THE VICE PRESIDENT: At ease.

Members of the Joint Chiefs, leadership of our armed forces, distinguished members of Congress, and all who wear the uniform of the United States, especially the storied 10th Mountain Division

AUDIENCE: Hooah! (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  its a great honor to be here today with all of you as our President, with the strong support of Congress, will take decisive action to make the strongest military in the history of the world stronger still. (Applause.)

All of you have chosen to be part of something larger than yourselves. Youve chosen to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. And let me assure you: You have a champion in the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.) Its true.

This President has no higher priority than the safety and security of the American people. And from the very earliest days of our administration, your Commander-in-Chief has been fulfilling his solemn oath to provide for the common defense. And President Donald Trump always puts our armed forces and your families first. (Applause.)

Ive seen it firsthand. On our very first day in office, I witnessed President Trump protect our military from a government-wide hiring freeze. And in May of last year, he signed the largest increase in military spending in nearly a decade.

And with the leadership and support of this Commander-in-Chief, our armed forces have taken the fight to the terrorists of ISIS, on our terms, on their soil. Their caliphate has crumbled, and soon we will erase ISIS from the face of the Earth! (Applause.)

And last August, our President laid out our South Asia Strategy to give our warfighters in Afghanistan, in his words, the tools they need, and the trust they have earned, to fight andwin.

This President has also secured commitments around the world from our allies, commitments from our NATO Allies in particular, to pay more for our common defense than ever before.

And President Trump has articulated a vision to ensure continued American dominance in land, sea, air, and space.

AUDIENCE: Hooah! (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And last fall, our President led negotiations with both parties of Congress, and President Trump signed into law the largest increase in our national defense in a generation. Under President Donald Trump, the days of arbitrary budget cuts to our national defense are over. (Applause.)

And finally, in June of this year, while our President engaged in historic negotiations with North Korea, he had our missing fallen on his heart. And as the nation witnessed just a few short weeks ago, thanks to the leadership and compassion of this Commander-in-Chief, our boys are finally coming home. (Applause.)

By signing this legislation today, President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people to rebuild our military, restore the arsenal of democracy, and once again give you  our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard  the resources and training you need to accomplish your mission and come home safe.

The Armed Forces of the United States of America are the worlds greatest force for good. And you can be assured: President Donald Trump and our entire administration will never stop fighting for you, who fight to defend this nation, past, present, and future. (Applause.)

So now it is my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce to you your Commander-in-Chief and a true champion of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, the 45th President of the United States, President Donald Trump!News

Washington, DC - Fox Business: Small Business Optimism at 35-Year High:

Small business owners optimism touched a 35-year high in July, with businesses setting records in terms of job creation and hiring, while they cited the availability of qualified workers as their biggest challenge.



In July 2018, the NFIBs Small Business Optimism Index marked its second highest level in the surveys 45-year history, at 107.9  just shy of the July 1983 record-high of 108.

Records were set for job creation plans. A seasonally-adjusted net 23 percent of businesses are planning to create new jobs, while 37 percent of business owners said they had job openings that they could not fill in July.



A net 35 percent of owners expect better business conditions, while they said the availability of qualified workers was their No. 1 problem. Owners also reported that they were increasing the compensation they offered workers.

...Latest News

Washington, DC - Federal agencies, led by Labor and Health and Human Services, are cutting Obama-era regulations and saving money faster than demanded by President Trump, according to a new report.

And as a result, the administration is expected to easily meet the presidents order to cut at least two old regulations for every new one issued and cut the costs of regulations.



Collectively, executive agencies subject to a regulatory budget remain on pace to double the administrations overall savings goal. On an individual basis, 12 of 22 agencies have already met or surpassed their savings target, added the report written by Dan Bosch, the director of regulatory policy at the American Action Forum.

Living Section

Yuma, Arizona - And, heres a world record that requires stamina, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens.

Its the one for the oldest living married couple. The record keepers at Guinness announced recently that a Japanese couple managed to celebrate their 80th wedding anniversary due to their longevity. He is 108-years-young and she is a mere 100.Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.Aetna Inc. operates as a health care benefits company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment offers medical, pharmacy benefit management service, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured and employer-funded basis. It also provides point-of-service, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, and indemnity benefit plans, as well as health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans. In addition, this segment offers Medicare and Medicaid products and services, as well as other medical products, such as medical management and data analytics services, medical stop loss insurance, workers' compensation administrative services, and products that provide access to its provider networks in select geographies. The Group Insurance segment offers life insurance products, including group term life insurance, voluntary spouse and dependent term life insurance, group universal life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance products; and long-term care insurance products, which provide the benefits to cover the cost of care in private home settings, adult day care, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The Large Case Pensions segment manages various retirement products comprising pension and annuity products primarily for tax-qualified pension plans. The company provides its products and services to employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Aetna Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in Hartford, Connecticut.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.- Ebonys father had claimed Bullet only gave him only GHC 2,000 of Ebonys money

- But Bullet has hit back at Mr. Opoku-Kwarteng calling him a greedy man

- Bullet has listed all the monies Nana Kwarteng has received since Ebony's death

YEN.com.gh reported the story of Ebonys father, Mr. Opoku Kwarteng, calling Bullet a thief.

According to him, Bullet gave him GHC2,000 out of an alleged GHC40,000 of profit made from Ebonys Memorial Concert held earlier this year.

Mr. Opoku Kwarteng said he got wind of the forty thousand cedis Bullet received but was disappointed that Bullet only handed him two thousand cedis.

According to him, he was only expecting Bullet to be honest in accounting to him, and it is not as if he Kwarteng want to make money off his daughters death because he had his own money.

Ebony with her dad (Photo source: YEN.com.gh)

But it seems Bullet is hurt by Mr. Opoku-Kwartengs claim and has called him a greedy man.

READ ALSO: Moesha Budoung 'beats' Princess Shyngle and Bibi Bright to their dream of meeting Nicki Minajs ex-boyfriend Safaree (Photo + Video)

In a Facebook post sighted by YEN.com.gh, Bullet said he now understands why some music groups and musicians did not prosper in the industry.

According to him, it is greed on the part of their family members that caused them to fade away quickly in the industry.

He went on to explain that not all the money an artiste makes from the show belong to the artiste.

Bullet added that management also has a percentage because they care and provide for the artiste in terms of costume, branding, promotion, videos, and many others.

Not long after this post, Bullet posted a press statement announcing that his outfit had left all the unreleased tracks of Ebony to the family and severed all ties with him.

Accompanying the press release was another lengthy post which listed monies Bullet claims Ebony's father has received since the death of the Dancehall star.

READ ALSO: There's no heaven - Reverend Obofour stirs controversy with latest sermon (Video)

"MONEY MONEY MONEY

1. I went round looking for funds to support the funeral bola ray is my witness. all the money they donated you took all and didnt even say thank you bullet(remember these are ppl you dont know from anywhere but my own ppl who wanted to support cos of me

2. There was a cloth deal and you wanted more percentage so I gave you 10percent of my share. you didnt say thank you

3. Vgma award money I was entitled to my percentage but I gave all to you, you didnt say thank you

4. Ohio tribute concert I didnt take my percentage I gave all to you, still, you didnt say thank you

5. The funeral I spent over 5000 cedis being payment of bandsmen. you didnt say thank you and I didnt even ask you to give it back to me from all the cash ppl donated cos I was doing for ohemaa

6. Tribute concert you brought your men to check the gate proceeds, whatever we made was counted by the bank in presence of your men,kasapreko and rufftown.everything was transparent so why come attack me?

7. Iwrote and own 95 percent of ebonys album.by law ebony is suppose to earn between 10-20 percent royalties but I gave her 40percent

8. Few weeks ago you received 9300 us dollars from online royalties and you still going round saying bullet is cheating when i hv given u 40percent of my own right instead of 10 or 20percent?

9. You have sidelined Midas touch my partners but they will soon come and talk!

NOW YOU CAN TAKE EVERYTHING," he posted.

Ebony, before her unfortunate demise in February this year, was under the management of RuffTown Records owned by Bullet.

READ ALSO: Pretty 42-year-old lady dies after being beaten by boyfriend on her birthday (Photos)

Within two years, she had taken over the music industry and her success was tied to Bullet.

Unfortunately after her death, her father, Mr. Opoku Kwarteng, has leveled all kinds of accusations and allegations against Bullet.

In an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, Ebonys father also accused Bullet of killing Ebony.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh:

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh?

Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: Yen Ghana- CEO of Menzgold Company Limited has rendered an unqualified apology to the Bank of Ghana for his Twitter comments

- Mr Appiah Mensah tweeted describing the central bank as a joke

- The BoG on Tuesday, 7 August 2018, issued its fourth public notice that it is in discussions with relevant regulatory authorities to sanction Menzgold Company Limited for engaging in an 'illegality'

The Chief Executive of gold dealing firm, Menzgold has admitted he erred in his reaction to the Bank of Ghana release over the 'illegal' business his company is involved in.

Owing to the fallible nature of man, I sincerely apologise for my initial reaction to the Bank of Ghana press release, Nana Appiah Mensah posted on his Twitter account Tuesday.

According to him, his company is now in full cooperation with the BoG to find solution to the Menzgold regulations issues.

READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020

We've engaged & are cooperating with the BoG and other state agencies, to cordially resolve in the interest of our beloved Republic of Ghana. #GhanaShallProsper, he added.

The BoG on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 cautioned the general public that anyone who transacts any form of deposits with ''Menzgold Ghana Company Limited does so at his or her own risk.

The BoG also opined that will not be liable in the event of loss of investments of deposits.

The Bank of Ghana had earlier in 2017 issued a public notice cautioning individuals not to deal with Menzgold because the company was flouting some laws.

The latest warning by the BoG saw Menzgold CEO responding that the central bank was a "joke" and only diverting attention from happenings in the banking space.

Menzgold boss eats humble pie; apologies to BoG. Source: Twitter

YEN earlier reported that Menzgold CEO, Nana Appiah Mensah, has finally revealed the "cult" that he belongs to. His revelation follows claims that he is a member of Illuminati. Nana Appiah opened up on the claims in a Twitter post on Sunday.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Pretty lady puts her massive 'Tundra' on display as she looks for love on social media

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos.

Source: Yen.com.gh- A husband and his wife have finally welcomed their first child

- The couple welcomed their first child after thirty-seven years of marriage

YEN.com.gh has come across the amazing story of a Nigerian couple who finally welcomed their first child.

The couple who has been married for thirty-seven years welcomed their baby years after waiting.

A Facebook user identified as Ayotunde Alao shared the miraculous story on his page. He revealed that he was at the child's christening ceremony.

After 37 years of marriage, Nigerian couple finally welcome bouncing baby Photo source: Facebook user Ayotunde Alao

Alao who was the Master of Ceremony (MC) for the joyous event, expressed that he was extremely emotional during the event.

READ ALSO: Bullet releases list of the monies Ebony's father has received since his daughter died

He further noted that they cried and laughed at the event. On his post, Alao noted that he realised that God still answers prayers in mysterious ways.

The MC said: "This was an extremely emotional moment for me as I did MC, we laughed, cried in between and most importantly had fun! God still answers prayers in mysterious ways. After 37 years of marriage Elijah came with fire. Its a miracle loaded with testimonies There is no lateness with God Just stay faithful & trust Him #africatotheworld#greatness#motivation @ Normal, Illinois."

They had their baby 37 years after marriage Photo source: Facebook user Ayotunde Alao

Stories of late birth are one of those things that shows that there is a God.

There are several stories of couples who welcome their children after years and years of praying.

READ ALSO: Moesha Budoung 'beats' Princess Shyngle and Bibi Bright to their dream of meeting Nicki Minajs ex-boyfriend Safaree (Photo + Video)

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh:

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh?

Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: Yen.com.gh- Drivers of MPs have raised concerns over their meager salaries

- The drivers, in a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, asked him to intervene to help improve their conditions of service

Some drivers of Ghanas Parliamentarians have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to implore lawmakers to increase their salaries.

In a petition sent to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, the drivers lamented that they are paid a meagre amount of GH 400 monthly.

They, therefore, appealed to the Speaker to intervene to help improve their conditions of service.

MPs drivers cry over GH 400 salary. Source: Supplied

READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020

The drivers also want to have proper contracts with lawmakers with regards to remuneration for their services.

According to them, they do not feel secured because their work agreement with the MPs have only been oral.

Right Honourable Speaker, our terms of engagement by our employers (Honourable Members of Parliament has largely been oral. Without any rules of engagement which makes our bosses to use their discretion to pay us meager amount of GH 400.00 as monthly salary.

Subject to the labour Act 2003, Act 651, section 67, employees remuneration are enshrined in the Act of which we are pleading for increment in salaries which we believe can help us to survive the economy, the petition read.

The drivers also complained about there being no social security for them since the MPs do not pay their contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

READ ALSO: Menzgold boss eats humble pie; apologies to BoG

They called on the Speaker to help convince lawmakers to give them allowances when they work on public holidays.

We are hired and fired at the MPs own discretion. We hope and plead to your outfit to help streamline it including payment of our Social Security and National Insurance Trust which are not being paid, the drivers said in the petition.

We the drivers over the past years have formed a welfare union to seek for better conditions. We humbly plead to the leadership to come into negotiation with us for us to have a collective bargaining agreement, and we believe this agreement will help stimulate our responsibilities, duties and our entitlements, the petition added.

This is the second time that drivers of Ghanas Parliamentarians have complained about receiving poor salaries.

In 2011, similar concerns were raised with some lamenting that they earn as low of GH80.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Owusu Bempah warns against Mahama contesting election 2020

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via Instagram or on YENs official Facebook page.

Source: Yen- Two former employees of the defunct Capital Bank have rejected thr press release from the former board chairman of the bank, Dr. Mensa Otabil

- Raymond Addei Danquah and Philip Yawson stated that all they are interested in is their severance packages and nothing else

- They added that they have petitioned the presidency with respect to the matter, but are yet to receive a response

Former employees of the defunct Capital Bank, have rejected the statement released by the Former Board Chairman, Pastor Mensa Otabil.

In a press release which has since gone viral, Pastor Otabil, revealed that he had as Board Chairman, he was not involved in the day to day operations of the bank.

He added that the well-being of all those who lost their jobs has been his foremost concern.

READ ALSO: The 5 most talked about families in Ghana right now

Two former employees, Raymond Addei Danquah and Philip Yawson however dismissed his remarks, saying that they dont need his sympathies and prayers.

Speaking on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen, they stated that they were simply interested in their severance packages and nothing else.

Raymond Addei Danquah, who was Deputy Head of Digital Banking, said he now grills pork to support his family.

According to him, catering for their families ever since they lost their jobs has been challenging.

He noted that the payers and sympathies of Pastor Mensa Otabil will not change their current situation.

We dont need his sympathises and prayers; it wont change anything. Even workers of Capital Bank who are members of ICGC have not heard anything from the church, Raymond stated.

He went on to say that they have petitioned President Akufo-Addo with respect to their predicament, but they are yet to get a response.

The GCB Bank, with the permission of the Bank of Ghana, assumed responsibility for the assets and liabilities of the Capital Bank and UT Bank in the year 2017.

READ ALSO: Ghanaian woman to spend 18 years in jail for 'sakawa'

JB Danquah-Adus murder: Will His Killer Be Punished? | Ghana trends |

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen.com.gh- Two students of the University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have drowned in a man-made lake in Germany

- William Emmanuel Lartey and Akwesi Abbey went swimming in the lake when the unfortunate happened

Two students of the University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have reportedly drowned in Germany.

According to a report by the Daily Guide newspaper, the two drowned in a man-made lake near the Munich Airport.

William Emmanuel Lartey and Akwesi Abbey are said to have gone swimming in the lake, Pullinger Weiher, when they mysteriously lost their lives.

William Emmanuel Lartey and Akwesi Abbey. Source: Daily Guide

READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020

Reports suggest the deceased were on an exchange programme with the University of Freisin in Munich.

They had reportedly completed their programme of study and were scheduled to return to Ghana by the end of this month.

Little detail about their death has been given but it is understood that the two separated themselves from others while swimming for fear of being mocked over their poor swimming skills.

However, they rather swam into the deepest side of the man-made lake which led to them drowning.

READ ALSO: MPs drivers cry over GH 400 salary; appeal for increment

German authorities have already contacted a Ghanaian in Germany to locate the relatives of the deceased.

Reports also suggest some Ghanaians in Germany, the University of Freisin and an airport union in Germany have taken steps to raise funds to fly the bodies of the deceased back home.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: 5 reasons why your salary almost always finishes by the middle of the month

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: Yen- A thief, Baba Ali, has disclosed the reasopn why he stole a Rav 4 belonging to a pastor, Rev. Bena Dankwah

- According to him, he wanted to go and have fun with it in the Central Region, and return it

- He was arrested when he was spotted by police in the Central Region, as he drove the car

A 24-year old drivers mate, Baba Ali, pulled a surprise as he revealed the reason behind his decision to steal an SUV belonging to a pastor.

According to a report by 3news.com, the suspect stole the Toyota Rav 4 on Sunday, August 12, 2018 at Kojokrom in the Western Region, in a bid to go out and have fun.

Luck however eluded him when he was arrested by the police in the Central Region, after alerts had gone out to that effect.

Baba Ali (Left) and Rev. Dankwah (Right) Source: 3news.com

READ ALSO: We need our money, not your sympathy - Former Capital Bank workers tell Otabil

Baba Ali revealed that he only sought to have fun with the car, and intended to return it to Kojokrom when he was done.

The pastor, Rev. Bena Dankwah, of Higher Grounds Assemblies of God Church at Tanokrom, had fuelled the car full tank as he had planned to use it to go to church, only to wake up on Sunday morning to find the car missing from where it was parked.

He therefore reported the matter to the Kojokrom Policem who then issued alerts to all stations.

On Monday, August 13, 2018, Baba Ali was spotted driving the car in the Central Region, and was subsequently arrested. The police then retrieved two bunch of keys in his possession and arrested him.

Baba Ali has been identified as a resident of Sabu Zongo of Kojokrom, who has gained notoriety for stealing car batteries and other car parts.

Rev Dankwah told Connect FM that he made the stolen car his prayer topic in church on Sunday, and was thus thankful to God for its recovery.

READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020

Ghana news: President Akufo Addo Asked For More Prayers | Yen.com.gh

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YenYEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim and it has caused confusion among her fans on Instagram.

In her latest photo, Juliet looked gorgeous in sunglasses, a blue straight dress with a pink belt to match.

The captioned on her photo read, "Abstaining from sex, gotta zen my body. I aint giving you, so dont ask, I dont lend my body. Gotta be king status to give man my body. Hell yeah, Cus a Queen is what I embody.

READ ALSO: King Promise speaks on his ideal woman

Juliets statement and photo swiftly drew a lot of comments from her fans as some criticized her while others extended their compliments to her.

A fan with the handle danalaramma went hard on Juliet saying many people have been enjoying her tonga

He wrote, And yet many are getting it constantly.

successful_nelson_general warned Juliet U go soon start to rush us.

jane_dominic quizzed, Was @iceberg a king? But he ate it all up damn.

In the midst of the criticism, abumjayjay hailed Juliet.

READ ALSO: Smoke the peace pipe now! - Afia Schwar tells Bullet and Mr. Kwarteng over 'Ebony issues'

He wrote, Good rap lines babes.

henryboy6883 commented, Love by many.

Juliet has recently been in the news over her collapsed romantic relationship with Nigerian rapper Iceberg Slim.

YEN.com.gh had previously reported how Juliet jumped to the defence of Moesha Boduong when social users questioned the marital status of the latter.

READ ALSO: Nana Ama McBrown dazzles in these photos on her birthday

Watch: Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YEN's official page

Source: Yen.com.gh- An NDC sympathizer, Appiah Stadium, has claimed that Dr. Mensa Otabil is an armed robber and a fraudster who wears a cassock

- He added that he will also criticize Dr. Otabil because the man of God constantly 'attacked' Former President Mahama

A known sympathizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Appiah Stadium, has referred to Dr. Mensa Otabil, the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), as an armed robber and a fraudster.

According to a report by MyNewsGH.com, Appiah Stadium went on to say that the man of God is wicked and criminally-minded, and that is why the Capital Bank collapsed.

He explained that this is because Dr. Otabil played a role in the collapse of the bank, as well as the misuse of an amount of GHC610 million.

READ ALSO: UEW Vice Chancellor, 4 others removed from office

Speaking on Neat FM, Appiah Stadium questioned Dr. Otabils moral integrity to criticize Former President Mahama and the NDC when it was in power.

To him, Dr. Otabils conduct is tantamount to digging a manhole in the now collapsed bank and getting buried in it together with his congregants.

He said he is Dr. Otabils avowed enemy because of the criticism the man of God meted out to Former President Mahama, and now is the time for payback.

The GCB Bank, with the permission of the Bank of Ghana, assumed responsibility for the assets and liabilities of the Capital Bank and UT Bank in the year 2017.

READ ALSO: Dr. Kwabena Duffuor's campaign poster leaks online

Ghana news: President Akufo Addo Asked For More Prayers | Yen.com.gh

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen Newspaper- Prophet Cosmos Affran has said President Mahama will win the 2020 presidential elections hands down

- He said the only thing that stop the former president from winning that election is death

The issue of former President John Mahama returning as the flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and winning in 2020 has become topical in Ghana.

According to an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, Prophet Owusu Bempah who has been labeled an NPP prophet said he does not see any political future for Mahama.

According to him, Mahama can never win the 2020 election, therefore, he should channel his energy elsewhere.

READ ALSO: Afia Schwarzeneggers 4-yr-old daughter Pena has body painting

This is not the first time Owusu Bempah has made such a prophecy.

In another report by YEN.com.gh, he urged the former president to go on and contest only if he wants to be disgraced.

However, Prophet Cosmos Affran, who also claims to have received a vision from God has also spoken on Mahamas chances of winning the 2020 election.

According to him, only death and Mahamas own intention not to contest is what can hinder his being elected as president in 2020.

READ ALSO: You are full of greed!  Bullet spits fire on Ebonys father

Prophet Affran made this revelation in a post sighted by YEN.com.gh on Facebook.

He wrote: What will stop Former President Mahama from becoming president of Ghana again is" death" and his intention not to contest the presidency again in this republic of Ghana, but as far as his maker is with him and give him, H. E Mahama long life to live and himself H. E Mahama decide to contest the presidency of the country then there is a victory ahead of him to become a President of Ghana again. " thou saith the Lord " prophecy by Prophet Cosmos Walker Affran.

READ ALSO: Kuami Eugene praises himself over his dressing in latest photo

This prophecy about the fortune of Mahama in 2020 is the second to be made so far.

YEN.com.gh also published the story of Prophet Nigel Gaisie, a self-acclaimed man of God who claimed to have predicted the late Ebony Reigns death.

According to him, former President Mahama will win the election if he decides to contest.

Nigel also said Akufo Addo will get the shock of his life after the 2020 elections.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Nana Appiah Mensah finally flaunts his cult group in latest photo?

Have national and human interest issues to discuss?

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: Yen.com.gh- Owusu Bempah has said Obofour is not from God

- According to Owusu Bempah, Obofour went for his powers somewhere in the Ashanti Region

- Owusu Bempah made the claims on Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday

The founder and leader of Glorious Word Ministry International, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, has stated that the founder and leader of the Anointed Palace Chapel (APC) Reverend Obofour is not a true 'man of God'.

According to the renowned prophet, Obofour went for black magic (juju) from an oracle in Fawoade, a town near Mamponteng in the Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region.

Owusu Bempah further revealed that the name of the deity is 'Abankro' and every patron is given some water which is called 'Obuafuor' (helper). This is the same name which has intentionally corrupted to be 'Obofour' (angel).

Reverend Obofour (Photo credit: Sourced)

Explaining how he got to know of the Obofour's 'juju' dealings, Owusu Bempah stated that it was disclosed to him by some of his church members who belong the family in charge of the 'Abankro' deity.

READ ALSO: Prophet Affran releases hot prophecy about Mahama and 2020 election and its about death

Owusu Bempah made the revelations o Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday while sharing his thoughts on government's intention to tax the business activities of churches in Ghana.

The renowned prophet told show host, Paul Adom Otchere that he was in support of government's decision because many churches do sell items like anointing oil, pomade and other things which must be taxed.

Owusu Bempah (in white) with show host, Paul Adom Otchere (Photo credit: Youtube)

It was at this point that he mentioned the names of Obofour and others like Obinim and started blasting them for being ostentatious.

READ ALSO: Moesha Bodoung can't keep calm as she hangs out with Nicki Minaj's ex-boyfriend in the US (Photo+Video)

He added that if they could show off their wealth as they have been doing, they should also pay taxes on their products.

Obofour and Obinim have recently been in the news for buying very expensive Rolls Royce cars.

Obofour even went further to buy a Ford Mustang worth GHC 100,000 for his nine-year-old daughter on her birthday.

He recently gifted over 15 cars in his church as part of the naming ceremony for his newly-born son.

While giving out the cars, Obofour boasted that the revenue from his 'Abayifo nkuu' (witches pomade) alone could buy a car every day.

Citing this statement, Owusu Bempah questioned:"if you go for your juju to come and sell pomade in church and you brag about it on social media, why should you not pay taxes?"

Meanwhile, Reverend Obofour has shut down criticisms about the purchase of the GHC 100,000 car for his daughter.

READ ALSO: Bullet lists all the monies Ebony's greedy father has 'chopped' off his daughter's death and still wants more

According to him, those criticising him would be the same people to attack him if anything happened to his daughter because he could not transport her to and from school.

He quizzed: "So they are okay with outsiders enjoying and not my family? I should send a taxi driver to go and pick my daughter and ran away with her?"

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh:

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh?

Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: Yen- Government has released the list of all 400 Senior High Schools to operate the double-track system

- The list means government is keen on implementing the new system amid concerns

Government has officially released a list of Senior High Schools that will operate under the double-track system of education.

Last month, government announced that the double-track system will be deployed, starting with the upcoming academic year in September.

The double track system, government said, is being deployed as a means of addressing challenges with the implementation of the free SHS policy.

Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister. Source: Ghananewsonline.com

READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020

This particular system of education divides the entire student body and staff into two different tracks; so while one track is in school, the other is on vacation.

The government has now announced that some 400 out of the 696 public high schools have been selected to operate the system.

President Akufo-Addo has previously stated that not all SHSs will deploy the double-track system of education.

He explained that it will only be applicable in schools facing infrastructure challenges due to a large number of students admitted

The 400 listed schools will accommodate the over 180,000 students who are expected to gain admission into SHS this year.

READ ALSO: MPs drivers cry over GH 400 salary; appeal for increment

Islamic Senior High in the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region will have the highest number of intake with a proposed new entry of 3,362 students.

Regional breakdown of schools

Ashanti Region  79

Brong Ahafo Region  41

Central Region  45

Eastern Region  60

Greater Accra Region  42

Northern Region  33

Upper East Region  18

Upper West Region  19

Volta Region  30

Western Region  35

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Menzgold boss eats humble pie; apologies to BoG

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos.

Source: Yen- A businessman by name Kennedy Agyapong, is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates

- The man is alleged to have defrauded a maids services agency, when he sold off two maids in Dubai

- The matter was brought to light at the sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee this week

YEN.com.gh has gathered that authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are in search for a Ghanaian businessman by name Kennedy Agyapong.

The suspect allegedly defrauding an agency responsible for the recruitment of househelps.

According to a report by Graphic.com.gh, the man illegally took two Ghanaians to Dubai to work as maidservants. But since the call came for his arrest, he can no longer be found.

On Tuesday at the sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, the issue came to light. No headway has been made in the search for him.

READ ALSO: The love triangles that include two female celebrities with the same man

In the proceedings, it was disclosed that management of the Ghana mission paid AED 2,075 (GHC 2,075) on behalf of two who were taken to Dubai. The mission has be recompensed with AED 1,000 (GHC1,000).

It was also revealed that the said Kennedy Agyapong allegedly took the ladies to be sold as maids in Dubai. He was however later declared wanted by the Dubai Police for defrauding the maid services agency.

The name of the suspect in this case has obviously confused Ghanaians. There are two very famous people with the exact names and they are both businessmen, with one of them being a member of parliament.

A commentor was confused by the name as it was quite popular in Ghana. Source: Supplied

It is foreseeable that either of the popular Kennedy Agyapong would come out to clear their names if they are not the man in need.

Watch: Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook

Source: YenYEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of actor John Dumelo which is causing a stir on social media.

According to views of fans and followers of the actor sampled by YEN.com.gh, John Dumelo looks fat and has developed a pot belly like an old man also commonly known as sugar daddy.

John shared this photo to his Instagram page and indicated that he was at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, in Canada.

READ ALSO: Only death can stop Mahama from winning 2020 presidential election  Prophet Affran

John Dumelo was apparently catching fun when he shared the photo with his fans.

However, most of his fans have overlooked the fun aspect of Dumelos post and have rather commented on his look.

They said John Dumelo was looking fat, with some of them advising him to visit the nearest gym.

Some of the fans also attributed Dumelos new look to stress saying that he is not a happy man.

Others also said Dumelo was enjoying his wifes food and that was what was making him grow big.

READ ALSO: You make all things beautiful in your own time  Becca speaks ahead of her wedding

Oheneba, Tommy, Joe, Chinedu, and many others believed John Dumelo looked fat.

ohenebagodbl: Eeeei girls boy boy u are becoming fat.anwa nkoaaaaa.

tommyjoe143: Your getting fat oo .

debysoftonos: See how fat you've become @johndumelo1.

petra.deann: Eewwwwwww this fat is stress fat! Youre not happy .

eke.chinedu: Man you're getting fat @johndumelo1.

ugopatricia: Your getting big oooh.

READ ALSO: Afia Schwarzeneggers 4-yr-old daughter Pena has body painting

Pounds had an advise for Dumelo

poundz4u: @johndumelo1 pls hit the gym small wai.

Vimus believed Johns wifes food is the best.

da_vimus: The evidence of your wifes cooking is showing nicely. Thumbs Up to her.

Yankyz did not want to accept that her fine crush Dumelo could become this fat.

yankyz_creation_events: Awwww No way this can't be the same John Dumelo that has always been my crush @ johndumelo1.

Ogaga also had an advise for Dumelo.

zeituneogaga: John John John!! Did u hear me? Visit your nearest gym.

READ ALSO: You are full of greed!  Bullet spits fire on Ebonys father

John Dumelo has been in the news recently following an accusation by fans that he is an idolater.

This was because he was captured in a photo bowing to a statue of alleged to be Jesus.

His wife, Gifty Mawunya, has also been in the new following a video report that suggests that she is heavily pregnant.

READ ALSO: Kuami Eugene praises himself over his dressing in latest photo

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: If you are not a king you won't get my body - Juliet Ibrahim

Have national and human interest issues to discuss?

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: Yen NewsGhanaian actress and model, Priscilla Opoku Agyemang, known in showbiz as Ahuofe Patri has recently been under attack on social media on a number of ocassions.

Many of the attacks have come over her looks which followers have been complaining about.

For many of these critics, Ahuofe Patri was fast losing her beauty which endeared her to most of her fans.

But it looks like in the midst of such criticisms over her beauty, Ahuofe Patri is still not short of admirers.

READ ALSO: Owusu Bempah exposes Obofour on live TV; reveals where he got his 'powers' from (Video)

Indeed, she has so many admirers and it includes a man who is willing to resort to any means to get her.

The man even went to the extent of soliciting the help a spiritualist to cast a spell (for girls) on Ahuofe Patri.

But unbeknown to the man, the spiritualist, only identified as Mallam Fatao, was also interested in Ahuofe Patri and he told him to back off.

READ ALSO: Ebony's father shows proof that Bullet cheated him of money from daughter's concert (Photo + Video)

In a screenshot photo of the conversation between the Ahuofe Patri admirer and Mallam Fatao which was sighted by YEN.com.gh, the Mallam plainly told his potential client that he was also interested in Ahuofe Patri.

When the shocked client asked "Yehowa, even you?", the mallam shot back "fool, why, me I don't have feelings?"

While YEN.com.gh cannot verify the authenticity of the conversation which was shared by Facebook user, Agnes Ocran, it must be noted that there are many spiritualists who do consultations on social media these days.

Since the post was shared many social media users have been making fun of the conversation.

Kekeli threw his weight behind the mallam:

Nene wondered how the mallam was going to make money:

Efo thought the conversation showed that the mallam was fake:

READ ALSO: "Are you a fool?" - Badu Kobi wildly attacks Akufo-Addo over plan to tax churches (Audio)

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh:

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh?

Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YenMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  An Abu Sayyaf subgroup leader was killed while five others surrendered to the military in two separate incidents in Sulu on Wednesday.

Reports from the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) said Absulajim Abdulgani, also known as Suraka Ingog, was killed in a joint police and military operation in Patikul town's Kalimayahan Village.

Recovered from the body of Abdulgani  an alleged Abu Sayyaf subgroup leader and bomb expert  were a .45-caliber pistol with magazine, ammunition, and 2,421 in cash.

In a separate incident, another listed Abu Sayyaf subgroup leader and four of his followers surrendered to troops around 9 a.m.

Leader Ali Hassan and members Omar Innol, Simal Alam, Kimbo Alam, and Hayudini Amil yielded to the Marine Base Landing Team-1 under the Joint Task Force Sulu. They surrendered four M1 Garand Rifles.

"The Joint Task Force Sulu is continuously implementing its all-out campaign in eradicating the Abu Sayyaf Group in the province," the Wesmincom statement read.Chinas top tier cities are among the worlds most popular investment destinations.

In the first half of 2018, first tier citiesShanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Guangzhoushowed a GDP growth of more than six percentwith Shenzhen even reaching eight percent, attributed to their level of economic development, rapidly growing innovation capabilities and incentives for attracting foreign talent.

Naturally, these cities have the highest demand for talent in the country, causing wages to increase and resulting in a more expensive labor market overall.

In this article, we compare and contrast the relative wage structures of Chinas first-tier cities, focusing on the minimum, average and white-collar average wages as the labor metric of comparison.

Foreign investors need to keep a close eye on labor metrics to maintain cost efficiency and business viability.

Minimum Wages

Minimum wage not only relates to GDP and GDP per capita but also to the growth of the local economy and government policies.

Recent increases in minimum wage have been less frequentlypossibly attributed to structural reforms by local governments, Chinas recent economic downturn and an emphasis on lowering operational costs.

Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Guangzhou have recorded the highest minimum wages in China this year, with all four cities having adjusted their minimum wage rates within the last 12 months.

Shanghai is the city with the highest monthly minimum wage in China. This year, the monthly minimum wage and hourly minimum wage increased by five percent to RMB 2,420 (US$354) and RMB 21 (US$3.1) respectively. Over the past decade, the minimum wage in Shanghai has increased by a factor of 1.7.

Shenzhen, the city with the second highest minimum wage, raised its minimum by 3 percent to RMB 2,200 (US$ 322). Similarly, its hourly minimum wage for part-time labor increased by four percent to amount to RMB 20.30 (US$3). The incremental year-on-year wage increase is intended to double the citys per capita income between 2010 and 2020.

Ranked in third place, Beijings monthly minimum wage is RMB 2,120 (US$310) and hourly minimum wage is RMB 24 (US$3.50), increasing by six percent and nine percent respectively. Although, Beijing typically adjusts its minimum wage levels on an annual basis, this years increase was slightly higher than anticipated.

Of the four first-tier cities, Guangzhou has the lowest monthly minimum wage. Guangzhou has adjusted both its monthly minimum wage and hourly minimum wage for part-time employment by 10 percent  to RMB 2,100 (US$307) and RMB 20.30 (US$2.30) respectively. This was the first minimum wage adjustment in Guangdong province (excluding Shenzhen) since 2015.

To maintain its global competitiveness as Chinas manufacturing hub and prevent manufacturers from moving to Southeast Asia, in 2017, the Guangzhou government stated that it would adjust the minimum wage every three years instead of every two years.

Average Wages

In contrast to minimum wages, average wages can often reflect a citys strategy for upgrading and stimulating industrial transformation.

In Shanghai, the monthly average wage in 2017 was RMB 7,132 (US$ 1,056), a 9.7 percent increase from the previous year. The local government has not released statistics for monthly average wages for either non-private or private units for 2017. However, in 2016, the monthly average wage in non-private units was RMB 9,994 (US$ 1,505).

In Shenzhen, the monthly average wage in 2017 for all types of businesses was reportedly at RMB 8,421 (US$1,247). The average wage in non-private units in Shenzhen was RMB 8,261 (US$1,224), while the average wage in private units was RMB 4,941(US$732). This was the fifth consecutive year that Shenzhen had the highest average wage in Guangdong.

In Beijing, the monthly average wage for all types of businesses was RMB 8,467 (US$1,254). This was the first year that the citys annual average wage exceeded RMB 100,000 (US$148,148). In urban areas, the monthly average wage in all types of non-private units was RMB 10,975 (US$ 1,625), an increase of 9.8 percent from 2016. In contrast, the monthly average wage in foreign-funded enterprises was considerably higher at RMB 14,615 (US$2,165). Consistent with other first-tier cities, the average wage in private units was also lower at RMB 5,894 (US$873), a seven percent increase from last year.

Beijings monthly average wage was almost 20 percent higher (amounting to RMB 1,335 or US $197) than that of Shanghai. This is, at least in part, due to headquarters of many financial institutions, state-owned enterprises, and information software industries often being situated in Beijing.

In Guangzhou, the average monthly wage in 2017 was RMB 7,210 (US$1,068). However, the average wage and growth rates of both private and non-private units in Guangzhou are all above the national average. Within non-private units (mostly state-owned enterprises, foreign-invested enterprises, and large and medium-sized enterprises) the average monthly wage was slightly higher at RMB 8,126 (US$203). Conversely, the monthly average wage in private units (businesses registered and controlled by individuals and labor-intensive small-medium enterprises) was lower at RMB 5,103 (US$756). Both numbers reflect more than an eight percent increase from 2016.

Average wages also differed considerably according to the type of business ownership. For example, while the average wage was RMB 8,373 (US$1,240) in foreign enterprises and RMB 8,310 (US$1,231) in state-owned enterprises, it was RMB 6,455 (US$956) in private enterprises. In Guangdong, the wage levels of foreign-funded enterprises and state-owned enterprises have levelled out in recent years.

White-collar Average Wages

According to the 2018 Report on Chinese Employers Demand and the Supply of White-Collar Talent in Summer, released by Zhaopin, the top three average white-collar wages in China are Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, with average monthly wages of RMB 10,531 (US$1,543), RMB 9,796 (US$1,435), and RMB 9,309 (US$1,364) respectively. Guangzhou came in at fifth place with an average white-collar average wage of RMB 8,019 (US$1,175), just behind Hangzhou with an average wage of RMB 8,585 (US$1258)

In Shanghai, industries with the highest monthly average wages were; investment funds or securities funds (at RMB 12,809 or US$1,877), intermediary services (at RMB 12,783 or US$1,873), and professional services (RMB at 12,518 or US$1,834).

In Shenzhen, cross-disciplinary operations across all white-collar sectors demonstrated the highest monthly average wage at RMB 12,260 (US$1,797). The average monthly salary in Shenzhens financial sector, at RMB 14,646 (US $2,146), is far higher than that of other cities in the region. Additionally, Shenzhen also offers wage advantage in other pillar industries, such as information technology (IT) as well as the citys energy, mineral and mining industry.

Similarly, in Beijing, the following industries recorded the highest monthly average wage in 2017: finance (at RMB 12,079 or US$1,770), IT industry (at RMB 10,367 or US$1,519), and real estate (at RMB 6, 905 or US$1,012).

While the intermediary service industry in Guangzhou paid the highest monthly average wage (RMB 12,489 or US$1,830) in the city, followed by trust, guarantee, auction, pawn (RMB 10,976 or US$1,608) and the professional services and consulting industry (RMB 10,932 or US$1,602).

Implications for Foreign Invested Enterprises

In China, average wages in listed companies and joint ventures tend to be the highest. The larger the scale of the enterprise, the higher will be the average wage level. Further, the industries in which the highest white-collar average wages are recorded are often consistent from city to cityand often considered to be the industries with which China concentrates its efforts in talent attraction have the highest demand of white-collar workers.

Related services Compensation and Benefits Consulting

Despite local governments efforts in capping minimum wages, average white-collar wages in urban areas continue to increase annually. If left unregulated, this may potentially lead to a widening gap between the rich and the poor in China.

Foreign-invested enterprises in China should stay ahead of labor trendspaying particular attention to minimum and average labor costs in each cityto ensure that decisions regarding office location and structuring a salary package are made appropriately.An exhibition comparing the urban planning, lifestyle and arts between China's Beijing and Japan's Tokyo in the 18th century opened on Tuesday at the Capital Museum in Beijing.



In the 18th century, Beijing and Tokyo (then named Edo), as capital cities of China and Japan respectively, developed into major cities in the world. Beijing thrived both culturally and economically under the reigns of Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) and Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) while Edo saw its people enjoy an affluent and peaceful life under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Based on this historical background, the exhibition, titled "The Metropolises and the Prosperities within Tokyo and Beijing in the 18th Century," showcases a rich collection of exhibits from both China's Capital Museum and Japan's Edo Tokyo Museum.

As Chinese curator Zhang Liang introduced at the exhibition, a total of 181 pieces (sets) of exhibits are on show, of which 112 pieces (sets) are from the Edo Tokyo Museum, including pictures, daily necessities, handicrafts and folk materials.

At Tuesday's opening, President of China's Capital Museum Bai Jie said the exhibition is presented under the cooperation framework of the China, Japan and ROK International Museum Academic Symposium. The event was jointly initiated by China's Capital Museum, Japan's Edo Tokyo Museum and ROK's Seoul Museum of History in 2002. In 2007, China's Shenyang Palace Museum joined the team. The three countries each take turns to host the event every year.

Fujimori Terunobu, director of the Edo Tokyo Museum, said in his opening speech that their 112 selected exhibits for this year's exhibition in Beijing include Ukiyo-e, movable-type printing and other handicrafts and folklore materials.

He said their museum held an exhibition of the same theme from February to April in 2017, when they borrowed collections from China's Capital Museum and Palace Museum. They displayed and compared the borrowed collections and their own items at the Edo Tokyo Museum to showcase a new form of exhibition. Two-thirds of the exhibits were selected from China to meet the needs of the local audiences in Japan. The 44-day exhibition attracted up to 44,000 visitors, having an extensive influence among the young people and generating heated discussion in the community.

The director expressed his hope that the exhibition in Beijing will further deepen the cooperation between the two museums, contribute to deepening the friendship between the two cities, as well as their people, and also promote mutual respect and understanding. He hoped that visitors will have a better understanding of the history of China's cultural exchanges and Edo's history and culture.

The exhibition will run until October 7.China's Ministry of Finance on Tuesday ordered local governments to speed up the issuance and use of bonds for designated purposes.

The move aims to make better use of the special bonds to stabilize investment, expand domestic demand and improve weak links, according to a document on the ministry website.

Finance departments at different levels should work with other authorities to speed up the preparation for special bond issuances.

"Provincial level regions should make scientific plans for the bond issuance in August and September in order to accelerate bond issuance," the document said. "By the end of September, new special bonds issued in the first nine months should account for no less than 80 percent of 1.35 trillion yuan (about 197 billion U.S. dollars), this year's quota, as a matter of principle, while the remainder should be issued mainly in October."

The country will continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, with the fiscal policy playing a bigger role in expanding domestic demand and carrying out structural adjustments, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held last month.Domestic brands dominated mobile phone shipments during the first seven months of the year as manufacturers stepped up their innovation efforts, an industry report showed on Monday.

Mobile phone shipments in the country totaled 233 million units during the January-July period, with those made by Chinese manufacturers accounting for 90.5 percent of the total, according to the report from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a government think tank.

In July, the proportion of domestic smartphone manufacturers in the country even hit a record high of 95.1 percent, the report showed.

The finding coincides with intensified efforts by Chinese firms such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Oppo Electronics Corp to beef up research and development resources.

Fu Liang, an independent telecom analyst who has been following the sector for more than a decade, said: "Homegrown smartphone vendors are making big strides in product innovation. While attracting most consumers with quality handsets at affordable prices, they are also constantly experimenting with cutting-edge features that resonate well with users."

In the second quarter of 2018, domestic smartphone vendors once again dominated the top four spots, leaving international heavyweight Apple Inc in the fifth position and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd into the category of "others", data from market research company Canalys showed.

Huawei, which has been holding the top spot in China for several quarters, for instance, grabbed a record market share of 27 percent, with shipments of 28.5 million units. Its year-on-year growth hit 22 percent, defying the overall Chinese smartphone market decline of 8 percent.

In sharp contrast, Apple only accounted for 8 percent.

Jia Mo, an analyst at Canalys, said the advance was largely due to Honor, a brand created by Huawei to attract young people. "Honor contributed to 55 percent of Huawei's shipments in the second quarter of this year. It is now the largest smartphone brand in Huawei's consumer business group."

"Enjoying a high level of autonomy within Huawei, Honor has been pushing to make a name for itself in the market. It has expanded successfully into the $500 plus segment with its latest flagship models and continues to erode the market share of its direct competitors in the low-cost segment," Jia said.

Other Chinese smartphone vendors such as Oppo and Vivo Mobile Communication Technology, which occupied the second and third spot respectively, are also maintaining a relatively good momentum, outperforming the overall market.

James Yan, research director at market research company Counterpoint, said Chinese companies "are working hard to differentiate with innovative industrial design as we could see in models such as Oppo Find X or Vivo Nex or Huawei P20 Pro respectively to drive up the upgrade rate. Further, proliferation of features such as artificial intelligence or on-device machine learning and possibly 5G in coming years could drive a wave of upgrades."

Their efforts are more aggressive than those of foreign companies, given that Chinese companies roll out far more new handsets a year, giving them more room to experiment with new features, Yan added.

Zhang Wentao, a 26-year-old bank employee in Beijing, upgraded his iPhone 6 into a Huawei P20 in June. "Apple used to be my only choice for premium devices. But now Huawei turns out to be a more appealing alternative as it looks and works better."

Despite the progress Chinese smartphone vendors have made, Xiang Ligang, CEO of telecoms industry website Cctime, said more efforts are needed to beef up their profit margins, which still lag far behind Apple.

Currently, Apple derives most, or roughly 70 percent, of the profits in the global smartphone market because of its brand value and high average selling prices. This is a gap Chinese companies must work hard to bridge, Xiang added.Maserati is expecting a sales improvement in the second half this year after disappointing performance in the second quarter, Mike Manley, CEO of brand owner Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), told analysts during a conference call on July 25.

The biggest challenges the company faced and would continue to face are "all focused on China," Manley said.

Maserati's global net revenues in the second quarter was registered at 568 million euros, dropping 47 percent from about 1.1 billion euros year-on-year, according to FCA's semi-annual financial report.

The company attributed the recent sales plunge mainly to impact from the Chinese market.

Maserati's shipments to China dropped nearly 69 percent to 1,500 units in the second quarter of this year from 4,800 units in the second quarter last year, as shown in a press release the company issued on July 25.

Wang Cun, director of the import committee of the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), said China announced in May a plan to cut import tariffs on foreign vehicles and auto parts from 25 percent to 15 percent as of July 1, so potential Chinese customers were holding back in June expecting for a better price.

Meanwhile, as the country started to add a 25 percent additional import tariff to vehicles made in the United States on July 6, certain U.S. brands had seen a sales increase in June compared with the previous month.

Overall, while China's automobile imports tumbled 87.1 percent in June, they rose 50 percent in July year-on-year, according to statistics from the CADA and the General Administration of Customs.Starting Sunday, women early in their pregnancy who are not yet showing will get special treatment on Tianjin's subways by wearing "pregnancy badges" given by the city's transportation unit.

The free badges, which pregnant women can apply for at subway stations, allow staff members to offer mothers-to-be more help when necessary.

"It will help subway staff notice those special passengers more easily to give them preferential treatment," said Pang Jinshuang, deputy head of the Tianjin subway's passenger transport department. "Our security staff will give them a hand inspection instead of an electronic search to prevent radiation, which most pregnant women worry about."

Meanwhile, pregnant women will be invited to use the "green channel" provided by the subway during rush hour.

"The subway has handed out 2,000 badges so far and we still have 6,000 in stock," Pang said.

"During the first three months that I was pregnant, I seldom asked other people to give me a seat because my belly was not obvious," said a woman in Tianjin who gave only her surname, Wang. "It's a bit awkward for me to ask others to do me a favor on public transportation."

She said others give her a seat now when they see her wearing the badge, "and now it seems much safer when I take the subway".

Zheng Yang, mother of a 1-year-old girl in Beijing, said one time she took the subway during her pregnancy she suddenly felt dizzy and had difficulty breathing. However, it was not easy to notice that she was pregnant, so no one offered to help.

She struggled out of the car at the next stop and sat on the floor and breathed deeply until a member of the subway staff came to help.

"It could have become dangerous if my condition was any worse, because my doctor had told me not to go to crowded places," she said. "But sometimes, I had to take the subway when it was too hard to get a taxi. I hope the Beijing subway will have badges too. It's not too hard to do."

In other provinces, some women-only buses have been set up.

For example, Zhengzhou, Henan province, began operating two buses in 2016 for women during rush hour, hoping to protect them from sexual harassment and provide more space for those who are pregnant.

"The number of pregnant women has increased since the country began allowing all families to have two children. Our service should be improved to meet their needs," said Kong Chaoping, who initiated the special bus service.An infantry battalion of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force has been honing its ability to move quickly and efficiently for about four years in northeastern China to forge a new fighting force that is highly mobile and lightly armored.

On July 27, during a military exercise simulating rapid deployment, the battalion dispersed into smaller groups, on full combat alert and under camouflage, in just a few minutes.

"The new troop is compact, nimble and fast, meeting the demands of modern warfare," Senior Colonel Jia Xiaonan, a professor at the PLA's Army Infantry Academy, said.

The battalion, based in the northeast, was designated on Aug 1, 2014, as a new type of unit dedicated to experimenting with command structures and a suite of brand-new infantry fighting equipment including assault vehicles, drones and electronic reconnaissance devices.

"Compared with the commonplace motorized infantry that's strong in defense, with heavy-duty weapons, the new battalion is capable of slashing the opponents' weak spot like a sharp sword and tearing apart their defense," Jia said.

Officers from the battalion said that over the past four years it has greatly improved its combat capability compared with conventional infantry units.It has also added to its arsenal of precision attack weapons and strengthened its counter-strike capability, they said. The soldiers are now improving their skills in live-fire combat drills.

"When the new equipment arrived, we felt both excited and baffled," said Captain Wang Dongbao, a political instructor of one of the battalion's brigades.

"It was the first time that these weapons and vehicles had been incorporated into a troop, and all we could rely on were product manuals. Some equipment came without any instructions, so it felt like crawling in the dark at the beginning."

Wang then contacted the manufacturers, who sent experts to the military base to offer on-site demonstrations. "Some officers also got in touch with professors they met in college or old classmates in related industries for guidance," he said. "We had to really rack our brains to learn and improve our skills."

Winter temperatures at the training range can plunge as low as -30 C, and the soldiers tested the new equipment under the extreme weather conditions.

"One exercise showed that the lubricating grease smeared inside the artillery tended to freeze in the extreme cold, leading to clogged gun barrels," said Sergeant Xu Dapeng, a squad leader.

Xu reported the flaw to the manufacturer, who suggested switching to another lubricant capable of withstanding a wider temperature range.

"To fix the blocked artillery before the live-fire drill that night, the whole squad was mobilized to clean the equipment and change lubricant," Xu said. "Some wrapped their severely frostbitten hands with gauze and carried on working."

All the hard work paid off, with a barrage of feedback directed to the manufacturers to help them improve the equipment. Officers now rate the battalion's soldier-equipment integration as outstanding. "Data have also been collected and analyzed to create training plans and test syllabuses so future training can be conducted in a faster and more efficient manner," Xu said.

The battalion has completed the initial phase of building up its speed and nimbleness, and demonstrates a wide range of combat capabilities.

"Merely upgrading hardware won't guarantee stronger combat capability," Jia said. "Our goal is to discover a formula that integrates this new equipment with conventional gear, and thus achieve an optimal result."The Chinese Defense Ministry on Tuesday expressed opposition to the China-related contents in a new act adopted by the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 into law. The act includes clauses such as directing a whole-of-government strategy on China and submitting the assessment and plan on strengthening Taiwan's force readiness.

"The China-related contents in that act are filled with a cold-war mentality, advocating confrontations between the two countries and interfering with China's internal affairs," said Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense.

Wu identified the related contents as violations to the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three joint communiques between China and the United States. He highlighted their damage to the bilateral relations, military ties, mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.

"Chinese armed forces firmly oppose the contents and have lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side," said Wu.

Taiwan is a part of China and the Taiwan issue, concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations, according to Wu.

Wu reiterated the resolute opposition to any form of official or military contact between any country and Taiwan, and stressed that "We will never allow anyone, at any time or in any form, to separate Taiwan from China."

Wu called on the United States to adhere to the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three joint communiques between China and the United States, and handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, so as to avoid damaging China-U.S. relations, the military ties or the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Businessman Peter Lim, whom the court had ordered arrested on drug charges, seems to have left his house in Cebu City.

A male worker at Lim's last known residence at Trece Borces Street in Barangay Mabolo on Wednesday said he has not seen his employer since he was hired a month ago to take care of the dogs.

"Wala ma'y pwede maka sturya ninyo bahin ni Peter Lim (Nobody here is authorized to talk about Peter Lim)," said the worker, who refused to be named for security reasons.

"Ang naa ra diri ako ra ug mga maid (The only one left here are me and the housemaids)," he added.

There were no vehicles at the garage from morning until noontime on Wednesday.

The house has at least three security cameras: two at the red front gate and another one mounted just below the roof of the house.

As of Wednesday, the Mabolo police said they haven't received the arrest warrant issued by the Makati Regional Trial Court on Tuesday.

Lim is ordered arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit illegal trading for selling and distributing illegal drugs in the Visayas. His co-accused, self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa, earlier told a Senate hearing that Lim was his supplier.

President Rodrigo Duterte had also named Lim as part of a Chinese triad leading illegal drug operations in the Visayas, a claim Lim has denied.

Lim's exact whereabouts is unknown since he skipped hearings on his drug cases at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said Lim left for a "short trip" abroad in March, but had since returned to the country.

READ: Where is Peter Lim?

On August 17, the Makati court will also hear an urgent motion of the DOJ to issue a hold departure order against Lim to prevent him from leaving the country.Researchers in Southwest China's Sichuan province have hatched five Chinese monal chicks, a rare species of pheasant, increasing the number of artificially-bred Chinese monals to a global total of 16.

With highly iridescent plumage, the Chinese monal is one of the largest pheasants in the world. The species is listed as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is under China's highest national-level protection.

There are less than 3,000 wild Chinese monals in the world, which mainly live in mountainous areas, at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level in the northwest parts of Sichuan, and Qinghai and Gansu provinces and Tibet Autonomous Region.

"The Chinese monal is one of the most difficult species to breed in captivity," said Zhou Caiquan, deputy director of the Sichuan (Baoxing) Protection and Research Center of Chinese Monal.

"Wild Chinese monals are hard to tame. Some birds still avoid people even after decades in captivity. Furthermore, mating and hatching eggs in cages also prove challenging," Zhou added.

Five artificially-bred female Chinese monals in the center laid 16 eggs during the breeding season between April and June, and five of them have been successfully hatched.

The sexes of the newborns have not yet been identified as they are still fluffy chicks. Their sexes can be discerned after one year.

The center, located in a national nature reserve, is now working with Chinese universities and international institutions, expecting to increase the number of artificially-bred Chinese monals to 50 and release them into the wild in five years.You are here: China

There is a small mountain village called Jinganshao located on a hill of 2,080 meters high in Yiliang, Yunnan province.



The winding mountain road with 68 turns stretches 6.8 kilometers, being known as "a wonder in the world history of construction".Lyu Jinbao, a 94-year-old survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, died on Tuesday morning in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, according to the Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.

Born on April 12, 1924, Lu was 13 when the then-capital of China was captured by the Japanese in December 1937. His head was injured in an air raid, and shell fragments entered his cranium. From that day, he was blind due to poor medical conditions and doctors' failing to remove the fragments from his head.

The man said in earlier interviews the Japanese army committed numerous crimes in the eight years it invaded China, and the Chinese should educate their young generations to remember history, according to the official website of the memorial hall.For 53-year-old Pan Guohua, his job is similar to the sport of diving: Both require a perfectly clean entry.

But for Pan, it is definitely tougher. He needs to direct a 400,000-metric-ton giant vessel to dock at a speed no faster than 3 centimeters per second.

"This poses a tough challenge for port pilots like us," said Pan, a senior pilot at Ningbo Zhoushan Port.

Last year, Ningbo Zhoushan Port group, which manages all the ports in Zhejiang province, handled more than 1 billion metric tons of cargo.

Zhoushan Port in eastern Zhejiang has been focusing on constructing a hub to connect ocean and river transportation in a bid to fully tap the potential of the Yangtze River watercourse.

"One of the keys to linking transportation in the East China Sea with the Yangtze River is building a vessel that can sail both on the ocean and in the river," said Chen Wei, deputy director of Zhejiang Ocean Port Development Commission.

On April 10, the nation's first dual sea-river vessel, Jinghai Zhida 1 - which has a hull shape and design that allows it to sail on rivers or ocean - completed its nonstop maiden voyage from Ningbo Zhoushan Port to Ma'anshan Port in Anhui.

Lyu Bing, the ship's project manager at the Seahead Ship Design Institute, said it can carry 20,000 tons of cargo in bulk with a fully loaded draft of 9 meters.

"We streamlined the ship model to increase its capacity, reduce its draft and lower its height to fit the sailing circumstances in the Yangtze," Lyu said.

"Of all the ships that can pass the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, ours has the largest dead load capacity," he said, adding that the height limit for a ship passing the bridge is no more than 24 meters, and the new ship's height is 22.3 meters.

While the Jianghai Zhida 1 is still conducting trials, the institute has started the design of a dual sea-river container ship that can carry 738 20-foot-equivalent unit containers, and a 10,000-ton multifunctional ship that can carry both containers and bulk cargo.

Next, Zhoushan will accelerate the building of its dual sea-river fleet, further enhancing the logistics chain.

It is also working to improve its public information platform concerning ports, vessels and cargo, further linking Ningbo Zhoushan Port with ports along the Yangtze, as well as with related shipping and logistics companies and trading companies.

In 2017, the cargo throughput in the Zhoushan Port area reached 458 million tons, accounting for 45 percent of the cargo throughput at Ningbo Zhoushan Port. Of these cargoes, the throughput of river-ocean shipping topped 190 million tons.

The Zhoushan River-Ocean Combined Transportation Service Center was approved by the State Council in April 2016. Covering the Zhoushan Islands New Area and parts of neighboring Ningbo, it encompasses a land area of 2,500 square kilometers, and a sea area of 21,000 sq km.

The Zhejiang Ocean Port Development Commission, which oversees the building of the center, said that in 2020 a total of 350 million tons of cargo are expected to be handled by ocean-river transportation, with the transaction volume of bulk commodities such as iron ore and soybeans doubling from 2017 to 1.14 trillion yuan ($166 billion).The COSCO Libera, the world's largest container ship owned by China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), has left the Port of Singapore for Europe on Aug. 6 on its maiden voyage.

The ship measures up at 400 meters long and 58.6 meters wide with a maximum draft of 16 meters. It has a maximum sailing speed of up to 22.5 nautical miles per hour.

The ship can carry 20,119 standard containers with a maximum weight of 200,000 tonnes.

Despite the giant volume, "the COSCO Libera's carbon emissions are only 7.045 grams per tonne-nautical mile, much lower than the target set by Europe for 2030," the ship's captain Gu Mingzhang said.

Approximately 90 percent of the ship's components were made domestically, showcasing China's ship building capacity.

During its maiden voyage, the COSCO Libera is carrying 16,586 standard containers of goods sold to European countries. The goods include light industrial products, such as garments, shoes and hats, as well as food, including frozen chicken and fish.

The ship launched its maiden voyage on July 20 from the Port of Tianjin in China.

After stopping at the Port of Singapore, it will sail through the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal, and reach the Port of Piraeus in Greece, the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the Port of Hamburg in Germany, the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, and the Port of Rotterdam once again before heading home. All these ports are important links on the sea route of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Sea transportation is essential to international trade. According to the Analysis and Prospects of China's Sea Transportation Industry 2018-2025 published by China Industry Research, over two thirds of international trade and about 90 percent of China's imports and exports is transported by sea.

In the report delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at 19th CPC National Congress, it was emphasized that efforts would be stepped up to "build China into a strong maritime country."(CNN)  The murder of three Russian journalists investigating the work of private military contractors in the Central African Republic is still shrouded in mystery.

But the exiled Russian billionaire who was funding their work says evidence gathered so far indicates they were not the victims of a random attack but a well-planned ambush.

The three journalists  Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguyev and Orkhan Dzhemal  were shot dead last month on a remote road in the north of the CAR. They'd gone to the country to investigate the presence of Russian military contractors linked to Wagner, a company close to the Kremlin that is also active in Syria and Sudan.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the exiled Russian billionaire whose foundation supported the investigation, told CNN that "some people who we know in Russia were approached by people connected with Russian mercenaries, and said they had warned the journalists not to go there, to keep themselves well away from the area."

He said that his foundation was continuing to investigate the murders but the "only reasonable version is that either they had already learnt something or that they could have already discovered something ... We think the version of a simple robbery is totally unsustainable."

People who had been to the site said it looked like the assailants had been waiting there the whole day, Khodorkovsky said.

One man who might be able to cast light on what happened is the local driver  a former policeman  hired by the journalists. The Russian Foreign Ministry says that local authorities in CAR have interviewed him, and a Russian representative in CAR said the man was in custody in the capital.

Khodorkovsky accused CAR authorities of "hiding the driver, who is a key witness."

Alain Nzilo, a journalist in CAR who has followed the case, told CNN last week he found it strange that the assailants appeared to have let the driver go free. "Often, the drivers are the first to be killed and not the foreigners," he said.

Also unknown: why did the journalists insist on continuing their journey after dark after being advised by local security forces not to? And why did they change their route at the last moment, after leaving the town of Sibut?

According to a Russian official in CAR, they "had a word with someone and then changed their route." Khodorkovsky says: "This is impossible to explain on the basis of information which we possess."

Mineral riches

In much less doubt is why the trio were so keen to get to CAR in the first place. According to the foundation sponsoring their reporting, they'd been investigating the activities of Wagner for months. They wanted to find out whether Wagner -- or one of its proxies -- was setting up shop in CAR, using military muscle to exploit the Republic's reputed mineral wealth.

The Russian presence in CAR expanded dramatically at the beginning of this year, after the UN Security Council agreed Moscow could send trainers and weapons to the country  one of the most volatile in Africa  to help train local forces.

At least nine cargo flights full of weapons and equipment, as well as one major shipment by sea and land, arrived in CAR, along with 175 military trainers. All but a handful of them were private contractors.

Wagner is a secretive company  with no known address, phone number or official records  that recruits hundreds of former Russian soldiers, many of them special forces or "spetsnaz." In the last few years, its contractors have appeared in a growing number of conflict zones, including Ukraine and Syria.

Both the company and its boss, Dmitry Utkin, have been sanctioned by the United States for their role in the pro-Russian separatist rebellion in Ukraine. Someone of the same name used to be a director at Concord Management, a St. Petersburg company run by Yevgeny Prighozin that is close to the Kremlin.

Both Prigozhin and Concord have in the past denied being linked to Wagner. Concord said last year: "We do not have any information about this organization.But part of Wagner's role in Syria was to regain control of lucrative oil fields on behalf of the Syrian regime. And a company called Evro Polis had a deal with Damascus under which it would get 25% of oil revenues from fields that are recovered. Evro Polis "is owned or controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin," according to the US Treasury Department.

Such complex relationships may also be at work in CAR, as CNN has previously reported.

Khodorkovsky, a prominent Russian businessman before being jailed in Russia for 10 years on tax evasion and fraud charges, certainly thinks so.

"The group of mercenaries which are working in the Central African Republic are indeed connected to Mr Prigozhin," he told CNN. "They train local government troops, they also hold negotiations with militants and they're involved in the work of structures involved in obtaining diamonds and gold."

Russia more visible across continent

Journalist Nzilo said the Russians combine basic humanitarian works with military training and mining. He said they are visible at three major mines and appear to be most interested in extracting diamonds and gold. Another source in CAR told CNN that the Russians sometimes deploy mobile clinics for the local population at the same time as contractors and military hardware.

Across Africa, Russia is becoming a more visible and assertive player. It's refurbishing military bases in Egypt. Last year, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi and asked him for "protection from aggressive U.S. actions."

Russian instructors have trained some CAR troops inside Sudan. Sergey Lavrov, Russia's veteran foreign minister, recently visited Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

For Moscow, it seems, the goals of tapping into Africa's mineral wealth and challenging Western influence on the continent overlap. Sending contractors to CAR, a country in the heart of Africa that borders six other states, ticks both boxes.

Perhaps Alexander Rastorguyev, one of Russia's most accomplished documentary makers, and his team were on their way to finding out more. His friends at a memorial service in Moscow last week believed they would have done. But at the moment, they just want to know what happened.

Kirill Kulagin, who was close to the film-maker, asked: "Was it a contract murder, a robbery, a targeted assassination?"

"It could be anything," he said. "We still can't understand anything."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "More questions than answers in murder of Russian journalists in Africa." Flash

Beijing bashed Washington on Tuesday after United States President Donald Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which includes measures undermining China's territorial sovereignty and core interests.

Experts said the language used in the act sets a "dangerous precedent" by reviving Cold War paranoia, leading to possible arms races, regional tensions and mistrust in global relations.

Measures against China in the new act include issuing public reports on China's activities in the South China Sea, and banning China from future Rim of the Pacific Exercises, a biennial naval event led by the U.S. in Hawaii.

A section of the law is also dedicated to U.S. plans to enhance Taiwan's defensive capabilities. These include strengthening exchanges between senior defense officials, increasing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and exploring opportunities for practical training and military exercises.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said on Tuesday that the act tries to interfere in China's internal affairs and stoke Sino-U.S. conflict, and that it operates from a Cold War mentality.

Wu said the act goes against the one-China policy, damages the development of Sino-U.S. military-to-military relations and undermines mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.

Lu Kang, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, called on the U.S. to abandon its Cold War thinking and zero-sum mindset, and to uphold the one-China policy and joint communiques made by both countries.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, asked the U.S. to halt arms sales to Taiwan in an online statement on Tuesday, saying failure to do so might damage regional peace and security, as well as Sino-U.S. relations.

Ma also warned the island's "ruling" pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party not to leverage foreign powers for its own gain, because doing so will "inevitably damage the interests of the Taiwan people".

While past U.S. defense reports have portrayed China as a competitor, this is the first time for the U.S. to explicitly state "long-term strategic competition with China" as its "principal priority", said Senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo, director of the Secretariat's Office of the Xiangshan Forum, an annual security conference in Beijing.

"The U.S. views China and Russia as the primary challengers to its strategic interests, similar to the Cold War era," Zhao said. "But this time, the report suggests that China has the potential to take the former Soviet Union's place as an all-around competitor to the U.S."

Therefore, the U.S. is boosting its military to an unprecedented scale to ensure its global dominance through advanced military hardware, such as in space, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and underwater warfare, he added.

The act authorizes $717 billion in military spending for fiscal year 2019, which lasts from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2019.

The new budget has seen a 3.5 percent increase over the $692 billion budget from the previous fiscal year, marking the largest military budget in U.S. history, according to the Pentagon.

Li Haidong, a researcher of U.S. studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said the Cold War mentality reflected in the defense act will undoubtedly disrupt global peace and security.

"Although Sino-U.S. relations have not yet entered a new Cold War, the future of bilateral ties will be rocky in the next few years," the researcher said.

However, while the U.S. is poised for full competition, Zhao said it is not in China's interest to return the hostility because China does not seek global hegemony, nor does it want unnecessary conflicts or arms races.

"There is simply too much to lose when two nuclear powers butt heads militarily," Zhao said.

"But China also needs to stay cool and firmly protect its core interests, which the new defense law clearly tries to undermine." Flash

The White House said Tuesday that U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton will meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva of Switzerland next week as a "follow-up" to the Helsinki summit last month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.





In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said Bolton and the Russian side will discuss "a range of important national security issues."





Bolton will also meet with officials in Israel and Ukraine, she added.





The U.S. State Department said on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over phone to discuss the recently announced U.S. sanctions on Russia and the bilateral ties.





Pompeo "reiterated that the U.S. seeks an improved relationship with Russia and agreed to future dialogue."





On Wednesday Washington determined that the Russian government "used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals."





The U.S. sanctions, which are based on the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, will take effect on or around Aug. 22, following a 15-day congressional notification period.





According to senior State Department officials, the sanctions will come in two phases. The first phase will ban the granting of licenses to sell "all national-security sensitive goods or technologies" to Russia.





Unless Russia, within three months since the sanctions become effective, provides "reliable assurances" that it will no longer engage in chemical weapons use and allows on-site inspections by the United Nations or other internationally recognized impartial observers, the second batch of "more draconian" sanctions would be imposed.





Sergei Skripal, a 66-year-old double agent who worked for the Soviet military's intelligence services before defecting to Britain, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in the southwestern British city of Salisbury on March 4.





Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the U.S. actions were "absolutely unacceptable," and Moscow "once again most emphatically reject any accusations in the context of a possible involvement of the Russian state in what happened in Salisbury."





The U.S. decision is unfriendly and inconsistent with the constructive atmosphere created after the recent Putin-Trump meeting, he added.





Trump has been widely attacked after his Helsinki meeting with Putin, due to his reconciliatory remarks that many saw as a sign of siding with Moscow against the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. elections.





The White House has said that the next meeting between Trump and Putin will be delayed till next year, citing the ongoing Russia probe in the United States.You are here: World

 Flash

Three men in their late 20s were shot on Tuesday in Mattapan, Boston. One of them was killed and two others were wounded, Boston police said.





The shooting occurred around 9:48 a.m. local time, police said.





The two wounded were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a report of The Boston Globe.





Boston Police Commissioner William Gross told the media that the three victims were in a motor vehicle when being shot.





"At this time, it doesn't appear to be random," Gross said, asking the public to cooperate with police investigations.





The cold hard fact is that there are too many guns on the street, he said. Flash

India's Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center unveiled its plans at the Embassy of India in Beijing on Tuesday, establishing a platform to promote Indian culture and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.



"It is apt that the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center will promote India's great traditions amongst our friends in China," said India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale during a welcome address at the ceremony.

During an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan in April, President Xi Jinping stressed China stood ready to work with India to establish a closer partnership of development, in a bid to promote all-round progress in exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various areas.





"We are neighbors. We are well-wishers," Bambawale said, adding that the activities held in the cultural center "will bring together the hearts of the people of China and the people of India."

Shri Vinay Sahasrabuddhe Ji, president of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, said in a keynote speech that the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center would work towards creating understanding about Indian thinking through multiple activities, programs and projects.

He noted that people in every corner of the world are curious about India. "We have to further translate this curiosity into goodwill and later to convert this goodwill into a deeper understanding about India," he said.

The cultural center is named after Indian Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda, a key philosopher, ideologist and religious reformer who played an important role in introducing Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the world.

At the inauguration ceremony, artists from India and China presented Indian traditional art performances, such as instrumental music, Kathak dance and Bharatanatyam dance. Flash

Turkey and Russia display further rapprochement after the United States imposed sanctions on Moscow and Ankara on different grounds.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pays a two-day visit to Ankara just after the Turkey-U.S. ties hit historical deterioration.

Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership" between the two countries, Lavrov said on Tuesday at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"We are at a turning point in the World. We are at a time of transition from bipolar order to multi-polarization," he said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Russia hopes that a reasonable approach will prevail in international relations and countries will return to a depoliticized dialogue, Lavrov said.

He also noted that Moscow appreciates Turkey's rejection to join the anti-Russia sanctions by the West, saying the U.S. "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.

U.S. sanctions, including the latest round targeting Turkey, undermine all principles of global trade and in time this move will undermine the role of U.S. dollar as a settlement currency, he said.

U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey are shattering the former's reputation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

"The era of bullying must end," the minister said and called on the U.S. to return to a dialogue, warning that threats and pressure on Turkey would cause chaos.

At the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara was preparing to switch to using national currencies with its trading partners, such as China, Russia, Iran and Ukraine. Ankara was also ready for such a move in trade with the European Union, he added.

Turkey's national currency lira has lost almost 20 percent of its value against U.S. dollars since Friday, amid ongoing strain between Turkey and the U.S. over detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

The lira tumbled to a historical low on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a 20 and 50 percent tariff hike on imported Turkish aluminum and steel, respectively.

The U.S. Congress also passed a bill prohibiting the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey pending a review assessing the possible risk associated with Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense system.

Russia backed Erdogan in urging countries to do business in their own national currencies rather than dollars. Moscow recently declared Moscow will decrease its holdings of U.S. assets in retaliation against increasing tariffs imposed by Trump on Russia and Turkey.

Russia seeks to use national currencies in trade with Turkey but the issue needs to be worked out meticulously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that a four-way Syria summit "is planned in the upcoming future," with the leaders of Russia, France, Turkey and Germany attending. The summit focusing on Syria and the wider region will be held in Istanbul on Sept. 7.

These four countries are also known to have been opposing the sanctions of the U.S. on Iran.

Turkey has come to the point of seeking new allies, according to Burhanettin Duran, coordinator of Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

"Turkey has come to this point over irresponsible actions the U.S. in the past few years. The U.S. is having the same attitude towards not only to Turkey but also to China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela," he said, noting that this perspective introduces a new world order.

Murat Yetkin, commentator of Hurriyet Daily News, said that world leaders including Russia's Putin, Germany's Merkel expressed that U.S. President Donald Trump was displaying his power.

"He was trying to use economic sanctions and tariffs as a political weapon against his country's economic rivals, including China and the European Union," said the leaders.

"Trump managed to unite leaders, from Merkel to Putin, for supporting Turkey, and banks and opposition parties in Turkey are in support of the government against them," he said.



Mark Wilson/Getty Images(SPRINGFIELD, Ill.) -- Former Vice President Joe Biden canceled plans to campaign for Democrats in Illinois this week due to an undisclosed illness, state Democrats announced Tuesday.



Biden was scheduled to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker at an event in Springfield, Illinois, on Thursday, but he canceled, citing "doctors orders," according to the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association.



Everyone who knows Vice President Biden knows that he gives our party and our country his all, but unfortunately he is sick and is under doctors orders not to travel, Doug House, president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association, said late Tuesday. The cancellation is of course disappointing, but it is clear that the circumstances are simply unavoidable.



A source with ties to Biden said the illness is not serious, but the former vice president is under the weather and needs a few days rest



House did not provide details about the nature of the illness, but he indicated that Biden would be back campaigning for Democrats in Illinois and across the country in no time.



Biden was listed as keynote speaker at the 2018 Illinois State Fair Democrat Day.



While Biden's trip to Springfield is cancelled, our event will continue, House said. We remain excited for what will be the largest brunch in our history and look forward to hearing from our incredible slate of Democratic leaders who are ready to energize our party and lead us to victory up and down the ticket this November.



Biden, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump, has been working hard to improve voter turnout ahead of this years midterm election as his party battles to regain control of at least one chamber of Congress.



Its up to us, America. Speak out. Rise up. Be heard. The price to be paid for putting our values at risk must be clear. Now, he said in a late-June tweet. And show up to vote this November -- in numbers like weve never seen.



Democrats would need to win at least 24 seats to gain a majority in the House, where at least 41 Republicans are planning to retire, resign or run for another office, according to an analysis by ABC News.







Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.



1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formWe attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.Fundatia Est-Europeana anunta lansarea Programului de granturi pentru sustinerea fondurilor de antreprenoriat pentru tineri, inclusiv unul in GagauziaQuesto comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Samsungs Galaxy Note 9 is finally here, and its a magnificent tour de force, representing everything a 2018 Android flagship needs to be. While its fresh out of the gate, we had the chance to pair it up against one of the marketplaces seasoned veterans. The Huawei P20 Pro has a long-lasting battery, super-smooth performance, and an incredible triple-lens camera.

Out of these two amazing flagship phones, which ones best for you? We pitted them head-to-head to find out.

Specs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Huawei P20 Pro Size 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm (6.37 x 3 x 0.35 inches) 155 x 73.9 x 7.8 mm (6.1 x 2.91 x 0.31 inches) Weight 201 grams (7.09 ounces) 180 grams (6.35 ounces) Screen size 6.4-inch Super AMOLED 6.1-inch OLED display Screen resolution 2,960 x 1440 pixels (516 pixels per inch) 2,240 x 1,080 pixels (408 pixels-per-inch) Operating system Samsung Experience UI (over Android 8.1 Oreo) Emotion UI 8.1 (over Android 8.1 Oreo) Storage space 128GB (with 6GB of RAM), 512GB (with 8GB of RAM) 128GB MicroSD card slot Yes, up to 2TB No Tap-to-pay services Google Pay, Samsung Pay Google Pay Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Kirin 970 RAM 6GB (with 128GB storage), 8GB (with 512GB storage) 6GB Camera Dual 12MP (with OIS) and 12MP zoom (with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front Triple lens 40MP, 20MP, & 8MP rear, 24MP front Video 2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1,080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps 2,160p at 30 frames per second, 1,080p at 30 fps, 720p at 960 fps Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 4.2 Ports 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C USB-C Fingerprint sensor Yes Yes Water resistance IP68 IP67 Battery 4,000mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

4,000mAh

Huawei SuperCharge fast-charging

App marketplace Google Play Store Google Play Store Network support T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint T-Mobile, AT&T Colors Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple Black, Blue, Pink Gold, Twilight Price Starting from $1,000 800 British pounds (around $1,030) Buy from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Samsung Huawei, Amazon Review score Hands-on review 4.5 out of 5 stars Performance, battery life, and charging

You will get great performance regardless of which of these two phones you pick. The P20 Pro scored high in our review benchmarks, but it has since been superseded by the raw power of the Snapdragon 845  the chip you will find in the Note 9, alongside Samsungs new water cooling system. You would be hard-pressed to tell the difference in most circumstances though, since the P20 Pros Kirin 970 provides smooth performance, and didnt struggle with anything we threw at it.

The Note 9 has an advantage in storage capacity, thanks to the addition of a 512GB model that brings the Note 9 to a theoretical 1TB of storage (with a Samsung 512GB MicroSD card). The P20 Pro only has a single option for 128GB, with no MicroSD card slot. RAM is in the Note 9s favor too, with the 512GB model coming with 8GB  2GB more than the 6GB on the P20 Pro.

Both of these phones are packing a 4,000mAh battery, with the P20 Pro managing an incredible two days of battery life. You can expect the Note 9 to manage at least a day, but until we test it fully, we cant vouch for battery life just yet. Both have fast-charging equipped, but only the Note 9 has wireless charging.

This is an exceptionally tough category to mark, with both devices showcasing incredible performance, but the Note 9 edges the win with slightly faster performance and wireless charging support.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Both of these devices are attractive glass and metal builds with a lot to admire. The Note 9s gentle glass curves are extremely elegant, while the P20 Pros constantly shifting colors are beautiful to behold. Youll find USB-C ports on both, but only the Note 9 has a headphone jack  so keep that in mind if your headphones are important to you. The P20 Pro also has a notched display  a design choice that could put some users off.

There is a bigger gap in durability. While both are fragile glass phones that will probably need a case, the Note 9 comes with IP68-rated water resistance. That is stronger protection than the P20 Pros IP67-rating, and while it might not sound like much, it could make a difference if your phone ends up in the pool. Accidents happen, and its good to know that your expensive flagship is well protected.

Its still extremely difficult to pick between the two  the headphone jack and the water win the Note 9 serious points, but the P20 Pros color gradient is utterly stunning. This is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Display

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Large OLED displays dominate both of these phones, with the P20 Pros screen at 6.1 inches, and the Note 9s at 6.4 inches. Both are excellent, with bold color reproduction and the deep inky blacks you would expect from OLED displays. However, the Note 9 comes with a considerably higher resolution, which consequently gives it an edge in sharpness. It scores a pixels-per-inch measurement of 516, beating the P20 Pros 408 by a distance. The Note 9s display is just sharper and crisper, and it wins this round.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Note 9s main camera suite will come with two 12-megapixel lenses  one equipped with the S9s variable aperture, the other with a 2x optical zoom lens. We havent had a chance to really play with the Note 9s camera yet, but were expecting strong all-around performance. The Note 9 is also able to shoot video in 4K, as well as super-slow-motion video at 960 frames per second. Around the front of the phone, you will find an 8-megapixel lens. The cameras have some artificial intelligence trickery too. The A.I. will notify you if theres a problem with your photo  like someone blinking  or will alter settings automatically based on scene recognition.

The P20 Pro comes with a staggering triple lens system on the back. Its made up of a 40-megapixel lens, an 8-megapixel zoom lens, and a 20-megapixel monochrome lens. Its a staggeringly good camera, with 5x hybrid zoom, and some of the best low-light performance weve ever seen. It also shoots video in 4K, and in super-slow motion  and the selfie lens is a huge 24-megapixel monster. Add all this to the P20 Pros A.I. assistance that helps you to take the perfect photo and youve got a very capable camera.

While the Note 9 has an exceptionally strong camera, its basically the same as the Galaxy S9 Plus  which we think the P20 Pro beats.

Winner: Huawei P20 Pro

Software and updates

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Youll find Android 8.1 Oreo on both of these phones, hidden under skins. The P20 Pro has Huaweis Emotion UI (EMUI) skin  and thankfully, its not the burden it once was. Its smooth, easy to use and is only really shackled by the lack of notch support in Android Oreo  which should be fixed by Android 9.0 Pie. The Samsung Experience on the Note 9 is similar, with good performance and an easy-to-use interface. Neither is close to stock Android, but neither should be too hard to use for anyone with prior Android experience.

Youre probably looking at similar performance for updates, too; not great. Since both use heavily modified versions of Android, neither manufacturer has a strong record with getting updates out quickly. This is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We mentioned the A.I. capabilities in the camera section, but that is not all the Kirin 970s dedicated A.I. chip is up to. When its not suggesting modes on the camera, the A.I. system in the P20 Pro works mainly in the background of the phone, optimizing resources to ensure smooth performance. Over time, the A.I. learns which apps are most important to you, and balances system resources to ensure that youre getting as good an experience as possible  and this is something that should only get better over time. Huawei also included a desktop mode in the P20 Pro, activated with a simple cable, and it also has a speedy face unlock system.

Where do we start with the Note 9? First off theres the S Pen. In addition to familiar features like writing on the display and quick menus, the improved Note 9 S Pen now also works as a Bluetooth clicker, with different functions available in different apps. The Note 9 also debuts a revolution for Samsungs DeX mode, thanks to improvements that mean its now able to work with just a USB-C to HDMI cable  ditching the expensive dock. Theres also Bixby, as well as facial unlocking.

The Note 9 overpowers the P20 Pro with sheer weight of features.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Price

The Huawei P20 Pro is currently available, with prices ranging from anywhere between $800 and $1,100. Unfortunately, its not fully available in the U.S., and youll be forced to import it after a sale  but be aware it will only work on select networks like T-Mobile and AT&T.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 9 are open now, and the phone will be launching August 24. Its available in two colors  lavender purple and ocean blue. Pricing starts at $1,000 for the 128GB, going up to $1,250 for the 512GB version. As a Samsung flagship, expect to see it offered on every U.S. carrier.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Its testament to how good a smartphone the P20 Pro is that its able to hold the Note 9 to so many draws across our series of categories  but at the end of the day, the Galaxy Note 9 is simply the stronger of the two devices, with a crisper display, a performance edge, and the improved S Pen.

If none of that is particularly exciting to you, and you can deal with the hassle of importing, limited network support, and lack of a headphone jack  then youll probably be very happy with the Huawei P20 Pro regardless.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The person calling you will dial a telephone number that will then connect to your phone without them knowing your real number. "For a few hours, the police department and SWAT team were trying to coax, in very gentle fashion, the individual out of the home," North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda told local media last night.

Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. In real life, Ruan was torn between two men her puppy love Zhang Damin, the fourth son of the family her mother served as a housemaid, and tycoon Tang Jishan. into the future of SikhCanadian politics, however, Dhahan suggested it is Sikhs Golden Goose Sale above age 55 who are most by personalities. no one should ever find out About this.

Valentino created the wedding dresses of both Princess Maxima of the Netherlands and Crown Princess MarieChantal of Greece, and Bruce Oldfield was the man behind Queen Rania of Jordan's goldembroidered wedding gown. The lodge provides hot breakfasts and dinners, and packs box lunches for guests to take with them on various adventures including guided hikes, kayaking excursions, fishing charters and even bearviewing outings.

"Around 7 or 8 o'clock each night," Golden Goose Outlet he said, "we're making dough for the next day so that it can ferment for 12 to 24 hours. "This is slavery, pure and simple. "In the end it didn't pass because we so politicized," Sen. We all know slavery is abhorrent to our basic democratic ideals and to our way of life.

Harry and Meghan, who enjoyed only a brief private getaway following their wedding on Saturday, returned to duty today, delaying their http://www.goldengoosedeluxebrandsale.com/ honeymoon to honour the Prince. In order to avoid having a skeptical traditional distributor "bury it," director Eli Hershko and his wife, executive producer Lilly Cadoch, have partnered with Indiegogo to release their selffinanced film starring a trans actress,Joslyn DeFreece,and a beforeshewasfamous Laverne Cox for a good cause.

All things considered, art forgery is widespread in the mainstream art world. While store saturation in the US is a potential risk, international expansion could bring a source of growth for years ahead. "One thing that I went through and I was able to understand is: It's OK to not be OK. Golden Goose Sneakers Home of Jacobsen and Juhl, this city has its fair share of fine furniture, a good proportion of which is in residence in Hotel Alexandra.

http://www.goldengoosedeluxebrandsale.com/womens-superstar-sneakers-c-17_29/

http://www.goldengoosedeal.com/golden-goose-superstar-c-91/

http://www.goldengoosedeluxebrandsale.com/womens-francy-sneakers-c-15_28/HONG KONG, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners announced the acquisition of Bell City mixed-use development for AUD$157 million in Melbourne's Preston precinct through its funds under management and its hospitality arm, GCP Hospitality. Bell City, located just 20 minutes from Melbourne Airport and the CBD, consists of two hotels totaling 844 guestrooms under the Mantra and BreakFree brands, a conference complex, commercial tenancies, a 600-space car park and serviced offices. In response to the growing popularity of community living, GCP Hospitality will work to incorporate a 'co-living' concept with vibrant social areas, a co-working hub, a state-of-the-art fitness center, in-vogue restaurants and bars, and an outdoor pool. Moreover, the Group will roll-out its modern student shared accommodation brand: Campus. Kenneth Gaw, President and Managing Principal of Gaw Capital Partners, said, "We are excited about the opportunities this acquisition presents.A In addition to giving us a foothold in the Melbourne market, this major hospitality asset will allow us to effectively roll out multiple concepts within the same project. After this acquisition, we look forward to further expansion opportunities in the Australia market." Christophe Vielle, CEO & Co-Founder of GCP Hospitality, said, "We are delighted to expand our footprint in Australia with this new acquisition. The increasing demand for modern community living concepts will allow us to introduce within Bell City an in mode 'co-living' concept as well as roll-out our student shared accommodation conceptA -- CampusA -- which has been successfully launched in Hong Kong and is due to open in Perth's city center in January 2019." About GCP Hospitality GCP Hospitality runs over 39 properties with 7,450 keys worldwide with an enviable reputation in the hospitality industry for providing hotel management, asset management, and business development services of the highest standard. GCP Hospitality's expertise has a global reach, with regional offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Perth, San Francisco, Singapore and Yangon. Current brands include Hotels G, The Strand Hotel & Cruise, Campus Co-Living Hubs, Hospes Hotels (JV in Spain) and Journal Hotels (JV in USA). GCP Hospitality is the hospitality arm of Gaw Capital Partners, a private equity fund management company focusing on adding strategic value to under-utilized properties in the global market. AUnfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.Via The Globe and Mail, a report by The Canadian Press: Toronto police warn of dangerous narcotics after seven fatal overdoses since Aug. 2. The report and then a comment:

Toronto police are warning about a batch of dangerous narcotics being sold downtown after seven overdose deaths in the city since Aug. 2.

Police say they believe the drugs responsible are a deadly batch of fentanyl or carfentanil.

Fentanyl is a synthetic painkiller about 100 times stronger than morphine and carfentanil is an even stronger opioid originally developed for veterinarians to sedate elephants and other large animals.

These opioids have been blamed for the growing overdose crisis that federal health officials say killed at least 1,460 Canadians in the first half of 2017.

The police warning comes a day after the Ontario government paused plans to open three new temporary overdose-prevention sites as it conducts a review to determine if such facilities will continue to operate.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said Monday that the Progressive Conservative government will make a decision on the sites, as well as more permanent facilities aimed at fighting the opioid crisis, by the end of September.

She said sites set to open in Thunder Bay, St. Catharines and Toronto will be put on hold as the government decides if they have merit.

Figures from Toronto Public Health show that in 2016, fentanyl replaced heroin and morphine as the most commonly present opioid in overdose deaths.

The opioid was present in 48 per cent of accidental opioid deaths in 2016, compared to 31 per cent the year before.

Vancouver has been dealing with these opioids for years. I published a report on carfentanil in The Tyee two years ago. The death toll would have been far higher without our safe-injection sites, and Ontario's new right-wing populist government will soon be responsible for still more deaths if it postpones such sites in Ontario cities.Politics after Hiroshima

Politics in the Pub report

Last Thursday August 9, Politics in the Pub Perth held a lively discussion on the Politics after Hiroshima. August 6-9 mark the anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US.

In remembrance of these devastating events speakers Adrian Glamorgan and Aaron Beardsell, Sustainability Advocate, Peace Activist and Presenter of RTR Community Radio show Understorey and CPA WA and Youth activist respectively discussed issues of global concern such as militarism, the effort to ban nuclear weapons and the need to build a mass movement to achieve the survival of Planet Earth.

The event was chaired by CPA WA branch President Dr Christopher Crouch.Taking Issue  Rob Gowland

Reversing Privatisation

At the packed public rally at the Teachers Federation a couple of weeks ago to oppose the privatisation of the ABC, only one of the numerous guest speakers mentioned the other public enterprises that are being or (in most cases, sadly) have already been privatised. And yet, privatising public assets is a long-standing policy of the Liberal Party and their big business mates, for if there are no publicly-owned enterprises run as a service rather than as profit-making ventures, capitalism wont be embarrassed by exposure of its greed, its wastefulness and all too often its essential incompetence.

TAA (Trans Australia Airlines).

In the 1930s, Sydneys various private bus companies competed for passengers over the same routes, on the principle  presumably  that competition would lead to the best bus company coming to the fore. Inevitably, of course, bus drivers were soon being given bonuses if they picked up more passengers than other companies busses. The result was busses racing one another to get to stops where there could be seen groups of passengers waiting. A bus from one company would skip a stop (even if some passengers wanted to get off there) in order to beat a rival companys bus to the following stop. It was capitalist-inspired chaos.

Maverick Labor premier Jack Lang put them off the road by nationalising the bus companies, and Sydneys busses have been predominantly public ever since.

Construction of railways is a huge infrastructure expense, in Australia usually undertaken by state governments or in a few cases by the federal government. To construct the nations railways, state and federal governments borrowed the necessary funds from overseas banks (mainly British) and have kept the debt on the books ever since. Its a very profitable investment for those banks: the NSW Government Railways (NSWGR), as it used to be called, ran at a substantial and satisfying profit every year, until the massive interest on the original loan was deducted yet again (!) and the profit became a substantial loss. Needless to say, that loss was held up as evidence of the incompetence of public enterprises.

Occasionally some left-winger would ask disingenuously just how much longer we would go on paying interest on a loan that had in fact by now been repaid several times over, at least. But that question is a step too far for capitalist governments, whether Liberal or Labor.

After the Second World War, the Labor Party did try to nationalise the banks, but the right (backed by the banks, needless to say) ran a very effective scare campaign to the effect that the government was trying to seize peoples savings! Labor lost the election and Robert Menzies  Hitler admirer and embarrassing monarchist  began his long period as PM.

When Menzies began his occupation of the Lodge, significant sections of Australias economy were in fact publicly owned (or owned by companies in which state or federal governments held the controlling interest). Bitumen and Oil Refineries of Australia Limited (BORAL) was our federal government-owned national oil refinery which prevented the oil companies from ripping us off. Commonwealth Portland Cement fulfilled the same function for the building and construction industry.

Commonwealth Engineering provided the state and federal railways with superior quality rolling stock. Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation  established during the War  built aircraft, and the Australian National Line transported cargoes around our coastline and even abroad, preventing the shipping companies from holding us to ransom.

The federal government owned the Commonwealth Bank, most respected of the big banks, while the NSW government owned the Rural Bank, established to help farmers to finance their seasonal and hence often precarious existence.

Numerous other government enterprises or utilities helped the manufacture or operation of everything from overseas communications to small-arms (and by eliminating the private profit sector helped keep the costs down).

As soon as Menzies and the Liberal Party got into the Lodge, however, they began the process of privatising the public sector of the economy. Not all at once, of course, but piecemeal, so as not to arouse too much public opposition. The sell-off was accompanied by propaganda both blunt and subtle to the effect that private enterprise would be more efficient, a catchcry frequently used by capitalism to mask the blatant seizure or theft of public assets.

When Menzies took office, Australias domestic air travel was largely serviced by the Commonwealth-owned TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) and the private operator ANA (Australian National Airways, owned by a consortium of shipping companies). The people preferred TAA so ANA eventually went to the wall and was bought by Menzies mate Reg Ansett, who renamed it Ansett Airways.

It too would have gone to the wall (apparently capitalism does not thrive on competition) but Ansett sought and obtained the help of his mate Menzies, who decreed that all Commonwealth government air-travel and freight shipments must be evenly split between TAA (the governments own airline) and Ansett (its private competitor)! Basically, Menzies arranged for the Australian government to subsidise Ansett. Wasnt that nice of him?

Today, very few public enterprises remain. Those that do, have largely survived because for a long time capitalist corporations avoided taking over enterprises requiring large infusions of capital (to establish infrastructure, for example), preferring to leave that type of cost to be met by government. But as new sources of profit became scarce, capitalist corporations began to greedily covet not just government-owned enterprises but any and all functions of government itself.

However, it would be a mistake to think that the only reason capitalist corporations are keen to assume the functions of government is to make a bigger profit. They (and the governments they control) also have a political agenda, an agenda that includes persuading the public that enterprises and utilities that are run as services instead of for-profit companies are somehow unnatural and wrong.

They constantly pursue a propaganda line to the effect that running an enterprise, utility or service for private profit is inherently less wasteful and more efficient. To assist with this cosy fabrication, capitalist governments will starve public enterprises of funds so that they are not competing on an even playing field with their private rivals. One has only to compare the per-capita government funding of rich private schools  which also enjoy amenities paid for by fees from the schools wealthy parents  with the relatively paltry amount spent on public school pupils despite the fact that the majority of school pupils are actually in the public system.

In NSW, the government has for years pursued a policy of trying to privatise its public hospitals, in the teeth of community opposition. To soften up the opposition it has deliberately run down certain public hospitals such as the former South Sydney hospital and more recently Manly Hospital. At South Sydney, the furniture was decrepit, the lino broken and missing in places. I went there when my mother fell and broke her arm. Another chap in the waiting room was angered by the run-down state of the place but blamed this on the hospital staff! Wait till its privatised he declared; They wont know whats hit em. Which I believe was exactly the attitude the government was hoping to arouse.

The same run it down until people are fed up and then close/privatise it policy was successfully followed with Manly Hospital. However, when the government announced its intention to privatise a whole clutch of hospitals across the State, fierce public opposition caused them to reverse the decision in the case of the recently upgraded Wyong Hospital. So far, campaigns to keep the other designated hospitals out of the clutches of the privateers have not been so successful, but people have not given up by any means.

Just as a vigorous campaign to stop the privatisation of Wyong Hospital was successful, so can campaigns be successful to reclaim all those other public enterprises that have been flogged off by right-wingers, both Labor and Liberal. Especially since the revelations of the malpractices indulged in by the big banks, we should be calling for the Commonwealth Bank to be returned to public ownership. A vigorous campaign for governments to establish (or re-establish) public enterprises in other key sectors of the economy, putting service to the public before private profit-making, would doubtless meet with considerable cynicism thanks to the subtle but unrelenting propaganda that has been dished out against such enterprises for so long. But people are not fools, and they know that adding a profit margin to the cost of an enterprise or service is not a way to save money!

Nationalisation or socialisation used to be a plank in the platform of the ALP, but the Right finally got rid of it. Nevertheless, despite the best efforts of Right-wing politicians and their media mates, public transport, public hospitals and the ABC still command public support. When major sporting events are on, it is significant that the authorities turn to public transport to move the crowds.

There is a lot of support for the proposition, Public is best! Lets revive it as a campaign.Film Roundup

The Escape

Moviegoers who best recall Gemma Arterton decorating 007s Quantum of Solace are in for a stunning surprise here watching her award-worthy portrait of comfortably off suburban wife and mother Tara who, despite seemingly to have it all, craves a different life.

Finally, rebelling against routine life of regular sex with hard-working husband Mark (Dominic Cooper), tending to their two young children and running their household, the increasingly unhappy Tara buys a one-way ticket to Paris to find a new life.

In synopsis, The Escape may resemble ripe technicolour Hollywood decorated with frequent sex scenes and, in Paris, attractive location shots.

But Its not.

The Escape escapes cliche and delivers a memorable emotional punch.

Artertons excruciatingly truthful performance creates an unforgettable character  all the more impressive due to the fact that writer-director Dominic Savage relied, absolutely rightly as it turned out, on improvisation and genuine locations rather than studio sets  whose behaviour convinces throughout the narrative.

Dominic Cooper too is memorable, creating a husband who, while increasingly realising he is out of his emotional depth as his life crumbles, tries hard to figure out what is happening to him but fails.

The Escape is not an easy watch. But its enthralling.

Ant-Man and The Wasp

After the emotional roller-coaster ride that was Avengers: Infinity War comes a welcome respite in the more light-hearted and fun-loving action-packed Ant-Man sequel which puts Evangeline Lillys The Wasp in the driving seat.

While the Avengers were busy trying to defeat Thanos, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd who also has a writing credit) was under house arrest for breaking the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War and balancing being a parent with being a super hero.

Duping the authorities he assists Hope van Dyne/the Wasp (Lilly) and her father Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) on their mission to find and rescue Hopes mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the quantum realm.

With even more ramped-up humour, ingenious sizeist visual gags  shrunken car chases, a giant Pez doubling up as a weapon  and driven by Rudd and Lillys effortless charm and charisma, this proves a joyously entertaining superhero film. It also features Stan Lees third cameo this year in a Marvel film and his most memorable to date.

However, it is vital you stay for the first end credits scene which takes this sequel to a whole new mind-blowing level.

Damascus Cover

Set in 1989 just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, an Israeli agent, haunted by the death of his son, is sent under cover to Syria to smuggle a chemical weapons scientist out of the country in this bleak but slick and stylishly shot spy thriller.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays the troubled and enigmatic Israeli spy Ari Ben-Sion who becomes distracted by an US photo journalist (Olivia Thirlby) as his mission implodes and becomes a fight for survival.

Based on Howard Kaplans novel of the same name, everyone is hunting for the deep cover agent code named The Angel who is giving Syrian government secrets to the Israelis.

Packed with relentless twists and turns, which arent that difficult to figure out, but without making judgements or taking sides in the ensuing political conflict, this drama analyses how enemy governments would secretly collude and help each other out when it is in both their interests.

Plus it features John Hurts final film performance as Aris spy boss Miki and it is worth seeing just for him.

The Apparition

Dont be fooled by the title.

Director Xavier Giannullis riveting drama is, mercifully, not simply yet one more weekly shockfilm movie destined for late night television.

Instead we follow French journalist Jacques Mayano  an award-worthy performance by Vincent Lindon  who, injured as a war correspondent when his photographer is killed, accepts an offer from the Vatican to join a commission of enquiry into the case of young novice Anna (Galatea Bellugi) who claims to have been visited by the Virgin Mary in a remote village in rural France.

Selected for his agnosticism, Mayano finds himself being drawn into a religious universe that slowly tests his beliefs and involves him in a strange situation as challenging as any he suffered as a war correspondent.

The narrative is constantly compelling despite its length, which you only realise after the film ends, thanks to a gripping storyline and picture-perfect performances.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

The eponymous animated young superheroes spring from TV in a wild, wacky, often unexpectedly witty big screen extravaganza that sees them causing continuous comic chaos as, jealous that all adult superheroes have their own movies, they seek a director to bring their own movie to the cinema.

Led by their leader Robin, they kick off by invading a Batman movie premiere and deciding to go after its director, raising low, loud laughs along the way while having to contend with giant evil supervillain Slade.

Tinsel Town comes in for a bashing too, as do Warner Brothers Hollywood Studios where much of the daffy action takes place while adult superheroes like Batman, Superman and  embarrassingly for him  the rightly forgotten celluloid hero Green Lantern are splendidly sent up.

Best of all, egregious Marvel superheroes creator Stan Lee is sent up something rotten! Kids will have a ball, parents should have fun too.

Morning StarLameness prevention: it's all in the head

An understanding of how cows think, how they see the world and how they move is essential for lameness prevention.A Spanish television show has come under fire after viewers suggested it was a 'cheap copy' of BBC hit Peaky Blinders.

TVE's new drama El Continental is about gangsters in Madrid during the 1920s, focusing on a clandestine club in the city.

The television network has aired its first trailers for the show, leading viewers to quickly draw comparisons with the BBC drama starring Cillian Murphy.

Peaky Blinders, which first hit screens in 2013, is about a gang in Birmingham during the 1920s, led by Thomas Shelby.

Scroll down for video

A new Spanish TV drama called El Continental (above, from the trailer of the new show) has come under fire after viewers suggested it was a 'cheap copy' of BBC drama Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders, which first aired in 2013, is about a gang in 1920s Birmingham, with Cillian Murphy (third from left, during season 3 of Peaky Blinders) starring as leader Thomas Shelby

Commenting on the similarity between El Contiental and Peaky Blinders, one viewer wrote on Twitter: 'A cheap copy of " Peaky Blinders" to the Spanish with Fernando Tejero instead of Cillian Murphy'.

Another added: 'Peaky Blinders? No, the thugs in my neighborhood: El Brian and his gang'.

A number of viewers suggested that El Continental had taken the 'essential' ingredients from Peaky Blinders.

One wrote: 'The trailer of Peaky Blinders starts the same with the protagonist on horseback. It's all a copy. Light, visual style, slow cameras, locker room, blonde girl.'

The trailer for El Continental features a brunette woman, played by actress Michelle Jenner, pointing a gun. She bears a resemblance to Helen McCrory's character Polly in Peaky Blinders

Aunt Polly, played by Helen McCrory, was seen pointing a gun at John, played by John Shelby (Joe Cole) in season one of Peaky Blinders

The new Spanish television drama, which will air on the TVE network, also stars a young boxer that bears a resemblance to Bonnie Gold in Peaky Blinder

British actor Jack Rowan plays young boxer Bonnie Gold (above) in season four of BBC drama Peaky Blinders

Another added: 'I just saw the trailer and it is a copy or at least they have taken all the most "essential" of Peaky blinders, the bar, the family business the set design

Meanwhile, screenshots show a Wikipedia user even changed the entry for the show to read: 'El Continental is a Spanish TV series that is a cheap copy of Peaky Blinders.'

The unveiling of El Continental comes as British viewers eagerly anticipate season five of Peaky Blinders, which is set to air next year.

Viewers suggested that El Continental appears to have the 'essential' ingredients of Peaky Blinders, including the 'visual style'

The trailer (above) for El Continental, which is set in Madrid in the 1920s, features the same moody lighting as Peaky Blinders

The drama focuses on a clandestine bar in Madrird, named the El Continental, whichalso features in the trailer (above)

Meanwhile, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight confirmed that season seven of

The controversy over El Continental comes after another Spanish network, Telecinco, made a Spanish version of US 1980s sitcom Cheers back in 2011.

The programme, which aired nearly 20 years after the original show ended, struggled with ratings and was cut short.

Peaky Blinders, which stars Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby (above), first aired on the BBC back in 2013. Fans are eagerly anticipating season five, which is due to air next yearA Married at First Sight star upset her husband when she admitted that she doesn't have any desire to become chummy with his friends' wives because she already has her own girlfriends.

On Tuesday night's episode of the Lifetime reality series, Amber Martorana, 36, and Dave Flaherty, 37, were working on merging their lives, but he was taken aback by her hesitance to meet his friends, even after he suffered through an awkward dinner with her domineering pal.

Dave assured her that his friends were welcoming and gracious, but Amber confessed to being incredibly nervous, before going off on a tangent about how she has been judged in the past.

Scroll down for video

Awkward: Amber Martorana, 36, and Dave Flaherty, 37, were working on merging their lives, but she was hesitant to meet his friends

Taken aback: 'I have my own friends already so I don't feel like I need other friends,' Amber bluntly told him

'I hope that they like me. I hope I am not like really shy when I get there because sometimes I am when I am meeting new people,' she warns him.

'It might be hard. People judge. Everyone judges, but I do feel like I have been judged a lot, so it kind of makes me feel a little worried.'

Although Dave gushed about how is friend's wives are 'such good people,' Amber made it clear that she thinks she has enough gal pals already.

'It sounds great being involved with the wives, but I have my own friends already so I don't feel like I need other friends,' she told him bluntly.

To make matters worse, Dave was more than willing to have Amber's best friend Zachia and her husband Jason over for dinner the night before.

No give and take: To make matters worse, Dave was more than willing to sit through an awkward dinner with Amber's domineering best friend Zachia and her husband Jason

Seriously? Dave was a little shocked by Zachia's 'ball buster' attitude towards her husband

He was admittedly taken aback by Zachia's 'ball buster' attitude towards her husband and warned Amber that he would never want that type of relationship.

Zachia wouldn't let her husband drink, even though she was enjoying a margarita, and when Jason innocently told Dave that he couldn't stop fiddling with his wedding ring after he got married, she insisted she was the best thing to ever happen to him.

She was even territorial over Amber, telling the cameras: 'Dave has to know that Amber and I are forever. They may actually get annoyed that Im going to be here all the time.'

Dave noted in his testimonial that his friends are very different, and while they would be welcoming to Zachia and Jason, he didn't think they would fit in well.

Bonding: After meeting his friends' wives, Amber opened up about feeling insecure that Dave wasn't attracted to her because she wasn't a tall brunette

One of the gang: Luckily for Dave, Amber seemed to get along with his friends' wives upon their first meeting

'Hearing Amber say that she doesn't need more friends, she already has girlfriends is upsetting,' he explained. 'After meeting Amber's friends it's becoming clear to me that I need her to meet my friends as well, so its important to me that Amber embraces those friendships.'

Luckily for Dave, Amber seemed to get along with his friends' wives upon their first meeting. While Dave was helping with the grill outside, Amber opened up about how she feels insecure because she knows Dave is typically attracted to tall brunettes and she is a short blonde.

Earlier in the episode, Amber picked a fight with Dave because he said his celebrity crush was Jessica Biel. After noting that she looks nothing like the actress, Amber started to question if he was really attracted to her.

Although the conversation with his friends' wives was a bit awkward, they assured her that it was fine to feel that way. One woman even noted that her husband's celebrity crush is Halle Berry, who looks nothing like her.

Work: Mia Bally and Tristan Thompson, both 29, were working on their trust issues after she lied to him about being in a relationship with the man who filed stalking charges against her

Tough: While visiting Tristan's mom in Houston, she made Mia explain what happened, including why she lied to her son

In her testimonial, relationship expert Dr. Jessica Griffin was quick to point out that Amber's insecurities 'tend to get the best of her,' and if she doesn't get a handle on it, she is going to start projecting those ideas and cause problems in her marriage.

While Amber was nervous about meeting Dave's friends, Mia Bally, 29, was just as nervous about seeing her husband Tristan Thompson's mom for the first time since their wedding.

Mia initially lied to Tristan, 29, about being in a relationship with the man who filed stalking charges against her, prompting her to be detained at the airport when they were on their way to the honeymoon.

Tristan was focused on rebuilding that trust, but he admitted that he wasn't there yet. When they met his mother in Houston, she made Mia explain what happened, including why she lied to her son.

Working it out: 'I felt at ease that she was sincere and she was telling the truth,' Tristan's mom said

Nervous: Mia was also concerned that Tristan wanted them to move from Dallas to Houston to be closer to his family

Although things could have taken a turn for the worse, Tristan's mom was satisfied with her answer. She explained that she just needed to look into Mia's eyes and know her intentions.

'I felt at ease that she was sincere and she was telling the truth,' his mom told the cameras.

However, she did admit that she was a bit taken aback to learn that they were already saying, 'I love you,' after only knowing each other a couple of weeks.

'Tristan doesnt throw that word around casually at all,' she said. 'Its kind of quick for me.'

Honeymoon phase: Bobby Dodd, 27, and Danielle Bergman, 30, appeared to be happier than ever

Love: Danielle gushed that she couldn't find anything wrong with Bobby, and he felt the same way about her

The trip to see his mother went well, but the couple may have other problems looming in their future. Tristan casually mentioned wanting to move from Dallas to Houston to be closer to his family, and Mia wasn't thrilled with the idea.

'I feel overwhelmed,' she said in her testimonial. 'Everything has accelerated and happened so quickly and so fast. I'm not 100 per cent sold on Houston. I mean, I love Dallas and Dallas is my home.

'I am going to have to seriously sit down with him and find out if Houston is a strong possibility or if it was just a thought in his head.'

Meanwhile, Bobby Dodd, 27, and Danielle Bergman, 30, were the only couple that hadn't gotten into a fight yet.

Good times: Danielle was pleased that she and his family share the same sense of humor

All smiles: 'Anytime Danielle says anything positive about me, it makes my heart skip,' Bobby confessed

While he was initially concerned about her debt, they had a serious discussion about it and seemed to have moved on.

Danielle wasn't even bothered by her 90-minute commute that was the result of moving into Bobby's home in Fort Worth because she felt the city was more her speed that Dallas.

She enjoyed spending time with his family and was thrilled to learn that they share the same sense of humor.

Danielle gushed that she couldn't find anything wrong with Bobby, and he felt the same way about her.

'Anytime Danielle says anything positive about me, it makes my heart skip,' Bobby confessed at the end of the episode.Expert advice: REVOLVE 's Styling Manager, Daisy Gutierrez, shares her top tips for packing smart and stylish

Summer's last hurrah is on the horizon.

Want to go out with a fashion bang this Labor Day? So do we!

But packing smart and stylish for a long weekend beach trip can sometimes be more challenging than packing for an extended vacation.

FEMAIL chatted with the queen of vacay fashion, REVOLVE's Styling Manager, Daisy Gutierrez.

Daisy reveals her nine step cheat sheet for the perfect travel wardrobe.

Get your notebook ready.

Straw hat: 'Put the finishing touch on your beach-ready look with a fun hat that keeps the sun out of your eyes but all eyes on you,' said Daisy

1) Straw Hat

'Put the finishing touch on your beach-ready look with a fun hat that keeps the sun out of your eyes but all eyes on you,' said Daisy.

Blank Itinerary's, Paola Alberdi, accessorized her striped Beach Riot romper with an oversize neutral colored floppy while attending REVOLVE's party in Bermuda this summer.

Social media star and model Rocky Barnes carried out the sultry feel of her Kendall and Kylie one-piece with a black straw boater hat.

Topper: Rocky Barnes carried out the sultry feel of her Kendall and Kylie one-piece with a black straw boat hat

The perfect purse: 'Make your bag the center of attention with a fabulous, yet functional design, suggests the expert

2) Statement Bag

'Make your bag the center of attention with a fabulous, yet functional design, suggests the expert.

Jourdan Sloane added a pop of color to her flirty Lovers + Friends dress with a rainbow striped Salvatore Ferragamo purse.

While a cute crossbody is often a fab finishing touch, a roomy carryall in a shade that matches all your vacay garb is a must.

Australian Instagram star Elle Ferguson complemented her lemon printed Majorelle blouse with a tan suede tote.

Matches everything: Australian Instagram star Elle Ferguson complemented her lemon printed Majorelle blouse with a tan suede tote

Don't leave home without it: 'Poolside or beach side, suit up in the most stylish bikini sets in the latest cuts and prints,' advises Daisy

3) Bikini

No tropical vacation is complete without proper swimwear.

'Poolside or beach side, suit up in the most stylish bikini sets in the latest cuts and prints,' advises Daisy.

High-cut bottoms are this summer's most standout trend. Gorgeous social media star, Janice Joostema, soaked up some Vitamin D in an upper-thigh baring pair by Are You Am I.

Stripes are a warm weather staple and Negin Mirsalehi's Kendall + Kylie two-piece featuring small ruffles is modern twist on the summer classic.

Foolproof print: Stripes are a warm weather staple and Negin Mirsalehi's Kendall + Kylie two-piece featuring small ruffles is modern twist on the summer classic

Dresses that breathe: 'Must-have airy and romantic maxis, perfect for an evening under the stars,' are what Daisy suggests packing

4) Light Maxi Dress

Travel light by packing dresses that will take you from day to night.

'Must-have airy and romantic maxis, perfect for an evening under the stars,' are what the stylist suggests bringing along.

Janice packed a Lovers + Friends leopard printed tea length frock and an LPA gingham dress for her latest adventure.

All day wear: Janice packed a Lovers + Friends leopard printed tea length frock and an LPA gingham dress (pictured here) for her latest adventure

Shady lady: 'No summer look is complete without a pair of statement sunnies for every occasion under the sun,' shares Daisy

5) Sunnies

It's often a forgotten accessory, but the right pair of sunglasses can make an outfit.

'No summer look is complete without a pair of statement sunnies for every occasion under the sun,' shared Daisy.

Insta-famous Sophia Smith (far right), Lou Teasdale and Lottie Tomlinson (far left) sat beach side with their best shades last month.

Baubles go a long way: 'Add some statement earrings to your beach ensemble for a decorative and stylish finish'

6) Statement Earrings

'Hot days equal an easy updo,' admits Daisy. 'Add some statement earrings to your beach ensemble for a decorative and stylish finish.'

Model Jasmine Tookes elevated the casual feel of her citrus printed ensemble with gold '90s-inspired doorknocker earrings.

Lighten your luggage by casting off unnecessary extras and packing small things that make a big impact like jewelry.

Go clear: 'The go-to summer sandals to wear with everything from cheeky cut-offs for day to slinky dresses for after the sun sets, are what Daisy advises bringing along

7) Sandals

While you want to be prepared for every scenario, the last thing you want to do is over pack shoes that take up too much space.

'The go-to summer sandals to wear with everything from cheeky cut-offs for day to slinky dresses for after the sun sets, are what Daisy advises bringing along.

PVC low heel sandals  like the styles worn by Paula and Rocky recently  are versatile and comfortable.

Pucker up: While an au-natural look is recommended, 'there's nothing better than a bold lip colors pop against sun kissed skin,' said Daisy

8) Bright lipstick

Especially for a short trip, save space in your makeup bag by only bringing the essentials.

While an au-natural look is recommended, 'there's nothing better than bold lip colors that pop against sun kissed skin,' said Daisy.

Beauty blogger Andreea Cristina (who posts barely-there makeup tutorials) wore a beautiful Givenchy red lipstick with a Privacy Please romper while in Bermuda.

9) Shop smart

New this month, REVOLVE introduced a layaway payment option for customers with Afterpay.

The service enables shoppers to receive products from the site immediately and pay for them in four interest-free installments, with no requirement to enter into a traditional loan or pay any upfront fees or interest.

Afterpay is available on all items priced between $35 - $1,000. Happy shopping!Many of us who know no better might be guilty at times of taking our NHS for granted. It was different for Sarah Kuteh. Shed grown up in Sierra Leone, where disease is rampant and medicines scarce. Preventable death was a sad reality.

Having trained as a secondary school teacher, it was her intention to teach when she arrived in Britain in 1993.

But when she saw first-hand the work of doctors and nurses while working in a care home as she looked for a teaching post, she felt a sense of wonderment. Here, for the first time, she saw how desperately sick patients were given medicines denied to the people in her home country and cured.

From Sarahs perspective, it seemed incredible. She determined to retrain as a nurse.

And thats what she did. After qualifying in 2001, she gave 15 years dedicated service to the NHS. Sister Sarah was much loved by many colleagues and the patients she treated at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent.

Scroll down for video

Sarah Kuteh (pictured), 49, from Sierra Leone was dismissed from her role as a nurse at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent after 15 years of service for giving a patient a Bible

But in June 2016, her association with the NHS came to an abrupt and humiliating end when she was escorted out of the building by a grim-faced matron and dismissed from her post, two months later, for gross misconduct.

What was this gross misconduct?

She had, from time to time, told patients a little about her Christian faith and the comfort it had brought her. Sometimes, she had also offered to say a prayer with them.

And on one occasion, she had given someone a Bible  a well-meaning if, she now knows, ill-advised act which ultimately sealed her fate.

Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines prohibit nurses discussing religion, unless it is initiated by a patient. When the case was referred to the NMC earlier this year, Sarah was told she had failed in the expectation for a nurse to understand the importance of, and respect, equality and diversity.

It imposed conditions of practice on her should she work as a nurse again, including having to work under the close supervision of a superior.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Sarah had committed a grievous crime.

This week, it emerged that the NMC has lifted these restrictions.

Sarah is free to practise as a nurse again without someone constantly looking over her shoulder. But much damage has been done.

After her dismissal, she was forced to sell her home in Bexley, Kent, because she couldnt pay the mortgage.

For the past year, Sarah and her three daughters (she is separated from her husband) have been living in a one-bedroom flat loaned to her by a friend. The two younger daughters are sleeping on sofas in the living room.

Sarah came to Britain in 1993 and qualified as a nurse after studying for three years at South Bank University. She began working at Darent Valley Hospital (pictured) in 2007

To her friends and family, and surely to many of the patients who have received her unflinchingly dedicated care over the past 15 years, it is an unjust betrayal of Sister Sarah.

Today, 49-year-old Sarah, a member of the House of God Church, a Pentecostal movement, is by turns reflective and emotional.

She says that she recognises there may have been times when she was not sensitive enough, that a patient who may have seemed to be engaging with her may, privately, have felt uncomfortable.

Yet she becomes emotional and tearful when she talks about the daily reality of life as a ward sister. For while the NHS does amazing things, sometimes there is nothing more to be done.

Its all very well but they dont see what I have seen, how much heart you put into it. Ive seen young mothers who have learned they are dying of cancer.

How many chaplains are employed by the NHS? The National Health Service currently employs 916 chaplains at an estimated annual cost of 25 million Advertisement

One patient had just been given bad news and he told me he wanted to commit suicide. They come into my office, you try to offer compassion and sympathy.

She pauses. You know, the heart has gone out of nursing. That makes me very sad.

She believes  and many may agree  that her punishment was wholly disproportionate to her actions.

Its a bitter twist to her association with the NHS, the organisation which she so admired  and still does, albeit with qualifications  when she came to Britain in 1993 to start a new life.

When I started work in the care home, I would see patients being treated and think, Oh my goodness, theyre getting better! I thought, Wow, I want to be part of the team. Its a buzz that never goes away.

After qualifying in 2001 having studied for three years at South Bank University, Sarah practised at a number of London hospitals, including Ealing and Hammersmith.

Sarah (pictured) was given the role of asking about the religion patients practiced if any as part of her duty to complete assessment questionnaires

She worked in A&E, childrens wards, maternity and intensive care units.

In 2007, she took a position in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Darent Valley Hospital, run by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, and in 2012 she was made an Intensive Care Sister.

In 2015, however, she became unwell herself with a condition which required surgery. After five months off work recovering, it was felt it would be best for her to return to a less pressurised environment and so she joined a pre-op assessment ward.

Here, one of Sarahs duties was to go through an assessment questionnaire with patients.

One of the questions asked whether or not the patients followed a particular religion and, if so, were they practising or non-practising.

Someone might say, Im Church of England but I dont practise, explains Sarah.

In this context, then, you can see how a dialogue about faith might develop, especially with patients facing surgery which some feared they may not wake up from.

Sarah (pictured) claims she only discussed faith when telling a patient about how she's overcome difficult situations in her own life

Nevertheless, Sarah is adamant she never went about prescribing Christianity, maintaining she would only ever tell a patient how her faith had helped her through difficult situations and occasionally offer to say a prayer for them. But there were some patients who evidently felt uncomfortable with this, but did not tell Sister Sarah herself, instead voicing their concern to other nurses on the ward.

In total, eight complaints were made about Sarah, although only one formal complaint was submitted.

Sarah was seeing up to 40 patients a week, so the number of complainants was comparatively small. The one formal complaint concerned a man in his 50s whom Sarah describes as appearing very frail.

He was very unkempt and when he coughed, he rattled. I felt great sympathy for him.

I asked him the question about religion and he said he wasnt religious but as a boy he was a chorister at a cathedral and he used to sing The Lord Is My Shepherd. He then sang a stanza from it.

Sarah (pictured) was given a letter of concern in April 2016 after her manager claimed some patients had complained about her discussing her faith with them

It was later said that Id asked him to sing it, but I dont remember asking him to sing at all.

On another occasion, Sarah went through the questionnaire with an 18-year-old girl.

She said she was interested in spirituality and we talked a bit about this. I mentioned that my own daughter, then 18, had begun to rely on prayer recently. The subject of the Bible came up and she said she didnt have one.

I said, I tell you what, Ive got a Bible in my bag and I gave it to her.

They dismissed me. I was deeply shocked, very hurt and humiliated

The NHS has strict rules forbidding its staff from imposing their religious beliefs upon patients. Yet, in Sarahs defence, these do seem to be somewhat contradictory.

For while it was strictly forbidden for Sarah to instigate a discussion about religion with a patient, at the same time she was being hauled over the coals by her superiors for crossing this boundary, her face was plastered on posters across the hospital advertising the monthly prayer group in the chapel that she helped to run.

Indeed, she was about to apply for the job of chaplain.

This was no secret, everyone knew, she says.

In April 2016, Sarahs manager came into her office and said some patients had complained about her discussing her faith with them.

She reminded her that in future, she must not do so unless a conversation was initiated by the patient, to which Sarah agreed. She was also given a letter of concern which, Sarah says, is not as serious as a formal warning.

Sarah (pictured) was refused permission to apologies to patients who had felt uncomfortable with her discussing her faith with them

As far as she was concerned, she was careful from then on to abide by the rules.

So she was profoundly shocked to be told one Friday two months later to stop work immediately, go home and report back on the Monday for an investigative meeting.

You can imagine my shock, says Sarah.

She took a union representative with her and the current chaplain, with whom she had organised the monthly prayer sessions.

She says it was an ambush.

Before the panel of five, she was asked if she had given a Bible to a patient. She replied readily that yes, she had done so. All hell, as it were, broke loose.

The union rep, realising immediately that such an admission would spell disaster for Sarah, demanded the meeting be halted, took Sarah outside and demanded: Why didnt you tell me that beforehand?

Sarah got into a state of panic. I thought, Oh my goodness, Ive done something so stupid. But I had no idea what Id done wrong, so I didnt have anything to warn the union rep about.

Sarah (pictured) sought legal help after she was dismissed in August 2016 and had her case taken up by Christian Concern. Without her nursing salary she was forced to sell her home

The meeting went badly. Sarah was desperately upset to learn that some patients had felt uncomfortable when she talked about her faith and asked if she could apologise to them. This request was refused.

She was informed that she was being suspended. The matron escorted her out of the building in a formal fashion.

A second disciplinary meeting was held in August 2016, at which Sarah was told that she was dismissed.

I offered to work under supervision, to have a pay freeze, even a demotion, says Sarah. But it was no good. They dismissed me. I was deeply shocked, very hurt and humiliated.

No one considers what will happen when they dismiss you, how you will support your family

Sarah believed  and still does  that the Trusts actions were wholly disproportionate and sought legal help.

Her case was taken up by Christian Concern, an organisation that defends Christians who find themselves in situations such as Sarahs, and they enlisted barrister Jonathan Storey.

He was my representative throughout and is a dedicated, passionate for justice barrister, says Sarah.

But a tribunal last year upheld the Trusts decision, saying she was correctly dismissed.

Sarahs legal team are currently waiting to hear whether the Court of Appeal will consider her case.

Finding herself ousted from her position had practical  as well as emotional  ramifications.

Sarah (pictured) is wary about returning to work for the NHS and recently found work at a nursing home within the private sector

Without her 33,000 salary she could not pay the mortgage. Arrears mounted and she had to sell her house and move into the one-bedroom flat that shes currently in.

The family has suffered, she says. No one considers what will happen when they dismiss you, how you will support your family. Im a single parent.

My daughters should not be sleeping on sofas.

But its typical of Sarah that, even during her darkest hours, when she was relying on the generosity of friends to support her, she refused to feel sorry for herself, instead getting work as a volunteer at her local food bank.

There was one moment of near comedy once when a friend from her local church knocked at her door and asked if she had a spare Bible to hand.

I thought, Of all the people to ask for a Bible! But I gave it to him.

In January this year, she attended a hearing of the Nursing & Midwifery Council which ruled she had breached professional standards, saying: Your misconduct goes to the heart of what is the foremost and indispensable responsibility of a registered nurse.

We can show Christ in the way in which we behave, the way we show compassion

It said Sarah posed a risk that you will, in the future, put patients at unwarranted risk of emotional harm, bring the profession into disrepute, and breach a fundamental tenet of the profession.

Harsh words, indeed. Conditions of practice were imposed.

Sarah had held off applying for a new post in the hope she would win her tribunal and clear her name, but when that did not happen, she began looking around for work.

In April this year Sarah was relieved to be taken on at a nursing home within the private sector, albeit in a role that was closely supervised.

Following on from the NMC hearing, Sarah penned a written reflective piece to the NMC, about how she should behave as a nurse, and this met with a favourable response.

The NMC said she had demonstrated full remediation and a high level of insight in regard to your failings. Last month, the restrictions on her were lifted.

She is happy in her new post and understandably wary about going back to the NHS. It seems you get blamed very easily, very quickly, she says.

She is cautious, of course, about the future and the way she must reconcile her devout faith with the strict code of practice she must follow.

I dont have a plan as such about it  that would be too pre-emptive. If there is clear permission from a patient, then I will talk about my faith, with great sensitivity.

But I can still be a Christian at work. We can show Christ in the way in which we behave, the way we show compassion, without saying it. And that is what I will continue to do.A nearly-naked model received plenty of gawking stares and even some unwelcome groping by another woman while working as a cocktail waitress wearing nothing but a thong, pasties, and body paint.

For Jen Seidel's latest prank, the body painter enlisted a model named Shannon to work as a waitress at Lee's Landing Dock Bar in Maryland wearing an outfit that was painted on to see how her customer's would react.

With the help of fellow body painter Kennedy Walsh, Jen used her skills and painted Shannon's body to make it look like she was wearing a cropped green 'Landing Dock Bar' tank and cutoff shorts.

Real as can be: Body painters Jen Seidel (right) and Kennedy Walsh (left) painted Shannon's body to make it look like she was wearing clothes while working as a waitress

Success? The model was painted to look like she was wearing a cropped tank and cutoff shorts for her shift at Lee's Landing Dock Bar in Maryland

Although the outfit looked quite realistic, patrons a the bar quickly realized that Shannon wasn't actually wearing any clothes.

One man gave the model a long, hard stare before turning back around to talk to his friends, who were just as surprised.

'That girl's not got on any clothes,' one of the patrons said.

When she returned with their drinks, someone else in the group told her it was 'pretty hot out,' apparently in support of her barely-there outfit.

Nearly nude: As part of the experiment, Shannon wore nothing but a thong and pasties under the body paint

Hard to look away: Unsurprisingly, plenty of people stared at Shannon while she was taking orders at the bar

Captivated or confused? One man couldn't stop staring at Shannon's backside as she delivered beers to another table

'You read my mind,' she said with a laugh.

Unsurprisingly, many people did double takes when Shannon walked by, and there were also quite a few men who couldn't stop staring at her.

'I love it! I hate you!' one woman gushed, while her friend asked Shannon if she was painted.

Even one of her fellow waitresses had her do a spin, so she could closer inspect what she was wearing.

Coy response: One man told her that it was 'pretty hot out,' apparently in support of her barely-there outfit

Shocked: Another man stopped and stared at her bottoms after she revealed they were painted on too

Close encounter: 'That's awesome,' one man said as he leaned forward to check out her painted shorts

Shannon ignored the countless stares she received while serving drinks, but there were also plenty of awkward interactions.

'I love it girl! Love it,' one man told her, and she couldn't resist asking if she meant her top or bottoms.

'I like it all. Oh s**t! The bottoms are done too?' he replied, while bending over to closer inspect her painted on jean shorts before his dragged him away.

Another man had a similar reaction when he pointed to Shannon's backside and said: ''Oh, she's painted there too?'

'That's awesome,' he added after bending down to look at her painted shorts.

Shocked: Plenty of people were stunned by Shannon's 'outfit' at the bar

Paparazzi: More than a few patrons asked to take Shannon's photo and some just took pictures without asking

Unfortunately for Shannon, one woman got a little too touchy-feely when she came up to her to talk about her body paint.

'I literally cannot believe that you are doing that. That's so amazing,' she gushed. 'It looks so good though.

'You look great naked. You have nice boobies,' she said while poking Shannon's painted breast with her finger.

Shannon looked uncomfortable and gave the woman a quick thanks before hightailing it out of there.

All in all, the model was a hit with the patrons, and more than a few asked to take her photo while she was working.A Melbourne burger bar has launched a ridiculously indulgent, smoking creation that is sure to keep your cravings for cheat meals at bay for the foreseeable future.

Featuring a base of cornbread pie hollowed out and covered in bacon, the Smokin' Mountain Special from Third Wave Cafe is stacked with slow cooked pork ribs and a single beef rib smothered in more-ish mac and cheese.

And if you still have room, the dish comes with accompaniments of waffle fries, onion rings and candied bacon-wrapped pickles - all slathered in lashings of cheese and BBQ sauce at a cost of $51.90.

Featuring a base of cornbread pie hollowed out and covered in bacon, the Smokin' Mountain Special from Third Wave Cafe is stacked with slow cooked pork ribs and a single beef rib smothered in more-ish mac and cheese

If you still have room, the dish comes with accompaniments of waffle fries, onion rings and candied bacon-wrapped pickles - all slathered in lashings of cheese and BBQ sauce at a cost of $46.90

The mountainous creation is recommended for two people sharing and is available from the Victorian eatery until the end of August.

Social media has been floored by the delicious monstrosity, with one Instagram user asking a friend to 'pick me up one of these on your way to the airport'.

Another wrote 'dear God yes!' in response to an image of the multi-flavoured culinary concoction.

Other mouth watering offerings from Third Wave include Oink Balls, succulent pork meatballs wrapped in streaked, smoked and grilled bacon, and barbecued chicken marinated overnight and smoked with Maple wood which the website declares is 'one of the best chickens you will ever have'.

The mountainous creation is recommended for two people sharing and is available from the Victorian eatery until the end of August

Social media has been floored by the delicious monstrosity, with one Instagram user asking a friend to 'pick me up one of these on your way to the airport'

Located in the elite coastal neighbourhood of Port Melbourne, the Smokin' Mountain is not the cafe's first foray into the realms of creative gastronomy.

In June, Third Wave released the limited edition Jurassic Porkwich which weighs over a kilogram and is so large it 'barely fits in your mouth'.

The delectable dish comes with all varieties of cooked pork, including everyone's favourite - crackling.

'We're talking a big slab of pork belly, pulled pork, bacon, crushed pork crackling with a pork crackling shard on top,' they said.

The burger is so big, it needs two hands to hold it and its makers say it 'barely fits in your mouth'

The sub features pork belly with cheese, slow smoked pulled pork, crispy bacon rashers, BBQ sauce and a layer of crushed pork crackling

The tasty treat costs $26.90 and is only available for the month of June

At $26.90, the sub is so large that two hands are needed to lift it off the plate.

The Porkwich features pork belly with cheese, slow smoked pulled pork, crispy bacon rashers, BBQ sauce and a layer of crushed pork crackling, all sandwiched between two large house-made sesame-seed buns.

Naturally social media has gone wild for the scrumptious sub, with the video alone clocking up over 17,000 views

Plenty of social media users demonstrated how keen they were to try the pork-packed sandwich.

'I'm coming to Melbourne just for this,' one account said, while another declared 'I need this in my life!'.Millennials have been blamed for slowly killing off a number of different industries, from diamonds to beer.

Now a columnist has said that this youthful generation - born between 1981 and 1996 - is also responsible for declining sales of mayonnaise too.

Sandy Hingston argued in Philadelphia Magazine that young people's tastes have changed so they no longer reach for the egg-based calorie-laden condiment anymore, opting for more exotic sriracha or relishes instead.

Millennials are fighting back on social media to mock the suggestion they have killed off the mayonnaise industry singlehandedly - though some say they're glad if it's true because they loathe the creamy, bland spread.

Mayonnaise is a divisive egg-based condiment, with some loving it and some loathing it. One writer for Philadelphia Magazine wrote that millennials are to blame for killing off the spread - and her opinion article has been widely mocked on social media

Mrs Hingston writes in her piece that she brought a selection of dishes that all included mayonnaise to a family gathering, but they were all left untouched.

Rather than assume that her family simply didn't want to eat the food she had made, she argued that this proved that younger generations don't like mayonnaise.

She also pitted her two children against each other, calling her son who likes mayonnaise 'good' while revealing that her daughter, who read women's studies at college, 'naturally loathes mayonnaise'.

Many millennials took to Twitter to jokingly celebrate the 'death' of mayonnaise.

Millennials mocked the article after it went viral on social media for suggesting that they were to blame for the 'death' of mayonnaise. Some said they would be 'proud' if it were the case, while others said mayonnaise could not be dying out because they buy so much of it

One wrote: 'Yes, the mayonnaise salad deserved to die and I'm glad my generation did it,' while another said: 'Good work, millennials. Proud of you. I just hope you made the mayonnaise suffer before you killed it.'

Other young people said they were baffled that millennials were to blame for a lack of interest in mayonnaise as they personally loved the creamy condiment.

One wrote: 'For the record, this millennial LOVES mayonnaise,' while another added: 'How is mayonnaise dying if I, a millennial, eat an economy sized tub of it daily?'

Although Mrs Hingston's article relies on anecdotal evidence for the 'death' of mayonnaise, figures show that sales of the spread are in fact in decline, according to Business Insider.

Mayonnaise sales fell by 6.7 per cent in the US between 2012 and 2017, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It also reported that Hellmann's and Kraft had to cut prices of mayonnaise to try and drum up interest, with prices falling by 0.6 per cent between the first quarter of 2017 and 2018, according to Nielsen figures.

Mayonnaise makers have also launched a wide variety of new products to try and boost interest in table sauces, as well as sales.

'Condiments are more competitive than they've ever been,' Jennifer Healy, head of marketing for the Heinz brand, told the Journal. 'Ten years ago, it was much more simple.'Children exposed to tobacco fumes are just as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as smokers, research suggests.

Scientists have found they face 40 per cent higher odds of being diagnosed with the agonising condition when they grow older.

By comparison, adults who are known smokers endure an almost identical risk of the form of arthritis, when the immune system causes the body to attack itself.

The 28-year study, by a team of French researchers, adds to the ever-growing list of dangers secondhand smoke poses to children.

Long-term risk: Children exposed to passive smoking increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis as an adult who actively smokes

Experts believe secondhand smoke induces changes in lung tissue, which triggers an interaction between genes  but they are still seeking proof.

Researchers at the Institut Gustave Roussy in Paris tracked the health of almost 100,000 female volunteers since 1990 to make the conclusion.

Each participant answered questionnaires every two years about medical events, such as being diagnosed with arthritis.

And they were grilled about their lifestyle habits and environmental characteristics, used to estimate their secondhand smoke exposure.

Dr Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault and her team confirmed the known link between adulthood smoking and an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

WHAT IS IN THE SMOKE? Second-hand smoke is made up of sidestream smoke (from the burning tip) and exhaled mainstream smoke (directly inhaled through the mouth end of the cigarette), mixed with air. Sidestream smoke is about four times more toxic than mainstream smoke, although people inhale it in a more diluted form. This is because sidestream smoke contains much higher levels of many of the poisons and cancer-causing chemicals in cigarettes, including: - 3 times as much carbon monoxide - 10-30 times more nitrosamines - 15300 times more ammonia Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement

The team also revealed smokers who had been exposed to tobacco fumes as a child faced higher odds of being struck by the condition.

And in these smokers, both current and past, symptoms of arthritis began earlier in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke.

But the study, published in the journal Rheumatology, also suggested the link existed even in non-smokers.

It is the first time passive exposure to tobacco during childhood has been linked to an increased risk of arthritis in those who have never smoked.

Dr Boutron-Ruault, lead author of the study, today called for further trials to confirm the link they observed.

She said: 'These results also highlight the importance of children -especially those with a family history of this form of arthritis - avoiding secondhand smoke.'

Currently, more than 400,000 people in the UK and 1.3 million in the US suffer with the auto-immune condition. Most of them are women.

There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, which is typically diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 70.

However, early diagnosis allows for appropriate treatment that enables thousands of patients to control their agonising symptoms and lead full lives.A 32-year-old mother escaped death after doctors twice failed to spot she caught a potentially fatal stomach bug that caused her body to shutdown.

Rosie Summers unknowingly caught Clostridium difficile (C. diff) during a four-day stay in hospital to combat a kidney infection.

The bug triggered the silent killer sepsis - a violent immune response to an infection that can prove fatal, in which the body attacks its own organs.

Ms Summers went to hospital twice with symptoms of C. diff, including weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea - but on both occasions doctors failed to spot the bug.

It was only when Ms Summers, from Surrey, demanded her GP test her for the stomach bug that it was discovered - but it had already led to sepsis.

She was rushed to hospital and was given round-the-clock care for a week and her condition rapidly deteriorated as her family and friends feared the worst.

Rosie Summers unknowingly caught Clostridium difficile (C. diff) during a four-day stay in hospital to combat a kidney infection (pictured after her ordeal)

Ms Summers, who has now recovered and is back working as a teacher again full time, has spoken of her terrifying ordeal for the first time.

She revealed she was proud of herself for staying positive - despite being 'faced with the prospect of dying'.

And Ms Summers is now urging others to learn the symptoms of sepsis, which the Daily Mail has long campaigned for to raise awareness.

She said: 'Its important to learn the symptoms of sepsis and watch out for them if you get any type of illness or infection.

'Be so vigilant about ensuring that your voice gets heard. If the doctors dismiss you and say that you just have a virus, demand a blood test.

Ms Summers added: 'If I hadnt been proactive in seeking medical help, I could have died.'

Ms Summers, a primary school teacher, thought she picked up a UTI in March, after recognising the pain from a previous infection.

She was rushed to hospital in an ambulance the next day, when she found herself unable to stand and struggled to walk home after taking her son to school.

Ms Summers, from Surrey, went to hospital twice with symptoms of C. diff - but on both occasions doctors failed to spot the bug

She was rushed to hospital and was given round-the-clock care for a week as her condition rapidly deteriorated and her family feared the worst (pictured with her son in hospital)

Doctors discovered she had a kidney infection and Ms Summers spent four days in hospital before she was allowed home.

But in the following two weeks, she had returned to the hospital twice when she felt unwell - but only stayed a few hours.

During that fortnight, Ms Summers endured daily bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea, causing her weight to drop from 8st 10lbs to just 7st 10lbs.

She asked doctors to test her for C. diff - a contagious stomach bug that can cause watery diarrhoea and weight loss - after researching her symptoms online.

Tests came back positive for the killer bug and she was readmitted to the hospital with sepsis 14 days after she was first discharged.

Ms Summers said: 'I had caught C. diff while in hospital and so I was re-admitted just two weeks after with severe sepsis, caused by C. diff.'

Doctors gave her two antibiotics, without knowing she was allergic to one and her condition was rapidly deteriorating. An alternative drug worked.

Ms Summers, who has now recovered and is back working as a teacher again full time, has spoken of her terrifying ordeal for the first time. She revealed she was proud of herself for staying positive - despite being 'faced with the prospect of dying'

Ms Summers is now urging others to learn the symptoms of sepsis, which the Daily Mail has long campaigned for to raise awareness (pictured with her son)

After a week of round-the-clock care from doctors, Ms Summers was discharged once again after fighting off the bug and sepsis.

Ms Summers said: 'This time in the hospital, I had allergic reactions to the antibiotics used to treat sepsis as my body was shutting down completely.

'They had to treat sepsis and the superbug with two different medications and I was put in hospital isolation for a week.

'My friends and family were worried and scared that I wouldnt recover. Thankfully the alternative medication worked.

It took her another six weeks to build-up enough strength to return to her normal working hours, after suffering exhaustion from her battle.

Now Ms Summers is 'overly cautious' every time she feels unwell, after her fight with sepsis amid her own fears it could happen again.

She said: 'Im scared of being hospitalised again because being in isolation was quite traumatic. Im now extremely conscious of my health.

'I drink lots of water, take vitamins every day, I eat healthily and Im vigilant about any symptoms of illness that ever occur.

'I suffered emotionally for a long time and I still live in fear every time I feel unwell because it brings back the memories of it all.'

Now Ms Summers is 'overly cautious' every time she feels unwell, after her fight with sepsis amid her own fears it could happen again (pictured in hospital)

Ms Summers said: 'My friends and family were worried and scared that I wouldnt recover. Thankfully the alternative medication worked' (pictured in hospital)

During that fortnight, Ms Summers endured daily bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea, causing her weight to drop from 8st 10lbs to just 7st 10lbs (pictured in hospital)Medical chiefs could scrap the term 'junior doctor' because it's 'demeaning'.

That's according to Health Education England, who've commissioned a study into the expression and its perceived effects on a person's professional 'value'.

If successful, the public body will devise an alternative phrase, which will then be deemed politically correct for use by both patients and medical staff.

The potential changes could be implemented before the end of the year.

What's in a name? Health Education England have commissioned a study into the expression and its perceived effects on a person's professional 'value'

Currently, Junior Doctor is an informal term used throughout the NHS, ranging from local surgeries to specialist hospitals.

It refers to an estimated 50,000 health practitioners who are still engaged in postgraduate training.

Typically, the period of being a junior doctor starts when they begin work after graduation and culminates in achieving a consultant or GP post.

However, some have complained that patients or relatives dismiss their credentials by saying things such as, "Ive only seen the junior doctor".'

Now, orthopaedic surgeon Scarlett McNally has been tasked with finding a PC variant.

She's assessing whether it would be more diplomatic to group doctors into fewer categories, such as simply Post-Graduate Doctor and Consultant.

'In the past few years its come to light that the term junior doctor is considered demeaning by some postgraduate doctors,' she told the British Medical Journal.

Calling it out: Some junior doctors have complained that their credentials are dismissed

'We dont want doctors to think that were focusing on this while ignoring more difficult issues, because other work is going on. However, the terms that we use are important, because how you name people changes how others value them.

'Were not going to make hard and fast rules that everybody has to stick to, but were going to make some recommendations.'

Unsurprisingly, some have criticised the move as an indulgence - especially given the NHS is currently battling to save scarce resources while A&E departments are down-graded and some patients languish on trolleys.

Dr Rachel Clarke, a speciality doctor in palliative medicine, told The Guardian: 'It really doesnt matter what you call us: there simply arent enough of us to keep patients safe.

'With the NHS quietly imploding, staff at every level of seniority are pleading for more doctors, more nurses, more beds, more resources  not the distraction of a manufactured debate about job titles.'

Supportive: Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, backed a campaign by Oxford Health Alliance which claimed the term was discriminatory and belittling

However, a number of high-ranking officials have previously lent their support to the proposed changes.

Last year, Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, backed a campaign by Oxford Health Alliance which claimed the term was discriminatory and belittling.

They added that it was 'unjust, progressively inaccurate, detrimental to self-esteem, and widely misunderstood by the general public.'

Feeling valued and respected is key to the morale of all those working in the NHS Professor Wendy Reid

Instead, they want post-graduate medical staff referred to as senior house officer and registrar.

Professor Wendy Reid Executive Director of Education and Quality and National Medical Director, Health Education England, told MailOnline: 'This is a very welcome debate as we are leading a work programme to improve the training, education and working life of doctors.

'Feeling valued and respected is key to the morale of all those working in the NHS, and we recognise that doctors in training programmes are working at a very high level, delivering much of the care patients receive and the current terminology could not only risk undermining them, but also potentially leads to confusion for the public.'

To complete the survey, which is available until 6 September, click hereForty-one people are now feared to have died from Ebola in a fresh outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Official figures show the death toll has jumped by a fifth in the space of a week as aid workers work round-the-clock to control the situation.

Virologists have already warned the situation is hard to control because the cases are in a conflict zone, roamed by armed militias. This means those infected could be displaced into refugee camps, where they could easily spread the virus.

In a desperate attempt to stem the outbreak, the World Health Organization's chief yesterday called for an end to the fighting in the DRC.

Dr Tedros Adhanom travelled to east DRC to examine the situation in person and told reporters in Switzerland he was 'actually more worried after the visit than before'.

He said: 'We call on the warring parties for a cessation of hostilities because the virus is dangerous to all. It doesnt choose between this group and that group.'

The Ebola virus is considered one of the most lethal pathogens in existence, and was responsible for the brutal pandemic of 2014 that sparked international fear.

Official figures show the death toll has jumped by a fifth in the space of a week as aid workers work round-the-clock to control the situation

The outbreak, feared to have infected 57 people, on the border of Uganda was announced just days after another was declared over in the north west DRC.

Virologists feared it was 'reminiscent' of the 2014 Ebola pandemic, which decimated West Africa and killed 11,000 people.

But the new outbreak has already dwarfed the one earlier this summer, and has stoked more fears among the medical community.

Professor Paul Hunter, a virologist at the University of East Anglia, yesterday praised an experimental vaccine that can stop the spread of Ebola.

He said: However, the effectiveness of any immunization campaign depends on the ability to deliver that vaccine to the appropriate people is a timely manner.

Unfortunately the latest outbreak is in an area of armed conflict and this poses substantial difficulties for effective prevention.

Firstly, the threat to the lives of health workers from armed militias will prevent easy access to at risk populations, leading to delays in running vaccination campaigns.

Secondly the exposed populations are themselves far from settled with many people migrating out of the area and into neighbouring countries.

This makes it very difficult to trace potentially exposed people to offer them immunization.

Also, if people incubating the disease are migrating out of the area this can hasten the spread of the disease to surrounding communities and neighbouring countries.

Professor Hunter added: The greater population density and poor sanitation in many refugee camps can further multiply the cases of infection.

Officials in the African nation have confirmed nine deaths so far (pictured: Doctors Without Borders team members walk through an Ebola security zone at the entrance of a hospital in DR Congo, where a fresh outbreak of the virus was declared in the east of the country)

How was the new outbreak triggered?

The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

After she was buried members of her family began to display symptoms of the virus 'and seven of them died'.

Officials at the DRC's Ministry of Health have confirmed only 14 deaths but believe the virus is responsible for more.

They are currently testing 58 other suspected cases in the laboratory, to either confirm or exclude EVD.

EVD, caused by the virus with its namesake, kills around 50 per cent of people it strikes  but there is no proven treatment available.

Eight healthcare workers have been struck down by Ebola so far in this outbreak, of whom one has died.

Genetic analysis has confirmed the virus strain in this latest outbreak is the Zaire strain, the same as the one earlier this summer.

However, Peter Salama, WHO deputy director for emergency preparedness and response, last week revealed it is genetically different.

Where is the outbreak?

Most of the confirmed cases have been recorded in Mabalako, 18 miles (30km) west of the trading hub of Beni, where 230,000 people live.

DRC health officials have also confirmed five cases of EVD in Beni itself, which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another seven are suspected.

Aid workers have been told they will have to navigate their response among more than 100 armed groups.

HAS THE DRC HAD AN EBOLA OUTBREAK BEFORE? DRC escaped the brutal Ebola pandemic that began in 2014, which was finally declared over in January 2016 - but it was struck by a smaller outbreak last year. Four DRC residents died from the virus in 2017. The outbreak lasted just 42 days and international aid teams were praised for their prompt responses. The new outbreak is the DRCs tenth since the discovery of Ebola in the country in 1976, named after the river. The outbreak earlier this summer was its ninth. Health experts credit an awareness of the disease among the population and local medical staff's experience treating for past successes containing its spread. DRCs vast, remote geography also gives it an advantage, as outbreaks are often localised and relatively easy to isolate. Advertisement

A WHO spokesperson said last week: 'This is an active conflict zone. The major barrier will be safely accessing the affected population.'

The outbreak earlier this summer

Vaccinations began last week, following the success of the jabs in Equateur province, which two weeks ago declared the end of an Ebola flare-up.

Some 33 people were feared to have died in that outbreak, which started in the poorly-connected region of Ikoko-Impenge and Bikoro.

It travelled 80 miles (130km) north to Mbandaka, a port city on the river Congo  an essential waterway - with around 1.2 million inhabitants.

There was a concern it would spread to Kinshasa  364 miles (586km) south, which has an international airport and 12 million people residents.

Dr Derek Gatherer, a virologist from Lancaster University, warned the outbreak earlier this summer was 'reminiscent' of the 2014 Ebola pandemic.

All neighbouring countries were alerted about the outbreak of Ebola before it was declared over amid fears it could spread easily.

Experimental vaccine

Officials hailed the use of an experimental vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV, in stemming the Ebola outbreak in North West DRC in July.

More than 3,000 doses remain in stock in Kinshasa, allowing authorities to quickly deploy it to the affected areas near the Ugandan border.

Barthe Ndjoloko, who oversees the health ministry's Ebola response, said officials are working to identify those who may be infected.

He revealed last week the vaccination campaign will focus on healthcare workers and those who have come into contact with confirmed cases.

The 2014 international response to the Ebola pandemic drew criticism for moving too slowly and prompted an apology from the WHO.

But international aid teams have moved much quicker in response this time - with vaccination campaigns already underway in several regions.An Indian father fractured his penis after his child 'fell over' his erection after jumping on him to wake him up.

The bizarre accident has been published in a prestigious medical journal by doctors in India, who revealed the man had taken Viagra.

The 36-year-old, who has not been named, sought help from medics two days after the excruciating injury.

He complained about his 'deformed' penis, which was also swollen and causing him lots of pain.

The patient, from Uttar Pradesh, admitted to taking 100mg of sildenafil - branded as Viagra - the night before the injury.

The bizarre accident has been published in a prestigious medical journal by doctors in India, who revealed the man had taken Viagra

His erection persisted after sex, forcing him to resort to 'vigorous masturbation' - but it failed to combat his priapism.

The man went to bed, hoping his erection would cease overnight, doctors wrote in the British Medical Journal Case Reports.

But while he was sleeping, his child 'mistakenly fell over his erect penis', according to the team at King Georges Medical University.

After this eye-watering injury 'he developed sudden severe pain in his penis and lost tumescence', or the build-up of blood in his penis, the researchers noted.

Surgeons found a tear in his right corpora cavernosa - sponge-like tissue that stores the blood during an erection - which they repaired.

Dr Deepanshu Sharma, who dealt with the patient, revealed the man was able to get erections again six weeks after treatment.

And he had been left with no permanent deformity, despite him complaining about his penis being eggplant-shaped after the injury.

Penile fractures occur when the appendage is subject to a blunt trauma, normally during vigorous intercourse or masturbation.

A gruesome cracking sound can be heard at the time of the snap in 50 per cent of cases, studies have estimated.

Around 1,600 cases have been recorded worldwide since 1924 - the equivalent of 16 instances per year, according to reports.

Those who have already been traumatised from breaking their penis are often left with erectile dysfunction problems and a lifetime of painful sex.

MailOnline broke the news of a 47-year-old man who fractured his penis during vigorous sex with his partner last September.

The anonymous patient claimed to not notice any symptoms until 12 hours later - despite it normally leaving most in agony, a medical report revealed.

Despite being aware of the horrific 'snapping sensation', the British man was able to continue with intercourse and maintained his erection.

Dr Richard Viney, a consultant urological surgeon at The Bladder Clinic, Birmingham, previously told MailOnline 'sexual gymnasts' are most at risk of penile fractures.The last place in England to offer publicly-funded homeopathy is to stop providing the controversial treatment on the NHS - to save vital funds.

Health bosses at Bristol's clinical commissioning group have decided to stop NHS funding for the treatment, except in exceptional circumstances.

It comes two months after family doctors were told to stop prescribing the treatment following a landmark ruling in the High Court.

It also follows the end of prescriptions for 'over-the-counter' remedies, which implemented in May to save money and pump it into frontline services.

Exceptional: Bristol's clinical commissioning group have decided to stop NHS funding for homeopathy - unless in extenuating circumstances

Homeopathy uses extracts from plants or minerals which have been heavily diluted by water.

It is based on a theory dating back to the 1790s that substances which cause illnesses can also cure them, if they are administered in small doses.

Prince Charles has long been a staunch supporter, having previously revealed he uses it to treat cattle on his organic farms to help reduce the use of antibiotics.

But despite extensive studies into its effectiveness, there is no evidence it works.

In December, NHS England issued guidelines to doctors telling them to avoid prescribing homeopathy as part of a general crackdown on waste.

The British Homeopathic Association (BHA) brought a failed legal challenge against NHS England's decision, and were ordered to pay 120,000 in court costs.

Previous estimates suggested the NHS was spending 4million on the unregulated treatment each year.

Criticism: Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, has previously described the controversial practice as 'at best a placebo and a misuse of scarce NHS funds'

WHAT 'OVER-THE-COUNTER' PRESCRIPTIONS HAVE BEEN CURBED? From May 31, the NHS will no longer prescribe 'over-the-counter' remedies. This was announced in an attempt to save money and pump it into frontline services. Treatments for the following conditions are no longer routinely prescribed: Acute sore throat

Infrequent cold sores of the lip

Conjunctivitis

Coughs and colds and nasal congestion

Cradle Cap (seborrhoeic dermatitis  infants)

Haemorrhoids

Infant colic

Mild cystitis

Mild irritant dermatitis

Dandruff

Diarrhoea (adults)

Dry eyes/sore (tired) eyes

Earwax

Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)

Head lice

Indigestion and heartburn

Infrequent constipation

Infrequent migraine

Insect bites and sting

Mild acne

Mild dry skin

Sunburn

Sun protection

Mild to moderate hay fever/seasonal rhinitis

Minor burns and scalds

Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and/fever. (e.g. aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain)

Mouth ulcers

Nappy rash

Oral thrush

Prevention of dental caries

Ringworm/athletes foot

Teething/mild toothache

Threadworms

Travel sickness

Warts and verruca Advertisement

Now homeopathic treatment will only be freely available on the NHS at the Centre of Integrative Care in Glasgow.

In Bristol, the NHS homeopathic service was delivered by the Portland Centre for Integrative Medicine, on behalf of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust.

But its clinical commissioning group found that only 41 patients per year received treatment in 2017-18, at a cost of 109,476.

Over half of the patients were over 65 years old and 78 per cent of the recipients were women.

Now as it seeks to make cost cutting measures of 37million this financial year, the health watchdog which oversees NHS services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire has axed the controversial treatment.

Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, has previously described the controversial practice as 'at best a placebo and a misuse of scarce NHS funds'.

The Portland Centre said it was 'extremely sorry to hear that funding for the NHS Homeopathy Service was finally ending'.

'Over the 70 years of playing a part within the NHS, medical homeopathy has helped thousands of people across Bristol and the region.

'PCIM has about 1500 registered patients who access NHS medical homeopathy.

'As ever this change in service provision most impacts those who might not know about or who can't afford to pay for holistic approaches.

'PCIM will continue to deliver medical homeopathy within a broad vision of conventional, holistic and lifestyle approaches to improve health and wellbeing and we are looking at ways to provide greater access to homeopathy now that the NHS services is being withdrawn.'

Patients already accessing the remedies will be permitted to finish their treatment.

But doctors will have to justify why any new patients seeking it are 'clinically exceptional' in order to access the treatments.

Dr Jonathan Hayes of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire clinical commissioning group said the decision made financial sense.

He said: 'We are working hard to become an evidence-informed organisation because we need to make the best use of all resources to offer treatment and care to the widest range of people.

'The decision on homeopathy funding is a step towards this and brings us in line with national guidelines."

Margaret Wyllie, Chair of the British Homeopathic Association, said: 'The amount of money spent on homeopathy by Bristol CCG is a tiny fraction of the local NHS budget but is of enormous value to the patients who benefit from the treatment, many of whom are elderly, and have chronic health conditions.

'The CCG should evaluate the impact on the future health, and costs to the NHS, for the homeopathy patients once the service is removed.'Sticking brain cells together with a glue-like substance could boost memory and protect against Alzheimer's, scientists hope.

Tests on mice with a newly created molecule suggests the out-of-the-box concept works. But trials have yet to take place on humans.

Neuroscientists have branded the idea clever, as they work round-the-clock to unearth new ways of protecting against Alzheimers.

Estimates suggest 500,000 patients in the UK and 5.5 million in the US are battling the most common form of dementia.

Currently there is no cure. But drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted, the more effective treatment is.

Estimates suggest 500,000 patients in the UK and 5.5 million in the US are battling the most common form of dementia

German researchers tested the new molecule, in hope of uncovering a new way of stopping brain cells from being detached from each other.

Their promising results were unveiled at a conference in Berlin last month, attended by some of Europes leading neuroscientists.

The molecule they created, named CPTX, protects vital connections between brain cells that transport signals, called synapses.

Alzheimers patients gradually lose synapses, the junction between neurons, which evidence suggests worsens their memory.

Professor John Aggleton, a neuroscientist at Cardiff University, told NewScientist: It is very clever and has a natural logic to it.

But he warned promising results on mice are rarely replicated in humans, when it comes to trialing drugs and treatments.

Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Magdeburg trialled CPTX on mice engineered to have similar symptoms to Alzheimers.

Rodents that received the chemical performed better on memory tests  such as having to recognise a new object, according to the team of scientists.

Brain scans of the mice confirmed their theory, as mice given CPTX had 30 per cent more synapses than those who werent.

Dr Rahul Kaushik presented his teams preliminary findings at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies meeting.

He told NewScientist: The idea is you dont allow the synapses to go away. We dont let two neurons detach from each other completely.

Carol Routledge, of Alzheimers Research UK, accepted CPTX could, in future, be used to stop age-related memory issues.

But she said its a whole other question as to whether the idea could slow down cognitive ageing, she told the publications Clare Wilson.

The study comes after research yesterday revealed sleeping pills taken by hundreds of thousands of patients may boost the risk of Alzheimer's.

Finnish researchers found the risk of developing the memory-robbing disorder is higher for patients taking benzodiazepines and Z-drugs.

And the huge analysis showed a higher risk for those on stronger medications, and for those who have taken the drugs for longer than recommended.After smoking four joints, an otherwise healthy 36-year-old man nearly died of a rare heart arrhythmia, a new case report reveals.

There has only been one death linked to weed: an infant in Colorado who ate marijuana edibles and subsequently died of heart inflammation.

Marijuana, now legal in 30 states, has been linked to a range of heart irregularities, but besides the one possible case, it has never proven fatal.

In the latest, published in the American Journal of Medical Case Reports, the man had reportedly smoked four joints over the course of 30 hours, and despite having an otherwise healthy heart, his began to beat rapidly and out of sync.

Smoking four joints in 30 hours was enough to give one otherwise healthy 36-year-old man a rare heart arrhythmia that kills many people before they even know they have it

Marijuana is probably more popular and more accessible than ever in the US, but scientists face a number of barriers to studying the drug, so its a cloud of questions about its health effects hang around the it.

Recently, research has begun to shed some light on marijuana's impact on the heart and vascular system.

Smoking it can constrict blood vessels in much the same way that smoking cigarettes does, raising risks for high blood pressure and heart attack.

Even in states where cannabis is legal to use medically, doctors discourage patients who already have heart problems from using it, as it puts undo stress on their struggling cardiovascular systems.

In the new case report, the doctors noted marijuana's links to both high and low blood pressure, fainting from a block between parts of the heart, heart attacks and arrhythmia.

When the 36-year-old black man arrived at the hospital, sharp pain was gripping his chest. Every time he took a deep breath, the pain only intensified.

He told the emergency room staff he was feverish, nauseous and fatigued, and admitted that he had smoked four joints over the course of the last 30 hours (though it is unclear how those were spread out during that time).

The man did not himself appear to have a damaged heart, but he certainly had a family history of relatives that did.

Two of his cousins, both girls, had died of 'premature' cardiac problems when they were just teenagers.

But his heart looked fine. Structurally, it was in good shape, and showed no signs of coronary artery disease. Despite complaining of feeling feverish, his temperature was normal.

Even his heart rate was in the range of normal for a man his age, but the rhythm of his heart beat was following the Brugada pattern.

An EKG shows the man's unusual and dangerous heart rhythms, which followed the so-called Brugada pattern that is thought to be responsible for 20 percent of cardiac-related deaths

The Brugada pattern is a rare set of related cardiac symptoms stemming from irregular rhythms in the heart's bottom chambers.

Often the syndrome is inherited and many people are unaware that that their heart isn't beating normally.

'Frequently, sudden death can be the first manifestation of the disease,' according to the National Organization of Rare Diseases.

So, it was cause for immediate concern and curiosity for the doctors treating the man.

But after some time to calm down - and perhaps come down - the man's heart seemed to normalize.

When his doctors tried to use a drug that typically induces the Brugada pattern in patients who have inherited the condition, the irregularities did not come back.

It seemed that it was just weed that had sent the man's heart into such distress.

Just in case his Brugada syndrome was inherited, the man's doctors advised him that it might be worthwhile to get genetic testing. A fever is typically the tell-tale sign of the rare heart condition, so the doctors told the man to rush back to the ER if he developed one.

But otherwise, there was nothing left to do for him, so the doctors sent the man home - and instructed him to lay off the weed.A sixth-grader was able to get a second chance at life after his teacher donated his kidney to him.

Kaden Koebcke, from Powder Springs, Georgia, had been diagnosed with kidney disease at age two.

His first transplant came when he was five years old after his father donated. But, after Kaden's body rejected the organ within less than a week, he was put on dialysis.

By 12 years old, his condition had deteriorated to such an extent that doctors told his family he needed another kidney transplant, again from a living donor.

Doctors warned the Koebckes that it would very hard to find a compatible match because Kaden's body had already rejected a donation once before.

But a Good Samaritan came in the form of Kaden's technology teacher at Grace Christian Academy, William Wilkinson, who said he felt driven to donate after his own son beat kidney failure at two years old.

The 44-year-old decided to get tested, and, when was found to be a match, said he was so excited that he delivered the news to the family himself.

William Wilkinson, 44 (right, with his wife), a technology teacher at Grace Christian Academy in Powder Springs, Georgia, donated his kidney to sixth-grade student Kaden Koebcke (left), 12, who doctors said was in desperate need of a transplant

Kaden was diagnosed at age two with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a disease in which scar tissue forms on the glomeruli, which filters the kidneys. Pictured: Wilkinson and Kaden chat over Skype

When Kaden was two years old, he was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

FSGS is a rare disease in which scar tissue develops on the glomeruli, which filters the kidneys.

The glomeruli filter blood, removing the liquid that turns into urine and leaving behind protein.

The disease can happen on its own without a specified cause, known as Primary FSGS, or can be caused by infection, drugs or conditions such as diabetes, which is called Secondary FSGS.

Symptoms include swelling in the extremities due to fluid buildup in the body, high levels of fat in the blood resulting in high cholesterol, and high levels of protein in the urine and low levels in the blood.

There are few treatments available, but some include steroids to stop your immune system from attacking the glomuerli, ACE inhibitors and ARBs to stop protein loss, and diuretics to flush out the fluid buildup.

If the condition becomes advanced, however, it can result in kidney failure.

According to NephCure Kidney International, approximately 5,400 people are diagnosed with FSGS every year.

Kaden's first transplant occurred when he was five years old, when his father donated the kidney, but his body rejected the new organ.

'[The disease] came back so badly that they had to remove it within five days of them putting it in, so that definitely didn't go as planned,' Kaden told Fox 5 Atlanta.

Kaden's first transplant occurred when he was five years old, when his father donated the kidney, but his body rejected the new organ. Kaden (left and right) had been on dialysis ever since and doctors told his family he was in need of a transplant from a living donor

Wilkinson said his biggest driving factor in deciding to see if he was a match was remembering how his own son beat kidney failure at age two

Ever since then, Kaden had been on dialysis - first at home and then three times a week at a clinic as his condition grew worse.

Because of the severity of his disease, Kaden was unable to accept a deceased donor's kidney and needed a living donor, promoting the family to create a Facebook page titled Kaden's Kidney Search.

Kidneys transplanted from a deceased donor don't typically last as long as those from a living donor.

Deceased donor kidneys last about 10 years while living donor kidney last betwwen 15 and 20 years, according to Barnes Jewish Hospital.

However, it harder to find a match after already beginning dialysis, like Kaden, and when you've rejected an organ before.

In May, doctors contacted the Koebckes to let them know that a match had been found, but they were unable to know the donor's identity due to HIPPA laws.

After the school year ended in June, Wilkinson paid a visit to the family's home to check on Kaden and to reveal that he knew who the donor was.

'He said: "Well, do you guys really wanna know?"' Kaden's mother, Cami, told Fox 5.

'And we said: "Yeah, we wanna know, we wanna thank him. And he's like: "Well, it's me." And I mean it just, it was unbelievable.'

Wilkinson had been a close friend of the family's for years. His son and Kaden are in the same grade and attended Cub Scouts together, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Kaden said he was so overcome with emotion after finding out there was a match that he almost started crying, and added that he was excited to end dialysis. Pictured: Kaden, far right, with his parents and sister

Both surgeries took place on Tuesday and the families say that both Kaden and Wilkinson are recovering well

But according to Wilkinson, the biggest driving factor was that his own son once suffered from kidney failure.

'My son was actually in kidney failure when he was two-and-a-half,' he told Fox 5. 'So, I remember being in that position as a parent wanting someone to help.'

Kaden said he was so overcome with emotion after finding out there was a match that he almost started crying and added that he ws excited to end dialysis.

'I've had to be on dialysis for about 10 years now, and it'd really be awesome to live a normal life and not have to live life hooked up to a machine,' he told Fox 5.

Wilkinson's family told the Journal Constitution that his surgery took place at Emory University Hospital on Tuesday and he will be off work for about six weeks.

Kaden's implant also took place the same day at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston Hospital.

The sixth grader's family posted an update on Facebook that he is recovering well and will remain in the hospital for a few weeks before going home.Tens of thousands of HIV patients could soon be offered a long-lasting jab to control the killer virus and keep AIDS at bay.

Results from a landmark trial show the monthly injection is as effective as the daily cocktail of pills patients currently take.

Experts claim replacing the daily regimen of three or more antiretroviral (ART) pills with a jab will improve compliance.

The year-long Phase III trial - the final hurdle faced before treatments can be licensed - was carried out by an Irish drug firm and involved HIV patients from 13 countries.

Charities estimate nearly 37 million adults and children across the world have HIV, including at least 100,000 in the UK.

Results from a landmark trial show the monthly injection is as effective as the daily cocktail of pills patients currently take (stock)

The lethal virus progressively damages the cells in the immune system, weakening the body's ability to fight infections.

Left untreated, this leads to AIDS  the collective name for a series of deadly infections which the weakened immune system cannot tackle.

The jab - which has to be administered by a nurse or doctors at present - contains two ART drugs, cabotegravir and rilpirivine.

The new ATLAS trial was a Phase III, the final testing hurdle before a new drug or treatment can be licensed for use on humans.

Nearly 620 patients with suppressed HIV from 13 countries were given a three-pill standard treatment, before switching to the monthly jab.

HIV TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION You can get or transmit HIV only through specific activities, most commonly through sexual behaviors and needle or syringe use. The FDA has approved more than two dozen antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV infection. They're often broken into six groups because they work in different ways. Doctors recommend taking a combination or 'cocktail' of at least two of them. Called antiretroviral therapy, or ART, it can't cure HIV, but the medications can extend lifespans and reduce the risk of transmission. 1) Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) NRTIs force the virus to use faulty versions of building blocks so infected cells can't make more HIV. 2) Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs) NNRTIs bind to a specific protein so the virus can't make copies of itself. 3) Protease Inhibitors (PIs) These drugs block a protein that infected cells need to put together new copies of the virus. 4) Fusion Inhibitors These drugs help block HIV from getting inside healthy cells in the first place. 5) CCR5 Antagonist This stops HIV before it gets inside a healthy cell, but in a different way than fusion inhibitors. It blocks a specific kind of 'hook' on the outside of certain cells so the virus can't plug in. 6) Integrase Inhibitors These stop HIV from making copies of itself by blocking a key protein that allows the virus to put its DNA into the healthy cell's DNA. Advertisement

ViiV Healthcare, the pharmaceutical firm behind the trial, today claimed the injection met its primary goal of long-term viral suppression.

Effectiveness at keeping HIV suppressed was similar between the jab and the three-pill-a-day treatment over a period of 48 weeks.

Dr John Pottage, chief scientific and medical officer at ViiV Healthcare, suggested future versions of the jab could be self-injected.

He said: This novel approach is another step towards potentially reducing the treatment burden for people living with HIV.

The long-acting injection may offer an alternative to daily pills for patients whose HIV is already suppressed, Dr Pottage added.

He said, if the jab was to be approved, HIV treatment would be changed from 365 dosing days per year to just 12.

Medical advances mean once a patients HIV is deemed undetectable, they can even have unprotected sex without fear of passing it on.

ViiV Healthcare, based in Brentford, is owned by drug companies GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Shionogi and specialises in HIV treatment.

It is developing the HIV jab in collaboration with Janssen Sciences Ireland, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of drug and consumer product companies.

UNAIDS last month warned the fight in controlling AIDS was at a 'precarious point' and that the AIDS epidemic risks resurging and spiraling out of control.

HIV infections must be limited to 500,000 per year globally by 2020 to achieve the UN goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

But last year's 1.8 million new infections showed unless something 'completely drastic' happened, officials will remain far away from this target, the body said.

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.Customers of Lloyds Bank face severe cuts to their Avios air miles credit card perks that could cost them thousands of pounds worth of free flights and bonuses.

The bank's popular flights reward scheme, which is used by hundreds of thousands of customers, is being overhauled.

Lloyds is replacing its five Avios credit cards with a single card that offers fewer points for every pound you spend.

Fewer points for pounds spent: Lloyds is replacing its five Avios credit cards with a single card

It means customers will no longer qualify for free British Airways flights for their partners, upgrades to business class or fee-free spending on holiday.

Money Mail analysis shows in the worst cases, families will be thousands of pounds worse off.

For instance, under the current scheme, a family who put their entire annual spending on their Avios cards could accrue enough points and perks in one year to pay for flights worth 2,219.

If they spent the same amount on the new scheme, they wouldn't even build up enough points for a short-haul flight to Europe.

The reward on the new card is so measly by comparison that the family would need to wait twice as long to amass the same number of points.

Lloyds is sending customers letters telling them that they will be switched to its new Avios Rewards Mastercard. The change happens two months after the date on your letter.

Customers will keep any Avios points they have already accrued, which will be transferred to the new card.

Those who currently have Lloyds Premier Duo Avios cards or Avios Rewards cards can keep racking up points towards free companion tickets or cabin upgrades until their next card anniversary, determined by the date they took out the card.

They then have until the following anniversary to redeem the perks.

Any direct debits will be transferred, but standing orders will need to be updated with new card details.

The five cards that Lloyds is scrapping are: the Duo Avios Card, the Premier Duo Avios Card, the Avios Rewards Card, Premier Avios Rewards Card and the Choice Rewards Card

The changes by Lloyds are the latest blow to credit card holders after dozens of cutbacks on rewards and points by most banks in the past three years.

Cuts have largely been caused by the introduction of EU rules in 2015 that capped the amount card companies could charge retailers when their customers made transactions in stores.

Rachel Springall, of the data firm Moneyfacts, says: 'Existing Lloyds Bank customers will likely be furious that the generous perks will now be cut.

'Luckily, existing customers won't lose any of their points in the move, so they would be wise to assess whether it's worth keeping the card or not, but there are limited other options to replace it.'

Andrew Hagger, of personal finance site MoneyComms, says: 'It's another nail in the coffin for rewards-based credit cards.'

The five cards that Lloyds is scrapping are: the Duo Avios Card, the Premier Duo Avios Card, the Avios Rewards Card, Premier Avios Rewards Card and the Choice Rewards Card.

In all cases, customers get an American Express (Amex) card as well as a Mastercard version  this is because some stores do not accept Amex.

However, you earn points at different rates on each card. The most popular deal is the fee-free Duo Avios Card.

You get one Avios point per 1 spent on the Amex card and 0.2 points per 1  or one point for every 5 spent  on the Mastercard.

Spending overseas earns double points, but there is a 2.95 per cent transaction fee.

If a family of five put their entire year's 18,000 spending on the cards  split 13,500 on the Amex and 4,500 on the Mastercard  and also spent 2,000 on the card on holiday, they would build up 18,400 Avios points, according to calculations by Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website Head for Points.

That would pay for one economy return flight to Lisbon worth 325, or two economy return flights to Paris next month worth 598. You'd still need to pay airport fees, taxes and carrier charges.

Customers will no longer get an American Express (Amex) card - only a Mastercard

Once customers are switched to the new, fee-free Avios Rewards Mastercard, they will no longer be given an Amex card to use alongside the Mastercard.

But the amount of points you get for spending on the Mastercard will rise from 0.2 to 0.4 per 1.

The family of five who spent the same 18,000 on the card would build up 7,200 Avios points  less than the 9,000 points you need for a return short-haul flight to a European destination.

It would take more than two years to build up the same 18,400 points they previously amassed in a year.

Losses are worse for customers who currently hold the Premier Duo Avios, Avios Rewards Card or Premier Avios Rewards Card.

The Premier Duo Avios Card costs 50 a year, but offers more points for your spend. On the Amex, you earn 1.25 points per 1, and 0.25 points per 1 on the Mastercard, plus double points on foreign spending.

You also get a free companion seat on an economy British Airways flight when you spend 15,000 in a year (to get the free flight, you need to buy a full-priced ticket using Avios points).

For example, you could take your partner to New York on a flight worth 569, only paying the airport taxes and charges. This will not be available with the new Avios Rewards Mastercard.

In the worst case, the changes mean customers who hold the Premier Avios Rewards Card face losing more than 2,000 worth of perks.

As well as losing the generous 1.5 points per 1 on Amex and 0.3 per 1 on Mastercard on their existing card, they lose a potential cabin upgrade for spending more than 5,000 in a year and a free companion seat for spending more than 12,000 in a year.

Cuts have largely been caused by the introduction of EU rules in 2015

Altogether, that could currently take the family of five to 25,600 points in a year  whereas in future, they will get 7,200 points.

As well as a companion flight worth as much as 569, the cabin upgrade could be worth as much as 1,254 if you upgraded from Premium Economy to Business Class on a return flight to Dubai.

Both Avios Rewards and Premier Avios Rewards cardholders will also lose fee-free overseas spending, although they will not have to pay the annual fee they currently face.

Mr Burgess says customers may consider replacing some of their lost perks by taking out other credit cards.

He also suggests getting a separate card that doesn't charge foreign exchange fees.

He says: 'The real losers are solo travellers who could use the Lloyds Avios Rewards annual upgrade voucher to travel in Business Class cheaply.

'It was less useful for a couple, who were more likely to have a British Airways American Express card, which offers a 2-4-1 Avios voucher valid in all classes.'

Lloyds says: 'American Express is discontinuing its existing licensing arrangements in the UK. Those who hold an American Express credit card with Lloyds Bank will see their product replaced by a Mastercard.'

a.murray@dailymail.co.ukWould you buy a Chinese car in the next two years?

It's a question British motorists will soon have to ask themselves with the first Chinese brand arriving in the country in 2020.

And industry insiders have predicted that more Chinese-made motors will be arriving in Europe soon, with the country building more cars than any other in recent years.

Made in China: Bosses at Jaguar Land Rover and VW predict that models built for the Chinese market will soon be sold in Europe as the quality of vehicles improves in the Far East. From 2020, Britons will be able to buy Lynk & Co models, built by Geely motors

In interviews with Auto Express, bosses at Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen have forecast models built for the Chinese market will be sold in Europe soon.

China overtook the US in 2009 to become both the biggest car maker and market, selling 13.6million units that year and producing 13.8million passenger and commercial vehicles during those 12 months.

Those figures have almost doubled since, with around 28.8million vehicles sold in the country last year - and now one in every four new cars assembled globally being made in China.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) - which partners with US automaker General Motors and MG Motors in the UK - produced almost 7million cars alone in 2017. That is four times as many that were made in the UK in total.

This incredible rate of growth could soon see Chinese-made motors filtering into our showrooms - especially those built by European brands specifically for the Far East market.

In an interview with Auto Express, Jaguar Land Rover technical director Dr Wolfgang Zeibart said there was a 'very high chance' China could export its cars soon.

'The market is growing too fast for it to happen now, but in the future I can see it,' he said.

'Production costs are lower and so are the components, and the quality is very good.'

The improved product is testament to the rapid growth of home-grown brands in the country, as well as increased production of models by recognised European brands.

This is the best-selling car in China for the last few years. It's called the Wuling Hong Guang and it is a practical MPV for large families

Two Volkswagen models made specifically for the Chinese market are in the top 10 best sellers in the country. This includes the Lavida (left) at number 3 and the Sagitar (right) at number 10

The best-selling model in China last year was the Wuling Hong Guang, with 533,950 registered last year.

The top 10 most popular list also included two Volkswagens, a Toyota and one Nissan - as well a US-branded Buick.

10 best-selling cars in China in 2017 1. Wuling Hong Guang - 533,950 2. Haval H6 - 506,418 3. Volkswagen Lavida - 457,959 4. Buick Excelle - 416,990 5. Nissan Sylphy - 405,854 6. Geely Boyue (X7 Sport)  386,885 7. Baojun 510 - 363,949 8. Trumpchi GS4 - 335,467 9. Toyota Corolla - 333,485 10. Volkswagen Sagitar - 332,733 Source: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM)

VW's sales and marketing boss, Jurgen Stackmann, told the popular car title: 'You will see cars from us in the next two years that will only be sold in China, but people elsewhere will also want them.

'The market size allows us to come up with larger sub-segmentation compared to regions like Europe, and we are looking at bringing cars from China into Europe.'

MG Motors is currently the largest importer of Chinese-made cars into the UK, selling models like the MG3, MG GS and MG ZS.

Some 4,441 MG models were registered last year, which was almost on par with Alfa Romeo.

In two year's time, it will be joined by more Chinese cars in Britain, in the shape of Lynk & Co models that will be sold from 2020.

This is a new brand owned by Chinese giant Geely, which is also the parent company of Volvo and Lotus.

However, instead of importing models built at the 1.4billion headquarters in Zhangjakou, China, models sold in Europe will be made at Volvos plant in Ghent, Belgium.

The 01 - a compact SUV that shares a platform with the award winning Volvo XC40, which is built in the same factory - will be the first to arrive.

It will be followed by a smaller 02 crossover and the 03 saloon.

MG sold just short of 5,000 new models last year, which was on par with Alfa Romeo

The Lynk & Co 01 - based on the same platform as the Volvo XC40 - will soon be available in Europe

The brand will also launch an 03 saloon car, seen here in concept form

What do the best-selling cars in China look like?

We've already seen the Wuling Hong Guang, the most-bought car in China last year, and the two Volkswagen models that feature in the top 10 - but what about the rest?

Here are the cars selling like hotcakes - or Mandarin pancakes - in China:

The Haval H6 is a roomy family 4x4 that would easily go undetected among the European SUVs currently dominating sales in the UK

The Buick Excelle is available in China as both a saloon and hatchback. It's proving to be a popular choice

Probably not the most fortunate of names for this one, but the Nissan Sylphy looks like a fairly practical family saloon. There's an electric version due to hit the market this year

Geely is making use of the knowledge it has inherited from Volvo to make a range of decent SUVs, including the Boyue

The Baojun 510 is a practical compact SUV that looks like a mix of a Ford EcoSport and Audi Q2. It only went on sale in China last year and managed to make it into the top 10 best sellers

This is the manufacturer you're most likely to remember - Trumpchi. While the brand name is comedy, the GS4 is no laughing matter - it's a hugely popular family-size 4x4In July 2016, my husband bought some nail clippers from Amazon on his credit card for 9.99. On August 3, 79 was also taken from his account. We could not understand why  we had never dealt with Amazon before.

He had to go into hospital shortly afterwards and died on November 8. All his bank details were cancelled.

I have tried to claim this 79 back with phone calls, but Amazon says it will only refund against his credit card. I explained that this was cancelled when he died and asked that it paid the money into my bank account, as I do not have any credit cards. But it has refused to do this.

J. S., Coventry.

Our reader's late husband inadvertently signed up to Amazon Prime after buying nail clippers

Tony replies: Many people rave about Amazon's good customer service. But it certainly dropped the ball this time.

Your husband inadvertently signed up to Amazon Prime, which offers free priority delivery on certain items, plus a music and movies service, for a 79 annual fee. It's a decent deal if you use those services  but he's not the first to sign up accidentally.

Supplying you with a refund should have been a simple affair.

But Amazon has a bizarre method of dealing with such cases, whereby a refund is made to the account the payment was made from. If this bounces back, it will then write to the customer, asking for details of where the refund can be sent.

This is far too onerous for bereaved people  especially elderly ones  and is a clear case of an internet giant designing systems that suit it, rather than considering what would be best for its customers.

While I am on the subject, Amazon also has a high-handed policy of not discussing individual cases with the likes of me, even where written permission is given. Just who do they think they are?

Why do they think when they have mistreated customers, they should be able to avoid making a public statement on the issue?

Amazon has now apologised to you and finally paid you the 79 refund, sending you a hamper as a further apology.

Straight to the point In March, I got a letter from British Gas saying that if I fixed my tariff until 2019, I'd receive a 50 gift card. But it is now July and I haven't received it. J. A., by email. British Gas has apologised for the delay in the gift card being sent. It has assured you it will be with you in the next 14 days, along with a goodwill gesture. A recent Money Mail referred to new legislation that would permit scam victims to pursue the fraudster's bank for compensation. When is this happening? T. S., by email. The legislation is expected to be introduced in January next year. The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates the industry, has proposed extending the powers of the Financial Ombudsman Service to include complaints about the bank that receives stolen funds. This could include complaints about the outcome decided by the bank or its refusal to respond. The consultation will close on September 26. Last September, I accepted a car cover quote from Saga insurance for 467.82. After ten months of paying by direct debit, I noticed that the cost of the policy has risen to 537.90. Can you investigate? T. P., by email. Saga says that you were quoted 467.82 initially but, as you chose to pay by direct debit, you were charged an extra 50.08 as a 'credit' fee for spreading the cost over the year. It insists that this would have been clearly stated. A policy arrangement fee of 20 would also have been added to the cost, making 537.90 in total. I entered the Hargreaves Lansdown website with a view to setting up an account to buy and sell investments. It asked for my National Insurance number. Is this correct? Should I give this? G. L., by email. Yes, it is correct and this is needed for a number of reasons. Hargreaves Lansdown's Danny Cox says: 'Your National Insurance number is unique and both acts as an identification number to prevent financial crime and, in the case of Isas and pensions, helps confirm your eligibility as a UK resident.'

We booked a Ryanair flight from Bristol to Palma de Mallorca. It was due to leave at 8.45, but was more than three-and-a-half hours late. I completed the EU261 compensation and expense claim form online on August 23 last year.

The next day, I received an email confirming there had been a technical fault with the aircraft and saying that a compensation cheque had been authorised for the equivalent of 250 each (about 460 in total) and would be sent within 14 days.

I did not receive the cheque, so emailed Ryanair in October. The 'claim tracker' showed the claim was closed and paid. I emailed and was told a cheque would be posted within 28 days.

I emailed again in November and December. In January, I completed the form for a 'lost/stolen cheque' to enable the firm to cancel the one posted in August and reissue it. It then said it could not reissue a cheque for technical reasons, but would make the payment by bank transfer. So I sent all of my bank details again.

Since then, I have emailed and web-chatted to customer services almost every month, but still don't have my money.

J. D., Wiltshire.

Delayed: After nearly a whole year of waiting, Ryanair's payment has finally landed

Well, it's almost a year late, but Ryanair's payment has finally landed. When I made contact, it phoned you to promise payment by bank transfer or cheque and you received the money into your account the following day.

I do wonder what goes on in some customer service departments. They waste months of your time and theirs bouncing around emails when they could just pay you what's owed. Then everyone could be happy and move on.

A Ryanair spokesman says: 'A cheque was issued to this customer upon receipt of their claim in August 2017, but was not received by the customer, was cancelled and a bank transfer was processed which also subsequently failed.

'Our customer service team has been in touch with this customer directly to resolve the issue.'

When my husband died seven years ago, his share of our flat was valued at 290,000, so no inheritance tax was payable.

The flat's value has since increased a lot. On my death, will my family qualify for the 650,000 allowance given to married couples or just my tax-free allowance of 325,000?

V. L, London.

If your husband left his entire estate and his share of the flat to you in his will when he died, his estate would not have attracted any inheritance tax liability.

If that is the case, his unused 325,000 tax-free allowance can be added to yours on your death, to take the total to 650,000.

But bear in mind that if you leave the flat to your children, the personal threshold for both you and your husband could rise to 450,000. This is because you get an extra allowance for your main home. That would take the total to 900,000.

It could be even higher by the time your estate is distributed, because the main home allowance is rising.

To get more information on inheritance tax, ring HMRC on 0345 300 3900.

Write to Tony Hazell at Ask Tony,Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email asktony@dailymail.co.uk  please include your daytime phone number, postal address and a separate note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Tony Hazell. We regret we cannot reply to individual letters. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.Passengers stranded by striking Ryanair staff must fight for the compensation theyre owed, experts urge.

Under EU rules, holidaymakers are entitled to up to 536 in compensation if they arrive at their destination more than three hours late.

Ryanair claims it should not have to pay out as the delays are a result of extraordinary circumstances.

Around 100,000 Ryanair passengers have been affected by cabin crew and pilots striking

Aviation watchdog, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), says airlines should pay out when disruptions are caused by their own staff striking.

Around 100,000 Ryanair passengers have been affected by cabin crew and pilots striking across Europe.

Martyn James, from Resolver, an online complaints and claims site, says: The rules are clear. These strikes are not extraordinary circumstances.

Submit a claim at contactform.ryanair.com or call 0330 1007 838. Include flight numbers, booking references and passenger names.

f.parker@dailymail.co.ukRoyal Mail has been fined a record 50million for breaking competition rules.

Regulator Ofcom said its unacceptable behaviour meant mail and parcel senders could have missed out on lower prices.

The ruling followed a complaint from mail delivery service Whistl, which tried to compete against Royal Mail in delivering bulk mail to businesses in 2014.

Fined: Royal Mail was fined after a complaint from mail delivery service Whistl

Ofcom found that Royal Mail effectively tried to penalise Whistl and other potential bulk mail competitors through plans to increase prices for separate wholesale contracts, over which it had a monopoly.

Whistl suspended its plans for bulk delivery and complained to the regulator. The price increases were never introduced.

Jonathan Oxley, Ofcoms competition group director, said: All companies must play by the rules. Royal Mails behaviour was unacceptable.

Royal Mail said it is very disappointed by the largest fine ever dished out by the regulator. It denies breaching competition regulation and plans to appeal.

However, the group also faces the threat of further costs, with Whistl saying it may sue for damage to its business.The co-founder of messaging app WhatsApp who quit over privacy concerns is still turning up to work so he can collect more than 640million in stock awards.

Despite leaving the firm in April, Jan Koum has been forced to pop in to the office of Facebook, WhatsApps parent, in order to qualify for his multi-million pound deal.

Coming to the office every month is a requirement of his entitlement to phased awards of 24.85million restricted shares he was granted when he sold his company to the web giant four years ago.

Despite leaving the firm in April, Jan Koum has been forced to pop in to the office

The 42-year-olds arrangement is part of an astonishing practice known in Silicon Valley as resting and vesting or coasting, when employees are given little work but are allowed to stay at their company to pick up stock awards.

Koum still had 7.1million shares to pick up when he quit. He since received 2.5million in May, worth about 360million at the time. Another 4.6million  worth about 642million at todays prices  will vest in two further tranches in August and November. Koum is last said to have visited Facebook offices in July, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A spokesman for the company refused to comment on his schedule but claimed he was still employed and was working on various projects, as well as helping executives deal with his departure. Koums exit was reportedly linked to tensions between executives at WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy.

Facebook wants access to the data of WhatsApps users to help sell advertising, a move Koum and co-founder Brian Acton are said to have opposed. The pair agreed to sell their business after having dinner at Facebook boss Mark Zuckerbergs house, with the deal making them billionaires overnight. They are later said to have clashed repeatedly with Zuckerberg and operating chief, Sheryl Sandberg, over how to make WhatsApp profitable.

Facebook had originally promised the messaging app would remain independent, but less than two years later it began pressuring WhatsApp to give it access to users phone numbers and other information.

This sparked a standoff with European regulators, who branded a change in conditions, which said users could not use the app unless they handed over data, illegal.

It also ramped up tensions with Koum and Acton, who had previously declared they didnt want their app to become just another ad clearing house.

They are said to have been particularly opposed to introducing targeted ads, a proven but controversial money-maker for Facebook.

Over time, the row deepened and Acton resigned in September. He later became an investor in rival messaging app Signal. Koum announced he was quitting seven months later, telling staff: It is time for me to move on.

He added: Its been almost a decade since Brian and I started WhatsApp, and its been an amazing journey with some of the best people.

Facebook wants access to the data of WhatsApps users to help sell advertising - a move Koum and co-founder Brian Acton are said to have opposed

Writing on Facebook, Zuckerberg replied: Jan, I will miss working so closely with you.

Im grateful for everything youve done to help connect the world, and for everything youve taught me, including about encryption and its ability to take power ... and put it back in peoples hands. Those values will always be at the heart of WhatsApp.

Koum, who is worth more than 7billion, has said he will now spend his time collecting Porsches. His resting and vesting at Facebook is just one example of what is said to be a widespread practice at Californias tech companies.

It was depicted in an episode of US sitcom Silicon Valley, with actor Josh Brener telling Business Insider: Ive actually had a number of people send me pictures of themselves on a roof, kicking back doing nothing, with the hashtag unassigned or rest and vest.

Its something that really happens, and apparently, somewhat often.Americas financial watchdog has sent a writ to Tesla regarding chief executive Elon Musks plan to take the company private.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation relates to Musks claim on Twitter that funding was secured for a buyout, sources told Fox Business.

The tweet may have violated US securities law if it turns out to be untrue, lawyers have said.

The investigation relates to Musks claim on Twitter that funding was secured for a buyout

Tesla has been sent a subpoena, which typically indicates the SEC has opened a formal investigation.

It comes after Musk defended his decision to make the buyout plans public on social media, claiming it was so that smaller investors would get the same information as larger ones.

Lawsuits separately filed against the billionaire allege he was deliberately trying to hurt short-sellers betting Tesla shares would fall, as its share price jumped after his comments. Tesla and the SEC declined to comment.Profits have more than halved at the Australian company behind the botched takeover of DIY chain Homebase.

Wesfarmers said its earnings fell from 1.6billion to 682million in the year to June 30. The blow came after the group, which is behind the popular Bunnings chain in Australia, made a humiliating retreat from the UK.

It originally bought Homebase for 340million in 2016 but in May this year sold it for just 1.

Wesfarmers originally bought Homebase for 340m in 2016 but in May this year sold it for 1

The second deal followed a disastrous overhaul which saw Wesfarmers replace Homebases British management team and alienate customers by ditching familiar kitchen and bathroom ranges.

Homebase is now owned by Hilco Capital but has warned it could collapse unless it strikes a rescue deal with creditors and landlords.

In its full-year results, Wesfarmers said the fiasco had cost it about 794million overall. That included a 210million loss on selling Homebase, after taxes, and 584million on other losses and charges.

A summary of the groups financial performance made only a brief mention of its exit from the UK.District Court Judge Sarah C. Backus (pictured) cleared the way for the release of two men and three women accused of child abuse at a ramshackle desert compound

A judge has received death threats for allowing the release of a family of alleged Muslim extremists accused of child abuse at a ramshackle desert compound in New Mexico.

Court officials condemned threats of violence made against State District Court Sarah Backus who issued the ruling and evacuated several administrative court offices as a precaution on Tuesday.

Lawmakers have also criticized Judge Backus's decision, saying allowing their release 'is absurd' and they should remain in jail pending trial.

Prosecutors have alleged two men and three women kept eleven children at a squalid compound near the Colorado border and trained them to use firearms for an anti-government mission including attacks on policemen and teachers.

Jany Leveille (pictured) sits in court after she was arrested when authorities raided a property and found 11 children living on a squalid compound on the outskirts of tiny Amalia

Defendants (from left) Jany Leveille, Lucas Morton, Siraj Wahhaj and Subbannah Wahhaj enter a district court for a detention hearing after they were charged with child abuse

The squalid compound in Amalia where the remains of a boy were found. The remains, which haven't been positively identified, may resolve the fate of a missing, severely disabled boy

One of the defendants, Jany Leveille, a 35-year-old native of Haiti and mother of six children, was taken into custody by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Tuesday during the compound raid, Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe announced.

Eleven children were taken into custody at the squalid compound near the Colorado border during the raid by authorities on August 3.

When authorities returned three days later they recovered the body of a small boy.

The father of a severely disabled boy who was kidnapped in Georgia will not be released because an arrest warrant has been issued for him in that state.

Backus, an elected Democrat, said her decision to grant release to house arrest, with conditions such as wearing ankle monitors, was tied to recent reforms of the state's pre-trial detention system that set a high bar for incriminating evidence needed to hold suspects without bail.

Defendants Hujrah Wahhaj (left) and Siraj Wahhaj (right) talk during a break in court hearings

Backus said Monday the state failed to provide evidence backing up key allegations in the case.

'The state alleges that there was a big plan afoot but the state hasn't shown to my satisfaction and by clear and convincing evidence what that plan was,' Backus told the courtroom, noting that none of the defendants has a criminal record.

Initiated by a statewide vote in 2016, New Mexico's bail reforms are modeled after similar changes made in New Jersey and under consideration in California that reduce the role of money as a means of ensuring court appearances or making release impossible for potentially dangerous suspects.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, a former district attorney, said Tuesday she 'strongly disagreed' with the judge's decision and renewed her criticism of rules for pre-trial detention that are determined in part by the state Supreme Court.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (center) confers with one of his attorneys on accusations of child abuse and abducting his son from the boy's mother. Authorities are waiting to learn if human remains found were those of Wahhaj's missing son

'You have a person who is training kids to shoot up schools, they have a compound that is like a third-world country,' State Republican Party Chairman Ryan Cangiolosi said.

'There's a child's body on the compound - I believe that allowing them to be released is absurd.'

Medical examiners have yet to determine conclusively whether the body found at the compound outside Amalia was that of Abdul-ghani - the missing son of compound resident Siraj Ibn Wahhaj. Other relatives have said or told authorities that the remains are those of Abdul-ghani.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj provided some of the children with firearms training, including tactical skills such as speed-loading guns and firing while in motion.

Along with rifles, handguns and ammunition, authorities say they found books on being effective in combat and building untraceable assault-style rifles.

An exit tunnel is seen within the squalid makeshift living compound where authorities recovered the body of a small boy

Backus pressed prosecutors for evidence to support allegations that the children were starving at the compound and said prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats or plan against the community

Backus, however, said prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats or plan against the community.

She also pressed prosecutors for evidence to support allegations that the children were starving at the compound.

Administrative court officials say Backus was the target of threats via social media, email and telephone. One caller to the district court in Taos made a death threat, said Barry Massey, a spokesman for the Administrative Office off the Courts.

Agency Director Artie Pepin stressed that the judge's responsibility is to make decisions based on evidence and 'not popular sentiment that may develop from incomplete or misleading information.'

Suspect Siraj Ibn Wahhaj will remain in jail pending a warrant for his arrest in Georgia issued over accusations that he abducted his son, Abdul-ghani, from the boy's mother in December and fled to New Mexico.

Defendant Subbannah Wahhaj (left) looks toward the judge's bench during a court hearing

Three other defendants - Lucas Morton, Subhannah Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj - had yet to be released on Tuesday.

Attorneys for those four defendants say volunteers have come forward to provide a suitable place for them to live as legal proceedings move forward.

Backus set bail at $20,000 with no up-front deposit - just a threat of a fine if defendants break condition of their release.

Court testimony Monday by an FBI agent shed light on the fate of the boy whose body was found.

Agent Travis Taylor said a 15-year-old resident of the compound described attempts to cast demonic spirits the child through a ritual that involved reading passages from the Quran while Siraj Ibn Wahhaj held a hand on the boy's forehead.

The boy apparently died after one of the sessions, Taylor said.The nation's largest legal marijuana market is struggling.

Illicit sales continue to thrive. A shaky supply chain has customers looking at barren shelves in some shops. There are testing problems. And a proposal to allow home marijuana deliveries in cities that have banned pot sales could lead to a courtroom fight.

A Los Angeles hearing Tuesday provided a window into the state's emerging cannabis economy, in which early enthusiasm for broad legal sales has been followed by anxiety and frustration across a swath of the industry.

The state's top marijuana regulator, Lori Ajax, said after the hearing that the state remains in a challenging transition period as it attempts to transform what was once a largely illegal market into a multibillion-dollar, regulated economy.

'Unfortunately, there is confusion out there,' Ajax said.

A bud tender displays a jar of cannabis at the High Times 420 SoCal Cannabis Cup in San Bernardino, California on April 21, 2018. California cities on Monday objected to a proposed change in state rules that they say would allow unchecked home marijuana deliveries in places that have banned local sales

In this Jan. 6, 20128, file photo, JP Noda stocks cannabis at The Apothecarium shortly before the store opened for its first day of recreational marijuana sales in San Francisco

An employee stocks cannabis at a store shortly before its first day of recreational marijuana sales in San Francisco on Jan. 6, 2018

California kicked off broad legal sales on Jan. 1, and since then temporary rules have governed sales, growing and manufacturing of everything from pot-spiked munchies to infused lotions and balms.

The state is now considering changes to those rules, though it's likely to take months before any revisions go into effect.

At the hearing, dozens of marijuana business owners, industry lawyers, activists and consumers each got 90 seconds to tell Ajax what needed to be done to create a more orderly, fair and, hopefully, prosperous marketplace.

The state's top marijuana regulator, Lori Ajax, is pictured above

Over two hours, she heard complaints about big business threatening mom-and-pop shops, a shortage of licenses and various suggestions for revamping testing rules that are intended to ensure the quality of products that reach store shelves.

Others complained about shifting rules for packaging.

A string of speakers focused on a proposed change in state rules that the League of California Cities says would allow unchecked home marijuana deliveries in places that have banned local pot sales.

To its critics, the change would create an unruly world of shady sales, but supporters say too many Californians are cut off from legal pot, even in a state where voters overwhelmingly approved it.

The fledgling legal system has created a patchwork of local laws, with some cities and counties embracing legal cannabis while others have limited sales or outlawed all commercial pot activity. That's created so-called pot deserts, where sales are forbidden.

Marijuana business owners, lawyers and members of the public line up to comment before the state Bureau of Cannabis Control on proposed changes to the nation's largest legal pot market in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018

Mina Layba, from the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, said the proposal would conflict with a local law that bans deliveries. If approved, she said it would undercut licensed shops.

'Who then gets the benefit of taxes from deliveries?' she asked.

The state Bureau of Cannabis Control has said it is merely clarifying what has always been the case: that a licensed pot delivery can be made to 'any jurisdiction within the state.'

But others said the sickly and frail can't travel to make a cannabis purchase, making home delivery essential, especially in places that don't offer legal shops nearby.

'The patients are citizens too. They have rights and they have needs,' said Sarah Armstrong of Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group.A lesbian NYU professor, philosopher and feminist has been suspended by New York University after the school found that she sexually harassed a gay male student.

Nimrod Reitman, 34, accused Avital Ronell, 66, of physically and verbally sexually harassing him for three years, beginning in 2012 while he was a student.

Two year's after graduation Reitman filed a Title IX suit, investigating Ronell's alleged misconduct against Reitman which he says was 'sufficiently pervasive to alter the terms and conditions of [his] learning environment.'

In the Title IX final report, obtained by The New York Times, Reitman revealed dozens of emails in which she referred to him as 'my most adored one,' 'Sweet cuddly Baby,' 'cock-er spaniel,' and 'my astounding and beautiful Nimrod.'

Reitman, who is married to a man, says Ronell kissed and touched him repeatedly, held his hand, forced herself in his bed, would call and email him nonstop and refused to work with him if he did not comply. '

Ronell has vehemently denied the claims against her.

Avital Ronell, 66, a world renowned professor at NYU has been accused by her former student of physically and verbally sexually harassing him

Ronell has had a successful career as an author, chair of Philosophy at the European Graduate School and was recently given the award of Chevalier of Arts and Letters by the French government. Her students have gone on to teach at leading research institutions in the US, France and Germany.

Ronell, a professor of German and Comparative Literature, wrote in a statement to The New York Times: 'Our communications - which Reitman now claims constituted sexual harassment - were between two adults, a gay man and a queer woman, who share an Israeli heritage, as well as a penchant for florid and campy communications arising from our common academic backgrounds and sensibilities.

'These communications were repeatedly invited, responded to and encouraged by him over a period of three years.'

After the investigation found Ronell responsible for sexual harassment, the university made a confidential decision this spring to suspend her for the upcoming school year.

This prompted a group of about 50 scholars and prominent feminists from around the world to send a letter to NYU defending their colleague, who they call 'one of the very few philosopher-stars of this world'.

'Although we have no access to the confidential dossier, we have all worked for many years in close proximity to Professor Ronell,' the professors wrote in a letter posted on a philosophy blog in June. 'We have all seen her relationship with students, and some of us know the individual who has waged this malicious campaign against her.'

Among the names on the letter are Judith Butler, an influential feminist scholars and author of the book 'Gender Trouble', as well as Slavoj Zizek, one of the world's most famous living philosophers .

'We testify to the grace, the keen wit, and the intellectual commitment of Professor Ronell and ask that she be accorded the dignity rightly deserved by someone of her international standing and reputation,' the professors wrote.

Nimrod Reitman says for three years she would force herself in his bed, constantly send emails and call and touch him repeatedly

Their defense is riddled with emphasis on Ronell's achievements, painting her as a victim, attempting to discredit Reitman.

Their cries echo the reaction of those questioning women in the #MeToo movement when they came out against powerful men who are suspected of sexual harassment, such as Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Matt Lauer to name a few.

Earlier this year, Ronell said Reitman is 'comparing me to the most egregious examples of predatory behaviors ascribable to Hollywood moguls who habitually go after starlets.'

Professor of Philosophy and Law at the University of Chicago Law, Brian Leiter, published the text of the letter in his blog, 'Leiter Reports.'

He titled his reaction post toward the letter: 'Blaming the victim is apparently OK when the accused in a Title IX proceeding is a feminist literary theorist.'

Meanwhile, people close to Ronell have said Reitman's initial filing of the complaint came as a 'total shock' to her, especially claims that accused her of 'psychological abuse'.

NYU suspended Ronell for this upcoming school year prompting about 50 of Ronell's colleagues, who consist of feminists and top scholars from around the world, to write a letter to the university defending her

Reitman says the harassment began in the spring of 2012 when Ronell invited him to stay with her in Paris for a few days.

He said she first asked him to read poetry to her while she took a nap, which he thought was a 'red flag', but went along with it as to not 'make a scene'.

Reitman says she then pulled him into her bed.

'She put my hands onto her breasts, and was pressing herself - her buttocks - onto my crotch,' he said. 'She was kissing me, kissing my hands, kissing my torso.'

He says he confronted her the next morning to say her behavior was 'not okay' reminding the 66-year-old that 'you're my advisor'.

Then in the fall of 2012, after Hurricane Sandy wiped out the east coast, Reitman says Ronell showed up at his apartment because her power was out and convinced him to let her stay.

Once she was there, he says she insisted they sleep in the bed together, groping a kissing him each night.

Retiman shared email exchanges between them after the Paris trip with The New York Times.

'I woke up with a slight fever and sore throat,' she wrote. 'I will try very hard not to kiss you - until the throat situation receives security clearance. This is not an easy deferral!'

In July, another email to him: 'Time for your midday kiss. my image during meditation: we're on the sofa, your head on my lap, stroking you forehead, playing softly with yr hair, soothing you, headache gone. Yes?'

Ronell claims that Reitman desperately sought her attention and guidance, while Reitman says he feared negative repercussions to his career if he did not comply.

The Title IX report concluded that there was not enough evidence to find Ronell guilty of sexual assault due to lack of witnesses both in Paris and in Reitman's apartment.

However, the email and text messages were sufficient evidence for inappropriate verbal contact.

Reitman's lawyer said he and his client have drafted a lawsuit against NYU and Ronell.A convicted drug dealer who attempted to flood the streets with tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs has been gloating about his life behind bars.

Almis Maganga was jailed for six years in February after police found more than 34,000 worth of drugs at his home in Hounslow.

But the 21-year-old has been documenting his cushy life behind bars on social media, bragging about using games consoles, drugs, and a smuggled iPhone 7.

He even posts videos of fellow inmates concealing makeshift weapons in their clothes.

This comes as a Freedom of Information request by MailOnline reveals more than 7,000 phones were found in prisons across the UK and Wales in the past two years.

Almis Maganga was jailed for six years in February after police found more than 34,000 worth of drugs at his home in Hounslow

Maganga brags about hiding a tiny 'HMP phone' from guards and shows his Twitter followers how it's done

The inmate boasts he is 'live from HMP' and 'will be out in two and a half [years]'

Phones are used by prisoners to orchestrate revenge attacks, contact terrified victims and fuel drug deals.

Almis Maganga, 21, was jailed for six years

Almis Maganga, who is understood to be serving his time at HMP Wormwood Scrubs in Shepherd's Bush, London, regularly shares pictures and videos with his 1,401 Twitter users.

He was arrested alongside another man and a woman as part of a police operation in which 37,400 worth of drugs and more than 6,000 in cash were seized at an address in Hounslow in November last year.

Police recovered a deadly haul of drugs including heroin (313.48g), crack (33.21g) and cocaine (25.16g), as well as around 893g of the cutting agent phenacetin.

The trio were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on February 23.

But far from turning his life around, Maganga brags about hiding a tiny 'HMP phone' from guards.

So-called 'Beat the BOSS' phones can be bought for as little as 25 but change hands for up to 500 inside jails.

Maganga, 21, has been documenting his cushy life behind bars on social media

Say cheese: The convicted drug dealer poses alongside his fellow inmates and puts the pictures on Instagram

He brags about using games consoles, drugs, and a smuggled iPhone 7

Prisoners appear to have access to social media at the Category B men's prison

Maganga (left) and his friends seem to be enjoying their time behind bars in Shepherd's Bush

He shared one picture of the view from his cell with the caption, 'Penthouse view'

Maganga also brags about the Xbox and games he has in his cell, as well as a sound system and iPhone 7+

Footage shows of fellow inmates concealing makeshift weapons down their trousers

He also posts videos in his dressing gown as he smokes what appear to be drugs in his cell and shows off his chicken and rice dinners.

He poses alongside fellow inmates and shared one picture of the view from his cell with the caption, 'Penthouse view'.

Another video of other prisoners is captioned 'F*****g spice heads' suggesting the drug is rife at the Category B men's prison.

Maganga also brags about the Xbox and games he has in his cell, as well as a sound system and iPhone 7+.

Alex Mayes, spokesperson for independent charity Victim Support told MailOnline: 'While it is vital that prisoners are able to make phone calls legitimately, the knowledge that some perpetrators have access to illicit phones could be distressing for victims.

'Victims could be left feeling vulnerable knowing that the perpetrator may have access to social media and therefore potentially see photos of them, locate their whereabouts or even contact them or their family and friends. This should never be allowed to happen.'

In the operation which saw Maganga sent to jail, police recovered a deadly haul of drugs including heroin, crack and cocaine, as well as the cutting agent phenacetin (pictured)

He captioned this photograph taken in Hounslow, 'When I was living my best life last summer'

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'We won't tolerate this behaviour and prisoners face an extra two years behind bars for using a social media account in prison.

'We have closed over one thousand social media accounts since 2016 and invested 2 million to detect and block mobile phones to prevent them being set up in the first place.'

Thousands of mobile phones are smuggled into prisons - as government invests 7 MILLION on in-cell telephones

More than 7,041 phones were found in men and women's prisons across England and Wales between January 2016 and July 2018, a MailOnline Freedom of Information request has revealed.

They change hands for vast sums, costing between 400 and 1,000 just to borrow.

Some 84 were found in mail rooms, more than 5,349 were found in outdoor areas and more than 1,608 in reception areas.

Prisons with the highest rate of phone discoveries include the G4S-operated HMP Altcourse.

Between January 2016 and March this year more than 487 mobiles were confiscated from outdoor areas at the Category B men's prison and Young Offenders Institution in Merseyside.

Last November, HMP Guys Marsh, a category C training and resettlement prison in Dorset, hit the headlines when the Daily Mail published shocking pictures posted by partying inmates on Facebook which blew the lid on their cushy life behind bars

Meanwhile 227 phones were found in inmates' possession at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale, 301 at HMP Forest Bank in Pendlebury near Manchester and 325 at HMP Humber.

In England and Wales, there were an average of nine discoveries per 100 prisoners in 2011, which rose to at least 18 per 100 prisoners in 2017 - the equivalent of one in six.

And 527 social media accounts were deleted in 2017 - up from 462 in 2016 - after they were updated by prisoners exploiting lax security.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice told MailOnline: 'These statistics show that we are successfully stopping mobile phones from entering the prison estate.

'We are taking decisive action to bolster security, including investing 7m in new measures such as airport-security style scanners and phone-blocking technology.'

However victim charities have hit out at the government's decision to spend 7million on in-cell telephones, saying it 'undermines victims' confidence in the criminal justice system.'

The technology is already in place at 20 establishments and plans are under way to extend the scheme to another 20 over the next two years.Former Melbourne school principal accused of child sex crimes, Malka Leifer, is fit to face an extradition hearing in Israel.

Jerusalem's chief psychiatrist recommended to an Israeli court on Tuesday that Leifer was fit for the hearing, the ABC reports.

'Big sigh of relief!' Dassi Erlich, who has accused Leifer of abusing her, posted on her Facebook page.

Former Melbourne school principal accused of child sex crimes, Malka Leifer (pictured, right), has been deemed fit to face an extradition hearing in Israel

Ms Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 and has been fighting extradition since 2014. She is wanted on 74 counts of child sex abuse

'It's been 4 years since she has been arrested, it is time to finally have an extradition trial!'

Dassi Erlich and her two sisters Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper allege they were sexually abused by Ms Leifer at Melbourne's ultra-orthodox Jewish Adass Israel Girls School between 2003 and 2006.

Victorian police want to bring the 54-year-old, who was arrested in Israel in February, back to Australia to face 74 charges of child sexual abuse.

Ms Leifer was captured in more than 200 hours of footage visiting shops and socialising with others in Immanuel, Israel, despite claims that she was unable to communicate and mentally unfit to stand trial.

'She was claiming that she was, in the lawyer's words in Israel, a ''sack of potatoes''. She was claiming that she wasn't able to understand what was going on, she wasn't able to have basic human interactions; she needed a carer for her daily living,' Dassi Elrich said.

Alleged victim of the sex crimes, Dassi Erlich, shared the news on her Facebook page: 'Dassi Erlich; Beyond a Survivor'

A water bottle with a camera inside was used to film Ms Leifer in part an investigation that was carried out by anti-child abuse organisation Jewish Community Watch.

The footage led to Ms Leifer's arrest after it was given to Israeli police in February.

The accused paedophile and mother of eight was filmed speaking on the phone, catching the bus, shopping and buying toys for her grandchildren.

She will next appear in court on November 14, when it is expected Leifer's lawyers will challenge two reports that recommend she stand for the hearing.

Ms Leifer is currently being held in an Israeli high security women's prison.

Nicole Meyer (pictured), the sister of Dassi Erlich, claims Ms Leifer - a mother of eight - sexually abused her while she was a studentA mother who was jailed in Dubai for drinking a glass of wine on a flight from London has told for the first time the full story of her harrowing ordeal.

Dr Ellie Holman revealed how she was spat at, had her hair pulled and feared she would be raped while being held at a prison for three days. Since returning, she has been the target of smear stories and been trolled online, she said.

The 44-year-old, who was locked up with her four-year-old daughter, describes her treatment in Dubai as 'inhuman', with the ordeal leaving her exhausted and taking anti-anxiety medicine.

'The last four weeks have been hell for me and my family,' she told MailOnline. 'I left to go on a holiday with my youngest daughter to a country I loved visiting and ended up in jail.

Dr Ellie Holman, 44, a registered dentist who now works as a private Botox specialist

Ellie was jailed in Dubai for drinking a glass of wine on a flight from London

She was imprisoned with her four-year-old daughter Bibi, pictured, for three days

Ellie is greeted by her partner Gary at Gatwick after being being released from a Dubai prison

Ellie is met by her children Bibi, four, Noah, eight, and Suri, nine, after she was released

Ellie and her daughter holding the roses she was given as an apology when she was released

'Nothing had prepared me for what happened, but my survival instinct kicked in and for my daughter's sake I had to be strong.

'It is like an out-of-body experience. I still can't believe that I spent three days in jail. I have never been in trouble in my life and yet here I was sharing a cell block with 30 other women. It is unreal. I feel like I will wake up from a bad nightmare.'

The registered dentist, who now works as an aesthetics specialist providing Botox injections and other treatments, was finally released on Sunday.

She had an emotional reunion with her fiance Gary and three young children at Gatwick Airport that night after the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, intervened and ordered her release.

Born in Iran and brought up in Sweden, Ellis has lived in Britain for almost 20 years and is engaged to be married to a Briton.

As well as the three days in jail, she spent almost a month living under house arrest in the conservative Arab kingdom, uncertain of her future after being told she may have to wait a year for a court hearing.

'I was desperately missing my children and all I could think about was when I would see them again,' she said.

Now safely back at the family home in Sevenoaks, Kent, the mother-of-three agreed to speak to MailOnline to set the record straight about her arrest and detention.

Before she flew home, the Dubai Government gave her a bunch of flowers and fast food for the children. They also paid for her flight home.

However, they also issued a statement claiming she had used an out-of-date passport to enter the country, swore at officials and filmed them on her mobile phone.

The Government made no mention of the charge of drinking, which made headlines around the world. They also said Ellie had been deported.

There have since been reports in the state-owned press that she gave illegal Botox treatments in the UAE in the past, something that she dismisses as a smear.

When she was arrested she was simply arriving for a five-day holiday with her youngest daughter, she said, and in the past had only given treatments to friends.

The Emerati authorities made no mention of the allegations of illegal treatments during her case, she added.

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said: 'Dubai's government-controlled media has tried to distract the public from the core issue of the charges that were laid upon Ellie.'

The beautician said: 'They have lied to save face but all I have ever done is tell the truth. I accept my big mistake was to film the immigration officer. I now realise that was stupid and I should not have done that.

'But did that really warrant being jailed for three days with my daughter, being spat at and having my hair pulled?'

Since we first highlighted her plight, she has been bombarded with vile messages on social media from people mostly living in Dubai who accused her of lying, she said.

Ellie speaking exclusively to MailOnline from her home in Kent after she was set free

Ellie poses with her family at Gatwick after MailOnline's coverage helped secure her release

A touching picture uploaded by Ellie when she arrived back in the UK after her ordeal

Speaking at home in Kent, Ellie said: 'The last four weeks have been hell for me and my family'

Prison was last thing on Ellie's mind on July 13th when she flew from Gatwick on an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai for a five-day break.

On the eight-hour flight she was offered a single glass of red wine to accompany her in-flight meal.

'I enjoy a glass of wine with my meal and accepted it from the cabin crew. That was the only alcohol I had on the flight. I've flown to Dubai a dozen times and had a drink on the flight.

'Everyone else on the flight was drinking with their meal. It is what happens.'

At Dubai International airport, she handed over her Iranian passport at the immigration desk. The officer's computer told him that her visa had already been used two months earlier, which Ellie acknowledges was her mistake.

He advised Ellie to get a transit visa, which would allow her to stay in the country for the duration of her five-day trip.

But then a different immigration officer took one look at her Iranian passport and told her: 'You get a ticket and go on a flight home.'

Ellie said: 'I did not swear and told him I was told I could get a transit visa. He just refused to listen and he was so close I could feel his spit on my face. He was jabbing a finger in my face and was rude and aggressive.

I didn't know how long I would be in prison, but I had to be strong for Bibi and not show that I was afraid Dr Ellie Holman

'He looked at me as if I was like the dirt under his shoes, and I think it was because I was from Iran. If it had been a European woman he might not have reacted in the same way.'

Ellie said she became afraid so she used her mobile phone to film the immigration officer. This inflamed the situation further.

Within seconds, she was surrounded by up to 20 others. One of the men asked her if she consumed any alcohol on the flight.

'I was being honest and told him about the glass of wine. That was it. He just said you are drunk. I told him I'd had one glass, but he would not listen.'

Ellie's phone was taken away and she was told she had been arrested for consuming alcohol, swearing at an official and illegally filming.

'I never swear in front of my children. I had my four-year-old daughter with me and I would never use bad language in front of her.

'People in Britain film police all the time. I was doing it for my own protection.'

Before she knew it, she was surrounded by more than a dozen officers who physically lifted her up and carried her to a cell while her weeping daughter trailed behind.

'My feet were off the ground,' she said. 'Someone spat at me and they were pulling at my hair. I was terrified and crying. Bibi was behind me and she was crying.

'It was awful and all I could think of was why I did not take up the offer to buy a ticket and go home. I kept on thinking, "what have I done?". All I could think off was poor Bibi and how confused and frightened she must be.'

The pair were held in a cell and denied any food or water. Bibi was refused permission to use a toilet and was forced to urinate on the floor.

After some time, a sympathetic guard allowed Ellie to contact her friend who was waiting in the arrivals hall and let her know she had been arrested.

Several hours later, Ellie and Bibi were taken to a police station where she was asked to take a breathalyser test.

'A woman said to me that I was going to jail whether I refused to take the test or took it,' she said. 'I knew then I was in big trouble and I was scared. They would not listen to me and had already made up their minds.'

Ellie's UAE visa which she tried to use to enter the country before she was detained by police

Ellie is presented with flowers and a teddy bear by her partner Gary on her arrival at Gatwick

Ellie poses for the camera with her children. She said: 'They had already made up their minds'

'As we drove through the prison gates, that was when it hit me that I was in trouble,' she said

Knowing she had had only a single glass of wine, Ellie took the breathalyser.

'I demanded to see the result but they refused and took me to prison,' she said. 'I now know it was 0.04 per cent, which is half the drink drive limit. That was what I had.

'As we drove through the prison gates, that was when it really hit me that I was in trouble. Until then I thought they would let me go, put us on a plane and that would be the end of it. I kept hoping that was what was going to happen.'

Instead, she was shown to a cell containing four bunk beds. The toilets were holes in the ground and she said the entire place was 'hot and foul smelling'.

They were kept in prison for three days. Each day at 5am, she and Bibi were woken with the other prisoners and forced to attend a roll call in which they had to shout out their names.

'There was no air conditioning in the cells, so the 30 women on the block would drag their mattresses out and sleep in the canteen area,' Ellie said. After that, her survival instinct kicked in.

'I didn't know how long I would be in prison, but I had to be strong for Bibi and not show that I was afraid,' she said.

'A pregnant woman told me how she had been raped while being held in the prison. I feared it could happen to me, but thankfully with Bibi with me all the time nothing occurred.

'The guards always referred to me as "that Iranian woman". They never used my name but just that I was Iranian. I know the two countries do not get on and I think that played big part in what happened.'

Ellie said the other woman, some of whom had overstayed their visas, showed her and Bibi kindness that help soften the blow of their time in jail.

'The food was disgusting but they used money to buy Bibi crisps and left them under the mattress for her,' she said. 'I cannot thank them enough for the kindness they showed.

'Bibi doesn't like spicy food but the only thing she had to eat was a pot noodle with chilli.

'She was so hungry she ate the noodles but after each mouthful would take a drink of water. It was heartbreaking to watch her doing that but she was so hungry she had to eat.'

Ellie's partner Gary flew to Dubai and contacted the British consul to try and secure her release.

'The consul made all the right noises but they were useless,' said Ellie. 'The Swedish embassy were also useless and did not want to help.'

I cannot thank MailOnline enough for helping me come back home Dr Ellie Holman

Ellie was eventually allowed out of prison but kept under house arrest at a property belonging to a friend. She was told to hire a lawyer. Gary flew back to their home in Kent with Bibi, who was reunited with her brother Noah, eight, and Suri, nine.

Ellie stayed at a friend's villa alone while her lawyer said he would work on getting the charges against her dropped.

She was told that if she paid 40,000 to the immigration official she was said to have sworn at, the case would be annulled.

'I stopped using the lawyer and contacted the Detained in Dubai group to see if they could help,' said Ellie.

After MailOnline publicized Ellie's plight last Thursday, she received a telephone call telling her the country's ruler would sort out the problem.

She also received an apology and told she could leave on the first available flight back to the UK.

'I cannot thank MailOnline enough for helping me come back home. Without the story being publicized and taken up by other media I might still be there,' she said.

The experience of the past month has left Ellie needing anti-anxiety medication. She said Bibi is now too afraid to sleep on her on but is otherwise seemingly unscarred by her prison ordeal.

'I used to love going to Dubai where I have many friends, but I will never go back,' said Ellie.

'If I had known I could be arrested for having a single drink on the plane then I would never have touched a drop.'

The NGO Detained in Dubai said: 'Laws regarding alcohol are very confusing in Dubai and that is the problem. It is not illegal to drink in a licensed premises, such as a hotel, but as soon as you step out in public you can be arrested for having consumed alcohol or if you are deemed to be drunk.

'Elle was not drunk or aggressive. Her arrest highlights an issue that is an ongoing risk to travelers. Tourists can be charged with having alcohol in their bloodstream in public. They should be aware that they could be arrested the minute they leave for having alcohol in their blood.'Chilean officials frustrated with the slow pace of investigations into the country's sex abuse scandal have demanded the Vatican hand over vital documents.

Yesterday, as local prosecutors raided yet another office of the Roman Catholic Church in Santiago, the Chilean government told the Vatican it needed documents related to sex abuse accusations against nine clergy members.

The demand coincided with Tuesdays release of a grand jury report which revealed that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania have molested more than 1,000 children and senior church officials, including the now archbishop of Washington, D.C., systematically covered up the abuse.

The 800-page Pennsylvania report refers to more than 300 priests in six diocese where children were raped, plied with alcohol, or forced to perform for clergymen to produce pornographic material since the mid-1950s.

Members of the media wait outside the headquarters of the Catholic Church's Episcopal Conference after authorities raided the building in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, August 14

National prosecutor Jorge Abott, centre, is pictured above with regional prosecutors Raul Guzman, left, and Emiliano Arias, right, in Santiago, Chile

In Chile, several offices of senior church figures have recently been raided as prosecutors search for evidence of accusations of sexual abuse by clergy not reported to the civilian police, and evidence of cover-ups.

Tuesday's raid by investigating prosecutors and Chile's equivalent of the FBI took place at one of the most important buildings of the Chilean church in the capital of Santiago.

They searched the offices of the Episcopal Conference, the Church leadership in Chile, looking for evidence of accusations made about members of the Marist Brothers religious community.

Prosecutor Raul Guzman told reporters yesterday that police had collected documents and computers from the Episcopal Conference and had begun to sift through everything.

A man - unrelated to the case - leaves the headquarters of the Catholic Church's Episcopal Conference after authorities raided the building in Santiago, Chile on, August 14

He told the local media that investigators were collecting information to help identify victims.

After leaving the Episcopal Office headquarters, the investigators went to the offices of the Marist order and also collected information there, according to Alejandro Pena, an attorney for the order.

The investigation is focused on more 38 accusations of abuse committed against former students at schools run by the Marists, who are religious brothers, not priests.

There are 73 people in total under investigation and 104 victims, most of whom were minors at the time of the alleged abuse.

In a statement, seven of the complainants said: 'We feel profound satisfaction at seeing the advance of investigations needed to do justice.'

They noted that there had been suspicions of attempts to destroy or hide documents - an allusion to a previous raid on a diocese where investigators found church workers trying to destroy documents.

Earlier this month, the Episcopal Conference said it was committed to collaborating with civil authorities on accusations of abuse.

Pope Francis received the 2,300-page report earlier this year

The scandal has rocked the Church in Chile.

Last month, the head of the Chilean Roman Catholic Church's abuse prevention committee refused to deliver a lengthy report on sex abuse allegations to Chile's attorney general.

Bishop Juan Ignacio Gonzalez said in mid-July that information in the document could harm those who testified in secret if it became known. He said that 'the pope is the only recipient of this report'.

Pope Francis received the 2,300-page report earlier this year after ordering the document following a visit to the South American country.

He publicly denounced a 'culture of abuse and cover-up' in Chile's Catholic Church, as the report alleged that senior church officials in the country had failed to act on abuse claims, and in some cases hid them.

When the Pontiff summoned 34 bishops to Rome in June, he accepted resignations from five of them.A Philadelphia mother who made headlines for a $25,000 elaborate prom send-off for her son has been charged with Social Security benefits fraud.

The U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia announced charges of wire fraud, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud Tuesday against 44-year-old Saudia Shuler.

Prosecutors say that Shuler applied for benefits, describing herself as disabled and unable to work, but continued working - including operating a restaurant called Country Cookin' - costing the government close to $37,000.

Saudia Shuler (right), the mom who dropped $25,000 for her son's 2017 prom, has been charged with wire fraud, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud

Prosecutors say that Shuler applied for benefits, describing herself as disabled and unable to work, but continued working - including operating a restaurant called Country Cookin' - costing the government close to $37,000 (pictured with rapper Lil Uzi Vert)

'There's evidence she defrauded the government and no matter who you are the government brings charges,' Beth Leahy, Deputy Chief of Health Care Fraud, explained to ABC 6.

Leahy added that the woman claimed to be disabled as far back 2014. But she was found to have still operated her eatery.

She stated: 'When asked about the quality of life she said that she couldn't, rarely cook any meals and that her cousin cooked for her. In reality, Ms. Shuler was running a food take-out business for Country Cookin.''

This year, she threw a 'Black Panther'-themed prom send-off with an actual panther for neighborhood kids

She said the party cost was in the six figures. The neighborhood went wild for the bash, above

Shuler could face a staggering 140 years with the maximum sentence, according to Fox 29. The period would include supervised released and full restitution of the money to the government.

Last year's pre-prom party on in Philadelphia included a live Arabian camel

Her lawyer, Tariq El-Shabazz, asserted that the allegations weren't true.

'Ms. Shuler suffered from a stroke and as a result of that she was in rehab and unable to do anything for two-plus years around the same time she was allegedly perpetrating this particular fraud,' he said.

Shuler threw a $25,000 Dubai-themed prom party for her son - Johnny Eden Jr. - last year.

The pre-prom party on June 2, 2017, in Philadelphia included a live Arabian camel, a rented Lamborghini, Range Rover and Rolls Royce, three tons of sand, and three dates all wearing custom designed gowns costing $1,500 each and Giuseppe Zanotti, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent shoes at $1,000 to $1,400 per pair.

Not to mention the three Styles By Chey custom-made outfits for the lucky teen.

At the time, the mother told the New York Post: 'He struggled a lot when I was sick. I couldnt walk, I couldnt go to the bathroom on my own. He had to go through all that and still go to school. And I said, "If I make it through this, Im going to make his prom the best."'

This year, she threw a 'Black Panther'-themed prom send-off with an actual panther for neighborhood kids. She said the party cost was in the six figures.

She even had a cake made in the shape of the Quran - her son's religionModesto Cruz spoke about the amount of fury that was unleashed in his direction

A businessman, who owned the bodega where a Bronx boy was hacked to death with a machete, finally broke his three-week long silence on Tuesday.

In an interview with NY1 Noticias, Modesto Cruz spoke about the amount of fury that was unleashed in his direction, his disappointment with local politicians who spoke out of turn, and how ineffective 911 operators turned out to be the moment he called to get police attention before they spent nearly five minutes questioning him.

The Trinitarios, a New York City-based gang, is accused of savagely murdering 15-year-old Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz the night of June 20 outside Cruz's corner store.

The vicious attackers - a group of 12 that since then have been arrested in numerous operations - dragged the teen out of the bodega before brutally killing 'Junior'.

The attack was caught on surveillance camera, drawing a cry for justice.

While the public has jumped to conclusions, blaming Cruz for not having done enough to save 'Junior'' from the thugs, he once again backed up his claims that he did attempt to derail the attackers.

He blasted the amount of time 911 operators wasted in bombarding him with a flurry of questions, which according to Cruz could have saved the kid's life.

'Four minutes and a fraction of seconds asking me things, that's why I made the second call. That was to help out Junior,' he said.

'Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save his life, but I did try to help him.'

Modesto Cruz owned the Bronx bodega where Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz was dragged out and hacked to death

According to reports, Junior's mom Leandra (pictured on the right with Lesandro) had to be taken out of the courtroom on Wednesday by relatives as the 12 suspects pleaded not guilty

His actions behind the bodega counter were questioned by neighbors, friends, strangers and celebrities, who flocked to the murder scene.

'I felt so much hate from the community upon listening to many interviews, so much politicians speaking without even knowing the truth about everything, which I was blamed for,' Cruz said.

Cruz blasted politicians and community leaders for being opportunists and turning the storefront into an 'altar' for 'Junior' for their own personal gains.

'We live in an area where there's violence, where there's poverty, where we're probably yielding justice and finding the truth,' Cruz said.

'A truth that was manipulated by the politicians, who without caring about the tragedy's pain, took advantage of it to grow in their campaigns; people who in this area call themselves religious, and what they were looking for was their personal interest,' he added.

Now Cruz, who for two decades operated the bodega on 183 Street and Bathgate, is trying to figure out how he move on forward to provide for his family.

He said he has never met the person that agreed to purchase his store, which reopened last week.

'I worked hard for 16 hours a day to provide the best service for my community, the one which I loved so much, and because of destiny, this tragedy ended up changing everything.'

Earlier this month, Junior's family slammed the store's new owner's offer to rename it in his honor.

His mother calls the corner 'evil.'

Leandra Feliz, speaking to WNBC, says she can't walk past that corner anymore.

'When I pass over there I feel my knees shaking from the bottom of my feet,' Feliz said. 'I feel my blood running everywhere and I feel like I am going to faint.

'In a few years we are going to see another death at that corner,' his mother said, adding: 'This is an evil corner.'

His father doesn't want Junior's name attached to place either.

'I don't want to put his name here,' Lisandro Guzman, Junior's father, said. 'I don't celebrate this corner or this bodega that killed my son.'

There is currently another proposal to name a Bronx street after the 15-year-old as well.A man who admitted to eating his own faeces and performing sex acts on a woman's car will spend a minimum of 12 months behind bars.

Gold Coast man Sleiyde Christopher Patrick Allen, 26, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to one count each of stalking and breaching bail.

Allen licked the woman's number plate before he called her at work to tell her about the lewd act.

Sleiyde Christopher Patrick Allen, 26, (pictured) admitted to performing sex acts on a car

He had previously admitted to eating his own faeces and performing sexual acts on several other cars.

The phone call left the woman so fearful she was no longer comfortable alone and needed an escort to get to and from work, the court heard.

Allen was charged in April and released on bail on the condition he would not go within 50m of the woman's home.

But a week later, Allen was spotted mowing the nature strip across the road from her house.

Magistrate John Costanzo sentenced him to 12 months behind bars to be released on parole on November 4.

Mr Costanzo said his 'deviant behaviour' was 'not just revolting, but clearly distressing to the victim.'

Allen (pictured) then called the women who owned the car and told her about the sex act

During the sentencing Allen interrupted Mr Constanzo to assure him he would not approach the woman again, arguing that he had moved out of the area.

'All that statement tells me is that you still don't get it, ' Mr Costanzo said in response, 'it's very cold comfort to a victim of a stalking charge to be told you have moved away - the damage is done'.

'People can still be damaged by stalking from afar. You know that, being so adept at social media to the point where you can't leave it alone.'

The sentencing was previously delayed so a psychologist could asses Allen's mental condition but there was little in the final report that indicated whether he could effectively be treated.Britain must dramatically step up its defences in the Arctic to stave off the growing threat of Vladimir Putin's military in the region, MPs have today warned.

Russia and China are in a scramble to control the lucrative and strategically important shipping paths which have opened up as the Polar ice caps melt.

The area contains vast oil and gas reserves, and the melting ice means that valuable minerals like gold, silver and graphite can now be mined there.

Russia has declared that it owns the North Pole and is building heavily armed military posts along the Arctic coast at a rate which is alarming the world.

Today a parliamentary defence committee warned ministers they must show 'greater ambition and apply more resources' in facing up to the threat.

Russia, under Vladimir Putin (pictured on Sunday at a summit in Kazakhstan) is in a scramble to control the lucrative and strategically important shipping paths in the Arctic which have opened up as the Polar ice caps melt

And they warned that a resurgent Russia could mean a return to 'great power competition' in the region.

Russian acts of aggression against the West under Putin? Feb 2014 Russian forces seize control of Crimea from Ukraine  sparking worldwide condemnation. But Vladimir Putin initially denies sending in troops to the area, insisting the little green men who appeared in Russian uniforms were actually local defence forces. Russian forces also entered and stoked war in eastern Ukraine. 2016: Russian hackers target the US elections  spreading fake news to meddle in the outcome and hacking Hilary Clintons campaign teams emails. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the claims and so far 19 Russians have been hit with sanctions for cyber-attacks. April  May 2017 French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron says his campaign has been targeted by groups in Russia and Ukraine. The leading centrist was running against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who was calling for closer ties with Moscow. March 2018 Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are poisoned on the streets of Salisbury. The pair are slipped Novichok  a deadly nerve agent manufactured in Russias lab rooms at the height of the Cold War. Theresa May says Russia is behind the attack, but the Kremlin launch a massive disinformation campaign questioning whether the UKs security services can be trusted and suggesting Britain carried out the poisoning itself. Advertisement

Labour MP Madeleine Moon, hit out at Theresa May for refusing to commit to keeping the UK a 'Tier 1 military defence force' amid continued budget pressures.

She added: 'If the definition of a leading  or even a 'Tier 1'  defence nation is one which has the ability to deploy a full range of capabilities anywhere in the world, then this includes the unique operating environment of the Arctic and the High North.

'Being able to do so is ultimately a question of resource and a question of ambition, and the Sub-Committee calls upon the Government to show leadership in providing both.'

Russia has built military bases and sent troops into the Arctic to man them, and installed long range missiles to the raea, the reprt warns.

This build up of a heavily armed Russian military presence has seriously ratcheted up tensions in the region and goes way beyond anything that could be seen as proportionate, the report says.

The report, On Thin Ice: UK Defence in the Arctic, warns that under Mr Putin Russia has been guilty of 'aggressive and revisionist behaviour'.

Ms Moon added: 'The changing security environment in the Arctic and the High North is a matter of growing significance to the UK, given the strategic importance of the region and the increasing level of military activity we see.

'This has been led by Russia, which is continuing to expand its military presence and influence.

'The UK has previously played a leading role in defending Nato's Northern Flank and in maintaining maritime security in the North Atlantic.

'The importance of this role is now returning to significance.

'The UK's capabilities to perform these tasks still exist, but they are sustained at a low level and are in high demand elsewhere.

'A new level of ambition backed up by adequate resources is required to meet the developing threats we have identified.'

The Henry Jackson Society think-tank warned Russia had spent the last decade 'intensively militarising' the Arctic, leaving the West vulnerable.

Its Russia and Eurasia Studies Centre director Dr Andrew Foxall said Russian expansion in the region has far outstripped anything Britain and Europe has done.

Labour MP Madeleine Moon (pictured in the Hue of Commons in February)said the UK must allocate more resources to stave off the growing threat of Russia in the region

The report warns that a resurgent Russia could mean a return to 'great power competition' in the Arctic region (pictured, Royal Navy submarine HMS Trenchant breaking through the metre-thick ice of the Arctic Ocean on Ice Exercise 18)

He said: 'This has far outstripped Western efforts over the same period and has left the West vulnerable.

'In so far as Russia's actions threaten the international system, it seems clear that greater dangers lie ahead  for both the UK and the West  if Russia's militarisation of the Arctic goes unchecked.'

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'There has been a tenfold resurgence in Russian activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic, with Russia investing heavily in its northern fleet and taking steps to remilitarise its Arctic territory.

'The UK is taking appropriate steps along with the US and other Nato allies to ensure stability is maintained, and are encouraging all members of the Arctic Council to continue engaging constructively on the issues affecting the region.'An employee at an aquarium gift shop has been fired after she was recorded telling a group of black school girls on summer camp they were 'not welcome' inside without adult supervision.

The incident happened at Jenkinson's Aquarium Gift Shop at Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey on Friday when four girls from Princess to Queenz day camp in Paterson entered the store after touring the aquarium.

The girls, all of whom are aged 12 or 13, were promptly told they were not welcome inside without a chaperone.

When they returned with one of the chaperones from the camp, they say they were 'yelled at' while other white children in the store were allowed to browse without an adult.

Jenkinson's spokesman Toby Wolf confirmed Tuesday the store worker has been terminated.

A gift shop worker, who was named only as 'Linda', has been fired after she told a group of black girls they were not welcome to browse the store without a chaperone

Four girls from the Princess 2 Queenz day camp from Paterson, New Jersey, were asked to leave Jenkinson's Aquarium Gift Shop at Point Pleasant Beach. Their camp director shared this photograph of the group afterwards along with a video of her exchange with the store worker

'This incident does not reflect the core values of the boardwalk,' Wolf said.

'In our 90-year history, Jenkinsons has always been and will continue to be the place where people from all races, religions, ages, genders, and cultures are welcome.'

The spokesman added that the shop is arranging a diversity training for the remainder of employees 'in the very near future.'

Video taken by one of the camp organizers after the Friday incident has been viewed nearly 3million times since being uploaded to Facebook.

Attiyya Barrett claims that when she took her cell phone out to record the exchange, the store worker, who was named only as Linda, said: 'You guys love to get your phone out to record.'

In the video, Barrett is filmed questioning the worker who laughed and seemed to dismiss her complaint.

'She excused all of our girls, and what was your reason?' Barrett said from behind the camera.

'Cause they didn't have a chaperone,' the store worker replied. And when they went and got their chaperone, what was your reason?' she carried on.

The store worker replied: 'I didn't think she was a chaperone.'

Camp director Attiyya Barrett shared a video of her exchange with Linda on social media afterwards

Attiyya Barrett, the camp director, (right) said the store owner told her 'you guys love to get your phones out to record' when she started filming. One of the chaperones who was called on after the incident is pictured (left) in the store standing in front of the girls

The girls from the summer camp have since said the experience left them feeling 'embarrassed'.

'I've never been in a situation like that before... it was a pretty bad experience because we didnt do anything wrong,' Kierra Williams, 12, told northjersey.com.

Her cousin, Kianna, was with her at the time. She said that they had just toured the aquarium and were excited about their day out when the incident occurred.

'We were all excited to go because a lot of the girls had not been there before,' she said.

She claimed that after they were told to leave, the woman threatened to call security.

Jayla Bush, a 12-year-old who was part of the group, said she thought the incident was 'a colored thing'.

Sajadah Tisder, the fourth girl who is 13, said: 'This is the world we live in today.'

Jenkinson's initially suspended the woman in the video and apologized to the group.

The incident took place inside the Jenkinson's Aquarium gift shop (pictured) on Friday

In a statement, the company said: 'We strive to provide all of our customers with an enjoyable experience and we clearly missed the mark this time.

'We sincerely apologize to the girls from the camp group for the way they felt upon leaving.

'We have been in contact with the group leader and will continue to work with her to make amends,' Wolf said.

Barrett was furious about the exchange which she said undermined everything the camp taught.

'The constraint I had to exhibit in front of them leaves a horrible taste in my mouth.

'I had to explain to 40 girl that they are still valuable and their green dollars still spends even if racist folks try to hurt them,' she fumed on social media.

It is the latest in a string of incidents across the country where black or Hispanic people have recorded being asked to leave premises or had their presence questioned by a white person without explanation.It's fair game out in the wild waters and one angler off the Massachusetts coast had to learn that the hard way when a great white shark snatched up his fish.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy posted a video on Monday showing the shocking moment the great beast goes for the steal off the coast of Cape Cod's Monomoy Island.

The video's caption explains: 'Great video of a white shark breaching as it goes after a striper at the end of a line off Stone Horse Shoals!'

Video filmed on Sunday shows the moment a young fisherman struggles to reel in a striper only to have it snapped by a white great shark

In the brief clip that has been viewed more than 43,000 times, the young fisherman tries his hardest to reel in his line.

A bystander comments 'It's a big one' and the angler shares that he is struggling.

And as the striper looks as if it will soon give up, an older fisherman makes his way to help collect it.

The young angler and his older help are shocked by the shark's presence

But just as he does so, the huge shark snaps out of the water and takes its prize.

'Holy s**t,' the man shouts as the shark disappears into the depths of the water.

The video was originally filmed Tabatha Eldridge on Sunday.Police converged on a property at a suburban Melbourne address early this morning, arresting a man just after 6am.

A large number of officers searched the Hope St residence in Brunswick, with police also interviewing a man outside the premises.

Neighbours heard a woman screaming from inside the home just after 6.15am.

Police outside an address in Brunswick just after 6am on Tuesday morning

A 28-year-old man was arrested at a Hope St address in Brunswick early this morning

Police raiding an address in Brunswick house early this morning where a man was arrested

Police are frequent visitors to the Hope St address, where a Middle Eastern family live.

It is covered by an extensive CCTV network.

'Once I saw the police cars this morning I thought... here we go again,' a neighbour said.

'There was a SWAT team. There have been raids here before.

'All the neighbours have to live with this disruption. It is very noisy and disrespectful.'

Close to a dozen officers were seen removing evidence from the home, which had two luxury cars parked out the front.

Police after arresting a man believed to be residing at the Hope St address in Brunswick

Victoria Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the raids are part of an ongoing investigation.

'We will provide further information when it is safe to do so,' a spokesperson said.Two men accused of staging car crashes as part of an insurance fraud syndicate have been charged.

It is believed the pair helped coordinate fraudulent claims against insurance schemes.

Strike Force detectives executed search warrants at smash repairers and a unit in Sydney's inner-west, taking the two men, aged 28 and 50, into custody.

Scroll down for video

Two men are accused of staging crashes so they could make fraudulent claims

They were both arrested during police raids at properties across Sydney

Several other properties were raided in Concord West, Greenacre, and Homebush West.

During the searches, detectives seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.

The two man allegedly staged car crashes so they could lodge fraudulent third party claims and other insurance schemes.

The 28-year-old Strathfield man was charged with dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, conspire with other to cheat and defraud, two counts of recruit other to assist in carrying out criminal activity, and knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime.

The 50-year-old Concord West man was charged with conspiracy to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and conspire with other to cheat and defraud.

Both men were granted strict conditional bail and are due to appear at Burwood Local Court on Monday 10 September 2018.

It is believed that they might be part of a larger insurance fraud syndicate

The investigation follows recommendations by the NSW Governments CTP Task Force into fraudulent activity within the state.

Strike Force Mercury was established to investigate the involvement of organised criminal syndicates in defrauding insurance schemes, including making fraudulent Compulsory Third Party claims.

Investigations under Strike Force Mercury are ongoing.Nikki Denley (pictured) was assaulted by a homeless man while at work. She has been fired for speaking out about the assault

A woman has been fired after news of her workplace assault by a homeless man made headlines.

Nikki Denley, 60, was attacked by a homeless man while working at a pharmacy in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June.

After speaking to Stuff about the assault, which left her with a broken finger and suffering from post-traumatic stress, she was fired.

Her employers apparently felt she had caused damage to the reputation of their business, breaching good faith for speaking to the media without their consent.

'Im coming up 61. How am I going to pay my bills? How am I going to live?' she said.

'I didn't ask to be thumped. And I certainly didn't ask, or do anything, to have my employment terminated by instant dismissal. I've done nothing wrong.'

'The article was about the homeless people, it wasn't about [the pharmacy]... How can they turn that around to me bringing the company into disrepute?'

Her employer, Aki Tominari, in an email said he has no comments to make on the matter for privacy reasons.

Denley, who was the retail manager, was working at the pharmacy in June when the man entered the store.

Nikki Denley had been working at Cosmo Pharmacy (pictured) in Christchurch when she was assaulted by a 42-year-old man

He headbutted her and pushed her several times before knocking her to the floor.

She suffered a broken finger while trying to defend herself.

A 42-year-old man was charged with injuring with intent to injure and two charges of threatening to kill. He was scheduled to reappear in Christchurch District Court on September 11.A group of teenage petrolheads who call themselves the Mexican Hoon Cartel have been targeted in a series of dawn raids.

Police swooped on two Gilston homes in Gold Coast's west on Wednesday and arrested two alleged ringleaders of the group, both aged 18.

Officers seized 14 knives, as well as a stockpile of tyres allegedly stolen from a Bob Jane T Mart and used to perform dangerous stunts on suburban streets.

A group of teenage petrolheads who call themselves the Mexican Hoon Cartel have been targeted in a series of dawn raids

Officers seized 14 knives, as well as a stockpile of tyres allegedly stolen from a Bob Jane T Mart

'The group was using them to fit on and burn them out in their motor vehicles,' Senior Sergeant Mat Kelly told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'We will allege these two individuals are ringleaders and organisers within this group who have been specifically targeted due to their engagement in hoon related and criminal activity.'

The 'cartel' share boastful videos on social media which show members doing burnouts and performing other reckless manoeuvres on the city's roads.

One shows a driver 'drifting' in the rain at speed with one hand on the steering wheel, while holding a burrito in the other.

'Coming for your driveway, coming for your street, coming for your culdesac, coming for your hate, report on us and we'll flood your street,' warns another post.

The group posts the Mexican flag on every video and occasionally wave the country's flag while posing for photos.

A photo released by Queensland Police shows a cache of knives allegedly seized in the raids

Members call each other 'sicarios' which is Spanish for 'hit men'. Another post reads: 'Street Sicarios tearing up Mexico like the law doesn't exist.'

On Monday, the group condemned an alleged act of vandalism at a Gold Coast primary school.

'We would like to inform you that this sort of behaviour is totally unnacceptable (sic) and goes against everything we stand for,' the post read.

'To the school district and community of Gilston, We profusely apologize (sic) on behalf of the vandals for the actions of whoever was involved.'

The group argues the government should build facilities for the hoons to perform their stunts

Yet another message was addressed to the 'state governments of Australia, media outlets and the police'.

'You all complain so much about the ''hoons'' If you really wanted to solve the ongoing problem wouldn't you build a place where we can all do it for free?

'You build facilities for drug addicts, you build facilities for sport, you build facilities for skate boarding. Why not build a facility for the hoon drivers that is NOT expensive and a hassle to access?'

On Wednesday, an 18-year-old man was charged with enter premises alternative receive and stealing alternative receive stolen property.

Another, also 18, has been given a notice to appear for the offence of possession of Category M weapons.Jeremy Corbyn yesterday refused to apologise to the families of the Munich Massacre victims for joining a ceremony where terror leaders linked to their killings were honoured.

Anti-Semitism campaigners last night said they were preparing to file a formal complaint to the Labour Party over his attendance at the memorial.

The Labour leader yesterday sighed and rolled his eyes as he faced questions about pictures showing him holding a wreath by the graves of members of Black September, the terror group that massacred 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics.

Jeremy Corbyn today refused to apologise to the families of the Munich Massacre victims for holding a wreath at the graves of members of Black September

In his latest attempt to explain himself, he said there were 'many people laying many wreaths' during the visit to a cemetery in Tunisia where Palestinian 'martyrs' are buried.

Mr Corbyn continued to insist that he had laid a wreath to honour those killed in air strikes on a Palestinian Liberation Organisation base in Tunis in 1985.

However, the Daily Mail today presents further evidence that he was by the graves of men accused of being behind the Munich Massacre when he was pictured holding a wreath and in an apparent prayer position.

An analysis of the images of Mr Corbyn proves he was standing right by the grave of Salah Khalaf  the Black September founder widely believed to have masterminded the 1972 Munich killings  when he was shown holding a wreath and raising his hands in an apparent Islamic prayer position.

He can be seen standing by a distinctive plaque which honours Khalaf, his aide Fakhri al-Omari who has also been linked to the Munich atrocity, and PLO chief of security Hayel Abdel-Hamid.

Mr Corbyn has maintained he was at the cemetery to honour the air strike victims  but a monument to those who died in 1985 is around 15 yards from where he is pictured.

On a visit to Shropshire, Mr Corbyn dismissed requests for him to apologise that have been made by the families of those killed in the Munich Massacre and his own MPs.

He said: 'I was there when the wreaths were laid. That's pretty obvious. There were many others there who were witness to that. I witnessed many other people laying many other wreaths.

Anti-Semitism campaigners last night said they were preparing to file a complaint to the Labour Party over his attendance at the memorial

'I laid one wreath along with many other people in memory of all those who died in the awful attack in 1985, which I keep repeating and you seem not to understand, was condemned by the whole world. I'm not apologising for being there at all.'

The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said it would file a formal complaint about Mr Corbyn.

A spokesman said: 'We are preparing to submit a disciplinary complaint to the Labour Party both over the Daily Mail's revelations about Jeremy Corbyn's homage to the Munich Massacre terrorists, and also over his lies to the public about the matter.'

Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn has now admitted attending a memorial event for the terrorist murders of unarmed athletes.

The graphic reveals definitive proof that Jeremy Corbyn was standing at the grave of terror leader Salah Khalaf

In 1972, these are unarmed people who were attending the Olympics, they were savagely mutilated and murdered.

There is no reason Jeremy Corbyn should not apologise to the widows and to the victims for this terrible massacre. He needs to also recognise that he can't cavort with terrorists.'

Labour MPs criticised his refusal to apologise. Jess Phillips said: 'Being sorry and really trying to understand the hurt would be the kindest path.'

And Peter Kyle said: 'This would have been a good time to show some of that honest, straight-talking politics we were promised.'

In a fresh attempt to quell the row, Labour last night claimed it is disputed whether Khalaf and PLO head of intelligence Atef Bseiso, who is also buried in the cemetery, were behind the Munich Massacre.Jeremy Corbyn faced fresh condemnation today as photographs underlined how he was standing at the foot of Munich terrorists graves during a wreath-laying ceremony.

The photographs, revealed by the Daily Mail, show him holding a wreath by the graves of members of Black September, the terror group that massacred 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics.

Mr Corbyn sighed and rolled his eyes as he faced questions about the incident in a television interview yesterday.

He said there were 'many people laying many wreaths' during his visit to the cemetery in Tunisia where Palestinian 'martyrs' are buried.

And he insisted his memorial was to those killed in air strikes on a Palestinian Liberation Organisation base in Tunis in 1985.

But our picture analysis reveals definitive proof that Mr Corbyn was standing at the grave of Palestinian leader Salah Khalaf.

This week the Labour leader has been attacked by the prime minister, relatives of the murdered athletes, Jewish groups and even his own MPs.The dream of a cotton shirt that does not need ironing could one day materialise into a reality, with CSIRO scientists on the case.

Researchers are examining what determines the length, strength and thickness of cotton fibres to see if a plant can be grown with the characteristics of a synthetic.

'Cotton often gets a bad rap environmentally but it is a natural, renewable fibre unlike synthetics which are made with petrochemicals,' CSIRO scientist Dr Madeline Mitchell said in a statement.

'We're looking into the structure of cotton cell walls and harnessing the latest tools in synthetic biology to develop the next generation cotton fibre.'

CSIRO researchers - an Australian research agency - are examining cotton fibres to see if a plant can be grown with the characteristics of a synthetic (stock image)

Through more than 30 years of improved cotton breeding using genetically modified techniques, the CSIRO and its partners Cotton Seed Distributors have led the way in reducing insecticide use in cotton growing by 85 per cent and cutting herbicide use by 60 per cent.

Australian cotton is also the most water efficient in the world.

It's hoped that same drive for innovation can lead to clothing with less environmental impacts when being washed.

Whenever a synthetic material such as polyester or nylon is cleaned, thousands of tiny non-biodegradable microfibres enter the waterways, building up in the food chain.

But when cotton is washed, the fibres shed are biodegradable and break down naturally.

'If we can produce next generation cotton then we can take a large market share of the synthetics industry and that's a win not just for Australia's $2.5 billion industry but also for the environment,' CSD managing director Peter Graham said.

The next generation cotton research is part of a $13 million investment in science that applies engineering principles to biology.

The researchers' work will be on display in Melbourne this week at AgCatalyst, a showcase of CSIRO's technologies across the agriculture and food sectors.Police had to step in yesterday when around 300 whisky collectors flocked to a Scottish distillery to get their hands on a 495 limited edition bottle of Macallan Genesis.

There was traffic chaos as fans from around the UK converged on the Macallan Distillery in Craigellachie, Moray, as they waited for the much-anticipated spirit to go on sale at 10am.

Some collectors had camped out on verges overnight, and as more cars arrived in the area police were forced to close roads as they became blocked.

Fans travelled from around the UK and were said to have camped overnight in some cases

A spokesman for the distillery said: 'While every effort was made to communicate to our customers that there would be no access to the site prior to 9.30am, a number of people hoping to secure one of these limited bottles gathered at the gates.

'We contacted local police to help minimise any disruption.

'In light of the issues, we are reviewing our procedures.'

Bar owners in Drumnadrochit near Loch Ness who successfully secured a bottle joked about the bizarre situation, saying it had riot shields at the ready.

Police closed a section of the B9102 as cars were parked on verges and began to block the road.A truck driver has been charged after police allegedly found 11 bags of methamphetamine inside his vehicle after it crashed.

The 43-year-old driver crashed the B-double before the heavy vehicle rolled onto its side and slid about 100m into a fence, according to police.

Emergency services were called to the scene about 8pm on Tuesday after the truck toppled just north of Grafton in New South Wales.

A truck driver has been charged after police allegedly found 11 bags of meth and an 'ice pipe' inside his vehicle after a crash in Grafton, NSW on Tuesday night (stock image)

A NSW police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that the driver from Concord in Sydney had a negative result for alcohol, but tested positive for methamphetamine (file image)

The truck was searched by police, who allege they found a glass pipe and 11 bags of meth inside.

A NSW police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that the driver, from Sydney, had a negative result for alcohol, but tested positive for methamphetamine.

He said police are investigating the drug results.

'The roadside test will detect the presence of the drug, and then a more precise lab test is carried out which helps to determine the level of impairment a driver may have,' the police spokesman said.

The man was then arrested and charged with reckless driving or speeding, as well as supplying and possessing an illegal drug.

He was granted conditional bail and will face court on September 3.Almost 700 terror investigations are being carried out by the security services.

The figures were revealed yesterday after a car ploughed into cyclists outside Parliament in an apparent extremist attack.

Britain was on a heightened state of alert last night, with Theresa May warning that the threat was now one of the starkest we have faced.

Security minister Ben Wallace said the increased danger of attacks was here to stay. Their warnings came as anti-terror police tried to question a suspect over the latest feared targeting of Westminster.

The man  named last night as Salih Khater and said to be a British citizen of Sudanese origin  was arrested by armed police after the car hit cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into a security barrier at around 50mph during the morning rush-hour. Police raided a string of addresses in the Midlands as they tried to discover what was behind his actions. He was refusing to cooperate with police.

Britain was on a heightened state of alert last night after a car ploughed into cyclists outside Parliament in an apparent extremist attack

Officials revealed that there were 676 live investigations being conducted by the security services and counter-terror police at the end of June, up from more than 500 three months earlier.

Some 13 Islamist plots have been foiled since March 2017  including one in the past month. A further four far-Right plots have been stopped.

Officials also said that between 2010 and 2017 there were 2,029 terrorist arrests in Britain, but 412 of those were in the year to December  the highest on record.

Mrs May yesterday called on the country to come together as she voiced her disgust at the attack outside Parliament. It follows the Westminster Bridge attack in March last year in which Khalid Masood killed five pedestrians before stabbing to death PC Keith Palmer at the gates of Parliament.

The Prime Minister said: For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door.

The threat to the United Kingdom from terrorism remains severe. I would urge the public to remain vigilant  but also to come together and carry on as normal, just as they did after the sickening attacks in Manchester and London last year.

Officials revealed that there were 676 live investigations being conducted by the security services and counter-terror police at the end of June, up from more than 500 three months earlier (pictured: armed police outside Westminster station yesterday)

The twisted aim of the extremists is to use violence and terror to divide us. They will never succeed.

Mrs May voiced relief that no one had been killed in the latest attack as she praised the formidable courage of the armed officers who apprehended the driver within minutes of him driving into the security barrier outside Parliament.

My thoughts are with the innocent members of the public who were hurt in this appalling incident, she said.

The Prime Minister, who is on holiday in Switzerland, was informed of the incident at 8am yesterday  less than half an hour after it took place. She was kept abreast of the situation throughout the day.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid last night returned to the UK from his holidays. A meeting of the Cobra emergency committee was held by security officials in Whitehall yesterday afternoon.

Last night Mr Wallace told 5 News: We have seen a shift since 2017 in the numbers of terrorist plots and the number of live investigations that are going on  both from the far-Right and Islamist extremists. Asked if people should feel worried, he said: I think worried is the wrong word. People should realise that this is at the moment going to be here to stay, that the shift in threat is a phenomena of this generation.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman added: We have been clear that the threat from terrorism is one of the starkest we have faced, the nature of the threat is changing and so is our response.The Pentagon's public affairs chief may have to answer to questions of a more personal nature after it was revealed she is being probed over allegations she used federal employees to run her errands.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' public affairs chief, Dana White, is being investigated by the department's inspector general after allegations that she misused her authority and used her staff for personal business, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The Pentagon issued a statement acknowledging there is an 'ongoing review' of Dana W. White, but had no other comment.

The officials, who requested anonymity to discuss details of the investigation, said that White is alleged to have routinely used her personal staff to run errands, get her laundry, pick up lunch, fetch her dry cleaning, and even get her pantyhose.

She also allegedly used a staffer to work on her mortgage paperwork.

They also said she had a staff member drive her to work on a snowy day, and when the person complained she wrote a check to cover the cost of the trip.

The Pentagon confirms that White, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' public affairs chief, is being investigated by the department's Inspector General. U.S. officials say the IG is investigating allegations that she misused her authority and used her staff for personal business

Officials said White is also accused of retaliating against staff, and transferring employees out of their jobs without cause, including staff who complained about certain assignments and tasks.

There has been frequent staff turnover in her office, and she's had four different military assistants - usually a colonel in rank - in the last 16 months.

The use of staff for personal tasks is prohibited.

At least two former employees filed complaints with the inspector general within recent months, but others have been interviewed in connection with the cases.

White, who is traveling in South America with Mattis, declined to comment. Bruce Anderson, spokesman for the IG, said 'the DoD Office of Inspector General does not generally acknowledge or deny the existence of an investigation.'

White answers directly to Matthis, who may have been unaware of her alleged behavior until the inspector general opened an investigation against her

The Pentagon's inspector general is investigating allegations against White- that she used her federal underlings to run her personal errands

The investigation was first reported by CNN.

White, a Trump administration political appointee, has worked as Mattis' assistant defense secretary for public affairs since April 2017.

Prior to that she worked as strategic communications director for the Renault-Nissan Alliance in Paris and was an adviser on the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The IG will conduct the investigation and, if the allegations are substantiated will release the report publicly. If the allegations aren't substantiated the reports are usually not released.Stifling heatwaves are likely to be a feature of the global climate for at least the next four years, scientists say.

Both average ground and sea surface temperatures could be abnormally high, which may in turn increase the likelihood of tropical storms.

The research was carried out before this summer's heatwaves that sent temperatures in the UK and other parts of the world soaring.

Stifling heatwaves are likely to be a feature of the global climate for at least the next four years, scientists say. File image

But the unusually hot weather was correctly predicted by the same scientists in January  who said 2018 had a 'high probability of having a warm anomaly', relative to the general effects of global warming.

The new technique, called Procast ('probabilistic forecast'), seeks to make sense of chaotic phenomena such as the Earth's climate by examining data from previous changes to make predictions.

A retrospective test of the method accurately predicted the global warming pause between 1998 and 2013.

The scientists, led by Dr Florian Sevellec from the University of Brest in France, wrote in the journal Nature Communications: 'For 2018-2022, the probabilistic forecast indicates a warmer than normal period, with respect to the forced trend [of global warming].

'The coming warm period is associated with an increased likelihood of intense to extreme temperatures.'Advertisement

A bridge that collapsed killing at least 26 people in the Italian city of Genoa was almost certainly brought down by a fatal flaw in its construction or wear and tear inspectors missed, experts say.

A huge 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge gave way about 11.30am on Tuesday as the arterial highway west of the city centre was packed with cars and trucks.

Cars fell 150ft along with tonnes of twisted steel and concrete debris into a river, railroad tracks and an industrial zone below, flattening vehicles and leaving rubble embedded in buildings.

Devastation: Dozens are feared dead after a 260ft section of a highway bridge suddenly collapsed during a storm in Genoa, Italy. Pictured: A green truck is perched on the brink

An aerial view of the collapsed bridge shows just how much of the busy highway collapsed and crashed to the ground - and how close several vehicles came to falling with it

Witnesses said the bridge was hit by lightning seconds before it collapsed and was seen 'wobbling', but engineers rubbished the idea that a bolt from above had anything to do with the disaster.

'It couldn't have been lightning. I don't see how that would be possible as it's reinforced concrete and it's certainly never happened before,' Agathoklis Giaralis, deputy director of the University of London's Civil Engineering Structures Research Centre, told MailOnline.

He said the bridge, which was completed in 1967, must have been flawed in its construction, likely in the foundations, or suffered from extensive corrosion in its metallic parts.

'For such a bridge to collapse it has to be something serious that went unnoticed in maintenance and inspections,' he said.

A survivor with a head would is winched out of the debris on a stretcher by a fire crew after being found among the rubble

As night fell on the city of Genoa, the massive pile of rubble was illuminated on the skyline in the nearby neighbourhood

'It's an old bridge that was difficult to inspect from the start and doesn't have the redundancies that modern bridges do, so it is likely that one failure could lead to its collapse.'

Dr Giaralis said the metal parts, particularly the cables, of a bridge like the Morandi are the weakest parts but this bridge didn't fail there - pointing to bigger underlying issues.

'Usually these fail due to corrosion and that a process that takes decades, and it is very unusual that something that can cause total collapse went unnoticed,' he said.

'I would say that most probably something went wrong with the foundation or supporting ground rather than with the pier, the deck, or the cables.'

Dr Giaralis said the bridge was fully loaded with cars and there was wind, which may have triggered the collapse but would not have been the underlying cause as both should not be an issue for a healthy bridge.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion.

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors.

Engineering experts also warned two years ago that it would be more cost effective to knock the bridge down than to continue to repair the 'uneven' construction.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors

In the early 1990s, the suspension cables along the bridge had to be replaced, and further restructuring work was carried out in 2016.

In 2016, Antonio Brencich, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Genoa warned that the Morandi Bridge's maintenance costs 'are so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one'.

'Right away the bridge manifested various problems, beyond the construction costs, which went over budget,' he wrote in 2016.

'There are errors in this bridge. Sooner or later it will have to be replaced. I don't know when,' he warned.

In the article, quoted by Il Tempo, Professor Brencich says issues with the bridge being uneven and 'semi-horizontal' had plagued the construction since the early 1980s.

In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'.

The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious.

The disaster shocked the world but many locals feared the bridge would collapse for years and held their breath every time they crossed the vital arterial road.

'The state of the bridge always concerned us. Nobody has ever crossed that bridge with a light heart,' Genoa resident Elizabeth told the BBC.

'Everybody has always done it praying that the bridge wouldn't fall down. Today that happened.'

There were also concerns the Italian mafia could have contributed to the bridge's collapse by their construction companies being involved in maintenance work - including shoring up the foundations.

'Mafia-related companies are known to have infiltrated the cement and reconstruction industries over the decades and prosecutors have accused them of doing shoddy work that cannot withstand high stress,' Canada's Globe and Mail wrote.

'The Mafia is notorious for nabbing reconstruction contracts after earthquakes and cutting corners.'

Franco Roberti, then head of Italy's anti-Mafia directorate, said in 2016 that mafia-related companies should not be able to participate in earthquake reconstruction work for that reason.

'There are risks; it is useless to hide it,' he told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper at the time. 'The risk of infiltration is always high. Postearthquake reconstruction is a tasty morsel for criminal organizations and business interests.'

Carnage: The Morandi bridge collapsed at 11.30am local time. It was built on the A10 toll motorway in the 1960s and was restructured in 2016

Rubble: Most of the collapsed parts of the bridge fell to railway tracks and the river below as firefighters rushed to the scene

Dramatic pictures from the scene show how cars were crushed in the rubble as the bridge came crashing down during the storm

Scenes of devastation as trucks and cars are smashed as they fell to the ground when the bridge collapsed, or were crushed by falling debris

Firefighters drag either a body or one of just a few survivors found inside mangled cars like this one, which was completely flattened by falling debris

Incredibly, four people have been pulled alive from cars found in the mangled ruins of the bridge while two warehouses below the structure were empty having been closed for the summer holiday.

Dramatic photos shows how a green truck had stopped just short of the gaping hole in the bridge, which was built on the A10 toll motorway in northwestern Italy in the 1960s. Work to shore up its foundations was being carried out at the time of the collapse, highway operators say.

The exact cause of the disaster, the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, is not yet clear but Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said it showed the dilapidated state of the country's infrastructure and a lack of maintenance, adding that 'those responsible will have to pay.'

'There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed, almost all, during the 1960s,' he said.

Mr Toninelli said the operator of the section of highway including the bridge claimed maintenance work was up to date.

However, he added a 20 million (17.8 million) bidding process for significant safety work on the bridge was coming up.

The bridge operator said there was no way to predict that the structure would come down.

Autostrade's Genoa area director, Stefano Marigliani, said: 'The collapse was unexpected and unpredictable.'

'The bridge was constantly monitored and supervised well beyond what the law required. There was no reason to consider the bridge dangerous.'

Revealed: Experts warned two years ago that 50-year-old 'uneven' Genoa bridge should be demolished because no one would pay for maintenance By Sara Malm for MailOnline The motorway bridge which collapsed in Genoa, Italy, killing at least 26 people had been the subject of a series of 'exorbitant' maintenance works and had been causing issues for decades, it has emerged. Engineering experts had warned that it would be more cost effective to knock the bridge down than to continue to repair the 'uneven' construction. The Morandi Bridge, built in 1967, was a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 and A7 highways and had therefore been heavily trafficked for more than 50 years. Before: The 3,615ft long Morandi Bridge, completed in 1967, had needed several rounds of maintenance work over the past decades Tuesday morning was no different, and dozens of cars fell several hundred feet when a 260ft section of the concrete bridge collapsed shortly after 11.30am. Transport and Infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli called the incident 'an enormous tragedy', vowing that those responsible for the collapse would 'pay up' 'The first information would seem to say that the maintenance had been carried out, but it can not be so. These tragedies can not happen in a civilized country like Italy.' Despite its majestic design, the structure of the Morandi Bridge, using two types of reinforced concrete, had caused issues over the decades and required expensive maintenance. In the early 1990s, the suspension cables along the bridge had to be replaced, and further restructuring work was carried out in 2016. Designer: The Morandi Bridge was named after its designer, Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi In 2016, Antonio Brencich, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Genoa warned that the Morandi Bridge's maintenance costs 'are so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one'. In the article, quoted by Il Tempo, Professor Brencich says issues with the bridge being uneven and 'semi-horizontal' had plagued the construction since the early 1980s. In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'. The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious. Similar: The Morandi Bridge's sister bridge, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge in Venezuela, which partially collapsed in 1964 Advertisement

His deputy Edoardo Rixi added: 'It's not acceptable that such an important bridge... was not built to avoid this kind of collapse.'

The CNR civil engineering society is calling for a 'Marshall Plan' to repair or replace tens of thousands of bridges in Italy that have surpassed their lifespans, having been built in the 1950s and 1960s with reinforced concrete.

The group said the bridges were built with the best-known technology of the time, but that their working lifespan is 50 years.

It added that in many cases, the cost to update and reinforce the bridges is more than it would cost to destroy and rebuild them.

The CNR called for a major program to replace most of the bridges with new ones that would have a lifespan of 100 years.

It cited previous collapses, including one in April 2017 in the northern province of Cuneo that crushed a carabinieri police car, though the officers and the driver they had pulled over in a traffic stop heard the creaking noise and got out of the way in time.

Another was an overpass in the northern city of Lecco that collapsed under exceptional weight, crushing a car and killing the driver.

Italy's anti-establishment government which took office in June has pledged to increase public investments and lobby the European Commission to have the extra spending excluded from EU deficit calculations.

'The tragic facts in Genoa remind us of the public investments that we so badly need,' said Claudio Borghi, economics spokesman of the right-wing League party, which governs with the 5-Star Movement.

Firefighters said two people had been pulled alive from the rubble from the Morandi Bridge after a section collapsed onto an industrial area below

Dramatic pictures show the scale of the collapse, with vast mounds of concrete and steel lying twisted in the valley. Rescuers say they are fearful that gas lines may have been damaged, elevating the threat of an explosion

The Morandi Bridge was inaugurated in 1967. It is 90 yards high, just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards

The 50-year-old bridge designed by celebrated Italian engineer The disaster happened on a highway that connects Italy to France and other vacation resorts and happened on the eve of a major Italian holiday on Wednesday, Ferragosto. Traffic would have been heavier than usual as many Italians travelled to beaches or mountains. The Morandi Bridge, the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967. It is a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 highway that goes toward France and the A7 highway that continues north toward Milan. Itt is 295 ft (90m) high and just over 0.6 miles (1km) long. Its longest section between supports measuring more than 650ft (200m). The point where the bridge fell was 328ft above the ground. Restructuring work was carried out in 2016. The highway operator said work to shore up the foundation of the bridge was being carried out at the time of the collapse, adding that the bridge was constantly monitored. Another Morandi bridge in Venezuela, built to a similar design to the one in Genoa, partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker. Advertisement

Shares in Atlantia, the toll road operator which runs the motorway, were suspended after falling 4.6 percent after news of the collapse.

The Morandi Bridge, the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967.

It is just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards.

Restructuring work was carried out in 2016. The highway operator said work to shore up the foundation of the bridge was being carried out at the time of the collapse, adding that the bridge was constantly monitored.

The bridge is a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 highway that goes toward France and the A7 highway that continues north toward Milan.

Another Morandi bridge in Venezuela, built to a similar design to the one in Genoa, partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker.

Commenting on today's disaster, Ian Firth, the Past President of The Institution of Structural Engineers, told MailOnline: 'It is too early to say what caused the tragic collapse, but as this reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor.

'There are no obvious signs to say what specifically triggered the collapse at this time; the fact that there was reported to be a storm at the time may or may not be particularly relevant.

'The bridge is a very unusual design, very similar to its much larger cousin, the Lake Maracaibo bridge in Venezuela, also designed by Riccardo Morandi and completed six years earlier in 1962.

'The A-frame towers which support the concrete-encased stay cables combine with V-shaped supports below the deck to create a stiff arrangement which is not common in cable stayed bridges.

'This deals with potential unbalanced loads which arise due to the multi-span nature of the structure. As yet, there is no evidence to say whether any impact occurred; it is too early to say what triggered the collapse.'Restaurants in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Mankato and Rochester started selling the new McGriddles French Toast sandwich on Monday morning

More than 200 McDonald's restaurants in Minnesota tested a new French Toast breakfast sandwich at their locations, marking the first time in five years that the chain has released a new morning sandwich.

Restaurants in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Mankato and Rochester started selling the new McGriddles French Toast sandwich on Monday morning.

The sandwich has over 37 grams of fat and 650 calories. It has a staggering 385 milligrams of cholesterol. That is 129 percent of the daily recommended intake.

The two-year long project culminated after the popular eatery found that market research revealed that consumers wanted a more filling option for their grub.

'No berry sauce, no maple-bacon jam,' said McDonald's chef Mike Lingo, according to the Star Tribune. 'People were looking for regular, everyday flavor profiles.'

200 stores sell the sandwich until 10.30am with 'a select number of locations are testing all-day availability'

Lingo works in the company's test kitchens in the Chicago suburbs, and has helped create many products for the chain. He was crucial in the removal of artificial coloring from Chicken McNuggets and most recently helped launch the Bacon Smokehouse Burger.

The two-year long project culminated after the popular eatery found that market research revealed that consumers wanted a more filling option for their grub. McDonald's chef Mike Lingo was instrumental in creating the new sandwich

The sandwich starts off with two slices of brioche bread, which Lingo added was the type that he used to make French Toast at home. The bread is accentuated with eggs, vanilla and cinnamon.

Covered with American cheese, the sandwich comes together with pork sausage, an egg and applewood-smoked bacon.

'Then we fold the paper around it, tuck it under, tuck it under, and breakfast is served,' added Lingo.

Lingo went on to explain how the item is made on sight, which McDonald's has prided itself on since the Egg McMuffin in 1972.

'A lot of the big coffee chains serve frozen breakfast sandwiches, but we're not microwaving an egg that was cooked in a factory,' said Lingo.

'We crack eggs, here in the restaurant. We make this sandwich in an actual kitchen, where people prepare food. We're pretty proud of that, and it's something that we don't get a lot of credit for doing.'

Minnesotan companies are behind the new sandwich venture. Baldinger Bakery, located in St. Paul, has been baking bread for the chain since 1957.

In Monticello, a Carill plant tackles the process for creating the egg coating used on the sandwich.

The price varies, depending on the store, but can be found to be around $4.39.

It is currently only being sold until 10.30am with 'a select number of locations are testing all-day availability,' according to McDonald's spokesperson Anne Christensen.

If the sandwich gains enough traction, then McDonald's will start pushing it out on a more permanent basis. That would begin in the second quarter of 2019.

'We're still working out supply issues,' explained Lingo. 'When you have 14,000 restaurants, it's not easy.'A woman received a shocking email rejecting her from a customer service job because her name was 'too ghetto'.

Hermeisha Robinson, 27, of St Louis, Missouri, had applied for a customer service job at Mantality Health when she received an email which was signed by a nurse practitioner Jordan Kimler.

'Thank you for your interest in careers at Mantality Health. Unfortunately we do not consider candidates that have suggestive 'ghetto' names,' said the email.

A woman received a shocking email rejecting her from a customer service job because her name was 'too ghetto'

Robinson shared the message on Facebook saying she was 'very upset' that the company had 'discriminated against me'.

'My feelings are very hurt and they even got me second-guessing my name, trying to figure out if my name is really that ghetto.'

She urged people to share the message to shame the company's racist email.

Robinson was named after her father, Herman, who died when Robinson was young.

'Her mom loved that name,' her cousin Miltina Burnett said. 'She is not going to change it.'

Hermeisha Robinson, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, had applied for a customer service job when she received an email

Robinson shared the message on Facebook saying she was 'very upset' that the company had 'discriminated against me'

Burnett said that Robinson had been in tears after she read the message.

'It made her cry and question her name, whether she should change her name to fit in corporate America,' she said.

Mantality Health, which provides testosterone replacement therapy for men, has since apologized to Robinson, and claim they were hacked.

Kevin Meuret, the owner of the company, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch that they believe a disgruntled employee hacked their email system, pretending to be Kimler.

The company has launched an investigation with job hunting website Indeed.com to locate the IP address of the email sender.

Mantality Health, which provides testosterone replacement therapy for men, has since apologized to Robinson

Robinson (left and right) had been in tears after she read the message rejecting her from the job

Jack Gamache, Clinic Director, also reached out to Robinson's cousin to say that the company had been hacked

They say about 20 job seekers received emails from the hacker.

'I'm a father of three daughters and that young lady getting that (response) is horrible,' Meuret said. 'That young lady opened something that must have felt like a freight train and that's unacceptable.'

Meuret said they have filed reports with the police and would pursue it on a federal level if necessary.

A hacking expert said that it was entirely possible a former employee could have hacked into the system and said lots of small companies forgot to update passwords and shut down access to their systems when employees left.

Jack Gamache, Clinic Director, also reached out to Robinson's cousin to say that the company had been hacked.An actor, who left a good Samaritan with one ear dangling from his head in a brutal and unprovoked attack, has been jailed for at least two-and-a-half years.

Bruce Roland Carter was high on drugs and drunk when he launched at his victim in Adelaide, September last year, punching him to the ground and biting both his ears, with one partially severed.

In sentencing on Tuesday, District Court Judge Simon Stretton said the senseless violence had left the victim permanently disfigured.

Actor Bruce Roland Carter (pictured) has been jailed for at least two-and-a-half years for the unprovoked attack of a man in Adelaide in September last year

'In short, he's lost an entire ear and part of his second ear. He's suffered physically from your assault, in particular from the brutal way you bit off his ears,' Judge Stretton told Carter.

'It was a vicious and completely unprovoked attack on an innocent member of the community who was trying to go out of his way to try to help you.'

The court heard the victim feared he would be killed by Carter who chased him down when he ran away, ABC reported.

'(He) believed if he did not get away, you would kill him,' Judge Stretton said.

The injured man had come to Carter's aid believing the 36-year-old may have become bogged after crashing his car while doing burnouts near a dam in Murray Bridge.

Carter jumped out of the driver's seat looking 'dazed, confused and angry', Judge Stretton said.

He rushed at the victim, punching him in the face before biting both his ears with one needing to be amputated.

The court heard Carter had become depressed over injuries he suffered in a previous hit-and-run road crash and his failure to win compensation.

That led him to abuse a range of drugs including cocaine, heroin, cannabis and alcohol, drugs he said were easy to come by because of his work in the film industry.

On the night of his offending, he took a cocktail of home-brewed bourbon, cannabis and other pills.

Carter (pictured) was high on drugs and drunk when he launched at his victim punching him to the ground and biting both his ears

Carter is best known for his 2015 appearance in the feature film Last Cab to Darwin and for a role in the television series remake of Picnic at Hanging Rock.

He pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally causing serious harm and one count of aggravated assault and was jailed for four years and nine months with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

Despite Carter showing remorse and regret for his actions, Judge Stretton said the offending was too serious for a suspended sentence.

In previous sentencing submissions, defence counsel Mike Norman said Carter's remorse was 'very, very real' and was evident during a recent Aboriginal sentencing hearing.

'He clearly listened, he clearly took great note of the harm he has caused.'

Mr Norman said Carter, who was also a talented painter and musician, was destined to be a leader of his people in the next ten or 20 years and had thought a lot about his future since his offending.

'As he said to his nanna, ''I did the crime nanna, I'm gonna do the time''.'Police believe that missing college student Mollie Tibbetts is still alive and being held hostage by her abductor - who may have attended the candlelit vigil in her honor, a source claims.

The source, who is close to the FBI investigation into Tibbetts' disappearance, told Radar her kidnapper may have even assisted in the search for the missing 20-year-old.

They said the suspect was 'hiding in plain sight' and has been 'closely follow[ing] the case.'

University of Iowa student Tibbetts was last seen going for a run in Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 18, and two weeks later, more than 200 people gathered at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre in Waterloo for a candlelit vigil in her honor.

Police believe that missing college student Mollie Tibbetts is still alive and being held hostage by her abductor

Now the law enforcement source has revealed that investigators believe that her kidnapper may have been among her distraught family and friends at the event.

'There is reason to believe the person responsible for Mollie's disappearance attended a vigil and has continued to closely follow the case,' they said.

They said that authorities are tightening the net around the suspect and are looking at single, divorced, and widowed men around Brooklyn, Iowa. They are also examining Tibbetts' 'digital footprint', including date from her Fitbit and cell, to track her down.

Tibbetts' father, Rob Tibbetts, (right) agrees and believes that his daughter was taken by someone she knows, while her brother Scott (left) is hopeful she's still alive

The website includes a map (pictured above) that pinpoints the five spots investigators are focusing on. Police have not indicated why they are honing in on these locations

But there was some hope for the family, as the source said that investigators believe she is still alive.

'There is reason to believe Mollie is still being held captive and whoever this person is, agents from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are closing in,' they said.

Tibbetts' father, Rob Tibbetts, agrees and believes that his daughter was taken by someone she knows.

'I do believe Mollie is with someone who she knows, probably someone who cares about her,' he said. But that relationship was misguided, misinterpreted and went wrong, and I think they're in a place with Mollie and don't know how to get themselves out of this horrible situation.'

A vigil took place in Waterloo, Iowa, where parents pleaded for missing children including Mollie Tibbets, Elizabeth Collins, Lyric cook and Jake Watson to be safely returned home.

The missing student's brother Scott is also sure his sister is still alive.

'I do believe that she's still alive, and the reason I think that is because I know her and know her strong she is. I know the sort of attitude she had and she would never give up,' he said on All Rise with Dylan Howard. 'I'm still hoping for the best.'

Scott refused to talk about who he thinks may have taken his sister and also declined to speculate about why police had searched the farm of a local pig farmer who had multiple arrests for stalking. He has already been interviewed twice by police.

Police have also declined to explain their focus on the pig farm and have given very few details of their investigation.

Mollie was staying alone in the home she shared with her boyfriend Jack Dalton (above) in Brooklyn when she vanished after going for an evening run on July 18. He's been cleared as a suspect

'They haven't told us a whole lot about that,' Scott said of the FBI and police's investigation. 'We wouldn't share too much about it, we wouldn't want to speculate a whole lot.

'I'm confident in the authorities and I'll let them bring the details to light.'

Host Howard also raised a report from a neighbor who say a black SUV circling the area that Tibbetts disappeared in.

She had been staying at the home of her boyfriend Dalton Jack, who has been ruled out as a suspect.

He appears to have been the last person to have communicated with her, receiving a Snapchat message from Tibbetts on the night she disappeared. He opened it at around 10pm on July 18, although it may have been sent earlier that evening.

Tibbetts was last seen at 7.30pm that night.

Her brother said he hadn't seen the message and had not interest in seeing his sister's final words.

When asked why, he told Howard: 'I'm sure they were just talking. I'm sure it was just regular conversation. It wasn't sent to me so I don't care to see it.'

The search for Tibbetts has now zeroed in on five areas, including a truck stop and car wash, in the rural Iowa town where she vanished from a month ago.

Investigators searching for the 20-year-old launched a new website on Monday to generate tips from potential witnesses who were near those specific areas in Brooklyn around the time she was last seen on July 18.

The website, FindingMollie.Iowa.gov, includes an interactive map that pinpoints the five spots investigators are focusing on.

Among the locations that they are seeking tips from is a TA truck stop along the Interstate-80 and a car wash near the center of the city.

Other locations are two pieces of rural land on the outskirts of Brooklyn and the area near the home where she had been staying with her boyfriend Dalton Jack.

'Law enforcement is currently seeking additional witnesses and wants to speak to anyone who was in the areas indicated below on July 18, 2018 between the hours of 5pm and 10pm,' the website states.

Investigators revealed on Monday they were focusing on getting tips from people at five locations, including this TA truck stop along the Interstate-80

This car wash near the center of the city is among the five locations investigators are seeking tips from

Police have not indicated why they are honing in on these locations.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assistant director Mitch Mortvedt says investigators are considering all scenarios but that it's 'possible that Mollie has come into contact with someone who has caused her harm'.

He asked the public to report information about anyone who has recently displayed odd behaviors.

'Often, someone in the community will unknowingly be associated with the offender, and may be in a position to observe behavioral changes in that person,' he said.

'They will recognize the change and may even question them about it, but will not relate the change to that person's involvement in a crime.'

Some of the changes he urged people to consider include: changes in normal routine, a vehicle being unexpectedly taken to a repair shop or sold, intensive cleaning of a vehicle, altering of physical appearance, unexplained injuries and interest in the investigation.

Police are seeking tips from the public who were in the vicinity of the home (above) where Mollie had been staying alone the night she disappeared

Farm land close to Big Bear Creek - a waterway that runs through Brooklyn - is also one of the areas

Mollie was staying alone in the home she shared with her boyfriend, his brother and his brother's fiancee when she vanished after going out for an evening run on July 18.

Her disappearance has sparked an enormous search effort involving local, state and federal authorities and volunteers.

The reward fund offered for her safe return has grown to nearly $316,000.

She was last seen alive, it is thought, by Devin Riley who lives on the other side of town and saw her jog past his home. He contacted police when he heard she was missing from the news.

Mollie's boyfriend says he received a Snapchat message from Tibbetts after she would have returned from her run.

When Mollie went jogging, she had her phone, FitBit and her arm band. None of those items have been found.

Jack's brother, Blake, told Fox News there were no signs of struggle at the home, adding that Tibbetts is 'small, but she would have done something' if she had been attacked.A white police officer has taken legal action against a black lieutenant whom she claims made a slew of racially and sexually offensive remarks regarding her interracial relationship and other related matters.

The New York Daily News reported Tuesday that Vanessa Weinbel filed a $15million notice of claim at the city controller's office against Lt. Rasheena Huffman, who is employed at the Police Service Area 9 in Queens.

The lieutenant - who learned about the 33-year-old officer's black boyfriend in July 2016 - allegedly told her that men of color are only interested in her because she has the look of a 'Kardashian chick.'

Huffman also allegedly made sexist remarks about Weinbel's backside and suggested she was trying to seduce male colleagues by wearing tight-fitting attire to showcase her ample asset.

NYPD officer Vanessa Weinbel, 33, filed a notice of claim with the city controllers office against Lt. Rasheena Huffman - who she alleges made racially and sexually offensive remarks about her interracial relationship

Huffman allegedly warned the officer that if she had a daughter with her boyfriend, she 'wouldnt be able to comb her hair.'

The claim states that Huffman told her their children would be 'confused' and 'messed up because they wont know who they are or where they came from,' Weinbel told the Daily News.

In September 2016, the lieutenant allegedly went so far as to tell Weinbel a scare story in the news about a white man who stabbed an interracial couple.

Huffman's allegedly told Weinbel that she is lucky she wasn't victim to such an attack.

'The only thing they hate worse than black people are interracial relationships,' Huffman allegedly said.

Huffman is employed at the Police Service Area 9 in Queens (pictured on Google Maps)

'Theyre tired of seeing black men with white women... so you should consider yourself lucky because you probably would've been shot up first.'

Weinbel told the newspaper she wants Huffman to be held accountable for the workplace harassment she has accused her of.

'No one should be subjected to treatment like this,' Weinbel said, while adding that she was 'sick and humiliated by the comments and 'shocked that someone could think of these kind of things.

'I dont really look at anything as color' and 'to hear that coming out of anyones mouth was disgusting.'

The NYPD reportedly had been been informed about the remarks previously when the officer filed a complaint in the equal opportunity office.

Weinbel's lawyer, Eric Sanders, said the department however 'turned a blind eye' and suggested there was not enough evidence to back up her claims.

DailyMail.com reached out to the department for comment Tuesday evening.Incredible drone footage has captured the moment a shark and a surfer shared the ocean just metres away from each other.

The vision was filmed in Western Australia by Blair Ranford who says the shark, which was about two metres, 'showed no interest in the surfer outside of a little curiosity'.

Mr Ranford said the surfer was also completely unaware the shark was nearby until he alerted them as soon as he could.

Drone footage has captured a shark and surfer sharing the waters off the Western Australia coast

'He had never even seen it. He was amazed when he saw the footage,' Mr Ranford told Daily Mail Australia.

He posted the video to his Instagram page, Sharky Aerials, where he noted it was not uncommon for people to be unaware of sharks in the water.

'This is the reality for the vast majority of times that sharks and people meet in our oceans... mostly we never even realise they were there,' Mr Ranford wrote.

'Of course on rare occasions their interest takes a dangerous turn for people but in truth those situations really are incredibly rare.'

The footage was taken in April, just north of Margaret River, during the Western Australia salmon run.

Mr Ranford, who was operating the drone from about 400 metres away, said it was a bronze whaler which was spotted, which are a common sight during the salmon run but never pose a threat to humans.

Blair Ranford, who captured the footage, said the shark 'showed no interest in the surfer outside of a little curiosity'

Mr Ranford added on his Instagram page there were precautions swimmers and surfers could take to keep themselves safe in the water.

'We need to never lose sight of the fact that the ocean is a wild environment, no different to the plains of Africa and act accordingly,' he said.

'There is so much we can do to help reduce an already small risk even further, from paying attention to the signs the ocean gives us, such as the presence of bait schools, seals, even whales close to shore.'

Mr Ranford said Australians can also access apps which issue alerts of shark sightings and whale carcasses.The father of four children who were murdered hasn't been able to look at their photos since they died at the hands of his former father-in-law.

Aaron Cockman caught his first flight in 16 years to come to Canberra to convince politicians of the potentially devastating consequences of Australia's approach to family separation.

'The whole situation just snowballed out of control as soon as the lawyers got involved,' Mr Cockman said on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

Aaron Cockman caught his first flight in 16 years to come to Canberra to convince politicians of the potentially devastating consequences of Australia's approach to family separation

Mr Cockman's estranged father-in-law Peter Miles, 61, (pictured centre) shot dead his family at their farm near Margaret River in Western Australia

Mr Cockman's estranged father-in-law Peter Miles, 61, shot dead his family at their farm near Margaret River in Western Australia.

The victims were Mr Cockman's wife Katrina, 35, and their four children: daughter Taye, 13, and sons Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn, eight.

Miles also killed his wife Cynda, 58, before turning the gun on himself.

'If the lawyers weren't involved at all, things would have been so different,' Mr Cockman said.

Mr Cockman said even after separating, he and his ex-wife were still socialising and going to dinner with the kids, until the lawyers got involved.

He will meet with people on the government and opposition frontbench as part of a campaign by advocacy group For Kids Sake, calling for Family Court reform.

'I'm finding myself not coping at all really. This is the only thing I've got to live for. Even working as a carpenter is not enough,' Mr Cockman said.

'If I can see another child see their other parent again that would make such a difference to me. That would give me something to live for.'

Mr Cockman's wife Katrina, 35, and their four children - daughter Taye, 13, and sons Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn, eight (pictured) died in the massacre

Mr Cockman said even after separating, he and his ex-wife were still socialising and going to dinner with the kids, until the lawyers got involved

A child is killed every 14 days by a parent or close relative in Australia.

'The common denominator for that is ongoing Family Court proceedings,' said For Kids Sake chief executive David Curl.

'We're after nothing less than a paradigm shift in how we deal with family separation.'

They want the focus of family separation to fall under the ambit of the health ministry, rather than the attorney-general's department.

Earlier intervention than the Family Court, proper arbitration, better mediation and increased support for families under pressure are all on their wish list.

Mr Cockman said his former father-in-law, Peter Miles was funding his ex-wife's legal fees, and the sustained pressure of this over years led to his brutal act.

'He was just worn down where he got to the point where he couldn't cope anymore,' Mr Cockman said.

'He didn't want me to have kids. There's so much hatred there.'

Lifeline - 13 11 14

Mr Cockman said his former father-in-law, Peter Miles was funding his ex-wife's legal fees, and the sustained pressure of this over years led to his brutal actA man accused of child sex abuse has died ahead of his scheduled court appearance.

The man appeared at Albany Magistrates Court last week, during which he was not required to enter a plea to 20 counts of knowingly sexually penetrating a child and 15 counts of indecently dealing with a child, according to the Albany Advertiser.

The man, who cannot be identified, was not in police custody at the time of his death, a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

A man accused of child sex abuse has died ahead of his scheduled court appearance at Albany Magistrate's Court (pictured)

The alleged paedophile was also charged with one count of persistent sexual conduct with a child under 16 years, one count of procuring a child to engage in sexual behaviour and one count of intent to procure a person under 16 years for sexual activity.

He was expected to reappear in court on November 1.

Police confirmed that the man's death is not being treated as suspicious and a coroner's report is being prepared.

For confidential support in Australia, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or click hereLabour has insisted Jeremy Corbyn was just 'standing up for democracy' by making the salute of a controversial Muslim movement.

Mr Corbyn was seen making the Rabbi'ah four-fingered gesture popularised by the Muslim Brotherhood  the political movement condemned as 'counter to British values and democracy'.

The shot, which emerged in the Daily Telegraph, shows Mr Corbyn standing alongside a man in a Muslim Association of Great Britain badge at Finsbury Park Mosque in the MP's Islington North constituency.

Gesture: Mr Corbyn and an unidentified man make the Rabbi-ah sign, which has become linked to the controversial Muslim Brotherhood

The paper said the picture was believed to have been taken in February 2016, after he became party leader.

The controversial sign rose to prominence after the August 2013 massacre of 600 protesters in Cairo's Rabaa-al-Adawiya square who were supporting the deposed Egyptian government of Muslim Brotherhood member Mohammed Morsi.

The sign is regulary used on social media by Muslim Brotherhood members to identify one another. However other experts insisted it is simply a sign of solidarity with the peaceful protesters killed in the square.

The four-fingered gesture is used at demonstrations such as this one in Cairo in 2014

Protesters, left in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2015 and right in Cairo in 2014, hold signs showing the Rabbi-ah symbol

The Brotherhood is banned across much of the Middle East and Russian after being linked to terrorism. In 2015, David Cameron said membership could be seen as 'a possible indicator of extremism'.

Counter-extremism campaigner Maajid Nawaz told the Telegraph the Muslim Brotherhood was to Muslims 'what the BNP are to the English  bigoted, identitarian and dangerous'.

But a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he had been 'standing up for democracy' when he used the Rabbi'ah symbol.

'Jeremy was standing up for democracy, justice and the right to protest in Egypt after the military had staged a coup against an elected president,' the spokesman said.

What is the Muslim Brotherhood? The Muslim Brotherhood is a transnational Sunni Islamist movement that seeks to implement sharia (Islamic law) under a global caliphate. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Brotherhood is that country's oldest Islamist organization and has branches throughout the world. While these branches operate under a variety of names and use a variety of social, political, and occasionally violent methods, they share a commitment to the overarching goal of establishing rule according to sharia. The most notable and lethal Brotherhood offshoot is the Palestinian terror group operating out of the Gaza Strip. Some analysts also argue that the Brotherhood has served as the ideological forerunner of modern violent Islamist groups. The group has been labeled a terrorist organization by the governments of Bahrain, Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. (Source: Counter Extremism) Advertisement

'The four-fingered gesture is a well-known symbol of solidarity with the victims of the 2013 Rabaa massacre in Cairo, in which over a thousand people were estimated to have been indiscriminately killed and many thousands of peaceful protesters injured by the Egyptian security forces.'

The latest row comes after days of controversy for Mr Corbyn after he was photographed at a wreath-laying ceremony in a Tunis graveyard where members of Black September  the terror group behind the Munich Olympics massacre of 11 Israeli athletes  are buried.

He admitted on Monday that he was 'present' when it was laid but he didn't believe he was 'actually involved in it'.

The 1972 attack on German soil is still remembered in Israel as a national trauma.

Eleven Israelis were taken hostage by the Black September terror group, two were murdered in the Olympic village.

Last night the Labour leader was also blasted by the widow of one of the victims.

Ankie Spitzer's husband Andrei, a fencing coach, was murdered at the 1972 games by Palestinian terrorists.

She told Sky News she believed Corbyn must apologise and said: 'Imagine when an Israeli politician would go and put flowers on the graves of those murderers that killed people in London or England - how would the British people accept that.

'They would not accept, so we don't accept this behaviour.'

Corbyn admitted on Monday that 'I was present when it was laid, I don't think I was actually involved in it'.A former Vermont utility executive on Tuesday became the first transgender candidate to be nominated for governor, and she'll face the Republican incumbent, who survived a bitter backlash from his base over gun restrictions he supported.

GOP Gov. Phil Scott defeated a challenge from Springfield businessman Keith Stern in his quest to win a second term. He will face Christine Hallquist, 62, who won the Democratic primary to run for the state's highest office in November.

She would become the nation's first transgender governor if elected.

Scott said he expected the race to be closer than it was. 'I know there are some who are still upset with me who may not welcome tonight's result but there's so much more that unites us than sets us apart.

'And no one agrees with their friends all the time, but as our success shows we can make a lot of good progress when we have clear priorities and we pull in the same direction,' Scott said.

Vermont Democratic gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman, shakes hands with her supporters during her election night party in Burlington, Vermont on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Hallquist, center, became the first transgender candidate to be nominated for governor on Tuesday

Hallquist embraces supporters after claiming victory during her election night party in Burlington on Tuesday

Hallquist said her campaign would focus on improving the state's economy, yet she acknowledged the symbolism of being an openly transgender candidate.

'The whole world is looking at this as a historic moment for a transgender candidate, but that's not what Vermont looked at,' Hallquist said.

'Vermonters looked at, 'What's Christine and her team going to do for Vermont?'

'Look to Vermont,' she said. 'We continue to demonstrate leadership in civil rights and how to honor and work with each other. We can be a beacon for the rest of the world.'

Hallquist, a married grandmother who transitioned to a woman in December 2015, supports a '$15 minimum wage, overdose prevention sites, and paid family leave insurance,' according to the Burlington Free Press.

Hallquist has also said she 'would work toward universal primary care in Vermont and pursue a coalition of states to pursue a "Medicare for all" system.'

While she supports the ban of assault weapons, the Democratic nominee said it is not an issue of high importance on her list.

Scott, first elected in 2016, faced a rebellion from his base due to his support for a series of gun restrictions that, while mild by national standards, angered many members of Vermont's avid hunting community.

Hallquist will now face Vermont Governor Phil Scott, seen on April 11, 2018 in Montpelier. Scott defeated a challenge from Springfield businessman Keith Stern in his quest to win a second term

The restrictions, which Scott signed into law in April, came after the arrest of a teenager on charges he was plotting a school shooting.

They included raising the age to buy firearms from 18 to 21, restricting the size of gun magazines and requiring background checks for most private gun sales.

Scott will seek re-election in November by continuing his pledge to make the state more affordable, not raise taxes or fees, foster a better environment for businesses and attract newcomers to the state.

Hallquist defeated environmental activist James Ehlers; dance festival organizer Brenda Siegel; and 14-year-old student Ethan Sonneborn, on the ballot because a quirk in state law doesn't require candidates to be of voting age.

Democratic state Sen. John Rodgers, from Vermont's remote and conservative Northeast Kingdom, failed in his bid for a grassroots write-in campaign, largely motivated by his displeasure with firearms restrictions.

Hallquist said her campaign would focus on improving the state's economy, yet she acknowledged the symbolism of being an openly transgender candidate

Hallquist applauds with her supporters during her election night party in Burlington on TuesdayWhite House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders apologized for her false statement that President Trump had created three times as many jobs as President Barack Obama for African Americans.

Sanders, 36, took to Twitter on Tuesday to rectify her error in stating that Trump had done more for African American employment in his first year-and-a-half than Obama did for his entire eight years.

'Correction from today's briefing: Jobs numbers for Pres Trump and Pres Obama were correct, but the time frame for Pres Obama wasn't,' she said.

'I'm sorry for the mistake, but no apologies for the 700,000 jobs for African Americans created under President Trump.'

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders apologized for saying the wrong time frame in which African American employment rose under President Barack Obama

She added: 'I'm sorry for the mistake, but no apologies for the 700,000 jobs for African Americans created under President Trump'

Sanders had earlier stated that Obama only created 195,000 jobs during his terms, which is factually incorrect. In actuality, black employment raised by nearly 3 millions at the time of the Great Recession and up until 2017.

Current administration figures has job growth at 700,000 from January 2017 until July of this year.

After Sanders corrected herself, the White House Council of Economic Adviser released a statement taking responsibility for the blunder.

They then provided actual figures for the 20-month period following Obama's first and second election to Trump's election.

Black employment under Obama raised by nearly 3 millions from the time of the Great Recession and up until 2017. Current administration figures has job growth at 700,000 from January 2017 until July of this year

In the midst of the Great Recession, African American workers suffered 630,000 job losses. But by the time of Obama's second term and a boost in the economy, African Americans experienced 831,000 jobs created.

Since Trump's election, there has been job growth of 848,000. That figure, however, is in part a result of the inherited trends that were happening for racial groups and employment across the board.

Most economist tend to believe that a president's ability to shift employment trends is actually quite stifled.

'If you start the clock on Election Day, Trump's first 20 months slightly outperformed the beginning of Obama's second term in African American employment growth,' Ernie Tedeschi, an economist in Obama's Treasury Department, explained to the Washington Post.

After Sanders corrected herself, the White House Council of Economic Adviser released a statement taking responsibility for the blunder

'If you start the clock on Inauguration Day, Obama was slightly ahead. But the real bottom line is that the pace of jobs growth hasn't changed dramatically between the two presidents.'

Sanders tweet comes after she shared that she could not rule out the possibility that an audio recording existed of Trump using 'n****r' in conversation.

Sanders told reporters that she has never heard Trump use the 'n-word' or anything like it, but conceded that she hasn't been a part of every meeting the president has taken. She was 22 years old when he allegedly used the racist language on the set of 'The Apprentice' in 2004.

'I can't guarantee anything,' Sanders acknowledged during her first briefing since Omarosa Manigault-Newman hit the media circuit to promote her aggressively salty memoir 'Unhinged.'A deputy principal has slammed 30,000 teachers for going on strike, claiming that their actions are not setting a good example for students.

The deputy principal from Nelson, New Zealand, who chose not to be named, said there was no need for the teachers to walk off the job.

'Look, teaching isn't a walk in the park. But it's a pretty sweet gig,' he told Stuff.

A deputy principal has slammed 30,000 teachers for going on strike, claiming that their actions are not setting a good example for students (pictured)

Teachers across New Zealand went on strike for the first time in 24 years on Wednesday.

The deputy principal, who previously worked in private equity, said he believes the teachers have it 'pretty good'.

He said his hours are much better compared to when he was working in the corporate sector.

'I'm away from work by 4pm almost every day, answer a few emails in the evening and mark for an hour on Sunday during term time. That's it,' he told the publication.

Teachers across New Zealand went on strike for the first time in 24 years on Wednesday (pictured). One woman held up a sign that read: 'Jacinta. Who will teach Neve?' (pictured, right)

Almost 30,000 teachers from 1,479 schools across New Zealand are on strike as of Wednesday (pictured)

Why are NZ teachers on strike? Almost 30,000 teachers from 1,479 schools across New Zealand are on strike as of Wednesday. The teachers are demanding better pay and incentives to attract new teachers. With the help of the national teachers union, they are demanding a 16 per cent pay rise for teachers over the next two years. Advertisement

He said he was 'annoyed' at teachers who complained they are 'undervalued' and not being paid enough.

The deputy principal said that teachers are not facing any more challenges than nurses and retail staff, who are also struggling to keep up with the cost of living due to stagnant wage growth.

The man said the salaries were 'good' considering teachers have 12 weeks of holiday.

'I don't believe in sulking,' the deputy principal told Stuff.

He said his colleagues that chose to strike over teaching their students are not setting a good example.

With more than 1,400 schools shut down during the strike, teachers have sought aid from the national teacher's union.

The teachers are demanding a 16 per cent pay rise over the next two years.

The deputy principal's comments have caused a stir online, with many people taking to social media to debate the issue.

With the help of the national teachers union, they are demanding a 16 per cent pay rise for teachers over the next two years (pictured)

'How can we put students first if you put teachers last!' one sign read (pictured)

'Not many people have the patience to deal with children, no way in hell could I do it,' another woman said (pictured)

'Finally a teacher with good sense.. he's right all striking is teaching the kids is if they pack a tantrum they get what they want,' one woman said.

Another woman challenged the deputy principal, arguing that teaching is 'one of the hardest jobs in the world.'

'Not many people have the patience to deal with children, no way in hell could I do it. Teachers deserve to earn way more for what they do, it's one of the most important jobs in society educating our children. I have so much respect for teachers,' another said.

One woman held a sign that read: 'If you can read this, thanks a teacher!' (pictured)

People have taken to social media sparking a debate on whether the teachers' strike is justified

Another woman said she didn't support the pay rise, but agreed that class size and budgets were issues also at the forefront of the strike.

'Yeah I don't support the pay increase of this strike but this deputy is a douce.

Teaching is not easy and teachers are also striking about class size and more budgets to deal with kids who have special needs in the class environment,' she said.

With more than 1,400 schools shut down during the strike, teachers (pictured) have sought aid from the national teacher's unionA fisherman has captured a stunning close encounter with a baby humpback whale while kayaking off Australia's east coast.

Jason Milne was fishing at Sunshine Reef, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with his friend when the spectacular display took place.

The video, which Mr Milne uploaded to Facebook, shows the whale breaching right next to his kayak as it playfully splashes in the water.

'This baby whale was so playful yet very careful not to hit me on one of three very close passes this morning - so amazing!' Mr Milne wrote in the video's caption.

The video shows the whale as she twists and turns towards the surface, before eventually breaching out into the morning sun

The footage shows the huge whale as she approaches the surface, bypassing the kayaker floating in the water.

The whale is seen twisting and turning as she heads towards the surface, before eventually breaching out into the morning sun.

The whale then continues to bypass Mr Milne, bobbing under the front end of his kayak, just missing it by inches.

As the whale descends back into the ocean, waves splash around the kayak before Mr Milne places his camera under the water to follow the mammal's progress.

The whale is next seen swimming downwards, waving her tail from left to right before completely disappearing out of view.

The whale bypassed Mr Milne's kayak, bobbing under its front end before descending back into the ocean

Mr Milne finished the video by saying that the encounter was 'an experience we will not forget'

The camera then turned back on its user, Mr Milne, who can be heard saying: 'Did you see that? Woah, that was close.'

Speaking to the Sunshine Coast Daily, Mr Milne said he continued filming just in case the baby whale came back to the surface again, but was only able to capture sounds from that point on.

He added the encounter was 'an experience we will not forget'.Paul Manafort's defense team claimed he was a victim of a 'desperate' attempt by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to pin a bogus crime on the former Trump campaign chief, during closing arguments in Manafort's tax and bank fraud trial on Wednesday.

Attorneys for Manafort argued in a 90-minute closing statement that their client was a victim of his embezzling former business partner Rick Gates, who they claim cut a deal with the government and testified against Manafort in exchange for getting his own tax fraud charges dropped.

For the first time since the trial began, defense attorneys also raised the fact that Manafort worked for Donald Trump  a possible implication to the jury that the charges were politically motivated.

'The government  so desperate to make a case against Mr. Manafort  made a deal with Rick Gates,' said Manafort's attorney Kevin Downing. 'Mr. Gates was orchestrating a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme.'

The move may be a brave one by Manafort's defense, who had got the judge to keep Trump's name out of the case, saying it would prejudice a jury drawn from heavily Democratic areas of northern Virginia around the Alexandria courtroom.

The jury will start deliberating Thursday morning. Those in the court who want to be there for the verdict - including Manafort's wife Kathleen - have been warned they need to go no further than 10 minutes away.

In its summary to the jury the prosecution honed in on Manafort's alleged 'lies' and greed, while also downplaying Gates.

The trial is the first test of Robert Mueller's special counsel probe, with the charges brought by his prosecutors in the course of their investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election - although they do not include any of collusion.

An acquittal would be a significant blow to Mueller and likely to be seized on by Donald Trump and his supporters as a reason to end the investigation.

Key case: Paul Manafort, a one-time Trump campaign chairman, is the first person to go on trial on charges brought by the Robert Mueller special counsel probe. Prosecutors say he lied to banks and about his taxes - but the defense say Mueller was 'desperate' to pin a crime on him

Relaxed: Kathleen Manafort (center) went out for coffee with two friends between the prosecution and defense summing up. She has been in court every day of her husband's trial

Manafort team: Defense attorney Kevin Downing arrived on Wednesday before the prosecution summed up. He and his team

'Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and to get more money when he didn't,' prosecutor Greg Andres told the jury in an exhaustive closing statement that lasted over an hour and forty minutes.

But Richard Wesley, a lawyer on Manafort's team, called the government's bank fraud evidence against his client 'selective.'

'Clearly the goal was tostack up the counts,' said Wesley. 'And to give you a sense that the evidence is so overwhelming to draw one conclusion.'

'There is not a single bit of evidence that any of these banks came to the government and complained about these frauds,' added Wesley.

He said none of the banks seemed concerned 'until the special counsel showed up and starting asking questions.'

Throughout the trial, Manafort's attorneys have suggested Gates was responsible for falsifying bank and tax records  even implying he forged Manafort's signatures on foreign bank records. They claimed he did this to cover up for millions of dollars he embezzled from Manafort's businesses.

In testimony last week Gates said he committed tax and bank fraud crimes under orders from Manafort  but also admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his former boss while carrying at least one extramarital affair.

Downing told the jury that Gates was a 'liar' who 'tried to get one over on you.'

'How [Gates] was able to get the deal he got [with Mueller's team] I have no idea,' said Downing. 'He gets to walk out of here on probationbecause [prosecutors] were so desperate to try to make the case.'

Gates pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice earlier this year. Although Manafort's attorneys have repeatedly implied that Gates was offered a deal of probation for cooperating with prosecutors, he in fact faces up to 10 years in prison for these charges.

However, Mueller's team has promised not to object if Gates requests probation during his sentencing. Prosecutors also dropped bank and tax fraud charges against Gates in exchange for his cooperation.

Downing said Gates was prepped extensively by prosecutors during at least 20 meetings with Mueller's team. He said Gates tried to 'look all clean shaven' during his testimony, but 'showed himself to be the liar he is.' He also claimed Manafort felt 'foolish' for trusting Gates and giving him access to his financial accounts.

Power brokers: Rick Gates (left) and his boss Paul Manafort (second from right) ran the Trump campaign during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, in 2016.

'To the very end [Gates] lied to you,' Downing told the jury. 'He was flawless on direct [questioning] but on cross examination he fell apart.'

Downing also emphasized Gates's 'secret life,' a reference to Gates's extramarital affair. The defense claimed last week that Gates stole money from Manafort because he was living beyond his means, paying for an apartment for his mistress in London and first-class trips across Europe.

'He finally admitted his secret,' said Downing. 'He was paying for his apartment in London, he was paying for fancy restaurants and hotels.'

Downing also argued that Manafort was not trying to knowingly conceal his foreign bank accounts from the government, saying he disclosed them to the FBI when he was interviewed about an unrelated matter in 2014.

'If you're in this major concealment scheme, why would you just disclose it?' asked Downing.

The prosecution had said that Manafort lied to his personal book keeper, his tax preparers, the IRS, and multiple banks and financial institutions, according to prosecutors.

He also neglected to file required government reports disclosing his foreign bank accounts and did not mention them on his income tax filings, the government claims.

Key case: Paul Manafort, a one-time Trump campaign chairman, is the first person to go to trial on charges brought by the Robert Mueller special counsel probe. The case has been marked by fiery clashes between U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III and prosecutors

While hiding money in at least 31 foreign accounts, Manafort also transferred millions to vendors in the U.S. to fund his decadent lifestyle, according to prosecutors. He spent over $1.5 million on custom menswear  including a $21,000 crystal watch and a $15,000 ostrich jacket  and millions more on high-end TV and audio equipment and landscaping for his Hamptons mansion.

Judge T.S. Ellis has clashed with prosecutors in the case over their references to Manafort's wealth, prodding them to focus instead on the tax and fraud charges. Andres stressed during his closing argument that the government is not prosecuting Manafort due to his spending habits.

'This case is not about Mr. Manafort's wealth,' said Andres. 'We are not in court today because Mr. Manafort is wealthy. We are in the court today because he filed false tax reports and he failed to file [a Foreign Bank Account Report].'

Andres also argued that Manafort's failure to disclose his income was deliberate  a point prosecutors must prove the jurors to get a conviction.

Noting that Manafort was an attorney and an experienced international political consultant, Andres said 'Mr. Manafort is capable and bright' and 'met regularly with his own tax preparer.'

Prosecutors also seemed to downplay the importance of testimony from Rick Gates, Manafort's former business partner who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators earlier this year and has been cooperating with Mueller's team.

Gates, who was previously billed as the prosecution's key witness in the case, testified last week that he helped Manafort carry out his tax and bank fraud schemes.

But Gates's credibility was also heavily damaged under cross examination, when he admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort and having at least one extramarital affair.

Manafort's attorneys suggested that Gates had as many as four affairs, and claimed he used the money he embezzled to pay for a London apartment for his mistress and first-class trips through Europe.

Andres seemed to acknowledge Gates's credibility problems during his closing arguments.

'We're not asking you to like him,' said Andres.

He told jurors to take Gates's testimony and 'compare it to the testimony of [other] witnesses. This is how you know if it is consistent.'

Andres also pushed back against Manafort's attorneys for concentrating on Gates's infidelity.

'Why were there so many questions on Mr. Gates's affair?' he asked. 'Was it to distract you? Does it matter?'

'Mr. Manafort was a mentor to Mr. Gates in his criminal activity,' added Andres. '[Manafort] didn't choose a boy scout.'

The prosecutor urged the jury to focus on the documents in the case rather than on any single witness.

'The star witness in this case is the documents,' said Andres. 'Virtually everything Mr. Gates testified on is in the documents.'

Andres closing argument came on the twelfth day of the trial. Nearly all of that time was spent on testimony from prosecution witnesses; Manafort's defense team declined to call any witnesses.

Manafort's attorneys will make their closing arguments on Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors will then have 17 minutes to give a rebuttal  the time remaining from their two-hour closing argument allowance.

Afterward, the judge will advise jurors on legal requirements for a conviction. Judge Ellis told jurors this will likely take an hour and a half. The court will then go to recess until the jury reaches a verdict.

While the case against Manafort does not relate to any allegations of Russian election interference or possible coordination with the Trump campaign, the proceedings have drawn President Donald Trump's attention - and prompted tweets - as the president has worked to undermine the standing of the Mueller investigation in the public square.

Star witness: Rick Gates was on the stand for three days but his credibility was attacked by Manafort's defense and he admitted cheating on his wife with a long-term mistress in London

Trump has distanced himself from Manafort, who led the campaign from May to August 2016 with Gates at his side. Gates struck a plea deal with prosecutors and has provided much of the drama of the trial so far.

Gates testified that he helped Manafort commit crimes in an effort to lower his tax bill and fund his lavish lifestyle.

During testimony, Gates was also forced to admit embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort and conducting an extramarital affair.

After jurors were excused on Tuesday, lawyers for both sides conferred with the judge in open court on the language Ellis will use to instruct the jurors in their deliberations.

The only dispute was about what jurors should be told about how to interpret questions and comments interjected by the judge during the course of the trial.

Prosecutors, who have been frustrated by Ellis' tendency to interrupt and chide prosecutors in front of the jury, sought stronger language to make clear that jurors do not need to adopt any opinions expressed by the judge.

At one point in the discussion, Ellis asked prosecutors whether they thought he had ever interjected his own opinions. Prosecutor Greg Andres, who has had the strongest confrontations with Ellis, said 'yes.'

Ellis eventually came up with compromise language that was agreeable to both sides.Susan Carland has hit back at controversial senator Fraser Anning with a witty Instagram post where she appears holding up a packet of Allen's jelly beans.

Ms Carland uploaded the image on Wednesday afternoon hours after Senator Anning had compared Muslim migrants to poisoned jelly beans.

She said his comments sounded like the Senator had 'considered eating Muslims' and asked him to 'Please don't eat us'.

Scroll down for video

Susan Carland posted this photo to her Instagram account holding up a packet of Allen's jelly beans after Senator Fraser Anning earlier compared Muslim migrants to poisoned jelly beans

Ms Carland (pictured here with her husband Waleed Aly) said in her Instagram post that 'multiculturalism is colourful and awesome'

In the caption accompanying the photo, Ms Carland quoted the comments Senator Anning made on Sydney talkback radio which she said came 'after quite a maiden speech against non-white migration'.

'To Senator Fanning (sic): 1) sounds like you've considered eating Muslims. Please don't eat us; 2) multiculturalism is colourful and awesome, just like these jellybeans. So I'm popping these in the mail for you,' Ms Carland wrote.

Ms Carland said of the packet of lollies she was holding up: 'NB - these certainly aren't poisoned but they are halal'.

Senator Anning had likened accepting Muslim immigrants to poisonous jelly beans while speaking to radio station 2GB.

'If you can tell me which ones (Muslims) are not going to cause us harm then fine, that'd be great,' he told broadcaster Alan Jones.

'Unfortunately if you have a jar of jelly beans and three of them are poison you're not going to try any of them.'

Addressing outrage over his use of the Nazi term 'final solution', Senator Fraser Anning said it was taken out of context by the 'thought police' (pictured is Senator Anning during his maiden speech)

Senator Anning also stood by his claims the majority of Muslim immigrants do not work and are on welfare and over-represented in criminal activity (stock image)

Senator Anning earlier defended his controversial maiden speech in which he attacked Muslim migrants and called for a plebiscite on immigration.

Addressing the outrage over his use of the Nazi term 'final solution', the Katter's Australia Party senator said it was taken out of context by the 'thought police'.

Senator Anning said on Wednesday morning he simply wanted the Australian people to be able to decide what kind of immigrants the country accepts.

'All I'm calling for is a plebiscite and a vote for the Australian people to see who they want to come into the country,' the Queensland senator told the Today show.

In his maiden speech Senator Anning said 'the final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote'.

The term 'final solution' was used by Nazi officials in a document which detailed plans to wipe out the Jewish population of Europe, resulting in a genocide.

Senator Anning denied making a deliberate reference to Nazi Germany, but refused to apologise for his choice of words.

'If people want to take it out of context that's entirely up to them. It was never meant to denigrate the Jewish community,' he said.

Senator Anning also stood by his claims the majority of Muslim immigrants do not work and are on welfare and over-represented in criminal activity.

When asked why he had singled out Muslim immigrants in the speech, Senator Anning said it was because 'they mean us harm'.

Senator Anning said he agreed the vast majority of Muslim were hardworking and law-abiding, but claimed a small minority 'want to kill us'.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, Senator Anning said he wanted the Australian people to be able to decide what kind of immigrants the country accepts (pictured is Senator Anning during his maiden speech to parliament)

WHAT THEY SAID - REACTION TO FRASER ANNING'S SPEECH Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull: 'Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world built on a foundation of mutual respect. We reject and condemn racism in any form.' Opposition leader Bill Shorten: 'There is no place in the parliament for these outdated and racist views.' Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton: 'I say to people all the time, who say to me 'we should stop Muslim migration, or we should stop people coming into our country'  intellectually, it is incompatible to say that you can have a migration program where we think every person from a particular race or religion is bad or good.' Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge: 'Fraser Anning's comments on immigration do not reflect the views of the Government nor the views of fair minded Australians. We will always maintain a non-discriminatory immigration program.' Greens leader Richard Di Natale: 'Fraser Anning's vile comments in the Senate today were absolutely beyond the pale and if he has a shred of decency, he will immediately apologise.' 'Australia was forced to confront the fact that there are individuals who will seek to exploit questions of race, ethnicity and religion for base political motives.' Minister of the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg: 'These comments by a member of the Australian parliament were ignorant and insensitive, they were hurtful and they were divisive.' 'I call on Fraser Anning not only to apologise, but also to go and visit a Holocaust museum, and to hear first-hand from the survivors how the pain is still raw, and to see the devastation and destruction caused by the Nazi war machine.' Labor MP Peter Khalil: 'We have a responsibility as political leaders to call it out and fight against what is effectively a fascist view of the world, which is judging people based on their race or their ethnicity or faith.' Independent senator Derryn Hinch: Mr Hinch described the speech as 'excruciating' and 'Pauline Hanson on steroids'. 'There was hardly a group of Australians he did not offend unless you were very close to being a member of the Ku Klux Klan.' Shadow Multicultural Minister Tony Burke: 'He [Mr Anning] has decided to invoke the term 'final solution'. Another speech belittling Australians, another speech dividing the nation, another speech wanting to incite debate. 'There has to be a point when this Parliament says enough, and if we haven't reached that point tonight then for some of us there is apparently no limit at all.' Labor senator Penny Wong: 'Think of what might be happening in some of the schoolyards in Australia today. Those of us who have been on the receiving end of racism know what it feels like. And know what leaders say matters.' Labor MP Graham Perrett: 'This is a myopic red-neck reaching out from another time to another people. Modern Australia has moved on' Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm: 'It is an over-reaction to a term which has multiple meanings. Nobody owns the term 'final solution'. 'If you are a little snowflake, you can go rushing around, taking offence at all kinds of things.' Source: AAP, ABC News Advertisement

'I don't want those people in this country. I think the vast majority of Australians agree with me. No-one wants to put it to a vote,' Senator Anning said.

The speech to parliament was widely condemned by politicians from both major parties, and the Greens.

Poll Do you think there should be a plebiscite on immigration? Yes No Unsure Do you think there should be a plebiscite on immigration? Yes 833 votes

No 131 votes

Unsure 17 votes Now share your opinion





Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull retweeted a statement from Alan Tudge, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.

'Fraser Anning's comments on immigration do not reflect the views of the Government nor the views of fair minded Australians,' Mr Tudge said.

'We will always maintain a non-discriminatory immigration program.'

'Well said Alan,' Mr Turnbull wrote in response. 'Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world built on a foundation of mutual respect.

'We reject and condemn racism in any form.'

Greens leader Richard Di Natale slammed Mr Anning's speech as racist and bigoted and demanded he apologise for using the term 'final solution'.

'Fraser Anning's vile comments in the Senate today were absolutely beyond the pale and if he has a shred of decency, he will immediately apologise,' Senator Di Natale said.

After his speech was attacked by Senator Di Natale and senior Labor frontbenchers Tony Burke and Chris Bowen, Senator Anning released a statement dismissing their criticism.

'Some in the media and left wing politicians are simply afraid of the Australian people having a say on who comes here,' Senator Anning said.

'As I called for a plebiscite on the immigration mix, this baseless and ridiculous criticism is simply an effort to play the man and not the ball.

Senator Anning said it was ironic that he was being criticised by politicians from Labor and the Greens who had voted against his pro-Israel proposals in the past.

Senator Fraser Anning (pictured) has defended his controversial maiden speech in which he said all terrorists are Muslim and called for a plebiscite on immigration

'(They) are the same people who refused to support my efforts to stop Australia funding the Palestinian Authority who finance terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli women and children,' he said.

Senator Anning's maiden speech was also criticised for defending the White Australia Policy, and for repeated attacks on Muslim immigrants.

Callig for an end to Muslim immigration and advocating a program that favours 'European Christian' values, Senator Anning claimed a majority of Australian Muslims live on welfare and do not work.

'While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims,' Senator Anning said.

'So why would anyone want to bring more of them here?'

Malcolm Turnbull was among those who condemned Senator Anning's controversial speech (pictured, above)

His proposed plebiscite would allow people to decide whether they want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the third world, he said.

Senator Anning said Australia was entitled to insist migrants were predominantly of 'European Christian composition'.

He also called for the government to ban all welfare payments to migrants in the first five years of living in Australia, labelling many asylum seekers as 'welfare seekers'.

'Ethno-cultural diversity - which is known to undermine social cohesion - has been allowed to rise to dangerous levels in many suburbs,' Senator Anning said.

'In direct response, self-segregation, including white flight from poorer inner-urban areas, has become the norm.'

Senator Anning also warned of a growing threat from China and called for government spending cuts.

He suggested building more coal-fired power plants, supporting agriculture, and called for culture to be 'taken back' from left wing extremists.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten responded to the speech by saying he will move a motion praising the dismantling of the White Australia policy.

Mr Shorten's motion will recognise bipartisan support for the former Holt government's moves to end the policy, and the resulting national and international benefits to the country.History will be made in Thursday night's Powerball draw with a record jackpot on offer and massive numbers of entrants.

One in three Australian adults are expected to buy a ticket in Thursday night's whopping $100 million draw.

The jackpot is at a historic high as it has been rolled over for eight consecutive weeks, during which time no-one had all seven winning numbers and the Powerball number.

Thursday night's $100 million Powerball draw is the equal biggest jackpot in Australia's history

'It's biggest Powerball jackpot in Australia's history and only the second time $100 million has been up for grabs,' The Lott spokesman Matthew Hart told Daily Mail Australia.

'If someone does take home the $100 million, it will be the largest individual Australian lottery prize ever won.'

The only other time a $100 million division one prize was up for grabs in Australia was for an Oz Lotto draw in 2012.

For those who hope to get lucky, the advice is to get your tickets early to avoid the queues.

'One in three Australian adults are expected to enter, so we're expecting it to be really busy at lottery outlets and online right up until the draw at 7.30pm on Thursday night,' Mr Hart told Daily Mail Australia.

He looks forward to calling any registered division one winners straight after the draw.

'The current record is held by a couple of Hervey Bay grandparents who won $70 million in January 2016,' he said.

'Before their life-changing windfall the winners confessed to never having won anything more than a chook raffle!'

Two-thirds of division one Powerball wins in 2017-18 were from QuickPick entries (pictured)

The jackpot will soar even higher and set a new Australian record if there are no division one winners on Thursday night.

'That amount is yet to be determined,' Mr Hart said.

He had some tips on the best ticket to get.

Joining a syndicate doesn't offer the best odds, based on 2017-18 statistics on Powerball winners.

Two-thirds of division one Powerball wins in 2017-18 were from QuickPick entries, where numbers are randomly generated by the lottery terminal.

One in five division one winning entries for Powerball were PowerHits entries  a type of entry where the all-important Powerball number is guaranteed, which you need to win division one.

Syndicates are becoming an increasingly popular option where you can buy a share in a bigger entry that gives more chances to win by pooling your money together with friends, family or colleagues.President Donald Trump is hailing the victory of his friend and ally Kris Kobach in the Kansas GOP governor's primary  though Democrats are predicting that having the hardline immigration opponent on the ballot could boost their chances.

Trump tweeted about Kobach after his rival, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, said he would endorse Kobach, and backed away from what would have been a divisive recount.

He was trailing by just 345 votes, in a process that had already caused controversy and required Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, to step back from overseeing the count.

President Donald Trump is hailing the victory of his friend and ally Kris Kobach in the Kansas GOP governor's primary and predicting a November win for him

Trump, who endorsed Koback late in the race, tweeted out his support on Wednesday morning, offering praise for his rival, whose more mild-tempered conservative won the backing of many GOP establishment figures in the heavily Republican state.

'My friend and very early supporter Kris Kobach won the Republican Nomination for Governor of Kansas last night in a tough race against a very fine opponent. Kris will win in November and be a great Governor,' Trump wrote.

'He has my complete and total Endorsement!' Trump added.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach despite being behind by just 345 votes in the GOP primary for governor

Colyer's surprise announcement came a week after their neck-and-neck finish threatened to send the race to a recount, which would have been a boon for Democrats.

The Cook Political report immediately moved the race into the tossup category, noting that most GOP strategists consider Kobach to be a 'flawed nominee.'

Colyer accepted defeat Tuesday evening after a review of some provisional ballots from most Kansas counties failed to find enough votes for him to overcome a deficit of 110 votes at the time of poll closing in the Aug. 7 primary, out of more than 311,000 votes initially counted.

Kobach has seen his lead widen as the counting of provisional ballots continues into next week across the state.

Trump tweeted about Kobach after his opponent, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, conceded

'I've just had a conversation with the secretary of state and congratulated him on his success and repeated my determination to keep this seat in Republican hands,' Colyer said. 'This election may be the closest in America. But the numbers are not there.'

Kobach , 52, has a national conservative following thanks to his strong stance against illegal immigration and his fervent defense of voter ID laws. He was vice chairman of the Trump administration's election-fraud commission, though the commission eventually found no evidence to support Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 presidential election. Kobach's voter fraud efforts also took a hit in June when a federal judge found the proof-of-citizenship voter registration law he championed was unconstitutional.

Colyer, by contrast, is far more low-key. The 58-year-old plastic surgeon from suburban Kansas City served as lieutenant governor for seven years and took over as governor in January, when Sam Brownback resigned to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom .

Kobach has been a lightning rod for controversy, and some Democrats believe their party has a better chance to capture the governor's seat with him as their Republican opponent instead of Colyer.

'Never in modern Kansas history has any major party's nominee for governor been viewed as poorly by everyday Kansans than Kris Kobach,' said Ethan Corson, the executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party. 'As the drawn-out Republican primary shows, even a significant number of Republican primary voters had and likely still have deep misgivings about the person now at the top of the GOP ticket.'

President Donald Trump, left, and Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, on Nov. 20, 2016, at the clubhouse of Trump International Golf Club, in Bedminster Township, N.J.

Kobach is a Trump ally who has pushed an immigration crackdown and a headed Trump's disbanded task force on voter fraud

Kobach will go against Democrat Laura Kelly, and is likely to face independent candidate Greg Orman, in the November general election in the decidedly conservative state. The bid from Orman, a Kansas City-area businessman who has launched what could become the most serious independent candidacy for governor since the 1930s, complicates Democrats' efforts to recapture the governor's office.

In a statement after Colyer's announcement, Kelly said Kansas families already suffered enough under former Gov. Brownback and that the state doesn't need someone like Kobach who has pledged to bring back the same policies.

'With Kris Kobach as Governor, Kansans get all the failed policies of Sam Brownback plus Kobach's unique brand of hyper-partisanship and self-promotion,' Kelly said. 'Quite simply, Kris Kobach is Sam Brownback on steroids, and that's the last thing that Kansans need right now.'

Democratic nominee for governor Laura Kelly, speaks to reporters in Topeka, Kan., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, following her successful primary

Colyer's decision avoids a divisive recount that could have harmed the party's chances in November

Before becoming governor, Colyer was a loyal No. 2 to Brownback, even when budget problems that followed Brownback's aggressive income tax cuts caused his approval levels to plummet. Lawmakers in 2017 rolled back most of those cuts.

The disputed race between Colyer and Kobach was intense and prompted a lengthy county-by-county review of provisional ballots . The aftermath of the primary included both candidates challenging each other's legal interpretations , sending observers to monitor the vote count and raising the specter of lawsuits.

But in the end, Colyer and Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann said they are committed to supporting Republican nominee Kobach and helping him win in November.

'We will make sure the next governor is fully prepared and has our total cooperation in the peaceful transition of power,' Colyer told reporters in Topeka. He left without taking questions.

Kobach said in a statement that he received a call from Colyer before Colyer's news conference where he conceded.

'He was incredibly gracious, and that meant a lot after such a hard-fought campaign,' Kobach said. 'I want to thank Gov. Jeff Colyer for a race well run. He was a worthy opponent, and I thank him sincerely for his service to the state of Kansas. I will work hard to advance our shared values, and I look forward to working with Gov. Colyer and all Republicans to keep Kansas red in November.'

Colyer is the first Kansas governor to lose a primary since 1956, and the first nationally since Hawaii's Neil Abercrombie lost a Democratic primary in 2014.

Bob Beatty, a political scientist at Washburn University in Topeka, said there was still a small chance that a recount could have revealed something to change Colyer's chances, but the odds were very much against him. By conceding, Colyer has made it possible for him to run for another office in the future, Beatty said.

Both Kelly and Orman want to face Kobach in the fall, Beatty said, noting several polls showing Kobach weaker in the field than Colyer.

'Now that doesn't mean Kobach can't win,' Beatty said. 'Let's just say there might have been three parties tonight - Kobach, Orman and Kelly.'

___

Sign up for 'Politics in Focus,' a weekly newsletter showcasing the AP's best political reporting from around the country leading up to the midterm elections: http://apne.ws/3GzcrawA dairy farmer has claimed that a number of big Australian supermarkets - including Coles, Woolworths, ALDI and IGA - paid him a painfully low wage for a full month's worth of delivering dairy products.

In a saddening Facebook video post, NSW farmer Shane Hickey said that he was paid the equivalent of $2.46 per hour for the entire month of July.

'I'm a proud dairy farmer and I work very hard,' he said, choking back tears in an emotional video posted online.

'Something's got to change. People can't expect farmers to continually work for nothing. It's basically slavery.'

Woolworths told Daily Mail Australia that the price a dairy farmer receives for milk - known as the farm gate price - is set by dairy processors not supermarkets.

'We know there are many Australian farmers doing it tough with the drought and that's why we've been working closely with Rural Aid to ensure more support can be provided to those impacted,' a Woolworths spokesperson said.

A Coles spokesman declined to comment on Mr Hickeys specific claims, but said that the Coles Nurture Fund was set to provide $5 million in grants and interest-free loans for farmers who have a project which will help them to combat drought.

'Coles is also raising money in stores across the country for the Country Womens Associations drought relief efforts, to provide more immediate assistance, and Coles is matching every donation dollar-for-dollar,' he said.

'In just over two weeks, together we have raised over $1.8 million.'

Daily Mail Australia has also reached out to ALDI and IGA for comment.

Mr Hickey added that production at his farm is down 50 per cent compared to the same period last year thanks to the drought, and questioned where big supermarkets would get their products from if it continued.

'Water is disappearing quickly and is most likely going to be in restrictions in a very short period of time  it's looking rough,' he said.

A dairy farmer has claimed that big Australian supermarkets - including Coles, Woolies, ALDI and IGA - paid him a painfully low amount for a full month's worth of delivering dairy products

'So thanks Coles and Woolies, $2.46 an hour  you pay your staff more than that.'

Mr Hickey said he has a mortgage and three children to look after as well as running his farming business.

'I'm not irrigating at the moment because my irrigator's broken and I have to work within a budget, but there's no money in the budget so I've just got to try and do it myself,' he said.

The video prompted fierce discussion in the comments with some calling the situation 'disgraceful' and 'appalling' and many asking what they, as shoppers, could do to help support dairy farmers like Shane.Destructive winds are lashing parts of the Australian coast as residents are warned to stay inside to avoid the effects.

Severe weather warnings were issued for Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia, as a cold front brought gale force winds and downpours.

Wilsons Promontory National Park in the Victoria's south-east recorded gusts of 115km/h at 10.30 on Wednesday morning.

Destructive winds and a cold front (pictured in yellow) are lashing parts of the Australian coast as residents are warned to stay inside to avoid the avoid effects

Severe weather warnings have been issued for Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia

Residents have been warned to move vehicles from underneath trees, to stay away from fallen power lines and avoid being near windows until the blustery conditions subside

Tasmania was also hit hard by the cold front, taking the brunt of its arrival from the Southern Ocean.

Winds of 163km/h were recorded at Maatsuyker Island close to Tasmania's south coast.

High tides along Tasmania's north coast posed a risk of local flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast water levels to be 40cm higher during Wednesday high tide.

Residents were warned to move vehicles from underneath trees, to stay away from fallen power lines and avoid being near windows until the blustery conditions subsided.

While there were wintry conditions in the south, warm winds around Sydney were hampering efforts to fight an 'out-of-control' bushfire in the Budawang National Park near Ulladulla, 235km south of the New South Wales capital.

Tasmania has also been hit hard by the cold front, which is moving up from the Southern Ocean

Wilsons Promontory National Park in the Victoria's south-east recorded gusts of 115km/h at 10.30 on Wednesday morning

More than 70 bushfires were being attended across the state, including two major blazes in North Nowra and near Kiama.

The NSW Rural Fire Service announced an 'extremely rare' total fire ban in winter across Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter regions.

It was the earliest into bushfire season that a total fire ban had been announced in nearly a decade.William Katipa, 52, raped three men while in prison in New Zealand. He was in prison after being found guilty in 2002 of raping a 13-year-old girl

A convicted rapist was able to prey on fellow prisoners after an alert banning him from sharing a cell was turned off by staff.

William Katipa, 52, raped three men while in prison in New Zealand. Two of the men were in their 20s, one was a teenager.

Katipa was in prison after being found guilty in 2002 of raping a 13-year-old girl. It was later discovered through DNA testing that he was guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in 1994.

A New Zealand Herald investigation revealed that the alert banning Katipa from sharing a cell had been deactivated in 2014, allowing him access to two of his victims.

It was in that 2009 Kapita was banned from sharing a cell.

The Department of Corrections had a record of a complaint from one of his cellmates in 2006.

A police inquiry was launched when his cellmate alleged he was raped by Kapita.

Katipa was at Waikeria Prison. He was sharing a cell with a 27-year-old man serving time for a range of property offences.

Katipa told the man to join him on the bottom bunk and threatened to kill him if he did not.

The cellmate was then raped after Katipa blocked the peephole used by the guards.

Following a risk assessment an alert was placed on Katipa's file, banning him from sharing a cell. The alert was deleted in 2014

The cellmate later went to the guards sobbing.

Despite police recovering semen from the man's boxer shorts and DNA from the victim's face and neck, no charge was laid.

A risk assessment tool was introduced in 2009.

Following an assessment an alert was placed on Katipa's file, banning him from sharing a cell.

But the alert was removed by staff in 2014.

His next victim was in 2015. He was locked up with a 24-year-old who was serving time for a violent dairy robbery at the Auckland South Correctional Facility.

The young man was beaten unconscious and raped after refusing to perform a sex act on him. He woke up during the rape and attempted to flee to the top bunk.

His third prison victim was a 19-year-old. It is alleged to have happened in late 2016.

The teenager was in prison aggravated robbery and possession of a knife.

He was threatened and made to perform sex acts. He was transferred to a different cell and reported it to police.

Katipa was sentenced on five counts of sexual violation, four of indecent assault, three of threatening to kill, a charge of attempted sexual violation and a charge of assault with intent to injure this year in relation to the prison rapes.

Two of the men have received compensation from Corrections, while the third is yet to be settled.

Katipa shared with 50 inmates others during his time in prison.

A review of the double bunking later took place. It found Katipa's attacks were a result of 'staff performance failure' rather than the double-bunking system, information obtained under the Official Information Act said.Police have detained the driver accused of leaving the scene after hitting an 11-year-old boy who was riding a bike on Monday night in New York City.

Agostinho Sinclair, 41, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident and aggravated unlicensed operator, according to police.

Earlier in the day, police released surveillance showing the Far Rockaway resident striking Richard Glanville as he rode his bike in the Queens neighborhood.

Agostinho Sinclair, 41, was arrested on Tuesday in connection to the Far Rockaway incident where he allegedly hit Richard Glanville, 11

The collision sent the boy flying in the air and flung him for several feet until he slammed into the ground.

Sinclair can be seen speeding off in his sedan.

'It's heartbreaking,' Richard's Mother, Kahvene Glanville, said CBS2. 'Really, really, really heartbreaking.'

Video shows Sinclair's sedan hit the pre-teen while he rides his bike in the New York neighborhood on Monday night

'I was home and he had literally just left off the block five minutes ago. They called my phone, he said my son had been hit. They gave me an address and I ran out the house immediately.'

Kahvene's son was taken to the Long Island Jewish Hospital, having suffered internal injuries.

He didn't remember any of the details surrounding the incident besides riding in the ambulance.

Glanville was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for internal injuries but is expected to make a full recovery

A trash bag appears to have been used in the section where the pre-teen hit the vehicle

The boy was still said to be in pain on late Tuesday.

When Sinclair was detained, the boy's grandmother rushed him to let him know why the day was special.

'It was his eleventh birthday you should have stopped,' she shouted outside of the NYPD precinct.The head of China's government-run Buddhist association quit his post on Wednesday amid an investigation into allegations that he coerced several nuns into having sex with him.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of the Beijing Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement.

In a 95-page report that circulated online late last month, two monks accused Xuecheng of sending explicit text messages to at least six women, threatening or cajoling them to have sex with him.

Last month two monks accused abbot Xuecheng of sending explicit text messages to at least six women, threatening or cajoling them to have sex with him

China's top religious authority launched an investigation shortly after the allegations were made public.

Xuecheng stepped down at a meeting of the Buddhist Association of China on Wednesday and passed his duties to a deputy.

'The council accepted Xuecheng's resignation as president of the Buddhist Association of China,' said a statement posted Wednesday on the association's website.

It was tucked into a long report detailing a council meeting which neither elaborated on the abbot's reasons for quitting nor referred to the recent probe.

The same statement was also posted by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the government body overseeing religious groups.

A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng's Twitter-like Weibo account has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting allegations of sexual misconduct.

His monastery, Longquan, located in the outskirts of north-west Beijing, is popular with educated Chinese, including many who give up high-paying jobs to devote their lives to religious study.

Abbot Xuecheng is head of the Buddhist Association of China and a member of China's top political advisory body. He is seen attending an opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in China in March

The Longquan Temple is located in the suburban area of Beijing, China

In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

One of the authors said on social media that he was compelled to speak out after the victims were ignored by authorities who said they could not investigate the matter.

The report and posts about it have been taken down or censored on social media.

There is no legal definition of sexual harassment in China and no national regulations on how to handle sexual assault cases in schools and workplaces.

The #MeToo movement ignited in China earlier this year with more women starting to open up about sexual assaults, especially on university campuses.

Unlike in the West, where #MeToo has forced resignations and sparked widespread public debate, authorities in China have sought to control the discussion, sometimes allowing and at other times censoring social media commentary.

China has roughly 250 million Buddhists. That number is likely growing fast at a moment when some young Chinese are turning increasingly spiritual - and embracing Taoism, Christianity and Islam as well.A dazzling little boy who was adopted by a Tennessee couple last month revealed in a photo taken the same day the family was formed that he would be a big brother.

Jordan Dickerson, a pediatric nurse at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, met four-year-old Jeremiah back in January 2017 when he was receiving medical assistance during his time wearing a tracheostomy tube.

The nurse instantly fell in love with the boy, who had been looking for a forever home.

Months later, Jordan and her husband Cole began background screening and foster care training in hopes of bringing him home.

This heartwarming photo shows Cole and Jordan Dickerson with their new son, Jeremiah, who was officially adopted in July 2018

Jeremiah began living with the Dickerson's up until he was officially adopted last month

In June 2017, Jeremiah began living with the Dickerson's up until he was officially adopted last month.

The new mother spoke about the dream day in a series of social media posts this summer.

Precious photos taken outside a local courthouse after the adoption papers were signed show the trio sitting together on the stair steps.

Jordan wrote: 'The day weve been waiting over a year for!! The court system finally caught up to what we already knew to be true...Jeremiah Evans Dickerson is officially ours!

'We have dreamed, waited, and prayed for this day for such a long time. It was even better than I ever dreamed it would be.

'Im so thankful for our family, friends, and phenomenal support system throughout this entire journey. You all are irreplaceable in our book! Today we celebrate life and so much love for you, sweet boy!'

Jordan, a pediatric nurse at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, met four-year-old Jeremiah back in January 2017 when he was staying in the hospital

The adorable boy is seen in one photo outside a hospital door holding up a sign that says: 'Party on my trach is gone!'

Little Jeremiah, sporting a dress shirt and a bow tie, is shown holding up the ultrasound that shows a first look at his baby sister on July 16.

A sign in front of him also reads: 'Today I became a Dickerson. Up next... big brother.'

After finalizing the adoption, Jordan shared numerous photos that captured special moments the family shared together over the past year.

Jeremiah is seen in one photo outside a hospital door holding up a sign that says: 'Party on my trach is gone!'

The new mother shares several photos of her new family unit to social media

He is seen in other snaps laughing, singing, dancing and spending time with relatives.

One video captures Jeremiah showing off his singing talents as he jams out to 'Uptown Funk' by Bruno Mars.

And just last Thursday, Jordan announced the gender of the baby.

'Jeremiah prayed to God in April thanking Him for his baby sister... we thought he was crazy at the time.

'Here we are, 4 months later finding out since then not only that I was pregnant but now that hes also getting his baby sister he prayer for! We are all so thrilled!!,' she wrote happily.

Jeremiah is seen in several social media snaps smiling brightly for the cameraSevere drought conditions have forced kangaroos into the suburbs in a last-ditch bid for food and water.

In recent weeks, kangaroos have been spotted in Ainslie, just 3.5km from Canberra, as well as in neighbouring Hackett.

Residents in Tuggeranong and Woden have also had unwelcome visitors eating grass from their front lawns.

In a video posted to Youtube on Tuesday, a mob of roos jumped past several parked cars as they made their way down a street in search of food.

Kangaroos on the hunt for food and water in Canberra due to the severe drought

Kangaroos chasing food and water in suburban Canberra due to the severe drought

Daniel Iglesias, the Director of ACT Parks and Conservation, described the current influx into the Canberra region as the 'perfect kangaroo storm'.

'Frosts dry grasses out and this adds to the problem of kangaroo food being scarce,' he said.

'Kangaroos are travelling further than usual for food and they are forced to consider ovals, front yards, laneways and roadsides to find some green grass.'

As the drought intensifies, some farmers are being forced to fork out tens of thousands of dollars per truckload of hay to feed their animals.

With food for livestock rapidly dwindling, farmers often have no choice but to shoot their own stock.

Kangaroo bones have been found in large numbers by farmers in paddocks across the nation.

Usually these remains are quickly destroyed by feral animals such as foxes.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently unveiled a package of measures worth an estimated $140 million to help farmers struggling to cope with the conditions as well as for mental health support.The bushfires ravaging coastal towns along the NSW south coast on Wednesday have caused the earliest total fire ban in nearly a decade.

NSW Rural Fire Service has announced an 'extremely rare' total fire ban in winter across the Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter regions.

More than 70 bushfires are being fought across the state into the afternoon, including two major blazes in North Nowra and near Kiama.

As firefighters move to contain the fires, there are concerns that intensifying winds could hinder their efforts.

Winds up to 110km/h could undo the effort of firefighters to contain blazes across the state. Pictured: sweeping winds push smoke towards Bomaderry

The blaze near Mount Kingiman remains in a state of emergency, as authorities prepare for winds up to 110km/h.

Another bushfire in Bemboka has already consumed 300 hectares of bushland, and rampaging winds could push it towards Garfield.

NSW Rural Fire Service has issued an emergency warning for the blaze in the Bega Valley at Bemboka.

Residents are urged to take shelter as fire approaches, it is too late to leave.

Residents have been urged to leave Bomaderry as intensifying winds could worsen flames

Residents in Bega are urged to take shelter as fire approaches, it is too late to leave

Earlier on Wednesday, firefighters were evacuating residents caught in the middle of a devastating bushfire as the fast-moving blaze threatens to raze their homes to the ground.

The blaze, whipped up 'unbelievably quickly' by raging winds, is roaring towards Burrill Lake, a small village south of surf town Ulladulla on the NSW south coast.

Dramatic footage captures firefighters doorknocking homes in Bomaderry, near Kiama, with residents taking a handful of valuables as smoke chokes their town.

NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that property, including sheds and cars have been destroyed by fires.

Fortunately, to this point, no homes have been reported as lost to the flames.

The process for checking damage on homes will be enacted after the fires are brought under control, with building impact teams going house-to-house to assess damage to structures, fencing and surroundings of properties.

830 firefighters are deployed across NSW, with major fires consuming Bomaderry (pictured)

Residents of Bomaderry were forced to flee as bushfires engulfing the state make their way south-east

26 water bombers were deployed to help ground crews combat bushfires in NSW's south

830 firefighters are currently fighting fires across the state.

Despite a huge effort, NSW Rural Fire Service are concerned that the situation is deteriorating, with harsher winds forecasted for the afternoon.

Winds up to 110km/h could sweep the flames towards the south-east faster than they're already travelling.

26 water bombers have been deployed against the fires, though winds of already 100km/h are making their job difficult.

South Coast Line have suspended trains between Kiama and Bomaderry due to the grass fire.

Buses are being put together to provide replacement services.

As of 3.30pm Wednesday afternoon, the Bomaderry flames were downgraded to Watch and Act by authorities.

More than 800 firefighters are on the ground, combatting flames and assisting locals

Fire crews are on the scene to protect properties near Bomaderry (pictured), where fires are burning close to homes

Conditions in Bomaderry have eased, with authorities downgrading the area to Watch and Act

Terrified locals called Ray Hadley on 2GB to share details of the scene.

One resident, Kim, had been evacuated to the Milton Showground.

'It's really, really bad here Ray. It's devastating.

'They're not going to stop this.'

Another listener's daughter is trying to evacuate, but fires have blocked off their path.

'They've got fire at the bottom of their road so they can't get out,' Brenda from nearby Gerringong said.

Roads in and out of evacuated towns, including the Princes Highway, have been blocked off

Pictured: Fire crews hooking up water to combat fires in suburbs surrounding Milton

A map from NSW Regional Fire Service shows the bushfire burning towards the south-eastern town on Woodstock

The main blaze began at Mount Kingiman, 230km south of Sydney, and has burnt through about 100 hectares as it rips through the Budawang National Park.

There were reports that a home had been lost to the fire.

NSW Rural Fire Services Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers confirmed that homes have been impacted by the fire, but it isn't currently safe to assess the extent of the damage.

'We will go in and look at that once the fire calms down a little bit,' he told 7 News.

He confirmed that there are reports of sheds and cars being destroyed.

'That fire's whipped up unbelievably quick this morning under those very strong north-westerly winds,' Shepherd told 2GB radio on Wednesday.

People around the areas of Kings Point, Burrill Lake and southern Ulladulla are being told to move into the Ulladulla CBD if they are not prepared.

An evacuation centre has been set up at the Ulladulla Civic Centre and Bomaderry Bowling Centre.

'Our concern is now given these wind strengths that we could actually start to see embers move onto the eastern side of Burrill Lake,' Mr Shepherd said.

'If the embers do take hold ... they're going to escalate very very quickly under these extraordinary strong winds.'

An out-of-control bushfire is burning towards rural towns in southern NSW, with smoke visible in the skies over homes

The blaze has already consumed 100 hectares of bushlands, with strong winds pushing it towards homes (pictured)

Smoke has engulfed the suburb of Bomaderry (pictured) as more than 70 bushfires have been reported across the state

The NSW Rural Fire Service said emergency alert messages had been sent to residents in the area.

However, one resident, Kate Melzer, told ABC she hadn't been informed.

'I'm looking out my window and half of the sky is blue and then there's a definite line in the sky and to the left it's very orange, the sun is very filtered, there's choppers in the sky, there's quite thick smoke and it's very windy,' she said.

'We haven't been told anything but there's obviously something going on. It's kind of scary.'

In footage in Bomaderry, authorities can be seen ushering residents out as they try not to inhale the smoke engulfing their suburb

The fire is burning in a south-easterly direction towards Burrill Lake under strong north-westerly winds.

Some of these winds have been registered as up to 60km/hour.

Residents are being warned that if current conditions continue, the fire will be unpredictable and fast-moving.

Embers blown six kilometers ahead of the fire threaten homes just as much as the main fire.

Fire crews had already been on high alert in the area, with warm weather and high winds forecasted throughout the state.

Conditions in the region are dry, as the entire state was declared as being in drought last week.

Firefighters in Bomaderry can be seen going door-to-door to urge residents to evacuateA man has captured two octopuses with his bare hands from waters on New Zealand's South Island.

Samoan tourist Seleselelimalelei Lavea was spending time with his family in Dunedin, when they headed down to Andersons Bay Inlet.

It was there the two octopuses were spotted, with Lavea filming the moment each octopus was retrieved from the water.

Nafatali Tuaitai captured an octopus with his bare hands after enticing it to the water's surface

Nafatali Tuaitai, a Samoan living in Dunedin, was captured on camera standing almost knee-deep in the water, clapping his hands to entice the octopus to the surface by creating a vibration.

Other family members, including Lavea, joined in with the clapping, before Tuaitai wads further into the water.

Not long after, Tuaitai reaches in, grabs the octopus and swiftly pulls it out of the water.

Another octopus which also came close to the surface was also retrieved by Tuaitai.

Videos of each capture were uploaded to Facebook this week.

One of the videos has been viewed about 150,000 times and shared by almost 2000 people.Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.Police could be given the power to read your WhatsApp messages under new laws being considered.

The coalition government has unveiled draft legislation to tackle cyber security by monitoring encrypted messages.

The proposed legislation could give the government greater powers to access information shared via apps like WhatsApp.

The laws would be used to monitor potential criminal activity, the government say.

The Australian Government have unveiled draft legislation that would give law enforcement the opportunity to monitor the encrypted data of criminals and terrorist

Law enforcement agencies wishing to access encrypted messages would have to obtain a warrant to do so.

To be granted the warrant, they must have reasonable grounds to suspect an offence carrying a term of three years or more in prison 'has been or will be committed'.

The proposed law would require technology firms such as Google, Facebook and Apple to provide authorities with access to the encrypted data.

The Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Angus Taylor said the legislation would bring Australia in line with new technology.

'Our legislation for telecommunication intercepts, being able to access data, in order to investigate and prosecute criminal activity, with a warrant, is no longer fit for purpose,' he told Reuters.

'Whether it's paedophiles or terrorists or drug dealers, it makes sure we have legislation fit for purpose in a modern era.'

The technology companies would risk a fine of up to $10 million in the proposed legislation if they fail to deliver information to government agencies.

Mr Taylor said that most companies are willing to cooperate as they don't want to associate with criminals and child sex offenders.

Technology companies would risk a fine up to $10million in the proposed legislation if they fail to deliver information to government agencies (stock image)

Cybersecurity experts have argued that criminals are becoming increasingly savvy at hiding online while engaging in illicit behaviour.

This could include paedophiles targeting children on hit video game Fortnite or terrorists plotting attacks on WhatsApp.

Technology expert Trevor Long told 9NEWS that criminals could voice or text chat about a game but also talk about what they're up to, which could be of interest to law enforcement agencies.

'The obvious problem for law enforcement is unlike just tapping a phone or getting access to people's emails or letters, they can't ever get a hold of the message unless they are physically at the device where it was sent or received,' he said.

The Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018 is still in its draft stage. Comments from members of the public are welcome up until September 10 2018.Optus customers have been warned to not be fooled by an email scam which demands their credit card details.

NSW Police issued a warning earlier this week following a recent widespread circulation of emails claiming to be from the telecommunications giant.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been inundated with reports about emails with the subject line We are unable to process your last payment.

'They want your credit card information for what is claimed to be unpaid bill,' a NSW Police statement states.

Optus customers are urged to be aware of a 'cunningly crafted' email scam (pictured) which has We are unable to process your last payment in the subject line

'The fake emails are sophisticated and use a web address that looks like the real Optus website. The email contains a link to a fake pay your bill page, which then asks for your credit card details. The fake email and payment form are cunningly crafted to trick people.'

While the email has been widely circulated, a ACMA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that it's currently unaware of anyone who has ripped off by the online scam.

An Optus spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that it was made aware of the phishing email that 'some Optus customers may have received' last weekend.

Optus (pictured) says it does not send unsolicited emails to customers asking for sensitive or personal information

Optus has since reported the site and requested it be taken down.

'We reacted quickly to block the website linked to the email, which will ensure Optus mobile and internet customers who mistakenly click the link wont be able to access the site,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

'Optus does not send unsolicited emails to customers asking for sensitive or personal information and we encourage customers who suspect they have received a scam email or SMS claiming to be from Optus to contact us.'

NSW Police has issued a warning (pictured) to be Optus customers to not be fooled by the scam. Authorities are currently unaware of anyone being ripped off

NSW Police urged anyone who receives the scam email to delete it immediately.

'Its important you check the legitimacy of email links to protect your personal informationuse contact details you find through a legitimate source and not those contained in the suspicious message,' the police statement said.The chances of a 'no deal' Brexit are 50-50 but the PM's Chequers blueprint could break the deadlock, the Latvian foreign minister said today.

Edgars Rinkevics warned of the growing potential for a collapse in negotiations as he met Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in Riga.

Meanwhile, Mr Hunt warned the EU that failure to reach a compromise would be a 'huge strategic mistake'. But he also conceded that there would be a 'significant short-term impact' on UK financial markets.

Mr Hunt has embarked on another frantic round of diplomacy as the government tries to revive talks with Brussels.

Theresa May is pushing her Chequers plan, which would mean accepting EU rules for goods and collecting some tariffs on behalf of the bloc.

Jeremy Hunt (pictured at a press conference in Riga today with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics) warned Brussels not to let the UK crash out of the bloc without a deal. It came after Mr Rinkevics put the chances of a no deal Brexit at 50 50

New Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured today at the press conference in Riga) admitted that a no deal Brexit would damage the UK's economy - but said the UK would bounce back and make a success of it

But it is facing massive resistance at home, with Boris Johnson leading opposition after quitting the Cabinet.

Brussels has also bluntly dismissed key elements insisting it will not allow 'cherry picking' of EU membership terms.

What is in Theresa May's Brexit blueprint? These are some of the key features of the Chequers plan being pushed by the UK government: A new free trade area in goods, based on a 'common rulebook' of EU regulations necessary. This will require the UK to commit by treaty to match EU rules

'Mobility' rules which will end automatic freedom of movement, but still allow UK and EU citizens to travel without visas for tourism and temporary work. It will also enable businesses to move staff between countries.

Continued UK participation in and funding of European agencies covering areas like chemicals, aviation safety and medicines

A 'facilitated customs arrangement', removing the need for customs checks at UK-EU ports. It would allow differing UK and EU tariffs on goods from elsewhere in the world to be paid at the border, removing the need for rebates in the vast majority of cases. This is designed to avoid the need for a hard Irish border. But in theory it still allows Britain to sign trade deals.

Keeping services - such as banking or legal support - outside of the common rule book, meaning the UK is completely free to set its own regulations. It accepts it will mean less trade in services between the UK and EU.

Continued co-operation on energy and transport, a 'common rulebook' on state aid and commitments to maintain high standards of environmental and workplace protections.

A security deal allowing continued UK participation in Europol and Eurojust, 'co-ordination' of UK and EU policies on foreign affairs, defence and development.

Continued use of the EHIC health insurance card. Advertisement

Mr Rinkevics said: 'Frankly I think at this point I would rate it 50-50.

'50-50 is a very considerable risk. Of course from our point of view, the EU is united at 27.'

Mr Rinkevics said Mrs May's Chequers blueprint was a 'good ground to really try hard reach a deal'.

But he warned that the EU would not 'split its position' and negotiate partial deals with individual countries.

Mr Hunt held talks with the Latvian government today as part of a whirlwind European tour to dry to drum up support for the UK in the crunch negotiations.

Speaking at a press conference in Riga, he admitted a no deal Brexit would be a major blow for the UK's ecnomy in the short term.

But he warned Brussels that Britain would bounce back and thrive - while a no deal Brexit would be a'huge strategic mistake'.

He said: 'We do not think that it would be in the interest of any European country whether inside or outside the EU.'

And he said that 'a growing number of countries (...) are keen for a pragmatic outcome.'

On the impact of a no deal Brexit, he said: 'Well, of course, there will be significant short-term impact.

'But I think in these situations the British economy would find a way to get through it and, indeed, we would find a way ultimately to thrive and be successful.'

Mr Hunt said 'we do not think that it would be in the interest of any European country whether inside or outside the EU.'

He added that 'a growing number of countries... are keen for a pragmatic outcome.'

On the first leg of his tour in Helsinki yesterday, Mr Hunt warned the EU it faces a 'strategic choice' about whether to strike a mutually beneficial deal with the UK.

'We want to safeguard our operational capacity as we leave the EU, and so we have put forward precise, credible proposals that ensure our ability to act is maintained,' he said.

'We are now at the point where the EU also faces strategic choices: with the option to move the negotiations forward and achieve a deal that works in our mutual interests.

Foreign Office minister asks constituents about Brexit referendum A Foreign Office minister has been asking constituents whether they back a second Brexit referendum. Alistair Burt posed the questions in a survey on his website. It asks for a 'yes' or 'no' answer on whether people 'support a further vote on the Referendum'. But Mr Burt insisted he does not support another national ballot. Advertisement

'My simple message is that we need to take that opportunity.'

Mr Hunt is also due to visit Denmark and the Netherlands on his latest tour.

Meanwhile, one of Mr Hunt's ministers in the Foreign Office has faced questions after asking constituents whether they back a second Brexit referendum.

Alistair Burt posed the questions in a survey on his website.

It asks for a 'yes' or 'no' answer on whether people 'support a further vote on the Referendum'.

But Mr Burt insisted he does not support another national ballot.

'To make quite clear:- I don't support a second referendum as any constituents who have written to me about it know,' he wrote on Twitter.

'But how am I to know who thinks what unless I ask? A simple survey with a variety of options which has been out for weeks.'

On the first leg of his tour in Helsinki yesterday, Mr Hunt (pictured right with counterpart Timo Soini) warned the EU it faces a 'strategic choice' about whether to strike a mutually beneficial deal with the UKThe hidden wreckage of a Second World War plane which crash-landed in Switzerland 72 years ago has been uncovered in the recent heatwave.

All eight passengers and four crew members were rescued four days after the American C-53 Skytrooper landed at an altitude of 10,990 feet onto the Gauli Glacier in the Bernese Alps, on November 19, 1946.

It was the scene of the largest alpine rescue operation ever seen at that time, and as a result of the successful mission, the crash on the glacier is seen as the birth of Swiss air rescue.

The wreckage of the plane, a military transport aeroplane better known under its RAF name of the Dakota, has remained buried ever since  until this summer's heatwave.

Adriano Boschetti, head of Archaeological Service Bern, looks through the wreckage debris of C-53 Skytrooper 'Dakota' that crashed in 1946. He is pictured on the Gauli Glacier in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland, Wednesday, August 15

The wreckage of the World War Two plane was been revealed in the Alps during the recent heatwave. Above, officials and archaeological experts stand next to remnants of the Dakota that crashed 72 years ago

Twisted pieces of metal have also been revealed in the recent big melt. The plane was carrying four crew members and eight passengers at the time it crash-landed. All survived the impact

This photo shows the moment that two survivors of the plane crash were rescued by Swiss soldiers on November 23, 1946, four days after the World War Two aircraft landed in the Alps

The plane that ended up buried in ice on the glacier was similar to this plane, a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper airplane, which is pictured above carrying out a practice flight

Even though a propeller of the plane was uncovered in 2012, the rest of the wreckage has always remained covered by the glacier's snow and ice.

Following this year's warm summer and the rapidly receding glaciers in the Alps, experts uncovered large parts of the crashed plane for the first time.

As a result of the ice melting around the remnants of the plane, the crash site at the glacier now looks like a field full of debris, according to experts.

Various objects from the Dakota, such as wings and propellers, as well as other items like tin cans, hangers and spoons, have now become visible.

Various objects from the Dakota, such as wings and propellers, as well as other items like tin cans, above, can now be seen after more than seven decades

The Dakota crash on the Gauli Glacier on November 19, 1946, was a turning point in alpine rescue and an international media event. The aircraft, coming from Austria and bound for Italy, collided with the glacier when there was poor visibility

It is unclear if the Dakota will be completely recovered from Switzerland

Above: Uncovered debris from the crashed Dakota after the glacier started to melt as a result of this summer's heatwave

The team led by aviation expert Peter Brotschi even found tracks of the daring rescue mission of the Swiss Air Force.

However it is unclear if the Dakota will be completely recovered.

The plane began flying from the Austrian town of Tulln near Vienna to Pisa in Italy on November 18, 1946.

On board were four crew members and eight passengers  high-ranking officers of the US armed forces with some of their relatives.

However, due to the adverse weather conditions, the pilots decided to take a long detour route via Munich, Strasbourg and Marseille so they would not have to cross the Alps.

When flying over the Tyrolean city of Innsbruck, the pilots were heading into Switzerland when a sudden gust of wind and a snowstorm forced them to crash-land the plane at an altitude of 10,990 feet onto the Gauli Glacier in the Bernese Alps. Photo taken in November 1946

In 1946, the Swiss army launched a huge rescue mission after hearing an emergency radio message, four days after the aircraft (shown during the mission, above) had landed on November 19

The wreckage of the plane, trapped in the glacier, can be seen in the above photo, as the ice has melted away

Flying at a speed of 174mph, the pilots reportedly became disorientated on the first leg of the flight from Tulln to the Bavarian capital of Munich.

While flying over the Tyrolean city of Innsbruck, they were heading into Switzerland when a sudden gust of wind and a snowstorm forced them to crash land the plane on the Alpine glacier.

The Swiss army launched a huge rescue mission after hearing an emergency radio message.

Four days after the crash, on November 23, Swiss ski soldiers located the wreckage.

They were able to rescue every passenger and crew member through a series of daring snow landings on the glacier. Several people sustained injuries during the crash.

An archaeologist who works for the Canton of Bern, Adriano Boschetti, told the Telegraph that Americans had already shown a lot of interest in the historic objects.

Experts have been examining the wreckage of the American military plane which crash-landed on an Alpine glacier on November 19, 1946

The area is littered with debris from the crash, which resulted in several injuries, but no fatalities

Various objects of the Dakota, such as wings and propellers, tin cans, hangers and spoons, have now become visible

Flying at a speed of 174mph, the pilots reportedly became disorientated on the first leg of the flight from Tulln to the Bavarian capital of Munich, and strayed off-course

Meanwhile, the owner of a nearby mountain hut has been tasked with keeping an eye on the debris and to make sure that all objects remain in place.

He said: 'The wreck is a great folk tale. We have many visitors coming to us solely for the sake of the Dakota.'

Swiss scientists have previously warned that many glaciers will have disappeared from the Alps by 2050.

They also believe the Aletsch Glacier, the Alps biggest, will have almost disappeared by the end of the century.

Patrick Locher, Office for Water and Waste, canton of Berne, looks at a water sample next to the wreckage debris of the American warplane C-53 Skytrooper

In 2012, Kathrin Glauser, an archaeologist from the Canton of Berne, photographs the find spot of the propeller of US warplane C-53 Skytrooper Dakota that crashed in 1946

Three young climbers discovered a propeller piece of the legendary airplane in June 2012, including Manuel Ruefener, left, and Peter Fluehmann, both of Switzerland

Back in 2012, mountain rescuers recovered the propeller of US warplane C-53 Skytrooper Dakota that crashed in 1946, on the Gauli glacier in the Bernese Alps, SwitzerlandIvanka Trump flexed her muscles on Tuesday when she posed for photos with an all-girls robotics team dressed as Rosie The Riveter.

The First Daughter and presidential adviser was meeting entrepreneurs and aspiring female scientists to promote women's education at robotics company Astrobotic in Pittsburgh.

After learning about the company's 'amazing' project to take objects to the moon by 2020, she smiled for the cameras with five members of Girls of Steel, a high school robotics team.

Ivanka Trump flexed her muscles on Tuesday when she posed for photos with an all-girls robotics team dressed as Rosie The Riveter

The First Daughter and presidential adviser was meeting entrepreneurs and aspiring female scientists to promote women's education at Robotics company Astrobotic in Pittsburgh

After learning about the company's 'amazing' project to take objects to the moon by 2020, she smiled for the cameras with five members of Girls of Steel, a high school robotics team

Rosie the Riveter is a World War II cultural icon, representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards

The team members were dressed as Rosie the Riveter, a World War II cultural icon representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards.

'Cities like Pittsburgh are experiencing a tremendous renaissance in large part because of young ladies and young men across the country who are at the forefront of that,' Ivanka said.

'I'm really passionate about ensuring that both students and mid-to-late career workers of all ages have the skills they need to thrive in the increasingly digital economy.'

Anna Nesbitt of Girls of Steel, said: 'Girls tend to drop out of STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] activities at a younger age due to society telling them that they can't do it.'

John Thornton CEO of Astrobotic, a space robotics technology company, gives Ivanka Trump a tour at the company's facility in Pittsburgh

Ivanka Trump shakes hands with U.S. Representative Mike Kelly as she tours the Astrobotic Technology facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

'The high schoolers, who compete in robotics through Carnegie Mellon University, work to empower other women to succeed in the male-dominated field.

'And we want to tell them that they can do it and robots aren't something they need to be intimidated by,' Nesbitt said.

Before she left, Ivanka told the girls to always pursue their dreams.

'It's not the person who necessarily has the best pedigree or the best education. It's the person who loves what they do the most and the person who matches that passion with perseverance, dedication, and grit,' she said.

Ivanka Trump examines a solar panel during a tour. She said: 'I'm really passionate about ensuring that both students and mid-to-late career workers of all ages have the skills they need to thrive in the increasingly digital economy'

Mary Kennedy holds an autographed note from Ivanka Trump given to her during a tour of the Astrobotic Technology facility in Pittsburgh

It comes after the First Daughter explicitly condemned 'white supremacy, racism and neo-nazism' on Saturday in a manner her father seems reluctant to do.

The tweets come on the anniversary of deadly unrest triggered by a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

'One year ago in Charlottesville, we witnessed an ugly display of hatred, racism, bigotry & violence,' Ivanka Trump tweeted.

'While Americans are blessed to live in a nation that protects liberty, freedom of speech and diversity of opinion, there is no place for white supremacy, racism and neo-nazism in our great country,' she said.Two Church of England reverends have been suspended for a total of 30 months after their adulterous affair was discovered by shocked parishioners.

Reverend Rupert Kalus, who converted from Catholicism because he could not face a celibacy vow, resigned after his affair with Reverend Ali Miller was discovered.

Mr Kalus and Mrs Miller, from the Parish of Lanchester and Burnhope in County Durham, were banned from their public duties for 18 and 12 months respectively.

Reverend Rupert Kalus (left) quit after his affair with Reverend Ali Miller was discovered (right)

The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Paul Butler, told worshippers about the news at All Saints Parish Church in Lanchester when he led the service on Sunday.

One member of the congregation told The Sun: 'It came completely out of the blue. No one had a clue. It's so sad because they both have partners and children.'

Another worshipper said: 'Some people are calling him 'Randy Rupe'. When you consider the Church's teaching, it is out of order.'

Father-of-three Mr Kalus, 56, was serving as vicar while 42-year-old Mrs Miller was curate, and they have both now left their posts.

Mrs Miller is married to Reverend Andy Miller (pictured), a vicar in a nearby parish

Rt Revd Butler said: 'We are deeply saddened that this situation has arisen and ask that you respect the privacy of both families and hold them in your prayers.'

Mr Kalus had been a vicar in Lanchester and Burnhope for 12 years. The former Catholic switched to the Church of England as he felt unable to stick to his celibacy vow.

On arriving in the parish in 2006, Mr Kalus said: 'I thought I had a vocation to the priesthood but I hadn't a vocation to celibacy because I wanted to get married.'

The former teacher grew close to Mrs Miller - who is married to Reverend Andy Miller, a vicar in a nearby parish - when she was a trainee at the two parish churches of All Saints and St John's.

She was ordained in 2015. Mr Kalus had been due to start a new role in Kilburn, North West London, this year.

Members of both congregations were still reeling at the announcement when spoken to today. Mr and Mrs Miller have not been seen at their vicarage in Burnopfield for several days.

One worshipper at St James's Church in the village, who declined to give her name, said: 'Andy has been a popular vicar, he's a lovely man.

Worshippers at All Saints Parish Church (pictured) in Lanchester, County Durham, learned of the news on Sunday at a service led by the Bishop of Durham

'He and Ali looked as though they lived a happy life and I expect I feel like most people who use the church in that I hope they can be happy again.

'It shouldn't happen but it appears as though it has and they'll need some time to make sense of it all. We'd hate to lose Rev Andy from the church, everyone involved will be in our prayers.'

In Mr Kalus's parish, a member of his congregation said: 'He moved out last Thursday, it was quite sudden and few people were made aware of it.

Some people are calling him 'Randy Rupe'. When you consider the Church's teaching, it is out of order

'In the normal run of things the curate would step in and that's what people were expecting, but of course she wasn't available either.

'When the Bishop of Durham took the service it was clear something had happened but to most, maybe all, it was a shock to say the least.'

Each month Mr Kalus would address his flock in the parish newsletter. But the March edition carried a poem which initially puzzled members of the parish.

Mr Kalus wrote what appeared to be a self-condemning verse in which he spoke of his 'faithlessness and easy lies' which confronted him as he looked in the mirror.

A source close to his church said: 'It made little sense to us at the time but now we can see what he might have been referring to. It speaks of a very real and personal inner turmoil.'

Reverend Andy Miller is the vicar at St John's Church (pictured) in Burnopfield, County Durham

Mr Kalus met his wife Alison while they both studied at Durham University. Each of them went on to become teachers on Tyneside before Mr Kalus began his training for the clergy.

The couple have two sons aged 22 and 16 and a daughter aged 20. In 2006 he spoke further about his decision not to become a Catholic priest.

He said: 'I don't feel that I abandoned the Catholic faith, I still feel very warmly about it. It was another stage on my journey of faith and it's a great privilege to be an Anglican priest. I've loved it.'

A church source said the affair with Mrs Miller had come to an end.

When she was ordained in 2015, Mrs Miller told a Church of England newsletter: 'I was aware of a constant urge to explore vocation to ordained ministry.

'God's call is often unexpected and, in my case, I felt deep within that I needed to take time to contemplate this, not least because my husband was also going through the discernment process. Gradually after much prayer - and encouragement from diverse places - I knew that this path was right to pursue.'

A Diocese of Durham spokesman said: 'I can confirm that the Rev Rupert Kalus and the Rev Ali Miller had an adulterous affair, which has ended.

'Following the procedures of the Clergy Discipline Measure, the Bishop of Durham has prohibited both Rupert and Ali from their public ministry for a period of 18 and 12 months respectively. They have both therefore had to resign their posts.'

After their suspensions are served, each can apply again for positions in the Church of England but it is unlikely they will return to work in their former parishes.A pregnant mother collapsed and died when she heard about the death of her brother in triple tragedy for one family - in just one day - an inquest heard.

Sultana Akter, 39, was 26 weeks pregnant with baby Tayyibah when she collapsed at home in Gloucester when she was told her brother had suffered a heart attack and died hours earlier.

Doctors delivered the baby by emergency Caesarian on March 19 but she could not be saved.

The inquest at Gloucester Coroner's court heard that Sultana had health problems including Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

On March 19 she was told her brother had died and the mother-of-two started to suffer fainting episodes, the inquest heard.

She later had chest pains and started coughing up frothy phlegm.

Her family called emergency services but when they arrived she was lying on the bed unresponsive. Despite resuscitation efforts she died of natural causes after being rushed to hospital.

Sultana was just 39 when she was rushed to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital as medics attempted to saver her and her baby. They both tragically died

Tayyibah was delivered by Caesarian section in a bid to save her life but with the expectation that due to being extremely premature she would not be alive, the inquest was told.

The baby made no respiratory effort at birth but a slow heart beat was detected for a very short period of time when she was just 15 minutes old, the inquest was told.

Adrenalin was given but with no increase in heart rate and no signs of life the baby was certified dead four minutes later.

Senior Coroner Katy Skerrett recorded a conclusion of natural causes on baby Tayyibah saying 'This was a tragic event of a sudden maternal death.'

Mrs Akter is survived by her husband Firuj Alli and their two sons Nabil, 10, and Nahid, 14.

Relatives say Sultana was a caring woman who was desperately looking forward to the birth of her baby after six years of trying for a daughter.

Nabil said at the time of the tragedy 'I love babies and when I used to ask my mother for a baby sister she'd say 'you have to pray'.

'I prayed every day for a sister and until this happened we thought our prayers had been answered.'

Loved ones say Sultana was over the moon to be having a girl and the family had already chosen the name of Tayyibah and bought a little red velvet dress for her to wear.

But at around 7.40am on the morning of Monday March 19 Sultana received a phone call to say her 34-year-old brother had died in Bangladesh. Sultana, one of seven children, was devastated.

Family, friends and neighbours tried to comfort her but she could not stop crying and as the day went on her condition continued worsen.

'I was at home praying for my mum when it was all happening,' said her eldest son Nahid at the time.

Sultana's husband was on holiday in Bangladesh at the time of his wife's death so his brother went to the hospital where medics broke the news that they had been unable to save mum or baby.

Medics at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital did all they could to keep the baby alive but she could not breathe

'The staff at the hospital were very good,' he said. 'They had kept the baby warm and let me hold her for about 45 minutes.

'She was very beautiful.'

Loved ones decided not to tell Mr Ali the shocking news straight away.

They booked an airline ticket and told the dad he needed to come home early as his wife had been taken ill and told him the truth in stages over the next 36 hours.

The family's heartbreak was compounded by the fact that they could not hold a funeral shortly after their deaths, in line with Muslim tradition.

Around 500 heartbroken mourners turned out to say farewell at a joint funeral for Mrs Atker and her baby in Coney Hill cemetery, Gloucester.

Mr Ali, who married his wife in 2001, said 'She was the most caring person. She was a good woman and a good mother.

'Whenever she went to the shops she would touch the girls clothes and ask Allah to give her a daughter.

'She had waited about six years to have her baby and having a daughter was a dream come true for her. In the end it wasn't to be.'A close ally of Jeremy Corbyn has launched a furious rant at a BBC presenter for demanding answers about the Labour leader's role in a ceremony where Palestinians linked to the Munich terror attacks were honoured.

Derby North MP Chris Williamson could not hid his anger as he was pressed on the details of Mr Corbyn's involvement in the 2014 commemoration in Tunisia.

Newsnight host Evan Davis accused him of being 'unable to answer' whether Mr Corbyn had taken part in a wreath-laying for senior figures tied to the Black September terror group - which was behind the notorious massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics.

But Mr Williamson accused him of fueling 'smears' against Mr Corbyn by pushing the issue - which surfaced when the Daily Mail obtained photographs of the event.

Derby North MP Chris Williamson could not hid his anger as he was pressed on the details of Mr Corbyn's involvement in the 2014 commemoration in Tunisia

Told that he had not addressed the question, Mr Williamson sniped that Davis did not seem to 'understand the answer'

'It is going on because the BBC and other media outlets are playing into the hands of enemies of Jeremy Corbyn,' the Labour backbencher said.

'He was there to lay a wreath for the victims of the (Israeli) airstrike on the PLO headquarters in Tunisia at the invitation of the Tunisian president.'

Told that he had not addressed the question, Mr Williamson sniped that Davis did not seem to 'understand the answer'.

Davis urged him to give a 'true or false' response to the question: 'Did he lay a wreath on the graves of ... members of Black September?'

When Mr Williamson again dodged, the presenter said: 'It seems very odd to lay a wreath in this bit if the people you are commemorating are over there in another part of the cemetery.'

Mr Williamson said the media was being 'deliberately obtuse' by refusing to move on from the row.

'Some people are being deliberately obtuse and indulging in egregious smears against Jeremy Corbyn,' he said.

'It seems the media are obsessing about this and certainly Jeremy's enemies are seeking to use this to try and destabilise him.'

Mr Williamson sparked anger yesterday by describing the Munich plotters as 'alleged terrorists'.

He also compared the Labour leader to Nelson Mandela as both have been 'demonised' by the media.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One, Mr Williamson said: 'He was there bit wasn't involved in any ceremony relating to the alleged terrorists that has been suggested by various media outlets.

'He's holding a wreath but he was invited to participate by the Tunisian president in relation to the air strikes by the Israeli air force on the PLO headquarters there.

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath at the ceremony in Tunisia in 2014. The canopy he is standing under runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

Jeremy Corbyn raises his hands in what appears to be an Islamic prayer position as he stands beside other politicians. A source said he was not praying but 'copying the others out of respect'

'Jeremy has spent his entire life campaigning for peace around the world and to try and suggest that in some way he supports violence is absurd.'

He said: 'The neo-liberal establishment in this country are frightened to death of Jeremy coming to power because he will disturb the status quo and create an economy that is for the many not the few.

'And I think to sink to this despicable level and make these absurd allegations against him shows how desperate they are.

'People are clutching at straws seeking to smear and demonise Jeremy Corbyn.. It won't work: they tried the same tactics with Nelson Mandela - the very self-same people demonised Nelson Mandela as a terrorist.

'These smears are not cutting through, if anything they are stiffening support for Jeremy Corbyn.'

Asked why Mr Corbyn kept getting details mixed up, he said: 'Can you remember precisely what you were doing several years ago.'The suspect arrested after ploughing a high-speed car into 15 cyclists and driving into police officers manning a Westminster security barrier installed to stop terror attacks has been named.

Salih Khater, 29, from Birmingham, crashed into pedestrians and cyclists on Parliament Square in a chilling echo of Khalid Masood's rampage on Westminster 17 months ago after spending the night cruising around in a Ford Fiesta bought two months ago.

The British citizen born in Sudan is said to have driven 115 miles to London late on Monday night and toured the Tottenham Court Road area between 1.25am and 5.55am before heading to Westminster and Whitehall and striking just after 7.30am.

Within seconds Westminster was on lockdown as armed officers surrounded the car not knowing if he was armed or had a bomb and dragged him from the smoking vehicle.

Despite hitting at least 15 cyclists and pedestrians during rush hour, no one was killed with only one female cyclist seriously injured.

Neil Basu, the Met's Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations, said: 'This appears to be a deliberate act... we're treating it as a terrorist incident.'Advertisement

A corn-y romantic pulled out all the stops to impress his sci-fi loving girlfriend - by proposing 200ft above a message carved out in a field.

Varun Bhanot, 28, told his girlfriend Anisha Seth, 28, that they would be going up in a helicopter to celebrate his birthday - but instead had a surprise planned for her.

Anisha, who loves all things sci-fi and space related, got into the helicopter expecting they would be flying over the Cheshire countryside, near the Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire.

Corn-y romantic Varun Bhanot, 28, proposed to his girlfriend of four years in a helicopter 200ft above the important question carved into a cornfield. Mr Bhanot kept the request simple and opted out of carving 'will you' at the beginning

Mr Bhanot told new fiance Anisha Seth, also 28, that they would be going up in a helicopter over the Cheshire countryside to celebrate his birthday. Luckily the sci-fi and space fan was keen for the flight

The accountant had no idea that at 200ft there was an important message for her in a cornfield.

Keeping his carving short and opting to loose the traditional 'will you' on the question, Mr Bhanot blew his wife-to-be away with his proposal on Friday August 3.

Impressed Miss Seth said: 'I think I sort of knew it was coming  but that weekend I was so blindsided by it being his birthday. I genuinely had no idea, my guard was completely down.'

Thoughtful Mr Bhanot had spent nearly three months calling farmers asking if he could make a crop circle on their land and eventually found someone willing.

Even better, the field was close to the Lovell Telescope, at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, tying in with his new fiance's interest in the skies.

Keeping the rouse up until the last moment Mr Bhanot first told his girlfriend they were going to indulge in a spa day for his upcoming birthday and then that he'd been given a voucher for a helicopter experience.

Impressed Miss Seth said 'yes' straight away to her lovestruck boyfriend. She said: 'I think I sort of knew it was coming  but that weekend I was so blindsided by it being his birthday. I genuinely had no idea, my guard was completely down'

Bride-to-be Seth said: 'I was just swept off my feet, I was so overwhelmed. It was like shell-shock. I love fields and farmland, so it was perfect.' 'I feel like Varun listened to everything I ever said. All I can say is I felt like a queen'

Thoughtful Mr Bhanot had spent nearly three months calling farmers asking if he could make a crop circle on their land and eventually found someone willing

After Mr Bhanot popped the question the delighted couple stopped in the field for a picnic. Once they returned home he whisked his bride-to-be off in a Rolls Royce to the Ritz where his family had arranged candles and roses

He said: 'Luckily she loved it and thought it was a fun thing to do.'

Mr Bhanot began to make a mid-air speech to his girlfriend of four years and told her to look out of the window, as he presented her with an engagement ring.

'I pulled the ring out and she said 'yes' right away.

The soon-to-be groom's family were also in on the large scale proposal.

Mr Bhanot said: 'My brother and sister helped out with calling farms  we just worked our way through Yellow Pages.'

His fiancee added:'I was so lucky as the bride-to-be with how involved his family was. He genuinely is a creative genius.'

When the couple arrived home on the train, Miss Seth expected they would drive back to east London and was astonished when a Rolls Royce appeared, reports New York Post.

It whisked the couple off to the Ritz where Bhanot's family had arranged candles and roses.

Bride-to-be Miss Seth said: 'I was just swept off my feet, I was so overwhelmed. It was like shell-shock. I love fields and farmland, so it was perfect.

'I feel like Varun listened to everything I ever said. All I can say is I felt like a queen.'A shopper has claimed that a female Woolworths worker indecently assaulted her with a fluoro highlighter when she bent over her trolley at a self-serve check-out.

Chana Schulman was shopping at the supermarket at Tuggerah Westfield, on the Central Coast of NSW, when she was allegedly assaulted by the young worker.

'I was bending over the trolley when this staff member has [indecently assaulted me] with the texta while saying, in a loud enough voice for other people to hear, "you should have been a plumber",' Ms Schulman complained online.

Chana Schulman (pictured) was shopping at the supermarket at Tuggerah Westfield, on the Central Coast of NSW, when she was allegedly assaulted by the young worker

'I feel absolutely shocked and dirty. Police have been notified and an investigation is ongoing.

'Words cannot express how this made me feel,' she said.

She told the Daily Telegraph that her jeans were a 'little looser after losing a bit of weight' and was left embarrassed and humiliated as she left the store and told her husband what had allegedly happened.

The couple went back to the store to speak to the Woolworths store manager, who said the worker had explained that she knew Ms Schulman and said they 'were friends'.

Ms Schulman denies knowing the worker, saying she was only greeting the workers because it was the polite thing to do.

She said she only found out the alleged perpetrator's name after the incident.

Ms Schulman said she had been left 'traumatised and jumping at shadows' since the alleged assault, and has been prescribed anti-anxiety medication.

She also sought advice from a personal injury law firm who have advised her to seek compensation for the psychological damage she has suffered.

Woolworths' lawyers have been in touch with Ms Schulman and have apologised for the alleged incident, but told her they did 'not believe that any physical or psychological injury [she] suffered would reach the compensable thresholds outlined with the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW).'

They have offered a $150 Wish Gift Card, as well as free counselling session through the company's Mental Health & Wellbeing partner Converge International.

She seeked advice from a personal injury law firm who have advised her to seek compensation for the psychological damage she has suffered (stock image)

A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the company is taking Ms Schulman's complaint seriously and have taken appropriate action to address the situation.

'We treat customer complaints about team member conduct very seriously and have been in touch with the customer directly to offer our sincere apologies for this experience', the Woolworths spokesperson said.

'In line with our procedures, the team member was stood down while we undertook a thorough investigation into the matter.

'We have since taken appropriate action to address the conduct with the team member involved.'

A Tuggerah Lakes Police District spokesman told Daily Telegraph that the staff member had been spoken to and officers were taking advice from police prosecutors before deciding if she would be charged.The shop which inspired the British sitcom Open All Hours could be forced to shut after complaints that the outdoor display is a health and safety risk.

The store, named LE Riddiford, has been trading since 1928 and has goods stacked outside just like Ronnie Barker's shop in the classic BBC comedy.

Open All Hours creator Roy Clarke visited the business in Thornbury in Gloucestershire and turned it into the show which featured hapless Arkwright.

But current owner and greengrocer John Riddiford said it might be time 'to call it a day' after he was visited by council officials.

The LE Riddiford store (pictured is owner John Riddiford, right, and his son Oliver) could be forced to shut after complaints that the outdoor display is a health and safety risk

The store has goods stacked outside just like Ronnie Barker's shop in the classic BBC comedy (pictured during filming)

They were acting on a complaint that the goods kept outside on the pavement were a health and safety risk.

John has warned that his family business would not take enough money to be sustainable if he could not place goods outside.

More than 2,400 people have signed a petition calling on South Gloucestershire Council to let him continue using the pavement due to the limited space inside.

LE Riddiford is referenced in numerous Open All Hours episodes by Arkwright - often seen bringing the outside goods inside.

But the real-life greengrocer and deli shop has now been paid a visit by health and safety officials after the complaint.

Posting on Facebook Mr Riddiford said: 'You may have noticed that the front of the shop is set out a bit differently today.

Current owner and greengrocer John Riddiford (pictured) said it might be time 'to call it a day' after he was visited by council officials

The real-life greengrocer and deli shop has now been paid a visit by health and safety officials after the complaint.

'That is because yesterday we have a visit from a very nice lady from South Gloucestershire Council as someone had brought it their attention about our goods outside on the pavement and she had come to investigate it.

'She was very professional, polite and constructive but said that we needed to alter how our goods are laid out outside the shop.

'We're sorry if it's you we've offended but we're only here to serve you our community and customers and are here to help not upset and annoy you.

'We need to utilise the space outside the shop as we have limited space inside without major alterations and the shop possibly losing its character and it encourages customers in to buy things.

'Without using outside the shop would not take enough money to be sustainable.

Ronnie Barker, Lynda Baron and Sir David Jason were the stars of Open All Hours

'We thought most enjoyed the display outside and we get many compliments on it and the atmosphere it creates, but perhaps not so much any more.

'Is it time for major change, relocation or maybe just call it a day?'

But the council said no part of the main display outside the High Street shop will be affected.

Authority leader Toby Savage said officers were obliged to investigate a resident's health and safety concern.

He even claimed he would have signed a petition if the High Street shop had been under threat.

Councillor Savage said: 'Following any complaint, regardless of nature, the council is obliged to investigate, and in this instance it saw one of our officers visit Riddiford's.

'We understand and appreciate residents' views over the outcome, but as the post on Facebook shows, John was very understanding of the situation, working with our officer to find a suitable solution.

'The council remains supportive of our high streets, a prime example being our continued work to ensure parking is free for our shoppers, and had Riddiford's been asked to remove their entire display, as a resident born and brought up around Thornbury, I would have been among the first to sign the petition.'

The store has had four generations of the Riddiford family serving behind the counter.

Late owner Barclay Riddiford died aged 76 in 2013.

Creator Mr Clarke was fascinated by the shop and its previous owner Len Riddiford, and the idea for Open All Hours was formed.

The store is referenced in numerous Open All Hours episodes by Barker's Arkwright character.The British holidaymaker who died after hitting his head on rocks as he jumped into the sea near the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio has today been named.

Paul Gardner, believed to be from Newcastle, had reportedly been celebrating his 24th birthday with friends on the beach, locals report.

Tributes have today been paid to Mr Gardner, who had flown out to Ibiza on Sunday from Newcastle Airport with a group of friends.

Paul Gardner, reportedly from Newcastle, had been celebrating his 24th birthday with friends on the beach in San Antonio, Ibiza, when he jumped from a height of about 20ft into the water

Asource said two young men who were staying with Mr Gardner at his holiday complex - the four-star Hotel Orosol in the party resort of San Antonio - were 'medicated' and had yet to return to the holiday apartments they were staying at.

The two men are understood to have pulled their friend out of the water after seeing him suffer his fatal accident - but they could do nothing to save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene despite the effort of emergency responders to revive him using CPR.

The tragedy happened at a cove near San Antonio called Cala Gracio, where Mr Gardner had gone to celebrate his 24th birthday with a dip in the sea.

He is said to have hit rocks as he leapt from a height of around 20 feet in a misjudged attempt to reach deep water, around 4.30pm local time yesterday.

Local police, Civil Guard and an ambulance were sent to the scene but the Brit had gone into cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him failed.

Tributes have today been paid to Mr Gardner, who had flown out to Ibiza on Sunday from Newcastle Airport with a group of friends

A Coastguard vessel was mobilised to reach his body and transfer it to the shoreline so police and other officials could remove it on a stretcher.

A spokesman for a regional health body confirmed: 'A 24-year-old British man has died after jumping from a height of around 16 to 20 feet at Cala Gracie and hitting rocks.

'Paramedics tried to revive him using CPR because he had gone into cardiac arrest but it was not possible to save his life.'

He said psychologists had been brought in to assist others who were present at the scene of the tragedy.'

A Civil Guard source added: 'A routine investigation is underway but everything is pointing to this man's death being the result of a freak accident.'

One local report said the dead man's brother had been among the group of holidaymakers that was with Mr Gardner. Authorities were unable to confirm this morning if that was the case.

A woman named Carla Hunter, described as Mr Gardner's mother posted a family picture of Paul on social media and wrote: 'Love you infinity my bairn.'

A friend replied: 'Devastated for you Carla. My eyes have been full since I heard. You absolutely worshipped him. It seems unreal. He was your life, your boy. Sending you strength Carla.

'We feel your pain. He couldn't of wished for a better mother.'

Another added: 'Just heard. Absolutely devastating. He was one in a million Carla. A good lad. No words will come close to consoling you at this hard time but you are in my thoughts.'

A man celebrating his 24th birthday has died after hitting his head on rocks at the Cala Gracio cove near San Antonio (pictured)

Jackie Longstaff wrote: 'Don't know what to say to you Carla. God bless your son.

'They say God only takes the best and he certainly has your beautiful smile.'

The group Paul was with checked into the Orosol Hotel on Sunday and were due to leave at the end of the week to fly back home.

Several Brits have died in separate incidents in San Antonio this summer.

Business consultant Anwaar Lahrichi-Greenwood was found dead near the entrance to San Antonio port on August 5.

The Londoner had been missing since the early hours of the previous day after leaving a party in the raucous West End area.

His family believe he was killed and and are raising money for the repatriation of his body and his memorial.

However, an autopsy is not thought to have detected any evidence he was attacked before he ended up in the water.

Last month a 22-year-old Brit died after collapsing in the street in San Antonio and being rushed to a health centre.

He was later named as Jack McDonnell, from the West Midlands market town of Salford.

Two days before he died on July 20 a British seasonal worker named as Birmingham-born Harry Kingsland, 21, was killed in an altercation at a flat in the party resort.

The man suspected of delivering the punch linked to his death - Mitchell Loveridge, also 21 and from Llwynypia in the Rhondda, Wales, was arrested after trying to flee the scene by jumping out of the second-floor apartment window.

He was remanded in custody after appearing in court.

Conor Lee Spraggs, 23, from Stevenage, Herts, died in the early hours of Sunday morning after getting into a fight on San Antonio's main seafront promenade.

Several Brits have been arrested and were appearing in court today.A teenager has been arrested in Turkey in connection with the systematic firebombing of cars across Sweden earlier this week.

The man, born in 1999, had fled Sweden yesterday and could be apprehended upon arrival in Turkey, taking the total number of arrests over the arson attacks to three.

More than 100 cars burned in several Swedish cities, including the capital Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo, as gangs of masked youths went rampaging in a series of arson attacks believed to have been coordinated on social media.

A number of boys under the age of 15 have also been apprehended, but have due to their young age been released into the care of their parents.

Damage: Burned cars are pictured at Frolunda Square in Gothenburg, Sweden, the morning after a series of coordinated arson attacks

Multiple targets: A person walks past burned cars parked at Frolunda Square in Gothenburg, after a night when cars burned in all Sweden's major cities, including Stockholm and Malmo

Overnight, four incidents took place on western Sweden, including one in the same area of Gothenburg which came under attack the night before.

Two cars burned in the south-western suburb of Vastra Frolunda, and news agency TT reports that witnesses have seen two youths set the vehicles on fire before fleeing the scene.

At around the same time, a car burned in Molndal outside Gothenburg, and one in Boras, some 40 miles west of the city. Police said these were also believed to have been set alight.

In the wake of the fires, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven reacted with anger and did not hold back during a radio interview on Tuesday morning.

'I'm furious, for real. My question to these people is 'what the f*** are you doing?',' he told Sveriges Radio P1.

'You're ruining things for yourselves, your parents and your neighbourhoods,' Lofven said, adding the incident 'looked very coordinated, almost like a military operation'.

Dramatic footage has emerged of cars being set alight by masked attackers in Sweden

Police said they were dealing with fires at a car park near a shopping centre and specialist hospital at Frolunda Torg, south-west of Gothenburg.

Around 60 vehicles had been vandalised in total, Swedish television reported, with stones also thrown at police by masked men

'Sweden has tolerated this for too long. This must end now,' Ulf Kristersson, leader of the conservative opposition party, the Moderates, wrote on his Facebook account.

In Gothenburg and surrounding towns of Lysekil, Falkenberg and Trollhattan, a total of around 100 cars have been demolished.

In Stockholm, and Uppsala, some 45 miles north of the capital, a total of 13 cars were set alight in a handful locations on Tuesday morning.

Gothenburg police say they have identified some of the culprits and and two people have so far been arrested.

'What the f*** are you doing?': Prime Minister Stefan Lofven reacted with anger

'We have already started making calls to the parents of the youths who were taking part in this,' Gothenburg police spokesperson Ulla Brehm told SVT.

'We chose not to arrest anyone on the spot, but have identified them.'

Ms Brehm could not confirm that the series of identical car fires had been orchestrated via social media but said that 'the fact that it has been co-ordinated in so many places indicate it'.

All culprits in the attacks have been described by witnesses as wearing dark clothing and hoods.

Dramatic footage showed youths targeting vehicles in at a major shopping centre and hospital car park at Frolunda Torg, south-west Gothenburg.

The area around Frolunda Torg have seen several deadly shootings in the past two years as local gangs have been at war over drug trade in Gothenburg.

Due to the criminal gang activity and shootings, Vastra Frolunda was last year deemed as one of the more violent areas in Sweden's second largest city.

The two people arrested Tuesday, aged between 16 and 21, are both from Vastra Frolunda.

The largest group of youngsters apparently gathered in Kronogarden in Trollhattan north of Gothenburg where as many as 40 people threw stones and started fires.

Kronogarden has also seen a rise in gang violence in recent years.

It made international news in 2015, when 21-year-old Anton Lundin Pettersson killed three people at a local school, in a racist attack targeting Kronogarden due to its high immigrant population.

Pictures showed cars on fire in Sweden as authorities tackled multiple blazes in the country

Police in Trollhattan yesterday identified three people in connection with Monday evening's violence.

Three teenage boys were found with bangers in their pockets, but as they are all under the age of 15, they were released into the care of their parents or guardians, Aftonbladet reports.

There were also reports of young people setting cars on fire in Hjallbo, to the north east of Gothenburg, in Malmo, at the southern tip of the country, and in the city of Helsingborg.

Emergency services were tackling the apparent outbreak of violence with no injuries reported, Swedish police said.

The violence comes just three weeks before Swedish voters go to the polls in a general election.

Systematically setting cars on fire has become a associated with gang violence in suburbs in Sweden's major cities.

Last year, 1,457 cars were 'deliberately' set on fire across Sweden, compared to 1,641 in 2016, according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency's figures.

Last year in February, two days after US President Donald Trump's baffling comments linking crime to immigration in Sweden, riots broke out in the immigrant-heavy northern Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby.

Dozens of youths clashed with police after they arrested a suspected drug dealer in Rinkeby. The rioters threw stones at police, burned cars and looted shops.A furious shop owner who printed 100 posters of a suspected thief was stunned when police 'told him off' for breaching data protection laws.

James Callaghan turned DIY detective after the man strolled into his printing shop and allegedly helped himself to a Samsung tablet device while staff were distracted.

The incident was captured in crystal clear CCTV footage, with the suspect even looking up directly at the camera as he placed the 250 device under his jacket.

Small business owner James Callaghan, left, printed out 100 posters after a man, pictured right, allegedly stole a 250 Samsung tablet from the counter of his store in Colchester, Essex

Mr Callaghan, pictured outside his shop, said a member of staff was distracted when the man picked up the tablet from the counter and hid it under his tablet to avoid an incident

Frustrated staff reported the theft to police and put the incident on Facebook in a bid to track the man after he plundered Blue Sky Printing in Colchester, Essex.

Mr Callaghan also printed off 100 posters to be distributed among independent shops to raise awareness of the crook.

The posters asked: 'RECOGNISE THIS MAN?' along with four pictures of him in the shop.

It stated: 'We also want to make local business aware of this person so you can be better informed of people causing trouble in our area.'

Two days later, the man tried to sell the tablet to a local pawnshop who took the suspect's finger print before returning the device to Mr Callaghan.

However, despite being reunited with his device, Mr Callaghan was shocked when police attended his store and accused him of breaching data protection laws by passing around images of the suspected thief.

He said: 'The CCTV footage we had of this chap was crystal clear so I thought "I am going to print 100 posters" just to let other shops know.

'It was to let others know about him as we did not want him to do what he'd done to us.

'The community police officers saw some of the posters and came in and told me off. I was told "you can't print posters like that because of data protection".

'I could not believe what we were being told. It's complete nonsense.

A local pawnshop recognised the man from this poster featuring CCTV grabs taken at the time of the incident and purchased the tablet before returning it to Mr Callaghan. As part of the transaction, the pawn shop insisted the suspect gave a finger print

'I spoke with one of the local hairdressers and she said "we've just been told off" for putting your poster up.

'It's about us taking a stand as so many businesses have been targeted by criminals recently yet we are made to feel like we are in the wrong.'

Mr Callaghan, co-owner of the store, said he was also disappointed that police dealing with the case did not seem keen on taking the man to court.

Businesses in the town have seen crime levels going up with many reporting break-ins and thefts in recent months.

'They've said they will call into the shop to see if I want to press charges.

'Of course I want to press charges - on the street we are on there have been six break ins recently.

'The comic store has been hit twice in two weeks - it does not give the right message if we do not press charges.

Mr Callaghan said police wanted to know whether he wished to press charges against the man

Mr Callaghan said the man, pictured, asked for a quote about printing prices before grabbing the tablet once the staff member was distracted

'The amount of businesses in town which have been affected by crime and theft is unbelievable. I think it is getting worse and worse.

'Business owners are quite down about it, people are having to spend extra money on security measures,' Mr Callaghan added.

The distraction theft happened at about 5.15pm last Thursday.

The man strolled in and asked about printing costs, then waited until the shop assistant was distracted before swiftly placing the device inside the front of his jacket.

The man then picked up a leaflet before wandering over to speak with a member of staff before leaving.

He went to a nearby Game store just moments after the theft where he initially attempted to sell the device.

He then tried selling it to the pawn shop two days later who recognised him from the CCTV image.

The man has yet to be arrested despite numerous reported sightings of him in the town centre since the incident.

Essex Police have admitted the community officers were 'misguided' in their advice about data protection because Mr Callaghan is the owner of the images so is free to do as he chooses.

A spokeswoman said: 'We understand that business owners may wish to pursue their own investigation, especially where their livelihood is affected, but would like to make it clear that only the police have the authority to fully investigate, solve, and prosecute those responsible for crime.

'As well as looking at our tips on the Essex Police website, businesses, where possible, should have their own CCTV cameras.

'If they can retain this footage, it often enhances our investigation. We would always encourage victims to report crime to us, whether that's by calling us or by reporting it online.

'You can find more information about how to protect yourself from business crime, and the signs to look out for, please visit: https://www.essex.police.uk/advice/business-crime/'.

Row over reduction in number of police The lowest number of police officers are safeguarding England and Wales since records began, figures reveal. Their ranks fell from 123,142 on March 31, 2017 to 122,404 at the end of March this year, the Home Office said. The figure is the lowest number since 1981  although figures before 1996 are not directly comparable. There are also more than 10,000 police community support officers  who have restricted powers. Their number fell 1 per cent, while volunteer special constables dropped 13 per cent. Police staff and designated officers increased slightly by 3 per cent. Meanwhile, police officers in frontline roles have fallen to 103,837. The Government was criticised earlier this year after failing to mention police numbers in a strategy setting out plans to tackle rising violence. Ministers insist there is no direct link between officer numbers and the effectiveness of forces at tackling crime. However, the Police Federation union said the figures showed the police needed an urgent cash injection. Vice chairman Che Donald said: These new figures are proof, as if we even needed it, that policing in the UK is on the critical list. 'The figures show we have lost more than 21,300 officers since 2010  thats a drop of 15 per cent and the numbers keep going down every year. Its like Groundhog Day. In the early 2000s, officer numbers soared as the New Labour government pumped cash into budgets. When the Tories came back to power, the public sector faced cuts in a bid to balance the books after the global financial crash. Police chiefs axed tens of thousands of civilian staff. But the number of constables also fell as they left and were not replaced. AdvertisementAlleged gunman: Keenan Jones is accused of opening fire in a Walmart line after an argument in the checkout line

A gunman opened fire in Walmart, injuring five people after he got into an argument with a customer in the checkout line.

Keenan Jones, 30, is accused of pulling a gun from the waistband of the woman he was with and unloaded shots through the store in Cheltenham, Philadelphia.

He then tried to flee in his car before he crashed into a parked police car and was arrested in a violent struggle.

He fired at least ten shots as customers and employees ducked for cover as bullets flew across the checkout line, in a frantic scene that unfolded without warning, witnesses said.

Jones was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault in Philadelphia today.

Jones was believed to be on 'some type of drugs' and was taken into custody after a violent struggle with police (pictured) and needed to be subdued with a Taser

A man who grabbed a gun over an argument with a customer in line at a Cheltenham Walmart (pictured), firing it throughout the store and shooting five people, crashed into a parked police car as he made his escape

Jones was believed to be on 'some type of drugs,' and had been at the store with his sister.

'I can tell you that the 30-year-old male appeared to be very high on either narcotics, alcohol or a combination of both,' Philadelphia Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

He was taken into custody after a violent struggle with police and needed to be subdued with a Taser, Fox 29 News Philadelphia reported.

Those who were struck - including a store manager and a cashier, two women in their 40s who were shot in a leg, one man in his 40s also struck in a leg and a man with a graze wound to a leg - were taken to hospital but did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

A sixth victim, a pregnant woman, wasn't shot but was injured after falling to the floor during the incident.

At least ten shots were fired in the Cheltenham Walmart in north Philadelphia in a frantic scene that unfolded without warning, witnesses said

"I'm sorry." In exclusive video obtained by 6abc Action News, the suspect in the shooting at a Walmart in Cheltenham Township apologizes. Several people were injured in the shooting that began after a dispute in the checkout line, police say. https://t.co/YznNpFWHLb pic.twitter.com/IecoFhYuRO  Action News on 6abc (@6abc) August 15, 2018

The suspected gunman was seen tossing a gun out of his car window before crashing into a parked police car a few blocks away, injuring two police officers, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The officers were taken to Roxborough Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained during the collision, and the woman in the car with the suspected shooter was taken to Einstein Medical Center.

Jaynee Davis, 55, was at the customer service desk when she heard shots come from behind her and ran to hide.

She said she helped a man who had been shot in the leg make a tourniquet out of his shirt to try to stop the bleeding.

'We didn't know whether the shooter was still in the store,' she said. 'We were petrified and we were trying to be quiet,' she told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Police have not said what charges either the suspected gunman or the woman he was with will face, but said he gun allegedly tossed from his car was recovered.Confused, alone and beaten by the one woman she trusted.

This is the horrifying moment a cruel nurse slaps a dementia patient in the face with her own rubbish.

But despite the sickening care home assault, nursing assistant Dana Maree Gray, 59, walked free from court on Wednesday despite assaulting her 85-year-old patient.

Dana Maree Gray, 59, (left) walked free from court on Wednesday, despite being sentenced over the shocking assault

Gray was jailed for 17 months with a non-parole period of six month for assaulting the 'entirely dependent' woman at The Poplars nursing home in North Epping in August 2017.

But magistrate Robyn Denes let her walk from Burwood Local Court on bail, so Gray can be assessed for her suitability to serve the sentence in home detention.

The confronting and violent assault was captured on a hidden GoPro camera.

Gray had worked in the dementia unit at the home since December 2013 when she walked into the 'vulnerable' woman's bedroom and unleashed the 'domestic violence' attack, Ms Denes said.

Footage of the shocking assault, tendered in court, was shot on a GoPro camera hidden by a colleague of Gray's who feared for the residents' safety.

It shows Gray staring at the woman, who was using a walking frame, before raising the bed to her chest height.

The elderly dementia patient, 65, can be heard screaming in the footage as she's slapped twice in the face by Dana Maree Gray. Pictured is a grab from the footage

Gray yells 'move' and aggressively pulls off the woman's glasses and cardigan before slapping her repeatedly and grabbing her hair to drag her head from left to right.

The patient's bra is tugged off, leaving her topless and hanging her head until a nightgown is shoved over her.

Gray then empties the bathroom bin, ties the rubbish bag into a knot and swings the contents at the woman's face, hitting her on both cheeks.

She is left alone with her raised bed, unable to sit or lay for a number of hours, according to the agreed facts.

The magistrate condemned Gray's abuse of her 'position of trust' and the way her offending came to light.

Footage of the assault (pictured), tendered in court, was shot on a GoPro camera hidden by a colleague who feared for the residents' safety

'She cannot complain, she doesn't have the ability to protect herself, she is entirely defenceless,' Ms Denes said.

'It seemed to me that all your frustration, all your anger was taken out on this lady.

'Even the act of leaving that bed raised ... was heartless.

'As a coup de grace you hit her with the rubbish bag. The humiliation of that victim was complete.'

She added that anyone with a parent or loved in a nursing home would be deeply concerned by Gray's behaviour.

'What happened to [the victim] is everyone's worst nightmare,' Ms Denes told the court.

Police prosecutor Wayne Law said the woman's screams 'in clear distress' demonstrated she was in pain.

Gray had worked at The Poplars nursing home in North Epping (pictured) for almost four years when the shocking assault happened in August 2017

'Just because she suffers from dementia doesn't mean she cannot feel things,' he said.

'She couldn't do anything ... she was exposed while she was assaulted.'

Ms Denes refused in June to hear the matter under the Mental Health Act and Gray has since been deemed 'unsuitable' to serve any sentence via community service due to an arm disability.

Gray told a psychologist afterwards the victim was a difficult patient and it was a high pressure job, 9 News reported.

Gray (pictured at a previous court appearance) will find out where she will serve her sentence when she returns to Burwood Local Court in September

Magistrate Denes said while she accepted Gray was depressed and suffered from anxiety, she said Gray had shown 'very limited real remorse'.

Gray's lawyer Nicholas Blaker argued for a suspended sentence but this was dismissed by the magistrate as it did not 'adequately reflect' the criminality.

Gray refused to comment to the media as she left Burwood Local Court with her lawyer on Wednesday.

She will return to court on September 20.Police are searching for a young mother and her toddler son after she allegedly snatched him during a supervised visit.

Eighteen month-old Manaia Te Whare was taken while walking on Sunnyholt Road, in Blacktown, Sydney at about 11am on Wednesday.

He is believed to be with his mother, Hope Hopkins, 22.

Police are appealing for public assistance as they hold serious concerns for the welfare of an 18-month-old boy who was taken by his mother Hope Hopkins (pictured) on Wednesday

Officers from Blacktown Police Area Command have started a search of the area however have so far failed to locate the pair.

Police were given information that the pair are travelling by public transport and were last seen about 1.30pm leaving Parramatta Railway Station.

There are serious concerns held for the welfare of the child and police are asking for the assistance of the community.

Ms Hopkins is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of thin build with brown hair and brown eyes.

Hopkins (pictured) was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, black Nike slides and travelling with a red pram

She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, black Nike slides and travelling with a red pram.

The boy was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue short-sleeved shirt, blue cap and black sneakers.

Anyone who sights the pair, or has information on their whereabouts is urged to contact Triple Zero (000), or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.A pregnant woman has told how the father of her unborn child survived the Genoa bridge collapse by clinging to wires 65ft above the ground.

Giulia Organo said boyfriend Gianluca Ardini, 29, managed to cling on for hours despite suffering a dislocated shoulder because thinking of their baby 'gave him the strength to survive'.

Mr Ardini, who sells computer games, was making a delivery with colleague Luigi Matti Altadonna, 34, which the Morandi bridge gave way beneath them.

Mr Altadonna, himself a father-of-four, tragically fell 150ft to his death.

Gianluca Ardini, 29, (left), was driving across the Morandi bridge in Genoa when it collapsed on Tuesday. Girlfriend Giulia Organo (right), who is pregnant with their child, said he survived by clinging to metal wires 65ft off the ground

Miss Organo said Mr Ardini clung on for hours despite dislocating his shoulder, and said it was the thought of their child which gave him the strength to survive

In total 39 people have died, another 12 are in critical condition and several more are still missing following the collapse, which happened at 11.30am on Tuesday.

Speaking to Telenord, Miss Organo said: 'I have no words about what happened as I can only think this is a miracle.

'I can't even begin to imagine what he went through as he was suspended in the air to some wires from 20m from the ground for several hours with all his strength.

'Now I am not really sure of the precise dynamics of the incident just yet but we can only thank God.'

Miss Organo said that Mr Ardini was carrying out his last delivery of the morning in the western suburb of Voltri when he drove across the bridge.

Miss Organo said Mr Ardini, who sells computer games, was making his last delivery of the morning when he drove across the bridge around 11.30am

Mr Ardini was riding in a van with his colleague when the bridge disappeared beneath them, but somehow managed to cling on to metal wires

Miss Organo said she is now looking forward to welcoming her boyfriend home ahead of the birth of their first child next month

Genoa was weathering through torrential rain at the time of the tragedy.

Witnesses reported the bridge, which was known to be unstable and was repaired two years ago, getting struck by lightning before the collapse.

A 650ft section of the bridge then collapsed into the valley below, smashing into warehouses, a railway, and a largely dry riverbed.

Ardini's colleague, 35-year-old Luigi Matti Altadonna, who was in the van with him, plunged to his death

Miss Organo said has not spoken to Mr Ardini since the accident, but was told his story by rescue workers who helped him down.

She added: 'I am not sure if he was clinging from the van or from some wires.

'They have said that the fire brigade were communicating with him from the ground and telling him to keep motionless against the risk of falling down and then they were able to rescue him.

'He is now in a bit of pain but he's not life threatening. I am sure there will be some physical consequences but we can consider ourselves lucky.'

She is now looking forward to welcoming him home, ahead of the birth of their child which is due next month.

Questions have been raised over the construction of the bridge and whether 'Mafia concrete' that was watered down by criminal gangs when the bridge was built in the 1960s could be to blame.

Miss Organo told Italian television it was a 'miracle' that Mr Ardini survived the tragedy and 'thanks God' that he is still alive

At least 39 people have died, 12 are in critical condition and several more are missing following the bridge collapse at 11.30am on Tuesday

'Mafia-related companies are known to have infiltrated the cement and reconstruction industries over the decades and prosecutors have accused them of doing shoddy work that cannot withstand high stress,' Canada's Globe and Mail wrote.

Similar allegations were made by Dave Parker, Technical Editor Emeritus of New Civil Engineer, who told Radio 4's Today that 'according to urban myths, the mafia had a very big finger in the pie of the concrete industry back then, charging full price and putting less cement in

Yesterday, experts said the Morandi bridge was almost certainly brought down by a fatal flaw in its construction, or wear and tear which inspectors overseeing maintenance had missed.

The Italian government has threatened to fine highways agency Autostrade 150million euros (133million) for failing to properly maintain the bridge.

Ministers have also demanded bosses of the company resign and threatened to strip away government funding.A woman crashed a brand new BMW into a car dealership after she hit the accelerator by mistake in south China.

The female driver, reportedly in her 30s, was taking the 45,000 BMW X1 for a free test drive when the accident happened on Saturday in Guangzhou city.

Two employees of the dealership suffered minor injuries in the accident. The driver and the salesperson in the passenger seat were unhurt, according to reports.

A woman was taking the brand new BMW for a test drive and when she crashed it into the dealership in south China's Guangzhou city on Sunday afternoon. Two people were hurt

Glass, debris and construction material were seen scattered inside the dealership

Video footage of the incident in Guangdong province shows the navy SUV smashing the glass door and windows of the storefront before ramming it into the wall of the showroom at about 4:25pm.

Staff workers and customers were seen running for their lives as the vehicle sped towards them.

Glass, debris and construction material were seen scattered inside the dealership. The bumper and the bonnet of the car appeared to be damaged.

The woman was trying to park the SUV outside of the shop after returning from the drive, according to Guangdong Public Channel.

Workers and customers were seen running for their lives as the vehicle sped towards them

The bumper and the bonnet of the car appeared damaged but the driver was unhurt

However, the bungling driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake and lost control, plunging straight into the dealership.

The dealership's insurance company is currently estimating the damages and the woman has agreed to accept full responsibility for the accident, according to the report.

The two employees who suffered minor injuries were treated in hospital.

The plug-in hybrid version of the BMW X1 costs about 400,000 yuan (45,000) for the basic model, according to BMW China.A primary school student is fighting for life after falling over and injuring himself during his lunch break on Wednesday.

The nine-year-old was rushed to hospital after falling over and seriously injuring himself about lunchtime at Sturt Street School in Adelaide.

Emergency crews raced him to the Women's and Children's Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Police and forensic officers have launched an investigation into the incident and were at the school throughout the afternoon.

No other students were involved in the incident.

Emergency crews (pictured) raced him to the Women's and Children's Hospital where he remains in a critical conditionAnti-tourist graffiti and posters encouraging visitors to jump to their deaths from balconies have been popping up across the Spanish city of Barcelona.

The posters proclaim that 'balconing IS fun', stating that it 'prevents gentrification and improves neighbours' quality of life'.

'Balconing' is the practice of climbing between balconies or, if at a hotel, jumping into a swimming pool from a balcony.

The posters which have appeared in Barcelona, Spain, proclaim that 'balconing IS fun', stating that it 'prevents gentrification and improves neighbours' quality of life'

A number of Britons have died after falling from balconies or walkways at hotels and holiday apartment complexes in Spain this year.

Some of these deaths have been linked to 'balconing', and the posters and graffiti seem to mock the tragedies.

Last month, an 18-year-old boy died after falling from a walkway at an apartment complex in Magaluf, on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Thomas Channon, from Rhoose, near Barry in South Wales, was on his first ever holiday with friends to celebrate completing his A levels.

Protests: Anti-tourist graffiti has appeared in several places in Barcelona

The graffiti is encouraging tourists to go 'balconing', which means climbing between balconies or jumping into swimming pools from a balcony

In June, Tom Hughes, 20, from Wrexham in North Wales also died at Eden Roc following a fall.

Their deaths prompted an emergency meeting in Magaluf between British diplomats and local authorities to try and curb the number of balcony falls in the party resort.

This is only the latest anti-tourist protest in Barcelona, and comes just weeks after masked activists had to be cut free from a famous sculpture in the city's iconic Park Guell.

Sick: A Twitter account called 'Balconing is Fun' is encouraging the practice

The Twitter account has been posting memes joking about tourists jumping from balconies

Members of the protest group claim mass-tourism is creating misery for Spanish residents, spoiling the countryside, exploiting cheap labour and bringing benefits only to the few.

While some protesters chained themselves to the Gaudi statue, other members of the group put up banners around the park and let off canisters of pink smoke.

Officers had to use bolt-cutters to free those who had tied chains around their legs and sculptures.

A spokesman said they chose the Park Guell and a Gaudi sculpture because of its iconic status.As bushfires and drought continue to ravage the state, an iconic New South Wales region is under threat from a blaze that won't be put out for weeks.

A fire raging in the Bega Valley has been classified as a 'watch and act' by the NSW Rural Fire Service,

The fire, at Yankees Gap Road, is still out of control and so far covers an area of 2130 hectares.

The 70 fires raging across the state are all in drought-affected areas.

'The fire is burning in an easterly direction towards Desert Creek Rd, Numbugga, Scotland Yard Rd, Garfield and the Snowy Mountains Highway, Walls Flat,' the warning statement read.

Because of its remote location in very difficult terrain, its expected the Bega Valley fire will burn for weeks

'Firefighters have been liaising with people in the area throughout the day while the fire burnt through inaccessible country.'

Difficult terrain and strong winds have complicated the fire fight further, however firefighters will remain in the area in an attempt to control the spread of the fire.

Residents in the surrounding areas have been notified by emergency services of the potentially dangerous situation unfolding.

Because of its remote location in very difficult terrain, its expected the Bega Valley fire will burn for weeks.

'Fanned by strong winds the fire is producing a large amount of smoke and embers, embers may be blown well ahead of the fire, creating spot fires that may threaten properties,' the statement read.

Winds up to 110km/h could undo the effort of firefighters to contain blazes across the state. Pictured: sweeping winds push smoke towards Bomaderry

Advice to those near or in the path of the fire is to put your bush fire survival plan into action immediately and leaving early is the safest option.

Bega, suffering form drought, now has to contend with the devastation of a wildfire which could likely burn for weeks.

Bega dairy farmer Punter McPaul spoke to the Bega District News and said he fears that as a fourth generation farmer, the drought will prevent a fifth form taking over.

'I wanted to retire but because of all this happening, I might be here for another five years,' he said.

'We need rain very soon because we are rapidly running out of hay and grain, it is the anxiety of running out of feed for cattle, that is where people come undone.'

As the drought continues, farmers are already battling the need to find food for their stock. Now the bushfires are likely to add to that anxiety and heartache.

'Although I know some farmers are so stressed about buying feed for their cows that they forget about their working dogs, they are so important to keep things going he said.

Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant told The Daily Telegraph that the wild fires were a 'stark and massive wake-up call' ahead of a very hot Summer.

'We are bracing ourselves for what will likely be one of our busiest bushfire seasons because of the driest winter that weve seen in a long time,' he said.

'This is a stark and massive wake-up call.'

On Wednesday evening the NSW Rural Fire Service announced that all 70 bushfires are set at 'watch and act'.

The bushfires ravaging coastal towns along the NSW south coast on Wednesday have caused the earliest total fire ban in nearly a decade.

NSW Rural Fire Service announced the 'extremely rare' total fire ban in winter across the Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter regions on Wednesday.

More than 70 bushfires are being fought across the state into the afternoon, including two major blazes in North Nowra and near Kiama.

As firefighters move to contain the fires, there are concerns that intensifying winds could hinder their efforts.

830 firefighters are deployed across NSW, with major fires consuming Bomaderry (pictured)

The blaze near Mount Kingiman remains in a state of emergency, as authorities prepare for winds up to 110km/h.

Another bushfire in Bemboka has already consumed 300 hectares of bushland, and rampaging winds could push it towards Garfield.

NSW Rural Fire Service has issued an emergency warning for the blaze in the Bega Valley at Bemboka.

Residents are urged to take shelter as fire approaches, it is too late to leave.

Earlier on Wednesday, firefighters were evacuating residents caught in the middle of a devastating bushfire as the fast-moving blaze threatens to raze their homes to the ground.

The blaze, whipped up 'unbelievably quickly' by raging winds, is roaring towards Burrill Lake, a small village south of surf town Ulladulla on the NSW south coast.

Dramatic footage captures firefighters doorknocking homes in Bomaderry, near Kiama, with residents taking a handful of valuables as smoke chokes their town.

NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that property, including sheds and cars have been destroyed by fires.

Fortunately, to this point, no homes have been reported as lost to the flames.

Conditions in Bomaderry have eased, with authorities downgrading the area to Watch and Act

The process for checking damage on homes will be enacted after the fires are brought under control, with building impact teams going house-to-house to assess damage to structures, fencing and surroundings of properties.

830 firefighters are currently fighting fires across the state.

Despite a huge effort, NSW Rural Fire Service are concerned that the situation is deteriorating, with harsher winds forecasted for the afternoon.

Winds up to 110km/h could sweep the flames towards the south-east faster than they're already travelling.

26 water bombers have been deployed against the fires, though winds of already 100km/h are making their job difficult.

South Coast Line have suspended trains between Kiama and Bomaderry due to the grass fire.

Buses are being put together to provide replacement services.

As of 3.30pm Wednesday afternoon, the Bomaderry flames were downgraded to Watch and Act by authorities.

Terrified locals called Ray Hadley on 2GB to share details of the scene.

One resident, Kim, had been evacuated to the Milton Showground.

'It's really, really bad here Ray. It's devastating.

'They're not going to stop this.'

Another listener's daughter is trying to evacuate, but fires have blocked off their path.

'They've got fire at the bottom of their road so they can't get out,' Brenda from nearby Gerringong said.

A map from NSW Regional Fire Service shows the bushfire burning towards the south-eastern town on Woodstock

The main blaze began at Mount Kingiman, 230km south of Sydney, and has burnt through about 100 hectares as it rips through the Budawang National Park.

There were reports that a home had been lost to the fire.

NSW Rural Fire Services Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers confirmed that homes have been impacted by the fire, but it isn't currently safe to assess the extent of the damage.

'We will go in and look at that once the fire calms down a little bit,' he told 7 News.

He confirmed that there are reports of sheds and cars being destroyed.

An out-of-control bushfire is burning towards rural towns in southern NSW, with smoke visible in the skies over homes

'That fire's whipped up unbelievably quick this morning under those very strong north-westerly winds,' Shepherd told 2GB radio on Wednesday.

People around the areas of Kings Point, Burrill Lake and southern Ulladulla are being told to move into the Ulladulla CBD if they are not prepared.

An evacuation centre has been set up at the Ulladulla Civic Centre and Bomaderry Bowling Centre.

'Our concern is now given these wind strengths that we could actually start to see embers move onto the eastern side of Burrill Lake,' Mr Shepherd said.

'If the embers do take hold ... they're going to escalate very very quickly under these extraordinary strong winds.'

The blaze has already consumed 100 hectares of bushlands, with strong winds pushing it towards homes (pictured)

The NSW Rural Fire Service said emergency alert messages had been sent to residents in the area.

However, one resident, Kate Melzer, told ABC she hadn't been informed.

'I'm looking out my window and half of the sky is blue and then there's a definite line in the sky and to the left it's very orange, the sun is very filtered, there's choppers in the sky, there's quite thick smoke and it's very windy,' she said.

'We haven't been told anything but there's obviously something going on. It's kind of scary.'

The fire is burning in a south-easterly direction towards Burrill Lake under strong north-westerly winds.

Some of these winds have been registered as up to 60km/hour.

Residents are being warned that if current conditions continue, the fire will be unpredictable and fast-moving.

NSW Rural Fire Services have 40 crews on the ground at Woodstock (pictured), and have told residents that it's too late to leave

Embers blown six kilometers ahead of the fire threaten homes just as much as the main fire.

Fire crews had already been on high alert in the area, with warm weather and high winds forecasted throughout the state.

Conditions in the region are dry, as the entire state was declared as being in drought last week.Pictured: Damian Cox, 41, was an employee at the BBC

A BBC worker described as a big personality hanged himself after losing his job and falling into financial difficulty.

Damian Cox, 41, struggled with mental health problems after being laid off from his position as a technical manager for the Beeb.

Shortly after he broke up with his long-term partner who also worked for the organisation which added to his depression, an inquest heard.

Mr Cox was found dead at his home near Manchester by police in October last year after a worried colleague went to check in on him.

Speaking at an inquest into Mr Cox's death yesterday, Spencer Marsden described how he met Damian when the pair worked for the BBC in 2014.

He described the late Mr Cox as a 'force of nature' who came back to work at the BBC's headquarters as a contractor after losing his job in March.

But Mr Marsden said his friend was different.

'Damian was a big personality in Media City. He was such a force of nature when he worked here, but when he came back to work as a contractor he had changed.

'On October 30, we were supposed to be giving a presentation but he didn't turn up for work.

'I was concerned and I went to his flat. That's when police found him,' he said.

The hearing heard how Mr Cox had endured a 'difficult couple of months'.

Tragic: An inquest heard Damian Cox became depressed after losing his job at the BBC's Media City in Manchester (pictured above)

Angharad Davies, assistant coroner, said when things went wrong in life Mr Cox 'didn't take it very well'.

After being let go from the BBC he dreamed of starting out a studio but when that failed, he fell into financial difficult and become depressed.

He then broke up with his long-term partner who also worked for the BBC and started to miss the job he 'greatly enjoyed'.

Mr Cox sought help from a doctor and was put on medication for depression and anxiety. He was assessed at Manchester Royal Infirmary and wasn't expressing any sucidial signs so he was discharged.

She gave a conclusion of suicide, citing a recent change in law that allows coroners to make that conclusion based on a balance of probabilities rather than the higher standard of 'beyond reasonable doubt' used in criminal courts.

In her summary she said: 'It was a difficult few months for Mr Cox. He had broken up with his long term partner who worked for the same company as him. He also lost a job which he greatly enjoyed in March 2017.

'Initially he coped quite well with it and he wanted to open a studio with friends. But this didn't amount to anything and he was sent into financial difficulty.

'When things were going well, he would be happy and get on with life. But when things went wrong, he didn't take it very well.

Tragically the coroner said she didn't believe anything more could have been done to help Mr Cox who was 'reluctant' to seek help.

She added that there was no suicide note from him. 'To his impossibly high standards, he could not achieve what he had set out to achieve,' she said.

'I am terribly sorry for what has happened. It appears that this was just a low point in his otherwise successful life.'Advertisement

Fan y Big has lost its mountain status after an eagle-eyed surveyor measured it and found it didn't meet the stringent criteria.

It is situated in the Brecon Beacons National Park and is part of the high ridge that heads east from the highest mountain in South Wales, Pen y Fan.

Mountains are required to be at least 2,000ft tall (610m) and have a minimum drop between the summit and col of 98.4ft (30m). Fan y Big has no problem with the first category with its accurately surveyed height of 2,351ft (717.6m).

Mountain surveyor Myrddyn Phillips, 57, from Welshpool, said he measured Fan y Big as it was considered in hill-climbing circles to be a 'marginal' hill. The drop was listed as 98.4ft (30m), which was based on the summit and col height listed on the Ordnance Survey, but these have an error margin of plus or minus 9.8ft (3m). Mr Phillips used new satellite technology, which is accurate to within 4in (0.1m), to prove the historic measurement was slightly out

 Slide me  Mountains are required to be at least 2,000ft tall (610m) and have a minimum drop between the summit and col of 98.4ft (30m). Fan y Big has no problem with the first with its accurately surveyed height of 2,351ft (717.6m) - but its col is 5ft short

But its drop has now been measured at 93.4ft (28.5m), 5ft (1.5m) less than what is required to maintain its mountain status.

As a result, it has been struck off the list of Hewitts - Hills in England, Wales or Ireland over Two Thousand feet high - it had belonged to since the list's introduction in 1992.

Fan y Big's demotion means Wales is left with 135 Hewitts.

Mountain surveyor Myrddyn Phillips, 57, from Welshpool, said he measured Fan y Big as it was considered in hill-climbing circles to be a 'marginal' hill.

The drop has now been measured at 93.4ft (28.5m), 5ft (1.5m) less than what is required to maintain its mountain status

Fan Y Big has been struck off the list of Hewitts - Hills in England, Wales or Ireland over Two Thousand feet high

The drop was listed as 98.4ft (30m), which was based on the summit and col height listed on the Ordnance Survey, but these have an error margin of plus or minus 9.8ft (3m).

Mr Phillips used new satellite technology, which is accurate to within 4in (0.1m), to prove the historic measurement was slightly out.

But he hopes the reclassification will not put walkers off scaling Fan y Big.

He said: 'The Hewitts is one way of classifying what is a mountain and in its criteria there are two component parts.

'It must have a minimum height of 2,000ft, which is generally accepted as the benchmark between hills and mountains.

Mr Phillips used new satellite technology, which is accurate to within 4in (0.1m), to prove the historic measurement was out

'Secondly, the drop from the summit to the col must be a minimum of 30m (98..4ft) which is the technicality used to distinguish the prominence of one hill from another.

WHAT MAKES A MOUNTAIN? Mountains are required to be at least 2,000ft tall (610m) and have a minimum drop between the summit and col of 98.4ft (30m). Up until the 1920s, the UK Ordnance Survey defined a mountain as having a relief of more than 1,000 feet, a concept that formed the plot for the Hugh Grant film The Englishman who went up a hill but Came down a Mountain. Nowadays, the Ordnance Survey defers to local customs and traditions but a mountain must have a minimum height of 610 meters or 2,000 feet. Advertisement

'Fan y Big was listed as 30m but it was known to be a marginal case so I thought an accurate survey was required and when I carried it out it was found wanting.

'To an extent it is a shame for it to lose its status but it is a fine hill which is part of a superb range in the Brecon Beacons and I can't imagine this will stop walkers from visiting it.'

The Hewitts have been compiled by Britain's leading hill list author, Alan Dawson, who published a book recording all the mountains in England, Ireland and Wales in 1992.

After being informed by Mr Phillips of the new measurements, he removed Fan y Big from the Hewitt list, which is updated online.

Mr Dawson said: 'Nowadays there is the satellite technology available to us to provide more accurate readings.

'Once I was informed about Fan y Big it was reclassified as it is important to get things right.

'The reason the Hewitts classify mountains using two criteria is because if you don't measure the drop between the summit and the col there's no way to tell one hill from another.

'Measuring by height alone is meaningless as any bump could be classified as a mountain, so you need two dimensions.'

Fan y Big's name translates as 'peak of the bill' which is thought to refer to its pointed profile when seen from afar.A personal trainer who was filmed throwing coffee over a Latino contractor she thought was trying to burgle her garage has apologized and insisted: 'I'm not racist'.

Rhonda Polon flew into a fit of rage when she saw two construction workers in her Los Angeles apartment building's garage on August 4.

She confronted them before launching her coffee at Miguel Sanchez who had started filming after she allegedly racially abused him.

Ms Polon has now offered a tearful apology but insisted she never made any racist comments.

Rhonda Polon (pictured) allegedly hurled racist insults at two Latino men that were hired to work at her upscale apartment in Los Angeles

She told KTLA: 'I'm not a racist and none of those things have ever come out of my mouth.

'I may have a temper at some points but I am not a racist person.

'I was trying to protect myself... they were coming at me from both sides and it scared the hell out of me.

Ms Polon said she was suspicious of the men because her communal garage had recently been burgled and added: 'I completely sorry for throwing the coffee.'

Sanchez, hired by one of Ms Polon's neighbors, decided not to press charges because he was not injured by the coffee which he says was hot.

The contractor was the first to arrive at the site of job he had landed through a contractor at an upscale apartment complex in Century City and stepped outside to allow his co-worker Jesse access into the building.

When the men were about to enter the complex's garage, Ms Polon paused from walking her dogs and started arguing with both men, questioning their motives before attacking Sanchez with the hot drink.

Michael Sanchez (left) was the victim of a racist insults by Rhonda Michelle Polon on August 4. Polon then threw coffee in Sachez's face. She is seen holding the cup of the hot beverage right and his stained shirt is seen left

In the video that has gone viral since the incident, the woman can be heard accusing them of being thieves, according to Sanchez.

'She was calling us w*tbacks, and that we were probably there to steal stuff. After all those racial comments on us, I got my phone out and started recording,' Sanchez told KLTA.

Sanchez remained cool and recorded the video with his cell phone before Ms Polon completely went berserk. She took a couple of steps towards him and tossed a cup of coffee at the defenseless man's face.

Both men were trying to attempt to get to their vehicle, but Ms Polon continued to verbally abuse Sanchez, whose face had turned red and whose t-shirt was completely drenched by the coffee.

A Los Angeles woman flew into a rage and hurled racist insults at two Latino construction workers before throwing a cup of hot coffee directly at one of their faces

Ms Polon, who owns Spin Gal Fitness in West Hollywood and has since shutdown her Instagram account, @spin_gal_fitness, continued to berate the men before leaving the scene.

While Sanchez recorded additional footage of the shocking incident, another tenant appeared from behind the condo's lobby entrance dressed in a bathrobe and walking barefooted.

He accused them of previously having stolen his bicycle before going toe-to-toe with Jesse and hurling more racist epithets at the men.

Sanchez wrote on his Facebook account: 'I had compassion which I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have with me if it was the other way around.

'I know I made the right decision, and I know deep down that she will not change her point of view about us (latinos, mexicanos, hispanos, etc,etc) but I still tried to show good values and hopefully to pass them on.

'Despite the job I have, the color of my skin or where I came from, I tried to be the better man, and that's how you win. There is only one race, HUMAN RACE.'The six British nationals arrested over the death of a fellow Briton in the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio on Sunday are due to appear before a judge today.

Conor Lee Spraggs, 23, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, died in the early hours of Sunday following an altercation with a group of men and women.

Six men, aged 18 to 21, have been arrested in connection with his death, and this morning, four of them could be seen being frogmarched into court by police

Another two are expected to be quizzed later in the day.

In court: Lewis Nolan, 18, one of six men arrested in connection with the death of fellow Briton Conor Lee Spraggs on Sunday, is led into court in Ibiza on Wednesday morning

The six men were arrested by Civil Guard officers probing the circumstances surrounding Mr Spraggs' death in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police sources said four of the men were being handed over to the courts after being quizzed on suspicion of possible homicide and the other two on suspicion of failing to assist Mr Spraggs.

The four men linked to the more serious accusation were named by well-placed sources as 18-year-old Lewis Nolan; Kyle Coen, also 18; Jordan Weston, 21; and William Peake, 18.

The other two men - questioned by police on suspicion of failing to assist Mr Spraggs according to the well-placed sources - were named as 20-year-olds Matthew Walshaw and Mark Cooper.

Mr Spraggs was pronounced dead at the scene after apparently getting into a fight with a group of five men and two women.

Taken in: William Peake, 18, along with three others is being questioned on suspicion of possible homicide

Jordan Weston, 21, also held on suspicion of possible homicide, is led into court where he and the others are due to appear before a judge

Witnesses say he started the altercation that led to his death, around 3.30am on Sunday on San Antonio's main seafront promenade. The arrests are believed to have taken place on Monday.

Police held the suspects for as long as they could under Spanish law before handing them to the courts.

Today's hearing - which is being held behind closed doors - was expected to last for several hours.

The investigating judge will have to decide after the hearing whether to release the Brits on bail pending an ongoing criminal probe or remand them to a local prison.

If the courts decide after questioning them that the men were wrongly arrested and were not involved in the events leading up to Mr Spragg's death, they can also tell them they are no longer suspects although that third option is unlikely.

Even if the men are remanded in custody they will not be charged, as formal charges are only laid in Spain shortly before trial.

Conor Lee Spraggs, 23, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, died in the early hours of Sunday in San Antonio, Ibiza

The 23-year-old reportedly died following an altercation with a group of five British men and two women in the Ibizan party town

Police sources revealed this morning an autopsy had been 'inconclusive' and had failed to determine that Mr Spraggs' death was directly linked to any blows or injuries he may have received during the fight.

Further tests are now taking place to see if he had consumed drugs that could have played a part in his death.

One well-placed insider said: 'The courts now have a difficult task on their hand because they will have to try to establish who did what and clarify responsibility.

'The dead man had marks on him. But the post-mortem has been inconclusive in establishing that injuries the dead man may have suffered during the fight witnesses saw, were directly responsible for his death.

'It is still not clear if he died as a result of a blow he received, or because of an injury suffered in a fall during the fight, or if we're looking at something else like consumption of drugs which could have led to him suffering a health problem when he got involved in the altercation.

'More tests are now being conducted which will involved tissue samples being sent off to a laboratory in Barcelona so experts can try to determine what toxins if any were inside his body at the time he died.'

Mr Spraggs, 23, is understood to have been staying at a hotel called Hotel Bergantin

A JustGiving appeal set up by friends after Mr Spraggs' death to bring his body back home and pay for his funeral has raised thousands of pounds.

A friend who set up the appeal described the dead man as a 'gentle soul' and said: 'Conor was tragically killed on his last day of his holiday in Ibiza.

'We are trying to raise enough money to fly his body home so he can be back with his famiy and put to rest in his home town.

'Conor was a gentle soul, with a heart of gold who is going to be deeply missed by family and friends and anyone who knew him.'

Ex schoolmate Mollie Judge, said: 'Such sad news to hear, went to school was him. He was always such s lovely persons not a bad bone in his body. RIP Conor you'll be missed by everyone.'

Lucy Taylor added: 'This is so sad Conor was so lovely and will be missed by everyone sending our love to all his family and friends.'

Mr Spraggs was staying alone at the three-star Hotel Bergantin in San Antonio.

He had checked into the hotel last Thursday and was due to leave the day he died.This is the moment a television reporter was verbally abused by a hooded, bearded man as she attempted to cover police raids on a smash repairs shop.

Channel Nine journalist Alexis Daish was reporting on Epping Smash Repairs which was raided by Victoria Police earlier in the day when the unknown man approached her and told her to get the f*** out of here.

Daish told the man she was simply trying to do her job, but the man cursed her repeatedly, saying she could go stand over there and do your f***ing job, on the corner as he pointed down the street.

This is the moment a news reporter was verbally abused by an unknown man in the street

Channel Nine journalist Alexis Daish was reporting on Epping Smash Repairs which was raided by Victoria Police

Were just reporting the news. Were in a public place, Daish explained.

The hooded man responded with further cursing before saying: I dont care, Im going to stand next to you.

He later said: 'F*** off, you're going to give us a bad name.'

'F*** off, you're going to give us a bad name' he said, refusing to leave and repeatedly cursing

Epping Smash Repairs was one of two properties raided by police after a month of investigations into alleged organised crime.

The second property was a house in Hope Street, Brunswick where police arrested a 28-year-old male and allegedly seized a number of items including what looked like a bag of shotgun cartridges.

According to a news release from Victoria Police, the man was charged for possessing steroids and hindering police and, after appearing in court, was released on bail.

He will appear at Melbourne Magistrate Court on 20 November.

A second, 27-year-old man is said to be assisting police with enquiries as the investigation continues.A schoolboy survived a potentially lethal lightning strike because he was carrying a skateboard.

Josiah Wiedman, 13, was shielded from the full force of the electrical surge because the metal frames on the skateboard earthed the charged and carried it harmlessly to the ground.

The teenager, from El Mirage, Arizona, was skating with his friend Javier at the local park when they were struck as they walked home during a storm.

Josiah Wiedman, 13 (pictured) was saved by his skateboard when he was struck by lightning in El Mirage, Arizona

Josiah was walking home during a thunderstorm with his friend Javier when he was struck by lightning

The teenager suffered minor injuries because his skateboard shielded him the electrical surge because it earthed the charged and carried it harmlessly to the ground

A surge of lightning shot through them, sending Josiah, who had been carrying his skateboard, into the air and tumbling back down to the ground.

Josiah hit his head on the sidewalk and was unconscious as Javier screamed his name.

Luckily a neighbour gave Josiah CPR and paramedics rushed him to Phoenix Children's Hospital where he spent three days in an induced coma.

Josiah, who only took up skating three months ago, said: 'I just remember a burst of heat and then everything went out.

'I woke up three days later in the hospital and thought I had taken a nap. I didn't know I had been in there three days.

'Without my skateboard with me I probably would have been dead to be honest, or in a little pain. It saved my life in a way.'

The boy's parents Krista Wiedman (pictured left) 35, and William Wiedman (pictured right) 45 said he was 'blessed' to have survived

Josiah has recovered from his injures (pictured left) after he was put in an induced coma (pictured right) for three days after he suffered a concussion from hitting his head after being thrown in the air

His friend Javier suffered an all-over 'burning sensation' but fortunately remained conscious.

Miraculously, the youngster, who lives with parents Krista Wiedman, 35, and William Wiedman, 45, suffered only minimal injuries in the freak accident.

Josiah had fallen head first and had suffered a concussion, a fractured skull, burns on his leg and some short-term memory loss.

Josiah, who has only been skating for two months, had fallen head first and had suffered a concussion, a fractured skull, burns on his leg and some short-term memory loss

He also had tubes inserted into his lungs to remove excess vomit that he had breathed in because of the shock, but medics say it could have been much worse.

Miss Wiedman, a mother-of-four who works as a night auditor, said: 'He is so blessed.'

Mr Wiedman, a machinist, said: 'After the lightning hit, Javier was sitting up and screaming Josiah's name but Josiah was out.

'The doctors said that when he was hit by the lightning his heart stopped for a minute, and he was put in a three-day medically-induced coma.

He also had tubes inserted into his lungs to remove excess vomit that he had breathed in because of the shock

'No one really knows what happened - we can only speculate - but the skateboard took a blunt hit of it and it didn't even break.

'They attribute the board to helping save his life because if it wasn't there it would have penetrated his body and severely injured him.

'The chance of getting struck by lightning is minute and who would think a skateboard would help, of all things?

'Josiah is doing fine now. He is bummed out that he can't go to school for two weeks because he's 'Mr Popular' now, but he's doing well.'

The boy has now been discharged from hospital and describes his condition as 'perfectly fine'

Dr Craig Egan, at Phoenix Children's Hospital, said the team was unable to identify an entry or exit point on Josiah.

Josiah, who has been discharged from hospital, said: 'Right now I'm pretty much perfectly fine. My leg doesn't even hurt whatsoever.'

The average bolt of lightning contains a billion joules of energy, enough to power a 60-watt light bulb for six months, according to experts.

The chance of being hit is around one in 300,000 and it's estimated that around 24,000 people are killed each year by the natural phenomenon globally.

Over the past decade, around 27 people per year in the US have been killed by lightning, according to the National Weather Service.

While around 90 per cent of those struck survive, many suffer life-changing injuries including severe burns or cardiac arrest.

The family are raising money for Josiah's medical bills. To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/lighteningAustria has rejected the asylum application of an Afghan claiming to be gay because he did not 'act' or 'dress' like a homosexual, according to a media report.

An official in Lower Austria state found no grounds for fear of persecution based on the sexual orientation of the 18-year-old, the Falter weekly newspaper reported.

'The way you walk, act or dress does not show even in the slightest that you could be homosexual,' the official reportedly wrote in his assessment rejecting the claim.

Austria has rejected the asylum application of an Afghan claiming to be gay because he did not 'act' or 'dress' like a homosexual, according to a media report

The official also found 'potential for aggression' which 'wouldn't be expected from a homosexual', because the man fought with others in the charity accommodation that houses them.

The Afghan reportedly had few friends and liked spending time alone or in small groups, leading the official to question in his report: 'Aren't homosexuals rather social?'

The official rejected the statement that the Afghan had kissed straight men, saying he would have been beaten if he had done so, the Falter reported.

The Afghan had said he became aware of his sexuality when he was 12 years old, but the official found that was 'rather early' and so not likely, particularly in a society like Afghanistan 'where there is no public sexual stimulation through fashion and advertisement'.

The Afghan, who came to Austria alone as a minor, is appealing the decision, the Falter said.

Austria's interior ministry said Wednesday that it could not comment on the specific case, but that it was 'not reflective of the (wider) reality'.

Some 120,000 asylum claims have been decided on over the past two years, it added.

Austria's interior ministry said that it could not comment on the specific case, but that it was 'not reflective of the (wider) reality'. Pictured: Herbert Kickl, Austrian Minister of the Interior

'Asylum-seekers must substantiate their reasons for fleeing. There are no concrete rules of proof, but the authorities must show if and why a claim was found to have been substantiated,' the ministry said in a statement, adding 'individual impressions' were significant in the interview process.

It said the government is currently working with the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR to offer further training on LGBT issues to 'ensure quality' in the asylum evaluation process.

Marty Huber of Queer Base, which currently supports about 400 asylum-seekers from the LGBT community, said she was familiar with the case. The group is also working with UNHCR on the training planned to take place from next year.

'It is very important that awareness building measures are taken... This case stands out in its intensity, but there are regularly statements, questions, ideas and assumptions how someone should be,' she told AFP.

Homosexuality is illegal in Afghanistan's conservative, highly gender-segregated society.Seven relatives including five children have been killed in a devastating head-on car crash.

Erika Boquet, 29, and her children Isabella, 11, Elisabeth, nine and Tytis, six, died in the horrific smash in eastern Oregon on Monday morning.

They were driving to Las Vegas on vacation in a Toyota 4Runner with an unidentified relative and her two children when another 4Runner veered into their lane, killing them all.

The unidentified male driver of the other 4Runner was alone and also died at the tragic scene, bringing the death toll to eight.

Tragic: Erika Boquet, 29, and her children Isabella, 11, Elisabeth, nine and Tytis, six (all pictured), died in the smash in eastern Oregon on Monday morning

Carnage: They were on vacation driving from to Las Vegas in a Toyota 4Runner with an unidentified relative and her two children, all of whom also died when another 4Runner veered into their lane. Pictured: The aftermath

Ms Boquet worked for a nonprofit she founded called Last Stop, which provides resources to low-income families.

Her shattered brother Jessie Tate said she was 'outgoing, personable, made friends everywhere she went, and her kids took after her.'

'They all just cared about everyone around them,' he told Oregon Live.

He has set up a Gofundme page to raise money for a fitting funeral in their hometown of Tacoma, Washington.

Mr Tate wrote: 'Erika and the kids were in a fatal car crash on August 13th, 2018. They were traveling out of Town for a family vacation and never made it to their destination.

'Our family is at a complete loss. We are trying come up with enough money to bring them home and give them the proper burial they deserve.

Tributes poured in for Ms Boquet online. Friend Khris Jones shared shared this picture of her with her children

'Erika was kind and always giving to others. Her heart was big and full of compassion.

'Words can not describe how much Erika, Bella, Elisa and Tytis will be missed. Taken from us way to soon. Til we meet again "we love you and pray you are in a better place".'

Tributes poured in for Ms Boquet online. Friend Khris Jones shared shared a picture of her with her children and wrote: 'Heaven gained 4 angels im so lost for words such a great woman did so much for the community stood on her own 2 feet never asked for a hand.' (sic)

Police are now investigating the crash at 10am on Oregon 78 near milepost 30 southeast of Burns.Christine Hallquist has made history after becoming the first transgender governor to be nominated and is expected to win the Vermont primary for the Democrats, in what has been hailed as a breakthrough moment for LGBTQ Americans.

She will now face incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott, who survived backlash over his support of gun restrictions in the November general election, after a year that has broken records for the number of lesbian, gay and transgender candidates.

While she acknowledged how symbolic her election as one of the USs first ever transgender governor would be, Hallquist stated that her campaign would focus on improving the states economy.

The whole world is looking at this as a historic moment for a transgender candidate, but thats not what Vermont looked at.

Vermonters looked at, Whats Christine and her team going to do for Vermont? Look to Vermont. We continue to demonstrate leadership in civil rights and how to honor and work with each other. We can be a beacon for the rest of the world.

Christine Hallquist, the transgender utility executive seeking the Democratic nomination

Who is Christine Hallquist?

Christine Hallquist is a 62-year-old grandmother who currently resides in Hyde Park, a village in the town of Lamoille County in Vermont, and is married with three children and two grandchildren, as reported by the Burlington Free Press.

As the former CEO of Vermont Electric Cooperative for 13 years, she focused on addressing the issue of climate change but resigned this year in order to focus on her gubernatorial campaign. She also served on the school board and was a Hyde Park town moderator.

Vermont has always felt like home for Christine, especially after her transition at the end of 2015 when she said that the state had welcomed me with open arms. She also won support from the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

After the results were announced, Mayor Annise Parker, the groups CEO and President said: Christines victory is a defining moment in the movement for trans equality and is especially remarkable given how few out trans elected officials there are at any level of government.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist shakes hands with her supporters

Christine Hallquist documentary

A documentary about Christine Hallquist was released in 2016, directed by her son Derek Hallquist and followed how the electric company CEO and Vermonts presence in national energy.

In the film, Christine and her son film coal plants and wind farms before visiting Congress and revealing flaws in Americas energy system.

Vermont primary

Christine Hallquist is in with a chance of winning the Democratic Vermont primary and face GOP Gov. Rick Scott, who defeated businessman Keith Stern. He said: I know there are some who are still upset with me who may not welcome tonights result but theres so much more that unites us than sets us apart.

And no one agrees with their friends all the time, but as our success shows we can make a lot of good progress when we have clear priorities and we pull in the same direction, Scott said. However, Hallquist declared that her campaign would improve Vermonts economy.

She also said that she would work toward universal primary care in Vermont and pursue a coalition of states to pursue a Medicare for all system. Hallquist supports the ban of assault weapons, but has mentioned that it is not of high importance for her.

Hallquist defeated environmental activist James Ehlers; dance festival organiser Brenda Siegel; and 14-year-old student Ethan Sonneborn, on the ballot because a quirk in state law doesn't require candidates to be of voting age.

She also joins three other openly LGBTQ candidates for governor this year, a historically high number. Gubernatorial candidates Lupe Valdez of Texas, Kate Brown of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado, all Democrats, are out as LGBTQ, as reported by ABC News.A pregnant nurse could lose her unborn baby after an elderly woman whacked her with a metal pole at hospital in south-west China.

The pensioner was upset that the nurse had made her granddaughter cry as she pulled out a needle from the child after administering an IV drip, according to reports.

It is said the 29-year-old nurse is six months pregnant and is now facing the possibility of a miscarriage because of the incident.

The elderly woman in Sichuan, south-west China whacked the pregnant nurse with an infusion rod after she reportedly made her granddaughter cry while administering an IV drip

She fell to the ground after blocking the blow and was seen clutching her rounded stomach

Video footage of the incident in Sichuan province shows the nurse arguing with several family members at a maternity and child health care hospital in Chunqing district on Saturday at about 10:30am.

Outraged, the grandmother suddenly picked up the infusion rod and whacked the nurse with it.

She fell to the ground after blocking the blow and was seen clutching her rounded stomach, appearing to be in pain.

The nurse, identified as Peng Jing, told China.com that the sick child wouldn't stop crying when she was administering the IV drip.

When she removed the plaster from the girl's leg after the process, the child's mother asked Peng to cut it with scissors instead of ripping it off.

'I yelled that I was six months pregnant but the elderly woman ignored me,' Peng Jing said

An hour later, Peng experienced contractions and was immediately admitted to hospital

Peng refused, thinking that using scissors could be risky as the child wouldn't stop moving in bed.

'But the child's grandmother became furious and hit my shoulder and my back with the infusion rod after pushing me,' Peng told reporters from her hospital bed.

She also threw the infusion bottle at her.

'I yelled that I was six months pregnant but the elderly woman ignored me,' she said.

An hour later, Peng experienced contractions and was immediately admitted to hospital.

'All I ask right now is for my child to be safe,' she said.

The incident has been reported to the police and the elderly woman has been detained for 10 days and fined for 200 yuan (23).Advertisement

Hippos are widely considered to be the most dangerous animal in Africa  but that didnt stop a group of about 50 audacious turtles from trying to turn one into a giant sun lounger.

The giant hippo, weighing in with a mass of up to 2.5 tonnes, was ambushed by dozens of much smaller pan hinged terrapins after going for a quick dip at a waterhole in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The water-loving reptiles, seen in marshes and slow-moving rivers in South Africa, enjoy basking on rock faces  not to mention the odd grumpy hippo  or floating close to the water surface.

Kruger National Park describes its hippos as waterway wallowers which are a common sight in most watering holes and are often in herds, but theyre also very easily mistaken for grey rocks.

Their snouts sometimes even look like crocodile noses when theyre just floating beneath the surface of the water.

But be warned, if they open their massive jaws and expose their humongous lower canine teeth, that means they feel threatened.

This hippo looks distinctly unimpressed after pan hinged terrapins start clambering up his back while he wallows in a watering hole in Kruger National Park, South Africa

About 50 reptiles ended up on the hippo's back, despite him sinking lower into the water, to try and get rid of them

Photographer Karen van der Kolk, 45, who captured the unique moments while visiting the park, said: 'It was such a funny scene. We stayed the whole morning'

On shaky ground: the funny sequence of photos shows the hippo being climbed on by the terrapin until he walks out of the water and starts to get rid of them

You wouldn't think it while looking at this photo, but apparently, at some Kruger National Park rest camps near rivers, such as Lower Sabie, you can hear these great animals laughing in the rivers at night', according to the park's online guide

The hippo once ranged from the Nile Delta to the Cape, but is now mostly confined to protected areas. Kruger National Park says that if they open their massive jaws and expose their humongous lower canine teeth, that means they feel threatened

It started with just one turtle. The photographer explained: 'A hippo was relaxing in the water. When we arrived one terrapin was sunbathing on the back of the hippo but it quickly led to dozens. They climbed up, sometimes falling back into the water'

Then there were four, plus a cheeky bird... they clearly don't care that hippos have been known to bite wooden canoes in half and tip small boats over

'He had enough when he got out of the water and tried to shake them off, and took a dive. It made me smile as it was funny to watch,' said Karen van der KolkThe 18-year-old woman who was filmed pushing her teenage friend off a 60-foot bridge says she 'feels bad' about the horrific ordeal as prosecutors reveal she may be charged.

Jordan Holgerson, 16, suffered five broken ribs and a punctured lung when she was shoved off Washington state's Moulton Falls Bridge on August 7 by her friend Taylor Smith.

Taylor told NBC she 'feels really about what happened' and that she has 'apologized several times'. Jordan confirmed she had received a text message apology from her friend.

It comes as the Clark County Sheriff's Office said it has now finished its investigation and has forwarded the case to the prosecutor's office for 'appropriate charging'.

Taylor Smith, 18, (pictured above) may face charges for pushing her 16-year-old friend Jordan Holgerson off Washington state's Moulton Falls Bridge last week

Jordan Holgerson, 16, (pictured above) has since returned home from hospital after she was severely injured when she plunged 60-foot off the bridge

Authorities said Taylor has been cooperating with the investigation.

The injured teenager is now recovering at home from her injuries which included five cracked ribs, a bruised esophagus, an injured trachea, air bubbles in her chest and a punctured lung.

Doctors have said the water would have been 'like concrete' given the distance of her fall and expect it may take months for Jordan to completely heal.

Footage of the shove quickly went viral and showed Jordan standing on top of the bridge with a group of friends gathered behind her.

'No, I won't go in,' Jordan told her friends as they tried to pressure her to jump off the bridge.

Footage of the ordeal, which quickly went viral, showed Jordan standing on top of the bridge with a group of friends gathered behind her

Jordan could be heard repeatedly saying 'no' before Taylor suddenly shoved her from the bridge

She could be heard saying 'no' a second time before Taylor suddenly shoved her.

A horrifying thud could be heard as Jordan hit the water as someone off camera said: 'Oh, that's so f****d'.

In an interview from hospital, Jordan said she thought she might have 'blacked out' midair, but was definitely aware and awake when she hit the water.

'I could have died, easily,' she told reporters two days after the incident.

The woman who originally posted the video online, Ashley Mahree, called for Taylor to be held accountable.

'This looks to be almost criminal... this could have easily taken a life,' Mahree wrote in the YouTube description. 'I think this girl needs to be held accountable in some way.'

It comes as friends claimed Taylor had not shown any remorse.

Doctors say it may take months for Jordan to recover from five cracked ribs and her severe internal injuries, including an injured trachea and punctured lung

Holgerson's red and seriously bruised left thigh is pictured above after she slammed into the water from 60ft

Jordan spoke out from hospital two days after the incident (above) saying she could have easily died after being pushed off a 60-foot ledge

'Taylor has been going out as if nothing happened,' a family friend told The Sun. 'Taylor hasn't been to visit Jordan to see if she is okay. She clearly doesn't care.'

Instagram photos show Smith partying at Clark County Fair just days after the incident.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Jordan's aunt Kristie Morgan revealed the injured teenager had decided not to seek 'revenge' against the woman who pushed her.

'Jordan is truly the sweetest girl in the world. It doesn't matter what someone does to her she always has someone's best interest at heart. She doesn't wish to seek revenge on her friend. But in my opinion her friend needs to learn a lesson,' she said.

'She could have killed her and it wouldn't be a question at all if she was in trouble for her actions. She would be in jail right now, but that is how Jordan feels.Former gangster Terry Adams cannot afford to pay nearly 50,000 to the Crown, a court has heard.

Adams, the ex-boss of the Clerkenwell syndicate also known as the Adams Family, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court with his actress wife Ruth on Wednesday.

The 63-year-old's legal representative argued the debt should be written off as the order was made more than a decade ago, in 2007.

Terry Adams, pictured outside the High Court in 2014, appeared in Westminster Magistrates' Court today where his solicitor claimed the 63-year-old former gangland boss was unable to pay a 50,000 fine as he did not have the cash

Mr Adams and his wife Ruth, pictured here in March 2007, heard that the appeal against the fine would be adjourned until November 7, although he was told he would not have to appear in person at the next hearing

Adams had previously repaid about 360,000 from the sale of his 1.5million home (pictured) in Mill Hill, North London, and from antiques and jewellery found by police in the lavish property

A separate confiscation order of 750,000 made at the same time was settled by an extended family member on Adams's behalf last year, the court heard.

Stephen Gilchrist, for Adams, told the court: 'This is the first time Mr Adams has been called to court for non-payment of the costs order 11 years after it was made.

'At some point this has got to come to an end and, in my submission, this is the end.

'He hasn't got the money. He can't afford to pay the costs.

'I would like the court to put this off for the crown court's view as to whether this order should be pursued or not.

'If the CPS and the court are agreed to write off this alleged debt, then there may not be a problem insofar as the crown court.'

Adams, who wore a cream suit and light blue shoes, was sentenced for money laundering in 2007, with orders made for both confiscation and costs.

The confiscation order of 750,000 was imposed after he was jailed for seven years and was settled last year.

Mr Gilchrist said: 'The order was satisfied by someone on his behalf, a member of his extended family who thought it was a great injustice.'

The matter of the non-payment of a fine of 46,258 was adjourned until November 7 back at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Adams, of Bloomsbury, central London, is not required to attend the next hearing in person.Elizabeth Smillie was allegedly found naked with a 17-year-old student after they began dating while she taught at Gleniffer High School in Paisley

A female teacher is accused of lying naked on top of a teenage schoolgirl and having inappropriate relationships with two other pupils over Facebook.

Elizabeth Smillie was also seen kissing and holding hands with the same girl at one of Scotland's biggest family parks, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) heard.

The music teacher from Renfrewshire faces a total of four allegations ranging from 2010 to 2012.

Smillie is also said to have 'conducted inappropriate relationships' via text and Facebook with two other pupils.

It is claimed the teacher was found naked with the 17-year-old student - referred to as Pupil C - after they began dating while she taught at Gleniffer High School in Paisley.

Ms Smillie was not present or represented at the hearing, but denies inappropriate conduct. If the charges are proved she could be struck off the teaching register.

The panel heard evidence from Pupil B, a friend of Pupil C, who said she, another pupil, and Pupil C were at Smillie's flat where they would drink alcohol.

Pupil B said: 'I think it was June, or summer holidays. I walked into the room. I was looking for Pupil C. I opened the door and Elizabeth Smillie was naked on top of her.

The panel heard evidence from Pupil B, a friend of Pupil C, who said she, another pupil, and Pupil C were at Smillie's flat where they would drink alcohol

'I could only see the teacher. It was incredibly awkward.'

When asked by the panel how sure she could be about what she saw, Pupil B said there 'no doubt' that it was Smillie and Pupil C in bed together.

She claimed Smillie turned up at a party to pickup pupil C on a different occasion.

She said: 'She turned up at a party in her car. They were holding hands in the car. I was in the back in the middle. Pupil C was in the front, holding hands.'

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said Smillie no longer works at the school

She also spoke of another alleged incident where she, Pupil C and Pupil D went on a school trip with Smillie.

She said: 'When we were waking about the park they were holding hands and kissing.'

Smillie is alleged to have had 'inappropriate conversations of a personal and sexual nature' with a Pupil A aged 15.

She is also accused of kissing her outside school, while the teen was under the influence of alcohol

Smillie is also accused of failing to inform colleagues about the pupil coming to school under the influence of alcohol.

The teacher is alleged to have sent Pupil C a friend request on Facebook, given her her mobile number, and 'engaged in inappropriate communication...of a personal and sexual nature using Facebook and texts.

According to the charges, the teacher repeatedly meet Pupil C outside of school hours when Pupil C was under the influence of alcohol and repeatedly engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with Pupil C.

The GTCS alleges that her fitness to teach is impaired and that she is unfit to teach.

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: 'We took immediate action as soon as we became aware of incidents taking place. The employee no longer works for the council.'

The hearing continues.



A married couple have been left devastated over the death of their dog after a fire burned down their home.

Malcolm and Karen Catterall are lucky to be alive after blaze tore through their house in Walkden, Salford, on Monday night.

Their son Correy, 23, also survived the blaze which broke out after 11pm.

As he was returning from work late the couple had put a pan of peas on the hob for their son to keep them warm but had then gone upstairs.

An ex-Navy hero has spoken of the moment he had to choose between saving his wife or his dog after a horror blaze ripped through their home in Salford

In less than 15 minutes a blaze broke out and tore through their home.

The Catterall's think a draught caused by the front door opening caused the fire to spread.

Malcom, 53, tried to whisk his wife and his dog Pluto the Labrador to safety.

He jumped out of the window so he could help Karen who followed him, but she landed badly when he tried to catch her and broke both heels after launching herself from the first floor window.

In the confusion Pluto bolted back inside the house.

Karen is now being treated in the Royal Bolton Hospital for broken bones and smoke inhalation.

Former Royal Navy serviceman Malcolm told Manchester Evening News: 'At the time I had to make the call between my dog or my wife.

'I did have hold of him but he started to panic and ran off. The problem is, he's deaf. We were shouting him but he wouldn't have been able to hear us.

'I nearly went back in for him but by that time the house was full of thick, toxic smoke.

'He was a lovely dog too and he sadly didn't make it.'

Malcolm and Correy are staying in a hotel while Karen recovers from her injuries in hospital. Now, their home is destroyed.

Karen Catterall broke both her heels and suffered smoke inhalation after landing badly when their house went up in flames

'It's one of those things you think could never happen to you,' says Malcolm.

'We'd left the pan on the lowest heat for about 15 minutes. Then Correy opened the door and it went up.

'It was like something out of a film. The back-draught caused it to go through the whole house. We couldn't get down the stairs.

'We used to live in a wooden house in Sweden and there were fires there all the time.

'That combined with being in the Navy meant I always had a contingency plan if there was ever a fire. I just held my breath and crouched below the smoke to get out.

The Catterall's Salford home went up in smoke after a pan was left on their hob. Their dog ran back in and died

'The fire service were here within minutes. I can't praise them enough. Our neighbours have been very good to us too.

'I just hope this makes people realise what can happen if you leave food on the hob, even just for a few minutes while you go into the front room to watch television.

'We're lucky to have got out of there alive and that's what we keep telling ourselves.'Candace Parrow, 23, is facing criminal homicide, aggravated assault and strangulation charges over the death of her four-month-old daughter

A young mother has been accused of strangling her four-month-old daughter to death - almost two years on from the death of her infant son.

Candace Parrow, 23, was arrested on Monday and is facing criminal homicide, aggravated assault and strangulation charges in connection with her daughter's death on July 16.

The emergency services were called to Parrow's apartment, in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, who did everything they could to try and save the infant's life.

Police say Parrow told them she put the baby girl down and went to clean dishes for 10 to 15 minutes but when she returned her daughter was unresponsive.

However, investigators concerns about Parrow's version of events.

'Police did some good investigation at the scene and found the few dishes that were in the home were dirty and we have a dry sink, all indicators that she wasn't being truthful with that version of what happened,' said Brett Hambright with the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.

Police say Parrow also made a troubling comment when they arrived.

Parrow said she was in another room but a coroner says the baby was strangled and suffocated

'She was very distraught...Made statements to the effect of 'I'm going to be blamed for this again,'' said Hambright.

An autopsy concluded the four-month-old girl died of strangulation and suffocation and ruled the death a homicide.

The child's father is helping police with their inquiries.

Police suspect that Parrow was alone with the child at the time of her death because investigators believe the dad was at work at the time.

This isn't the first time a child of Parrow's has been found dead. Last year, her three-month-old baby boy died in New York state

'She had struggled with this child before, specifically when the child would cry or have fits.

'She struggled to handle it on her own and would sometimes even drive to the father's place of work and essentially wait in a vehicle for him to be able to come out and alleviate some of the stress,' said Hambright, providing more details on the investigation.

Parrow's first child, a son, died about a year ago in Syracuse, New York, when he was three months old.

The death of that child is still being investigated by New York authorities.Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.An Idaho couple nearly died of hypothermia after losing their way in a treacherous network of ice caves for 30 hours until they were eventually found 'shivering and unable to move' by rescuers late on Sunday.

Jessica and Spencer Christiansen, 24 and 27, were terrified they would never see their one-year-old daughter again as they sat trapped in a rocky cavern inside the Darby Ice Caves in Wyoming.

With temperatures below freezing and their bodies gripped by hypothermia, they burned backpacks, climbing gear and even their own hair in a bid to stay warm, but quickly went low on fuel.

At one point, Jessica nearly fell to her death down a 100-feet waterfall before Spencer caught her just in time.

The couple are both experienced climbers and had put many hours of planning into the trip. Pictured: Jessica tries to squeeze through a narrow gap in the rock at 2.30pm on Saturday

Jessica and Spencer Christiansen, 24 and 27, entered the Darby Ice Caves at 7am on Saturday (pictured) as a birthday treat for Spencer

More than 24 hours after they first entered the cave at 7am on Saturday, leaving their one-year-old daughter in the care of Jessica's mother, the situation was looking dire.

'I knew search and rescue would find us eventually, but at that point it had been so long it was a time game,' office manager Jessica told Dailymail.com. 'We had used the majority of our food and the energy we had left for warmth.

'Thinking about our daughter kept us going pretty well. We couldn't leave her without both parents. But it is also a mind game down there, you have to control what you think about to avoid claustrophobia and panic attacks.'

The couple, who are both highly experienced climbers, decided to explore the unmapped and maze-like caves as a birthday celebration for Spencer, who turned 28 on August 12.

They had spent days researching the expedition, but said 'incorrect information' about the route led them to reach a dead end among the confusing network of claustrophobia-inducing tunnels and caverns.

'The first time we realized we were in trouble was when we were in a deep, dark part of the cave following a river, and the river ended in this circular room with no way out,' said Spencer, a warehouse worker for the heavy equipment firm Caterpillar.

'We backtracked and tried to find anywhere we could get through - looking for wind coming from other tunnels - but saw there was nowhere we could go.'

It was midnight of Saturday and the temperatures were around 30 degrees. Covered in wet clothes, the couple realized they were in serious danger of developing hypothermia so made a fire out of their garbage.

Jessica (pictured inside the cave during the rescue on Sunday) said she and Spencer had burned nearly all the gear before they were found by rescuers

Rescuers smelled smoke - from the couple's burnt gear - and found them at the top of a cavern, (pictured) at 11pm on Sunday

At that point, they noticed a climbing rope dangling through a hole in the ceiling. Hoping this was the way out, they constructed a pulley system and began towards it.

But by the top they had to abandon their climbing equipment and rely on the fossilized remains of ancient seashells lining the icy walls of the cavern as footholds. It was then when they got into serious trouble.

'Jessica was climbing up using the sea shells when one of the largest ones gave way and she lost her grip,' said Spencer.

'She fell and hit her ribs on a rock, but I caught her just before she fell down a hole. If she had gone down there it would have been the end of the game.'

These images show Jessica inside the winding passageways of the Darby Ice Caves on Saturday

Jessica moves through a narrow passageway inside the caves, which are completely unmapped

After the near-death encounter the couple reached the top of the 100-foot cavern and realized, to their horror, they had still not found a way out.

'We were soaked, terrified, and almost hypothermic,' said Spencer. 'Although we still had another backpack that we could have lit on fire, that was our plan.'

But just as the couple were reaching their lowest point, there was a glimpse of hope.

'We heard screaming and yelling, so we knew they were search and rescue. We were so excited to hear other people in the cave.'

Jessica's mother had contacted the authorities when they did not return after 24 hours, just as she had been told to do, and the rescue team set out at 7.30am.

They managed to work their way towards the Christiansens after smelling the smoke from their burning gear.

By 11pm, the team found the climbers 'shivering and unable to move'.

The pair are both experienced climbers and did the necessary research, but said 'wrong information' led them to lose their way. Pictured right: Jessica with one-year-old Aurora. Both images are undated

Jessica said thinking about Aurora (pictured) helped focus their minds on getting out. We couldn't leave her without both parents, she said

The couple, from Idaho Falls, are now recovering from their scrapes and bruises, and want to warn other people about how dangerous the Darby Ice Caves can be - even for experienced climbers.

'We were a great team down there, and worked together to stay safe,' said Jessica. 'But we want everyone else to know how dangerous it is.' She predicted they could have died in hours if they were not found.

Teton County Undersheriff Matt Carr said his team makes around 10 rescues in the caves every year.

'They are a series of large caverns and tight crawls and there are areas where you are literally on your hands and toes trying to squeeze through,' he told ABC's Good Morning America.Images of the lavish five-star hotel where Jeremy Corbyn stayed on his controversial Tunisia trip has raised fresh doubts over his failed to declare the costs.

The Labour leader is facing a probe by the parliamentary standards commissioner into whether he should have listed the trip on the Commons register.

Mr Corbyn has been struggling to contain a raging row over attending a ceremony during the 2014 visit where a wreath was laid at the graves of Palestinians linked to the Munich Olympics terrorist attack.

He has insisted he did not need to declare the jaunt, which was paid for by the Tunisian government, as it was below the threshold of 660.

The five-star Le Palace hotel in Gammarth, Tunisia, where the conference in 2014 was held

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath during his trip to Tunisia. This canopy runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire for allegedly failing to declare the trip to Parliament

Located on the Tunisian coast, Le Palace Hotel is where delegates sunned themselves and enjoyed luxury facilities while discussing their views on the Jewish State

But details of the luxury hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed during the three-day trip suggest the level might have been breached.

According to the website for Le Palace - which overlooks the Mediterranean and boasts a pool, bars and restaurants - suites are charged at up to 1,000 a night.

The cheapest rooms are currently around 170 a night, and he is thought to have checked in for two nights.

Flights and transport costs are also believed to have been picked up by the Tunisian government.

The Commons rules in force at the time for overseas visit state: 'With certain specified exceptions, overseas visits made by the Member or the Member's spouse or partner relating to or in any way arising out of membership of the House where the cost of the visit exceeds one per cent of the current parliamentary salary and was not wholly borne by the Member or by United Kingdom public funds.'

Mr Corbyn, who has been visiting Northamptonshire today, insisted:'It was a perfectly public trip and I made that clear at the time. It was under the threshold that was required to declare.'

He added: 'I didn't declare it because it was under the required level to be declared but I made the trip absolutely public.

'I made public the fact I was proud to go there in order to promote a Palestinian peace process and indeed it was an all party parliamentary delegation that attended, there were liberal democrat and conservative Parliamentarians there as well and many people from other parts of Europe.'

One of the rooms at the luxury five-star hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed in Tunisia in 2014

The swimming pool at Le Palace hotel in Tunisia, located just a stone's throw from the sea

But Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly said: 'It seems inconceivable that a multi-day trip like this could come in below the declaration threshold.

'All MPs have a duty to disclose hospitality like this. If Mr Corbyn made an error, I think he should have the courage to say so.'

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen has written to parliamentary commissioner Kathryn Stone urging an investigation.

Tory peer Lord Sheikh, who also attended the 'peace' conference at the hotel but did not go to the commemoration, did include the trip in his register entry.

If Mr Corbyn is found to have broken rules by failing to declare the trip he could be ordered to make an humiliating apology to parliament.

Le Palace hotel is one of the most expensive hotels in Tunisia and features luxury furnishingsThe drama swirling around Omarosa Manigault-Newman's explosive book deepened Tuesday night when the aide who has most vocally defended Donald Trump in the past week admitted she's legally prohibited from criticizing him publicly.

Katrina Pierson has spent two days explaining away an embarrassing moment caught on tape, in which she told Manigault-Newman and at least one other campaign adviser that she believed Trump had used the 'n-word' slur against African-Americans in the past.

'He said it, he's embarrassed,' she is heard in the conference call audio. But at the close of a CNN interview Tuesday evening, Pierson acknowledged that she signed a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement when she worked for the president's 2016 campaign.

'So basically,' host Erin Burnett concluded, 'if you had heard him say the "n-word," you wouldn't tell me about it anyway.'

'Everyone signed an NDA,' she said, referring to the same secrecy deal that sparked the Trump campaign's legal demand against Manigault-Newman just hours after 'Unhinged' went on sale to the public.

Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson conceded Tuesday night that she signed a non-disclosure agreemenet in 2016  a pact that would prevent her from saying anything damaging about the president

Pierson has been defending herself against the revelation she told a group of Trump aides in 2016 that she thought the future president had used the 'n-word' and was caught on tape

Manigault-Newman, the latest villain in the Trump chronicles, is promoting a tell-all book that critics say takes events out of context and appears to have been her goal working in the White House all along

President Trump was caught off-guard by the book 'Unhinged,' and has seen his agenda swallowed up by the publicity surrounding his supposed but unproven embrace of a vicious racial smear

That document, according to a campaign official, includes an agreement that '[d]uring the term of your service and at all times thereafter you hereby promise and agree not to demean or disparage publicly the Company, Mr. Trump, any Trump Company, any Family Member, or any Family Member Company or any asset any of the foregoing own.'

Pierson insisted, though, that 'as a black woman,' she wouldn't lie by insisting on television 'that someone didnt say a derogatory term when they did. I would just leave the campaign  its that simple.'

The 42-year-old political operative, now a consistent rhetorical guardian of the president, worked for Sen. Ted Cruz during his Senate campaign. Cruz became Trump's most determined Republican primary season rival in 2015 and 2016.

Her name was linked in March 2016 to a Cruz scandal involving a National Enquirer report that the Texan had steamy affairs with five women.

One was later identified as Pierson. She issued a stern denial. Cruz dodged the scandal in the days that followed, ignoring a question from DailyMail.com during a campaign stop about whether he had ever been unfaithful to his wife  and letting presumptive running mate Carly Fiorina jump in to save him.

Pierson rejoined Trumpworld in March after turning down an offer last year to become a White House deputy press secretary. She's now working for the president's 2020 re-election effort.

Pierson had gone on Fox Monday night to deny she ever acknowledged the possibility of a Trump 'n-word' tape in a conference call, only to have Omarosa release the call audio the following morning

Pierson has been a vivid character in Trumpworld since 2015, often drawing attention for thigs other than her message  like this necklace mad efrom spent rifle shell-casings

Pierson played cleanup in a combative Tuesday night Fox News Channel interview during the 11 o'clock hour, a day after denying on the same program that she had told colleagues she believed a Trump 'n-word' tape existed. Manigault-Newman released audio Tuesday morning showing she had said it.

Host Ed Henry read from a transcript of a different phone call  Pierson acknowledges there were two and provided both transcripts to Fox News  in which she took part in a strategy session about how the campaign should react if the long-rumored tape should surface.

Campaign communications adviser Jason Miller said in that second call, according to the transcript Henry read on the air, that 'it's kind of tough to go out and draft something when you don't even know what the context is.'

'You know, I hate to start emailing stuff around when we're just not [sure].'

'That's true,' Pierson responds.

Manigault Newman claims that in additional to Katrina Pierson, former Trump campaign communications shief Jason Miller (left) and longtime Trump Organization staffer Lynne Patton (right) were on a conference call in which Pierson said she believed the 'N-word' tape was real

The president tapped his gigantic social media audience on Tuesday to write that Omarosa was reviled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and only had a job there because she 'begged' him for one with 'tears in her eyes'

She insisted Tuesday night that Manigault-Newman 'conflated' the two calls to paint a picture of her repeatedly agreeing the 'n-word' tape was real.

Instead, Pierson said, she made that concession just once in order to 'placate' her more aggressive colleague.

DailyMail.com has not been able to confirm the contents of the second transcript, which also does not appear in 'Unhinged.'

In the same Fox News interview, Pierson reacted to Trump's tweeted claim Tuesday afternoon that Manigault-Newman was a 'dog' who had been justifiably fired from the White House staff.

'Would it be appropriate for me to call a woman a dog? Yes or no?' Henry asked her.

'It depends on what she did to you. I don't know what she did to you. Omarosa bit the hand that fed her. To me, that's what a dog is.'Tereza Burki paid 12,600 to Seventy Thirty to hunt for 'possibly the man of my dreams'

A divorced mother-of-three who sued an 'exclusive' dating agency after it failed to find her a rich boyfriend has been handed her money back by a top judge.

Tereza Burki paid 12,600 to Seventy Thirty to hunt for 'possibly the man of my dreams, the father of my child', she told the High Court in London.

The 47-year-old said the agency assured her it only dealt in 'creme de la creme' matches and could introduce her to 'bachelors you dream of meeting'.

But Judge Richard Parkes QC today ordered the agency to repay her fee, ruling that she had been 'deceived' by Seventy Thirty's then-managing director.

And, as well as giving her her money back, the judge awarded her 500 for the 'disappointment and sadness' she suffered. Her total award was 13,100.

However, Mrs Burki was ordered to pay Seventy Thirty 5,000 in libel damages after writing a damning Google review of the agency, describing it as 'a scam'.

The judge said: 'Gertrude Stein quipped that whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop.

'This case is about a woman looking for romantic happiness who says she was tricked into shopping in the wrong place, paying a large sum to a dating which, she says, made promises but failed to produce the goods.'

Upholding Mrs Burki's claim, Judge Parkes ruled the agency's then managing director, Lemarc Thomas, was guilty of 'deceit' in misleading her.

Although the agency boasted of more than 7,000 members, the truth was that only about 100 of them were men actively looking for love, he said.

And the management consultant would never have paid her money and joined up had Mr Thomas not knowingly given her 'a wholly false impression'.

Mrs Burki was ordered to pay Seventy Thirty 5,000 in libel damages after writing a damning Google review of the agency, describing it as 'a scam'

Management consultant Mrs Burki lives on this upmarket street in Chelsea, West London

When she signed up with the agency in 2014, Mrs Burki's requirements for the men she wanted to meet were 'not modest', the judge added.

She wanted a wealthy man with 'a lifestyle similar or more affluent than her own' and, ideally, 'multiple residences'.

Agency founder Susie Ambrose said Seventy Thirty had matched over 6,000 lonely hearts

But the most important factor for Mrs Burki, who lives on an upmarket street in Chelsea, West London, was that her soulmate would be prepared to have more children, as she wanted four.

Agency founder Susie Ambrose said Seventy Thirty had successfully matched more than 6,000 lonely hearts and 63 babies had been born since she set it up in 2001.

But the judge said Mr Thomas had told Mrs Burki that there were 'a substantial number' of wealthy men on the agency's books, actively looking for matches.

'She had no means of checking the truth of what he told her, and no reason to doubt it,' he added.

And she relied on Mr Thomas's word before spending 'a large amount of money on a dating agency in the hope of finding a partner who would give her a fourth child.'

The Knightsbridge-based agency claimed it had about 1,500 active members and that Mrs Burki had been sent five potential matches that fit her requirements soon after joining.

But the judge said: 'My conclusion from the evidence is that there are at the very most perhaps 200 active members of Seventy Thirty, and probably fewer.

'That points to a maximum of around 100 active male members. A membership of 100 active men canot by any stretch of the imagination be described as a substantial number.'

When she signed up with the agency in 2014, Mrs Burki's requirements for the men she wanted to meet were 'not modest', the judge added

Seventy Thirty: The Knightsbridge-based agency claimed it had about 1,500 active members

He added: 'The representations made by Mr Thomas were therefore false and misleading.'

You shouldn't promise people who are in a fragile state of mind, in their mid-40s, the man of their dreams Tereza Burki

The judge accepted that the agency did have a 'sizeable database' and was not 'a fundamentally dishonest or fraudulent operation'.

And, had Mr Thomas told her the truth, Mrs Burki 'would have had little cause for complaint.'

But he added: 'What I have found is that Mr Thomas falsely represented the size of the active membership of Seventy Thirty to Mrs Burki and induced her to pay a substantial fee on the strength of his deceit.'

The judge ruled the agency's then managing director, Lemarc Thomas (pictured) - who has also founded a company called The Matchmaking Agency - was guilty of 'deceit'

'Had Ms Burki known what the true size of the active membership was, she would not have joined Seventy Thirty.'

Worried about running out of time to have another child, she 'felt very let down and disappointed by the fact that Mr Thomas's claims for the service turned out to be untrue.'

Speaking about the Google review that called the agency a 'scam', the judge ruled: 'Ms Burki has not proved that Seventy Thirty lacked the means or intention to operate an effective match making service, let alone that it was engaged in a fraudulent scheme to extract money from its clients for the benefit of its founder.'

Giving evidence during the case, Mrs Burki told the judge: 'You shouldn't promise people who are in a fragile state of mind, in their mid-40s, the man of their dreams.

'You are entrusting a service you believe is professional, who will take care of your interests and have your best interests at heart.'

Companies House records list Mrs Burki as a consultant for a now-dissolved firm called 'Gentlemen for Hire', previously known as 'Gent for Hire' and 'Date A Gent'.

Subir Desai, partner at Mayfair-based Charles Douglas solicitors, which was representing Mrs Burki, said after the case: 'Mrs Burki is both pleased and relieved that after over two years of very stressful, timeconsuming and costly litigation that HHJ Parkes QC has now passed judgment in her favour.

'From the very outset our client's primary objective was to recover the considerable fee of 12,600 paid to Seventy Thirty. This was refused by Seventy Thirty and therefore our client was forced into taking legal action.

'Our client's position has always been that she was grossly misled about the size of Seventy Thirty's active membership. Had she known the true extent of the active male membership, she would not have paid the substantial dating agency fee requested.

Giving evidence during the case, Mrs Burki told the judge: 'You shouldn't promise people who are in a fragile state of mind, in their mid-40s, the man of their dreams'

'Indeed HHJ Parkes QC in his Judgment stated that 'there were too few active members to enable the matchmakers to do their job properly'. The Judge goes on to state in his Judgment that had Mrs Burki known the true size of the membership, she would not have joined Seventy Thirty.

Mrs Burki would like to thank HHJ Parkes QC for the detailed and considered judgment handed down today. She very much now looks forward to the next chapter in her life.'

Also after the case, Ms Ambrose said in a statement to MailOnline: 'Ms Burki entered into membership with the wrong assumption about the number of potential gentlemen we would introduce her to.

'She assumed it would be like internet dating, but we are a niche, exclusive agency, not a mainstream, mass-market online dating service.

'We are not going to have thousands of members because there simply aren't thousands of single, wealthy, high-calibre prospects out there.

Companies House records list Mrs Burki as a consultant for a firm called 'Gentlemen for Hire'

'In terms of the judgement, the judge was accurate in saying we probably only had a hundred matches for Ms Burki. This is actually a positive number to be working with in the context of specialist matchmaking.

'By her own admission in court, Ms Burki never read the terms and conditions and was therefore not clear about the fact that our database consists of current and past members and people who have been carefully curated and selected as potential matches through executive searches. Her expectations as a member were consequently lofty and unrealistic.

'Ms Burki was found to have libelled Seventy Thirty, as the judge said that we had sourced excellent matches for her.

'Therefore, her remarks about us being a non-reputable and fraudulent company were deemed untrue and entirely without foundation.

'In a day and age when so many people refer to search engines to research a new contact or product before they invest their time and money, baseless and intentionally damaging remarks on internet review forums can have a massively harmful effect on consumer confidence and the membership of a business.

'We would like to reassure and remind our clients  both prospective and current  that Seventy Thirty has been in business since 2001 and its team of psychologists and matchmakers have developed a dating model with a great deal of success.

'To date, we've been responsible for matching over six thousand individuals who have, on the basis of an introduction facilitated by Seventy Thirty, gone on to have long-lasting relationships. Moreover, sixty-three children have been born as a result of our introductions. We are incredibly proud of the service we provide and our very many happy clients.'A Phoenix father has been accused of beating a man to death after the victim had tried to force his way into a bathroom stall occupied by the suspect's teenage daughter.

Melvin Harris has been jailed on $100,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree murder following the death of Leon Armstrong.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, on the night of August 2, Harris was picking up his 16-year-old daughter and her two friends from work when they asked him to stop off at the QuikTrip convenience store on 19th Avenue to buy soft drinks and use the restroom.

Dad charged: Melvin Harris (left), 40, has been charged with second-degree murder in the beating of Leon Armstrong (right) in Phoenix earlier this month

Harris was at this QuikTrip convenience store with his 16-year-old daughter when he was informed that Armstrong had tried to barge in on the teen in the bathroom

Harris' 16-year-old daughter is pictured above with her mother, Diana Jackson, earlier this year

While he was waiting in the parking lot, Harris was approached by a man, later identified as Armstrong, who asked him for money.

Harris handed the panhandler some cash, and Armstrong went inside the store, reported ABC15.

A short time later, Harris was informed that Armstrong tried to barge into the bathroom stall in the women's restroom that his daughter was using by shaking the door.

Harris and his daughter told store employees what had happened, and according to court documents, the father urged a security guard at the QuikTrip to 'take care of the situation, or he would do it himself'.

The guard assured Harris that he would handle the matter.

As Harris, his daughter and her friends were leaving, the dad again spotted Armstrong, and got out of the car and confronted him.

Witnesses said the 40-year-old punched Armstrong in the face, causing him to collapse. Once he was down, the assailant allegedly proceeded to kick and stomp on him.

Harris then got back in his car and drove home, leaving the gravely injured victim moaning on the ground.

Witnesses told police Harris (pictured in court) punched Armstrong in the face, then kicked and stomped on him

Diana Jackson (pictured left) has defended her fiance, arguing that Harris (pictured left and right) was merely protecting their daughter

Jackson (right) told reporters she was sorry that Armstrong has died, but she was not mad at her future husband (left)

When police tracked down Harris and questioned him, the man reportedly admitted to punching Armstrong, but insisted that the man had hit him in the neck first.

Harris also claimed he did not recall striking Armstrong as he lay on the ground.

Armstrong was taken to a hospital to be treated for brain swelling and a broke nose, but he died from his injuries five days later.

Harris' fiancee, Diana Jackson, defended her groom-to-be in an interview with 3TV/CBS5, arguing that he was merely protecting their daughter.

'I'm not mad at him, I don't feel like he did anything wrong. I love him. He did what he was supposed to do for our kid. You cannot tell someone they're wrong for protecting their children,' Jackson told the station.

Jackson went so far as to say that she would have done the same as her fiance, but she conceded that she does feel bad that Armstrong 'ended up dying in the process.'

Jackson (left) defended Harris on Facebook, claiming that store security and police had failed to act in order to protect her daughter from Armstrong

Jackson's furious Facebook rant defending Harris' actions is seen above

On Tuesday, Harris' bride-to-be posted a furious, foul-mouthed screed on her Facebook page defending her fiance's actions and criticizing both the security guard at the store and the police.

'Security ain't s*** & the police ain't either cuz they knew this man had a problem they said that he did this s*** three times that day and nobody did s*** about it,' Jackson wrote. 'FUCC OFF HE IS OUR HERO TEAM MELVIN!!!!!!!!'

Armstrong had a history of run-ins with the law related to shoplifting, trespassing and obstructing police, according to his criminal record.Happy: Jack Vellender, pictured outside Southwark Crown Court yesterday, has been cleared of theft

A father and son have been cleared of stealing eight bottles of champagne worth 348 from Fortnum & Mason.

Cornish businessman Douglas Vallender and his 18-year-old son Jack denied swiping the pricey alcohol from the luxurious department store during a trip to the capital last year.

Mr Vallender, 53, who runs a construction company and two coffee shops, maintained his innocence and said they had left the shop in a hurry as his son was 'stressed' about filling in a job application.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London took 48 minutes to reach unanimous verdicts.

Both defendants breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed 'Thank you' as the verdicts were delivered with teenager Jack weeping tears of joy outside the courtroom.

Addressing the jury, judge Michael Howard QC said: 'You have come to your verdict extremely quickly.

'Both of them are, of course, entitled to be released immediately.'

Speaking outside the courtroom, Mr Vallender said: 'We are very grateful that the correct decision was reached and can't thank our legal team enough. It has caused a lot of hurt and upset to the family.'

Asked if Fortnum & Mason should apologise, Douglas Vallender said: 'I think they should, it's because of them that this has come about.'

A tearful Jack told reporters: 'I used to love coming to London but now it seems like the only reason I have come up really is because of this.

'People see it and they just assume the worst.'

'I think they should apologise': Cornish businessman Douglas Vallender (pictured arriving at court yesterday) says he believes Fortnum & Mason should say sorry to him

Prosecutor James Cartwright said that it was a 'thought out and planned theft' but the Vallenders insisted they had simply forgotten to pay

It was claimed they entered the upmarket store at about 12.15pm and between them smuggled out the box of champers before being stopped in the street.

Prosecutor James Cartwright said that it was a 'thought out and planned theft' but the Vallenders insisted they had simply forgotten to pay.

Jack told Southwark Crown Court that he was in a rush to fill out an application for an internship with banking giant JP Morgan.

He said: 'By sheer accident we walked out the store and we forgot to pay.'

Referring to his son, Mr Vallender said: 'He was getting in a bit of a flap and I said, 'okay, okay,' and we walked straight out of the shop, never batted an eyelid and all the rest of it.'

Douglas and Jack Vallender, St Ives, Cornwall were each cleared of one count of theft

Jack, who lived in Stroud in Gloucestershire with his mother at the time and attended Marling Grammer School, said: 'JP Morgan is one of the top firms for investment banking. If I could get my foot in the door, that would really help me.

'If I could get that internship, that would be massive - it was the one thing I wanted to do. I was worried about not having enough time to do the application.'

David Campbell, defending Douglas Vallender, told jurors that the pair admitted walking out of the shop with the bottles but they simply 'made a mistake'.

'The fact is that they are human,' Mr Campbell said.

The court also heard Mr Vallender had spent 260 in a nearby store on three pairs of jeans beforehand.

Douglas Vallender owns Valle Construction and Valdon Developments based in St Ives, Cornwall and also owns two coffee companies, Kwick.Coffee and Exspesso (corr).

Douglas and Jack Vallender, St Ives, Cornwall were each cleared of one count of theft.

Fortnum & Mason has been contacted for comment.Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has added to the chorus of condemnation being levelled at a Queensland Senator after an inflammatory and controversial maiden speech in Parliament.

The Labor Party and the Greens were quick to condemn the speech by Katter Australia Party Senator Fraser Anning as 'racist' and were particularly appalled at the use of the term 'final solution'.

Now Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull has made his thoughts known.

Scroll down for video

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull added to the chorus of condemnation being levelled Senator Fraser Anning (pictured) after an inflammatory and controversial maiden speech in Parliament

'Let's be quite clear - those who seek to demonise all Muslims on the basis of the crimes of a tiny minority are helping the terrorists,' Mr Turnbull told The Age.

Mr Turnbull also took to Twitter to respond to a collegues comment about Senator Annings speech not being representative of the Government.

'Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world built on a foundation of mutual respect. We reject and condemn racism in any form,' Mr Turnbull wrote.

Mr Turnbull's comment was in response to a tweet from Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Trudge.

In his speech, Senator Anning called for an end to Muslim immigration and a program that favours 'European Christian' values

'Fraser Annings comments on immigration do not reflect the views of the Government nor the views of fair minded Australians. We will always maintain a non-discriminatory immigration program,' he wrote.

The 'final solution' comment was used by Mr Anning as he spoke about ways to change immigration laws.

'The final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote,' Mr Anning said during his speech.

It was Mr Anning's maiden speech in parliament after switching to the KAP in his role as Senator for Queensland.

'Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world built on a foundation of mutual respect. We reject and condemn racism in any form,' Mr Turnbull wrote

In his speech, Senator Anning called for an end to Muslim immigration and a program that favours 'European Christian' values.

'Diversity should be managed to remain compatible with the social cohesion and national identity,' he said in reference to immigration.

'We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominantly reflect the historic European Christian composition of Australian society and embrace our language, culture and values as a people.'

Mr Anning then called for a ban on all Muslim immigration.

Pauline Hanson and One Nation were quick to release a statement reiterating the parties stance on immigration in the wake of Mr Anning's comments

'I believe that the reason for ending all further Muslim immigration are both compelling and self evident,' he continued.

'The record of Muslims who have already come to this country in terms of rates of crime welfare dependency and terrorism are the worst of any migrant and vastly exceed any other immigrant group.'

Pauline Hanson and One Nation were quick to release a statement reiterating the party's stance on immigration in the wake of Mr Anning's comments.

'One Nations immigration and population policies have been responsibly developed to address issues surrounding rapid population growth, social cohesion in our communities and underdeveloped infrastructure in our cities and regional communities,' she wrote.

'With no regard to the racial background of potential migrants.'

'The people of Australia should be given a say in the future population and immigration levels of Australia and that is what this plebiscite if passed, will achieve.'

Miss Hanson described Mr Anning's comments on race and religion as appalling.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten took to the parliament floor today to express his views on what makes Australian's who they are.

Labor MP Anne Aly, the first Muslim woman in Federal Parliament, held back tears as she spoke abut Mr Anning's speech.

'Im tired of having to stand up against hate, against vilification, time and time and time again,' she said.

'It means something that all of us here stand up against this racism, stand up against this hatred and stand up against the disgraceful use of that neo-Nazi, white supremacist terminology.'

Opposition leader Bill Shorten took to the parliament floor today to express his views on what makes Australian's who they are.

'What makes a good Australian is not what God you worship, not where your ancestors came from or how much money you have,' he said.

Labor MP Anne Aly (pictured), the first Muslim woman in Federal Parliament, held back tears as she spoke abut Mr Anning's speech

'It is not your skin colour, your postcode, your occupation or your gender.'

'What makes a good Australian is what is in here, in your heart'

Labor MP Tony Burke also spoke out against Mr Anning's speech.

'If we stay silent now we give racist voices exactly what they want,' he said.

The program that allows people to enter Australia says the purpose of migration is to 'build the economy', 'shape society', support the labour market and to reunite families.

According to government figures, 68 per cent of foreigners entering Ausralia are skilled migrants and 32 per cent are from family visa streams.

Mr Anning made direct reference to the program during his speech.

'Net immigration must be reduced to a level which can be supported and therefore must be set following detailed modelling and planning for the associated necessary accommodation, facilities and infrastructure,' he said.

'I believe that immigration to our country should be a privilege, not an obligation free right provided to anyone form the third world who demands it infrastructure.'

The program is malleable and can be adapted to fit with current conditions.

Mr Anning was elected senator in November 2017 as a Senator for Queensland by the High Court of Australia as a member of One Nation, before switching allegiance to Katter's Australia Party

The levels of immigration are set out each year by the Federal Government with the number reflecting 'the size and composition changes to meet the social and economic needs of Australia'.

The fact sheet for the program explicitly states that the 'migration programme does not discriminate on the basis of race or religion'.

Mr Anning was elected senator in November 2017 as a Senator for Queensland by the High Court of Australia as a member of One Nation, before switching allegiance to Katter's Australia Party.

His history prior to parliament includes three decades owning and running hotels, as well as working as an aircraft manufacturer and grazier.

He earned his Diploma at Agricultural College Brisbane and also served in the Australian Army from 1969 to 1973.Gordon Brown today refused to back Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister - saying he must 'change' and tackle the anti-Semitism crisis to be fit to govern.

Mr Corbyn faced calls to quit after The Daily Mail published exclusive photographs of him holding a wreath at a ceremony where the mastermind of the Munich massacre was honoured.

He today tried to draw a line under the scandal by saying he has 'sympathy' for the 11 Israelis murdered at the 1972 Munich Games by Palestinian terrorists.

But he is facing a fresh onslaught of criticism as Mr Brown said the Labour leader must do far more to tackle the anti-Semitism crisis.

While Labour MP Madeleine Moon refused six times to endorse him as Prime minister when asked on the radio.

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival today, Mr Brown said Mr Corbyn must finally heed the demands of Jewish leaders and adopt the internationally recognised definition of anti-Semitism.

Asked if he thought Mr Corbyn was a 'fit and proper person' to be Prime Minister, he said: 'Jeremy Corbyn has got to change.'

Scroll down for video

Gordon Brown (pictured today at the Edinburgh International Book Festival) refused to back Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister - saying he must 'change' and tackle the anti-Semitism crisis to be fit to govern

Mr Corbyn sparked international political storm and faced fresh calls to quit after The Daily Mail published this exclusive photograph showing him at the ceremony. He insists he was there to honour those killed in air strikes on a Palestinian Liberation Organisation base in Tunis in 1985

Mr Brown added: 'He cannot sustain, particularly what he is saying about the international agreement on what we do in our attitudes to the holocaust and to anti-Semitism.

'I predict to you that that will change within a few weeks. I'm one of many people that's pressing for this change, and I believe that it will change.

What is the timeline of anti-Semitic scandals which have erupted under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership? Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) has been accused of failing to tackle the racism among his supporters The anti-Semitism scandal has dogged Labour since Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader in 2015. Here is a timeline of the controversies: April 2016: Labour MP Naz Shah is suspended for anti-Semitic posts - including one in which she appeared to endorse calls for Israelis to be deported to the US. She apologised and was given a formal warning. Ken Livingstone goes on the radio to defend Ms Shah - but sparks fresh controversy by claiming that Hitler supported Zionism. He is suspended by Labour but refuses to apologise and has repeated the claim many times. He eventually quits Labour two years later, saying his suspension has become a distraction. June 2016: A two-month inquiry by civil liberties campaigner Shami Chakrabarti finds that Labour is not overrun by anti-Semitism. But the launch is overshadowed when Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth flees it in tears after being accused by Corbyn supporter Marc Wadsworth of colluding with the press. Critics accuse the report of being a whitewash and Ms Chakrabarti is widely criticised for accepting a peerage from Jeremy Corbyn shortly afterwards. October 2016: The Home Affairs Select Committee says Labour is guilty of incompetence over its handling of anti-Semitism and of creating a safe space for people with 'vile attitudes towards Jewish people'. March 2018: It is revealed that Jeremy Corbyn defended an artist who painted an anti-Semitic mural and said the offensive art should be removed. He apologises saying he did not properly look at the picture before he made the post. Jewish leaders take the unprecedented step of holding a demonstration outside Parliament protesting Mr Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism. Several Labour MPs address the crowds. April 2018: Marc Wadsworth is expelled from Labour after being accused of anti-Semitism. Meanwhile, Labour Jewish MPs tell of the anti-Semitic abuse they have suffered in a powerful parliamentary debate - and round on their leader for failing to tackle it. July 2018: The Labour leadership sparks fresh anger by failing to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism Peter Willsman, a strong ally of Jeremy Corbyn, is secretly taped ranting that 'Jewish Trump fanatics' invented the anti-Semitism storm engulfing Labour. In an angry diatribe at a meeting of Labour's ruling executive committee, he said he was 'amazed' there was evidence party members hated Jews. He claimed 'some of these people in the Jewish community support Trump  they are Trump fanatics' before shouting: 'So I am not going to be lectured to by Trump fanatics making up duff information without any evidence at all.' August 2018: Jeremy Corbyn issues a video insisting he is committed to tackling the racism - but it is panned by Jewish leaders. Corbynistas mount a social media campaign to get deputy Labour leader Tom Watson to quit after he criticises the party's handling of anti-Semitism. The Daily Mail exclusively publishes photos of Jeremy Corbyn holding a wreath at a ceremony where a terrorist linked to the Munich massacre was honoured. The Labour leader insists he was there to honour others killed - but faces fresh calls to quit over the scandal. Advertisement

'But even that will not be enough. You have got to show by your actions and not simply by statements of words that you understand the deep hurt that has been caused.

'I'm very clear about that.'

He said the anti-Semitism crisis is a 'rotten sore' festering in the Labour Party and it is 'simply wrong' and has got to be rooted out.

He said: 'The persecution that has been suffered by the Jewish community must never be forgotten.

'It's something that has got to be remembered every time we see racist actions and discrimination in different communities around the world.'

Mr Corbyn has been hit by a fresh crisis in his leadership after photographs of him holding a wreath in Tunis in 2014 were exclusively revealed in The Daily Mail.

He insists he was there to honour those killed in air strikes on a Palestinian Liberation Organisation base in Tunis in 1985.

But photographs show he appears to be standing by the grave of Salah Khalaf  the Black September founder widely believed to have masterminded the 1972 Munich massacre which saw 11 Israeli athletes murdered.

Facing the cameras for the third day in a row as he desperately tries to quell anger over the controversy, Mr Corbyn - who is on a visit to Corby - insisted he is committed to peace.

He told Sky News: 'I have every sympathy for all those who lost lives anywhere  be it Munich, be it Tunis or be it anywhere else.

'The way forward has to be peace through dialogue.'

But Labour peer Lord Winston tore into the party leader saying he is unfit to be the head of the party.

He told The Metro: Im Jewish but this is not just about anti-Semitism.

Its about competency to lead. Its been handled very badly and not just by Jeremy Corbyn but the people who advise him and the people who support his narrow view of the world.

But Labour MP Madeleine Moon refused six times to say Mr Corbyn is fit to be Prime Minister.

Appearing on TalkRadio today, the Labour MP for Bridgend repeatedly refused to give the veteran left-winger her endorsement and said that it is a decision for the British people.

She said that leaders of the party 'come and go' and warned that it is 'not good' for any leader on the front pages for 'too long'.

In an interview, Julian Hartley-Brewer challenged the Labour MP to back her leader for Number Ten.

The presenter said: 'Do you think that a man who lays wreaths at the tombs of terrorists who have killed innocent people is fit to be the British Prime Minister?

Ms Moon replied: 'That will be a decision for the British people.'

Pressed again, she added: 'To make should we ever get to an election. Look, I'm not responsible for what Jeremy did or didn't do in an interview or what he didn't do back in whenever it was.'

She added: 'This is not new news. Jeremy has always been involved in these activities. The people will have to make a decision.'

She went on: 'I look at what the Labour Party's manifesto is whenever it goes into an election and I get behind that manifesto.

'Individuals as leaders come and go. And the party will look at this I am sure extremely forcefully at the next conference.

'Let's wait and see what conference decides.

'There's always a rule in politics: if you're on the front pages for too long you become the story and that's not good because you miss all the good and effective things that the Labour Party is doing in terms of policy and holding this government to account.'

Meanwhile, an Olympic fencer who competed in the Munich Olympics has also ht out at Mr Corbyn over the controversy.

Edward Hudson, who competed in fencing at the 1972 games, accused the Labour leader of 'lop-sided' sympathies and said Mr Corbyn' is unfit to be PM.

Mr Hudson, 72, said: 'If he wishes to support the Palestine movement, then so be it.

'At the same time, he's clearly condoning what was the outrageous massacre of innocent athletes.

'I find it worrying he has spent his time supporting various terrorist movements.

'I don't think you have potential to be Prime Minister if you have supported terrorist movements.'

Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn could face an official parliamentary investigation into why he did not declare the 2014 all expenses paid trip to Tunis with the parliamentary authorities.

Corbyn's lavish hotel for three-day Tunisia trip raises fresh doubts about his failure to declare it The five-star Le Palace hotel in Gammarth, Tunisia, where the conference in 2014 was held Images of the lavish five-star hotel where Jeremy Corbyn stayed on his controversial Tunisia trip has raised fresh doubts over his failed to declare the costs. The Labour leader is facing a probe by the parliamentary standards commissioner into whether he should have listed the trip on the Commons register. He has insisted he did not need to declare the jaunt, which was paid for by the Tunisian government, as it was below the threshold of 660. But details of the luxury hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed during the three-day trip suggest the level might have been breached. According to the website for Le Palace - which overlooks the Mediterranean and boasts a pool, bars and restaurants - suites are charged at up to 1,000 a night. The cheapest rooms are currently around 170 a night, and he is thought to have checked in for two nights. Flights and transport costs are also believed to have been picked up by the Tunisian government. Mr Corbyn, who has been visiting Northamptonshire today, insisted:'It was a perfectly public trip and I made that clear at the time. It was under the threshold that was required to declare.' Advertisement

The Government of Tunisia, who organised the trip, paid for it.

Under Commons rules any visits funded by outside groups have to be listed if they pass a cost threshold.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen has written to the parliamentary authorities to complain about the trip not being registered.

Lord Sheikh - who last week condemned Boris Johnson over his burka comments - also attended the conference and admitted that members of Hamas - a banned terror group operating in Palestine - may have been at the conference.

He said: 'There may have been Hamas. I did not meet any Hamas people, I am very careful, obviously.

'When I talk on Palestine I'm very balanced with regards to Palestine.

'If you read my speeches in the House of Lords I have always been very, very balanced on the whole issue. Both sides obviously have to come to a compromise.

'So I don't sympathise with Hamas, I have no dealing with Hamas.'

Several Tory MPs have demanded he is investigated by party bosses for attending the conference.

Tory MP Zac Goldsmith also called for an investigation, tweeting:' If this man is not immediately expelled from the Conservative Party, the Party hierarchy's complaints about Corbyn will look entirely cynical.'

Tory MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the education select committee, said the party must launch a formal investigation into the peer.

He said: 'If this is true, re Lord Sheikh, in attending this conference alongside Mr Corbyn - and if it is true extremist anti-Semites and Hamas were in attendance and speaking, there needs to be an investigation by Conservative Party/inquiry re codes of conduct.'

If Mr Corbyn is found to be at fault then he could be ordered to apologise.

Mr Corbyn's spokesman said: 'The cost of the trip did not meet the declaration threshold.'

But the Labour leader faced fresh criticism from an Israeli ambassador today over his campaigning for two people jailed for their role in the bombing of the Israeli embassy in 1994.

Israelis ambassador condemns Corbyn for fight to free pair behind terror bombing The Labour leader faced fresh criticism from an Israeli ambassador today over his campaigning for two people jailed for their role in the bombing of the Israeli embassy in 1994. Samar Alami and Jawad Botmeh, were convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions. They hoped to shatter the Middle-East peace process in July 1994 by blowing up the Israeli Embassy and the offices of a Jewish charity. Mr Corbyn - then a backbench Labour MP - was part of a campaign to free the pair. Moshe Raviv, who was ambassador from 1993 to 1998, told the Jewish Chronicle: 'It was by sheer luck, just by sheer luck, that people were only injured and nobody was killed.' He added: 'Even to the present day, it is hard to believe how he could do this, especially, when the High Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights upheld the conviction. I think it shows what kind of attitude Corbyn had towards Palestinian terrorists.' A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said: 'Jeremy believed that there had been a miscarriage of justice. He, of course, condemns all terrorist acts.'

Advertisement

Samar Alami and Jawad Botmeh, were convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions.

They hoped to shatter the Middle-East peace process in July 1994 by blowing up the Israeli Embassy and the offices of a Jewish charity.

In court their defence lawyer claimed the car bombs were intended only to be symbolic as they were timed to go off when they would cause minimal-injuries.

But they caused millions of pounds worth of damage and injured 19 people.

Mr Corbyn - then a backbench Labour MP - was part of a campaign to free the pair.

Moshe Raviv, who was ambassador from 1993 to 1998, told the Jewish Chronicle: 'The southern part of the embassy, the wall behind my desk, was destroyed. There was glass everywhere. Some of our staff were injured...

'It was by sheer luck, just by sheer luck, that people were only injured and nobody was killed.'

He added: ''Even to the present day, it is hard to believe how he could do this, especially, when the High Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights upheld the conviction.

'I think it shows what kind of attitude Corbyn had towards Palestinian terrorists.'

A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said: 'Jeremy believed that there had been a miscarriage of justice.

'He, of course, condemns all terrorist acts.'Police in California have finally identified the remains of a woman two years after a homeless person was seen carrying her skull on a stick.

Sacramento police said the remains are those of 26-year-old missing woman, Mai Ker Thao.

Authorities were led to Thao's decomposed body in 2016 after a homeless woman was seen walking down Connie Drive, Sacramento, with a skull on a stick.

Police in California have finally identified the remains of a woman two years after a homeless person was seen carrying her skull on a stick in Sacramento. The remains are those of 26-year-old Mai Ker Thao (pictured)

Authorities were led to Thao's decomposed body in 2016 after a homeless woman (pictured) was seen walking down Connie Drive with a skull on a stick

At the time, the homeless woman was only identified as 'Victoria'.

Police stopped her at an abandoned house where she told authorities that she had found the skull.

'We're trying to find out what she was doing and who she was with the last week of her life, and that's our missing place in her timeline,' Sacramento Police Detective Scot Krutz told KTLA.

'And that could lead us to what happened ultimately in the end.'

Police said identifying Thao took time, but they had help from her family members who recognized her distinctive red hair dye.

'Through that reference, familial DNA, they were able to positively identify the victim,' Sacramento Police Detective Eddie MacAulay told the station.

At the time, the homeless woman was only identified as 'Victoria'. Police stopped her at an abandoned house (pictured) where she told authorities that she had found the skull. Police said the woman is currently a person of interest as they continue their investigation

Investigators are currently looking at the homeless woman as a person of interest as they continue their search for Thao's killer.

No other details about the woman have been released.

Thao's sister, Mai Dai, told KTLA that it was after Thao's miscarriage that 'everything just went and fell apart'.

'She just changed. She was never the same anymore. She distanced herself from us,' Mai Dai said.

But despite that distance, Mai Dai remembered happier times when she and Thao would 'do each other's makeup' and stay up and 'tell jokes all night'.

Anyone who may have more information about Thao's death is asked to contact the Sacramento Police Department.

The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding this homicide to contact the dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357).ALICE EVANS: Somebody sent me a photograph of my husband of 14 years, the actor Ioan Gruffudd this week. I didn't really look at it very closely at first - he was eating an ice cream on a bench in the South of France, where he's shooting at the moment. He looked happy. I felt glad he was happy, even though we haven't spoken to each other by phone or in person in almost 11 months. I was about to move on, but then I noticed the caption. It was from his own Instagram, which was odd because he hardly ever posts. And his comment was: 'Thank you for making me smile again.' Huh? My mind went blank for a second. Then I realised he was sitting next to a young girl I'd never seen before. She was tagged in the post @iambiancawallace. Then I got that feeling. The feeling nobody in a relationship - even one that's seen better days -wants to feel: My God. They are a couple. He has a girlfriend! But, he's my husband. Pictured: Alice today, left, and with her estranged husband Ioan, inset, on their wedding day. Top right: Ioan's new girlfriend Bianca Wallace and, bottom right, the new couple together.Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.Senior Tories are demanding an investigation into Lord Sheikh for attending the controversial conference in Tunisia at the heart of the Jeremy Corbyn wreath laying scandal.

MPs Robert Halfon and Zac Goldsmith have lodged a formal complaint with the party saying the event in 2014 was 'disgraceful'.

In a letter to Conservative HQ, the politicians wrote: 'We cannot, as a Party, rightly and robustly criticise the Leader of the Opposition for his attendance at this conference while allowing the attendance of a Conservative Peer at the same event to pass without comment or complaint.

'To do so would be to indulge in hypocrisy and double standards. In our opinion, Lord Sheikhs attendance at this conference was hugely disappointing and raises significant questions that need to be answered.'

Tory peer Lord Sheikh (pictured left on BBC Newsnight last week) and Jeremy Corbyn (pictured right in Newport yesterday) both attended a controversial 'peace' conference in Tunis in 2014 which extremists in Hamas took part in and praised violence

Tory MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the education select committee, said the party must launch a formal investigation into the peer

Tory MP Zac Goldsmith - who stood as the party's candidate in the London mayoral election two years ago - also called for a party probe

The Labour leader attended the conference before joining others there at a wreath laying ceremony where terrorists linked to the Munich massacre were honoured.

Lord Sheikh - who last week condemned Boris Johnson over his burka comments - also attended the conference, although he was not at the wreath laying.

He admitted yesterday to being on the trip, which was paid for by the Tunisian government, and said members of Hamas - a banned terror group operating in Palestine - may also have attended.

Lord Sheikh fuelled a major Tory party row last week after he demanded Boris Johnson be kicked out of the party for comparing women wearing burkas to letter boxes and bank robbers.

He said Theresa May should remove the party whip from her former Cabinet minister after he sparked outrage by making the remarks.

It comes after MailOnline revealed that the conference featured speeches by terror chiefs who called violence 'magnificent' and compared Israel to ISIS.

At the event in Tunisia, top Hamas leader Oussama Hamdan presented a 'four point vision to fight against Israel' and praised the group's 'great success on the military and national levels', adding that the violence was 'magnificent'.

He had just given an interview to Lebanese media in which he said that the anti-Semitic myth that Jews drank Christian blood was 'not a figment of imagination or something taken from a film. It is a fact.'

Othman Jerandi, a former Tunisian foreign minister, also gave a speech at the conference and stated: 'ISIS and Israel are the same thing'.

Lord Sheikh said yesterday that Hamas may have been at the conference, although he did not meet anyone from the terror group.

Jeremy Corbyn adjusts a wreath, held by Salman El Herfi, the Palestinian ambassador in Tunisia in 2014. He is standing by the graves of the men linked to the Munich terror attack. The picture, revealed exclusively by The Daily Mail, has plunged Mr Corbyn's leadership into fresh turmoil and sparked calls for him to quit

He said: 'There may have been Hamas. I did not meet any Hamas people, I am very careful, obviously.

'When I talk on Palestine I'm very balanced with regards to Palestine.

'If you read my speeches in the House of Lords I have always been very, very balanced on the whole issue. Both sides obviously have to come to a compromise.

'So I don't sympathise with Hamas, I have no dealing with Hamas.'

The Kenya-born and Uganda-raised politician was made a peer in 2006, the year after he created the CMF.

He said that the north African country's government paid for accommodation and flights, which had been declared at the time.

He said he remembers Mr Corbyn being at the event but did not know beforehand that he would be there and 'had no conversation with him'.

Lord Sheikh added: 'If there was a wreath-laying ceremony I was not aware of the wreath-laying ceremony. I did not go to the ceremony.'Natalie Keepers (pictured) is still scheduled to go on trial in September on a more serious charge of being an accessory to the teen's killing

A former Virginia Tech student has pleaded guilty to hiding the body of a classmate's secret 13-year-old online girlfriend.

Natalie Keepers, 21, admitted the charge on Tuesday but is scheduled to go on trial in September, accused of being an accessory in the killing of Nicole Lovell, a Blacksburg middle school student on January 27 2016.

Keepers, of Laurel, Maryland, and David Eisenhauer, of Columbia, Maryland, were freshmen engineering students at Virginia Tech when Lovell was fatally stabbed in 2016.

Eisenhauer, 21, is serving a 50-year sentence after pleading no contest to charges of first-degree murder, abduction and concealing a body.

Prosecutors say Eisenhauer met Lovell online and communicated with her for months before meeting her at least once in person.

They met again in January 2016, when the college freshman lured Lovell out of her family's apartment with the promise of a 'secret date'.

That's when he took her to wooded area and subsequently killed her because he feared she would expose their relationship.

David Eisenhauer is serving a 50-year sentence after pleading no contest to charges of first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell (pictured)

Prosecutors have said that Keepers told police Eisenhauer told her he feared Lovell could be pregnant.

Keepers said Eisenhauer told her he might have had sex with Lovell at a party, but couldn't remember because he blacked out and later woke up in a ditch.

Lovell's body was found just over the state line in North Carolina.

A medical examiner had testified that she had 14 stab wounds, including a lethal wound to her neck.

David Eisenhauer (pictured) admitted to stabbing the teenager 14 times including a lethal wound to her neck

During his June sentencing hearing, Eisenhauer expressed regret over the young girl's slaying.

'I am sorry for the pain my actions have caused for Nicole Lovell and her family,' he said.

Before Eisenhauer's sentence was imposed, Lovell's parents described how their daughter's killing has affected them.

Her father, David Lovell, said he's been diagnosed with severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since his daughter's death.

'There is nothing that will happen in this courtroom that will fix it,' he said.

Attorneys for Keepers argued Tuesday that prosecutors should be barred from presenting evidence of the concealment of Lovell's body when considering the accessory charge, which alleges that Keepers helped plan the killing.

They said the two issues are 'separate and distinct.'

The judge said he would wait until the trial to decide about certain evidence that the defense wants to exclude.An Arizona police officer has been fired after he was caught filming himself on his body camera having sex with a woman in his office and storing porn on his computer in a folder labeled 'fun times'.

Superior Police sergeant Anthony Doran was kicked off the force in April after the sex video and 36 gigabytes of porn was discovered on a flash drive on his office computer by a secretary.

Still images from the bodycam footage, which was obtained by 12News, showed Doran sitting at his desk wearing just his uniform shirt as a naked woman sat on his lap.

The video lasted for four minutes and was dated April 2017.

Superior Police sergeant Anthony Doran was fired in April after he was caught filming himself on his body camera having sex with a woman in his office while in uniform

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into Doran back in March after a police secretary uncovered the footage while conducting official business on his computer.

A police report regarding the investigation said that a deputy located the sex video in a flash drive folder named 'fun times'.

That deputy also discovered 36 gigabytes worth of pornographic photos and videos, as well as images of a naked five-year-old girl.

'The images and the fact they were intersected with pictures of sexual situations caused me to physically react with shaking hands and upset stomach' the deputy wrote in his report.

The images of the child were later determined to be of Doran's daughter.

Doran was not charged in relation to the footage or images, but the report did say: 'There is suspicion that some grooming behavior may be present'.

Still images from the bodycam footage, which was obtained by 12News, showed Doran angling the body cam as a naked woman sat on his lap (above)

Doran, who was fired in April, said he wasn't on duty when the body cam footage (above) was shot. He said he lived at the station in a room next to the office

He told The Arizona Republic that the images of his daughter were not lewd or illegal and that the pornographic images and video were saved on a flash drive that had nothing to do with his work.

Doran also said he wasn't on duty when the body cam footage was shot. He added that he lived at the station in a room next to the office.

He claimed he wasn't given a chance to explain himself before being fired in April.

Doran was also fired from the Pima County Sheriff's Office back in 2013 after he fondled a woman while on duty in his patrol car.

The details surrounding his termination this year only recently emerged after it was included in a civil lawsuit filed by a local man who claims Doran, as well as other officers, beat and unlawfully detained him in an unrelated case.

That lawsuit accuses Superior town officials of trying to cut costs by hiring 'second-chance officers' who have previously been disciplined for their behavior.Rashan Charles (pictured) died after he was chased on foot to the store in east London, and swallowed a package as he was detained

A police officer has been cleared of misconduct over the death of a 20-year-old who was restrained in an 'unorthodox' way on a shop floor.

Rashan Charles died in July 2017 after he was chased on foot to the store in Dalston, east London, and swallowed a package as he was detained.

A post-mortem examination concluded that he died from a heart attack after the package, found to contain a mixture of paracetamol and caffeine, blocked his airway.

The death sparked violent protests in the area and threats made against police officers, leading to those involved being granted anonymity.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) today found that while the officer had not done his job satisfactorily, he was not guilty of misconduct.

It said that the officer, known only as BX47, was too slow to render first aid or call an ambulance, and had not switched on his body-worn camera.

IOPC regional director for London, Jonathan Green, said: 'We found that Officer BX47 was responsible for some basic failings and although they may not have been the cause of Rashan's death, I think they do represent a failure to perform his role satisfactorily, either through a lack of competence or capability.

'The evidence suggests that the situation which developed in the shop, did so rapidly, taking the officer by surprise to the extent that he froze in circumstances which were difficult, stressful and exhausting.

The death sparked violent protests in the area (pictured) and threats made against police officers, leading to those involved being granted anonymity

'These failures, however, were not deliberate and it is acknowledged by witnesses present at the scene, supported by expert evidence gathered in this investigation, that BX47 did his best in difficult circumstances.'

The watchdog found that the decisions to stop Mr Charles's car and chase him on foot were justified, and the officer's restraint technique, although 'unorthodox', did not contribute to his death.

However, it said that BX47 did not follow recognised first-aid protocols when it became clear that Mr Charles may have swallowed something.

Protests outside Stoke Newington Police Station shortly after Mr Charles' death

It added that he should have called an ambulance sooner, even though ultimately this would not have saved his life.

BX47, who also failed to switch on his body-worn video camera, will now be put through internal Metropolitan Police performance procedures.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin said: 'The conclusion of the IOPC investigation supports the recent finding by the inquest jury, that BX47 lawfully and justifiably apprehended and restrained Mr Charles.

'When it became apparent Mr Charles was in difficulty, first aid and CPR was carried out but nothing BX47 nor their colleague could have done would have saved his life.

'The IOPC investigation has identified some learning to take forward for BX47 and this will be progressed.

'The death of anyone after involvement with police is a matter of deep regret and our thoughts and sympathies remain with all those affected.'

In June, an inquest found that Mr Charles's death was accidental, with a jury finding the officer's restraint was a 'justified use of force'.

But it said he didn't follow Met Police protocol by taking 'immediate and appropriate action in the face of a medical emergency', and had not managed the involvement of the civilian bystander.A boatload of Tunisian migrants  including two children suffering from exposure  declined the chance to be rescued by the charity ship Aquarius, as they vowed to continue unaided to the Italian island of Lampedusa.

On August 12, the Aquarius was alerted to a boat in distress in the Mediterranean, and was told by the Libyan joint rescue coordination centre to proceed to the vessel to rescue those on board, according to The Guardian.

The vessel was carrying 11 people sailing without life jackets  nine men and two children  all of whom were reported by the Aquarius as being in 'good condition'.

The charity rescue boat crew described the situation on board as 'stable and the people have said that they have been at sea for two days.

Those on board were found to be in good health, and not in immediate danger

All 11 Tunisians were given food, water and life jackets, as they vowed to continue to the Italian island of Lampedusa

'There are two children onboard suffering from exposure. We are giving them some food and water [and life jackets]. They have informed us that they would like to continue on their way north.'

According to The Local IT, the Tunisians were determined to try to reach Italy under their own steam because they thought they would have a better chance of making it to Lampedusa by themselves.

Rejecting an offer from those on the Aquarius  chartered by French charity SOS Mediterranee and operated in partnership with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)  they reportedly told the humanitarian workers, 'Thank you but we're going to Lampedusa'.

A spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee told MailOnline that as no one's life was in danger, 'we had more of a monitoring role, rather than a rescuing one'

The island is a destination for many migrants sailing from Tunisia, as it was once a symbol for refugee compassion, but islanders have recently asked other countries to deal with the surge of people.

A spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee told MailOnline that as no one's life was in danger, 'we had more of a monitoring role, rather than a rescuing one.

'Unless there is an immediate danger and risk of loss of life, we cannot act in a way that is contrary to the instructions of the relevant authorities.'

According to Reuters, the Italian coast guard later picked them up, and they are likely to be repatriated.

The SOS Mediterranee NGO rescue vessel MV Aquarius, which was stranded in the Mediterranean with some 141 migrants on board, enters the Grand Harbour in Senglea, Valletta, Malta, August 15, 2018

Migrants stand aboard the Aquarius rescue ship as it arrive at Bolier Wharf in Senglea, Malta

The brief intervention by the charity ship came as its crew was again seeking safe harbour for 141 migrants it rescued off the Libyan coast last week.

SOS Mediterranee and MSF called upon European governments to assign the closest place of safety in accordance with International Maritime Law so that people rescued at sea could be disembarked.

And today, the Aquarius rescue ship arrived in Malta after EU countries thrashed out a deal to take in the 141 migrants onboard, defusing another diplomatic standoff in the Mediterranean.

Loud cheers could be heard from the ship as it pulled into the Grand Harbour in Valletta, five days after the migrants, most of them Somalis and Eritreans, were rescued off Libya. Some flashed peace signs and waved from the deck.

Malta Police officers watch as rescue vessel MV Aquarius enters the Grand Harbour

Malta and Italy both initially refused to let the Aquarius dock in a re-run of the standoff seen in June

Malta and Italy both initially refused to let the Aquarius dock in a re-run of the standoff seen in June when the vessel was at the centre of a heated diplomatic crisis between European governments.

But Malta on Tuesday agreed to reverse its decision as France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain offered to take in the ship's latest passengers, along with 114 others who arrived on the island on Monday.

The migrants were unloaded from the Aquarius straight onto police buses, to be taken to a reception centre where they will be distributed among the five countries, officials said.

Migrants hug crew members as they disembark from the Aquarius rescue ship after it docked at Bolier Wharf in Senglea, Malta, on August 15

Dozens of children were on the ship - more than 30 of them unaccompanied, according to a Maltese government source - while two heavily pregnant women were taken into an ambulance.

The agreement is the fifth of its kind between Western European governments since June when the Aquarius was stranded at sea with 630 migrants onboard, until Spain finally offered to let them land.

About 10 rightwing protesters were waiting for the migrants at the port in Valletta, waving a banner that read 'Stop Human Trafficking'.

But the crew of another rescue ship  the Lifeline, which has been impounded by Maltese authorities  were also there to greet them, holding a banner which read: 'Everyone has a right to life'.

Until this summer Italy was the main landing point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life, many of them sub-Saharan Africans who have suffered appalling abuses in Libya.

But Italy's new populist government says it has had enough of migrant arrivals, having taken in 700,000 people since 2013.

Far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed that the Aquarius will 'never see an Italian port' again, though the Italian coastguard continues to rescue migrants.

NGOs say they have a moral obligation to rescue people making the perilous crossing, who could otherwise join the estimated 1,500 killed en route this year alone.

Spain has offered to take 60 people, Germany up to 50 and Portugal 30. France has said it will accept 60 from the Aquarius and the other rescue boat that arrived in Malta this week, while Luxembourg said it would take in five of the migrants.

The UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, hailed the deal but warned that Europe needed to come up with more permanent solutions.

A migrant is checked by doctors before disembarking from the MV Aquarius

Dozens of children were on the ship - more than 30 of them unaccompanied, according to a Maltese government source - while two heavily pregnant women were taken into an ambulance

'The situation should never have come to this in the first place,' said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

The UN called for an agreement 'that provides clarity and predictability on where boats carrying rescued passengers can dock'.

'This is essential if further such situations are to be avoided,' it added.

Grandi said of countries that refused to take in migrants that it was 'wrong, dangerous and immoral to keep rescue ships wandering the Mediterranean while governments compete on who can take the least responsibility'.

The Aquarius suffered a setback this week when Gibraltar said it would not longer be able to operate under the British territory's maritime flag.

But SOS Mediterranee's German wing said today that it would likely continue operating under a German flag if the dispute is not resolved.

'The Aquarius of course has the intention and obligation to set sail again as soon as possible, back into the rescue zone off the Libyan coast,' said the group's Germany chief Verena Papke.Double-murder suspect Antwan Mims took a stab at Internet fame by attempting to perform the 'In My Feelings' dance challenge during his extradition, but the FBI agents escorting him to jail were not impressed by his moves.

The FBI said Mims, who had been on the agency's Ten Most Wanted List since June and had a $100,000 reward being offered for his capture, was arrested without incident on July 31 in College Park, Georgia.

WNDU-TV broadcast video of Mims smiling and dancing his way to a waiting police vehicle at 1pm on Monday after being transported by plane to the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Scroll down for video

KiKi, do you love me? FBI's Most Wanted fugitive Antwan Mims took a stab at the 'In My Feelings' challenge during his extradition to Michigan on Monday

Mims, who is suspected of killing two men in cold blood in March, formed his hands into the shape of a heart and swayed his hips on the tarmac at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport in Benton Harbor, Michigan

In the footage, the murder suspect, dressed in a blue t-shirt and shorts, breaks into a goofy grin at the sight of news cameras, forms his hands into the shape of a heart, pretends to drive a car and playfully sways his hips.

Busted: Mims had been added to FBI's 10 Most Wanted list in June, and he was apprehended in Georgia in late July

Mims' moves would be familiar to anyone who has seen one of the countless videos showing people dancing alongside moving vehicles to the tune of Drake's hit song 'In My Feelings.'

Two of the agents accompanying Mims appear at once bemused and baffled by the captured fugitive's antics on the tarmac. They quickly draw a curtain on his impromptu dance recital by ushering him into the patrol car.

Mims, who is believed to be about 40 years old, has been accused of fatally shooting Cortez Miller and Michael Johnson in the on March 25 in front of 100 people at a house party on Lavette Street in Benton Harbor.

After the victims collapsed to the ground, witnesses said Mims finished them off by shooting Miller, 22, in the back head and Johnson, 29, in the face, then calmly walked away.

Both Cortez and Miller are survived by young children.

Mims was sought on a Michigan arrest warrant for first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and felony weapons counts.

Mims, who is believed to be a hitman for a gang, has been charged with executing Cortez Miller, 22 (left), and Michael Johnson, 29 (right) at a house part on March 25

Detectives believe Mims, who goes by the nickname 'Tank,' is an assassin for the notorious Gangster Disciples gang.

'It's almost like it was a joke. He's taken two people's lives,' Benton Harbor Director of Public Safety Dan McGinnis said.

Mims is currently being held in the Berrien County Jail awaiting arraignment.Advertisement

It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago parts of Britain were facing a hosepipe ban and some areas had faced more than 50 days without rain.

But these stark photographs show how London's parks are now recovering again following a week of wet conditions - and are looking far more healthy, having been a parched sight during the heatwave just a week ago.

The country experienced its longest heatwave since 1976 this summer as temperatures rose as high as 95.2F (35.1C), but they have fallen dramatically since last Tuesday to settle around the mid-70Fs (mid-20Cs) mark.

Rainfall has hit the whole country over the past week, and forecasters say there could be another 1.6in (40mm) over the Pennines and Cumbria today as well as up to 0.8in (20mm) on lower ground in the North and West.

But sunny weather did at least make a welcome comeback today for southern and eastern England, with temperatures expected to reach 81F (27C) in London and 77F (25C) in parts of East Anglia this afternoon.

The wet conditions over the past week have brought some much-needed relief to parts of southern and central England which had spent the equivalent of around two months of 2018 without any recorded rainfall.

South East England clocked up 64 days of zero average rainfall between January and July, while central England had 54 days. The last time both regions had a higher number of rain-free days in the period was the mid-1990s.

 Slide me  The grass of Greenwich Park in South East London looks far healthier yesterday (right) compared to Tuesday of last week (left)

 Slide me  St James's Park is looking much healthier now (right), but nobody is out there sunbathing - as they were last week (left)

 Slide me  The view of the skyline from Primrose Hill in North London also shows how much greener the grass has become this week

 Slide me  Buckingham Palace can be seen across St James's Park (left), where the lake looks less green after the cooler weather (right)

 Slide me  People were enjoying the sunshine in a parched St James's Park last week (left), but are now sheltering under umbrellas (right)

 Slide me  These stark photographs show how the grass of London's parks including St James's Park is now recovering again

 Slide me  The grass in front of Buckingham Palace is looking a lot healthier now (right) compared to how it appeared last week (left)

 Slide me  St James's Park is looking far more healthy now (right) having been a parched sight just one week ago (left)

 Slide me  Meanwhile in the Yorkshire Dales... Aysgarth Falls is today back in full flow (right), after the heatwave left it dry last month (left). The River Ure, which was featured in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, had been reduced to barely a trickle

 Slide me  Colour has finally returned to the now lush green grass (right) at Clifton Downs after a number of rainy days in Bristol

 Slide me  The before picture (left) was taken a few weeks ago when the grass was scorched brown by the UK's summer heatwave

 Slide me  These shocking photographs show what a huge difference the unusually warm summer made to the landscape of BristolLauren Cutshaw, 33, was arrested and charged with a DUI after she was pulled over in Bluffton, South Carolina in the early hours of August 4

The former sorority girl who told police she shouldn't be arrested for DUI and speeding because she is a 'very clean, thoroughbred, white girl' is still driving despite having her license suspended.

In exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com, Lauren Elizabeth Cutshaw, 33, was seen behind the wheel in Bluffton, South Carolina, ten days after her license was taken away by police.

At one point, she leaned out of the driver's door and stubbed out what looked like a 'blunt' on the ground while running errands in her white Ford Fusion - the same car she was pulled over in on August 4 after speeding through a stop sign at 64mph in a 30mph zone.

A subsequent breathalyzer put her blood-alcohol at 0.18 per cent  more than twice the legal limit.

And an officer found marijuana and rolling papers in her car, and she said she 'may have' smoked pot earlier that evening as well, the police report said

Joy Nelson, community relations manager for the town of Bluffton and a police spokeswoman, told DailyMail.com that when an individual receives a DUI, their license is suspended automatically for 30 days.

Scroll down for video

Cutshaw was spotted running errands on Tuesday and getting behind the wheel of her white Ford Fusion - the same car she was pulled over in - 10 days after her license was suspended

Drivers who have been charged with a DUI have their license automatically suspended for 30 days, according to a community relations manager in Bluffton

Cutshaw was seen leaving a shoe repair shop on Tuesday, and was photographed holding her license in her wallet (right). She declined to be interviewed but told DailyMail.com she was 'taken a little aback' by all the media attention

After 30 days, the person must go to the DMV and have their license reinstated.

If an individual is caught driving in that 30-day suspension period, it can bring a charge of driving under a suspended license with the possibility of prison for 10-30 days for a first time offense.

Cutshaw declined an interview with DailyMail.com.

'I'm just kind of taken a little aback by it,' she said on Tuesday of the attention she has received. 'I don't have anything to say to the public at this point.'

Cutshaw, a real estate agent, was stopped by police in the early hours of August 4. When the officer observed her eyes to be 'bloodshot and glossy' and her speech slurred, he asked if she had been drinking, according to the police report.

She said that she'd had two glasses of wine at an upscale restaurant, the Bluffton Room. When asked by the officer how full the wine glasses were, she replied: 'I mean I was celebrating my birthday.'

Another officer then found marijuana and rolling papers in her car, she said she 'may have' smoked pot earlier that evening as well, the report said.

Cutshaw, at one point, leaned out of the driver's seat to stub out what appeared to be a blunt or brown-style cigarette. Officers found marijuana and rolling papers in her car on the night of her arrest

Dashcam footage of her arrest shows Cutshaw crying and asking an officer not to jail her and describing herself as a white 'thoroughbred' and 'clean girl'

In a dashcam video, released by Bluffton Police, Cutshaw can be heard crying and asking the officer not to jail her.

She tells him that she was a cheerleader, a dancer and a sorority girl who graduated from a 'high accredited university' and had 'perfect grades her whole life'.

According to the police report, Cutshaw also described herself as a white 'thoroughbred' and 'a white, clean girl'.

'I asked what that had to do with anything?' the officer, who is also white, noted in the report.

'She replied, 'You're a cop, you should know what that means,' and, 'You're a cop, you should know based on the people that come in this room.'

According to the police report, Cutshaw 'repeatedly stated, "my partner is a cop,'" and identified him as Nickey Maxey.

She added that she had been trying to get to her boyfriend's house in Bluffton when she was pulled over.

DailyMail.com contacted Nickey Maxey, a real estate agent who worked with Cutshaw at Engel & Volkers in Bluffton.

Cutshaw, who worked a real estate agent, has been fired following the incident. According to her LinkedIn page, she has a Bachelors degree in business administration from Louisiana State University, and was a member of Delta Zeta sorority

According to the police report, Cutshaw 'repeatedly stated, "my partner is a cop,'" and identified him as Nickey Maxey (pictured with his wife). Maxey, who is 61, said that he was not her boyfriend, that it had been misunderstood from the report, and that he was instead a business partner at the real estate firm where they worked together

Maxey, who is 61, said that he was not her boyfriend, that it had been misunderstood from the report, and that he was instead a business partner at the real estate firm.

'I'm an old geezer who is very happily married with a wife and three kids,' he said.' He then joked that the idea of having a young girlfriend should be included in the story because it 'might be good PR' for him.

Cutshaw has been fired from her job at Engels & Volker, according to ABC22. DailyMail.com had reached out to the real estate firm for comment.

She was jailed at Beaufort County Detention Center on charges of drunken driving, speeding and marijuana possession.

'Making statements such as these as a means to justify not being arrested are unusual in my experience as a law enforcement officer and I believe further demonstrate the suspect's level of intoxication,' the officer wrote.

Her case is scheduled for October.Actress Sean Young has returned the two laptops she was accused of stealing from a movie production company that fired her two months ago

Troubled actress Sean Young has returned the two laptops she was accused of stealing from a movie production company that fired her two months ago.

The return of the laptops ends a nearly week-long saga that Young, 58, has called both a 'slander campaign' and a 'publicity stunt' by her former co-workers.

Young, who was fired in June as director of the film Charlie Boy, accused the cast of trying to 'create a buzz about their film' by claiming she had stolen the two laptops.

Timothy Hines, the film's new director, said the two $5,000 MacBooks were returned by Young's lawyer on Tuesday night.

'We got a call from her attorney and they appeared in her attorney's office and we picked them up,' he told the New York Daily News.

'We're just happy to be back to work on our production. We wish Sean Young all the best. That's our statement.'

CCTV taken on Thursday showed Young and her son, Rio, leaving the Astoria apartment being used as a production office by School of Old/Pendragon Pictures Production with the laptops and a table and chairs (pictured)

The incident is the latest in a string of bizarre episodes which have seen Young donning a homemade Catwoman outfit outside a film studio in 1992 after she missed out on the part in Batman Returns.

Her troubles date back to 1989 when a relationship with co-star James Woods broke down before he eventually filed a $2million harassment lawsuit against her, which was eventually settled out of court.

The actress has had a high-profile battle with alcoholism, and checked into rehab in 2008 after heckling George Clooney and Marion Cotillard at the Directors Guild of America Awards.

Hines, who had called the laptops 'irreplaceable' due to the production plans they contained, said he wanted 'any charges' against Young to be dropped.

A New York Police Department spokeswoman said they have not been notified of the development and that no charges had been filed.

Charlie Boy co-writer Greg Kritikos told Page Six he was glad the film's cast could finally put the ordeal behind them.

'I wish her all the best,' he said of Young. 'And pray she gets the help she needs.'

Timothy Hines said the two $5,000 MacBooks were returned by Young's lawyer on Tuesday night

Before the laptops were returned, Hines told the Associated Press that he believed Young was the one using the laptops to create a publicity stunt.

'This was her revenge on us,' he said.

CCTV taken on Thursday showed Young and her son, Rio, leaving the Astoria apartment being used as a production office by School of Old/Pendragon Pictures Production carrying two laptops, which they put into an SUV before driving off.

Young maintained that she had permission to collect her belongings from the Queens apartment, but accidentally took the production laptops instead of her own.

The actress said she had spent two months trying to secure the return of the laptops and some external hard drives after leaving them in the office two months ago.

'This is a slander campaign in order to create a buzz about their film,' she told The New York Daily News.

'I have email confirmations from the owner of the building for permission to pick up my belongings, which is what I was doing.'

Young maintained that she had permission to collect her belongings from the Queens apartment (pictured), but accidentally took the production laptops instead of her own.

Hines claimed that Young did not have access to the building and climbed onto the roof, entering the apartment through a hallway window (pictured) and the bathroom windows

Hines claimed that Young did not have access to the building and climbed onto the roof, entering the apartment through the bathroom windows.

The director alleged that, in addition to the laptops, Young also stole a table, several chairs, and some curtains.

Hines said one of the two computers, open on a desk, belonged to a Russian assistant editor 'and the keyboard was in Russian'.

'Her claim that she walked away with the wrong computers does not hold water. One look at it, she could tell it was a Russian keypad,' he said.

Young's manager, Gregg Edwards, contradicted Hines' account. He said his client had pre-arranged with the building owner to enter the apartment, and the door was open when she arrived.

Young, seen in Blade Runner, left, and right at a New York film screening in May 2015, allegedly took off with two laptops that contained footage of the film Kritikos was working on

'She assumed it was open so she could get in,' he said.

Young said she had arranged for the laptops to be returned and swapped for her own.

The actress also claimed she had 'received threatening voice mails from Hines who has been releasing untrue slanderous statements to the press.'

Hines claimed that Young was fired from Charlie Boy in June due to her heavy drinking, which he alleged included as many as 16 glasses of wine over lunch.

Young dismissed the allegations as 'false' and said she decided to quit because of conflicts with her co-workers and issues with the budget.

The actress (pictured with her dog Rainer in March this year) denied claims by her former co-workers that she was fired from the new film Charlie Boy in June due to her drinking

Young starred in Blade Runner in 1982 alongside Harrison Ford. Also in the 1980s, she appeared in No Way Out and Wall Street, and more recently on TNT in The Alienist.

Her troubles began following her romance with Oscar-nominated actor James Woods in 1989.

The couple met on the set of The Boost and had a brief affair before Woods dumped her and returned to his fiancee.

He claimed that a furious Young sent him and his new girlfriend pictures of corpses and mutilated bodies, and even left a mutilated doll at his door as a reminder of his fiancee's abortion, People reported at the time.

Young's tumble from celebrity began following her romance with Oscar-nominated actor James Woods in 1989 who she met on the set of The Boost (pictured)

The 58-year-old (pictured in Astoria in November 2016) has not had any charges filed against her, according to the NYPD

Woods had Young arrested for stalking and filed a $2million harassment lawsuit against her, which was later settled out of court.

Young claimed the incident was a 'misunderstanding.'

In another famous incident in 1992, she arrived at the Batman Returns set in a homemade Catwoman suit after she lost out on playing the part.

Years later, Young donned a cat suit for a skit on the Late Show with David Letterman.

A clip showed her wearing the homemade suit, as she begged people for work, while screaming 'I'm not crazy!'A British woman brawled with men in Spain this morning as she confronted a group of angry protesters - many of them serving police officers.

Roads between La Linea and Gibraltar were blocked early on Wednesday by union protesters who are calling for equal pay between Spain's various tiers of law enforcement.

Tourists were among those prevented from crossing the border and long tailbacks began to form.

As anger boiled over the in heat the protest turned angry and violent, people at the scene said.

Footage shows the woman's car being mobbed and hit as she makes her way to the border.

Angered at the crowd she stops her car and gets out, throwing herself towards the offending man in a white t-shirt.

The woman's car was surrounded by angry protesters at the border between Gibraltar and the Spanish town of La Linea

The woman was lifted off of the ground as she was tackled by an angry man at the protest on the border of La Linea and Gibraltar

A man lashes out and strikes the woman in the face as another man holds onto her arms in violent scenes in Spain

The woman in a red dress and flip flops flies at the man and he lunges towards her literally tackling her into the air like a ragdoll, despite their size difference.

As they go for each other another man kicks out and hits her in the stomach while a different man strikes out towards her face.

The woman was escorted back to her car while angry crowds jeered.

Those on the march were calling for equality between the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil, and regional police forces.

The protest was organised by JUSAPOL, a pressure group focusing on police salaries.

JUSAPOL was started in Palencia Police Station by a group of national police, most of them assigned to radio patrol - because 'regional police earn much more than a National Police or a Civil Guard'.

However, the event turned ugly when those involved begun to hit cars.

A witness said; 'There were a lot of protesters with placards there but there were also a lot of Spanish flags so I think nationalist feeling was running quite high.

'They are protesting because their wages haven't gone up in years.

'The force is under a lot of pressure especially from migrants coming in from Morocco and the police resources are stretched.

'I didn't hear what they were saying but I think they were probably abusing the British woman.'

Holding facilities for refugees in La Linea are struggling with the sheer number of people being held in them.

Local communities have claimed the new Socialist government that is doing more to welcome them than keep them out.

The woman was 'hit' by different people according to those at the scene. Large groups were out in protest on Wednesday

The woman was one of many drivers crossing the border when her car was surrounded, a witness saidAn Australian woman allegedly encouraged her Mexican fiance to sneak across the United States border.

Sarah Louise Branch, 37, could face up to five years in prison in the US after she was arrested on the American border with Canada.

Branch was arrested by the American authorities on July 10 after agents discovered the passport of her Mexican lover, Benigno Godinez-Cortez.

Sarah Louise Branch, 37, could face up to five years in prison in the US after she was arrested on the American border with Canada

Officers also found clothes, photos and a rental contract in the man's name for a shared unit, The Australian reported.

It's alleged that Branch admitted to authorities to leaving her boyfriend on the Canadian side of the border and had planned to pick him up again after she had cleared customs.

It was also revealed that Godinez-Cortez had been subjected to deportation from the United States in 1994 and 1996.

The US Justice Department made an official statement stating that Branch had been arrested and pleaded guilty 'to encouraging and inducing the entry of an illegal alien' into the United States.

The maximum penalty, if found guilty, is a five-year prison sentence and a $US250,000 fine.

Branch's father, Don Branch, told The Australian the family is still in the dark about what is going on.

Branch was arrested by the American authorities on July 10 after agents discovered the passport of her Mexican lover, Benigno Godinez-Cortez

'My son has been in contact with Sarah, were not sure yet whats happening, if shes pleaded guilty, and we dont know what comes after this,' he said.

It's alleged that a man was spotted crossing the border illegally and via a railway bridge which alerted border officials to the potential situation.

The prosecution filed documents in the US District Court in Maine stating Branch had allegedly already pleaded guilty.

Godinez-Cortex also pleaded guilty to crossing illegally into the United States.Salim Mehajer's sister Fatima Elkheir has applied for an Apprehended Violence Order against her husband Jamal after five years of marriage.

The case is due before Parramatta Local Court next Friday, two months on from Ms Elkheir, 28, being handed a two month suspended jail term and put on a $500 nine-month good behaviour bond for electoral fraud.

She pleaded guilty at the Downing Centre Local Court to 77 charges of giving false or misleading information in June, moments before her big brother, 32, was jailed.

Salim Mehajer's sister Fatima Elkheir (right, with daughter) has applied for an Apprehended Violence Order against her husband Jamal (left) after five years of marriage

She pleaded guilty at the Downing Centre Local Court to 77 charges of giving false or misleading information in June, moments before her big brother (right), 32, was jailed

Ms Elkheir and Jamal share a daughter, who they spoiled in a lavish first birthday party worth an estimated $10,000.

Photos from the expensive event showed the family posing happily together - a stark contrast to what the relationship became two years later.

It is unknown how or if custody of the child will be split between the two former lovers.

Mehajer's other sister Sanaa, 22, also applied for an AVO in April this year against her 34-year-old husband Mouhamed Tajjour - a former senior Nomads bikie.

Mehajer's other sister Sanaa (left), 22, also applied for an AVO in April this year against her 34-year-old husband Mouhamed Tajjour (right)

Tajjour (left) is a former senior Nomads bikie and the cousin of Sydney underworld identity John Ibrahim (Sanaa right)

The couple got married in December after knowing each other for a month, before their honeymoon in Thailand in January where Ms Mehajer claimed Tajjour started 'behaving in a more aggressive nature'.

The 22-year-old ended the relationship mid-holiday and returned to Australia on her own, with the pair later patching things up on Valentines day, but splitting again weeks later.

She was this week stabbed while trying to break up a violent brawl between young spear-wielding children in Lebanon.

Sanaa was in the Middle East to help Lebanese and Syrian refugees living in cramped camps for the Girls on a Mission (GOAM) organisation she founded.

Ms Elkheir (left) and Jamal share a daughter, who they spoiled in a lavish first birthday party worth an estimated $10,000

Taking to Instagram Tuesday morning, she posted an image and footage of the fight which showed a stake-wielding boy and two other children ganging up on one boy.

In July 2016, Mehajer himself was hit with an interim AVO from ex-wife Aysha Learmonth, who he married in an extravagant wedding which shut down an entire street in 2015.

Mehajer and Ms Learmonth were married in the 'wedding of the century' in August 2015 - which launched the former Auburn deputy mayor into the spotlight.

Police applied for a fresh AVO on behalf of Ms Learmonth just six days before the couple's second wedding anniversary in August 2017.

Police applied for an AVO on behalf of Ms Learmonth (right) just six days before the couple's second wedding anniversary in August (Mehajer left)

Mehajer was sentenced to at least 11 months behind bars for electoral fraud after being found guilty of 77 charges relating to a joint criminal enterprise with his sister Fatima to influence the 2012 Auburn City Council vote.

The Mehajers are a household of ten, from father Mohamad, 61 and mother Amal, 58, to their sons Salim, and Khaled, and daughters Fatima, Zenah, Kat, Aisha, Sanaa and the youngest, Mary.

Mehajer went to great lengths in organising his wedding, even going as far as closing Frances Street in Lidcombe, the road in front of his house where the nuptials were held two years ago.

He hired four helicopters, while Aysha travelled with an enormous procession of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Harley Davidsons worth $50 million for the wedding extravaganza.A 21-year-old British tourist is in critical condition in hospital in Cyprus, after allegedly being beaten up by a gang of his fellow countrymen.

The unnamed man had reportedly been attacked by a gang of 12 British tourists in the popular party resort in Ayia Napa, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The assault left the 21-year-old with a series of severe injuries, including a fractured skull, a haemorrhage and eye and nose trauma.

The assault in Ayia Napa, Cyprus early this morning, left the 21-year-old Briton with a series of severe injuries, including a fractured skull, a haemorrhage and eye and nose trauma

He was reportedly found in the street by passers-by who called an ambulance and he was then rushed to the emergency unit of the General Hospital of Famagusta.

The victim was placed onto an IV drip and transferred to the hospital in the capital Nicosia where he has been sedated. His condition is described as severe.

The perpetrators have not been identified but eye-witnesses and local media describe them as 12 British tourists.

Police are carrying out an investigation in order to identify the perpetrators.

No arrests have been reported.

The unnamed man had reportedly been attacked by a gang of 12 British tourists in the popular party resort in Ayia Napa. Pictured is Nissi Beach at the resort

The incident comes after a 24-year-old British tourist was hospitalised in July with serious head injuries following a brawl with another Brit in the Mediterranean resort of Ayia Napa.

According to Cypriot police, the young man was attacked by another 24-year-old Brit while arriving at his hotel in the early hours of the morning.

Following the altercation, the unnamed tourist was rushed to a nearby medical centre with head injuries.

Doctors at the Amohostos General Hospital said that he had suffered a subdural hematoma, a blood clot near the brain.Fire chiefs have warned that this year's bush blazes could be among the worst ever if the New South Wales drought continues.

With 83 fires blazing across the state, a total fire ban was issued on Wednesday, in what is recorded as the earliest ban on record since 2009.

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers told Sydney Morning Herald that a lot of rainfall would be required to make up for the dry weather.

NSW fire fighters work on containing an out of control bushfire in Bomaderry near Nowra, Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

There are concerns if there is no rain that the fire season has already started (pictured fire in NSW)

'We're going to be entering uncharted territory if we don't get spring rains,' he said.

'Authorities are concerned because it's already been three months since the end of the last fire season and now we're back into it.'

There are concerns if there is no rain that the fire season has already started.

Earlier this month, the NSW Department of Primary Industries' Combined Drought Indicator revealed that 100 per cent of NSW is affected by the drought.

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) revealed most of NSW has received less than 20 per cent of its usual rainfall since January, and Australia as a whole just experienced its warmest and driest July in 20 years.

Sydney-siders have averaged temperatures of 23.7 degrees this winter, according to BoM.

Due to the unexpectedness of the early fire season, firefighters have been left to battle fires without their two large water bombers which had been leased to the US for their summer.

The water bombers are able to drop 15,000 litres of water, and will arrive next month, the Daily Telegraph reported.Beleaguered residents are begging police to take action after travellers sites sprung up across three of their recreation grounds.

An army of caravans pulled up to Willett Recreation Ground in Bromley on Monday evening, prompting a number of complaints from neighbours.

But rather than leave the site, the group has now made its way to Whitehall Recreation Ground and Hayes Common in the London borough.

Travellers left Willett Recreation Ground and moved swiftly onto Whitehall Recreation Ground this morning

An army of caravans pulled up to Whitehall Recreation Ground and Hayes Common today

Locals are up in arms about the move and are urging the police and council to take action. Pictured, Whitehall Recreation Ground today

The Metropolitan Police are working with Bromley Council to move the travellers on.



A Section 61 notice was served by police this morning at 10.32am, giving the group 24 hours notice to leave the area.

Councillor for the Bickley ward Kate Lymer has been keeping locals updated on Twitter. She wrote: 'The good news is that they have left PettsWood.

'The bad news is that they have split up and have just entered Hayes Common and Whitehall Rec.'

One resident replied: 'Hells bells! Honestly no one would mind if it was a brief stopover and the local crime rate didn't increase tenfold and they didn't leave 30 tons of c**p behind!'

The Metropolitan Police are working with Bromley Council to move the travellers on

A Section 61 notice was served by police this morning at 10.32am, giving the group 24 hours notice to leave the area. Pictured, Whitehall Recreation Ground in Bromley this morning

Scores of caravans arrived at Willetts Recreation Ground in Petts Wood, Bromley yesterday (pictured)

An army of caravans pulled up to Willett Recreation Ground in Bromley on Monday evening, prompting a number of complaints from neighbours

Another Twitter user added: 'What are the chances of getting them out of the area for good rather than allowing them to invade place after place? Pickhurst Park, Willett Rec and now Whitehall Rec and Hayes common. Time to get proactive.'

Last week dozens of caravans parked up at Ashtead recreation ground after the travellers were moved on from Thames Ditton - and, prior to that, Cobham in Surrey.

Residents in Thames Ditton had said their lives were blighted by anti-social behaviour and alleged thefts since around 40 caravans arrived.

Traveller camps have also been set up in recent days in Ham, West London, and Ringmer, East Sussex.

Councillor Lymer, who is also Executive Councillor for Public Protection and Enforcement said: 'We are looking at all legal options to prevent and stop illegal incursions of this nature and residents should know that we will and are following these processes.

'The Council and the Police are aware of two illegal traveller incursions, on Hayes Common and in Whitehall Recreation Ground, with this group occupying the site following earlier legal action by the Police at Willett Recreation Ground in Petts Wood. We will continue to liaise with the Police to ultimately bring these incursions to an end.'

The Met Police have been contacted for comment.The family of a pregnant reality star found dead in the Bronx in just a pajama top and her underwear and in possession of cocaine believe her death was the result of foul play.

Lyric McHenry, 26, who appeared on E! show EJNYC alongside Magic Johnson's son EJ, was discovered lying on a Bronx sidewalk early Tuesday after a night spent hopping between bars and nightclubs in lower Manhattan.

Police believe a drug overdose claimed the life of the Stanford graduate, who had volunteered for the Obama campaign and been best friends from childhood with EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, with whom she had appeared in E!'s EJNYC.

Her father Doug McHenry, 66, is a producer whose hit movies include New Jack City while her mother is a stylist whose clients have included Oprah Winfrey.

Her mother Jennifer, 61, who lives in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles collapsed Tuesday after hearing the news from her younger daughter Maya and was later taken away by emergency services.

Earlier this month she posted a birthday message on Instagram with the two posing together calling her 'one of the greatest gifts of my life'.

Birthday tribute: Lyric McHenry's mom Jennifer, 61, posted this birthday message for her daughter earlier this month. The 26-year-old was found dead, partially-clothed and with a bag of cocaine after celebrating her birthday. Jennifer, 61, is a Hollywood stylist who was treated in hospital in Los Angeles after learning of her daughter's death. Her clients have included Oprah Winfrey and Samuel L. Jackson

Lyric McHenry, who appeared in the E! show EJNYC with Magic Johnson's son EJ (pictured together), was found dead on a sidewalk in Manhattan wearing no pants on Tuesday

Father: Director and producer Doug McHenry took his daughters Lyric (left) and her younger sister Maya on the red carpet for the launch of the 2008 Pan-African Film Festival in Hollywood. His credits include producing New Jack City and directing Jason's Lyric

While McHenry spent the bulk of her birthday celebrations in lower Manhattan, she was found in the Bronx

Sisters: Maya McHenry posted this picture of her with her sister on social media hours before she was found dead, saying: 'She always turns up for me.'

Neighbors told DailyMail.com that she 'screamed hysterically' for three hours on learning of Lyric's death and said the personal shopper and style advisor is in 'a bad way'.

Friends of the family said they suspected foul play and added that while the family knew she was pregnant, they had never heard of her taking drugs.

Retired criminal defense attorney Ardis Irvine, 86, a neighbor of McHenry's mom told DailyMail.com the family had been told it seemed she had died somewhere else and been dumped where she was found.

Irvine added: 'She didn't die at the place they found her. She didn't live in the Bronx, though she lived in New York.

'She was partying for her birthday. She was found in a pajama top, no pants and a little pouch with some cocaine in it.

'Her knees were all scraped up, so either she was dumped there or she crawled trying to get out of that area and then she passed out.'

Another family friend, who asked not to be named, said he also suspected that Lyric's death than a simple drug overdose.

'I knew her personally. She was friends with my cousin. She was over at my house probably about a month ago. It's sad.

'I don't see how you can overdose like that. Why would you be on cocaine when you're pregnant? It doesn't add up. It seems like there's some foul play involved.'

Irvine said that the dead woman's mother had been distraught.

'Jennifer's other daughter called and told her mother that Lyric was deceased,' he told DailyMail.com.

'I was in the back and I heard the screaming. At first I thought it was a dog. Then I thought it was a baby. But it kept going, louder and then softer, and it kept going.

McHenry was discovered above the Major Deegan Expressway (pictured) in the Bronx around 5am on Tuesday

Before her stint on television, McHenry was a Ron Brown scholar at Stanford University and worked on Barack Obama's presidential campaign when she was just 15 years old

She then made her way to the Dream Downtown, a hotel in Chelsea, and enjoyed rooftop views

EJNYC lasted for one season E! and featured EJ and a slew of close friends in Manhattan. McHenry was also a producer on the show (they are pictured here on a recent trip to Miami)

She went on to work as an agent trainee at UTA before moving on to jobs in video production at Complex Networks and Refinery29

Morther: Lyric McHenry's Hollywood stylist mom Jennifer, 61, (second from left) was taken to hospital after learning of her elder daughter's death. She has styled Magic Johnson's wife Cookie Johnson (right) whose son EJ Johnson was Lyric's friend and co-star in EJNYC

'It wasn't like anyone being hurt, it was like someone hurting internally. Everyone was trying to find out what was going on. You can recognize the sound of pain coming from a woman.

'The police and fire department came and took her to the hospital. There were four police officers and two ambulances from the fire department.

'She's in a bad way. If you get a call saying your daughter is dead, your life goes boom.'

Raised in Los Angeles, Lyric enjoyed a Hollywood upbringing  due in no small part to her parents' careers in film and fashion.

In her Linkedin profile, stylist Jennifer notes that her clients include Magic and Cookie Johnson  on whose son's reality show Lyric appeared  and LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson.

Other clients include Oprah Winfrey, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actor Forest Whitaker.

Lyric, a Stanford graduate, and her sister Maya later relocated to New York  where the pregnant 26-year-old spent her final evening celebrating her birthday in a hotel in Manhattan's Tribeca district.

She had documented the evening on social media, posting photos of herself in a form-fitting pink dress at The Frederick Hotel before moving on to the Soho Grand.

Lyric then went on to a hotel in Chelsea, accompanied by her sister Maya. The 26-year-old was later found dead 12 miles north, close to the junction of I-95 and the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx.

McHenry's aunt Patrice Theard, 56, said she was close to 'breaking down.'

Irvine added: 'She was a beautiful young lady. She didn't live here, but I met both the daughters. They would come here in the summer time.

'They were quiet, off on their own. I met the younger one through her mother. Being across the street from each other, you come out and you talk to each other.

'They come every summer to visit their mother. I saw them last summer but I haven't seen them since.

'Her mother was trying to get her to move back here, but those kids have their own things going on.'A storage product manufacturer is closing two factories in the Chicago area and moving those operations to Mexico, following president Donald Trump's announcement of impending trade tariffs on metal imported from China.

Stack-On Products will close its plants in Wauconda and McHenry, Illinois, said Al Fletcher, human resources director for Alpha Guardian, the Las Vegas-based parent company, the Chicago Tribune reported.

'The operation is really not profitable,' Fletcher said, citing tariffs on goods and materials from China and other countries as part of the reason for that. 'Mr. Trump is part of this.'

The two plant closures, set to be complete by October 12, will result in 153 workers being laid off as plant operations will be relocated to Jaurez, Mexico.

The US has collected $1.3 billion in steel and aluminum tariffs since March, which Trump has touted as decreasing the national debt, CNBC reported.

Stack-On Products, which makes safes and other storage products, will close its plants in Wauconda and McHenry, Illinois by October 12 and move those operations to Mexico due to tariffs on materials from China and other countries; Trump (left) is seen here with Chinese president Xi Jinping (right) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on November 9

Trump raised tariffs on China and other countries, he said, to bring parity to what the president has called an unfair trade deficit.

The US trade deficit in goods with China was $376 billion in 2017.

Between March 23 and July 16 of this year, the US brought in $1.1 billion from foreign steel tariffs, and $344.2 million from tariffs on foreign aluminum, from all countries, according to an estimate by the Congressional Research Service.

That revenue, however, is not a final figure, as it doesn't necessarily include exclusions granted by the Commerce Department and reimbursements to companies that have already been paying tariffs.

Commerce had approved 1,428 exclusion requests as of August 6, while denying 702, out of a total 33,099 exclusion requests received.

With respect to China, specifically, the US has imposed tariffs on $3 billion of steel and aluminum coming from China, and on $34 billion of Chinese technology products. Additional tariffs are being proposed on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods.

Trump's administration announced on August 1 that it would considered raising levies on Chinese imports on $200 billion worth of products to up to 25 percent, to which China responded with its own proposal for tariffs at roughly the same percentages.

In response, China outlined how it would impose tariffs ranging from 5-25 percent on four different categories encompassing about $60 billion of US goods, if pressed by the Trump administration, CNBC reported.

'The implementation date of the taxation measures will be subject to the actions of the US, and China reserves the right to continue to introduce other countermeasures,' China's Ministry of Commerce said in a release on its website, according to a translation.

'Any unilateral threat or blackmail will only lead to intensification of conflicts and damage to the interests of all parties.'

Stack-On makes things like safe, gun vaults, garage organizers and tool boxes

Al Fletcher, human resources director for Alpha Guardian, the Las Vegas-based parent company that owns 128 people will be laid off from the Wauconda plant, shown here

Another 25 people will lose their jobs at the McHenry location (shown), by October 12

The White House responded on August 3, through Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

'Instead of retaliating, China should address the longstanding concerns about its unfair trading practices, many of which are laid out in USTRs 301 report,' she said.

Trump personally tweeted in celebration of the tariffs on August 5.

'..Because of Tariffs we will be able to start paying down large amounts of the $21 Trillion in debt that has been accumulated, much by the Obama Administration, while at the same time reducing taxes for our people,' he wrote.

'At minimum, we will make much better Trade Deals for our country!'

Trump seemed to imply in the tweet that 'better trade deals' would be a byproduct of higher fees for steel and aluminum imports.

Trump personally tweeted in celebration of his administration's tariffs on August 5

But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pointed out that while the influx of funding from tariffs has its benefits, its not the government's end-goal.

'Our long-term objective is not to collect tariffs,' Mnuchin said during an interview on Squawk Box.

'Our longer-term objective is to have free and fair and reciprocal trade.'

None of that means much, though, to the 128 people in Wauconda and the 25 people in McHenry who will be losing their jobs over the next two months.

Elsewhere in Illinois, Metal Partners International, a rebar company, has been operating under more than $3 million in price increases on steel since May.

Metal Partners is one of the companies waiting for word on whether its exclusion request will be granted.

'This is certainly a shock wave to us right now,' Metal Partners Frank Bergren told CNBC.

Trump also recently officially doubled steel tariffs on Turkey to 50 percent.A Labour councillor has admitted voting twice in May's local elections but claimed he didn't know it was illegal to do so.

Councillor Faisal Rana, 51, who sits on Rochdale Borough Council, has accepted a police caution after he claimed he had 'misinterpreted the rules'.

The Rochdale Borough Council representative has admitted electoral fraud and has now 'stepped away' from his cabinet responsibilities.

The Labour member for Spotland and Falinge ward insists he 'didn't realise' that casting votes in two wards in the same council borough was an offence.

Labour councillor Faisal Rana (above) has accepted a police caution after admitting electoral fraud in May's local elections

Mr Rana said he 'misinterpreted the rule that says it is possible to vote in two different electoral areas' (pictured, the two constituencies in which Mr Rana voted)

Councillor Rana, who owns 'multiple properties', was registered in Spotland and Falinge and again in Norden.

It is presumed he voted for himself in his ward, which is allowed, although the town hall said that information is confidential.

Although the wards are in different Parliamentary constituencies - Spotland and Falinge is classed as Rochdale, while Norden is in Heywood and Middleton - they are both part of the Rochdale Borough Council area.

Electoral Commission rules clearly state that if you are registered in two different local authority areas, you can vote twice - once for each council.

You cannot vote twice at the same local council poll, as Councillor Rana did.

He took 56 per cent of the vote in Spotland and Falinge before being made assistant finance portfolio holder.

Amid calls for Councillor Rana to stand down, town hall chief Allen Brett -himself criticised in a draft investigation report for 'bringing the council into disrepute' - has said he was disappointed in his colleague.

Councillor Brett, who was recorded saying he might not spend money in wards that didn't vote Labour, added: 'It is vital that councillors do all that they can to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.

'As soon as he became aware of this, Councillor Rana stepped away from his cabinet responsibilities.'

The rules on voting explained If you are registered to vote in two different local electoral areas, you can legally vote in local elections for the two different councils. You can't, however, vote twice in the same type of election - such as in a UK general election. Doing so could cause a fine of up to 5,000. To vote in a UK general election you must be: Over the age of 18 on polling day

A British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen and a resident at a UK address

Or a UK citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years

Not be legally excluded from voting Source: Electoral Commission Advertisement

Councillor Brett added: 'Naturally, I am disappointed in Councillor Rana's error because he is a very talented and hardworking individual who shares our collective passion to improve our borough.'

In a statement, Councillor Rana said: 'I have accepted a police caution for an electoral offence, which relates to me casting separate votes for two different wards in two different constituencies (Spotland and Falinge and Norden wards) in the local elections earlier this year.

'I did not realise this was an offence and misinterpreted the rule that says it is possible to vote in two different electoral areas.'

Councillor Rana said he had attended a police station for a voluntary interview and co-operated fully with the investigation, adding: 'I sincerely apologise for this genuine mistake to my ward constituents, the council, the local Labour group and my councillor colleagues for this oversight and mistake.

'I now want to put this behind me and concentrate fully on serving the people in my ward to the absolute best of my ability.'

Rochdale's Lib Dem chief Andy Kelly described Councillor Rana's punishment as 'lenient' and called for him to stand down.

Mr Rana was registered in Spotland and Falinge and in Norden, Greater Manchester (pictured left, Rochdale Town Hall). The councillor, who sits on Rochdale Borough Council, has now 'stepped away' from his cabinet responsibilities and accepted a police caution for electoral fraud (pictured right, Spotland Bridge Mill)

Although the wards are in different Parliamentary constituencies, they are both part of the Rochdale Borough Council area (pictured Councillor Rana's election campaigning)

James Gartside, Conservative member for Norden - the ward in which Councillor Rana cast his second vote - said he had made an 'obvious mistake'.

Cllr Gartside said: 'He's got away fairly lightly.'

Steve Rumbelow, Rochdale council's chief executive and returning officer for the borough, said the town hall worked with police and cooperated fully with the investigation.

Mr Rumbelow said: 'As returning officer I am grateful to the person who brought this matter to the attention of the authorities and supportive of the action taken.'

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman confirmed the force had received a report of electoral fraud relating to the May 2018 local elections.

GMP said: 'On Monday August 13, a 51-year-man was cautioned with engaging in an act at an election intending to deprive another of a vote contrary to sections 62A(1) and 168(1) of the Representations of the People Act 1983.'A six-month-old baby boy was found dead outside a Virginia Domino's restaurant on Friday after his mother left him for hours inside a hot vehicle.

The incident occurred while the baby's mother, 30-year-old Blondia Curry, was working at the Domino's in Emporia.

Curry said that she dropped off her other children with their grandmother before driving to work but last minute changes left her scrambling to find care for her infant son, Dameer.

'My youngest daughter's father calls and he said his mother wasn't going to be able to watch [one of her daughters]. That's what I believe threw me off,' the mother of four said.

Courtesy: WRIC.com

Six-month-old baby Dameer (pictured) was found dead outside a Virginia Domino's restaurant on Friday after his mother left him for hours inside a hot vehicle

The incident occurred while the baby's mother, 30-year-old Blondia Curry (pictured), was working at a Domino's in Emporia, Virginia on Friday

After dropping off her other children, however, Curry said that she forgot to take her youngest son to another relative's house.

After receiving a call from a close friend inquiring about her kids, Curry admitted 'I just forgot all about dropping the baby off.'

It was several hours before cops were called to the scene, but Emporia Police Chief Rick Pinksaw did not specify exactly how long.

'It appears through the course of our investigation, that the child was left in the vehicle for an extended period of time,' Pinksaw told ABC News.

'We're having a hard time wrapping our heads around how this could occur...It's a tragic situation.'

Police and emergency medical units arrived at the parking lot at 9pm. After performing CPR, the small child was rushed to the hospital. Doctors said the infant died shortly after arriving at urgent care.

'I don't understand how anybody could leave a child in a vehicle,' Pinksaw said.

'With the way the weather is with the heat, I just think, you know, if you put kids in your car, you need to account for those kids when you get out of the car... These kids are helpless and they depend on their parents or their caregivers to take care of them,' he added.

After officers performed CPR, the small child was rushed to the hospital but doctors were ultimately unsuccessful in reviving the toddler, Emporia Police Chief Rick Pinksaw (pictured) said

No charges have been filed against Curry, with Emporia law enforcement noting that the decision will be up to prosecutors.

Emporia recorded temperatures in the low 90s on Friday with a heat index - or what it feels like - of 96 degrees, according to ABC News.

Health experts say that temperatures as low as 60 can still pose a danger to young children, noting that their bodies heat up three to fives times faster than adults especially if they're constrained to a car seat.

Children start to become ill when a vehicle heats up to 104 degrees, with heatstroke setting in at 107 degrees.

An average of 37 children die every year in America from being left in hot cars, according to noheatstroke.org, an advocacy website run by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University.

At least 33 children have died of heatstroke inside vehicles nationwide this year, including four in Virginia.

The website notes that most cases involve parents forgetting their children inside the car, or unsupervised kids playing inside vehicles.

'Heat stroke deaths happen to really, really great parents,' Trnka said. 'All it takes is a change in your routine.'

Authorities say they will release more details on the child's death once they are known.A British couple have told of the terrifying moment they jumped from their car with their two young children and ran for their lives as a bridge in Genoa,Italy, crumbled.

Thirty-nine people are so far confirmed dead as rescuers wade through the rubble to find survivors.

Those on the Morandi bridge who managed to reach safety have recounted the horrifying moment they ran for survival.

British couple Nicola and Lisa Henton-Mitchell, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, were four days into a three-week holiday when they stopped at a rest area in Italy with their two children.

Little did they know it, the family's brief delay may have saved their lives.

'We had stopped at a service station to use the toilet,' Lisa said. 'Thank God, or it could have been worse.'

The family and their children were running for their lives from the viaduct collapse in Genoa before finding safety in a tunnel

Italians helped the family to translate inside the tunnel as they tried to figure out what to do next

'I was driving. The rain was so severe you could only see a few cars in front of you.

'Something didn't feel right. We felt we were sliding to the right.'

Nicola added: 'The car moved sideways and we shuddered.

'We thought it was the wind but now we wonder if it was the road twisting.'

It was only when they spotted brake lights in front of them they realised there was a problem.

'Everyone's red lights came on,' Lisa said.

'Then it seemed like seconds later the reverse lights came on.

The 50-year-old bridge crumbled as cars and trucks made their way to the other side - killing at least 39 people

Dozens of people sought safety in the same tunnel after abandoning their vehicles on the bridge and running to safety

Soaking wet and scared families were taken down from the bridge on buses. A family from Oxfordshire which survived said they are glad to be safe

At least 39 people have died, 12 are in critical condition and several more are missing following the bridge collapse at 11.30am on Tuesday

A survivor with a head would is winched out of the debris on a stretcher by a fire crew after being found among the rubble

'The car in front reversed and crashed into us. Nobody could really move.'

The couple's daughter had no shoes on and it was not possible to pick her up, the couple recalled, as a tidal wave of people headed to their spot.

Their son grabbed a bag which had their passports and phone in.

The family headed for a tunnel through the driving rain with car doors swinging open in their path.

Lisa said: 'When we got to the tunnel, everybody was crying, distraught.'

Strangers helped them with dry clothes from their own cases so the children could dry off.

Their car remains on the bridge as only those 250 metres from the crash site have been moved.

The family's insurance firm has refused to fly them home and they remain in Italy.

Nicola and Lisa Henton-Mitchell, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, were four days into a three-week holiday with their two children when they were forced to abandon their hire car and run for their lives

Police guarded the tunnel before transport was brought in to bring the families to safety

However, the pair have heaped praise on the people who have helped them from strangers who acted as translators to restaurant staff who gave their children free ice cream.

Lisa wrote on Facebook: Thank you everyone for you kind thoughts and comments yesterday, what a day, still can't believe it. We are waiting news on our car so not sure how long we be in Genoa, they are still trying to rescue people from the rubble which is more important.

'Lots of organising and calls to make first thing insurance car hire etc. We are all doing well though.....thank you everyone especially Mutual a lovely lady and hubby helped translate, gave us her power cable to use and Belgium lady in the tunnel giving the kids her clothes from her suitcase so they could have a dry top half. There were also a couple of men who translated for us...they were all truly lovely, kind people.'A doctor was forced off an EasyJet flight at gunpoint accused of being 'violent and aggressive' in a row over leg room.

Sam Ramsay Smith, 72, was returning to Gatwick from Amsterdam where he was treated for a rare condition that made it very difficult for him to walk.

Dr Smith paid the airline an extra 27 for a seat with more legroom - but when he got on board his seat 1E was taken by another passenger.

The father-of-three who requires a pair of walking sticks to hobble around said he was ordered off the flight when he complained to cabin crew.

A doctor was forced off an EasyJet flight (stock image) at gunpoint accused of being 'violent and aggressive' in a row over leg room

'I don't like your attitude. You have to get off the plane,' he claimed the captain told him, according to the Sun.

Dr Smith said three counter-terrorism policemen armed with sub-machine guns soon boarded the plane and demanded he leave with them.

'One said to me 'are you going to resist?' I replied 'do I look as though I am capable?'.

However, EasyJet said the doctor changed his flight last minute so the seat was already taken, and he was kicked off for attacking cabin crew.

'After changing Dr Ramsay Smith's flight at his request we were unable to assign him the same seat he had selected on his original flight,' the airline said.

'During boarding he was verbally abusive to crew over being unable to sit in this seat. The Captain tried to resolve the issue by offering two other alternative seats which he rejected.

'At this point he physically assaulted the cabin manager and police were called to escort him off the aircraft.

'The safety of our passengers and crew is always EasyJet's highest priority and we cannot tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our crew.'

Dr Smith worked as a senior NHS surgeon at Victoria Hospital in Lewes, West Sussex, for 10 years also also in Africa for Medicines Sans Frontiers.

He spends most of his retirement in Spain and was visiting colleagues in Amsterdam to get help for his rare condition.

Sam Ramsay Smith, 72, paid the airline an extra 27 for a seat (stock EasyJet cabin pictured) with more legroom - but when he got on board his seat 1E was taken by another passenger

After being stung by a bee a year ago, he suffered from erythromelalgia, which causes multiple sclerosis-like symptoms such as inflamed legs and feet.

Dr Smith said he missed a doctor's appointment in Britain because he had to fly to London the next day, and his treatment by EasyJet was 'despicable'.

He insisted despite the airline's statement that he booked the specific seat for the flight he actually tried to fly on.

'I only pushed the flight attendant when she stood on my foot, I was in agony,' he said.

'I told the captain his mother would not be proud of him... but I don't think I was abusive.'Donald Trump wished 80-year-old congresswoman Maxine Waters a happy birthday on Wednesday, throwing a veiled shot at the untamed Californian who he has tried to position this year as a symbol of the Democrats' unhinged future.

'Happy Birthday to the leader of the Democrat Party, Maxine Waters!' the president tweeted at the lawmaker whose 'ranting and raving' has giving him recurring punchlines.

Waters has made news for openly calling on Congress to impeach Trump  who has relished the opportunity to brand her a 'low-IQ' lawmaker and turn her into his default liberal foil.

'Shes like their new star!' Trump said this month during a Pennsylvania rally, drawing a chorus of boos.

The president began formulating a strategy six months ago to turn Waters into a laughingstock, according to a White House official who said he road-tested the message during the annual Gridiron Club dinner in Washington.

President Donald Trump, pictured lashing out at Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters during an August 2 rally in Pennsylvania, needled her as she turned 80 on Wednesday

Waters said Saturday that her fondest birthday wish would be Trump's impeachment and removal from office

The president has tried to frame Waters as 'the leader' of the Democratic Party, hoping her zanier antics might drive moderate voters into the arms of Republicans in the November midterm elections

'How about that one? Maxine Waters? "He must be impeached!" Thats all she knows how to say. "He must be impeached! Impeached!" Trump mocked during the March 4 white-tie affair.

'But hes done nothing wrong!' he protested, playing the voice of reason. '"Doesnt matter," they say. "What has he done wrong?"'

'I dont know! You've got to be impeached!' he needled.

'And then I say  I get in trouble for this  "She has to immediately  take an IQ test!" And people go crazy!'

Waters said Saturday on MSNBC that her fondest birthday wish is for a new commander-in-chief.

'I would wish that we could remove him from office,' she sniped.

'My biggest birthday wish would be that were able to get a leader of this country who represents us, who has the respect of all of our allies,' Waters added. 'Someone who has an appreciation for the Constitution. Someone that doesnt lie ... He doesnt even know the words to The Star-Spangled Banner.'

'This is a lying, deplorable, divisive, dangerous man who does not deserve to be the President of the United States,' she claimed, before alleging that Trump's attacks on her are racist dog-whistles.

'He's trying to frighten whites about Maxine Waters,' she said. 'Here is this black woman and she's controversial, and she's said things about me, and she does not move away from her position on impeachment et cetera. He's trying to frighten them. It's not going to work.'

Waters told MSNBC that Trump is 'trying to frighten whites' about her since she's fearless and African-American

She tweeted on Tuesday that she's focused on proving Trump's campaign colluded with Russia and making sure the president serves 'jail time'

In June the liberal congresswoman made headlines by encouraging protesters to engage and accost members of the president's Cabinet when they appear in public.

'If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them and you tell them theyre not welcome anymore, anywhere,' she urged.

Waters issued a lengthy statement on distancing herself from flag-burning protesters last month, saying they were acting to further 'their own agenda' and that the incident 'overshadowed' her calls for peaceful protests

Waters was forced to retreat in July, distancing herself from her own acolytes after a group of protesters burned an American flag in front of her district office in Los Angeles.

Photos showed the group stomping on the flag before cheering when it erupted into flames. 'This is not the American flag! This is their flag!' they chanted.

Waters insisted that the activists were acting to further 'their own agenda' and that the incident 'overshadowed' her calls for more peaceful protests.

Trump has shown no sign of toning down his own side of the conflict.

He tweeted in late June that her 'crazy rants have made her, together with Nancy Pelosi, the unhinged FACE of the Democrat Party. Together, they will Make America Weak Again! But have no fear, America is now stronger than ever before, and Im not going anywhere!'

The president added a week later that 'ranting and raving' from 'Crazy Maxine Waters ... will make people flee the Democrats!'

On Tuesday the California lawmaker fired a digital shot back at him, tweeting that 'Trump thinks he can distract us w/ his unhinged rants, meltdowns, and name calling at his rallies. Not me. I'm focused on his obstruction of justice, collusion w/ Russia, conspiracy, and jail time.'

The president's strategy, he said last month on Twitter, is to highlight Waters' 'ranting and raving' so voters 'flee the Democrats'

He has framed her as the ringleader of an opposition effort aiming to hamper immigration enforcement and trade negotiations.

'Instead of supporting our ICE officers, many of these Democrat politicians who are, really, disciples of a very low IQ person, Maxine Waters  and perhaps even worse, Nancy Pelosi  they've launched vicious smears on the brave men and women who defend our communities,' he said during a July 24 speech to veterans in Kansas City.

A month earlier in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin Trump said Democrats 'have a new leader, Maxine Waters. This is their new leader!

'Any deal you make, they have no idea what the deal is,' he charged.More than 500,000 students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are anxiously awaiting their A-level results tomorrow.

Sixth-formers face a nail-biting night ahead of the release time of 9.30am, when they will learn if they have gained the grades they need to secure a university place.

Some pupils took to Twitter to share tongue-in-cheek memes as they spoke of their fear, while others reassured them that there are always options whatever they get.

Students searching for a last-minute degree place on results day tomorrow are likely to find a buyers' market with tens of thousands of courses still available.

Virtually all universities  including three quarters of the UK's most selective institutions  are listing undergraduate courses in Clearing on the UCAS website.

Law, languages, engineering, astrophysics, maths and English are among subjects with availability, amid huge competition between universities to attract candidates.

It has also been suggested that top A-level pass rates could drop this year in part due to the rising numbers of unconditional degree offers handed out by universities.

There are warnings that the hike in these guaranteed places could mean students have 'taken their foot off the pedal', leading to lower overall A-level results.

In total, almost 68,000 of these offers have been made to 18-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this year, up from less than 3,000 just five years ago.

It has sparked concerns from ministers and school leaders, who say the practice undermines the university system's credibility and puts youngsters' futures at risk.

There have been major changes to A-levels in England, with a move away from coursework and modular exams throughout the course.

Last year the first grades were awarded in the first 13 subjects to be reformed in England.The RAF intercepted six Russian bombers flying close to NATO airspace over the Black Sea and forced them to turn back.

The Eurofighter Typhoons launched early on Monday from their base in Romania after the Russian Su-24 Fencer planes were spotted, the RAF said.

It said there was 'significant Russian air activity through most of the night' until the aircraft eventually turned towards Crimea.

The Eurofighter Typhoons (RAF stock pictured) launched early on Monday from their base in Romania to intercept six Russian bombers flying close to NATO airspace over the Black Sea

The RAF said the operation was in accordance with the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission with NATO ally Romania.

RAF jets helped 'deter Russian aggression, reassure our friends in Romania, and assure NATO allies of our commitment to collective defence'.

Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor earlier said such 'provocations' by Russia became 'frequent' in recent months.

RAF fighters intercepted Russian bombers eight times in the past two years - five in 2016 and three in 2016 - headed towards British airspace.

The six Russian Su-24 Fencer planes (stock pictured) were forced to turn back to Crimea

Most recently two Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack bombers were intercepted by Typhoons just 30 miles from British airspace.

Four RAF Typhoons are deployed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in southeast Romania where several hundred U.S. troops are also stationed.

The move was part of NATO's beefed-up defences on its eastern flank following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The U.S. Air Force has four F-15C Eagles based in neighbouring Bulgaria.Florin Ghinea, 43, who is suspected of running an international crime ring, and was arrested when officers from the National Crime Agency swooped in today

Armed police have arrested one of Europe's most wanted men leaving a gym today.

Florin Ghinea, 43, who is suspected of running an international crime ring, was arrested when officers from the National Crime Agency swooped in today.

Ghinea is accused of a host of criminal activities, including human trafficking, conspiracy to murder, blackmail and money laundering in his native Romania.

The suspected criminal kingpin, who goes by the nickname Ghenosu, is accused of running sex trafficking ring where Romanian women are forced to travel to Ireland, Finland and Dubai to work as prostitutes.

He also allegedly plotted to murder a criminal rival.

The 43-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday facing extradition back to Romania.

He will next appear at the same court on September 25.

National Crime Agency deputy director Tom Dowdall said: 'Ghinea was being sought by the Romanian authorities for some extremely serious offences including human trafficking and murder, and was quite rightly regarded as one of Europe's most wanted.'Bra tycoon and Scottish Tory peer Michelle Mone has blasted an MP as a 'SNP moron,' after she criticised one of her daughters for appearing on Channel 4's Born Famous.

Bethany Mone is to head to Bridgeton in Glasgow's East End - where her mother grew up - to take part in the new four part reality show that sees the offspring of celebrities spend a week in deprived communities.

There they will 'live the life they would have lived had their parents not found fame'.

Jack Ramsay, son of TV chef Gordon Ramsay, will also appear on Born Famous, as well as Phoenix Chi, daughter of Spice Girl and America's Got Talent judge Mel B.

But the MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss described the programme as 'poverty safari' in a response to a post on Twitter.

Michelle Mone (pictured on Good Morning Britain) has blasted MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss, as a 'SNP moron' after Thewliss called new Channel 4 programme Born Famous a 'poverty safari'

Michelle Mone (right) with her daughter Bethany (left) who will be appearing on new Channel 4 show Born Famous

Gordon Ramsay striking a pose with his son Jack Ramsay. Jack Ramsay will be appearing in the new Channel 4, Born Famous programme

Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B, with her daughter Phoenix Gulzar who will also be appearing on Born Famous

Ms Thewliss tweeted: 'Utterly despicable exploitation of a kind, close-knit community. No area deserves 'poverty safari' treatment, but particularly cruel of @MichelleMone to use East End roots to pick on Bridgeton, which has seen change led by local people, supported @clydegateway. @bridgeton-cc.'

In a Twitter thread, Lady Mone said she felt the need to address the comments on social media on the show her daughter will appear in.

She wrote: 'The rumours are frankly false gossip. My daughter Bethany has had an invaluable and overwhemingly positive experience filming recently.

'It's so disappointing that people have made a snap judgement on what the series is about and I hope they will reserve further judgement for when they are able to view it.

'I have so much respect for my background, home and the people of Glasgow especially the East End which you'll be able to see very soon.

'Another SNP moron opening their mouth again without knowing the facts and trying to cause trouble.'

In January, Lady Mone directed the insult at SNP MP Stewart McDonald after he critcised her record in the Lords.

MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss (pictured) described the programme as 'poverty safari' in a response to a post on Twitter.

He tweeted: 'Since becoming a Baroness and legislator - for which she is entitled to 300 per day - Ms Mone has submitted no questions to the Government and taken part in only two votes. Still, she's sold some jewellery.'

Lady Mone has given just three speeches in the her time in the Lords.

Darren Loki McGarvey, whose book Poverty Safari recently won the Orwell Prize, also waded into the online debate.

He tweeted: 'If they want to 'confront their feeling of privelege', I'd be happy to have a chat with them. I know they might mean well, but class experiences can be so divergent that good intentions may appear extremely vulgar and patronising.'

Channel 4 commissioning editor Emily Jones said Born Famous was about addressing the opportunities that exist for working class children.

Speaking about the show, she said: 'There is a myth that talent will out whatever the circumstances. Using extraordinary access to some of our most successful celebrities, Born Famous is a novel way to explore the degree to which we're all in denial about how hard it is to be young today.'

Followers of Ms Thewliss backed her argument, with many aiming their own comments at Mone.

One user said: 'Well done @alisonthewliss.. too many people forget their old a*** * she could've raised her wean with a respect for where she came from and how far she'd come, rather than use it as a prop for more tacky TV ! * TV doesn't seem interested in the nicer reminiscence'.Florida prosecutors have decided not to file domestic battery charges against Lindsay Lohan's stepmother.

Kate Major Lohan was arrested on July 26 after her husband, Michael, told Boca Raton police that she threw a glass candleholder at him during a fight over a cellphone while drunk.

The Mean Girls' star's father said the candleholder smashed against a palm tree and shards of glass cut his left forearm.

Scroll down for 911 call

Florida prosecutors have decided not to file domestic battery charges against Kate Major Lohan, 35 (pictured left in her latest mugshot), two weeks after her fight with husband Michael (pictured together in 2010, right)

Prosecutors cited insufficient evidence in the case against Major Lohan and an uncooperative victim (Pictured: Major Lohan appears in court on July 27)

According to a Palm Beach Post report, court records show prosecutors decided not to file charges Friday against the 35-year-old Major Lohan because of insufficient evidence and an uncooperative victim.

Both Michael and Kate have faced previous allegations of domestic abuse stemming from arguments.

On his call to the police placed just minutes after the couple's quarrel at their Boca Raton home on July 26, Michael, 58, declared: my wifes drunk... she just threw a glass candle [holder] and cut my arm.

He then went on to elaborate that his spouse of nearly four years had been 'drinking in a room' prior to the violent outburst.

When the dispatcher asked if the caller required medical attention from paramedics, he declined.

Both Michael and Kate, who married in 2014, have faced previous allegations of domestic abuse stemming from arguments

Asked if Major Lohan was separated from him, Michael replied: 'no, she lives with me, but she's been arrested a number of times.'

The operator then inquired if Major Lohan has weapons in the house, to which the husband said that she's got knifes and volunteered the information that Kate had threatened him with knives in the past.

Michael then urged the emergency dispatcher to send officers to the house.

Major Lohan is the stepmother of Freaky Friday star Lindsay, pictured above in Madrid in 2017

I'm afraid, I dont know what she's gonna do next, he said.

At the time of her arrest, Major Lohan told police she did not know how her husband got the cut on his arm.

During her initial court appearance, Kate broke down in tears and the presiding judge remarked that it seemed to him there was a 'serious alcohol problem here.'

The Palm Beach Post reported that police took Kate Lohan into custody last August for a mental health evaluation after she and husband got into an argument over their children.

Kate was accused of kicking a police officer in nearby Delray Beach in 2016.

In March 2014, she was sentenced to eight months in jail and a year of probation for DUI.

She married Lohan immediately after her release, in October 2014.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn recently sparked international controversy after attending a ceremony and laying a wreath in Tunis, Tunisia in 2014 at a memorial service that allegedly honored the Black September terror group behind the 1972 Munich massacre in Germany.

Corbyn, however, has denied that the service explicitly honored the Black September members, stating that he was actually there to commemorate the 47 victims of a 1985 Israeli air strike and that he took part in the ceremony as a way to honor all victims of terrorism.

The Labour leader condemned the 1972 Munich massacre, stating it was 'appalling. Totally wrong by any stretch of the imagination. I condemn all killing. All killing is wrong.'

Eleven Israeli Olympic athletes, pictured above, were killed during the 1972 Munich massacre

But just what exactly happened in the 1972 massacre at the Munich Summer Olympics? Heres all you need to know about it.

Munich massacre at 1972 Summer Olympics

The Munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany in which the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September took eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage and subsequently killed them. A West German police officer was also killed in the attack.

The terrorist attack took place from approximately 4:30am local time on September 5, 1972 until about 1:30am am local time on September 6, 1972.

The incident started as a hostage crisis in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972 after eight armed members of the Black September terror group infiltrated the Munich Olympic Village and used stolen keys to enter two apartments being used by the Israeli Olympic team.

Some team members resisted the intrusion, ultimately leading to the deaths of two of them. Ultimately, the terror group took nine hostages, with a spokesman for them demanding the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel and Red Army Faction leaders Ulrike Meinhof and Andreas Baader in West Germany. Black September also demanded a plane for their own escape.

After debating whether to engage in negotiations with the terrorist group, West German authorities ultimately determined that a rescue attempt would be the only way to solve the crisis. They decided to feign an agreement with Black September, allowing them to transport the bound hostages to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base nearby.

Nine hostages were taken by the Black September terrorist group during the Munich massacre

The West German police decided to secretly ambush the Black September members there with snipers, but the plan suffered from poor communication, improper planning and an inadequate number of sharpshooters to eliminate all of the terrorists efficiently.

At the airport, the Black September members became aware of their deception and engaged in a fierce gun battle with West German police. Despite premature media reports that the hostages had all been successfully rescued, all of them were ultimately killed in the failed rescue attempt by gunfire or grenades from Black September members.

The Black September members were all killed by around 1:30am local time on September 6. However, the tragedy that resulted from the botched rescue attempt was summed up by ABC reporter Jim McKay who was covering the Summer Olympics and hostage crisis: When I was a kid, my father used to say "Our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized." Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They've now said that there were eleven hostages. Two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone.

Despite erroneous reports that the hostages were freed, all were killed during the massacre

What was Black September?

Black September was a terrorist organization founded in September 1970 as an offshoot of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

A secular nationalist terrorist group, it notoriously launched a number of other terrorist attacks during its existence in addition to the Munich attack, including assassinating Jordanian Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tal in November 1971 and hijacking Sabena Flight 572 in May 1972 during its flight from Vienna to Lod, Israel.

The group was ultimately disbanded by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in September 1973.This is the incredible moment a villager in Khadiya climbed a 160-feet-high transmission tower to rescue a monkey.

Villagers tried to encourage the monkey to come down by offering bananas and nuts amid fears it was at risk of getting electrocuted.

But the animal refused to budge and sat impassively at the top of tower with a long rope around its neck.

Villager Jitendar Kumar said: 'The langur climbed the transmission tower on Sunday.

'Later, we found that its neck's rope was stuck in the tower and it couldn't escape. '

The villagers informed the local police on August 7, who requested the help of an animal rescue organisation, Wildlife SOS.

Three volunteers of the organisation climbed the huge tower with tools to help catch the monkey.

A langur monkey jumped 160-feet off an electricity pylon and landed safely on the ground

Three volunteers climbed the pylon to rescue the monkey which freed itself afterwards

Watching them coming up the monkey struggled frantically and managed to free itself.

Though weakened from hunger and dehydration, it leaped from 100-feet-high, making a dramatic landing on its four limbs and ran away.

It ran into a huge crowd of villagers applauding its successful landing.

A local police officer Prashant Tyagi said: 'Power supply was cut for over three hours to help experts rescue the monkey.'Advertisement

Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School returned to a heavily secured campus on Wednesday as they began their first new academic year since a gunman killed 17 people in the freshman building.

A total of $6.5 million has been spent on security enhancements, including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance.

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence, while guards greeted them with German shepherds and a law enforcement helicopter hovered overhead.

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence on the first day back at school at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday

Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie (centre) greets students as they arrive at the high school, seven months after the shooting in which 17 people died

Some students said they still did not feel safe despite the heavy police presence (pictured) and $6.5 million spent on security enhancements, including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance

Samantha Deitsch, 15, said she's grateful for the changes, but 'there's literally no place that I am every day that I feel 100 percent safe and the thought doesn't go through my head that someone could come in with a gun.'

Anijah Avera, 16, said she mostly doesn't think about the shooting except for 'a little bit this morning... we have better security now so I feel a little more at ease.'

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors will be on patrol.

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter.

Visitors will have only one way in, and they'll be screened through a video intercom system.

The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell.

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors will be on patrol to guard the high school students

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter

Guards checked cars arriving at the high school and a helicopter hovered overhead as a throng of media watched from across the street

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter. Pictured: Sheriff's deputies keep watch outside the school

All classroom doors have new hardware that automatically locks when doors are pulled shut.

Witnesses said teacher Scott Beigel and student Joaquin Oliver were fatally shot as they ushered students inside to safety, in part because the old hardware required relocking from the outside.

Many reminders have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials.

But the freshman building still stands as a solemn memorial to the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case.

The classes it once held have been diverted to nearly three dozen new portable classrooms.

Aria Siccone, 15, was there during the Valentine's Day rampage. She watched one of her classmates pounding on the classroom door, trying to flee the shooter, and remains haunted by his terror-stricken face moments before he was gunned down.

The gunshots started shortly after he knocked, and they couldn't let him in. When a SWAT team later led her out of the building, she saw bodies in the hallway.

'I am happy to be able to see all of my friends, but I have been very anxious about returning to school,' she said. 'I'm scared of being at any school, not only Douglas, because I feel unsafe no matter how much security we have.'

Crossing guard Tony Sorrentino helps students as they walk over a black and white crossing of their first day back to the Florida school

Visitors will have only one way in, and they will be screened through a video intercom system, in one of many measures intended to prevent a repeat of this year's massacre

The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell

The freshman building still stands as a solemn reminder of the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case. Pictured: Students prepare to enter the campus

Deitsch, who spent her summer meeting with state lawmakers to advocate for gun safety, texted with her friends Tuesday night about first-day jitters and what their teachers would be like.

She got a new backpack. She's grateful she'll be sharing a lunch period with some of them. But her friend Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed, won't be with them.

'The stress, the nerves, all that normal stuff is still there,' she said. 'It's like normal teenager stuff and at the same time it's not normal teenager stuff.'

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request.

'It feels like it happened yesterday, so there's a lot of emotion going on. It's still a challenging time for students and faculty.'

The school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request

A Broward County Sheriff officer checks various forms of ID from people arriving at the high school amid heavy security around campus

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the shooting still feels like it happened 'yesterday' so it was important to ensure the students (pictured) received enough support

Marcos Aguirre, 16, said he tries not to think about that day, and is trying to move forward. 'I like this school. I'm happy to be back,' he said.

The case against shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz continues in court, where the Broward County school board wants a judge to hold the South Florida Sun Sentinel in contempt, and other issues involving evidence and a trial date could come up at a Wednesday hearing.

The board claims the newspaper violated court orders by publishing details about Cruz's educational background that were supposed to be redacted to protect his privacy.

The newspaper contends the board had already exposed those details by mistakenly releasing them in a way anyone could see.

Many reminders of the massacre have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials. The freshman building has to remain standing so prosecutors can use it for their legal case against suspect Nikolas Cruz

Charlie Shebes, 16, a junior at Majory Stoneman Douglas, gets a kiss from his mother Amy as he leaves from home for school

Shebes was at the school last year when several of his classmates were shot. Here, he is seen heading into school on his skateboardLondon mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Transport Secretary to give him the power to limit the number of Uber drivers in London following a similar move in New York.

Mr Khan wrote to Chris Grayling stating that the 'huge increase' in mini cabs in the English capital was causing increased congestion, pollution and leaving many drivers struggling to earn enough money to support themselves and their families.

He stated that the number of private hire drivers in London had almost doubled from 60,000 in 2011 to 110,000.

Last week, New York approved a cap on the number of licences for ride-hailing cars, which will impact app-based services such as Uber and Lyft.

Mr Khan described this as a 'necessary step'.

He wrote: 'Unlike New York, I don't have the power to cap the number of private hire vehicles in London.

'I am writing to again urge the Government to grant me that power as the Mayor of London - alongside appropriate restrictions on cross-border hiring, to enable Londoners, like New Yorkers, to breathe better air and live in a less congested city.'

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (left) has asked for more power from Chris Grayling (right)

An Uber spokesman said: 'Uber is committed to helping address congestion and air pollution and we strongly support the Mayor's ultra low emission zone.

'Already more than half of the miles travelled with Uber are in hybrid or electric vehicles.

'By competing with private cars, getting more people into fewer vehicles and investing in our clean air plan, we can be a part of solution in London.'

A 2016 taxi driver protest against Uber. Drivers blocked Whitehall demonstrating in London

In June a judge granted Uber a short-term operating licence in London after its permit was initially not renewed over safety concerns.

The firm conceded it had made 'serious mistakes' and that Transport for London (TfL) was correct in its September decision, but told an appeal hearing it had made 'wholesale' reforms.

The New York Uber crackdown dealt another huge blow to Uber and other car-for-hire companies.

Uber drivers protest fare cuts and go on strike in front of the New York offices in 2016

The initial rise of car-for-hire apps brought New York's iconic yellow cabs to their knees and since December, six yellow-cab drivers have committed suicide.

Those deaths have been linked to desperation over plummeting income. T

he increased competition has slashed the value of yellow cab taxi licenses from more than $1 million in 2014 to less than $200,000 today.

The new bill stipulates a 12-month cap on all new for-hire-vehicle licenses, unless they are wheelchair accessible, as well as minimum pay requirements for app drivers.Michigan State Police announced on Wednesday that the cold-case of missing Andrew Greer has been solved

Investigators have finally solved the nearly 40 year cold-case of a Michigan teen who vanished in 1979 after leaving school.

Andrew 'Drew' Greer was 15 years old when he disappeared on February 12, 1979. The teen was last seen leaving Addison High School in Lenawee County.

The disappearance was investigated, but the case went cold that same year when Michigan State Police could not find any leads. The case was re-opened and went cold again in 2000.

In 2014, Greer's half-brother James Bowman contacted media outlets hoping to spark renewed interest in his sibling's disappearance. Bowman's attempts to have the case re-opened again would lead investigators to a pauper's grave in Georgia, more than 760 miles from where Greer vanished.

On Wednesday, Michigan State Police announced that the case had finally been solved and DNA testing confirmed that the remains in the grave belonged to 15-year-old Greer.

Authorities determined that the teen had runaway after leaving school and was struck and killed by a semi-truck while hitchhiking on Interstate 75 in Macon days after his disappearance.

Due to lack of technology at that time and no one coming forward to claim the teen's body, the case had gone cold.

'It's a bittersweet ... ending,' Bowman told the Detroit News. 'Of course, as a family we all wanted him to be alive. But today we get the closure, it's officially him and he's been found.'

Bowman, who was four when Greer vanished, said he wishes their mother was still alive to witness the case come to an end. He said their mom died last year and 'dealt with the agony of wanting to know what happened'. Greer's father died in 2015.

Greer was 15 years old when he vanished after leaving school on February 12, 1979

The teen's remains were found buried in an unmarked grave in Georgia, more than 760 miles from where he disappeared

'It was my trying to help my mom find that answer that led us to this place,' Bowman said. 'Hopefully, she knows the truth today.'

According to the Daily Telegram, a teenage boy walking along Interstate 75 in Macon, Georgia was struck by a semi-truck and killed on February 14, 1979. The boy had no identification and no one came forward to claim his remains so he was buried in an unmarked grave at Evergreen Cemetery. At that time, police in Georgia did not know a teenage boy had gone missing in Michigan.

Bibb County sheriff's deputy Anthony Strickland, who is now retired, attended the funeral and never gave up trying to identify the unnamed teen in the grave.

'It stuck with me, I knew he was here. No name, no marker,' Strickland told WMAZ, saying that he searched databases in the '80s and '90s trying to find a match.

In 2000, Michigan State Police Sgt. Larry Rothman entered Greer's information into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System before he retired. He said he would periodically check for updates on the case even after he left the force.

Strickland, still trying to identify the 'John Doe' in the grave, said in December 2017 he came across a missing person's report on a website and noticed the dates matched that of the John Doe's death.

'It was him. I knew it. It had to be,' Strickland told the outlet. 'I just prayed that the Lord would let me find him and send him home. Somebody had to love him and care about him.'

Bibb County sheriff's deputy Anthony Strickland helped exhume the remains at the grave and close the case

Authorities said Greer had runaway from home and hitchhiked to Macon, Georgia when he was hit by a truck and killed

Strickland contacted Rothman in February 2018 and two detectives compared notes. Realizing that there were connections between the two cases, they began working together.

In April of this year, Rothman, Strickland and several police agencies had the remains exhumed from the Georgia grave.

The DNA was sent to the University of North Texas where a forensic analyst showed the sample was 1.9 trillion times more likely to be Greer than not.

'Together, the DNA results and police reports conclude they are one in the same,' Michigan State Police announced in a press release.

According to investigators Greer left Michigan headed to Florida where he had family members. They said the teen hitchhiked to Georgia but was struck and killed by a truck while walking along the interstate in Macon.

Authorities are working to return the remains to the family. Bowman said they will cremate the remains and hold a memorial service in Michigan.President Donald Trump took his own counsel when he attacked Omarosa Maginault Newman as a 'dog'  but he ignored a warning from his wife to ignore his former reality TV costar.

First Lady Melania Trump urged her husband to 'stay above' a public spat with Omarosa, the president told advisors, Axios reported Wednesday.

A White House official confirmed her posture on the issue to DailyMail.com.

Other aides cautioned that going after the former 'Apprentice' contestant and highly-paid White House official would only boost sales of Omarosa's book,' Unhinged.

PLAY IT COOL: First Lady Melania Trump urged her husband to avoid a public spat with Omarosa Manifault Newman, the president told advisors. Instead he blasted her as a 'dog' on Twitter

But Trump was either unwilling or unable to resist getting into a high-profile spat with the former contestant who writes she considered him a mentor  though she now calls him a 'racist' who is 'unfit' to be president with a diminished mental capacity.

Trump took the fight up another level when he tweeted that Manigault Newman was a 'dog' on Tuesday.

Trump tweeted: 'When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didnt work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog,' he said, referencing the firing by the White House chief of staff that Omarosa recorded and then released.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, leave the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 18, 2018, as they travel to Andrews Air Force Base to pay their respects to the family of fallen U.S. Secret Service special agent Nole Edward Remagen who suffered a stroke, and later died, while on duty in Scotland

Advisors told the president that by taking on Omarosa, it would drive her book sales

With public attention swirling around Omarosa's book on her media tour, it drew even more attention to her incendiary and unverified charges that there is a tape from the first season of 'The Apprentice' of Trump using the 'N word' caught on video tape.

The first lady's spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request to respond to the report on her advice about handling Omarosa.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was unable at Tuesday's White House press briefing to 'guarantee' that such a tape would not emerge, giving added credibility to the charge.

Then Sanders had to issue a rare apology Tuesday night after she delivered a harangue about black unemployment figures while fending off Omarosa's charge that Trump was racist.

The controversy with Trump has helped generate a series of media appearances for Omarosa in her war against the Trump White House

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders apologized for saying the wrong time frame in which African American employment rose under President Barack Obama  an argument she made passionately while defending Trump against charges of racism in Omarosa's book

ONLY OFF BY 3 MILLION: 'I'm sorry for the mistake, but no apologies for the 700,000 jobs for African Americans created under President Trump' Sanders said in her apology

The statistics she cited, which inaccurately and drastically diminished black unemployment gains under President Obama, were off by about 3 million jobs.

'Correction from today's briefing: Jobs numbers for Pres Trump and Pres Obama were correct, but the time frame for Pres Obama wasn't,' Sanders wrote on Twitter.

The public spat has also brought former Trump campaign aides in the fray, and caught some of them in inaccurate statements dismissing some of Omarosa's before she released tapes of conversations that occurred.

The reported split over how to handle Omarosa is just the latest among the first lady and Trump, who considers himself to be a masterful media strategist.

The first lady's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, issued a public statement that the first lady will watch 'any channel she wants' after the New York Times reported Trump was upset when his wife's channel was tuned to CNN on a trip to Europe.Virginia property owner John' Jack' Andrews, 77, has been charged with five counts of abduction, using/displaying a firearm in the commission of a felony and brandishing a firearm at his Airbnb tenants

A Virginia property developer has been arrested on abduction and firearms charges after officials say he pointed a gun at his tenants who had allegedly vandalized his multimillion-dollar Airbnb rental.

John 'Jack' Andrews, 77, was released on bond on Monday after spending the weekend in jail following his arrest on five counts of abduction, use/displaying a firearm in the commission of a felony and brandishing a firearm.

But his lawyer has argued that it was Andrews who was the real victim.

On Saturday night, an employee summoned Andrews to his high-end rental property, known as Spring Glade Farms, located on Snickersville Turnpike in Middleburg, Virginia, telling him the house was a shambles and there was blood everywhere.

Scroll down for video

Andrews was summoned on Saturday to his high-end property, Spring Glade Farms in Middleburg, Virginia, by an employee telling him that his house was a shambles

Andrews was greeted by the sight of smashed windows and doors, broken furniture (pictured) and blood everywhere

A fight had reportedly broken out between Andrews' renters during a party, resulting in extensive damage (pictured above) . Andrews was arrested after pointing a gun at the guests

A smashed bottle of beer and a crumpled Solo cup are pictured at the scene of the crime

Upon arrival, Andrews was greeted by the sight of smashed furniture, shattered windows and doors, shards of glass, broken bottles and pools of blood all over the 80-acre estate featuring a lake and a swimming pool, which the developer has been trying to sell for $4.75million.

As he later learned, the large amount of blood was from a violent brawl that had broken out among his tenants earlier in the evening.

It looked like there was a mass murder from his perspective there, Andrews' attorney, James Campbell, told NBC Washington.

Fearing for his safety, the 77-year-old developer entered the estate with his gun drawn, according to court documents cited by Loudon Times Mirror.

Andrews was confronted by a dozen people, whom he ordered to stay put until Loudon County Sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene. Half of the renters had fled by the time officers arrived.

Andrews has been trying to sell his sprawling lakeside estate for $4.75million

His lawyer says his renters have inflicted up to $80,000 worth of damage on the property

The four-bedroom, 5.5-bath home with a two-car garage and a swimming pool was built in 1980

None of Andrews' clients have been arrested or charged with any crime in connection to the fight that has left his luxury home a shambles (pictured before the incident)

Armed with his gun, Andrews allegedly blocked one vehicle carrying multiple people with his truck to prevent them from leaving.

The responding deputies questioned the remaining tenants and let them go without any charges.

According to the sheriff's office, Andrews' clients hosted a party at Spring Glade Farms, which was crashed by some uninvited guests.

At one point during the revelry, some of the party guests came to blows, but no one called 911 and no victims have come forward to press charges.

Andrews' tenants were apparently in the process of cleaning up when he arrived and made what his lawyer's described as a citizens arrest.

Airbnb released a statement to DailyMail.com on Thursday, noting that of the more than 300 million guest arrivals in Airbnb listings, 'negative incidents are extremely rare.'

A spokesperson for the company stated that Andrews' renters have been removed from Airbnb.

'We have zero-tolerance policies for vandalism and unwanted physical contact of any kind,' the statement read. 'The safety of our community is our priority.'

According to the homeowner's attorney, his four-bedroom, 5.5-bath property, described on a website as an 'elegant French styled country estate,' has sustained between $50,000-$80,000 in damage.

Andrews is due back in court on September 25.The trainer who has been charged with lying about what happened to former New England Patriots star Jerod Mayo's dog has claimed she did not cause his death.

Amelia Ferreira, 41, was charged with one count of obstruction of justice after Mayo's five-year-old English bulldog was found dead inside a trash bag at her home.

The discovery came more than a month after Ferreira told police that the dog, named Knox, had run off during a walk.

Ferreira is now speaking out for the first time, calling herself a 'coward' for 'not being honest' about what happened to the poor pup.

Amelia Ferreira (left), the trainer charged with lying about what happened to former New England Patriots star Jerod Mayo's dog Knox (right), has claimed she did not cause his death

Ferreira, 41, was charged with one count of obstruction of justice after Mayo's English bulldog was found dead inside a trash bag at her home. Knox is seen here in the Mayo Christmas card

'I don't know why Knox died and it eats at me every day that his family is still left not knowing what caused his death,' she told The Sun Chronicle.

'I didn't make the right decisions but what I am 100 percent sure of is that I absolutely did not hurt Knox nor did I do anything to him that caused his death.'

Ferreira left Knox in a crate in a room with air conditioning at her home in Cranston, Rhode Island on June 22.

When she returned four hours later after training another dog, Ferreira went to feed Knox and discovered that he was dead.

'I sat there on the floor holding Knox in my lap, crying for what seemed like hours,' she said. 'I was scared to death and had no clue what to do.'

Ferreira said she was scared to tell the Mayo family what had happened to their beloved pup and found that 'lying was easier'.

'I wasn't only acting like a coward, I was being selfish,' she said. 'Telling the truth would have been hard.'

'I allowed fear to cloud my judgement and made decisions that hurt other people.'

Following Knox's death, the Mayo family said they were given a series of excuses when they tried to pick him up.

Mayo took aim at the trainer on Instagram, questioning how someone who supposedly loves animals could hide a beloved family pet 'in a closet for two months'

Ferreira said she was scared to tell the Mayo family what had happened to their beloved pup and that 'lying was easier'

Six days later, Ferreira told police that the pup had run off during a walk in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

The Mayos enlisted private investigators and even scuba divers in an effort to find their dog.

Authorities first searched Ferreira's house on July 9 to arrest her husband Darrel Ferreira (pictured) on domestic assault charges. They also seized five of his dogs

Ferreira then went on to change her story, later claiming that that the dog had been in a crate inside her apartment but had gone missing.

Authorities first searched Ferreira's house on July 9 to arrest her husband Darrel Ferreira on domestic assault charges.

They also seized five dogs that lived with the 41-year-old in his basement. He and Ferreira reside in the same house but have separate living quarters.

Officers found that the five dogs were in poor health and have since charged Darrel with animal cruelty as well.

Ferreira first put Knox in a bag and a box behind her shed after she discovered him dead, according to police.

She brought the dog back inside the house a week later because she allegedly planned to blame his death on Darrel.

Knox was later found in a trash bag in a closet at her home on August 5. Tests to determine Knox's cause of death were inconclusive. He showed no signs of trauma.

Ferreira told investigators she decided to be truthful because she was scared her own dogs would be taken away.

'I lost sight of those who are really important and that's Knox and his family,' Ferreira said in a statement.

'I will never be able to apologize enough to make things right but I hope that maybe one day they are able to forgive me.'

Mayo and his wife Chantel have been open about their pain over losing Knox, as well as their anger at Ferreira.

'To think that he was in a trash bag? Is that what they really thought of him? That he was a piece of trash?' Chantel told reporters last week.

And Mayo hit out at Ferreira for sending his family on a 'wild goose hunt' and putting his four children through an 'emotional roller coaster'.

Mayo and his wife Chantel have been open about their pain over losing Knox, as well as their anger at Ferreira

'It's disgusting and inhumane that a company full of "dog lovers" would hide a family pet IN A CLOSET FOR TWO MONTHS,' Mayo wrote in an Instagram post.

'We've hired scuba teams, private investigators, lawyers and more when they knew they HAD HIM IN THEIR HOME IN A TRASH BAG tucked away the whole two months. Yeah, A TRASH BAG!'

Mayo expressed his disappointment that Ferreira was only facing an obstruction of justice charge

'We raised Knox like our child, as you guys can see from our photos and those of you who know us. It hurts to have to accept that our beloved Knox was thought of as trash as they saw our family hurting.'

Mayo also expressed his disappointment that Ferreira was only facing an obstruction of justice charge.

'Not animal cruelty or filing false police reports or for plain ole tossing someone's family member in a trash bag and storing it!' he wrote.

'We still have work to do...we need to bring awareness to this problem so it never happens again. This is just getting started.'

Before Knox was found, Mayo wrote a heartbreaking Instagram post about how hurt his family was feeling without their beloved dog.

'July has always been our favorite month,' Mayo wrote. 'It's the month we were married and had our first two babies.'

'It's safe to say this July was a far cry from our norm. I worked hard to make it feel normal as possible with a piece of our puzzle missing. I'm still working hard towards the big request to #bringhomeknox.'

Ferreira has pleaded innocent to charges of obstructing justice in Cranston. She faces similar charges in Wrentham and will be arraigned next month.Investigators are trying to identify a man who stayed at hostels under the alias, 'Ben Bilemy'

Investigators at a Florida Special Crimes Bureau Homicide Section have appealed for help to try and identify a mystery hiker found dead in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

The man - believed to be anywhere between 35 and 50 years old - was discovered lifeless in a tent at Noble's Campground on July 23 by passing hikers.

Police say he had hiked from New York to Southern Florida and believe the man may have family in New York area.

No forms of ID were found on the body or at the campsite.

While his real name has not been pin-pointed, Collier County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Monday that he stayed at hostels in Virginia, Georgia and Florida using the alias 'Ben Bilemy'.

The Florida Special Crimes Bureau Homicide Section at Collier County Sheriff's Office are looking for someone who knows the man and don't believe his death was suspicious

Also referred to as 'Denim' and 'Mostly Harmless', the hiker was found dead at Big Cypress National Preserve (pictured) on July 23 and is believed to have been dead for a few days

The notice states the 5ft 8in man also went by the nicknames 'Denim' and 'Mostly Harmless'. He weighed only 83lb when he passed away and is believed to have died within a few days of being found.

Investigators think he was living in the park and the unidentified man is noted as having teeth in 'excellent condition' and had grown a 'salt & pepper' color beard.

When he was discovered five miles north from the I-75 and 63 MM rest stop inside a yellow Brooks-Range Mountaineering 2-person tent (Foray model).

The deceased hiker was wearing a beige shirt, green shorts, and black Saloman hiking boots.

Despite the notice being posted by the homicide department, the Sheriff's Office maintain the death 'is not criminally suspicious'.

'With a low homicide rate in our safe community, our investigators also work all unattended deaths,' the Special Crimes Bureau said on social media.

As the search for his true identity continues, police have shared a composite to help connect them to someone who knows the man, as well as an image of a possible match. He has 'blue/gray eyes'.

Police think he hiked the entire way from New York to Florida where he died weighing 83lb

'We know that many of our followers have suggestions and speculations about who he may be. We appreciate your thoughts and interest in this case,' the Facebook caption reads.

'At this time we are looking for his identity or information from those who knew him or know of his family. Our database connections will make appropriate matches on all of those persons that have been reported missing.

'Thank you.'

Anyone with more information is urged to contact Detective O'Neill on 2518@colliersheriff.org. Alternatively, call Kim Cherney on 239-252-0050 or email kim.cherney@colliersheriff.org.The move has been branded as the latest in a string of Markle publicity stunts

Meghan Markle's estranged father Thomas is apprently gearing up to release his own menswear collection, according to a private tweet posted by his daughter Samantha.

Samantha, who is the Duchess of Sussex's half sister, posted the tweet on Wednesday morning.

It read: 'So excited about my father's new #clothing line for men! Will keep you posted!'

Thomas Markle interview expressing his regret about not attending beloved daughter's wedding the 74-year-old now has his own clothing line on the way according to his daughter

Samantha Markle's tweet on Wednesday. The 53-year-old received a backlash from some users

The move comes after the infamous paparazzi shots of Mr Markle shopping for suits for his daughter's marriage to Prince Harry in May.

Now the 74-year-old retired television lighting director is allegedly designing his own.

Samantha claimed back in May that her father's 'staged' paparazzi photos were on her say-so and insisted it was all for the benefit of the Royal Family.

The 53-year-old mother-of-three insisted the stunt was not to rake in cash before the wedding.

The pictures commissioned by the former model showed her father surfing the net for pictures of the royal couple and apparently being measured for a suit in his hometown in Mexico.

Wheelchair bound Samantha Markle on Good Morning Britain speaking about the relationship between Meghan and their father, Thomas Markle

Samantha's tweet concerning her father's upcoming clothing line has been brushed off as yet another publicity stunt by users.

One user called Trish said: 'Meghan's father launching clothes line. Scam is his clothes going to have a label that says '100% made from money I made belittling my daughter in the media!' Wash with care made of 100% green vile that came from Sam's mouth.'

The role of Meghan Markle's family has been a destabilising one for the Royal Family, with the former trying to cash in on the wedding and exposure of Harry and Meghan.

Thomas Markle's media storm: How it unfolded November 27, 2017: Kensington Palace announces the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle December 2017: Meghan's father Thomas Markle is pictured near his home in Rosarito, Mexico, going to Walmart and buying beers April 2018: In the run-up to the royal wedding, Thomas is pictured reading a book about landmarks of Britain, looking at pictures of the couple online, and being fitted for a suit May 2018: Mail on Sunday reveals Thomas Markle staged the paparazzi photos in a bid to improve his public image and may have made up to 100,000 from them. It was later revealed to be Samantha Markle's idea 17 May 2018: Bride-to-be Meghan reveals her father will not be flying to London for the wedding, after reports he suffered a heart attack 19 May 2018: Thomas Markle watches the wedding on TV from Mexico as the Prince of Wales steps in at the last minute to walk Meghan up the aisle 18 June 2018: Meghan's father gives his first TV interview with Good Morning Britain and leaks details of his private conversations with Harry and Meghan - including their desire to have children and Harry's views on President Trump 26 June 2018: Thomas Markle tells TMZ he feels he is being frozen out by the Palace and is insulted that he has not been invited to meet the Queen 5 July 2018: The Duchess of Sussex's father tells friends he fears their relationship is 'lost' forever and he may never see his daughter again 28 July 2018: Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Thomas Markle says his daughter is ignoring him and has changed all her numbers since marrying Harry. He ominously warns he 'won't be silenced' 14 August 2018: In another interview with the Mail On Sunday, Thomas Markle claims he hung up on Prince Harry in a heated phone exchange Advertisement

Samantha Markle, who also goes by Samantha Grant, told Good Morning Britain in July that 'we all have to survive' when talking about cashing in on her famous sibling.

She said: 'Let's face it, we all have to survive. Money makes the world go round, so if you want to call that cashing in, that's fine, but I think no one in media would refuse a paycheck for talking about the royal and, as a family, we're not subject to royal protocol.

'With all due respect, it's not just Meghan. We're entitled to share that,' Samantha continued. 'I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It's not disparaging. It's not harmful.'

Meghan Markle, 37, in a horse-drawn carriage with her new husband Prince Harry, 33, in May

As drama continues to swirl thanks to Thomas' continuous public outbursts, eagle-eyed royal fans have pointed out that Thomas Markle was also absent from Meghan's wedding to film producer Trevor Engleson in Jamaica in 2011.

A handful of media outlets have previously reported that he wasn't there, but his absence takes on a new significance as his difficulties with Meghan, 37, continue to play out in the public eye and indicates that their current issues are nothing new.

Meghan and Trevor tied the knot at the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios in front of 100 guests, including Meghan's mother Doria who was pictured paddling in the sea with her daughter during the festivities.

However, as well as missing out on her big day with Prince Harry in May after reportedly suffering a heart attack, retired lighting director Thomas was not present for the celebrations in Jamaica either.

Kensington Palace declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte has claimed he's 'thinking of stepping down' - but he's not yet satisfied with his successor.

The 73-year-old leader told a group of executives and politicians that he was 'tired' and ready to quit at the launch of a business program on Tuesday night.

But President Duterte said he didn't think Vice President Leni Robredo, who leads the opposing Liberal Party, was ready to take over.

President Rodrigo Duterte (pictured during a presentation ceremony in Manila last week) has claimed he's 'thinking of stepping down' from his role as leader of the Philippines

He said: 'Guys, I want you to know that I am thinking of stepping down because Im tired.

'I am hesitant to suggest a constitutional succession. I have nothing against Robredo.

'Shes a lawyer. You have heard her talk. But I do not think she can improve on anything here.'

This is not the first time President Duterte has offered to quit his role, Bloomberg reported.

He once offered to give up his job for former Senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr if he failed to deliver on his promises during the 2016 election campaign.

And over the past two years, Duterte has threatened to quit for numerous reasons.

These include if allegations of corruption against him and his children were proven true, and if someone proved the existence of God.

President Duterte said he didn't think Liberal Party leader Vice President Leni Robredo (pictured) was ready to take over

President Rodrigo Duterte (pictured) has offered to quit his role numerous times in the past two years

The leader, who has been in office since June 2016, even once offered to quit his job if enough women signed a petition after he publicly kissed a female supporter on the lips.

President Durerte today said he wants China to rethink its behaviour in the South China Sea in a rare criticism of the country.

He said the country had no right to block foreign aircrafts and boats from passing through the disputed waterway.

The President said China's decision to restrict movements could lead to a possible confrontation with treaty ally the United States.Advertisement

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister claimed European Union spending limits were preventing his country from keeping its ageing motorways safe for the millions who use them.

Matteo Salvini said the country needed to spend more on its dilapidated infrastructure and would ignore EU budget constraints if necessary to prevent another disaster like Tuesday's bridge collapse in Genoa.

'Many motorways need maintenance but often we are told we cannot spend money because of European constraints - limits, deficits, the GDP, debt,' he said.

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister claimed European Union spending limits were preventing his country from keeping its ageing motorways safe for the millions who use them - such as the Genoa bridge which collapsed on Tuesday killed 39

Matteo Salvini (pictured addressing the media near the fallen bridge) said the country needed to spend more on its dilapidated infrastructure and would ignore EU budget constraints if necessary to prevent another disaster

'The next economic measures will have to put at its core the security of Italians, their right to life, right to work, right to health.

'We should ask ourselves whether respecting these limits is more important than the safety of Italian citizens. Obviously for me, it is not.'

Mr Salvini's government, which won a surprise election in June as a coalition between his far-right League party with anti-establishment group 5 Star, has long campaigned as populist Eurosceptics.

The government already pledged to lobby the European Commission to have the extra spending excluded from EU deficit calculations.

The controls were in place to prevent EU nations for blowing out their debt to the dangerous levels that brought the Euro currency to crisis in 2010 and the years after when Greece almost collapsed.

Other countries including Italy came close to the brink around the same time with their debts ballooning to almost as much as, or more than, their GDPs at various points.

Mr Salvini's government, which won a surprise election in June as a coalition between his far-right League party with anti-establishment group 5 Star, has long campaigned as populist Eurosceptics

An aerial view of the collapsed bridge shows just how much of the busy highway collapsed and crashed to the ground - and how close several vehicles came to falling with it

Firefighters pick through the remains of completely flattened cars as they look for survivors on the ground below the bridge where falling pieces smashed everything in their path

As night fell on the city of Genoa, the massive pile of rubble was illuminated on the skyline in the nearby neighbourhood

Mr Salvini also repeated the government's vow to identify who was responsible for the collapse of the Morandi highway bridge in Genoa on Tuesday that killed at least 38 people.

'We're talking about around 40 dead. Now is the moment of relief, intervention, work, sweat, and prayer,' he said.

'But tonight will have to be the time to find out who was responsible - the names and surnames of those who are guilty of unacceptable deaths.'

'They will have to pay, pay for everything, and pay a lot.'

So far the government's ire has been reserved for private company Autostrade, which operates the section of highway that includes the bridge and was accused of not properly maintaining it.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said there was 'not doubt' Autostrade was responsible for ensuring the safety of the bridge as part of its contract to run the highway and collect tolls.

Eerie: The bridge pictured weeks before its collapse shows it looking dilapidated with cables hanging from the sides

Rescuers work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy

A survivor with a head would is winched out of the debris on a stretcher by a fire crew after being found among the rubble

He confirmed the government's intention to revoke the contract from private sector firm Autostrade per l'Italia, which was in charge of operating and maintaining the bridge and the A10 motorway it was part of.

'This is a tragedy that is unacceptable in a modern society, and this government will do everything in its power to prevent anything of this kind from reoccurring,' he said.

'We have already announced that we will begin the process of revoking the Autostrade concession.'

His other deputy Luigi Di Maio accused the Benetton group, which through its 6 million holding company Atlantia controls Autostrade Per Italia, of pocketing profits instead of investing money for maintenance.

'Instead of investing money for maintenance, they divide the profits. And that is why the bridge falls,' he said

Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli called for the top management of Autostrade, which controls 1,876 miles of Italian highways, to quit, but they have so far refused.

The blame game: Who is responsible for the deadly Genoa bridge collapse? The exact cause of Tuesday's disaster in Genoa, the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, is not yet clear but Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli has sworn that 'those responsible will have to pay.' The finger has been pointed in several directions, namely Autostrade Per Italia, the private company that operates many of Italy's toll highways. Italy's deputy premier, Luigi Di Maio accused the Benetton group, which through its 6million holding company Atlantia controls Autostrade Per Italia, of pocketing profits instead of investing money for maintenance. No fairy story now: Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, center right, and Italian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli, center left with glasses, speak to the media in front of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy Di Maio's Five Star Movement party, which is governing alongside the League party, vowed to fine highway agency Autostrade 150million euros (133million) for breach of contract while calling for its bosses to be sacked. However, Di Maio's own party dismissed fears that the Morandi bridge in Genoa would collapse as a 'fairy story' while opposing repair work as a 'waste of money' as recently as 2013. A now-deleted statement on the party's website argues against a project to improve Genoa's highways - including the bridge - saying those who backed the plan showed 'an embarrassing lack of critical sense.' The plan is 'an obsolete idea with exorbitant costs that, in the end, would fall entirely on citizens' who would have to deal with a decade of building works and disruption, the statement says. Repair work was eventually carried out on the bridge in 2016 but plans to rebuild it were shelved amid fears it would be too disruptive to locals. Men in charge: Paolo Berti, the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Altantias chief financial officer are being accused of not ensuring maintenance of the bridge was up to date while pocketing huge salaries One of the people singled out at responsible for the disaster is one of Atlantia's well-paid and sharply-dressed executives with a reported love of fast cars and tropical beaches. Paolo Berti, 47, from Milan, is the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, and therefore directly responsible for maintaining the Morandi Bridge  and the scores of other motorway structures  that span Italys mountainous landscape. The others are Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Atlantias chief financial officer with responsibility of approving  or refusing maintenance budgets. Atlantia is a public company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. Its largest single shareholder is Sintonia, an investment vehicle of the Benetton family  known for their international fashion brand. Billionaire Gilberto Benetton, 77, one of the founders of United Colors of Benetton Sisley, is a director of Atlantia. Several people are now asking what role of the executives  who each earn in excess of 100,00 per year  played in the up-keep of the ruined structure. Atlantia said on its website today that it has spent 11.4 billion euros (10.17bn) to improve 923km (574 miles) of Italian motorways, and was waiting for approval from authorities to build a bypass around Genoa. Local politician have also been accused of failing the people of Genoa, by refusing to allocate funds to carry out vital maintenance work on the crumbling bridge. In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'. The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious. In addition, some have sought to blame the local Mafia, citing urban legends of crime bosses selling bad concrete with not enough cement, and known incidents of the Mafia infiltrated the Italian construction industry. Advertisement

Atlantia said in a statement on its website on Wednesday that it spent 10.17 billion to improve 574 miles of Italian motorways, and was waiting for approval from authorities to build a bypass around Genoa at the time of the collapse.

The company said it did regular, sophisticated checks on the structure before the disaster, relying on 'companies and institutions which are world leaders in testing and inspections' and that these had provided reassuring results.

'These outcomes have formed the basis for maintenance work approved by the Transport Ministry in accordance with the law and the terms of the concession agreement,' it said.

A source close to the matter said Autostrade per l'Italia would hold an extraordinary board meeting next week following the disaster.

Agathoklis Giaralis, deputy director of the University of London's Civil Engineering Structures Research Centre, said the bridge, which was completed in 1967, must have been flawed in its construction, likely in the foundations, or suffered from extensive corrosion in its metallic parts.

'For such a bridge to collapse it has to be something serious that went unnoticed in maintenance and inspections,' he told MailOnline.

'It's an old bridge that was difficult to inspect from the start and doesn't have the redundancies that modern bridges do, so it is likely that one failure could lead to its collapse.'

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors

Dr Giaralis said the metal parts, particularly the cables, of a bridge like the Morandi are the weakest parts but this bridge didn't fail there - pointing to bigger underlying issues.

'Usually these fail due to corrosion and that a process that takes decades, and it is very unusual that something that can cause total collapse went unnoticed,' he said.

'I would say that most probably something went wrong with the foundation or supporting ground rather than with the pier, the deck, or the cables.'

Dr Giaralis said the bridge was fully loaded with cars and there was wind, which may have triggered the collapse but would not have been the underlying cause as both should not be an issue for a healthy bridge.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion.

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors.

Men in charge: Paolo Berti, the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Altantia's chief financial officer are being accused of not ensuring maintenance of the bridge was up to date while pocketing huge salaries

On Tuesday specialist engineering website 'Ingegneri.info' published a piece that highlighted how the bridge had always presented 'structural doubts', calling it 'a tragedy waiting to happen'.

Lending support to the website was Antonio Brencich, a professor of reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, highlighting the constant maintenance the bridge needed.

'It was affected by extremely serious corrosion problems linked to the technology that was used (in construction). Morandi wanted to use a technology that he had patented that was no longer used afterwards and that showed itself to be a failure,' said Brencich to Radio Capitale,

Brencich has long been a critic of the bridge. In 2016 he spoke with 'Ingegneri.info' about construction going over budget and poor calculations over concrete viscosity that led to an uneven road surface which wasn't fully corrected until the 1980s.

He warned that the Morandi Bridge's maintenance costs 'are so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one'.

In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'.

The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious.Tesla is reported to have received subpoenas from the US Securities and Exchange Commission following Elon Musk's tweet about taking the company private. He is pictured in Chicago on June 14

Tesla has been sent subpoenas from the US federal securities watchdog over Elon Musk's plan to take the company private and his tweet that funding was 'secured', according to sources.

The 47-year old billionaire's tweet on August 7 about secured funding may have violated US securities law if he misled investors.

Subpoenas typically indicate the US Securities and Exchange Commission has opened a full formal investigation into a matter.

The electric carmaker's shares, which fell as much as 4 percent after Fox Business Network published a report about the subpoenas, were last down 1.9 percent at $341.00 on Wednesday.

On Monday, lawyers said Musk's statement indicated he had good reason to believe he had funding but seemed to have overstated its status by saying it was secured.

Tesla shares cut their losses after Goldman Sachs Group Inc said it was dropping equity coverage of Tesla because it is acting as a financial adviser on a matter related to the automaker.

Investors viewed the news as confirming a tweet from Elon Musk on Tuesday about hiring Goldman.

The 47-year old billionaire's tweet on August 7 about secured funding may have violated US securities law if he misled investors

Musk followed up his original tweet with a string of other messages giving more details of his plan to take Tesla private

Musk stunned investors and sent Tesla's shares soaring 11 percent when he tweeted early last week that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 per share and that he had secured funding for the potential deal.

Musk provided no details of his funding until Monday, when he said in a blog on Tesla's website that he was in discussions with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and other potential backers but that financing was not yet nailed down.

Musk also tweeted on Monday he was working with Goldman Sachs and private equity firm Silver Lake as financial advisers.

However, as of Tuesday, Goldman was still negotiating its terms of engagement with Musk, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The SEC has opened an inquiry into Musks tweets, according to one person with direct knowledge of the matter.

It is not immediately clear if this had escalated into a full-blown investigation on Wednesday.

Musk has already been hit by three lawsuits from one investor and two short-sellers over the tweet. Pictured: Three Tesla Model 3 sedans outside a Colorado showroom on July 8

The electric carmaker's shares fell as much as 4 percent after Fox News Business published a report about the subpoenas

This source said Tesla's independent board members had hired law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to help handle the SEC inquiry and other fiduciary duties with respect to a potential deal.

Musk has already been hit by three lawsuits from one investor and two short-sellers over the tweet.

Tesla and the SEC declined to comment.

The news came after Musk was embroiled in a bizarre row with rapper Azealia Banks, who claimed she spent a weekend at his house while waiting to work with his girlfriend Grimes in a collaboration that never happened.

The news comes after Musk was embroiled in a bizarre row with rapper Azealia Banks, (right, in Paris) who claimed she spent a weekend at his house while waiting to work with his girlfriend Grimes (seen left with Musk in New York on May 7)

The controversial rapper Musk was panicking about having claimed in a tweet last week that he'd already secured funding to take Tesla private

The CEO denied the claims and insisted he had never met Banks.

The 27-year-old New Yorker told Instagram followers: Staying at Elon Musks house has been like a real life episode of Get Out.

Banks claimed Musk was panicking over his tweet about taking Tesla private.This is the shocking moment three railway track workers were forced to scramble clear of an oncoming 125mph train with just one second to spare.

The team in orange PPE run off the track as the speeding train comes towards them a mile outside of Tuxford, Nottinghamshire.

A report has revealed shocking safety practices led to what almost ended in 'tragedy', according to The Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

They were part of a group of track workers supplied to Network Rail by Vital Human Resources who only became aware of the train about three seconds before it reached them.

One of the workers shouted a warning to three others who cleared the track with just a second before the train passed them.

The near-miss happened near Egmanton level crossing on the East Coast Main Line, at around 11.22am on October 5, 2017.

Rail workers run from the tracks seconds before a train passes by at 125mph in Nottingham

The driver spotted the workers in the distance and sounded the horn but initially saw no response from them.

He then repeatedly sounded the horn as the train approached and they only just managed to get out of the way.

RAIB said the incident 'came so close to being a major tragedy' because the worker in charge of the gang had skimped on safety to get the job done more quickly.

It found that the person in charge of the group - who was employed by Network Rail - had them working under an 'unsafe and unofficial system of work'.

The RAIB said he should have used the proper method of using the train operated warning system (TOWS) by moving his team, and remaining in a safe position, while TOWS was in place.

The driver noticed the workers and sounded his horn but they did not respond

But instead, he used an audible warning as a cue to the lookout to start looking for approaching trains in order to maximise the working time of the group of the track.

This broke down when both the lookout and the person in charge became distracted and forgot about the TOWS warning them of the oncoming train.

None of the team involved challenged the unsafe system of work that was in place at the time.

Even though some were uncomfortable with it, they feared they might lose the work as contractors if they challenged the person in charge.

Simon French, chief inspector of rail accidents, said: 'When the person in charge of a team is both a strong personality and an employee of the client, it can be particularly hard for contract workers to challenge unsafe behaviour.

'In this investigation, RAIB found that the person in charge had adopted an unsafe method of working in an attempt to undertake additional unplanned work.

'Both the person in charge and team members became distracted, and the result was that three of them found themselves jumping clear of a train travelling at 125 miles per hour with just one second to spare.

'We have seen this sort of unsafe behaviour before, where the wish to get the work done quickly overrides common sense and self-preservation.'

The report added the findings of this investigation reinforced the importance of railway staff understanding their safety briefings, and challenging any system of work that they believe to be unsafe.

A report found the person in charge of the group had them working in unsafe conditions

Mr French added: 'When we see narrowly avoided tragedies of this type, it is almost always the result of the adoption of an unsafe method of work and the absence of a challenge from others in the group.

'We are therefore recommending that Network Rail looks again at how it monitors and manages the safety leadership exercised by its staff, and how they interact with contractors.

'There have been too many near misses in recent years. It takes effective leadership and a positive safety culture to create a working environment in which everyone can be confident that safety will come first.'

A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'Safety is our top priority and we take incidents such as the one at Egmanton extremely seriously and we have worked closely with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on this report.

'We work hard to prevent incidents like this happening and we have already begun to implement the recommendations made.'Former CIA Director John Brennan hit back at President Trump on Wednesday by comparing him to 'despots and autocrats' after the president's stunning decision to yank the security clearance of the former spy chief who has become a fierce public critic.

The White House announced the decision Wednesday afternoon in an extraordinary slap at Brennan that other former spymasters called an effort to intimidate them all from exercising their First Amendment right to render criticism against the president. Brennan vowed not to relent.

'I've seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my CIA and national security career,' Brennan told MSNBC. 'I never, ever thought that I would see it here in the United States.'

Calling in to the network hours after the decision was revealed to the nation at a televised briefing at the White House, Brennan said, 'If Mr. Trump believes that this is going to lead me to just go away and be quiet, he is very badly mistaken.'

He called the move Trump's 'way of getting back at me and a bid 'to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration.'

Ex-CIA chief John Brennan has been a harsh critic of President Trump and has called him a virtual puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin

Brennan also blasted the decision on Twitter, flexing his independence after the White House accused him of making 'wild outbursts on the internet and television' about the current administration.

'This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent,' he wrote.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the stunning move from the White House briefing room podium as the building was engulfed in controversy over the new tell-all book penned by former aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman.

Sanders had been unable to guarantee a day earlier from the same podium that a tape would never emerge of Trump saying the N-word on the set of 'The Apprentice' or in some other context. Manigault-Newman has claimed to have heard such a recording.

Trump did not personally weigh in on the news until six hours later.

Even then, he just quoted former Secret Service agent and failed Republican politician Dan Bongino on Twitter.

'John Brennan is a stain on the Country, we deserve better than this,' Bongino said.

Trump told him, 'Thank you Dan, and good luck with the book!'

WHAT DOES LOSING A SECURITY CLEARANCE MEAN FOR FORMER SPYMASTER? Ex-government officials are conventionally able to retain their security clearances after they've departed their jobs in order to be able to provide consultation to their prior agencies. Sometimes, agencies call in ex-federal officials for advice on matters of national security or other topics. 'The purpose is not to benefit the individual. It's to benefit the government,' former Acting CIA Director Mike Morrell told CBS in July. 'So, for example, I go into CIA regularly and I help them think through issues, I talk to people, I'm there to assist in any variety of ways.' In the case of fired former officials, like former FBI Director James Comey, their clearance is stripped immediately. But ex-CIA directors and agents and other top-level officials are able to keep them in perpetuity. Issuing departments review individuals who have been granted clearance every five years to make sure they still meet the requirements to hold the security document. Private citizens can also apply for and obtain security clearance in order to win government contracts or represent government clients. Even the nation's former spy chiefs do not have access to the government's most sensitive information when they leave the CIA, however. They do not receive briefings on ongoing investigations, either, and can be denied access to those materials, said Morrell. Some do go to work for outside contractors which require clearances, and there are many examples of those who do - but none of the list of names given by the White House are in that category. Being stripped of clearance would keep affected individuals from continuing to be of service - if they were wanted. Morell told CBS, 'I also serve on a government commission that I could not serve on without having my clearances.' The reality is that Brennan and - if they are stripped of them - the other critics are not using their clearance at all. Trump is hardly going to have them in to help his agencies and none are doing work which involves access to secrets. Advertisement

Sanders was the face of the clearance dispute on Wednesday after making the announcement about Brennan at a briefing where she withstood repeated questioning about why each of the officials targeted for review has been a prominent Trump critic or otherwise features in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe.

Fired Trump National Security Advisor and retired Gen. Mike Flynn, who has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, was notably left off the list of former officials who were considered a threat.

The chief Trump spokeswoman said clearances that were issued to nine current and former officials, including fired former FBI director James Comey, fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, ex-CIA Director Michael Hayden and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, are 'under review' by the president.

All are prominent Trump opponents, playing a role in the Russia probe Trump has termed a 'witch hunt.'

If the act was meant to silence Trump's critics, it did not have the intended effect. Clapper and Hayden immediately called into CNN. Brennan dialed into MSNBC.

The former CIA director kept up his criticism of Trumps character and spoke cryptically on the network about what he knows about Russian actions as he absorbed the decision he learned about only Wednesday.

I must tell you that Mr. Trumps dishonesty, his lack of integrity, his nastiness, that mean spiritedness, the types of things that he has just tweeted out in the past 72 hours, the terms that he uses, this is not what I think of an American president, nor of America, Brennan said.

I know some things that the Russians were involved in, but I certainly dont know all the things that Mr. Trump has been involved in over the years, and I do not pretend to have that knowledge, he continued. He is the one, but clearly his actions are those of somebody who is seeking to prevent the full light of day being shown upon his past, Brennan said, clearly linking the decision on his clearance to Muellers probe.

He may very well have a  a guilty conscience about the types of things that he has done in the past, Brennan speculated. I dont know. He is the one who has to account for those previous actions and whether or not those actions ran afoul of  of ethics and of the law. And I dont know what he may be concerned about in terms of what might be divulged as part of this investigation or others. But as I have said repeatedly, I find his attitude and behavior toward Vladimir Putin and the Russians very, very puzzling and very, very irrational.'

Among the offenses the Trump statement cited were that Brennan 'leveraged his status' and made 'unfounded and outrageous allegations.' Sanders, reading Trump's statement, cited 'wild outbursts on the Internet and television' and 'increasingly frenzied commentary'  turning the tables on a critic just a day after the president called took flak for calling Omarosa a 'dog' on Twitter.

Brennan blasted the decision on Twitter and said it should 'gravely worry all Americans'

IMBECILIC: Brennan tweeted last month that Trump's conduct with the Russian president was 'treasonous' and said he was 'in the pocket of Putin'

Brennan blasted Trump's 'venality' in a March tweet after the president gloated over the firing of senior FBI official Andrew McCabe

Wednesday's conversation-changing move came less than 24 hours after Sanders was forced to issue an unpredecented apology for an erroneous claim she made from the podium. She slammed African-American unemployment figures from the Obama era that were off by nearly 3 million.

She tweeted a mea culpa that prevented reporters from asking for a deeper explanation of who was to blame after the Council of Economic Advisers, also through Twitter, took the heat for incorrectly briefing her.

Sanders fielded just a single Omarosa-related question the following day as reporters in the room processed the unexpected and breaking news about Brennan.

Trump's statement on the former CIA chief initially carried a date of July 26 when the White House first distributed it to the press. The error either represented yet another case of poor proofreading by the White House or indicated the White House rushed out the statement at the last minute amid the Omarosa tell-all chaos.

Brennan, among other things, has said on TV and online that Trump is being manipulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was among a handful of officials who were present and briefed in the earliest stages of the government's Russia probe of Trump officials during the 2016 campaign.

'Any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Mr. Brennan are now outweighed by the risk posed by his erratic conduct and behavior,' Sanders said.

The White House crackdown on his clearance came after Brennan admonished Trump on Twitter for calling Omarosa a 'dog.'

'It's astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity,' Brennan commented on Trump's tweet. 'Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation,' he wrote.

Brennan also hit back at Trump after he tweeted that it may be 'not presidential' to call Omarosa a 'lowlife' but did so anyway.

'You're absolutely right. If you were 'presidential,' you would focus on healing the rifts within our Nation, being truthful about the challenges we face, & showing the world that America is still that shining beacon of freedom, liberty, prosperity, & goodness that welcomes all,' Brennan wrote.

Sanders laid out the case for his clearance to be revoked in a lengthy statement just as reporters were girding to press her on Manigault-Newman's secret tapings of Trump and his aides.

Several other former officials who have criticized Trump and one DOJ official the president wants to fire also have their clearances under review.

Pressed on why only Trump opponents, and only Trump opponents, found themselves in the cross-hairs, she said that if issues arise for others, the White House would 'take a look and review those as well.'

'Mr. Brennan has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility. In 2014, for example, he denied to Congress that CIA officials under his supervision had improperly accessed the computer files of congressional staffers. He told the Council on Foreign Relations that the CIA would never do such a thing. The CIA's inspector general, however, contradicted Mr. Brennan directly, concluding unequivocally that officials had indeed improperly accessed the computer files of congressional staffers.

'More recently Mr. Brennan told Congress that the intelligence community did not make use of the so-called 'Steele Dossier' in an assessment regarding the 2016 election, an assertion contradicted by at least two other senior officials in the intelligence community and all of the facts,' she said.

Mr. Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations  wild outbursts on the Internet and television'  about the administration White House statement

'Additionally, Mr. Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations  wild outbursts on the Internet and television'  about the administration,' she continued.

'Mr. Brennan's lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is totally inconsistent with access to the nation's most closely held secrets and facilities the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos,' she said.

Sanders added, reading from the Trump statement: 'I have also begun to review the more general question of the access to classified information by government officials. As part of this review, I am evaluating action with respect to the following individuals: James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page and Bruce Ohr. Security clearances for those who still have them may be revoked, and those who have already lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated.'

Brennan also shot back during a call-in to MSNBC, where he is a paid commentator.

'I'm very concerned about what his might portend,' Brennan said. 'I am concerned that if security clearances are now going to become a political tool' it will 'send a very, very chilling message,' he added.

Brennan said he was 'still absorbing' the move, which the former head of the CIA learned from Sanders' briefing, not through official channels.

He said he wasn't sure whether he would try to challenge the move, as can be done through the courts.

'It's not going to affect my speaking out, my criticisms of Mr. Trump. I'm going to try to do it in a professional way,' Brennan said.

The former FBI director practically urged voters to oust Trump and his supporters from office in the statement that said, 'American voters must not shrug off or be distracted from the terrible behaviors of this president, who lies to the American people every day, encourages racism, is a misogynist'

Comey hasn't had a security clearance for many months. McCabe, a former top FBI official, had his clearance deactivated when he was fired from the FBI, said his spokesman Melissa Schwartz when Sanders first said clearances were on the table.

On CNN, where he is paid to provide commentary, Clapper said that he has not personally had access to current intelligence since January of 2017 when he left the government.

'It seems like they're kind of making up the criterion as they go here,' he said,'on a very individual basis.'

Clapper said the threat of having their clearances revoked is an 'infringement of our right to speak, and apparently the appropriateness of being critical of this president. of which -- in one degree or another, all of us have been.

'I thought the mention of Jim Comey and Andy McCabe, who don't have their clearances any more, it is sort of a cover for naming them in the first place, which was a non-sequitur.'

He vowed, like Brennan, to keep speaking out about actions he disagrees with in the administration.

'I don't plan to stop speaking,' he said. 'There are some things I've agreed with that this administrations taken, actions they have taken, but lots of things that I don't agree with. So, if they're saying that I can't -- the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president, Im sorry, I dont think I can sign up for that.'

Comey said in a statement that he posted to Twitter that Trump is once again 'sending a message that he will punish people who disagree with him and reward those who praise him.'

'In a democracy, security clearances should not be used as pawns in a petty political game to distract voters from even bigger problems.'

The former FBI director practically urged voters to oust Trump and his supporters from office in the statement that said, 'American voters must not shrug off or be distracted from the terrible behaviors of this president, who lies to the American people every day, encourages racism, is a misogynist and always puts his own interests above those of the United States of America.'

'Politicians enabling this president should be held accountable in future elections,' he added.

John McLaughlin, the former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, also slammed the decision on MSNBC  and noted that the action could lead to a court case if Brennan wants to push the issue.

He said the message was: 'Be careful what you say if you have a clearance and if you're worried about having it revoked.'

RUSH JOB: President Trump's statement on Brennan was given to reporters with a nearly month-old date  a possible indication it was rushed out amid the political chaos of the week during Omarosa's book tour

Trump's statement cited Brennan's 'wild outbursts on the internet and television' as a reason for yanking his security clearances

The president is also evaluating clearances of other critics, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former FBI Director James Comey

Sanders announced the clearance revocation at the top of her briefing, which was suddenly announce just an hour before it was scheduled to being as the White House reeled from criticism that it forced aides to sign non-disclosure agreements that prohibit them from disparaging the president.

Hayden noted the irony on an interview later with CNN, saying, 'To bring two stories that are current full circle and to touch one another, it's almost as if they wanted us to at least implicitly sign a no disparagement agreement.'

Brennan had been blasting Trump on MSNBC's airwaves shortly before Sanders cut him off at the knees.

He said Trump had 'badly sullied' the office of the presidency and smacked him for 'befriending of autocratic governments.' He also called Trump 'the most divisive president we've ever had in the Oval Office.'

But it wasn't just his public statements that put Brennan on Trump's bad side. He played an integral role in the early days of the Russia probe that Trump calls a 'hoax.'

He told the House Intelligence Committee last year he was concerned during the campaign that Trump campaign officials were being manipulated by Russians. As head of the CIA he would have had access to the nation's top-level information.

'I was worried by a number of the contacts that the Russians had with U.S. persons,' Brennan testified, saying he 'felt as though the FBI investigation was certainly well-founded and needed to look into those issues.'

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who gets top level intelligence information as the third highest-ranking, elected official in the government, declined to get into the issue at a Wednesday afternoon conference.

'This is something that is in the purview of the executive branch,' Ryan said of Brennan's revoked clearance.

He noted that some of Trump's named targets no longer had clearances, anyway.

Last month, when asked about the threat that Trump might curtail access to classified information, Ryan had dismissed the issue. 'I think he's trolling people, honestly,' the Republican leader said.

CNN reported that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was not informed in advance of the decision. The DNI was also surprised in July amid a live interview with the news that Trump intended to have a second summit this year with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin.

Trump had days before, at a joint news conference with Putin, dismissed his national security apparatus' judgement that Russia was responsible for election-timed hacking. He backtracked afterward, saying he believed intelligence community officials like Coats and Brennan who pegged the bad actions to the Kremlin.

Still, the incident laid bare the growing divide between Trump and his own, politically-appointed intelligence and law enforcement officials.

Trump has ordered his attorney general to end the Russia probe, threatening to infringe on the department's independence if Jeff Sessions won't. He has asked twice this week why Sessions has refused to fire Ohr.

Trump's security revenge strike on his critics: Who they are and what they said to infuriate him JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR Stripped of security clearance Brennan was Obama's CIA director from March 2013 until Trump's inauguration. Has made repeated criticisms of Trump on Twitter and on television, where he is senior national security and intelligence analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. His most high-profile intervention was after Trump's press conference with Vladimir Putin when he tweeted: 'Donald Trump's press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of 'high crimes & misdemeanors.' It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???' JAMES COMEY, FIRED FBI DIRECTOR Clearance under review Comey was appointed by Obama in September 2013 for an expected ten-year term. He cleared Hillary Clinton and told Trump about the existence of the notorious golden showers dossier. Comey's dramatic firing resulted in the Robert Mueller special counsel examining whether the president was obstructing the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election. What the outcome of that probe will be remains to be seen. Comey followed his firing with damaging testimony to Congress, saying memorably 'Lordy, I hope there are tapes' when asked if he had been recorded. His multi-million dollar book deal led to A Higher Loyalty and a series of interviews and speaking engagements in which he flamed Trump. The book revealed gossipt details of Trump's hand size (not unusually small), tan (slightly orange) and hair (looked to be all his), compared Trump to a mob boss and speculated that the golden showers claim was true, saying Trump wanted to eliminate the a 'one per cent chance Melania thought it was true and writing: 'In what kind of marriage, to what kind of man, does a spouse conclude there is only a 99 percent chance her husband didnt do that?' Since then he has described himself and his wife as ashamed to be American, when they traveled abroad, because of Trump. ANDREW McCABE, FORMER FBI DEPUTY AND ACTING DIRECTOR Clearance under review James Comey's deputy from February 2016, he was acting FBI director after Comey was fired until Christopher Wray was confirmed in August 2017, then fired in January, effective two days before he would have got full retirement benefits from his planned resignation. His firing was for lack of candor with the inspector general investigation into the Clinton email probe, and claims he had leaked, which he denies. His wife had run as a Democrat and Trump had accused him of bias in the Clinton email probe. Now suing the government but the U.S. Attorney in Washington D.C. is considering whether to launch criminal prosecution over the inspector general findings. Afterwards said of his firing: 'I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey.' A GoFundMe for his legal fees raised more than $500,000. JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE Clearance under review Clapper, a retired USAF lieutenant general was Obama's director of national intelligence from August 2010 until the Trump inauguration. He was present when Trump was warned about Russian interference at a briefing in Trump Tower before the inauguration. Since he resigned he has become a CNN analyst and frequent and vocal critic of the president. He said in December of Trump and Putin's relationship that Putin, a former KBG operative 'knows how to handle an asset, and that's what he's doing with the president.' This week he said of Omarosa Manigault-Newman recording her firing in the White House Situation Room that it was an 'unthinkable' security violation to tape what happened there. PETER STRZOK, FIRED FBI AGENT, AND LISA PAGE, EX-FBI LAWYER Clearance under review The two FBI lovers' texts to each other during their affair - when Strzok was married to another woman - led to Strzok being fired this week. Page resigned last month. Strozk was a long-time senior counterintelligence officer who was engaged first in the Hillary Clinton investigation and then seconded to the Robert Mueller probe. During the Clinton probe he texted Page 'f*** Trump'. She texted him: '[Trumps] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!' He responded: 'No. No he wont. Well stop it.' When the texts came to light, Strzok was removed from the Mueller probe. Page resigned from the FBI last month. Both were questioned by Congress - Strzok in public, Page in private - over their conduct. Strzok was involved in a bad-tempered exchange with Republican congressmen and a GIF of him appearing to sneer was widely circulated in pro-Trump circles. Strzok was then fired this week despite the FBI's internal disciplinary recommendation being that he keep his job. His 'friends' launched a GoFundMe which offered a hint of what he may say himself in the future: 'For the last year, Pete, his work, and his character have been the target of highly politicized attacks, including frequent slanderous statements from President Trump, who activelyand apparently successfullypressured FBI officials to fire Pete.' It was close to its $500,00 target just after Sarah Huckabee Sanders made her announcement. BRUCE OHR, SENIOR EXECUTIVE AT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Clearance under review Ohr is the only serving public servant on the list of those having their clearance reviewed. He was an associate deputy assistant attorney general and then head of an anti-drugs taskforce in the DoJ, from which he was demoted in February. He has made no public criticism of Trump or any public comment at all but he is at the heart of concerns over the golden showers dossier, and whether it was used to make part of the case for the Robert Mueller probe. He was the contact in the Department of Justice for Christopher Steele, the ex-British spy who wrote the notorious dossier. But his wife Nellie Ohr was at the time working for Fusion GPS, which commissioned Steele. Ohr oversaw the application to the FISA court for a warrant to monitor Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. A memo released by Devin Nunes, the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, claims Ohr did not declare his wife's relationship. Subsequent leaked emails and texts say he kept in touch with Steele after Steele was terminated as an FBI source for leaking the dossier. Trump has tweeted: 'Bruce Ohr of the Justice Department (can you believe he is still there) is accused of helping disgraced Christopher Steele "find dirt on Trump." Ohrs wife, Nelly, was in on the act big time - worked for Fusion GPS on Fake Dossier.' Ohr is widely expected to be forced out. Removing his clearance would make any legal action he took more difficult by stopping him accessing secrets which could be used if he litigated against the government. SUSAN RICE, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER Clearance under review Rice was Obama's first ambassador to the United Nations then from July 2013, his national security adviser. Since she left office she has been accused of being involved in the 'unmasking' and possibly also the leaking of the names of Michael Flynn - Trump's then national security adviser, now a felon - and Carter Page, a Trump campaign foreign affairs aide - over their conversations with Moscow. Rice denies that and H.R. McMaster, Trump's second national security adviser said she did nothing wrong - but she has been a public critic of Trump and his administration - and this week used the New York Times, which Trump reads every day to call him 'the autocrats' best friend'. SALLY YATES, FORMER ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL Clearance under review Yates spent just ten days as Trump's acting attorney general after being Obama's deputy attorney general from January 2015. Trump first told her she would stay in office and act up until Jeff Sessions was confirmed. But in late January 2017 she warned Trump that Mike Flynn, his first national security adviser had appeared not to be truthful about his dealings with Russia before the election and could be open to blackmail as a result. Days later she ordered her department not to defend Trump's travel ban on people which covered mostly majority-Muslim countries and was fired on immediately, on January 27. She has made limited public interventions but in July 2017 used a New York Times article to accuse Trump of being set on 'destroying the fundamental independence of the Justice Department'. She is in private practice and turned down an attempt to draft her as Democratic candidate for Georgia governor. MICHAEL HAYDN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR Clearance under review Hayden was a career USAF officer who rose to four star general, holding intelligence posts under both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, including heading the NSA during and after 9/11. He was Bush's final CIA director and served briefly under Obama. But since the Trump administration he has used his CNN contributor role and his Twitter account to be a frequent - and witty - critic of the president. As well as more serious attacks, he sarcastically called Donald Trump Jr. 'that noted scholar' and has frequently used laughing emojis to characterize his reaction to Trump's actions.

Advertisement

Emboldened by the firing of ex-agent Peter Strzok, who is also on the list of officials whose clearances are being reviewed, the president put pressure on DOJ to fire Ohr, whose has been identified as the go-between between the Department of Justice and Fusion GPS for the Christopher Steele dossier.

The Justice Department transferred the career official in December following the revelation that Ohr met with the former British spy who put together the infamous dossier of salacious allegations about Trump.

Ohr's wife, Nellie, worked at the firm, Fusion GPS, that commissioned the dossier.

The Justice Department lawyer was not on the team of agents investigating election meddling and the Trump campaign's alleged ties to the Kremlin. He had known the former spy for years, however, and Ohr is a scholar on Russia and the Soviet Union.

The pressure came as Trump once again leaned on Sessions to end the Russia probe publicly this week. 'If we had a real Attorney General, this Witch Hunt would never have been started! Looking at the wrong people,' Trump tweeted.

After Trump gleefully tweeted that former FBI official Andrew McCabe was 'FIRED,' earlier this year, Brennan pushed back highly personal terms.

'When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you,' he wrote.

Vice President Joe Biden called the move to revoke Brennan's clearance as a result of the attacks on Trump 'unbecoming of a president.' He added: 'If you think it will silence John, then you just don't know the man.'

Hayden, appearing on CNN, said, 'The way that Sarah Huckabee Sanders rolled this out was almost in a tone to be threatening to the rest of us.'

'In other words, it looked to me like an attempt to make us change the things we are saying when we're asked questions on CNN or other networks,' he explained. 'And I frankly for those of us who appear routinely on air it's not going to have that effect.'

Hayden, who ran the NSA under President George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said: 'You've got to tell the truth, and if something's not right or not true, you have to point that out. Annd that implied threat isn't going to change what I think, say or write.'

Asked about the statement blaming Brennan for 'erratic' behavior, Hayden responded: 'I do try to make this not personal. But if our standard for having a clearance is avoiding erratic behavior, we've got a lot of other folks we need to look at,' he said, without identifying them.

CNN's Jake Tapper asked Hayden if he was referring to the president, however, and Hayden said that he was.A mysterious Russian satellite is raising concerns after a Department of State official said it has been displaying 'very usual behavior' and there is no way for the US to verify what it is.

Dr Yleem Poblete, assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification and compliance, said Tuesday that the satellite was launched in October and 'its behavior on orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before'.

'We don't know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it,' she said in a speech at a UN Conference on Disarmament, a forum established to negotiate arms control and disarmament agreements.

'But Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development.'

A Russian satellite (not pictured) is raising concerns after a Department of Defense official said the satellite is displaying 'very unusual behavior'

According to Poblete, the US has not been able to verify whether the satellite could possibly be a space weapon and is raising concerns about what the Russian government had deployed.

'Now, I can tell you that our Russian colleagues will deny that its systems are meant to be hostile. The Russian Ministry of Defense has put out a press release stating these are simply inspector satellites,' she continued.

'So the question before this body is: How do we verify what countries say their spacecraft are doing? What would be enough information to prove what the purpose of an object is?'

Russia responded to Poblete's claims saying the satellite is a 'space apparatus inspector' and has no hostile intent.

Alexander Deynko, a senior Russian diplomat, told the Reuters news agency that the comments were 'the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on'.

The concerns were raised days after president Donald Trump announced plans for a sixth military branch called Space Force, which will focus on guarding the US against any hostile action in space.

Russia has denied that the satellite is of hostile intent. The concerns were raised days after president Donald Trump (left with Russian president Vladimir Putin on the right) announced plans for a Space Force military branch

During a trip to Brazil on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis defended the plan for a Space Force telling military officers and civilians at a Brazilian war college that it is necessary to protect American satellites from being targeted by Chinese and Russian attack weapons.

Mattis recalled China's use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, which he suggested was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.

'We understand the message that China was sending - that they could take out a satellite in space,' he said. 'Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability.'

Mattis said the US cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.

'So this is a reality,' he said. 'We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We don't intend to militarize space. However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary.'Rehabilitation facilities are reaching full capacity in Maine as investigators are still trying to determine what's causing dead or stranded seals to wash ashore.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tells the Portland Press Herald 84 harbor seals were found dead or stranded on southern Maine beaches so far this month.

Some have been found in New Hampshire.

Rehabilitation facilities are reaching full capacity as investigators say that at least 84 harbor seals were found dead or stranded Maine

At least 12 stranded seals were taken in by rescuers in Maine on Tuesday, putting additional strain on facilities filled up to capacity across New England

That's far above the 10-year average of 38 strandings in August. The NOAA says most of the dead and stranded seals have been pups.

Marine Mammals of Maine Executive Director Lynda Doughty says two stranded seals were taken in Tuesday, putting them at capacity.

She says out-of-state facilities are also full, which is unusual for this time of year.

The NOAA says it may be weeks before test results show what's causing the die-offs.

Experts say there are exploring a number of possibilities, including avian flu, harmful algal blooms or some other cause behind the increase of dead and sick seals.

Lynda Doughty (pictured), executive director of Harpswell-based nonprofit Marine Mammals of Maine Several more dead seals washed ashore Tuesday in York County

'It's obviously a cause for concern,' Jennifer Goebel, a NOAA spokeswoman, told the Press Herald.

Whatever is killing the animals in such dramatic numbers, it may be making other seals weak or sick.

At least 12 stranded seals were taken in by rescuers in Maine on Tuesday, putting additional strain on facilities filled up to capacity across New England.

Executive director of Harpswell-based nonprofit Marine Mammals of Maine, Lynda Doughty, said several more dead seals washed ashore Tuesday in York County. Doughty's organization is working with the NOAA to collect samples from carcasses in an effort to save surviving seals.

'We're making sure we're not leaving anything out,' she said.

This isn't the first time seals have died off in such large numbers.

In 2011, NOAA employees reported that more than 160 seals were found dead along the coast, stretching from Massachusetts to Maine between September and December.

Researchers conducting tests on five of the animals discovered that they suffered from a bacterial pneumonia caused by a strain of avian influenza called H3N8.

The disease is usually transmitted to seals through contact with seabird droppings, according to the Portland Press.

Officials in the southern coastal town of Saco, Maine said they first discovered a number of dead seals last Monday. Lifeguards for Bayview and Kinney Shores beaches reported finding 11 more carcasses later in the day.

The seals were found in various stages of decomposition, making it harder for researchers to examine the remains and determine a potential cause for death.

According to the New England Aquarium, around 30 per cent of seal pups die within the first year of life.

Experts advise that people who encounter dead seals should stay at least 100 feet away and keep dogs or other domestic animals from going near the remains.Andy Cohen was among disgruntled passengers who spent seven hours on a Delta flight only to arrive back at the airport they departed from on Wednesday morning after a traveler broke the plane's toilet, prompting the pilot to inexplicably turn back instead of carrying on half way through the journey.

Delta Flight 412 left New York City at 9.15pm EST and was due to arrive in the south of France at around 10.30am local time (4.15 EST) after seven hours in the air.

Instead, it turned back over the Atlantic 3.5 hours into the flight and arrived back at JFK at 4.51am, 20 minutes later than it would have touched down in France had it carried on.

In total, they spent 7 hours and 31 minutes on a round trip.

The reason, DailyMail.com understands, is that the airline had more staff in the US to make repairs than in France or anywhere else where it may have to outsource or fly in technicians.

Delta said all the toilets were 'inoperative'.

This is the inexplicable flight path of Delta Flight 412 which turned back over the Atlantic half-way through its seven hour flight to Nice on Tuesday night after a passenger 'broke' the toilet

Andy Cohen is shown (left) on the plane before it had to turn back and then (right) with and Bruce Bozzi once they had returned to JFK

Bravo host Cohen documented the diversion after arriving back in the US.

He took to Instagram and shared videos of himself walking back through the terminal with his best friend Bruce Bozzi.

'We were an hour outside of Europe, somebody pooped or put something down the toilet that didn't go, broke the toilets. Guess where we are? Back at JFK.

'We had a round trip to JFK. I had a full night's sleep, at least,' Cohen said in a selfie video in the early hours.

Determined to find out who was responsible, he pleaded with them to make themselves known in later updates.

The pair then returned to the airport, along with the rest of the plane, on Wednesday afternoon to reboard.

Cohen and Bozzi, whose family owns the Palm restaurants and who is the longtime partner of Carrie Fisher's ex-husband Bryan Lourd, were not the only ones who complained about the fiasco on social media.

Cohen carried on Instagramming after they arrived back at JFK at 5am and left the airport in a cab 35 minutes later

Wes Lowenfield, another passenger on the plane, also took to Twitter to complain

The diversion caused a ripple effect in France where passengers hoping to board the plane and take it back to the US arrived at the airport to find there was no aircraft for them

Wes Lowenfield, an NYU graduate student and veteran, took to Twitter to share a photograph of the flight map.

He wrote alongside it sarcastically: 'Have you ever taken a u-turn in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean?

'With Delta you can experience the joys of a 9 hour tour to nowhere and back. And then you get to wait another day to try again!'

The problem caused a ripple effect in Nice where passengers arrived at the airport preparing to board the flight that had just landed to find there was no plane for them.

'Arrived to Nice airport to fly to NY with my wife this morning. Without any prior notification, Dela canceled our flight.

The pair returned to the airport on Wednesday afternoon along with the other passengers to make their journey

Cohen continued to post after the captain emerged to speak to passengers and apologize

'Need to get to NYC tonight. Delta refused to even assist with rebooking to a different flight,' Ross Bederman said.

Delta has not addressed why the flight returned to the US instead of carrying on to France.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, the airline said: 'Delta apologizes to our customers for the inconvenience after Delta flight 412 to Nice, France returned to John F. Kennedy International Airport after the crew received an indication that the lavatories were inoperative.

'The flight landed without incident and the aircraft proceeded to the gate for maintenance inspection.

'Customers have been re-accommodated on an alternate flight and were offered a gesture of service recovery for the disruption to their travel.'Advertisement

Just a few months ago, I was hurrying to a meeting in Genoa. As I came out of Brin metro station and skirted along the footpath overlooking the Polcevera valley, I was suddenly confronted by the Morandi Bridge.

It wasn't just the scale of the concrete monstrosity  almost a mile long  that shocked me, but the setting.

Chaotic urban development covered every inch of the valley  dozens of railway lines, blocks of flats, an endless tangle of warehouses and roads. It was far removed from what the Italians call 'a misura d'uomo'  shaped for mankind. Instead, it screamed hubris.

The bridge pictured weeks before its collapse shows it looking dilapidated with cables hanging from the sides

Tobias Jones details the sordid history of dodgy deals between Italian local governments and the mafia to provide lucrative buildings contracts, done on the cheap, in exchange for votes

Today, millions of people around the world are familiar with that setting, from news footage and newspaper photographs, now made apocalyptic following the collapse of the bridge on Tuesday, The death toll so far stands at 39.

Unlike other recent Italian disasters  earthquakes and floods - this wasn't an 'act of God' despite initial claims that the bridge had been hit by lightning during a violent storm, It was recognised almost immediately as a man-made disaster.

With public anger high, Genovese magistrates have already opened a manslaughter investigation.

Many Italians blame organised crime. Planning for the Morandi Bridge, along the route connecting Italy with France, began in the early 1960s, and it opened in 1967.

Although there's no evidence of any criminal involvement in its construction, Italy's First Republic, from 1948-1992, was infamous for the collusion between Christian Democrats and organised crime.

The former were guaranteed votes and lucrative backhanders, in return for awarding public contracts to the latter.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Engineers said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion

They likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors

Sometimes the cost of that collusion only became apparent decades later. In the past five years, nine other bridges have collapsed throughout Italy. It's well-established that appalti (public contracts) are one of the biggest earners for the country's various mafias.

Appalti can involve all sectors of public work, from contracts for cleaning and rubbish collection to medical and construction deals.

During the 'Sack of Palermo' in the late 1950s and early 60s, the name given to the construction boom that resulted in thousands of shoddy apartment buildings, more than a third of all the 4,000 building permits issued in the Sicilian capital were granted to just three bosses of Cosa Nostra, the island's mafia.

Indeed, nationwide, the mafia generally is so intertwined with big construction projects that in 2001 the then Minister for Infrastructure, Pietro Lunardi, shocked law-abiding Italians by declaring 'the problems of the mafia have always been present and always will be we need to learn to live with this reality'.

The reality is that appalti are often the motive for murder as people who interfere or ask too many questions in rigged tender processes are gunned down.

As night fell on the city of Genoa, the massive pile of rubble was illuminated on the skyline in the nearby neighbourhood

Construction budgets are so large that they provide the perfect opportunity for organised crime to launder money. Sub-contracts then enable crime bosses to determine, in a country with over 30 per cent youth unemployment, who works and who doesn't.

Anti-mafia organisations frequently allege that inspectors of works are often, themselves, subject to intimidation or sweeteners, meaning there's little objectivity in safety assessments.

This is particularly dangerous because of another notorious scam favoured by criminal gangs, the use of 'impoverished cement', deploying a weaker mixture which saves money but can cost lives.

Cement, an ingredient of concrete, is laborious to produce (it requires sourcing of high-quality lime or calcium silicate) and expensive to buy, Much better to 'cut it' with something far less costly, such as sand, to make it go further.

Back in 2009, police were investigating as many as 20 cases of 'impoverished cement', and according to Legambiente, an environmental pressure group, mafia organisations had even printed lists of ingredients for the most convincing mixes.

The list of buildings nationally at risk of collapse because of the false cement runs into the hundreds, and includes hospitals, schools and airports.

Earthquake reconstruction offers some of the most lucrative public contracts with whole suburbs often needing to be reconstructed.

Many Italians blame organised crime. Planning for the Morandi Bridge, along the route connecting Italy with France, began in the early 1960s, and it opened in 1967 before collapsing 50 years later

After both the Aquila and Amatrice earthquakes in 2009 and 2016 respectively, construction bosses were wiretapped chuckling about the amount of money to be made.

That, coincidentally, is how the late Riccardo Morandi, the architect of the Genoa bridge, began his sorry career.

He moved to the region of Calabria in south-west Italy in the aftermath of the devastating 1908 earthquake which killed more than 100,000 people.

Back then, and for much of the 20th century, there wasn't much meritocracy in Italy, meaning that the most competent were often elbowed out by the best-connected. And Riccardo Morandi, it's clear, was far from competent.

He was also a 'concrete innovator', favouring pre-stressed reinforced concrete that was later shown to be subject to serious corrosion problems, according to professor of construction, Antonio Brencich, from Genoa University.

Until this week, Morandi's bridge seemed to be an example not of style over substance  one of the stereotypes of Italian design  but of its exact opposite: it was pig-ugly, but it seemed to do the job.

There had been alarm bells if only they'd been noted. Morandi had built similar bridges in Venezuela and Libya.

A large section of the first collapsed in 1964 when it was hit by an oil-tanker, and his Wadi el Kuf bridge in Libya was closed last year because of potential fractures.

Another of his bridges, over the River Arno in central Italy, was demolished in 2011, and his four-kilometre Akragas viaduct in Sicily was closed in 2015.

Such was the pessimism regarding his bridge in Genoa that its collapse was, in many ways, a disaster foretold. In recent years many voices, from the country's motorway authority in 2011 to Professor Brencich in 2016, have warned that it wasn't fit for purpose.

The construction of a parallel bridge, called La Gronda, to relieve the load on the Morandi Bridge, was discussed and shelved.

In April, repair work to retro-fit steel for structural support was commissioned but had yet to start. In the treacle of Italian politics, there was a lot of talk, but not much action.

Part of the problem is the topography of Genoa. An important petrol port, it's the source of much of Italy's forecourt fuel. But within metres of the sea are steep valleys, densely populated but prone to flash flooding.

There's no exit from Genoa other than via vertiginous bridges, all of which are ageing and subject to loads which increase year on year.

Rescuers work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy

Firefighters pick through the remains of completely flattened cars as they look for survivors on the ground below the bridge where falling pieces smashed everything in their path

To replace them, or even repair them, entails the evacuation and rehousing of thousands of citizens.

Since Tuesday, recriminations have been incessant, One of Italy's ruling parties, the 5 Star Movement, had opposed the new relief bridge as an unnecessary expense because it was a 'fairy tale' to suggest that the Morandi Bridge would collapse.

Ridiculed by Italians for this claim, the party has turned its ire on Autostrade per l'Italia, the motorway authority controlled by the Benetton clothing empire through its holding company Atlantia.

Luigi Di Maio, the deputy prime minister and leader of the 5 Star Movement, has threatened to fine and re-nationalise the company.

Meanwhile, the interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has blamed the European Union's budgetary controls for impeding Italian investment in infrastructure.

It has fallen from a total of 14billion euros per annum in 2007 to just five billion in 2015.

The notion that infrastructure spending might now increase exponentially in the aftermath of the Morandi Bridge disaster may hearten some Italians  but others will despair.

Threatened re-nationalisations will once again make contracts the gift of politicians  just as they were in the post-war building boom.

That must be music to the ears of the country's mafiosi.

Tobias Jones lives in Parma and is the author of The Dark Heart of Italy

The blame game: Who is responsible for the deadly Genoa bridge collapse? The exact cause of Tuesday's disaster in Genoa, the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, is not yet clear but Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli has sworn that 'those responsible will have to pay.' The finger has been pointed in several directions, namely Autostrade Per Italia, the private company that operates many of Italy's toll highways. Italy's deputy premier, Luigi Di Maio accused the Benetton group, which through its 6million holding company Atlantia controls Autostrade Per Italia, of pocketing profits instead of investing money for maintenance. No fairy story now: Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, center right, and Italian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli, center left with glasses, speak to the media in front of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy Di Maio's Five Star Movement party, which is governing alongside the League party, vowed to fine highway agency Autostrade 150million euros (133million) for breach of contract while calling for its bosses to be sacked. However, Di Maio's own party dismissed fears that the Morandi bridge in Genoa would collapse as a 'fairy story' while opposing repair work as a 'waste of money' as recently as 2013. A now-deleted statement on the party's website argues against a project to improve Genoa's highways - including the bridge - saying those who backed the plan showed 'an embarrassing lack of critical sense.' The plan is 'an obsolete idea with exorbitant costs that, in the end, would fall entirely on citizens' who would have to deal with a decade of building works and disruption, the statement says. Repair work was eventually carried out on the bridge in 2016 but plans to rebuild it were shelved amid fears it would be too disruptive to locals. Men in charge: Paolo Berti, the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Altantias chief financial officer are being accused of not ensuring maintenance of the bridge was up to date while pocketing huge salaries One of the people singled out at responsible for the disaster is one of Atlantia's well-paid and sharply-dressed executives with a reported love of fast cars and tropical beaches. Paolo Berti, 47, from Milan, is the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, and therefore directly responsible for maintaining the Morandi Bridge  and the scores of other motorway structures  that span Italys mountainous landscape. The others are Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Atlantias chief financial officer with responsibility of approving  or refusing maintenance budgets. Atlantia is a public company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. Its largest single shareholder is Sintonia, an investment vehicle of the Benetton family  known for their international fashion brand. Billionaire Gilberto Benetton, 77, one of the founders of United Colors of Benetton Sisley, is a director of Atlantia. Several people are now asking what role of the executives  who each earn in excess of 100,00 per year  played in the up-keep of the ruined structure. Atlantia said on its website today that it has spent 11.4 billion euros (10.17bn) to improve 923km (574 miles) of Italian motorways, and was waiting for approval from authorities to build a bypass around Genoa. Local politician have also been accused of failing the people of Genoa, by refusing to allocate funds to carry out vital maintenance work on the crumbling bridge. In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'. The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious. In addition, some have sought to blame the local Mafia, citing urban legends of crime bosses selling bad concrete with not enough cement, and known incidents of the Mafia infiltrated the Italian construction industry. AdvertisementMatthew B. Matheny, 40, (pictured before he went missing) was found alive on a flank of Mount St Helens on Wednesday

Authorities say an Ohio man has been found alive after he went missing nearly a week ago on a hike near Mount St. Helens in Washington state.

The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday in an emailed statement that 40-year-old Matthew B. Matheny was found alive on a flank of the volcano and was being flown to a hospital.

Further details about his condition were not immediately available. How exactly he survived is not yet known.

Authorities were able to find him by tracking his cell phone records.

Matheny, of Warren, Ohio, was been seen by friends on Aug. 9, when he borrowed a car and headed to the volcano's Blue Lake Trail.

The search for him began on Saturday after he had not been heard from for several days.

The Subaru he borrowed from a friend was found at the foot of the trail.

More information is expected to be released later on Wednesday.

The hiker was found at Mount St Helens (pictured), a volcano in Washington State

Matheny's car was found at the foot of the Blue Lake Trail on Saturday

The sheriff's office excitedly announced that the search for him was over on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon.

'In our efforts to get this message out rapidly, we do unfortunately do not have any more details.

'Sheriff Nelson will be making a more detailed public statement as soon as he gets in to an area that allows for cell and internet connections,' they said.

It is not known of Matheny is an experienced hiker or not.A Texas woman sadly enough had an idea that her days with her family were numbered. So decided to plan ahead her impending funeral arrangements, which included having an open casket viewing.

The funeral home that agreed to handle the service for Roberta Salazar committed a huge fumble, and 'illegally cremated' her body, according to court documents filed this month.

And now the deceased woman's family is suing Grace Funeral Home for $50 million.

'I wanted her to be buried like she wanted to be buried,' her daughter Loyola Galvan told NBC Houston affiliate KPRC.

'That's what I don't understand. What did my mom do to the or what did we do?'

Roberta Salazar wanted to be laid to rest wearing the dress her late husband gifted her for their 40th anniversary. A funeral home in Texas illegally cremated her remains in May 2017

The Daily Mail reached out to the lawyer representing the family, Willie E. Gary, and Grace Funeral Home, and left a message for both parties on Wednesday.

The funeral home did release the following statement on Tuesday: 'Grace Funeral Home deeply regrets the mistake in cremating Ms. Salazar's body. After it discovered what had happened, Grace Funeral Home promptly investigated, notified the family and apologized'.

The Latina widow got her checklist out and decided she would be wearing her cherished dress that her late husband had gifted her for their 40th anniversary.

She created a playlist of her favorite songs that would be played throughout her farewell event and added a unique touch to her casket - detailing external panel with the pictures and names of her children, 22 grand-kids, 51 great-grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

On May 3, 2017, Salazar passed away at a hospital at the age of 79 and her family members were only left with the task of finding a place that would host the services.

Grace Funeral Home in Texas is being sued for $50 million after they mistakenly cremated the body of Roberta Salazar

They entered into an agreement with the Grace Funeral Home in Victoria, Texas, and agreed that aside from the open casket viewing, two church service's would be held in presence on May 12-13.

However, court documents detailed that two days before the first church event, the funeral home committed the shocking mistake of cremating her remains without even telling the grieving family members there planning on doing so.

Grace Funeral Home even 'attempted to intentionally deceive the Plaintiffs into not having an open casket after they had cremated the Plaintiffs beloved Roberta by mistake.'

The funeral home staff was able to recuperate Salazar's remains, which had been previously handed over to another family and buried.

Salazar's family, according to the lawsuit, weren't even sure if those were even her remains.

Salazar, a Pentecostal Christian, did not believe in cremation.

''It's against my religion,'' her daughter Deola Salazar Guijon would recall her mother telling her, according to ABC Houston affiliate KTRK.

'And I know a lot of times she would say, 'The day I go, I don't want to be cremated.'A former finance executive has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing his prominent pediatrician wife in a frenzied attack inside their $2.8million suburban New York home.

Julius Reich, 64, was in the process of divorcing Dr Robin Goldman, 58, when he stabbed her 20 times while she was showering in an attack likened to the movie 'Psycho' by prosecutors.

The father-of-three pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter in May and was sentenced to two decades in prison on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

Former finance executive, Julius Reich (left), 64, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing his pediatrician wife, Dr Robin Goldman (right) in a frenzied attack inside their $2.8M New York home

Reich was in the process of divorcing Goldman, 58, when he stabbed her 20 times while she was showering in an attack likened to the movie 'Psycho' by prosecutors. Pictured is their home

His adult children, who are all in their 20s, agreed to the settlement to avoid the trauma of a trial.

'They are relieved their father finally accepted responsibility for his actions and his plea will help them move forward and bring finality to a horrific situation,' the DA's office told NBC.

Reich, from Scarsdale, was initially charged with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life with parole or 40 years behind bars.

Shortly after the attack on January 20, 2016, Reich phoned police to report his wife's death and told them he was 'grieving, but in a joking mood'.

Reich, a partner at a midtown Manhattan firm dealing in accounting, tax and advisory services, told the officers who responded to his 911 call that his wife's death was probably a homicide.

Police found a bloody knife hidden in newspaper in the house. The body of Dr Goldman, an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was found in the shower.

Reich (pictured) was initially charged with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life with parole

Reich later told them: 'I would like to take some of my prescription medicine for anxiety.'

Other bizarre behavior included asking whether he would be able to join the mourners at his wife's funeral and asking a cop at the police HQ: 'What do you think of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton?'

He also joked with another officer, saying 'you're not my boyfriend, you know,' although the context for that remark was not clear.

The prosecution alleged in January that Reich had smoked a cigarette in-between stabbing his wife and calling 911.

Prosecutors said she was stabbed 22 times with an eight-inch kitchen knife.

She suffered a punctured lung, heart, diaphragm, liver and kidney.

Though Goldman had recently changed the locks of the 6,400sqft house, prosecutors said Reich managed to get inside and 'ambushed' her in the shower in a knife attack reminiscent of the 1960 Hitchcock film 'Psycho,' the New York Daily News reported at the time.

'He grabbed her from behind in the shower and stabbed her,' said Assistant District Attorney John O'Rourke.

When first responders arrived at the sprawling residence, they found Reich with bruises on his face and injuries to both hands.

Shortly after the attack on January 20, 2016, Reich (center, at a court in January 2016) phoned police to report his wife's death and told them he was 'grieving, but in a joking mood'

Reich allegedly walked into the kitchen, 'leaving a trail of blood,' and smoked a cigarette before dialing 911. Pictured right: Mourners at Goldman's funeral in January 2016

Goldman worked as a pediatrician at the Comprehensive Family Care Center in the Bronx and was also affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center.

'Robin was a dedicated physician cherished by her colleagues as a positive and compassionate presence,' Montefiore hospital said at the time.

'Her passion for medicine was an inspiration to those who worked with her. Her passing is a great loss for all of us, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to her family, friends, patients, colleagues and students.'

The couple's five-bedroom, four-bath home, on Lincoln Road, was built in 1947 and includes a bath house, swimming pool and greenhouse on 1.3 acres of land.

According to Reich's biography on WeiserMazars' website, he worked in 'advising corporations, startups, venture capital and private-equity firms in a broad range of industries on critical topics including mergers and acquisitions'.

Reich received his law degree from Benjamin N. Cordozo School and Law and his Master of Law degree from New York University Law School.

Over the course of his 20-year career in the financial industry, he has been involved in transactions totaling more than $45million, according to his biography.Boris Johnson will make his comeback at Tory party conference next month - just as Brexit negotiations reach their climax.

The former Foreign Secretary has agreed to give a keynote speech at a fringe event during the four-day gathering in Birmingham, the Daily Mail has learnt.

His decision to speak comes after party chiefs last week launched disciplinary proceedings against him over his comments on the burka.

The intervention will prove a nightmare for Theresa May as she attempts to unite the party faithful around her Chequers plan.

Boris Johnson, pictured yesterday in Central London. Mr Johnson is expected to make a keynote speech at a fringe event at the four-day event in Birmingham

The intervention will prove a nightmare for Theresa May (pictured) as she attempts to unite the party faithful around her Chequers plan

The conference will take place as Brexit talks will be at a crucial stage.

Just ten days before the annual event kicks off on 30 September, Mrs May will fly to Salzburg for a meeting of EU leaders where they hope to make a breakthrough.

Both the UK and Brussels have said they are aiming to get a deal agreed in October.

Mr Johnson's comeback will snatch attention from Mrs May at the critical moment. Downing Street had hoped the Prime Minister and her Cabinet would be able to use the conference to sell her Brexit plan directly to party members. So far many rank-and-file Tories have shown reluctance to get behind the proposals.

Mr Johnson has largely avoided speaking on Brexit since he resigned as Foreign Secretary last month, days after the Cabinet agreed to the Chequers plan.

In his bombshell resignation letter, he warned Mrs May that the Brexit 'dream is dying' and claimed her plan would mean Britain taking on 'the status of a colony'.

But since then his remarks on the subject have been limited and allies say he has decided to take a vow of silence on the issue over the summer.

However, it is expected that Mr Johnson will find it impossible to resist setting out his views about Brexit during his speech to party members. Mr Johnson has so far agreed to take part in one fringe event, with discussions ongoing about possible further appearances.

Mr Johnson, pictured bringing tea to the press outside his house. The ex-Foreign Secretary has had disciplinary proceedings against him over his comments on the burka.

Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg became one of the main stars of last year's conference as he attracted huge crowds to a series of speeches he made on the fringe.

Allies of the Prime Minister will be concerned the platform will give Mr Johnson an opportunity to rally support amongst the membership ahead of a potential leadership bid.

A friend of Mr Johnson last night said: 'Boris has always been the biggest draw. He will make the fringe meeting look like the conference hall - and the conference hall look like a fringe meeting.'

Party chiefs are currently facing pressure from both Tory grandees and the grassroots to halt disciplinary proceedings against Mr Johnson over comments he made about the burka.

The party launched an investigation into Mr Johnson last Thursday after it received a number of complaints about a newspaper article in which he compared Muslim women who wear the face-veils to 'letter boxes' and 'bank robbers'.

Party chairman Brandon Lewis and the Prime Minister both demanded that Mr Johnson apologise for the remarks, but he has refused.

Several opinion polls and surveys have shown the public largely support Mr Johnson over the row.A driver has been arrested after allegedly ramming two police vans during a high speed chase triggered by reports a woman had been kidnapped.

The 36-year-old man allegedly rampaged through north-west Melbourne shortly after midnight on Thursday morning after police tried to intercept him at Kealba.

A female passenger in the white Toyota sedan, 21, suffered minor injuries during the incident, which occurred about two hours after the car first fled police.

Scroll down for video

A driver has been arrested after alleged ramming two police vans during a high speed chase triggered by reports a woman had been kidnapped (pictured is the car involved)

The 36-year-old man allegedly rampaged through north-west Melbourne shortly after midnight on Thursday morning after police tried to intercept him at Kealba (pictured is the car involved)

Police first attempted to intercept the car after receiving reports of a kidnapping.

The driver allegedly rammed the two police vehicles on Mickleham Road, Tullamarine, about 2.30am, and sped off.

Officers then stopped him on the Western Highway at Ravenhall where he allegedly tried to flee on foot but was caught and arrested by police.

No police officers were injured.

The driver and passenger were known to each other, police said.

The man is now in police custody and is being interviewed.Advertisement

Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz reappeared in court on Wednesday as students returned to the high school for the first day of the academic year four months after the massacre in which 17 people died.

In the short hearing, a furious judge branded the Florida Sun Sentinel 'shameful' for publishing details about Cruz's educational background that were supposed to be redacted, although stopped short of finding the newspaper in contempt of court.

The newspaper defended itself by saying the school board had already exposed those details by mistakenly releasing them in a way anyone could see.

Nikolas Cruz reappeared in court for a heated hearing on Wednesday as students returned to the high school for the first day of the academic year four months after the massacre in which 17 people died

Very little specific to Cruz was discussed during the status hearing, which saw the judge focused on whether a local newspaper should be found in contempt of court

Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer branded the Florida Sun Sentinel 'shameful' for publishing details about Cruz's educational background that were supposed to be redacted, although stopped short of finding the newspaper in contempt. Pictured with her back to the camera: The Sentinel's attorney

Earlier on Wednesday, students returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to find their campus had undergone $6.5 million of security enhancements, including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance.

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence, while guards greeted them with German shepherds and a law enforcement helicopter hovered overhead.

Samantha Deitsch, 15, said she's grateful for the changes, but 'there's literally no place that I am every day that I feel 100 percent safe and the thought doesn't go through my head that someone could come in with a gun.'

Anijah Avera, 16, said she mostly doesn't think about the shooting except for 'a little bit this morning... we have better security now so I feel a little more at ease.'

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence on the first day back at school at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday

Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie (centre) greets students as they arrive at the high school, seven months after the shooting in which 17 people died

Some students said they still did not feel safe despite the heavy police presence (pictured) and $6.5 million spent on security enhancements, including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors will be on patrol.

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter.

Visitors will have only one way in, and they'll be screened through a video intercom system.

The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell.

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors will be on patrol to guard the high school students

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter

Guards checked cars arriving at the high school and a helicopter hovered overhead as a throng of media watched from across the street

They will be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter. Pictured: Sheriff's deputies keep watch outside the school

All classroom doors have new hardware that automatically locks when doors are pulled shut.

Witnesses said teacher Scott Beigel and student Joaquin Oliver were fatally shot as they ushered students inside to safety, in part because the old hardware required relocking from the outside.

Many reminders have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials.

But the freshman building still stands as a solemn memorial to the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case.

The classes it once held have been diverted to nearly three dozen new portable classrooms.

Aria Siccone, 15, was there during the Valentine's Day rampage. She watched one of her classmates pounding on the classroom door, trying to flee the shooter, and remains haunted by his terror-stricken face moments before he was gunned down.

The gunshots started shortly after he knocked, and they couldn't let him in. When a SWAT team later led her out of the building, she saw bodies in the hallway.

'I am happy to be able to see all of my friends, but I have been very anxious about returning to school,' she said. 'I'm scared of being at any school, not only Douglas, because I feel unsafe no matter how much security we have.'

Crossing guard Tony Sorrentino helps students as they walk over a black and white crossing of their first day back to the Florida school

Visitors will have only one way in, and they will be screened through a video intercom system, in one of many measures intended to prevent a repeat of this year's massacre

The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell

The freshman building still stands as a solemn reminder of the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case. Pictured: Students prepare to enter the campus

Deitsch, who spent her summer meeting with state lawmakers to advocate for gun safety, texted with her friends Tuesday night about first-day jitters and what their teachers would be like.

She got a new backpack. She's grateful she'll be sharing a lunch period with some of them. But her friend Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed, won't be with them.

'The stress, the nerves, all that normal stuff is still there,' she said. 'It's like normal teenager stuff and at the same time it's not normal teenager stuff.'

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request.

'It feels like it happened yesterday, so there's a lot of emotion going on. It's still a challenging time for students and faculty.'

The school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request

A Broward County Sheriff officer checks various forms of ID from people arriving at the high school amid heavy security around campus

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the shooting still feels like it happened 'yesterday' so it was important to ensure the students (pictured) received enough support

Marcos Aguirre, 16, said he tries not to think about that day, and is trying to move forward. 'I like this school. I'm happy to be back,' he said.

Many reminders of the massacre have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials. The freshman building has to remain standing so prosecutors can use it for their legal case against suspect Nikolas Cruz

Charlie Shebes, 16, a junior at Majory Stoneman Douglas, gets a kiss from his mother Amy as he leaves from home for schoolA six-year-old boy in Florida missed his first day of school because administrators at the private Christian school he was enrolled at said he could not attend class until he cut his dreadlocks.

Clinton Stanley Sr, the boy's outraged father, took to Facebook this week saying that the staff at A Book's Christian Academy in Apopka told him that his son's hairstyle violated school policy.

Stanley captured the exchange with school officials in a Facebook Live video.

'My son just got told that he cannot attend the school with his hair,' Stanley says.

As the father films, six-year-old Clinton dressed in the school's uniform and wearing a bookbag, stands outside the door.

Six-year-old Clinton was told that he could not attend class at A Book's Christian Academy in Florida because of his dreadlocks

The boy's father filmed the encounter as school administrators told them that the dreadlocks violate the school's hair policy requiring boys have short hair

'If that's not biased then I don't know what is,' he says. 'Personal opinion.'

Stanley asks if he could braid his son's dreadlocks up, but a school official tells him she doesn't think that's allowed because 'it has to be above the ears'.

'That's crazy,' Stanley says, telling his son not to worry. 'He ready to go to school, but he can't.'

Another administrator tells Stanley that she will have to un-enroll Clinton from the school.

'I don't want him here period. That's his hair,' he responds, pointing out that the female teacher's hair is to her shoulders. 'What's the difference? ... That's a rule, I respect that. It's just not right. It's not. ... That's not very disrespectful and biased. I should have been told this months ago.'

The school officials then tell Stanley that the policy on hair is in the school handbook, but Stanley says it should specifically state that dreadlocks are not allowed.

At one point in the video, Clinton asks his father to put his hair up in a ponytail but Stanley says the school won't allow it.

School officials at A Book's (pictured) said the policy has been in place since the school was founded in 1971

Clinton Stanley Sr said he un-enroll his son from the school and put him in a public school. Clinton is pictured on his first day of school at his new school

Stanley said instead of cutting his son's hair - which Clinton wanted in dreadlocks - he enrolled the little boy in a public school. Clinton started at Lovell Elementary School on Tuesday.

An administrator for A Book's told The Ledger that its policy requiring boys have short hair has been implemented since the school was founded in 1971, and nearby private schools have similar rules.

'No dreads,' administrator Sue Book said. 'All of our boys have short hair ... It's the style of hair. We don't allow it. We never have.'

Book said the policy is listed in their parent/student handbook. Stanley, however, pointed out in a Facebook post that the school's handbook also states: 'Since all children are created in the image of God, no student will be denied admission because of race, color or national origin'.

Clinton Sr (pictured in an older photo with his son) said he plans to hold a community meet up on Thursday to 'discuss discrimination policies that target black hair and black children in schools'

'A Book's Christian Academy can out this in the handbook but turn him around (sic) cause of his dreds,' Stanley wrote.

Book also denied claims that race was a factor telling the outlet that 95 per cent of the students at the school are black.

'I've had all kinds of obscene, ugly calls,' Book said. 'It's just hard.'

Stanley said he plans to hold a community meet up on Thursday to 'discuss discrimination policies that target black hair and black children in schools'.Theres Cappuccino, Cody, Panache, Liberty, Chantelle, Madison, Jemima and even a Lady Jane Grey (so named for her regal bearing and the colour of her coat).

But if theres one alpaca who really lives up to his quirky name in Helen Macdonalds 75-strong herd, its five-year-old Geronimo.

Unlike his Native American namesake, this particular Geronimos last stand is against officials from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) who, for the past year, have been trying put him to sleep because, they claim, he has potentially deadly tuberculosis (TB), which he could pass to other animals or even humans.

Helen Macdonald pictured with Geronimo. The 47-year-old has a 75-strong herd of alpaca

Not so, says Helen, a 47-year-old veterinary nurse, who robustly maintains that they are trying to kill a healthy animal.

Geronimo, she says, is as healthy as the rest of the herd, but has been wrongly diagnosed because of a mix-up in the tests. And she is so determined to save him she has spent 20,000 on legal fees to stop Defra forcibly sending in a vet to give him a lethal injection  or a bolt between the eyes.

Seven times I have given Geronimo his last supper  grass pellets, which he adores, says Helen, who raises her herd with her elderly mother on a picturesque Cotswolds farm in the village of Wickwar, South Gloucestershire.

Seven times, I havent known whether they will come the next day and slaughter him. Every time they send me notice of a cull date, I have to prepare myself for the fact they could get a court order to come onto the farm and kill Geronimo.

So far on each occasion, I have managed to get my lawyer to win him a reprieve  or they have called it off  sometimes with just two hours notice. Its an emotional roller-coaster and has certainly been the worst year of my life.

All I want is one last fair re-test so that a beautiful, healthy animal isnt needlessly going to his death.

Helen Macdonald (background) insists that five-year-old Geronimo is perfectly healthy

But its like David and Goliath  me versus a Government department that will only stick to their protocols.

The positive test, Helen believes, is a mistake caused by Geronimo being tested for TB in New Zealand, before he was brought over to the UK last August. Before he could be transported, he was checked for TB using an older form of the test, which utilises the chemical tuberculin  a purified form of the TB bacteria  which he passed.

But Helen thinks the doses of bacteria that hed been given for three previous tests were the reason he failed a newer type of examination when he arrived

Thankfully, today Geronimo is blissfully unaware that he is on death row, let alone that he is the most famous alpaca in the world.

Since appearing in the Daily Mail last week, two petitions supporting his cause have collected nearly 10,000 signatures. He also has his own accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

Today, as he meditatively chews on the long grass in his paddock, which is also his quarantine, Geronimo looks like a teddy bear crossed with Bambi.

Only his constantly swivelling ears, on each side of his goofy topknot, are a clue that he is wondering why hes getting so much extra attention.

Geronimo pictured in 2017 in New Zealand before Helen purchased him for 15,000

Geronimo may have been the last great Native American leader to hold out against American settlers  and have been famed for his multiple escapes, but the name also means he who yawns in Apache.

As the afternoon rolls on, its clearly that this alpacas resistance is more of the passive kind.

Under Defra orders, he spends his days in a specially fenced paddock, to keep out badgers and other wildlife, and away from the rest of his companions, even though alpacas are herd animals who love company.

His time is spent sunbathing. Alpacas spread out on their backs like starfish to get their tummies warm, Helen tells me. He also loves rolling in dusty patches of ground.

Yet his jet-black coat  which is one of the reasons Helen brought him to the UK for 15,000, looks as plush and velvety as a new soft toy.

Helen, who has bred alpacas for 16 years, is clearly captivated. Although I am asked to keep my distance because of the quarantine rules, she has no fear for her own health, and happily strokes and feeds him as she leads him in a collar to see me.

Helen with some of her 75-strong herd of alpaca in the small Cotswolds village of Wickwar

They all have distinct personalities, Helen says. Like the others, Geronimo looks up and twitches his ears if he is called. He is a bit of a greedy one and loves to eat. He always has a smile on his face.

His name, she explains, was a happy accident. Usually I give the alpacas born here a name with the same first letter as their mum. But as I imported him, his breeder in New Zealand named him.

I dont think the campaign to save him would have quite the same ring to it if shed called him Fred.

I feels like this was meant to be. I am doing this not only to get accurate testing for Geronimo but also for other alpacas in this country.

Indeed, up until about 20 years ago, alpacas were an exotic sight in the UK, seen only in petting zoos.

A mini-version of the llama, they originate from South America where they were first bred by native people for their silky coats.

Helen says Geronimo (pictured) is perfectly healthy despite government efforts to cull him

In the 1500s, the invading Spanish Conquistadors slaughtered nearly 98 per cent of them. However, when a small number were found living in the mountains in the 19th century, alpacas started to be domesticated again.

From their first imports into the UK in the late 1990s, they have now grown to a population of 45,000 in herds all over the country.

A grown alpaca can produce a fleece of 5lb to 13lb in a range of a rich colours. After Helens herd is shorn every summer, she sends them off to be made into pashminas, scarves and pillows.

Yet alpacas are more than a business venture for Helen. She was just ten when she saw her first at a livestock show in Australia, where she lived with her family for a few years.

Helen Macdonald pictured at her farm in the picturesque Cotswalds village of Wickwar

I saw some in a pen and thought they were so precious and unicorn-like. Then and there, I said I wanted to keep them when I grew up.

By the age of 19, Helen had returned to the UK to train as a veterinary nurse. But it was not until 2002 that she spotted more alpacas at the Royal Bath & West agricultural show. Within a few months, Helen had bought her first group of three.

Soon, one of her specialities became breeding black ones and two years ago, when she started looking for a new male, she was immediately drawn to Geronimo, then living a peaceful existence on a hilly farm in New Zealand. After stringent checks, he arrived last year at 2am on a cargo plane.

Because alpacas are not classed as livestock in the same way as cattle or sheep, there was no legal obligation for Helen to test him again for TB once he arrived as he had already been given the all-clear when he left home.

Geronimo is facing death unless Helen can defeat officials who believe he has tuberculosis

But thinking she was being a responsible owner, Helen offered to give Geronimo  as well as the rest of the herd  a new kind of blood test when he arrived, which tests for seven different kinds of antigens  substances in the bloodstream that trigger an immune response  to the disease.

Every other animal passed. However, Helen says that because Geronimo had already been primed with three doses of tuberculin over the space of 24 months for the older-style test  which checks if animals develop swellings in response to a small amount of the purified bacteria  it came up with a positive result.

A few days after Geronimo was given the new blood test, Helens phone rang.

My mum answered it and then called me in floods of tears. The Defra official told her that Geronimo had TB and he would be culled the next week.

It was no empty threat. A total of 1,684 camelids (members of the camel family), alpacas and llamas have been slaughtered in the UK because of possible TB infection since 2011. However with the help of her lawyer, Helen has so far been able to win a stay of execution after the British Alpaca Society  and the test-makers themselves  expressed concerns about whether the new tests have been carried out fairly.

Helen keeps Geronimo is quarantine away from humans and animals but freely pets him

Helen has also pointed out that Geronimo was given doses of tuberculin designed for cattle, even though they are ten times his weight.

In February, I was invited up to a meeting in London with three officials who said it was possible he came into contact with TB-infected possum in New Zealand  but its pure supposition.

All I want is one more fair test, when Geronimo has not been primed first, but they have refused to test him again until hes dead, when its irreversible.

Indeed, while Defra says it is sympathetic to Helen and Geronimo, it has so far not diverged from saying that it has robust procedures in place to cut the risk of TB spreading.

Helen says its like talking to a brick wall.

They wont listen. They wont look again at the science. Geronimo has no symptoms of the disease, like coughing, or weight loss. If anything, he is putting weight on.

If he had TB he would have already been dead because alpacas generally die within six months of getting it. Yet they will only let us test Geronimo again when they have slaughtered him.

I have done everything in my power to make it easy for them to do the right thing, but Defra wont listen. Their solution is to kill everything and write the same official letters giving me new slaughter dates.

Helen, with Geronimo and Tanith Carey, said she has given him his last supper seven times

I have panic attacks worrying about when the next one is going to arrive.

I am not asking to keep a diseased animal alive. If he tests positive this last time  when he has not been primed with tuberculin  then of course he will have to go because TB is a terrible disease.

Now on summers evenings, Helen strolls out onto the pastures behind her pretty Cotswold stone farmhouse with a glass of wine.

I wouldnt say alpacas are cuddly, but they do like to gather round and sit down with me as if they are around a camp fire. They are so peaceful and loving to be with.

Helens herd still includes Fluffy, the 18-year-old female who was one of the first three alpacas that she bought.

As they can live for up to 20 years, Helen hopes that if she fights hard enough, Geronimo can reach the same ripe old age.

In fact, Helen is risking her livelihood on it. If she fails, on top of her legal fees, she stands to lose over 100,000 because, while the investigation continues, she is unable to buy or sell her animals.

Last summer, when they first said he was positive, it would have been so easy for me to say Yes, OK, cull him. Then I could have gone on as normal.

Helen (right) said she has panic attacks fearing the next visit from government officials

But I brought Geronimo over here from the other side of the world and the guilt that  as a result  he is now facing an early death is enormous.

Still, in her darkest moments, Helen has been forced to imagine what it would be like if her legal fight fails  and Defra gets a warrant to come and destroy him.

If another test definitely finds out that Geronimo is infected, then I cant stop it. When I first imagined that happening, I thought I could not stand to be there and watch him being put to death.

But then in all my years as a veterinary nurse, I remembered I have never not been with an animal when its been put to sleep  and it wouldnt be fair for him to die alone either.

Whatever the outcome, I owe it to Geronimo to do my very best for him.

I wont give up until I get him once last chance.Eight in ten degree courses still have places on offer in what is going to be the easiest year ever for those going through clearing.

As hundreds of thousands of students travel to their schools to pick up their results today, a Daily Mail audit has found that more than 27,000 courses have vacancies.

This includes more than 4,000 courses at elite Russell Group universities, including Bristol, Warwick and Exeter.

As hundreds of thousands of students travel to their schools to pick up their results today, a Daily Mail audit has found that more than 27,000 courses have vacancies. Pictured: Happy students pick up their results last year

A drop in the population of 18-year-olds has coincided with a numbers cap being scrapped, meaning there is an oversupply of places this year.

It means anyone missing out on their original place because they have done worse than expected will have plenty of options. Ucas chief Clare Marchant said yesterday that it was a fantastic time to be an 18-year-old because of the glut of courses.

Teaching leaders believe those missing out on their grades might simply be let into their first choice university anyway if there are lots of spare places.

As of last night, there were 27,576 courses listed as having vacancies for students from England  84 per cent of the total of 32,763 available at universities in the UK.

These figures, on the official Ucas admissions website, include combined bachelors and masters degrees and are likely to change hour by hour as more courses are added or taken off.

As of last night, there were 27,576 courses listed as having vacancies for students from England  84 per cent of the total of 32,763 available at universities in the UK

Mrs Marchant said: If you dont get what you wanted in terms of results, take some time to think about your options.

There are fewer 18-year-olds in the population so it is a really good year to have an opportunity to make an interesting choice in clearing.

There will be things in clearing that perhaps havent been there [in previous years]. Most of the Russell Group universities are in clearing.

We are really emphasising the choice. This is a fantastic time to be an 18-year-old and to want to go to university. Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council, said: If you dont get your grades its perfectly possible that the university will give you a place anyway through the Ucas tracking [facility].

This summer, pupils sat a raft of new A-levels, acting as guinea pigs for tougher qualifications. They sat new exams in Greek, Latin, dance, drama, geography, French, German, Spanish, music, PE, RE and maths.

Heads have warned that the changes could lead to volatility in the results, because of teachers being unfamiliar with the new course materials.

Ofqual, the exams regulator, has said it will set the grade boundaries to take account of the fact that performance might be lower due to these problems.

It will make sure results will look similar to last year, meaning around 26 per cent will get an A or A*, and around three quarters will get a C or above.

Heads have warned that the changes could lead to volatility in the results, because of teachers being unfamiliar with the new course materials. Pictured: Students look at their results last year

Potentially this could mean setting boundaries low in some subjects. The exam boards originally decided not to publish the grade boundaries in advance of results day in an effort not to alarm students. But yesterday it appeared this had been in vain as some pupils had managed to get them off their teachers anyway and post them online.

The postings caused panic online, with one student saying: Should absolutely NOT have looked at the leaked Edexcel grade boundaries because the business ones require over half for a C. 100 havent passed.

Another said: Looking at the Edexcel grade boundaries its safe to say my failure wont have no boundaries tomorrow.

One of the key new qualifications, maths, requires students to get 42 per cent to get a C, 61 per cent to get an A or 76 per cent to get an A*.

Edexcel said that while the leak was not illegal and would not affect the results, it was still disappointing.

A spokesman for Edexcel said: All boards share grade boundary information to schools and colleges one day in advance of the results day to help them prepare effectively.

We release these via a password protected website to avoid any unnecessary stress for students waiting for their results. It is disappointing this information has been placed online.

The exam reforms, conceived by then education secretary Michael Gove, were started partly because universities had complained that students were arriving poorly prepared for the demands of degrees.Parched fields in East Anglia, moorland fires in Derbyshire, scorched parks across the nation, depleted reservoirs in the West Country, drying lakes in the North.

This blistering summer, during which we sweltered for weeks on end, reminded many of the great heatwave of 1976.

But there is a significant difference: this year's heat has not been limited to the United Kingdom.

In Sweden, forest fires blaze as far north as the Arctic Circle. Californian firefighters battle the biggest conflagration they have ever seen.

Japan has experienced its highest temperatures on record. So has Africa. Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, is entirely in drought.

It is hard to escape the conclusion that something unusual is disturbing our weather.

Natural variability will reinforce the long-term warming trend between the years of 2018 and 2022. This will lead to an increase in temperature extremes (stock)

Although we should not rush to assume it is man-made climate change, common sense demands that we ask the question.

Are the dramatic events unfolding around the world being shaped by the greenhouse gases that we are adding to the atmosphere, and which stop heat escaping from the Earth into space, as scientists have repeatedly warned would happen? And if these events are a manifestation of climate change, what does that imply for our future?

Margaret Thatcher, in whose government I served, is unique among prime ministers in having had a science degree and having worked as a scientist before entering politics.

She was better qualified than any other politician to understand climate science and to foresee the likely course of climate change if left unchecked.

Thirty years ago next month, she gave a speech to scientists of the Royal Society. There was a danger, she said, that 'we have unwittingly begun a massive experiment with the system of this planet itself'.

Mrs Thatcher's concerns led to her becoming the first leader of any major nation to call for a landmark United Nations treaty on the issue.

Four years later, as Environment Secretary, I played a small role in ushering that UN treaty into existence at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

The next four years will be 'anonymously warm', according to scientists. As well as increased temperatures, the research found that the likelihood of extreme temperatures will also be much higher (stock)

Its resolutions did not require countries to commit themselves to specific reductions in emissions, but it was significant because it was the first step.

Then, and in the years since, I have had many conversations with climate scientists. Although the details have become clearer, their essential message remains as it was: greenhouse gas emissions are changing the world.

The more we put into the atmosphere, the more hazardous the risks.

Since 1992, there has been a backlash against the notion that climate is affected in any way by human activity.

I believe that the extent of this backlash is often exaggerated: a few prominent commentators in this country are sceptical, but they have not shaken the public consensus.

In general, I believe, people accept there is a man-made component to the erratic weather patterns we are seeing and they want action to be taken.

It's certainly hard to argue with such a mass of evidence.

Scientists at Oxford University have already analysed this year's European heatwave and concluded that climate change made it more than twice as likely to occur.

They will conduct a fuller analysis at the end of the summer and are predicting that the impact of climate change will turn out to be even more than double.

We know from research by the Oxford scientists and others in Holland that climate change also increased the likelihood of Storm Desmond, which caused severe gales and heavy rainfall in the first week of December 2015.

Three years on, communities in Cumbria have still not entirely recovered.

The UK is not alone in feeling these impacts. Over the past 15 years, scientists have connected climate change with floods, droughts and storms on every continent except Antarctica.

It is important to stress that it has never been a Conservative value to be 'anti-science'. When climate scientists speak, we should listen.

Putting one's fingers in one's ears and denying the problem is not a rational response. The only pragmatic approach is to listen, evaluate and act.

The fact is that we have time to avoid the worst excesses of climate change, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to levels that will keep impacts at manageable levels.

The good news is that in Britain, we are cutting our emissions effectively and doing so is certainly not harming our economy.

Since 1990, Britain has cut its greenhouse gas footprint by more than two-fifths. During the same period, our economy has grown by more than two-thirds.

Claims that combating climate change would ruin our economy have conclusively been disproved: we are both richer and greener than a generation ago.

The events of this summer, then, should spur us to continue cutting our own greenhouse gas emissions and persuade other nations to do better.

This is not something we have to leave to officialdom: every individual can make a difference.

One effective step is to trade in your diesel or petrol car for an electric model or a hybrid. On the basis of the lifetime of the vehicle, the costs are now comparable.

If that seems too drastic, you could resolve to use public transport more often and walk wherever possible.

At home, it's wise to review your heating regularly, making sure you use it efficiently  this being a good way of cutting household bills, too.

When the public sets an example in this way, government takes notice.

We are already reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Indeed, in April, the National Grid announced that more than three whole days' electricity supply had been generated without burning coal, for the first time since the 1880s.

It came from gas, which is much less polluting than coal, renewable sources and nuclear.

Nuclear power stations can play an increasing part in this energy revolution. I am not a starry-eyed idealist and I accept that the cost of building more of these atomic generators might add a small amount to energy bills  although investing in energy efficiency will reduce them.

But we have to be open-minded. Above all, we must not lose hope. There is still time for catastrophic climate change to be averted.

Cynics and pessimists claim that burgeoning pollution in China and India makes it impossible for the West to reverse its effects.

I disagree. Anyone who has been to a Chinese city knows the terrible atmospheric problems they endure. But people there are not prepared to put up with it any more. China's government recognises this and is implementing changes.

In India, politicians accept they must reduce carbon emissions. Both countries have huge plans for renewable energy and electric cars.

The big question is whether change can happen fast enough to avoid damaging consequences for future generations.

The obdurate refusal of U.S. President Donald Trump to do likewise is a matter of regret, but in individual American states, much encouraging progress is being made. Businesses are adapting, even if the lead is not coming from the federal government. It is not co-ordinated, but it is cause for optimism.

This summer has shown that Margaret Thatcher was correct. We are conducting an experiment with the atmosphere and it is a dangerous one.

It is only right that we permit the experiment to proceed no further, by eliminating greenhouse gas emissions as soon as we can.

Doing so will not cost the Earth and may yet succeed in ensuring that we pass it on to our grandchildren in a condition fit for them to enjoy.The family of former reality star Lyric McHenry are speaking out after she was found dead following her birthday night out.

McHenry, who appeared on E! show EJNYC alongside Magic Johnson's son EJ, was discovered lying on a Bronx sidewalk early Tuesday after a night spent hopping between bars and nightclubs in lower Manhattan.

The 26-year-old, who was pregnant, was wearing just a pajama top and her underwear, and was found next to a bag of cocaine.

But her family are urging people not to speculate, and reminded that her cause of death was still to be determined.

The family of former reality star Lyric McHenry are speaking out after she was found dead following her birthday night out

Father: Director and producer Doug McHenry took his daughters Lyric (left) and her younger sister Maya on the red carpet for the launch of the 2008 Pan-African Film Festival in Hollywood. His credits include producing New Jack City and directing Jason's Lyric

'What is factual and known is that Lyric who just turned 26 last week on August 6, was a brilliant, creative and lovely young woman who shared a deep passion for writing, film and a long-standing commitment to social justice,' they said in a statement to People.

The described her as a Christian who grew up in LA, and graduated from the Marlborough School before she attended Stanford University. She was involved in social justice, volunteered for the Obama campaign and fundraised for charity, they said. She was preparing to apply for business school when she was found dead.

'Lyric's warmth, compassion and energy will be missed by many and the family would appreciate that all speculation surrounding the circumstances of death cease until the real facts are determined during the current investigation by the NYPD and the City of New York,' the statement from her family ended.

McHenry is survived by her father, director Doug McHenry, an award-winning filmmaker known for New Jack City and mother Jennifer, a stylist to the stars including Oprah Winfrey and sister, Maya McHenry.

A funeral service will be held in McHenry's hometown of Los Angeles at a date to be determined.

Police believe a drug overdose claimed the life of the Stanford graduate, who had volunteered for the Obama campaign and been best friends from childhood with EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, with whom she had appeared in E!'s EJNYC.

Her mother Jennifer, 61, who lives in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles collapsed Tuesday after hearing the news from her younger daughter Maya and was later taken away by emergency services.

Earlier this month she posted a birthday message on Instagram with the two posing together calling her 'one of the greatest gifts of my life'.

Birthday tribute: Lyric McHenry's mom Jennifer, 61, posted this birthday message for her daughter earlier this month. The 26-year-old was found dead, partially-clothed and with a bag of cocaine after celebrating her birthday. Jennifer, 61, is a Hollywood stylist who was treated in hospital in Los Angeles after learning of her daughter's death. Her clients have included Oprah Winfrey and Samuel L. Jackson

Lyric McHenry, who appeared in the E! show EJNYC with Magic Johnson's son EJ (pictured together), was found dead on a sidewalk in Manhattan wearing no pants on Tuesday

While McHenry spent the bulk of her birthday celebrations in lower Manhattan, she was found in the Bronx

Sisters: Maya McHenry posted this picture of her with her sister on social media hours before she was found dead, saying: 'She always turns up for me.'

Neighbors told DailyMail.com that she 'screamed hysterically' for three hours on learning of Lyric's death and said the personal shopper and style advisor is in 'a bad way'.

Friends of the family said they suspected foul play and added that while the family knew she was pregnant, they had never heard of her taking drugs.

Retired criminal defense attorney Ardis Irvine, 86, a neighbor of McHenry's mom told DailyMail.com the family had been told it seemed she had died somewhere else and been dumped where she was found.

Irvine added: 'She didn't die at the place they found her. She didn't live in the Bronx, though she lived in New York.

'She was partying for her birthday. She was found in a pajama top, no pants and a little pouch with some cocaine in it.

'Her knees were all scraped up, so either she was dumped there or she crawled trying to get out of that area and then she passed out.'

Another family friend, who asked not to be named, said he also suspected that Lyric's death than a simple drug overdose.

'I knew her personally. She was friends with my cousin. She was over at my house probably about a month ago. It's sad.

'I don't see how you can overdose like that. Why would you be on cocaine when you're pregnant? It doesn't add up. It seems like there's some foul play involved.'

Irvine said that the dead woman's mother had been distraught.

'Jennifer's other daughter called and told her mother that Lyric was deceased,' he told DailyMail.com.

'I was in the back and I heard the screaming. At first I thought it was a dog. Then I thought it was a baby. But it kept going, louder and then softer, and it kept going.

McHenry was discovered above the Major Deegan Expressway (pictured) in the Bronx around 5am on Tuesday

Before her stint on television, McHenry was a Ron Brown scholar at Stanford University and worked on Barack Obama's presidential campaign when she was just 15 years old

She then made her way to the Dream Downtown, a hotel in Chelsea, and enjoyed rooftop views

EJNYC lasted for one season E! and featured EJ and a slew of close friends in Manhattan. McHenry was also a producer on the show (they are pictured here on a recent trip to Miami)

She went on to work as an agent trainee at UTA before moving on to jobs in video production at Complex Networks and Refinery29

Morther: Lyric McHenry's Hollywood stylist mom Jennifer, 61, (second from left) was taken to hospital after learning of her elder daughter's death. She has styled Magic Johnson's wife Cookie Johnson (right) whose son EJ Johnson was Lyric's friend and co-star in EJNYC

'It wasn't like anyone being hurt, it was like someone hurting internally. Everyone was trying to find out what was going on. You can recognize the sound of pain coming from a woman.

'The police and fire department came and took her to the hospital. There were four police officers and two ambulances from the fire department.

'She's in a bad way. If you get a call saying your daughter is dead, your life goes boom.'

Raised in Los Angeles, Lyric enjoyed a Hollywood upbringing  due in no small part to her parents' careers in film and fashion.

In her Linkedin profile, stylist Jennifer notes that her clients include Magic and Cookie Johnson  on whose son's reality show Lyric appeared  and LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson.

Other clients include Oprah Winfrey, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actor Forest Whitaker.

Lyric, a Stanford graduate, and her sister Maya later relocated to New York  where the pregnant 26-year-old spent her final evening celebrating her birthday in a hotel in Manhattan's Tribeca district.

She had documented the evening on social media, posting photos of herself in a form-fitting pink dress at The Frederick Hotel before moving on to the Soho Grand.

Lyric then went on to a hotel in Chelsea, accompanied by her sister Maya. The 26-year-old was later found dead 12 miles north, close to the junction of I-95 and the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx.

McHenry's aunt Patrice Theard, 56, said she was close to 'breaking down.'

Irvine added: 'She was a beautiful young lady. She didn't live here, but I met both the daughters. They would come here in the summer time.

'They were quiet, off on their own. I met the younger one through her mother. Being across the street from each other, you come out and you talk to each other.

'They come every summer to visit their mother. I saw them last summer but I haven't seen them since.

'Her mother was trying to get her to move back here, but those kids have their own things going on.'The groundsman who was rewarded $289million in damages after finding that Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller was linked to his cancer, will probably get less than 10 percent of that because of Trump's tax cut.

Plaintiff Dewayne Johnson may get just $20million of his first reward, according to tax attorney Robert Wood. And that is before Monsanto appeals to reduce the original award, he explained to CBS Money Watch.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 called for litigation settlements to be taxed at 100 percent, no matter how much of the damages go towards legal fees.

Plaintiff Dewayne Johnson may get just $20million of his $289million reward, according to tax attorney Robert Wood

President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 called for litigation settlements to be taxed at 100 percent, no matter how much of the damages go towards legal fees. As a result, 90 percent of Johnson's award could go to legal fees and taxes

Wood added that lawyers' fees and expenses can eat up as much of half a jury award.

Prior to the passage of the act, attorney fees were tax deductible and reflected that many lawyers worked on a contingent-fee basis for their plaintiffs.

Under the new tax law, approximately 90 percent of the award Johnson won would go directly to legal fees and taxes.

The 46-year-old, who has just weeks to live, was awarded the money on Friday after filing the suit against Monsanto

Woods broke down the math in a Forbes article where he explained that Johnson might receive 50percent of the $39million in compensatory damages and the additional $250million in punitive damages he won.

'If so, he gets to keep half, or $19.5million of the compensatory award. Since it is for his claimed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, that part should not be taxed,' he said.

The groundskeeper, who worked for years in Benicia, California, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer that starts in the white bloods cells - in August 2014. He mixed and sprayed hundreds of gallons of Roundup to keep grass and weeds under control

'Of the $250million punitive award, $125 million goes to legal fees and costs, and $125 million to Johnson. So before taxes, his take home is $144.5million. What about after taxes?

'The $250 million in punitive damages are fully taxable, with no deduction for the fees to his lawyer. At 37%, Johnson would lose $92.5 million to the IRS. That makes his after-tax haul from a $289 million verdict only $52 million.

California is also expected to take some of the man's award. After state taxes, Johnson would have his $20million, but could potentially have less than that.

Monsanto would be able to deduct the whole $289million from its tax bill.

'Business expenses are still tax-deductible,' Wood explained. 'That's true with legal fees as wellhaving lawyers is something businesses have to do. If the business pays the freight, the business writes it off.'

The 46-year-old, who has just weeks to live, was relieved when jurors sided with him on Friday.

Monsanto would be able to deduct the whole $289million from its tax bill

Monsanto will appeal the verdict and the compensation will only be released when this has been heard. Johnson's lawyers will ask the appellate court to speed up the appeal so the money can be released while their client is still alive

The groundskeeper, who worked for years in Benicia, California, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer that starts in the white bloods cells - in August 2014. He mixed and sprayed hundreds of gallons of Roundup to keep grass and weeds under control.

The liable verdict means the case could open the door to hundreds of additional lawsuits against the company recently acquired by German-based pharmaceutical and chemical group Bayer.

Monsanto will appeal the verdict and the compensation will only be released when this has been heard. Johnson's lawyers will ask the appellate court to speed up the appeal so the money can be released while their client is still alive.Chief executive Ross McEwan (pictured with former Chancellor George Osborne) could not afford to wait much longer to see what deal Theresa May agreed with the EU

The boss of RBS faced a furious backlash last night after he suggested the bank could begin moving 'tens of billions of pounds' of business out of the UK because of fears over Brexit.

Chief executive Ross McEwan said the bank  which was bailed out with 45billion of taxpayer money during the financial crisis  could not afford to wait much longer to see what deal Theresa May agreed with the EU.

He said the Edinburgh-based firm would step up moves to transfer corporate clients to its Amsterdam office because a 'hard Brexit' now appeared more likely.

MPs condemned the comments as 'disgraceful', given that the bank remains almost two-thirds state-owned following its bail-out. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: 'We ought to be taking tens of billions of pounds out of RBS, shouldn't we?

'The British government and the British people should expect more loyalty from a bank which was bailed out at great expense by the taxpayer due to neglect by their then chief executive.

'Effectively they're owned by the Treasury  the architects of Project Fear  so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised they're coming out with such doom and gloom predictions.'

A senior ministerial source added: 'This is disgraceful. This is basically a state-owned bank. We are the only reason they are in business.'

Mr McEwan (pictured) said the Edinburgh-based firm would step up moves to transfer corporate clients to its Amsterdam office because a 'hard Brexit' now appeared more likely

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'How rich is that? A bank that had to be bailed out by taxpayers who are paid a tiny fraction of what Mr McEwan earns and his first instinct is to cut and run because he hasn't got what he wants at this point. It's time he showed a little bit of humility.'

Despite regular sales of RBS shares, the bank remains 62 per cent owned by the taxpayer.

But a Treasury spokesman said: 'The Government is not and should not be in the business of managing banks.'

Mr McEwan made the comments at an event in Edinburgh on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters he said the firm has a licence in the Netherlands and has the 'systems in place' to move business across.

He said: 'My biggest fear is if we don't get messaging [on the Brexit deal] soon we are going to have to start moving as though it's a hard Brexit because I can't wait.

RBS was bailed out with 45billion of taxpayer money during the financial crisis. File image

'I have to work with customers, I have to start disrupting customers  either moving them off the books, selling them or moving them to our Amsterdam operation because we just won't have time.'

He said the customers are 'big businesses' and 'we have to get them ready', adding: 'The bank has to plan for the worst. We hope and pray we get something better.'

He said if there is no detailed Brexit plan by March, when Britain formally leaves the European Union, then 'tens of billions of pounds' could be moved to Amsterdam.

He said that leaving the EU does not need to impact on the bank's profitability, but said if there is a 'hard Brexit and a real drop-off in the economy' then 'that starts to impact our business'.

RBS officials said Mr McEwan was talking about a small number of Western European corporate customers with complex, cross-border products.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said of the news: 'How rich is that? A bank that had to be bailed out by taxpayers who are paid a tiny fraction of what Mr McEwan earns and his first instinct is to cut and run because he hasn't got what he wants at this point.'

An HM Treasury spokesman said: 'We are confident we'll get the best possible deal for the City, and the UK as a whole, in our negotiations with the EU.'

RBS was ranked worst for customer service in a new league table published by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Just 49 per cent of its current account customers said they would recommend it to a friend or relative, leaving it joint bottom with Clydesdale Bank. RBS was also ranked bottom for service by its small business customers.

Both banks said they were working to improve standards.'I had my puberty stolen from me, my life stolen'

Robert Mizic, who is now 47, was an alter boy and says he was just 12-years-old when he was abused by a priest.

'It's a horrible way of living. I had my puberty stolen from me, my life stolen,' he said.

'That's the true travesty to know that they [the Diocese] knew, and they knew and moved these priests to endanger other children is deplorable.'

Robert Mizic was an alter boy at just 12, when he says he was sexually abused by a priest

'It's your word against God's': Heartache of five sisters abused by the same priest who died as he awaited trial

Carolyn Fortney, who is now 37-years-old was abused by Father Augustine Giella, shortly after she was 10-months old in 1982. He also molested her four other sisters.

'The word God just makes me think of him, and I just...' Carolyn Fortney trails off. 'I was in my diaper and ran right to him,' she said.

Carolyn Fortney met Father Augustine Giella when she was just 10-months-old, she says the sexual abuse began almost immediately (undated childhood photo, left)

'The real scandal is the abuse was aided and abetted by the hierarchy that protected reputation and money over children'

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who is now 47-years-old, says the trauma of being raped in the shower at 13-years-old by the late Rev. Edward Graff of Holy Guardian Angels in Reading still strongly haunts him.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi says he was raped in the shower at 13 by late Rev. Edward Graff

'This is the murder of a soul:' Former priest was abused for years as a teen

Former priest James Faluszczak, who is now 48-years-old, says Rev. Monsignor Daniel J. Martin took the hardships his family was going through in the 1980s and used it against him. He says he was abused from the time he was 16 till the time he was 19.

Former priest James Faluszczak told the Grand Jury he was molested from aged 16 to 19

He was so violently raped at just seven-years-old he suffered an injury to his splinenow he's dead from an overdose

Joseph Behe died aged 45 from an opioid overdoe. He wrote a letter to the Allentown Diocese before his death, saying Father Edward Graff had killed his potential and the man he could have become.

'The abuse did happen. The grand jurors believed Joey,' State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said to Joey's mother, who was sitting on the stage Tuesday.

Joseph Behe, dead at 45 after an opioid overdose, was raped so violently at seven-years-old he suffered an injury to his spline

'I couldn't hug my children': Oldest living victim is now 83

Robert Corby, who is now 83, said the abuse he suffered left him unable to be affectionate with his family and his wife and children have suffered because of it.

'My children I couldn't hold or hug,' he said, adding that his alleged abuser 'took that away from me.'

'It has an effect on you for the rest of your life. It doesn't ever go away'

Shaun Dougherty says he was molested by Priest George Kpharchik in 1980.

It would happen with 'Any activity that required a shower afterward,' Dougherty, who is now 48, said. 'He bathed me. He cleaned my entire body.'

What began as tickling led to fondling and by the time Dougherty was 13 to digital penetration, he said.The exact cause of Tuesday's disaster in Genoa, the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, is not yet clear but Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli has sworn that 'those responsible will have to pay.'

The finger has been pointed in several directions, namely Autostrade Per Italia, the private company that operates many of Italy's toll highways.

Italy's deputy premier, Luigi Di Maio accused the Benetton group, which through its 6million holding company Atlantia controls Autostrade Per Italia, of pocketing profits instead of investing money for maintenance.

No fairy story now: Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, center right, and Italian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli, center left with glasses, speak to the media in front of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy

Di Maio's Five Star Movement party, which is governing alongside the League party, vowed to fine highway agency Autostrade 150million euros (133million) for breach of contract while calling for its bosses to be sacked.

However, Di Maio's own party dismissed fears that the Morandi bridge in Genoa would collapse as a 'fairy story' while opposing repair work as a 'waste of money' as recently as 2013.

A now-deleted statement on the party's website argues against a project to improve Genoa's highways - including the bridge - saying those who backed the plan showed 'an embarrassing lack of critical sense.'

The plan is 'an obsolete idea with exorbitant costs that, in the end, would fall entirely on citizens' who would have to deal with a decade of building works and disruption, the statement says.

Repair work was eventually carried out on the bridge in 2016 but plans to rebuild it were shelved amid fears it would be too disruptive to locals.

Men in charge: Paolo Berti, the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Altantias chief financial officer are being accused of not ensuring maintenance of the bridge was up to date while pocketing huge salaries

One of the people singled out at responsible for the disaster is one of Atlantia's well-paid and sharply-dressed executives with a reported love of fast cars and tropical beaches.

Paolo Berti, 47, from Milan, is the Operations and Maintenance manager of Atlantia, and therefore directly responsible for maintaining the Morandi Bridge  and the scores of other motorway structures  that span Italys mountainous landscape.

The others are Stefano Marigliani, the director of the Genoa stretch of carriage way and Giancarlo Guenzi, Atlantias chief financial officer with responsibility of approving  or refusing maintenance budgets.

Atlantia is a public company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.

Its largest single shareholder is Sintonia, an investment vehicle of the Benetton family  known for their international fashion brand. Billionaire Gilberto Benetton, 77, one of the founders of United Colors of Benetton Sisley, is a director of Atlantia.

Several people are now asking what role of the executives  who each earn in excess of 100,00 per year  played in the up-keep of the ruined structure.

Atlantia said on its website today that it has spent 11.4 billion euros (10.17bn) to improve 923km (574 miles) of Italian motorways, and was waiting for approval from authorities to build a bypass around Genoa.

Local politician have also been accused of failing the people of Genoa, by refusing to allocate funds to carry out vital maintenance work on the crumbling bridge.

In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'.

The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious.

In addition, some have sought to blame the local Mafia, citing urban legends of crime bosses selling bad concrete with not enough cement, and known incidents of the Mafia infiltrated the Italian construction industry.What happened?

Around 11.30am on Tuesday, August 14, the Morandi bridge - named for the architect who built it - partially collapsed in the city of Genoa.

At least 38, including multiple children, died in the tragedy with a dozen more in critical condition in hospital.

Shock and disbelief turned to anger on Wednesday as people demanded to know how such a thing could happen and who was responsible.

How many people were involved?

At least 38 people have died, while another 17 were taken to hospital, 12 of whom are in critical condition, interior minister Matteo Salvini said.

However, that number could rise further as Salvini said 'several' more remain missing, without giving a specific figure.

Around 60,000 motorists pass over the bridge every day, which was busy with commuters, truck drivers and holidaymakers when it fell.

Why did the bridge fall down?

A heavy storm blanketed the city at the time of the collapse and witnesses reported seeing lightning strike the bridge just before it came down.

However, structural engineers have since ruled out this possibility, saying a fault with the construction or materials is far more likely.

Residents complained that the bridge was wobbly long before it fell down and said it was being constantly repaired.

Regional officials had been planning to replace the bridge as far back as 2013, though work was never started for fears over cost and disruption.

The bridge did eventually undergo repairs in 2016.

Who is to blame?

Perhaps the most outlandish theory points to the Mafia, which was known to have influence over the construction industry when the bridge was built more than 50 years ago.

There are fears that the gangs may have used substandard concrete in construction in order to make greater profits.

The government on Wednesday blamed highways agency Autostrade, which operates around half of Italy's toll highways, including the bridge.

Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio accused Autostrade, which is owned through a shell company by the Benneton group, of failing to carry out proper maintenance work.

He threatened to fine the company 133million for breach of contract and withdrawn government funding, while calling on bosses to step down.

Others pointed the finger at Di Maio's Five Star party, which in 2013 had argued vociferously against carrying out extensive construction work on the bridge to make it safer.

The party said fears that the bridge could fall down were a 'fairy story' and those backing the repairs showed 'an embarrassing lack of critical sense.'

The plan is 'an obsolete idea with exorbitant costs that, in the end, would fall entirely on citizens', Five Star said.JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR

Stripped of security clearance

Brennan was Obama's CIA director from March 2013 until Trump's inauguration. Has made repeated criticisms of Trump on Twitter and on television, where he is senior national security and intelligence analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. His most high-profile intervention was after Trump's press conference with Vladimir Putin when he tweeted: 'Donald Trump's press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of 'high crimes & misdemeanors.' It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???'

JAMES COMEY, FIRED FBI DIRECTOR

Clearance under review

Comey was appointed by Obama in September 2013 for an expected ten-year term. He cleared Hillary Clinton and told Trump about the existence of the notorious golden showers dossier.

Comey's dramatic firing resulted in the Robert Mueller special counsel examining whether the president was obstructing the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election. What the outcome of that probe will be remains to be seen.

Comey followed his firing with damaging testimony to Congress, saying memorably 'Lordy, I hope there are tapes' when asked if he had been recorded.

His multi-million dollar book deal led to A Higher Loyalty and a series of interviews and speaking engagements in which he flamed Trump.

The book revealed gossipt details of Trump's hand size (not unusually small), tan (slightly orange) and hair (looked to be all his), compared Trump to a mob boss and speculated that the golden showers claim was true, saying Trump wanted to eliminate the a 'one per cent chance Melania thought it was true and writing: 'In what kind of marriage, to what kind of man, does a spouse conclude there is only a 99 percent chance her husband didnt do that?'

Since then he has described himself and his wife as ashamed to be American, when they traveled abroad, because of Trump.

ANDREW McCABE, FORMER FBI DEPUTY AND ACTING DIRECTOR

Clearance under review

James Comey's deputy from February 2016, he was acting FBI director after Comey was fired until Christopher Wray was confirmed in August 2017, then fired in January, effective two days before he would have got full retirement benefits from his planned resignation. His firing was for lack of candor with the inspector general investigation into the Clinton email probe, and claims he had leaked, which he denies.

His wife had run as a Democrat and Trump had accused him of bias in the Clinton email probe.

Now suing the government but the U.S. Attorney in Washington D.C. is considering whether to launch criminal prosecution over the inspector general findings.

Afterwards said of his firing: 'I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey.'

A GoFundMe for his legal fees raised more than $500,000.

JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Clearance under review

Clapper, a retired USAF lieutenant general was Obama's director of national intelligence from August 2010 until the Trump inauguration.

He was present when Trump was warned about Russian interference at a briefing in Trump Tower before the inauguration.

Since he resigned he has become a CNN analyst and frequent and vocal critic of the president. He said in December of Trump and Putin's relationship that Putin, a former KBG operative 'knows how to handle an asset, and that's what he's doing with the president.'

This week he said of Omarosa Manigault-Newman recording her firing in the White House Situation Room that it was an 'unthinkable' security violation to tape what happened there.

PETER STRZOK, FIRED FBI AGENT, AND LISA PAGE, EX-FBI LAWYER

Clearance under review

The two FBI lovers' texts to each other during their affair - when Strzok was married to another woman - led to Strzok being fired this week. Page resigned last month.

Strozk was a long-time senior counterintelligence officer who was engaged first in the Hillary Clinton investigation and then seconded to the Robert Mueller probe.

During the Clinton probe he texted Page 'f*** Trump'. She texted him: '[Trumps] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!'

He responded: 'No. No he wont. Well stop it.'

When the texts came to light, Strzok was removed from the Mueller probe. Page resigned from the FBI last month. Both were questioned by Congress - Strzok in public, Page in private - over their conduct.

Strzok was involved in a bad-tempered exchange with Republican congressmen and a GIF of him appearing to sneer was widely circulated in pro-Trump circles.

Strzok was then fired this week despite the FBI's internal disciplinary recommendation being that he keep his job.

His 'friends' launched a GoFundMe which offered a hint of what he may say himself in the future: 'For the last year, Pete, his work, and his character have been the target of highly politicized attacks, including frequent slanderous statements from President Trump, who activelyand apparently successfullypressured FBI officials to fire Pete.'

It was close to its $500,00 target just after Sarah Huckabee Sanders made her announcement.

BRUCE OHR, SENIOR EXECUTIVE AT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Clearance under review

Ohr is the only serving public servant on the list of those having their clearance reviewed.

He was an associate deputy assistant attorney general and then head of an anti-drugs taskforce in the DoJ, from which he was demoted in February.

He has made no public criticism of Trump or any public comment at all but he is at the heart of concerns over the golden showers dossier, and whether it was used to make part of the case for the Robert Mueller probe.

He was the contact in the Department of Justice for Christopher Steele, the ex-British spy who wrote the notorious dossier. But his wife Nellie Ohr was at the time working for Fusion GPS, which commissioned Steele.

Ohr oversaw the application to the FISA court for a warrant to monitor Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. A memo released by Devin Nunes, the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, claims Ohr did not declare his wife's relationship.

Subsequent leaked emails and texts say he kept in touch with Steele after Steele was terminated as an FBI source for leaking the dossier.

Trump has tweeted: 'Bruce Ohr of the Justice Department (can you believe he is still there) is accused of helping disgraced Christopher Steele "find dirt on Trump." Ohrs wife, Nelly, was in on the act big time - worked for Fusion GPS on Fake Dossier.'

Ohr is widely expected to be forced out. Removing his clearance would make any legal action he took more difficult by stopping him accessing secrets which could be used if he litigated against the government.

SUSAN RICE, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

Clearance under review

Rice was Obama's first ambassador to the United Nations then from July 2013, his national security adviser.

Since she left office she has been accused of being involved in the 'unmasking' and possibly also the leaking of the names of Michael Flynn - Trump's then national security adviser, now a felon - and Carter Page, a Trump campaign foreign affairs aide - over their conversations with Moscow.

Rice denies that and H.R. McMaster, Trump's second national security adviser said she did nothing wrong - but she has been a public critic of Trump and his administration - and this week used the New York Times, which Trump reads every day to call him 'the autocrats' best friend'.

SALLY YATES, FORMER ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL

Clearance under review

Yates spent just ten days as Trump's acting attorney general after being Obama's deputy attorney general from January 2015.

Trump first told her she would stay in office and act up until Jeff Sessions was confirmed.

But in late January 2017 she warned Trump that Mike Flynn, his first national security adviser had appeared not to be truthful about his dealings with Russia before the election and could be open to blackmail as a result.

Days later she ordered her department not to defend Trump's travel ban on people which covered mostly majority-Muslim countries and was fired on immediately, on January 27.

She has made limited public interventions but in July 2017 used a New York Times article to accuse Trump of being set on 'destroying the fundamental independence of the Justice Department'. She is in private practice and turned down an attempt to draft her as Democratic candidate for Georgia governor.

MICHAEL HAYDN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR

Clearance under review

Hayden was a career USAF officer who rose to four star general, holding intelligence posts under both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, including heading the NSA during and after 9/11.

He was Bush's final CIA director and served briefly under Obama.

But since the Trump administration he has used his CNN contributor role and his Twitter account to be a frequent - and witty - critic of the president.

As well as more serious attacks, he sarcastically called Donald Trump Jr. 'that noted scholar' and has frequently used laughing emojis to characterize his reaction to Trump's actions.

On land, heatwaves can be deadly for humans and wildlife and can devastate crops and forests.

Unusually warm periods can also occur in the ocean. These can last for weeks or months, killing off kelp forests and corals, and producing other significant impacts on marine ecosystems, fishing and aquaculture industries.

Yet until recently, the formation, distribution and frequency of marine heatwaves had received little research attention.

Long-term change

Climate change is warming ocean waters and causing shifts in the distribution and abundance of seaweeds, corals, fish and other marine species. For example, tropical fish species are now commonly found in Sydney Harbour.

But these changes in ocean temperatures are not steady or even, and scientists have lacked the tools to define, synthesize and understand the global patterns of marine heatwaves and their biological impacts.

At a meeting in early 2015, we convened a group of scientists with expertise in atmospheric climatology, oceanography and ecology to form a marine heatwaves working group to develop a definition for the phenomenon: A prolonged period of unusually warm water at a particular location for that time of the year. Importantly, marine heatwaves can occur at any time of the year, summer or winter.

Unusually warm periods can last for weeks or months, killing off kelp forests and corals, and producing other significant impacts on marine ecosystems, fishing and aquaculture industries worldwide (pictured)

With the definition in hand, we were finally able to analyse historical data to determine patterns in their occurrence.

Analysis of marine heatwave trends

Over the past century, marine heatwaves have become longer and more frequent around the world. The number of marine heatwave days increased by 54 per cent from 1925 to 2016, with an accelerating trend since 1982.

We collated more than 100 years of sea surface temperature data around the world from ship-based measurements, shore station records and satellite observations, and looked for changes in how often marine heatwaves occurred and how long they lasted.

This graph shows a yearly count of marine heatwave days from 1900 to 2016, as a global average.

We found that from 1925 to 1954 and 1987 to 2016, the frequency of heatwaves increased 34 per cent and their duration grew by 17 per cent.

These long-term trends can be explained by ongoing increases in ocean temperatures. Given the likelihood of continued ocean surface warming throughout the 21st century, we can expect to see more marine heatwaves globally in the future, with implications for marine biodiversity.

'The Blob' effect

Numbers and statistics are informative, but here's what that means underwater.

A marine ecosystem that had 30 days of extreme heat in the early 20th century might now experience 45 days of extreme heat. That extra exposure can have detrimental effects on the health of the ecosystem and the economic benefits, such as fisheries and aquaculture, derived from it.

A number of recent marine heatwaves have done just that.

In 2011, a marine heatwave off western Australia killed off a kelp forest and replaced it with turf seaweed. The ecosystem shift remained even after water temperatures returned to normal, signalling a long-lasting or maybe even permanent change.

That same event led to widespread loss of seagrass meadows from the iconic Shark Bay area, with consequences for biodiversity including increased bacterial blooms, declines in blue crabs, scallops and the health of green turtles, and reductions in the long-term carbon storage of these important habitats.

Examples of marine heatwave impacts on ecosystems and species. Coral bleaching and seagrass die-back (top left and right). Mass mortality and changes in patterns of commercially important species s (bottom left and right)

Similarly, a marine heatwave in the Gulf of Maine disrupted the lucrative lobster fishery in 2012. The warm water in late spring allowed lobsters to move inshore earlier in the year than usual, which led to early landings, and an unexpected and significant price drop.

More recently, a persistent area of warm water in the North Pacific, nicknamed 'The Blob', stayed put for years (2014-2016), and caused fishery closures, mass strandings of marine mammals and harmful algal bloom outbreaks along the coast. It even changed large-scale weather patterns in the Pacific Northwest.

As global ocean temperatures continue to rise and marine heatwaves become more widespread, the marine ecosystems many rely upon for food, livelihoods and recreation will become increasingly less stable and predictable.

The climate change link

Anthropogenic, that is human-caused, climate change is linked to some of these recent marine heatwaves.

For example, human emissions of greenhouse gases made the 2016 marine heatwave in tropical Australia, which led to massive bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, 53 times more likely to occur.

Even more dramatically, the 2015-16 marine heatwave in the Tasman Sea that persisted for more than eight months and disrupted Tasmanian fisheries and aquaculture industries was over 300 times more likely, thanks to anthropogenic climate change.

For scientists, the next step is to quantify future changes under different warming scenarios. How much more often will they occur? How much warmer will they be? And how much longer will they last?

Ultimately, scientists should develop forecasts for policy makers, managers and industry that could predict the future impacts of marine heatwaves for weeks or months ahead. Having that information would help fishery managers know when to open or close a fishery, aquaculture businesses to plan harvest dates and conservation managers to implement additional monitoring efforts.

Forecasts can help manage the risks, but in the end, we still need urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming. If not, marine ecosystems are set for an ever-increasing hammering from extreme ocean heat.

Source: Eric Oliver, Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University; Alistair Hobday, Senior Principal Research Scientist - Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO; Dan Smale, Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, Marine Biological Association; Neil Holbrook, Professor, University of Tasmania; Thomas Wernberg, ARC Future Fellow in Marine Ecology, University of Western Australia in a piece for The Conversation.



Trump is the center of Trump-world. Everything else is just a revolving blip on his giant screen. And you better believe when he hires a cabinet secretary of an FBI head or a judge, he expects that person to remember their fealty to him and him alone. Like when Hitler insisted the German military pledge allegiance to him, not to the nation. This is the original Reichswehreid:

I swear loyalty to the Reich's constitution and pledge, that I as a courageous soldier always want to protect the German Reich and its legal institutions, (and) be obedient to the Reichsprasident and to my superiors.

By 1934 it has devolved and become much more personalized-- quite a bit so-- into the Fuhrereid:

I swear by God this holy oath, that I want to offer unconditional obedience to the Fuhrer of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler, the commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht, and be prepared as a brave soldier to risk my life for this oath at any time.

if he has his way... which he won't since she's already volunteered to give Robert Mueller her trove of Trump-world audio tapes. But imagine how Senor Trumpanzee feels about Judge Dabney Friedrich, who he "gave" a plumb job on the U.S. District court for the District of Columbia, only to see her rule against "him" yesterday in the case nearest and dearest to his heart. Of course, this isn't the same as Trump's NDAs but it is the same as what he expects from the people he "gives" jobs. So, absolutely, in Trump-world, Omarosa is a "low-life," currently being turned into an arch-villain for the fans before being written out of the script entirely,he has his way... which he won't since she's already volunteered to give Robert Mueller her trove of Trump-world audio tapes. But imagine how Senor Trumpanzee feels about, who he "gave" a plumb job on the U.S. District court for the District of Columbia, only to see her rule against "him" yesterday in the case nearest and dearest to his heart.





Actually, Dabney, a far right ideologue, ruled that the Russian company that is fronting for Trump, Concord Management and Consulting LLC, was incorrect in arguing that Mueller was unlawfully appointed and lacked authority. She's the forth judge to uphold Mueller's legitimacy. The Kremlin controls Concord Management through a nortorious Putin lackey, Evgeny Prigozhin.





She also slapped down Concord's argument that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had no authority to hire Mueller to investigate Kremlin interference in the 2016 presidential election. Dabney: "By investigating and prosecuting Concord, the Special Counsel did not exceed his authority."At the meeting (Photo: VNA)



Attending the event were First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Le Quoc Phong and Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China Fu Zhenbang.

Addressing the function, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Bui Quang Huy said the meeting offers a chance for the two countries youth unions and youngsters to exchange information on young peoples affairs and share experience in youth union work and teenager movements in each nation.

Huy expressed his hope that through the event, Chinese youths will understand more about the land, culture and people of Vietnam - a peace-loving country; a good comrade, good friend, good neighbour and good partner of China; and a responsible member of the international community.

He asked the two countries youth delegates to continue maintaining their role as a friendship bridge that makes active and responsible contributions to developing the cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese people, especially youths.

Also at the event, the delegates had a chance to watch a TV report recalling the 18-year journey of Vietnam - China friendship exchanges and enjoy art performances featuring the cultures of both countries.

The 18th Vietnam-China youth friendship meeting is held from August 13th-19th, with main activities taking place in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh city.

The meeting has been organised in rotation in each country since 2000, aiming to realise the common policy of the leaders of the two Parties and States on enhancing exchanges between the Vietnamese and Chinese people and youths./.BAGHDAD, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Tuesday repelled an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, while an IS militant was killed in an airstrike on IS hideout in the province, a provincial security source said.

The extremist IS militants attacked in the morning a base of paramilitary tribal fighters in Mansouriyah area, some 110 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after a mortar barrage, Major Alaa al-Saadi, from the provincial Operations Command, told Xinhua.

The paramilitary fighters repelled the attack after a heavy clash with the attackers, who withdrew from the scene, Saadi said without giving further details about casualties.

In a separate incident, an Iraqi army helicopter gunship pounded an IS hideout near Albu Jum'a village in the western edge of Diyala, leaving an IS militant killed and two others wounded, Saadi said.

Despite repeated military operations in Diyala province, remnants of IS militants were still hiding in rugged areas near the border with Iran, as well as the sprawling areas extending from western part of Diyala to Himreen mountainous area in the northern part of the province.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from the IS. However, small groups of IS militants have since regrouped in rugged areas, carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians from time to time.

[ Editor: Xueying ]Awakening a craft village

Cam Thanh was one of the typical villages of Hoi An city, Quang Nam province, with products made from bamboo and coconut. Nestled under the green coconut forest in Bay Mau, Cam Thanh village had a great time. However, the development of modern life almost made the village seem lost. Fortunately, there are Cam Thanh people who are still concerned with the preservation of their traditional handicraft village and produce unique handicrafts to meet the market demand.

Growing up in a traditional family of crafts people in Cam Thanh commune, from an early age, Vo Tan Tan made many things from bamboo and coconut. His father, Vo Tan Muoi, was a famous artist in Hoi An. As a result, Vo Tan Tan soon inherited skills on making products from bamboo and coconut. With his passion for creating handicrafts, he has launched many artistic products from the familiar tree of Vietnam. Taboo Bamboo shop of Tans family is located under a green bamboo canopy, known as not only a shop that produces souvenirs, handicrafts and household goods from bamboo, but also an attractive destination for visitors.

Taboo Bamboo has many interesting handmade products from bamboo, from snails; penguins; dragonflies; and puppets to household items such as tables; chairs; telephones; cups; straws; chopsticks; and bowls. Vo Tan Tan Tan shared that 20 years ago, in his village, almost all houses were made from bamboo, with coconut leaf roofs.

Gradually, along with social development, traditional products lost their position. Young people do not care about the traditional craft, while older people are still doing familiar things, without changing the design, and, as a result, the products do not meet the demand of the market.

With his love for bamboo, Tan explores the characteristics of bamboo, gradually overcoming the disadvantages of the bamboo product, especially the monotony of design. He has created new products that are highly applicable in modern life, enough to compete with other handicrafts. Up to now, most of the items produced by his family are made from bamboo, not only impressive but also providing a cool and user-friendly living space.

Every day, his Taboo Bamboo shop serves a wide range of visitors to experience the steps of making their favourite bamboo and coconut products. According to Luu Thanh Thao, a tourist from Hanoi who visiting Hoi An and making her own bamboo cup, when she first came to Tan's bamboo workshop, she was surprised at the diverse bamboo products such as ceiling fans, decorative lights or mobile phone cases that bring a new and friendly feel.

Giving strength to bamboo

In addition to producing handicraft products, Vo Tan Tan is also known as the "father" of bamboo bicycles and unique bamboo electric cars. After years of cherishing and researching the project, he launched the bike made from the bamboo material branded Taboo, which is a popular product with many domestic and foreign tourists. Along with international visitors, the bamboo bikes have arrived in certain European countries.

Most recently, he successfully created a car made from bamboo. The product is environmentally friendly while creating the hallmark of Hoi An and Tans traditional handicraft village. It is also a creative product, affirming the special love of Tan for bamboo.

Inspired by bamboo, some art performances in Hoi An and Hanoi coordinated with Vo Tan Tan to bring the bamboo and bamboo products to the stage. In the circus play A O show in Hoi An, one of the unique features is that all the properties are made mainly from bamboo. The familiar objects such as nong (broad flat drying basket), nia (large and flat basket), baskets, cribble, and bamboo flame were taken on stage, creating unique artistic effects to conquer the viewer. Besides, Tan also received many invitations from owners of restaurants, cafes, resorts and hotels to put bamboo into the interior and exterior design, as well as decorative products.

The bamboo house with coconut roofs have reappeared next to the modern house. In the heart of Hoi An ancient city, the softness of the products made from bamboo and water coconut has contributed to preserving the image of a simple, rustic, and antique Hoi An. His bamboo straws have replaced the disposable plastic straws. The bamboo straws became popular product, especially in a campaign on reducing plastic waste in Hoi An .

With the love for bamboo and the traditional craft, the people of Hoi An and Vo Tan Tan are gradually creating products that are friendly with nature and environment, meanwhile through tourism they create a space with the Vietnamese cultural identity. Bamboo, coconut water, and ethnic elements are gradually restored to modern life, creating a green living space in a peaceful, hospitable Hoi An.Attending the event were First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Le Quoc Phong and Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China Fu Zhenbang.

Addressing the function, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Bui Quang Huy said the meeting offers a chance for the two countries youth unions and youngsters to exchange information on young peoples affairs and share experience in youth union work and teenager movements in each nation.

Huy expressed his hope that through the event, Chinese youths will understand more about the land, culture and people of Vietnam  a peace-loving country; a good comrade, good friend, good neighbour and good partner of China; and a responsible member of the international community.

He asked the two countries youth delegates to continue maintaining their role as a friendship bridge that makes active and responsible contributions to developing the cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese people, especially youths.

Also at the event, the delegates had a chance to watch a TV report recalling the 18-year journey of Vietnam-China friendship exchanges and enjoy art performances featuring the cultures of both countries.

The 18th Vietnam-China youth friendship meeting is held from August 13-19, with main activities taking place in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

The meeting has been organised in rotation in each country since 2000, aiming to realise the common policy of the leaders of the two Parties and States on enhancing exchanges between the Vietnamese and Chinese people and youths.Tran Van Trach, the owner of the two bears, is the first bear farmer in Thai Nguyen to voluntarily transfer their bears to the authorities concerned, marking the first successful step in putting an end to bear farming activities in the locality.

After witnessing the living conditions of the bears that have been rescued at the FOUR PAWS bear sanctuary, Trach decided to voluntarily hand over his bears that his family has kept for over 12 years.

After receiving the information, Thai Nguyen provincial Forest Protection Department actively cooperated with the related organisations to transfer the bears to the Ninh Binh centre. Now there are only three captive bears in Thai Nguyen after the voluntary transfer of the two from the Trach family.

Veterinarians examine the health of the bears before transferring them to the bear sanctuary in Ninh Binh province run by FOUR PAWS Vietnam.

Discussing his decision, Trach said he hoped that if any family that currently keeps bears found that they could not afford to provide a better life for the bears, they should hand them over to the rescue facilities so that they can provide a better future for them.

Since the beginning of the year, eight bears in five provinces have been delivered to rescue centres. In particular, Ninh Binh and Can Tho have successfully ended bear farming, bringing the total number of localities free of captive bears to 22.

According to the latest statistics, by the end of July, there were roughly 780 bears in captivity outside the rescue centres across the nation. In 2005, the Government of Vietnam pledged its efforts to end bear farming and reaffirmed this commitment in 2017. The group of non-governmental organisations on bear protection has been assisting the local authorities to promote the complete end of captive bear farming in Vietnam.The US-Russia relations have seen signs of improvement since the Trump-Putin meeting took place in Helsinki, Finland, last month. In late July, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to concretise the commitments reached in the previous Russia-US summit. Accordingly, the two sides discussed the situation in Syria, how to implement their ideas on counterterrorism process coordination, and the establishment of a dialogue channel between the private and non-governmental entities of the two countries. The discussions also touched upon the need for Russia to provide fair and reciprocal diplomatic access to the US. The prospect of improving the Russia-US relations became brighter as the Kremlin said that President Putin received an invitation to attend a summit with US President Trump in Washington later this year.

However, the joy was short-lived. The US-Russia relations have returned to a state of tension over recent days after the US announced that they would impose new sanctions on Russia over Moscows alleged involvement in the poison attack of a Russian ex-spy in the UK. The new US sanctions are expected to come into effect on August 22 and be implemented in two phases, including a ban on export licenses to sell anything with a potential national security purpose to Russia.

Amid the tensions in the US-Russia relations, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov made a phone call on August 10. However, instead of discussing the cooperation contents, they mainly expressed tough stances or criticised each other. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during the talks, Minister Lavrov affirmed Moscows stance opposing the new US sanctions aimed at Russia. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a discussion with members of the Russian Federation Security Council on new US sanctions, criticised the move as totally illegal and counter to international laws.

The unpredictable developments in the Russia-US relations have taken the international community by surprise. The analysts stated that Washington alleging the Russian ex-spys poisoning as an excuse for new sanctions on Russia would hardly let Moscow be persuaded, as they failed to show any convincing evidence of Russia standing behind the case. Many analysts said that President Trump, perforce, had to apply the sanction aiming to calm down protests from within US politics following his failure to show a tough stance over Moscow. After his friendly and soft meeting with the Russian President in Finland, President Trump received a lot of criticisms from US politicians as he did not mentioned either sanctions against Russia or the poison attack of the Russian ex-spy in the UK early this year. Many parliamentarians of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party voiced their dissatisfaction at the results of the Trump-Putin summit, hailing it as a missed opportunity to blame Russia for many issues.

However, the implication of the new US sanctions is that President Trump may have closed the door to improving relations with Russia that he himself had just opened. Analysts predict that it will be very difficult to hold a second Russia-US summit in the near future. Another implication is that these new sanction measures not only fail to prevent Moscow from developing, but also threaten to make the European Union (EU) alienate the US. Washingtons punishment over Moscow would increase the rift in the EU and also worsen the relations between the US and its European partners. Currently, the EU countries are split into two factions, with some favouring the US sanctions, and the rest opposing the move because it influences their economic interests. In fact, a newly released UN special report showed that since the imposition of sanctions on Russia in 2014, the EU economy suffered a loss of US$3.2 billion a month, which means the damage has risen to over US$100 billion thus far. Therefore, the US strengthening its sanctions on Russia will make the EU suffer from huger losses.

The aforementioned developments and the interactive relationship between the US, Russia, and the EU are showing complexity in the policy to adjust the bilateral ties between the two world powers, the US and Russia. With President Trump first expressing his goodwill and then punishing Russia, it can be seen that the relations between these two powers remain in a state of uncertainty and unpredictability, and this is definitely not beneficial to stability and development in Europe as well as globally.Deputy PM Akimov will replace Deputy PM Igor Shuvalov to hold the post, the Russian Government announced on August 13.

Deputy PM Akimov has worked as a member of the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and Priority Projects since June 2016.

Vietnam and Russia established diplomatic relations in 1950 and decided to elevate the relationship to the level of strategic partnership in 2001 and then to comprehensive strategic partnership 11 years later.

Political ties between the two nations with a high level of trust have been enhanced through the regular exchange of delegations and bilateral meetings at all levels, and via the mechanism of consultation and strategic dialogue.

Vietnam-Russia economic, trade and investment ties have enjoyed dynamic development. After the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union officially came into effect in October 2016, the trade value between the two countries has grown strongly, reaching US$5.3 billion in 2017. The two nations are striving to lift the bilateral trade to US$ 10 billion by 2020.

In terms of investment, besides the cooperation in the field of oil and gas, as of June 2018, Russia has 117 direct investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of nearly US$ 1 billion. Meanwhile, Vietnam is operating 22 investment projects worth nearly US$ 3 billion in Russia.The new rules -- two laws, three decrees and five resolutions -- take effect in October, providing a legal framework to guide business dealings between national and foreign companies, and provide guarantees for foreign investment.

Updated regulations are "necessary," Maria Sanchez Torres, the OCPI's director, told reporters.

The rules protect industrial processes, designs and trademarks, and as a result promote innovation, and regulate the transfer of technology, national and foreign investment, and trade in goods and services, she said.

At the same time, the rules protect against the abuse of industrial property rights, which serve to restrict trade or limit the transfer of technology.

Today, the export of biotechnological and biopharmaceutical products is one of the most profitable sectors of the Cuban economy.

"It's important to preserve the current Cuban know-how and inventions, and ensure the protection of future results that emerge from collaboration with foreign entities," said Sanchez.

According to the National Statistics Bureau, in 2016 a group of 163 Cuban patents were requested by foreign entities, 40 of these patents were requested by US companies, despite Washington's trade embargo against the Caribbean island.

A month ago, the government called on Cuba's private entrepreneurs to register their trademarks and distinctive logos with the OCPI.

Experts from LEX S.A., a Cuban law firm specializing in industrial property, told reporters that the boom in self-employment has led to increasing numbers of business owners registering their trademarks."A total of 50 Taliban insurgents under Taliban key commander Mullah Toofan laid down arms and surrendered to local authorities in Qadis district today morning," Amini told Xinhua.

Mullah Toofan, according to the official, was commanding 300 armed fighters in Qadis district over the past few years and his surrender to government would prove a major setback to the Taliban outfit in Badghis and adjoining areas.

The surrendered commander Toofan and his men would soon come to provincial capital Qala-e-Naw to talk to media, the official said.

Taliban militants are yet to make comment.The Swiss-made Pilatus aircraft lost contact with air traffic control Saturday ( August 11) during what was supposed to be a flight of around 40 minutes in remote Papua province.

The wreckage of the plane was found in a heavily forested area on a mountain side in the Oksibil subdistrict on Sunday morning.

"Eight passengers were found dead and one was found alive," Papua military spokesman Lieutenant colonel Dax Sianturi said.

The plane, which was owned by private charter company Dimonim Air, was carrying seven passengers and two crew.

Before the accident, villagers in nearby Okatem reported hearing a loud roar followed by an explosion.

Search and rescue teams walked two hours to reach the crash site and were still recovering the bodies late morning.Lavrov and Guterres discussed the prospects of the UN expanding its conflict prevention and peacemaking work while exchanging views on the conflict in Syria, according to a ministry press release.

Russia maintains an airbase and a naval base in Syria to support the Syrian government forces, and Moscow is also actively mediating between conflicting factions in the war-torn country.

During Monday's phone conversation, Lavrov also informed Guterres of the contact between the human rights commissioners of Russia and Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine have detained several people from each other's respective countries amid their tense relations due to Crimea and the armed conflicts in eastern Ukraine.

In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko agreed that the two countries' human rights commissioners should visit Russian citizens detained in Ukraine and Ukrainian detainees in Russia.BEIJING, Aug. 14 -- Total solar eclipses formed by the moon shadowing the sun are spectacular opportunities for scientists to observe the sun's corona, but too short and rare to capture.

So Chinese scientists have put forward a novel idea to view a total solar eclipse in space by using the earth to cover the sun, so they might have a longer and more accurate observation and study the source of solar storms.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the fastest spacecraft in history, blasted off on Sunday, on a mission to study the sun at a closer range than any other spacecraft. The probe is expected to enter the sun's fiery corona after a journey of about seven years.

Chinese scientists have proposed another approach: flying in the earth's shadow.

The corona -- the sun's rarefied gaseous envelope -- is more than a million degrees centigrade and often generates solar storms that damage satellites, navigation and communication systems, said Luo Bingxian, a researcher at the National Space Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

"The heating process of the corona is one of astronomy's biggest mysteries, but our understanding of it is still lacking due to our inability to observe it," Luo said.

"It's very difficult to see the corona clearly from Earth, since its brightness is less than a millionth of that of the sun's disk," Luo said.

The corona is normally visible only during a total solar eclipse, when it is seen as an irregularly shaped glow around the darkened disk of the moon.

However, total solar eclipses are rare and usually last only minutes. Sometimes the best view is from the ocean or the weather conditions are poor, making them very difficult to observe.

Although scientists have devised a special instrument, the coronograph, to observe the corona, it's easily affected by factors such as stray light, vignetting and atmospheric scattering.

"Since we can see the moon between the sun and earth during a total solar eclipse, I thought we could put a telescope, the earth and sun in a straight line," said Luo.

His team calculated the best place for the telescope was close to the second Lagrange point (L2) of the sun-earth system, about 1.4 million kilometers from the earth.

There, the relative positions of the sun, earth and telescope would remain unchanged with the gravity of the sun, earth and a little propulsion, Luo said.

Cooperating with scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China and the Innovation Academy of Microsatellites of the CAS, Luo took the idea to a contest of innovative future technologies in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, recently and it was selected as one of 30 winning projects. The contest encouraged young Chinese scientists to conceive groundbreaking technologies and trigger innovation.Aerial photo taken on July 11, 2018 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

GUANGZHOU, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- For Li Zhiping, a bus driver commuting between Guangdong and Hong Kong, the Humen Bridge is his most frequent route.

But not for long.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, about to open soon, will cut the travel time between the two areas from three hours to 30 minutes.

"I will definitely take this way once it opens. It will be faster and no traffic jams, making things convenient for everyone," Li said.

Meng Wei, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said earlier this year that the major tunnel project for the bridge was completed in February and preparation was underway for the official opening.

CONNECTIVITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE

The 55-km bridge, situated in the Lingdingyang, or Lingding Channel of the Pearl River Estuary, is an example of the connectivity of infrastructure in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

On July 1, 2017, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the signing ceremony of the framework agreement on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which covers Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, as well as nine cities in Guangdong including the first-tier cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

With the support of the central government, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao will improve collaboration mechanisms and facilitate win-win cooperation to build a world-class bay area and city cluster.

The Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, which links Hong Kong with the mega high-speed rail network of the Chinese mainland, is also expected to begin operation in the third quarter of this year.

Policies for improved transport facilities, as well as expedited employment, education and medical services for people from Hong Kong and Macao in the mainland are also in the works.

"With promising career prospects, good income and a more friendly working and living environment, I feel like staying here even longer," said Hong Kong resident Kevin Lee who started working in Shenzhen, in 2015.

INNOVATIVE COOPERATION BOOSTS DEVELOPMENT

The NDRC is working on a plan to make the bay area an international science and technology innovation center, which will lay out a top-level design for innovation and cooperation in science and technology in the region.

In May, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Finance encouraged colleges and research institutes in Hong Kong and Macao to join in science and technology initiatives financed by the central government.

The decision to establish the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park was published in 2017, and a business hub for start-ups was unveiled in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong in July.

So far, six Hong Kong colleges have set up 72 research institutes in Shenzhen to turn discoveries into practical use.

"With an inclusive atmosphere, supportive policies, complete supporting facilities, and the massive mainland market, the Greater Bay Area has an excellent and innovative business environment," said Felix Lio, vice secretary general of Hong Kong United Youth Association and also a Hong Kong entrepreneur doing business in Shenzhen.

PLANS TURNED INTO ACTIONS

Over the past year, the NDRC and authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have joined hands to carry out the framework agreement on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development.

The economic and trade cooperation and investment among the three areas experienced a strong year in 2017.

Last year, 82.8 percent of investment from outside the mainland in Guangdong came from Hong Kong and Macao; and 57.5 percent of Guangdong's investment went to Hong Kong and Macao.

Over 12,000 companies from Hong Kong and Macao entered the pilot free trade zones in Guangdong.

"Based on the framework agreement, all parties -- from the government, business sector, education and research circles, to the public -- are joining forces to put the words into actions to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," said Wang Fuqiang, an official with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, a government think tank.

Photo taken on Oct. 26, 2017 shows guests toasting for the establishment of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Bay Area Economic and Trade Association in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Photo taken on June 12, 2018 shows passengers passing the Luohu Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

A bullet train enters the Qingsheng Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2016 shows the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense [File Photo: mod.gov.cn]

BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Defense Ministry on Tuesday expressed opposition to the China-related contents in a new act adopted by the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 into law. The act includes clauses such as directing a whole-of-government strategy on China and submitting the assessment and plan on strengthening Taiwan's force readiness.

"The China-related contents in that act are filled with a cold-war mentality, advocating confrontations between the two countries and interfering with China's internal affairs," said Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense.

Wu identified the related contents as violations to the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three joint communiques between China and the United States. He highlighted their damage to the bilateral relations, military ties, mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.

"Chinese armed forces firmly oppose the contents and have lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side," said Wu.

Taiwan is a part of China and the Taiwan issue, concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations, according to Wu.

Wu reiterated the resolute opposition to any form of official or military contact between any country and Taiwan, and stressed that "We will never allow anyone, at any time or in any form, to separate Taiwan from China."

Wu called on the United States to adhere to the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three joint communiques between China and the United States, and handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, so as to avoid damaging China-U.S. relations, the military ties or the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.SANAA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) said Tuesday that 40 children were among 51 people killed in a recent airstrike on a school bus in Yemen's northern province of Saada.

There are also 56 children among the 79 people injured in the strike, Johannes Bruwer, head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, said in an emailed statement.

"Final information issued by Saada authorities: out of a total number of 130 victims, 51 are dead, including 40 children, and out of the 79 injured, 56 are children. The numbers speak for themselves," the statement said.

On Thursday, two airstrikes hit a school bus in the Dhahyan market in Saada, the key stronghold of the Iran-allied Shiite Houthi rebels.

The Houthi rebels blamed the Saudi Arabia-led coalition for the attack, which has triggered popular anger across Yemen and condemnation from international humanitarian agencies.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the airstrike on the school bus, calling for an "independent and prompt investigation."

The ICRC also condemned the airstrikes, saying "civilians must be protected during conflict under international humanitarian law."

On Friday, the Saudi-led coalition said it would investigate the airstrike. But on Saturday, the Saudi mission to the UN submitted a letter to Guterres affirming that the airstrike was "legitimate and it targeted Houthi leaders responsible for recruiting and training young children."

On Monday, thousands of Yemeni mourners from several northern provinces attended the funeral in Saada, where the killed children were buried.

Local residents said the students were traveling on a field trip when their bus was hit in the Dhahyan market.

The chief of Houthi revolutionary committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, attended the funeral and accused the United States of backing the coalition airstrikes.

The U.S. State Department has reportedly urged the Saudi-led coalition to "conduct a thorough and transparent investigation".

Yemen has been locked in a civil war since the Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces in late 2014, including the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in the Yemeni war in 2015 to support the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

More than 10,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, have been killed in the war, with about 3 million others displaced.HOHHOT, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese scientist says the country's solar radio heliograph is likely to cooperate with NASA's recently launched Parker Solar Probe to study the Sun.

The Chinese Spectral Radioheliograph (CSRH), built at Ming'antu, a radio quiet region in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, consists of 100 antennas with different frequency spectra covering an area of 10 square km. It can monitor solar activities on a wide imaging resolution spectrum.

According to Yan Yihua, president of Division E Sun and Heliosphere, International Astronomical Union, the observation range of the CSRH and the Parker Solar Probe will overlap and it's possible that the two will cooperate in the future for specific scientific tasks.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the fastest spacecraft in history, launched on Sunday, is on a mission to study the Sun at closer range than any other spacecraft.

During its mission lifetime of seven years, the probe will complete 24 orbits of the Sun and fly within 6.1 million km of the Sun's surface at closest approach.

"Data from both sides could corroborate and supplement each other," said Yan.BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Forty-two films will be screened this year at an annual forum celebrating young directors who make Chinese-language films, the event's main organizer said Tuesday.

The China Film Association said the 13th Chinese Young Generation Film Forum would be held between Sept. 12 and 16 in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The municipal government sponsored the event.

The association's vice president Zhang Hong said the event aimed to foster a new generation of Chinese-language film makers.

The 42 films were selected from hundreds of candidates submitted since the forum called for entries in May. Some of them were produced overseas. The films cover a wide range of genres, including drama, action, thriller, sci-fi, romance and animation.

The organizers said they would take some of the films to screenings overseas to give young directors more international exposure.China and Africa will step up cooperation to reduce poverty, a Chinese poverty relief official said Tuesday.

A demonstration farm run by Chinese agricultural experts to Tanzania. [Photo: Xinhua]

"Reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development are shared targets and historical tasks of China and Africa," said Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The two sides will strengthen communication to share their experience of poverty alleviation and work together to conduct research in the field.

China will continue to train poverty relief workers from Africa according to the needs of African countries, Liu told a conference on poverty reduction and development under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two sides will launch some pilot projects that serve as examples or provide technical support for poverty relief work, according to Liu.GuGu the goose. (Photo/Shanghai Maritime University)

As its owner was moving house, a pet goose was recently sent to a university in Shanghai known for its good natural environment, ThePaper.cn reported on August 13, 2018.

GuGu the goose was in the prime of its life. The owner, who could no longer care for it, asked if Shanghai Maritime University could take the goose in through Chinas social networking site Weibo.

The university posted a response through their official account on Weibo, saying that they had decided to allow GuGu to join the university gaggle.

The special admission notice that GuGu received. (Photo/a Weibo user).

The university also forwarded an imitation admission notice made by a Weibo user. According to the admission notice, GuGu had been accepted to the universitys school of ecological breeding.

The news quickly sparked online discussion. Many people liked photos of the goose, and a Weibo account that was specially created for the university gaggle even jokingly posted an entrance exam for GuGu.

Entrance examination questions for GuGu the goose. (Photo/A special Weibo account for the gaggle of Shanghai Maritime University)

GuGu will now be able to enjoy the universitys beautiful natural environment. The campus is close to a lake surrounded by a huge ecological wetland and a wildlife reserve, which is already home to 249 species of bird. The wetland area is an ideal place for birds to inhabit and reproduce.

Accepting GuGu is consistent with the universitys goal of creating a green, eco-friendly campus where people can live in harmony with nature, Shanghai Maritime University told ThePaper.cn.Skradis, Daly pass Knight test LINCOLN  The fifth-ranked Elkhorn South football team capped the regular season with a record of 8-1 after securing their second-consecutive hard fought road win over a playoff team on...

Westside upsets South in Metro Tourney PAPILLION  The two-time defending Metro Volleyball Conference Tournament champs Elkhorn South rolled to a 25-3, 25-7 victory over an overmatched Omaha South team in the opening round match at...

Class B Runners-Up Lexington edges SkyHawks

KEARNEY  For the first time since 2016, a boys cross country team other than Skutt Catholic held up the team title at the Class B State Championship meet. Lexington...

Pride deals Wolves a setback OMAHA  The Elkhorn North football team saw their season come to an end with a 41-27 loss at the hands of Roncalli Catholic in Omaha on Oct. 21. The...

Concordia falls in home triangular OMAHA  The Concordia Mustang volleyball team finished the regular season on Oct. 19 with a home triangular against Columbus Lakeview and Bishop Neumann, two ranked teams in Class C-1....The 72nd Independence Day of Pakistan was celebrated at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing with great fervor and enthusiasm on Tuesday, Aug. 14.

The national flag of Pakistan was flown at full mast in a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 72nd Independence Day of Pakistan at the Embassy.

The national flag was raised by Pakistans ambassador to China, Masood Khalid, to the sound of the national anthem. Messages from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan were also read out by the Ambassador.

In his message, President Mamnoon Hussain said, National days are celebrated with the purpose of educating society, particularly the new generation, about the objective and struggle for the attainment of Pakistan. I believe that the objective of developing the country and rekindling its glorious past can only be achieved if we work single-mindedly, keeping aside our personal interests.

The Prime Minister, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, said, Our beautiful country is blessed with every gift of nature. From an ideal geo-strategic location to the most talented and progressive youth, we have all the ingredients to carve out our own destiny and rise as a successful nation of the world. Unswerving commitment to the ideals of the Quran and following the principle of Unity, Faith and Discipline would certainly help us overcome our present-day challenges and make Pakistan a self-reliant, economically vibrant and prosperous country.

Ambassador Khalid highlighted the significance of Pakistan-China ties which have grown from strength to strength in recent years. He heralded the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a beacon of prosperity and shared future.

National songs were performed by Pakistani children and a cake was cut to mark the occasion.

The event was attended by embassy officials, staff and their families as well as many members of Beijings Pakistani community.Terry Branstad, the U.S. Ambassador to China, speaks to audience during the Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit in Des Moines of Iowa State, the United States, on Aug. 13, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

DES MOINES, the United States, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Despite some disagreements, the United States and China can work together to resolve problems and build a "bright future," the U.S. Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, said here on Monday amid ongoing U.S.-China trade frictions.

"Obviously the United States and China have some disagreements on a number of things, but there's great opportunity for us to work together," Branstad said at the Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit in his hometown Iowa.

"Trade friction is a complicated situation, but I think if we work together in good faith, we can see challenges are overcome and we can build a bright future," he said.

As a keynote speaker, the envoy told the audience that the Chinese respect longtime friendship and he is very proud to be considered an old friend of China, with the relationship dating back to the 1980s.

If the two biggest economies in the world can work things out, it would add a lot to the economic growth, peace and prosperity throughout the world, he added.

With nearly 350,000 Chinese students studying in the United States, Branstad said the relationships and friendships built in the process can be tremendously helpful for international understanding, especially in trade.

In June, the Trump administration announced plans to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods, a unilateral move that can provoke a trade war between the world's top two economies and damage the global economy and trading system.A labor union has filed an environmental lawsuit seeking to block construction of a 72-acre project near Rancho Penasquitos that many consider a new model for suburban development in San Diego.

Merge 56 aims to be a densely built, walkable community with a sense of place, common in more urban areas. It would include 242 residential units, six-story office buildings, retail shops, a hotel and a movie theater.

The lawsuit is likely to delay construction of the project by creating uncertainty and jeopardizing some of the financing, developer Gary Levitt said by phone on Aug. 7.

The union that filed the lawsuit, Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America, has requested Levitt agree to a project labor agreement for Merge 56, which generally imposes terms that are labor-friendly on the builder.

Critics complain that labor unions seeking such union-friendly deals are increasingly using environmental litigation to gain leverage over resistant developers.

Whatever the motivation, the lawsuit raises several significant concerns about Merge 56s potential effects on nearby wildlife, greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion and cancer risk for residents in the area.

Merge 56, which the City Council unanimously approved in May, would be built on mostly vacant land immediately adjacent to the biologically protected Del Mar Mesa Preserve, which includes a U.S. Fish and Wildlife refuge.

A comprehensive environmental impact analysis by the city determined that all environmental impacts could be mitigated to levels below significance.

But the lawsuit says that analysis is severely flawed in several ways, noting that Merge 56 would be built on the last big stand of old growth chaparral left in coastal Southern California and a large cluster of vernal pools.

The biological analysis is incomplete, inadequate and not supported by substantial evidence, says the lawsuit, which was filed last month by Local 89 attorney Rebecca Davis.

The 72-acre site is south of state Route 56, east of Interstate 5 and west of Interstate 15.

On health issues, the lawsuit says the environmental impact report fails to include a quantified health risk assessment of the project.

The EIR fails to disclose the serious cancer risks to nearby residential communities and an elementary school created by diesel engine exhaust emitted during the construction phase of the project, the lawsuit says.

The litigation also attacks the traffic analysis.

The EIR fails to describe the project in a manner sufficient to allow for an accurate assessment of the projects traffic impacts, as well as air quality impacts that are based on the traffic analysis, the suit says.

Finally, the lawsuit says the city and the developer should have considered shrinking the project to reduce its environmental impacts.

Levitt said agreeing to a project labor agreement in North County, where such agreements are rare, would put him at an unfair disadvantage compared to other developers. He said the state Legislature should prohibit the disingenuous use of environmental law by labor unions who are simply seeking concessions from developers.

Community leaders have embraced the project, which is a re-design of a development approved for the site in 2004 that would have followed an older model of suburban development: a big box shopping center surrounded by a sizable parking lot with apartment buildings and a self-storage facility nearby.

Thom Clark, chairman of the Rancho Penasquitos Community Planning Group, said by phone on Aug. 7 that he was disappointed to hear of the lawsuit.

"The community learned what the design was all about and they embraced it at the end," Clark said. "Everybody that came out to the meetings was supportive of the project."

Clark said he agreed that Merge 56 was a new model for suburban development, praising the projects sense of scale and variety of uses.

"I think it's a very livable, walkable environment that they've proposed," he said.

Hilary Nemchik, a spokeswoman for City Attorney Mara Elliott, declined to comment on the litigation other than saying, We will review the complaint and respond through the courts.The process continues to transform a longstanding equestrian facility in Carmel Valley into senior housing. The Carmel Valley Community Planning Boards regional issues subcommittee reviewed the proposed Seabreeze senior living community at its Aug. 6 meetingthe project is located on the site of the Seabreeze Farms Equestrian Center on Old Carmel Valley Road.

According to Ryan Leong, principal with SRM Development, Seabreeze has received its first round of comments from the city and resubmitted on July 31. The developers plan to come before the full Carmel Valley Community Planning Board in October and to the San Diego Planning Commission for approval by the end of the year or early 2019.

Seabreeze Farms Equestrian Center has been on Old Carmel Valley Road for almost 30 years, situated adjacent to open space near Cathedral Catholic High School. The current zoning allows for licensed residential care facilities for seniors but the developers will need to amend the precise plan for the area and obtain a conditional use permit.

Of the 32-acre site, only 8.78 acres will be developed, leaving the remaining 24 acres as open space. Seabreeze Equestrian Farms owner Chad Harris, a partner on the project, will maintain a small pasture and boarding for 15 to 25 retired horses.

Leong said the proposed project will add community benefits by meeting the demand for more senior housing in Carmel Valley and the region as well as improving and expanding the propertys trails with additional access points for public enjoyment.

The developers have been working with Cathedral Catholic and the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego to establish the trail connection alongside the school property from Del Mar Heights Road. The proposed trail, which will feature trailheads open to the community from the Seabreeze property, will wind through the preserved open space and connect at Carmel Knolls Drive.

SRM Developers have met with surrounding residents and the neighboring homeowners association several times over the last year, most recently on Aug. 5. A focus has been placed on preserving views and keeping common areas and the main entry away from the adjacent community, facing the canyon instead.

The architecture is very different from what you saw the last time; that really is from the direct feedback from neighbors about what they would like to see in their neighborhood, Leong said.

The design has evolved from modern architecture with flat, low-pitched roofs to a Spanish Colonial aesthetic with elements like tile roofs, arched windows, recessed openings, Juliet balconies and a cascading series of roofs to help break up the massing of the two-story main building. The main building will house 104 assisted living units as well as a separate memory care wing with 14 units.

Seabreeze will also include five one-story casitas with two units each for independent living.

One resident at the meeting said that privacy is one of the main issues for existing homeowners that face the back of the casitas. Leong said they have heard those concerns and worked to minimize the amount of windows on the back of the casitasonly the laundry rooms and kitchens will have rear windows.

The casitas will have back patios but no backyards, and landscape architect Jon Becker said they have scouted out areas where the vegetation has not flourished along the edges of the property and will fill in the barren areas with a native plant palette to help screen the new development.

According to SRM and the residents at the subcommittee meeting, the architectural changes have been positively received although planning board Chair Frisco White made a recommendation to create a better sense of arrival when coming onto the property from the long drive off Old Carmel Valley Road.SEATTLE, 14 August 2018 (AP)  A Washington state judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by young activists who argued the state is violating their rights by failing to protect them from climate change.

In his ruling Tuesday, King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott says the issues in the case are political questions that must be addressed by the legislative and executive branches and cannot be resolved by a court.

The activists sued the state, Gov. Jay Inslee and state agencies in February 2018 asserting a constitutional right to a healthy environment and a stable climate system. But Scott wrote that there is no such specific right found within the state Constitution.

Among other things, the activists wanted the judge to order the state to submit a climate recovery plan to reduce emissions.

In dismissing their claims, Scott wrote he hoped the plaintiffs wont be discouraged.Save my User ID and Password

Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site.

Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site.Subscriber content preview

EDINBURGH (AP) Royal Bank of Scotland will pay a $4.9 billion fine to settle allegations it misrepresented the types of mortgages it sold to investors during the housing bubble that ultimately led to the 2008 financial crisis.

The Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday that the penalty is the largest it has imposed for financial crisis-era misconduct at a single company.





. . .Subscriber content preview

Photo by Orion Commercial Partners [enlarge] Lincoln Property Co. of Dallas paid $17.5 million for South Seattle Business Park.





South Seattle Business Park, at 4634-4636 E. Marginal Way S., has sold for almost $17.5 million, according to King County records.





. . .Many Chinese grain and oil enterprises have sought to diversify soybean imports to avoid risks brought by the ongoing trade friction between China and the United States, with South America becoming the new front-runner, according to Chinanews.com last Wednesday.

The major source of imported soybean products can be easily substituted, with sufficient crop supplies around the world that can be processed into oil and meal, said Yu Xubo, president of China's largest grain enterprise China National Cereal, Oils and Foodstuff Corporation (COFCO).

Yu said the soybean shortage caused by a decrease of soybean imports from the U.S. can be made up by importing soybean products from other countries and regions.

Industry insiders discussed that in the long run, regions such as South America and the Black Sea have great potential to play bigger roles in the global soybean supply chain.

Evidence for this comes from the Sinograin Oils Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China's state-owned backbone grain and oil enterprise, Sinograin. In 2017, soybean imports from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay accounted for 69.4 percent of the company's total soybean imports, while imports from the U.S. only accounted for 30.6 percent of the total.

In fact, the distribution of China's soybean sources has been changing since long before the recent trade friction.

Statistics from China's customs service show that in 2016 and 2017, soybeans imported by China from non-U.S. countries, mainly South America, accounted for over 60 percent of China's total soybean imports, and has since grown steadily.

Relevant statistics indicate that although U.S. exports make up 35 percent of China's total soybean imports, they account for a much larger 60 percent of the United States' total soybean exports.

"Farmers in the U.S. are the real victims of the high tariff policy of the U.S. government", said Yu.A 50-metre (160-foot) high section of the Morandi bridge collapsed Tuesday with as many as 35 vehicles driving on it

Egypt sent its condolences Wednesday to Italy over the deaths of 37 in the collapse of a bridge in Genoa on Tuesday, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

"The Egyptian foreign ministry expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished the victims a speedy recovery," the statement read, stressing that "the Egyptian government and its people will stand with the government and people of Italy in this ordeal."

A 50-metre (160-foot) high section of the Morandi bridge, including a tower that anchored several stays, collapsed Tuesday with as many as 35 vehicles driving on it.

Huge slabs of reinforced concrete plunged onto two warehouses, train tracks, and a riverbed.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

One Turkish court has rejected an American Christian pastor's appeal to be released from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted, but an upper court is yet to rule on the appeal, his lawyer told Reuters on Wednesday.

Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson is standing trial in Turkey over terrorism charges. His case now lies at the heart of a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States that has sent Turkish lira into free-fall.

It usually takes a court between 3 to 7 days to process an appeal but a ruling could come sooner in this case, Brunson's lawyer Ismail Cem Halavurt told Reuters.

"A ruling can come tomorrow, or even tonight. These are appeals that require fast decision making because they are related to an individual's freedoms," he said.

A previous appeal by Halavurt on behalf of Brunson was rejected by the court.

The case now lies at the heart of a bitter row between NATO allies Turkey and United States, who have been growing apart for years over a series of disagreements on Syria, their perception of security threats and defense deals.

The evangelical pastor is accused of terrorism charges and aiding the network of a U.S.-based Islamic preacher blamed by Ankara for masterminding a coup attempt in July 2016 against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his vice president Mike Pence have repeatedly called for the pastor's release and have sanctioned two Turkish ministers after a Turkish court moved him to house arrest after 21 months in prison. Washington said the move was inadequate.

Last week Trump said he was doubling tariffs on metal imports. Ankara retaliated on Wednesday by doubling tariffs on some U.S. imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco.

Brunson faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty. He has denied the charges. His next trial hearing is scheduled for October 12.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

The finance and economy ministers of Germany and Turkey will meet to prepare for President Tayyip Erdogan's state visit to Germany in September, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.

The spokesman did not say in an emailed statement when or where the ministers will meet.

Merkel and Erdogan discussed bilateral ties and the situation in Syria during a phone call on Wednesday, the spokesman said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:





Australia pig producers threatened with cartel charges if collective culling happens



Pig producers in Australia would be slapped with cartel charges if they attempt to cull piglets collectively to cut pork supply, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) warned.

ACCC's threat came as Australia's pork sector grappled with a supply glut and low prices, according to a ABC Rural report. The action is communicated in an ACCC letter which was distributed by Australian Pork Limited (APL) to its members in the country.



"The ACCC has recently become aware of information suggesting some pig farmers might be considering plans to euthanise piglets in response to an oversupply of pigs in the market," the letter read.



"If farmers agree to act together to reduce the number of pigs in the market, they may be involved in illegal cartel conduct." As a result, producers could also face criminal charges.



"Cartels like this are illegal as they have the effect of reducing the availability of particular goods, which then artificially increases demand and prices," the letter stated.



ACCC commissioner Mick Keogh cautioned that unlawful cartel actions could amount to collusion. "Acting together would be considered to constitute a group of farmers or the industry representatives all sitting around in a meeting and discussing a proposal to reduce the supply of pig meat coming into the market, for example, culling piglets," he said.



However, the chair of APL, David Lock, noted that culling was already happening in Australia. He commented that pig farmers are left with little choice if "the market still delivers them a loss."



According to Lock, while supply had overtaken demand, there was apparently no reduction in pork production for the past 18 months. Over the country, the number of pigs rose 6% more.



"One of the drivers that may accelerate a reduction in supply is an increased cost, driven by increased grain prices," Lock said.



Under competition laws, Australia's swine industry could apply for authorisation to collective culling. Still, affected parties must make the case that the benefits outweigh the potential reduction in competition through a rather lengthy process.



- ABC Rural



Sales of first consignment of Northern Irish beef in Philippines begin



The sales of the first consignment of beef from Northern Ireland have begun in the Philippines, The Irish Times reported.

The development came a year after Filipino authorities announced that they would resume beef exports from the UK.



"We have been working in partnership with Defra (UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the industry to identify new markets and opportunities for our local meat sector," said Dr. Perpetua McNamee, the deputy chief veterinary officer of Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).



"This process began in 2015 and it is welcoming to note that the Filipino people will now have the opportunity to sample the fine quality beef produced by our farmers."



She also welcomed that the pork industry in the north will now have access to Taiwan after Taiwanese authorities agreed to accept pork imports from the UK for the first time.



"This market is of particular significance to the pork industry because it will provide opportunities for pork processors to export much of the less marketed 'fifth quarter' products which have a limited outlet more locally," she said.



"Gaining access to the Philippines and Taiwanese markets is further recognition of the rigorous standards we have in place to produce our high-quality, safe and wholesome meat."



Defra forecasts that additional trade to these new markets may be worth GBP34 million (US$43.2 million) and GBP50 million (US$63.6 million) respectively to the UK's beef and pork industries over the next five years.



- The Irish News



Germany considers loosening up environmental rules to help farmers



As animal feed prices continue on an upward trend after the drought season, Germany is considering allowing some ecological compensation conversation areas, land kept as meadows, to be used for animal feed, the agriculture ministry said this week.

The conversation areas were mainly set up as a condition for farmers receiving some EU subsidies to create a more environmentally-friendly agricultural system.



"The continued dry period is a great challenge for farmers, especially for livestock farms, which in some areas lack feed for their animals," the ministry explained.



The ministry added that German agriculture minister, Julia Kloeckner will be bringing the concept up to the cabinet on Wednesday.



This year will be German's lowest recorded grain harvest in 24 years after the drought posed vital challenges causing crops to wilt under the highest summer temperatures since 1881.



However, the ministry said that it would only consider a major aid programme for farmers after the official harvest statistics become available in late August.



Source: Successful Farming



Denmark constructs a border fence to keep out African swine flu



Denmark has decided to build a 68-kilometre fence that will run along its border with Germany, mainly to conserve its giant pork industry against German wild boars that could carry African swine flu (ASF).

The decision gathered a wide range of sentiments that included critics saying that the 11 million (US$10 million) fence is a waste of money, environmentalists worrying over its impacts on the ecosystem.



Standing at 1.5 metres tall and half-metre deep, the fence will stretch through the entire Danish-German border, spanning from the Wadden Sea in the west to the Flensburg Fjord in the east.



The erection is set to complete by end of 2019 and was approved in parliament in June with the support of the local government, Social Democrats and right-wing populist Danish People's Party. The final approval was given by the Environment Ministry on Monday after consultations with the public.



5,000 pig farms export 28 million pigs annually, accounting for 50% of Danish agricultural exports and 5% of all exports, the Danish Agriculture and Food Council said. Hence, a swine flu outbreak in Denmark would halt all non-EU pork exports.



While the ASF epidemic does not affect humans or other animal species, it has been detected within EU member states, such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. However, ASF has not been identified in Germany and led to questions as to why the fence is even being built.



From an ecological aspect, the fence will interrupt migration of wild animals and birds, some of which are protected by Danish and EU legislation.



"We know from experiences around the world that physical barriers such as a fence impact animal migration," Thor Hjarsen, senior biologist at World Wildlife Foundation in Denmark said.



Additionally, others are questioning the effectiveness of the fence against its ultimate purpose. "The problem with the fence is that there is no documentation that it works," Hans Kristensen, a hunter, wildlife author and an expert on wild boar migration who lives along the border, pointed out.



"On the other hand, there are plenty of evidence that it won't work," Kristensen added.



Critics like Kristensen and Hjarsen said that there is a bigger possibility of the swine flu spreading from trucks transporting infect swine or spreading contaminated food as compared to wild boars crossing the border.



Instead, the fence may have more of a symbolic effect to show the powerful pig farming industry that the pro-agriculture government is doing something to appease the right-wingers in Denmark, who are keen on hard borders and keeping migrants out.



Source: Taiwan NewsThree million opposition lives are in danger in Idlib, a strategic area for international players in the Syrian crisis, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Dozens of civilians were killed in heavy bombardments carried out by Syrian regime air forces on the province of Idlib in the north-west of the country on 11 August.

Air strikes and barrel bombs also wiped out residential neighbourhoods in Orum Al-Kubra in the adjacent province of Aleppo.

Idlib falls within the de-escalation zones agreed on at the Astana Conference on Syria and signed up to by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

However, despite the establishment of Turkish military check points in and around the borders of the de-escalation zones and Russian military check points alongside regime lines, fears are mounting that any Turkish military withdrawal could endanger their lives.

Residents of these areas could then find themselves forced into a confrontation with regime forces or the need to surrender in a scenario similar to those that have taken place in other areas in Syria, such as in Ghouta and the south of the country.

The Syrian opposition has responded to the regimes massacres in Idlib by forcing its militias to agree to a ceasefire. Turkey has urged the opposition to stop the shelling and has promised Russia that regime aerial and ground bombings will cease.

The province of Idlib hosts some three million people, including those forced to flee from their homes in other parts of the country. The regime had earlier given opposition members the choice of either surrendering or fleeing to Idlib when it conducted its Russian-backed attacks.

Idlib is the last stronghold of the armed Syrian opposition. Largely occupied by Turkey, it is considered an extension to areas held by the Turkish army that Ankara occupied in order to expel Kurdish militias.

The opposition has differentiated itself from the Al-Nusra Front, declared by the US as a terrorist group, and it has been trying to maintain a united front to fend off regime attacks.

Three main factors define the situation in the city, the first being the relationship between the Turkish forces and the Syrian opposition as Turkey regards Idlib as a first line of defence of its own borders.

The second factor is the relationship between the factions on the ground that share no united ideology that would enable them to work together on building a stable administration in the area.

The third is the Syrian regimes desire to control the oppositions last stronghold even if it has to kill tens of thousands of civilians to achieve this end.

Fearing the latter scenario, the UN has warned against attacks on Idlib and expressed concerns about the fate of its three million inhabitants. It has also called upon the three guarantors of the Astana Conference to avoid any confrontation.

Opposition sources said that armed factions in Idlib had agreed to discuss allowing Russian military police into the city in return for halting the Syrian regimes bombardment of the area and restricting regime forces.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov flew to Ankara on Monday for a two-day visit to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. Among the items on the agenda was the potential deployment of Russian military police in Idlib in return for the end of Turkish influence.

Lavrovs visit coincided with Moscows announcement of a quartet meeting comprising representatives of Russia, France, Turkey and Germany in Ankara in the near future to discuss the Syrian crisis.

Together with its allies Russia and Iran, the Syrian regime is trying to exploit Turkeys domestic crisis, a result of the collapse of the Turkish lira and its thorny relationship with the US, in order to carry out attacks on Idlib that may drive the opposition to surrender.

However, Turkey will not let go of Idlib easily. It is holding on to the check points it has set up in and around the city, and its army continues to send military reinforcements to the area.

Ankara has assured the Syrian opposition that it is ready to provide arms and ammunition in the case of a ground attack by regime forces on the condition that any military action is under a single command.

The armed Syrian opposition thus has the opportunity to maintain its presence in Idlib if it can unite its ranks, though this seems unlikely.

Idlib now awaits its fate. Either it will become a safe haven or green zone hosting anti-regime forces, or Turkey will give it up to Russia. Should the latter take place, the city will be easy prey for regime forces, and thousands of civilians are likely to be killed.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The battle for Idlib

Search Keywords:

Short link:

The Kremlin said on Wednesday preparations were underway for a meeting in Geneva next week between Russian officials and White House national security adviser John Bolton, the first top-level meeting since the Russian and U.S. presidents met in Helsinki.

"Such contacts are indeed planned and being prepared," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday. Peskov did not elaborate further.

U.S. President Donald Trump faced criticism at home after he met Vladimir Putin in the Finnish capital in July, and refused to blame the Russian leader for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

A new round of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia was announced in the wake of that criticism, prompting the Russian rouble to fall sharply.

Last week, Rand Paul, a Republican senator and Trump ally, travelled to the Russian capital, saying his trip aimed to encourage diplomacy amid the tense relations between Moscow and Washington.

Washington had said on Tuesday Bolton would meet Russian officials as a follow-up to the Helsinki summit.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

China will import aluminum from Turkey

The United States imposed additional tax treatment of aluminum and steel in Turkey, to go out. The reason is that the Far East's huge economy is China.

Although the US imposes additional taxation on export items that it arbitrarily imposes, Washington's barbarous initiative is about to deteriorate, even though it appears to be a disaster journalist.

US rival China in the Far East, aluminum receivables from Turkey, as well as domestic trade, will take place over currencies.

CHINA WILL IMPORT ALUMINIUM FROM TURKEY

China, which is a heart boat selling advanced technology production; Aluminum stay for some raw materials was carried supplies from Turkey. Twitter's news based on the realities of Russian Markets Russian sources, China and Turkey have been announced and will be based on per ruble as a raw material from Russia.

US SANTIONS

President Donald Trump on 10th August ramped up his attack on Turkey in announcing a doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs on the NATO ally.

He said in his tweet "I have just authorized a doubling of Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum with respect to Turkey as their currency, the Turkish Lira, slides rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar! Trump tweeted. Aluminum will now be 20% and Steel 50%. Our relations with Turkey are not good at this time!.

The tweet is another salvo in the growing dispute between Turkey and the US Earlier last week, a Turkish delegation returned from Washington with no movement on the detention of American pastor Andrew Bruunson, who is under house arrest in Turkey for terrorism charges.Turkey raises tariffs on US-origin products

Products include cars, rice, some alcohol and tobacco products, cosmetic products like sun creams

Turkey has increased tariffs on several US-origin products, including alcohol and tobacco products and cars, according to a new presidential decree published early Wednesday in the official gazette.

Under the decree, Turkey will raise tariffs to 100 percent on imports of the products.

COUNTER-ATTACK AGAINST SANCTIONS

The new decree amends a presidential decree on July 11.

"Tax rates on imports of some products have been increased on a reciprocal basis against the US administration's deliberate attacks on our economy," Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter.

Among the products are cars, rice, some alcohol and tobacco products and some cosmetic products like sun creams.

On Friday, Turkeys Foreign Ministry said Turkey would retaliate against the raising of steel and aluminum tariffs by the US administration.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Twitter that President Donald Trump's decision, which also violates World Trade Organization rules, does not comply with "state seriousness".

TRUMP'S BARBARIC SANCTIONS

Trump ramped up his attack on Turkey by raising steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 percent and 20 percent respectively.

The US decision is another salvo in the growing dispute between Turkey and the US.

Last week, a Turkish delegation returned from Washington with no movement on the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who is under house arrest in Turkey over terrorism charges.

Brunson's charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the US and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup attempt in Turkey of July 2016.

Turkey and the US are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washingtons imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing Brunson.

The two NATO allies have been at odds since the defeated coup, which Ankara accused US-based Fetullah Gulen and FETO of masterminding.Turkish court rejects pastor Brunson's appeal for release

While the repercussions of US sanctions on Turkey continues, a Turkish court has rejected an appeal for US pastor Andrew Brunson to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges.

US pastor Brunson is charged with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands. He was also charged with supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which was designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the U.S.

CRIMINAL HIGH COURT REJECTED THE APPEAL

Recently, the court had allowed Brunson to be moved from jail and placed him under house arrest in view of his "health problems". A criminal high court in the Aegean province of Izmir on Wednesday rejected American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson's appeal to end his house arrest and lift a travel ban on him.

The continued detention of Brunson has become a lightning rod in strained relations between Turkey and the US, leading Washington to slap economic and political sanctions on its NATO ally. The pastor was released for house arrest on July 25. The court ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet at all times and barred him from traveling outside of the country.The United Arab Emirates is the most competitive economy in the MENA region, the International Finance Corporation said in a released study about competitiveness in the Middle East and North Africa, followed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The IFC held a roundtable including Cairo, Washington, Beirut, and Geneva, to discuss the Arab World Competitiveness Report 2018, which was released Tuesday.

The report ranked the UAE as the 17th most competitive country in the world with other Arab countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia cracking the top 30 globally, ranking 25th and 30th, respectively.

The ranking made by the World Bank Groups IFC and the World Economic Forum is based on 12 factors including education and infrastructure that are critical to productivity and economic growth.

Egypt ranks 100th globally in the Global Competitiveness Index 2017-2018 of 137 countries, and 11th among Arab countries, to be followed by Lebanon, which was last.

The report cites improvements which took places over the last decade in the fields of infrastructure development and technological advancement across the region, yet stating that countries in the region are struggling to diversify their economy, to create more jobs and creating a more competitive private sector.

"The world is adapting to unprecedented technological changes, shifts in income distribution and the need for more sustainable pathways to economic growth," Mired Dusek, Deputy Head of Geopolitical and Regional Affairs at the World Economic Forum.

"Diversification and entrepreneurship are important in generating opportunities for the Arab youth and preparing their countries for the fourth Industrial Revolution," he added.

The report added that the region needs to create 58 million job opportunities by the year 2040 to maintain and even lower unemployment rate.

It was clarified in the roundtable that Iran and Israel are not included in its report, only Arab countries in the Arab League.

Speaking from Lebanons Beirut, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Mouayed Makhlouf, pointed to the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises have a major role in Arab economies, adding that there were about 23 million small and medium-sized enterprises in the MENA region.

According to Makhlouf, two out of three of the small and medium-sized enterprises do not have access to credit.

You dont expect a bank support to startups; its a different mindset; but you expect them to support small and medium-sized enterprises, Makhlouf said.

He also referred to tech small and medium-sized enterprises as the most booming, referring to the quick spread of Careem as a good model.

The beauty of technology is that it has no boundaries, he said.

According to the report, the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) have made extensive efforts to support innovation and seed funding to start-ups.

Saudi Arabia created $1 billion fund to invest in small and medium-sized enterprises, with Bahrain providing $100 million and Oman $200 million in funds to support startups.

Moving to Lebanon and Egypt, the IFC said both countries central banks have pledged to invest more and gradually raise financing for the small and medium-sized enterprises by 2019.

Arab countries currently investing in a foundation for sustainable and diverse markets, while creating jobs and embracing new digital trends, are on the path to competitiveness, Naji Hassan, Director of the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Practice at the World Bank Group said.

The report also mentioned that governments have to draft more policies to encourage risk-taking and innovation, improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The report also recommended to decrease exporting raw natural resources for those economies seeking to diversify their economies.

The released report is part of a series of studies that examine competitiveness across different regions; also a recent partnership between the IFC and the World Economic Forum to support entrepreneurs in the Arab world and promote private sector development.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

On June 28, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to its whistleblower award program and requested comments from the public.

Many of the proposed amendments to the SECs whistleblower rules serve to clarify and address issues identified over the past seven years of administration of the program. We are pleased with some of these proposals, which include:

Allowing awards based on deferred prosecution agreements and non-prosecution agreements or settlements

Providing the SEC with the discretion to make upward adjustments to small awards up to $2 million (subject to the 30% statutory maximum)

Elimination of a potential double recovery for whistleblowers where there is a separate whistleblower award scheme that more appropriately applies to the enforcement action

Prohibiting individuals from submitting award claims if they have submitted information that is false or repeatedly make frivolous claims, and

Creating a summary disposition process for claims that will likely be denied (i.e., claims with procedural defects).

The most controversial aspect of the SECs proposed amendments would give the commission the discretion to reduce awards in large cases  involving penalties of $100 million or more  to a level that is reasonably necessary to reward the whistleblower and to incentivize other similarly situated whistleblowers. This discretion would be limited by the statutory minimum (10 percent) and in no event would the award be adjusted below $30 million. The SEC argues this proposal is necessary to act as a responsible steward of the public trust while still providing incentives for whistleblowers to report. In support of this proposed amendment, the Commission claims that the Investor Protection Fund is substantially diminished by large whistleblower awards and the U.S. Treasury could instead use those funds for other public purposes. Commissioner Robert J. Jackson dissented during the open meeting where the amendments were publicly proposed, stating that the SECs proposal risked harm to investors by adding uncertainty and politics into an existing, successful program. He pointed out that less than one percent of whistleblower tips lead to an award, and whistleblowers take extreme personal risks to protect markets and investors. Despite the existence of SEC whistleblower protection that aims to prevent and punish retaliation against whistleblowers, an employee who reports illegal activity by the employer often faces serious reprisals.

former JPMorgan Chase Bank assistant vice president alerted the SEC about gross negligence and fraud, she was fired, evicted from her home, and was unable to find another job even five years later. According to The National Whistleblower Legal Defense & Education Fund, the more senior the whistleblower is in the company, the more swift and brutal the retaliation is in an attempt to discourage others. When Linda Almonte, theJPMorgan Chase Bank assistant vice president alerted the SEC about gross negligence and fraud, she was fired, evicted from her home, and was unable to find another job even five years later. According to The National Whistleblower Legal Defense & Education Fund, the morethe whistleblower is in the company, the more swift and brutal the retaliation is in an attempt to discourage others.

_____

Proponents of this amendment have argued that this amendment will help to rein-in plaintiff-side whistleblower attorneys, who have targeted the SEC whistleblower program in order to take advantage of potentially large recoveries. Although we see a benefit to reducing the risk of exploitation of this program, the SECs other proposed amendments  including the bar on individuals who submit false or frivolous claims  may adequately address this problem without resorting to actions that could harm or deter current or prospective whistleblowers. The SECs whistleblower program has been an extremely successful enforcement tool. Among other benefits, it has led to over $266 million in awards to whistleblowers, $1.4 billion in financial remedies stemming from successful enforcement actions, and $740 million in disgorgement of ill-gotten gains since the programs inception. Yet despite the programs success, the SEC provided no data or assessment of how reducing awards may affect whistleblower reporting or incentives. At this time, the future of the proposal is uncertain. The public comment period closes on September 18, after which the SEC will review comments and take further action on the proposal. We encourage the SEC to reconsider this amendment. Whistleblowers are critical to the SECs mission of protecting investors and market integrity. They risk their careers, livelihoods, and reputation when they come forward. A robust whistleblower reward program encourages individuals to report wrongdoing to the SEC despite the serious risks and personal losses they face. Reducing awards based on a rather nebulous standard is concerning. As former head of the SEC Whistleblower Program, Sean McKessey, noted: How do you measure someone risking their career?Oscar, a NYC-based health insurance startup, raised $375m in strategic funding.

Alphabet made the investment. In conjunction with the deal, Salar Kamangar is joining Oscars board.

The company intends to use the funds to bring Oscar to more cities.

Co-founded by Joshua Kushner and led by CEO Mario Schlosser, Oscar is a health insurance company that provides plans including access to in-network doctors, a personalized Concierge Team, and free, 24/7 telemedicine.

Employers with up to 100 employees can enroll for plans directly through an accredited broker or on the companys website.

The company recently announced that it has filed to offer its consumer-focused, technology-driven health insurance in nine states and 14 markets in 2019, nearly doubling its current footprint. Its six new markets will be spread across three new states  Florida, Arizona, and Michigan  and three additional large metro areas in Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, subject to regulatory approval.

FinSMEs

15/08/2018Capillary Biomedical, Inc., an Irvine, Calif.-based developer of a novel infusion set for use with insulin pumps for the intensive management of diabetes, raised $2.9m in a seed funding.

The round was led by the Cove Fund with participation by a broad syndicate of Angel Groups and accredited investors Tech Coast Angels, New York Angels, HBS Alumni Angels of New York, Pasadena Angels, the Mass Medical Angels, the ACE Fund, PA Fund and NYA Fund.

The company intends to use the funds for clinical studies to support an initial 510(k) filing and preparation for market launch in 2019.

Led by Co-founder Professor Jeffrey Joseph of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, CEO Paul Strasma, VP of Sales and Marketing Mark Estes, CapBio has developed the SteadiSettm infusion set with SteadiFlowtm technology, a patented design that addresses several key failure points with current infusion sets that affect the health, quality of life, and cost for the 1.2 million worldwide insulin pump users.

The core cannula technology was developed by Dr. Joseph at the Jefferson Artificial Pancreas Center of Thomas Jefferson University with grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and JDRF, the global organization funding Type 1 diabetes research.

FinSMEs

15/08/2018The unemployment rate was 10.6 percent in the first quarter of 2018

Egypt's unemployment rate dropped to 9.9 percent in the second quarter of 2018 compared to 10.6 percent in the first quarter and 12 percent for the same period in the previous year, state statistics agency CAPMAS announced on Wednesday.

CAPMAS estimated the labour force in the second quarter at 29.03 million, which is 150,000 workers (0.5 percent) less than in the first quarter as a result of changes in seasonal work, and 147,000 less workers than the same period in the previous year.

A total of 2.875 million Egyptians were unemployed in the second quarter of 2018, according to CAPMAS.

Male unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent in the second quarter of the year from 7.3 percent in the first quarter, while female unemployment dropped to 21.2 percent from 22 percent.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has pledged to reduce unemployment by attracting private sector and foreign investment to boost the economy.

The government has been implementing a set of economic reforms over the last several years to reduce budget deficits, including floating the local currency, cutting energy subsidies and implementing a value-added tax.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

.     .             , -   .   -     .       12  17.      ,    -    .      ...Those who slept seven hours a night had the lowest heart risk on average

Adults who sleep too little or too much may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, say researchers who argue that the best way to think of the harmful effect is in terms of excess heart age.

In a sample of U.S. adults, those who slept seven hours a night had the lowest heart risk on average, calculated as 3.7 years of aging beyond their chronological age. That compared to 4.5 excess heart age years for those who slept six or eight hours and 5.1 excess years for those who got five or fewer hours of sleep nightly.

Prolonged periods of insufficient sleep have negative effects on multiple body systems including the cardiovascular system, lead study author Quanhe Yang told Reuters Health in an email.

Studies have shown significant relationships between sleep duration and heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, said Yang, a senior scientist with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Heart age is defined as the predicted age of a persons vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk profile and was introduced by the Framingham Heart Study in 2008, Yang noted.

Adults who sleep too little or too much may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, say researchers who argue that the best way to think of the harmful effect is in terms of excess heart age.

In a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, those who slept seven hours a night had the lowest heart risk on average, calculated as 3.7 years of aging beyond their chronological age. That compared to 4.5 excess heart age years for those who slept six or eight hours and 5.1 excess years for those who got five or fewer hours of sleep nightly.

Prolonged periods of insufficient sleep have negative effects on multiple body systems including the cardiovascular system, lead study author Quanhe Yang told Reuters Health in an email.

Studies have shown significant relationships between sleep duration and heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, said Yang, a senior scientist with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Heart age is defined as the predicted age of a persons vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk profile and was introduced by the Framingham Heart Study in 2008, Yang noted.

The difference between a persons estimated heart age and his or her chronological age is excess heart age. Higher excess heart age indicates a higher risk of developing heart disease, he said.

For example, if a 40-year-old man has a heart age of 44 years based on his cardiovascular risk profile - the personal risk of having a heart disease - then his excess heart age is 4 years.

In effect, his heart is 4 years older than it should be, for a typical man his age. The concept of heart age helps to simplify risk communication.

The CDCs goal with this study was to find a way to effectively communicate the impact of insufficient sleep on heart health, Yang noted. Excess heart age (EHA) represents a simplified way to express a persons risk for having a heart disease.

Yang and colleagues analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 2007 - 2014 on 12,755 participants between the ages of 30 and 74 years with no history of heart disease or stroke.

Based on self-reported average weeknight sleep times, the study team divided people into five groups. About 13 percent averaged five or fewer hours of sleep each night, 24 percent slept six hours, 31 percent slept seven hours, 26 percent slept eight hours and about 5 percent slept nine or more hours per night.

The researchers calculated the participants excess heart age by factoring in age, sex, blood pressure, whether they were being treated for hypertension, smoking history, diabetes and cholesterol to come up with an overall cardiovascular risk profile. Then they translated that risk profile into excess heart age years, according to the report in the journal Sleep Health.

Using excess heart age associated with sleep duration might simplify communication of heart disease risk, Yang said. This could motivate more people, especially younger people, among whom the risk for cardiovascular disease is increasing, to be aware of the importance of sleeping the recommended seven hours per night.

Previously, studies have demonstrated that sleep duration in adults is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a cardiologist with the Devid Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

Sleep duration that is either too short or too long is associated with greater risk, with most studies suggesting that the lowest risk occurs with 7 hours per day of sleep duration, he said in an email.

Shorter sleep duration may contribute to cardiovascular event risk through effects on metabolic and endocrine functions, inflammation, vascular damage, along with circadian misalignment, Fonarow added.

There are "heart age" calculators available online, he noted, including one on the website of New York City's health department .

Further studies should evaluate whether extending sleep duration in adults sleeping less than 7 hours per night can improve cardiovascular health, Fonarow said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy. > Privacy & Cookie Policy I Agree08.09.18 Meeting Minutes

Brief Highlights from Thursdays Town Council Planning Meeting

+ photo for first one

Hometown Heros: The town council recognized Public Works employees Jim Cessna and Austin Gilchrist after they helped rescue someone who had fallen in the water. A girl had fallen off a boat and was injured by the propeller; the two men were nearby and helped get her out. They made a tourniquet to stem bleeding and made sure she got to the hospital. Mayor Tracey Gore visited the family in the hospital Sunday; their doctor told Gore that the first aid rendered by the two men helped save the girls life.

Attorney, Again: After council requesting legal services go back out for bids again this year, council members will spend Monday, Aug. 20 interviewing five representatives of the firms who applied. The council currently retains Jack Peterson and Jim Turner of Peterson Law Group, which reapplied this time around too. Members will spend 9 a.m.to about 3 p.m.in one-on-one interviews, then reconvene together in the Chambers for a joint interview. The joint interview session will be open to the public.After the environmental win of banning plastic straws, the Marine Resources Task Force is tackling the next offender: plastic bags.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach cant ban plastic bags because of a state statute. But, it can encourage residents and visitors to not use them.

The towns environmental committee is seeking sponsors to help purchase 5,000 quality canvas bags that can be handed out at resorts, hotels and outside Publix and CVS.

Sponsors can pay at different levels and get their logo put on the bag as well as get a quantity of bags to distribute at their business. There are two spots for top sponsors at a $2,500 donation and 10 spots for sponsors at a $1,000 donation. On the other side of the bag, there will be a list of facts about plastic bags and pollution, along with the towns logo.

Canvas bags are more expensive than reusable bags made from other, cheaper materials; however, other bags are often made out of plastic, defeating the point. The canvas bags are sturdy, and washable.

MRTF members Steve Johnson and Shannon Mapes presented the program at Thursdays Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The objective is to position Fort Myers Beach as a green destination, Johnson said.

The program was modeled off of the Coastal Keepers club at the Sanibel Sea School; it also used canvas bags and sponsors.

The canvas bags are washable, and unlike plastic reusable bags, are made out of natural materials.

Johnson and Mapes said they considered rescheduling their talk to the Chamber, being sensitive to the water quality issues on the beach right now. But Chamber President Jacki Liszak told them to come anyway.

Im excited about this. Its one more step we can take to elevate our beach town, Liszak said.

If a business or individual is interested in being a sponsor, contact Johnson at sajohnson311@gmail.com.Dozens of pro-life activists rallied in front of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelsons offices on Monday to urge confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Members of the Pro-Life Court Coalition showed up at his offices in West Palm Beach in the morning and in Downtown Fort Myers in the afternoon for a press conference, all part of a swing that will take the group to Nelsons offices in Gainesville, Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Pensacola over the next few days.

The group was led by Jill Stanek, national campaign chair of the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) and Laurie Lee, the groups Florida state field director in a national drive to get Kavanaugh confirmed with the help of Democratic senators up for re-election this year, especially those they see as having poor records on voting.

The president has the right to pick Kavanaugh and the people of America elected Donald Trump by and large to elect judges that are constitutionally sound, Lee said. This is a chance for the Supreme Court to segue to constitutionalist judges and not make laws from the bench.

The press-conference had a rally feel to it as supporters booed when the names of Nelson, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the radical abortion lobby came up and cheered for Trump, Kavanaugh and themselves, led on by Stanek.

A recent poll commissioned by the SBA List said 56 percent of Florida voters want Nelson to confirm Kavanaugh, and 54 percent believe abortion policy should be decided by the people of Florida through their elected officials, not the Supreme Court.

These are numbers Stanek jumped on.

Sen. Nelson has a choice to make. Will he stand with Florida voters who showed their trust in President Trump or will he cave to Chuck Schumer (boos), Nancy Pelosi (more boos) and the abortion lobby? Stanek said. This pick could tip the balance on the court about abortion.

Stanek said Democrats up for re-election, such as Nelson, are potentially amenable to backing Kavanaugh.

President Trump is doing the job the voters elected him to do. Were asking Sen. Nelson to do his job and confirm Judge Kavanaugh, Stanek said, adding the United States is one of seven nations that allows elective abortions after 20 weeks, which she said the Washington Post fact-checked as being true.

About three dozen supporters, most carrying signs, took part in the Fort Myers event, a fraction of the roughly 3,000 who showed up at Nelsons office Saturday for the Caloosahatchee Death March.

Lee said she isnt too worried that people here seem more preoccupied by the water quality as it is also a pro-life issue.

People value life and the water quality issues are a good segue to life, Lee said. People need water to sustain life. The life issue touches on every tenet of what people believe, Lee said. When people hear that Nelson voted for partial-birth abortions, they are shocked.

The Susan B. Anthony List is a non-profit pro-life political organization that seeks to reduce and ultimately end abortion in the U.S. by supporting anti-abortion politicians, primarily women, and enact pro-life policy.A woman is behind bars after she allegedly stole an ambulance and led police on a high-speed chase around Stockton, Calif., on Monday evening.

After St. Joseph's Hospital reported the vehicle stolen, Stockton police spotted it about three miles away and tried to pull it over, but the driver fled.

Officials said Natasha Scott, 34, then drove to I-5 and headed north out of town at speeds in excess of 90 mph.

After travelling about 10 miles, Scott made a U-turn onto the southbound side of the highway, where police intercepted the vehicle and used a spike strip to blow out its tires. She then pulled onto the median and was arrested without incident.

Police have not suggested a possible motive for the theft.

The French Camp, Calif., resident is facing seven charges stemming from the incident, including possession of a stolen vehicle and driving on a suspended license, and also has outstanding warrants for battery and possession of a controlled substance. She is being held in San Juaquin County Jail with bail set at $150,750 ahead of a court hearing on Wednesday afternoon.Reality star Lyric McHenry was found dead Tuesday morning in New York City, according to multiple reports. She was 26.

According to the New York Daily News, McHenry, who appeared alongside Magic Johnson's son, EJ Johnson, on the 2016 E! show "EJNYC," was found on a sidewalk in the Bronx at around 5 a.m.

Authorities said that McHenry was found wearing a pajama top and underwear, but no pants, the Daily Mail reported.

Per the Daily News, McHenry, who reportedly was 20 weeks pregnant, was transported to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital where she died.

According to the New York Post, she apparently had drugs on her.



A New York Police Department spokesperson told Fox News a 26-year-old woman was found "unconscious and unresponsive" on the sidewalk in the vicinity of Undercliff Avenue and Boscobel Place at approximately 5:05 a.m. on Tuesday.

Emergency Medical Services responded to the location and transported the woman to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the NYPD spokesperson. No obvious signs of trauma were observed. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing.

The NYPD would not confirm her identity pending notification of next of kin.

McHenry's reported death came just hours after she seemed to be celebrating her birthday. The reality star, who turned 26 on August 6, posted videos to Instagram showing her out at the Frederick Hotel, the SoHo Grand and Dream Downtown in Manhattan.

In her final clip, which she posted around 1 a.m., she was seen sitting next to a male friend as she blew a kiss to the camera.

According to Us Weekly, McHenry, who graduated from Stanford University, was a freelance writer and producer.

She previously appeared and served as a producer on close friend EJ Johnson's reality show, as well as worked as an associate producer and host for Complex Networks. From June 2008 to August 2011, the outlet reported that McHenry worked as a fundraising intern for Barack Obamas presidential campaign.Rapper YG claims he was kicked off his American Airlines flight on Monday because of racism, but the airline says otherwise.

F--k American Airlines! They said Im drunk, he shouted in a video posted to Twitter. Im sober than a muthaf--ka!

He also captioned it, F--k @AmericanAir THEY RACIST.

But a rep for American Airlines tells Page Six, The video speaks for itself  he was removed due to being intoxicated.

The Big Bank rapper, 28, had been flying from LAX to JFK Airport on Monday. YG, whose real name is Keenon Daequan Ray Jackson, was removed at 8:37 p.m. PT and was asked to deplane due to being intoxicated a short time later, the American Airlines rep said. The flight then departed as scheduled at 9 p.m. PT.

American Airlines also responded to YGs Twitter video, tweeting, In our culture, every interaction with a customer or team member should be grounded in respect. Please meet us in DMs with more info.

YG later tweeted that he was able to make his show thanks to Delta Air Lines, which is probably not what Tamar Braxton would say.

This article originally appeared on Page Six.A son of actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for holding his roommate at knifepoint at their apartment in suburban Phoenix.

Nicholas Van Varenberg had a change of plea hearing Wednesday.

He's now scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and authorities say Van Varenberg likely will get probation.

Tempe police arrested Van Varenberg last September on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful imprisonment, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME'S SON ARRESTED FOR HOLDING ROOMMATE AT KNIFEPOINT, REPORT SAYS

Police say Van Varenberg became upset at his unidentified roommate for answering the door, grabbed a knife and kept his roommate from leaving the apartment.

The 22-year-old Van Varenberg is the youngest son of Van Damme, known for his martial arts action films of the 1980s and 1990s.Meghan Markle's dad is working on a clothing line.

The Duchess of Sussex's half-sister, Samantha Grant, revealed on Twitter that their father, Thomas Markle, is working on a clothing line for men.

"So excited about my fathers new #clothing line for men! Samantha wrote on her private Twitter account. "Will keep you posted!"

Samantha is the one who famously took the fall for helping her father stage paparazzi photos in the weeks leading up to Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry in May.

Grant did not provide any further details about Thomas' move into the fashion world. He previously worked as a lighting director in Hollywood.

The news of his new venture comes days after he claimed to have "hung up" on his son-in-law during a phone conversation about the staged photos.

"Harry told me that I should never go to the press. That it would end in tears. He said, 'They will eat you alive,'" the 74-year-old told the Daily Mail.

Thomas claimed that Harry told him, "If you had listened to me this would never have happened."

To which Thomas replied before hanging up the phone, "Maybe it would be better for you guys if I was dead then you could pretend to be sad."Meghan Markle may have endured a complicated relationship with her father long before she married Prince Harry and became Britains Duchess of Sussex.

As Thomas Markle continues to tell all about his famous daughter, royal fans have pointed out that the 74-year-old former Hollywood lighting director was noticeably absent from the American stars first wedding in 2011 to Trevor Engelson in Jamaica.

UKs Metro previously reported Markle, now 37, said I do to the film producer at the Jamaica Inn resort in Ocho Rios in front of about 100 guests. Pictures of the nuptials revealed the former couple threw a beach party for their friends, which lasted long into the night.

While her mother, Doria Ragland, was pictured paddling in the sea with her daughter during the festivities, Thomas was nowhere to be seen.

Do your research before making ignorant statements, tweeted one user. Poor Thomas Markle he has no relationship with his son and 5 grandchildren. Also vindictive narcissistic dad never came to Meghans first wedding.

Are there any pictures of Meghan and her father after she graduated from college?? chimed another. Megs MOM (Doria) was pictured with Meg in Jamaica at her wedding, the dad was not there!

A source told ET Markle reportedly remains upset that her father, as well as her estranged half-siblings from a previous marriage, continues to give interviews without her consent.

She has not spoken to her father in more than 10 weeks since her wedding and is still hurt by her father, who has both staged photos and continues to give paid interviews, said the source. The Palace is at a loss of what to do and is re-evaluating options, including a more aggressive strategy to stem the embarrassment caused by Meghans dad, half-sister and half-brother.

Just days before Markle walked down the aisle in front of millions to marry Harry, 33, she announced her father wouldnt attend the royal wedding following his heart surgery.

Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding, she said in a statement released by Kensington Palace. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.

I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday.

Kensington Palace then announced Markle would be walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, Harrys father.

Thomas surgery followed days of press surrounding his health and speculation on whether or not hed attend the royal wedding.

He also stirred headlines when it was revealed he staged paparazzi photos that showed him preparing for the big day. His daughter Samantha Grant claimed she had set up the paparazzi shoot.

Back in April Princess Dianas biographer Andrew Morton told Fox News Markles growing success on USA Network's Suits abruptly ended her marriage to Engelson. Their union lasted from 2011 to 2013.

In terms of her career, it was good with Suits," said Morton. But in terms of her relationship with Trevor, it was not good. She was living for a lot of the time in Toronto and he was in Los Angles. So they started off their marriage on the wrong foot really. And certainly, friends have all said it came out of the blue they felt the divorce was very abrupt.

Morton, who published an extensive tell-all detailing Markles journey from Hollywood to Kensington Palace, revealed Markle mailed back her ring to Engelson once the marriage ended.

She obviously felt the relationship was over and there was no point in making a 10-hour [trip] just to see him [from the set], said Morton. Its one of those things where nobody really knows the true story, apart from the two people who were involved.Sacha Baron Cohen's satirical seven-episode Showtime series "Who Is America?" has made headlines for tricking celebrities and politicians including Ted Koppel, Roy Moore, Joe Arpaio and more.

But not everyone Cohen has tried to dupe fell for the liberal comedian's antics. In fact, many of his marks easily saw through the now-decades-old act, and avoided becoming Cohens punchline.

Corey Lewandowski

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was able to avoid becoming a mockery when invited onto Cohen's Showtime series.

SACHA BARON COHEN'S CONTROVERSIES: FROM 'BORAT' LAWSUITS TO BOX OFFICE FLOPS

Lewandowski kept to his talking points as Cohen continuously prodded him with ridiculous questions, such as asking him about the far-right conspiracy theory that PBS is owned by the "Rastafarian lobby."

"I wouldnt know anything about that," a cool Lewandowski said.

Cohen posed as "Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr," a right-wing conspiracy theorist and "citizen journalist." He also asked the former Trump staffer to speak on a variety of sensitive topics such as his stance on neo-Nazis and if Trump is racist.

"I had the privilege of standing and sitting next to candidate Trump  and now the president for thousands of hours over my tenure running his campaign. Never, ever, ever did I ever hear him utter a racist word in his life. Ever," Lewandowski said.

Matt Gaetz

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) also didn't fall for the comedian's tricks when he was interviewed by Cohen, in character, as an Israeli anti-terror expert named Col. Erran Morad.

Cohen as Morad was trying to convince Gaetz to endorse a fictional program called "Kinderguardians," which would arm America's children to help prevent school shootings.

"You want me to say on television that I support 3 and 4-year-olds with firearms?" Gaetz asked Cohen. "Is that what youre asking me to do?"

Cohen replied, "Yes."

SACHA BARON COHEN'S 'WHO IS AMERICA?' ON SHOWTIME PULLS IN JUST 327,000 VIEWERS

Typically, members of Congress dont just hear a story about a program and indicate whether they support it or not," Gaetz said.

Gaetz spoke to "Fox & Friends" about being on the show, and said he was skeptical because his mother taught him to be that way.

"Good makeup artistry, good acting by Sacha Baron Cohen," Gaetz said. "They catch members of Congress at the end of the day, a little frustrated, a little tired. And I think they got some of my colleagues to say things they likely regret."

California gun store owner

In February 2017, Warrior One Guns & Ammo agreed to participate in a documentary about a Hungarian immigrant wanting to buy a gun in the United States. But when the stores owner, Norris Sweidan, saw the film's subject, he quickly realized he was getting duped.

When Cohen, in full disguise, asked to buy a gun, Sweidan says he immediately recognized the voice and called the celebrity prankster out.

Im looking at the producer and Im just like, Am I being fooled right here? the owner told FOX 11 in July. And I just kept looking at the guy and I was like, youre Borat, he said, recognizing Cohen from his 2006 film.

SACHA BARON COHEN SLAMMED BY STREET ARTIST SABO FOR STUNT IN 'WHO IS AMERICA?'

The whole event was caught on the California store's surveillance camera.

Sweidan said that as soon as the actor realized he was identified, he immediately turned and exited the store, leaving his camera crew behind. When Sweidan turned to the producers for answers that they werent able to give him, Sweidan said he'd finally had enough and threw them all out of his store.

"Once I knew it was Borat, we already know his game and his bulls---. So, we knew hes here to make a mockery, and of what? Gun owners? The gun business? Gun shops?"

Lee Zeldin

The office of Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) was told the congressman was chosen as one of 70 people being honored to mark Israels 70th anniversary by an Israeli TV station called Yerushalayim Television that wanted to interview Zeldin about the honor.

However, when Zeldin's communications director, Katie Vincentz, looked up the alleged TV station she found it had very little online presence. Once she noticed the producer had an American name, she became suspicious.

SACHA BARON COHEN'S PRANKS COULD LAND HIM IN LEGAL TROUBLE

"To be candid, it was a little suspicious that someone who was the producer of Yerushalayim Television in Israel would be 'Julia Harris'," Vincentz told the New York Post earlier in August.

Vincentz said another red flag was that she could not find anything online about the award Zeldin was said to have been receiving.

"There was no mention anywhere of this big award, which was surprising especially in light of the big names they claimed to have interviewed," Vincentz said.

Ultimately, Zeldin turned down the interview request and was saved from Cohen's pranks.Chip Gaines certainly knows his way around a renovation project, especially if that project contains a shiplapped wall.

But a pan of cornbread? Not so much, according to Twitter.

CHIP GAINES RELEASES LEAD-PAINT SAFETY PSA FOLLOWING EPA VIOLATIONS

The Fixer Upper star posted a photo on Twitter earlier this week, intending to make a joke about the placement of his newborn son Crews car seat, but a big chunk of his Twitter followers couldnt seem to focus on anything but a nearby pan of cornbread, which appeared to be cut straight through the middle.

Forget about the car seat. Who cut that in the middle? Everyone knows you start at the corner, wrote one confused follower.

JOANNA GAINES REOPENS FIRST-EVER HOME GOODS STORE  FOR A SECOND TIME

Yeah, forget the car seat. WHO CUT OUT OF THE MIDDLE? another asked, while others called the cornbread culprits monsters or sadists.

Another woman, who initially thought the cornbread was an unfrosted cake, similarly found fault with the Gaineses treatment of its baked goods, first calling it blasphemy, and then questioning their cornbread-baking methods as self-respecting Texans.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

However, not everyone was as appalled with the Gaineses treatment of their cornbread. A couple of commenters actually dissented with the majority and praised the cornbread-cutters actions.

Props to whoever cut that cake in the middle, said one defender, along with a couple of fist-pounding emoji.

Chip, meanwhile, has yet to publicly respond to the state of his cornbread.To celebrate her 101st birthday, Ruth Parker chose the same restaurant shes eaten at twice a week for the past 18 years: Taco Bell.

Parker, who frequents the Taco Bell in Carbondale, Ill., every Tuesday and Friday, commemorated the milestone in the same fast-food restaurant, which was decorated with flowers, balloons and a message on the marquee sign.

"I feel alright. I feel good at 101, I guess," Parker told KFVS-TV, adding that she and her friends celebrate every birthday at the Taco Bell.

GEORGIA WOMAN GIVES BIRTH IN CHICK-FIL-A PARKING LOT: 'IT WAS INTENSE'

Parker said when she moved back to southern Illinois, she wanted to find a place where she could enjoy some coffee and read the newspaper. At the time, Taco Bell didnt offer a cup of joe on its menu but an employee made a cup of instant coffee for her instead  making Parker a regular customer.

No matter what, we all know Miss Ruth, and we all made her a part of our lives, and weve talked to her, and we just love her to death, Rebecca Gefro, the Taco Bell manager, told KFVS.

'JEOPARDY!' CONTESTANT HOPED TO USE $100K PRIZE MONEY FOR LIFETIME SUPPLY OF TACO BELL

Well see her at 102 next year, and well make it even bigger, Gefro said.

Over the years, Parker speculates that shes tried everything offered on the menu. But now, Parker says shes hooked on the Nacho Fries, a limited-time menu item Taco Bell reintroduced in July.

She's also free to order coffee now, as the Carbondale location has started offering the item on its menu now that Taco Bell began serving breakfast a few years back.

GEORGIA WOMAN GIVES BIRTH IN CHICK-FIL-A PARKING LOT: 'IT WAS INTENSE'

Taco Bell has been the site of, or helped with, many memorable occasions for its customers nationwide.

In May, two teenagers took their prom photos at a Pennsylvania Taco Bell. A pregnant Kentucky woman is tracking her babys growth with Taco Bell menu items. And last year, a Florida couple took some wedding photos inside the Mexican-inspired fast-food chain.

"Whether it's as a backdrop to senior grad photos, a wedding venue or a birthday destination from 1 to 101, Taco Bell's role in our fan's biggest life-moments show the power of the brand in culture and the importance of our Team Members' role in the community," Taco Bell spokesman Matt Prince said in a statement.The five million Syrian refugees will doubtless one day return to their homeland after seven years of civil war, but they cannot be forced to do so

Almost seven years have passed since the outbreak of the Syrian Revolution in 2011 when the first demonstrations broke out in the capital Damascus and the southern city of Deraa calling for the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his government.

The subsequent seven years have been plagued by a full-scale civil war, terrorist incidents and generalised armed conflict, leading to the displacement of nearly five million Syrian citizens outside Syria, according to UN figures.

Around five million Syrian refugees have thus been forced to seek new homes in neighbouring countries like Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Some European countries have also been destinations for Syrian refugees, while others have closed their borders.

A few weeks ago, the Russian Defence Ministry sent a proposal to Washington to organise the return home of the Syrian refugees after agreements reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

The Russian initiative has been supported by some neighbouring countries, including Lebanon, but it has been rejected by others and by international organisations.

The United Nations, for example, has explained that the conditions for the return of the refugees to Syria are not yet fulfilled.

There is no doubt that the Syrian refugees will one day return to their homeland and their cities and their villages which they have been forced to leave.

They will return one day to rebuild their country and contribute to its reconstruction after it has been destroyed by terrorism and sectarian conflicts for years.

However, the question that must be asked is whether the Syrian refugees can be forced to return to Syria. The answer, according to international law, is no. They can voluntarily return to their homeland, but they cannot be forced to return.

International law has long been concerned with the protection of refugee rights, as after World War II ended in 1945 some seven to 11 million people were considered to be displaced persons or refugees.

International law finds its main sources in international conventions and treaties, in customary international law, and in the general principles of law recognised by civilised nations.

International humanitarian law is one of the branches of international law that applies in cases of armed conflict, being the laws of war which are different from the international human rights law that defines the rules on the protection of human rights at other times.

The UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967 relating to the status of refugees outline the basic rights of refugees after defining the term refugee in its first article.

The United Nations drafted this Convention for the Protection of Refugee Rights after World War II, enumerating the rights of refugees as including the right to housing, the right to practice a profession, the right to education, to freedom of thought, to movement and to access to the courts. It also set out the legal obligations of countries hosting refugees to protect them.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved in December 1948 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, also sets out the international legal basis of human rights. It affirms the principle that human beings shall enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms without discrimination, explaining in its Article 14 the right of every person to seek security and to ensure his protection and the protection of his family in other countries if their rights and freedoms are violated within the territory in which he resides.

The Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951 added international legal protections to refugees in its Article 33 under the title of the Prohibition of Expulsion or Return. This states that no state party to the convention shall expel or return a refugee in any way to the borders of the territory in which his life is threatened.

As a result, the return of the Syrian refugees to their homeland is coupled with providing proper conditions, a suitable environment, security and stability, and a political, social and economic basis to receive them. The Syrian refugees should be encouraged voluntarily to return to Syria under safe and humane conditions in order to contribute to the improvement of the country. But they should not be forced to return to an unsafe environment.

*The writer is attorney at law.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Refugees protected by international law

Search Keywords:

Short link:

A Michigan man allegedly chose an unusual place to relieve himself on Sunday night.

VIRGINIA GIRL'S LOVE OF DOLLS HELPS SAVE BABY WHEN AUNT UNEXPECTEDLY GIVES BIRTH IN BATHROOM

The 69-year-old Swartz Creek man, who has not yet been named, allegedly peed in the deli section of a local Kroger grocery store, Metro Police told ABC12.

A customer in the store who witnessed the incident alerted a grocery store employee, who allegedly snapped a picture of the suspect.

The man was arrested shortly after, according to the news station. The grocery store has since thrown out any affected items and thoroughly cleaned the area, according to ABC 12.

BULL ESCAPES OKLAHOMA CITY PEN, DIES AFTER GALLIVANTING NEAR HOSPITAL

The suspect, who reportedly told authorities he had a prostate problem, is facing indecent exposure and destruction of property charges.A man in Georgia wearing no clothes broke into a liquor store Monday and stole a can of soda.

Police said Charles Wyatt, 61, used a hammer to break the glass of Beverage World in Forsyth County early in the morning.

Surveillance video shows the man entering the store completely naked except for his shoes. He then steals a Coke and wanders around drinking it before lying down for a little while.

AMAZON PRIME SPREE: 6-YEAR-OLD 'SCAMMER IN THE MAKING' ORDERS HERSELF $350 WORTH OF TOYS

Wyatt was arrested around 4 a.m. after exiting the store and charged with burglary, theft by taking, and possession of tools for the commission of a crime, Fox 5 reports.

The owner of the store, Jamie Kurisko, told WSB-TV he was relieved because he figured Wyatt wasnt trying to rob him.

"We've shown a couple of people the video. Some of our sales peoples. Everybody is kind of amazed. It's kind of funny right now, but it wasn't at the time," Kurisko said.

Three nights prior to the break-in, police encountered Wyatt walking naked along the road in front of the liquor store and had him sent to the hospital, WSB-TV reports.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Wyatt reportedly has diminished mental capacity, according to police, and had missed a few doses of his medication prior to the first incident.A Maryland fisherman may have snagged one of his biggest catches ever  and didn't even mean to.

Larry Boo Pawley, 65, was fishing off Decer Point in St. Marys County on Monday when he managed to trap an 8.6-foot, 310-pound bull shark. The fisherman told the Baltimore Sun it wasnt the first shark he caught, but it was definitely the most impressive one.

Ive been on the water for 42 years, Powley told the newspaper. Ive never seen one that big.

YOUNG FISHERMAN SHOCKED AFTER GREAT WHITE LEAPS OUT TO STEAL HIS CATCH

Maryland Department of Natural Resources posted a photo of Powley next to the massive shark on its Facebook page on Tuesday, said the commercial fisherman accidentally captured the shark.

Powley revealed the bull shark swam into a trap he had out.

Bull sharks are known to consume fish, sharks and rays in fresh and shallow waters. They are one of the meanest and most aggressive predators, but they help out fishermen because they feed on cownose rays, which eat crabs and oysters.

[Cownose rays are the] worst predator you got in the bay, he said. Shows up just in time for the first shed of soft crabs.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Powley said he threw the shark back into the water after snapping a picture with it. He added that under Maryland law he could have kept the fish, but said bull sharks werent worth much.

Theyre only worth 50 cents a pound, Pawley said.A North Carolina county is issuing licenses for alligator hunting for the first time in 45 years in response to an overpopulation problem.

The Wildlife Resources Commission will reportedly be awarding licenses to 20 hunters in Hyde County, on the states northeast coast. The randomly-chosen permits will allow the use of anything from hand-held ropes to bow and arrows to hunt for alligators between September 1 and October 1.

NORTH CAROLINA TOWN TO APPROVE ALLIGATOR HUNTING OVER 40 YEARS AFTER IT WAS BANNED

The state has not allowed alligator hunting since 1973, but officials said an increase in calls from citizens needing assistance with alligators has forced the county to reconsider.

It is pretty obvious to anyone that lives and works here that the alligator interactions are on the rise, Assistant County Manager Kris Noble said, via The Wall Street Journal.

The 20 hunters will be pointed towards three areas where frequent alligator conflicts happen, CBS Local reported.

According to the News Observer, over 750 hunters have already applied for the $250 month-long licenses, which will be chosen by computer this month.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Educational educator Jamie Moore told the Associated Press that while he does not disagree with hunting alligators, he is concerned hunters will take large males as trophies, which could cause environmental issues related to breeding.

Currently in Hyde County, no one has been fatally attacked by alligators.The eerie painting depicts an image few of us would want to see in the mirror, let alone casting a shadow across our own field of vision: a pale, segmented worm slithering across an unblinking eyeball.

Called "The Host," by contemporary artist Ben Taylor, the striking painting is based on Taylor's personal experience with a parasitic worm called Loa loa, which he discovered crawling through his eye one day in 2015. Adding to this strange tale, Taylor says he thinks the parasite influenced his artwork, even before he was aware of his infection.

"Now that I look back, I realize how strange and interesting it was to have my artwork subconsciously guided" by worms, Taylor wrote on his website. "It has made me wonder who the artist is, really?" ['Eye' Can't Look: 9 Eyeball Injuries That Will Make You Squirm]

For about two years before his diagnosis, Taylor, who lives in England, experienced a slew of mysterious symptoms, including high white blood cell counts, lumps that would appear and disappear, itchy skin patches, joint aches, severe eye pain and sensitivity to light. Taylor said he felt "a sense that amongst the millions of microscopic beings that form 'me,' that there was something gatecrashing the party." But tests for parasites came back negative.

During this period of deteriorating health, Taylor began work on an abstract painting that consisted of intricate, worm-like patterns inside a round circle. But at the time he painted it in 2014, Taylor was not satisfied with the result. "I had no idea what compelled me to paint it, or what it was trying to say," Taylor wrote, and he shelved the work in his studio.

Months later, Taylor felt a persistent pain in his eye, and when he looked in the mirror, he saw something wriggling under the surface of his eyeball.

He went to the hospital, where an eye surgeon removed a worm 1.4 inches (3.5 centimeters) long from his eye.

Taylor was diagnosed with loiasis, an infection caused by the Loa loa worm, also known as the African eye worm. People get Loa loa if they are bitten by infected deerflies that are found in certain parts of West and Central Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

LOST CONTACT FOUND IN WOMAN'S EYELID 28 YEARS LATER

Taylor, who says he has spent "a lifetime living and travelling in far-flung lands," visited Gabon in Central Africa in 2013, when he likely became infected with the worm.

After his loiasis diagnosis, Taylor underwent a week of intensive treatment, and doctors also diagnosed him with two additional parasites: hookworm and Strongyloides, a type of roundworm.

Shortly after his treatment, Taylor came across the painting he had started in 2014 and realized what it looked like. "I was immediately aware that what I had painted looked like an eye made out of intricate worm-like patterns," Taylor said. He began a "second phase" of his painting, adding eyelashes, the sclera (the white part of the eye) and the slithering white worms.

Taylor told The Washington Post that worm-like patterns were not typically his style, but oddly, he started experimenting with them as his then-mysterious symptoms progressed. "I definitely believe that the worms had a hand in that painting," he said.

Taylor's painting is featured on the cover of the August issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, which is published by the CDC. The managing editor of the journal, Byron Breedlove, came across the painting while looking for an image that would fit the issue's theme for this month: Parasitic and Tropical Diseases.

"You're sort of startled by this almost 3-D thread that runs around the eye. It's very arresting to look at," Breedlove told The Washington Post. "I realized this would make a very striking image for a cover art  You can't help but look at it  It's looking back at you."

Original article on Live Science.CNN and the esteemed Mayo Clinic are at war after the hospital disputed a story and accused the news organization of knowingly withholding context and clarification  but CNN is standing by its reporting.

CNN published a series this week headlined, Escape from the Mayo Clinic, about parents who allegedly helped their teen daughter break out of the famed hospital because they were unhappy with the care being provided. The teenager, Alyssa Gilderhus, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm on Christmas morning in 2016, and needed emergency surgery but eventually grew tired of the Mayo Clinics rehab facilities.

CNN reported that Gilderhus mother was kicked out of the Mayo Clinic by a physician after she repeatedly complained about the hospital. The report claims Gilderhus family was eventually barred from staying at overnight, that the hospital wanted to gain guardianship of the Minnesota teen and that requests to switch infirmaries were ignored  so the family broke her out of the Mayo Clinic after duping hospital officials. The prison-style escape was captured on video by Gilderhus family.

The Mayo Clinic issued a scathing statement in response to CNNs story, declaring that safety is a top priority and is at the forefront of the care we deliver to each patient.

We are unwavering in our dedication to do what is best for every patient, every time. This patients case was no exception, the clinics statement said. Following a thorough and careful review of the care in question, we have determined that the version of events provided by certain patient family members to CNN are not supported by the facts nor do they track with the direct observations of numerous other providers on the patients care team.

The Mayo Clinic said it conducted an internal review that determined that the care teams actions were true to Mayo Clinics primary value that the patients needs come first. The clinic said it will not discuss specific patients but provided life-saving care for the subject of CNNs report.

"This story lacks further clarification and context that CNN knew but chose not to use."  Mayo Clinic

This story lacks further clarification and context that CNN knew but chose not to use, the statement said.

CNN published a detailed account of how it claims the story was reported.

CNN said the story is based on interviews with Alyssa and members of her family, a family friend, law enforcement officials and a former member of a Mayo Clinic board, as well as documents including law enforcement records and Alyssa's medical records.

While reporting this story, the authors had multiple conversations over many months with Ginger Plumbo, a spokeswoman for the Mayo Clinic. The authors also met with Plumbo and four senior Mayo officials on the condition that the information provided would be off the record, CNN wrote.

According to CNN, Plumbo told the reporters that Mayo staffers consented to the off-the-record meeting with hopes that the news organization would reconsider its decision to run the story about Gilderhus escape.

CNN said that Plumbo initially said Mayo officials would answer the news outlet's questions on the record if Gilderhus signed a consent form  which she signed. However, CNN said the Mayo Clinic then declined to answer questions and provided a statement instead.

"Following careful review of the situation in question, we have determined that the version of events provided by certain patient family members to CNN are not supported by the facts nor do they track with the direct observations of numerous others who were involved. We feel we have provided CNN with more than ample information to support our findings and are deeply disappointed that the producers have chosen to pursue a false story based on a pre-determined narrative, the Mayo Clinic told CNN. We will not address these questionable allegations or publicly share the facts of this complex situation, because we do not believe it's in the best interest of the patient and the family.

CNN said that prior to the Mayo Clinic issuing the statement above, Plumbo provided a separate comment about Gilderhuss mother being banned from the hospital.

"Our care teams act in the best interests of our patients. As a general practice, this includes sharing information with family members and facilitating family visits and interactions with patients and their care providers when the patient is in our care. However, in situations where care may be compromised or the safety and security of our staff are potentially at risk, the family members' ability to be present in the hospital may be restricted," Plumbo reportedly told CNN.

Gilderhus, who is now 20, graduated from Martin County West High School and will be a freshman at Southwest Minnesota State University in September, according to CNN. She was initially given only a two percent chance of surviving.

The Mayo Clinic did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment, pointing Fox News to the statement on its website. CNN did not respond to a request for comment.Some pet owners may be on edge after two cases of a rare  but potentially deadly  infection linked to dog saliva popped up in Wisconsin this summer, leading to the death of one woman and amputation of another mans limbs.

In both cases, doctors determined the infections were caused by Capnocytophaga bacteria, which is commonly found in dog saliva.

While most people who come into contact with dogs and cats, which also carry the bacteria, are typically unaffected, certain people are more at risk than others.

Heres what to know about the Capnocytophaga bacteria.

How rare is it to be infected through a dog lick or bite?

In short: Its pretty rare.

Caitlin Cossaboom, epidemic intelligence service officer with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and trained veterinarian, told Fox News that more than 70 percent of dogs carry the bacteria  which is considered to be a normal oral flora"  in their mouths, while nearly 60 percent of cats do.

Only 12 positive cases of Capnocytophaga infection were reported to the agency in the past year, Cossaboom said, though she clarified not all cases are flagged to the CDC. Given the percentage of dogs and cats that carry the bacteria, combined with the number of reported cases, your chances of being infected with this bacteria are relatively rare.

"Most contact with dogs and cats does not result in Capnocytophaga infection or any illness."  Caitlin Cossaboom

The few cases that are reported are likely only the most severe cases or those in which diagnosis was complicated for some reason, Cossaboom explained.

MAN HAS 4 LIMBS AMPUTATED AFTER DOG LICK LEADS TO SEVERE INFECTION, REPORT SAYS

It's important to see a physician if youve been bitten by a dog, especially if it hasnt been vaccinated against rabies.

Dog bites can carry a risk for some types of infection, although severe infections due to Capnocytophaga are very rare. Most contact with dogs and cats does not result in Capnocytophaga infection or any illness, Cossaboom added, noting the bacteria is harmless to them.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, compared the chances of developing an infection from a dog lick to "being struck by lightning," NBC News reported.

How does the Capnocytophaga infection spread and whos at risk?

Again, infections are rare. But Cossaboom noted that people can become infected with Capnocytophaga bacteria through bites, scratches, or close contact with dogs or cats that carry the bacteria in their mouths." The bacteria enters the skin when a dog or cats saliva comes into contact with the skin, either through a bite or an open wound.

Those with weakened immune systems who have difficulty fighting off infections are at greater risk of becoming ill (such as those with cancer, diabetes or an HIV infection).

It is important that these people in particular take precautions related to close contact with dogs and cats, and that they talk to their doctors about possible risks when they get sick, Cossaboom said.

WISCONSIN WOMAN'S DEATH LINKED TO BACTERIA FROM DOG SALIVA, DOCTORS BELIEVE

Additionally, the CDC notes those over the age of 40 who drink alcohol excessively and those without a spleen are also at risk.

How can you determine whether your dog or cat has this bacteria?

The best way to find out if your dog or cat carries this bacteria is to have a veterinarian run a test. That said, a negative result may not mean the animal will always be negative, and the same is true for a positive result, Cossaboom warned.

If your dog tests positive for this bacteria, antibiotics are not recommended, as the bacteria can be commonly picked up between dogs, Cossaboom said, again noting that most contact with both dogs and cats does not result in a Capnocytophaga infection or any illness.As many as 76 people overdosed on whats believed to have been synthetic marijuana at or near a Connecticut city park as fellow parkgoers watched in horror.

Officials said most of the overdoses happened on the New Haven Green throughout the day on Wednesday.

We have a guy laid out in the alleyway, unresponsive, eyes wide open. Hes out cold, an unidentified bystander shouted, according to the New Haven Register.

Lt. Ernest Jones, an emergency medical technician for the New Haven Fire Department, told the Register hes had his job for five years, and never had such an abnormal day at work.

This was a particularly odd, rare occasion where (there was) call after call for man down, obviously with symptoms of some kind of overdose, and at the time of getting that patient packaged and transported to the hospital, wed see another immediately fall down, right there, Jones said. At that point, wed go help that patient, and while helping that patient, another person went down. So it became a domino effect.

No deaths were reported, but authorities said two people showed life-threatening symptoms.

CBS News reported the victims, covering a range of ages, experienced a multitude of signs and symptoms ranging from vomiting, hallucinating, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, semi-conscious and unconscious states, said Rick Fontana, director of the citys Office of Emergency Operations.

Naloxone, an antidote for narcotic overdoses, was administered to some victims but didnt appear to be effective.

Do not come down to the Green and purchase this K2, city Police Chief Anthony Campbell said. It is taking people out very quickly, people having respiratory failure. Dont put your life in harm.

The Green, which attracts homeless people and drug users throughout the year, as The New York Post reported, is located in downtown New Haven to the south and west of the Ivy League Yale University.

On average, two people die of a drug overdose every day in Connecticut. The state has surpassed the national death rate for drug and opioid overdoses since 2013.

People are self-medicating for several different reasons and every agency  police, fire, medical, hospitals  all are strained at this time. This is a problem thats not going away, New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said, according to WVIT.

Police said they arrested 37-year-old Felix Melendez, who was out on parole prior to his arrest, according to the Register; hes believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses in the park.

Synthetic marijuana, which generally is plant material sprayed with chemicals that mimic the high from real marijuana, has been blamed for overdoses across the country.

Authorities suspect synthetic cannabinoids, known as K2, were laced with other substances in the New Haven cases, ABC News reported.

K2 can result in seizures, psychosis and even death.

Officials were testing the blood of the victims to see exactly what they ingested.

The overdoses follow a similar outbreak at the same park on July 4, when more than a dozen people were treated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A 10-year-old Virginia girls fondness for dolls helped save her newborn cousin after her aunt unexpectedly gave birth in a bathroom on Monday.

Chloe Carrion was in a Fairfax County home with her expectant 21-year-old aunt, who has not yet been identified, when the aunt complained she didn't feel well.

The pregnant woman went into the bathroom with stomach pains only to realize she was actually in labor, WJLA News reported.

She screamed my name and she says, I had a baby. And I said, No you didn't, and she said, Yes I did," Chloe told the news station, which reported the 21-year-old had been hiding the pregnancy from her family.

GEORGIA WOMAN GIVES BIRTH IN CHICK-FIL-A PARKING LOT: 'IT WAS INTENSE'

When Chloe ran to the bathroom, she couldnt believe what she saw: her aunt had given birth on the toilet. The woman handed Chloe her newborn son before falling and passing out.

At that time, Chloe called her mother, April West, for help. West, who was in disbelief, saw the child for herself when Chloe used FaceTime to prove the child existed.

She turned the phone around because we were on FaceTime, and on the camera I saw this little face, West recalled to WJLA News.

While waiting for emergency medical officials to arrive, Chloe decided to put to use the same skills she's learned from taking care of her baby dolls. Much of what she's learned has been from watching videos on YouTube.

"The videos helped me with swaddling and cleaning him up from everything," Chloe explained.

Chloe, with help from 911 dispatchers, then used a pair of household scissors to cut the babys umbilical cord.

"Even as an adult, I don't think I could have done what she did.  April West

"Chloe was just standing at the front door with the baby swaddled, and she was rocking him back and forth," said West, who arrived shortly before emergency officials.

INDUCING LABOR AT 39 WEEKS LOWERS RISK OF C-SECTION, STUDY FINDS

The baby, whos been named Isaac, and his mother were taken to a local hospital. Both are doing well.

"I'm very proud of her. She was so brave, West added. Even as an adult, I don't think I could have done what she did.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Well, that was fast.

Theyre back. At least some of them.

The Senate returns to Washington on Wednesday following a nearly two-week respite -- an abridged August recess.

This comes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., threatened to moor his charges in Washington for the entire month.

It didnt quite work out that way. But senators nevertheless are expected to linger in Washington for the remainder of the month.

(The House of Representatives isn't expected back until Sept. 4.)

On tap in the Senate are a host of nominations that McConnell hopes to get confirmed.

Senators also are expected to debate and vote on at least two spending measures. One appropriations bill would fund the Pentagon for fiscal year 2019. The other would fund the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, known in congressional circles as Labor-H.

Senators will blend those two measures together into a single bill.

This is a big deal. Before its hiatus, the Senate approved seven of the 12 annual spending bills to fund the government next year. Knocking out the military appropriations and Labor-H bill would bring the figure to nine of the 12.

In March, President Trump warned he wouldnt sign another, gigantic omnibus spending bill -- where lawmakers lop the appropriations bills together into a solitary, legislative monster. Trump also implored McConnell to keep the Senate in session this month to hammer out the bills.

The clock is ticking

Theres another consideration here: the House.

When the House returns in September, its members will have to work with senators to merge the approved spending bills into final versions to send to the president. The last draft of legislation is called a conference report.

House conservatives may balk at some of the positions the Senate takes on the spending bills.

But the clock is ticking toward Sept. 30, the end of the governments fiscal year. Passing some of the spending bills in August would help the Senate pressure the House to step up in September and avert a standoff with the president over spending -- and perhaps avoid a government shutdown.

GOPers know that a shutdown -- threatened by the president over border wall funding  would likely doom their chances for success in the midterms. Such a scenario reflects chaos and mayhem in Washington.

But Trump may continue to tout the prospects of a shutdown, regardless of what happens on Capitol Hill. After all, the president tweeted, I dont care what the political ramifications are.

He added that congressional Democrats wouldnt fix border security and immigration issues without a Government Shutdown.

Behind the scenes

So, the government shutdown narrative will likely resonate the rest of the month, regardless of what unfolds on the Senate floor.

But much of the focus this month will really be on whats happening behind the scenes.

For example, Sens. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., will become the second and third Democrats to meet with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Both voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch last year. Donnelly and Heitkamp are also moderate Democrats facing serious re-election challenges this fall.

Expect Kavanaugh to continue to make his round-robin appearances on Capitol Hill, huddling with senators ahead of his confirmation hearing Sept. 4.

At the same time, Democrats and Republicans will renew their bickering over papers and documents belonging to Kavanaugh. The National Archives wrote to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, rejecting a request for Kavanaughs paperwork from his time at the White House under President George W. Bush. Archivist David Ferriero told Feinstein the Archives complies with requests only from committee chairs.

Democrats will contend that an early September hearing for Kavanaugh is rushed, especially without a full complement of documents. Regardless, the request may take until the end of October to fulfill. Its now pretty clear that McConnell wants to confirm Kavanaugh before the Supreme Courts term starts on Oct. 1.

Beyond the Capitol

Ironically, much of the conversation on Capitol Hill for the rest of the month wont have much to do what happens at the Capitol.

Senators of both of parties, especially those facing competitive re-election bids, will keep one eye on the flight schedule as they attempt to get back home to campaign as much as possible.

Discussion about the midterm elections will dominate as both sides eye polls and campaign war chests ahead of the home stretch.

Reporters will dog senators in the corridors over the latest tweets by the president or a variety of foreign policy issues, ranging from trade tariffs to Iran to Syria to North Korea. There will also be conversations about comments by former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman.

Republicans may continue to tout their tax reform bill this month. But the federal government ran a $77 billion deficit in July. Thats up 79 percent from a year ago. Turns out that federal receipts dropped 3 percent in July. That means the federal government collected a lot less than a year ago. Interest payments on the debt spiked a staggering 41 percent in July.

Tax reform advocates argue that the tax bill will eventually mitigate some of those losses and shrink federal deficits. But the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the deficit for the entire year will clock in about 19 percent more than last year.

And then, theres whats going down in a federal courthouse just across the river in Alexandria, Va. A jury will determine the fate of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort in the near future. Manaforts fate, innocent or guilty, will send shockwaves across Capitol Hill.

Some lawmakers will be more than happy to comment on the verdict  depending on how it goes. Others will sprint from the press  depending on how it goes.Reality has kicked in with increasing calls for a second referendum on Britains membership of the European Union

A soft Brexit was what was promised recently by members of Britains ruling Conservative Party to the British public, and a plan was formulated to pave the way for negotiations on that path for Britain to leave the European Union.

However, the Conservative Party has failed to attain this goal to the extent that it now looks helpless in front of the realities of the negotiations.

Last week, the European Union turned down UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays plans for a soft Brexit because these contained proposals that could only be reserved to full members of the EU while Britain no longer desires to be one.

One of the most important of the proposals regarded the custom tariffs that the British government had already proposed in its white paper on the issue in July 2018.

They included many terms that the EU does not accept, including demands for preferential treatment by the UK under which it would collect EU custom duties on goods traded between Northern Ireland, part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, part of the EU.

At the same time, the UK is requesting maintaining the freedom to set different tariffs on goods destined for the British market.

This clause among others was rejected by EU negotiators, who feel that the British government is cherry-picking elements of the EU single market and complying with others.

Other areas of contention include the compliance of the UK with decisions by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which was one of the major points rejected by Brexit advocates who want to see the supremacy of UK law and British courts.

However, May has since found herself conceding on this point to the extent that some of her critics have accused her of binding the United Kingdom even further to European laws through continued membership of the ECJ when escaping from them was the point of Brexit in the first place.

As a result, May has found herself torn between appeasing the Brexit camp and EU negotiators who have not yielded to her demands.

If anything has been proven by this debacle it is that the devil is always in the details and that most of the points made by the Brexit camp were mere rhetoric with no practical roadmap behind them.

Most of the promises made by the Brexiteers who managed to convince the majority of the British public that they would be better off outside the EU were founded on wishful thinking rather than practical solutions and were amalgamated with nationalist rhetoric.

That has been continuously on display in the aftermath of the Brexit vote and the costly divorce that is now taking place between the UK and the EU.

Many multinational companies headquartered in Britain are looking for ways to leave Britain and particularly its financial centre of London for other European cities such as Frankfurt in Germany in order to maintain the privileges that come from being based in the EU.

While the EU is not perfect and undoubtedly has shortcomings in many regards, it has given its members advantages that overshadow such shortcomings.

Many of its members have grown economically since entry, including Greece, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic and Italy over the past three decades, some more than at any other time in their modern history.

Moreover, the woes of the British economy do not stem in the main from an influx of immigrants from Europe.

These may have had a negative impact in certain cases, but other real sources of troubles have been ignored, such as the structure of the British economy and the corporations that ship labour-intensive jobs overseas as far as India and China to squeeze out maximum profits while leaving the British population stranded without the decent jobs that are now going to other nationalities.

It is now customary for a British resident contacting customer services at a telephone company to be greeted by an operator working from a call centre in India or the Philippines.

This is just one example of how British citizens have lost their jobs to overseas workers as a result of British corporations aiming to cut costs at the expense of British labour markets.

EU leaders are rumoured to have come to terms with some of the British demands in a last-resort attempt to keep the UK within the economic framework of the EU as a non-member state.

While EU representatives have expressed their impatience towards the UK because of its demands, along with the agonising steps being taken by London, they remain sanguine since the difficulties of the UK exit from the EU could serve as a cautionary tale for other countries contemplating a similar move.

The hidden message is that exiting the EU will be very costly and not as easy as pro-Brexit politicians have promoted it as being in their speeches.

The current British demands to the EU resemble a member of a country club who refuses to pay the annual subscription fees or abide by the rules yet insists on utilising the clubs facilities. Such demands are likely to be rejected by the clubs management.

British government attempts to acquire the benefits of the EU without being members of it will likely be rejected because they could send a message to other EU countries that they too could leave the Union yet still enjoy the benefits of membership. Obviously, this is not something EU politicians are keen to do.

Such events have led to calls by British politicians for another referendum on the UKs membership of the EU in order to decide its fate in the light of what has turned out to be an agonising Brexit.

The downturn that could befall the British economy along with a tumbling currency and the loss of European membership benefits have cast a dark spell on the entire process, something that the anti-Brexit camp is willing to use in an attempt to overturn the result of the first referendum.

However, any attempt to do so would also have important consequences as it would ignite a major controversy about democracy in the UK and the need to respect referendums.

The EU will also not be very keen on any such move despite its initial wish to keep Britain as part of the EU.

The reason is mainly due to the significant section of the British population that voted in favour of Brexit in the 2016 referendum and are still demanding that the country exit from the EU.

European leaders will not wager on letting the UK back in again even if such a new referendum favours its remaining in the EU lest UK voters change their minds once again in the future.

For some, Brexit was a wish come true after the 2016 vote as it meant that their problems would fade away as the UK left the EU.

Reality has now kicked in, and the old proverb of be careful what you wish for has come into play in the agonising Brexit process.

* The writer is a political analyst and author of Egypts Arab Spring and the Winding Road to Democracy.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Britains agonising Brexit

Search Keywords:

Short link:

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

In the medias latest tactic to take down President Trump in the court of public opinion, anti-Trump journalists are pinning their hopes on a porn star, a corrupt lawyer and a reality TV star. It almost sounds like the beginning of a bad joke  except this is unfortunately our present reality.

While legitimate questions may exist for the president, trying to legitimize this shady trio by giving them a media makeover isnt going to give them credibility with the general public. This may be the mainstream medias dream team, but Main Street USA will be a much harder sell.

President Trumps former attorney, Michael Cohen, secretly recorded a conversation with Trump prior to the election in 2016. They talked about paying for Playboy model Karen McDougals story, in which she claimed to have had an affair with Trump.

American Media Inc., which owns the National Enquirer, had agreed to pay for McDougals story about the alleged affair, though the Enquirer never ended up publishing it.

The presidents legal team claimed that the recording conveniently stopped prematurely, raising questions about what was not recorded. Alan Dershowitz, Harvard law professor emeritus, said: Theres no indication of any crime being committed on this tape.

So, once again, theres no there, there.

Reality TV star Omarosa Manigault Newman, fired three times on The Apprentice by Donald Trump, was fired again last year, this time from the West Wing, allegedly over ethics violations.

Though shes never earned the reputation of playing well with others, Manigault Newman left Pennsylvania Ave with the promise to tell her story. Translation: hell hath no fury like Omarosa scorned.

Manigault Newman breached national security protocols on her way out the door by recording her firing by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in the Situation Room, where recording devices are prohibited.

President Trumps campaign filed for arbitration Tuesday against Manigault Newman, claiming she violated a 2016 nondisclosure agreement by leaking information from the Situation Room and by disparaging the president in her new gossip-filled book, Unhinged: An Insiders Account of the Trump White House. Her surreptitious recordings of Kelly may also get her a visit from the FBI, the Secret Service or both.

The mainstream media, which salivates over all things anti-Trump, rolled out the red carpet for Manigault Newman. However, over the last couple of years when she was solidly on Team Trump  either on the campaign trail or in the White House  the media considered her a joke, especially when it came to her ongoing feud with CNNs April Ryan.

The Brad Paisley song Celebrity comes to mind: Cause when youre a celebrity, its adios reality. You can act just like a fool, people think youre cool, just cause youre on TV.

Nobody thinks Omarosas cool, except for the liberal darlings in the mainstream media. When shes effectively discredited she will have burned that bridge as well, and theyll no longer have a use for her either.

The medias other fan favorite is Stormy Daniels, the porn star and walking contradiction whos suing the president and Michael Cohen for defamation, for denying her claim that she had an affair with Trump. Cohen paid her $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement.

Meanwhile, Daniels signed a letter in January saying: "I am not denying this affair because I was paid 'hush money' as has been reported in overseas owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened.

Confused? Stormy appears to be too.

Most reasonable people find it difficult to take seriously accusations made by these three media darlings who are paraded out as if they are pillars of society, when in fact they are famous for their flexible morals. None of them are likely to even be trusted enough to be chosen to serve on a jury at this point.

If the media are truly interested in answering legitimate questions related to the president, this isnt the way to get it done.

The reality TV star with a vendetta, the porn star who claimed she never had an affair with Trump before she claimed she did, and the attorney who violates confidentiality by recording his clients are weak arguments for a case against an unfair, biased media grossly obsessed with getting Trump.

History teaches that if youre going to go after the king, you better destroy him; because if you dont youll only make him stronger. If the media are so desperate to sink this low, the result will likely be a long, last laugh for President Trump  as in a two-term presidency.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Tuesdays Republican primaries brought good news for President Trump and consolidated his hold over the Republican Party. The stunning upset victory of Jeff Johnson over former Gov. Tim Pawlenty in the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary drives that point home better than almost anything else.

Pawlenty outspent Hennepin County Commissioner Johnson by better than three-to-one and was heavily favored to win the primary to run for his old job again.

But Johnson was more conservative and was the stronger supporter of President Trump  and that apparently was important to Republican primary voters. Johnson captured 53 percent of the vote to 44 percent for Pawlenty in the gubernatorial primary, with a minor candidate picking up the rest.

When Trump was running in 2016 Pawlenty called him unhinged and unfit to be president, after the Access Hollywood tape showed Trump bragging about grabbing women. Pawlenty later said he had voted for Trump in the 2016 election and supported most of his policies, but was never seen as a strong backer of the president.

The Republican Party has shifted, Pawlenty said Tuesday night. It is the era of Trump, and Im just not a Trump-like politician.

Pawlenty was also vulnerable because after his failed bid for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination he became a Washington lobbyist for one of the nations largest banks  not exactly a popular profession at a time when Trump and his supporters have adopted the slogan drain the swamp.

President Trump congratulated Johnson in a tweet Wednesday, writing: Jeff Johnson of Minnesota had a big night in winning the Republican nomination for Governor against a very strong and well known opponent! Thanks for all of the support you showed me. You have my complete and total Endorsement. You will win in November!

More evidence of President Trumps dominance over his party came in the resolution of an election from last week where Trump-backed Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach was finally certified as the Republican nominee for governor Tuesday.

Kobah won the nomination over Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer after provisional ballots were counted.

If nothing else, primary results this year show that the Trump wing of the Republican Party is indeed triumphant. The establishment wing has taken defeat after defeat.

Whats unknown is what impact support from the president will have for GOP candidates in the November election, at a time when he is deeply unpopular with Democratic voters and many independents are cool to him.

On the Democratic side, Tuesdays primaries tell a more mixed story. If nothing else, Democratic voters chose a diverse group of candidates who will try to showcase broad general-election appeal.

As has been widely reported, the Democrats have nominated the first transgender candidate to ever run for governor in the U.S.  Christine Hallquist in Vermont. They also nominated Ilhan Omar in Minnesota for a U.S. House seat that she is favored to win, which would make her the first Somali-American elected to Congress.

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, the prominent Muslim and deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was also nominated for Minnesota attorney general, despite a recent allegation of domestic abuse by his ex-girlfriend.

The diversity of the Democratic ticket on balance is probably a good thing for the party. Yet, it underscores the divisions that exist on ideology, messaging and strategy.

Put another way, as the primary season nears a close, the Republicans face a fundamental challenge of articulating a reason why they should maintain control of the House.

The Democrats face their own set of challenges that require a campaign message going forward to unite the disparate factions of their party  between the moderates, the progressives and underrepresented groups that have not traditionally been part of the mainstream conversation.

The Republicans have yet to articulate a clear message on the economy; the Democrats have yet to articulate a clear message at all, aside from the unsatisfying stand up to and resist Donald Trump.

How the November elections go both for Congress and state offices around the country will be determined by whether both parties in their own way will be able to come to coherent and cogent messages. These message will have to resonate with an electorate that on both sides is angry, polarized, divided and frustrated with the lack of progress and coherence in its political leaders at all levels.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

National Security Adviser John Bolton recently told Fox News that North Korea has not taken the steps we feel are necessary to denuclearize, adding that what we need is performance from North Korea on denuclearization.

The statement shows that while the Trump administration is willing to give North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un more time to begin getting rid of his nuclear weapons, the administrations patience wont last much longer without progress.

Luckily, even if talks falter, President Trump has made no significant concessions to North Korea, even though Kim returned American hostages, suspended testing of ballistic missiles that could reach the United States, and suspended testing of nuclear weapons. Kim also partially dismantled key testing facilities.

Consequently, we are no worse off for having tried real diplomacy. And President Trump could still succeed, especially if North Korea understands the downside it faces if it fails to denuclearize, as Kim told President Trump he would do.

President Trump and his aides have made clear that downside will continue to include the maximum pressure campaign that he has implemented from the earliest days of his administration. The campaign has targeted Pyongyangs various sources of cash, including its illicit trade in goods and slave labor.

But President Trump should go further if North Korea reneges on its commitment to denuclearize and take five steps that could dramatically decrease the likelihood of the Kim regimes survival and its ability to threaten America:

First, the administration could target Chinese banks that do business with North Korea.

When the U.S. sanctioned a Macau-based bank in 2005 for laundering money for North Korea, the sanctions led to near-death experiences for both the bank and the North Korean government.

Most banks now avoid any dealings with North Korea, but large Chinese banks perceive immunity because of their political connections and past U.S. diffidence toward Beijing. Cutting them off from the U.S. financial system would hurt the cash-starved North Korean regime and also demonstrate to Beijing that we wont tolerate collaboration with Pyongyang.

Second, we could dramatically reposition our military to defend against a growing North Korean threat.

This repositioning would also help deter China. President Trump could relocate one or two aircraft carrier groups from the low-threat Atlantic to the high-threat Pacific, close obsolete bases in Europe in order to fund additional defenses in the Pacific, and test and deploy modern nuclear weapons and more reliable missile defenses positioned in orbit

The U.S. should also ask Japan to double its military spending to equal at least 2 percent of its economy. And we should also press South Korea to defray the full cost of our armed forces in that country. The Chinese would hate these actions, which is partly the point, as they would incentivize Beijing to pressure North Korea to reform.

Third, we could pay writers, performers and artists to satirize and ridicule the North Korean regime.

The U.S. already supports news broadcasts directed at North Korea, in an effort to inform and embolden critics of the regime.

These broadcasts could be supplemented with entertaining, sardonic jibes at the regimes leadership, similar to when President Trump called Kim little rocket man. At the State Department, some of us used to joke that commies love pageantry, in part because of North Koreas massive choreographed games involving up to 100,000 of people.

Communist governments are the worlds most protocol-obsessed and enthralled with pageantry because, deep down, they know they lack the legitimacy enjoyed by other forms of government. Emphasizing this lack of legitimacy by ridiculing Pyongyangs leadership could further erode its stability.

Fourth, President Trump could bring post-regime planning into the open.

Lets not just talk quietly about how to secure loose nukes in the event of a North Korean conflict or governmental collapse. Lets talk openly about what the allies should seek to control in a crisis and what would fall to China. (The narrow part of the Korean peninsula just north of Pyongyang probably makes the most sense as a dividing line.)

Lets ask our Taiwanese allies to pose as North Korea in an exercise and allow a mock incursion by American, Japanese and South Korean military and humanitarian forces to simulate a crisis. Of course, the Chinese and Russians would be infuriated by these steps  that is part of the point, since they would see the acute need to pressure North Korea more.

Fifth, lets ensure the South Korean capital of Seoul has the most sophisticated missile defense and counter-artillery systems in the world.

Seoul needs to be protected by a system superior even to Israels miraculous Iron Dome defenses.

The main reason successive U.S. presidents havent disabled North Koreas nuclear program with military force is the threat that Pyongyang would use artillery against Seoul or conventional or nuclear missiles against greater South Korea and Japan. Minimizing these risks would make the threat of pre-emptive allied force against North Korea more believable, thus increasing the chances for diplomacy to work.

All of these steps could both degrade North Koreas stability and be used as additional bargaining chips in negotiations. Hopefully none of them are necessary and North Korea is sincere (if reticent) about its pledge to denuclearize. If not, we have the power to make life much more uncertain for Pyongyang and its enablers.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Voters in four states that held primaries Tuesday made history in key races, set up startling ideological contrasts for the November election, and showed once again that Republicans are in no mood to support opponents of President Trump. The surprise defeat of former Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty in a comeback bid proved the president retains strong support in the GOP.

Democratic primary voters broke new diversity ground in several states. In Vermont, they nominated the first transgender candidate for governor. In Connecticut, an African-American activist who grew up in public housing won a nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives. In Minnesota, the heavily Democratic Minneapolis area appears set to send primary winner Ilhan Omar to Washington as the nations first Somali-American immigrant in Congress to replace Rep. Keith Ellison, who did not seek re-election.

Ellison  the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, a strong supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the first Muslim elected to Congress  had an 11th-hour scare in his attempt to win the Democratic primary for Minnesota attorney general. Last-minute accusations by his ex-girlfriend that he had engaged in domestic violence roiled his campaign. He won the primary, but no doubt the issue will return in the fall campaign.

Republicans proved once again that they will punish primary candidates who have disparaged Donald Trump. Almost everyone expected former Gov. Pawlenty to win Tuesdays GOP primary as he attempted to retake his old job.

But Pawlenty, who ran a credible race for president in 2012, had abandoned Trump in the last stages of the 2016 presidential race after the release of the Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump boasted about grabbing women.

Pawlenty declared after that video came to light that he could no longer support Trump. This years primary voters in turn declared they were going to hand the nomination to Jeff Johnson, his underfunded and often ignored challenger who appealed directly for backing from Trump voters. Johnson will now face Democratic Rep. Tim Walz in the fall.

The Republican Party has shifted, Pawlenty said. It is the era of Trump, and Im just not a Trump-like politician.

Republicans in Wisconsin were in turn skeptical of candidates claiming ideological conversions. Kevin Nicholson, a businessman who spent $10 million in the primary for U.S. Senate, couldnt convince GOP voters that his former chairmanship of the Democratic Partys national youth wing was just a college indiscretion.

State Sen. Leah Vukmir benefited from the support of Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walkers political machine, with Walkers own son serving as one of her staffers. She will now face Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, one of the Senates most outspoken liberals.

Walker easily won the Republican primary against two challengers to run for another term as governor of Wisconsin. He will face state Schools Superintendent Tony Evers, who defeated seven other candidates in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Another sharp ideological contrast will come in Connecticut, a rare state where Democrats are on the ropes due to the fiscal mismanagement of retiring Democratic Gov. Dan Milloy. Democrats nominated Ned Lamont, the scion of a wealthy family, who has failed to come up with any meaningful ways in which he would govern differently from the free-spending Milloy.

By contrast, Bob Stefanowski, a former bank executive who easily won the GOP gubernatorial primary, is pledging to phase out the states 28-year-old income tax and reinvent state government. If theres a state thats likely to move from the Democratic to the Republican column in November, its Connecticut.

On the lighter side, Tuesdays primaries gave us the story of H. Brooke Paige, an eccentric Republican who filed for a place on the ballot for nearly every statewide office in Vermont other than governor. He apparently has won all of them, because in heavily Democratic Vermont no other Republican filed to run for treasurer, secretary of state, attorney general, or state auditor.

To make matters even more bizarre, Paige apparently defeated an actual candidate for the GOP nomination for Vermonts only seat in the U.S. House. He also may win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, depending on late returns.

Were told the country is increasingly sorting itself into red and blue states, where one party or the other is dominant. In Vermont, that seems to have gone to an extreme but there the Republican Party seems to have been supplanted for this election by the Party of Paige. I suspect that after his multiple losses this November, embarrassed Republicans will at least run someone else for future offices to avoid another spectacle like this.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and Gov. John Hickenlooper claiming he has been bullied and targeted for his religious beliefs.

In June the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jack Phillips, the owner of the cake shop, who had declined to create a cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony.

On June 26, 2017, the same day the Supreme Court agreed to take up the case, an attorney contacted the cake shop and asked Phillips to create a cake to celebrate a gender transition from male to female. The caller asked for the cake to be pink on the inside and blue on the outside.

Phillips, who is a devout Christian, declined the request because the cake would have expressed a message about sex and gender identity that conflict with his religious beliefs.

The attorney, identified in state documents as Autumn Scardina, filed a discrimination complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the state notified Phillips that it had found probable cause.

The commission declared that Scardina is a member of protected classed (sic) based on her sex (female) and transgender status (gender identity).

Alliance Defending Freedom, the law firm that represented Phillips before the Supreme Court, blasted the commissions investigation.

Jack is being targeted, ADF attorney Kristen Waggoner said on the Todd Starnes Radio Show. Hes being bullied by the state of Colorado.

Waggoner said the attorney, who she called an LGBT activist, essentially set him up.

Its nothing more than hostility towards people of faith, she said on the nationally syndicated radio program. How could you say this kind of cake  blue on the outside, pink on the inside  how can you say that doesnt have a message? It clearly has a message.



The lawsuit accuses the government of anti-religious hostility.

The Constitution stands as a bulwark against state officials who target people  and seek to ruin their lives  because of the governments anti-religious animus, the lawsuit states.

For more than six years Colorado has been on a crusade to crush Phillips. At one point, commissioners compared his belief to slave owners and perpetrators of the Holocaust.

Even though Jack serves all customers and simply declines to create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in violation of his deeply held beliefs, the government is intent on destroying him  something the Supreme Court has already told it not to do, Waggoner said.

Phillips and his attorneys are asking for punitive damages  and they deserve every single penny.

The court needs to send a very strong message: there is no place for anti-religious bigots in government. And any government leaders, whether elected or appointed, who use their office to abuse Christians or others based on their religious beliefs must be punished.

Phillips is a good and decent man. He serves all customers regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. He simply declines to create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in violation of his deeply held religious beliefs.

Phillips refuses to make Halloween cakes. He refuses to make custom cakes promoting alcohol or drug usage. And he refuses to create cakes that include disparaging messages  including those targeting people within the LGBT community.

And yet, a mob of social justice warriors  enabled by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission  will not let this man run his business in peace.

And be warned. If this can happen to Jack Phillips, youd better believe it can happen to your business, too.Wisconsin Sen. Leah Vukmir was projected to defeat political outsider Kevin Nicholson in Tuesday's GOP Senate primary, clearing the way for a closely watched general election battle against Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Though pre-primary polls showed a close race between Vukmir and Nicholson, with about a third of Republican voters undecided, Vukmir -- a 15-year veteran of Wisconsin's legislature and an ally of Gov. Scott Walker -- was leading Nicholson by 14 percentage points when The Associated Press called the race.

National Republicans have targeted Baldwin, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and outside groups already have spent millions on television ads attacking her in a state that went for President Trump in 2016. The race is one of a handful of key contests expected to decide which party will hold the Senate after November's midterm elections.

Both Vukmir and Nicholson, a Marine combat veteran and a former Democrat, pledged not to raise taxes, to support the repeal of ObamaCare and back the building of a border wall with Mexico.

Neither Nicholson nor Vukmir initially supported Trump in 2016, but both got behind him in the general election. Trump did not endorse either of them in the primary, but retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan backed Vukmir, as did longtime Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner.

Two weeks before the primary, video of Vukmir badmouthing Trump in 2016 re-emerged and became fodder for TV ads attacking her loyalty to the president. Vukmir, who initially supported three others for president before lining up behind Trump, has insisted she's an ardent backer now.

Vermont was one of four states holding U.S. Senate primaries Tuesday, along with Connecticut, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the Green Mountain State, Sen. Bernie Sanders was projected to win the Democratic nomination for a third term Tuesday  though Sanders was expected to decline the nomination and run as an independent in Novembers general election.

With 83 percent of precincts reporting, the democratic socialist Sanders had received 94 percent of the vote compared to six percent for self-described Democratic activist Folasade Adeluola. Sanders, who received 65 percent and 71 percent of the vote in his first two Senate election victories, is a heavy favorite to win re-election.

Under Vermont law, Sanders cannot appear on the November ballot as both a Democrat and an independent. In his previous U.S. Senate races, in 2012 and 2006, he declined the Democratic nomination but accepted the formal endorsement of the state's Democratic Party.

Sanders' long-time political adviser Jeff Weaver told The Associated Press that the Sanders campaign is donating $150,000 to the Vermont Democratic Party.

Adeluola moved to Vermont from Indiana in 2017 to run against Sanders, whom she blamed for dividing the Democratic Party with his insurgent run for the presidential nomination against Hillary Clinton.

"I did not like the way Sen. Sanders caused the DNC to lose the White House, Adeluola told the Burlington Free Press. "That is why I'm angry. The paper reported that Adeluola, like Sanders, is registered as an independent candidate and plans to carry on through the November election.

In the Republican primary, perennial candidate H. Brooke Paige held a narrow lead over real estate broker Lawrence Zupan with 83 percent of precincts reporting. In a twist, Paige was also projected to win the Republican nomination for Vermont's lone U.S. House seat, currently held by Democrat Peter Welch.

In Connecticut, Matthew Corey was projected to easily defeat Apple computer executive Dominic Rapini to win the Republican nomination to face incumbent Sen. Chris Murphy. Corey, a Navy veteran who owns a window-washing business as well as a Hartford bar, described himself in a July Connecticut Post interview as a "blue-collar fella" who supports Trump's tax cuts and regulation rollbacks.

Murphy, a prominent gun control advocate and strident Trump critic, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and already has raised approximately $13.5 million for his re-election campaign.

Unusually, both of Minnesota's Senate seats are up for grabs this year. In the regularly scheduled race, Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar was projected to easily win the party's nomination for a third term. She will face Republican state Rep. Jim Newberger, who was projected to defeat three other candidates in the GOP primary, but faces an uphill battle against the popular Klobuchar.

In Minnesota's other Senate primary, Democrat Tina Smith was projected to defeat challenger Richard Painter, a former ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Smith to fill Al Franken's Senate seat earlier this year after Franken resigned over allegations of sexual misconduct.

In the Republican primary, state Sen. Karin Housley -- the wife of Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Housley -- was projected to defeat opponents Bob Anderson and Nikolay Nikolayevich Bey for the right to face Smith in November.

By Minnesota law, Franken's seat will be contested in a special election later this year and the winner of that contest will complete the remaining two years of Franken's term before coming up for re-election in 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Randy Bryce, a union ironworker known as "Iron Stache," has won the Democratic primary in the race to replace retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan, overcoming a lengthy criminal history including a drunken-driving arrest and a multi-year child support delinquency.

Bryce entered the race months before Ryan's April retirement and raised about $6 million  six times what primary challenger Cathy Myers, a school teacher, brought in.

He also won endorsements from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and labor activist Dolores Huerta.

Democrats are optimistic for their chances to pick up the southeast Wisconsin district that Ryan has represented for 20 years. However, opponents argue that Bryce's rap sheet makes him unreliable and unelectable.

Bryce has been arrested at least nine times, according to police records, including in 1998 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He pleaded guilty, but initially failed to appear in court; he ultimately received a suspended sentence.

In 1991, he was booked for marijuana possession, trespassing, and theft, among other charges. In 2000, he was arrested for driving with a suspended license; he was arrested for a similar charge in 2003.

In addition, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last year he was delinquent on his child support payments to his ex-wife for nearly two years. Bryce paid off $1,257 in child support debt just two months before he launched his campaign for Congress, according to the paper.

On the Republican side, Bryan Steil, a former driver for Ryan from a prominent family in his hometown of Janesville, won the GOP primary in the race to replace him Tuesday in the state's 1st Congressional District.

Ryan's retirement creates an opening in his southeastern Wisconsin congressional district for the first time in 20 years, fueling hopes among Democrats that they can pick up the seat that leans Republican.

But Steil is looking to keep the district bordering Illinois under GOP control, even if there's a Democratic "blue wave." Armed with Ryan's endorsement, Steil was the front-runner in a five-way Republican primary.

Ryan, who announced he would be retiring in April, has held the position of speaker since the retirement of former House Speaker John Boehner in 2015. His retirement will take effect in January.

The House speaker has had a rocky relationship with President Trump, and condemned Trump's more controversial moves on a number of occasions during the campaign. He faced pressure to step aside early as speaker in May, as the GOP-led Congress failed to pass a comprehensive immigration bill despite numerous attempts.

Steil is an attorney who has worked for a variety of manufacturers in the district. Since 2016, he's also served as a member of the University of Wisconsin board of trustees, appointed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

In other Wisconsin congressional races:

 3rd District: In this Milwaukee district, seven-term Democratic incumbent Gwen Moore faced a longshot challenge from Gary George, a former state senator who was convicted of a felony in a kickback scheme in 2004 and ran unsuccessfully against Moore in 2014 and 2016. On the Republican side, deliveryman Tim Rogers faced Cindy Werner, a U.S. Army veteran who moved to Milwaukee 18 months ago from Texas.

 5th District: In the suburban Milwaukee district, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, the second-longest serving member of the House first elected in 1978, faced his first primary in a decade, with pediatrician Jennifer Vipond making her first run for office.

 7th District: In this northern Wisconsin district, Democrats Margaret Engebretson, an attorney, and Brian Ewert, a doctor, were battling for a chance to take on Republican Rep. Sean Duffy.

Fox News' Kaitlyn Schallhorn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Tim Pawlenty -- who briefly ran for president in 2012 and had derided President Trump as "unhinged" -- was denied in his effort to stage a political comeback and become Minnesotas governor again in the race to replace Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

County Commissioner Jeff Johnson won in Tuesday's Minnesota GOP gubernatorial primary despite Pawlenty's enormous fundraising and name recognition advantages. He also won despite his own history as the party's losing candidate for governor four years ago.

Pawlenty joins several other prominent Republicans -- including Reps. Martha Roby and Mark Sanford, as well as Sens. Jeff Flake and Bob Corker -- who have recently suffered major political consequences, at least in part, for opposing Trump.

Johnson had positioned himself as a more conservative candidate than Pawlenty. He branded the former two-term governor as part of the "status quo" and bashed him for calling Trump "unhinged and unfit for the presidency" in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election -- rhetoric that Pawlenty softened during the campaign.

Pawlenty was hoping to resurrect his political career after flaming out as a presidential candidate in 2011. He spent the intervening years as a Washington lobbyist.

KEITH ELLISON HANGS ON IN MINNESOTA DESPITE DOMESTIC ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

Democratic Rep. Tim Walz, meanwhile, won the party's three-way primary for the governorship, and will take on Johnson in November.

In all, voters in four states headed to the polls Tuesday to select nominees for critical gubernatorial, House, and Senate races in November, and several of the day's contests were broadly seen as an early indication of voters' views on Trump and the Republican Party.

In Connecticut, Madison businessman and political newcomer Bob Stefanowski won the Republican primary for governor, defeating four fellow GOP contenders and setting the stage for a pivotal battle with businessman Ned Lamont in November.

Connecticut is ground-zero for Republican efforts to continue their gains in progressive New England. Even though Connecticut voted for Hillary Clinton by double-digits in 2016, the state's governor, Dan Malloy, is deeply unpopular, with critics citing high taxes and an ongoing budget crisis. Malloy declined to seek a third term.

And in Wisconsin, Democrats making yet another effort to unseat Republican Scott Walker have nominated state schools chief Tony Evers. Evers emerged from a field of eight candidates in Tuesday's primary. He was the only candidate to have won election statewide before and now faces his biggest challenge against Walker, who has built up a huge financial advantage.

The 66-year-old Evers has been the state's education chief since 2009 and has clashed with Walker in the past on mostly education issues.Walker's campaign and Republicans criticized Evers for not revoking the license of a teacher who was caught viewing pornographic emails on his school computer.

Meanwhile, Christine Hallquist made history in Vermont Tuesday night as the first openly transgender nominee for a governorship from a major party in the nation's history, beating back her Democratic challengers in the state's primary.

Hallquist defeated educator Brenda Siegel, who earlier was considered a frontrunner in the race, and environmentalist James Ehlers.

Hallquist, a former CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative, made no bones about the fact she wanted a place in the history books during the campaign.

She's appealed to Vermonters with a progressive message including a livable wage, Medicare for all, free public college education and high-speed broadband access  even to those who live on remote back roads.

"That's how I want to be known in Vermont," Hallquist, 62, told The Associated Press in an interview at her Burlington offices. "Nationally, I want to be known as the first trans candidate."

Hallquist also defeated another candidate who was trying to make history: a 14-year-old boy, Ethan Sonneborn, who took advantage of the state constitution's lack of an age requirement to seek the governorship.

On the Republican side, first-term Gov. Phil Scott overcame businessman Keith Stern to win the GOP gubernatorial primary, surviving the major political fallout from his decision to sign the state's first major gun control laws earlier this year.

No sitting governor has been defeated in Vermont since 1962, and Scott's victory in November would continue Republicans' surprisingly strong hold on governorships in highly progressive New England. The GOP currently holds the governorships of four out of six states in the region, including Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

However, Scott may have a unique vulnerability. In April, he was heckled by a bevy of protesters calling him a "liar" and "traitor" as he signed sweeping gun regulations into law, citing the dangers posed by mass shootings.

The package of bills raised the age to buy firearms from 18 to 21, banned high-capacity magazines, and made it easier to take guns from people considered a danger to themselves or others and from people arrested or cited for domestic assault.

Scott's approval rating in the state tanked after he signed the measure, plummeting from 65 percent early in the year to 47 percent shortly after the bill took effect. His disapproval rating nearly doubled to 42 percent in that period.

Fox News' Kaitlyn Schallhorn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison scored a victory Tuesday night in the Minnesota primary race for the state's attorney general days after domestic abuse accusations against him surfaced.

Ellison, who serves as the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee and is the first Muslim elected to Congress, was accused over the weekend of emotional and physical abuse by an ex-girlfriend.

Addressing the abuse allegations in his victory speech, Ellison said: We had a very unexpected event at the end of this campaign that happened. I want to assure you that it is not true.

Ellison ran for the position against state Rep. Debra Hilstrom, former Department of Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, former Ramsey County Attorney Tom Foley and attorney Matt Pelikan.

The abuse allegations against the congressman first emerged on Saturday when the son of Ellisons ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan, alleged on Facebook that hed read threatening text messages from the lawmaker. He also claimed to have watched a video in which Ellison dragged Monahan off a bed by her feet.

ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST TOP DEM KEITH ELLISON ROCK MINNESOTA AS VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS IN KEY RACES

Monahan posted on Twitter a day later that the allegations were true.

Every statement he made was true. @keithellison, you know you did that to me, she tweeted.

Ellison responded to the allegations, insisting that the video is non-existent and he never behaved in this way.

Ellison has long been a leader in the Democratic Party.

The divorced 54-year-old is a six-term congressman who became deputy chairman of the DNC last year after falling just short of the top job. He was among candidates rushing to file for Minnesota's attorney general office after incumbent Lori Swanson made a late decision to run for governor.

TUESDAYS PRIMARIES TEST GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFULS, EMBATTLED ELLISON: RACES TO WATCH

The Minnesota candidate has promised to fight back against policies of President Trumps administration that he argued were hurting people. He said he aimed to protect ObamaCare and restore net neutrality regulations.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Fox News Gregg Re, Robert Gearty and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Abdel Moneim Said reflects on one of the greatest military leaders in US history  a man who fought to preserve the union and abolish slavery

How odd it is that Ron Chernows biography of Ulysses S Grant, the general who led the Union forces in the US Civil War, would appear in bookstores just as the repercussions of the election of Donald Trump as US president have begun to force Americans to contend with crucial questions concerning immigration and interracial and interfaith relations.

It must have been a coincidence since any serious scholar would have had to have begun preparing a work of the size and scope of Grant quite a while ago, especially given that Grant is one of the most exhaustively studied and written about US generals, rivalled in this respect only by George Washington, who led the US War of Independence, and Dwight Eisenhower, Allied forces commander in World War II.

In all events, the coincidence was fortuitous and I was eager to read the book for two reasons.

Firstly, to me the figure of General Grant is extremely significant at this time of widespread and looming civil warfare in the Middle East.

In view of how instrumental he was to the victory of the northern forces, an examination of his generalship is important in terms of the arts of strategy and tactics that are studied in military academies as well as in terms of the types of political decisions that are critical, if not determinant, to shaping the outcomes of wars.

It is surprising that, in spite of the many wars this region has experienced, whether in the framework of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iraq-Iran conflict, or the civil wars in Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, the generals involved in these wars have attracted little attention among Arab scholars and researchers.

Only politicians are credited with victories and defeats, or states of war and peace.

My second reason is that Grant was not just a general who won a war. He was also an outstanding politician who served as US president for two terms (1869 to 1877) in the aftermath of the civil war.

It was a time of national reconstruction during which the war continued by other means: military at times, but political most of the time.

Militarily, the top generals who command national armies come in two sorts. One type tends to have an exaggerated perception of the enemys strength and keeps pressing political authorities to give him more troops and more equipment.

Once these are depleted, he asks for more, as he concocts one excuse after the other in order to account for his failures. The other type knows how best to utilise his available resources and capacities.

He understands that the battle involves two sides, each of which has its particular strengths and weaknesses, and that victory falls to the side that optimises its strengths and minimises the enemys ability to exploit its weaknesses under extremely violent and gruelling conditions that affect both sides.

Grant was certainly of the second type. He was the one who revived Abraham Lincolns confidence that his generals could win the war because not only did they have the technical military skills, but also they were armed with the necessary resolve and faith in the justice and moral superiority of their cause.

Grant had the military expertise he had acquired from his education at West Point and from his participation in the Mexican-American war.

But it was not expertise, alone, that enabled him to prevail. It was his military genius and his deeply held conviction, which perhaps only Lincoln held more strongly, in the need to preserve the union and the need to end slavery.

Military genius is a quality that generals probably display only in the heat of battle in the form of a psychological fortitude that comes into play at a moment that proves a magnificent turning point that ultimately determines the fates of peoples and nations.

In Ron Chernows book, we learn that Grant was inept at almost everything but war. But in this field, he was so remarkable as to rank among the greatest military leaders of all time.

Although the northern states were more populous than the southern ones and could, therefore, recruit in larger numbers, and although Union forces also enjoyed superiority in arms thanks to the technological and financial resources made available by the norths larger industrial and agricultural base, it took a long time before northern forces were able to turn the military balances in their favour.

Also, in the early period of the war, rumours began to circulate about the heroic deeds of Confederate soldiers, and their commander, General Robert E Lee, quickly became a popular legend in the south and the north alike.

It took a general like Grant to turn the situation around. Because of his superiority on the western front, and due to his skill and determination, president Lincoln chose him as the commander of the Union forces. At the head of these forces, he would eventually surround General Lee and force him to surrender.

The story goes that when some people came to Lincoln to complain of Grants addiction to alcohol, Lincoln asked them what brand of booze, so that this brand could be distributed to all his other generals who would then have what it takes to achieve victory.

Grant was not successful in his personal life, but he was successful in war and politics, the latter of which, as they say, is a continuation of war by other means.

He was a brilliant pupil of Lincoln who had the confidence in him to delegate him to negotiate peace with General Lee at Appomattox where he took pains to enable the south to conclude an honourable surrender so as to encourage it to re-join the union.

President Lincolns assassination, some months after his re-election for a second term and some days after the Unions victory over the Confederate forces, led to Grants return to the political fore as the person who steered the re-assimilation of the southern states into the union and the abolition of slavery.

It was not an easy time for Grant under the Andrew Johnson administration (1865-1869), when Grant continued to serve as commander of the US army, or afterwards when he served as president for two terms.

The war continued to rage in one way or another in the South where White supremacist terrorist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, continued to prowl and obstruct the implementation of the 13th, 14th and 15th constitutional amendments which abolished slavery and granted African Americans rights as equal citizens, including the right to vote.

Grant was the military man who fought the fanatic holdouts and beat them. He was also the politician who had to fight the laxness of the northern white people and their nostalgia for the system of slavery.

The US Civil War did not end with Grant and the problem of segregation did not end with his last term as president. It took the US another century to pass the Civil Rights Act under president Johnson.

Even so, the story of US racism still continues, in spite of the election of an African American  Barack Obama  as president.

*The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Ulysses S Grant

Search Keywords:

Short link:

As the Islamic State is driven out of its former strongholds, a U.N. panel is warning that the next big terror threat in the region could come, once again, from Al Qaeda -- led by the son of Usama bin Laden.



The report by U.N. experts, delivered to the Security Council and released this week, included startling findings about both terror networks. The report found that while ISIS had been defeated militarily in Iraq and most of Syria, it had rallied in early 2018 and still had approximately 20,000-30,000 members in the two countries.

The U.S.-led coalition in the region racked up numerous military wins against the group in 2017 and helped reduce its territory to mere pockets of Syria. At the State of the Union address this year, President Trump declared victory: Im proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated very close to 100 percent of the territory just recently held by these killers in Iraq and in Syria.

The U.N. report found ISIS, though, is in the process of moving from a proto-State network to a covert network that continues to threaten other countries, and its leadership is still in tact, under Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

Yet the report also raised significant concerns about Al Qaeda, which fell into the background amid the international attention on ISIS and its brutal tactics, particularly after the death of Usama bin Laden in 2011.



The report found that Al Qaeda is still a global network showing resilience, and it is stronger than ISIS in places like Somalia, Yemen and South Asia -- and its leadership in Iran has grown more prominent.



Further, bin Ladens son -- Hamza bin Laden -- has continued to emerge as a leadership figure in Al Qaeda, the report said.



Al Qaedas leadership demonstrates strategic patience and its regional affiliates exercise good tactical judgment, embedding themselves in local issues and becoming players," it said.



Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that the 29-year-old Hamza, who has said he wants to avenge his father, is believed to have married the daughter of Mohammed Atta -- the Egyptian national who hijacked and flew the first plane into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

BIN LADEN'S SON MARRIED 9/11 LEAD HIJACKER'S DAUGHTER, REPORT SAYS



While the U.N. said there is little evidence as yet of a direct global threat from Al Qaeda, improved leadership and enhanced communication will probably increase the threat over time, as will any rise in the tendency, already visible in some regions, of ISIL supporters to join Al Qaeda.



The report comes amid growing international concern about the civil war in Yemen between the Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthis. Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) has gained a foothold in the south of the wartorn country amid the chaos in the country.



This month, an Associated Press investigation found that the Saudi-led coalition has been cutting secret deals with Al Qaeda fighters, paying some to leave cities and towns, allowing others to retreat with weapons and cash. Others were recruited to join the coalition. Participants in those agreement said the U.S. was aware of the arrangements and held off on drone strikes.

U.N. Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths has invited both sides of the conflict to meet in Geneva for talks in September.

Fox News' Katherine Lam and The Associated Press contributed to this report.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have just handed Republicans a ready-made campaign ad for his rumored 2020 presidential bid  by declaring Wednesday that America was never that great.

The Democratic star made the seemingly offhand remark as part of his rebuke of President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan during a bill-signing in New York. But the line drew gasps from the crowd.

Were not going to make America great again. It was never that great, Cuomo said, to an awkward blend of gasps and chuckles.



We have not reached greatness, we will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged, we will reach greatness when discrimination and stereotyping against women, 51 percent of our population, is gone and every womans full potential is realized and unleashed and every woman is making her full contribution, he said.

Within hours, his spokeswoman tried walking it back. The Governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality. America has not yet reached its maximum potential, Cuomo's press secretary, Dani Lever, said in a statement. When the President speaks about making America great again - going back in time - he ignores the pain so many endured and that we suffered from slavery, discrimination, segregation, sexism and marginalized women's contributions. The Governor believes that when everyone is fully included and everyone is contributing to their maximum potential, that is when America will achieve maximum greatness.

But the never that great line tore through social media in a New York minute, as journalists and his political rivals seized on the remark.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro said America, with its imperfections, has always been great and called on Cuomo to apologize.

This governor is so determined to distract voters from his failed policies and corrupted administration that hes willing to dismiss the steady, determined march of the American people, making and remaking the greatness of America. Mr. Cuomo owes the nation an apology, he said in a statement. He should be ashamed of himself."

Cuomo for months has been positioning himself as one of the biggest gubernatorial foes of the Trump White House. He also is facing a primary challenge from the left from actress and activist Cynthia Nixon.

Nixon has made a number of controversial statements, including calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement a terrorist organization, and has claimed Cuomo is shifting to the left in response.

'SEX AND THE CITY' STAR CYNTHIA NIXON BOASTS CUOMO BEING DRAGGED TO THE LEFT BY 'THE CYNTHIA EFFECT'



Its called The Cynthia Effect, Nixon said in a speech in May. Since I got in the race, Cuomo has moved left not only on marijuana, but climate change, teacher evaluations, restoring voting rights and banning plastic bags.

But it remains to be seen whether Cuomo's stances in the New York race could come back to haunt a 2020 bid. Earlier this week while addressing New York Republicans, Trump dared Cuomo to run against him.

Please do it. Please, the president said in Utica, adding that anybody that runs against Trump suffers.

Fox News Barnini Chakraborty and Mike Arroyo contributed to this report.Four states held primaries on Tuesday as Democrats hope to make a push in November's midterm elections to regain control in Washington.

Wisconsin

Gubernatorial primary results:

Republican Gov. Scott Walker handedly defeated sole GOP challenger Robert Meyer, earning 91.59 percent of the votes compared to Meyers 8.41 percent in Tuesdays primary.

On the Democratic side, 66-year-old cancer survivor and state superintendent Tony Evers defeated nine other candidates with 41.75 percent of votes.

Walker, seeking his 3rd term, will square off with Evers come November.

GOP Primary  Scott Walker Votes: 417,654 Vote Percentage: 91.59 %

Dem Primary  Tony Evers Votes: 224,544 Vote Percentage: 41.75 %

U.S. Senate primary results:

Leah Vukmir, a Wisconsin state senator and close ally to Gov. Scott Walker, defeated former marine Kevin Nicholson, earning 49.04 percent of the votes.

The 60-year-old retired nurse will face Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

GOP Primary - Leah Vukmir Votes: 217,023 Vote Percentage: 49.04 %

Dem Primary  Tammy Baldwin UNCONTESTED

U.S. House of Representatives

Randy Bryce, a union worker known as Iron Stache, won the Democratic partys primary on Tuesday to replace a seat held by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan for 20 years. He defeated challenger Cathy Meyers with 59.58 percent of the vote.

Bryan Steil, a former Ryan aide, defeated five other challengers with 51.58 percent of the vote to earn the GOP bid as Republicans hope to keep the long-held seat red come November.

GOP Primary  Bryan Steil Votes: 30,883 Vote Percentage: 51.58 %

Dem Primary  Randy Bryce Votes: 36,397 Vote Percentage: 59.58 %

Minnesota

Gubernatorial primary results:

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson defeated former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty in a surprising upset Tuesday to secure the GOPs nomination in the states primary race for governor.

Johnson, who was considered an underdog in Tuesdays primary, will now face Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, who secured the bid on the Democratic side, in the midterm elections in the Fall.

GOP Primary - Jeff Johnson Votes: 167,790 Vote Percentage: 52.59%

Dem Primary - Tim Walz Votes: 242,092 Vote Percentage: 41.68%

U.S. Senate primary results:

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, who succeeded Sen. Al Franken after he resigned last year following a series of sexual misconduct allegations, easily defeated a former Republican ethics attorney-turned top critic of President Donald Trump to advance to the fall election.

State Sen. Karin Housley secured the GOP nomination and will face Smith in the midterms.

Dem Primary - Tina Smith Votes: 431,369 Vote Percentage: 76.04%

GOP Primary - Karin Housley Votes: 185, 382 Vote Percentage: 61.99%

In Minnesotas other U.S. Senate Race, incumbent Amy Klobuchar cruised to victory beating out four Democrats to square off with the GOP's endorsed candidate, state Rep. Jim Newberger, in November.

Dem Primary - Amy Klobuchar Votes: 554,480 Vote Percentage: 95.69%

GOP Primary - Jim Newberger Votes: 200,360 Vote Percentage: 69.51%

U.S. House of Representatives

Somali-American legislator Ilhan Omar won the Democratic Partys nomination a congressional race in Minnesotas 5th District, and could become the first Somali-American elected to Congress if she wins in November.

Omar will face Jennifer Zielinski, who earned the GOPs nomination.

Minnesota had a handful of congressional primaries on Tuesday:

District 1: Dem Primary - Dan Feehan Votes: 39,253 Vote Percentage 83.1%

GOP Primary - Jim Hagedorn Votes: 25,502 Vote Percentage: 60.2%

District 2: Dem Primary - Angie Craig UNCONTESTED

GOP Primary  Jason Lewis UNCONTESTED

District 3: Dem Primary - Dean Phillips Votes: 56,697 Vote Percentage: 81.6%

GOP Primary - Erik Paulsen UNCONTESTED

District 4: Dem Primary - Betty McCollum (i) Votes: 86,834 Vote Percentage: 91%

GOP Primary  Greg Ryan UNCONTESTED

District 5: Dem Primary - Ilhan Omar Votes: 65,238 Vote Percentage: 48.2%

GOP Primary - Jennifer Zielinski Votes: 8,680 Vote Percentage: 56.5%

Vermont

Gubernatorial primary results:

Christine Hallquist made history Tuesday night, becoming the first transgender candidate from a major political party to be nominated for governor after defeating several Democratic challengers in Vermonts primary.

On the Republican side, incumbent Phil Scott defeated a challenge from Springfield businessman Keith Stern in his quest to win a second term.

Hallquist, who faces a tough battle in the Fall Midterms against Scott as he is more popular with Democrats than members of his own party in the solidly liberal state, would become the nation's first transgender governor if elected.

Dem Primary - Hallquist, Christine Votes: 27,558 Vote Percentage: 48.26 %

GOP Primary - Scott, Phil Votes: 24,206 Vote Percentage: 67.54 %

U.S. Senate primary results:

Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders cruised to victory on Tuesday to win Vermont's Democratic Senate primary, however, he is expected to turn down the nomination as he has done in previous campaigns.

The race for the Republican nomination was too close to call as of early Wednesday morning, with Brooke Paige -- who also ran for the Republican nomination in the states U.S. House seat primary race as well as several statewide offices -- holding a narrow lead over Lawrence Zupan.

Dem Primary - Sanders, Bernie (i) Votes: 63,474 Vote Percentage: 94.41 %

GOP Primary - Paige, Brooke Votes: 9,806 Vote Percentage: 39.62 %

Zupan, Lawrence Votes: 9,370 Vote Percentage: 37.86 %

U.S. House of Representatives

Perennial candidate Brooke Paige secured the Republican nomination Tuesday in the Vermont primary for the U.S. House, and will face Democratic nominee Peter Welch, who is seeking re-election.

GOP Primary - Paige, Brooke Votes: 14,705 Vote Percentage: 63.43 %

Dem Primary - Welch, Peter (i) Votes: 55,892 Vote Percentage: 84.14 %

Connecticut

Gubernatorial primary results:

Bob Stefanowski, who dubbed himself Bob the Rebuilder, delivered a stunning upset in the Republican primary for governor in Connecticut on Tuesday by defeating the partys endorsed candidate, veteran Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton.

The former GE executive also beat out a handful of other GOP challengers to face off with wealthy businessman, Democrat Ned Lamont, who secured the nomination on the Democratic side, in November.

GOP Primary  Bob Stefanowski Votes: 41,957 Vote Percentage: 29.4%

Dems Primary - Ned Lamont Votes: 171,658 Vote Percentage: 81.2%

U.S. Senate primary results:

Christopher S. Murphy was uncontested in Tuesdays U.S. Senate primary race in Connecticut to win the Democratic nomination, and will face Matthew Corey, who won the primary on the Republican side, in the Fall.

GOP Primary - Matthew Corey Votes: 99,639 Vote Percentage: 76.5%

Dems Primary - Christopher S. Murphy UNCONTESTED

U.S. House of Representatives

Jahana Hayes, a onetime teen mother who became a celebrated teacher, won the Democratic nomination in a handful of congressional primaries in Connecticut on Tuesday.

The National Teacher of the Year award recipient from President Barack Obama in 2016 will now face Republican Manny Santos, a former mayor of Meriden, in the November midterm election to see who replaces the seat currently held by Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who didn't seek re-election following backlash over her mishandling of a sexual harassment case in her office.

The other congressional primaries in Connecticut on Tuesday include:

District 1: Dems Primary - John B. Larson (incumbent) UNCONTESTED

GOP Primary - Jennifer Nye UNCONTESTED

District 2: Dems Primary - Joe Courtney (incumbent) UNCONTESTED

GOP Primary - Danny Postemski UNCONTESTED

District 3: Dems Primary - Rosa DeLauro (incumbent) UNCONTESTED

GOP Primary - Angel Cadena UNCONTESTED

District 4: Dems Primary - Jim Himes (incumbent) UNCONTESTED

GOP Primary - Harry Arora UNCONTESTED

District 5: Dems Primary - Jahana Hayes Votes: 24,339 Vote Percentage: 62.2%

GOP Primary - Manny Santos Votes: 16,219 Vote Percentage: 51.7%

The Associated Press contributed to this report.CNNs April Ryan said Omarosa Manigault Newman stabbed her in the back and attempted to end her career when their once-friendly relationship soured.

It was really ugly. It was so ugly, Ryan said during an appearance on SiriusXMs Karen Hunter Show on Tuesday.

Manigault Newman has been on a media blitz in support of her new book, Unhinged, and she has played various secret recordings of Trump and his staffers that she said were collected during her time working in the White House.

Ryan was on The Karen Hunter Show to promote her own book when she was asked if there was a section on Manigault Newman -- whom she considered a friend before the former Trump aide turned on her.

"I talk about her taping me. I warned everybody. I talk about her taping me. We had that fight between the Oval Office and the press office, Ryan said. It probably stemmed from the fact that she was very upset with me because I ...wouldn't be in her wedding and people were telling me she was very upset that I chose not to be in her wedding.

The CNN contributor said that in addition to the wedding party beef, Manigault Newman turned on her in order to help Trump go after the media.

She stabbed in the back, the neck, the eyeballs and in the front. She tried to cut my head off and put it on a platter and serve it up to Donald Trump, Ryan told Hunter.

The feud between Ryan and Manigault Newman goes back to at least February of last year, when The Washington Post published a story headlined, This is . . . Nixonian: Reporter was taped by White House in heated exchange. The Posts Paul Farhi wrote that Ryan then claimed Manigault Newman said the CNN political analyst was among a handful of journalists on whom the White House was keeping dossiers of negative information.

At the time, Manigault Newman called Ryan a liar and admitted to having a tape, while Ryan said she was considering legal action regarding the recording.

Ryan -- she's White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, in addition to her gig at CNN -- then told the SiriusXM host that Manigault Newman attempted to spread lies about her relationship to Hillary Clinton.

I was very upset about that and we'll take care of what she said and the lies that she was spreading that is career-ending and I was doing this for about 20 years, when she did this, Ryan said. She said I was taking money from Hillary Clinton. I said, Are you kidding me?

The Post also reported that Manigault Newman sent Ryan a note citing an unnamed story that tied her to Clinton.

This story suggests that as a reporter, you are (or were) a paid Clinton surrogate. I pray this is not true! This could be hurtful to your legacy and the integrity of your work, Manigault Newman reportedly wrote to Ryan at the time.

Ryan told the radio host that Manigault Newman wanted to kill her career, and that the truth could be easily proven.

Now, here I am, a divorced single mother of two girls who works hard, and it's not just about taking food off my table. You are hurting my children. I'm a fierce mama bear. She lied on me, Ryan said.

Ryan also claimed that Manigault Newman urged Trump's former press secretary, Sean Spicer, not to call on her during White House briefings.

Manigault Newman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Colorado baker whose refusal to bake a custom cake for a same-sex wedding ended up before the Supreme Court is now suing his state, claiming it is trying to punish him for his religious beliefs.

Jack Phillips, owner of the bakery, garnered national attention after he declined to make a wedding cake for a gay couple in 2012. The couple sued, and the Colorado Civil Rights Commission ultimately decided that Phillips violated the states anti-discrimination laws.

Phillips attorneys appealed, and the case made it all the way to the Supreme Court. In a 7-2 decision, the justices did not decide whether a business has the right to refuse to serve gay and lesbian people outright, but they did set aside the Colorado court ruling against Phillips.

The Commissions hostility was inconsistent with the First Amendments guarantee that our laws be applied in a manner that is neutral toward religion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in his majority opinion.

Now, more than two months after the decision, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is arguing state officials are doubling down on their anti-religious hostility and engaging in unconstitutional bullying.

SUPREME COURT DECIDES COLORADO GAY WEDDING CAKE CASE: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

The new legal battle stems from a request Phillips store received in June 2017. Attorney Autumn Scardina said she called the store to request a birthday cake that would be blue on the outside and pink on the inside. The cake, according to her complaint, was in celebration of my transition from male to female.

Phillips has previously said he will not refuse to serve anyone in his store, but he will decline to specifically make a cake or other baked item if it goes against his religious views. According to the lawsuit, Phillips would also refuse to make a cake that is disparaging to the gay community.

The Colorado Civil Rights Division noted that Scardina is a member of protected classed [sic] based on her sex (female) and transgender status (gender identity). It found probable cause Phillips discriminated against her by refusing to make the cake.

The state of Colorado is ignoring the message of the U.S. Supreme Court by continuing to single out Jack [Phillips] for punishment and to exhibit hostility toward his religious beliefs, ADF senior vice president of U.S. legal division Kristen Waggoner said in a statement.

COLORADO BAKER GETS DEATH THREATS AND HATE FOR REFUSING TO MAKE GAY WEDDING CAKE

Even though Jack serves all customers and simply declines to create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in violation of his deeply held beliefs, the government is intent on destroying him  something the Supreme Court has already told it not to do, she said. Neither Jack nor any other creative professionals should be targeted by the government for living consistently with their religious beliefs.

It is now clear that Colorado will not rest until Phillips either closes Masterpiece Cakeshop or agrees to violate his religious beliefs.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, names members of the Colorado Civil Rights Division as well as Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, and Attorney General Cynthia Coffman as defendants.

After the Supreme Courts decision, Hickenlooper attended a rally with the same-sex couple and said it would not change state law.

Today is no different than yesterday. Nobody has a license to discriminate, he said.

It is now clear that Colorado will not rest until Phillips either closes Masterpiece Cakeshop or agrees to violate his religious beliefs, the suit said. The states continuing efforts to target Phillips do not just violate the Constitution; they cross the line into bad faith. This Court should put a stop to Colorados unconstitutional bullying.

A LOOK AT THE CASES THAT COULD IMPACT THE SUPREME COURTS RULING ON THE COLORADO BAKER

The lawsuit also alleges Scardina has been behind many disingenuous requests for custom cakes designed to get him to decline the desired message.

The suit seeks $100,000 from Colorado Civil Rights Division Director Aubrey Elenis for lost work, profits, reputational damage and emotional distress.

Prior to the Supreme Courts decision, Phillips told Fox News he and his family had received death threats and menacing phone calls.

Fox News' Judson Berger, Bill Mears and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Attorneys for ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort suggested during closing arguments Wednesday that Special Counsel Robert Muellers team had improperly ensnared their client in the ongoing Russia probe, prompting a last-minute recess in the case after prosecutors cried foul.

The drama unfolded as closing arguments wrapped up after nearly four hours. Jury deliberations are now set to begin at 9:30 a.m. EST on Thursday. A unanimous verdict from the 12 jurors is required to convict Manafort on each of the 18 counts against him.

Manafort attorney Richard Westling on Wednesday told jurors that banks had not reported any problems with Manafort to regulators "until the special counsel came and asked questions," and accused prosecutors of "stacking" charges against Manafort. And another defense attorney, Kevin Downing, said several times the prosecution should have been handled by an IRS audit, rather than a high-profile federal prosecution by the special counsel's office.

Prosecutors said both arguments violated a pretrial agreement not to discuss the larger political context of the case. Later in the day, during jury instructions that lasted well over an hour, Judge T.S. Ellis told jurors to ignore the defense team's suggestion that the Mueller prosecution was politically motivated.

He also emphasized that prosecutors bear the burden of proof, beyond any reasonable doubt, in the case.

"It's not my function to deliberate facts, its yours," Ellis told jurors on the eve of their deliberations.

Leaving the courtoom on Wednesday, Downing told reporters that Manafort was optimistic ahead of the deliberations.

"Mr. Manafort was very happy with how things went today," Downing said. "His defense team got to address the jury, point out the shortcomings in the government's case and explain the government has not met their burden of proof."

Throughout their closing arguments during the day, defense attorneys claimed prosecutors not only failed to meet their burden of proof that Manafort committed bank and tax fraud, but that "not a single bit" of evidence supported their allegations.

Manafort's defense team also tore into Rick Gates, the prosecution's star witness who pleaded guilty earlier this year in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.

JUDGE ELLIS TAUNTS AND TORMENTS MUELLER TEAM, CLAIMS PROSECUTOR IS CRYING

Last week, Gates testified that he and Manafort committed bank and tax fraud together, but the defense team repeatedly called his credibility into question, establishing that Gates had been skimming money from Manafort, defrauding banks, lying to federal investigators, and engaging in extramarital affairs -- all by his own admission.

The government was so desperate to convict Mr. Manafort, they made a deal with Rick Gates, Downing told jurors, adding that Gates showed himself to be the liar he is" and that "to the very end, he lied to you.

"The government was so desperate to convict Mr. Manafort, they made a deal with Rick Gates."  Manafort attorney Kevin Downing

Downing added: How he was able to get the deal he did I have no idea ... on cross examination, he fell apart."

And Westling reminded jurors that the government  and not the defendant  must meet that burden" of proof.

Its not even enough that they are highly likely guilty, Westling said. It has to be beyond a reasonable doubt. Hold the government to its burden, ladies and gentlemen.

Westling also downplayed prosecutors' email evidence, which appeared to show Manafort acknowledging his ownership of overseas accounts that he had failed to report on his taxes. Other emails showed Manafort requesting that his accountant's profit-and-loss statements, which were later submitted to banks to obtain loans, be converted into Word format so that he could easily edit them.

The standard for criminal tax liability is high, and requires that prosecutors show not only that Manafort had failed to report accounts he owned, but that he knew he was breaking the law when he made the omissions.

Westling asked jurors to consider their own past emails, and whether all the information in them would stand up to scrutiny years later.

We all send email, except Judge Ellis, he said, referring to the 78-year-old presiding judge in the case.

Westling also emphasized that several financial documents in the case had Manafort's signature, but appeared to have been signed by someone else. That's a critical argument for the defense, which has tried to argue Gates bore responsibility for Manafort's alleged crimes.

During their rebuttal to the defense team's closing, prosecutors accused the defense team of trying to "distract" jurors by criticizing Gates.

"The defense wants you to believe this is all about Rick Gates," prosecutor Greg Andres said. "They want to distract you from the evidence. ... Its the evidence and witnesses in this case that the defense is afraid of."

He then pointed to an email in which Manafort told Gates, You are the quarterback on this.

Andres told the jury: Guess who the coach of that team was? Paul Manafort. He added, "The defense is asking you to ignore your own common sense."

Earlier in the day, prosecutors used their closing arguments to paint the former Trump campaign chairman as a chronic liar, telling jurors Manafort is not above the law.

Manafort, 69, is facing tax evasion and bank fraud charges after being accused of hiding income earned from his Ukrainian political work from the IRS. Hes also accused of fraudulently obtaining millions in bank loans.

PROSECUTORS BLAST MANFORTS LIES IN CLOSING ARGUMENTS

Andres said the testimony over the last two weeks shows Manafort hid money in foreign bank accounts to spend on luxury items and real estate. He also told the jury Manafort filed false tax returns for five years, from 2010 to 2014.

During the prosecutions closing arguments, Manafort sat stone-faced, glaring at a TV on his table showing the exhibits.

A day earlier, the defense rested its case without calling Manafort or any other witnesses to the stand.

Special Counsel Robert Muellers team rested their case Monday afternoon after about two weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses. Before closing arguments, Ellis ruled against the defenses motion to acquit. Such motions are only granted by a judge where the prosecution has presented such a weak case that no reasonable juror could vote to convict.

Ellis, who has not shied from making colorful comments during the trial, signaled that he will tell the jury to disregard any comments he made during witness testimony that might have shown his opinion.

Do you think I made any comments? Ellis asked both sides on Tuesday.

After a short silence, prosecutor Andres stood and said, Yes.

There was audible laughter in the courtroom. At various points in the trial, Ellis has openly voiced his skepticism about the prosecutors' case, repeatedly reminding jurors that being wealthy in itself is not a crime. He has previously directly accused prosecutors of pursuing their case against Manafort to get at President Trump.

Manaforts legal troubles wont end with this trial. He is also facing charges in a separate federal court case in Washington, including conspiring against the United States, conspiring to launder money, failing to register as an agent of a foreign principal and providing false statements.

Fox News Alex Pappas and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.The Florida state House candidate who admitted to lying about her college degree has reportedly dropped out of the race.

Melissa Howard, a Republican, faced questions about her academic credentials when she posted a copy of what she said were her college transcripts on Facebook and sent a photo of her supposed diploma to media outlets.

However, a lawyer for Miami University questioned the diplomas authenticity, telling the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that it did not match those issued in 1994 or 1996, the years she claimed she graduated.

Howard eventually admitted that she did not actually graduate from the university in Oxford, Ohio.

I made a mistake in saying that I completed my degree. What I did was wrong and set a bad example for someone seeking public service, Howard said Monday. She remained adamant about staying in the race.

Yet a day later, she reversed course and told the Herald-Tribune that she is dropping out of the race.

FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTIONS HEADQUARTERS

I have come to the realization that the right thing to do for my community is to withdraw from the race, Howard told the newspaper. I will do so today.

I have come to the realization that the right thing to do for my community is to withdraw from the race.  Melissa Howard

I made a terrible error in judgement. I am thankful for everyone who gave so much toward my success, and I am deeply sorry, she continued.

Her primary opponent, Air Force veteran Tommy Gregory, said he spoke to Howard and wished her the best.

She apologized for what she did and for the rancor in this campaign and offered her full support for my candidacy, Gregory said in a Facebook post.

Despite Howards promise to withdraw from the race, its too late to get her name off the ballot ahead of the Aug. 28 primary. Vote by mail ballots were sent out a month ago, and about 20,000 Republican votes have already been cast.

FLORIDA DEMOCRAT ASKED TO DROP OUT OF GUBERNATORIAL RACE FOLLOWING YEARS-OLD ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

But Sarasota County GOP chairman Joe Gruters told The Associated Press that she made the right decision in dropping out of the race.

I cant imagine that voters would have given her a pass on this, but we will never know, Gruters said. This is a good example for everybody, that if something is in their background, A, be prepared for it to come up, and B, the cover-up is always worse than what happened.

Aside from the discrepancies about the diploma  which had the wrong administrators signature and degree, according to the universitys lawyer  Howard was also accused of lying about her grade from the National Rifle Association. She posted about an A rating from the pro-gun organization on Facebook, according to the Herald-Tribune. However, Marion Hammer, a former NRA president who now leads the group's lobbying efforts in Florida, said Howard actually received a B grade.

Howard did not address that accusation.

Fox News Matt Richardson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Well, that was fast.

Theyre back.

At least some of them.

The Senate returns Wednesday after its abridged August recess. Members of the House of Representatives wont darken the door to the Capitol until Sept. 4. But senators return to Washington following a nearly two-week respite.

This comes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., threatened to moor senators in Washington for the entire month of August.

It didnt quite work out that way. But senators are expected to linger in Washington for the remainder of the month. On tap are a host of nominations which McConnell hopes to confirm. Senators plan to debate and vote on at least two spending measures. One appropriations bill funds the Pentagon for fiscal year 2019. The other bill funds the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, known in congressional circles as Labor-H. Senators will blend those two measures together into a single bill.

This is a big deal. Before its hiatus, the Senate approved seven of the 12 annual spending bills to fund the government next year. Knocking out the military appropriations and Labor-H bill would bring the figure to nine of the 12. In March, President Trump warned he wouldnt sign another, gigantic omnibus spending bill where lawmakers lump the appropriations bills together into a solitary, legislative monster. Trump also implored McConnell to keep the Senate in session this month to hammer out the bills.

Theres another tactic at stake here: the House.

When the House returns in September, its members will have to work with senators to merge the already approved spending bills into a final version to send to the president. The last draft of legislation is called a conference report. House conservatives may balk at some of the positions the Senate took on the spending bills. But the clock is ticking toward Sept. 30, the end of the governments fiscal year. Passing some of the spending bills in August will help the Senate pressure the House to step up in September and avert a standoff with the president over spending and perhaps avoid a government shutdown.

Moving expeditiously through the appropriations bills is an effort by congressional Republicans to quash any government shutdown chatter. GOPers know that a potential shutdown -- threatened by the president over border wall funding  dooms their chances for success in the midterms. Such a scenario reflects chaos and mayhem in Washington. But Trump may continue to tout the prospects of a shutdown, regardless of what happens on Capitol Hill. After all, Trump tweeted I dont care what the political ramifications are. He added that congressional Democrats wouldnt fix border security and immigration issues without a Government Shutdown.

So, the government shutdown narrative will resonate the rest of the month, regardless of what unfolds on the Senate floor.

But much focus this month is on whats happening behind the scenes.

Sens. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., become the second and third Democrats to meet with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Both voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch last year. Donnelly and Heitkamp are also moderate Democrats facing serious re-election challenges this fall. Expect Kavanaugh to continue to make his round-robin appearances on Capitol Hill, huddling with senators ahead of his confirmation hearing Sept. 4.

At the same time, Democrats and Republicans will renew their bickering over papers and documents belonging to Kavanaugh. The National Archives wrote to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, rejecting a request for Kavanaughs paperwork from his time at the White House under President George W. Bush. Archivist David Ferriero told Feinstein the Archives only complies with requests from committee chairs.

Democrats will contend that an early September hearing for Kavanaugh is rushed, especially without a full compliment of documents. Regardless, the request may take until the end of October to fulfill. Its now pretty clear that McConnell wants to confirm Kavanaugh before the Supreme Courts term starts on Oct. 1.

Ironically, much of the conversation on Capitol Hill for the rest of the month wont have much to do with what happens at the Capitol.

Senators of both of parties, especially those facing competitive re-election bids, will keep one eye on the flight schedule as they attempt to get back home to campaign as much as possible.

Discussion about the midterm elections will dominate as both sides eye polls and campaign war chests ahead of the home stretch.

Reporters will dog senators in the corridors over the latest tweets by the president or a variety of foreign policy issues, ranging from trade tariffs to Iran to Syria to North Korea. There will be conversations about comments by former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman.

Republicans may continue to tout their tax reform bill this month. But the federal government ran a $77 billion deficit in July. Thats up 79 percent from a year ago. Turns out that federal receipts dropped 3 percent in July. That means the federal government collected a lot less than a year ago. Interest payments on the debt spiked a staggering 41 percent in July. Tax reform advocates argue that the tax bill will eventually mitigate some of those losses and shrink federal deficits. But the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the deficit for the entire year will clock in about 19 percent more than last year.

And then, theres whats going down in a federal courthouse just across the river in Alexandria, Va. A jury will determine the fate of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort in the near future. Manaforts fate, innocent or guilty, will send shockwaves across Capitol Hill. Some lawmakers will be more than happy to comment on the verdict  depending on how it goes. Others will sprint from the press  depending on how it goes.

No wonder the House doesnt want to be here in August.

Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there.The husband of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was back home Tuesday after undergoing an emergency appendectomy around 4 a.m., the governor said.

Kevin Reynolds, known as the states First Gentleman, was admitted to a hospital about 8:30 p.m. Monday, the governor told the Des Moines Register.

"He's back already," Gov. Reynolds told the newspaper. "And he's going elk hunting in two weeks, so that's all he cares about."

The governor gave the update on her husbands health during an appearance at the Iowa State Fair, the newspaper reported.

Kevin Reynolds is a retired conservationist who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 36 years, the report said.

The governor, 59, a Republican, has been in office since May 2017. She previously served as the states lieutenant governor for six years and also served in the state Senate.

The Reynoldses have been married since 1982 and have three children and nine grandchildren, according to the state governments website.President Trumps decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday is the latest move in whats been an ongoing rift between the pair.

The announcement, made by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on behalf of the president, accused Brennan of leveraging his clearance to make wild outbursts and claims against the Trump administration in the media.

In response to the decision, Brennan tweeted that his "principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent."

As recently as Tuesday evening, Brennan, who has been critical of Trumps conduct, described him as being the most divisive president weve ever had in the oval office.

In an interview on MSNBC Brennan was asked about his wording in an earlier tweet, particularly on why he thought Trumps behavior was dangerous.

TRUMP REVOKES SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN

I think Donald Trump has badly sullied the reputation of the office of the presidency. With his invective, with his constant disregard, I think, for human decency, as well as his befriending of autocratic leaders around the world. And his continued pursuit of relationships to benefit himself, as opposed to the country, Brennan said. I do think that Americas standing in the world has also been tarnished. What I think even more fundamentally, what he is doing here in the United States is very polarizing and he is, I think, the most divisive president weve ever had in the oval office.

Brennan joined NBC News and MSNBC in February as a contributor and senior national security and intelligence analyst.

The former intelligence official also tweeted Monday, reacting to the presidents tweet saying hes aware its not presidential to take on a lowlife" like former White House adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman, who has been on a controversial book tour slamming the administration.

Youre absolutely right, Brennan tweeted. If you were presidential, you would focus on healing the rifts within our Nation, being truthful about the challenges we face, & showing the world that America is still that shining beacon of freedom, liberty, prosperity, & goodness that welcomes all."

RAND PAUL CALLS TO REVOKE JOHN BRENNANS SECURITY CLEARANCE, ASKS IF HES MONETIZING ACCESS

Brennan specifically took issue last month with Trumps meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former intelligence official labeled the summit as nothing short of treasonous.

Donald Trumps press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of high crimes & misdemeanors, Brennan tweeted on July 16. It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trumps comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???

In an interview with Fox News Tucker Carlson that aired the following day, Trump denied being pro-Russia and slammed Brennan as being a very bad person.

I think Brennan is a very bad guy and, if you look at it, a lot of things happened under his watch, Trump told Carlson. I think he's a very bad person.

The president also compared Brennan to FBI official Peter Strzok, former FBI attorney Lisa Page, former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

"When you watch all of the things that have happened ... you look at the deception, the lies," Trump said in the interview. "These are people that in my opinion are truly bad people, and theyre being exposed for what they are.

TRUMP SAYS IM NOT PRO-RUSSIA, HITS EX-CIA CHIEF BRENNAN FOR CALLING PUTIN NEWS CONFERENCE TREASONOUS

The rift between Brennan and the president existed before the latter even took office.

President-elect Trump slammed the outgoing CIA director on Jan. 15, 2017 after Brennan said Trump didnt have a full understanding of Russias power and threat to the world.

He also suggested that Trump lacked a full appreciation of Russias aggression or understanding about why President Obama imposed sanctions on the Kremlin for meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump responded with two tweets that criticized the CIAs record under Brennan and questioned whether he had leaked a dossier of controversial unverified allegations about Trump.

Fox News Brooke Singman, Samuel Chamberlain and The Associated Press contributed to this report.The White House is revoking former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance, press secretary Sarah Sanders said on August 15.

The announcement comes just a few weeks after Sanders said President Trump was considering rescinding security clearances from several former top intelligence officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, who politicize, and in some cases actually monetize, their public service and their security clearances in making baseless accusations about improper contact with Russia.

Brennan led the CIA for nearly four years under the Obama administration. Earlier this year, he joined MSNBC and NBC News as a contributor and senior national security and intelligence analyst.

He has been critical of the Trump administration and has called the president paranoid and a charlatan. He said Trumps meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was nothing short of treasonous.

Sanders said Brennan had been "leveraging" the clearance to make "wild outbursts" and claims against the Trump administration.

Trump himself lumped Brennan in with some of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington in a February tweet.

Read on for a look at who else could lose their security clearances.

James Comey

James Comey led the FBI from 2013 until he was abruptly fired in May 2017. Trump, who has repeatedly castigated Comey on Twitter, said he could not effectively lead the bureau. The president was highly critical of Comeys handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails and the Russia investigation.

Comey was tapped as a U.S. attorney by former President George W. Bush before Obama appointed him to lead the FBI. After he was fired, he wrote a book called, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership.

Michael Hayden

Gen. Michael Hayden has served during multiple administrations, from leading the National Security Agency under former President Bill Clinton to heading the CIA under both former Presidents Bush and Obama.

Hayden has been an outspoken critic of Trump, especially in his book, The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies. He also encouraged people not to work for the Trump administration during an interview with Yahoo earlier this year.

HAYDEN RIPS TRUMPS DECISION-MAKING BUT BACKS CIA NOMINEE HASPEL

Before the announcement, Hayden said revoking his security clearance wouldnt have any effect on what I say or write because he does not attend classified briefings.

Andrew McCabe

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fired in March 2018. Trump praised the firing as a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI in a tweet, calling McCabe a choirboy.

JARED KUSHNER RECEIVES FULL SECURITY CLEARANCE

He was fired just days before he would have been eligible for a lifetime pension after it was determined he lied to investigators reviewing the bureaus probe of Clintons email server.

Susan Rice

After serving as ambassador to the United Nations, Rice was the National Security Advisor for Obama from 2013 to 2017.

Like others, she was highly critical of Trumps relationship with Russia and called the July summit with Putin a historic mistake. She also blasted Trump earlier this year when he said Obama allowed Russia to take Crimea.

Fox News Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.While Kansas tight GOP gubernatorial primary election was finally resolved Tuesday, it could be days before voters know the official result in last week's other nail-biter race: Ohio's special election for the 12th District House seat.

The district, in the suburbs of Columbus, has had a Republican representative for more than three decades. While Democrats put up a fight into the final hours, Republican state Sen. Troy Balderson is ahead in the vote count and has already declared victory over Democrat Danny OConnor.

But the counting continues. According to local reports, when polls closed last Tuesday, Balderson had a lead of 1,754 votes. The following day, a Franklin County audit reduced that lead to 1,564.

Secretary of State Jon Husteds office has said the final results must be official by Aug. 24.

JEFF COLYER CONCEDED TO TRUMP-BACKED KRIS KOBACH IN KANSAS GOP GOVERNOR'S RACE ONE WEEK AFTER VOTE

Husted is meanwhile working to offer voters assurances and dispel rumors about possible election tampering or voter fraud.

Anytime you have a close election that receives intense local and national attention, like the one we held last week for Ohios 12th Congressional District, there will inevitably be those who seek to sow seeds of doubt about the process and call into question how the election has been administered, Husted said in a statement this week, maintaining that the bipartisan county boards of elections who administered the special election did so with the professionalism that has become the standard in Ohio.

Husted blasted those spreading rumors, noting that his office has done a lot to clean up the voter rolls and saying every candidate on the ballot last week met the legal requirements and earned the right to be a candidate.

He said he is confident that the final vote count will be accurate and reflect the will of the voters.

Balderson already is eyeing the general election, but O'Connor's campaign reportedly retained an attorney, signaling they are ready to fight.

President Trump also has congratulated Balderson multiple times for a great win, while taking a shot at Republican Gov. John Kasich, a frequent Trump critic.

The very unpopular Governor of Ohio (and failed presidential candidate) @JohnKasich hurt Troy Baldersons recent win by tamping down enthusiasm for an otherwise great candidate. Even Kasichs Lt. Governor lost Gov. race because of his unpopularity. Credit to Troy on the BIG WIN! Trump tweeted Monday.

Kasichs Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor lost the GOP gubernatorial nomination last week to longtime Ohio politician Mike DeWine.

Fox News Paulina Dedaj and The Associated Press contributed to this report.One politician is declaring a win in Tuesday's major primaries even though he wasn't on the ballot: That's departing House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose endorsement helped lift two candidates to victory and underscored his continuing influence in Wisconsin.



Buoyed by Ryan's endorsement, Bryan Steil, a former aide for Ryan from a prominent family in his hometown of Janesville, decisively won the GOP primary in the race to replace Ryan in the state's 1st Congressional District. He received more than 50 percent of the vote, more than tripling his nearest competitor's tally.

And Leah Vukmir, who also had Ryan's backing, triumphed in a bitter primary to determine who will take on vulnerable Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in a race that could determine which party will control the Senate in November.

Polls had shown the race between Kevin Nicholson and Vukmir, who is also an ally of Gov. Scott Walker, had been neck-and-neck. Despite those early indicators, on Tuesday Vukmir drew 48 percent of the vote, compared with 42 percent for Nicholson. She posted especially high, double-digit numbers in Racine and Walworth Counties, areas that Ryan represented in Congress.

Vukmir, who had been critical of President Trump in 2016, did not have the president's endorsement.

DEMS NOMINATE UNION LEADER 'IRON STACHE' TO REPLACE RYAN, DESPITE DUI AND CHILD SUPPORT DELINQUENCY

But Ryan, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election, campaigned extensively for both Vukmir and Steil. Vukmir also had the endorsement of longtime Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner.

"Speaker Ryan has never strayed from his Wisconsin roots, and last night's results make it clear that his endorsement carries real weight among the voters who know him best," Ryan spokesman Jeremy Adler told Fox News. "He'll continue to be an active presence on the campaign trail through November, both in the Badger State and across the country, to tout our strong candidates and sell the GOP's better off message."

Notwithstanding Ryan's successes in the primaries, Democrats remain optimistic about their chances to pick up the southeast Wisconsin district that Ryan has represented for 20 years.

Ryan, who last month suggested that Trump was just "trolling" by suggesting that he might revoke ex-CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance -- a move Trump actually did take on Wednesday -- has critics on both sides of the aisle. Some Democrats claim he's been too soft on Trump, while others blame him for the GOP-led Congress' failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform or fully repeal ObamaCare.

But the Democratic nominee to take Ryan's seat, Randy Bryce, has his own significant liabilities. A union ironworker known as "Iron Stache," Bryce has a lengthy rap sheet and a history of not paying child support to his ex-wife.

He has been arrested at least nine times, according to police records, including in 1998 on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He pleaded guilty, but initially failed to appear in court; he ultimately received a suspended sentence.

In 1991, Bryce was booked on charges of marijuana possession, trespassing and theft. In 2000, he was arrested and accused of driving with a suspended license; he was arrested on a similar charge in 2003.

In addition, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last year he was delinquent on his child support payments to his ex-wife for nearly two years. Bryce paid off $1,257 in child support debt just two months before he launched his campaign for Congress, according to the paper.Prosecutors in the bank and tax fraud case against Paul Manafort used their closing arguments on Wednesday to paint the former Trump campaign chairman as a chronic liar, telling jurors Manafort is not above the law.

Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and lied to get more money when he didnt ... This is a case about Mr. Manaforts lies, prosecutor Greg Andres said.

Manafort, 69, is facing tax evasion and bank fraud charges after being accused of hiding income earned from his Ukrainian political work from the IRS. Hes also accused of fraudulently obtaining millions in bank loans.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Andres said the testimony over the last two weeks shows Manafort hid money in foreign bank accounts to spend on luxury items and real estate.

The government asks you to return the only verdict that is consistent with the evidence, which is guilty on all charges, Andres said.

He also told the jury Manafort filed false tax returns for five years, from 2010 to 2014.

DEFENSE RESTS WITHOUT CALLING MANAFORT TO TESTIFY

Mr. Manafort lied and lied again, Andres said, accusing the defendant of not paying $15 million worth of taxes.

He is not above the law, Andres said.

After the prosecutions closing arguments, which lasted more than an hour and a half, the court broke for recess. The defense is set to deliver closing arguments on Wednesday afternoon before the case goes to the jury.

As the trial got underway, Manafort, wearing a blue suit and blue shirt, rose, along with everyone else on the courtroom as jurors took their seats. Lead defense attorney Kevin Downing patted Manafort on the back and they both smiled.

During the prosecutions closing arguments, Manafort sat stone-faced, glaring at a TV on his table showing the exhibits.

A day earlier, the defense rested their case without calling Manafort or any other witnesses the stand. Addressing the court for the first time during his trial, Manafort stood up and told Judge T.S. Ellis III that he did not want to testify.

We believe the government has failed to meet their burden of proof and weve rested on that, Downing told reporters outside court Tuesday.

Special Counsel Robert Muellers team rested their case Monday afternoon after about two weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses.

Before closing arguments, Ellis ruled against the defenses motion to acquit.

Ellis, who has not shied from making colorful comments during the trial, signaled that he will tell the jury to disregard any comments he made during witness testimony that might have shown his opinion.

Do you think I made any comments? Ellis asked both sides on Tuesday.

After a short silence, prosecutor Andres stood and said, Yes.

There was audible laughter in the courtroom.

Last week, the prosecutions star witness, Rick Gates  Manaforts former business partner who struck a plea deal to cooperate with the government -- testified that he and Manafort committed bank and tax fraud together.

Manaforts legal troubles wont end with this trial. He is also facing charges in a separate federal court case in Washington, including conspiring against the United States, conspiring to launder money, failing to register as an agent of a foreign principal and providing false statements.

Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.President Trump has revoked the security clearance for former CIA Director John Brennan, the White House announced Wednesday, in the first decision to come from a review of access for several top Obama-era intelligence and law enforcement officials.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement on behalf of the president during the start of the press briefing, saying Brennan "has a history that calls his credibility into question."

The statement also claimed Brennan had been "leveraging" the clearance to make "wild outbursts" and claims against the Trump administration in the media.

"The president has a constitutional responsibility to protect classified information and who has access to it, and thats what hes doing is fulfilling that responsibility in this action," Sanders said Wednesday.

In response, Brennan tweeted hours later: "This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all American's, including intelligence professioanls, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent."

Last month, the White House said they were looking into the clearances for other former officials and Trump critics, including former FBI director James Comey; former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe; former director of national intelligence James Clapper; former national security adviser Susan Rice and former CIA director Michael Hayden (who also worked under President George W. Bush).

On Wednesday, Sanders added to the list Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, former FBI agent Peter Strzok (who was fired from the bureau last week) and former FBI general counsel Lisa Page.

"This is specific to Mr. Brennan, and the others are currently under review," Sanders said.

The White House last month accused the former officials of having "politicized" or "monetized" their public service, and said their clearances gave "inappropriate legitimacy to accusations with zero evidence."

Brennan joined NBC News and MSNBC in February as a contributor and senior national security and intelligence analyst.

But Democrats blasted the administration for the clearance review, saying Trump politicized the process and had gone too far. Wednesday's announcement fueled those allegations.

"In adding John Brennan to his enemies list, Trump demonstrates again how deeply insecure and vindictive he is  two character flaws dangerous in any President," Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., top House Intelligence Committee Democrat, tweeted. "An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful."

And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the move a "stunning abuse of power."

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called it an effort to "scare away critics."

He continued, "This is clearly another effort to silence critics and not allow the Mueller investigation and for that matter the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation to get to the bottom of this."

Former CIA deputy chief of staff for Brennan, Nick Shapiro, told Fox News last month that Brennan "hasnt made one penny off of his clearance."

He added: "This is a political attack on career national security officials who have honorably served their country for decades under both [Republicans] & [Democrats] in an effort to distract from [Special Counsel Robert] Muellers investigation."

Comey reacted Wednesday night: "Once again this president is sending a message that he will punish people who disagree with him and reward those who praise him."

TRUMP'S FULL STATEMENT ON REVOKING JOHN BRENNAN'S SECURITY CLEARANCE

Aitan Goelman, an attorney for Strzok, said in a statement late Wednesday that security clearances "should not be suspended or revoked as a way of punishing people who have criticized the President, or coercing others into silence.

"By revoking Director Brennan's clearance and threatening the security clearance of Pete and seven other former officials on Trump's 'enemies list,' the President has taken us down one more step on the path toward authoritarianism," Goelman added.

In his July 26-dated statement, Trump said: "Mr. Brennans lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is wholly inconsistent with access to the Nations most closely held secrets and facilitates the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos."

But despite the ongoing review, several former officials suggested it would have no impact on them.

Following the White Houses initial announcement, Hayden tweeted that he doesnt "go back for classified briefings. Wont have any effect on what I say or write."

A friend of Comeys, Benjamin Wittes, tweeted last month that the former FBI director doesnt have a security clearance to revoke.

And Strzok, upon his removal from the bureau last month, lost his security clearance.

McCabes spokesperson Melissa Schwartz said his security clearance was deactivated when he was fired.

While Brennan is among the highest-profile on the list in terms of media appearances, Clapper and Hayden also are contributors for CNN. Rice frequently is a guest on news programs, and Comey recently finished a media blitz to promote his memoir, "A Higher Loyalty," in May.

Fox News' Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report.From public housing to a teen pregnancy, Jahana Hayes' journey to become the Democratic nominee for Congress in Connecticut has been anything but easy.

Hayes, a 2016 National Teacher of the Year recipient, soundly beat Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, a two-time candidate for lieutenant governor, in the Aug. 14 primary in the 5th district. She will face Republican Manny Santos, former mayor of Meriden, in November.

If she wins, Hayes will make history as the first black woman to win a Connecticut congressional seat as well as the first black congresswoman from New England.

When we started this campaign a little more than 100 days ago, we had no organization and no network, Hayes said. People told us we had no chance and no business trying to upset the status quo. And tonight, we proved them wrong.

Hayes already has a fundraising advantage, as she had about $360,000 cash on hand by July 25. Santos, on the other hand, had less than $500 after accounting for a campaign debt.

The seat opened up this year after Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who was heavily criticized for her handling of a sexual harassment case in her office, declined to run for re-election.

Read on for a look at three things to know about Hayes.

She was the 2016 National Teacher of the Year

Former President Barack Obama gave Hayes the 2016 National Teacher of the Year award. Then, Hayes taught social studies at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, Connecticut.

I really think that we need to change the narrative, change the dialogue about what teaching is as a profession, Hayes told The Washington Post at the time. Weve spent a lot of time in the last few years talking about the things that are not working. We really need to shift our attention to all the things that are working.

FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTION HEADQUARTERS

She told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show in 2016 that she teaches kindness and community service in her classroom.

Hayes attended Naugatuck Valley Community College before earning a degree at Southern Connecticut State University. She later earned her masters and advanced degrees from the University of Saint Joseph and the University of Bridgeport, according to her campaign website.

Growing up, her family struggled with poverty and addiction

A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Hayes grew up in an environment that she said was illustrated by the predictable cycle of poverty."

Hayes lived in public housing and her family members struggled with addiction, she described on her campaign website. And once, she said, her family lost their apartment.

As a teenager, Hayes became pregnant and she thought all hopes for any upward mobility seemed beyond  grasp, according to her campaign website. But those in her community encouraged her to keep pushing for an education.

WHO IS SHARICE DAVIDS, THE KANSAS CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE WHO COULD MAKE HISTORY?

In her application for National Teacher of the Year, Hayes explained how her upbringing helped shape her.

As a child growing up in an urban poverty-stricken environment, I only came in contact with one minority teacher. This contact greatly influenced the person I became, she said, according to The Washington Post.

The story of her upbringing was integral to her campaign message, according to the Hartford Courant.

She supports stronger gun control, Medicare for all

During her acceptance speech, Hayes vowed to fight for the soul of our nation and called for single-payer health care, stronger gun laws and an educational system that provides greater opportunities for all children.

On her campaign website, she said she supports universal background checks for all firearm purchases and the directing of money to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to look into gun violence as a public health issue. She said she also supports a federal assault weapons ban to keep weapons of war off our streets.

MEET RASHIDA TLAIB, WHO IS POISED TO BECOME THE FIRST MUSLIM WOMAN ELECTED TO CONGRESS

Shes been endorsed by Sen. Kamala Harris and had support from the Connecticut Working Families Party chapter (CTWFP) and unions.

Her victory tonight speaks to Democratic voters strong desire for a champion they can trust to take on [President] Trump and corporate special interests without compromise, CTWFP state director Lindsay Farrell said in a statement.

Jahanas win also demonstrates the value in electing and mobilizing teachers who will fight for public education, stand up to [Education Secretary] Betsy DeVos, and advocate the importance of collective bargaining, Farrell continued. Through Jahanas campaign, we have seen an outpouring of support from parents, students, and fellow teachers inspired by Jahanas story.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.For the first time ever, astronomers have found iron and titanium in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. The exoplanet, named KELT-9b, is the hottest alien world ever discovered. The planet is so scorching, it's even hotter than most stars.

This sweltering exoplanet, located about 620 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, is what astronomers call an "ultrahot Jupiter." KELT-9b is a giant gas world like Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. But it's way bigger  it has three times the mass and twice the diameter of Jupiter  and it orbits extremely close to its hot parent star, KELT-9.

"Ultrahot Jupiter" is an unofficial term for a hot Jupiter exoplanet with temperatures exceeding 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,700 degrees Celsius). They "are so hot that they have some resemblance to being stars even though they're planets," Kevin Heng, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern in Switzerland who participated in the study, told Space.com. KELT-9b can reach temperatures of up to 7,800 degrees F (4,300 degrees C). [Gallery: The Strangest Alien Planets]

This record-breaking heat enabled astronomers to detect iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere. While researchers have long suspected that these elements are present on some exoplanets  iron is one of the most abundant elements in the universe  it's difficult to detect them in cooler environments because the atoms are mostly "trapped in other molecules," Heng said. However, KELT-9b is so hot that the clouds don't condense in its atmosphere, allowing individual atoms of iron and other metals to fly solo.

Titanium has been spotted in an exoplanet's atmosphere before  but not in its atomic form. In September 2017, astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope announced that they had found titanium dioxide (molecules consisting of one titanium atom and two oxygen atoms) in the atmosphere of an exoplanet named Kepler-13A.

Astronomers can detect different elements by looking at the spectrum of light coming from an object in space. Because the exoplanet doesn't emit its own light, Heng and his team of researchers looked at telescope data collected during a solar transit, when the exoplanet passed directly in front of its star as seen from Earth.

Conveniently, the data already existed before Heng and his co-authors decided to tackle this study. After his colleagues at the University of Geneva used that spectral data to look for hydrogen in KELT-9b's atmosphere, "they actually kept the data in the drawer because there was no reason to search for iron or titanium," Heng said. "Then, a few months ago, we did a theoretical study, which predicted that iron and titanium would be there, and that motivated the search."

Using the year-old data from the Galileo National Telescope in La Palma, Spain, the researchers started hunting for metals in the spectrum of light that shone through KELT-9b's atmosphere over a 4-hour-long transit. This data was collected using a spectrograph instrument called HARPS, the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.

"Different atoms or molecules have a fingerprint when you split the light into a spectrum," Heng said. "Given enough resolution, given good enough data, every molecule has a unique fingerprint." Finding the fingerprints of iron and titanium  elements that Heng and his team already suspected would exist in KELT-9b's atmosphere  would require "a combination of high-performance computing know-how, a careful curation of the spectroscopic databases and meticulous attention to detail," Heng wrote in a blog post on Nature.com.

Heng's team sought the help of Simon Grimm, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern "who is (among other things) an expert in the computation of the opacities of atoms and molecules," Heng wrote in the blog post. "These opacities are not trivial to compute, because one needs to evaluate the strengths and shapes of millions to billions of spectral lines."

Previous studies that looked at hydrogen in the atmosphere of KELT-9b were able to see a strong hydrogen absorption line in the spectrum without doing a more complicated cross-correlation analysis like Heng and his team had to do to find iron and titanium. Astronomers who collected data to look for hydrogen "lacked the theoretical motivation to conduct a serious search for metals such as iron," Heng wrote.

Another study, published July 2 in the journal Nature Astronomy, showed that hydrogen is actually "boiling off" from the atmosphere of KELT-9b and being sucked into the planet's parent star. "It is possible that heavy metal elements are also escaping because the dramatic hydrogen escape can 'drag' heavy elements to very high [in the] atmosphere," Fei Yan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the lead author of the study, told Space.com in an email.

While the iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere was a huge discovery, Heng told Space.com that "the technique itself is really exciting" as well. "This is the same technique that we will use to detect signatures of biology, or biosignatures," Heng said. "On Earth, we think it's oxygen and a few other obscure molecules, but we don't know what biosignatures are in general. If you knew what they were  you could use exactly the same technique to detect these molecules in cooler, smaller planets."

For the first time ever, astronomers have found iron and titanium in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. The exoplanet, named KELT-9b, is the hottest alien world ever discovered. The planet is so scorching, it's even hotter than most stars.

This sweltering exoplanet, located about 620 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, is what astronomers call an "ultrahot Jupiter." KELT-9b is a giant gas world like Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. But it's way bigger  it has three times the mass and twice the diameter of Jupiter  and it orbits extremely close to its hot parent star, KELT-9.

"Ultrahot Jupiter" is an unofficial term for a hot Jupiter exoplanet with temperatures exceeding 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,700 degrees Celsius). They "are so hot that they have some resemblance to being stars even though they're planets," Kevin Heng, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern in Switzerland who participated in the study, told Space.com. KELT-9b can reach temperatures of up to 7,800 degrees F (4,300 degrees C). [Gallery: The Strangest Alien Planets]

An artist's impression of the exoplanet KELT-9b, which orbits so close to its host star that the star's disk appears 70 times larger than our sun in the sky.

This record-breaking heat enabled astronomers to detect iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere. While researchers have long suspected that these elements are present on some exoplanets  iron is one of the most abundant elements in the universe  it's difficult to detect them in cooler environments because the atoms are mostly "trapped in other molecules," Heng said. However, KELT-9b is so hot that the clouds don't condense in its atmosphere, allowing individual atoms of iron and other metals to fly solo.

Titanium has been spotted in an exoplanet's atmosphere before  but not in its atomic form. In September 2017, astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope announced that they had found titanium dioxide (molecules consisting of one titanium atom and two oxygen atoms) in the atmosphere of an exoplanet named Kepler-13A.

Astronomers can detect different elements by looking at the spectrum of light coming from an object in space. Because the exoplanet doesn't emit its own light, Heng and his team of researchers looked at telescope data collected during a solar transit, when the exoplanet passed directly in front of its star as seen from Earth.

Conveniently, the data already existed before Heng and his co-authors decided to tackle this study. After his colleagues at the University of Geneva used that spectral data to look for hydrogen in KELT-9b's atmosphere, "they actually kept the data in the drawer because there was no reason to search for iron or titanium," Heng said. "Then, a few months ago, we did a theoretical study, which predicted that iron and titanium would be there, and that motivated the search."

Using the year-old data from the Galileo National Telescope in La Palma, Spain, the researchers started hunting for metals in the spectrum of light that shone through KELT-9b's atmosphere over a 4-hour-long transit. This data was collected using a spectrograph instrument called HARPS, the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.

"Different atoms or molecules have a fingerprint when you split the light into a spectrum," Heng said. "Given enough resolution, given good enough data, every molecule has a unique fingerprint." Finding the fingerprints of iron and titanium  elements that Heng and his team already suspected would exist in KELT-9b's atmosphere  would require "a combination of high-performance computing know-how, a careful curation of the spectroscopic databases and meticulous attention to detail," Heng wrote in a blog post on Nature.com.

Heng's team sought the help of Simon Grimm, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern "who is (among other things) an expert in the computation of the opacities of atoms and molecules," Heng wrote in the blog post. "These opacities are not trivial to compute, because one needs to evaluate the strengths and shapes of millions to billions of spectral lines."

Previous studies that looked at hydrogen in the atmosphere of KELT-9b were able to see a strong hydrogen absorption line in the spectrum without doing a more complicated cross-correlation analysis like Heng and his team had to do to find iron and titanium. Astronomers who collected data to look for hydrogen "lacked the theoretical motivation to conduct a serious search for metals such as iron," Heng wrote.

Another study, published July 2 in the journal Nature Astronomy, showed that hydrogen is actually "boiling off" from the atmosphere of KELT-9b and being sucked into the planet's parent star. "It is possible that heavy metal elements are also escaping because the dramatic hydrogen escape can 'drag' heavy elements to very high [in the] atmosphere," Fei Yan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the lead author of the study, told Space.com in an email.

While the iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere was a huge discovery, Heng told Space.com that "the technique itself is really exciting" as well. "This is the same technique that we will use to detect signatures of biology, or biosignatures," Heng said. "On Earth, we think it's oxygen and a few other obscure molecules, but we don't know what biosignatures are in general. If you knew what they were  you could use exactly the same technique to detect these molecules in cooler, smaller planets."

It is unlikely that astronomers will find any signs of life on this hellish planet, but Heng and his team have found some other interesting elements in the spectra from KELT-9b. "I don't want to reveal too much, but we have found other metals," he said. "We are also trying to get Hubble Space Telescope time to search for water as well." The goal is to eventually have "a complete chemical inventory of the planet," he said. Hubble will also be able to provide some insight into the weather on KELT-9b. "There should be violent storms on this planet," he said.

The research was published today (Aug. 15) in the journal Nature.

Original article on Space.com.In 1943, Daryl Weathers was a 19-year-old seaman aboard the destroyer USS Abner Read, which was conducting an anti-submarine patrol in the remote Aleutian Islands.

Almost 75 years to the day since the ships stern was torn off by a Japanese mine, the 94-year-old describes the harrowing event and the ships incredible survival.

I had been in the Navy just a short while, he told Fox News, recounting the predawn hours of Aug. 18. 1943. We were on submarine patrol. We were making a figure 8 pattern, we had been doing that for a day and a half.

Suddenly, the ship turned and struck a mine. Bam! This hit the port quarter, picked up the ship and broke the stern off, he said, adding that the stern contained sleeping compartments. The guys were sleeping back there, we lost a lot.

WRECK OF WWII SHIP DISCOVERED 74 YEARS AFTER IT DISAPPEARED DURING A RESCUE MISSION

Weathers is the last known surviving member of the Abner Reads crew, which was more than 300-strong on that fateful night in the Bering Sea.

Any sailors in the stern that were fortunate enough to survive the blast then had to contend with the frigid Bering Sea. The water was so cold, you couldnt be more than 10 or 15 minutes in there, said Weathers, who helped haul survivors back onto the ship. There werent too many of them.

Seventy-one lives were lost following the incident. In the aftermath of the blast, 20 sailors were saved when the Abner Read's crew pulled them from the water.

WRECKAGE OF WWII B-24 BOMBER DISCOVERED 74 YEARS AFTER IT WAS SHOT DOWN

For almost 75 years, the Abner Reads stern has laid on the seabed  a silent witness to the brutal, but often overlooked, Aleutian Islands campaign.

Kiska and the Aleutian island of Attu were occupied by as many as 7,200 Japanese troops from June 1942 to mid-August 1943. The islands are part of a volcanic chain that extend 1,200 miles westward from the Alaska peninsula. Along with Guam, the islands are among the handful of U.S. territories to be occupied by foreign forces in the last 200 years. The Philippines, which at the time were a U.S. territory, were also occupied by Japanese forces during World War II.

American forces were locked in a grueling 15-month campaign to retake the inhospitable storm-battered corner of America.

On July 17, a team of scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego and the University of Delaware located the missing 75-foot section of stern in 290 feet of water off the island of Kiska.

WWII WRECK USS HELENA DISCOVERED BY MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER PAUL ALLEN'S CREW

Funded by the NOAA Office of Exploration and Research and supported by Project Recover, experts used multibeam sonar to locate the wreck, which was then explored using a deep-diving remotely operated vehicle.

Bob Cressman, historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command, told Fox News that sterns discovery is an important reminder of one of World War IIs lesser-known theaters.

I hope that it opens peoples eyes and broadens their understanding of that part of the war, he said. For the people fighting, it certainly wasnt a sideshow, it was deadly serious business.

For Weathers, the horrific events of Aug. 18, 1943 are still fresh in his memory. It was quite a violent explosion, he told Fox News. If the explosion had been a few feet further [the ship] wouldnt have stayed afloat. No water got up into the forward compartments  it was a very clean break.

HUGE HIDDEN WWII SIGN REVEALED ON IRISH COAST

There was a fuel tank that was solid from the top to the bottom  no water could get forward of that, he added. If it had been a few feet further forward it would have ruptured that and the water would have got into the engine room and we wouldnt have been able to save [the ship].

Almost eight decades later, the veteran still wonders at the ships survival. I guess that we had a guardian angel on our shoulder, he said.

The crews heroics also kept the destroyer afloat. Sailors worked quickly to shore up the damage and kept the main part of the Aber Reads hull watertight. We built a homemade rudder, said Weathers.

'TREASURE-LADEN' RUSSIAN SHIPWRECK SPARKS CONTROVERSY

Two nearby U.S. Navy ships towed the destroyer back to port. Within months, the stern was repaired and the Abner Read rejoined the war.

The ship then took part in a number of battles in the Pacific Theater. She was destroyed in a kamikaze attack by a Japanese dive bomber during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in November 1944. The kamikazes came over  the whole sky was full of anti-aircraft explosions, said Weathers.

The sailor received the Bronze Star for his "heroic and meritorious" conduct during the battle. "Weathers, with outstanding devotion to duty manned his battery in the face of grave danger from an enemy suicide bomber, which ultimately crashed into his station and wounded him," the citation reads. "His conduct throughout distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character."

The Abner Read received four battle stars for her wartime service.

Like all U.S. military wreck sites, the location of the Abner Reads stern off Kiska is considered a war grave. We take any desecration of that wreck site very seriously, a spokesman for the Naval History and Heritage Command told Fox News. Its the final resting place of American sailors - that makes it hallowed ground, as much as Arlington National Cemetery.

This story has been updated with details of Weathers' Bronze Star that was awarded during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Additionally, the story has been corrected to reflect that Guam was also occupied by foreign forces during World War II.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogersThe nebula of a dying star has a "inside-out" appearance, scientists announced in a new study  and this may be our sun's ultimate fate.

Four years ago, astronomer Martin Guerrero from the Astrophysics Institute of Andalucia in Granada, Spain, discovered something puzzling: The shell-shaped remains of a stellar explosion  known as a planetary nebula  looked like it was inside out and seemingly born-again in a rare cosmic occurrence.

"I was at a telescope in La Palma, a beautiful island here in Spain, and I was repeatedly making images of planetary nebulas," Guerrero told Space.com. [Glowing Nebula Decorates Space in Hubble Image]

When Guerrero first looked at the planetary nebula HuBi1, things seemed normal.

"I made the image in the high-ionization filter; I saw some structures, nothing very impressive," he said. But then things got surprising. "The image in the low-ionization stage was something completely crazy. So my first idea was that I'm sleepy and I used the wrong filter!"

Ionization occurs in all planetary nebulas; it's a phenomena by which the radiation of an energetic central star strips electrons off atoms in the clouds of dust and gas. "In almost all cases, atoms closer to the intense light source are likely to have more of their electrons stripped than do atoms further away," Bruce Balick, an astronomer at the University of Washington and a close collaborator on other projects with Guerrero, told Space.com in an email.

But HuBi1 showed unusual high ionization at the outside edge of the shell shape, and low ionization near the center.

After more scientists came on board to perform other tests, like stellar evolutionary modelling, Guerrero and his team put the pieces of the HuBi1 puzzle together.

And to explain, Guerrero used a fruit.

"Imagine the center of a star of a planetary nebula is something like an apple. So you have most of the apple is the flesh, and there is a very thin skin. Imagine that the star, this apple, is mostly carbon and oxygen," he said.

"This inner material is never going to get to the pressure and to the temperature where the carbon and oxygen are going to start fusing ... so this is very stable." [Ghost of a Dying Star Hints at Sun's Future]

Then, Guerrero discusses the skin of this astronomical apple.

"The skin is hydrogen and helium. In 80 to 90 percent of the cases, nothing is going to happen: The star at this stage is getting its energy from burning hydrogen on the surface of the star into helium. But, in about 10 or 15 percent of the cases, this helium layer is going to get to a critical mass.

"At this critical mass," Guerrero said, "the helium is going to start burning, it's going to produce carbon and oxygen atoms by fusing three or four helium atoms. The funny thing here is that because this happening on the surface of the star, this is a very explosive event. So, as soon as the helium starts producing carbon, the temperature and the pressure are going to increase and these tensions are going to explode into space."

It's this wave of carbon material, now ejected into space, that is shock-heating the atoms at the nebula's outer rim, giving it a born-again appearance, with fresh recombining atoms.

The middle of the apple doesn't realize the skin is coming apart, in Guerrero's example. And the team proposes that, in fact, the central star is fading rapidly: it's "optical brightness has declined continuously by 10 magnitudes in a period of 46 years," the study authors said. Balick called this "amazing!!"

The researchers determined that the star was once about 1.1 solar masses, and deduced that HuBi1 could be an example of what will happen when the sun dies, in 5 billion years.

The new work was published on Aug. 6 in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Original article on Space.com.Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhones next month, and the 6.1-inch LCD model will reportedly get the most attention from Apple when it comes to production.

And there's a very good reason why.

$699 Starting Price?

According to just-revealed analysis from TrendForce (and spotted by MacRumors), the market intelligence firm predicts that the 6.1-inch iPhone (which could be called the iPhone 9) will start at $699 or $749.

That pricing would be in line with the $699 4.7-inch iPhone 8, which would be a pleasant surprise given the big expected jump in screen size. Apparently, Apple is looking to stay competitive with cheaper Android phones with flagship specs. The OnePlus 6, for example, packs a 6.3-inch display, Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM for only $529.

"Regarding the prices, TrendForce believes that Apple is bound to adjust its pricing strategies, influenced by Chinese brands that have successfully expanded their market shares with products that offer high performances at affordable prices," the company said in a press release. "Moreover, Apple will need to improve its cost structure to cope with the threats brought by Android brands."

6.1-inch Model Gets the Spotlight

TrendForce says that the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone will account for 50 percent of Apple's production among the three new iPhones launching this fall. Previous reports point to this iPhone featuring a single rear camera, while the iPhone X sequel and iPhone X Plus are supposed to get dual rear shooters.

The Taipeti-based firm also says to also expect an upgraded version of the iPhone X at 5.8 inches at a price of $899 to $949 and a 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus that would start at $999.

So, this time around, you could potentially get a huge 6.5-inch screen for the same price as last year's 5.8-inch iPhone X. The iPhone X Plus will reportedly be the only phone in Apple's lineup to offer dual-SIM support, which would be a welcome feature for international travelers.

Apple Pencil Support Predicted

Interestingly, TrendForce also predicts that Apple Pencil support will be offered as an option, but it doesn't say whether it's for one model or multiple models. Carrying around an Apple Pencil as it exists now for an iPhone seems impractical, so we hope that Apple would launch a smaller stylus that's smaller or capable of being stored in one of the handsets (perhaps the iPhone X Plus).

With Apple's iPhone launch event probably less than a month away, we won't have to wait much longer to get the final details.

Bigfoot's yearlong travel adventures continue.

A man who was on his way to Vermont claims to have seen the legendary creature, approximately half a mile away from where a similar-looking creature was spotted in 2006, according to a New York Post report on Monday.

The investigator who spoke with the Post, Paul Bartholomew, said that the man witnessed a 6-foot tall creature hopping over a guardrail on Route 4 in Whitehall, which recently adopted the urban legend as its "official animal."

NEW YORK TOWN 'ADOPTS' BIGFOOT AS ITS OFFICIAL ANIMAL

He was stunned," Bartholomew told the Post. "His jaw just dropped open. But this is actually a very typical type of sighting.

Bartholomew did not expand on what he meant when he said typical  it's not everyday someone allegedly witnesses a 6-foot creature walking across a state highway like a group of kids going on an adventure.

The eye witness declined to be named because of possible ridicule, though he did tell Bartholomew the creature was hairy, had two legs, wide shoulders and a small neck. (With a description like that, maybe Bigfoot could try out for the Giants offensive line?)

Bartholomew added that August and September are popular months for seeing Sasquatch jaywalking across the street.

Whether its a migration Im not sure. But theres a real consistency with the reports. People will be driving at night  and they describe seeing the same thing, he said. A forest road is the most likely a place for a person to have the opportunity to see the creature.

Unfortunately, the driver did not take a picture of Bigfoot as the event happened "too quickly," nor did it leave a footprint. Nonetheless, Bartholomew thinks there is something to the sighting, which has not yet been recorded in the Bigfoot field researchers organization database.

POSITIVE SHE SAW BIGFOOT, SHE'S SUING CALIFORNIA

Theres a rich history here, Bartholomew said. In the '70s this was a taboo but the subject is gaining traction.

Earlier this year, Bigfoot was spotted in New Jersey's Pine Barrens (for a family reunion?) and in a Canadian forest (hey, he's got to spend that Jack Link's Beef Jerky TV commercial money somehow).

In late 2017, Bigfoot was reportedly spotted in Northern California, where the little devil that he is, tried to steal a pig from a farmer near Avocado Lake. But he must've left his running shoes home that day, as Jeffrey Gonzalez, a self-described paranormal expert, noted that Bigfoot tripped over an irrigation pipe, which sent the pig flying.iPhones have become a political pawn in a brewing trade war between the US and Turkey. On Tuesday, Turkey's President called for a boycott of US electronics and named the iPhone as one product local residents should shun.

"We will impose a boycott on US electronic products," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised speech. "If they have iPhones, there is Samsung on the other side."

Erdogan made the comments in retaliation against US sanctions, which have helped worsen an economic crisis in the country. The Trump administration has been demanding that Turkish authorities free an American pastor who was arrested back in 2016 over charges he tried to overthrow Erdogan's government.

To force Turkey into releasing the pastor, the Trump administration began doubling tariffs on imported Turkish steel and aluminum last week. The country's local currency, the lira, has since plummeted in value.

In response to the sanctions, Erdogan has been urging local citizens to trade their US currency for the lira, and to buy domestically-produced goods. In Monday's speech, he also reportedly told the populace to consider buying products from Vestel, a Turkish maker of Android handsets.

Despite the harsh talk against Apple, The New York Times reports that Erdogan and his officials are frequently seen with iPhones in their hands. Two years ago, Erdogan even addressed the Turkish public using Apple's FaceTime following a coup attempt.

In terms of smartphone sales, Turkey isn't a major market for the iPhone. According to the research firm Canalys, the company shipped a mere 450,000 iPhones to Turkey in this year's second quarter  a period when Apple shipped 41 million iPhones worldwide.

"My take is this: President Erdogan is making more of a political move than an economic move," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton told PCMag. "His rhetoric reflects a desire to support Turkish electronics businesses like Vestel. But in reality, Apple is not a threat to Vestel."

Stanton pointed to the growing presence of Chinese smartphones in the Turkish market. "If President Erdogan truly wants to support Turkish electronics, he must look to China as the primary threat. Companies like Huawei, for example, which increased its smartphone shipments in Turkey by over 200 percent in the last year," he added.

Nevertheless, Apple ranks as the second largest smartphone vendor in the country with a 13 percent share, according to Canalys. Meanwhile, Samsung holds the top spot with a 38 percent share.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.Twitter on Tuesday announced that it had placed the account of InfoWars host Alex Jones on read-only status for seven days.

The microblogging platform joined other tech companies -- including Apple, Facebook, Spotify and YouTube -- that have banned the right-wing conspiracy theorist.

In the case of Twitter, although his account will remain online, Jones won't be able to send tweets, retweet or like other tweets for one week.

Twitter reportedly said it had restricted Jones personal account after he posted a link to a Pericope video in which he told supporters to get their battle rifles ready against antifa, the mainstream media and Chicom operatives.

"We haven't suspended the account but are requiring Tweets which contained a broadcast in violation of our rules are deleted," a company spokeswoman told Fox News.

Early Wednesday morning, Jones responded in a 13-minute video that was posted to the Infowars Twitter account, in which he suggests that Twitter told him they would shut down his account if he's found to be in breach of its rules again.

On Twitter, we have been so careful even to follow their anti-free speech, university SJW rules, so a video about Donald Trump needing to take action against web censorship, that gets flagged and gets us suspended for seven days, Jones says in the video, adding: I guess Dorsey is toying with us, or his people are.

Jones has amassed a following on the far-right while promulgating conspiracy theories that claim terror attacks such as 9/11 were actually carried out by the U.S. government. Among his claims is that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead, was a hoax.

Facebook has been hit recently by the parents of Sandy Hook shooting victims for not fully banning Jones.

Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, faced pushback last week for saying that Jones account was still in place because he did not violate rules.For tourists soaking up the sights of Rome, the Trevi Fountain is a popular location for a quick selfie.

But the scenic spot descended into chaos on Wednesday night when a fight between two women erupted into a brawl so wild that police were forced to attend.

It all began when a 19-year-old female tourist from the Netherlands and a 44-year-old Italian-American traveler wanted to snap selfies in the same position. This occurred during a time of day when the light makes the fountain a perfect backdrop.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that the duo exchanged heated words as they both jockeyed for the perfect angle at the historic site.

Soon, fists were flying and family members jumped in, turning the argument into a brawl that four police officers had to break up.

Eight people were reportedly charged over the fight, which resulted in bruising.

It comes just days after officials announced plans to make tourists walk past the Trevi Fountain on a designated pathway, in a bid to address out of hand overcrowding at the monument.

Read the rest of the article at news.com.au.An American Airlines flight was forced to turn around Wednesday morning after experiencing a mechanical issue, a spokesperson for the airline told Fox News. Passengers on board said the plane began shooting sparks.

At 7:45 Wednesday morning, an American Airlines flight carrying 187 people departed Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina for Chicago. Almost immediately the flight turned around and landed safely back at Charlotte Douglas airport at 8:16 am.

It returned due to a mechanical issue  a compressor stall. The aircraft returned to Charlotte, landed safely, and taxied to the gate. Took off at 7:42 a.m. ET, and landed back at CLT at 8:16 a.m. Passengers boarded a different aircraft, which then re-departed for Chicago, the airline said in a statement to Fox News.

FIRE IN THE SKY: SOUTHWEST FLIGHT MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER ENGINE EXPERIENCES 'PERFORMANCE ISSUES'

According to Channel 9, passengers on the plane said the flight was shaky from the get-go.

As we took off from Charlotte, there was a rattling and shaking on the plane, Jesse Batson said. It was a very bumpy take-off.

Several passengers seated near the window said they saw sparks flying from the engine  and one person on the ground filmed the plane flying over with what appears to be visible sparks shooting from the plane.

One passenger, Mark Barber, told Channel 9 he could hear the engine making noise.

"You could hear it popping," passenger Mark Ponder said. "As we went up in the air, I could hear large noises and almost immediately you can see flames coming from the engine."

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Though the pilot told Channel 9 that he did not see flames, he still requested fire crews to meet the plane when it landed.

No one was reported injured.Barcelonians are reportedly at their wits end with the wild antics of rowdy tourists, who are said to be urinating in public, littering playgrounds with drug paraphernalia and passing out drunk in the streets of the Catalonian capital.

The Sun reported that residents are officially demanding answers from the citys "left wing" mayor, Ada Colau, whose policies some feel have allowed over-tourism to root and ravage the historic city.

People cannot rest. Many residents are leaving the barrio people who were born here  because they cannot go on living like this, Manel Martinez, vice president of the Barceloneta Neighbors Association, told The Telegraph in a recent interview.

8 TOURISTS BRAWL AT ROMES TREVI FOUNTAIN OVER SELFIE SPOT

Do you do this in your own country? We dont understand how people end up in this state, he added.

As The Independent reported last year, Barcelona has been stretched to a breaking point through massive overcrowding, with a record number of tourists pouring into the city each year. The increasing popularity of home-sharing networks like Airbnb have increased foot traffic in the metropolis, in turn inspiring landlords to drive up rent in a move that threatens to push locals out.

Home to a population of around 1.6 million, over 15 million people have visited Barcelona in the last year, according to The Sun.

City councilman Alfred Bosch has said that things have gotten so bad, Barcelona will soon become the drug capital of Europe if policies do not change.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Days ago, "sick" anti-tourism posters began popping up in the Spanish city, urging tourists to leap off balconies to their death, The Sun reports.

The campaign is thought to be linked to the citys mounting extreme anti-tourism movement," which includes protests from anti-tourism groups, one of which stormed buses in Barcelona and other Spanish citys to detonate smoky flairs and decry overtourism.

In similarly controversial travel news, the city of Paris has recently rolled out sidewalk urinals, in hopes of combatting public urination, NPR reports.A couple flying on Jet2 from London to Spain have been charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft after their fight over a text message forced the flight to divert, reports claim.

Ronald St. Ville, 53, and Pauline Gordon, 66, were flying to the Spanish island of Gran Canaria last year, July 2017, when the couple reportedly got into an expletive-laced argument over a text message found on St. Villes phone, BBC reported.

JET2 APOLOGIZES FOR ASKING DISABLED BOY IN MOTORIZED SCOOTER TO PROVE DISABILITY

A witness claimed St. Ville threatened to hit Gordon, while another witness said they saw Gordon hitting St. Ville with her fists.

Caitlin McAleese told the Hertfordshire Mercury, "I heard raised voices and shouting. I turned around to assess the situation and I realized that it was the two passengers. I went down the gallery to see what was happening and as I was walking down the woman flew across the aisle and went at the gentleman.

The pair were initially separated for the safety of the flight before the pilot made the diversion to Portugal.

"Some of the children had got a bit upset, there were two crying children. I felt very intimidated. I was scared of the potential of the gentleman, McAleese said to the Mercury.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

In a statement on the airlines blog, Phil Ward, MD of Jet2.com said, It is staggering to think that people would behave in this violent fashion on an aircraft full of holidaymakers and families. I would like to thank our crew as well as the two police officers, who did a superb job of handling the situation and ensuring everybodys safety. As a family friendly airline we take a zero tolerance approach to disruptive behavior in all forms, and we will now be taking all necessary steps, including legal action if necessary, to recover the losses that were incurred by the deplorable behavior of this couple.

The couple has denied the charges.Dexter, the emotional support peacock who captured the publics attention when he was denied entry on a United flight earlier this year, died unexpectedly in his favorite humans arms, his owner announced Tuesday.

The peacocks owner, New York City-based artist Ventiko, revealed on an Instagram account specifically created for Dexter that the peafowl died around 1 p.m. on July 22.

His passing was sudden and unexpected. Attempts were made to save him, but his doctor confirmed that nothing could have been done to alter his fate, the artist captioned a photo that appears to show a shrine to Dexter.

WIDOW SUES AMERICAN AIRLINES, CLAIMS BAGGAGE HANDLER 'LIED THROUGH HER TEETH' ABOUT LATE HUSBAND

Dexter defied stereotypes and brought joy and magic to all who encountered him. It was an honor to know him and a privilege to share this life journey with him, she added.

Dexter made headlines in January when United Airlines employees barred the bird from boarding a flight at Newark Liberty International Airport. Ventiko claimed she paid for a second ticket for the peacock, but the airline refused to budge. She said she spent six hours trying to get on her flight to Los Angeles.

Photos of the bizarre scene at the New Jersey airport soon made the rounds on social media, making Dexter one of the most talked-about passengers of the year.

A United spokesperson told Fox News at the time that the peacock did not meet guidelines for a number of reasons, including its weight and size. The spokesperson added that they explained this to the traveler not once, but three times.

The airline tightened its policy on emotional support animals nearly two months after the incident.

JET2 APOLOGIZES FOR ASKING DISABLED BOY TO PROVE HIS DISABILITY

Ventiko said Tuesday that the peacock remained the same loving pet, despite his rise in popularity.

He never let fame, adoration or his prodigious number of followers on social media inflate his ego, and he loved working the camera with grace and humility, she wrote. He is survived by his sisters, Eva (pictured here) and Zsa Zsa, and by all the humans who loved him. Dexter, you will forever be missed and remembered with fondness and love.

PEACOCK KEPT OFF UNITED FLIGHT GETS SPECIAL WEDDING INVITATION

Ventiko and Dexter met in 2014 when the artist saw a Craigslist ad to buy the peacock. She purchased the bird for her Art Basel installation and the duo stuck together when all of Ventikos housing options for the bird fell through, Vice reported.

Dexter traveled to Brooklyn and lived in the artists home until his death. He also appeared in several of her works.

Fox News' Janine Puhak contributed to this report.Anyone requiring an emotional support animal may need a few moments with that pet now: Airlines and cruise ship operators have announced tighter restrictions on such animals traveling by air and sea.

Southwest Airlines said Tuesday it is limiting the emotional support animals (ESAs) allowed on its flights to only dogs and cats, while Royal Caribbean is prohibiting all such creatures, reports said.

That means no emotional support ducks, peacocks or hamsters.

Southwest's policy requires that all such dogs and cats be restrained by a leash or kept in a carrier, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Dallas-based airline will also limit each passenger to one emotional support animal, according to the report.

For service animals that are trained to assist with passengers' physical disabilities, the carrier will accept dogs, cats and miniature horses, the paper reported.

We want to make sure our guidelines are clear and easy to understand while providing customers and employees a comfortable and safe experience, said Steve Goldberg, Southwest's senior vice president of operations and hospitality, according to the Times.

JETBLUE CHANGING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL POLICY, ADDING REQUIRMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

Southwest's new policy, which takes effect Sept. 17, requires travelers with an emotional support animal to present a letter from a medical doctor or licensed mental health professional "attesting that the passenger must fly with the animal," the Times reported.

Several other airlines, including Alaska, Delta, JetBlue and United have also adopted stricter rules on pets boarding planes.

For travel by sea, cruise ships are tightening restrictions on ESAs, with Royal Caribbean prohibiting all emotional support animals aboard its international ships effective immediately, according to Miami's WFOR-TV and the Royal Caribbean blog, an unaffiliated industry site.

"We are updating the policy to differentiate emotional support animals from service animals that are trained and certified to perform a function for a person with a disability," Royal Caribbean said in a statement, according to the blog.

The cruise ship company also said it's "important to us that all our guests enjoy their vacation, which is why we put into practice this new policy," adding that the policy for service animals traveling with guests who have a disability would remain the same.

Reservations of travelers with ESAs noted on bookings prior to July 30 would be allowed to sail, the report said.

Other cruise lines Norwegian and Carnival also do not allow emotional support animals onboard, but does permit trained service animals, MarketWatch reported.The happiest place on earth was recently seeing double as two sets of identical twins from Michigan honeymooned in Walt Disney World. The foursome fittingly sported matching Mickey and Minnie Mouse gear for the occasion.

Kristie Bevier married Zack Lewan on Aug. 3, and her identical twin sister Kassie Bevier married Nick Lewan on Aug. 4, Fox News reported at the time.

The two sets of 24-year-old twins first crossed paths at Grand Valley State University four years ago when Kassie and Nick met in a psychology class. Soon after, they invited their siblings along for their first date at church on a Sunday morning, and the rest is history.

DISNEY WORLD DRAMA: MINNIE MOUSE ACCEPTS MARRIAGE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF MICKEY MOUSE

Celebrating their nuptials with a joint reception and jetting to the Orlando theme park for their honeymoon, the two new Mr. and Mrs. Lewan say they wouldnt have it any other way. According to Disney Weddings, they made the most of their time at the resort, visiting Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, too.

[Were] very happy that we set up the honeymoon that we four can all enjoy it together, Zach told Disney Parks Blog of their big trip.

Kassie and I are more of the thrill-seekers, and theyre more of the cautious, he said of his brother and new sister-in-law with a laugh.

Meanwhile, one of the brides was simply thrilled to meet Disneys iconic mascots.

I wanted to meet Mickey and Minnie so bad! Kassie exclaimed of the highlight.

Well definetely want our kids to come here, her new husband added.

Anniversaries, birthdays, any time we can find an excuse, Krissie agreed.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Coincidentally, on Aug. 4, the day that the two new couples elebrated respective weddings, two other sets of identical twins also tied the knot.

Brittany and Briana Deane of Virginia married Josh and Jeremy Salyers of Maryland at the famous Twins Day festival in Twinsburg, Ohio, in a double fairy tale ceremony that marked a lifelong dream come true.

Fox News Kathleen Joyce and the Associated Press contributed to this report.If youve got loads of experience in top secret missions and an affinity for UFOs, then a job opportunity has arrived that may be impossible to pass up.

'Janet Airlines,' the unofficial name of the classified fleet for the U.S. Air Force, is looking for a pilot to join their secretive ranks at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

The planes, which dont carry any company logos and are painted white with a horizontal red band along the side, transport military and contract employees to restricted sites, including the infamous Area 51 and the TonoPah Test Range in Nevada.

They are referred to as Janet because that is the call sign they use while flying over civilian airspace  it's believed to stand for Just Another Non-Existent Terminal."

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FOUND IN PASSENGER'S BAGS SICKEN 4 TSA OFFICERS

A job opening has been posted on the website of private defense contractor AECOM for a First Officer based in Vegas. Although it doesnt go into specifics about where they will be flying, the demands for those applying are high.

The posting calls for the applicants to "have a minimum of 3,000 fixed wing flying hours in-seat with 300 in-seat hours within the last 5 years." The advert also says applicants must qualify for and maintain a TS government security clearance and associated work location access."

DEXTER, THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT PEACOCK THAT WAS DENIED ENTRY ON UNITED FLIGHT, DIES

In January, AECOM also posted a job opportunity for flight attendants.

Founded in 1972, the Janet fleet as of 2015 consisted of six Boeing 737-600s, as well as five smaller executive turboprops, according to Jalopnik.

The CIA only acknowledged the existence of Area 51 back in 2013 thanks to declassified documents.

George Washington University's National Security Archive obtained a CIA history of the U-2 spy plane program through a public records request and released it five years ago.A shooting at a Walmart north of Philadelphia wounded at least five people including a customer Tuesday evening before the shooter apparently escaped from the store -- and crashed a getaway car into a police SUV, reports said.

Police took the 30-year-old suspect, who has not been named publicly, into custody after workers at the Walmart in Cheltenham Township identified him, Fox 29 News Philadelphia reported. A woman was also reportedly apprehended.

The incident initially erupted as a disagreement at the register, during which a man took a firearm from a woman and opened fire, police told the outlet.

A store manager and cashier were shot in the leg while a customer was shot in the arm, another cashier, Darrell Archer, told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A pregnant woman also fell during the incident, police told Fox 29.

It was not immediately clear why the suspect opened fire.

I ducked down and ran away and tried to get out of there as fast as I could, co-worker Leenie Davis said. Archer told reporters he heard up to six shots.

We were petrified and we were trying to be quiet, Jaynee Davis, who was at the customer service desk at the time, told the newspaper.

Police said the suspect tossed a gun from his car before crashing into the police SUV. He engaged in a struggle with officers before they arrested him, police sources told Fox 29.

The suspect even tried to kick out the window of the police car, forcing officers to subdue him with a stun gun, the Inquirer added.

Two officers were hospitalized after the crash, according to the paper.

Aerial video showed several police vehicles and personnel near the store.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Fox News' Mike Arroyo contributed to this report.A Philadelphia woman who made headlines after she spent $25,000 on a Dubai-themed prom party for her son last year has been charged with Social Security fraud, prosecutors revealed Tuesday.

They said Saudi Shuler, 44, claimed she was disabled while applying for Social Security benefits, yet continued to work, costing the government almost $37,000, Fox 29 reported. She faces six counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds and two counts of Social Security fraud.

Shuler operates a restaurant which has, according to her Instagram account, the "best soul food in the world."

"Ms. Shuler suffered from a stroke and a result of that she was in rehab. She was unable to do anything for two-plus years around the same time she was allegedly perpetrating this particular fraud," defense attorney Tariq El-Shabazz told WPVI. "If someone is allegedly participating in and receiving social security benefits, disability benefits indicating they can't work I don't know if they would have a store in their name."

Fox News' attempts to reach Shuler were unsuccessful.

Shuler first gained notoriety after throwing a $25,000 Dubai-themed prom party for her son last year. The party featured a camel, three tons of sand, exotic cars and three custom outfits for her son.

This year, she threw a "Black Panther"-themed prom send-off with an actual panther for neighborhood kids. She said the cost of the bash reached six figures.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Robert Mizic, 47, said his life was taken away as an altar boy 35 years ago, when he was abused by his parish priest at a Catholic Church in suburban Philadelphia.

He is one of the many accusers in a sweeping scandal encircling the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of priests were said to have molested more than 1,000 children  and possibly many more  since the 1940s, and senior church officials, including a man who is now the archbishop of Washington, D.C., allegedly covered up the abuse, according to a grand jury report released Tuesday.

WARNING: GRAPHIC ALLEGATIONS BELOW

The real number of abused children might be in the thousands since some secret church records were lost, and victims were afraid to come forward, the grand jury said.

We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated, the grand jury said.

The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburghs bishop. Wuerl responded in part: I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report.

Varied Forms of Abuse

Most of the Pennsylvania victims were boys, but girls were abused, too, the report said.

The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape. One boy was forced to say confession to the priest who sexually abused him. A 9-year-old boy was forced to perform oral sex and then had his mouth washed out with holy water. Another boy was made to pose naked as if being crucified and then was photographed by a group of priests who Attorney General Josh Shapiro said produced and shared child pornography on church grounds.

Mizic called himself a survivor. Its a horrible way of living. I had my puberty stolen from me, my life stolen, he told KDKA-TV.

The report put the number of abusive clergy at more than 300. In nearly all of the cases, the statute of limitations has run out, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed. More than 100 of the priests are dead, and many others are retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave.

Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing. They hid it all, Shapiro said at a news conference in Harrisburg.

At the conference, a film was played featuring the accusers. Who would have believed me? 83-year-old Robert Corby said in the film, as Philly.com reported. A priest, in 1948 or 47, would abuse you?

Church Leaders Allegedly Took Steps to Cover Up the Abuse

Shapiro said the investigation confirmed a systematic cover-up by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican. The report itself provided scant detail about the Vaticans role beyond describing a series of confidential reports that bishops made to the Vatican about abusive priests.

The alleged conspiracy of silence extended beyond church grounds. The grand jury said it found cases in which police or prosecutors learned of clergy sex abuse allegations but did not investigate out of deference to church officials.

Mizic added, Thats the true travesty to know that they knew, and they knew and moved these priests to endanger other children is deplorable.

The grand jury concluded that a succession of Catholic bishops and other diocesan leaders tried to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability. They failed to report accused clergy to police and sent abusive priests to so-called treatment facilities, which laundered the priests and permitted hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry, the report said.

This is the murder of a soul, James Faluszczak, a former priest who said he was abused by a priest as a child in the Diocese of Erie, told Philly.com. There is no statute of limitations on the crime of murder.

The grand jury probe was the most extensive investigation of Catholic clergy abuse by any state. Its findings echoed many earlier church investigations around the country, describing widespread sexual abuse and church officials concealment of it. U.S. bishops have acknowledged that more than 17,000 people nationwide have reported being molested by priests and others in the church.

Accusations in Dioceses that Minister to More Than Half the States 3.2 Million Catholics

The Pennsylvania grand jury, convened by the state attorney generals office in 2016, heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than a half-million pages of internal documents from the Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton dioceses.

The grand jury scrutinized abuse allegations in dioceses that minister to more than half the states 3.2 million Catholics.

The Pittsburgh diocese said a few priests are still in ministry because the diocese determined allegations against them were unsubstantiated.

Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urged Pennsylvania lawmakers to lift civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sex crimes, and to provide victims who no longer meet the age requirements in state law with a new window to file civil lawsuits.

Some current and former clergy named in the report went to court to prevent its release, arguing it violated their constitutional rights. The state Supreme Court said the public had a right to see it, but ruled the names of priests and others who objected to the findings would be blacked out pending a September hearing on their claims.

Twenty of the grand jurors said Tuesday they objected to any attempts to censor, alter, redact or amend the report.

Several dioceses decided to strip the accused of their anonymity and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct.

Authorities evaluated each suspect and were able to charge just two, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty. Shapiro said the investigation is ongoing.

State Attorney General Calls the Cover-Up Child Sexual Abuse

Church officials routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling and simply inappropriate conduct, Shapiro said.

It was none of those things. It was child sexual abuse, including rape, he said.

Former Pittsburgh Bishop Responds

The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburghs bishop. Wuerl, who led the Pittsburgh diocese from 1988 to 2006, disputed the allegations.

While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse, he said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Jany Leveille, one of the five suspects arrested at the "extremist Muslim" compound in northern New Mexico, has been transferred to the custody of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said Tuesday.

The remaining detainees are currently still in custody, the sheriff said.

Siraj Wahhaj, 40 , another suspect from the compound, is being held on an outstanding warrant from Georgia, Hogrefe said, while the three others allegedly involved - Lucas Morten, Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhannah Wahhaj - are still incarcerated pending the fulfillment of their release conditions.

The defendants were arrested and 11 children were taken into custody during a raid Aug. 4 on the compound near the Colorado state line.

News of Leveille's transfer comes a day after a judge ruled against the request of prosecutors to keep the five suspects imprisoned. Judge Sarah Backus said although she was concerned by "troubling facts," prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats to the community.

She set a $20,000 bond for each defendant and ordered that they wear ankle monitors and have weekly contact with their attorneys.

The children discovered at the compound earlier this month were both trained to use firearms and taught multiple tactical techniques in order to kill teachers, law enforcement and other institutions they found corrupt, state prosecutors said on Monday.

3-year-old Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, who had been missing since December, allegedly died amid a ritualistic religious ceremony held on the grounds in an effort to cast out demonic spirits, Reuters reported.

It was a religious ritual carried out... a ritual intended to cast out demonic spirits from Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, Taos County Prosecutor John Lovelace said.

Public defenders argued the boy's father was trying to heal the child by reading passages from the Koran but prosecutors claimed he was denying the boy medication. One of the children taken into custody claimed that the boy had died in February.

The children said they were told the boy would be resurrected as Jesus and guide them on which "corrupt institutions" to attack, NBC reported citing investigators.Seven members of a Washington state family, including five children, died Monday morning after their car was involved in a head-on collision in eastern Oregon while en route to Las Vegas.

Police have yet to identify the victims of the crash. But family member Jessie Tate told Seattle's Q13 FOX on Tuesday evening that his sister Erika Boquet, 29, of Tacoma, and her three children, ages 6 to 11, and another relative and that family's two children were all in a 2016 Toyota 4Runner that was involved in the crash.

That vehicle was struck by a 1999 Toyota 4Runner, which authorities said swerved into opposing traffic on the two-lane highway, according to the Oregonian. The driver of the 1999 Toyota also died in the accident, bringing the total number of fatalities to eight.

"It's a tragedy I wouldn't wish on anyone else," Tate told the Oregonian of Portland, Ore.

Tate said his sister was outgoing and personable, and was the founder of a nonprofit called Last Stop, which provides resources to low-income families, according to the paper.

Oregon authorities were conducting an investigation into the crash, which was among the state's deadliest.

Five people died in a collision in October, while nine passengers of a charter bus were killed and dozens more injured in 2012 after the vehicle slipped on ice and fell 200 feet into a ravine, the paper reported.

Tate said the family has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs. Late Tuesday it had raised $6,000 toward a $10,000 goal.Florida students returning to classes this week will see the states motto, In God We Trust, etched on plaques on campus.

A new statute, part of a sweeping education bill signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott in March, specifically states each school district is required to display the state motto in all of the schools in the district and in each building used by the district school board.

The motto must be display conspicuously on school grounds.

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville, who runs a Christian ministry. She told the Orlando Sentinel in March the motto is something so great [that] should not be hidden.

This motto is inscribed on the halls of this great capitol and inked on our currency, and it should be displayed so that our children will be exposed and educated on this great motto, which is part of this countrys foundation, she said when a House committee took up her bill.

In God We Trust has been part of Floridas state seal since 1868 and on the state flag since 1990. However, it has only been the state motto since 2006, according to the Florida Department of State.

The motto is a slight variation of Floridas first motto, In God is our Trust.

In Alabama, legislation approved by state lawmakers in February that would also require schools to display the same motto is facing backlash from critics who call it a constant push for theocracy. The legislation is not a mandate.

Tennessee lawmakers approved legislation earlier this spring that requires the mottos prominent display inside all public schools.

Fox News' Frank Miles contributed to this report.An Arizona teenager said he felt like Superman after surviving a lightning strike last week.

Josiah Wiedman, 13, of Phoenix, recalled the incident that initially left him unconscious and in critical condition. The moment the teenager was struck was captured on video.

Wiedman told FOX10 Phoenix he was walking through a park on his way home after it started raining. Then, he felt this burst of heat before blacking out.

"It started kinda raining, so I was going home," he recalled. "Then randomly, I felt this burst of heat, then everything went dark."

The teenagers friend Javier Tapia, 13, was also struck but not seriously injured.

WOMAN LINKED TO TEENS PLUNGE OFF BRIDGE COOPERATING WITH INVESTIGATORS, AUTHORITIES SAY

Wiedman fell and hit his head after he was struck by the bolt, suffering a concussion. A witness ran over and gave him CPR -- a move credited with saving the boy's life.

Dr. Craig Egan of the Phoenix Childrens Hospital said the electricity that went through Widemans body caused his heart to stop.

"Just enough electricity to temporarily stop the heart. Again, the CPR is what saved him," Egan said.

Wiedmans mother said she believed the skateboard her son was holding took a large portion of the electric shock. The teenager said being struck felt like needles constantly being stabbed into me.

STUNNING FINDINGS ON REPORT OF CATHOLIC CHURCH ABUSE: PA. PRIESTS MOLESTED MORE THAN 1,000 CHILDREN

Egan said Wiedman has a quick recovery despite the incident and was amazed theres not more injury to Josiah or his friend. The teenager was released from the hospital Monday.

Wiedman said he cant believe he beat death and he felt like a superhero.

"Dang, I survived it," the teenager said. "I was dead for, like, 15 minutes. Dang. I beat death."

He added: "I feel like Im Superman right now."A Texas mother was killed Monday when she was struck by a vehicle while trying to protect three children -- including two of her own -- on the first day of school, officials said.

Kharisma Ashlee James, who was an Iraq War veteran and a nurse, died in the tragic accident in the parking lot of Tippin Elementary School, El Paso Times reported. The 33-year-old was picking up her two children, ages 6 and 7, when a vehicle began accelerating toward them. James jumped in front of her two children and a 10-year-old, officials said.

"She was trying to get in front of the kids," El Paso Independent School District spokesman Gustavo Reveles said, according to the report.

A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for James children.

James was pronounced dead. The three children were also hit by the vehicle. El Paso Independent School District Police Chief Victor Araiza said Tuesday the children were in serious condition, but expected to survive.

Officials said the driver, 58-year-old Roger Hawking, was backing out of the parking lot when he accidentally hit the accelerator. They believe the driver, who was picking up his grandchildren, was disoriented and confused when the incident happened.

We dont know if the driver was having a medical issue. We just dont know yet, Araiza said.

The accident happened on the first day of the school year. Classes resumed Tuesday, with a makeshift memorial placed in the front of the building.

Its just unthinkable that on the first day of school that this is something the children will never forget, Victoria Bruce, who knew James, told KFOX14 in an interview. "Walking into school, all of us, we dont feel safe at a place. It shouldnt have never happened.

Before her death, James worked as an operating room/surgery nurse at Hospitals of Providence. The single mother served in the Army for eight years and had planned to stay there long term. But her plans changed when she became pregnant with her first child, according to a blog post on Womens Fund of El Paso.

I learned from a close friend that the woman that died was my friend, and she had passed away in protecting her children, Bruce said. The mom was a single mom who loved her babies. I hope the community comes around."A woman described by family members as a beloved grandmother was killed Tuesday night in Chicago -- one of six people shot overnight in the city and one of two struck by gunfire while sitting at home.

Estell Roberson, 44, was sitting inside her home in West Englewood around 9 p.m. Tuesday night when bullets tore through her front door, striking her in the stomach, police told the Chicago Tribune. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Her grieving relatives called Roberson Stella and said she was a source of inspiration for the family, according to the newspaper. It added one of her relatives appeared to be celebrating a birthday and was still holding the balloons at the hospital.

Five hours after Robersons shooting, an 80-year-old woman was hit in the head by a bullet while sleeping in a second floor bedroom in a home in Chicagos Far South Side neighborhood, police said.

That woman is in serious but stable condition and police told the Chicago Tribune they believe a recently paroled relative from jail was the intended target.An Illinois man trapped deep in mud while trying to save his pet parrot was rescued Sunday.

Belleville firefighters were called to help the man who was stuck at Bicentennial Park. A park-goer heard the man calling for help.

The mud from the lake was being dredged like quicksand, Fire Chief Tom Pour told the Belleville News-Democrat. The firefighters needed to use an extended ladder to get the man out of the mud.

He was probably several hundred feet out into the mud with the parrot on his back, Pour told the newspaper. It was challenging because you couldnt just walk out there and hoist him out. It was like quicksand.

The mans parrot remained on his shoulders as the firefighters rescued him. Pour said the man rides on his bicycle with the parrot perched on his shoulder.

It was a pretty unusual thing, Pour said.

The rescue resulted in no injuries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.An Indiana animal shelter came under fire Tuesday after it was accused of freezing cats to euthanize them.

Bridget Woodson says she was instructed by her boss at the Spencer County Animal Shelter to put cats in a freezer to end their lives, according to WEVV-TV. She said she took the animals to the veterinarian to have the cats euthanized in a humane manner.

The first time I was asked, I was given an option and the cat that did come in was a kitten and it had been sucked up into a car and run over, so it was in really bad condition, she told the station. [The director] mentioned putting it in a freezer then. I mean she could tell I was uneasy about it, and she said, 'But dont worry you can take it to the vet.'

Woodson revealed text messages appearing to show her boss, Spencer County Animal Control officer Christina Payne, defending the decision to put the cats in a freezer. One alleged text read: Thats fine but so you know, the freezer option is no less humane. Its fine though Bridget. Im here for my employees. Always.

Woodson said she went to the animal control board seeking discipline, but resigned when no action was taken against Payne.

The Spencer County Animal Control Board released a statement through its lawyer, WFIE-TV reported.

The Spencer County Animal Control Board was formed to oversee and set policy for the operation of the Spencer County Animal Shelter. The mission of the shelter is to provide a facility for humane care and treatment of stray and unwanted domesticated animals, the statement read. The Board acknowledges that actions have occurred that are fundamentally opposed to that mission. In response, the Board has carefully reviewed its policies and has adopted new policies and procedures to address these unacceptable actions. The Spencer County Animal Control Board remains committed to providing humane care and treatment of animals in Spencer County.

The state will investigate the claims, according to FOX59.Former Vice President Joe Biden has canceled his plans to attend Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair this week because he's "under doctor's orders" to limit his travel, state Democrats said Tuesday.

Biden, 75, was scheduled to be the keynote speaker Thursday to boost J.B. Pritzker, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Everyone who knows Vice President Biden knows that he gives our party and our country his all, but unfortunately he is sick and is under doctors orders not to travel."  Doug House, President of the Illinois Democratic County Chair's Association

Everyone who knows Vice President Biden knows that he gives our party and our country his all, but unfortunately he is sick and is under doctors orders not to travel," Doug House, president of the Illinois Democratic County Chair's Association, said in a statement, according to CapitolFax.com.

The presence of Biden, considered a possible 2020 presidential contender, "will be noticeable at Thursday's event," the Sun-Times reported.

"The cancellation is of course disappointing, but it is clear that the circumstances are simply unavoidable," House said. "We all hope he gets well soon and Im sure hell be back campaigning for Democrats in Illinois and across the country in no time."

Demand for the event was so high that 2,500 tickets for the event in the hotel's main-floor ballroom sold out the first week and room for an additional 700 people was created on the hotel's second floor, Springfield's State Journal-Register reported.

The event is held in Springfield, Ill., and will continue despite Biden's absence.

Pritzker is taking on Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner, Conservative Party candidate Sam McCann (a state senator) and Libertarian Party candidate Kash Jackson in the Nov. 6 election. The Illinois primaries were held March 20.An overwhelming number of tips pouring in to a website set up for the Mollie Tibbetts case has forced officials to set up a second server just to keep the page online.

That news comes as authorities also poured cold water on a report claiming law enforcement is closing in on potential suspects in the case of the missing 20-year-old University of Iowa college student. But even despite a lack of developments, interest in the case has remained intense.

Theres been a lot of activity, to the point where the administration office for the State of Iowa had to get another to server to handle the volume, Mitch Mortvedt, an assistant director at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, told WHO-TV on Tuesday.

The station added it is estimated that police have already received several hundred tips through the website and around 1,500 overall since the beginning of the case. The information obtained through findingmollie.iowa.gov, according to Mortvedt, is then given to a four-person team at the Department of Public Safety that works around the clock to prioritize it, between suggestions and actual details, before sending it to investigators.

The website, which went online following a press conference Monday, highlights five locations of interest in and around the rural city of Brooklyn, Iowa, where Tibbetts was last seen July 18.

Law enforcement is currently seeking additional witnesses and wants to speak to anyone who was in the areas indicated below on July 18, 2018 between the hours of 5PM and 10PM, the website says.

The five locations include a car wash just a block away from the citys main commercial strip, a TA truck stop next to Interstate-80 and sparsely-populated tracts of farmland only accessible by a network of dirt and gravel roads.

Investigators on Wednesday denied a sensational RadarOnline report that made claims such as cops are closing in on potential suspects.

The report, published Tuesday, cites what it describes as a source close to the FBIs investigation to state that detectives believe Tibbetts abductor attended a vigil for her in the days after she vanished.

There is reason to believe the person responsible for Mollies disappearance attended a vigil and has continued to closely follow the case, the celebrity news website quotes the source as saying.

But Mortvedt told Fox News in an e-mail Wednesday he has not heard that from anyone or anywhere.

The source also claimed the potential abductor is likely to have helped out in community searches for Tibbetts and that there is reason to believe Mollie is still being held captive and whoever this person is, agents from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are closing in.

Rick Rahn, a special agent in charge at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, told Fox News that investigators are aware of the RadarOnline report but its "authenticity has not been verified."

A person who also answered the phone Wednesday morning at the Poweshiek County Sheriffs Office  another one of the law enforcement agencies involved in the case  told Fox News the office couldnt comment on the investigation.

Police so far have not announced any suspects or persons of interest in Tibbetts disappearance, despite searching numerous properties and repeatedly interviewing a farmer who says he underwent a polygraph test last week.

The reward for information leading to Tibbetts, meanwhile, is approaching the $400,000 mark.Authorities have identified the remains of the 29-year-old who stole a commercial airplane that took off from Sea-Tac International Airport and crashed into a small island in Puget Sound Friday evening.

The FBI located Richard Russell's remains and the Pierce County Medical Examiners Office confirmed the identification on Monday.

The flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder from aircraft N449QX was also recovered. The National Transportation Security Board is processing the data.

While authorities are still conducting search and wreckage recovery efforts, the FBI said it has no reason to believe anyone else was in the aircraft.

Russells motive behind stealing the aircraft is still unclear. He could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone.

In a written statement to the media on Saturday, Russell's family described him as a faithful husband, loving son and a good friend who didnt mean to harm anyone.

The investigation is ongoing and the FBI is interviewing relevant airline and airport personnel, as well as gathering video and communications related to the incident, an agency spokesman said.

Video showed the Horizon Air Q400, a turboprop plane that seats 76 people, doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on Puget Sound Friday evening.

Investigators are trying to determine how the 3 1/2-year Horizon employee, who had clearance to be among aircraft, but that to their knowledge, wasnt a licensed pilot, had attained the skill to perform such dangerous maneuvers.

Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert, said if he was capable of performing loops with a plane like this, he certainly had the capacity to fly it into a building and kill people on the ground.

The flight lasted about 75 minutes before the plane crashed into the tiny Ketron Island, southwest of Tacoma, Washington after being chased by military jets.

Fox News Edmund DeMarche and Frank Miles contributed to this report.A pregnant Colorado woman and her two daughters have been missing since Monday and authorities involved in the desperate search are being tight-lipped about many of the details surrounding the mysterious case.

Shanann Watts, 34, and her two daughters -- Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4 -- were reported missing in Frederick, about 30 miles north of Denver, local police said Tuesday.

Officials have released few details about Watts, who is 15 weeks pregnant, and her daughters, only saying no vehicle has been associated with their disappearance. They did not specify where the mother and children were last seen.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which joined the investigation, along with the FBI, described Watts as 5-5, 148 lbs. with black hair and hazel eyes. Bella is 3-6, 40 lbs. with brown hair and eyes. Celeste is 3-0, 37 lbs. with blond hair and hazel eyes.

Nickole Utoft, a close friend of Watts, told FOX 31 she called police after Watts did not answer her phone on Monday.

She said she had last seen Watts at her home about 2 a.m. Monday when they got home from a work trip. The two planned to meet up again later that day.

I called her and texted her several times, she said. I knew she had a doctors appointment that morning because shes pregnant. She didnt show up for itand I was even more concerned.

Utoft said police did a welfare check at Watts home on Monday, finding her purse, keys and phone inside.

I dont know where shes at. This is completely unlike her, she added.

Watts husband, Chris Watts, told reporters he is traumatized by the disappearance and is hoping for their safe return.

Its not something I could ever, ever fathom would happen in my lifetime, and I have no inclination of where she is," he said. "She said she was going to a friend's house with the kids and thats the last thing I heard, and that was it. It was very vague."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Dave Baumhoverf the Frederick Police Department at (303) 652-4222 or dbaumhover@frederickco.gov.As red tide continues to choke the southwest Florida coast, large amounts of dead fish are washing up on the regions white sand beaches. Some municipalities are contracting with temp agencies to staff the massive cleanup effort.

Since our contractor has been on the island, he started August 1, we collected about 300 tons of fish from the beach, said Scott Krawczuk, deputy director of public works for the City of Sanibel.

The carcasses washed up on the beach range in size from small bait fish to a 26-foot-long whale shark. And while red tide poses the biggest threat to animals that consume the toxins the microscopic algae release in the water, just breathing air near the shore can be difficult, even for healthy humans.

I think it is affecting me a little bit, said Diana Schonberger, a tourist visiting Sanibel from Ohio. I can tell there's a little irritation in my throat, coughing.

Earlier this week, Gov. Rick Scott issued a state of emergency for seven Gulf Coast counties in the path of the red tide bloom. This frees up additional funding for economic development, recovery and research. The research funding includes a grant to Mote Marine Lab and Aquarium, which is responding to an increased number of calls reporting dead or distressed sea animals.

We average 100 turtles a year and about 10 to 15 dolphins a year, said Gretchen Lovewell, who leads Motes Stranding Investigations Program. Were seeing our annual averages in less than a month, sometimes less than a week. Its been pretty trying for our team.

This week, Mote researchers began field testing a new system designed to remove red tide from smaller waterways with limited tidal flow.

Installed at the dead end canal in Boca Grande, the system pumps in contaminated water. It uses a chemical reaction involving ozone to destroy the red tide algae and toxins. The system then returns purified water to the canal and restores oxygen levels as well.

Were studying red tide. Were trying to understand what causes it, said Richard Pierce, associate vice president for research at Mote. We know its natural. Its been around for thousands of years. But what can we do about it? Thats the big question.

Scientists still can't say when the red tide will go away. Now in its tenth month, this is the longest bloom southwest Florida has experienced in more than a decade. However, Pierce recalls an earlier red tide bloom that lasted for 18 months.

Producer Ivonne Amor contributed to this report.Two years after a homeless woman was spotted in northern California parading around a human skull on a stick, authorities said they've finally identified the remains.

Mai Ker Thaos remains were located in a homeless encampment in October 2016 after a transient woman was seen carrying the 26-year-olds skull around Sacramento, FOX40 reported. Authorities said Thaos distinctive dyed red hair and her family's cooperation helped with the identification process.

"Through that reference, familial DNA, they were able to positively identify the victim," Sacramento Police Detective Eddie MacAulay told the news station.

Sacramento Police Detective Scot Krutz said theres still unanswered questions surrounding Thaos death.

"We're trying to find out what she was doing and who she was with the last week of her life, and that's our missing place in her timeline," Krutz said. "And that could lead us to what happened ultimately in the end."

Investigators have not named a suspect in Thaos death, but said they are looking into the homeless woman as a potential person of interest. No other details about the investigation were released.

Thaos family told FOX40 the 26-year-olds life took a turn when she had a miscarriage.

"It was after she had a miscarriage and then everything just went and fell apart. She just changed," Thaos sister Mai Dai Thao said. "She was never the same anymore. She distanced herself from us."A Florida man charged with manslaughter -- after a sheriff previously said the fatal shooting was justified under the states Stand Your Ground self-defense law -- made his first court appearance Tuesday.

Michel Drejka, 48, is accused in the July 19 shooting of Markeis McGlockton, a 28-year-old black man, during a parking lot confrontation. A judge kept the bond at $100,000  which will keep Drejka in jail for the time being.

Judge Joseph Bulone in Pinellas County Court on Tuesday said if Drejka posts bail, he must surrender all of his guns to the sheriff, wear an ankle monitor and not leave the country. Drejka appeared in court via video from the county jail.

The shooting, which was caught by a surveillance camera, reignited the national debate about the Stand Your Ground law and led to demonstrations by protesters who criticized Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gulatieri for not arresting Drejka.

McGlocktons girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, was seated in the couples car with two of their children when she said Drejka confronted her for being parked in a handicapped-accessible space. McGlockton had gone into a store while she waited outside.

The video showed McGlockton leaving the store and shoving Drejka to the ground. Seconds later, Drejka pulls a handgun and shoots McGlockton as he backs away. McGlockton then runs back into the store clutching his chest.

Witnesses said he collapsed inside the store in front of his 5-year-old son, also named Markeis.

Gulatieri originally declined to charge Drejka, saying one day after the shooting that the man was protected by Floridas law. The sheriff passed the case to prosecutors for a final decision and Drejka was charged with manslaughter Monday.

"The charges are only one step in this journey to get justice for the unbelievable killing of Markeis McGlockton in front of his children," said Benjamin Crump, the family's attorney. "They understand when you look at the history of the state of Florida and stand your ground that this doesn't equal a conviction. All of America is watching Clearwater, Florida to see if there will be equal justice for Markeis McGlockton...If the facts were in reverse, nobody would doubt what the outcome would be."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A man who worked as a loss prevention greeter at a clothing store in Las Vegas suddenly snapped Saturday, grabbing a handgun from his car and firing a total of 16 shots, according to reports.

The ordeal started when the suspect, identified as Mohamed Mahmoud, 37, became angry when a customer removed a shopping cart from the store, against store rules, FOX 5 of Las Vegas reported.

When it was over, Mahmoud was in stable condition in a local hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound suffered in a shootout with police, authorities told FOX 5.

On Sunday he was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he was being held without bail, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

The suspect in this event showed absolutely no regard for the safety of anyone in the area.  Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police

No one else was injured, the report said.

The suspect in this event showed absolutely no regard for the safety of anyone in the area, Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank told the newspaper.

It was the fifth officer-involved shooting in seven days for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the station reported.

According to the report, Mahmoud became angry when the customer left a shopping cart in front of the Ross Dress for Less store while she went to get her car.

The store manager reportedly told Mahmoud to stop complaining, sparking an argument between them.

When another employee attempted to intervene, Mahmoud stated, Ill kill you both, according to the report.

The suspect then allegedly went to his car and got a handgun, then fired a shot in the parking lot and fired another shot into the ceiling when he returned to the store.

Then he allegedly fired seven shots in the direction of the manager, who attempted to get away from him, the report said.

Soon police arrived, and Mahmoud traded shots with them, the report said. One shot from an officer hit Mahmoud, and he fell to the ground and was apprehended, FOX 5 reported.

In all, Mahmoud fired 16 shots -- eight inside the store and eight outside, police told the station.

Mahmoud faces five counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in an occupied structure, the report said.A suspect in a double homicide, who made the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List, danced for the camera this week as authorities returned him to Michigan from Georgia to face charges.

Antwan Mims was all smiles Monday as he was escorted into a police vehicle after climbing down from an airplane in Benton Harbor, Mich.

He was wanted in connection with a double murder that took place in March in Benton Harbor, and was arrested July 31 in College Park, Ga.

It's almost like it was a joke. He's taken two people's live, Benton Harbor Director of Public Safety Dan McGinnis told South Bend, Ind.'s WNDU-TV.

Mims is accused of fatally shooting two men at a party. He was sought on a Michigan arrest warrant for first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and felony weapons counts.

He's an extremely dangerous individual. Any person that would do that is, gotta be off the streets, gotta be off the streets, McGinnis said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.He goes by the alias of Ben Bilemy -- but who is he really?

Florida police trying to figure out the identity of a hiker who was found dead inside his tent at a campsite near the Everglades on July 23 say weeks later, they still dont know his real name.

The mystery hiker used the Ben Bilemy alias to register at several hostels along his trek from New York to Florida on the AT and FT, the Collier County Sheriffs Office said Monday in their latest update on the case, referring to the Appalachian and Florida Trails.

But they added searches conducted on the name Ben Bilemy have [been] yielding negative results for any matches.

The hiker, estimated to be between 35 and 50 years of age, was found alone in a yellow, 2-person tent at Nobles Campground in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Police described his teeth as being in excellent condition and say he appeared to be living in the park. He was likely to have died a few days before he was found, they added.

There were no obvious injuries and the death does not appear suspicious from a criminal perspective, the Collier County Sheriffs Office wrote in a prior Facebook post.

We have info that the deceased may have ties to New York State and Louisiana and that he may have worked in the tech industry, it also said.

Investigators say the mystery hiker was identified on the trail by the aliases Denim and Mostly Harmless and shared photos of a person they believe is the same as the man who was found dead.

What we need most from the public is info on the name of the hiker known as Denim and Mostly Harmless so that his family can be notified and lay their loved one to rest, the office said.

Those with tips are encouraged to call the Collier County Sheriffs Office at 239-252-9300.A woman linked to a 16-year-old's 60-foot plunge off a Washington state bridge last week  resulting in serious injuries to the teen  is cooperating with investigators, authorities said Tuesday.

The 18-year-old woman had her case sent to the Clark County Prosecutor's Office to determine whether she will face charges, the Clark County Sheriffs Office said.

The woman has not yet been charged with a crime, FOX12 Oregon reported.

A video showed the teen, Jordan Holgerson, being pushed off a bridge near Moulton Falls in Vancouver, Wash., while having second thoughts about jumping into the Lewis River. The fall gave Holgerson five broken ribs and punctured both of her lungs after she belly-flopped into the water, the Columbian of Clark County, Wash., reported.

In the air, I was trying to push myself forward so I could be straight up and down so that my feet hit first, but that didnt really work, she told FOX12. In the air, I think I might have fainted, but when I hit the water, I was definitely awake and aware.

Dr. MaryClare Sarff, a doctor at the hospital where Holgerson was treated, told the station that the teen was lucky to survive the 60-foot drop. She said people often dont survive from 25-foot falls.

A trauma surgeon at the hospital said it may take months for the teen to recover, the Columbian reported.More than two dozen people were killed and several others injured when an aging bridge in Genoa, Italy plummeted to the ground Tuesday, dragging down several vehicles driving across it, officials said.

Questions remain about what caused the devastating collapse of the Morandi Bridge, although some early speculation pointed to structural weakness.

An investigation into the deadly incident is underway, prosecutors said.

The bridge collapse was described by Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte as an immense tragedy that is inconceivable in a modern system like ours, a modern country.

While official death toll numbers varied throughout the day, officials in the Liguria region said Tuesday night that 26 people had died and 15 were injured. Two more bodies had been found amongst the debris, while one of the injured had died during surgery, officials said.

The current maintenance required on the highway bridge, which was built 51 years ago, was up to date, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said, citing the company who oversees the crumbled section. However, the bidding process for a substantial safety project for the bridge, worth $22.7 million, was set to begin soon, he said.

There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed  almost all  during the 1960s, he said.

ITALIAN PROFESSOR WARNED OF POTENTIAL DISASTER 2 YEARS BEFORE GENOA BRIDGE COLLAPSE

At least 30 cars and three heavy vehicles were on the portion of the bridge when it crumbled, Civil Protection authorities said. Several hundred responders were scouring the debris in an attempt to find survivors.

Operations are ongoing to extract people imprisoned below parts of the bridge and twisted metal, the head of Italys civil protection agency, Angelo Borrelli, said.

One unidentified man, who had been standing beneath the bridge at the time, was thrown more than 30 feet and into a wall when it collapsed. He told The Associated Press it was a miracle that he was able to walk away with only injuries.

The bridge was inaugurated in 1967 and is about 0.6 miles long. It's an interchange between the northern regions of Lombardy and Piedmont and the beaches of Liguria.

The collapse also occurred on the eve of Ferragosto, a major Italian holiday. Authorities said traffic on the bridge was expected to be higher than usual because many people travel to beaches or mountains during the holiday.

Fox News Katherine Lam and The Associated Press contributed to this report.More than 100,000 mostly ethnic Karen refugees from Burma - many Christians among them - are crammed into nine camps set out in isolated, misty hills of jungle terrain inside the border of Thailand.

The camps, which have been here for generations, are now rife with depression, substance abuse, and suicide - a taboo topic in Karen culture. Loved ones often refuse to discuss suicides, out of fear it will afflict another family member.

Yet the hushed-away problem figures only to worsen as camp conditions deteriorate, and donations from an international community that hears much more these days about persecuted Muslims in another Burmese minority group, the Rohingya, begin to dry up.

There is an increased pressure on people as a result of the reductions (in aid), said Hayso Thako, an education coordinator for the camps. For the older people, they have been here so long they have lost hope of a better life. And for the young people who take their lives, there is no hope that they can see.

Three years after their joint suicide, the legacy of two such youth still haunts the Karen.

In March, 2015, Kyawsay and his girlfriend, Nawehkohloh, were teenagers in love. Members of the long-persecuted Burmese Karen minority, they were both born in the Mae La Oon refugee camp along the Burma-Thailand border. They knew nothing  and had never seen so much as a glimpse  of the world outside.

Ensnared by family conflicts, a lack of opportunity and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, the young lovers hung themselves side-by-side in a school classroom inside the camp grounds one afternoon.

The tragic double-suicide rocked the refugee community. But it would not be first  nor the last  incidence of a refugee taking their life in what has become a growing problem.

According to official data provided to Fox News, since 2015 some 60 refugees between the ages of 12 and 72 have committed suicide. Another 23 have attempted it.

It's not hard to understand why.

Established nearly 35 years ago, a faded temporary sign still adorns the entrance of the Mae La camp, the largest of the nine camps, and home to almost 40,000 Karen. Thousands of children were born and raised in the camps, then went on to have children of their own.

That's produced multiple generations who have not been allowed to set foot beyond the barbed-wire barricades, as per Thai government regulations.

Visitors are also typically not permitted to enter the deeply secluded grounds. The refugees are considered stateless, and without a country to call their own, are generally forbidden from gaining Thai citizenship. They are also unable or unwilling to register as Burmese citizens, or obtain documentation from abroad.

That leaves the refugees with few options, though some do their best to pass the time.

Despite losing limbs and their eyesight to landmines, a group of Christian men being cared for in a small cement shelter have learned to weave and bead  making delicate hearts and crosses, keychains and jewels, which they sell for a few pennies to passers-by.

Jesus is our hope, our life, the men sing in their native tongue, having formed their own gospel choir to pass the dark days and nights.

The camps frequently experience devastating flash floods in the wet season, which have claimed the lives of dozens of refugees - and obliterated fragile homes built with bamboo and banana leaves.

Worse, in recent years Karen refugees have seen their already limited monthly rations of rice, yellow split peas, fortified flour and fish paste fall by almost half. That figure is expected to drop even further in the coming months  worsening the already acute rate of malnutrition in the camp, according to the Mae La camp's top official, who goes only by the first name of Honest.

He lamented that the drop in donor funding has have also meant Karens working in the camp  including teachers  have been reduced to taking a skeletal salary, with even that expected to dissipate come November. By next year, the higher education programs will have been cut from the budget too.

Most have no opportunity to even make a small income for their family, they arent allowed to go outside to work, continued Honest. The international community likely thinks the situation in Burma is changing, that it is becoming peaceful and the Karen people can go home. But we cannot. There is still a lot of armed conflict, it is not safe. And even if the Burmese government says they are negotiating for our return, it is the Army in charge. At any time, the violence can start all over again.

YEMEN'S CHILD SOLDIERS FACE LONG ROAD AFTER SEXUAL, PHYSICAL ABUSE

International donors have steadily bowed out in recent years, following Burmese government claims that it has achieved peace with the Karen. The aid money and attention was siphoned off by other international crises and, more recently, to the plight of the mostly Muslim Rohingya.

But despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2015 between the government and armed Karen groups, critics contend the apparent accord is superficial, and tensions below the surface are still boiling.

For many, the notion of going home is fraught with even more fear and pain.

Mary, a 44-year-old widowed mother of two boys  aged seven and 11  fled the intense fighting in Burma after the Army set fire to her village just over 11 years ago. Her mother died along the road to the Thai border, and since that day Mary has shut off all memory of life before being rendered a refugee.

ACTIVISTS MARK 30 YEARS AFTER BURMA UPRISING

Im afraid to go back. I cannot go back, she explained. We lost everything  there is no work, no land for us anymore. I do not remember anything from there anymore. I had to lose everything when I left.

In addition to property, food, job and security concerns should they return to Burma, Karen refugees are also concerned about the inherent threat of landmines, unexploded ordnance and other remnants of war.

An International Rescue Committee (IRC)s hospital  the only one on the expansive grounds  is filled to overflowing with patients. There is a shortage of trained medical staff, which is grapplles with outbreaks of dengue fever  spread by mosquito bites - which has already affected more than 100 children.

With immediate medical needs a top priority, the notion of adequate psychological assistance is a far away pipe dream.

Rev. Robert Htwa, one of the original camp founders and missionaries tending to the Karen, said some camps offer basic rehabilitation and counseling. But he stressed the funding cuts have meant only a small portion of those in need are able to receive even the most rudimentary help.

Depression, which is said to afflict around half the adults in the camp system, has brought with it drug addiction, and higher numbers of children are at risk of malnutrition and neglect.

Pregnant and post-partum women, too, are said to be among the highest portion of the refugee population suffering from depression and mental illness.

For now, life lingers in a forsaken limbo and the sense of sorrow is palpable.

We dont know what will happen, Rev. Htwa added. There is nowhere to go.Turkey on Wednesday rejected the U.S.' appeal for an American pastor's release from detention, Turkish media reported.

Pastor Andrew Brunson's lawyer renewed an appeal on Tuesday for Brunsons release from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted.

Brunson was arrested in October 2016 during a nation-wide purge of suspected dissidents following the aftermath of a failed coup in July 2016. Brunson was moved to house arrest in July 2018.

The 50-year-old pastor is now being tried on espionage and terror-related charges. Brunson and the U.S. government vehemently deny those charges.

A court in Izmir rejected the appeal, but a higher court would review the appeal, the report said.

The clergyman is at the center of heightened tensions between NATO allies, Turkey and the U.S.

The U.S. recently slapped financial sanctions on two Turkish ministers and doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey over Brunsons continued detention.

Turkey imposed retaliatory tariffs of its own on Wednesday against certain US goods.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Israel on Wednesday opened its only cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip weeks after closing it amid a surge in violence with the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing came as Egypt was stepping up efforts to broker a lasting cease-fire. It was not clear if the move was part of a broader deal in the works.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the reopening of the crossing was "a clear message to residents of the Strip: Quiet pays and violence doesn't pay."

Kerem Shalom is the main commercial crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and serves as the primary avenue for food, fuel, construction materials and aid to enter the beleaguered Palestinian territory. Israel and Egypt have imposed an economically crippling blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized control of the coastal territory from the internationally backed Palestinian Authority in 2007.

Israel says the blockade is needed to contain Hamas, a militant group that seeks its destruction. While the closure has devastated Gaza's economy, it has failed to oust Hamas or loosen its grip on power.

In the past month, Israel and Hamas have engaged in three rounds of heavy fighting, with Hamas firing dozens of rockets into Israel and the Israeli military carrying out dozens of airstrikes in Gaza. The latest fighting ended a week ago.

Israel halted Gaza commercial imports last month, and terminated fuel shipments almost two weeks ago in response to incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza that have burned forest and farmland in southern Israel. Israel temporarily suspended fuel shipments to Gaza in July for similar reasons.

Fuel shortages in Gaza have contributed to chronic power outages that have left its 2 million residents with just a few hours of electricity a day. The United Nations had warned that the closure of the crossing would make the situation even worse.

In addition to reopening the crossing Wednesday, Israel also eased restrictions on fishing off Gaza's coast.

"The residents of Gaza have much to gain when the citizens of Israel enjoy peace and security, and much to lose when quiet is disturbed," Lieberman said.

Hamas is demanding an end to the decade-long blockade as a condition for a long-term truce. Israel is believed to be offering a more limited easing of the closures.

Israel is demanding a halt to all rocket fire and incendiary balloon attacks, and wants Hamas to return the remains of two dead Israeli soldiers and free two Israeli civilians it is believed to be holding.

In recent months, Hamas has led regular mass protests along the border that are partly aimed at lifting the blockade. Since the protests began in March, at least 164 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including 121 protesters. During that time, a Gaza sniper killed an Israeli soldier.

Israel says it is defending its border against attempts by Hamas to infiltrate and carry out attacks. But it has come under heavy international criticism over the large number of unarmed protesters who have been killed or wounded.

Lieberman said his country "will do everything to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel, and if Hamas turns to violence again, we will respond immediately and in a much more severe manner than before."A Missouri woman who traveled to Australia last August to visit a man she met online was caught smuggling cocaine -- inside the heels of her shoes, officials said.

Denise Marie Woodrum, 51, was busted while going through customs at the Sydney Airport on Aug. 4 last year. She was stopped by officers who discovered two pounds of cocaine in her luggage, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Monday.

Woodrum, who is a lay associate with the Catholic order Adorers of the Blood of Christ, claims she was duped by a man named Hendrick Cornelius and that the items in her luggage were meant for him.

She was groomed to provide financial gain for this person, Hendrick Cornelius, whatever person or persons it was behind this identity, her lawyer Rebecca Neil said in court last week, the newspaper reported. She went on this trip, she was bringing artifacts for him.

A spokesperson for the Adorers of the Blood of Christ told Fox News on Wednesday that Woodrum was known to them for at least five years and that she was not a nun or a sister with the order, as previously reported.

Cheryl Wittenauer, communications director for the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in St. Louis, said a lay associate with the order is someone who is inspired by the spirituality of a particular order and seeks to follow it in their private life. She said Woodrum once considered becoming a nun, but decided against it.

According to Woodrum, she had crippling debt due to major health problems and a failed marriage. She thought the man she met online was someone special.

However, despite exchanging hundreds of text with this mystery man, Woodrum never met him face to face. Her lawyer claims the 51-year-old was a vulnerable woman who had been preyed on.

In January, Woodrum pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. However, Judge Penelope Wass has questioned Woodrums explanation, saying its inconsistent and at times unbelievable.

According to court documents, Woodrum flew from Missouri to Texas and then to Trinidad and Tobago on July 18, 2017. From there she traveled to the Suriname capital city of Paramaribo.

On July 30  still in the South American country  Woodrum reportedly texted Cornelius: Riding in his car to get stuff no signature needed. That same day she traveled back to the U.S. via Trinidad and Tobago.

On August 2, she texted Cornelius a list of expenses and departed to Sydney from Miami via Los Angeles.

Its been a pleasure serving together Woodrum reportedly texted after landing.

Stopped at the Sydney airport, Woodrum reportedly told officers she traveled to the Australian city to see the Harbour Bridge and the aquarium. She said the shoes in her suitcase were a gift for her mother.

A substance was reportedly detected inside the heel of a shoe, a wallet and buttons on clothing.

After the shoes tested positive for cocaine, Woodrum reportedly replied: Why, how much did you find?

She later told investigators shed been given gifts and clothes in South America to give to people in Sydney.

All the while, Cornelius was reportedly sending her messages that read: Are you OK? What are you doing honey? Shuttle? In taxi?

Woodrum has remained in custody since her arrest and is due to be sentenced early next month.

Meanwhile, Woodrums father told the Fairfax Media that his daughters arrest was a big shock to the whole family.

It just came out of the blue, Tom Rozanski, who lives in Illinois, added.

He said his daughter was a former teacher with a masters degree in marketing, who suffered from depression and had undergone a hysterectomy.

All of a sudden she met someone she talked to, Rozanski said. She said she was going to be doing some traveling.

He added: Life took a turn. She has never done anything like this before, and this experience has been difficult for me to understand. Mostly because none of our family has had anything happen to them that even remotely resembles what Denise has done."

Editor's Note: Denise Woodrum was misidentified as a nun of the Catholic order of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in the original version of this story. She is a lay associate.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Mario Abdo Benitez took over as Paraguay's new president on Wednesday, replacing a seemingly disgruntled Horacio Cartes, who left the inauguration ceremony before it finished.

Abdo Benitez, 46, promised to combat poverty and entrenched corruption, and urged Paraguayans to "look toward the future and not remain stuck in the past" as he took the oath of office to start a five-year term

The marketing expert campaigned to continue Cartes' business-friendly policies and played down fears of a return to the heavy-handed past of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled from 1954 to 1989. Abdo Benitez's father was Stroessner's private secretary.

While they belong to the same Colorado Party, Cartes has been unhappy that Abdo Benitez failed to back his effort to take an elected seat in the Senate. That would have given Cartes greater influence  and possibly immunity from any future efforts to prosecute the former soft-drink and tobacco magnate.

Paraguay's constitution says former presidents automatically become senators for life, with a voice but without a vote, and some say that means it's impossible for them to take an elected seat with greater powers.

Cartes and his allies felt "betrayed and humiliated" by Abdo Benitez and his allies, said Pedro Aliana of the Colorado Party.

"Cartes was generous with Ando Benitez by putting into practice unity and collaborating generously during the campaign that led him to win the vote on April 22," Aliana told reporters.

During the campaign trail, Abdo Benitez also vowed to improve the health system, develop alternative sources of energy and boost the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy. But he will need to strike alliances with members of other political parties to achieve major political and economic changes because he lacks a majority in both houses of Congress.

Paraguay is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in Latin America. The corruption watchdog group Transparency International ranks it 135 out of 180 nations. But under Cartes, the economy, fueled by agricultural exports, has remained one of the strongest in the region.

The international Monetary fund expects Paraguay's economy to expand by 4.5 percent this year.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Poland's president voiced hope for a permanent U.S. military presence in his country, in a speech as the nation put on a large military parade on its Armed Forces Day holiday Wednesday replete with tanks and people marching in historic uniforms.

Poland is fearful of Russia's renewed aggression, and President Andrzej Duda said that a permanent presence by the U.S. Army would "scare away every potential attacker."

The U.S. military, on its own and as part of a NATO effort, began rotating troops in and out of Poland and other nervous countries on NATO's eastern flank, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, after Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Poland has recently been lobbying for a permanent U.S. base and more American forces. There hasn't yet been a response on whether Washington will agree to a move that would be expensive and sure to infuriate Moscow.

Some of the American troops currently in Poland also marched in the parade, U.S. flags held high. Poland considers the U.S. its key protector, with some doubts about whether Europe's NATO members really would ever come to its defense.

Duda said if the economy allows, he also wants Poland to increase its own defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP, above the current 2 percent NATO target, which Poland already meets.

The parade is part of a national holiday observed every Aug. 15 that celebrates Poland's defeat of Russian Bolsheviks in 1920 near Warsaw  celebrated as a near-miraculous victory for a country that has seen more than its share of defeat and occupation in past centuries.

"We won. Yes, we won. We Poles won," Duda said. "Today we look with pride at those times."

This year's event was especially large and colorful to mark the centenary of Poland regaining its independence in 1918 after having been swallowed up for 123 years by Russia, Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

There was a show of military might by the armed forces, while hundreds of members of historical reconstruction groups also paraded in historic uniforms, including from the Middle Ages, the Napoleonic era and the 20th century.Open-air urinals recently installed on the streets of Paris in an effort to combat the French capitals public urination plague have residents complaining about the immodest sight, reports this week said.

The urinals' conspicuous placement -- near popular tourist spots, like the Seine River on the Ile Saint-Louis near the Notre Dame Cathedral -- has prompted locals to write to town hall in protest, Reuters reported.

Theres no need to put something so immodest and ugly in such an historic spot, Paola Pellizzari, told the outlet. She said its next to the townhouse where 19th-century French poet Baudelaire lived, and was concerned that it was too close to a primary school.

The bright red boxes -- called uritrottoirs, a blend of the French words for urinal and pavement  are filled with straw that turns to compost for eco-friendly uses, and are topped with a flower display, according to reports.

Ariel Weil, a local mayor, defended the urinals in a tweet, calling them an invention of genius.

If we dont do anything, then men are just going to pee in the streets, Weil told Reuters. If it is really bothering people, we will find another location.

While the urinals have been criticized for their too-public locations and unsightliness, others view them as sexist since they are only usable by men, Reuters reported.

Public urination has become such a problem in the city that the French coined a phrase for it: pipi sauvage, or wild peeing in English, according to the Local France.

Paris isn't the first global capital to use open-air urinals. The devices have reportedly been used in cities from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Sydney and Amsterdam.

U.S. cities are also working to keep their neighborhoods clean, with San Francisco recently announcing the formation of a six-person crew, dubbed the "Poop Patrol," tasked with removing human waste from the streets, FOX2 San Francisco reported.Treasure Hunters Fanclub, an indie investment group founded by Australian indie label Fellow Traveller (previously known as Surprise Attack Games), has announced it's investing in five new independent games, bringing its overall total committed funding to $500,000.

As detailed in a press release, Treasure Hunters Fanclub is adding two new members to its roster, including the developer of Fez, Phil Fish and Twitter founding team member Britt Selvitelle.

The new games to be funded include noir adventure Genesis Noir, planet exploration game In Other Waters, survival game Neo Cab, asymmetrical VR multiplayer game Panoptic, and solitary farm sim The Stillness of the Wind.

The investment group works to find interesting projects in need of funding, and after deciding which projects to back, provide mentorship from experienced members of the industry and marketing support via a publishing deal with Fellow Traveller.

Im so proud to be helping these amazing and diverse teams to bring their visions to life, said Chris Wright, managing director at The Treasure Hunters FanClub. Developers have responded very positively to our model as an alternative to traditional publishing terms and we hope to grow the group of members to be able to meet the demand from the studios we are talking with.

Treasure Hunters FanClub is also accepting pitches from developers with unique and original projects, and more information on how to pitch and the kinds of games that are suitable can be found here.Target missed again : High skepticism towards measles vaccination in Bonn

BONN Bonn is below the national average when it comes to measles vaccinations and skepticism of vaccines has only grown over the years. So far, the government has refused to make it compulsory for children entering school.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken Von Victor Sattler

North Rhine-Westphalia has achieved a rather sad record, with more measles cases recorded in NRW in 2017 than in any other German state. With 520 cases reported in NRW, this is more than half of all cases in the country. The virus could be eliminated through a higher vaccination rate, as has already been achieved when it comes to other viruses. But some persist in their reservations against vaccinations, and not only in NRW.

Professor Max Baur, longtime professor and Dean of the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn, is infamous for his lectures. At the same time, he has shaped the Bonn science scene of medicine and epidemiology over the past 32 years. At his jubilee speech for the 200th anniversary of the University of Bonn, he broached a serious topic: "Max, please talk about vaccinations", pleaded Michael Lentze, who was head of the Bonn Children's Hospital for 22 years.

Baur heard the plea. As a medical biometrician, he wanted to demonstrate that although humans have an intuitive understanding when it comes to probability, they can also be fooled. Because the side effect of vaccination measles occurs in only five to 15 percent of those vaccines given. And the cases are mild, non-contagious and limited forms of the infectious disease. By contrast, the late complications of fully developed measles can be fatal even after seven years, as was the case for a 37-year-old woman from Essen in 2017.

Baur has approached the vaccination question from a psychological standpoint: "We underestimate the risks we impose on ourselves, such as poor nutrition or smoking," he explains. On the other hand, externally induced risks, such as nuclear power plants or vaccines, are generally overestimated. "A doctor who heals diseases is a hero. But someone who stops them through prevention is a spoilsport," says Baur. Or even more dramatically: "There is no fame in prevention."

Extremely risk-averse society

At the urging of the CDU and FDP parties, the state government decided on a local advertising campaign for NRW to counter the weak reputation of vaccines. The Robert Koch Institute recommends a vaccine target rate of 95 percent and this was missed again, according to data from the Institute. However, the data is not complete, because parents did not provide immunization records for one in ten children entering school. Whether these parents are opposed to vaccines or feel they are being patronized by the authorities is not known.

What is certain is that the Bonn vaccination rate is always just below the national average and nearly ten percent points below the NRW average. "Parents no longer know the danger of measles because they have become so rare here," says Michael Lentze, who ran the Bonn Children's Hospital until 2012. "We have been blowing the same horn for 30 years, but in vain." Lentze would immediately endorse compulsory vaccination and even recommend that vaccination be paired with entry into kindergarten and school as a condition. So far, the government has refused to encroach on the rights of parents to decide.

But its not only about small children, 20-year-olds also need refresher vaccines. Especially adults who are not protected by a vaccination, pose a risk to themselves and others who are not vaccinated. Baur says the mentality in Bonn has changed over the 30 years of his career. People used to have lots of faith but have become much more skeptical. We have become a society that is extremely risk-averse," says Baur. In light of that, it is important to weigh the risks of vaccination and non-vaccination objectively.

Author Victor Sattler is one of nine scholarship holders of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, who is pursuing current topics in a seminar in cooperation with the General-Anzeiger. Her texts appear from time to time in the GA.Changes in the city : Whats new: Shopping and dining in Bonn city center

BONN Change is a constant and that also applies to Bonn city center. A number of changes are happening in the city, from a new LOsteria restaurant to a Dutch department store but also a business closing down after 115 years.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

For those who have lived in Bonn for a long time, they will have to get used to the new name Sinn which replaces Sinn-Leffers, the fashion department store on the corner of Munsterplatz and Remigiusstrae. It was named Sinn-Leffers in 1990, when the two textile businesses - Sinn and Leffers merged, each of them bringing a tradition of 100 years to the table.

Another name that means tradition in Bonn city center is Deckers. This business on Friedrichstrae will close at the end of September, and Susanne Deckers does not find it easy to shut the doors for good. "But I have not found a successor (to take over the store) and of course I do not want to stand behind the counter until the end of my life," she says. The specialist shop for riding, hunting and archery supplies was founded in 1903 by the great-grandparents of her deceased husband. She has been working there since 1976. The building where the shop is located has already been sold.

New Italian and Spanish restaurants

Store manager Erich Beyersdorff says the Bonn Sinn store is currently undergoing extensive modernization. Departments featuring brands such as Opus, More & More and Tommy Hilfiger are expanding. The Rich & Royal brand will also be added to the mix. The new name of the store Sinn - means sense in English, and the new slogan for the fashion store is Das macht Sinn (This makes sense).

Another Italian restaurant chain is also coming to the city center, next to Vapiano and not far from Tuscolo on Gerhard-von-Are-Strae. Whether this makes sense will be up to the customers to decide. The new LOsteria will open in fall or winter in the building that once housed the Mambo furniture store. On their website, pastas and pizzas can be spotted on the menu. And since Bonners apparently have the reputation of being hungry and eager to dine out, the Spaniards also want to get in on the action. The restaurant Toro has just opened in space formerly occupied by the Bouvier book store. It becomes a new neighbor to Sausalitos, which offers Mexican-Californian cuisine.

In mid-September, Spanish business owner Miguel Marone will open his third cafe in Bonn. It will be called Kurt and will be located at Am Hof 26. He already runs two other cafes, one in Poppelsdorf and one in Endenich. Originally, the vegetarian chain Voodies was to open there after a major reconstruction, but this fell through at short notice.

Meanwhile, the cafe "Liebeslesen" reopened at the Haus der Bildung on Mulheimer Platz, where, according to the city of Bonn, work on the flooring had to be repaired as it was done incorrectly.

Dutch department store coming

On Sternstrae, an eye vision store called Viu replaced a womens fashion boutique. Dutch department store Hema will open soon on Wenzelgasse in the former H&M space. At the end of the month, the fashion and accessories shop Wunderbar will move to where the boutique Herrlich was located. After more than 20 years, furniture store Ligne Roset on Oxford Street is expected to close at the end of October. An employee there said customers would be served by the Cologne store, but a new location in Bonn was also being sought.

One cant really miss the nearly completed construction of the new Motel One on the corner of Sandkaule and Berliner Freiheit. With 218 beds, it is expected to open in mid-September, said a spokeswoman for the company in response to a GA inquiry.The content you are looking for has either been removed or requires you to login to view

Please login below or register for an account With Naijapals.comA Muslim man has been sentenced to death after he shot and killed his Christian son-in-law because he felt that his daughter had disgraced the family by marrying a Christian man.



Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, a Muslim immigrant from Jordan, was found guilty of capital murder last month in the 2012 fatal shootings of his son-in-law, Coty Beavers, and his daughter's best friend, Gelareh Bagherzadeh, an Iranian women's rights activist.



On Tuesday, the 60-year-old conservative Muslim was sentenced to death by a Texas jury - who deliberated for just 35 minutes - after being convicted in the "honor killings."



According to the Associated Press, Irsan "became enraged" after his daughter, Nesreen Irsan, married Beavers, a 28-year-old Christian, and converted to Christianity. In efforts to "clean his honor," Irsan, his wife, and their son, Nasim, followed Bagherzadeh to her parents' home in January 2012. Nasim Isran then shot the young woman, who had encouraged the marriage, in her car.



Eleven months later, Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan broke into Beavers' unlocked apartment near Houston, waited for his daughter to leave for work, then shot his son-in-law, according to his wife, Shmou Alrawabdeh, who testified as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.



At trial, Irsan, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, told jurors that he wasn't involved in the deaths and claimed his daughter had caused his family pain by marrying Beavers.



However, Alrawabdeh told jurors that her husband had also planned to kill his daughter. Additionally, Nesreen Irsan had filed an order of protection against Irsan, who shot and killed another son-in-law in Houston nearly 15 years ago.



Prior to the sentencing, Irsan reportedly shouted that prosecutors in his case were "devils" and "evil."



"Those prosecutors are devils," he told a bailiff in a raised voice. "They want my life. I need to defend myself. The prosecutors are evil."



Alrawabdeh was also charged in the case, but she pleaded guilty to a lesser kidnapping charge in exchange for testifying against Irsan. Nasim Irsan, 24, is being held in Harris County jail on capital murder charges in the two slayings.



The United Nations estimates there are about 5,000 honor killings worldwide each year, most of them in Islamic regions of South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. However, such crimes are widely suspected to be underreported.



While these killings do occur in the U.S., there is no reliable summary of honor killings in the country due to inadequate tracking systems that fail to collect necessary information on homicides.



The killings are usually carried out by Muslims or Hindus who feel that their siblings have dishonored their family and religion. The average age of an honor killing victim is 23 and women make up 93% of those killed, according to reports.



In 2016, a Muslim man in Pakistan shot and killed his 18-year-old sister because he felt that she had disgraced the family by marrying a Christian man.

This year I became a father again, and while my wife returns to work full time, Im staying home taking care of our infant daughter. This means Im sticking pretty close to our neighborhood in Brooklyn: I dont venture farther than an easy stroller distance of a half-mile. Based on this, you would probably say I have a low degree of mobility, because mobility means traveling far and fast, right?I ask because mobility is a hot word in transportation and urban planning circles. There are mobility institutes and mobility programs. The World Economic Forum has a Future of Mobility initiative. In June, I moderated a discussion on The Politics of Mobility at an urban design nonprofit in New York. So, its important to define what it means.As for my mobility, within my usual strollable universe I have hundreds of restaurants and cafes, dozens of grocery stores, and Prospect Park, one of the best examples of urban greenery in the world. In other words, while Im out with my baby I can shop, lunch, have a beer and stroll beside meadows, winding hills and lakes. Mobility is a means, not an end, says Susan Zielinski, former director of the sustainable mobility program at the University of Michigans Transportation Research Institute. The goal is for more people to meet more of their needs in a way thats better for the environment, the economy, social equity and quality of life. Its about access.By that measure, I have a high degree of mobility, even though most days I travel short distances very slowly. We have buses, bikeshares, taxis and subways in my neighborhood, but none of those work very well with an infant. Although, I will say, its touching how readily tough New Yorkers will help me carry my stroller, baby inside, up and down flights of stairs in the subway.If I lived in a more car-oriented place, such as Phoenix or Virginia Beach, Va., I could jump in my car and, traffic permitting, travel a mile or two very quickly. But what sort of access would I gain? I might have to travel much farther to get to a store, playground or friends home, even though the total time might be the same as walking around Brooklyn. If I lived in a rural area, I would have to travel 10 or 20 or 50 miles to get where I want to go.To state the obvious, unless they are exercising or sightseeing, people dont usually travel for the joy of it. They typically move to get something. The more services and amenities you have around you, the shorter you need to travel in physical distance.And then theres the condition of travel. Driving in a luxury automobile on a winding country road is a pretty pleasant experience. Being stuck in a traffic jam in a battered old heap with broken air conditioning isnt. A crowded, dirty subway that arrives and departs with little regard for its schedule is different from a swift and cool one that arrives on time, as we in New York City are discussing amid our current transit woes. Should the quality of your movement affect your mobility score? I think so.Paul Mackie, director of research and communications for the Mobility Lab in Arlington, Va., points out that we all have different spheres of mobility -- including our neighborhood, our city, our region and the world beyond -- and they vary in quality. In your Brooklyn example, you might have great access to everything by foot in your walkable neighborhood, but your ability to access your doctor on the Upper West Side is limited because driving in the city is difficult and the subways are delayed, he wrote in an email.Although I find the term mobility pretentious, it may have come into favor because it takes in other options besides personal driving for getting around. And having more ways to travel improves your mobility, by my scorecard. The mobility mix is getting really interesting now with Uber, Lyft, e-bikes, e-scooters, bikeshare, dockless bikeshare, hover boards, autonomous cars, autonomous shuttles, work shuttles, Mackie wrote, and people are waking up to that. Theyre not simply sleepwalking into the cars in their driveways in the morning.So can you improve your mobility in ways that slow you down? This is where questions of development come in. If 10,000 new apartments were built around me, the additional neighbors would support more churches, stores and clubs and thus improve my mobility, even though driving would be slower and parking harder. This same equation holds true in suburban areas. When communities oppose development because it will create more traffic, its important to point out that by some measures mobility will be improved because more goods and services will be within easier reach.For governments, researchers and advocates examining these questions of mobility, its important to think about the word in all its meanings, including speed of moving, ways of moving and what one is moving toward. Sometimes the slower you move, the farther you get.Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation.Three consumer groups are suing the Trump administration in an effort to halt the implementation of work requirements in Arkansas' Medicaid program.The administration earlier this year approved Arkansas' request to require certain Medicaid recipients to work 80 hours a month or lose their benefits. The mandate went into effect on June 1 for enrollees who are between the ages of 30 and 49, not disabled and don't have dependent children at home. It will expand to those age 19 to 29 next year.The National Health Law Program, along with Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. on Tuesday. The suit charges that approval of Arkansas' waiver runs counter to Medicaid's objective of providing the poor with access to health care.It comes about six weeks after consumer groups successfully stopped the implementation of work requirements in Kentucky. A district court judge slammed the Department of Health and Human Services for not considering the waiver's detrimental impact on enrollees. The administration is seeking to address the court's concerns and has reopened the application for evaluation.Since Februarys school shooting in Parkland, Fla., there has been a burst of youth activism in America, and early evidence suggests there has been an increase in teenagers and twentysomethings registering to vote.But will they actually turn out on Election Day?Democrats, who are aiming to inspire a blue wave that helps them take back some control of federal and state offices, hope so. But across the country, just 28 percent of young adults are "absolutely certain" they will vote, according to polling from PRRI and. One approach that might motivate the other 72 percent, according to a recent study , is asking them to sign a voting pledge.Dartmouth College and the Environmental Defense Fund ran voter outreach experiments on college campuses in Colorado and Pennsylvania in 2016. During some shifts, canvassers asked students and other passersby to sign up for a reminder to vote. On other shifts, they asked them to sign a pledge that they would make it to the polls. Two weeks ahead of the election, the first group received mailers that said, "Remember to vote," while the second group's reminders said, "Remember your pledge to vote.""Overall," the researchers concluded, "pledging to vote increased voter turnout by 3.7 points among all subjects and 5.6 points for people who had never voted before."The lead researcher, Dartmouth professor Mia Costa, says these findings have practical implications for getting out the vote this year."If campaigns want to have young people voting, or at least first-time voters who havent voted in the past, going beyond the traditional GOTV mobilization tactics would be a good idea," she says, noting that it's a way to drive turnout without breaking the bank.Democrats have nearly three months to energize young voters. Former First Lady Michelle Obama recently launched her nonpartisan " When We All Vote " campaign, with celebrities like Janelle Monae appealing directly to young people . Meanwhile, Democratic donor Tom Steyer is planning to register 100,000 college students through his group NextGen America.But even though voter registration is up among young people, political observers are skeptical of the impact that will have in November. Given that young voters are historically unreliable , especially in midterm elections, nailing down some pledges couldnt hurt.In a repudiation of the GOP's nominating process for governor, outsider Bob Stefanowski became the first petition candidate in Connecticut history to win a major party's nomination for statewide office Tuesday, besting the endorsed Republican, longtime Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton.The former UBS Investment Bank chief financial officer skipped the state GOP convention in May and most of the party-organized debates earlier this year.Stefanowski, 56, a Madison resident, instead saturated the television airwaves early to introduce himself to Republicans and petitioned his way onto the ballot in the five-way primary.The strategy paid enormous dividends for Stefanowski, who capped off a 19-hour day with a victory speech at the Madison Beach Hotel. All four of his opponents conceded by 10:30 p.m., with Boughton the last domino to fall.Boughton trailed Stefanowski by more than 10,000 votes with 80 percent of precincts reporting, with turnout surpassing 2010 and 2014 totals. Hedge fund mogul David Stemerman, who spent $6 million of his own money on an avalance of attack ads and army of political operatives finished third. Former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst was fourth and Westport tech entepreneur Steve Obsitnik was fifth."So I think it's fair to say this campaign has been underestimated from the start," Stefanowski said. "I don't think anybody really thought we would be standing up here right now. We've proved them wrong and we're going to prove them wrong when we beat Ned Lamont in November."In the race for lieutenant governor, conservative state Sen. Joe Markley of Southington defeated New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson.Do the state's 400,000 registered Republicans entrust their nomination to an insider who has previously held elected office or does it turn over the reins to an outsider from the business world -- like national Republicans did in 2016 with Donald Trump?"I think higher [turnout] is always better," Stefanowski said outside North Street School in Greenwich, his first campaign stop of primary day.Stefanowski built an early lead Tuesday night in eastern Connecticut, where Herbst had focused significant time and resources in rural areas. But Stefanowski also appeared to be holding his own in Fairfield County, a potentially ominous sign for the party favorite, Boughton.Boughton overwhelmingly held serve in Danbury, where he's been mayor for 17 years. The burning question for the social media-savvy former state legislator and history teacher is a 2,000-vote edge in the Hat City enough to offset Stefanowski's pickups across the state?All three political outsiders outperformed the traditional politicians in Greenwich, with Stemerman, Obsitnik and Stefanowski finishing in the top-three in the GOP bastion that was the boyhood home of former President George H.W. Bush, according to unofficial results.In Shelton, another Fairfield County battleground, Stefanowski rolled to a 3-to-1 advantage over Boughton, according to the city's longtime mayor, Mark Lauretti, who last month endorsed Stefanowski after a falling out with Boughton.This is the third run for governor for Boughton, 54, who has cast himself as a blue-collar Republican who has insulated the state's seventh-largest city from the economic and crime woes of many of Connecticut's urban centers.It's been 53 weeks since Boughton had major surgery to remove a non-cancerous brain tumor, which raised concerns about his health, along with his collapse at a GOP event in March in Avon. Boughton says he's headache and has no restrictions. Saying he's "just happy to be here" outside Cheshire High School, his final campaign stop on primary day, Boughton commented that he's been proving people wrong throughout the race."People didn't think I could raise the money. We did," Boughton said. "They didn't think we'd take the convention. We did. They didn't think I'd be re-elected mayor. I was. I'm feeling great."The perception going into Tuesday was that Boughton's biggest threats were from Stefanowski and Herbst, a former Trumbull first selectman.Stemerman tried to make a late surge in the race, spending $6 million of his fortune on cadre of political operatives and a blitz of attack ads, a number of them targeting Stefanowski.The two businessmen missed each other by five minutes at in Greenwich, where Stemerman cast his ballot at 7 a.m."It's interesting that he actually knows where a voting booth is," Stemerman said sarcastically after voting, referring to a 17-year gap in voting by Stefanowski.Steve Obsitnik. a Westport tech entrepreneur, was expected to siphon off some Fairfield County votes, but delays in his public campaign financing hobbled his candidacy after a third-place convention finish.Herbst, who narrowly lost his 2014 bid for state treasurer, finished second to Boughton for the endorsement at the state GOP convention in May. The 37-year-old Trinity College graduate has staked out the party's right flank, securing the endorsements of the pro-gun Connecticut Citizens Defense League and the pro-life Family Institute of Connecticut.Help from Trump

Three-way race

Voting rights

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has captured the Republican nomination for governor after edging out Gov. Jeff Colyer in the tightest primary fight in Kansas history.Colyer, a plastic surgeon from Overland Park, announced his concession Tuesday night after he failed to narrow the gap with Kobach when provisional ballots in Johnson County were tallied.Kobach pointed to an endorsement tweet from President Donald Trump the day before the election as playing a key role in helping him power past Colyer."I think it was absolutely crucial. There's no question that the election day voting went much more strongly for me as compared to the advance voting," Kobach said during an event in Overland Park hours before Colyer's concession.Kobach led Colyer by 345 votes as of Tuesday night, a week after Election Day, with 85 of the state's 105 counties having processed their provisional ballots.Johnson County, the governor's home county, dealt the final blow when Kobach outperformed Colyer on provisional ballots by 24 votes. Colyer won the county overall by 6 percentage points."This election is probably the closest in America. But the numbers are just not there unless we were to go to extraordinary measures," Colyer said during an emotional news conference Tuesday night.He promised not to seek a recount or challenge the race's results in court."Kansas is too important, the people of Kansas are too important, our children are too important," he said.Kobach called Colyer "a worthy opponent" in a statement Tuesday night. In a phone call, he stressed his shared values with Colyer."The issues that unite us are far greater than the campaign trivialities that might have separated us at times," Kobach said. "We're both 100 percent pro-life, pro-gun, pro-taxpayer, and there's just too much at stake for the Republican party to be divided."Colyer was elevated to the office of governor in January after Trump tapped Gov. Sam Brownback for an ambassadorship.Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, praised Colyer's leadership during his short tenure as governor and said the party would unify behind Kobach."We have a strong conservative nominee who has earned the endorsement of our president, who carried this state by 20 points. Kansas Republicans have much to be optimistic about," Ryckman said.Bob Beatty, a political scientist at Washburn University, saw Kobach's strong performance on provisional ballots across the state as a sign of Trump's influence.Provisional ballots, Beatty said, are usually cast by people who decide to vote at the last minute."Provisional voters almost by definition, they're not going to be well-organized," he said. "And I do think it's possible the Trump endorsement helped garner him a few hundred extra votes."Trump's decision to endorse Kobach had rankled national GOP strategists, sparking fears that it'll make it more difficult for the party to hold onto the governor's mansion and its congressional seats."It's fair to say the consensus view is that we're gonna lose that state and two House races to boot if he's the (nominee)," said one Republican strategist close to Republican Governors Association donors, referring to Kobach.The association put out a statement Tuesday night congratulating Kobach and calling him "the best candidate to keep Kansas moving forward."No other official in Kansas has more fully embraced Trump's agenda than Kobach. He has also helped shaped that agenda.The president had not reached out to Kobach in the hour after Colyer's concession, but Kobach said "we speak frequently, so I expect I'll be talking to him fairly soon."Kobach was the only statewide official to endorse Trump ahead of the 2016 Kansas Republican caucus and helped add Trump's promised border wall to the national Republican Party platform.Kobach met with Trump in the weeks after the 2016 election and discussed a proposal to change the National Voter Registration Act. He went on to serve as vice chair of the president's now-disbanded commission on voter fraud.He also has claimed to have played a role in the administration's decisions to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census and to restrict the entry into the United State from several Muslim majority countries.Several of these policy moves have caused controversy for Trump -- and for Kobach.Beatty said that Kobach's nomination will ensure that Trump will remain a focus of the election in Kansas."It certainly would make sense given Kobach's career to continue what he's been doing, which is never back down from his close alliance with Donald Trump," Beatty said."I expect that his strategy will be to embrace the criticism, embrace the controversy and embrace Donald Trump to get his voters out in a three-way race to win. He doesn't need 50 percent, just like in the primary he doesn't need 50 percent."Kobach will face Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka, who captured her party's nomination with 52 percent of the vote in a five-way race, and independent Greg Orman, provided that Kobach's office certifies the signatures collected by the Johnson County businessman's campaign.Kansas law requires independent candidates for governor to collect 5,000 signatures for a spot on the ballot. Last week Orman's campaign delivered 10,000 to Kobach's office, where they are being reviewed.Kobach maintained that what he ran on in the primary will carry over to the general."I've said from the beginning that I tell voters who I am and what I stand for," Kobach said. "And I don't change my tune either from primary to general or from general to being in office. I think voters appreciate that about me."Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of Kansas, said he sees the race leaning for Kobach because Orman will draw votes from Kelly."It's pretty clear that Kobach was perhaps not as strong of a nominee as Colyer," Miller said. "To an extent, that doesn't matter because you have Orman acting as a spoiler in the race. He casts himself as a centrist but he is a liberal."A poll by Remington Research Group published in July indicated that a Kelly-Orman-Kobach race would put Kelly and Kobach in a statistical tie -- 36 percent for Kelly and 35 percent for Kobach. Orman fetched 12 percent of the vote in the poll, leaving 17 percent undecided."Given how Republican Kansas is, splitting the center-to-left is not something you can afford to do," Miller said.Will Colyer voters come home for Kobach in the general election after a bitter primary and narrow loss?"A lot of people thought Republicans would not come home for Donald Trump and they did," Miller said. "If they're going to come home for Trump, they are going to come home for Kobach."Rep. John Whitmer, a Wichita Republican, said Kobach's victory is in keeping with success that conservative candidates in Kansas have had so far this year -- Whitmer himself excluded, as he lost his primary challenge to a more moderate candidate."I think (Kobach) has a great chance. "... I think it stacks up well," Whitmer said. "I think he's got just as good a shot as Jeff did."Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, noted that Trump recorded a robocall on Kobach's behalf in the final days of the primary campaign, which may have been even more important than the tweet."Kris Kobach will use all the wedge issues -- immigration, abortion, guns -- when he runs for governor," Hensley said. "I have, in the past, characterized him as the most racist politician in America, and I truly believe that's what he is."Kansas Democratic national committeeman Chris Reeves predicted a large number of moderate Republicans will endorse Kelly. He suggested that will show significant bipartisan pushback against the idea of Kobach as governor."(Democrats) facing Kobach is a very stark contrast. Kris Kobach sees everything that's wrong with the world and we see everything that could be right," Reeves said.State Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, a Leavenworth Republican, said he was hopeful that Kobach will "reassert the authority of the governor" if elected.Fitzgerald pointed to Kobach's opposition to complying with Kansas Supreme Court rulings requiring additional funding as being a key factor in his decision to endorse the secretary of state.Kobach has called for deep spending cuts to pay for income tax cuts last year after lawmakers overrode Brownback's veto last year to pass a tax increase to cover the state's budget hole.Kelly seized on the comparison to Brownback in a statement Tuesday night."With Kris Kobach as Governor, Kansans get all of the failed policies of Sam Brownback plus Kobach's unique brand of hyper-partisanship and self-promotion. Quite simply, Kris Kobach is Sam Brownback on steroids, and that's the last thing that Kansans need right now," Kelly said.Orman's campaign responded to question about Kobach's nomination with a statement that called both Kelly and Kobach career politicians.The primary race highlighted an issue that will feature prominently in the general election campaign: voting rights.Kobach has championed some of the strictest voting laws in the country during his eights years as the state's chief election officer and his role on Trump's voter fraud commission drew national scrutiny until the panel was disbanded earlier this year amid a flood of lawsuits.Colyer's legal team sent out a letter to the Johnson County Board of Canvassers an hour before the county certified its election results to call on the county to include 153 ballots that were being discarded because the signature did not match the one in the voter's file.Colyer's legal team argued that Kansas law does not require verification as a precondition to accepting a vote."Absent clear evidence of actual fraud, Kansas takes a permissive view that places special emphasis on the right to vote and excuses a voter's failure to follow requirements that do not seriously call into question the voter's intent," said Edward Greim, an attorney at the Kansas City-based Graves Garrett law firm.Johnson County Commissioner Michael Ashcraft said that the policy of verifying signatures is longstanding."They make a good faith effort to do that. I hope it's 100 percent, but I'm not a handwriting expert and I don't review each one of them," Ashcraft said. "But they do and they actually have, I think, three levels of review to verify. I hope it's 100 percent. I suspect it's pretty close to 100 percent."Ed Eilert, who chairs both the canvassing board and the county commission, also defended the policy."If you're not going to match signatures, then I or you, could sign for 10 or 15 people. It doesn't make sense to me," said Eilert, who noted that he is not an attorney.The letter from Colyer's attorneys was sent the same day that a federal judge ruled that a similar New Hampshire law is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.The legal challenge against the New Hampshire was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a 95-year-old woman who is legally blind.The ACLU defeated Kobach in another voting rights case this year when a federal judge ruled unconstitutional a Kansas law that required voters to provide proof of citizenship to register.The ACLU of Kansas reacted strongly to Kobach's nomination, calling him "a grave threat to Kansans' civil liberties and most deeply shared values."Before he conceded, Colyer's campaign had given signs that he might pursue legal action to ensure every possible ballot was counted in the race.But the likelihood of a court case diminished after Colyer failed to close the gap.Colyer's supporters went into Tuesday convinced that the governor needed a strong performance in Johnson County before he could pursue any legal remedies."I think Johnson County is crucial. There's all of these irregularities and there's all of these what-if's and a bunch of things that I think are good legal arguments ... but ultimately you've got to pick up votes," said a Republican strategist who works in Kansas and supports Colyer.Fitzgerald acknowledged that it would be challenging for the party to unite after an acrimonious primary, but he said that Republicans would find a way before the fall."I'm not exactly sure of how we're going to pull it together, but that's going to be one of the responsibilities of the leader of the party and right now that appears to be Kris Kobach," he said.After the draining week, Kobach said he planned to unwind Tuesday night by spending time with his family. He wanted to make it back in time to tuck his daughters in to bed."I wanted to be at home tonight rather than sitting in a sweaty war room with my campaign staff," Kobach said.Jeff Johnson shocked the Minnesota political world Tuesday with a commanding victory in the Republican primary for governor, while U.S. Rep. Tim Walz won a three-way race in the DFL primary, setting up a clash of starkly different visions for the state's future.Johnson, a Hennepin County commissioner, derailed former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's bid to win back his old job. Pawlenty had been widely seen as the front-runner thanks to much higher name recognition from his two previous terms in office, and Johnson overcame a vast fundraising disadvantage with a message of change and by courting supporters of President Donald Trump."We have given the government of Minnesota back to the hardworking, forgotten men and women of this state, and you all helped," Johnson said, gesturing at the jubilant crowd at his primary night party in Plymouth, where he lives.Walz, who spent 24 years in the National Guard and 20 years as a teacher, celebrated with a raucous crowd of supporters at the Carpenters Union Hall in St. Paul: "I see that beautiful cross-section that is Minnesota and unending possibility that is sitting in this room," Walz said, his face reddened after pumping fists on his way out to Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down."Walz, who is from Mankato, promised to use his biography and greater Minnesota ties to form new coalitions that could break through the gridlock that has crippled state government in recent years, on issues like taxes and the opioid epidemic. "If we take the state and bind it together, there's nothing we can't do. Nothing we can't do," he said.Walz defeated state Rep. Erin Murphy and Attorney General Lori Swanson, bouncing back after losing the DFL endorsement at the state convention in June to an energetic Murphy campaign.Based on early returns data, more than 800,000 voters turned out to vote Tuesday, with still more precincts to count -- beating recent primary totals.Voting at Pax Christi Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie, Republican primary voter Robert Kennedy, 82, went for Johnson over Pawlenty."I felt that Johnson was more conservative," Kennedy said. "I like what he stands for."In Woodbury, DFL voter Lori Simon, 60, said Walz earned her vote for his position on issues like education and health care. He's also not a "vulture," she said, and doesn't tear down fellow DFL candidates like others in his party.The stakes of the governor's race are huge following the eight-year tenure of DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, which saw tax increases and bigger investments in schools and social programs.The next governor will be in office after the 2020 census, after which new legislative and congressional districts will be drawn. If Johnson wins and Republicans hold on to legislative majorities, Republicans will have full control of state government for the first time in half a century, allowing them to reduce the size and scope of government and weaken the influence of public sector labor unions."We have to win in November. We have to win for the people of Minnesota. We have to win so we can let them keep more money in their pocket and leave government out of their daily lives," Johnson said.Johnson, 51, won the Republican endorsement at the party's June convention. Although badly outspent by Pawlenty, Johnson ran a grass-roots campaign that took him around the state in an RV festooned with his image and the slogan, "Overturn the Status Quo."Despite a long career in politics that includes losing soundly to Dayton in 2014, nearly a decade on the Hennepin County Board and a stint in the Legislature, Johnson made the case for change against Pawlenty, who previously served as governor from 2003 to 2011.Pawlenty's stunning primary loss brought a likely end to his political career. Asked at his campaign party in Eagan if he was now retired from politics, he responded: "The answer is yes."Walz, 54, is a sixth-term congressman from southern Minnesota, and which backed President Donald Trump by 15 percentage points in 2016. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.He dismissed the outcome on the Republican side: "It didn't matter what they picked because the divisive message would be the same," Walz said. He also said he had a message for Johnson: "This teacher stands up to bullies."Given the stakes and the candidate resumes, interest groups are expected to flood the November contest with money for advertising -- most of it slashing attacks on the opposition.For months, the political arms of groups like the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Business Partnership, which represents the state's largest corporations, were gearing up to help Pawlenty in hopes of a state government more conducive to business tax cuts and an end to big city progressives' drive to increase the minimum wage and other benefits.Johnson will now need to persuade the big donors that he can win in November after his 2014 loss by 110,000 votes in a good Republican year, in what many considered a lackluster campaign.On the DFL side, labor unions and a few wealthy contributors who traditionally back the DFL are expected to pour money into the race. These DFL activists are especially alarmed at the prospect of Minnesota becoming like nearby states, which have shifted markedly into Republican territory in recent years.Members of the Dokken family drove to the polls at Minnetonka United Methodist Church together split on which gubernatorial candidate to support. When they left the polls, 48-year-old Dan Dokken said he voted for Murphy, while his wife, Kris, and 20-year-old son Kyle chose Walz."I think our main goal is to make sure Pawlenty doesn't get in there," Dan Dokken, a technology project manager, said.Johnson took care of that for them.Denise Kozojed, a 62-year-old saleswoman from Wayzata, said Johnson is "very authentic," which led him to connect with people across the state."I think it says money doesn't buy votes," she said. "People who work the crowd like Jeff has makes a difference. People really appreciate that."Top Roman Catholic leaders in Pennsylvania routinely covered up child sex abuse by hundreds of priests, involving more than 1,000 victims over seven decades, according to a long-awaited grand jury report released Tuesday.The nearly 900-page report -- the product of what may be the most comprehensive examination to date of clergy sex abuse across a single state -- accused church officials in six of Pennsylvania's eight dioceses of routinely prioritizing their institution over the welfare of children.More than 300 accused priests were singled out -- though some names remained redacted amid an ongoing court fight over the accuracy of the report's findings and the damage it could cause to the reputations of some identified within it. Dozens of church superiors were also named as complicit, including some who have risen to prominent national postings."All of [the victims] were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institutions above all," the report says. "Priests were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible not only did nothing: They hid it all."The report arrives amid a new wave of accusations that have upended Catholic congregations across the United States and resulted in the resignation of one cardinal, Theodore McCarrick, formerly the archbishop of Washington.Among those named by the Pennsylvania grand jury is McCarrick's successor in Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, a onetime Pittsburgh bishop and now one of Pope Francis' top advisers in the United States.Wuerl, who took the helm of the western Pennsylvania diocese in 1988, was faulted by the grand jury for failing to do enough to protect children from predators during his two decades there -- a claim he denied in a statement, saying he "acted with diligence, with concern for the survivors, and to prevent future acts of abuse."Speaking at a news conference Tuesday at the state Capitol, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said diocesan administrators across the state dissuaded victims from reporting abuse to police, pressured law enforcement to terminate or avoid investigations or conducted their own biased probes without referring allegations to proper authorities."The abuse was rampant and widespread," he said. "It touched every diocese and it is horrifying."Shapiro spoke before an audience that included several of the priests' accusers, some of whom testified before the grand jury. At times, some of them held hands or cried, while others moved to comfort them.The findings are all but certain to add fuel to long-simmering battles in the Harrisburg, including debates over the fairness of the state's grand jury system and stalled legislation that would allow childhood victims to sue their abusers and others decades after an assault occurred.In many respects, the report's broad conclusions -- the result of a two-year probe led by Shapiro's office -- resemble those of the 2005 grand jury report that assailed the Philadelphia Archdiocese over its handling of dozens of accused priests.The patterns described in its pages -- and supplemented with more than 400 pages of accompanying church records and files -- also mirror tactics revealed in dioceses worldwide since the church scandal erupted in Boston 16 years ago: Priests preyed on vulnerable children and their superiors either ignored or hid allegations while shuffling abusers from parish to parish.Despite the wide-ranging criminal behavior described, grand jurors did not recommend any new charges be filed. Many of the alleged abusers identified in the report are either dead or long since removed from ministry -- their offenses now beyond the state's statute of limitations for sex crimes. The accusations against several have been public for years.And yet in its scope and breadth, the report released Tuesday was remarkable. The investigation spanned sexual misconduct stretching back seven decades, incorporated accounts of more than 1,000 victims and drew upon "secret archives" of allegations maintained by the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg -- together home to more than 1.7 million Roman Catholics.Pennsylvania's other dioceses -- Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown -- were not included because previous grand juries had already scrutinized their handling of clergy sex abuse claims.Response from church leaders was swift.Several of the dioceses planned statements or news conferences to respond to the report, and some had already taken preemptive steps. Bishop Ronald W. Gainer of Harrisburg and Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie sought to blunt the impact of the report in recent weeks by opening their own archives and releasing names of all priests who had had abuse allegations lodged against them. Others including, bishops in Greensburg and Allentown followed suit Tuesday.Wuerl -- whose predecessor in Pittsburgh, Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua, later led the Philadelphia archbishop for 15 years -- referred to the clergy sex abuse scandal "a terrible tragedy" in a statement Tuesday."I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report," he said.Pittsburgh's current bishop -- David Zubik -- told parishioners the report was "a sad and tragic description of events that occurred within the church" and noted almost all reports of abuse in his diocese occurred before 1990.More than two dozen current and former priests implicated during the grand-jury investigation have flatly denied the report's allegations and had sued to block its release. They contend that the secret probe trampled on their due process rights and the public release of its findings threatens to unfairly ruin their reputations.The state Supreme Court agreed to at least temporarily remove their identifying information from the document and scheduled Sept. 26 legal arguments in Philadelphia on whether those concealed portions of the report should ever be revealed.Still, accusers -- some who spoke publicly about their abuse for the first time during their grand jury testimony -- have hailed even the redacted report's release as a vindication they thought might never come. One woman, the report says, tried to commit suicide days after her testimony."From her hospital bed she asked for one thing: That we finish our work and tell the world what really happened," Shapiro said.The result included dozens of harrowing accounts -- perhaps none more so than one describing four priests from Pittsburgh alleged to have preyed upon a string of young boys in a pedophile and child pornography ring.The grand jury report says the men used whips, violence and sadism while repeatedly raping their victims in the rectory. One underage boy, the report says, was forced to stand on a bed, strip naked and pose as Christ on the cross, while his abusers took photos.In Scranton, 59 priests were accused including one -- the Rev. Thomas Skotek -- who allegedly raped an underage girl, impregnated her and helped her to get an abortion more than 40 years ago. When Bishop James Timlin, who oversaw the Scranton diocese from 1984 to 2003, learned about the attack allegation he wrote a condolence letter -- to the accused priest."This is a very difficult time in your life, and I realize how upset you are," he said, according to correspondence quoted in the grand jury report. "I too share in your grief."Records regarding 20 priests in the Greensburg Diocese revealed the story of the Rev. Raymond Lukac, who the report says impregnated a 17-year-old, secretly married her by forging another pastor's signature on a marriage license and then divorced the girl after she gave birth.Grand jurors also singled out the case of the Rev. "Gus" Giella among the 44 priests they highlighted from the Harrisburg Diocese. Giella allegedly sexually abused five sisters from the same family, including one whose victimization began when she was 18 months old and lasted until she was 12.Though church leaders were made aware of Giella's inappropriate behavior as early as 1987, diocesan leaders allowed him to remain in ministry, the report says.Police -- responding to an abuse report -- raided Giella's home in 1992 and found it filled with vials of urine, photos of underage girls in sexually compromising positions and plastic containers containing pubic hairs from his alleged victims identified by their initials.But throughout, grand jurors were unsparing in their criticism for the men they blamed for protecting predators in their midst."Please help me. I sexually molested a boy," wrote the Rev. Michael Lawrence -- one of 37 Allentown priests named in the report -- after he allegedly rubbed the genitals of a 12-year-old boy during a tutoring session in the 1980s.Instead, the grand jury alleges, diocesan leaders in Allentown dismissed the boy's angry father as "irrational and difficult" and allowed Lawrence to remain in ministry for nearly two decades, concluding that "the experiences [would] not necessarily be a horrendous trauma to the victim."In Erie, where 41 priests fell under the grand jury's microscope, the panel accused Donald Trautman, who served as the diocese bishop from 1990 to 2012, of lying to the public and police after learning of allegations against one of his priests.In a letter to Vatican officials quoted in the report, Trautman acknowledged knowing of at least three accusers who said that the Rev. William Presley had choked, slapped, punched, raped, sodomized and fellated them.Yet, when he removed Presley from active ministry in 2002, Trautman publicly acknowledged only one report and waited four more years before informing police, purportedly saying then that the accusations had only recently come to light.In some cases, the grand jurors found, it was outsiders who helped keep abuse allegations under wraps. Robert Masters, who served as district attorney of Beaver County from 1964 to 1967, told the grand jury that that he intervened to block an investigation into one Pittsburgh diocese priest in hopes he could "prevent unfavorable publicity" and earn support from diocesan leaders for his future political career."These children, surrounded by adults enabling their abuse, were taught this abuse was not only normal -- it was holy," Shapiro said.In addition to their allegations Tuesday, grand jurors echoed prior calls from other prosecutors to abolish the state's statute of limitations on sex-abuse crimes against minors and suspend the civil statute of limitations as well, so victims can sue their abusers decades after the assaults occurred."We can't charge most of the culprits," their report says. "What we can do is tell our fellow citizens what happened and try to get something done about it."A yearlong project by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department has reached fruition with the rollout of a new multimedia website showcasing the amenities at the countys 182 parks.The chief information officer of Parks and Rec, Mohammed Al Rawi , toldin an interview how it felt to bring new technology to bear with new ideas . The site went live Friday.It was such a fun project, and seeing it come to life is, to me, a great milestone, he said. Even though were dealing with big elephants like Resource Planning, and lots and lots of other projects, and millions and millions of documents, we had the right resources for this project.By its nature, the Parks and Rec Department has a more fun mission than other, more utilitarian government functions, Al Rawi said. The previous website was dated and too serious, he said.It was so dry. Were not the regular government department  we provide experiences; we build memories. That website should be the first step to have a good experience and good memories.RD Technology Solutions provided professional services including graphic designers, Web developers, photographers and videographers, he said. The effort involved staff from Parks including IT, business owners, public information officers and assistants, and members of the public. They formed focus groups and contributed to what the website should look and feel like.This is a better representation of what the countys parks, trails, venues and beaches have to offer, he said. We sent an army of photographers and videographers to capture 182 parks. We have terabytes of pictures. You can see what to expect before you go there.But its not just pretty video and images. The site offers a search feature based on geographic location, desired activities and amenities, special events, online registration where needed, and a host of other options.It makes you feel like you want to go to the park! Al Rawi said. The department's new slogan is posted on the website: Life. Enjoyed. Al Rawi said that quick, punchy slogan was chosen because it characterizes the experience he wants the public to enjoy  and because it's succinct."It's hashtaggable," he said.He added: We wanted to make this website a tool for our communities to quickly find parks and programs based on hundreds of filters such as amenities and program types, and to ensure that this information is constantly current and accurate; Parks and Recreation created a Master Parks Data Repository which consolidated all Parks data including GIS, Planning, Programs, amenities, facilities, so when Operations makes changes such as adding new facilities or amenities, it will automatically, through Web APIs, be populated on the website. This will also eliminate the need to make changes to 182 Park pages, as it will be dynamically updated.The website is built on open source platforms and hosted on an OpenShift , a container application platform by Red Hat, he added. Its a hosting environment which will dynamically respond to demand increase by adding more computing resources.With the yearlong update/upgrade done, Al Rawi was asked whats next on the horizon that vendors may want to follow.Our next project, which we kick-started this month (for which we already have vendors and executed agreements), is a [Software-as-a-Service] SaaS-based Enterprise Asset Management implementation to manage inventories and work orders for 182 Parks and Recreation sites.Well implement an Enterprise Document Management System to host the 7 million Parks records that were digitized recently; deployment of the OpenSource Fleet Tracking system that was in development in coordination with Cal State LA. Were expanding the Drowning Detection System to additional Parks Pools. Also related to the website, well deploy the new Online Registration and Reservation System, with user- and mobile-friendly systems.Were also developing a Parks app, an AI-Assistant for Parks website visitors and internally for Parks staff use. Well be deploying AR games at more Parks, as well as expanding Wi-Fi coverage at parks.(TNS)  The summer of seemingly endless rainfall took its toll again on the Berks County, Pa., region Monday, dumping several inches of precipitation that led to widespread flooding on areas already inundated in recent weeks.And if the rain doesn't let up, meteorologists are predicting this August could prove to be the wettest ever recorded.AccuWeather meteorologist Danielle Knittle said that 9.06 inches of rain has been recorded this month at Reading Regional Airport in Bern Township, the official site for Berks County rainfall totals.Knittle said that total put it in second place behind August 1955, when 14.85 inches of rain was recorded over the entire month.In a typical August, Knittle said, Berks County has an average of 3.64 inches of rain.Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency was working with county and local agencies to monitor flash flooding that hit Berks and Schuylkill counties, the Tri-County area and elsewhere in the region.Our emergency agency personnel  state, county and local  are focused on helping Pennsylvanians in need as many parts of central Pennsylvania face another round of heavy rain and flash flooding, Wolf said in a Monday news release.Low-lying areas were underwater by mid-morning after a shower became a deluge, dumping 2.63 inches of rain at Reading Regional Airport, Knittle said.And with the ground already saturated from Saturday morning's heavy thunderstorms, it didn't take much rain to overflow smaller streams like the Wyomissing, Willow, Angelica, Manatawny and Hay Creeks and Laurel Run.Among the hardest hit areas of Berks was Hamburg, where Mayor George Holmes declared a state of emergency around noon.The order, which was in effect until Monday evening, followed reports that cars were beginning to float on Washington Street, creating a hazard to motorists and pedestrians.Holmes said just about every home in the 200 block of Washington had some flooding in its basement, and some had water in the living quarters.Knittle said that as much as 51/2 inches of rain was unofficially recorded in Hamburg over a four-hour stretch Monday morning, leading to severe flooding.Occupants of two homes on Port Clinton Avenue were displaced, with the residents relocated to Hamburg High School until temporary housing could be arranged, Holmes said.Hamburg Fire Company personnel were going home to home pumping out basements well into Monday night.Right now things are looking better because the water has receded, Holmes said at 2 p.m. The police and fire departments are out there patrolling and helping the residents where they can.We're still bracing for more water flow from the Schuylkill as that comes down, but hopefully the rain will hold off and we don't have more issues like we did today.Some areas of the borough weren't affected at all, while isolated pockets experienced the worst flooding since Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972, the mayor said.Berks 9-1-1 dispatchers received numerous calls for flooded basements in other areas, too, including a home in the first block of North First Street in Upper Bern Township, where more than a foot of water in the basement was threatening a utility panel Monday evening.A home in the first block of West Shore Drive in Maidencreek Township reportedly had water up to the ceiling in the basement on Monday night.Numerous rescues of motorists stalled in stormwater were conducted Monday morning. Route 422 westbound in Amity Township was impassable through the morning rush, and Route 12 was closed between the North Fifth Street Highway and Route 61 interchanges in Muhlenberg Township for much of the morning.Besides Route 12, sections of northbound Route 61 were closed in the Leesport area, including the northbound lanes at Ashley Way, adjacent to the Sheetz store, in Ontelaunee Township.G. Dane Miller, emergency management coordinator for the township, said that numerous township roads were closed due to flooding.Blue Marsh Lake closed all of its boat launches Monday because of flooding, Ranger Josh Fraley said.Leesport officials also issued an advisory for recreational boaters to stay off the Schuylkill River due to extremely strong currents.The rain began in the Reading area shortly before dawn, prompting the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., to issue a flood warning for Berks and Schuylkill counties and the Tri-County area through Monday night.The weather service had issued a flood watch late Sunday for eastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, northeast Maryland and New Jersey.In hard-hit western Schuylkill County, emergency officials declared a state of emergency in Pine Grove Borough on Monday morning because of extensive flooding.Residents in low-lying areas were being relocated to temporary shelters. Pine Grove opened its shelter at the Pine Grove High School with assistance from the American Red Cross.The American Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania said Monday morning that it was monitoring flash flooding and was ready to assist those affected by the heavy rain.Wolf said that the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center was activated in the morning at PEMA, with staff in the situation awareness, logistics and health sections ready to plan operations and staffing as needed.The Pennsylvania National Guard was given a warning order to ensure availability of personnel should they be needed.Besides Hamburg and Muhlenberg Township, among the other heavily affected areas in Berks were Birdsboro, Leesport, Laureldale and Kutztown.Knittle said that nearly 4 inches of rain had fallen in Birdsboro by 10:30 a.m.The first day of the Kutztown Fair was also canceled because of the heavy rain, according to social media posts.Wyomissing Park was underwater from the Reading Public Museum to the West Reading pool as the Wyomissing Creek overflowed its banks.It was a similar scene along Old River Road near Route 724 just along the south bank of the Schuylkill River outside Birdsboro in Robeson Township.In Pottstown, ducks were bobbing over land in the borough park after Manatawny Creek spilled its banks.At Monday night's Reading City Council meeting, Public Works Director Ralph Johnson said that his office had fielded calls all day about flooded basements.Johnson said that with all of the recent rain, his department was keeping a watchful eye on dams in and around the city to make sure they are remaining stable.Reading Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz reported that she heard from residents along South 16th Street that springs are pushing out water and causing some flooding in basements.Exeter Township employees struggled to place orange traffic cones around an exposed manhole after the cover popped off and floated away in the Exeter Commons shopping center. The issue was that the cones kept floating away.Exeter firefighters went out on several calls during the storm, which lasted until shortly after noon, township Fire Chief Robert Jordan said. They ranged from malfunctioning automatic fire alarms to requests by homeowners to pump out flooded basements.There were about a half-dozen roads closed in the township.Hopefully this water will recede and things will get back to normal, Jordan said.(Reporter Anthony Orozco contributed to this story.)2018 the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.)Visit the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) at readingeagle.com(TNS)  When you take the test, make sure you read and understand the question and answers and draw the scenario out, John David Franz Jr. reminded the incoming high school seniors seated in front of him.While applicable to almost any testing situation, Franzs advice wasnt geared toward the typical exam most students take. Rather, he was helping a dozen or so Sharyland High School students prepare for their remote pilot certificate exam  the first step toward operating drones legally for a law enforcement agency or private company.The students spent last Thursday reviewing airspace, weather and aircraft performance, all topics on the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Drone Knowledge Test.As president of S.O.A.R.D. Solutions LLC, a drone operations and consulting firm in McAllen, Franz frequently gives certification courses to working professionals in law enforcement, emergency operations and engineering fields.Through a new partnership between the company and Sharyland Independent School District, students will receive this training, and then some.When they graduate, theyre not only going to be certified, but theyll have logged training hours to show theyve actually put the work in, Franz said of the partnership, the first of its kind in Texas. These students will have more experience and flight time than most of your first responders and public safety drone pilots.Taking the 40-hour certification course, administered through a four-day period, and passing the drone knowledge test are just the first steps: Sharyland High School and Pioneer High School students in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security practicum will spend the rest of the school year learning how drones are used for search and rescue operations and damage assessments, and will be exposed to 3-D mapping and thermography.People might see (drones) as a toy because you can buy one at Best Buy or at Walmart. Theyre not really seeing it as a tool yet, Franz said. There have been some early adopters  but for the most part, I dont think weve really capitalized in South Texas with drones to their full capability.Mostly, S.O.A.R.D. has helped launch drone programs at smaller agencies, such as the Brooks County Sheriffs Office and volunteer fire department, and the Falfurrias and Raymondville police departments.Drones empower the smaller agencies, Franz said. Resources are scarce and they need to use them to their full capacity to be effective.The company has also provided training to Weslacos police and fire departments, the Edinburg and Mission fire departments, Cameron County Emergency Management & Fire Marshal Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services law enforcement division. S.O.A.R.D. also hopes to partner with more Valley school districts in the near future.Because drone technology is relatively new, public safety agencies and commercial drone operators, such as realtors and engineers, may not be familiar with the laws regarding drone use, Franz said.While (inadvertently violating a law) may help you on the ground, its going to hurt you in the long-run, he said, giving the example of how evidence illegally collected by a drone is later inadmissible in court.The Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security practicum is one of the districts top three most popular career clusters, Sharyland ISD CTE Director Yoelia Nava said.We ask business and industry partners whats trending, whats the newest technology, Nava said of some of the factors the district considered when adding this component to the existing year-long practicum course. We were looking at how we could redesign, enhance and improve what we already have (for students).Eternity Garcia, 17, hopes to work as a firefighter when she graduates from Sharyland High School next spring and only recently learned drones could be used for search and rescue operations after seeing a video on YouTube.I always wanted to be in law enforcement, Garcia said, noting that she narrowed down her career interest after competing in a firefighter search and rescue competition this past spring. Finding a baby in a timed obstacle course simulating a house fire was the objective of the competition, which required her to wear full protective gear while identifying tools.Its hard and time consuming, she said of the remote pilot certification course. Its not just the in-class hours, its after class hours when youre reading over the materials.Representatives from the law enforcement agencies that S.O.A.R.D. has worked with will attend the practicum class throughout the year, Nava said, so students (not) only have the certification and know how to fly a drone, but know how the actual entities here near us are using (drones) for security and law enforcement purposes.Because they will have this skill set, theyre going to be that much better at the job, Franz said of students who may find employment with an agency without a drone program, adding that theyll have the know-how to introduce drone technology to their future employer.Garcia took her remote pilot certification exam Monday and passed. The multiple-choice exam consisted of almost exactly everything we went over (in the certification course), she said.msmith@themonitor.com2018 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas)Visit The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) at www.themonitor.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Digital connectivity and high-speed Internet access are at the heart of a smart city game plan in Portsmouth, Va.This city of roughly 97,000 residents near Newport News has a plan to establish some 55 miles of long-haul, low-latency fiber that will connect municipal facilities, such as public safety departments, schools, parks, as well as external stakeholders like big businesses and hospitals, according to Daniel Jones, chief information officer for Portsmouth.Well be able to provide the businesses with this fiber-optic connection to help them with the connectivity and bandwidth for any high intensity applications, he said.The city first established a strategic master plan for fiber-optic connectivity infrastructure about 18 months ago. The $9 million fiber project is currently in vendor negotiations, and will appear on the City Council agenda this month. Construction will likely begin this fall.It's slated to be a multiyear project, said Jones.Other cities, including Cincinnati Ammon, Idaho and Lafayette, La. , have developed city-owned fiber connectivity in an effort to expand economic development and smart city projects, as well as bring digital connectivity to disenfranchised populations.Over the course of the next five months the city is also conducting a citizen connectivity study, which will function as an analytics piece to the citys overall smart city initiatives. For example, the study will begin to answer questions such as, how many residents lack an Internet connection at home?We have thoughts or maybe impressions of what that may be, but theres no real, true, statistical data that we can rely on, said Jones.Some 6,234 homes in Portsmouth had no Internet access, according to the U.S. Census 2016 American Community Survey , out of more than 36,600 households, the most recent data available.The study will be structured as a series of workshops to hear from residents, businesses and others to learn what connectivity needs are lacking in Portsmouth, and what opportunities could be opened up with improved digital infrastructure.The study will also show where mobile-phone data is being used in high levels, an indication that broadband connectivity may be unavailable or unreliable.So maybe thats somewhere we could interject Wi-Fi coverage, said Jones.In many communities smart city projects have been billed as instruments to bridge the digital divide in low-income neighborhoods, where residents may encounter numerous obstacles to a reliable high-speed Internet connection, hurting their employment opportunities or community engagement.Internet providers for low-income residents in the area are few, said Jones. And often, residents still have to pass a credit check and other obstacles before being approved for service, leaving many residents without access. Making connectivity easier for all residents is part of Portsmouths overall effort to fight poverty and grow job opportunities.If you go to any retailer, or big-box [store] or something like that, theyre going to say, go online and fill out an application, said Jones. If they cant get online its just a revolving despair of not being included in the digital age, he added. And everything we see today in the digital age is remote-work, tele-work; this goes hand-in-hand with our poverty initiative throughout the city, which is to help lift up that sector of the community.In the latest departure to hit Michigans state C-suite, its chief technologist will be stepping down at the end of the week for a similar position at the municipal level.Rod Davenport, chief technology officer at the state of Michigan and a confirmed advocate of change through technology, announced his impending departure to staffers on Aug. 6, Caleb Buhs, director of communications at the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) confirmed to. Davenports last day at with the state will be Aug. 17.In his absence, the state will appoint an interim CTO, but Buhs indicated Davenports absence will leave a sizeable vacancy. I dont have any updates on that, but obviously we will be looking for the best individual to fill that role, Buhs said, noting that the state will conduct a nationwide search.In his more than six years as CTO, Davenport has accomplished considerable enterprise-level IT and cultural change and was recognized in March as one ofs Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers of 2018 One initiative, the states virtual data center, included both types of change, he toldearlier this year. A data center within a data center, it turned on private cloud; but its cultural change potential was even more significant.It became an opportunity for the technology people to get back to their roots, learn new things, Davenport said at the time.As CTO, Davenport has directed and developed all tech strategies in the 10th largest state, including infrastructure and operations for all agencies and enterprise architecture, he said on LinkedIn  even cybersecurity during an interval where he served concurrently as Michigans interim chief security officer.My approach to IT leadership has always centered on driving sustainable organizational change. By focusing on ways technology can spur long-term improvements in team performance and business operations, Ive led countless profitable initiatives, he said on LinkedIn, indicating his career highlights included updating technical infrastructure for a system affecting nearly 10 million people. Thats a reference to his time in Michigan, and the fact that, as he told, even small IT changes at that level will impact many people.Technology is the amplifier of the human spirit. Its always had this potential for transformation in society, he said earlier this year. In a 2014 discussion of how to fill well-documented gaps in the state-level cybersecurity workforce, Davenport was similarly complimentary toward the public sector and said the state needed to appeal to folks sense of the nobility of public service to offset governments well-documented compensation disparity relative to the private sector.The CTO was previously an enterprise technology strategist for more than 10 years at DTE Energy, an electric utility, and after leaving the state, hell be joining the Lansing Board of Water and Light, a municipal utility, as its chief information officer. The publicly-owned company provides water and electricity to residents of Lansing and East Lansing and several adjacent townships.Earlier this summer, James McFarlane , Michigans director of agency services and a 15-year public-sector employee, also left the state for La-Z-Boy Inc., in Monroe, Mich., where he is now director of IT business services. McFarlanes last day was July 20.Georgias most populous county finds itself without a permanent IT leader, after its CIO stepped down earlier this month.Sallie Wright, Fulton Countys chief information officer of nearly three years, left to pursue other opportunities, the countys Department of External Affairs indicated in a news release. Her last day was Aug. 3, county spokesperson Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez confirmed toChief Financial Officer Sharon Whitmore will step in to provide oversight of the department while a job search for a permanent replacement is conducted, the county said. Wright , the former deputy CIO at Georgia State University, was hired by Fulton County in September 2015, and was identified by County Manager Dick Anderson in a news release then as being critical to helping the county realize the vision of being first in efficiency, service and impact.Her task, the county said recently, had been large: rebuild an IT organization and create a long-term technology roadmap  for the county that is home to the city of Atlanta  to become a digital government. The countys IT department supports services for 1 million residents and 5,000 employees.Among her accomplishments, Wright set up an IT Governance Council that established clear priorities across the enterprise; spearheaded the establishment of key deliverables in areas including security and internal support; and processes around property tax and the justice system. During Wrights tenure, the county also joined the White Houses data-driven justice initiative in 2016, and also carefully weighed the pros and cons of making health data public Technology is a critical component, touching everything from internal systems for a complex Justice and Courts operation, to customer-facing systems for water treatment infrastructure and voter registration and elections, the county manager said.Also this month, Anderson named C-level staffer Anna Roach as Fultons next chief operating officer. Roach, who joined Fulton County in November 2013, had served as its chief strategy officer since July 2015.Annas leadership and acumen as an administrator made her a natural fit for this role, Anderson said in a statement, calling her an innovator whose contributions to Fulton County have already accelerated our progress in areas of behavioral health, justice and performance management.Emergency responders in Maricopa County, Ariz., used to struggle with pinpointing the exact locations of 911 callers, especially those who were indoors.Liz Graeber, the 911 administrator for Maricopa, said the technology theyve used since 2005 provides an X-Y coordinate at best, but at worst all dispatchers get is the cell tower and the phone number that belongs to the caller in distress. That, however, has recently changed.Maricopa County is now one of more than 1,000 jurisdictions nationwide that has deployed RapidSOS NG911 Clearinghouse emergency platform, which allows emergency responders to access data from the existing software in millions of connected devices to better serve 911 callers. The company hasnt released a full list of software partners, but would theoretically look like is something like this: Youre in a car accident and you dial 911. The platform then gives emergency responders access to location data that youve enabled in one of your apps, allowing a fire truck and ambulance an instant and precise idea of where help is needed.Were still getting the data we used to get, Graeber said. None of that service has changed, but were getting additional supplemental information delivered by RapidSOS that will pinpoint the location more accurately than weve been able to in the past.This is especially useful for dispatchers who receive calls from residents who are indoors. In the past, for example, if someone had a medical emergency in a shopping mall, dispatchers would generally only be able to tell that they were in fact in the mall. Any other information would have had to be communicated verbally  which can present a problem for the severely injured or those who are imperiled by a live shooter.Now, however, Graeber said Maricopa emergency responders know exactly where a caller is within the mall, based on information that is crazy good.This will absolutely improve response times, Graeber said. If you talk to any 911 operator, they will all give you instances of a call theyve taken where theres been long delays because the caller has been new to an area or just visiting an area.Simply put, responders will no longer have to rely on rough estimates of locations of verbalized info. Graeber also described the training as simple, while noting that it is also ongoing because they have 1,000 people in their area who need to be trained on it. Maricopa is accomplishing this by training point people from various areas of work and sending them back to train their co-workers.The jurisdiction is also testing functionality that takes information from callers who are using ride sharing apps. Once entirely functional, the platform will likely be able to provide responders with a description of the vehicle and its license plates that a caller is riding in.Michael Martin, RapidSOS CEO, said that this is all provided to public safety agencies at no cost for receiving data because the company doesnt want to create a financial barrier between government and full adoption. The company noted in a press release that it is partnering with IoT companies in order to provide this data at no cost to public safety agencies. Martin also noted that the Federal Communications Commission estimates that more than 10,000 lives could be saved each year if 911 responders were better able to locate callers.This technology has quickly been instituted in more than 1,000 jurisdictions. So far, the partner companies that RapidSOS has announced include Apple, Uber and Waze.The technology was built with input from more than 4,000 public safety communications employees nationwide, which Martin and his team worked closely with during the past five years of development.(TNS)  HIGH POINT, N.C.  Phoenix Academy, a charter school in High Point, is installing a state-of-the-art $400,000 gunshot detection system, the first school in North Carolina with the technology, said school founder Paul Norcross.The school held a press event to unveil their new safety measures, with various city officials in attendance.The system is modeled after gunshot detection technology used in Iraq and Afghanistan by the U.S. military, according to Kendra Noonan with Shooter Detection Systems. The technology is credited with saving over 250 lives in the Middle East, she said.Noonan said the system has been tested for over a year in the United Kingdom and detects gunshots using acoustic technology and infrared sensors."The system needs to tell the difference between a locker slamming, a book dropping or a car backfiring," Noonan said. "The system detects the bang of the gun using acoustic microphones and the infrared flash of the weapon. Only when those two things happen does it sound the alarm."Once a shot is detected, 911 dispatchers are notified of the shot's location within the school and a shots fired call is automatically dispatched to police. In addition to the shots fired call, law enforcement will have access to cameras in the school that will broadcast from where the shots were fired, Noonan said.Chief of Police Ken Shultz said the system would help police tactically."One of the problems that always arises is the fact that communication, specifically the communication of accurate information is the most troubling issue that we have," Shultz said. "The quick release of information, the accurate information, we're very pleased with that."The system will not become fully integrated with High Point 911 dispatch until January, Norcross said. In the meantime, the system will be accessible through the superintendent's office in the school.Rep. John Faircloth (R) said that he would support funding to put the gunshot detection system in every school in North Carolina."We're finally seeing us coming into this period of our lives doing something about school safety with technology," Faircloth said. "If it works the way it's advertised then we are going to be implementing this across our country, and North Carolina. I'm going to do my very best to see that North Carolina participates fully in that. Because we should not have any parent in the morning seeing their child going off to school and thinking there's really not as much out there to protect my child as there could be."The California city Aug. 10 released preliminary rankings on e-scooter/e-bike applications submitted by mobility-share companies. The city has been accepting applications for four potential contracts to operate e-scooters and e-bikes, two contracts for each, within its limits.In the scooter category, the city ranked Lyft and Jump (owned by Uber) in the top two spots, respectively. Lime was listed fourth, while Bird came in 10th. Neither Lyft nor Jump currently operate scooters anywhere, while Bird and Lime have had their two-wheelers on Santa Monicas streets for months now.Both, therefore, organized a dark day for their services on Tuesday, Aug. 14 in protest. No one was able to unlock the scooters, in order to give residents a taste of what it would be like if the companies were not allowed to operate in their cities. They also began promoting the hashtag #LifeWithoutScooters For bikes, Lyft and Jump again took the top two spots, while Lime came in fourth (Bird does not offer bike-share services). Fridays announcement was not the citys final decision, which will be revealed Aug. 30.(TNS)  With their collections of personal data such as social security numbers and voter information, county governments can be just as appealing to hackers as private businesses.That's why Madison County, Ill.'s Information Technology department has asked county board members to approve $39,990 for an authorized hack of the county's systems.The intentional hack is known as a "penetration test," and it tests the security of the county's information systems to reveal any potential weaknesses.Cybersecurity made its way into the limelight in recent years after data breaches at several high-profile companies and government bodies, including the Illinois State Board of Elections, electronics company Sony and credit reporting agency Equifax, to name a few. Russian interference in United States elections has also raised public awareness about cybersecurity since 2016."Part of a solid data security is understanding your weaknesses," Madison County IT Director Rob Dorman said. "We want to make sure they (taxpayers) don't have to worry about their data being stolen by a hostile actor."Connecticut-based JANUS Associates will perform the test. Board members will consider a contract with the company at Wednesday's County Board meeting.Madison County has not had an independent test done previously, Dorman said, leaving the IT department in the dark as far as what information is at risk.The test hasn't been scheduled yet, Dorman said, but a date will be set if board members approve funding.Like what?

(TNS)  California election officials are guarding their voting machines and registration lists against Russian hackers  although no one has spotted any.I operate under the assumption that hacking is actually happening and California is a target, Secretary of State Alex Padilla says.This year, theres a big focus on several congressional races that could determine the House majority. The stakes in California have national implications.But would the Russians actually try to change election outcomes?I have no doubt that if they could, they would, says Padilla, a Democrat whos heavily favored to win reelection in November.Hacking into Californias voting system and altering votes, however, is considered by most experts to be practically impossible. Thats because voting machines arent hooked up to the internet. State law forbids it. A hacker might attack one machine but couldnt reach into the entire vote-collecting system.We invited the Department of Homeland Security to try to hack into our system, says Joe Holland, Santa Barbara Countys recorder-assessor and president of the state association of election officials. They stayed five days and couldnt do it.Voter registration lists are different, however.People are registered online. Records are connected to the internet. And hackers could break into those, says Matt Bishop, a UC Davis computer science professor. They could create chaos by disenfranchising voters.Why would Russians want to do that? To tick off Americans and undermine the credibility of U.S. elections  to further divide us and exacerbate political polarization. This was their goal in interfering with the 2016 presidential election  that and helping President Trump beat Hillary Clinton, who really irked Russian President Vladimir Putin.Fomenting discord also is achieved by spreading false information  fake news  on social media, including Twitter and Facebook.Everything from directing people to the wrong polling places  that happens, Padilla says. And theres the age-old tactic of trying to tell voters that the election is on a different date. Two years ago, they were saying that provisional ballots arent counted. Thats absolutely not true.Yes, there were lies flowing through the internet that thousands of boxes of provisional ballots were stacked in warehouses, never to be opened. Some people actually believed it.A provisional ballot is cast when someone shows up at a voting place and isnt listed on the precinct registration list. The voter might have gone to the wrong location. Rather than send the person packing, a provisional ballot is handed out. And the voter is checked out later.Well over 90% of provisional ballots check out and are counted, Padilla says.Los Angeles County Voter Registrar Dean Logan says, Theres also an ongoing myth that we dont count mail ballots unless its a close contest. We always count all ballots.No election official I talked with knew of any Russian hacking in California, but theyre on alert with 24/7 monitoring, they say.National security officials revealed last year that Russian hackers tried to break into 21 states election systems in 2016.California apparently wasnt one, despite an initial report by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency later corrected itself and said Russian hackers had actually scanned the state Department of Technologys network, not the secretary of States.Our notification [from Homeland Security] was not only a year late, Padilla complained at the time, it also turned out to be bad information.Late was common for the Obama administration in defending against cyberattacks in 2016.While the Americans dithered, the Russians feasted, New York Times national security correspondent David E. Sanger wrote in his new book, The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age. He was referring to Russians cracking the Democratic National Committees computer system, and he was critical of both the DNC and the FBI.Writing about the Russians social media campaign of misinformation and troublemaking, Sanger observed: To this day, no one can prove whether it actually affected the elections outcome  in fact, the dispute over its effects widened the political divide, as the Russians intended.In Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature recently appropriated $134 million to upgrade county voting systems and defend them against hackers.Padilla criticized the Republican-controlled Congress for rejecting a $250-million appropriation that would have helped states protect their voting systems.Intelligence officials have been crystal clear: our democracy is, and will continue to be, under attack by Russia and others, he said in a statement.Padilla noted that Congress simultaneously approved a $717 billion defense spending bill.Bolstering our election infrastructure is a matter of national security, he asserted.Republicans claimed the money for cyberattack defense wasnt needed.I know what we need for safe and secure elections, and thats voter ID, said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.Ah, yes, the old illegal voting myth  the cry that undocumented immigrants are stuffing the ballot box. Nonsense.After Trump got fewer popular votes than Clinton, but won the presidency in the electoral college, he claimed that millions of people voted illegally. He created a commission to prove his fantasy, but had to shut it down when no evidence was found.Voter fraud gets talked about in partisan circles and in the heat of campaigns, Logan says, but its just not borne out to be factual.Whats factual are Russian cyberattacks. California isnt dithering.Natural gas production in Egypt has been in decline, falling from a 2009 peak of 5.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) to 3.9 Bcf/d in 2016, based on estimates in BPs Statistical Review of World Energy. However, the startup of a number of natural gas development projects located offshore in the eastern Mediterranean Sea near Egypts northern coast has significantly altered the outlook for the regions natural gas markets, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Production from these projects could offset the growing need for natural gas imports to meet domestic demand, according to the Egyptian government.





Source: US EIA.

The West Nile Delta, Nooros, Atoll, and Zohr fields were fast-tracked for development by the Egyptian government and have begun production, providing a substantial increase to Egypts natural gas supply.

The Zohr fields estimated recoverable natural gas reserves of up to 22 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) would make it the largest natural gas field in the Mediterranean, based on company reports gathered by IHS Markit. The Zohr field is currently producing 1.1 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day and is expected to increase to 2.7 Bcf per day by the end of 2019.

Natural gas production in Egypt has declined largely as a result of relatively low investment, according to Business Monitor International research. Meanwhile, domestic demand for energy has grown, driven by economic growth, increased natural gas use for power generation, and energy subsidies. With the exception of small declines in 2013 and 2014, natural gas consumption has increased every year since at least 1990, and it is up 19% from 2009, when domestic production peaked.

Faced with growing demand and declining supply, Egypt had to close its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals to divert supply to domestic consumption. Egypt became a net natural gas importer in 2015, and although LNG exports resumed in 2016, Egypts net imports of natural gas continued to increase.

The Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) indicated that Egypt will still need to import small volumes of natural gas in the coming years, particularly for the power sector. MEES reported that the state-owned Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) awarded contracts that would add 25 gigawatts (GW) to total generation capacity, 70% of which would come from natural gas-fired projects. Three combined-cycle natural gas turbine power plants with a total capacity of 14.4 GW will collectively require as much as 2.0 Bcf/d of natural gas when they become fully operational in 2020.John Nguyen. Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Bad news for New Yorkers who love pho: Chef John Nguyen has left Hanoi House, the East Village restaurant thats been called (by Grub Street, and others) the best Vietnamese restaurant in New York. Unfortunately, this doesnt mean hes going to open another Vietnamese restaurant in the five boroughs. In an email sent this morning, Nguyen writes that he is leaving New York for Hong Kong to work for the Black Sheep Restaurants group.

Before I took the job in NYC, I was living in Chengdu for a year. My heart was always back in Asia. I went here to be here for one year, and one year became almost two years. I decided it was time for me to go back, Nguyen tells Grub over the phone. He says hell first join one of Black Sheeps existing restaurants (which is to be determined) so he can get used to working in Hong Kong. Then they are going to develop a new restaurant with me.

Opened last January by two alums of Stephen Starrs restaurant group, Ben Lowell and Sara Leveen, Hanoi House instantly became 2017s biggest sleeper hit. Adam Platt named it his fifth best restaurant of the year, Eater named Nguyen its chef of the year, and the New York Times Ligaya Mishan gave it a NYT Critics Pick.

The restaurant has been consistently packed since its early days, not just because Nguyens cooking is ambitious and high quality but because its also a fresh take in a city where good Vietnamese food is hard to come by. The chef grew up in California, and told Grub he didnt want his food to remind people so much of Vietnam but, instead, of his native Orange County. While the pho was Hanoi-style and some of New Yorks tastiest, the chef also cooks morning glory in brown-butter fish sauce, fried frogs legs in Cajun rice batter, and makes shaking steak and eggs for brunch.

We are very sad to see Chef John go. Im so glad we had one-and-half years together build Hanoi House. Since he started, Hong Kong has been pulling on the back of his shirt! Leveen wrote to Grub. Our sous chefs Daniel Le and Albert Nguyen are taking over. Theyre awesome and we wont skip a beat.

Still, this is a big loss for New Yorks restaurant scene. Nguyen, though, says he could return in a more limited capacity. He says that he, Lowell, and Leveen remain on good terms, and that they talked on Tuesday.

We might do a future project together. I would come back to consult for Ben and Sarah, he says. But aside from that I cannot imagine myself living here for more than six months. And the winter is coming. And I dont like winter here in New York.News

Sheikh Mohammed meets President of Seychelles at Expo 2020

His Highness discussed with the Seychelles President ways to enhance ties between the two countries, especially in the fields of economy, trade and tourism, in light of the efforts to facilitate smooth travel between the two countries and the restoration of normalcy in different regions of the world.



Haiti - FLASH : Argentina will impose a VISA for Haitians





In January 2018, the Argentinian Embassy estimated the number of Haitians in its territory to nearly 60,000, the majority of whom were students. The ambassador of Argentina accredited in Port-au-Prince, Pedro Cornelo Von Eyken then confirmed at the time "Haitians do not need a visa to visit Argentina as tourists for a stay of up to three months." Haitian tourists had until now to visit Argentina, have valid travel documents, a hotel reservation or a letter of accommodation and enough money for a stay not exceeding 90 days. For their part, students get a student visa that also allows them to work during their studies.



However, for the first 7 months of the year, the National Directorate of Migration in Argentina reports that the refusal to enter Argentine territory of Haitian citizens pretending to be a tourist but not fulfilling the required conditions and who have the unacknowledged intention to stay in Argentina beyond the 90 days allowed, increased by 500%.



Faced with this situation, Ambassador Pedro Cornelo Von Eyken confirmed this week that the National Directorate of Migration had took the decision to reinstate a tourist visa for Haitian citizens. This decision will come into effect at the end of August 2018.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24516-icihaiti-diaspora-minister-francois-in-argentina-and-chile.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20425-haiti-notice-argentina-offers-temporary-residence-to-haitian-victims.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16575-haiti-education-study-in-argentina-guide-for-the-haitian-student.html



TB/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - Heritage : 227th anniversary of the ceremony of Bois-Caiman





As part of the commemoration of the 227th anniversary of the Bois-Caiman ceremony (August 13-14, 1791 / August 13-14, 2018), the National Bureau of Ethnology (BNE) is organizing an exploratory mission to the North Department of Haiti to work on the preservation and enhancement of the historic and cultural sites of Cap-Haitien. In accordance with its mission of safeguarding and enhancing the intangible cultural heritage of Haiti, the BNE works to enhance the site of the "congres des clairieres" by its historical value, its cultural heritage, its cult dimension and its aesthetic strength.



The aim is to disseminate and publicize the historic site of Bois-Caiman as an intangible cultural heritage by the widest possible public.





In addition, the BNE did realize by the Ministry of Culture and Communication (MCC), the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage (ISPAN) and the National School of Arts (ENARTS), by four artists Haitians a symbolic fresco to commemorate the Ceremony of Bois Caiman, starting point of the Revolution of Santo Domingo for the Freedom of Slaves. The artists who made this fresco under the direction of the Director General of Enarts, Philippe Dodard are : Darius Mckenley, Reynard Beaufort, Francisco Silva and Jose Midi.







HL/ HaitiLibre

















Soini has come under heavy criticism over the past couple of days after he, in his personal blog, voiced his satisfaction with the fate of a bill that would have legalised abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy in Argentina. The Argentine Senate voted 38 against to 31 in favour of the historic bill after an over 15-hour debate last Wednesday.

Several members of the opposition have expressed their interest in determining whether Timo Soini (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, continues to enjoy the confidence of the Finnish Parliament.

Ville Niinisto (Greens) is one of several opposition members to respond to the blog post by calling for a motion of no confidence and urging the government to distance itself from the views of Soini, who according to him has shown his contempt for womens rights by advocating an absolute ban on abortion.

The government has failed to react, even though the actions are not in line with the position of Finland, he wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.

The National Coalitions [Petteri] Orpo and the Centres [Juha] Sipila have only twiddled their arms. A vote of confidence against the minister for foreign affairs would force the National Coalition and Centre to finally declare which is more important: womens rights or Soinis own objectives.

Both Orpo and Sipila have responded to the controversy by assuring that the government is committed to promoting the rights of women and girls. Sipila, however, has also reminded that cabinet members have a right to their personal opinion, provoking another outcry from opposition.

Touko Aalto, the chairperson of the Green League, and Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance, confirmed to STT on Monday that the opposition parties will weigh up a variety of measures to challenge the position of Soini in their party conferences later in August.

Andersson explained that the opposition has no choice but to take action given the prime ministers failure to do so.

I think also other opposition parties are ready to take action in this case, which means we may be talking about a motion of no confidence or another comparable measure, she commented to the news agency.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Roni Rekomaa  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi SuomiI promised to mull over my future during the summer. I have made my decision: I will run in the parliamentary elections next spring, he stated in his blog on Tuesday . My party will be Blue Reform and my electoral district Uusimaa, from which I was elected to the Parliament in 2011 and 2015.

Jussi Niinisto (BR), the Finnish Minister of Defence, has announced he will run in the parliamentary elections held in April 2019.

Niinisto, who received over 11,000 votes in the previous elections, said he is confident he will gain support from national defence-oriented voters in Uusimaa.

My campaign slogan was For a safe Finland, and Im eager to continue this work, he commented to YLE on Tuesday. My voters now have an opportunity to decide if I have been a good minister of defence.

The Blue Reform has struggled to make any notable gains in any of the major opinion polls conducted in Finland. YLE reported last week that popular support for the newly established party has dropped below the one per cent mark.

Niinisto insisted in his blog that he is not concerned by the bleak poll results.

The latest YLE poll has made me more determined. I originally joined the Finns Party at a time (2004), when its support rating started with one or zero in both elections and opinion polls. Parties have gotten back on their feet after being knocked down before  by having a credible agenda and diverse experience, by campaigning hard and having a tough fact-based approach, he wrote.

He also stated to the public broadcaster that 10 seats would be an acceptable result for the Blue Reform in 2019. The party currently has 18 seats in the Finnish Parliament.

The fate of the newly established party is billed to hinge on the decisions of its more recognised lawmakers. Timo Soini (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has yet to announce whether he will run in the upcoming elections, while Maria Lohela, a former Speaker of the Parliament, stated at the start of this month that she will not be up for re-election in 2019.

The parliamentary elections will be held on 14 April 2019.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Emmi Korhonen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi SuomiBy Mao Yuelin

New Chinese peacekeeping forces to Mali, Lebanon and other places passed the UN equipment inspections around August 6. The Chinese peacekeeping force who has always passed the UN inspections with high standard has become a role model of the UN peacekeeping forces. However, thirty years ago, few people would have imagined that Chinese peacekeepers would make such good progress.

China joined the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on December 6, 1988. Although the first detachment of Chinese military observers did not start to work until 1990, and the first Chinese peacekeeping force was not sent to Cambodia until 1992, the Chinese military and police forces have made considerable effort and sacrifice in the UN peacekeeping missions for 30 years.

As the Trump administration tries to withdraw from the UN affairs, Chinas presence in UN peacekeeping and other operations has been boosted due to its status as the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping. However, a question arose at the same time.

In the face of a seventy-year old "peacekeeping" system with various intertwined forces and seriously constrained by the existing mechanism, will China clean up the mess and fill in the gap left by the big power, or try to offer some fresh blood from its own perspective such as the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) within the framework of the peacekeeping mechanism?

Thirty years of glory and doubt

The year 2018 marks the 30th anniversary of Chinas participation in the UN peacekeeping mechanism.

China first dispatched observers to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in 1989 and sent five UN military observers to the Middle East for the first time in 1990. It also sent a mission of 47 military observers and 400 engineering peacekeepers to Cambodia in 1992, signifying the establishment of the Chinese force to the UN peacekeeping forces. However, the move also set the tone for the Chinese peacekeeping force as a kind of construction troops for quite some time.

According to the information, Chinas peacekeeping force in Cambodia was mainly involved in engineering projects, or some simple road construction works. As soon as the Chinese peacekeeping force arrived in Cambodia, its task was to repair Highway 4 and Highway 6, two domestic traffic arteries in the country. Chinese soldiers participated in repairing road pavement as well as six seriously-damaged bridges on Highway 4, and mine-sweeping operations during road construction, etc.

Under the obligation of the traditional military discipline of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the friendship between the Chinese and the Cambodian peoples, the Chinese peacekeeping force in Cambodia never violated any rule or regulation such as rape like the peacekeeping forces of other nations.

The self-disciplined Chinese peacekeeping force was well respected by the local people who often brought vegetables, meat, coconut water and bananas for them during the field constructions or marching.

It was dangerous to enter into Cambodia with the unsanitary local condition, where political factions were intensive, resulting to the initial casualties of the Chinese peacekeepers in 1992.

We all know that war kills countless heroes. Is it worthwhile for the Chinese people, to see their soldiers sacrifice for rehabilitating the battlefield that has nothing to do with China? This is a question that has always been asked by the military and police forces sent by China.

After the operations in Cambodia, China gradually increased its participation in the United Nations' Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) in the following years.

China stated that it agreed in principle to the United Nations Standby Arrangement Systems (UNSAS) in May 1997, signifying Chinas positive attitude towards "peacekeeping". Two years later, the Chinese police force participated in the UNPKO as well as civil or commanding operations in de-escalation areas such as East Timor, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Haiti.

Furthermore, China established the Office of Peacekeeping Affairs under the Ministry of National Defense in 2001 and joined the first-class standby mechanism for UNPKO in February 2002, confirming that China could complete sending troops overseas within 90 days. Chinas presence in UN peacekeeping has drastically increased.

Thereafter, China sent hundreds of engineer, transport and medical detachments to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sudan's Darfur. It was not until 2013 that China sent security forces with self-defense capabilities in Mali's peacekeeping operations, but this did not guarantee absolute safety and security of Chinese peacekeepers in complex local situations.

Considering the issues remained in Mali are mainly related to the colonial and tribal entanglements from the imperialist period, the Chinese public has kept questioning if it is worthwhile for Chinese soldiers to fight for and die for causes unrelated to China.

What should China do?

Chinas overseas peacekeeping force rose to a battalion after 2017. This has reflected China's commitment to more international responsibilities and deep participation in international peacekeeping, and showed that the international peacekeeping capability of the Chinese military rose to a new height, which allowed the Chinese peacekeeping force to cope with more challenges and play a greater role.

In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping committed 8,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping standby force. China ranks 11th in the world in terms of contributing to the number of peacekeeping troops, and is also the country with the largest number of peacekeeping troops among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

In addition, China has funded amounted to 800 million US dollars to the UNPKO, second only to the US which contributes to more than 28% of the budget. This means that China is likely to have greater voice in a series of peacekeeping operations in the future. If the Chinese military personnel can also serve as higher-level international peacekeeping commanders, it will also benefit the PLA.

However, the 70-year history of the peacekeeping operations means that the "peacekeeping forces" may not limit to peacekeeping missions only. As a matter of fact, the situation in Africa and other places has already shown that peacekeeping operations are bloody international intervention in which big powers pay money and offer munitions and poor countries offer lives. China does not want to see such situations but can hardly avoid it.

China sent a peacekeeping force to Mali in 2013 and combat troops to South Sudan to protect civilians a year later. These actions generated positive feedback on Chinas image that was previously criticized by the Western media. As a country that was once affected by semi-colonial and semi-feudalism and rather resistant to the presence of foreign troops, China hopes African countries can handle the problems themselves in future.

As early as 2015, China had promised to the African Union (AU) to provide 100 million US dollars in aid to support the establishment of standing army and crisis-response force in Africa. This was finally fulfilled by September 2017, it showed, however, that China never gave up its commitment to offer some beneficial supplement other than the peacekeeping mechanism.

In this way, although historical issues remain problems for the future, Chinese peacekeeping operations will bring benefits to China's economic strategies in Africa and other countries. The 30-year history of Chinese Blue Helmets is clearly a valuable asset to the Chinese military, and China will keep the Blue Helmets in the way it wants in years to come.

Disclaimer: The author is Mao Yuelin. The article was translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Chinamil.com.cn does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. If the article carries photographs or images, we do not vouch for their authenticity.As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.US President Donald Trump signed the $716 billion National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019 on Monday. It authorizes another 2.3 percent military expenditure rise following the 13 percent increase of 2018, becoming the most significant investment in the US military "in modern history," as Trump said.

People believe the act targets Russia and China. It is an aggressive act that mentions the Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, Chinese investment in the US and even Confucius Institutes.

The act greatly expands the Pentagon's power, probably making it the defense department which has the largest power in the world. Maybe only the Japanese military once owned such great power in history, and in this context, the US is being more militaristic.

There weren't any troops that dared challenge the US even before it raised its military expenditure, not to mention today.

China acknowledges US military strength and would never initiate an attack on a US military base in the way the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. China will never challenge the US militarily. We believe that Russia and other countries regarded as "threats" by the US also think the same way.

Consequently, US national security is strongly fortified and the American people should feel secure and satisfied. If some American elites still feel unsafe, then they are greedy about their security. The security they seek doesn't exist in this world. It is beyond even the reach of God.

Trump has further reinforced the US military, and it has become unapproachable in military modernization and strength worldwide.

However, it would be another story were Washington to target Beijing. What Washington pursues is the destruction of China's national security, not the protection of its own national security.

If one of the act's purposes is to contain China, then the US needs to defeat China in spirit and $716 billion would be far from enough.

The act mentioned deepening US defense cooperation with Taiwan. Is the US supporting the pro-independence Taiwan authorities and trying to split the island off from China? If so, the US must have underestimated the expenditure because Taiwan, as a part of China, is far more expensive.

Chinese troops never intended to start a war with the US in the remote sea or land and Chinese society loves peace. But if the US thinks it can make trouble at China's doorstep by increasing military expenditures, then the Chinese people have the determination to protect their core interest and force the US to stay back.

Although China's military expenditures are far less than the US, they are enough to protect China's core interests. If not, China has the ability to increase them anytime. US and China's defense spending accounts for 4 percent and 1.3 percent of their GDP respectively, which shows China's love of peace and its ability to increase the spending as well.

No one should have the ambition to defeat China by using military approaches in the 21st century. Before Washington makes any radical decisions, it should evaluate its own power.Music Copyright is one of the most important concepts for musicians. Its how you get paid for your music and how you protect the music youve worked so hard on.

But its also really confusing

Without the help of a music lawyer, the ins-and-outs of copyright are tough to figure out on your own.

Which is why we spoke to music attorney Mark Quail to help clear up some of the confusion around music copyrights, and help you get a handle on your intellectual property.

Quail has been practicing music law since 1990. He currently advises leading electronic musicians Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Art Department, John Acquaviva, Matador, Pleasurekraft, Mathew Jonson and Shaun Frank. Quail also sits on the executive and advisory board for the Association for Electronic Music and hosts the successful The Music Law Podcast.

In other words, he knows music law inside and out. Quail took time to answer the most important questions about music copyright and how they impact getting paid for your music.

What is music copyright?

Music Copyright is the set of rights granted by your countrys government for the intellectual property (music) you create. Each country has different variations on the rights granted. But they all exist to help you control what youre able to do with your song or recording, who can and cant exploit your work for profit, and how you get paid for your music.

Music Copyright is the set of rights granted by your countrys government for the intellectual property (music) you create.

What are the types of musical copyright?

There are two separate forms of music copyright:

The copyright covering the song (sometimes called the composition) The copyright covering the recording of that song (sometimes called the master)

These two copyrights can be owned by two separate parties.

For example: Bob Dylan wrote the song All Along The Watchtower, recorded it and released it via his record label.

When people bought that record, Dylan earned royalties from the exploitation of his copyright covering the composition and the recording.

Jimi Hendrix also made a recording of the song All Along The Watchtower. When people bought Hendrixs version, he received royalties for the exploitation of his copyright covering the recording, while Bob Dylan got paid for the exploitation of his copyright in the song.

By recording and releasing his own version of All Along the Watchtower, Hendrix was exploiting Dylans composition copyright. Dylans composition copyright ensured that he was still getting paid for his original work.

How do I copyright music?

In the US and Canada copyright applies immediately when you complete a song and fix it in some form like writing it out in sheet music or recording it on a physical medium like a hard drive or tape.

Applying a copyright notice to your work isnt mandatory (more on this below). But officially applying for a copyright registration can help if someone is looking for who to contact if they want to ask for permission to exploit your work.

A copyright notice in the following format would be satisfactory for a song:

 Songwriter name(s) and the year.

A copyright notice in the following format would be satisfactory for a recording:

 Name of recorded master owner and the year.

In the US and Canada copyright applies immediately when you complete a song and fix it in some form.

If you want to get the maximum protection made possible by the applicable laws, (for example: court awarded money damages in an infringement lawsuit) you need to register your work with the applicable governmental office in your country.

For more information visit the US or Canadian copyright registration resources.

What rights does my music copyright cover?

What your copyright covers depends on what your countrys copyright statutes and laws provide.

Most copyright laws typically give you control over what you can do with your work, and what you can stop others from doing if they try to exploit your work without your consent.

The most common rights covered are:

The right to make copies/reproductions

The right to sell your work

The right to adapt your work

The right to license your work

The right to perform, broadcast or transmit your work

For more information about intellectual property visit the US or Canadian copyright sites.

Do I have to register my music copyright?

Not necessarily.

In Canada and the US copyright arises on completion of the work as long as you have it fixed in some mediumnot just an idea in your head.

In Canada and the US copyright arises on completion of the work as long as you have it fixed in some mediumnot just an idea in your head.

But if you want to get the maximum protection for your copyright, and provide a way for people to contact you about using your work, you need to register your music with your countrys copyright office.

How does music copyright impact how I get paid for my music?

A music copyright provides you with rights for your intellectual property that are similar to other property rights.

Just like the type of property that you can hold in your hand, the concept of copyright permits you to sell your music, give others permission to use your music or restrict others from exploiting your intellectual property without your permission.

Getting paid for your copyrights can take on many forms.

Getting paid for your copyrights can take on many forms.

The most common ways to earn money from the use of your copyrights is in the form of streaming royalties, downloaded files, appearances of the record as part of a movie or in a video game and performances on radio or at a live concert.

Remember, the song thats on those recordings also earns money from those sources.

How do I make sure Im getting all my royalties?

How the money flows to you takes on many forms as well. There are many administrators worldwide who facilitate payment from these varying uses to you, the copyright holder.

They include:

These entities collect money from all parties who use music like radio stations, online music streaming services, digital download retailers, movie theatres, restaurants and disperse that money to the copyright owners.Spotify Adds Songwriter, Producer Credits To iOS App, Promises Corrections, More Data

After adding songwriter and producer credits to its desktop app in February, Spotify has finally added them to its iOS app, amid increasing pressure to improve the accuracy of its metadata and add additional credits.

There is no word on when credits will be added to the Spotify Android app.

The iOS app upgrade comes at a time when the streamer is coming under pressure to improve the accuracy of the credits that it displays, as well. "We realize some of the label-provided credits are incomplete or may contain inaccuracies," Spotify said in a statement back in February, "but this is just the first step in displaying songwriter credits on Spotify. The feature will continually evolve to become more efficient, provide better functionality, and incorporate more information from industry partners over time."

An Instagram post (below) from Alfons Karabuda, composer and Chairman of the European Composer & Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) from Spotify HQ says that plans to improve and expand credits are well underway. Key to that initiative is to draw data from music publishers and PROs, and not just record labels.

Currently, song and producer credits can only be corrected via the record label or distributor. An informal review of credits for independent artists found many credits were incomplete or missing entirely.

Share on:The three Democratic candidates for Berkshire district attorney face off in a crowded Becket Town Hall on Tuesday night. State Sen. Adam Hinds moderates the district attorney debate. PreviousNext

Candidates Double Down on Talking Points in DA Debate In Becket



Candidate Andrea Harrington says what she brings is the ability to inspire change in an office she doesn't believe has been serving the community well enough. BECKET, Mass.  Rebecca Moulton had a restraining order against her then-boyfriend David Vincent in 2009 and she had left the apartment the pair shared.

Later she was found beaten to death in that apartment.

Paul Caccaviello was the first assistant district attorney at the time and took the lead prosecution and he kept coming back to one question, "why was she there?"

And the answer was because Vincent had threatened her pet bird.

Vincent was ultimately convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in jail. The pair had been involved in the local drug culture, there was a history of domestic abuse, and there was now an aspect of animal abuse  a wide array of aspects going into the prosecution that was all somehow linked together.

It is the case Caccaviello said he continues to come back to when he tries to determine how to handle the prosecution of other cases or how to work with victims. It's why he is supportive of not only a domestic violence unit but a unit that is also linked to the animal abuse unit and linked to the child abuse unit. He sees how all of those various aspects can tie together and he uses the experiences he's had to determine the best way to move forward on a case-by-case basis.

"This is the case I draw from," Caccaviello said.

He told that story at Becket Town Hall on Tuesday in another debate when all three candidates for district attorney were asked for one specific case that stood out for them.

Caccaviello, the handpicked successor of David Capeless with some 27 years of experience, doubled down on his experience during the debate, which has been his major talking point throughout the campaign. In answering questions, Caccaviello leaned heavily on that experience  that what he's been doing for years has led him to have the right judgment and decision making qualities to be the county's chief prosecutor.

"I am the only professional prosecutor sitting at this table," he said.

But what has his time in the district attorney's office actually done for Berkshire County? His challenger Andrea Harrington questioned the effectiveness of the office Caccaviello has been working in.

The defense attorney from Richmond said overdose deaths have risen from just a few per year to 38 from 2002 to 2016. North Adams has the highest crime rate per capita, with Pittsfield following in ninth place, and Berkshire County has a 23 percent higher rate of restraining orders  and an increased number of domestic homicides than in other places in the state.

"There is a huge opportunity in the district attorney's office to take a new approach," Harrington said.

Harrington said the office has been based on a "pitbull prosecutor mentality" and it hasn't worked. Harrington said she'll prioritize a new approach to get the lower-level offenders out of the court system and into treatment and social programs, work with community partners on prevention programs, and "go hard" on sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence.

"We need to have somebody with good judgment and good values, who can distinguish between people who belong in jail and those who need help," Harrington said. Harrington and Caccaviello have been going at each other in a similar fashion for months, and the political maneuvering has gotten nasty in what is expected to be a tight three-way race. But that nastiness didn't show its face in Becket on Tuesday, though some were certainly expecting fireworks. The two more experienced attorneys were quick to pounce on Harrington when she seemed to stumble on felony arraignments, but no one mentioned the report that there had been political maneuvering to try to push one of the two women out of the race.



Judith Knight portrays herself as the best of both worlds: the candidate with both experience and a progressive agenda.

As Harrington and Caccaviello have been fiercely campaigning against each other, Judith Knight is finding a niche right between what divides them. She has brought forward progressive platform and but does so with some experience working in a prosecutor's office.

In what was essentially a home game Tuesday night as her supporters seemed to outnumber the others, Knight made her case that while Caccaviello does have experience, he hasn't pushed progressive and newer ideas. And that while Harrington is progressive, she lacks the experience to implement her policies.

The Great Barrington defense attorney has served on both sides of the courtroom  with 30 years in law, five of those as a prosecutor  and says she is the one who can and will put the state's new criminal justice reform bill into practice on the local level.

The case Knight keeps in mind is when she represented Kyle Sawin, a teenager who was part of 19 others arrested for selling marijuana on school grounds in Great Barrington. She said the district attorney's office, the same one Caccaviello works in, came down hard on the kid and tried to enforce the mandatory minimum sentence of two years in jail.

She said that while he had some problems to deal with, jail wasn't the answer. She got him acquitted.

"If he had gone for a two-year mandatory minimum, I don't know where he would be today," Knight said.

She believes in getting treatment for people who need it rather than sending them to jail. She believes in eliminating mandatory minimum sentences. She believes in bail reform. She said there are plenty of ways to reform the criminal justice system and introduce new ideas but the former Capeless administration didn't do it.

It was 12 years ago when she put all of those ideas into a platform and challenged Capeless for the district attorney job but was unsuccessful. Now, the state has passed a criminal justice reform bill bringing forth those ideas and there is an appetite for it.

While she challenged Caccaviello for his lack of taking on progressive ideas in the past, she also took a shot at Harrington saying she hasn't been dedicated to bringing these ideas to the district attorney's office in the past  painting Harrington as someone seeking any elected office because she had run for a state Senate seat just two years ago.

"I'm not a politician and, unlike Mrs. Harrington, I have not run for another office and will not run for another office," Knight said. "Look at my history  12 years ago I was fighting this fight and I am still fighting this fight."

All three candidates have voiced support for the state's criminal justice reform bill. All three are supportive of diversion programs. All three approve of bail reform. But Harrington said she has the leadership qualities that the others don't have. She has the ability to inspire.

"I like to build things," Harrington said, highlighting her efforts to build a statewide practice in which she is not only working on all types of cases  from civil lawsuits to consumer protections to family court to criminal defense  but also doing the marketing, working with other attorneys, and handling the business aspects.

She pointed to what she's built as a campaign with a strong enthusiastic group of supporters and putting in the effort to knock on doors, meet people, and build a coalition around her ideas. She said she is "hard-charging and aggressive."

And that's what she says she brings to the office  momentum and dedication to the ideals of the criminal justice reform.

If Harrington wins the Democratic primary on Sept. 4  the election which will decide the next district attorney since there are no challengers on the November ballot  she'll head right to work on Sept. 5 to start "building a modern district attorney's office."

Harrington said her first task will be to create a transition team consisting of people within and outside of the current district attorney's office. It will include community leaders and meetings with staff. She'll find out the staff member's interests and how they can support the organization and craft plans to best utilize them. She said clearly define the mission of the office and start enacting everything she's talked about in the campaign.

By Sept. 5, 2019, she said she'll expect a formal diversion program enacted, a citizens advisory board created, and communities will have a lot more resources for crime prevention and treatment programs.

Caccaviello, now the district attorney, said he's already started that and he's already updated the office's website and is developing a Facebook page to provide more "reasonable transparency."

He said his next task will be to create a hate crime program, he'd like to expand the existing community outreach program which gets into schools and teacher life and leadership skills. And he wants to bolster the office's collaboration on tackling the opioid issues.

"There are courses where essentially they are giving our a skill set to our younger generation to make critical decisions," Caccaviello said of the outreach programs.

Knight's first day will focus on going through the paperwork of cases and staff already there. She'll have criteria for what circumstances would make somebody eligible for a diversion program, implement one, and work to settle all of those cases with the program. She'd work with putting staff members in areas which best suit them.



Paul Caccaviello continued to emphasize that he has the most experience in the office. Next, she'd be looking at drug seizure money and start looking to dedicate that money toward helping bring more drug treatment services to the county and to use some of it to help build a community center in Pittsfield.

Caccaviello said he'd "lead by example," when asked about his management style and he said he encourages younger prosecutors to use the veterans prosecutors as a resource and as someone who can answer questions. He said the office has a very effective program bringing in the newest attorney's into Pittsfield District Court where there is the most help from others, then to North Adams, and then to Southern Berkshire.

"I will lead by example. I currently carry a caseload," Caccaviello said, adding that is what he is currently doing as he directly managed the superior court staff for 14 years at the first assistant district attorney and now the district attorney  a job he got when Capeless stepped down early to allow Caccaviello to run as an incumbent.

Harrington said she'll set high standards for staff. She said in her 15 years of practicing law she's realized "how incredibly challenging and incredibly stressful" the job can be at times. She'd create a positive work environment for the prosecutors and be honest with them.

"I treat people the way I want to be treated. I want people to be honest with my performance," Harrington said.

She also supports bringing a more diverse skill set, experiences, and backgrounds to the office.

"We get much better decision making and outcomes when we have diverse groups of people making decisions," she said.

That diversity of experience is what Harrington said she brings to the table. In law school, she was inspired to go to Florida and work on death row cases. In the appellate court, she was going through every aspect of a completed case and basically reinvestigating each case. She looked for the false eyewitness, false confessions, examined if there were issues with the evidence.

In one case she found a man with schizophrenia who had been convicted and she went back and got records dating back as early as preschool and documented "an incredibly abusive homelife." That case is the one that stuck with her as it shows that a lot of money is going toward imprisonment when sometimes the person needs a different type of service to treat the cause.

"We could see how this unfolded and led to a tragedy. Those cases have stayed with me and have stayed with me my entire career," Harrington said.

Knight has some diversity in her experience herself. Not only was she a prosecutor in Middlesex County, where at one point she managed the Jury of Six, and then a defense attorney, but she also spent time managing Blantyre. She said the owner of the luxury hotel was terminally ill and asked her to run it and sell it. She managed more than 70 employees and was able to keep the hotel operating, kept the employees on board, and sold it as a hotel and not for developers to become condominiums.

She said she'd manage employees in the way she was trained, by trusting them, expecting that they are there for the right reasons and ensuring that everybody understands it is a team approach. And she'd implement an inherent bias training program to help increase understanding of diversity.

More About Each Candidate:Julia Dixon, current chairman of the Public Arts Commission, speaks against the changes to the commission's authorizing ordinances as proposed by Mayor Thomas Bernard. Dixon was one of a half-dozen in the audience to object to the amendments. Former arts commissioner Erica Manville says the commission was designed to be 'mayor proof.' PreviousNext

North Adams Arts Commission Authority Change Draws Protest



Commissioner William Blackmer tells the council that its intentions in writing the ordinance for the arts commission was clear. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Advocates of the Public Arts Commission pushed back Tuesday night against proposed changes that would put more authority into the hands of the mayor.

Mayor Thomas Bernard submitted an amended ordinance to the City Council that removes the commission's control on approving public art installations, turning it into a recommending body on par with certain other city boards, and also addressing a host of grammatical and word changes and clarifications.

The City Council voted to refer the amended ordinance to a joint meeting of the General Government Committee and the Public Arts Commission.

"This places all decisions regarding public art in the hands of a single elected official," said Julia Dixon, the commission's current chairman who said she was not speaking as the body's representative. "Ask yourself, is it better to enable the agenda of one or balance the agendas of several. What if the next mayor ... doesn't want to be the decision maker of public art in the city or, worse, is opposed to public art?"

The mayor said his reasoning was that there was confusion about the role of the Public Arts Commission, in particular about art installations prior to the commission's creation because the city never established ownership of those works, and there were now contracts that had to be signed off on. The current ordinance also gave the arts commission greater authority than other boards, he said.

"I really believe that the advisory role of the commission is broadly representative and almost always definitive. So this is not about a veto power for the commission, it is about adding an appropriate step to the process," Bernard told the City Council. "And it's being consistent with other boards and commission."

He referenced the Parks and Recreation, Human Services and Windsor Lake commissions that act as recommending bodies to the mayor's office. "This is really about bringing this board in line with other boards and commissions."

The artist contract developed by the arts commission is a "good document," he said, but place obligations on city departments, such as public works, which fall under the direction of the mayor's office. "I think it's important to make the advisory role of this commission clear going forward."

The two largest changes the mayor proposes in the ordinance would direct the commission's recommendations on arts programs and policies to the mayor rather than the City Council and gives the mayor  not the commission  approval over acquisitions, installations, displays and removals of art. A third sets the term of installation at five years but gives the city the right to remove it "at any time when deemed necessary."

"In his edits, the commission's role changes from a decision making body to an advisory body," said Dixon. "This is neither insignificant nor clarifying. Before reviewing or ratifying these changes, it is important to understand from the public arts commissioner's perspective, the political impact of this change in authority."

The proposal has sparked opposition within the community and fears that the administration is trying to undermine an ordinance specifically made to be "mayor proof."

"This isn't old. We don't have to look to 1776 if we're wondering what the intent was," said William Blackmer, a founding commissioner. "What the council crafted is only a couple years old, you can actually ask the founding councilors and members what they were trying to achieve. ... There wasn't an error in writing that. The council wrote that, it went through the solicitor and the solicitor approved it."

The council didn't make a mistake in giving the authority to the commission, he said, "they didn't want to go through the two-year cycle and leave it up to any Tom, Dick or Harriet, whoever was in the office to say yes, no, thumbs up, thumbs down."

In response to the mayor's reference to Parks and Rec and Windsor Lake, Blackmer pointed to the Airport Commission and the Historical Commission, both of which have specific authority outside the mayor's purview.

The Public Arts Commission was established in 2016 by Mayor Richard Alcombright to take the decision making over public arts projects off his plate. The ordinance was drafted over months of meetings and the ability of its members to hold off against a disapproving mayor was foremost in the minds of the council and the commission's founders and exemplified by the five-year staggered terms of its members.

Speakers in the audience  and several city councilors  expressed concern that now the decision on what is art would be determined by one person.

"I went to art school and I still can't tell you what art is," Erica Manville, a Drury High art teacher and a founding and former member of the commission. "Art isn't for one person to decide what it is art, it is for the public."

She said the commission's role was to work on behalf of the public. The goal of the ordinance from the first had been "to make it mayor proof," she noted. "It's more than a symbolic change."

The elephant in the room  as several people called out  is the painting over of community art on the pillars underneath the Veterans Memorial Bridge by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. President Keith Bona said he didn't want to make it about the pillars but rather saw the situation as a "good learning lesson" when it comes to public arts issues.

But Vincent Melito and Joseph Smith spoke specifically to the mayor's refusal to consider testing to see if the art could be restored as an indication of the problems with singular authority. (The Public Arts Commission, which has initially seemed in favor of the idea, voted in the end against it.)

Councilors Jason LaForest, Rebbecca Cohen (who both brought up the pillars) and Marie T. Harpin, who stated she was against the amendment, all expressed reservations on the changes, saying they had heard from residents and former councilors.

Councilor Wayne Wilkinson, however, cautioned that the councilors shouldn't be making up their minds before the ordinance was even reviewed by the General Government Committee.

At the end of the meeting, the mayor thanked the public and officials for airing their concerns and said he was "philosophically aligned" those speaking for an inclusive, participatory process. However, he saw it more as a procedural matter related to contractual matters.

Bona thought the arts too far ingrained in the city at this point for any official to be able to limit or eliminate its influence.

"I think there's a fear that the mayor will stop art from happening here," Bona said. "If that happens, I think the mayor won't happen here."

Public Arts Commission Ordinance Amendments by iBerkshires.com on ScribdJaimeo Brown and his ensemble, Transcendence, comes to Mass MoCA on Saturday, Aug. 18.

Unique Musical Shows Coming to Berkshires This Week



'Gotta Dance: New Faces for Broadway' comes to Jacob's Pillow on Aug. 19.

It's an unusual week for music in the Berkshires, with one-offs on offer at two of the major venues in the county. Don't miss these unique shows!

Jacob's Pillow

A benefit at Jacob's Pillow called "Gotta Dance: New Faces for Broadway is among the highlights of the summer at the Pillow near Becket.

With an onstage band, the show, once called "A Jazz Happening," was created by director/choreographer Chet Walker, playwright Shaun McKenna and composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz features original numbers that provide a chance for all to see new work being readied for the Broadway stage.

The show includes an onstage band and is set for 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Pillow's Ted Shawn Theatre. More information is on the Pillow website.

Guthrie Center

If you didn't know who he was, you surely know his songs. The Guthrie Center presents a tribute to legendary songwriter Doc Pomus, whose hits included "Save the Last Dance for Me and "This Magic Moment.

Led by Marshall Crenshaw, Willie Nile and Christine Ohlman, the show will have you singing along Saturday, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. Info online.

Mass MoCA

The North Adams art museum continues its expanded series of shows with Jaimeo Brown and his ensemble, Transcendence, on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. The music, with his collaborators Chris Sholar and Jaleel Shaw, is described as a melange of jazz, hip hop and blues.

It will be outdoors, weather permitting, and is presented in "confluence with Allison Janae Hamilton's exhibit "Pitch" at the museum. There's a political message here: the show includes Brown's "Work Songs, sampling the music of the jailhouse, the coal mine and the gandy dancer. The idea, says Brown, is that songs can transcend oppression and constraints on creativity. Check out the website for details.

Tanglewood

As part of the Saturday, Aug. 18, program at the Shed at 8 p.m., the Boston Symphony Orchestra performs "Fancy Free, a fully staged version of the irresistible jazz ballet by Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins that rocketed the two to stardom in 1944. The Boston Ballet under artistic director Mikko Nissinen will do the dancing while maestro Andris Nelsons conducts the BSO. Info on Tanglewood's website.

Barrington Stage

And speaking of Bernstein, the production of "West Side Story, which was greeted with ecstatic reviews, continues through Sept. 1 at the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage in Pittsfield. It's perhaps the greatest musical ever directed with verve and professionalism by Juilianne Boyd and scintillating choreography reproduced by Robert La Fosse.

If you have not seen it in a while (or ever), here's your chance. Find all the schedule and ticket information online.

And there's more ...

The lounge at the Gateways Inn in Lenox features easy-going music just about every night from 7:30 p.m. on. So does the Lion's Den at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, with a different performer every night starting at 8 or 9 p.m. seven nights a week. Info online.

The Town of Great Barrington Summer Concert Series barrels ahead with a free concert Friday, Aug. 17, by First Take Band with MaryAnn Palermo, which styles itself as funk and blues. The music runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at the Gazebo behind Town Hall.

The Egremont Barn at the Egremont Village Inn hosts Peter Mulvey with special guest Jenny Rubin on Friday, Aug. 17, and Honeysuckle with Sam Moss, a progressive folk act on Saturday, Aug. 18. Info on the website.Pianist Yefim Bronfman comes to Tanglewood on Friday, Aug. 17.

Enjoy Great Music at Tanglewood, Sevenars, Tannery Pond



Cellist Yo-To Ma returns to Tanglewood on Sunday, Aug. 19.

Come late August, classical aficionados are grateful for the cornucopia of musical riches the Boston Symphony Orchestra bestows to rapt audiences within the incomparably bucolic setting that is Tanglewood. Many of those superlative concerts will reside in our collective memory for a long time.

During this penultimate week of the Tanglewood Music Festival, the spotlight will focus on a range of classical fare in varied genres: from chamber and solo piano music by Beethoven, Brahms, Britten and Mahler to symphonic works by Beethoven, Copland, Bartok and Shostakovich. A special treat  part of Tanglewood's "Bernstein Centennial Summer" - will be the Boston Ballet performing Jerome Robbins' "Fancy Free."

Looking ahead, these last two months of magnificent music making are but a prelude to the fall array of area classical offerings on the horizon  mostly chamber music - at Tannery Pond in New Lebanon, N.Y., into September, and at South Mountain Concerts in Pittsfield, also in September and continuing into October. Look for a preview of the upcoming five South Mountain Concerts in next week's "Classical Beat."

Tanglewood

 Wednesday, Aug. 15, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall: Pianist Igor Levit joins the JACK Quartet - an innovative string quartet dedicated to championing contemporary music - for a thematic program of music with political overtones - oppression, revolution and renewal. The concert begins with Mr. Levit performing Beethoven's "Variations and Fugue in E-flat," Op. 35, ("Eroica") with the musical theme taken from the finale of the composer"s Symphony No. 3, with its programmatic ties to Napoleon. Mr. Levit will be joined by the JACK Quartet and baritone Douglas Williams, reciter, for Schoenberg's "Ode to Napoleon," Op. 41, a setting of Lord Byron's powerful statement against Napoleon's tyrannical ambition. Concluding the concert will be contemporary American composer Frederic Rzewski's epic solo piano work "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!" - 36 variations on a Chilean workers protest song.

 Thursday, Aug. 16, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall: The phenomenal Skride String Quartet presents a program that opens with Gustav Mahler's rarely heard Piano Quartet in A minor, in one movement - the only piece, though uncompleted, of surviving chamber music by the composer. The two remaining works on the program, by contrast, are cornerstones of the piano quartet repertoire: Mozart's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K.478 and Brahmss Piano Quartet No. 1 (also) in G minor, Op. 25.

 Friday, Aug. 17, 8 p.m. in the Shed: Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director/Conductor Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in Dmitry Shostakovich's massive Symphony No. 4 - a constituent part of maestro Nelsons' and the Orchestra's multi-year project of performing and recording all of the composer's 15 symphonies. In the first half of the program, the magnificent pianist Yefim Bronfman  a frequent BSO guest artist - joins Mr. Nelsons and the Orchestra for Beethoven's expansive and sublimely lyrical Piano Concerto No. 4. This concert, part of the "Underscore" series of Friday informal pre-concert commentary/talks by BSO musicians, will feature percussionist J. William Hudgins.

 Saturday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Nelsons and the BSO return to the Shed to present an all-Leonard Bernstein program, which begins with a fully staged performance of the composer's ballet "Fancy Free" in collaboration with Boston Ballet, utilizing Jerome Robbins' original choreography. The program continues with the "Divertimento for Orchestra," which was composed for the BSO's centenary celebration in 1980, and concludes with the "Serenade" (after Plato's "Symposium") for violin and orchestra, featuring the superb violinist Baiba Skride. When Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins created the hit ballet Fancy Free in 1944, each was just 25 years old. As Bernstein's first ballet score and Robbins' first full-scale choreographic effort, it catapulted both men to stardom. In what would become his signature style, Robbins combined classical choreography with jazz and popular dance moves. Just months after "Fancy Free" was premiered at Manhattans old Metropolitan Opera House, its scenario had become the basis for Bernstein and Robbins' hit Broadway musical On the Town (performed at Tanglewood on July 7).

 Sunday, Aug. 19, 2:30 p.m. in the Shed: The world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform two works accompanied by Maestro Nelsons and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. The cellist will perform Bernstein's "Three Meditations from 'Mass,' " for cello and orchestra, and the world premiere of John Williams "Highwood's Ghost, an Encounter," for cello, harp and orchestra. The program also includes Aaron Copland's "An Outdoor Overture" and Bela Bartoks incandescent "Concerto for Orchestra," which the BSO commissioned and premiered in 1944. This program celebrates the completion of iconic sculptures that composer John Williams commissioned for the Tanglewood grounds of three of the Festival's seminal figures, who were, and remain, his personal heroes: Aaron Copland, Serge Koussevitzky and Leonard Bernstein.

For tickets for all Tanglewood/BSO concerts (lawn and Shed seating) and special events, call 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200 (TDD/TTY at 617-638-9289). For local information, call 413-637-1600. You can also order tickets and get information online. $20 tickets for attendees under 40, one of the BSOs most popular discount ticket offers, will be available for select BSO and Boston Pops performances in the Shed.



Pianist Rorianne Shrade performs Aug. 19.

Sevenars Concerts

Sevenars Concerts' final 2018 season recital, "Seven Rs at Sevenars," will be held Sunday, Aug. 19, at 4 p.m. The program is in honor of the 50th anniversary of Sevenars (named after the seven "R"-named Schrade family members), and in tribute to a similar program concept of her father Robert Schrade, late co-founder of Sevenars with his wife, the late Rolande Schrade, pianist Rorianne has selected a program of famous and lesser-known composers with "R" names  Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Rameau, Respighi, Ries, Rodrigo and Roussel.

Major works will include Ravels luscious "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and Sergei Rachmaninoffs exuberant Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor.

The Sevenars Academy is located at 15 Ireland St., just off Route 112 in South Worthington, Mass. Admission is by donation (suggested $20) and refreshments are included. Get ticket information by phone at 413-238-5854 or online.

Tannery Pond



Classical accordionist Hanzhi Wang will perform at Tannery Pond on Aug. 18.

Tannery Pond  that pristine chamber music series in stunningly beautiful New Lebanon, N.Y., bordering Pittsfield on Route 20, will be presenting their fourth chamber music concert. As always, this exemplary venue showcases amazing talent performing both classic and modern/popular 20th century music in a gorgeous and historic setting.

 Saturday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m.: Tannery Pond will be hosting an extraordinary concert with Hanzhi Wang, classical accordionist (!), and the Omer String Quartet in a program of music by Joaquin Turina (1882-1949), Hugo Wolf (1860-1903), Argentine tango maestro Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), J.S. Bach, Edvard Greig, Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) and Martin Lohse (1971- ). The Omer String Quartet will also perform Haydns String Quartet Op. 50, No. 5 and Bela Bartoks First String Quartet, Op. 7.

Tickets are $30 and $39. For credit card purchase by phone, call 888-820-1696. Visit the website for more information and upcoming concerts listings. Tannery Pond is located on the grounds of Mount Lebanon Shaker Village and Darrow School, New Lebanon, N.Y., one and a half miles east of the town center on Route 20.Source: South China Morning Post

Air, sea and land forces from the Peoples Liberation Armys Hong Kong garrison have mounted their biggest anti-terror drill in the city since the base was established in 1997, according to state media.

At least five warships, four helicopters, one assault boat and dozens of soldiers took part in the exercise on Thursday, which simulated the hijacking of a gas tanker, Xinhua reported.

The exercise came as Chinese naval forces conducted at least three other drills in various maritime areas to test combat readiness.

The Hong Kong operation was coordinated by a joint forces command centre and carried out in the East Lamma Channel.

Han Lifeng, a training officer at the garrison, said that having the joint command centre improved the effectiveness of deploying different forces and enhanced the garrisons combat capabilities.

Military analysts said the drill was aimed both at improving security in the city and sending a message to pro-independence forces.

Hong Kong-based military expert Song Zhongping said Hong Kong was an open financial and economic hub and as such was vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

The Hong Kong garrison can help protect Hong Kongs key assets during an emergency, he said.

But Adam Ni, a researcher in Chinese foreign and security policy at the Australian National University, said the drill was aimed more at potential mass protest movements.

The risk of terrorism in Hong Kong was low, he said, so the drill was more a signal of Chinese military power in Hong Kong, including suppression of dissent.

Lau Siu-kai, vice-chairman of The Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, a semi-official think tank, said people should not read too much into the drill as it was in line with Beijings wider efforts to improve its combat readiness.

China has conducted many large scale naval exercises to show its commitment to protecting its sovereignty, he said. Thursdays drill in Hong Kong reflects the garrisons ability and determination to keep the city stable.

The drill was not the garrisons first of the year. In March, troops from the base took part in a joint exercise with the French navy, their first with a foreign force.

In 2014, Victoria Harbour hosted a PLA air and sea drill, while a year earlier two warships took part in a similar exercise in Hong Kong waters, and troops from the garrison joined two live-fire drills.

China has been steadily ramping up its maritime combat readiness.

Over the past week the PLA has conducted three naval drills in different sea areas, two of which were confirmed as being in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea.

The third involved the Southern Theatre Command, which said on Monday that a frigate fleet had recently performed various drills, including live-fire exercises and simulated anti-submarine attacks. Although it did not say where the drills had been staged, its area of responsibility encompasses the disputed South China Sea.On this India Independence Day, the writer, an Indian American resident of New York, talks about his pride in being Indian. Seen above: Indian school children perform during India's 72nd Independence Day celebrations at the India Pakistan Wagah Border post about 35 km from Amritsar on Aug. 15, 2018. (Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images)John Abraham and Aisha Sharma-starrer Satyameva Jayate is a no-brainer throughout, unlike similar entertainers that reflect angst against the system and are made so skillfully in the South. (photo provider)By Xiao Qiang and Wang Yi

The US President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 into public law on August 13. The NDAA contains some negative clauses related to China such as calling for the Trump administration to direct a whole-of-government strategy on China, submitting assessments and plans for strengthening Taiwans force readiness and foreign investment risk review. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Commerce all expressed their strong dissatisfaction on August 14.

The Wall Street Journal reported on August 14 that the NDAA includes measures to curb China's expansion and support the US military servicemen. The Act reflects a growing consensus between the Democrats and the Republicans: the world has entered a new era of great power competition, and the US must take action to compete with China and Russia. Some lawmakers say the defense-policy act is tougher on China than any in history."

There are many contents related to China and the US-China relationship in the act. Voice of America (VOA) reported on August 14 that the act called on the Trump administration to formulate a whole-of-government strategy including the industrial policy, political influence, regional and global military capabilities to counter China's activities and to protect the US interests.

The act requires the US Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress on a regular basis regarding China's military operations and "coercive activities" in the Indo-Pacific region, and to make the report available to the US allies and partners in Asia thereafter. The act also requires the report to include content such as Chinas military operations and infrastructure development in the South China Sea.

Regarding Taiwan, the act requires the US Department of Defense (DoD) to strengthen its defense relationship with Taiwan and help Taiwan to improve its self-defense capabilities. It requires the US to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Taiwan's military strength, formulate an assessment report within one year, and support Taiwan's purchase of defensive weapons.

The act also proposes in "the sense of the US Congress" that the US Secretary of Defense should promote exchanges with the Taiwan military and enhance the security of Taiwan, including creating practical training and military exercises with Taiwan, and push forward exchanges between senior defense officials and general officers according to the Taiwan Travel Act.

Spokesperson for Chinas Defense Ministry Senior Colonel Wu Qian expressed in a statement on August 14 that the NDAA is filled with Cold War mentality, stoking China-US conflicts and interfering with China's internal affairs. The act also violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques. It disrupts the relationship development and undermines mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries. This is firmly opposed by the Chinese military.

According to Wu Qian's statement, Taiwan is a part of China. The Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and is the most important and sensitive issue at the core of the China-US relationship. China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges and military ties between Taiwan and other countries. This position is firm and clear. China will never allow anyone to split Taiwan from China at any time and in any form.

Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang also expressed on August 14 that China is strongly dissatisfied with the US, who adopted and signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 containing negative China-related contents in disregard of China's opposition.

We urge the US to abandon the Cold War mentality and the zero-sum game concept, correctly treat China and China-US relationship, abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and not to implement clauses that will harm Chinas interests, so as to avoid harming the China-US relationship and the bilateral cooperation in important areas, Lu Kang said.

Apart from the Taiwan part, the most noticeable item in the NDAA is the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018. The act requires the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to conduct a more rigorous review of foreign acquisitions of the US companies and to provide national security assessment reports for the US companies with foreign investment.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on August 14 that the act was the result of the US growing concern about Chinese companies acquisition of the US technology through investment, mergers and acquisitions. The concern is exactly why the Trump administration imposes heavier tariff on exports from China. Though NDAA does not directly point to China, Chinas interest in the US investment has decreased and reached a new low in the first half of 2018 even without the act.

In response to the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, a spokesperson of Chinas Ministry of Commerce said on August 14 that China will conduct an overall assessment on the act and will closely follow the impact on Chinese companies.

Cross-border investment is thriving with the development of economic globalization. Chinese and American companies have strong will and great potential in deepening investment cooperation. In this context, the two governments should respond to the companies and provide a favorable environment and stable expectations. The US should treat Chinese investors objectively and fairly, and not make national security censorship an obstacle to investment cooperation between Chinese and American firms, said the spokesperson of Chinas Ministry of Commerce.

On the same day, the Financial Times also commented that concerns about China's rise have promoted the birth of Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, which may mark the end of an era: "National security has become the key factor governing foreign investment in the US."

The article wrote, "Fears over losing an economic and cultural war (and possibly a real one at some point) with China is a worry that is shared broadly in the US." According to the article, the latest NDAA has empowered the US DoD and its intelligence department with more authority to decide on who will have the eligibility and permission to invest in the US. The act has also tightened the investment of the US companies to China, making everything more difficult.

Disclaimer: The authors are Xiao Qiang and Wang Yi, reporters with the Global Times. The article is translated from Chinese into English and reedited by the China Military online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article are those of the author from the Global Times and do not reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Chinamil.com.cn does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. If the article carries photographs or images, we do not vouch for their authenticity.By Michael Pembroke

August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In the long history of Korea, nothing compares to the 20th century division of the peninsula or the war that followed. That war has not finished, and a peace treaty remains elusive. China, North Korea and South Korea all seek a peace treaty, but 11 U.S. presidents since 1953 have been unwilling to agree.

If President Trump turns out to be the exception, that shift could help put an end to more than a half-century of conflict  and the role of the United States in determining whether peace arrives is not a small one. Neither is it coincidental: in fact, the U.S. has played a key role in keeping the conflict going as long as it has.

The division of Korea is not what Franklin Delano Roosevelt intended as World War II ended. As President, he had discussed with British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin an international trusteeship of Korea that would help bring the country out of Japanese colonial rule and restore its sovereignty. But Roosevelt died in April 1945 and President Truman had different priorities. The change of thinking by the Truman administration led to a change of direction that altered the course of history in northeast Asia.

In 1945, the Soviet army joined the Pacific war, and marched into Manchuria at the invitation of the United States. In the wake of that move, President Truman and Stalin agreed to divide Korea militarily, along a line of demarcation selected on Aug. 10, 1945, by two colonels in the Pentagon. The Korean people were not consulted. What started as a military partition in 1945 became a political division in 1948 when separate states were created in the north and the south  an invitation to conflict that made a war for the reunification of the peninsula inevitable. North Korea invaded the south in June 1950 but three months later, when US-led forces crossed the 38th parallel and threatened the Chinese border, Kim Il Sungs war for reunification transformed into a global conflict in which China and the United States became the major players.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

In July of 1951, armistice negotiations commenced. They continued for more than two years and consisted of 575 meetings. When the military commanders signed an armistice agreement on July 27, 1953, a ceasefire occurred. Hostilities ended more or less where they began. The armistice was predicated on the creation of a peace treaty and the withdrawal of foreign forces. The agreement was intended to be temporary and negotiations for a peace treaty were required to take place within three months.

Negotiations took place in Geneva in 1954 but no progress was made and no peace treaty eventuated. The U.S. Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, would not negotiate and was not prepared to shake the hand of Chinese Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai. Zhou described Dulles attitude as obstructionist. Other representatives, including those from Britain and Belgium, were privately critical of the approach of the United States at the conference. At the conclusion of the conference, Dulles, who became TIMEs Man of the Year for 1954, refused to agree to a proposed joint statement reflecting a common desire to achieve the peaceful settlement of the Korean question.

A few years later, the prospect of a peace treaty was further diminished. In 1956, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs announced that the Pentagon intended to introduce nuclear weapons into South Korea in contravention of clause 13 (d) of the armistice.

That clause prevented all parties from introducing new weapons or further troops onto the peninsula, other than as a like-for-like replacement. In 1957, despite the concerns of allies and the advice of the State Department, the United States announced its unilateral abrogation of clause 13(d) of the armistice. It said that North Korea had already breached the armistice, though no specific allegations were identified. From January 1958 on, the U.S. military brought Honest John nuclear missiles and atomic canons onto South Korean soil. The effect was to undermine the armistice. And the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, whose purpose was to ensure compliance with the armistice, largely lost its function. North Koreas pretensions to develop its own nuclear arsenal date from this period.

After 65 years, there is still no peace treaty. Somewhat ironically, the nuclear status of North Korea has been one of the major sticking points.

Yet at the Singapore Summit with Kim Jong Un on June 12, President Trump revealed his aspiration to finally bring an end to the war. When asked if he touched on the issue of a peace treaty in his discussions with Kim, he answered Of course, and he ended his press conference by saying that he would also like to involve China and South Korea as signatories to a peace treaty.

There is much, including denuclearization, that must occur before peace can finally come. But when it does, it will conclude a sad and unresolved chapter of Korean history  one that Kim Dae Jung, former president of South Korea, has described as a brief anomaly in 13 centuries of unified kingdom.

Michael Pembroke is the author of Korea: Where the American Century Began, published this month by Oneworld Publications.By Patrick J. Buchanan

August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Friday, deep into the 17th year of Americas longest war, Taliban forces overran Ghazni, a provincial capital that sits on the highway from Kabul to Kandahar.

The ferocity of the Taliban offensive brought U.S. advisers along with U.S. air power, including a B-1 bomber, into the battle.

"As the casualty toll in Ghazni appeared to soar on Sunday," The Wall Street Journal reported, "hospitals were spilling over with dead bodies, corpses lay in Ghaznis streets, and gunfire and shelling were preventing relatives from reaching cemeteries to bury their dead."

In Yemen Monday, a funeral was held in the town square of Saada for 40 children massacred in an air strike on a school bus by Saudis or the UAE, using U.S.-provided planes and bombs.

"A crime by America and its allies against the children of Yemen," said a Houthi rebel leader.

Yemen is among the worst humanitarian situations in the world, and in creating that human-rights tragedy, America has played an indispensable role.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The U.S. also has 2,000 troops in Syria. Our control, with our Kurd allies, of that quadrant of Syria east of the Euphrates is almost certain to bring us into eventual conflict with a regime and army insisting that we get out of their country.

As for our relations with Turkey, they have never been worse.

President Erdogan regards our Kurd allies in Syria as collaborators of his own Kurdish-terrorist PKK. He sees us as providing sanctuary for exile cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan says was behind the attempted coup in 2016 in which he and his family were targeted for assassination.

Last week, when the Turkish currency, the lira, went into a tailspin, President Trump piled on, ratcheting up U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel. If the lira collapses and Turkey cannot meet its debt obligations, Erdogan will lay the blame at the feet of the Americans and Trump.

Which raises a question: How many quarrels, conflicts and wars, and with how many adversaries, can even the mighty United States sustain?

In November, the most severe of U.S. sanctions will be imposed on Iran. Among the purposes of this policy: Force as many nations as possible to boycott Iranian oil and gas, sink its economy, bring down the regime.

Iran has signaled a possible response to its oil and gas being denied access to world markets. This August, Iranian gunboats exercised in the Strait of Hormuz, backing up a regime warning that if Iranian oil cannot get out of the Gulf, the oil of Arab OPEC nations may be bottled up inside as well. Last week, Iran test-fired an anti-ship ballistic missile.

Iran has rejected Trumps offer of unconditional face-to-face talks, unless the U.S. first lifts the sanctions imposed after withdrawing from the nuclear deal.

With no talks, a U.S. propaganda offensive underway, the Iranian rial sinking and the economy sputtering, regular demonstrations against the regime, and new sanctions scheduled for November, it is hard to see how a U.S. collision with Tehran can be avoided.

This holds true as well for Vladimir Putins Russia.

Last week, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Russia for its alleged role in the nerve-agent poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British town of Salisbury.

Though the U.S. had already expelled 60 Russian diplomats for the poisoning, and Russia vehemently denies responsibility  and conclusive evidence has not been made public and the victims have not been heard from  far more severe sanctions are to be added in November.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is warning that such a U.S. move would cross a red line: "If  a ban on bank operations or currency use follows, it will amount to a declaration of economic war.  And it will warrant a response with economic means, political means and, if necessary, other means."

That the sanctions are biting is undeniable. Like the Turkish lira and Iranian rial, the Russian ruble has been falling and the Russian people are feeling the pain.

Last week also, a U.S. Poseidon reconnaissance plane, observing Chinas construction of militarized islets in the South China Sea, was told to "leave immediately and keep out."

China claims the sea as its national territory.

And North Koreas Kim Jong Un apparently intends to hold onto his arsenal of nuclear weapons.

"Were waiting for the North Koreans to begin the process of denuclearization, which they committed to in Singapore and which theyve not yet done," John Bolton told CNN last week.

A list of Americas adversaries here would contain the Taliban, the Houthis of Yemen, Bashar Assad of Syria, Erdogans Turkey, Iran, North Korea, Russia and China  a pretty full plate.

Are we prepared to see these confrontations through, to assure the capitulation of our adversaries? What do we do if they continue to defy us?

And if it comes to a fight, how many allies will we have in the battles and wars that follow?

Was this the foreign policy America voted for?

Patrick Joseph Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician, and broadcaster. https://buchanan.orgSenator Richard Burr: A Longtime Fan of Torture



Newly released declassified documents prove once and for all that CIA Director Gina Haspel oversaw torture in Thailand, which the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee knew all along, as Ray McGovern explains.



By Ray McGovern

August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Newly released official documents obtained by the National Security Archive showing that CIA Director Gina Haspel directly supervised waterboarding at the first CIA Black Site simply confirm what Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Richard Burr (R-NC) already knew as he orchestrated the charade that was Haspels confirmation hearing. Burr allowed her to classify her own direct role in waterboarding and other torture techniques so that it could be kept from the public and secure her confirmation-further proof that this Senate oversight committee has instead become an overlook committee.

That Haspel supervised the torture of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri at the first CIA black site for interrogation was already clear to those who had followed Haspels career, but she was able to do a song and dance when Sen. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) asked her about it. Haspel declined to reply on grounds that the information was classified. It was of course because Haspel herself had classified it. All the senators knew that only too well. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) had strongly objected to this bizarre practice only minutes before.

Witnessing this charade from the audience prompted me to stand up, excuse myself for interrupting, and suggest that the committee members were entitled to an honest answer since this was a public hearing with thousands watching on TV. The American people were also entitled to know whether or not Haspel was directly involved in torture. As I was calmly pointing out that any Senate Intelligence Committee member who prepared for the hearing already knew the answer, I was escorted out, manhandled and charged with disrupting Congress and resisting arrest.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Jeremy Scahill later did a good job on Democracy Now! in putting needed context around the free pass and encouragement CIA torturers continue to enjoy at the hands of co-conspirators like Sen. Burr.

I have now had time to read through the documents obtained by the National Security Archive via Freedom of Information Act requests. Suffice it to say they are so sad and sickening that I had to stop reading.

Corruption on Steroids

Burr was on the House Intelligence Committee, led by Porter Goss (R-FL) and later by Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), that winked at torture (not to mention blindly accepting the faux intelligence used to justify war on Iraq). Might the CIA remind Burr of his condoning of torture, were he to chose not to play along with the Haspel nomination?

Burrs record on the Senate Intelligence Committee is equally dubious. In January 2015, as soon as he took the Senate Intelligence Committee chair from Feinstein, he recalled all copies of the four-year committee study based on official CIA documents, which not only exposed unimaginably heinous forms of torture but found no evidence that any actionable intelligence was obtained from them. To her credit, Feinstein had faced down both President Barack Obama and CIA Director John Brennan and got a long Executive Summary of the committee investigation published just before she had to relinquish the chair.

Truth, Conscience, and Consequences

As an act of conscience, on March 2, 2006 I returned the Intelligence Commendation Medallion given me at retirement for especially meritorious service, explaining, I do not want to be associated, however remotely, with an agency engaged in torture. I returned the medallion to Hoekstra (R, Michigan), who was then-Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, with a statement explaining my reasons.

Hoekstra then secretly added to the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY07 (HR5020) a provision enabling the government to strip intelligence veterans of their government pensions. HR5020 passed the full House, but Congress opted instead for a continuing resolution.

On December 11, 2014, I had an opportunity to tell Hoekstra exactly what I thought of his underhanded, Lone-Ranger attempt (he did not inform his House Intelligence Committee colleagues) to make it possible to revoke the government pensions of people like me. I confronted the former Congressman in person off-air, after we two were interviewed live on CCTVs The Heat about the Senate Intelligence Committee findings regarding CIA torture. It was an uncommon chance to hold Hoekstra publicly accountable for condoning torture, and the Michigan congressman rose to the occasion. (See minutes 8:15 to 10:41)

The bottom line? The foxes have been guarding the chicken coop for many years now. Haspel will fit right in. O Tempora, O Mores.

Ray McGovern works with Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. He was an Army Infantry/Intelligence officer and then a CIA analyst for a total of 30 years, and was a Presidential briefer from 1981 to 1985. http://raymcgovern.com/



B y Tsiporah Grignon



- My story of growing up Jewish in Canada is similar to my peers in America and England, perhaps in other western democracies. We were taught to feel immense pride in Israel.

August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House

That pride has dissolved for many. In the words of psychologist Dr. Gabor Mate: The beautiful dream of Israel has become a nightmare



Its a sad truth that so many of the worlds people live in nightmare conditions. And because I live a privileged life, with a warm shelter and enough food and clean water, I am motivated to do something useful with my life. I used to organize community events ... now I organize the community of my thoughts, about the state of our world ... and so I write.



From a rising awareness of political realities that keep all planetary citizens on edge, I realized it was time for me to stop avoiding my Jewish heritage ... for I had come to the inevitable conclusion that my Jewish upbringing has played a key role in the seemingly intractable Israel/Palestine conflict. So I set out to learn the other narrative - through reading books and articles by Palestinian and international historians, journalists, conscious writers of the political arts including an Israeli generals son, and eyewitness accounts from those who live under terrible living conditions in Palestine.



First to understand is that the focus of this conflict has been two different groups wanting to live on the same piece of real estate. When Israel became a state in 1948, the land was divided, and Palestinians were given specific areas to inhabit - the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Since that time, Israel has purposefully fragmented Palestinian territory in the West Bank - taking land that was to be Palestine through building Israeli settlements, illegal according to international law, which together with illegal outposts and Jewish only roads, covers close to 60% of the West Bank. It is eye-opening to see a map of land left for Palestinians.



Besides having their land and water sources stolen, Palestinian lives are controlled completely by a harsh military occupation, by one of the worlds mightiest military powers. To witness what Palestinians must endure on a daily basis is heartbreaking. It is indeed a nightmare. In todays world of instant online media, because any citizen armed with a cell phone can document on site developments, the world can see what Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were ordered by their military superiors to do. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

It is shocking to see images of IDF soldiers spraying raw sewage onto Palestinian homes in the West Bank. One can imagine the humiliation Palestinians feel as they wait in long lines at checkpoints on their way to work or school, caged like animals, where any soldier can arbitrarily deny the Palestinian to pass through the checkpoint despite having the correct permit required by Israeli occupation policy. And we can see the anguish of a Palestinian woman desperately clinging to a productive olive tree, in the wild hope of saving it from being destroyed by the IDF. As global food supply becomes increasingly jeopardized due to climate change, I believe that purposeful destruction of a centuries old source of food is as much a criminal act as cruelty to sentient beings.



Palestinians in East Jerusalem must qualify for legal status in order to formally work, move freely, renew drivers licences, or even obtain their childrens birth certificates which are needed to register them in school. Legal status can also be revoked for any number of bureaucratic reasons. Palestinians may apply to become permanent residents, to prove they maintain a centre of life in Jerusalem, but most reject doing so since it involves pledging allegiance to Israel, the occupying power. According to international humanitarian law, an occupying power is forbidden to compel people under occupation from pledging loyalty to it - however Israel does not comply to such laws. Its extensive bureaucratic system makes it extremely challenging for Palestinians to obtain official status as a Jerusalem citizen.



The other Palestinian territory is the 140 square mile Gaza Strip. Because of an 11 year blockade by Israel and enforced by Egypt to the south - in which Palestinians are not allowed to leave and needed goods are not allowed in - Gaza has the unsought after distinction of being called the largest open-air prison on the planet.



Israel has assaulted Gaza heavily three times since the end of 2008, which caused the deaths of thousands as well as enormous damage to its infrastructure and crippling Gazas economy. Severe cuts to electricity have had a devastating impact on medical aid, food and technology. The water situation is dire - since Israel destroyed Gazas sewage infrastructure, raw sewage flows into the ocean, polluting their beaches and leaching into and polluting almost all of Gazas groundwater, making it undrinkable. Almost everyone in Gaza depends on water delivered by tanker trucks. Since building materials are prohibited from being allowed into Gaza, valuable infrastructure cannot be rebuilt. Being a fisherman in Gaza is now a very dangerous occupation, for the IDF routinely fires on fishing boats, injuring, arresting and killing fishermen, as well as confiscating and even destroying fishing boats. How might any of us react to such an inhumane blockade? Would we risk our lives to protest?



That is exactly what Palestinians in Gaza have been doing with The Great March of Return. This spring, tens of thousands rose up in mass solidarity, in an unarmed and civilian-led protest. As of this writing, Israeli snipers have shot and killed more than 150 Palestinians, and injured more than 16,000. Confronting their jailers has unified the people of Gaza in the hopes of sending a clear message to the international community to demand an end to the blockade. Meanwhile, Israel explains this collective punishment of Gazas 1.8 million Palestinians as necessary for the security of the Jews in Israel.



I cannot accept any justification for abusive treatment of human beings. I am tired of being told the Israel/Palestine conflict is complicated. In simple language, it is one group of people treating another group very badly.



Why would Jews, a group persecuted for centuries, be so willing to persecute others? Are we to carry hatred in our hearts forever? I am of a generation who are the children of holocaust survivors. We all grew up learning about concentration camps and gas chambers, of the efficiency of Nazi cruelty. My father never spoke about his parents killed by the Nazis, not even of any happy childhood memories - it was too painful, and I think he felt guilty for somehow not being able to save them.



The obscenity of the Holocaust for Jews led to the creation of the mantra, Never Again. But a mantra is only as good as our intentions, as noted by American Jewish historian Howard Zinn:



The Jewish Holocaust should not be encircled by barbed wire, morally ghettoized, kept isolated from other atrocities in history. ... All who have taken seriously the admonition Never Again must ask ourselves - as we observe the horrors around us in the world - if we have used that phrase as a beginning or as an end to our moral concern. ... To build a wall around the uniqueness of the Jewish Holocaust is to abandon the idea that humankind is all one, we are all - of whatever colour, nationality, religion - deserving of equal rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ... My point is not to diminish the experience of the Jewish Holocaust, but to enlarge upon it. For Jews, it means to reclaim the tradition of Jewish universal humanism against an Israel-centred nationalism.



That is exactly what 47 Holocaust survivors did after seeing the carnage of Operation Protective Edge, Israels massive attack against Gaza in 2014. Reclaiming the spirit of never again, they published an open letter in the influential New York Times calling for the full economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel.



Growing up Jewish in North America



Being Jewish fundamentally meant unquestioning support for Israel. Attendance at synagogue was far less important than adherence to the belief that according to the Bible, Israel was the land of the Jews - where any Jew, from anywhere in the world who wanted to live there, would be welcomed.

My family observed traditional Jewish life: lighting Sabbath candles, keeping a kosher kitchen, attending synagogue during the most important Jewish holidays or for my friends bar-mitzvahs. We children attended classes several times a week after regular school to learn the teachings of Judaism and the Hebrew language. Like Jewish children all over North America, I would collect 10 cent stickers until there were enough that meant a tree would be planted in Israel. This was the 60s, when we knew that youth from around the world were travelling to Israel to work on a kibbutz, Israels socialist agricultural communes, along with Israeli born youth. Everyone was proud of the kibbutzniks who made the desert bloom.



During the summer months, many of us attended Zionist summer camps which I did for 9 summers. My favourite activity involved music - singing Hebrew songs and doing both Israeli and Arab ethnic dances. It was at camp that I first encountered interpretive dance, and what we mainly interpreted was how it felt to be persecuted. Our morning ritual was to gather around the flagpole as the flag of Israel was raised, place our right hand over our hearts, and sing in Hebrew the words that mean: If I forget thee O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget its cunning. I remember feeling somewhat uncomfortable repeating such a fierce statement, for my humanist nature was developing without my conscious awareness. Unlike others at camp, I never felt the call to visit Israel, a place where I knew that hatred of The Other was a big part of life.



In 1962, the movie Exodus gave us sexy movie stars portraying heroic Jewish freedom fighters. In reality, they terrorized defenceless Arab women and children to get them to leave their homes. The movies theme song is hauntingly beautiful, and its triumphantly defiant lyrics hit the perfect emotional chords to serve the Zionist agenda: This land is mine, God gave this land to me.



I must ask: Why would God tell one group of believers that a power spot on planet earth was theirs, that it belonged to them only? Did this same God then forsake those who lost everything when Israel became a Jewish homeland? Does this God actually choose sides?



Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of the truth - Einstein



My father did not discuss politics in the family setting, so I grew up not asking too many hard questions about the world. But in later years, from observing the military industrial complex perpetuating wars, it dawned on me that my choice to sit back and not know was a cop-out. A democracy works best when citizens take part in it beyond voting every few years. I began to relish deep discussions about geopolitics with my politically astute partner.



It was dizzying to deal with so much information from the internet. Fortunately, I received help from my partner in learning what information sources to trust. I became aware of an army of alternative information disseminators who were willing to dig deeper into what I call power gone bad, many of them respected investigative journalists who had spent their entire careers questioning authority and exposing injustice. It turns out that discerning honest information sources is a constant and formidable task for all things political since the rabbit hole of deceptions is very deep. As well, I learned that investigating a news story has to take into account the motivations of every source. In this regard, one media phenomenon became apparent - the hypocrisy of words spoken that did not match facts on the ground. That is the time to ask cui bono, who benefits, an invaluable strategy in a search for truthful media reporting.

I recognized that cui bono could also apply to an examination of extreme interpretations of religious beliefs that all too often lead to violent behaviour. This led to becoming involved with an interfaith group, established by a Muslim elder deeply concerned about how the masses conceived of his religion after 9/11 - his desire was to teach that Islam is a religion of peace. But although I appreciated being in the presence of wise elders in that group, after a couple of years I left out of sheer frustration in never ever discussing the shadow side of religion - those fanatic zealots who believe their way is the only way, that others are infidels and unworthy human beings - which somehow in a kind of warped religious zeal justifies horrendous violence against a perceived enemy. Furthermore, if we are willing to look, there are violent messages in certain religious texts themselves.



This leads me to ask: Why is it appropriate in modern times, to live according to books written centuries ago? I am aware that for some people, h oly books are said to be divinely inspired and imbued with wisdom, which in theory would give them a timeless quality. But t he Old Testament of the ancient Hebrews is not a book to suit everyones philosophy of life. My birth into a Jewish household does not automatically mean I agree with a bible that exalts patriarchy (power over - the cause of much suffering), tribalism (loyalty without question), and merciless slaughter at the command of the Hebrew God. Some of us are designed to rebel, to question authority.



The more I learned about the history of the establishment of the state of Israel, the more I felt betrayed by my early Jewish conditioning. Cheerleading for Israel meant we did not learn about the Nakba, the expulsion by Zionist paramilitary groups of 750,000 Palestinians from the land they had lived on for generations. I have often lamented that as a child I did not think to ask what happened to the people who lived on the land that became Israel. As an adult, after immersing myself in the study of the Israel/Palestine conflict, I now comprehend the incredibly powerful influence of Zionist ideology in the world.



Thus, through blind support for Israel, I feel that my generation became complicit in perpetuating the dispossession, persecution and mass murder of an entire people. We also missed out on learning compassion for The Other.



A brief primer on Zionism



By the mid 1800s, there was a rise of nationalist movements in Germany and Italy. European and Russian Jews were inspired by the idea of establishing their own sovereign state as prophesied in the Bible. This led to the founding of Zionism in 1897 by Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian journalist and political activist. This new movement renewed the ancient attachment of the Jews and of the Jewish religion to the historical region of Palestine, where one of the hills of ancient Jerusalem was called Zion.



Naturally, Zionism had a powerful appeal for many Jews - having a Jewish homeland meant an end to centuries of religious persecution. However, the Zionist movement also had its detractors. Rabbis and others warned that such an ideology was morally wrong, that it would lead to unending conflict, that it had the potential to become racist in nature. They were prescient.



Herzl died before his vision was realized. Dr. Chaim Weizmann became the new leader of the World Zionist Organization. Weizmann personally pleaded with the British government to give Jews their own home, however the land Zionists wanted was in the area controlled for about 400 years by the Turks, as part of the Ottoman Empire. This was when the First World War was happening, and such timing led to a surprising development: the British government made a promise to give Palestine to the Jews - but only if Britain and its allies won the war. In this way, Zionists in America were motivated to use their considerable influence to drive Americans into the war, which proved to be the decisive factor in the victory over the Germans and Turks.



This special promise was made public in November 2017 in a letter from British Foreign Secretary Lord James Balfour to Lord Walter Rothschild: His Majestys Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.



Known as The Balfour Declaration, this document went on to sayit being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine. It is important to note that when this declaration was issued, Palestine was populated 93% by Arabs, with Jews about 7% of the population. Israeli historian Ilan Pappe has said these 67 words are still being fought over in the middle east 100 years later.



After the war, Britain did gain control of the biblical land of Israel, then known as Palestine. Even though the British helped the Zionist project survive several Palestinian uprisings, they stalled on giving the land over to a Zionist state. In March 1939, the British officially reneged on their promise, stating that Britain was not free to dispose of Palestine without regard for the wishes and interests of the inhabitants of Palestine. Zionists felt betrayed, and carried out acts of terrorism against the British occupation of Palestine - the most famous being the bombing of Jerusalems King David Hotel, the administrative centre of the British mandate over Palestine, and the act that helped accelerate Britains decision to withdraw from Palestine 2 years later.



After WWII, the world learned of the Nazi Holocaust, which killed 6 million Jews, and 9 million others. Who would not be emotionally inclined to give Zionists needed political support for its goal of a Jewish state? This support also included money to buy weapons to fight and defeat Arab armies. And so it was that Zionist fighters, terrorists by todays definition, ousted the British and held off the hostile Arab states surrounding their new conquest.



But there was one more item to deal with - Zionists needed official recognition for the new state of Israel. This task was assigned to the newly created United Nations to be resolved.



Response by the United Nations



It was not in the UN mandate to create states. Its General Assembly had neither the legal nor the legislative powers to impose such a resolution or to convey title of a territory, only to recommend resolutions. Moreover, General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for the partition of British-ruled Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, never went to the Security Council for approval. Therefore it remained as a recommendation.



Implementing such an approval would have required military force, for there were 1 million Palestinians in the part of Palestine allocated to Zionists in the partition plan. Despite an attempt by the United States to propose that Palestine be placed under a temporary UN Trusteeship, plans and calls for a ceasefire fell on deaf ears.



With the Zionist goal so close, Jewish forces kept up their attacks on Palestinian villages to secure more than their portion of land allocated in the partition plan. Meanwhile, American Zionists lobbied hard for Harry Truman to be elected as President, so effectively that he caved to their demands and authorized recognition of Israel on May 14, 1948, the first nation to do so - a decision not shared by many of his high ranking advisors.



The British mandate ended the next day. Palestine was not only partitioned - it was destroyed.



Since then, the United Nations and other international organizations have failed to address Israels criminal actions and policies.



Settler Colonialism



Before and after the birth of the Jewish state of Israel, Zionist leaders spoke with confidence about the ongoing process of settler colonialism, premised on occupation and the elimination of the native population. Quotes by Zionist leaders do not mince words.



From the founder of Revisionist Zionism, Zeev Jabotinsky: Zionist colonization must either be terminated or carried out in defiance of the will of the native population.



From Moshe Dayan, IDF Chief of Staff, Israeli Minister of Defence: before their eyes we turn into our homestead the land and villages in which they and their forefathers lived ... We are a generation of settlers, and without the steel helmet and gun barrel, we shall not be able to plant a tree or build a house. .



From the Director of the Jewish National Fund, Yosef Weitz: It is clear that there is no room for both peoples together in this country. There is no other way than to transfer the Arabs from here to neighbouring countries  all of them. Not one village, not one tribe, should be left!



The word transfer was and continues to be Zionisms euphemism for ethnic cleansing. Such strong statements make it crystal clear that from its beginnings, the leaders of the new state of Israel planned to rid their homeland of Arabs.



Why I must speak up for Palestinian human rights



I cannot in good conscience stay silent about the behaviour of a country I was led to believe was the most wonderful thing to happen to Jewish people.



This conflict continues, with the continuation of the military occupation of the West Bank, strict enforcement of legal status for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, and the blockade of Gaza. For most Israelis, life is good ... while only a short distance away, a people long for freedom.

Imagine if any of us had to deal with daily serious human rights abuses perpetrated on us, authorized by law, and enforced by 18 year old soldiers with a gun. Shocking numbers tell the story of Palestinian losses and their daily struggles since the military occupation began in 1967: 48,000+ homes and structures demolished; over a million olive trees uprooted; 100,000 detained without trial; 500+checkpoints and obstacles controlled by a soldiers arbitrary decision; 600,000 Israeli settlers living in 130 government-approved settlements on occupied Palestinian land, and 100 unofficial ones, all in defiant violation of international law.



From British journalist Jonathan Cook living in Bethlehem: Israel is not defending its borders but the walls of cages it has built to safeguard the continuing theft of Palestinian land and preserve Jewish privilege. In the West Bank, the prison contracts by the day as Jewish settlers and the Israeli army steal more land. In Gazas case, the prison cannot be shrunk any smaller.



How heartbreaking it must be for Israeli peace and justice activists to acknowledge their countrys racist and cruel nature. Here in Canada, those of us aware of Israels absolute military control over the lives of Palestinians are exasperated that so many Jews and elected politicians continue to make excuses that justify Israeli atrocities, conflating criticism of Israeli government policies with anti-semitism. I am not alone in noticing that continual support for blatant Zionist bullying could actually create a resurgence of anti-semitism.



When supporters of Israel are willing to take a deeper look at Palestinian life under Israeli occupation, they will discover a variety of organizations that monitor it. Some keep track of Israels control mechanisms over the Palestinians, such as Adameer, a prisoner support group; The Discriminatory Laws Database; Rabbis for Human Rights; and Btselem, documenting human rights violations in the occupied territories to combat denial amongst the Israeli public.



Actions are also being taken by courageous young Israelis willing to upset their families and even go to jail for refusing to do their compulsory military service in the Occupied Territories. And IDF veterans unwilling to ignore their conscience have created an organization called Breaking the Silence, giving us powerful first person testimonies: We endeavour to stimulate public debate about the price paid for a reality in which young soldiers face a civilian population on a daily basis, and are engaged in the control of that populations everyday life. Our work aims to bring an end to the Occupation.



The one group that as a parent I feel deeply about is the Parents Circle Families Forum, peopled by bereaved parents, both Israeli and Arab. All have lost a child to the insane hatred of this conflict. And what is a root cause of their suffering but none other than religious belief gone bad. These people show us that for some, compassion does exist for The Other.



One of the groups involved in this conflict is the political party Hamas, acknowledged by the world as terrorist militants. In 2006, a year after Israel withdrew its settlements and bases from Gaza, Hamas was elected to form the government in Gaza. It must be understood that Israeli withdrawal did not change the basic fact that Gaza remains occupied - Israel controls Gazas land and sea borders, territorial waters, natural resources, airspace, telecommunications and power supply. To the world, Hamas is a group responsible for attacks on Israeli Jews. To the people of Gaza, they are the group that created a necessary and extensive social welfare programme. This is not to say that everything Hamas does is wise or the best strategy. But let us remember that Israel constantly invokes its right to self-defence. We must understand that Palestine also has the right to self-defence. Since Gaza is a territory with no official army, navy or artillery, Hamas are the fighters, unwilling to ignore mistreatment and dispossession of the people they were elected to govern. Are Palestinians expected to simply accept their situation? Do the protesting Gazans at the Great March not exemplify the noble American expression, give me liberty or give me death?



In December of 2017, a video went viral of 16 year old West Bank Palestinian freedom fighter Ahed Tamimi who slapped an IDF soldier outside her home. She was charged with assault for actions she took with her bare hands against a fully armed and protected soldier. Ahed has recently been released from 8 months in Israeli prison, along with her mother charged with incitement for filming the incident. The village in which they live has held non-violent demonstrations for more than 6 years, to resist Israels occupation that confiscated village land, and to protest settlers who stole their freshwater spring.



For continuing to exercise her right to resist, Ahed Tamimi has become a symbol of Israels victimization of children - every year about 750 children are arrested. Currently over 300 Palestinian children are held in Israeli prisons, all, like Ahed, in military confinement. Millions around the world saw this fierce teenage girl stand up to her oppressors.



The only democracy in the middle east is a myth



Democracy means more than voting in elections. In essence, in a democracy the law applies to all equally. Israels control over Palestinian life disqualifies it as  a beacon of democracy, a term that supporters of Israel love to use.



Recently, the United Nations commissioned a report to examine whether the international criminal law concept of apartheid applies to Israels policies and practices towards the Palestinian people. The reports authors were chosen for their respected credentials in International Law and political science; they were careful to confine their conclusions to the working definition of apartheid from the 1973 Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the International Crime of Apartheid, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.



I felt compelled to read this lengthy report that came out in the spring of 2017. It very articulately expressed its conclusion that indeed, Israels policies and practices towards the Palestinian people can rightfully be called apartheid. Mentioned in the report is a surprising admission from Israeli leaders who for decades warned their colleagues of apartheid features of Israeli policies.



In 2006, American history professor Tony Judt wrote an article entitled The Country that Wouldnt Grow Up. He commented on the loss of Israels moral credibility: ... the claim of being a vulnerable island of democracy and decency in a sea of authoritarianism and cruelty; an oasis of rights and freedoms surrounded by a desert of repression. And then he clarified: But democrats dont fence into Bantustans helpless people whose land they have conquered, and free men dont ignore international law and steal other mens homes.



Furthermore, the very recent passing of the Jewish nation-state law has enshrined systematic discrimination into its basic laws. Israel has effectively declared itself an apartheid state - its Arab population are second-class citizens. Palestinian/American human rights activist Susan Abulhawa says Israel codified Jewish supremacy into law. In response to this new law, a famous Israeli performer has used his celebrity to state unequivocally that he is ashamed to be an Israeli.



Gideon Levy is a truth-telling Israeli journalist and regular columnist for Israels newspaper Haaretz. When I read his articles I feel his anger and his sadness at what Israel has become. For his ability to cut through pretence and tell it like it is, he has been called the most hated man in Israel.



Israel has enacted a law saying it is the nation-state of the Jewish people. In other words, anything Israel does represents the entire Jewish people. This has a price. When an Israeli sniper shoots dead a legless man in a wheelchair, and a nurse - the Jewish people is a partner. Thus Israels policy is inflaming anti-semitism in the world.



The Freedom Flotillas to Gaza



Israelis with a conscience may also feel ashamed of Israels response to the Freedom Flotillas. Because of the worsening situation in Gaza, several international boat crews made three attempts at bringing humanitarian aid and medical relief to Gaza. These boats were all boarded by IDF navy who forcibly directed crew members to Israeli prisons. Sadly, in May 2010, the Mavi Marmara was hijacked at sea by a dozen Israeli attack boats and several helicopters, from which IDF soldiers shot at the crew, killing 10 Turkish activists on board. Soldiers also stole thousands of dollars from their prisoners.



The most recent flotilla boat, the Norwegian al-Awda, was hijacked 60 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza in international waters. An Israeli press statement said the incident occurred without exceptional incident. From this I conclude that the IDFs actions were not exceptional but instead the norm - to taser and twist arms of the crew, steal belongings, punch the captain and threaten to kill him if he did not start the engine. A British doctor on board reported being prevented for hours from relieving her bladder, plus, she was not allowed to immediately treat the Canadian First Nations crew member who was in obvious pain, who instead had to wait for an Israeli doctor who arrived about 10 hours later.



In no way is this a moral army as claimed by Israels politicians. To me, the truly heroic soldiers are the ones who expose to the light the dark deeds of their military service.



Israel continues to live by the steel helmet and gun barrel. The international community is speaking out to condemn these Israeli actions. Editor of Moment of Truth: Tackling Israel-Palestine  s Toughest Questions, a compendium of many writers on the topic, Jamie Stern-Weiner writes:  The world is replete with morally difficult conflicts and complex ethical dilemmas. Gaza is not one of them."



In closing - A turning point is upon us



It is clear to me that in this conflict, religious tribalism is so emotionally charged, that no matter what facts are presented, supporters of Israel will continue to try to excuse bad behaviour, along with cries of anti-semitism. Rabbi Michael Lerner, a decades long American political activist, laments that he is mourning for a Judaism being murdered by Israel.



The world is watching. Jewish people the world over have a choice to make. This new Jewish nation-state law makes official what the real goal was all along. Some are saying it undermines peace in the Middle East, that its a prelude to annexation of more Palestinian territory.



I have long believed that Jewish people everywhere must question blind allegiance to Israel. It is time to acknowledge what is undeniably happening ... that the oppressed have become the oppressors. Is it not the Zionist dream that is the root of all aggression in this conflict?



The Canadian government has been on record as being uncritically supportive of Israel for years. Perhaps that may change because a delegation of parliamentarians travelled to Palestine recently and saw first hand the living conditions of Palestinians. As well, two political parties made statements of condemnation after witnessing the massacre of protesters during the Great March of Return. I am not holding my breath about a shift in official government opinion, simply because it is likely to be shouted down as anti-semitic by Zionist organizations.



American Jews must realize that the United States supports the Israeli military machine to the tune of about 3 billion dollars a year! It is heartening to know that many American Jews are outraged at the ultra-nationalist and racist state that Israel has become.



American Rabbis are speaking out. Rabbi Alyssa Wise was denied entry to Israel in 2017 for being part of a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions group (BDS). Im heartbroken and outraged. This is yet another demonstration that democracy and tolerance in Israel only extends to those who fall in line with its increasingly repressive policies against Palestinians. Rabbi Brant Rosen is troubled by claims of anti-Semitism in progressive Jewish circles.  Ive long been frustrated at my liberal Zionist colleagues who are more than willing to condemn any number of human rights abuses around the world, yet refuse to apply the same standard when it comes to Israel.



A growing number of American Jewish youth are adamant that the Judaism advocated by Israeli Zionists does not speak for them. Through their movement IfNotNow, they are calling the Occupation a moral disaster for those who support it and administer it. IfNotNow is currently running a campaign called You Never Told Me, where they level critique against Jewish summer camps and day schools for ignoring Israels occupation, calling upon these institutions to provide Jewish education that advances freedom and dignity for all people.



Another group making waves in the Jewish community in the United States is Birthright, an organization that for years has offered young Jews around the world free trips to Israel. This past June, five program participants walked off the Birthright bus on the last day of their trip, met up with Breaking the Silence, and together went to the occupied West Bank city of Hebron where they met Palestinians.



We each came on this trip separately with hope that  especially in light of the recent killings of more than a 100 protesters in Gaza and Trump moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem  Birthright would trust its participants enough to give us an honest education. We came with questions about whats happening in the occupied territories and wanted to engage with new perspectives, but what became clear over the course of 10 days was that Birthright did not want to truthfully engage with our questions. Its clear that young Jews who have critical questions about Israel are not welcome on Birthright. Its shocking that given all the recent violence Birthright would continue to act as if we cant handle the truth.



This is aptly demonstrated by Birthrights map of Israel showing no Palestinian territories whatsoever, a clear message of Israels intentions to own all of the land, as prophesied by the Zionist leaders quoted earlier. These five young Jews showed courage in addressing a growing disillusionment with Zionism.



Disillusionment with what Israel has become is also being expressed by older American Jews as well. Early this year, American political scientist David Rothkopf referred to Israel as a  thugocracy. His most recent article published in Haaretz is a call to action - Why its Now Every American Jews Duty to Oppose Israels Government: To the extent that laws like the nation-state law remain the unaltered law of the land, Israels leaders must be challenged, communities of conscience everywhere and all manner of pressure mobilized against it on behalf of those denied their most basic human rights by the law.



I am choosing to join others calling for an end to the Occupation and the Blockade. I believe stealing land from another is wrong, anywhere. In this regard, the Palestinian perspective is the same as that of the First Nations people of our own country.



We can become effective in bringing our voices to bear upon this issue by supporting the work of organizations advocating an end to Israels oppression of Palestinians. We can boycott goods made in the occupied territories labelled made in Israel- every purchase is a reminder of the Palestinian call for human rights. And we can sign petitions urging artists to cancel gigs in Israel as a statement in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israeli apartheid.



A father in Gaza who participated in Gazas Great March of Return wrote an Op Ed in the New York Times about his decision to take part in this historic uprising despite the dangers. He told his sons: If risking my life means you and your brothers will have a chance to thrive, to have a future with dignity, to live in peace with all your neighbours, in your free country, then this is a risk I must take.



We either work towards a more loving and compassionate world, or we perish. More and more of us are opening our hearts to the pain of The Other. The same psychologist quoted at the beginning of this essay wrote of his fear of rancour that might arise between friends in discussing this issue. I am ready to take that risk.

Home Search ICH Caspian Deal an Antidote to Washingtons Bullyboy Tactics By Finian Cunningham August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - At a time of increased bullying of others by the United States, the five-nation Caspian Sea deal signed earlier this week shows the importance of diplomacy for mutual benefit and security. While the Trump administration is winding up international tensions across the globe with its penchant for slapping sanctions and tariffs on other nations, the breakthrough development over the Caspian Sea points to how multilateral accord can be achieved, and peace between countries maintained. For over 20 years, the seashore nations of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia have been locked in dispute over territorial rights governing the Caspian  the worlds largest inland body of water. But last Sunday, the leaders of the five countries signed a landmark legal convention which formulates a compromise on sharing the benefits  and responsibilities  of the seas rich resources. 5 states sign historic deal on status of Caspian Sea https://t.co/VfgGV5CiBr  RT (@RT_com) August 12, 2018 Addressing the other leaders in the Kazakh port city of Aktau, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the agreement as epoch-making, saying it would pave the way for greater cooperation and prosperity among the Central Asian neighbors. Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani told delegates: Our region could be an example of stability, friendship and a good neighborhood. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter At the heart of the erstwhile dispute was how to legally define the Caspian. Was it a sea or a lake? That definitional difference meant different governing laws could be applied, with implications for how the five littoral nations would share the resources of that vast waterway  an area (370,000 square km) which is bigger than that of Germany and many other European states. With huge oil and gas reserves, as well as lucrative fishing resources, the division of the Caspian has always been a fraught subject. What has been agreed now is an innovative compromise between the stakeholder nations. The surface water is to be treated as an international sea which means freedom of navigation for the five peripheral countries to any of the shores. But the seabed is defined as if it were dry land, allowing for the distribution of constituent zones on an equitable basis. The precise formula for sharing the area has reportedly yet to be established, requiring follow-up meetings between foreign ministers. But the main outcome so far is the five neighbors have come up with an amicable, workable solution. Reaching this consensus on the status of the sea was a difficult process, said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. It required a lot of effort but now we have goodwill. Up until the fall of the Soviet Union, the Caspian was shared by just two jurisdictions  that of the USSR and Iran. With the independence of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan that led to more competing claims. The hydrocarbon resources under the seabed are immense, estimated to be worth trillions of dollars. With proven reserves of 50 billion barrels of oil that puts the region ahead of the United States or Nigeria. In addition, there are natural gas fields reckoned to be equivalent in size to those of Saudi Arabia. Commendably, the littoral nations have come up with a mutual accord to allocate the resources, recognizing the sovereignty of each. That means for Russia, it is obliged to accede to a trans-Caspian pipeline between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan which could compete with its market share for fuel exports to Europe. On the other hand, Russias total naval access to the Caspian gives it crucial security defense. Russian warships used the Caspian as a launching area for its Kalibr cruise missiles during the war in Syria in support of the Assad government against Western-backed militants. As Putin also pointed out during the signing ceremony in Aktau, the Caspian is a vital security area for Central Asia, straddling Afghanistan and the Middle East. For Russia, securing its Caucasus region from encroaching terror threats is paramount. Significantly, too, the Caspian Sea deal categorically excludes any external military power from gaining a foothold. Under the agreement, the sea is to be solely for the use of the five littoral countries. That means the US and NATO are forbidden from entering the area or setting up military facilities in the future. That is of major concern to Moscow, since NATO has expressed plans to expand membership to Georgia in the South Caucasus, adjacent to Azerbaijan. The Caspian deal can thus be seen as a model for diplomacy and multilateralism. It is a win-win for the five nations based on give-and-take and respect for each others sovereign rights. Without agreement, the resource-rich area has languished from piecemeal development and lack of collective responsibility. The latter has caused concern over pollution and environmental impact on water quality and fish stocks, especially the famous sturgeon fish and its caviar delicacy. Now, however, through consensus, the Caspians prodigious resources can potentially be harnessed for mutual prosperity in a way that protects the natural ecology through joint management and responsibility. Having agreed on this mutual arrangement, the five Caspian nations are also now talking about developing closer trade links, transport and tourism. That potential integration of the economies also dovetails with wider developments for regional commerce and security through the five-nation Eurasian Economic Union of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, as well as Chinas ambitious plans for Eurasian developmental partnership. The timing of the Caspian Sea deal seems appropriate too. The signing of the accord last weekend came only days after the Trump administration announced new biting sanctions on both Russia and Iran. Washingtons propensity for high-handed unilateral punitive measures is also seen with regard to recent sanctions on Turkey, as well as trade tariffs on China and the European Union. American disregard for diplomacy and multilateral agreement has become increasingly apparent under President Trump. Such a tendency is fomenting economic instability around the world, and instigating dangerous international tensions, possibly leading to military conflict. What the Caspian accord demonstrates is the feasibility and desirability of nations engaging in dialogue to resolve disputes. It reaffirms the importance of diplomacy and collective cooperation to overcome contentious issues, and to secure mutual benefits. One can only imagine the outcome if instead of Russia, it was the US sharing a Caspian shore. The other nations would have been rolled over or attacked militarily to gratify Washingtons selfish interests. Ironically, the recent rash of American bullying of other nations is driving them to find refuge through solidarity and partnership. Irans President Rouhani specifically thanked his four Caspian neighbors for their continuing support of the international nuclear accord which Trump has walked away from. Russia and Iran are reportedly working on developing joint oil and gas projects in defiance of US trade threats. Washingtons boorish behavior of trying to isolate and enervate what it considers as rivals or enemies is only leading to the opposite effect. It seems to be the US which is the one being isolated, while other nations innovate new ways of coming together for commerce and security. As Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this week during a visit to Turkey, Washingtons bullying is creating motivating conditions and reasons for other nations to find solutions to avoid Americas abuse of its power. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by "RT " - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ====== Note To ICH Community We are currently searching for a new comment system as we have run out of options on how to prevent the constant bickering and attacks by troll's, whose intention is to paint our website and newsletter as, anti-Semitic, anti-American, pro-Russian fake news. We can no longer afford to invest hours of our time each day, trying to have people behave in a manner befitting those who say they are concerned for others, while offering abuse and hostility to other ICH community members. When we have found such a comment system we will restore the comment function. We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. This would be a better use of out time than trying to prevent abuse of our comment system. Thank you for your continued support. Peace and joy Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.Gary Younge

August 14, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Imagine that Martin Luther King never had a dream. Imagine that instead of working outside the narrow confines of time and place, he had resolved to work only within them. Imagine he had risen to the steps of the Lincoln Monument and announced a five-point plan that he imagined he could both sell to the black community and win a majority for in both houses of congress that would bring civil rights legislation that one step closer.

But he didnt. He chose not to engage in the nitty gritty of the here and now. Instead, he addressed not what will be or could be, but what should be. And it is in that spirit and tradition that I want to make this contribution now.

I am fully aware that no nation is going to get rid of its border tomorrow. If youre looking for a discussion on workable immigration policies that can be enacted in the next parliamentary session, then watch Question Time or listen to the Today Programme. There you will find people going around in circles about what is practical rather than bothering themselves with what is ethical or moral.

Its not naive to hope that what does not seem possible in the foreseeable future is nonetheless necessary and worth fighting for. As a descendant of slaves and the child of an immigrant working-class single parent family, I owe my life today to those outrageous and brave enough to fight for a society that they insisted upon even when they could not imagine it ever materialising.

If politics is the art of the possible, then radicalism must be the capacity to imagine new possibilities. A map of the world that does not include utopia is not worth even glancing at, wrote Oscar Wilde. For it leaves out the one country at which humanity is always landing. And when humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country, sets sail.

The map of my utopian world has no borders. No border guards, no barbed wire, no passport control, no walls, fences or barriers. The world, I think, would be a better place without them. I believe in the free movement of people. As a principle, I think we should all be able to roam the planet and live, love and create where we wish. Im about to make the case for why thats desirable and what we would need to be and do to get there, but first I want to throw down the gauntlet to those who oppose the notion of open borders. What place do Yarls Wood detention centre, or the jungle in Calais, or the vessels in the Mediterranean, have in your utopias? Why did you dream of them?

Radical transformation

Make no mistake, a world with open borders would demand a radical transformation of much of what we have now. It would demand a rethinking not only of immigration, but our policies on trade and war, the environment, health and welfare, which would in turn necessitate a re-evaluation of our history, of our understanding of ourselves as a species and as a nation.

This is partly personal for me. My parents were born and raised in Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean caught in the crosswinds of colonial ties and post-war labour scarcity. Along with my parents, nine of my aunts and uncles left Barbados for lives in Britain, the US and Canada. I have cousins scattered across the globe. Borders are no friends to diasporas. They privilege form-filling over family.

Borders exist by definition to separate one group of people from another, and the primary two issues then become which other that would be, and on what basis they should be separated. As such, borders are both arbitrary and definite. Arbitrary because they could be drawn anywhere, and they often move. Countries are, in the words of Benedict Anderson, imagined communities. Nation states as we commonly understand them are a relatively new idea.

We have made Italy, said Massimo dAzeglio, at the meeting of the newly united Italy in parliament in the mid-19th century. Now we must make Italians. We have lived far longer without countries than with them. And if you look at what is happening in Catalonia or Scotland or Flanders then some of the ones we are living with are far from being based upon fact.

But if borders are arbitrary they are also definite, because wherever they are we have to deal with them. Because the process that determines who is allowed to move where and why is exercised with extreme prejudice. Americas 1882 Chinese exclusion act, the White Australia policy, a series of measures lasting 70 years, or Britains 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act are the most crude filters. But while the othering changes with time  recently in the western world the shift from race to religion as grounds for suspicion over a generation has been breath-taking  the fact of it remains the same: some people wont be welcome. Not because of what they have done, but because of who they are, even as the groups of people in question may change.

A Home Office report in 2007 about who gets stopped for extra questioning when coming into Britain and revealed that non-white South Africans are ten times more likely to be pulled aside and non-white Canadians nine times more likely than their white countrymen. Moreover, even though the mean income of a black Canadian is almost double that of a white South African, a black Canadian is still four times more likely to be stopped. To anyone who seeks some other explanation, I point you to the faces of those who have been caught in the Windrush scandal and ask you: is that a coincidence? This is not a glitch in the system, this is the system.

This has been relatively recently compounded by a further contradiction that even as borders have become tougher for people, they have all but been lifted for capital. Money can travel the globe, virtually without restriction in search of regulations that are weaker and labour that is cheaper. And when it does, it often displaces people, sucking investment and resources from one place at the flick of a switch, shutting down factories and shifting them to the other side of the globe, or introducing automation that makes some professions obsolete. But nobody asks a machine or money when its crossing a border whether it will put someone out of work. Those who find their lives turned upside down by the free movement of capital are often prevented from moving country and looking for work. People should at least have the same rights as machines.

The rich can buy themselves citizenship in around 20 countries, cash down. Meanwhile, desperate people are turned away at borders all the time. It is a fact rarely stated, but generally acknowledged and accepted, that the global poor should not be allowed to travel. Indeed, one of the more intriguing aspects of hearing the new home secretary Sajid Javids life story, held up as an uplifting example, is the detail that his father came to the country with just 1 in his pocket in 1961. That means that were his own father were to arrive in the country now, Javid would not let him in.

And he is okay with that. It is absolutely right, he said three years ago, that today we should have an immigration policy based more on skills. That excludes most of the world, and so the border stands as an ultimate point of confrontation in the broader dystopia we have made possible. I think that poor people should be able to travel. Not least because if they couldnt, I wouldnt be here.

Obvious retorts

It would be useful to deal pre-emptively with some of the more obvious retorts regarding open borders. The first relates to security. If we open the borders we will compromise our security, goes the claim. Well, the overwhelming majority of people who have committed terrorist attacks here were either born here or are here legally. That shouldnt surprise us. So long as Britain has had colonial or imperial interests elsewhere, it has had a terrorist problem. We have been growing our own terrorists for years.

For the better part of a century, we mostly were engaging with Ireland. The security that came after that conflict emerged not as a result of tighter borders or more stringent policy, but from a political settlement. Similarly, the source of our terror problem is not the result of stringent or lax borders, but a thoroughly misguided foreign policy in which we either commit acts of state terror ourselves, as in Iraq, or profit from the weaponising of others to do it, as in Yemen.

Nation states are a relatively recent concept; migration is as old as humanity. Borders seek to regulate and restrict that basic human custom for the distinct purpose of excluding some and privileging others

It would also help if we addressed the problem with the issue of refugees. First of all, we dont take anything like our fair share of refugees even compared with other European countries, let alone the rest of the world. But it is particularly galling because a significant number of refugees are fleeing wars that we have created and states that we have failed, regimes we have subsidised and regions we have disabled. If we dont want people to come here, then maybe we could start by not going there and messing it up.

Similarly with our trade policies, which punish poorer countries by preventing them from developing as we did with nationalised industries protected by subsidies and thereby confine them to the volatile markets of raw materials and the whims of multinationals.

These are often countries that Britain and other western nations actively and intentionally underdeveloped during colonialism. There we have a historical responsibility. Much of the migration in the world at present, it should be pointed out, is not voluntary but forced, by extreme poverty, natural disasters and wars. It would be a better world if people only moved if they wanted to and if they did not have to move to eat. Environmental policies, particularly on climate change, arms controls and responsible foreign and trade policies, would assist in allowing many people to stay where they would rather be  at home.

Put another way, those who insist that we cannot afford to take in the worlds misery should make more of a concerted effort to ensure that we are not helping to create the worlds misery.

A tougher call

That brings us on to the welfare state, the health service and so on, which is a tougher call. How do we sustain, with national taxes, these things that we value if they are then free to the world?

Clearly, if we didnt contribute so much to global poverty this would be less of an issue. And we shouldnt forget the huge health inequalities within nations. A black man in Washington DC has a lower life expectancy than a man on the Gaza strip.

Whats more, just because you have no national borders doesnt mean that there cant be national rights and obligations. The pragmatist in me says we have free movement in the European Union but Im still not eligible for an Italian pension. So ring-fencing a system whereby those who contribute can benefit should not be beyond our ken

The idealist in me, though, asks the question: do you want to live in a world where healthcare is determined by an accident of birth? And if your answer is yes, is that because the accident occurred in your favour?

The thing that all these objections have in common, and I know that there are more, is fear. Fear of others, that others might take what is ours, might pollute what we share. That fear is a potent force. It can drive people into the arms of fascists, racists, bigots and bullies.

We have seen recently where that fear gets us. What happened with the Windrush generation was not a mistake  it was the whole point of the hostile environment policy. People are treated as illegal unless they can prove otherwise.

Not content with a physical border on the waters edge and at the airport frontier, it revealed that we now have borders that are invisible and omnipresent, dividing communities and generations at whim and will. The border now represents not a physical space but a political one that can be reproduced without warning in places of learning and healing. At any moment almost anyone  your boss, doctor, childs headteacher, or landlord  can become a border guard. Indeed, they may be legally obliged to do so, and on the basis of their judgement you may be denied livelihood, family, home and health. Is that the world we want?

Wake-up call

The great thing about dreaming is that you always have something to wake up to. I dont want to wake up to this any more.

Nation states are a relatively recent concept; migration is as old as humanity. Borders seek to regulate and restrict that basic human custom for the distinct purpose of excluding some and privileging others. They discriminate between all people with the express intent of then being able to discriminate against some people. They do not simply set boundaries for countries, they are metaphors for how we might imagine other human beings.

Immigrants are not the problem, borders are. We dont know what the future holds, but if we dont fight for it, it wont exist. Activism is the key. Bad things happen when good people stay at home.

This is an edited extract from a public lecture by Gary Younge at SOAS on 3 May 2018.The National publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Kola Olagbondiyan said Nigerians were killed and maimed during the bye elections recently.

Mr Olagbondiyan said Nigerians were killed and maimed by agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) at the recently conducted bye-elections in Kogi, Katsina and Bauchi states.

He also stated that votes cast against the APC were destroyed by them, and that banditry and vote buying were the order of the day.

Speaking via his twitter handle today, the PDP national secretary stressed that votes didnt count during the bye elections.Los Angeles' subway will become the first mass transit system in the U.S. to install body scanners that screen passengers for weapons and explosives, officials said Tuesday.

The deployment of the portable scanners, which project waves to do full-body screenings of passengers walking through a station without slowing them down, will happen in the coming months, said Alex Wiggins, who runs the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's law enforcement division.

The machines scan for metallic and non-metallic objects on a person's body, can detect suspicious items from 30 feet (9 meters) away and have the capability of scanning more than 2,000 passengers per hour.

"We're dealing with persistent threats to our transportation systems in our country," said Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske. "Our job is to ensure security in the transportation systems so that a terrorist incident does not happen on our watch."

On Tuesday, Pekoske and other officials demonstrated the new machines, which are being purchased from Thruvision, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom. "We're looking specifically for weapons that have the ability to cause a mass-casualty event," Wiggins said. "We're looking for explosive vests, we're looking for assault rifles. We're not necessarily looking for smaller weapons that don't have the ability to inflict mass casualties."

In addition to the Thruvision scanners, the agency is also planning to purchase other body scanners -- which resemble white television cameras on tripods -- that have the ability to move around and hone in on specific people and angles, Wiggins said.

"We really want to be effective and we need the ability to have a fixed field of view, but we also need to be able to move that field of view as necessary," Wiggins said. "Deploying these technologies together gives us that accuracy and minimizes any delays."

Wiggins would not say how many of the machines were being purchased, but said they would be rolled out in subway stations in the "coming months." Employees and police officers first have to be trained on how to use the equipment.

Signs will be posted at stations warning passengers they are subject to body scanner screening. The screening process is voluntary, Wiggins said, but customers who choose not be screened won't be able to ride on the subway.

Dr Bill Lumsden, the driving force behind Glenmorangie and Ardbegs acclaimed whisky creation, has been hailed as Distiller of the Year at a renowned industry competition, for the second time. Lauded by the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) for his innovation and exceptional craftsmanship, The Glenmorangie Companys Director of Whisky Creation, Distilling & Whisky Stocks is the first person in the competitions history to win this prestigious accolade twice, having first received the honour in 2015.

Dr Bill oversees the creation of Glenmorangies exceptional Highland single malt whisky and of Ardbeg, among the worlds smokiest, peatiest Islay malt whisky. In a further show of their admiration for Dr Bill and his renowned Whisky Creation Team, the judges also singled out Glenmorangies whiskies for particular praise. On top of five gold medals, the Highland Distillery was awarded two coveted trophy awards. Glenmorangie Spios, the ninth annual release in the Distillerys pioneering Private Edition series  and its first whisky fully matured in American ex-rye whiskey casks  was the only trophy winner in the category Scotch Whisky  Single Malt No Age. Meanwhile, Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989, the second release in Glenmorangies exclusive Vintage Collection Bond House No. 1, and the Distillerys first whisky part-matured in rare ex-Cote-Rotie casks, was awarded one of just two trophies in the category Scotch Whisky  Single Malt 21 Years & Over.

The competitions awards director, Justin Smith, said: This is the second time that Bill has been awarded ISC Distiller of the Year  and deservedly so  as he leads a great vision of Glenmorangies range of luxurious whiskies. His attention to detail is craftsmanship at its best. This award symbolises the high regard for Bill in the industry and for the consistent innovation of Glenmorangies whisky.

Dr Bill said: I am humbled to be named as Distiller of the Year by the world-renowned ISC. Alongside two rare trophies and five gold medals, this award is a testament to our ceaseless pursuit of creativity and innovation at Glenmorangies Highland Distillery  and to the dedication which goes into creating Ardbegs untamed spirit. It is rewarding indeed to know our efforts are meet with such appreciation.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

ISC 2018 awards at a glance:

Dr Bill Lumsden  Distiller of the Year

Dr Bill Lumsden is Glenmorangies acclaimed Director of Whisky Creation, Distilling & Whisky Stocks. Dr Bill is regarded by the malt whisky industry as an innovator, creating whiskies which have revolutionised the single-malt market. In recognition of his teams work, The Glenmorangie Company was named Distiller of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2012. Dr Bill, who has a PhD in biochemistry, has combined art and science in his work since he joined The Glenmorangie Company in 1995. He is renowned for his groundbreaking wood management techniques, experimentation with exceptional casks at various ages, and use of extra-maturation. Dr Bill has won a series of prestigious awards and accolades. In 2015, he was first named as the ISCs Master Blender/Distiller of the year. He then won the International Whisky Competitions award for Master Distiller of the Year 2016 and 2017. He was also honoured with the title of Master Distiller/Blender of the Year, at Whisky Magazines Icons of Whisky 2016 awards.

Glenmorangie Spios  Trophy Winner  Scotch whisky: Single Malt No Age

Glenmorangies first whisky fully matured in American ex-rye whiskey casks. A full-bodied and savoury expression, it is the ninth annual release in the Distillerys pioneering Private Edition series.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989  Trophy Winner, Scotch whisky: Single Malt 21 Years & Over

The second release in the Distillerys exclusive Vintage Collection, Bond House No.1, this limited expression is created from spirit distilled in the last days of Glenmorangies former still house. Rich and complex, it is Glenmorangies first whisky part-matured in rare ex-Cote-Rotie casks.

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at

the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland for a purer spirit, expertly matured in the finest oak casks for great depth, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field, uniting tradition with innovation.

About Ardbeg:

Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as one of the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as the peaty paradox.

About the ISC:

Now in its 23rd year, the renowned International Spirits Challenge receives more than 1,500 entries from almost 70 countries and is founded on a rigorous and independent judging process, including ten days of blind tastings by panels of more than 50 industry experts. Its Master Blender/Distiller of the Year award recognises innovation and rewards the craftsmanship and skill shown in a master blender or distillers work over the last year.

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie and Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.TECNO Mobile on Friday the 10th of August 2018 shut down the Muri Okunola Park with one of the biggest raves of 2018.

The event had top musical acts Slim Case and Solidstar alongside DJ Consequence and Celebrity OAP and Hypeman Do2Dtun thrilling attendees made up of students from top universities within and outside Lagos, Media personalities, Celebrities and top executives of the mobile giant.

To kick start the electrifying event, guests were ushered through the lit dream tunnel towards the dream wall and red carpet, where they took pictures, had the chance to write their dreams, mingle with other guests and interact with the media.

In his usual energetic self, Dotun who was the MC got the crowd pumped with his interactive anchoring of the dance face-off that saw the winner going home with a new TECNO Spark 2 device. The party also gave upcoming artists such as Aceberg, Chizzylon, Milly K, Cozy Miller, Ola Boy, Femi Silva and a host of others an opportunity to also thrill the crowds.

The main acts for the day, Slimcase and Solidstar lived up to the expectations of the crowd as they took them through their hit songs with the audience singing and dancing along.

Powered by Google, The TECNO Spark 2 party lived up to its billing as the biggest rave event of 2018 and was a befitting climax to the launch of the Spark 2 smartphone which had also witnessed the Light Up Your Dream campaign during which four individuals won One million Naira each to fulfill their dreams.

SEE IMAGES BELOWCAIB is a four-part national program designed to increase brokers technical knowledge and business competence in personal and commercial lines. The CAIB designation is currently held by over 2,340 Ontario brokers. Online CAIB Exams will serve all 1,000+ Ontario brokers who participate in a CAIB course annually.

According to the IBAO, the online exams deliver a much better streamlined experience in contrast to the highly manual, expensive, and time-consuming process of the current tests. The project is part of a larger IBAC initiative to provide other provincial associations the opportunity to leverage the online platform the IBAO has created for brokers across Canada.

This is an exciting and important step forward for the CAIB program. Bringing CAIB exams online will benefit every broker looking to further their broker education in Ontario and eventually across the country, said Peter Braid, IBAC CEO.Denise was arrested after her ex-husband, Brian Winchester, admitted that he killed Mike  his best friend  so that he and Denise could be together and cash in on Mikes life insurance policies, the Democrat reported.

Mike Williams death was presumed accidental for nearly two decades. He disappeared in December of 2000 after supposedly going duck hunting alone on Lake Seminole in Jackson County, Fla., and was presumed to have drowned, according to the Democrat. That story began to crumble in rather dramatic fashion last year, however.

Winchester and Denise divorced last year after he kidnapped her at gunpoint, allegedly out of fear that she would try to pin Mikes murder entirely on him. Currently serving 20 years for the kidnapping, Winchester led authorities to Mike Williams body as part of a deal that prevents him for being prosecuted for the murder.

Winchester told police that he and Denise began an affair in 1997. He claimed that they had talked about killing Mike, who had three separate life insurance policies at the time of his death, before the largest one  for $1 million  was written. In December of 2000, Winchester took Mike to Seminole Lake intending to drown him. When that attempt was unsuccessful, he told authorities, he shot Mike in the face.

Just 11 days after Mike went missing, Denise and Winchester filed a claim on one of his policies, a worth $250,000 from Kansas City Life. They soon filed claims on Mikes two other policies  a half-million-dollar policy from Cotton States Life Insurance Company and another Kansas City Life policy, this one for $1 million. When Denise secured a certificate of presumptive death from a Leon County, Fla., judge, the claims were duly paid.

Denise and Winchester were married nearly five years to the day after Mikes disappearance, the Democrat reported.

Denise has pleaded not guilty to both her alleged role in the murder and the insurance fraud charges, the Democrat reported. She claims that Winchester acted alone in the killing.Some neighborhoods in California have yet to bounce back after 2017s destructive blazes. Santa Rosas Fountaingrove community saw all but some 50 of its 1,685 homes wiped out, while the nearby neighborhood of Coffey Park was likewise leveled with more than 1,200 of the 1,651 homes destroyed, according to Kopperud, and the rebuilding of homes has been slow.

Everybody is being impacted, whether youre in Fountaingrove or in Coffey Park. The one thing that has made it easier for Coffey Park victims is that those homes are being built much quicker and easier because they are not as complex, Kopperud told Insurance Business, adding that the average size of a home in Fountaingrove is between 3,000 or 4,000 square feet while Coffeys homes are typically around 1,200 square feet.

Despite this, only about 400 homes are currently under construction in Coffey Park and surrounding neighborhoods, while Fountaingroves rebuilding has fallen even further behind.

There are about 40 to 50 homes that are under construction, so why is it going so much slower in Fountaingrove? said Kopperud. Theyre much more expensive  theyre $1 million to $2 million homes  so the building department is going to be much stricter as far as accepting the customizations that tend to go with those styles of homes.

There also arent a lot of contractors available in the area because of Californias strict licensing requirements and the states process for going through building permits. Currently, 40% of homes are being rebuilt by 10 different contractors. Meanwhile, time is running out for people in the Santa Rosa area who are waiting to move back home.

The frightening part is that if we dont get a large percentage of those homes approved, find contractors, and break ground in the next three, four, or five months, what that means is that theyre going to run out of time for the homeowners who are paying rent, which is covered through their policy, said Kopperud.

For carriers, the Santa Rosa fires have illustrated how important it is to make sure they have the accurate insurance to value (ITV) for properties, especially those in at-risk areas. Homeowners share responsibility to communicate to carriers all the attributes about a home that determine its value, but the insurance industry also needs to make efforts to get ITV right.

As a peril, fire is really unique. When it happens, it oftentimes ends up in a total loss and for what happened in Santa Rosa, because of how broad and wide it was, and how many homes were affected, its really critical to get the ITV for those properties to be accurate, said Kopperud, adding that even for partial damage to homes, carriers still need to collect premiums based on the true value of say, a propertys roof. We try to impress upon our insurance carriers, our clients and our industry in general how important insuring to value is.Italian rescuers worked into the night Tuesday to try to find anyone who might still be alive under the wreckage of a collapsed highway bridge in Genoa.

A large section of the Morandi Bridge fell during a violent stormn earlier in the day, apparently without warning. Authorities said more than 30 vehicles dropped when the bridge collapsed, with some falling 45 meters. Huge pieces of concrete and steel dropped onto warehouses in an industrial park under the bridge.

At least 26 people were killed, with some reports putting the death toll as high as 35. According to authorities, all of the deaths involved drivers on the bridge, and no one standing near it was killed. A fire official said seven people were pulled out of the rubble alive.

Witnesses reported an "apocalyptic scene." Television images showed a truck that stopped just short of the portion that collapsed, with its tires against a pile of rubble.The failed project included a well that was supposed to tap into a water source about 4,000 feet down. After the hole was drilled, however, a steel well casing collapsed during installation at a depth of about 3,000 feet. With only weeks to go before the scheduled testing phase, Georgia had already spent more than $3.5 million on the well project, the Morning News reported.

GEFA has been unable to pinpoint the precise cause of the casing collapse; however, upon information and belief, the proximate cause of the casing collapse was CH2Ms decision to use a stainless steel casing with a wall thickness of 0.250 inches at the point of collapse instead of a casing with a 0.365-inch wall thickness, as specified in CH2Ms original design, the Georgia Attorney Generals Office wrote in the complaint.

The Tybee, Ga., area is scheduled to reduce its usage of the Floridan aquifer in 2025  but only if a deep well is in operation by then, the Morning News reported.In case you missed it: Here is the weekly recap in news.

8/6: Ames mayor vetoes rental cap exemptions.

+3 Ames mayor vetoes rental cap exemptions Ames Mayor John Haila has vetoed the rental cap exemptions which were passed on July 31, mak

8/7: Former Title IX coordinator settles two lawsuits against Iowa State for $125,000

Former Title IX coordinator settles two lawsuits against Iowa State for $125,000 Former Title IX coordinator Robinette Kelley and Iowa State have settled two lawsuits in whi

8/8: Mollie Tibbetts' father says he believes she is with someone she knows

+2 Mollie Tibbetts' Father says he believes she is with someone she knows The father of missing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts told reporters Monday he be

8/9: Iowa State professor agrees to settlement in free speech lawsuit

Iowa State professor agrees to settlement in free speech lawsuit A mechanical engineering professor has settled a lawsuit with Iowa State that will stop him 

8/10: Rummage Rampage grew for third straight year: broke records, put items to use

8/10: Delta Chi fraternity under interim suspension following out of control bonfireOpinion Policies

Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue.

Feedback policy

If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com).

Column Policy

Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020The overseas investments of major businesses rose 38 percent over the last five years, from $25.6 billion in 2012 to $35.3 billion last year. But for small and mid-sized businesses it nearly tripled over the same period, and the proportion of them building factories abroad surged 60.3 percent to 1,884.

According to the Export-Import Bank of Korea, overseas investment by Korean companies and individuals reached US$43.7 billion last year, the highest since the government began tallying statistics in 1980.

Smaller Korean manufacturers are packing up and heading overseas in growing numbers because they are unable or unwilling to pay wages and other mounting expenses here.

Smaller manufacturers blame surging wages and red tape. Back home, therefore, facility investment is declining sharply. According to the Korea Development Bank, domestic investment by major businesses rose from W147.4 trillion in 2015 to W168.5 trillion last year, but once the booming semiconductor and display industries are excluded it actually fell from W123 trillion to W110.6 trillion (US$1=W1,130).

The trend is even more pronounced among small and mid-sized companies, where facility investment fell from W33.4 trillion in 2015 to W21.3 trillion last year. Since they account for 87 percent of employment in Korea, that has led to a sharp decline in available jobs.

Lee Jeong-hee at Chungang University said, "Facility investment is planned 10 years ahead, so a decline means that more and more businesses expect bad times ahead."

"The rising number of manufacturers relocating overseas poses the risk of triggering an acute job shortage two to four years in the future."

There is a growing sense of crisis among manufacturers. The last straw for many was the minimum wage hike and the shorter working week. There are rumors of a mass exodus starting next year, when the minimum wage rises to W8,350 an hour and smaller firms must shorten their maximum working week to 52 hours. That will cost jobs. According to the OECD, small and mid-sized firms in Korea account for 87 percent of total jobs, much more than in the U.S. (41.33 percent), Japan (52.8 percent), the U.K. (53.08 percent) and France (63.3 percent).

One small business owner said, "Who will provide jobs here when struggling businesses close down and those who can afford it move overseas?"Focus on Lisa Netz, co-owner of The Lavish Loft

Submitted by Haleh Rabizadeh Resnick, Federation Business and Community Development Director For the Voice What was your path to South Jersey? I grew up in...

Focus on Peter Hecht Partner at Magna Legal Services

Tell me about your connection to the South Jersey Jewish Community? I actually grew up in East Brunswick, Exit 9 off the Turnpike. But weve...

Focus on Abigail Dahan: Owner of the Bake School

Tell me a bit about your life in South Jersey. I grew up in Cherry Hill. We moved here from Paris when I was six...China, Africa to strengthen cooperation in poverty reduction

From:Xinhua | 2018-08-14 19:54

Video PlayerClose

BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa will step up cooperation to reduce poverty, a Chinese poverty relief official said Tuesday.

"Reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development are shared targets and historical tasks of China and Africa," said Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The two sides will strengthen communication to share their experience of poverty alleviation and work together to conduct research in the field.

China will continue to train poverty relief workers from Africa according to the needs of African countries, Liu told a conference on poverty reduction and development under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two sides will launch some pilot projects that serve as examples or provide technical support for poverty relief work, according to Liu.Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Batrisee Jobs

Latest Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Teaching Posts Mansehra 2021 Medical Officers, Lecturers Computer Sciences having teaching experience, Security Officers, Mess Manager and Assistant Medical Officers are required in Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Batrisee in Mansehra.

How to Apply on Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Company Address: Principal Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Batrasi Manshera KPK

Telephone: 0997-550281

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.Jinshan in push to preserve 10 ancient bridges

From:Shine | 2018-08-15 01:29

Dongfeng Bridge, now under renovation in Jinshan.

Jinshan District has begun preserving 10 historic bridges in its industrial area, and dredging waterways beneath them to improve the districts scenery.

The bridges date to nearly a century ago, and have been damaged due to lack of maintenance. The district government launched its renovation campaign after many other ancient bridges collapsed, the Jinshan officials said.

Bespoke preservation plans have been made for each of the bridges under the guidance of the district museum. The project also aims to stabilize the structures of some bridges that are still being used.

The Zhuhang area of Jinshan, which has become the districts industrial quarter, was once home to a total of 67 ancient stone bridges. However, most of these were demolished during the citys urbanization, especially during the establishment of the modern industrial zone a decade ago.

Two famous stone bridges, the Xiajia and Dongfeng, collapsed in March this year, triggering a massive online petition to protect the remaining structures.

The 10 remaining bridges made of granite are mainly in five villages. Most of them were built during the 1930s by local notables or rich businessmen, according to the zones management committee.

These bridges have not only witnessed the development of the industrial zone, but also contain the sweat and wisdom of our ancestors as well as Chinas traditional virtues, said Zhang Min, an official with the committee.

The Nianxuan Bridge, for instance, was built by a Jinshan landlord named Fei Zhongpu in 1935 to commemorate his mother. The bridge in Huanxing Village was made with two granite blocks, each being 5.8 meter long and 1.1 meter wide.

The Yongmao Bridge in Yunhe Village was built in 1890 by a wealthy local family surnamed Xie as a gift that would benefit other villagers.

Stone tablets will be erected at each of the bridges after the preservation work to tell the history behind the historic structures, according to the committee.

Experts with the districts museum and cultural heritage authority have been invited to evaluate the remaining bridges and made renovation plans to restore their original look. An initial investigation found some of the bridges have serious structural damage.

Meanwhile, the districts water authority has launched a cleanup campaign on the waterways beneath the bridges.

Preservation work has already completed on two of the bridges, including the collapsed Xiajia Bridge and the Nianxuan Bridge, while creeks there have also been dredged.Apparently, the most widely covered issue on the front pages of Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Wednesday is local, provincial and federal governments exorbitant tax collection under different headings. Finance Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the government to make sure that citizens do not have to pay tax to various levels of government for a single service or activity, and this decision has also been covered on the front pages of major newspapers today.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday night decided to sack Nepal Telecom Managing Director Kamini Rajbhandari accusing her of underperformance and many newspapers have covered this issue on the cover pages.

Few other sociocultural, political and financial issues have also been featured on the front pages of major newspapers today.

Important

Cabinet sacks Nepal Telecom boss for underperformance

Quoting Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gokul Banskota, Kantipur and Gorkhapatra report that Kamini Rajbhandari was sacked from the position of Managing Director of Nepal Telecom as her performance could not meet expectations.

Earlier on Friday, the government had told Rajbhandari to submit a clarification within three days mentioning why she could not perform. The decision was made after she could not justify her activities in the clarification.

She still had one year to complete a three-year term.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting also formed a new committee of the Institute of Foreign Affairs as it appointed members for next three years, according to Annapurna Post.

Govt adopts new process to collect CGT from Ncell

Lead stories in Kantipur and Karobar report that the government has adopted a new method to collect outstanding capital gains tax from telecommunication giant, Ncell, while its ownership was sold few years ago.

Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada told a meeting of Finance Committee in Parliament that the government is planning to collect Rs 61 billion remaining tax from the company after carrying out an assessment of assets and liabilities of the company (due diligence audit), according to Karobar.

The government has already begun the process to select a consultant to carry out the assessment, according to Kantipur. However, no one has filed application to take up the assignment, the report adds.

Pesticide laced water makes Morang students ill

Kantipur, Nagarik and Republica have reported that more than two dozen students have experienced sickness after drinking water at their school in Jante of Morang district in eastern Nepal. Four of them are serious but out of danger, according to Kantipur.

They are being treated at Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College whereas others are at Mangalbare-based Primary Health Centre, according to Republica.

Later, a search found out a pesticide in the water tank, according to the report.

It says some of the students started vomiting after drinking the water while others complained of headache and burning sensation in the stomach.

Meanwhile, police officials say they have started an investigation into the case.

Ignored

Govt may halt new staff recruitment for one to three years

The government is planning to halt recruitment of new staff for one year claiming it is yet to decide the number of staff required for various categories as the country has fully adopted the federal governance system, according to Annapurna Post anchor story.

Naya Patrika, however, says the halt may last as long as three years.

Meanwhile, officials of the Public Service Commission, authorised to facilitate the recruitment process, have objected to the preparation, according to both the reports.

15 companies to face action for fake rescue

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has sent a letter to various government agencies including the Ministry of Home Affairs to take action against 15 companies and their involvement in deceiving foreign trekkers in the name of rescue operations has been proved, according to Karobar.

Eight of them are trekking and rescue companies, four hospitals and three helicopter companies, the report informs.

Dahal cancels North Korea trip to maintain good relations with west

A four column anchor story in The Himalayan Times informs that Nepal Communist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has cancelled a scheduled visit to North Korea capital as his party decided that he should not go to Pyongyang so as to maintain good relations with the international community including western countries.

Earlier, the North Korean Ambassador to Nepal, Kim Yong Hak, had extended the invitation to Dahal to make a visit on the occasion of the countrys National Day on September 9.

Interesting

Passport acquisition process to be easier

Abhiyan and Nepal Samacharpatra report the government has registered a new bill in Parliament on passport laws, according to which acquiring the passport will be much easier.

Minister for Foreign Affairs has told the legislative body that citizens should not wait for more than three days to acquire the document now onwards, reports Abhiyan, adding the House of Representatives has endorsed a proposal to begin discussion on the bill.

Acquiring the passport will be further easier once the new law comes into effect, according to Nepal Samacharpatra.Home  Just In  Kathmandu locals blame Dhobikhola network arch bridge for inundation

Kathmandu, August 15

A flooded Dhobikhola River on Tuesday night inundated various human settlements on its both banks around Anamnagar, Bijulibazaar and Baneshwor areas of Kathmandu.

Locals have blamed that an under construction network arch bridge in Bijulibazaar blocked the river, forcing the floodwater to enter human settlements.

The affected people say the loss caused by the flooding amounts to millions of rupees.

They had stayed awake overnight to protect their belongings from getting swept away.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress lawmaker from Kathmandu-1 Prakash Man Singh demanded that the government provide compensation to the victims.

He visited some affected sites this morning and informed officials including Chief District Officer, Home Secretary and Kathmandus Deputy Mayor about the loss.

Singh also assured the support to victims.Kathmandu, August 15

The Nepal government says it has appointed Sushil Gyewali as the Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority, the government body authorised to supervise and lead post-earthquake reconstruction activities.

Gyewali has already served as the CEO of the Authority. Then Nepali Congress-Maoist Centre coalition government had removed Gyewali from the position in January 2017 accusing him of underperformance. Gyewali was said to be close to then main opposition CPN-UML.

Then, the government appointed former Vice Chairman of National Planning Commission, Govinda Raj Pokharel to the position. Pokharel, however, resigned to contest parliament elections. Therefore, former Secretary Yubaraj Bhusal, also a relative of Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Paudel, was appointed to the position in October 2017.

The incumbent KP Sharma Oli-led government had sacked Bhusal among others claiming all political appointments made by Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government after August 30 were against the election code of conduct.

A Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday night made the appointment.MERLIN, Ore.  Fire crews from all over the world have come to Southern Oregon to help fight the wildfires surrounding the Rogue Valley.

Eight different agencies, including the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, Josephine County Sheriff, Josephine County Emergency Management, US Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, United States National Guard and the American Red Cross.

So far at least 15 different states have sent teams to help fight the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires, including: Alaska, Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, New Mexico, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and of course, Oregon.

The Taylor Creek Fire alone has over 1,400 people battling the flames.

Were gone from home during this time just like a deployment, explains Jimmy Takach, a Washington State Air National Guard Technical Sergeant working on the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires, Ive been gone since the end of June from where I live in Washington and been running around here and doing a job thats fun, at times its uncomfortable, sometimes its really rewarding.

Its not only firefighters that are traveling to work on the fires; meteorologists, National Guardsmen and women, engineers and law enforcement are just a few of the other working parts of the machine that create our fire teams that protect your homes.CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. 

UPDATE: The search for Dillon Gomez, now a suspect in the shooting of wanted man Eddie Correia in Cave Junction, culminated in three arrests and the SWAT siege of an empty residence on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Grants Pass Department of Safety (GPDPS), police officers received a tip that Gomez was seen at 1474 Blake Ct. in Grants Pass. Police obtained a search warrant for the address and prepared to go after Gomez.

Officers surrounded the house, believing that Gomez was in a living area above the garage. They asked any occupants to come outside, which several people did.

After the exit of those people, GPDPS says that the officers continued to hear "movement and activity" inside the house, and they believe that Gomez and possible other subjects were still inside. The officers continued a "loud hailing" of the individuals inside with no response.

At that point, the officers called in Grants Pass SWAT.

Once SWAT arrived on scene, several more attempts were made to get the subjects to come out of the location with no response, but the continued sounds of movement. SWAT then used "diversion devices and chemical munitions to convince the subjects to come outside."

Eventually one male exited the house and was taken into custody. But officers believed that Gomez remained inside based on statements made by those who had exited.

Due to the length of time that SWAT remained on-scene, plus extreme heat and poor air quality, GPDPS says that the Oregon State Police (OSP) SWAT team was brought in to relieve the Grants Pass team.

Finally, OSP SWAT went inside the residence and did not find attempted murder suspect Gomez there. He remains at large.

33-year-old Megdelano Thomas Torres was arrested for failure-to-appear on a DUII charge in Medford, while 27-year-old Beau Joseph Burt and 24-year-old Amanda Nochole Gerken were arrested on violations of their probation.

The incident closed Redwood Avenue to traffic for about 12 hours, according to GPDPS.

Anyone with further information about the case is encouraged to contact GPDPS at 421-450-6260.

(Updated 8/16/18 at 1:18 p.m)

INITIAL REPORT: Investigators have identified a person of interest in the shooting of 34-year-old Eddie Joseph Correia Jr. in Cave Junction early Tuesday morning, according to the Oregon State Police (OSP).

Correia was wanted for a potentially "unrelated" assault in Wimer over the weekend, and seems to have been on the run from police.

Now police are looking to speak with Dillon James Gomez [pictured]. However, OSP says that anyone who spots Gomez should not attempt to contact or detain him, but instead call 911 or OSP Southern Command Center at 541-776-6111.

On Saturday, Eddie Correia reportedly attempted to flee the Wimer area after joining in the assault of 19-year-old man in a store parking lot, reportedly "pistol whipping" the younger man. Deputies then found Correia's abandoned vehicle after arresting two other suspects.

The next time Correia resurfaced was when OSP troopers responded to reports of a shooting in Cave Junction. The victim was Correia, and emergency personnel transported him to a hospital in Medford. His condition is unknown at this time.Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, center, arrives at the site where the Morandi highway bridge collapsed, in Genoa, northern Italy, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. A bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa during a sudden, violent storm, sending vehicles plunging 90 meters (nearly 300 feet) into a heap of rubble below. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)In front of the display case that houses his uniform and medals, retired Bombardier Herbert (Buck) Rogers poses with cadets Vrinda Vyas and Mehakpreet Boparai, both from Winnipeg, during a visit to the Vernon Cadet Museum.About 1,000 homes were planned for this hilly area in West Kelowna, known as Goat's Peak, that was burned in a 2009 forest fire. The developer has now stopped all work on the project, blaming the NDP government's so-called speculation tax.EUGENE, Ore.  Republican candidate for governor, Rep. Knute Buehler, said the fact that Oregon hasnt had a Republican governor in over 30 years doesnt scare him.

Oregonians are hungry for change and I'm really running for a simple reason -- to fix the big problems in Oregon that have been avoided, ignored, and quite frankly made a lot worse by Gov. (Kate) Brown, Buehler said during an interview with KEZI 9 News.

One issue hes running on is homelessness. The Roseburg native, who represents Bend in the Legislature, says if elected he'll end unsheltered homelessness in five years. He's released a seven-point plan to get it done and says homelessness has gotten worse under Brown's leadership. He said if elected, on his first day in office hell appoint a chief homelessness officer to carry out his vision.

Just last week, in fact, Oregon was named number one in the nation for the number of youths that are homeless, said Buehler. So I think Gov. Brown has clearly come up short with regards to dealing with this issue and I think it's going to take leadership from a governor to fix it.

Campaign staff for Brown says Oregonians don't want campaign slogans, they want results. They say next session, Brown will move a $350 million package that will put Oregon on a path to ensure every child has a place to live, building 4,000 new homes. The governors plan also calls for investing in permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and rural affordable housing attached to good local jobs.

Earlier this year she secured $5 million to help local governments pay to shelter homeless families statewide.

Buehler also says as governor he'll take an aggressive approach to fighting wildfires. He's criticizing Brown for not calling supertankers earlier to fight the Substation Fire in Wasco County this summer. He also believes stronger management of our forests is needed including more responsible thinning projects.

We have to get on top of this and really have a better forest management plan in the future, said Buehler. It takes leadership from a governor to step up and be actively involved in making those key decisions.

Campaign officials for Brown did not respond to questions about forest management but said the governor has made sure that firefighters have the resources they need.FOREST CITY, Iowa  A Buffalo Center man is pleading not guilty to breaking into a womans home and attacking her.

Dustin James Olson, 36, is charged with 1st degree burglary and domestic abuse assault. Authorities say he tried to break down the door to a home in Rake on July 12, then got in through the garage door and attacked a woman inside. Law enforcement says Olson threw the victim on the couch, strangled her, and pulled out her hair.

Authorities say the woman had bruises on her neck, wrist, and back.

Olson was arrested on July 16 and is now scheduled to stand trial on September 12.ROCHESTER, Minn.  A Chatfield woman pleads guilty to selling drugs in Rochester.

Lacey Nicole Manuel, 24, was arrested on October 10, 2017, after Rochester police say they saw her take part in what looked like a drug deal in East Park. When they stopped and searched her vehicle, police say they found 31.5 grams of methamphetamine and $5,335 in cash.

Manuel entered a guilty plea Tuesday to 1st degree sale of drugs. Her sentencing is scheduled for October 1.ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Minnesota Democrats were settling a three-way battle for governor in Tuesday's primary election, while former two-term Gov. Tim Pawlenty sought to win back his old job on the Republican side.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton's departure had his party scrambling to hang on to what could be their only lever of power if they don't take the state House later this year.

Pawlenty was the heavy favorite to win the GOP primary, with a massive fundraising advantage and a much higher profile than Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson. Johnson had the party's support but faced a constant ad barrage from Pawlenty and also was saddled with his loss to Dayton just four years earlier.

Pawlenty and Johnson ended their primary campaign much the way it began  with Johnson touting his support among GOP party activists, Pawlenty calling Johnson unelectable statewide after his 2014 loss to Dayton and the pair squabbling over who insulted President Donald Trump worse ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Pawlenty's critique that Trump was "unhinged and unfit for the presidency" just weeks before Election Day was a constant on the campaign trail, with Johnson gleefully reminding voters of his opponent's remarks. It was part of why Johnson tried to brand Pawlenty as part of the "status quo," positioning himself as the true conservative as compared to Pawlenty, who headed to Washington, D.C., after leaving office in 2011 to lobby for some of the nation's largest banks.

And Democrats' three-way primary turned ugly in its final days. Attorney General Lori Swanson, who entered the race at the last minute and then spent most of her two-month campaign on advertisements rather than public appearances, launched a late attack ad on U.S. Rep. Tim Walz for missing more than 60 percent of congressional votes in 2018.

Swanson faced late accusations that she had pressured staffers in her office to volunteer in her political campaigns. She punched back, calling one accuser a "liar" and saying she had never compelled political work. She also suffered a setback when her running mate, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, was accused of mishandling sexual harassment allegations against an aide in his congressional office.

Walz's six terms in Congress and Swanson's three as attorney general made them more recognizable to voters, but it was state Rep. Erin Murphy who carried the party's endorsement. She staked out more liberal ground than either one, and was hoping Dayton's backing would give a boost.

Swanson, meanwhile, stuck to more moderate positions. She said she wouldn't support legalizing recreational marijuana and would merely set up a task force to study giving driver's licenses to immigrants living in the state illegally. Murphy and Walz both said they'd push for both policies outright.DECORAH, Iowa  A domestic abuse charge against a Winneshiek County man is dismissed after authorities say a brutal beating left him incapacitated.

David Michael Hansen, 46 of Decorah, was arrested on June 12 and accused of attacking his girlfriend. Investigators say the woman was left with red marks on her neck and bruises on her back, arms, and legs.

A charge of domestic abuse assault against Hansen has been dismissed because law enforcement says he was attacked later in the day on June 12 by Jacob Seelinger, 17, and Dalton Adam, 18, and left with lifethreatening injuries that will make it impossible for him to stand trial.

His attorney filed a motion on Monday that the charge against Hansen be removed from his record in the interest of justice.

Seelinger and Adam have been charged with attempt to commit murder and willful injury causing serious injury. Seelingers trial is set to start on December 12. Adam has requested his trial be moved out of Winneshiek County and no trial date has been set.HAMPTON, Iowa  A man is facing a felony burglary charge after being found staying in the EMT building at the Franklin County Fairgrounds.

Matthew Kuhns, 39, was arrested Monday after he was found sleeping inside the building.

According to court documents, Kuhns claimed he had a right to be in the building because the Franklin County Fair is open to the public. Kuhns told authorities that the building was unlocked. Authorities say Kuhns was seen sleeping inside but had locked the door from the inside and was using the air conditioner.

During his time in the building, the defendant was using electricity, which is normally not on and is a cost to the fair board, the criminal complaint states. He was also using items found in the EMT building, which he did not have permission to use. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children  and possibly many more  since the 1950s, and senior church officials, including a man who is now the archbishop of Washington, D.C., systematically covered up the abuse, according to a grand jury report released Tuesday.

The real number" of abused children might be in the thousands since some secret church records were lost, and victims were afraid to come forward, the grand jury said.

"Church officials routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling and inappropriate conduct. It was none of those things. It was child sexual abuse, including rape," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference in Harrisburg.

The report put the number of abusive clergy at more than 300. In nearly all of the cases, the statute of limitations has run out, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed. Many of the priests are dead or retired, while others have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave.

"We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated," the grand jury said.

Authorities evaluated each suspect and were able to charge just two, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty. Shapiro said the investigation is ongoing.

The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh's bishop. Wuerl, who led the Pittsburgh diocese from 1988 to 2006, disputed the allegations.

"While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse," he said in a statement. "I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report."

The grand jury scrutinized abuse allegations in dioceses that minister to more than half the state's 3.2 million Catholics. Its report echoed the findings of many earlier church investigations around the country in its description of widespread sexual abuse by clergy and church officials' concealment of it.

Most of the victims were boys, but girls were abused, too, the report said.

The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape. One boy was forced to say confession to the priest who sexually abused him. A 9-year-old boy was forced to perform oral sex and then had his mouth washed out with holy water. Another boy was made to pose naked as if being crucified and then was photographed by a group of priests who Shapiro said produced and shared child pornography on church grounds.

The grand jury concluded that a succession of Catholic bishops and other diocesan leaders tried to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability. They failed to report accused clergy to police and sent abusive priests to so-called "treatment facilities," which "laundered" the priests and "permitted hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry," the report said.

The cover-up extended beyond church grounds. The grand jury said it found cases in which police or prosecutors learned of clergy sex abuse allegations but did not investigate out of deference to church officials.

The grand jury's report comes at a time of renewed scrutiny and fresh scandal at the highest levels of the U.S. Catholic Church. Pope Francis stripped 88-year-old Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of his title and ordered him to a lifetime of prayer and penance amid allegations that McCarrick had for years sexually abused boys and had sexual misconduct with adult seminarians.

Wuerl has come under harsh criticism over his response to the McCarrick scandal, with some commentators questioning his claims of surprise and ignorance over allegations that McCarrick molested and harassed young seminarians.

Wuerl replaced McCarrick as Washington's archbishop after McCarrick retired in 2006.

The Pennsylvania grand jury, convened by the state attorney general's office in 2016, heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than a half-million pages of internal documents from the Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton dioceses.

The Pittsburgh diocese said a few priests are still in ministry because the diocese determined allegations against them were unsubstantiated.

Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urged Pennsylvania lawmakers to lift civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sex crimes, and to provide victims who no longer meet the age requirements in state law with a new window to file civil lawsuits.

Some current and former clergy named in the report went to court to prevent its release, arguing it violated their constitutional rights. The state Supreme Court said the public had a right to see it, but ruled the names of priests and others who objected to the findings would be blacked out pending a September hearing on their claims.

Twenty of the grand jurors said Tuesday they objected to "any attempts to censor, alter, redact or amend" the report.

Several dioceses decided to strip the accused of their anonymity and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct.NORTHWOOD, Iowa  A search warrant has resulted in a Northwood woman facing multiple drug charges.

Theresa Book is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after a search warrant was executed at 904 9th Ave. N. #9.

Authorities said multiple pipes used for smoking meth and marijuana were located along with a needle, 12 grams of meth and marijuana.

The Worth County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the Mitchell County Sheriffs Office. Book was also arrested July 22 in Worth County for drug possession.

She is being held on $26,000 bond.MASON CITY, Iowa  The deadline is fast approaching to vote in the Peoples Choice sculpture competition.

Each year, the public is asked to cast a ballot for their favorite of the bronze sculptures installed throughout downtown Mason City. 25 works of art are entered in the 2018 competition and voting will end on September 5.



"Who Rescued Who?" "Who Rescued Who?"

Brochures and ballots are available at City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, the visitor kiosk at Central Park, the Historic Park Inn Hotel, Moorman Clothiers, Mason City Public Library, MacNider Art Museum, McCoy Architectural Interpretive Center, and Visit Mason City. You can also e-mail your vote to chamber@masoncityia.com along with complete name and address.

More than 500 votes resulted in a tie in 2017 between Who Rescued Who? by Lorri Acott and Maestro by Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.SANTIAGO, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The union for Chile's Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, said on Wednesday it will avert its planned strike to consult members about a renewed proposal for a new labor contract from operator BHP.

"We have received a new offer that will be presented to members," Patricio Tapia, union's president, told Reuters without providing further details.

The new offer came in after six days of government-mediated negotiations that aim to avoid repeating last year's historic 44-day strike at Escondida, which shook the global copper market and dragged the economic growth in Chile.

The union had said on Tuesday it had moved past other sticking points with the company, but would need the rest of the day to iron out remaining issues. Carlos Allendes, a spokesman for the union, had said the two sides were close to reaching a deal, but stressed that key issues for workers, including health benefits, remain in dispute, risking the chance of an agreement. (Reporting By Antonio de la Jara, Writing By Mitra Taj, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

Messaging: mitra.taj.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexicos government said on Wednesday it has set a sugar export quota to the United States of 750,876.9 tonnes for the cycle that runs from Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. Mexico is the top foreign sugar supplier to the United States, a coveted 12 million-ton market where the U.S. government doles out export quotas to about 40 sugar-producing countries each year. Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama

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.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, greets North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho as they prepare for a group photo at the 25th ASEAN Regional Forum Retreat in Singapore, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. AP-Yonhap





South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon enter Seoul Government Complex for a ministerial meeting on Aug. 7, 2018. YonhapGov. An's case should not weaken #MeToo campaign



A Seoul district court's decision Tuesday to acquit former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung of rape charges has stirred up a fierce backlash from women leading the #MeToo campaign. The female activists are vowing to fight against Ah to the end to hold him culpable.



The sensational case of An, indicted for having allegedly raped Kim Ji-eun, then his secretary, several times by using his "authority" while in office, sent shockwaves throughout the nation after she revealed her story in March. Her revelation was all the more shocking given that An was touted as a potential candidate in the next presidential election in 2022.



The presiding judge at the Seoul Western District Court cited no sufficient evidence that An used his power (as governor in the course of having sex with his secretary), ruling that the alleged victim exercised her own right to decide to have sex with him and the two were adults with intellect and sound judgment.



Any court judgments, criminal or civil cases, should be respected under any circumstances because they are based on the principle of law and evidence. If plaintiffs or defendants are dissatisfied with judgments at the first trial, they can bring their cases to the appeals court and then to the Supreme Court. Waiting for the second and third trials is the proper procedure for them to take. This is the token of a healthy society.



An's case added fuel to the #MeToo campaign urging society to wake up to widespread sexual violence against women, not to speak of seeking criminal punishment for perpetrators. The campaign is a movement for social change to disclose the hitherto hidden suppression, hypocrisy and evil practices in sexually abusing and exploiting women. Therefore, An's acquittal should not provide any excuse to weaken the movement.



Some women's groups may try to use the campaign as a tool to ignite sexual confrontation to highlight misandry. But An's acquittal should not be used to foster conflicts between sexes in this society. Rather, it should serve as a catalyst to promote sexual equality in our society and to lay the legal and institutional foundation to enhance women's rights.



Moon pitches idea of inter-Korean economic community



President Moon Jae-in has reaffirmed his strong determination to push for inter-Korean economic cooperation in his speech marking the 73rd anniversary of Liberation Day. He sent a clear message of peace and co-prosperity, Wednesday, not only to the two Koreas but also to the world.



Moon floated the idea of building an Inter-Korean Economic Community. This idea is not new. Liberal former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun made a similar proposal to promote economic cooperation. Now the question is whether and how Moon can turn the idea into action.



Of course, the economic community proposal is aimed at encouraging Pyongyang to sincerely implement the April 27 Panmunjeom Declaration adopted during Moon's first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. They agreed on the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The declaration also calls for re-linking of severed railways and roads between the South and the North.



However, both sides have made little progress in improving ties and promoting cooperation and exchanges, not least because Pyongyang has yet to start the denuclearization process. The negotiations between the North and the United States have hit a snag since the historic June 12 summit between the longtime foes.



It is against this backdrop that President Moon spent much time in his address on the need to create the economic community between the two Koreas. But he did not forget to remind the North that complete and verifiable denuclearization is a precondition to such a prosperous community.



Moon also proposed the establishment of "special economic zones" in border areas in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, which will create lots of jobs and boost small- and medium-sized companies. He also proposed creating an East Asia Railway Community to connect railroads between the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia.



As President Moon said, the railway community could expand the country's economic horizons into Eurasia. It can also lead to a broader economic community along with an East Asia Energy Community which the President is also pushing for. He stressed the economic community will help bring about permanent peace on the peninsula and ensure "genuine liberation" and independence.



Undoubtedly Moon's proposals are seen as carrots for the Kim regime to show real progress in dismantling its nuclear arsenal. They also came in response to the North's complaints about the slow pace of inter-Korean economic cooperation and sanctions relief.



According to the President, the carrots are attractive to the two sides. He expects the two Korea can create economic wellbeing worth at least 170 trillion won through economic cooperation over the next 30 years. Such cooperation could include the resumption of the suspended Gaeseong Industrial Complex, the resumption of the Mount Geumgang tourism project and the co-development of the North's natural resources.



The North should realize it cannot enjoy such potential economic benefits without abandoning its nuclear program. And Moon must send this strong, unequivocal message to Kim when they meet for their third summit in Pyongyang next month.





Two of those accused over the sale of a baby girl. Photo from South China Morning Post



By Phoebe Zhang



Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

Hit sketch comedy series Portlandia ended earlier this year, but star Carrie Brownstein's coming away from it with an Emmy nomination for directing an episode -- and she's the only woman in her category. She's also the only nominated director that stars in her own show.

She said there's quite a ways to go in the representation department.

"There's so much systemic inequality that, just because we have an awareness that it exists, doesn't really mean that things will change overnight," Brownstein said. "We're still dealing with structures of patriarchy and capitalism, and we can't just sort of assume that talking about it will bring about change that's linear and accumulative."

A perfect level of representation may be out of reach.

"I think the work is just not done. The work is probably never done," Brownstein said. "If history has taught us anything, it is a constant dedication to progress and change and learning. Yeah, hopefully it will be different next year. I'm excited to be nominated and I wish there were more women along with me."

Brownstein's a renaissance lady. She wrote for NPR Music while also being the subject of music blogs herself as co-founder of feminist punk groups like Excuse 17 and the legendary Sleater-Kinney. Now she's most prominently known as an actress, but she still considers it a "hobby."

In 2003, Brownstein paired up with former SNL star Fred Armisen and started putting out sketch comedy online. It eventually turned into content for Portlandia, which was picked up by IFC in 2010. It went on to earn numerous Emmy nominations, including another for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series this year.

The show's multitude of characters dealt with their own struggles over politics, representation, and other social issues.

"A lot of our characters, their ideals and idealism were always running up against these obstacles. And a lot of the obstacles were just the younger self," Brownstein said. "Whether it was being anti-corporate or anti-capitalist, or just living a certain way, and then realizing, Wait, can I still live that old way and take care of my family? How does that make them feel when they look in the mirror, and they see a person they never thought they'd turn into? I'd rather figure out the 'who' of it. Then you're leading with compassion, I think, instead of poking fun at someone."

Brownstein and Armisen have taken distinct approaches over the years to ruthlessly yet lovingly satirizing Portland (though Brownstein now lives in Los Angeles). Brownstein goes at her performances from a critical commentary angle while Armisen's is all absurdist performances. Their success lies in the space between their techniques.

"I think we just believed in each other enough, and believed in the structure of what we'd created enough to know that this could be a surprise, but it would probably be better than what we had in mind," Brownstein told us. "You have to believe that arriving at a place you didn't think you'd arrive is actually better than you predicted. And if you all have faith in that process, there is something unknown about it. ... Then you can go forward and have it not feel like a compromise."

One of this season's best segments showed Armisen and Brownstein as true-crime podcast hosts, working at a police station with a live band following them around.

"Obviously we'd all been listening to Serial, and specifically I think it was S-Town that had just come out, and we were just talking about the ways that sometimes some true-crime podcasts kind of fetishize the rural, the other, or exoticize small-town America in a way that can be kind of condescending, but also just flummoxing in some ways."

Brownstein and Armisen have a lot of options in front of them -- here's hoping it remains as wonderfully thoughtful and weird as everything they've done so far.

You made it! Congrats, you read the entire story, you gorgeous human. This story was made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism costs $$$$$. And now that LAist is part of KPCC, we rely on that support. So if you aren't already, be one of us! Help us help you live your best life in Southern California. Donate now.In a barely lit room outside the La Jolla Historical Society gallery, kept cool from the humidity outside, architect Laura Ducharme Conboy guides 12 high school-aged aspiring architects through a sketching exercise as part of the La Jolla Historical Societys young architects summer camp. She holds a piece of graph paper under a projector as her hand and sketches show up on a screen, and guides the group through how to measure the outline for the floor plans they would soon be creating. She notes that each square on the paper measures five feet of actual space.

This is part of an elaborate series of exercises that cover everything an architect needs to consider  and the skills they must possess  to be successful. And all takes place within five very busy days in July and August.

Earlier that morning, the students were lectured on principles of architecture, sketching, one-point perspective and a short history of La Jolla. In the afternoon session, they participated in the bell pepper exercise, where a bell pepper is cut in half, dipped in ink and used as a stamp within which the students must design. They also heard from local architects who gave first-hand accounts of their processes, and met with a client who laid the foundation for their challenge in the coming days: creating a studio office. The students interviewed their client about his wants, needs and limitations.

And this, was Day One.

In the following days, the students toured La Jolla in all its architectural diversity and visited a house under construction. They also created floor plans, chatted with architects in their offices, sketched endlessly, learned how to use computer-assisted design software, created models, worked in groups to produce floor plans for the client, and presented their final projects to friends and family.

Camp participants attempt to sketch the exterior of an historic La Jolla house. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)

What I learned this summer

The camp is held in two sessions, one for middle school and one for high school students. Although none of the younger participants were from La Jolla, during the high-school session, three hailed from La Jolla High, two from Bishops, one from University City High, one who comes every year from Modesto, and Preuss School senior Isiah Rankin, 17, whos been participating for three years.

I really enjoy architecture and there arent too many programs, easy to join, that delve into all the aspects of what you can expect from architecture if youre looking to get into the field, he said. The instructors are real architects and know what theyre talking about. They have good insight. Each time I come, I learn something new and it helps reinforce the things I already learned. I find it helpful.

Ducharme Conboy added that an appreciation for the field is not rare among camp participants. We dont get very many kids here just for something to do. They have some interest level. So were trying to spread the enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm, and a more in-depth understanding of an architects role in society.

Ive always had an affinity for drawing and ability to appreciate buildings in general, Rankin said. Sometimes specific ones call out to me. Ive always looked at buildings a certain way and had an interest in them. But it wasnt until I came here that I found out how they were made and designed. I knew I could draw them, but didnt know anything of substance.

A good house will incorporate the surrounding nature or sometimes you have a constraint based on where you are building or what the building will be used for. If you use your mind creatively, it can make the house really interesting, different from the box house with a triangle roof, which can be boring. But houses can tell a lot. With architecture, you are actually making something three-dimensional that is practical. People actually live there or use that building for something. You take something from an idea in your head to something real.

In the coming years, Rankin said, he hopes to pursue an architectural degree from the New School of Architecture in downtown San Diego.

Slightly less passionate from the get-go was Bishops student Brooke Waite, 15. My mom knew someone who did the camp for a couple of years, and my family is involved in development and building, so they wanted to see if Id be interested. I took this camp to learn more about La Jolla and also to see if I enjoy architecture, she explained.

So far, she has.

A digital rendering of an office/studio on the Wisteria Cottage property, created by participants in the La Jolla Historical Societys Young Architects Camp. (Courtesy)

Software and sketching

Ive learned there are so many different ways you can go about design, both in styles and whether youre working with interiors, exteriors, landscapes, etc. We worked on (design software program) Sketch Up and it was so interesting to see everything come to life digitally, Waite said. When we did the tours, we saw a lot of mid-century modern houses and a lot of office buildings that I never paid attention to before.

But most surprising, she said, was the amount of sketching they needed to do in the sketchbooks gifted to them as part of the program.

I didnt think wed do quite so many! Architecture is more art-oriented than I thought. Im not super artistic, so this is a side piece of it, she said.

But the importance of sketching, said Ducharme Conboy, cannot be underestimated.

We emphasize sketching because theres this connection between the mind, eye and hand. Architects have to visualize their ideas and communicate their ideas to themselves, their clients and to contractors  or a community planning group, she said, chuckling. The process starts with a hand-drawing because you want to get your ideas down before they go poof! from your head. You have to capture the idea and work at it, and let it evolve until its ready. But it all starts with scribbles.

 The Young Architects Summer Camp takes place in late July, so those interested in next years session should start scribbling now. Laura DuCharme Conboy, AIA, LEED AP, is lead organizer. Tuition from $700. Learn more at lajollahistory.org/education/As the largest wildfire in Californias history raged in Mendocino County, which as of press date has burned over 28,000 acres, killed one firefighter and is 67 percent contained, Congress member Scott Peters office (D-CA 52nd District) organized a wildlife preparedness panel discussion Aug. 7 at the La Jolla Riford Library.

Dont think because youre in a beach area, that youre safe. Its 91 degrees and dry outside. The weather is doing nothing to help us with the vegetation (that fuels fires), said San Diego Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Chief Doug Perry. I wish I had good news for you, but I dont. If you think wildfire has been an issue in the past, Im telling you this year will be one that everyone will remember.

As part of a larger panel that also included representatives from the IRS and Small Business Administration, Perry shared ways La Jollans can keep themselves safe, the unique challenges residents of the Mount Soledad face, and the lessons learned from previous fires that affected the Southern California area.

Defensible space

When it comes to keeping ones home safe, defensible space (the area around a structure where combustible vegetation that can spread fire has been cleared, reduced or replaced; seen as a barrier between a structure and an advancing fire) is considered the most important thing.

Tips for creating defensible space include: maintaining the landscaping in the first 50 feet around the home, ideally with fire resistant plants; thinning vegetation in the 50 surrounding feet beyond that and creating a reduce fuel zone, removing dead wood and vegetation from gutters and surrounding the house; moving items that would easily ignite away from propane tanks; and more.

You are our best ammo to keep your area safe, he said. If you see something growing into defensible space, prune it. Be proactive when you leave today, check out your home, because we still have months and months of this type of weather. There isnt a fire season anymore, its year round (the Thomas Fire, he noted, started in December 2017).

San Diego Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Chief Doug Perry offers insights and suggestions to help mitigate fires. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)

Mount Soledad

In areas like Mount Soledad, he said, being proactive is especially important.

What scares us about Mount Soledad is that there are narrow ingress and egress roads, steep roads, the terrain and topography is the same as the Oakland Hills fire in the early 1990s, and there were a lot of people who lost their lives in that fire, Perry said. On top of that, the vegetation is dry. Even without the wind, we have the potential for a large fire that will travel really quickly. But we know the fire behavior, so weve done a lot of pre-planning.

Further, with narrow roads comes the risk of people double parking or parking in red zones, which poses a serious challenge to emergency response vehicles.

Our rigs, mirror to mirror, are 10-feet, two-inches. So when you see double parking on these very narrow streets, we truly cant get our rigs through at any rate of speed. In the event of a wildfire, you will have a very limited amount of time to get out for us to get in, he said.

Previous local fires

Reflecting on past fires and the lessons learned from them, he noted in particular, the Cedar Fire of 2003, which burned 273,246 acres in San Diego County; and the Thomas Fire of 2017, which burned 281,893 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. In those incidences, crews were dispatched en masse to other areas, and were not available in the numbers they needed locally to fight fires, as was the case with the Cedar Fire.

We made a promise to never repeat what happened in 03, Perry acknowledged. Here in San Diego we call ourselves the cul-de-sac because the weather starts up north, the fires burn up north, the units start going up north and then all the resources are up north when the fire hits here. So I can tell you as of today, we are not sending any more resources north. We are concerned about what could happen down here.

He added there are 150 to 160 San Diego firefighters battling the blaze in Mendocino.

Perry concluded:The conditions were seeing this year, we have never seen before. Ive been with the fire service for 41 years, so I know we said that in 2003, 2007 and 2014, but this year, Im scared for my family; Im scared for this community because we dont know how to fix it. These fires dont slow down or stop until Mother Nature says so.

Congress member Scott Peters (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)

Other speakers take the mic

Organizer Congress member Peters also offered some remarks and his perspective from the political standpoint. We know that fire has greatly affected San Diego and no community is immune  so its really important you come out and empower yourself to know the right thing to do, he opened.

He said evidence is suggesting wildfires are becoming more aggressive and the fire season is now year-round. Wildfires cost the country more than $10 billion in 2017, and we may well surpass that in 2018.

Offering a proactive approach, Fire Safe Council of San Diego County community outreach specialist Britney Munoz suggested forming a local Fire Safe Council (there are 38 countywide, but the closest ones to La Jolla include Scripps Ranch and Tierrasanta).

A Fire Safe Council is a coalition of public and private organizations that share a common vested interest in wildfire prevention and mitigation, she said. We put together community wildfire protection plans, which include evacuation routes, create disaster preparedness packs for people and pets, and more, depending on the needs of the community.

Residents can form a Fire Safe Council by forming a four-member board, developing a mission statement, holding at least two meetings a year and a few other prerequisites. Once a risk is identified, Munoz advises meeting with local CalFire offices to develop a plan catered to the neighborhood.

The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County also provides assistance programs to create defensible space for low-income seniors and those with disabilities.

Want to Know More?

Full checklist on creating defensible space: readysandiego.org

Evacuation checklist, including what to do long before a fire threatens and what to do if evacuation is a possibility: fire.ca.gov

Local prevention tips: firesafesdcounty.orgBefore discussion even began on the controversial project to develop three houses on three lots on Lookout Drive at the Aug. 2 La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) meeting, trustees, the applicant and attendees were reminded to maintain civility.

LJCPA chair Bob Steck, for the first time in his tenure, opened the discussion by reading some of the oath of office all trustees agree to as part of their service: I will fairly and impartially consider all points of view, respect all those with whom and for whom I serve.

He explained: Ive received a lot of contentious e-mails on this project, so for its discussion, please put your emotions aside, and I hope the applicant does the same. Lets just focus on the issue and whether this project complies with the rules and regulations. (Similarly, when the project was heard at the La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee, chair Dave Gordon reported receiving e-mails one or more of which was rather accusatory and contained personal attacks.)

The attempt at decorum led to almost two hours of discussion on a project by the same applicant to develop one, one-story single-family residence, and one, two-story single-family residence totaling 7,132 square feet on two existing vacant parcels adjacent to 7729 Lookout Drive; and one, two-story single-family residence totaling 4,070 square feet, on a vacant lot at 7729 Lookout Drive.

The board ultimately voted 9-4-1 that findings could not be made to support the project due to bulk and scale being out of character with the neighborhood, and the fact that density would exceed the average dwelling density in the area. The matter will proceed to the City for further consideration.

Island Architects founding principal Tony Crisafi, who is developing the project, provided a layout for the three houses during the meeting, and cited the measurements through which the house conforms to surrounding houses and complies with local and City building requirements.

Property owner and applicant David Mandelbaum also took the mic to try and squash some of the arguments he saw coming. He read from a pre-written statement, addressed setbacks and project density, affirmed that his lots were legally created, boasted his familiarity with local building code, and read e-mails from City staff. He also called out neighbors, the attorneys they hired to speak out against the project, and LJCPA trustees by name. He also questioned whether, given the vocal opposition to the project ahead of the meeting, the project would get a fair hearing.

Is it possible to get an impartial vote, when two of your board members have made it clear in writing  their desire to stop this project? he asked, adding that he was looking to correct a few gross and deliberate misstatements that were intended to confuse the board and make it more difficult to expeditiously arrive at a fair decision on this particular project.

He also called previous arguments made by trustees and attorneys total fabrications.

However, attorneys hired to speak out against the project by residents, had different interpretations.

Attorney Evelyn Heidelberg argued the residential density created by the houses on these lots would be above the average dwelling density allowed for the area. She also said the projects do not conform to those of the neighborhood based on bulk and scale.

In his frustrated rebuttal, Mandelbaum resorted to shouting, and said Heidelberg was comparing apples to oranges.

Land-use lawyer Deborah Rosenthal added: Contrary to what has been presented here tonight, this development is inconsistent with the specifics and the goals of the Planned District Ordinance and therefore cannot be recommended as a development that ought to occur in this highly sensitive neighborhood.

She said it would have negative impact on the surrounding neighbors, who have strenuous and vehement oppositions, and that it is poor design with multiple inconsistencies.

LJCPA trustee Diane Kane echoed: What is being proposed is just too much; its stuffing a 10-pound turkey into a five-pound jar. Its just too much for the site.

Adding to the list of concerns, trustee Phil Merten said the lots were divided illegally and should be reconsidered. The code is clear, the lot line adjustment that was done without a Coastal Development Permit is not valid because it violates the land development code. That is the underlying issue.

Trustee Suzanne Weissmann said the houses seem squeezed in to their lots and so she couldnt support the project.

 La Jolla Community Planning Association next meets 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 at the Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. lajollacpa.orgThrough Sept. 12, UC San Diego is accepting comments on its Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2018 La Jolla Long Range Development Plan. The Draft EIR can be viewed at: lrdp.ucsd.edu

A public hearing on the Draft EIR will be held 6 p.m. Thursday Aug. 23 at the UC San Diego Faculty Club, Atkinson Pavilion, 9500 Gillman Drive at Muir Lane. University staff will explain the findings and the public can give oral and written arguments.

The proposed 2018 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) for UC San Diegos La Jolla campus provides an updated land-use plan to guide future physical development of the campus, reads the Notice of Completion associated with the Draft EIR. The LRDP identifies student, faculty, and staff growth projections and development objectives and principles; delineates campus land uses; and estimates new building space required to support program growth and expansion through the 2035-36 academic year.

The Draft EIR contains an assessment of air quality, health risk assessment, biological resources, archaeological resources, historical resources, paleontological resources, greenhouse gas analysis and reduction strategy, hazardous material records, noise, population and housing, transportation, and water supply. However, whether the report thoroughly and adequately addresses these fields is subject to public review.

Comments on the Draft EIR can be e-mailed to LRDPLaJolla@ucsd.edu or mailed to: Catherine Presmyk, University of California San Diego, Campus Planning Office, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0074, La Jolla, CA 92093-0074Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mr. Filippo Grandi, at the UNHCR Headquarters, on 15 August 2018.

Recalling the long-standing, productive partnership between Sri Lanka and the UNHCR, High Commissioner Grandi remarked that at a time when there were many challenges around the world, Sri Lanka stood out as a country, which has achieved significant progress in resettlement of returning refugees and IDPs as well as in addressing issues of statelessness. He invited Sri Lanka to be an important stakeholder in the policy making process of the UNHCR, expressing hope that Sri Lankas proactive role would contribute significantly to the work of the UNHCR drawing upon the countrys positive experiences and insights.

Ambassador Azeez expressed appreciation for UNHCRs engagement in Sri Lanka in the past, highlighting the different forms of assistance and cooperation such a rewarding partnership had entailed. It was recalled that the UNHCR had built on some of its experiences gained in Sri Lanka in further improving delivery of assistance in other situations elsewhere. Through its policy of constructive engagement and dialogue, and advancing peacebuilding and reconciliation, stressed Ambassador Azeez, the Government of Sri Lanka looked forward to furthering cooperation with the UNHCR, in the context of the Global Compact on Refugees.

He also took the opportunity to brief the UNHCR officials on the recent initiatives taken by the GoSL to become a State party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Treaty) following its ongoing successful mine action programme, as well as the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Oslo Treaty), as further expression of Sri Lankas commitment to sustainable peace and development.

Sri Lanka Permanent Mission

Geneva

15 August 2018Like his predecessor, Uber Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi is putting growth above profit. But gains are proving harder to come by since the ride-hailing service has reached a global scale.

Nearly a year into Khosrowshahis tenure, Uber on Wednesday reported a second-quarter loss of $891 million. Although thats a 16% improvement from a year earlier, the loss follows a rare profit posted in the first quarter thanks largely to the sale of overseas assets.

Even after increased spending last quarter, revenue growth is slowing. Sales rose 63% to $2.8 billion in the second quarter compared with the same period last year. The rate in the first quarter was 70%.

Uber is privately held but chooses to release some quarterly financial details to its large body of investors and to the public. The San Francisco company is targeting an initial public offering in the second half of next year, but it still doesnt have a chief financial officer after years of searching.

Advertisement

Khosrowshahi is pouring large, undisclosed sums of money into food delivery, logistics and autonomous-car technology. Uber has said its food delivery business, Uber Eats, represents more than 10% of its gross bookings. Growth in that segment may be masking a slowdown in Ubers main business. Earlier on Wednesday, technology news site the Information reported that Uber is spending $125 million to $200 million a quarter on self-driving cars and the company has fielded calls from investors to sell the unit.

Although Uber sees potential for geographic expansion, the ride-hailing service is, for the most part, already global. The company has retreated from markets such as China, Russia and Southeast Asia by selling them to regional competitors. Two of those sales pushed Uber to a profit in the first quarter  the company would have lost money without those deals.

Khosrowshahi is searching for new businesses. In the last few months, Uber bought a start-up that rents electric bicycles, invested in another one that rents electric scooters and went to work on its own scooter-rental business. Alongside its U.S. ride-hailing rival Lyft Inc., Uber is on track to roll out scooters in Santa Monica and is expected to beat out upstarts Bird Rides Inc. and Lime for regulatory approval.

Since Uber was founded in 2009, it has burned through more than $11 billion. But thanks largely to the generosity and optimism of investors, its not in danger of running out of money anytime soon. In Wednesdays financial report, Uber said it had about $7.3 billion in cash on hand.

Newcomer writes for Bloomberg.The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday moved to impose temporary rent caps on mobile homes. The vote comes amid a broader, controversial push to remove barriers to rent control across California in response to rising housing costs.

In a 3-1 vote, supervisors approved temporary caps on so-called space rents  the price park owners charge residents to keep their homes on the premises. The ordinance, which will come back for final approval next month, would be in effect for 180 days and limit rent increases to 3% a year for leases of 12 months and less.

It applies only to mobile home parks in unincorporated areas of the county.

In the meantime, county staff are working on a permanent rent control proposal for mobile homes, something 100 California municipalities, including the city of Los Angeles, already have in some form, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. There are 86 mobile parks with 8,500 units in unincorporated L.A. County, according to a spokesperson for Supervisor Janice Hahn, who has been pushing the measure.

Advertisement

Hahn, in addition to supporting permanent controls, wanted the temporary measure because she feared park owners would jack up space rents in anticipation of a permanent law. Before the vote, she said in addition to building more housing, rent controls for mobile homes are needed to reduce homelessness.

Mobile homes are sort of the last bastion of affordable housing in L.A. County, but even that has become more and more unaffordable, Hahn said at the meeting. We want to first and foremost, if we can, keep people in their homes.

Some mobile home residents urged supervisors to forbid any increase in space rents, while the mobile home industry came out against the caps.

Jared Gonzalez, a representative of the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Assn., said most park owners are mom and pop owners who care about their residents and dont gouge them. He called the ordinance a solution for a problem that doesnt exist.

Mobile home residents in attendance disagreed.

The rent is half of my income, Diane Cheung said. We need to immediately freeze the rent today.

Under the measure, park owners could petition the county for an exception to the caps if they can prove they have a hardship.

The county actions are just one effort to expand controls. Rents have jumped in large part because housing construction has failed to keep up with job and population growth during the economic recovery, economists say.

In November, voters statewide will vote on whether to allow municipalities to dramatically expand rent control.

Currently, a state law known as the Costa-Hawkins Act bans price caps on single-family homes and apartment buildings built after Feb. 1, 1995. Cities with long-standing controls also cant expand their rules to additional buildings. In Los Angeles, that means city officials cant put controls on buildings built after Oct. 1, 1978, except in rare circumstances.

If approved, Proposition 10 would remove those restrictions and open the door for municipalities to impose controls on newer buildings, as well as limit rent increases when a unit becomes vacant.

Under current state law, municipalities can cap rent for tenants in some buildings, but they must allow landlords to charge whatever they want when a unit becomes vacant.

Proponents say rent control gives tenants security while allowing landlords to earn a reasonable profit. However, many economists argue rent control makes a bad situation worse, further restricting supply by pushing landlords to convert units to condos and incentivizing tenants, who otherwise would move, to stay in their units.

According to Californias nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office, rent control, in theory, would also limit housing construction and raise rents in non-controlled buildings. However, the legislative analyst says, It is unclear the extent to which these effects have actually occurred.

The vote on the temporary mobile-home controls was originally scheduled as a so-called urgency ordinance, which wouldve needed four yes votes and taken effect immediately. However, at the start of the meeting, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said he would abstain, and Supervisor Kathryn Barger said she would vote no. So the measure was brought up as a normal ordinance and passed 3 to 1, with Barger voting no and Ridley-Thomas abstaining. Supervisors Hahn, Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis voted yes.

As a normal ordinance, the measure will come back for a second reading next month. If approved then, it would take effect in 30 days.

Hahn spokeswoman Liz Odendahl said the supervisors office is concerned that the extra time will leave too many tenants vulnerable to unnecessary increases. Supervisors were also supposed to vote on temporary rent controls for older apartments buildings last month, but that vote was postponed and has yet to be rescheduled.

andrew.khouri@latimes.com

Follow me @khouriandrew on TwitterThe Los Angeles Philharmonic and Frank Gehry on Wednesday unveiled designs for its YOLA Center, a former bank building that the architect will remake into a 25,000-square-foot youth orchestra hall and performance space in Inglewood.

The $14.5-million Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center @ Inglewood will be a glass-fronted box with a transparent roof pop-up allowing sunlight to stream into the 260-seat concert hall below. The building, the former Security Pacific Bank at 101 S. La Brea Ave., also will include a choir room, an ensemble room and a practice studio, with all the spaces totaling about 25,000 square feet. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in spring; no target opening date has been announced.

THE CRITICS TAKE: Why YOLA Center is so much more than a concert hall 

A model shows the concert configuration for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center @ Inglewood, the future home of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. (Gehry Partners)

Advertisement

Shown is an interior model view of the future hall, configured for rehearsal. (Gehry Partners)

L.A. Phil centennial: Unprecedented plans for new music, plus more Gehry 

Gustavo Dudamel, the L.A. Phils artistic and music director, established Youth Orchestra Los Angeles in 2007 to provide free instruments, music training, performance opportunities and academic support to children from neighborhoods in central, southern and eastern portions of Los Angeles. YOLA serves about 1,200 young musicians, and with the new YOLA Center, the L.A. Phil hopes to double that number.

Dudamel, who was raised in Venezuelas El Sistema music education program, said YOLA is particularly close to his heart.

I joined El Sistema and learned firsthand that music has the power to change peoples lives, Dudamel said in the announcement Wednesday. Now the L.A. Phil is doing just that through YOLA. We know that our engagement with young people in our classes in the Rampart District or East L.A. is every bit as important as our involvement with the audiences in Walt Disney Concert Hall. In fact, one side of what we do is incomplete without the other.

Dudamel worked closely with Gehry and members of his Gehry Partners team in designing the YOLA Center, which, like Gehrys Disney Hall in downtown L.A., will have an acoustic envelope designed by Yasuhisa Toyota. Gehry called his involvement in the YOLA project a privilege.

Gehry Partners aerial view of the YOLA Center, configured for a performance. (Gehry Partners)

L.A. Phil: Why no orchestra has been this ambitious, ever 

We hope that the building will become a center for the community to gather to hear performances of all types, Gehry said. I designed the center to be a world-class instrument for the community, and I cant wait to see how they use it.

Because YOLA is largely an after-school program, the venue will be available for community uses at other times, the L.A. Phil said. The center is named after longtime L.A. Phil supporter Judith Beckmen and her husband, Thomas, an L.A. Phil board member and founder of Roland Corp.

Look for Los Angeles Times music critic Mark Sweds commentary on the YOLA Center later today.

Shown is another view of Frank Gehrys model for the YOLA Center. (Gehry Partners / Gehry Partners)

deborah.vankin@latimes.com

Twitter: @debvankinInjinash Unshin gestured toward an 80-pound glass jar filled with fabric flowers and plastic butterflies, all suspended in green-tinted mineral oil.

This is for abundance and growth, he said as he manned the Newsstand Project, the new art space opened by art collector, dealer and consultant Stefan Simchowitz in the former newsstand at Kings Road and Beverly Boulevard.

Simchowitz began frequenting the newsstand by the Kings Road Cafe 28 years ago, when he was 19. After it shuttered in 2016, he asked cafe owner Lawrence Casperson: How much is it to rent?

The answer was under $1,000, so Simchowitz leased it, then spent months renovating and licensing the stand after discovering that it had run without proper permits.

Advertisement

The Newsstand Projects first show, Astral Oracles, consists of 88 jars by L.A.-based artist Lazaros, all arranged on three crisp, white shelves. Lazaros considers each of the jars a spell, made to affect its owners mind and being. A jar filled with undulating bills is for security. Another with a pile of colorful plastic animals is for life-force generation.

The artist Lazaros spell for abundance and growth at the Newsstand Project by the Kings Road Cafe in L.A. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

A bright idea? Lazaros spell for clarity, on sale at the Newsstand Project. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

The day Unshin and Lazaros installed the exhibition, Simchowitz stopped by and saw 25 to 30 people who came by in 20 minutes, he said. They waited in line to talk to the artist.

The entrepreneur, called an ugly breed of bear by New York magazine critic Jerry Saltz and the art worlds patron Satan by the New York Times for his opportunistic tactics as a dealer, doesnt hold back. He said the popularity of the Newsstand Project already stood in contrast to a high-profile gallery nearby that he cited by name, noting it had no one there.

He sees his new venture as a corrective to an overly exclusive, homogenous art world.

I think what galleries and artists need to do is find low-cost mechanisms to integrate with communities, he said.

He partnered with Michael Thibault, who ran a gallery in the Arlington Heights neighborhood of L.A. from 2013 through 2017, to present the first Newsstand show, though he said he would prefer to collaborate with nonprofits in the future. Simchowitz acknowledged that his approach to buying and selling has rankled other dealers (including Thibault), who have accused him of, among other things, profiteering on the work of vulnerable young artists.

Lazaros, left, and art dealer, collector and promoter Stefan Simchowitz outside his Newsstand Project on Beverly Boulevard. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Thibault, who declined to comment on his earlier interactions with Simchowitz, said he and Lazaros had full freedom to realize the artists vision. At this streetside spell shop, sandwiched between a Pilates studio and a brunch spot, passersby can discover psychic elixirs they didnt know they needed and get close to intentionally seductive, mysterious art objects.

Plenty of projects have attempted to bring art to street level before, to various effects: Artist Steve Hurd staged an exhibition in a dumpster in 1993. (His idea, he said via email, was that I could do a better job in a trash can than most galleries could.) Ken Marchionno screened video art in the street-facing window of his Arts District studio nightly until 2016. The Equitable Vitrines project shows art in the 24-hour lobby of the Equitable Life Building on Wilshire Boulevard.

But stopping and browsing at a newsstand is something people with no experience in white-walled galleries already know how to do.

I really like work that gets beyond the insular art tradition, Lazaros said to artist Rachel Mason at the stand one morning. Moments later, he explained to a man deciding whether or not to lunch at Kings Road Cafe that, while the spell jars were indeed beautiful, they also made subtle associations and conveyed premonitions.

The 9D Orgonite Energetic Clarifier. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

A spell for cosmic love. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

At least one person stopped every 10 to 15 minutes that day, while others gave the stand a once-over as they breezed by. A cook from the cafe snapped photos and rushed away after two cars crashed around the corner. Unshin, on duty at the time, called 911.

Thibault said his Arlington Heights space rarely, if ever, had this kind of spontaneity. Visitors came with a purpose. Already at the Newsstand, though, he has sold spells to visitors who stumbled upon the exhibition unintentionally. It helped, too, that half the jars cost under $600 and made attractive offerings  although a spell for wealth is not for sale.

         

The Newsstand Project

Where: 8361 Beverly Blvd., L.A.

When: 8:30-11 a.m. Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays

See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts.With Big Little Lies, The People v. O.J. Simpson, Olive Kitteridge and Fargo, the limited series Emmy categories have offered some of the ceremonys most memorable moments the past few years. The current group of nominees doesnt quite measure up  dont get me started on the absence of Twin Peaks and its star, Kyle MacLachlan  but those races are still among the years most competitive. Heres an early look.

LIMITED SERIES

The Alienist

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Advertisement

Genius: Picasso

Godless

Patrick Melrose

Winner: The Assassination of Gianni Versace

Analysis: Versace earned a leading 18 nominations, with Godless picking up 11. Both series netted noms for writing and directing, with Versace hauling in six nods for its actors and Godless scoring three. On volume alone, then, Versace is the favorite, although the ambitious and often alienating follow-up to the Emmy-winning The People v. O.J. Simpson didnt earn the ratings or buzz of its predecessor. It was lurid, uneven and often inert, but also a fascinating depiction of what it was like to be gay in America in the 90s.

As for Godless, though well-acted, it, like many Netflix programs, poked along in telling its story. It wasnt boring, but it never quite again reached the peak of its strong opening episode, either.

This lull wont last. HBOs Sharp Objects will be eligible next year, giving five-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams a chance to win televisions top prize.

Laura Dern and Isabel Nelisse in The Tale. (Kyle Kaplan / Sundance Institute)

TV MOVIE

Fahrenheit 451

Flint

Paterno

The Tale

USS Callister (Black Mirror)

Winner: The Tale

Analysis: Black Mirror won this Emmy last year, and the Netflix anthology series could repeat with USS Callister, a stinging critique of toxic masculinity that ranks with the shows finest episodes. It also works as a hilarious sendup of the original Star Trek series and a tense sci-fi thriller romp, meaning theres something for just about everyone. And Jesse Plemons Shatnerian line readings are just the best.

And yet Im leaning toward The Tale, a groundbreaking and disturbing look at a woman excavating suppressed trauma. Jennifer Foxs unflinching film earned raves when it debuted at Sundance in January and will likely earn its star, Laura Dern, a second consecutive Emmy. All that momentum will help it prevail here.

Laura Dern, lead actress nominee for the HBO limited series The Tale. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES / TV MOVIE

Jessica Biel, The Sinner

Laura Dern, The Tale

Michelle Dockery, Godless

Edie Falco, Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders

Regina King, Seven Seconds

Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Cult

Winner: Dern

Analysis: As mentioned, Dern, playing a woman coming to terms with being molested at the age of 13, is the pick here for a delicate, assured turn that fully understands how devastating denial can be. If its not the best work Dern has done, it certainly ranks with her finest.

Darren Criss, nominated for The Assassination of Gianni Versace. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES / TV MOVIE

Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose

Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower

John Legend, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

Jesse Plemons, USS Callister (Black Mirror)

Winner: Criss

Analysis: Its probably either Criss or Cumberbatch, two dazzling performances in difficult-to-watch projects. I lean toward Criss as more voters probably saw his creepy, chilling, all-in work playing killer Andrew Cunanan. And though Cumberbatch owns six nominations, television academy members have given him just one Emmy over the years. That reluctance is a mystery that would puzzle even the best detective.

Penelope Cruz, nominated for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. (Angela Weiss / AFP / Getty Images)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES / TV MOVIE

Sara Bareilles, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Adina Porter, American Horror Story: Cult

Merritt Wever, Godless

Letitia Wright, Black Museum (Black Mirror)

Winner: Cruz

Analysis: This comes down to Cruz or Light, with Wever, a past winner for Nurse Jackie, a possible spoiler for her surprising, tough and thoroughly amazing turn in Godless.

Cruz owned the bigger role as the grieving (and, in flashbacks, competitive) Donatella Versace, a part that required a remarkable physical transformation. But when I think back on viewing Versace, what sticks is Lights haunting portrayal of beauty empire entrepreneur Marilyn Miglin, wife of Lee Miglin, one of the men Andrew Cunanan murdered. The scene in which Marilyn finally breaks down, asking, Am I a good wife now? is absolutely devastating.

I think Cruz wins for the prominence of her part, but this is Lights fourth nomination and theres going to be some sentiment to finally reward her with an Emmy. This is a real toss-up.

Jeff Daniels, nominated for Godless. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES / TV MOVIE

Jeff Daniels, Godless

Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

John Leguizamo, Waco

Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower

Finn Wittrock, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Winner: Daniels

Analysis: Looming Tower had been the favorite to dominate this category. Instead voters looked to Versace, nominating three of its actors. Is there a standout in terms of buzz among the trio? I dont think so, though Im partial to Wittrock, excellent in the series wrenching Dont Ask, Dont Tell episode.

Daniels was one of two actors nominated for The Looming Tower, but given the lack of enthusiasm for the program, I think voters will focus on his portrayal of fearsome, trigger-happy outlaw Frank Griffin in Godless, likely giving him a second Emmy following his win five years ago for The Newsroom.

glenn.whipp@latimes.com

Twitter: @glennwhippMika Brzezinski apologizes for homophobic insult of Pompeo By Tracy Brown Morning Joe co-hosts Mika Brzezinski, left, and Joe Scarborough. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski has apologized for referring to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo as wannabe dictator President Trumps butt boy. During a segment discussing the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on the MSNBC show Wednesday morning, Brzezinski questioned whether Pompeos comments were the words of a patriot. I understand that Donald Trump doesnt care.  He doesnt care, said Brzezinski. But why doesnt Mike Pompeo care right now? Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard when he appeared on Fox & Friends, is that a patriot speaking? Or a wannabe dictators butt boy? Critics were quick to point out the homophobic nature of the insult, and Brzezinski promptly apologized on Twitter for her super bad choice of words. (While sometimes referring to a person eager to please for personal gain, a butt boy is also understood as a derogatory term for gay men.) I should have said water boy like for football teams or something like that, tweeted Brzezinski. So Sorry! And its not the first time Trumps critics have been called out for relying on homophobic jokes in their efforts to mock the president. Totally agree with you -SUPER BAD choice of words .. I should have said water boy... like for football teams or something like that.. apologize to @SenatorDurbin too! SO SORRY! https://t.co/zIqsGdK3Tk  Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) December 12, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Baby, Its Cold Outside bites back as fans embrace embattled holiday song Fans are pushing back against the Baby, Its Cold Outside backlash, driving the song to surge in both sales and streaming. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Baby, Its Cold Outside got a chilly reception on some airwaves earlier this year, but the seasonal favorite is heating up the charts, thanks to loyal fans who are pushing back against, well, the backlash. The tune has grown controversial in recent years, due to a changing cultural climate and conversations cropping up in the wake of #MeToo, prompting some radio stations to remove the song from airplay. But the tide appears to be turning for Baby, Its Cold Outside. On Monday, San Francisco-area radio station KOIT-FM (96.5) announced that it had returned the song to its rotation after a vast majority of listeners in an online poll voted to have it reinstated. KOITs listeners have spoken, and the overwhelming message is they do want to hear Baby, Its Cold Outside on our station, as they have throughout the years, KOIT program director Brian Figula said in Mondays statement. The radio station was one of several that had excised the song from their playlists, is now among those that reversed their original decision after fan outrage. And its not just on the radio where Baby is gaining ground. Billboards Holiday Digital Song Sales chart for the week of Dec. 15 feature three different versions of the song, with Dean Martins 1959 rendition at No. 2, Idina Menzel and Michael Bubles 2014 duet reentering the chart at No. 29, and Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanels 2003 duet from the Elf soundtrack debuting at No. 41. As for radio stations, they remain dedicated to giving the audience what it wants. More than seven out of every ten listeners who responded said although some lyrics of the song may reflect a different era and a different sensibility than today, still they love the tradition and history of the song, and want to hear it as part of their holiday season, Figulas statement added. At KOIT, we always listen carefully when our listeners take time to comment. In this case, it was very obvious what they wanted us to do. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Selena series based on the life of the Tejano singer ordered at Netflix By Los Angeles Times Staff The late Tejano singer Selena was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Grammys. (Photo by Rick Corrales) Netflix is ready to Bidi Bidi Bom Bom. The streaming platform has ordered a new scripted series about the life of famed Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. Selena: The Series will follow the coming-of-age of a young Selena as her dreams of becoming a professional singer come to fruition, forcing her and her family to make life-changing personal and professional choices. The family of the late singer is involved with the project and will serve as executive producers. Moises Zamora (Star, American Crime) is attached to write and executive-produce the series, which hails from Campanario Entertainment. Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives, Suzette Quintanilla, Selenas sister, said in a statement. We are excited to partner with Campanario and Netflix to give fans a never-before-seen glimpse at our story and highlight why Selena will remain a legend for generations to come. Selena rose to fame in the late 80s and early 90s with hits like Bidi Bidi Bom Bom and Como La Flor. She was shot and killed in 1995 at the age of 25 by her former fan club manager. Her death came months before she was slated to release her first crossover English-language album, which featured the hit singles I Could Fall in Love and Dreaming of You. Jennifer Lopez famously played the singer in a 1997 biopic, which marked one of Lopezs early breakout roles. More recently, Selena served as the inspiration for a posthumous makeup line for MAC cosmetics that launched in 2016. There is no premiere date yet for the series. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Heres how to watch the SAG Award nominations on Wednesday By Nardine Saad Hump day might be a lot more enjoyable this week thanks to Awkwafina, Laverne Cox and the Screen Actors Guild. Cox (Orange Is the New Black and Bad Hair) and Awkwafina (Oceans 8 and Crazy Rich Asians) are teaming up to announce the nominations for the 25th SAG Awards on Wednesday and will hopefully enliven the typical awards-show announcements with their sass and comedic chops. The acting nominees will be revealed at 7 a.m. Pacific time at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The announcement  being made on TNT, TBS and truTV  will also be carried live on each outlets website and social media pages, as well as the SAG Awards site. Heres when and how to watch: Live on TNT, TBS and TruTV and their websites and social media pages

tntdrama.com/sag-awards

truTV.comsagawards.org

TNTs Facebook, Twitter @TNTdrama and YouTube channel

TBS Facebook, Twitter @tbsnetwork and YouTube channel

The SAG Awards homepage Actresses Awkwafina, left, and Laverne Cox will announce the Screen Actors Guild Award nominees on Wednesday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris will introduce Awkwafina and Cox. Before that  at 6:50 a.m. Pacific  nominees in the the stunt ensemble categories will be announced by SAG Awards Committee chair JoBeth Williams and committee member Elizabeth McLaughlin during a live webcast on TNT and the SAG Awards websites. The 25th SAG Awards ceremony will be simulcast live on Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Pacific on TNT and TBS and on the networks mobile and smart TV apps. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Hoda Kotb in tears after Kathie Lee Gifford announces Today exit By Nardine Saad Hoda Kotb, left, and Kathie Lee Gifford have co-anchored the Today show since 2008. (Nathan Congleton / NBC) Kathie Lee Giffords announcement that shes leaving NBCs Today show reduced her on-air BFF Hoda Kotb to a sea of tears on Tuesday, and their life preserver was the box of tissues that a prop master dropped from the ceiling. Kotb, who knew about Giffords departure before the live announcement, was still emotional afterward, telling her longtime co-host that she had changed her life. The minute you stepped into my life with both feet, everything changed, Kotb said through tears, prompting the tissue-box drop. You chose me and thats how it started, she added. I was thinking about everything good thats happened in my life has happened since you came. "Its bittersweet, as these things always are@kathielgifford announces she will be leaving TODAY on her 11th anniversary in April 2019. pic.twitter.com/YsHIq6c9ev  TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2018 Kotb, who has become a fan favorite since co-hosting the freewheeling 10 a.m. hour of the program with Gifford since 2008, said Gifford hiring her enabled her to meet husband Joel Schiffman and adopt their daughter, Haley Joy Kotb. Gifford also invited Kotb to meet her family when she first joined the Today team. Everything happened.  How does one person step in your life and change it like that? And you did that for me, Kotb said. Gifford, who will officially sign off the show in April, referred to Kotb as a beautiful Egyptian goddess and thanked their viewers for sticking with them from their disastrous early days as a nothing burger outside on the plaza. You start sharing life, and your friendship shows up on the air, Gifford said. We werent colleagues very long. We became friends and now were going to be friends for the rest of our lives. Im grateful to God for you, Gifford added. Gods used you in my life every bit as much as hes used me in yours, sweetie. Thats the way it goes. No crumbs on his table. Gifford has co-anchored Todays fourth hour with Kotb for the last decade and is retiring from the program to pursue other creative endeavors. I had a chance to work with a legend... not something many people get to say in their lifetime.. but thanks to you @KathieLGifford .... I get to xxxx https://t.co/sXGdwmq7vm  Hoda Kotb (@hodakotb) December 11, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Times Person of the Year? Four journalists and a newspaper, guardians in the war on truth By Associated Press (Time magazine) Times Person of the Year recognition for 2018 is shining a collective spotlight on guardians in what the magazine calls the war on truth. The group is made up of four journalists and a newspaper that Time says are representatives of a broader fight by countless others around the world. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Carol Burnett to receive inaugural Golden Globe award for TV achievement Carol Burnett will need to clear some space on her crowded mantel: At next months Golden Globes ceremony, she will pick up yet another award honoring her long and distinguished career in television. The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced Tuesday morning that Burnett will receive the inaugural Carol Burnett Award, a new prize honoring lifetime achievement in television. The award was teased at last weeks nominations announcement for the Globes; its meant to be a bookend prize to the HFPAs Cecil B. DeMille Award for film achievement. A five-time Golden Globe winner, Burnett is also the most decorated honoree of all time in the TV category, according to the organization. For more than 50 years, comedy trailblazer Carol Burnett has been breaking barriers while making us laugh, HFPA President Meher Tatna said in a statement Tuesday. She was the first woman to host a variety sketch show, The Carol Burnett Show. She was also the first woman to win both the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and Kennedy Center Honors. And now we add another first to her running list: the first recipient  and namesake  of the new Golden Globe top honor for achievement in television, the Carol Burnett Award. Burnett, 85, will receive the award at the Golden Globes ceremony, which NBC will broadcast live from coast to coast on Jan. 6 from the Beverly Hilton hotel. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Andy Serkis revives Gollum as a Brexit-obsessed Theresa May By Tracy Brown As if British Prime Minister Theresa May werent in enough of a Brexit bind, now she has to deal with a biting Andy Serkis impersonation thats making the digital rounds. Literally biting because its Serkis via his immortal rendition of Gollum. The Lord of the Rings actor reprised a version of the One Ring-obsessed character in a new video posted by We Wants It. Much like the Gollum of the film series, Serkis May has her own fixation: the Brexit withdrawal agreement. Oh, Precious, our agreement, says a blue-suit clad Serkis. This is it. Our deal  We takes back control: Money, borders, laws, blue passportses. But another May personality quickly rebuts: No. It hurts the people. Makes them poorer. The parody features the two sides of May arguing with herself and its somehow both hilarious and terrifying. One personality only cares about how much she wants the juicy and sweet deal, while the other recognizes that there are plenty of people opposed to the idea. They hates the deal, all of them hates it. They wants a peoples vote, Gollum/May says to herself. The Peoples Vote refers to the efforts of those in the U.K. calling for a public vote on whether Britain will leave or remain in the EU based on the terms of the final exit agreement. On Monday, the real May delayed the parliamentary vote for the Brexit plan because she feared it did not have enough support to pass. The vote had been scheduled for Tuesday. While May has defended the deal (that EU leaders have said is the only one on the table), it has been slammed by both Brexit-backers and remainers who oppose leaving the 28-nation bloc. As of now Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Sarah Hyland of Modern Family opens up about second kidney transplant By Nardine Saad Sarah Hyland (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) After her body rejected her first kidney transplant, Modern Family star Sarah Hyland underwent dialysis last year and had to have a second transplant, she revealed Monday in an interview. Recovery from that surgery has been relatively smooth, but the 28-year-old has contended with a spate of other medical issues that resulted in additional procedures. After the second transplant, she had surgery to mitigate her endometriosis and another to repair a hernia. The chronic illnesses have resulted in six surgeries in the past 16 months, she told Self magazine, where she opened up about her tumultuous medical journey. Im stable. Im thriving. Im super happy with life, the 28-year-old actress said. .@sarah_hyland was born with kidney dysplasia. She went into kidney failure, and needed a transplant. In 2012, her dad gave her one of his. What Hyland hasnt been ready to share until now is that in 2016, her body began to reject the donated kidney. https://t.co/iAw8rdXJ1z pic.twitter.com/rR0xqZPiGy  SELF (@SELFmagazine) December 10, 2018 Hyland was born with kidney dysplasia, which causes the organs to grow debilitating cysts. She had a kidney transplant in 2012, with her father giving one of his kidneys to his daughter. But in October 2016, her body began rejecting the transplant and  under the scrutiny of social media and the public eye  Hylands weight dropped, her face swelled due to immunosuppressant drugs and fluid retention and her blood pressure spiked, damaging her vision, the mag said. The candid star said she began dialysis in February 2017 to filter her blood because her kidneys couldnt. However, the treatment fell short and the transplanted kidney had to come out. Doctors removed it that May, then in September of that year transplanted a kidney donated by her younger brother, Ian. I was very depressed, she told the magazine. When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like its your fault. Its not. But it does. Hyland felt completely helpless, she said, and for a long time contemplated suicide. I didnt want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad, she said. I had gone through [my whole life] of always being a burden, of always having to be looked after, having to be cared for. The thoughts subsided after she reached out to a friend, and she encouraged others to do the same. Its not shameful, she said. For anybody that wants to reach out to somebody but doesnt really know how because theyre too proud or they think that theyll be looked upon as weak, its not a shameful thing to say. Its not a shameful thing to share. Hyland said on Instagram on Monday that she shared her story so others might feel like theyre not alone. Hopefully those that are lucky enough not to experience this will learn about something new and take a moment to appreciate their health, she wrote. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New Godzilla: King of the Monsters trailer features the titan fights youre craving When the first trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters was released in July, it delved deep into the lives of its human characters  which was fine  and was accompanied by Debussys Clair de Lune  which was awesome  and everyone seemed happy to see that the titular titan seemed to be doing OK for himself. It was arty and magnificent. But there wasnt any fighting. And there was barely any destruction. And if youre coming in here to sell me a Godzilla film, then by gosh, it had better be apocalyptic. Luckily, most of that appears to be rectified in the second trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which was released Monday morning. While the humans are still hanging out in the background, wringing their hands and staring in mute disbelief, far more of the footage is given over to the wrath of the titans. Heck, Godzilla even takes on King Ghidorah head-to-head(-to-head-to-head) and it looks amazing. See what it looks like when the world burns, but this time the old gods are to blame. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is scheduled to stomp its way into theaters May 31. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New Stranger Things teaser reveals totally 80s episode titles By Nardine Saad Its summer 1985 and things are still pretty strange in Hawkins, Ind. Netflix on Sunday unveiled a teaser for Season 3 of Stranger Things, giving fans a list of eight episode titles to mine for clues about the sci-fi series new season. The new season will reunite viewers with Chief Hopper (David Harbour), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and their gang of middle-school outcasts, who find themselves at the center of the peculiar happenings in their small town. The streaming giant also confirmed a 2019 release for the new season, which will center on the already announced arrival of the Starcourt shopping mall, which makes the finale episode title all the more foreboding. (Check out that earlier teaser below.) Heres the title list: Suzie, Do you Copy?

The Mall Rats

The Case of the Missing Lifeguard

The Sauna Test

The Source

The Birthday

The Bite

The Battle of Starcourt In March, Netflix announced that Priah Ferguson would return as Lucas Sinclairs (Caleb McLaughlin) younger sister Erica, and Maya Hawke was cast in the new role of Robin. Last week, the Emmy-winning show earned a Golden Globe nomination for dramatic television series and a supporting actor nod for Harbour, who in addition to playing the town sheriff is now Elevens adoptive father. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Americans, Gianni Versace and Dannemora lead Critics Choice TV nominees By Libby Hill The Broadcast Film Critics Assn. clearly has a thing for crime, with Mondays announcement of the TV nominees for the 24th annual Critics Choice Awards revealing lots of love for shows about skirting the law. The Americans, famous for its super sneaky Russian spies; The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and its depiction of the murder and aftermath; and Escape at Dannemora, with its tale of a real life jailbreak, lead all television nominees with five mentions apiece. Gianni Versace and Dannemora are competing in limited series, with Americans in drama, but all four projects were buoyed by their performances, which got four nominations each. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

The Favourite and Black Panther lead film nominees for Critics Choice Awards By Libby Hill The Broadcast Film Critics Assn. announced its film nominees for the 24th Critics Choice Awards on Monday, with period black comedy The Favourite earning 14 nominations, just ahead of box office blockbuster Black Panther, which scored 12. Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz all garnered nominations for their performances in The Favourite, with Yorgos Lanthimos also nominated for direction and editing. Nipping at the heels of the two front runners are Damien Chazelles First Man with 10, Mary Poppins Returns, A Star is Born and Vice all nabbing nine nominations each and Roma with eight notices. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Times Person of the Year shortlist includes Meghan Markle, director Ryan Coogler, President Trump and separated families By Nardine Saad Actress-turned-duchess Meghan Markle is on Time magazines short list for 2018 Person of the Year. (Gareth Fuller / Associated Press) Actress-turned-duchess Meghan Markle and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler joined Donald Trump, separated families, Robert S. Mueller III and Christine Blasey Ford on Time magazines shortlist for the 2018 Person of the Year. Selected by the magazines editors since 1927, the title is bestowed on a person  or people  who most influenced the news and the world, for better or for worse, during the last year. On Monday, the magazine revealed the top 10 candidates on NBCs Today show, which will also name the titleholder on Tuesdays show. Markle and Coogler were the only entertainment figures represented during another contentious news year. Last year, the Silence Breakers who spoke out against sexual assault and misconduct earned the magazines cover spot. Heres the shortlist for @TIMEs Person of the Year #TIMEPOY pic.twitter.com/kHAmF8A3ut  TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 10, 2018 Heres who made the shortlist this year: Donald Trump: The tweet-happy U.S. president was named the 2016 Person of the Year when he was president-elect. Last year, when he also made the shortlist, Trump tweeted he had passed on the nominal title, though Time disagreed Separated families: Despite weathering the fallout of putting a crying Honduran child who had not been separated from her family on its magazine cover earlier this year, Time still selected migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border as candidates for its Person of the Year, again highlighting the battle over immigration in the U.S. Vladimir Putin: The Russian president was named Person of the Year in 2007 and has continued to make headlines due to Russias alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, and his relationship with Trump. Which brings us to ... Robert Mueller: The special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, who has been investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the election and Trumps ties to Russia, has become a foil to the bombastic leader. Though the investigation has ensnared Trumps former personal attorney Michael Cohen, his former campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and several others, Trump has repeatedly decried it as a witch hunt for evidence of collusion with Russia. Ryan Coogler: The Black Panther director and screenwriter turned a lesser-known superhero into a cultural phenomenon with his groundbreaking film, which became a critical darling and broke a bevy of box-office records while boasting a predominantly black cast. Christine Blasey Ford: The university professor who accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers brought the nation to a standstill with her emotional testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, throwing Kavanaughs shoo-in appointment into question for weeks. Jamal Khashoggi: The Saudi journalist was killed soon after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, and his disappearance led to widespread criticism of the Arab nation, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is believed to have ordered Khashoggis murder. March for Our Lives activists: The teenagers who survived the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., assembled to take on gun control and march on Washington, D.C., to speak out against gun violence. Moon Jae-in: The South Korean president, who helped host the Olympic Games this year, mounted a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, officially bringing about an end to the war between the two countries. Meghan Markle: The Suits actress who hails from California became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britains Prince Harry in May, offering a fairy-tale reprieve from pressing conflicts around the world. In October, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child, who would be seventh in line to the British throne. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Saturday Night Live finds DeNiros Robert Mueller in Eric Trumps closet Robert De Niro and Alex Moffat on Saturday Night Live this week. (NBC) After a week full of new revelations from the Robert Mueller investigation, it was probably no surprise that Robert De Niro got the call to reprise his role as the special counsel for this weeks Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Jason Mamoa with the musical guest Mumford and Sons. With the always-on news cycle of 2018, the cold open is typically a feast-or-famine affair that benefits from standout, vaguely surreal moments  Kanye West in the White House, for example. With so much news this week surrounding the legal affairs of the presidents inner circle, SNL imagined the FBIs special counsel as the boogeyman in Eric Trumps closet. Dont be scared, its just me, De Niro assured him, your dads friend from work. Alex Moffat as a clueless Eric and Mikey Day as Don Jr. has been a solid pairing on Weekend Update, and they were natural choices given the news cycle. Still, the segment lacked the sort of standout snap that makes the cold open the usual talking point for the episode, apart from its closing exchange. People say youre the worst thing that happened to my dad, Moffats Eric Trump told De Niro. No, getting elected president was the worst thing to happen to your dad, he countered. Watch a clip below. "Its just me, Robert Mueller. Your dads friend from work." #SNL pic.twitter.com/xsLhnSg1oe  Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) December 9, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Times Up congratulates Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu on Golden Globes nomination Constance Wu is nominated for her first Golden Globe award for Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros. ) Approaching the one-year anniversary of the movements birth, Times Up congratulated the women who earned 2019 Golden Globe nominations, including Crazy Rich Asians star and activist Constance Wu. We celebrate all of our sisters who were nominated for Golden Globe awards this year, including Constance Wu who became the first Asian woman to be nominated for best actress in more than 40 years, the organization said in a statement to The Times. (While few women of Asian descent been nominated for best actress in the awards 75-year history, Hailee Steinfeld, who is part Filipino, was nominated in 2017 for Edge of Seventeen.) As far as Asian Americans go, not Asian-Asians, there have been two others [in the comedy/musical category], Wu told The Times on Thursday morning, reacting to her nomination for Crazy Rich Asians, the first contemporary-set all-Asian studio film in 25 years. It is especially meaningful to receive a nomination for a leading role in an Asian American-centered story, Wu added. In its Globes nominations kudos, Times Up also called out the lack of female filmmakers among this years all-male directing nominees. We are thrilled to see some progress in the diversity of artists recognized, but, once again, the best director category lacks a single woman nominee, the statement read. The body of work directed by women this year deserves acknowledgement. The Times Up movement was first announced Jan. 1, unveiling an initiative to battle sexual harassment in industries including Hollywood, which included a legal defense fund to help underprivileged women. The movement called for supporters to wear all black to the glitzy 2018 Globes ceremony and speak out against harassment and gender inequality. As of Thursday, Wu was not yet sure if there will be a repeat of last years red carpet call to action or similar coordinated show of solidarity. I dont know if its going to be a clothing statement, but the solidarity and the sisterhood that we have is always there and is growing every day  so it will 100% be there at the Golden Globes, she said. Maybe not in terms of wardrobe, but in terms of passion? For sure. Read the full Times Up statement below: Statement from TIMES UP on the 2019 Golden Globe Nominations We celebrate all of our sisters who were nominated for Golden Globe awards this year, including Constance Wu who became the first Asian woman to be nominated for best actress in more than 40 years. We are thrilled to see some progress in the diversity of artists recognized, but once again the best director category lacks a single woman nominee. The body of work directed by women this year deserves acknowledgement. While we greatly admire the excellent work honored yesterday, we are also reminded of the vast imbalances that still exist across our industry and many other industries, and remain committed to our collective work. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Kevin Hart shouldnt have stepped down from Oscars gig, GLAAD chief says: He should have stepped up By Christie DZurilla Comedian Kevin Hart decided not to host Februarys Academy Awards. (Willy Sanjuan / Associated Press) GLAAD would rather Kevin Hart hadnt quit as Oscars host, with its leader expressing disappointment Friday morning on social media and on CNN. Kevin Hart shouldnt have stepped down; he should have stepped up, tweeted Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of the LGBTQ advocacy group. Harts apology to LGBTQ people is an important step forward, but he missed a real opportunity to use his platform and the Oscars stage to build unity and awareness. Ellis said the group would still welcome that conversation with the 39-year-old comic. Hart, who got the job only Tuesday, walked away Thursday night rather than cave to internet trolls for old anti-gay tweets that had resurfaced after he deleted them. He later did an about-face and offered an apology to those he had hurt, saying he was stepping down because he didnt want to distract from the awards themselves. We were hoping that this was going to turn into a teachable moment, Ellis told CNN on Friday morning. GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis on why she was hoping Kevin Hart wouldnt step down as Oscars host:



We were hoping that this was going to turn into a teachable moment  [and] to use the Oscar stage ... to help build unity and awareness. https://t.co/Kt5qT05hAA pic.twitter.com/PNijmSM2Vv  New Day (@NewDay) December 7, 2018 Ellis said Hart could have become an ally of the community if he had faced it, explained he had evolved and was willing to lead moving forward. It wasnt the conclusion that I think everybody would have liked, Ellis said. The academy has yet to respond to Harts public exit or announce a replacement host. (But we have some ideas about who should get the gig.) We would still welcome that conversation with him. The Academy has recently made significant strides in featuring diverse talent onstage and they should now double down on that commitment as they look for a new host.  Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) December 7, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Marvel drops Avengers 4' trailer, reveals title By Los Angeles Times Staff Chris Evans as Captain America. (Marvel Studios) The end is near. Or more precisely, the endgame. On Friday, Marvel Studios unveiled the official first trailer for the latest Avengers film. The clip also confirmed the title for the project, Avengers: Endgame, and an April 26 release. Endgame picks up where the events of Avengers: Infinity War, released in April, left off. The beginning of the trailer focuses largely on Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in solitude before moving the focus to Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). The new footage also shows the return of Jeremy Renners Hawkeye, who did not appear in Infinity War. He was last seen in Captain America: Civil War. Watch the trailer below. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Justin Timberlake postpones Man of the Woods tour, citing bruised vocal cords By Nardine Saad Justin Timberlake. (Amy Harris / Invision/Associated Press) Justin Timberlake is sorry that the remainder of his Man of the Woods tour has now been postponed to next year while the singer recovers from bruised vocal cords, a problem that has dogged him since October. My vocal cords are healing but they are not all the way back to normal yet, so my doctors want me to continue to rest my voice, the 37-year-old wrote on Instagram Wednesday night. That means hell hold off on singing until next month. Im really sorry, Timberlake wrote. I want to be back on the stage and I am doing all I can to get there quickly. Live Nation, the producer of the tour, confirmed on Thursday that the tour would resume in January, and tickets for the originally scheduled shows will be honored at the 2019 events. Timberlake, whose tour accompanies his folksy fifth studio album, Man of the Woods, first canceled his Madison Square Garden show in New York in late October and had since postponed a slew of dates. (Though that didnt derail his silent interview on The Tonight Show to promote his memoir Hindsight shortly after.) The North American tour will now resume in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 4, according to Live Nation. Timberlakes Los Angeles stop at the Staples Center  originally set for Nov. 27  is now slated for March 10, Live Nation said. Hes also been rescheduled to play the Honda Center in Anaheim on Feb. 22. Additional appearances in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Fresno and Oakland have also been pushed back to March, and tickets for the previously scheduled concerts are valid at the respective new dates in each city. Refunds are also available at point of purchase. (A full list of the rescheduled shows can be seen here.) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Faye Dunaway returning to Broadway to play Katharine Hepburn in Tea at Five By Nardine Saad (Lionel Cironneau / Associated Press) Oscar winner Faye Dunaway is returning to Broadway to play four-time Oscar winner Katharine Hepburn. The Bonnie and Clyde star will embody the legendary actress with a devil-may-care personality in Matthew Lombardos Tea at Five, marking the shows Broadway debut and Dunaways return to the Great White Way after 35 years, producer Ben Feldman said in a statement on Thursday. Lombardo has created a new version of the one-woman-show, which took audiences to 1938 as Hepburn awaited word on the final casting for the role of Scarlett OHara to 1983, where they witness the sunset of her health and career. The new show will be directed by Tony Award nominee John Tillinger and will have a limited engagement in summer 2019. Additional information, including the complete creative team, dates and theater, will be announced early next year. Dunaway made her Broadway debut in 1961 with A Man for All Seasons and followed it up with appearances in After the Fall and The Changeling. However, her breakthrough happened off-Broadway when she appeared in Hogans Goat, which led to her casting in 1967s Bonnie and Clyde. (She later earned her Academy Award for the 1976 drama Network.) The 77-year-old actress last appeared on Broadway in 1982 in the original play The Curse of an Aching Heart. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Father John Misty rallies musician friends for wildfire benefit concert Father John Misty announced that he will host a benefit concert for victims of Californias recent wildfires. (Suzanne Cordeiro / AFP/Getty Images) Father John Misty, the singer, songwriter and occasional Chateau Marmont pianist, announced Thursday morning the California Wildfire Benefit Concert, an evening of music to benefit victims of the recent fires. Misty, the stage name of Josh Tillman, is teaming up with Los Angeles-based concert promoter Goldenvoice and has scrolled through his contacts for a coterie of special guests, including Haim, Mac DeMarco, Lucius, Tim Heidecker, Rostam, Jonathan Wilson, Rivers Cuomo and Weyes Blood, among others. Set for Dec. 18 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in L.A., the night promises to be an intimate affair: an all-acoustic session of songs from some of the areas most accomplished songwriters, with a Steinway & Sons-donated piano to add some class. The benefit is the latest to raise money for those affected by the devastating fires. Over the weekend, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Robin Thicke raised a reported $1 million as part of the One Love Malibu Benefit Concert. Last week, garage rocker Ty Segall and friends took over Zebulon in Frogtown to make money for those in need. Proceeds from Tillman & Co.s event will go to the Southern California Disaster Relief Fund, created by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with United Way of Ventura County. In a statement Thursday morning, organizers explained that the fund is directed at low-income families whose lives and livelihoods are affected by the current wildfires in Southern California. Specifically, the fund focuses on longer-term support to help individuals and families in need to rebuild their lives. Bonus opportunity: Fans will be able to bid on front-row tickets to the concert through CharityBuzz. The high-bidder will also get a commemorative poster signed by participating artists and a room at the Ace Hotel. Tickets for the all-ages concert range from $59.50-$199.50 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Pacific. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

A Star Is Born: Peter Buck turns 62 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Joe Pugliese / Los Angeles Times) Everyone I know has enough bad times and struggles in their lives to draw upon for a lifetime. Peter Buck, 1996 FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Lowdown on Hi-Fi Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg to co-host 2019 Golden Globes By Nardine Saad Andy Samberg, left, and Sandra Oh will co-host the 2019 Golden Globes. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times; Micha Theiner / Los Angeles Times) Killing Eve will meet Brooklyn Nine-Nine at the 76th Golden Globe Awards next month now that Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg have been announced as co-hosts of the annual show. They bring wit, charm and style to a room filled with the very best of film and television. Its sure to be another unforgettable fun-filled night, said NBC co-chairmen Paul Telegdy and George Cheeks in a statement on Wednesday. The party-like ceremony, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. at the Beverly Hilton hotel, will honor the best in film and television and marks the official kickoff of the 2019 awards-show season. The three-hour telecast will air live, coast to coast, on NBC on Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Golden Globes nominations preview: 5 things to watch for, including Mary Poppins Returns vs. Roma  The nominees will be announced early Thursday across 25 categories  14 in film and 11 in television  and the winners are voted on by members of the HFPA. Were excited to welcome Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg as co-hosts of Hollywoods Party of the Year, said HFPA President Meher Tatna in a statement. Both Golden Globe Award recipients have continually showcased their talents in film and television, and we cant wait see what their undeniable chemistry will bring to the Golden Globes stage. Oh, who famously starred as Dr. Cristina Yang on ABCs Greys Anatomy, won a 2006 Golden Globe for performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television; a Screen Actors Guild Award for the role and five Emmy nominations for supporting actress in a drama. Her role as an MI5 officer hunting down a female assassin on BBC Americas Killing Eve earned her another Emmy nomination earlier this year. As for Samberg, the Saturday Night Live alum won two Golden Globes in 2014 for his work on the cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which recently landed at NBC after being canceled on Fox. It wont be the first time for him to host a major awards show either: The comedian previously emceed the Primetime Emmy Awards as well as the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The duo take over hosting duties from recent hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and Ricky Gervais. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Natalie Portman apologizes to Jessica Simpson for bikini-shaming her By Nardine Saad Actress Natalie Portman, left, in a recent interview alluded to a bikini photo of Jessica Simpson. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times, left; Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press, right)) Oscar winner Natalie Portman hears you, Jessica Simpson, and agrees that women should dress and behave however they like without judgment. Thats a different tune than the one Portman appeared to sing in a USA Today profile published on Tuesday  one that prompted a lengthy statement from Simpson calling out Portman for shaming her, particularly amid the Times Up era that Portman helped usher in. Portman plays a pop star in the upcoming film Vox Lux, which explores the underbelly of the music industry, and in discussing the topic, she lauded Madonna but appeared to throw shade at Simpson and the industry that touted the virgin/vixen paradigms around the millennium. I remember being a teenager, and there was Jessica Simpson on the cover of a magazine saying Im a virgin while wearing a bikini, and I was confused. Like, I dont know what this is trying to tell me as a woman, as a girl, Portman, 37, told the publication. Simpson. 38, read those words Wednesday morning and, in a missive posted on Instagram and Twitter, said she was disappointed, but did not indicate what magazine cover Portman was referring to. As public figures, we both know our image is not totally in our control at all times, and that the industry we work in often tries to define us and box us in, the fashion designer wrote. However, I was taught to be myself and honor the different ways all women express themselves, which is why I believed then  and I believe now  that being sexy in a bikini and being proud of my body are not synonymous with having sex, Simpson added. Simpson, who made no secret of losing her virginity after she wed 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey in 2002, had said that shes always embraced being a role model to women by letting them know they can look and wear whatever they want and choose to have or not have sex whenever they want. The power lies within us as individuals, Simpson wrote. Addressing Simpson directly (and publicly) in the comments section of the post, Portman thanked her and said she she completely agrees with her. I only meant to say I was confused  as a girl coming of age in the public eye around the same time  by the medias mixed messages about how girls and women were supposed to behave, Portman wrote. The actress said she didnt mean to shame Simpson and is sorry for any hurt her words might have caused. I have nothing but respect for your talent and your voice that you use to encourage and empower women all over the globe, Portman said. UPDATE 2:21 p.m.: This story was updated with Portmans apology. This story was originally published at 11:52 a.m. pic.twitter.com/zBLuyF3a8p  Jessica Simpson (@JessicaSimpson) December 5, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Surviving R. Kelly screening evacuated after anonymous threats By Christie DZurilla Singer R. Kelly. (Noam Galai / Getty Images) Phoned-in threats cleared the house at a screening of the Surviving R. Kelly documentary Tuesday night in New York City, leaving the singers ex-wife Drea Kelly more fired up than deterred. [S]everal anonymous threats were called in, Lifetime said in a statement to The Times. As a precaution, the network elected to evacuate the building. The incident was investigated and concern about a gunman in the house was determined to be unfounded, a New York Police Department spokeswoman told The Times. The R&B singer has been accused of abusive and controlling behavior toward women, especially younger ones, allegations R. Kelly has denied. Those allegations are detailed in the three-part documentary series. Tuesdays screening was attended by alleged victims Jerhonda Pace, Kitti Jones, Assante McGee, Lisa Van Allen and Lizzette Martinez, in addition to Drea Kelly. Also there were #MeToo activist Tarana Burke, radio host Angela Yee and former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. Burke and Yee were to have been part of a panel with Lifetime executive producer Brie Miranda Bryant. They thought they were putting us out; they just put gasoline on a fire and now were just gonna burn longer and stronger. You actually helped us when it was meant to harm us [because] this did nothing but unite us even more, Drea Kelly told Rolling Stone. The incident lets me know were on the right track. Were causing people to listen. Were getting peoples attention and were getting attention from the one who thought that he was invincible and untouchable, she said. Surviving R. Kelly airs Jan. 3-5 on Lifetime. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Cardi B announces split from Offset a year after they wed By Nardine Saad Offset, left, and Cardi B arrive at the American Music Awards in October. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press) A little more than a year after they secretly wed, rappers Cardi B and Offset have split, according to Cardi B, who announced the break-up in an Instagram video on Tuesday night. Things just havent been working out between us for a long time. And its nobodys fault, its just like I guess, we grew out of love, the Okurr-trilling, I Like It rapper said. Were not together anymore. It might take time to get a divorce, but Im always gonna have a lot of love for him because he is my daughters father, she added. Cardi and Offset, a member of the rap trio Migos, secretly wed in Georgia in September 2017 before the arrival of their daughter, Kulture, whos now nearly 5 months old. Cardi, 26, real name Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, said that they remain good friends and business partners who got a lot of love for each other. Offset, also 26, real name Kiari Kendrall Cephus, very publicly proposed to the Bodak Yellow MC in October and the two often discussed their plans for a blowout celebration. Then news of their actual marriage  and marriage certificate  leaked in June and the two welcomed their baby girl in July. Reps for Cardi and Offset did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Kevin Hart to host the 2019 Academy Awards Kevin Hart will be hosting the Oscars next year. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) Stepping into what is often considered one of the most difficult  and at times thankless  gigs in Hollywood, Kevin Hart is set to host the 91st Academy Awards. The stand-up comedian and actor made the announcement himself Tuesday on Instagram, promising, I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same, Hart wrote. I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when its suppose to. In tapping Hart, who has starred in box-office hits like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Central Intelligence and who boasts a massive social media following and large base of young fans, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hoping to stem a steady decline in ratings for the telecast. In each of the past two years, under host Jimmy Kimmel, the ratings dipped, with Marchs show reaching a record-low audience of 26.5 million viewers. Facing perennial criticism over what many have decried as the sometimes tedious length of the Oscars, the academy has vowed that this coming years show, which is being produced by Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss, will not run over three hours. To trim the proceedings down, some awards will be given out during commercial breaks rather than live on air. In an ultimately fizzled gambit to bring in a wider audience for the all-important telecast, the academy earlier this year announced the creation of a new award recognizing outstanding achievement in popular film. But after weeks of blowback, the academys board of governors reversed itself and decided to shelve the idea, at least for the time being. Hart has previously served as emcee of the MTV Movie Awards along with his Central Intelligence co-star Dwayne Johnson. The Oscars will air on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 24. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

2018 AFI Awards honorees include Black Panther, Atlanta, Roma and The Americans By Sonaiya Kelley Viggo Mortensen, left, and Mahershala Ali star in Green Book, which is among the AFIs top 10 films of the year. (Universal Pictures / Asssociated Press) The American Film Institute announced 10 films and 10 television shows as honorees of the 2018 AFI Awards this morning. BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, Eighth Grade, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Favorite, First Reformed, Green Book, Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place, and A Star Is Born were recognized as culturally and artistically significant films by the institute. Netflixs Roma, a Spanish-language film not eligible for the main list, was also recognized with an AFI Special Award which honors films outside the Institutes criteria for American film. On the television side, FXs The Americans, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Atlanta and Pose, HBOs Barry and Succession, AMCs Better Call Saul, Netflixs The Kominsky Method, Amazon Primes The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and NBCs This Is Us were all recognized. The AFI Awards will be presented at an annual private luncheon on Jan. 4, 2019, in Los Angeles. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater to announce Golden Globe nominees Terry Crews, left, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater will announce the Golden Globe nominees on Thursday morning. (Ricardo DeAratanha, left, Carolyn Cole, Michael Nagle, Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) There are four Hollywood stars who are guaranteed to be awake bright and early for this years Golden Globe Awards announcement, regardless of whether they have a nomination in the offing. Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater have been tasked with presenting the Golden Globe nominees at Thursdays annual news conference, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced Tuesday. The HFPA also said a major announcement regarding the Golden Globes schedule would be made prior to this years nominees. Joining Crews, Gurira, Mann and Slater will be newly minted Golden Globe Ambassador Isan Elba (also the daughter of actor Idris Elba), HFPA President Meher Tetna and Golden Globe executive producer Barry Adelman. The Golden Globe nominations announcement will take place on Thursday at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. Live-stream coverage of the event begins at 5:05 a.m., with the first categories announced at 5:15 a.m. and a second and final group of categories revealed shortly thereafter. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

SNL star Pete Davidson says he wont give in to online bullying; Ariana Grande chimes in By Christie DZurilla Pete Davidson (Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images) Pete Davidson says no matter what you do to him, hes not going to kill himself. Wait, what? Yes, exactly what you just read. Online trolls cant bully him to death, he says. And he wonders why theyre getting away with such abusive behavior. Ive been getting online bullied and in public by people for 9 months. Ive spoken about BPD and being suicidal publicly only in the hopes that it will help bring awareness and help kids like myself who dont want to be on this earth, the Saturday Night Live actor said bluntly Monday on Instagram. I just want you guys to know. No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I wont. The Saturday Night Live actor, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, was presumably referring to his break from pop star Ariana Grande. The two met in March and became an item toward the end of May, got engaged just weeks into the relationship and then split up in October. She has got around 137 million Instagram followers, some of whom have apparently been talking to  or at  Davidson online. He has no verified Twitter or Facebook accounts. He said he has kept his mouth shut about the online bullying to this point and hasnt mentioned any names  nor does he drop any names in the post. Im trying to understand how when something happens to a guy the whole entire world just trashes him without any facts or frame of reference, Davidson wrote. Especially in todays climate where everyone loves to be offended and upset it truly is mind boggling. Pete Davidson just posted a touching note about mental health to his Instagram pic.twitter.com/nAudS7NdmU  Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) December 3, 2018 Davidsons missive comes on the heels of the new video for Grandes hit song thank u, next, whose title echoes a Twitter comment involving the actor. The singer put Davidsons statement and a comment of her own on her Instagram story around midnight, urging her many fans to change their behavior. [I] really dont endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. i care deeply about pete and his health. im asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet, Grande said, in part. Later in the statement, she got a bit more specific. [P]lease let whatever point youre trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if youve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point, she said. Heres Grandes statement in full: i know u already know this but i feel i need to remind my fans to please be gentler with others. i really dont endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. i care deeply about pete and his health. im asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet. ive learned thru my own mistakes not to be reactive on socials so i do understand. but you truly dont know what anybody is experiencing ever. regardless of what they choose to display on social media or how they may appear in public. i can promise u that. so please let whatever point youre trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if youve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point. Borderline personality disorder is marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image and behavior, according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. Symptoms can often result in impulsive actions and relationship problems, with people experiencing intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety that last for hours or days. People with BPD tend to experience things as all good or all bad, and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the risk of self-harming behavior or suicide is an extreme risk. UPDATE Dec. 4, 10:18 a.m.: This post was updated with the statement from Grande. This post was originally published on Dec. 3 at 12:37 p.m. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Kanye West apologizes after being called out for his behavior at The Cher Show By Christie DZurilla Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West at the opening night of The Cher Show on Monday. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press) Kanye West really, really liked The Cher Shows opening night on Broadway. But at least one performer couldnt tell, cause Ye apparently was messing with his phone the whole time. Hey @kanyewest so cool that youre here at @TheCherShow!, cast member Jarrod Spector tweeted at the rapper shortly after things got rolling on Monday night. If you look up from your cell phone youll see were doing a show up here. Its opening night. Kind of a big deal for us. Thanks so much. West might as well have taken a flash photograph  he was so busted. Hey @kanyewest so cool that youre here at @TheCherShow! If you look up from your cell phone youll see were doing a show up here. Its opening night. Kind of a big deal for us. Thanks so much.  Jarrod Spector (@jarrodspector) December 4, 2018 West must actually read his mentions  at least the ones that blow up  because he replied with an apology a few hours later. And he apparently really did dig the show. The dynamics of Cher and Sonnys relationship made Kim and I grab each others hand and sing I got you babe, he wrote. Please pardon my lack of etiquette. We have so much appreciation for the energy you guys put into making this master piece. the dynamics of Cher and Sonnys relationship made Kim and I grab each others hand and sing I got you babe

please pardon my lack of etiquette. We have so much appreciation for the energy you guys put into making this master piece.  ye (@kanyewest) December 4, 2018 But West might not have behaved as awful as all that. A Kanye source told TMZ that the rapper loved the show so much he was actually taking notes on his phone. Still rude, but at least he didnt tweet that apology halfway through the show. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Red Bull Music Festival sets 2019 lineup, including Red Dead Redemption 2' live gig Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd in October. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times ) Liquid adrenaline manufacturer Red Bull has announced the lineup for the 2019 Red Bull Music Festival Los Angeles, which will focus nearly as much on sight as on sound. Most notably, the multi-event program will feature the first live performance of music from the blockbuster action-adventure game Red Dead Redemption 2. It will be the centerpiece of a festival that aims to explore how music intersects with gaming, film and photography. Attendees will experience live Red Dead Redemption 2 performances by composer Woody Jackson, Indonesian duo Senyawa and others featured in the game in whats billed as a reimagining of the score as a unique auditory installation. The festival, happening at various locations across multiple February dates, will also present the first U.S. stops on Swedish pop powerhouse Robyns upcoming North American tour. Hitting the States to promote her new album, Honey, Robyn will perform her first Los Angeles shows in eight years on Feb. 22 and 23 at the Hollywood Palladium. The festivals Feb. 7 opening event will aim a much-deserved spotlight on the performer San Cha. Shell be introducing a new original piece, according the notes, based around the telenovela programs of her childhood, and will feature artists from a range of L.A.s creative disciplines. On Valentines Day, the Tupelo, Miss., rap team Rae Sremmurd will host an event described in release notes as an eclectic show inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Along with surprise guests, hosts Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee will marry their hits with covers of iconic love songs of past and present, putting a contemporary slant on classic silver screen romance. The party will take place at the Reserve, which is in a historic bank vault in downtown Los Angeles. On Feb. 16, the skate, film and art collective Illegal Civilization will take over the Pink Motel in Sun Valley  most visible these days as a setting in the Netflix show GLOW  for a daylong installment called Illegal Civ Movie Motel. The group is headed by Mikey Alfred, best known for his work with Jonah Hill on Mid90s, and Alfred and his peers will entangle skating, film screenings and a swap meet with music performances by affiliates including Show Me the Body, Tierra Whack and Tommy Genesis. Throughout February the festival will take over the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Koreatown to present Center Channel, a film series with a mission to explore the most compelling intersections of sound and film. In conjunction with Los Angeles curators and tastemakers, programmers have scheduled not-yet-announced premieres, screenings, panels and live performances. Tickets for all events go on sale Wednesday at noon. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New Captain Marvel trailer teases Carol Danvers backstory and cosmic fights By Tracy Brown The new trailer for Captain Marvel features a little something for everyone: additional details about the story, fight scenes in outer space and a cute cat. The second trailer for the Marvel Studios film debuted Monday night, and it sends a clear message that Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, is the hero everyone has been waiting for. At least according to Disney. While the first trailer hinted that Carol (played by Brie Larson) is trying to piece together what seems to be her forgotten past on Earth, this new promo provides more information about who she has become. Carol explains to Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) that she is Kree, an alien race of noble warrior heroes. But then the trailer immediately reveals that wasnt always the case. It turns out that after somehow stumbling upon an injured and memory-less Carol, the Kree turned her into one of them. This gave her enhanced strength, a prolonged lifespan and various other superpowers. And these powers appear to be no joke. The trailer shows Captain Marvel handle everything from hand-to-hand combat against what appears to be an elderly woman (but is likely an enemy in disguise) to flying around in space while taking out spaceships with energy blasts she shoots from her hands. Looks like there is definitely hope for the remaining Avengers to save the universe following the events of Avengers: Infinity War after all. Captain Marvel is scheduled to hit theaters March 8, 2019. Check out the new poster and tune-in to @ESPNs Monday Night Football to see the brand new trailer for Marvel Studios #CaptainMarvel. pic.twitter.com/43EPkcTBET  Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) December 3, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Queen announces Rhapsody Tour with Adam Lambert By Christie DZurilla Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert perform at the Forum in 2014. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) Bolstered by the success of the new biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen is going back on tour in North America next summer. And Adam Lambert will take the mic once again in place of the late Freddie Mercury, the band announced Monday. The Rhapsody Tour will take place from mid-July to late August 2019 and feature (in the bands words) 23 giant shows. Theyll play the Forum in Inglewood on July 19. Tickets go on sale Friday, with pre-sale codes sent to fan club members and QueenOnline.com subscribers on Tuesday. The soaring success of Bohemian Rhapsody  the Freddie Mercury/Queen movie that is set to become the biggest-grossing music biopic of all time  has proven that the publics love for Queen remains as strong as ever, the band said in a release. We are ready for America and raring to get back in the saddle, drummer Roger Taylor said in the statement, with lead guitarist Brian May adding: This is a great opportunity. Our last tour featured our most ambitious production ever and got us our best notices ever. So we decided to rip it apart and get even more ambitious! Lambert has been touring with the band since 2012 after sharing the stage with them during the 2009 American Idol finale. Completing the tour lineup are longtime collaborator Spike Edney on keyboards, Neil Fairclough on bass and Tyler Warren on percussion. See the full list of dates here. Were excited to announce Queen + @adamlambert will be debuting the brand new Rhapsody touring show across 23 North America dates July-August 2019. Read all the details here:https://t.co/rBI0jbxQRb



Photographer: Bojan Hohnjec

 Miracle Productions LLP pic.twitter.com/s0LTa128Ey  Queen (@QueenWillRock) December 3, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Halsey calls out Victorias Secret Fashion Show over trans exclusion By Christie DZurilla Halsey, left, performed at the 2018 Victorias Secret Fashion Show, recorded last month. (Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images) Halsey, who performed at the 2018 Victorias Secret Fashion Show that aired Sunday night on ABC, posted a lengthy note on social media at the same time regarding the shows perceived lack of trans inclusivity. I have adored the Victorias Secret Fashion Show since I was young. Performing this year alongside other amazing artists, and hardworking models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year. However, after I filmed the performance some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore, she wrote. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype, continued the 24-year-old singer, who is out as bisexual. She then directed followers to the GLSEN website and said she had made a big donation to the organization, which champions LGBTQ issues in K-12 education. The show featured 49 female models of various races and skin colors from at least 14 countries and six continents. However, a comment from a Victorias Secret executive in a Nov. 8 Vogue article  which ran the same day the show was taped  upset some transgender people and their allies, and appears to have sparked Halseys post. There was also discussion in the article about the absence of plus-size models on the VS catwalk. Its like, why doesnt your show do this? Shouldnt you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I dont think we should, Ed Razek, chief marketing officer for Victorias Secret owner, L Brands, told the magazine. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. Its a 42-minute entertainment special. Thats what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us. And they carp at us because were the leader.  @GLSEN - https://t.co/XdQMPro0KC pic.twitter.com/agOzSYREkX  h (@halsey) December 3, 2018 Victorias Secret did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The quote was in the context of a larger discussion about criticism of the show on social media, which had ramped up ahead of the show. Halsey, for one, wasnt having it. If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated please know that you have allies. We stand in solidarity, and complete and total acceptance is the only fantasy that I support, she said in her Sunday post. Also performing at the fashion show were Shawn Mendes, Rita Ora, the Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha, Leela James, Kelsea Ballerini, and the Struts, most of whom posted generic social-media reminders to watch the show. None of them talked about trans exclusion. Rexha, however, had a bit more to say, and added a video of her performance Monday on Twitter so followers could see it  in some cases, again. It has always been a big dream of mine to perform at @victoriassecret Fashion Show and its finally happening tomorrow!! So dont you miss it!!!, she posted Saturday on Instagram. Watch me strutting my curvy ass body unapologetically down that runway.  I cant believe this happened. Dream come true. https://t.co/lHJMfI7OhM  Bebe Rexha (@BebeRexha) December 3, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Kennedy Center Honors celebrate Cher, Wayne Shorter, Reba McEntire and Philip Glass  plus the creators of Hamilton By Christie DZurilla Wayne Shorter, front left, Cher, Reba McEntire, Philip Glass; back, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire. (Greg Allen / Associated Press) The Kennedy Center Honors, which once again were not attended by President Trump, included tributes Sunday night to the late former President George H.W. Bush, who died Friday at age 94. I think its appropriate to recognize the passing of a wonderful man who dedicated his life to service and who graciously attended this event many times during his administration, laughing, applauding, singing along and even shedding a tear from right up there in the presidential box, host Gloria Estefan said to kick off the evening at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington. She recalled being invited to the White House and how Bush literally spent 45 minutes patiently talking to my 8-year-old son about how government worked. Estefan was recognized last year; this year, the lifetime artistic-achievement honors went to jazz great Wayne Shorter, pop diva Cher, country star Reba McEntire and composer Philip Glass, with a unique award of distinction going to the team behind Hamilton: Andrew Blankenbuehler, Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Their names, like the other nominees, were first announced this summer. In recognizing Hamilton and its co-creators, Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter said in a statement at the time, the Kennedy Center is making an unprecedented statement about an unprecedented work  a work that transcends cultural boundaries and tells Americas story in a powerful and contemporary way. On Sunday, comic Whoopi Goldberg introduced Cher and friend Cyndi Lauper sang If I Could Turn Back Time. Kelly Clarkson paid tribute to McEntire with a version of Fancy, the Bobbie Gentry song McEntire turned into a hit in 1990. Jason Moran, the Kennedy Centers artistic director for jazz, said Shorters sound over a six-decade career holds a special place in the galaxy, adding that he could safely say that somewhere in the galaxy right now, a band is playing one of his pieces. And previous award winner Paul Simon did the honors for Glass, whom he praised for never settling into one particular style, always developing and exploring. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who also missed last years event after several honorees threatened a boycott, returned in the wee hours Sunday from the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. Though Bush attended most years and continued to do so after his presidency, he  like other heads of state, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton  missed a year due to major events. Trump is the first president to decline an invitation twice. You can watch the Kennedy Center Honors when they are broadcast on CBS on Dec. 26. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Grammy Awards nominations delayed over Bushs memorial services By Christie DZurilla (Julio Cortez / Associated Press) The Recording Academy said Monday morning it would delay its announcement of the 61st Grammy Award nominees to avoid competing with memorial services and public viewings for former President George H. W. Bush, who died Friday. The organization had planned to announce nominees early Wednesday morning but will now share nominees in select categories on Friday at 5:30 a.m. PST via CBS This Morning and Apple Music. A full nominations list across 84 categories will follow at 5:45 a.m. PST on Friday at Grammy.com  the academys website  as well as all of its social-media platforms. Nominations cover recordings released between Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 30, 2018. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

A Star Is Born: Lucy Liu turns 50 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) For me, I want to be the best person for the job  not the best color for the job. That to me would be the most ideal thing. Lucy Liu, 2006 FROM THE ARCHIVES: Versatility in action Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller open a Saturday Night Live that features a Kendrick cameo and a Robert Mueller holiday jingle Alec Baldwin and Ben Stiller open the Dec. 1 episode of Saturday Night Live. (NBC) After a few weeks off for some legal trouble involving a parking dispute, Alec Baldwin was back in the pursed-lip saddle as President Donald Trump this week on Saturday Night Live. Playing off the G20 summit in Argentina and recent revelations surrounding the Russia investigation, SNL found Baldwins Trump isolated and calling his Mikey Coco Puffs in attorney Michael Cohen, who was again played by Ben Stiller. Nostalgic for the late-night talks with Cohen and vacations to Moscow, the sketch found Trump sad to see his lawyer going to prison, and told him he was like a son to me. Then whyd you make me do such much illegal stuff? Stillers Cohen asked. Thats cause you were like a son to me, Baldwins Trump countered. The sketch went on to nod toward Baldwins troubles as Trump hung up and Baldwin said he hadnt been so mad since he flipped out over that parking space. Fred Armisen also appeared in the sketch as Saudi Arabias Mohammed bin Salman, Cecily Strong as Melania Trump and Kate McKinnon as a wild-eyed Rudy Giuliani. The Russia investigation received another callback at the end of the episode with McKinnon and Strong joined by Aidy Bryant, Leslie Jones, Melissa Villasenor, Heidi Gardner, and newest cast member Ego Nwodim for a performance of All I Want for Christmas Is You dedicated to Robert Mueller in the hopes of an indictment for the president. All they want for Christmas is you, Mueller  #SNL pic.twitter.com/bYtpwM0moN  Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) December 2, 2018 Still, thats unlikely to be the nights most talked about musical moment. Those honors likely go to Oxnard native Anderson .Paak, whose third album (which is named after his hometown) was released in November. .Paak performed Who R U along with his single Tints, which featured an assist from Kendrick Lamar, who performed a few verses next to .Paaks drum riser. It wasnt a recast of a Christmas song, but it made a strong impression nonetheless. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson make beautiful music together on Nothing Breaks Like a Heart Miley Cyrus brings the bling in the video for Nothing Breaks Like a Heart, a new collaboration with Mark Ronson. (Vevo) Its been a minute since Miley Cyrus released new music, but much like Los Angeles, the drought is over. Cyrus, in collaboration with British DJ and producer Mark Ronson, released Nothing Breaks Like a Heart on Thursday, the first single from Ronsons upcoming album, his first solo effort since 2015. Its the first new music from Cyrus in more than a year. Cyrus brings her huskiest growl to the tale of love gone wrong, singing, This world can hurt you, it cuts you deep and leaves a scar / Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart. The accompanying video features Cyrus in a low-speed chase with a bevy of cop cars, smashing through walls as if she were a wrecking ball  or the Kool-Aid Man. In the world outside, cultural references play out in disconnected fashion, as football players kneel and children visit a gun range, all while Cyrus looks on. Also, she goes to a strip club, so watch the video at your own risk. However, the video does end with a stunning sequence of a car wreck that features Cyrus still inside the vehicle singing, as gold and glass float through the air around her, in what appears to be an obvious homage to Julie Taymors gold dust bus crash in 2002s Frida. The video is worth watching for those stylish seconds alone. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Hugh Jackman is hitting the road  and the Hollywood Bowl  with 2019 world tour Hugh Jackman starred in The Greatest Showman last year and is now taking to the stage to see if he can match the hype. The Logan actor appeared on Today on Thursday to announce his 2019 world tour, The Man. The Music. The Show. The tour will feature Jackman performing hits from The Greatest Showman, Les Miserables and other stage and screen roles. Im on the back nine of my life right now, Jackman said on Today, explaining the impetus for the show, and this is about the best parts of the front nine. The tour launches with a 12-date European leg in May, beginning in Hamburg, Germany, and concluding with two shows in London. The U.S. tour begins June 18 in Houston and wraps up with two shows at the Hollywood Bowl on July 19 and 20. Fans of comic-book culture will notice that those Los Angeles dates coincide with San Diego Comic-Con, leaving Jackman either plenty of time for a jaunt south for a guest appearance at SDCC or a built-in excuse for the Wolverine actor to skip out altogether. Tickets for a handful of Jackmans tour dates go on sale Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. PST on HughJackmanTheShow.com. Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl appearances do not yet have an announced sale date. pic.twitter.com/iO5NLSDE8G  Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 29, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Quentin Tarantino marries singer-model Daniella Pick in L.A. By Christie DZurilla Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick in 2016. (Jean-Philippe Ksiazek / AFP/Getty Images) Once upon a time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino married Daniella Pick, the Israeli singer-model hes been engaged to since last year. The two tied the knot in Los Angeles in an intimate ceremony, People reported exclusively Wednesday, ahead of a larger gathering that was planned for that night. Tarantino, 55, and Pick, 35, met in 2009 when he visited Israel to promote Inglourious Basterds, but they had been dating steadily only for about a year when he popped the question in summer 2017. Theyd been on and off before that. Its a first marriage for the director, who explained his take on marriage to GQ in 2009. When Im doing a movie, Im not doing anything else. Its all about the movie, he said. I dont have a wife. I dont have a kid. Nothing can get in my way.  Im not saying that Ill never get married or have a kid before Im 60. But Ive made a choice, so far, to go on this road alone. Because this is my time. This is my time to make movies. Tarantino said at a conference in 2016 that he was going to retire after he had directed 10 movies. His Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in post-production now, while an untitled Star Trek project looms. That latter one would be his 10th full-length effort. Just Married! Congrats Quentin Tarantino & Daniela Pick!

 Curtis Dahl / @people pic.twitter.com/uFBk94kvyS  Quentin Tarantino Fan Club (@TarantinoFC) November 29, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

SpongeBob fan lobbies for Empire State Building to glow yellow to honor Stephen Hillenburg By Christie DZurilla A SpongeBob SquarePants balloon floats over Central Park West last week during the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Associated Press) A fan of the Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants has started an online petition asking that the Empire State Building be lit up in yellow to remember series creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died Monday of ALS at age 57. As Nickelodeon Studios is based in New York, I felt it fitting to ask the Big Apple to show its love for Stephen by embracing SpongeBobs classic yellow glow, fan Alison P. said in her petition on the Care2 website. She said she started the petition as a way to honor Hillenburg and also to drive awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative neurological condition also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. The petition had closed in on its 3,000-signature goal by early Wednesday afternoon. Stephen Hillenburg at the world premiere of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water in 2015. (Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images) SpongeBob SquarePants has taught his audience not only about friendship but helped to drive awareness around the importance of ocean conservation, Alison P. said. It was Stephens genius that was able to invent a character who could connect with kids and adults to deliver such an important message in a fun and charming way. Though Hillenburg left the series in 2002 after about 60 episodes, it has continued on through 12 seasons so far and amassed a loyal fan base that includes both young and old. There have been two SpongeBob movies, with one more on tap for 2020. Hillenburg went public with his ALS diagnosis in March 2017. READ MORE: Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, dies at 57 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bobby Brown sues Whitney: Can I Be Me distributors, including Showtime and the BBC By Christie DZurilla Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown in 1997. (Rene Macura / Associated Press) Bobby Brown and the estate of Bobbi Kristina Brown are suing Showtime and other distributors of the unauthorized 2017 biopic Whitney: Can I Be Me, alleging the defendants used more than half an hour of old footage of both Browns, plus his other children, without permission. The suit, which seeks at least $2 million in damages, was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, where defendants Showtime, the BBC and Passion Pictures all have offices. The named defendants  which also include Tracey Baker-Simmons, Wanda Shelley, B2 Entertainment and Simmons Shelley Entertainment, based in Atlanta  are accused of distributing footage including some shot for the 2005 reality show Being Bobby Brown, thereby violating the Browns privacy rights in pursuit of financial gain. Though Brown was contacted by the filmmakers, the suit says, to be interviewed for Can I Be Me, he declined. A mention in the films credits suggests Browns production company OKd the use of the Being Bobby Brown footage, including footage of Bobbi Kristina Brown, but the complaint says no such permission was given. The footage was actually recorded prior to the divorce in 2007 between Brown and Houston. Brown never signed or executed a release for the material that appears in the film, the lawsuit says. The footage of Brown is approximately fifteen (15) years old. The Los Angeles Times review of Can I Be Me noted that some voices were absent from the film, which was co-directed by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal. (Neither director is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.) Broomfield, for his part, was hampered by the fact that he was not able to interview key people in Houstons life, including ex-husband Bobby Brown, her closest friend Robyn Crawford, and Clive Davis, the Svengali who began her career, Times critic Kenneth Turan wrote. Showtime and the BBC declined to comment on Wednesday. And an email sent to Tracey Baker-Simmons was not immediately returned. Bobbi Kristina Brown died in July 2015 from undetermined causes. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Sundance 2019: Get an inside look at the feature film lineup and the festivals early trends By Los Angeles Times Staff People walk past the Egyptian Theatre, a landmark venue showing films during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Mindy Kaling. Alec Baldwin. Naomi Watts. Pete Davidson. Awkwafina. Emma Thompson. Shia LaBeouf . Those are just a few of the many names headed to Park City, Utah, in January for the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. On Wednesday, the Sundance Institute unveiled the full lineup of feature films from all over the world set to premiere at the annual festival. To mark the official lineup reveal, festival director John Cooper and programming director Kim Yutani visited the Times video studio for a livestream discussion. Joined by Times film reporter and The Reel host Mark Olsen, the two offered their instant analysis on the lineup and what trends to watch for come January. Read our full report on the titles selected, and press play on the video below to watch a replay of the livestream. The 2019 Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 24 to Feb. 3. For full coverage, make sure to bookmark latimes.com/entertainment and follow @latimesent on Twitter, @latimesent on Facebook and @latimes_entertainment on Instagram. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Mac Miller singles released posthumously on Spotify By Christie DZurilla Rapper Mac Miller died Sept. 7 of an accidental overdose. (Owen Sweeney / Associated Press) Spotify has released a couple of new tunes from the late rapper Mac Miller. A recording of his song Dunno and a cover of Billy Prestons 1974 hit Nothing From Nothing are part of a Spotify Singles playlist that came out Tuesday on the streaming platform. They were recorded live in New York City before Millers death on Sept. 7. Miller appears to get emotional about an ex-girlfriend  perhaps Ariana Grande?  in the wistful Dunno, from his 2018 album Swimming. And he puts a smoky, introspective spin on Nothing From Nothing. Listen to songs below. Miller, who was 26, died from an accidental overdose of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl, the Los Angeles County coroners office concluded. The unexpected nature of his death left many strings untied, including a Halloween concert date at the Greek Theatre that became the peer-loaded tribute concert Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Margaret Atwood announces Handmaids Tale sequel to be released in 2019 Margaret Atwood announced Wednesday that a sequel to her iconic 1985 novel, The Handmaids Tale, is coming next year. (Patrick T. Fallon / Los Angeles Times) In the surest sign yet that we are living in the age of reboots, revivals and sequels, Margaret Atwood announced Wednesday that a sequel to The Handmaids Tale, her prescient 1985 novel, is in the works. Titled The Testaments, the new novel is set 15 years after the protagonists final scene in The Handmaids Tale, and is narrated by three female characters. Atwood revealed the news in a tweet Wednesday morning and said the book is set to be published next year. The Handmaids Tale and its dystopian tale of life in Gilead, a patriarchal society overseen by fundamentalist zealots with a singular obsession with womens reproductive rights has seen renewed cultural significance in recent days. The books continued relevance is thanks in part to the high-profile Hulu adaptation, along with plenty of other contributing factors. Dear Readers: Everything youve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! Atwood wrote in her tweet. The other inspiration is the world weve been living in. Yes indeed to those who asked: Im writing a sequel to The #HandmaidsTale. #TheTestaments is set 15 years after Offreds final scene and is narrated by three female characters. It will be published in Sept 2019. More details: https://t.co/e1umh5FwpX pic.twitter.com/pePp0zpuif  Margaret E. Atwood (@MargaretAtwood) November 28, 2018 I have published Margaret Atwoods work since 1976  her poetry, fiction and nonfiction, publisher Nan A. Talese said in a statement Wednesday. A manuscript from her is always a reason for joy. She writes wonderfully and has a mind like a steel trap. This new book is no exception. Beyond the timeline and the narrators, little else has been revealed about the sequel. The book is not, however, in any way connected to Hulus current adaptation. The Testaments is scheduled for release on Sept. 10, 2019, by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday with a first printing of 500,000 copies. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

A Star Is Born: Alfonso Cuaron turns 57 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times) I think it is vital for filmmakers to have their feet firmly planted in their countrys cultures. ... But the theme must be universal. Alfonso Cuaron, 2002 FROM THE ARCHIVES: A New Mexican Revolution Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Amanda Bynes makes triumphant return on cover of Paper magazine Actress Amanda Bynes, pictured in 2013, battled several problems that played out in public for a few years. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images) Former child star turned cautionary tale Amanda Bynes has resurfaced on the cover of Paper magazine looking happy, healthy and ready for a comeback. Bynes broke through on Nickelodeons sketch comedy show All That before scoring a series of her own at age 13 with The Amanda Show. Her star continued to rise through the early 2000s with movie roles aplenty, including What a Girl Wants, Shes the Man and Hairspray. But eventually, Bynes said in a new sit-down interview with Paper, self-image issues fueled her burgeoning drug habit and led to her abandoning acting altogether. The actress recounted a moment on the set of Hall Pass, when, after seeing herself on a monitor, literally tripping out and thinking my arm looked so fat because it was in the foreground or whatever and I remember rushing off set and thinking, Oh, my god, I look so bad. According to Bynes, it was a combination of image issues and Adderall abuse that resulted in her eventually leaving Hall Pass. Shortly thereafter, she found herself in a similar situation while watching her performance in Easy A. Amanda Bynes on the cover of Paper magazines Break the Internet issue. (Danielle Levitt / Paper) I literally couldnt stand my appearance in that movie, and I didnt like my performance, she said. I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it. Bynes is clear that any bad behavior in previous years was spurred by drug use and not by psychological issues, saying that once she quit acting, her days were filled with little beyond getting high and self-destructing online. Im really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I cant turn back time, but if I could, I would, Bynes said. And Im so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me. It makes me feel so horrible and sick to my stomach and sad. Everything I worked my whole life to achieve, I kind of ruined it all through Twitter, she said. In the interview, Bynes also discusses her four years of sobriety and educational pursuit at Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, as well as her potential return to acting. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Aubrey Plaza to host 2019 Spirit Awards By Sonaiya Kelley Aubrey Plaza, a Spirit Award winner herself, will host the 2019 Spirit Awards ceremony. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Film Independent announced on Tuesday that Aubrey Plaza will host the 2019 Spirit Awards. The search for a great Spirit Awards host is never easy, Film Independents president, Josh Welsh, said in a release. This year we said, Lets find someone funny, smart, a cinephile  being a great actor wouldnt hurt and it would be an added bonus if theyve previously won a Spirit Award. Then we realized, Oh wait, thats Aubrey Plaza! I am truly honored and delighted to host the Spirit Awards this year, said Plaza in the release. It is a dream come true to host a show that celebrates my greatest loves: independent film, the people that make them possible and live television. Plaza starred opposite Elizabeth Olsen in last years Ingrid Goes West, which she also produced. As a producer, she received a Spirit Award for best first feature for that film. She currently stars in FXs Legion series, which is based on a Marvel comic of the same name. Season 3 of the show will premiere in 2019. She is also well known for her role on the Emmy-nominated series Parks and Recreation and will next appear in Lars Klevbergs Childs Play remake with Brian Tyree Henry, scheduled for release on June 21, 2019. The Spirit Awards are the primary fundraiser for Film Independents year-round programs. Nominees were announced on Nov. 16. Among this years best feature nominees are Eighth Grade, First Reformed, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace and You Were Never Really Here. The 34th Independent Spirit Awards will broadcast live on IFC on Feb. 23, 2019. The ceremony will be held on the beach in Santa Monica. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bruce Springsteen teases Netflixs Springsteen on Broadway with a new trailer By Christie DZurilla One step up and two steps back? More like one door closing and another one opening. So it is with Bruce Springsteen, whos bringing Springsteen on Broadway to small screens the day after his autobiographical show closes following more than a year at New York Citys Walter Kerr Theatre. This is what Ive presented to you all these years as my long and noisy prayer, as my magic trick, Springsteen says to kick off the trailer released by Netflix on Tuesday, not quite three weeks ahead of the specials debut on the streaming service. Think of it as a two-hour reward for resisting the urge to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a ticket to the gig, which opened in October 2017. Heavy on serious theatricality, the trailer offers a low-key taste of the nearly solo show  staged in a theater that seats fewer than a thousand  which on most nights has included Springsteens wife, Patti Scialfa, on a couple of songs. Its a hybrid, but clearly not a Bruce concert. Far from it. Unlike his raucous arena shows, there are no massive singalongs by the crowd. It doesnt stretch to 3 or four hours, though its apparently grown longer with time. Its a coming-of-age story, and I want to show how this  ones coming of age  has to be earned, Springsteen told ECalifornia Gov. Jerry Brown wants to tighten a law he signed weeks ago that critics say could have freed rapists and murderers who completed two years of mental health treatment.

The proposal obtained by the Associated Press on Tuesday specifically bans those charged with murder, rape and other sex crimes from participating in the program and allows judges to bar a much broader range of dangerous suspects.

It also makes clear that counties must opt in to the program after consulting with prosecutors, defense attorneys, mental health workers and local judges.

The law signed by the Democratic governor in June vastly expands the number of suspects who can be diverted to mental health treatment programs and have their charges dismissed. Prosecutors complained that the measure was far too broad and have been negotiating with Browns administration for weeks.

Advertisement

The administration wants lawmakers to approve the narrower program before they adjourn for the year at months end. It posted the new proposal Monday night.

It seems to at least make an attempt to address most of the concerns, said El Dorado County Dist. Atty. Vern Pierson, who led negotiations on behalf of the California District Attorneys Assn. with Browns administration. Its a significant improvement from the original language that was passed and signed into law as part of the budget.

Defense attorneys said they dont object to excluding those charged with the most extreme crimes, but think that the revision goes too far.

The proposed rollback guts mental health diversion and goes far beyond a reasonable compromise, said Nick Stewart-Oaten, a member of the California Public Defenders Assn.'s legislative committee and a Los Angeles County deputy public defender. He expects more revisions as lawmakers consider the proposal.

While defense attorneys appreciate the administrations desire for a workable program, he said its latest proposal allows counties to continue to do what they have done for years  send sick people to prison instead of treatment. The end result is higher incarceration rates for ill Californians, lawsuits for ill Californians, lawsuits against counties for mistreatment of the mentally ill and higher recidivism rates for untreated offenders.

The proposal also makes it clear that suspects can be barred from owning firearms while they are in the program and that they can be required to pay restitution, both points that prosecutors said had been unclear.

The law signed in June limits the treatment period to two years, but the administrations proposal would allow judges to extend the program for a third year.

California already allowed counties to offer such programs for offenders with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder or those who have mental health problems resulting from their military service.

The new law allows treatment instead of charges for any suspect with mental illness, including bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, though it excludes anti-social personality disorders and pedophilia.

It aims to get treatment for mentally ill suspects before they reach the criminal process, are deemed incompetent to stand trial and sent to mental hospitals, which already have long waiting lists. The current budget also includes $115 million over three years for 850 new placements in community mental health programs.

Prosecutors complained that lawmakers approved the law in one day as part of an 88-page omnibus budget bill instead of going through the usual legislative process.Hundreds of thousands of L.A. Unified students returned to class Tuesday  but not all of them were able to escape the heat.

The school district had a backlog of 1,709 complaints about heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, according to a spokeswoman. Of those, 309 were reported between Monday and Tuesday morning as staff returned to their classrooms in preparation for the first day of school, said L.A. Unified maintenance and operations director Robert Laughton.

This summer has brought record-breaking heat to California, though the first week of school isnt expected to be much hotter than usual. Tuesdays forecasted high in downtown L.A. was 84 degrees, compared with the average 82 degrees, said National Weather Service meteorologist Keily Delerme.

But closed classrooms filled with dozens of students get hot  even hotter than outside.

Advertisement

The more bodies you put into a classroom, the more heat youre introducing into that space, which means the air conditioning has to work a little longer  to keep that space at the temperature you want it, Laughton said.

Theres no one pattern to the AC problems, Laughton said: L.A.s schools were built anywhere from 1890 to 2017, and problems range from broken thermostats to entire systems in need of overhaul.

Repairs to air conditioning units usually take a few days at most, and the goal is for one of the 120 HVAC technicians to address problems the same day, Laughton said. But that doesnt always happen  the oldest complaint dates back to November, according to the districts log.

We tend to prioritize little kids over big kids, and big kids over adults, he said.

Even with the backlog, a tiny fraction of the districts 30,000 classrooms had air conditioning problems as of Tuesday, Laughton said. And not all the complaints are about hot classrooms. In some cases, according to the districts log, rooms are too cold, or a part might be sticking or dust is coming out of a vent.

Excessive heat can cause headaches and affect childrens ability to learn, said Dr. Marina Armendariz, an emergency department attending physician at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

All of the heat will decrease their alertness. Their body temperature increases, Armendariz said. Many of those things can ... decrease their ability to be successful in the classroom.

Until the AC gets fixed, parents can help their children, she said, by making sure they are wearing comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing, eating breakfast and getting a good nights sleep. Kids should also stay hydrated with water instead of drinking sodas, which are diuretics, she said.

While forecasters dont expect record-breaking heat in the next week, temperatures could approach 100 in the hottest parts of the district, like Woodland Hills, Delerme said.

Its L.A. Unified policy that every classroom have air conditioning  but thats not true of all local school districts. In Long Beach Unified, where students return to class Aug. 29, 41 of the districts 84 schools are fully air conditioned, according to district spokesman Chris Eftychiou. A 2016 bond measure set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to update the rest of the schools with air conditioning by 2026.

Mitigation measures for the schools without full AC include planning strenuous activities for cooler parts of the day, limiting time outside during peak heat and encouraging students to remain hydrated, Eftychiou said in an email. If Long Beach parents worry about the heat, their kids can stay home from school and make up the work without penalty, he said.

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.In spring 2015, Army Spec. Yea Ji Sea was stationed with the U.S. military in South Korea where she worked as a pharmacy tech, spending some of her time off translating for seriously ill soldiers at local hospitals.

She was working toward her dream of becoming an Army doctor and researching Lou Gehrigs disease, which disproportionately affects soldiers.

Around the same time, across the Pacific in Los Angeles Koreatown, immigration agents were raiding the offices of Hee Sun Shim, who ran a network of schools in Los Angeles that authorities said was a front for a visa fraud.

Unbeknownst to Sea, who was born in South Korea, Shim had years earlier conspired with a corrupt immigration agent to obtain fraudulent immigration forms, one of which was included in a student visa application filed on Seas behalf by her then-attorney when she was 19.

Advertisement

Now, after Sea served more than four years in the Army, that piece of paper has derailed her military career and put her immigration status in jeopardy.

On Tuesday, a federal judge in downtown Los Angeles held a hearing on Seas lawsuit against the U.S. government asking for a determination on her citizenship application, which has been pending for more than two years.

The unusually lengthy delay, her attorneys said, is part of a pattern under the Trump administration of making it more difficult for foreign-born people to enlist in the military and become U.S. citizens through their service.

While her immigration case remained pending, the Army honorably discharged Sea last month because her student visa application was invalid, leaving her unable to work and vulnerable to deportation at any point.

She was a victim of the crime, not somebody who got prosecuted, said her immigration attorney, Margaret Stock, a retired lieutenant colonel in U.S. Army Reserve. Theyre trying to justify why theyre kicking all these immigrants out of the Army.

Sea enlisted and served in the Army under the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest program, a recruitment effort started in 2008 under President George W. Bush to enroll immigrants in the country on temporary status with valuable medical, language or cultural skills that would benefit the U.S. military. Those who enlisted were put on a fast track to citizenship. More than 10,000 foreign-born soldiers joined through the program.

The program was suspended in 2016 because of what a spokeswoman said was an internal determination that it was vulnerable to an unacceptable level of risk from insider threats such as espionage, terrorism and other criminal activity.

In recent months, a number of recruits admitted under the program have been discharged without explanation, according to immigration attorneys. Some have been arrested or placed under GPS monitoring. Several have sued, challenging the decision.

In a class-action lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., on behalf of recruits and soldiers whose immigration cases remain in limbo, attorneys estimated that as many as 2,500 may be in a similar predicament.

Sea arrived in the U.S. with her family in 1998 as a 9-year-old on a tourist visa, oblivious to the intricacies of the U.S. immigration system as her parents switched over to a two-year investor visa. She grew up in Koreatown and Torrance before moving to Texas to attend a boarding school.

In 2008, when she was 19, an attorney filed an application on her behalf to change her immigration status to an F-1 student visa enrolled at Neo-America Language School in Koreatown. Part of the application was a form from Customs and Border Protection officer Michael Anders, who was allegedly receiving bribes for bogus forms indicating a false date of arrival for visa applicants.

Sea said that when she was in her mid-20s and unsure about her future, her mother saw a Korean-language Army recruitment ad about the program for foreign-born soldiers.

She enlisted in October 2013. Serving as a healthcare specialist, she was stationed in Oklahoma, Texas and Camp Casey in South Korea, and received two achievement medals during her service.

After she learned she was being discharged from the Army, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit on her behalf in July. In the suit, her attorneys noted that a former platoon sergeant wrote of Sea: She is serving the United States Army, volunteers for deployments willing to die for a country she loves.... I would trust her with my life.

At Tuesdays hearing, a Justice Department attorney said Seas immigration interview had been scheduled for Wednesday morning, and that her case would be decided within 120 days after the interview.

The government had been waiting for the fraud case to play out in court, Assistant U.S. Atty. Timothy Biche told the judge. Shim was sentenced in April to 15 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald said he would give the government until Sept. 5 to make a determination in Seas case or to prove there was a valid reason for the delay.

A Defense Department spokeswoman declined to discuss Seas case, citing pending litigation.

Sea said she was still hopeful the Army will reverse its decision and she could continue her service. She said she was troubled to hear about what her fellow foreign-born recruits were going through.

I dont know much about the law, but I know whats right and wrong, she said. Heres someone who would die for your country. These soldiers are sincere, they will do anything for this country.

victoria.kim@latimes.com

For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkimThe Los Angeles Police Department is considering a plan that would allow thousands of homeless people to eliminate old bench warrants as part of a larger effort to reform a system that has created a vicious cycle for those with nowhere to live.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore described the proposal as a radical solution to ease the pressure on the court system, jails and police stations, which are being overwhelmed daily with hundreds of people arrested on these warrants.

Moore said the amnesty ideas would cover only longstanding bench warrants for homeless people who failed to show up in court for minor offenses. He stressed that the LAPD has no plans to change how officers enforce various quality-of-life crimes but hoped the shift would result in a more effective, streamlined process for handling these cases.

Some homeless people have piled up multiple warrants, he said, and it doesnt make sense to keep those on the books.

Advertisement

People need to obey the law [but] we have people with 10 citations in the system, some are five or 10 years old, Moore said in an interview. What is the point of five or 10 warrants in the system? They are clogging up the system.

Los Angeles has more than a dozen quality-of-life laws  restricting sleeping on the sidewalk, living in a car or low-level drug possession, for example  that police enforce against homeless people, usually with a citation. The tickets themselves typically start out at less than $100, but often top $200 or even $300 once court fees are added.

Tickets mount, and homeless people go to jail for not paying for offenses that warranted only citations.

A Times data analysis published this year showed that the LAPD made 14,000 arrests of homeless people in the city in 2016, a 31% increase over 2011. The rise came as LAPD arrests overall fell 15%. The data sparked new calls for officials to better address how the homeless cycle through the criminal justice system.

(Los Angeles Times)

The bench warrants have been the subject of much debate among homeless advocates and others, with critics arguing that homeless people are not in a position to pay the warrants or show up for regular court appearances.

City and county courts have experimented with small programs to wipe homeless peoples records clean of minor citations if they accept job training, drug and alcohol treatment or other social services and perform community service.

In San Francisco three years ago, judges stopped issuing bench warrants for no-show defendants, ultimately removing nearly 65,000 outstanding warrants issued since 2011.

There are probably hundreds of thousands of such warrants in Los Angeles, said Gita ONeill, assistant city attorney for homeless issues.

Moore said he was not proposing anything as sweeping as what San Francisco did, but he sees the need for some reforms.

With newer offenses we need consequences and some restorative justice-type mitigation, he said. We cant [and] shouldnt simply just do a wholesale wipe of warrants.

An examination of fourth-quarter 2017 citations showed that 90% of the homeless people who received them failed to appear in court, according to LAPD Cmdr. Dominic Choi. He said such citations, on average, resulted in $445 in fines for the accused. Much of that total charge comes from a plethora of state court fees on top of the initial fine.

Eliminating such citations so far has been done on a limited scale by City Atty. Mike Feuer, who worked with the courts through the Homeless Engagement and Response Team. The program also offers an incentive to individuals who dont want to come in from the streets.

Choi said the courts saw 617 people sign up and ultimately 338 people participated in the citation elimination program. Nearly 1,000 citations were removed from the rolls. But thats a tiny portion of the total, and Moore said a more sweeping approach is needed.

Moore stressed that any change in policy would not mean a reduction of enforcement activities by police. He said the department would continue regular patrols in downtown Los Angeles and elsewhere, and respond to community complaints about blight and illegal behavior.

Members of the civilian Police Commission that oversees the Police Department want to see action that curtails the cycle of citations, arrests and jail that Commissioner Cynthia McClain-Hill describes as an exercise in futility.

To see the churn  it is not clear the whole thing is really doing any good, police Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith said at a recent meeting. The things they are being cited and arrested for [are] largely a consequence of their homelessness.

She said the LAPD is in a tough position as the officers want to be responsive to residents demand for action because of peoples behavior but at the same time know that their actions arent really changing the outcomes. It is a crazy system to cite people, send them to court, they dont appear, and they get a warrant, multiple warrants for multiple failures to appear ... and then it all mounts up, Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith, who is president and chief executive of the Liberty Hill Foundation and once managed a homeless shelter, asked the department this year to reduce arrests of homeless people. We are all struggling to figure out the solutions, she said.

Whether it turns into action, some see Moores move as an olive branch.

Gary Blasi, a retired UCLA law professor who studied homelessness extensively, said Moores statements are a step in a positive direction. Blasi said homeless advocates and the city attorney have come close to ripping up the warrants en masse, but it has never happened.

There is no rationale for this public policy. They know the people cannot pay the fines and they know if they go to jail, the Sheriffs Department will release them immediately, Blasi said.

He said Annie Moody is an extreme example. When The Times wrote about her in 2014, she had been arrested 59 times in six years. Blasi said the arrests for her behavior on a corner of skid row have reached triple digits.

Times staff writer Gale Holland contributed to this report.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @lacrimesLos Angeles police officers who shoot someone will have to wait at least two weeks before returning to the field under a policy approved Tuesday by the five-member civilian panel that oversees the department.

Until now, officers could resume their regular duties with the police chiefs approval after a briefing that is done within 72 hours of a shooting. Time away from the field typically ranged from one to two weeks.

The new policy adopted unanimously by the Police Commission also strengthens training and psychological counseling requirements. It applies to officers who injure or kill someone in a shooting.

The expanded wait brings L.A. more in line with cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and New York, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.

Advertisement

Given what we know about officer-involved shootings, theres just a period of time they need  mental health days  to deal with one of the most traumatic situations theyll ever face, Wexler said.

The changes had been in the works since 2016, when a report by the Police Commissions inspector general compared the LAPDs use-of-force policies with those of several other police agencies.

Las Vegas police officers, for example, attend two counseling sessions before department officials decide whether they can resume their regular duties  typically in two or three months.

Wexler said the LAPDs two-week waiting period is reasonable and probably necessary.

In Los Angeles, as elsewhere, most police officers end their careers without having fired their guns in the field. For those who do injure or kill someone, the experience can be traumatic, even if the shooting appears justified.

The new policy requires that the additional training be conducted by the departments training division and include simulated scenarios that mirror the real-life shooting by the officer.

The policy also codifies a requirement in place since January 2017 of three sessions with a department psychologist, including one within 72 hours of the shooting.

Its hard to admit that we need help, and it can be particularly difficult for police officers, Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith said. This is making sure we understand that its natural to need support during that period. A waiting period is the right thing to do.

Swift mental health assistance is essential to prevent symptoms similar to those in post-traumatic stress disorder, Commission President Steve Soboroff said.

I thought, as a layman, that somebodys about to kill me, I shoot, and thats it, Soboroff said. I didnt realize how it affects these officers, that they took another life, even when their life was in jeopardy. They need support, and that support needs to come quick.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League said in a statement that the two-week waiting period was a common sense approach to ensuring our officers have an opportunity to process their experience and are prepared to resume their duties.

In the summer of 2016, as the inspector generals office was preparing its research on waiting periods, LAPD Officer Eden Medina fatally shot 36-year-old Omar Gonzalez. Twelve days later, Medina fired his gun again, killing 14-year-old Jesse Romero.

Medina had returned to the field six days after the first shooting.

The LAPD said that both victims were carrying guns. But Humberto Guizar, an attorney who represents the Medina and Gonzalez families, said video evidence shows that neither was armed.

He was back to work in 12 days, working a high-risk area, Guizar said of Medina. Why put a police officer who had just killed somebody  why put him out there?

Larry Hanna, an attorney who represented Medina after the shootings, said there should not be a bright-line rule for how long officers stay on the sidelines.

Keeping officers out of the field for a certain amount of time is not going to reduce officer-involved shootings, Hanna said. Its bad guys who come at officers with guns and require them to use deadly force.

So far in 2018, LAPD officers have shot 24 people  10 fewer than at this time last year, Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday after the commission approved the new policy.

Moore knows what the aftermath of a shooting is like. As a young police officer, he pulled the trigger twice.

In 1985, he shot a man who pointed a handgun at truck drivers and then aimed at him, according to a report by then-Chief Daryl Gates. The man survived, and Gates found that the shooting complied with department policy.

A year later, while moonlighting as a security guard at a shopping mall, Moore killed a man who was firing a semiautomatic rifle. The man pointed the rifle at Moore, who shot him in the head, according to a report by Gates. It was later discovered that the man had shot and killed his ex-wife. Moore received the LAPDs Medal of Valor.

Moore said he relied on his training and values, as well as sessions with psychologists, to move forward. But the details remain etched in his mind.

Some 35, 36 years later, those are matters that are still as fresh today as they were then, Moore said.

cindy.chang@latimes.com

For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLAThe largest fire in California history continued to grow Thursday while firefighters worked to protect threatened communities.

Crews are on especially high alert this week after a firefighter who traveled from Draper City, Utah, to help battle the blaze died Monday while working on an active stretch.

We always talk about having our head on a swivel when were out on the fire line, because things could change  it could happen right there, in a snap of your fingers, said Trevor Pappas, a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. You have to have plan A, B, C, D  and sometimes E, F, G.

Every five or 10 minutes, firefighters on the line are encouraged to look up, look around and make a sound, Pappas said.

Advertisement

(Swetha Kannan / Los Angeles Times)

Conditions have been ripe for the erratic fire behavior that has led to the explosive growth of the Ranch fire, which along with the River fire makes up the 364,145-acre Mendocino Complex fire. The days are so hot and dry that whatever gains firefighters see overnight when the humidity goes up quickly fade when the sun hits the fuels and sucks the moisture out. Lately, winds have started to pick up about 5 p.m., gusting to between 15 and 25 mph.

That will really push a fire  no person on Earth runs 25 mph, Pappas said. We all want to go home at the end of the day, or the end of the shift, and make it back to our families.

Residents around Clear Lake have been allowed to return home, but new evacuation orders were announced in the last few days for communities to the east and west of Mendocino National Forest, including Stonyford, Lodoga and Potter Valley.

That presents another challenge for firefighters. Unlike the Clear Lake area, which is fairly accessible by road, these communities are farther into the forest and surrounded by more rugged terrain, said Cary Wright, a Cal Fire spokesman.

Wright said the persistent low humidity has allowed the fires to continue growing  by 9,400 acres on Tuesday and 1,300 acres Monday. On Wednesday, firefighters were expecting to get a brief break in the hot weather.

California fire coverage: Eleven dead and hundreds of thousands of acres scorched across the state 

Temperatures were expected to drop and humidity levels to increase Wednesday and Thursday, he said. Nighttime humidity rose significantly Tuesday for the first time since the fire started, Wright said.

Firefighters count on the drop in temperature and increase in humidity that usually occurs naturally overnight to allow them to make progress. But that hasnt been happening in Lake County recently. Nighttime humidity levels have consistently been in the teens to 30% range. Tuesday night, the humidity reached 80%.

1 / 10 Crews battling the Mendocino Complex fire supervise a burn operation near the town of Ladoga on Aug. 7. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 10 Firefighters carry the casket of Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department into the Maverik Center during funeral services in West Valley City, Utah. Burchett died while fighting the Mendocino Complex fire. (Rick Bowmer / Assocaited Press) 3 / 10 Firefighter Rob Gore from Canberra, Australia, mans a lookout point while battling the Mendocino Complex Fire. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 4 / 10 Firefighters battling the Mendocino Complex blaze monitor a burn operation on top of a ridge near the town of Ladoga on Aug. 7. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 10 Firefighters monitor a burn operation on top of a ridge near the town of Ladoga. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 10 Embers smoulder along a hillside after the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire, burned though the area near Clearlake Oaks, California, on August 5, 2018. - Several thousand people have been evacuated as various fires swept across the state, although some have been given permission in recent days to return to their homes. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 7 / 10 LODOGA, CALIF. -- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018: The charred remains after the Ranch Fire, one of two wildfires in the Mendocino Complex fire burned through an area in the wilderness of Mendocino National Forest near Lodoga, Calif., on Aug. 8, 2018. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 10 A layer of smoke fills the air as the Mendocino Complex fire burns in the wilderness of Mendocino National Forest near Lodoga, Calif., on Aug. 8, 2018. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 10 A fisherman wears a mask while fishing from his boat as smoke from the Mendocino Complex fire covers Clear Lake, on Aug. 8, 2018. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 10 Fire retardant covers mailboxes in Lakeport, Calif., as crews work to contain the Mendocino Complex Fire on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Firefighters said Wednesday that they have made good progress battling the states largest-ever wildfire but didnt expect to have it fully under control until September. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)

Despite the good news, the fight is far from over.

Weve had numerous calls from residents, saying, Why is it still smoky? or Is there another fire? Wright said. Shifting winds blow smoke to different areas at different times, and many people mistakenly think that because theyve been allowed to return home, the fires arent burning anymore, he explained.

Lake County communities have experienced a lot of fires, so as you can imagine, those folks are still on edge, he said.

Firefighters are still struggling with the terrain as the fire approaches Snow Mountain Wilderness. They are using natural and manmade barriers ahead of the fire to the north, and are placing most on-the-ground resources to the east and west where homes are threatened, Wright said.

The Mendocino Complex fire has now expanded to four counties  Mendocino, Lake, Glenn and Colusa  Wright said. And as of Aug. 11, the Ranch fire has surpassed last winters Thomas fires acreage, making it the largest single fire in California history.

Yosemite reopens to a surreal scene of smoke, tourists and flames in the distance 

UPDATES:

8 a.m., Aug 16: This article was updated with the latest figures on burned acreage, quotes from fire officials and information on evacuations.

This article was originally published at 11 a.m. Aug 15.The AIDS Healthcare Foundation sued the city of Los Angeles on Wednesday, alleging that the citys plan to demolish Parker Center and build a $700-million downtown office tower for city workers on the site is a waste of taxpayer funds.

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeks to halt the demolition of Parker Center, the former LAPD headquarters, and construction of the tower. The complaint alleges that the citys plans provide no public benefit.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation wants the city instead to use Parker Center, currently vacant, for homeless housing.

A spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuers office declined comment on the lawsuit.

Advertisement

Led by City Councilman Jose Huizar, the council backed a plan last year to tear down the 1955 building named for controversial LAPD former Police Chief William Parker and build an office tower.

Officials say the tower, which would rise 27 to 29 stories, would provide centralized office space for Los Angeles city workers now based in other downtown buildings. The city could save money by then selling its unused office buildings or ending leases at sites it doesnt own, officials said.

A city report estimates the costs of the tower at about $700 million. Adding in operations and maintenance costs for 30 years, and financing, the total price tag is estimated to be $915 million to $943 million, in current dollars.

Amid calls to preserve Parker Center and build the tower next door, city officials have repeatedly said that option would be more expensive than demolishing the building and putting up a tower. Critics have accused the city of using inaccurate cost estimates to justify knocking down Parker Center, which city officials deny.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundations lawsuit cites a California statute that allows taxpayers to challenge expenditures of public funds they consider wasteful.

Section 526a of the California Code of Civil Procedure establishes the right to sue over any illegal expenditure of, waste of, or injury to, the estate, funds, or other property of a county, town, city or city and county of the state.

Separately, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation announced plans earlier this year to launch a ballot initiative that seeks to convert Parker Center into housing for homeless people.

The city plans to start demolishing the building this year and finish by December 2019, city officials have said.

dakota.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @dakotacdsmithA former Los Angeles police officer accused of sexually abusing a teenage member of the departments heralded cadet program was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday after pleading no contest to statutory rape charges.

Robert Cain, 32, pleaded no contest to oral copulation with a minor and having sex with a minor, a little more than a year after he was arrested by former Police Chief Charlie Beck as part of a widening scandal involving the LAPDs signature youth program.



For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that former LAPD Officer Robert Cain pleaded guilty to statutory rape charges. He pleaded no contest.

Cain will have to register as a sex offender. He also will be barred for 10 years from contacting the victim, who was a 15-year-old LAPD cadet at the time of the attacks, Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. David Reinert said.

The felony conviction also will prevent Cain from attempting to become a police officer again, his attorney, Bill Seki, said. Cain resigned from the Los Angeles Police Department last year.

Advertisement

The girl, whose identity is being withheld by The Times, referred to Cain as a monster several times while reading a statement in court Wednesday morning. She accused the former police officer of robbing a piece of her youth and causing her deep emotional suffering and humiliation at school.

You were an officer, someone who promises to protect people like me from people like you, she said.

Cain originally was charged with two counts of oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, lewd acts upon a child and unlawful sexual intercourse. He faced up to seven years and eight months in prison had he been convicted of all charges.

Luis Carrillo, an attorney representing the victims family in a civil lawsuit against the city, said both he and the girls mother were unhappy with the light sentence.

In a way, the criminal justice system does give officers somewhat of a break, he said. That happened in this case.

Reinert said the district attorneys office believed the sentence was appropriate as it prevented the victim from having to testify against Cain in court.

The sex abuse was uncovered as part of an investigation into the theft of LAPD cruisers and other police equipment in which members of the cadet program were charged. A subsequent review revealed flaws in how the program was run.

In June 2017, three cadets driving stolen LAPD cruisers were accused of leading police on a wild chase through South Los Angeles that resulted in several car crashes. Ultimately, seven cadets were arrested and accused of taking at least three LAPD cruisers on joyrides and stealing police equipment that included Tasers, radios and bulletproof vests.

A search warrant obtained by The Times last year revealed that the cadets had access to the stolen cruisers for at least six weeks, driving as far away as Corona and Santa Clarita. Three cadets are now facing criminal charges in connection with the thefts.

Cains victim was among the seven arrested, but she will not face criminal charges, Carrillo said.

The son of a former LAPD officer, Cain was with the department for 10 years, working in the Van Nuys and 77th Street divisions before his arrest. He once applied to work as a youth services officer, but his application was denied.

In a statement, the LAPD said Cains plea marked the close of a disturbing incident within our ranks.

As mentioned by former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, Cain has tarnished the badge and is being punished accordingly, the statement read. While the Department will not comment on the specifics of the sentence, we do believe anytime an officer betrays the trust of the people we serve, it tears away at the fabric of our community.

Cain also was sentenced to two years in prison on illegal weapons charges in San Bernardino County earlier this year. While serving a search warrant connected to the sex abuse charges, the LAPD found a cache of weapons, some illegally modified, in Cains Rancho Cucamonga home.

The earliest Cain could be released from state prison would be early in 2019, Seki said.

While Mr. Cain is not happy and we dont agree with some of the statements made by the victim, we do believe that this is an opportunity for Mr. Cain to continue moving forward with his life, Seki said.

The LAPD also has presented a case to the district attorneys office alleging that Cain played a role in the theft of department property, prosecutors said last month. The district attorneys office did not immediately provide an update on that case Wednesday. Seki said he doesnt believe police have any evidence tying Cain to the thefts.

Police said they began investigating Cain after uncovering text messages with the girl that detailed an inappropriate relationship between the two.

The sexual assaults took place roughly 10 days before the LAPD began investigating the thefts linked to the cadets. Cain picked up the girl at her familys home, then took her to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Reinert said. Cain sexually abused her several times that day, at various places within Los Angeles County, Reinert said.

Speaking before Cains sentencing Wednesday morning, the victims mother recalled letting Cain into her home that day. She said Cain told her that he was the officer in charge of her daughters training and that he could help her achieve her dream of becoming a police officer. Cain framed the trip to Magic Mountain as a reward for her conduct in the cadet program, the woman said.

I trusted him because he was an officer of the law, she said.

The woman then showed a ripped-up stuffed animal, which she claimed Cain gave to her daughter on the day of the abuse, and accused Cain of intimidating her into silence. The girl was scared that Cain would get in trouble with the LAPD if she talked about what had happened, and she also was concerned about the gun he was carrying at the theme park, her mother said.

Why did you do it? the mother asked. I want him to answer.

Cain, who has grown long hair and a beard since his arrest, did not respond or look at the victim or her mother as they spoke.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.

UPDATES:

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Cains defense attorney and the Los Angeles Police Department.

12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with details from the courtroom.

This article was originally published at 10 a.m.Scooter-sharing companies Bird and Lime abruptly deactivated their devices in Santa Monica on Tuesday and supporters swarmed City Hall in an act of protest.

The move comes after a City Council committee failed to recommend the companies for Santa Monicas electric scooter pilot program, which has been framed as a way to help the city craft regulations around the pay-per-minute devices.

Instead, a selection committee endorsed Lyft and Uber-owned Jump.

As part of their so-called Day Without A Scooter campaign, Bird and Lime have asked riders to protest the committee recommendation outside Santa Monica City Hall on Tuesday night, just before a scheduled council meeting.

Advertisement

A woman walks past a row of parked Lime and Bird scooters during, A Day Without a Scooter, rally in Santa Monica. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Weve taken our fleet offline until 4:30 p.m. locally in order to rally your support in opposition to the councils recommendation, Lime said on Twitter. Dont let a #LifeWithoutScooters be the future.

The rally attracted a sizable crowd, with scores of people in black and green Bird and Lime shirts that were being doled out  free  by employees. In an email to customers, Lime offered a $5 credit to anyone who attended the rally, which many people seemed to think was a protest of an all-out scooter ban rather than a protest of the selection committees recommendation.

Karla Lima came to the rally from Beverly Hills, where a six-month scooter ban was put in place last month. The music video editor has been riding the devices several times a week for four months  despite the ban, she still finds them all over the city  and she says she appreciates how eco-friendly they are. She hasnt had to use her car all week.

Lima says she supports regulating the scooters. But Bird deserves some loyalty from Santa Monica, she said, given that it was the first company to provide the service within the city.

Why not use these two companies already here? she said.

Dick Stusser, a retired Santa Monica resident, said he came to the rally to show his support for scooters as an eco-friendly mode of transportation, but not necessarily to advocate for these two companies.

People on bikes and Bird scooters ride past a rally called, A Day Without a Scooter in front of City Hall in Santa Monica. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

In some ways, Bird and Lime set themselves up to be in the situation that theyre in, he said, holding a complimentary Lime shirt. They jumped in front of themselves a bit, and didnt go through what most enterprises need to go through to set up a business in a city.

He added: Its too bad, because they have a great product here.

Scooter cynics also showed up.

Santa Monica resident Leah Mendelsohn attended on behalf of Safer Santa Monica, a citizen group formed in protest of the electric scooters. Mendelsohn, who has lived in the city since 1979, held a white sign that read, Ban all motorized scooters.

She says she walks seven miles each day and has been nearly hit by the scooters, which can travel up to 15 mph, several times. She is upset that residents were not able to vote on the Birds before they descended upon Santa Monica.

I feel the city is responsible for us being safe over anything else, she said, shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun. My enjoyment of living in my city has been ruined by these things, and Im not the only person who feels this way.

At the rally, young women in Bird shirts twerked on a row of scooters while laughing passersby recorded videos. A hip hop trio stood in front of the crowd, rubber chickens in hand, and spit rhymes about the scooters until a Bird representative asked them to stop.

Dont be putting all your eggs in one basket, Santa Monica, one of the rappers yelled into a microphone.

Uber, you can take a Lyft out of Santa Monica, another rapper chimed in.

People who charge the scooters for extra cash  juicers, as theyre called by Lime  said the companies have allowed them to collect disposable income.

Lime representatives said its scooters were locked in Santa Monica until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Bird did not say whether its scooters were locked or the company removed them from the city entirely. Both companies planned to resume services in Santa Monica on Wednesday.

At its meeting Tuesday, the council wasnt planning to discuss the scooters, according to Santa Monica spokeswoman Constance Farrell, but the issue could be brought up during the public comment period.

Its important to note that the city has not done anything to stop or suspend operations of shared mobility vendors, Farrell told The Times. Those are decisions being made by the companies themselves.

The scooters, which flooded Santa Monica in September, have become hugely popular; officials estimate that there are between 1,000 and 2,000 on city streets. However, the scooters have also engendered concern and vitriol among those who say the devices are dangerous and poorly regulated.

In response to this backlash, Santa Monica officials passed an emergency ordinance earlier this year to regulate electric scooters, ultimately requiring Bird to apply for a conditional vending permit.

The citys 16-month scooter pilot program, slated to begin Sept. 17, goes a step further: It will require scooter vendors to pay the city a $20,000 annual operator fee  plus $130 a year for each of its scooters  and would initially cap the number of rental scooters in the city at 1,500.

The city will award contracts to two companies as part of the initiative. On Friday, the pilot programs selection committee announced that it would not recommend Bird or Lime, but instead Lyft and Uber-owned Jump, which do not yet operate e-scooter services.

To make its recommendation, the selection committee  made up of city staffers and a Santa Monica police lieutenant  scored each company on seven categories, including public safety, community engagement and compliance with the law.

Both Bird and Lime performed poorly in the law compliance and public education categories. Lyft scored highest in those areas.

The recommendations are just that, Farrell said. The citys planning and community development director, David Martin, will make the final decision based on applications, the committees endorsements and public feedback, which can be submitted to Martin through Friday.

In a prepared statement about the Santa Monica scooter suspension, Bird bristled at the idea that two companies associated with controversial ride-hailing services applied for the pilot, saying that it demonstrated the desperate lengths CO2 polluting companies will go to for the purpose of undermining clean energy competition.

laura.newberry@latimes.com | Twitter: @LauraMNewberry

UPDATES:

8:15 p.m.: This article was updated with information and interviews from Tuesdays rally.

This article was originally published at 5:15 p.m.A proposal in July to temporarily ban rental scooters in Los Angeles sparked an outcry from transportation advocates and some lawmakers, who said the zippy devices were a transportation innovation that should be regulated, not banished.

During that debate, though, a crucial point went unmentioned: L.A. lawmakers had already backed a temporary scooter ban.



For the record: An earlier version of this article said the City Council had temporarily banned scooters. The council approved a motion to impose a ban, but no ordinance implementing the ban was approved.

Five months ago, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion to place a moratorium on dockless transportation systems until officials could approve rules governing their use.

The motion was drafted to apply to the shared bicycles that can be rented and dropped off anywhere. Some City Hall officials realized only last week that the language was broad enough to apply to the hundreds of Bird and Lime scooters that have appeared in Venice Beach, Playa del Rey, Beverly Grove and other L.A. neighborhoods.

Advertisement

The moratorium vote has been referenced in city documents, including a cease-and-desist letter that the Transportation Department sent to the scooter company Bird in June. But whether it is enforceable is a matter of interpretation at City Hall.

Scooters should fall under the umbrella of the moratorium, said Oliver Hou, a Transportation Department spokesman. The City Council never took the final step to turn the motion into a law, but in some parts of City Hall, lawmakers wishes seemed clear: For the time being, the scooters werent welcome.

The confusion underscores the mixed messages from Los Angeles officials as they debate how to regulate companies that already are operating, expanding and winning support across the city. Taking a page from Ubers playbook, Bird and Lime have placed hundreds of scooters on sidewalks across the city without approval from lawmakers, and with few repercussions.

Enforcing a blanket ban on scooters would be difficult, if not impossible, without more instruction from the City Council, City Hall officials said. Employees would have no instructions on how to handle a wide range of potential problems, from a rider without a helmet to an errant scooter in a tree, they said.

This is typical of how Los Angeles operates, said Robert Cherno, a land-use consultant who lives in the Fairfax district. These companies were bold enough to go out there, and how many scooters did they put out there? And where was the city? Nowhere.

Lime spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt said the company was aware of the moratorium, and remain[s] committed to working closely with city leaders to pass regulations. Bird did not return a request for comment.

To ride, users must sign up through the scooter company apps, providing a drivers license number and credit card information.

Riders use the interactive maps to find a scooter nearby, and scan a code on the scooter to unlock it. Rentals cost $1, plus 15 cents per minute.

The City Council is drafting rules that would limit the number of scooters per company to 5,000 during the first formal year of operation, and would impose other requirements on speed, payment, parking and data-sharing with the city.

Westside residents have complained that scooting on sidewalks poses a safety risk to pedestrians, and that parked scooters that block doorways and wheelchair ramps violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Earlier this month, City Council members proposed requiring a device in each scooter that would limit its operating speed to 12 mph  an acknowledgement that, even though riding scooters on the sidewalk is illegal in California, its where many riders end up.

The City Councils public works committee Wednesday recommended a 15-mph speed limit. Lawmakers will probably vote on the bundle of rules and regulations next week, officials said.

Its been something that people have loved, Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters last week. But were also seeing a lot more emergency room visits, and its unsafe.

In early June, just months after the City Council had passed the ban on the dockless systems, Bird deposited a few dozen scooters in the Arts District downtown.

The areas councilman, Jose Huizar, supports scooters in theory, said spokesman Rick Coca, but just wants to make sure everything makes sense in practice.

Transportation Department General Manager Seleta Reynolds sent a rare cease-and-desist letter after the scooters appeared, demanding that Bird remove any and all vehicles in Los Angeles immediately. If the company didnt comply, she wrote, city officials would confiscate and impound the scooters, even if people were riding them.

The letter referenced the City Councils March vote, saying: Since Bird has no existing pilot in the city of Los Angeles you are in violation of the citywide moratorium.

But the Transportation Department, which installs bike lanes and issues parking violations, doesnt have the ability to impound the vehicles, chief sustainability officer Marcel Porras said at a City Hall meeting last week.

The Bureau of Sanitation, which owns dump trucks and handles bulky item pickups, had not received instructions to start impounding, spokeswoman Elena Stern said.

The cease-and-desist letter, officials said, was less a hard-and-fast legal demand and more of a request that the company stay out of downtown, where sidewalk space is at a premium. (City officials reached out via cease-and-desist, Porras said.)

The message, Garcetti told reporters last week, was: Hey, were actually at the table together right now  dont  cause problems before we can resolve them. Bird removed the scooters in the Arts District, but nowhere else.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter.

UPDATES:

4:05 p.m.: This article was updated with background on how the scooter rentals work.

1:05 p.m., Aug. 16: This article was updated with the public works committee recommending a 15-mph speed limit for scooters.

This article was originally published at 10:10 a.m. Aug. 15.A former Los Angeles police sergeant who served a prison sentence in the beating of Rodney King pleaded not guilty Tuesday to drunk driving charges, officials said.

Stacey Koon, 67, faces one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or higher, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. He is due back in court in October.

The charges stem from a traffic collision Koon was involved in on May 1 in Castaic, the district attorneys office said. Police arrived and arrested him. No one was injured.

Koon was one of several LAPD officers who dealt more than 50 blows to King while he was handcuffed on the ground. When the officers were acquitted in 1992, riots broke out across Los Angeles.

Advertisement

Koon was acquitted in state court but was one of two officers convicted of federal civil rights violations. He served 30 months in prison.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchekA man who said he took a pickax to Donald Trumps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been charged with vandalism, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office announced Wednesday.

Austin Clay, 24, of Glendale was charged with one felony count of vandalism and was expected to be arraigned Wednesday.

On July 25, Clay called Los Angeles police and told them he had defaced the presidents star on Hollywood Boulevard near Highland Avenue, authorities said. The attack almost completely obliterated the star, including Trumps nameplate.

Private security officers in the area attempted to intervene but couldnt stop the man because they dont have police powers, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Advertisement

By the time police arrived at the scene, the man was gone, the LAPD said.

About an hour later, officials said, Clay walked into Beverly Hills police headquarters and said he wanted to turn himself in.

LAPD officers picked him up soon afterward.

Since the 2016 presidential campaign, Trumps star has endured several episodes of vandalism, including a spray-painted swastika and a mute icon. People have been seen stomping on it, spitting on it and writing on it. A photo of a pile of dog feces on the star went viral two years ago.

In October 2016, another man was caught on video bashing the star with a sledgehammer. He was charged with felony vandalism.

If convicted, Clay could face a maximum sentence of three years in jail. Bail is recommended at $20,000, the district attorneys office said.

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

Twitter: @sarahparviniAs Rob Walker drove into Yosemite, he briefly reconsidered the camping trip he was about to take with a small group of friends and family.

The outing is a tradition. Walkers family always stays at the North Pines Campground near the Merced River, with Kaleigh Burn and her family.



For the record: An earlier version of this article said that this summer of fire had left nine people dead. As of Aug. 15, 11 people had died due to the fires.

But on Tuesday, the group had a moment when, impressed by the power of the Ferguson fire, they were unsure.

We came through on Highway 140  active fire is still going on right there, said Walker, 49, of Mission Viejo. You see the smoke and flames, and you just want to turn around. But once you get through that area, its beautiful  its smoky  but youre still here at Yosemite.

Advertisement

The valley reopened Tuesday after being closed since July 25 due to the deadly fire burning in nearby forestland. It was a surreal scene as thousands of visitors streamed into the nearly empty park, passing by the flames and surveying the iconic vistas shaded by a smoky haze.

Yosemite is one of several spots across California to be altered by a hellish summer of fire and heat that has left 11 people dead and destroyed more than 1,000 homes from Redding to San Diego.

The Ferguson fire has been burning for more than a month, starting July 13 from still undetermined reasons, and has scorched 96,606 acres throughout the Sierra National Forest and in Yosemite National Park. While the fire never reached the landmarks of Yosemite, the smoke was so intense that the valley had to be closed during the peak of the summer tourist season, not only wrecking travel plans but also starving local businesses.

The blaze, which has claimed the lives of two firefighters, was at 86% containment Tuesday, with the last active spot being a region between Wawona Road and the Merced River  essentially the steep, rocky hillside that visitors see when they enter the park on El Portal Road.

Victoria Matlock, 23, of Orlando, Fla., walks along Upper Yosemite Fall trail as Yosemite Valley reopens in Yosemite, Calif., on Aug. 14, 2018. The Yosemite Valley reopened as firefighters strengthen containment of the Ferguson fire. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Active fire starts shortly past the station where visitors pay their fees, and continues for about two miles, burning through thick brush and trees. Boulders and rocks along the river are covered in ash, and on the ridge line, several trees are leafless and burned.

Driving in from Highway 120, we saw a lot of smoke right at the moment we entered the valley, said Suyog Tated, who arrived Tuesday with his family from Dallas. I thought it was clouds, but the moment you open your window, you know its not clouds.

Visitors streaming into the valley Tuesday from Highway 140, which becomes El Portal Road once inside Yosemite, were greeted with a sign warning them they were not allowed to stop for the next seven miles, an effort by park staff to keep people from gawking at the firefighters still at work. A few lookout points nearest to the flames were cordoned off with yellow caution tape and orange cones.

Helicopters with buckets full of water from the Merced River flew over cars entering the park.

Of all the times to come to Yosemite, a trip Tuesday did, at the very least, offer something different.

National parks are wild by nature, and fire is part of that, Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said. And theres no reason to not come up for it. In fact, I would argue the opposite  that this is a unique opportunity for people to see the park.

Longtime Oakhurst resident Brenda Negley, 51, has been to Yosemite dozens of times. But this is the first time she has been in the park when there was an active wildfire nearby.

Negley came Tuesday so that her 16-year-old daughter, Brooke, and friend Lucas Lehigh could bring French exchange students Celia Merceer and Kelig Vidal to the park before they leave on Thursday.

As they drove down El Portal Road, they could easily see the Ferguson fire burning on the hillside.

That was a surprise  it really was  but they have it under control, Negley said.

Several visitors were here from Europe, having booked their trips months in advance.

Murdo and Heleen Paterson and their children, 9-year-old twins Maia and Christian, excitedly rolled their luggage into Half Dome Village, hoping that because the valley had just opened, they might spot deer or maybe even a bear.

The family, who traveled from England, had booked just a tent at Half Dome Village a few months ago, but because of cancellations were able to snag a cabin.

The family said they felt safe staying in the park, and thought the smoke might even add a bit of atmosphere.

It just looks beautiful with a little bit of smoke in the valley, and the sun coming up, said Heleen Paterson, 43. It was really mysterious. It looked really good.

Londoners Rachel Grimshaw, 49, and her husband, David Maclaren, 59  among the first to enter the park Tuesday  had booked their trip in February.

The couple stood snapping photos at Tunnel View, taking in whats usually a striking view: Visitors can see granite giants El Capitan and Half Dome, along with Bridalveil Fall. On Tuesday, though, Bridalveil Fall remained hidden behind thick smoke.

Grimshaw and Maclaren had been in California for two weeks, appreciating the scenery as they drove along Pacific Coast Highway.

But Yosemite was a must for their trip, and they were happy the park finally opened.

Friends who have visited the park gave them advice. They said youve got to be here for at least three days; thats why we booked it. So were going to try to pack as much into one day as we can, Maclaren said.

Without access to the valley, some earlier visitors had chosen to enjoy the parts of Yosemite National Park that remained open.

Megan Lynch, 31, who lives in Arlington, Va., and her parents, Kate and Mike Lynch, both 60, of Buffalo, N.Y., flew into Reno, starting their trip at Lake Tahoe, where several Californians apologized to them for the smoke. But the family remained happy to be on vacation.

A Mule deer in Cooks Meadow as Yosemite Valley reopens in Yosemite, Calif., on Aug. 14, 2018. The Yosemite Valley reopened as firefighters strengthen containment of the Ferguson fire. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Yosemite was planned as their second stop, but with the valley closed, they stayed on the eastern side of the park for two days, hiking on the John Muir Trail and stopping at lookout spots like Olmsted Point.

They werent that concerned about the smoldering trees they passed on El Portal Road.

My basic assumption is it was probably safe on like Saturday, but Im assuming they gave it a lot of time before they were like, Were ready to have hordes of people in here, Megan Lynch said.

And they had no plans to let the smoke at Yosemite bring them down.

We came from the East Coast  were just going for it, Kate Lynch said.

Suyog Tated, his wife, Neha, and 4-year-old daughter Aarna had flown from Dallas to Las Vegas, with a road trip planned to San Francisco. Seeing Yosemite was a big part of their plans.

Tated booked the rooms two months ago and snagged one of the last ones at Big Trees Lodge, formerly the Wawona Hotel.

They had planned to spend more time in Yosemite Valley, but when it was closed, they went to Bishop instead. Although it was a detour, they loved the stargazing and views of the mountains on Tioga Pass.

You dont find stars in Dallas, Suyog Tated said.

He had bought a new lens for his DSLR camera  and was intent on using it for the views Yosemite promises. But upon entering Tuesday, he knew that might be a challenge. The family hoped by late afternoon, the smoke at Tunnel View would clear up and theyd see the panorama theyd imagined.

A few families spent time Tuesday near Swinging Bridge, splashing in the water.

Susan Hill of Minneapolis has been to Yosemite several times, including a mountain-climbing trip when she was four months pregnant.

About two years later her daughter, 16-month-old Hazel, toddled around the river, splashing in the ankle-deep water, one hand holding a mango, the other a carrot stick, clad only in her diaper. Nearby, her sister, 8-year-old Zoe, and Hills fiance, Dean Derhaag, enjoyed the cool river.

Hill had hoped Dean, who hadnt been to Yosemite before, would be able to see the valleys beauty a little more clearly. But through the early afternoon, smoke still lingered.

I was hoping hed be able to see really clear views of Half Dome, but its just right now a shadow, which is kind of sad, but it is what it is, Hill said. You roll with the punches and you hope Mother Nature decides to stop burning eventually.

jaclyn.cosgrove@latimes.com

Twitter: @jaclyncosgroveKansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has ended his campaign to keep his job, conceding the Republican primary to Kris Kobach, whose forceful condemnations of illegal immigration over the years have catapulted him to the national stage and won him the admiration of President Trump.

The numbers are just not there, Colyer said in a news conference Tuesday, after the latest tally of provisional and mail-in ballots increased Kobachs lead to nearly 300 votes in the election held last week. More than 313,000 votes were cast.

Kobachs win is sure to set up a battle this fall in which national Democrats pour millions of dollars into the state in an effort to defeat one of the Trumps closest allies. Kansas is staunchly Republican and hasnt elected a Democratic governor since 2006. But some political analysts believe that Kobachs win could turn off moderates and drive more Democrats to the polls.

Kobach, who is currently Kansas secretary of state, will face state Sen. Laura Kelly in November.

Advertisement

Her campaign has already started painting Kobach as too extreme for the state and too close to Trump.

Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, Trump appointed Kobach to his immigration policy team. Months later, in May 2017, Trump tapped him to team up with Vice President Mike Pence to head a commission on voter fraud.

Trump endorsed Kobach, calling him a fantastic guy who would be strong on immigration and crime.

Some Republicans in Washington had urged Trump not to endorse any candidate in the race, fearing that a Kobach win could play into the hands of the Democrats by keeping moderates away from the polls in a pair of competitive congressional races in Kansas.

Throughout the primary campaign, Kobach focused heavily on illegal immigration and frequently dropped Trumps name in interviews, praising the administration for its hard-line approach.

That relationship with the president, mixed with a strong name identification and message on illegal immigration, definitely helped him, said Neal Allen, chair of the political science department at Wichita State University. It was almost like a perfect storm for him.

But, Allen said, a wave of Democratic money is headed to the state.

If Democrats can defeat Kobach, they defeat Trump as well, he said.

Complicating things for Democrats, however, is a run by independent candidate Greg Orman, a businessman who challenged Sen. Pat Roberts in 2014.

Orman is really the secret weapon for Republicans in the general election, said Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of Kansas. He could allow Kobach to win the race with just a plurality. So Kobach may be a weaker nominee for Republicans, but he will have that structural advantage of a three-way race.

For Republicans on Tuesday, the focus was on unity. Colyer endorsed Kobachs campaign this fall, saying it was important to keep this seat in Republican hands.

Kansas is too important, he said.

In a statement, Kobach thanked his rival and echoed his message of unity.

I will work hard to advance our shared values, and I look forward to working with Gov. Colyer and all Republicans to keep Kansas red in November, he said.

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @kurtisalee

UPDATES:

6:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional statements from Colyer, Kobach.

This article was originally posted at 6:20 p.m.Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, Aug. 15, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The Los Angeles Police Department is considering a plan that would allow thousands of homeless people to eliminate old bench warrants, part of larger effort to reform a system that has created a vicious cycle for those with nowhere to live. LAPD Chief Michel Moore described the proposal as a radical solution to ease the pressure on the court system, jails and police stations, which are being overwhelmed daily with hundreds of people arrested on these warrants. Moore said the amnesty ideas would cover only longstanding bench warrants for homeless people who failed to show up in court for minor offenses. He stressed that the LAPD has no plans to change how officers enforce various quality of life crimes but hoped the shift would result in a more effective, streamlined process for handling these cases. Los Angeles Times

Good news

Advertisement

Yosemite Valley was reopened for the first time in weeks on Tuesday morning, but some visitors were surprised to see a burning hillside along El Portal Road, a key entryway into the famed glacial valley. Officials at Yosemite National Park had listed the official reopening time as 9 a.m., but a steady stream of light traffic began entering the valley hours earlier. Los Angeles Times

Plus: With negotiations intensifying over how Californias electric utilities should help pay to fight wildfires, a prominent Republican lawmaker says the companies should contribute to a new multibillion-dollar fund that would help mitigate those expenses. Los Angeles Times

 Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is blaming environmental terrorist groups for the deadly forest fires ripping through California. The Hill

Those oh-so-secret police misconduct records

Californias police unions have used threats and millions of dollars in political donations to keep legislators from undoing the nations most restrictive laws on police misconduct records, a Times investigation found. But this year, a group of California legislators is confronting police unions in ways once unthinkable. They argue that unions are out of touch with public sentiment over how officers use force and interact with communities of color. The shift comes amid the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform movements. Los Angeles Times

Get the Essential California newsletter 

Colin Jost and Michael Che will host the Emmys for the first time on Sept. 17 (Mary Ellen Matthews / NBC)

L.A. STORIES

Impact: L.A. Police Chief Moore said on Tuesday that the controversial retirement plan that recently paid him $1.27 million is ripe for reform. Los Angeles Times

Impact, Part 2: The son of Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson said Monday that he and his wife have reimbursed the city for $2,768 in security services provided at their wedding. Los Angeles Times

Break out those backpacks! New school year, new leaders; familiar and serious challenges for L.A. Unified. Los Angeles Times

Plus: It may feel like the middle of summer, but its back to school for L.A. Unified. Los Angeles Times

Short-terming it: Renting out an apartment  Airbnb style. KCRW

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

In court: A federal judge on Tuesday heard the case of Yea Ji Sea, a 29-year-old U.S. Army veteran whose immigration status is in jeopardy after serving more than four years and being honorably discharged. Unbeknownst to her, her paperwork had been mired in a Koreatown-based immigration fraud scheme. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

New to the Legislature: Vanessa Delgado must be having some seriously mixed emotions about joining the California Senate this week: Joy at winning a special election last week to replace former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), who quit earlier this year rather than face an expulsion vote by his peers, and despair that her first month in the Senate will effectively be her last. Los Angeles Times

On the horizon: A big battle over property taxes is shaping up for the 2020 ballot. Los Angeles Times

Just saying no: California cities on Monday objected to a state proposal that would allow marijuana delivery to homes in areas where storefront pot sales have been banned locally. Los Angeles Times

Shes famous! Uh : Rep. Nancy Pelosi has starred in roughly one in every five Republican-made House campaign ads across the country this year, usually as a device to tar a fellow Democrat running in a conservative area as beholden to her liberal San Francisco values. San Francisco Chronicle

CRIME AND COURTS

More Weinstein news: A New York judge has ruled that an aspiring actress can sue Harvey Weinstein for violating sex-trafficking laws because the proverbial casting couch, in which women are asked to trade sex for Hollywood opportunities, could be considered a commercial sex act. Los Angeles Times

Guilty plea: The chief executive of an Orange County check-cashing business pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to export tactical gear to Syrian rebels, federal prosecutors said. Los Angeles Times

Yuck: The Victorville prison, where many immigrants who crossed the border and were apprehended are being held, sits atop a toxic Superfund site. Press-Enterprise

THE ENVIRONMENT

Battle at the EPA: The Trump administrations plan to roll back aggressive Obama-era fuel economy standards for cars, pickup trucks and SUVs is built on computer modeling that senior officials at the Environmental Protection Agency had privately warned is flawed and unsupportable, according to newly released agency documents. Los Angeles Times

Ominous: A long-dormant supervolcano near Mammoth Mountain is packed with 240 cubic miles of magma. Gizmodo

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Coming soon: Emmys hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost discuss the big night, their evolving partnership and Tina Feys advice. Los Angeles Times

What to do about the boys in blue: How bad has the Dodgers bullpen been this month? Pretty bad. Los Angeles Times

Good while it lasted: Cash-strapped cinema subscription service MoviePass faced another setback this week as customers tried to cancel their subscriptions and complained on social media when they apparently werent able to do so. Los Angeles Times

Nice: Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant is teaming up with a major venture-capital firm to help get more people of color into Silicon Valley technology companies. Mercury News

Gulp: What $950,000 buys you around Los Angeles right now. Curbed LA

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: sunny, 85, Wednesday; sunny, 87, Thursday. San Diego: partly cloudy, 79, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 80, Thursday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy, 65, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 64, Thursday. San Jose: partly cloudy, 77, Wednesday; sunny, 80, Thursday. Sacramento: partly cloudy, 89, Wednesday; sunny, 92, Thursday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from Marie Lyons Weigel:

Our family moved from Omaha to Irvine in 1971. I was in awe of the number of swimming pools dotting the landscape as we flew in. The Beverly Hillbillies theme song played in my 11-year-old head Cement ponds. Moooovie Stars! Ill never forget the time we walked into a Newport Beach pet supply store and saw THE BIGGEST MOVIE STAR OF ALL: John Wayne. He was with a child and was telling him he could get ANYTHING he wanted. (Words wed never heard.) We nervously asked for his autograph. Im still mortified that WHAT we asked him to sign was the cardboard back of our purchase: a goldfish suction tube pooper-scooper.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.Public disclosure of police misconduct is a basic element of oversight and is the law in most states. But not in California, as shown by a chilling Times series describing the injustices  including wrongful convictions  that result from a number of laws and court rulings that mask police officer conduct under an impenetrable cloak of secrecy.

The first part of the series picks up the story of Los Angeles County Sheriffs Deputy Jose Ovalle, who was disciplined early in his career for falsifying evidence  dabbing taco sauce on a shirt, taking a picture of it and claiming it showed blood from a jailhouse brawl. The Times first reported about Ovalle in December. For years, the district attorneys office was unaware that he had such a history, so prosecutors could not weigh his credibility when filing charges based on his reports. And just as important, they could not inform defendants of the existence of evidence that could be used to question the reliability of an important witness against them, as is required under the Constitution.

It turns out that there were 312 cases in which Ovalle was a potential witness, as reported in The Times report on Aug. 9. Defendants were convicted in 237 of them. The deputy actually took the stand in 31 cases. But in only a handful did defendants learn that there was evidence they could use to impeach Ovalles credibility.

Thats in part because its so difficult for defense lawyers to find out. Prosecutors must inform defendants of any relevant information, but the same privacy laws that keep police records from the public keep them from prosecutors as well. The Pitchess process that requires police agencies to bring personnel records to court for a judge to review, in order to decide whether to disclose them to the defense, is unduly burdensome. To request the review, defense lawyers must show a reasonable suspicion that there is evidence of dishonesty or misconduct in an officers file. And even then, the process only works when the police acknowledge that there is relevant evidence to turn over.

Advertisement

No other state shields officer information as thoroughly as California.

That weakness is outlined in a Times story published online on Aug. 14 about an officer who resigned amid an investigation into whether he had falsified reports and used excessive force. A Contra Costa County court ordered the Pittsburg Police Department to bring in the officers files, but a report on the investigation was for some reason omitted.

And even if such files are indeed produced in court and even if they help acquit the defendant, the cost is high  as shown by an online interactive Times feature that outlines the pluses and minuses for the defense of pursuing the information. Even defendants who are falsely accused have an incentive to plead guilty, because of the time it takes to get the records and then use them to track down a reliable witness to the officers wrongdoing  one who is willing to testify at trial. Pursuing justice can mean months in jail before trial. Pleading guilty can mean quick release. The deck is stacked against the accused. The law favors officers, even those with records of lying.

Federal rules are less weighted toward officers. But as described in a Times story of Aug. 10, even officers whose testimony is deemed worthless in federal court because their files lay out a history of dishonesty can continue to testify in state court, where their misdeeds go undisclosed.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

No other state shields officer information as thoroughly as California. This politically liberal state allows strong government employee unions  and police unions here have used their clout to win enormous legal protection.

The earliest protections seemed reasonable enough. The point of the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights, signed into law by new Gov. Jerry Brown in 1976, was to protect honest officers from unfair interrogations and investigations by unscrupulous supervisors. It was backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

But Brown later signed bills that put officer records increasingly out of reach, and court interpretations solidified a wall of secrecy.

The state Supreme Court will soon consider whether state law allows Sheriff Jim McDonnell to turn over evidence of deputy misconduct to prosecutors, a step he considers imperative for reform. But the public would still be aced out, which means it would still be impossible to learn which officers account for disproportionate injuries and public liability, and which agencies operate effective internal investigations. That means little actual public oversight of law enforcement agencies in California.

A key hearing is set this week for a bill, SB1421, that would lift, ever so slightly, the veil that protects police records of officers falsifying evidence, lying, discharging firearms, using certain types of force and engaging in sexual assault. It is exceedingly modest. The information would be available only under the Public Records Act process. But it would be an important step toward an appropriate level of police oversight in California. Lawmakers should pass the bill and send it to Brown  and give him a chance to partially rectify one of the 1970s excesses that gave police in California such unusual and unwarranted privilege.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookBillionaire techbro Tim Draper announced last week he would no longer try to split California into three states. Phew: It was the most ridiculous quest to tinker with the state since the Legislature voted in 1978 to tow an iceberg from Antarctica to solve that decades epic drought.

Three Californias had it all wrong. Our state is stronger united, weaker divided. Our size and diversity across social, ethnic and geographic lines is what makes us great.

Thats why we need to reunite with our twin, Baja California.

The 1848 Mexican-American War officially split us apart, but weve always held hands to spite our disapproving parents. Our border features cities and towns  San Diego and Tijuana, Calexico and Mexicali, Andrade and Los Algodones  cut off from each other by an arbitrary line that residents never let get in the way of creating business and family ties. The San Diego-Tijuana area hosts a $230-billion economy that entrepreneurs on both sides consider one whole; $44 billion in goods passed through the Otay Mesa commercial crossing last year alone.

Advertisement

The 1848 Mexican-American War officially split us apart, but weve always held hands to spite our disapproving parents.

Thats just la frontera. Alta and Baja California are mirror images of each other. The wine region in the Valle de Guadalupe is as beautiful as anything in Napa, Sonoma, Temecula and Paso Robles. The peninsulas deserts are the flip side to our forests (and deserts, for that matter). Its coast is even more stunning than ours, and has the advantage of remaining largely unspoiled. We even both had an exploitative mission system!

More important, our respective federal governments have long treated us as freaks, as nations apart from the rest of the country due to our historic remoteness and independent spirit.

Since Mexico and the United States continue to take their Californias for granted, lets join together and show them what theyre missing.

Im not advocating for a separate nation. I think the renamed California Libre would work best as a free-trade zone (like the old Hong Kong) where residents keep their Mexican and American citizenships but can move freely across Alta and Baja California. Together, we can become an economic and good-living engine like few have ever seen.

Get Baja in Altas domain, and we can apply our know-how to improve much of what ails our Mexican hermana. We can better monitor the overfishing in the Pacific and help restore the Gulf of California. Implement better conditions in Bajas agricultural fields, where indigenous workers toil under conditions that make California farmers seem downright benevolent. Help the refugee crisis in Tijuana, where Haitians and Central Americans and deported Dreamers linger in the metropolis with few resources and little hope.

Even better, the American government would acquire a toehold from which to fight Mexicos drug cartels, and our military could help Mexican federales root out that blight once and for all.

But Baja has a lot to teach Alta as well. Its people have suffered drought longer than we have, and have pioneered public-education projects to let people know water is a precious resource, not a treat for their lawns. Healthcare is ridiculously affordable south of the border  who needs Obamacare when we could all be on Tijuanacare?

After long neglect by the Mexican government, the self-sufficiency of Baja Californians is legendary. And so is their capacity for reinvention: After the narcowars of the last decade devastated American tourism to Tijuana, artists and chefs turned the city into one of the worlds gastronomic and art capitals.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Uniting with Baja doesnt mean all of Sherman Oaks should be allowed to buy a second home in Todos Santos, though. The last time Americans got free rein in the peninsula, we made Tijuana into our own private Gomorrah and turned Cabo San Lucas into a tacky wasteland where Mission Viejo housewives now roam year-round.

Alta residents will have to learn to treat Baja as the equal it is, instead of a place to exploit.

A sillier plan than Three Californias? Sure. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would face impeachment by the Mexican people if he ceded any sovereignty to us gringos, and President Trump would sooner see California sink into the Pacific than let us take the lead on improving the relationship with our third-largest trade partner.

Then again, theres already de facto precedent for such a partnership in the relationship between Texas and Nuevo Leon. Many American and Texan companies have a presence in Monterrey, the states capital and a place whose wealthiest regios (a nickname for its residents) have second homes and offices in Dallas, San Antonio and Houston. Nuevo Leons native mineral water, Topo Chico, now dominates hipster bars from Austin to Los Angeles. The connection between the states is so deep that the grandparents of Gov. Greg Abbotts wife were from Monterrey.

Alta and Baja California: Are we going to let Texas beat us in something for the first time ever?

mexicanwithglasses@gmail.com

Follow @GustavoArellano on Twitter

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or FacebookSouthern California Edison is keeping 3.6 million pounds of lethal radioactive waste at the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant in San Clemente.

The waste poses a significant threat to the health, safety and economic vitality of the regions more than 8 million residents. But Edisons plan for storing it is unnerving at best.

The idea is to bury the spent fuel on site, about 100 feet from the ocean and just a few feet above the water table. Edison has already begun transferring the waste from cooling pools into specially designed steel canisters. The containers are prone to corrosion and cracking, and cannot be monitored or repaired. Work crews even discovered a loose bolt inside one of the canisters earlier this year.

But flawed storage containers are just one of many worrisome aspects of the scheme. San Onofre sits on an active earthquake fault, in an area where there is a record of past tsunamis. It is close to Interstate 5, the railroad line that Amtrak runs on, and the Marines Camp Pendleton.

Advertisement

Unlike the case of Fukushima, there are no federal or state evacuation plans for a disaster at San Onofre.

The ocean is expected to keep rising over the next few decades, bringing seawater closer to the canisters. If hairline cracks or pinholes in the containers were to let in even a little bit of air, it could make the waste explosive.

And although San Onofre is in a no-fly zone, it is not being guarded with radar and surface-to-air-missiles, as nuclear aircraft carriers are. It is protected by a handful of guards carrying pistols.

This leaves the site susceptible to terrorist attacks. San Juan Capistrano Councilwoman Pam Patterson warned President Trump of this vulnerability at a roundtable meeting in May. She reminded him that, in 2001, terrorists were targeting nuclear power plants in addition to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Patterson also pointed out that some of the 9/11 terrorists received their flight training at San Diegos Montgomery Field, only 50 miles from San Onofre, which is itself only 62 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The power plant, she told Trump, is a Fukushima waiting to happen.

When it was discovered that San Onofres reactor was so flawed that the plant had to be shut down, the former prime minister of Japan, Naoto Kan, testified in San Diego. He said that if the radioactive cooling pools at Fukushima had caught fire, he was prepared to evacuate not only Tokyo, with its population of 9 million people, but also the larger metropolitan area of 38 million, including regions 160 miles away from the plant. Martial law would have been declared.

Had the fire proved uncontainable, Kan said, nobody would have been able to move back to the region for 100,000 years. The future existence of Japan as a whole was at stake, Kan told a British newspaper later. Something on that scale, an evacuation of 50 million, it would have been like a losing a huge war. His words echoed those of Mikhail Gorbachev, who once remarked that a second explosion at Chernobyl would have rendered Europe uninhabitable.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Unlike the case of Fukushima, there are no federal or state evacuation plans for a disaster at San Onofre. Local first responders would be tasked with an impossible mission.

Experts say there are safer storage configurations that Southern California Edison could implement. It could avoid storing the waste in thinly walled canisters, for instance, keeping it in cooling pools until casks with thicker walls are available. It could relocate the waste to a site known as the mesa, which is on the other side of the the freeway and roughly 80 feet higher than the beach site  away from rising seas, potential tsunamis and periodic storm surges. It could also maintain a cooling pool on site for emergency transfer efforts in the event of a cracked canister or terrorist attack.

But these are all short-term solutions. The only real long-term solution is for Edison to develop adequate storage technology  a system that is not prone to severe leaks and therefore does not compromise the health of future generations.

Many Americans are focused on the potential threats posed by North Koreas nuclear program and Russian interference. But for those of us in Southern California, equal or worse terrors are lurking closer to home.

Steve Chapple is a fellow at the Samuel Lawrence Foundation and co-author of Breakpoint: Reckoning with Americas Environmental Crises.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or FacebookTo the editor: Even before the inauguration, many of us felt that the slogan Make America Great Again was ill-conceived. But few imagined that the GOP would betray its commitment to continuing the development of civil rights in our nation. The results of a recent poll are depressing for those who are committed to getting beyond the racism that exists in our nation: 64 percent of Americans think racism is a major problem, and 45 percent think race relations are getting worse.

It is important for each of us to realize that the worsening of racism means that persons of color are suffering, daily, from the dehumanization resulting from continuing discrimination, harassment and retaliation. That is a sad commentary on the state of a nation whose values state liberty and justice for all.

The disconnect, or misalignment, between our nations stated values and those values and behaviors that we see, daily, must not continue.

Karl Strandberg, Long Beach

Advertisement

..

To the editor: The statement that Republicans left for dead the bill that would eliminate juvenile solitary confinement was chilling, as was the entirety of Juan Williams salient op-ed on racism and the Republican Party..

The GOP has normalized the absolute amorality of its leader, and has embraced many of his characteristics. Amorality, in my estimation, is a far more frightening condition than immorality. Amorality encompasses brazen immorality without batting an eye, with complete lack of empathy or remorse. The party has taken its cue from the racist dog-whistles of President Trump and has turned a blind eye to the civil rights issues facing us today. Its difficult to talk about solutions when you cant even start the conversation.

This Republic is eroding before our eyes, and we are plagued with a Congress that is not willing to put country before party to ensure equality for all and to help to right the injustices we witness every day. This chaotic environment makes it more than challenging to teach ethics.

Rebecca Hertsgaard, Palm Desert

..

To the editor: So Juan Williams is surprised about the metamorphosis of the Republican Party from a supporter of civil rights to the party of Jim Crow.

In lieu of placing the preponderance of blame at the feet of Donald J. Trump and his fellow GOP lackeys in Congress, its better to afford a deeper dive into the recent history of that party. Ever since Richard Nixons Southern strategy in the 1968 presidential campaign, the party of Lincoln has transitioned to something more like the party of George C. Wallace.

Nixons law and order slogan was directed at white Southern voters dismayed by the Democratic Partys embrace of civil rights. It escalated when then-candidate Ronald Reagan commenced his fall campaign against Jimmy Carter in 1980 in Philadelphia, Miss. The same locale where civil rights workers were murdered in 1964.

Bob Teigan, Santa Susana

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookNewsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom  then mayor of San Francisco  contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Gavin Newsom orders reinvention of troubled California DMV By Patrick McGreevy A line of people stretches around the South L.A. location of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office on Aug. 7. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered an overhaul of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been plagued by hours-long wait times at field offices, computer crashes and voter registration errors involving tens of thousands of customers. Just a few days after taking office, Newsom appointed a top advisor to a new DMV Reinvention Strike Team to revamp the beleaguered agency over the next six months. By any metric, California DMV has been chronically mismanaged and failed in its fundamental mission to the state customers it serves and the state workers it employs, Newsom said in a statement, adding Its time for a reinvention. The governor appointed state Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer to lead the strike team with a goal of modernizing the agency and enacting changes that improve customer satisfaction, employee performance and transparency. Newsom also ordered an accelerated review of initial findings of an ongoing audit ordered last year by Gov. Jerry Brown. The action was welcomed by lawmakers who have been critical of the DMV, including Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield). The egregious management failures of the DMV have been self-evident, which is why I have been calling for new leadership and a comprehensive independent audit of this troubled state agency over and over again as the problems grew significantly worse, Fong said. Last summer, Californians seeking new driver licenses complained of wait times of four to six hours at DMV offices, which the agency blamed partly on snafus caused by a rush of people trying to get Real IDs, a new identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020. Delays were also blamed on computer crashes at DMV offices as the agency struggled to update its aging automation systems. The DMV also admitted that there were an estimated 23,000 errors as people either were unknowingly registered to vote or mistakes were made in their registration status as part of the states new motor voter program. The agency registered to vote as many as 1,500 people with legal U.S. residency but no citizenship. Last month, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto retired from the agency. Legislators were angered earlier this week when the DMV said it needed an additional $40 million to prevent the return of long lines at its field offices. In addition, the agency has been under fire for issuing driver licenses in the last year that do not comply with the federal Real ID standards requiring two forms of identification by applicants. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police unions are preparing to battle new transparency law in the courtroom By Maya Lau Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released. The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed. The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Secretary of State Alex Padilla begins second term with challenge to ensure every Californian is counted By Jazmine Ulloa Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections. I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy, he said. Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger. But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administrations changes to the U.S. census, saying he will ensure every Californian gets counted. Padilla, a former state senator and Los Angeles City Council member from the San Fernando Valley, led the cause for a new motor voter registration law in 2015, and a new system for online business registrations. But the programs have had experienced problems: More than 23,000 Californians were registered to vote incorrectly by the state DMV, the agency reported last year. On Monday, Padilla said he would continue to push back against false claims of voter fraud in California and pointed to the states voter turnout as proof that his office was involving more people in the democratic process, a promise he made when he was first sworn in four years ago. More than 12.7 million voters cast ballots in the Nov. 6 midterm election, representing roughly 65% of the states registered voters, the highest number of any midterm election since 1982, according to state certified results. I made that promise based on a shared belief that we are a stronger democracy and a better California when we hear all voices from all corners of California, and when those voices are not just heard but counted, Padilla said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Ricardo Lara, Californias first statewide officeholder to come out as gay, sworn in as insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara on the floor of the state Senate in 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ricardo Lara took the oath of office as California insurance commissioner on Monday, pledging action to boost healthcare coverage and combat climate change. Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is the first elected statewide officeholder in California who has come out as gay. He began his speech in downtown Sacramento by thanking LGBTQ leaders who came before him and celebrated the occasion. Today, because of you, weve shattered the pink ceiling, Lara said. In his inaugural speech, Lara announced the creation of an executive position in his office to address climate change. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and our environment, Lara said. Our planet cant wait. Im ready, and I hope you are too. Lara served as a state legislator and in 2017 introduced a bill to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state. He promised to work with new Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand coverage across California. Lara was sworn in by retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who declared unconstitutional Californias Proposition 8 gay marriage ban. State Sen. President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was on hand for the ceremony along with multiple other state lawmakers. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis says she will help expand access to universities in the state New Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, center, is shown in June talking with attendees at the Power to the Polls rally in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) More Californians should be given access to public universities, Eleni Kounalakis said as she took the oath of office Monday to become the states first woman elected lieutenant governor. Kounalakis was given the oath of office by Gov. Gavin Newsom, her predecessor in the job, who pledged they would work together. As lieutenant governor, Kounalakis serves on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State University Board of Trustees, she noted in a speech at her swearing-in ceremony at the main Sacramento Library. In that role, she said, she will be committed to expanding access to affordable public higher education here in our state. Its wise, its smart and it is the best way to address our rapidly changing digital economy. Kounalakis is former president of a development company founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, and served during the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary. In November, she won her first run for statewide office. Also attending the ceremony were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California meets Dutch Newsom, who steals the show at his fathers inauguration By Taryn Luna Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his inaugural address while holding his youngest son, Dutch. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the California political world, all eyes were on Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday until his 2-year-old son stole the show. Dutch, the youngest of four children in the Newsom brood, climbed onstage in the middle of his fathers inaugural address in a tent outside the Capitol on Monday. The unplanned moment saw the 51-year-old governors big day interrupted by the toddler, bringing levity to the ceremony. Newsom was recounting Gov. Jerry Browns last inaugural speech and reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a biblical story about two men who built separate homes on sand and rock, when Dutch approached his father, a pacifier in his mouth and blanket in hand. Now more than ever we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said, improvising as he scooped the boy into his arms. The governor kissed Dutch on the cheek and held him for several minutes as he continued with the speech. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked. Newsom eventually put his child down and Dutch walked to the edge of the stage before retreating behind the podium to hide from his mother, First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The crowd roared. Siebel Newsom was able to briefly divert her son only for him to return to the stage minutes later. She grabbed him again and this time, the crying toddler did not reemerge. When fires strikes, when kids cry and the earth shakes, well be there for each other, Newsom said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the moment humanized Newsom, threw cold water on any theories that Dutchs cameo was planned. No, I know it was not, Garcetti said with a laugh after Newsoms speech concluded. I could see that look of absolute abject terror [on Newsoms face]. Weve all been there. Kids always think its about themselves and theyve proved it. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) agreed. I worked in early childhood education for 20 years and theres no way you can ever get a child to do anything when you want them to do it, Rendon said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Fiona Ma takes oath as Californias new treasurer By Liam Dillon State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Fiona Ma took the oath of office in Sacramento on Monday as the states 34th treasurer, promising to boost Californias economy. Ma previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization. I want to thank everyone for entrusting me with this important job. I understand my role here as your state treasurer is to build that financial wall around California so that we will remain the fifth-largest economy, Ma said in brief remarks. That is my promise to you. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye administered the oath to Ma. Following the ceremony, Ma held an ice cream social for guests. On Wednesday, she will host a public event in San Francisco to celebrate her swearing-in. State Treasurer Fiona Ma takes the oath of office. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Expectations are high for newly sworn-in state schools chief Tony Thurmond Tony Thurmond shakes hands with retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco after taking the oath of office. (Melody Gutierrez / Los Angeles Times) Tony Thurmond took the oath of office as Californias state superintendent of public schools on Monday, promising a labor-friendly agenda before the teachers, students and Democratic officials who filled an auditorium at McClatchy High School in Sacramento to watch him being sworn in. We cant close the achievement gap without a great teacher at the head of every class, Thurmond said Monday to applause. We have to make sure we provide quality compensation and support to our teachers and our classified staff and all the educators who support our kids. Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who served in the state Assembly, won a hotly contested and expensive race with the help of labor leaders against charter school executive Marshall Tuck. The race took several days to sort out after Tuck held an initial lead in early returns on election night before falling behind thereafter. Thurmond was sworn in Monday by retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco. He was joined on stage by labor rights leader Dolores Huerta and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Thurmonds former colleagues in the state Assembly took turns praising him and promising to be an ally in improving schools. Many said they expected Thurmond would be a strong leader focused on improving student outcomes. We know we are going to work hard to give you the money you need and the budget you need to fully fund education and our schools so we can put our money where our mouth is and make sure our children have everything they need, Assemblywoman Connie Leyva (D-Chino Hills) said. As state superintendent, Thurmond will oversee the education of 6.2 million students at 10,000 schools. Thurmond was a member of the West Contra Costa County School Board and a Richmond city councilman before he was elected to the state Assembly. Tony is the right man at the right time to fight the federal, Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos anti-child, anti-education, anti-civil and -human rights agenda, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said. Tony is going to do that for us. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

State Controller Betty Yee takes oath of office with call for more affordable housing and healthcare State Controller Betty Yee California Controller Betty Yee took the oath of office Monday for a second term, saying she still has work to do addressing problems that include a lack of affordability in housing, healthcare and higher education. A San Francisco native, Yee is the chief financial officer of California  the fifth-largest economy in the world  having first won election to the post in 2014 before winning reelection in November. No region is spared from the widening inequality and increased poverty that plague our state, fueled by the lack of affordable, stable housing, the cost of healthcare and transportation, limited educational opportunities, student loan debt, displacement caused by disasters and more, she said. Yee was administered the oath of office by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento before an overflow crowd that included state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. As a public official it is about governance that delivers results and stays accountable while upholding the underlying value of dignity for all, Yee said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra begins new term promising to fight Trump policies California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Monday took the oath of office for a new term, saying he would continue his role as a leading challenger to Trump administration actions that he believes are counter to the states interests. Becerra, a former 12-term congressman, has become a national opposition figure to Trump, having sued the federal government 45 times since he was appointed as the states first Latino attorney general in 2017. Weve been a little busy stopping the dysfunction and insanity in Washington, D.C., from infecting California, Becerra told an audience during a swearing-in ceremony at the California Museum in Sacramento. Whether its the criminals on our streets or the conman in the boardrooms or highest office of the land, Becerra said, the California Department of Justice, well, weve got your back. Becerra won his first statewide election as the states top cop in November, two years after he filled the post vacated when predecessor Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has peppered the Trump administration with lawsuits challenging federal policies on healthcare, the U.S. census, the environment and immigration. Our state builds dreams, not walls, he said in a direct criticism of Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last week, Becerra led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in announcing an appeal of a federal judge in Texas that ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ACA has been the law for nearly a decade and is the backbone of our healthcare system, Becerra said last week. This case impacts nearly every American  workers covered by employers, families, women, children, young adults and seniors  so we will lead the ACAs defense as long and far as it takes. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California Democratic Party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall announces bid to lead group By Christine Mai-Duc Daraka Larimore-Hall. (Dominic Parisi / Courtesy of Daraka Larimore-Hall) Daraka Larimore-Hall, a top official at the California Democratic Party, said Monday hes running to replace former chairman Eric Bauman, who resigned abruptly in November after being confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct. Larimore-Hall, a longtime state party activist and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County, was one of the party leaders who urged Bauman to resign following the allegations. In an email to supporters announcing his bid, he urged both structural and cultural change at every level of our Party. He also repeated his call for a top-to-bottom investigation of the allegations, the party and its culture. In a Times investigation, 10 party activists and staff members said Bauman made crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching and physical intimidation in professional settings. In order to be where we need to be for 2020, we have to confront the culture of abuse and fear that allowed someone to behave in such a vile way for so long, Larimore-Hall said in an interview. We cant brush it aside or think that our activists or our candidates or our donors are going to forget about this overnight. Larimore-Hall said his first priority would be to fully investigate the allegations and restore rank-and-file confidence in the partys leadership. The second would be to refocus the party on political priorities as the 2020 presidential election nears. The Bauman episode, Larimore-Hall said, threatens to derail the Democrats plans to help defeat President Trump and keep the seven congressional seats gained in the midterm elections. Its definitely a crisis, Larimore-Hall said. But the component parts  the energy, the enthusiasm, the volunteers, the infrastructure  its still there. We just need to direct it toward something. Larimore-Hall was elected vice chairman of the state party in February following Baumans razor-thin victory over Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has announced another bid for the chairmanship and former state Senate leader Kevin de Leon is also mulling a run. The vote will take place at the partys May convention in San Francisco. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom will vow to seize this moment, and swipe at Trump in Monday inaugural address By Melanie Mason Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family attend an Inauguration Family Event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Building on the theme of California exceptionalism that defined his campaign, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will depict the state as a guardian of progressive values and a counterweight to President Trump in his inaugural address Monday, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. What we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country, read the excerpts obtained by The Times. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment. The speech casts Californias political stakes in a decidedly national scope, promising an agenda that will unify and be an example to the rest of the country. It contrasts the governing goals of Newsom, a Democrat, with that of Trump, the incoming governors perennial foil. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House, the excerpts say. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people. Newsom campaigned on an ambitious and wide-ranging platform, promising sweeping solutions on housing, healthcare, education and other issues that rank among Californians top concerns. In the weeks after his election, he struck a more muted tone, taking pains to emphasize his fiscal caution and need for patience in achieving those goals. The inaugural excerpts indicate a return to lofty pledges. While Newsom will vow to prepare for uncertain times ahead by building budgetary reserves and paying down debt, the prepared remarks quickly turn to a vow to be bold. Newsom has already floated several proposals for his first budget that carry significant price tags, including a nearly $2-billion plan to boost early childhood development for low-income families and a dramatic expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to six months. When asked for a preview of his inauguration speech during a news conference Sunday evening, Newsom predicted pundits would criticize his address as short on specifics. Well, of course, Im at an inaugural, Newsom said. But Ill be very detailed in the budget, a few days later. And then we will architect, in much more nuance and detail, in state of the state. I really see this as three opportunities  to communicate over the next few weeks our agenda, our vision for the state. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom-hosted benefit concert raises nearly $5 million for wildfire victims By Taryn Luna Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom speaks at a concert to benefit wildfire victims at the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) On the eve of the gubernatorial inauguration, Californias political class rubbed elbows in Sacramento for a benefit concert hosted by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and headlined by the rapper Pitbull. Newsom told the crowd gathered at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening that the fundraiser brought in nearly $5 million for the California Wildfire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the families of fallen firefighters and communities affected by wildfires. You know, a lot of folks feel anxious about not just politics, but government, Newsom said on stage before introducing the rapper and activist Common. But those firefighters, they are the antidote to the fear and cynicism; they are the manifestation of why government matters and why you should care. Top sponsors, including Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente and other interest groups, paid up to $1 million each to support the cause and curry favor with the new administration. Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, said organizers sold more than 7,000 tickets. Several state lawmakers attended the concert alongside Capitol staff, lobbyists and business types, who mingled on the floor of the arena and offstage in private VIP areas. The rock band X Ambassadors and a duo called the Cold Weather Sons from the town of Paradise, which was destroyed by fire in November, were among several performers who entertained the crowd during the four-hour event. The California Rises concert is the final in a series of festivities held Sunday to celebrate the inauguration of Californias 40th governor. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum and his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Newsoms inauguration is set to begin at 11 a.m. Monday on the steps of the Capitol. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inauguration fever hits Sacramento as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom prepares to take office By Phil Willon Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom holds his son, Dutch, as he and his family attend an inaugural event at the at the state Railroad Museum Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom doesnt officially take the oath of office until Monday, but the parties celebrating his inauguration were in full swing all day Sunday. Newsom and his family were mobbed by well-wishers at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront in the afternoon, where his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families. He just has charisma. Hes able to really connect with people, said Rosielyn Pulmano, an attorney from Elk Grove who came to see Newsom with her husband, two sons and her niece. I think he cares about working Californians and a lot of their issues. Newsom arrived with his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four young children, and the governor-elect spent a good deal of his time wading through crowds, taking selfies with supporters and signing autographs as music boomed in the background. As the family toured the inside of the museums locomotives and the bevy of exhibits, Newsoms two-year-old son, Dutch, was wide-eyed, impressed by all the train cars and seemingly a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Newsom said that for his son, all that was missing from the museum was Thomas the Train, popular fictional locomotive in childrens books and cartoons . If theres one thing I can contribute to Sacramento maybe its getting a Thomas the Train exhibit for the two years olds, Newsom joked when talking with reporters afterward. Newsom said he wanted to include such an event in his inaugural festivities to highlight families and children, whose wellbeing will be among the top priorities of his administration. Youll see that not only as a preamble to the inaugural and the budget that well be submitting next week, but I think itll be a big part of the administration, Newsom said. The museum event followed a private, high-dollar brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum. A steady rain failed to dissuade as many as 200 guests who sipped wine and dined on chicken and salmon while waiting for a photo with Californias new first couple. Seen at the event were representatives of some of the states most powerful political interests, among them organized labor, healthcare companies and tribal gaming interests. A few other high-profile guests attended, too, including Larry Baer, CEO of the San Francisco Giants, and Erika Jayne, a singer and cast member of the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Im excited to see someone like Gavin  young, vibrant  taking over the state and leading us into the future, Jayne said after attending the brunch with her husband, attorney Tom Girardi. Hes got a lot of great plans. Attendees said the event, which was closed to reporters and held under a tent in the museums outdoor atrium, did not include prepared remarks by Newsom. Among those seen leaving the event were representatives of AT&T, the California Medical Assn., Uber, Kaiser Permanente and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. A fundraising invitation obtained by The Times offered bundled tickets to all of the inauguration events, including those on Sunday and the Monday ceremony, ranging in price from $25,000 to $200,000. The money will be collected by a committee specifically organized to pay for Newsoms inaugural weekend. Sundays festivities are scheduled to end with a benefit concert headlined by Pitbull at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBAs Sacramento Kings, to raise money for the victims of Californias recent deadly wildfires. Among the attendees at @GavinNewsoms pre-inaugural leadership brunch: Real Housewife of

Bev Hills @erikajayne. Im excited to see someone like Gavinyoung, vibranttaking over the state and leading us into the future. Hes got a lot of great plans. pic.twitter.com/561NHiy2XQ  Melanie Mason (@melmason) January 6, 2019 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

As Newsom inaugural events begin, he unveils more state budget promises on education and paid family leave Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, seen here last April, will propose new state budget efforts on paid family leave and education subsidies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Californias incoming governor, who must send his first state budget plan to the Legislature this week, has already signaled a significant new focus on programs to help families and children from infancy to college. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform that included a number of child-focused efforts specifically aimed at helping lower-income families. The price tag for the initial efforts is expected to approach $2 billion  a cost paid out of an unrestricted tax revenue windfall that could be one of the largest in state history. Newsom may also seek help for families through new subsidies paid by California employers. The governor-elect is expected to propose a dramatic expansion of paid parental leave  from six weeks to six months  according to an internal document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team, first reported on Sunday by the New York Times. The document doesnt offer a full explanation for how the program will be funded, saying instead that the budget will set a goal of ensuring that all newborns and newly adopted babies can be cared for by a parent or a close family member for the first six months. Employers across the state are currently assessed a payroll tax that helps offer a subsidy to parents who temporarily leave their job to care for a newborn. Newsoms plan, according to the document, would pay for some of the new costs by shrinking the mandated cash reserve of the state fund that administers the program, allowing more of the money to be paid in benefits. The increase in paid leave would not all happen at once but instead be phased in over a multi-year period. A task force to help implement the expanded care plan is also envisioned, according to the document. It would determine whether two parents could split the six months of paid leave and whether an extended family member could be enlisted to help care for the child of a single parent over the six-month period. The incoming administrations focus on young children will also include $1.8 billion in new spending on early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on training childcare workers and pushing for more California schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Those costs, according to an overview memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times, are considered to be a one-time expense while leaving the long-term costs of the effort to be determined later. More community college students would get free tuition under a third initiative expected in the new governors budget plan. Newsom will propose spending $40 million to offer a second year of tuition-free college to California students, according to an outline provided by a transition official, first reported by Politico. Students are already eligible for a single year of paid tuition under a plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in 2017. The incoming governor embraced the idea of free community college during the 2018 campaign as part of a broader focus on additional investments in higher education. Education is an economic development strategy, Newsom said at a higher education forum last spring. We need to significantly increase the investment from the general fund of this state on higher education. Theres no greater higher return on investment. Whether the proposal would be targeted to students based on a familys financial need is unclear. Many low-income students are already eligible for fee waivers at community colleges. The new governor must submit his full state budget plan to lawmakers no later than Thursday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gavin Newsom and his family decide Sacramento is the place to be The Old Governors Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will move his family into the mansion. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family will give up the Marin County life and move to the Victorian-style governors mansion in Sacramento after he takes the oath of office Monday. Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had debated whether or when to relocate to the state capital since his election in November. The couple have four young children and expressed reservations about moving in the middle of a school year. To best serve the people of California while also maximizing family time together, the Newsoms have therefore decided to move to Sacramento, said Newsoms spokesman, Nathan Click. On Monday, they will move into the Governors Mansion  along with their four children, their two family dogs, and their family bunny rabbit  and reside there for the immediate future. The Newsoms currently live in Marin County. Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife, Ann Gust Brown, moved into the grand house in 2015 after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. The mansion was built in 1877 and has been home to 14 governors, but before Brown it had not housed a California governor for nearly half a century. The state bought the mansion from a wealthy Sacramento hardware merchant, Albert Gallatin, in 1903 for $32,500. It was one of the few California homes at that time to have indoor plumbing. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom announces top labor, business liaisons as he prepares to take office Julie Su will be secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday named two advisors on issues related to the California economy, each recognized for their expertise on business and labor. The incoming governor will appoint Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Su, 49, has served as state labor commissioner under Gov. Jerry Brown since 2011 and has led an office tasked with the enforcement of Californias labor laws. She won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2001 and previously worked as a civil rights attorney representing low-wage workers. In her new position, Su will be tasked with coordinating the work of several workforce departments in state government, including those that administer unemployment benefits and oversee the relationship between agriculture workers and employers. Mendonca, 57, has been a longtime advocate for rethinking government operations as co-chairman of the nonprofit organization California Forward. Previously, he was partner at McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm. While he will be a key advisor to Newsom on the states economy, Mendonca will also lead the office often referred to as Go-Biz, designated as a high-level way to encourage job growth and economic development. In his new role, Mendonca will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and growing a sustainable economy for every Californian, said a statement from the Newsom transition team. Newsom will take the oath of office as governor Monday. He has previously selected key advisors on the state budget, legislative affairs and the executive branchs wide array of agencies and departments. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Joshua Groban, aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, sworn in to California Supreme Court By Taryn Luna California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban gives remarks after he is sworn into the court by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. (Taryn Luna) California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban, a lawyer and longtime aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, was sworn into the states highest court Thursday in Sacramento. The ceremony marked Browns fourth appointment to the state Supreme Court and gave the seven-member bench a Democratic majority. We live in a highly chaotic, ever-changing and ever-confusing world, Groban said in prepared remarks at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. But Im happy to report that Im joining an institution whose fundamental purpose, at core, is to provide stability and consistency amidst this chaotic place we live. I look forward to doing that with a sense of reflection, respect, fidelity to the law and compassion. None of Browns appointees, Groban included, have judicial experience. Groban served as legal counsel to Browns 2010 gubernatorial campaign and joined the administration as a senior advisor to the governor, overseeing the appointments of some 600 judges over the last eight years. Prior to working with Brown, Groban, 45, practiced law for more than a decade. In perhaps his final public appearance before his successor, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, takes office next week, Brown pushed back on notions that he stacked the court. I dont want this to be known as a Brown court, the governor said before administering the judicial oath of office. First of all, the so-called Brown appointments do not agree with themselves and nor should they. They are individuals. They will differ. Its not anybodys court. The governor called the court a high calling and said Groban possesses the values for the job. Probably, next to my wife, Ive talked to no person as much as Ive talked to Josh Groban, Brown said. I think youve talked to him more, Californias First Lady Anne Gust Brown interjected. I cant tell you what the hell hes going to do, Brown later quipped. I warned him, dont screw up, at least not at first. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California campaign watchdog agency seeks law barring use of campaign funds to fight harassment claims Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). ( (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)) Elected officials accused of harassment or discrimination would be barred from using political contributions to cover their legal defense costs under legislation proposed by Californias campaign watchdog agency. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has agreed to pursue a law change to clear up confusion after an attorney for one former state lawmaker argued political funds could be used in such legal defenses. Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said putting a prohibition into the law would provide some much needed clarity. As chair, I would like to show the public their lawmakers are held to a standard that is above reproach, Germond said in a statement. People dont give money to campaigns for lawmakers to use it to defend their own bad behavior, so lawmakers shouldnt be able to use it in that manner. The issue came up a year ago when an attorney for former Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) sought a formal opinion from the FPPC after the Senate launched an investigation that later concluded Mendoza likely engaged in a pattern of harassment against female aides. Mendoza resigned in February under threat of expulsion by the Senate. In a Jan. 10, 2018, letter, Cassandra Ferrannini, an attorney for Mendoza, wrote to the FPPC that she believed Mendoza should be allowed to establish a legal defense fund able to defray his legal expenses in defending himself against the allegations. The use of campaign funds for attorneys fees under these circumstances would fall squarely within the scope of legislative matters, since it involves the alleged conduct of a legislator with regard to legislative staff that he supervised, Ferrannini wrote. The commission staff originally issued an advice letter that said Mendoza may use campaign and legal defense funds to defend himself from claims of sexual harassment that arose directly out of his activities or status as a candidate or elected officer. But the panel later rescinded the letter after some members questioned using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims. That left uncertainty about what was allowed, which Germond said could be cleared up by a new law. The FPPC is still looking for a legislator to carry the bill, a spokesman said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias landmark police transparency law takes effect after court denies police union effort to block it California Supreme Court building (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) A new state law allowing the public disclosure of internal police shooting investigations has gone into effect after the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a bid by a police union to block it. The law opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. challenged the law last month, asking state Supreme Court justices to decide that the law only apply to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. The court rejected that request Wednesday, allowing members of the public to seek all applicable records held by police departments. Union president Grant Ward said in a statement that his organization was disappointed with the decision and is now seeking other legal options. We feel this is a statewide issue and should be considered accordingly, Ward said. Last month, the city of Inglewood authorized the destruction of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other records in advance of Jan. 1, when the disclosure law was scheduled to take effect. California law requires police departments to keep such records for five years, and Inglewood City Council voted to destroy records older than that. Mayor James T. Butts has said the decision had nothing to do with the new law. In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore has said that complying with the new disclosure rules could take hundreds of thousands of hours of work. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of the transparency law, has said she has no immediate plans to propose changes to it. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Few complaints of racial profiling are sustained by police agencies in California, state panel finds CHP Officer J. Nelson stands outside the office of Gov. Jerry Brown as activists in 2015 support requiring the tracking of police stops. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Law enforcement agencies in California sustain few citizen complaints of racial or identity profiling, according to a report Wednesday by a state panel set up to help reduce bias in policing. The states Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board recommended in its annual report that law enforcement agencies improve training and adopt clear guidelines for tracking and reporting data on who is stopped by officers. The panel said that 453 law enforcement agencies in the state received 9,459 civilian complaints in 2017, including 865 complaints alleging racial or identity profiling. Of the racial and identity complaints that reached a disposition that year, 1.5% were sustained, 14.6% resulted in officers being exonerated and 83.9% of complaints were not sustained or were determined to be unfounded, the report said. A clearer picture of the issue is expected from a 2015 law that requires police agencies to report demographic data on all detentions and searches. The first reports by the eight largest agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, are due to be submitted in April. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office oversees the board, said tracking of all detentions and searches will be helpful to understand the scope of the issue. The Boards recommendations will help make our law enforcement agencies more transparent and promote critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust, Becerra said in a statement Wednesday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California housing crisis podcast: What Minneapolis decision to end single-family zoning might mean for California A view of downtown Minneapolis in 2014 (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) Theres a national movement brewing to roll back zoning rules in cities that only allow one house on a plot of land. The epicenter of that movement is Minneapolis, which passed a plan last month to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and let landowners build duplexes and triplexes on residential property. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about the reasons why Minneapolis leaders took this action, including their desire to combat a history of racial exclusion and spur more housing density to fight climate change. We also debate how Minneapolis decision might affect housing politics in California. Our guest is Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, who helped shepherd the new zoning rules to passage and a former San Francisco city planner. The episode also crowns 2018s Avocado of the Year  the most ridiculous story exemplifying Californias housing woes  and includes our predictions for the most under-the-radar important themes in housing politics in 2019. Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

How young immigrant Dreamers made flipping control of the House a personal quest By Jazmine Ulloa Gabriela Cruz, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when she was 1, couldnt vote, but in the final hours before the Nov. 6 election, she was making one last run to get people to the polls. The sun was setting in Modesto when she found Ronald Silva, 41, smoking a cigarette on a tattered old couch behind a group home. He politely tried to wave her off until she reminded him he had a right that she as an immigrant without citizenship didnt have. It could really make a change for us, said Cruz, 29. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose almost $2 billion for early childhood programs (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Seeking to frame his new administration as one with a firm focus on closing the gap between children from affluent and poor families, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose spending some $1.8 billion on an array of programs designed to boost Californias enrollment in early education and child-care programs. Newsoms plan, which he hinted at in a Fresno event last month, will be a key element in the state budget proposal he will submit to the Legislature shortly after taking office Monday, a source close to the governor-elects transition team said. The spending would boost programs designed to ensure children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, closing what some researchers have called the readiness gap that exists based on a familys income. It would also phase in an expansion of prekindergarten and offer money to help school districts that dont have facilities for full-day kindergarten. The fact that hes making significant investments with his opening budget is really exciting, Ted Lempert, president of the Bay Area-based nonprofit Children Now, said Tuesday. Whats exciting is the comprehensiveness of it, because its saying were going to focus on prenatal through age 5. A broad overview document reviewed by The Times on Tuesday shows that most of the outlay under the plan  $1.5 billion  would be a one-time expense in the budget year that begins July 1. Those dollars would be a single infusion of cash, an approach favored by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent years. Most of the money would be spent on efforts to expand child-care services and kindergarten classes. By law, a governor must submit a full budget to the Legislature no later than Jan. 10. Lawmakers will spend the winter and spring reviewing the proposal and must send a final budget plan to Newsom by June 15. Though legislative Democrats have pushed for additional early childhood funding in recent years  a key demand of the Legislative Womens Caucus  those actions have typically come late in the budget-writing season in Sacramento. Quite frankly, to start out with a January proposal that includes that investment in Californias children reflects a new day, state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said. The governor-elect will propose a $750-million boost to kindergarten funding, aimed at expanding facilities to allow full-day programs. A number of school districts offer only partial-day programs, leaving many low-income families to skip enrolling their children because kindergarten classes end in the middle of the workday. Because the money would not count toward meeting Californias three-decades-old education spending guarantee under Proposition 98, which sets a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges, it will not reduce planned spending on other education services. Close behind in total cost is a budget proposal by Newsom to help train child-care workers and expand local facilities already subsidized by the state, as well as those serving parents who attend state colleges and universities. Together, those efforts could cost $747 million, according to the budget overview document. An expansion of prekindergarten programs would be phased in over three years at a cost of $125 million in the first year. The multiyear rollout would, according to the budget overview, ensure the system can plan for the increase in capacity. Lempert said the Newsom proposal is notable for trying to avoid the kinds of battles that in recent years pitted prekindergarten and expanded child care against each other for additional taxpayer dollars. The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, he said. Another $200 million of the proposal would be earmarked for programs that provide home visits to expectant parents from limited-income families and programs that provide healthcare screenings for young children. Some of the money would come from the states Medi-Cal program, and other money from federal matching dollars. Funding for the home visits program was provided in the budget Brown signed last summer; the Newsom effort would build on that. Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsoms political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of healthcare coverage in California  especially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on healthcare is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elects early tenure. Newsom is likely to face considerable demands for other additional spending. In November, the Legislatures independent analysts projected that continued strength in tax revenues could produce a cash reserve of some $29 billion over the next 18 months. Almost $15 billion of that could be in unrestricted reserves, the kind that can be spent on any number of government programs. Kim Belshe, executive director of the child advocacy organization First 5 LA and a former state health and human services secretary, said the initial Newsom budget proposal suggests the next governor will focus on a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for children from low-income families. School-ready kids deserve quality early learning, strong and well-supported families, and access to early screening services, Belshe said. Newsom understands the whole child, multifaceted needs of our kids and is clearly ready to lead. Mitchell, the chair of the Senate budget committee, said shes eager to see the details of the governor-elects proposal to determine whether it might signal the beginning of an even broader expansion of early education efforts. Similar efforts have been hindered by a lack of money and ongoing debate over which services to help children 5 and younger need state funding the most. Universal preschool, in particular, has been debated for more than a decade. California voters rejected a ballot measure to fund a full prekindergarten system in 2006. Its clear theres a new movement afoot trying to engage on investment for universal preschool, Mitchell said. How we invest, and how we prioritize that investment, is going to be a great conversation for the coming months. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Politics Podcast: A final conversation with Gov. Jerry Brown No Californian has served longer as governor, signed more laws, granted clemency to more felons or waged more high-profile campaigns than Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will leave behind a unique legacy when he packs his last belongings for the trip from the governors mansion in Sacramento to his Northern California ranch. His final two terms in office could be his most consequential. The governor reviewed some of the more notable moments from the past eight years in a far-reaching interview with The Times on Dec. 22. This weeks podcast episode includes extended portions of that conversation. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

A sagging economy could doom a 2020 ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown says Gov. Jerry Brown, at his Colusa County home on Saturday, said a ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes could struggle in 2020. (Randall Benton/For The Times) An effort to remove commercial property in California from the tax limits imposed by the landmark Proposition 13 could be felled by an economic slowdown, Gov. Jerry Brown said. In a Saturday interview with The Times at his Northern California ranch, Brown said liberal activist groups that have successfully placed the proposal on the November 2020 statewide ballot shouldnt read too much into early poll numbers showing support for the plan. That isnt as easy as you think, Brown said. Because youre going to be in a downturn of the business cycle. And youre talking many kinds of business. And the cost of doing business in California is already high. The ballot measure would allow counties to more frequently assess the market value of commercial property in California than allowed under Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to place strict limits on assessing property values and taxation for both homeowners and businesses. An analysis of the new measure, which qualified in October for the 2020 ballot, estimates it could bring in some $10.5 billion a year in new tax revenue. The business community will fight it, Brown said. And the minimum wage, the family leave, the environmental rules  business[es] have left California, thats going to be the big argument. And I think thats something you really have to think a lot about. The governor, who leaves office early next month due to term limits, declined to either endorse or oppose the ballot measure. He said Californias economic health in two years time could be a key factor in how voters weigh the proposal. Well be in a recession by then, Brown said. So its anybodys guess. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inglewood to destroy more than 100 police shooting records that could otherwise become public under new California law By Jack Dolan Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) The city of Inglewood has authorized the shredding of more than 100 police shooting and other internal investigation records weeks before a new state law could allow the public to access them for the first time. The decision, made at a City Council meeting earlier this month, has troubled civil liberties advocates who were behind the state legislation, Senate Bill 1421, which takes effect Jan. 1. The law opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The legislature passed SB 1421 because communities demanded an end to the secrecy cloaking police misconduct and use of force, Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in a statement. Inglewood PDs decision to purge records undermines police accountability and transparency against the will of Californians. California law says police departments must retain records of officer shootings and internal misconduct investigations for five years. The city of Inglewood, however, had kept records longer than that, including case files of police shootings dating to 1991. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of SB 1421, intended for her bill to allow public access to all qualifying records held by a department, no matter the date of the incident. Inglewood City Council approved the destruction of records that have been in the police departments possession  more than 100 cases  longer than required by law. The city staff report and council resolution describing the action makes no mention of the new police transparency law. Instead it says the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the police department. It added the traditional method of destroying such records is to shred them. It is unclear whether the records have since been destroyed. A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department along with Inglewoods city manager, attorney, clerk, four council members and Mayor James T. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, did not respond to requests for comment. Inglewoods City Hall is closed the last two weeks of December. The Inglewood Police Department has a reputation for secrecy and using excessive force. In 2008, the departments officers fatally shot four men in as many months, three of whom turned out to be unarmed. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe and found significant flaws in the way the department oversaw use-of-force cases and investigated complaints against officers. Civil rights advocates still question why Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car in 2016, killing them both. California police have a long history of shredding records to avoid scrutiny of their actions. In the 1970s, the LAPD famously destroyed more than four tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them as part of criminal cases against their clients. The move resulted in the dismissal of more than a hundred criminal complaints. In response, the Legislature demanded that records be preserved but then took other measures, supported by police unions, to ensure the public had very little access to them, making California the most secretive state in the nation when it comes to police misconduct. Skinners legislation begins to unwind those laws, which have been on the books since 1978. No video or audio of the Dec. 11 council action is available on the citys website and neither are meeting minutes or any record of the decision. A city spokeswoman, Courtney Torres, confirmed that the council had voted in favor of the police records purge, and said all the relevant reasons for the decision were included in the city staff report. The Jan. 1 implementation for SB 1421 has prompted other police officials to act. A police union in San Bernardino is asking the state Supreme Court to determine that Skinners bill only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner earlier this month warning that complying with the law in regard to older records in the departments possession could take hundreds of thousands of work hours. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Federal officials question California DMVs process for issuing Real IDs (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its process for providing residents with federally recognized identification cards is not adequate. DMV spokesman Armando Botello said Friday that 2.3 million residents who received Real IDs under the current process will have to submit additional documentation when their cards are renewed in five years but will be able to use them in the meantime. The DMV is developing a way for residents to submit more documentation online or via email to comply with the stricter federal requirement, he said. But some state legislators are upset about delays in notifying them of the problem and say Homeland Security could eventually require additional documentation provided by current holders. The DMV has known for a month that millions of Real IDs theyve been dolling out are potentially invalid, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said. The DMVs only hope is that the Department of Homeland Security takes pity on California and gives the DMV more time to fix this mess. Real IDs are a new kind of driver license and identification card that federal law will require legal residents to present when boarding domestic flights or visiting military bases and other federal facilities starting Oct. 1, 2020. The DMV has only been requiring one form of documentation, including a current lease or utility bill, to verify the residence of a card applicant. But the federal government said in a Nov. 21 letter to the agency that two such documents are needed. On Friday, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto released a letter defending the current process but said her agency will start requiring a second document to prove residency in April. In order to minimize confusion among our customers, the CADMV will work to inform individuals who have been issued a Real ID under the current process that their card will be accepted for official federal purposes, even if their renewal occurs after the October 1, 2020, final enforcement date for Real ID, Shiomoto wrote to the federal agency. Legislative officials worry there is still a possibility that those issued Real IDs in the past might be required to present a second document to have their cards designated as compliant. The more complex process for obtaining Real IDs has led to hours-long waits for customers at DMV field offices this year, although wait times have been reduced recently by an increase in staffing. Shiomoto last month announced that she is retiring amid problems with the motor voter registration system and after the governor ordered an audit of her agency in response to the long wait times. On Friday, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido blasted the DMV for waiting a month to tell legislators of the problem. This is unacceptable and flies in the face of security for our citizens, which is what Real ID was created for in the first place, she said in a statement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom taps Keely Bosler to be his finance director Keely Bosler, the director of the California Department of Finance, will continue in that role under Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (California Department of Finance) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed Keely Martin Bosler as director of the California Department of Finance, continuing the role she has served under Gov. Jerry Brown since August. Bosler will become Newsoms chief fiscal advisor, and will play a pivotal role in shaping Newsoms spending plan for the state that will lay the foundation for his top policy priorities. Newsom must roll out his first budget plan within days of taking office on Jan. 7. Californias brighter future depends on a strong, stable fiscal foundation, Newsom said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Keely is an accomplished public servant of sound fiscal judgment. She understands that state budgets are more than numbers on a page  they are value statements affecting the fate and future of millions of families reaching for the California Dream. We are fortunate to have her on our team. Prior to being appointed finance director, Bosler served as Browns cabinet secretary for two years and, before that, as the chief deputy director for budget in the Finance Department for three years. Earlier this year, Brown picked Bosler to lead an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which had come under fire for long wait times at DMV field offices and numerous computer problems, including errors in the new motor voter program that registered Californians to vote. As we have discussed, long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles do not reflect the high standards of service that Californians expect from their state government, Bosler wrote in a letter in September to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. The audit is still ongoing, but Shiomoto has since announced she will retire at the end of the year. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias legislative analyst, after decades of nonpartisan research for lawmakers, calls it a career Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who has led the state research unit since 2008, will retire on Dec. 31. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Only five people have led the independent research office of the California Legislature since its creation in 1941. And each of them has had a pretty simple mantra to live by in reviewing public policy proposals and government programs: Call it like you see it. The job of any analyst, to me, is you maintain that nonpartisanship, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. Taylor, 65, will retire from the post at the end of December after a four-decade career with the research team that began, as he likes to tell it, just after the passage of the landmark property tax rollback, Proposition 13, in 1978. He became the leader of the office, with the title of legislative analyst, in October 2008. Two months later, state government found itself in arguably the worst fiscal crisis in its history  a projected shortfall that ultimately grew to $42 billion by the following winter. There were forces beyond our control, Taylor said of that time. But dont underestimate the policy changes that were made afterward. Those changes, most notably a boost in taxes paid by high-income earners and a robust state budget cash reserve fund, have helped lead to successive years of fully funded government services. The state is projected to have some $24 billion in reserves by the end of the current fiscal year. Taylor announced his intention earlier to step down this year. Leaders from both houses of the Legislature select the analyst, who leads a staff of almost five dozen researchers. The office provides in-depth reports on pending legislation, as well as on broader policy topics like education and healthcare, and produces an independent analysis for every proposed ballot measure. A succession of lawmakers and governors alike have praised or panned the work of the Legislative Analysts Office based on their own political worldview. Taylor said his staff is mindful that they work for legislators, but try to ignore the rhetoric that follows the release of a major report. People are going to do what theyre going to do with our information, he said. They dont always like it, but they appreciate that we give them our best advice. Taylor oversaw a transformation in the way the Legislative Analysts Office distributes its information, embracing the release of research reports through social media instead of relying on traditional printed copies and journalist roundtable events. But he said the work of the researchers has remained largely unchanged through the decades. Having an independent take on things, I think, is good for the Legislature, he said. No replacement for Taylor has been announced, which means a short transition for his eventual successor before Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom sends his first budget proposal to lawmakers in early January. Taylor, who lives in the Sacramento suburbs, said he will honor the tradition of his predecessors in stepping away from public policy debates in order to give the new analyst space to lead the team as he or she sees fit. He said he hopes to travel in the coming years and spend time with his children who have moved to the East Coast. Forty years in state government, Taylor said in why he was stepping aside now. Isnt that enough? Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown sues to save California sentencing laws By Don Thompson, Associated Press (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown sued Thursday to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs. His administration filed a lawsuit challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the last decade. Browns lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court contends the measure lacked enough valid signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment. County officials and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the signatures in July but said they were submitted too late to qualify for last months election. The lawsuit names Padilla and the ballot measures official proponent, Nina Salarno Besselman, president of the advocacy group Crime Victims United. Padilla said the measure exceeded the required roughly 366,000 valid signatures, equal to 5% of votes cast for governor in 2014. Browns lawsuit says he used the wrong threshold. It says changing the state Constitution requires 8%, or more than 585,400 signatures. That makes the pending initiative more than 150,000 signatures short, the lawsuit says. Hes wrong, said Jeff Flint, a spokesman for the campaign backing the measure. He predicted a judge will be reluctant to reject a measure that already has qualified for the ballot. The secretary of state told us how many signatures are required, and thats how many we collected, Flint said. Padillas office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure would reverse reforms adopted by voters through Proposition 47 in 2014 and Proposition 57 in 2016. Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, and Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The combination has helped keep Californias inmate population below a population cap set by federal judges. Corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the measure gives corrections and parole officials broad discretion to protect our communities and fashion a rational system of rehabilitation and punishment. This new initiative unlawfully seeks to supplant the departments constitutional authority to implement these critical reforms to our criminal justice system. The pending initiative would shorten the list of crimes that qualify for earlier parole and change some theft crimes from misdemeanors back to felonies. It would also increase the number of crimes for which DNA is collected, a list that was limited when some crimes went from felonies to misdemeanors. Those supporting the tougher penalties say easing criminal penalties has increased the number of dangerous criminals on the streets, but those backing the changes say they have helped reduce mass incarceration and rehabilitate convicted criminals. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Supreme Court orders records unsealed in pardon of ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright Former state Sen. Roderick Wright (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The California Supreme Court has granted a request to unseal court records involving Gov. Jerry Browns decision last month to pardon former state Sen. Roderick Wright for felony convictions involving lying about living in his legislative district, officials said Thursday. The court order was in response to a request by the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition, which argued that the public has a right to know what information went into the governors decision to grant clemency to Wright. This is an important victory for public access to court files involving the exercise of executive clemency, said coalition spokesman Glen A. Smith. We are gratified the court has recognized that these decisions should be subject to the same public access rules that apply to other judicial records under California law. The court gave Browns office until Jan. 2 to redact confidential material before giving the court documents that can be released to the public. The court files submitted by the governors office include letters of support for a pardon and an internal review of Wrights case. The court denied a motion to unseal the records of all clemency cases but left open consideration of requests on other individual cases. Browns office is currently evaluating the courts decision, said spokesman Brian Ferguson. The governor argued against unsealing records in a recent court filing that said confidentiality is consistent with historical practice and is supported by state law. In pardoning Wright on Nov. 22, the governor wrote: He has shown that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California political watchdog agency fines BART, urges prosecution over using public funds for campaign A Bay Area Rapid Transit train leaves the station in Oakland in this 2013 file photo. (Ben Margot / AP) Californias state political watchdog agency on Thursday imposed a $7,500 fine against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and called for a possible criminal or civil prosecution over allegations the district used public resources to campaign for a 2016 bond measure. The state Fair Political Practices Commission levied an administrative fine against BART for its failure to disclose spending on YouTube videos, social media posts and text messages to promote Measure RR, which authorized $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds. Though the panel lacks authority to seek criminal charges over the misuse of public funds, it also urged county district attorneys in the BART service area and the state attorney general to pursue possible criminal or civil charges over the spending of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes, Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said. It is the concept of misusing public funds that I think we all here are very disturbed about, and we want to send a warning and not create a precedent that is a minor, little slap on the wrist, Germond said, adding that the referral to criminal prosecutors would further send a message that this is wrong. Commissioner Brian Hatch also called for the state Legislature to consider granting the FPPC power to go after public agencies that spend taxpayer money on campaigns. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) called on the agency to increase the fine to the maximum level of $33,375. The proposed $7,500 fine represents a slap on the wrist for a very serious violation of the law and the publics trust, Glazer said in a letter to the panel. In supporting the fine recommended by the staff, Germond said BART has agreed to pay the penalty. Somebody did something wrong and they have admitted it, she said. A staff report said there were factors in favor of a fine below the maximum. Although the Commission considers BARTs violations to be serious, the absence of any evidence of an intention to conceal, deceive, or mislead; the voluntary filing of the delinquent campaign statement; and the absence of a prior record are mitigating, the report said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police union seeks state Supreme Court review of new law disclosing internal investigation records Los Angeles Police Department officers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A police union is asking the California Supreme Court to block the release of internal officer investigations before a new state law takes effect next year. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. filed a petition Tuesday asking justices to rule that only investigations of incidents that occur after Jan. 1 would be available under the law  and not those the department has on file from years prior. The litigation comes after this years passage of Senate Bill 1421, which opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has told the union it intends to make available in response to public records requests all the information it has. The union is very concerned about any plans to retroactively apply Senate Bill 1421, Grant Ward, the unions president, said in a statement. We believe retroactive application violates our members rights and we hope the California Supreme Court will consider the serious issues raised by our legal challenge. The bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), does not agree with the unions interpretation. She has said her legislation should apply to all the records in a police departments possession because the law simply declared that affected records were no longer confidential. If the record exists, its disclosable, Skinner said. A decision on what records will be available under the law is key to how far-reaching it will be. If the court restricts access to incidents that occurred prior to 2019, those cases will not be subject to public scrutiny. The police union in San Bernardino County is not the only one raising concerns about the law. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner expressing concern that his agency would be overwhelmed if the law required the department to disclose older incidents. Even if the law only applied to the previous five years, Moore wrote, it could take nearly 300,000 hours of work to comply with its provisions. The LAPD operates with a guiding principle of Reverence for the Law; as such, we will diligently comply with SB 1421, Moore wrote. We maintain, however, that a retroactive implementation of SB 1421 will be exceptionally burdensome and would require significant reallocation of front-line investigative personnel. Skinner said if complying with the law becomes untenable for law enforcement agencies that maintain records for a long time, she would consider modifications. But she said agencies did not raise this concern during discussion over the bill. SB 1421 went through multiple committee hearings, multiple floor debates, extensive opportunity for all parties to weigh in on concerns with its structure, she said. That was not an issue that was raised by law enforcement at the time. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Brown warns of backlash for Republicans in 2020 if Obamacare repeal is upheld Gov. Jerry Brown at the National Press Club in April. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown warned Republicans on Tuesday that repeal of the Affordable Care Act would devastate the partys political chances in the 2020 election. Brown, speaking at a Sacramento Press Club event moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton and Brown family historian Miriam Pawel, said a federal judges ruling last week to strike down the 2010 law  if upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court  will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only take over the Senate, theyll win the presidency and will win with the kind of momentum, particularly on the issue of healthcare, that [the law] will be replaced probably with something even better. The governor, who leaves office in less than three weeks, said he did not believe the ruling by a Texas judge would ultimately prevail. I think the decision will probably be overturned, Brown said. Few states have embraced the law championed by former President Obama more than California, both through its healthcare exchange, Covered California, and by expanding access to government-funded services under Medi-Cal. Some 12 million Californians now receive healthcare through Medi-Cal, and Brown said a final ruling affecting the federal dollars that subsidize that care would be a serious blow. California would not be able to afford it without the subsidy, the governor said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks (acuna-hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses, and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bars in Los Angeles and San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks. (Acuna-Hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias DMV director announces retirement amid problems with motor voter program (Kent Nishamura/Los Angeles Times) The director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles will retire at years end with a number of questions unanswered about the implementation of a major voter registration system and long wait times experienced by customers for much of the past summer. Jean Shiomoto will not continue in her current role as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom takes office, and announced to staff several weeks ago her intent to retire at the end of the year after 38 years in state service, spokesman Armando Botello said in an email to The Times on Friday. Newsoms transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who might lead the department in 2019. Shiomoto was appointed DMV director by Gov. Jerry Brown in the fall of 2013, having served in prior leadership roles with the department. DMV officials have been sharply criticized by lawmakers in recent months for delays in serving customers at its field offices across the state. Last week, DMV officials revealed errors in registering California voters for the November election  mistakes that followed a series of problems in the rollout of the states new motor voter registration system. Secretary of State Alex Padilla last week said he had lost confidence in Shiomotos leadership as a result of the voting registration problems. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New law could break the stalemate over housing on the site of a near-vacant Cupertino mall By Liam Dillon For more than a decade, developers have tried to build new housing on the site of an all-but-empty mall in Cupertino, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to Apple headquarters. A well-organized group of neighbors, upset about traffic, building heights and the potential loss of the communitys suburban lifestyle, turned away every plan. Now, for the first time, the stalemate might be broken  thanks to a decision made in the state Capitol. In an effort to address Californias housing affordability problem, legislators passed a law last year that requires cities and counties to approve housing projects if they comply with local zoning rules and other standards, forcing some resistant communities to agree to new homebuilding. In September, the city of Cupertino, citing the state law, approved developer Sand Hill Property Co.s proposal to build an office park and more than 2,400 homes where the Vallco Shopping Mall sits. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Local government was a last bastion for struggling California Republicans. Not anymore By Mark Z. Barabak Theres no shortage of watery metaphors to describe the disaster that befell California Republicans this midterm election. A blue wave. A Democratic tsunami. But the most apt may be a flood, with the casualties steadily rising as the vote count climbed in the days and weeks following Nov. 6. Eventually half the GOP congressional delegation was washed away, along with the entire slate of statewide Republican candidates. In Sacramento, Democrats claimed 29 of 40 state Senate seats and seized three-quarters of the 80-member Assembly  the largest number since 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was serving in the White House. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

For the Republicans left in Californias Legislature, fewer lawmakers will have to do more work By John Myers From January to late summer every year, the California Legislature is a perpetual motion machine. And in the new year, the people most likely to struggle in keeping up will be Republicans, vastly outnumbered but still responsible for representing millions of the states residents. There are 22 standing committees in the state Senate, plus at least a dozen more subcommittees or special committees. And after Novembers election, only 11 Republican senators will be left to divvy up the work. To the victors go the spoils. To the vanquished go the extra assignments. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Californias DMV failed to finish registering 329 new voters before November election (Los Angeles Times) Officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday that the agency failed to send information for 329 new voters to state elections officers in time for the November election, the latest revelation in a string of mishaps regarding voter registration. Secretary of State Alex Padilla responded with a blistering letter, calling on Gov. Jerry Brown or Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to replace Jean Shiomoto, the DMV director. The Director of DMV has lost my confidence and trust, Padilla wrote. In all, the agency revealed that 589 mailed voter registration records that should have been processed under election deadlines werent sent to Californias secretary of state until late November, including forms from 260 drivers who had intended to update their address on existing voter registration records. The DMV had been instructed to not send registration forms that came in after Oct. 22, but the voters in question had forms that were postmarked before the deadline. In some cases, when the postmark wasnt legible, the agency said, documents inside indicated the voter had intended to finish their registration in time for the Nov. 6 election. The DMV recognizes the pause in transmittals was an error and affected the timing of the registration of the 589 individuals referenced above relative to the November election, Shiomoto wrote in a letter to Padilla on Friday. The pause was due to a misunderstanding on the part of the department, for which we take responsibility. Those who were trying to update their address for voter registration would not have been blocked from casting ballots. But officials said its unclear whether any of the 329 new voters were able to participate in the election. Shiomoto said in her letter that DMV will work with elections officials. The errors were not related to previous DMV mistakes about registering voters, problems associated with the rollout of the states new motor voter law. In those cases, multiple registration forms were sent to local elections offices for some voters, some people were assigned the wrong political party preference and others who are noncitizens were incorrectly placed on the list of registered voters. DMV officials have yet to respond to questions posed by The Times over the last several weeks about who knew of those mistakes and when. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom appoints a labor advocate and a former staffer as his chief deputy Cabinet secretaries By Taryn Luna A labor advocate and a San Francisco political operative have accepted positions in Gov.-elect Gavin Newsoms new administration. Angie Wei, a Capitol insider with deep ties to organized labor in California, will serve as a chief deputy Cabinet secretary with a focus on policy development. As a legislative director and chief of staff at the California Labor Federation, Wei has represented more than 1,200 unions and 2.1 million workers in Capitol fights over a host of policy issues, including drug-pricing transparency and paid family leave. The governor-elect also tapped Jason Elliott, a policy advisor to Newsom during his time as mayor of San Francisco and a chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as another chief deputy Cabinet secretary overseeing executive branch operations. Elliott and Wei will serve under Ana Matosantos, Newsoms previouslyIn the 1970s, Los Angeles police officers were furious that past complaints against them increasingly were making their way into court cases.

So LAPD officials did something radical: They took more than four tons of personnel records dating to the 1940s and shredded them.

That decision resulted in the dismissal of more than 100 criminal cases involving officers accused of wrongdoing whose records had been purged, sparking public outrage.

The Legislature responded by passing a law that ensured officer discipline records would be preserved  but also made it nearly impossible for anyone to learn about them. The action, driven by police unions, began a decades-long process that has made California the strictest state in the nation when it comes to protecting police confidentiality.

Advertisement

That could change in the next few weeks, with lawmakers in Sacramento considering a landmark effort to increase disclosure.

Repeated efforts to open access to misconduct records have run into aggressive opposition from the unions, one of the most powerful political forces in the Capitol and city halls around the state. Lawmakers who championed transparency faced threats of union opposition at election time.

Police unions repeatedly have argued that Californias confidentiality rules protect officer safety and privacy  and prevent cops names from being dragged through the mud.

But this year, a group of California legislators is confronting police unions in ways once unthinkable. They argue the organizations are out of touch with public sentiment over how officers use force and interact with communities of color. The shift comes amid the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform movements.

Its hard to build trust  when police keep secret how they respond to killing members of the public and hide serious misconduct, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of California.

The latest proposal to make some misconduct records public faces a key decision in the Legislature this week. While passage is far from assured, some union leaders privately are conceding that a measure of disclosure might be inevitable.

Robert Harris, a director for the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, said high-profile videos capturing police using force  and the protests that followed  have put his side on the defensive.

Were kind of at the table trying to work with them, not because of the validity of their arguments but because were watching this movement create some hostility in our communities, Harris said. The profession of law enforcement is under siege.

(Los Angeles Times)

No other state has locked away citizen complaints and internal investigation files like California.

Records of misconduct that results in suspensions and other significant discipline are public in 21 states. Only California, Delaware and New York have specially enshrined confidentiality laws that single out police disciplinary files. California is alone in denying prosecutors direct access to the records.

A Times investigation found that past misconduct, whether alleged or proven, routinely is kept hidden in court as a result of Californias police privacy laws.

The road to secrecy began in 1974, when the California Supreme Court ruled that defendants had a right to know about complaints that had been lodged against officers testifying in their cases. Defense attorneys started asking for information that might cast doubt on officers testimony.

It was during the barrage of requests that the LAPD destroyed complaints dating to 1949 that hadnt resulted in a finding of wrongdoing. The leader of the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, or PORAC  the states largest law enforcement labor organization  complained that criminal defendants could now embark on fishing expeditions into peace officers personnel files.

First-term Gov. Jerry Brown, left, appears with California Atty. Gen. Evelle Younger on NBCs Meet The Press in 1978. Younger was the principal backer of the police confidentiality bill that Brown signed into law the same year. (Associated Press)

In 1978, state Atty. Gen. Evelle Younger sponsored the legislation that required departments to keep misconduct records but also expressly blocked public access and made it much more difficult to view them in criminal court.

Under the bill, defendants would have to persuade a judge to examine an officers confidential file, in private, and decide if there was relevant information to disclose.

The Legislature passed the measure unanimously, sending it to Gov. Jerry Brown, then in his first term, who signed it.

Later that year, after Brown won reelection, his chief of staff credited law enforcement as one of most significant endorsements that led to his victory.

After the law took effect, a slice of police misconduct records remained available to the public.

In Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and other major cities, civil service commissions or police review boards considered officer discipline issues in open hearings. In 2006, the California Supreme Court ruled that the confidentiality law also applied to those hearings.

As a state senator, Gloria Romero repeatedly tried to pass legislation to loosen restrictions on police disciplinary records but was stymied by police unions. Its a pack. Like wolves coming at you, she said. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

That prompted Sen. Gloria Romero, a Democrat from Los Angeles, to introduce a bill to reopen disciplinary hearings and make some police records directly available to the public.

Law enforcement unions fiercely opposed what they described in letters to lawmakers as an attempt to undermine their sacred right to privacy.

John Stites, a union leader from Southern California, warned in an email to a lobbyist that if the bill passed, police would try to defeat a ballot measure seeking to extend the time some legislators could remain in office.

There is no compromise on this. Ensure it be understood that this will only be the beginning, Stites wrote in the message, which quickly made its way to lawmakers.

At a hearing for Romeros bill in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, law enforcement officials filed into the committee rooms front rows  seats typically reserved for legislators and their staffs. So many police officers and lobbyists stood to express their opposition that the line extended out the door.

Ron Cottingham, then head of the law enforcement union PORAC, told the committee that Romeros proposal was one of the most insidious and dangerous bills weve seen come along in many years and maybe decades in Sacramento.

The bill died without a vote.

The following year, Romero tried and failed again.

She said in a recent interview that the experience showed her why police unions are so feared in the Capitol.

Its a pack. Like wolves coming at you, Romero said. Other [legislators] see it, and youre basically like meat thrown to the lions.

Mark Leno, left, talks with Lou Correa at the Capitol when both men served in the state Senate. Leno twice proposed police transparency bills that failed when police unions opposed them. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Around the time of Romeros first bill, Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) introduced a similar proposal. It failed to win enough support to merit even a committee vote.

A year later, in 2008, Leno was running for the state Senate when opponents set up a political action committee called Protect Our Kids that ran ads attacking his votes to cut education spending. San Franciscos police union, which was critical of Lenos unsuccessful bill, was one of its top donors.

The lawmaker, who is openly gay, said he considered the committees name to be a clear reference to homophobic stereotypes about gay men as child predators.

Thats how they play, Leno said. You come after us, well come after you.

San Francisco police labor officials did not return calls for comment. At the time, a union leader told reporters they were upset about Lenos votes on public safety and education issues.

Leno won the election but waited until his final year in the Senate before introducing a new police transparency bill in 2016.

The timing followed the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2014 killing of Michael Brown, a black teenager shot by a white officer in Ferguson, Mo.

Even so, the bill quickly died in a Senate fiscal committee.

It was just too hot, Leno said.

State Sen. Holly J. Mitchell at the Ronald Reagan State Building in Los Angeles. Mitchell told lobbyists for police unions this year that they were out of touch with public sentiment about law enforcement. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Two years later, a hearing on the latest disclosure bill showed how far the tone surrounding police issues has changed in the Capitol.

Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) told union lobbyists in April that they were out of touch with how communities perceived officers. No longer, she said, would the unions always get their way.

Those days are over, Mitchell said.

Her warning came less than a month after protests erupted near the Capitol in the wake of the fatal shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man, by Sacramento police.

Senate Bill 1421 would open records from investigations of officer shootings and other major force incidents, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The bill must clear an Assembly fiscal committee this week en route to passage in the Legislature by the end of August, when lawmakers break for the year.

Its author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), has argued lawmakers must heed calls from black and Latino residents who want to know what happens to officers they accuse of misbehavior.

Police unions complain the measure would increase government costs and prompt a flood of court filings by inmates seeking release once a law enforcement witness past dishonesty is revealed. Knowing internal investigations will be disclosed, they say, also could lead some officers to hesitate during violent confrontations, endangering their lives.

It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Ed Fishman, an attorney with PORAC, said at the April hearing.

Unlike in years past, the unions say theyre willing to negotiate.

Brian Marvel, current president of PORAC, said he could see the states rules changing in cases in which officers were found to have committed serious misconduct. Im not opposed to opening records, he said.

As public scrutiny of police conduct has increased, unions also have experienced setbacks at the ballot box. In recent years, statewide voters approved several justice reform measures despite law enforcement opposition, including initiatives to unwind the states strict three-strikes sentencing law and reduce punishments for low-level thefts and drug offenses.

Still, the law enforcement lobby remains highly influential and the bills future uncertain.

Endorsements from police groups still are highly coveted by lawmakers fearful of opponents labeling them as soft on crime. Over the last decade, those unions have contributed more than $145 million to statewide ballot measures as well as legislative, gubernatorial and other statewide races, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance data. Theyve spent an additional $18 million on lobbying and other efforts to influence policy at the Capitol.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), who worked closely with police unions as a labor leader before being elected in 2013, heads the fiscal committee that will consider the bill this week.

Gonzalez Fletcher said she strongly supports protecting officers privacy. But she agrees that the conversation surrounding policing issues has changed.

In her district, which encompasses southern San Diego and stretches to the Mexican border, shes noticed more complaints from Latino residents that police are treating them unfairly.

Transparency is necessary, Gonzalez Fletcher said. We have to do something in order for communities like mine to gain trust in police again.

Times staff writers Ben Poston, Mini Racker, Maloy Moore and Jack Leonard contributed to this report.

Coverage of California politics 

liam.dillon@latimes.com

@dillonliamTheres been a noticeable exception to President Trumps otherwise successful effort to appoint young, conservative judges to the nations appellate courts: the liberal-leaning U.S. 9th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over California and eight other Western states.

Since Trump took office, the Senate has confirmed only one 9th Circuit judge  in Hawaii  leaving seven openings. A nominee in Oregon was abruptly withdrawn last month when it became clear he lacked the votes for Senate approval.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said there were 11 court openings nationwide. As of this week, there are 12.

And Trump has yet to even nominate anyone for the three vacancies in California, partly because of a standoff with Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris.

Thats a stark contrast to Trumps record on appointments of appeals court judges elsewhere in the country. The Senate has confirmed a record 26 new circuit court judges nationwide in 20 months  including two approved on Thursday.

Advertisement

The latest from Washington 

Now, however, there are signs that the administration is beginning to set its sights on the 9th Circuit, likely triggering a bruising fight with Democrats.

The strongest indication came in a recent fight over the nomination of Ryan W. Bounds to a 9th Circuit vacancy in Oregon.

Oregons two Democratic senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, opposed Bounds and refused to issue their so-called blue slips, a century-old courtesy in which senators are asked to sign off on nominees from their home state.

In the past, rejection by both home state senators was enough to effectively kill a nomination. But for the first time, Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) brushed off the home senators views and moved forward without their approval.

Bounds nomination ultimately failed because some of his old racially charged writings raised doubts among enough senators, including at least one Republican, that the White House withdrew his nomination.

But the precedent of breaking with the blue-slip tradition showed that Trump and the Republican-led Senate were ready to adopt a tougher stance, which has deep implications for the 9th Circuit. Four of the nine states the circuit covers have two Democratic senators.

Why the administration and Senate leadership are hardening their approach now is unclear. One possibility, however, is that Trump is simply running out of vacancies in other circuits.

Theyve been focusing on lower-hanging fruit, said Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute. After a while, there are only so many seats to fill.

About two-thirds of the 12 appeals court vacancies remaining nationwide are on the 9th Circuit.

Two administration nominees to the 9th Circuit have moved through the process without much controversy. Idahos Republican senators support Trump nominee Ryan D. Nelson, and he is expected to win confirmation later this year.

Hawaiis two Democratic senators enthusiastically backed Trump nominee Judge Mark J. Bennett as a consensus pick who had already been vetted by their review committees. He was approved in July by a 72-27 vote.

But filling the rest of the vacancies will not be so easy.

Trump nominated appellate attorney Eric D. Miller of Washington, though he was not recommended by the review committee created by the states senators, Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. Murray says shes reserving judgment on Miller, but Cantwells office immediately signaled another potential fight ahead, telling the Seattle Times that the senator did not and does not consent to Eric Millers nomination.

In Arizona, where Trump doesnt get along with either Republican senator, hes held off on appointments, as well.

In California, talks between the administration and the states senators appear to have stalled.

The White House floated some potential names, which the senators review committees have examined. In early May, Harris and Feinstein recommended three potential judges to the White House. Neither side would say if there was any overlap between the two groups, but the lack of any nomination suggests there was not.

A White House official said the president intended to fill the 9th Circuit vacancies with more conservatives, but would not provide any timeline.

The recent focus on completing the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could be delaying action in the 9th Circuit, though it hasnt stopped the Senate from voting on other judicial nominees.

Feinstein said in a statement that the White House and the two senators were working to come to consensus.

Reshaping the 9th Circuit has long been a conservative goal, one that the Trump administration has plenty of incentive to pursue. Since Trumps inauguration, 9th Circuit judges have ruled that he couldnt legally bar tens of thousands of visitors and immigrants from several mostly Muslim nations from entering the country (a decision the Supreme Court overturned). Theyve also forced him to continue processing renewal applications of immigrants previously approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which Trump ended.

Given the history, I thought they would have moved more aggressively, San Francisco appellate attorney Ben Feuer said.

Though Trump is within striking distance of flipping some circuits from a majority of Democratic appointees to a majority of Republican appointees, the best he can hope for so far in the 9th would be increasing the conservative presence on the court.

Before Trump took office, the 9th Circuit had 20 Democratic and nine Republican appointees. If Trump filled all the current openings with conservatives, the balance would be 16 Democratic appointees to 13 Republican appointees.

Trumps best chance to reshape the 9th Circuit would come from filling two vacant California seats once held by liberal lions: Judge Harry Pregerson, who took a reduced workload in 2015 and died in late 2017, and Judge Stephen Reinhardt, who died unexpectedly in March. Both were President Carter appointees and were considered among the most left-leaning judges in the country.

Judge Alex Kozinski, a conservative on most issues, who was appointed by President Reagan, retired in December amid accusations of sexual misconduct, creating a third California vacancy.

Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is livid about Republicans willingness to move forward without the blue slips and has warned them publicly against proposing nominees in California that she and Harris dont support.

Its no secret that President Trump and Republicans want to reshape the 9th Circuit and we will not accept unwarranted, partisan attacks on our courts, Feinstein said in March. I am fully committed to ensuring that 9th Circuit nominees reflect our states communities and values and are well-regarded by their local bench and bar.

More stories from Sarah D. Wire 

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Twitter: @sarahdwire

Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation.

UPDATES:

Aug. 16, 1:30 p.m.: This article was updated after the Senate confirmed two more federal judges, leaving 12 vacancies.

This article was originally published Aug. 15 at 3 a.m.President Trump on Wednesday announced he was revoking the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, a prominent and frequent critic, citing what the president called his erratic conduct and behavior.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the announcement at the start of a previously unscheduled media briefing at the White House. She said Trump is also considering taking the same highly unusual action against nine additional national security officials  all Trump critics  who served in the Obama or George W. Bush administrations, or both.

Any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Mr. Brennan are now outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior, Sanders said, reading from a statement by the president.

That statement also alleged that Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations  wild outbursts on the internet and television  about this Administration.

Advertisement

It continued: Mr. Brennans lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is wholly inconsistent with access to the Nations most closely held secrets and facilitates the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos.

Brennan soon responded on Trumps favorite medium, Twitter: This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent.

This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent. https://t.co/TNzOxhP9ux  John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 15, 2018

Many of the additional former officials on Trumps target list said that they already had relinquished their clearances. Yet the threat by Trump, even if largely symbolic, spoke to his willingness to use the powers of the presidency to punish his critics. The maneuver drew immediate criticism in both parties, though congressional Republicans are unlikely to challenge the president.

Sanders named nine more individuals whose clearances are also under review: James Clapper, former director of national intelligence; former FBI Director James B. Comey; Bush national security advisor Michael Hayden; former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates; President Obamas national security advisor, Susan Rice; current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr; former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe; former FBI agent Peter Strzok; and former FBI attorney Lisa Page. Comey, Yates, McCabe and Strzok all were fired by Trump.

Only Ohr remains in the government. Former national security officials often retain clearances to enable them to continue advising the White House and Congress, or to maintain helpful ties to foreign officials.

Brennans tenure as CIA director capped a quarter-century career at the agency, including postings in Asia and as the station chief in Saudi Arabia. He is fluent in Arabic. As Obamas homeland security advisor, before becoming CIA director, Brennan was central to the months-long covert effort that ended with the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Appearing on MSNBC after Trumps action, Brennan said: Ive seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats in my national security career. I never thought I would see it here in the United States.

In what could have been his final provocation for Trump, late Tuesday on MSNBC, Brennan called Trump dangerous to our nation and the most divisive president we have ever had, who has badly sullied the reputation of the office of the presidency.

Sanders denied that the action against Brennan was retribution or an infringement of his free-speech rights, contending instead that the decision was a matter of protecting classified information.

The president has a constitutional responsibility to protect classified information, she said.

Sanders cited as a rationale for the presidents action Brennans denials, as CIA director, that agency employees in 2014 had improperly searched Senate computer files amid the Senate Intelligence Committees investigation of the Bush-era program for harshly interrogating terrorism suspects. Ten CIA officials did get access to the files, and Brennan later apologized to the committee.

The presidents statement on Brennan was dated in late July, just after Sanders first told reporters that Trump might revoke the clearances of several of the critics named Wednesday, including Brennan. By waiting weeks to release it, the administration was widely seen as trying to shift the publics focus: This week the White House has been roiled by attention to the presidents feud with former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who has called him a racist and released secret recordings of conversations with him and others, and by news from the trial of Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.

This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two, Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the lead Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted. But politicizing the way we guard our nations secrets just to punish the Presidents critics is a dangerous precedent.

Hayden, the former Bush advisor, said in an interview with The Times, Its disappointing that the president would do this. I do think hes trying to change the narrative because its not been a really good week so far.

Denying someone a clearance because they criticize the president isnt warranted, although the president has absolute authority to grant or not grant, Hayden said. I just think its another example of using authority in a way thats not productive.

Hayden said that the presidents action against Brennan and the threat to similarly punish him isnt going to affect anything I say or do going forward.

Clapper echoed that sentiment on CNN: If they are saying that the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president, Im sorry, but I do not think I can sign on for that.

Brennan, who is paid by NBC News to serve as a national security commentator, hasnt limited his criticism to television. He also has written scathing messages on Twitter.

The former CIA directors latest tweet, on Tuesday, excoriated Trump for his own tweet that morning dismissing Manigault Newman as that dog.

As if writing directly to Trump, Brennan wrote: Its astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation.

If Trumps move was meant to change the subject, it worked at least in the short term. Following her announcement, Sanders answered a few additional questions on other topics and none on the subject prominent at her briefing a day earlier  whether a recording exists, as widely rumored, of the president using a racial slur

On Tuesday, Sanders told reporters that she couldnt guarantee that such a recording does not exist.

National security experts and government veterans from both parties have been among the most vociferous Trump critics, with the Republicans among them forming the backbone of the so-called Never Trump movement.

Kori Schake, who held several positions in President George W. Bushs administration, called Trumps actions on revoking clearances petty, designed to be intimidating to others, precluding talented people from giving our government their judgment, and eroding the norms of behavior that sustain bipartisan cooperation on national security issues.

Its terrible, she added.

The Republican-controlled Congress is unlikely to rebuke Trump for the action, though members from both parties had warned Trump against it. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), last month had called just the threat from the White House a banana republic kind of thing.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who often tries to ignore or brush off Trumps actions that he opposes, told reporters last month, after Sanders relayed the initial threat, that he did not think the president would go so far.

I think hes trolling people, honestly, Ryan said with an awkward grin. But, he acknowledged, this is something thats in the purview of the executive branch.

The latest from Washington 

eli.stokols@latimes.com

Twitter: @EliStokols

noah.bierman@latimes.com

UPDATES:

4 p.m.: This article was updated with added context and quotes from Warner, Clapper, Corker and Ryan.

1:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reporting and reactions from Brennan, Hayden and Schake.

This article was originally published at 12 p.m.Former Assemblyman Matt Dababneh filed a defamation lawsuit Tuesday in Sacramento County Superior Court against a lobbyist who accused him of forcing her into a bathroom and masturbating in front of her. The suit comes nearly two months after a legislative investigator reported in a letter newly obtained by The Times that preliminary findings substantiated the womans claim.

The Woodland Hills Democrat, who resigned eight months ago after sexual misconduct accusations, alleges that Pamela Lopez made false and public claims of inappropriate sexual conduct against him at a news conference and in a formal complaint with the Assembly.

A June 25 letter from the Assembly Rules Committee obtained by the Times on Tuesday said that an investigator determined Lopezs allegation  that Dababneh exposed himself to her and urged her to touch him in a Las Vegas hotel bathroom  was substantiated and in violation of Assembly policy.

The letter said the investigator, a Sacramento-based attorney hired by the Assembly, interviewed Lopez and 52 witnesses. It does not specify how the committees determination was made.

Advertisement

Dababneh appealed the findings four days later, according to documents reviewed by The Times. The appeal said Dababneh had been denied a fair evaluation of Lopezs complaint, arguing he did not have the opportunity to respond to evidence against him, that supporting witnesses were not contacted and that the investigator spent time looking into extraneous accusations by other women that were unrelated to Lopezs allegation.

A spokesman for Assembly leadership said they do not comment on personnel matters. The Legislature publicly discloses sexual harassment complaints only if a claim is found to be substantiated and after an appeal is concluded, if one is sought.

The Times reported on several other women who publicly accused Dababneh of sexual misconduct and inappropriate workplace conduct. Those women are not named in Dababnehs defamation suit.

One woman, Nancy Miret, filed a police report in December alleging Dababneh had nonconsensual sex with her four years ago. The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file charges on the matter on April 26 due to insufficient evidence, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Including Dababneh, three legislators resigned after public accusations of sexual harassment as the groundswell of the #MeToo movement hit Californias state Capitol last fall. Dababneh is the first embattled lawmaker to file a defamation suit to push back against an accusation.

The complaint says Lopezs accusation did damage to Dababnehs career and reputation in the community, including his being forced to resign from the California State Assembly. Dababnehs claim is for intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking unspecified damages.

Lobbyist Pamela Lopez makes a public allegation of lewd behavior by Assemblyman Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills) during a news conference in December 2017 in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

From the first day that these allegations were made, Matthew Dababneh has maintained that he is innocent, said his attorney, Patty Glaser. Unfortunately, my client was presumed guilty in this matter from the start, and was never given due process. Mr. Dababneh remains steadfast in his innocence, and yet has still not had an opportunity to share his evidence in an impartial setting.

Jean Hyams, Lopezs attorney, called the lawsuit a shameless attempt by Mr. Dababneh to silence my client because she reported sexual assault.

As this letter states, after interviewing 52 witnesses, the legislature reached findings that affirm Pam Lopezs account of what happened, Hyams said in a statement. A victim of sexual harassment or sexual assault has every right to report what happened without suffering retaliation like this.

Lopez first shared her account of a legislator exposing himself to her in October, after more than 140 women signed a letter denouncing the pervasive culture of harassment in California politics. Lopez did not name the lawmaker at the time and said the encounter happened in the bathroom of a Sacramento bar.

Seven weeks later, she named Dababneh at a news conference and in an interview with The Times. She said the incident occurred at a mutual friends party in a Las Vegas hotel suite. Lopez said she initially had misrepresented the location of the incident because she feared that disclosing the real location would make it easy to identify Dababneh.

Lopez told The Times that Dababneh had pushed her into the bathroom, exposed himself to her, masturbated and asked her to touch him. She said that afterward, she did not tell anyone at the party, but did speak to a co-worker and a friend about it soon after the Las Vegas trip. The co-worker and friend both told The Times she had described the encounter to them at the time and identified Dababneh.

California assemblyman accused of forcing lobbyist into bathroom and masturbating 

Upon learning The Times was preparing a report on the accusations, Dababneh denied the allegation and sent Lopez a cease-and-desist letter. Two friends of Dababnehs, who spoke to The Times at the legislators request, said they were with him or within eyesight of him for most of the evening in question.

In his complaint, Dababneh blames Lopez for the ensuing political fallout, including being stripped of his post as chairman of the Assembly Banking Committee, and being pressured by Assembly leadership and colleagues to resign.

When he stepped down on Dec. 8, four days after Lopezs news conference, he said his resignation was not an admission of guilt, but a belief that in the current environment, itd be very hard for me to represent my district and be able to pass the type of legislation that would be meaningful.

In April, Dababneh opened a new campaign committee, named Matt Dababneh for Lieutenant Governor 2022, that would enable him to tap into previously raised campaign funds. The account has nearly $1 million cash on hand.

melanie.mason@latimes.com

Follow @melmason on Twitter for the latest on California politics.

UPDATES:

3:25 p.m. Wednesday: This article was updated with information from the Los Angeles County district attorney.

8:25 p.m.: This article was updated with confirmation that the lawsuit has been filed.

6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details throughout.

This article was originally published at 5:55 p.m.Two Orange County Republicans who ran unsuccessfully for the state Assembly in June want prosecutors to investigate whether the races two other GOP hopefuls worked together to ensure one of them would advance to the November general election.

Greg Haskin and Long Pham, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the five-man race for the 72nd Assembly District, allege that candidate Richard Laird was placed on the ballot by supporters of Tyler Diep  one of the races more prominent contenders  for the sole purpose of siphoning votes away from Dieps opponents.

Haskin and Pham made the accusations in an Aug. 6 letter to Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas. A representative for Rackauckas confirmed the complaint had been received and said it was currently under review.

The situation just shows a total lack of respect for the process and for voters, Haskin said in an interview Tuesday.

Advertisement

The accusation offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by candidates and voters alike in down-ballot races  especially those with a crowded field of contenders from one party. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the Assembly district, which stretches along the coastline south of Seal Beach, east to Westminster and down to Fountain Valley. But Democrats rallied behind a single candidate, businessman Josh Lowenthal, who came in first with almost 37% of the vote.

Californias major political parties feared the top-two primary but emerged as powerful as before 

That meant the four Republicans were pitted against one another for the second and final spot on Novembers ballot. Diep, the vice mayor of Westminster, and Haskin, a former executive director of the Orange County Republican Party, both raised significant money for the contest. They also split the endorsements of prominent Republicans, though Diep had the blessing of the incumbent, Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach), who lost the primary election for governor.

Key to the complaint filed by the two candidates is that Laird, the fourth Republican candidate, is the son of Dieps campaign co-chairman, Ed Laird. The losing GOP candidates pointed out in their letter to the district attorney that the elder Laird hosted a campaign event for Diep last September and prominently displays a photo from the event on his Facebook page.

Six months later, just before the close of the filing period, Lairds son entered the race. He didnt report any campaign spending, and election records do not show that he voted in the June election in which he was a candidate.

Richard and Ed Laird did not return phone calls seeking comment. The Diep campaign called the accusations frivolous.

This is a disappointing political ploy by two primary election opponents who are clearly still bitter and only interested in hurting Tylers general election campaign, Stephen Puetz, a strategist for Diep, said in a written statement.

Republicans have historically kept a strong hold on the seat. Haskin and Diep were the focus of almost $220,000 in spending by independent political action committees and engaged in a bitter campaign. But even if Richard Laird had not been in the race and all of his votes had gone to Haskin, it wouldnt have been enough to change the outcome on election day  when Haskin finished more than 9 percentage points behind Diep.

Haskins campaign didnt formally contest Lairds candidacy during the election season. But he said Tuesday that there was nothing to indicate the late entrant in the race had any track record in politics or public policy, adding that he did not he see his challenger on the campaign trail.

We didnt see a single sign of Richard Laird anywhere in the process, Haskin said.

Haskin and Pham also accuse Laird of using a ballot designation almost identical to that used by Haskin  both were described as a business owner. Election researchers have long studied the impact of ballot titles in races in which voters have little other information about the candidates.

The two failed candidates, in their letter to the district attorney, cite provisions in California election law that prohibit improper filing to run for office and payments to influence a candidate. The complainants havent offered specific evidence of such violations, asking instead that the district attorney take a closer look at the relationship between Diep and the two members of the Laird family.

Its not really about the outcome of the election so much as it is the honesty of the people running in the election, Haskin said.

john.myers@latimes.com

Twitter: @johnmyersAs the new school year starts, it signals new beginnings for many students in the Burbank Unified School District. It also launches new positions for two local principals.

Monday marked the first day Jennifer Meglemre and Matthew Osmond welcomed students to their respective campuses where they are taking over the top jobs.

For Meglemre, who has spent almost 20 years with the school district, being the new principal at Jordan Middle School is a return to familiar territory.

She started her career with Burbank Unified as a middle school teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School, and later spent time as a middle school assistant principal and a school district administrator.

Meglemre was principal at Roosevelt Elementary the past seven years  a post that was a new experience for her when she started it.

I thought it would be a good growing and learning experience to go there and see where kids start [their education], Meglemre said.

While at Roosevelt, she said she developed a better understanding of how nervous parents can get when they send their child to school for the first time, and even how worried they get when their child transitions from elementary to middle school.

Meglemre added that she learned about the rise of anxiety in elementary-grade students, which she said surprised her.

I know that some of our middle-schoolers struggle with anxiety, but there are second- and third-graders that are dealing with anxiety, Meglemre said. It was really shocking to me, especially as more and more kids started struggling with it and talking with their parents about it.

In addition to helping students deal with anxiety, Meglemre said she wants to have more parent involvement at the middle-school level.

She has seen how dedicated parents of younger children can help at their elementary school, and she wants to have that same connection between parents and their childs middle school.

Obviously, we want to build good communication, but its more than that, Meglemre said. In Burbank, we have parents that are really talented, hardworking, savvy, professional and intelligent, and we can really use their strengths.

Parents Robert and Jennifer Hatem were at Jordan dropping off their two daughters  one who was starting her final year at the middle school as an eighth-grader and another who was starting her first day of sixth grade.

The couple said both of their daughters attended Roosevelt when Meglemre was principal, and added that they were happy to see her transition into being a middle school principal.

She was such an asset to Roosevelt, so when we found out that she was coming [to Jordan], we were really excited and enthusiastic about it, Robert Hatem said.

About 2 miles away at Roosevelt Elementary, Osmond was walking around the blacktop eagerly waiting for his students to arrive.

Osmond, who is new to Burbank Unified, spent the past 17 years with the Redlands Unified School District, where he started his career as an elementary teacher and later was an assistant elementary principal and then head of a middle school.

He spent the past five years as principal at Kimberly Elementary in Redlands.

My heart, passion and skill set is best served in an elementary-school setting, Osmond said. Theres a lot of excitement and positivity that begins at elementary school.

Osmond said hes enjoyed getting to know the Roosevelt faculty, and he looks forward to meeting his new students and getting to know them and their parents.

Ive done all the research that I can online, and Ive talked to as many people as I can, and all indicators say that this is a great school, he said. Im just really excited to see it in action and to be able to make a contribution to that.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpioTwo people were arrested late Thursday afternoon after a fight involving numerous combatants broke out at a Burbank gas station, police say.

The Burbank Police Department received word of the fight occurring at the 76 gas station at 901 N. San Fernando Blvd. around 4:30 p.m. Its unknown how many people were involved in the brawl or what led to it, according to Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the department.

He also said that no one has come forward to authorities claiming to be a victim of the scuffle.

Officers were able to locate two suspects allegedly involved in the fracas and contacted them at a nearby restaurant, Green said.

When questioned about the fight, the two were uncooperative with officers, according to Green.

He said one of the detainees reportedly gave officers a fake name and date of birth, while the other told varying accounts of the clash. The two were later identified as 32-year-old Amanda Lopez of Sylmar and 31-year-old Albert Garcia of San Fernando.

According to Green, before contacting the two, officers spotted them with a pair of bags that contained stolen goods from a local Macys store. Lopez and Garcia were then reportedly found in possession of tools commonly associated with retail thefts.

They were subsequently arrested on suspicion of delaying a police investigation and possessing stolen merchandise. In addition to the two alleged crimes, Green said Lopez had an outstanding arrest warrant for drug-related charges.

Garcia entered a plea with the Burbank city attorneys office and was sentenced to a 60-day jail sentence, while Lopez remains in custody without bail.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_TrucNewport Beach plans to file its own lawsuit against the state to block a planned mobile needle-exchange service that recently received state approval to operate in nearby Costa Mesa and three other Orange County cities.

Newport will be joining a wave of local resistance that includes legal action by Costa Mesa, Orange County, the Orange County Flood Control District, Anaheim and the city of Orange against the California Department of Public Health and the Orange County Needle Exchange Program.

Newport plans to file its suit later this week, said City Attorney Aaron Harp.

The needle-exchange program poses a serious threat to citizens of Orange County and the city of Newport Beach in that it allows for the distribution of thousands of needles to drug-addicted individuals without a method to provide for the safe recovery of these syringes from the recipients, as required by law, Harp said at Tuesdays City Council meeting after the council unanimously agreed to sue.

The state Department of Public Health approved a proposal in late July to allow the Orange County Needle Exchange Program to distribute needles and other supplies for two years in Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana, igniting indignation across the region.

Costa Mesa followed up on its decision this month to join a county lawsuit with an emergency moratorium on needle-exchange programs anywhere in the city, not just in the Westside location planned for OCNEP.

Supporters say such programs provide clean needles and help prevent the spread of diseases among intravenous drug users. But critics say the planned Costa Mesa operation  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays on West 17th Street between Whittier Avenue and the city boundary with Newport Beach  would be inappropriate given its proximity to homes, businesses and schools.

Parents from Newports Carden Hall, a private school about a half-block outside the proposed boundary, asked the city to oppose the needle service in the area. Pacifica Christian High School and Coastline Community College also are in the immediate vicinity.

Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis sent a letter to the state outlining public safety worries.

My concern is the proximity of this program to many school-age children and how the interaction of the programs clients to these schools parents, students and teachers may not be a positive one, the letter stated.

The needle-exchange program, which formerly operated at a homeless encampment at the Santa Ana Civic Center and was the only one of its kind in the county, shut down early this year after Santa Ana denied it a permit, citing an increase in the number of discarded syringes in the area.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD

UPDATES:

5 p.m.: This article was updated to include Anaheim and the Orange County Flood Control District in the list of agencies that have taken legal action to try to stop the needle-exchange program.

This article was originally published at 1:15 p.m.A Laguna Beach art gallery is hosting a selection of works adapted from the artistry of the late Dr. Seuss.

The Narrative Gallerys display features pieces from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection, which pays tribute to Theodore Seuss Geisel, the iconic artist and author whose expansive body of work stretched over 70 years and includes childrens favorites such as The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham.

The collection is composed of authorized adaptations and reproductions of Geisels original drawings, paintings or sculptures. Each has a posthumously painted or engraved Dr. Seuss signature. Some will be for sale.

This is one of our most anticipated events of the year, said gallery director Edward Bobinski. We are fortunate to have this work in the gallery, if only for a short time.

The exhibit runs through Sept. 8.

A replica of the Sea-Going Dilemma Fish sculpture is on display in the Dr. Seuss artwork exhibition at the Narrative Gallery in Laguna Beach. The original version dates to the 1930s. (Courtesy of The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection)

Among the pieces in the touring collection, now in its 20th year, are Geisels so-called secret art, or works he created at night for his own personal pleasure.

Among them is the Unorthodox Taxidermy series of sculptures, whose names include The Carbonic Walrus, The Two-Horned Drouberhannis and the Goo-Goo-Eyed Tasmanian Wolghast. They were created in the 1930s and inspired by Seuss trips as a child to the zoo in Springfield, Ill.

In addition to his childrens books, Geisels artistic career included years working on advertising campaigns and political cartoons and for the U.S. military during World War II. He died in San Diego in 1991 at age 87.

The Narrative Gallery is at 417 S. Coast Hwy. Hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, call (949) 715-3082 or visit narrative-gallery.com/home.

Bradley Zint is a contributor to Times Community News.Have you ever buried your trash in the sand while at the beach rather than carrying it to a bin  even a simple plastic baggie from your sandwich?

How about discarding unwanted items overboard when nobody was watching on your last boat trip to Catalina Island? If you are honest and answer guilty as suspected, then you are joining millions of folks, not just here in Southern California but worldwide, who for far too long  centuries, in fact  have assumed our vast oceans are a bottomless waste disposal.

Science has been sounding the alarm that we humans are potentially poisoning the planet due to such irresponsible abuse. Research reports that enormous sections of ocean floor worldwide are covered with waste, much of it non-biodegradable. So dont be surprised when restaurants ban plastic straws and utensils and similar items. It is not a plot by staunch environmentalists to ruin businesses. Such regulations may in fact save business, and more importantly, save the planet for many generations to come.

The waste problem is just one aspect of the challenges facing those dedicated to ocean conservation and preservation. There are serious threats to all variety of maritime life, many species at risk due to overfishing Other environmental habitats are ruined from human behavior including oil spills and coral bleaching. There has been a loss of vast reefs that support many species.

And then there is climate change, a spooky term for non-believers. But tell that to oceanographic scientists gauging higher water temperatures worldwide. The debate should not be if climate change is real, but rather what is the cause and what can be done about it, whether it is man- or nature-related or both.

For the past 11 years in Orange County, the worlds most respected and largest ocean conservation organization, Oceana, has held a major summer fundraiser on the Pacific Coast. The SeaChange Summer Party is held annually at an Italian-Mediterranean-inspired villa in Laguna Beach hosted by the Bruce Cahill family.

Oscar Nunez and host Bruce Cahill meet up at Oceanas SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach. (Courtesy of Ryan Miller, Anna Garcia, John Watkins and Tom Vickers)

Actor Ted Danson, Jennifer Condas and Kathryn Cenci gather at the annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach. (Courtesy of Ryan Miller, Anna Garcia, John Watkins and Tom Vickers)

The event attracts a gathering of SoCal whos who, including a contingent of Hollywood glitterati who also are dedicated to the cause. Among them is actor Ted Danson, who has fronted the event each year. Also front and center for the 2018 party were Dennis Haysbert (Youre in good hands with Allstate), Austin Nichols, Hassie Harrison, Christina Ochoa and Oscar Nunez, many of whom have supported Oceana for years.

The celebs mingled with some 400 local VIPs clinking glasses on a balmy July evening high in the hills of Laguna, overlooking an endless Pacific as the sun moved west into the horizon. Dinner was served al fresco on the Cahill lawn as experts spoke about serious issues.

Oceanas CEO, Andy Sharpless, flew in from its East Coast headquarters and addressed the crowd on the theme of the 11th SeaChange, protecting corals. Sharpless had encouraging words: Oceanas teams are winning battles that will give the corals a chance.

Guests take in the views at the annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach. (Courtesy of Ryan Miller, Anna Garcia, John Watkins and Tom Vickers)

The massive undertaking was organized this season by Oceana board vice chairwoman Valarie Van Cleave along with Elizabeth Wahler and event vice chairman Jeff Blasingame. Major support came from Tricia and Michael Burns, Jean and Tim Weiss, Janet and Carl Nolet, Teresa and Doug Pasquale, Bonnie Lee and Justin Pham, Danni Sun, Carol and Dennis Berryman, Laura and Lou Rohl, Suzie Kim, Michael Silvers and Valaree Wahler.

An impressive list of corporate sponsors included South Coast Plaza, Chanel, Latham & Watkins LLP, Gucci, BNY Wealth Management, Crevier Foundation, Marisla Foundation and Pfleger Foundation.

The summer party concluded with a special performance by the talented and beautiful Katharine McPhee, who brought the audience to its feet with her rendition of Over the Rainbow.

With proceeds from tickets, auction and underwriting gifts, Oceana raised $1.2 million to help save our oceans from us and for us.

To learn more, go to oceana.org.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.Explore the California coast on a weeklong Ruby Princess cruise with Los Angeles Times journalists. The round-trip voyage will sail from San Pedro, site of the Los Angeles Cruise Port, to San Francisco and include visits to Sausalito, Carmel-by-the-Sea, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico.

The program will include excursions and events featuring travel writer Christopher Reynolds, plus food events, cooking classes and demos by Noelle Carter, director of the Times Test Kitchen, and food writer Bill Esparza.

Dates: Nov. 3-10

Price: $2,179 per person, double occupancy. Includes accommodations, meals, transportation, excursions, special events, activities and dinner parties.

Advertisement

Info: Los Angeles Times Expeditions, (800) 901-1172, Ext. 41829

ALSO

Secondary cities can be first-rate bargains

Snow monkeys live in Japan, but you dont have to travel that far to see these newborns

The past meets the present in Santa Barbara, where new  or in some cases, renovated  luxury hotel rooms are openingRoyal Caribbean International will no longer accept emotional support animals onboard its ships. Cruise passengers who have existing reservations that include support animals will be allowed to bring them aboard but no new reservations will be accepted.

The cruise line Wednesday confirmed the change in policy, noting that the new rules dont affect service animals.

We are updating the policy to differentiate emotional support animals from service animals that are trained to perform a function for a person with a disability, an email statement said Wednesday. It is important to us that all our guests enjoy their vacation, which is why we put into practice this new policy.

As of Wednesday, passengers will not be able to add emotional support animals to an existing or new reservation.

Advertisement

The cruise line statement also said rules allowing service animals that help people with physical and non-physical disabilities will remain unchanged.

The move comes at a time when U.S. air carriers such as United, American, Delta, Alaska, JetBlue and, most recently, Southwest have tightened their rules about allowing passengers to bring support animals on flights.

travel@latimes.com

Twitter:@latimestravelSouthwest Airlines on Tuesday issued a new policy to go into effect Sept. 17 regarding service and emotional support animals on flights. The airlines new rules narrow emotional support animals to cats and dogs only, impose a limit of one animal per passenger, and require passengers to keep them on a leash or in a carrier at all times.

But unlike other airlines, Southwest doesnt require written documentation about the behavior or health of a service or support animal.

We consulted with a national veterinary association and determined that, due to varying vaccination requirements across municipalities and states, it would be difficult to determine a consistent standard, Southwest Airlines spokesman Brian Parrish wrote in an email.

In contrast, United Airlines, which revised its policy earlier this year, requires passengers traveling with psychiatric or emotional support animals to sign an Animal Behavior Form and provide a Veterinary Health Form signed by a licensed veterinarian at least 48 hours in advance of travel, according to its website.

Advertisement

Kick them off. No, keep them. How readers would deal with the issue of emotional support animals in flight 

Southwest only requires passengers with emotional support animals to provide a current letter attesting that you need to travel with the animal from a medical doctor or licensed mental health professional.

United also requires such letters for passengers who want to travel with support animals.

When it comes to trained service animals  such as guide dogs for blind fliers and psychiatric support animals that perform tasks for a person  Southwest will accept credible verbal assurance from the passenger.

If an animal is presented as a service animal and does not display the behavioral characteristics of a trained service animal, including being under the handlers complete control, we will not accept the animal for travel as the customers assurance would not be credible, Parrish wrote in an email.

In other words, the animal better be able to demonstrate how it performs tasks for you in front of Southwests agents. Also, any animal behaving badly may not be allowed to board the plane.

Alaska, Delta and United all revised their in-flight policies after recent incidents on planes in which support or service animals attacked another passenger or caused problems.

An L.A. Times story on Tuesday said: The U.S. Department of Transportation announced in May that it wouldnt take action against airlines that impose restrictions on passengers traveling with emotional support animals. That announcement was significant because the Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to allow passengers who believe they need the emotional support of an animal to bring the animal on a commercial flight without paying an extra charge.

U.S. carriers also provide travelers with rules regarding animals arriving at certain destinations.

ALSO

Kick them off. No, keep them. How readers would deal with the issue of emotional support animals in flight

New Southwest Airlines emotional support animal policy allows only dogs and cats on leashes or in carriers

Las Vegas smokin hot new selfie spot is a sign of the times

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravelNearly 30 years after the Berlin Wall was toppled, a 65-foot-long section of the barrier has been discovered  hidden behind bush, weeds and overgrown trees that over the years slowly obscured a remnant of one of the Cold War eras most divisive symbols.

Officials confirmed Wednesday that the 11-foot-high concrete slabs found in the heart of the German capital had formed part of an inner security barrier to keep East Germans from even getting close to the outer wall to West Berlin. The discovery was both a fresh reminder of the Iron Curtain that once seemed to split the world and an illustration of how neglected parts of Berlin still are, even three decades after the wall fell.

There was such a rush to tear down the Berlin Wall as quickly as possible after it opened nearly 30 years ago that it was all a bit chaotic at the time, said Jochen Staadt, a researcher at Berlins Free University who has studied the Berlin Wall and those who were killed trying to scale it. Everyone thought it was so important to tear the whole thing down fast so pieces like this were evidently overlooked.

They just wanted it gone, he said.

Advertisement

West Berliners crowd in front of the Berlin Wall in 1989 as East German border guards demolish a section of the wall. (Agence France-Presse)

But now, just after Berlin solemnly marked the anniversary of the walls construction in 1961, Germans were taking stock of the curious finding of the semi-concealed gray concrete blocks with the same fervor accorded an important archaeological discovery. Local authorities quickly placed the graffiti-strewn wall under monument protection status.

Because almost no one gave any thought to preserving any section of the 95-mile-long Berlin Wall when it came down, all but a few small sections were knocked down and ground up, mostly for use as pavement in the reunified city. Thousands of small chipped pieces of the wall were sold to tourists while some slabs were sent to locations around the world to serve as memorials.

It was only when tourists and historians began pushing for preservation of the few remaining sections of the despised barrier that authorities began to preserve what remained of the wall and even started rebuilding sections that had been hastily torn down decades ago. Another vestige of the wall was uncovered in northern Berlin in February, though a local man said hed known about it for years but kept it secret, fearing the city wasnt ready for such a discovery.

The remains of the Berlin Wall have since become one of the citys chief tourist attractions.

I was totally surprised that there were still undiscovered pieces of the Berlin Wall left, said Ephraim Gothe, a local city leader, in an interview with a German news agency after the latest discovery. He said the section of the inner security wall that sealed off the death strip for East Germans was probably built around 1985, four years before East Germans breached the concrete barrier in 1989s peaceful revolution.

(Swetha Kannan / Los Angeles Times)

The graffiti-covered remnant was actually discovered in June by a group of tourists wandering through the thick underbrush in the area just north of the government quarters and near the new headquarters of Germanys BND intelligence agency. Its authenticity as a piece of the Berlin Wall, however, was confirmed only this week.

Staadt and others researchers at Berlins Free University have been studying the East German Stasi security police archives over the decades to try to ascertain the true number of people killed trying to scale the Berlin Wall to escape into the western part of the city. So far, they said they have confirmed 140 deaths along the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989.

Fireworks light the sky over Brandenburg Gate in 1999, where thousands of people gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. (Ralf Hirschberger / Agence France-Presse)

The Berlin Wall is a phenomenon that will likely always remain deeply etched into the culture of the city, Staadt said, reflecting on the media buzz after the most recent discovery. Many younger people dont even know today where the wall went between East and West Berlin. But they all know the wall was there and it was monstrous. And they know lots of people took risks and many were killed trying to cross it.

An estimated 5,000 successfully escaped over the wall and into West Berlin between 1961 and 1989. But about 75,000 were also captured and sentenced to prison for trying to escape  Republikflucht, or fleeing the republic, was a serious crime in East Germany punishable by three years in jail.

Kirschbaum is a special correspondent.A suicide bomber targeted students preparing for university exams in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least 48 people and wounding 67 in an attack blamed on the Islamic State group, officials said.

The bombing was the latest large-scale assault on Afghanistans Shiite community, which has increasingly been targeted by Sunni extremists who consider Shiites to be heretics. It comes amid a particularly bloody week in Afghanistan that has seen Taliban attacks kill scores of Afghan troops and civilians.

The bomber detonated his explosives inside a private building in the Dasht-i Barcha area of Kabul, where a group of young Shiite men and women, all high school graduates, were studying for university entrance exams.

The spokesman for the public health ministry, Wahid Majroh, said the death toll  which steadily rose in the immediate aftermath of the bombing  could rise further.

Advertisement

Majroh did not say whether any teachers were among the casualties or if all the victims were students.

The explosion initially set off gunfire from Afghan guards in the area, leading to assumptions that there were more attackers involved. Officials later said all indications were that there was only one bomber.

Women comfort each other at the scene of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday. (Hedayatullah Amid / EPA / Shutterstock)

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Jawad Ghawari, a member of the citys Shiite clerical council, blamed Islamic State, which has carried out similar attacks in the past, hitting mosques, schools and cultural centers.

In the past two years, Ghawari said there were at least 13 attacks on the Shiite community in Kabul alone.

Abdul Hossain Hossainzada, a Shiite community leader in the western Kabul neighborhood, said the bomber apparently targeted the course, which had young men and women studying together.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied his groups involvement in the attack.

Meanwhile, a Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan late Tuesday night killed at least 30 soldiers and policemen, officials said.

The attack took place in northern Baghlan province, in the Baghlan-I Markazi district, said Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, the head of the provincial council. Dilawar Aymaq, a parliamentarian from Baghlan, said the attack targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by the so-called local police, militias recruited and paid by the Interior Ministry.

Security personnel arrive at the site of a deadly suicide bombing in western Kabul, Afghanistan. (Rahmat Gul / Associated Press)

Abdul Hai Nemati, the governor of Baghlan, said at least nine security forces were still missing and four others were wounded in the attack. He said reinforcements have been dispatched to help recapture the checkpoints.

Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for that assault.

Also Wednesday, life was gradually returning to normal in parts of the eastern city of Ghazni after a massive, days-long Taliban attack, though sporadic gun battles were still underway in some neighborhoods.

Afghans emerged from their homes, and some shops reopened in Ghazni, where the Taliban launched a coordinated offensive last Friday, overwhelming the citys defenses and capturing several neighborhoods. Afghan forces repelled the initial assault, and in recent days have struggled to flush the insurgents from residential areas where they are holed up.

The United States and NATO have launched airstrikes and sent military advisors to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, just 75 miles from the Afghan capital with a population of some 270,000 people.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said Wednesday that life is getting back to normal after at least 35 civilians were killed in recent days. But he said wounded people were still arriving at the citys only hospital, which has been overwhelmed by the casualties.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in Ghazni, which also has killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Zabul province early Wednesday, killing four policemen, according to the provincial police chief, Mustafa Mayar, who said three other officers were wounded. He said seven attackers were killed and five were wounded during the battle, in which the Taliban used artillery and heavy weapons.

The Taliban have seized several districts across the country in recent years and carry out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan security forces. The assault on Ghazni was widely seen as a show of force ahead of possible peace talks with the U.S., which has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 17 years.

Also on Wednesday, six children were killed when they tinkered with an unexploded rocket shell, causing it to blow up, said Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for the governor of the eastern Laghman province. Zwak said that the victims were girls, ages 10 to 12, who were gathering firewood Wednesday.

He blamed the Taliban, saying the rockets they fire at Afghan security forces often harm civilians.

Afghanistan is littered with unexploded ordnance left by decades of war. It also is plagued by roadside bombs planted by insurgents, which usually are intended for government officials or security forces but often kill and maim civilians.Italian prosecutors Wednesday focused their investigation into the Genoa highway bridge collapse on possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance, as the death toll rose to 39 and Italian politicians looked for someone to blame.

Fears mounted that a part of the Morandi Bridge which is still standing could also coming crashing down. That prompted authorities to widen their evacuation to include some 630 people living near the highway bridge that was carved in two by the collapse of its midsection during a violent storm.

On Tuesday, just as many Italians were driving to vacation destinations on the eve of Italys biggest summer holiday, a huge stretch of the 51-year-old bridge collapsed, sending over 30 cars and three trucks plunging to the ground as far as 150 feet below.

As this crippled major Mediterranean port city of 600,000 reeled from the tragedy, about 1,000 rescue workers Wednesday kept searching through tons of broken concrete slabs, smashed vehicles and twisted steel from the bridge for any more bodies. At least two more were pulled out.

Advertisement

Some of the tons of debris that rained down from the bridge landed in a dry stream bed, while other wreckage came crashing down perilously close to apartment buildings. At one point, Sky TG24 said, residents were temporarily stopped from even returning to their homes briefly to grab essential documents, medicine or other necessities.

Besides searching through the mountain of debris, emergency workers said it has to be cleared away as soon as possible. Genoa is a flood-prone city, and authorities warned that the piles in the dry riverbed could become a dam in a matter of hours if heavy rains arrive.

Civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli confirmed Wednesday that 39 people had died and 15 were injured. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said three children were among the dead. Three French citizens and two Albanians were also killed.

Genoa prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters the investigation into the collapse was focused on human causes, specifically the possibility of inadequate maintenance or a design flaw in the bridges construction.

I dont know if there is responsibility. For sure it was not an accident, he said.

Vehicles are blocked on the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy, on Wednesday. (Luca Zennaro / Associated Press)

Asked if authorities had been given any warning that the bridge  a key link between two high-speed highways, one headed toward neighboring France and the other to Milan  could be dangerous, Cozzi indicated that no serious safety concerns before Tuesday had reached his office.

Otherwise none of us would have driven over that highway 20 times a month as we do, Cozzi said.

Work to upgrade the bridges safety with a $22.7-million project had already been approved, with public bids for the work to be submitted by September. According to the business daily Il Sole, the improvement work involved two weight-bearing columns that support the bridge  including one that collapsed Tuesday.

The 1967 bridge, considered innovative in its time for its use of concrete around its cables, was long due for an upgrade, especially since the structure was more heavily trafficked than its designers had envisioned.

One expert in such construction, Antonio Brencich at the University of Genoa, had previously called the bridge a failure of engineering.

Engineering experts, noting that the bridge was 51 years old, said corrosion and decades of wear and tear from weather could have been factors in its collapse.

The Italian CNR civil engineering society said structures dating from when the Morandi Bridge was built had surpassed their lifespan. It called for an ambitious comprehensive plan to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s, during the Italian economys rapid growth as the nation surged back after the damage of World War II.

Mehdi Kashani, an associate professor in structural mechanics at the University of Southampton in Britain, said pressure from dynamic loads, such as heavy traffic or strong winds, could have resulted in fatigue damage in the bridges parts.

1 / 6 Rescuers scouring through the wreckage after part of a viaduct of the A10 freeway collapsed in Genoa, Italy. (Andrea Leoni / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 6 Rescuers at work amid the rubble after a highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, Italy. (Luca Zennaro / EPA/Shutterstock) 3 / 6 People look at the collapsed bridge in Genoa, Italy. The viaduct gave way amid torrential rain. (Luca Zennaro / EPA/Shutterstock) 4 / 6 Rescuers at work amid the rubble after a highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, Italy. The Italian news agency ANSA, citing the Interior Ministry, said 11 people were confirmed dead. (Luca Zennaro / EPA/Shutterstock) 5 / 6 Rescuers are at work amid the rubble of a section of bridge that collapsed earlier in Genoa, Italy. (Andrea Leoni / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 6 A bridge in the Italian city of Genoa partially collapsed during a sudden and violent storm, leaving vehicles crushed below. (Andrea Leoni / AFP/Getty Images)

Italian politicians were busy pointing fingers at possible culprits.

Italys deputy premier, Luigi Di Maio, blamed the bridge collapse on a lack of maintenance by the private company that operates many of the nations toll highways. Speaking in Genoa, Di Maio said Wednesday that he was looking at revoking highway concessions.

Instead of investing money for maintenance, they divide the profits. And that is why the bridge falls, Di Maio said of the holding company that controls Autostrade Per Italia.

Di Maio, who leads the anti-business 5-Star Movement party that is part of Italys coalition government, also took a swipe at the Benetton group, which controls Autostrade SRL through its Atlantia holding company. He accused previous Italian governments of turning a blind eye to the health of the nations toll highways because of political contributions.

Autostrade controls 1,876 miles of Italian highways.

Transport and Infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli, also from the populist 5-Star Movement, threatened in a Facebook post that the state, if necessary, would take direct control of the highway contractor responsible for the bridge if it couldnt properly care for it.

State radio reported Wednesday that some 5-Star lawmakers in 2013 had questioned the wisdom of an ambitious, expensive highway infrastructure overhaul program as possibly wasteful, but that a post about that on the movements site was removed Tuesday after the bridges collapse.

Just hours after the collapse, Salvini also was trying to shift the blame away from Italys new populist government, vowing not to let European Union spending strictures on Italy, which is laden with public debt, stop any effort to make the countrys infrastructure safe.A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist group ruling the Gaza Strip, went into effect Wednesday evening, ending four months of conflict along the volatile border.

The tenuous truce was roundly criticized by senior politicians both in Israel and in the Palestinian Authority, which views Hamas as an implacable rival, and was not officially confirmed by either side.

On Wednesday, following the authorization of Israels security Cabinet, the commercial border crossing was reopened and 700 trucks carrying urgently needed building supplies, foodstuffs, textiles, animal feed, fuel, gas, hygiene products and more rumbled into Gaza after five weeks of lockdown.

The typical number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip from Israel via the Kerem Shalom crossing prior to the closure imposed last month ranges from 700 to 1,000 a day.

Advertisement

Since July, about 100 trucks per day have made the crossing, bringing medicine, food and other humanitarian necessities into Gaza, but no fuel or general consumer goods.

The cease-fire was brokered by the United Nations and Egypt. Alongside Israel, Egypt has maintained Gaza under a blockade since Hamas took over the territory in 2007.

The agreement provides for a halt to rocket firings and the launching of incendiary balloons and kites on the part of Hamas, and, on Israels side, the reopening of Kerem Shalom, the only commercial crossing into Gaza, and the lifting of limitations on a permitted fishing zone of nine miles.

Palestinian fishermen fly national flags at the Gaza City seaport on July 17, 2018, after the fishing zone enforced by Israel off the Gaza Strip was reduced, part of Israels tightening of its blockade of the Gaza Strip. (Said Khatib / AFP/Getty Images)

In a matter that provoked an immediate legal appeal in Israel, the deal does not provide for the exchange of prisoners, including two Israelis held in Gaza and the remains of two Israeli soldiers taken by Hamas at the end of the last Gaza war, in 2014.

Israeli officials who were not authorized to speak said there will be no real arrangement with Hamas until our sons return and our citizens are home.

On Wednesday, Simcha and Leah Goldin, the parents of fallen Israeli officer Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains have been held by Hamas for four years, petitioned the Supreme Court to block the deal, saying that the special ministerial committee on MIAs and POWs has not been convened, as required for decisions relating to their fate.

Efforts to impose a cease-fire have been underway for several weeks, but its ratification follows the first four days of calm at the border since late March.

The Israeli officials said the current calm is the result of aggressive Israeli army action that will continue as necessary, and the quiet was achieved following the understandings advanced by the Egyptians and the United Nations.

On July 31, 2018, firefighters near the Israeli city of Sderot extinguish a fire in a forest field that was caused by an incendiary balloon flown by Palestinian protesters. (Menahem Kahana / AFP/Getty Images)

More than 150 Gazans have been killed by Israeli fire since March 30, when weekly border protests began.

An Israeli soldier was killed in July after being shot by a Palestinian sniper.

Naftali Bennett, Israels minister of education and an electoral rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, blasted the deal on Wednesday from Asuncion, Paraguay, where he was on official business.

This is a prize  for 130 days of terror, rockets, snipers and incendiary balloons, he said.

It is the first time any Israeli leader publicly acknowledged any deal with Hamas, an internationally designated terror organization.

Bennett complained that this quiet will award Hamas total immunity to replenish tens of thousands of rockets threatening all parts of the country, and allow them to launch a war against Israel at a time and under conditions most convenient to them.

Israels agreement with Hamas is widely understood to be a rebuke of the Palestinian Authority, Israels partner in the Oslo Accords and in a security partnership crucial for maintaining order in the West Bank. At the same time, it is a gesture toward President Trump, who has enacted several punitive measures against the internationally recognized Palestinian governing authority this year in retribution for its rejection of an American-sponsored peace plan that has yet to be revealed.

Speaking at the opening session of his political factions central council in Ramallah, in the West Bank, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also vowed to thwart the peace plan, which is spearheaded by Trumps senior advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Abbas rejected any agreement with Hamas, saying no militias could remain in the Gaza Strip, where only one government, one law and one security force could operate, under the Palestinian Authority.

Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman, said that Abbas and the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank are perpetuating exclusion and exclusivity.

Abbas continues to disregard all other Palestinian components and not to resort to the formation of a consensus on any of the national issues or the Palestinian political system, he said.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Hana Salah in Gaza City contributed to this report.The pattern over the last five years has been consistent: The U.S. withholds military aid from Egypt, citing human rights concerns, only to eventually release the funds before any substantial improvement.

The first time was under President Obamas administration in 2013. The United States suspended aid after Egypts first elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted. Two years later, Obama restored the annual $1.3 billion in military financing, citing the need to help Egypt defeat Islamic State militants in the Sinai province.

It happened again most recently under President Trump. After growing concern of repression under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisis government, the Trump administration froze $195 million in military assistance to Cairo, only to release it at the end of July  11 months later  despite the Egyptian government not meeting U.S. conditions.

The failure of two administrations to sustain pressure on Sisis government despite worsening repression on civil society suggests that American national security interests supersede human rights concerns, experts said.

Advertisement

The U.S. cares more about security than human rights, said Steven Cook, a senior fellow for the Middle East at the Council on Foreign Relations. It also implies that suspending aid hasnt really done anything to improve Egypts human rights situation.

Since the late 1970s, the U.S. has viewed Egypt as an important and powerful ally in the Middle East. Part of maintaining that good-faith relationship has been to provide Egypt with military aid.

Egypt is the second-largest recipient of foreign military funding after Israel. Every year the U.S. provides Egypt with $1.3 billion in military assistance that it uses to buy equipment and conduct training.

A year ago, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson froze 15%, or $195 million, of the total annual military aid and conditioned its release on three points: Egypt must downgrade relations with North Korea, repeal a law that restricts the work of nongovernmental organizations and resolve the case of 43 NGO workers who were convicted in 2013 of working illegally.

Egypt and North Korea have had friendly diplomatic and military relations for some time, including weapons purchases from each other.

A small number of the NGO workers left the country after they were convicted but still face jail sentences if they return to Egypt. Egypts top appeal court ordered retrials for 16 people in April, but the outcome remains to be seen. The workers were employed by various unregistered NGOs, including U.S. and German organizations.

Less than a year after freezing the military aid, on July 25, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo lifted the restrictions without specifying what progress, if any, has been made.

Releasing military assistance to Egypt without seeing improvements in human rights taints the perception that the U.S. is serious in holding Egypt accountable, said Andrew Miller, deputy director for policy at the Project on Middle East Democracy.

Releasing the money removes pressure on the Egyptian government to meet conditions that were originally attached to that funding, Miller said. Egyptians will look back and see that this is further evidence Americans arent serious about human rights concerns. It hurts the idea of using assistance to leverage influence.

The other time the U.S. froze military aid to Egypt was in 2013 over the bloody crackdown and repression of supporters of Morsi, who was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. He was ousted by the military after massive demonstrations by Egyptians concerned that Morsi was taking the country in an Islamist direction and failing to solve its many problems.

The Obama administration released that military aid in 2015 to help Egypt fight Islamic State militants who had established a toehold in the Sinai.

Since then the human rights situation in Egypt has worsened. Egyptian officials continue to lock up young activists who speak out against the government as tens of thousands of political prisoners sit in jail.

U.S. policymakers look at Sisi and say he may be a dictator but at least hes taking care of Islamic State in the Sinai. They are willing to overlook human rights violation to maintain security, said Amr Kotb, advocacy director at the Washington-based Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. The U.S. views human rights and national security as mutually exclusive.

The next time the U.S. decides to withhold funds, it will have less impact, rights advocates and experts warn.

The administration fails to understand that the status of human rights in Egypt has a direct impact on U.S. national security interests, including counter-terrorism, Miller said.

Miller said there have been examples in which withholding aid has been effective in the short term, such as pressuring Egypt to release detained Egyptian Americans.

Military assistance holds are like sanctions in that youre denying something with the hope that it changes behavior, Miller said.

Its not instantaneous. Obama and Trump have backed down from assistance holds and lifted them before they could have an effect, he said. It reduces incentives from Egypt. They dont believe our stance, and it prevents more significant change.

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @melissaetehadGov. Rick Scott has declared a seven-county state of emergency due to red tide.

As a result of the executive order issued Monday, Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties will now be eligible for various types of emergency funds, including an additional $900,000 for Lee County.

As Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area continues to feel the devastating impacts of red tide, we will continue taking an aggressive approach by using all available resources to help our local communities, Scott said in a prepared statement. Today, I am issuing an emergency declaration to provide significant funding and resources to the communities experiencing red tide so we can combat its terrible impacts. This includes making additional FWC biologists and scientists available to assist in clean-up and animal rescue efforts, more than $100,000 for Mote Marine Laboratory and $500,000 for VISIT FLORIDA to establish an emergency grant program to help local communities continue to bring in the visitors that support so many Florida families and businesses.

In addition to the emergency order, I am also directing a further $900,000 in grants for Lee County to clean up impacts related to red tide bringing total red tide grant funding for Lee County to more than $1.3 million. While we fight to learn more about this naturally-occurring phenomenon, we will continue to deploy all state resources and do everything possible to make sure that Gulf Coast residents are safe and area businesses can recover.

Red tide is a naturally occurring algae that has been documented along Floridas Gulf Coast since the 1840s and occurs nearly every year, the release from the governors office states. The current bloom off the coast here has been lingering off-shore since October before washing into on-shore waters where is has resulted in fish massive kills along beaches from Marco Island to Tampa Bay.

As of last Thursday, Sanibel had collected 267 tons of dead sea life from its beaches alone.

In addition to millions of fish, the bloom has resulted in the death of sea turtles, porpoises, manatees and even a whale shark on Sanibel.

Lee County has posted red tide signs at more than 170 beach access points along the Lee County coastline. The red tide signs provide details on respiratory issues, health precautions, and resources for FWC, Mote Marine and current beach conditions.

The city of Cape Coral has also posted all of its waterfront parks but that is not due to red tide, its in reaction to the bloom of an unrelated toxic algae, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae.A retired nurse began the Diabetic Support Group at the Lehigh Acres Senior Center in 1996 after a regular conversation in the hospital was had as she helped a patient.

Its my way of contributing, giving back from nursing. Nursing is a lifetime skill and it was rewarding for me and I like to reward back, give it back, Retired Nurse Sharleen Watt said.

The group began two years after Watt began working at Lehigh Regional Medical Center, which was named East Point Hospital at the time. She said the clinical manager asked if she would work with her to begin a diabetes support group.

Ive always been interested in diabetes ever since nursing school when I began to understand the cellular implications of diabetes, Watt said. Both of my parents developed diabetes in their later years. I felt it was important to me to do all I could do to prevent that from occurring in myself.

The support group began to provide a place where people can come and clarify information, ask questions openly, discuss medications, as well as improve personal chances against the chronic disease. Watt said it is important to talk about the meaning of having the chronic disease because an individual must manage and understand diabetes as it intensifies over time.

Discussions are had regarding the different types of diabetes, treatments, complications, watchful control, nutrition, dehydration, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.

The support group meets on the third Thursday of every month, at 9 a.m. The Senior Center provides a free continental breakfast for all those that attend. Watt said its a carefully planned continental breakfast suitable for those with diabetes.

People from the community can come, Watt said. We encourage people to bring neighbors and friends that they know that may have diabetes.

Watt said anytime that people with a shared diagnosis get together and exchange information it is extremely beneficial.

The next gathering will be held Thursday, Aug. 16.

We are going to be looking at hypertension because it is the gateway between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Watt said. There is such a high association between the two diseases. They have a shared presence in individuals.

The gathering always includes a PowerPoint presentation.

When I present for the group I bring a PowerPoint presentation each month, she said of the spotlight teaching portion of the gathering. I write a newsletter every month that is shared with everyone. I provide a nutrition supplement every month because nutrition and lifestyle change is extremely important with the care of diabetes.

Joni Ferster joined the group some 20 years ago.

Its been invaluable to me. Ive had diabetes for 25 years. She (Sharleen) does a very nice newsletter with hints and suggestions. She does recipes, she said. I have been going 20 years and I am still learning. Sharleen researches everything and it takes a lot of her time to do it. She puts it in laymans terms, so we can understand it.

Ferster said Watt helped her with the transition, knowing what to do with the insulin shots and low blood sugars.

I dont know why more people dont take advantage of the group, she said. You cant go anywhere and get that type of information.

Ferster said she has kept every single newsletter from the group, as well as the recipes.

That is how valuable they are to me. Its better than any manual that you can find, she said.

Watt wanted to facilitate the support group to share her expertise on the subject.

I have seen the patterns of medications change greatly. We have talked about the newer ways of treating diabetes. Changes in nutrition patterns that have been suggested. Ive seen this very close alliance develop between the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association because there is a propensity towards cardiovascular disease in diabetes, Watt said.

Over the years she has also seen new technology and devices developed for diabetes.

Diabetes is frequently diagnosed in coincidence with another problem. She said an individual may visit the doctor because of a cold, or problem with their knee when the doctor decides to have lab work done.

It is discovered coincidentally. Often what they find is people have had diabetes as long as 10 years before it ever comes to a diagnosis, Watt said. That is something that the country is trying to change.

Part of that is through prediabetes, which means that an individuals glucose level is rising and staying a little higher than normal, more than 100.

The definition of diabetes, Watt said is when a patient presents on three separate occasions with a blood glucose level higher than 126.

The Lehigh Acres Senior Center is at 219 Plaza Drive. For more information, call (239) 369-5355.Wearing black, carrying signs and even a coffin, more than 3,000 people turned out Saturday to mourn the death of a river.

Organized by the South Florida Clean Water Movement, the Caloosahatchee Death March stepped off at the pavilion at Centennial Park and proceeded through downtown Fort Myers.

The mission afoot?

To call attention to the plight of Southwest Florida and the death of countless marine life  fish by the millions, sea turtles, porpoises, manatees -?as a result of record red tide and blue-green algae blooms fed by nutrient-laden discharges from Lake Okeechobee.

John Heim, co-founder of the Clean Water Movement, said the group gathered to educate people on the ecological disaster that has occurred and to voice anger and frustration in a peaceful manner.

The name behind the march symbolizes the death of the Caloosahatchee River. It is now recognized as the C-43 Canal, which would break down the protections for the river, Heim said. Not to mention the 170 miles of dead sea life and waterways from Marco Island to Sarasota.

Patty Cummings, of Cape Coral, is an activist who was trying to raise awareness with her own Facebook Live. She said there is more than red tide going on and that awareness needs to be made before its too late.

I have sharks in my canal now. But I know two miles away from me its green and blue. Ive walked the beaches and filmed thousands of dead fish. It felt like a movie. It did not feel real, Cummings said. There were no flies or vultures or pelicans. I knew something more is happening.

People from Sarasota to Naples gathered at the park, most wearing black, some in formal funeral attire.

Black surgical masks were the accessory of choice.

Erica Edwards of Cape Coral had her black dress and veil as well as a sign that she brought for the trip.

Were witnessing the death of all of us. The economy, wildlife, everything. Its symbolism. Millions of fish washing up, manatees, sea turtles, everything, Edwards said. I live near a canal and the smell is horrendous. It smells like a pig farm.

David Nemist is a master captain who has seen the carnage of miles of dead fish, wrought by two separate aglae blooms  toxin-producing Karenia brevis, the organism that makes up red tide, in the gulf and an unrelated bloom of a different algae, cyanobacteria, which is wreaking similar havoc in the Caloosahatchee and canals in Cape Coral, Pine Island and North Fort Myers.

Its causing an explosion were not ready to handle. Nothing can survive it. The food chain is destroyed, Nemist said. We have never seen something like this and its spreading. Ive lost $30,000 in cancellations and you have to tell these people the truth. These arent my clients, theyre my friends.

Bob and Diane Buhler of North Fort Myers started a small business where he would take his boat and show tourists the canals and river. He has seen that venture go up in the stench of a dying ecosystem.

My canal is as bad as its ever been. The algae is getting worse and worse. I dont trust the water, I dont want myself or my customers to get sick, so Im out of business, Buhler said.

Just walking out your back door you feel like youre going to choke. You cant even enjoy the pool, never mind going to the beach, Diane said. We started a new business that never got off the ground.

Other marchers came in costume, such as superheroes and the grim reaper, and many carried signs to show support and to demand action.

Cyndy Nayer, a water activist, came to speak at the pre-march press conference that was more like a pep rally. As a retired health policy expert, she knows the health impact of such a catastrophe.

We can expect a lot more respiratory illness, muscle illness. People arent out enjoying our tourism and not contributing to the economy, Nayer said. This is a travesty and what were not seeing is the governor or our congressman. Where are they?

At 7 p.m., the march began, with stops along the way in front of State Sen. Lizbeth Benacquistos office; the South Florida Water Management District office on McGregor Boulevard, where they held a die-in; the Old Courthouse and DeLeon Plaza before heading home in the darkness.

Various chants rang out at each stop along the way.

Richard Smith chanted Waters a right, not a privilege while carrying a cardboard casket.

Ive lived here my entire life and I have a good time doing what I do, and we cant because I cant get to my destination because of the algae blooms and big sugar, Smith said. St. James City is ugly. The shops are closed. Tourists arent coming. I cant go kayaking.The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District continues to evaluate ways to amend legislation to change the way empty lots are assessed.

Presently these lots are assessed a fraction of the cost that residential and commercial properties pay and they tend to create fire hazards, officials said.

We are still working with our attorneys to find other options for this type of property assessment. Currently the fee is $21 for an empty lot and there are about 91,000 of them in Lehigh. Most residents feel that they are more of a burden than other types of properties, said Fire Chief Robert DiLallo at the districts monthly meeting on July 31.

The commissioners also voted in favor of raising the current fee assessment to meet increased needs for essential services. A couple years ago residents voted in favor of the districts assessment methodology from ad valorem to a non-ad valorem system to counteract a free-fall in property values and stabilize districts finances during the Great Recession.

Our fees dont go up with ad valorem because its not a tax. Its a max of the average of the growth income rate. The assessment could possibly go up to 4.42 percent for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-2019. This was just a preliminary motion to put it on the calendar for a vote in October, explained DiLallo.

According to DiLallo, non-ad valorem increases are limited to the average annual growth in personal income in Florida.

That formula allowed a 4.1 percent increase in the previous fiscal year.

Ad valorem tax (valuation) just went up to 9 percent recently, just to give you an idea of the difference between the two, said DiLallo.

Under new business, the board voted in favor on a proposal to authorize construction equipment parking at the fire districts station 102 at 44 Homestead Road in Lehigh Acres.

This authorizes Stevens & Layton, Inc. Civil Construction Contractors the authority to park machinery and equipment on the land owned by the district.

This was just a basic agreement that would allow the people doing the roadwork on Homestead to use our stations lot for parking during this part of their project, said DiLallo.

The board of commissioners also voted in favor on a proposal to transfer account funds to Water Walker Investments.

We have a few accounts gaining more interest on our money. One is doing better, so we wanted to transfer it over but must get boards approval first, said DiLallo.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue Districts board of commissioners next meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 5 p.m.

Meeting are open to the public and held inside Station 104, at 3102 16th Street SW, Lehigh Acres.More than a dozen candidates are running in hope of garnering one of the four up-for-grabs school board seats in the Primary Election Aug. 28.

Three of the non-partisan races  those for Districts 1, 4 and 5  are limited to voters registered within the district.

All voters, regardless of party affiliation or the district in which they live, can cast a ballot in District 6 where candidates are running at large, or countywide.

The relatively new format went into effect two years ago after voters passed an amendment that changed the five-member, all-elected-at-large board into a seven-member board with five elected within their district and two elected district wide.

The new seven-member board still makes decisions, and sets policy for, all schools within the School District of Lee County.

There are four candidates running in at-large District 6; two candidates in District 1, which will be decided Aug. 28; four candidates in District 4; and five in District 5, which is mostly Lehigh Acres.

Voters residing in parts of Cape Coral, Pine Island and Sanibel, regardless of their party affiliation, can vote for a District 1 candidate.

Voters residing in parts of Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Dunbar, regardless of their party affiliation, can cast their vote for District 4 school board candidate.

School Board Member District 6

(at large, everyone votes)

 Nicholas Alexander

Age:

Profession: Management Consultant

Education/Degrees: Doctorate, Management; MBA, Finance; BS, Mechanical Engineering

Why are you running for the School Board?

I plan to bring my 20-plus years of executive experience to the board in order to produce greater value in our communities by increasing career and college readiness upon graduation.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I plan to increase collaboration amongst elected officials, community leaders, and county residents for the sole purpose of protecting and educating our K-12 students who rely on publicly-funded educational resources.

 Lori Fayhee

Age: 58

Profession: Full-time mom; student advocate and a voice for teachers. Second Vice President of the Lee Republican Womens Club and Legislative Committee Chair for the Lee Republican Women Federated

Education/Degrees: Associates degree and upper level college credits and certified medical technician

Why are you running for the School Board?

I am running for school board because I am passionate about the success of our students and the economic development of Lee County. I oppose Common Core, high stakes testing and raising taxes.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I would like to increase the graduation rate, which is currently about 77 percent and I would like to increase safety, transparency and fiscal responsibility. I would like to include vocational training, as well as life and social skills for our students in order for them to become viable and valuable contributors of the community.

 Betsy Vaughn

Age: 71

Profession: Retired Secondary English teacher

Education/Degrees: Bachelors in English and a Masters in education

Why are you running for the School Board?

A strong system of public education benefits not only the individual students, but also the entire community.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I will work to ensure financial accountability, respect and fair wages/benefits for teachers and staff, and equal access to special programs and resources for all students.

 Karen Putman Watson

Age: 53

Profession: Executive Director

Education/Degrees: Master Degree of Social Work

Why are you running for the School Board?

I am a native of Lee County who is concerned and committed to our community. My diverse experience; expertise and education to ensure all children and employees receive equality and equity in education to reach their potential and working environment.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I will work to utilize resources to ensure every child receives equality and equity education, increase graduation/GED rate, to provide support resources and services to employees. I will increase retention, diversity and inclusion of employees. I will ensure supportive service for children with mental health is accessible for children and their families.

School Board Member District 1

(mostly Cape Coral, Pine Island and Sanibel, regardless of party affiliation)

 Charles B. Dailey

Age: 66

Profession: Retired, Educational Consultant

Education/Degrees: B.S. Social Studies; M.S. Educational Administration; Honorary Doctorate Community Service

Why are you running for the School Board?

To effectively provide oversight and strong stewardship of the tax-payers dollars, create a sense of trust, transparency, and proactive collaborations with all stakeholders, which will have a positive impact on academic achievement for all students.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

A process that will transition the district out of the tremendous deficit we are currently experiencing with an independent auditor, Increased stakeholder input, and academic success for all students without a half cents sales tax that is being requested from the superintendent and the current School Board that will be imposed on taxpayers for the next 10 years while the current deficit will be paid off within a five year period. I say no!

 Mary Fischer (incumbent)

Age: 75

Profession: School Board Member, former school counselor and certified family mediator

Education/Degrees: Bachelors in Social Science, Masters in Counselor Education and AA degree in Human Resources

Why are you running for the School Board?

I am running to be a voice for students and community and to continue to connect school, family and community.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I hope to work to improve communication with transparency; enhance safety and security from the inside out; to be a watchdog for fiscal responsibility and accountability; to increase professional respect and adequate compensation for staff and to reduce time spent on testing.

School District Member District 4

(mostly Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Dunbar)

 Don H. Armstrong

Age: 47

Profession: Plumber, Father, Former School Board Member

Education/Degree: Journeyman Trade School

Why are you running for the school board?

I am running for the school board so that parents, students, citizens, and visitors of Lee County have a representative that advocates for their ideas and not the agenda of the district administration.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Once elected, I will restore public confidence in the district through transparency, accountability, and access to a board member to correct any district concerns including, but not limited to, finance, curriculum, transportation, discipline, and safety.

 Debbie Jordan

Age: 60

Profession: (Owner) Event Planner /Caterer

Education/Degrees: Business/ Hospital- ity

Why are you running for the School Board?

All children do not fit into the same box, working to ensure that every child will be given the opportunity to learn to their fullest potential including those with special needs by providing testing in a timely manner. A clear path.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Work towards better communication with board, state, local government and community. Bringing community businesses and community together so that our schools will have the tools, talent and the funds needed to be successful. A successful school system is for the economy.

 Louis Navarra

Age: 73 yrs

Profession: Retired teacher, 46 years LCSD

Education/Degrees: AA degree, BA Elementary Education, MS educational administration

Why are you running for the School Board?

To bring back honesty, fiscal responsibility, reform to board practices.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Find the money in the budget to fund projects without a regressive half/cent sales tax increase.

 Geraldine Gerri Ware

Age: 76

Profession: Nurse, State Farm Insurance agent, Real Estate agent, provider for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Education/Degrees: BS in Nursing, MS in administration and supervision of adult education

Why are you running for the School Board?

I ran for school board 35 years ago, but lost. I never lost my passion to advocate for students in education. I want to increase community and parent involvement.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Help school board members with capital funds to build the schools we need. To get the kids and community involved in the schools. I want to increase community and parent involvement.

School Board Member District 5

(mostly Lehigh Acres)

 Gwynetta Gwyn Gittens

Age:

Profession: Retired Educator Lee County Schools and retired VP of Training for Bank of America

Education/Degrees:

Why are you running for the School Board?

To make sure our community needs are represented and their voices heard.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

To help the children of my community receive the education that best meets their needs.

 Moses Jackson II

Age: 33

Profession: Education

Education/Degrees: Bachelors in business administration

Why are you running for the School Board?

Running for School Board was a goal I set back in January 2013, however, I started as a paraprofessional and then became a teacher before entering the race.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I hope to accomplish vocational skills development, raise awareness and services in regards to mental health, and resource equity.

 Pam LaRiviere (incumbent)

Age: 63

Profession: Educator and School Board member

Education/Degree: Bachelors in elementary education and masters in reading education

Why are you running for the School Board?

I am running again because I love the School District of Lee County, its students and the people it serves. I do this for the people. I am very involved.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

There are some things I would like to continue doing . . . sense of camaraderie among board members. I also want to continue working to help build a more child centered education that fully engages our students. I want to work to build positive working relationships with all of our stake holders, including our legislators and other community leaders. We are in the best situation I have ever seen our school district in. We have put in procedures and processes that should have been put in place 12 and 13 years ago. We are working smarter, tighter and more efficiently. I want to be there to help continue that forward flow.

 Taruas Pugh

Age: 36

Profession: Business owner, entrepreneur trainer and security guard with the School District of Lee County

Education/Degree: lnformation Technology

Why are you running for the School Board?

After the Parkland High School shooting earlier this year, I helped students from across Lee County organize a trip to Washington, DC, to participate in the March For Our Lives school safety rally. That event made me want to help secure all of our students, and I then reached the decision to run for office, and offer my service as a member of the Lee County School Board.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

That our school district can truly be a World-Class School System that secures our schoolhouses, provides excellent education for our students, has diversity of leadership that reflects our communities, and spends taxpayer funds in a financially responsible manner.

 Jon Larsen Shudlick

Age: 76

Profession: Biographer, author, editor, self-publisher and real estate broker

Education/Degrees: Geomorphology, real estate designations: CAI, GRI, CRS, MRA, MFLA and MSA

Why are you running for the School Board?

I will change the downward trend in education as the graphs show the cost of education has been going up through the ceiling while the achievement test scores are dropping due to the nearly 40-year-old Federal Department of Education, which drains the economy of nearly $70 billion a year while mandating educational disasters like Common Core, which dumbs down our students, writes Walter E. Williams in the Nations Report Card 2015, when it comes to reading and math skills, where just 34 percent and 33 percent respectively of U.S. eighth grade students tested proficient or above.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

We need a 180-degree change from primarily academic promotion to a dual-enrollment educational system where a vocational/technical college emphasis would morph with a curriculum for the high school diploma and provide an opportunity for students to make the connection between school and the workplace.New Delhi : As the country celebrates its 72nd Independence day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his flagship and ambitious project Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme.

With an aim to aid ten crore families, approximately 50 crore Indians, PM Modi said that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25 th September, which marks the birth anniversary of Deendayal Upadhaya.

The project cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, based on SECC ( Socio-Economic Caste Census database ). Dubbed by ministers and BJP leaders as 'Modicare,' the policy was initially announced by the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitely in February during the last full budget of the NDA government.Rain-hit Idduki district in Kerala is bracing for surplussing of Mullaperiyar Dam as officials issued an alert for people living on the Periyar River banks with the water level in the reservoir reached the 142 feet mark, it's full reservoir level.

The inflow of the water into the dam increased even after the opening of the 13 spillways on Wednesday. In view of the advice by Tamil Nadu authorities, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has also decided to release more water from Cheruthoni dam, which is part of the Idukki reservoir, it said.

People living close to Periyar river banks in Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur have been asked to comply with the directions issued by the Collectors of these districts and move to relief camps, the release said. Idukki District Collector Jeevan Babu said people living on the banks of the Periyar river have to be extremely alert and should shift to safer places The district administration and district disaster management authority have taken all precautions, he said. ( With PTI Inputs )Mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. said Wednesday second-quarter net income surged nearly 200 percent to P1.38 billion from P469.2 million year-on-year on strong sales of housing projects across the country. The strong second-quarter earnings lifted the groups first-half results to a net profit of P2.39 billion, up 96 percent from P1.22 billion on the year. First-half revenues climbed 98 percent to P6 billion from P3.04 billion a year ago This is equivalent to 4,159 homes or almost double the 2,216 homes delivered in the first half of 2017. We are thrilled to report that we were able to exceed our internal targets. This makes me even more confident that we will hit our P11.5 billion revenue goal by the end of the year, 8900 Holdings president and chief executive Willie Uy said. Unrealized sales as of June stood at P709 million, which the company expects to book in the second half of 2018. Sales of mass housing projects contributed 59 percent to the total revenues, while sales of medium-rise and high-rise buildings combined delivered 41 percent. The National Capital Region accounted for 32 percent of the total revenues followed by Iloilo and Bacolod, as new projects in the region generated 19 percent of the total.8990 Holdings said the managements thrust to focus increasing cost efficiencies resulted in a 2.3-percent decline in operating expenses to P723 million from P740.8 million in the first half of 2017. Net income margin, as a result, hit 39.8 percent, higher than the 2018 target of 38 percent. Historically, across the real estate sector, the second quarter is usually a slow period but we have seen that this is not the case for 8990 as we continue to bring something that goes beyond just mere affordability. More importantly, we deliver value for money homes to hardworking Filipinos, Uy said. 8990 Holdings increased its land bank to 531.9 hectares with the addition of a 16-hectare property in Tanza, Cavite. As you know, it is not important that we hit our targets, but it is even more important for us to keep 8990s growth sustainable. Our land bank of 532 hectares is good for the next 8 to 10 years and we believe this can bring in as much as Php156 billion in sales, Uy said.Pag-IBIG Fund reported it released over P32.7 billion worth of housing loans in the first half of 2018, setting yet another record in the Funds history. The amount disbursed in the first six months of the year was an unprecedented 13 percent or almost P4 billion more than the loans released during the same period in 2017, the agency said in a press statement. The number of financed homes also increased by 11 percent from 36,139 in the first half of 2017 to 40,094 in the first half of 2018. Out of all homes financed from January to June, 31.5 percent or 12,639 are socialized housing units with an aggregate value of P4.859 billion, it added. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Chairperson Sec. Eduardo del Rosario said he was pleased to know that Pag-IBIG Fund was exerting efforts to support the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to help uplift the lives of Filipino families.This, through the provision of decent, yet affordable housing, which also contributes greatly to the BALAI Filipino (Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive Filipino Communities) program of the governments housing sector. Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy Moti said the Fund targetted the takeout of 92,259 housing units for 2018, which is worth P71.5 billion. With the amount of home loans released in the first half of 2018, I can confidently say that we are on track to reach our P71.5 billion target by end of the year, Moti said.The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo said Tuesday the use of ballot images in 25 clustered precincts with wet and damaged ballots in Iloilo and Camarines Sur would only belie the election fraud alleged by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Robredos lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said the ballot images would confirm the weakness of Marcos electoral protest. She urged the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal to deny Marcos motion to hold in abeyance the use of decrypted ballot images in Camarines Sur and Iloilo. Earlier, the PET, in three separate resolutions, allowed the revision, recount, and re-appreciation of the decrypted ballot images in 25 clustered precincts after the original paper ballots were found to be wet or damaged. Marcos camp raised these wet ballots when the revision started in April and opposed the use of the ballot images in his two motions dated July 5 and July 16. In fact, contrary to his claims, this is the first time since the revision, recount and re-appreciation of the ballots started in 02 April 2018 that protestant Marcos has raised the authenticity and reliability of the decrypted ballot images, Macalintal said.Now, as no less than four documents consistently confirm the votes received by the parties and the results of the elections, protestant Marcos has resorted to misleading the Honorable Tribunal. Macalintal said Marcos sought the recount, revision, and re-appreciation not only of the official ballots but the ballot images as well when he designated his pilot provinces in his preliminary conference brief. Now that the decrypted ballot images will confirm the victory of protestee Robredo and his defeat, protestant Marcos is now assailing the integrity of his own evidence. This simply cannot be allowed, Macalintal said. More importantly, this will belie the unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud, anomalies, and irregularities of protestant Marcos.Military authorities said Tuesday civilian suppliers were involved in the allegedly anomalous purchase of military medical supplies which prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately fire 20 top officials of the AFP Medical Center. Those relieved were accused of involvement in 17 cases of ghost transactions involving supplies, drugs, and equipment at inflated prices. AFP Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez Jr. told radio dzMM in an interview one of the findings of their investigation was that there were civilian suppliers and they dictated the price of the deals. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, We expect that the morale of troops will be affected positively by this. He added the relief showed the government was working hard to eliminate corruption in its ranks. As this developed, President Duterte fired the Comptroller of the Philippine Military Academy for allegedly misusing cadets allowance amounting to at least P15 million. Send the guy to hell. Thats an order, Duterte said, adding that Hector Marana faces six to 12 years imprisonment if found guilty for malversation. Lawmakers on Tuesday hailed Dutertes move of firing of top officials of the AFP Medical Center over the P1.4 billion in alleged ghost transactions, saying the action of the Chief Executive jibed with the governments fearless anti-corruption campaign. Reps. Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela and Winston Castelo of Quezon City said the move of Duterte to order the relief of Brig. Gen. Edwin Leo Torrelavega, commander of the AFP Health Service Command, and Col. Antonio Punzalan, commander at the V. Luna Medical Center showed his political will to get rid of corruption in government. It just shows that President Duterte has the political will to get rid of corruption in our government, Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, said. If we want to become a developed nation we must first eradicate corruption. Therefore, the President is in the right direction to fight corruption and I fully support him in this drive, he added. Albano said what the President did was a great move. [The President] doesnt joke about corruption, he added.Castelo, for his part, said, We commend the President on his fearless campaign against corruption. This will send a strong signal to scalawags out there. Meanwhile, AKO-Bicol Party-List Rep. Alfredo Garbin said the President anti-corruption drive must be intensified. It goes to show that he is serious in his corruption drive. But the said advocacy should not stop from there, Garbin, a deputy minority leader, said. Someone should get charged and jailed to set a precedent and discourage others from emulating them, he added. According to Lorenzana, The corruption was discovered by internal audit and investigation. The Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission also conducted a parallel inquiry. It was determined that there were ghost deliveries. The defense chief also said the incident was unfortunate considering that the DND and the AFP were currently enjoying the trust of the Filipino people. Despite these developments, Lorenzana assured the public that the DND and AFP were sensitive to irregularities such as these and vow to continue safeguarding our institution against similar incidents in the future. Galvez said the personnel would be charged with violation of Article of War 95 (Fraud Against the Government). But this is without prejudice to other infractions of the Articles of War that may have also been violated; and the accused military personnels right to due process. In line with this and based on the findings in the investigation, the AFP chief said he would order that reforms be instituted in the AFPHSC, along with a major revamp in the unit to address the systemic corruption. I will cause the installation only of officers and staff with the necessary qualifications, competencies, integrity, and unquestionable reputation, to run this institution which is vital to the health and well-being of our personnel and their dependents, Galvez added."For small to medium to national organizations, for events and fundraisers of any size, in any format  live, virtual or hybrid  the platform is built for scale."Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) provide personal, timely advice on contracting with the government. PTAC is a national program funded in part by Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and local matching funds. BSED holds the cooperative agreement with DLA to provide government contracting assistance to Montana companies. BSED accomplishes this by partnering with six other organizations across the state to deliver assistance in their respective areas. http://www.montanaptac.org

More: http://www.bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org/20-years-of-government-contracting-assistance-to-montana-companies/The Montana Department of Commerce recently awarded $840,000 of federal funding to assist with the acquisition and rehabilitation of Roosevelt Villas, two affordable apartment buildings located in Culbertson and Wolf Point.

The rehabilitation of the apartments will add needed safety, structural, and efficiency improvements to the apartments and will guarantee at least 30 years of continued affordable rent for households earning below 60 percent of the area median income.

"Having a safe and affordable place for hard working Montanans and their families is important to the economic vitality of Montana, from our larger towns to our smallest communities," Montana Department of Commerce Director Pam Haxby-Cote said. "This rehabilitation will keep housing affordable for workers in these communities for many years to come."

http://commerce.mt.gov/News/PressReleases/commerce-to-help-preserve-affordable-housing-in-culbertson-and-wolf-pointSynesis7 Corp. http://www.synesis7.com/ may soon have to install new desks at its office on North Alaska Street in Uptown Butte.

Thats because the company will see around 25 new employees come through its doors in the months ahead thanks to a four-year, $47 million contract that the U.S. Department of Defense recently awarded to the company and to ManTech International Corp., a Virginia-based company collaborating with Synesis7.

As per the award, the companies will provide technical support for the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Commands H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter and collaborating programs.

ANNIE PENTILLA [email protected]

https://mtstandard.com/business/butte-tech-company-co-winner-of-million-defense-contract-to/article_bb59f8e0-ad6b-5be5-aa1a-af9e906f03ba.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

***

Montana Career Opportunities  C++/.NET Software Developer, Software Engineer/JAVA Developer  Synesis7 http://www.matr.net/article-84292.htmlOhio Director of Health updates school quarantine guidelines Audio Article On Monday, Oct. 25, the director of the Ohio Department of Health Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA announced two new additional COVID-19 quarantine options: Mask to Stay and Test to Play. According to a release from the Ohio Department of Health on Monday, Vanderhoff gave school districts and local health departments...

Chesterhill Village Council making progress with projects Audio Article Councilwoman Chastity Mayle received a call from Morgan County Fortuna Grant to see if the village wants to apply for funding for its park project. Mayor Wetzel said they do not fund village projects. Randy Shook said Wayne Shaw might be able to apply as an individual. The Community Center...

Malta Council receives gift from Village of McConnelsville Audio Article VA Drake said council has been gifted a leaf vacuum by McConnelsville Council. They have purchased a new leaf vacuum and have offered their old vacuum to Malta Village. It needs a new impeller. It works as it is, but to be most effective it does need the impeller replaced....

Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Tuesday, July 6, 2021 ...

HINDSIGHT 2021 Audio Article 10 Years Ago (2011)  John Walter Finley, a mayoral candidate on the November ballot, was named mayor following action taken at the village council meeting prior to the election. Finley was sworn in recently to fill the council seat vacated by the resignation of Steve Inman. Councilwoman Michele Blackburn...

McConnelsville Council seeking wastewater treatment plant operator Audio Article Village Administrator Jennifer Ponchak reported she received a resignation from the wastewater treatment plant operator. His last day will be October 22. The position has been posted as a village employee and also for contract private operators. The deadline for posting is October 15. She stated she has had several...Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.Headlines continue overstating the connection between US market movements and the financial drama in Turkey. Today was especially damaging to the case for correlation as Turkish Lira improved significantly even as US stocks and bond yields sank. The conventional wisdom has been arguing for the OPPOSITE relationship lately (i.e. weaker Lira pushes bond yields and stock prices lower).

US markets weren't too troubled by Turkey today. Rather, it was steep losses in Chinese stocks overnight that correlated most readily with declines in US stocks. The stock slump prompted a fair amount of bond buying demand. The trick for bonds was that traders were widely betting on rates moving higher post-Turkish-crisis. As such the unexpected buying demand set of a wave of short-covering resulting in a bit of snowball rally in Treasuries.

MBS never get to experience these geopolitical risk-related ups and downs on the same level as Treasuries and today was no exception. MBS were lucky if they gained half as much as 10yr notes (in terms of PRICE) at any given moment today. Moreover, the gains really started rolling in just after lenders priced for the morning. That meant very few positive reprices.Mackensie Wittmer, deputy director of the National Aviation Heritage Alliance (NAHA), has accepted the position of executive director effective Aug. 22, the NAHA board of trustees has announced. She succeeds Anthony Tony Sculimbrene, who is retiring.

Wittmer joined NAHA as deputy director in August 2014. Prior to that, she was development researcher at the Dayton Art Institute from 1999 to 2002. For the next six years, she was associate director of advancement research and development at Wright State University.

Wittmer is an active volunteer with the Dayton Metro Library, Destination Imagination, and Oakwood City Schools. Recent volunteer experience includes serving as co-chair of the Oakwood City School Districts levy campaign in 2013, Harman Elementary Parent Teacher Organization board member in Oakwood from 2015 to 2017, board member and past chair of the Oakwood Historical Society from 2004 to 2016. She was a member of Leadership Daytons class of 2016.

Wittmer holds a Master of Arts degree in public and applied history from Wright State and a bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science from Miami University.

She lives in Oakwood with her husband and two children.

NAHA is the business name for the Aviation Heritage Foundation, Inc., an Ohio 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation. Sculimbrene has been its executive director since 2004 and was executive director of its predecessor, the Dayton Aviation Heritage Commission.

The federal commission was created by Congress and charged with supporting the development of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and the restoration of the Wright Dunbar Historic District. The commission had a legislative mandate to identify a follow-on organization to carry on the work of preserving Daytons aviation heritage once it sunset in December, 2003. Sculimbrene was tasked by the commissioners to find a permanent successor to the commission, and to that end he advocated for the creation of a U. S. National Heritage Area to preserve and promote the aviation heritage of the region, and the establishment of NAHA as its management entity.

In 2004, Congress established the National Aviation Heritage Area around Dayton and designated NAHA as its management entity. Sculimbrene directed the foundations incorporation, drafted its General Management Plan and secured over $4 million of non-federal funding for its operations since it was established.

In 2006, under his leadership, NAHA received the Mathile Community Award.

From 1990 to 1999, Sculimbrene, a civil engineer, was the Base Environmental Manager for the 8,000-acre Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he directed $230 million in contract work to clean up groundwater contamination and restore base waste disposal sites. In the preceding years, he managed an annual $30 million construction and contract services program as chief of engineering and construction management.

Sculimbrene is a Greene County Park District commissioner, president of the Xenia Rotary Club and a member of the Wright Dunbar Inc. board of trustees. He and his wife live in Xenia. They have two grown children in Massachusetts and Washington State.

About NAHATVSquared Latin America Opens in Miami

Scottish ad measurement and optimization firm TVSquared has opened an office in Miami, from where it will provide support to its Latin American clients.



TVSquared's Advantage platform brings same-day campaign measurement and ad optimisation to the global TV industry, working with more than 700 brands across more than 70 markets. Already with offices in Edinburgh, London, New York and Los Angeles, last November the firm acquired German television ad tracking specialist wywy for an undisclosed amount. More recently, it raised $8m in expansion, and opened an office in Sydney, Australia.



Commenting on the launch of TVSquared Latin America, the firm's founder and CEO Calum Smeaton (pictured) said: 'Our Latin American customer base is spearheading the use of TV for performance - leveraging the channel as a primary driver of immediate, digital response. Through our ADvantage platform, these brands and agencies are now measuring and optimising TV just like digital.'



Web site: www.tvsquared.com .



SEE THE FULL LIST REQUEST FOR THE FULL LIST READ LATEST NEWS GO HOME FIRST STAGE OF 2015 COWBELL NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS MATHEMATICS C...Berlin Reporter Locally made film premieres on Saturday

by Jody Houle

A movie filmed in Berlin, "Paper City Burnout," will have a premiere screening this Saturday at the Berlin Fraternal Order of the Eagles. Pictured here is a behind-the-scenes shot of the main character, Jack played by Chris Dubey, who is also the co-writer, co-director and an executive producer of the film. (Courtesy Photo) (click for larger version) BERLIN  Diabolical Films have been working hard since last year on a movie almost entirely shot in Berlin. Now, "Paper City Burnout" is just about complete and is set to premiere on Saturday at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles 1464.



There will be limited seating at the club and anyone who would like to see the movie should contact the Diabolical Films Facebook page  the screening is by invite only.



Two locals, Chris Dubey and Ricky Pivin, along with Sarah Mitchell of Connecticut, co-partner in Diabolical Films. Dubey and Pivin co-wrote the script and are the main actors in the movie. Dubey and Mitchell are the executive producers. Dubey and Pivin co-directed. Thomas Delcarpio, new to Berlin, is the editor and associate producer.



There are a number of local actors and actresses in Berlin, and aside from one scene shot in the Boston area, it was filmed in the City that Trees Built.



Dubey and Pivin have teamed up in the past with several projects including participation in the web series Paragods from Shawn Allen Films -- a lot of scenes were shot in Berlin. The pair also completed a short horror film titled "Grinning Jack" a few years back  it was Diabolical Films first project. The pair has also produced a video for a couple of local bands.



The crew started filming last year, and aside from some color and sound correction Dubey said, it is ready to be revealed to the world.



The movie will be screened in film festivals in the future, and there is hope that it will be well received.



"I think people will be impressed," said Dubey.



The synopsis for "Paper City Burnout," a full-length movie, reads: "A family facing the challenges of addiction becomes entangled in the web of a small town criminal organization. Their struggles mount as circumstances conspire against them, pushing toward a dramatic climax from which no one will emerge unbroken."



Dubey, who owns Berlin EMS, has seen the local substance abuse problem first hand.



"Families struggle with substance abuse and we really want to see people get out of that," he said. "It's a major problem in town."



The Berlin Reporter had the privilege of previewing the movie last week. Well made, it is dark drama that touches upon the tragic realities of substance abuse and its effect on the whole family. There is an element of humor and comedy that takes some of the edge off from the seriousness of the subject matter, but not enough to take away from the darkness of Jack. The crime aspect of the movie adds some fantasy with a gangster/mafia feel.



For more information, email diabolicalfilmcompany@gmail.com. BERLIN  Diabolical Films have been working hard since last year on a movie almost entirely shot in Berlin. Now, "Paper City Burnout" is just about complete and is set to premiere on Saturday at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles 1464.There will be limited seating at the club and anyone who would like to see the movie should contact the Diabolical Films Facebook page  the screening is by invite only.Two locals, Chris Dubey and Ricky Pivin, along with Sarah Mitchell of Connecticut, co-partner in Diabolical Films. Dubey and Pivin co-wrote the script and are the main actors in the movie. Dubey and Mitchell are the executive producers. Dubey and Pivin co-directed. Thomas Delcarpio, new to Berlin, is the editor and associate producer.There are a number of local actors and actresses in Berlin, and aside from one scene shot in the Boston area, it was filmed in the City that Trees Built.Dubey and Pivin have teamed up in the past with several projects including participation in the web series Paragods from Shawn Allen Films -- a lot of scenes were shot in Berlin. The pair also completed a short horror film titled "Grinning Jack" a few years back  it was Diabolical Films first project. The pair has also produced a video for a couple of local bands.The crew started filming last year, and aside from some color and sound correction Dubey said, it is ready to be revealed to the world.The movie will be screened in film festivals in the future, and there is hope that it will be well received."I think people will be impressed," said Dubey.The synopsis for "Paper City Burnout," a full-length movie, reads: "A family facing the challenges of addiction becomes entangled in the web of a small town criminal organization. Their struggles mount as circumstances conspire against them, pushing toward a dramatic climax from which no one will emerge unbroken."Dubey, who owns Berlin EMS, has seen the local substance abuse problem first hand."Families struggle with substance abuse and we really want to see people get out of that," he said. "It's a major problem in town."The Berlin Reporter had the privilege of previewing the movie last week. Well made, it is dark drama that touches upon the tragic realities of substance abuse and its effect on the whole family. There is an element of humor and comedy that takes some of the edge off from the seriousness of the subject matter, but not enough to take away from the darkness of Jack. The crime aspect of the movie adds some fantasy with a gangster/mafia feel.For more information, email diabolicalfilmcompany@gmail.com.

Granite State News Appalachian Mountain Teen Project closing its doors

by Elissa Paquette WOLFEBORO  The Board of Directors of the Appalachian Mountain Teen Project has decided, with regret, to close its doors. A letter sent to those who have been a part of the program over the past 35 years  teen participants, their family members, board members, staff and supporters within the greater community, announced the decision with "a heavy heart."



The letter sent by the Board of Directors, Executive Director Nathan Boston, and Founder and Director Emerita Donna San Antonio explains, "Over the last three decades, it has become harder and harder to operate an independent, community-based non-profit. We took a long time making this decision, and we explored some alternatives but, in the end, we found we had to make this very difficult decision."



A reception is scheduled to share memories, enjoy food, music, photos and stories and take a look back together on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 85 Bay St. in Wolfeboro, from 4  7 p.m.



Boston describes the process as a means to honor the past and inform the public, and bring a sense of closure to the many people who have been touched by the program.



Program highlights enumerated in the letter include: outdoor adventures paddling, backpacking, and camping in 25 states and five Canadian provinces; the opportunity to discuss education and poverty at the New Hampshire State House; the intiation and facilitation of a Youth Summit with guest speaker, Governor Maggie Hassan, to address how Lakes Region teens can identify avenues and solutions for positive change in their communities; and a visit to the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change which was highlighted by a greeting from his widow, Coretta Scott King.



AMTP is proud to have helped implement social-emotional learning in two school districts and encourage hundreds of parents, who participated in parenting courses and support groups. It also initiated "Bridges Day" to facilitate the transition to middle school using experiential activities shared by all the incoming seventh graders advancing from the elementary schools throughout the Governor Wentworth Regional School District.



The Teen Mentor Project, which matches older students with younter students, originated at AMTP and is thriving in the Pittsfield School District, and elements of that program are now a part of other programs offered to students in high school.



The Board and its Directors, past and present, wrote, "Even as we close our doors, we know that our work continues to thrive in the lives of so many people who were touched by AMTP. Thank you for your belief in the promise of youth, for our commitment to AMTP, and for your support that opened doors of opportunity fo rmany hundreds of teens."



The reception on Aug. 18 at 85 Bay St. in Wolfeboro is open to all who would like to share memories of times with AMTP together. Hours are 4  7 p.m. WOLFEBORO  The Board of Directors of the Appalachian Mountain Teen Project has decided, with regret, to close its doors. A letter sent to those who have been a part of the program over the past 35 years  teen participants, their family members, board members, staff and supporters within the greater community, announced the decision with "a heavy heart."The letter sent by the Board of Directors, Executive Director Nathan Boston, and Founder and Director Emerita Donna San Antonio explains, "Over the last three decades, it has become harder and harder to operate an independent, community-based non-profit. We took a long time making this decision, and we explored some alternatives but, in the end, we found we had to make this very difficult decision."A reception is scheduled to share memories, enjoy food, music, photos and stories and take a look back together on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 85 Bay St. in Wolfeboro, from 4  7 p.m.Boston describes the process as a means to honor the past and inform the public, and bring a sense of closure to the many people who have been touched by the program.Program highlights enumerated in the letter include: outdoor adventures paddling, backpacking, and camping in 25 states and five Canadian provinces; the opportunity to discuss education and poverty at the New Hampshire State House; the intiation and facilitation of a Youth Summit with guest speaker, Governor Maggie Hassan, to address how Lakes Region teens can identify avenues and solutions for positive change in their communities; and a visit to the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change which was highlighted by a greeting from his widow, Coretta Scott King.AMTP is proud to have helped implement social-emotional learning in two school districts and encourage hundreds of parents, who participated in parenting courses and support groups. It also initiated "Bridges Day" to facilitate the transition to middle school using experiential activities shared by all the incoming seventh graders advancing from the elementary schools throughout the Governor Wentworth Regional School District.The Teen Mentor Project, which matches older students with younter students, originated at AMTP and is thriving in the Pittsfield School District, and elements of that program are now a part of other programs offered to students in high school.The Board and its Directors, past and present, wrote, "Even as we close our doors, we know that our work continues to thrive in the lives of so many people who were touched by AMTP. Thank you for your belief in the promise of youth, for our commitment to AMTP, and for your support that opened doors of opportunity fo rmany hundreds of teens."The reception on Aug. 18 at 85 Bay St. in Wolfeboro is open to all who would like to share memories of times with AMTP together. Hours are 4  7 p.m.

Littleton Courier Iron Furnace hopes to re-ignite downtown Franconia

by Justin Roshak

Pictured, left to right: Tim Clough, Sally Samaha, Jeremy Liveston, Joshua Superchi, Leah Superchi, and Greg Superchi. (Photo by Justin Roshak) (click for larger version) FRANCONIA"A 20-year dream" was how Iron Furnace Brewing founder Tim Clough described his new business in the first hour of its opening day, this past Saturday.



"It's everything I could have asked for," Clough said, who added that the project has extracted "a lot of blood and sweat and tears."



Iron Furnace sits alongside the Ammonoosuc, across from its namesake, at 115 Main St., at the junctions of the Sugar Hill and Bethlehem Roads, routes 117 and 18. The building was, at one point, office space. Iron Furnace purchased the property just under six months ago, and the whole team, family, and friends, have spent many a long weekend in the space, ripping, rebuilding, and repainting.



The crew "tore down to the studs," Clough said, and aimed to make the space feel big, and create a sense of the outdoors even in the tap room and lounge. A covered, exposed "beer barn" adjoins the building, which retains its barn shape.



The four founders, Tim, Josh, Jeremy, and Jason, all grew up in Lisbon, and with the exception of Tim, graduated in the same class. Since then, they've stayed close, and found their way back in one form or another.



Iron Furnace aims to be a "Nano-Plus" brew pub. By law, they must serve food, which at Iron Furnace means bar snacks and sandwiches, such as the "LVCC," a ham sandwich named for an old Lisbon country club, long closed but still remembered. However, patrons do not have to buy food in order to drink.



On Saturday, several of their family members were hard at work in the kitchens: Sally Samaha, Jeremy's wife, helped create the menu, and aimed for family friendly, filling foods. The grilled cheese, for instance, is kid-tested and approved. Leah Superchi also lent a hand in the kitchen; both women expect their direct involvement to ebb over time, as full time employees join the team, but on Saturday, they were the team.



Jeremy Liveston, who worked behind the bar Saturday, lives and works in Massachusetts in the field of information technology, and called on his degrees in architecture and art to help design the interior. His aim was to preserve the "bones" of the structure while re-doing much of the decor in fresh farm board. His brother, Jason, designed much of their website and swag, including t-shirts and caps.



The brewery currently has six beers on tap, most of them made in the aromatic, "American" style, according to head brewer Josh Superchi. This contrasts with Littleton's Shilling's Central European theme, and is a little closer to some of Bethlehem's Rek'-lis's British and American ales. In brewing terms, he likes to add the hops, the pungent flavoring herbs, late in the process, which preserves their aroma in the final product. Currently on tap are two ales, two blondes, a stout, and a saison. Josh began homebrewing more than a decade ago. For folks who don't normally like hoppy beers, he recommends his "Summer Peach", a blond with a touch of fruit.



Iron Furnace currently operates a one-barrel system, which brews three to four 31-gallon batches a week. That's smaller than Rek'lis's output, much, much smaller than Schilling, and a good fit for Iron Furnace's founders, all of whom have full time jobs elsewhere.



Greg Superchi jokingly calls himself his brother's "Igor," after Dr. Frankenstein's put upon lab assistant, and serves as assistant brewer. He lives in Landaff, teachers High School math full time, and says that beer combines the best of art and science. His two sides, creativity and precision, both have a place in the brewing cellar. When the Superchis started brewing, local flavors and craft production was almost unknown in northern New Hampshire, where commercial light beers reigned unchallenged. Nowadays, he says the secret is out, and encouraged anyone interested in the craft to pick up a book (How to Brew is his "bible") or start online, where a rich community of home brewers has blossomed over the past decade.



Many of Iron Furnace's beers take influence from local names and locales. The "Gale," for instance, is named for the river that flows past brewery and iron furnace alike, and incorporates a German hops.



Iron Furnace has a half dozen employees ready to startthe posts will be part time jobs, and Tim Clough says wages will be "competitive." The building can seat about 70, and hold more than twice that.



Clough plans to host acoustic musicians, and expects that bikers and hikers, and especially skiers, will form a key component of his clientele. He hopes that Iron Furnace will help create a "rising tide" for downtown Franconia, which has seen several historic stores close in the past year.



Every member of the founding leadership team has young or youngish kids. All have full-time jobs, and most live out of town, in Massachusetts or Connecticut. The Cloughs live in Franconia, and often host their business partners when they come to visit.



Iron Furnace plans to be open Fridays 3-8 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m.-8 p.m., though this could change. FRANCONIA"A 20-year dream" was how Iron Furnace Brewing founder Tim Clough described his new business in the first hour of its opening day, this past Saturday."It's everything I could have asked for," Clough said, who added that the project has extracted "a lot of blood and sweat and tears."Iron Furnace sits alongside the Ammonoosuc, across from its namesake, at 115 Main St., at the junctions of the Sugar Hill and Bethlehem Roads, routes 117 and 18. The building was, at one point, office space. Iron Furnace purchased the property just under six months ago, and the whole team, family, and friends, have spent many a long weekend in the space, ripping, rebuilding, and repainting.The crew "tore down to the studs," Clough said, and aimed to make the space feel big, and create a sense of the outdoors even in the tap room and lounge. A covered, exposed "beer barn" adjoins the building, which retains its barn shape.The four founders, Tim, Josh, Jeremy, and Jason, all grew up in Lisbon, and with the exception of Tim, graduated in the same class. Since then, they've stayed close, and found their way back in one form or another.Iron Furnace aims to be a "Nano-Plus" brew pub. By law, they must serve food, which at Iron Furnace means bar snacks and sandwiches, such as the "LVCC," a ham sandwich named for an old Lisbon country club, long closed but still remembered. However, patrons do not have to buy food in order to drink.On Saturday, several of their family members were hard at work in the kitchens: Sally Samaha, Jeremy's wife, helped create the menu, and aimed for family friendly, filling foods. The grilled cheese, for instance, is kid-tested and approved. Leah Superchi also lent a hand in the kitchen; both women expect their direct involvement to ebb over time, as full time employees join the team, but on Saturday, they were the team.Jeremy Liveston, who worked behind the bar Saturday, lives and works in Massachusetts in the field of information technology, and called on his degrees in architecture and art to help design the interior. His aim was to preserve the "bones" of the structure while re-doing much of the decor in fresh farm board. His brother, Jason, designed much of their website and swag, including t-shirts and caps.The brewery currently has six beers on tap, most of them made in the aromatic, "American" style, according to head brewer Josh Superchi. This contrasts with Littleton's Shilling's Central European theme, and is a little closer to some of Bethlehem's Rek'-lis's British and American ales. In brewing terms, he likes to add the hops, the pungent flavoring herbs, late in the process, which preserves their aroma in the final product. Currently on tap are two ales, two blondes, a stout, and a saison. Josh began homebrewing more than a decade ago. For folks who don't normally like hoppy beers, he recommends his "Summer Peach", a blond with a touch of fruit.Iron Furnace currently operates a one-barrel system, which brews three to four 31-gallon batches a week. That's smaller than Rek'lis's output, much, much smaller than Schilling, and a good fit for Iron Furnace's founders, all of whom have full time jobs elsewhere.Greg Superchi jokingly calls himself his brother's "Igor," after Dr. Frankenstein's put upon lab assistant, and serves as assistant brewer. He lives in Landaff, teachers High School math full time, and says that beer combines the best of art and science. His two sides, creativity and precision, both have a place in the brewing cellar. When the Superchis started brewing, local flavors and craft production was almost unknown in northern New Hampshire, where commercial light beers reigned unchallenged. Nowadays, he says the secret is out, and encouraged anyone interested in the craft to pick up a book (How to Brew is his "bible") or start online, where a rich community of home brewers has blossomed over the past decade.Many of Iron Furnace's beers take influence from local names and locales. The "Gale," for instance, is named for the river that flows past brewery and iron furnace alike, and incorporates a German hops.Iron Furnace has a half dozen employees ready to startthe posts will be part time jobs, and Tim Clough says wages will be "competitive." The building can seat about 70, and hold more than twice that.Clough plans to host acoustic musicians, and expects that bikers and hikers, and especially skiers, will form a key component of his clientele. He hopes that Iron Furnace will help create a "rising tide" for downtown Franconia, which has seen several historic stores close in the past year.Every member of the founding leadership team has young or youngish kids. All have full-time jobs, and most live out of town, in Massachusetts or Connecticut. The Cloughs live in Franconia, and often host their business partners when they come to visit.Iron Furnace plans to be open Fridays 3-8 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m.-8 p.m., though this could change.

Littleton Courier Littleton residents vote down school safety improvements Lincoln startup gains accolades from Field and Stream Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comLittleton Courier Lisbon Town Administrator's contract lapses; town to go it alone

by Justin Roshak LISBONThe Select Board allowed Town Administrator Sharon Penney's one-year contract to lapse this month, and declined to re-hire her into the position. The town has no plans to hire a replacement as of yet, and will make due with only its Select Board and administrative staff for the foreseeable future.



Select Board member Arthur Boutin said that Penney's job performance was not a factor, and that he was pleased with the work she had done. He explained the decision to let Penney's contract lapse was part of the Select Board's determination to take an increasingly active hand in day-to-day affairs. For example, member of the Select Board is in town hall most days of the week, available for administrative judgements and oversight. Boutin also said it was important to him to be able to hear citizen feedback in person. He said that Penney's contract was allowed to lapse because there wasn't enough for her to do.



Penney, an experienced town planner who lives in Franconia, was hired for a part-time, 30-hours-per-week position. In her one year tenure, she faced an infected town well and multiple power outages, and pursued grant money. She worked to update Lisbon's administration, and rebuild relationships with state and local officials.



Lisbon's town government will now rest largely with front desk administrator, Krystal Dow, and tax collector/clerk Jennifer Trelfa. Dow expressed cheerful confidence about handling any additional workload.



Lisbon already had a relatively weak town executive, because it uses the town administrator model, wherein the Select Board must sign off on a greater range of decisions than under the strong town manager model. By contrast, Littleton uses a town manager, while Franconia, Bethlehem, and Lisbon all use the administrators. For many years, Franconia didn't even have an official TA, although its then-administrative assistant served many of the same roles, according to current Franconia Administrator Holly Burbank.



The close supervisory role of the current Lisbon Select Board is intended to be a deliberate contrast with the previous board's relatively hands-off approach. Critics of the former board believed that too much authority was allowed to collect in the hands of then-administrator Dan Merhalski, whose name still evokes scoffs and grumbles from some politically engaged Lisbonites.



Lisbon made national news last year when its Select Board resigned en-masse 24 hours before town meeting, and Merhalski was forced to resign after what NHPR described as a "revolt." At the time, critics accused him of a dictatorial management style, though his defenders believed he was merely reining in overly-powerful department heads. LISBONThe Select Board allowed Town Administrator Sharon Penney's one-year contract to lapse this month, and declined to re-hire her into the position. The town has no plans to hire a replacement as of yet, and will make due with only its Select Board and administrative staff for the foreseeable future.Select Board member Arthur Boutin said that Penney's job performance was not a factor, and that he was pleased with the work she had done. He explained the decision to let Penney's contract lapse was part of the Select Board's determination to take an increasingly active hand in day-to-day affairs. For example, member of the Select Board is in town hall most days of the week, available for administrative judgements and oversight. Boutin also said it was important to him to be able to hear citizen feedback in person. He said that Penney's contract was allowed to lapse because there wasn't enough for her to do.Penney, an experienced town planner who lives in Franconia, was hired for a part-time, 30-hours-per-week position. In her one year tenure, she faced an infected town well and multiple power outages, and pursued grant money. She worked to update Lisbon's administration, and rebuild relationships with state and local officials.Lisbon's town government will now rest largely with front desk administrator, Krystal Dow, and tax collector/clerk Jennifer Trelfa. Dow expressed cheerful confidence about handling any additional workload.Lisbon already had a relatively weak town executive, because it uses the town administrator model, wherein the Select Board must sign off on a greater range of decisions than under the strong town manager model. By contrast, Littleton uses a town manager, while Franconia, Bethlehem, and Lisbon all use the administrators. For many years, Franconia didn't even have an official TA, although its then-administrative assistant served many of the same roles, according to current Franconia Administrator Holly Burbank.The close supervisory role of the current Lisbon Select Board is intended to be a deliberate contrast with the previous board's relatively hands-off approach. Critics of the former board believed that too much authority was allowed to collect in the hands of then-administrator Dan Merhalski, whose name still evokes scoffs and grumbles from some politically engaged Lisbonites.Lisbon made national news last year when its Select Board resigned en-masse 24 hours before town meeting, and Merhalski was forced to resign after what NHPR described as a "revolt." At the time, critics accused him of a dictatorial management style, though his defenders believed he was merely reining in overly-powerful department heads.

Littleton Courier Littleton residents vote down school safety improvements Lincoln startup gains accolades from Field and Stream Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comNewfound Landing Philbrick resigns, but debate continues

by Thomas P. Caldwell BRISTOL  The resignation of embattled high school guidance counselor Shelly Philbrick has not ended the debate over whether someone in a position of trust can maintain that trust while exercising First-Amendment rights to express a controversial personal opinion.



The American Civil Liberties Union-New Hampshire expressed concern on Aug. 10 that seeing people lose their jobs over their testimony in support of a former colleague "may deter public employees from, in their individual capacities, giving testimony in criminal court proceedings."



The organization said, "The sentencing phase of criminal trials routinely utilize[s] character witnesses. Our justice system depends on such individuals feeling free to testify in court, including on behalf of individuals who have been accused or convicted of crimes. The chilling effect potentially created by these institutions' decisions is deeply damaging to the fair administration of justice."



The criticism was directed at the Newfound Area School District and Plymouth State University. The Newfound Area School Board had accepted Philbrick's resignation in a one-minute public meeting that followed a one-hour nonpublic session on Aug. 7. Plymouth State University had decided not to rehire Dr. Nancy Strapko, an adjunct teaching lecturer, and required counselor education professors Michael Fischler and Gary Goodnough to complete additional Title IX training before returning to the classroom.



Philbrick has been under fire for her testimony in support of convicted pedophile Kristie Torbick, a former colleague in the Newfound Area School District who was working as a guidance counselor in the Exeter School District when she got romantically involved with a 14-year-old freshman at the school. After Torbick pleaded guilty to four counts of felonious sexual assault, Philbrick was among those arguing for leniency in her sentencing, saying, "to incarcerate Mrs. Torbick as part of any plea bargain would be a sad injustice to her own three children, one of which is only 3 years of age."



Erin Camire of Bristol sent a letter to School Administrative Unit 4 Superintendent Stacy Buckley, asking her to schedule a special meeting to give residents a chance to discuss the situation created by Philbrick's comments.



"Many parents are concerned, as I feel they should be, with her requests for leniency for a self confessed and convicted child molester," Camire wrote. "I have already instructed my step-son on what to do if he should be in a position that he must speak to Ms. Philbrick. I will remove him from school that day and bring him to a third party counselor before he is to sit with her. I am not saying that, because of her comments, that she will also do such heinous acts, but her judgment is not to be trusted."



The question of judgment also arose at Plymouth State University, especially when Strapko told the court, "Kristie takes full responsibility for her actions with her 'victim,'" Strapko said. "I put this in [quotes] because I am aware that her 'victim' was truly the pursuer in this case."



The university called those comments "legally wrong and morally reprehensible."



Devon Chaffee, executive director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said, "The ACLU-NH denounces sexual assault of any kind. Such actions against a minor are particularly egregious. The public is not served, however, by silencing the free speech of citizens speaking in their private capacity. As a society, we can and must support victims of sexual assault and steadfastly uphold the rights of citizens to participate in the criminal justice process."



Gilles Bissonnette, ACLU-NH's legal director, said, "The actions of Plymouth State University and Newfound Regional School District [sic] present serious free speech concerns, and these institutions may have violated New Hampshire law. New Hampshire provides even broader free speech protections to public employees than the protections that exist under the First Amendment. As RSA 98-E:1 states, 'a person employed as a public employee in any capacity shall have a full right to publicly discuss and give opinions as an individual on all matters concerning any government entity and its policies.' These protections exist out of a fear that public employers may do exactly what was done here  namely, terminate employees for unpopular speech done in an individual capacity concerning the government, unrelated to the employee's work.



"These actions against free speech are especially problematic with respect to former Plymouth State University lecturer and clinical mental health counselor Dr. Nancy Strapko, who was terminated, and a Newfound Regional High School guidance counselor, who was forced to resign."



The university did not "terminate" Strapko; rather, it did not renew her contract and said it would not hire her in any other capacity.



Whether Philbrick "was forced to resign" is unknown, as it is a personnel matter that is not subject to the Right-To-Know law, and the school board sealed the minutes of the nonpublic session for 50 years before accepting Philbrick's resignation. The decision was unanimous with exception of New Hampton board member Christine Davol, who did not attend the special meeting that had been called to deal with the single issue.



While both Newfound and the university said they had not granted permission for their staff members to testify on Torbick's behalf, that was not the case in the Bedford School District, which still is in upheaval after Superintendent Chip McGee resigned for having approved of his staff's request to support Torbick. Residents have been asking for action against the staff members who took part in the sentencing testimony.



Buckley said in a letter to Newfound parents last month, "I was not notified that [Philbrick] would be testifying, nor did I grant approval for her to testify. Ms. Philbrick acted on her own, not as a representative or with authorization of the school district. That being said, Ms. Philbrick has the right to speak on this matter as a member of the public."



After learning of the ACLU criticism, Buckley said,"The Newfound Area School District did not take action against Shelly Philbrick; the School Board accepted her resignation." BRISTOL  The resignation of embattled high school guidance counselor Shelly Philbrick has not ended the debate over whether someone in a position of trust can maintain that trust while exercising First-Amendment rights to express a controversial personal opinion.The American Civil Liberties Union-New Hampshire expressed concern on Aug. 10 that seeing people lose their jobs over their testimony in support of a former colleague "may deter public employees from, in their individual capacities, giving testimony in criminal court proceedings."The organization said, "The sentencing phase of criminal trials routinely utilize[s] character witnesses. Our justice system depends on such individuals feeling free to testify in court, including on behalf of individuals who have been accused or convicted of crimes. The chilling effect potentially created by these institutions' decisions is deeply damaging to the fair administration of justice."The criticism was directed at the Newfound Area School District and Plymouth State University. The Newfound Area School Board had accepted Philbrick's resignation in a one-minute public meeting that followed a one-hour nonpublic session on Aug. 7. Plymouth State University had decided not to rehire Dr. Nancy Strapko, an adjunct teaching lecturer, and required counselor education professors Michael Fischler and Gary Goodnough to complete additional Title IX training before returning to the classroom.Philbrick has been under fire for her testimony in support of convicted pedophile Kristie Torbick, a former colleague in the Newfound Area School District who was working as a guidance counselor in the Exeter School District when she got romantically involved with a 14-year-old freshman at the school. After Torbick pleaded guilty to four counts of felonious sexual assault, Philbrick was among those arguing for leniency in her sentencing, saying, "to incarcerate Mrs. Torbick as part of any plea bargain would be a sad injustice to her own three children, one of which is only 3 years of age."Erin Camire of Bristol sent a letter to School Administrative Unit 4 Superintendent Stacy Buckley, asking her to schedule a special meeting to give residents a chance to discuss the situation created by Philbrick's comments."Many parents are concerned, as I feel they should be, with her requests for leniency for a self confessed and convicted child molester," Camire wrote. "I have already instructed my step-son on what to do if he should be in a position that he must speak to Ms. Philbrick. I will remove him from school that day and bring him to a third party counselor before he is to sit with her. I am not saying that, because of her comments, that she will also do such heinous acts, but her judgment is not to be trusted."The question of judgment also arose at Plymouth State University, especially when Strapko told the court, "Kristie takes full responsibility for her actions with her 'victim,'" Strapko said. "I put this in [quotes] because I am aware that her 'victim' was truly the pursuer in this case."The university called those comments "legally wrong and morally reprehensible."Devon Chaffee, executive director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said, "The ACLU-NH denounces sexual assault of any kind. Such actions against a minor are particularly egregious. The public is not served, however, by silencing the free speech of citizens speaking in their private capacity. As a society, we can and must support victims of sexual assault and steadfastly uphold the rights of citizens to participate in the criminal justice process."Gilles Bissonnette, ACLU-NH's legal director, said, "The actions of Plymouth State University and Newfound Regional School District [sic] present serious free speech concerns, and these institutions may have violated New Hampshire law. New Hampshire provides even broader free speech protections to public employees than the protections that exist under the First Amendment. As RSA 98-E:1 states, 'a person employed as a public employee in any capacity shall have a full right to publicly discuss and give opinions as an individual on all matters concerning any government entity and its policies.' These protections exist out of a fear that public employers may do exactly what was done here  namely, terminate employees for unpopular speech done in an individual capacity concerning the government, unrelated to the employee's work."These actions against free speech are especially problematic with respect to former Plymouth State University lecturer and clinical mental health counselor Dr. Nancy Strapko, who was terminated, and a Newfound Regional High School guidance counselor, who was forced to resign."The university did not "terminate" Strapko; rather, it did not renew her contract and said it would not hire her in any other capacity.Whether Philbrick "was forced to resign" is unknown, as it is a personnel matter that is not subject to the Right-To-Know law, and the school board sealed the minutes of the nonpublic session for 50 years before accepting Philbrick's resignation. The decision was unanimous with exception of New Hampton board member Christine Davol, who did not attend the special meeting that had been called to deal with the single issue.While both Newfound and the university said they had not granted permission for their staff members to testify on Torbick's behalf, that was not the case in the Bedford School District, which still is in upheaval after Superintendent Chip McGee resigned for having approved of his staff's request to support Torbick. Residents have been asking for action against the staff members who took part in the sentencing testimony.Buckley said in a letter to Newfound parents last month, "I was not notified that [Philbrick] would be testifying, nor did I grant approval for her to testify. Ms. Philbrick acted on her own, not as a representative or with authorization of the school district. That being said, Ms. Philbrick has the right to speak on this matter as a member of the public."After learning of the ACLU criticism, Buckley said,"The Newfound Area School District did not take action against Shelly Philbrick; the School Board accepted her resignation."

Newfound Landing Fundraiser celebrates former Alexandria resident's love for animals Playoff battle of the Bears goes to Newfound Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comPlymouth Record Enterprise Ashland School Board encumbers funds for building repairs and maintenance

by David Ruell ASHLAND  At its Aug. 6 meeting, the Ashland School Board encumbered $150,000 for repairs and improvements, hired two staff members, reviewed policies and learned of school activities.



Superintendent Mary Moriarty at first asked the School Board to postpone action on various encumbrances from the 2017-2018 unreserved fund balance, because the administrators did not yet have firm figures for all the proposed repairs and improvements. She proposed holding an Ashland School Board meeting in conjunction with the SAU 2 Board meeting on Aug. 21. Encumbrances have to be voted on no later than Aug. 31.



Chairman Glenn Dion was concerned that it may not be possible to get a quorum of the School Board at the SAU meeting, and that with the posting requirements and School Board members schedules, it may then not be possible to schedule a meeting before the deadline. He noted that contractors are now very busy and that it is therefore



difficult to get them to provide estimates, a situation that would probably not change in two to three weeks. After some discussion, it was agreed to vote on encumbrances at this regular meeting, rather than wait for more exact figures. Any money not spent from the encumbrances will go into next year's unreserved fund balance. Assistant Superintendent Trish Temperino estimated the present unreserved fund balance, sometimes called the year end surplus, at approximately $180,000. The work to be done includes replacing boilers, adding automatic controls to the boilers, electrical work, strobe safety lights, security cameras, cleaning the oil tank, adding a filtering system to the oil lines, and repairing or replacing a chimney. The best guess that could be offered for all these projects was between $125,000 and $150,000. The School Board therefore voted to encumber $150,000 for facility maintenance, cameras and safety improvements.



Superintendent Moriarty nominated and the School Board voted to hire two new teachers, Alyssa Nelson as a Title I teacher and Diana Paul as a primary tier teacher. This completed the hiring of teachers for the 2018-19 school year, Other new staff that have been hired for the coming year include Susan Rubbe, school nurse; Veronica Cutter,



primary and intermediate tier teacher, and Megan Wright, primary tier teacher.



Principal Shannon Bartlett reported on summer activities and the beginning of the new school year. Twenty students attended Summer Blast, a summer school session that ended the previous week. The school custodians have been working very hard to get the buildings ready for the new school year. The roof is completed, save for the repairs of some damage done during the work. The freezer's compressor is almost done. The new school nurse was to attend a two day conference. Training for the new teachers was scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16. Bartlett was planning the teacher workshop days held before school opens. The school was still waiting for the results of the statewide science test. Reports will be provided to parents on the various statewide tests in the early days of the new school year. The



first day of school for students will be Monday, Aug. 27. Open house is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6. Principal Bartlett and maintenance manager Tim Paquette met with playground designers to discuss a phased upgrading of the school playground. The SAU's newly hired Director of Student Services Elaine Dodge reported



that the New Hampshire Department of Education had determined that the Ashland School District has again met the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for special education students.



The School Board reviewed policies. They held second readings on a new policy on Emergency Care-Staff, and on amended policies on Student Discipline and Due Process, on Emergency Care-Students, on Hazing, on Bomb Threats, on Safe Schools, and on the Use of Media in the Classroom. At the suggestion of new Director of Student Services, they made a one word change during the second reading of a revised policy on Determination of a Specific Learning Disability. The Board held first readings on amended polices on the Family and Medical Leave Act,



on Admission of Homeless Students, on Conduct, on Student Drug and Alcohol Policy, on Concussions and on Proof of Residency. At the Superintendent's request, they tabled the first reading of a new policy on Employee Leaves of Absence, so that she could discuss it with the Ashland Teachers Association.



For months, school administrators have been working on memorandums of understanding between the Ashland School District and the Pemi Baker School District and SAU 48, to outline the relationship of the Ashland school with the Plymouth Regional High School, which most Ashland students attend. Superintendent Moriarty presented the final versions of the memorandums, noting that there were no changes in the agreement with SAU 48 and only minor changes in the agreement with the Pemi Baker District. The Board voted to approve both Memorandums, which will now be sent to SAU 48 and the Pemi Baker School District for their final approval. ASHLAND  At its Aug. 6 meeting, the Ashland School Board encumbered $150,000 for repairs and improvements, hired two staff members, reviewed policies and learned of school activities.Superintendent Mary Moriarty at first asked the School Board to postpone action on various encumbrances from the 2017-2018 unreserved fund balance, because the administrators did not yet have firm figures for all the proposed repairs and improvements. She proposed holding an Ashland School Board meeting in conjunction with the SAU 2 Board meeting on Aug. 21. Encumbrances have to be voted on no later than Aug. 31.Chairman Glenn Dion was concerned that it may not be possible to get a quorum of the School Board at the SAU meeting, and that with the posting requirements and School Board members schedules, it may then not be possible to schedule a meeting before the deadline. He noted that contractors are now very busy and that it is thereforedifficult to get them to provide estimates, a situation that would probably not change in two to three weeks. After some discussion, it was agreed to vote on encumbrances at this regular meeting, rather than wait for more exact figures. Any money not spent from the encumbrances will go into next year's unreserved fund balance. Assistant Superintendent Trish Temperino estimated the present unreserved fund balance, sometimes called the year end surplus, at approximately $180,000. The work to be done includes replacing boilers, adding automatic controls to the boilers, electrical work, strobe safety lights, security cameras, cleaning the oil tank, adding a filtering system to the oil lines, and repairing or replacing a chimney. The best guess that could be offered for all these projects was between $125,000 and $150,000. The School Board therefore voted to encumber $150,000 for facility maintenance, cameras and safety improvements.Superintendent Moriarty nominated and the School Board voted to hire two new teachers, Alyssa Nelson as a Title I teacher and Diana Paul as a primary tier teacher. This completed the hiring of teachers for the 2018-19 school year, Other new staff that have been hired for the coming year include Susan Rubbe, school nurse; Veronica Cutter,primary and intermediate tier teacher, and Megan Wright, primary tier teacher.Principal Shannon Bartlett reported on summer activities and the beginning of the new school year. Twenty students attended Summer Blast, a summer school session that ended the previous week. The school custodians have been working very hard to get the buildings ready for the new school year. The roof is completed, save for the repairs of some damage done during the work. The freezer's compressor is almost done. The new school nurse was to attend a two day conference. Training for the new teachers was scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16. Bartlett was planning the teacher workshop days held before school opens. The school was still waiting for the results of the statewide science test. Reports will be provided to parents on the various statewide tests in the early days of the new school year. Thefirst day of school for students will be Monday, Aug. 27. Open house is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6. Principal Bartlett and maintenance manager Tim Paquette met with playground designers to discuss a phased upgrading of the school playground. The SAU's newly hired Director of Student Services Elaine Dodge reportedthat the New Hampshire Department of Education had determined that the Ashland School District has again met the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for special education students.The School Board reviewed policies. They held second readings on a new policy on Emergency Care-Staff, and on amended policies on Student Discipline and Due Process, on Emergency Care-Students, on Hazing, on Bomb Threats, on Safe Schools, and on the Use of Media in the Classroom. At the suggestion of new Director of Student Services, they made a one word change during the second reading of a revised policy on Determination of a Specific Learning Disability. The Board held first readings on amended polices on the Family and Medical Leave Act,on Admission of Homeless Students, on Conduct, on Student Drug and Alcohol Policy, on Concussions and on Proof of Residency. At the Superintendent's request, they tabled the first reading of a new policy on Employee Leaves of Absence, so that she could discuss it with the Ashland Teachers Association.For months, school administrators have been working on memorandums of understanding between the Ashland School District and the Pemi Baker School District and SAU 48, to outline the relationship of the Ashland school with the Plymouth Regional High School, which most Ashland students attend. Superintendent Moriarty presented the final versions of the memorandums, noting that there were no changes in the agreement with SAU 48 and only minor changes in the agreement with the Pemi Baker District. The Board voted to approve both Memorandums, which will now be sent to SAU 48 and the Pemi Baker School District for their final approval.

Plymouth Record Enterprise Bobcats get back on track with win in Gilford Plans for Keep the Heat On fundraiser underway Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comWinnisquam Echo New business looks to become region's source for mobile storage

by Donna Rhodes write the author

Wes Kogelman held a grand opening celebration last week for his new business, Mi-Box, located on Laconia Road in Tilton, where he looks forward to serving the moving and mobile storage needs of people throughout central and northern New Hampshire. (Photo by Donna Rhodes) (click for larger version) TILTON  Excited to be a part of the growing Tilton business community, Wes Kogelman celebrated the opening of his own new enterprise, Mi-Box, last Wednesday afternoon. Located on Laconia Road in Tilton, Mi-Box provides people with mobile units that can be used for moving, long term or temporary storage. The units are available in a variety of sizes, such as 8x8-foot, 8x16-foot and 8x20-foot containers, which are suitable to meet the many needs of their customers.



"The really great part about our units is that they have a level lift system so the items inside won't fall to one side when they're being moved. They're also weather-proof and secure so not only is everything stored safely, you won't get bugs, mice and debris inside either," Kogelman said.



The boxes can be dropped off at a location for onsite storage, transported from one site to another for people on the move, or even filled at one location and then stored at a secure Mi-Box site until the contents are needed once again.



Kogelman comes to the Lakes Region via Milford where he grew up. While in college he said he dated a girl whose father went on to create a large storage company that became very successful. When a friend of Kogelman's bought a franchise for Mi-Box in the Manchester and Nashua area, he decided he also wanted to be a part of the business and purchased a franchise of his own.



"I've always loved this area and it's been one of my goals to come up here. There isn't much in the way of secured, portable storage in the central and northern parts of the state, and I thought it would be ideal," he said.



Kogelman's Mi-Box companies now service communities from Concord through the North Country and he said that while he has boxes ready to go from locations throughout those parts of the state, he is very pleased with his location in Tilton.



"This lot was a good purchase. There's a lot of visibility here and everyone in town has been so welcoming," he said.



Already, the company has been receiving praise for not only the quality of their new storage units, but the service they have provided for their customers.



"Had Ken deliver our box today. Our driveway is incredibly tight and he worked it in there like a pro. Thanks, Ken," read one post on their Facebook page.



Other comments thanked them for how easy the boxes made their family's move and expressed pleasure with the courteous service they found through Kogelman's crew.



While the business opened earlier this spring, he held the official Grand Opening Celebration last week after his new office building was complete.



"I just wanted to invite people in the area to stop by for some Ben & Jerry's ice cream so we could introduce ourselves and get to know them better, too. We're excited to be here," he said.



For more information on Mi-Box and their mobile storage services, people can visit them on Facebook, where they'll also find a few handy tips for moving and storage. They can also contact Kogelman and his staff at 369-4464, or drop by their office at 405 Laconia Rd. (Route 3) in Tilton. TILTON  Excited to be a part of the growing Tilton business community, Wes Kogelman celebrated the opening of his own new enterprise, Mi-Box, last Wednesday afternoon. Located on Laconia Road in Tilton, Mi-Box provides people with mobile units that can be used for moving, long term or temporary storage. The units are available in a variety of sizes, such as 8x8-foot, 8x16-foot and 8x20-foot containers, which are suitable to meet the many needs of their customers."The really great part about our units is that they have a level lift system so the items inside won't fall to one side when they're being moved. They're also weather-proof and secure so not only is everything stored safely, you won't get bugs, mice and debris inside either," Kogelman said.The boxes can be dropped off at a location for onsite storage, transported from one site to another for people on the move, or even filled at one location and then stored at a secure Mi-Box site until the contents are needed once again.Kogelman comes to the Lakes Region via Milford where he grew up. While in college he said he dated a girl whose father went on to create a large storage company that became very successful. When a friend of Kogelman's bought a franchise for Mi-Box in the Manchester and Nashua area, he decided he also wanted to be a part of the business and purchased a franchise of his own."I've always loved this area and it's been one of my goals to come up here. There isn't much in the way of secured, portable storage in the central and northern parts of the state, and I thought it would be ideal," he said.Kogelman's Mi-Box companies now service communities from Concord through the North Country and he said that while he has boxes ready to go from locations throughout those parts of the state, he is very pleased with his location in Tilton."This lot was a good purchase. There's a lot of visibility here and everyone in town has been so welcoming," he said.Already, the company has been receiving praise for not only the quality of their new storage units, but the service they have provided for their customers."Had Ken deliver our box today. Our driveway is incredibly tight and he worked it in there like a pro. Thanks, Ken," read one post on their Facebook page.Other comments thanked them for how easy the boxes made their family's move and expressed pleasure with the courteous service they found through Kogelman's crew.While the business opened earlier this spring, he held the official Grand Opening Celebration last week after his new office building was complete."I just wanted to invite people in the area to stop by for some Ben & Jerry's ice cream so we could introduce ourselves and get to know them better, too. We're excited to be here," he said.For more information on Mi-Box and their mobile storage services, people can visit them on Facebook, where they'll also find a few handy tips for moving and storage. They can also contact Kogelman and his staff at 369-4464, or drop by their office at 405 Laconia Rd. (Route 3) in Tilton.

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With a view to providing better service quality at the upcoming airports, Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed a new transaction structure based on per passenger aeronautical yield.

Aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said that the new policy will do away with the old revenue share structure and will help inviting more investors.

The new model will be based on passengers entering the airport. This will be the most transparent method. With new technology, the headcount is far easier. We are also in the process of introducing Digiyatra, Prabhu said.

Speaking further, the minister said that the new model will encourage increased private investment. Currently, the transaction structure for airports, run under the joint venture route, is based on a revenue-sharing model.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said the new concession agreement is meant to realise the growth in the aviation sector. This necessitates massive investment in the aviation space and construction of more Greenfield airports. The new structure will make travel more affordable as the yield per passenger will be pre-determined by the concessioning authority, he said, adding that its guiding principles are affordability, sustainability and predictability.

Under the proposed model concession agreement, the total aeronautical collections by concessionaire (airport operator) like landing and parking charges when measured per passenger basis will not exceed Rs 400. The concessionaire has to give Rs 20 per passenger per year to the concessioning authority plus an additional amount as the concession fee.

It is this additional amount of concession fee that will be the biddable parameter. The additional amount could range from Rs 10 to Rs 50 depending on how attractive the concession is. The concession period will be 40 years, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said.

The proposed model will be placed in the public domain for feedback till September 14. Upcoming greenfield airport at Jewar in Greater Noida will be constructed under the new model. Moreover, 10 per cent of the total area has been earmarked for real estate development under this.

The other advantage is that the quality of services will also be pre-determined and standards of services will be evaluated every six months by the airport regulator.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Allocating provisions to cover for its worsening bad loan problem pushed Allahabad Bank into posting a Rs 1,944 crore net loss for the first quarter of FY19. The public sector lender had recorded a net profit of Rs 28.84 crore a year ago. The banks shares plummeted on the stock exchanges after the results were disclosed, falling 6.32 per cent on the BSE to close the day at Rs 40 per share.

While there were a number of factors that eroded during the quarter, including higher wage employee costs and reduced total income, the primary factor was the near doubling of provisions for bad loans. As per the banks financial statement for the quarter, total income fell to Rs 4,794.04 crore from Rs 4,968.57 crore YoY, and employee cost rose from Rs 447.49 crore to Rs 626.8 crore.

But, provisions for bad loans shot up from Rs 1,686.7 crore to Rs 2,590.37 crore during the quarter, pushing the Gross NPA ratio to 15.97 per cent of the gross advances as against 13.85 per cent as on June 30, 2017. Net NPA improved to 7.32 per cent (Rs 10,410.30 crore) as against 8.96 per cent (Rs 12,868.66 crore).

As per RBI directions of June last year regarding nine accounts going in for the insolvency process, the bank said it made fresh provisions of Rs 532.42 crore during the quarter under review. There was also additional provisioning of Rs 657.54 crore made under regulatory directions made on August 2017, also in respect of accounts under the IBC.Sesa sen By

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel has emerged as the front-runner to acquire the stressed Bhushan Power and Steel, with a revised offer of Rs 19,700 crore in the final round of bidding, said multiple people aware of the development. JSW Steel has offered to shell out Rs 19,350 crore to lenders of Bhushan Power, which defaulted on a Rs 47,000 crore loan, and another Rs 350 crore to the operational creditors of the company under insolvency proceedings.

The lenders, who believe that the case is not resolved as yet, will review and evaluate the criteria of the bids to identify the highest bidder by late Tuesday and submit the leading bids to National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), which will hear the case on August 17.The other two bidders in the fray  Tata Steel and Liberty House  surprisingly kept their offers unchanged. Liberty Houses offer stood at Rs 18,900-crore bid and Tata Steels bid stood at Rs 17,200-crore, both of which are lower than JSWs bid.

Tata Steel, which had bid Rs 17,500 crore, was earlier declared as the highest bidder after the CoC rejected Liberty Houses bid of Rs 18,000 crore, which it said was submitted after the deadline. But just when the Tatas were about to touch the finishing line, JSW re-entered the scene increasing its bid to Rs 19,000 crore from Rs 11,000 crore. Despite Tatas objection, the NCLAT ordered the CoC to consider fresh bids to be placed by all the three bidders by August 13.

However, analysts remain concerned about the impact of the debt on the Tata companys books. After Bhushan Steels takeover, the steelmakers debt had already spiked by 50 per cent to over Rs 1 lakh crore. Even though Tata Steel Chief Financial Officer Koushik Chatterjee has assured that debt in the context of growing balance sheet will be closely monitored, investors fear that further inorganic growth may pose a risk for the company.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team probing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh on Tuesday invoked the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against all the accused in the case.

The SIT has invoked Section 3 of the KCOCA, which defines the punishment for organised crime. The SIT has arrested 12 people in connection with the case so far, while 13 have been named accused. Other 3-4 accused persons are yet to be traced and arrested.

The New Indian Express was the first to report in its June 4th edition that the SIT is likely to invoke stringent acts such as Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and KCOCA in the case, considering the modus operandi of the accused and the gravity of the offence they had committed.

Once KCOCA is invoked in a case, it applies to all the accused persons related to it. The order, however, has to be approved by a review committee. It helps the investigating agency to carry out an effective investigation, a senior police officer said.

What Is Organised Crime

According to KCOCA, Organised Crime means any continuing unlawful activity by an individual, singly or jointly, either as a member of an organised crime syndicate or on behalf of such syndicate, by use of violence or threat of violence or intimidation or coercion, or other unlawful means, with the objective of gaining pecuniary benefits, or gaining undue economic or other advantage for himself or any other person or promoting insurgency.

Punishment Under Kcoca

Those involved in murder will be awarded death penalty or life imprisonment, while other offences such as conspiracy, harbouring a member of an organised crime syndicate or being a member of such a syndicate attracts minimum five years of imprisonment but may be extended to life imprisonment.It's almost time for Ireland's annual lovely girls competition as the 59th Rose of Tralee festival soon gets underway down in Kerry. Daithi O Se is of course on hosting duties once more for his ninth year in a row and we have the photos to prove it.

Himself and the 57 Roses all gathered at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham for the obligatory photo shoot today:

There's Daithi now... they all want a piece of him. (TROUSERS on the Westmeath Rose no less, very modren.)

Running for his life.

Uh oh, they're gaining on him.

These motion shots flatter no one.

Daithi is not taking his hosting duties lightly either: "You need a lot of energy for the whole festival, but especially for the Monday and Tuesday nights. I've been out walking or jogging 6 miles a day for the last 6 weeks, as well as watching what Im eating and drinking lots of water. For me, thats around 3 pints, which Rita (Talty) would drink for breakfast!" said Daithi.

He added: "One of the main things I look forward to every year is actually meeting all the Roses, getting the know them and then seeing them do well on stage... that's the best part for me."

Those 59 ladies will soon be narrowed down to 32 for the the final on Monday and Tuesday night, but thankfully that controversial televised cull has been done away with.

This year's competition includes Carlow Rose Shauna Ray Lacey, who is the only entrant into the competition with a child. Single mothers were allowed enter the competition ten years ago (although married mothers still aren't.)

Another Rose is Grainne Carr, sister of a former Leinster and Connacht rugby player Fionn Carr, who will represent Kildare in the competition

London Rose Grainne Hawkes is currently the favourite to win and take over the crown from current Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne.

It's all to play for yet though!

Catch The Rose of Tralee on RTE One at 8pm on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 August.By Express News Service

CHENNAI : A 59-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for cheating more than 20 women over the last eight years by giving fake matrimonial advertisement and later escaping with their jewellery and money.

M Murugan, a resident of Burma Colony in Thiruneermalai, Tambaram was arrested after a complaint by a 47-year-old woman from Hosur, who had lost her eight-sovereigns chain to the man. Murugan, had been giving a fake advertisement in a regional Tamil daily since 2010. The advertisement read, seeking bride for second marriage. Seeing this, a few women came forward and contacted him, said the investigation officer.

His advertisement mentioned that he was earning Rs 60,000 a month and owned a travel company. He would then speak over phone to the women, gain their trust and fix a place to meet, the police said. Convincing them about his sad past with his first marriage, he would take their jewels and money assuring to keep them safe in bank lockers.

Trusting him, the women handed over the jewels. It was only after they returned home, they would realise they were cheated, when they found his phone switched off, the officer added. Police seized more than 50 SIM cards from the man which he used to contact different women. Most of the women who fell a prey to this advertisements were either divorcees or widows. An investigation revealed that Murugan previously worked as a security guard in private apartments, but for eight years he was unemployed. Police recovered 18-sovereign chains, Rs 30,000 in cash and one motorbike.By Express News Service

CHENNAI : It was a typical monsoon day for Chennaites on Tuesday with steady rain lashing the city from afternoon. By 11pm, Nungambakkam recorded 55 mm rainfall and was on the verge of breaking the July 3 record of 60mm to become the wettest day of the year. Going by the forecast, Chennai seems to be on course to breach the 100mm rainfall received in 24 hours. The all-time record for August is 156.2mm rainfall received on August 25, 2011.

Its very rare for Chennai to receive rain during Southwest monsoon. It has always been convectional rainfall. Noted weather blogger Pradeep John says these rare rain is the result of well marked low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and perfect convergence of winds. Meteorological department officials said city would receive rain until Wednesday. The forecast says the low pressure area is likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 48 hours. Meanwhile, the Met department has issued heavy to very heavy rainfall warning to ghat areas of The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul and Tirunelveli districts. The ghat areas have already started receiving heavy downpour.

In the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Tuesday, Valparai in Coimbatore received 180 mm rainfall followed by Chinnakallar 170 mm. State officials said Bhavanisagar dam in Erode, Papanasam dam in Tirunelveli and Periyar Dam in Theni would be reaching their full capacity in a day or two.By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Four Myanmar nationals who had obtained Government identity proofs in India using forged documents with the help of a mediator were arrested by Balapur police on Tuesday. The arrested persons paid huge sums to the mediators for obtaining proofs, found police. The arrested have been identified as Mohammad Elias, his wife Yasmeen Aira Begum, Mohammed Bin Omer, who helped the couple in obtaining identity proofs and two others - Noor Rashid and Murshid Alam.

So far Balapur police have arrested around 40 Rohingyas who have obtained identity proofs through illegal means. According to police, the accused persons have migrated to India through Bangladesh and settled in Hyderabad. They are in possession of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cards and were residing at refugee camps at Balapur.By Express News Service

TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The RBI has asked banks to provide wheelchair ramps in all ATMs. But, will the banks pay heed to this diktat remains to be seen, for, they ignored a similar RBI directive issued in 2009. The apex banks recent directive was issued, thanks to the determination of a physically-challenged woman government employee. K Fareeda Beevi, hailing from Karamana in the capital city, had opted for salary payment through the SBI.

Every single time, she needs the help of another person to withdraw money from ATM. So last year, Beevi raised her plight with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which took cognizance of the matter seriously. Last December, Commissions judicial member P Mohana Das directed the RBI to intervene and help the physically-challenged.Now, the RBI has informed the SHRC that it has directed all the banks, including the SBI, to install ramps in existing and new ATMs.

Earlier, the SBI had told the Commission that it is impractical to set up ramps in ATMs which mostly function in rented buildings. Rejecting this argument, the Commission pointed out that all stakeholders were obliged to obey the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Commission also cited a Supreme Court order that called for providing facilities for the physically challenged to enter all public buildings. In fact, the RBI had long ago started pitching for wheelchair ramps in ATMs. Way back in 2009, the RBI asked banks to provide wheelchair ramps in all ATMs and braille keypads in selected ATMs. But the banks are yet to act on the direction.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Acting on the allegations of illegal mining activity in Guntur district and the recent High Court rap, the State Government on Tuesday ordered a CID probe into the illegal quarrying of limestone in the district and suspended two mining department officials.

The government entrusted the probe to the CID after the Guntur Collector submitted a report about illegal quarrying in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages of Dachepalli mandal in the district estimated at 31,30,419 metric tonnes resulting in a loss of revenue to the government in the form of seigniorage fee/royalty and penalty.

The Collector stated that cases were registered after a preliminary investigation conducted by the Mines Department identified the role of 17 persons in the illegal mining activity. As the issue had its tentacles spread across various departments and across a long period of time under different circumstances, the district administration had recommended probe by a special investigation team.

Following this, the government entrusted the case to the CID. Meanwhile, the government placed B Jagannadha Rao, assistant director of Mines & Geology, Dachepalli, Guntur district, and G Papa Rao, DDM&G, Guntur and ADM&G(Vigilance), under suspension for their failure to prevent illegal mining of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Nadikudi and Kesanupalli villages of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur.

Illegal limestone quarrying: Govt suspends two mining officials

Meanwhile, the government placed B Jagannadha Rao, Assistant Director of Mines & Geology, Dachepalli, Guntur district, and G Papa Rao, DDM&G, Guntur and ADM&G(Vigilance.), under suspension for their failure to discharge their duties in preventing illegal mining of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Nadikudi and Kesanupalli villages of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur district.

Both the officials shall not leave the headquarters without obtaining prior permission from the government, the orders said.It may be recalled that the High Court, which heard the case based on a petition filed by former MLC TGV Krishna Reddy two years ago, had recently wrapped the State government for its inaction on the illegal mining in Gurajala area and impleaded suo motu the Comptroller and Auditor General, the CBI and the Union mining department to probe into the illegal mining issue.

Gurajala TDP MLA Yerapatineni Srinivasa Rao is facing allegations that he was behind the illegal activity and Mondays foiled attempt of a fact-finding team of Opposition YSRC leaders to visit the mining areas had heated up the issue. With this, the government ordered a CID probe and placed the officials under suspension.

Two officials suspended

The State Government has suspended two mining officials. Preliminary probe revealed the involvement of 17 people in illegal limestone mining in the district.By Online Desk

The trailer of the most-awaited Nandita Das directorial 'Manto' was released on Tuesday. In a glance, the trailer shows the popular Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto amidst the time of partition.

ALSO READ | Writers who witnessed the trauma of India-Pakistan partition

The writer had his own struggles in court, as he was tried for obscenity, for the harsh truths that he addressed in his writing.

Manto is played by 'Sacred Games' fame Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Tahir Raj Bhasin, who plays 40's Bollywood actor Shyam Chadda, is said to have a prominent role in the film. Shyam Chadda was a close friend of Manto's and an inspiration for his work.

The poster for the film was released in the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and will be featured in the Un Certain Regard selection in the 2018 Cannes Festival.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Nandita Das in the sets of 'Manto' | IMDB

The shooting for the film was completed in July 2017.

In an interview with Indian Express, Nandita explains why she chose to tell the story of Manto: "Mantos free spirit and the compulsion to tell the truth have inspired me to want to share his story."

Manto, the revolutionary writer

Manto's short story writing was part of an anti-fascist movement, that rose during British India and Hitler's Fascism. Many Urdu works at the time were being translated and read internationally, encouraging other Urdu writers to join in.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Manto (Photo | YouTube screengrab)

Studies about Manto's writing show that his writing is still relevant today. Manto wrote about protagonists who emerged heroic even as they disregarded rules of society. He wrote about "fallen women", outsiders of society and sex-workers weaving stories around them.

Ayesha Jalal in her book 'The Pity of Partition: Manto's Life, Times, and Work across the India-Pakistan Divide' talks about how Manto described the partition, without "glorifying or demonising any community": "Manto excelled in this genre with the searching power of his observation, the pace of his storytelling, and the facility and directness of his language."

She also says, "Manto used his literary talent to reflect the consequences of partition for the lives of common people."Gopinath Rajendran By

Express News Service

Last seen in the hit film Maragadha Naanayam, Aadhi, who is currently awaiting the release of U Turn, starring Samantha, will next be seen in the Tamil remake of the Telugu film RX 100. Speaking about the project, the Aravaan actor says, We will start shooting for the film from the first week of November. The character needs a very chiselled body, so Im working on it, which will take about a month and a half. Pre-production will also happen during that time.

What we really liked about the film is its soul; theres so much life in it. So the soul of the script will be maintained while we work on taking the characterisations and technicians to the next level. The actor adds that the rest of the cast and crew are yet to be finalised. However, the work is on and announcements can be expected one after the other. RX 100s remake rights were bought by Mahesh of Auraa Cinemas, which is currently producing Arasiyalla Ithellam Saatharanam Appa, starring Veera of Rajathanthiram fame, and the Atharva-Hansika-starrer, 100.Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said simultaneous polls for the state Assemblies and parliament are impossible to be held next year, though he said the idea of one nation, one poll is theoretically a good one.

Although Kumar has earlier spoken in favour of simultaneous elections being held across the country, he has been stressing the need for wider discussions on the issue before plans are made for its implementation.

Simultaneous polls at the time of the general elections next year are not possible. It is good in principle, but it is not possible immediately, said Kumar in a reply to journalists questions on the matter.

With Assembly polls in Bihar being due in September 2020, sources said JD(U) is strongly in favour of ruling till that time. Since the sharing of seats among NDA parties for next years Lok Sabha polls is yet to be resolved, JD(U) reportedly feels allowing both the polls simultaneously next year could put it at a distinct advantage.

Bihars main Opposition party RJD has already rejected the one nation, one poll proposal put forth by BJP, saying it would lead to marginalisation of regional parties and harm the federal spirit of the diverse nation that India is.Ritwika Mitra By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has issued a no objection certificate to the Centre in considering the Arunachal Pradesh governments proposal to amend the list of Scheduled Tribes of the State. The Arunachal government had proposed doing away with the category any Naga tribe and instead recognising the tribes of Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho. It has argued that this would be in the larger interest of people belonging to these tribes.

According to the minutes of the meeting there are no other tribes under the umbrella of any Naga tribe. So, the state governments proposal to replace Naga tribes with Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho should be accepted, the state government has proposed which the NCST has now given a no objection certificate to. The State government has also proposed the deletion of Abor tribe from its list of Scheduled Tribes claiming there is no such tribe there. Among the other amendments, the state government has also proposed, replacing the tribes of Khampti, from its list and replacing them with Tai Khamti.

The entity of Momba - another categorised Scheduled Tribe in the list should be replaced with the terms Monpa, Memba, Sartang and Sajolong, according to the proposal. According to the modalities, the state government has to refer the proposal Register General of India and NCST before it is sent to the Cabinet.The proposals of the Arunachal Pradesh government for the deletion of Abor tribe looks hurried and the ground consequences may not be favourable.

The state government has declared that there are no tribes by the name of Abor, Khampti, and Momba in the state and so the proposed amendments should be approved.

Deeper look needed

Proposals of the Arunachal Pradesh government for the deletion of Abor tribe looks hurried and the ground consequences may not be favourable. A more thorough ground assessment should have been taken so that certain tribals are not disadvantaged.Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: In Assams Baksa district bordering Bhutan, thousands of youth thronged a road in a 12km long rally with a 3.5km long Tri-colour being held by a human chain on Wednesday.

Little could one have expected that villages, where Independence Day meant black flags and sloganeering, would see such a rally and hear patriotic songs renting the air.

Over 10,000 people took out the march from Uparkhati to Swagpur and back to Uparkhati. Most of the participants were youth who had missed the Independence Day celebration in their childhood. Blame it on the scourge of insurgency.

When we were kids, we had seen how schools in our areas would be brought under security cover. Security had to be provided to prevent the rebels from hoisting black flags. They had their hideouts in the jungles of Bhutan. As kids, we were afraid of celebrating the day. We heard about a dozen children being killed in a bomb blast triggered by the militants on I-Day in Dhemaji district in 2004. So, we went through that phase. Things have now improved with the waning of insurgency. People have become positive, Bapan Das, who is the president of Sunrise Youth Club, told TNIE.

The 3.5km long flag was the clubs brainchild. Asked about the concept, Das said: We wanted to show to the world about the existence of our village Uparkhati. We expected a turnout of around 4,000 people but over 10,000 people showed up. We are very happy.

Around 60km north-west of Assam capital Guwahati, Uparkhati is perched on the foothills of Bhutan. The locals here are mostly farmers.

Das said the gigantic flag was stitched with crowdfunding and Rs.5 lakh went into its making. Around 5,000 metres of cloth was used in stitching the flag.

The clubs assistant secretary Pavan Oli said, We wanted people to know that we are not hit by militancy anymore and that our state is very peaceful.

Set up in 2006, the club has 79 active members. It has been actively involved in social services.By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission was capable of holding the Lok Sabha elections and polls to four state assemblies together in December if the parliamentary elections are advanced, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said today.

His comments came when asked whether the EC was ready if the LS elections are held in December along with Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

"Why not. There would not be any problem," he told PTI.

There have been speculation in some circles that the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April-May 2019 may be advanced to November-December 2018 so that they can be held simultaneously with Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

While the term of the Mizoram Assembly will end on December 15, the terms of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assemblies would end on January 5, 2019 January 7 and January 20, 2019, respectively.

Asked whether the required electronic voting machines (EVMs) and paper trail machines would be ready if the LS polls are held in December along with those of four assemblies, the CEC said while all the required EVMs would be in place by September end, paper trail machines would come in November end.

The CEC explained that out of 17.5 lakh paper trail machines, 16 lakh would be in place before November.

The remaining 1.5 lakh paper trail or voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines would be delivered by the end of November.

"As you had sought to know, if LS elections are held in December, then the first level check (FLC) of the 1.5 lakh VVPATs (which EC would get in November end) would be difficult. then some critical small gaps would be there," he said.

While the EC needs EVMs and VVPATs for 10 lakh polling stations for the LS polls, it needs the two devices for two lakh polling stations in four states where Assembly elections would be due in December-January.

"There would be a little constraint on the reserves. Instead of 135 per cent (reserves), will have to go for 130 per cent, if the situation arises," Rawat said about VVPATs.

Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) or paper trail machine is a device which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for.

The slip appears on a small window for seven seconds and then drops in a box.

But the voter cannot take it home.

The VVPAT are used in all polling stations.

But as of now, results of EVMs and VVPATs are matched in one polling station per constituency.

There have been demands to increase the number of polling stations where EVM and VVPAT results are matched to dispel fears about electronic voting machines being 'hacked' to favour a particular political party.

Rawat said there have been delays in the delivery of paper trail machines as the Technical Experts Committee appointed by it analyses the technology stabilisation issues in the initial batches and incorporates essential design improvements.

"This ensures we don't face the problems later," he said. While all required EVMs -- 13.95 lakh ballot units and 9.3 lakh control units -- will be delivered by September 30, 17.15 lakh VVPATs will also be delivered well before the end of November, he added.

Over 11 per cent of the 10,300 VVPAT machines across 10 states had developed faults and had to be replaced during the May 28 bypolls.Damini Goel By

Express News Service

He won the nation's respect by taking some tough decisions as prime minister during the India-Pakistan war in 1965. A man who continues to inspire the nation, even after his rather sudden demise, Lal Bahadur Shastri is a man who will not be forgotten any time soon. Though his parents were Srivastavas, Lal Bahadur dropped his caste identity in his early years. In 1921, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he cut short his studies to join India's freedom movement. In a conversation with us, Anil Shastri, one of the six children of the late prime minister and a member of the Board of Directors of Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Delhi, talks about some of the more memorable times that he shared with his father. Excerpts:

What are your memories of your father as a person and a prime minister?

As a child, I always found him to be a good father though I accept that he wasnt able to give much time to the family because of his preoccupation in politics. But yes, whatever little time he spent with us was quality time. Even if it was just a few minutes, there was always some kind of a moral lesson that he would teach us during our conversations. I remember one incident when I was in Class 11; it was that time when he became the Prime Minister. I had already learned how to drive a car without letting anybody know. Then I asked one of his secretaries if I could get a driving license. It was Kailash Narayan who got me the license and I felt very proud that I finally possessed a driving license. And more proud because I was not 18. I waited for my father to come home and when he came back, he simply asked me Why are you up so late, dont you have school? and I told him that I wanted to show him something. I quickly showed him my driving license. And in no time he had a frown on his face. I asked him why he wasn't happy. He quickly responded, 'Because you are not 18 years old yet.' He told me that I have flouted the law despite being a member of the prime ministers household. I ensured that all my three sons got the licenses only after they attained the age of 18.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was a student of Kashi Vidyapeeth and he graduated with a degree in philosophy and ethics. What is the university like today?

Today it is called the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth. It is not a renowned place anymore as it used to be earlier because of a lot of political interference. It is not the same as it used to be in my fathers time. Allahabad University, which was one of the best universities in the country at one time, lost its glory due to the interference of politicians.

What was your fathers idea of education? What are the measures he took to ensure that you get access to the best education?

He always believed that I should grow up to be an educated person because he believed that a person who is well educated has ample opportunities to make the country better. He always encouraged good educational institutions to come up. At that time there were no private institutions, so people had to depend only on government-run institutions. He somehow didnt like this and believed that this might restrict opportunities for the youth. So he put me in a private school (St Thomas) as at that time private schools had just started coming up and they were getting a lot of support from the government, and my father always supported them. I remember he went to Convent of Jesus and Mary in New Delhi as a chief guest for a function. But he had very little time  he served a mere 19 months at the helm of the country as prime minister. So he didnt get time to do much. But he was very keen to support the entry of private players in higher education but unfortunately he couldn't see it through.

Today, religion and caste have become a hindrance to a unified sense of nationalism in this country. What do you think it will take to initiate a change in this approach?

I think we have to promote nationalism. Once a person in this country realises that he/she is an Indian first before anything else, then there might be a change in the way they think. There has to be an all-round effort to inculcate the feeling of nationalism in every Indian and that we have to start at the school level. Just singing the national anthem or Vande Mataram is not going to inculcate that feeling. For instance, when Mahatma Gandhi spoke about freedom, it united the whole country. It was because of this nationalism that the country came together to fight for freedom against the British rule. I think it has to start at an early stage where religion and caste are not given utmost importance.

Do you think your fathers idea of non-violence and Satyagraha would make sense in todays political scenario?

Why not? Even today, any violence is widely reported in the media. So there is awareness. You take the case of Nirbhaya  the whole country marched in peace to condemn the horrific incident. The people will not accept it. There might be a small section of society who will be involved in violent protests, but people, by and large, reject the very idea of violence. Otherwise, Gandhigiri in Munna Bhai wouldnt have been a hit (laughs). The idea of non-violence clicked among the youth and it was this principle that transformed our nation.

(This interview was originally published in Edex Live)By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in his Independence DayIndependence Day speech on Wednesday, made an indirect reference to the unprecedented press conference by the four most senior judges in January this year, where he was criticised, saying that criticising and attacking an institution was easy, but transforming it was a challenge.To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy. What is difficult and challenging is to transform it to a performing one. Constructive steps need to be taken with a positive mindset of reform, and it must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure, the CJI said after unfurling the national flag on the Supreme Court premises.

There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution, but the judiciary will refuse to succumb. We have to serve the lady of justice. She holds the scales of justice, symbolising that the act of delivering and imparting justice has to be balanced as far as possible, and that is the basic essence of justice. Anyone who tries to create any kind of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice. And when the queen of justice sheds tears, possibly all of us will shed tears, Chief Justice Misra said. It is essential that one should work hard in silence and with utmost sincerity and his work shall make the noise, I use noise, the word noise, in a symbolical sense.

Justice Ranjan Gogoi, in his Ramnath Goenka lecture in July this year, had said that independent journalists and noisy judges were the need of the hour in the country.The CJIs remarks came at the Independence Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, which also saw Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in attendance. This is the first time he has seemingly reacted publicly to the controversy that erupted after the January Press conference.By ANI

SRINAGAR: The Kashmir valley witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday following a strike call given by separatists.

Shutters of all shops and business houses remained down as traffic too remained off roads.

In a statement, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) protested against the rights of the Kashmiri people being "trampled". The statement said: "New Delhi is muzzling the voices of freedom in Kashmir and people, especially the youth, are being selectively killed every alternate day."

The JRL warned that on the day of the Independence Day celebrations, the resistance leadership would either be caged or placed in various jails "to crush the dissent, and the entire Valley will turn into a military fortress for the day and people's right to live too will be snatched."

Meanwhile, a large number of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at major intersections to prevent any incident during the celebrations. Security personnel are guarding barricades at the entry and exit points of Srinagar city, and mobile services and mobile internet services have snapped in the valley.Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

Top hospitals moment of glory

For Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), the largest government-run hospital in Bihar, the adage better late than never seems to have become a suitable tag. The multi-speciality hospital conducted its first-ever corneal transplant surgery with the help of a team of doctors from Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in the city.

The surgery was performed on Banarasi Das, 65, from East Champaran district. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said hospitals in the state were a little late in starting transplant surgeries in comparison with other states. But Bihar will soon surpass other states, he said, after laying the foundation stone of a kidney transplant unit at PMCH.

Electrification work earns praise from Centre

Improvement in electricity supply has been one of CM Nitish Kumars top achievements. Now the states performance in household electrification has earned praise at the national level. Union cabinet secretary PK Sinha congratulated Bihar at a recent review meeting of the household electrification work.

This information was shared by Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited chairman-cum-managing director Pratyaya Amrit during a function in Patna where Nitish inaugurated and laid foundation stones of projects worth over J7,522 crore. Ongoing rural electrification work is expected to be completed in Bihar by the year end.

Tiger reserve gets guests from Nepal

Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district keeps getting rhinos from neighbouring Nepal. With a rhinoceros straying into VTR from Nepal a few days ago, the number of these animals here has gone up to two. Forest department officials have been keeping a close watch on the rhinos movements since the day it was spotted in VTRs Chunabhatta forests.

The rhino seems to have entered into VTR from Nepals Chitwan National Park. Torrential rains in Nepal may be a possible reason. More such movement of rhinos during the flood cannot be ruled out, said Gaurav Ojha, divisional forest officer, VTR. Eleven rhinos had entered VTR from Nepal last year. Ten of them were rescued and returned, while one stayed back.

I-Day honour for Good Samaritans

People who help out road accident victims to hospitals often remain unsung. The Bihar government is going to felicitate at least two such Good Samaritans in every district during official programmes organised on the occasion of Independence Day. Transport secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal has written to all district magistrates to pick at least two such people in their districts and honour them. Each chosen good Samaritans will be given J5,100 in cash and a citation.

If the number of such good unsung heroes is higher, the government has decided to felicitate all of them on Republic Day and during the Bihar Diwas celebrations, added Agarwal. Nearly 4,000 people lost their lives in road accidents in Bihar last year.By IANS

NEW DELHI: Breaking his silence over the brutal cases of rapes in various parts of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the narrow mentality towards women has to end and justice must prevail.

"We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape," Modi said in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort.

"In Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast track court. People should know this. Rule of law is supreme and no one can take the law in their hands," he said.Ramananda Sengupta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The tussle between Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh over the shifting of Aero India has immense economic as well as political implications. Started in 1996, the biennial air show in Bengaluru has become the largest such event in Asia. More than 750 global and Indian aerospace and allied majors participated in 2017, while 109 nations sent ministerial/defence heads/secretary-level delegations. And it drew more than 150,000 business visitors and over 300,000 general visitors.

The hospitality industry in Bengaluru reported a turnover of over Rs 500 crore. Hotels, guest houses and resorts are booked well in advance, and it is impossible to get even a five-star room on demand even with the marked up rates. The car hire industry too makes a killing. Similarly, upmarket eateries and local tourist spots see a major spike in earnings.

Which is why, there is immense heartburn over reports that the Central government proposes to shift Aero India from Bengalurus Yelahanka Air Force Station to AFS Bakshi Ki Talab in Lucknow. Then of course there are the strategic, logistical and political angles to consider. Speculation that the next air show, scheduled for January February 2019, might be brought forward to October-November 2018 has added to the concerns, particularly among international exhibitors, who plan months in advance.

Its a death knell for Aero India. Its a disaster in the making, says Air Marshal (Retd) BK Pandey. When I heard about this shift, my immediate question was, is there a new defence minister from Uttar Pradesh being appointed? says Pandey, who retired as AOC-in-C. Training Command.

Because when Manohar Parrikar became defence minister he moved DefExpo to Goa, and he also wanted to move Aero India. Then when Nirmala Sitharaman became defence minister she took DefExpo to Tamil Nadu. This is a politically driven exercise to prop up (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Adityanath, with the forthcoming elections in mind, and also to snub (Karnataka Chief Minister) Kumaraswamy. But in all this you are damaging national interest. It should have been a professional, not a political decision. he said.

According to him, Aero India was started in Bangalore because it is the hub of the Indian aerospace industry. This kind of air show depends heavily on the aerospace industry, and not on farmlands where they are planning to make some defence industry corridor. That will take 20 years. You cant put an airfield in the middle of rice fields and say we are going to have a defence industry corridor here and thus the aeroshow will succeed, he says.

Also, Lucknow has an international airport status, but I doubt it really has great international connections. People coming from all over the world will first have to either come to Delhi or Mumbai and then catch a flight to Lucknow, which is obviously inconvenient. 

While several defence ministry and Air Force officials concurred, one official, however, went against the grain. People are always resistant to change, he said, requesting that he not be named. But once a decision is taken, things will fall into place quickly enough, he said.By IANS

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture, stocking, sale and transport of all plastic and thermocol items, an official said.

The ban on disposable cups, plates, spoons, forks and glasses was rolled out on the 72nd Independence Day.

This is the second phase of the initiative that was started in July by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the official told IANS.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the ban on polythene bags of less than 50 microns on July 15.

The state will roll out the third and final phase on the Gandhi Jayanti day on October 2 by imposing a total ban on non-bio-degradable polythene.

Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Manoj Kumar Singh said the government has directed all municipal corporations, district officials and concerned departments to enforce the ban.

There will be special inspections to ensure compliance.

For the first time, the polythene ban has been effective on ground as the government empowered various departments to seize and penalise offenders, rather than leaving it to municipal corporations.

Under the new rule, people found with 100 grams of polythene would be fined Rs 1,000 and those with five kilogram will have to cough up Rs 25,000.Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Tension gripped Bidhuna police station area of Auraiya district on Wednesday when two priests were found murdered in a temples premises in Kudarkot locality, with a third one found badly injured. He was taken to Saifai Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in a critical condition.

Agitated over the killings, local people blocked Bidhuna road, creating a huge traffic jam, indulged in arson and vandalism, damaged shops, and resorted to heavy brick batting. When a police force reached the spot, residents started pelting stones and firing from rooftops on the cops.

The police retaliated by firing several rounds in the air to disperse the agitating mob. A contingent of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) was called in to bring the situation under control. Subsequently, the cops pacified the agitators with an assurance of quick action against the culprits and convinced them to allow vehicular traffic.

ALSO READ: Violence in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya after two sadhus killed in temple, third injured

Auraiyya district administration has ordered the closure of schools, colleges and markets in view of the unrest and tension in the area. Security arrangements have been beefed up in Kudarkot. A forensic team and senior police officials, including an SP and CO, have reached the spot and a probe into the case is on.

According to IG Alok Singh, a number of factors, including land dispute and a motive of loot, were emerging as the cause for the murder of the priests. Besides, the victims were quite vocal in opposing cattle smuggling which could also be a reason for the killing, he said adding that the police probe was focusing in that angle as well. Eight police teams were set up to trace the unidentified killers.

As per the local sources, three priests-Sadhu Ram, 65, and Halke Ram, 50, both residents of Dhinora village, under Bakeware police station area of Etawah district, had been taking care of a temple of Bhayanak Nath in Kudarkot locality under Bidhuna police station in Auriyya for the last one year. They were joined by Ram Sharan, 55, a local resident of Bibipur area, recently. After completing their routine daily prayers at the temple, all three retired for the day on Tuesday night.

The sources added that on Wednesday morning, as local resident visited the temple, all three were spotted lying in a pool of blood. The police reached the spot and rushed them to the district hospital where two were declared dead upon arrival and third Ram Sharan was referred to Saifai medical institute in critical condition.

The sources claimed that all the three priests were apparently attacked by sharp-edged weapons while they were in slumber. The assailants had slit their throats besides inflicting injuries on other body parts. The killers had chopped off the tongues of all three priests.

The agitated residents were demanding a strict action by the CM in the case, without which they were not ready to cremate the bodies.Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: While the nation celebrates Independence Day with patriotic fervour and optimism on August 15, a town in Bihar has celebrations for two consecutive days - August 15 and 16 - every year.

For the people of Dumraon in the eastern Buxar district, the celebrations on August 16 hold almost as much interest and passion as those organised on August 15. It is the peoples special way of paying homage to four freedom-fighters who were martyred and seven others who were injured in a police firing on August 16, 1942.

Immediately after Mahatma Gandhi delivered his famous Do or die appeal in his Quit India speech in Mumbai on August 8, 1942, hundreds of youth in Buxar tried to put up the tricolour at buildings controlled by the colonial British government. Such a campaign at the police station at Dumraon succeeded on August 16, 1942, but resulted in a brutal crackdown by the cops.

This daring campaign was led by Kapil Muni, who erected the flag on top of the Dumraon police station. The policemen opened fire, and Muni and four of his associates were killed while seven others were badly injured. Our town has been holding special events since the next year (1943) to commemorate the martyrdom, said Shivji Pathak, head of the Dumraon Shahid Smarak Samiti.

The police station where the four freedom-fighters  Kapil Muni, Gopal Kahar, Ramdas Sonar and Ramdas Lohar  were killed was turned into a memorial a few years after the nation won Independence. Recognising the Independence Day-like celebrations organised in the town for decades on August 16, the Bihar government granted the celebrations official status in 2015. The statues of the four martyrs at the memorial were inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in January last.

We observe Independence Day on August 15 every year in Dumraon, but the celebrations are incomplete without the several events organised the following day in memory of the supreme sacrifice of our towns youth in 1942, said Sanjay Kumar Chandravanshi, one of the functionaries of the Dumraon Shahid Smarak Samiti.

Ramananda Sengupta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday announced the appointment of D Bala Venkatesh Varma as Indias ambassador to Russia, as well as new envoys for Ukraine and Kenya.

A 1998 batch IFS officer, Varma, currently Indias ambassador to Spain, is expected to take up the assignment shortly, an MEA statement said. He will replace Pankaj Saran, who has been appointed Deputy National Security Advisor.

Varma, whos fluent in Russian, served in Moscow from 1990 to 1992 as Third Secretary, and then again as First Secretary from 2000 to 2003. He has also served as a Director in PMO and as Joint Secretary (Disarmament & International Security Affairs) at South Block, and as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva before he was appointed as ambassador to Madrid.

Varmas appointment comes at a time when India and Russia are ramping up strategic cooperation, particularly after the informal May 21 summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin at the Russian resort town of Sochi. The two nations are also trying to overcome the diplomatic unease caused by Indias withdrawal from the joint 5th generation fighter aircraft production plans and the rising cost and service overruns of Russian weapons and aircraft which still form the backbone of Indias military.

The MEA also announced that Partha Satpathy, currently joint secretary (Latin America and the Caribbean), would be the Ambassador of India to Ukraine, while Rahul Chhabra, Ambassador of India to Budapest, Hungary, will be the next High Commissioner to Kenya.Manoj Das By

It was an April afternoon in 1909 and everything was as usual in the court of Mr Beachcroft, the Sessions Judge at Alipore, Kolkata, but for an unusual silence dominating the air despite a huge crowd outside. C R Das, Bar-at-Law (later the famous Deshbandhu Chittaranjan) was to conclude his week-long submission in defence of Aurobindo Ghose (later Sri Aurobindo), accused of leading a secret group of young revolutionaries out to uproot the British rule.

Speaking for an hour, Das laid down his sheaf of notes, paused for a moment and as if in a state of trance, spoke: Long after this controversy is hushed in silence, long after this turmoil, this agitation ceases, long after he is dead and gone, he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, as the prophet of nationalism and the lover of humanity. Long after he is dead and gone his words will be echoed and re-echoed not only in India, but across distant seas and lands. Therefore I say that a man in his position is not only standing before the bar of this court but before the Bar of the High Court of History.

Never has a lawyers statement in his clients defence proved so very literally prophetic.

Born on 15 August 1872 at Kolkata to Dr K D Ghose and Swarnalata Devi, Sri Aurobindo, after a stint at an Irish Convent at Darjeeling, was led by his parents to England, aged nine. It is interesting to note what Barrister Eardley Norton, the prosecution lawyer in the aforesaid first State trial of any magnitude in India, wrote about his opponent later in a preface to The Alipore Bomb Trial by B K Bose.

Aurobindo Ghose had been a brilliant scholar in England. He had been Head of St. Pauls and won a scholarship at Kings College, Cambridge. There he was a contemporary of Mr Beachcroft, I.C.S., who tried him at Alipore and who had been Head of Rugby and had also won a scholarship at Cambridge. Both won honours at the University, and at the final examination for the Indian Civil Service Aurobindo the prisoner beat Beachcroft the Judge in Greek!

The official history of the Kings College, Cambridge, records: The most extraordinary Indian to come to Kings was Sri Aurobindo Ghose He got a First in his Tripos He passed into I.C.S., for which he had worked simultaneously with record marks in Classics; but disliking horses he omitted to take the obligatory riding test

Thus deliberately disengaging himself from the I.C.S. because by then he had resolved not to serve an alien government, he returned to India in 1893 and joined the Baroda (Vadodara) Raj service, mostly working as the professor of French and English at the Maharajas College. He mastered Sanskrit in an incredibly short time, delved deep into the Vedic lore and at the same time studied the Indian political situation and through a series of articles in a prestigious Mumbai journal, Indu Prakash, tried to give a radical turn to the timid policies of the Indian National Congress.

Coming over to Kolkata in 1906 he plunged into active politics and edited the herald of national resurgence, The Bande Mataram. In fact his was the first voice to call for an unqualified freedom for the country, and, as Pattabhi Sitaramayya wrote in his History of the National Congress: Aurobindos genius shot up like a meteor. He was on the high skies only for a time. He flooded the land from Cape to Mount with the effulgence of his light.

In the history of our freedom movement there is no other instance of one causing such headache to the highest in the hierarchy so soonthe Governor General Lord Minto describing him as the most dangerous man we have to deal with to the Secretary of State for India, Lord Morley. Failing to secure conviction for him in the Alipore trial, the State knocked on his door with an arrest warrant accusing him of propagating sedition through an article, but in vain! He had disappeared from British India. The news created a stir in the House of Commons. Leader of the Labour Party (and the future Premier) Ramsay Macdonald read out the entire article and challenged the Treasury Bench to point out where sedition lay in it! It was the first-ever debate on an Indian leader in the British Parliament.

Even in those tumultuous days, whoever came in contact with him felt a touch of inexplicable serenity. But they would not know that deep within himself he was a yogi and while in jail he had a clear direction for the path he was destined to explore. Assured of Indias liberation in his seer vision and guided by it as well, Sri Aurobindo arrived in Pondicherry, the French colony, in April 1910. It was time for him to strive for a different liberationthat of humanity from its bondage to a massive primeval ignorance. He realised that at present mankind was passing through an evolutionary crisis. Minds role had been exhausted and only the unfolding of a new consciousness could enable man to transcend the dichotomy between his tremendous material achievement and his capacity to harness it meaningfully.

History has endowed us with the bare common sense that violence, hatred and falsehood can make neither a nation nor an individual happy. Mankind does not lack moral doctrines either. But a stuff lying at the bottom of our consciousness, stiff and stubborn, termed Inconscience, sabotages all our ideal intents. Its transformation can be ensured only by the descent of and intervention by a new force in spiritual evolution, termed Supramental.

Sri Aurobindo explains and substantiates the possibility, nay, the promise, in his magnum opus, The Life Divine. A promise to live by indeed. But what checks its manifestation? Maybe, we are yet to be disenchanted of the wizardry of our ignorance and yet to cultivate a collective aspiration to transcend it and absorb the descent of the saving Grace.S Guru Srikanth By

Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday evaded a direct reply to a query on whether the party will align with its one-time arch-rival the TDP, further fuelling speculation of a possible coming together in both the Telugu States for the 2019 elections.

The Gandhi scion, who was candid enough to admit that the partys chances of coming to power in Andhra are bleak, deftly left the doors open with the remark that a final call on alliances would be taken after feedback from State Congress units.

Rahuls comments in Hyderabad come in the backdrop of a re-energised Congress in Andhra. With former Kerala CM Oommen Chandys appointment as the partys State affairs in charge, there is a spring in the step of senior leaders including PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy.

Optimistic though they are, Reddy and company are still cautious as are their TDP counterparts. Acutely aware that an overt alliance with Congress, which split the State in tandem with the BJP, could be a liability, TDP leaders are wary of talking about it. However, of late, the grand old party has come in for some indirect praise from even TDP chief and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu himself indicating which way the wind is blowing.

The two parties are keeping cards close to their chest. Raghuveera Reddy told TNIE, We will go it alone in all the 175 Assembly and 25 Parliamentary constituencies in the state, he asserted.

Asked about an alliance with TDP in TS, he quipped that he was not concerned about that state and chose not to elaborate further. In TDP circles, the talk of a tacit understanding has been doing the rounds for some time. Recent developments like close coordination between both the parties during protests in Telangana, Congress support to TDP candidate in the PAC member election in Parliament and TDP support to Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha deputy speaker election, party insiders suggest, are indicative of what is in store.

At present, we are not clear whether the party will have an alliance with Congress in Telangana. However, we are clear that we will not have any alliance or tactical understanding with the Congress in AP, a TDP senior leader told TNIE on condition of anonymity.

Political observers opine it is too early to comment on pre-poll ties. Former MP Undavalli Arun Kumar reasons that the political situation in Andhra is very confusing like never before.Anyone can align with anyone except the BJP at any given juncture. State parties may join hands with Congress or Left, he said. He believes that Congress would have nothing to lose if it were to tie-up with the TDP.

Rahul has been reiterating if his party was voted to power at the Centre, it would grant special status to the State  the major demand of all the State parties, including the TDP. It makes any alliance with the grand old party palatable.

TDP mum on Telangana tie-up

Acutely aware that an overt alliance with Congress, which split the State could be a liability, TDP leaders are wary of talking about forming an allianceBy Express News Service

BENGALURU: With heavy rainfall expected in many parts of the state, as many as 14 state districts including Coastal and Malnad region, have been kept on high alert. The state government has taken precautionary measures to face the situation, said Gangaram Baderia, Principal Secretary, Revenue department (Disaster management).

Out of 30 districts, 14, including eight districts from Coastal and Malnad region along with Kodagu, Mysuru, Mandya and other districts are on alert. A sum of Rs 237 crore has been set aside for overall rain-related disaster management.

Deputy Commissioners from these districts are also told to be on high alert and update the authorities concerned in case of emergency.

This year, since April, 135 people have died and 709 cattle were killed, with most of the deaths caused by lightning strikes. This apart, 10,000 houses were damaged during rain.

According to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) Director Srinivas Reddy, as per their records, heavy to very heavy rainfall means more than 64.5 mm and 124.5 mm a day respectively. But eight districts  including Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Shivamogga  have recorded 200-300 mm rainfall a day. This has crossed many of the previous records. An alert has been sent to the concerned, not just about flooding near water bodies, but also about landslides, tree falls and other natural calamities.

Official sources from Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority said they have many teams working under various departments whose services would be used in emergency.

Apart from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, they also have support from Fire and Emergency service, Quick Response Team from Civil Defence along with Navy, Army and Indian Coast Guard.

The NDRF team, which was in Bengaluru, has been sent to Honnavara, and if needed the NDRF from Guntur and Kozhikode are likely to join in.

Also, wherever it is not raining, Fire and emergency department teams are sent to other districts where it needs rescue team service.

Baderia told The New Indian Express that they were geared up with sufficient men and machinery. "We have instructed respective DCs to take a call, and if needed, declare holidays for schools and colleges.

They have full-fledged rescue teams with boats, divers, drugs and other essentials at their service, and money is not a constraint as each DCs can draw up to Rs 5 crore; and if needed more money can be used. We are getting weather updates once every two hours. Except Kalaburgi and Bengaluru Urban region, many districts are on alert,'' he added.

14 affected districts

Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru, Mandya, Davangere, Chamarajanagar, Belagavi, Haveri, Dharwad

It is raining miseries in DK, Udupi, Kodagu districts

Mangaluru: Connectivity issues have worsened in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodagu districts as heavy rains continued to pound the region. The road and railway traffic between Bengaluru-Mangaluru was hit by landslides on Shiradhi Ghat and on the railway line of Subrhmanya Road-Sakleshpur Ghat section.

Linganamakki crest gates opened after four years

Shivamogga: To account for the heavy inflow of 94,861 cusecs of water into Linganamakki Reservoir situated in Kargal village of Sagara taluk, Karnataka Power Corporation authorities opened nine of its 11 crest gates to let water into the river. This is the 14th time since 1964, the reservoir reached its maximum level of 1,819 feet.

3-year-old dies in wall collapse in Chikkanayakanahalli

Tumakuru: A three-year-old girl was killed when a wall collapsed on her at Naduvanahalli village in Dodda Ennegere GP of Chikkanayakanahalli taluk on Tuesday. Pranathi along with two other kids were playing on the premises of a dilapidated house, when one of its walls collapsed on her. Rains also caused havoc in parts of the district.

Floodgates open up fear at KRS reservoir

Mysuru: After the recent flooding of Kapila river, it is now the turn of Cauvery after irrigation officials released 1 lakh cusecs of water into the river from the Krishna Raja Sagar dam beginning at noon on Tuesday. The huge quantity of water was released through 60 gates of the reservoir after a gap of 13 years.Naushad Bijapur By

Express News Service

BELAGAVI: Karnatakas relentless struggle for its share of Mahadayi water met with partial success on Tuesday with the tribunal set up to resolve the inter-state dispute awarding 13.5 tmcft of water to the state. The Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal headed by Justice J M Panchal in its final award allowed Karnataka to draw 5.5 tmcft of water from Mahadayi river for drinking purpose and 8.02 tmcft for hydro-power generation.

Of the 5.5 tmcft allotted for drinking, 3.9 tmcft will be diverted to Malaprabha basin through Kalasa nala (1.18 tmcft) and Bandura nala (2.72 tmcft), while the rest for in-basin consumption in Khanapur region.

Karnataka was involved in a decades-long battle with neighbouring Goa demanding 36.55 tmcft, including 7.56 tmcft for drinking water purpose. Opposition BJP and the ruling JDS-Congress combine in Karnataka too have been at loggerheads over the vexed issue. For a long time, the state government had been struggling to find an out-of-court settlement with Goa and Maharashtra.

While many leaders and people hailed the order, which will help overcome drinking water scarcity in North Karnataka, sources said the government is mulling moving the Supreme Court for a higher share.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was guarded in his response. He said the verdict has provided some relief for Karnataka, but added he will react after consulting the legal team. His Goan counterpart Manohar Parrikar said, I am happy that the Tribunal has done justice to Goa. I thank everyone who have fought for protecting our lifeline Mhadei.

Deputy CM G Parameshwara said, The state will consider filing a review petition after wider discussion.

BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa said, I am happy with the verdict. It has brought smiles to farmers and protesters. The good thing is that we can go to SC seeking more water.

Though the farmers have welcomed the verdict, they are upset that it makes no mention about share in agriculture.

Speaking to TNIE, M B Zirli, member of states legal team which argued the case before the tribunal, said, Its a victory for Karnataka. Goa government handled the case immaturely as though it is a property dispute and indulged in needless rivalry with Karnataka. We are both neighbours and needed to share water that we required to fulfil our needs. Goa is neither utilising Mahadayi water nor allowing us to utilise some amount of it.

As a legal team, he said, We have partly succeeded in attaining the pressing needs of Karnataka by scoring a first victory. Its a 12-volume judgment. We need to study it before taking the next step. However, we contemplate moving the SC demanding our entire share of water under the project and even approach the tribunal seeking clarification about some issues related to the verdict, he added. The states legal team has criticised Goa for misleading the tribunal by contending that Mahadayi basin had 90 tmcft while the tribunal clarified it was 188 tmcft.

On several occasions, the Goan top bureaucrats and ministers alleged that Karnataka government was illegally diverting water from Kalasa nala and strayed into the project site at Kankumbi breaking the protocol. In the end, Karnataka has been able to achieve a victory, it added. Calling the tribunals decision as totally satisfactory for Karnataka, Kannada leader Ashok Chandargi has said the verdict is a setback for Goa which had vowed not to release even a drop of Mahadayi water to Karnataka.

Although the tribunal awarded 5.5 tmcft against 7.56 tmcft demanded by Karnataka for drinking, it will help a great deal in overcoming water crisis in the 13 taluks falling under four districts of Mumbai-Karnataka.Anusha Ravi By

Express News Service

HUBBALLI: I will go to the people. I will tour the state and ensure that BJP wins maximum seats in the Lok Sabha polls, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa had pledged on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on May 19.

Three months later, the 75- year-old BJP state president is doing exactly that. Travelling for hours at a stretch on the muddy, pothole-filled roads further ravaged by continuous rains has become a routine for Yeddyurappa over the last one week. This even as rivals, Congress and JD(S) have barely begun any work for the Lok Sabha or ULB polls. While the coalition partners are heavily dependent on district units to take up the onus, Yeddyurappa has assumed the position of the driving force for the cadres, even for the Urban Local Body polls.

On Tuesday, The New Indian Express was on the former chief ministers trail as he hopped between districts of Hubli-Dharwad and Uttara Kannada, addressing party workers ahead of the Urban Local Body polls. His message to the cadres is clear, aim to win at least 60 per cent of all 105 Urban Local Bodies that are going to polls.

Workers will show initiative only when leaders work with them. They will move forward if I go to them, B S Yeddyurappa told this reporter on why he took up this statewide tour barely months after the assembly elections.

His first stop was Eshwari Vishwavidhyanilaya in Yellapur  to address leaders of Shakti Kendras and district unit office bearers. For workers who are still recovering from the strain of Assembly elections, his visits are acting like a shot in the arm. Although they are disappointed that we could not form the government, they havent lost heart. They are keen on fighting back in the ULB polls as well as Lok Sabha elections, Yeddyurappa told this reporter while travelling on a slushy road in Yellapur.

When he kickstarted his statewide tour to boost grassroots level workers, his cars distance meter read 47,210 kms. We have travelled about 2,000 kms in the last six days and all of it via road, party leader Shobha Karandlaje told the TNIE.

The leaders have so far toured Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Ballari, Koppal, Huballi, Gadag, Haveri and Uttar Kannada as on Tuesday.

In a single day, Yeddyurappa addressed at least 600 local leaders of the party in Yellapur and Dharwad put together with one pitstop at a party workers house in Yellapur for lunch. The long car drives tire out the former chief minister but he enthuses the cadres with every address. While he acknowledges that the JD(S)-Congress coalition would affect vote share in a few districts, Yeddyurappa isnt greatly worried about it. His targets are charted out.

For Yeddyurappa ensuring a landslide for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls has become a personal battle. So much so that he is almost fighting a lonely battle.

While his current tour is to campaign from the ULB polls, agenda in every meeting is bringing Prime Minister Narendra Modi back to power at the Centre, indirectly making this all about the Lok Sabha polls.

He is fighting for Lok Sabha but how many MPs are campaigning with him? He is still the single most or rather the only leader of the BJP who works for the party and not for himself, said a senior functionary in Yeddyurappas office.By Online Desk

KOZHIKODE: The Calicut International Airport will accept all Keralites, currently stranded at various airports in the Middle East due to the cancellation of flights to Cochin International Airport, said Airport Director, Airports Authority of India, Calicut Airport in a press release. The decision has been taken since the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is expected to be closed for operations for the next three days due to flooding in the operational area, it said.

The operations of Kochi International Airport (COK) has been temporarily suspended till 18th Saturday 2 PM due to the heavy rains rains and resultant flooding. CIAL isworking hard to drain out the storm water. Emergency control room numbers: 0484 3053500, 2610094 #KeralaFloods  CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 15, 2018

All airline operators who intend to operate additional flights to Calicut Airport are most welcome to do so after getting the necessary approval from DGCA, said the officials, adding that between 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm, the airport is not busy and can accept up to 6 aircraft in one hour.

[Follow LIVE UPDATES here]

The Airport has 12 parking bays for Code-C Category aircraft and can handle 1000 International and 500 domestic passengers per hour. It is open for operations round the clock and can accept code C and D category aircraft, said the airport officials.By Express News Service

KOTTAYAM: Ending one-and-a-half-monthslong suspense, the police team probing the rape complaint filed by a nun against Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal has completed their investigation in Jalandhar and other places in north India. The team is likely to return on Wednesday morning. At the same time, the probe team is yet to arrive at a conclusion in the case even after Mulakkal was questioned for nearly nine hours, which commenced on Monday night and lasted till the wee hours of Tuesday. Following this, the probe team decided not to arrest the bishop for the time being.

According to sources, any further steps in the case will be taken only after DGP Loknath Behera, Ernakulam Range IG Vijay S Sakhare and Kottayam SP Hari Sankar review the evidence collected by the investigation team so far. A top police officer said more clarity is needed in some areas before jumping into a conclusion. We have to question the bishop and the nun once again to clear the doubts, he said. Notably, the bishop is likely to be summoned to Kerala for further interrogation so the police can take him to custody if needed. The probe team led by Vaikom DySP K Subhash seized various materials, including Mulakkals laptop, mobile phone, hard disk of the dioceses PRO Fr Peter Kavumpuram and some crucial files from the bishops house. Speaking to media persons after the interrogation, DySP Subhash said the bishop denied his presence in St Francis Mission, House, Kuruvilangad during the dates on which he allegedly raped the nun.

ALSO READ | High Court directs government to arrest Franco Mulakkal at earliest

As per the bishops statement, there are some conflicts in his visit to the Mission House. We have to collect more details about it, he said. At the same time, higher police officers dismissed allegations that Mulakkal forced the Kerala police team to wait for more than four hours to meet him at the bishop house. The probe team arrived for a detailed evidence collection at the bishops residence and questioned four others before calling Mulakkal. When the bishops turn came up, he was present there, said Hari Sankar, Kottayam district police chief, who is monitoring the probe.By PTI

KOCHI: Indian Navy today said it has deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with inflatable 'Gemini' boats as the flood situation further worsened across Kerala today due to the heavy rains.

"A total of four teams went out today to augment those already deployed. More than 81 people were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp," the Southern Naval Command said in a release.

Overall, five naval teams with an equal number of Gemini boats have been deployed at different places in Wayanad district, it said.

Two teams are at Thalapuzha, and one team each at Porunnannur, Anchukunnu and Wayanad respectively.

The Wayanad team is employed for assisting the civil administration in distribution of relief materials and vehicle management.

The other four teams are employed in general rescue operations, the release said.

Seven teams with one Gemini boat each are deployed in Ernakulam district at various places.

One team is deployed on Pizhala island and is continuously patrolling the flooded area.

The team has been interacting with the inhabitants of the island and providing assurances for their safety, the release said.

One team stationed at Edapally under District Collector, Ernakulam has rescued two persons till now from inundated houses at Kunnukara.

Three teams deployed around Perumbavur were able to rescue in excess of 45 stranded people and is carrying out further relief operations, it said.

Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur to undertake rescue operations.

(Photo | @indiannavy/ Twitter)

Subsequently, based on request received from the district collector, these two teams along with four more teams have proceeded to Aluva for augmenting rescue efforts there in the wake of the Periyar being in spate, the release said.

Flooding has been reported near Varapuzha residential area, Aluva, and a primary school has been prepared as a relief camp by Naval Armament Depot (NAD) wherin relocation of rescued persons is in progress, it said.

Meals and lodging arrangements for these persons have been arranged from the pooled resources of Defence Services Corps (DSC), NAD and the civil administration.

A Medical Inspection (MI) room clinic- has also been set up with civil assistance for providing first aid to the rescued.

Two teams have been despatched to Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, and one each team to Ranni, Kottayam and Kozhencherry for flood relief operations in areas south of Kochi.

Three columns of relief teams are at standby at Naval Base, Kochi to meet any other requirement, according to the release.

The naval hospital, INHS Sanjivani, is prepared and standing by for providing medical aid, while INS Venduruthy is ready for setting up community kitchens, it added.By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government on Tuesday decided not to allow students to participate in the Independence Day parade across the State in view of heavy rainfall forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in next 48 hours. In a letter to the Revenue Divisional Commissioners and Collectors, Special Secretary of Home Department Santosh Bala said, In view of the heavy rainfall and lightning alert, the ceremonial parade on Independence Day at the State Capital as well as in districts and sub-divisional headquarters should be restricted to the participation by police and para-military contingents. The department also prohibited the exhibition of any cultural or sporting event by the students during the parade.

The district administrations have been asked to take adequate precautionary measures to ensure safety of guests and participants at the venues. The Governments move came hours after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the preparedness to tackle possible flood-like situation and expressed his concern for children on the Independence Day. My concern is that lightning should not strike children. So lets keep the Independence Day functions to the minimum, Patnaik instructed the officials.

The Chief Minister also directed the Collectors to remain fully prepared to tackle any exigency. After the meeting, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said on Tuesday, heavy showers lashed several parts of the State and it will continue for next 48 hours. Ganjam and Kalahandi districts on Tuesday received maximum rainfall of 71.4 mm and 64.7 mm respectively.

Similarly, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Boudh and Koraput recorded rainfall between 30 mm and 50 mm. All major rivers in the State are flowing below the danger level, he informed. However, ODRAF and NDRF have remained prepared for handling any eventualities in view of increasing water level in some of the rivers, he said.By PTI

CHENNAI: A majority of the Madras High Court judges were conspicuous by their absence at the "At Home" reception hosted by Governor Banwarilal Purohit today, days after one of them flagged protocol breach in the seating arrangement for them during the Chief Justice's swearing-in.

Besides Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani, a few other judges of the court participated in the reception held on the occasion of the independence day.

Most of the chairs reserved for judges were seen unoccupied.

Court sources said most of the judges did not want to participate in the At Home reception.

A Raj Bhavan release said the Chief Justice Tahilramani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam were among those who attended the reception.

The thin attendance of judges at the event comes days after they were upset over being made to sit in the second row behind ministers and police officials at the swearing-in function of Justice Tahilramani on August 12.

Purohit had administered the oath to justice Tahilrmani during the swearing-in at Raj Bhavan.

Justice M S Ramesh in a WhatsApp message had expressed his displeasure over the seating arrangements of judges at the event, calling it a protocol breach.

In his address at the reception, Purohit said India of today was on a proud forward march in the comity of nations.

"It is the fastest growing emerging economy of the world.

It is on the cusp of reaping the benefits of the demographic dividend," he said.

He reminded that the country owed all this in substantial measure to the freedom fighters.

Purohit said anyone who worked against the nation was actually doing disservice not only to the rest of the population but also ruining the future of succeeding generations.

"It is therefore important that patriotism should reside in our thoughts and care and concern for the people of India should dominate our hearts," he said.

Noting that India was a nation with a glorious past, he said it was now asserting itself vigorously "inspired by the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister."S Kumaresan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI : MK Stalin, working president of DMK, speaking at the partys executive committee meeting on Tuesday, harked back to the 1990s when the party faced a split to indicate that no one could capture the party. The meeting was held to pay homage to late party chief M Karunanidhi. All of you are aware that I was made working president of party after getting your support following the ill-health of Karunanidhi. At this point, our thalaivar (leader) died. It was his wish to be buried near CN Annadurai.

ALSO READ | Madras HC gave last gift to the leader, says DMK working president Stalin

To fulfil his wish we approached the government But, the Chief Secretarys announcement came stating our demand had been denied. At the time, our legal wing functionaries assured me that we could win through a legal battle. The announcement that we had won the battle came at 10.30am the next day when we were at Rajaji Hall near the body of our thalaivar, Stalin explained in an emotional address to the 1000-odd functionaries.

If the verdict had not been in our favour, the situation would have arisen that would have needed to have been buried next to our thalaivar Karunanidhi, he said. We had faced a challenge over the of the rising sun symbol, the flag and the partys name. At the time, inquiry was conducted by the election commission. The verdict favoured us. At that time, our thalaivar had said that he would have had to have been buried next to Annas grave if the verdict had been against us, Stalin said, recollecting what had happened when the party faced a split following Vaikos exit in 1993.

Vaiko had been expelled from the DMK. Nine party district secretaries and 45 per cent of party general council members backed him. Based on this Vaiko appealed to the Election Commission of India that he had the right to lead the party. One of the special invitees of the executive committee meeting said, on condition of anonymity, By recalling this, Stalin has indirectly said that MK Alagiri cant make any claim on the party as even Vaiko couldnt succeed despite enjoying huge support of party general council members.By PTI

CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK today sought to put an end to the controversy surrounding the allotment of burial space for late DMK chief M Karunanidhi, with Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam saying the "issue has ended" and cautioned against any "unwanted debate" on the matter.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government's initial refusal to allow Karunanidhi to be buried at the Marina as per his wishes had stirred up a row, with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) later moving the Madras High Court to secure a favourable verdict in the matter.

"It is an unnecessary issue. Space has been given. So that issue has ended. Therefore, I request that unwanted debate on the matter not be allowed by unnecessarily wading into it," Panneerselvam said in response to reporters' queries on the matter.

READ HERE: CM Palaniswamy, entire cabinet should have attended Karunanidhi's burial: Rajinikanth

Yesterday, Karunanidhi's son and DMK Working President M K Stalin said he literally "pleaded" with Chief Minister K Palaniswami for providing space on the Marina beach front for his father's burial alongside party founder, late C N Annadurai.

The Tamil Nadu government, on its part, has been insisting that its decision to allot burial space for the Dravidian stalwart elsewhere was taken considering legal issues, as there were pending cases against construction of memorials on the popular beach front.

Some of them were later withdrawn.

To a question on Tamil actor Rajinikanth's contention that Palaniswami and his cabinet colleagues should have attended the DMK stalwart's funeral, Panneerselvam indicated that it was the star's personal view.

On the conduct of local body elections, he said they were being delayed due to the ongoing delimitation process and exuded confidence that the ruling party would comfortably win the polls whenever they were held.Vikram Sharma By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Congress President Rahul Gandhi claims he is married! When asked about his marriage plans the 46-year-old leader quipped: I am already married to the Congress Party. A black belt in Japanese martial arts Aikido, the Gandhi scion spoke about his ideological fight with the BJP and RSS during an interaction with media editors in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Speaking on his hug with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which made headlines, he said it was warm only from his side. Modiji was disturbed. He did not like it that much. But its fine, I have no animosity towards Modiji. I had not planned it (the hug), Rahul said while also claiming that there was no question of Modi returning as the Prime Minister after 2019, as some of his own allies do not want him to continue.

Allies like Shiv Sena prefer other BJP leaders compared to Modi. To become the Prime Minister, he will need 230 seats, which means winning a major chunk from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. There is no way he will get those numbers as Congress and its allies will prevent it from happening, he claimed while responding to questions from editors.

Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Telangana to revive the political fortunes of his party, said he is fighting an ideological battle with the BJP and RSS and defeating them is a priority.

I will fight them and will not give them a single inch (of political space). I have no disrespect for my opposition and even the Prime Minister. I am only fighting their ideology, Rahul said.

Neither I nor mother interfered in the functioning of UPA government: Rahul

While his regular temple visits, during the Gujarat and Karnataka elections, were widely criticised by the BJP, the Congress chief dismissed allegations that his party had adopted a soft Hindutva approach. He affirmed that he believed in no form of Hindutva. I have been visiting temples, mosques and gurudwaras since 2004 (since becoming an MP), on invitation by people of different faith.

On the maha gatbandhan (grand alliance), Rahul said that the question of who will lead the alliance will come later. At the moment, the fight with the saffron party is going on. All these questions about who will lead will come up after the elections.

When Express asked Rahul Gandhi about the accusations he made against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that one family was running Telangana, and why the same did not apply to him and the Gandhi family, he said: Please tell me who was the last Prime Minister from my family? It was Rajiv Gandhi and that was 30 years ago.

When reminded of BJPs accusation that his mother and then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was remote controlling Manmohan Singh government for 10 years, Rahul claimed that neither he nor his mother interfered with the functioning of the government. When reminded that it was he (Rahul) who wanted to tear the ordinance papers that negated the Supreme Court order on convicted lawmakers, he termed it as complete nonsense. He claimed it was done in a different context.

TRS men purify Martyrs Memorial

Immediately after AICC president Rahul Gandhi paid tributes at Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park, TRS leaders washed the memorial with milk. TRS MP Balka Suman, MLC Shabhipur Raju, GHMC deputy mayor Baba Fasiuddin and TRSV president Gellu Srinivas Yadav poured water on the martyrs memorial and cleaned it. The Congress has a long history of killing Telangana youths. After the Congress killed the youths in police firing, the martyrs memorial was constructed. By paying tributes at the memorial, Rahul tarnished the memorial. That is why we have purified it, Suman said.Vikram Sharma By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: On day two and last day of his visit to Hyderabad, Congress president Rahul Gandhi chose to hit the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS government where it hurts the most as he alleged massive corruption in the name of re-designing of Kaleshwaram and Sitarama projects  considered close to CM s heart.

He described Chandrasekhar Rao as a re-design specialist who, using his magic wand, was re-designing the projects leading to a massive increase in the project cost. The CM re-designed the Pranahita Chevella project and gave a new name to it  Kaleshwaram. The project originally cost Rs 38,000 crore but Rao, using his magic wand, escalated the cost to Rs 1 lakh crore. There was no tendering process nor any transparency. The money straight went into the pocket of one family. There are two more re-designs he did. Indira Sagar and Rajiv Sagar, Dummugudem. He re-designed them, gave them a new name of Sitarama and the cost which originally stood at Rs 2.5 thousand crores became Rs 12,000 crores. In Delhi, PM Narendra Modi re-designs and here KCR re-designs, Gandhi said, at a public meet at Saroornagar on Tuesday.

AICC president Rahul Gandhi waves at the crowd during a public meeting at Saroornagar Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Right) Public show their support for Congress. (Photo | Vinay Madapu/EPS)

Referring to both Narendra Modi and KCR as re-designers, the Congress chief said about 4,000 farmers had committed suicide ever since Telangana came into being but the government was not bothered about their plight. In support of his claim that both Narendra Modi and Rao do not allow people to speak and put forth their problems, he drew a comparison between New Delhis Jantar Mantar (where protests are organised) and Dharna Chowk near Indira Park. No one can protest in Jantar Mantar and here in Hyderabad, no one can protest at Dharna Chowk (as it was banned).

Gandhi tried to establish a connection with the locals when he said that the slogan of the youth during the Telangana agitation was Neelu, Niddulu, Niyamakalu but when the state was formed and after Rao became CM, the dream was not fulfilled.

Congress promises dole for unemployed

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that a monthly

Rs 3,000 unemployment dole would be given to 10 lakh youths, if Congress is voted to power in 2019 Assembly elections. Addressing the Nirudyoga Garjana, the PCC president alleged that the TRS failed to recruit any new jobs in the last four years. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the TRS government also failed to provide fee reimbursement to the students.

Confident of win in Telangana

Rahul Gandhi said he was sure that his party would not win the elections in AP, but was confident of victory in Telangana. As far alliances are concerned, I leave it to my state Congress leaders to give me suggestions. In Telangana, we are fighting the TRS government.By PTI

RIO DE JANEIRO: A US Space Force is necessary to protect American satellites from being targeted by attack weapons in the hands of China and Russia, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said.

Mattis' comments came days after Vice President Mike Pence announced ambitious plans to create a sixth, separate US military warfighting service by 2020 to ensure American dominance in space.

Speaking during a trip to Brazil yesterday, Mattis said repeatedly that the US has no plans to put weapons in space, but he emphasised the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy.

He recalled China's use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, which he suggested was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.

"We understand the message that China was sending  that they could take out a satellite in space," Mattis said in remarks to about 270 military officers and civilians at Brazil's premier war college.

"Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability."

He was responding to a question from an audience member who expressed concern that the planned Space Force could lead to an international arms race in space.

Mattis said the US cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.

"So this is a reality," he said.

"We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We don't intend to militarise space. However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary." He did not say this meant the U.S. would respond to a satellite attack by attacking the aggressor's satellites or with any other use of force.

But that scenario is one that worries many who have warned that space could become the next global battlefield.

The U.S. military has worked on anti-satellite weaponry in the past but has no deployed weapon dedicated to that mission today.

Asked later to elaborate on how the US would respond to an attack on a satellite, Mattis said he preferred to maintain ambiguity.

"I don't tell adversaries in advance what we will do or what we will not do," he said.

"We will not stand idly by if someone tried to deny us the use of space."

He added: "I wouldn't read anything more into" his comments.

Mattis' point about countering the space capabilities of other nations was reinforced yesterday by the State Department's top arms control official, Yleem Poblete, speaking in Geneva at the UN Conference on Disarmament.

She said that despite Russian claims it wants to prevent an arms race in outer space, Moscow is developing new anti-satellite missiles and has given its forces a mobile laser system.

She also voiced suspicion about Russia's deployment last October of a satellite whose behaviour she said was inconsistent with its supposed purpose of conducting in-orbit space inspections.

"Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," Poblete said.

Russia denies any hostile intent.

The timing of Mattis's visit to Brazil, so soon after Pence announced the Space Force plan last Thursday, was coincidental.

Mattis's trip, which includes follow-on stops in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, had been in planning for many months.

In a speech prior to fielding questions from the war college students, Mattis made a detailed pitch for closer US-Brazilian security relations.

He noted that Brazil was an ally during World War II; later he visited a monument in Rio to Brazil's role in the conflict.

He emphasized US interest in partnering with Brazil in space research, an area in which China has shown growing influence in South America.

The Chinese operate a space center in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Brazil's Alcantara space center is located near the equator, making it advantageous for space launches.

The closer a launch is to the equator, the more velocity the rocket gets from the Earth's rotation.By IANS

WASHINGTON: US State Department said on Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with South Korea's Foreign Minister over phone to discuss the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, and they vowed to keep close coordination on the issue.

In a statement released by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, Pompeo and Kang Kyung-hwa "discussed DPRK denuclearization efforts and the need to maintain pressure" until "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK" was achieved.

The two officials also "vowed to maintain close coordination and communication and they affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) held senior-level talks on Monday at a border village of Panmunjom, and agreed to hold a summit in Pyongyang between the two nations' top leaders before the end of September.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un signed the Panmunjom Declaration after their first summit meeting on April 27. Under the declaration, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges.One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021Tennessee religious leader calls out amoral leftists for supporting pedophiles who rape children  WATCH at REAL.video

Greg Locke, head of Global Vision Bible Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, is outraged that many leftists are now falling lockstep in cahoots with the LGBTQ agenda to normalize pedophilia. In a recent video rant posted to REAL.video, Locke lets loose whats on his mind.

I am absolutely blown away and sickened at the lengths that people are going to to protect pedophiles and say its just a natural sexual orientation, Locke is seen saying in the video, prefacing this with commentary about how his statements probably wont last long on traditional social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

Are you smoking crack? Have you lost your mind? Putting your hands on little children? Having a desire to touch and have sex with children is a natural sexual orientation? Youve lost your mind, people!

Locke points to a recent TED talk, which we recently covered as well, in which a Ph.D. candidate from Germany tried to argue that its perfectly normal for some adults to be sexually attracted to children, and that society needs to accept them.

No, they ought to be executed is what they ought to be, says Locke. This is ridiculous, ladies and gentlemen. Were talking about ruining the lives of children!

You can watch the full video at REAL.video below:

Pastor Locke: pedophilia normalization is the next LGBT agenda

Locke has long preached at his religious gatherings that so-called gay marriage was simply a stepping stone towards much greater perversions in society. And it appears that he may have been right, seeing as how the LGBT mafia has now set its crosshairs on underage children in an attempt to sexualize them as early as possible.

Years ago when same-sex marriage was legalized, I got on the stage at our church  and I said, you wait, theyre going to try to now protect pedophilia because the LGBTQ, whatever they are, have opened a floodgate of perversity in this nation, Locke says.

And now people are saying that its okay if youre a pedophile.

Locke says anyone who supports the normalization of pedophilia is a sick, demented psychopath who is both mentally ill and demonically-possessed.

You let one of them perverts put one of their hands on my children, and I will allow my Second Amendment right to put a hole in you that big, and I wouldnt even think a second about it, he says.

So what should society do to stop pedophiles? Kill them, says lock. Its absolutely necessary, he insists, to protect innocent children from being victimized by satanic sexual abusers who would target the most innocent among us.

Civil societies put pedophiles on death row and protect the children, period, Locke says.

What about all of those Roman Catholic priests whove victimized children? Locke notes that hes not a Catholic, and that he fully supports shutting down the Catholic Church, if necessary, to protect children against sexual abuse.

Shut those churches down and put those perverts in prison where they belong, he says.

If you in any way, shape, form, or fashion try to justify or protect a pedophile  you are lower down than a snakes navel in a wagon track. You are wicked, demented, and you are crooked as a barrel of fish hooks. There is no room on this planet for someone who wakes up every day wanting to violate children. Its evil. Its a disease. Its a curse. And its not some natural sexual orientation. Its the most unnatural thing on the planet.

Be sure to watch his video at REAL.video.

Sources for this article include:

REAL.video

NaturalNews.comTigers maul the Red Devils 44-36 On Friday night, the Washington Wilkes Tigers took on the Lincoln County Red Devils in the 85 meeting of the 378 War. The first drive for both teams stalled, with...

Washington Firefighters assist Oglethorpe County Firefighters with raging barn fire On October 20, an Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue truck from Salem sent out a call for mutual aid to battle an enflamed 500-gallon fuel tank, which Wilkes County stations promptly...

EMTs and firefighters train for farm rescues Over October 23-24, several EMTs and firefighters from around the southeast came to Wilkes County to receive training in responding to agricultural medical emergencies. Training over the first day focused...City of Portland proclaims August 25th Salmon-Safe IPA Day. Lead by Hopworks Urban Brewery, the day will be marked with the inaugural Salmon-Safe IPA Festival.More from a press release:

Portland, Oregon, August 15, 2018  Today Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) founder and brewmaster, Christian Ettinger, stood with the City of Portland Mayor, Ted Wheeler, Commissioner Nick Fish, along with Dan Kent, co-founder and executive director, Salmon-Safe, Gayle Goschie, owner of Goschie Farms and Kurt Widmer, Widmer Bros. Brewing co-founder in support of the Citys proclamation recognizing August 25 as Salmon-Safe IPA Day.

The City of Portland Salmon-Safe IPA Day proclamation is available online: https://www.portlandoregon. gov/auditor/article/694034

The Salmon-Safe IPA Day proclamation marks an important milestone in the growing support for the environmentally conscious farming of beer ingredients, said Christian Ettinger, HUBs Brewmaster and Founder. We invite beer lovers and families to join us at our Salmon-Safe certified site on August 25 for the Salmon-Safe IPA Festival to meet breweries and farmers that are working together to keep our waterways and planet healthy.

The Salmon-Safe IPA Day is a celebration of the simple choices that we can make for clean rivers and healthy watersheds, said Dan Kent, the executive director of Salmon-Safe. Ninety percent of U.S. hops are grown in the Willamette Valley and Yakima valleys - two key Northwest salmon watersheds locations. Every time a beer that has been brewed with Salmon-Safe certified hops and malt is purchased, we inspire more farmers to embrace fish-friendly growing practices.

Nick Fish, Portland City Commissioner added, Portland is home to more craft breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S. Its clear why  great Bull Run water, world-renowned beer festivals, a bustling tourism scene, and Salmon-Safe beers. Im proud that local brewers are going the extra mile to conserve our local waterways and native species.

Salmon-Safe IPA Day - August 25 - coincides with the inaugural Salmon-Safe IPA Festival at HUBs SE Powell location. The festival will bring together 22 craft breweries from around the country along with hundreds of craft beer fans to enjoy hop-forward beers that are all brewed with Salmon-Safe certified ingredients. A family-friendly session from 12-4 pm kicks off the festivities with educational panels from 4-5 pm, and a 21+ session closes out the day from 5-9 pm. More information and tickets are available online at: http://salmonsafeipafest.com

Salmon-Safe IPA Festival Details

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Session 1: 12-4 pm (all ages)

Panel talks: 4-5 pm (Panels with limited beer releases, separate admission)

Session 2: 5-9 pm (21+)

Where: Hopworks Urban Brewery - 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97202.]

Tickets: $25 in advance | $30 at the door | $5 for the panel talks.Tickets are available at: http://salmonsafeipafest.com

Parking: Due to the festival location in the brewery parking lot, festival goers will need to park on adjacent streets in the surrounding neighborhood or take advantage of a lot that our friends at Trillium Family Services have made available to Salmon-Safe attendees. This lot is a six minute walk from the event (located at 3415 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97202). Please bike in, caravan or take public transportation if possible. A pedestrian and bike crossing at Powell Blvd. on 28th St. is part of the City's new 20's Bikeway project.

About Hopworks Urban Brewery

Hopworks Urban Brewery creates world-class beer and food with sustainable business practices that protect the environment and inspire the community. Utilizing organic malts and a combination of locally-sourced, organic, and Salmon Safe hops, the companys 20-barrel brewery in Portland, and 7-barrel brewery in Vancouver, produce 13,500 barrels of beer and cider a year for HUBs brewpubs and distribution throughout the West. Hopworks is a family-owned and operated business, the first Certified B Corporation brewery in the Pacific Northwest, a member of 1% For The Planet, and a gold-level bike friendly business.

About Salmon-SafeSalmon-Safe has become one of the nations leading ecolabels with more than 95,000 acres of farm and urban lands certified in Oregon, Washington, California and British Columbia. Through our peer-reviewed certification and accreditation program, we are leading a market-based movement to transition to farming and urban development practices that protect water quality, maintain watershed health and restore habitat. More information at: https://salmonsafe.orgPress Contact:Pilot at LAX: 'We Believe There

Is a Shooter in the Terminal'(Newser)  The crash that injured three people outside Britain's Houses of Parliament on Tuesday is being treated as a terrorist attack, police in London saybut the suspect does not appear to have been on authorities' radar. The 29-year-old man isn't known to counterterrorism or spy agencies and is not cooperating with investigators, the BBC reports. The Guardian has named the suspect as Salih Khater, a Birmingham resident of Sudanese origin. Authorities say two addresses in Birmingham and one in Nottingham, where the silver Ford Fiesta used in the attack was registered, were searched by officers Tuesday. The vehicle hit pedestrians and cyclists before slamming into security barriers Tuesday morning.

story continues below

"Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method, and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident," says Scotland Yard counterterror chief Neil Basu. He says police believe there is no further threat to the city and the threat level will not be raised from "severe," the AP reports. Prime Minister Theresa May denounced the attack but urged Londoners to go about their lives as normal. "For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door," she said, referring to last year's deadly vehicle attack on a bridge near Parliament. (Read more London stories.)(Newser)  Rescuers say the sceneand the task before themis similar to the aftermath of an earthquake, but the cause of the disaster in Genoa was very different. The confirmed death toll from Tuesday's bridge collapse now stands at 35, including at least three children, and rescuers worked long into the night looking for survivors who could be heard calling from the rubble of a collapsed 250-foot section of the Morandi Bridge on the A10 highway, the BBC reports. Several people were pulled alive from vehicles trapped in a jumble of concrete debris and steel girders. Authorities believe more than 30 cars and three heavy vehicles were on the bridge when it collapsed amid a sudden storm and torrential rain.

story continues below

One survivor says he managed to slam on his brakes and stop just a few feet short of the 150-foot drop. "I'm alive by a miracle. Luckily I was not shunted from behind, otherwise I would have gone down with the others," he tells the Telegraph. "There was total panic. People got out of the cars and ran." The cause of the 51-year-old bridge's collapse is still unclear, though work to strengthen its foundation was happening at the time. Danilo Toninelli, Italy's transport minister, called Wednesday for managers of the private company operating the bridge to resign, the Guardian reports. He said the government plans to cancel the contract of Autostrade per l'Italia to operate the highway from Genoa to the French border. (Read more Genoa stories.)(Newser)  She had vowed to keep fighting for a House seat in Florida, but Melissa Howard says she's now out. "I have come to the realization that the right thing to do for my community is to withdraw from the race," she texted the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on Tuesday. Howard, 46, had said she'd keep vying for a seat in the state's 73rd House District, even after it was revealed the diploma she produced from Ohio's Miami University was fake. The degree on the diploma doesn't match what the college offers among other problems, and CNN notes that her website bio has now been scrubbed of references to her college attendance.

story continues below

A rep from the Florida Department of State tells the Washington Post the department hasn't yet received a withdrawal notice from Howard, though on Tuesday she'd told the Herald-Tribune she'd make it official "today." Forging a diploma to misrepresent one's academic standing is a misdemeanor in Florida and could result in a $1,000 fine and up to a year in prison, though a Miami University spokeswoman tells the Post the college doesn't intend to go after Howard. "I made a terrible error in judgement [sic]," Howard wrote to the Herald-Tribune. "I am thankful for everyone who gave so much toward my success, and I am deeply sorry." (Read more GOP candidates stories.)(Newser)  A group of girls foiled a kidnapping attempt in Michigan by throwing hot coffee on a male suspect who took off with authorities in hot pursuit. Bruce Hipkins, 22, was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault, battery, and criminal sexual conduct minutes after police say he assaulted four girls as they left a gas station convenience store in Millington on Friday, per ABC News. "He said, 'You're coming with me.' And like, he grabbed my face," 11-year-old Allison Eickhoff tells WJRT. "Seeing that your little sister was going to get taken is very scary," says her 13-year-old sister, Lauren, who fought back with the only weapons she had: her fists, and a hot coffee. "I grabbed my drink and chucked it at his head," then "punched him in the head," she says.

story continues below

Her companions, ages 12 and 14, joined in kicking and punching the man until he let go of Allison. He then grabbed another girl by the hair but "was again kicked and hit by the girls until he let her go and fled on foot," police say. Hipkins was arrested after the girls called for help from a nearby inn. Police say surveillance video shows him watching the girls inside the convenience store before following them out. They'd crossed a street to avoid him in what Millington Police Chief Jason Oliver calls the first of many right moves. "They did what they needed to do," he says. Hipkins is currently in Tuscola County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Per USA Today, he's wearing a coffee-stained T-shirt in a booking photo. (A gas station attendant helped save a kidnapping victim in California.)(Newser)  The story of an allegedly inappropriate boss is garnering national headlines due to who she is: the Pentagon's top spokeswoman. CNN reports the Defense Department Office of Inspector General has been investigating Dana White, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, for a number of weeks after subordinates filed complaints about her alleged misuse of staff. They allege that she tasked them with errands like picking up dry cleaning, buying her pantyhose, fetching her lunch from the cafeteria, arranging hairdresser appointments, calling a California foster care facility to discuss adoption, and assisting with her mortgage paperwork in violation of Pentagon ethics standards, which prohibit officials from assigning personnel to non-official activities.

story continues below

CNN points out that some staffers did the errands willingly, but that the standards don't distinguish between voluntary and non-voluntary non-official work. CNN reports two staffers claim that after complaining about their situation to higher-ups in May 2018 they were subsequently transferred in what they view as a retaliatory move; NBC News sources say it's actually four staffers, at least one of whom was moved to a "lower-profile job." The AP reports the Pentagon acknowledged the "ongoing review" in a statement but didn't elaborate. It notes White's office has experienced a high turnover rate, with four different military assistants working under her over a 16-month period. (Read more Dana White stories.)(Newser)  New Zealand home prices are among the highest in the world, and it's finally had enough. The country's plan to make the real estate market more affordable for locals: Bar foreigners from buying homes there (with very few exceptions) in an attempt to drive the housing supply up. Stuff.co.nz reports Parliament passed the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill on Wednesday 63-57, with David Parker, associate minister of finance, telling the body, per the Guardian: "We should not be tenants in our own land." Stats show just 25% of adult Kiwis own their own home, and homelessness is a big problem. Last quarter, between 2% to 3% of homes scooped up in New Zealand were purchased by foreign buyers, who mostly come from China, as well as Australia, Hong Kong, the UK, and the US.

story continues below

Thanks to free-trade rules, buyers from Singapore and neighboring Australia are the only exemptions from the new law. But not everyone thinks this plan will lead to more affordable housing for the average Kiwi. One economist says the land that overseas investors might buy wouldn't necessarily be used to build public or more affordable housing; a finance rep for the opposition National Party, meanwhile, calls the new law "xenophobic." At least one big name pre-circumvented the rule: It was announced last year that Silicon Valley bigwig Peter Thiel was granted New Zealand citizenship in 2011, despite having spent less than two weeks in the country. "That won't happen in the future," Parker warned others who might be thinking of the same scheme. (Matt Lauer has been permitted to keep his New Zealand ranch for now.)(Newser)  An Australian's senator's use of the term "final solution" has gone over about as well as you'd expect, which is to say, very poorly. Fraser Anning floated what the New York Times calls the "Nazi euphemism for genocide" on Tuesday during his first speech to Parliament, during which he called for a halt to Muslim immigration. He suggested a national vote on who should be permitted to enter the country, calling it "the final solution to the immigration problem." It was a line so inflammatory that even Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull weighed in, calling it "a shocking insult to the memory" of those killed by the Nazis. The BBC reports that Anning, of the conservative Katter's Australian Party, denied he was citing the Holocaust and maintained "I am not going to apologize or regret anything that I say."

story continues below

That didn't placate his critics, with parliamentary motions emerging in an aim to censure Anning over his "racist hate speech." The Sydney Morning Herald called it "the most inflammatory maiden speech to an Australian parliament" since a speech made 20 years ago that asserted Australia was "in danger of being swamped by Asians." The Morning Herald recounts more from Anning's speech on Muslim immigrants, which he claimed were behind Australia's first terrorist attack in 1915 and "have been a problem ever since. ... While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims, so why would anyone want to bring more of them here?" Australia's ABC has more on the history of the term "final solution," whose first "significant" use was in July 1941. (Read more genocide stories.)(Newser)  A man who died when he flew a plane into his own house after he had been arrested for assaulting his wife had full access to his employer's plane because he had earned the firm's trust, the president of Utah engineering company VanCon Inc. said Tuesday. Duane Youd, 47, was a "rock-solid" employee during 13 months as company pilot, Leon Van Sickle told the AP, adding Youd had the digital access code to the airplane hangar. Youd flew employees to business meetings around North America in the company's only plane, a twin-engine Cessna 525, and "it all boils to trust," Van Sickle said. "I don't know what we would have done different. He flies with our lives at stake and we thoroughly trusted him beyond measure. He took great care of us. He never took chances. Everything was by the book."

story continues below

The crash occurred at about 2:30am Monday in Payson. Youd had posted bail just hours earlier after being arrested after witnesses reported seeing him assault his wife, authorities said. His wife and her 24-year-old son escaped as the house became engulfed in flames. Youd took the plane out of a hangar at the Spanish Fork-Springville Airport, where there is no air-traffic control monitoring. Van Sickle said he heard rumblings that Youd was having marital problems but was not aware of the domestic violence incident Sunday or another one in April. "I couldn't believe it," Van Sickle said. "The guy was just golden. He was rock solid." Van Sickle agrees it was an intentional act, noting that Youd had to fly under high-voltage power lines and avoid other houses to hit his own house without causing more damage. "That took some skill," Van Sickle said.

(Read more plane crash stories.)(Newser)  The rim of a flat trailer tire scraping against asphalt sparked California's eighth largest wildfire near Redding three weeks ago, but the trailer's owners shouldn't blame themselves, many of their neighbors say. The couple, unidentified by authorities, have received at least 100 letters absolving them of blame for the deaths of at least seven people and the destruction of more than 1,000 homes across 211,000 scorched acres, per CNN and Redding Record Searchlight. Firefighters, counselors, even people who lost everything have written to the couple, with hundreds more sharing messages of support on social media. "Sending prayers for peace and healing," reads one. "It could have happened to any of us." The blaze was 65% contained by early Wednesday. (Read more California wildfires stories.)(Newser)  Bill Cosby isn't about to lie down and be labeled a "sexually violent predator." In a motion filed Monday, lawyers for the convicted rapist say the label recommended by Pennsylvania's Sexual Offenders Assessment Boardwhich comes with a lifelong requirement to register as a sex offender, if confirmed by a judge"is by any measure excessive when applied to an 81-year-old blind man" and would "punish, shame, and control" the comedian and flout his constitutional rights, report BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post.

story continues below

Cosby's legal team argues the labellegally defined as someone with "a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses"would hurt Cosby's reputation and his relationship with his grandkids, as unsupervised contact with minors wouldn't be allowed. Lawyers say that'd be unfair considering "no misconduct regarding children has ever been alleged." It's unclear when a judge will decide on the label. Cosby faces up to 30 years for rape at his Sept. 24 sentencing. (Read more Bill Cosby stories.)(Newser)  Police in Beachwood, Ohio, say two brothers shot and killed their father, then fatally shot themselves during an ensuing SWAT standoff, Cleveland.com reports. Dr. Richard Warn, 59, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds inside his home Thursday night after his wife returned without her keys and was unable to get in; she saw her husband's car parked there and contacted police when he didn't answer the door. Police then got a search warrant for another home owned by Warn, where his sons lived, and requested SWAT accompaniment when they went to search it Friday, News 5 Cleveland reports. No one let them in, and after they breached the door, one of the brothers engaged the SWAT team with rifle fire. After a 12-hour standoff, Mark Warn, 29, and Michael Warn, 31, were found dead inside. "The entire sequence [of events] is bizarre, from beginning to end," says the police chief.

story continues below

Police haven't established a motive, but Cleveland.com reports in 2015, the brothers went to their father's homewhere they'd been told they weren't welcomeand Michael Warn threatened his father over money. Per a police report, the son said on a voicemail that "people do crazy things when they do not get enough sleep" and that "if Richard does not give Michael money, Jehovah will be upset and might start burning s---." No charges were filed; the AP reports the sons had no criminal history. Police say there'd been "friction" between father and sons since 2004 and "there was talk" the brothers suffered from mental illnesses, but police haven't verified that, per Cleveland.com. In 2004, Dr. Warn asked police for help, reporting that he struggled to discipline his then-teenage children (he has a third child, a daughter) after divorcing their mother and starting a relationship with another woman. A neighbor tells FOX 8 she saw Dr. Warn visiting his sons at their home until 2015. (Read more murder stories.)(Newser)  She apologized privately. Now, after allegedly pushing her friend off a 60-foot bridge in Washington state, 18-year-old Taylor Smith is doing so publicly. The teen tells NBC News she "feels really bad about what happened" at Moulton Falls Regional Park on Aug. 7, when authorities say Smith pushed 16-year-old Jordan Holgerson, causing her to belly-flop into the water below. Holgerson's mother tells the Longview Daily News her daughter is out of the hospital but still in "a lot of pain" from injuries, including six broken ribs and two punctured lungs. NBC reports Holgerson also suffered other internal injuries and a mass behind her windpipe.

story continues below

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $3,000 to cover "outstanding" medical expenses. Meanwhile, the Clark County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday it had wrapped up an investigation in which Smith cooperated. The county prosecutor's office will now decide if charges should be filed. In a text to NBC, Smith said she was keeping away from home because of threats but had repeatedly apologized to Holgerson. Holgerson, however, says she received a single apology via text. "[Smith] messaged Jordan to say 'sorry' but nobody thinks it was a sincere apology," a source close to the teen tells the Sun, adding "Taylor hasn't been to visit Jordan to see if she is OK." (Read more Washington state stories.)(Newser)  During a walk-and-talk event with his constituents in June, a German politician accomplished a lot more than chatting with local voters: He discovered a forgotten, 66-foot-long section of the Berlin Wall. Ephraim Gothe, district councilor in Berlin-Mitte, stumbled upon the section of the wall, covered in graffiti and hidden behind bushes, near the headquarters of Germanys intelligence services, the Local reports. Authorities confirmed the discovery this week, and it has been placed under protection as a historic monument.

story continues below

Most of the wall, built by communist East Germany in 1961, was demolished starting in 1990, the AP reports. A few preserved sections remain at tourist sites including the Berlin Wall Memorial. The Berlin Wall Foundation identified the newly-discovered section as being "part of the outer defense perimeter that was built to provide additional security to the main wall," as opposed to being part of the more recognizable main wall, per DW. As Conde Nast Traveler explains, the shorter wall this stretch is from separated East Berlin from the so-called "death strip," where guards in watch towers shot anyone trying to escape from East Germany. (Read more Berlin Wall stories.)(Newser)  Synthetic weed known as K2 may be to blame for a spate of overdoses in New Haven, Conn. At least 41 people reportedly overdosed at or near New Haven Green, a local park, between Tuesday and Wednesday, with some 25 overdoses occurring over a period of three hours Wednesday, CBS reports. While no deaths were reported, a local official says at least two of the overdose victims had "life-threatening symptoms." The synthetic cannabinoid K2 is often laced with other substances, CNN reports, adding that authorities believe an added opioid may have contributed to the New Haven overdoses.

story continues below

Some people at the scene also told officials that the K2 was "possibly" laced with the drug PCP, a source tells CBS. Authorities are awaiting the results of toxicology tests before making a final determination. Symptoms included nausea, hallucinations, trouble breathing, and unconsciousness, according to reports. In some cases, patients improved after receiving high doses of the drug naloxone that reverses opioid overdoses, the Houston Chronicle reports. Lower doses administered at the scene had been ineffective. Police said Wednesday afternoon that they had made an arrest in connection to the overdoses, WFSB reports. The 37-year-old man is "known" to police, per the New Haven Register, and was out on parole. (Read more drugs stories.)(Newser)  Closing arguments in Paul Manafort's trial wrapped up Wednesday; the case against President Trump's former campaign chairman now heads to the jury, which is expected to begin deliberations Thursday, the Washington Post reports. In their closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors Manafort, accused of tax evasion and bank fraud, lied to keep himself flush with cash and later to maintain his luxurious lifestyle when his income dropped off, the AP reports. The government's case boils down to "Mr. Manafort and his lies," prosecutor Greg Andres said as he made his final argument that the jury should find Manafort guilty of 18 felony counts.

story continues below

Attorneys for Manafort spoke next, arguing against his guilt by saying he left the particulars of his finances to other people, including his former deputy Rick Gates; the defense team also argued that the prosecution's evidence may well show numerical errors or sloppy bookkeeping but no overt fraud. In a brief rebuttal after defense arguments, Andres said the defense "wants to make this case about Robert Gates," but hasn't explained "the dozens of documents" Manafort's name is on. Manafort's trial is the first to emerge from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, but it does not relate to Russian election interference or possible coordination with the Trump campaignthe main topics of Mueller's probe.

(Read more Paul Manafort stories.)New Delhi:

Markets regulator Sebi is looking to stipulate a framework for timely and detailed disclosures of loan defaults by listed entities to enhance transparency. Several companies and rating agencies have come under the regulatory scanner for failing to make timely disclosure about the loan default risks.



ALSO READ | Modi finally managed to do something that we couldn't do in 70 years: Congress on Rupee downfall

Tightening of the disclosure norms is aimed at helping banks to recognise their stressed assets as non-performing more uniformly and enhance transparency in the securities market.



Sebi aims at examining stipulation of timely and detailed disclosures pertaining to defaults on debt obligations by listed entities to enhance transparency, the regulator said in its annual report for 2017-18.



In March, Sebi chief Ajay Tyagi had said the decision on the proposed norms necessitating listed companies to make urgent disclosures about all major loan defaults lies with the regulators board.

ALSO READ | Railways formalises agreement with Japan in rail safety



The new rules were to come into effect initially from October 1 last year but were deferred after banks asked for more time as the domestic credit market was different from its western counterparts where such disclosures are mandatory.



The proposal may mandate listed companies to disclose to the stock exchanges about their loan defaults, within one working day of missing a repayment.



Once implemented, the move would help investors take an informed decision at the earliest in cases of loan defaults by listed companies.



The proposal gains attention amid the loan fraud of Rs 14,000 crore at state-run Punjab National Bank remaining undetected for years.

The transactions were carried out by diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi by allegedly acquiring fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoU) from PNBs Brady House branch in Mumbai to secure overseas credit from other Indian lenders.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The Manipur government would not spare people found guilty of corruption, Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured the people in the state on the occasion of Independence Day celebration on August 15. He said that his government will strive hard to boost development in the state by fighting corruption and creating job opportunities for the youth.

Of the 535 corruption complaints in the past few months, the state administration has initiated action in 310 cases. Around 33 erring officials have been taken to task for graft, Biren Singh said after unfurling the Tricolour at Manipur Rifles Ground in Imphal.

Also Read | Sikkim fastest in world to wipe out poverty; aims to become Indias first poverty-free state

The chief minister also mentioned the ongoing Manipur University impasse and said that the issue was likely to be resolved soon.

An official of the HRD Ministry arrived in the state yesterday and held meetings with the members of students union and teachers association, who have been demanding Vice Chancellor AP Pandeys removal over allegations of irregularities. The possibility of finding a solution to the impasse in 2-3 days is at 99.9 per cent, Biren Singh said.

Singh also said that the Startup Conclave in Manipur would provide a platform to budding talents and entrepreneurs.

Read More | Nagaland: Rio calls for early settlement of Naga political issue

The conclave aims to harness innovative ideas and talents of potential entrepreneurs. The state government will dole out 30 per cent grant to the selected candidates. The rest will be provided as loan by a nationalized bank, Biren Singh said.

Praising the Modi-led Union governments foreign policies in his speech, the chief minister said the northeastern region and the country as a whole has witnessed economic growth because of Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts in strengthening ties with the neighbouring countries.

(With inputs from agencies)New Delhi:

Sikkim has remarkably reduced its poverty level in the last 24 years and its target now is to become Indias first poverty-free state, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said on .

Chamling was addressing the state on the occasion of the Independence Day celebration in Gangtok on August 15.

Sikkim has also grown as an abode of peace where harmony exists among the people and there is no conflict on the basis of caste and religion, Chamling said in his speech.

ALSO READ: Nagaland: Rio calls for early settlement of Naga political issue

There has been not a single case of desecration of religious centre like mandirs, gumpas or churches and not a single life was lost due to religious differences and riots owing to peoples faiths and beliefs, Chamling said.

Sikkims poverty levels reduced from 30.9 per cent in 2004-05 to 8.19 per cent in 2011-12, a fall of 22 per cent.

Chamling said that the state has gotten rid of poverty owing to the states inclusive and equitable development programmes.

Sikkim has seen unprecedented people-friendly policies and interventions that has boosted its image on the national and international map, the chief minister said.

ALSO READ: Dust storm continues to encircle Mars; Opportunity remains unreachable

People enjoy unhampered peace and security as the government has adopted people-friendly policy initiatives which has brought about international recognition and accolades, qualitative and innovative development with human development the focus, Chamling said.



According to the United Nations, there is no other country or state in the world after World War II to record the steepest fall in poverty level as quickly as Sikkim has done, the chief minister said.

The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth of Sikkim has touched an impressive 22.8 per cent in 2013-14, he said.

Having freed Sikkim from extreme poverty, we are working to achieve our goal of becoming the first poverty-free state of India, Chamling said.

Also, the life expectancy of people in Sikkim has gone up from the average 62.7 years in 1990 to 73.15 years in 2016 as per the data published by the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Public Health Foundation of India and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the chief minister added.

Governor Shriniwas Patil was also present at the event.Nowadays, online casinos are known as ideal gaming platforms that offer an immersive gaming experience for thousands of users around...

Online casinos were considered a novelty in the 90s, and not many users were even familiar with the option to...

The rise of social media has changed the way all industries run their businesses  and commercial real estate is...

Increasingly, homeowners are using smart technology to make their home lives easier. Smart thermostats allow you to set the temperature...

I Agree

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie PolicyNew Delhi:

Comedian Kapil Sharma has been away from the limelight and screen space for a quite some time now. It was being reported that the comedian also suffered from depression and deteriorating health conditions. Some of his unrecognisable pictures also surfaced over the social media platforms leaving his fans in shock. Now, after a long time a good news has come up for his fans that he may soon return to television with a new venture.

Also Read | CONFIRMED! Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone to tie knot on THIS date in Italy

A source close to Kapil told Indian Express and said Kapil really needed this break to introspect on his life and career. The fallout with his The Kapil Sharma Show co-stars and the failure of Firangi really left him disturbed. While he assumed that launching Family Time with Kapil Sharma will ease out his problems, it only made matters worse. Added to that, the entire fiasco with the journalist and the Simoes sisters further left him distraught.

It was too much to handle for him. But now, after spending a good amount of time traveling with his family, Kapil is rejuvenated and raring to get back to entertaining his audience. He has also decided to hire a personal trainer and get back in shape, he added.

Recently, his tweet clearly indicated that he is up to something big in near future. In the tweet, he wrote Chalo now good night .. trying to change my life style .. god bless all .. love u.

This means that Kapil Sharma has decided to make required changes into his lifestyle so that he can make a good comeback on television.

A source close to Kapil told DNA and said "Kapil has decided to take charge of his life. He not only wants to change his lifestyle (he had tweeted about it) but also wants to become fit. He will be hiring a personal trainer. The comedian also wants to ideate for his new show and is planning to make a comeback to TV in the next two months.

This all began when Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover went into a mid-air rift which led to the walkout of most of the co-stars from his popular show The Kapil Sharma Show.New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday claimed that its lawmakers were not invited by President Ram Nath Kovind for Independence Day function At-Home held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Delhi MLA and AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj took to Twitter to register his partys protest on not being invited for At-Home function and said that former President Pranab Mukherjee used to invite them.

It was a long tradition to invite Delhi MLAs to At-Home function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Independence Day & Republic Day. @CitiznMukherjee used to invite us but u have stopped inviting Delhi MLAs. Any reasons sir? Bhardwaj tweeted.

Read More: Independence Day 2018 LIVE: PM Modi hoists the Tricolour at Red Fort; begins address

Bhardwaj said that the three-decade-old tradition was stopped after Kovind assumed the office of the President in July 2017.

Sir, We MLAs of Delhi were always invited by all Presidents before Kovind Ji. After Kovind ji became President, three-decade-old tradition has been stopped. Inviting CM or Leader of Opposition is all together different thing. Why are Delhi MLAs being humiliated?, Bhardwaj said in another tweet.

Also Read | Independence Day 2018: High security alert in Delhi

However, AAP president and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is yet to comment. The nation is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day today, August 15, 2018.



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Former prime minister and Bharatiya Janata Paty (BJP) stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, surrounded by closed ones and top national leaders, passed away at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi on Thursday following multiple organs failure.

WATCH | When Atal Bihari Vajpayee hugged Narendra Modi

As Bharat Ratna awardee, Vajpayees condition deteriorated, PM Modi, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani and other top leaders paid a visit to AIIMS to inquire about his health.

ALSO READ: Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition critical, on life support system, says AIIMS

Here are 10 things you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee:

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He studied with his father in the same class and lived in the same hostel. Vajpayee was jailed for a short period for raising his voice against the British Colonial rule. He started out as a communist but shifted to support the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Jan Sangh as a teenager. He left law school to work for an RSS magazine in the early 50s. His RSS roots were crucial for his massive role in the BJP. His political career began when he was a freedom fighter during the Quit India Movement of 1942-45. Vajpayee became an ardent student of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) Following Mookerjees death, Vajpayee took the baton and won his first election in 1957. Vajpayee served the Lok Sabha for 10 terms from 1957 to 2009. He became the first person outside the Congress to have served the complete five-year term. Vajpayee became the prime minister in 1996, but lasted only 13 days due to lack of numbers. Vajpayee became a household name when he served the nation as external affairs minister under Morarji Desais government. Vajpayee was also an excellent poet and the BJP still uses his writings.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day in India. After years of struggle, India got the freedom from 200-year-old British rule on August 15, 1947. However, neighbouring country Bangladesh, which was part of India before partition in 1947, observes August 15 as its National Mourning Day. On this day, founding father of People's Republic of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members. To mark this day, National Mourning Day is observed across Bangladesh.

The day is a public holiday in the country. On this day, the national flag of Bangladesh is lowered to half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous offices in the country.

Also Read | Independence Day 2018 Highlights: PM Modi pledges house, water, health, power, connectivity for all

Mujibur Rahman was the first President of Bangladesh and later served as Prime Minister of the country from March 1971 until his assassination in August 1975.

Mujibur Rahman is considered as the key figure behind Bangladesh Liberation Movement and the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. For this, he is considered as Jatir Pita or father of the nation. His daughter Sheikh Hasina is the present Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech announced the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) under which all individuals will get Rs 5 lakh of health cover free of cost. Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme is set to launch on September 25.

PM Modi said over the period of next four to five weeks, the systems will be tested. The latest scheme will be available to all Indians covering each and every individual irrespective of their income status.

ALSO READ:A PM Modi visits AIIMS to enquire about BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health

Here is how to check if you are eligible for Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme:

Log on to Ayushman Bharat website (https://abnhpm.gov.in/) Click on aDownload Beneficiary Lista Depending on your location, select aUrbana or aRurala To receive the One-time-password, enter your mobile number Download the list

ALSO READ:A Aghanistan: 48 killed, 67 injured in Kabul suicide bombing

The Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme has defined 1,350 packages that will cover surgery, day care treatments, medical, including transport, diagnostics and medicines.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

On Indias 72nd Independence Day, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra while addressing the Supreme Court Bar Association has called for concrete planning to improve the judicial system and transform it. The reaction from CJI Misra comes eight months after four Supreme Court judges J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph raised questions against the functioning of cases and their allocation under CJI Dipak Misra.

ALSO READ: PM Modi's I-Day speech rings loud and clear sincerity of his purpose

Constructive steps need to be taken with a positive mindset. Concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure. It's necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive. Then only the institution can go to greater heights," said CJI Misra.

"To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy. What is difficult and challenging is to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend ones' personal ambitions or grievances," CJI Misra added.

ALSO READ: Aghanistan: 14 Killed, 23 injured in suicide bombing in Kabul

Earlier on January 12, four apex court judges had addressed a press conference in New Delhi and criticised the working pattern under CJI Misra, accusing him of not listening to their concerns.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Several national leaders and chief ministers on Wednesday, August 15, celebrated the Independence Day amid tight security arrangements across India. Patriotic fervour and gaiety marked Indias 72nd Independence Day as flag hoisting ceremonies took place at the historical Red Fort, party headquarters, educational institutions and several other places all over India. Freedom fighters, who played a vital role in the Independence movement, were remembered on the occasion. Sweets were also exchanged between Pakistan Rangers and BSF jawans at the Attari-Wagah border. This year, the Independence Day celebration passed off peacefully and no incidents of violence and terror attacks have been reported so far.

From Congress president Rahul Gandhi to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to veteran BJP leader LK Advani, here is how political leaders celebrated the Independence Day with patriotic tributes to their beloved Bharat Mata during the At Home ceremonies.

Read | Independence Day 2018: PM Modi announces launch of Ayushman Bharat Health mission

On this Independence Day my best wishes to all Indians. As we celebrate our independence as a nation, let us remember all those brave men and women, our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices and dedication helped us win our independence.



Jai Hind. #HappyIndependenceDay  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 15, 2018

Celebrated the #IndependenceDayIndia with my staff members and family at my official residence. pic.twitter.com/LZgRIOz1cD  Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) August 15, 2018

A tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for our Independence. Remembering our freedom fighters on this auspicious day#JaiHind #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/jB3KShmMRo  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 15, 2018

Hoisting National Flag at my residence #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/PPwrO9YwN6  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 15, 2018

Flag hoisting ceremony at New Delhi residence. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/CHqJ2QSofM  Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) August 15, 2018

Greetings and good wishes to all citizens of India on the occasion of our nations 72nd Independence Day. The nation pays respect to all freedom fighters and tributes to those martyrs who laid down their lives for Indias freedom.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 15, 2018

Some more glimpses from the Independence Day celebrations in Delhi. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/KYAxifYbxA  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018

Union Minister Sri Nitin Gadkari ji hoists the National Flag at His official Residence in Delhi pic.twitter.com/8jChT8KlGZ  Office Of Nitin Gadkari (@OfficeOfNG) August 15, 2018

Read | Independence Day 2018: 10 fascinating facts about historic Red Fort in the heart of national capital

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has triggered a controversy after he dropped the national flag while hoisting it in the BJP head quarter, New Delhi. In the mean time, the Congress took to Twitter and slammed the BJP chief, saying "Who cannot hoist the national flag in a suitable manner, how he will be able to rule the nation? (Jo deshka ka jhanda nahi sambhal sakte, wo desh kaya sambhalenge?)".

The much controversial clip, that was first aired on the Television channel Doordarshan has already gone viral on social networking sites.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday (August 15). On this occasion, the nation looks forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, which will be for the last time before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. To ensure smooth celebration of the Independence Day 2018, security has been tightened across the country and the borders of national capital Delhi sealed. Delhi Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory to avoid traffic congestion in the national capital. At least half a dozen roads in Delhi are closed today. However, the metro services will operate as usual, the Delhi Metro authorities said.

Independence Day 2018 | Highlights of Prime Minister Modi's speech:

# 08:50 AM: We pledge house, power, water, health, connectivity for all

aa aaaaaa aa aa aaa aaasaaa aa- Sanitation for All

aa aaaaaa aaaa aaasaaa aaaaaaa aaa aaaaaa aaaaa aa aaa- Skill for All

aa aaaaaa aa aasaaa aa aaaaa aaaaaaaaa aaaa aaaa aa- Health for All

aa aaaaaa aa aaaa aa aaaaaaa aaas aaaa- Insurance for All: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

#08:46 AM: I am proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. Since independence, this is the first cabinet where so many women are a part of the cabinet: PM Modi

#08:45 AM: The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. I promise the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them: PM Modi

#08:43 AM: Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts: PM Modi

#08:40 AM: We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by fast track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme,no one can take law in their hands.

#08:35 AM: Today, India is celebrating the festival of honesty. We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard.

#08:30 AM: The honest Indian taxpayer has a big role in the progress of the country. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed.

#08:25 AM: The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare: PM Modi

The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare: PM Narendra Modi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/abGIxiNj4p  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#08:20 AM: Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get proper access to good quality and affordable health care: PM Modi

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get proper access to good quality and affordable healthcare: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/TDIc5qwnsx  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#08:15 AM: Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the WHO has praised it. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat: PM Modi

#08:10 AM: As significant as economic growth, is dignity of the individual. Our schemes such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians.

As significant as economic growth, is dignity of the individual. Our schemes such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians: PM Modi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/0YkO81IftE  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#08:04 AM: The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government: PM Modi

The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government: PM Modi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/r8a4jMYk1E  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#08:02 AM: If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete: PM Modi

If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete: PM Modi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/uZ7qvp4i2e  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:59 AM: We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realize the unbelievable strides the nation has taken: PM Modi

#07:55 AM: The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi

The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/3Ti2a9f4DK  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:51 AM: The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi

The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/3Ti2a9f4DK  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:50 AM: Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives.

Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives: PM Narendra Modi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/u2ud1N8k6y  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:48 AM: Modi condoles deaths due to floods: Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India: PM Modi

#07:45 AM: OBC Commission strengthened: The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission:

#07:40 AM: Nation is achieving new heights: In his final Independence Day speech, Modi said that the country is full of self-confidence and is regularly crossing new heights.

#07:35 AM: WATCH: PM Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi.

#WATCH: PM Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi. #IndependenceDayIndia https://t.co/G1rLxtfBrY  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:31 AM: PM Narendra Modi unfurls the tricolour at Red Fort.

PM Narendra Modi unfurls the tricolour at Red Fort. #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/sTogztX64z  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:25 AM: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Red Fort in Delhi.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at #RedFort in Delhi. #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/AKdUgwPEm2  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:20 AM: Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/gPvCAgNb7o  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:15 AM: Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/Yko8pgJlUX  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:10 AM: Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh & HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister JP Nadda & BJP leader LK Advani at the Red Fort.

Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh & HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister JP Nadda & BJP leader LK Advani at the Red Fort. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/HRYgZlEkNJ  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#07:00 AM: PM Modi wishes nation on Independence Day

Independence Day greetings to the people of India. Jai Hind! #IndependenceDayIndia



aaaaaaaaaa aaaa aa aaa aaaa aa aaa aaaaaaaaaa aa aaaaaaaaaa! aa aaaa!  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018

#06:50 AM: Rajanth Singh hoists tricolour at his home: Union Home Minister hoists the Tiranga at his residence on Independence Day.

Delhi: Union Home Minister hoists the Tiranga at his residence on #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/rsUnEaylZY  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

#06:40 AM: Security beefed up in Mumbai: Ahead of the Independence day, security has been tightened in Mumbai and other major cities of India. Visuals from Mumbai's Eastern Express Highway.

Security has been tightened in Mumbai for #IndiaIndependenceDay, visuals from Eastern Express Highway. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/wVAlF46bpJ  ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2018

#06:30 AM: Independence Day 2018 Delhi Traffic advisory: Following road links will remain closed for public on Wednesday (15 August) from 5 am to 9 am:

Netaji Subhash Marg from Delhi Gate to Chatta Rail Lothian Road to GPO Delhi to Chatta Rail S.P. Mukherjee Marg from HC Sen Marg to Yamuna Bazar Chowk Chandni Chowk Road from Fountain Chowk to Red Fort Nishad Raj Marg from Ring Road to Netaji Subhash Marg Esplanade Road and its Link Road to Netaji Subhash Marg

#06:00 AM: Hello and welcome to the News Nation Live Updates. We wish you a very happy Independence Day. As India gears up to celebrate its 72nd Independence Day Today (August 15), all eyes will be on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will address the nation from the ramparts of historic Red Fort for the last time in his tenure. Stay with us to hear PM Modi's Independence Day speech.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The Red Fort, one of the magnificent historical forts of the country, with glorious past and rich culture in the heart of national capital New Delhi, is a major traditional landmark and great tourist attraction. On Wednesday, August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort to mark the 72nd Independence Day of India. Its been 71 years since the country's prime minister has been addressing the people of the nation and hoisting the Tricolour from here on Independence Day. This tradition has been continuing since the first Independence Day of India in 1947, August 15.

Hence, here we bring you a few lesser known facts about the historic Red Fort, which glorifies the streets of Chandni Chowk with rich Indian culture:

1. The Red Fort was originally white!

Though the historic fort is called the Red Fort, but it was originally built with white colour. As per the Archaeological Survey of India, parts of the building were made of lime stone. When the white stone started chipping off, the building was painted red by the British.

2. The fort owes its name to the boundary walls

The high boundary walls were meant to provide maximum security to the royals. Since it was constructed in red stone and bricks the British called it Red Fort, and the natives translated it to the Lal Qila.

3. The Red Fort used to be called Qila-e-Mubarak

The Red Fort as we know it, was actually called Qila-e-Mubarak or the blessed fort. The monument was constructed when Mughal emperor Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.

4. It took 10 long years to build the Red Fort

It is quite obvious that with limited machinery, construction in those days took longer. But 10 years! Ustad Hamid and Ustad Ahmed, the pioneering architects of Shah Jahan's time, started the construction in 1638 and finally completed it in 1648.

Read | Independence Day 2018 LIVE: PM Modi arrives at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly

5. The Kohinoor diamond was part of the furniture

The Kohinoor diamond was actually part of Shah Jahan's throne. Made of solid gold and studded with precious stones, the extravagant royal seat stood in Diwan-i-Khas (the hall of private audience), flaunting the world's largest diamond.

6. The main entrance of the fort is called the Lahore gate

The Red Fort has two main gates - the Delhi gate and the Lahore gate. The Lahore gate got its name because of its orientation towards Lahore. After all, India and Pakistan used to be the same country once.

7. There is also a water gate

There is a third minor exit to the fort. Originally on the riverbank it was meant to ensure easy access to the river Yamuna. However, over the years, the course of the river changed but the name remained.

8. The shape of the Red Fort is octagonal

A bird's eye view of this amazing architectural splendour (spread over 256 acres) reveals its octagonal shape. The shape of the encircling red wall of the fort actually looks like an octagon.

Read | Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech to go LIVE on Google, YouTube | How to watch

9. The Rang Mahal was named quite aptly

The Rang Mahal - literally meaning the palace of colours - was the residence of the emperors wives, mistresses and maids. The emperor being one lucky man, lived right next door in the Khas Mahal so that he could visit the palace for dinner, or stroll over for coffee. However, the entry for others, except the princes was forbidden.

10. Bahadur Shah was tried by the British in his own fort

Bahadur Shah was tried in his own ancestral home by the British on charges of treason. The trial that took place in Diwan-i-Khas in front of British court found Shah Zafar guilty, after which he was stripped of his title and exiled to Rangoon (now Myanmar).

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Journalist-turned-politician Ashutosh on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The author of 'Anna: 13 Days That Awakened India' was reportedly upset with Kejriwals decision to not consider his name for the Rajya Sabha seat. Ashutosh, however, cited personal reasons behind the sudden move to end his association with the AAP.

After a 23-year-long stint in television journalism, Ashutosh joined the AAP in 2014. Since then he was seen among the loyalists of Kejriwal. However, things changed when the party announced Sanjay Singh, Sushil Gupta and N D Gupta as its Rajya Sabha nominees.

Ashutosh and another top AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, who were angling for Rajya Sabha seats, were said to be unhappy with Kejriwal's decision. While Kumar openly revolted against AAP chief Kejriwal, Ashutosh went into incognito mode and remained silent until his announcement to quit the party today.

Ever since the AAP came to power in Delhi with a thumping majority, the party has been facing controversies in the form of internal rifts, clash of ideas, or blame-game.

Also Read | AAP leader Ashutosh quits Arvind Kejriwal's party, may join journalism again

The political revolt in the AAP reached its climax in April 2015 when Kejriwal expelled senior party leaders Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities.

The four expelled leaders, however, claimed that the party had shifted its focus from its ideals and Kejriwal and his coterie were solely running the party.

Before this, another founding member of the party, Shazia Ilmi, had also quit the party citing lack of inner party democracy. She had also said that Kejriwal was guided by an inner coterie which does not allow democracy within the party.

In the same year and month, another AAP leader and one of its National Executive member Ashok Agarwal had also resigned from all party posts. He had also cited similar reasons and said the party had become directionless and functioned like a private limited company.

Also Read | AAP MLAs not invited to Independence Day function, claims Saurabh Bhardwaj

This didn't stop there and the party suspended two of its four MPs  Dharamvir Gandhi from Patiala and Harinder Singh Khalsa from Fatehgarh Sahib  for indulging in anti-party activities. They had accused Kejriwal of dumping old faces every few months and then shopping for new ones.

The resignation of Ashutosh ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly elections, where the party aims to contest all seats and the 2019 general elections, would increase the woes for Kejriwal, who is already facing a critical situation in governance with both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress boycotting his party at all possible fronts.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been admitted to Delhi's AIIMS Hospital for last nine weeks, has been put on life support system after his health worsned over the last 24 hours, the hospital said in a late night statement on Wednesday.

The condition of the 93-year-old BJP stalwart remained critical and a team of doctors headed by AIIMS director Randeep Guleria was closely monitoring his situation.

"Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been admitted for the last 9 weeks at AIIMS. Unfortunately his condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical and he is on life support system,"the official AIIMS statement read.

Vajpayee, the only non-Congress leader to complete a five year tenure as PM of India, was admitted to AIIMS hospital on June 11 with urine infection and chest congestion.

Earlier in the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the ailing former PM in the hospital.

Apart from Modi, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Smriti Irani also visited AIIMS to inquire about his health.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to meet Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/BeGhqVh0z2

ALSO READ: PM Modi's I-Day speech rings loud and clear sincerity of his purpose

The 93-year-old BJP veteran has one functional kidney and is a diabetic. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 and developed dementia.

ALSO READ: Ashutosh quits AAP; Arvind Kejriwal rejects resignation

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The occasion is Nag Panchami 2018, a Hindu festival that signifies the importance of the snakes in the Hindu religion. Small and big cane baskets filled with one or more snakes on busy streets in metros attract passers-by, the snake charmers hoping to make some bread for his living and earn an extra penny on this day as many Indians worship snake. This year, Nag Panchami falls on August 15. On this day, many people from across the country go to visit snake parks which houses over 270 reptile species, including the King Cobra.

There are several snake parks in India. Here are India's five major snake parks:

Guindy Snake Park: One of the most beautiful snake parks in India, the Guindy Snake Park, is located near the Guindy National Park in Chennai. The park houses variety of snakes, including king cobras, pythons and Russells viper.

Katraj Snake Park: The Katraj Snake Park in Pune was christened as Rajiv Gandhi zoo recently. The park is famous for conservation of all variety of wild animals and reptiles like Monitor lizards and crocodiles apart from snakes.

Bannerghatta Snake Park: The Bannerghatta Snake Park is one of the famous wildlife parks in Bangalore. It houses not only several snake species, but also has Indias first Butterfly Park. Apart from the snake park and the butterfly park, major attractions of the park include the crocodile farm.

Calcutta Snake Park: The lush green Calcutta Snake Park is one of the oldest snake parks in India. In fact, it is the first snake park in Eastern India, set up famous wildlife conservationist Dipak Mitra. Apart from rare species of snakes, the park also houses other reptiles, mammals and birds.

Parassinikkadavu Snake Park: This snake park in Keralas Kannur district attract a lot of tourists for its beauty and the variety of exotic snakes it houses. The park has a snake temple too where visitors can offer prayers.

Read | Poila Boishakh 2018: Bengalis get into celebratory mood with New Year festivity

Snake species in India:

There are several species of snakes in India running into over 270 types. About 60 of them are said to be dangerously venomous. Indias King Cobra is one of the largest venomous snakes in the world. The types of more popular venomous snakes found in India include Indian cobra or Nag, Indian python or Ajgar, krait, Russell viper, pit viper and the Saw-scaled viper.

According to the Hindu religion, snake occupies an important part of ones life that brings great protection and good fortune. And the festival Nag Panchami is celbrated by all Hindus with offering of prayers and other rituals.

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Religion News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Why do Hindus offer milk to snakes on Nag Panchami day, is what is on many minds as many devotees carry out the practice. Nag Panchami is an important festival for Hindus across the country and the world over. This year, Nag Panchami, according to the Hindu calendar, falls on August 15, coinciding with the Independence Day. In Hindi 'nag' means snake. On this occasion, people worship snakes and offer milk to appease Lord Shiva for protection from enemies and all evils. Hence, Nag Panchmi holds great significance for Shiv devotees.

Read | Nag Panchami 2018: Visit the major snake parks in India

Significance of offering milk to snakes on Nag Panchami | Four major Hindu beliefs

Milk is offered to snakes with the belief that the offering will protect ones family from evil energies. Hindus believe that offering milk to snakes will help to negate Kal Sarpa dosh, which means astrological imbalance caused by Rahu and Ketu in the position of planets. Offering of milk to snakes is also believed to help protect ones family from all kinds of calamity. Some offer milk to snakes on Nag Panchami Day to bring great fortune and success in life.

Read | E-cigarette vapour disables lungs protective cells

Apart from Hindus, many animal lovers and wildlife enthusiasts adore the reptile species of snakes. And many palces the world over have established special parks to save and conserve snakes.

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Religion News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

True to expectations, Prime Minister Narendra Modis address to the nation on the 72nd Independence Day from the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi, the last before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, was a virtual launching pad for the vital election campaign. With Modis extraordinary oratorical skills, this was a golden opportunity to showcase the work of the government and no one could present the picture and excite the dreams of countrymen better than Modi.

Modis sincerity of purpose rings loud and clear which is why he is able to swing masses in elections. He knows the pulse of the people and comes off as an incorrigible optimist. He is undoubtedly assisted by the lack of a viable alternative to him both in the Opposition and in the ruling party.

Read | Independence Day 2018: PM Modi announces launch of Ayushman Bharat Health mission

Yet, the people are these days perennially impatient for quick results which the Modi government is not able to ensure in the context of the speed-breakers, the slothful attitude of people at large and the systemic handicaps.

Modis focus is the common man who is an incredible species with high expectations. The BJP has realised that it can get nowhere without the support of the farmers, the women, the working class and the vast numbers of services personnel. His promise of higher minimum support prices for various crops is designed to woo the disgruntled and estranged farmer.

The kingpin in Modis announcements was the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Health mission slated for September 25 and intended to provide proper access to good quality and affordable healthcare to the down-trodden, directed in a phased manner at 50 crore people or five crore families.

Also Read Opinion | Fringe or saffron; need to crush terror of all hues

Coupled with the already-functional Jan Dhan Yojana which has empowered millions of poor people with the government opening their bank accounts, the mass availability of gas connections and toilets in every home campaign which has made a difference to the lives of millions of people, the health mission holds promise of mass impact on their lives. These are ingredients for happier living for the poor.

The Ayushman Bharat mission aims to provide health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per year, intended to benefit a whopping 8.03 crore people in rural areas and 2.33 crore in urban areas which makes it the largest-funded healthcare insurance programme across the world. This is a typical example of how Modi has a tendency to think big.

Another major target of Modis electoral attention was women to whom he devoted a fair part of his speech. He made it a point to stress that his government sought to re-define the divorce practices of Muslims to give fair treatment to their women but there were some roadblocks that came in the way. He assured them that succour for them would follow. This is an attempt to carve out a vote bank for the BJP among Muslim women considering that Muslims vote en masse for the Opposition.

Read More | Arresting the mortal sin of academic dishonesty

Modi also emphasised that the importance given to women in his regime is borne out by the fact that there are more women ministers in the Central cabinet than ever before and there are three women judges in the Supreme Court. He announced that women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts.

For the armed forces, Modi had a special praise and claimed that the One Rank One Pension scheme had been merely talked about by earlier regimes but actually implemented by his government.

Modis words of re-assurance for the honest tax-payer will go down well with the honest among the bureaucrats.

That he ignored the contribution to the country of the Nehru-Gandhi family from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and beyond was typical of his stance. Instead, he singled out Gandhi ji and Ambedkar for praise in line with the present governments standpoint.

Modi steered clear of Kashmir and Pakistan, except to hint that he is not for repression but a humane approach to the Kashmir imbroglio. Other than emphasising that India commanded respect in the comity of nations he did not dwell on the countrys foreign policy.

Click here for more OPINIONNew Delhi:

As space dust storm engulfs Mars, NASA has been unable to establish contact with the Opportunity Rover - which has been exploring the red planet for 14 years for two months. The US space agency, however, is relentlessly trying to make contact with the rover which recently underwent and emergency shutdown, scientists say. NASA's last contact with the Opportunity rover was .



"Scientists think early to mid-September might be a time when the skies clear enough that it could recharge," Andrew Good, Mars and Mars technology media relations specialist, told 'Inverse'.

ALSO READ: SpaceX prepares astronauts for Commercial Crew Program



Owing to the dust storm, the robotic rover failed to power itself through its solar panels robotic rover and had to undergo an emergency shutdown.

Since then, scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been trying helplessly to send Opportunity a message command three times a week.



The dust storm on Mars is gradually dying. Dust-lifting sites have decreased and surface features are starting to emerge, NASA scientists say.

ALSO READ: Parker Solar Probe: Names of two Indian women sent up with the probe



There are indications that the atmospheric opacity might be decreasing over the Opportunity site. Since the last contact with the rover , Opportunity has likely experienced a low-power fault and perhaps, a mission-clock fault.



Meanwhile, NASA's Curiosity Rover, which runs on a nuclear-powered battery, continues to study the other side of the planet.



(With inputs from agencies)

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

At least 48 people were killed and 68 were left injured in a suicide bombing in Kabuls Dasht-e-Barchi, the Ministry of Public Health of Kabul confirmed.

The bombing happened inside an educational academy around 4:10 pm local time when the students were inside the classroom.

#Afghanistan: Ministry of Public Health revises death toll in deadly #Kabul classroom bombing to 48 killed and 67 injured, reports TOLO News.  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

ALSO READ: Bridge collapses in Italy during heavy storm, crushing cars

#UPDATE: Death toll rises to 14 and 23 injured in suicide bombing inside Mawoud Academy in Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi. Casualties are primarily students, reports TOLO news #Afghanistan https://t.co/mlbib9tDIB  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Meanwhile, the security forces have cordoned off the area and more than a dozen ambulances are present at the place of explosion, as per reports.

ALSO READ: Car crashes into barriers near UK Parliament, 3 injured

Mawoud Academy, where the explosion happened, is a private institution which provides extra classes for students who want to join university for higher education and hold classes for male and female together.

According to the reports, the Taliban have denied responsibility for the attack.

More details to follow.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.International events including Manama Dialogue holds special significance in addressing contemporary issues, His Majesty stressed yesterday.

This came as His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received the new International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in the Middle East executive director Lieutenant General Tom Beckett at Al Safriya Palace yesterday.

HM the King hailed cooperation between the Kingdom and the think tank, stressing fruitful coordination in preparing and organising the Manama Dialogue, which is considered one of leading political and intellectual events that attract annually political, diplomatic and economic elites and decision-makers from all over the world to discuss contemporary issues.The Prosecutors will seek death sentence for the 35-year-old Bangladeshi national accused of murdering Bahraini imam Abdul Jaleel Hamood.

Meanwhile, the police remand of the accused along with other suspects have been extended by another 15 days by the High Criminal Court.

Abdul Jaleel went missing on August 5 after performing Al Fajr (dawn) prayer. His family members immediately alerted police, who found the imams body cut into pieces inside a plastic bag near a scrapyard in Askar.

The accused was a prayer caller (Muazzin) at the mosque and it has been learnt that the imam had warned him over trading in free visas, which led to an enmity between them.

The defendant has confessed to the crime and he told prosecutors that he had informed his wife about plans to kill the imam. The suspect has been charged with premeditated murder, while the co-defendants face charges of attempting to conceal crime proof.A 32-year-old housemaid, who was allegedly kept in captivity and abused for five years at a house in Busaiteen, is recovering from her wounds at a hospital in Manila.

Emma Balela said she was abused for five years by her unmarried female employer who she said did not pay her and held her in captivity.

She claimed that the torture she suffered included cutting her genitals as well as the mutilation of her nipples.

Living a life in captivity, she was only allowed to leave her room when she needed to clean the house or carry out chores. Ms Balela recently flew back to Philippines after the sponsors sister helped her escape.

Stephanie Esguerra who spotted Balela weeping at Bahrain International Airport helped her to come out of the ordeal.

She has been admitted to St Lukes Medical Centre and she is recovering well. I am in contact with the embassy officials in Bahrain as well as the officials in Philippines, but I have some limitations in meeting her because I am not related to her.A Bahraini man, aged 28, was arrested in possession of 133 narcotic pills, according to court files.

The defendant was arrested during a police operation in which he was spotted in an abnormal state.

Police officers said that the defendant was walking in a suspicious manner. He dropped a glass box he was holding after seeing us approaching him, a cop told prosecutors.

He added that when his colleagues picked it up, it turned out that it contained more than 133 narcotic pills as well as hashish.

The 28-year-old was put on trial before the High Criminal Court after he was tested positive for different types of drugs.

He was charged with consuming drugs.Yemens ambassador to the UN said yesterday that his government had not yet been invited to peace talks planned for next month, but that it was open to attending despite low prospects for success.

We are waiting for the invitation, Yemens envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Majawar, told reporters.

The UNs peace envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council earlier this month that he wants to host warring parties in the Swiss city on September 6.

A Yemeni government source, who requested anonymity, said that on August 3 that it would attend. Majawar underscored that in the two weeks since Griffiths announced the talks, the UN has not shared any details, including on the crucial issue of whether the government and Iran-backed Al Houthis would be asked to meet face-to-face.Thirsty thieves stole more than 300 pallets of Red Bull cans worth around one million euros from a depot in Belgium in what police described yesterday as a very professional heist.

The energy drink -- whose slogan is Red Bull gives you wings -- was stolen on Sunday from an industrial estate in Menin district, on the French border. The team of thieves took around 12 hours and made repeated trips to take the equivalent of 11 trucks worth of the drink from the depot, which is on the motorway linking the Belgian city of Ghent to Lille in northern France.

A Belgian police source said they were using CCTV images to identify the suspects, and would not rule out that they had inside help.President Muhammadu Buhari will return from his vacation this weekend, says Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman.

President Muhammadu Buhari will return from his vacation this weekend, says Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman.

The president travelled to London, UK, for his vacation on August 3.





During an Arise TV programme on Wednesday, Adesina said the president will return once his vacation expires.





Nigerians will say anything. He is on holiday, 10 working days which translates to two weeks. He will be back this weekend. If I want to talk to him thrice a day I can, he said in response to a query on Buharis return date.





In a message on its Twitter handle on Tuesday, the presidency had made reference to reports suggesting that Buhari has extended his vacation.





The presidency said the reports were mischievously circulated on social media to create wrong impressions about Buharis vacation.





This story from Feb 2017 is currently being mischievously circulated on social media platforms, to create the impression that its related to the Presidents current vacation. Kindly take note of the date. 2017. The President has NOT extended his ongoing 10-Working-Days vacation, the tweet read.





Kindly take note of the date. 2017. The President has NOT extended his ongoing 10-Working-Days vacation. This story from Feb 2017 is currently being mischievously circulated on social media platforms,to create the impression that its related to the Presidents current vacation.Kindly take note of the date. 2017. The President has NOT extended his ongoing 10-Working-Days vacation. pic.twitter.com/MZQAfm1TvV August 14, 2018

In the absence of President Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is serving as Acting President.Amnesty International Nigeria has hailed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, for ordering an immediate overhaul of the countrys Special Anti-...

Amnesty International Nigeria has hailed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, for ordering an immediate overhaul of the countrys Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit.





In a statement, Osai Ojigho, AI Director in Nigeria, said: This is an overdue yet hugely important move by Acting President Osinbajo. The growing outcry over the brutality of Nigerias notorious SARS police unit has finally got the attention of the countrys authorities.





While this is positive news, it is crucial that any overhaul of SARS is far-reaching and immediately effective. Restructuring SARS is not enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians.





The reform ordered by the Acting President must translate into ending the torture, unlawful detention, extortion, extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations that SARS officers have been committing for years across Nigeria. That includes bringing to justice SARS officers found to have committed atrocities.





There is much compelling public evidence of human rights violations committed by SARS, some of it directly documented by Amnesty International, and this should now be used to aid an effective investigation into the units crimes.





The special panel convened to investigate SARS must be independent and impartial. Its aims can only be achieved if victims are given time and protection to present their cases.





In September 2016, an Amnesty International report highlighted gross violations by SARS, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment.



Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to order the release ofSamuel Ogundipe, a Premi...

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to order the release ofSamuel Ogundipe, a Premium Times reporter.





The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain also called on Osinbajo to release former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and declare Miyetti Allah a terrorist organisation.





On his Twitter page, Fani-Kayode wrote: I urge Prof Osinbajo to order the release of Samuel Ogundipe of @PremiumTimesng.





I urge him to order the release of Sheik El Zak Zaky and Col. Sambo Dasuki. I urge him to declare Miyetti Allah a terrorist organisation, order the arrest its leaders and bring them all to justice.





Recall that the police arrested Ogundipe on Tuesday over a report the organisation published on the probe of Lawal Daura, sacked Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).



Aisha Yesufu, co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, advocacy group, has reacted to the directive by the Acting President, Yemi Osinb...

Aisha Yesufu, co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, advocacy group, has reacted to the directive by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo ordering the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to overhaul the management and activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) with immediate effect.





Yesufu said the directive by Osinbajo indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari was responsible for the brutality of SARS operatives.





In a series of tweets, the activist called on the Acting President to embark on more reforms.





She wrote: Did you ever say that its not President Buharis fault of SARS brutality?





Did you ever say there is IGP and its not for PMB to be held responsible?

Then I hope by the action of Acting President demanding overhaul of SARS you understand why PMB was held responsible



The NKST Church has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, one of the girls kidnapped at the Government Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State.The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that more than 100 girls from the school were kidnapped by unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram religious sect in February 2018.The girls had since been released, with Leah Sharibu the only one still being held hostage.Worried by this, NKST at its annual Synod held in Makurdi, Benue State, urged government to intensify efforts to secure her release in view of the nationwide anxiety over her continued stay in the hands of the captors.The Church, in a communique made available to NAN, also advised governments at all levels to provide extra security in schools to forestall invasions by bandits.It also endorsed the Anti-open Grazing Law enacted by Benue, Taraba and Ekiti States, and advised other states to do same so as to curb the persistent clashes between farmers and herdsmen.It criticised plans by the Nasarawa State Government to establish cattle colonies, claiming that areas already earmarked for the activity were ancestral lands of Tiv people.The Church urged its members to uphold the tenets of Christianity and be sincere in their dealings with their neighbours.It also advised the Federal Government to handle the recovered Abacha loot with utmost transparently to ensure that funds voted to be disbursed to the poor were not looted by government officials.The communique, which was signed by NKST President, Rev. Dominic Anza, cautioned those in government against using public funds to finance political activities, saying that Gods wrath would descend on anyone involved in that.It advised Christians to register so as to vote in 2019, and cautioned them against selling their Permanent Voters Card, or selling their votes on election days.The only way to kick out a failed government is to get your PVC. We should not toy with that privilege, he said.Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on lawmakers of the ruling party to do all within t...

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on lawmakers of the ruling party to do all within their powers to ensure that the national assembly reconvenes.





Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara adjourned plenary in July shortly after the police laid a siege to the residences of the nations number three citizen and Ike Ekweremadu, his deputy.





Oshiomhole, who criticised the adjournment, said it is slowing down the progress of the current administration.





He spoke at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja during a meeting with APC senators and members of the house of representatives.





You all know that the national assembly is billed to adjourn on Thursday and in the wisdom of presiding officer he chose to adjourn on Tuesday, he said.





The result is that we serious pending issues that require deliberation by the national assembly, including the approval of foreign loans without which this year budget cannot perform. The issue of supplementary appropriation for INEC and virement of budget without which INEC capacity to conduct election could be in jeopardy.





I want to appeal to all distinguished senators and members of house of representatives by your commitment to Nigeria project , your commitment to the sustenance of democracy, you commitment in ensuring that the promises made by APC are themselves enough to compel you to do everything you can do to lawfully to get the national assembly reconvened so that these weighty national issues will be deliberated upon , appropriate decision reached so that Nigeria government is not shut down.





The APC chairman said the only way Saraki can retain his position is to return to the ruling party but such will not happen.





He said not even the court could save the senate president because it cannot chose a leader for lawmakers.





Going to the court and get an injunction and hang on it to purport that the matter is in court and therefore the senate cannot exercise their fundamental rights to determine their leadership they need to read that judgement by the court of appeal the matter of APC versus national assembly, excuse me if i dont use the normal legal references because I do not claim to be a lawyer, he said.





The lawmakers at the meeting



This morning I saw that some people claimed they are going to court to stop the senate President from being impeached. That would be an exercise in futility because the court cannot impose on the senate who leads them. It is the discretion of the senate to determine who leads them. When we get there those matter will be canvassed. This morning I saw that some people claimed they are going to court to stop the senate President from being impeached. That would be an exercise in futility because the court cannot impose on the senate who leads them. It is the discretion of the senate to determine who leads them. When we get there those matter will be canvassed.



Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, yesterday, said additional Niger Delta youths could only be enlisted into the programme by a presidential proclamation.He made the clarification in Abuja at a meeting with Agboola Ajayi, Deputy Governor of Ondo State.Ajayi, who was at the Amnesty Office to seek the inclusion of about 2,000 youths of Ondo State into the programme, explained that the youths who had been involved in various criminal acts including kidnapping, were peacefully disarmed over a year ago, following the intervention of Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo.It was the acting President who said publicly that the Federal Government would offer amnesty to Ondo youths after we had an incident where they kidnapped a group of persons. When we met the kidnappers during negotiation, they said they wanted amnesty. So, we said okay, we will give you amnesty and we spent huge funds to disarm them.Since we disarmed them, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states have been safe and peaceful, he said, adding that the inclusion of the youths in the Amnesty Programme was vital to the sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta.Responding, Dokubo noted that though Ondo youths were part of the Niger Delta, it was not within the purview of his office to add more persons to those already captured in the database of the Amnesty Programme.Dokubo however, indicated the readiness of the Amnesty Office to collaborate with the Ondo State Government in the area of training the youths.Whatever palliative we can offer, we will gladly do; the money is not there, but in terms of training, our training facility in Ondo is there, we can give training to some of them, but their stipends should be provided by the Ondo State Government, Dokubo said.A human rights lawyer based in Abuja, Barrister Ahmed Ajibola Jimoh, has urged the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) to compel the Ins...

A human rights lawyer based in Abuja, Barrister Ahmed Ajibola Jimoh, has urged the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) to compel the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to unseal the corporate head office of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN).





The Nigeria Police sealed up the property since February 28, 2017, despite subsisting court orders.





Jimoh in a petition dated August 13, 2018, specifically wants the Presidency to direct police authorities to respect the rule of law and obey court orders directing them to vacate the office located at No. 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, Abuja.





In the said petition, the activist informed Professor Osinbajo of the two subsisting judgments of the Federal High Court, Abuja which ordered police to unseal the office, but was not obeyed till date.





The petition, entitled: Appeal to Mr. President to compel Police to respect rule of law on Peace Corps of Nigeria, Jimoh intimated the Presidency that, the Corps as a uniform youth organization engaging in youth development, nation building, patriotism and neighborhood watch, has been made to suffer untold hardships by the action of Police in sealing up the office unlawfully.





The activist recalled that Justices Gabriel Kolawole and John Tsoho, have at different times, in their judgments issued orders to the Police directing them to unseal the office in the interest of justice and fair play.





Jimoh, however, noted with regret that Police rather than obeying the court orders chose to remain adamant by blocking the entrance to the office with a heavy truck and stationed several of its men to prevent the officers and men of the Corps from accessing the office as directed by court.





He also informed the Presidency that the flagrant disobedience to court orders and utter disregard to the rule of law by the Police, run counter to the tenets of democracy, warning that, Police actions are capable of causing anarchy in the country.





The activist warned that the use of naked powers and oppression against the youth in the Peace Corps of Nigeria, who are being prepared for a bright future, were capable of spelling doom for the nation and therefore urged the Presidency to passionately wade into the matter and order Police to vacate the office.





Jimoh stated that the attitude of Police in the matter of Peace Corps was worrisome because the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, being the Chief Legal Officer, had twice written the Inspector General of Police on the need to obey court order in the matter of Corps, but that the two letters were treated with levity by the Police and continued their deliberate and willful disobedience to valid court orders.





Besides, the activist also drew the attention of the Presidency to the order of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to Police to vacate the office based on petitions by the Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Justice and Equity, adding that till date, the Police have chosen to close their eyes against natural justice and opted to take laws into their hands.





He, therefore, pleaded with the Presidency to compel Police to allow the Peace Corps to access their office and property as ordered in the two court judgments.





The petition, copied the Nigerian Police Council, AGF, Police Service Commission and the IGP, read in part: Your Excellency, with due respect, it is my humble submission that the respect for the rule of law in a democratic system of government as that of Nigeria is the very foundation for any democracy and where an agency of government such as Police has chosen to consistently act in total disregard for court judgments, then the legitimacy of the government becomes doubtful.





Also, Your Excellency, it is my humble submission that where the rule of law is sacrificed for the rule by whims and caprices, such situation is a war against the supremacy of the Constitution.





I also submit that the attitude and conduct of the Nigerian Police and IGP against Peace Corps, if allowed to continue, would have much harms on the development of this nation than can be imagined.



Junaid Mohammed, Second Republic lawmaker, has highlighted why the Senate President, Bukola Saraki should resign.

Junaid Mohammed, Second Republic lawmaker, has highlighted why the Senate President, Bukola Saraki should resign.





In a recent interview with Dailypost, Mohammed said it was immoral for Saraki to continue as the Senate President following his defection from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.





There have been calls from the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, for Saraki to resign as Senate President following his decampment to the PDP.





On his part, Junaid stated that Saraki should resign because he started the current crisis rocking the upper legislative chambers back in 2015.





He said, APC Chairman is insisting that Saraki resigns, well I can as well insist that Saraki resigns but it doesnt mean much. What we should ask in this circumstance they find themselves is, do they have the numbers to make Saraki resigns or be impeached and I dont know which of the factions have the numbers.





No, I dont believe its moral for him to continue as the President of the Senate since he decided to switch parties. If other Senators can reel in such immorality, Saraki cannot and its a very bad example because what he has started doing by cutting deals across the aisles was a very bad taste and in bad fate.



For the most part, the buses arrived on time and the teachers and students were in high spirits as schools in Lee County opened for more than 90,000 students Friday.

South County celebrated the opening of a new high school in Bonita Springs while in North Fort Myers, students marked a return to the familiar.

Debbie Diggs, principal at North Fort Myers High School, said in her 20 years as an administrator, she has never had a first day go this smoothly as the buses pulled in before dawn, mostly on time.

The very last bus on the bus ramp arrived at around 7:15. When you consider the school district has all these buses and all those routes, to have all the buses accounted for 10 minutes after the tardy bell is crazy, Diggs said. In past years weve had multiple buses sometimes come an hour late.

Parents dropped off their kids in a timely manner, many of the students arrived early (with a church group handing out free donuts in the courtyard) and went to their alpha home rooms before heading on to their skeleton schedule where each went to all eight of their classes on the first day.

The kids were smiling and happy to be back. It was a great atmosphere, Diggs said. We had a lot of cool activities going on and teaching and learning already happening.

At the North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, principal Thomas Millins also reported a smooth first day. All their buses were on time and teachers were ready following a very good prep week.

We have a great plan of action. The district has implemented a plan to align curriculum to make sure were meeting the needs of all our students. Thats the big change were seeing, Millins said, adding the arts will still be used as its main teaching instrument. Were making sure each school is teaching the standards so the students can succeed in going to the next level.

The lines for parents to pick up their kids was a little longer, which Millins said is normal. Most important, the children were happy to be back after a long summer.

Theyre excited and ready to go. They always enjoy to see their teachers and their friends and to be back in an environment that is conducive to their success, Millins said.

Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary also had a successful first day, according to principal Monica Broughton. Teachers took the time to get to know their students and let them know what the expectations are.

We got the kids on and off their buses, we got them with their parents or into our afterschool program, Broughton said. The teachers got their classes ready for the first day and did training before Thursdays open house, for which we had a great turnout.

Broughton said Monday would be devoted to further easing students into the school year after the weekend.One had an air conditioner that was 23 years old, another had one that only cooled half the home, and a third needed one for their new home in the area for her husband who works outside 12 hours a day.

These three people were the winners of new air conditioning systems courtesy of Ellsworth Heating & Cooling from its annual Christmas in July event.

The winners were feted last Tuesday with lunch and their prizes, which will be installed as soon as possible. An installed air conditioner, with ductwork and everything, can run up to $5,000 or more.

Diana Smith, Lacie Kyle and Pasquale Ferrari were winners of the units, which central air conditioner companies Trane, Daikin and Lennon donated one unit apiece, and the North Fort Myers Community Coalition, consisting of the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association and the Rotary.

Smith, who lives in Tamiami Village, said her unit only cooled the back of the house.

Its a blessing. Ive been praying for the last two years that my old air-conditioner thats 15 years old and makes a lot of noise will hold up, Smith said. My neighbor told me about this. They have an Ellsworth unit and they told me to apply. I never win anything. I never expected it.

Ferrari, who lives in Old Bridge Village, said he never won anything and learned about it from one of the Ellsworth employees.

It said the air conditioner was installed in 1995 and I didnt know how long it would last. I spent some money on it now and then, Ferrari said. I was shocked. So many people called. It was good timing.

Kyle needed an air conditioner for the house they bought two years ago. Her husband wanted to come home to a cool home after work.

He works 12 hours a day and I saw it on the Facebook page. Told my mom, she wrote in and that was that, Kyle said. We had the old unit fixed three or four times in the past year and were a one-income family. Its hard when something has to be replaced.

This was the first time in the 16-year history of the Christmas in July promotion that Ellsworth has teamed up with a community group to help select winners. They promoted the event on their websites and had applications that people can either pick up in person or download.

It was our first endeavor and what a way to start it and get the community involved. We got three very deserving recipients, said Doug Dailey, president of the civic association. Its kind of an historic event for us.

Al Giacalone, president-elect for the Chamber of Commerce, was its representative.

William Barnes, president at Ellsworth and who represented the Rotary, said the company is celebrating its 50th year in business, and the feeling he gets from giving back never gets old.

When the coalition came together, we thought it would be great for one to have an air conditioner and work with the community, Barnes said. Were pleased to give back to the community that gives us so much. People say its so nice to give. I get so much back from it, not from a business sense, but being successful is being able to give back.If you follow my column, youve probably figured out it is every other week. Well, during the 4th of July I got off schedule. Deadlines changed and -well, I got off schedule. Yes, that was a while ago, and Ive been playing hopscotch trying to get back on track.

The goal is a column following the North Fort Myers Civic Association monthly meeting (second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.) and a second column one week before the next meeting, with a heads up on what will be happening.

But it has been more than two weeks since a column, so this one will be short, just to mention a few things and my next column, published Aug. 22, puts me back on schedule.

Whew!

All this is probably more than you needed to now, so please accept any needed apologies.

Youve heard of Christmas in August, well thats sort of what we have here. The air conditioning giveaway, an undertaking of the North Fort Myers Coalition of the Civic Association, Chamber, and Rotary, went extremely well.

Three very deserving North Fort Myers recipients, selected from over 19 applicants, were ecstatic when picked. No, we cant do everything for everyone, but we can make a difference in some lives.

The North Fort Myers Community Coalition along with Ellsworth Heating and Cooling were glad they could make a difference in and for the community. Santa Claus (aka Danny Ballard) red suit, fluffy white beard, and jolly as ever, was also on hand to give them the great news

Keeping with the Christmas in August theme, a heads up for December. The Civic Association has had an annual Christmas Tree Lighting in December at the Recreation Center for years.

Well, if you recall prior news coverage of the event or have been to a past lighting, youll recall the tree was less than grand, not exactly a an evergreen for the ages.

Well, last month Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass offered Lee County support to move the old tree and get a new tree, one more befitting a community event, our community event. Now, to add to that, NBC-2 Chief Meteorologist Allyson Rae (also a North Fort Myers Resident) has agreed to be our Master of Ceremonies for the Community Christmas event. It will be held on Dec. 15.

And by the way, with the involvement of the Chamber, Rotary, and County, it will be an all-day event, culminating (sometimes big words creep into my column, dont know how that happens) in the Tree Lighting. And as far away as it seems, we all know Christmas will be here before we know it.

Behind the scenes (you know, the little man behind the curtain) your Civic Association Board is reviewing the Associations logo design. To change or not to change? If so, to what? Well, come to our meeting and youll find out! Maybe decided by the August meeting so this is a little late telling you. But if not, then September.

And even if it has already been chosen by the time this column goes to press, for those of you who didnt attend the meeting, go to our webpage, www.nfmcivic.com, and see what we did. Hope youll like it. No, not earth shattering, but still.

Finally, membership packets and cards will be on our agenda, both this month and ongoing. Benefits for members? Cost of membership? And? As always, meetings are the second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m., at 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers.

See you there Sept.11.A Utah man recently flew a small Cessna airplane into his own house, with his wife and her son still inside, after being arrested on charges of domestic violence.

The bizarre incident took place on Monday, but police sources said that the cause was most likely a domestic dispute between Duane Youd, a professional airplane pilot, and his wife, near American Fork Canyon, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City. On Sunday evening, the Utah County Sheriffs Office received calls from several witnesses about a man hitting a woman, and a police patrol took Youd into custody. He and his wife had apparently been drinking and an argument broke out and he started hitting her.

Photo: video screengrab

Duane Youd made bail on Monday morning between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m., and asked police if he could return to his home in Payton, Utah, to pick up some of his things. He was escorted there in a police car, after which it is presumed that he headed straight for Spanish Fork Airport, got in the Cessna 525 Citation Jet he usually piloted for a company, and flew back to Payton with the intention of crashing straight into his house.

It just got lower and lower. I said Oh my gosh its going to hit the mountain. Its going to hit the mountain. Its getting lower. You can just see it getting lower. All of a sudden a huge ball of orange fire. I couldnt believe it, one of Youds shocked neighbors described the crash.

The pilots wife and her son were inside the house when the small aircraft came crashing down into it, but managed to get out before the ensuing fire spread. Investigators say that Youd clipped a neighboring shed before hitting his own house, which may have altered his trajectory.

We dont know what his ultimate goal was, whether he meant to hit it low like he did or whether he meant to hit it higher, Sgt. Noemi Sandoval of the Payson Police Department said, adding that the incident could have been so much worse than what it was and that it was a miracle that Youds partner and the boy could escape in time.



Somehow, the front of the house is still intact, although severely burned, but the plane was almost completely destroyed and Duane Youd lost his life.

Court records show that just last month Youd agreed to attend marriage and family counselling sessions for six months as part of a plea agreement after another domestic violence incident, in April. I guess he decided that wasnt going to work for him after all.  12.00 .  30     338   339   "",   ,      "",     .    .               .       .       ...We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseUS to blame for burning bridges with Iran: President Rouhani

08/15/18

Source: Press TV

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has once again dismissed Washington's offer of talks, which followed its unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, saying the US, itself, burned its bridges for negotiations with Tehran. Currently, the Islamic Republic is holding talks with the entire world, the Iranian chief executive told a government meeting on Wednesday. Rouhani, however, said, "The US itself has acted in such a way that has destroyed the circumstances required for negotiations. It has burned its bridges."



cartoon by Mehdi Azizi, Iranian daily Shargh

"Now, the US is standing on the other side," wondering how to cross, the president noted, adding, "If it is honest, it should fix that bridge again."



In a hostile move, US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May from the landmark nuclear agreement and decided to re-impose the unilateral sanctions against Iran.



The White House has vowed the "strongest sanctions in history" against Iran unless the country fulfills a list of demands.



The US president said on July 30 that he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart "any time they want to," adding, "No preconditions. If they want to meet, I'll meet."



Trump's offer of talks came only days after he threatened Iran in a tweet addressed to President Rouhani and said, "You will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before."



In response, Iranian statesmen and military officials joined voices to reject that offer, saying Tehran will not negotiate under pressure and threats.



On Monday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Islamic Republic would not enter into new negotiations with the United States due to the cheating and bullying nature of its government.



Caspian summit



Elsewhere, Rouhani also said Iran had held "very cordial and good" talks with its neighbors during the 5th Caspian Summit, which was recently held in the Kazakh port city of Aktau.



The Iranian president and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif joined the summit on behalf of the Islamic Republic. The summit featured the signing of a historic convention on the Caspian Sea's legal status.



Rouhani said talks over the resource-rich sea had been underway for more than 20 years, noting that some issues were resolved during the most recent round of talks.



Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan agreed on certain issues concerning the sea's northern part. Moscow was found entitled to 17 percent of the maritime expanse, Rouhani said. Iran, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan agreed over a number of issues pertaining to the southern side, he added.



He, especially, hailed the resolution of the outstanding issues regarding the Caspian "security" during the summit.



"The US and the NATO [military alliance] had plotted to establish their presence on the Caspian coasts and deploy their forces there," Rouhani said.



"Based on this agreement, however, the establishment of military bases and the presence of foreign vessels in the Caspian Sea were banned," he said, adding, "It was agreed that any ship seeking to sail in the sea should [do so] under the flag of one of the five littoral states."South Korea denies halt in oil imports from Iran

07/08/18

Source: Press TV

South Korea on Sunday rejected reports that it had stopped importing oil and condensate from Iran. Iran's media quoted an announcement by South Korea's Embassy in Tehran as saying that imports from the Islamic Republic still continued.

Tankers loading oil at an Iranian oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf.

On Friday, Reuters reported that Seoul was no longer lifting Iran's oil and condensate as it was trying to obtain an exemption from US curbs on buying Iranian oil.



Reuters in a report quoted familiar sources as saying that South Korea would not lift any Iranian crude and condensate in July for the first time over the past six years.



The move came as Seoul started negotiations with Washington to seek authorizations over buying Iranian oil, in line with a waiver it received during previous sanctions, the report added. "There was pressure from the South Korean government to halt purchases," Reuters quoted an unnamed source familiar with Iranian shipping arrangements as saying. "South Korea overall is lifting zero oil (from Iran) for July loading."



Two other sources said South Korea cancelled July loadings of crude and condensate cargoes from Iran as it was uncertain whether the country would receive an exemption from US sanctions on Iran trade.



"The embassy of the Republic of Korea denies any claims that it would not lift any Iranian crude and condensate in July," the South Korean Embassy responded to the report.



"The Korean government is negotiating with the United States to get exemptions from the restrictions on Iranian oil purchases," it said.



South Korea has bought nearly 296,000 barrels of oil from Iran in the first five months of the Iranian calendar year (starting on March 21), and is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China and India, according to media reports.Sahel Sahara Bank and Omni Bank have agreed to consolidate their operations into one entity in a merger deal that could be the first of a few in the banking sector between now and December.



It follows Sahel Sahara Banks decision to exit an earlier merger deal with GN and Premium banks into the waiting arms of Omni Bank, which specialises in servicing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).



A merger deal between the Omni Bank, a member of the Jospong Group, and the Sahel Sahara Bank, which is owned by 13 Sahelian countries, has since received the blessing of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), paving the way for a formal announcement later this month.



The consolidation of the two banks is to create a stronger bank that can meet the BoGs new minimum capital demand of GH400 million by December this year.



When successfully consummated, the deal could create a larger bank with almost 1,000 employees on its payroll and 46 branches, servicing customers in seven regions nationwide.



Its total assets could also be in excess of GH1.3 billion, while stated capital would be around GH213 million  still below the central banks new minimum capital of GH400 million.



While the Omni Banks stated capital was reported at GH141.6 million, that of the Sahel Sahara Bank closed the year at GH71.6 million.



Why approve?



In an interview, a retired Deputy Governor of the BoG, Mr Emmanuel Asiedu-Mante, said it was surprising that the central bank approved the merger although it would not resolve the recapitalisation hurdle.



Why will two banks merge and still not meet the minimum capital? he asked in an interview on August 13.



If they cannot meet, then they must as well go their separate ways because the idea is to make a stronger bank out of the two. But if you are going to merge and still not meet some key requirements, then there is absolutely no justification for a merger, he said.



However, another source told the paper in confidence that the two sides had agreed to use a third party investor through preference shares to help increase the capital to the required amount before December this year.



The plan for capital restoration was part of the strategies presented to the BoG, the source said.

Source: Graphic.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoGhana adds a total of 700,000 people to its population annually, the Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC), Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah has disclosed.



According to her, Ghanaians are headed for hardship if necessary measures are not instituted to curb the increasing population growth.



She said many countries have moved on from having population as a human resource to targeting population as a human capital by properly managing it.



Dr Appiah was speaking Tuesday at a forum in Accra to discuss the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) issues that came up during the recently held Contraceptive Prevalence Data (CPD) session 51 in New York.



The Accra forum which was organised by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), an NGO, was intended to help influence advocacy work of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to contribute to the needed change in the SRHR sector.



According to her, we cannot make any meaningful progress as a nation without factoring in the subject of population, stressing that population has direct consequences on every policy of a country.



Dr Appiah was of the view that many people vote out governments for new ones because they want their lives to improve, explaining that there cannot be any better lives or improved standards of living if the countrys growing population is left unattended to.



The Executive Director of PPAG, Abena Acheampong expressed concern that the country risks many challenges ahead if the current population growth rate is not tackled.



She was of the opinion that the decision by the government to introduce the double track system for Senior High School (SHS) students is partly due to the unplanned population of the country.



Madam Acheampong said a huge population does not guarantee quality life and that those advocating for population growth should rethink their position.



People are moving from one place to another because the conditions there is not good. And then they come in here and it is no better, she said, adding We need to invest in the quality of life rather than expanding.

Source: Graphic.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoPresident Akufo-Addo has called on the Church to collaborate with government in the collective agenda of uplifting the moral, political, spiritual and economic life of the Ghanaian people and thereby help accelerate the pace of development in the country.



According to President Akufo-Addo, We want a partnership which is founded on common values of service to mankind, of love and solidarity with our fellow human beings, and of truth, honesty and integrity. If we focus on these values, it will enable us to lift up our country and fulfill the word of God and realise the promise of immortality that Christ offers to all true believers.



President Akufo-Addo made this known on Tuesday, 14th August, 2018, at the end of his five-day tour of the Ashanti Region when he addressed the 29th Biennial General Council Meeting of the Assemblies of God Church held at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.



Welcoming the support of the Assemblies of God Church to enhance some government initiatives in sanitation, as well as the building of the National Cathedral, the President noted that these are positive examples which must be emulated by all churches in the country.



He reiterated his commitment to ensure that every Ghanaian child gets a minimum of secondary school education and explained that education is the most important contribution he can make to the welfare and progress of Ghana.



Education is a tool for development, and not for self-serving partisan political debates. This tool is what all of us should commit ourselves to, that every young person in this country, no matter where they are in Ghana, no matter the circumstances of their parents, has access to education, he said.



President Akufo-Addo continued, We dont know what village is going to produce the Ghanaian Einstein, and if we have that perspective, then we will support the initiative that makes it possible. The first year of the free Senior High School (SHS) ensured that 90,000 more young men and women got into school than they did the year before.



The spectre of at least 100,000 young men and women dropping out of the educational system at the level of Junior High School was one I was determined to stop.



With 180,000 more students expected to be enrolled in Senior High Schools across the country in September, the President told the gathering that his government has had to devise intelligent solutions as to how we could use the existing infrastructure to cater for this additional number of people, i.e. the double-track system.



To the members of the General Council, President Akufo-Addo indicated that he had no difficulty asserting his Christian faith, stating unequivocally that I see myself as a Christian in politics and as one whose political views are deeply influenced by his Christian values.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoPressure group, Economic Fighters Group, has submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Ocquaye, demanding that he declares the seats of 54 notorious absentee Legislators vacant.



Basing their demands on the dictates of the Constitution (Article 97(1)(c)) the group stated said the erring Parliamentarians should first be dragged to the Privileges Committee for an explanation before taking the firm action, myjoyonline.com reports.!



You have had on several occasions to adjourn sittings for want of quorum. Recently, the First Deputy Speaker lamented this attitude of absenteeism and said those who absent themselves should probably not be in the House. They should leave. He was right as this is the position of the constitution. Absenteeism not only deprives us, the poor people of proper representation in Parliament, it can only lead to poor scrutiny of bills, agreements and other Executive actions. It also cost us money, the pressure group said in the petition.



Published below are the petition and the list of absentee MPs which Economic Fighters Group is recommending sanctions against.







Source: The Publisher









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoFormer Consul General to Dubai, Daniel Osei, has bashed former President John Dramani Mahama once again, entreating the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to reject the former leader of Ghana as the partys flagbearer for the 2020 presidential election.



Mr Osei, who is fast establishing himself as a torn in the flesh of Mr. Mahama through his incisive articles on why the NDC members should reject him, said if the party makes a mistake to select Mr. Mahama, they would be doomed at the polls in 2020.



We must reject JM; he is a big mess and must be retired. He refuses to do the civilized thing and step aside but the delegates can retire him if they are well informed.



Mahama will have less than 50 percent chance of winning the general elections. He has offended too many people and groups in our party, the NDC and too many groups in the general electorate, including doctors, trainees, military, AGI etc, he admonished in his latest article.



Not Serious



He said hes not a serious man and must not be burdened with such a serious responsibility as flagbearer. As president, he hardly made it to Flagstaff House before 11 am and was just not a serious leader, adding his partying ways are well documented, hes a fun guy maybe, but not a strong leader, and Comrades we cant afford another Enye hwiii, so so lukewarm leadership.



Mr. Osei said the NPP is serious about retaining power in 2020 and we must come strong and be ready to work for power!



He added that the NDC cannot entrust its future into the hands of the former President once again.



With all due respect, Mahama had no business being president because he didnt understand the awesome responsibilities of that office nor the need to lead the party to victory. Go back to the video of his visit to Major Mahamas widow and the insensitive joke he said to the young son of Major Mahama, the cruel laughter and the temerity to put it all on Facebook and announce he went there to give her money, etc; that video sums up Mahama for me.



Delegates Education



He said the NDC delegates must be made to understand that a primary victory is not a general election victory, so that they will make informed choice during the December 7, 2018 NDC presidential primary.



They must get it rightly. They must be presented with reasons why former President Mahama is not likely to succeed in the general election, and reasons why Mahama is not our best choice. The facts show hes our worst candidate for the general elections.



Mr. Osei said the NDCs rank and file knows a Mahama defeat in the general election is possible because theyve experienced it. They saw it, if they are given the true facts of our defeat, they can only conclude the likelihood of defeat with Mahama is real.



Amissah-Arthur Factor



Mr. Osei revealed that former Vice President Paa Kwasi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, who died recently, was preparing to contest his former boss Mr. Mahama.



Most of the party elders know this because he told them and he hinted at this during the revolutionary lectures. I know this because he told me himself and his strange passing raised a lot of questions in the minds of Fantis.



How attractive is he (Mahama) now to Fantis? Right or wrong, they blame him for his poor treatment of Paa Kwasi, the late Vice President. This complaint was made by residents of Central Region prior to the 2016 elections and Mahamas response was to erect big billboards of Lordina, his wife, throughout the region. This infuriated the people of the region, and we saw the results. We lost 80 percent of our seats in Central Region.



Posture in Opposition



He said Mr Mahama has done nothing different in opposition, and has been exposed as grossly indecisive and weak, hes an extremely weak leader.



Indeed, his weakness in his home region, Northern Region, is well documented and has gotten worse. His disrespect for the biggest tribe in the North, the Dagombas, is a silent killer which cost us votes in 2016 and will cost us more votes in 2020 if we present him, and he has become more unattractive in opposition.



He alleged that evidence of his diabolical acts in Upper West against NDC candidates, which cost us half of our seats in that region should tell the delegates this guy will only further sink our fortunes in that region.



JM Banter



Mr. Osei said he does not like the way Mr. Mahama is being foisted on the NDC as flagbearer, saying I dont enjoy this perpetual banter on JM at all but its forced on us.



The unfortunate and sad reality is we have a real chance of winning, but JM cant win. He simply cant.



He said after the NDC lost, he and a couple of NDC members, including Kojo Bonsu, started the re-organization of the party for 2020 but the Mahama loyalists made things difficult.



Kojo Bonsu, others and I- our meeting place was my house, and we hit the ground running on the 12 of December 2016 with the goal of preparing the grounds. Can you image how much good work could have been done by now?



Listen to their apologists today and you will conclude the same sycophancy and think-less approach is being engaged.



We must give ourselves a real chance at victory and it includes presenting a more formidable and attractive choice. Its of critical importance. Lets be dispassionate and not conflate things out of convenience. Lets think through the facts facing us and make conclusions based on facts and not assumptions.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoActress Xandy Kamel is in the news, this time not proposing to Patapeexy but in need for a lover.



The first to profess her love and interest was Kumawoods, Xandy Kamel. Speaking in an interview on KOFI TV by then, she offered to give Patapaa a good time. But Patapeexy shows in interest in her.



In post on her Instagram page the actress said he need a guy to propose to her.



According to her she has send a lot of guys DM but in vain, and those who reply preach to him



Read full post unedited below:



"@siruti was in Ghana ???????? and in an interview he said his current relationship started tru a dm in instagram ????my own brother and bestie @mrgyangot married recently and when he was asked how he met his wife he said it was tru a dm on the same instagram now Xandy I have been sending dms to almost all the guys on Instagram and none has been able to reply those who replied to are preaching to me none is even asking of a date Eeii guys wat do U want me to do again ??????????????????".





Source: ghcelebrities.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoChris Lawrence spends time with his son Logan Lawrence, 6, at a park near their home in Aurora, Ont., Saturday, August 11, 2018. Logan has severe autism and Lawrence says cannabis CBD oil has eased his behaviors. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Galit RodanPennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro stands before prosecutors who led his office's probe into Catholic Church clergy abuse across Pennsylvania, from left to right: Michelle Henry. Jennifer Selber, and Daniel Dye, Read more

Thank God for the criminal investigators and prosecutors.

Thank God for the grand jury subpoenas. For they extracted  like rotting teeth  clergy-abuse personnel files in unreachable corners of six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses serving 1.7 million people.

Thank God for the courage of the victims. For without them, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his team would have had no real cause to root out and unveil decades of depravity and systemic abuse by clergy, overseen by complicit superiors.

Do not, however, thank the Men of the Cloth. For many of them, despite their broadcast sanctimony, were among the liars, the hustlers, the actors who protected the predators.

Since the Boston scandal blew open the dark secrets of Catholic clergy abuse 16 years ago, no one within the church had managed what a 23-member Pennsylvania grand jury and dozens of investigators assembled for the public on Tuesday in Harrisburg. They delivered a nearly 900-page investigative report revealing the horrid ways that children were ravaged for decades by priests, and how church leaders from diocese to diocese worked to conceal the horrors.

More than 1,000 young victims  possibly thousands more  allegedly were assaulted by 301 priests in the Dioceses of Allentown, Scranton, Harrisburg, Greensburg, Erie, and Pittsburgh.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Report says cover-up began at the top | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Victim: 'It's your word against God's' | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser | John Baer: Questions in wake of the report

As Shapiro spent over an hour detailing the grisly allegations at a news conference, I couldn't take my eyes off the men and women of his investigative team. Many stood silently along side walls as their elected boss exposed a church that for a long time has been seemingly inculcated in the culture of corrupting minors without sanction.

"The cover-up was sophisticated," Shapiro said. "And all the while, church leadership kept records of the abuse and the cover-up."

Daniel J. Dye, a senior deputy prosecutor who has worked for more than four straight years on clergy abuse investigations for the office, stood behind Shapiro. Dye's hands remained clasped before him except for a moment when he touched the shoulder of a weeping victim seated on stage near him.

Watching from the front row, among dozens of journalists from across the state and the nation, was Mark Rozzi. The state lawmaker ran for office four years ago by saying, on the campaign trail, that he, too, had been abused, by a Catholic priest at age 13 in Reading.

Victims on stage with Shapiro nodded somberly toward Rozzi. They all know the man. Two years ago, after former Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane released a horrendous report into abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese, Rozzi fought, but failed, to change state law so that men and women his age would be allowed to sue the church. Including a 2005 grand jury probe into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, no diocese in Pennsylvania has now been left unexamined by criminal authorities.

"The story isn't even the abuse anymore," Rozzi told me later. "The real story here is the hierarchy. They are the ones that put the church's reputation and assets before its own children."

His goal in the weeks to come, he said, is to take another shot at passing that bill.

>> READ MORE: Pa. Lawmakers must stand with victims and change the law to allow child sex abuse lawsuits | Maria Panaritis

The church has pleaded through the years that its priests and bishops were not, until more recently, full cognizant of the psychology and impact on children of pedophilia. This was one of the church talking points after the Boston scandal.

They claimed that bishops and their administrative underlings only grew to appreciate that in more recent years. In effect, the argument went, these spiritual men were too naive to know better than to call police if they found out a priest had raped a 9-year-old boy.

That's a laughable claim now.

>> FROM 2017: Sex-abusing priest caused suffering for a generation, and walked free

It is nearly impossible to read all eight grand jury probes of Pennsylvania's dioceses, including the extensive one produced in 2005 into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and believe that claim.

One case that stood out in Tuesday's report involves former Erie Bishop Donald Trautman.

The grand jury said Trautman concealed from the public that the Erie Diocese had known about multiple allegations of child sexual abuse against the Rev. William Presley. When asked by the media about the priest in 2003, the diocese falsely claimed that it "had no information to provide" on any case involving that priest except for crimes that had occurred 28 years earlier, the grand jury found.

"Later that year, Trautman communicated with the Vatican" about information that confirms the "suspicion that there are even more victims of the sexual abuse and exploitation perpetrated by Presley," the grand jury reported.

In a statement through his attorney, Trautman alleged inaccuracies in the grand jury report.

"I maintain before God and the people whom I served for 22 years," Trautman said, "that I faithfully fulfilled

the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and faithfully fulfilled all laws of the

Commonwealth on sex abuse."

Thank God for church records. For they shall guide us all toward truth.On the books for five years, Urban Outfitters' Devon Yard development is finally set to open Thursday, with an Anthropologie and Terrain. We're most into the food options: branches of Amis Trattoria and Terrain Cafe. This week's dining stops include a Center City bistro with a scene, plus two South Philly newcomers. Need food news? Click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips and questions here. If someone forwarded you this free newsletter and you like what you're reading, sign up here to get it every week.

 Michael Klein

Amis arrives in Devon

Amis Trattoria keeps evolving since its founding eight years ago under the Vetri Family, with Brad Spence at the stove. While the flagship on 13th Street in Washington Square West is still an edgy spot set to a rock-and-roll soundtrack, the newer iterations  created under the Urban Outfitters ownership  have a more polished feel. You can see that in Westport, Conn., to an extent at Bar Amis at the Navy Yard, and now on the Main Line at Devon Yard, the URBN destination opening Thursday next to the Devon Horse Show. Bright and vaguely industrial, the new, much roomier Amis retains the kitchen counter/open kitchen feature, and includes a separate barroom and enclosed porch. Spence has retained the services of Kristina Wisneski to execute the menu. New here are Roman pizzette  simple, crispy-crusted 12-inch pizzas. It's open for dinner daily. Across the way is Terrain Cafe, which greets the day with coffee and segues into an American menu under chef Ryan Bloome; it's open for brunch daily and for dinner Wednesday-Sunday.

Where were enjoying happy hour

Vedge 1221 Locust St., 5-7 p.m. weekdays at the bar only

Philly's premiere vegan restaurant is one of the toughest tables in town. Happy hour gives you a fighting chance to enjoy Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby's snacks, such as green beans and smoked mustard ($6), and the colorful Chioggia beet tartare with black garlic tahini and za'atar ($7). Two $7 cocktails (one rum/gin-based, the other tequila), two $4 beers, and two $7 wines are fine drink options.

Where were eating: Lanima, Maison 208, Irwins

Chef Gianluca Demontis and Rosemarie Tran, who own Rittenhouse's Melograno and Bryn Mawr's Fraschetta, plopped down into Graduate Hospital two months ago with L'anima, a sleek/chic Roman BYOB that spills out onto a patio off the corner of 17th and Carpenter. Seafood is the specialty, and Demontis makes everything himself, including cheeses and pasta. Be sure to share a chewy-crusted signature flatbread-like pinsa. It's open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday.

Nightspot beneath a retractable roof or serious restaurant? Maison 208, which arrived last year at 208 S. 13th St. in Washington Square West, is both. Chef Sylva Senat clearly enjoys himself, offering clever twists such as diver scallops accompanied by prosciutto and hush-beignets, as well as "taro lollipops"  fritters filled with kobe beef and a pate curry inspired by his Haitian roots. First-floor dining looks out onto the Gayborhood streetscape. Upstairs at what's called The Social, the bar throbs with energy, including live music on weekends. Open Monday-Saturday for dinner, Saturday-Sunday for brunch.

They're kicking it old school at the Bok Building in South Philadelphia, the former Bok Vo-Tech that's been re-imagined as a work space for creative types. The eighth-floor Bok Bar, whose northward views of Center City make it a must-stop, has been joined by Irwin's, a chic Mediterranean bar-restaurant on the south side. Do share chef/owner Paul Garberson's reasonably priced plates (manti, stuffed mussels, lamb kofta) and for a real treat, order the entire mezze board ($38)  11 dishes including crispy Castelvetrano olives, raw sunflower seed falafel, and carrot fritters. Open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday.

This weeks openings

Amis Trattoria | Devon

See above.

P.J. Clarkes | Center City

I'm hearing "within two weeks" for the long-delayed outpost of the NYC classic bar, taking the Sixth and Walnut Street corner of the Curtis.

South Philly Barbacoa | Italian Market

The taqueria has reemerged, on a South Philly corner.

Terrain Cafe | Devon

American bistro is part of Urban Outfitters' Devon Yard development next to the Devon Horse Show.

The Thirsty Soul | South Philadelphia

Church-themed bar at 16th Street and West Passyunk Avenue boasts a confessional with a secret door. Opens Aug. 16.

Valentes Italian Specialties | Haddonfield

Primarily a to-go shop with cheeses, meats, and breads at 7 Kings Court.

This weeks closing

Staropolska | Port Richmond

With the shutdown of Krakus Market comes the demise of the Polish restaurant up front.

Food critic Craig LaBan is away this week. Hold your dining questions.A year ago Kate Brown donated her healthy hors, Roman, to the Philadelphia Police Department's mounted-patrol unit. Last week, she took the horse back after seeing how emaciated Roman had become. Read more

In late July, Kate Brown was delighted to run into Roman, the draft horse she once owned, while he was being ridden near Northwestern Stables in Chestnut Hill.

Last September, she'd donated Roman to the Philadelphia Police Department's Mounted Patrol Unit. His massive size and easy demeanor would, she thought, be an asset to the unit, which uses horses for crowd control, routine policing, and community engagement.

As she petted him, though, her antennae shot up.

The last time Brown had seen Roman was in December. He looked lean, but okay. But now, she thought, he looked skinny. Over the next few weeks, she learned that some workers in the mounted unit were concerned about feeding operations there. The grain was sub-par, they said, and horses weren't getting enough hay or time in the pasture.

Last week, Brown drove to the mounted unit's barn in Pennypack Park to inspect Roman when he wasn't covered by a padded blanket and saddle. What she saw took her breath away.

"I could see his ribs, hip bones, and shoulder blades" which would normally be obscured by fat and muscle, says Brown, the head equestrian trainer at Penn and also the head trainer and barn manager at Northwestern Stables. "I was devastated."

Furious, she told Lt. Joe McBride, who oversees the mounted unit, that she was returning with a trailer and taking the horse home with her. The next day, she had Roman evaluated separately by two veterinarians, one of whom drew blood and took a fecal sample for testing.

"I wanted independent opinions," Brown says.

One vet said that Roman was "obviously thin," needed to gain 100-150 pounds and that his "feeding program needs to be addressed." The other vet said the horse was 200 to 300 pounds below his healthy weight of 2,000. The lab-work revealed no underlying medical condition that would have caused Roman's weight loss. But his blood level of AST, a liver enzyme, was greatly elevated. In an otherwise healthy horse, the vet told her, the number is an indicator of muscle atrophy, which can be a consequence of poor nutrition.

>> READ MORE: A Bucks County couple kept 31 cats in squalor. A new state law is helping prosecute them

"Atrophy is normal in older horses," whose life expectancy is between 20 and 30 years, Brown says. "Roman is only four."

Roman is now getting the rest and nutrition he needs, she says.

"But what about the other horses?" she asks. "Are they okay?"

Last Wednesday, I visited the unit's barn, after hours, with Lezlie Hiner, a member of the Mayor's Animal Advisory Committee, a 10-member group of animal experts who offer advice but have no policy-enforcement authority. She's also founder of Work to Ride, the award-winning nonprofit that teaches equestrian skills to disadvantaged kids.

She, too, had been hearing murmurs that some of the unit's horses weren't getting adequate nutrition and that one had barely left his stall in weeks.

After eyeballing the animals, Hiner was worried. At least four of them, she thought, looked underweight, especially Wellington, a former dressage horse. His ribs, shoulders, and hips were prominent.

According to a schedule posted on the barn wall, Wellington was scheduled to work four eight-hour shifts over 56 hours; two of them would be back-to-back, to accommodate duty at The Linc for Thursday's pre-season Eagles/Steelers game.

Hiner had been told that the horses are watered during their working shifts but not fed. The city's own licensing codes call for work horses that are ridden to be fed and watered at "reasonable intervals" during their shifts and that they work no more than 10 hours in any continuous 24-hour period.

Hiner was upset by Wellington's schedule.

"He should not be out working. If we saw a carriage horse in this shape, there'd be an uproar," she said, referring to past public outrage about the working, living, and/or physical conditions of horses used by carriage companies to ferry tourists around town.

(Indeed, last November, the owner of Philadelphia Carriage Co. was savaged during a hearing before L&I's Review Board regarding numerous code violations, many of them reported by the public. The company ceased operations in January under a consent decree with the city.)

On Monday, I met with Deputy Police Commissioner Dennis Wilson, who oversees special operations. He'd learned last week about Roman: Brown had written about Roman's ordeal on Facebook, and the rapidly shared post had come to the department's attention.

"I was immediately concerned," says Wilson of the mounted unit, which includes 15 horses, 10 "hostlers"  or animal handlers  and officers who train and man the horses for crowd-control at large public gatherings and routine patrol of the city's parks or neighborhoods. "We care about all of our animals."

Wilson immediately pulled all horses off-duty and had them examined by Nicole Wilson, chief of humane investigation at the Pennsylvania SPCA. She found no evidence of criminal animal cruelty.

>>READ MORE: Horses that toiled for Philly Carriage Co. retired to 139-acre sanctuary

The horses were also examined by vets from the unit's current and former veterinary practices. They agreed that the horses looked healthy but that at least two, including Wellington, needed to gain at least 100 pounds. They also concluded that Wellington was being fed 40 pounds daily of an inferior feed. He'll now be fed 20 pounds daily of a superior blend.

"It's been an issue of quantity versus quality," says Wilson, who says he was also told that this year's poor quality of hay, statewide, might account for some of the weight loss.

For now, the two horses have been pulled from duty until their condition improves. Meantime, all of the animals will have their teeth treated, which will aid with chewing and digestion, and their feed intake will be closely monitored and recorded during every shift.

Wilson disputed Brown's characterization of Roman as too thin. He showed me a photo taken of Roman on the day Brown donated him last September and a photo taken on the day she retrieved him last week. The horse looks almost the same in both photos.

Which is puzzling. In photos taken by my colleague Yong Kim and in my own video, both shot the day after Roman returned home, he looks far thinner than in the recent photo Wilson showed me. I asked a source within the unit for comment about Roman's care while he was with the unit, but the person would not speak on the record for fear of retaliation.

There's reason to be wary. In 2014, Joel Allen, a mounted-unit hostler, filed a written complaint with the mounted unit's director at the time, Lt. Daniel McCann. Allen alleged that some of the horses were not being exercised enough by one of the unit's trainers, who'd taken to going AWOL during his shift.

As a result, Allen wrote, "the horses are more dangerous to work around and are developing bad habits, i.e., kicking, biting, cribbing, etc."

Allen alleged that McCann, after receiving the letter, engaged in a year of retaliation, ending with Allen's being fired in 2015. Allen brought a whistleblower lawsuit against McCann and the city, which he won in April of 2017.

Last month, after the city's failed appeal of the verdict, Common Pleas Judge Michael Erdos awarded Allen $126,000 in back wages and damages, plus attorney's fees. (To read the judge's opinion, click here.)

"How many hundreds of thousands of dollars has the city wasted, fighting me, when they could've just taken my complaint seriously?" asks Allen, 57, the son of a mounted-unit officer and who himself had hoped to retire from the unit. "All I wanted was for everyone to be safe"  the cops, the horses, and the public.

While the police department deserves credit for responding swiftly to feeding concerns in the mounted unit, it's alarming that it took Brown's accidental run-in with Roman to start a chain of investigation that was clearly needed. Does the unit have the necessary equestrian expertise to determine what's best for the horses? And why has no one been paying closer attention to their condition on a regular basis? Some of these horses are rescues who came to the unit with health problems that can take a while to resolve. Yet it appears they've being treated the same as those in better shape.

>>READ MORE: Horse handler wins whistleblower suit against Philly police commander, city



If any of our human police officers had been in their condition, we'd place them on disability until a doctor cleared them to return.

At this point, what the horses deserve is regular, routine monitoring from a third-party expert, with no ties to the mounted unit, to evaluate the unit's work, feeding, and care operation from top to bottom.

The pros at Penn Veterinary School's New Bolton Center, which specializes in the treatment of large animals, stand ready to help.

"The police are more than welcome to reach out to us directly for consultation," said New Bolton's Rose Nolen-Walston, DVM, when I asked her input on this. "We would be happy to serve as a resource to them."

I hope they do, because these noble beasts deserve better than to live and toil in a culture whose human employees are reluctant to speak up on behalf of animals who can't speak for themselves.

Roman, Wellington, and their fellow work horses have tough, demanding jobs. They patiently endure rambunctious crowds, booming fireworks, rotten weather, choking traffic, and curious little kids. Hell, one of them even took a punch last winter from a drunken Eagles fan.

"They work so hard for us," says Kate Brown, who hoped Roman's dedication would've been better respected. "They should be the best-kept animals in the city."A Philadelphia School District employee raises her hand during a session at new hire orientation, held at the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush. Read more

Kaila DeFrancesco is 23, a brand-new educator about to begin her career as a health and physical education teacher at a North Philadelphia elementary school.

She's bright and eager, and in college had exactly zero formal classroom training in recognizing and responding to students affected by trauma  a subject that will surely have an impact on how effective she can be as a teacher.

So when DeFrancesco, who will begin teaching at Meade Elementary this month, sat through a session on that subject during a recent Philadelphia School District teacher-training institute, it felt like a revelation.

"Ninety-five percent of our students experience some form of trauma," said DeFrancesco. "We need to take care of their basic needs before we push ideas and curriculum on them."

In the not-too-distant past, school districts typically gave new teachers a brief and sometimes perfunctory warm-up to the jobs they were jumping into: Here's how you sign up for health insurance, take a handout on classroom management. Increasingly, though, districts are broadening and deepening that training in an effort to better equip educators.

In Philadelphia, part of that effort is a week-long, intensive new-employee institute that featured sessions on trauma-informed care, creating inclusive classrooms, and engaging multilingual families.

Meredith Mehra, the district's deputy chief of teaching and learning, said the aim  sharpened in the last few years  is to provide new teachers real-world tools to tackle a tough job in a massive bureaucracy organized around educating kids with unique challenges. An important part of the training, Mehra said, is the piece around climate, culture, and the things urban kids carry with them to school.

"This is just as important as 'What do I teach and when do I teach it?' or 'When do I get my first paycheck?'" Mehra said. "We have to tackle these conversations, and we can't let our fear of not doing it right or not doing it good enough stop us."

Nationwide, teacher induction programs  some call them "onboarding," a nod to the the business practice of integrating employees into a firm's culture  are on the rise, said Richard Ingersoll, a professor in the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

"There's been a recognition that there's a very high quit rate among new teachers," Ingersoll said. "There's been growth nationwide in these induction support programs for beginning teachers."

The quality of such programs is mixed, but even with the best programs, strong training is no panacea. Still, it can move the needle, according to Ingersoll's research on teacher induction.

For the 500 new Philadelphia teachers and counselors who gathered at the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush for a week of day-long sessions this month, that was the hope of the orientation, which cost the district nearly a half-million dollars.

In one room, staffers from HIAS Pennsylvania, the nonprofit that supports immigrants, and Ludy Soderman, the school system's director of multilingual family support, talked about creating a welcoming classroom for families whose first language is not English.

They gave tips: include welcome signs in languages with which students are familiar, make sure you're pronouncing unfamiliar names properly, never use children as interpreters. Soderman grabbed her cell phone to give a demonstration of a service available to all district staff that offers real-time interpreters in hundreds of languages.

"You have to build bridges between the school and the family," Soderman said.

In another room, Hazel Edwards, an educator with the Attic, a nonprofit that serves LGBT youth, talked about microaggressions and preferred pronouns, running down sobering statistics: LGBT youth report anti-LGBT slurs upward of 50 times per day at school. They sometimes have no supportive adults at home; a teacher or counselor might be their refuge.

"Do not use your own internal bias to dictate how you treat a young person," Edwards said.

Maria Asencio, a staffer with the Children's Crisis Treatment Center, worked with another group of teachers on why some students exhibit chronic misbehavior.

"Children's acting-out behavior often originates in feelings of vulnerability as opposed to willful defiance," Asencio said, giving teachers tools to help kids coping with trauma: breathing exercises, "brain breaks" and other supports.

For the new employees themselves  some veterans coming to Philadelphia from other schools or districts, but many first-time teachers  it felt like a lifeline. No one was under the impression the first year of teaching in Philadelphia would be easy, but many felt better prepared.

Kenneth Freeman, who has worked for the district for a decade as a counselor but is moving over to teach film to students at Pollock Elementary, said he felt energized by the material  from classroom management techniques to more nuanced tips on welcoming diverse students.

"You couldn't pay for the information we got here," Freeman said near the end of orientation. "No one sugar-coated anything; being a teacher is a whole lot harder than I imagined, but I know where I can get help."

Philadelphia Media Network is one of 19 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the city's push toward economic justice. Follow us at @BrokeInPhilly.Cover of "How to Slay," by award winning fashion journalist, Constance CR. White. The cover was shot by black photographer Itaysha Jordan. Read more

When I hear the word slay, I think of models strutting on runways in crazy high heels looking very much in need of a sandwich or two. Women wearing fake hair, fake breasts, and fake butts. And, well, to put it frankly, poor behavior  think Elektra Abundance in FX's Pose. It's a word that brings so much drama, so much extra-ness that I don't see it as the compliment it's meant to be. Why would a down-to-earth woman like myself ever want to slay?

But author, fashion journalist, and pop-culture critic Constance C.R. White has convinced me otherwise. Her book How to Slay: Inspiration from the Queens and Kings of Black Style is a comprehensive look at African Americans' contributions to the fashion industry past and present. Slaying is a rich part of my history.

Because White concludes that at the heart of how we slay  whether wearing natural hair, sporting Kente cloth, choosing a baggier jean over a more fitted one, going makeup-free, or beating our faces within an inch of their lives  is authenticity. And without this realness, White says, it's impossible to slay.

White, who will sign copies of How to Slay in Philadelphia this month, says, "When we are slaying, we are at our best."

Like now.

As White prepares for her Philly journey, black people finally seem to be getting our due in the higher echelons of the persnickety style industry. Black women have landed 10 covers of the world's most influential fashion magazines. Yasss, black women  with our glorious natural hairstyles, stunning ruby lips, and chiseled chocolate arms  are on 10 covers (and the full list isn't even out yet). Now that's slaying.

The word slay, of course, means to kill, as in the medieval tale of St. George slaying the dragon. According to Robert Chapman and Barbara Kipfer's Dictionary of American Slang, slay first appeared in the English language in the 16th century as a trendy way to describe impressing someone so much they lose control of their emotions and die. It was most commonly used in the context of laughing oneself to death.

Slay emerged as a fashion colloquialism in the 19th century as a way to describe a person who was dressed to kill. In that context, slaying began to take on sexual undertones, as in, "I look so good I slayed her."

Gay black men began using the word in earnest in the late 1970s and 1980s and slay became the cornerstone of the ballroom lexicon as show in the 1991 documentary Paris Is Burning. A queen dressed to the nines slayed chile, she slayed! Fast-forward to the early aughts, when gay best friends had become the norm in chick flicks that introduced many of us to these fabulous parts of speech.

Those films, coupled with the popularity of RuPual's Drag Race, brought slay into the mainstream. In 2016, Beyonce instructed the Bey Hive (and beyond) to slay while getting into "Formation," and just like that, slay became synonymous with not just fashion; it defined success and achievement. We slay on the job. We slay in the kitchen. We slay on Instagram.

It's slay, in this hashtag form that inspired White to use it in the title of her book.

"Slay is a term that's broadly understood to mean success and accomplishment," White said. "In this way, it reflects the intersection of fashion and African American vernacular."

Published this year by Rizzoli in New York, How to Slay is a collection of White's essays that explore all the ways black people consider themselves well-dressed. Topics include original divas, the beauty of natural hair, Afro-chic, and Ebonics. Each essay is accompanied by a host of historical photographs of black women and men  most of whom are celebrities  to illustrate the point. The photos were taken early in their careers, when they were defining their personal style  and when, some would argue, they were at their blackest.

We get to see Luther Vandross in his Connecticut home, sprawled out all sexy-like on an animal print rug, as well as rappers Salt-N-Pepa in leather pants, doorknocker earrings, and asymmetrical haircuts. Beyonce is included in the mix too, not in her "Formation" getup, but as she's seen on the cover of her first solo album, Dangerously in Love.

"How to Slay is a celebration, but I also wanted it to serve as a documentation of the contributions of black style to fashion," White said, explaining why she also included in the book images of Mark Wahlberg and Gwen Stefani, two pop artists who copied their style from hip-hop culture.

"There has been a historic exclusion of blacks from the fashion industry, so there is this idea that black people have not contributed to fashion and style, when nothing can be farther from the truth."

The release of How to Slay turned out to be serendipitous, as this is a time when some of the industry's highest-profile brands have put black people in powerful positions.

Late last year, British Vogue tapped British Ghanaian fashion journalist Edward Enninful to be the magazine's first black editor-in-chief. In March, Louis Vuitton, arguably one of the world's most influential houses, named Ghanaian American designer Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-white, creative director of its men's line.

And then there is this month's biggest fashion story: Last week, American Vogue unveiled the cover of its most important issue of the year  the September Issue  featuring Beyonce. But Queen Bey, although radiant on two covers, wasn't the biggest news. It was that the issue marks the first time the cover was shot by a black photographer, 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell. (Yes, really, the first time.)

"We still have a large amount of work to do," White said. "I mean, this historic first is happening and it's 2018. I don't believe it, and, then again, I really do believe it."

It's also worth noting that not only was Beyonce on the cover of American Vogue in a red, black, and green (the colors of the black nationalist movement) tired gown by Alexander McQueen, she was joined by a plethora of black celebrities as models on many of the top fashion magazines this fall.

Rihanna is on the cover of British Vogue  the first black woman ever to grace the UK's fashion bible's September issue. Zendaya is on the cover of Marie Claire. Tiffany Haddish is on Glamour. And Tracee Ellis Ross is all smiles on Elle Canada.

"The bottom line is we have black women on the covers of some of the most important fashion real estate in the world right now," White said. "This is big."

So from this moment on, I will no longer advocate that we seek out high fashion's approval. My kinky hair, my full lips, my crazy curves are fashion history. I am today's fashion. And I am tomorrow's fashion, too. I slay. You slay. This is how we slay.Saudia Shuler and the black leopard at the Wakanda-themed prom send off on 22nd St. in North Phila., Pa. on June 6, 2018. Read more

Saudia Shuler, the North Philly restaurateur who has been dubbed "the camel mom" for her decked-out pre-prom celebrations, has been indicted on eight federal counts of fraud and one count of theft of government funds.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced the indictment in a news release Tuesday. Shuler, 44, is alleged to have not reported work and income "including operating her own restaurant" while collecting Social Security benefits under her disability status. The indictment contended that she defrauded the government out of nearly $37,000.

Shuler, owner of Country Cookin' on North 22nd Street in Swampoodle, first made headlines for lavishing on her son, J.J. Eden, a Dubai-themed prom sendoff that included a live camel and three foreign cars, among other features. She said at the time that the event cost her $25,000, after seizures, cancer, and a stroke that had forced her to learn to walk again. Because of her health issues, she said, she was uncertain that she'd see her son reach that milestone, then was overjoyed when she did.

>>READ MORE: Not your parents' prom: Inside Philly's elaborate send-off culture

Since that 2017 prom, Shuler has enjoyed Instagram notoriety and has used that platform to engineer extravagant charity giveaways and prom sendoffs.

If Shuler is found guilty of the charges, she faces a maximum sentence of 140 years in prison.

She did not respond to a request for comment. Tuesday afternoon she wrote the following on her Instagram page, while introducing a line of canned gravies under the brand Country Cookin':

Y'all see it. They don't wanna see me win. They tryna stop me, but it's gonna make me go harder. If they stop this deal, Ima invent something else bigger. But y'all against me just like them. Wow. Y'all blind and it's went over y'all head. Saud ever the fraud. When it's all said and done. Make sure y'all stay right where y'all at. Seated on the stage with 14 other sexual abuse victims, two members of the Fortney family console each other, as Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro describes the abuse their family suffered at the hands of Father Gus Giella. (MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer) Read more

One man held his cell phone toward the audience, panning to capture the long-awaited moment.

A mother held a photo of her son, his wide smile belying a pain she said drove him to substance abuse and death at age 31.

Five sisters  each a victim of abuse by the same Roman Catholic priest  held one another.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Report says cover-up began at the top | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser | John Baer: Questions in wake of the report

"These women no longer need to be silenced," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said of the sisters seated behind him on stage as he discussed a sweeping grand jury report alleging abuse by 301 priests, and a decades-long cover up by church officials state-wide. "Today the grand jury finally gives this family of victims their voice."

The much-anticipated report was based on the allegations of more than 1,000 individual victims. On Tuesday, a group of victims and family members of victims, 16 in all, joined Shapiro on stage, and others filled the audience. Though few chose to speak publicly, some of their stories were told in a video played as the conference began.

"Who would have believed me?" 83-year-old Robert Corby said in the film. "A priest, in 1948 or '47, would abuse you?"

"It doesn't ever go away," said 48-year-old Shaun Dougherty. "It has an effect on you for the rest of your life."

"It's very lonely," said 37-year-old Carolyn Fortney, one of the five sisters. "Especially when it's your word against God's."

The room was silent but for the clatter of camera shutters and the cries of those on stage.

The sisters said they were abused by the Rev. Augustine Giella of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Shapiro on Tuesday said church officials became aware of allegations against Giella five years before removing him from ministry. He said Giella was charged in 1992, after the girls' mothers went to the police. He died awaiting trial.

>> FROM 2017: Stolen Childhoods: Decades later, the damage from one Philadelphia predator priest still torments a generation of victims

In a statement, family members said they needed a few days to "contemplate the magnitude" of the report before sharing their story.

"While five sisters were the first victims, our family and second generations continue to be impacted," they said. "The depth of this abuse has been life-altering for this and future generations."

James VanSickle, who has accused the Rev. David Poulson of the Diocese of Erie of abuse, called the report " a victory, a major victory," for those longing to be heard. But he said the day did not bring closure.

"I think that all of us will have a hole in our soul for the rest of our lives," he said while standing with two other victims and surrounded by a crush of cameras and reporters. "Healing is impossible."

"Catholicism is in my DNA, but they killed something in me," Juliann Bortz, beside him, said in response.

"But we can help others," VanSickle said. "And through that help, we've begun to heal ourselves."

>> FROM 2005: How silence let clergy abuse continue in Philadelphia diocese

They said they will continue to help other victims and lobby for legislative changes, such as eliminating the statute of limitations on how long victims of childhood sexual abuse have to file civil complaints.

"This is the murder of a soul," said James Faluszczak, a former priest who says he was abused by a priest as a child in the Diocese of Erie. "There is no statute of limitations on the crime of murder."The grand jury report was expected to include at least temporary redactions in large swaths of the document. Read more

HARRISBURG  The long-anticipated grand jury report on Catholic clergy sex abuse was released Tuesday, yet much still remains hidden.

Dozens of pages in the report were blacked out from public view as a ferocious legal battle over its full release remains unresolved. Many redactions pertain to priests who were accused of abusing children and are listed toward the end of the report, in a section titled "Appendix of Offenders."

Also redacted was the name of a former bishop in the Greensburg Diocese. Other information in the report indicates it is Lawrence Brandt, who retired in 2015, but the claims against that bishop have to do with his supervisory role over abusive priests. (Neither Brandt nor his lawyer could be reached for comment Tuesday.)

The redacted version is at least a partial victory for nearly two dozen clergy members who contend the report either contained inaccuracies or unjustly harmed their reputations, protected under the state Constitution, by failing to give them an adequate chance to defend themselves.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Report says cover-up began at the top | Read the full report | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God | Victim: 'It's your word against God's' | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser | John Baer: Questions in wake of the report

Last month, the state Supreme Court authorized the release of the redacted version  minus the petitioners' identifying information  at least until the justices can hear arguments on those underlying claims.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Tuesday that his office would continue pressing for the entire report's public release. "Every redaction represents an incomplete story of abuse that deserves to be told," Shapiro said at a news conference.

Little is known about the petitioning clergy members, despite hundreds of pages of related court documents that have since been made public.

Just one petitioner, former Erie Bishop Donald Trautman, identified himself as he dropped his appeal this month.

When the report was released Tuesday, it became clear that many of the petitioners are priests accused of sexual misconduct.

In the section detailing abuse in the Diocese of Greensburg, the name of just one person was redacted under a section entitled "History of Bishops of the Diocese of Greensburg." There, the names of the six bishops who served at the diocese since 1952 are listed. The name of the bishop who served between 2004 and 2015  which diocesan records show was Brandt  was redacted.

Redacted sections later in the report appear to reference Brandt's actions involving several priests accused of misconduct, including one instance where he recommended that an abusive priest be dismissed but also requested to "forgo the penal process  because a trial would only place an additional burden on the diocese," according to the report.

On Sept. 26, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on whether the redactions should be lifted.Jim Faluszczak reacts as Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro releases the findings of a two-year grand jury investigation into clergy abuse. Read more

A long-awaited grand jury report released Tuesday showed that top Roman Catholic leaders in Pennsylvania covered up decades of child sex abuse involving 300 priests and more than 1,000 victims.

The grand jury said the state's bishops had misused their power and enabled the victimization of children by transferring abusive priests and failing to notify police of their crimes.

>> READ MORE: In Pittsburgh diocese, 4 priests ran a child porn ring, raped, and marked their victims, report says



Reaction on social media to the report was swift.

Sacha Pfeiffer, one of the Boston Globe reporters who exposed the cover-up of clergy sex abuse there in 2002  a project that won the Pulitzer Prize and was featured in the movie Spotlight  tweeted Tuesday, "It was never just Boston. It was always everywhere."

Faith leaders across the nation expressed anguish.

>> READ MORE: Clergy sex-abuse report: These 8 accused priests had assignments around Philly

An Indiana priest said he was heartbroken for the Pennsylvania victims.

" I, as a priest, could not be more sorry for what has happened to you," the Rev. John Hollowell, a priest in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, wrote on Twitter.

A Maryland pastor said abusive clergy hurt the work of good pastors.

"Not only are abusive clergy hurting people I love, they're also making my work, which I also love, harder," wrote Lura Groen, a Lutheran pastor in Baltimore.

A Texas bishop, Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler, said "the faith of many has been shaken."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said it was "profoundly saddened" by the harm that resulted from the abuse.

"We are grateful for the courage of the people who aided the investigation by sharing their personal stories of abuse," said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the conference, and Bishop Timothy L. Doherty, chairman of the conference's Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, in a joint statement. "As a body of bishops, we are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops."

Others questioned their faith or expressed fear about who can be trusted in church settings.

>> READ MORE: Decades later, the damage from one Philadelphia predator priest still torments a generation of victims

In Baltimore, the archdiocese said a new Catholic school was dropping the name of a late cardinal accused of failing to act on reports of abusive priests in Pennsylvania. The school, which is expected to open in 2020, will no longer be named after Cardinal William H. Keeler, the former archbishop of Baltimore, who is accused in the report of covering up sexual abuse allegations in Harrisburg and letting an accused priest minister in Baltimore.Kirsten Mears helped a family member through treatment and recovery for opioid use disorder while balancing work and college. Read more

When Kirsten Mears helped a family member enter treatment for opioid use disorder four years ago, she was full of anxiety, fear, and questions.

"Was it something I did that led to this? Was my loved one ever going to get better? How much of my life was about to change?" Mears wondered.

Today, Mears, 29, understands that it wasn't her fault, and her family member is in recovery. But at the time, being a caretaker, which included paying household bills and searching the home for hidden drugs, was difficult, especially as she balanced a full-time job and tried to finish her associate's degree at Bucks County College.

"It took a definite toll," Mears said.

A new survey suggests many college students may be experiencing secondary impacts from the opioid epidemic, similar to Mears. They are friends, family members, and caregivers to those suffering from opioid use disorder, and facing unique challenges in that role.

The survey was conducted by a team of 15 undergraduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley, including Mears, who recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in health-policy administration. As part of a population health class, the researchers surveyed 118 students at a four-year Pennsylvania college during the spring of 2017. They found a fifth of students knew someone who was addicted to painkillers or heroin, and a third knew someone who had overdosed. They presented their findings at the American Sociological Association's annual meeting last week in Philadelphia. (They did not identify the college in order to protect the participants' privacy, because it was a small study.)

The data open a new window on the far-reaching impact of the opioid epidemic for college students, said Jennifer Parker, associate professor of sociology at Penn State Lehigh Valley, who oversaw the project. Most research focuses on those at the center of the crisis  like the 390,000 young adults in the U.S. who had an opioid use disorder in 2016 or the nearly 5,400 youths who died of a drug overdose that year. But little is known about people like Mears.

"This is an invisible population," Parker said. "Little attention is being brought to [college students] who have experienced these devastating losses."

Because the study is small, more research is needed to confirm the results. Parker said the main goal was to start a conversation about secondary exposure.

The survey did not collect information on how students' mental and emotional well-being or academic performance was affected by knowing someone with opioid use disorder. But Bill Stauffer, executive director of Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance, says he's traveled around the state talking to families affected by the opioid epidemic and seen many cases where the trauma of losing someone has lifelong consequences. "People often feel depressed, isolated, and powerless in the face of the deaths occurring around them," he said.

One way to alleviate that is to open up the conversation around opioid use so students know they're not alone in experiencing the death of a loved one, Stauffer said.

The survey also points to the need to better educate college students about opioid use disorder. Sixty percent of students reported they wouldn't know what to do in the event of an overdose. While an equal percentage said they knew where to find that information, "in the case of an overdose, that could be too late," Parker said.

Mears agreed. In her experience, the information is there if you seek it out. "Once a loved one has experienced an overdose, then all that relevant information comes to light," she said. But there needs to be more efforts in prevention. "We offer CPR classes in high school, why not Narcan certification?" she said, referring to the brand name of naloxone, a medication that can reverse an overdose.

>>READ MORE: College campuses distribute condoms. Why not Narcan?

The Pennsylvania Department of Drugs and Alcohol offers links on its website to online training for administering naloxone. In Philadelphia, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services offers in-person training, as does Prevention Point, a harm-reduction program in Kensington.

Stauffer said learning to use naloxone can give friends and family a sense of control over what's happening around them.

That might be especially important for female students, who according to the survey results worry more than men about someone they know misusing pain medication. It could mean more women than men are in a caretaker role, Parker said. But more research is needed to know for sure.

Parker plans to repeat the survey every two years, starting in spring 2019. She hopes to include more questions on students' mental and emotional health, and expand the survey to more universities.Being a medical marijuana patient may be hazardous to your job status, despite state antidiscrimination laws designed to offer some protections.

A New Jersey forklift operator, Daniel Cotto Jr., learned that the hard way.

On Monday, a federal court judge ruled that Cotto's employer did not discriminate when it refused to waive its drug test requirement before Cotto returned to work. Because Cotto, a medical marijuana patient, would have been fired if he took the test, he asked to have it waived. His employer placed him on "indefinite suspension."

Cotto began driving a forklift in 2011 for Ardagh Glass Packing Inc. of Bridgeton, Cumberland County. To treat his neck and back pain, Cotto has long had a prescription for the narcotic Percocet and a doctor's recommendation for medical cannabis, according to court documents.

In 2016, Cotto banged his head on a piece of work machinery and a supervisor sent him to see a doctor. The doctor placed Cotto on "light duty." But to return to his job, Cotto had to pass a drug and urine test.

Ardagh Glass Packing had no problem with Cotto's use of the opioid Percocet. But if the tests detected marijuana, Cotto would fail the test and be fired.

Cotto appealed and sought "reasonable accommodation." He said he could perform all the essential functions of his job, and asked the company for an exemption. Cotto said he could wean himself off the Percocet, but needed the medical marijuana to function. The company refused. New Jersey is an at-will employment state: a company may fire an employee for good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all. But state law also forbids firing an employee due a disability.

Marijuana is legal in some form in 30 states and the District of Columbia. But it remains "an illegal narcotic" in the eyes of the federal government, which considers the drug to have no accepted medical use, despite its recent approval by the FDA for use to treat some forms of epilepsy.

Ardagh Glass Packing argued that the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA) does not require employer acceptance of an employee's use of a substance that is illegal under federal law, or, more specifically, the waiving of a drug test.

Cotto, who claimed he could still do the job, said his pain was a disability and filed a discrimination suit. A panel of judges in U.S. District Court in Camden was not convinced and ruled for Ardagh Glass Packing.

In his Aug. 10 opinion, U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler wrote that the company did not discriminate against Cotto based on his disability. But the company was within its rights in taking issue with the treatment of the disability, namely, Cotto's use of medical marijuana.

"Ardagh Glass is within its rights to refuse to waive a drug test for federally prohibited narcotics," Kugler wrote.Tyler Kriebel, 13, sits on a Harley Davidson 208 Street Bob motorcycle in the tour center of the Harley-Davidson Factory in York, PA and fantasizes about the future when he can have his own bike, on August 13, 2018. MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer Read more

SPRINGETTSBURY TOWNSHIP, Pa.  Motorcycle DNA is everywhere on Harley-Davidson's factory floor: raw steel coils, unpainted fenders by the hundreds, and gas tanks, glistening cherry red, waiting to be bolted to frames.

American flags hang from the rafters at every turn above the hydraulic presses and robotic welding arms. For Harley enthusiasts, the red, white, and blue is as important as engine size.

"United We Roll," reads one of the flags.

The iconic motorcycle maker, however, now faces an unlikely enemy in President Trump, who endorsed a boycott of the company via Twitter on Sunday because of its plan to move more manufacturing overseas due to tariffs.

"Most other companies are coming in our direction, including Harley competitors. A really bad move!" Trump tweeted.

In January, before Trump placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Harley-Davidson announced that it would be closing its manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Mo., in 2019, resulting in the loss of 800 jobs. The company cited "the current business environment."

Harley said a facility it was building in Thailand was a "separate and unrelated issue" to the Kansas City closure. A month later, the company cited tariffs as one of the reasons it was shifting more production overseas, and Trump fired off an angry tweet, saying Harley was the first company "to wave the White Flag."

Harley, headquartered in Milwaukee, had been manufacturing motorcycles in Kansas City since 1997, but in addition to York County, also has facilities in Wisconsin, India, Brazil, Australia, and Thailand.

Harley has refrained from matching the president's escalating war of words, even after stock fell 2.6 percent a day after Trump's boycott tweet.

"You know, I think of it as a business. We we just deal with what we have to deal with, and this  we are not a political organization," Matt Levatich, Harley's CEO, told CNBC last month.

Minnesota-based Polaris, which manufactures Indian motorcycles, a Harley competitor, is also considering overseas manufacturing to mitigate the tariffs.

Inside the visitor's center of Harley's sprawling factory in York County on Monday, one tourist laughed out loud when he learned of the president's tweet.

"Aren't you supposed to boycott foreign companies, not American companies?" asked Steve Kriebel, 43, of Harleysville.

Others in York County, which Trump won with 61.8 percent of the vote, weren't laughing at all.

"It's kind of baffling," said Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO of the York County Economic Alliance. "We have over 1,000 individuals directly involved with Harley in York and more to come. It's a real impact to central Pennsylvania."

None of Springettsbury Township's elected officials returned requests for comment, nor did the York County GOP. Asked for comment on Trump's call for a boycott, a spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner said the York County resident was discussing Gov. Wolf instead.

In Wisconsin, where Harley-Davidson has two facilities, all three GOP gubernatorial candidates said they did not support a boycott.

Harley-Davidson's sales have dropped each year since 2015 in the United States. Sales in Europe and Asia have fluctuated, but they have been steadier  one of the reasons the company hopes to make its overseas market account for 50 percent of its business. Harley has made smaller motorcycles in recent years to attract beginner riders and women and to match demand in European and Asian markets.

The Kansas City closure was a "shocking blow," said Alicia Stephens, executive director of the Platte County, Mo., Economic Development Council.

"As you would expect, the mood is distressed," Stephens said in an email.

According to the York Daily Record, Harley employed 2,000 in 2009 here. Today, the company employs 1,000.

The 561,000-square-foot York plant, which manufactured its first motorcycle in 1973, will add 300 employees by next year and grow by 50,000 square feet, the company said, because of expansion into new markets and technologies and the Kansas City closure. The plant will be the launch for Harley's ambitious plans to attract new, younger riders, executives said.

"We plan to create two million new riders in the U.S. over the next 10 years," Don Gogan, Harley vice president of operations, said in York on Monday.

Lance Oliver, managing editor for content at South Philly's RevZilla, an online motorcycle retailer, said Harley knows it has to make a change as its core riders age.

"You can't just keep building huge, heavyweight cruisers. It's not the future," Oliver said. "They are trying, and to give them credit, they've been trying for a long time. They have put an effort into expanding their customer base."

Harley hopes to be the first major motorcycle manufacturer to roll out electric motorcycles en masse in coming years.

"We will be launching the electric bike right here from this facility," said John Mocny, York's general manager.

Harley's dyed-in-motor-oil fan base needn't fear its large bikes are being made outside America.

"The bikes sold in the United States will be built in the United States, " Oliver said. "It just makes sense."

In York and surrounding towns, most everyone knows someone who worked at the plant at one point. At Kelly's Inn, a bar about a mile from the plant, bartender Lacey Klinedinst said she used to give tours at the plant. Her dad still works there. Her aunt and uncle retired from Harley.

"So, obviously, a big part of my family," she said.

Michael Caputo, 41, sat at the corner of the bar, railing against Trump, believing Harley riders would not support his boycott.

"Our little tyrant president has no loyalty to anyone," he said. "His whole base is literally riders. It makes no sense."

No one returned a request for comment at the Harley-Davidson dealership in York, nor at two others in the Philadelphia area.

At the Freedom Biker Church in York, where proper attire is "black leather, jeans, and tattoos," the Rev. Jim Quoss, who has a 1670-cc Harley, said riders are loyal to the brand's legacy, not the corporation. But when it comes to Donald Trump, he said, the devotion is even deeper. Most of his congregation supports the president.

"If Trump says to boycott Harley," said Quoss, "that doesn't bode well for Harley."The Phillies played seven weeks without J.P. Crawford as he nursed his broken left hand. And they played just three games with him healthy before sending him to triple A.

Crawford was optioned to the minor leagues Tuesday afternoon to make room for Hector Neris, who will be granted another chance in the majors after pitching well for triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies demoted Crawford instead of Scott Kingery, who entered Tuesday without a hit in 17 days and has a .563 OPS since May 1.

"As a direct comparison, Kingery has an incredible amount of development time at the major league level. He's had the opportunity to play all over the diamond, learned new positions. He's been really good at shortstop," Gabe Kapler said. "Whereas J.P. has missed some development time. Given the way our bench is set up right now with Justin Bour coming off, it's more than likely he's going to be the first left-handed pinch hitter off the bench. For J.P. as tough as it is, the role on the clubit's not a clear one. We thought it made the most sense to continue J.P.'s development for the next couple of weeks by getting him into a rhythm a little bit by allowing him to play regularly."

Crawford will likely return to the Phillies next month when rosters expand. For now, he will try to salvage a season that included two stints on the disabled list. Kingery has spent more time than Crawford in the majors, but it is clear that he too could benefit from an everyday role in the minors. Perhaps Crawford, even with so much time spent on the disabled list, could be a better threat off the bench than Kingery.

"For me, it's not a comparison like that," Kapler said when asked if Kingery could benefit develop time more than Crawford. "Both of our young players can benefit by playing regularly. But I also think Scotty can really benefit the major-league Phillies. And our first obligation is to win as many games as possible down the stretch, win the National League East and get into the postseason."

Ramos is close

Wilson Ramos could be activated from the disabled list and join the Phillies on Wednesday after playing in three rehab games with high-A Clearwater.

Ramos, who the Phillies acquired at the trade deadline from Tampa Bay, has been sidelined since mid-July with a strained left hamstring. Ramos caught 14 innings over two games in Clearwater and reported to be "feeling especially healthy," Kapler said. He did not play in the minors on Tuesday, which seems to indicate that he is returning to Philadelphia to be further evaluated.

"With Wilson, we're discussing what his next steps are going to be. Nothing is set in stone and nothing is off the table," Kapler said.

Extra bases

The Phillies traded Jake Thompson to Milwaukee for cash considerations. Thompson was designated for assignment to make room for Justin Bour Zach Eflin, who was optioned to triple A on Saturday but is expected to start Thursday for the Phillies, threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. Eflin has not yet been added to the triple-A roster, so where did he throw his bullpen session? "I'm not going to talk about where he threw his bullpen," Kapler saidJerad Eickhoff made a rehab start with high-A ClearwaterVince Velasquez will start Wednesday against Red Sox righthander Nathan Eovaldi.

Get insights on the Phillies delivered straight to your inbox with Extra Innings, our newsletter for Phillies fans by Matt Breen, Bob Brookover and Scott Lauber. Click here to sign up.Former Erie Bishop Donald Trautman, shown in a 2003 photo, is sharply criticized in a new grand jury report. Read more

When Philadelphia Msgr. William J. Lynn went on trial on charges that he led a cover-up of sexual abuse, he took refuge in the rigid hierarchy of the church.

"Priests are trained to respect and obey their bishops," Lynn testified in 2012. "When a bishop tells you to do something, you do it."

In the new, detailed, and massive report on clerical abuse across Pennsylvania, a grand jury Tuesday made much the same point. The grand jury said the state's bishops had misused their power and enabled the victimization of children: transferring abusive priests, failing to notify police of their crimes, misleading the public about their misconduct, and, in the case of one alleged molester, even officiating at his funeral.

"A priest is a priest," Bishop Donald Wuerl, then the church leader in Erie, declared at the service for the Rev. George Zirwas, who had been repeatedly accused of groping boys over two decades. "Once he is ordained, he is a priest forever."

The report says that Wuerl  now the cardinal archbishop in Washington  put Zirwas on leave after yet another report came in that he had molested a boy. But Wuerl refused to let Pittsburgh parishioners know why the priest had been placed on leave, the report said.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God | Victim: 'It's your word against God's' | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser | John Baer: Questions in wake of the report

In a statement later Tuesday, Wuerl said the church had "deep sorrow and contrition" about the abuse. At the same time, he said he had acted with "concerns for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse."

Wuerl is among a string of bishops, some long retired or dead, singled out for criticism in the report. State Attorney General Josh Shapiro, at a news conference to release the document, flatly called one such former leader, Donald Trautman of Erie, "a corrupt bishop."

The report says former Greensburg Bishop William G. Connare, now deceased, accepted a problem priest as a favor to a bishop in another state even after the priest had admitted to molesting 35 boys. After the transfer, the priest abused other children in Greensburg.

The current bishop in Harrisburg, Ronald Gainer, successfully pleaded with the Vatican not to defrock an abusive priest, according the report, so as to not add "further anxiety or suffering to his situation, and without risking public knowledge of his crimes."

The report had planned to also criticize another former bishop, Lawrence Brandt, also from Greensburg. But Brandt filed a legal challenge that led the state Supreme Court to include him among about 24 former and current clerics who successfully had their names and information about their conduct redacted within the 1,356-page document. They argued that they had not been given a fair chance to rebut the accusations.

The report inadvertently disclosed that Brandt was among those who won excision. While nearly all details of criticism of him were blacked out, the report at one point reveals through dates and context that Brandt had informed the Vatican he was able to keep one victim from going public.

The report also provided little fresh information on the late Anthony J. Bevilacqua, who headed the Pittsburgh Diocese in the 1980s for five years before becoming head of the Philadelphia Archdiocese in 1988 and remaining for the next 15 years.

In 2005, a Philadelphia grand jury chastised Bevilacqua's leadership, charging that he had "excused and enabled" years of abuse. The report released Tuesday did raise a question about Bevilacqua's tenure in Pittsburgh, noting a curious "lack of documentation" about his oversight of one abusive priest.

Lynn was a top aide to Bevilacqua, responsible for investigating allegations against priests and recommending action to the archbishop. His 2012 conviction on child-endangerment charges was overturned on appeal and his retrial is pending.

In Allentown, the report says, a priest sexually abused two teenage girls during a car trip in the mid-1960's. After one of the girls reported the abuse, the diocese's law firm set about discrediting her. It sent church officials reports in which an informant said the girl had been a go-go dancer and had a family member who went to prison.

The diocesan leader at the time was Bishop Edward Cullen, who, before his decade leading Allentown's diocese, was an administrator at the Philadelphia Archdiocese.

Of all the bishops cited, Shapiro and the report were most critical of Erie's Trautman. Shapiro said Trautman, 82, was guilty of "putting the institution ahead of his flock's well-being and repeatedly lying about it."

In particular, the grand jury report cited the case of the Rev. William Presley, saying the Erie Diocese kept him in ministry for years even though it knew he had abused at least two children as early as 1987. When three victims came forward against Presley in 2002  the year the church-abuse scandal erupted nationwide with the publication of articles in the Boston Globe  Trautman's diocese issued a statement saying it knew of only one abuse allegation and had "no information about other possible allegations."

In May, in an earlier action by the grand jury, the panel brought criminal charges against an Erie priest, the Rev. David Poulson, accusing him of assaulting two boys whom the priest allegedly abused after Mass on Sundays and then made go to Confession to describe the incidents.

After Poulson's arrest, Trautman defended his leadership and quoted victims praising his assistance. During his tenure, he said, he had removed 22 priests from "active ministry," mostly for allegations of abuse of children. As for Poulson, Trautman said he never was informed of the allegations against him.

Earlier this month, Trautman revealed he also was among those former and current clerics who had filed legal challenges to the report. He dropped his challenge after Shapiro declared that several statements denouncing church leaders in the report did not apply to Trautman.

Despite Shapiro's statement, Tuesday's report remained highly critical of the former Erie bishop. Shapiro reiterated that at his news conference, citing the Poulson case.

Trautman, the attorney general said, "knew about this abuse  and covered it up."Jennifer Marie McHugh, 52, of Newtown Square, a lawyer and former state deputy insurance commissioner, died Tuesday, Aug. 7, of metastatic breast cancer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. McHugh joined the commercial litigation group at Cozen O'Connor in 1998 and led some of the Philadelphia law firm's most significant insurance and professional liability cases.

"She was extremely smart and wrote wonderful briefs, and was equally good in the courtroom," said H. Robert Fiebach, her colleague and friend. "Her strength as a lawyer was putting the facts [of a case] together in a way that was persuasive to the courts."

"She made friends with the adversary after a case was over. She had a wonderful way of dealing with people," Fiebach said. "I received a call from an opposing counsel this morning expressing deep sympathy when they learned of her death. She just was a great lawyer. In our firm, we will miss her terribly. We already do."

Over 20 years at Cozen O'Connor, Ms. McHugh worked from the firm's offices in Center City and Conshohocken. She handled cases involving medical malpractice, real estate, gaming, and white-collar crime. But she was best known there for being a mentor.

"Throughout her career, Jennifer was dedicated to mentoring junior attorneys  especially women  in formal and informal activities," the law firm said in an online tribute.

Ms. McHugh began her career as a law clerk to Judge John Dowling in Dauphin County Court. In 1993, she joined the Harrisburg firm of Rhoads & Sinon LLP,where she honed her skills as a litigator.

By the time she was hired by Fiebach in 1998, Ms. McHugh was ready to take on big cases. In one such matter, she represented an international supplier of auto parts that was under federal investigation for alleged antitrust violations. She persuaded the U.S. Justice Department to drop the probe before charges were lodged.

Ms. McHugh drew statewide attention when she was appointed Pennsylvania's deputy insurance commissioner during the Rendell administration. She served in 2004 and 2005. During that time, she resolved malpractice cases that the state was overseeing.

After rejoining Cozen O'Connor in 2006, she helped defend the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies against claims stemming from the 2001 fall of the Houston-based Enron Corp. due to felonious bookkeeping. The matter bankrupted Enron and took down its auditor, Arthur Andersen LLP.

She also helped resolve a three-year dispute that had delayed construction of a Wawa convenience store and gas station on Fayette Street in Conshohocken. The project was approved by the Conshohocken Borough Council in 2017.

She kept working at Cozen O'Connor until several months ago, when she retired for health reasons.

A longtime member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Ms. McHugh served on its Commission on Women in the Profession starting in 1996. She was the commission's chair and active on committees dealing with awards, technology and quality-of-life issues. In the latter role, she helped develop policies for alternative work arrangements so that lawyers with children might better balance work and home life.

An author and lecturer, Ms. McHugh collaborated with Fiebach on a chapter in the legal journal Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts. It is a compendium of articles on various aspects of the law written by practicing lawyers and judges.

This past May, Ms. McHugh received the Lynette Norton Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. The award recognizes women lawyers who excel in litigation and mentor other female lawyers.

Born in Darby Borough, she was the eldest daughter of Julia M. and Michael D. McHugh Sr. She was a 1984 graduate of Villa Maria Academy in Malvern and a 1988 graduate of Duke University with a bachelor's degree in political science. She earned a degree from the Dickinson School of Law in 1992.

Ms. McHugh led a healthy lifestyle, beginning her days during out-of-town business trips with a morning jog. She enjoyed reading, the Jersey Shore, and especially swimming with dolphins while on vacation in Bermuda in 2017.

"She was very private, she didn't like to burden others, she was strong and responsible, and she had high expectations of herself and others. If you were her friend, you were her friend for life," said her sister Lisa M. Poduje.

In addition to her father, mother, and sister, she is survived by a son, Maximus Michael Allen Weinberg; a brother; and five nieces. She was married to Eric J. Weinberg. They divorced. He also survives.

A visitation beginning at 9:45 a.m. Monday, Aug. 20, will be followed by an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass at St. Mary Magdalen Parish, 2400 Providence Rd., Media. Burial is private.

Memorial donations may be made to the Legal Clinic for the Disabled via www.lcdphila.org/, Special Olympics via https://www.specialolympics.org/, or the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Attn: Jennifer McHugh Memorial Fund, Box 186, Harrisburg, Pa. 17108.People kneel behind the pews at St. Paul Cathedral as Bishop David Zubik delivered Mass for St. Pio of Pietrelcina, also known as Padre Pio, in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh Tuesday, May 9, 2017. Read more

It is as advertised.

The statewide grand jury report on sexual abuse by Pennsylvania clergy in six Catholic dioceses over decades is both sweeping and sickening.

It is bound to lead to change. In law. And, hopefully, in hearts.

It's also bound to raise questions. Some, concrete and specific, about the grand jury process, and balancing rights of victims and those accused of abuse.

Some, more universal and ethereal, about church teachings and faith, perhaps even about the nature of sin.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Report says cover-up began at the top | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God | Victim: 'It's your word against God's' | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser

The report, released Tuesday, is described by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro as the most comprehensive of its kind ever produced in the United States.

A nearly two-year investigation found 301 "predator priests," accounts of more than 1,000 child victims, and cover-ups by bishops and others who knew of the crimes because each diocese kept "secret archives."

Graphic examples of rapes and other abuses offered by Shapiro during a nearly hour-long news conference in Harrisburg are all too familiar after years of similar findings in other states and countries  but they are no less nauseating:

A 17-year-old boy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh forced to stand naked on a bed in a rectory and pose for photos as the crucified Christ for a group of priests and their collection of child pornography.

A 7-year-old boy repeatedly raped by a Diocese of Allentown priest, raped so violently that the boy's spine was damaged. He later became addicted to painkillers, overdosed, and died. His mother told the grand jury that the church "never admitted to anything."

Shapiro said the abuse scarred each of the six dioceses  Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Scranton,  and that the church "protected the institution at all costs," sometimes paying victims for silence.

What do reports such as these, reports that just keep coming, do to Catholics?

Do they drive down church attendance? Affect contributions to parishes, to Catholic causes and charities? Do they force questions of trust and faith in Catholicism itself?

And how does the church respond?

After the 2005 Philadelphia grand jury report on sexual abuse and cover-up, the archdiocese responded through legal counsel with a 69-page document.

It, of course, included "deepest apology for the harm caused by the behavior of a limited number of the thousands of dedicated priests who have faithfully served." It said, "The archdiocese prays that those victimized by sexual abuse seek out and obtain assistance to heal the wounds of this inexcusable offense."

But it also labeled that `05 report as "a sensationalized, unfair, and inaccurate portrayal of the archdiocese's response to child sex abuse claims."

Will we see the same sort of response now?

Or will church leaders accept a challenge set down by Shapiro to actively push for grand jury-recommended changes in law?

The church, for example, could support abolishing statutes of limitations for sexually abusing children. The church could tell its lobbyists and insurers that it's finally ready to put the interests of victims first.

It also could start a climb back to credibility by signaling it no longer will shuffle abusive priests from place to place. It could support a tougher abuse-reporting law that says anyone with reasonable cause to believe an abuser is likely to abuse again has an obligation to report that person.

And speaking of obligation, I'm struck by the fact that the new report was released on the eve of a holy day of obligation. Aug. 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day honoring Catholic teaching that the mother of Jesus was taken, body and soul, into heaven at the end of her earthly life.

I was reminded, while at Mass last weekend, that failure to attend Mass on a holy day of obligation is a mortal sin. That's a sin the church calls a "sin of grave matter," one "committed with full knowledge of the sinner," that can lead to damnation, i.e. the eternal fires of hell.

There seems to be some imbalance here. I can think of worse sins. Sins that really merit damnation.Members of the Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) march on Peco Energy headquarters in a protest that's part of its ongoing campaign for solar energy and green jobs. Read more

How's this for a David-vs.-Goliath scenario? On the stage this day in Tampa, Fla., sat the board of directors of one of America's most powerful financial institutions, PNC Bank. In the audience, surrounded by bank shareholders, was one lone dissenter, Eileen Flanagan, who'd come down from Philadelphia and  despite strict laws in the Sunshine State against verbal protests at public company meetings  had made it inside the room.

Despite those laws and despite PNC fleeing its Pittsburgh headquarters to meet 1,000 miles south of where Quaker environmental activists had disrupted the prior year's meeting, the Philadelphia-based protesters had connected with local students in the Tampa area to conduct a noisy protest outside. Now, Flanagan watched in amazement as the serious men in suits onstage raced through their meeting, reeking of fear that someone inside the room might do something disruptive.

Some 16 minutes in, Flanagan stood up to remove her jacket and reveal her T-shirt calling on PNC to stop its financing of earth-scarring mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia, and to pray in silence. The bank board moved to shut down the meeting immediately.

"They were so worried about what we were going to do," recalled Flanagan, a lifelong activist who was then board chairman of the Earth Quaker Action Team, or EQAT (pronounced "equate"). When she stood up and PNC board members cut short the meeting, she knew the protesters had all but won. Sure enough, PNC announced in early 2015 that, in essence, it would no longer fund the controversial coal-mining practice, and not long after that, a major firm involved in mountaintop mining filed for bankruptcy.

Today, Flanagan and her EQAT are deep into another long-shot underdog campaign  campaigning with the interfaith group POWER to persuade Peco Energy to draw more of its electricity from local solar to create jobs in Philadelphia  but they also have something else to offer that's of great importance: lessons for the thousands of newly created activists in opposition to the Trump presidency.

After all, the Earth Quaker Action Team, launched in 2009 by local activists disturbed over the lack of action in tackling climate change, was staring at many of the same obstacles as the so-called Trump Resistance: a large and mighty power structure with little interest or incentive to change its ways, and seemingly few tools to convince them otherwise.

Flanagan sees the hunger for change  and for figuring out what the heck to do about it  in the courses on effective activism that she teaches online. She had 160 students in her first classes, but since President Trump took office in early 2017, a whopping 700 people have signed up.

Much of what she teaches cuts against the grain. The bottom line is that while the prevailing modes of protest  the occasional big march, the flood of phone calls to a recalcitrant politician (cough, cough Sen. Pat Toomey)  are all fine and good, but they aren't the most effective way to change policies. The depressing reality is that in America as things go in 2018, elected officials are way too locked in to their big-money donors to care much about their angry constituents.

So what does work? Finding the smaller pressure points, where you can see an actionable result  a light at the end of the tunnel. Using a mix of escalating protest tactics  including civil disobedience, with a willingness to get arrested if necessary. And  most important  focusing not on the politicians, who seem pretty bought off and useless these days, but on organizations that actually care about their brand, typically consumer-facing corporations.

"The politicians in Pennsylvania and across this country get so much money from the fossil fuel industry that it's not the most effective way to make change," said Flanagan, noting that a lot of the folks signing up for her class are people who got frustrated by repeated and ignored phone calls to elected officials like Toomey.

She felt many of the same frustrations early in her life as a student activist in the 1980s  protesting U.S. support for apartheid in South Africa  until she latched onto a theory about social change developed by the veteran Philadelphia Quaker peace activist George Lakey. It called for changing society not by attacking the top of the power pyramid but the "pillars of power" that prop the pyramid up.

EQAT, which was cofounded by Lakey, Flanagan, and others, decided to fight climate change by tackling mountaintop removal  which pollutes streams and produces toxic dust, all in the name of producing more dirty, climate-harming coal. But it decided to do battle with mountaintop removal not by seeking legislation to ban the practice but by urging PNC Bank  which competes for customers here in Pennsylvania and elsewhere and which had touted both its Quaker roots and its support for the environment  to stop financing projects in the region.

Flanagan and other EQAT activists requested  and got  a meeting with PNC officials. "They did not take us seriously," she recalled. "They said, 'We don't make investment decisions based on anything other than money' "  and that this was the law. "If you want to change the law," the bank told the activists, "talk to the politicians."

Instead, according to Flanagan, EQAT launched a campaign of escalating protests  some 125 in all, including sit-ins in the bank lobby where members, including Flanagan, were arrested, and the high-profile actions at PNC's annual shareholder meetings  and grew its network from a Philadelphia living room to having allies in some 31 states. The protests drew negative headlines for the bank in the cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where PNC advertises heavily for new depositors  thus achieving the one thing that cannot be tolerated in a corporate oligarchy: tarnishing the brand. It took five long years, but bank executives  just like Dorothy clicking her heels three times in The Wizard of Oz  decided they'd had the power to restrict loans for mountaintop removal all along.

"I think their brand is a big motivator for them," Flanagan said  possibly an understatement. EQAT didn't rest on its laurels but immediately hurled itself into its next campaign  urging Peco Energy, the electric utility serving Philadelphia and its suburbs, to pledge to get 20 percent of its energy from solar power (currently it's less than 0.5 percent) and focus efforts in North Philadelphia, with a goal of job creation. If anything, the Peco campaign  trying to persuade a big corporation to do something new, rather than stop doing something  is facing even steeper odds, but Flanagan and the EQAT team seem undaunted.

There's certainly a lot to learn from the Quakers' approach. Indeed, it's clear that corporate America is more willing to listen to the public than the U.S. government is. Look at gun safety in the wake of Parkland, with big companies like Dick's Sporting Goods, which stopped selling assault weapons, responsive to public outrage while Congress cowered in fear.

Of course, it takes patience, courage, and creativity  not always the easiest things to find these days. But if these mild-mannered, peace-loving Quakers can strike fear into the hearts of America's boardrooms, imagine what a mass movement could do?Christine Hallquist has become the first transgender gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history after winning the Democratic primary in Vermont. Read more

Voters in four states  Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Vermont  went to the polls Tuesday to determine party nominees ahead of November's midterms.

On the ballot were nominees for five Senate contests, three competitive gubernatorial races and several House races expected to be competitive in the general election.

Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's elections:

 Six-term Rep. Keith Ellison easily won the Democratic primary for Minnesota attorney general, despite being accused of domestic abuse by a former girlfriend.

 In Wisconsin, the Democratic candidate known as "Ironstache" won the party's nomination, bolstering Democrats' changes of flipping a congressional seat in a safe Republican district being vacated by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

 Christine Hallquist is the first transgender gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history after winning the Democratic primary in Vermont.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, where there's a wide open race for governor, two Senate races and five competitive House seats, the race stealing the most attention is for the state's open attorney general spot.

Six-term Rep. Keith Ellison, the vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, easily secured the Democratic nomination despite domestic abuse allegations that were made by the son of Karen Monahan, a former girlfriend. Monahan has confirmed her son's report, but Ellison has denied the allegations of abuse.

As far as the governor's residence is concerned, former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty failed in his comeback bid to replace retiring incumbent Gov. Mark Dayton. Instead, it will be county commissioner Jeff Johnson facing off against Democratic Rep. Timi Walz, who is giving up his safe seat representing the First Congressional District.

>> READ MORE: Special election results in Ohio; primary results in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington

For the first Senate seat, incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar, who has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate, easily secured her party's nomination. She's expected easily defeat state Rep. Jim Newberger in November.

Things are more interesting in the race for Minnesota's other Senate seat, which was vacated by Al Franken after he faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Incumbent Sen. Tina Smith, who was appointed to replace Franken, secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday night over Richard Painter, George W. Bush's former ethics czar. Smith will face state Sen. Karin Housely, the winner of the Republican primary.

In the First Congressional District, four-time candidate Jim Hagedorn, a former Treasury official, will face former Obama official Dan Feehan, an Iraq War veteran who will attempt to keep the seat vacated by Walz in Democratic control in November.

In the Seventh Congressional District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson is expected to win in November despite representing a district rated R+12 by the Cook Political Report. Peterson, who has represented the district since 1991, will face Air Force veteran David Hughes.

In the Eighth Congressional District, Republicans hope to flip a Democratic seat vacated by outgoing incumbent Rep. Rick Nolan, who is on Swanson's gubernatorial ticket. St. Louis County Commissioner Pete Stauber secured the Republican nomination Tuesday night, and will face former state Rep. Joe Radinovich in November.

Wisconsin

Back in April, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced he would not seek reelection for his First Congressional District seat, and now Democrats are hoping to flip a district President Trump won by 11 points in 2016.

Ironworker and union leader Randy Bryce (who goes by the nickname "Ironstache") secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday night, defeating school board member Cathy Myers. Bryce will face off in November against corporate attorney and former Ryan aide Bryan Steil.

There's also an interesting gubernatorial race shaping up in the Badger state. Tony Evers, the state's superintendent of public instruction, emerged victorious from a crowded field of Democrats to secure the party's nomination. Evers will now take on embattled incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who is running for his third term.

>> READ MORE: Checking in on Pennsylvania's predicted 'blue wave' | John Baer

As far as the Senate is concerned, Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin will defend her seat against state Sen. Leah Vukmir, the winner of a fierce Republican primary against Kevin Nicholson, a former Democrat and outspoken Trump supporter.

Connecticut

Republicans think they have a legitimate chance to steal the governor's race in deep-blue Connecticut. Business executive and political newcomer Bob Stefanowski emerged from a five-man race to secure the Republican nomination. He will face-off against businessman Ned Lamont, who won the Democratic nomination to replace unpopular incumbent Gov. Dannel Malloy, who decided not to run for a third term.

>> READ MORE: Poll: Tom MacArthur, Andy Kim neck-and-neck in key South Jersey U.S. House race

Connecticut's only real competitive House election this November will take place in the Fifth Congressional District. Jahana Hayes, an educator who was selected of "National Teacher of the Year" in 2016, won the Democratic primary to replace incumbent Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat who was accused to mishandling sexual harassment accusations against a staffer. Hayes will face off against former Meriden mayor Manny Santos, who won the Republican primary Tuesday night.

Vermont

Christine Hallquist has become the first transgender gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history after winning the Democratic primary in Vermont. Among those Hallquist defeated was 14-year-old high school student Ethan Sonneborn (who isn't yet old enough to vote). Hallquist will now face-off against incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott.

Longtime Sen. Bernie Sanders is also running for re-election. He coasted to an easy victory for the Democratic nomination, but just as he has done in previous elections, he will turn it down and run as an independent instead. Sanders will face token opponent in November from the winner of a field of four Republican candidates.

"I've always run as an Independent, and that's what I will do. I think the people of Vermont understand that," Sanders said on MSNBC following the primary win. "I suspect in this coming campaign, our campaign will be putting more money into a lot of good Democratic candidates."Police were called to the Walmart on Easton Road for a report of a shooter at the store. Read more

Five people were wounded by gunfire inside a Cheltenham Walmart on Tuesday night when a man arguing with another customer grabbed a gun and fired at least 10 shots throughout the store, according to police.

>> UPDATE: Philly man charged in chaotic shooting inside Cheltenham Walmart

Cheltenham Township Police Chief John Frye said at a news conference that none of those struck sustained life-threatening injuries but that the suspected gunman and the woman he was with also injured two city police officers when they crashed their getaway car into the back of a parked police cruiser a few blocks away, at Sedgwick Street and Forrest Avenue in Philadelphia.

Preliminary indications were that the man and woman are siblings, Frye said.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said that the suspected shooter  whom police did not identify  had been seen tossing a gun out of his car window before the collision, which occurred shortly after the shooting around 6:07 p.m. The officers took the man into custody after a "violent struggle," Small said, and police needed to use a Taser to subdue him later, when witnesses from the Walmart had been taken to the police van to identify him.

In a video broadcast by 6ABC, the suspect, while being led into the Cheltenham police station, said he believed his life was in danger.

"I'm sorry, man," he said. "I thought somebody was going to kill me."

Frye said those injured in the shooting included two women in their 40s who were shot in a leg, one man in his 40s struck in a leg, a man with a graze wound to a leg, and another victim who reported to Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health with unspecified non-life-threatening injuries.

The officers were taken to Roxborough Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained during the collision, police said, and the woman in the car with the suspected shooter was taken to Einstein Medical Center, also for injuries she apparently suffered in the crash.

The suspected shooter, meanwhile, was taken to Einstein after being Tased, police said. Officials did not specify what charges he might face over the incident but did say the gun allegedly tossed from his car was recovered.

Frye said witnesses also identified the woman as being part of the incident. Police did not say what counts she might face.

Witnesses at the store described a frantic scene that unfolded without warning.

Frye said it appeared that the man got into an argument with a customer in a checkout line, pulling a gun from the waistband of the woman he was with and starting to unload shots through the store. The chief said it was not clear whether the man had hit any of his intended targets. Police believe the shooter was on "some type of drugs," Frye said.

Darrell Archer, 27, was working as a cashier in the store when he heard five to six shots fired. After the gunfire subsided, he said, he saw that a store manager had been shot in a leg, another cashier shot in a leg, and a customer shot in an arm.

"I only heard the shots," Archer said in an interview outside the store. "I wasn't getting that close."

Another Walmart employee, Leenie Smith, 51, said that when she heard the gunfire, "I ducked down and ran away and tried to get out of there as fast as I could."

Jaynee Davis, 55, was at the customer service desk when she heard at least four shots come from behind her. She ran with a group of customers to try to hide. She said she helped a man who had been struck in the calf make a tourniquet out of his shirt to try to stop the bleeding.

"We didn't know whether the shooter was still in the store," she said. "We were petrified and we were trying to be quiet."

>> GALLERY: Photos from the scene

Tammy Walking Stick, 50, from Collegeville, said she was about to enter the store to shop for food when she heard gunshots and saw a large crowd of people rush out the front of the store. She stayed outside, she said, and saw three people exit with injuries  two people with leg wounds and one with an injury to an arm.

"It's just crazy," she said.

Frye said that a pregnant woman was also injured during the chaos when she fell, but that she was not struck by gunfire.

First responders from a host of nearby municipalities were staged around the Cedarbrook Plaza around 6:30 p.m. Frye said the police investigation would likely continue well into the night.Richard Zula was among a handful of former Catholic priests accused by a state grand jury of participating in a child porn ring in the Pittsburgh area. Read more

George said he never discussed the nude Polaroids, or the twisted, secret gifts he and the other kids had been given decades ago by the men who preyed on them. These weren't the kinds of things you could share without feeling humiliated, especially if you grew up tough, like he did on the South Side of Pittsburgh.

But you can't outrun your nightmares forever. So on Dec. 17  a week before Roman Catholics around the world celebrated Christmas  George met with a Pennsylvania grand jury and told it about the Rev. George Zirwas, a friendly young priest who once took him to a rectory in Munhall, a borough about 25 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, and introduced him to some friends: The Revs. Francis Pucci, Richard Zula, and Francis Luddy.

During a conversation about religious statues, the priests told George to get onto a bed and remove his shirt, and strike a pose like Jesus on the cross. Then they instructed him to strip off his pants and underwear, according to a grand jury report released Tuesday by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

In the unnerving moments that followed, George claimed that Zula or Pucci began taking photos of him on a Polaroid camera. All of the priests giggled  and then added the photos of George to a collection of photos of other teen boys. According to the grand jury, these men and another priest, the Rev. Robert Wolk, were part of a "ring of predatory priests" who raped children, shared intelligence on potential victims, and manufactured child pornography in parishes and rectories.

More coverage

These 9 accused priests had postings around Philadelphia | Will report lead to change in Pa.'s statute of limitations? | Mike Newall: If the Church doesn't change now, time to walk away | Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Report says cover-up began at the top | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God

"This group of priests used whips, violence, and sadism in raping their victims," reads one line of the nearly 900-page document, which outlines horrific abuse that occurred in Pittsburgh and five other Catholic dioceses across the state.

The men gave a specific gift to children they favored, something they could wear that would mark them as prime targets for abuse. Zirwas "had told me that they, the priests, would give their boys, their altar boys, or their favorite boys these crosses," George told the grand jury. "So he gave me a big gold cross to wear."

He remembered the rectory photo session as a degrading experience. "It is still really hard to get it out there that you were in a room when you were 14 or 15 and getting naked pictures taken from priests," he said.

Zirwas' cohorts were all eventually exposed as child predators. Zula, Wolk, and Pucci were arrested in Allegheny County in 1988 on unrelated child sex-abuse charges.

According to Tuesday's report, Zula "engaged in violent sexual activity" with a child at a rectory in the Pittsburgh Diocese. Church records further described parties Zula hosted for children that featured marijuana, alcohol, oral sex, attempted anal sex, and whips. He was sentenced to five years in prison in 1990, and died last year.

Wolk was accused of sexually assaulting two adolescent brothers over a six-year period, pleaded guilty to involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, and was sentenced to five to 10 years in prison. Charges against Pucci were dropped because a statute of limitations had expired. Both Wolk and Pucci left the priesthood, as did Luddy, who was sued by an abuse survivor in the 1990s.

Zirwas met George in the 1970s, when the priest was assigned to St. Adalbert parish, where George had been an altar boy. Zirwas was in his 20s, and seemed to George's family like a positive influence; he took the teen on trips and even taught him to drive. But twisted motives lurked behind his helpful persona, as other families in the Pittsburgh area would learn.

In 1987, the diocese was contacted by the family of "a little boy" who claimed he'd been inappropriately touched by Zirwas, the report details. Then-Bishop Anthony J. Bevilacqua refrained from taking action, but when another abuse complaint arrived a year later, Zirwas was sent for an evaluation. Still, he served at other parishes in the state until 1994, when he was placed on a leave for "personal reasons" as additional allegations swirled.

Zirwas was returned to active ministry by Bevilacqua's successor, Bishop Donald Wuerl, who is now a cardinal in Washington. But Zirwas was benched again after another victim told the diocese that Zirwas had performed oral sex on him when he was 15.

"Today, we would have handled the Zirwas case much differently," an attorney for the Pittsburgh Diocese wrote in a response to the grand jury report.

After being placed on leave for a second time, Zirwas moved to Florida and then fled to Cuba. In the spring of 2001 in Havana, at a property he reportedly shared with another person, Zirwas was found strangled. He was 47.

In a statement released Thursday, Wuerl lamented clergy abuse as a "terrible tragedy," and argued that he acted with diligence and concern for sex-abuse victims when he was a bishop.

But he had struck a different tone in 2001, when he presided over Zirwas' funeral in Pennsylvania. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wuerl described Zirwas as a kind man who'd preached a message of salvation through faith in Jesus.

"A priest is a priest," Wuerl said that day. "Once he is ordained, he's a priest forever."Vianela Tavera's body was found in a basement in Philadelphia's Feltonville section. Police said the Bronx woman had been shot in the head. Read more

Philadelphia police are investigating the possibility that the man accused of killing a New York woman in his Feltonville basement  and then leaving her body there for days after he fled the scene  had been living for years under a false identity.

The suspect, arrested last month in Virginia, is awaiting extradition to Philadelphia on charges that he fatally shot his girlfriend, Vianelba Tavera, a mother of five children, and fled in her SUV with a blood-soaked handgun inside.

Police initially identified the man as Luis Negron-Martinez. On Tuesday, Homicide Capt. Jack Ryan said investigators were exploring whether the alleged killer was not Negron-Martinez but had been living in Philadelphia under that name. Ryan said there were "indications" of that, but declined to elaborate or say if police had determined other possible names or identifying information, such as where he was from.

"Nothing is confirmed, and it all requires investigation," Ryan said.

Tavera, 50, had immigrated to the Bronx from the Dominican Republic when she was 18, according to her daughter Mailin, 22. She drove a school bus for a living.

"She was the best mom," said Mailin Tavera.

She said her mother had been dating the man she knew as Negron-Martinez since 2016 and would visit him several times per month. She said she had met the man and he seemed normal. She was unaware of any questions about his identity, she said.

The last time Mailin saw her mother was early on July 28. She expected her home the next day. When her mother did not return, Mailin said, she filed a missing person report and traveled with her siblings to Philadelphia to put up posters with her mother's photograph.

Police in Fairfax, Va., apprehended the suspect in Tavera's SUV on July 30. Ryan said a handgun found in the vehicle is likely the murder weapon. The suspect was charged with car theft and possession of a concealed weapon.

Tavera's remains were discovered six days later in the man's rented apartment on the 400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard. She had been fatally shot in the head, and Ryan said video of the crime  captured by a camera within the house  allegedly showed the killer beating her before pulling out his handgun.

"The murder was brutal," he said.

Ryan said it was unclear when the suspect would be extradited.Members of the clergy lead hundreds of union protesters from Penn's Landing to the Customs House on Chestnut Street to protest family separations by the Trump administration. Read more

It was a crowd of 2,000 or so  short of the 5,000 predicted by Philadelphia union organizers  that turned out at Penn's Landing late Wednesday afternoon to support immigrant families who have been detained or separated at U.S. borders.

But it was a crowd that made a noise: of resistance, of demand, of hope.

"I'm an immigrant, and we're fighting for immigrant rights," said Araceli DeLaCruz, 26, a housekeeper at a Hampton Inn who came to the United States from Mexico. She is a member of Unite Here, a union mostly representing hotel, food service, and casino gaming workers.

Leaders said the rally, billed as "Labor United to Free the Children," would be apolitical and based solely on empathy for the boys and girls separated from their parents. Roughly a half-dozen local and national unions took part in the demonstration, which concluded in the early evening with a march to the nearby U.S. Custom House, home to several federal agencies.

On the stage, 12-year-old Ashley Tellez spoke on behalf of Juntos, the immigrant-advocacy group, as her mother watched from the crowd, tearing up behind sunglasses. Tellez said she was worried about her undocumented mother being deported to Mexico, even though South Philadelphia has been home for 15 years.

"Please stand up and speak out and hit the streets and help us," Ashley called out as Queen's "We Will Rock You" began to blare from the speakers.

Her mother rushed over as her child left the stage.

"I'm so proud of her," Linda Hernandez said. "She's growing up as all of this is going on. She's fighting and getting involved. We don't want anything major. We just want to keep our family together."

President Trump rescinded his administration's policy of separating immigrant families in June, amid a national outcry and news coverage of terrified children and tearful parents. Instead, the administration intends to expand the number of beds and facilities in which to jail families, as is done now at the Berks County detention center in Pennsylvania.

>>READ MORE: Berks family detention center: A model for jailing migrant families?

"What's happening in this country right now is really disturbing," Esteban Vera, business manager for Laborers Local 57, said before the rally. "If it's a fight the leadership wants, it's a fight they're going to get."

The president's crackdown on immigration, legal and illegal, has driven rights groups and their supporters into the streets. Philadelphia has been a center of protest and resistance as a "sanctuary city," a place that generally strives to treat undocumented immigrants like everyone else.

The Kenney administration fought and won a federal lawsuit over Attorney General Jeff Sessions' attempt to withhold grant money unless city authorities more actively assisted federal agents in arresting and deporting undocumented migrants.

>>READ MORE: Judge rules for Philadelphia in 'Sanctuary City' case

Last month, Kenney announced an end to an agreement that gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents access to a real-time police database known as PARS. That came as protests by Occupy ICE took place around Center City, resulting in dozens of police citations to demonstrators.

The rally came ahead of the midterm elections, in which the administration's immigration policies can become an important means of mobilizing opposition voters and labor-union support key to Democratic Party hopes. At the same time, the relationship between labor and immigration remains complicated and nuanced, with concern among many building-trades workers that undocumented workers depress wages.

In 2016, the powerful International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98, led by John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, announced a plan to use airborne drones to monitor disputed work sites with high-definition video cameras. The union said the drones would "identify unlicensed workers and, in some instances, undocumented workers," and the footage would be sent to labor and immigration agencies.

The plan was quickly denounced  Erika Almiron, director of Juntos, called it a "disgrace"  and the union retracted its statement on targeting and sharing information about undocumented workers.

On Wednesday, people sweated in a sun that baked the brick and concrete of Penn's Landing, making water and shade valuable commodities. National and local labor leaders and members traded handshakes and hugs. It seemed like everyone was wearing a union-logo T-shirt.

Philadelphia schoolteachers Benjamin Hover and Sonny Bavaro said that every city classroom has at least one immigrant student or students whose parents are immigrants  and they're all worried about their families.

"It's only right for us as teachers to stand up for our kids," said Hover, who teaches at Central High School.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has spoken out loudly and often for the rights of immigrants, saying that all children, regardless of status, are entitled to a public education. PFT president Jerry Jordan and his staff have supported the family of Carmela Apolonia Hernandez, who avoided deportation by taking sanctuary in the Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia in December.

>>READ MORE: In Philly and across the nation, more immigrants take church sanctuary to block deportation

Her four children leave each day to attend public school, returning after dismissal, while their mother stays inside the church. Hernandez says her family could be killed by gangsters if they are forced to return to Mexico, and need time to pursue their legal claims in the United States.

All five have standing deportation orders. ICE agents generally avoid making arrests at churches, hospitals and other "sensitive locations." and so far have not attempted to detain their children on their way to or from school.

Hernandez's 13-year-old daughter, Keyri, addressed the crowd in Spanish at the rally.

"Every school year we risk deportation Monday to Friday, each time we go to school," she said. "We can't go out to breathe fresh air, to see other people. We are willing to keep fighting for our freedom."Bishop John Barres, shown here in 2017, recommended to the Vatican in 2014 that the Rev. Michael S. Lawrence remain in retired status and not be removed from the priesthood, despite a second allegation of sexually abusing a boy. Read more

Among the cases highlighted in the grand jury report was the alleged sexual abuse committed by the Rev. Michael S. Lawrence, a priest in the Diocese of Allentown. The following timeline is from the report.

1970: While Lawrence is attending St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, a student evaluation mentions he shows "a little too much interest in younger students."

1973: Lawrence is ordained to the priesthood.

August 1982: A priest reports to Msgr. Anthony Muntone about "an unfortunate incident" at St. Catharine of Siena parish in Reading. A father had complained that Lawrence had fondled the genitals of his 12-year-son to the point of pain and made him urinate. When Muntone asks Lawrence about the incident, the priest says, "Please help me. I sexually molested a young boy."

The day of Lawrence's admission, he is sent to St. John Vianney Center in Downingtown for therapy. A staffer there tells Muntone that the family of the victim should be given time to "ventilate" and that the victim's experience "will not necessarily be a horrendous trauma for the boy."

March 1984: Lawrence is assigned to teach religion classes at Notre Dame High School in Easton.

Oct. 20, 1987: After the victim's father complains about Lawrence's still being an active priest, Bishop Thomas Welsh informs the priest that he is being removed from parish ministry immediately on the advice of legal counsel and placed on "sick leave."

Nov. 6, 1987: Lawrence writes to Welsh about the possibility of legal action and his removal from ministry: "The deep sense of frustration and anger have led me to act-out sexually in the past and if my present situation continues it becomes a possibility again." Lawrence becomes a priest on the diocesan tribunal, part of the Catholic judicial system.

February 2002: One month after the Boston Globe's report on child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston, Lawrence writes to Bishop Edward Cullen requesting to retire, "in light of recent events and at the suggestion of Msgr. Alfred Schlert."

November 2009: The diocese receives another report of sexual abuse, this time from a victim who says Lawrence fondled his genitals when he was approximately 13 years old. When the diocese confronts Lawrence about the new complaint, he says that he had believed the boy was 16 or older, and that any contact was accidental.

Dec. 16, 2014: Bishop John O. Barres writes to the Vatican, saying he has decided not to remove Lawrence from the priesthood and recommends that he remain in retired status.

April 2015: Lawrence dies.

Response from Msgr. Muntones attorney

The grand jury report includes a response from Muntone, who says he did not enable priests to engage in child sexual abuse and did not violate a duty to safeguard the welfare of children. It also states that Muntone was not in a position of authority to appoint priests in the diocese, and that any action he may have taken in the time frame alleged in the report was a result of meetings and telephone contact with legal counsel for the Diocese of Allentown.After getting fired, Impark valets (from left) Surafel Fisiha, Fatoman Traore, Thomas Frezgi, and Amanuel Berhane got their jobs back. Read more

A group of valets who used to park cars at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania just got their jobs back after they said they were fired for trying to start a union, according to 32BJ SEIU.

In late June, six valets, most of whom are immigrants from Africa, were fired by Canadian parking giant Impark, short for Imperial Parking, which ran the HUP garage. One valet had worked for Impark for nine years, another for 15.

Impark did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Last month, in a statement to the Inquirer and Daily News, Impark's chief commercial officer, Leonard Carder, said that allegations that the company fired employees for union activity are "unfounded."

>> READ MORE: African valets who park the cars at Penn Medicine say they got fired after trying to unionize

Although it's illegal to fire workers for attempting to organize, it's a common tactic because it's hard to prove the reason for a worker's dismissal. Either workers can file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, which could take months to resolve, or a union can try to settle the matter directly with the company on the workers' behalf. In this case, union 32BJ did both and was able to get the workers their jobs back without the National Labor Relations Board. 32BJ is now in talks with Impark about a "fair process" to start a union.

News of the workers' reinstatement comes two weeks after the Inquirer and Daily News first reported on the valets losing their jobs. Now, five of the six valets have been given their jobs back, with back pay, said 32BJ spokesperson Julie Blust. One decided to go back to school instead of returning to the valet job.

Reached by phone Tuesday, parking attendant Surafel Fisiha, who immigrated from Ethiopia more than 10 years ago, said he returned to work Monday and still planned on fighting for a union for himself and his coworkers.

The valets who got their jobs back made $8 to $10 an hour, and many of them say they work two jobs.Police were called to the Walmart in Cheltenham Township on Tuesday for reports of a shooting. Keenan Jones, the suspected shooter, was arraigned Wednesday on multiple counts of reckless endangerment and attempted murder. Read more

A Philadelphia man who police say "indiscriminately" fired a handgun inside a crowded Montgomery County Walmart, wounding five people, has been charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder.

Keenan Jones, 30, was arraigned Wednesday morning in district court in Cheltenham, a few miles from where the chaotic scene unfolded hours earlier. He is also accused of assaulting and injuring two Philadelphia police officers during a scuffle after crashing into their vehicle near the store.

A woman who accompanied Jones to the Walmart, identified as his sister, is cooperating with investigators and does not face criminal charges at this time, according to court officials.

Jones was granted $1 million bail by District Judge Christopher J. Cerski, who noted that Jones' prior criminal record  which includes felony convictions for witness intimidation and carrying a gun without a license  made him a flight risk.

At his arraignment, conducted remotely because Jones remained in custody at the Cheltenham police station, the fiber-optics contractor apologized to the police officers who responded to the shooting. He said he was "hurting," but not from injuries sustained during his arrest and the subsequent car chase into Philadelphia.

He told the judge he has mental-health issues and had thought that his life was in danger at the store.

"I need hospital help," Jones said. "I haven't slept in five days. I had food that had me feeling strange."

After the hearing, Jones remained in custody in county jail, unable to post bail. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for next Wednesday.

Court records from Philadelphia cast a portrait of Jones as a man with a history of brushes with the law, with multiple convictions in the last decade. But it wasn't always that way.

Jones grew up on Elkins Avenue in the city's East Germantown neighborhood, the son of James Hayes and Jennifer Jones, according to a presentencing report compiled for a 2011 criminal trial.

He told investigators he was raised in a stable household with both parents working to support him and his three siblings.

A major turning point in his life was the loss of his father: Hayes was shot and killed in 2004 while trying to break up a neighborhood dispute over a dirt bike.

Jones and his siblings witnessed the murder. One of Hayes' sons  it's unclear which  later identified Hayes' killer to police.

Investigators noted in the 2011 report that Jones was deeply affected by witnessing his father's death and that "it appears [he] did not deal with this well."

His violent outburst at the Walmart began just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, according to a criminal affidavit filed in the case.

Surveillance video from inside the store showed Jones standing in a checkout line. He pulled out a black semiautomatic handgun and fired a single round at a man standing nearby, hitting him.

"Jones then begins to run through the front of the store and is seen firing additional rounds indiscriminately as the victims, employees, and customers run for safety," the affidavit states, describing the scene as "pandemonium."

Cheltenham Police Chief John Frye said at the store Tuesday that Jones had pulled the handgun from his sister's waistband and fired at least 10 rounds in quick succession. Authorities said Jones' sister owned the gun and was licensed to carry it. The shooting had been sparked by an altercation between Jones and another customer, but it was unclear what the argument was about, Frye added.

Ultimately, three people were struck by gunfire: two women and a man, all in their 40s. Two other people were grazed by bullets, police said, and a pregnant woman was knocked to the ground during the chaos.

One of the victims, a female employee, told police she was standing near the store's customer service area when she heard what she believed to be glass breaking near the registers. As she walked toward the area, she said, she saw Jones walking away, holding a gun. As she got closer, police said, Jones shot at her, hitting her three times.

Jones and his sister then fled the store in a Pontiac Grand Prix. At the corner of Cheltenham and Mount Pleasant Avenues, a witness saw Jones get out of the vehicle and discard a gun. Police later recovered the firearm, discovering that both its magazine and chamber were empty, "indicating that all rounds had been fired from the handgun," according to the affidavit.

A few blocks away, at Sedgwick Street and Forrest Avenue within the city limits, the sedan crashed into a parked Philadelphia police car, there on an unrelated matter. The officers inside the vehicle took Jones into custody after a "violent struggle," according to the affidavit. One of the officers fractured his wrist; another suffered a black eye and sprained ankle.

Elements of Jones' most recent arrest are similar to other crimes he's been charged with, court records show.

A year after his father died, Jones had his first contact with the city's Family Court, when he was arrested for drug possession and assaulting staff at school. He ultimately was arrested twice as a juvenile, the report notes.

In 2010, three years after his graduation from Germantown High School, Jones was convicted of witness intimidation, a felony, after threatening to shoot the alleged victim of a robbery his brother was accused of committing.

The victim told police Jones came to the business he owned "cursing and hollering at him about his brother's case," according to a criminal complaint in the case.

"If my brother goes to jail for five years, I will shoot you. I will find you no matter where you are and shoot your [expletive] ass," Jones said, according to the complaint.

Jones' felony conviction carried with it three years' probation. He violated it three times: two drug arrests in 2010 for possession of marijuana and an arrest the following year on more serious charges.

Police, acting on a tip from a La Salle University security guard, arrested Jones in the city's Logan section. While fleeing the scene of a shooting, he had tossed a Glock 9mm handgun out of a vehicle.

As a convicted felon, Jones was unable to legally possess a firearm. He was convicted of carrying a weapon without a license and related charges.Lt. Col. Barry Deibert accepting the 153rd Maintenance Group guidon from Col. Justin Walrath (left), during the change of command ceremony on Aug.12.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Lt. Col. Barry F. Deibert assumed command of the 153rd Airlift Wing's 153rd Maintenance Group on Sunday.

Col. Peter Linde relinquished command of the group during the traditional

ceremony.

"I can always count on Lt. Col. Deibert to do the right thing," said Col. Justin Walrath, 153rd Airlift Wing commander. "I have faith that he will take care of the maintenance group airmen and they'll take care of him."

Deibert will serve as the wing commander's primary aircraft maintenance officer, responsible for oversight of all aircraft maintenance activities and operations of assigne...Liz Roadifer with her award for National Excellence in Romance Fiction.

Pine Bluffs local resident author, Liz Roadifer has won the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award for her fantasy romance book 'The Trouble with Fairies'.

This is the fourth award her story has won. Other awards include 'The Catherine', 'The Sandy', and 'The Sheila' awards.

The story is about a pesky fairy that accidentally transports a woman to Peace & Prosperity, a secret mountain town in Montana, full of magical beings including elves, dwarfs, wizards, trolls, and cyclopes. It has danger, romance, humor and suspense. And, of course, a happily-ever-after ending.

This is the fir...Pine Bluffs town offices will soon be moving to a consolidated location.

Specifically, the towns municipal building will be moving across the street from its current location at 220 Main Street.

Pine Bluffs Treasurer Kim Patterson said the move will give residents a chance to do their business with the town from a one-stop shopping approach.

Currently, Pine Bluffs department heads are scattered at various offices throughout town.

For example, recreation director Sonja Fornstrom currently operates from the Pine Bluffs Recreation Center. Public works director Jerry Lamb from t...Regional West Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology Class of 2018 pictured left to right: Darren Wells, RaeLe Riley, Katie Starostka, Jamalee Jenkins, and Kayla Sanchez.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.,  Regional West Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology celebrated its annual commencement ceremony on Friday, August 10 at the Education Center at Regional West.

Graduates of the Class of 2018 include Jamalee Jenkins and Kayla Sanchez, both of Mitchell; Darren Wells of Scottsbluff; Katie Starostka of Silver Creek, Neb; and RaeLe Riley of Torrington, Wyo.

The two-year program combines a strong clinical component with classroom study. The students' primary emphasis is radiography but during their training they are also exposed to MRI, CT scanning, angiography, ult...Thursday afternoon, an abandoned 32-foot sailboat was removed from the boat ramps at Matlacha Community Park.

It is believed the boat was abandoned on July 17 or 18 when it was tied to a nearby park dock where is stayed until the evening of Aug. 4.

According to a Lee County press release, Then, on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 4 (last weekend), an unknown towing operator dragged the sailboat from the dock onto the ramps southern lane and left it there. Parks & Recreation staff on Sunday, Aug. 5, placed caution tape and secured the area.

Because the boat was blocking one of the two public boat ramps at the park, Parks & Rec staff worked quickly to have the boat removed. They contacted TSI Disaster Recovery, a marine salvage company Lee County Natural Resources has a contract with, to remove the boat.

Since that time, Parks staff has been working closely with Lee County Natural Resources, Lee County Sheriffs Office Marine Unit and staff from the West Coast Inland Navigation District, the press release said. Law enforcement takes the lead using Florida state law to find the last known registered owner of an abandoned vessel. Attempts are made to find an owner and have an owner pay for the removal of an abandoned boat. That investigation continues.

Thursday afternoon TSI Disaster Recovery arrived to assess the boat and a removal strategy. Approximately three hours later the boat was dragged from the water, tied down on a huge flatbed truck, and removed from the park.

TSI Disaster Recovery will store the boat for 30 days while Lee County searches for the last registered owner. If found the owner will be charged for the removal fees, Parks & Rec reported.The Greater Pine Island Civic Association held its monthly meeting last week with two main topics on the agenda: introducing the two candidates for Seat 4 of the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District and voting on the newly revised GPICA bylaws.

There are five fire commissioners on the board of the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District. The job of every fire commissioner is to ensure the department is performing at the highest level to prevent fires and enforce the fire code; that the department has an adequate water supply (fire hydrants, etc); has the most up-to-date apparatus and equipment; and adequate communications to perform their duties and responsibilities.

Every member of the board must be well educated about fire equipment and all phases of fire fighting. Commissioners are also responsible for disaster preparedness, selecting the chief and all department personnel.

M/PIFCD commissioners are unpaid.

Seat 4 of the M/PIFCD has been held by John Cammick for 13 years. This election cycle, Cammick is being challenged by Pine Island resident Jamie Brush, who has been coming to Pine Island for many years and now lives in Bokeelia with her husband and two children. Her career has been in marketing.

The format for introducing the two candidates to the GPICA members was through a question and answer session. Each candidates was given an opportunity to offer a three-minute opening statement. Questions were asked by audience members as well as the GPICA board. The two candidates were given one minute to answer questions. At the end of the Q&A ,each candidate was given two minutes for a closing statement.

Brushs opening statement included a wide range of topics.

To be frank, Im running for this position because Im tired of major community decisions being made with little consideration for us, the actual community, Brush said. As you well know, Lee County continues to make headlines because Lake Okeechobee has once again dumped its polluted water into the Gulf of Mexico.

Brush went on to mention the current board supports the purchase of Woodstock Airstrip by Lee County Mosquito Control potentially creating an ecological disaster due to the potential hazard of stored chemicals and fuel. Brush expressed concerns about exorbitant tax increases, government raises that go unopposed and construction delays that are unaddressed.

It sometimes takes a new set of eyes to see what others might have missed, Brush said. If Im elected, heres what Ill do. I will work tirelessly to stop the infiltration of poison into our island by air, land and sea. Ill expose backroom deals, Ill ask tough questions, Ill break up the status quo. Ill represent our community and not only my own interests. This means I will work to reduce taxes, vigorously oppose the creation of a de-facto municipal airport and fight to protect Pine Island from annexation. I hope you will put your faith in me when it comes time to vote.

Cammick has been working with the fire department for 17 years.

My history with the fire district started in 2000 as a volunteer fireman and certified EMT, Cammick said. Then in 2003 I became a fire commissioner. I am also a member of Kiwanis, Greater Pine Island Civic Association, the Elks and president of the Greater Pine Island Water Association. The department is going great with our new chief and several new firemen and Id appreciate your vote.

Two of the questions asked were:

Q. What experience does each candidate bring to the board?

Cammick: Being a financial advisor for 25 years, I lean towards being treasurer of the fire district. My past experiences of being on the boards of hospital and United Way made it easy for me to act as treasurer.

Brush: Ive worked with a lot of municipalities, Ive worked with schools, Ive worked with government agencies, secretive projects with the FBI. Im good at fitting in and I think of myself as a liaison and can make real connections. I feel theres a real disconnect at the fire department and I hope that my connectivity will help over there.

Q. We understand that there are zoning issues with the new fire house in Matlacha. What is the status of the fire station and what kind of deadline is there for it to be completed?

Cammick: The zoning issues are why its taking as long as it is. We keep hearing that its going to take another week but we hope to have it done next year at the latest. Everythings going great its just a matter of time until Lee County gives the OK.

Brush: To be honest, Im not familiar with the rezoning issues at the new fire station but I have been reading over the meeting minutes from our fire district and especially those with the general construction manager and I did read that the groundbreaking was to be in February of this year and Im interested to see if it will be done next year. Maybe just watch it a little closer.

Both candidates expressed concerns about the necessity of getting the new Matlacha fire station up and running as soon as possible.

Fire board meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. the main fire house #1, 5700 Pine Island Road, NW, Bokeelia.

The GPICA does not endorse political candidates. GPICAs goal is to be a forum to allow island residents and registered voters the opportunity to hear from and evaluate candidates for themselves. Commissioners are volunteers and are not compensated for their time.

Over the last several months the GPICA board of directors updated the organizations bylaws. The new bylaws have been available online for review since April 3 where residents could make recommend changes, additions etc.

One major change in the new bylaws is the replacement of Roberts Rules of Order with Democratic Rules of Order. The main difference is the Democratic Rules of Order is only 27 pages vs. Roberts Rules at 700 pages. Democratic Rules are easier to understand and apply.

The new bylaws also changed the monthly meeting schedule from eight in-season (October  May) meetings to 12 monthly meetings.

The final change is the addition of a new article. ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION OF THE GPICA: Upon dissolution of the GPICA by a majority vote of the BOD, all assets shall become the Property of the Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island, Inc.

The new bylaws were approved: Yes  24; No  6

An amendment to GPICAs Articles of Incorporation was passed by a vote of 25-3 establishing GPICAs status as a 501c4.

In additional business, Karl Deigert, president of the Matlacha Civic Association, read a letter stating that Matlacha residents wish to secede from representation (of GPICA) and the current boundaries of GPICA. Also that the new boundaries of the GPICA be changed in its new bylaws.

According to the letter ,MCA polled its membership and arrived at the conclusion that The majority of the MCA active membership have responded  and a majority of Matlacha residents of the whole of Matlacha want to secede from GPICA.

The letter requests that the newly drafted bylaws of GPICA be amended before final ratification to exclude from the GPICA Boundaries to exclude the entire community of Matlacha along Pine Island Road east of Pine Island Creek.

MCA sent 159 emails: 91 responded Yes to secession, 7 responded No to secession, and 61 were no response. According to the 2010 US Census, there are 677 residents in Matlacha.

MCA also notified the Lee County Commissioners and the Florida State Representatives for Lee County.

GPICA president Claudia Bringe responded that the board had been asking for input for the new bylaws since April 3, but received the Deigert letter on Aug. 3, failing to meet the 10-day deadline in Article X of the current and new bylaws.

The GPICA meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 5630 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia. The next meeting is Sept. 4.This week we are getting back to fishing reports, good or bad. Yes, red tide is still affecting many areas, but there are also unaffected waters and anglers bending a rod.

Offshore, in Gulf waters, anglers bottom fishing found a bite beginning around 40 to 50 feet deep, and it got better as you went deeper. A mix of lane and mangrove snapper, plus mostly undersized grouper, were caught in depths 60 feet and less. From 80 to 100 feet, the snapper were bigger and a few grouper to 30 inches were boated. Deeper water out to 140 feet turned up bigger grouper, plus snapper and porgy. Best baits were squid or sardines either on a knocker rig or a heavy jig. Dead fish were reported floating from just off the beaches out to 5 or 10 miles.

Many anglers are reporting an unusual number of sharks along the eastern side of Pine Island Sound. Blacktip, spinners, hammerheads, lemons and bulls, running in size from 2 to 5 feet were concentrated in 2 to 6-foot depths. Cut mullet or ladyfish, either fished under a float or on bottom, were the best bet to hook-up.

Anglers targeting tarpon found success in Charlotte Harbor from the point of Cape Haze to the Peace River Bridge. They could often be sighted rolling on the surface on calm mornings. Live ladyfish and mullet, plus DOA Bait Busters and spoons were the top baits. Also, in Charlotte Harbor, fishing along bar edges near Bokeelia resulted in a mix of undersized trout, jack crevalle, mangrove snapper, lady and bluefish. Similar catches were also reported from the Bokeelia Fishing Pier.

Oversized redfish were hooked in Matlacha Pass and off the eastern shore of Charlotte Harbor near Two-Pines. Cut bait, including mullet and ladyfish, worked well along mangrove points on the morning incoming tides, and the late afternoon gave anglers low water opportunities to chase tailing reds with flies or lures. Snook and snapper were also hooked along the islands on the higher water.

Pompano, with a few permit mixed in, were caught just of the channel edges in north Matlacha Pass and off the north side of Bokeelia.

The best action came on the falling water while fishing shrimp under a bobber or bouncing various brands of pompano-style jigs.

While much of the area is still under the spell of bad water, there are fishy areas and hopefully we will see more moving forward. Its been great the past couple weeks to see all the communities and concerned citizens unite to fight for change. Many anglers and guides have adopted to catch-and-release only for inshore game fish moving forward. At least until a stock assessment can be made.

There are a lot of little things each of us can do moving forward to help offset the damage. It may be releasing a fish, holding off on the fertilizer or not blowing yard clippings into the canal or waterway. I know when you look at the big picture these seem minor, but it is a step in the right direction and a direction we need to move towards.

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at 239-283-7960, via the Website www.fishpineisland.com or email gcl2fish@ live.com

Have a safe week and good fishin.

As a native of Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his entire life fishing and learning the waters surrounding Pine Island and as a professional fishing guide for the past 18 years.Toil & Trouble

It was a bewitching Saturday as a group of local witches took part in a special fundraiser for the CBC Fund Drive. According to organizer Christi Ryan, a total of...

Board approves universal masking

MANISTIQUE  After yet another tense round of public comment, the Manistique Area Schools Board of Education has established new COVID regulations for the district. The decision to re-implement universal...KAMPALA  The Ministry of Health will late this month roll out the Hepatitis B vaccination in 14 districts in the central and eastern regions.

The State Minister of Health for general duties Ms Sarah Opendi said the vaccine is free of charge in all government facilities.

The minister explained that the key objectives of vaccination programmes is to protect susceptible people from contracting the infection or developing severe forms of infection and from reducing viral or bacterial disease circulation in the population.

As much as vaccination has been repeatedly demonstrated to be one of the most effective interventions to prevent disease worldwide, there is a rising trend of vaccine hesitancy among the Injiri cult [666] in Uganda.

World Health Organization says vaccination currently saves an estimated three million lives per year throughout the world and so tops the list in terms of lives saved, making it one of the most cost-effective health interventions available, but followers of Injiri cult claim the Bible forbids them from taking their children for vaccination.

Mr Paul Wozaba, who subscribes to Injiri cult, says apart from being against biblical teachings, some childhood vaccines are linked to serious side effects that include autism, food allergies or cancer.

He explained that there is something inherently evil about vaccination and that as Injiri they see vaccination as the mark of the beast, a ritual perpetuated by governments of the time.

Reports on vaccination refusals have been an issue in Uganda and Injiri cult that has spread all over the country, fuelled by misconceptions about the effects of the drops, injections  that they could lead to infertility and form part of an anti-Christ agenda.

During the 2016 polio immunisation campaign, over 20,000 refusals were reported in Uganda particularly from Injiri cult followers.

The Injiri cult believers say that theres a long history of opposition to childhood vaccination, from when it was introduced in England in 1796 to protect against smallpox and that many of the themes played out more than 200 years ago still resonate today.

Mr Wozaba, a fanatic follower of Injiri in Mbale, warned his local community in one of his Saturday sermons to stay away from foreign-funded programs like vaccination/ immunisation, education, Identity card registration and census.

I must tell my brothers and sisters that finding a cure for an epidemic before its outbreak is not allowed in Injiri and biblically vaccines are evil because they are made from animals not supposed to be eaten by man, said Mr Wazaba.

Quoting from the Bible Deut 14:7 Mr. Wozaba says Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof cloven: the camel, and the hare, and the rabbit; because they chew the cud but dont part the hoof, they are unclean to you. And Deut 14:8. The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesnt chew the cud, is unclean to you: of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.

Mr. Wozaba adds that some of the vaccines are made out of animals, metals and birds the Holy bible forbids man from eating and touching.

Look at OPV which consists of a mixture of live attenuated poliovirus strains of each of the three serotypes, selected by their ability to mimic the immune response following infection with wild polioviruses, Japanese Encephalitis vaccine [Ixiaro] is got from a monkey kidney [vero cell], the Influenza vaccine [Fluvirin] is got from Chicken embryo, the Polio vaccine [Poliovax] is got from human diploid tissue and Hepatitis B vaccine [Engerix-B] is got from yeast or yeast extract, Wozaba said.

You also have some vaccines made out of metals like Aluminum hydroxide, bovine serum albumin, formaldehyde, protamine sulfate, sodium metabisulphite, Amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, amino acids, dextrose, formaldehyde, hemin chloride, mineral salts, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, potassium aluminum sulfate, sodium borate, soy peptone, yeast protein which are unhealthy to human beings, said Mr Wazaba.

Quoting from Mathew 9: 12 Mr Wazaba says he cannot go for immunisation because the Holy Bible in Mathew 9:12 says It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick,

Mr Wazaba, whose cult operates in Busamaga near Mbale town, says their faith does not have a church but a main hall where they just meet on Saturdays for bible teachings and is not involved in any form of prayers, praise or worship.

Mr Henry Wadada also a follower of Injiri cult says science clearly shows that there is a big difference between naturally acquired herd immunity and vaccine-induced herd immunity.

A natural infection typically gives lifelong immunity, while vaccines only confer temporary (and incomplete) protection. Thus, the idea of vaccine-induced herd immunity is seriously flawed because when the vaccines protective period wanes, there is no more herd immunity, says Mr Wadada.

But a warning echoed early this year, President Museveni thinks that Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children will be punished severely, and the decision treated as a crime.

President Musevenis warning echoes threats being made around the globe, with the public health police coming after those who choose not to vaccinate their children, or make other non-conventional medical choices for them.

In Uganda, several parents have been arrested especially those belonging to Injiri cult, fined and jailed for choosing not to have their children immunised but this has not changed anything as the number has kept increasing.

Our freedoms under attack

Mr Wadada and Mr Wazaba say informed consent to medical risk taking is a human right and that besides the biblical teaching they have the right to be fully informed about the benefits and risks of pharmaceutical products  like vaccines  and be allowed to make a fully conscious choice about whether or not, without being punished for it.

What is happening in Uganda could soon be happening everywhere in the World, vaccine choice is increasingly being targeted by many.

In Uganda Polio, pertussis, measles, Hepatitis B, Whopping cough, TB, Pneumonia, mumps and other immunisable diseases outbreaks have been blamed on those who are unvaccinated, even though the diseases have occurred primarily in people who were vaccinated, and no one seems to be able to fully explain how that is the fault of those who are unvaccinated, said Mr Wadada.

Mr Wadada however insists, As a Christian I trust in God for health and healing (as promised in the Bible) both for myself and for my children. And my children are protected by Gods promise not by mans vaccination.

Mr Peter Opio, 73, from Pallisa in Apo Pong who has also not taken his children for immunisation says he believes that good health depends more on good housing, food, and hygiene and that not enough is known about the long term effects on the immune system of immunising at a young age.

After getting immunisation against Polio in 1970s, one of my children had severe developmental delay and no one could tell me why. I do not feel the immunisation is safe at this time and Im not willing to take any chances, however small, said Mr Opio.

But a situational analysis of newborn health in Uganda report 2013 by UNICEF indicates that 200,000 children under five die annually and that of these, more than half die during their first year and 45,000 within the first month of birth.

According to the World Health Organisation, only five babies per 1,000 live births die in developed countries and 42 babies in least developed countries.

A UNICEF report; Keeping Children Alive, Safe and Learning, at least 45,000 newborn deaths occur each year in Uganda, and over half of these deaths happen during the first week of life, mainly in the first 24 hours.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine says disease prevention is the key to public health and that it is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it.

Dr Atwine adds that vaccines prevent disease in the people who receive them and protect those who come into contact with unvaccinated individuals adding that they [Vaccines] also help prevent infectious diseases and save lives.

Vaccines are responsible for the control of many infectious diseases that were once common in this country, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), Dr Atwine.

Dr Muhammed Mulongo of tropical Health centre in Mbale says what is annoying is that the 45,000 children die of preventable diseases which is unacceptable and morally wrong.

With such a huge young population, the impact of Ugandas achievements for children influences the progress of the nation, this actually cements the importance of vaccination of all our children, said Dr Mulongo.

The DHO Manafwa Doctor Gideon Wamasebu says child survival is dependent on several factors including high vaccination coverage and timely receipt of vaccines that ensures optimal immune response to the vaccines.

Vaccines do more than just boost our immune system against dangerous bacteria, viruses or parasites. Vaccines can help avert millions of premature deaths by preventing the infections hepatitis B, human papilloma virus that cause two leading cancers in developing countries and are essential in an effort to reach the MDG, said Dr Wamasebu.

Dr Bakyaita Basajja Tebadiba, a senior Health Educator in the department of community health at the Ministry of Health says there are a lot of mistruths out there about immunisation.

We have to fight that reality and try to show that immunisation, vaccination, next to clean water and sanitation is the most powerful public health tool that exists on the planet, said Dr Bakyaita.

He revealed that child survival is dependent on several factors including high vaccination coverage and timely receipt of vaccines ensures optimal immune response to the vaccines. Yet timeliness is not usually emphasized in estimating population immunity.

Dr Bakyaita says as a ministry they are putting up strategies to improve vaccination practices among the poorest, single, multiparous women and among mothers who do not deliver at health facilities.

We also intend to use some reasonable force using police to ensure that everyone is vaccinated every year, said Dr Bakyaita.

Injiri Cult

The injiri cult is common in eastern region and notorious for being opposed to government programmes such as immunisation and registration of their children in schools because they believe that upon registration the number 666 appears on the face.

They also believe that once exposed to computers and any form of counting, one is likely to have the number 666 on his face.

Injiri cult leaders claim that the Bible forbids them from taking their followers for medical treatment, immunisation and government programmes such as universal education, voting and census.

Injiri cult followers believe that apart from being against biblical teachings, most of the things taught in schools are allegedly linked to autism and are anti-Christ so they dont allow their children to go to school and hospitals.

RelatedPARLIAMENT  A group of MPs from the Nodding disease affected districts have called on Government to intervene in the rampant rape cases, where 44 girls are said to have been raped, as a result of the medication they take to treat the ailment.

The revelation was made this afternoon during the plenary sitting by Lucy Achiro (Aruu North County MP) who asked the Ministry of Health to avail alternative medication to save the girls, saying already, 44 girls have been raped in her constituency, yet nodding syndrome is affecting over 10districts in Nothern Uganda.

Achiro explained: The medication these children take increases the level of their libido and they end up looking for these men who end up raping and defiling them. We are asking for the Ministry of Health to provide alternative medicine so that we reduce the number of children raped.

However, it is not the first time the matter of medication used for treating nodding disease is reported to increase the libido of these children.

In 2017, a report by the Parliamentary Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development on the nodding disease syndrome in Northern Uganda highlighted that nodding syndrome highlighted that an empirical study shows that victims of this nodding disease had had their libido increased as a result of drugs that they take.

The victims (of nodding disease) have the high temperament, argue a lot and do not accept correction. The drugs are given as medication lead to a high appetite for food and increase their libido, forcing them to rape or initiate sex, the report read in part.

According to the Committee findings, nodding disease victims are subjected to taking Carbamazepine tablets daily.

According to eHealthMe.com, an American medical analysis website launched in 2008, Libido increase is found among people who take Carbamazepine, especially for people who are male, aged 60+ old, have been taking the drug for 1  6 months.

The site provides patients and healthcare professionals with tools to study approximately 40 million drug outcomes, following the release of those drugs onto the market.

The study further indicated that out of 22,883 people reported to have side effects when taking Carbamazepine, 7 people (0.03%) have had their libido increased. These figures are much higher on people below the age of 25 suffering from Psychotic Disorder or nodding disease syndrome.

Statistics also show that worldwide, 57.14 % of the male have experienced increased libido upon taking carbamazepine compared to 42.86% among female.

The MPs noted in their report that carbamazepine comes with several and severe side effects among them is increased libido, and the side effects are worsened with the shortage of food, which usually causes convulsion, thus disrupting most parts of their bodies, yet the drugs work effectively if the victim is well fed.

However, the reproductive health of the victims is worsened by the stigma surrounding the disease when victims of this nodding disease become riotous, forcing their parents to abandon them, tether them on trees, lock them up with domestic animals or inject them with drugs to keep them under control.

Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga ordered the Ministry of Health to explain to the August House on whats being done to provide alternative drugs for the victims.

RelatedNAKAWA  Prof. Venansious Baryamureeba has been voted out of the Makerere University Business School Council after he unsuccessfully tried to block the renewal of the contract of Prof. Waswa Balunywa as Principal.

During a Council Tuesday August 14 meeting chaired by Prof. Sam Luboga and attended by all the 24 Council members including the Defence and Veterans Affairs state minister Col. Bright Rwamirama, Kitgum woman MP, Beatrice Anywar and Guild President Julius Ntende, members decided to sack the beleaguered Council Chairman citing lack of confidence in his leadership.

He is basically done, we can no longer work with him, a Council member told PML Daily on Tuesday night.

Prof. Baryamureeba in May tried to force Prof. Balunywa out of MUBS after the latters contract expired but in a major slap on his face, President Museveni directed First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni to renew the contract.

President Musevenis unequivocal directive arrived on May 29, a day after Prof. Baryamureeba had convened a Council meeting that replaced Prof. Balunywa with his deputy Prof. Moses Muhwezi.

Mr Museveni in his an unequivocal directive to the First Lady, who is also Minister of Education to re-appoint the amiable MUBS chief, argued that the professor has always been on the right side of the liberation ideology and has given the MUBS institution good leadership without strikes.

I have never found him averse to advice the few times I have interacted with him. Such a person is always good to work with, Mr Museveni wrote.

The new term extended Prof. Balunywas tenure at the helm of the government institution to more than two decades.

Mr. Isaac Ngobya, the deputy Council Chairman has replaced him as the new Chairman.

RelatedKOLOLO The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Brig. Muzeeyi Sabiiti, has asked the Chinese government to help the Uganda Police Force (UPF) acquire the latest technologies to fight cyber-fraud.

Speaking at the function on Tuesday at Interpol offices in Kololo where Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zhuqiang donated a 30-sitter coaster to police, Brig Sabiiti said that police need assistance in fighting cyber-crime which is still a big problem.

We appreciate the support China government has offered to Uganda police over the years, with also the recent trainings, however we still need your assistance, said Muzeeyi.

He told the Chinese ambassador that the Force is facing challenges of curbing cross-border crime such as human trafficking, terrorism, motor vehicle and drug smuggling.

According to the 2016 Interpol report, close to Shs200b was lost by ministries and banks to hackers.

Mr. Zhuqiang commended the police for protecting Chinese businessmen and ensuring safety for all nationals. This, he said, was the reason why many Chinese are yearning to invest in Uganda.

Supporting Uganda Police is more of supporting our own country because when the police have the capacity to fight crime it means Chinese nationals are safe, he said.

We are happy that Uganda police has always ensured security for Ugandans and all Chinese living in Uganda and we promise to keep this close cooperation, added Zhuqiang.

Interpol Director in Uganda, Fred Yiga, acknowledged Mr. Zhuqiangs donation that includes a coaster, generator, securing training for Interpol officers, TV screens, and video cameras. This equipment, he said, have seen Interpol serves citizens with efficiency and effectiveness.

Besides cybercrimes, Yiga said there is increased hacking into Internet networks of especially importers of goods from places like Dubai, China and Japan.

He says unsuspecting business people usually get to discover when either their money has been stolen or the goods they ordered from Europe, China, Japan or Dubai have been diverted to somewhere else.

There are also Ugandans who are using the Internet to push through forged travellers cheques, which they use to purchase goods from unsuspecting business people in Europe, Dubai, China and Japan.

Police also recently said that many Ugandans are in the habit of forging Ministry tender documents claiming they have secured large contracts and when these unsuspecting foreigners send the goods to Uganda, the culprits receive the goods and cut all communication links.

Many cases of people being defrauded on cell phones have also been reported.

RelatedDesiree Collins was taking her garbage out on the morning of Sept. 23, 2017, when she was attacked by a St. Paul police dog looking for a male burglary suspect. Both the city and the involved officer have said the incident was a "terrible mistake." (Photo: Screen shot from St. Paul Police Video)

A federal judge has determined that a St. Paul, MN, police officer was reckless in his handling of a police dog that knocked an innocent bystander to the ground and clamped down on her leg with his teeth.

U.S. District Judge John Tunheim found that Desiree Collins fourth-amendment rights were violated during the 2017 incident and that she is entitled to damages, according to an order issued by the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.

Both the city and (the involved police officer) have acknowledged that what happened was a terrible mistake, Tunheim wrote in his decision. (Officer Thaddeus) Schmidts contention is that his actions, while negligent, did not rise to the level of a constitutional violation. But even taking the facts in the light most favorable to Schmidt, his actions were more than negligent. They were reckless.

As such, Tunheim ruled in favor of Collins motion for summary judgment in her case.

A jury trial will be set at a later date to determine how much she will receive in monetary damages from the city, the Pioneer-Press reports.Sgt. Lee Smith of the Wayne County (MI) Sheriff's Office was killed by a hit-and-run driver as he jogged. (Photo: Wayne County SO)

An off-duty Wayne County (MI) Sheriff's deputy was killed in a hit-and-run Tuesday morning

Sgt. Lee Smith was killed by a hit-and-run driver as he jogged in Hines Park, Westland police told Hometown Life.

The suspect is at large.

A 26-year veteran of the sheriff's department, Smith had filed paperwork to retire shortly. A Redford resident, he is survived by a wife and an adult son. Back in May, Smith was among officers who received a certificate of merit from the Westland Police Department honoring his efforts evacuating residents during a fire at the Taylor Towers senior citizen apartments.

"We've lost a hero," Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon said.A Philadelphia SWAT officer shot in the face last week while serving a warrant walked out of Temple University Hospital Wednesday.

The shootout left 49-year-old SWAT team officer Jaison Potts with a broken jaw. He and other officers were trying to execute a search warrant in Germantown, Fox29 reports.

Police say a man inside the home thought someone was trying to break into his home, so he tried to protect his family and opened fire. According to police, he shot Officer Potts in the jaw. Police returned firekilling the man.Data-driven technology has made enormous strides over the past decade, especially in the public safety sector. As agencies continue to adopt emerging technology, communities are becoming safer through processes that involve integrating devices with emergency response systems to detect active shooters, forecasting and preventing crimes through smarter patrolling, and utilizing advanced analytics to improve overall public safety.

But with budget cuts and diminishing resources, many agencies are unable to afford such technologies. As a result, improving public safety efforts becomes cost prohibitive.

Enter: shared records management systems (RMS). Consolidating records through a shared infrastructure between agencies has become an increasingly popular way to garner a more complete history of individuals. Many city and county law enforcement agencies have begun developing consortiums for sharing these systems, and some states have even adopted a statewide shared RMS.

The state of Utah, for example, developed the Statewide Information & Analysis Center to join federal, state, local, tribal, public, and private agencies to collect and exchange all-crimes information throughout the state. It has resulted in greater data-sharing, detailed analytics, and informed response efforts throughout public safety agencies across the state while providing investigative case support and stronger risk and threat assessment.

So, what can agencies gain from a shared RMS? By working together, RMS consortiums can help agencies lower costs, improve data and insights, and provide better protection for their community and officers.

Lower costs, better insights

It has become clear through the rise of technology that data and insights lead to better-informed public safety efforts and decisions. But many agencies lag behind because of an inability to afford such technology.

Though the initial cost of implementing a modern RMS can seem daunting to many, working with other city, county, or state-wide agencies to enable a joint system can ultimately save money and provide collective insights to public safety organizations.

In addition to lowering costs, collective RMS can increase efficiency through streamlined management and seamlessly shared data. Armed with an individuals comprehensive involvement history, officers can make smarter, data-driven decisions to affordably improve operations and overall safety.

The idea of joining together systems is also an opportunity to reevaluate processes, policies, and procedures. Often systems have flexibility in configuration, allowing agencies to enjoy the benefits of one system while still being able to provision the system for their needs. The result is better visibility to refine and optimize response processes, as well as more defined insights into team needs.

But the benefits of a shared RMS dont end there. Linn County Sheriffs Office in Albany, Oregon has implemented a shared system throughout multiple counties. Micah Smith, Lieutenant of Support Services Division at Linn County Sheriffs Office, discusses what he has experienced through the implementation of this system.

I think that we have a deeper partnership across disciplines than before. And that's really important. Since we're an all-in-one solution, we have greater visibility to not only what we're doing across the agency, across the jurisdiction, but also across disciplines, Smith explained.

We're more in tune with the needs of both police and fire. And that's an important thing because we're all first responders. And many, many times, we're going to the same locations to render aid to citizens who have called for help.

Take time to transition

As fast-moving as the technology and data industries are, transitioning from legacy RMS to modern systems with data-sharing capabilities can be a slow and strenuous process. It will behoove you, your employees, and your bottom line to make this transition over a period of time.

A key budget challenge involves the time and capital it takes to train your employees on how to properly use sharing systems, especially if all of the information is available at once. By spreading out the accumulation of these systems over a period of time, you can manage these costs to fit your budget and timeline.

Training employees on these systems can also hit your budget. With large amounts of new information at your fingertips, it can be an overwhelming process to learn how best to utilize such information. If you gradually implement these systems, its easier and quicker to train your employees as they become accustomed to each additional system, thus diminishing the learning curve.

Lastly, remember that with new technology also comes the need for open communication with your staff. Considering a plan around managing and communicating the change to the ranks is important in the implementation phase. Simple tasks of documenting new features and functionality as well as all the benefits of sharing data with your neighbors are critical to obtaining high software adoption rates.

Better together

Developing law enforcement consortiums to streamline and share data through a records management system can offer significant insight and unprecedented value to public safety agencies.

It can ultimately reduce the cost of implementing newer technology systems while connecting agencies and disciplines through shared, comprehensive data.

Instrumental change in the public safety sector wont happen overnight, but with the proper planning and patience, data-sharing records management systems can be a powerful force in the changing landscape of public safety.

Want more information on Superion?

Sign up to receive additional information from Superion.Przepraszamy!

Ogoszenie na stanowisku:

Customer Support with Spanish, French or German



wygaso z dniem 2018-09-12



Ta propozycja bya zozona przez ManpowerGroup Sp. z o.o.

Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia oferty to:

propozycja zozona przez pracodawce zostaa wycofana z naszej bazy

ogoszeniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc pracownikow

firma zmodyfikowaa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem WWW

dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych

zy adres url ogoszenia

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Inne / Pozostae, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Inne / Pozostae

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Customer Support with Spanish, French or German, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Customer Support with Spanish, French or German

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: Warszawa, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Warszawa



Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj.

Inne oferty, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan:Speaking at ceremonies in Warsaw commemorating the 1920 Battle of Warsaw and celebrating Polish Armed Forces Day on Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that "we, the Poles, are extremely proud of our soldiers."

Addressing the gathering before a military parade in Warsaw on the 98th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw, President Duda stressed that 98 years ago in the fields near Warsaw the miracle of the Vistula occurred.

See also: President thanks US general for cooperation with Polish Army President presents nominations for the rank of general

"There was certainly a miraculous element to the Battle of Warsaw, but the other element of the success was the genius of the commanders, the bravery of the soldiers and their skills - those factors decided Poland's victory," he declared.

"I don't remember such a momentous day as this, Polish Armed Forces Day, in a year that is so special, that the Mazurek Dabrowskiego (Polish national anthem - PAP) was sung to the accompaniment of thunder. How special. A great parade and great forces of nature," the President commented during the Great Independence Parade.

"Yes, in all certainty there was an element of the miraculous. Faithful people will say: God stood in defence of Poland, supported Polish soldiers, the Holy Mother supported our boys, her children, so that they could defend against the Soviet red onslaught, so that they could defend freedom, defend independence but above all defend Christianity and life," Andrzej Duda stated.

He went on to say that that was only one element of the historic success at the Battle of Warsaw. The others, he highlighted, were: the genius of the commanders, the bravery of the soldiers, and above all their skills.

"These factors decided that Poland was victorious, that the bypass manoeuvre of the Red Army Soviet forces and the offensive at the Wieprz River succeeded, that information was not passed on or it was not believed that the Polish army planned such a wide-ranging and well prepared offensive," the President stressed.

"We won. Yes, we won, we Poles won. Today we look with pride at those times. Today we also look with pride at the graves of our grandfathers, who then bravely stood in defence of the Republic, because Poland had an army of a million, made up in large part of volunteers - of those who answered the challenge of Marshal Jozef Pisudski and Prime Minister Wincenty Witos," Andrzej Duda added.

The President underlined that the victory in the Battle of Warsaw was a history of great pride in the eyes of the entire world. "At that time Poles, Polish soldiers, Polish boys defended Europe against the red plague," he stressed, asking what could have happened if it were not for the bravery of Polish soldiers who stopped the Soviets on the outskirts of Warsaw.

"Where would the Red Army have stopped then? In Berlin, Paris or even in Madrid?" he asked, emphasising that the bravery of Polish soldiers, the current generation's great grandfathers, prevented a catastrophe.

Referring to Poland's NATO membership, the President stressed that the alliance led by the US "is a guarantee of security of its members."

The head of state said he was very glad that allied troops were stationed in Poland. "We are happy that in accordance with bilateral agreements there is a strong presence of the US army in Poland. But we want this presence to be permanent," he underlined, explaining that Poland needed it as the manifestation of the allied force and that unity "deters every potential aggressor."

President Duda also declared that it is Poland's ambition to have an army, which is as strong as possible, and able to independently ensure the country's security, so that allied troops could only play the role of a supporter when needed.

Expressing his gratitude to Poles joining the Territorial Defence Force, President Duda stressed that the new force was strengthening the potential of the Polish Army. He also thanked career soldiers for "their difficult everyday service, performed also outside Poland and as part of NATO's forward presence on its eastern flank, in Latvia or Romania."

The President declared that "everything would be done to make the Polish Army better equipped, to implement modernisation plans and to increase defence spending."

According to the head of state, there is a big chance that Poland's economic situation will continue to improve and that Poland will be growing wealthier.

"I believe that in such a situation we should be increasing defence outlays faster than initially planned. If the economic situation makes it possible, the growth of defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP should be completed by 2024 instead of 2030 as earlier planned."

"This is an ambitious goal but the Polish Army must be modernised. This is an urgent need and Polish soldiers deserve this modernisation," he went on to say, stressing that they deserved state-of-the-art weapons, "so that they could defend their homeland in the safest possible way as there is nothing more precious than the life of a soldier."

The Battle of Warsaw was one of the highlights of the PolishSoviet War (February 1919  March 1921) fought by Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine against the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic for control over an area covering today's Ukraine and parts of Belarus. The Soviets also hoped to invade and occupy Poland. The unexpected but important victory over the Red Army in the Battle of Warsaw and the following Polish advance eastward made the Soviets sue for peace, and a ceasefire was sealed in October 1920. (PAP)Gov. Rick Snyder honored late Dearborn Public Schools and State Supt. Brian Whiston with a fountain on Capitol Plaza, according to a news release from the governors office.

The fountain, which is state-owned, was designated in his honor. The Brian J. Whiston Memorial Fountain is located between the John A. Hannah Building and the Ottawa Building on the Plaza.

Brian dedicated his career to serving students and striving to make Michigan a Top 10 state for education, Snyder said in a news release. He was a great friend and partner who left an incredible impression on our educators, students and thought leaders, who continue to carry out his vision.

Whiston worked in Oakland County Intermediate School District as the director of government and community services before becoming the superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, the third largest district in Michigan.

The Waterford native served as state superintendent from 2015 to 2018, when he died after a battle with cancer.

Throughout his time as state superintendent of public instruction, Whiston led the Michigan Department of Education to keep a total focus on providing a quality education for every child in the state.

I know that Brians family, and our family here at the Michigan Department of Education, want to thank the governor for honoring Brian in such an indelible way, Interim State Supt. Sheila Alles said. This fountain is a tribute to Brians public service and a constant reminder to us of his ideal that every child is valued and will achieve success.

Prior to his appointment as state superintendent, Whiston spent 17 years as a local school board member, holding the position of treasurer and president-elect of the Michigan Parent Teacher Student Association.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Welcome Guest! You Are Here:Batty Over Halloween Celebration Was A Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 6th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 24 was a real treat for everyone who came out. Excited...

Invest In Violence Intervention This week U.S. Senator Charles Schumer advocated for at least $5 billion in funding for Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI) programs to be included in the...Scientific union head appeals new ruling on detention in embezzlement case

11:59 15/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 15 (RAPSI)  CEO of the S.A. Lavochkin Scientific Union Sergey Lemeshevsky charged with embezzling 330 million rubles ($5.2 million) from the state space corporation Roscosmos has appealed a new ruling on his detention, the spokesperson of Moscows Babushkinsky District Court Maria Borovikova has told RAPSI.

On August 13, the court reordered detention of Lemeshevsky until September 19.

The defendant was arrested and detained in late July. In early August, the Moscow City Court overturned the ruling and forwarded the matter to a lower court for reconsideration.

Two other defendants in the case, chief of the Unions legal department Yekaterina Averyanova and chairman of the law firm Tretyakov & Partners Igor Tretyakov have been earlier put in detention. All of them are charged with embezzlement.

According to investigators, three defendants of the case have stolen assets of Roscosmos by signing fraudulent contracts with the law firm.Ex-Russian banker gets 9 years for $45 million embezzlement

 flickr.com/Joe Gratz

16:44 15/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 15 (RAPSI)  Ex-director of the Novokuznetsk Municipal Bank (NMB) Alexander Pavlov has been sentenced to 9 year in prison for stealing 3 billion rubles (about $45 million), the Investigative Committees Directorate for Kemerovo Region reports Wednesday.

Pavlov has been found guilty of embezzlement and abuse of power, the statement reads.

According to investigators, from December 2012 to December 2013, the defendant serving in the interests of a major construction company founded by his father acted as a guarantor of the firms loan obligations.

When the company stopped meeting its financial obligations, creditors removed money from NMB accounts in settlement of the debt. The total amount of levied funds reached over 3 billion rubles, the statement reads. As a result, the banks depositors could not use money on their accounts and turned to law enforcement authorities.

Earlier, the Commercial Court of Kemerovo Region recovered over 3.3 billion rubles from the defendant and former co-owner of the bank Sergey Pavlov in favor of NMB.

The Novokuznetsk Municipal Bank was declared bankrupt in 2014.TOLOnews.com (Translated by RAWA), August 10, 2018

By Nabila Ashrafi



Zahra was beaten by her husband who then poured acid on her face. She is seen in a hospital in Kabul here. (Photo: TOLOnews.com) Zahra was beaten by her husband who then poured acid on her face. She is seen in a hospital in Kabul here. (Photo: TOLOnews.com)

Zahra, a woman who is currently admitted in Isteqlal Hospital (Kabul), claims that her husband first beat her severely and then poured acid on her face.

This woman, who has four children, says that her husband had been violent towards her a number of times, but last Friday, he poured acid on her face in front of their children. I did not think that he would be this cruel. I was bathing my second child when he took a knife and attacked me. When my children stopped him and took the knife away from him, he attacked me with acid, she recounted.

Zahra added that she was given into marriage by her father to his cousin sixteen years ago, when she was just 10-years-old and he was 30-years-old. Her face is completely burned and she cannot see through one of her eyes.

The doctors say that her condition is better, but she has seen serious mental trauma. When she came on Friday morning, she was in a terrible condition, but now she is better. She has 10% acid burns and it will take a month and a half for it to heal, said her doctor.

The Human Rights Commission, has condemned this incident and demanded her case be seriously followed.

The unidentified hackers had executed money transfers on two separate occasions - August 11 and August 13 - which raises the question of why pro-active measures were not taken on the first night itself

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Cybercriminals have stolen Rs 94 crore (Rs 940 million) from Cosmos Bank, after attacking the server at its headquarters in Pune on August 11 and 13.

According to the FIR filed by the banks management at the Chatushrungi police station at 1 am on Tuesday, the hackers exploited malware vulnerability in its automated teller machine (ATM) switch system.

A senior officer of Pune cyber police said the money trail had taken them initially to an account of ALM Trading at Hang Seng Bank in Hong Kong.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the money had been withdrawn from ATMs in 28 countries.

Cosmos is one of the oldest cooperative banks in the country, established in 1906.

The investigation being conducted by the cyber cell of Pune police will get technical support from the Maharashtra Computer Emergency Response Team, which is also conducting a parallel probe.

According to sources, hackers transferred Rs 80.5 crore (Rs 805 million) from bank accounts at Cosmos Bank to a foreign bank in 14,849 separate transactions through debit cards.

Then, they conducted another attack to steal Rs 13.9 crore (Rs 139 million) through the SWIFT network.

The banks VISA and RuPay debit card systems, supported by the National Payments Corporation of India, were also compromised.

The personal and financial information of about 500 customers was stolen. Police officers said this number could rise.

The bank has shut down its internet banking operations and website.

The police officer said, Based on the transactions, the origin of the attack is Hong Kong. We are studying the malware to see where else it could have been introduced and which institution might be attacked next.

Experts said banks needed to be better prepared to deal with such malware campaigns.

Malwares used in cyberattacks now are fairly advanced and have the ability to suppress alerts.

"Banks need to have end-to-end cyber security to prevent such attacks, said Siddharth Vishwanath, partner and cybersecurity advisory leader at PwC India.

He added that larger banks had a more elaborate cybersecurity, but smaller, cooperative banks did not.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instituted a clear cybersecurity framework for financial institutions.

A quick look shows this is addressed only to scheduled commercial banks (and rural banks), non-banking financial companies, small finance banks and payments banks.

There is no specific cyber-security guideline for cooperative banks.

For instance, the guidelines call for all commercial banks to have a board-approved cyber-security policy.

A chief information security officer should be appointed to the board and a clear cyber crisis management plan should be put in place, in addition to information and data security.

Experts, both in the private sector and in the police, said it would usually take between one to three weeks to conduct a thorough analysis of the attack to understand how it was done.

However, even after identifying the source and origin of the attack, the legal proceedings were extremely difficult, time-consuming, and involved other jurisdictions.

In March 2017, Quick Heal Technologies notified bank management of the vulnerability on its website.

In its report, Quick Heal said banks must update their Windows Operating Systems with the latest security patches and use security solutions.

Most cyberattacks or hacks take place because of the lax attitude from institutions when it comes to ensuring their computer networks are secured and are updated with the latest operating systems and security protocols.

PwCs Vishwanath said while an information technology or security audit was required across the cooperative banking industry that was only a step in addressing the larger problem of a fundamental under-investment in cybersecurity solutions.Despite adding no new aircraft, Jet Airways saw more departures during the year, it flew more people, and achieved a higher load

Jets fleet size in 2016-17 was 112, and remained the same in 2017-18.

In a market that is registering 20 per cent year-on-year growth, the airline saw no growth in fleet size in the entire year.

And this, aviation industry analysts say, is good news.

Had Jet added to its fleet, the airline would in all likelihood be staring at a bigger loss than the Rs 767 crore it suffered at the end of FY18.

But there is some actual good news. Despite adding no new aircraft, Jet Airways saw more departures during the year, it flew more people, and achieved a higher load and saw an increase in available seat kilometres (askms) and revenue passenger kilometres (RKMs).

In other words, the airline used its existing fleet and resources better.

Yet the airline lost Rs 767 crore during the year. The fact that the airline used its planes better and improved on all operational parameters tells the whole story in a snapshot.

Jet Airways cost structure and model are largely unviable.

Analysts and aviation experts say that there is no getting away from this for what was once Indias premier private airline, a tag it has lost over the years.

Theres no denying the fact that the value of the company has eroded dramatically.

In 2005, soon after its listing, Jet Airways was worth $2 billion. Now, a little over a decade later the company is a fraction of that.

The airlines current market capitalisation is roughly Rs 3,250 crore. The airline has the dubious distinction of never touching its issue price again.

The current liabilities of the airline are in excess of its current assets by Rs 7,242 crore. The current account on the airline as of March 31, 2018, has Rs 319 crore and cash on hand is Rs 56 lakh, a pittance for an organisation of its size.

The bad news is that the airline continued to mismanage things. Though the airline did not add a single plane in the year, it hired 543 people. The employee count rose to 16,558 from 16,015, not taking into account temporary staff.

Further, its salary bill is higher than that of most rivals (see chart).

Although the airline has a smaller fleet than IndiGo (112 versus 159), its salary bill was Rs 540 crore higher in the year ended March 31, 2018, something, Jet Airways executives argue, is due to the fact that it is a full-service airline while the others are low-frills carriers.

But the argument for most part doesnt hold water since Jet is unable to command a premium for its higher levels of service and this has been true since the advent of low-fare airlines in India.

The airlines pay structure came under scrutiny after several pilots objected to any kind of pay cut, arguing that if any cuts were required they should be done for the management.

A rival airlines chief executive officer (CEO) told Business Standard that Jet paid three times what it did for people at the same level. Moreover, it has three people instead of one to do the same job!

According to the latest balance sheet, Vinay Dube, who joined Jet as CEO in 2017-18, has been paid Rs 10.14 crore in salary and perquisites.

Amit Aggarwal, the airlines deputy CEO and chief financial officer, has received a hike of Rs 1.57 crore in the year (his package has gone up to Rs 5.77 crore at the end of March 2018).

Pilots say in contrast the highest-paid pilot in the airline earns Rs 1.3 crore a year.

It goes up a bit if one adds the overtime. A senior commander says that it is not the pilots who have mismanaged the airline.

He argues that any cuts have to be borne by those in charge of running things.

Suggestions to better utilise the fleet and other improvements suggested by pilots have usually been ignored, he adds.

A former CEO of Jet said while some management positions could not be done away with, the fact remained all major calls in the airline are taken by the chairman himself, rendering the CEO somewhat irrelevant in some ways.

Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters'Patriotism is a sentiment, a feeling of belonging to a place.'

'Nationalism is an ideology, and like all ideologies, it is absolute and restrictive in nature,' Ashis Nandy, arguably India's leading social thinker, tells Geetanjali Krishna.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

It's not often, I muse, as I wait for Ashis Nandy at Indian Accent at Delhi's The Lodhi Hotel on a hot summer afternoon, that I get to have lunch with someone who has inspired a Facebook page demanding his arrest.

One of India's foremost public intellectuals, Nandy's writings on colonial identity, nationalism, modernity and violence have been remarkable as much for their intellectual brilliance as they have been for their divergence from prevalent positions.

As I leaf through The Intimate Enemy (1983), and the recent festschrift edited by Ramin Jahanbegloo and Ananya Vajpeyi, Ashis Nandy: A Life in Dissent (2018) that I am carrying with me, I wonder what life looks like to a man who has questioned every accepted canon -- be it science, religion, nationalism and even the concept of development.

Just then, he walks in, a sprightly octogenarian with pensive, piercing eyes and a diffident smile.

"What sort of name is Krishna?" he asks after the usual pleasantries have been dispensed with. I explain that a branch of my family decided to discard the surname which denoted our Kayastha identity.

He tells me my forefathers were scribes, learned people who wielded the pen instead of the sword to their advantage.

As he talks, I remember his observations about India's educated middle class, which in its haste to become 'modern', has become disconnected from its own history. I ponder my own rootlessness as Indian Accents signature blue cheese naans arrive on the table.

Is the rejection of traditional practices, I ask, such a bad thing?

True to his reputation, Nandy's response is well-reasoned, if unexpected. Human psychology is such, he argues, that if it rejects one certitude, it has to find another.

"In my experience, when people lose faith in religion and community, they strive to repose that lost faith in something else, so-called modern science, development and progress for instance."

Nandy is a critic of these modern absolutes as much as he dislikes the unquestioning devotion to tradition.

For him, the gods of religion and science are alike, in that they both have clay feet.

"Without questioning, without debate, both science and religion become dogmas -- exclusivist, absolute and dangerous," says he.

"In fact, I believe that there is a correlation between the growing absolutism in religion, and the absolute belief in science, modernity and nationalism."

It's time to order the food. Nandy is a small eater, but the menu at the restaurant is enticing. We decide to share a plate of roast soft shell crab for starters.

Wine is a natural choice, for who can discuss politics, psychology and philosophy with empty glasses?

As the wine and the crisply succulent crab arrive on the table, I ask Nandy why he so often draws the distinction between patriotism and nationalism.

In fact, Iranian philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo, co-editor of Nandy's festschrift, once remarked that Nandy's referring to him as 'Persian' not 'Iranian' was a refreshing allusion to his civilisational rather than political identity.

"Patriotism is a sentiment, a feeling of belonging to a place," he says. "Nationalism is an ideology, and like all ideologies, it is absolute and restrictive in nature."

Perhaps Nandy's early training in psychoanalysis compels him to lay bare the deep psychological roots of such sociological constructs.

I recall The Intimate Enemy in which he argues that colonialism in India has persisted long after the British left, and in generations that were born after, because its mantle has been inherited by the colonised.

Today, perhaps, we are both the colonisers and the colonised, as we reject our old ways and our heritage to push the concept of 'development' upon our own people.

What then, I ask, does he think is the best way forward?

It is, he says, unsurprisingly given his intellectual position, to never accept anything without questioning.

"Somehow, we must learn how to be sceptics in this country..." he says.

Meanwhile, our server has brought back the menus so we can order our main course. Nandy opts for buttered scallops and rawa prawns. "Like all Bengalis, I love my fish!" he quips.

I choose lamb shanks, because Kayasthas love red meat, and probably for the first time in years, I'm feeling like one.

Our conversation has now moved to the subject of Gandhi. Nandy is that rare intellectual who espouses the Gandhian notion of development which accords rightful importance to traditional wisdom, decentralised village development, local culture and mythology.

"Modern education has made Gandhi out to be a traditionalist, regressive even," he says. "But my research revealed that Gandhi was extraordinarily well read in the writings of dissenting Western thinkers like Emerson, Ruskin and Thoreau."

Our mains arrive, and there's a momentary lull in conversation as we get acquainted with our plates. The food is delicious, but my mind is on the piquant thought of Gandhi, not the Mahatma whose portrait can be found in every public building in India -- but the political being.

Nandy's Gandhi is an astute thinker who is not afraid of questioning, "I believe that Gandhi was able to create rebels in huge numbers in the middle class," he says. "It is not something that any political party has been able to do since."

And just like that, the conversation veers towards politics.

Nandy believes that the popularity of the ideology of Hindutva and its notion of a unified Hindu great tradition which ignores the immense diversity within it, is because India's burgeoning but frustrated middle class is looking for something to believe in.

Impatient for economic development as promised by the Singapore model, it is ripe for 'developmental authoritarianism', something that Nandy had predicted nearly 40 years ago.

Nibbling on a hoisin duck-stuffed kulcha, I wonder what hope there is for a better future.

"Such regimes have historically never lasted long," he says. "We've seen it with Indira Gandhi's regime during the Emergency. Democracies have inbuilt checks and balances for this."

However, the problem with totalitarian ideologies is that they present an artificially homogenised version of societies.

"So the prevalent idea of 'development' means aiming to become like Singapore or the USA," he says. "But if we take away our cultural and social heritage from the picture, what sort of development would that be?"

It seems only fitting to end the afternoon with a discussion on dissent, and what it has meant to him in his own life.

Nandy the contrarian has been, at different times, pilloried by Marxists, secularists, feminists and liberals.

He has provoked libel cases, been attacked in public and online forums and worse.

Discomfort over dissent is nothing new, he says as his order of mishti doi cannoli arrives.

Every government since Independence has been uncomfortable with it. My whiskey and fig ice cream follows. Both look great, so we decide to share them and resume our conversation.

One reason why Indians find it hard to question and be questioned, is that we are too reverent, he says.

Which is why Nandy, the mentor, has always encouraged egalitarian relationships with his proteges and encouraged them to debate rather than accept.

There's nothing I enjoy more, I realise, than mixing good food with a goodly dose of anarchic conversation, but it's time to wrap up.

In parting, Nandy reiterates something with which I agree with unquestioningly: "Somehow, we need to re-learn the art of questioning," says he. "Else, without dissent and debate, our public life will become intellectually impoverished."'He always had a choice to resign and walk toward the sunset in protest.'

'Instead, he chose to be a mute witness to one of the most sordid chapters of India's parliamentary history when MPs were bought up like cattle to steer the nuclear deal through,' says M K Bhadrakumar.

IMAGE: Somnath Chatterjee addresses the media the day he was elected Lok Sabha Speaker. Also seen is then parliamentary affairs minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters

Somnath Chatterjee's departure throws light on some fault lines in contemporary Indian politics.

Two dissimilar tributes paid to him by two stalwarts of the Communist Party of India-Marxist from Kerala, the only state where the party is in power -- V S Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan -- show that Somnath's legacy is a many-splendoured thing. VS described Somnath as an 'immaculate Communist'.

'After being chosen as Speaker, Chatterjee stayed away from all political activities. Till his death, Chatterjee never compromised on his ethical values,' VS said in a message. His passing away has created a major loss in Indian democracy and left politics, he said.

In Pinarayi's words, Somnath was an eminent parliamentarian and a resonant voice of the Left. This was fulsome praise befitting, no doubt, a Colossus in Indias parliamentary democracy.

Pinarayi's words echoed the CPM politbureau statement paying tribute to Somnath, where too there is no mention of Somnath's place in the Pantheon of India's Communist heroes.

Curiously, from press reports, Somnath's family -- a distinguished family with roots going back to the Hindu Mahasabha -- also seems to resent any display of his Communist credentials as their beloved patriarch's legacy.

Who indeed is a 'Communist'? That is the question.

The CPM is in dilemma and in some ways it also draws attention to the massive erosion that the party suffered in West Bengal.

The Somnath saga is a stark reminder of this tragedy. Having said that, Somnath's legacy in some ways also got intertwined with a turning point in contemporary Indian politics.

His expulsion from the CPM was linked to the break-up between the party and Congress in the backdrop of the 2008 nuclear deal. That parting of ways, in turn, eventually caused an overall weakening of secular forces.

More importantly, Congress Unbound plunged into the neo-liberal path with gusto, which ultimately proved its undoing and regrettably, led to the ascendancy of right-wing forces in the country.

The CPM leadership was partly hoodwinked by the Congress leadership and partly chose to suspend its disbelief when the assurance was held out to it by the Congress in early 2008 that the UPA government's presentation of the nuclear file to the International Atomic Energy Agency was a mere 'formality' and no way signified an irrevocable step.

The commitment was that a consensus within the UPA was first needed to go ahead with the nuclear deal.

But the Congress capitalised on the CPM's dilemma by promptly moving the nuclear file at the IAEA in Vienna in February.

And the CPM's dilemma was not to force the issue because of the upcoming crucial panchayat elections in West Bengal (due in May 2008), where it was critically important that the Congress didn't align with the Trinamool to jointly oppose it.

In retrospect, the dalliance with the Congress cost the CPM heavily.

For one thing, it still couldn't salvage its political standing in the panchayat elections, as the results turned out to be the first tremors of what eventually proved to be a catastrophic political earthquake on the political landscape of West Bengal.

The Left suffered its first serious electoral rout in rural Bengal. And, indeed, when the panchayat election results came in, the tables were turned completely within the UPA.

The alchemy of Congress-CPM equations was never to be the same again.

Manmohan Singh proceeded to negotiate the nuclear deal at Vienna, while on the other hand, getting rid of the Congress' dependence on the left parties' parliamentary support.

To cut a long story short, what alternative did the CPM have other than withdraw support from the UPA?

Suffice to say, Somnath's refusal when the CPM demanded him to disassociate from the Congress-led UPA government was incomprehensible. He knew exactly what was happening in the run-up to the CPM's break-up with the UPA.

Therefore, it is difficult to make a conclusive assessment today why Somnath defied the command of his party.

He was a barrister and had a rational mind. Obviously, he thought through his decision to remain in his post after making his own calculations.

It wasn't exactly a Thomas Becket moment. For, to continue to identify with the Congress-led regime -- howsoever remotely at that point in time -- was tantamount to defection for a Communist.

And, besides, he always had a choice to resign and walk toward the sunset in protest.

Instead, he chose to be a mute witness to one of the most sordid chapters of India's parliamentary history when MPs were bought up like cattle to steer the nuclear deal through.

Looking back at the entire drama that leapt out of a Greek tragedy, the mother of all ironies is that there were to be no winners in this -- the Congress, CPM and Somnath Chatterjee (who still had a decade of his life left to contribute to left politics) all lost.

And, paradoxically, the issue on which they fought, the 2008 civil nuclear agreement, also turned out to be not much of a deal -- sound and fury signifying nothing.

Who was the biggest loser?

Undoubtedly, the Congress, which triumphed in that war of nerves and in its sheer elan for political skulduggery, but only to lose its way soon thereafter and get drowned in sleaze and venality that proved its downfall from where it is still struggling to recover.

Nonetheless, from all accounts, the CPM was still gracious enough to reach out to Somnath years later, after the dust settled down. And the party is today profusely condoling the demise of someone who used to be a great leader.

It is a poignant reflection on how far the CPM too has travelled in its ethos and functioning as a democratic party in the recent decade.'A lot of unauthorised encroachments have taken place in our forest area.'

'The landslides are partly because of such encroachments.'

'The other factor is deforestation.'

'Protection of forest resources is not on the agenda of any government.'

'The damage caused by the rain in Kerala is a man-made factor.'

IMAGE: An elderly woman is carried to safety following a flash flood triggered by heavy rains in Palakkad, Kerala. Photograph: PTI Photo

Kerala has been receiving unprecedented rains, especially the central and northern parts of the state.

For the first time in its history, Asia's largest arch dam, the Idukki dam, had to open all its five shutters because of the incessant rain, and at one point 800,000 litres of water per second poured out of the dam, inundating the downstream.

The debate raging on in the state is: Whether the floods were man-made or natural.

"The most affected area is Kuttanad which is the agricultural part of Kerala. The Kuttanad area is fully inundated and all the crops are destroyed," G Madhavan Nair, ISRO's former chairman, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

We have been witnessing a lot of natural disasters like floods, droughts, wildfires etc across the globe. Do you think the calamity in Idukki is connected to climate change and global warming?

About the global phenomenon, we do not know where it exactly originated and how. But we do know that local weather and climate are controlled by many factors.

One is the temperature of the ocean and the ocean currents, and also the atmospheric wind density. But the most important factor is solar radiation. All these factors together led to the global phenomenon.

Of course, global warming also contributes to some extent as ocean currents are modified because of ice melting in the poles.

This alone cannot trigger such a phenomenon; it is much beyond that.

If you look at the history of Kerala, maybe more than 80 years ago, such a heavy downpour and damages have taken place. Afterwards, such an event has not taken place at all.

I would say this is more like a freak event coupled with the global phenomenon.

Elderly people in Kerala compare this with the 'floods of 99'; (referring to the Malayalam year 1099, which corresponds to 1924 on the Gregorian calendar, when the Periyar river was inundated).

Yes, after that, practically such a heavy downpour had not taken place.

In the last 4-5 years, rainfall in Kerala has been much below average.

Suddenly this year, it has increased several fold, but the damage caused by the rain are mainly due to, I would say, human intervention.

A lot of unauthorised encroachments have taken place in our forest area. Because the mountain slopes are cut and encroached upon, the natural support land has is lost.

The landslides are partly because of such encroachments.

The other factor is deforestation.

You have a lot of legislation prohibiting the felling of trees in the forest areas, but it is happening in an uncontrolled way.

Protection of forest resources is not on the agenda of any government.

On the other hand, if you look at any foreign country, they have a deliberate plan for tree planting in the forest areas.

If thick trees are there in the mountain region, it prevents landslides. It also helps in absorbing water in the area. So, the heavy drainage of water downstream will not take place.

This (the damage caused by the rain in Kerala) is a man-made factor.

You mean what happened in Idukki has to be looked at from two angles. One is the way we have exploited nature and another due to climate change which is a global phenomenon.

Exactly. We do not have much control over climate change except the factors which we can intervene like carbon dioxide emission, methane emission, etc. When we do that, climate change can be kept under control.

But what we have to do is plan the things that play a major role locally.

During the rains, water drains off to the rivers and lakes, and they in turn flow to the sea.

Almost all the rivers in Kerala are choked with sand deposits, which reduces the capacity of the rivers to hold more water.

The net result is, with the slightest increase in water level, there flood. The same thing applies to lakes also.

Protecting the river bed is something we have to do urgently.

Some environmental experts have labelled what happened in Idukki as a man-made disaster...

I would say it was a freak phenomenon. But damage is compounded because of human intervention in the area.

The most affected area is Kuttanad which is the agricultural part of Kerala. The Kuttanad area is fully inundated and all the crops are destroyed.

Kuttanad is situated below the sea level, naturally we have to plan very carefully.

It is an ecologically sensitive area and the government has to stop construction of buildings in this agricultural area.

This area is a trigger factor for all the floods in the nearby areas.

It is high time we have a master plan for Kuttanad and implement it aggressively in a time bound manner.

In fact, a few years back, the father of India's Green Revolution Dr M S Swaminathan had worked out a plan.

Before the next rain comes, efforts have to be taken to have proper flow of water.

Floods have been there from time immemorial. Do you think the way we look at natural calamities has changed?

In ancient times, there was no proper means to manage the floods except pray.

With the advancement in technology, we should use modern means to assess natural calamities and plan in advance so that damage due to floods are minimised.

Technologically advanced countries also suffer due to natural calamities. When Kerala was severely affected by floods, France also suffered from heavy floods.

Do you think they have learnt to minimise the damages in terms of losing human lives?

Firstly, in India, people living on the banks of rivers is much higher than compared to France.

In countries like France, nobody will construct a house close to the river. They are supposed to assess the safe height and distance before building a house.

So, even if water level rises, damage will be minimal. Sometimes, when water level rises beyond expectations, their cities also get flooded.

The difference is that they have disaster management authorities which are structured and efficient. And they deploy the entire machinery in such situations.

Do you feel this time, Kerala managed the situation quite well co-ordinating all the departments and minimising the loss of human lives?

Yes, there is a lot of improvement.

After the disastrous way they handled cyclone Ockhi, the government has now woken up.

With the first indication itself, they sprang into action harnessing all the resources from the state and central government and deployed them.

That was why they could effectively manage a disaster of this magnitude. Yes, the number of deaths was very minimum compared to other occasions.

This kind of a mechanism should be permanently there as natural disasters can occur any time.

We have to strengthen this mechanism with proper communication and discussions on decision making.

See, decision making during disasters should not be taken to the political level. It has to be beyond politics.

People who are expected to do the work, should be allowed to take decisions.

That's why I would say, this is a good beginning.

More than trying to stop natural disasters, how we face it and manage is more important.

I would say so. Out of the factors which contribute to natural disasters, hardly 5% is in our control. 95% of the factors are happening at the Poles, in the oceans and in other parts of the globe.

Any type of intervention on them is humanly impossible because the energy level involved is very huge and nobody has succeeded in modifying, for example, cyclones or tornadoes so far.

They are all due to the compound action of the ocean, atmosphere and air.

We can only make predictions, that also not for long periods.

With such predictions, disaster warning can be given to the area where the cyclone or heavy rains can hit.

This information can then be given to the district authority so that they can evacuate people from the dangerous areas before the disaster strikes.

Two years back, a huge cyclone hit Manila and they lost 10,000 lives.

Around the same time, we had a cyclone in the Orissa coast and because of the advance action using satellite technology, we were able to minimise the deaths to less than 100.

So, our disaster monitoring ability is maturing. But in some places, even if the warning comes, the concerned officials who were supposed to take action, fail to do so.

That was exactly what happened when cyclone Ockhi struck the Kerala coast.

Some 48 hours before the cyclone, there was a warning from the department in Delhi, but there was no official in Kerala to receive it and take action based on it.

They woke up only after Ockhi struck the coast.

What is needed is a 24/7 mechanism for receiving such warnings.

You spoke about using technology to predict such disasters. There was a report about IIT-Bombay developing an AI-based algorithm that can help track natural disasters on the ground, monitor cities from the skies, and help security forces identify insurgents in the dark.

Do you feel there should be more research in India in this direction?

Our planning should be in such a way that we have to find the disaster-prone areas.

Ecologically sensitive areas should not be confined to the map alone.

You have to have local surveys to collect all the data scientifically and demarcate the areas where such disasters can happen.

These areas have to be marked as red areas and authorities should not allow anyone to occupy such red areas.

Along with this, protection of our forests and rejuvenation of them also are a must.

Is it over-population or our general attitude to break laws and rules, and also corruption, that is causing more damage at times like these?

Yes, we have more people compared to many other countries. But when you are providing place for people, it should only be after demarcating the sensitive areas. Such areas should not be given for development.

But corruption is the root cause and politics is the fuel which is adding to that.

Those in power do not let anyone touch their people even if they are sitting on the danger zone.

Action has to be well beyond politics and authorities should be empowered to take decisions.

Unfortunately, what happens is all those young IAS officers who have the courage to act are shunted out by the political system.

Breaking the law is the rule here. This should change. People have to learn to obey the law.Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh on Wednesday resigned from the party citing a very very personal reason even as the party asked him to reconsider the decision.

Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party/requested PAC to accept the same.

It is purely from a very, very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me throughout, he tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacting to Ashutoshs resignation on Twitter wrote, How can we ever accept ur resignation? Not in this lifetime.

AAPs Delhi unit spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said his resignation has not been accepted yet and he has been asked to reconsider it.

The journalist-turned-politician had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket.

Senior party functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back.

AAPs Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai said, It is sad. We will talk to him.

Photograph: Adnan Abidi/ReutersNew software will ensure that anyone with more than one election ID has to surrender the other cards.

Megha Manchanda reports.

IMAGE: Voters wait to elect Lucknow's next mayor, November 2017. Photograph: Sandeep Pal

The Election Commission, through its portal ero.net, has begun the process of weeding out voters whose names appear more than once even as it awaits the Supreme Court verdict to allow it to link the Aadhaar card with the election card.

De-duplication, which will be a technology-driven exercise, will gather pace after the Supreme Court verdict on whether Aadhaar should be linked to the elector's Photo Identity Card, said a senior person in the know.

The de-duplication system, launched in phases across states, has been designed to identify similar names on the list and remove ineligible voters by filtering their addresses, dates of birth and other details.

The new software would ensure that any person with more than one election ID has to surrender the other cards, which will be invalidated.

Oil-marketing companies did a similar de-duplication exercise for domestic cooking gas connections through KYC, which restricted one connection for each household. The connections were later linked to Aadhaar for subsidy disbursement.

A senior EC official said: "The portal has started functioning and very soon we should be able to witness the results of the exercise."

After on-line registration, a voter gets a unique ID, with which s/he can check the status of the application.

The new software enables the voter to upload her/his personal details, reducing the chances of mistakes in the voter-ID card.

Currently, if someone intends to get her/his name removed or added to the voter's list, it can be done only by a booth-level officer.

The exercise, currently being undertaken, will prove beneficial in the upcoming state elections, besides providing a fresh database for the Lok Sabha election.

According to the EC, the number of registered voters during the 2014 Lok Sabha election was 834 million, a jump of 16 per cent over the 2009 figure.

The voter turnout during these polls was 66.4 per cent, an improvement over the 58.19 per cent in 2009.

The EC, which had faced flak for its proposal to link Aadhaar with the election card, says this de-duplication exercise will act as a tool for cleaning old records and updating the election database.

"With this software we want to send out a message that we don't want to infringe on anyone's fundamental right to vote. We only want to use Aadhaar as a de-duplication tool," the official said.

After the completion of the digitisation exercise, keeping the database safe and secure will be the EC's next challenge.The prime minister highlighted the gains made during his last four years vis-a-vis the previous governments to suggest that he has lived up to the promise of hope he had offered to the electorate in 2014.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day in New Delhi. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed as policy paralysis under the United Progressive Alliance, as he announced the launch date of his signature healthcare scheme covering 50 crore Indians.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day, his fifth speech after the National Democratic Alliance came to power in 2014, Modi also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces and a plan to send Indian astronauts into space by 2022.

IMAGE: Modi devoted much of his speech in presenting the report card of his government, highlighting that the country made fast progress. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

When 125 crore people move towards achieving a goal, there is nothing that cannot happen. In 2014, the people of the country did not just stop at forming the government. They moved together towards nation-building and are continuing to do so, he said.

In the nearly 80-minute speech, Modi devoted much of the time in presenting the report card of his government and also touched on a host of burning issues including the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, crime against women, legislation on instant triple talaq and state of the farm sector.

Accused by the opposition of running a pro-business and pro-rich dispensation, Modi dwelt at length about his governments initiatives to improve the lives of the poor and the backward sections of the society and claimed that five crore people have been lifted out of poverty in the last two years.

IMAGE: Modi said if the country moved forward at the same pace as in 2013, the last year of the UPA government, it would have taken decades to accomplish what has been achieved in the last four years. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Showcasing achievements of his government, Modi said negative reports about India, delayed reforms, fragile economy and red tape were the terms often used for the country under the UPA while it is being looked at as multi-trillion dollar economy offering red carpet welcome to investors.

India was earlier a sleeping elephant which has woken up now and started running, said Modi, who was wearing a saffron and red Rajasthani-style turban.

IMAGE: Modi inspects the honour guard during Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

On Kashmir, the prime ministers said, We will move forward by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse (Goli and Gaali).

Hitting out at the Congress regimes, Modi said if the country moved forward at the same pace as in 2013, the last year of the UPA government, it would have taken decades to accomplish what has been achieved in the last four years.

Quoting Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharti, Modi said in Tamil, India will show the path to the world in ridding it of problems.

IMAGE: PM Modi interacts with children during Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Among the dignitaries present at the Red Fort included Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and his wife who was sitting next to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh, H D Deve Gowda also attended the celebrations along with cabinet ministers, chiefs of the three services, top echelon of judiciary, civil servants as well as thousands of school children.

One of the big announcements Modi made was rollout of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, described as the worlds largest healthcare measure, on September 25, the birth anniversary of BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. He said the scheme will initially cover nearly 50 crore people from 10 crore families.

He also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces like men.

WATCH: The PM announces permanent commission for women in armed forces

Women officers inducted into the short service commission will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts, the prime minister said.

He did not elaborate whether it will be applicable to women in combat roles or in non-combat fields such as IT, military police, engineering etc.

IMAGE: After speaking for over 80 minutes, the PM spent some more time interacting with the children who had gathered at Red Fort. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Referring to recent incidents of rape, the prime minister said the law is supreme, and asserted that the society must be free from this demonic mindset. He hailed a recent judgement by a fast-track court in Madhya Pradesh to hang a rape convict. He made no specific mention of recent cases of lynching -- another hot button topic being debated in the country.

Modi also highlighted his governments efforts to protect the interests of Dalits and backward classes -- the two communities being wooed by the ruling BJP ahead of the crucial elections -- and said the recent Parliament session was totally dedicated to social justice.

The prime minister said by 2022, India will send a son or daughter to the space with the national flag in hand.

WATCH: 'Centre is working towards curbing corruption, black money'

Modi also vowed not to spare corrupt and black money hoarders, saying efforts of his government have freed corridors of power from brokers, enhanced the number of taxpayers and saved Rs 90,000 crore by eliminating bogus beneficiaries of many schemes.

Modi also thanked honest taxpayers for their contribution in the development of the country, which is now the worlds sixth largest economy.

Listing measures that have brought the untaxed in the tax net, he said the number of income taxpayers has increased to 6.75 crore from 3.5-4 crore before 2014.

Modi said the government is committed to a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq and blamed some people, an apparent reference to opposition parties, for stalling its passage in parliament.

He recited a poem to describe how his government was changing Indias destiny and that it was capable of taking tough and courageous decisions in the interests of the country. He said he was impatient to see India marching ahead of other countries in development.

Modi ended his speech with a call for housing, power, cooking gas, sanitation, health, connectivity and water for all and said his government is working with this mantra.Last updated on: August 15, 2018 22:01 IST

From children to soldiers, everyone in India marked the 72nd Independence Day with much vigour and zeal.

Here are glimpses of the celebrations from across the nation.

IMAGE: 'Tornadoes', the motorcycle display team of Army Service Corps, makes a tri-colour formation on motorcycles during the 72nd Independence Day celebrations at Maneskshaw parade ground in Bengaluru. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

IMAGE: A dog squad takes part in a march past during the 72nd Independence Day celebrations at Maneskshaw parade ground in Bengaluru. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Children, holding tricolours, take part in a skating-rally to celebrate the Independence Day in Noida. Photograph: PTI Photo

A man carries his daughter holding the Tricolour on 72nd Independence Day, in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

A boy selling the Indian national flags waits for customers in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus as it is illuminated with the colours of the national flag in Mumbai,. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

School children perform during 72nd Independence Day celebrations at Mini Stadium, in Jammu . Photograph: PTI Photo

People hold tricolour flags as they participate in a rally in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath salutes the national flag after hoisting it during the 72nd Independence Day function at Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi unfurls the Indian flag during the 72nd Independence Day at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi. Photograph: Subhav Shukla/PTI Photo

A boy poses with flags and badges of the Tricolour on Independence Day. Photograph: Subhav Shukla/PTI Photo

A creation by sand sculpting artist Sudarshan Pattanaik on a beach in Puri. Photograph: PTI Photo

School children and teachers carry a 250-metre-long flag at Begum Bazar in Hyderabad. . Photograph: SnapsIndiaPrime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi as India celebrates the 72nd Independence Day.

This is Modis fifth and final address as PM in the current tenure.

During his speech, Modi reflected on the achievements of the National Democratic Alliance government and presented a report card of his four-year tenure.

Here are the main takeaways from his address:

1. Recently concluded session of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha was dedicated to cause of social justice

2. India has emerged as world's sixth largest economy

3. Many parts of India affected by floods. My thoughts are with families of those who lost their lives in floods

4. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is progressing rapidly

5. There should be coordination between states and the centre to fulfil aspirations of the people

6. While decisions were held back in the past due political and other compulsions,, bold decisions like GST are being taken now

7. World earlier viewed India for policy paralysis, delayed reforms, now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination

8. World was worried earlier about India as it saw the country among the fragile five; now it looks at us with hope

9. India is now seen as a land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth

10. Indian astronaut, be it son or daughter, will go into space in Gaganyaan by the year 2022

11. With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing remarkable changes in the agriculture sector

12. On one hand our armed forces help Indians during natural calamities, they also carry out surgical strikes on the enemy

13. India to launch Jan Aarogya Abhiyan on September 25 across the country to provide healthcare to 50 crore people

14. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare

15. Govt cannot shut eyes when the country is being looted. We stopped Rs 90,000 crore fraudulently going into wrong hands

16. Money under welfare schemes was going into the hands of people who never existed. This government stopped it

17. We will not tolerate black money and corruption which, like termite, have ruined the country

18. Women personnel recruited through short service commission to be given permanent commission like men in armed forces

19. I will leave no stone unturned to ensure that Muslim women do not suffer due to triple talaq. There are still some people who do not want triple talaq law to be passed in the Parliament

20. We will move forward in J-K by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse (Goli and Gaali)

21. Left Wing Extremism is now restricted to 90 districts against 126 earlier. We are working to ensure peace across the nation

22. Rule of law is supreme for us. There should be no compromise on it

23. We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way

24. Number of direct tax payers in the country nearly doubled to 6.75 crore after our government came to power

25. Honest taxpayer has big role in progress of country as it is due to them that lives of poor are transformedBritish citizen of Sudanese origin Salih Khater was driving the car that injured three persons in a terror attack outside British Parliament, government sources said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: A police officer stands at the vehicle barrier to the Houses of Parliament where a car crashed after knocking down cyclists and pedestrians in London. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

The 29-year-old, who has studied electrical engineering in Sudan, lived in Birminghams Sparkhill district. He describes himself as a shop manager.

He was held on suspicion of terrorism by Scotland Yards Counter-Terrorism Command after the crash yesterday.

Khater, a British citizen originally from Sudan, continues to be questioned at a south London police station as searches are undertaken at three addresses in Birmingham and Nottingham as part of the investigation.

It has emerged that he spent 90 minutes trawling the area around the Houses of Parliament before speeding into the barriers, having travelled up from Birmingham, overnight on Monday.

The suspect, who is yet to be officially named by police, had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology, according to his Facebook page.

Abubakr Ibrahim, a childhood friend of Khater, told The Times: No, no, no. He is not a terrorist. I have known him since childhood. He is a good man.

He said that Khater was the son of sorghum farmers. He had moved to Britain about five years ago, having studied electrical engineering in Khartoum.

Ibrahim said: His family are very simple and they let him travel to London to help them.

The suspects Sparkbrook rental property in Birmingham is a 10-minute drive from the former home of Khalid Masood, the terrorist shot dead by armed officers during the last attack on Parliament in March last year.

He is not believed to have been known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police and did not co-operate with officers after his arrest.

Khater drove the car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside Parliament during rush hour, injuring three persons.

It was the second terrorism incident on the iconic building in central London since March last year.

On Tuesday, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the National Lead for Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, said, we are treating it as a terrorist incident.

A meeting of the UK governments Cobra emergency committee was held in the wake of the attack.

A Met police spokesperson said that there was nobody else in the vehicle. No weapons have been recovered at this stage.

The car was seen wedged into flap-style barriers that allows vehicles access to the House of Lords, giving the impression that the driver may have been trying to gain access to the Parliament building.

The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete.

Parliament is currently not sitting.

Britains terror threat level remains at severe, which means an attack is highly likely, since a series of terrorist attacks last year.

The UK has been on high alert since the March 2017 attack in which Khalid Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing five, before going on a stabbing spree at the gates of Parliament. It was followed by a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May, which claimed 23 lives.

In June last year, a group of three Islamic State-inspired men rammed a vehicle into pedestrians in London Bridge area before going on a stabbing frenzy, killing eight people before being shot by armed officers.The world had almost completely forgotten about Partition, and many never learned about it, says Guneeta Singh Bhalla, the woman who founded the 1947 Partition Archive.

IMAGE: The 1947 Partition Archive exhibit was held last year at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Photograph: Kind courtesy @Guneeta_SB/Twitter

About two decades ago, on a rainy winter afternoon in New York, I waited at a street corner for my father to drive by and pick me up. I was 15 and had just finished a college tour at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

Just then the rain and wind picked up, so I hurried to seek shelter at the closest open shop. It happened to be a darkly lit Goodwill second-hand goods shop.

I waited out the rainstorm in Goodwill.

There, an intriguing wall piece caught my eye: A crumbled poster had been straightened and placed in a frame, a small piece of painters tape with the writing $20 stuck to its corner.

The poster depicted thousands of little stick humans coming together to build a giant structure in the form of a rainbow. 'Building a Rainbow', it read across the bottom.

I was instantly drawn to it: thousands of humans were coming together anonymously to build something far greater than themselves. I thought about buying the piece, but didn't in that moment.

Days later, I changed my mind and headed back to Goodwill, only to find it gone.

I was left with nothing but a memory and I let it sear itself deeply in my mind. I took inspiration in the thought of being part of such a movement.

IMAGE: People pray in front of the cenotaph for the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. Photograph: Kyodo/via Reuters

A decade later, a critical moment in my life would arrive when the concept of building a rainbow would become the solution, and the best way forward in surmounting the greatest challenge I had ever faced.

Fast forward to June 2008. I was at the University of Tokyo that summer on a fellowship for research towards my PhD in physics.

Curiosity and a family connection took me to Hiroshima one weekend.

My maternal great grandfather, who served as an officer in the British army via the royal armed forces of Patiala state, was apparently stationed near there, possibly as a spy for the British and masquerading as a doctor, when the atomic bomb was dropped.

He partially lost his hearing.

It is a family tale which we have never attempted to verify with historical record.

Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial that June was a life-changing experience for me.

I was deeply transformed after listening to eyewitness memories and personal experiences of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

I had watched movies on the bombing and read books, yet nothing hit me so viscerally as the recorded witness accounts. I could feel their struggle by watching them tell it themselves.

Not only did they suffer the trauma of the bombing, but many could not get jobs or marry after the bombing as they were considered 'contaminated'.

Their stories had inspired the global nuclear non-proliferation movement.

It was in that transformational moment that an idea clicked.

Growing up, I had heard stories of Partition and the millions of people that it affected. Yet it was not mentioned in my high school history texts.

This bothered me deeply.

In that moment in Hiroshima, I realised that my grandmother and others like her would need to tell the world their own stories -- only then could we truly understand the trauma of Partition.

A quick Google search verified that nothing of the kind had ever been attempted. There was no archive of public records or public memory on Partition.

In fact, the world had almost completely forgotten about Partition, and many never learned about it.

IMAGE: Guneeta Singh Bhalla with film-maker Gurinder Chadha. Photograph: Kind courtesy @Guneeta_SB/Twitter

I began recording stories on my Sony hobby camcorder that winter, in early 2009, while on a trip to visit my grandparents in Faridkot, Punjab.

By June 2010, I was living in California, immersed in post-doctoral research at the University of California in Berkeley.

That June, the last member of my grandmothers generation, her brother Haravtar Sodhi, in his 90s, died without having his memories recorded. A few months earlier I had visited him in Anandpur Sahib but had forgotten to take my camcorder along.

The loss hit me on many levels.

Not only had we lost a family member, but one who took with him a lifetime of learnings and lessons, many of which were not passed down to us or recorded anywhere.

In our modern day and age, many of us arent growing up with our grandparents and hence are missing out on ancestral knowledge.

I realised then that I could not do this work alone.

There were thousands of others like him and my grandmother, who had memories of living through the Partition of 1947. We needed a massive team effort. And we would be racing against time.

Then, a moment of clarity struck.

That painting I had seen so long ago cropped up and offered the perfect solution for reviving this public memory of Partition. Thousands of us needed to join hands in building it together, just like the people did in 'Building a Rainbow'.

By then, in 2010, this concept in the modern digital age had a name: crowdsourcing (incidentally coined by physicists at Berkeley).

IMAGE: The 1947 Partition Archive is South Asia's largest oral history collection. Photograph: Kind courtesy @Guneeta_SB/Twitter

I was overcome by an obsession to do what it took to ensure we did not lose the remaining memories of Partition.

I dropped nearly everything in my life -- my career in physics and my personal life -- to devote my time to the cause.

By 2013, I was volunteering full-time to coordinate the effort to record oral histories together globally. We were posting them on social media, which inspired others from around the world to record stories in their families.

Thus began the 1947 Partition Archive, South Asia's largest oral history collection.

Stories were being recorded by people of every ethnicity and background, because Partition witnesses had migrated all over the world, to all sorts of neighbourhoods and communities.

In the process, stories we never expected from places we never imagined began to pour in.

There were stories from East and West Bengal as well as East and West Punjab.

They were mirror stories that reflected the mutual nature of the communal violence, and the unprecedented foot caravans captured so poignantly in Margaret Bourke-White's photography.

Every group was a victim and every group was a violator as well.

Some truly unexpected stories also began to appear in the Archive.

Stories came in from a kibbutz in Israel, of young boys from India's ancient Bene Israel Jewish community who migrated from Karachi to Pune in 1947 and were then recruited to help build Israel in 1948.

The 1947 India-Pakistan and the 1948 Israel-Palestine Partitions were connected in more ways than one.

IMAGE: '"My Aunty was beheaded by my uncle. How can I ever forget?" Brigadier Bakshi #VoicesOfPartition @1947Partition @IndiaCultureLab'. Photograph: Kind courtesy @Guneeta_SB/Twitter

As it turned out, I was not alone in feeling the lack of documentation around the world's largest forced migration and unnecessary refugee crisis.

There were thousands of others just as curious as myself and together we have recorded over 6,000 oral histories.

Given that each story is a carefully recorded video session that can last several hours, this is no small feat.

There is meta data and other information that the interviewer must then spend hours processing.

It is a task that requires a genuine sense of dedication and service to our ancestors, as well as passion.

Eventually some of India's most generous philanthropists also began to take notice of the movement and to accelerate this work they funded scholarships for students recording the stories as well as university research.

They include the Tata Trusts, the A T E Chandra Foundation, Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Ashish Dhawan who also co-founded Ashoka University, Lata Krishna who founded the American India Foundation, Deep Kalra who founded MakeMyTrip, Narinder Kapany who discovered fibre optics and enabled modern communication, among over a thousand others.

IMAGE: 'Stories have been recorded by people of every ethnicity and background, because Partition witnesses had migrated all over the world, to all sorts of neighbourhoods and communities.' Photograph: Kind courtesy @Guneeta_SB/Twitter

Stories have since come in from the Sunderbans, from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, from Kashmir, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the border with Afghanistan, Nagaland and just about every last corner of South Asia.

They are more colourful and diverse in their content than we had ever imagined.

They paint a very nuanced picture of South Asia, of its history, of its myriad of identities before we were 'Indian', 'Pakistani' and 'Bangladeshi', of pre-Partition and pre-Independence life, the Partition experience and the thousands of ways in which people coped, the way it shaped today's politics, culture, social structures, our cities and economics.

These stories are from a time long before there were borders, from when shepherds could roam freely from Delhi to Baghdad.

There is no one defining experience of Partition and the building of modern-day India and Pakistan.

I feel it is imperative that we come to terms with this colourful history so that we move forward on the right footing in the future. Otherwise, political and other forces will fill up the gaps in our knowledge with false histories that serve myopic agendas.

To learn more, please visit the 1947 Partition Archive Web site.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia CommonsIdentity and belonging in a card: How tattered Rohingya IDs trace a trail toward statelessness

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 1 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Identity and belonging in a card: How tattered Rohingya IDs trace a trail toward statelessness, 1 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400dfa.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

COX'S BAZAR, 1 March 2018

By Verena Holzl

IRIN contributor

The pale green identity card in Nurul Hoque's hands is torn and brittle. Time has faded the image of his grandfather, taken years before, to a ghostly outline.

The worn document is his grandfather's decades-old identity card from Myanmar. It's proof, Nurul says, that he and his family are rightful citizens of a country that now rejects them.

"It's all we have left," Nurul says, placing the faded card on a thin sleeping mat in his family's new home: a flimsy tent perched on a hilltop in southern Bangladesh's sprawling Rohingya refugee camps.

The document and those held by other families in the camps are reminders of lives left behind, clung to with the distant hope that they might one day permit a return to Myanmar. But they're also a record of the bureaucratic and often convoluted ways in which Rohingya in Myanmar have been systematically stripped of citizenship, belonging, and their very identity.

The question of citizenship in Myanmar strikes at the core of successive policies and actions that have disenfranchised, trapped, and now evicted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya.

The Muslim Rohingya may be the best-known example of statelessness in Myanmar, but several other ethnic minorities fall foul of its haphazard and selectively enforced citizenship laws. Created in 1982 by Myanmar's then-ruling military junta, the law favours the majority Bamar community and others judged to be among the country's "national races" and excludes others from full citizenship.

The government continues to build its stalled citizenship plans on the 1982 law, which stipulates that only members of ethnic groups that settled within Myanmar before the British conquest in 1824 are automatically eligible for full citizenship. But rights groups and the Rohingya themselves see the law more starkly: an attempt to make an unwanted population stateless.

"The Rohingya were made stateless in order to justify excluding them," says Chris Lewa from The Arakan Project, a Southeast Asia-based rights monitoring group.

More cards, fewer rights

Myanmar's military launched a violent crackdown across northern Rakhine State last August, after a group of Rohingya fighters staged attacks on police and border posts. Nurul and his family joined more than 670,000 people who swept across the border into Bangladesh.

Most Rohingya lost nearly everything in the exodus, escaping on foot with whatever they could carry. One survey in Bangladesh's refugee camps estimated that 94 percent of the new arrivals had no identification whatsoever. But some Rohingya families like Nurul's rushed to save their now-scarce identity cards.

A dizzying array of official identity documents circulate among some Rohingya refugees: worn registration papers like the green card belonging to Nurul's grandfather, frayed and yellowing temporary cards that replaced them, even crumpled up pieces of paper that served as receipts when the last official documents were stripped away.

Over decades in Myanmar, each form of ID was declared invalid or taken from the Rohingya; each replacement carried fewer rights and more restrictions.

The faded green card belonging to Nurul's grandfather, officially called a national registration card, was given to non-foreign male residents of Myanmar, then known as Burma, after 1951. Female residents received a pink equivalent.

In 1982, however, Myanmar's then-ruling junta enacted its new ethnicity-based citizenship laws. Authorities collected the green and pink registration cards from the Rohingya, later replacing them with "white cards"  temporary documents that left a generation of Rohingya in legal limbo.

Understanding the importance of their grandfather's green card, Nurul's family buried the document deep in the ground rather than handing it in.

"We had to keep it as safe as possible," he says.

Before his family fled Myanmar last year, Nurul hastily dug up the old ID, taking it to Bangladesh along with a few old photos and his own newer white card. Nurul sealed the tattered cards and photos in plastic casings after he arrived. When he goes to sleep at night, he places all the documents together under his pillow.

His cherished ID cards may be worthless in Myanmar, but for Nurul, they're the only documents that show he once belonged.

"Maybe the day will come that I need the cards to prove where we are from," Nurul says.

"No Rohingya in Myanmar"

"There are no Rohingya in Myanmar" is a slogan heard on a regular basis in teashops, at nationalist rallies, and even in Myanmar's parliament. A lawmaker recently asked the government to officially declare that Myanmar does not have a Rohingya ethnicity. Instead, many in Myanmar call the group "Bengali"  a derisive nod to their perceived origins, and a label that most Rohingya emphatically reject.

The Rohingya have a long history in the area now known as Rakhine State. But to many in Myanmar, they're seen as intruders from Bangladesh.

Long before last year's exodus, Rohingya in Myanmar faced mounting restrictions that curtailed their everyday movements. Amnesty International calls it "a vicious system of state-sponsored, institutionalised discrimination that amounts to apartheid".

Hasina Khatun, 40, reached Bangladesh last September after a 13-day walk from her burnt village in northern Rakhine. In the previous five years, she says, local authorities had barred fishermen from her village from going out to sea, cutting off their main source of food and income.

But she also recalls a time when things were different. Her father, she says, was once a citizen of Myanmar, able to travel freely and conduct business. A generation later, Hasina wasn't allowed to leave her home after sunset.

Like Nurul's family, Hasina hid her father's green card, suspecting that she might not get an equally valuable document in return. Last September, Hasina says, soldiers set fire to her home in Rakhine State. Before she fled, she jumped into the burning home to salvage her family's identity documents.

Her neighbours told her she was crazy to try something so dangerous. But to her, the documents are invaluable.

"I lost my money, but at least I could save the ID cards," she says. "They are more important to us anyway. They show that we were once a part of Myanmar."

Race and citizenship

There are 135 officially recognised ethnic groups in Myanmar. The Rohingya aren't one of them.

Nick Cheesman, a researcher at the Australian National University who has studied how law is used for political purposes in Myanmar, says the divisive 1982 citizenship law laid the groundwork for ethnicity to be tied so closely to citizenship. While Cheesman says the law is still technically broad enough to grant citizenship to the Rohingya, in practice, it has been used to shut them out.

"In Myanmar, membership of a national race has surpassed citizenship," he says. "Consequently the Rohingya try to be recognised as such, which makes other groups in the country angry."

Even with the majority of northern Rakhine's Rohingya population now ousted from the country, new forms of identification keep piling up.

Myanmar authorities want the Rohingya to apply for yet another type of ID: "national verification cards", part of a highly criticised multi-step citizenship process. While the government says cardholders will eventually be able to apply for citizenship, most Rohingya refused to sign up, fearful that yet another new identification card would leave them even worse off than before.

The process also initially required Rohingya to self-identify as "Bengali"  a deal-breaker for most Rohingya. As of the end of last year, only about 7,600 of these cards had been issued since 2010, according to government statistics.

In Bangladesh's refugee camps, authorities have registered the incoming refugees using biometric data. The resulting plain cards identify cardholders as "Myanmar nationals". For most Rohingya now living in the camps, the cards are the only official ID tying them back to their home.

Before 55-year-old Lalu fled Myanmar last year, authorities there forced him to return his "white card", which the government invalidated in 2015. While these temporary cards fell far short of any form of acknowledged citizenship, they had still permitted Rohingya holders to vote in elections, until the 2015 general election that saw Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy sweep to power.

In exchange for his white card, authorities handed Lalu a slip of paper.

"Look at this crappy thing," Lalu says, unfurling a blueish-green receipt.

He says authorities in Myanmar told him he could go anywhere with the document. "But in reality, I couldn't even move one kilometre," he says bitterly.

Still, he holds on to the receipt, folding the paper six times and putting it back in his pocket.

"Maybe one day I'll need it."

(Photos of identification cards have been edited to remove personal information)

vh/il/ag/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteLessons from Kosovo? How a European hotbed of Islamist extremism deals with returning fighters

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 2 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Lessons from Kosovo? How a European hotbed of Islamist extremism deals with returning fighters, 2 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400e3a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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 country has adopted relatively lenient jail terms and favoured deradicalisation despite its reputation as a fertile recruitment ground for so-called Islamic State

PRISTINA, 2 March 2018

By Helen Nianias

Freelance journalist

Albert Berisha went to Syria expecting heroism on the battlefield. Instead, he found factional squabbles, felt pressure to join so-called Islamic State, and escaped back home to Kosovo after only nine days in a warzone.

In the seven years since the start of Syria's war, Kosovo police have identified 316 Kosovans  including 31-year-old Berisha  who joined up with Islamist extremist groups in Iraq and Syria, including IS, Ahrar al-Sham, and the Nusra Front (now known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham).

Other countries have sent far greater raw numbers of Islamist fighters abroad  Russia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tunisia come out on top  but Kosovo's 316 is the highest number per capita in Europe.

As the supposed "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria crumbles, authorities in a country unflatteringly dubbed "Europe's jihadist stronghold" are wrestling with both how to handle those trickling back, and how to nip radicalisation in the bud.

Despite becoming such a fertile recruiting ground for extremism, the fledgling nation has taken a relatively lenient approach so far: preferring shorter jail terms than many other countries and offering a greater emphasis on deradicalisation.

Berisha, an ethnic Albanian Muslim like the vast majority of Kosovo's citizens, was arrested in a dawn raid the year after his 2013 return. He had spent a few days with the Islamist rebel group Ahrar Al-Sham, where he was taught how to care for and use a Kalashnikov.

Despite his plans to put that knowledge to use, he left before he could begin the official training. Berisha says this was because he realised his hopes of fighting the government of Bashar al-Assad and helping his fellow Sunni Muslims were unlikely to come to fruition.

He managed to leave by telling his commander he had neglected to get permission from his mother to fight. By some miracle, he says, he was excused.

Set to begin his three-and-a-half-year prison term in mid-March, Berisha has started his own organisation to fight radicalisation, after experiencing what it really entails, if only for a few days.

"During my stay I met a group of [ethnic] Albanians who wanted to join IS," he told IRIN. "Eventually, I realised the whole thing was getting out of hand and these Muslims would just kill each other over differences of opinions."

Berisha may not have become a fighter, but some of the most high-profile IS figures have hailed from Kosovo.

Among their number was Ridvan Haqifi. He appeared in an IS propaganda video warning Kosovo of "black days" ahead, before he was killed in combat in February 2017.

Also on that list: Lavdrim Muhaxheri, self-proclaimed IS commander of the Balkans and a former employee of KFOR, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Notorious in Kosovo for a 2014 video showing him beheading a young man in Iraq and for another showing him killing someone else with a rocket-propelled grenade, Muhaxheri was also killed somewhere in the Middle East last year.

Kosovo police say their nationals at first tended to join the Free Syrian Army, and later began a shift towards the Nusra Front. When IS and Nusra parted ways in 2013, most Kosovan recruits starting placing their allegiance with IS.

Last year, a UN Development Programme survey found that nearly three quarters of Kosovans believe there are radicalised people in their local area, that just shy of 70 percent think there is a radicalisation problem within their own community, and that nearly a quarter know someone who has been radicalised.

Kosovo's history of religious and ethnic tension make it particularly susceptible to religious extremism.

After the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, a separatist movement from Kosovo's majority Muslim ethnic Albanian community was brutally crushed by Christian ethnic Serbs, who are a minority in the territory but dominant in Serbia. Thousands were killed and 90 percent of Kosovo's population displaced before a NATO intervention in 1999.

But experts say extremism is about much more than religion.

Despite efforts to rebuild after the war, Kosovo is still troubled, according to James Ker-Lindsay, a professor of politics and policy at St Mary's University in London.

He pointed to a long list of issues including rampant corruption and the fact that new war crimes tribunals are once again raising the ghosts of the 1990s  a prominent Kosovo Serb politician was recently gunned down on the day normalisation talks were to begin between Kosovo and Serbia (which still does not recognise the region's independence).

"Then, there are the problems of economic underdevelopment," added Ker-Lindsay. "The jihadi element comes out of this much bigger problem of a country that is still facing many political, economic, and social difficulties. It's fertile ground for extremism."

Unemployment in Kosovo stands at 30.6 percent, and Kosovar Albanians have few opportunities to leave their troubled region without visas.

The part Kosovo's particular history has played in fostering extremism, however, is hard to pin down, and perhaps differs from individual to individual.

Berisha said he remembers the Kosovo War vividly and recalls wanting to help Kosovo Liberation Army fighters battle Serbs even though he was too young to do so.

"We grew up without having the opportunity to take a gun and protect our families and country," he explained. "Young people have adrenaline and seek adventure."

But Berisha also said that what really galvanised him into action was witnessing the repressive actions of al-Assad's regime in Syria. He then made friends online who encouraged him to head for the Middle East. He wanted to fight, he said, but he also had clear distinctions in his own mind, and travelled to Syria only to "participate in the battlefield and not in executions or massacres or any kind of war crimes."

As it seeks to deal with the root causes of extremism at home, Kosovo appears to be taking a different tack in dealing with returnees than Western nations like the UK, where dual citizens have been stripped of their British nationality and others sentenced to long prison terms.

Fighters returning to Kosovo are often handed five years in jail, or three and a half in Berisha's case.

Kosovo police say they have investigated 400 people on suspicion of terrorism activities since 2013 (a mix of returnees and those who stayed at home), arresting 152 and filing indictments against more than 120. In total, the Kosovo police have registered 133 returnees, including several children.

The government has also put in place what it calls a "holistic" programme to prevent radicalisation, in anticipation of a further flow of returnees.

It is supporting non-governmental organisations and religious institutions in projects including debates with citizens, seminars, and workshops that combat radicalisation. There is also work inside prisons to prevent extremist ideology from spreading.

In some parts of Kosovo, the government is also testing out a pilot programme that is supposed to identify extremism quickly and enable teachers, psychologists, and parents to intervene early.

Despite all this, Berisha, for one, insists that substantive help has been slow to arrive and is still underfunded. "I haven't seen willingness by the government to tackle the problem," he said.

Security concerns aside, there's another reason Kosovo is eager to crush radicalism.

Reports referring to Kosovo as "Europe's capital of jihad" and the like are a major embarrassment for a government that is hoping to join the EU and align itself more closely with Western Europe.

Colonel Luan Keka, deputy director of Kosovo police's Directorate Against Terrorism, told IRIN he was confident the efforts the country has made will "only help strengthen its position internationally and improve its chances of joining the EU."

"Kosovo is truly at the forefront and a flagship in the region for its efforts to counter radicalism and violent extremism," he said. "We cannot change the past and we will not ignore the facts. That said, I believe that Kosovo is on the right path forward."

Identity is a key part of the EU question, with no majority-Muslim nation yet a member and Kosovo keen to present itself as a voice of moderation.

"People like to say Islam is alien to Europe, but we have a long tradition of it," said Ker-Lindsay. "The war of [the] 1990s brought identities to the fore, and we can see the way the [Christian] Serbs have become very radicalised and the Church is a much stronger force than it was in Yugoslavia. We're seeing it across the Balkans, it just has a different outlet in Kosovo."

Despite the numbers, it would be a mistake to hold Kosovo solely accountable for the region's radicalised fighters. Just over the border, in the Muslim-majority SandAak region of Serbia, a family is still coming to terms with the fallout of their son's actions.

Eldar Kundakovic left only a note punctuated with smiley faces to tell his mother and father he had gone to help his fellow Muslims in Syria. Aged 27, he died in April 2013 during an offensive with a small unit of Balkans fighters to release rebel prisoners.

His father, Esad, and mother, Nasija, are still living with the shock and grief. Eldar was radicalised after seeing social media videos of Muslims being persecuted.

The SandAak region is, like Kosovo, impoverished and lacking in jobs and opportunities for young people. Many go and study in Belgrade or Istanbul to try and break out of the small bubble.

In Serbia, sentences for terrorism are typically around eight years and researchers say radicals are often held in prison cells with other non-radicalised convicts (a practice Kosovo avoids).

Heavy jail sentences won't help returnees, said Esad, who, like Berisha, now works to combat radical ideology.

He believes it counterproductive to overly punish people after they come home as this only encourages more people to become radicalised: "It is not the time to punish it, because it would give support to young people who go to fight."

hn/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websitePakistan's NGO crackdown prompts widening alarm among aid workers

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 6 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Pakistan's NGO crackdown prompts widening alarm among aid workers, 6 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400e74.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Critics say the threat of looming aid sector shutdowns is already hitting the country's most vulnerable

By Aamir Saeed

Bhagwal/Pakistan, 6 March 2018

The closest government-run health clinic is more than an hour's drive from the village of Bhagwal, in Pakistan's Punjab province, but for expectant mother Mehreen Bibi, it might as well be a world away.

Pregnant with her second child, the 24-year-old can't afford the roundtrip fare or the thousand rupees  about $15  it would cost to see a gynaecologist. Instead, she relies on a free NGO-run health clinic in her village. But for the past two months, she's been waiting for a doctor who never arrives.

After a difficult pregnancy a year ago, Bibi wants to consult a doctor to see if it's safe to deliver her second child. But funding shortages have forced the village clinic to cut key staff and services: no more ultrasound facilities, no more ambulances, and as of six months ago, no more gynaecologists.

"This centre was catering to the needs of poor patients, especially pregnant women, but now the doctors don't visit," Bibi said, cradling her first child on her lap.

Local NGOs say the cutbacks are an immediate example of how a growing government crackdown on the aid sector is impacting the country's most vulnerable.

"The majority of pregnant women now rely on untrained midwives for deliveries. That is unsafe and dangerous"

Pakistan's government has slapped punitive taxes on NGOs, threatened to shut down international organisations that don't meet opaque new registration requirements, and launched a separate graft investigation across the sector. International NGOs work in key sectors including disaster response and health in places like Bhagwal, where government services don't always reach. Advocates warn that millions of people across the country could face new risks.

The volatile environment has forced many local NGOs dependent on donor funding to claw back their services, says Syed Kamal Shah, who heads Rahnuma, the family planning NGO that runs the free health clinic in Bhagwal village. Shah says his organisation can only accept funding from international NGOs whose registration has been approved by the government. But with only half of the 139 international NGOs in Pakistan so far granted approval, funding sources are increasingly limited.

"This is impacting thousands of [our] beneficiaries in remote areas of the country, but we are helpless," Shah told IRIN.

Looming shutdowns

In December, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior rejected registration applications for more than 20 international NGOs  a group including prominent organisations like ActionAid, Plan International, Marie Stopes, and World Vision, which have programmes covering disaster response and preparedness, displacement, health, and education. The groups were given 60 days to shut down, but the government allowed the NGOs to keep working pending an appeal period set to expire at the end of March.

"If these INGOs fail to prove their credentials in the appeal process, they will not be allowed to work in Pakistan," Yasir Shakeel, a spokesman for the ministry, told IRIN. "We are minutely scrutinizing all their financial record and history of work in Pakistan to determine whether they should be allowed to work in Pakistan or not."

The government says it is regulating organisations that have overstepped their mandates. But the affected international NGOs say they've not been told why registration applications have been rejected.

Nargis Khan, who works for the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, which represents 63 international NGOs in the country, including 11 that had their registrations rejected in December, urged the government to make the ongoing appeal process "fair and transparent".

Khan says the 11 organisations alone represent $124 million in donor funding committed to Pakistan this year. She said the money fuels vital health, education and other programmes that reach 8.7 million people around the country  services that could be lost if the aid groups are kicked out.

"All this may come to a halt if the government does not change its attitude toward the foreign aid organisations," she said.

Critics see the government's moves against NGOs as part of a larger crackdown targeting civil society.

In 2015, Pakistan shifted oversight of NGOs from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Interior, which oversees immigration and security. That same year, it forced Save the Children, which has responded to disasters across the country, to temporarily suspend its operations. Last year, Medecins Sans Frontieres said the government offered no explanation when it forced the group to withdraw from the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where it had been providing emergency healthcare to tens of thousands of people each year for 14 years.

Mohammad Tahseen, convener of the Pakistan Civil Society Forum, says local NGO staff face frequent harassment when going about their work.

"The space for working in a free environment is fast shrinking as the government has started seeing the operations of all NGOs and INGOs through a security lens only," Tahseen told IRIN.

Muhammad Amir Rana, security analyst and director of the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies, said the government's moves are meant to punish organisations perceived as criticising human rights in Pakistan. He believes the government's aim is to pressure some NGOs to leave the country.

"It will only bring embarrassment and shame to Pakistan if the INGOs are forced to wind up their operations," he said.

Uncertain future

For now, local NGOs are continuing to work amid the funding uncertainty. Back at the clinic in Bhagwal village, health worker Samia Naz has taken on daunting new responsibilities.

On a recent visit, Naz checked a patient's blood pressure while several other women sat waiting on a wooden bench.

Naz fears the recent funding cuts will soon have a devastating effect on women from the dozen nearby villages who depend on the small two-room clinic.

"The majority of pregnant women now rely on untrained midwives for deliveries," she told IRIN. "That is unsafe and dangerous."

The clinic, she said, usually performs six to eight deliveries each month. Without a doctor, however, the responsibility now falls to her  even though she hasn't been trained to carry out safe deliveries.

"Mothers come to me for help and I cannot turn them away," she said.

as/il/am/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteAfter conflict, cholera

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 8 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, After conflict, cholera, 8 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400e94.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Uganda struggles amid new Congolese refugee influx

HOIMA, 8 March 2018

By Samuel Okiror

A regular IRIN contributor based in Kampala

As Congolese fleeing attacks in the northeastern Ituri province continue to stream into neighbouring Uganda, an outbreak of cholera with a worryingly high mortality rate is hampering efforts to respond to the sudden influx.

A lack of adequate funds is frustrating the response not only to the disease outbreak, but also to the wider needs of the new arrivals.

Since the exodus began in January, some 48,000 Congolese, mostly from the Hema and Bagagere communities, have arrived in Uganda by crossing Lake Albert. In Ituri, dozens of people have been killed, thousands of houses burned and more than 100,000 people displaced.

As of March 6, some 1,466 suspected cases of cholera had been recorded among the refugees, according to the Ugandan government, which said 32 people had died of the highly infectious disease.

That's a mortality rate of 2.2 percent. While that's a significant decline from the four percent recorded a fortnight ago, when treated early and correctly, cholera tends to kill less than one percent of those infected.

"We are not doing enough to respond first," David Alula, of Medical Teams International, an NGO, told IRIN at a 50-bed cholera treatment centre in Sebarogo, a fishing village on the Ugandan shore of Lake Albert. "More attention needs to be paid to address the situation."

Those fleeing the Democratic Republic of Congo arrive in Sebarogo and other coastal villages, where they are screened. Many are already infected with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium that causes cholera.

Sometimes it takes several days before refugees are transferred to the town of Kagoma, where they are registered and then transported to refugee "settlements."

One such settlement, Kyangwali, is home to 45,000 refugees, and has registered hundreds of cases of cholera.

The Ugandan official in charge of Kyangwali, Jolly Kebirungi, told IRIN the outbreak had caught people off-guard.

"We had not planned for this kind of sickness all along. Everything is being doubled on the ground, and more efforts are [being] put in place to make sure it's contained," she said, citing as current priorities water treatment, staff recruitment, mass mobilization, and investigations into what caused the outbreak.

"It's something which is overstretching our resources but which we must handle to make sure we save the lives of these people," she added.

Kebirungi added that international support was needed to manage the caseload and to ensure adequate medication and staff.

Overstretched

Uganda hosts some 1.4 million refugees, about a third of whom fled the civil war in South Sudan. In Uganda, refugees are accommodated not in tented camps but in settlements, where they are allocated plots of land that they can farm and build their homes on.

Alula said that teams from the UN's World Health Organisation, Uganda's Ministry of Health  which has set up a dedicated task force to tackle the cholera outbreak  and local officials were on hand but were "ill facilitated."

"We need more teams to help us at the community level to carry door-to-door campaigns, more manpower to back the medical teams at clinical case management side, and additional ambulances to help us move forward to contain the outbreak," he said.

According to Delphine Pinault, the country director for CARE International, the cholera outbreak is affecting other aspects of the response to the refugee influx, whose needs in terms of water, food, shelter and other essentials are not being met.

"CARE's support to gender-based violence (GBV) survivors is made more difficult, as there is less attention to other critical GBV interventions, like post-exposure prophylaxis kits for cases of rape," she said.

Pinault explained that given the high levels of trauma resulting from "sexual violence, physical assault on an unimaginable scale," women among the refugees desperately need psychosocial support as well as basic sanitary items to "restore their dignity."

"In the case of children losing parents or caregivers, it poses protection risks. It also causes a lot of stress and anxiety among an already highly traumatized population, increasing the demand on protection actors," added Pinault.

"At least I am safe"

Speaking to IRIN in Kagoma, an anguished Mariane Arobo, among the new arrivals, said her sick baby had been crying for three days.

"I haven't got proper medical treatment for her at all," she said. "I have no money to buy medicine. I don't have enough breast milk, and no baby food to feed her. I need urgent help to treat my daughter."

Another refugee, Mohammed Wikpa, complained that Kagoma was congested.

"There is a lack of shelter," he said. "Some of us sleep in the open. If it rains we suffer. But at least I am safe here. I don't hear guns or fear of being killed. Back home people are being killed and slaughtered like animals. I saw dead bodies littered all over. Women are raped."

Funding gaps

Aid workers said the response to the cholera outbreak, accelerated by poor sanitary conditions, had been compromised by a shortage of human and financial resources.

International funding for humanitarian aid in Uganda is under threat because of a corruption scandal implicating senior officials. Four people, including the commissioner for refugees, Apollo Kazungu, were suspended last month over accusations of exaggerating refugee numbers. Millions of donor dollars have reportedly gone missing.

According to Andie Lambe, the executive director of the International Refugee Rights Initiative, even before the cholera outbreak "the minimal funding available to support the response to the DRC refugee influx was already seriously strained, and actors were struggling to service the most basic and immediate needs of the refugees."

The UN Refugee agency is a case in point: this year its Ugandan operations have been budgeted at $474.4, but it has only received $23.2 million to date.

The UN's World Food Programme is similarly cash-strapped, according to its senior regional spokesman, Peter Smerdon.

"Unless new funding is received in the coming weeks, WFP foresees serious shortages in cereals and special nutritious foods beginning in April 2018," he said. "Cash shortages will begin in July 2018."

Lambe insisted that whatever concerns donors have about Uganda's refugee system, "the priority [...] must always remain on ensuring the welfare and protection of the refugees themselves."

"Now is the time to focus on improving the response and making it more effective, not to withdraw aid, as this will only have the obvious impact of making the refugees' suffering worse," she said.

so/am/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteiStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- As hundreds of families begin rebuilding after their homes were destroyed or damaged by the wildfires in California the Trump administration's trade policies could increase the price tag for building new homes.



More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the wildfires in California this year and hundreds more homes and buildings have been damaged.



The Trump administration has enacted tariffs on materials used for construction, including lumber, steel, and aluminum. Prices of appliances like washing machines and solar panels are also expected to go up as a result of tariffs, which could add to costs of rebuilding or repairing homes damaged by fires.



The National Association of Home Builders says the supply of lumber in the U.S. is not enough to meet demand and that prices have been going up since January 2017, and even more so since the president levied tariffs on lumber from Canada.



The group estimates that lumber prices have increased the price of an average single-family home by $4,000 based on current lumber prices.



Overall homes are getting more expensive and more are outside the budget for families earning the median income in the U.S. NAHB says housing affordability is at a 10-year low in the second quarter of 2018.



Tight inventory conditions and rising construction costs are factors that are holding back housing and putting upward pressure on home prices, said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, in a statement earlier this month. Meanwhile, tariffs on Canadian lumber imports into the U.S. are further eroding housing affordability. Builders are struggling to manage these costs to ensure pricing does not outpace expected gains in wage growth.



President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that tariffs are leading to "great new trade deals." He has previously announced that the U.S. will work with the European Union to relieve tariffs on steel and aluminum but has not said that he will remove the tariffs on Canadian lumber or reach a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement.



But tariffs aren't the only thing driving up the price of buying a new home.



Several cities in California already have some of the least affordable housing markets in the country, according to NAHB and the National Association of Realtors. Higher mortgage rates, the availability of labor, and a more competitive market in larger markets could also drive up the costs for homeowners or developers looking to buy or build new homes.



Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said economic growth, low unemployment, and a large population of young people should be driving home sales but that the lack of new homes are driving prices higher.



"The unaffordable conditions in many of the largest metro areas  especially in the West  continues to be a growing concern for many middle-class households aspiring to buy a home, Yun said of the most recent home sales numbers. Homebuilders, facing higher costs and labor shortages, are simply not producing enough affordable homes to satisfy demand."

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.IdRatherBeSkiing said: I am always in favour of more days off. I like the 06/21 date better as it has a better chance of good weather. Maybe they can force it to be on a Monday such that we could get a long weekend as well. Click to expand...

Laws against assault exist already, though I think we should tighten our laws pertaining to noise and air pollution caused by fireworks. Maybe ban them at least in urban centres.You see? My point exactly. If we make it a statutory holiday, it would soon degenerate into an excuse for parties.If the goal is for it to serve as a solemn day, then we might want to take some notes from some veterans who oppose making Remembrance Day a Statutory holiday.Now I suppose I could see a twist to this. If let's say that day was the last day that the last residential school closed its door for good in 1996 (which I presume would have been around the end of the school year just before Summer break, though I'd have to look into it), then it could be made into a celebratory holiday rather than a mournful one. But even then, we have enough statutory holidays already.Tales of terror from Congo's Ituri province

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 8 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Tales of terror from Congo's Ituri province, 8 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400eb4.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Refugees recount killings and a harrowing lake crossing to Uganda

KAGOMA, 8 March 2018

By Samuel Okiror

A regular IRIN contributor based in Kampala

Tens of thousands of people have fled clashes in Democratic Republic of Congo's northeast Ituri Province over recent weeks, travelling by boat to reach Uganda.

Dozens are reported to have been killed in the violence, in which members of the Lendu community have reportedly targeted Hema and Bagagere citizens. More than 48,000 refugees have arrived since January, and more than 100,000 people remain displaced in the DRC.

It is unclear what triggered this latest unrest in a region that has been relatively calm since 2007. This blog from the Congo Research Group offers some possible causes. Between 1999 and 2003, Ituri was the theatre of a fierce conflict involving Lendu and Hema militias.

What is certain, based on the testimony of refugees gathered by IRIN in Kagoma, the Ugandan town where new arrivals are registered, is that the violence is spreading terror across several parts of Ituri.

Here are some of their stories:

Madroo Loch, 36, from Tchomia (an area 60 km east of Bunia, the provincial capital)

We have been peaceful and calm [in Ituri] for some years. However, in December 2017 the fighting started again. In February it escalated. We couldn't do anything. The Lendu were cutting and killing people. The fighting forced us to flee into Uganda for safety.

I had to pay for my wife and two children to board a boat to cross into Uganda. The journey was risky. The winds were strong. It was a six-hour journey. It was all about prayers to cross safely. I saw a woman and a child drowned. I couldn't help.

We are lucky we arrived safe. Life is hard. It's difficult to cope. We left everything behind. I don't have anything to provide to the children.

But at least we are safe here. We shall struggle and gamble. I can't go back to Congo with my family. We are tired of the violence, fighting and wars. We need peace in Ituri. We want a peaceful country, Congo. God help us.

Mariane Arobo, from Toregesi

The situation back home is terrible. It's all about fighting and killings. The Lendu tribesmen armed with pangas, arrows, spears, axes and machetes kept attacking our villages and killing people.

I fled here last week. The fighting escalated. I am feeling tired. I had to walk and hide in the bush with the baby for two days. There was no food or water. The baby was crying of hunger. But I couldn't breastfeed. I didn't have milk.

I think my husband remained behind. At the time when the violence broke out my husband had gone for his business. I am sure he is alive, but we haven't communicated. I am sure he will come and be reunited with us.

I have nothing. There was no time to even pick the baby's clothes, or mine. I had to abandon everything and run to save our lives. I wonder how to start a new life here.

The child is sick. The baby has been crying for the last three days. But I haven't got her treatment. It's hard to get treatment from the health facility. It's crowded and congested.

I don't have money to buy medicine. I don't have enough milk in my breasts. I wish my husband was around. Maybe he could have helped out.

Mohammed Wikpa, 26, from Tchomia

I am a commercial motorcycle rider. I was still at home planning to go to work when the fighting broke out. I heard bullets and gunshots. I took off without my family members.

I saw so many people on the way running away because of the attacks and killings by the Lendu. I saw bodies of dead people. The Lendu cut and killed them.

It was a struggle and fight to board a canoe to cross Lake Albert into Uganda. I had to abandon my motorcycle that I treasured so much. There was no way of crossing with it, as the canoe was small.

As for my family members, I don't know where they could be. I haven't heard from them since I arrived here. I don't know whether they are alive or dead.

You know people are being killed and slaughtered like animals. Women are being raped. People have suffered.

This place [Kagoma] is congested. There is lack of shelter. Some of us sleep in the open. If it rains we suffer. But at least I am safe here. I don't hear gunshots and don't have fears of being killed.

Ruth Neema, 20

I am 20 years old. I gave birth to triplets last week. I ran from my village in Ituri when the tribal clashes begun. The Lendu tribe were killing us of the Bagegere tribe.

As being a pregnant person, it was very challenging on my way here. But with God's grace I was able to make it to Kagoma, where I am currently staying and waiting to be resettled.

While here I went into labour, and I was rushed by ambulance to a health centre where I delivered triplets. Two girls and one boy.

I am alone here with the children. I lost contact with my husband during flight. I don't know which direction he fled. I have not heard from him since. I am worried about him. I don't know whether he is still alive or dead. I am hoping he will join us soon.

Without him it will be hard for me to bring care and bring up these triplets single-handedly. I need the support of their father.

Moses Baraka, 26, from Tchomia

When will the brutal violence in Ituri end? What shall we do if the war doesn't end? This ethnic violence had stopped. We have been living peacefully. But it's back again, and people fleeing their homes.

The situation here is dire. There is a cholera outbreak that is killing people. There's a lack of water, not enough food and shelter. I sleep in the open.

I don't have money to buy stuff like soap. I have to borrow soap from people to wash my clothes.

We want the UN to help and get us out from here. I want the UN to take us to America and get good life. We need jobs and to enjoy good life.

Loris Mambo, 38

There is no peace in Ituri Province. All you hear now is fighting and killings. The Lendu are killing, cutting people and burning villages. The Lendu burnt homes.

I had to flee with my four children and wife. We came here around mid-February.

When the violence broke out, the FARDC [Congolese government] soldiers were sent to stop it. But they didn't do anything. They looked on as the Lendu continued to kill the Bagerere.

We wanted to fight back at the Lendu, but the soldiers stopped us. We couldn't do much. We had to flee and crossed into Uganda through Lake Albert using small boats in the risky water journey.

We shall continue to survive on posho [maize meal] and beans here. But we can't go back to Congo.

We shall only go back to Congo when President [Joseph] Kabila is out of power. President Kabila has failed. He must go.

What kind of a president and commander in chief is he? He should have issued orders to stop the massacres. We haven't heard any intervention from the regional leaders. They have betrayed the people of Congo.

so/am/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteMyanmar levels former Rohingya villages to build camp for returnees

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 12 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Myanmar levels former Rohingya villages to build camp for returnees, 12 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400ed4.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

12 March 2018

By Irwin Loy

Asia Editor

Myanmar has bulldozed entire Rohingya villages to make way for a massive camp at the centre of a stalled plan to house returning refugees, an analysis of new satellite imagery shows.

One rights group describes the imagery as evidence of an escalating push to demolish former Rohingya land and militarise vast swathes of northern Rakhine State  the flashpoint for violence that last year drove out more than 671,000 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh.

An analysis of satellite images done for IRIN by UNOSAT, a United Nations programme that produces humanitarian mapping, shows extensive land clearance and new construction near Hla Poe Kaung village in Rakhine's Maungdaw Township. Myanmar authorities have identified the area as the site of a planned camp that would house returning Rohingya refugees.

The imagery shows that over seven weeks, from early January to late February, at least four villages in the area were almost completely levelled, leaving little trace of the Rohingya homes that once stood there. At least 110 new buildings and what appear to be two helicopter landing pads were constructed in that time, according to the analysis, which estimated that at least 240 hectares of land had been cleared.

The activity near Hla Poe Kaung mirrors extensive clearance and reconstruction across northern Rakhine  part of what rights groups say is an attempt to dramatically reshape the landscape in the aftermath of last year's Rohingya exodus. Amnesty International on Monday released satellite images it said showed large-scale bulldozing and new infrastructure  including at least three new military bases  being built around the northern townships. It also showed roads and buildings emerging over Rohingya land and villages that were torched and emptied last year.

"Burnt Rohingya homes and markets are being bulldozed, and surrounding trees and farmland cleared away," Matt Wells, Amnesty's senior crisis advisor, told IRIN. "Where Rohingya villages stood months earlier, the Myanmar authorities are constructing new security force bases, roads, and other infrastructure."

Human Rights Watch says that Myanmar authorities have cleared more than 55 former Rohingya villages across the state in recent weeks.

Authorities in Myanmar have framed reconstruction as part of a broader scheme to develop the impoverished northern Rakhine region. The new camp emerging at Hla Poe Kaung is a central part of a controversial repatriation plan for Rohingya refugees, which has languished for weeks after a late January start date fizzled. Myanmar authorities have said returnees will be housed temporarily in Hla Poe Kaung.

But the satellite images show parts of the Hla Poe Kaung camp are built directly over the remnants of Rohingya villages that were damaged or destroyed during last year's violence. Rights groups and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh say Myanmar's military and neighbouring ethnic Rakhine villagers torched homes and killed civilians, emptying the state's northern townships of most of its former Rohingya inhabitants. Myanmar authorities say the military was responding to attacks on border outposts by a group of Rohingya fighters

The widening footprint of the Hla Poe Kaung repatriation camp shown in satellite images aligns with on-the-ground reports from Rohingya who had been living in the area until mid-January, according to the Arakan Project, a rights monitoring group. Sources told the group that 12 families were living under plastic tents on the site of their former homes, which had been razed in last year's violence. Later in January, however, authorities pushed the remaining families out by force, according to Chris Lewa, the group's director.

"Authorities first informed villagers that there will be a camp for returnees in Hla Poe Kaung," Lewa told IRIN. "They brought bulldozers to level the ground and destroy whatever was left standing after the arson attacks, including mosques and trees in the people's yards."

Myanmar authorities have refused to allow independent investigations into last year's violence and continue to place heavy restrictions on aid groups operating throughout Rakhine. The UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, says it has been barred from accessing the worst-hit parts of northern Rakhine since last August, when Myanmar's military crackdown began.

Across the border in Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of refugees remain thronged in cramped settlements. Aid groups say the looming cyclone and monsoon seasons pose a grave risk to people in those sprawling camps.

il/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteIraq's Yazidis return to a healthcare crisis

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 16 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Iraq's Yazidis return to a healthcare crisis, 16 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400f0a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A bullet-ridden hospital with one doctor and no ambulance is struggling to meet the growing needs of 25,000 people targeted by so-called Islamic State

SINJAR, 16 March 2018

By Tom Westcott

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

Sinjar, in northeast Iraq, made headlines for the 2014 massacre, enslavement, and displacement of its Yazidi people by militants from the so-called Islamic State. Thousands have since returned to the shattered town, but they are struggling with a lack of basic services, especially medical care.

Patients queue in a dingy corridor in what is left of Sinjar General Hospital to see 27-year-old Hussein Rashu, who was until recently its sole doctor. Hundreds of Yazidis seek treatment here every week, many suffering from complaints induced by ongoing shortages of food, clean drinking water, electricity and heating, and from living in makeshift accommodations.

"I see everyone  men, women, and children  and deal with all [sorts of] cases because there's no one else," explained Doctor Rashu, who qualified in 2014 and can offer only the most basic diagnoses and prescriptions.

This part of the hospital, which once boasted 100 beds and several departments, is one of only two wards that survived IS control of Sinjar, which began in August 2014, when tens of thousands of Yazidis were forced to seek refuge in the nearby mountains.

After massacring more than 1,500 Yazidis and kidnapping another 1,500 women and children as part of a campaign the UN has called genocide, the militants then unleashed destruction on Sinjar. Airstrikes and on-the-ground combat damaged much of what remained of the town, as Yazidi and Kurdish forces fought to regain control of it.

Sinjar and its surrounding villages are the historic refuge of the Yazidis, a long-persecuted Iraqi minority that was singled out by IS for especially cruel treatment. Since liberation in November 2015, more than 4,000 Yazidi families have come back, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 people in all. They have returned to a homeland in need of extensive reconstruction.

Mayor Ferhad Hiamd says that while returnees need housing, food, and clothing, medical care is the most pressing necessity. "We need urgent help here in Sinjar," he told IRIN. "We need everything, but the healthcare situation is particularly critical."

But according to local officials, health workers, and the inhabitants themselves, scant aid has been provided by either the Iraqi government or the Kurdistan Regional Government (which claimed the area as part of its territory until Iraqi forces took control last October). They also accuse UN agencies and major international non-governmental organisations of largely overlooking the town and the scale of its needs.

As one frustrated hospital volunteer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "While the foreign NGO employees are sitting comfortably in the Green Zone in Baghdad or luxury hotels in Erbil, our people are dying here in Sinjar."

Shortages

The desperate need for medical care is exacerbated by the poor living conditions in Sinjar: most returnees live in informal camps, damaged buildings, or rural areas far from the hospital and the one other healthcare centre, which has no doctor and even less to offer patients.

The lack of medical care, as well as shortages of just about everything, makes the prospects of further returns to Sinjar more distant.

Most of the area's estimated 250,000 Yazidis remain in refugee camps scattered around Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria, and Turkey. Others have sought asylum in Europe. Sinjar's Arab and Kurdish populations have also not come home.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi told IRIN the government was keen for all members of the Yazidi community to return to Sinjar but that the area had been badly damaged and needed extensive support and rebuilding.

"We have been talking to the international community and they show interest in Sinjar, but actual support is very slow," he said.

Over this long, harsh winter, so many people sought treatment at the hospital that Doctor Rashu and pharmacist Mourad Khro Mourad lived on site, often working throughout the night.

Mourad said chronic diseases routinely go untreated for lack of medication. NGOs and the health department of Nineveh, the province in which Sinjar sits, do provide some medications, but not enough, he said.

The two work with only six beds, one toilet used by around 150 people a day, and almost no equipment. Doctor Rashu said he eventually needs to refer most patients to better-equipped hospitals in Dohuk or Mosul, some 170 kilometres and 130 kilometres away by road, respectively.

But many patients cannot afford to make the trip, he added, and others are too scared to go to Mosul, a former IS stronghold where many Yazidis had been enslaved.

Transfers

The most urgent cases require swift transfers to other facilities, but Sinjar has no functional ambulances.

Hospital staff say two new ambulances were promised in December by the Nineveh health department  which did not respond to IRIN's request for comment  but these have still not been delivered.

"While the foreign NGO employees are sitting comfortably in the Green Zone in Baghdad or luxury hotels in Erbil, our people are dying here in Sinjar."

This means every emergency case is complicated, and often needs to involve the armed forces controlling Sinjar. These include the Iraqi army, Yazidi units, and a coalition of mostly Shia militias forces known as the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Units).

In early March, three babies suffering from suspected pneumonia needed to be urgently transferred while hooked up to oxygen. Hospital staff had to ask Hashd al-Shaabi forces to take the babies  aged three, five, and six months  to Mosul by military ambulance.

The forces agreed, but the ambulances were not equipped to give the babies oxygen en route. Concerned the babies would not survive the two-and-a-half hour journey to Mosul, they had to first make a detour to a field hospital to get them hooked up.

Days later, hospital staff again called on the Hashd al-Shaabi, requesting that two trauma patients with severe head injuries be transferred.

Doctor Rashu admits it's not ideal to mix civilian medical care with military operations, and notes that some Yazidis are too afraid to get into the ambulances.

"It's not the right way to do things, but we literally have no other choice when faced with patients in a life or death situation," he said. "I am a doctor, and it is my duty to do whatever I can to try and save patients' lives."

While these transfers are dangerously complex and can be difficult to arrange, saving lives in Sinjar itself remains nearly impossible.

Hospital staff say at least 11 people have died in the last six months because of lack of medication, ambulances, medical equipment, and resources.

"Sinjar is being completely ignored," Doctor Rashu said, and mayor Hiamd agreed, adding: "We urge the government and NGOs to recognise the desperate situation here and urgently prioritise helping the people of Sinjar."

New fees

Until a few weeks ago, Sinjar General Hospital received 270-300 patients daily, even with its limited resources.

Those numbers have since halved, officials say, after the Iraqi government introduced new charges for hospital visits and prescriptions at public hospitals.

Although the fees  2,000 Iraqi dinars ($1.70) for a consultation and 1,000 ($.85) for a prescription  are modest, many people in Sinjar can barely afford food.

Doctor Rashu said that while he understands the new system is countrywide, he can't see "why the Iraqi government activated it here in Sinjar, where people are very, very poor."

Mourad, the pharmacist, has already seen the impact of the new costs. He recalled a recent case of a mother and three children, all suffering from influenza. She had only 3,000 Iraqi dinars, so paid for her sickest child to be seen while she and the other two children went without examination or medicine.

Where is the help?

Hospital staff were critical of international NGOs and aid agencies, who they said had done little to help Sinjar, apart from make visits, carry out assessments, and make promises that rarely materialised into practical help.

"We ask them, please, get in your cars and come to Sinjar yourselves to see the reality of our situation," said the hospital volunteer who asked to remain anonymous. "But, if you do come, please don't make promises you cannot keep."

Rene Nijenhuis, deputy head in Iraq of OCHA, the UN's emergency aid coordination body, said the UN has 19 humanitarian partners currently providing assistance in Sinjar (including some in the health field), of which seven are international NGOs. The UN Development Programme has 38 projects in Sinjar, including four in the healthcare field, said a spokesman, Sam Kimball, who added that the rehabilitation of two primary healthcare facilities in the Sinjar region has been completed, while other projects remain "under implementation".

But apart from a polio and measles vaccination programme funded by UNICEF, local medical staff say they have only seen a handful of NGOs operating on the ground in Sinjar. They include: MedAir, which runs a mobile clinic one morning a week to offer basic primary healthcare; the Dutch NGO Dorcas Aid International; and the British NGO Road to Peace.

In the last few weeks, Road to Peace has set up a basic paediatric unit in part of the Sinjar hospital formerly used as an IS base, according to the organisation's director, Sally Becker. Demand to see the international paediatric specialists who stay for weeks at a time has been overwhelming, she says.

"Apart from MedAir and Dorcas, the only NGOs we've seen at the hospital are MSF [Medecins Sans Frontieres]," said Becker. "In the meantime though, the people of Sinjar are desperate."

MSF confirmed it was currently conducting an assessment in Sinjar "to gather information about the healthcare needs of children and adults living in the area, and how MSF can potentially respond."

It isn't always easy to access Sinjar, as NGOs need authorisation from Baghdad to visit or work in the area. One Western NGO told IRIN that getting approvals could be challenging and that, with several different military and civilian groups in control of the region, rules could arbitrarily change.

But the Norwegian Refugee Council, which conducted an assessment in December last year and is waiting for prospective donors to respond on funding requests for Sinjar-specific programmes, said that NGOs with authorisation from Iraq's federal forces were able to access Sinjar.

In the meantime, those who have returned to Sinjar carry on as best they can.

Amshee, 50, was cleaning mats outside what she called a "borrowed" empty house her family had just moved in to. "We need everything here, really everything," she said. "We have no food, no clean water, no money, no work, not even any spare clothes."

tw/as/js/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteThe quest to heal Iraq's Yazidis

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 19 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, The quest to heal Iraq's Yazidis, 19 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400f4a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Inside the understaffed Sinjar hospital where thousands of returnees rely on scant treatment

SINJAR, 19 March 2018

By Tom Westcott

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

After escaping torture, rape, and enslavement by so-called Islamic State in 2014, more than 20,000 of Sinjar's 250,000 Yazidis have returned to what's left of their hometown in northeastern Iraq.

But this homecoming has not been easy. Much of Sinjar was destroyed either by IS or in the battle for liberation. Most Yazidis, an Iraqi religious minority, live in informal camps or damaged buildings, without enough money to buy food or keep themselves warm.

These poor living conditions compound an already desperate medical situation, and hospital staff say extreme shortages of medicine and equipment lead to needless deaths. The UN and a handful of NGOs operate projects in the region, but officials and residents of Sinjar say that is not enough.

At Sinjar General Hospital, one young full-time doctor (only recently put on rotation with a second doctor), a pharmacist, and a handful of visiting aid workers do their best to meet the growing needs of thousands.

"We know Iraq faces a difficult situation everywhere, but Sinjar is being completely ignored," the doctor, Hussein Rashu, says. "It feels as though we are not even part of Iraq."

The following images offer a glimpse into his world and those of his patients.

Six beds, thousands of patients

Doctor Rashu, 27, tends to all the patients in the hospital, but he has no X-ray machine, no ventilation equipment, no laboratory  and only six beds, including the one occupied by this elderly man, whose relative was visiting.

"Even a few hundred people in a village have the right to schools, a hospital, food, and clean water," Doctor Rashu says, "but unfortunately, here in Sinjar, there is nothing."

Social media outcry, but little help

Images of this painfully thin 11-month-old named Warjin Osman Barkat, who was brought to the hospital this winter, circulated on social media. Her family couldn't afford to care for her adequately, and Warjin was diagnosed with extreme malnutrition and dehydration. She was transferred to a children's ward in Dohuk, but her mother couldn't afford to stay in the city, and they returned to Sinjar. Without specialist treatment, Warjin's condition worsened and within a month she died at home, because the hospital, which has no heaters, is too cold for a sick child.

In a statement to IRIN, the World Health Organisation said: "While we do not have exact information on what happened regarding the reported death of the child, we suspect that this unfortunate incident was due to [an] underlying metabolic disorder."

Following the publication of the image, a flurry of concern and attention erupted on social media, but hospital staff say no practical help materialised.

And the deaths continue. In the last two weeks alone, a 45-year-old man has succumbed to a heart attack because treatment was unavailable, and a 70-year-old woman died of unknown causes because the hospital had no resuscitation equipment, according to Doctor Rashu.

Awaiting more aid

Some international non-governmental organisations have stepped in to try to fill the gaps. Italian paediatrician Doctor Merino Andalina spends weeks at a time in a makeshift unit in the hospital set up recently by the British NGO Road to Peace. "There are large holes in the walls where [IS] installed their guns, and extensive damage within the building from coalition bombs," the group's director, Sally Becker, says. "We brought some furniture and medical equipment, and within a couple of days we had an examination room, a pharmacy, and a ward with three beds." The clinic attracts hundreds of patients from across the Sinjar region, but the programme cannot meet the needs of all local Yazidi children, Becker says.

New fees, new hardship

New fees for public healthcare put in place by the Iraqi government have caused patients to cut back on treatment, says pharmacist Mourad Khro Mourad, surveying a ruined section of the hospital. Patients must pay between 85 cents and $1.70, depending on the services and medication they are prescribed, a modest amount that nevertheless few of Sinjar's poverty-stricken residents can afford. "If someone has to pay to see a doctor, they should have access to good facilities and specialist treatment, but here people are paying money only for assessment and basic medicines because our hospital cannot provide anything," says Mourad. "It's very shameful for the government to apply these rules here in Sinjar where people don't even have enough money to buy food."

tw/as-js-ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteFor victims of the Ituri conflict's sexual violence, aid is scarce

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 20 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, For victims of the Ituri conflict's sexual violence, aid is scarce, 20 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400f6a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Overwhelmed by 1.4 million refugees, Uganda is struggling to meet the needs of Congolese rape survivors

By Samuel Okiror

A regular IRIN contributor based in Kampala

KYANGWALI, 20 March 2018

Around 8pm one January night, the bullets started flying through the village of Blukwa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri Province. It was just one incident in a wave of violence that has flared up in the region in recent months, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee.

As with conflicts elsewhere in Congo, rape and other forms of sexual violence feature prominently in the Ituri attacks, in which hundreds of people have been killed.

But for many women and girls who have fled to Uganda, care for their physical and psychological wounds is hard to come by  even when they are willing to seek it out, overlooking the stigma often attached to victims of sexual violence.

Support includes identifying survivors; providing access to psychosocial, medical, and legal services; training health workers in clinical management of rape; and supplying post-rape kits to health facilities.

As Dismas Nkunda, the executive director of Atrocities Watch Africa, noted, Uganda is known for its "robust" refugee regime, one that now accommodates around 1.4 million people who have fled neighbouring countries.

"Providing appropriate support for survivors of rape is mandatory for any refugee protection regime anywhere in the world, so there should be no excuse whatsoever for failure to support these victims," he said.

Francisca Vigaud-Walsh, senior advocate for women and girls at Refugees International, said the reasons for the unmet needs are clear. "It is unsurprising that there is a limited number of services for rape survivors arriving from Ituri into Uganda," she said. "The humanitarian response in Uganda is woefully underfunded, and limited resources are now being diverted to the cholera response," she said.

"When I returned back home in the morning I thought I would find my husband and son . . . They were no more. They had been killed the same night I was terribly raped."

Rape: One survivor's story

Speaking recently from Kyangwali, a sprawling Ugandan settlement for refugees, one former resident of Blukwa recalled the January night she fled. The woman, who did not want to use her name, said she and her husband heard shooting and he went to investigate. "We should run to save our lives," he told her as he returned to the house. "He grabbed our son and ran with him," she recalled. "I tried to follow, but I lost touch. It was dark.

"I couldn't call them, so I decided to go my separate way to hide. While I was in the bush, I heard and saw two people coming towards my direction. They had guns; I knew I was dead.

"I tried to plead with them to spare me. They couldn't listen. They undressed and raped me. One covered my mouth while the other raped me. After he finished, his colleague came and did the same. They raped me without any mercy. They threatened to kill me if I ever shouted.

"After raping me, they left. I remained in the bush with a lot of pain. When I returned back home in the morning I thought I would find my husband and son . . . They were no more. They had been killed the same night I was terribly raped."

Exhausted and hungry, she said she managed the two-day walk to the shores of Lake Albert and boarded a boat to Uganda, where some 50,000 people from Ituri have sought refuge this year.

According to an official at a Ugandan reception centre cited by the aid agency CARE last month, nine out of every 10 women arriving arriving from Congo  most of whom had travelled from North Kivu Province, with some coming from adjacent Ituri - had been raped, sometimes more than once, and sometimes by gangs  both inside Congo and as they fled to Uganda.

"All these women who make it here were victims of rape and other forms of gender based violence," said the unnamed official.

Addressing the gap in aid for victims of sexual violence, Vigaud-Walsh said: "In part, Uganda and its humanitarian partners simply cannot keep up with the unrelenting number of refugees that continue to stream in from the DRC and South Sudan, not to mention Burundians that have fled persecution into Uganda. The OPM (Office of the Prime Minister) scandal, with regards to refugee registration and exploitation, has not been helpful either  it has shaken the will and trust of international donors."

"Nonetheless, international donors must recognise that joint [UN refugee agency]  OPM efforts are underway to redress these failures," she added. "The reduction in humanitarian dollars to Uganda will only serve to punish refugees. More financing is needed, in particular to allow for services for rape survivors to be prioritised for women and girls arriving from Ituri, DRC, as [for] those who continue to arrive from South Sudan."

The stigma of survival

Alain Sibenaler, the Uganda country representative of the UN Population Fund, which works in partnership with CARE in assisting survivors of sexual violence in Kyangwali, said: "It is not easy estimating the magnitude of the problem because the majority of the cases go unreported, given the shame associated with rape."

The suffering of survivors extends beyond the crime itself, noted CARE Country Director Delphine Pinault. "Despite the prevalence of rape and other forms of sexual violence, at the community level stigma surrounding being a survivor still persists, including being ridiculed, rejected, and isolated as a result of the shame," she said.

CARE is setting up centres in Kyangwali to provide counselling and group activities to survivors of gender-based violence.

"Through a set of activities that brings women together in a rather relaxed fashion, they will be supported to tell their stories and process the past," Pinault said.

Under-resourced response

She added that there were too few professional counsellors and specialists for traumatised children to allow survivors to speak in their own language.

As previously reported by IRIN, a cholera outbreak among new arrivals in Uganda has reduced the funding and resources needed to respond to cases of gender-based violence.

"I am alone and traumatised. How can I live without my husband and son? It could have been better if I was killed with them."

And as a 17-year-old from the Ituri village of Lewi explained, individual needs are great.

"I am traumatised," said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. "I am physically, emotionally, and psychologically affected. I can't forget the terrible experience. Why did they have to rape me like that? It was so painful and terrifying."

Primary healthcare facilities in the 17 villages that make up Kyangwali are very few in number and poorly supplied. The nearest referral hospital is 80 kilometres away. At the national level, Uganda languishes near the bottom of global healthcare league tables.

These shortcomings are all too evident for the survivor from Blukwa, who lost her husband and son. She says she is now incontinent, suffers pains in her abdomen, and that a whitish liquid is secreted from her genital area.

"I was referred to the health facility for checkups and treatment," she said. "Unfortunately, I didn't get proper medical treatment. I was given some drugs that didn't help."

"I am alone and traumatised. How can I live without my husband and son? It could have been better if I was killed with them," she said.

*This story was amended on 27 April to clarify that the Ugandan official at a reception centre was referring to Congolese women who had arrived from other parts of Congo, for the most part North Kivu Province, and not only Ituri, when he said that nine out of ten of them had been raped during their journeys.

so/am/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteMosul: Lives saved, credibility lost?

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 21 March 2018 Cite as IRIN, Mosul: Lives saved, credibility lost?, 21 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400f84.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

When medical aid groups step in for militaries in war zones, not all the consequences are good

21 March 2018

By Abby Stoddard

Partner at research consultancy Humanitarian Outcomes

After enduring more than two years under the control of so-called Islamic State, the people of Mosul were again thrown into war when Iraqi and allied forces moved to retake the city in October 2016.

In the extreme destruction that results when heavy munitions meet urban structures, an estimated 9,000-11,000 civilians were killed and thousands more wounded. Many of those wounded had the improbable experience of being treated not by military medics but by volunteer emergency medical technicians from New York City.

As the response of the Iraqi state and armed forces was lacking, the World Health Organisation arranged with the pro-government forces to coordinate the emergency trauma response system within the military operation  an unheard of frontline military-humanitarian collaboration on such a scale. When most of the usual non-governmental outfits it works with declined to participate  for reasons of principle, security or both  WHO turned instead to an assortment of private and volunteer-based groups. Many volunteers had never before worked in a conflict setting. As the troops moved in, the trauma response system, designed along a standard military model, was quickly up and running. Traditional humanitarian responders, such as Medecins Sans Frontieres, remained at a distance, providing medical services further from the fighting.

How did this improbable scenario emerge: the erstwhile slow-moving WHO taking rapid action to meet critical humanitarian needs in dangerous areas while the famously intrepid MSF hung back? And what does it mean for humanitarian action in conflicts?

This week, the findings of a study commissioned by MSF itself to answer those questions were released as a report, authored by my colleague Hosanna Fox, who led the research.

The trauma response and referral pathway coordinated by WHO unquestionably saved lives: 1,500-1,800 of them, according to a case study by Johns Hopkins. It also should not have been necessary. The humanitarian-run trauma system was the result of multiple "layers of failure" within the international community. It is never easy to balance competing humanitarian principles, but the humanitarian community's response to the military's failure to provide trauma services should have been intense advocacy and pressure to hold them to their legal responsibilities, rather than readily stepping in to fill the gap.

The battle for Mosul was the largest military operation since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and humanitarian actors knew in advance to prepare for a major crisis.

Fundamentally, the state actors in the conflict failed to discharge their duty under International Humanitarian Law to make "best efforts to provide protection and care for the wounded", leaving the humanitarian sector to fill this role. The UN-led humanitarian response abetted this dereliction by agreeing to staff and run the Iraqi military's medical system.

The horrors of IS make it easy to understand how some humanitarians aligned themselves with the military objectives and adopted the "liberation narrative" of Mosul. However, they failed in their own responsibility to advocate forcefully for a stronger medical response by military actors, resourced by those governments. The UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in particular, had a duty to insist  strongly and publicly  on a more principled response, including greater distinction between humanitarian, medical and military actors and stronger protection of patients.

The pro-government forces could argue that if their responsibility was to provide or arrange for the collection and treatment of the war-wounded, then that is precisely what they did, through the UN-coordinated humanitarian system. Why is this problematic?

First, by setting a precedent that the responsibility can be offloaded to humanitarians, it weakens the fundamental obligation of the warring parties. This erodes important international norms.

Second, it risks weakening humanitarian action in the long and short terms. The battle of Mosul did not put an end to need and suffering in Iraq, and humanitarian organizations that wish to remain present and able to serve all groups in this contested region cannot appear to be co-opted by any party. Additionally, our research found instances where impartiality and neutrality were compromised: soldiers pressured doctors to prioritise their wounded comrades over civilian patients and screened out ISIS-affiliated patients for interrogation.

Finally, at least a small number of Iraqis were scared off by the militarized medical care. Our survey of people who were in Mosul during the battle found 11 percent of those with urgent medical needs avoided the facilities, citing fears for their safety as the primary reason. Of those that did receive care, a significant minority reported similar concerns.

The traditional humanitarian actors who stayed out of the militarized medical response do not come out looking especially good, either. Our research found that despite an unusually long planning period, many NGOs were slow to ramp up and do the basic preparatory work necessary to take rapid and effective action when the anticipated crisis began.

The clash of humanitarian principles is nothing new, particularly the tension between the humanitarian imperative (provide critical aid now) and the principles of neutrality and independence. As one volunteer medic put it: "If you want to be close to the front lines, you have to accept military presence, there's just no way around it. So, the question is, are the lives saved worth this price? We think so."

The choice may seem simple, but in protracted conflicts the calculus is often more complicated. Paying the price required to save lives today can reduce the ability to save lives tomorrow. And then there is the more basic question of state responsibility. In Mosul, a humanitarian medical intervention filled a gap  but to what extent did humanitarians allow the gap to exist in the first place?

Link to original story on IRIN websitePolitics and oil: the unseen drivers of violence in Congo's Ituri Province

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 4 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Politics and oil: the unseen drivers of violence in Congo's Ituri Province, 4 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7400ffa.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

GOMA, 4 April 2018

By Fiston Mahamba

Freelance journalist based in Beni

By Claude Sengenya

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

A recent wave of targeted attacks has left a trail of death, destruction, and mass displacement in the Democratic Republic of Congo's northeastern province of Ituri.

The roots of the violence are framed in media reports as ethnic, but analysts and local observers say powerful political and commercial interests are what is really driving and exploiting the inter-communal tensions.

Between 1999 and 2004, some 50,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Ituri in fighting between different communities, sometimes backed by Uganda and Rwanda (see our In-Depth coverage). After more than a decade of relative peace, violence flared again in December and resumed in February on an even larger scale. More than 300,000 people have been displaced and thousands of homes torched in at least 70 villages, according to ACAPS, an independent humanitarian information service.

While there is little direct evidence, experts, Ituri residents, and the powerful Catholic clergy have all suggested that unseen forces are driving the violence. Jason Stearns, of the Congo Research Group, noted that inter-communal tensions had been "relatively well managed" since 2007.

Marcel-Heritier Kapitene, a former opposition activist who lives in exile in Belgium, where he works as a researcher on Congolese politics and mineral extraction at GRIP, a peace and security institute, warned that if competition over natural resources is the key underlying factor, as he fears, then the situation is likely to deteriorate.

"It could spread to other areas with a heavy human toll," Kapitene said. "If a tribal militia allied itself to such and such Congolese or foreign armed group to try to have a certain dominance of minerals, gold, and above all timber, there is reason to fear the consequences could be much more severe."

He added that, in Ituri: "People are dying; not because they are of one ethnicity or another, but because they share the same land with minerals."

Unfinished peace

According to Thierry Vircoulon, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, many of Congo's recent flare-ups, Ituri's included, are fuelled by politics, often at multiple levels.

"Their immediate causes are local conflicts that have never been completely extinguished and which have been fanned by a national dynamic," he said, noting an intense power struggle for administrative control in Ituri.

Vircoulon said the locations, perpetrators, and targets of the current violence in Ituri were similar to those at the start of the 1999-2004 fighting. He noted a sense of "deja vu" and suggested the roots of the previous conflict had never been properly addressed.

"It was neutralised by the joint action of international forces and the International Criminal Court, before which several militia leaders were tried," he said, referring to Operation Artemis, a French military mission briefly deployed in Ituri in 2002 under an EU banner.

For Nicaise Kibel'Bel Oka, director of the Eastern Congo Centre for Geopolitical Study and Research, chief among those unresolved issues are long-running land disputes between the predominantly agricultural Lendu and the cattle-rearing Hema.

Through Artemis and the ICC trials, "the international community thought it had restored stability to Ituri," he said. "Sadly not."

"The little peace that reigned for the last 10 years was only ephemeral. It's what we call a graveyard peace, unsustainable. It wasn't enough to stop the resumption of violence, given that members of the two communities never handed over weapons they can still use at any time, and that the land disputes between them are still in place."

Who is killing whom, and where

Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, the army's spokesman in Ituri, said that youths from Lendu villages have been attacking and torching Hema villages and, more recently, targeting army positions.

The violence has been concentrated in Ituri's Djugu Territory, which lies to the north of the provincial capital, Bunia. The neighbouring territories of Mahagi and Irumu have also been affected.

The attackers have given no reasons for their actions, and no rebel leader from the dozens of armed groups operating in eastern Congo has expressed common cause with them.

"The security and intelligence services are trying to find out if this is an organised movement, who its leader is, or whether it is a movement of armed bandits," Ngongo said.

He explained that the attacks were mostly carried out with knives, arrows, and machetes rather than firearms, but said the assailants had taken some guns from the army posts they raided.

Jean-Bosco Lalu, a civil society leader in Ituri, said he hoped further light would be shed on the perpetrators and their motives when the 40-odd people who had been arrested in connection with the attacks appear in court.

So far, the police have yet to release the identities of those detained.

"Here in Ituri, there is nothing like an ethnic or inter-ethnic war," local bishop Dieudonne Uringi told Radio France Internationale in mid-March. The fact the attackers had communication equipment, money, and were well organised suggested that "invisible hands" were manipulating them, he said.

After a meeting in late February, bishops and archbishops from the region issued a statement warning of powerful forces trying "to pit ethnic communities against each other [that] seems destined to empty these areas of their inhabitants for unknown interests."

The view of the refugees

Across the border in Uganda, among the 50,000 residents of Ituri who have fled, giving up their homes and their livelihoods, there are strong opinions about who or what is responsible.

"It's all about oil and elections," said an Ituri politician and businessman now staying in a refugee settlement.

"All these people you see here come from the areas which are full of oil deposits," said the man, who asked not to be identified by name. "The government of [President Joseph] Kabila is using the Lendu to hoodwink the international community that the conflict is a result of past differences between the two communities," he said. Major international oil firms are financing the conflict, he added, but he offered no evidence.

"They think relocating and compensating these people from the prospecting oil areas to allow their exploration will cost them a lot of money," he said. "So it's easier to start violence, kill and chase away the Hema instead of incurring costs."

"People are dying; not because they are of one ethnicity or another, but because they share the same land with minerals."

Even if there may be a causal connection between oil and violence in Ituri, there is no evidence that the oil companies are instigating the bloodshed. The potential link between oil and violence was noted in a 2013 risk assessment commissioned by French oil giant Total, which last month had its exploration rights in Ituri extended.

"Should one community or group feel excluded or perceive that the benefits of labour, social projects and/or compensation are inequitably distributed, it is likely to create resentment among other communities or groups, and to increase existing divisions and tensions," warned the assessment. Conflicts could worsen "when compensation is due on land whose ownership is under dispute," it said, pointing to evidence that even at the time of the report's writing conflicts over land were "resurging partly because people hope to benefit from oil."

Another not necessarily competing theory is that Kabila has a hand in the unrest as he seeks to use it to justify delaying elections and remaining in power  his mandate expired in December 2017 and polls are now scheduled for this December.

"Kabila is ordering the Lendu to cause havoc so that elections don't take place in DRC," said Phoebe Dz'venga, a farmer and mother of five who is also among the Ituri residents who fled to Uganda. "When there is war, no elections can be organised."

Kapitene, the researcher and former opposition activist, said politics was also spurring violence in other parts of Congo, such as Kasai, northern Katanga, and parts of the Kivus. In all these places "Congolese politicians will look for all kinds of ways to derail the electoral process, or postpone it indefinitely," he said.

"Ituri's proximity to South Sudan and several uncontrolled parts of the Kivus mean it is affected by the proliferation of light arms," he noted. "For those who fish in the troubled waters of Congolese politics, it is unfortunately a godsend."

Among those echoing this analysis was Xavier Macky, who heads Justice Plus, an NGO based in Bunia.

Ituri is an ideal choice of location for political troublemakers "because they know that peace is still fragile there and they think it's easier to manipulate the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups who are still travelling the hard road of reconciliation," he told IRIN.

A major bump in that road lies in overcoming deep-seated attitudes about who Ituri belongs to.

"These Lendu people believe Ituri province is their place," explained Bunia resident Kefa Baraka, now also a refugee in Uganda. "They believe that the Hema, who are known as people who migrated from Uganda to Congo, don't have a place there."

Kapitene agreed that more should have been done to turn the page on Ituri's tensions.

"We never helped the Lendu and Hema understand the importance of peaceful cohabitation. We simply stopped the violence without setting in motion proper reconciliation," he said.

Batidho Banapea, of Search for Common Ground, an international peacebuilding NGO with an office in Bunia, said this effort must begin now. To succeed, the process will have to include many facets, including "the economy, health, education, women, youth, reintegration of former combatants, war victims and children who come out of armed groups," he said.

What next?

In mid-March, the army began a series of operations codenamed Tunapenda Salama ("We Want Peace") to stem the attacks and re-establish state authority.

Since then, according to Lalu, the civil society leader, safe corridors have opened up and some displaced people have started returning to their villages. The army spokesman said markets in some of the attacked villages have also begun to reopen.

The administrator of Djugu Territory, Alfred Bongwalanga, was encouraged that leaders of both the Hema and Lendu communities have been issuing calls for peace, and for peaceful cohabitation. Neither group profited from the previous conflict and are well aware it slowed down much-needed development in the province, he said.

No attacks against civilians have been reported over the last 10 days. But, according to ACAPS, disruptions of maize harvests mean the impact of the violence in Ituri is likely to last several months. More than 30,000 children in the province are out of school.

If the Hema community do try to retaliate, Lalu warned there could be a repeat of what happened in 1999-2004, when violence spread to engulf all of the province's communities.

"Right now, we are calling for a total halt in hostilities," he said. "After that, the courts must do their job properly so that victims benefit from legal reparation mechanisms."

(Additional reporting by Samuel Okiror in Kyangwali, Uganda)

fm-cs-so/am/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteAs conflict spreads, chronic displacement becomes a powderkeg in Afghanistan

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 9 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, As conflict spreads, chronic displacement becomes a powderkeg in Afghanistan, 9 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740101a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Aid is in short supply for thousands of families forced to etch new homes into once-barren land

BEHSUD DISTRICT, 9 April 2018

By Ruchi Kumar

Thirty-year-old Mohammad isn't sure who shelled his home in eastern Afghanistan's Khogyani District: Taliban insurgents, or fighters aligned with the so-called Islamic State.

But when a rocket-propelled grenade struck three months ago, killing some of his livestock, he knew he could no longer stay.

"We had to leave that night. The battle had reached our doorsteps," Mohammad said, standing outside his family's new home: a bare, single room in a compound set amid tents and shanty homes near Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar.

This area, less than 100 kilometres from Mohammad's former home, is among hundreds of patchwork settlements that have proliferated throughout Afghanistan over the last five years, fed by a steady surge of people uprooted by an intensifying conflict and others pushed back from neighbouring countries.

The displaced and the returnees throng together in swelling districts like Behsud, which curves around urban Jalalabad. In settlements spreading over once-barren land, people live clustered in tents, hastily built structures, or under the open sky.

Their number has doubled over the past five years to more than 600 in the country's worst-hit provinces, according to aid groups. In Nangarhar Province, wracked by insecurity and a prime destination for people returning from neighbouring Pakistan, almost one million people now live in these haphazard settlements  a figure that doubled over only seven months last year.

One in three people in Nangarhar is now either displaced or a returnee, with some 369,000 in Behsud alone, according to a recently released International Organisation for Migration survey. Each week, new violence brings more arrivals. Aid organisations can't keep up, and the government has often stumbled in providing even basic support; food, shelter, and other fundamental needs are in short supply.

Analysts warn that the consequences of such widespread displacement may be felt for generations, as poverty rises and education rates fall.

"Our emergency response stocks have been largely exhausted by these displacements," said William Carter, head of programme in Afghanistan for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which works with displaced communities in the region.

Across the country, more than 1.6 million people have been uprooted by conflict since 2015, and almost one million Afghans have returned from neighbouring Pakistan. Returnees from Iran and further abroad add to the turmoil.

Carter said donor funds to help people ousted by conflict have dwindled even while needs have soared. "So, whilst we are doing what we can, the future is somewhat bleak."

Intensified battles

Afghanistan has seen decades of upheaval. But aid workers say recent violence is intensifying and becoming more complex: hundreds of thousands of civilians each year are caught in the crossfire between a growing number of combatants, including Taliban militants, IS-aligned fighters, militias, and NATO-backed government security forces.

Fighters aligned with IS have injected a new level of volatility into the mix in eastern Afghanistan, where it has carved out an enclave and staged attacks against the Taliban, the government, civilians, and aid groups  including a January attack on the offices of Save the Children in Jalalabad. The rise of the Islamic State Khorasan Province, as the local offshoot is sometimes known, has been rapid; it accounted for 1,000 civilian injuries and deaths in the country last year, according to UN figures, compared with a few dozen casualties only two years earlier.

"Thousands of families in eastern Afghanistan have had to flee their homes due to advances by groups aligned with the Islamic State," Carter said. "But many families are simply fleeing armed conflict itself: the Islamic State is fighting the [Taliban], who is fighting Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, with the help of international special forces and airstrikes."

Thirty-five-year-old Munir fled his home in Khogyani four months ago after the district descended into a battle zone.

"We left in large numbers with nothing but the clothes on our back, and each other," Munir told IRIN. "A lot of our neighbours lost family members in the fighting."

Today, his family lives in a tent in a crowded compound in Behsud, alongside others from his village who joined him on the midnight exodus.

Both Mohammad and Munir say they've been unable to find steady work.

Aid out of reach

Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations, which is also responsible for helping people displaced by conflict, has floated plans to build housing for both returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country. In practice, however, many Afghans have had difficulty accessing aid for short-term, basic needs such as food and shelter.

According to a January study of displaced people in five provinces conducted by the NRC, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, and humanitarian research group Samuel Hall, only one quarter of displaced households surveyed reported receiving any aid whatsoever. The report also found that the process of registering for the government's official aid programme for IDPs was bureaucratic, overly strict, and out of reach for the majority of people who needed it.

A separate December assessment of the displacement in Khogyani District  home to both Mohammad and Munir  found that the government was "not visible" in the response to the emergency.

Officials at the refugees and repatriations ministry did not respond to IRIN's requests for comment.

Displacement into informal settlements has also helped to make the Afghan capital, Kabul, one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Around 1.5 million in 2001, its population is currently estimated at around six million and expected to reach eight million by 2020.

Analysts warn that the chronic displacement unfolding throughout the country will have long-term consequences that could span generations.

Nassim Majidi, director at Samuel Hall, says extreme poverty is likely to place greater pressure on families to push their kids to work. At the same time, research shows that many families are displaced multiple times, including many who return to Afghanistan from abroad only to find that the conflict has made their former homes unliveable.

"The humanitarian crisis will have social and political consequences," said Majidi, who foresees repeated rounds of displacement, families split across borders, and a rise in child labour as Afghans resort to extremes to make ends meet.

"We're facing wasted opportunities to educate the next generation, and instead facing intergenerational poverty," she said.

While Mohammad's five children aren't yet working, they are no longer in school because he can't afford to send them.

"If things don't improve, at some point, they will have to work to help support the family," he said.

Outside his tiny new home in Behsud, Mohammad's children played on a muddy road softened by rain; an open drain filled with garbage flowed nearby. There's no running water; his family collects washing water from a muddy ditch shared with other families.

Conditions may be poor, but Behsud's newly arrived say they have no illusions about returning home anytime soon.

Mohammad sometimes receives news from his village back in Khogyani  from others who are only now escaping.

"I hear our house is in ruins and the livestock have all died or been stolen," he said. "There is nothing to return to but more battles."

rs/il/js/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteA who's who in South Sudan's splintering civil war

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 12 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, A who's who in South Sudan's splintering civil war, 12 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401054.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Former army chief Paul Malong's new group is just the latest in a proliferation of opposition factions

JUBA, 12 April 2018

By Stefanie Glinski

Regular IRIN contributor

When the third round of talks* aimed at revitalising the chances of peace in South Sudan gets underway in Addis Ababa on 26 April, the country's influential former military chief wants to be at the table.

Paul Malong's announcement on Tuesday, 10 April, that he was launching a new opposition party added an extra element of uncertainty into the mix ahead of potentially pivotal talks aimed at restoring a permanent ceasefire and reviving a collapsed 2015 peace agreement.

More than four million people, one third of the population, have fled their homes since South Sudan's brutal war began in December 2013, creating the largest refugee crisis in Africa since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and parts of the country have plunged towards famine.

Accused of human rights atrocities against civilians, Malong was sanctioned last year by the United States for obstructing peace talks, international peacekeeping efforts, and humanitarian missions.

Malong's group, the South Sudan-United Front, is one of as many as 14 opposition groups seeking to join the discussions in the Ethiopian capital on 26 April, many of which already see the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) process as discredited.

Announcing the formation of his new group from exile in Kenya, Malong said he wanted to "arrest the carnage" of South Sudan's ongoing war, stating that President Salva Kiir "has concentrated all his efforts, with the help of a small clique around him, to quite literally loot the coffers of our great nation to total bankruptcy."

Malong's new grouping is being portrayed both as a political party and as a form of rebellion, but experts say any large-scale military ambitions he may harbour are likely in their infancy.

"Malong has yet to show the capability to launch a potent rebellion," explained Alan Boswell, conflict analyst and Sudan expert for Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based group focusing on armed violence. "The declaration of his rebel movement is a political move, not a military one. He is seeking to legitimise and protect his interests during the political process in Addis Ababa."

South Sudan's war began after Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, accused his former deputy Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer, of attempting a coup. Fighting has since killed more than 50,000 people, with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) the main parties to the conflict.

A peace agreement was signed in August 2015, during Malong's time as army chief, but the war has since splintered into myriad inter- and intra-communal conflicts, incorporating previously localised disputes over land, resources, and power. Observers say the dynamics change almost daily.

Peace talks have continuously failed and the security situation is unpredictable at best in many parts of the country. The nation is largely divided along ethnic lines  especially since the creation of new states, now a total of 32  and traditional front lines are changing into widespread guerrilla warfare, with numerous militias also involved in the fighting.

What next?

The IGAD-led peace process has proven difficult to resurrect. Opposition groups say IGAD partner states Uganda and Kenya (accused by the UN of fuelling the conflict by supplying weapons) are on Kiir's side. Some are arguing for the African Union and the UN to take over.

While some observers still back the IGAD process and think it's important to give it the best chance possible, others see it is an outside intervention that has already failed and blame it for helping to further fragment the conflict.

The mandate for Kiir's transitional government is due to run out in July and a government spokesman warned on Friday, 6 April, that any foot-dragging during negotiations by the opposition could lead to fresh elections.

The UN has warned that any attempt to hold elections before the country is in a more stable environment only risks deepening and extending the conflict.

With time running out, achieving some progress in the next round of talks is paramount. But the omens for steps towards peace aren't looking great. "It's the national dialogue that will move this country forward," First Vice President Taban Deng Gai said last month during a speech in Yambio. "It needs to happen in South Sudan; it can't happen in Addis."

As the picture is muddied ahead of the peace talks in Addis Ababa, here's a quick look at Malong's new group and some of the other main protagonists:

The South Sudan-United Front

The jury may still be out on whether Malong's primary intentions are political or military, but his new SS-UF group could become a major factor on the front line as the former army chief likely still enjoys considerable support in his hometown of Aweil and the surrounding Bhar-el-Ghazal region.

The main opposition group, the SPLA-IO, is already actively encouraging Malong's military ambitions. "His movement is a big threat to the government, because he will fight in areas that we have never reached, like the Bhar-el-Ghazal region," SPLA-IO spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said, adding, "Malong will expose a lot in the peace negotiations, making it difficult for the government to handle the pressure."

Malong has announced his intention to join the talks in Addis Ababa, but it's not yet clear if he will be permitted to participate in the negotiations.

"Malong is a hardline defector from within Kiir's Dinka power base," explained Boswell. "The main threat he poses is from within Kiir's coalition rather than from outside. If Malong is invited to join the peace process, then the government will protest and could use it as a pretext to roadblock the process."

Serving as governor of Northern Bhar-el-Ghazal between 2008 and 2014, Malong was made chief of the army in January 2014. In May 2017, he was sacked and placed under house arrest in South Sudan's capital, Juba, until he fled while supposedly seeking medical treatment. He now lives exiled in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)

South Sudan's government-controlled army was founded in 1983 by 'father of the nation' John Garang. A collection of smaller militias such as the Mathiang Anyoor, which Malong was accused of controlling and which are accused of human rights atrocities, normally support the government.

Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO)

Loyal to Machar, the SPLA-IO is the SPLA's main opponent. It usually has the support of some smaller youth militias such as the White Army in Northern Jonglei. Government accusations that Machar and the SPLA-IO were planning a coup resulted in the start of the civil war on 15 December 2013.

After new fighting erupted in the capital Juba in July 2016 and Machar fled the country, Taban Deng Gai was instated as the new first vice president. Some members of the SPLA-IO were loyal to Taban Deng and now still support Kiir's government. This nominally opposition faction loyal to Taban Deng remains a separate entity from both the SPLA and the SPLA-IO in most parts of the country, but is pro-government. Most of the opposition forces across the country are an array of local, non-Dinka ethnic groups.

The Shilluk Agwelek militia

The Agwelek forces have fought both alongside the SPLA and the SPLA-IO (those loyal to Machar). Primarily focused on defending Shilluk land in South Sudan's Upper Nile, the group is predominantly loyal to Johnson Olony, believed to side with the opposition.

National Salvation Front (NAS)

Most of the NAS rebels are from the country's Equatoria region and were previously with the opposition loyal to Machar but later joined Thomas Cirillo Swaka, Kiir's former deputy head of logistics who resigned in February 2017 and accused the president of turning South Sudan into a "tribal army".

Murle and Bul Nuer Communities

These ethnic groups are currently pro-government.

Other groups:

Western Equatoria has several armed groups, some of which recently signed amnesty agreements with the government, such as the South Sudan People's Patriotic Front and the South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM). Many of the child soldiers released in Yambio in February were previously captured by the SSNLM.

Groups like the Gelweng (armed cattle keepers from Lakes State), the Mathiang Anyoor, and the White Army rely on local community structures. It is estimated that South Sudan has at least 40 different armed groups. New ones continue to emerge, particularly due to the conflict spreading to the Equatoria and Northern Upper Nile regions.

* UPDATE - Peace monitors announced on the 18th April that the third round of talks had been suspended until further notice.

sg/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteNine months on, a race against time to find pregnant Rohingya rape survivors

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 16 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Nine months on, a race against time to find pregnant Rohingya rape survivors, 16 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401073.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Aid groups are preparing for a spate of births and abandoned infants

COX'S BAZAR, 16 April 2018

By Kaamil Ahmed

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

Nearly nine months after Myanmar's military was accused of widespread sexual violence in a crackdown against Rohingya communities, aid groups in Bangladesh's Rohingya refugee camps are scrambling to identify women and girls now pregnant by rape.

"We're kind of working against the clock before the bulk of these pregnancies will be delivering," said Siobhan O'Malley, sexual and gender-based violence consultant with Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Healthcare workers are warning of a "child protection crisis" in late May, when nine months will have passed since a military purge drove some 686,000 Rohingya people into Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine State. They fear that some rape survivors are hiding their pregnancies because of shame and stigma, and may risk giving birth in secret or abandon their babies.

Madha Khatun, 65, a Rohingya midwife who fled to Bangladesh last year, said she believes many survivors are hiding rapes and pregnancies, not just from humanitarian organisations and local authorities but also from their own communities and families.

"They won't tell anyone because they are scared about what people will think of them," she said. "They think it will stop them getting married in the future."

In a November report based on interviews with Rohingya victims of sexual violence, Human Rights Watch said two thirds of women interviewed had not reported their rape to aid groups or Bangladeshi authorities in the camps.

"A lot of these girls, because they're young and ashamed of what happened, a lot of them are concealing these pregnancies," O'Malley said. "Because they're so scared of these pregnancies, they won't try to access care."

Aid groups in the camps are planning to offer shelter to women before and after they give birth  and to care for abandoned newborns. But first they need to identify the women and girls who may need aid and then convince them to seek help.

An outcome of violence

Myanmar's military is accused of committing systematic and widespread rape against women and girls during last year's violent purge of Rohingya refugees from Rakhine State  part of a campaign that rights groups, UN officials, and foreign diplomats have called ethnic cleansing.

In an annual report to be discussed at the UN Security Council on Monday, 16th April, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres puts Myanmar's army on a watchlist of security forces and armed groups "credibly suspected" of using rape and sexual violence in conflict  a list that includes the so-called Islamic State, Boko Haram, and the Lord's Resistance Army.

"The widespread threat and use of sexual violence was integral to their strategy, humiliating, terrorising and collectively punishing the Rohingya community and serving as a calculated tool to force them to flee their homelands and prevent their return," Guterres says in the report. "Violence was visited upon women, including pregnant women, who are seen as custodians and propagators of ethnic identity, as well as on young children, who represent the future of the group."

While Myanmar has barred UN investigators from entering the country, the report listed at least 70 "specific and indicative" cases of sexual violence allegedly committed by security forces in the months leading up to the August 2017 refugee exodus from Rakhine.

A stalled repatriation agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar also specifies that "children born out of unwarranted incidents" could be eligible for returns.

Myanmar's military has denied almost all accusations of violence; it says its operations in Rakhine were in response to attacks on border areas by a group of Rohingya militants.

The number of Rohingya rape survivors is unclear, as is the number who are now pregnant. Humanitarian aid groups reported treating hundreds of sexual violence cases in the aftermath of the August violence, but such numbers are likely vastly under-representative; many survivors never seek medical help out of shame and fear of being shunned by their families and others.

MSF alone has treated at least 230 survivors of sexual violence in the camps, including at least 162 rape survivors. O'Malley said more than half the pregnancies the group has seen involved girls younger than 18.

In the weeks after the August and September violence last year, MSF offered care to women who had tried to terminate their pregnancies themselves, resulting in incomplete or septic abortions, O'Malley said. Some women arrived at MSF clinics haemorrhaging.

"How could I live with their baby?"

MSF also cared for women like a 20-year-old now living in the camps. The woman, who did not want her name to be used, said that Myanmar soldiers shot and killed her husband during the crackdown last August, before taking her away and raping her.

"I lost my senses," she said in an interview. "It was like I was lifeless. They did whatever they wanted with me."

Nursed to consciousness while hiding in a nearby forest, she said her husband's family carried her to Bangladesh, where doctors with MSF told her she was pregnant. On her request, they terminated her pregnancy.

"I was raped by those Rakhine soldiers. How could I live with their baby?" she said, crouched on a small wooden stand in the hut she now shares with her husband's extended family in the sprawling camps.

MSF officials say the majority of women and girls treated with post-rape care last year were abused in Myanmar, but that now more women are seeking help for domestic abuse they've suffered in the refugee camps.

Yet there's still a severe shortage of post-rape care in the overcrowded camps, according to the Interagency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis, which includes major agencies currently working in Bangladesh. Safe abortion, emergency contraception, and other sexual and reproductive health services are often basic, inconsistent, and sporadically available, the group says.

Racing the monsoon

Adding to these problems is the imminent monsoon season, which typically begins by May, bringing heavy rains that could douse the ramshackle camps and turn the precariously built homes and footpaths into a disaster zone.

O'Malley said the priority now is to find new ways to reach pregnant women and girls, before the weather deteriorates, to let them know help is available  a complicated task when many survivors don't want to be found and traditional outreach and communications tactics aren't working.

As Save the Children spokeswoman Daphnee Cook told IRIN in a written statement: "In the most tragic cases, some of these women, faced with the stigmatisation of having a baby outside of marriage and the trauma of having a child from sexual assault, have made the heartbreaking decision to abandon their babies."

Cook said her organisation has already established short-term stopgaps such as emergency shelters and foster care families for newborns. But longer-term care options are still needed, she said, adding: "there is a child protection crisis on the doorstep that urgently needs to be addressed."

ka/il/js/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteMosul: Overcoming the trauma of IS rule, one haircut at a time

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 17 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Mosul: Overcoming the trauma of IS rule, one haircut at a time, 17 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740108a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

By Pesha Magid

Freelance journalist

MOSUL, 17 April 2018

Hairdressers, barbers, cosmetologists, and manicurists have always served as confidantes for their customers. They are the keepers of untold secrets. But in post-war Mosul, a city freed from the grip of so-called Islamic State in January 2017 and still struggling to recover, the hair salon is more important than ever.

In the absence of much in the way of mental health services, the salon has transformed into an unofficial group therapy session, one of the few places where women can gather among themselves to process the collective trauma of three years of terror.

Hanen starts her day in the east Mosul salon where she works by taking off her headscarf, putting her dyed honey-coloured hair up in a businesslike ponytail, and slipping on a white coat.

Her three daughters run around the salon  the youngest holds up an Iraqi flag that she knitted at home and poses for photos  while Hanen chats quietly with her first customer, trading the occasional joke with the hairstylist next to her.

Some days are like today, Hanen says, full of laughter and ease, women chatting while they wait for hair dye to develop under thin foil flaps. Other days, though, the entire salon is in tears.

Between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians lost their lives in the war. Entire neighbourhoods were turned to rubble by the bombs. Mosul has experienced a collective trauma, one it is ill-equipped to address.

There were only 80 clinical psychologists working in all of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan as of January 2017, according to official figures. Organisations like Save the Children, the International Organization for Migration, Medecins Sans Frontieres, and UN agencies fill some of the gap, and provide trauma treatment. However, their efforts are limited by both funding and the sheer scope of trauma in a city that has been through both an IS occupation and war.

"Many women come and tell us their stories, their lives," Hanen says. "Every woman who comes, talks about her life, about her story, about her situation under IS, and during the period of liberation."

IS first came into the city offering promises of relief from what many saw as a repressive central government in Baghdad  but the group quickly instituted tight restrictions of its own.

Loudspeakers blasted public announcements instructing women to cover their faces. Women were required to wear black abayas (long, loose robes), cover their hands in gloves and their feet with socks. Being caught with just your eyes showing meant fines or whipping.

Beauty salons were out of the question. But just because they were banned did not mean women stopped doing their hair.

"During the siege, they would say, 'this is forbidden, this is forbidden, this is forbidden'," says Hanen, who owned her own salon for 13 years. After IS took control of Mosul in 2014 she moved the business underground, running it in secret from her east Mosul apartment. Her customers found her by word of mouth.

Even the wives of IS fighters would come to the salon to get their hair done, Hanen says, recalling cutting their hair with gritted teeth. "It was truly hard," she says, "But if I didn't do their hair, they would report me." The consequences of being reported could be dire.

"The first thing they would do is open the house, they would break down the door, they would take the head of the house or the owner of the salon. They would kill her. Anything was possible... That was the reason we kept it secret," explains Hanen.

Ali al-Rassam, the director of al-Messala, a UN-affiliated women's centre for psychological and social services, says there is a serious lack of mental health services for those who have lived under IS or fled its terror.

"Mosul has not seen anything as hard as this war before. This is the first time we have seen something this [traumatic]," says al-Rassam. "The government in Mosul does not have a programme to deal with the trauma."

Hanen lost her home and her salon to bombing. "They were destroyed," she says. In the final months of the battle she and her family sheltered in a neighbour's basement with 84 other people for two weeks while IS patrolled the streets and bombs rained down around them. They did not have enough food to go around, so to eat they made soup out of tahina paste and water. When Hanen celebrated her youngest daughter's birthday in the basement, she was not able to feed her.

Her experience was far from exceptional. Everyone in Mosul has been personally affected by the occupation or the war that followed. Many women retreated to their homes and barely went out in public for years. Countless others lost family or friends, either to IS or to the heavy bombing of the nine-month war to banish IS from the city.

Al-Rassam says most public hospitals do not even have a psychologist on staff. "I was surprised. I was only able to find one doctor who treats psychological problems in all of the hospitals for both men and women. I don't know, they could have just one doctor to treat that number of people  it's impossible of course."

He says that at al-Mesalla, which has six branches open throughout Mosul, women will sometimes come from as far as five kilometres away to get their services  simply because there is nothing else available in their neighbourhoods.

Even with IS defeated, billboards in Mosul still show remnants of the years when pictures of the female face were forbidden: images of headless women, their bodies floating eerily under a cloud of black paint.

But the walls of the east Mosul salon where Hanen works are covered with pictures of models with shiny hair and bright white smiles, and the logo is a silhouette of a woman smiling ever so slightly, her face in full view.

The salon chair transformed under the militants' control, Hanen says. Before IS, chat between hairdresser and customer was full of complaints about everyday life and family. During the occupation, conversation was fearful and stilted. And now, the chair is a place of sometimes heartbreaking honesty as women share their stories, of their losses, of forced marriages, of trauma.

"We cry with her," Hanen says of these moments. "We comfort her, we try to heal her psychologically as much as we can, we tell her that pain . . . [fades] with time."

Roua, a middle-aged woman getting brown and blonde streaks in her hair, says the first thing she felt entering the salon was "trust in the place and the people". She says she comes at least once month, and not just to keep up her highlights. "The salon is necessary. For women to continue, they need it. Women must have it."

One key reason that salons have stepped up to help patrons deal with their trauma is that they are women-only.

Mosul is fairly conservative, and many cafes are the domain of men. When women do go out, they are usually with family or friends. The salon is one of the only places where women can decompress publicly without the gaze or presence of men.

The back of the salon has an electric stove top where they cook and share food. Children come in and immediately adapt into the fabric of the salon.

Janan, the owner of the salon, says business is booming. "Right after we opened the salon, after IS, and started to advertise it openly, everyone came," she says. For many women, being able to freely cut and dye their hair took on new meaning after the city's liberation.

"It was important. As the years passed, people loved the field of beautification in a big way," Janan says. "There was always fear. Now, there isn't fear."

For Hanen, going back to work has brought her deep satisfaction, even in the aftermath of horror. She says the salon is more than work for her, it is a passion. "I love it," Hanen says, "Even if I had the chance to leave, I would not leave this salon."

*Names have been changed

pm/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteNegotiations with jihadists? A radical idea gains currency in Mali

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 19 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Negotiations with jihadists? A radical idea gains currency in Mali, 19 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74010ca.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

BAMAKO, 19 April 2018

By Aliou Hasseye

Freelance journalist based in Bamako

Part of a special project exploring violent extremism in Nigeria and the Sahel

In Mali, which has been wracked by violence and is prone to frequent and deadly jihadist attacks, the once unthinkable is now being asked by observers: is it time to negotiate with the extremists?

"Every analysis of the Malian crisis shows that a purely military solution is not possible," said Ambroise Dakouo of the Alliance for Rebuilding Governance in Africa (ARGA), a think tank. "We cannot be dogmatic. We must be open to dialogue with these groups to find out if conciliation is possible. We must find out what they want and what we can concede."

Waves of foreign soldiers, along with Malian government forces, have failed to eradicate the extremist groups that took control of the northern desert in 2012. Large tracts of territory remain lawless despite a 2015 peace deal intended to end the longer-term conflict that has pitted nomadic Tuaregs in the north against the government, based in the south.

The jihadists, who were not party to that accord, were ousted in 2013 from the northern towns they had captured. But their attacks continue to claim victims and are spreading to the centre of the country, affecting growing portions of the south. Just last week, militants disguised as UN peacekeepers attacked two bases in the ancient desert city of Timbuktu, in northern Mali, killing one peacekeeper and injuring dozens more.

In a late March incident, suspected jihadists attacked a hotel in central Mali shortly after the prime minister visited. In early April, dozens of suspected jihadists clashed with French and Malian troops near the Niger border.

Malian officials hope the new G5 Sahel sub-regional force, comprising troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Mauritania, can finally make headway against the Islamist militants.

But influential observers, including several key political and religious figures, have been stepping up their push for an entirely different strategy: negotiations with jihadist groups.

Tiebile Drame is one of them. He is a former foreign minister who helped negotiate the so-called Ouagadougou Accord, which enabled people in areas controlled by armed groups to vote in Mali's 2013 presidential elections.

Ali Nouhoum Diallo, a former president of the national assembly, is another. And they are joined by Mahmoud Dicko, the president of the High Islamic Council of Mali and one of the country's most powerful clerics.

The idea of talking to extremist groups, ruled out so far by the government, has become less and less taboo. A recent opinion poll showed that a slim majority of Malians (55.8 percent) favour such negotiations. The poll by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, conducted in November, tapped Malians in all the regional capitals as well as the District of Bamako.

The proposal of dialogue is not completely new. It was discussed during the 2017 Conference of National Understanding in Bamako. At the end of the discussions, the participants  about 300 representatives of government, the opposition, armed groups and civil society  called for open meetings to find out what the jihadists really want.

A year on, the idea appears to be gaining currency, but hard questions remain.

Who to talk to?

Iyad Ag Ghaly and Amadou Koufa are the two main extremist figures in Mali. After failing to become leader of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)  the first armed group to begin hostilities against the Malian army in 2012  Ag Ghaly turned to radicalism and founded Ansar Dine, an al-Qaeda-linked group that sought to establish strict Islamic law in Mali. It operates essentially in the north.

Koufa, a Fulani preacher from the central Mopti Region, set up the jihadist Macina Liberation Front, which operates in the centre of the country, in 2015.

Last March, these two groups, along with the Saharan branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), announced an alliance under the banner of Jamaat Nosrat al-Islam wal-Mouslimin (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, JNIM or GNIM).

According to Dakouo, of the ARGA think tank, one of the aims of dialogue with the extremists would be to isolate the foreign fighters within their ranks. "We would then have a clear idea of the positions of the jihadist movements that are Malian,' he said. "Then we would also know that the other groups are not Malian, and that would let us know the true nature of our adversaries."

This strategy could also help to end the victimisation of certain ethnic groups, such as the Fulani, often mistakenly assumed to be militant followers of Koufa.

Are jihadist groups really open to dialogue?

In May 2017, emissaries of Koufa and Ag Ghaly reportedly approached Ali Nouhoum Diallo and Mahmoud Dicko, the former president of the national assembly and the influential cleric.

Dicko, the cleric, is well placed to act as an intermediary for these extremist leaders if such approaches are to be renewed, said Professor Kissima Gakou, a criminologist at the University of Bamako who specialises in security issues. "They recognise in him certain values that give him the benefit of the doubt and enable him to interact with them," he said.

But Gakou believes the hardline ideology of the extremist groups means they are fundamentally opposed to dialogue. "The problem with jihadists is that they have maximalist (extreme) positions," he said. "They know they have the power to fight to the last drop of blood... All they have is violence."

Another obstacle to talks, according to Fahad Ag Mohamed, secretary-general of the pro-government Imghad and Allies Tuareg Self-Defence Group, or GATIA, is the structure of Mali's extremist groups, which are allied with larger organisations in the wider Sahel region.

"You cannot negotiate with one without the approval of the others," he said. "If we have to talk with Amadou Koufa, he must have the consent of Iyad (Ag Ghaly), who needs the assent of (AQIM leader Abdel Malek) Droukdel."

Ag Mohamed added that he didn't think these larger groups would let their allies negotiate with the Malian government.

What to discuss?

Introducing sharia law across Mali is the jihadists' long-standing goal.

Discussions cannot include "sharia, the Islamisation of the country," said Adama Ben Diarra, a spokesman for the Waati Sera movement, which regularly organises demonstrations in support of the national army.

But ARGA's Dakouo said the idea that entering into talks implied an acceptance of sharia was wrong and missed the point.

"Dialogue is a crisis-resolution mechanism," he said. The parameters must be the preservation of "the republican state, justice, and the principles of law".

The talks should aim to bring the extremist groups into the agreement for peace and reconciliation that was made with the Tuaregs, Dakouo said.

But Ag Mohamed, secretary-general of the pro-government group, said that particular scenario was impossible. "If you open a process with them, it will be a different process," he said, referring to the extremists. "It has nothing to do with the agreement signed in 2015."

Human rights abuses?

Some extremist groups are accused of serious human rights violations.

The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) has initiated several lawsuits against some of the Malian extremist groups related to sexual violence, and has filed legal complaints against some of their leaders, including Ag Ghaly.

"Mali has adopted a national policy of transitional justice," Dakouo noted. He insisted mechanisms could be set up to allow human rights abuses to be handled while dialogue continued. He also stressed that the Malian government and its troops are also accused of violations.

What about international allies?

Cross-border aspects of the Malian conflict are also a major consideration. France and the UN are already deeply involved in trying to sort out the country's crisis, so it would be difficult for Bamako to go it alone by entering into unilateral talks with extremist groups.

"The issue goes well beyond Mali," said Gakou. "Mali cannot engage in dialogue before convincing all partners of the relevance of its approach. Otherwise, it's a lost cause."

The international players engaged in Mali have steadfastly refused to enter into negotiations with extremist groups.

"They are terrorists," France's then foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said last year in response to the call by national conference to consider talking to the jihadists. "How do you negotiate with terrorists? This is a fight with no ambiguity."

Dakouo, however, insisted that opening dialogue is a promising option  one given legitimacy by the fact attendees at the 2017 conference strongly supported the idea. The government, he said, just needs to "find the right arguments" if it decides to go down that road.

(Translated from the French by Rory Mulholland)

ah/rm/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteCivilians trapped in Yarmouk face "unimaginable" end to siege

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 23 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Civilians trapped in Yarmouk face "unimaginable" end to siege, 23 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74010e4.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Hundreds at risk in Syrian government offensive to wrest Palestinian camp back from so-called Islamic State

BEIRUT, 23 April 2018

By Tom Rollins

Hundreds of civilian lives are at risk in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp as Syrian government forces pummel the neighbourhood  one of the last in the capital controlled by so-called Islamic State  with airstrikes. Thousands of others who have fled the area are in need of humanitarian aid.

With a ground offensive looming, the last remaining Palestinian refugees in what was a Damascus suburb of 160,000 before becoming an international symbol of human suffering in the Syrian war are now without water, electricity, or medical services.

Those fleeing say those who remain are hunkering down in basements or underground shelters as homes and infrastructure have been destroyed. As many as 1,000 civilians are believed to still be in the area that is under IS control, either unable or unwilling to leave, although some estimates put the number as low as 300.

Since April 19, 5,000 of the estimated 6,000 civilians left in Yarmouk when the offensive against IS began have fled to the nearby village of Yalda, according to the United Nations. While they are no longer under fire, they are also in dire need.

As pro-government forces advance, there are concerns that Yalda too might become caught up in the fighting and offer little respite for fleeing civilians.

Chris Gunness, spokesman for UNRWA, the UN's agency for Palestine refugees, told IRIN on Monday that many of the new arrivals to Yalda are "begging for medicine and are sleeping in the streets".

"The situation facing Palestine refugees in and around Yarmouk is unimaginable," he said. "In Yarmouk itself, thousands of homes have been destroyed and the last remaining hospital [has] been rendered inoperable by fighting. We call on all sides to spare civilian life and infrastructure. The situation they face is piteous."

UNRWA has confirmed two deaths since the offensive began, but local relief workers say the death toll is higher, at least 10. IS shelling on government-held areas on the outskirts of Yarmouk has also claimed lives.

Yarmouk resident 'Am Bilal, who fled to Yalda over the weekend, told IRIN that the people who stayed behind now cannot leave their homes because of the bombing.

"The only way out is to cross to Yalda," 'Am Bilal said. "Nobody knows how many stayed behind."

A journalist based in the Yarmouk area, Mattar Ismaeel, told IRIN on Monday that there are only 300 to 400 civilians left in the camp. "The only food they have is whatever was stored in their homes . . . people are relying on wells to get water, which is extremely difficult to get hold of given the circumstances now."

The 6,000 Palestinians who were still in or fleeing Yarmouk on the eve of the offensive are thought to be the elderly and those either unable or unwilling to leave.

Muawiya Muhammad, a doctor from Yarmouk working with the newly displaced in Yalda, told IRIN over the weekend that those left in Yarmouk were mostly elderly, most of whom are ill and no one to care for them.

"Even without the siege, the medical situation is really in a bad state," he said. "The major percentage of [these cases] are infectious diseases that could be prevented with proper hygiene  typhoid fever and hepatitis A have broken out in the camp on many occasions."

Yarmouk was divided by the start of the Syrian war in 2011, and rebels from the Free Syrian Army forcibly took control of the of the camp in 2012. It was first fully besieged by the government in July 2013, with reports emerging at the time of desperate residents eating cats and dogs to survive.

These sorts of stories, combined with a 2014 photograph showing thousands of hungry civilians waiting for UNRWA assistance in a bombed out Yarmouk street, made it a haunting symbol of human suffering in a war marked by starvation tactics and sieges.

By March 2014, at least 194 people in the camp were reported to have died from starvation and a lack of medical care, although estimates differ.

The siege was partially lifted in 2014, but UNRWA has been unable to access or deliver aid directly to Yarmouk since 2015, when IS gained control of almost the entire neighbourhood.

The security situation has also prevented the UN agency from accessing Yalda since 2016. This has not only deprived hungry Palestinians in the village, but also stopped provisions from reaching civilians in Yarmouk.

'Oroubeh, the last remaining checkpoint between Yalda and Yarmouk, has been a lifeline for civilians, allowing for the movement of some goods and people. However, the rebel group that controls Yalda has been intermittently closing it over the past month.

'Am Bilal said that before he finally left Yarmouk, he stood for hours last week at the closed checkpoint, hoping to cross and purchase bread for himself and his family. The checkpoint remained shut, and he walked back empty-handed. "People [were] on their feet waiting for hours each day just to get a single bag of bread," he said. "We are tired-out from the siege."

Prior to 2012, there were 560,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria, according to UNRWA. The vast majority, 438,000, have remained in the country: UNRWA says 58 percent are internally displaced and 95 percent are in need of assistance.

Among the pro-government forces mobilising to enter Yarmouk are some pro-government Palestinian militias, and the offensive has the support of some Palestinians.

Ibrahim, a Palestinian from Yarmouk who fled to central Damascus some time ago and spoke to IRIN via WhatsApp on the condition of anonymity, welcomed news of the offensive.

"People want a solution in order to preserve their property and save innocent lives," Ibrahim said. "God-willing, the civilians [inside Yarmouk] will be okay . . . but the army is targeting specific IS positions, not civilians, whereas IS is indiscriminately bombarding the vicinity of the camp."

But Salim Salamah, a former Yarmouk resident and director of the Palestinian League for Human Rights-Syria, had a different take on what appears to be the end of Yarmouk camp.

"This is the very last chapter in a slow and painful destruction of the Palestinian existence in Syria," he told IRIN. "Yarmouk's siege is about to come to an end  not through a situation where people are allowed access to food, medical care, and freedom of movement, but instead one where the camp itself is being totally erased."

With additional reporting by Osama Moussa, a former Yarmouk resident

om-tr/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteThe Yazidis who never came down the mountain

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 23 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, The Yazidis who never came down the mountain, 23 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74010fa.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Four years after fleeing so-called Islamic State, thousands of families remain stranded

SINJAR, 23 April 2018

By Tom Westcott

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

Nestling near the summit of Sinjar Mountain in northwestern Iraq, hundreds of blue and white tents line several kilometres of battered road snaking through a windswept valley.

This is where, in 2014, some 50,000 members of the Yazidi religious minority fled a massacre by so-called Islamic State. Trapped on the mountain with no food or water, their plight grabbed international headlines.

Four years later, more than 2,000 families, some 10,000 people, still live on the mountain in a camp with scant facilities. Unable to return to their flattened homes or too terrified of further persecution to leave  or both  they feel increasingly forgotten.

Since liberation in late 2015, up to 25,000 Yazidi families have returned to towns and villages once ruled by IS, according to Sinjar's mayor, Ferhad Hiamd. But that's not an option for many mountain camp residents who hail from places like Sinjar's old town  largely reduced to rubble by IS demolitions, street battles, and airstrikes.

One of those who can't go back is Mahmoud Khalif Bayan, who sits on the floor of his sparsely furnished tent, demoralised by the fact he can only get a day or two of casual labour a month and is unable to provide for his family.

"My home is completely destroyed and, as no one has yet returned to our village and there are no services, it remains impossible for us to return," he says. "If we had anywhere else to go, we would leave, because this is no way to live."

For the Yazidis, Sinjar Mountain is sacred. It has provided refuge in past wars. But their difficult life here is under renewed threat. In late March Turkey announced an impending military offensive in Sinjar, claiming that members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist group, are still sheltering there.

While this looming military threat has made the situation in the camp even more precarious, grinding poverty and a near-total lack of job opportunities on the remote mountain mean any assistance is quickly used up, and needs remain acute.

Residents say what they really need is help that will last over the long term and enable them to rebuild their lives.

Bayan's youngest child, three year-old Chuer, was born in the camp. Her brother Benge, who was just six months old when the family fled, can remember no other home. They live four people to a small tent.

"It's terrible here because we have no services, no electricity, no proper school, and no healthcare if the children get sick," Bayan's wife Shereen explains. The nearest clinic is a half-hour drive, but few residents have cars or can afford transport.

In a nearby tent, Hetty Hero, who looks a decade older than her 40 years, explains how every aspect of life at the camp, located 1,463 metres above sea level and often subject to extremes of weather, is difficult.

"Winter is terrible because rainwater leaks into the tents and it's very, very cold, and, in the summer, the tents are unbearably hot because we have no fan and no electricity to run one.

"We sleep outside in the summer because it's cooler, but the snakes and scorpions here are a big risk for the children," she says. "We have very little food, no doctor, no money, and no work opportunities, and, really, we live by God's mercy."

Aid has arrived intermittently since the liberation of Sinjar in late 2015, Shereen says, including occasional donations of clothes and food boxes and, once, 500,000 Iraqi dinars ($420) for every family.

Although the Yazidis continue to attract some media attention, particularly stories of young women forced into sexual slavery, officials from several international NGOs, none of whom agreed to be mentioned by name, noted that donations had dropped off since Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017. The officials say they are struggling to raise funds for projects in Sinjar.

Small solar panels donated by one NGO back in 2014 have long since ceased to work. Every few nights, government power reaches the handful of brick dwellings for around two hours. Those from nearby tents top up their mobile phones in half-hour charging stints. Another NGO had provided generators and fuel to run the pumps for water-wells, but it withdrew from Sinjar a year ago and the pumps now stand mostly useless.

Sinjar resident Marwan al-Sheikh helps with logistics at the camp, which is run by a local Yazidi brigade of the People's Protection Forces, or YPG, which worked directly with the PKK from 2014 until 2017, sharing control of the mountain until Iraqi forces took over the area late last year, according to local YPG commander Said Hassan.

Iraq has since incorporated the YPG into its Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces), a collection of mostly Shia fighting forces allied with the Iraqi army during the battles against IS and now officially under state control.

Al-Sheikh says camp organisers collect money from the families to buy fuel for generators from Sinjar town, but many residents don't have the 4,000-dinar ($3.30) fee.

UNICEF spokeswoman Laila Ali says the UN has provided assistance to residents of the mountain camp since 2015 via a local partner, most recently supplying kerosene heaters and warm clothing.

It is unclear what aid, if any, other aid groups are providing  several, including the World Health Organisation, failed to respond to IRIN's request for comment.

Whatever aid does arrive offers only fleeting respite. And the camp continues to grow despite the tough living conditions and few basic resources available to residents. Some Sinjar residents who returned to the region from other parts of Iraq to find their homes destroyed or villages deserted have come back up the mountain.

Hassan, a Yazidi, says the mountain has always been seen as a safe haven, even during IS occupation of the region, and that the camp now houses 2,100 families, more than double what it did when most of the Yazidis first fled Sinjar in 2014.

"At first we just had tarpaulins, but organisations in [the Syrian Kurdish area of] Rojava, and the Iraqi government, later sent tents," he says. "We welcome any Yazidis here, giving them a tent so they can set up a life."

Since Turkey's threat to intervene in Sinjar, the Iraqi government has sent forces to the area and the PKK announced its complete withdrawal.

In his makeshift general store in a roadside shack, camp resident Khalid Khodaida explains how people on the mountain are now terrified and can't sleep at night because they fear airstrikes.

"Even though they have no money and almost nothing, some people have already fled," he says. "The Yazidi people have suffered enough and all we want for our future is peace and safety."

Turkish warplanes already carried out airstrikes in Sinjar last year, killing eight YPG members and two civilians, including a shepherd's 10-year-old son.

A spokesman for one of the main international providers of humanitarian aid in Iraq, speaking on condition of anonymity, voiced major concerns about access to the camp and secondary displacement if Turkey follows through on threats to launch military operations in the region.

IS repeatedly tried to conquer the mountain until it lost control of Sinjar town in late 2015. It was kept at bay by the mountain's height and by military positions manned by the YPG, all-female Yazidi units, and the PKK.

Despite the hardships, Hassan, the YPG commander, is quietly optimistic and glad the camp has at least allowed them to stay in their homeland and preserve their threatened culture: "This camp has enabled us to maintain our Yazidi demographic here, and many people stay because it's near their former homes, so [that] when Sinjar is eventually rebuilt it will be easier for them to return."

tw/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteWomen, elderly left behind in Nepal's post-earthquake rebuilding efforts

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 25 April 2018 Cite as IRIN, Women, elderly left behind in Nepal's post-earthquake rebuilding efforts, 25 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740113a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Three years after the quake, government programmes to speed up new construction often still overlook the needs of female-headed households

DOLAKHA DISTRICT/Nepal, 25 April 2018

By Pragati Shahi

Freelance journalist based in Kathmandu

Three years after earthquakes levelled parts of Nepal's remote Dolakha District, Sun Maya Tamang is left on her own in a bamboo shack perched high above the nearest village while her neighbours below rebuild their homes.

The 25 April 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks killed 9,000 people nationwide and left an estimated 3.5 million homeless. Reconstruction has generally been slow everywhere in Nepal, but advocates for survivors like 70-year-old Tamang say the homes of widowed and elderly women have largely been overlooked in the rebuilding process.

Renu Rajbhandari, chairperson of the Women's Rehabilitation Centre, an NGO that works on women's rights, said authorities haven't accounted for how disasters impact women and men differently. "Those responsible are not showing enough will to address the issues and prioritise the most vulnerable populations," she said.

Authorities acknowledge that people like Tamang have suffered, with reconstruction efforts more focused on helping households finish building rather than on ensuring that some of the most vulnerable people can move forward with their lives.

"We have to work step by step to ensure that no one is left out in the rebuilding process," said Netra Prasad Subedi, an official with Nepal's National Reconstruction Authority, the government agency responsible for overseeing the rebuild.

Deadlines, but not enough help

In an attempt to speed up reconstruction, the government has set a July deadline for Nepalis to apply for additional funding to rebuild their destroyed homes.

But setting a deadline likely won't help women in rural areas who have limited support to navigate the process of applying for funds. They often lack the skills needed to rebuild on their own in areas where construction labour is scarce. Rights advocates add that pervasive discrimination makes it even harder for women to recover.

"At a time when the male-headed households are unable to rebuild houses on time, the situation of single women, who have very limited or no support at all in rebuilding, is even worse."

"Life is challenging every day inside this hut," Tamang said recently as the April rains spattered on the corrugated zinc roof overhead. After her husband's death last year, she now lives alone in what was intended to be a temporary structure next to their destroyed home. At night, a chilling wind passes through the thatched bamboo walls, which are blackened by the wood fire she uses for cooking and heating. With a heavy rain, streams of water flow inside.

This month, authorities asked donors and aid agencies to help fast-track reconstruction for some 18,000 of the most vulnerable people  the elderly, people with disabilities, and widowed or single women older than 65.

But advocates say much more needs to be done. And with Nepal's annual monsoon coming in June, Tamang and others like her will endure a fourth rainy season without a proper roof over their heads.

The damage from the earthquake and its powerful aftershocks was most acute in remote areas like the mountainous Dolakha District, the epicentre of a major aftershock that rattled Nepal again on 12 May 2015, weeks after the initial earthquake, and destroyed Tamang's former home.

"At a time when the male-headed households are unable to rebuild houses on time, the situation of single women, who have very limited or no support at all in rebuilding, is even worse," said Sumeera Shrestha, executive director at Women for Human Rights, a Kathmandu-based non-governmental organisation that advocates for the rights of women after the earthquake.

Roughly 26 percent of homes destroyed or damaged by the earthquake are headed by women, according to government data. UN-led surveys of earthquake-hit communities in Nepal found women were less likely than men to have started or completed reconstruction, less likely to be equipped with the skills to rebuild, and less likely to say they understand the complicated funding process, which requires government-approved housing designs and inspections before additional funding can be released.

"I can't build, myself"

Signs of rebuilding are everywhere in Dolakha: masons piece together half-finished homes with bricks and mortar, concrete foundations are replacing piles of rubble, and iron rods are rising as new structures take shape.

Homes like Tamang's are also a common sight, though. They are ramshackle shelters patched together from relief supplies distributed after the earthquake. Tamang said the government gave her the first of three rebuilding installments, 50,000 rupees  less than $500. But she doesn't have the skills to do the work herself, and there is no one to help her.

"I can't build, myself," she said.

Rebuilding after Nepal's costly earthquake has been beset by long delays and criticism. As of late March, only 15 percent of some 767,000 households eligible for government reconstruction funds have been completely rebuilt, according to data from the National Reconstruction Authority.

To begin, much less complete, a rebuilding project, some homeowners need training and other support, while many rural women need help just navigating the bureaucracy of accessing funds, rights groups and aid agencies say.

"For women, to run errands at the government offices to submit their grievances and access information about grants is challenging," said Cecilia Keizer, the country director for Oxfam in Nepal.

Basic issues like land ownership and a lack of vital documents such as citizenship and marriage certificates still cause roadblocks: In Nepal, female ownership of land or property stood at 20 percent as of the last census in 2011, and many women have struggled to access official funding without these vital documents.

Mohna Ansari, a member of Nepal's National Human Rights Commission, said the government fails to grasp why vulnerable women and other groups haven't been able to rebuild their homes.

"The concerned authorities never tried to know why, even after receiving the first installment, they are unable to rebuild their houses," Ansari said, adding that local governments must do more to identify and help people who have missed out on reconstruction aid.

Sagar Acharya, who leads the National Reconstruction Authority in Dolakha District, said authorities have concentrated on finishing houses already under construction  the government has set a target of 450,000 homes to be rebuilt by the end of July. This, he said, has left some of the most vulnerable people behind.

"Their voices remain unheard," he said.

For now, Tamang is waiting out the approaching rainy season in her makeshift hut, a steep 10-minute climb above her neighbours' new houses.

Her own fragile home was meant to be temporary.

"Soon, the monsoon will arrive," she said. "I fear that heavy rains this time could wash this hut away, leaving me homeless once again."

ps/il/js-ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteAfghanistan: Where home is a battlefield

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 1 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, Afghanistan: Where home is a battlefield, 1 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401174.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Aid agencies in Afghanistan are bracing for another refugee influx, but long-term reintegration plans are absent

SPIN BOLDAK/Afghanistan, 1 May 2018

By Maija Liuhto

After two decades in Pakistan, 35-year-old Durkhane is finally back in her native Afghanistan  but she has nowhere to go.

Sitting on a plastic chair here at a UN-run reception centre in the dusty border town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar Province, Durkhane is among almost one million Afghans who have returned from Pakistan over the last three years. They're coming home to a country mired in conflict, where aid for basic needs, jobs, and support for reintegration are in short supply.

Long a safe haven for Afghans fleeing instability, Pakistan has made it increasingly clear that the nearly 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees on its soil, as well as an estimated one million undocumented Afghans like Durkhane, are not welcome. Pakistan has set a 30 June deadline before identity cards allowing registered refugees to legally stay in the country will expire  the latest in a series of short-term extensions that has put Afghans and aid groups on edge.

Returnees like Durkhane face an uncertain future. Durkhane's family is from Kajaki District in neighbouring Helmand Province, an area contested by the Taliban and frequently hit by airstrikes. She said she doesn't know if it's safe to go back to Kajaki.

"We are worried about it, but what to do? We know that in Afghanistan, no place is secure," she said.

Each week, new violence makes headlines, as the Taliban and forces aligned to so-called Islamic State battle each other and the besieged government for control. This week, IS-claimed bombings in Kabul killed at least 25 people, while an attack on a military convoy here in Kandahar killed 11 children studying at a nearby school. Last year, more than 10,000 civilians were killed or injured in conflict, while half a million were displaced throughout the country, according to UN figures.

Yet Afghan refugees continue to cross the border from Pakistan. UN agencies are preparing a contingency aid plan for 700,000 returnees this year, on top of some 400,000 people predicted to return from Iran, which is also deporting Afghans in large numbers.

The Afghan government says it's trying to help the returnees, but so far it has resettled only a few thousand people over three years. Both local and international humanitarian agencies say they're overstretched as it is, and they fear a mass influx will add to the instability. And rights groups say neither the government nor donors have tackled the returnees' most pressing long-term needs: jobs, schools, and a secure place to live.

Moving deadlines, growing uncertainty

A spike in expulsions from Pakistan in 2016 offers a blueprint for what could come this year. Pakistani authorities drove out more than 600,000 Afghans in what Human Rights Watch called "a toxic combination of deportation threats and police abuses". Afghanistan struggled to absorb the sudden influx, and the UN launched a $152-million emergency appeal to cope.

Last year, total returns from Pakistan fell to about 157,000. But Pakistan has cranked up its rhetoric around sending refugees back to US-supported Afghanistan  a reaction, some analysts suggest, to US President Donald Trump's January threat to cut aid after he accused Pakistan of harbouring militants.

So far, Pakistan has pushed back its deadline for Afghan refugees three times since January; past extensions have been for at least six months and often longer. Ahead of the current 30 June cut-off, about 11,000 people have returned  mostly undocumented Afghans who say they fear deportation, harassment, or worsening job prospects in Pakistan.

Aid groups say the situation for Afghans in Pakistan is volatile. "The situation of Afghans in Pakistan remains precarious and subject to political dynamics and the continued acceptance of host communities," a recent UN update of aid programmes in Afghanistan stated.

Returnees enter Afghanistan mainly through border crossings like Spin Boldak, where the government and the International Organization for Migration run a reception centre. Here, undocumented returnees are screened, and the most vulnerable are offered short-term help: medical services, food, money for transport, and a night's accommodation. But after that, returnees are largely left on their own.

Anwar Jan, 45, sat with his family at the reception centre. He has lived most of his adult life across the border in Quetta, working as a day labourer. But escalating harassment by Pakistani authorities convinced him it was finally time to leave.

"We were refugees without identification cards," he said. "The police would arrest us, and it was too difficult for us. The situation in Afghanistan is better than in Pakistan for us. No one will arrest us without a reason here."

But Jan and his family face obstacles as they try to rebuild their lives. Jobs are scarce, and many Afghans return to find their ancestral homes caught behind a shifting frontline.

"Most [returnees] are from districts where security is a big challenge," said Fahim Safi, the IOM representative in Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces, home to the two main border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A January survey of returned Afghans by the Norwegian Refugee Council found that violence forced seven out of 10 people interviewed to flee again after they returned home.

A growing number move to crowded informal settlements that have multiplied across the country over the last five years, bolstered by displacement and the ongoing injection of new returnees.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations is responsible for helping returning Afghans reintegrate. Some, like Jan and Durkhane, have spent more time abroad than in the country of their birth. But a plan to provide land for vulnerable returnees in Jan's home district of Panjwai, near Kandahar City, has floundered.

Nationwide, only 7,000 returned families have received land from the government agency in the past three years, according to Hafiz Ahmad Miakhel, a ministry spokesman. "The procedure of providing land has taken time," he said.

Rights groups say the absence of any large-scale government land programme for returnees stands in the way of reintegration.

"It remains possibly the most serious concern for returnees  both land and housing in general," said Patricia Gossman, Human Rights Watch's senior researcher on Afghanistan.

Going back

With little long-term support from the government or aid agencies, many returnees here head to urban centres like Kandahar City, about 100 kilometres from the Pakistan border over barren desert land.

Families of Afghan returnees cluster together on the outskirts of the city, living in rented mud-brick homes lodged between large warehouses and petrol pumps. Most of the families had lived in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, and arrived one after the other in recent years as the pressure to leave intensified.

"There is so much land in Afghanistan that hundreds of thousands of returnees could live there," said Mullah Nek Muhammad, a malik, or leader of the group. "But [authorities] haven't given us even a square metre so far."

Already, he said, many newly returned Afghans from his area are thinking of packing up and heading back across the border to Pakistan  despite the threat of harassment and deportation. A close relative recently made the reverse journey, he said: "He spent two, three months here. There was no work; he sold all his possessions and moved back to Karachi."

Patte Mohammad Khan makes less than a dollar a day driving a three-wheeler, he said  barely enough to cover his monthly rent. He says he left Pakistan because of constant harassment; he doesn't plan to return.

But with five hungry children he often can't afford to feed, it's hard not to think about the life he left behind.

"If I tell the truth, our life was better in Pakistan," he said.

ml/il/js-ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteIn Burundi, a disputed referendum threatens to deepen a neglected humanitarian crisis

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 3 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, In Burundi, a disputed referendum threatens to deepen a neglected humanitarian crisis, 3 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401194.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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 president's bid to stay in power until 2034 could further destabilise the country

3 May 2018

By Charlie Ensor

A freelance journalist, focusing on humanitarian and development issues

Burundi isn't at war, but it has all the humanitarian hallmarks of a country that is.

Campaigning began this week ahead of a 17 May referendum that could allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to stay in office until 2034. A government clampdown and an uptick in political violence are raising fears that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate further as civil liberties and the rule of law are eroded, prompting more people to join some 400,000 already seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

Lewis Mudge, senior researcher in the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, said Burundians will continue to flee unless the political crisis is resolved.

"The current situation is worrying, as a lot of Burundi's problems are political at the root and at their base," he said. "It's hard to put a timeline on it, but unless these political issues are resolved, I think it's very possible that we could see even more people fleeing the country, which would put an enormous strain on Burundi's neighbours."

More than 3.6 million Burundians  about a quarter of the population of what is the world's fourth poorest country  now need aid to get by, an increase of almost 20 percent over 2017, according to the UN's Humanitarian Response Plan.

Some 2.6 million people lack reliable access to food, up from 1.5 million a year ago and 700,000 in April 2016. One in six children under the age of five are affected by chronic malnutrition, a condition that stunts growth and impairs mental development.

Aid agencies say they need some $142 million to meet needs this year. So far, only two percent of the appeal has been funded.

Much of this money is required to fill the gap left by a cash-strapped and ineffective state in providing basic services  countering widespread malnutrition and food insecurity, boosting primary healthcare ( six million Burundians got malaria in 2017), and helping 190,000 internally displaced people (mostly due to natural disasters such as floods and landslides in 2016) and 65,000 refugees from neighbouring states.

Multiple causes

Burundi's inability to care for its citizens has several causes: the lingering effects of a civil war that broke out in 1993 and only formally ended in 2006; an economy overly dependent on an inefficient agriculture sector; the political crisis ignited in 2015 when Nkurunziza decided to run for re-election in apparent violation of constitutional term limits; and the drying-up of the foreign cash on which the government long depended.

Such overseas assistance "is on a drip at the moment", according to one aid worker, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of working in Burundi. Suspended donor support has led to a 72-percent cut in the government's water and sanitation budget, increasing the risk of epidemics such as cholera, while funds for healthcare have been more than halved.

Hundreds of thousands of Burundians fled the country in the early stages of the 2015 political crisis, and continue to leave at a rate of up to 70 a day, according to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR.

Richard Moncrieff, Central Africa project director at the International Crisis Group, blamed government policy for the deteriorating humanitarian situation.

"Some progress was being made before the crisis in 2015 in food security and malnutrition, but this is being reversed partly because donors are pulling out  for which government is to blame also  and partly because government incompetence is being exposed by uncertainty, violence, and flight of human capital," he said.

Government policies are also making it harder for humanitarian agencies to deliver aid in Burundi. The 2018 Response Plan pointed to numerous "legal and administrative restrictions [that] limit current and future operational efficiency" of aid agencies and their ability to travel into the interior of the country, except in extremely urgent cases. It added that legislation covering NGOs adopted in January 2017 undermined the independence of aid agencies.

These constraints "remain a key issue for humanitarian actors" in Burundi, Philippe Adapoe, Save the Children's country director in neighbouring Rwanda, said.

Abuses rise as poll draws near

Wide-ranging human rights abuses committed by security forces and affiliated groups over the past few years led the International Criminal Court to announce in November that it would conduct an investigation into Burundi, even though the country became the first in the world to withdraw from the tribunal the previous month.

Alleged crimes against humanity cited by the ICC include: murder and attempted murder; imprisonment or severe deprivation of liberty; torture; rape; enforced disappearance; and persecution. Depending on its findings, the ICC's next step could be indictments and arrest warrants.

The run-up to the 17 May poll has seen a spike in abuses and threats against those opposed to the amendments.

Mediation efforts led by the East African Community have failed to reconcile the government and the opposition. "The mediation process still shows signs of being highly fractured and is yet to achieve tangible results," the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies think tank said this week. "Nkurunziza's government has shown an increasingly intransigent and uncooperative position towards resolving the crisis," it added.

Many of Nkurunziza's leading opponents now live in exile, while those still in Burundi who favour a "No" vote in the referendum are being cast by officials as enemies and criminals.

"Opponents, including elected officials, are constantly harassed. The [Imbonerakure] militia which protects government bigwigs commits abuses in deplorable indifference of a judiciary which is a mere shadow of itself," Dieudonne Bashirahishize, the head of a group of lawyers representing victims of the 2015 crisis, told IRIN. "Leaders of the ruling party keep calling for those who dare to push for a 'No' vote to be lynched."

In one of several similar videos circulating on social media, a ruling party official says: "If you vote 'No', you know it will be death."

And in a rare case of hate speech prosecution, a ruling party official was handed a three-year jail term on 30 April, days after publicly warning that opponents of the referendum would be put into pirogues on Lake Tanganyika (widely understood to mean opponents would be fed to the lake's fish).

A group of "concerned citizens", tweeting collectively as @iBurundi, described this trial as a "sideshow" designed to cover up incitement to violence by some of the most senior officials in the ruling party.

Speaking out about abuses in Burundi carries great risks. On 26 April, human rights activist Germain Rukuki was handed a 32-year jail sentence after being convicted of taking part in an "insurrection movement" in 2015. Amnesty International said the charges were trumped up.

Lamenting that the prevailing climate of fear was preventing citizens from freely expressing their opinions, Burundi's bishops said on 2 May that "the time is not right to make profound changes to the constitution".

Night raids

Earlier this month, legislators approved a draft law that would give police the power to conduct night-time raids on people's homes.

"The ruling party has just buried democracy in Burundi," one opposition MP stated after the decision.

Jeremie Minani, the spokesperson for humanitarian issues in the CNARED opposition coalition  which has called for a boycott of the referendum  said the vote would "create chaos and worsen the suffering and misery of the population".

He added that if the constitutional changes were adopted, it would spell the end of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement  signed in 2000 under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela to end the civil war and create a governance framework for sustainable peace.

The death of the accord would "certainly take the country back to a new civil war," he warned. "The humanitarian consequences will be extremely serious: a total collapse of the economy resulting in increased poverty."

The government, which denies there is a political crisis in Burundi and has contested the data in the latest humanitarian appeal as "fabricated figures", turned Minani's accusation on its head.

The opposition were the ones who "took the path of violence", Interior Ministry Spokesman Terence Ntahiraja told IRIN. "They showed that on 13 May 2015," he added, referring to the day of a failed coup attempt. "So I would ask them to change their behaviour, to abandon their intentions to create trouble in the country and to accept democracy and compete on the ground, [in the referendum campaign] and to win if the people so decide."

Such an outcome is virtually impossible, said Bashirahishize, the victims' lawyer. "It's not a referendum, but a piece of theatre set up to enthrone the 'Eternal Supreme Guide,'" he told IRIN, using the title the ruling party bestowed on the head of state in March.

What next?

Around 400,000 Burundians who fled since 2015 are still living in neighbouring states, but their welcome in two of them is wearing thin. Tanzania, which hosts some 60 percent of the caseload, no longer grants Burundians prima facie refugee status and is keen to step up the rate of repatriations.

Relations between Burundi and Rwanda have soured, with the neighbours accusing one another of backing rebellions.

Earlier this month, Bujumbura protested the deportation by Kigali of some 1,600 Burundian refugees, alleging they had been sent back for refusing to join an armed group formed to attack Burundi.

Lucy Hovil, senior research associate at the International Refugee Rights Initiative, said the situation facing those fleeing Burundi's political violence was deeply concerning.

"Given [conditions in] the neighbouring countries to Burundi, this leaves them in a very difficult position because, as you know, many don't want to flee to Rwanda because it's not very safe . . . and neither is [the Democratic Republic of] Congo," she said.

Robert Rugurika, a Burundian living in Brussels, told IRIN that the political repression in his home country deters many refugees from going back.

"There is nothing the regime can do to convince people to return if it does not stop oppressing Burundians. This won't happen because the regime only survives by terrorising its own people and committing human rights violations," he said. "People are still fleeing even now ahead of the referendum. Since assassinations and torture continues against opponents, people will continue to flee in large numbers."

Bashirahishize said the international community "needs to pay more attention to the Burundian crisis, which is getting worse with time, so as to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe which risks getting worse with this referendum."

ce-str-am/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteAfghanistan battles polio: Rumours, mistrust, and negotiating with the Taliban

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 10 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, Afghanistan battles polio: Rumours, mistrust, and negotiating with the Taliban, 10 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74011b4.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

SPIN BOLDAK/Afghanistan, 10 May 2018

By Maija Liuhto

Behind an iron gate in a mud-brick home in southern Afghanistan, one of the country's newest polio patients is still learning how to walk.

Three-year-old Farid Ahmad teeters forward, his uncle hovering closely behind.

"He is so weak, mainly his hands and legs," Abdul Jalil says, watching as the boy roams unsteadily inside the family's compound here in Spin Boldak District, which stretches to the Pakistan border in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar Province. "Sometimes when he tries to walk, he falls down."

This week, Afghan authorities launched a new round of polio immunisations  the second nationwide campaign this year. They hope to reach more than 9.9 million children across the country with oral vaccines before the start of the polio "high season" in the warmer summer months, when the virus is most infectious.

The front line of the push to wipe out polio runs through places like Kandahar. Here, hard-fought progress is fragile and easily jeopardised by mistrust, missed vaccinations, out-of-reach healthcare, a dearth of female healthcare workers, and pockets of insecurity  where access for vital immunisation programmes must be negotiated with militant groups like the Taliban.

But the government, local officials, and healthcare workers are finding new ways to shore up that progress, including a "mobile mullah" programme and video fatwas to help convince parents that vaccinations are permitted by Islam.

The number of new polio cases recorded in Afghanistan has fallen from a high of 80 in 2011 to 14 last year. Half of last year's cases were found here in Kandahar. And of the seven confirmed cases of polio recorded so far this year, Kandahar is home to four of the patients, including Farid.

The difficulty of reaching children in volatile areas, anti-polio campaigners say, is one key reason why polio persists despite billions pledged globally and yearly declarations that the end of the disease is imminent. Afghanistan continues to be one of only three countries in the world  along with neighbouring Pakistan, and Nigeria  where polio is considered endemic.

Building polio immunity requires repeated rounds of vaccination to be effective, and Afghanistan stages mass campaigns throughout the year. But this demands consistent access, and insurgent groups like the Taliban control or influence more than 14 percent of the country's districts, according to recently released figures from US forces in Afghanistan. A study by the BBC this year estimated that the Taliban had "an active and open physical presence" in 70 percent of the country.

Last July, the Taliban opposed polio vaccinations in four Kandahar districts, including Spin Boldak, which is controlled by the government but vulnerable to Taliban-staged attacks.

This delayed the ongoing vaccination campaigns, contributing to some 64,000 children in these four areas alone missing their vaccinations, according to the UN.

"Accessibility is so unpredictable in Kandahar that it is difficult to bet on success until there have been five or six months of accessibility," stated a December 2017 report monitoring the work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative  the international anti-polio consortium comprising governments, donors, and UN agencies.

This uncertainty has forced health authorities and aid groups to negotiate with the Taliban, which holds influence in several districts in Kandahar.

Shahwalikot district, just north of the provincial capital, Kandahar City, is partly under Taliban control. It took negotiations between health authorities and the Taliban before the militant group agreed to allow vaccination campaigns last December.

But by the time immunisations resumed, there had been no vaccinations in Shahwalikot for six straight months, according to the UN. Shahwalikot recorded five polio cases last year  more than one third of Afghanistan's total.

Sardar Muhammad, the health ministry's district manager for Shahwalikot, says the Taliban objected to outsiders participating in the vaccinations.

"The Taliban wanted their people to do the vaccination," he says.

Since then, health workers have completed four vaccination campaigns in the district, with the Taliban's support. But despite the new access, vaccination teams often face resistance from sceptical parents who don't understand the pause and why they couldn't operate without the Taliban's permission. "They say, 'If the vaccine is good then why did you stop your campaigns?'" Muhammad says.

Elsewhere in the country, fighters aligned with the so-called Islamic State have also blocked vaccinations in areas under their control.

Even in areas outside direct insurgent control, vaccination teams have trouble reaching all the children who need vaccinations.

Health officials in Spin Boldak say parents have refused vaccinations for some 2,000 children, out of 18,000 targeted in the district.

"They sometimes think it is not allowed in Islam," says Doctor Jawed Ahmad Afghan, the district health officer in Spin Boldak. "So the reason is their religious beliefs. And also they don't know about the advantages of vaccination."

Hiding children from vaccinators is easy because most of the teams consist of only men, who are not allowed to enter homes due to cultural restrictions. Female polio teams do exist, but they are rare in this highly conservative area, where most women do not work or even leave the house. Out of 195 polio workers in Spin Boldak, only 14 are female, according to local health officials.

Multiplied across Afghanistan, each round of vaccinations misses large numbers of children. During an earlier immunisation campaign in March, health officials say more than 110,000 children nationwide missed vaccinations because the areas were inaccessible, the child wasn't home, or the parents outright refused the vaccine.

"In every campaign, we face people who reject vaccination [because of] rumours or reports that have been shared by some mullahs and community elders," says Doctor Aziz Kakar, the World Health Organisation's provincial polio officer in Kandahar.

"These are rumours from someone saying that they went to Pakistan, that some doctor told them."

For anti-polio advocates working in Afghanistan, this has underscored the importance of bringing influential religious figures on board with campaigns.

Authorities have formed local committees of mullahs, community elders, and medical workers to convince parents who have refused vaccinations for their children to change their minds. They've also sought out fatwas, or religious rulings from influential religious scholars, often in print or on video, to help convince sceptical parents that polio vaccinations are allowed under Islam.

And in Kandahar, a "mobile mullah" programme sends religious leaders to visit local schools and families that have opposed vaccinations. As a result, 99 previously unreached children were vaccinated in February, according to the UN.

On the ground in Spin Boldak, health officials say such efforts are slowly having an impact on once-reluctant families.

Khadija, 30, is a mother of seven children  four of whom have not been vaccinated. She says she's now aware of polio's dangers: Farid Ahmad, the three-year-old diagnosed with polio earlier this year, lives nearby.

"I have seen many children like [Farid]," she says. "I am scared that my children will also end up like him."

ml/il/ag/js

Link to original story on IRIN websiteNiger sends Sudanese refugees back to Libya

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 10 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, Niger sends Sudanese refugees back to Libya, 10 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74011ca.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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 unprecedented deportation comes after more than 1,700 people fled the other way since December

10 May 2018

By Eric Reidy

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor

Niger has deported at least 132 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers back to Libya, drawing criticism that it is flouting international law by sending them back to dangerous and inhumane conditions from which they recently escaped.

The deportation, the first of asylum seekers from Niger's migrant hub of Agadez, was confirmed by a high-ranking UN refugee agency (UNHCR) official, and later by an informed source in the Nigerien interior ministry who insisted those sent back were "criminals" fighting for militias in southern Libya. UNHCR put the number at 135, but the interior ministry said three people had escaped.

UNHCR said those deported were part of a group of around 160 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers arrested in Agadez on 2 May. The majority fled to Niger to escape harsh conditions and treatment in Libya and were receiving assistance from UNHCR.

The Sudanese men were deported across the land border into the south of Libya on Wednesday or Thursday, and their current whereabouts are unknown, according to the UNHCR official. Prior to the deportation, UNHCR secured the release of women and children, and several other people escaped.

One of those arrested on 2 May was a 58-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker whom IRIN met during a visit to Agadez in March. His current whereabouts are unknown, but communicating from prison before the deportation via text message, the man, who asked for his identity to be withheld due to the ongoing risks, said those arrested were held for several days without food.

On 7 May, several large trucks entered the prison. When the Sudanese resisted orders to board the trucks, the police beat them, according to people who escaped who communicated with IRIN via text message. Three men were taken to the hospital due to the severity of their injuries.

The trucks departed in the direction of Madama, a desert outpost close to the Libyan border and some 900 kilometres, or two to three days of gruelling travel, from Agadez.

On 9 May, IRIN received confirmation from the senior UNHCR official that the 135 Sudanese who were in the trucks had been deported to Libya.

"We deported a group of criminals who had been part of the militias fighting in southern Libya for security reasons," the Niger interior ministry source told IRIN. "They had no status as political or humanitarian refugees."

Human rights advocates expressed alarm at what they said was a violation of non-refoulement, the international law that prohibits states from sending refugees and asylum seekers back to countries where they may be in harm's way.

The deportations are seen as setting a worrying precedent for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who are increasingly trapped in Libya with no route of exit to safety.

"It is inhuman and unlawful to send migrants and refugees back to Libya, where they face shocking levels of torture, sexual violence, and forced labour," Judith Sunderland, Human Rights Watch's associate director for Europe and Central Asia, said in an email.

"This violates the absolute prohibition under international law . . . against sending people to a place where they face a serious risk of threats to their lives and freedoms."

Migrant U-turn

Agadez is a major transit hub for migrants travelling from West Africa to Libya en route to Europe. But since last December, more than 1,700 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers have fled from Libya to Niger, according to the latest UNHCR figures. This is a significant reversal of the trend of people travelling north from east and west Africa to the Libyan coast, to cross the sea and seek protection in Europe.

Since 2013, more than 600,000 asylum seekers and migrants have taken that route to Italy. The number of arrivals has decreased significantly since mid-July, when the Italian government allegedly co-opted Libyan militias to fight people smuggling.

The European Union and Italy have also been providing funding, training, and equipment to the Libyan Coast Guard, which has stepped up efforts to intercept boats carrying refugees and migrants across the sea.

Since the beginning of 2017, the Libyan Coast Guard says it has returned almost 19,000 people to Libya. A recent lawsuit filed with the European Court of Human Rights alleges that these people were returned against their will and subjected to inhumane treatment, including beatings, rape, and torture.

Clandestine migration is criminalised in Libya, and people who enter the country illegally are routinely detained for indefinite periods and suffer abuse from authorities and smugglers.

During a week-long visit by IRIN to Agadez in March, Sudanese refugees said they had fled dismal conditions in Libya. "People were being imprisoned and killed; there was looting; when someone works, they don't get paid their salary," said IRIN's 58-year-old Sudanese contact, who is from the Darfur region of Sudan.

"Anywhere [UNHCR] says I can go, I'll go  except for Libya or Sudan."

The majority of the Sudanese who have come to Agadez are from Darfur, which has been embroiled in conflict since 2003. Many had previously been registered with the UNHCR in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sudan, or in refugee camps in Chad. They travelled to Libya in recent years in search of economic opportunity, or with the intention of crossing the sea to Europe, but got caught in the lawlessness and violence that has characterised the country since the 2011 revolution.

Many of the Sudanese "fell prey to human traffickers and ended up in slavery situations  being forced to work, beaten, not paid," explained Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's special envoy for the Central Mediterranean.

As the route from Libya to Europe was constricted, Sudanese in Libya had few options of where to go. "Is there any corridor out of southern Libya that can offer . . . safety? No other corridor than Niger," said Alessandra Morelli, UNHCR's head of office in Niger.

Rising tensions in Agadez

News reports have suggested that the presence in Niger of a UNHCR programme evacuating asylum seekers from Libyan detention centres and resettling them to Europe has attracted the Sudanese to Agadez. But it is still unclear if, and to what extent, the programme is acting as a pull factor.

"I heard that in Niger there are laws and security," the 58-year-old Sudanese man told IRIN in March about his decision to come to Agadez. Other Sudanese interviewed then said that they had heard about the presence of UNHCR and came with the hope of receiving support they had not received elsewhere. No one IRIN spoke to, even when asked directly, specifically mentioned the resettlement programme as a factor in their decision.

The Nigerien government has been wary of the presence of the Sudanese since they began to arrive in December, and has characterised many of them as mercenaries in Libyan militias.

"We understood that there was a real danger because you have some people who were fighters in [the] south of Libya," Mohamed Bazoum, Niger's interior minister, told IRIN in March. "They came here because now they expect to go to Europe."

The arrests on 2 May were precipitated by strained relations between the local community in Agadez and the Sudanese, according to news reports and the UNHCR source.

Nigeriens in the neighbourhood where the Sudanese were being housed by UNHCR expressed frustration over public sanitation issues and fear over the proximity of Sudanese men to Nigerien women and girls.

UNHCR has entered mediations with local authorities and residents to reduce tensions and prevent further deportations.

Several Sudanese still in Agadez who remain in contact with IRIN via phone and text message say people there are afraid they will also be arrested and deported to Libya or back to Sudan.

When IRIN met the 58-year-old Sudanese man in March, he said he was hoping to find somewhere to stay where he wouldn't have to face the same problems and difficulties he endured in Darfur and Libya. "Anywhere [UNHCR] says I can go, I'll go  except for Libya or Sudan," he said.

(Photos and video supplied by Sudanese asylum seekers and refugees in Niger)

er/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteIRIN contributor expelled from Congo

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 12 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, IRIN contributor expelled from Congo, 12 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74011ea.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Geneva, 12 May 2018

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have expelled British freelance journalist Philip Kleinfeld.

Kleinfeld was detained on 7 May in the Rutshuru region of North-Kivu Province while reporting on inter-communal violence and its effects on the civilian population. He was working for IRIN, an independent news organisation that reports from the front lines of humanitarian crises.

Authorities also detained a journalist and a photojournalist working with news agency Agence France-Presse, as well as several members of a local Congolese non-governmental organisation. Kleinfeld and the photojournalist, both UK nationals, left Congo on 10 May.

Kleinfeld is an experienced journalist who has worked in Central Africa since 2016. His work focuses on the impact of conflict on civilian populations: he has documented systematic rape of women in South-Kivu Province and mass graves in the Kasai region.

A regular contributor to IRIN, Kleinfeld is accredited with the National Union of Journalists in the UK. He was in possession of a visa issued in the capital Kinshasa by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and valid until 3 August 2018. The Ministry of Communication and Media renewed his media accreditation, which covers the Rutshuru region, on 23 April. His trip to Rutshuru was authorised by the administrator of the territory.

"Philip is one of few journalists shining a light on under-reported conflicts and humanitarian emergencies in Congo," said IRIN Director Heba Aly. "His work is vital and we appeal to the Congolese government to re-admit him into the country to continue his independent and objective reporting."

ag/js/ha

Link to original story on IRIN websiteUN evacuation bid fails ahead of battle for key Yemen port

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 14 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, UN evacuation bid fails ahead of battle for key Yemen port, 14 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740120a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

UNITED NATIONS, 14 May 2018

By Samuel Oakford

Freelance journalist based in New York, and regular IRIN contributor

The United Nations made a failed attempt to evacuate more than 5,000 Yemenis from near the country's largest port of Hodeidah, which is facing an imminent assault, according to a UN operational plan obtained by IRIN and discussions with aid officials.

The attempt on 27 April to move civilians to safer areas where they could receive assistance flopped. In the end, only a handful of locals showed up and the rest refused to move. "The whole thing was a failure," said one humanitarian official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

For the past three years Houthi rebels and their allies have been fighting forces allied with internationally recognised (but deposed) President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and a Saudi Arabian-led coalition.

The battle for Houthi rebel-held Hodeidah appears to be inching ever closer, threatening to displace many in the city of 600,000 and further slow activity at the Red Sea port, which has historically brought in over two thirds of Yemen's imports. On 14 May, the United Arab Emirates  the most active coalition member on the west coast  announced a new amphibious assault south of the port.

"It's pretty clear that this is the real deal," said Adam Baron, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "They are actually making legitimate momentum towards Hodeidah."

Despite the initial failure, UN officials and aid workers suggest such evacuations could become a significant new relief tactic in Yemen, where 22 million people need aid, more than eight million are severely short of food, and the looming battle at Hodeidah threatens to take the crisis to another level.

Moving civilians out of harm's way is a "last resort" in the humanitarian toolbox  and the plan in Yemen would have been risky, analysts say.

"Any sort of movement of civilians has to be voluntary," said Sahr Muhammedally, Middle East and North Africa director at CIVIC. "It has to be a consultative process in these areas, with local communities, local NGOs, to see whether people will leave as they will want to know where they will go, when they can return, and what happens to their homes left behind."

Others in the humanitarian community believe the UN and aid agencies were getting ahead of themselves by planning evacuations, and said more pressure should be applied to avoid a battle for the city.

"The onus is very much on the parties to conflict to avoid causing displacement to the civilian population," said Jenny McAvoy, director of protection at US NGO alliance InterAction. "It seems to be putting the cart way before the horse to talk about evacuation when the conversation and the issues that humanitarians should be raising must be about the parties to conflict avoiding displacement."

Relocation bid unravels

The UN operational plan, obtained exclusively by IRIN, states that the relocation effort was coordinated by the UN after a request from the Houthi-controlled National Authority for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (NAMCHA) to help 1,600 households "trapped between front lines" as of 14 April.

It says that by 20 April violence had intensified in several areas in southern Hodeidah province, which runs along the Red Sea, prompting the action.

After some civilians were able to flee under their own steam, the UN planned to assist another 800 households that remained stuck in Hays district, near battle lines south of the port (the UN estimates an average of seven people per household, hence the 5,000+ figure).

Trapped civilians were to be taken from a "mustering point" to a "humanitarian service point" around 40 kilometres from the front lines where emergency aid  including food, blankets, kitchen supplies, and medical assistance  would be provided. They were also to be given rental subsidies and money for transportation, although where they were to go after is unclear.

Several aid agency officials, speaking to IRIN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the route was also to be "deconflicted", meaning discussed and agreed with the Saudi-led coalition so they could put it on a no-strike list.

The UN was supposed to be joined by by partner agencies including Save the Children, Oxfam, and Action Against Hunger (ACF), IRIN understands. The Norwegian Refugee Council, which has a 64-page policy on if and how to do wartime evacuations "did not commit to a role", according to an official.

The Geneva Conventions include the possibility of civilian evacuations, but the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which acts as the guarantor of the conventions and would typically assist in such cases, said it had not been involved.

Why it failed

Several UN and aid officials told IRIN the plan fell flat because locals were not consulted and because no one made a clear case to the residents to explain why they should leave their only source of livelihood  their land.

"Some families refused to leave, basically because they don't know what's happening tomorrow, and they don't want to leave their homes and everything they have in this life," said Anas Shahari, a spokesman for Save the Children in Yemen.

The planning document does not mention consultations with locals ahead of the evacuation. It concludes that evacuees would move on to unspecified "final destination sites", although they were to receive money towards rent and transport.

The evacuation would have been the first of its kind by the UN in Yemen, but the world body has performed them elsewhere.

In Syria, the UN's involvement in a hasty and flawed "evacuation" in 2014 from Homs' Old City fell below acceptable standards, even tolerating the screening of evacuees by internal security agencies, a review found.

In sharp contrast to the Yemen situation, plans for evacuations in Central African Republic the same year involved broad consultations with armed groups and took into account the views of the people at risk, but delays in actually carrying them out meant they came too late, although they likely saved lives.

Those critical of evacuations point to studies saying they run the risk of making aid agencies auxiliaries to the warring parties, or worsen vulnerability in the long-term and can ultimately put people at even more at risk.

"If people do decide to leave, it still does not negate the obligation of parties of the conflict should fighting erupt to take all precautionary measures to minimize harm as there may be some who did not leave," Muhammedally added. "One cannot automatically assume a combatant status of those who decide not to leave."

Ethical concerns

In Yemen, the plan created unease both inside the UN and among its humanitarian partners, according to several high level sources.

Some humanitarians feared moving civilians from the path of coalition and allied forces could be seen as clearing battle space, or give the appearance of benefiting the Saudi-led coalition.

At the same time, the Houthis could potentially take advantage of the operation to position civilians in strategic locations, or use deconflicted zones to their own advantage.

"We know evacuations have taken place in Iraq and other conflict-affected countries with lessons from which we can learn, but this won't necessarily mean the evacuations model can or should be replicated in Yemen," said Suze Van Meegan, an adviser with the Norwegian Refugee Council based in Yemen.

"Humanitarian actors in Yemen are very conscious of the ethical maze involved and will continue to assess situations on a case-by-case basis."

The UN's humanitarian efforts in Yemen are heavily funded by the coalition itself  most recently a one billion dollar infusion from Riyadh and the UAE received in March. At the same time, the UN's human rights office says more than 60 percent of nearly 16,500 civilian deaths and injuries monitored since March 2015 were due to coalition airstrikes.

The battle for Hodeidah

UN and other aid agency officials were loathe to speak about the evacuation on the record. The UN's humanitarian coordinator, Lise Grande, did not respond to IRIN's request for comment. In March, Grande officially moved to Yemen from Iraq, where she had held the same position during the fight against so-called Islamic State and as millions were displaced from cities like Fallujah and Mosul.

A spokesperson for OCHA, the UN's emergency aid coordination body, told IRIN they were "not in a position to confirm or deny" information about the attempted evacuation in Hodeidah.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a UN official did tell IRIN they were preparing for the possibilities of a battle at Hodeidah.

"If the conduct of hostilities on the west [Red Sea] coast continues, what I can tell you, the humanitarian community has plans . . . as humanitarians we are ready to respond to every eventuality."

A battle for Hodeidah has been a possibility for years, and aid agencies have warned that a fight for the city will lead to catastrophic consequences, not only for the civilians who live nearby, but for millions of Yemenis who rely on the goods its port provides.

Now, thousands of coalition fighters are reportedly advancing towards Hodeidah from the south.

While Yemeni military officials opposing the Houthis have said the advance will avoid entering densely populated areas, the province is home to nearly three million people.

Late last year, the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, told IRIN that an intensification of conflict in Hodeidah could lead to large-scale displacement of anywhere between 100,000 to half a million people. Some two million people are already displaced in Yemen.

so/bp/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteRefugees in Sudan allege chronic corruption in UN resettlement process

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 15 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, Refugees in Sudan allege chronic corruption in UN resettlement process, 15 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740122a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

UNHCR says investigators are probing the misconduct claims, which relate to its Khartoum office

KHARTOUM, 15 May 2018

By Sally Hayden

Freelance journalist and regular IRIN contributor focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises

Refugees in Khartoum, interviewed by IRIN over a 10 month period, say that individuals working with the Sudanese branch of the UN agency responsible for resettlement engage in corrupt practices, and that life-changing decisions are often made based on bribes rather than eligibility. That agency, UNHCR, says it has now mounted an investigation.

More than a dozen people told IRIN of experiences in which individuals claiming to be affiliated with UNHCR solicited money in exchange for advancing refugees a few rungs up the long ladder to resettlement, in a kind of "pay-to-play" scheme.

A recent staff list obtained by IRIN indicates that several individuals named in interviews with refugees as engaging in corrupt practices were still employed there as of February 2018.

"We call it the mafia  they're supposed to be caring for refugees, but here, they think of themselves," said one Ethiopian man in Khartoum, sitting on a bed donated by another refugee he said had paid to be resettled in Australia. The man asked not to be named because he fears arbitrary arrest and deportation by Sudanese security agents, a common concern among Khartoum's refugees.

UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch confirmed that the agency's independent, Geneva-based Inspector General's Office (IGO), which is mandated to look into allegations of misconduct, is carrying out the investigation.

"UNHCR does everything to ensure the integrity of the resettlement programme as it is absolutely vital to maintain the confidence of refugees and the states involved," Baloch said. "UNHCR investigations are led by professional investigators."

An entrenched problem

When IRIN first raised refugees' allegations of corruption with UNHCR Khartoum office in September 2017, the then spokesperson in Khartoum said they were unaware of such claims. IRIN contacted the office with additional information in February, by which time a new spokesperson was in place. She passed on the allegations to the IGO, which later asked IRIN for further details.

The IGO appears to have opened its investigation in March, although UNHCR would not confirm the timing, or whether it was the result of IRIN's reporting. Some refugees say their cases are now being re-assessed, although IRIN again could not confirm if this was prompted by these allegations and the investigation.

Since July 2017, IRIN has been in frequent contact with refugees in Khartoum and others now living in Europe. Many described an entrenched system of bribery and exploitative practices associated with the UNHCR resettlement programme in Khartoum.

"We call it the mafia  they're supposed to be caring for refugees, but here, they think of themselves."

These complaints were echoed by a UNHCR staff member formerly posted to the Sudanese capital, who asked to remain anonymous because of fears of professional retribution.

"The magnitude of corruption in the office... is (on) an unprecedented scale . . . This operation is the worst in terms of corruption [and] mismanagement," the staff member said.

The UNHCR employee said the alleged corruption had been going on for a long time, but had become significantly worse over the past four years, with no apparent action being taken to address it.

"If they [staff] talk they will lose their job. They will be attacked and harassed. I believe lots of people in UNHCR know about this but no one wants to talk about it. That's a problem," the staff member said. "They know talking about it will not do anything . . . Even IGO. The IGO takes a long time and nothing happens . . . Everybody prefers to be quiet."

59 global probes

Migration in the Horn of Africa is complex and constantly evolving. Lying on a crossroads of these movements, Sudan is both a temporary and long-term host to large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers who mostly come from South Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, but also from Syria, Yemen, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Many migrants pass through Sudan on their way to Europe via Libya.

For many of the 1.2 million refugees in Sudan and the 22.5 million worldwide, resettlement  the opportunity to start life anew, typically in a Western country  is coveted. But with fewer than one percent of registered refugees resettled each year, the process has been susceptible to abuse and exploitation.

Baloch said that globally, since 2015, the IGO's Investigation Service has carried out 59 probes related to fraud in resettlement and refugee status determination, and that the allegations were proven in 25 of these investigations.

In 2017, the service received almost 400 complaints about misconduct by UNHCR staff around the world, most of which related to fraud, as well as to sexual exploitation and abuse, according to a recent overview of the IGO's work. Allegations in half of the cases concluded last year were substantiated, it said.

"Fraud and corruption are not tolerated at UNHCR and would constitute a serious breach of the trust placed in us by the vulnerable people we serve and those who support us," Melissa Fleming, UNHCR's head of communications and public information, told IRIN when asked for comment about the Khartoum allegations.

"If it exists, it must be rooted out. UNHCR policy strongly encourages staff, partners and refugees to report any exploitation or abuse that comes to their attention. We are committed to do our utmost to support and protect victims and witnesses of misconduct and to foster an environment in which every person feels safe and free to come forward and speak up."

In a statement issued last year in relation to allegations of corruption by government officials responsible for refugees in Uganda, UNHCR said: "Every allegation is thoroughly assessed and, if substantiated, leads to sanctions against the concerned staff member, including summary dismissal."

"What is written is contrary to what's happening"

Resettlement is a complicated process taking anywhere from several days (in emergency cases) to several years. More than 2,000 people were resettled from Sudan in the year ending September 2017, according to UNHCR.

People arriving in Sudan seeking asylum are supposed to head first to Shagarab camp in the east of the country to be registered as refugees. But many skip this step and head straight to the capital because the area around the camp is a notorious haunt of kidnappers-for-ransom.

Refugees in Khartoum said the going rate to speed up the refugee registration and resettlement process for unregistered asylum seekers in Khartoum is about $15,000. Resettling a whole family boosts the price to $35,000-$40,000  money usually raised by relatives in Europe or elsewhere. The refugees said bribes were being paid to a network that includes middlemen and UNHCR protection staff.

Similar allegations of corrupt practices have been made elsewhere and in some cases confirmed. In 2001 Frank Montil, a former narcotics detective and senior UNHCR investigator, uncovered a refugee extortion racket in Kenya. At the time, he said, profits from exploiting refugees amounted to millions of dollars, with unofficial fees on migrants starting at $25 to enter a local UNHCR compound and escalating to between $1,000 and $4,000 for resettlement.

When told last autumn about allegations by refugees in Sudan  months before IGO got involved  Montil said he was astounded at the similarities with the schemes he had revealed in Kenya. It was as if someone had read his 2002 report and decided to replicate it, he said.

"It needs to be investigated," he continued. "If I heard [as a responsible official] what you said now, I would already be in Sudan and looking at it . . . I would have already sent a team on the ground."

Jumping the queue

In interviews, refugees recounted being approached by Eritrean or Ethiopian individuals who claimed to have contacts within UNHCR and suggested that money could advance their cases.

These middlemen seemed to have a good sense of their market. "They know which ones are the houses they should go to," said one man who fled to Sudan in the 1990s from Ethiopia and now lives with his family in a small stone room in a run-down area of Khartoum, having given up on resettlement.

"I believe lots of people in UNHCR know about this but no one wants to talk about it."

Refugees who raised the requested cash were handed a paper confirming an appointment at the UNHCR offices, where the resettlement process begins with a series of interviews and background checks. Refugees and the former UNHCR Khartoum staff member said a lot of power rests with a small group of UNHCR protection staff, who decide which cases should be promoted for resettlement.

But such payment did not guarantee resettlement. Refugees put forward for resettlement often go through extensive security screenings before they are accepted by a host country.

A number of the interviewed refugees said they believe some UNHCR staff work with outside individuals to obtain money without the knowledge of their colleagues.

Some refugees in Sudan who had applied for resettlement told IRIN their documents had mysteriously disappeared, their case numbers had changed without explanation, or people they knew who lacked refugee status were nonetheless allowed to leave the country after paying money to UNHCR staff.

Many refugees said they and others now avoid the UNHCR in Sudan altogether because of perceived corruption and unfairness in the system. Instead, they turn to smugglers to make the hazardous journey to Libya, the Mediterranean and, eventually, Europe. It's common for asylum seekers in similar situations to avoid official channels, as they attempt to find the fastest way to a country they consider safe.

The close relationship between UNHCR and Sudanese government officials, and the systemic abuse and discrimination refugees face as "second-class citizens" inside Sudan, were additional reasons refugees cited for avoiding formal channels.

Paying for a fake wife and a UNHCR meeting

One refugee in Khartoum, a construction worker who did not want his name used because of fears of retribution, told IRIN he had been asked by a Sudanese man of Eritrean origin, who identified himself as 'Saleh', to pay about $4,500 for resettlement. The man had approached him after the Sudanese government's Commission for Refugees denied his request for an identity card without explanation. All refugees in Khartoum are supposed to have such cards.

The construction worker, who earns just $50 a month, said Saleh had told him a UNHCR official was willing to help him in return for payment.

The refugee said he paid a portion of the money in 2011, and that Saleh gave him a UNHCR appointment form to meet the official and start the resettlement process.

Saleh also set him up with a "fake wife" to increase his chances of success. The woman in question was another refugee desperate to leave Sudan and had to pay $12,000 for the opportunity. The larger sum is consistent with gender-discrepant smuggling fees throughout Sudan, where Eritrean families are typically charged three times more to keep women safe.

The process went on for three years and included meetings in the UNHCR compound, the refugee said. Then Saleh disappeared, followed by the supposed UNHCR official.

The pair had collected money from many others, the refugee said. The fake wife eventually left, he said, hiring a smuggler to help her travel to Libya and later Germany.

Less well-off refugees, meanwhile, alleged the corruption involved theft of their identities.

Bisirat Tesfamariam, a 53-year-old Eritrean widower who arrived in Sudan in 1981 and now has three children  one a teenager, the other two in their twenties  said UNHCR had twice told him he would be resettled, most recently in 2014, to Canada. But his case was eventually rejected, he said.

He told IRIN that one former UNHCR staff member in Sudan later told him one of his daughters  who was still living with him in Khartoum at the time  had already been resettled abroad. Bisirat concluded that his family's files must have been given to other refugees in a case of identity theft.

When contacted by IRIN, this person said that they had no immediate memory of the man or his case and declined to comment further.

In April 2017, Bisirat, together with 38 other Eritreans and Ethiopians  all with official refugee status  signed a letter complaining of rampant corruption in UNHCR's Khartoum office.

The refugees say they gave physical or digital copies to UNHCR's Geneva and Kenyan headquarters. In September, UNHCR said it had no knowledge of the letter, which named four people the refugees accused of being involved in exploitation. The letter ended by stating: "Please bear with us because we have no alternative possibility but you."

Bisirat is one of the refugees whose case is now being reassessed.

In a phone call with IRIN in March, hours after he was unexpectedly called and asked to bring his family in for an interview with UNHCR, Bisirat said he felt hopeful for the first time in years. But two months later, after seeing little evidence of any further progression, he sounded despondent again. "Sudan now is very hard," he said. "Sudan is not changing."

(Additional reporting by Temesghen Debesai in London)

This story was produced with support from the non-profit 100Reporters, a Washington, DC-based investigative reporting organisation; and Journalists for Transparency, a project of Transparency International.

sh/am/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteAs Syria looks to rebuild, US and allies hope money can win where guns lost

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 22 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, As Syria looks to rebuild, US and allies hope money can win where guns lost, 22 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740124a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Critics say tying reconstruction aid to political change won't work and will hurt civilians

BEIRUT, 22 May 2018

By Aron Lund

Freelance journalist and analyst specialising on Syria, and regular IRIN contributor

President Bashar al-Assad is winning Syria's seven-year war on the battlefield, but his American, European, and Arab opponents are ramping up the pressure on the economic front. Their plan to block aid and investment that could help the regime's plans for reconstruction will frustrate al-Assad's regime and his allies, but analysts say it's also likely to prevent many civilians from rebuilding their lives.

After seven years of war, much of Syria is broken and economically exhausted.

More than six million people are displaced from their homes and about as many have fled abroad. Getting decimated cities like Aleppo or Homs back on their feet, and citizens back to a functioning economy, will require a major infusion of cash.

Since al-Assad allies like Russia, Iran, and China appear unwilling to step in with additional support, and have donated very little to cover humanitarian needs in Syria, a credible international reconstruction programme would likely require funding from the wealthy Western countries that contribute the vast majority of assistance through the UN and World Bank systems.

But American and European policymakers are hoping that money can win where guns failed, and, even as they withdraw support from the insurgency, they have settled on a strategy of boycott and sanctions, placing one major condition on reconstruction aid to areas the government controls: a transition away from al-Assad's dictatorship.

This transition seems unlikely to materialise, but their commitment to economic pressure remains  and now a bill in the US Congress wants to lock that strategy in place, by blocking funding for reconstruction in areas the regime controls.

A broken country

As of early 2017, the World Bank estimated that the conflict in Syria had destroyed a third of housing, as well as half of all medical and education facilities. It's only gotten worse since, as US Air Force backing for a Kurdish campaign left much of Raqqa destroyed, without electricity or running water, and government offensives ravaged the Ghouta region near Damascus.

It's not clear who, if anyone, will provide the resources to rebuild Syria. The fate of formerly rebel-held neighbourhoods in Syria's third city, Homs, is instructive. With little visible reconstruction or return of the displaced more than four years after being retaken by the army, these vast expanses of burned-out homes and concrete rubble have become visible proof of the economic weakness of al-Assad and his allies.

Syria's Central Bureau of Statistics has revealed that the country lost four fifths of its GDP between 2010 and 2016, and al-Assad recently said the cost of a nationwide reconstruction programme could range between $200 billion and $400 billion, far beyond the means of his government.

Help will not be forthcoming from Washington or its allies, at least not in the parts of the country the Syrian government controls. And while legislation currently before Congress aims to cement this position as law, it has been the general US policy for a while.

"The United States will not support international reconstruction efforts in Syria until there is a genuine political transition per UN Security Council Resolution 2254 through the Geneva process," a US State Department official told IRIN earlier this year, referring to the December 2015 resolution that called for a ceasefire and an elections-based political resolution, which has been the basis for peace talks in Geneva and Sochi.

The official added that Washington will "discourage" international trade, cooperation, and normalisation with Damascus until al-Assad is "gone from power".

Complementing this strategy, the United States has asked allies to invest in reconstruction efforts in areas under the control of US-friendly non-state actors, like Raqqa, both in order to stabilise them and to reduce their interest in reconnecting with Damascus.

But this element of the plan has been hobbled by US President Donald Trump's March decision to withhold approximately $200 million in "stabilisation" aid to areas outside al-Assad's control, demanding instead that America's Gulf Arab allies provide money and troops to pick up the slack.

This rise in foreign support for Kurdish-controlled and opposition regions has yet to materialise, but the wider strategy of boycotting reconstruction in al-Assad-controlled Syria is already solidly in place . It has been formally endorsed by several key US allies, ensuring that Syria cannot tap into World Bank support or other sources of funding.

Expert scepticism

Backing for the US strategy may be holding firm, but Syria experts contacted by IRIN put little faith in the plan to tie reconstruction to transition, noting that al-Assad has already weathered years of sanctions and war without offering meaningful concessions.

According to Joshua Landis, who heads the Centre for Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University, Washington's strategy of blocking reconstruction and keeping troops in oil-rich northeastern Syria aims at creating a "quagmire" for al-Assad's Iranian and Russian allies.

"The US policy should be gratifying to America's allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia," Landis told IRIN. "But it will leave 18 million Syrians in the lurch", he said, referring to the number of people thought to still reside inside Syria.

Landis said that Washington and its allies are using the "language of human rights" to "disguise a mean policy in noble cloth".

Samar Batrawi, a Hague-based researcher with the Clingendael Institute think tank, also signalled scepticism about the idea of toppling al-Assad by economic means.

"Strong conditionality and selective distribution of assistance appear to be the only two avenues US and EU policymakers have, apart from doing nothing at all," she told IRIN in an email, but added, "the notion that assistance can help secure a political transition is in my eyes overly simplistic".

Though placing conditions on reconstruction aid could build some leverage over the Syrian government, it would be unlikely to determine al-Assad's fate, given the high stakes on both sides and the deep involvement of regional and international powers.

"I fail to see how strategic distribution of what will likely be a small percentage of the total reconstruction bill [given the massive overall needs] will override these proxy dynamics and interests," Batrawi said.

The No Assistance for Assad Act

Whatever the linkage between reconstruction and political change, efforts are underway to fix the American-led economic boycott in place.

On 24 April, the No Assistance for Assad Act, NAAA, was approved with bipartisan support in the US House of Representatives.

If it passes the Senate and is signed by the president, it will become law, banning US assistance to all parts of Syria ruled by al-Assad except for basic humanitarian needs of the sort the UN already delivers, such as food or medicine.

A major donor meeting in Brussels last month affirmed its adherence to the policy of dividing emergency aid from reconstruction, pledging some 4.4 billion in humanitarian support for 2018 but also stating that reconstruction aid "will be a peace dividend only once a credible political transition is firmly underway".

Humanitarian principles require that life-saving assistance should not have political strings attached. However, the Damascus government has a long history of manipulating emergency aid, regularly denying access to convoys into rebel-held areas it has besieged, and steering the UN towards cooperating with charities close to the al-Assad family. Supporters of the NAAA say the regime would likely seek to exploit reconstruction aid in the same way, and that this is all the more reason not to fund reconstruction of government-held areas.

According to Faysal Itani, an adjunct professor at George Washington University and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who advised on the writing of the NAAA, passing the bill would "make it more difficult for the regime to directly or indirectly profit from US taxpayer money, and kill any World Bank dreams to get board approval and funding to operate in Syria."

One reason for the bill's success so far is al-Assad's alliance with Iran.

"Bear in mind the depth of hatred toward Iran on the Hill," Itani told IRIN. "Some of the more hawkish members of Congress see themselves as 'picking up the slack' left by the Obama team and now, to a lesser extent, the Trump team when it comes to Assad and Iran. Legislation like this is empowering in that sense, makes them feel useful on Iran, and applies pressure on the administration to hang tough."

As currently written, the NAAA would outlaw any use of US taxpayers' money for "early recovery, reconstruction, or stabilisation" in any area of Syria governed by al-Assad, including through institutions like the UN, the World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund.

Small-scale, internationally-funded reconstruction by another name  what the UN calls "stabilisation" and "early-recovery"  is already underway in parts of Syria not controlled by the government, but the NAAA is designed to stop precisely this drift into the grey zone between emergency humanitarian and reconstruction support.

Exceptions could be granted on stringent conditions  including, for example, the holding of free elections, the creation of an independent judiciary, and the firing of senior security chiefs  but such demands are non-starters for al-Assad.

Though the NAAA would formally be based on the policy of linking aid to transition, its more immediate effects would be to lock US tax money out of helping al-Assad-led Syria and to block any tendency within the UN to shift into a reconstruction role.

To the bill's authors, this is basic common sense: just as Russia would not provide money for the reconstruction of, say, Ukraine, so the United States will not support the rebuilding of a hostile, al-Assad-led, Russian-allied Syria.

"If Bashar al-Assad, the Butcher of Syria, wants to destroy his own country and then expects the United States to pick up the pieces, he is sorely mistaken," said the bill's lead sponsor, New York Democrat Eliot Engel, after the NAAA passed the House of Representatives. "That simply won't happen. He and Russia and Iran broke Syria, and now they have to buy it."

Reconstruction debate

There are voices in the United States who favour even tougher measures than the NAAA, which stops short of cutting emergency humanitarian aid like food, water, and shelter already provided by the UN and other aid organisations.

Robert Ford, the US ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014, and Mark Ward, who oversaw US assistance to Syria from Turkey between 2012 and 2016, recently penned an op-ed calling on the United States to end humanitarian assistance in government-held areas unless al-Assad stops interfering with UN missions.

"Let's stop funding UN agencies charged with delivering humanitarian aid inside Syria if the Syrian government continues to block the aid. The UN might complain," Ford and Ward wrote, "but our taking such a bold step would strengthen their hand with the government in Damascus and its allies."

However, critics argue that the US strategy  even if it is ostensibly targeted at reconstruction in areas al-Assad controls  knowingly harms civilian welfare simply to make a political point.

Not only does Washington plan to withhold its own money from a post-conflict phase, but it is also pressuring other nations to undercut Syria's economic recovery through sanctions, aid boycotts, and border closures.

The Middle East Institute's Geoffrey Aronson recently accused the US government of running a "mean-spirited policy" that seeks to punish the Syrian people for the US failure to topple al-Assad.

In Damascus, some think the trajectory of events on the ground means it won't be long before support for this US policy fades.

"All these pronouncements that the pro-opposition countries will refuse to deal with Syria as long as President Assad remains in office are meaningless," said Ibrahim Ibrahim, a consultant with the Syrian Law Journal, which markets legal services to would-be reconstruction investors.

"Once the Syrian Arab Army and its allies have extended their control to all Syrian territory, the countries that opposed Syria will start to shift their stances," Ibrahim said. "History has proven this to be the case."

Stuck in a broken state

However, history has a habit of taking its time, and until and unless something changes, all sides seem to be trapped in an emerging stalemate.

Washington and its allies will likely find it impossible to trigger a transition using only economic means. Measures like the NAAA, their deep anger against al-Assad, and the perceived need to set an example for future offenders will nevertheless ensure that many states  if not necessarily all  will continue a boycott-and-sanction policy for years to come, cementing Syria's status as a barren market littered with political and legal risk.

In such a scenario, given the meagre support provided by its allies, the Syrian government is unlikely to be able to launch large-scale reconstruction projects. It could even find itself unable to ensure the basic economic integrity of the post-war order, with harmful effects on civilian welfare and  which is of course the point of the American-European strategy  on the government's internal functioning.

To scrape together funds, Damascus could be forced to continue its fire sale of land and energy concessions to politically-connected profiteers and foreign allies. Although such measures may loosen the state's grip on Syrian society and the economy, they would be a stop-gap to sustain al-Assad's authoritarian rule rather than a prelude to real reform or transition.

This work was supported in part by a research grant from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

Link to original story on IRIN websiteMarawi: Inside the Philippine city a siege turned into a ghost town

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 23 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, Marawi: Inside the Philippine city a siege turned into a ghost town, 23 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401263.html [accessed 30 October 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A year after IS-aligned militants stormed Marawi, IRIN finds a city in ruins, a stalled rebuild, and hundreds of thousands still displaced

MARAWI/The Philippines, 23 May 2018

By Wes Bruer

Freelance journalist covering militancy and conflict

On 23 May 2017, militants aligned with the so-called Islamic State barricaded themselves into Marawi City on the Philippine island of Mindanao, beginning a five-month siege. A year on, the city still lies in ruins, some 237,000 people remain displaced, and frustration is growing at the slow pace of the rebuild.

This month, Nasser Lucman and his daughter, Rainisah  along with many other families  were allowed to return to their homes for the first time. The visits were tightly controlled by the army. Those returning were only permitted to recover what belongings they could from the wreckage before leaving again.

Lucman pulls at a sheet of mangled, corrugated metal that was once his front door, tearing it off and tossing it aside. "See, bullet shells," he exclaims, pointing his flashlight over a pile of casings that confirms what he already knows: his home has been a war zone.

As the army bombarded Marawi with airstrikes to root out the militants, more than 353,000 people were driven out of the city and surrounding areas. More than 1,000 people were killed. The government says only a few dozen civilians were among the dead. Local NGOs say many more civilians are missing and unaccounted for.

The government declared an end to the siege in late October and this month reconfirmed its commitment to rebuilding the city. But reconstruction has stalled, with large sections of Marawi covered in rubble and demolitions still not underway. While some of the displaced have returned to outlying parts of the city, authorities say people from the worst-hit central districts, like the Lucmans, won't be able to return for at least 18 months.

Thousands still live in evacuation centres and depend on insufficient food and water supplies. Most are bunkered down with extended family outside the city, where they have no access to aid or jobs.

Local advocates accuse the government of not doing enough to get people back on their feet and earning a living.

And the threat of militancy and extremism still lingers in Mindanao. The Philippines is a mostly Catholic country, but parts of Mindanao are majority Muslim  including Marawi, which is officially known as the Islamic City of Marawi. Last year's violence and today's faltering rebuild have added new levels of mistrust to a decades-long anti-government movement.

No homes; no jobs

A few kilometres outside the city, Fatima Lumabao sits in a bare, white tent  one of dozens lined up in rows on a small plot of recently cleared farmland. She has lived here since February, when a nearby municipality evicted hundreds of Marawi evacuees from gymnasiums and government buildings.

Like the Lucman family, Fatima recently visited her former home in Marawi, only to find it completely destroyed. "We retrieved nothing," she says.

Her family now depends on deliveries of government supplies  coffee, soap, a few kilograms of rice  that have grown increasingly sporadic as frustrations build.

"We are having a hard time getting our food," she says. "Our water is very limited. We are grabbing at each other just to get our water."

Adults and kids alike sit idly in the sweltering heat, waiting for new supplies. On this day, it comes in the form of a rare hot meal served in styrofoam boxes, thanks to a visit by local government and law enforcement officials.

But what Lumabao, a mother of eight, wants most is to earn a living and rebuild her life. The market where she previously sold fruit was levelled during the siege.

Samira Gutoc, a local rights activist also displaced during last year's violence, says the last 12 months have been a struggle for survival. People in evacuation centres have become dependent on aid, she says, but what they really need are jobs.

"[Humanitarian] assistance may be a temporary band-aid, but respect and dignity is a long-term process and it needs to be given urgently," says Gutoc, a member of the Ranao Rescue Team, a group of local organisations that helped Marawi residents who fled the city last year. "Especially for ground zero, the war zone people, they don't feel dignified in this situation."

Marawi is the capital and commercial heart of Lanao del Sur Province, but the siege also wiped out most of the businesses in the surrounding areas and devastated their local economies.

Laisa Masuhud Alamia, executive secretary for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, says the regional government is trying its best to provide services, but agrees that conditions in evacuation centres "are not that good".

The nationally led task force in charge of reconstruction says rebuilding Marawi's worst-hit areas will take at least 18 more months  a questionable timeframe given that authorities are still finding undetonated explosives scattered throughout the city, as well as dead bodies among the ruins.

Alamia says it will likely be "quite some time" before residents "can actually go back and make sure they have access to all services of government, including livelihoods."

A fractured peace

A decades-long anti-government movement on Mindanao still casts a shadow over last year's siege and the stalled rebuild here.

Over years of failed peace attempts, the insurgency on the island has split into a complex array of factions. Armed groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are cautiously waiting for a long-delayed peace accord to become law. Other groups remain steadfastly opposed to the national government and have taken on extremist tones.

Though the government declared victory over the IS-aligned militants that seized Marawi last year, frequent skirmishes still trap civilians elsewhere on Mindanao  including a March shootout between the army and another IS-aligned group, which displaced more than 4,000 people less than 200 kilometres south of Marawi.

This month, as the anniversary of the Marawi siege approached, President Rodrigo Duterte visited the city, greeting dozens of displaced former residents with promises for a hopeful future.

"The government really wants peace," Duterte declared, theatrically tossing aside a prepared speech. "We do not want the government to go here and kill."

He pledged support for reconstruction. "We are rebuilding Marawi," he said. "Slowly the money comes. Not overnight."

Fatima Lumabao, the mother of eight still living in a tent outside the city, was in the crowd.

She was not convinced. "I have not even received one peso from the government," she says.

Duterte's public optimism stands in stark contrast with Marawi's bleak central core, where the crumbling buildings are riddled with bullet holes and many walls are still scrawled with pro-IS graffiti.

Reconstruction authorities call these districts "the most-affected areas"; families here call it "ground zero".

During their short visit, Nasser and Rainisah Lucman stumble through their home looking for anything to salvage. They find some clothing hangers, an old fishing net, and some plastic jugs.

Through a blasted wall of a downstairs bedroom, they also see their neighbour, Abdulhakim Salem. He stands with a blank stare, surveying the damage in the gaping shell of his own former home, as his family and neighbours gather around him.

A year after the siege, he says, he still can't believe fellow Muslims would cause so much damage to other Muslims.

But, standing amid the destruction, he and his neighbours also wonder if the firepower used by the army was necessary to liberate the city.

"It was not the terrorists who had bombs and planes," someone in the group says. Salem and the others nod their heads in agreement.

Down the street, workers in an ambulance collect the bones of one of last year's casualties  the body has been rotting in the heat for months.

wb/il/js/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteA lost generation: No education, no dreams for Rohingya refugee children

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 28 May 2018 Cite as IRIN, A lost generation: No education, no dreams for Rohingya refugee children, 28 May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740129a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Aid groups have set up makeshift "learning centres" in Bangladeshi camps, but Rohingya parents say proper schools are needed

COX'S BAZAR, 28 May 2018

By Jason Patinkin

Seventeen-year-old Mohammad Zubayer once dreamed of finishing school and getting a government job so he could help his Rohingya community in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

But today he's a refugee living in Bangladesh, where the government bars formal education in the crowded camps, leaving a generation of young people like Mohammad out of school and stuck in limbo.

"I wanted to be smart by studying," said Mohammad, who completed the eighth grade in Myanmar before fleeing to Bangladesh last year. "I wanted to be a scholar to help the Rohingya community. But kids who want to study are not getting the chance."

Some 700,000 Rohingya refugees poured into Bangladesh after Myanmar's army launched a violent crackdown in northern Rakhine State last August following a series of attacks by a Rohingya rebel group.

The Rohingya have found safety here, as well as food and healthcare. But formal education is out of reach for 530,000 school-age refugees, including the children of Rohingya who fled earlier waves of violence, because Bangladesh's government does not want the Rohingya to stay long-term. Only a quarter of the school-age Rohingya have access to any kind of instruction, through informal classrooms set up in the camps  but even this is only for kids up to 14 years of age, and the level of the teaching itself doesn't go past the second year of primary school.

The government of Myanmar, for its part, won't allow its Burmese-language curriculum to be used in Bangladesh's refugee camps. That means the same government responsible for forcing the Rohingya out of Myanmar has effectively blocked Rohingya children from continuing their education in exile.

"The next generation, they have no dreams," said Serazul Mustafa, a refugee leader in Kutupalong camp, the largest in Bangladesh. "If you have graduated from fifth grade in Myanmar, you need to go to sixth grade. But there's no sixth grade, so what do we do? They can't continue their studies. They have no lives."

Without formal schools, "temporary learning centres" operated by NGOs like Save the Children and BRAC, a Bangladeshi aid group, allow some children to attend classes for about two hours per day, but there's no certification to show they've completed a grade level.

The age and grade-level restrictions mean that the temporary centres aren't open to the majority of school-age Rohingya. Just one quarter of school-age youth  about 130,000 children  attend the classes, meaning that around 400,000 refugees who should be learning receive no education.

"They only educate the small kids," said Kushida Begum, a refugee mother whose three children attended fourth, fifth, and sixth grades in Myanmar before the family fled to Bangladesh last year. "They say there is no school for big kids here. I am dying by thinking about the kids' future."

Mohammad Abul Kalam, who leads Bangladesh's Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission in Cox's Bazar, said, "It is the general understanding within the government that Rohingya repatriation will begin soon, so formal schooling is not necessary [or] cost effective."

But multiple waves of Rohingya have sought safe haven in Bangladesh over decades. A plan to begin sending recent refugees back to Myanmar fizzled earlier this year.

Kushida's youngest, a daughter, has enrolled in one of the camp's learning centres, even though the classes are not advanced enough for her. The two older children, both boys, don't attend classes.

"When I remember about the school [in Myanmar], I feel sad, because now I can't study anymore," said Kushida's younger son, Forizul. His brother, Mohammad, added, "Now we're just sitting and doing nothing."

Officials from Bangladesh's Ministry of Education did not respond to IRIN's emailed requests for interviews.

Tough start back home

In Myanmar, education was never a given for Rohingya children. Rohingya girls were often not sent to school, in part due to deep conservatism within the community. But apartheid-like restrictions imposed on the minority group meant all Rohingya children had spotty access to education. And once in school, Rohingya children reported discrimination from teachers and classmates of other ethnicities.

That means education levels among the Rohingya children attending the camps' temporary classrooms vary greatly: for some young children, classes at the learning centres are the first education they've ever received. For others, like Mohammad Zubayer's younger brothers, aged nine and 11, they merely cover old ground.

Rahim said he bought Burmese-language books to supplement the boys' studies. But, after two months, he pulled his sons out of the centre. Now, they attend one of the Islamic madrassas, which have proliferated in the camps along with the new refugees' makeshift tents. Some madrassas offer a secular education alongside religious schooling, but Rahim says the classes there are still subpar.

"Education is a right," Rahim said. "If we don't find a way to teach our kids, what will we do?"

Obstacles to education

Money is one hurdle to providing education to more refugee children. Donors have committed only 14 percent of the $47.3 million needed to fund education in the camps, aid groups say.

A lack of space and proper facilities is also a problem. The learning centres, like most of the structures in the teeming camps, are flimsy shelters made of bamboo and plastic sheets. Of the 1,179 centres in the refugee settlements, 350 are threatened by floods or landslides in the coming monsoon season.

Then there's the fact that last year's refugee influx was so large and so sudden that Bangladesh's government and aid groups struggled to feed and house the new arrivals, let alone provide emergency schooling.

Any wider education programme must be designed "in an organised way", said Pawan Kucita, the UNICEF education chief in Bangladesh. "That means we have a proper curriculum, proper teachers, proper materials. Otherwise, education for the children will not be meaningful."

But the governments of both Myanmar and Bangladesh have balked at establishing a formal education system in the Rohingya camps.

There's no Rohingya-language curriculum because the language has no widely used script. Myanmar's government won't approve the Burmese-language curriculum for use in Bangladesh, said Risto Ihalainen, the coordinator for aid groups working on education in the camps. And the Bangladeshi government won't allow Rohingya refugee children to learn in Bangla, Bangladesh's official language. That means the host country's curriculum is also off limits.

"That is the fear that the government has: If they have education in Bangla, [the Rohingya] might try to be Bangladeshi [citizens], and they will feel comfortable staying here rather than going back to Myanmar," said Nazrul Islam, education coordinator for BRAC, which runs 200 learning centres in the camps. "The textbook that we have in Bangladesh, we could use it if the government allowed us to use Bangla. As long as it is not allowed, we need to develop learning materials, which will take time."

In the absence of an official curriculum, aid groups submitted alternative education guidelines covering basic literacy and numeracy skills to the government in February. Although the authorities have not approved these guidelines, some learning centres have based their lessons around them anyway, since children are showing up.

In the hope of educating more children in the future, aid groups are developing guidelines to teach up to a Grade Eight level. But even if the government approves this, the fundamental problem of the ban on formal education remains.

"We are calling on the government of Bangladesh to recognise the right of refugee children to education," said Beatriz Ochoa, humanitarian advocacy manager for Save the Children's Rohingya response. "All education sector partners should be given the authorisation from relevant authorities to set up classrooms, organise learning activities, or, where feasible, expand temporary learning activities to ensure all refugee children can access education and develop their minds."

jp/il/js/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteIt's time for the European Union to push Yemen towards peace

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 9 June 2018 Cite as IRIN, It's time for the European Union to push Yemen towards peace, 9 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b74012f4.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

By Joost Hiltermann

Middle East & North Africa Program Director at International Crisis Group, an independent conflict prevention organisation

BRUSSELS, 9 June 2018

After more than three years of fighting, Yemen is teetering on the cusp of an even fiercer war. The Saudi Arabian-led coalition is poised for an offensive on the Red Sea port of Hodeidah that could plunge Yemen into greater turmoil, deepen its humanitarian crisis, and provoke a surge in cross-border missile attacks by the Houthi rebels.

The European Union and its member states have a chance to stop the conflict from sliding into a lethal new stage; now is the time to take action. All sides have declared a readiness to engage in talks (with various conditions), but they need to be nudged towards the table before a full-fledged battle for Hodeidah breaks out.

As the outlines of a new UN peace plan have begun to surface, the EU should use the fact that it has maintained decent relationships with the warring parties to resume the UN-led peace process, moribund since 2016. This must be done before an assault on the port that could scuttle potential talks, especially if the rebels make good on their threats to attack coalition warships and oil tankers, or if one of their missile strikes on Saudi Arabia results in high civilian casualties.

Since Houthi rebels killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh (their erstwhile wartime ally) in December last year, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and their Yemeni partners have been acting as if the tide has turned in their favour. They have tried to entice Saleh supporters into their camp, encouraged intra-Houthi rifts, and targeted Houthi leadership. In April, they killed Saleh al-Sammad, the de facto Houthi president who was known as a moderate.

On the ground, coalition-backed local forces have achieved some tactical victories since Saleh's death, especially along the Red Sea coast. But they have failed to decisively shift the military balance to their advantage.

Not only would fighting over Hodeidah put off any prospect of peace, but it would also compound an already acute humanitarian crisis. The port, which has been under an on-off Saudi blockade, is a choke point for goods entering the Houthi-controlled north and a lifeline for the 60 percent of Yemen's 27 million plus population who live there.

The UN has already called Yemen's humanitarian crisis the worst in the world. The prolonged fighting that would likely ensue from an assault on Hodeidah would only exacerbate the suffering.

Despite the prospect of intensified warfare, the Houthis have stated publicly and privately their readiness to negotiate with Saudi Arabia over security concerns and re-engage with the UN process, led by the recently appointed special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths. It remains unclear if the Houthis' newly expressed appetite for talks stems from heightened military pressure or from an increased confidence from the death of Saleh, whom they suspected of dealing with Riyadh behind their backs. Either way, this opportunity for a return to the negotiating table ought not to be squandered.

The EU and its member states are uniquely placed to steer things in that direction. The bloc has maintained working relations with the warring sides, including the Houthis, and is therefore seen as relatively neutral, unlike the United States, whose support of Saudi Arabia and the UAE has been critical to the coalition's war effort.

The EU has also provided consistent support for UN efforts to broker a ceasefire and mediate peace talks. As a non-belligerent, the EU should now reiterate its firm public position against a coalition assault on Hodeidah, building on its access to all sides and using its influence in Washington, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh.

In return for a halt to such an assault, the EU should press the Houthis to stop missile strikes on Saudi Arabia and ships in the Red Sea, and to accept an on-shore UN inspection mechanism that would intercept weapons deliveries through Hodeidah. An agreement along these lines could be a stepping stone toward resuming political talks on a broader range of issues, including the handing over of heavy weaponry by all fighting groups.

Moreover, European states, in particular UN Security Council members such as the United Kingdom (the penholder on the Yemen crisis), should press for a new resolution that would support a more inclusive political process. The current framework for negotiations is based on the fundamentally flawed Security Council Resolution 2216. The April 2015 resolution limits talks to the now defunct Houthi/Saleh bloc and the internationally recognised government of deposed President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which fails to recognise the full range of Yemeni forces on the ground. And it places unrealistic preconditions on the Houthis, including the injunction that they withdraw from territories they control and hand over their weapons before the talking can begin.

The fourth year in Yemen's war is on course to be just as devastating as the previous three, if not a lot worse. But a concerted European effort at bringing the belligerents back to the table might just deter them from further foolhardy military pursuits and revive what is now a political process on life support.

Link to original story on IRIN websiteHodeidah: What the assault means for Yemen's civilians and the aid effort

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 14 June 2018 Cite as IRIN, Hodeidah: What the assault means for Yemen's civilians and the aid effort, 14 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740132a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

"We are not going to leave. Too many lives are at stake": UN humanitarian coordinator

14 June 2018

By Annie Slemrod

Middle East Editor

After months of diplomatic wrangling and despite repeated warnings of humanitarian catastrophe, the long-threatened assault on Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah is now underway.

Forces backed by the United Arab Emirates and their Yemeni partners  part of a Saudi Arabian-led coalition that has been fighting Houthi rebels and their allies in Yemen since March 2015  are now on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled city of 600,000.

No one can be sure how the battle will play out, but everyone agrees that in a country that has been on the brink of famine for years, the offensive will make life for 27 million Yemenis even worse. However, this sort of statement (found in just about every aid agency press release and headline) doesn't mean much to those on the ground or give a picture of what's really at stake.

YEMEN BY THE NUMBERS

22.2 million people need humanitarian assistance

More than 2 million internally displaced people

More than 6,400 conflict-related civilian deaths

More than 2,300 cholera deaths

50% of health facilities are functioning

Hodeidah is a port, a city, and a province, and all these things matter. Here's a briefing with a bit more detail about each to explain what is keeping humanitarians up at night.

The province: Fleeing into harm's way

It hasn't made the headlines, but civilians have actually been on the run in Hodeidah province since November, when coalition-allied forces began slowly making their way up Yemen's western coast.

Up-to-date displacement numbers aren't available for all of Yemen, but the UN figures that do exist are telling. Since December, more than 112,000 people have fled to the country's southern provinces, including Aden, and 62 percent of them escaped Hodeidah province.

It hasn't all been one-way traffic. Aid workers report that many civilians have also taken flight inside Hodeidah province, fleeing north towards the city and exhausting their resources along the way just to get there.

Isma'eel al-Sharabi, director of the Hodeidah-based Ash'ari Association for Social Charity, told IRIN that large numbers of people had fled into the city, despite the imminent assault. Many are staying with relatives, while others have taken shelter in schools and other public buildings.

Mohamed Abdi, country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, says people fleeing will need shelter, clean water, and other supplies, placing deeper strains on already stretched host communities.

"Of course people will run from their current homes to other places where they feel safe," he said. "But if they move to a neighbourhood in large numbers, or to another governorate in large numbers, [displaced people] put pressure on the existing structures  meaning water and health facilities will not be enough for the original inhabitants."

A UN bid in April to evacuate some civilians from southern Hodeidah province failed as locals were reluctant to leave their livelihoods and homes behind.

A recent UN operational update says "the humanitarian community is preparing for possible mass displacement and increased humanitarian needs, if the conflict reaches the city".

Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, told IRIN the UN has positioned supplies around the province but is not planning on setting up camps for displaced people.

Displacement is hardly the only concern for those in the region, however. Houthi forces have reportedly left mines in southern parts of the province, and, according to several aid workers, coalition airstrikes have destroyed some of the roads that humanitarians use to access communities in need.

The city: "Trapped in the line of fire"

As fighting intensifies on the outskirts of Hodeidah, some civilians are reportedly already attempting to flee. But not everyone will be able to get out of harm's way.

"In these instances, the people who remain behind are the elderly, children, and disabled people," said the NRC's Abdi. "It is harder for them to move, especially if they don't have means or the money to enable them to move from one area or another. There is a danger that some people might not want to move, and they could be trapped in the line of fire."

The city's population has already suffered three years of war. As in most of Yemen, civil servants have largely gone unpaid for almost two years. Salahuddin al-Maswari, project coordinator for the Yemeni All Girls Foundation for Development in Hodeidah, says most other residents work as day labourers or in markets and spend everything they have on food.

"I've been here in Hodeidah for one year now, and I've seen so many heartbreaking scenes," al-Maswari said. "Families can barely feed their older children, and sometimes they go without food for days."

But it isn't just food that civilians need; aid agencies say water shortages are also a major concern.

Most of the people in Hodeidah city already rely on aid agencies to bring them safe water by truck, but UNICEF spokesman Bismarck Swangin worries this may not be possible if fighting escalates.

"During clashes, the public water corporation operators will not be able to report to their stations and operate the system," Swangin told IRIN. "It will be impossible for water trucks to move around within the city." This "increases the risks of people having no access to water and sanitation services, which will cause health and environmental risks."

Yemen has already seen how quickly water-borne disease can spread without proper sanitation and clean water: a cholera outbreak, now largely under control, has killed 2,300 people and infected more than 1.1 million since April 2017.

The port: The poor will starve first

While civilians in Hodeidah city and province are in clear danger, the port is also a key concern. In a country like Yemen that imports almost all its food and most of its fuel, seaports are key to civilian survival.

Hodeidah is essential for humanitarian and commercial imports, both because of its capacity to store and mill grain, and because of its proximity to the northern Houthi-controlled parts of the country, where some two thirds of the population live.

Accurate statistics in Yemen are hard to come by, but the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) estimates that Hodeidah and the nearby smaller port of Saleef bring in approximately 70 percent of the country's monthly food imports, and 40 to 50 percent of its fuel.

If the port is damaged or otherwise cut off by fighting, Yemenis across the country are in trouble, not so much because food will be unavailable (although that is not out of the question), but because it may become so expensive that most people won't be able to buy it.

Hodeidah was bombed in August 2015, and has been operating at reduced capacity ever since. Two much-trumpeted USAID-funded mobile cranes arrived at the port at the start of this year, but, according to Suze van Meegen, protection and advocacy advisor for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Yemen, they haven't made much of a difference.

"The damaged cranes were giant, permanently-installed pieces of machinery, capable of offloading up to 30 containers each per hour; their substitutes are extendable apparatus attached to the sort of tiny, portable trucks one might expect to see at a suburban construction site," van Meegen told IRIN.

There are other ports in Yemen  namely government-controlled Aden  and goods also come in through official border crossings with Saudi Arabia and Oman, not to mention various smuggling routes. But bringing goods from Aden or the land borders means an increase in transport costs and taxes  both at the port and at the entrance to the Houthi-controlled north, plus at unofficial checkpoints along the way. These costs would invariably be passed down to consumers, and there is some precedent for this: prices shot up almost immediately when the coalition shuttered Hodeidah and Saleef last November.

The NRC's Abdi said "the whole of northern Yemen will feel the pinch if the port is closed or disrupted", but pointed out that people across the country who've exhausted their resources will also suffer. Scott Paul, head of humanitarian advocacy at UK-based charity Oxfam, says those most impacted will be, to put it bluntly, "everybody that is already poor". In Yemen, that's millions of people.

What next?

The UN Security Council was to hold a last-minute emergency meeting on the offensive, and UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said he was negotiating to keep the port open, but coalition forces appeared set on continuing their march through Hodeidah.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia and the UAE announced a "five-point plan" to "safeguard and intensify the flow of humanitarian aid into the port of Hodeidah."

In a statement, they said they planned to open shipping lanes from Hodeidah to Jazan in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, and would be distributing food, medical supplies, staff, and economic support on the ground, as well as ensuring continued electricity supply.

The coalition has said it will attempt to avoid damage to the port, and hopes to keep it running even if it finds it mined by the Houthi rebels.

But heavy airstrikes have been reported south of Hodeidah city, and aid agencies say they are already finding it increasingly difficult to do their jobs. The NRC said its programmes in Hodeidah and nearby Hajjah province had been "severely disrupted by fighting", but they have not evacuated staff.

"We have been stockpiling supplies wherever possible and taking additional steps to protect what we have so we can deliver it to people as needed, but as the offensive takes hold of more highly-populated areas we can expect to be completely overwhelmed by the scale of need," the NRC's van Meegen said.

Paul of Oxfam said that in addition to continuing attempts to stave off a disruption at the port, the organisation would be "supplementing markets as much as we can, with cash when possible and with food and fuel when necessary."

The UN's Grande emphasised that "the UN is in Hodeidah," with local Yemeni staff working to assist those in need. She said a World Food Programme vessel was offloading food, and that the UN was delivering health, water, and sanitation programmes.

"We are not going to leave Hodeidah," she insisted. "Too many lives are at stake."

(Additional reporting by Mohammed Ali Kalfood in Yemen and Samuel Oakford at the United Nations in New York)

Link to original story on IRIN websiteRazed villages and empty fields await Congo-Brazzaville's displaced

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 18 June 2018 Cite as IRIN, Razed villages and empty fields await Congo-Brazzaville's displaced, 18 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b740134a.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

"Life has to be rebuilt"

18 June 2018

By Philip Kleinfeld

Freelance journalist and IRIN contributor

By Emmanuel Freudenthal

Freelance journalist, and regular IRIN contributor

The jungle has edged into fields left untilled. It has crept onto thatched-roof houses turned to ruins; and it has stretched over empty highways once used to transport bananas, beans, cassava from a region long-known as Congo-Brazzaville's breadbasket.

For nearly two years, militia fighters and soldiers manning dozens of checkpoints were the only signs of life in Congo's Pool region, 50 kilometres west of the capital, Brazzaville.

Now, some of the 108,000 people who fled their villages during the 2016-17 conflict between the Congolese army and the "Ninja" rebels are returning home following a December peace agreement.

But with houses and villages destroyed by the military, schools and healthcare centres unstaffed, and fear that conflict may return, many Pool residents have chosen to remain displaced or have returned to poverty and hardship.

Yvonne Massembo, 70, fled her home in a town called Goma Tse Tse during the conflict. While life as a displaced person in southern Brazzaville has been hard, the mother of five, who is still living in the capital, said returning to her village would make life even harder.

During the conflict, her small mud-hut house collapsed after the roof was stolen. Equipment from her local hospital was looted. The canoe she once used to cross the river Djoue and reach her farm was destroyed.

"If I go back, what am I going to eat?" she said.

Political unrest, lives upended

Last December, IRIN was the first international news organisation to gain access to the Pool region in 20 months, to document crimes against civilians by the Congolese army and Ninja rebels.

The southern part of the country had been sealed off as fighting raged in a conflict that took hold shortly after the March 2016 presidential elections, in which Denis Sassou Nguesso retained a post he has held for all but five years since 1979.

The elections were marred by allegations of fraud and followed a contested constitutional referendum a year earlier that had removed term and age limits for his post.

After the poll results were made public, a series of attacks were carried out in Brazzaville against government, police, and military buildings in opposition strongholds.

The government blamed the Brazzaville attacks on the Ninjas, a militia group that opposed Sassou Nguesso during civil wars in the 1990s and 2000s but had largely demobilised.

Although the group's leader, Frederic Bintsamou, better known as Pastor Ntumi, denied responsibility for the post-election violence, the government attacked the villages and jungle of the Pool region, where Ntumi and remnants of his group were known to shelter.

Sporadic clashes continued for nearly two years, as the army locked down the region. More than half of the population of eight rural districts of Pool sought refuge in nearby towns and in Brazzaville, leaving the Pool region almost entirely deserted.

Now, life is slowly returning. The World Food Programme estimates that in some districts, such as Kimba, nearly all of the displaced residents have returned. Apart from the heartache of living away from home, the price of staple foods like cassava and rice rose dramatically during the conflict last year and is propelling many to come back to their fields.

Humanitarian access has also improved, particularly in northern Pool, where villages were previously cut off by the military.

"We have been able to do [food] distributions and assessments in places we couldn't previously reach," said Jean-Martin Bauer, World Food Programme country director in Congo-Brazzaville.

Alain-Robert Moukouri, secretary-general of Caritas Congo, an NGO that delivers humanitarian assistance in the Pool area, said the Ninjas have now removed their checkpoints and the army has stopped harassing people for money at theirs. Businesses in towns that had long been inaccessible are now operating.

Villages bombed, houses burnt

But beginning life anew is proving difficult in villages that were severely damaged during the conflict. In a village called Soumouna, where the government suspected Ninjas were based, 86 structures were destroyed between late February and May 2016, according to satellite images obtained by IRIN. This time period coincides with the army's attacks.

The satellite data shows houses were also destroyed in Kindamba Goueri, Mayama, and Malengo, while parts of villages were set on fire by ground troops, according to multiple interviews conducted by IRIN in Pool last December. A humanitarian worker based in the region described the military's campaign as "scorched-earth".

"There is nothing left," said Massembo from Goma Tse Tse, explaining why she cannot return. "All the houses were burned."

Displaced people are also returning to scarcity. During the conflict, fields became unsafe, causing two planting seasons to be missed. Today, many villagers are unable to feed themselves.

The UN has spent $13 million assisting displaced people with food, money, and basic goods. Bauer of the WFP said his team has reached "a substantial number of people".

But needs remain vast. Bauer recently met a woman at a health centre near the capital, Brazzaville, who had returned to her village in Pool but left shortly after because she could not find food.

"When she got back she said there was nothing there," Bauer explained. "Her child became malnourished, so she had to come back to Brazzaville."

Lack of basic facilities in villages is compounding the problem. Most health centres were shuttered during the conflict. Half the primary schools in the Pool region have been closed and 65 completely destroyed, according to the UN. In districts like Vindza, all the schools are closed.

"Life has to be rebuilt," said Bauer.

Peace and promises

Previous peace agreements between the Ninjas and the government have also failed, casting doubt on whether the ceasefire will last.

In the December agreement, the Ninjas agreed to demobilise, dismantle their checkpoints, and turn in their weapons. In exchange, the government promised "free movement" for Ninja leader Frederic Bintsamou, better known as Pastor Ntumi  meaning he wouldn't be arrested.

While no clashes have taken place since December, Ntumi is still hiding in the forests of Pool, and many of his fighters have not given up their weapons.

A Ninja spokesman, who asked not to be identified, said Ntumi is worried that an arrest warrant still hangs over his head. IRIN's request to talk with him directly were denied.

"There's no freedom of movement" as promised in the peace agreement, the spokesman said, because "until now, many of those who have been arrested are still in prisons."

The Ninja spokesman added that local people are sceptical that peace has been reached, "because there is military in the villages".

"There are more soldiers in the villages than locals," he said. This perception, he added, keeps people from returning.

Bauer confirmed that in some cases only men have returned to tend to their crops, leaving their families in safer locations.

Repression continues

Rather than seeking a genuine end to the conflict, Sassou Nguesso's motivation for signing the agreement was influenced by economic factors, said Brett Carter, assistant professor at the University of Southern California.

One of the largest oil producers in the region, Congo-Brazzaville has been hit hard by declining prices for global crude. Skyrocketing public debt and unpaid salaries and pensions for civil servants have forced the president to ask the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.

But talks with the IMF have dragged, with military activities in Pool undermining "Sassou Nguesso's claims to transparency and good governance, which the IMF rightly recognised as dubious anyway," said Carter.

Since changing the constitution to allow him to stay in power, Sassou Nguesso has also faced growing opposition to his power. Stalwarts of his ruling Congolese Labor Party (PCT), including Charles Zacharie Bowao and Andre Okombi Salissa, have turned against him. Even his own son, Denis-Christel, has suggested he may stand against his father in elections scheduled for 2021.

In response to these threats, Sassou Nguesso has turned to "full-scale authoritarian mode", said Fonteh Akum, senior researcher at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies. In May, Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko, a former army general who stood against Sassou Nguesso in the 2016 presidential elections, was jailed for 20 years for "undermining the internal security of the state". Salissa, meanwhile, is expected to face trial on the same charges this month.

Unsure who to trust, Sassou Nguesso is likely to remain wary of the long-restive Pool region which represents, said Akum, "the one space from which military contestation against Sassou Nguesso's government could actually emanate".

Rather than an "artificial" peace agreement, what is needed, said Akum, is a truth commission that can establish the root causes of the latest bout of violence in the Pool region and its consequences for civilians.

"Those facts would be able to create some kind of understanding for who is held accountable and who needs to pay reparations for crimes committed," Akum said.

For now, the residents of Pool have received little closure or assistance from the government.

"I don't have shelter and my village has been ravaged," said a 69-year-old currently living in Brazzaville, who gave his name as Makoudou. He said his house, in a village near Vindza, had been partially destroyed by bombs during the conflict, and the tools he needed for work had been taken.

"That is what is preventing me from going back," he said.

Link to original story on IRIN websiteRecord coca, record murders: the flipside of "peace" in southern Colombia

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 20 June 2018 Cite as IRIN, Record coca, record murders: the flipside of "peace" in southern Colombia, 20 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401364.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Even as the FARC disarms, other groups battle for the lucrative drugs trade and kill anyone who stands in their way

CAUCA/Colombia, 20 June 2018

By Tomas Ayuso

Award-winning photojournalist and regular IRIN contributor

By Magnus Boding Hansen

Freelance journalist based in Latin America, and regular IRIN contributor

Hundreds of Colombian farmers, activists, and community organisers have been killed over the past 18 months, despite the landmark peace deal that supposedly ended 52 years of war. For them, and for local leaders in the former conflict zones, the war  which left an estimated 220,000 dead and seven million displaced over five decades  didn't end: it only became worse.

Those who advocate for leaving behind the illegal coca economy that has long been the rural regions' mainstay are growing increasingly desperate, as armed groups vie for the bountiful coca-producing areas and trafficking routes once controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which is disarming under the peace accord.

"Whenever we hear talk of peace, we worry," says Anadelia Trochez, 43, president of the community council in El Ceral, a village in the Cauca Valley, the most productive coca-growing area in the country. "Out here, that usually means more trouble."

The peace deal itself now hangs in the balance after staunch conservative Ivan Duque won the presidency on Sunday. He had campaigned to overhaul terms many Colombians see as too kind to the FARC guerrillas  namely reduced sentences for their leaders and a guaranteed 10 seats in Congress.

With the historic signing of a deal to end hostilities two years ago, on 23 June 2016 (the actual accord didn't pass Congress until November 2016), the conflict was meant to have reached a negotiated conclusion.

Instead, more than 100 community leaders and activists were slain nationally in 2017  a record  and more than 100 have already been killed in 2018, another record, according to Somos Defensores, an organisation monitoring persecution and assassinations in Colombia. Only a fraction of the murders are investigated, and almost two in three occurred in former FARC conflict areas, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Diana Sanchez, director of Bogota-based Somos Defensores, said she sees a pattern in the recent bloodshed: of the various social, environmental, and community leaders killed, the majority resided in the coca-growing regions  68 dead in the first half of 2018.

"We're being killed, one by one, for supporting the peace accord and substitution," explains Ancizar Barrios, regional representative for the National Coca, Poppy and Marijuana Growers Coop (COCCAM), referring to the government's stalled initiative to encourage farmers to substitute other crops for coca. "The programme has been a fatal failure and the people paying the price are once again farmers."

While Colombia is experiencing its lowest overall homicide rate since the 1970s, violence against coca growers in areas formerly under FARC control has gone markedly up. In places where the substitution programme is expected to be implemented, killings have doubled.

For leaders like Trochez, the murders hark back to some of the worst periods in Colombia's conflict in the 1980s and 1990s, when people who lived in areas under FARC influence were often caught in the crossfire between the military, the guerrillas, and state-sanctioned paramilitary groups.

The FARC controlled some 170,000 acres of Colombia's prime coca-growing territory, in a country that produces half the world's cocaine. Annual profits of anywhere between $500 million and $1 billion have attracted an array of armed actors, including the Popular Liberation Army (EPL) and the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN), two groups that had not previously operated in Cauca.

Two years after the official end of the Colombian conflict, the sound of gunfire continues to echo, and columns of armed men linger in the region's forests, as the military conducts a new, more secretive war. "Every time a group disarms, there are fights between smaller ones to fill in the void," says Trochez. "First with the paramilitaries, and now with the FARC."

A new war?

In El Ceral, all four community leaders have received death threats from armed groups that have emerged since the official end of the conflict.

They fear the stage is now set for a repeat of the 1980s and 1990s, as the state, smaller guerrilla groups, criminal gangs ("bandas criminales or BACRIM), and paramilitary successors jockey for control.

In her single-room home overlooking hills flushed emerald-green with coca plantations, Trochez, in a strained voice, says she believes she and other officials are being targeted because they support the government's much-touted but sluggishly implemented plan to substitute other crops for coca.

Villages here have depended almost exclusively on coca and coca paste production since the 1990s. Even if they wanted to grow other cash crops, the pitiful state of rural roads, and the difficulty in bringing their produce to market, makes coca the only viable way to make a living. Coca sellers don't need to go to market  the buyers go directly to the farmer, cash in hand, to buy as much as they can.

The substitution programme, a cornerstone of the peace accords, is meant to transition rural populations away from living off coca by replacing the plant with legal crops such as melon, yucca, cacao, or sugar cane. Through a series of multi-year loans, government subsidies, technical assistance, and the creation of market access for affected communities, villages pledged to the plan will gradually shift away from coca. The goal is to build the infrastructure that would allow farmers to bring their new crops to market.

But many powerful forces don't want to see any of this happen.

Coca boom

You don't have to move off the main roads connecting the villages through Cauca's mountains to see coca production in full swing  several multi-hectare plantations, crops recently sown, are in plain sight.

"Look!" exclaims Barrios, pointing to a hillside covered in coca leaf. "Coca growers are so angry at the government and their unfulfilled promises that they don't even hide their plants anymore."

Barrios says there has been an 80 percent boom in production locally and blames this on widespread mistrust and confusion over the government's coca substitution plan.

A little over 10 percent of the government's pledged technical assistance has been released to farmers so far, and fewer than half of the families who signed up for the programme have received their first loans; fewer still their second. The rest of the substitution plan  new roads, land reform, and developing market access  is also lagging behind.

IRIN spoke to at least nine farmers who had pledged to substitute but said they hadn't received any subsidy money and therefore had gone back to farming coca. But the reasons for their changes of heart weren't purely financial: all but one said they had received death threats.

The message is clear: grow coca or face the consequences. Six pro-substitution coca growers affiliated with COCCAM have been killed in Cauca this year alone; 36 since 2016.

Colombia's coca output, which hit 900 tonnes last year, is breaking records and flooding European markets, and triggering the first rise in cocaine consumption in over a decade in the United States.

This exponential growth in coca cultivation is partly due to a 2015 policy shift made by the Santos' government, which abandoned a two-decade-old eradication strategy. Aerial glyphosate fumigation was banned for its indiscriminate destruction of both licit and illicit crops, and for the potential health risks it posed to farmers and livestock.

As fumigation halted, eradication by hand took its place. By the end of May 2018, 50,000 hectares of coca were supposed to have been destroyed, but so far only 6,831 hectares have been certified by the UN as eradicated.

The future

Outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos insists the substitution plan, his brainchild, will succeed. In a recent interview, he focused on the 120,000 families who have signed up to the programme and still cited the 50,000 hectares of coca plantations being eradicated by hand.

The government is urging people to be patient and hopes the deployment of

80,000 police officers and soldiers to coca-growing regions in the wake of the FARC's demobilisation, as well as a separate initiative to protect community leaders in 595 key towns and villages, will yield results.

"We're getting there," Rodrigo Rivera Salazar, the government's high peace commissioner, told IRIN. "We're planting the seeds of law so that Colombia's next government can reap the benefits."

The former defense minister said the task was clearly enormous and would take time. "Look, there's no easy way to do this. We have a 500-point plan to bring the state to areas where it's never existed, and create legal economies where there's only coca. We have to do it one point at a time. Colombia has significant problems, yes, but they're getting smaller."

In the mountain villages of Cauca, where a few years ago there were strong hopes of peace, pessimism is setting in. Gladys Fernandez, a sitting member of the community council in La Esperanza, has scaled down her involvement since getting threats.

"People here trusted the FARC because they kept law and order," she explains. "Sure, it wasn't a perfect system, but at least it was predictable. Since they disarmed, there've been more robberies, more drugs, and no one is able to put a stop to all the violence against social leaders."

Others are also growing impatient.

"I [take part in the community leadership] for my three kids and five grandkids. But I have to say that I'm very scared," says Jesus Maria Gonzalez Salinas, a 57-year-old councillor in the nearby village of La Ventura.

Gonzalez struggles to make a living from corn, plantain, and chicken farming. "All I want is for the peace deal to kick in," he says. "But if the promised money to help victims and coca growers doesn't come, I just might have to start growing coca again out of necessity." Most of his fellow growers already have, he adds.

The effect Sunday's election will have on the coca-growing region is unclear. Duque, who, at 41, is Colombia's youngest-ever president-elect, is expected to take a hard line against the criminal gangs and the guerrillas, but he has also pledged to revisit the peace deal and hinted that he might end substitution and resume aerial fumigation.

The last village at the cusp of the Colombian Massif, the source of the mighty Cauca river, is El Porvenir. Rain batters the tin roofs of the coca-growing village while farmers loudly celebrate a local holiday under buzzing light bulbs.

Speaking last week before Sunday's run-off presidential vote, local community leader Jose Edgar Canaveral Ortega said he planned to vote for Duque's opponent, Gustavo Petro, who vowed to uphold the peace deal and support the substitution plan. "We either break the cycle of war now," says Canaveral. "Or we never will."

mbh-ta/ag

Link to original story on IRIN websiteUN fears new Syrian offensive could strand up to 200,000 civilians

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 25 June 2018 Cite as IRIN, UN fears new Syrian offensive could strand up to 200,000 civilians, 25 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b7401384.html [accessed 30 October 2021] 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.

Documents obtained by IRIN outline this worst-case scenario as fighting intensifies around Daraa

AMMAN, 25 June 2018

By Ben Parker

Senior Editor

Contact: WhatsApp/Signal/SMS: +44 7808 791 267

As many as 200,000 people could flee renewed fighting in southwest Syria and end up stranded along the closed border with Jordan, according to the worst-case scenario envisioned in UN documents outlining emergency plans for a brewing humanitarian crisis.

Having secured the centre of the country, including key pockets of resistance in the Damascus suburbs, the Syrian government has set its sights on rebel-held parts of southern Syria, including the city of Daraa, which lies on a strategic artery to Jordan. This part of Syria has been calm for the past year thanks to an internationally brokered ceasefire, but as many as 25,000 people have taken flight since a government offensive, backed by Russian airstrikes, began 16 June.

Not only is the assault likely to displace hundreds of thousands of civilians but, according to internal UN documents shared with IRIN, it may also cut informal trade routes within Syria and interrupt imports from Jordan, making it harder for people to get food and other basic supplies.

The EU has warned of the potentially "devastating" humanitarian consequences of an all-out offensive, and the UN's top official in Jordan, humanitarian coordinator Anders Pedersen, told IRIN that the world body is "very worried about what's now happening and about the number of displaced people already".

Jordan closed the door to the vast majority of refugees after a suicide car bombing on its borders in June 2016. The concern now is that a new exodus of displaced civilians from around Daraa, some of whom are already nearing the desert frontier, will have no safe place to go. Ayman Safadi, the foreign minister of Jordan, which hosts 660,000 registered Syrian refugees, said on Twitter this weekend that the country "can't host more".

"Berm 2"?

One of the UN documents seen by IRIN, shared by sources concerned about the risks to civilians if Jordan remains sealed off, raises the possibility that those displaced by the new offensive could end up in a similar situation to some 50,000 Syrians already stuck along the harsh desert no-man's-land on the Syria-Jordan border known as the "berm".

They are sheltering in an informal camp near Rukban (250 kilometres northeast of Daraa city, as the crow flies) because they were refused entry to Jordan as refugees. The Rukban camp houses fighters and criminal gangs as well as civilians, and is sandwiched between sand mounds "or berms" that mark the north and south of the Jordan-Syria border.

There have been several attacks near the berm since the June 2016 bombing that killed six Jordanian troops, and the kingdom insists its security depends on keeping the border as closed as possible. The only aid permitted to reach the berm from Jordan largely consists of a limited supply of water, an outpatient clinic, and occasional shipments of food delivered by crane.

Aid workers are not permitted to go into Rukban, and delivery of aid has been outsourced to contractors and, at times, armed groups.

In the UN's worst-case scenario, not only would the new offensive create a larger spontaneous desert camp up against the borderline, but it could be within an area of active air and land conflict.

UN sources told IRIN they are frustrated with their lack of leverage in challenging Jordan's insistence that maintaining security means limiting aid, and are frustrated by the apparent lack of Western lobbying in favour of international humanitarian law.

Jordan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, but if states cannot provide for civilians they are required to allow unhindered humanitarian access. Jordan has long insisted aid deliveries to the berm should be be made from inside Syria.

The UN's Pedersen said he has reiterated "again and again and again" to Jordan that the UN has an imperative to "adhere to humanitarian principles and international law".

Preparing for the worst

Aid to rebel-held territories in Syria is delivered via cross-border convoys from Turkey and Jordan, while aid to government-held areas comes from Damascus.

Aid agencies have tried to prepare for the offensive by stockpiling food and medical supplies in rebel-controlled areas in Syria. But such warehousing carries its own risks, and one aid worker familiar with cross-border operations in Syria said there was a limit to the value of pre-positioning. "Looting will happen, diversion will happen, bombing will happen  [but] maybe one part will be saved," the worker said.

A senior UN official familiar with the Jordan and Syria aid operation, who asked to remain anonymous, said the re-routing of goods, such as food, was less of a concern than the potential disruption in healthcare and the risks to personal safety.

Fears include retribution by Syrian security forces against people in rebel areas. If the deliveries of goods aren't combined with continuing efforts to prevent harm and abuses, "it's just a 'truck and chuck' operation", the official said.

According to OCHA, the UN's emergency aid coordination body, the movement of people from the south to and from government-controlled territory is already increasingly restricted, resulting in price rises for civilians.

The cost of cooking fuel has jumped: cylinders used in rebel-held areas must be refilled in government areas. Some landlords in opposition territory have immediately responded to increased demand from displaced people by demanding three months rent up front and hiking prices by up to 60 percent, according to OCHA.

The different scenarios

The risk to civilians depends in part on what sort of resistance rebels in the south put up. The eastern side of Daraa city is under partial rebel control, as are areas on either side of the north-south highway.

But the rebel-held areas are already nearly split in two by government-held territory, linked only by a two-kilometre strip of land near the Jordanian border. Sam Heller, co-author of a new policy paper on the conflict by the International Crisis Group, told IRIN that the southern rebel territories are "extremely vulnerable to being cut into smaller pieces".

The "enclaving" operation likely underway by the Syrian forces could result in four or more distinct pockets of rebel control, which would be much more "digestible" militarily, from the Syrian government's point of view, according to Heller.

This scenario  divide and besiege  is one the UN and international NGOs have foreseen in a document that sets up four scenarios for the future of southern Syria.

First, it described the status quo: a continued ceasefire and commercial and humanitarian access from Jordan. The second scenario foresees ground offensives that lead to extensive displacement and deprivation in multiple enclaves. The third considers a less violent scenario: negotiated transfer of control of rebel-held territories back to the government. A fourth considers the impact of a complete closure of the border with Jordan.

Russian and Syrian tactics to recapture Eastern Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta followed a pattern: densely-populated rebel pockets were besieged and subjected to heavy and indiscriminate bombardment. At the final stages, rebels and civilians could choose to hand themselves over to government control or move across the country to rebel-controlled northwestern areas.

Such transfers seem less likely in the south, the planning document suggests, projecting that  under any peaceful transition scenario  only 15,000 people would be transferred to the northwestern governorate of Idlib, where many residents from recaptured rebel areas have taken shelter.

Jordan has considerable influence over insurgent groups in southern Syria and may be influential in steering these non-violent transfers of power, according to the International Crisis Group paper: "Keeping the Calm in Southern Syria".

Heller, like Pedersen, said Jordan remains "extremely concerned" about its border security and the prospect of a new wave of asylum seekers.

One scenario the UN has not played out, at least in documents seen by IRIN, is the possibility that Syrians head en masse towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, although Israel is reportedly bracing for an uptick in fighting near its border.

bp/as/ag

Link to original story on IRIN website**UPDATED RELEASE: An earlier version of this press release included the headline Central 1 Develops Canadas First Authenticated Voice Banking Service. An updated quote from Jeremy Trask, Chief Digital Officer, Conexus Credit Union is also reflected in this updated release.**



VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadas first-ever authenticated voice banking service using Amazon Alexa, launches from creator Central 1 today. Central 1 clients - Innovation Credit Union and Conexus Credit Union - are piloting the technology that allows customers to use their voice to command actions for their bank accounts, as if Amazon Alexa were a customer service representative. In addition to being cutting-edge, the technology is revolutionary for those who may be either visually impaired, unable to leave their homes or use keyboards or smartphones to conduct their banking.

Customers can make payments, send money to vendors, transfer money between accounts, and better understand their financial wellness with just their voice. Central 1's smart, conversational user interface pairs hands-free functionality with human-like dialogue interaction, and leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to continually improve its own accuracy.

Were committed to providing our clients with top of the line, cutting edge technology and services, said Mark Blucher, President & CEO of Central 1. As an organization at the forefront of fintech innovation in Canada were thrilled to showcase our authenticated voice banking solution that, as we continue provide the technology to more clients, will add ease and accessibility to the banking experience.

"Innovation Credit Union believes that Conversational UI is going to play a significant role in future member interactions, particularly with Millennials and Gen X, said Dean Gagne, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Innovation Credit Union. This is why Innovation has been such a big supporter of this Central 1 initiative

At Conexus we are passionate about providing solutions that make a meaningful difference for our members. Banking is no longer a place you go, but a thing you do and this new authenticated voice banking solution, is just that  access anytime and anywhere your Amazon Alexa goes, said Jeremy Trask, Chief Digital Officer, Conexus Credit Union. Partnering with Central 1 means were able to ensure our member are getting game-changing technology and services that improve banking experiences while never compromising security.

Central 1s Mobile Banking and Payments team followed best practices in design thinking, customer experience and Lean principles when developing the technology. Development was done in conjunction with Point One Digital, a leading design agency from San Francisco, that was instrumental in developing the Conversational User Interface design strategy.

Contributing to the conversational aspect of the skill is the inclusion of Easter eggs. These added features make Central 1s Amazon Alexa banking engaging and will keep it interesting for users, in addition to providing light-hearted opportunities for including financial wellbeing tips. Watch Alexa in action in this demonstration video: https://youtu.be/V_lhpK8i7BM

Central 1 designed the service to be compatible with Alexa because Amazon Web Services provides a high level of security and flexibility, in addition to the fact that Alexa skills are long standing and highly developer-friendly. The service has high level of authentication and security measures built in, including an industry standard technology OAuth and voice biometrics security measures provided by Amazon.

Innovation and Conexus Credit Unions are launching the Amazon Alexa voice banking service with targeted testing audiences, with plans to release the technology to all members in the fall.

For more information about Central 1s products and services, please visit: www.central1.com.

About Central 1

Central 1 is a preferred partner for financial, digital banking and payment products and services  fueling the success of businesses across Canada. With $19.5 billion in assets, we leverage our scale, strength and expertise to power progress for more than 300 credit unions and other financial institutions, enhancing the financial well-being of more than 3.4 million Canadians. For more information, visit www.central1.com.

Nicole Adams

Director, Member & External Communications

Cell: 604.360.5974

Email: communciations@central1.com

About Conexus Credit Union

Conexus is a forward-thinking credit union committed to our members and their financial well-being.  Every day our members are our number one priority, that's not just something we say, it's a promise. A promise that's delivered by over 900 employees. Providing ease, access and value is key to our technological advances and services we bring to market for our members. Located across Saskatchewan, we are Saskatchewans largest and Canadas sixth largest credit union. As a credit union, our profits are returned to our members through our rates, no-fee accounts and more. Visit www.conexus.ca for more information.

Courtney Rink

Manager, Public Relations

Phone: 306-751-8201

Email: publicrelation@conexus.ca

About Innovation Credit Union

With locations throughout Southwest and North Central Saskatchewan, Innovation Credit Union provides a full range of financial services to over 49,000 members including individuals, businesses, and organizations across the province. Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation guarantees all credit union deposits in Saskatchewan.

Dean Gagne

Chief Digital & Technology Officer

Work: 1.306.539.0452

Dean.gagne@innovationcu.caWashington, DC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/15/2018 --Joshua Chernikoff, Founder and CEO of Flex Academies, was interviewed on August 9 by NBC4 Washington about the hallmarks of a good afterschool enrichment program. He provided tips to PTAs and school administrators looking to choose a program for their school.



Click here to watch the interview.



Chernikoff stated that the following elements are important in choosing an enrichment management company:



- Safety and Security. The management partner should determine that vendors are experts in the fields they are instructing, and conduct background checks on the vendors. An onsite coordinator should be provided to manage the day-to-day activities.



- Your program's activity offerings. Your management partner should have a method for assessing community wants and needs in terms of class offerings and prices. At Flex Academies, an average class is $90-$220 for an eight-week program.



- Volunteer burnout. A good management company will handle all aspects of the program, including providing an onsite coordinator, who runs the day-to-day operation. This takes the burden off volunteers and frees them up to help your PTA.



- Insurance. A good management partner carries insurance that will cover afterschool activities.



- Fundraising. If your school or PTA needs to generate revenue, your management partner should work with you to determine the best way to earn funds with minimal, if any, impact on the parents who are paying for afterschool enrichment.



"It was an honor to have the work of Flex Academies featured on NBC4 Washington, and I was grateful for the chance to participate in the interview," said Chernikoff. "Word is getting out about the great work we're doing and the difference these afterschool programs can make for schools and students alike. We're excited to begin a new school year and continue delivering high-quality afterschool programs to our growing list of partner schools."



About Flex Academies

Flex Academies manages all aspects of before and after-school enrichment programs for PTAs, foundations, school districts, and several 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Through its extensive network of over 100 curriculum providers, Flex Academies offers a wide variety of enrichment activities including STEM / STEAM, cooking, chess, coding and sports. Founded in 2008 and based in Washington D.C., Flex Academies works with schools throughout metro D.C., Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Enrichment programs with Flex Academies can provide a significant source of revenue for PTAs, and help boost enrollment. In 2017, Flex Academies delivered high-quality enrichment programs to more than 80 schools and over 25,000 students.EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bri-Chem Corp. (Bri-Chem or Company) (TSX: BRY), a leading North American oilfield chemical distribution and blending company, is pleased to announce its second quarter financial results.

In $'000s For the three months ended

June 30, Change For the six months ended

June 30 Change (except per share amounts) 2018 2017 $ % 2018 2017 $ % Revenue $ 27,255 $ 23,761 $ 3,494 15 % $ 62,572 $ 57,751 $ 4,821 8 % Adjusted Operating income (loss) (1) (640 ) 444 (1,084 ) (244 %) 331 2,292 (1,961 ) (86 %) Adjusted EBITDA(2) (366 ) 788 (1,154 ) (146 %) 559 2,823 (2,264 ) 80 % Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of

revenue -1 % 3 % - 1 % 5 % - Adjusted Net (loss)/earnings (3) (1,101 ) (250 ) (851 ) (340 %) (1,207 ) 431 (1,638 ) 380 % Net (loss)/earnings $ (3,740 ) $ (250 ) $ (3,490 ) (1396 %) $ (3,846 ) $ 431 $ (4,277 ) 992 % Per Share Data (Diluted) Adjusted EBITDA $ (0.02 ) $ 0.03 $ (0.04 ) (116 %) $ 0.02 $ 0.12 $ (0.09 ) 80 % Adjusted Net (Loss)/earnings $ (0.05 ) $ (0.01 ) $ (0.04 ) (341 %) $ (0.05 ) $ 0.02 $ (0.07 ) 384 % Net (Loss)/earnings $ (0.16 ) $ (0.01 ) $ (0.15 ) (1398 %) $ (0.16 ) $ 0.02 $ (0.18 ) 993 % Shares Outstanding Basic 23,932,981 23,632,981 23,932,981 23,632,981 Diluted 23,932,981 23,962,981 23,932,981 23,962,981 Financial Position Total Assets $ 74,171 $ 61,251 $ 12,920 21 % Working Capital 20,409 14,513 5,896 41 % Long-term debt 8,616 143 8,473 5925 % Shareholders Equity 25,388 28,282 (2,894 ) (10 %)



(1) Represents operating income before financing costs, foreign exchange, and income taxes and adjusted for restructuring charges, share-based payments and lost margin on one-time sales of product below cost (See page 15 of the Q2 2018 MD&A for a further explanation of this non-IFRS measure).

(2) Represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring charges, share-based payments and lost margin on one-time sales of product below cost (See page 15 for a further explanation of this non-IFRS measure).

(3) Represents net earnings adjusted for one-time sales below cost and restructuring costs, net of tax. (See page 15of the Q2 2018 MD&A for a further explanation of this non-IFRS measure).

Key Q2 2018 & YTD highlights include:

Bri-Chem generated consolidated revenue of $27.3 million, an increase of 15% from the second quarter in 2017, resulting primarily from higher business activity levels in the US fluids distribution segment;

Revenue decreased by 47% in the Canadian fluids distribution as a result of an early and prolonged spring breakup period and a corresponding reduction of wells drilled in the second quarter of 2018 and the Canadian blending division revenue increased 8%. The USA fluids distribution division and blending division revenue increased 46% and 52% respectively over the second quarter of 2017;

Adjusted operating loss was $0.64 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to operating earnings of $0.44 million in Q2 2017, representing a $1.1 million decrease;

Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was negative $0.4 million versus $0.8 million in the comparable period in 2017. This decrease is mainly due to the decrease in Canadian fluids distribution sales. In addition, the Company invested in the increase of its infrastructure to keep up with the increased demand in the USA throughout the first half of 2018;

Bri-Chem reported an adjusted net loss of $1.1 million or $0.05 loss per share diluted compared to net loss of $0.250 million or $0.01 loss per share diluted in 2017.

During Q2, Bri-Chem discontinued operating from Kermit and Three Rivers, Texas and moved from Enid, Oklahoma to Ada, Oklahoma in an effort to redeploy its inventory and equipment in higher margin opportunities. This restructuring resulted in one-time sales of product below cost amounting to $1.7 million of negative gross margin and shut down and moving costs of $0.648 million during Q2. As a result of these one-time restructuring costs our non-adjusted operating loss was $3.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to operating earnings of $0.44 million in Q2 2017, representing a $3.7 million decrease, while year to date, the Company reported a non-adjusted net loss of $3.8 million or $0.16 loss per share compared to net earnings of $0.431 million or $0.02 earnings per share for the same period in 2017;

Working capital, as at June 30, 2018, was $20.4 million compared to $24.3 million at December 31, 2017. The Companys current ratio (defined as current assets divided by current liabilities) was 1.51 to 1 compared to 1.56 to 1 as at December 31, 2017.

Summary for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018:

During Q2 2018, drilling activity levels remained stable in the United States as the USA rig count averaged 1,038 rigs operating during Q2 2018, while Canada experienced a slower start to summer drilling program due to wet weather conditions in June. Bri-Chems Q2 2018 consolidated revenues from its North American oil and gas drilling fluids distribution, blending and packaging businesses was $27.3 million compared to $23.8 million in the same prior period in 2017, while the Company had sales of $62.6 million for the first half of 2018 compared to $57.8 million for the first half of 2017. This revenue increase is a result of an increase in drilling fluid demand in the United States, while Western Canada experienced an earlier than expected and prolonged spring break up.

Bri-Chem's Canadian drilling fluids distribution division generated sales of $3.7 million and $15.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, compared to sales of $7 million and $23 million over the comparable periods in 2017. Q2 2018 and year to date sales were lower as many customers were adequately stocked with their own inventories for the winter drilling season given consistent drilling activity levels over the past few quarters. In addition, the industry experienced a prolonged spring break and wet weather conditions throughout Alberta caused delays to summer drilling programs. The number of wells drilled in Western Canada for the three month period ended June 30, 2018 was 906, representing a decrease of 11% over the comparable quarter in 2017. Bri-Chems United States drilling fluids distribution division generated sales of $18.7 million and $36.7 million for the three month and months ended June 30, 2018, compared to revenues of $12.9 million and $25.1 million in the comparable periods of 2017, representing increases of 46% and 46% respectively.

Bri-Chems Canadian drilling fluids blending and packaging division generated sales of $2.9 million and $7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 compared to the prior year quarter sales of $2.7 million and $7.8 million respectively, representing an 8% increase quarter over quarter and an 11% decrease year over year. The increase relates to customers requiring certain products in the quarter and the division adding new blends to a few existing customers. The year to date decrease is due to softer demand for blending services particularly in the month of March as rig activity declined much sooner than expected for spring breakup. Bri-Chems USA fluids blending and packaging division, generated sales of $1.9 million and $3.4 million for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2018, compared to $1.2 million and $1.8 million for the comparable periods in 2017 as the division has seen customer growth with the return of well abandonment work in California.

Adjusted operating loss this quarter was $0.64 million compared with operating earnings of $0.44 million in the second quarter of 2017. Operating results this quarter decreased due to the late start of the summer drilling program in Western Canada due to an unusually wet and prolonged spring breakup period.

Adjusted EBITDA was negative $0.4 million and $0.4 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $0.8 million and $2.8 million in the same comparable prior year periods; decreases of $1.1 million quarter over quarter and $2.3 million year over year. The second quarter adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of sales was negative 1% compared to 3% from the prior year quarter. This decrease in quarter over quarter adjusted EBITDA is mainly attributed to lower sales in the Canadian fluids distribution division as the industry experienced a decrease in rig activity during the quarter. In addition, the Company reinstated its wage rollback and increased its employee base to keep up with the increased demand in the USA. The Company had non-adjusted net loss of $3.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 compared to a net loss of $0.250 million in the same prior year period. Adjusting for one-time sales below cost and restructuring costs, adjusted net loss was $1.1 million for the second quarter while the adjusted net loss was $1.2 million for the first half of 2018.

OUTLOOK

During Q1, management initiated a comprehensive strategic review of all 30 warehouse locations to determine which warehouses were not achieving target gross margins and EBITDA and therefore not the best use of further cashflow resources. The Company determined that two oil based mud facilities in Texas were incurring substantial above average operating costs, increased transportation costs due to a shortage of trucking and logistics within the Texas region and due to the competitive environment in those locations, target gross margins and EBITDA percentages were well below other warehouses with no opportunity to achieve higher margins in the future. As a result, an immediate plan was implemented to discontinue operations in those warehouses and to have the restructuring completed as quickly as possible. The focus of the restructuring plan is to strengthen the Company and enhance long-term shareholder value.

Looking to the third quarter and beyond, sales are currently robust across all North American divisions and we expect our consolidated margins to be at or above historical normalized levels. Northern American oil and gas drilling activity levels should remain consistent for the remainder of 2018, however, PSAC has forecasted 3,586 wells to be drilled in Western Canada for the second half of 2018 with 1,839 wells to be drilled in the third quarter, representing a 5% forecasted decrease over Q3 2017. Bri-Chem will continue to be proactive in seeking higher margin opportunities throughout all its North America business segments. We will aim to stay focused on our strategy, maintain our market share and not sacrifice either to achieve our margin goals in the near term.

About Bri-Chem

Bri-Chem has established itself, through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth, as the North American industry leader for wholesale distribution and blending of oilfield drilling, completion, stimulation and production chemical fluids. We sell, blend, package and distribute a full range of drilling fluid products from 28 strategically located warehouses throughout Canada and the United States. Additional information about Bri-Chem is available at www.sedar.com or at Bri-Chem's website at www.brichem.com.

To receive Bri-Chem news updates send your email to ir@brichem.com .

For further information, please contact:

Jason Theiss

Bri-Chem Corp.

CFO

T: (780) 571-8587

E: jtheiss@brichem.com

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lydian International Limited (TSX:LYD) (Lydian or the Company) announced today its results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018. All dollar amounts referenced in this news release are, unless otherwise indicated, in United States dollars.



Lydian made good progress in May and early June 2018 on major construction and operational readiness activities at its 100%owned Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia, despite sporadic illegal blockades. Engineering was completed in all areas, and construction reached approximately 80% completion.

Since late June, illegal blockades have been in place at Amulsar and continue to prevent the Company and its contactors from entering the Amulsar site. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyans appeal instructing the protestors to discontinue the road blockades has shown limited results. Lydian and several stakeholders have continued to petition local and national government officials to enforce the law by removing the blockades and allowing the Company to resume construction activities. To date, the government has not acted on these additional requests.

To mitigate costs during the ongoing blockades, all construction contractors have been idled and termination notices have been provided to 30% of the Companys workforce. Additional cost reductions are being considered. Prior to the start of the current blockades, management targeted gold production to commence in Q4 2018, with rampup continuing into 2019. The illegal blockades will affect this schedule and the required capital to complete construction of the Amulsar Gold Project.

Joao Carrelo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian, stated, We are pleased to have achieved overall construction progress of 80% during the quarter. Prior to the ongoing blockades, construction was advancing and tracking to first gold in Q4 2018. It is unfortunate that the government has chosen not to enforce the law and remove the illegal blockades, but we will continue to make every effort to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. Until a resolution is achieved, Lydian will continue to implement cost reduction initiatives, which will impact more than 1,300 employees and contractors, as well as the local communities and suppliers.

As part of our commitment to responsible and transparent mining, we fully support independent and professional environmental compliance audits of Armenias mining sector. Pursuant to Lydians request, the audits commenced in July with the Amulsar Gold Project. The site audit of Amulsar is now complete, and we expect to receive the official findings in September.

Second Quarter 2018 Highlights and Recent Developments

Financing  During Q2 2018 and to the date of this report, additional debt draws of $33.1 million were received. Management continued its focus to complete a restructuring of its funding instruments. Through these revisions, management is currently seeking a net cash flow benefit in excess of $40 million. This will reduce Lydians overall remaining funding requirement, but additional sources of funding will be required through issuance of equity.

Engineering  Engineering is 100% complete, with design work for the truck shop and wash bay being completed during Q2 2018.

Mine Operations  Pre-production mining activities continued during Q2 2018, with construction of the main mine haul road to the primary crusher, development of the run-of-mine pad at the primary crusher, and development of mining benches in the Tigranes pit.

Materials Handling System  The primary and secondary crushers have all been placed on their foundations, as has the apron feeder and vibrating grizzly at the primary crusher facility. Installation of the mechanicals in the screen house is complete with the exception of final adjustments and torqueing of fasteners. The overland conveyor drive house mechanicals have been installed, as have all the concrete sleepers and over 95% of the overland conveyor galleries. The coarse ore stockpile/reclaim system is structurally complete, and the contract has been awarded for the fine ore stockpile/truck load-out facility.

Heap Leach Facility  Liner installation commenced for the process and storm ponds during the quarter. Earthworks on the heap leach pad are almost complete and will be lined following the process ponds.

Gold Processing Facilities  The ADR Plant mechanicals have been completed and work started on installing piping, electrical, and instrumentation. The foundations for the reagent storage facility adjacent to the ADR Plant are nearly complete. The refinery building is over 90% finished.

Infrastructure  The main substation and 35kV distribution system are complete and ready to be energized once all the e-houses are placed and pre-commissioned. The 110kV line has been upgraded by the utility company and all preparations are in place to connect to the main substation. The contract for the construction and installation of the process and potable water system has been awarded. The gas line has been completed to the battery limits of the ADR plant and mine shop. Mine shop foundations have been completed and the building is being erected. The truck wash bay foundations are nearing completion.

Operational Readiness  Recruitment and training of mine and process operators continued. The mine department utilized shovel and truck simulators prior to in-field training on equipment. The quality and aptitude of the applicants was better than expected. The curriculum for process operator training has been established.

Sustainability  In April 2018, the Company reached 2,000,000 man hours without a lost time injury. The independent environment and social consultant completed its audit in June covering areas of ARD, cyanide systems, environmental monitoring, site-wide water, surface and ground water management, dust management, and other environmental management systems. Management plans have been adjusted accordingly.

Following the initiative by the new administration to undertake a comprehensive environmental audit of Armenias mining sector, Lydian proposed it be the first company to be audited. The Environmental and Mining Inspection Agency commenced its site audit of the Amulsar Project in July 2018. The audit was completed in early August 2018. The official findings of the audit have yet to be disseminated.

Separately, a fact-finding working group was established by Prime Ministerial decree with 24 nominated members and augmented by 18 representatives of civil society to review impacts attributed to mining activities and performance with respect to international best practices. The working group formally commenced its work in August 2018. As mandated by the decree, the working group is to complete its findings in September 2018.

Appointments  Mr. Russell Ball was appointed as director of Lydian on June 28, 2018. Mr. Ball is a former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Goldcorp Inc. and Newmont Mining Corporation. Mr. Ball has over 20 years experience in the mining industry and currently serves as a director on the Boards of Trevali Corporation, Columbus Gold Corporation, and Allegiant Gold Limited.

Howard Stevenson resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian effective May 1, 2018. Mr. Joao Carrelo was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian effective May 1, 2018. Mr. Carrelo is a senior mining executive with over 34 years of international experience in the mining and resources sectors. He currently serves as a non-executive director on the boards of TMAC Resources, Inc. and Lucky Minerals, Inc. His experience includes the management of underground and open pit projects and operations, with exposure to precious metals, base metals, coal and industrial minerals in Latin America, Europe, India, and Africa.



To view construction photos and videos, please visit www.lydianinternational.co.uk.

About Lydian International Limited

Lydian is a gold developer focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. Amulsar will be a large-scale, low-cost operation with production targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Estimated mineral resources contain 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces as outlined in the Q1 2017 Technical Report. Existing mineral resources beyond current reserves and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the mine life. Lydian is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. For more information and to directly contact us, please visit www.lydianinternational.co.uk .

For further information, please contact:

Doug Tobler, Chief Financial Officer

+1 720-307-5087 Pamela Solly, Vice President of Investor Relations

+1 720-464-5649

Or: moreinfo@Lydianinternational.co.uk

Caution regarding forward-looking information

There can be no assurances as to the timing, magnitude or impact of future protests or blockades affecting Amulsar, if any, or the success of the Companys ongoing attempts to mitigate such risks. The Company does not intend to comment further upon protests, blockades or similar disruptions unless required by law, it deems further disclosure is appropriate, or where appropriate in the context of its normal course disclosure on construction, operational and financial matters. The Company makes reference to the risk factors outlined in section 4.2 of its most recent Annual Information Form, dated March 28, 2018, including risk factor disclosure under the headings Single Property Focus, Community and Social and Foreign Operations.

Certain information contained in this news release is forward looking. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects, is expected, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, will, would, should, or occur or the negative or other variations of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: the illegal blockades at the Amulsar site and potential cost reductions as a result; the Companys assessment of alternatives for dealing with the blockades, the Companys ability to carry out comprehensive revisions to its senior credit, stream, and offtake agreements, potential future employee reductions, the realization of mineral resource estimates and the timing of development of the Amulsar Gold Project, including the expected start date of gold production; restructuring of funding instruments and potential funding through the issuance of equity; the expected and estimated cost of operations and capital costs at the Amulsar Gold Project; the current Amulsar Gold Project construction schedule, the commitment to and implementation of good international industry practices; the expected gold production from, and life of mine of, the Amulsar Gold Project; the formation of the Armenian Government; the impact of management in relation to the Companys strategic growth objectives; the magnitude or impact of historical and future (if any) protests or blockades affecting Amulsar and the success of the Companys ongoing attempts to mitigate such risks; the response of the Armenian government to future (if any) protests or blockades affecting Amulsar; the impact of protests, blockades or similar disruptions on the Companys construction, operations and financial performance; and the expected mining methods at the Amulsar Gold Project. Statements concerning mineral resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered when the property is developed.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: changes in gold and silver prices; adverse general economic, political, market or business conditions; unwillingness of the Companys creditors to amend the senior credit, stream, and offtake agreements; failure to achieve the objectives of the future exploration and drilling programs; regulatory changes; as well as "Risk Factors" included in the disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.Oil prices fell over 1 percent on Wednesday after the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a surprise crude oil inventory build of 3.66 million barrels of U.S. inventories for the week ending August 11, compared to analyst expectations for a draw of 2.499 million barrels.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 1.6-million barrels, the API said.



Investors await official U.S oil inventory data from the Energy Information Administration later in the day for further direction.

Traders also remain concerned by a darkening global economic outlook amid growing geopolitical tensions and escalating rhetoric in the trade conflict between the United States and its major trade partners.

Global benchmark Brent crude oil was down 73 cents or over 1 percent at $71.73 a barrel while U.S. light crude futures were down 92 cents or 1.37 percent at $66.12 a barrel.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market AnalysisMobile payments firm Square's Cash App has expanded Bitcoin trading to all 50 states in the U.S, the company said in a tweet.

Square is co-founded by Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey.

Cash App, an app for sending and receiving fiat currency, had conducted the test phase of the service to selected users in November last year.

The firm officially enabled instant buying and selling of Bitcoin in late January to its customers in most US states. But, the service was not offered initially in the states of New York, Georgia, Hawaii and Wyoming due to their more restrictive crypto regulations.

In March, the service was expended to Wyoming after the State passed a bill to remove the double reserve requirement for crypto-related companies.

Square recently secured a BitLicense, the license of virtual currency activities, in New York to handle crypto services in the state. Square already holds a money-transmitter license from The New York Department of Financial Services or NYDFS.

The company's bitcoin service made a small margin of around $420 thousand in the second quarter this year.

Dorsey, also the CEO and Chairman of Square, in May had claimed that the internet is set to have a native currency, hopefully bitcoin.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has barred and fined the issuer of Tomahawkcoin for running a "fraudulent Initial Coin Offering (ICO)" to fund oil exploration and drilling in California.

The regulator's order finds that Tomahawk Exploration LLC and its founder David Laurance violated the registration and antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws.

Without admitting or denying the SEC's findings, Tomahawk and Laurance have consented to the order to bar the ICO and and a $30,000 penalty.

"Investors should be alert to the risk of old-school frauds, like oil and gas schemes, masquerading as innovative blockchain-based ICOs," said Robert Cohen, Chief of the SEC's Cyber Unit.

Laurance attempted to raise money through the sale of blockchain-based digital tokens called "Tomahawkcoins" using misleading promotional materials.

The materials provided inflated projections of oil production that were contradicted by the company's own internal analysis. Laurance also misleadingly suggested that Tomahawk possessed leases for drilling sites when it did not.

Further, the materials described Laurance as having a "flawless background" without disclosing his prior criminal conviction for his role in fraudulent securities offerings.

Tomahawk also fraudulently claimed that token owners could convert the Tomahawkcoins into equity and potentially profit from the anticipated oil production and secondary trading of the tokens.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TriMetals Mining Inc. (TSX: TMI, OTCQX: TMIAF), (the Company), reports the release of its condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and the related managements discussion and analysis of financial position and results of operations (MD&A). In this press release, all amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated.



As at June 30, 2018, the Company had cash of $0.32 million. During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the Company reported net earnings of $2.32 million ($0.01 per share) compared with net earnings of $0.40 million ($0.00 per share) for the six months ended June 30, 2017. During the three months ended June 30, 2018, the Company reported net earnings of $1.30 million ($0.01 per share) compared with net loss of $1.51 million ($0.01 per share) for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the TSX closing price of the Class B shares (a liability in the financial statements) decreased by Cdn. $0.025 (2017  decreased by Cdn. $0.025) per Class B share, combined with a favourable movement in the USD:CAD exchange rate for the same period ended June 30, 2018, resulted in a non-cash gain of $3.17 million (2017 $1.52 million), which was the primary factor impacting net earnings.

The Company continued to reduce its level of operations from previous years and manage its costs structure which resulted in general and administrative expenses, excluding non-cash share-based payments, marginally decreasing from $0.77 million to $0.72 million during the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Exploration spending during the six months ended June 30, 2108 decreased to $0.87 million from $1.26 million incurred in the first six months in 2017. The 2018 costs included $0.61 million incurred at Gold Springs and $0.26 million incurred at the Escalones property in Chile.

The Company continues to seek a partner to help advance Escalones towards development.

Subsequent to June 30, 2018 the Company gave notice to the convertible note holders, with a balance of $1.73 million, exercising the right to extend the maturity date from Jul 23, 2018 to July 23, 2020

Arbitration against the Government of Bolivia

On July 12, 2018, the Arbitral Tribunal informed the Parties that it had completed the award, that it had been transmitted to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), that the award was being translated and that it expected to issue the award by no later than August 2018.

On August 2, 2018, one of the arbitrators advised that he had seriously fallen ill and was unable to continue with the arbitration. On August 7, 2018, TMIs wholly owned subsidiary South American Silver Limited (SASL) wrote to the PCA and to the Arbitral Tribunal seeking confirmation that this illness would not affect the expected timing for the issuance of the award. On August 12, 2018, Bolivia wrote to the PCA requesting that a replacement arbitrator to be appointed and that the reconstituted Tribunal consider the possible repetition of the hearing and subsequent stages of the arbitration. In response, on August 14, 2018, SASL wrote to the PCA and to the Arbitral Tribunal objecting to Bolivias requests and noting that, if necessary, Articles 14(2) and 34(4) of the 2010 UNCITRAL Rules expressly permit the two other arbitrators to sign and issue the award.

The President of the Tribunal responded to both Bolivia and SASL on August 14 requesting that the Parties refrain from presenting further submissions on this matter without prior instructions from the Tribunal and indicating that the Arbitral Tribunal will revert to the Parties shortly.

TMI will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Outlook

The priorities of the Company for 2018 continue to be:

Focus the Companys efforts toward the historic Gold Springs project in southern Utah and Nevada, and advance the exploration and geologic understanding of the project to expand the gold resource and mitigate technical risk;



Seek an appropriate strategic partner with specific skills and experience in South America and in copper exploration to increase resources and move forward toward development of the Escalones coppergold porphyry-skarn project in Chile;



Participate with the Companys legal team to pursue and finalize the international arbitration against Bolivia and recover full compensation based on the fair market value for the Malku Khota project; and



Actively manage the business of the Company to preserve cash, efficiently and effectively invest in meaningful activities, and pursue accretive and strategic capital raising opportunities.

Change in Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Killian Ruby as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company, effective August 15, 2018. Mr. Ruby is the President & CEO at Malaspina Consultants Inc. in Vancouver and focuses on clients in the resource and junior public sector. Mr. Ruby advises clients on matters related to financial management and public company reporting and is particularly adept at handling complex issues and multiple stakeholders with a collaborative, team-based approach.

Prior to joining Malaspina, Mr. Ruby was an Assurance Partner at Wolrige Mahon LLP working predominantly with resource and other junior public companies, and formerly was a Senior Manager with KPMG LLP working on a range of public companies and reporting issuers. He holds a BSc. (Accounting) from University College Cork, Ireland, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Corporate Treasury from Dublin City University, Ireland, and received his Chartered Accountant designations from Canada and Ireland in 2010 and 2002, respectively. Mr. Rubys appointment comes with the resignation of Ms. Rebecca Moriarty.

About TriMetals Mining Inc.

TriMetals Mining Inc. is a growth focused mineral exploration company creating value through the exploration and development of the near-surface, oxide, heap-leachable Gold Springs gold project in mining friendly Utah and Nevada USA, and the Escalones copper-gold skarn/porphyry deposit in Chile. The Company combines a track record of discovery and advancement of large projects, mining and exploration supportive jurisdictions, low political risk areas, key operational and process expertise, and a focus on community relations and sustainable development. Management has extensive experience in the global exploration and mining industry.

The Companys common shares and Class B shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TMI and TMI.B and the common shares and Class B(1) shares also trade on the OTCQX market under the symbol TMIAF and TMIBF. Additional information related to TriMetals Mining Inc. is available at www.TriMetalsmining.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Forward-looking statements look into the future and provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Forward-looking statements may include words such as expect, plan, seek, continue, typical, will, intention, creating, and similar expressions. These forward- looking statements are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may materially differ from expectations, if known and unknown risks or uncertainties affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, risks of the mineral exploration industry which may affect the advancement of the Gold Springs project, including possible variations in mineral resources or grade, recovery rates, metal prices, availability of sufficient financing to fund further required work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms, availability of equipment and qualified personnel, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; and other risks more fully described in the Company's Annual Information Form filed and publicly available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The assumptions made in developing the forward-looking statements include: the accuracy of current resource estimates and the interpretation of drill, metallurgical testing and other exploration results; the continuing support for mining by local governments in Nevada, Utah and Chile, the availability of equipment and qualified personnel to advance the Gold Springs project; and the execution of the Company's existing plans and further exploration and development programs for the Gold Springs Project, which may change due to changes in the views of the Company or if new information arises which makes it prudent to change such plans or programs.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.

(1) the Class B shares have no interest in the properties or assets of the Company. The Class B shares are only entitled collectively to 85% of the net cash, if any, (after deducting all costs, taxes and expenses and the third-party funder's portion thereof) received by TMI from award or settlement in relation to the Companys subsidiary South American Silver Limiteds arbitration proceeding against Bolivia for the expropriation of the Malku Khota project in 2012.



Air France-KLM Group is reportedly planning to name Air Canada's Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Smith as its new Chief Executive officer.

According to Bloomberg, Air France's board will meet later this week and could finalize the decision. Smith will receive a pay package totaling 3.3 million euros or $3.74 million a year.

"The recruitment process is ongoing and no decision has been made," a company spokesman said, Bloomberg News reports.

The news was initially reported by French newspaper Liberation.

Air France's previous CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac had resigned in May after a majority of Air France employees at the strike-hit airline rejected a new pay deal.

The ongoing dispute has already resulted in 15 days of strikes, with which the company reportedly has lost up to 400 million euros or $470.68 million.

Meanwhile, reports say that unions at Air France-KLM are campaigning against the rumored appointment of Smith on the grounds that he would undermine French sovereignty as he is a Canadian.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsCrude oil prices plummeted to a near 10-week low on Wednesday, after official data showed an unexpected jump in U.S. crude stockpiles last week.

Traders were also worried that escalation in the trade conflict between the U.S. and China could lead to a significant slowdown in oil demand growth next year.

Crude oil futures for September delivery ended down $2.03, or 3%, at $65.01 a barrel, after declining to a low of $64.51 in the session.

On Tuesday, crude oil futures ended down $0.16, at $67.04 barrel, after having advanced to $68.36 a barrel earlier.

According to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, crude oil inventories rose by 6.8 million barrels in the week ended August 10, as against expectations for a drop of about 2.4 million barrels. Following the jump, total U.S. crude oil inventories stood at 414.2 million barrels as of last week.

Gasoline inventories fell by 740,000 barrels last week, compared to expectations for a drop of 583,000 barrels. Distillate inventories including diesel were up by 3.5 million barrels last week.

After market hours on Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute reported a 3.7 million barrels jump in crude inventories last week. The report also said that crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 1.6-million barrels.

As the second phase of U.S. sanctions on Iran is set to come into force in November, the OPEC decided in June to increase crude production.

Despite Saudi Arabia reducing its production in July, global oil production in the month rose by 680,000 bpd, with total production of OPEC countries rising by 41,000 bpd to 32.32 million bpd.

The OPEC recently pegged world oil demand at 1.43 million bpd in 2019, down from 1.64 million bpd in 2018.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market AnalysisSaudi extremist regime commits genocide in Yemen : Slovakian Parliament [15/August/2018] SANAA, Aug. 15 (saba) - Head of the European Commission, in the Slovak Parliament, Lubusz Blaha, said that the Saudi regime is an extremist regime of the Middle Ages that terrorizes its citizens, finances terrorist organizations and practices genocide in Yemen.











Blaha said in a comment posted on his social networking site that while the international community must protest and renounce the practices of the Saudi regime and its crimes, all this is met with the silence applied because it is a friend of the United States and the West, which makes them partners in his crimes, especially that they sell weapons to the Saudi regime.











He stressed that what the regime is doing against innocent civilians in Yemen is a humanitarian disaster, but it is ignored because Riyadh buys its weapons from Western countries, which use about 98 percent of them to kill innocent children in Yemen.











Blaha pointed out that instead of punishing the Saudi regime, the United States and its Western allies rewarded him by handing over to the presidency of the Human Rights Council.

















Ahmed Al-Mutawakel

sabaAsserting that India was at the cusp of achieving many of its long-awaited goals, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said "contentious issues and extraneous debates" should not distract the people.

In his address to the nation on the eve of 72nd Independence Day, he referred to various issues and said these may have held true 10 or 20 years ago or even earlier to some extent but "even so we are at a juncture in our history that is different from any period that we have so far experienced".



"We are at the cusp of achieving many of our long-awaited goals. Universal access to electricity, the elimination of open defecation, the elimination of homelessness, the very elimination of extreme poverty is achievable and attainable. We are at a pivotal moment. Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us," he said.





Kovind said if freedom was defined in narrow political terms, then August 15, 1947 marks a closure.



"But freedom is a broader concept. It is not fixed and finite. Freedom is a constant and relentless endeavour. Even decades after 1947, each one of us can contribute in the manner of a freedom fighter. We can do so if we expand the frontiers of freedom and of opportunity for our fellow Indians and our beloved India."



Referring to the resolve of various sections in nation building, the President said that the reality was that every Indian who does his or her job with sincerity and commitment, who contributes to society by being true to a professional ethic, be it the doctor's ethic, the nurse's ethic, the teacher's ethic, the public servant's ethic, the factory worker's ethic, the business person's ethic, the ethic of those who have to care for ageing parents - each of these and many others are in their own way upholding the values of freedom.



"They are providing the fruits and goods and services of freedom to fellow citizens. Every citizen of India who does his or her duty sincerely, fulfils a personal and professional obligation and keeps to a given word is, at a fundamental level, upholding the principles of our freedom struggle," he said.



"I would argue that every Indian who does not jump the queue and respects the civic space and rights of those ahead in the line also lives up to the principles of our freedom struggle. It's a very small gesture. Let us try and abide by it."



Kovind said the freedom that came at midnight on August 14-15, 1947 was the result of years and decades and centuries of sacrifice and valour on the part of India's ancestors and freedom fighters.



"They could easily have compromised and settled for some personal benefit, but they did not. Their commitment to India - to a free, sovereign, plural and egalitarian India - was absolute. It was my privilege to honour these freedom fighters on the anniversary of 'Quit India Day' on August 9 in Rashtrapati Bhavan."



The President said after four years India would be marking the 75th anniversary of Independence and in less than 30 years the people would celebrate the 100th anniversary of India as a free nation.



"The decisions we take today, the foundations we lay today, the projects we undertake today, the social and economic investments we make today - whether for the immediate future or for the medium term - will determine where we stand. The pace of change and development in our country is rapid and appreciable. And as per our civilisational traditions, it is driven by our people, by civil society and by a partnership between citizen and government. Its focus, again in keeping with the essence of Indian thought, is on a better life for the less fortunate," he said.



He also referred to the beginning of commemoration of the 150th birthday on Mahatma Gandhi on October 2 and said Gandhi did not just lead India's freedom struggle.



"He was and still is our moral compass. In my capacity as the President of India, I have been fortunate to have travelled around the world, particularly to a few countries of Africa. Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is the embodiment of India," he said.



Recalling Gandhi's cleaniness campaign along with his wife Kasturba in Bihar's Champaran even in the middle of struggle for freedom, the President quoted him as saying: "Struggle was not just for political power but for empowering the poorest of the poor, educating the uneducated and ensuring the right to a dignified life."



He also referred to Gandhi's principle of non-violence and said each Indian should adopt his ideas and maxims in everyday work and conduct.



"Together we can eliminate, illiteracy and inequality. We can and we must do this together. The government has a leading role but not the sole role. Let us use the government's programmes and projects to further our own efforts. Let us make that sense of ownership our motivation," the President said.

Kejriwal refuses to accept Ashutosh's resignation (File Photo) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday refused to accept senior leader Ashutosh's resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). "It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to (the) party (and those) who supported me throughout. Thanks," he

added.



A former journalist, Ashutosh had expressed unhappiness over the choice of two of the three nominees to the Rajya Sabha.

Once seen as close to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he had mostly kept away from party activities since then.



SNc Channels:



Search

About Salem-News.com



Aug-14-2018 23:10 TweetFollow @OregonNews Bangladesh: Release Mr. Shahidul Alam Immediately from Arbitrary Detention An open letter to the Honourable Ambassadors of Bangladesh

Dr. Shahidul Alam in 2009. On August 5, 2018, Alam was taken from his home in Dhanmondi after he had been interviewed by Al Jazeera and posted videos on Facebook regarding the 2018 Bangladesh road safety protests.

(UNITED KINGDOM) - His Excellency Masud Bin Momen,

Ambassador and Permanent Representative,

630, 1st Avenue, Apt. 35L,

Manhattan Place Condominium,

New York, NY-10016.

E-mail: bdpmny@gmail.com,bangladesh@un.int Dear Masud Bin Momen,

I am William Nicholas Gomes, Human rights defender and Freelance journalist. I am writing to voice my deep concern about the arbitrary arrest of an award-winning photographer, academic and human rights defender Shahidul Alam. I have been informed by The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT),FIDH and Front Line Defenders about the arbitrary detention and torture of Mr. Shahidul Alam, photographer and founder of the Drik photo agency and of the Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. Mr. Shahidul Alam has been documenting the student protests over road safety, which have been ongoing in the country for more than a week and which have been violently repressed by the Government, with more than 100 students injured over the weekend. According to the information received, on August 5, 2018 at around 10.30 pm, Mr. Shahidul Alam was forcibly taken from his house in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, by a group of men in plain clothes, who identified themselves as officers of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Police. Mr. Shahidul Alams house was searched and all the CCTV cameras were destroyed. His whereabouts have remained unknown until August 6, 2018, when Mr. Shahidul Alam was brought to the Dhaka court by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Noor, where he was interrogated regarding allegations that he gave false information to the media and for so-called provocative comments. These accusations are related to an interview that Mr. Shahidul Alam gave to Al Jazeera on the situation in Bangladesh and to his Facebook posts over the ongoing student protests. Mr. Shahidul Alam was remanded to custody for seven days in a case filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, which over the past years has been used to arrest and prosecute several journalists who have criticised the Government. During the hearing, Mr. Shahidul Alam reported he had been tortured in custody, and was not able to walk without support. According to his own words, the police officers made him wash his bloodied clothes before making him wear them again. I strongly condemn the arbitrary detention and torture of Mr. Shahidul Alam as they clearly aim at punishing him for his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. I urge the authorities of Bangladesh to immediately release Mr. Shahidul Alam and put an end to all acts of torture, ill-treatment and harassment, including at the judicial level, against him. I further call for a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the above-mentioned allegations of torture in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and sanction them as provided by the law. Action requested: Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Shahidul Alam as well as of all human rights defenders in Bangladesh; Release Mr. Shahidul Alam immediately and unconditionally since his detention is arbitrary and only aims at sanctioning his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights; Put an end to any kind of harassment  including at the judicial level  against Mr. Shahidul Alam and more generally against all human rights defenders in Bangladesh and ensure that they are able to carry out their peaceful and legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals; Take all necessary measures to guarantee his physical and psychological integrity and security and integrity, as well as that of his family and ensure that the treatment of Shahidul Alam, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988; Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into any instances of torture against Shahidul Alam with a view to publishing the results of any such investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice in line with Bangladeshs international human rights obligations; Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially regarding the following Articles:

Article 1: everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels;

Article 5 (a): For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels (a) To meet or assemble peacefully;

Article 12.2: the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of his or her rights []; Ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Bangladesh. Yours sincerely,

William Nicholas Gomes

Journalist and Human Rights Activist

@wnicholasgomes

York, United Kingdom

CC: H.E. Mr. M. Abu Zafar Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Embassy & Permanent Mission of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh to the UN Offices and other International Organizations in Vienna H.E. Mr. Mohammed Shahdat Hossain Ambassador & Head of Mission to the European Union, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Brussels H.E. Mr. Muhammad Abdul Muhith , Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Copenhagen H.E. Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Paris. H.E. Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Md. Jashim Uddin, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Athens, Greece Ms. Rezina Ahmed, Consul General, Consulate General of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Milan H.E. Mr. Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Ambassador and PR to FAO, IFAD and WFP, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Rome H.E. Mr. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, The Hague H. E. Mr. Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Lisbon, Portugal H.E. Mr. Hassan Mahmood Khandker, Ambassador & Permanent Representative to the World Tourism Org. (UNWTO), Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Madrid H.E. Mr. Md. Nazmul Islam, Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Stockholm. H.E. Mr. M. Shameem Ahsan, Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN Office & other International Organizations in Geneva H.E. Mr. Md. Nazmul Quaunine, High Commissioner, High Commission for the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, London H.E.Mr. Mizanur Rahman, High Commissioner, High Commission for the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Ottawa _________________________________________

Foreign-relations | Politics | Peace | Most Commented on





Articles for August 13, 2018 | Articles for August 14, 2018 | Articles for August 15, 2018VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cruz Cobalt Corp. (CUZTSXv, BKTPFOTCBB, A2DMG8--FSE) is pleased to announce that the Company has now completed phase 1 exploration at its 4,980 acre Hector Cobalt Property located near the town of Cobalt, Ontario. All work as planned was completed, including surface rock, soil geochemical and ground magnetic geophysical. 203 soils and 31 grab samples have been submitted to ALS in Sudbury. The Company will prioritize targets for follow-up diamond drill testing following receipt and review of rock and soil geochemical results, in conjunction with ground magnetic geophysical survey data and plan to begin a drill program as soon as possible.



James Nelson, President of Cruz states We are very pleased to complete the first phase of exploration on our Ontario cobalt prospects. This is an exciting time for the company and we look forward to getting drills turning as soon as possible on the highest priority drill targets determined by the magnetic survey data and geochemical results.

(To view an image of the Ownership Map, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4754/38087_a1534280300493_50.jpg )

Cruz currently has nine cobalt projects located throughout North America, comprising of five in Ontario, two in British Columbia, one in Idaho and one in Montana. Cruz's five separate Ontario cobalt prospects are all located in the vicinity of the town of Cobalt making Cruz one of the largest landholders in this emerging cobalt district. Cruz's Ontario projects include the 1,265 acre Coleman cobalt prospect, the 900 acre Johnson cobalt prospect, the 4,980 acre Hector cobalt prospect, the 1,580 acre Bucke cobalt prospect and the 10,556 acre Lorraine cobalt prospect. The company's BC prospects include the 15,219 acre War Eagle cobalt prospect and the 11,821 acre Purcell prospect. Cruzs USA projects include the 1,940 acre Chicken Hawk prospect in Montana and the 880 acre Idaho Star prospect.

If you would like to be added to Cruzs email list please send an email to info@cruzcobaltcorp.com or twitter @CruzCobalt

James Nelson

President

604.899.9150

Toll free 1.855.599.9150

www.cruzcobaltcorp.com

twitter @CruzCobalt

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Lopaoo Natanielu Mua, is correct. He cannot please everyone all the time.

But then someone should remind him that he is not occupying that office for the sake of pleasing people, he is there to do the right thing by all the people of this country, not just a few. All the time.

Which means he should forget this idea of pleasing people and focus instead on fairness, equality and providing the same opportunities for all Samoans  whether you have money or not. Thats what the Government is there for.

Anything less is unacceptable. And no matter how one tries to justify it, the people of Samoa are intelligent enough to see right through it  even those small-scale farmers in the villages.

Which is precisely what has happened in relation to Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Israel banana project.

On the front page of the Sunday Samoan, Minister Lopaoo defended the Governments decision to prioritise commercial farmers in the distribution of the bananas. He was responding to concerns by small-scale farmers who say they are finding it hard to obtain some of the banana suckers because priority is given to the rich and bigger commercial farmers. They have a point.

But the Minister said among the prominent businessmen who have received the bulk of the bananas are Taimalie Charlie Westerlund, Ututaaloga Charlie Ulia and a group of people at Magiagi. Who these people at Magiagi are he did not say. It would be interesting to find out who they are.

And why this particular village?

I see the commitment of the big players and I always say the tide raises all ships. When the big guys are able to start the exports and the market grows and thats when the small holder farmers can bring in their bananas as well, Minister Lopaoo explained.

My objective is to push the exports and I want to the exports to be sustainable. But the bananas we have is not enough to sustain a continual supply for export which is why we are actually trying to push certain farmers with abilities to get the banana base going expanding quickly.

This is my belief and my objective which may provide conflict but I am going to push my agenda so it will work but everyone will get bananas  its going to be a slow process. These Israel bananas are for export and we are trying to develop our exports to a level that will be sustainable.

If we give out 100 bananas here and there, its not going to work and no one is going to make any money on 100 bananas because you have to have all the equipment, you need workers, you need to inject the tree, you need fertilizer, you need the machine to spray the crops  its very expensive.

To be fair to the Minister, there is logic in what he is saying especially given the proven successful history of someone like Taimalie Charlie. We know what he is capable of. Which would have been perfect if the project was a private one.

But in this case, from what we can gather, it is not. Which means that whether you are a commercial farmer or a small subsistent farmer, the Government cannot be seen to favour anyone.

It is not normal and it is definitely not in the best interest of transparency, accountability and good governance that this Government gloats about every day.

Besides, if the issue is the farmers ability to develop their farms and cultivate the banana variety in accordance with standards, shouldnt this be where the Government comes in?

Shouldnt the Government then invest some money in a project where farmers can loan to buy fertilizers, equipment and whatever else they need to get this project off the ground?

Imagine if the Ministry of Agriculture were to sell all those flash Ford Rangers and get the money to give to farmers so they can help achieve the Governments export goal?

Think of the possibilities. Instead of concentrating all the effort in the hands of two people, you could have fifty or more farmers who are made to feel a sense of ownership of the project and will go out of their way to find success and return the favour to the Government for placing faith in their abilities?

This, in our view, is the best way forward. And most importantly, every one is made to feel important and valuable. The Government is for all the people of Samoa  not just some people. What do you think? Write and share your thoughts with us!

Have a fabulous Wednesday Samoa, God bless!Dear Editor

Re: An open letter

Thanks John, I will say age is just a number and you are a pro on social media so dont give up easily because of loose side issues.

It comes with the territory.

We now have a new political party with decent and credible people, this is the answer to all our prayers.

Change is coming and this is a good start.

Just take a leaf out of Wendys book, say whats on your mind, fight fire with fire and stick to your guns.

Encouraging good deeds is charity also because you are helping and saving someone spiritually and yourself, Wendy and others from outside of Samoa have contributed well.

Keep the faith and stay strong.

Le Mafa P.The Audit Office has launched an investigation into the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Sefuiva Charlene Malele.

This was confirmed by the Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Tole'afoa Faafisi, who said minor issues led to the investigation by the Audit Office.

He refused to give more details when pressed.

I am the Speaker, a Chief and a father and so when it comes to sensitive issues involving the staff; I am not one to want to comment. So we just have to wait, he said in an interview with Samoa Observer.

When it was put to the Speaker, that in his position, he is the only one who can comment on Parliament matters, he said: I understand what youre saying, but still I will not comment on the matter any further.

However, Sergeant at Arms for Parliament, Luatalo Senima, confirmed the investigation and indicated that it was the result of an official complaint filed by a Parliamentary driver to the Office of the Prime Minister.

The investigation was ordered by the Prime Minister, said Luatalo.

It was not possible to get a comment from Prime Minister Tuilaepa yesterday.

But Sefuiva, who had returned to work after taking leave, told Samoa Observer the investigation by the Audit office was the result of an employee filing an official complaint.

And again, I have no comment. I am waiting for the Speaker for any instructions for me, she said.

Asked whether she was placed on leave, Sefuiva said: The leave I took was in the pipeline when the investigation was launched and so I returned to work today (yesterday) and I still have four weeks of leave that I need to take, however, I have so much work to do.

She said the investigation has been completed, but this could not be confirmed as emails to the Controller and Chief Auditor Fuimaono Camillo Afele did not get a response by press time.

The Samoa Observer also sought comments from the Office of the Speaker but all queries were referred to the Sergeant at Arms for Parliament, Luatalo Senima.

I speak on behalf of the Speaker, who has declined to say anything on the matter and you should go and talk to the Audit Office, they are the ones who conducted the investigation, said Luatalo.

He also confirmed the complaint was launched by a driver directly to the Prime Minister.

Then the Prime Minister ordered the investigation and we are now waiting for the outcome of that investigation, he said.The Auditors have expressed concern at the out-of-control situation in the management of overtime hours at the Ministry of Health (M.O.H.).

The Audit reports for Financial Years 2014-2015 expressed concern as it noticed a significant increase in payment of salary of a particular employee which was raised in previous audits.

Another issue addressed by the auditors were missing receipt books, which made it difficult for the Ministry to be held to account. Assets procured within the audited period were also not registered in the Fixed Asset Register.

The M.O.H. responded that despite the approval of the position of senior assets management officer, Ministry of Finance was not able to fund the position so the accounts unit is continuing the responsibility of assets management."

The Unit is still finding it a challenge to update assets register regularly due to time factor but have incorporated into their work plans the need to complete this exercise consistently. The issue of missing receipts from a receipt book was also raised in the previous audit, the Audit Reports stated.

The issue of missing receipt books is now being investigated by the Ministry of Finance (M.O.F.) according to the Audit Report.

The Ministry should review its procedures for safeguarding receipts with the aim of strengthening controls to prevent a recurrence of this issue. It is also requested to keep the audit updated on the outcome of the Irregularity Report and Investigation."

The M.O.H. had not received results of the investigation at the date of the audit. Internal Controls to ensure receipting is processed properly and correctly are in place. Moreover, Accounts personnel have been assigned to specific tasks to ensure there is segregation of duties as well as reassuring checks and balance procedures are at play, stated the Audit Report.

In relation to overtime, the auditors emphasised that the practice is a major concern, especially in relation to the health of an employee, who is being overworked and is in breach of Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) regulations.

The Ministry had received P.S.C. approval of new staff for Port Health Unit, however, MOF could not fund any new positions for Financial Year 2016/2017 despite negotiations.Samoa Rugby Union (S.R.U.) are concerned that a recent social media campaign by former Manu Samoa captain Daniel Leo, could potentially damage what it describes as the hard work they have undertaken for a seat on the World Rugby Council.

Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai, Chief Executive Officer of the S.R.U., said the #SeatsAtTheTable social media campaign by the former Manu Samoa player could have ramifications on their bid to secure a seat on the sports governing council.

We understand that having a seat on the council is about meeting the World Rugby criteria and we are currently focused on doing that. Dan Leo starting a social media campaign will not have any affect on whether we get a seat or not.

In fact, if anything it could potentially only succeed in damaging the work that has gone into our application, he said, in a statement.

Mr. Fepuleai said that the increase in diversity on the board  following the overhaul of the S.R.U. constitution  are among many positives in the application for Samoan Rugby and they are excited about the future ahead.

We acknowledge that Dan being a former player of Manu Samoa has the best intentions when voicing his concerns, but the issue is his lack of knowledge of environment we operate, what is positives are already happening and not having the true facts.

In our daily operations, we have challenges yes, and we work positively in partnership with the players in the form of the Pacific Rugby Players Association, who are the official representatives of the all Samoa players from Academy to the Manu Samoa team, Faleomavaega said.

When asked to comment on the matter, Aayden Clarke, C.E.O. of Pacific Rugby Players says: Samoa will get a seat on the World Rugby Council on their own merit. Theyve done a great job in recent times to meet the criteria and we are confident that come September, World Rugby will positively recognise that.

Anyone doing positive things to benefit Pacific Island rugby is fantastic. How Dan is running community events in the UK to get players together is nothing but good.

World Rugby meet in September to review all countries applications for World Rugby Council membership.

Contacted for a comment last night, Leo responded in writing. He said:

This is World Rugbys way of pushing back, trying to diminish the voice of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare- an independent, organisation set up for the sole reason to benefit Pacific Island Rugby and its Players."

In regards to Mr. Fepuleais comments in the increase of diversity to the World Rugby Board, the sneaky thing World Rugby have done is flooded the council with women members. But they are predominantly from the Tier 1 Nations, so the voting block stays the same. This means World Rugby can now give a council place to Fiji and perhaps Samoa and not really give anything away. Because the preeminence of the Foundation and Tier One unions is not affected."

With this in mind, I have no doubt that we are in the way to achieving a council seat or 2. But the lack of influence will still remain."

Im not sure how pointing out these statistics is detrimental to that process. The stats were already available before the #SeatsAtTheTable campaign. We have only made those common knowledge.The debt owed by the Government to the American Samoa government for the American Samoa Hawaii Cable (A.S.H.) contract that was signed in 2009 remains unknown with officials refusing to divulge more information.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi recently said the Government stepped in to assist Computer Services Limited (C.S.L.)  which is owned by the State  and paid off its debts to A.S.H., but did not give details on how much public funds were expended in the transaction.

Minister of Communication and Informational Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupai, said C.S.L. should not be blamed.

The contract is between the Samoa Government and the American Samoa Government, not C.S.L. This debt has nothing to do with C.S.L., he said, though he was unclear on how much the deal was signed for and the debt to the American Samoa government.

During a recent interview, Afamasaga said Samoa used a satellite dish and had no fiber optic cable, until the American Samoa government made the offer.

We were given a very expensive deal at the time when American Samoa offered for us to sign on and at the time in 2009, the deal was quite expensive and we couldnt sign anything less than 10 years."

It was one of those deals, take it or leave it and of course in bettering our services to the people, we saw it as an opportunity for our people to connect and in their interest, we signed on a 10-year contract."

Always keep in mind that cable is much more efficient than satellite, which is what we had. However, over the years as satellite got cheaper, we were paying more attention to the satellite and not the cable, given that its life span was literally deteriorating, he added.

Going back to the signed contract, he reiterated that it was signed by the Samoa Government and American Samoa.

The C.S.L. being the arm of Government on the I.T. side of things, they were tasked to sell the cable deals. However, as the satellite prices got cheaper, it was hard for C.S.L. to sell the cable packages.

They were signing on local contracts to get on the cable, just like what we are doing now and that was the role of the C.S.L.

The Minister said Government was unable to renegotiate because there were contractual obligations for the Government to pay as per the contract.

Repeated efforts to get direct comments from the C.S.L. management were unsuccessful.Samoas seas will be better protected thanks to a donation from the Australian High Commission.

The Maritime Police Wing yesterday received a donation of resources worth more than A$60,000 (T$113,535) as part of the Defence Cooperation Program.

Commanding Officer of the Police Maritime Wing, Superintendent Sefo Faafoi Hunt, accepted the gifts from Australian High Commissioner Sara Moriarty in a short ceremony at the wharf.

Ms. Moriarty said the goods will allow the Police Maritime Wing staff to look after their existing patrol boat to a high standard and ensure their ongoing safety when using chemicals and other hazardous substances.

The donation included a chemical storage locker, shipping container, two large toolboxes, multiple personal protective equipment, two tonnes of paint for the vessel, fire retardant rope and more.

Also included in the donation is the construction of a second floor on the Maritime Wing, which will be used for more office, storage space and for new male and female changing rooms.

The change rooms are a necessary addition because in August 2019, the wing will receive an Australian government-funded Guardian Class Patrol Boat, which will be used by both male and female police.

The vessel currently being used will be retired next year, but in the interim period will undergo underwater coating and other minor safety sections that require routine attention.

The Guardian Class Patrol Boat is part of the Australian government-funded Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement project, which will strive to enhance the capacity of 13 Pacific nations to secure their maritime boundaries as well as respond to transnational crime and search and rescue operations. Countries that will benefit under the program include Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor Leste.The visiting family of messianic Jews from Israel met business leaders and ministers yesterday morning to share the Gospel.

Pastor Avi Mizrachi, his wife Pastor Chaya, daughter Or El and nephew Eden arrived in Samoa last week on the invitation of Reverend Nuuausala Siaosi of the Apia Protestant Church.

Reverend Nuuausala is the Chairman of Prayer for Israel Samoa (P.F.I.S.) and invited the family in an effort to strengthen the relationship between Israel and Samoa.

Mr. and Mrs. Mizrachi gave separate sermons to groups of men and women from government and the private sector.

Or El joined her mother in ministering to the group of women, accompanied by her guitar. She found being in Samoa amazing and even visited Savaii.

The people are amazing and really sweet, she said.

The food was amazing because its really different and I am trying new things.

Or El said the meeting was about encouraging the women to be who they are.

Everyone needs encouragement, she said, no matter who you are or what youve learned.

You need to stand in relationship with the Lord and at the courage to step up and do what you were called to do.

Or El said the family is enjoying building relationships with people in Samoa and hopes to get people excited to have more passionate relationships with God.

She also wanted to help build a bridge between Samoa and Israel. At the end of their sermons, Mr. and Mrs. Mizrachi opened the floor to questions from the audience.

Of particular interest to the audience were questions about the current state of affairs in Israel and the challenges of evangelical Christianity in a modern world.

Both pastors encouraged their audience to visit Israel.

Mr. Mizrachi said when people walk the streets of Israel, they feel changed.

The Word of God will feel alive to you, he said.LOS ANGELES (AP)  Los Angeles' subway will become the first mass transit system in the U.S. to install body scanners that screen passengers for weapons and explosives, officials said Tuesday.

The deployment of the portable scanners, which project waves to do full-body screenings of passengers walking through a station without slowing them down, will happen in the coming months, said Alex Wiggins, who runs the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's law enforcement division.

The machines scan for metallic and non-metallic objects on a person's body, can detect suspicious items from 30 feet (9 meters) away and have the capability of scanning more than 2,000 passengers per hour.

"We're dealing with persistent threats to our transportation systems in our country," said Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske. "Our job is to ensure security in the transportation systems so that a terrorist incident does not happen on our watch."

On Tuesday, Pekoske and other officials demonstrated the new machines, which are being purchased from Thruvision, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

"We're looking specifically for weapons that have the ability to cause a mass-casualty event," Wiggins said. "We're looking for explosive vests, we're looking for assault rifles. We're not necessarily looking for smaller weapons that don't have the ability to inflict mass casualties."

In addition to the Thruvision scanners, the agency is also planning to purchase other body scanners  which resemble white television cameras on tripods  that have the ability to move around and hone in on specific people and angles, Wiggins said.

"We really want to be effective and we need the ability to have a fixed field of view, but we also need to be able to move that field of view as necessary," Wiggins said. "Deploying these technologies together gives us that accuracy and minimizes any delays."

Wiggins would not say how many of the machines were being purchased, but said they would be rolled out in subway stations in the "coming months." Employees and police officers first have to be trained on how to use the equipment.

Signs will be posted at stations warning passengers they are subject to body scanner screening. The screening process is voluntary, Wiggins said, but customers who choose not to be screened won't be able to ride on the subway.

But some passengers saw the screening as an added layer of security.

"I guess it is a good, precautionary thing," Andrea Kirsh said, a 22-year-old student from Corvallis, Oregon, who was traveling through Los Angeles' Union Station on Tuesday. "It makes me feel safe. As a civilian I think we often don't know what to look for or what we would be looking for."

Passengers who rode down an escalator to ride the Metro Red Line at Union Station in Los Angeles on Tuesday were screened as Pekoske and other officials looked on. But after the news conference and media demonstration, officials packed up the equipment and carted it off.

The TSA tested body scanners in New York's Penn Station in February and has also conducted tests at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and at a New Jersey Transit station during the 2014 Super Bowl.

In December, a Bangladeshi immigrant injured himself by setting off a crude pipe bomb strapped to his chest in a subway passageway near Times Square in New York City.

Metro has previously tested several different types of body scanners, including airport-style screening systems where passengers walk through a scanner. The pilot program was meant to evaluate the accuracy and capacity of the portable machines.

About 150,000 passengers ride on Metro's Red Line daily and the subway system counted more than 112 million rides last year, officials said.Clients of CorporateVIP Can Now Provide Their Entire Workforce  Even Non-Desk Workers  With Full Access to All Employee Benefits, Including Rewards and Incentives Programs for an Enhanced Employee Experience and Greater Engagement Levels

The StaffConnect Platform Also Provides Many Additional Features to Address Employee Engagement and Improve the Employee Experience and Gives HR and Communication Leaders the Tools to Measure Workforce Engagement and Drive Cultural Shifts in Their Organization.

LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StaffConnect, the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions, and CorporateVIP, a premier rewards and incentives solutions provider, today announced the two companies have entered into a strategic sales partnership. Under terms of the agreement, CorporateVIP will now offer the StaffConnect mobile employee engagement platform to its customers across Malta, Estonia, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), enhanced with direct access to its wide range of employee reward and incentive offerings.

CorporateVIP clients recognize that rewarding employees for a job well done and ensuring that employees maintain a healthy work-life balance is not just an HR check-off box, but a strategic business decision that directly impacts the bottom-line, said Nicholas Punish, Managing Director, CorporateVIP. We are delighted to partner with StaffConnect. Now, CorporateVIP clients will be able to offer their employees fast and easy access to not only our vast array of employee incentives via their favorite smart device, but also to all other corporate and employee-generated programs and content. Further, the StaffConnect cloud-hosted platform will empower our clients to target their programs and content with analytics to further deepen engagement across the entire workforce.

Businesses across Malta, Estonia, Serbia and the UAE are recognizing the critical importance of employee engagement and the impact it has on their bottom-line and shareholder value. Consequently we are seeing increasing demand in these geographies to ramp up their investments in enabling technologies, said Geraldine Osman, CMO, StaffConnect. We are delighted to partner with CorporateVIP, one of the most well-known and highly respected employee engagement solutions providers across these regions, and to have them make the StaffConnect platform front and center in their go to market strategy. She added, By layering employee rewards on top of employee content and programs, corporate users will be able to enjoy an even stickier solution that helps to continually accelerate user adoption rates of the StaffConnect platform.

*Gartners Corporate Executive Board (CEB), which represents 80% of the Fortune 500 companies, found that employees who believe that they have good work-life balance work 21% harder than those who dont after researching 50,000 global workers. Inc. magazine, How Work Life Balance Can Keep Your Employees Happy and Your Business Healthy.

Tweet this: .@StaffConnect and @CorporateVIP Enter Into Strategic #Partnership https://www.staffconnectapp.com/latest/press-releases/ #Non-DeskWorkers #NDEs #EmployeeBenefits #Rewards #Incentives #EmployeeExperience #EmployeeEngagement #MobileApp #MobileWorkforce

About CorporateVIP

CorporateVIP is a leading provider of employee perks and benefits based in Malta with offices in Estonia and Serbia. The platform brings together the very best in local offers, cashback shopping and an extensive travel portfolio where employees can save 100s of Euros per year on services relevant to them. CorporateVIP has built a strong customer portfolio in both the public and private sectors and is being recognized as the go to company for employee rewards. To learn more, please visit: https://corporatevip.com.mt/.

About StaffConnect

StaffConnect is the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions. The StaffConnect platform transforms the employee experience by enabling enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, non-desk employees. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees a voice - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnects platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com.

Media Resources (logos, screenshots, etc.): https://www.staffconnectapp.com/media-resources/



KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Two Southeast Asian women on trial in Malaysia for the brazen assassination of the North Korean leader's half-brother could be acquitted Thursday or called to enter their defense in a case that has gripped the world.

Indonesia's Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnam's Doan Thi Huong, 29, are accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam's face in a crowded airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13, 2017. The women have said they thought they were taking part in a prank for a hidden-camera show.

They are the only two suspects in custody and face the death penalty if convicted. If the defense is called, the trial could take several more months.

If the women are acquitted, they may not be freed right away as prosecutors could still appeal the decision as well as push forward with separate charges for overstaying their visas.

Here's a look at arguments that were raised during the trial:

THE PROSECUTION

Over the course of the six-month trial featuring testimony from 34 people, prosecutors laid out a bizarre murder plot they likened to something from a James Bond film.

They accused four North Koreans, suspected government agents with code names such as "Mr. Y" and "Grandpa" and later identified by police, of being the masterminds who recruited the women, trained them and provided them with VX. All four fled the country the same morning Kim was killed and none are in custody.

Airport security footage shown in court captured the moment of the attack and prosecutors said linked the women to the other suspects. Shortly after Kim arrived at the airport, Huong was seen approaching him, clasping her hands on his face from behind and then fleeing. Another blurred figure was also seen running away from Kim and a police investigator testified that it was Aisyah.

Investigators said the women were seen rushing to separate washrooms, each with their hands outstretched, before they fled the airport. Kim died within two hours of the attack.

A government chemist testified that the VX concentration found on Kim's skin was 1.4 times greater than the lethal dosage. He said VX was found in Kim's eyes, face, blood, urine and clothing, as well as on both women's clothes and on Huong's fingernail clippings.

In his closing arguments in June, prosecutor Wah Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said the women must have been trained to use VX, a rare nerve agent developed as a chemical weapon. He said they had to know the best route for VX to enter the victim's body and know that they must wash the nerve agent off themselves within 15 minutes to avoid being contaminated.

With Kim a tall and heavy man, the prosecutor said the women had "used their bodily power" to deliberately target the poison on his eyes and face for faster penetration. Despite their claim about a prank, he said their facial expressions and conduct during the attack didn't reflect any humor.

"We expect that the defense will be called for a simple reason: They need to explain why VX was found on them," Wan Shaharuddin told The Associated Press.

___

THE DEFENSE

Lawyers for the two women say their clients were simply pawns in a politically motivated killing with clear links to the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

They say the prosecution's case was too simplistic, handicapped by a sloppy investigation and failed to show any intention on the part of their clients to kill  key to establishing the women's guilt.

The defense said evidence has shown the women's conduct before and after the killing was inconsistent with that of assassins, pointing out that they didn't wear gloves when applying VX, didn't dispose of their tainted clothing and didn't flee the country.

The real culprits, the defense argues, are the four North Korean suspects. The four were captured by airport security cameras discarding their belongings and changing their clothing after the attack.

The North Korean Embassy has also been implicated with an embassy official helping get flights out for the four men and using the name of one of its citizens to buy a car that was used to take the suspects to the airport.

Nevertheless, Pyongyang has denied accusations by South Korean and US officials that it was behind the killing. Malaysian officials have never officially accused North Korea and have made it clear they don't want the trial politicized.

"The prosecution's evidence is purely circumstantial," Aisyah's lawyer Gooi Soon Seng said, noting that there was no proof that his client applied VX on Kim. He said his client's DNA was not found on a shirt recovered by police.

Huong's lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said they have given prosecution "a good fight."

"We are confident that justice will be served on Thursday and (Huong) will be acquitted," he said.Last week when Pacific leaders gathered in Samoa for the Pacific Island Forums Foreign Ministers meeting, some interesting points were raised by a couple of leaders in relation to an issue that affects many small island countries all over the world.

Given Chinas growing influence in aid and status on these shores, the issue of debt and the threat it poses to the populations of Chinas debtors is a very real concern. Some leaders are openly concerned about the risks.

So much so they raised an interesting idea. They want all the Pacific countries to beg China to forgive their debts.

Take Tongas Prime Minister, Akilisi Pohiva, for instance. He did not mince words when he cautioned Pacific countries to slow down in terms of borrowing from China.

But he did not stop there. He went on to ask for the issue to become a regional matter where the Forum could actually ask China to pardon the debts. Not just Tongas debt but everyone  Samoa included.

Each of the Pacific Island (states) owes debts to the Chinese Government and this should be an issue on the agenda of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting next month, Mr. Pohiva said.

This should be an issue where the Pacific leaders should dialogue and open discuss ways to deviate from this predicament. We need to discuss the issue.

All the Pacific Island countries should sign this submission asking the Chinese government to forgive their debts and to me that is the only way we can all move forward, if we just cant pay off our debts.

Well thats an interesting proposition, isnt it?

Why should Pacific leaders discuss issues that are particular to individual independent countries? Since the Pacific Island Forum was never consulted when the debt was taken out by the individual country, why should it become everyones problem now?

It doesnt make a lot of sense but its interesting nonetheless. We suspect Mr. Pohiva will not get far with the idea but then again, if you are in Tongas shoes in terms of its debt to China, its worth a try, isnt it?

Now Tonga reportedly owes the Chinese government $160 million with its request for the deferral of the loan repayment or their conversion into grants has been denied by Beijing. During an interview with the Samoa Observer, Mr. Pohiva was quite up front about his fears.

There are two options, either we pay it or forget about it. And what I mean by that is have the Chinese Government forgive our loans, he said. One issue for certain is that we dont want the Chinese government to take the assets used as collateral for the loan.

Mr. Pohiva added that he is mindful of the consequences of defaulting on the loan repayment.

If we fail to pay, the Chinese may come and take our assets, which are our buildings and that is why the only option is to sign a submission asking the Chinese Government to forgive our debts.

Will Beijing listen though? That is the question.

We can hazard a guess that it would probably depend on who is asking. Samoa probably has a better chance than others.

Keep in mind that Mr. Pohiva was not the only one who called for the matter to be elevated to a regional issue. New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters also weighed in on the issue.

The real issue is that can they pay it back, Vaovasamanaia said.

If they cant there are dramatic serious consequences for a family as it is for a nation. It is good idea the leaders discuss all aspects of this issue about the debt accumulation its purpose for the debt in the first place and the capacity to repay.

Vaovasamanaia added that converting loans into grants does not work.

There are consequences of committing ourselves to debt, and it behooves the government to understand that before walking into a loan repayment trap.

All the Pacific Island countries should sign this submission, asking the Chinese government to forgive their debts and to me that is the only way we can all move forward, if we just cant pay off our debts.

Well Vaovasa makes an interesting that should not be dismissed and ignored. It comes back to individual governments to do their donkey on what they are getting the country into. What they needed to be reminded time and time again is that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

China is generous but those guys in Beijing are not stupid either that they will just dish out billions of dollars in aid and not expect anything. The Pacific is only a tiny fraction of their overall goal for world domination. If anything, at least Tongas leader is upfront about his fears and humble enough to admit they have a problem.

When will our leaders do the same?

Lets not wait until it is too late.

Have a great Thursday Samoa, God bless!Dear Editor,

I write to comment on your recent news headline where your newspaper had referred to as prominent lawyer Unasa Iuni Sapolu being the leader of a new party.

But your see Sir, I have been troubled by, given herein below, is a quote from your news article in Italic, hence in quotation and end of quotation marks:

But it was in the villages, says Unasa, where people came forward to sign a petition requesting she and her colleagues establish a political party.

Now Mr. Editor and all: My channel is a bit distorted here; where and who is the petitioners herein?

Is the petition by Unasa and her group or, is the petition by the people of where ever the villages they had gone to (Unasa and her group) and the villagers had turned up with the petition?

Or, was Unasa and her group going around carrying the petition forms for the villagers to sign?

You see Sir, I am worried here this is what your newspaper had called, prominent or senior lawyers.

And if these are people who want to run for Parliament while they have no idea what a petition is, then I surely have a very, very big problem here to deal with.

These are lawyers; right?

Do they not understand what a petition is?

Please Mr. Editor! Tell Samoa and who ever else that would want to form a new political party, that there is no need for one, to ride a merry-go-round town and about, to solicit a petition!!!

Just get enough members and simply register with the Electoral Commissioner; karching! Hello!

Petition who?

Unasa Iuni and her group? Why petition?

Ok guys! Please do not ever tell this Palisi man about petition. Because you want to know why Unasa and all?

A petition is only required to appeal to the authority when something is denied or had been delayed, a policy, or even a piece of legislation is not conformed with.

In the Palisi Petition, I am gathering all the people living in Palisi to sign a petition for me to take to Heaven above for the Angels to come fix the Palisi road and waterways systems I have asked the honourable minister of L.T.A. and the honourable Prime Minister of Samoa last year and here I am rather push-biking to town or walk than driving!!

That so Mr. Editor is what the petition is for.

So she also was the legal counsel of this group the Samoa Solidarity International Group Global Initiative and visited villages to raise awareness on issues affecting ordinary citizens.

Really Mr. Editor and all?

Perhaps prominent and senior to you Sir but not to me.

I also not being comfortable with her recent call to legalise marijuana in Samoa hence a deadly herb that would have been causing people to do so, so many funny things. Well never ever am being a consumer but had seen the effects on addicts so help me God please!

I definitely do not need her or this kind of maniac in my Samoa Parliament. I need people with real political talents that are chosen by GOD ALMIGHTY MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!!!!

And then I say of course Mr. Editor, ambition is great! But getting votes is a complete different ball game in Samoa.

But for me Sir, in regards to new political parties: Better the devil I know than the monster I dont. With my utmost regret,

Tofaeono Misatauveve Iosefo Joseph Hollywood

PalisiThe Samoa Tourism Authoritys Cultural village came alive with dancing and music yesterday evening to welcome international guests.

Over 50 squash players from across the Pacific arrived in Apia to compete in the 2018 Samoa Squash Open.

The players represent Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, and will compete across three days of the tournament.

Last nights welcoming festivities were opened by the President of the Samoa Squash Racquets Association, Masoe Norman Wetzell.

Masoe, who has been an avid squash player for much of his life, said he was excited to get the Squash Open underway.

The tournament is held at the Tuanaimato Squash Complex from 1pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am on Saturday.The Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) has launched an inquiry into allegations that Land and Titles Court files had been removed from the vicinity of the Court.

The P.S.C. Chairman, Aiono Mose Sua, confirmed the setting up of the inquiry in response to questions from Samoa Observer.

The investigation is the result of a formal complaint made by M.J.C.A. employee Tulima Pio, allegedly in relation to files that he delivered to the Ministers office. The Minister for Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.), Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, denied the allegations back then that court files were removed within the vicinity of the Court and taken to his office.

When asked for more details on the inquiry, Aiono said a Commission of Inquiry will be conducted at the M.J.C.A. and added that no further details will be disclosed.

The Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.) Chief Executive Officer, Papalii John Taimalelagi, has welcomed the investigation in an email to the Samoa Observer.

The P.S.C. has powers under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 6(3) of the Public Service Act 2004 to set up an inquiry according to Papalii, and appoint a person to conduct it and report back to the Commission.

We welcome the Inquiry by the Public Service Commission to the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration. I do not wish to comment on the issue until the Public Service Commission has completed its inquiry, he said.The Ministry of Police has taken over the case of former Assistant C.E.O. of the M.W.T.I. Faleniu Mark Alesana, whose services was terminated last month on allegations of impropriety over his connection to an Indian company.

The criminal investigation was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Keti in response to questions from the Samoa Observer.

In July, the Assistant Chief Executive Officer for the Maritime Division of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (M.W.T.I.) was given his termination orders, after he tried to hand in his resignation letter and response to charges of alleged corruption.

I can confirm the investigation has been launched against Faleniu and that is all I can say on the matter, said Papalii.

When contacted for comment, Faleniu said the referral of his case to the Ministry of Police is news to him.

I have not been questioned nor been informed by the Police on any (criminal) investigation. I am in bed sick and shocked as to your call for a comment so therefore I have no comment."

The former Assistant C.E.O. has six charges against him over his alleged connection to an Indian company, which raised allegations of corruption against the Ministrys Chief Executive Officer, Afamasaga Sua Pou Onesemo in a letter they wrote to the P.S.C. The allegations led to the suspension of the C.E.O, pending the conclusion of a police investigation.

The charges, which were strongly denied by Afamasaga, were raised by a former Member of Parliament of the Government of India, Sh.P.K. Bansal and his company Ascent Navals.

Last month Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, noted the nvestigations into corruption allegations levelled against Afamasaga Sua Pou Onesemo are continuing.

In response to questions from the Samoa Observer, Lemalu said both the Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) and the police are investigating.The Ministry of Police are following up on a lead in connection to a vehicle that killed a 79 year old mother of Nofoalii.

According to a statement issued by the police, a side mirror belonging to a vehicle was left at the scene of the hit-and-run incident and provides them the only lead into the fatal incident.

It is believed a side mirror was located at the scene and police will post on its Facebook page details of the mirror in the hopes of finding the said vehicle. Faleolo outpost is handling this investigation, the police said in a statement.

The deceased was identified as Lusi Loua Paulo.

Last week Ms. Paulos daughter Segia Paulo told the Samoa Observer what happened.

On that day she was here with my children but then in the evening she went to the back of our house to pick lopa seeds," she said.

"This is what she does every day when she gets tired of sitting at home she would go pick lopa seeds."

"So on this particular day, my mother had been gone for a while so we started looking for her. We asked all our neighbours here but nobody seemed to know where she had gone to.

Segia said none of them had any thought of finding her on the main road as she has never left home. At about 8.00 p.m., a village member told them that their mother had been hit by a car at Vaialua

I was shocked because this is the first she had left our house and she got hit by a car there."

"When we received the news, she had already been taken to Motootua Hospital. So we rushed over to see her but she had left us because of the severe injuries that she sustained.

The family hopes the Police will apprehend the person who killed her.Discussions on visa free travel to New Zealand may be on the table, says Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters.

The New Zealand Foreign Minister was in Apia recently to attend the one-day Forum Foreign Ministers conference.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Vaovasa was asked to comment on why the list of visa waiver countries does not include Samoa, despite the existence of the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and New Zealand.

He said the issue might be more complex than comparing visa waiver countries to Samoa, but said his government would address concerns if there are any.

On this issue we are happy to look at any possible concern that might be unfair or prejudiced to one country, he said.

Earlier this year, New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said for now, New Zealand would not be changing the immigration rules.

While the visa requirements could be annoying, she said New Zealand offers Samoa other more favorable immigration entry policies like the annual quota scheme, seasonal work visas and specific trade visas.

Those are the things not every nation has, that Samoa has."

There are things that are unique to our relationship, she said.

Ms Ardern said while countries on the visa waiver list do not have treaties of friendship with New Zealand, they do not have quota or seasonal worker schemes like Samoa.

There are differences to every relationship that do make them unique, she added.HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A priest raped a 7-year-old girl while visiting her in the hospital after she had her tonsils removed. Another priest forced a 9-year-old boy into having oral sex, then rinsed out the youngster's mouth with holy water. One boy was forced to say confession to the priest who sexually abused him.

An estimated 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children  and possibly many more  since the 1940s, according to a scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report released Tuesday that accused senior church officials, including the man who is now archbishop of Washington, D.C., of systematically covering up complaints.

The "real number" of victimized children and abusive priests might be higher since some secret church records were lost and some victims never came forward, the grand jury said.

U.S. bishops adopted widespread reforms in 2002 when clergy abuse became a national crisis for the church, including stricter requirements for reporting accusations to law enforcement and a streamlined process for removing clerics. But the grand jury said more changes are needed.

"Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability," the grand jury wrote in the roughly 900-page report. "Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all."

Top church officials have mostly been protected, and many, including some named in the report, have been promoted, the grand jury said, concluding that "it is too early to close the book on the Catholic Church sex scandal."

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, leader of the Washington Archdiocese, was accused in the report of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh's bishop from 1988 to 2006.

Wuerl has disputed the allegations.

At a Mass held Thursday in Washington on the feast of the Assumption of Mary, Wuerl did not address the accusations against himself but urged parishioners not to lose confidence in the church over the "terrible plague" of abuse.

In nearly every case, the Pennsylvania grand jury said, prosecutors found that the statute of limitations has run out, meaning criminal charges cannot be filed. More than 100 of the priests are dead. Many others are retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave.

Authorities charged just two as a result of the grand jury investigation, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty, though some of those named were prosecuted years ago.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the investigation is still going on.

The investigation of six of Pennsylvania's eight dioceses Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton  is the most extensive investigation of Catholic clergy abuse by any state, according to victims' advocates. The dioceses represent about 1.7 million Catholics.

Until now, there have been nine investigations by a prosecutor or grand jury of a Catholic diocese or archdiocese in the U.S., according to the Massachusetts-based research and advocacy organization BishopAccountability.org.

"One thing this is going to do is put pressure on prosecutors elsewhere to take a look at what's going on in their neck of the woods," Terry McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org said.

The Philadelphia Archdiocese and the Johnstown-Altoona Diocese were not included in the probe because they have been the subject of three previous scathing grand jury investigations.

The grand jury heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than a half-million pages of internal diocesan documents, including reports by bishops to Vatican officials about the allegations against priests.

The panel concluded that a succession of bishops and other diocesan leaders tried to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability. They failed to report accused clergy to police, used confidentiality agreements to silence victims and sent priests to "treatment facilities," which "laundered" the clergymen and "permitted hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry," the report said.

The conspiracy of silence extended beyond church grounds: Police or prosecutors sometimes did not investigate allegations out of deference to church officials or brushed off complaints as outside the statute of limitations, the grand jury said.

Diocese leaders responded Tuesday by expressing sorrow for the victims, stressing how they've changed and unveiling, for the first time, a list of priests accused of sexual misconduct.

James VanSickle of Pittsburgh, who testified he was sexually attacked in 1981 by a priest in the Erie Diocese, called the report's release "a major victory to get our voice out there, to get our stories told."

The report is still the subject of a legal battle, with the identities of some current and former clergy blacked out while the state Supreme Court weighs their requests to remain anonymous.

The findings echoed many earlier church investigations around the country that found widespread sexual abuse and attempts to conceal it. U.S. bishops have acknowledged that more than 17,000 people nationwide have reported being molested by priests and others in the church going back to 1950.

The report comes at a time of fresh scandal at the highest levels of the U.S. Catholic Church. Pope Francis last month stripped 88-year-old Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of his title amid allegations that McCarrick had for years sexually abused boys and committed sexual misconduct with adult seminarians.KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  A suicide bomber struck a private education center in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul on Wednesday where high school graduates were preparing for university entrance exams, killing 48 young men and women and leaving behind a scene of devastation and tragedy.

The bombing, blamed on the Islamic State group, was the latest assault on Afghanistan's Shiite community, which has increasingly been targeted by Sunni extremists who consider Shiites to be heretics.

It also showed how militants are still able to stage large-scale attacks, even in the heart of Kabul, and underscored the struggles of the Afghan forces to provide security and stability on their own.

The attack comes amid a particularly bloody week in Afghanistan that has seen Taliban attacks kill scores of Afghan troops and civilians.

It was not immediately clear how the bomber managed to sneak into the building, used by the Shiite community as an education center, in the Dasht-i Barcha area of Kabul.

The spokesman for the public health ministry, Wahid Majroh, said 67 people were also wounded in the bombing and that the death toll  which steadily rose in the immediate aftermath of the bombing  could rise further. He did not say if all the victims were students and whether any of their teachers were also among the casualties.

Dawlat Hossain, father of 18-year-old student Fareba who had left her class just a few minutes before the bombing but was still inside the compound, was on his way to meet his daughter and started running when he heard the explosion.

Hossain recounted to The Associated Press how when he entered Fareba's classroom, he saw parts of human bodies all over student desks and benches.

"There was blood everywhere, all over the room, so scary and horrible," he said. After finding out that his daughter was safe, he helped move the wounded to hospitals.

Fareba was traumatized that so many of her friends were killed, but Hossain said she was lucky to be alive.

The explosion initially set off gunfire from Afghan guards in the area, leading to assumptions that there were more attackers involved, but officials later said all indications were that there was only one bomber.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Jawad Ghawari, a member of the city's Shiite clerical council, blamed IS, which has carried similar attacks on Shiites in the past, hitting mosques, schools and cultural centers. In the past two years, there were at least 13 attacks on the Shiite community in Kabul alone, he said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the "terrorist" attack that "martyred and wounded the innocent"  students attending class  and ordered an investigation into the attack.

"By targeting educational and cultural centers, terrorists have clearly shown they are against all those Islamic principles (that strive) for both men and women to learn and study," Ghani said in a statement.

The head of the U.N. children's agency denounced the attack, saying it's "deplorable" that children continue to be hardest hit in the growing violence across Afghanistan.

"Children are not, and must never be the target of violence," said UNICEF's executive director Henrietta Fore.

Meanwhile, a Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan late on Tuesday night killed at least 30 soldiers and policemen.

The attack took place in Baghlan province's Baghlan-I Markazi district, said Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, the head of the provincial council.

Dilawar Aymaq, a parliamentarian from Baghlan, said the attack targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by the so-called local police, militias recruited and paid by the Interior Ministry.

At least nine security forces were still missing and four others were wounded in the attack, said Abdul Hai Nemati, the governor of Baghlan. He said reinforcements have been dispatched to help recapture the checkpoints.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the assault.

Life was gradually returning to normal Wednesday in parts of the eastern city of Ghazni after a massive, days-long Taliban attack, though sporadic gunbattles was still underway in some neighborhoods.

The Taliban launched a coordinated offensive last Friday, overwhelming the city's defenses and capturing several neighborhoods. Afghan forces repelled the initial assault and in recent days have struggled to flush the insurgents out of residential areas where they are holed up.

The United States and NATO launched airstrikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, just 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the Afghan capital with a population of some 270,000 people.

At least 35 Ghazni civilians have been killed, said Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor. The wounded were still arriving at the city's only hospital, which has been overwhelmed by casualties, he added.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in Ghazni, which has also killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Zabul province early Wednesday, killing four policemen, according to the provincial police chief, Mustafa Mayar.

The Taliban have seized several districts across the country in recent years and carry out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan security forces. The assault on Ghazni was widely seen as a show of force ahead of possible peace talks with the U.S., which has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 17 years.

Also Wednesday, six children were killed when they tinkered with an unexploded rocket shell, causing it to blow up, said Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for the governor of the eastern Laghman province. The victims were girls, aged 10-12, who were gathering firewood, he said, blaming the Taliban.

Afghanistan is littered with unexploded ordnance left by decades of war. It is also plagued by roadside bombs planted by insurgents, which are usually intended for government officials or security forces, but often kill and maim civilians.Dublin, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Atrial Fibrillation Forecast In 19 Major Markets 2018-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent type of supraventricular arrhythmia. AF occurs when abnormal electric signals are sent to the atria, which cause them to contract quickly and irregularly. For many patients, the condition is largely asymptomatic, however when symptoms become bothersome and frequent, intervention is required to restore normal rhythm.



This report provides the current prevalent population for AF across 19 Major Markets (USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Poland, Netherlands, Russia, Turkey, Japan, China, South Korea, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina) split by gender and 5-year age cohort. Along with the current prevalence, the report provides an overview of the classification and patient treatment options for AF. The report also contains a disease overview of the risk factors, disease diagnosis and prognosis along with specific variations by geography and ethnicity.



Providing a value-added level of insight from the analysis team , several of the main patient features and co-morbidities of AF have been quantified and presented alongside the overall prevalence figures. These sub-populations within the main disease are also included at a country level across the 10-year forecast snapshot.



Reasons to buy

Ability to quantify patient populations in global AF market to target the development of future products, pricing strategies and launch plans.

Further insight into the prevalence of the subdivided types of AF and identification of patient segments with high potential.

Delivery of more accurate information for clinical trials in study sizing and realistic patient recruitment for various countries.

Better understanding on the impact of specific co-morbid conditions on the prevalent population of AF patients.

Identification of AF patient sub-populations that require treatment.

Better understanding of the specific markets that have the largest number of AF patients.

Key Topics Covered:



List of Tables and Figures Introduction Cause Of The Disease Risk Factors & Prevention Diagnosis Of The Disease Variation By Geography/Ethnicity Disease Prognosis & Clinical Course Key Comorbid Conditions / Features Associated With The Disease Methodology For Quantification Of Patient Numbers Additional Data Available On Request Top-Line Prevalence For Atrial Fibrillation Features Of Atrial Fibrillation Patients Therapeutic Interventions Comorbidities Of Atrial Fibrillation Patients Abbreviations Used In The Report Other Publisher Services & Solutions Reports & Publications Online Epidemiology Databases Online Pharmaceutical Pricing Database References Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vj794m/atrial?w=12



Did you know that we also offer Custom Research? Visit our Custom Research page to learn more and schedule a meeting with our Custom Research Manager.Developer Sunroad Enterprises proposed hotel for Harbor Island could be on the verge of collapse.

Tuesday, the board of port commissioners took no action on the project, jeopardizing the future of a hotel development as Sunroads exclusive negotiation agreement with the port is set to expire next month.

Commissioners voted 3-2 against adopting either of its staffs recommended options, which would have allowed the port to evaluate a 500-room, dual-phased hotel project on a 7-acre site of East Harbor Island, or alternatively a 325-room, single-phased hotel project on the same site.

There was no direction, said Commissioner Dan Malcolm, when reached for comment after the meeting. I just have no idea where we go from here. Does it mean the project is dead? I dont know.

Advertisement

Tuesdays inaction continues a string of Harbor Island hotel setbacks for Sunroad.

Malcolm and Commissioner Robert Valderrama voted in favor of separate motions that would have moved the hotel development forward. Four yes votes were needed.

The board considered two iterations of the Sunroad hotel, both of which would have required it to waive some of the terms established in its original contract with the developer. None of the commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the preliminary renderings of the project, with most concluding that the hotel design lacked a wow factor. Still, Commissioners Michael Zucchet and Ann Moore, who voted against the motions, appeared to be more tripped up by the terms set forth in the original negotiation agreement.

As it stands, the project sits in limbo. Staff will regroup to determine what its options are ahead of the Sept. 27 negotiation deadline. It may have the option to present an alternative direction at the next board meeting, scheduled for Sept. 12.

I find it immoral, I find it abusive, and I find it offensive, said Sunroads Founding President Aaron Feldman of the boards indecision on Tuesday.

The development in question dates back to September 2016, when the port selected Sunroad to develop the 7-acre parcel referred to as the elbow parcel. Earlier this year, the firm presented its vision for the site, which included 500 rooms spread across three buildings and developed in two phases. Port staff, however, determined that the proposal was not aligned with a 2013 environmental impact report; it also gave the board the option to move forward with a single-phase, 325-room project. Both options asked the board to waive a development condition requiring no amendments to the ports master plan.

A decade ago, Sunroad began working on plans for a 175-room hotel on its adjacent marina leasehold. That project, though, failed to advance following repeated denials from the California Coastal Commission, the most recent rejection coming a little more than a year ago. The commission has been less troubled by the hotel project itself than by what it saw as the ports resistance to reserving more of its state tidelands for lower cost lodging.

The dispute over the hotel project and the question of providing affordable lodging are currently at the heart of ongoing litigation between the port and the Coastal Commission.

Meanwhile, to expedite development of the East Harbor Island site, the port, in September of 2016, adopted an exclusive negotiating agreement with Sunroad for a 325 room hotel on the Elbow Site that does not require a Port Master Plan Amendment. That agreement expires on Sept. 27 of this year.

I think for this board to come out of this with nothing and no direction isnt right, Malcolm said at the meeting. The deal that we make as a port with tenants and potential developers  is that if somebody responds (to a request for proposal), we are going to be there to provide some direction on how to get a project done.  It does have a chilling effect for every other developer that comes to the port and wants to work with us.

Uri Feldman, president of Sunroad Holding Corporation, expressed confusion after the board meeting.

Im not sure where that leaves us, he said. We just want to reach an agreement.

Business

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruinGeneral Dynamics-NASSCO, the last major shipbuilder on the West Coast, said it plans to lay off 300 to 350 workers in San Diego over the next several months.

A fixture in citys industrial corridor for nearly 60 years, the company said the layoffs are tied to a flood at a graving dock July 11 involving the construction of a Navy expeditionary sea base. The accident led to the ship, the Miguel Keith, floating off the docking blocks and taking on water.

In a notice filed with the state, NASSCO listed 1,493 jobs that could be affected. But in a statement sent to the California Employment Division Department, company president Kevin Graney said he anticipated that only about one-fifth of those potential layoffs could occur between late September and early October.

NASSCO does not know how long the layoffs could last but said they may extend through the rest of this year.

Advertisement

We are pursuing all available options to avoid or lessen the impact of these reductions and hope to increase our workforce as soon as a possible to support work expected in 2019, Graney told the state.

NASSCO employees have been notified of the layoffs. In its filing with the state, NASSCO estimated 129 welders, 93 ship fitters, 90 pipe welders and 85 electricians could lose their jobs.

We regret the impact this will have on employees and their families, NASSCO spokesman Dennis DuBard said in a statement. The company has arranged a variety of programs and resources to assist those who will be affected.

Robert Godinez, president of the Boilermakers Union Local 1998, said he acknowledges the company may need to make cuts in light of the July incident but said 117 members of his union have been laid off by NASSCO since June, including 83 since the accident.

Godinez said those employees were not given 60 days notice, as per the Californias Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act that requires employers to give workers and their representatives two months advance notice of a plant closing or mass layoffs.

Shipyard workers live from check to check, Godinez said. When that check doesnt come in, its very difficult to pay the rent, pay the mortgage, feed the kids and pay the bills. If you tell someone 60 days in advance, they prepare for it and they prepare for that check not being there week to week.

DuBard declined to comment on the remarks by Godinez.

In April, Godinez said NASSCO put out the word it was hiring about 1,100 new employees but said in June the company reversed course.

This caught everyone by surprise, Godinez said, because were supposed to be in a hiring mode, not a layoff mode.

NASSCO describes San Diego as its main shipyard, with a channel depth of 35 feet. The facility encompasses 80 acres of land and 46 acres of water. Its graving dock is 1,000 feet long and 174 feet wide with a lift capacity of 30,000 long tons.

San Diego fire officials, according to 10 News, said the accident last month came after a barrier keeping water out of the graving dock holding the Miguel Keith collapsed.

The ship took on water through hull cuts that had been made to support its construction and outfitting. There were no injuries and the Navy declared the ship stable but helicopter video of the incident showed debris floating around the dock.

The cause of the accident has not yet been released.

Construction of the ship began in January.

The Miguel Keith will be the Navys third expeditionary sea base, which is a ship that is designed to support forward forces and offer more flexibility for sea-to-shore missions.

Named for a Marine and Medal of Honor recipient, the Miguel Keith will include a 52,000 square-foot flight deck and accommodations for up to 250 personnel.

Business

rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewskiOpponents of the Crossroads of the West Gun Show returned to the Del Mar fair board Tuesday to demand an immediate prohibition on the sale or distribution of any material related to 3D-printed firearms.

About a dozen members of the local group NeverAgainCa, led by Del Mar resident Rose Ann Sharp, made the request Tuesday afternoon at the monthly meeting of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which runs the state fairgrounds.

Sharp also has alleged that new evidence has surfaced of firearms-related crimes occurring at the Del Mar gun show. Gun show supporters have said repeatedly that the events are family-friendly and crime-free.

We have a list of six stolen guns which we think speaks to their issue of no crimes ever take place, Sharp said in an email before the meeting.

Advertisement

The board could not respond to the groups request because the matter was not on the meetings agenda. A discussion of the gun show contract is scheduled for September.

Michael Schwartz, executive director of the San Diego County Gun Owners group, held a news conference in July to announce a challenge to anyone who could prove a crime occurred the gun show, offering to donate $10,000 to the favorite charity of anyone who could provide such evidence.

Schwartz did not attend Tuesdays meeting. The groups executive administrator, Wendy Hauffen, was there and presented the board with a stack of letters signed by elected city officials from across the county in support of the gun show.

Crossroads of the West holds dozens of shows annually in four Western states, including five shows at Del Mar every year. The next local show is Sept. 29 and 30.

Members of NeverAgainCa have repeatedly asked the fair board to stop the Del Mar gun shows. This summer, the fair board asked the state Department of Justice to investigate the groups allegations that the patriarch of the Crossroads company, Robert (Bob) Templeton, and his son, Jeff, both have firearms violations. Bob Templeton has said the shows are legal because they are run by his daughter, Tracy Olcott.

Opposition to the Del Mar event has surfaced periodically over the years, and it was revived with new strength after the Feb. 14 shooting that killed 14 people at a high school in Parkland, Fla.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehlPHOTO: The North County African American Womens Association received a $10,000 grant from Watkins Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Masco Corp, in recognition of the groups commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Oceanside-based nonprofit was recognized for its efforts over 23-years to empower women and girls through education, health awareness and life skills programs that increase their self-sufficiency. The nonprofit formed in 1995 to support, mentor and assist the re-entry of women into the workplace and has given more than 200 scholarships and grants to North County women and girls. The nonprofits annual Gentlemens Gourmet fundraiser has raised more than $200,000 for scholarships. Visit ncaawa.org.

Community news

ENCINITAS

Bike to the Library

Advertisement

event is Thursday

Pedal over to the Encinitas Library at 540 Cornish Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. Learn safety tips, test your skills on a bike course and tune up your machine. The event is in partnership with the San Diego County Bike Coalition and San Diego County Sheriffs Department. Visit sdcl.org/locations_EN.html.

Cinema Club features

refreshments and film

Encinitas Library hosts the Afternoon Cinema Club from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Highlights include an Indian cooking demonstration and discussion of the health benefits of spices, followed by screening of the 2010 Academy Award-winning Slumdog Millionaire (rated R). Light refreshments will be served. Registration required for the cooking portion of the program, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Visit sdcl.org/locations_EN.html.

ESCONDIDO

Dogs on Deck

event Saturday

The Centre in Escondido is hosting Dogs on the Deck from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Moonlight Veranda (third level) of The Centre, 1205 Auto Park Way. Highlights include a dog costume contest and trick training along with brunch and raffles. Bring donations, including dog food, blankets and toys to the Helen Woodward Animal Center booth to enter the raffle. Vintana Wine + Dine is slated to donate 15 percent of food and beverage sales on the lanai to the Woodward center. Call (760) 745-7777. Visit animalcenter.org.

Democratic Club

hosts candidates

The Escondido Democratic Club hosts a Breakfast with Champions from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at Applebees Escondido, 1216 Auto Parkway. Attendees are slated to include mayoral candidate Paul McNamara, District 1 candidate Consuelo Martiniez, District 2 candidate Vanessa Valenzuela, 50th Congressional District candidate Ammar Camp-Najjar, 75th Assembly candidate Alan Geraci and 38th State Senate candidate Jeff Griffith. Tickets are $10 donation, with half the proceeds benefitting the club to support local candidates. Visit escondidodems.org.

Grandparents

resource fair slated

The seventh annual Grandparents raising Grandchildren caregiver symposium is from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the North Inland Live Well Center, 649 W. Mission Ave. The free community event includes a resource fair with more than 30 area organizations providing information. Spanish interpretation offered. Lunch and child care with preregistration at 211sandiego.org/grandparents or call 211.

FALLBROOK

Group to discuss

self-determination

The nonprofit Jeremiahs Ranch, which serves community members with developmental disabilities, hosts a support group meeting from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at North Coast Church, 1375 S. Mission Road. The speaker is Larry White, who will discuss self-determination. Visit jeremiahsranch.org.

NORTH COUNTY

Wild Wonders gives talk

on conservation

Jackie Navarro, founder of Bonsall-based nonprofit Wild Wonders, will present A Talk on the Wild Side about the successes and challenges of wildlife conservation efforts at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Tickets available at wildwonders.org.

OCEANSIDE

Class gives instructions

on downloading eBooks

The Oceanside Library will run free classes giving an overview of the librarys eCollection from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday in the Mission branchs Community Room, 3861-B Mission Ave., and from 10:30 a.m. to noon Friday at the Civic Center branchs Foundation Room, 330 N. Coast Highway. Library staff will demonstrate how to download eBooks and eAudiobooks onto your device. Bring usernames, passwords, devices and library cards. Registration is required at oceansidepubliclibrary.org or (760) 435-5600.

LIFE Group hosts

double-feature lecture

The lifelong learning group, LIFE Lectures at MiraCosta College, is hosting two speakers starting at 1 p.m. Friday at the colleges Oceanside campus, 1 Barnard Drive, Administration Building, Room 1000. The topics include Emerging Technology in Law Enforcement presented by Capt. Matt Magro, Carlsbad Police Department, and Americas Loss of Orphanages presented by Delores Wardell, LIFE member and author. Purchase a $1 parking permit at the machine in Lot 1A, and park there. Visit miracosta.edu/life or call (760) 757-2121, ext. 6972.

Architect Irving Gill

focus of presentation

Architect Irving Gill, who designed several buildings in Oceanside, will be the subject of a presentation by Milford Wayne Donaldson at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Civic Center Library Community Rooms, 330 North Coast Highway. In Oceanside, Gill designed The Americanization School, Fire Station No. 1, The Blade Tribune building and the original City Hall building. The fifth building, the Nevada Street School, was demolished. Gill came to San Diego in 1893. Donaldson serves as the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Call (760) 435-5600.

VISTA

Help Reunite Families

fundraiser Saturday

The North County Chapter of Amnesty International Group 471 will co-host with Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship an emergency Help Reunite Families fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Fellowship, 1600 Buena Vista Drive.

The event features a screening of the award-winning movie The Visitor, followed by speakers, refreshments and silent auction. Proceeds support Casa Cornelia Law Centers pro-bono work to represent children and reunite families seeking asylum. Free admission, but donations are appreciated. Call (760) 277 0089; visit casacornelia.org.

Zumba Gold classes

at senior center

Zumba Gold classes are from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday and 9:45-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Gloria McClellan Center at 1400 Vale Terrace Drive. The Latin-dance inspired workout of Zumba is for seniors, beginners and others to build cardiovascular health by challenging the heart and working the muscles of the hips, legs, and arms with dance moves. The class is Thursdays and Saturdays. The fee for eight classes is $39 for Vista residents; $47 for a nonresident. Punch cards for five classes are $30 for Vista residents; $36 for nonresidents. Register at gmacvista.com or or (760) 643-5281.

Womans group holds

Beginning Day

Epsilon Nu Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, an international womans organization, will hold a Beginning Day noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Wildwood Restaurant, 116 Civic Center Drive to kick off the new year and the first official meeting, which is slated for Sept. 10. RSVP at (760) 402-9802.Robert Randolph is a bit of an anomaly. The New Jersey born/based pedal steel guitarist grew up in the House of God church and wasnt even aware of secular music until late into his teenage years.

His instrument of choice, while not exactly uncommon, is rarely found in popular music, and almost never front and center on stage. That is, until Randolph came along.

Unfazed by the publics general lack of familiarity with what the Pentecostal Church calls sacred steel, or the unclassifiable mix of gospel, funk, blues, country, and rock that serves as his style, Randolph decided to blaze his own trail.

First taking up with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars as gospel/jam supergroup The Word, Randolph and his Family Band went on to release seven albums of their own.

Advertisement

The most recent, 2017s Got Soul, came on the heels of a three-year break and serves as a spirited return to the celebratory hodgepodge of sounds Randolph has spent years cultivating.

Darius Rucker and Anthony Hamilton lend vocals to a pair of tracks on the album, and Randolph joins forces with gospel musician Cory Henry on a driving cover of the Sam & Dave hit, I Thank You.

Got Soul also earned the band its fifth Grammy nomination, but the charismatic bandleader still prefers the journey to the destination.

Im just excited to keep recording, Randolph said recently from his New Jersey home. Im excited to keep writing, to be on another creative music path. Keep it going. We just have so much more music.

Robert Randolph. (Winslow Townson/AP)

Fans wont have to wait another three years for him to make good on that promise, as Randolph and his band are currently working on a follow-up to Got Soul.

Although the track listing isnt finalized, the new material is already written and the band should be testing a good share of it on its current tour.

Recording sessions for the new album are tentatively scheduled for late September, or early October, and the only thing left to do is find the right producer.

Currently, the frontrunner for the job is multiple Grammy-winning, Nashville-based guru Dave Cobb. With credits that include overseeing albums for the likes of Chris Stapleton, Dolly Parton, Jason Isbell, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Chris Isaak, and more, Cobb knows his way around a studio.

But for the pedal steel-playing frontman, Cobbs allure comes from more than an impressive client roster.

Hes a church guy, Randolph explained. But hes also a big blues and rock guy. And a soulful guy, too. I think he can understand the scope of all we do.

Understanding is one thing. But theres also something else Randolph requires thats a bit harder to define.

Ive made music with so many different people, he continued. And it really works best when youre making it with a friend  someone who can relate to what youre doing and who you are. Then, its automatic.

And Randolph should know. Hes worked with everyone from T Bone Burnett, Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana to Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne and Phil Lesh.

Im always learning and appreciating, he said. Not many people get the opportunity to play with these artists. And we get to collaborate, but these are also people who want me to succeed, go to the next level, and keep growing. And thats the coolest part of it all.

With a new album on the horizon, Randolph has already positioned himself for the chance at more success, leveling-up and growth. But with mentors that have spent a lifetime pursuing their craft, the bandleader is determined to look far beyond just the next project.

I have so many different influences, Randolph said. But I like to tell people that Ill be happiest in my career taking the BB King and Eric Clapton model  the play music and tour until you die model. At the end of the day, I want to look back on a catalog that is full of different collaborations and songs.

Robert Randolph and The Family Band

When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19

Where: Embarcadero Marina Park South, 200 Marina Park Way, downtown

Cost: $27-$92

Online: sandiegosymphony.orgAugust 15, 1945. The San Diego Union

The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year.

Wednesday, August 15, 1945

In 1945 President Harry S. Truman announced that Imperial Japan had surrendered, unconditionally, ending World War II. San Diegans jammed the streets downtown to celebrate.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the story:

TRUMAN ANNOUNCES WARS END; JAPAN ACCEPTS POTSDAM TERMS

City Explodes In Exuberance

Inhibitions Lost In Mass Observance

In the greatest spontaneous mass demonstration ever seen here, San Diego hailed President Trumans peace announcement yesterday with an explosive exuberance that began seconds after 4 p.m. and continued with mounting intensity into the early morning hours.

Uncounted thousands of the jubilant populace milled for hours in the streets of the business district, throwing inhibitions to the winds.

Joyous servicemen kissed pretty girls. The girls, lighthearted, didnt object. Bottles of liquor, stocked away for the victory celebration, appeared and were passed freely from hand to hand.

Hawkers appeared out of nowhere, sold hundreds of horns and noisemakers and confetti.

Earlier in the day, Broadway and intersecting streets in the business district were ankle-deep in paper which fell from office and store windows like snow, and late at night the streets still were littered with it.

Police, unwilling even to guess at the number of persons jamming the citys streets in automobiles and afoot, said damage was astonishingly slight. A number of plate glass windows and store signs were shattered.

Minor casualtieslumps on heads and bruised fists and skinned kneeswere commonplace as emotion spilled over into good-natured violence, but there were no fatalities, police said.

By early evening traffic downtown in the vicinity of the Plaza was hopelessly blocked and at times maximum forces of city police and shore patrolmen feared the throng would become unmanageable.

Earlier, all Broadway street cars were re-routed to F and B sts, and buses were bypassing the principal thoroughfare completely.

Din from automobile horns, the almost constant roar of the crowd, frequent screaming sirens of fire trucks called on false alarms, industrial whistles and fireworks  nobody seemed to know whence the explosive noisemakers came  blended into a cacophony almost deafening.

The downtown celebration was duplicated on smaller scale in neighborhood business districts throughout the county but nowhere did it attain the furious abandon exhibited in the business district of San Diego.

View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories.Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday that the controversial retirement plan that recently paid him $1.27 million is ripe for reform.

The Deferred Retirement Option Plan, which pays veteran cops and firefighters essentially double for the last five years of their careers, would benefit from some adjustments, Moore said.

Moore spoke at the end of the weekly police commission meeting three days after The Times reported his windfall seven-figure payment and the very brief, highly unusual retirement that allowed him to collect the cash.

Police Commission President Steve Soboroff agreed with Moore, saying, I think the program needs a lot of work.

Advertisement

DROP, as its known, pays city police and firefighters who are at least 50 years old and have 25 years of service their salaries and pensions simultaneously for up to five years.

The program was sold to voters in 2000 as a way to retain the most experienced officers and give their departments time to plan for their replacements.

In February, the Times reported that nearly half of all cops and firefighters who have entered the program  which has paid out more than $1.6 billion in extra pension checks  subsequently went on injury leave, typically for cumulative injuries like sore knees and bad backs that afflict aging bodies regardless of profession.

Their average time off was nearly 10 months, but hundreds missed more than a year.

That list includes a police officer who claimed injuries to his back, shoulders, knees and hips but then was found teaching diving lessons at a SCUBA shop he owns; and a police captain who collected $1.5 million from the program despite missing nearly three years due to knee pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and injuries he said he suffered falling out of an office chair.

Those are horrible abuses, Soboroff said.

Moores proposed change, which has also received public support from Mayor Eric Garcetti and former Police Chief Charlie Beck, would discontinue pension payments to police officers and firefighters while they are out on extended injury leaves.

In such cases, the officer would still receive a salary but pension payments would not resume until they returned to work.

City officials say they are still negotiating changes to the program with the police and firefighters unions.

During his five years in the program, Moore collected his nearly $300,000 annual pay while his roughly $240,000 pension payments went into a special DROP account held by the city. When he retired at the end of January, the $1.27 million in the account  which included 5% interest  was paid to him in a lump sum.

He wasnt gone long. Through a highly unusual maneuver known as the bounce, Chief Beck brought Moore back into his old job at his old pay at the beginning of March.

Moores return was supposed to be temporary, lasting only until Beck could find a suitable replacement for Moore.

But Beck retired in June and Moore was promoted to take his place.

Today, Moore collects nearly $600,000 a year from city coffers  about $350,000 a year in salary from the Police Department and his $240,000 a year from the police and fire pension fund.

Many other cities, including San Diego and San Francisco, experimented with DROP programs before abandoning them because of the cost. Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who initiated the program as a way to appease the police union during a tumultuous period in city politics, recently told The Times it was a mistake.

Moore, asked on Tuesday whether he had expected to get rich from his city service when he became a police officer 36 years ago, turned his back and walked away.

jack.dolan@latimes.com

Follow on Twitter at @JackDolanLATOTTAWA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The amount of untreated grey water dumped in Canadian Arctic waters is projected to double by 2035 if left unregulated, this new report commissioned by World Wildlife Fund Canada shows.

As climate change makes the frozen region more accessible, grey water from vessels galleys, showers and laundry is being released in increasing amounts into the fragile Arctic marine ecosystem, which is home to whales, walrus, seabirds, fish and other marine organisms.

Current hot spots of grey-water dumping in the Arctic intersect with important whale habitats, such as calving areas and migration routes, as well as areas of high concentrations of Arctic char and sensitive benthic habitats. (See attached map.) Contamination of fish and shellfish threatens food security in northern communities.

Although the impacts of grey water are similar to sewage, ships passing through Arctic waters in Canada are not required to adhere to any specific regulations for grey water and ships are not monitored for dumping this harmful waste into the sea. Transport Canada rules for grey water are much more stringent for waters below the 60th parallel.

Hans Lennie, secretary-treasurer of the Inuvialuit Game Council, said:

Northern communities rely on resupply ships and many communities are happy to see tourism growing responsibly in the Arctic. However, communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region rely on the ocean for food. Untreated grey water can contaminate shellfish and could create toxic algae blooms that have the potential to jeopardize our food security. As shipping grows in the Arctic, its important that regulations are changed to stop the dumping of grey water into the ocean.

Melissa Nacke, specialist for arctic shipping and marine conservation at WWF-Canada, said:

Regulations governing grey water disposal in the Arctic are overdue for an overhaul. WWF-Canadas report clearly shows that traffic is increasing and the rate of untreated grey water disposal in the Arctic environment will rise rapidly over the next two decades. Grey water can have many harmful impacts on the ocean, including introducing invasive species, metals, bacteria and microplastics. It doesnt make any sense that the fragile Canadian Arctic environment receives less regulation and protection than southern waters and neighbouring Alaska, and we want that to change.

About grey water

Vessel grey water comes from showers, baths, laundry, dishwasher and galley wastewater.

It contains nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus), oil and grease, detergent and soap residue, metals (such as copper, lead and mercury), bacteria, pathogens, hair, organic matter including food particles, suspended solids, bleach and pesticide residues.

Potential environmental impacts of grey water include shellfish contamination, algal blooms, lowered oxygen levels in the ocean and introduction of microplastics.

Passenger vessels, such as cruise ships, produce about 250 litres per day per person; cargo vessels produce less, about 125 litres per day per person.

About the report

Prepared by Vard Marine Inc., the study builds on a previous, similar greywater analysis from 2015.

This 2018 report presents a baseline for waste in the region in 2016 and provides projections for the quantities, types and areas of grey water concentration in the Canadian Arctic in 2025 and 2035.

By 2035, tourism will be the biggest source of grey water dumping, according to the report.

Even a small increase in the number of passenger ships can have a big impact on the amount of grey water being dumped: The report shows that, due to the large number of passengers on cruise ships and their higher water use per person, tourism is projected to generate the most grey water by 2035, especially in the Northwest Passage.

Ships used for mining exports and fishing spend much more time in the Arctic, so even though they have fewer people onboard and lower levels of water use, they are also large contributors.

The report also points to various grey-water treatment options that could be used on ships to eliminate environmentally harmful substances.

About World Wildlife Fund Canada

WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

AttachmentsThe construction of President Donald Trumps border wall and the politics surrounding it have become more difficult  and thats saying something.

The vexing national political issue that landed right in our backyard continues to vex.

Recent developments suggest the proposed expanded border wall that is so important to Trump may be a factor in the coming midterm elections, including the 49th Congressional District in north San Diego County.

Shortly before Congress went on its summer recess, the president threatened to shut down the federal government if he didnt get sufficient funding to start his $25 billion wall. That made a big splash, and most analysts agreed such action would create a nightmare for Republicans before the November elections. GOP leaders soon shrugged it off and said they simply didnt believe him.

Advertisement

Asked if he took Trumps shutdown threats seriously, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) replied: No, Politico reported just before the break.

If Trump did follow through, it would be sometime after Congress returns following Labor Day  the beginning of the stretch run for November campaigns.

Just days after Trumps shutdown fulmination cannonballed into the summer politics pool, a report came out that said the wall likely would be harder to build and cost more than anticipated. Keep in mind that the logistics and funding, if not the politics, were suspect from the start.

Oh, and it might not work.

(The Department of Homeland Security) faces an increased risk that the Border Wall System Program will cost more than projected, take longer than planned, or not fully perform as expected, the Government Accountability Office said in report released last week.

San Diego was thrust into the national spotlight when the administration decided to have eight border wall prototypes built here. Trump personally inspected the models on Otay Mesa in March and maintained that the larger project is essential to the nations existence.

If you dont have a wall system, were not going to have a country, said Trump as he toured the 30-foot-high border wall prototypes.

Lets hope he didnt get too attached to any of them. Turns out theyre duds. The GAO essentially said they probably are useless.

According to the Union-Tribunes Kate Morrissey, the report said none of the prototypes could be used to replace portions of existing border fences in San Diego and Imperial counties.

New construction cant look like any of the prototypes because Congress limited funding to designs that were already in use before the border wall prototypes were built, Morrissey wrote. CBP officials told the reports authors that they never intended to select a winning prototype but rather wanted to test them to inform future design strategies.

It gets worse. The report raised serious doubts about whether any of the prototypes would be suitable for the eventual project. The GAO report said Border Patrol agents need to see through the wall  and six of the eight designs dont allow for that.

All have their challenges, some more than others. The report says some of the prototypes couldnt be built on sloping terrain  a must for this project.

About $20 million was spent on these white elephants. Maybe years in the future theyll find usefulness as some kind of tourist attraction  odd monuments to an odd time.

Since early in Trumps presidency, Ive gone out on what I believe is a relatively sturdy limb and predicted the wall will never be built as he envisioned it along the full length of the border. Physical barriers already exist at places on the border and there likely will be more. While Trumps extended wall raises practical and symbolic issues, the dispute seems a bit abstract in San Diego, where weve lived with a border fence for decades.

While the full proposed wall is often dismissed as unworkable, it would be unwise to underestimate Trumps desire to get it done  or at least a version he can sell to his political base as what he wanted all along.

Trumps promise to build the border wall is central to his political existence. It may be why hes president today. His inability to get much traction on the wall has irritated some of his core constituents, and much of what he does politically is targeted at them.

But Trump cant afford to lose one or both houses of Congress to the Democrats. Thats why the conventional wisdom is a government shutdown this fall over funding for the wall, or for any other reason, would be a disaster for Republicans.

Trump does not hew to political convention, however, and his calculus is not always in sync with Republican leaders. Typically, they have moved to his positions rather than the other way around.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board last week that she doubted a shutdown was in the cards.

I think it would be a huge mistake, she said. . . .And we can have our differences. But this is terrible policy. Theres no support for it, even in the Republican Party, that I see back there.

But she acknowledged the influence of the presidents base. I think there are very strong groups for Trump. I dont happen to think theyre in California, she said.

A government shutdown would be a headache for Diane Harkey, the Republican Board of Equalization member running in the 49th district against attorney Mike Levin, a Democrat. The once reliably Republican district, which stretches into southern Orange County, has become a key election battleground. Trump lost the district by more than seven points to Hillary Clinton.

Incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, decided not to run for re-election after he became politically vulnerable because of his support for Trump and some of the presidents policies. The less the congressional campaign focuses on Trump, the better for Harkey. That may be a lot to ask, given Trumps domination of the 24-hour news cycle on a daily basis and Democrats penchant for making him the issue.

The last thing Harkey needs is to have to talk about Trump forcing a government shutdown over the disputed border wall just weeks before the election.A San Diego County fraud suspects summer on the run as a federal fugitive ended Monday when he was nabbed in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.

Hardev Singh Mohan Singh Panesar, 70, had been free on bail when he cut off his GPS ankle bracelet on June 21 and fled his El Cajon home to Mexico, authorities said. He showed up at his wifes home there but then ran when his wife warned him that authorities were on his trail, according to court records.

A judge issued a warrant, and a bail recovery agent offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Panesars capture.

A tip from the reward poster helped lead authorities to his hideout, said bail recovery agent Dan Escamilla, who assisted the FBI and Mexican law enforcement on the case.

Advertisement

Panesar is charged with posing as a federal agent and falsely telling unauthorized immigrants that he could obtain legal status for them for large fees, according to prosecutors.

He is accused of earning at least $1.5 million during the alleged scheme. Panesar and a co-conspirator are accused of going to great lengths to convince victims of their authority, including flashing Department of Homeland Security credentials, taking fingerprints and handing out immigration forms.

After his 2017 arrest, prosecutors had argued to keep him detained, pointing to Panesars history of self-aggrandizing fibs and his ability to navigate foreign countries due to an African passport and fluency in five languages.

He was instead granted release on $100,000 bond.

On Tuesday, Panesar was brought to San Diego federal court where he pleaded not guilty to a new charge of failure to appear.

Panesars wife, a U.S. citizen who lives in Mexico, has been charged with making false statements about knowledge of her husbands whereabouts.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavisA Granite Hills High School math teacher has been placed on paid leave while local law enforcement investigate serious allegations of misconduct against him, officials said.

On Aug. 8, the Grossmont Union High School District placed Ryan Braun, 43, of El Cajon on leave. The district announced the investigation in a statement on Tuesday, its first day of school, almost a week after it placed Braun on leave. According to the statement, district officials placed him on leave immediately after they learned of the allegations.

The alleged misconduct happened off-campus and outside of school hours, according to the district statement. The statement included no other details of what the allegations are. The district said it would not comment further because of the pending investigation.

Any time allegations of employee misconduct are brought forward the District takes such allegations very seriously, the district statement read. If employee misconduct occurred, then the district will consider appropriate action up to and including dismissal from employment.

Advertisement

Braun was paid $95,650 in 2016, according to a database maintained by the open government website Transparent California, about $14,000 more than the year before.

A phone number listed for Braun has been disconnected. Braun, a 17-year employee of the district, did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Kristen Taketa

Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @Kristen_TaketaFor the second year in a row, Scripps hospitals topped local competitors in the nations highest-profile health care quality compendium.

Released Tuesday, the best hospitals list from U.S. News & World Report ranked seven Scripps specialties at its two La Jolla-area hospitals among the 50 best in the nation compared to six at UC San Diegos Jacobs Medical Center. Both systems had eight ranked specialties last year.

Scripps and UCSD have been battling it out in the U.S. News report for years and, until recently, the university has had the upper hand. But lately Scripps has seen its performance surge, edging into the No. 1 spot in the San Diego region last year and maintaining its position in 2018.

Though U.S. News says the hospitals are tops in San Diego County, neither managed to crack the magazines honor roll, which is reserved for the hospitals deemed to be the 20 best in the nation. For the third consecutive year, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., was named No. 1 nationwide with Cleveland Clinic in the second spot and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore coming in third. In California, UC San Francisco Medical Center, UC Los Angeles Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and Stanford Hospital occupied the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth honor roll spots in 2018.

Advertisement

These days there are myriad different hospital ranking reports available for patients to peruse before undergoing elective surgery, but the U.S. News rankings tend to attract great attention due to name recognition among consumers. Many a hospital marketing campaign has been built around just a single top-50 ranking.

The report analyzes 16 medical specialties and nine different medical procedures, considering a wide range of data from patient death and readmission rates to the opinions of local patients and doctors. This year, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Green Hospital in Torrey Pines, whose results are consolidated into one composite score, lost their national ranking in nephrology and saw rankings in cardiology, diabetes and endocrinology, and gynecology drop a few spots compared to last year. Rankings in gastroenterology, geriatrics, orthopedics and pulmonology improved.

The full report is available at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

Chris Van Gorder, chief executive of Scripps Health, said Tuesday that this years results are a testament to the hard work that thousands of doctors, nurses and other health care workers have put into improving quality in recent years, and not just at Scripps.

Were blessed to be in a community with great health care. No. 1 this year could be No. 2 next year. You never know, Van Gorder said.

He attributed Scripps performance in the past two years to changes in the way Scripps handles reporting and dealing with problems. A greater emphasis, he said, has been put on face-to-face accountability among doctors and administrators.

Our quality committee meetings are standing room only, and I think that has something to do with the success weve had recently, Van Gorder said.

UC San Diego is among just 46 hospitals nationwide awarded six or more specialties among the top 50 nationwide, according to U.S. News, but thats two fewer than last year. Jacobs lost rankings in gastroenterology and gynecology and slipped somewhat in its cancer, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics and pulmonology rankings. Only its ranking in cardiology and heart surgery held steady at 40th in the nation.

That performance creates a strange situation for Patty Maysent, chief executive of UC San Diego Health. The report compares 4,500 hospitals nationwide, and only 158 receive even a single national ranking. Six rankings are very definitely something to celebrate. But performance wasnt quite what it was one year ago and it has now been two years since UCSD has topped the U.S. News regional rankings, which it had dominated since 2011.

Maysent said she believes the largest factor influencing the slight slide was the condition of the patients that the university treats. Many, she said, arrive in very bad shape.

When we take patients who are last-ditch efforts and they die on our watch, that ends up on our report, Maysent said.

U.S. News, and all other quality-ranking outfits, use statistical methods to adjust scores for each patients overall health risk, accounting for those who arrive in poor condition and thus stand a greater-than-average chance of poor results.

Sometimes, Maysent said, the true severity of patients initial conditions has not been fully documented, resulting in UCSD hospitals getting dinged for poor results that dont take into adequate account their worse-than-average overall health. She said additional effort has been made in recent years to get better at documentation patient condition.

Im feeling really good about the structural and risk adjustments weve made recently, and I think youre going to start seeing that in reports like this, Maysent said.

Sharp Memorial Hospital, Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and Scripps Mercy Hospital round out the top six facilities on the U.S. News list this year. Though none had a nationally-ranked program, all had multiple specialties or procedures listed as high performing, which means they provided care considered to be significantly better than average.

Results in other ratings systems such as Medicares Hospital Compare or the hospital safety grade system published by the Leapfrog Group may differ significantly from the U.S. News results, and each program measures different aspects of health care performance.

Dr. Mark Friedberg, a health care performance expert with RAND corporation in Boston, said ratings and rankings systems can provide a helpful starting point for patients deciding which hospital to choose, but the information is of limited usefulness in an emergency.

If you were having a heart attack, for example, choosing the hospital with the highest rating could be a bad idea if that hospital is all the way across town. You would be better off going to the closest hospital thats good enough if they can take care of you as soon as possible, Friedberg said.

Its important for patients to realize, he added, that judging a hospitals performance is not an exact science. The statistical methods used to try and make facilities comparable are not perfect.

I think these systems do give patients some useful information, but you wouldnt want to choose your hospital based just on this ratings system, he said.

And its also important, he added, not to fixate solely on a facilities. The physician performing a procedure is vitally important. Often the sheer number of procedures that a surgeon does every year is a good indication of whether an entire surgical team will deliver great results.

Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life

paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsissonCharlottesville rally organizer Jason Kessler lives with his parents.

The 34-year-old white supremacist, well known for his leadership role in the deadly Unite the Right event, was filming a livestream with Patrick Little Tuesday afternoon when his father barged in started to scold him, mid-interview.

Hey! You get out of my room! Kesslers father can be heard saying in the clip, first shared by Vox.

You got a drunk roommate there? asks Little, a neo-Nazi who ran an unsuccessful campaign for a Senate seat in California.

Advertisement

Kessler attempts to brush off the interruption, but his perturbed father presses on.

I want this to stop in my room, Jason, he says. This is my room.

Unite the Right 2 organizer, Nazi failure Jason Kessler gets yelled at by his dad for being a Nazi while livestreaming w Nazi loser Patrick Little, who admits he may have to sell the boat he's broadcasting from at a loss because he needs money. pic.twitter.com/skmlmtdSAE  FlyingOverTr0ut (@FlyingOverTr0ut) August 14, 2018

Little can be heard chuckling as Kessler excuses himself and walks off-screen.

Youre not living with an Orthodox Jew are you? Little asks.

When he returns, Kessler explains that legals bills stemming from last years violent Charlottesville, Va., rally have forced him to move in with his parents. He goes on to complain his father is cucked  an insult often used by the alt-right  because he watches constant anti-German propaganda on the History Channel.

Little can seemingly relate to Kesslers woes  hes filming from a boat, which he keeps in case he is evicted from his apartment. He notes that he may have to start renting it out or sell it at a loss due to his own financial struggles.

Thousands of white supremacists and neo-Nazis descended on the sleepy town of Charlottesville just more than a year ago for Kesslers event, aimed at protesting local leaders decision to remove a Confederate memorial from a public park. It quickly dissolved into chaos and paralegal Heather Heyer was killed while advocating for equality amid the escalating racial tensions.

Kessler was also behind the Unite the Right Rally 2 held in Washington, D.C., last weekend, organized to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly rally. The 30 or so white supremacists who did show up were met with hundreds of counterprotesters.Investigators executing a search warrant Wednesday at a La Jolla home found and disposed of what was believed to be a pipe bomb.

The FBI requested assistance from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and a county hazardous-materials team about 7:15 a.m. while gathering evidence at the house on Via Corona near Copa de Oro Drive as part of an ongoing investigation, said Davene Butler, a spokeswoman for the federal agency.

FBI bomb technicians were on scene as a precaution and safely handled the apparent pipe bomb, along with other suspicious materials, Butler said.

The spokeswoman said she could reveal no further details about the case because the search warrant had been sealed by a judge.

Advertisement

FBI agents searched a car and a house in La Jolla California where they found bomb making materials that were rendered safe by the San Diego Fire Department Bomb Squad, Hazardous Materials Team and County Hazmat. The FBI is investigating. pic.twitter.com/0qSxPuBEoM  John Gibbins (@JohnGibbinsSDUT) August 15, 2018

No evacuations were ordered and no injuries were reported.

There were no immediate reports of arrests, nor did authorities say why the warrant was served.

UPDATES:

12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

The article was originally published at 10:25 a.m.The case of President Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, moved to a federal jury late Wednesday after a 12-day trial that saw a numbing deluge of financial records, more than two dozen prosecution witnesses and a high-stakes gamble by the defense team to present no evidence at all.

Although the criminal charges against Manafort focused chiefly on the tens of millions of dollars he made as a political consultant in Ukraine before he joined Trumps campaign in March 2016, evidence introduced in court indicated some of the alleged crimes occurred that summer as Manafort steered his candidate through the Republican National Convention.

The closely watched trial is seen as a test case for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who brought the charges even though none directly related to Russias interference in the 2016 campaign, the focus of Muellers inquiry. It also is politically sensitive for the president, who on Wednesday again condemned what he called the Rigged Russian Witch Hunt.

If convicted on all 18 charges, Manafort could be sentenced to more than 300 years in prison. Even if he is acquitted, he faces another federal trial on related charges on Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C., and the judge in that case ordered him incarcerated in June for alleged witness tampering.

Advertisement

The first verdict is likely to hinge on whether the jury believes Manafort, 69, or his former top lieutenant, Richard Gates, 46, who provided an insiders account of what the government described as an elaborate criminal scheme involving dozens of offshore accounts, millions in unpaid taxes and numerous fraudulent documents.

Takeaways from prosecutors case against Paul Manafort 

In a 90-minute closing argument Wednesday, prosecutor Greg Andres acknowledged that Gates was a confessed liar and thief, but told jurors they could discount his testimony and still convict Manafort of tax evasion, bank fraud and conspiracy.

The star witness in this case is the documents, Andres said.

He also said jurors did not need to like Gates, conceding that Manafort did not choose a Boy Scout to help with his alleged criminal schemes. He said the evidence was overwhelming that Manafort had hidden millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts to evade U.S. taxes, and lied on bank loan applications and other official documents.

When you follow the trail of Mr. Manaforts money, it is littered with lies, Andres said.

In their closing argument, Manaforts lawyers slammed Gates as an embezzler and a cheat who had falsely pointed the finger at Manafort to save himself from a lengthy prison sentence for his own crimes.

To the very end, he lied to you, defense lawyer Kevin Downing told the jury.

Even after listening to 27 witnesses and reviewing 388 documents during the trial, by the prosecutions count, the jurors  six men and six women  appeared to pay close attention during the closing arguments, intently watching the opposing lawyers and sometimes scribbling notes on their pads in the packed courtroom in Alexandria, Va.

Jurors are scheduled to begin deliberations Thursday morning. Federal juries are required to reach unanimous decisions.

Andres began his closing argument with a bruising summary of the allegations against Manafort, a longtime Republican consultant who turned to lucrative overseas work before returning to the domestic political scene to help steer Trumps campaign.

Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didnt, Andres said.

Prosecutors said Manafort stashed more than $60 million in 31 foreign accounts and illegally avoided paying U.S. taxes on more than $15 million. He allegedly filed false tax returns for five years while using what Andres called a huge dumpster of hidden money to pay for a slew of multimillion-dollar homes, bespoke suits and a five-star lifestyle.

Among other jaw-dropping purchases, prosecutors said Manafort bought a $15,000 ostrich skin jacket, an $18,500 python skin jacket, $1,500 shirts and more than $330,000 in clothing from the House of Bijan, a Beverly Hills boutique that markets itself as the worlds most expensive store.

They said Manaforts income abruptly dried up in 2014, when the Kremlin-aligned government in Ukraine was ousted in a popular revolt. Manafort then allegedly lied to three different banks to obtain more than $20 million in loans to pay for his exorbitant lifestyle  including $16 million from the Federal Savings Bank in Chicago while he headed Trumps campaign.

During the trial, no one testified longer than Gates, who worked for Manafort at his consulting firm and served as his deputy on the Trump campaign. But Andres told the jury Wednesday there was more than sufficient evidence to convict Manafort without Gates testimony.

He urged them to test Gates word against that of others who testified against Manafort, including his accountants Cindy Laporta and Philip Ayliff; his bookkeeper Heather Washkuhn; and bankers Manafort allegedly defrauded. He also urged them to review the hundreds of emails, memos, financial records and other material prosecutors used to buttress their case.

Gates was indicted on financial charges alongside Manafort in October, but he cut a deal with prosecutors in hopes of winning a lenient sentence and agreed to testify against his former boss.

He pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy and making false statements to investigators. On the witness stand for 2 days, he also admitted to inflating his income on credit card and mortgage applications and embezzling from Manaforts company.

Gates also didnt deny an allegation, raised by defense lawyers during cross examination, that he stole from Trumps inaugural committee, where he was a deputy chairman.

Defense lawyers chose not to present their own case after the prosecution rested Tuesday, and the reasoning behind their decision became more clear on Wednesday.

Richard Westling, one of Manaforts lawyers, kicked off the closing argument by asserting that the prosecution had simply not met the necessary burden of proof and the jury should acquit him.

Hold the government to its burden, ladies and gentlemen, Westling told the jury. That is what our system is built on.

He accused prosecutors of trying to stack up charges against Manafort to give you a sense that everything is so overwhelming there is only one conclusion.

When Westling was finished trying to poke holes in the bank fraud charges, Downing took the lectern to deliver the crux of the defenses argument by targeting Gates.

The prosecution, Downing said, had presented Gates all clean-shaven, a real decent person you could rely on. But Gates was a proven liar, he said, who cant be trusted by the jury.

Although Gates had testified to discussions with Manafort about the alleged tax scheme, he also admitted that there were no emails to provide documentation, Downing said.

Hes just fabricating it to get his probationary deal, he said.

Andres had the final word once Downing was finished, returning for a rapid-fire rebuttal, his voice rising as he tried to squeeze a few more pieces of information into the last argument hed make to the jury.

The defense wants you to believe this is a case about Rick Gates. They havent explained the dozens and dozens of documents that outline Manaforts role, Andres said.

He pointed to a document where Manafort referred to Gates as his quarterback for dealing with financial issues.

Guess who the coach of that team is? Andres said. Who owns and controls that team? Mr. Manafort.

Once closing arguments finished, District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III delivered lengthy instructions to the jury on how to consider the verdict. A new instruction was added Wednesday after prosecutors objected to part of the defenses argument that suggested Manafort could have been the victim of selective prosecution.

The special counsels office, Westling had said, tried to find any place that the numbers dont match up because it was desperate to make a case against Manafort.

Ellis agreed with Andres that jurors should only consider the facts of the case rather than prosecutors reasoning for charging Manafort.

Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington 

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

laura.king@latimes.com

UPDATES:

4:45 p.m.: This article was updated after the case went to the jury.

11:55 a.m.: This article was updated with details from the defense closing argument.

10:38 a.m.: This article was updated with more details from the prosecutors closing argument.

7:55 a.m.: This article was updated with details from the prosecutors closing argument.

This article was originally published at 5:20 a.m.Democrats continued their pattern of nominating glass-ceiling breakers Tuesday by selecting a transgender woman as their gubernatorial nominee in Vermont and a black woman as a congressional nominee in Connecticut.

If elected in November, Christine Hallquist, a former utility company executive, would be the first transgender governor of any state, and Jahana Hayes, a former national teacher of the year, would be the first black woman to represent New England in the House.

Hallquist will face Gov. Phil Scott, a popular incumbent in the Democratic-leaning state. Hayes, who was endorsed by liberals including New York City candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.), is strongly favored in a district that Clinton won by 5 percentage points in 2016.

The seat was open after Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) announced she would not seek reelection after the mishandling of a sexual harassment scandal by staff in her office.

Advertisement

With just 84 days before the general election, primary voters cast ballots in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont and Connecticut to choose candidates for governor and other state offices, amid heated campaigns for the U.S. House and Senate.

Arrest records, a #MeToo controversy and the specter of President Trump all loomed large Tuesday as Republicans competed to show fidelity to the president.

In Wisconsin, a Democratic contest for the seat of retiring Republican House Speaker Paul D. Ryan has been rocked by recent claims by candidate Cathy Myers, a grass-roots activist, that the arrest record of her rival, Randy Iron Stache Bryce, will prevent him from winning in November.

Bryce, an early Democratic fundraising phenom, said the arrests in the 1990s, related to a drunk driving conviction and a marijuana possession charge, were learning experiences. (He also was arrested more recently while protesting Republican policies.)

Ive worked very hard to learn from my mistakes so I can be a man my son can be proud of, he said in a statement in response to the resurfacing of the old charges.

He is expected to face Bryan Steil, a Ryan-endorsed lawyer, who is running against a self-described pro-white nationalist candidate who was banned from Twitter after sending a racist message targeting American actress Meghan Markle before her marriage to Britains Prince Harry.

Democrats faced another controversy in Minnesota, where allegations of abuse shadowed the vice chair of the Democratic Party, Rep. Keith Ellison, as he sought his partys nomination for attorney general.

The allegations of physical and emotional abuse were publicized in recent days by the children of the ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan, who released text messages alleged to have come from Ellison and said he verbally abused her and once dragged her from a bed.

Over the weekend, Ellison, who was favored over four Democratic opponents, released a statement denying the claims. Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, he wrote in the statement, and I still care deeply for her well-being.

Morgan Long, a 31-year-old Democrat from Richfield, Minn., said outside a polling station in north Minneapolis that the allegations against Ellison prompted her to stop and take a look at who he is as a candidate. Its coming down to the wire, she said. Im still evaluating everything and I want to make the most educated decision as possible.

But Long, who works in human resources for a software consulting firm, she said she would probably vote for Ellison in the end because of his record on progressive issues.

There has to be investigations involved. Im about facts, she said.

The political left in Minnesota has been hit hard by the challenge of sorting through claims of sexual harassment, which became a major political issue when a tape surfaced in 2016 of Trump boasting about assaulting women.

Former Sen. Al Franken, a liberal Democratic icon in the state, resigned eight months ago after several women alleged that he had behaved inappropriately and one revealed a photo of Franken, then a comedian, pretending to grab at her breasts in an apparent attempt at humor. Months earlier, Garrison Keillor, the former star of Minnesota Public Radios Prairie Home Companion, was fired after a woman came forward to allege harassment by him.

Minnesota Republicans decisively rejected the comeback bid of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a onetime kingmaker in state politics who proved unable to overcome his 2016 description of Donald Trump as unhinged and unfit for once boasting of grabbing women.

The surprise result was just the latest evidence of the presidents rising control over the Republican Party electorate and the waning power of veteran lawmakers, coming just a week after Trumps endorsement helped Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach topple incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer, who conceded the race Tuesday.

After conceding the race at a campaign rally Tuesday and throwing his support behind Johnson, Pawlenty spoke briefly with reporters.

The Republican Party has shifted, he said, according to a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It is the era of Trump and Im just not a Trump-like politician.

A twice-elected governor, former presidential candidate and banking lobbyist, Pawlenty lost decisively to Jeff Johnson, a commissioner of Hennepin County.

By far the most expensive race of the day was a Republican contest in Wisconsin for the chance to challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is favored to win reelection. State Sen. Leah Vukmir, a local party favorite, and Kevin Nicholson, a self-styled outsider and former Democratic activist backed by the most generous billionaire in conservative politics, were locked in a tight battle as the GOP primary approached.

The Wisconsin Senate race has attracted nearly $29 million in spending on advertising, according to a Democratic media buyer, including about $8 million in support of Nicholson from groups that have been backed by conservative businessman Richard Uihlein of Illinois.

Some of those ads have tried to paint Vukmir as insufficiently supportive of Trump; she called him offensive to everyone during the Republican primaries in 2016. She later endorsed his campaign and supported him over Hillary Clinton.

The Wisconsin contest comes at a time of growing concern for the states Republican Party, which has suffered a string of losses in recent special elections against Democrats who are newly energized in opposition to Trump.

This a true wake-up call, Gov. Scott Walker said in April after a liberal judge was elected to the state Supreme Court. There could be a blue wave out there.

Nicholson, Vukmir and Walker have all tried to distance themselves from Trumps recent call to boycott Harley-Davidson after the Wisconsin-based motorcycle maker announced that it would move some production overseas to avoid recent tariffs imposed in response to Trumps trade policies.

Walker was expected to win nomination for a third term after facing token opposition in the primary. He is likely to face Democratic state schools Supt. Tony Evers, who has been leading the polls in a crowded field of Democrats.

Political strategists will also be watching the outcome of primaries in four competitive House districts in Minnesota, two held by Republicans and two by Democrats, which could help decide whether Democrats maintain control of Congress in the fall.

Two Democratic seats that could go to Republicans are set to be vacated by Walz, who is running for governor, and Rep. Rick Nolan, who is retiring. Democrats have put forward an Army veteran, Dan Feehan, in Walzs district, which stretches across the states rural southern border area. He is likely to face a repeat Republican candidate, Jim Hagedorn, who narrowly lost in 2016.

Democrats have five candidates running to replace Nolan in the northeastern corner of the state, which includes Duluth. The winner will face Pete Stauber, a professional hockey player-turned-police officer, who has been endorsed by Trump.

Two Republican seats in the Minneapolis suburbs are also at risk. Rep. Jason Lewis, who has been fighting renewed controversy over insensitive statements about blacks and women that he uttered as a talk radio host, is facing Angie Craig, a corporate manager and mother of four boys with her wife, Cheryl.

Rep. Erik Paulsen, who comes from the type of suburban district that has been moving away from the GOP since Trumps election, is expected to face Democrat Dean Phillips, a businessman who has been campaigning for increased gun control.

11:50 p.m.: This article was updated with results from Minnesota.

This article was originally published at 9:15 p.m.TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tangelo Games Corporation (Tangelo, or the Company) (TSX-VENTURE: GEL) today issued a letter to shareholders (the Shareholders) and filed its management information circular (the "Circular") in preparation for its annual and special meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) to be held on September 11, 2018.



At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to approve the previously announced proposed sale of the Company to GoGel Holdings Inc. (GoGel). Under the terms of the arrangement agreement with GoGel, GoGel will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Tangelo for C$0.02565 per share in cash by way of the statutory plan of arrangement (the Arrangement).

The proposed sale was unanimously approved by the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) after a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives for Tangelo concluded that the sale to GoGel is the only available alternative that will provide value to Shareholders.

Shareholders are encouraged to vote FOR the Arrangement well in advance of the voting deadline of 10:00 a.m. (Toronto Time) on September 7, 2018. The Circular will be mailed to all Shareholders and is also available at the Companys issuer profile at www.sedar.com. A copy of the letter to Shareholders is included below.

Shareholders who have questions or require assistance should contact Kingsdale Advisors, our proxy solicitation agent, by telephone at 1-866-581-1489 (toll-free in North America), or at 416-867-2272 (collect calls outside of North America) or by email at contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com. Shareholders that have questions about depositing their shares to the Arrangement including with respect to completing the applicable letter of transmittal, please contact TSX Trust, who is acting as depositary under the Arrangement, by telephone at 1-(866)-393-4891, by facsimile at 416-361-0470 or by email at TMXEInvestorServices@tmx.com.

Letter to Shareholders

Dear Fellow Shareholder,

I, on behalf of the Board of Directors Tangelo Games Corp. (Tangelo or the Company) want to personally invite you to attend an annual and special meeting (the Meeting) of Shareholders to be held at the offices of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Suite 2100, Scotia Plaza, 40 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5H 3C2 on September 11, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time).

At the Meeting, you will be asked to make an important decision related to your investment in Tangelo and the future of the Company. As announced on July 11, 2018, Tangelo has entered into an arrangement agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) with GoGel Holdings Inc. (GoGel), pursuant to which GoGel will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Tangelo (Shares) for C$0.02565 per Share. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) following a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives. Were now asking for your support.

We believe that the choice before you is clear:

- The GoGel proposal gives you an immediate 71% all cash premium to Tangelos closing Share price on July 10, 2018, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Arrangement Agreement.

- The only alternative is the real prospect of the Company being forced to seek creditor protection, where Shareholders would, more likely than not, receive no consideration.

BACKGROUND TO GOGEL PROPOSAL

Shareholders should fully understand why this Arrangement Agreement is the only available alternative that will provide value.

In 2015, Tangelo entered into two term loans totaling approximately US$68 million with a maturity date of April 2019 (amended from January 2018) (the Amended Term Loan). Thanks, in part, to a changing industry landscape, it became apparent that the Company could not raise the equity needed to make its principal repayments to its primary lender, Third Eye Capital Corporation (TEC)  an affiliate of GoGel.

So, in 2016, with the assistance of a financial advisor, we began a strategic review of our alternatives with the goal of improving Tangelos capital position to meet our debt obligations and increase value for all Shareholders. Through this exhaustive process, we engaged in discussions with multiple prospective strategic partners and financial investors resulting in over 30 non-disclosure agreements and eight different non-binding proposals. Other than the proposal from GoGel, however, each of the proposals required significant and unrealistic concessions from our Lenders, in respect of repayment under the Amended Term Loan, or equity raises that were unachievable due to the Companys capital structure.



Given our debt obligations, if the Arrangement Agreement with GoGel is not passed, the Companys only alternative may be to seek creditor protection, where Shareholders would, most likely, receive no consideration.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

We encourage you to review the attached information carefully and urge you to cast your vote FOR the Arrangement Agreement Resolution.

The Arrangement Agreement is subject to customary closing conditions for a transaction of this nature, including court approval and approval of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting.



This means every vote will count no matter how many Shares you own. You must vote your proxy before 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on September 7, 2018 for it to count.

If the necessary approvals are obtained and the other conditions to closing are satisfied or waived, it is anticipated that the Arrangement will be completed as early as September 18, 2018 and as a Shareholder, you will receive payment for your Shares shortly after closing provided the depositary receives your duly completed letter of transmittal.

For clarity, in addition to the vote on the Arrangement Resolution, Shareholders at the Meeting will be asked to vote on a number of annual meeting matters which will have limited applicability in the event that the Arrangement is completed, including: (i) the directors of the Company; (ii) the appointment of the auditors of the Company; and (iii) the approval of the Companys Stock Option Plan. A combined annual and special meeting ensures that Tangelo fulfils its regulatory obligations and facilitates cost efficiencies.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Kingsdale Advisors, our proxy solicitation agent, by telephone at 1-866-581-1489 (toll-free in North America), or at 416-867-2272 (collect calls outside of North America) or by email at contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com. If you have any questions about depositing your Shares to the Arrangement including with respect to completing the letter of transmittal, please contact TSX Trust Company, who is acting as depositary under the Arrangement, by telephone at 1-(866)-393-4891, by facsimile at 416-361-0470 or by email at TMXEInvestorServices@tmx.com.

On behalf of the Company, I would like to thank all of our Shareholders for their continuing support.

Yours very truly,

James Lanthier

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Advisors

Tangelo has retained Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP as its legal advisors. Kingsdale Advisors is acting as its Proxy Solicitation Agent.

About Tangelo Games Corp.:

Tangelo Gaming Corp., the parent company of Tangelo Israel and Tangelo Spain, is a developer of social and mobile gaming for desktop, iOS and Android platforms. Tangelo Israel and Tangelo Spain design, develop and distribute their top ranked social casino-themed games within online social networks (such as Facebook) and mobile platforms (such as Android and iPhone). All of the Tangelo Israel and Tangelo Spain games are free to play and generate revenue primarily through the in-game sale of virtual coins.

For further information, please contact:

Spyros P. Karellas

President & CEO

Pinnacle Capital Markets LTD.

Mobile/Office: 416-433-5696

www.pinnaclecapitalmarkets.ca

spyros@pinnaclecapitalmarkets.ca

Skype: spyros.karellas

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements and information include information and statements as to managements expectations with respect to, among other things, the availability of alternatives to the Arrangement, receipt of all approvals, including from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Tangelo shareholders necessary to complete the Arrangement, the timing of the Meeting and the completion of the Arrangement. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as may, will, should, plans, expects, intends, anticipates, believes, budget, and scheduled or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees and there can be no assurance that such statements and information 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 Companys expectations are disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure documents which are filed with Canadian regulators on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including in the circular to be sent to the Tangelo shareholders in advance of the Meeting. Such factors include, amongst others, the receipt of all necessary approvals to complete the Arrangement, the timing of the Meeting, the receipt of any superior proposals, and the completion of all conditions to the Arrangement. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. All written and oral forward-looking statements and information attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.





The Trump administration imposed sanctions Wednesday on three foreign companies it says are helping North Korea with illicit shipments of goods to fund its nuclear program.

The Treasury Department said it was taking action against the companies, which are based in China, Russia and Singapore, as well as the head of the Russian firm. The move blocks any assets that they may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bars Americans from doing business with them.

It comes as the U.S. continues to press for full compliance with international sanctions against North Korea while it continues talks with the North on ending its nuclear program.

Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams to the DPRK, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said, using the initials of North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.

Advertisement

Those targeted are the China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Ltd., along with Russias Profinet Ltd. and its director general. They are accused of helping North Korea evade international sanctions by rerouting exports and imports through Chinese and Russian ports.

Treasury said the Chinese company and its Singaporean affiliate had used false shipping documents to export alcohol and tobacco products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions.

It said the Russian firm and its director, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, provided port services at least six times to North Korean-flagged vessels engaged in sanctions busting oil shipments.

UPDATES:

9:15 a.m.: This article was updated with quotes from Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin

This article was originally published at 8:45 a.m.Faced with opposition from the California Democratic Party and open-government advocates, divided state lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday that would increase the amount of campaign money that can be accepted by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders.

The proposal approved Tuesday by a 3-2 vote of the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee would allow partisan caucuses in the Legislature to accept campaign contributions of $36,000 from individual sources for state races, up from the current limit of $4,400.

The bill would also allow the caucus committees to make unlimited contributions to state candidates and accept unlimited funds for independent expenditures not coordinated with favored candidates.

Assembly Bill 84 would be the biggest rollback of Californias campaign finance law in at least a decade, Nicolas Heidorn of California Common Cause told the panel.

Advertisement

Common Cause is joined in opposing the bill by the California Clean Money Campaign, the California Public Interest Research Group, the League of Women Voters of California, Money Out Voters In and the state Democratic Party.

One party official said the bill was like legislative leaders filing divorce papers from the state party, which has played the leading role in endorsing and funding Democratic candidates in the past.

The measure allows Democratic candidates to sidestep a party process that includes pledges for candidates not to accept campaign contributions from some special interests, including fossil fuel firms and for-profit prison corporations, said Daraka Larimore-Hall, vice chairman of the state Democratic Party.

Theres too much money in politics, he told the committee. This bill is a step backwards. California politics simply does not need more opportunities for big checks to go to campaigns.

Helen Hutchison, the president of the League of Women Voters of California, decried the last-minute push to get approval for a month-old bill with just three weeks left in the session.

A bill amending a law that is designed to prevent corruption, she said, should surely not be crafted in back rooms and passed at the 11th hour without any real opportunity for meaningful public input.

Coverage of California politics 

Assemblyman Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco), who authored the bill, said the current system makes it difficult to determine who is donating to legislative leaders. He added that there are currently no limits on independent expenditure campaigns.

This is an anti-dark-money bill, he said.

His measure was supported by Democratic Sens. Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys and Connie M. Leyva of Chino, and Republican Sen. Joel Anderson of Alpine.

Leyva noted the bill requires monthly campaign finance disclosures by political parties and the proposed caucus committees, adding that it is far more transparent than the current process we have.

The measure was opposed by Democratic Sens. Ben Allen of Santa Monica and Henry Stern of Canoga Park.

Stern, the committee chairman, said the measure could provide more disclosure to counter the independent expenditure campaigns that can raise and spend unlimited funds and are often dominated by interests such as the oil industry. But Stern was concerned about the bill being introduced late in the session without going through the normal legislative process.

l cant [support it] from a process perspective, Stern said. This isnt fully baked in my view.

The measure must still be approved by the full Senate and Assembly by the end of this month.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99San Diego County has agreed to settle two lawsuits by former foster children who allege the county failed to protect them from abuse by a former foster parent, then invaded one of the childrens privacy during resulting litigation, according to papers filed Tuesday in federal court.

The filing notified the court that the parties had reached an agreement for both lawsuits Aug. 9, but it did not disclose the terms of settlement.

Parties submitted the notice Tuesday in the privacy lawsuit, which one of the twin boys  identified as A.G. in court records  filed earlier this month in federal court. The notice called off upcoming filing deadlines in the lawsuit, which claimed the countys civil-defense attorneys violated A.G.s right to privacy by looking at his confidential juvenile case files without judicial authorization.

The notice said the Aug. 9 settlement also resolved a $5-million-plus lawsuit A.G. and his twin brother, M.G., filed in 2016 against the county and 14 social workers, according to court records. The twins sued the defendants for allegedly ignoring or failing to properly investigate more than a dozen reports of suspected child abuse, leaving the brothers at the mercy of their foster father, Michael Jarome Hayes, who sexually abused them for years.

Advertisement

Hayes pleaded guilty in 2014 to sexually molesting A.G., M.G. and another little boy the county had placed in Hayes care. Hayes is serving a 20-year, 8-month prison sentence for his crimes.

County officials did not immediately respond Wednesday to questions about the notice and settlement terms.

The twins attorney, Shawn A. McMillan of San Diego, said he could not disclose details of the settlement because it is not yet final, but his clients were satisfied with the outcome.

Theyre looking forward to moving on with their lives and putting this behind them, McMillan said by phone. They are hopeful this lawsuit and the resolution will change things at the county so other children dont have to have a similar experience. They were failed at every possible point that a government could fail a child.

McMillan said his clients chose to settle the litigation because it can take years to get a civil-rights lawsuit like theirs through trial and appeals.

I hope that the county learns that they need to vet their foster providers quite a bit better, they need to actually listen to the children in their care and they need to follow up with timely appropriate investigation, McMillan said. There are rules and laws in place to protect kids  follow them.

The day after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on the lawsuit in a July 22 article, candidates running for election to the county Board of Supervisors in November called for an internal investigation of the countys foster system.

Former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, who is running to replace departing Supervisor Ron Roberts, released a statement condemning the county governments handling of the plaintiffs foster care case.

Fletcher said county officials owe the public answers as to how their system allowed a sexual predator to serve as a foster parent for seven years and missed repeated reports of his abuse. It is time for a full and transparent investigation into the failures that led to this tragedy followed by concrete actions to ensure accountability and structural changes moving forward.

Later the same day, Fletchers opponent, former District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, released a statement in which she also called for an inquiry.

I have reached out to Supervisor Ron Roberts and have spoken to a representative of the Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council, Dumanis said at the time. I am asking them to conduct an investigation into these allegations, as well as, help identify areas for reform.

On Aug. 10, one day after the parties agreed to the settlement, Roberts and Supervisor Greg Cox issued a news release and a memo calling for a multi-stakeholder advisory council to identify ways to improve the foster care system.

Over the past few weeks, we have been in numerous discussions concerning the recent public interest and inquiries regarding Child Welfare Services, the statement said. As a result of these discussions, we have decided an assessment and subsequent report are timely and appropriate responses.

The supervisors suggested establishing a working group to partner with the Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council to conduct a review of the system and identify areas for improvement by the end of the year.

Cox and Roberts suggested the working group include a former foster child and parent and representatives from entities including county agencies, foster child advocacy groups and the juvenile court.

Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35

morgan.cook@sduniontribune.comSan Diego City Auditor Eduardo Luna tendered his resignation Wednesday, drawing a curtain on an 11-year tenure that began amid financial and political crisis and grew into an oversight and accountability role that was not always welcome at City Hall.

In a two-paragraph letter addressed to Mayor Kevin Faulconer and members of the City Council, Luna said he had accepted a similar position with the city of Beverly Hills and would vacate his current office on Sept. 28.

It was truly an honor and privilege to serve San Diego residents, the letter states. I wish you the best in governing this city and hope you continue to support the Office of the City Auditor in accomplishing its mission.

Luna, 52, arrived at San Diego City Hall early in the administration of former Mayor Jerry Sanders, when the city was grappling with fallout from a pension crisis that nearly bankrupted the city and an ensuing federal investigation into its accounting and disclosure practices.

Advertisement

A key recommendation of outside investigators brought in to review San Diegos books was the establishment of an independent auditor. For years, the city auditor had reported to the mayor or city manager rather than act on his or her own authority.

Luna was given a 10-year term to avoid political influences and retaliation. His term was due to expire later this year.

During his term, Luna and his team examined myriad city offices and practices, releasing finding after finding that exposed serious deficiencies in the bureaucracy but at the same time disclosing those weaknesses as tactfully as possible.

As someone who fought to change the charter to give the auditor true independence, I know firsthand how important it is to have a watchdog that finds ways to make city operations more efficient, Mayor Kevin Faulconer said in a statement released by an aide. I look forward to conducting a national search for this essential position and thank Eduardo Luna for his service to San Diego over the past decade.

Among other problems, Lunas office exposed problems within the Department of Development Services, threats to pedestrian safety and, most recently, improper billing practices within the Water Department. One memorable report found the city was paying for electricity for 3,712 street lights that didnt exist.

Many of his recommendations were implemented, while others were rejected or delayed.

Luna will be serving a similar role in Beverly Hills, where he will audit various city departments independently and report directly to the City Council. He leaves San Diego City Hall on a Friday and starts his new job the following Monday, Oct. 1.

Luna was paid $180,000 base salary in San Diego. His salary in Beverly Hills has not yet been made public.

Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonaldTalk about fowl-mouthed.

A parrot stranded on a London roof did not take kindly to firefighters rescue efforts Monday  in fact, the brazen bird told them to f--k off.

Jessie, a Macaw parrot, had been sitting on a neighbors roof for three days after escaping her home on Cuckoo Hall Lane in London, according to the London Fire Brigade.

Parrot owner: To bond with her say 'I love you'

Firefighter: 'I love you'

Jessie the Parrot: 'I love you'

Jessie then turned the air blue & flipped the firefighter the bird. Read the story of the potty-mouthed parrot in Cuckoo Hall Lane https://t.co/Th2nlVCq7I  @PaulWood1961 pic.twitter.com/XaT9BJjDmW  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 15, 2018

Advertisement

Her owner called firefighters to help get the bird back, as there were fears that Jessie could be injured.

We were told that to bond with the parrot, you have to tell her, I love you, which is exactly what the crew manager did, manager Chris Swallow told the LFB.

Jessie did return the sentiment, saying I love you back  but the potty-mouth parrot didnt stop there.

Jessie the parrot in now home safe & sound with her owner and she had this to say to the firefighters who came to help her in #Edmonton https://t.co/Th2nlVCq7I pic.twitter.com/3ABkzH2nHY  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 14, 2018

We then discovered that she had a bit of a foul mouth and kept swearing, much to our amusement, Swallow said. Jessie also speaks Turkish and Greek, so we tried telling her to come in both those languages, too.

The parrot eventually left on her own accord, and flew first to another roof, and then to a tree.

By Monday, she was safe and sound in her cage, as the Fire Brigade shared a video of Jessie offering them a timid thank you for their rescue attempt.CytoDyn will file an IND, along with a proof-of-concept protocol for colon cancer



PRO 140 shown effective in inhibiting human colon carcinoma growth

VANCOUVER, Washington, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB: CYDY), a biotechnology company developing a novel humanized CCR5 monoclonal antibody for multiple therapeutic indications, announces that PRO 140 (leronlimab) has been shown effective at inhibiting the growth of a human colon carcinoma cell line (SW480) in a prominent mouse model. The results were statistically significant and provide the basis for filing an Investigative New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a clinical trial in colon carcinoma patients.

Two different strains of immunoincompetent mice were used to grow SW480 human tumor cells and different doses of PRO 140 were used in these studies. The SW480 cell line was derived from a patient with colon adenocarcinoma and, like many human cancers, was CCR5-positive. PRO 140 extended the life of treated mice and decreased tumor growth compared to control mice by greater than 50%, which was statistically significant. These results were dose dependent and were repeated in separate experiments. Current ongoing preclinical studies are defining the mechanisms involved in the anti-tumor efficacy of PRO 140.

We have been conducting these preclinical studies over the past year to better document the activity of PRO 140 against CCR5-expressing human tumors, stated Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., CytoDyn President and Chief Executive Officer. We believe that CCR5 is a crucial receptor in the growth and invasiveness of human malignancies, and these studies support that premise. Along with our recent announcement regarding the potential of PRO 140 in metastatic breast cancer, we believe these results in colon cancer further support that PRO 140, if approved, may offer an important potential therapeutic option for patients with breast and colon cancer. We now plan to file an IND within the next few weeks to begin studies of PRO 140 for the treatment of colon carcinoma. We will also continue to explore the biological pathways involving CCR5 to identify other potential therapeutic opportunities for PRO 140.

CytoDyn also noted that upon the closing of its proposed acquisition of ProstaGene, Richard G. Pestell, Ph.D., M.D., Chief Executive Officer of ProstaGene and President of the Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, is expected to be appointed CytoDyns Chief Medical Officer.

We look forward to Dr. Pestell joining our team and leveraging his decades of research with the CCR5 receptor as we further explore opportunities for PRO 140 in cancer, immunology and autoimmune disorders, added Dr. Pourhassan.

About PRO 140

PRO 140 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that blocks CCR5, a cellular receptor that plays multiple roles with implications in HIV infection, tumor metastasis, and immune signaling.

In the setting of HIV/AIDS, PRO 140 belongs to a new class of therapeutics called viral-entry inhibitors; it masks CCR5, thus protecting healthy T cells from viral infection by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype from entering those cells. At the same time, PRO 140 does not appear to interfere with the normal function of CCR5 in mediating immune responses. PRO 140 has been the subject of seven clinical trials, each demonstrating efficacy by significantly reducing or controlling HIV viral load in human test subjects. PRO 140 has been designated a fast track product by the FDA. The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements compared with daily drug therapies currently in use.

In the setting of cancer, research has shown that CCR5 plays a central role in tumor invasion and metastasis and that an increased CCR5 is an indicator of disease status in several cancers. Moreover, researchers have shown that drugs that block CCR5, including PRO 140, can block tumor metastases in laboratory and animal models of aggressive breast and prostate cancer. CytoDyn is conducting additional research with PRO 140 in the cancer setting and plans to initiate Phase 2 human clinical trials when appropriate.

The CCR5 receptor also plays a central role in modulating immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation and it is crucial for the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and other inflammatory conditions. Clinical studies by others have shown that blocking CCR5 using a chemical inhibitor can reduce the clinical impact of acute GvHD without significantly affecting the engraftment of transplanted bone marrow stem cells. CytoDyn is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical study with PRO 140 to further support the concept that the CCR5 receptor on engrafted cells is critical for the development of acute GvHD and that blocking this receptor from recognizing certain immune signaling molecules is a viable approach to mitigating acute GvHD. The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to PRO 140 for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

About CytoDyn

CytoDyn is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection. The Company has one of the leading monoclonal antibodies under development for HIV infection, PRO 140, which has completed Phase 2 clinical trials with demonstrated antiviral activity in humans and is currently in Phase 3 development. PRO 140 blocks the HIV co-receptor CCR5 on T cells, which prevents viral entry. Clinical trial results thus far indicate that PRO 140 does not negatively affect the normal immune functions that are mediated by CCR5. Results from seven Phase 1 and Phase 2 human clinical trials have shown that PRO 140 can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV. A recent Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that PRO 140 can prevent viral escape in patients during several months of interruption from conventional drug therapy. CytoDyn intends to continue to develop PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in persons infected with HIV and to pursue non-HIV, inflammatory indications where CCR5 and its ligand CCL5 may be involved. For more information on the Company, please visit http://www.cytodyn.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, including statements regarding the proposed transaction with ProstaGene, the likelihood of closing the proposed transaction with ProstaGene, the Companys clinical focus, and the Companys current and proposed trials. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as believes, hopes, intends, estimates, expects, projects, plans, anticipates and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Companys forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and actual results could differ materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements. In evaluating all such statements, the Company urges investors to specifically consider the various risk factors identified in the Companys Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018 in the section titled Risk Factors in Part I, Item 1A, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the Companys forward-looking statements.

The Companys forward-looking statements reflect its current views with respect to future events and are based on currently available financial, economic, scientific, and competitive data and information on current business plans. Investors should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to, among other things: (i) the sufficiency of the Companys cash position and the Companys ongoing ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations, (ii) the Companys ability to complete its Phase 2b/3 pivotal combination therapy trial for PRO 140 (CD02) and to meet the FDAs requirements with respect to safety and efficacy to support the filing of a Biologics License Application, (iii) the Companys ability to meet its debt obligations, if any, (iv) the Companys ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion, (v) the Companys ability to achieve approval of a marketable product, (vi) design, implementation and conduct of clinical trials, (vii) the results of the Companys clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, (viii) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved, (ix) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments for infection with HIV that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Companys products, (x) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process, (xi) general economic and business conditions, (xii) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions, and (xiii) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Companys control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties develop, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially and adversely from those anticipated, believed, estimated, or otherwise indicated by the Companys forward-looking statements.

The Company intends that all forward-looking statements made in this press release will be subject to the safe harbor protection of the federal securities laws pursuant to Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to the extent applicable. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update these forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release. Additionally, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update investors upon the occurrence of any unanticipated events which may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

CONTACTS:

Investors:

LHA Investor Relations

Jody Cain

Phone: 310-691-7100

Email: jcain@lhai.comA Philadelphia restaurateur well-known for throwing extravagant parties  including her sons epic $25,000 prom party, which boasted camels, 3 tons of sand and custom clothing  has been charged with Social Security fraud.

Saudia Shuler allegedly collected nearly $37,000 in government benefits by pretending to be disabled and unable to work, according to the U.S. attorney for Eastern Pennsylvania. When the benefits were approved, she continued to operate her restaurant, Country Cookin, but her additional work and income was not reported to Social Security  a violation of program rules.

The 44-year-old mother is facing six counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds, and two counts of Social Security fraud. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 140 years behind bars.

She nabbed national headlines last year for the lavish Dubai-theme prom sendoff she hosted for her son, Johnny Eden Jr. Shuler purchased tons of sand and other wild decor for the block party as well as a custom-made outfits for Eden and his three dates.

Advertisement

Luxury cars, including a Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini, were also on loan for the evening. They called the event Dubai to Philly.

At first I was like, it was too much, I dont really like a lot of attention, Eden told CBS Philly at the time. It was epic, man. I had my family out here. Thats all I really cared about is my family being out here. My mom did her thing. She was the real MVP.

Several months later, Shuler hosted a massive neighborhood Christmas party, which included hundreds of gifts and two reindeer, according to NBC 10.

At the time she said she hosted such events as a way to celebrate her good fortune after dealing with tragedies  including the murder of her sons father  and multiple health scares over the last several years.

I had a stroke. I had seizures. I had cancer, she told the news station. All within the last three years.

Deputy Chief of Health Care Fraud Beth Leahy told ABC that theres evidence the Philly party-thrower has been defrauding the government since 2014.

When asked about the quality of life, she said that she couldnt, rarely cook any meals and that her cousin cooked for her, Leahy said. In reality Ms. Shuler was running a food take-out business for Country Cookin.

Shulers attorney, Tariq El-Shabazz, pushed back against the charges, emphasizing that she has faced a slew of health issues.

Ms. Shuler suffered from a stroke and as a result of that she was in rehab  she was unable to do anything for two-plus years around the same time she was allegedly perpetrating this particular fraud, he said.Seven members of one family, including five children, were tragically killed in a head-on collision on an Oregon highway early Monday.

Erika Boquet and her three kids, and a relative and two other children were traveling from Washington state to Las Vegas when another driver traveling westbound veered into them, according to the Oregon State Police.

All eight people involved in the accident, which took place near Burns, Oregon, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Its a tragedy I wouldnt wish on anyone else, Erika Boquets brother Jesse Tate told the Oregonian newspaper.

Advertisement

Tate told the newspaper that his sister, 11-year-old Isabella, 9-year-old Elisabeth and 6-year-old Tytis had left the Washington city of Lacey early Monday morning. He did not identify the others who were in the vehicle.

The scene of Mondays head-on collision in Oregon. (Oregon State Police)

He said his sister spent a lot of her time helping low-income families while working for a Tacoma-based non-profit group.

She was outgoing, personable, made friends everywhere she went, and her kids took after her, Tate told the Oregonian. They all just cared about everyone around them.

Tate launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs, and to get his loved ones home. He has already raised more than $12,000 in an outpouring of support.

Words can not describe how much Erika, Bella, Elisa and Tytis will be missed, he wrote. Taken from us way to soon. Til we meet again We love you and pray you are in a better place.

State police investigators in Oregon are investigating the crash.The debate over law enforcement officers use of lethal force is often emotional. Officers who believe the current climate has made policing harder say critics seize on a relative handful of cases involving terrible mistakes to create a false narrative about trigger-happy officers. Activists say that police use of force is far more common and deadly than in other Western democracies  and that the gap cant be justified simply by saying far more armed and dangerous people live in the U.S. than live in nations with tough gun laws. That both sides have valid points shows why this is a valuable debate  and one that shouldnt be short-circuited in California by the political influence of law enforcement. But that just might happen Thursday in the Legislature when committees take up two crucial measures.

Assembly Bill 931  authored by Assembly members Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, and Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento  goes before the Senate Appropriations Committee that day. It would mandate that officers can only use deadly force when it is necessary to prevent imminent and serious injury or death. Under present law, officers are allowed to use lethal force when it is reasonable.

UC Berkeley law school dean Erwin Chemerinsky praises the bill in a Los Angeles Times commentary that noted similar reforms in other cities have led to sharp drops in police shootings. But former officer David Blake counters on the PoliceOne website that the bill would lead to more officer deaths in part because it would create inconsistencies in state law on the treatment of uncooperative suspects.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board appreciates Webers efforts but is not yet prepared to back Assembly Bill 931. Still, the bill needs more vetting, not a quick demise. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, should use her clout to make this point clear to Appropriations Chairman Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge.

Advertisement

Also Thursday, Senate Bill 1421 goes before the Assembly Appropriations Committee chaired by Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego. The bill, by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would revise state records laws to allow the public to learn more about serious police misconduct, as well as about officer-involved shootings and other serious uses of force.

Few if any states have higher barriers to the disclosure of officers unprofessional conduct, so that bill deserves support in Sacramento. California Public Radio reported Monday that the California Police Chiefs Association  long firmly opposed to such bills  was interested in a compromise.

Thats good to hear. Skinners measure has the potential to bring transparency to an area of government that desperately needs it. Gonzalez Fletcher should not allow the bill to die in her committee.

If both bills survive the day, San Diegans should be glad their politicians advanced this discussion.

Related: Heres what California can do to stop unnecessary deadly shootings by police

Related: Why lawmakers shouldnt change the standard for police use of force

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & OpinionBalboa Park use should be free for everyone

Re City victorious in suit over Balboa Park makeover (Aug. 13): Since Balboa Park is our crown jewel, and is the most unique city park in the U.S., we the voters should have a say on the backroom private deal of the $80 million Balboa Park makeover that proposes to remove cars from the Plaza de Panama, which have already been removed.

The proposed bypass bridge that was rejected by the majority of citizens attending meetings about this project will bring a ton of traffic into the heart of the park, to an 800-space underground paid parking garage.

In 1871, Balboa Park founders stated, These lands are to be held in trust forever for the purpose of a free public park and for no other purpose. A fee for parking is not a free public park.

Advertisement

Cathy OLeary Carey and John Carey

Rancho Bernardo

Disgraced former Mayor Bob Filner already completed the Plaza de Panama project as he said he would. Where parking spaces were in front of the Museum of Art, there are now picnic tables with colorful umbrellas. Its a lovely space.

The plan the judge OKd is actually about the parking lot behind the Organ Pavilion, which will become a parking garage. There will be years of noisy heavy equipment in the heart of the park, and since the city is involved, you can bet it will be late and over-budget. Good plan.

Kennedy Gammage

Hillcrest

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.A 25-year-old Ramona man suspected of striking and killing a woman with his vehicle in Ramona before fleeing the scene was arrested Tuesday, officials said.

The collision happened about 8:45 p.m. Monday, when an unidentified woman was walking in the traffic lanes of Highland Valley Road west of Handlebar Road, California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Travis Garrow said. At the same time, a 2000 black Lincoln Navigator was eastbound on Highland Valley Road east of Handlebar Road and struck the pedestrian, the CHP report stated.

Officers dispatched to the scene found the body of the woman who was the victim of an apparent hit-and-run. She suffered major injuries and died at the scene, Garrow said.

Several hours later, the Lincoln Navigator was found abandoned in the Albertsons parking lot at 1459 Main St.

Follow-up was conducted and Mr. Juarez was taken into custody shortly after 3 a.m., Garrow said in his report.

Daniel Juarez was booked into San Diego Central Jail and faces charges of felony hit and run, vehicular manslaughter and probation violation. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court in El Cajon at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 16.Del Mars Ship and Win bonus program has brought new trainers to Southern California over the past few years. Some have stayed. Some have never come back.

The Southern California thoroughbred circuit can be a tough nut to crack.

Thats what trainers Jimmy DiVito, Todd Fincher and David Jacobson are finding out this meet. Combined they have started 35 horses with one win, two seconds and four thirds for purse earnings of $97,100.

But that doesnt mean its all bad. Its Del Mar, after all.

Advertisement

The weather is nice, DiVito said via phone from his other barn at Arlington Park in Chicago. This is all new to me. Im happy. I wish the horses were running a little better, but its OK. I ran some horses a little too high up (on the class ladder).

DiVito is very familiar with Southern California racing. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley since his father, Peter, was a trainer for the likes of entertainers Harry James and Betty Grable.

When it came his time to train, DiVito settled in the Midwest. He is 28-3-5-7 with purse earnings of $122,047 at the current Arlington Park meet. He earned $342,528 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., during the winter with a record of 42-5-7-10.

I had some grass horses that I wanted to run at Del Mar, so I made the decision to come out, said DiVito. I always wanted to come out here. Del Mar is like Hawaii to me. The Ship and Win program is very enticing because it helps with expenses so I decided to give it a try.

The turf course is different than Arlington Park because its a lot faster, but they never take a race off the turf because of rain at Del Mar.

DiVito has eight horses at the seaside track and 18 at Arlington. Next year, he would like to expand the operation to 15 horses at Del Mar.

DiVito is looking forward to Sept. 2 when prized 2-year-old Forloveofcountry runs back in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. Forloveofcountry gave him his first local win July 28 in a maiden turf race.

Fincher, who has yet to win here, is a big fish in New Mexico racing.

He had 27 winners and earned $708,350 at Sunland Park this winter/spring and is currently the leading thoroughbred trainer at Ruidoso Downs with 31 wins and earnings of $647,539. His horses have finished in the money 67 percent of the time.

Why Del Mar?

Because its a great place to come, he said from New Mexico before boarding a plane Monday to head to Southern California. I would always vacation here so I decided why not bring some horses.

Fincher has had nine starters at the meet with just one third-place finish and earnings of $8,115.

I havent had the success I wanted, but Ive learned a lot, said Fincher. Im still hoping for success, but Im learning. Ill be better prepared next year and bring better quality horses. Some horses just dont fit here.

Fincher said the decision to come west was his and he had clients buy horses this year at Keeneland.

All my clients love Del Mar, said Fincher, so it gives them an excuse to come out, too.

Fincher has 10 horses at Del Mar and hopes to bring 15 to 20 next year.

Everyone has treated me great, he said. The racing office and other trainers that have helped me out with the rules and watching my horses when Im not here. Everyone has been wonderful.

Fincher thinks hell start four or five more horses at the meet.

I want to get on the board, he said.

Its tough to explain Jacobsons meet because hes one of the top claiming trainers in the country. He has spent the majority of his career on the East Coast, mainly in New York.

Three winters ago, he dipped his toe into the SoCal pool at Santa Anita. He had some success, claimed some horses and took them back to the East Coast.

Jacobson  who did not return messages this week  made a little more permanent Southern California plunge this winter at Santa Anita. He had eight winners at the winter/spring meet and 10 more winners at the spring/summer meet heading into Del Mar.

He decided to make the West Coast his home, giving most of his New York stock to other trainers.

But its been a discouraging start with 17 starters, zero wins, two seconds, two thirds and eight fourth-place finishes with earnings of $41,620.

More numbers

The more things change, the more they stayed the same last week at Del Mar.

Jockeys Flavien Prat, Tyler Baze and Drayden Van Dyke are still atop the riding standings while Peter Miller, Jerry Hollendorfer and Doug ONeill do the same for the trainers. In fact, the three leading trainers all won races on Saturdays program.

But this is Pacific Classic week. Its big money week. Lots of stakes races. Look for jockey Mike Smith to make some noise (although hes riding Saturday at Saratoga) and even Gary Stevens, who seemed to signal the end of vacation time last week. Stevens had eight mounts with three wins, three seconds and a third so he was in the money 83 percent of the time.

Leading rider Prat led all jockeys with six wins on the week, but Baze was close behind with five.

The Miller barn has been hot since the start but doubled the competition last week with six winners, four of them on the grass. He is now 10-for-33 on the turf at the meet.

After a tough start trainer Richard Baltas has heated up, especially on the grass, where he is 5-for-36.

Speaking of the grass, jockeys Joe Talamo (1-33) and Stewart Elliott (1-23) got their first wins on the green stuff, and Kent Desormeaux (2-38) also scored on the wider course.

jeff.nahill@sduniontribune.comRecently enacted National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2019 prohibits the U.S. Department of Defense from acquiring rare earth magnets from China

TMRCs Round Top project potentially supplies all of the U.S. Department of Defense rare earth magnet needs

SIERRA BLANCA, TX, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas Mineral Resources Corp. (OTCQB: TMRC), an exploration company targeting high value tech metals including rare earths and a variety of other high-value elements and industrial minerals, is pleased to announce that our Round Top deposit, located eighty-five miles southeast of El Paso, Texas, contains all of the rare earth minerals necessary for the production of rare earth magnets as defined by the recently signed FY19 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Section 871 of the NDAA, signed into law on August 13th, specifically requires that all rare earth magnets and tungsten be melted or produced in nations other than China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

At full production, the Round Top project would potentially produce annual quantities of the following four rare earth minerals necessary in the production of rare earth magnets:

 Neodymium: 230 metric tons per year

 Praseodymium: 87 metric tons per year

 Dysprosium: 208 metric tons per year

 Terbium: 26 metric tons per year

With China as the worlds largest rare earths producer and U.S. production currently at zero, the defense bill underscores the importance of developing a stable source of domestic rare earth supply, said Anthony Marchese, TMRC Chairman. Rare earth minerals are used in every major U.S. advanced weapons platform, from guidance and control systems and electronic warfare to targeting systems, electric motors and communications, command and control.

Based on a Congressional Research Service report issued in 2011 titled Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress and authored by Valerie Bailey Grasso, it is estimated that Round Top could potentially supply virtually all of the rare earth magnet raw material needs for Department of Defense contractors.

Round Top is a National Instrument (NI) 43-101 compliant, one billion tonne mass of uniquely mineralized rhyolite with an estimated mine life of over 100 years, whose metals could potentially be extracted by low cost heap leaching. Its location near El Paso on state property and existing infrastructure may allow this deposit to be brought into production relatively quickly.

About Texas Mineral Resources Corp.

Texas Mineral Resources Corp.'s primary focus is exploring and, if warranted, developing its Round Top rare earth and industrial minerals project located in Hudspeth County, Texas, 85 miles east of El Paso. The Companys common stock trades on the OTCQB U.S. tier under the symbol TMRC.

Company Contact:

Texas Mineral Resources Corp.

Anthony Marchese, Chairman

E-mail: amarchese@tmrcorp.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements recovery rates of critical materials from the Round Top leach solution being indicative of production potential, potential development and production of critical materials at Round Top, potential production rates and mining costs, potential revenue streams from such production, anticipated production methods and results, anticipated mine life at Round Top, potential production of critical material de-risking project economics, Round Top being a stable, long-term supply of critical materials, projected increased demand in the critical materials market and other similar statements. When used in this press release, the words "potential," "indicate," "expect," "intend," "hopes," "believe," "may," "will," "if, "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the development of the Round Top project, up-scaling of extraction testing, risks related to changes in future operating costs and working capital balance, risks related to mining results not matching preliminary tests and risks related to the ability of TMRC to raise adequate working capital and continue as a going concern, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K, as filed on November 30, 2017, and other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.Expands Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Canopy Growths Global Expansion Plans in Rapidly-Growing Medical and Recreational Cannabis Markets

VICTOR, N.Y. and SMITHS FALLS, Ontario, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, and Canopy Growth Corporation (Canopy Growth) (TSX: WEED, NYSE: CGC), a leading diversified cannabis company (together, the Companies), today announced a significant expansion of their strategic partnership to position Canopy Growth as the global leader in cannabis production, branding, intellectual property and retailing.



Constellation Brands will increase its ownership interest in Canopy Growth by acquiring 104.5 million shares directly from Canopy Growth, thereby achieving approximately 38 percent ownership when assuming exercise of the existing Constellation warrants. Constellation Brands is acquiring the new shares at a price of C$48.60 per share, which is a 37.9 percent premium to Canopys 5-day volume weighted average price of the common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (VWAP), and a 51.2 percent premium to the closing price on August 14, 2018. Constellation will also receive additional warrants of Canopy that, if exercised, would provide for at least an additional $4.5 billion CAD to Canopy Growth.



As a result of the new shares Constellation is acquiring, Canopy Growth will immediately upon closing have proceeds of approximately $5 billion CAD ($4 billion USD) to bolster its leadership position in the global cannabis industry. This investment, the largest to date in the cannabis space, will provide funds which Canopy Growth will deploy to strategically build and/or acquire key assets needed to establish global scale in the nearly 30 countries pursuing a federally permissible medical cannabis program, while also rapidly laying the global foundation needed for new recreational cannabis markets. Canopy Growths Canadian platform does not require additional cannabis cultivation assets, and management views other jurisdictions, including the United States, as strategic priorities requiring significant capital.



Through this investment, we are selecting Canopy Growth as our exclusive global cannabis partner, said Rob Sands, Chief Executive Officer, Constellation Brands. Over the past year, weve come to better understand the cannabis market, the tremendous growth opportunity it presents, and Canopys market-leading capabilities in this space. We look forward to supporting Canopy as they extend their recognized global leadership position in the medical and recreational cannabis space.



Canopy Growth will benefit from Constellations deep understanding of consumer trends and shifting preferences, and proven ability to translate those insights into distinct brand positionings that build strong connections with consumers and foster brand loyalty. Constellations disciplined approach and capabilities in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, finance, large-scale production, marketing and sales as a leading Fortune 500 company, combined with Canopys entrepreneurial approach and best-in-class knowledge and expertise within the emerging cannabis sector create a powerful combination that will ensure Canopy Growth is set up for sustainable, long-term success as the company and sector evolve.



Founded in 2013, Canopy Growth has cemented itself as the industry leader in Canadas legal cannabis market. Through its subsidiaries Tweed and Spectrum Cannabis, Canopy Growth has established a global presence in 11 countries which is driven by product innovation, a robust intellectual property portfolio, and clinical research programs targeting both human and animal health. In Canada, Canopy Growth has established sophisticated operations to support recreational sales by raising capital and making the strategic investments required to maintain and accelerate its market leadership position at a critical time in the companys evolution. Substantial capital is required to fully capitalize on Canopy Growths market-leading position in Canada and establish similar leading positions in markets around the globe.



Our business can now make the strategic investments required to accelerate our market position globally, said Bruce Linton, Chairman and Co-CEO, Canopy Growth. Constellations concentration of global cannabis activities exclusively through Canopy, coupled with the investment and its expert capabilities in brand-building, marketing, consumer insights and M&A will be a huge benefit as we look to expand our portfolio in Canada, the United States and emerging cannabis markets around the globe. We view this investment in our business as an endorsement of our execution since forming our initial strategic relationship in October 2017.



As part of the proposed transaction, Constellation will nominate four directors to Canopy Growths seven-member Board of Directors, Chaired by Founder Bruce Linton. Canopy Growth will remain a proudly Canadian publicly-traded company headquartered in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada and will continue to be led by its existing management team, who will continue to manage all international cannabis operations.



As part of its investment, Constellation is receiving 139.7 million new warrants which are exercisable over the next 3 years. Of those, 88.5 million are exercisable at a price per share of C$50.40, a 43.0 percent premium to Canopys VWAP, and 51.3 million are exercisable at the VWAP at the time of exercise. If Constellation were to exercise all existing and new warrants, its ownership would exceed 50 percent.



Canopy Growths future plans include pursuing various product formats in all cannabis channels. Both companies have no plans to sell cannabis products in any market unless it is permissible to do so at all applicable government levels. Canopy Growth remains committed to not entering the U.S. market in any manner that would contravene U.S. federal laws.



Constellation expects to account for its investment under the equity accounting method. As such, the transaction is expected to be accretive to the companys full year diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2021. In addition, Constellation Brands remains committed to its investment grade rating and therefore, has no plans to engage in mergers, acquisitions or share repurchase activity until the company returns to its 3.5x leverage target, which is expected to occur within 18-24 months of deal closing.



The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including Canopy shareholder approval and applicable Canadian government and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of October 2018. Goldman Sachs advised Constellation Brands and Bank of America Merrill Lynch is providing committed financing for this transaction. Greenhill & Co. Canada Ltd. acted as exclusive financial advisor to Canopy Growth. Kingsdale Advisors is acting as strategic shareholder communications advisor and proxy solicitation agent to Canopy Growth.



Canopy Growth shareholders should contact Kingsdale Advisors at 1-877-657-5857. Or collect outside North America at 1-416-867-2272, or by email at contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com .



Canopy Growth Chairman and Co-CEO Bruce Linton and Constellation Brands CEO Rob Sands will provide further commentary on this expanded partnership at the beginning of Canopy Growths earnings call to be held today at 8am Eastern Time.

Webcast Information:

A live audio webcast will be available at:

https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1800764/F7B6A3CFF26AED5C28B555A658CF1105

Calling Information:

Toll Free Dial-In Number: 1-888-231-8191

International Dial-In Number: (647) 427-7450

Conference ID: 4984819

Replay Information:

A replay of the call will be accessible by telephone until 11:59 PM ET on November 13, 2018.

Toll Free Dial-in Number: 1-855-859-2056

Replay Password: 4984819

About Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a Fortune 500 company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, Italy and Canada. Constellation is the No. 3 beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported brands such as Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra and Pacifico. The companys beer portfolio also includes Ballast Point, one of the most awarded craft brewers in the U.S., and Funky Buddha Brewery. In addition, Constellation is the world leader in premium wine, selling great brands that people love, including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Mark West, Black Box, Ruffino and The Prisoner. The companys premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey.



Based in Victor, N.Y., the company believes that industry leadership involves a commitment to brand building, our trade partners, the environment, our investors and to consumers around the world who choose our products when celebrating big moments or enjoying quiet ones. Founded in 1945, Constellation has grown to become a significant player in the beverage alcohol industry with more than 100 brands in its portfolio; about 40 wineries, breweries and distilleries; and approximately 10,000 talented employees. We express our company vision: to elevate life with every glass raised. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @cbrands and visit www.cbrands.com.

About Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) is a world-leading diversified cannabis company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and capsule forms. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Canopy Growth operates numerous state-of-the-art production facilities with over half a million square feet of GMP-certified indoor and greenhouse production capacity, all to an unparalleled level of quality assurance procedures and testing. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names in Canada and abroad, with interests and operations spanning four continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, providing consistent access to high quality cannabis products, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words expect, intend and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements may relate to business strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management, as well as information concerning expected actions of third parties. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur or will occur on the timetable contemplated hereby. Examples of such statements include but are not limited to the timing and completion of the proposed transaction, shareholder approval, and applicable government and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction, anticipated use of proceeds, exercise by Constellation Brands of any warrants, expected accounting method, future expansion efforts, the leadership of Canopy Growth in the cannabis industry, the impact of the transaction on Canopy Growths market position, the composition of Canopy Growths management team, the location of Canopy Growths headquarters, future operational and production capacity and requirements, the impact of any enhanced infrastructure and production capabilities, future success and anticipated available product selection. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and neither Constellation Brands nor Canopy Growth undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to risks and uncertainties associated with ordinary business operations, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including completion of the announced transaction; the accuracy of all projections; the exact elements of Constellation Brands permanent financing will depend upon market conditions; Constellations ability to achieve expected and target debt leverage ratios and the timeframe in which the debt leverage ratio will be achieved will depend upon actual financial performance; circumstances may warrant that Canopy Growth use the proceeds from the transaction for different purposes than stated above; the expected benefits of the transaction may not materialize in the manner or timeframe expected, or at all; and other factors and uncertainties disclosed from time-to-time in Constellation Brands, Inc.s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2018 or in Canopy Growths filings with the Canadian Securities Administration or with the United States Securities Exchange Commission, including its annual information form dated June 28, 2018, which could cause actual future performance to differ from current expectations.

CONTACTS :

Michael McGrew, Constellation Brands, Media (773) 251-4934

Patty Yahn-Urlaub, Constellation Brands, Investor Relations (585) 678-7483

Jordan Sinclair, Canopy Growth, Media (613) 769-4196

Tyler Burns, Canopy Growth, Investor Relations (855) 558-9333 ext. 122



Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/15/2018 -- The report "GMO Testing Market by Trait (Stacked, Herbicide Tolerance, Insect Resistance), Technology (Polymerase Chain Reaction, Immunoassay), Crop Tested, Processed Food Tested, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022", The GMO testing market is estimated to be valued at USD 1.58 Billion in 2017. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2017 to 2022, to reach 2.34 Billion by 2022. The base year considered for the study is 2016, and the forecast years are from 2017 to 2022. The market is driven by factors such as evolution in farming technologies, diverse genetically modified processed food production, labeling mandates in several countries, and proper nutrient sufficiency.



Browse 75 market data tables and 50 figures spread through 179 pages and in-depth TOC on "GMO Testing Market - Global Forecast to 2022"



Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.



Download PDF Brochure



"Stacked trait segment projected to be the fastest-growing market during the period 20172022"



Stacked traits are a combination of more than one transgene in a single crop. Bio-fortified crops which are modified for the production of high nutritional content, HT with IR and disease-resistant traits are popular examples of stacked traits. The increased investments and growth in the R&D activities are responsible for the growth of this market.



"Soy, corn, and bakery & confectionery products are largely tested for GMOs in the food safety testing market"



Among the crops and processed foods tested for GMO, crops accounted for the largest market share in 2016, dominated by corn and soy. The bakery & confectionery items are largely tested for GMO testing, which include baking flours, breads, cakes, muffins, and other confectionery & baked goods. The market in breakfast cereals & snacks among processed foods is projected to grow at the highest CAGR due to the presence of a large amount of cereal grains and corn flakes. Food additives such as lecithin, vitamin E (tocopherol), and proteins from genetically modified soybean are also largely tested for GMOs.



Make an Inquiry



"North America and Europe to dominate the GMO testing market in 2017"



The European region is the largest market for GMO testing in 2016. Countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and other EU countries are major importers of soy, corn, canola, and other crops and processed foods. The countries in the EU are stringent in GMO regulations, which in turn results in vigorous testing of GMO for safety. North America is the major exporter of soy, corn & canola to the world which requires the conduction of tests for GMO labeling according to the importing country mandates. Brazil and Argentina are also the active countries for genetically modified food testing for safety. Asia-Pacific countries are at the growth stage in this market. China is the major country followed by Japan, Korea, and Rest of Asia-Pacific.



This report includes a study of marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolios of leading companies. It includes the profiles of leading companies such Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), SGS S.A. (Switzerland), Bureau Veritas SA (France), Intertek Group Plc. (U.K.), Eurofins Scientific SE (Luxembourg), TUV SUD AG (Germany), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), ALS Limited (Australia), Merieux NutriSciences Corporation (U.S.), AsureQuality (New Zealand), Romer Labs Diagnostic GmbH (Austria), and Microbac Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.).



In terms of insights, this research report has focused on various levels of analyses industry analysis, market share analysis of top players, and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss the basic views on the competitive landscape, emerging & high-growth segments of the global genetically modified food safety testing market, high-growth regions, countries, and their respective regulatory policies, government initiatives, drivers, restraints, and opportunities.



About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.



Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



Contact:

Mr. Shelly Singh

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA : 1-888-600-6441

sales@marketsandmarkets.comA team of researchers from the Australian National University and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has solved the mystery underlying Jupiters colored bands in a study on the interaction between atmospheres and magnetic fields.

Jupiter is the Solar Systems largest planet. Unlike Earth, Jupiter has no solid surface  it is a gaseous planet, consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium.

So-called zonal flows (also known as zonal jets) flow west to east in Jupiters atmosphere that are, in a way, similar to Earths jet streams.

Clouds of ammonia in the Jovian outer atmosphere are carried along by these flows to form Jupiters colored bands, which are shades white, red, orange, brown and yellow.

Previous work performed simulations that showed a magnetic field suppressed zonal flows.

The new study, published in the Astrophysical Journal (arXiv.org preprint), provides a mechanism explaining that suppression.

It shows that with magnetic fields present, even a weak shear flow causes subtle but coherent correlations in the magnetic fluctuations that oppose zonal flows.

Because magnetic fields are prevalent in the Universe, this theory could be important for understanding dynamics at the solar tachocline where a strong magnetic field exists, and also potentially applicable to zonal flows deep in the interior of Jupiter, Saturn and other gas giants, said study co-author Dr. Jeff Parker, a physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Zonal flows act as a barrier and dont allow for fluid from the two sides to exchange properties (such as heat or carbon). Thus, they have a large impact on the Earths weather because they separate cold and warm air. But just how deep do these zonal jets dive in Jupiter?

The zonal flows have an indirect effect on the gravitational field of Jupiter. With detailed measurements of the gravitational field, we can infer how deep the zonal flows are, said co-author Dr. Navid Constantinou, a postdoctoral researcher in the Research School of Earth Sciences at the Australian National University.

NASAs Juno spacecraft is in orbit around Jupiter doing precisely these sorts of measurements.

Preliminary evidence shows that jet streams reach as deep as 1,900 miles (3,000 km) below Jupiters clouds. This is still shallow when compared to the radius of the gas giant (approximately 43,500 miles, or 70,000 km).

It has been a long-standing question about how deep zonal flows penetrate into the interior of Jupiter and other gas giants, Dr. Parker said.

Some have argued they exist only on the surface, and others thought they should persist deep into the planet.

Only in the last year are we are starting to get answers to these questions, thanks to Juno. Its an exciting time.

Since magnetic fields prevail within Jupiters interior, our research could shed light on why the jets dont go any deeper.

_____

Navid C. Constantinou & Jeffrey B. Parker. 2018. Magnetic Suppression of Zonal Flows on a Beta Plane. ApJ 863, 46; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/aace53We're sorry, you encountered a page that doesn't exist.TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the Company or TGOD) (TSX: TGOD) (US: TGODF) reported its financial and operational results for the second quarter of fiscal 2018, ended June 30th, 2018. These filings are available for review on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com .



Highlights

The Company:

continued to make strong progress on the construction of its facilities in Ancaster, Ontario and Valleyfield, Quebec, spending a total of $20,734,000 on those initiatives

received organic certification from ECOCERT Canada

successfully completed the record breaking Initial Public Offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, raising gross proceeds of $132,264,000

expanded its shareholder base from 4,000 to over 20,000

announced a strategic partnership agreement with Epican Medicinals Limited, a vertically integrated Jamaican cannabis company

completed a letter of intent with Denmarks Queen Genetics/Knud Jepsen A/S, which, if completed will increase TGODs total organic-funded capacity to 195,000 kgs

announced several strategic licensing agreements with top US brands including Stillwater Brands, Evolabs, and CBx Sciences

completed a $25,024,000 bought deal financing which closed on June 26th, 2018

The overall construction in Ancaster, Ontario and Valleyfield, Quebec remains on schedule with cultivation expected to commence in the first half of 2019. The Company maintained a strong balance sheet with cash and cash equivalents of $261,816,000 and continues to execute on managements vision of becoming the largest organic cannabis brand in the world.

TGOD is moving forward at a rapid pace on its aggressive, de-risked business plan and continues to significantly expand all aspects of its business. Cash used in operating activities equated to $7,196,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2018. This spend included strategic initiatives in consumer market research, marketing and brand building in anticipation of the Companys launch into the recreational market. TGOD has also committed to investing in research and development initiatives which are expected to bring new technologies to commercialization. The Company has prioritized hiring highly skilled and experienced staff while investing in infrastructure to rapidly scale its business.

As TGOD prepares for the launch of its high quality, consumer-preferred premium organic brand, the Company will continue to focus on R&D to develop innovative cannabis consumer products for both the medical and recreational markets. The Companys patient database continues to experience significant month over month growth as TGODs brand of organically-certified cannabis continues to gain increased recognition. The back-office ecommerce network agreement with Shopify has been consummated, and TGOD continues to develop a robust ecommerce platform to support domestic and international expansion.

We are pleased with the accomplishments we have made in such a short period of time. We have invested heavily in building the foundation to drive our Company forward at an unparalleled pace, said Brian Athaide, TGODs CEO. Construction is on schedule across all jurisdictions and we continue to aggressively build our medical and adult-use brand. TGOD is investing heavily in consumer research, R&D and simultaneously building both the capability and systems needed to rapidly scale as we prepare for the adult-use market, continued Athaide.

The announcement of the partnership with Jamaica is just the beginning for our international expansion plans, said Csaba Reider, the Companys President. TGODs business plan calls for operations in 12 countries on three continents by the end of 2018 with a focus on Europe and Latin America. We continue to make strategic additions across all divisions of the Company to execute on our expansion plans, continued Reider.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

ABOUT THE GREEN ORGANIC DUTCHMAN HOLDINGS LTD.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. is a research & development company licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to cultivate medical cannabis. The Company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis from its facilities in Ancaster, Ont., pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations.



The Company grows high quality, organic cannabis with sustainable, all-natural principles. TGOD's products are laboratory tested to ensure patients have access to a standardized, safe and consistent product. TGOD has a funded capacity of 170,000 kg and is building 1,382,000 sq. ft. of cultivation facilities in Ontario, Quebec and Jamaica.



The Company has developed a strategic partnership with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB) whereby Aurora has invested approximately C$78.1 million for an approximate 17.5% stake in TGOD. In addition, the Company has raised approximately C$350 million and has over 20,000 shareholders.



TGODs Common Shares and warrants issued under the indenture dated November 1, 2017 trade on the TSX under the symbol "TGOD" and TGOD.WT, respectively.



CONTACT INFORMATION

Investor Relations

Email: invest@tgod.ca

Phone: 1 (416) 900-7621

www.tgod.ca

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities law (forward-looking statements). Forward looking statements in this release includes statements about the future legalization of recreational cannabis and cannabis-infused products in Canada, statements about future research, development and innovation by the Company, statements about the offering of any particular products by the Company and statements regarding the future performance of the Company. 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 Company 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.

Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of Toronto Stock Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spine Injury Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB:SPIN), announces financial results for Q2, 2018.



Financial Highlights  three month period ended June 30, 2018

Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 increased 42% to $604,709, as compared to $426,064 during the same period the prior year.

Gross Profit increased 39% to $397,101, as compared to $285,481 during the same period the prior year.

Net income was $22,619, as compared to a loss of $155,529 during the same period the prior year.

Financial Highlights  six month period ended June 30, 2018

Revenues for the six-months ended June 30, 2018 increased 34% to $1,239,135, as compared to $927,227 during the same period the prior year.

Gross profit increased 33% to $837,882, as compared to $629,840 during the same period the prior year.

Net income was $112,924, as compared to a loss of $204,918 during the same period the prior year.

Earnings per share totaled $.01 compared to $(.01) during the same period the prior year.

Dr. William Donovan, Chairman/CEO, commented: The first half of this year has provided us with reaching milestones and exceeding expectations that we are very proud of and feel will be the driving force for continued growth and expansion. Through June 30th our collections exceeded $20 million which is a result of our decision to expand our core business model of funding spinal injury medical procedures through our own affiliates. From an internal perspective, we considered 2018 a year of opportunity for us, especially considering the hurricane that hit and devastated Texas in 2017. The results from the first half of 2018 included top line growth, strong gross profit, and net income. Providing these results to our shareholders and business partners is something the entire team at Spine Injury Solutions, Quad Video Halo and I are very proud of.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three month period ended June 30, 2018 with the three month period ended June 30, 2017.

We recorded $1,054,065 in gross revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2018, offset by $449,356 of the expected settlement discount resulting in net revenue of $604,709. For the same period in 2017, gross revenue was $730,894, offset by $304,830 of expected settlement discount, resulting in net revenue of $426,064. Revenue was positively affected by the increased case volume of the New Mexico affiliate who started operations in 2018. For the three months ended June 30, 2018, we worked with four spine injury diagnostic centers: Houston, Texas; Tyler, Texas; Odessa, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Service cost was $207,608 for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $140,583 for the same period in 2017. The increase in service cost is attributable to the higher case volume in Las Cruces.

During the three months ended June 30, 2018, we incurred $358,619 of operating, general and administrative expenses compared to $417,467 for the same period in 2017. Operating, general and administrative expenses were lower for the 2018 quarter compared to 2017 due to lower bad debt costs of $30,000, coupled with lower payroll costs of $17,000, legal costs of $4,000 and $12,203 fewer research and development costs.

As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of $22,619 for the three months ended June 30, 2018, compared to a net loss of $155,529 for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Comparison of the six month period ended June 30, 2018 with the six month period ended June 30, 2017.

We recorded $2,112,188 in gross revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2018, offset by $873,053 of the expected settlement discount resulting in net revenue of $1,239,135. For the same period in 2017, gross revenue was $1,562,124, offset by $634,897 of the settlement discount, resulting in net revenue of $927,227. Revenue was positively affected by the increased case volume of the Las Cruses, New Mexico affiliate who started operations in 2018.

Service cost was $401,253 for the six months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $297,387 for the same period in 2017. The increase in service cost is attributable to the higher case volume in the startup of the Las Cruces affiliate.

During the six months ended June 30, 2018, we incurred $695,818 of operating, general and administrative expenses compared with the $799,495 for the same period in 2017. The decrease is attributable to decreases in consulting expenses of approximately $25,000 coupled with decreases of noncash consulting of approximately $5,000, payroll expenses of $36,000, bad debt expense $20,000, $12,203 fewer research and development expenses and website planning expenses of approximately $8,000.

As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of $112,924 for the six months ended June 30, 2018, compared to a net loss of $204,918 for the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, cash used in operations was $28,187 which primarily included increases in accounts receivable of $244,195 and increases in prepaid expenses of $21,300, inventory of $15,782, related party payables of $760 and decreases in accounts payable of $31,109. For the same period in 2017 cash used in operations was $196,584 which primarily included increases in accounts receivable of $105,149 and increases in prepaid expenses of $18,500, related party payables of $35,877 and accounts payable of $30,019. We used no cash in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017.

Cash used in financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 consisted of repayments on our notes payable in the amount of $35,000 and $50,000, respectively, and net draws (repayments) on our line of credit of $50,000 and 75,000, respectively.

Conclusion

Dr. Donovan concluded, The first six months of 2018 is a base from which we can expand various programs to affiliated groups. In addition to expanding the Quad Video Halo technology, we anticipate a significant increase in the amount of diagnostic testing for Post-Concussion Syndrome. The key is to be able to objectively document changes in the brain and vestibular system. Our affiliated doctors are eager to provide the appropriate testing for the Post-Concussion Syndrome.

Conference Call Details

Conference Call: An investor's conference call with management will be held today, Wednesday, August 15, at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).



Conference Dial-in Number: 1 (631) 992-3221

Participant Access Code: 641-464-182

Click or paste the link below in your browser for registration and web access to the presentation and follow the online instructions:

Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3620751556426971906

Webinar ID: 318-219-563

Access to the Call: To use the internet link, you must register prior to access. It is suggested you complete the registration and get your log-in information in advance of the start of the presentation. You can register at any time. Questions can be typed into an online chat screen at any time during the presentation or Q & A period.

The Q & A will be moderated, but without an operator, and will be open to all questions after the formal presentations.

Conference Play Back: A video replay of the conference call presentation will be available at the company website: http://www.SpineInjurySolutions.com .

About Spine Injury Solutions, Inc:

We are a medical services and technology company facilitating diagnostic services for patients who have sustained spine injuries resulting from traumatic accidents. We deliver turnkey solutions to spine surgeons, orthopedic surgeons DOs and other healthcare providers that provide necessary and appropriate treatment of musculo-skeletal spine injuries resulting from automobile and work-related accidents. Our management and funding services help reduce the financial burden on healthcare providers that provide patients with early-stage diagnostic testing and non-invasive surgical care, preventing many patients from being unnecessarily delayed or inhibited from obtaining needed treatment.

Additional information about the company, along with a video replay of most recent Investor Conference Call can be found at its website at www.spineinjurysolutions.com .

About Quad Video HALO, Inc.:

A wholly owned subsidiary of Spine Injury Solutions, Inc. Quad Video HALO, Inc. brings surgeons and interventional pain doctors the technology to provide Transparency of their surgical procedures. The Quad Video Technology V3.0 and HALO Rx creates a digital turnkey video and audio documentation solutions that integrates multiple views from other OR/treatment imagining sources with several other viewpoints just outside the sterile field.

Additional information about QVH, can be found at its website at www.QuadVideoHalo.com .

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release includes forward-looking statements as determined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the company believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to acquire and develop specific projects, the ability to fund operations, healthcare services demands, changes in healthcare practices, government regulation, and other factors over which the company has little or no control. The company does not intend (and is not obligated) to update publicly any forward-looking statements. The contents of this press release should be considered in conjunction with the warnings and cautionary statements contained in the company's recent filings with the SEC.Revenue Increases 63.4% to $86.4 Million (Y-O-Y pro forma), Adjusted EBITDA of $7.6 Million



Company Reiterates 2018 Guidance

NAPLES, Fla., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTE Networks, Inc. (NYSE American: FTNW) ("FTE" or the "Company"), a leading provider of innovative technology-oriented solutions for smart platforms, network infrastructure and intelligent buildings, announced today its financial results for the three-month period ended June 30, 2018.

Quarterly and year to date operational and financial highlights provide confidence that the backlog and visibility into a growing pipeline of opportunities are continuing to support the Company's full year guidance. The company's cash flow from operations continues to strengthen, enabling it to continue to invest in its technology segment.

Operational Highlights

Announced new infrastructure and technology expansion projects valued at approximately $240.5 million year-to-date, as of June 30, 2018, in the month of July the Company added $61.4 million.

Achieved a combined backlog of approximately $322 million as of June 30, 2018.

Backlog as of July 31, 2018 is $396 million. The Company continues to add new contracts awards to the backlog month over month.

Achieved positive cash flow from operations (CFO) during the second quarter of $2.7 million due to better management of working capital.

Announced that one of the largest global commercial real estate firms has named CrossLayer as a key technology service provider to bring advanced network solutions to hundreds of commercial buildings across the United States.

As a result of the above strategic partnership, as well as others, the Companys technology segment continues to experience a large and growing pipeline.

The Companys infrastructure segment was awarded a contract expanding its Inside Plant (ISP) line of business footprint in five markets. FTE was awarded the contract by a Fortune 100 global telecommunications company due to FTE's consistent high-quality work performance.

Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter of 2018

Total revenue of $86.4 million, up 63.4%, compared to pro forma total revenue of $52.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, as the Benchmark acquisition was not finalized until April 21, 2017.

Gross margin was 16.2%, compared to 16.3% on a pro forma basis in the second quarter of 2017.

Cash Flow from Operations (CFO) was a positive $2.7 million during the quarter, improving from a negative $1.3 million in the first quarter of this year

Adjusted EBITDA of $7.6 million, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.8%, compared to pro forma Adjusted EBITDA of $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Adjusted EPS of ($0.22) per share. This compares to a pro forma adjusted EPS of ($0.04) per share in the second quarter of 2017.

Reiterating Financial Guidance for 2018

Based on results year to date, the Company is reiterating its previously issued financial guidance for 2018. Expectations remain as follows:

Net revenue of $350 million

Adjusted EBITDA of $30 million

Buildings on-net, 30

Management Commentary

Our second quarter was highlighted by excellent execution overall, as we again experienced strong year-over-year revenue growth on a pro forma basis and posted positive cash flow from operations, noted Michael Palleschi, President and Chief Executive Officer of FTE. Due to the strength of our infrastructure segment, led by Benchmark, we were able to simultaneously invest in the technology segment and comfortably service our debt. The infrastructure segment also plays an important role as it enables us to market the CrossLayer solution to a large and established client base.

Palleschi also stated, The technology segment, led by our CrossLayer solution, continued to gain momentum as the market realizes that this technology enables clients to share in the success of an owned or managed commercial building. It helps create additional revenue opportunities that were previously lost via a carrier-grade in-building technology solution. Although the actual revenue impact in the 2nd quarter may have been inconsequential in relation to the contribution made by the infrastructure segment, business is progressing well, and we should begin to experience accelerating growth throughout the 2nd half of the year. We believe the Company will enjoy increasing operating margins as revenue ramps up in the technology segment.

We are reiterating our revenue, adjusted EBITDA and buildings on net goals for 2018 and remain confident that our backlog and visibility into a growing pipeline of opportunities will facilitate the above results. The entire team is excited about the long-term opportunity and focused on creating shareholder value.

Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Total revenue for the second quarter of 2018 was $86.4 million. For the six months ending June 30th, 2018, total revenue was $171.5 million.

Consolidated gross margin was 16.2%, compared to pro forma gross margin of 16.3% for the second quarter 2017.

Operating expenses for the second quarter 2018 were $13.6 million, compared to pro forma operating expenses of $10.6 million in the second quarter of 2017. The increase in operating expenses is primarily attributable to continued investment and growth in technology segment leading to higher compensation and S,G &A expenses.

Operating Income was approximately $0.3 million in second quarter of 2018, which included approximately $2.4 million in one-time expenses, compared to the prior-year quarter pro forma Operating Income of $1.3 million, which included approximately $1.8 million in one-time expenses.

Other expense for the second quarter of 2018 totaled $14.0 million, compared to $2.7 million on a pro forma basis in the second quarter of 2017. The increase is primarily attributable to one-time costs such as the amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discounts, as well as other financing costs.

On a GAAP-basis, net loss was approximately $13.5 million, or $2.25 per share, for the three-months ended June 30, 2018, compared to a loss of $5.1 million, or $0.98 per share, for the period ending June 30, 2017.

On a non-GAAP basis, net income was approximately $(1.6) million, or $0.22 per share, for the three-months ended June 30, 2018 (see reconciliation table below) compared to a gain of $0.1 million or $0.04 per share during the same period in 2017.

Adjusted EBITDA was $7.6 million for the three-months ended June 30, 2018.*

As of June 30, 2018, combined backlog totaled approximately $322.0 million.

As of June 30, 2018, FTE had $12.9 million in cash and working capital of negative $34.7 million.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

As previously announced, Michael Palleschi, Chief Executive Officer, and David Lethem, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call to review the Companys second quarter 2018 results, followed by a brief question and answer period. Please submit questions prior to the call to Ted Haberfield by email at thaberfield@mzgroup.us before 1:30pm ET.

The dial-in information for the conference call is as follows:

Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2018 Time: 4:30 p.m. EDT U.S. Toll-Free dial-in number: 1-877-407-9716 International dial-in number: 1-201-493-6779

The conference call will also be available via live audio webcast, which can be accessed through the events section of the Investor Relations section of the Companys website at https://ir.ftenet.com/news-events or at http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=130868. Please allow extra time prior to the call to Auvisit the site and download any necessary software to listen to the live broadcast.

Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download any necessary software to listen to the live broadcast.

For interested individuals unable to join the conference call, a replay of the call will be available through September 5, 2018, at 1-844-512-2921 (U.S. Toll Free) or 1-412-317-6671 (International). Participants must use the following code to access the replay of the call: 13682232.

About FTE Networks, Inc.

FTE Networks, Inc. ("FTNW"), FTE Networks, Inc. ("FTNW") is a leading provider of innovation technology. We enable adaptive and efficient smart network connectivity platforms, infrastructure and buildings. FTE provides end-to-end design, build, and support solutions for state-of-the-art networks, data centers, residential and commercial properties. We create transformative smart platforms and buildings. FTE's services are predicated on smart design and consistent standards that reduce deployment costs and accelerate delivery of leading edge projects and services. The Company works with Fortune 100/500 companies, including some of the world's leading Telecommunications and IT Services Providers as well as REITs and Media Providers.

(*) Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

The Company's financial results and financial guidance are provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and using certain non-GAAP financial measures. Management believes that presentation of operating results using non-GAAP financial measures provides useful supplemental information to investors and facilitates the analysis of the Company's core operating results and comparison of core operating results across reporting periods. Management also uses non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision making, planning and forecasting purposes and to manage the Company's business. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures enable investors to evaluate our operating results and future prospects in the same manner as management. The non-GAAP financial measures do not replace the presentation of GAAP financial results and should only be used as a supplement to and not as a substitute for the Company's financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. There are limitations inherent in non-GAAP financial measures because they exclude charges and credits that are required to be included in a GAAP presentation, and do not therefore present the full measure of the Company's recorded costs against its net revenue. In addition, the Company's definition of the non-GAAP financial measures below may differ from non-GAAP measures used by other companies.

Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures:

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

"Adjusted EBITDA" is defined by FTE Networks as net income from continuing operations before: (i) interest expense, (ii) tax expense, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) non-cash, stock-based compensation expense, and if applicable in a reporting period (v) acquisition related transaction expenses (vi) non-cash impairments of intangible assets (vii) debt financing costs (viii) and other significant non-recurring or non-operating (income) or expenses.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA (Unaudited, in thousands) For the Three Months ended June 30 2018

2017

Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) $ (13,558,014 ) $ (5,092,607 ) Adjustments to Net Income (Loss): Interest expense 2,889,156 1,793,257 Income tax expense (benefit) (107,677 ) 121,024 Amortization 10,586,638 3,400,199 Depreciation 176,204 241,394 Financing costs 6,214,050 Acquisition related costs 32,673 1,408,976 EBITDA 6,233,030 1,872,243 Further Adjustments to EBITDA: Non-cash stock based expense 1,334,830 459,872 Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) $ 7,567,860 $ 2,332,115





Non-GAAP Adjusted Diluted EPS

"Adjusted Diluted EPS" is defined by FTE Networks as Adjusted Net Income divided by Adjusted Diluted Shares outstanding. Adjusted Diluted Shares outstanding is the sum of Diluted shares outstanding and the weighted average number of common shares that would be outstanding if the preferred stock were converted into common stock on the original issue date based on the number of days such common shares would have been outstanding in the reporting period. In addition, if GAAP Net Income is negative and Adjusted Net Income is positive, Adjusted Diluted Shares will also include any warrants that would be outstanding as dilutive instruments using the treasury stock method.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income Available to Common Stockholders to Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income and GAAP Earnings

per Share to Non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings per Share (Unaudited, in thousands) For the Three Months ended June 30, 2018

2017

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (GAAP) $ (13,577,905 ) $ (5,112,498 ) Adjustments to Net Income (Loss): Amortization 10,586,638 3,400,199 Deemed dividends on preferred stock 19,891 19,891 Non-cash stock based expenses 1,334,830 459,872 Acquisition related costs 32,673 1,408,976 Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) $ (1,603,873 ) $ 176,440 Net income (loss) per common share (GAAP) Diluted EPS $ (1.83 ) $ (1.02 ) Adjustments to diluted loss per share: Amortization of intangibles 1.43 0.68 Non-cash stock based compensation expenses 0.18 0.09 Acquisition related costs 0.00 0.28 Deemed dividends on preferred stock 0.00 0.00 Impact of including warrants in Adj. Diluted Shares 0.00 0 Adjusted Diluted EPS (non-GAAP) (0.22 ) 0.04 Weighted average shares used in computation of adjusted diluted earnings per share: Diluted Common Shares (GAAP) 7,401,658 4,989,451 Warrants not included in GAAP Diluted Shares (using treasury stock method) - - Weighted Avg. Preferred Shares (as converted) - - Adjusted Diluted Shares outstanding (non-GAAP) 7,401,658 4,989,451

Basis for Non-GAAP Adjustments

FTE Networks basis for excluding certain expenses (income) from GAAP financial measures, are outlined below:

Amortization of intangible assets  The intangible assets that give rise to this amortization expense relate to acquisitions, and the amounts allocated to such intangible assets and the terms of amortization vary by acquisition and type of asset. FTE Networks excludes these items to provide a consistent basis for comparing operating results across reporting periods, pre and post-acquisition.



Stock-based compensation expenses  As incentive for both employees and certain non-employees, from time to time shares of the Companys common stock are issued by the Board of Directors. Without adjusting for these non-cash expenses, the Company believes it would be difficult to compare financial results from core operations across reporting periods on a consistent basis.



Deemed dividends on preferred stock  GAAP accounting for the structure of the Series A and Series A-1 Preferred Stock requires the Company to accrue a set dividend rate quarterly. Since such dividends are not paid in cash, the Company believes these non-cash expenses are not meaningful in evaluating the operating performance of the Company and it would be misleading to not adjust for such expenses across reporting periods.

Forward-Looking Statements



This release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: believe, should, anticipate, enables,, expectations, excited,opportunity, confident, goal, gain, momentum, and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release may include, without limitation, statements, approximations, and forecasts FTE makes regarding previously issued financial guidance for 2018; the Companys future revenue and operating performance and growth expectations for its infrastructure and technology segments; market demand for the FTEs services; and other matters that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause FTEs results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from results expressed or implied by this release.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on FTEs current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of its business, future plans and strategies, projections, approximations, anticipated events and market trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of FTEs control, such as changing market conditions for FTEs services and the risk that FTE fails to capitalize on its strategic initiatives. These risk factors and others are included from time to time in documents FTE files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, its Form 10-K's, Form 10-Q's and Form 8-K's. FTEs actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by FTE in this release is based only on information currently available to it and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. FTE undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contact:

Ted Haberfield

MZ Group North America

President

Phone: 760-755-2716

Email: thaberfield@mzgroup.us

Web: www.mzgroup.usThe Bohai Rim region saw throughput rise 21.5% to 1.69m teu from 1.39m teu in the previous corresponding quarter. This was largely driven by a good gains at the Dalian Container Terminal, where volumes rose by half to 870,500 teu.

The other two key regions in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta saw declines or flat growth. Volumes at the former fell 2.5% to 1.64m teu while at the Pearl River Delta, which remains the biggest throughput contributor by proportion, volumes barely changed, falling 0.8% to 2.47m teu from 2.49m teu. The Hong Kong terminals within the cluster put in the worst performance, falling 16.6% to 259,900 teu.

Among the other regions, it was left to the newer ports in the southeast coast and southwest coast to bump up the overall figures, where the former saw throughput rising 8.0% to 468,700 teu and Guangxi Qinzhou International Container Terminal, the sole terminal on the southwest coast, had a steady 5.4% rise in volumes to 118,700 teu.

Meanwhile volume growth at Cosco Shipping Ports overseas terminals continues to roar along, leaping 42% to 1.20m teu.Together with its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm ICTSI Foundation, the company donated 150 student desks, six teacher desks and 300 chairs for elementary school students, made possible through a memorandum of agreement with the Baruni Community Development Association (Bacoda). The ICTSI Foundation is also giving technical and logistics support for the implementation of various high-impact programmes and projects in PNG.

The government-run primary school, built during the colonial period, serves the communities of Baruni, Tatana, Kanudi and Koukou, as well as Roku further west of Motukea Island. Baruni Primary School is no exception from the many other schools in the less developed country in dire need of schooling materials and facilities, with students forced to sit on the floor in dusty conditions.

More than helping improve the ports infrastructure in countries where we operate, ICTSI continues to touch on providing greater opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable sectors in the society, children in particular. Our support to the Baruni primary school, a vital facility within the immediate hinterlands of our Motukea concession, marks our continuing emphasis on education as a powerful agent in shaping the course of the community and the country, says Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI global corporate and Asia Pacific head.

Edward Muttiah, ICTSI South Pacific ceo, said that the company is delighted to be an active on-ground partner of the Baruni community in advancing their wellbeing and long-term interest.

We are going to be around for the next 25 years, Muttiah told teachers, students and parents of the Baruni school during the turn-over of new equipment in early August. Yet, we have stepped up to play our part in supporting the communities within which we operate.

He added: We are your partners for the long term. This presentation is just a token of what we wish to bring to the communities. We are indeed privileged and humbled to be your partners.

The ICTSI PNG chief likewise encouraged students to take their education seriously and chase their ambitions.

I want you to live your dream. Maybe you want to be prime minister, or a governor, a doctor, a lawyer or a pilot! You can become whatever you want if you work hard towards it. Let nothing be a barrier. But let a good education be your foundation, Muttiah said.

Opao Udia, chairman of the Motu-Koitabu Assembly noted that the Baruni community has not received any tangible help for many years.

This school, which was built during the colonial era, has produced many of the countrys brightest minds but still remains the same in its deteriorating state, he said.

We would like to acknowledge ICTSI, who incidentally joined the community in May this year, for helping us and are already providing.

Iduhu Erue Igo, Bacoda chairman likewise appealed to the students and teachers to bring value and lift the image of the school using the new furniture.

Igo added that they will continue to work hand-in-hand with ICTSI to bring meaningful change to the community.

Fully committed in advancing the interests of port stakeholders in Papua New Guinea, ICTSI has other plans currently in the pipeline to support Motukeas sustainable development, including a water supply project for the Baruni community.The move, which builds on the successful implementation of MFMS in the two Asian shipping hubs, meets the needs of customers for quicker, more efficient and more transparent bunkering without compromising on safety. The ARA implementation cements ExxonMobils leading position in the use of MFMS for all residual and distillate types of marine fuels.

Depending on stem size, bunkering with an MFMS can help reduce delivery time by up to three hours, compared with conventional tank dipping. As with the previous introductions, the ARA MFMS is calibrated in line with both OIML R 117 and ISO 17025 standards, ensuring accuracy to within +/- 0.5%.

Read More: HK gets second mass flow meter-equipped bunker vessel

We are delighted to announce that were the first to offer this system, for our ECA-compliant fuel, continuing to drive innovation through the automation of the measurement of fuel deliveries and providing peace of mind to our customers said Luca Volta, ExxonMobils Marine Fuels venture manager.

Customers bunkering ExxonMobil Premium HDME 50 in ARA now benefit from faster turnaround times, greater transparency, traceability and security thanks to our independently accredited MFMS, said Armelle Breneol, ExxonMobils Marine Fuels technical advisor.Canbev Positioned as an Early Mover in the Canadian Cannabis Beverage Market

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V:WMD) (OTC:WDDMF) (FSE:4WE) (WeedMD) and Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE:VIDA) (OTC.PHVAF) ("Phivida") are pleased to announce the signing of a final definitive joint venture agreement (Agreement) to develop and operate Cannabis Beverages Inc. (CanBev) at WeedMDs state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Strathroy, Ontario.

As an early mover in the cannabis-infused beverage market, CanBev is positioning itself to capture significant market share in Canadas highly-anticipated consumable cannabis market. According to Consumer Health Products Canada, the CBD-infused products market is worth $5.6 billion in Canada alone. The joint venture will be focused on product development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of cannabis-infused beverages for Canada and export to licensed international markets. Click here for an introductory video on the CanBev joint venture project.

Under the terms of the Agreement, both companies will be strategic partners in the development of CanBev. WeedMD will act as the exclusive supplier of cannabinoid extracts for use in innovative cannabis infused consumer products to be made at the CanBev facility. In doing so, WeedMD will designate manufacturing space at its 610,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art licensed cultivation and processing facility located in Strathroy, Ontario.

In addition to supplying CanBev with premium, high-quality cannabis, WeedMD will assist CanBev with obtaining all necessary federal licenses and permits and has also agreed to provide all current and future genetics.

We are thrilled to begin the development of this joint venture. With the launch of CanBev, WeedMD will be one of the first to introduce an innovative and popular consumption method with our cannabis-infused beverages  adding a new brand category for the medical and adult-use markets, said Keith Merker, CEO of WeedMD. WeedMD is proud to collaborate with Phivida on this joint venture and to work alongside a world-class management team that includes former senior executives from beverage and other industry leaders who worked for Red Bull, Seagrams, Proctor and Gamble, and McKesson. Leveraging proven success, we will be well-positioned to execute on our growth plans for infused beverages.

Phivida will be sublicensing its current and future trademarks, intellectual property, branding and packaging to CanBev. Phivida has also agreed to lead new product innovation, research and development, formulation, packaging and branding for CanBev.

The Phivida team is excited to contribute our management, expertise and product knowledge to the CanBev joint venture, said Jim Bailey, CEO and President of Phivida. WeedMD is an ideal partner for Phivida and we are thrilled to bring our cannabinoid-infused beverages and brands back home to Canada. WeedMD provides CanBev with solid infrastructure, strong management, world-class genetics and proven success in the Canadian healthcare market. We are very proud to partner with best in class among the Canadian licensed producers.

Transaction Summary

The joint venture will be structured as a jointly-owned company with a dedicated board of directors and operational management team. Phivida and WeedMD will retain 50% each of the Class A shares. The shares issued will correspond to CanBevs appointment of nominees to a Board of Directors to be made up of five individuals, two nominated by Phivida, two by WeedMD, and one independent director. Phivida and WeedMD have agreed to fund capital requirements of CanBev equally, and on a pro-rata basis, from their respective treasuries, beginning with initial shareholder advances of $375,000 each.

Cannabis Beverages Inc.

Cannabis Beverages Inc. (or CanBev) plans to manufacture, market, and distribute cannabinoid infused products for use initially into the medical market as well as for the recreational Canadian markets, and then for use internationally, where such products are permitted. CanBev cannabis-infused products are expected to be available in retail locations and online throughout Canada in late 2019, or upon the implementation of government legislation on consumables. CanBev has plans to build and operate a federally approved cannabis-infused beverage production facility to be located on the WeedMD 610,000 sq. ft. expansion property located in Strathroy, Ontario. CanBev has no plans to sell any cannabis-infused products in the U.S. or any other market unless or until it is legally permissible to do so at all government levels.

Phivida Holdings Inc.

Phivida ["fiii-vee-daa"] infuses CBD derived from Hemp into functional foods, beverages and health products. Phivida uses encapsulated cannabinoids from hemp oil into water soluble form, enhancing bioavailability, and timed released within the body. Phivida's CBD beverages, foods and supplements contain a proprietary blend of phytonutraceuticals studied to target a range of health conditions, from chronic pain, treatment of stress and anxiety to reducing inflammation in the body. The World Anti-Doping Association's recently lifted a ban of CBD from hemp oil and the World Health Organization's recent statement supports clinical benefits of CBD for athletes and active families. Celebrating; Health and Wellness, In Harmony, Phivida's vision is to lead the market as the benchmark quality standard in premium CBD infused foods, beverages and clinical products, with a dedication to research, education and investing back into the communities we serve. Phivida is a publicly traded company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol "VIDA" and the OTCQX Market as PHVAF. Join our social media network @Phivida.

Phivida Holdings Inc.

Jim Bailey, Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +1 (844) 744-6646 (ext. #2)

Email: IR@phivida.com

To learn more, visit us at www.phivida.com

Follow Phivida Holdings Inc. at

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phivida/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phivida/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Phivida

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phivida/?hl=en



About WeedMD Inc.:

WeedMD Inc. is the publicly-traded parent company of WeedMD Rx Inc., a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis and oils under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The Company operates a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ontario, and a second cultivation site at its greenhouse facility located in Strathroy, Ontario, representing 610,000 sq. ft. or 14 acres under glass. WeedMD has entered into supply agreements in addition to strategic relationships with established cannabis brands. The Company is focused on providing medical cannabis to the seniors markets in Canada through its proprietary seniors care program. It is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners and furthering public understanding of the role that medical cannabis plays  including as it pertains to regulatory requirements, indications and potential side effects.

For more information, access our investor presentation here and corporate video here.

Follow WeedMD On:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weedmd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/5020743/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeedMD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weedmd/

For further information, please contact:

WeedMD Inc.

Keith Merker, Chief Executive Officer

Tel: 519-765-2440 Ext. 222

Email: investor@weedmd.com

To learn more, visit us at www.weedmd.com

For Media Inquiries:

Marianella delaBarrera

Margin Communications & Public Relations

Tel: 416-897-6644

Email: marianella@marginpr.com

Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Phivida and WeedMD to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our expectations with respect to: the timing and outcome of the CanBev joint venture; the anticipated benefits of the CanBev joint venture to the parties; impact of the CanBev joint venture and anticipated growth for the parties; and the anticipated timing of availability of applicable legislation in Canada. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. In respect of the forward-looking statements and information concerning the anticipated benefits of the CanBev joint venture and the anticipated timing of availability of applicable legislation in Canada, Phivida and WeedMD have provided such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions that they believe are reasonable at this time, including assumptions as to the necessary regulatory approvals and other expectations and assumptions concerning the CanBev joint venture.

Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on other factors that could affect the operations or financial results of the parties are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Phivida and WeedMD do not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.

None of the TSX Venture Exchange or the Canadian Securities Exchange and their Regulation Services Providers accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Press Release

August 15, 2018 De Lima condemns brutal killing of ex-OFW, urges Senate to re-open probe on EJKs Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called for a reopening of the Senate probe into the continued extrajudicial killings of suspected drug offenders following the recent brutal killing of a retired overseas Filipino worker (OFW) while in police custody. De Lima, a known human rights defender, said the Senate leadership should consider re-opening its investigation into the drug-related killings which continues to rise with impunity and with no indication that it will end anytime soon. "Nakarating sa akin na itinutulak na sa plenaryo ng Senado ang kontrobersyal na Gordon Report mula sa Committee on Justice and Human Rights ukol sa unang bugso ng patayan noong 2016, na nagsabing hindi raw state-sponsored ang mga patayan at wala raw kinalaman si Duterte sa mga ito," she said in her latest Dispatch from Crame No. 361. "Hinihikayat ko ang mga kasama kong Senador na himayin ang Gordon Report at ikonsidera ang mga obserbasyon sa aking Dissenting Report noong Disyembre 2016," she added. Recall that it was De Lima who initiated an inquiry into the spate of EJKs by filing Resolution No. 9 and presided over the first few hearings therein of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights until she was ousted as its Chairperson. Based on news reports, the retired OFW from Saudi Arabia, identified as Allan Rafael, died while in police custody after being detained for "breach of peace" and alleged possession of illegal drugs. Rafael retired from work due to his cancer treatment. Allan was reportedly driving along Quiapo where he was arrested at a checkpoint. The police officers purportedly stole the latter's watch and forced him to withdraw cash from the bank before taking him to the Barbosa Police Community Precinct last Aug. 2. While police claimed that Rafael died due to difficulty in breathing, his family, however, believes he was beaten to death. De Lima said Rafael may be its newest victim, but his story is eerily similar to those killed under the government's bloody war on drugs whose narratives include "napagkamalan, nataniman ng pekeng ebidensya, napagdiskitahan." "Ilan pa bang gaya ni Allan ang pahihirapan at papatayin bago tuluyang matauhan ang administrasyong ito sa kabaliwan ng kanilang peke at palpak na gyera kontra droga?" she asked, "There seems to be no end to these senseless and brutal killings, especially given Duterte's SONA pronouncement that his drug war would be relentless and chilling. Kung galing mismo ang deklarasyon at utos mula sa pinakamataas, paanong hindi susunod ang mga abusadong tauhan sa ibaba?" she added. De Lima has branded the Duterte administration's anti-drug policy as a dismal failure in stopping criminal syndicates from carrying their nefarious activities but instead led to the thousands of killings of individuals, including children and students. Even in detention, De Lima remains the staunchest critic of the government's all-out war on drugs despite deliberate efforts to harass and silence her from speaking out against the rampant human rights violations in the country.Press Release

August 15, 2018 Senate leaders call for suspension of driver-only ban in EDSA Senate leaders on Wednesday assailed the driver-only ban scheme in EDSA, strongly urging Metro Manila authorities to immediately recall and suspend its implementation. Senate Resolution No. 845 authored by Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon along with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, and Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri, said the controversial scheme, which will ban driver-only cars along EDSA during peak hours, was set in place without public consultation and due process. The resolution strongly urges the Metro Manila Council and the Metropolitan Manila Development authority to conduct public consultations, further study the 'driver-only' ban, and provide for real solutions to Metro Manila traffic congestions." "The implementation of a regulation that would allegedly affect seventy percent (70%) of the motor vehicles plying and enjoying the use of the Philippines' major thoroughfare without holding a prior public consultation or hearing is violative of the due process of laws enshrined and protected under the Constitution," the resolution states. The Metro Manila Council had issued MMDA Resolution No. 18-005 - which designated all lanes of EDSA as High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes where single-occupant vehicles are banned "without public consultation and hearing." The resolution pointed out that the driver-only ban of the MMDA would effectively deprive thousands of people of the use of the country's major thoroughfare since it would be in effect during the working and commuting hours of the week. It added that experts and citizens alike protest, criticize and doubt the success of HOV regulations in easing traffic congestion "in the absence of safe and reliable alternative means of transportation, and lack of uncongested vehicular road routes." "Transportation experts, including University of the Philippines Planning and Development Research Foundation Primitivo Cal, warned that such "piecemeal" or "band-aid" measure could even worsen traffic congestion as it could encourage the proliferation of unauthorized "for-hire" vehicles or colorum, as shown by the recently scrapped Indonesian model," according to the resolution. The resolution also noted that in Indonesia, along with US and Canada where HOV lanes have been implemented, the scheme has been criticized as "ineffective and counterproductive in addressing traffic congestion." It was reported that Indonesia has already recalled its HOV policy. It added that other jurisdictions provide for incentives for HOVs instead of imposing a total ban for driver-only vehicles. "Transportation research shows that a HOV regulation, whose main objective is to encourage carpooling, will not eliminate congestion as it is proven that it is not always be more effective than general purpose lanes," it says.Press Release

August 15, 2018 Hontiveros seeks tougher penalties against hospitals that detain patients and the deceased To put a stop to the practice of detaining patients and the deceased who fail to settle their hospital bills, hospital administrators may soon face a fine of P 1 million and imprisonment of up to six years if Senate Bill No. 1937 is approved. The measure, authored by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros, seeks to strengthen Republic Act No. 9439 or the Anti-Hospital Detention Law and to provide full protection to patients or the loved ones of the deceased by making it unlawful for hospitals, clinics and other similar facilities to detain partially or fully-recovered patients due to the inability to pay their medical bills. Same will be held true for the bodies of deceased loved ones. Hontiveros, who is Vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Health, said that she filed the bill as a response to numerous reports of patients and cadavers not being discharged by hospitals because of their inability to fully or partially pay for their medical expenses. "Hospitals are not prisons" "Ang mga hospital ay lugar ng gamutan, hindi kulungan. Hospitals should be places where people suffering from various ailments find ample medical treatment and care in the hands of doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Hospitals must not be seen as prisons depriving patients of their liberty in the event that they have difficulty settling their medical bills," Hontiveros said. In the measure, a promissory note and a guarantee letter from the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) or the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) can be presented in lieu of a mortgage or guarantee by a co-maker. The measure also provides that if the patient is or the deceased loved one was an indigent, a guarantee letter from the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) will suffice. "The Strengthened Anti-Hospital Detention Bill offers additional mechanisms and support for patients to guarantee their obligations to health providers", said Hontiveros. "This proposal will also increase fines penalties for abusive hospitals, clinics and similar facilities and expands coverage to patients admitted in private rooms," she added. Anti-Hospital Detention Fund Hontiveros said that an Anti-Hospital Detention Fund to support poor and indigent patients will also be established once the bill is approved into law. She said that the fund is a mechanism for the government to help poor and indigent patients trapped by medical expenses. An initial P 1 million will be given to the health department to partly cover unpaid promissory notes issued by poor and indigent patients. Hontiveros also warned that under her measure, abusive hospitals, clinics and administrators may get their license to operate revoked for repeated violations. "While I believe that the majority of our hospitals are committed to maintaining their ethical responsibilities to the public, we must not relent against the abusive. I believe that there is a way to balance patient rights and the right to be compensated in business. However, in the final analysis, healthcare is first and foremost a social service. The Filipino people's health is our top priority," she ended.Press Release

August 15, 2018 Senate urges recall, suspension of driver-only ban in EDSA In a bipartisan move, the Senate adopted today a resolution urging the recall and suspension of the implementation of the "driver-only" ban in Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). Senators voted unanimously to adopt proposed Senate Resolution No. 845, introduced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. Upon motion by Zubiri, all senators present during the session were made co-authors of the resolution. The resolution "strongly urged" the Metro Manila Council and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) "to conduct public consultations and further study the 'driver-only' ban, and provide for real solutions to Metro Manila traffic congestions." "The implementation of a regulation that would allegedly affect 70 percent of the motor vehicles plying and enjoying the use of the Philippines' major thoroughfare without holding a prior public consultation or hearing is violative of the due process of laws enshrined and protected under the Constitution," the resolution said. The resolution said that when the Metro Manila Council issued MMDA Resolution No. 18-005, which designated all lanes of EDSA as 'High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes' and imposed the driver-only ban, the body had done so "without public consultation and hearing." It added that before the ban, the Metro Manila Council had also issued MMDA Regulation No. 17-400, which designated the lanes closest to the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 as HOV lanes. The previous MMDA regulation was also made without public consultation, and had a dry run "with an alleged but unknown success." Drilon, who sponsored the measure, said the regulation on banning vehicles "should have undergone a more extensive consultation." "This regulation would discriminate against those who cannot afford to hire drivers. That is the single biggest argument against this. It unduly favors those who have the resources to hire drivers, and effectively exempts them from the ban," he said. The resolution noted that the driver-only ban of the MMDA would "effectively deprive thousands of people of the use of the country's major thoroughfare." "Experts and citizens alike protest, criticize and doubt the success of HOV regulations in easing traffic congestion in the absence of safe and reliable alternative means of transportation, and lack of uncongested vehicular road routes," the resolution said. The resolution cited transportation experts such as University of the Philippines Planning and Development Research Foundation's Primitivo Cal, who warned that such a 'piecemeal' or 'band-aid' measure could worsen traffic congestion by encouraging the proliferation of unauthorized "for-hire" vehicles. Transportation research also showed that HOV regulations, whose main objective was to encourage carpooling, "would not eliminate congestion as it was proven that it was not always more effective than general purpose lanes," the resolution said. The resolution said that in countries like the Indonesia, US and Canada where HOV lanes had been implemented, the regulation had been criticized as "ineffective and counterproductive," while other jurisdictions instead offer incentives for HOVs rather than ban them. (JDC)Press Release

August 15, 2018 Villar holds hearing on bill increasing farmer representation in PCA Board Sen. Cynthia Villar today presided over the hearing on the accompanying bill of the measure creating the coconut levy trust fund which will strengthen and reconstitute the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Board. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, authored Senate Bill 1913 or the Reconstituted PCA Board Law. This repeals Presidential Decree 1468 otherwise known as the Revised Coconut Industry Code of 1978 and puts six representatives from the coconut farmer sector in the 11-member PCA Board. "With this bill, we are already fulfilling a requirement of the coco levy bill which puts the management of the P105-billion Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund under a reconstituted PCA Board," Villar said. Villar also expressed confidence that this bill will be easily passed by the Senate when session resumes next month. A counterpart measure, House Bill 8079, was also filed in the House of Representatives. Under the bill, the corporate powers and duties of PCA shall be vested in and exercised by a board of 11 members as follows: a. Four representatives of the government, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture as Chairperson; the Secretary of the Department of Finance as the Vice Chairperson; and as members, the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Mangement, and the Administrator of the PCA who will be appointed by the President; b. One representative from the coconut industry; and c. Six representatives from the coconut farmers sector, divided into two representatives each for the island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as members. The farmer representatives must be Filipino citizens, registered with the Coconut Farmers Registry, have considerable experience and reputable track record in promoting coconut farmer's interest and welfare, and nominated by coconut farmers organizations or cooperatives that are active for the past three years in the farmers organizations and development or community enterprise development. "This bill seeks to introduce an increased representation of coconut farmers in the reconstituted PCA Board that will ensure the protection of farmers' interest in the agency's decision-making process," Villar said. Last month, the bicameral conference committee approved the reconciled version of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act. The bill puts the responsibility to manage and safeguard the coconut levy funds for the benefit of 3.5 million coconut farmers to a reconstituted PCA Board. "Mas maganda and reconstituted PCA para isang overhead na lang. Kasi mahirap iyong maraming committee, maraming gastos. So sini-simplify namin iyong management, para less ang operation cost at mas maraming pera ang mapupunta for the benefit of the coconut farmers," Villar said. Instead of putting a fixed term on the life of the fund, both panels agreed to allow the existence of the fund until it runs out. The panel also set P5 billion as the amount to be spent from the coco levy fund yearly. This is on top of the automatic appropriation of no less than P10 billion to the annual budget of the PCA which will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act. The P5 billion fund will be spent for the following programs: shared facilities, 30%; scholarship program, 15%; empowerment of coconut farmer organization and their cooperatives, 15%; farm improvement to encourage self-sufficiency, 30%; and health and medical benefits, 10%. The P10 billion allocated by the national government will be spent for the development of the coconut industry. This will be earmarked for the following programs: infrastructure, 20%; planting, replanting and establishment of nurseries, 20%; intercropping, 10%; shared facilities, 20%; research and development, disease control, treatment and eradication, 10%; fertilization, 5%; new products and derivatives of cococut oil products, 5%; and credit through LandBank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines, 10%.Press Release

August 15, 2018 Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar on weather-based crop insurance, rice tariffication Q: On free index-based insurance Villar: Iyong sa aming free index-based insurance, part of the source of premium that we will subsidize will come from the disaster fund. Instead of giving them disaster fund, we will provide them free insurance. Q: Wala na iyong disaster fund? Villar: Hindi naman. Kasi iyong disaster fund, it's for everybody. We are talking only of farmers so whatever na ia-allocate. Kaya gusto nga namin malaman kung ano ang budget needed or subsidy needed so we can see if we can get a portion of that from the disaster fund. Aral pa ito. Q: Matagal pa? Villar: Hindi naman. Kaya lang, this is the first time we are going to do this in the Philippines. Other countries have done this so I guess we have to do this also just like them. And it will take time so we are studying kung anong premium na sisingilin and how much of the premium we have to subsidize. Kasi ngayon, sinasabi nila meron silang ini-insure pero medyo hindi okay ang figure, parang mali. Q: So nakikita nyo po parang this is the best solution at least to help our farmers? Villar: Yes. And we have to study everything that can help them. We should not close our mind on anything. They are doing this in India, in Mexico, in Spain, and in other countries. We have to look and study how we can do it well in the Philippines. Q: Do you have a timetable for this? Villar: This year, before this Congress ends. But I don't think we should pass a law just for the sake of passing a law. We should pass a good law. Kaya if our knowledge is not good enough, we have to study more. Q: Based sa mga narinig ninyo kanina, ano ang mga challenges at mechanisms na kailangan talagang pag-aralan? Villar: First of course, if the government will give us a budget for this. And then another would be to educate the farmers about this insurance. That is very necessary also. And then, if we can get the cooperation of the private sector because right now it's being done by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, which is a government entity. Ako gusto kong papasukin ang private sector so it will be bigger in scope and if they compete, they will be better. Q: Pero ang issue kung mabibigyan ng budget? Villar: If we legislate it, and I think it's reasonable, then we legislate and we ask government to put a budget. Kasi kapag nilegislate mo na, they have no choice but to put a budget. Q: Sa 2019 pa po ito? Villar: Oo, kung mapasa namin ngayong 2018. Kasi ayoko namang ipasa kung pangit iyong law. Kasi kailangan well-studied din para naman successful tayo. Q: On P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Villar: P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund every year until such time na iyong tariff on rice would come. Kasi syempre sasabihin nila ita-tariffy nila ang rice, kung walang tariff na ibigay sa amin, paano iyon? Kawawa ang rice farmer. Q: How different are the versions of the Senate and the House on rice tariffication? Villar: Mas simple yata ang sa kanila. Kasi ako pagpasa ko ng rice tariffication, kasama iyong Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund at nakalagay doon magkano ibibigay ng national government. In fact, I've cleared it with them that I will put it in the bill. Kasi I will not agree na mag-liberalize ang importation na walang tulong sa farmer kasi talo talaga tayo. Talo tayo ng Vietnam at Thailand in terms of competitiveness. So we have to help our farmers be competitive as soon as possible. That's why we need the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Q: How confident are you na ang version ninyo ang papasa? Villar: Of course, bicameral tayo kapag hindi ako nag-agree, walang law. At saka na-clear ko na ito sa Department of Finance that that will be the content of the law. Kasi sinasabi sa akin na ipasa ko. Ipapasa ko if you give me the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund and you implement the National Single Window system para siguradong mata-tariffy ang rice, iko-computerize. Kasi ngayon ang daming rice smuggling. Q: Can you comment on other proposals on tariff on meat and fish? Villar: Hindi na yata nila itutuloy. Kasi alam mo iyong meat, I don't know the fish, parang itutuloy nila iyon bumababa ang production natin ng fish. But the meat, ano pa ita-tariffy when we studied the meat, there are two layers of tariffication, 35% for good meat, 5% for ofal. Lumipat naman lahat sa ofal, 5% na lang ano pa tatanggalin mo? So what's to change? Pareho na rin iyon halos wala.SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mid-Atlantic business owners joined Assurance Monday, Aug. 6, at its new office location in Arlington, Va., to celebrate the independent insurance brokerages official move into the region. Assurance brings with it a passion for minimizing risk and maximizing health in the workplace. The insurance brokerage  one of the largest and most awarded in the U.S.  has a goal to cultivate safer and healthier workplaces that support employee health and happiness.



During the celebration, Senior Vice President Scott Lockman welcomed Assurance partners and invited them to explore how Assurance can help them minimize risk and create healthier workplaces. Lockmans comments were followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Arlington, Va. Chamber of Commerce. The company plans to grow organically in the area, adding up to 30 new jobs in the next few years and offering an opportunity to work at an awarded Best Place to Work.

Minimizing risk and maximizing health is not only a priority for our clients, but for us internally as an organization, said Tony Chimino, CEO of Assurance. Our strong focus on safety, health and wellness has been recognized across the country, and we look forward to bringing that culture to the Mid-Atlantic region.

In the Mid-Atlantic, Assurance will work closely with new and current clients in a variety of industries, including construction, senior living services and government contracting, to develop risk management solutions that protect client assets, and benefit and wellness strategies that engage and retain employees. Assurances new office location is at 3101 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, VA.

From our current locations in Chicago and Schaumburg, Ill., Assurance has built a solid reputation across the country as the premiere brokerage for businesses looking to offer more than just insurance solutions to their employees, said Chimino. Assurances solutions go beyond separate health and business insurance policies to create all-encompassing strategies that keep employees happy and boost bottom lines. Assurance has a lot of great clients and connections with business owners in the Mid-Atlantic region already, and we are looking forward to establishing a physical presence here with the new office.

With over 100 Best Place to Work and client service awards, Assurance is recognized as a business insurance and benefits innovator. The organization has established a strong track record for creating engaging, consumer-driven programs that maximize participants health and improve bottom line. The brokerage and its more than 500 employees work with 6,000 businesses and individuals to offer business insurance, employee benefits, financial services, surety and private insurance. The brand practices what it preaches, having built an internal wellness program that achieves more than 98 percent employee participation, and maintaining an above-average employee retention rate.

For more information about Assurance, visit www.assuranceagency.com.

About Assurance

Assurance is among the largest and most awarded independent insurance brokerages in the U.S. A Top 50 broker and repeated national Best Place to Work winner, Assurance creates value by minimizing risk and maximizing health for 6,000 businesses and individuals across the country. Visit Assurance at www.assuranceagency.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a821d125-a786-4f56-b088-cb84024aa7d6In all, more than 300 priests were singled out  though some names remain redacted amid legal wrangling over the fairness of the investigation and the public report. Dozens of church superiors  including some now in prominent posts nationally  were also named as complicit.



"All of [the victims] were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institutions above all," the report says. "Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible not only did nothing: They hid it all."



The abuse "was rampant and widespread," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference in the state Capitol. "It touched every diocese, and it is horrifying."

Pope Francis "has struggled to get a grip on the scandal that has gravely weakened the Catholic church's moral authority. Despite calling for 'decisive action' when he was elected as pontiff in 2013, he has failed to turn that into a reality." No kidding. https://t.co/1wTAi4Qbgb  Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) August 15, 2018

[Content Note: Sex abuse by clergy; descriptions of assault and grooming.]Yesterday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro held a press conference at which he discussed the release of a 1,356-page grand jury report "alleging decades of sexual abuse and cover-ups by Roman Catholic officials across the state." The document "is the culmination of the Pa. Attorney General Office's investigation into seven decades of allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, and Scranton. The two other Pennsylvanian Catholic dioceses of Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown were also investigated in recent years."Video of the entire press conference is below. (I haven't yet been able to locate a complete transcript.) It is incredibly difficult viewing, as Shapiro details some of the abuses, which are nearly unfathomable in scope, and some of the mechanisms by which the subsequent cover-up was orchestrated.The abuse Shapiro describes is so brazen. It is abuse committed by bold abusers who knew they would be protected, and that their victims would not.Shapiro notes that the grand jury report is the "largest, most comprehensive report into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church ever produced in the United States," and further that the victims of this vast conspiracy were let down both by the church and by law enforcement  a truth made evident by the fact that some of these allegations date backThat they have been failed so hard and so long by the people meant to protect them makes Shapiro's determination to stop this malice, and hold people accountable for it, all the more moving.There is excellent coverage at thefor anyone who would like to read more (please note that there are descriptions of assaults at the links):Jeremy Roebuck, Angela Couloumbis, and Liz Navratil: Pennsylvania Catholic Church Sex Abuse Report Names Hundreds of Priests, Accuses Leaders of Cover-Up: 'They Hid It All.' Craig R. McCoy: In Scathing Report, Grand Jury Says Priest Abuse Cover-Up Began at the Top . "The grand jury said the state's bishops had misused their power and enabled the victimization of children: transferring abusive priests, failing to notify police of their crimes, misleading the public about their misconduct, and, in the case of one alleged molester, even officiating at his funeral."David Gambacorta: Priests Ran Child P0rn Ring in Pittsburgh Diocese . "The men gave a specific gift to children they favored, something they could wear that would mark them as prime targets for abuse. [Rev. George Zirwas] 'had told me that they, the priests, would give their boys, their altar boys, or their favorite boys these crosses,' George told the grand jury. 'So he gave me a big gold cross to wear.'"And let us not forget that, despite his (broken) promises to meaningfully address sex abuse in the Catholic Church, the chronically overestimated Pope Francis was, as recently as accusing victims of being liars . The cover-up does indeed go right to the very top.I am grateful to my state's passionate Attorney General Josh Shapiro and everyone else who has played a role in this long-time-coming report for their hard work on a subject that is difficult for so many reasons, not least of which because of intimidation from the Catholic Church.I take up space in solidarity with all of the survivors, whether they have participated in the process, didn't feel safe or ready to participate, or have never breathed a word of what was done to them.And I implore anyone who has insisted that clergy abuse in the Catholic Church is just about "a few bad apples" to seriously reexamine your position. Because it is dangerously wrong.Heartland Bank is eyeing up acquisitions to maintain double-digit earnings growth in 2019 after its reverse mortgage business underpinned an 11 percent gain in annual profit.

Net profit rose to $67.5 million in the year to June 30 from $60.8 million in the prior year. The Auckland-based lender expects net profit of $75 million to $77 million in the 2019 financial year with growth driven by digital development, customer focus and potential acquisitions.

The board is confident in Heartlands ability to continue achieving strong growth and profitability, said chair Geoffrey Ricketts.

Heartland will pursue acquisitions which align with its strategy, are value accretive, and which deliver access to innovation, distribution capability or alignment with Heartlands core products and competencies, he said.

The bank's origins are through the merger of Marac Finance with the Southern Cross and Canterbury building societies, which later added the PGG Wrightson finance unit to its books. The lender has been keen on ANZ Bank New Zealand-owned UDC Finance, which is back on the market after the government blocked a sale to China's HNA Group.

Heartland typically reports wider margins than its larger peers focusing on consumer lending, such as auto-loans and reverse mortgages, and using online channels including peer-to-peer lender Harmoney, leaving the residential mortgage market to the big four Australian-owned banks.

The lender's net interest margin was 4.42 percent for the year, versus 4.46 percent in the prior year but well above the average of other major banks.

For the year to June 30, net operating income rose 15 percent to $196.8 million as net finance receivables increased 12 percent to $4 billion.

Income from reverse mortgages in Australia climbed 31 percent to $676.8 million and in New Zealand rose 12 percent to $453.1 million. Overall, Heartland saw 39 percent growth in Australia operations, it said.

The bank got into the reverse mortgage business in 2014, buying Seniors Money International for $87 million, which it said at the time would give it access to an expanding 65-plus age demographic keen on tapping the majority of their wealth tied up in residential property.

Overall, Heartland's household net finance receivables rose 21 percent to $2.3 billion with growth in motor vehicle loans, Harmoney and other consumer lending as well as the reverse mortgages in both New Zealand and Australia. Household net operating income gained 13 percent to $104.8 million.

Within its business lending unit, operating income advanced 13 percent to $53.2 million while rural net operating income gained 10 percent to $32.2 million.

The board declared a final dividend of 5.5 cents per share bringing the full year dividend to 9 cents per share, consistent with the prior year. The final dividend will be paid Sept. 21 to all shareholders on the register on Sept. 7.

Operating costs rose 12 percent to $80.4 million due to increased operations and staff costs associated with strong asset growth, the bank said. Despite these additional one-off costs, total cost to income ratio still decreased to 40.9 in the year, down from 41.9 in the prior year.

Heartland said total impaired asset expense increased to $22.1 million from $15 million in the prior year. This was due to increased receivables volume and higher overall impairment rates. The bank cited a number of one-off items including provisioning for large relationship-managed loans, insurance recovery write-back in prior year and a reduction in collections due to system implementation issues.

The bank reiterated it is seeking a corporate restructure to get greater flexibility in pursuing future growth opportunities in New Zealand and Australia.

Under the restructuring, which requires High Court and shareholder approval, Heartland Bank will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of a new listed parent company, called Heartland Group Holdings.

Existing shareholders shares in Heartland Bank will be exchanged with new shares in the new listed parent on a one-for-one basis and the Australian group companies will be transferred from Heartland Bank to the new listed parent.

This will also facilitate a foreign exempt listing on the ASX.

Shareholders will be asked to vote on the proposal at the annual shareholder meeting Sept. 19.

The shares last traded at $1.74 and have shed 16 percent so far this year.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

General Capital Limited (NZX: GEN) Subsidiary General Finance Update

Geo Limited (NZX: GEO) Shareholder Placement Offer

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Completion of Institutional Entitlement Offer and Bookbuild

29th October 2021 Morning Report

28th October 2021 Morning Report

Wellington Drive Technologies Limited (NZX: WDT) Performs Strongly in Q3-2021

Ryman Healthcare Limited (NZX: RYM) Acquires Extensions to Two Existing Victorian Sites

Promisia Healthcare Limited (NZX: PHL) Banking Covenant Update

Pictor Limited Announces Start of US Clinical Trials for SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test

Arvida Group Limited (NZX: ARV) Opening of Rights Offer

Cooks Global Foods will buy Mojo Coffee Cartel for $19 million and support the well-known Wellington chain's US expansion plans.

Auckland-based Cooks will pay $11.7 million in cash, $2 million in shares and take on $5.3 million of debt to acquire Mojo, which operates 36 cafes in Auckland and Wellington, a cafe in Chicago, Illinois, and licenses four stores in Japan and two in China. The deal relies on Cooks raising enough money to fund the cash component, and Mojo securing a lease variation and completing acceptable March 2018 accounts.

Cooks chair Keith Jackson said the acquisition will boost the company's earnings and market capitalisation and help accelerate its shift from NZX's Alternative Market to the main board.

"This, coupled with Cooks' well-signalled plan to move to the NZX main board have the potential to increase our market liquidity and broaden the company's investor base," Jackson said. "We are working hard to bring this transaction to fruition and are looking forward to Mojo joining the Cooks family of brands."

Cooks is the master franchise rights holder for the Esquires Coffee chain outside of New Zealand and Australia.It also owns Scarborough Fair tea and Grounded Coffee.

Mojo co-founder Steve Gianoutsos told BusinessDesk the transaction is firmly focused on fulfilling the company's next stage of growth. Mojo's store, pantry and roastery in Chicago have been well-received, and he will drive the larger group's ambitions to develop the North American market, which Cooks has yet to tap through its Esquires brand.

Gianoutsos said the benefits of the tie-up would see Mojo and Cooks able to share expertise, while a bigger listed company would have readier access to capital to fund expansion. Retaining talented people is also key in hospitality, and the wider international footprint offers greater opportunities for staff development, he said.

Cooks was interested in pursuing a deal two-and-a-half years ago, but Gianoutsos said the timing wasn't right.

"It's around timing and how the opportunity presents itself," he said. "When you put the two companies together it helps them get on to the main board, which makes it a lot easier to raise capital to roll out stores just about anywhere."

Mojo has largely funded expansion organically during its 15-year lifespan and turned to private equity two or three years ago when it launched the Chicago beachhead, he said. The strategy to grow the North American business is still being developed, but Gianoutsos said Chicago shared a lot of similarities with Mojo's home base of Wellington.

The company is profitable and employs 255 staff, serving 50,000 to 70,000 cups of coffee a week. At $4 a cup, coffee alone would generate sales of between $10.4 million and $14.6 million.

Cooks will retain the Mojo brand and its people, with Gianoutsos, Katy Ellis and John Holloway joining the group's senior management.

The company's shares last traded at 7.5 cents, valuing it at $36.7 million.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

General Capital Limited (NZX: GEN) Subsidiary General Finance Update

Geo Limited (NZX: GEO) Shareholder Placement Offer

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Completion of Institutional Entitlement Offer and Bookbuild

29th October 2021 Morning Report

28th October 2021 Morning Report

Wellington Drive Technologies Limited (NZX: WDT) Performs Strongly in Q3-2021

Ryman Healthcare Limited (NZX: RYM) Acquires Extensions to Two Existing Victorian Sites

Promisia Healthcare Limited (NZX: PHL) Banking Covenant Update

Pictor Limited Announces Start of US Clinical Trials for SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test

Arvida Group Limited (NZX: ARV) Opening of Rights Offer

NASHVILLE, TN, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LIG Assets, Inc. (OTC PINK: LIGA) (also known as the "Leader in Green Assets" or "LIGA") announced today its financial results for the second quarter 2018. The following Corporate filing information and documentation has been submitted to OTC Markets and the quarterly report was uploaded yesterday.

Second Quarter 2018 Highlights:

Gross revenues in Q2 2018 tripled over Q2 2017 revenues. Second quarter revenues in 2018 were $1,089,582.00, up 241% compared to $319,429 for the second quarter of 2017

LIGA continues to eliminate debt by paying off or negotiating favorable debt reduction

In full compliance with TCA Debt settlement

In 2nd quarter of 2018 completed the controlling ownership interest in historic Buck Lake Ranch, one of the oldest music venues in the United States

Plan to create substantial valuations and assets for LIGA moving forward via BGTV, LIG Homes & new projects in the works for LIG Developments commencing the third Quarter of 2018

No reverse split or increase of authorized shares as the Company remains committed to its mandate to prohibit any increase in Authorized Shares or reverse split of the stock below .05 per share

"LIGA has employed extensive forensic accounting procedures to remediate accounting deficiencies from past management and remains committed and on schedule to becoming fully reporting pursuant to the business plan which also will result in LIGAs ascension from the current OTC market, said Aric Simons, Chairman of LIG Assets, Inc. Mr. Simons continued, "We continue to concentrate on implementing our integrated business plan by aggressively pursuing new business and revenue opportunities for LIGA and its subsidiaries. LIGA is so fortunate to operate with a uniquely diverse, experienced and creative new management team that we've assembled over the past two years and their tireless efforts on all fronts including, but not limited to, creating new substantial revenue sources and strategic partnerships, modernizing our financial and reporting systems and further diminishing debt through strategic payment solutions, and eliminating unverifiable debt. LIGA continues to exceed our expectations in achieving rapid growth goals with the intention of transcend from the OTC to the next market level within the next two years. I believe that our investors and prospective investors will look at the second quarter of 2018 as an important benchmark to that end. LIGA will continue to grow with sound business practices, intelligent allocation of assets, and investments that will ensure our investors can be proud to be an important part of a leading-edge company that operates with integrity while enjoying ROI's that are best in class."

Business Developments and News:

LIGA posted YTD revenues surpassing $2 million, more than all of LIGA's 2017 YTD revenues

Buck Lake Ranch has started to generate revenues and has become cash flow positive which will greatly affect BGTV Direct's bottom line in the years to come.

BGTV Direct, Inc. will make several major announcements and announce the launch of several new ventures in the near future that could make a major impact and greatly increase their revenues and profits

Through LIGA's partners, associates and joint ventures, Lig Developments has already bid on more projects that will greatly increase revenues for LIGA that will commence this Quarter

LIGA will announce soon many new partnerships and deals

LIVESTOR's beta facility in Sydney, Nova Scotia is operational and once fully implemented. LIGA plans to launch LIVESTOR America coast to coast

LIG Developments & LIGA Homes will be announcing updates on Panama City Beach & Brentwood development

A new LIGA website for LIGA Homes is in the final stages of completion

All of these business developments will be discussed at the LIGA 2018 Sustainability Conference that will be held at the Entrepreneur Center in Nashville, TN on Sept. 24th, 2018

The second quarter of 2018 saw significant revenue increase of almost triple over the prior Q2 2017 revenues. As LIGA gets closer to breaking ground for new developments in Brentwood, Tennessee, and Panama City Beach, Florida. Both of these projects and a few others that will be announced soon will create significant revenue and profit for LIG Assets. Also, I'm proud to announce that BGTV has secured expansion opportunities and offices in Las Vegas, Indiana and China and already sourced cash flow that will allow LIGA's subsidiary BGTV to expand in its core business that could allow BGTVs revenues to grow ten-fold in the future. Our goal for the rest of 2018 and moving forward is to focus on generating strong operating cash flows and profits that will create long term value for our shareholders," said Marvin Baker, President of LIGA & CEO of BGTV.

Also, the second quarter report noted that no shares were issued in Q2 and in the process of changing transfer agents and working towards audited financials, LIGA uncovered several discrepancies the first of which led to the stop order of the 160,000,000 shares and secondly there was a legend that was illegally removed that led to the stop order. The 160,000,000 shares are under review for cancellation. The above mentioned process has uncovered the fact that the previous float number provided by the former Transfer Agent was incorrect as of March 2018. The float has remained unchanged since November 2, 2017.

LIG Assets, Inc. submitted yesterday the Quarterly Report for the period ended June 30, 2018 and it was made available publicly at https://backend.otcmarkets.com/otcapi/company/financial-report/199933/content

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

In addition to disclosing results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company also discloses certain non-GAAP results of operations, including adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted earnings per share that either exclude or include amounts that are described in the reconciliation table of GAAP to non-GAAP information provided at the end of this release. Non-GAAP financial measures do not replace and are not superior to the presentation of GAAP financial results but are provided to improve overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance. Management believes that this non-GAAP information is useful to both management and investors regarding certain additional financial and business trends related to the operating results. Management uses this non-GAAP information, along with GAAP information, in evaluating its historical operating performance.

About LIG Assets, Inc.:

LIG Assets, Inc. in association with Robert Plarr is the emerging "Leader in Green Assets" -- focused on exclusive green, renewable energy and sustainable homes, living systems, technologies and components to be utilized in the residential and commercial real estate acquisition and development projects currently under way and now individual product sales, as well as rapid expansion into other sectors via acquisitions, mergers and joint venture partnerships. LIG Assets, Inc. trades on the pink sheets under the ticker symbol "LIGA". For additional information about LIG Assets, Inc., Robert Plarr, and/or more information about and how to purchase Plarr's exclusive homes, structures, products and technologies or to subscribe online to LIGA's free Shareholder Newsletter for regular updates and alerts regarding important Company developments, please visit the Company's websites at www.LeaderInGreenAssets.com , and please check out our other company websites at www.LIGAHomes.com or www.BGTVDirect.com .

Forward-Looking Statements:VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northstar Electronics, Inc. (OTCQB: NEIK) proceeds with its expansion from being an aerospace contract manufacturer to becoming an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) with its own products. NEIK made significant headway in the purchase of the worldwide rights to a single engine Turbo Prop airplane from a major overseas aerospace company. The Companys management anticipates making a deal with the owners of the airplane in short-order.



The airplane underwent many new design features which should put it at the forefront in its class. NEIK foresees a large market for the two variants of the airplane, one for Agriculture Crop Spraying, the other for Rapid Response Forest Fire Fighting. Management also plans to expand into Cloud Seeding, a rapidly growing business. While the negotiations continue, management plans to secure pre-sales of the airplane, specifically in areas where a former version of the airplane was highly regarded.

Northstar Sealand Enterprises, Ltd., (NSEL), a subsidiary of NEIK, put together a stellar team of professionals. Below, the Company shares a snapshot of their expertise with shareholders and other interested parties:

Wilson Russell, President and CEO: Dr. Russell, a senior corporate executive, has extensive experience in securing investment and developing business opportunities, including partnerships with Bell Canada, Lockheed Martin, Krupp Atlas Elektronik, and Fluor Daniel.

William J. Alder, Special Advisor: Mr. Alder is the owner of the Sealand Group and brings more than 40 years of aviation experience. As an advisor for NSEL, his contribution and expertise will be highly significant to ensure the success of the challenges ahead for the company.

Jeff Fry, VP, Manager  Operations and Engineering: Mr. Fry is a Professional Engineer with over 20 years managing projects for aviation and defense with companies like Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications, and the International Space Station (private/NASA partnership).

Stewart Gibson, Manager  Contracts, Supply Chain and Logistics: Mr. Gibson is a Project Management professional, who has managed successful production contracts for Lockheed Martin and L-3 Communications, also served as a QA/CM Manager on a number of international programs.

Robert Patterson, Manager  Marketing and Sales: Mr. Patterson is a former consultant with over 35 years of experience across many diverse aviation-related industries. Mr. Patterson brings to NSEL his 25+ years experience providing extensive marketing and sales services to Murphy Aircraft, including international representation.

Piers Van Ziffle, Comptroller: Mr. Van Ziffle is an experienced Comptroller with over 40 years experience in finance and accounting with both private and public companies, having been a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants from 1977 to 1990, and has practised accounting as a self-employed sub contractor to many companies to date.

Alberto Jurjo, Director  Business Development: Mr. Jurjo is an Aerospace Engineer with 13+ years experience in aviation. Alberto has held senior commercial roles with Airbus and Bombardier, having a clear focus and expertise on the commercial, marketing and business development activities.

Nigel Waterhouse, Consultant  DAR Services: Mr. Waterhouse is an Aeronautical Engineer, with an extensive expertise as a Transport Canada Design Approval Representative. He is also an EASA Compliance Verification and an Aircraft Certification engineer, as well as an ICAO Field Project expert.

Tom Serjeant, Consultant  Sales South Africa: Mr. Serjeant brings 40 years of aviation experience as a pilot and as a business developer, being also a professional in aircraft sales. With his extensive experience in the African region, Mr. Serjeant will ensure the success of NSELs expansion into that territory.

Robert Gosse, Consultant  Government Relations: Mr. Gosse is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of management experience in diverse aspects of the aviation industry, in both the public and the private sectors. He brings to NSEL his proven track record of achieving strategic business objectives.

Howard Nash, Consultant  Corporate Relationships: Mr. Nash is a senior executive who brings 30 years of experience and a proven track record in business development and supply chain management. He has secured high value contracts with several divisions of Lockheed Martin, L-3, and others.

With this team, NEIK and its subsidiary, NSEL, believe they have the ingredients to establish themselves as a strong player in the Turbo Prop aviation world.

For more details about the stellar team of highly acclaimed professionals at Northstar Electronics and its subsidiary, Northstar Sealand Enterprises, Ltd., read more about the team on the Companys website, http://www.northstarelectronics.com/team.html.

For further information about this news release contact, Rich Kaiser, Investor Relations, YES INTERNATIONAL, 757-306-6090, and yes@yesinternational.com.

About Northstar Electronics, Inc.

Northstar Electronics, Inc. (OTCQB:NEIK), established in the late 1990s, carried out design and manufacturing contracts for various divisions of Lockheed Martin Corporation including LM MS2 (Submarine Command and Control Consoles), LM Canada (Naval Anti-Terrorism System), LM Aeronautics (Parts for P-3 Orion Airplane), and L-3 ( Navy Frigate Command and Control Consoles). Northstar also designed, manufactured, and sold its own sonar-based system to commercial customers. In the past few years, Northstar has moved towards making and selling its own independent systems, www.northstarelectronics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement: This press release may include predictions, estimates, opinions or statements that might be considered "forward-looking" under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements generally can be identified by phrases such as the Company or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates," or other, similar words or phrases.

Contact: Rich Kaiser, Investor Relations, YES INTERNATIONAL, 757-306-6090Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited the flood-affected areas in the state and appealed to all political parties and organisations to help Kerala at this critical hour. He also announced an additional sum of Rs 100 crore as relief fund.

: Kerala has been reeling under massive floods, with over 60,000 people have been rendered homeless.

While NGOs, state governments and the Centre are doing all they can to help the people in Kerala, you can also do your bit by donating money and other essential items.

The army has already swung into rescue operations. The Madras and Garhwal Regiment rescued people in Ernakulam, and Chalkka, near Aluva.

#KeralaFloods2018 #OpSahyog

Column of Garhwal Regiment rescued 23 civilians from HIL colony #Eloor,Ernakulam.



The Column used ingenuity & modified tubes and utensils to rescue ladies and children as shown in photographs.Adequate safety precautions were taken.@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/5FUFPOoaSv  PRO Defence Trivandrum (@DefencePROTvm) August 15, 2018

#KeralaFloods2018 #OpSahyog



Capt Dhomney and his team from Madras Regiment safely evacuated more than 30 civilians which includes 3 infants and 5 old aged individuals from the low laying areas of #Chalkka, near #Aluva.



Relief operations still in progress.@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/ldZvi72p9o  PRO Defence Trivandrum (@DefencePROTvm) August 15, 2018

Kerala CM, Pinarayi Vijayan, who visited the affected areas, urged people across the state as well as NRIs to contribute to the relief fund.

Here's how you can help those affected by the unprecedented floods in Kerala. Now you can make donations online to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund through the site, https://t.co/OFHTHlZ9by #KeralaFloods #StandWithKerala. pic.twitter.com/XNlBKqdCUT  CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 14, 2018

Money can be contributed by cheque/DD or internet banking. In case you plan to send to mail a cheque/DD, you can address it to The Principal Secretary (Finance) Treasurer, Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram  1.

If you choose to donate online, account details are as follows:

: 67319948232

: State Bank of India

: City branch, Thiruvananthapuram

: SBIN0070028

: AAAGD0584M

: CMDRF

Apart from monetary help, you can also help the affected people by sending essential items that are needed in relief camps. Essential items include pulses, sleeping mats, lentils, water, food items, bleaching powder, milk powder, toiletries, sanitary napkins, towels, blankets among others.

In Ernakulam, the district administration has joined hands with Anbodu Kochi, an NGO, and has rolled out an initiative called #DoForKerala.

The collector of Kannur, in a Facebook post, requested people to join hands to help those displaced by Kerala floods. The essential items can be dropped or sent to Control Room, Collectorate, Kannur  670002, Phone no. 9446682300, 04972700645. Online orders can be address to the Control Room in Kannur, the collector added.

To help the affected people in Idukki, you can send the items either to the Collectorate or taluka control rooms  District Collector Idukki, Idukki Collectorate, Painavu PO, Kuyilimala, Idukki  685603.

The Wayand District Administration's Facebook page also provided contact details for any who would be willing to send in donations.

Civil Station

Kalpetta, Wayanad

Kerala: 673122

: 9746239313, 9745166864"We were not asked whether we support it or not. We were asked to provide the way ahead. We will do that," a functionary said.

: The Law Commission is set to recommend a tough legal framework this month to hold Lok Sabha and assembly polls together, highly placed sources on the panel said on Wednesday.

The commission would recommend amendments to the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act to ensure simultaneous polls.

The recommendations of the commission are not binding on the government, but the report will allow an informed debate among political parties and stakeholders, he said.

Simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be held in two phases beginning in 2019, provided at least two provisions of the Constitution are amended and ratified by majority of the states, a Law Commission study paper had said in April.

According to the working paper, the second phase of simultaneous polls can take place in 2024.

The document stated that the leader of the majority party be elected prime minister or chief minister by the entire House (Lok Sabha or state Assembly) to ensure stability of the government as well as the Lok Sabha or the Assembly.

The document proposed amending the Constitution (Articles 83(2) and 172(1) dealing with tenures of Lok Sabha and state Assemblies) and the Representation of the People Act to extend the terms of state legislative assemblies to effect the move.

It suggested that in case a government fell mid-term, the term of the new government would be for the remaining period "and not for a fresh five-year term".Palm Coast, FL, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RushNet, Inc. (OTC Pink: RSHN) is now a co-owner, along with XYZ Hemp, Inc., formerly Gold River Productions, Inc., having acquired a significant stake in a high-quality Facilities & Land Industrial Hemp Cultivation and processing facility operating and registered in Mesa County within the Colorado Department of Agriculture.



Additionally, each company, RushNet, Inc. and XYZ Hemp, will have their own separate Hemp Cultivation and processing operations, apart from what is co-owned. Details are forthcoming.

Members of the scientific team managing this operation were employed and trained by Tikun Olam, one of the world's foremost, scientifically backed, medical cannabis brands. Tikun Olam is an international cannabis wellness brand sold in Israel, Canada, Australia, and the U.S., reaching tens of thousands of patients worldwide. Tikun Olam became the first provider of medical cannabis in 2005 and then made history as the first company to receive a government-issued license to supply cannabis in Israel, in 2007. Tikun Olam collected the data that now forms the worlds largest medical cannabis treatment database containing more than 17,000 patient records including their conditions, symptoms, strain usage, dosage and associated levels of relief and improvement in quality of life, over the years. Tikun Olam works with a variety of patients including the elderly and children, with conditions as HIV/AIDS, PTSD, epilepsy, chronic pain, cancer, Colitis or Crohns disease, depression, anxiety and many more.

https://tikunolamusa.com/about/

We are confident that the expertise of this operation will significantly ameliorate the risks, and ultimately be a significant factor in making this the success we all envision.

This significant stake acquired will also include four additional annual indoor harvests to be realized from the greenhouses that are now under construction. A significant number of plants have already been purchased and planted and details are forthcoming that will further elaborate on the magnitude and the constitution of operations. The company plans to put into production additional outdoor acreage in 2018 and 2019. Pictures of the outdoor and indoor cultivation projects will soon be available on the companys website and/or through its social media site.

Industrial Hemp is regulated by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Statutory authority for the Industrial Hemp Program is provided in Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 35, Article 61. As defined in Colorado Revised Statute, Article 61, section 35-61-101(7) Industrial Hemp means a plant of the genus Cannabis and any part of the plant, whether growing or not, containing a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of no more than three-tenths of one percent (0.3% THC) on a dry weight basis. Therefore, invariably, Industrial Hemp does not fall under the licensing requirements of marijuana for production or sale.

RushNet has not issued any new shares into the market over the past several years. The share structure for the past several years has remained intact. The company will be transparent and the stock transfer agent, Mountain Share Transfer, LLC., will be available for shareholder verification. There are currently no convertible debentures, Section 3(a)(10) share issuances, or any other pending dilution associated with the company. Please stay tuned for further announcements as we endeavor to create value for our shareholders.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "estimate", "project", "intend", "forecast", "anticipate", "plan", "planning", "expect", "believe", "likely", "should", "could", "would", "may" or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Company's operating history and resources, economic, competitive, and equity market conditions.



Tonga PM calls on China to write-off Pacific debt



Wellington, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



Tonga Prime Minister Akalisi Pohiva has called for China to write-off debts owed by Pacific island countries, warning that repayments impose a huge burden on the impoverished nations.

Chinese aid in the Pacific has ballooned in recent years with much of the funds coming in the form of loans from Beijing's state-run Exim Bank.

Tonga has run-up enormous debts to China, estimated at more than US$100 million by Australia's Lowy Institute think tank, and Pohiva said his country would struggle to repay them.

He said the situation was common in the Oceania region and needed to be addressed at next month's Pacific Island Forum summit in Nauru.

"We need to discuss the issue," he told the Samoa Observer in an interview published on Tuesday.

"All the Pacific Island countries should sign this submission asking the Chinese government to forgive their debts.

"To me, that is the only way we can all move forward, if we just can't pay off our debts."

Tonga took out the Chinese loans to rebuild in the wake of deadly 2006 riots that razed the centre of the capital Nuku'alofa.

Beijing has previously refused to write-off the loans by turning them into aid grants but did give Tonga an amnesty on repayments.

Pohiva said China now wanted the debts repaid.

"By September 2018, we anticipate to pay $14 million, which cuts away a huge part of our budget," he said.

Tonga's ability to pay has been further dented this year by another massive rebuilding effort in Nuku'alofa, this time after a category five cyclone slammed into the capital in February.

"If we fail to pay, the Chinese may come and take our assets, which are our buildings," Pohiva said.

"That is why the only option is to sign a submission asking the Chinese government to forgive our debts."

His comments come as Australia and New Zealand ramp up aid efforts in the Pacific to counter China's growing presence in the region.

Australia has raised fears in recent months Pacific nations' debts to China leaves them susceptible to Beijing's influence.

It has resulted in a race to win hearts and minds in the region.

Canberra recently announced plans to negotiate a security treaty with Vanuatu, while also funding and building an underseas communications cable to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Meanwhile, Chinese company Huawei has agreed to build PNG's domestic internet network with funds supplied by Exim Bank.Japan emperor expresses WWII 'remorse' as PM avoids war shrine



Tokyo, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



Japan's Emperor Akihito on Wednesday expressed "deep remorse" about his nation's wartime acts, as Tokyo marked the 73rd anniversary of the end of World War II.

The carefully choreographed annual ceremony is the last Akihito and his wife Empress Michiko will attend before the emperor abdicates in April.

"Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated," the 84-year-old monarch said in a televised address.

"Together with all of our people, I now pay my heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in the war, both on the battlefields and elsewhere, and pray for world peace and for the continuing development of our country."

It was Akihito's father, war-time emperor Hirohito, who announced his decision to surrender in a radio address on August 15, 1945.

Japan signed documents officially formalising the surrender on September 2, 1945.

Though he has no political power, Emperor Akihito has hinted throughout his reign at pacifist views, sharply at odds with the aggressive expansionism Japan pursued under his father's rule.

He has annoyed Japanese right-wingers by acknowledging that his country inflicted "great suffering" in China, and expressing regret over Japan's brutal rule of the Korean peninsula.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also spoke at the ceremony, pledging to remember war dead while building a peaceful future.

"Never again will we repeat the devastation of war. Humbly facing history, we shall stand firm on this pledge," he said, avoiding any specific expression of regret.

Abe has been criticised for what some see as a revisionist attitude to Japan's wartime record, though he has softened his rhetoric as he works to improve ties with Beijing.

In recent years, he has avoided visiting the controversial Yasukuni shrine that honours Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals, offering a ritual cash donation instead.

Previous visits by Abe and other senior Japanese politicians have angered China and other Asian neighbours.

Yasukuni honours some 2.5 million people, mostly Japanese, who perished in the country's wars since the late 19th century.

It also enshrines senior military and political figures convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal after World War II.

Abe last visited in December 2013 to mark his first year in power, sparking fury in Beijing and Seoul and earning a diplomatic rebuke from close ally the United States.

Groups of Japanese lawmakers visited the shrine Wednesday, but Abe's key cabinet members were not expected to be among them.Philippines' Duterte slams China over island-building



Manila, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to "temper" its behaviour in the South China Sea in a rare criticism of the Asian superpower over its programme of island-building in disputed waters.

China has alarmed and angered its neighbours by claiming dominion over most of the South China Sea and building a string of artificial islands and military airbases.

But the outspoken Duterte -- keen to court trade and investment from Beijing -- has mostly withheld criticism.

In a change of tone, Duterte said in a speech late Tuesday to business entrepreneurs that China had no right to claim airspace above man-made islands.

Philippine officials have claimed military pilots are repeatedly warned off by Beijing as their planes approach Philippine-held Thitu island, which lies beside a Chinese air base built on top of Subi Reef.

"You cannot create an island. It's man-made and you say that the air above this artificial island is yours," Duterte said, according to a transcript released by the presidential palace Wednesday.

"That is wrong because those waters are what (one) would consider international sea. And the right of innocent passage is guaranteed," said Duterte, who did not refer to any specific incident.

He added that he did not want to "quarrel" with China.

The comments follow allegations in May of Chinese harassment of Filipino troops at another South China Sea garrison.

Duterte's national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon told reporters at the time that the Philippines could go to war "if our people are hurt there".

There was no immediate response from the Chinese embassy in Manila.

In May China landed several combat aircraft -- including the long-range, nuclear-capable H-6K -- at another island airfield in the sea for the first time, triggering international concern.

Despite this, it has denied militarising the area, through which roughly a third of all global maritime trade passes.

An international maritime tribunal ruled early in Duterte's presidency in 2016 that China's claims to the area have no legal basis.

The Philippines is a military ally of the US, which says it is not taking sides in the various South China Sea territorial disputes.

However, the US navy has forcefully asserted its right to freedom of navigation in the area, repeatedly sailing close to the man-made islands and drawing Chinese protests.

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the sea.COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Jersey Mining Company (OTCQB:NJMC/CSE:NJMC) (NJMC or the Company) today announced its consolidated operating and financial results for the second quarter of 2018. The full version of the Companys interim consolidated financial statements and managements discussion and analysis (MD&A) can be viewed on the Companys web site, on SEDAR and EDGAR. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise specified.



Operational Highlights during the second quarter of 2018 include:

For the quarter ending June 30, 2018, approximately 8,140 dry metric tonnes (dmt) were processed at the Companys New Jersey Mill at a head grade of 2.0 grams per tonne (gpt) gold with recovery averaging 90.3 -percent. This resulted in production of 472 ounces of gold contained in flotation concentrates.



Open-pit mining progressed from the 1036 bench to the 1027 bench as we continued to advance through the low grade, high waste stripping ratio area in between shoots. Open-pit mine production averaged 1,514 tonnes per day (mineralized material and waste). The on-site, low grade stockpile has increased and contains an estimated 43,000 tonnes at a gold grade of 0.65 gpt.



Underground mining in the 851 stope advanced to the north. During the quarter approximately 1,250 tonnes of mineralized material were mined at an average grade of 6.3 gpt. The 851 north stope was completed in late July for a total mined tonnage of 1,830 tonnes at a gold grade of 7.38 gpt. Subsequent to the end of the quarter the Company completed the commissioning of its Cement Rockfill (CRF) batch plant and commenced backfilling activity.



Core drilling commenced with the Companys newly acquired drill and initially focused on exploring the Katie-Dora area of the Golden Chest for possible expansion of the surface mining operation.



The Company continued to expand its land holdings in the Murray Gold Belt with the addition of the Butte Gulch and Potosi properties, adding 284 acres of patented mining claims. The Company has also added additional, strategically located unpatented mining claims.

NJMC CEO and President John Swallow stated Despite the higher cost of sales during the first half of 2018 as we mined through the lower grade portion of the open-pit, we recorded higher revenues which included a one-time gain on the sale of non-strategic unpatented mining claims. This combined with our increased land position and ownership of a drill have allowed us to greatly expand our exploration activity within the Murray Gold Belt.

Corporate Highlights include:

The Company achieved revenues of $1,590,946 for the first half 2018 compared to the first half 2017 revenues of $1,952,008.



For the first half of 2018, operating income was $1,776,486 compared to $119,708 for the same period in 2017. Included in operating income for the first half of 2018 is a gain of $2,947,862 on the sale of the Toboggan project. Without this gain, operating loss for the period is $1,181,376.



Closed private placements during the first half of 2018 for net proceeds of $1,107,571, which included participation from Hecla Mining Company of $500,000.



Completed the sale of its Toboggan project to Hecla Mining Company for $3 million and used the proceeds to reduce debt associated with the start-up of operations at the Golden Chest Mine, increase our land position and accelerate exploration activities in the Murray Gold Belt.



Listing approved on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Mr. Swallow concluded, As anticipated, it has been a busy 2018 and we expect that trend to continue. As a result of the sale of the Toboggan land holdings and their increased land position, we welcomed Hecla Mining Company to the Murray Gold Belt during the quarter. Additionally, New Jersey Mining Company is now listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and we anticipate expanding our industry presence as our big picture plans for the Murray Gold Belt come together.

About New Jersey Mining Company

New Jersey Mining Company is headquartered in North Idaho, where it is producing gold at its Golden Chest Mine. NJMC has established a high-quality, early to advanced-stage asset base in three historic mining districts of Idaho and Montana The Companys objective is to use its considerable in-house skill sets to build a portfolio of mining and milling operations, with a longer-term vision of becoming a mid-tier producer. Management is shareholder focused and owns more than 17-percent of NJMC stock.

The Companys common stock trades on the OTC-QB and the CSE Market under the symbol NJMC.

For more information on New Jersey Mining Company go to www.newjerseymining.com or call:

Monique Hayes, Corporate Secretary/Investor Relations

Email: monique@newjerseymining.com

(208) 625-9001

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Such statements are based on good faith assumptions that New Jersey Mining Company believes are reasonable but which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the Companys ability to increase exploration and production, the risk that the mine plan changes due to rising costs or other operational details, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and silver and the potential impact on revenues from changes in the market price of gold and cash costs, a sustained lower price environment, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors. Actual results, developments and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. NJMC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwiseAlexandria, VA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ASCD, a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading, is excited to announce ASCD Empower19: The Conference for Every Educator, the organization's 74th annual conference and exhibit show, happening March 1619, 2019, in Chicago, Ill. The conference will feature more than 400 concurrent sessions and three dynamic General Session speakers: Ron Clark, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Ashton Kutcher.

"I could not be more excited for this conference and the exciting lineup of general session and keynote speakers who will inspire educators as they tackle their problems of practice," said Deb Delisle, ASCD Executive Director and CEO. "ASCD Empower19 is the must-attend education conference of the year that will offer educators in every role the professional learning they need to improve their craft, network, and return home energized for another school year."

ASCD Empower19 empowers educatorsteachers, teacher leaders, principals, central office staff, and superintendentsto create their own personalized professional learning experience. With more than 400 sessions, poster galleries, and practitioner panels, educators can roll up their sleeves and work together to solve the challenges they face in their district, school, or classroom.

Empower19 General Session Speakers

Ron Clark

Ron Clark is known as "America's Educator." In 2000, he was named Disney's American Teacher of the Year. He is a New York Times best-selling author whose book The Essential 55 has sold more than 1 million copies and has been published in 25 different countries. He has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, and Oprah, and Ms. Winfrey even named him as her first "Phenomenal Man." His classes have been honored at the White House on three separate occasions. Clark's teaching experiences in New York City are the subject of the uplifting film The Ron Clark Story, starring Matthew Perry.

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, and Pulitzer Prizewinning and best-selling author. Goodwin is seen frequently on major television and cable networks and shows, including Meet the Press, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and many others. She was featured as herself on the FX horror anthology American Horror Story and on The Simpsons in the role of Lisa Simpson's teacher.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher is an actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He has been named one of TIME magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World," as well as being honored by Vanity Fair magazine's New Establishment List, which identifies the top 50 of an innovative new breed of buccaneering visionaries, engineering prodigies, and entrepreneurs. Twice, Kutcher was named one of Forbes magazine's "World's Most Powerful Celebrities," as well as one of Fast Company magazine's "Most Creative People." Kutcher is also the cofounder of Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children (www.wearethorn.org). Thorn drives technology innovation to fight the sexual exploitation of children.

Keynote luncheon speakers include Sir Ken Robinson, Carlton Ashby, Bertice Berry, James Carville and Mary Matalin, Mark Anthony Garrett, and Monique Morris.

ASCD Empower19 is a conference designed by educators, for educators, where attendees are empowered to create their own personalized learning experience.

Follow the conference conversation to find out more about the great sessions and events you'll find in Chicago by using #Empower19 on social media and following the ASCD Conference Twitter account @ASCDconf.

Early-bird pricing is now available, and every fifth person from the same school or organization attends free when you register together. To register for ASCD Empower19, visit empower.ascd.org. Visit our conference pricing page for individual, group, and ASCD member rates. To learn more about ASCD and the benefits associated with becoming a member, visit www.ascd.org/memberships.

Credentialed members of the media interested in attending ASCD Empower19 can apply for a complimentary press pass at empower.ascd.org/media.

# # #TUMWATER, Wash., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pabst Blue Ribbon, the iconic American beer brand, is the newest card in O Bee Credit Unions family of brewery-inspired credit cards. Fans of this iconic logo and classic brand can now add a Pabst Blue Ribbon credit card to their wallets and earn reward points or cash back.



O Bee takes great pride in our brewing history. We are delighted to work with Pabst to add its flagship Pabst Blue Ribbon brand to our family of timeless and unique credit cards, said James Collins, CEO of O Bee Credit Union. We know people feel a real kinship with the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand; for many it represents connection and community. It makes us proud to be a part of it, he added.

O Bee Credit Union, recognized as a 2018 Best-In-State Credit Union by Forbes , was established in 1955 at the Olympia Brewery . Many O Bee products, such as the Olympia and Rainier Beer cards, honor O Bees brewing history with several current members among the first people who opened accounts in 1955 on the brewery floor. Olympia Brewery produced Olympia beer and other brands over the years including, for a time, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Since 1844, Pabst Brewing Company has been American-owned and operated and is North America's largest privately held brewing company. Pabst's portfolio includes iconic brands with deep ties to America's heritage, such as its flagship Pabst Blue Ribbon and others such as Lone Star, Rainier, Schlitz, Olympia, Old Style, National Bohemian, Stag, Stroh's, and Old Milwaukee. The Pabst organization, its people, and its brands are committed to making a positive impact and connecting communities across America.

For more details, go to www.obee.com/pabst. Anyone interested in a Pabst Blue Ribbon credit card may apply online or stop by any one of O Bees six branches.

About O Bee Credit Union

O Bee Credit Union (The Olympia Brewing Co. Employees and Families Credit Union) was started February 15, 1955, by Ted McGill, who worked in the bottle house of the brewery. This full-service not-for-profit credit union, owned by its members, has six branches located in Lacey, Tumwater, Tenino, Yelm, West Olympia and Point Ruston. Membership is open to all Washington residents. Visit www.obee.com for more information about O Bee Credit Union.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed6c2594-f306-4799-8991-d5be7e5a3535CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West High Yield (W.H.Y.) Resources Ltd. ("West High Yield" or the "Company") (TSXV: WHY) announces that it has completed the second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement of units ("Units"). The Company issued 783,570 Units at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of $274,249.50 under the second tranche. In aggregate, the Company issued 1,568,569 Units at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of $548,999.15 under the private placement. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-third of one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of one year from the date of issuance of the Warrant.



In connection with the second tranche of the private placement, the Company paid cash finder's fees of $367.50 and issued 1,050 finder's fee warrants to an eligible arm's length party. Each finder's fee warrant is exercisable to acquire a Common Share at a price of $0.55 per share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance.

All of the securities issued under the private placement are subject to a four month resale restriction. The private placement is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

As previously disclosed, approximately $500,000 of the net proceeds are expected to be used for the continuation of the environmental base line study, environmental assessment study and mine plan and permit application and Industrial Mineral Mine Permit application for the Company's Record Ridge deposit near Rossland, British Columbia and the balance of the net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes. The Company will apply the proceeds to the above uses in priority and in such proportions as the board of directors and management of the Company determine is in the best interests of the Company. Although the Company intends to use the proceeds of the offering as described above, the actual allocation of proceeds may vary from the uses set out above, depending upon future operations, events or opportunities.

The Industrial Quarry Permit sought under the Mines Act (British Columbia) will allow for the extraction and sale of up to 249,000 tonnes per annum of industrial rock. The Company is also in the process of developing potential customers with processing facilities and the ability to process the industrial rock. It is anticipated that industrial rock sales will provide cash flows from operations while continued mine plan and permit application efforts are being made.

About West High Yield

West High Yield is a publicly traded junior mining exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties in Canada with a primary objective to locate and develop economic gold, nickel and magnesium properties.

For further information please contact:

Frank Marasco

President and Chief Executive Officer

West High Yield (W.H.Y.) Resources Ltd.

Telephone: (403) 660-3488

Facsimile: (403) 206-7159

Email: frank@whyresources.com Dwayne Vinck

Chief Financial Officer

West High Yield (W.H.Y.) Resources Ltd.

Telephone: (403) 257-2637

Facsimile: (403) 206-7159

Email: vinck@shaw.ca

Reader Advisory

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning the proposed allocation and use of proceeds, the Company's business plans and the anticipated sales of industrial rock. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward looking statements and information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking information is 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 anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date hereof, and to not use such forward-looking information for anything other than its intended purpose. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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 press release.Dublin, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Corporate Reputation of Pharma, 2017 - The Patient Perspective - US Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



US patient groups are traditionally more sceptical and suspicious of pharma than their peers in most of the rest of the world - which makes the 2017 US Corporate Reputation results all the more surprising.



At first glance, not much seems to have changed in 2017. Only 32% of 2017's 169 respondent US-based patient groups thought that the pharma industry as a whole had an "Excellent" or "Good" corporate reputation (compared with 43% of the 1,330 respondent patient groups worldwide). Moreover, US patient groups in 2017 ranked pharma just 5th out of nine healthcare-industry sectors (compared with its ranking of 3rd out of nine among patient groups worldwide).



But a closer analysis of the pharma industry's performance at specific activities reveals a startling turnaround in attitudes in 2017 among some US patient groups [as the charts below show].



A larger proportion of US patient groups than patient groups worldwide in 2017 described the pharma industry as a whole as "Excellent" or "Good" at patient centricity, at integrity, at patient-group partnerships, at the provision of services 'beyond the pill', and at engaging patients/patient groups in R&D.



In fact, the only activity at which US patient groups in 2017 considered pharma to be worse than the global average was innovation (and then only by a small margin - 43% in the US v. 48% worldwide).



Comments provided by the 169 US patient groups [included in the report's Appendix I] shed some light on these evolving opinions.

A US national breast-cancer patient group cited Eisai, Novartis and Pfizer as exemplars in the provision of information for patients with breast cancer.

A US national congenital-conditions patient group singled out Takeda as having a genuine interest in how a congenital condition affects individuals.

The Male Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) noted that men - at long last - are being included in clinical trials and research for that particular condition (though the MBCC stipulated that yet more remains to be done in the area).

A US national dementia patient group explained that its members are grateful for pharma company efforts to develop new and better dementia treatments (though, again, the patient group did add concerns about disappointing trial results).

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance (TSA) reported that, when patients were having problems in getting access to drugs in a timely fashion, Lundbeck helped introduce the TSA to a specialty pharmacy partner, so that the patient group could advocate directly. According to the TSA, Lundbeck also donated products for investigative-driven research.

A US national general-health patient group tackled the subject of pharma TV ads. Although not in favour of such ads, the patient group pointed out that patients themselves find the information on side effects and outcomes at the end of each spot to be useful. The patient group considered that efforts to educate consumers in such TV ads should be scaled up.

One US national hepatitis patient group thanked AbbVie for its contribution on pricing in the therapy area, stating that the company's product was brought to market at an affordable price.

The same hepatitis patient group also praised the pharma companies that have made their clinical-trials data available on a publicly-accessible platform through the auspices of a research institution.

Criticism, advice and suggestions, of course, still featured in the 2017 feedback provided by US patient groups (probably outnumbering the more positive remarks). Nonetheless, only a few years ago, appreciative comments from US patient groups were much rarer.



Some companies are better than others



A US national neurological patient group noted that the pharma industry has improved over the years at its core activities. Then the patient group specified variation: "Some companies are better than others. We have some great companies."



Examining which pharma companies were the latter in 2017 brings the next surprise. US patient groups chose not to vote any home-grown companies into the top three slots for corporate reputation in 2017. Instead, they gave first, second, and third places to a Danish, a Belgian, and a Japanese pharma company, respectively.

Lundbeck ranked overall 1st in 2017 for corporate reputation among 30 pharma companies, according to the 46 respondent US patient groups claiming familiarity with the company.

ranked overall 1st in 2017 for corporate reputation among 30 pharma companies, according to the 46 respondent US patient groups claiming familiarity with the company. UCB ranked overall 2nd in 2017 for corporate reputation among 30 pharma companies, according to the 25 respondent US patient groups claiming familiarity with the company. And ...

ranked overall 2nd in 2017 for corporate reputation among 30 pharma companies, according to the 25 respondent US patient groups claiming familiarity with the company. And ... Eisai ranked overall 3rd in 2017 for corporate reputation among 30 pharma companies, according to the 32 respondent US patient groups claiming familiarity with the company.

Furthermore, no US-headquartered pharma company was ranked 1st by US patient groups in 2017 for any of the 12 indicators of corporate reputation. Lundbeck dominated these rankings - except the provision of high-quality products (for which UCB was judged 1st), and also being transparent in the funding of healthcare stakeholders (for which Eisai was ranked 1st).



So why do European and Japanese pharma companies do so well at corporate reputation in the USA?



The patient-centricity agenda has been raised a notch in Europe in 2017 by the continuing work of the European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI), a project now managed by the European Patients' Forum (EPF). Together, these two organisations have been heavily promoting the need for patient engagement across the spectrum of pharma activities (and, specifically, in research and development). Most European pharma companies engage with EUPATI.



Japanese pharma companies, too, have come to realise that their interests might be expanded through greater understanding of, and engagement with, patients and patient groups, and a number of Japanese companies have been raising their investments in this area. Writing in the 2017 US report, Eisai notes that: "Through socialization with patients and families, our employees can better understand the patient's condition and unmet needs, the obstacles they face, as well as possible remedies. Therefore, our employees around the world are encouraged to spend 1% of their total business hours interacting with patients."



What next for 2018?



In the meantime, however, now that the distraction of President Trump's offensive on drug pricing has subsidised, pharma companies have other important issues to consider. The Food and Drug Administration's 2017 commitment to place patients, carers, and advocates at the centre of the FDA regulatory process is a measure more radical than anything seen even in Europe. As a result, US-based companies could, across the board, be propelled into taking the question of patient centricity far more seriously.

Key Topics Covered:



Executive Summary Patient-Group Relationships With Pharma, 2017 Industry-Wide Findings, 2017 Rankings Of The 30 Pharma Companies, 2017 V. 2016 Among US Patient Groups Familiar With The Companies Positionings Of 28 Pharma Companies, 2017 V. 2016 Among US Patient Groups That Work/Partner With The Companies Profiles Of The 30 Companies, 2017

Appendices

I. US Patient Groups: Views On Pharma; And Recommendations For Improvement

Ii. Profiles Of Respondent US Patient Groups, 2017



Companies Mentioned



Abbvie

Acorda Therapeutics

Allergan

Amgen

Astellas Pharma

Astrazeneca

Bayer

Biogen

Boehringer Ingelheim

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Celgene

Eisai

Eli Lilly

Gilead Sciences

GSK

Janssen

Lundbeck

Merck & Co

Merck Kgaa

Novartis

Novo Nordisk

Otsuka

Pfizer

Roche

Sanofi

Shire

Takeda

Teva

UCB

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/tb9b25/us_corporate?w=12



LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Board-certified Los Angeles plastic surgeon Christine Petti, MD, FACS and her innovative medical day spaSpa Bellahave both been honored for the fifth year in a row by the Daily Breeze Readers Choice Awards. According to 2018s Daily Breeze readers, Dr. Petti is the South Bays Best Cosmetic Surgeon, while Spa Bella is both the South Bays Best Medical Spa and South Bays Favorite Day Spa. As the Medical Director of her private plastic surgery practice and Spa Bella, Dr. Petti is grateful for the regional recognition she has received, and the continued loyalty of her patients.



Each year the Daily Breeze Readers Choice Awards opens online polling and distributes mail-in ballots to record readers favorite people, places, and things across more than 120 categories. Polling takes place for approximately one month, and votes are then tallied to determine which regional businesses and service providers will be named South Bays Best and South Bays Favorite by category. This year marks the 27th anniversary of the popular contest, and winners were announced online and in a special print issue of the Daily Breeze at the end of July 2018.

In May 2018, another prominent regional publication, South Bay Magazine , featured an in-depth interview with Dr. Petti in its Spa, Beauty & Fitness section, discussing the many state-of-the-art, non-surgical cosmetic treatments and aesthetic laser systems she offers at Spa Bella.

Dr. Pettis more than 25 years of creating natural-looking results with plastic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic enhancements for the face, body, breasts, and skin have distinguished her among her peers both regionally and nationwide. Currently, some of her most popular procedures include:

JUVEDERM dermal fillers and BOTOX Cosmetic

Breast augmentation and breast lift

and breast lift SculpSure non-invasive fat reduction

Vivace RF microneedling with PRP

Mommy makeover treatments

treatments Smartlipo TriPlex laser liposuction

She attributes much of her success to her compassionate approach, word-of-mouth referrals, use of innovative technology, highly customized treatment plans, and dedication to excellence in all aspects of patient care.

About Christine Petti, MD, FACS

Dr. Christine Petti is a plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and an active member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the American Society for Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). A graduate of Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame and Georgetown University, Dr. Petti earned her medical degree from The Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Petti completed her plastic surgery residency at The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a medical expert for The Medical Board of California. She has published numerous scientific manuscripts on laser body contouring, laser liposuction and laser cellulite treatment. Dr. Petti is the Medical Director of Palos Verdes Plastic Surgery Medical Center and Spa Bella, Medical Day Spa, located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, California. She has been featured on The Doctors, 20/20, Inside Edition, Discovery Health, and Aesthetic TV discussing her aesthetic expertise in facial, breast, and body contouring procedures. Dr. Petti is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Dr. Petti and her practice, please visit dr-petti.com and facebook.com/drpetti.

To view the original source of this press release, click here: https://www.dr-petti.com/news-room/los-angeles-plastic-surgeon-christine-petti-md-spa-bella-are-south-bays-best-2018/

Contact:

Christine Petti, MD, FACS

3400 W. Lomita Blvd., Ste. 305

Torrance, CA 90505

(310) 539-5888

Rosemont Media

(858) 200-0044

www.rosemontmedia.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab74adb5-6d53-471b-bec9-9465a22a1b4bBritain's RAF intercepts six Russian bombers over Black Sea



Bucharest, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



Britain's Royal Air Force said Wednesday it had intercepted six Russian bomber planes flying close to NATO air space over the Black Sea.

The Eurofighter Typhoons launched early Monday from their base in Romania after the Russian Su-24 Fencer planes were spotted, the RAF said in a statement.

It said there had been "significant Russian air activity through most of the night".

The Russian aircraft eventually turned towards Crimea, the RAF said.

The operation "was in accordance with the NATO Enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission, whereby the RAF operates alongside its NATO ally to deter Russian aggression, reassure our friends in Romania and assure NATO allies of our commitment to collective defence," the statement said.

Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor earlier said such "provocations" by Russia had become "frequent" in recent months.

Four RAF Typhoons have been deployed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in southeast Romania where several hundred US troops are also stationed.

The move was part of NATO's beefed-up defences on its eastern flank following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The US Air Force has four F-15C Eagles based in neighbouring Bulgaria.US blacklists Russian, Chinese companies for breaking North Korea embargo



Washington, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



The US Treasury announced sanctions on Russian and Chinese companies Wednesday for violating the economic embargo on North Korea as Washington seeks to keep pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear program.

The Treasury accused China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Pte., of falsifying documents to facilitate shipments of alcohol and cigarettes to North Korea.

Those shipments helped fuel what the Treasury alleged was a huge "illicit" cigarette trade earning the Pyongyang regime $1 billion a year.

It also blacklisted Russia-based Profinet Pte. for violating UN sanctions by providing port services like loading and refueling to sanctioned North Korean-flagged ships at three eastern Russia ports.

Also named was Profinet director general Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, whom the Treasury said "was personally involved" in deals with the North Koreans.

"Treasury reminds the shipping industry, including flag states, ship owners and operators, crew members and captains, insurance companies, brokers, oil companies, ports, classification service providers, and others of the significant risks posed by North Korea's shipping practices," the Treasury said in a statement.

Despite having opened direct talks with Pyongyang, Washington continues to enforce the embargo on trade with North Korea in order to put pressure on the country to end its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program.

"Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports, and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams to the DPRK," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement Wednesday.

"Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea."

On Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said those talks are making progress "in the right direction," 11 weeks after President Donald Trump held a groundbreaking summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO. Aug. 15, 2018 - The Boat Warehouse of Ontario, Canada, has been named the World's Largest Lowe Boats Dealer for 2018 at a recent awards ceremony and dinner at the Lodge at Four Seasons in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. The dealer has won the sales honor six times in the past seven years.

Lowe Boats representatives presented the award to The Boat Warehouse's President Dave Mayhew and Managing Partners Dennis Reinsch and Greg Booth, thanking them for the dealership's consistently high sales performance in getting customers into the full line of Lowe watercraft.

"Year after year, The Boat Warehouse has proven to be a sales leader for Lowe Boats products, giving our many excellent dealer partners new performance goals to shoot for," said Lowe Boats President Ben Cast. "Just like the boating community knows about the long history of quality products from Lowe Boats, customers of The Boat Warehouse have become accustomed to relying on topnotch service and support from the dealer's dedicated crew."

While the honor necessarily singles out The Boat Warehouse, Cast made it clear that the entire Lowe Boats dealer network is dedicated to helping customers from the initial contact on the sales floor to providing quality service throughout the boat ownership experience. It's all part of the new #TeamLowe social media effort to recognize the value of the company's dealer partnerships.

"#TeamLowe is an expression of the commitment Lowe Boats and our dealers share to enhance the boat-ownership experience for our customers," Cast said. "When customers choose any boat in our line-up, we will be there to provide quality service whenever and wherever they need it."

The Boat Warehouse was founded in 1991 and quickly grew to become a leading dealer of powerboats and fishing boats. Based in Kingston, Ontario, The Boat Warehouse serves the greater Toronto, Ottawa, Belleville, Prince Edward, Barrie and Peterborough areas through two locations.

To learn more about The Boat Warehouse, visit www.theboatwarehouse.com.

For additional information about Lowe Boats, visit www.loweboats.com.

###

About Lowe Boats

For more than 45 years, Lowe Boats has been building high-value, superior quality aluminum boats. The Lowe lineup includes bass, deep-V, utility and jon boats as well as pontoons. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Lebanon, Mo., the company's state-of-the-art construction methods include generously sized pontoon logs, durable full-length keels and heavy-duty cross members to support higher horsepower ratings and deliver a smoother, drier ride with remarkable stability and performance. Lowe pontoons offer features and amenities to ensure on-water success to both anglers and watersports enthusiasts. The current product line is distributed around the world by a network of exceptional dealers. For more information about Lowe heritage and passion for quality, please visit www.loweboats.com. Lowe is owned by Brunswick Corporation, the largest marine manufacturer in the world.

About Brunswick

Headquartered in Mettawa, Ill., Brunswick Corporation's leading consumer brands include Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Ancor, Attwood, BEP, Blue Sea Systems, Czone, Del City, Garelick, Lenco Marine, Marinco, Mastervolt, Mercury, NAUTIC-ON, Park Power, Progressive Industries, ProMariner, Quicksilver and Whale marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine, Lankhorst Taselaar, Payne's Marine and BLA parts and accessories distributors; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern boats; Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Indoor Cycling Group and SCIFIT fitness equipment; and Brunswick billiards tables, accessories and game room furniture. For more information, visit http://www.brunswick.com.Boumerdes (Algeria), August 15, 2018 (SPS) - the Prime Minister of Sahrawi Republic, Mr. Mohamed El Uali Akik has expressed his deep gratitude to Algeria for its principled positions towards the Saharawi people and their just cause, praising its pioneering role in achieving security and stability and standing by the peoples.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the Saharawi people of government, I would like to sincerely express my thanks to the Algerian government and people under the leadership of H.E, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for their firm positions towards the Saharawi people, which will be remembered by the Sahrawi people, generation by generation. Mohamed El Uali Akik says in his address

On the other hand, the Prime Minister praised the positions of the Solidarity Movement with the Saharawi people in Europe in general and on all continents of the world, calling on all the free governments, parties and civil society movements to stand by the Saharawi people's legitimate struggle and support it by all possible means until he realize his legitimate objectives of freedom and independence. SPS

125/090/TRAEnglish14/08/2018

SRPSKA PARLIAMENT REJECTS SREBRENICA COMMISSION REPORT

BANJALUKA, August 14 /SRNA/ - The Republika Srpska Parliament has rejected the Srebrenica Commission Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995, since it is not in keeping with the commitment of Republika Srpska institutions to objectively and truthfully interpret the said evens and strengthen mutual trust in BiH and the region.



The Republika Srpska Parliament demands from the Republika Srpska Government to withdraw the Srebrenica Commission Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995, and to void it, say conclusions Parliament adopted in connection with the Report.



The Republika Srpska Parliament is of the opinion that for the sake of a comprehensive and truthful assessment of the events in and around Srebrenica in the period 1992 - 1995 and for the sake of strengthening mutual trust and tolerance between the peoples in BiH, it is necessary to form an independent international commission which would determine facts about sufferings of all peoples in that area and during that period of time in an objective and impartial manner.



The commission will include in its report parts of the Srebrenica Commission Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995 which in the meantime were proved and documented to be true.



The Republika Srpska Parliament is of the opinion that the Republika Srpska Government should form an independent international commission which would determine facts about the sufferings of Serbs in Sarajevo in an objective and impartial manner, having in mind that the FBiH Government did not form a commission which should have investigated the sufferings of Serbs in Sarajevo in the period 1991-1995, and make a report on this matter.



Members of the Republika Srpska Parliament say that a deadline for forming both independent international commissions should not be longer than one year.



The Republika Srpska Parliament has expressed its commitment to strengthen mutual trust in BiH and the region by investigating the events in the Srebrenica region in the period 1992-1995 and to eliminate manipulations about these events in order to prevent further manipulations with the fate of genuine victims and their families.



Parliaments conclusions say that the Republika Srpska Parliament is of the opinion that the Srebrenica Commission Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995 was made under the pressure from the high representative with pre-defined results, because of which Parliament concludes that the Commission was not independent.



The Republika Srpska Parliament has concluded that the Commission was prevented from investigating the sufferings of the Serbian people in the wider area of Srebrenica and that it said in its recommendations that a comprehensive picture of events in and around Srebrenica can be seen only after the overall historical context of these events is understood.



The Republika Srpska Parliament says that the Commissions Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995 is a manipulation with the truth and an attempt to change the character of the BiH war with the aim of weakening Republika Srpska.



The Republika Srpska Parliament says that reports with addendums, made by the Republika Srpska Governments task force for the implementation of conclusions from the final report of the Srebrenica Commission of March 30, 2005 and September 30, 2005, were made outside the framework of the decision of the BiH Human Rights Chamber and under inappropriate and tendentious pressure from some international representatives in BiH, and that as such, they are not fit for the purpose and are unnecessary, demanding from the Republika Srpska Government to void them. /end/sgEnglish14/08/2018

SRNA News Roundup /III/ - August 14, 2018

REPUBLIKA SRPSKA



BANJALUKA - The Republika Srpska Parliament has rejected the Srebrenica Commission Report on the events in and around Srebrenica in the period July 10-19, 1995, since it is not in keeping with the commitment of Republika Srpska institutions to objectively and truthfully interpret the said evens and strengthen mutual trust in BiH and the region.



BANJALUKA - The Deputy Speaker of the Republika Srpska Parliament, Nenad Stevandic, has said that all Srpska wants is the truth about war events in the area of Srebrenica and that it is doing nothing that might insult any other people.



BANJALUKA - The Head of the SNSD Caucus in the Republika Srpska Parliament, Radovan Viskovic, has said that Republika Srpska only wants the truth about war events in Srebrenica.



BANJALUKA - The Head of the DNS Caucus in the Republika Srpska Parliament, Spomenka Stevanovic, has said that crimes committed against Serbs in the area of Podrinje in the past war must not be neglected anymore.



BANJALUKA - The Head of the Socialist Party Caucus in the Republika Srpska Parliament, Slobodan Protic, has said that new facts about the sufferings of Serbs in the Podrinje, which were arrived at in the past 14 years, must be included in a new report on the events in Srebrenica.



BANJALUKA - SDS MP Vukota Govedarica has expressed satisfaction with the fact that conclusions on the Srebrenica Commission Report were harmonized in the Republika Srpska Parliament.



BANJALUKA - NDP MP Dragan Cavic says that a new commission that would investigate the events in Srebrenica in the period 1992-1995 needs to be formed and expressed satisfaction with the fact that all members of the Republika Srpska Parliament reached agreement on conclusions regarding the Srebrenica Commission Report.





BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA



SARAJEVO - The Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic, said today upon his arrival from an official visit to Germany that it is the position of German Chancellor Angela Merkel that there will be no change of borders in the Balkans.



SARAJEVO - The Chairman of the SNSD Caucus in the BiH House of Representatives, Stasa Kosarac, has said that in the October elections citizens will punish irresponsible officials in the joint BiH institutions who in only eight months turned this country into a reserve for more than 10,000 illegal migrants from high-risk Islamic countries.



SARAJEVO - The BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations has been officially informed that an action plan for export of poultry to the EU market has been accepted.





SERBIA



BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has criticized statements by certain opposition politicians who said that Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik should be banned from entry to Serbia because of his statements on Kossovo and Metohija.



BELGRADE  Eleven persons in Serbia died from West Nile Fever, and 126 contracted the disease, says the Serbian Institute of Public Health Dr. Milan Jovanovic Batut.





REGION



HERCEG NOVI  The putting up of new tourism signs, which are written in Cyrillic and in English, has started in Herceg Novi. /end/sgThe wet winter, followed by a cold spring and now a hot, dry summer has left many livestock producers without sufficient fresh grass or silage. Many are already feeding winter silage stocks, and are desperate to get new grass leys in the ground.

Westerwolds are the most vigorous grass varieties out there  once theyre sown and have germinated, stock can be grazing them within eight to 10 weeks, explains David Rhodes, technical manager at DLF. That compares to a wait of around 12 weeks with perennial ryegrass, so its unsurprising that demand has rocketed.

Demand from farmers in the Republic of Ireland is likely to soar further, following the announcement of a 2.75m (2.48m) fund to incentivise arable producers to sow temporary grass leys. Farmers growing between 3ha and 50ha of additional short-rotation grass over the winter will receive 155/ha (140/ha) in a bid to increase fodder availability.But is it that simple? A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) analyzed wood samples from the oldest existing experimental areas spanning a period of 150 years  and reached a surprising conclusion.

The team led by Hans Pretzsch, Professor for Forest Growth and Yield Science at the TUM, examined wood samples from several hundred trees and analyzed every single annual ring using a high-tech procedure  a total of 30,000 of them. "The heart of the LIGNOSTATION is a high-frequency probe which scans each sample in steps of a hundredth of a millimeter", says Pretzsch, explaining the analysis procedure. "By doing so, we measure the specific weight of the wood with an accuracy and resolution which until recently was unthinkable."

The wood samples come from the oldest experimental forest plots in Europe which were created at the same time the TU Munich was founded 150 years ago. The samples were taken from common European tree species such as spruces, pines, beeches, and oaks. "We have detailed knowledge of the history of every single plot and tree", says Pretzsch. "This allows us to rule out the possibility that our findings could result from the forest being managed differently now as compared to a hundred years ago."

Climate change is making the wood lighter

With the combination of wood samples from the 1870s to the present day coupled with the latest measurement technology, the team at the School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan were able to demonstrate that the annually growing wood has gradually become lighter since observations began: By up to eight to twelve percent since 1900. Within the same period, the volume growth of the trees in central Europe has accelerated by 29 to one hundred percent.

In other words: Even though a greater volume of wood is being produced today, it now contains less material than just a few decades ago. However, the explanation which immediately comes to mind does not apply. "Some people might now surmise that the more rapid growth could itself be the cause for our observations", says Dr. Peter Biber, co-author of the study  "In some tree species, it is in fact the case that wider annual rings also tend to have lighter wood. But we have taken this effect into account. The decrease in wood density we are talking about is due to other factors."NFU Scotland members and staff have been carrying out a shelf watch in over 50 Scottish supermarkets this week, to identify which retailers are doing their part to support Scottish sheep farmers during peak production season.

Secret shoppers counted over 2,500 packs of Scottish lamb, identifying which of the big supermarkets were sourcing the most Scottish and home-produced lamb.

The results, published by NFU Scotland, demonstrate that almost 45 per cent of the lamb available was branded with the Scotch Lamb PGI, with an additional 44 per cent labelled as British or Welsh.

This comes a week after the announcement from Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, that the Scottish Government is to commit to spend an additional 200,000 on Scotch Lamb PGI promotion.

The results notably demonstrate that the supermarket chain ASDA continue to stock significant volumes (40 per cent) of imported lamb, where many of its competitors have chosen to source Scottish and British lamb exclusively.

NFU Scotland's Livestock Committee Chairman Charlie Adam said:

These shelf watch results show that support for Scottish and UK lamb producers is strong from a number of retailers, providing confidence to the sector. Indeed, six out of the nine supermarket chains that we visited were stocking only lamb produced in Scotland or the UK.

While the majority of the lamb was home-produced it was disappointing to see that ASDA, The Co-operative and Waitrose had no lamb labelled as Scottish available. In particular ASDA is way off the mark with competitors stocking hundreds of packs of imported lamb at a time when Scottish lamb producers are busy finishing their stock. NFU Scotland will raise this issue directly with ASDA in the coming days.

The majority of lamb in the Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi stores however was labelled as Scotch Lamb PGI, giving the sector reason to be encouraged despite the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit.

Shoppers who are looking to buy Scottish lamb, to support local farmers and the rural economy are also encouraged to visit their local butchers, who are often strong supporters of Scottish lamb.

The First Minister's funding announcement from last week for additional promotion of Scotch Lamb PGI is very welcome. Lamb producers know the versatility and uniqueness of lamb as a source of nutrition. NFU Scotland is looking forward to the launch of Quality Meat Scotland's new promotional campaign for Scotch Lamb PGI.

NFU Scotland's shelf watch surveyed 52 supermarket stores across Scotland, looking at fresh lamb offerings. Results showed an 89 per cent commitment to lamb produced in Scotland and the UK. Overall, 2,686 packs of fresh lamb were counted. The lamb shelf watch survey took place between 1 and 10 August 2018 and secret shoppers counted lamb on shop aisles rather than shop butcher counters.Cannabis Facility Leasing, Management and Licensing Fees Power Q2 Results

Continue record of year over year quarterly earnings growth since 2016

Raised $10.4 million during 6 months ended 6/30/18

NEWTON, MA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MariMed Inc. (OTCQB: MRMD), a multi-state professional cannabis organization, today reported Q2 2018 financial results, posting revenue of $2.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, an 81% increase from the same period in 2017. MariMed continued on a solid trajectory of year over year revenue growth that it has achieved each quarter since 2016.

Our results this quarter reflect the continued success of our clients under MariMeds management and business strategy utilizing our proprietary brands and products while operating in our state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation, production, and dispensary facilities, stated Robert Fireman, CEO of MariMed Inc. We continue to expand our replicable and scalable business models into more facilities and legal cannabis states. The recent opening and constant expansion of the medical cannabis program in Maryland has been fantastic. We believe this momentum for the Company will continue as we open our cannabis businesses in Massachusetts in Q3 this year.



FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Revenue: Increased 81.2% to $2.9 million in Q2 2018, compared to $1.6 million in Q2 2017.

Increased 81.2% to $2.9 million in Q2 2018, compared to $1.6 million in Q2 2017. Assets: Tripled in size to $45.4 million at June 30, 2018 from $15.4 million at June 30, 2017.

Tripled in size to $45.4 million at June 30, 2018 from $15.4 million at June 30, 2017. EBITDA: Increased 50% to $1.02 million for three months ended June 30, 2018 from $682,000 for the comparable period ended 2017.

Increased 50% to $1.02 million for three months ended June 30, 2018 from $682,000 for the comparable period ended 2017. Debt Reduction: Reduced promissory note balances by $1.98 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2018 through the conversion of $1.28 million into common stock and the retiring of $700,000.

Reduced promissory note balances by $1.98 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2018 through the conversion of $1.28 million into common stock and the retiring of $700,000. Cash on Hand: Increased to $5.1 million at June 30, 2018 from $1.3 million on December 31, 2017

Once again, we delivered double-digit revenue growth driven by our facility leasing and brand licensing fees and supply procurement services from our expanding operations, stated Jon Levine, MariMed CFO. This is further fueled by management fees and additional rental fees tied to the 67.6% increase in revenue generated by our clients for the three months ended June 30, 2018.

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, the Company realized a net loss of approximately $6.3 million and $8.1 million, respectively. This compares to net income of approximately $505,000 and $614,000 for the comparable periods in 2017. The is due to two non-cash itemsissuance of stock options and warrants, and the settlements of debt via the issuance of common stock. These non-cash items had no effect on the operating earnings or liquidity of the Company. Excluding these non-cash items, net income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 was approximately $575,000 and $530,000, respectively.

OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS



Corporate:

Raised $10.4 million during the six months ended June 30, 2018 to fund operations, facility development and expansion of branded licensing.

Acquired iRollie LLC, a manufacturer of branded cannabis products and accessories for consumers, and custom product and packaging for companies in the cannabis industry.

Expanded distribution of MariMeds new Natures Heritage Cannabis branded strains and products to 45 dispensaries via MariMed licensed client Kind Therapeutics USA.

Began distribution from first harvests of Tikun Olam branded cannabis strains that have been proven effective in clinical research trials.

Outlook for 2018

We expect continued revenue growth from our existing business units in five states and have laid the groundwork for opportunities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida and Ohio, said Mr. Levine.

Tim Shaw, MariMed COO, added, We are in the process of improving the look and feel of our Kalm Fusion and Bettys Eddies brands of precision dosed cannabis infused products, and we are working on acquiring and strategically aligning with other quality brands to manufacture and distribute through our networks nationwide.

Most recently MariMed secured the exclusive global licensing and distribution rights to a proprietary print technology that produces precision dosed, rapid delivery, dissolvable cannabis products at new levels of efficiency. MariMed also invested in and will be distributing Sprout, a CRM platform and SMS messaging engine for customer acquisition and retention to dispensaries in multiple states.

We believe these initiatives help round out our robust product and service offering and will complement our organic growth in product sales of Natures Heritage Cannabis, Kalm Fusion, Bettys Eddies, Tikun Olam and Lucid Mood brands as we continue build market share and enter additional states via our expanding national distribution network, stated Mr. Fireman.

MariMeds full financial results are available on MariMeds website (ir.marimedadvisors.com/quarterly-reports) and at www.sec.gov

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Year over year rev growth thru q2 '18

Search MariMed and post on social media with the hash tag #MedicatedByMarimed:

Twitter: @MariMedInc

Facebook: @MariMedInc

Instagram: MariMedInc

YouTube: MariMedInc

# # #



About MariMed Inc.:

MariMed is a multi-state professional cannabis organization that develops, owns and manages cannabis facilities and branded products lines. MariMeds team has developed state-of-the-art regulatory-compliant facilities in DE, IL, NV, MD, MA, and RI which are models of excellence in horticultural principals, cannabis production, product development, and dispensary operations. In addition, MariMed is on the forefront of precision dosed branded products for the treatment of specific medical symptoms. MariMed currently distributes its branded products in select states and is expanding licensing and distribution to numerous additional markets encompassing thousands of dispensaries. MariMed Inc. is one of the 17 top-performing public cannabis companies in the U.S. tracked on the U.S. Marijuana Index, (www.marijuanaindex.com). For additional information, visit www.MariMedAdvisors.com

Forward Looking Statements:



This release contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to MariMed Inc., that is based on the beliefs of MariMed Inc.s management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events including estimates and projections about its business based on certain assumptions of its management, including those described in this Release. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including, among other factors, changes in demand for the Company's services and products, changes in the law and its enforcement and changes in the economic environment. Additional risk factors are included in the Company's public filings with the SEC. Should one or more of these underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as "hoped," "anticipated," "believed," "planned, "estimated," "preparing," "potential," "expected" or words of a similar nature. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. None of the content of any of the websites referred to herein (even if a link is provided for your convenience) is incorporated into this release and the Company assumes no responsibility for any of such content.

AttachmentA more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Index of turnover in industry 2021, September

Published: 15 August 2018

Turnover in manufacturing grew by almost 6 per cent in the March to May period

According to Statistics Finland, turnover in manufacturing in the March to May period was 5.8 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of the year before. Domestic sales grew by 3.2 per cent and export turnover by 7.7 per cent from one year ago.

Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in manufacturing (C) sub-industries (TOL 2008)

Turnover went up from the corresponding period of the previous year in all manufacturing (C) sub-industries . Growth was strongest in the metal industry, 7.2 per cent, in the chemical industry, 6.8 per cent and in the electrical and electronics industry, 6.4 per cent. Turnover growth was weakest in the food industry and in the textile, clothing and leather industry, 1.8 per cent from one year ago.

Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in main industrial categories (TOL 2008)

The turnover of all other main categories of manufacturing industries also increased year-on-year. Turnover growth was strongest in the industry of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, 11.9 per cent. Turnover in mining and quarrying grew by 10.0 per cent and in water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities by 5.1 per cent from one year ago.

The index of turnover in industry describes enterprises whose main industry is manufacturing. The calculation of the indices is based on the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data which are supplemented with data obtained with Statistics Finlands sales inquiry. The monthly turnovers of manufacturing enterprises can vary considerably, especially in the metal industries. The variation is mainly due to invoicing practices. The final invoice for major machinery deliveries and projects may be recorded in the sales of one month, even if the delivery had required the work of several months or years.

Source: Index of turnover in industry 2018, May, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Ulla Virtanen 029 551 3347, Maija Sappinen 029 551 3348, myynti.teollisuus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko

Publication in pdf-format (361.6 kB)

Updated 15.8.2018

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Index of turnover in industry [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-596X. May 2018. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 30.10.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tlv/2018/05/tlv_2018_05_2018-08-15_tie_001_en.htmlTO VIEW MORE NEWS STORY, PLEASE CLICK ON NEWS TAB ON MAIN MENU BARNot for distribution to the U.S. news wire services, or dissemination in the United States.



HONG KONG, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Primeline Energy Holdings Inc. (Primeline or the Company), listed on the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. (the TSX-V) under the trading symbol PEH, announced today that, through the support of its Chairman and major shareholder, it has repaid its outstanding US$ 10 million principal amount Tranche A Bonds (the Tranche A Bonds) issued to GRF Prime Limited (GRF Prime), in accordance with their terms, on August 14, 2018. GRF Prime is a private equity fund managed by GEMS Investment Management Services Limited, a Hong Kong based manager of private equity funds (GEMS).



The Tranche A Bonds were due for repayment on August 14, 2018 and the redemption amount due, including the redemption premium, amounted to approximately US$11,300,000 (Redemption Amount). Primeline has been in discussions with GEMS since mid-2017 with respect to an extension of the Bonds in order to defer the repayment date to a later date to allow time to complete the hearing of the arbitration against CNOOC (CNOOC Arbitration) and receive the ruling of the tribunal. The hearing of the CNOOC Arbitration is fixed to take place in Singapore in September 2018. However, the Company was not able to comply with the terms demanded by GEMS as a condition for its agreement to the extension and such discussions were terminated last week when GEMS confirmed that it required that the Tranche A Bonds be repaid on the maturity date.

As a result of Primelines previous dispute with Zhejiang Gas and Primelines continuing dispute with CNOOC, the Company suffered a severe loss and reduction of cash flow with resultant difficulties in meeting its financial obligations, particularly its bank debt service obligations. The lending banks, being China Development Bank, China Export and Import Bank and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (jointly Syndicate Banks) which financed the Companys investment in the LS36-1 development project, however, have been extremely supportive and, in 2016, agreed to a restructuring of the loan terms with an improvement in the commercial terms.

The Tranche A Bonds are unsecured. All cash flow from Primelines LS36-1 gas field is charged to and controlled by the Syndicate Banks and it has not been possible to secure the release of funds with which to repay the Tranche A Bonds. As a result, the Company did not have sufficient funds available to repay the Tranche A Bonds.

The refusal by GRF Prime to agree to an extension of Tranche A Bonds put the Company in an extremely difficult position ahead of the CNOOC Arbitration hearing in September and the Company is extremely disappointed by the action taken by GEMS on behalf of GRF Prime.

However, Primeline is extremely pleased to announce that the Company has secured support from Mr. Victor Hwang, Primelines President, Chairman and majority shareholder, to allow the Company to pay the Redemption Amount due in respect of the Tranche A Bonds and remain in good standing at this crucial time.

Payment of the Redemption Amount due on the Tranche A Bonds has been funded by a loan of US$11,300,000 from Mr. Hwang. Mr. Hwangs loan will be secured by the issuance by Primeline of US$11,300,000 principal amount of bonds (the New Bonds) having the same terms as the Tranche A Bonds. The Tranche A Bonds were for an initial three-year term expiring on August 14, 2018, extendable at the election of the holder for two additional periods of one year. Accordingly, the New Bonds will be deemed to have been issued on 14th August 2018 and will be for an initial period of one year, extendable for a further year at the option of the holder, and will otherwise be on the same terms, mutatis mutandis, as the Tranche A Bonds. Interest will be payable on the New Bonds quarterly at 7% per annum, of which 4.5% will be payable in cash and 2.5% in ordinary shares of Primeline (Shares) issued at a deemed price per Share equal to the higher of (i) the closing price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSX-V) on the day before; and (ii) the volume-weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX-V for the 10 days preceding the interest payment date. The New Bonds are convertible, at the option of the bondholder, at any time during the period commencing four months and a day following the date of issuance up to the date that is 10 days prior to the date of maturity of the New Bonds, into Shares at a conversion price of CAD$0.70 per Share. The issuance of the New Bonds is subject to TSX-V approval.

The issuance of the New Bonds is a related party transaction for Primeline within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 (MI 61-101), in that Mr. Hwang is Primelines President, Chairman and majority shareholder. Primeline will rely on the exemption from the valuation requirement of MI 61-101 at Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, which it is entitled to do as none of its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange or certain other stock exchanges outside of the United States and Canada. Primeline will rely on the exemption from the minority approval requirement of MI 61-101, on the basis that (i) repayment of the Tranche A Bonds, in the absence of the loan from Mr. Hwang, would have resulted in serious financial difficulty for Primeline; (ii) the loan and the issuance of the New Bonds is designed to improve the financial condition of Primeline; (iii) Primeline is not insolvent; (iv) Primeline has one or more independent directors in respect of the transaction, and (v) the Primeline's board, and at least two thirds of the independent directors, each acting in good faith, have determined that (i) and (ii) apply, and that the terms of the transaction are reasonable in the Primelines circumstances. Primeline believes it is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances that this press release is filed less than 21 days before the loan from Mr. Hwang, as Primeline required the loan from Mr. Hwang in order to meet its urgent short-term cash requirements.

About Primeline Energy Holdings Inc.



Primeline is an exploration and production company focusing exclusively on China natural resources to become a major supplier of gas and oil to the East China market. Primeline has a 100% Contractors interest in, and is the operator of, the petroleum contract with CNOOC for Block 33/07 (4,397sq km) and a 49% interest in the producing LS36-1 gas field in Block 25/34, together with CNOOC (51% interest and acting as Operator). Both blocks are in the East China Sea. LS36-1 has been in production since July 2014. Shares of Primeline are listed for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEH.



ON BEHALF OF PRIMELINE ENERGY HOLDINGS INC.



Signed Ming Wang

Chief Executive Officer



Contact:



PRIMELINE ENERGY HOLDINGS INC. FronTier Merchant Capital Group Dr. Ming Wang, CEO

PH: +44 207.499.8888

Fax: +44 207.499.2288

Toll Free: 1.877.818.0688

E-Mail: IR@pehi.com



Robin Cook

1411-1 King Street West

Toronto, ON M5H 1A1

PH: (416) 809-1738

FAX: (866) 749-0447

E-Mail: robin@frontiermcg.com

www.frontiermcg.com

Please visit the Companys website at www.primelineenergy.com. Should you wish to receive Company news via email, please email robin@frontiermcg.com and specify Primeline Energy in the subject line.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, which involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Primeline. These statements relate to Primelines expectation that it will complete the offering of the New Bonds. Although these statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, actual results may vary from those anticipated in such statements. Primeline may be unable to complete the offering of the New Bonds due to inability to obtain necessary regulatory approval. or other factors If Primeline is unable to complete the transactions, it may have to curtail or cease its operations. Exploration for oil and gas is subject to the inherent risk that it will not result in a commercial discovery.

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.TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itafos (TSX VENTURE: IFOS) (the Company) reported today its Q2 2018 financial results and operational highlights. The Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 are available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com and at its website, www.itafos.com . All dollar values are in US Dollars.



Q2 was our first full quarter of ownership of Itafos Conda and on July 3 Itafos Arraias achieved commercial production. Q2 performance was supported by improving phosphate fertilizer prices and this trend has continued thus far in Q3. Itafos Conda outperformed its Q1 results despite being down for several weeks in June for its planned plant turnaround that was completed on schedule and within budget. During Q3 we expect to realize further improvements in efficiencies and product quality at Itafos Arraias and we remain focused on advancing our key development initiatives, including extending the life of Itafos Conda and developing our near-term pipeline, which includes Itafos Paris Hills and Itafos Farim. With the closing of our long-term $165 million credit facility in June we are well positioned to advance these initiatives. said Brian Zatarain, CEO of Itafos.

The Company generated revenue of $67.2 million in Q2 2018, compared to $58.1 million in Q1 2018 and $0.0 in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 net income was $1.4 million ($0.01 per fully-diluted share), compared to $62.0 million in Q1 2018 ($0.46 per fully-diluted share) and a loss of $6.9 million in Q2 2017 ($0.09 loss per fully-diluted share).

Q2 2018 Highlights

Itafos Conda sales included: (i) 75,690 t MAP at $427/t average price, (ii) 32,342 t SPA at $918/t average price and (iii) 11,938 t APP at $432/t average price

Itafos Arraias sales included: (i) 23,530 t SSP at $137/t average price and (ii) 15,214 t Sulfuric Acid at $150/t average price

On April 4, 2018, the Company announced the appointment of George Burdette to serve as Chief Financial Officer

On June 6, 2018, the Company closed a $165.0 million secured term credit facility

Itafos Conda completed its planned plant turnaround on schedule and within budget

Subsequent Events

On July 3, 2018, Itafos Arraias achieved commercial production as it completed 30 consecutive days of sustainable production at 75% capacity utilization

Q2 2018 Segment Summary

Itafos Conda

Revenues reached $67.2 million, up 15.6% from $58.1 million in Q1 2018 and compared to $0.0 million in Q2 2017. The quarter-over-quarter revenue increase was driven by higher realized fertilizer prices and increased SPA shipments, which more than offset the effects of the June turnaround that caused reduced MAP shipments relative to Q1 2018. Operating income was $14.7 million in Q2 2018, up 9.6% from $13.4 million in Q1 2018 and compared to $0.0 million in Q2 2017 as higher revenues were partially offset by slightly lower gross margins that were negatively impacted by the plant turnaround.

Itafos Arraias

SSP volumes rose to 23,530 t in Q2 2018 from 3,501 t in Q1 2018. However, as the facility was still in development stage during the quarter, revenues were netted against property, plant, and equipment. Although Itafos Arraias has achieved commercial production it will continue to focus on improving operational efficiencies during the second half of 2018 with particular focus on mass yield, P 2 O 5 recovery and overall product quality.

Corporate

Corporate SG&A was $5.9 million in Q2 2018, up from $3.0 million in the prior quarter and $2.9 million in the year-ago quarter, primarily driven by non-recurring transaction related expenses.

Liquidity

Cash as at June 30, 2018 was $62.9 million compared to $63.7 million as at December 31, 2017. Short-term debt fell to $0.3 million from $25.5 million, and long-term debt rose to $154.8 million from $0.0 million at December 31, 2017. The increased debt is due to the closing of the $165.0 million secured term credit facility in June 2018. Of the $165.0 million, $90.0 million was used to refinance higher-interest, short-term promissory notes and related accrued interest. The net proceeds of the Facility will be used to fund working capital and other cash requirements of Itafos Conda and Itafos Arraias, continued implementation of the Companys business development initiatives.

Outlook

Currently, the Company is executing its strategy by focusing on the following:

integrating and optimizing Itafos Conda

improving Itafos Arraias operational efficiencies during H2 2018 with particular focus on mass yield, P 2 O 5 recovery and overall product quality

O recovery and overall product quality finalizing permitting for Itafos Paris Hills and advancing integration efforts with Itafos Conda

finalizing permitting, pursuing off-take alternatives, selecting contractors and securing project financing for Itafos Farim

Additional details of the above transactions are publicly available at the Companys website and at www.sedar.com under the Companys profile, including in the Companys financial statements and management discussion and analysis.

About Itafos

Itafos is a vertically integrated phosphate based fertilizers and specialty products company with an attractive portfolio of long-term strategic businesses located in key fertilizer markets worldwide. Itafos is managed by an experienced and diverse team with extensive operations, commercial and financial expertise. Itafos owns and operates Itafos Conda, a vertically integrated phosphate fertilizer business which produces approximately 540,000 tons per year of mono-ammonium phosphate, super phosphoric acid, merchant grade phosphoric acid and specialty products located in Idaho, U.S. and Itafos Arraias, a vertically integrated phosphate fertilizer business with production capacity of approximately 500,000 tons per year of single super phosphate located in Tocantins, Brazil. Itafos is developing Itafos Paris Hills, a high-grade phosphate mine project located in Idaho, U.S., Itafos Farim, a high-grade phosphate mine project located in Farim, Guinea Bissau, Itafos Santana, a vertically integrated high-grade phosphate fertilizer project located in Para, Brazil, Itafos Araxa, a high-grade rare earth oxide and other elements mine project located in Minas Gerais, Brazil and Itafos Mantaro, a high-grade phosphate mine project located in Junin, Peru.

For more information, please visit http://itafos.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes forward looking information. All information other than information of historical fact is forward looking information. The use of any of the words intend, anticipate, plan, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, project, should, would, believe, predict and potential and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking information. This information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward looking information. No assurance can be given that this information will prove to be correct and such forward looking information included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.

Forward looking information is subject to a number of risks and other factors that could cause actual results and events to vary materially from that anticipated by such forward looking information. Although Itafos has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to those risk factors set out in Itafos Management Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure documents available under its profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and assumptions are not exhaustive. The forward looking information included in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date of this news release. Itafos undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking information except as required by applicable securities laws.

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.

For further information, please contact:

Itafos

Robert Winslow

robert.winslow @Itafos.com

www.Itafos.comShares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.15 August 2018

Croatia completes stockpile destruction!

PHOTO: Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no

"We would like to congratulate the government of Croatia for the successful fulfillment of its obligations under Article 3 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions," said newly appointed ICBL-CMC Director, Hector Guerra following the recent declaration by Republic of Croatia. Under article 3 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions or CCM, States Parties may not stockpile cluster munitions, and must also destroy their existing stocks within eight years of joining.

Croatia has been a champion of the CCM beginning with the Oslo Process that led to creation of the Convention. As a state affected by cluster munition contamination, Croatia advocated for including the strongest possible provisions on victim assistance as well as placing a moratorium on the use, production, and transfer of cluster munitions in 2007, prior to conclusion of the Oslo process.

"We trust that this momentum will assist Croatia to complete its obligations under Article 4 - clearing the remaining contaminated areas in its territory - well in advance of its August 2020 deadline," said Guerra.

Croatia, which hosted the First Review Conference of the CCM in 2015, was also an important supporter of the first UN General Assembly resolution supporting the conventions universalization and implementation.

"The Cluster Munition Coalition would like to make a call on the other CCM States Parties with obligations under Article 3, to join Croatia in fulfilling their stockpile destruction obligations as soon as possible," said Guerra.The Norwegian Army has ordered over a hundred new UAVS (RQ-12A Wasps and RQ-20B Pumas) for its infantry. The new UAVs, like the two existing models Norwegian troops have, use digitally encrypted communications to make it very difficult to interfere with (eavesdrop or take over) the electronic link between operator and UAV.

Norwegian troops already have the two kilogram (4.4 pound) American RQ-11B Raven and the locally developed Black Hornet PD-100s and these are also receiving updated electronic protection. The enhanced electronic defenses not only protects against the data link being interfered with but provides defense against other forms of electronic attack.

These electronic protections are particularly important for the low flying and smaller UAVs. The largest of these used by Norway is the RQ-20 Puma, which first entered service in 2008. The current model, the RQ-20B, appeared in 2014 and is now the standard. This is a 5.9 kg (13 pound) UAV with a 2.8 meter (9.2 feet) wingspan and a range of 15 kilometers from the operator. Top speed for Puma is 83 kilometers an hour and cruising speed is 37-50 kilometers an hour. Max altitude is 3,800 meters (12,500 feet) and endurance is 120 minutes. Puma has a better vidcam (providing tilt, pan, and zoom) than the smaller Raven and that provides steadier and more detailed pictures. Because it is larger than Raven, and three times as heavy, Puma is much steadier in bad weather. Puma is battery powered and designed to handle extreme weather conditions. Eventually, the U.S. Army began using Puma as well as situations where something larger than RQ-11 Raven, but carried by infantry, UAV was needed. RQ-2oB costs about $65,000 each

The much smaller RQ-12 Wasp entered service in 2007 and the current RQ-12A in 2012. The RQ-12A is a 545 gram (one pound), battery-powered aircraft that has a 74 cm (29 inch) wingspan and can stay in the air for 45 minutes at a time. It uses forward and side looking cameras and can fly up to five kilometers from the operator. Max altitude is 170 meters. The Wasp uses the same ground controller as the RQ-11B Raven. Like the Raven, Wasp is launched by being thrown and lands by stopping the motor and allowing it to glide to the ground (or water, it is waterproof and floats). RQ-12A costs about $45,000 each.

The lightweight, hand-launched RQ-11 Raven UAV can only stay airborne about an hour per sortie, but troops have found that this is enough time to do all sorts of useful work, even when there's no fighting going on. This is most of the time. The two kilogram (4.4 pound) RQ-11 Raven UAV aircraft is popular with combat and non-combat troops alike. This is the oldest (introduced in 2003) UAV the Norwegians have. The RQ-11B, RQ-12A and RQ-20B are from the same manufacturer and share many common characteristics (all are launched by hand and crash land). Coming from the same manufacturer makes it easier for Norway to get upgrades and support.

Once the Raven entered wide service in 2006 combat troops found these small UAVs excellent for finding and tracking the enemy, while non-combat troops use it for security (guarding bases or convoys). In both cases, troops came to use the Raven for more than just getting a look over the hill or around the corner. The distinctive noise of a Raven overhead is very unpopular with the enemy below and is often used to scare the enemy away or make him move to where he can be more easily spotted.

The current model, the Raven B (RQ-11B), was introduced in 2007, a year after the original Raven entered service in large numbers. The RQ-11 inexpensive ($35,000 each) and battery powered. That means it is largely silent to the enemy unless flown very close to the ground. It carries a color day vidcam or a two-color infrared night camera. It can also carry a laser designator and a gimbaled camera. The cameras broadcast real-time video back to the operator, who controls the Raven via a handheld controller, which uses a hood to shield the display from direct sunlight (thus allowing the operator to clearly see what is on the ground). The Raven can go as fast as 90 kilometers an hour but usually cruises at between 40 and 50 kilometers an hour. It can go as far as 15 kilometers from its controller and usually flies a pre-programmed route, using GPS for navigation.

The Raven is made of Kevlar, the same material used in helmets and protective vests. On average, a Raven can survive about 200 landings before it breaks something. While some Ravens have been shot down, the most common cause of loss is losing the communications link (as the aircraft flies out of range or behind something that interrupts the signal) or a software/hardware failure on the aircraft. Combat losses have been high, as nearly 20,000 have been built and most of those have been lost in training or the battlefield.

While you can think of Wasp as Raven Light and Puma as Raven Heavy the Norwegian designed Black Hornet is in a class by itself when it comes to size. The PD-100 Black Hornet is a very tiny (10x2.5 cm/4x1 inch) and lightweight (16 g, less than half an ounce) helicopter UAV. The rotor diameter is 12 cm (4.8 inches). Developed by a Norwegian firm and first used in action by British commandos in Afghanistan during 2013, it was noticed by other special operations troops there, especially from U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and by 2014 American troops were testing Black Hornet, suggested some new features and by 2015 were using it in combat. By then the British had bought over 300 Black Hornets. Despite the high cost, in the hands of well-trained troops, it increased combat capabilities considerably and saved the lives of the troops using it. By 2017 over 4,000 Black Hornets had been purchased by military and police forces in more than 20 countries, most of them NATO members.

What makes Black Hornet so useful is that is virtually undetectable at night because it is battery powered (for up to 25 minutes per sortie) can operate autonomously and transmit pictures and video back to the operator via an encrypted datalink or store them onboard for viewing when the UAV returns. A cellphone size controller enables the user to view images and the UAV is stored in a small box that can be attached to the troops like ammo or other gear already is. When recharged the UAV is launched from that box and can be controlled up to 1,600 meters from the operator, who can guide the UAV and zoom the camera. The PD-100 also carries GPS, a thermometer, compass and altitude sensor. Max speed is 10 meters a second (36 kilometers/22.5 miles an hour) and max altitude is about 500 meters. In Afghanistan, British and American special operations troops found the PD-100 ideal for reconnaissance and spotting snipers as well as searching inside buildings or cave entrances. Even though the commandos had night vision gear they cant normally see around corners or on the other side of walls or other obstacles. Since the enemy could not see or hear the PD-100 at night they were often taken by surprise because they thought they were well hidden in the dark.

The PD-100 can stay in the air for 20-25 minutes per sortie depending on how much time it spends hovering (low battery use) or moving high and fast (uses a lot more battery power). The PD-100 is made of hard plastic and one can be ready for action in less than a minute. A complete system (two UAVs and the controller) weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds). The body of the PD-100 is designed to handle winds well, making it quite stable for its size. It is the ultimate infantry UAV. The PD-100 is ideal in urban areas or forests.

Because of its carefully managed oil wealth, Norway can afford to equip its small armed forces (22,000 active duty, 45,000 reserves) with the best weapons and equipment available. Most Norwegians serve in the army and military service is a shared experience because of conscription. Thus Norway can seriously consider equipping each infantry company with PD-100s, as well as Raven and Wasp. Puma is seen as something for battalion and brigade staffs although the way the Norwegian military is organized most combat would be with small units against invaders using airborne or amphibious invasion or small groups of special operations troops coming across the short land border with Russia. As a practical matter, Norwegian troops are more likely to see action in peacekeeping operations facing irregulars (most recently in Afghanistan). For these operations, the current UAV inventory (Black Hornet, Wasp, Raven and Puma) is well suited.Bangladesh cannot get Burma to take their Rohingya Moslems back. The latest effort had the Bangladesh foreign minister and a team of 14 specialists visit the Burmese capital to discuss the issue with their Burmese counterparts. The Bangladeshis came back empty-handed and reported that talks will continue. Talk is cheap and Burma will discuss the issue indefinitely without agreeing to take nearly a million of its population back. The Burmese are pretty confident they can get away with this because the Rohingya controversy is not a unique situation but is part of an ancient pattern that has become a common cause of large-scale disorder in the last century. This is all about the existence of large stateless populations and it is quite common in this part of the world and Bangladesh has produced more of these illegals than anyone else. Illegal migrants have become a more difficult problem since national states became the preferred form of government and it became common for there to be disputes over who belonged and who did not. The UN estimates that there are currently over ten million such stateless people.

Most of the stateless are that way because they dont want to live where they, or their ancestors, came from. Thus there are at least a million Moslems in Burma who originally (often over a century ago) came from Bangladesh but dont want to return there. They prefer to live in Burma, where most of the population is Buddhist. India has a similar problem in its northeast tribal territories, especially Assam, where four million Bengali migrants (most of them or their ancestors entered illegally) are being denied citizen status. The tribal locals have long resented the illegal migrants, more so than the legal migrants. India sees this citizenship crackdown as a way of reducing support for local tribal separatist rebels.

There is a similar situation in the African country of Ivory Coast, where 700,000 people (a quarter of the population) are migrants (or the descendants of migrants) from Burkina Faso, Mali and Ghana. Over the last half century, Ivory Coast encouraged these people to come work on coffee and cotton plantations. Unfortunately, Ivory Coast never agreed to offer citizenship and that led to a recent civil war between the migrants and the natives.

In the Middle East, you have over 100,000 stateless nomads in Kuwait. Called the bedoon, these people were not considered Kuwaitis in 1962 (when Kuwait became independent) because the nomads came and went as they pleased and did not seem interested. But as the oil wealth grew that attitude changed. Kuwait decided it was not making anyone else citizens. In Syria and Iraq there have been government attempts to punish rebellious Kurds by declaring some of them non-citizens. That has not worked out well and the question of who the Kurds are and where they belong is still a problem.

In Russia and former (after 1991) states of the Soviet Union, there are over half a million people who ended up in a country that did not want them. About half of these unwanted are ethnic Russians who ended up outside Russia and liked being where they were but the locals did not want them. The other half were non-Russians who ended up in Russia but were not wanted. In Thailand, there are over half a million tribal refugees from the numerous tribal rebellions in neighboring Burma. These people do not want to go back, would like to become Thai citizens but the Thais dont want them.

In the Dominican Republic you have hostility towards migrants from neighboring Haiti which led to new laws making many migrants non-citizens. In Europe, you have over 50,000 Roma (gypsies) who are nomadic and prefer to not register births with the state or leave any kind of paper trail. Many Roma have settled down, but enough have not to remain a problem.

There is a worldwide problem with illegal migrants going somewhere to find jobs, staying, not being detected for a while, if at all, and eventually their descendants demand citizenship. This often leads to violence and resists lots of solutions thus becoming long-term problems.

Empty Assurances

The June 6 agreement between the government and UN proved, as expected, unable to help Burmese refugees in Bangladesh. It was immediately pointed out that the agreement is about what the UN and government will do, not what they must do according to any set schedule. Moreover, China continues to use its veto to block any meaningful UN action against Burma over the Rohingya issue.

Burmese Rohingya Moslems continue to flee to Bangladesh in 2018, although only at the rate of about a thousand a month. There are not many left and it is still not safe to be Rohingya in Burma. The million or so Burmese refugees in Bangladesh (and elsewhere) are stuck there for what appears to be an extended period. As happens in large refugee camps like this, criminal gangs form and use force, often murder, to gain control of illegal activities like extortion, distribution of illegal drugs and smuggling (including people). Bangladesh has assigned more police to the camps but it is not enough.

The Burmese government insists that only validated Burmese residents will be allowed back and the verification process is stalled with only a few thousand Rohingya verified as Burmese. The UN agreement is unlikely to change that because the Burmese, with some justification, are insisting on documentation from refugees and many have not got it. Burma was approving less than ten percent of the names Bangladesh presents as authentic Burmese Rohingya and that may be increased to appease the UN but even then that does not guarantee that the refugee will return. The repatriation back to Burma of was supposed to begin in January 2018 but continued army violence against Rohingya still in Burma made that impossible. Added to that were the administrative problems and so much more. Those Rohingya going back must do so voluntarily and the refugees know what is going on in their former neighborhoods. Thats because Rohingya willing to go back want to return to their homes and property. If their home was destroyed (as many were during the military violence) the returnees want an opportunity to rebuild and for the government to supply money and supplies to make that possible. That would be difficult because in many of the areas Rohingya fled from local officials have treated the former Rohingya property as abandoned and available or resale and reuse. The UN can demand that the government do something about that and the government can refer the disputes to Burmese courts where each claim must be litigated.

The Burmese are under no binding obligation to expedite this repatriation process. Rohingya refugees are aware of this and will not return until the government clears up the property ownership issues. That happening is considered an impossible dream by all concerned. As a result, many Rohingya refugees are seeking new homelands. Bangladesh is not considered a good candidate because the country is already crowded and poor and long the source of illegal migrants to other nations. At the moment Moslem refugees are a hard sell, even in Moslem countries. No one is willing to take a lot of Rohingya and Bangladesh does not like being stuck with these large refugee camps near the Burmese border. Because the Rohingya are Moslem most Moslem nations have been quick to condemn Burma and urge international efforts to force Burma to take back the Rohingya. Bangladesh is moving ahead with its effort to provide IDs for nearly a million Rohingya refugees. This will include collecting biometric data (digital photos and fingerprints) on all of them. This is supposed to be done by the end of 2018. Burma has no similar data on the Rohingya forced out of Burma and uses that as an excuse not to allow any back in unless they have the proper documents.

August 6, 2018: In the far north, some of the tribal rebels do what the army does and go total outlaw. That is currently happening in the far north where two rival rebel groups, the Shan State Army (or at least some of the factions) and TNLA (Tang National Liberation Army) have been fighting for control of disputed territory. The latest outburst of violence had caused nearly a thousand villagers to flee their homes to avoid the shooting. In areas where the issue has been settled many villagers driven from their homes by the fighting are reluctant to return home because the rebels have a reputation for demanding payment from locals. The current fighting has been going on for months but there have been few casualties among the tribal gunmen. Sometimes other tribal rebel groups are involved and the one group that tends to be involved much of the time is the TNLA.

July 27, 2018: In northeast India, across the border from Burma, Burmese troops are putting pressure on Indian rebels belonging to NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang). This Indian tribal separatist group is now considering moving their operations out of Burma. This comes after Burmese troops restricted the movement of the rebels inside Burma and threatened to arrest and deport rebel leaders who had long operated freely in Burma. This came after India complained that the NSCN-K rebels had become more active and defiant, mainly by using their bases in Burma. As a result of that on June 26th another battle between Indian commandoes and Indian tribal rebels took place three kilometers inside Burma. This came after the rebels had ambushed an Indian patrol on June 18th, wounding three soldiers before fleeing back into Burma. India has an informal agreement with Burma that when Indian rebels based in Burma inflict casualties on Indian forces and the Burmese cannot get to the rebel camp, Indian commandos will take care of it.

July 23, 2018: Burma is intensifying its crackdown on Islamic schools (madrassas). While most of these do not try to radicalize their students, a few have (and been shut down). To avoid more radical madrassas the government decreed that all instruction must be in Burmese. Most Madrassas make a big deal about teaching Islamic scripture (Koran) in Arabic. Although the Koran has been translated into many languages purists (especially Arabs and most Islamic terrorists) believe using anything but Arabic is haram (forbidden) and that often gets transgressors killed.

July 16, 2018: Burma is again asking for Chinese help in bringing peace to the troubled tribes of northern Burma. Some of these tribes are ethnic Chinese that long ago fled China to escape imperial control. The most powerful of these Burmese tribes are the Wa and there are many Wa still living in China. Thats because until the late 1940s these tribal areas between China and the kingdoms of Thailand, Burma and India were a no mans land because there was nothing there but jungle and hostile tribes who wanted nothing to do with any government. The British convinced the tribes to join either Burma or India because the British were leaving and at the time China was still fighting a civil war which, no matter who won, would be good for independent tribes in these jungles. Turned out that there was a lot of jade and other minerals in those hills as well as a tradition of the tribes producing opium. While the Indians finally subdued their tribes Burma is still working on it.

The Wa are powerful because they have been most successful in the drug business and have good connections in China and Thailand. The Wa gave lots of cash for arming their private army and providing economic opportunities for the Wa. Thus the Wa are a military force the Burmese Army has never been able to subdue. With the help of China, the Burmese Army could defeat the Wa and other rebels but the Chinese want much in return, especially in terms of cooperation in keeping the tribes from interfering with Chinese economic projects in the north.

The main Chinese goal is to get its economic projects, mainly those connected with the Obor (One Belt, One Road) effort. Obor is all about China building roads, railroads, pipelines and ports to make it easier for Chinese imports and exports to move around, from East Asia to Europe, Africa and more. Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand Sri Lanka and Burma are all Obor participants that are seeing billions of dollars in construction Chinese projects taking place and the terms of these deal tend to favor China, not the country where the construction takes place. Not surprisingly many people in these Obor countries see the Chinese investments as another form of colonialism. China prefers not to call it colonialism but rather seeking to expand its commercial activities. The Burmese tribes have long depended on Chinese cash and diplomatic influence to survive. China is working that angle as much as it can to get their costly development projects operational and want long-term peace with the tribes to keep the Chinese investments safe and profitable. The tribes are more willing to trust the Chinese than their own government which puts it all on China to make this work.

July 14, 2018: In the north (Kachin State) 20 jade miners died because of a landslide. There is more risk of this thing because unemployed jade miners become scavengers who scour abandoned (because the owners felt there was not enough jade left to be worth extracting) jade mining sites. Some lucrative jade mines are shut because of legal problems and those sites have armed guards and police to provide security for the jade mines mainly to keep scavengers away. But many old mines that still have some jade left in them are not guarded or monitored by safety engineers in order to prevent accidental deaths and more unwelcome publicity to the lucrative but embarrassing jade industry. The scavengers have few other employment options and are not deterred by armed guards or the danger. Two months ago there was a similar accident in this area that killed 17 miners working on a slag heap. The army hopes to get these jade mines working again and better economic ties with China will help with that.Stuart Hawkins

A ONE-TIME Game of Thrones actor has been jailed once again for persistently breaching court orders to keep away from his former partner and her home in Shipston-on-Stour, writes our court correspondent.

And as Stuart Hawkins was led from the dock at Warwick Crown Court to begin an 18-month sentence, his longest yet, he turned to the judge and protested: I just want to be a father.

Self-obsessed Hawkins, aged 40, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment in breach of a restraining order.

Prosecutor Graeme Simpson said Hawkins and Nicola Hayes, with whom he had a daughter who was born in 2014, had been in a relationship for about seven years, but split up in early 2016.

Hawkins could not accept it had ended, and as a result Miss Hayes took out a non-molestation order preventing him from contacting her or going to her home in Shipston-on-Stour.

Within a very short period of time, he had breached the order, and in March 2016 he was given a conditional discharge by magistrates who also imposed a restraining order.

But from then to October last year there were repeated breaches of the restraining order, with six further convictions and punishments increasing from suspended sentences to jail terms of ten weeks, 12 weeks and 16 months.

Hawkins, who the court heard at an earlier hearing spent half the year in Belfast, working as an extra in the seventh series of the TV programme Game of Thrones, made threats to remove his daughter from the jurisdiction of the courts.

And on Facebook he threatened to do a Raoul Moat and harm any police officer who tried to prevent him.

Mr Simpson said the latest breaches of the order took place on Miss Hayess birthday last month, when she received numerous calls from him.

There were further calls the next day, and she then saw Hawkins driving slowly past her home in Shipston-on-Stour in his van.

By the time of his arrest, he had made a total of 66 calls in a 48-hour period  but when he was questioned he gave a cock-and-bull account of his phone having been stolen.

And Mr Simpson added: There is a genuine fear that he is someone who would abduct their child.

Niall Skinner, defending, conceded: The contents of the pre-sentence report are not very encouraging.

He gets very, very frustrated with the predicament hes in. That is no excuse to continually breach the orders, which he has accepted and has always pleaded guilty.

He misses his daughter. Thats what started all this. He loves his daughter and he wants contact with her.

Mr Skinner handed the judge a letter written by Hawkins, in which he said Hawkins realises that anything he has done in the past does not help him'.

He knows he needs to have no contact with Nicola Hayes whatsoever until things stabilise. What he has done is stupid, and he knows that. The time has come for him to respect the orders.

He added that Hawkins now had a very good job earning 25,000 a year with HS2, and has accommodation in Southam and in Leicester, but knows hes going to go to prison for this.

Jailing Hawkins, Judge Peter Cooke told him: You have written me a letter, which I have read with care. It is expressed very articulately, and is a plea for leniency and is apologetic in its tone.

It sits in entire contrast with the way youve been behaving since March 2016, and in stark contrast with the impression you have left on those authorities trying to help you.

The report author says you presented as quite self-obsessed and how unfairly he believes he has been treated by the criminal justice system.

The judge observed that in the report Hawkins claimed Miss Hayes had abducted their daughter, and seemed to harbour a long-standing grudge against her.

The probation officer concluded: I must admit I left this interview quite concerned about what Mr Hawkins would do on his release.

And Judge Cooke told Hawkins: I believe you are, where Nicola and your daughter are concerned, a thoroughly obsessive individual, and that you have it within you to be manipulative.

Your letter is an attempt to manipulate the court today, and I have seen through it.

I regard the harm and distress you caused to be very serious, and she has the on-going belief that when you are released you would seek to abduct your daughter. The time now has come for condign punishment.

As he was led from the dock, Hawkins turned and declared: I just want to be a father, Your Honour.WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GET Group North America , the leading-edge provider of end-to-end solutions for secure credentials with over 20 years of experience in identity management, today announced the appointment of Scott Vien as Director of Business Development. Mr. Vien will lead all business development activities related to the companys solutions and products in North America.



Before joining GET Group, Mr. Vien had a 12-year career with the Delaware Department of Transportations Division of Motor Vehicles, where he directed operations through the oversight of nearly 700 employees in seven key departments. Prior to becoming Director, he served in the capacities of Management Analyst, Commercial Driver License Program Manager, Chief of Driver Services, and Deputy Director.

Mr. Vien has been an active member of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and served on the AAMVA International Board of Directors, the Region I Board of Directors, as Chair of the Card Design Standards (CDS) Committee, Vice-Chair of the e-ID Working Group, and as the Identity Management Representative for the Driver Standing Committee.

Scotts extensive participation in national and international matters related to the Department of Motor Vehicles community will be invaluable in the pursuit of targeted government and commercial business opportunities for our ID and credential solutions, said Alex Kambanis, Managing Director for GET Group NA.

Mr. Vien holds a B.S. in Business Management and an M.S. in Public Administration from Wilmington University.

About GET Group NA

GET Group North America is an experienced provider of high-assurance security solutions that enhance Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) operations. As a leading-edge systems integrator, GET Group NA and its partners design, manufacture, and implement end-to-end solutions for secure credentials that enable government agencies, motor vehicle departments, municipalities and law enforcement organizations to implement the latest in identity management technologies. From photo ID cards to drivers licenses to passports, GET Group NA delivers advanced personalization capabilities that prevent identification fraud and accommodate diversified customer needs.SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armanino LLP, one of the top 25 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the U.S., today announced registration is open for its first ever Real Estate Forum series in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas. The free, half-day event will focus on complex compliance and operations challenges faced by many real estate owners, property managers, contractors, developers, fund managers, hard money lenders and more.



Real estate is seeing a lot of regulatory changes ripe for opportunity, said Robert Tuvell, Armanino partner-in-charge of real estate. From impending Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) changes to revenue recognition (ASC 606) and the new lease accounting standard (ASC 842) to changes that came with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, well explore ways investors, owners, operators and developers can maximize profits based on these current and upcoming changes.

The Armanino Real Estate Forum will be held in three separate locations:

Each event will contain several discussion panels and networking opportunities with topics including changes to FASB standards, maximizing operating efficiency, wealth protection and succession planning, and the benefits and implications of tax reform.

Every company and successful individual needs a proactive succession plan, and that includes real estate matters, said Harvey Bookstein, partner at Armanino. The Real Estate Forums will discuss how preparedness provides protection for a companys future and successor owners.

Armanino has a deep expertise in real estate and offers a variety of solutions, including: real estate audits, real estate tax consulting, and real estate business and operational consulting. For more information on the firms real estate expertise, please visit: https://www.armaninollp.com/industries/real-estate/

About Armanino LLP

Armanino LLP (www.armaninollp.com/) is one of the top 25 largest independent accounting and business consulting firms in the nation. Armanino provides an integrated set of audit, tax, business management, consulting and technology solutions to companies in the U.S. and globally. The firm helps clients adapt and change in every stage of business, from startup through rapid growth to the sale of a company. Armanino emphasizes smart technology, leading a cloud revolution of financial, operational, sales and compliance tools that are transforming the way companies do business. The firm extends its global services to more than 100 countries through its membership in Moore Stephens International Limited, one of the world's major accounting and consulting membership organizations. In addition to its core consulting and accounting practices, Armanino operates its division, AMF Media Group (www.amfmediagroup.com), a media and communications services agency. Its affiliate, Intersect Capital (www.intersectcapitalllc.com), is an independent financial planning, wealth and lifestyle management firm.

Kyle McGuire, AMF Media Group

925.790.2788

kyle@amfmediagroup.comRALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earlier this month, State Employees Credit Union (SECU) welcomed 33 incoming university freshmen to a Scholars Day event held in downtown Raleigh. The participants, all 2018 SECU Foundation People Helping People scholarship recipients, took part in a day of personal and professional development, which included networking, community outreach projects, and personal finance and wellness sessions. Executives and staff of SECU and SECU Foundation welcomed attendees, including SECU President and CEO Mike Lord and SECU Foundation Board Chair Cynthia Jolly.



Ms. Jolly opened the days events by telling attendees, As SECU Foundation Scholars, you have proven leadership experience, integrity and excellence of character, are community driven, and share SECU Foundations strong commitment and philosophy of helping others. The members of State Employees Credit Union are happy to extend support to you as you work towards graduation. As future leaders of our state, you can make a tremendous difference in the lives of others!

Following the personal finance and wellness breakout sessions, Mr. Lord joined the scholars and offered a few words of encouragement, saying, Find something that you really are passionate about and invest your time in it. It doesnt matter what it is, if its something you really want to do and its something you enjoy, it will make all the difference in the world.

Each of the SECU Foundation People Helping People scholarship recipients will be attending one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina System. Participant Shaniece Thorpe is preparing to attend North Carolina A&T State University and was excited for the scholarship and the opportunity to take advantage of SECU Scholars Day.

When I found out I was receiving the scholarship, I was excited and relieved, said Thorpe. The financial aspect of paying for college is overwhelming and this lowered my financial burden and allowed me to go to the school of my dreams. SECU Scholars Day has given us an opportunity to network, meet new people, form relationships, and see peers my age who are doing great things.

When asked about some of the big takeaways from the day, Thorpe replied, The Reality of Money exercise showed me just how crucial money management is for college students in preparing for life after school. Also, the community service project  helping with the school supply drive, opened my eyes to how grateful I am to have the things I need for school. Not everyone is as blessed as I am and they need the communitys support. I always like helping others and can just see the smiles that will be on the kids faces when they get their new supplies.

About SECU and the SECU Foundation

A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 81 years. The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trust and estate planning services, and investments through its partners and affiliated entities. SECU serves over 2.3 million members through 263 branch offices, nearly 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of more than $130 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.

Contact: Leigh Brady, EVP  Organizational Development Office: 919-807-8347 | leigh.brady@ncsecu.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b00ba0e2-8dac-427d-9193-ddac01c4b599The Sidney schools are reporting better preliminary enrollment numbers than expected, according to the board of education meeting Monday.

The Cheyenne County School District No. 1 Board of Education met Monday. Among the agenda items, principals reported on anticipated student numbers for the 2018-2019 school year. Nancy Rowlett, principal of Central and North elementary schools, reported 93 to 95 kindergarten students enrolled. She also said there are 95 third grade students enrolled at North Elementary.

Were pretty full at North, she said.

District Superintendent Jay Ehler said t...The Lux Mundi ecumenical centre is appealing for volunteers to help with the daily running of its facility in Fuengirola.

The Christian charity, which has been serving people of all nationalities for more than 40 years, maintains its centre thanks to the daily efforts of its volunteers, friends and benefactors. It is currently struggling, however, to cope with the upkeep and is appealing to the public for help.

Lux Mundi offers a range of services to the homeless and people in need, and one of these is to provide a warm meal for around 30 people every Monday lunchtime.

The charity also supplies a takeaway packed lunch on a Thursday.

In order to keep up this service, Lux Mundi relies on people to collect food from supermarkets and local suppliers, prepare and cook the meal, organise tables and serve the food and clean away after the dinner is over.

We offer a hot meal on a Monday and we distribute takeaway sandwiches and snacks to people on a Thursday, and so we need people to help out with all aspects of this service, explained Gloria Uribe, the centres director and a volunteer for more than 25 years.

The charity particularly needs people to help out during the summer months, as this is a time when many of the regular volunteers return home.

The soup kitchen mainly caters for Spanish, British and Scandinavian people who come from varying broken backgrounds.

Lux Mundi also supplies the homeless and the underprivileged with clothes, shoes and toiletries. During the colder winter months, it provides sleeping bags, blankets and warm clothes, and volunteers are also needed to organise and help out with this side of the operation.

When the soup kitchen began around ten years ago, the centre would cater for about 50 people every Monday. Today, these figures have dropped, although the volunteers never actually know how many will turn up.

The homeless problem was at its worst at the beginning of the crisis and we were serving more people compared to today. This is good news, because it means that some of these people have possibly found work and are beginning to sort themselves out, Fedder Lund, organiser of the soup kitchen, told SUR in English.

Lux Mundi needs volunteers who can speak a little Spanish, in order to help out with deliveries and collections. They also need people who are familiar with the organisation and running of a working kitchen.

Fedder Lund has been with Lux Mundi for six years. He is dedicated to the work he undertakes at the ecumenical centre and he understands the great necessity of the local underprivileged people.

Meeting point

I firmly believe that there is a certain percentage of people in every country who are not able to look after themselves and I believe society has to look after them, Ledder said with conviction.

The charity has recently benefited from the generosity of the La Cala de Mijas Lions Club, but it is still in need of donations of money, dried and tinned food, clothing and shoes.

This centre is a meeting point for people who are on the streets and for those who have difficulties. In order to continue to help these people, we need the support of those who are able to offer a little of their spare time, Gloria Uribe concluded.NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After years of clunky tech and many brand experiments, mixed reality is finally ready to make its disruptive mark in the marketing industry and the implications of this fast-coming revolution will be profound.



In anticipation of the marketing industrys first Mixed Reality Marketing Summit in New York Nov. 5th, The VR/AR Association and Mixed Reality Ventures are organizing a free webinar for brands, agencies, marketers and media companies on August 22 at 1 p.m. EST. REGISTER here www.thevrara.com/webinars .



The 45-minute online event will cover:

-- Why VR, AR, and MR are here to stay

-- The VR/AR trends and innovations that indicates 2018 is the turning point year when mixed reality marketing begins to scale

-- How mixed reality disrupts the way brands, agencies and media companies must approach storytelling and how it compares/contrasts with current digital tactics

-- 6 questions you must ask before you create visual storytelling with mixed reality

The webinar, hosted by Cathy Hackl of Mixed Reality Ventures, will feature Tim Greenberg, Chief Community Officer at the World Surf League and John Zuur Platten, former creative director of Niantics Pokemon Go! discussing the state of these emerging channels and show how brands can ease the transition of their communication strategies to accommodate these exciting technologies.

Sign up for this special webinar and learn how to bring VR/AR marketing to life. Click here to register now.

About The VR/AR Association

The VR/AR Association (The VRARA) is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the virtual reality and augmented reality ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies.



About Mixed Reality Ventures

Mixed Reality Ventures, LLC (MRV) is the holding company for the Mixed Reality Marketing Summits and an early stage fund for mixed reality platforms targeting Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula, and developing markets. MRVs founders are Fernando Anzures, founder of Latin Americas premier marketing conference EXMA, Manny Ruiz, founder of the iconic U.S. Hispanic Market event Hispanicize, Cathy Hackl, one of the immersive industrys top women. MRV is based in Miami with affiliate offices in Mexico City and Atlanta.

MRMS Sponsorship Information

To inquire about sponsoring or exhibiting at the event, please email sponsor@MixedRealityVentures.co .This page no longer exists or may have been moved.If you believe this is a mistake please emailVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE: CROP) (OTCMKTS: CRXPF) (CROP or the Company) announces it has received confirmation that its San Bernardino dispensary application has passed stage one of the application review process. As previously announced on July 5th 2018, CROP has agreed to finance the purchase of real estate on the granting of a California dispensary license. The proposed dispensaries will operate under the brand, Emerald Heights.



Furthermore, the Company is pleased to announce it has increased its ownership from 30% to 49% for its Emerald Triangle cannabis production facility tenanted by Hempire in Humboldt California. This 30,000 square foot production facility sits on approximately nine acres and consists of a 10,000 square foot medicinal cannabis greenhouse facility and an additional 20,000 square feet of recreational licensed canopy.

As previously announced on August 9th 2018, harvesting at the Humboldt operation recently began at the first of five 2,000 square foot greenhouses and is expected to continue at a rate of one greenhouse per week. As each greenhouse is harvested new starter plants will populate the canopy space. Once the 10,000 square feet of plants have been taken down, the additional 20,000 square feet of canopy will then be harvested.

CROP Infrastructure Director & CEO Michael Yorke states: This is an exciting time for CROP as our tenant begins its first harvest in California which makes this an ideal time to increase our ownership in the project from 30% to 49%. Our Humboldt facility is located in one of the most important cannabis jurisdictions in the US and potentially the world known as the Emerald Triangle. With the advancement of our dispensary application we are now moving towards assisting tenants in becoming fully vertically integrated in the State of California.

The Company will purchase the additional 20% of Humboldt for total consideration of $1.0 Million CAD by issuing 5,000,000 shares at a deemed price of $0.20 per share; 100% of these shares will be escrowed for 12 months, with 25% becoming free trading every 3 months thereafter.

About Humboldt Holdings LLC

Located in Humboldt County, California the property is 8.46 acres and currently houses a 10,000 square foot greenhouse as well as a barn, garage and residence. On site are five 5,000-gallon water tanks, a well and pump house and a 30 x 60 ft. drying shed. The property is zoned for a 10,000 square foot medical and a 20,000 square foot recreational cannabis license.

https://cropcorp.com/property/california/

About CROP

CROP Infrastructure Corp. is publicly listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and trades under the symbol CROP and in the US under the symbol CRXPF. CROP is primarily engaged in the business of investing, constructing, owning and leasing greenhouse projects as part of the provision of turnkey real estate solutions for lease-to-licensed cannabis producers and processors offering best-in-class operations. The Companys portfolio of projects includes cultivation properties in California, Washington State, Nevada, Italy, Jamaica and a joint venture on West Hollywood and San Bernardino dispensary applications. CROP has developed a portfolio of 15 Cannabis brands and has US and Italian distribution rights to a line of over 55 topical cannabis products from The Yield Growth Corp.

Company Contact

Michael Yorke  CEO & Director

E-mail: info@cropcorp.com

Website: www.cropcorp.com

Phone: (604) 484-4206

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as may, should, could, intend, estimate, plan, anticipate, expect, believe or continue, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the purchase, development and leasing of projects, commencement of construction of additional greenhouses, estimated Tenant production of product, the pursuit of new opportunities and the expansion of CROPs portfolio. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding the Companys ability to execute on its business plan, raise additional funds as and when required, legal and political risks regarding the cannabis industry, including the changes of municipal, state, provincial and federal laws thereof, the risk that Humboldt may require further capital to execute on its expansion plans and other factors beyond the control of the Company. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in light of such factors, and the Company is not under any 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 required by applicable law. In addition, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Although Congress has prohibited the US Justice Department from spending federal funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical marijuana laws, this prohibition must be renewed each year to remain in effect.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release.Nebraska, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- August 15, 2018  There are two significant, opposing financial challenges in todays workforce: saving for retirement and paying off student loan debt. Employees often have a hard time planning for future retirement when they are focused on paying off their student loans. According to a study from Ipsos, 69% of millennials arent saving for retirement because of more pressing financial demands.







This means many employees arent fully benefiting from employer 401(k) or 403(b) match programs. It is estimated that American employees are leaving approximately $24 billion in employer contributions on the table each year according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. This is money that employers have allocated to support their associates.





Employee Choice, offered exclusively through BenefitEd, is a new program that allows employees to redirect or split their employer-matched retirement funds to help them pay down their student loan debt. By giving employees the opportunity to choose how to use their matching funds, they have more control over where their money goes, so they can pay down debt more quickly and position themselves to save for retirement.





Employee Choice also helps address a barrier employers face when looking to add student loan repayment benefits: cost. With Employee Choice, companies can offer a student loan repayment benefit without significantly changing the total cost of benefits or dollars theyre expensing. This product is the first of its kind and is available to employers starting in August of 2018.





BenefitEd brings complete flexibility to employers looking to support the education and financial goals of their employees, said Scott Gubbels, executive director of BenefitEd. Employee Choice is just another example of how we are helping progressive companies attract, retain, and engage todays workforce.





Employee Choice doesnt require a company to amend its retirement plan summary documentation. It remains a separate and distinct service to keep implementation easy and minimize the cost impact. For more information about the program, go to youbenefited.com/products/employee-choice/.





About BenefitEd

BenefitEd offers student loan repayment and college savings programs that help progressive employers create a more engaged and productive workforce. As a joint venture between Ameritas and Nelnet, BenefitEd leverages a deep understanding of employee benefits programs and expertise in education payment processing.





About Ameritas

Founded in 1887, Ameritas Life and its affiliated companies offer a wide range of insurance and financial products and services to individuals, families, and businesses. These products and services include life insurance; annuities; individual disability income insurance; dental, vision and hearing care insurance; retirement plans; investments; mutual funds; asset management and public finance. Securities offered through affiliate Ameritas Investment Corp., member FINRA/SIPC. For more information, visit Ameritas.com.





About Nelnet

Nelnet (NYSE: NNI) is a diversified and innovative company focused on offering educational services, technology solutions, telecommunications, and asset management. Nelnet helps students and families plan and pay for their education and makes the administrative processes for schools more efficient with student loan servicing, tuition payment processing, and school administration software. Through its subsidiary, ALLO Communications, Nelnet offers fiber optic services directly to homes and businesses for ultra-fast internet and superior telephone and television services. The company also makes investments in real estate developments and new ventures. For more information, visit Nelnet.com.



Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.



TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Caldwell Investment Management Ltd. (CIM) announced today its intention to convert Caldwell U.S. Dividend Advantage Fund (the Fund) (TSX: UDA.UN) into an open-end mutual fund.

CIM anticipates the benefits of the proposed conversion to include, among other things:

Enhanced Liquidity of the Funds Units: The proposed conversion will provide Unitholders with the ability to purchase or redeem any quantity of the Funds Units at their net asset value on any business day, whereas Unitholders are currently dependent upon an active market on the Toronto Stock Exchange in order to purchase or sell Units of the Fund;





The proposed conversion will provide Unitholders with the ability to purchase or redeem any quantity of the Funds Units at their net asset value on any business day, whereas Unitholders are currently dependent upon an active market on the Toronto Stock Exchange in order to purchase or sell Units of the Fund; Potential Reduction in the Funds General and Administrative Costs per Unit: Under its current structure, the Fund is limited in its ability to issue new Units to investors. The proposed conversion to an open-end mutual fund structure is expected to benefit Unitholders in that it will enable the Fund to grow its asset base through the issuance of new Units to investors. This, in turn, will potentially enable the Fund to allocate its fixed general and administrative costs across a larger asset base, thereby reducing such expenses on a per Unit basis for all Unitholders; and





Under its current structure, the Fund is limited in its ability to issue new Units to investors. The proposed conversion to an open-end mutual fund structure is expected to benefit Unitholders in that it will enable the Fund to grow its asset base through the issuance of new Units to investors. This, in turn, will potentially enable the Fund to allocate its fixed general and administrative costs across a larger asset base, thereby reducing such expenses on a per Unit basis for all Unitholders; and Introduction of U.S. $ Denominated Fund Series: Currently, investors can only purchase Units of the Fund in Canadian dollars and receive Canadian dollar-denominated distributions. The proposed conversion will benefit Unitholders by offering the option to invest in either a Canadian or U.S. dollar-denominated series of the Fund. This will provide Unitholders with greater flexibility to manage the currency exposure of their investment in the Fund.

The Fund will not be responsible for any costs and expenses associated with the proposed conversion, including printing, mailing, regulatory and legal fees, since all such costs will be borne by CIM.

The proposed conversion is subject to the approval of unitholders of the Fund at a special meeting that will be held on or about September 28, 2018. The Independent Review Committee of the Fund has reviewed the potential conflict of interest matters related to the proposed conversion and determined that the proposed conversion, if implemented, would achieve a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. In advance of the meeting, full details of the proposed conversion will be set out in a notice of meeting and management information circular that will be sent to Unitholders on or about August 30, 2018. The notice of meeting and management information circular will also available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

If the conversion is approved by unitholders of the Fund, CIM will apply to delist the Units of the Fund from the Toronto Stock Exchange prior to the proposed conversion date of on or about November 9, 2018.

For more information on the Fund, the proposed conversion or CIM, please visit our website at www.caldwellinvestment.ca or contact us at 416-593-1798 or 1-800-256-2441.

Certain statements in this press release may be viewed as forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, plans, estimates or intends (or negative or grammatical variations thereof), or stating that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Statements which may constitute forward-looking statements relate to: the proposed timing of the conversion and expected completion thereof; the proposed timing of the special meeting; and the expected benefits of the conversion. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements including as a result of changes in the general economic and political environment, changes in applicable legislation, and the performance of the Fund. There are no assurances that the Fund can fulfill such forward-looking statements and the Fund and CIM do not undertake any obligation to update such statements. Such forward-looking statements are only predictions; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Fund, some of which are beyond the control of the Fund and CIM.



UKTV has commissioned a new travelling cookery show from Denham Productions fronted by Paul Hollywood.

Paul Goes to Hollywood (560) follows GBBO star Paul Hollywood on a road trip across the USA. It will launch in 2019 on food channel, Good Food, and will also air on W. It is being distributed by Bomanbridge Media.



Combining his passion for baking, biking and movies, Hollywood journeys across the continent on a Harley Davidson. The 3000-mile tour takes in culinary locations inspired by iconic films. In Los Angeles, he samples the burgers in Bobs Big Boy Diner, which appears in Pulp Fiction, and in New York its pizza in Lennys Pizzeria, featured in Saturday Night Fever.

Kirsty Hanson, commissioning editor at UKTV, commented: We are thrilled to be working with Paul Hollywood on this perfect combination of the nations love of travel, film and baking. This series is packed full of adventure and fun and will make an excellent show for both film fans and foodies.

Vicky Walker, channel director for Good Food, said: This is an exciting new look at food in the USA and the influence that Hollywood movie culture has had on its cuisine. This adventure with Paul Hollywood will be a brilliant addition to Good Foods growing slate of new shows.

Tris Payne, Executive Producer for Denham Productions, said: Were delighted to be working with one of the biggest names in TV for our new series for UKTV. With Pauls talent and Denhams food and travel heritage, Paul Goes To Hollywood will be a road trip brimming with movie memories and some great food along the way!

Share this storyFloods close airport in Indian tourist hotspot of Kerala



Kochi, India, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



Flights in and out of the Indian tourist hotspot of Kerala were cancelled for three days Wednesday as severe monsoon flooding ravaged the region.

At least 39 people have been killed in the past three weeks and more than 50,000 displaced in an area famed for its palm-lined beaches and tea plantations.

Authorities have opened the gates of 34 reservoirs as water reached dangerous levels.

Hundreds of villages have been flooded and the military has been called in to help with rescues.

More than 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of roads and hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged across the state, officials said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office announced on Twitter that Kochi International Airport -- the main gateway to the region -- would be closed until Saturday "due to heavy rains and resultant flooding."

A Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) official told AFP that the death toll was expected to rise.

A heavy rainfall "red-alert" has been issued across much of the state, which is home to around 33 million people, the official added.

"Our state is in the midst of an unprecedented flood havoc," Vijayan said earlier this week. "The calamity has caused immeasurable misery and devastation."

The US embassy last week advised Americans to avoid Kerala, which drew more than one million foreign tourists last year, according to official data.Flood toll in India's tourist hotspot Kerala jumps to 67



Kochi, India, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2018



The flood toll in India's southern tourist hotspot of Kerala jumped to 67 after another 25 deaths were reported Wednesday, with more than 50,000 people seeking shelter in relief camps, a state official told AFP.

Kerala, famed for its pristine palm-lined beaches and tea plantations, is battered by the monsoon every year but the rains have been particularly severe this season, flooding hundreds of villages and prompting the authorities to suspend flights in and out of the region.

"Twenty five deaths were confirmed earlier in the evening. The situation is bad in many parts of the state and the number (of deaths) will likely increase," a senior official from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority told AFP.

Unconfirmed local media reports mentioned a much higher toll and cited ongoing efforts to reach many flooded areas.

The official added that authorities had issued a "red-alert" warning in all 14 districts of the flood-ravaged state, with heavy downpours expected over the next 24 hours in many of the worst affected areas.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office announced on Twitter that Kochi International Airport -- the main gateway to the region -- would be closed until Saturday "due to heavy rains and resultant flooding".

Vijayan held emergency meetings with rescue officials in the state late Wednesday and discussed the situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The chief minister has requested the deployment of additional personnel from the Indian army, navy and other emergency forces who are already working across the state, which is home to around 33 million people.

"Our state is in the midst of an unprecedented flood havoc," Vijayan said earlier this week. "The calamity has caused immeasurable misery and devastation."

Authorities have opened the gates of 34 reservoirs as water reached dangerous levels.

Vijayan's office on Wednesday said that the authorities were also worried about rising water levels in the massive Mullaperiyar dam, and urged officials in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu to release water from the reservoir.

Hundreds of villages have been flooded, more than 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of roads and thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged across the state, officials said.

"We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut," Suresh Prabhu, India's civil aviation minister said on Twitter.

"For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergency DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is coordinating," he added.

The US embassy last week advised Americans to avoid Kerala, which drew more than one million foreign tourists last year, according to official data.The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy StatementEnglish French

MONTREAL, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saputo Inc. ("Saputo" or the "Company") (TSX:SAP) is proud to announce its support for a dairy goat welfare research project at Iowa State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. The Company will contribute $100,000 over the next two years to the development of benchmarking and training materials in dairy goat care and handling, as well as producer outreach workshops.



The funding for this research project, led by renowned veterinary medicine specialist Dr. Paul J. Plummer, DVM, PhD, is part of the Companys efforts to collaborate with industry stakeholders to improve dairy goat welfare standards. As a global dairy processor, Saputo will continue to demonstrate leadership in this regard. High quality dairy products begin with high quality milk from healthy and well-cared for animals. Accordingly, Saputo is committed to supporting initiatives and programs that promote communication, awareness and training opportunities for dairy production welfare issues. To learn more, please visit www.saputo.com/Our-Promise/Responsible-Sourcing.

About Saputo

Saputo produces, markets, and distributes a wide array of dairy products of the utmost quality, including cheese, fluid milk, extended shelf-life milk and cream products, cultured products and dairy ingredients. Saputo is one of the top ten dairy processors in the world, the largest cheese manufacturer and the leading fluid milk and cream processor in Canada, the top dairy processor in Australia and the second largest in Argentina. In the USA, Saputo ranks among the top three cheese producers and is one of the largest producers of extended shelf-life and cultured dairy products. Our products are sold in several countries under well-known brand names such as Saputo, Alexis de Portneuf, Armstrong, COON, Cracker Barrel*, Dairyland, DairyStar, Devondale, Friendship Dairies, Frigo Cheese Heads, La Paulina, Milk2Go/Laits Go, Montchevre, Murray Goulburn Ingredients, Neilson, Nutrilait, Scotsburn*, Stella, Sungold, Treasure Cave and Woolwich Dairy. Saputo Inc. is a publicly traded company and its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol SAP.

*Trademark used under licence.

Media Inquiries

1-514-328-3141 / 1-866-648-5902TCHAGUINE, Chad, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) was called to the remote village of Tchaguine for an emergency medevac for Urbane, a young boy with an inflamed appendix, potentially at the point of rupturing. The only way for Urbane to receive the necessary medical care was to be flown out by MAF to the mission hospital in the capital of NDjamena. He was able to receive life-saving surgery the following day and returned to his village in good health the following week.



Tchaguine is a small village in the south of the country that becomes surrounded by water after the rains begin in June; travel in and out by road, which normally takes 12-14 hours, becomes impossible. With MAF, an 80 minute flight provides a vital connection between this village and the capital of NDjamena. After receiving the call for the emergency medevac request, MAF pilot Phil Henderson was airborne within the hour after refueling and filing the flight plan.

The entire village gathered as the plane arrived, and one family brought their 9-year-old daughter, Solange, to the airstrip hoping to get her to the hospital as well. She had been suffering with a tumor in her jaw which the local clinic was unable to treat. She was added to the passenger list, and flown out with the Urbane, who was accompanied by his older brother as a care-giver. Solange was also assessed quickly at the mission hospital and given some medicine to slow the growth of the tumor. She has also returned to the village to continue the course of medication and help her family with the harvest.

The children were visibly anxious about flying in the aircraft, as this would not only be their first flight, but also their first time leaving behind family and the only place theyve ever known to visit NDjamena, a large city theyd only been told stories about.

MAF pilot Phil Henderson shares: Ive become so used to the smells, sounds and sensations of flying that it is easy to forget how strange it must be to climb into a machine and leave the ground when youve never done either of those things.

The kids looked uneasy in their very unfamiliar new environment at 8,500 feet, until I offered them some peanuts from a plastic coke bottle - thats how we buy peanuts here. The sight of something familiar seemed to settle them down and shift their focus enough that the flight was less stressful for them.

Mission Aviation Fellowship ( www.mafc.org ) operates a fleet of over 130 airplanes worldwide  the largest fleet of privately owned aircraft in the world. Since 1945, MAF has enabled the work of churches, relief organizations, missionaries, medical teams, development agencies, and others working to make life better for those who live in the most isolated parts of the world. MAF began work in Chad in 1966 and has served the nation continuously. In recent years, MAF has responded to disasters in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew, in Nepal following two deadly earthquakes in 2015, and in the Caribbean following hurricanes Irma and Marie. MAFs Canadian headquarters is in Guelph, Ontario.

Photos are available here .

Notes to the Editor:Sacramento, CA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorneys for seven California gun owners and four Second Amendment advocacy organizations announced today that they have filed an amended complaint and a new motion seeking a preliminary injunction in the civil rights lawsuit Sharp, et al. v. Attorney General Xavier Becerra, et al. over the California Department of Justices failures surrounding the bullet button assault weapon registration program. A copy of the court filings can be viewed or downloaded online at https://www.firearmspolicy.org/sharp.



The lawsuit is supported by The Calguns Foundation (CGF), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), and Firearms Policy Foundation (FPF). The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys George M. Lee and Douglas Applegate of San Francisco-based Seiler Epstein Ziegler & Applegate LLP, as well as Raymond M. DiGuiseppe, a former California deputy attorney general and prosecutor.



The amended complaint added four additional gun owners who were denied their rights by the DOJ as plaintiffs, and also added the DOJs Chief of the California Justice Information Services Division, Joe Dominic, as a defendant. The motion seeks to enjoin sections of the Penal Code relating to so-called assault weapons, including provisions that subject the possession or transportation of such firearms to serious criminal liability, including potential felony imprisonment and property seizure, throughout the pendency of this case, or until the plaintiffs and gun owners like them have had a reasonable opportunity, as determined by the Court, to register the qualifying firearms through a functional registration system.



The plaintiffs argue that the DOJ had a legal duty to provide a functional registration system throughout the registration period, but that they were unable to exercise their own rights and legal duties due to the Defendants actions and failures, including but not limited to the inaccessibility, defects, and/or non-functionality of the DOJs CFARS-based registration system. Because of that, the plaintiffs argue, the State violated their civil rights protected under the state and federal constitutions and denied them their statutory right to register their firearms to avail themselves of legal protections against harsh criminal laws.



[As we argue in our motion], this is about the injustice of forcing people to comply with a law, and then depriving them of the means to do so, said attorney George Lee, lead counsel on the case. It is simply unconscionable that the Attorney General would even think about enforcing a law where his Departments own failures led to many peoples inability to register their firearms in the first place.



In a declaration filed with the court, the plaintiffs technical expert said that it is very clear the problems experienced by the plaintiffs and others across the state were caused by either the DOJs CFARS servers being overloaded and/or possibly by one of the State of California datacenters itself being unavailable due to network routing or overload issues.

This is fundamentally a simple lawsuit about a troubling issue. Attorney General Becerra and his DOJ had one job to do: Provide a functional system for gun owners to use in registering their eligible firearms. But instead of doing their jobs, they created a huge new mess for law enforcement and put innocent people and lawfully-owned property at serious risk, explained Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs.



This unjust California government-created problem must be stopped immediately, commented Second Amendment Foundation Founder and Executive Vice President, Alan Gottlieb. Gun owners should not be put at risk due to state regulatory incompetence.



The bottom line is that California cannot have it both ways. If the state is going to require registration of firearms, it cannot make that process illusory and set people up for confiscation of their property, said Gene Hoffman, chairman of The Calguns Foundation. Here, Becerra and DOJ failed to perform their duties, failed gun owners, failed the Legislature and Governor Brown, and failed the people of the State of California.



Elaborating on the case, Combs explained, Because of Becerras and DOJs disastrous, incompetent, and possibly malicious handling of one simple task, now thousands of gun owners are at risk of having their guns seized or destroyed, or going to jail, simply for driving to the gun range with a firearm that they legally acquired years ago.



It is beyond clear that Attorney General Becerra is so distracted by federal issues and President Trump that hes completely forgotten to fairly and properly enforce the laws of his own state  and to protect the civil rights of innocent people first and foremost, Combs said.



These plaintiffs and others like them should not have to face a district attorney or jury in a criminal trial because Attorney General Becerra and DOJ set them up from day one, said Jonathan Jensen, vice-president of Firearms Policy Foundation.



Californians who tried to register their firearms as assault weapons before July 1 but were unable to, or who suffered a privacy breach at DOJ, should contact the organizations Legal Action Hotline immediately at https://www.firearmspolicy.org/hotline or by telephone at 855-252-4510.



Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPCs mission is to defend the Constitution of the United States, especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, through advocacy, legal action, education, and outreach.



Firearms Policy Foundation (www.firearmsfoundation.org) is a 501(c)3 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPFs mission is to defend the Constitution of the United States and the Peoples rights, privileges and immunities deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition, especially the inalienable, fundamental, and individual right to keep and bear arms.



The Calguns Foundation (www.calgunsfoundation.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves its members, supporters, and the public through educational, cultural, and judicial efforts to advance Second Amendment and related civil rights.



Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.Los Angeles, CA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Route91Strong Nonprofit Benefit Concert to support survivors of gun violence will be taking place on October 1, 2018, at the historic Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA. This epic night to remember will include extraordinary live musical acts, celebrities, guest speakers, red carpet, auction, and survivor stories from Pulse Nightclub, Vegas Route 91 Harvest Festival, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, and more. All proceeds from the event will go directly to survivors of gun violence through the Route91Strong Nonprofit. The organizers of the event chose October 1st as the date for this event on the one-year anniversary of the largest mass shooting in US history  which left 58 people dead, 489+ shot or trampled, and over 22,000 impacted with a host of physical, emotional, and financial struggles  to bring awareness about the aftermath of gun violence.

Route91Strong is a 501c3 Tax-Exempt Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation founded by Vegas shooting survivors Lisa Fine and Brian Claypool along with other gun violence survivors and trusted experts. These survivors have come together to advocate for the families involved in senseless and horrific acts of gun violence.

The mission in founding Route91Strong is to create a non-partisan, and non-political, support group to help other survivors of gun violence tragedies come together for Support, Hope, Strength, Change, and Love. Gun violence has lasting effects on those who experience this kind of tragedy, such as physical injuries and a sometimes long and challenging recovery process, trouble assimilating, and difficulty maintaining a normal home and work life after such a traumatic incident. Many of Route91Strongs applicants suffer with debilitating PTSD, sleepless nights, and nightmares; some are unable to work, unable to leave their homes, and unable to pay their bills; and some are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and tragically on suicide watch.

The foundation will use funds from benefit events like this, as well as from private donations, corporate sponsors, monthly giving programs, merchant partnerships, and other fundraising tools, to create a place of support through financial assistance and hope that these individuals need for their ongoing care. Recently, in the news, MGM Resorts has sued the victims of the Las Vegas shooting in a preemptive strike to redirect blame and release the corporation of any liability. With survivors feeling re-victimized by MGMs actions, this benefit concert event is more important than ever to provide support to these, and other, gun violence victims who need this assistance. The overall goal is to raise funds for those who desperately need time to get their lives back on track. The Route91Strong team is determined to catch these precious souls before they fall or give up hope.

Tickets are now available for sale on the Route91Strong website: https://Route91Strong.org and https://Route91StrongConcert.org. Performances by Elvis Monroe (who were among the survivors and heroes of the Route 91 Harvest Festival), Honey County, Wildee (from The Voice), Holiday State, Wade Graves, and Angel Colon (Pulse Nightclub shooting survivor) are among the acts anticipated to be scheduled,and other star attractions are soon to be announced. Any musicians/bands who wish to participate and/or lend support can contact tad@mosaicpublicrelations.com. Any talent and media pass requests (and inquiries) should be directed to Jennifer Salinas at: jenn@mosaicpublicrelations.com.

About the Route91Strong Founders:

Lisa Fine

Lisa Fine is a survivor of the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival mass shooting on October 1, 2017. She and survivor, Brian Claypool, were in the same row, 11 seats away from each other and ended up on the same CNN interview with Chris Cuomo the next day. They instantly connected and formed a friendship upon the same belief that they needed to make the world a better place after the tragedy they experienced alongside 22,000 country music fans from all over the world. Together they founded Route91Strong Nonprofit with a group of survivors and trusted experts. Their teams mission is to offer hope, provide financial assistance, raise awareness, and gather resources to support victims, survivors, and loved ones impacted by gun violence.

Lisa has been featured on Good Morning America, 20/20, Nightline, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, MSNBC, Time Magazine, Nancy Grace Show, Fox News, CBS News, and local and national radio and television outlets sharing her experience the night of October 1st. That night has changed Lisa forever and she has become an unstoppable force in producing something beautiful and positive out of something horrific, alongside the Route91Strong Board of Directors and entire organization.

Brian Claypool

Brian Claypool is a survivor of the Route 91 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Brian, a single father, thought that night he would never see his little girl again. Overwhelmed by the luck of actually surviving what he was certain in that moment would kill him, Brian knew he needed to help those who were not that fortunate, and help their families. Two days after the tragic shooting, Lisa and Brian formed Route91Strong. They, along with other Board Members, have formed a collective purpose to raise money for victims of gun violence and to promote healing, unity, love, and change during these dark moments. Long-term, Brian and the Board Members wish to carry on the legacy of Route 91 by providing financial resources and emotional support to victims of gun violence.

Brian is a nationally regarded trial attorney and owner of the Claypool Law Firm based in Pasadena, California. He also provides national TV and radio commentary on legal and social issues, frequently appearing on FOX News, CNN International, CNN, and HLN, and has been featured on numerous National and Local TV and radio programs about the mass shooting in Las Vegas and gun violence in our country.

For all media requests and interviews, please contact Tad Hamilton of Mosaic Public Relations by email: tad@mosaicpublicrelations.com







AttachmentLOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Michael Terpin, serial entrepreneur and pioneering cryptocurrency investor, today filed a $223.8 million lawsuit against AT&T (NYSE: T) on 16 counts of fraud, gross negligence, invasion of privacy, unauthorized disclosure of confidential customer records, violation of a consent decree, failure to supervise its employees and investigate their criminal background, and related charges in US District Court in Los Angeles.

The suit arises from the January 7, 2018, theft of more than 3 million cryptocurrency tokens from Terpin by way of by a digital identity theft by an AT&T agent of Terpins cellphone account and transfer to an international criminal gang being pursued by the FBI and multiple other federal and state law enforcement agencies. AT&Ts gross negligence is compounded by the fact it promised Terpin unbreachable security on its end through a unique, purportedly unchangeable password following a smaller SIM swap theft in June, 2017.

AT&Ts studied indifference to protecting its customers privacy and financial assets is a metastasizing cancer, threatening hundreds of millions of unsuspecting AT&Ts customers, said Pierce ODonnell, senior partner at leading litigation firm Greenberg Glusker in Century City, Los Angeles, which is lead counsel for Terpin in this complaint. Our client had no idea when he initially signed up, nor when later he was promised the highest level of security for his account, that low-level retail employees with access to AT&T records, or people posing as them, can be bribed by criminals to override every system that AT&T advertises as unassailable.

The complaint then goes on to detail the July 2018 arrests of multiple SIM swap gang members, including Joel Ortiz, who was arrested on July 12 in Los Angeles on 28 counts and is suspected of stealing at least $5 million in cryptocurrency in similar hacks, including a $1.5 million SIM swap of an AT&T subscriber during New York Blockchain Week; and the July 18 arrest of Ricky Joseph Handschumacher in Florida for his role in a gang that stole at least $460,000 in bitcoin by hijacking SIM identities from AT&T customers, allegedly using information from one of its members in Michigan to effectively impersonate an AT&T customer service representative. Terpin alleges that this gang or one acting in similar fashion caused the SIM swap for the sole purpose of stealing cryptocurrency using an employee in an AT&T retail store in Connecticut on January 7, 2018.

-more-





Excerpts from the 69-page complaint:

Most troubling, AT&T does not improve its protections even though it knows from numerous incidents that some of its employees actively cooperate with hackers in SIM swap frauds by giving hackers direct access to customer information and by overriding AT&Ts security procedures. In recent incidents, law enforcement has even confirmed that AT&T employees profited from working directly with cyber terrorists and thieves in SIM swap frauds.

AT&Ts subscriber privacy protection system is thus a veritable modern-day Maginot Line: a lot of reassuring words that promote a false sense of security

The porosity of AT&Ts privacy program is dramatically evident in this case, which follows a pattern well known to AT&T. An experienced, high profile cryptocurrency investor, Plaintiff Michael Terpin was a longtime AT&T subscriber who entrusted his sensitive private information to AT&T and relied on AT&Ts assurances and its compliance with applicable laws. Given all the carriers hype about protecting customer security, Plaintiff believed that it would keep its promises about absolutely safeguarding him from a data breach that could lead to the theft of tens of millions of dollars of crypto currency.

Even after AT&T had placed vaunted additional protection on his account after an earlier incident, an imposter posing as Mr. Terpin was able to easily obtain Mr. Terpins telephone number from an insider cooperating with the hacker without the AT&T store employee requiring him to present valid identification or to give Mr. Terpins required password.

The purloined telephone number was accessed to hack Mr. Terpins accounts, resulting in the loss of over $24 million of cryptocurrency coins.

It was AT&Ts act of providing hackers with access to Mr. Terpins telephone number without adhering to its security procedures that allowed the cryptocurrency theft to occur. What AT&T did was like a hotel giving a thief with a fake ID a room key and a key to the room safe to steal jewelry in the safe from the rightful owner.

AT&T is doing nothing to protect its almost 140 million customers from SIM card fraud. AT&T is therefore directly culpable for these attacks because it is well aware that its customers are subject to SIM swap fraud and that its security measures are ineffective. AT&T does nothing to protect its customers from such fraud because it has become too big to care.

--

Mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency cannot take place as long as phone company employees are handing over critical unauthorized access to the heart of everyones digital lives, said Terpin. AT&T has a well-established track record of violating user privacy and security, endangering billions of dollars in digital assets, and must be called to account.

-more-





About Michael Terpin:

Michael Terpin is one of the highest profile thought leaders, entrepreneurs and investors in the blockchain sector. He co-founded the first angel group for bitcoin investors, BitAngels, in early 2013, and the first-ever digital currency fund, the BitAngels/Dapps Fund, in March 2014, and is currently a senior advisor to Alphabit Fund, one of the worlds largest digital currency hedge funds. Terpins work with more than 100 token crowdsales, including Augur, Ethereum, MaidSafe, Neo and Qtum, led to CNBC calling Terpin the godfather of crypto. He is founder and CEO of Transform Group, the leading PR and advisory company for the public blockchain industry, and he organizes the long-running CoinAgenda global investor conference series and monthly TokenMatch investor events.

Prior to his involvement in the blockchain, Terpin founded and sold Marketwire, the first Internet-based press release distribution company, now owned by the West Corp. division of Apollo Global Management (NYSE: APO) and his first PR firm, The Terpin Group, now part of FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN). He is on the board of Syracuse Universitys prestigious Newhouse School of Communications, and he is a popular speaker on global blockchain circuit.

For a copy of the complaint and corresponding exhibits, please visit the following links:

Complaint: https://www.greenbergglusker.com/content/uploads/2018/08/Complaint-as-Filed-3063362-1.pdf

Exhibits: https://www.greenbergglusker.com/content/uploads/2018/08/Exhibits-A-D-Filed-3063361-1.pdf



Continued Progress on Technology and Product Development for POET Optical Interposer Platform



SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POET Technologies Inc. (the Company or POET) (OTCQX: POETF; TSX Venture: PTK), a designer, developer and manufacturer of optoelectronic devices, including light sources, passive wave guides and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) for the data communication and telecom markets, reported its unaudited condensed consolidated financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018. The Companys financial results as well as the Management Discussion and Analysis for the second quarter have been filed on SEDAR.

Second Quarter Highlights:

Revenue grew 16% year-over-year;

Gross margin increased in the second quarter to 57.5% from 50.5% in the same quarter in the prior year;

Announced a master collaboration with SilTerra Malaysia for certain fabrication processes and the manufacturing of POETs Optical Interposer Platform;

Executed agreement with Almae Technologies to co-develop transmit device solutions for POETs Optical Interposer Platform; and

Ended the second quarter with cash of US$10 million.

Financial Summary

Revenue for the second quarter of 2018 was US$752,198, compared with US$673,229 in the preceding quarter and US$648,382 in the second quarter of 2017. Revenue primarily reflects the sale of DenseLights photonic sensors for test & measurement applications. Gross margin for the second quarter of 2018 was 57.5%, compared with 60.2% in the preceding quarter and 50.5% in the year-ago second quarter. Net loss before taxes in the second quarter of 2018 was US$4,687,492, or ($0.02) per share, compared with a net loss before taxes of US$3,249,292, or ($0.01) per share, in the first quarter of 2018 and US$2,901,259, or ($0.01) per share, in the in the prior year second quarter.

The net loss in the second quarter of 2018 included non-cash stock-based compensation of US$1,063,773 and depreciation and amortization of US$659,820, compared with US$159,783 and US$558,919 respectively in the same quarter one year ago. Non-cash stock-based compensation and depreciation and amortization were $792,122 and $596,015 respectively in the preceding quarter. Capital investment in plant, equipment and patents was US$1,139,259 in the second quarter of 2018 compared with US$195,281 in the second quarter of 2017. The Company had capital investments of $1,036,193 in the preceding quarter.

POETs Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, commented, Co-packaging of optics and electronics and chip-scale packaging for photonics components have emerged as the most actively discussed topics in the industry, with major data center operators demanding integrated solutions from module manufacturers. We believe that the POET Optical Interposer promises to fulfill this need by providing a more versatile and less costly solution than currently available in the market today. We continue to focus on the development and commercialization of multiple highly differentiated products leveraging our Optical Interposer platform. We anticipate demonstrating the superiority of our solutions with the shipment of prototypes to customers later this year. Moreover, the development of our interposer-compatible lasers, detectors and packaging processes are all on track, and we remain on target for initial revenues from these products in early 2019.

China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE)

Dr. Suresh Venkatesan will deliver a presentation titled Integrated Photonics Using the POET Optical Interposer Platform at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) in Shenzhen, China on September 5, 2018. CIOE is the world's largest exhibition in the optoelectronic industry, and the annual event is attended by optoelectronic professionals to network with customers, partners and suppliers from around the globe as well as discover future trends in the industry.

Presenting at H.C. Wainwright Conference on September 5th

Additionally, the Company will be participating at the H.C. Wainwright 20th Annual Global Investment Conference to be held at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. Thomas R. Mika, POETs executive vice president and chief financial officer, is scheduled to present on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 and will be available to meet with investors throughout the day.

A copy of the Company's presentation materials will be available on the day of the presentation in the investor relations section of POETs website at www.poet-technologies.com .

About POET Technologies Inc.

POET Technologies is a developer and manufacturer of optical light source products for the sensing and data communications markets. Integration of optics and electronics is fundamental to increasing functional scaling and lowering the cost of current photonic solutions. POET believes that its approach to both hybrid and monolithic integration of devices, utilizing a novel dielectric platform and proven advanced wafer-level packaging techniques enables substantial improvements in device cost, efficiency and performance. Optical engines based on this integrated approach have applications ranging from data centers to consumer products. POET is headquartered in Toronto, with operations in Silicon Valley, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. More information may be obtained at www.poet-technologies.com .

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

(signed) John F. ODonnell, Secretary

For further information:

Shelton Group

Brett L. Perry

Leanne K. Sievers

E: sheltonir@sheltongroup.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 news release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as anticipate, believe, expect, plan, intend, potential, estimate, propose, project, outlook, foresee or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Such statements include the Companys expectations regarding the improvements in device cost, efficiency and performance anticipated with respect to the Companys approach to hybrid and monolithic integration of devices as well as its expectations regarding progress in product development and revenue targets.

Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, managements expectations regarding future growth, plans for and completion of projects by the Companys third-party relationships, availability of capital, and the necessity to incur capital and other expenditures. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, operational risks in the completion of the Companys anticipated projects, delays or changes in plans with respect to the development of the Companys anticipated projects by the Companys third-party relationships, risks affecting the Companys ability to execute projects, the ability to attract key personnel, and the inability to raise additional capital. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Companys securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law.

120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 - Fax: 416-322-5075VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veritas Pharma Inc. (CSE: VRT; OTC: VRTHF; and Frankfurt: 2VP) (Veritas or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IsCann Group Limited (IsCann) located in Be'er Tuvya, Israel with the aim of establishing, maintaining, and expanding business in the Canadian and Israeli medical cannabis sector.



Under the terms of the MOU, both parties will identify key extraction, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cannabis manufacturing partners with a whole plant focus rather than molecular research; undertake joint clinical research and development on select products; and identify key national and international distributions partners for market size analysis with a focus on Israel and legal European markets. Both parties will also propose speakers to participate in workshops, conferences, seminars and other events to discuss primarily bilateral trade between Veritas Pharma & Israeli pharma companies.

Veritas Pharmas CEO, Dr. Lui Franciosi, stated, We are excited to work with IsCann Group has they have a great understanding of the medical cannabis market opportunities in Israel and throughout the region. We in turn will help them enter the Canadian market as well as other markets of joint interest. Veritas aims to communicate and cooperate with all stakeholders, particularly, in Israel about the pharmacological evaluation and the therapeutic value of cannabis products such as the Companys Cannevert brand.

Eyal Mishori, the Co-founder & CEO of IsCann Group, stated, We see great potential for growth and expansion through our mutual agreement and strategic alliance and we are very thrilled to be working with Dr. Lui Franciosi and the entire Veritas Pharma team. The pharma industry in Israel is driven by a strong academic foundation and is very established and well recognized for its reputation for high R&D spending and international reach.

About IsCann Group Limited

IsCann is well positioned at the center of one of the worlds most important biotech, scientific and innovative cannabis hubs, our strategy is based on establishing our lines of products through strong strategic alliances and distribution systems, globally. Acting as a strategic accelerator of medicinal, pharma grade and wellness products and technologies (CBD, THC and delivery systems) within the cannabis industry, we are committed and focused on propelling the way for our alliances, partners and customers to a strong market positioning. When targeting both local and global medicinal and wellness pharma cannabis markets, IsCann is set to implement and provide state-of-the-art integrated accelerator platforms, offering scientists, biotechers, investors and developers with all the necessary tools and instruments to reach the desired markets through strong alliances, powerful distribution networks and continuous growth.

For more information about IsCann, please visit their website at: www.iscann-group.com

Veritas also wishes to announce the resignation of Ms. Linda Sampson as a Director of the Company effective immediately. The board of directors thanks Ms. Sampson for her service to the Company.

About Veritas Pharma Inc.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is an emerging pharmaceutical and IP development company, who, through its 100% owned subsidiary Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd. (CTL), is advancing the science behind medical cannabis. It is the Companys aim, through its investment in CTL, to develop the most effective cannabis strains (cultivars) specific to pain, nausea, epilepsy and PTSD, solving the critical need for clinical data to support medical marijuana claims. CTLs unique value proposition uses a low-cost research and development model to help drive shareholder value, and speed-to-market. Veritas investment in CTL is led by a strong management team, bringing together veteran academic pharmacologists, anesthetists & chemists. The companys commercial mission is to patent protect IP (cultivars & strains) and sell or license to cancer clinics, insurance industry and pharma, targeting multi-billion-dollar markets according to Deloittes Insights and Opportunities.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is a publicly traded company in Canada, on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the ticker VRT; in the United States, on the OTC under the ticker VRTHF; and in Germany, on the Frankfurt exchange under the ticker 2VP.

For more information, please visit our website: veritaspharmainc.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

" Dr. Lui Franciosi"

Dr. Lui Franciosi

President and Chief Executive Officer

Further information about the Company is available on our website at www.veritaspharmainc.com or under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the CSE website at www.thecse.com.

Investor and Public Relations Contact

Veritas Pharma Inc.

Jamie Hyland

Telephone: +1.416.918.6785

Email: ir@veritaspharmainc.com

Website: www.veritaspharmainc.com

The CSE has not reviewed, nor approved or disapproved the content of this press release.PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) (the Company) today announced that its Board of Directors, at its regular meeting, authorized an 11% increase in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.20 per common share, representing a $0.02 increase. The annual dividend rate has accordingly been increased to $0.80 per share from $0.72.

Representing our first increase since 2008, this increase reflects our confidence in our long-term growth potential, as well as our strong financial position and stable free cash generation, said Tony Thene, Carpenters President and CEO. Our increased dividend payout is consistent with our balanced capital allocation approach as we look to rapidly invest in target growth areas like additive manufacturing and soft magnetics while also delivering direct returns to our shareholders. In addition, this further strengthens our long-standing commitment to providing direct returns to our shareholders as fiscal 2019 marks our 112th straight year of uninterrupted dividend payments.

The quarterly cash dividend is payable September 6, 2018, to shareholders of record on August 28, 2018. The ex-dividend date (the date the common stock trades without the dividend) is August 27, 2018.

About Carpenter Technology

Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) is a recognized leader in high-performance specialty alloy-based materials and process solutions for critical applications in the aerospace, defense, transportation, energy, medical, industrial, and consumer electronics markets. Founded in 1889, Carpenter has evolved to become a pioneer in premium specialty alloys, including titanium, nickel, and cobalt, as well as alloys specifically engineered for additive manufacturing (AM) processes and soft magnetics applications. Carpenter has expanded its AM capabilities to provide a complete end-to-end solution to accelerate materials innovation and streamline parts production. www.cartech.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those projected, anticipated or implied. The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Carpenters filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2018, and the exhibits attached to that filing. They include but are not limited to: (1) the cyclical nature of the specialty materials business and certain end-use markets, including aerospace, defense, industrial, transportation, consumer, medical, and energy, or other influences on Carpenters business such as new competitors, the consolidation of competitors, customers, and suppliers or the transfer of manufacturing capacity from the United States to foreign countries; (2) the ability of Carpenter to achieve cash generation, growth, earnings, profitability, operating income, cost savings and reductions, qualifications, productivity improvements or process changes; (3) the ability to recoup increases in the cost of energy, raw materials, freight or other factors; (4) domestic and foreign excess manufacturing capacity for certain metals; (5) fluctuations in currency exchange rates; (6) the effect of government trade actions; (7) the valuation of the assets and liabilities in Carpenters pension trusts and the accounting for pension plans; (8) possible labor disputes or work stoppages; (9) the potential that our customers may substitute alternate materials or adopt different manufacturing practices that replace or limit the suitability of our products; (10) the ability to successfully acquire and integrate acquisitions; (11) the availability of credit facilities to Carpenter, its customers or other members of the supply chain; (12) the ability to obtain energy or raw materials, especially from suppliers located in countries that may be subject to unstable political or economic conditions; (13) Carpenters manufacturing processes are dependent upon highly specialized equipment located primarily in facilities in Reading and Latrobe, Pennsylvania and Athens, Alabama for which there may be limited alternatives if there are significant equipment failures or a catastrophic event; (14) the ability to hire and retain key personnel, including members of the executive management team, management, metallurgists and other skilled personnel; and (15) fluctuations in oil and gas prices and production. Any of these factors could have an adverse and/or fluctuating effect on Carpenters results of operations. The forward-looking statements in this document are intended to be subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Carpenter undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Media Inquiries:

William J. Rudolph, Jr.

+1 610-208-3892

wrudolph@cartech.com

Investor Inquiries:

Brad Edwards

The Plunkett Group

+1 212-739-6740

brad@theplunkettgroup.com



TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maricann Group Inc. (CSE:MARI)(FRANKFURT: 75M)(OTCQB:MRRCF) (Maricann or the Company) is pleased to announce that the Company has successfully exported dry cannabis flowers to Germany. The recent shipment of dry cannabis flowers from its EU-GMP certified facility in Langton, ON Canada, was successfully exported from Canada and then imported to Germany. The material then underwent further analytical testing and met all specifications and requirements. The Company will now move to export further product to the German medical market.



As one of five companies with EU-GMP certified facilities for cannabis production globally, we are positioned perfectly to capture market share in the European medical market. This step further validates the platform that we have built at Maricann, with EU-GMP certified cannabis flower exports from our facilities in Canada now a reality stated Ben Ward, CEO of Maricann.

Maricann Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maricann Group Inc., received an export permit from Health Canada on April 16, 2018 to ship dried cannabis flower to Germany. These results are the culmination of those efforts and represent yet another instance of external validation for the Company and its products.

About Maricann Group Inc.

Maricann is a vertically integrated producer and distributor of cannabis for medical purposes. The Company was founded in 2013 and is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and Munich, Germany, with production facilities in Langton, Ontario where it operates a medicinal cannabis cultivation, extraction, formulation and distribution business under federal licence from the Government of Canada. The Company also has production operations in Dresden, Saxony, Germany and Regensdorf, Switzerland. Maricann is currently undertaking an expansion of its cultivation and support facilities in Canada in a 942,000 sq. ft. (87,515 sq. m) and will continue to pursue new opportunities in Europe.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Such statements include references to the Company's plans to export additional cannabis flowers to the German market. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

For more information about Maricann, please visit our website at www.maricann.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Investor Relations

Graham Farrell

Director of Investor Relations

graham@maricann.com

647-643-7665

Corporate Headquarters (Canada)

Maricann Group Inc. (Toronto)

845 Harrington Court, Unit 3

Burlington Ontario L7N 3P3

Canada

289-288-6274

European Headquarters (Germany)

Maricann GmbH

Thierschstrasse 3, 80538 Munchen, DeutschlandCanadian Blood Services hopes to get more than 22,000 donors by Aug. 26 to ensure patients have enough blood for the rest of the summer. Although all donors are urged to donate, there is a great need for Type O blood negative blood as it is the only type compatible with all other blood types.

New donors are fundamental to meeting Canadas blood needs over the longer term. If every donor brings a friend to donate or encourages others to give life, they can have a tremendous impact on the supply system, says Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services chief supply chain officer and vice-president of donor relations.

15-year-old Ty from Barrie area in Ontario is one of those patients who rely on the Canadian Blood Services. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in June.

Patrick Armatage, Tys father, says his son needs donations to make it through the next journey called intensification, which will last eight months.

During this phase, Tys immune system will be almost non-existent as his care team tries to find and kill the cancer cells hiding in his body. Weve been told to expect several blood and platelet transfusions during this phase, said Patrick.

Please visit blood.ca, download our GiveBlood app or call 1-888-2-DONATE to find a nearby donation site. Walk-in appointments are also available at all locations.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Kirsten Weeks (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018

As Indonesia celebrates its 73rd year of independence, most people are aware of its impressive economic development over the last few years. But perhaps fewer are aware that, every hour, across this massive archipelago, two mothers and eight newborns die.



The country still faces unacceptably high levels of maternal and newborn mortality. This is a multi-faceted and complex issue, requiring collaboration between all elements to ensure effective measures are taken to improve maternal and newborn wellbeing.



The Intercensal Survey (SUPAS) 2015 estimates maternal mortality is 305 per 100,000 live births. The Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey 2017 data suggests newborn deaths are 15 per 1,000 live births.



Despite less maternal and newborn mortality between 1990 and 2015, Indonesia fell short of the Millennium Development Goals require countries to reduce mortality rates by three quarters.



In Asia, Indonesia ranks behind Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia. Reducing maternal and newborn deaths is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a United Nations-led agenda guiding countries worldwide to work together to tackle global challenges over the next 15 years. Under Goal 3, countries agree to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.



To achieve this goal, Indonesia plans to increase access to quality health services and implement universal health coverage. The country aims to reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births, and to reduce neonatal mortality rates to as low as 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030.



In Indonesia, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, which is a pregnancy induced hypertension, post-partum hemorrhage, and other infection-related obstetric emergencies, are the leading causes of maternal mortality. Complications from preterm birth, asphyxia  or the condition when the body is deprived of oxygen  and low birth weight are the major causes of newborn deaths. These deaths are preventable.



A critical way to prevent these deaths is to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care. Improving quality of care is a multi-dimensional effort, and requires partnerships between health care providers, managers, communities, and policy makers. According to a recent World Bank Report on private sector supply side readiness, as well as reports from the United States Agency for International Developments Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival project, primary maternal health services across public and private facilities face major quality challenges for service readiness, in terms of medicines, diagnostics, basic obstetric care, and referrals.



Public and private health providers can work together to provide pregnant women and newborns with quality of care. This means access to skilled care with evidence-based practices delivered in a humane, respectful and supportive environment.



This covers health facilities physical infrastructure, human resources, skills, and capacity to manage both normal and complicated pregnancies. Part of quality care includes a better referral system such as when an emergency arises, families, midwives, and facilities should ensure pregnant women have access to advanced emergency services. This includes emergency transport as well as high quality health facilities ready to manage emergencies.



Quality care is also an opportunity for communities. Communities play a critical role to create demand for and access to high quality maternal and newborn services. Families and midwives can empower and increase the knowledge of pregnant women and their families to understand the importance of quality care, as well as their rights under key programs like the national health insurance (JKN).



For example, pregnant women should be aware of the Health Ministrys recommendation for an expectant mother to receive four antenatal care visits during pregnancy, high quality services during labor and delivery

with a skilled professional, and three post-partum visits for mothers and their newborns after delivery.



They say it takes a village to raise a healthy child. But it will take a nation to ensure every pregnant woman and newborn can access quality care. The time is now to come together and use evidence to improve quality of care and reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths  contributing to a healthier Indonesia.

***

The writer is chief of party, USAID Jalin.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018

Do you remember the 1973 James Bond spy movie Live and Let Die, starring Roger Moore whose upwardly mobile eyebrows were more famous than many of his fellow actors?



The films eponymous theme song, written by Paul McCartney,is about a young person who initially feels everyone has the right to do their own thing, but after being exposed to the ways of the world, he becomes more cynical and egoistic, and changes his tune from live and let live to live and let die, meaning, hell do whatever he wants, to hell with everyone else.



Admittedly, a lot of people die in James Bond movies  almost 1,300 in total!



When he wrote the song, probably the last thing that McCartney had on his mind was secularism, but that is what I associate the song with.



Really? Well yes, because secularism is basically a live and let live attitude toward all religions, which in a democracy have equal rights, including minority ones.



Aug. 15, 1947, and Aug. 17, 1945, are, respectively, the independence days of India and Indonesia, the worlds largest and third-largest democracies, we like to claim. Its true that the constitutions of both countries ensure that minorities rights are respected but in the past several years it seems that secularism, democracy and human rights have been under threat in both countries, in Indonesia through the rise of Islamic conservatism, and in India through the Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) politics espoused by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).



Secularism in India means equal treatment of all religions by the state, reasserted in the 42nd amendment of the Indian Constitution in 1976. The laws implicitly require the state and its institutions to recognize and accept all religions, enforce parliamentary laws instead of religious laws, and respect pluralism.



Anniversaries of independence days are a good time to reflect on whether we have remained true to the principles we fought and died for in the struggle for national freedom.



So I was really pleased when in late July, I received an invitation to have dinner with MJ Akbar, current Minister of State of External Affairs of India, who works directly under Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister who also visited Indonesia in January this year. In between was of course the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself at the end of May. It certainly seems that Indonesia is on Indias radar!



I was eager to meet him, because of his prominent position in government, because he is a prolific writer with a stellar career working as a journalist, editor and is the author of several acclaimed books. And while a Muslim, he is always proclaiming he is a secularist. In this day and age, that is the kind of Muslim I prefer and the kind of Muslim I think is best for the world!



In person, he is good company, warm, friendly, and fascinating to listen to and converse with, because of his breadth and depth of knowledge, and also because of his insights on politics.



What intrigued me the most about MJ (as he is called among friends) was his dramatic shift. During his first foray into politics, he was a member of parliament for the Congress Party (1989-1991), the second time round, he  a lifelong liberal  joined the conservative, right-wing BJP in March 2014 as national spokesperson of the party. He got more than his fair share of flak for that shift, but its not an uncommon phenomenon in politics.



It seems that MJ was disillusioned by what he saw as the increased corruption of the Congress Party, accusing its members of being Luddites who blocked every change, and also what he considered the ineptitude of Rahul Gandhi, president of the Congress Party since 2017. That is dynasty politics for you. It is not something I am fond of in Indonesia either, especially with the possible candidacy of Tommy Soeharto, youngest son of the late president Soeharto, for president, through his new Berkarya Party.



So what do MJ and the BJP get from each other? For sure MJ gives the BJP prestige, given his prominent intellectual background. Furthermore, he provides the party with an eloquent Muslim voice and he is said to be formidable in debate.



What about MJ from the BJP? Perhaps a powerful platform to do something for the nation and make real change? After all, MJ says his religion is the Constitution of India and his interest is the betterment of the nation and people. After the Patna 2013 bombings during a massive election rally for Modi, MJ asked the Hindus, Do you want to fight Muslims or do you want to fight poverty?



In A Mirror to Power, the anthology of columns MJ gave me (in exchange for my Julias Jihad!), was a piece called Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu Nationalist. MJ argues that Gandhis nationalism was the antithesis of communalism, which has broken up the nation. He also said that Gandhi would have been puzzled that Hinduism was an obstacle to secularism [...] Gandhi promised Muslims honor and equality.



Faith does not make us communal, human nature does, MJ writes. Exactly. We are humans, all 7.6 billion of us on the planet.



As MJ himself said, the world has changed, the country has changed, nothing can be extremely static. True enough. Persecution of Muslims in present day India is seen as a serious problem whatever the Indian Constitution says, or Gandhi said.



The same is true in Indonesia, whatever the Indonesian Constitution says or our founding fathers said. Recently President Joko Jokowi Widodo named Maruf Amin as his running mate. Maruf is a conservative Muslim cleric who has helped raise the heat for the persecution of minorities, including the jailing of former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama.



The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which Maruf heads, is responsible for the anti-liberalism and secularism fatwa issued in 2005, which helped to cripple Indonesias Islam Liberal Network (JIL), provoking death threats and mail bombs sent to some of the liberal Muslim scholars. So can Maruf really act as a bulwark against the perception that Jokowi is anti-Islam, or is Jokowi getting into bed with the enemy?



A report on the Indian Embassy website announces that Pursuant to [MJs] visit, the first India Indonesia Interfaith Dialogue will be held in Yogyakarta on Oct. 3-5.



Will the dialogue discuss secularism as a condition of democracy, human rights and peace in both our nations and will it make our political leaders choose to live and let live? Or will they keep on choosing live and let die?

***

The writer is the author of Julias Jihad.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Okky Madasari (The Jakarta Post) Singapore  Wed, August 15, 2018 13:19 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5322c41 3 Opinion Indonesian-politics,2019-presidential-election,#2019PresidentialElection,Islamic-hard-liner,ideology,democracy,Prabowo-Subianto,Jokowi Free

The last days before the closing of candidates for the president-vice president pairings made an enticing reality show full of surprise, tension, drama, disappointment and excitement, gluing millions to their TV sets.

Lets check out lessons of the political process leading to registration of the incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodo-Maruf Amin and his rival pairing Probowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno on Aug. 10, and what they could mean for Indonesias democracy.

First, all candidates and their allies showed that first and foremost politics is a business of negotiation and compromise. We are all aware of this truth. But we always want to deny it. Sometimes we deliberately choose to be naive, insisting on our ideals where noble ideas and ideology drive all actions.

Many Indonesians believe politics is the battlefield for Islamic ideas as Muslims are the majority. They believe in the dichotomy between Islamic parties and Islamic politicians on one side and those that arent Islamic on the other.

Others believe elections are the best way to prevent domination of conservative Islamic values. Thus, they believe their votes should go to candidates who respect universal values such as pluralism, protection of minorities and secularism.

But what happened in the past weeks, especially in the final hours, reflects that ideas and ideology have little place in Indonesian politics. The process shows us its just a trading in which the actors try to maximize gains and benefits now and in the future.

In winning the 2014 presidency Jokowi had pitched the jargon of diversity or kebhinekaan and managed to beat his rival Prabowo. Lately he looked insecure and seemed to fall into the trap of utilizing sectarian or identity politics by picking a conservative cleric as his running mate. This measure was clearly taken in the hopes to wipe out his less Islamic credentials and woo more Muslim voters who included participants of the massive demonstrations which led to the ousting and imprisonment of then Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama  and other anti-Ahokers in the aftermath of those late 2016 rallies. The movements big success in forcing the court to hand Ahok a two-year jail term clearly convinced Jokowi that the nations Islamic society (ummah) would play a determining role in the 2019 election.

As if further symbolizing his move toward a more Islamic nuance, Jokowi s registration of his candidacy to the General Elections Commission employed Islamic chants including shalawat and takbir (shouts of Allahu akbar or God is great) before their entourage headed to Friday noon prayers.

Meanwhile, Maruf, who chairs the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), is among key actors who pushed hard for Ahoks imprisonment, through the MUI fatwa confirming the charges of Ahoks blasphemy.

As MUI chief, Maruf masterminded the issuance of a number of fatwa that have been used to justify discrimination against minority faiths, putting them at risk of being attacked or killed, as proven by several attacks against minorities in recent years, including against sexual minorities.

By any standards, Maruf is a true conservative cleric whose values are not eye to eye with the liberals, the very people that helped Jokowi to the presidency in 2014.

Meanwhile, Prabowo, who had always gained support from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), a party labeled as Islamist and conservative, and which also includes the alumni of the anti-Ahok rallies, finally picked the youthful businessman Sandiaga as his running mate.

Sandiaga is a surprising if not shocking choice as he is neither an ulema nor someone explicitly representing Islamic voters and their values. Prabowo also showed courage in deviating from the proposal handed to him by a group of ulema, to take one of their own as his VP candidate.

All the facts have shown both candidates significantly move in opposing directions as we can now say Jokowi employs Islamic jargons, while Prabowo moves towards teasing millennial voters.

This development creates an awkward situation for both supporters, even more for idealists along the good from evil dividing line, depending on ones favored candidate.

The second related lesson is that its time to leave behind the labels of kecebong and kampret  labels respectively awarded by Prabowo supporters to those of Jokowi, and by the latters supporters to those of Prabowo.

Since the 2014 presidential election social media witnessed the increased polarizing of kecebong (literally tadpoles) and kampret (literally bats but also a derogatory reference). Kecebong are those who support Jokowi and his government who are also staunch supporters of Ahok. They are also the same people who oppose those who want to make Islamic values dominate public policy and daily life.

Meanwhile kampret are those who since 2014 have supported Prabowo, and the same people who actively joined the massive anti-Ahok rallies, who always express beliefs that Jokowi and his regime hate and always try to corner Islam. One version of the origin of this label is that it was a derogatory twist on KMP, the acronym of Prabowos earlier Red and White Coalition.

The narrative of kecebong and kampret has made netizens trapped in an either/or fallacy: If you are not with Jokowi / Prabowo then youre evil / anti Islam.

But the whole process of power-sharing deals showed there is no black and white in politics, and its not a battle between angels and devils.

Its time to bury the narrative that those who are with A are liberals and those who support B are Islamists. Both candidates are now identical.

The 2019 election will be the time to exercise our rights by listening to our conscience. We dont owe our vote to politicians. Thus, if we think there is no candidate deserving our vote, we have total freedom to not vote.

Last, we should be grateful that we are living in a country that allows us to be part of and witness the democratic process as we continue to grow towards a better democratic nation.

***

The writer is a novelist and a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin - (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Thu, August 16, 2018 00:03 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df533d5b5 4 Inforial Free

Cancer is considered one of the most-feared diseases in the world today.

With technological advances in cancer treatments, the chance of survival is steadily increasing over the years. The unprecedented advancement in medical technology has led to a dramatic surge in the development and availability of new cancer treatments. The treatment of cancer involves different strategies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and most recently, targeted therapies, such as immunotherapy and radionuclide therapy, to damage only the cancerous cells without affecting healthy tissues.

Beacon Hospital established in 2005 as a Cancer Care Specialist Hospital in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur. The hospital has evolved into multidisciplinary specialist hospital with highly innovative and advanced cancer detection and treatment options. Driven by a team of experienced specialists and state-of-the art medical technologies, Beacon Hospital is always striving to be the best leading cancer hospital in Malaysia.

Beacon Hospital is a pioneer in cancer treatment that installed the first radiosurgery Cyberknife technology in Malaysia in 2005. It was also the first to offer immunotherapy treatment for cancer patients. In 2017, Beacon Hospital marked another milestone as the first hospital in Southeast Asia to provide Lutetium 177 radionuclide therapy for neuroendocrine and prostate cancer, which is the latest forms of therapy used in the United States and Australia.

Beacon Hospital also offers radiotherapy, chemotherapy, Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), targeted therapies as well as other innovative and minimal-invasive therapies. Its radiotherapy planning has been recognized by the IROC Houston Quality Assurance Center in the US to benchmark against MD Anderson standards.

The hospital is anchored by more than 50 medical specialists who have at least 25 years of individual experience, with many recognized as thought leaders in their own right, both nationally and internationally. They understand that each cancer patient is unique with complex needs. The oncologists practice evidence-based care and prescribe the most effective treatment tailored to suit each patients disease condition. They focus on a multidisciplinary team approach, bringing together experienced experts from multiple medical fields and support services to optimize treatment outcomes. For each cancer case, it involves a team approach in which several specialists participate, such as oncologist, surgeon, radiation therapist, medical physicist and other medical support staff.

Patients also benefit from up-to-date treatments as Beacon Hospital is one of the top-selected sites for different international cancer trials. Beacon Hospital ventured into oncology research in 2010 to provide the latest and most effective treatment for patients. Some of these include the effective comparison of different chemotherapy treatments, resistance to inhibitors, epigenetic changes in nasopharyngeal cancer and treatment for advanced or metastatic gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Beacon Hospital was proud to be selected as the top five best performer for data entry research in an international breast cancer chemotherapy clinical trial that involved 339 research institutions in 40 countries.

Featuring 100 in-patient beds, four operating theaters and intensive-care facilities, as well as a comfortable daycare ward and preventive health screening facilities, it is no surprise that the hospital has received multiple world-class recognitions  the most recent being a prestigious ESMO accreditation from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the only Southeast Asian hospital to have one. This means that the hospital has on-par technology and services that meet European standards.

Most cancer treatments are far from comfortable, but the highly trained staff at Beacon Hospital ensures that a patients stay is as comfortable and pleasant as possible. In Beacon Hospital, the best treatment is guaranteed. International patients can sign up for a full range of services, including pre-treatment consultations, by email or phone before arriving at the hospital.

One of the value-added services that Beacon Hospital provides is accommodation and transportation to facilitate a hassle-free visit for those flying into Kuala Lumpur for treatment or for routine health screenings. Its strategic location at the city center, located only 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, allows for easy access to the hospital by public transportation or pre-arranged transport services with the hospital. Numerous hotels rare also available in the surrounding areas.

Beacon Hospital is delighted to be celebrating its 13th anniversary this year. It has come a long way from its small beginning, but today, the hospital continues to remain true to its vision of providing excellent health care. To know more about Beacon Hospital, visit Beaconhospital.com.my/id/ or call +6011-3432 1333 for inquiries on the types of cancer treatments available.

. (./.)Early on, Rangi Wirantika knew she wanted to be a doctor with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders/MSF).

When she was 11 years old, she frequently watched the ongoing war in Kosovo broadcast on TVRIs news program, Dunia Dalam Berita (the World in the News).

My heart broke seeing the refugees affected by the conflict. It was around that time I decided I want to be a humanitarian worker, recalled Rangi, who will turn 30 on Nov. 1.

During her high school years, a friend told Rangi about MSF, one of the non-governmental organizations actively contributing to the war relief effort in Kosovo.

The information spurred her to pursue a medical degree at Trisakti University, in Jakarta. She graduated in 2012, taking an internship in Lampung a year later and joining MSF in 2015.

In the three years that have passed since, Rangi has been deployed to a number of conflict areas, including Pakistan and Yemen.

The working environment and living conditions were definitely not the same as in Indonesia. When I was stationed in Yemen, air strikes would rain down day and night on the entire zone. It was quite a shock for me, she told The Jakarta Post.

Along with a hostile environment, doctors in conflict areas are likely to handle patients with cases they would never encounter during peace.

The patients would often have injuries that were common in conflict areas, ranging from bomb blast injuries that required emergency amputations to gunshot wounds. Many times, we would also see malnourished children, as the conditions made it harder for them to obtain food, Rangi said.

Even with the horrendous conditions, MSFs principles of neutrality and impartiality means that the organization operates independently of the government in a conflict zone.

We mostly receive donations from anonymous sources. If we accept donations from a states government, that would mean we were no longer impartial, Rangi said, noting that the organization treated anyone in need of medical assistance, regardless of their identity and affiliations.

For Rangi, MSFs neutrality is a boon for her and other doctors, as most of the time, the combatants threatening them would be ordered to stop harassing the doctors or risk losing medical assistance.

All smiles: Rangi Wirantika poses with a child during her assignment in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh. (Rangi Wirantika/File)

Her most recent assignment was in Bangladesh, covering the Rohingya crisis for three months. She considered the posting as the hardest she has ever done.

Ive never been assigned to a refugee camp, and the Rohingya refugee camp is the largest in the world. Our job was to provide health services inside the camp, Rangi said.

The situation was not helped by the refugees living conditions, as they lived in makeshift shelters made out of bamboo and plastic.

The tiny makeshift shelters often housed up to eight members of a family, and there was once a diphtheria outbreak because of how close they lived together. Once someone gets sick, everyone in the family needs to be treated, Rangi said, adding that the weather also played a part in the misery.

According to Rangi, the situation did not improved after she left Bangladesh, as the intake of refugees did not stop. Around 3,000 refugees arrived at the camp in February, with around 900,000 now living there. When I first arrived at the camp in November, there were approximately 700,000 refugees. Imagine another 200,000 coming in by March, she said.

At work: Rangi Wirantika writes information about a patient in South Sudan. (Rangi Wirantika/File)

Rangi explained that her relatively short time at the camp was due to MSF policy on the staffs wellbeing.

It all depends on the mission and their workload. In high-intensity areas like the Bangladesh refugee camp and the active war in Yemen, we are advised to not stay for more than three months so we dont get burned out, she said.

As Rangi prepared for her next mission in war-torn South Sudan, she reflected on her three years of experience in helping people around the world.

Of course, this was a dream come true for me, but it was also an eye-opening experience. All the little things we complain about in our daily lives mean nothing once youre out there in a war zone. It made me grateful to have a house and peaceful country come home to, Rangi said.

When I was stationed in Yemen, I worked with Yemeni doctors around my age. We shared the same dilemmas in life, such as whether to get married or continue with our studies, but the war turned it all upside down.

Rangi hopes her experience can inspire others to help those less fortunate.

This is my own way to do something good for the world, and Im sure everyone has their own way. You dont have to join Medecins Sans Frontieres, but look at the wars happening all around the world  surely you can help them in some way.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 08:46 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df530f589 1 City firefighters,South-Jakarta,wasp-nest Free

Firefighters in South Jakarta have helped residents get rid of a large wasp nest that had created public unrest.

South Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency sector X were called by residents of Jl. Harapan in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Monday, not to put out a fire, but to remove the wasp nest that had been hanging in a guava tree for quite some time.

According to the residents account, the wasps had created public unrest and often stung people in the area.

The nest hung five meters from the ground. Some residents had reportedly been stung, said the firefighter team leader, Ade Sudrajat, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com on Tuesday.

Wearing special outfits to protect themselves from the wasp stings, the firefighters worked at night for the residents safety.

We stuffed piles of cotton that had been dipped into gasoline into the wasp nest. After around 15 minutes, we covered it with a sack and pulled it off the tree without breaking it, Ade explained.

The Lenteng Agung residents had made the right decision, Ade added, by calling the firefighters to remove the wasp nest. If it is dangerous, call us and let the professionals step in, he said.

The fire emergency number is 112. (vla)TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSX-V: GG) is pleased to announce the release of its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018. All amounts are in United States dollars.



A copy of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and the corresponding Managements Discussion and Analysis will be available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com .

Second Quarter 2018 Highlights

Produced 10,088 ounces of gold.

Net earnings of $2,399,151.

Positive cash flows from operating activities of $2,644,872.

All-in operating cash cost of $905 per ounce (excluding royalties).(1)

Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: It was a very impressive quarter for Galane with record ounces, strong positive cash flows and a very low all in sustaining cost.

"With Mupane now in a very positive position our strong internal team is preparing for the start of the Galaxy project where it is our intention to recommence operations at an annual production level of over 25,000 ounces of gold and at an operating cash cost per ounce of less than $800.(1)(2)

About Galane Gold

Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GG. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates.

Notes:

Total operating cash cost excluding royalties is a non-GAAP measure. Refer to Supplemental Information to Managements Discussion and Analysis in the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 for reconciliation to measures reported in the Companys financial statements.



The deposits at Galaxy are supported by a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015, a copy of which is available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. This technical report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study.

Cautionary Notes

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.

Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk.Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

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.

For further information please contact:

Nick Brodie

CEO, Galane Gold Ltd.

+ 44 7905089878

Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com

www.GalaneGold.comShare this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15 2018

A month after starting its journey in India, the historic birthplace of the Asian Games sacred flame, the torch has finally arrived in Jakarta for its final lap.

This is the second time that the city will host the quadrennial event.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Riza Roidila Mufti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 10:05 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53133ed 1 Business Facebook,SMEs,training,workshop,Laju-Digital Free

In an effort to improve the digital skills of micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) players, especially in eastern Indonesia, Facebook Indonesia will launch a digital campaign program called Laju Digital, next month.

With Laju Digital, Facebook will give digital training and workshops to people in 15 cities, including 10 cities in Eastern Indonesia, said Facebook Indonesias public policy head Ruben Hattari in Jakarta on Tuesday.

This campaign will focus on providing training and workshops on how to develop their businesses by utilizing the Internet. The participants will learn how to make a Facebook page to promote their product, he said when announcing Laju Digital.

The first city to host Laju Digital will be Gorontalo, followed by other cities such as Kupang, Manokwari and Mataram. In each city, we plan to have two days of training and workshops, he said, adding that the program was free of charge.

To run the program, Facebook is collaborating with local organizations, the Communications and Information Ministry, the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry and the Education and Culture Ministry, he said.

Meanwhile, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) economic department head Yose Rizal Damuri said the use of digital technology could speed up economic development in eastern Indonesia.

However, according to the results of an CSIS study of 2000 respondents and 1000 MSMEs in 10 cities in Eastern Indonesia, Internet use for businesses is considerably low. More than 60 percent of respondents use the Internet only for social networking, while Internet use for more productive activity is still limited, Yose said. The research shows that only about 30 percent of MSMEs use the Internet for their business. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15 2018

The city administration has dropped a plan to close seven tollgates to ease traffic congestion during the Asian Games, the police have said.

Jakarta Police traffic division head Sr. Comr. Yusuf said, based on the simulation evaluations, the tollgates would only be closed if necessary.

[We will] close them only if its needed, depending on the situation, he said as quoted by kompas.com on Tuesday.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 11:05 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df531879a 1 Business oil-and-gas,Jokowi,pertamina,purchase,rupiah Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has told state-energy holding company Pertamina to buy all oil lifting, the colloquial term for ready-to-sell production from all oil and gas contractors in the country to reduce oil imports and to strengthen the rupiah.

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokesperson Agung Pribadi told the press that the order came after the President held a high level meeting with ministers, including Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan on Tuesday afternoon.

We expect [Pertamina] to implement the order as soon as possible and we will issue a regulation soon, which could be in the form of a ministerial regulation, he said.

When asked about the effect on the existing oil sales purchase agreements with contractors, Agung said the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (SKK Migas) would deal with the issue.

Indonesias oil production amounted to 771,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) in the first half of 2018, forcing the country to import more than half of its oil needs of 1.6 million bopd.

Official data also show that Indonesia imported 28.19 million kiloliters of fuel or 39.7 percent of its total fuel consumption of 70.98 million kl, throughout last year.

We hope this measure can strengthen our foreign exchange reserves, which eventually will help our rupiah, which has been weakening recently, Agung said.

The rupiah exchange rate was recorded at Rp 14,625 per United States dollar on Tuesday afternoon, weakening by 42 points from Rp 14,583 recorded on Monday, according to the Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (JISDOR). (bbn)TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.

Just click on the icons to get to the download page.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 11:34 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df531c630 1 Politics MarufAmin,NU,SaidAqilSiradj Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodos running mate for the 2019 presidential election, Maruf Amin, will step down as Rais Aam, or the supreme leader, of the countrys largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), NU chairman Said Aqil Siradj has confirmed.

Said said Maruf would officially tender his resignation after completing the haj to Saudi Arabia. Maruf departed to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning.

We will hold a meeting as soon as [Maruf] returns [to Indonesia], Said said on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co, adding that, the vice supreme leader, Miftahul Akhyar, would automatically assume the Rais Aam post.

The NU central board (PBNU) does not allow the Rais Aam to hold any political positions, according to Said.

Besides being the supreme leader of the PBNU for 2015-2020, Maruf has also been the chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) since 2007 and is a board member of the Pancasila body (BPIP). (swd)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 17:04 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5332ba4 4 Business LRT,Palembang,malfunction,Budi-Karya-Sumadi,explanation Free

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has explained the possible reasons why light rail transit (LRT) trains in Palembang broke down on three separate occasions while carrying passengers.

After the latest breakdown on Sunday, passengers had to get off the LRT cars and walk some two kilometers to reach the nearest station.

He identified three possible reasons for the failures, namely the electricity supply, improper implementation of standard operation procedures (SOP) and technical issues.

Budi said he had demanded that all stakeholders, including state-owned construction company PT Waskita Karya as the developer, state-owned train producer PT Industry Kerata Api (PT INKA) and state-owned railway operator PT KAI, assure that the LRT Palembang can operate smoothly.

I have ordered representatives of the Transportation Ministry, Waskita, INKA and KAI to guard the installation. God willing, the train will run well, Budi said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

An LRT train suddenly stopped on Aug. 1 during heavy rains, 4 kilometers before the train reached Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport. It happened again on Aug. 10 as a result of a signaling issue. The third instance was on Aug. 12.

The LRT trains can travel at 85 kilometers per hour. The government plans to operate the LRT to transport athletes, officials and spectators of the 2018 Asian Games.

The LRT takes 30 to 45 minutes to travel from the airport to Jakabaring Sport City, Budi said. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 10:34 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df531739c 1 National cabinet,PAN Free

National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Syafruddin has been appointed the new Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister and inaugurated into office on Wednesday at the State Palace.



Syafruddin is replacing National Mandate Party (PAN) politician Asman Abnur, who resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday following his party's decision to challenge President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's reelection bid in the 2019 election.



Asman, who conveyed his resignation plan to State Secretary Pratikno on Tuesday morning, met with Jokowi on Tuesday evening at Bogor Palace to tell the President about his decision to leave the cabinet.



Asman has served as Jokowi's aide for two years since he was appointed by the President to the ministerial post, replacing Hanura Party politician Yuddy Chrisnandi during the second Cabinet reshuffle in July 2016.



He entered the Cabinet following PAN's decision to join Jokowi's governing coalition in 2015. PAN was previously part of the coalition backing Prabowo-Hatta Rajasa's ticket in the 2014 presidential election.



However, PAN decided in the eleventh hour of presidential candidate pair registration last week to join the opposition Gerindra-party led coalition for the 2019 election, backing the candidacy of Prabowo and Sandiaga Uno. (swd)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 08:41 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df530e5d8 1 Business one-map-policy,defense-ministry,data-compilation,Darmin-nasution Free

The compilation and integration of data for the One Map Policy is nearly complete, however it is missing data from the Defense Ministry as it has not provided it to the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), an official has said.

BIG head Hasanuddin Zainal Abidin said on Monday that the Defense Ministry had a large amount of data and had to separate data deemed sensitive and a security risk from data in the public interest.

There is data on state security. So, it needs special treatment, Hasanuddin said in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kontan.co.id on the sidelines of a national coordination meeting regarding geospatial information infrastructure and the preparation for the launch of the One Map Policy portal.

Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said the One Map Policy integrates 85 thematic maps from 34 provinces, involving 57 ministries and other government agencies.

The single map is expected to help resolve prolonged land conflict on overlapping land ownership claims, which has hampered investment and development.

Darmin said the government was in the process of synchronizing the map, as each agency had its own unique map.

Synchronization is important. If there is an overlap, we will resolve it, Darmin said, adding that legal considerations were also being discussed. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Taipei, Taiwan  Wed, August 15, 2018 11:32 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df531c428 1 Business plastic,rubber,shoe,Taiwan,Taipei,manufacturing-industry,Industry-4-0 Free

Global industry players and stakeholders in the plastics and rubber industries as well as the shoe industry are gathering at the 16th Taipei International Plastics and Rubber Industry show (Taipei Plas) and the first Taipei International Shoe-Making Technology Show (ShoeTech Taipei) to promote an industrial upgrade with the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, in full gear.

Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) chairman James CF Huang said global trends in the industries were driven not only toward automated manufacturing but also sustainable manufacturing practices.

"In response to the trend of environmental protection, the industry has created machines and equipment that save energy, reduce waste and carbon emissions, said Huang during the opening of the exhibitions at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday.

He went on to say that in line with the global trends, the Taipei Plas and ShoeTech Taipei showcase various technologies in the manufacturing industry, such as smart machines and smart manufacturing solutions incorporated into control systems, data analysis, internet of things (IoT) and remote control, energy saving system and robotic arms, among many others.

The Taipei Plas and ShoeTech Taipei, held by Taitra and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), are held jointly until Aug. 19. Approximately 534 global manufacturers in the industry are participating in the exhibition.

Chairman Huang said that thus far, there were pre-registered buyers from 80 countries, including Indonesia, the United States, Japan, India, and Thailand, among others.

Taiwan vice president Chen Chien-Jen , who attended the opening of the exhibition, said plastics and rubber as well as the shoe industry were moving toward a more eco-friendly and sustainable trend, from the previously predominantly labor-intensive nature. (dwa)NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. reminds investors that class action lawsuits have been commenced on behalf of stockholders of Flex Pharma, Inc., Newell Brands, Inc., and PolarityTE, Inc. Stockholders have until the deadlines listed below to petition the court to serve as lead plaintiff. Additional information about each case can be found at the link provided.



Flex Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLKS)

Class Period: November 6, 2017  June 12, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 20, 2018

The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Flex Pharma overstated the viability and approval prospects for its product candidate FLX-787 for the treatment of ALS and CMT; and (2) as a result, Flex Pharmas public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On June 13, 2018, Flex Pharma announced that it planned to halt both the COMMEND and the COMMIT trials, citing oral tolerability concerns observed in both studies. Flex Pharma further announced that the Company will restructure its organization to reduce costs, including reducing its workforce by approximately 60%, and that Flex Pharmas Board is exploring strategic alternatives, including the potential sale or merger of the company. On this news, Flex Pharmas share price fell $3.14, or 75.12%, to close at $1.04 on June 13, 2018.

To learn more about the Flex Pharma class action go to: http://bespc.com/flex/.

Newell Brands, Inc. (NYSE: NWL)

Class Period: February 6, 2017  January 24, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 20, 2018

The complaint alleges that Newell and certain of its officers and/or directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Newell is a global manufacturer and marketer of name-brand consumer products. In April 2016, Newell Rubbermaid, whose brands included Paper Mate, Sharpie, Rawlings, Lenox, Sunbeam, Graco and Rubbermaid, acquired Jarden Corporation (Jarden), a global consumer products company whose brands included Crock-Pot, FoodSaver, Mr. Coffee, Oster, Coleman, K2, Marker and Marmot. The combined company was renamed Newell Brands Inc. The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose adverse information regarding Newells business and prospects. Specifically, Defendants misrepresented and/or failed to disclose the following adverse facts, among others: (1) the Companys retail channel was loaded with extremely high levels of unsold Newell product; (2) contrary to Defendants representations, the build-up of Newell inventory in the retail channel was due to Company-specific rather than macroeconomic reasons; (3) as a result of the unusually high levels of unsold inventory in the retail channel, Newell was exposed to a heightened risk that it would experience slower sales growth in future periods; and (4) undisclosed managerial and cultural differences in the legacy Newell and Jarden businesses had created significant internal discord that was having a material adverse effect on the Companys operating performance.

To learn more about the Newell class action go to: https://bespc.com/newell/.

PolarityTE, Inc. (NASDAQ: COOL)

Class Period: March 31, 2017  June 22, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 27, 2018

The complaint alleges that on June 25, 2018, Citron Research (Citron) issued a report in which Citron detailed the Companys track record of material misrepresentations, misstatements, and omissions pertaining to the status of a key patent application. The Citron report noted that as far back as March 31, 2017, the USPTO notified the Company of its non-final rejection of patent #14/954,335. Citrons report continued to highlight the Companys subsequent failure to disclose the patents non-final rejection status and its continued behavior of representing the technology linked to the patent in a positive light. The report also pointed to the USPTOs final rejection of the patent on June 4, 2018 information that the Company also failed to disclose. On this news, COOL stock fell more than 34%.

To learn more about the PolarityTE class action go to: https://bespc.com/polarityte/ .



Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a New York-based law firm concentrating in commercial and securities litigation. For additional information about Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., please go to www.bespc.com.

Contacts

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.

Brandon Walker, Esq.

Melissa Fortunato, Esq.

(212) 355-4648

investigations@bespc.com

www.bespc.comShare this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 19:15 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5336e75 1 Business sales,agreement,oil,imports,reduction,Jokowi Free

Sales purchase agreements between domestic oil contractors and foreign firms may hamper the governments effort to reduce oil import by requiring state-owned oil and gas holding Pertamina to buy all oil lifting produced by the contractors, an official says.

Previously, President Joko Jokowi Widodo told Pertamina to buy all oil lifting, the colloquial term for ready-to-sell production, from the contractors to reduce oil imports in an effort to strengthen the rupiah.

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Oil and Gas Director General Djoko Siswanto said on Wednesday that the ministry had sent letters to all private contractors regarding the recent order from the President.

Citing the response from the contractors, Djoko said firstly, some oil contractors had already had sales purchase agreements with foreign firms and secondly, Pertamina had already lost tender in crude oil purchase.

Djoko explained that the possible implementation of Jokowis order was that Pertamina would be given priority in any tenders of domestic oil production or it had to wait for expiration of all sales purchase agreements made between the private contractors and foreign buyers.

Total oil lifting is around 775,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), 550,000 of which is used by Pertamina. Therefore, under the Presidents order, Pertamina is required to buy the remaining 220,000 bopd from the contractors.

United States oil giant ExxonMobil vice president public and government affairs Erwin Maryoto said the company was open to do business with any firm, including Pertamina, as long as it was in accordance with the market mechanism. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 15:46 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df532b974 1 Politics Sandiaga-Uno,Prabowo-Subianto,Jokowi,MarufAmin,wealth-reports,KPK Free

Vice-presidential hopeful Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is the richest candidate in the 2019 two-horse presidential race with his reported wealth totaling Rp 5.1 trillion (US$349 million).

President Joko Jokowi Widodos running mate Maruf Amin, who departed for the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning, has yet to submit his wealth report.

According to wealth reports disclosed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), most of Sandiagas fortune is derived from securities worth Rp 4.7 trillion. The report, however, does not disclose the name of the companies involved.

Upon accompanying Sandiaga in reporting his wealth to the antigraft body on Tuesday, Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga campaign team member Sudirman Said confirmed that Sandiaga owned a 30 percent stake in investment company PT Saratoga Investama Sedaya.

Meanwhile, Prabowo ranked second with his wealth totaling Rp 1.9 trillion -- around 90 percent of which also came from securities.

While Sandiaga reported his wealth to the KPK on Tuesday, Prabowo did it much earlier on July 26.

Meanwhile, Jokowis wealth is only a tiny fraction of that his rivals, with a total of Rp 50 billion. Jokowis wealth is largely derived from several plots of land and properties, mostly in Central Java, worth Rp 43 billion. His report was verified by the antigraft body on Wednesday morning.

The KPK has set a deadline for candidate wealth report submissions on Aug. 21. (swd)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Taipei, Taiwan  Wed, August 15, 2018 12:47 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53216de 1 Business manufacturing-industry,Taiwan,shoe,plastic,rubber Free

Taiwan seeks to expand the reach of its manufacturing machinery products to more foreign markets through the 16th Taipei International Plastics and Rubber Industry show (Taipei Plas) and the first Taipei International Shoe-Making Technology Show (ShoeTech Taipei).

Taiwanese Vice President Chen Chien-jen urged local machinery manufacturers to connect with more foreign buyers to promote their products.

"[The Taiwanese machinery industry] should step out of the island and reach out to more buyers in the world to explore overseas markets," the vice president said during the opening of the Taipei Plas and ShoeTech Taipei in Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday.

He went on to say that the government would work hand-in-hand with industry players to create a quality-based and innovative industry going forward.

According to data from the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), Taiwan exported US$1.17 billion worth of plastics and rubber machinery, up 12.8 percent from the previous year. It also exported $458.87 million worth of shoe-making machinery and sewing machines in 2017, up 1.4 percent year-on-year. Its top buyers include China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the United States, and Thailand, among others.

TAMI chairman Alex Ko said Taiwanese machinery industry players had embraced smart machinery.

"Taiwan sells nearly 70 percent of its machinery and equipment products abroad. These products have been recognized for excellent quality and high price-performance value. Going smart is the way forward for Taiwan's machinery industry if it is to keep up with industry trends," he said during the same occasion. (dwa)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 15, 2018 15:20 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df532b2b1 1 City Tangerang,inmates,death,prison,detention-cell Free

A 44-year-old Taiwanese inmate initialed FCK was found dead in his Tangerang cell at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, a prison officer has said.

The suspected cause of his death is suicide by hanging.

Security head Abdul Aziz of Banten's Tangerang Class IIA juvenile penitentiary said that FCK had been held at the jail since he was arrested for alleged drug abuse in June at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. FCK had been waiting for his trial.

His body was taken to Tangerang Regional Hospital (RSUD), but no family member had visited him by Wednesday morning, kompas.com reported.

The prison's records on FCK listed three suicide attempts during his time in the jail. That was why we moved him near our security station and my office, said Abdul.

He said that, according to other inmates, FCK had come to Indonesia to marry his Indonesian girlfriend, but that his arrest had caused the relationship to fall apart.

Because he was being legally processed on drug abuse charges, his girlfriend left him, Abdul said. (stu)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, August 15 2018

Courtesy of www.wikiwand.com/en/Lugano

Recently, Swiss Tourism invited a group of international journalists and travel writers, including Veeramalla Anjaiah from The Jakarta Post, to visit Switzerland to see the UNESCO World Heritage RhB, a unique railway system in the Alps. They also visited the beautiful city of Lugano. This is the first of several articles about Switzerland.

After traveling more than 10,000 kilometers on a comfortable Swiss Airlines flight from Singapore to Zurich, the financial hub of Switzerland, I did not feel jet lagged at all, thanks to the excellent onboard service.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, August 15, 2018 10:10 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5315af5 2 World #USA,USA,#Syria,Syria,journalist,missing Free

President Donald Trump's administration believes missing US journalist Austin Tice is still alive, six years after he is thought to have been taken captive in Syria.

"We believe him to be alive," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on the sixth anniversary of his disappearance.

"We remain deeply concerned about his well-being, and we are actively working to bring Austin Tice home."

Nauert declined to provide information on how the United States has reached that conclusion or where he is being held, and by whom.

Tice was a 31-year-old freelance photojournalist working for AFP, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS, and other news organizations when he was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012.

A former marine, he appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men in a video a month later.

Since then, there has been no official information on whether he is alive or dead.

Earlier this year, the US government announced a reward of $1 million for information about Tice.

Speaking to the Washington Post, his parents said they hoped the Trump administration would open direct talks with the Syrian government to secure his release.

"We really do believe that this administration has a greater commitment to bring people home," his mother Debra Tice said.

With US-Syria relations broken off, Nauert declined to answer directly when asked if direct talks with Damascus on Tice were possible.

"I can assure you that we're doing everything that we can to try to bring him home," she said.Airbnb Inc. is set to debut another almost-hoteland, according to its development partner, it has many more to come. The latest project for the Silicon Valley home-rental behemoth is a branded apartment complex in Nashville, Tennessee. The property will be the company's second announced Airbnb-branded building, and will lease apartments to a hybrid of long-term renters and short-term visitors.

The new project is a takeover of an existing 328-unit building, called the Olmsted, in the SoBro neighborhood of downtown Nashville, a popular tourist destination for music lovers and bachelor parties. Airbnbs partner Niido purchased the building last week. Under Niidos new ownership, current residents of The Olmsted will be encouraged to sublet their units to Airbnb travelers for a maximum of 180 days per year. Airbnb and Niido will take 25 percent of the income the residents generate from home-sharing. The two companies will jointly rent a portion of the remaining vacant units through Airbnbs platform for short-term stays.

The concept, called "Niido Powered by Airbnb," is part of a larger push by Airbnb to team up with real estate developers and facility managers, a group that has frequently argued that the home-sharing company enables renters to illegally sublet their apartments. In December, Brookfield Property Partners LP agreed to invest as much as $200 million into Niidos efforts to turn residential apartment buildings into Airbnb-branded complexes.

Read also: These new hotels can actually compete with Airbnb

By the end of 2019, Airbnb and Niido will open as many as 14 Airbnb-branded complexes across the country, said Cindy Diffenderfer, co-founder and chief marketing officer for Niido Powered by Airbnb. "We have a pretty aggressive growth strategy," Differnderfer said. A representative for Niido said the plans could change. Airbnb declined to comment.

As part of a push to broaden its appeal to more up-scale clientele, Airbnb has added more hotels and hotel-like listings under the label Airbnb Plus. Those sites get regular visits from an inspector to confirm towels are fresh, sheets are matching and that appliances commonly found in hotels, including hair dryers and irons, are stocked. Working in partnership with real estate developers like Niido will help Airbnb offer a more hotel-like experience while operating out of homes and apartments.

Not all residents are thrilled about their new neighbors, however. Earlier this year, Niido and Aibnb revealed a conversion of a 324-unit complex in Kissimmee, Florida. That prompted some residents to claim that they "didn't agree to live in a hotel." In Nashville, there was similar surprise after Niido Powered by Airbnb informed Olmsted residents that their building would become a home-sharing complex late last week. "We're excited to announce the recent acquisition of your beautiful community," said a letter sent to residents on behalf of Diffenderfer and her partners at Niido. Residents already living in the building say they had no idea that Niido was taking over their leases or that their building would be turned into a permanent Airbnb complex. A representative for Niido said the real estate company is aware of the pushback and that theyre focused on, "building robust and satisfied communities in Nashville and Kissimmee."For anglers, Kapuas Hulu regency in West Kalimantan offers several spots to enjoy the ultimate fishing high.

Spanning 29,842 square kilometers, the regency sits on the eastern end of West Kalimantan and borders Sarawak, Malaysia.

Fishing spots in the area include Lake Sentarum, which is part of the Lake Sentarum National Park, and the Meliau and Lindung lake clusters.

Lake Sentarum is a large lake, stretching 1,320 sq km, where visitors can fish in different spots while adhering to the conservation rules within the park.

"A week is not enough time to travel around the lake, which must also be done with a local guide. As a local myself, I still get lost when I go around the wide lake," Kapuas Hulu Regent AM Nasir said at the launch of the 2018 Lake Sentarum Festival in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

The second spot is the Lake Meliau cluster. Meliau is the name of a hamlet that has many lakes with endemic fish. Meliau hamlet is located in Malemba village, Batang Lupar district, Kapuas Hulu regency.

Read also: Lake Sentarum Festival to return in October

This destination is a popular fishing spot with a natural ecosystems and endemic fish species, especially arowana (Screlopages formosus) and toman (snakehead).

You can fish in 11 of the lakes that are connected by small rivers and swamps, including lakes Telatap, Lukuk, Kasim, Balairam Besar, and others.

In addition to the fishing experience, visitors can also learn about the local culture in the Meliau region. This hamlet has a betang (a traditional Dayak house), which is 90 meters long and is inhabited by 33 Dayak Iban families.

The third spot, Lake Lindung, is a protected lake where half of it is overseen by the community to harvest fish. The harvest is the best time to visit, where you will see the community gather together harvesting tons of freshwater fish. (liz/kes)Indoor playgrounds are proving an oasis for parents looking to allow their children to stay active safely as Japan sweats through a summer of record-breaking heat.

Parents are turning to playgrounds in air-conditioned shopping centers and other commercial enterprises when they would typically use public spaces outdoors.

"I fear the danger of heatstroke in the park," said a young mother who brought her 2-year-old boy to the Kid-O-Kid indoor playground in Yokohama on a weekday afternoon in late July.

The indoor playground, which is about 190 square meters, has crash mats, slides and other child-focused equipment so youngsters can run around safely in an area dedicated to them.

The mother, who is nine months pregnant with her second child, bought a 12,800 yen amusement passport (about $116) which gives her and her son unlimited access to the playground during the summer holiday period. She brings him there several times a week.

"At home, I would be showing him DVDs, but here he never gets bored," she said.

The playground is one of 21 operated in 11 prefectures by Bornelund Inc., a Tokyo-based toy company. The number of visitors recently increased sharply, especially in parts of western Japan which have suffered the worst of the summer heat.

Read also: Feeling the heat: Tokyo preps for sweltering Summer Olympics

Peak hours are between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. when the heat outside is most brutal. Many parents say they use the indoor playgrounds because it is difficult to keep their children occupied at home, a Bornelund official said.

The number of visitors to Pure Heart Kids Land, an indoor playground in Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture, increased 40 percent on July 15, compared with other Sundays.

According to rough estimates by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, ambulances were dispatched to carry a total of 22,647 people to hospitals for heatstroke across Japan during the week from July 16, and 65 of those died. Both figures are the highest on record.

Exposure to the sun and heat has even made outdoor swimming pools no-go zones, forcing elementary and junior high schools to close many across the country.

These days, parents are particularly sensitive about health warnings, said an official at Fantasy Kids Resort, a Tokyo-based company operating indoor playgrounds in six prefectures.

"We saw an increase in visitors when PM 2.5 air particle pollution became a topic in the news," a company official said. "It seems like parents who are worried about heatstroke this year are visiting our playgrounds and avoiding parks and swimming pools."

Even so, Tatsuhiro Yamanaka, a pediatrician who heads Safe Kids Japan, a nonprofit organization that educates people about how to prevent childhood injuries, warns that kids' temperatures can rise even in air-conditioned facilities due to physical activity.

"Parents shouldn't just let their kids play with no rest. They need to keep them hydrated and check their temperatures every 30 minutes," Yamanaka said.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Wed, August 15, 2018 12:03 1172 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df531e44f 2 News hacking,Conference,united-states Free

An 11-year-old boy surprised event organizers after he hacked a mock-up election website and changed its results in just 10 minutes.

Emmett Brewer, who hailed from Austin, Texas, in the US attended the Def Con hacker conference, which ran from Aug. 9 to 12 at Caesars Palace & Flamingo, Las Vegas. He was one of the participants of a hands-on workshop within the cybersecurity conference, reports PBS.

The DefCon Voting Machine Hacking Village workshop invited around 50 children between the ages of 8 and 16 to teach them how to manipulate party names, candidate names, and vote-count totals on mock websites.

Nico Sell, one of the event organizers and co-founder of non-profit organization r00tz Asylum, vouched for the effectivity of what they teach, according to the report.

These are very accurate replicas of all of the sites, he said. These things should not be easy enough for an 8-year-old kid to hack within 30 minutes, its negligent for us as a society.

Read also: Indonesian students win gold medals at math competition in Bulgaria

However, in a bit of irony, the National Association for Secretaries of State (NASS) expressed concern for the hacking event in a statement. It was not because of teaching children how to hack voting machines, but rather teaching them to hack outdated systems.

Meanwhile, Sell pointed out the danger that their workshop highlighted. He warned that if kids could hack the systems, the more the skilled hackers could do, as reported by PBS.

Its not surprising that these precocious, bright kids would be able to do it because the websites that are on the internet are vulnerable, we know they are vulnerable, he said. What was interesting is just how utterly quickly they were able to do it.

Def Con is an annual hacker convention that began in 1993. The event brings together computer security professionals, security researchers, government employees, students and hackers in general with an interest in software, computer architecture, hardware modification and anything else that can be hacked.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta PostBEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An unconventional pharmaceutical startup in Beverly Hills, California, called Genexa is disrupting an entire dinosaur-like industry that is long overdue for a cleanup.



"Most Americans are familiar with the go-to, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, like heartburn remedies, saline solutions and pain-relieving menthols. And most dont hesitate to blindly use these products when irritating health issues arise," said David Johnson, chief executive officer of Genexa. "However, what consumers dont realize is that most medicines contain only 10 percent of the active ingredients that they are seeking for relief, while the other nearly 90 percent merely serve as binders and fillers that could be potentially toxic."

Its this startling fact that motivated Johnson, 35, and Genexa co-founder Max Spielberg, 34, into taking action to protect their young families whom they noticed were being negatively affected by the toxic overload of these traditional OTC medicines. With business pedigrees that are not your typical entree into the natural products industry, Johnson and Spielbergs rallying cry has attracted a rock-star advisory board of industry investors and medical advisors who are also highly motivated to turn the OTC channel upside-down to provide healthier medicines to their patients.

I am approached by companies every day for my medical endorsement and I turn most everyone away, said Dr. Alejandro Junger, cardiologist and New York Times best-selling author of Clean, Clean Gut, and Clean Eats. When David and Max approached me with their plan for Genexa, I did not hesitate to commit to their cause. This is the company weve all been waiting for to come along and finally take on this challenge of cleaning up OTC medicines.

Junger is just one of the highly credentialed medical professionals committed to seeing Genexas clean label OTC medicines come to fruition. The other prestigious doctors include Dr. Mark Menolascino, who also serves as Genexas chief medical officer, Dr. Joel Kahn, Dr. Taz Bhatia, Dr. Glenn Marshak, Dr. KellyAnn Petrucci and Dr. Amy Shah; along with Deanna Minch, Ph.D., FACN, CNS, IFMCP.

Why has it taken so long to get unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals out of OTC medicines? The challenge is not an easy one as Spielberg and Johnson quickly discovered when they started the research and development process.

We were originally told from formulators that it wasnt possible to make organic versions of these medicines, said Johnson, whose educational background is in food chemistry. We spent the first couple of years developing an advanced technology to remove unhealthy synthetics and toxins and to find the right organic active and inactive ingredients that would work together.

The Genexa hustle to market has resulted in the first ever USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO line of OTC medicines including a menthol-based analgesic called Pain Crush, a saline nasal spray called Saline Care, and a non-GMO calcium carbonate-based antacid called Heartburn Fix made with organic ingredients. These FDA regulated products are already top-sellers on Amazon and in retail at GNC, CVS, Sprouts Farmers Market and other natural health retailers. The vision of both Spielberg and Johnson is that Genexas disruption in OTC will change the future of medicine for all families. For more information visit: www.genexa.com .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7857330f-0b4a-45c5-a663-f512ed023175Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Raveebhorn Chaiprapar (Kyodo News) Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  Wed, August 15, 2018 19:04 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5335b71 2 News Thailand,university,Snake,Suranaree-University-of-Technology,student Free

Only a few places provide a teaching program for venomous and non-venomous snakes in Thailand, but among those very few is Suranaree University of Technology.

A tropical snake study program started about eight years ago at the School of Biology of SUT's Institute of Science, with its first student being Colin Thomas Strine, whose graduate thesis was on green pit viper ecology. Now, Strine is a conservationist and ecologist working at SUT as a lecturer and graduate thesis adviser.

Many other foreigners share the same interest and want to follow their dreams to become tropical snake researchers. Today, SUT has more than 10 students from Poland, Britain, Italy, the United States and the Philippines.

Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in Nakhon Ratchasima, a province in northeastern Thailand, is home to many activities including reptile and amphibian research. There, foreign students from SUT including Curtis Radcliffe and Cameron Hodges are conducting research on several kind of venomous snakes, a rare study subject in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.

Sakaerat Research Station became a new home to 42-year-old British student Radcliffe, who is now engaged in a three-year doctoral research program in cobras.

Read also: Asia Pacifics most innovative universities in 2018

Radcliffe explains that snakes are very important to the ecological system as they play a significant role in Asian and African countries, where they control the population of rats, who eat and destroy crops.

Snakes also create a balance in the ecosystem by not only eating rats but also by controlling and preventing the spread of some diseases carried by them. So, they can help reduce the outbreak of dangerous diseases to humans.

Snakes are more often seen during the rainy season, and a full adult cobra can be as long as 4-5 meters. When a cobra makes a noise, it implies that the snake is warning its opponent not to come close to them. It is the animal instinct to protect themselves.

Hodges is a 26-year-old U.S. student now doing a three-year masters in environmental biology at SUT. He studies Malayan krait and banded krait. The Malayan krait is known to be one of the most dangerous and most venomous snakes of Thailand.

He told Kyodo News about how his passion about the dangerous animal developed. "When I was 8 years old, I used to start to look under rocks to try to find snakes, spiders, scorpions," he said.

Hodges got one krait for his research study so far. Once caught, the snake was implanted with a radio transmitter inside its stomach cavity. The snake will then be released back to nature, with its natural daily activity being tracked with a receiver.

To track the snake, he holds up the receiver's antenna to help locate where the snake is.

With the radio receiver, Cameron could learn how large its home range is and discover its activity patterns. Also, he can grasp what type of habitat it is choosing to live in, such as big or small trees, open ground or lots of dense vegetation.

A green pit viper's home range is less than a hectare, while that of a king cobra is approximately 800 hectares and a Malayan krait's is about 12 hectares.

According to Hodges, the Malayan krait's activity pattern is nocturnal. They are active at night around midnight and most of the time they hide under the ground.

Hodges explained his interest in venomous snakes in Southeast Asia stems from the fact that there has not been much research done and this is the region of the world where the rate of forest loss is fastest so the animals are in trouble. He wants to help educate the community and give a better understanding between human and snakes, which most Thais are very frightened by and often misunderstand.

Read also: University in China offers online love course

"A lot of people are bitten because they are trying to catch or kill the snake. And if they don't know how to do it safely then they will have a much higher chance of being bitten than if they have been trained," he explained.

"There is such a high density of people and high rate of habitat loss that people are moving closer to nature. Most of the people being bitten are people working in agriculture. I want to help them understand the snake better and know how to fix the problem in a safer way that does not hurt the snake but also keep them safer too," he added.

For people without good or basic knowledge about snakes the simplest way to catch them is by using a long stick, a so-called "grabber" with one end having a flat tape or rope and the other end hanging on to a string rope that can pull in and out to control the loosen the rope once the snake's head is trapped inside the flat rope. A grabber is good for a beginner as they can keep some distance from snake but it could hurt the snake if they tighten the rope too tight.

Snake experts say that, in general, venomous or non-venomous snakes are very afraid of humans and usually try to escape if they have a chance. Moreover, venomous snakes do not want to use their venom other than for digestive purposes because it takes a lot of energy to produce.

In medical science, snake venom is reportedly being actively studied as a treatment for a range of serious ailments including strokes.The following op/ed was written by Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation. The Lo-Down accepts op/ed submissions relevant to the Lower East Side community. Opinion pieces do not reflect the editorial position of The Lo-Down, but only the viewpoints of each individual author. To submit an editorial/letter to the editor, use the following email: info@thelodownny.com.

Last week the City Council, following the lead of local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, approved Mayor de Blasios large commercial upzoning for a piece of city-owned land on 14th Street for construction of a 23-story Tech Hub. Even though Councilmember Rivera promised that she would not support such a deal without comprehensive zoning or landmark protections for the surrounding Greenwich Village and East Village neighborhoods, thats exactly what happened. Now, unfortunately, the vote and the resulting development will increase the pressure on the surrounding neighborhood for more out-of-scale and out-of-character development, such as the 300+ ft. tall condos and office towers, and 300+ room hotels, proliferating now in the area between Union Square and Astor Place.

Theres been a lot misinformation promulgated about the Council vote and what it means. Here are some of the common questions that have been raised, along with some cold hard facts:

Didnt the deal include the zoning protections people were asking for? Not even remotely. The protections included in the Tech Hub deal are a fraction of a fraction of what the community was fighting for, and what Councilmember Rivera committed in writing to condition her support upon  and thats being generous. We called for comprehensive zoning protections for the University Place, Broadway, and Third and Fourth Avenue corridors with reasonable height limits for new development where none currently exist, prohibitions on large commercial developments like hotels and office buildings in predominantly residential areas, and the addition or reinforcement of incentives for including or preserving affordable housing as part of any new development. We got none of these.

The only zoning measure we got was a commitment by the City to implement a requirement for special permits for new hotels in the area. Aside from not addressing the height or size of new developments in any way, this would not affect uses like office buildings which are going up where they dont belong, or prevent out-of-scale high-rise condos, or do anything about including or preserving affordable housing in new developments. It also doesnt affect about half the affected area whatsoever, including the University Place corridor and the blocks east and west, because large hotels are already not allowed there, and therefore not the problem. And it might not actually even do anything about hotels anywhere; under this requirement they could still be built, just with the approval of the City Council and City Planning Commission. Hotels could even be built without their approval; the new requirement will take many months if not more to take effect. So the announcement that such a measure will be implemented down the road is really just an advance call to developers, letting them know if they want to build a hotel in the area without having to secure a special permit, just get started over the next several months. Meanwhile, the added development pressure from the approval of the giant new Tech Hub on 14th Street is now underway.

As an alternative to the zoning protections we proposed, we asked that a large chunk of the historic buildings in the affected area  about 193 of them  be considered for historic district designation. Relatively speaking, this would be a small historic district (the neighboring Greenwich Village Historic District by comparison has over 2,300 buildings), and includes some incredibly important works of architecture and buildings which were home to noteworthy innovators in commerce and the arts. What the Tech Hub deal included was a promise to consider landmark designation of just seven of those buildings, or 3.6% of those we asked for. To make matters worse, while the identity of some of those buildings remains a secret, so far all indications are they are buildings which would never be endangered by potential development, because of their size, or because they are now co-op or condo buildings, or both. And the commitment on the part of the City is only to consider them for landmark designation, not to actually landmark them. So we may get as much as 3.6% of what we were asking for, or as little as 0%.

Arent these deals always a compromise, and everyone gives on something? Not for the developers. Actually, the landmarking and zoning plans we and others asked for were already compromises, and what we got was roughly 3-4% of them. The developers of the Tech Hub, on the other hand, got 100% of the commercial upzoning they requested, which will allow them to make a very handsome profit off of this incredibly valuable piece of city-owned land. No surprise: the developers are major donors to Mayor de Blasio, whose Economic Development Corporation joined them as co-applicants for this commercial upzoning.

Wouldnt we have just gotten a big glass office tower on the Tech Hub site if the City Council had voted the rezoning down? Not really. The rezoning which the developer asked for and got here allowed the construction of a significantly larger commercial office building on this site than is currently allowed. In fact, the zoning for this site was designed to encourage a shorter, residential building. Plus, this is city-owned land  its not private land which a developer could just do whatever they wanted with. It would be scandalous for the Mayor to have tried to give away this incredibly valuable piece of public land in the heart of Manhattan for a purpose other than one that serves the public.

Wasnt this deal necessary to get the good things the Tech Hub includes, like job training and support for start-ups? Absolutely not. The Tech Hub does include some very important and valuable programs and services for New Yorkers who have traditionally been left out of the tech boom, and for small businesses that could use help starting out. Thats why we were never opposed to the Tech Hub in and of itself  only this particular plan and its impact on the surrounding neighborhood if protections for Greenwich Village and the East Village were not included. More than 40% of the floor area of the planned Tech Hub in this deal is for purely market-rate commercial office and retail space, i.e. nothing more than incredibly profitable money-making square footage for the developer. All of the good stuff from the Tech Hub  the job training, the skills development, the start-up space  could have easily fit into a much smaller building constructed on this site without the very large commercial upzoning just granted. That upzoning just allows the developer to add the very lucrative market-rate space, off of which a killing will be made. In fact, an original version of the Tech Hub plan required no zoning change at all, and did not have the ten floors of for-profit commercial and office space. So an appropriately-sized Tech Hub with just the public benefits could have been built on this site without the large commercial upzoning that increases development pressure on the surrounding neighborhoods.

Will the Tech Hub and its commercial upzoning really increase development pressure on the surrounding neighborhood? Yes, according to Councilmember Rivera herself, among others. When Rivera ran for City Council last year, she said about the planned Tech Hub: without the needed zoning protections for the neighborhood, [the Tech Hub] would lead to acceleration in out of scale development for the surrounding residential neighborhood. And shes not the only one. Multiple developers and many in the real estate press have cited the proposed Tech Hub as a reason for the sudden boom in commercial development such as office buildings and hotels in this area in recent months  an area which saw almost no such similar development any time over the last half-century (prior to the last year or so, new development in this area was almost exclusively either residential  mostly conversion of existing buildings to living spaces  or dorms, which a rezoning GVSHP and others secured in 2010 now helps prevent).

Isnt this just the beginning of the process; cant Councilmember Rivera continue to work towards getting more protections for the neighborhood? She can try, but having now given away her vote, its incredibly unlikely, and would likely come too late. For several years now, Mayor de Blasio has adamantly refused to consider zoning or landmark protections for this area  he has made that 100% clear. The only way we were going to get him to move was to make it a condition of him getting the approvals he needed from the City Council for the Tech Hub. Now that Councilmember Rivera has given her approval, all her leverage  and our communitys leverage  is gone. We will try, and we will do everything we can to ensure that Councilmember Rivera continues to try. But any knowledgeable observer of how this Mayor works knows that the only way to get anything out of him is through horse-trading and deal-making. And this deal is now done, and the surrounding neighborhood got little or nothing in return. Development pressure is moving through this area incredibly quickly, with a half dozen developments underway or planned right now. Even in the unlikely event protections were secured in the several months or a few years down the road, they would likely be too late to impact the development juggernaut now underway.

Isnt what you were asking for comprehensive protections, put in place at the same time as the City Council vote approving the project  unrealistic as part of a deal to rezone a single site? No  its exactly what was done just two years earlier in the West Village. In 2016 we called for a historic district of about the same size as the one we asked for here, zoning protections covering the entire Greenwich Village waterfront, and a prohibition on out-of-place big-box stores and destination retail as part of any deal for a rezoning the St. Johns Terminal site in the West Village. We also demanded that all those measures be put in place before the City Council gave its final approval to the rezoning, so it was not a promise which might or might not be kept, but a done deal. And thats exactly what we got. And if you think such an outcome is too heavy a lift for a freshman City Councilmember, that deal was put together by then-freshman City Councilmember Corey Johnson, who also managed to make a whole array of other public benefits and funding part of the deal.

Isnt this really all the Mayors fault? He definitely bears primary responsibility, but he could not have done it alone. Theres no denying the Mayor set the terms of this game, as he has in so many cases  demanding a large upzoning that will benefit his benefactors in the real estate industry by claiming it is the only way to get some needed public good (usually its affordable housing, which was noticeably absent from this deal). But the City Council, and City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, did not have to play that game. In fact, the Mayor could not have succeeded without their vote of approval (it should be noted that Borough President Gale Brewer also approved of this deal, without the neighborhood protections). Its telling that both the Mayor and the Real Estate Board of New York issued press releases after the vote praising Councilmember Rivera for supporting this deal.

Rivera could have instead stood firm and told the Mayor when I make a promise, I keep it  the only way youre getting my vote on the Tech Hub is if you also agree to the neighborhood protections. If she had, we would have likely gotten those protections. But even if not, and she kept her pledge and voted down the commercial upzoning for the Tech Hub site, all the good parts of the Tech Hub could have still been built on the site. Would the Mayor have wanted to do so without the big payoff for his real estate benefactors? Probably not. But Rivera could have insisted that the Mayor follow through and build the Tech Hub with just the job training, skills development, and start-up space, and without the huge increase for high-end office and commercial space. We would have stood with her, as no doubt would have many others  just as we hoped and believed that Rivera, based upon her promises, would stand with us.

Unfortunately, that did not happen. What did happen is some real estate developers got hold of a prime piece of public land in our neighborhood they will make a huge profit off of, after donating generously to the Mayor. Greenwich Village and the East Village got one of their first and only commercial upzonings in generations, which will vastly increase pressure for big new hotels, office buildings, and condo high-rises in the area. And our only real chance to get significant zoning or landmark protections for the parts of the neighborhood to prevent it from being transformed into an extension of Midtown South and Silicon Alley was given away in exchange for measures so minimal and flimsy they could easily have no effect on future development in the area whatsoever.

Chinas Two-Front War



Censorship, social controls and a cult of personality can only go so far when the economy is bad.



By Phillip Orchard





Public political drama in China, usually remarkable only in its banality, was downright Shakespearean this past week. It began with unsubstantiated reports of gunfire in the streets of the capital, followed by rumors that Chinese elites had tired of President Xi Jinpings efforts to develop his Mao-like personality cult. The ceaseless lionization of the president in state-owned media ground suddenly to a halt, restarting only when he appeared in Africa for a series of state visits. News agency Xinhua released an eyebrow-raising article about the downfall of former Communist Party chairman Hua Guofeng in 1980, implying that no Chinese leader is bulletproof. Abruptly, Beijing announced the appointment of a new security chief as party boss of Guangdong province  the southeastern coastal manufacturing powerhouse where much of the pain from the trade war is likely to be felt. A tussle between the central bank and the Finance Ministry over fiscal stimulus spilled into the media. U.S. National Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow said Xi had killed attempts by his advisers to negotiate a truce on trade  suggesting the White House sees divisions in Beijing to exploit. A new scandal erupted over the weekend regarding the distribution of millions of faulty vaccines  just the latest in a string of corruption scandals in the pharmaceutical industry  once again calling into question the governments ability to manage a crisis.



In short, a trade war is not the only war Xi is fighting.

Deleveraging vs. Stimulus

China expected 2018 to be a rough year even before U.S. President Donald Trump started with the tit-for-tat tariffs. Beijing is in the middle of a sweeping reform campaign meant to address systemic risks such as industrial bloat, unchecked pollution and soaring debt , the overriding goal of which is to make the country better able to withstand a prolonged period of slowed growth.

The reforms were always going to be painful. Indeed, even in the absence of a trade war, measures to cut back on industrial overcapacity, shut down highly pollutive factories, and wean the economy off its addiction to cheap credit would drag down the economy. In the first half of this year, for example, fixed-asset investment grew at its slowest pace since 1999 . For the year, Beijing has set a GDP growth target of just 6.5 percent, after hitting 6.9 percent (officially, at least) in 2017.

Xi hopes that short-term pain will result in long-term gain. But in China, the risk is that short-term pain leads to long-term social unrest that destabilizes the whole system. This is why Xi has been able to amass so much power at the expense of party elites . By the time Xi began to purge his opponents and tame the bureaucracy, something of a consensus emerged among party royalty that China needed an authoritarian to see it through the coming crisis. And so, through his first term, Xi has had a mandate to reform, no matter how painful it may be, propelled by a sense of urgency while the Chinese economy still has the wind at its back .

The trade war with the U.S. has complicated Xis best-laid plans. Perhaps the most heated debate within Beijing right now appears to be focused on whether the government should be attempting to fight a two-front war  against the U.S. on trade, and against Chinas internal dysfunction. In particular, theres pressure on Beijing to ease off its deleveraging campaign and focus instead on stimulating growth as the trade war intensifies.

Staying the Course

All the while, Xi has refused to decelerate the drive toward reform. Beijing has hinted that some low-level fiscal monetary stimulus measures are in the works, including new local government bonds for infrastructure projects. But these plans, along with modest capital injections into state-run banks and new efforts to encourage purchases of low-rated corporate bonds, are meant merely to calm markets, channel liquidity to the corners of the economy that need it most, and decrease the likelihood of an overcorrection. They arent intended to signal an abandonment of the deleveraging campaign or to return to the high levels of stimulus exemplified by 2008, when China unleashed some 4 trillion yuan ($590 billion) in new spending to shield the country from the global financial crisis.

Beijing has, moreover, continued to roll out major new reforms, including in the past week alone, targeting wealth management products , new limits on SOE dabbling in the financial sector, and new property tax legislation. The government has notably declined to intervene amid a rising wave of private corporate defaults, and it has refused to bail out the nearly 60 online peer-to-peer lenders whove gone belly up since the beginning of the month. All this suggests that Beijing believes the reforms are doing what they were intended to do: weed out inefficiencies, give Beijing better control over where and how much liquidity is flowing, and put the economy in better position to handle shocks such as trade wars.

Beijing seems to think its well-positioned to ride out the trade storm  or at least to outlast the U.S. And theres reason to be optimistic. Its trade vulnerabilities notwithstanding, China has some advantages in this regard. For example, the weakening yuan, combined with the strengthening dollar, will help keep Chinese exports competitive, even if it causes problems elsewhere in the economy (i.e. increased capital outflows). The sheer size of its labor pool, its superb manufacturing and export infrastructure, and its allure for foreign firms will limit the exodus of companies leaving the country in search of lower labor costs and greater access to the U.S. market .

And while China depends more on its exports to the U.S than the other way around, its worth noting that China relies less on exports now than it once did. Net exports (exports minus imports) now account for just around 2 percent of Chinas GDP. A decade ago, they accounted for around 9 percent. (Exports to the U.S. make up just 19 percent of total exports.) Meanwhile, domestic consumption, including government expenditures, accounted for more than 78 percent of GDP growth in the first half of this year, compared to just more than 45 percent five years ago. Moreover, since most of the value of many goods exported from China comes from components manufactured elsewhere, only a fraction of the tariff hit will come out of Chinas pocket.Not many people are too familiar with Namibian cuisine, but after being in the country it was easy to see that most dishes revolve around meat, for which the country has an excellent reputation. But, this isnt just your typical beef, lamb and pork because many exotic meats (notably game meat) are offered in the supermarkets and restaurants.

As a foreigner, it is easy to question eating common safari animals  should we be for or against consuming them while travelling?

Photo: Chloe Connolly

The kudu is an antelope that lives in southern and eastern Africa, and the first time I ever saw one was also the day I first saw kudu steak on a menu, making me question whether it was morally acceptable for an animal born free in Namibian woodland to be killed and consumed by humans.

Some people argue that it is a violation of an animals rights, and a violation of an animals most basic interest - to continue living. There is also the argument that the human interest in eating meat is trivial, because we dont need meat to stay alive, and we are being selfish eating these wild animals for our own pleasure and experiences.

Yet, these initial thoughts didnt prevent me trying a selection of Namibian meats. These were notably game animals that are plentiful in the country, such as gemsbok, warthog, springbok and wildebeest, and nothing endangered.

Photo: Chloe Connolly

Despite my initial guilt about eating meat from these beautiful creatures, many that I had only ever encountered in Namibia, I became more willing to do so after chatting with other gourmands, and the locals. Here are my reasons why.

Environmentally friendly.

Eating game meat from the country youre in means a lower carbon foot print. By eating local game while travelling, you are likely reducing the distance from farm to fork, meaning fewer greenhouse gases are being released, compared to the high quantities released from livestock farming and transportation. It also means that you are supporting food derived from natural landscapes, and not from land cleared for farming, which destroys an unimaginable quantity of trees, vegetation and habitats.

Reduced animal cruelty and suffering.

Wild animals roaming free experience little suffering (provided that the hunters have a conscience), compared to the suffering that some farm animals experience in often squalid conditions. They have the freedom to move and live a fully natural life until they are slaughtered, without being contained in a shelter or cage; to many people, it is comforting knowing that what is on their plate had the best life possible.

Photo: Chloe Connolly

A healthier option.

Exotic meats are generally known to be better for you than traditional, farmed meats, because they are typically lower in fat, cholesterol and calories.

As game meat has no

t undergone selective breeding to increase fat content, unlike many farm animals, it is leaner than your usual meaty options. For example, ostrich is the leanest and most popular alternative to beef in Namibia, and one of the most nutritious meats out there: it is crammed with B-vitamins, aiding a healthy metabolism. Substituting beef with it could also reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Game meat is also free from the pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics, which are linked to the development of certain cancers, and antibiotic resistance. So, considering that wild game is free to roam basically where it likes in Namibia, eating natural vegetation, it is safe to say that game is the best organic meat out there.

Eating meat, and being open to try exotic meats, is the easier option.

With Namibia being such a carnivorous country, eating exotic meat (and meat in general) is quite simply the easier option, especially if you want to eat local. This said, typical meats like beef are readily available, but on several occasions, I was presented with no other choice than exotic game meat. Whats more, locally grown fruit and vegetables are not so common, with many being imported from Africa, so meat dishes are often the go-to. Of course, no one will force you to eat meat, but vegetarians may find it difficult to come across restaurants with more than a couple of meat-free dishes on the menu.

It is easy to understand why someone may be against eating exotic meat. Yet, this opinion has often been generalised to the consumption of meat from endangered animals, such as pangolins or elephants, which cannot be tolerated if they are simply eaten for the experience.

But, as I see it, it is perfectly acceptable to try common exotic meats - notably game meat - while in the countries where the meats are not actually considered exotic, because it is their normality. There is no harm in opening your mind to how others in the world survive.Facing unexpected gridlock on the Brooklyn Bridge? It might be the historic congestion crisis aggravated by our city leaders' disinterest in actual policy solutions. Or maybe it's El Chapo.

Since Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was extradited to New York in January of last year, the notoriously slippery drug kingpin has made periodic court appearances in Brooklyn, while staying at the highly-secure jail at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan. Whenever he's called to court, authorities are forced to shut down the bridge in its entiretystranding an untold number of motorists, as the massive police caravan is granted exclusive access to the East River crossing.

And while the traffic headaches have come only occasionally so far, things may soon get a whole lot worse. The NY Times reports that once his trial begins in November, Guzman will need to be shuttled between boroughs twice a day. "These closures would happen, inconveniently enough, precisely during the morning and evening rush hours," according to the report.

Everyone agrees this is a particularly lousy arrangementespecially when you consider that an extended trial could overlap with April's L train shutdown, as it could force some banished motorists onto the already crammed Williamsburg Bridge. But it remains unclear whether anyone is doing anything to address this seemingly avoidable traffic nightmare.

Back in May, lawyers for Guzman voiced concerns about the process, claiming that the "public, bridge-closing, riot-gear-wearing, phalanx of cars and officers" could turn jurors against their client. On Tuesday, Judge Brian M. Cogan acknowledged that concerns about the situation were "valid," the Times reports, and said "he had been working with the United States Marshals to come up with a solution to the problem, though he gave no clue what the solution was."

Observers say those possibilities include moving Guzman to a less secure jail in Brooklyn, flying him over the river, or possibly sticking him on a ferry. But authorities haven't said much yetneither the Times nor Gothamist were able to get an answer from anyone at the U.S. Marshals Service, the DOT, or the NYPD.

One thing we do know for sure, however, is that Guzman will be standing trial in Brooklyn. On Tuesday, the judge reportedly rejected the kingpin's plea to move to a Manhattan court, shooting down Guzman's wish to commute to his trial via an underground tunnel connecting the jail to Manhattan's Southern District courthouse.

Guzman is due back in court on September 10th, with jury selection set to begin in the first week of November.Now that humans are addicted to getting likes on their social media postings, many are challenging themselves to go to Instagram-worthy spots. And with that, there's the regular stream of stories about tourists dying as they fall while taking selfies and other photos. The NY Times looks at one dangerous beauty upstate, Kaaterskill Falls, noting that "the last four people who died at Kaaterskill Falls were either taking or posing for pictures."

The Catskills destination, which inspired Hudson River School painters, is a hot spot with its 260-foot waterfallthe tallest in the statewhich is broken up by tiers. Over the years, the area has gotten more than $1 million in improvements (protective fences, new 200-step stone stairs, overlook platforms) after fatal falls. Like NJ resident Ezra Kennedy, 17, who lost his footing "as he approached the edge of the falls and fell between 50 and 60 feet to the rocks below," according to the Daily Freeman.

State park ranger Robert Dawson blamed the tragedies on social media, telling the Times, "Just talking to people who come up here, they say, Yeah, we saw this on the internet  were trying to find it.' The unfortunate thing is, with those pictures, theres nothing informing people that you could get seriously hurt here, too."

In an interview with News 10, DEC Regional Director Keith Goertz said, "People are always trying to getting a good view of the falls and sometimes they're finding locations that just aren't safe to stand on."

Another emerging spot for selfies is Breakneck Ridge: Hank Osborn of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference told the Times, "Breakneck is a magnet for new hikers. Its one of the places that is getting a lot of attention from hikers who are seeking out a destination from New York City. Its what theyre learning about online and through social media."

Jumping over Monday like... @myle_korgan A post shared by Matai Blacklock (@its.ma.tie) on Aug 13, 2018 at 1:46pm PDT

A 25-year-old hiker died at Breakneck Ridge in May.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology in India analyzed 127 "selfie" deaths between March 2014 and September 2016 and, according to MIT Technology Review, found "the most common cause of death was falling from a height. This reflects the penchant for people taking selfies at the edge of cliffs, at the top of tall structures, and so on. Water also accounts for a large number of deaths. And a significant number involve water and heightsthings like jumping into the sea from a height and so on.

Dawson, the park ranger, urged people to pay attention to the rocks, saying, "It's like get the hint, it's slippery, you're going to fall, don't do it."Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 11C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 8C. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.An NYPD officer is currently under investigation after allegedly kicking in the door of a Nashville home, then shouting the n-word while repeatedly threatening the black family that lived there.

In surveillance footage of the incident obtained by ABC, a visibly drunk man can be heard taunting, "Try to shoot me, I'll break every bone in your f---ing neck. You f---ing n-----." The man has since been identified by the station as Officer Michael Reynolds of Manhattan North.

According to a Nashville police report shared with Gothamist, the suspect is a white male with blue eyes and blond hair buzzed on the sides and slicked back. Witnesses told police that he was "heavily intoxicated and most likely just walked into the wrong house." He is believed to have been staying at an Airbnb next door.

The drunken break-in happened at 2:30 a.m. on July 9th, and reportedly traumatized the family. "You heard the big boom and that was my door getting kicked in," Conese Halliburton, who lives at the property with her four sons, told local news station WKRN. "My sons were trying to stop him and he's like, 'This is my motherf---ing house, this is my house!' He kept repeating it."

"I'm working on no sleep," Halliburton added. "I have nightmares. My kids are having nightmares."

She says she told cops where the attacker was staying, but they didn't investigate. The next day, Halliburton confronted a group outside the Airbnb. In surveillance footage from that conversation, the man can be heard admitting, "I thought it was this house."

While the incident report indicated that the family wanted the individual prosecuted for trespassing, a spokesperson for the Nashville police department said that no charges have been filed. The spokesperson did note that the suspect traveled back to Nashville from New York earlier this month for questioning.

An NYPD spokesperson said that an investigation was open and on-going, but did not respond to follow-up questions about the officer's identity, or whether he's been placed on modified duty.

remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.An immersive multi-media exhibit honoring the legendary band The Velvet Underground is coming to NYC this fall.

The Velvet Underground Experience, which first originated in Paris in April 2016 at La Philharmonie de Paris, will open on October 10th at 718 Broadway in Greenwich Village. It will be open for three months until December 31st, and will feature six films, 350+ photos, 1,000+ objects, and "a VR greenhouse featuring projections that recreate the atmosphere of the banana album artwork produced by Andy Warhol," according to a press release.

The exhibit is structured around six main sections: Welcome to America, Reed and Cale, The Childhood of Art, NY Spirit, Factory Years, Banana Album, Reinventions of The Velvet Underground and Echoes of Heritage, taking fans on a chronological tour of the group's history from Lou Reed and John Cale's childhoods to the band's immense influence on popular culture and art today. The press release adds:

The multi-media experience will contain six films produced exclusively for the exhibition, alongside an array of portraits of the band members and influential contributors who comprised of the New York underground in the 60s such as Allen Ginsberg, Candy Darling, Jonas Mekas and of course Andy Warhol. Also on display will be hundreds of images, many taken by some of the photographers who witnessed the band's meteoric career such as Nat Finkelstein, Donald Greenhaus, Lisa Law, Fred W. McDarrah, Gerard Malanga, Billy Name, Adam Ritchie, Steve Schapiro and Stephen Shore.

"The first thing I noticed when I visited the Paris Velvet Underground Experience Exhibit was the number of different locations that The Exploding Plastic Inevitable had visited and the faithfulness of the detail that is contained in the show," said John Cale in a statement. He added, "The expansive mixed media elements highlight the great variety of responses to the EPI events wherever they appeared. This was not only about the Velvet Underground. Whatever was created in the Factory did not stay in the Factory. What Andy had started at the Cinemateque by projecting film on to the Velvet Underground became exponentially more complex as the elements found new focus with each City Town or venue. These historical visits are contained in their raw energy in the current rooms of the Exhibit. They show the progress in personal expression not only in the disciplines of music, art and film, but the political servitude of the day. The pride and fear in our excitement made these expressions of urban continuity something we would never forget."

The exhibit will be accompanied by as-yet unannounced concerts, screenings, talks, pop-up installations, fashion collaborations and more. The exhibition will be open daily, except Mondays, from noon to 7 p.m. (it will stay open until 10 p.m. on Thursdays as well). Tickets cost $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends (it's $5 less for students), and go on sale starting this Friday August 17thyou can get more ticket info here.

Anyway, if you really want to honor Lou Reed's cantankerous spirit, make sure you take a Honda scooter to get to the exhibit.I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission.

A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it.

Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Womens Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy.The Artagonist Art Hotel is a curious creature; just one in a long line of attractive old buildings in Vilnius well preserved Old Town, youd probably walk straight by if you didnt know it was there. But step through the door beneath the Art Deco sign, and everything changes. A garish graffiti art portrait of an undeniably handsome man stares down at you, and everywhere you go the art and imaginative use of space is intended to surprise.

Who For?

Vilnius is a quirky, offbeat location where medieval buildings stand cheek by jowel with those from the Soviet period. Artagonist appeals to those visitors who want a well located, trendy base from which to explore the city, who perhaps want to make a good impression on a weekend away but without having to max out the credit card.

Facilities

With so much to see and do in Vilnius youre unlikely to spend too much time at the hotel other than when youre sleeping. If you do retreat here one evening to relax, however, theres a large open seating area-cum-bar, and a more intimate lounge, both of which have engaging sculptures on the walls. Sit back with a glass of wine.

Accommodation

The rooms at Artagonist come in two categories: Standard and Superior. Both of them are a showcase for the works of contemporary Lithuanian artists and designers, who seem to confidently mix minimalism with fairytales, street art with nature inspired sculptures. In one room, the head and paw of a giant teddy bear seem to break through the wall above the bed; in another a vibrantly coloured graffiti reindeer dominates the space.

Each room is unique, reflecting the original architecture of the building as well as the artists vision for it. The decor and furnishings  excluding the art  are monochrome, contemporary and tasteful, especially if you like Scandinavian design. The modern bathrooms are immaculately tiled with strong chrome accents and high quality, locally produced toiletries.

Food and Drink

Artagonist doesnt have a restaurant per se, but the staff lay on a huge spread of breakfast delights every morning in the atmospheric vaulted basements, the oldest part of the building. The breakfast is buffet style, with plenty of cold meats, salads, and cheeses, plus hot options, so you can fill up handsomely before a day exploring.

When it comes to dinner time, Vilnius best restaurants are all around you. It is well worth walking into Uzupis, however, as Sweet Root has the best menu in town.

Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fiis available throughout the hotel and is free for guests.

How much?

A standard double room costs from 95 per night when booked online. Breakfast is included.

Booking.com

Whats nearby?

Artagonist is in the heart of Vilnius Old Town. Be sure to take a walking tour into weird and wonderful Uzupis, the self-declared independent country within the city, and to visit the Cathedral Basilica and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, both of which are a few minutes walk from the hotel. For a slightly longer stretch of your legs, follow the old city walls which were built in the medieval period to defend Vilnius from attack.

Getting there

Fly direct from London Luton to Vilnius from 41 return with Ryanair. A ticket on the shuttle train linking the airport with Vilnius Railway Station in the centre of the city costs 0.70 and the journey takes seven minutes.The disappointing slide in the pound means it's more important than ever for holidaymakers to make sure they don't get ripped off when spending abroad.

Sneaky currency conversion traps at the checkout, hidden loaded rates and hefty bank fees mean we routinely hand over more than we need to.

To help cut costs and make your pound go a little further, here's three costly holiday money traps to avoid.

Corfu: A European break could cost holidaymakers more than they bargained for thanks to the weak exchange rate

Say no to paying in pounds

When you pay your hotel bill or spend in shops abroad you are often given the option to pay in pounds, rather than the local currency.

But this allows the retailer to use their own exchange rate for the conversion.

This proves far more expensive as they often load the rate by between 5 to 10 per cent - and in some cases up to 30 per cent - according to currency specialist Caxton FX.

This is on top of any charges made by your bank for overseas spending.

Don't buy your cash at the airport

The most competitive exchange rates are typically found online, so try to compare prices and buy in advance.

Try a comparison tool such as MyTravelMoney to find the best rate.

But, if you forget to do this in time, make sure you at least avoid buying your holiday money at the very last minute, before you fly.

Airport exchange rates can be as much as 20 per cent lower than the market rate, according to Fairfx research.

Pick the card you travel with carefully

Banks charge around three per cent every time you swipe your card in shops overseas and three per cent to withdraw cash.

Our favourites for cheap holiday spending include the Halifax Clarity card, Tandem Bank's cashback credit card which pays 0.5 per cent on all spends and Santander's Zero card.

Remember to pay them off when you get home though to avoid interest.

When it comes to current accounts, Starling Bank comes out on top with limitless fee-free on spending and withdrawals.

Alternatively, Metro Bank also charges nothing, but only in Europe, while rival challenger Monzo has a fee-free ATM cap of 200 but no foreign purchase fees.

Prepaid currency cards are one of the safest options to travel with as they are not linked to a bank account.

You can load up when the rate is good and spend as normal with bank-beating exchange rates and low fees. Check the small print first though, some charge sneaky dormancy fees.

Try currency specialists Travelex, FairFX, Caxton FX, ICE and Revolut for the best cards.

>Find out more about the cheapest credit and debit cards to get in time for your tripStock markets in London and across Europe slumped into the red today after Turkey landed the latest blow in the global trade war by slapping tariffs on US imports.

Weak commodity prices also hit mining shares which make up a significant proportion of the FTSE 100 index and other leading European indices.

The Footsie fell back below the 7,500 for the first time since April and finished 113.77 lower at 7,497.87.

The Paris and Frankfurt markets were also off by 1.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively, and the leading Wall Street indices have fallen by 1.1-1.4 per cent in early trading.

Word trade war fears and concerns over China's economy hit shares on wall Street (pictured) as well as in London and across Europe.

David Madden at CMC Markets said dealers are worried about the currency crisis in Turkey, and the cooling of Chinese growth.

'European banks have lost ground today as investors are concerned the financial problems in Turkey could spread to the eurozone,' he added.

'Natural resource stocks like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Randgold Resources and Glencore are all lower on the session as metals are under severe pressure.

'Copper, Platinum and Palladium are weaker as traders are concerned the Chinese economy is cooling, and yesterdays disappointing fixed asset investment and industrial production reports from Beijing confirmed their fears.'

The latest fall for London's blue-chip index will put a small dent in workers' pension pots and investment Isas, and continues a rollercoaster year for the stock market.

The FTSE 100 began the year just below 7,800 and plunged to below 6,900 by the end of March, before soaring to nearly 7,900 in May and then retreating to current levels.

Motoring-related stocks across Europe were among the worst performers, pushing Germany's DAX down to a six-week low after Turkey doubled tariffs on US alcohol, car and tobacco imports.

The auto sector was down 1.7 per cent, near lows hit when trade war fears gripped markets at the start of July.

'The imposition of punitive tariffs on a raft of US imports is hardly indicative of the Turkish authorities being ready to embark on some sensible monetary and fiscal measures to combat the crisis,' said Neil Wilson of markets.com.

Miners were down 3.3 per cent and at an eight-month low as renewed anxiety over trade piled pressure on a sector already dented by falling copper prices.

In the UK, Admiral rose to the top of the FTSE 100 risers' list, gaining 3.6 per cent, after posting a 9 per cent rise in first-half pre-tax profit.

Hikma Pharma posted the best performance by mid-sized listed firms, up 7.5 per cent, after raising its outlook.30-year-old High Street chain Fat Face is still smiling, despite ongoing travails in the fast-changing retail sector.

The Hampshire-based firm, known for its outdoor gear and weekend casuals, joined its country rival Joules on the list of retailers bucking the blues today as it unveiled both top and bottom line growth.

Fat Face said its womenswear lines helped it fashion a 7.4 per cent sales surge to 238million last year, on pre-tax profits of 30.2million.

Fat Face has 216 UK stores, but now generates nearly a fifth of its sales online

Same store sales jumped 4.9 per cent, while online revenues climbed 11.8 per cent - accounting for nearly a fifth of the retailer's total sales.

But the retailer, which trades from 216 UK stores, cautioned that there was 'no prospect' of the tough conditions on UK High Streets improving in the near future.

Boss Anthony Thompson said: 'The current retail environment remains difficult and there appears to be no prospect of conditions improving in the short term.

'We will continue to be focused on quality, design and price integrity and will seek to continue the positive momentum in today's results in the coming 12 months.'

The positive results make Fat Face a rare bright spot on the gloomy retail landscape, which has seen a host of firms collapse into administration this year or shut stores and axe jobs to save on costs.

The retailer, which currently has 17 stores abroad, said today it plans to further expand its reach in the US, where it opened five new shops last year.

'The implementation of our longer-term strategy is on course,' Thompson thundered.

'Expansion in the US continued and the business there is trading strongly. With the initial market trial concluded, we are now undertaking a measured roll-out programme.'Royal Bank of Scotland has been officially ranked Britain's worst bank by consumers and businesses, according to data released by regulators this morning.

The 72 per cent taxpayer-owned bank came bottom of league tables published by the Competition & Markets Authority, based on a survey of personal and business banking customers.

RBS is joint bottom of the personal banking league table alongside Clydesdale, with less than half of customers saying they would recommend the lender.

The full table for personal current accounts is below:

League table: How banks are ranked according to personal banking customers

It also came out bottom for business banking.

RBS has been dogged by several scandals since its Government bailout in 2008, including for the mistreatment of small businesses and most recently a bank branch closure drive.

A spokesman for RBS said: 'We are aware we have more work to do in order to improve our service standards and deliver a better experience for our customers.

'That is why we are investing in improving the products and services we offer our personal and business customers, whether that's through launching initiatives such as the UK's first paperless mortgage or ESME, our digital lending platform for SMEs, which are helping us to deliver better service for our customers.'

First Direct came top of the personal banking league table with 85 per cent of customers satisfied, while Handelsbanken topped the business ranking with 84 per cent.

Joe Gordon, head of First Direct, said: 'We're over the moon that so many of our customers would recommend us for our services.

'We believe service quality is just as important as price for consumers when making decisions about banking services.

'Anything which encourages consumers to shop around is to be welcomed, and consumers now have access to more information to help them compare the services offered by different current account providers than ever before.'

Under new rules that came into force on Wednesday, banks must publish information on how likely people would be to recommend them  including online and mobile banking, branch and overdraft services  to friends, relatives or other businesses.

Full table for SME banking:

Service quality: Swedish bank Handlesbanken tops the chart for small business accounts

The results must be displayed prominently in branches as well as on websites and apps.

The CMA said it will make it easier for people to find out if another bank has a better offer and will drive up competition.

Adam Land, senior director at the CMA, said: 'For the first time, people will now be able to easily compare banks on the quality of the service they provide, and so judge if they're getting the most for their money or could do better elsewhere.

'This is one of the many measures  including Open Banking and overdraft text alerts  that we put in place to make banks work harder for their customers and help people shop around to find the best deals for them.'

Sally Francis-Miles, spokesman at comparison website MoneySupermarket, said: 'Forcing banks to display information that helps customers get a full picture of a bank's service is a welcome move, as it supports consumer choice and decision making.

'No matter how great a product is, poor service can cause unnecessary stress, especially when issues with banks can include fraud and not being able to access your accounts.

'For many people, it's a big barrier to switching current accounts  so hopefully this move from the CMA will encourage more consumers to look for better deals.'Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here.MBABANE  KPMG stands to enter into a contract valued at over E400 000 for the provision of audit services to SWACAA.



Results published by the Swaziland Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (SPPRA) which were issued by the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) reflect that the leading audit firm scored 83.7 per cent during evaluation to emerge as the best evaluated tenderer. This led to the subsequent publication of the intention to award a contract which was issued by SWACAA in line with the Public Procurement Act of 2011.



The company outsmarted PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Kobla Quashie & Associates who both surpassed the 60 per cent mark during evaluation exercise. KPMG, whose proposed contract price was placed at exactly E427 000, was closely followed by PwC who amassed 74.43 per cent points during tender evaluation. Meanwhile, Kobla Quashie and Associates scored 60.43 per cent.

It was reported that Ndallahwa & Company and Joseph Botti & Associates were disqualified for reasons that were not stated in the public domain. It should be mentioned that there is no mandatory audit firm rotation (MFR) in Eswatini.

Mandatory audit firm rotation requires companies to rotate audit firms periodically.



Swaziland Institute of Accountants Executive Director Barnabas Mhlongo explained that other jurisdictions do have MFR requirements such as the European Union (EU).

He mentioned that Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors, (IRBA) in South Africa had also announced a timetable for new MAF rotation requirements. MFR will come into effect in South Africa in 2023.

In Eswatini, audit committees are allowed to exercise their own judgment, Mhlongo clarified.



Mhlongo explained that in terms of section 232 (1) of the Companies Act, Every company shall at the annual general meeting appoint an auditor to hold office from the conclusion of that meeting, until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting.

The SIA director said theres no law relating to mandatory partner rotation.



He said the Independent Ethics Standards Board for Accountants Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IESBA Code) which binds members of SIA, in section 290, deals with the familiarity threat that may arise through using the same senior personnel on an assurance engagement over an extended period of time and the safeguards that can be put into place to address such threats (such safeguards usually include rotating the senior personnel on the audit or requiring an engagement quality control review).MBABANE  Shape up or ship out. As the battle for legitimacy in the Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Workers Union (SPTCWU) drags on, the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) said unions which failed to uphold democratic principles were free to leave the federation.

This was said by TUCOSWA acting Secretary General Mduduzi Gina in an interview yesterday. His statement was a reaction to a letter from the Oscar Vilakati-led National Executive Council (NEC) of the SPTCWU, which stated that TUCOSWA stood to lose its (SPTCWU) affiliation.



Gina said they made the point a long time ago that unions which did not want to follow what workers wanted and observe democratic principles, were free to excuse themselves from the federation. He said they were aware that there were a number of Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) employees who were in support of the federation. He said they regarded it as a threat that the Vilakati-led NEC would disaffiliate from the federation.



Gina said the threat was based on that workers raised critical issues like the E25 000 withdrawal made in the name of a member of the unions interim committee. He clarified that the federation only learnt of this at the meeting held on Sunday. He noted that some members of the Vilakati-led NEC were in the unions interim committee, which the federation allegedly asked to call a proper elections congress, and further give a financial report to the workers.

They would rather not regard themselves as part of us if they will do things willy-nilly and not listen to either the federation or membership, Gina said.



Gina stated that they had done everything that could convince them that the legitimate NEC is the one whose president is Innocent Ngcobo. He clarified that they were not aware of the one elected on August 8, as they were not even informed of any congress or activity which the union would be engaged in on the said date.



We take it as a hallucination that we fetched people from the firms to attend the meeting because not a cent from the federation was used for the meeting, including securing the venue but the employees contributed from their own pockets, Gina said.

He further said they attended the meeting as a response to a request from the EPTC management to intervene in the division within the union. Gina shared that the EPTC management wrote to TUCOSWA informing it about the existence of two NECs. He commended EPTC for this and added that they took the matter up and they would communicate the resolutions of the meeting to the employer, with the expectation that it (employer) will implement whatever decision that was taken. Gina said they were not taking any sides between the two NECs but taking that of democratic processes in respect of using democratic means to resolve issues. He said they would not mind if the employer volunteered to assist them by allowing that all workers be released from work if they had any doubt about the position of the legitimate NEC.



Gina clarified that they did not incite employees to strike during the meeting, as the matter at hand had to be dealt with by the union. He said that would be unfair.

Gina alleged that the Vilakati-led NEC misled its legal representatives. He alleged that this was firstly by asserting that they were the legitimate SPTCWU NEC, as according to their records, the unions congress was held on July 1 not on August 8. He said to their knowledge, the Vilakati-led NEC was an interim committee which had to leave office after the election congress.



We do not know the NEC elected on August 8, we know one which we observed being democratically elected, Gina said.

He said the federations Constitution was binding to all its affiliates and they normally observed elections to ensure that they were in line with it in terms of democracy. He said all legitimate processes were observed in the elective congress held on July 1.

Gina alleged that it was inaccurate that the Vilakati-led NEC was not aware of the meeting held on Sunday, as it was sent a written correspondence to that effect. He alleged that the Vilakati-led NEC allegedly circulated a memorandum to workers about the meeting.PIGGS PEAK  When His Majesty the King speaks about uplifting women into positions of authority, he makes it happen.



In his latest move, His Majesty has appointed the first ever female court president in Jabulile Dlamini, who is currently based at the Piggs Peak Eswatini National Court.

Dlamini (52) was previously a clerk of court and has been in the department for 32 years.



Prince Bukhosi, who is the also the registrar, confirmed the appointment. He said Dlaminis appointment was the first in the country as there was no other Eswatini National Court with a female court president. Dlamini has already been presiding over some matters.



Prince Bukhosi said worth noting was that even Dlaminis letter of appointment bore His Majesty the Kings signature. He said though she was the only woman appointed at the time, there were four males who were also appointed.

Among the appointed males were Chief Maliwa Maziya of Maphungwane, Kaunda Bhembe, Lomba Dlamini and Chief Mvelamuva Maseko. Prince Bukhosi further revealed that Makhuluma Ndwandwe, who had been a court president based in the Lubombo Region, was promoted to the Eswatini National Court of Appeal.



The registrar also thanked His Majesty for appointing a woman in that position, which he said was also in line with the countrys vision to empower the fairer sex.

He further said this was in line with what His Majesty meant when he spoke about the vote for woman campaign. Prince Bukhosi said in other courts such as the magistrates, or High Court, there were already females such as Justices Mumcy Dlamini, Maxime Langwenya and Qinisile Mabuza.



Meanwhile, Dlaminis appointment has also been described as a great achievement for the country.

Colani Hlatshwako, the National Director of the Women and Law in Southern Africa- Swaziland (WLSA) said this could go a long way in assisting women.MBABANE  If you are in a critical condition and want help, you will not get it at the Mbabane Government Hospital.



This is due to the shortage of vital drugs and working equipment, which could result in the death of some of the patients.

The Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) unit at the hospital has also run out of Unigold Testing Kits, which are used to confirm an HIV positive status. Such is a huge blow following the rolling out of HIV Self Test Kits.

As a result, patients who want to test for HIV cannot do so, due to the unavailability of this key equipment.



Also, over 10 drugs are not available at the hospital, making it difficult for the nurses to execute their duties.

All this is happening at a time when government is facing serious financial challenges.

It was established from sources that the crisis within the health sector was due to the financial catastrophe faced by government.

As such, suppliers of certain drugs have not been paid.



Nurses are finding it difficult to give proper treatment to seriously ill patients, due to the non-availability of what is known as the intravenous IV cannular, which is a tube used to put medicines or fluids straight into the blood system.

The nurses mentioned that the absence of this equipment also makes it impossible for them to administer blood transfusion.

Its a serious matter. Patients will die if these issues are not addressed, some of the nurses said.



Picket



The health practitioners yesterday entered the second day of their picket over the shortage of the drugs and certain equipment.

They are adamant that they will continue with the picket until the situation is normalised at the hospital. tmtpost      By Trend





The Iranian energy minister said the government is in negotiations with Azerbaijan to export electricity to Russia.

Reza Ardakanian, speaking to IRNA news agency on August 13, added that the country would start exporting power to Russia as soon as talks with Baku are finalized.

We are seeking to join the European power network and there are several scenarios for this, he stressed.

"One of the scenarios is to get help from our northern neighbors and get connected to the European electricity network," Ardakani said.By Trend





United States Assistant Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics Edward Gresser and Deputy Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Zeba Reyazuddin will make a presentation on the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for entrepreneurs and civil servants of Kyrgyzstan, Kabar news agency reported.

GSP provides a preferential duty-free regime for more than 3,500 products from a wide range of countries, including the Kyrgyz Republic, to promote the economic growth of certain US trade partners.

The Office of Trade Policy and Economics is responsible for the implementation of the GSP program worldwide. It is the largest and oldest program on trade preferences in the United States.

The GSP presentation will be held on August 17 at the Ministry of Economy in Bishkek.Soundbars are really meant to be stand-along with TV, no receiver. Receivers are meant to use separate, discrete speakers not soundbars.



Soundbars are one-task accessories, meaning for application where user finds TV built-in speakers not good enough, a budget solution, slap-on soundbar and BAM! but DON'T TRY TO hookup anything else to it, like a dvd player u maybe thinking of. Receivers on the other hand are designed to be the central console so you can hookup many different sources to it, good for long term.



OK, after all that jibber jabber, you still want to keep the soundbar. This is how to hookup SB, no receiver needed:



1. Cable box ----> TV.

2. TV ----> SB.



1. Cable box connection most likely a HDMI connection unless u have a very old TV.

2. TV to SB connection can be HDMI (both pieces must support ARC), or optical/toslink, or headphone-to-line_In. Obvious both pieces must have the same connector. The headphone solution may take the form of 3.5mm plug to two RCA (coax) cable.Qatars plan to establish a light emitting diode (LED) manufacturing facility in collaboration with a South Korean consortium remains on track, said a report, citing a top official at the South Korean embassy in Doha.



A South Korean consortium comprising some 11 small and medium companies specialising in LED technology are still in discussion with their local counterparts, including Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Jungsik Choi, first secretary, was quoted in a Gulf Times report.



The project, which was expected to be operational by the end of 2017, has faced a series of delays since details of the plan were announced in 2014, stated the report.



Qatar Development Bank, which provides around 70 per cent of the investments, had asked the South Korean consortium to renew the manufacturing facilitys feasibility study. With a smaller GCC market now, there was a need to determine ways to secure a larger market volume, said Choi.



The project is still on track. In fact, the Qatari government had already identified a location site for the LED manufacturing plant, he added.Petrofac, a leading global provider of oilfield services, has been awarded a $370-million contract by Basra Oil Company (BOC) for expansion of the Central Processing Facility (CPF), located in the Majnoon Field, Southern Iraq.



Under the terms of the 34-month contract, the lump-sum engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project scope of work includes two oil processing trains, able to process 200 kbopd (thousand barrels of oil per day), said a statement from Petrofac.



The company was previously awarded a contract in 2011 and delivered engineering, procurement and construction management for the execution and completion of the existing CPF at Majnoon, it stated.



Elie Lahoud, the group managing director (Engineering & Construction) for Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia, said: "Petrofac has developed a significant track record in Iraq with enhanced local delivery, successfully providing services both onshore and offshore since 2010."



"This important contract win demonstrates Petrofacs long-lasting client relationships and our ongoing commitment to extending our operations in this key market that complements our broad service capabilities, international experience and expertise," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceThe United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) signed an agreement with Bahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH) aiming to boost Bahrains ICT presence at the upcoming technology show Gitex in Dubai.



Through this memorandum of understanding (MoU), Unido will encourage Bahraini entrepreneurs in ICT sector to participate in the Bahraini National Pavilion at Gitex, running from October 14 to 18 at Dubai World Trade Centre.



Dr Hashim S Hussain, the head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation - Investment & Technology Promotion Office (Unido-ITPO) and Director of the Arab International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training (AICEI, stated that this partnership with the (BTECH) is one of Unido efforts to boost Bahrain entrepreneurship and innovation leadership.



Dr Hussain pointed that 48 countries have adopted Bahrain Entrepreneurship Model that is based on incubating emerging projects and providing support, consultation and funding through supporting institutions.



Dr Hussain said: We are pleased to continue supporting Bahraini entrepreneurs in various sectors, including the ICT sector, and to gather all potential local ICT companies for them to be part of the biggest ICT exhibitions outside Bahrain and that to bring the ICT world to the next level, allowing them to showcase their ICT products and innovations as well as communication opportunities with colleagues through competitions, technical presentations and seminars.



Chairman of Bahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH) Ubaydli Ubaydli stressed the importance of Unidos partnership in fostering Bahrain Pavilion @ Gitex held by BTECH for the 12th year on a row.



Ubaydli highlighted on Bahraini entrepreneurs developed participation @ Gitex and their efforts to produce technologies that are expected to change the world around us and to further develop their knowledge and skills in emerging technologies such as smart cities, enhanced reality and virtual reality, internet things, smart manufacturing, and other axes that Gitex is focusing on this year.



Ubaydli said that Bahrain's national pavilion at Gitex this year is expected to be attended by 40 Bahraini ICT companies and 20 Bahraini entrepreneurs in this field. He also reiterated his thanks to Tamkeen for its support to participation in the pavilion Year-to-year, thereby contributing to enhancing the capacity of private sector institutions in the ICT field to develop its productivity and competitiveness, its ability to provide quality employment for Bahrainis and increase their contribution to GDP.



Ahmed Al Hujairi, CEO of WorkSmart Company, welcomed Unido partnership strengthening in developing Bahrain ICT industry, including its efforts to foster the Bahraini Pavilion @ Gitex every year.



We are looking forward to continue working with all partners and exhibitors to integrate the services and products of IT companies in Bahrain, enabling us to enhance the competitiveness of this sector locally and regionally according to the latest global trends. Events of this kind are key factors in reaching the dream of the Bahrainis of becoming the future ICT hub in the Middle East region, said Al Hujairy.  TradeArabia News ServiceAl Haddad Motors, the sole authorised general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Bahrain, said it has officially handed over 26 new Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks to Agility, a leading global logistics provider in the region.



A number of representatives from both Agility and Al Haddad Motors attended the official handover luncheon ceremony held recently at ART Rotana in Manama.



The top officials included senior vice president of Agility  Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman Vivek Veettil, Agility Bahrain CEO Baiju Thomas, as well as the head of sales and key account management Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ross Davies, key account manager Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ionut Dumitrescu, Al Haddad Motors general manager Warren Hudson and commercial vehicles manager Ashraf Shareef.



Al Haddad Motors said the event also celebrated decades of partnership it enjoyed with Agility.



Launched recently at Al Haddad Motors' showroom in Tubli, the all-new Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks boast state-of-the-art technologies that help in ensuring a safer, more comfortable and more efficient journey.



Established in 1958, Al Haddad Motors, continues to provide its clients with the most comprehensive and highest level of service, said the company statement.



Al Haddad Motors ensures customer satisfaction by providing customers with unprecedented vehicles as well as excellent customer service, it added.-TradeArabia News ServiceFlag carrier Oman Air has made premium comfort amenities available for all on selected flights in time for Eid Al Adha.



Effective from August 15, Oman Air will launch the sale of sleepwear, an exclusive amenities kit, and other Oman Air branded merchandise at attractive prices on a selected number of routes to mark the festive season.



The airline is committed to maintaining its award-winning standards and continues to offer an enjoyable onboard experience. The new amenities, which have been carefully researched and developed, will be available on all long-haul flights to and from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The product offering reflects Oman Airs commitment to providing all guests with the best in luxury and comfort.



The elegant Business Class Amouage amenity kit, designed especially for Oman Air, contains a set of luxurious travel essentials including hand and body moisturiser, face cream, a sleeping eyeshade and shaving razor. A Colgate dental kit and mouthwash are also included in the kit, to keep Oman Air guests refreshed.



Fatigue is an unwelcome companion when travelling. With this in mind, Oman Air is introducing comfortable, yet stylish sleepwear on selected flights which can be bought at a nominal price. The new sleeper suits will provide Oman Air guests with plenty of comfort and ease when travelling on long-haul night flights. A set of soft slippers is also included to guarantee comfort when resting or moving during the flight.



Xia Cai, senior vice president Guest Experience and Branding, said: Oman Air is always looking at new ways to give our guests more choice and value to build their personalised journey. In addition to providing extra comfort and choice in the air, some of the items are great gift ideas, particularly in the run-up to the holiday season. We will monitor guest satisfaction and aim to expand the range of items for sale in the future.



Inflight amenities play an important part in the passenger experience and Oman Air works hard to ensure that the best possible experience is offered to its valued guests.



Oman Air is committed to constantly improving its product, developing its brand and offering its guests an unrivalled experience. The new offerings, coupled with the quality of the service, make a significant difference to guests onboard experience. - TradeArabia News ServiceEquity ETF Flows Lead July Rebound

The mid-summer month of July turned out to be a good one for exchange-traded funds.

After three straight months of headline-grabbing outflows that had some professionals and issuers worried, ETFs reversed course in July, taking in a healthy $28 billion during the month and bringing year-to-date inflows to $153.5 billion. If this rate holds, according to Matthew Bartolini, , Head of SPDR Americas Research at SSGA, this puts inflows on track for the second best year ever behind record-setting 2017.

Despite escalating trade negotiations, investors deposited more than $18.7 billion into equity ETFs, Bartolini told Traders Magazine. And $18.6 billion of that total amount went into domestically oriented funds. While headline flows remain positive, monthly flow totals have become increasingly volatile, with 2018s current $81 billion in dispersion of monthly flows already 15% higher than in any other calendar year.

Barring any type of aberration in terms of inflow growth, he added that 2018 shouldnt exceed last years high watermark of $466 billion in annual inflows.

In looking at the data in SSGAs monthly Fund Flows report, Bartolini noted that the return of market volatility has introduced an unprecedented level of variability to ETF flows. For example, he said that in 2017, as the VIX plumbed new lows and the market seemed destined for the stratosphere, the ETF industry saw inflows in every calendar month, with an average take of $38 billion. Whats more, the dispersion, or range, of monthly inflows was just $29 billion, below the twenty-year average of $32 billion, despite the industrys asset base increasing at a 35% compounded annual rate.

Thus far in 2018, the monthly flow dispersion is $81 billion, already 15% higher than any previous calendar year, with five months to go, Bartolini said. Its been a mixed bag this year. Three of seven calendar months have seen outflows, equivalent to 9% of all monthly outflows in the past 20 years. If outflows occur in one more month this year, it would be the first time in 15 years that weve seen four months of outflows.

Leading the pack in terms of flows were equities with $18.7 billion in inflows. After having driven US equity outflows in June, large-cap funds staged a comeback to support the headline number level. With $9.8 billion in inflows in July, large caps surpassed small caps which have grown assets by 8.5% in 2018 due to outsized interest given their perceived status as more insulated from global trade dynamics. SSGA noted that large flows to and from US large-cap funds is to be expected, however, as the segment boasts an asset base of more than $1 trillion, representing 36% of all equity ETF assets.

Breaking it down further to the sector level, Health Care and Real Estate ETFs led the pack, attracting $2 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively. Bartolini pointed out Industrials and Materials ETFs both saw inflows in July, despite prevailing trade rhetoric, tariffs and tweets, attracting $798 million and $946 million, respectively. Financial ETFs experienced the largest outflow, dropping $553 million in July.

1 2 next

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:Kids up to 11 years of age will love the wonders of the Azores: Europe just 4 hours away



(TRAVPR.COM) USA - August 14th, 2018 - Boston, MA-- Just 4 hours away, is one of the safest and most laid back destinations in the world, and full of fun activities for everyone: The Azores are a great family destination. Now Azores Airlines is making it easy to explore them with a kids fly at half price deal.

Azores Airlines new family deal lets kids fly at half the price of the lowest published kids fare to the Azores from Boston when they travel with a parent or parents. Book between August 20thand September 9th, 2018 for travel from Boston to the Azores anytime between November 1 to December 18, 2018, and January 10 to April 30, 2019. So, the fare is valid during most school vacation weeks. Pay just 50% of the applicable fare for child (2 to 11 years old). Babies already pay a 90% to 95% discount off of a normal adult fare before surcharges and airport taxes. Discount is to the fares only, not applicable surcharges or airport taxes. Deal is offered at ratio of 1 adult booking for each child booking at half-price. Book at www.azoresairlines.ptor by calling theUS contact centre at 800 762 9995.

As the closest nation in Europe to the U.S., and one of the best values in Europe today, the Portuguese Azores are very welcoming to families. With great hiking, attractions, and family friendly hotels, the Azores have lots for a family to do, and the local culture cherishes children. Families will find easy and moderate hikes on volcanic landscapes, lava caves, pineapple plantations, hot springs, whale watching and boat tours, and cove beaches.

Azores Airlines, part of SATA Group, has been connecting New England with the Azores and mainland Portugal for more than 35 years. For reservations and information go to AzoresAirlines.pt

###Adventure cruise deals available for 2019 season in the Galapagos Islands



(TRAVPR.COM) ECUADOR - August 15th, 2018 - QUITO, EC  August 15, 2018  Latin Trails (www.latintrails.com), Galapagos cruise operator and Ecuador DMC, announces an extension on its early bird rates for 2019 cruises on board its boutique yacht fleet: M/V Galapagos Sea Star Journey and M/V Galapagos Seaman Journey. Travelers planning their visit to the enchanted isles for 2019 can take advantage of 2018 rates for all bookings made until the end of October 2018. Bookings can be made for all available dates in 2019.

Cruise itineraries and sailing dates are listed on the Latin Trails website: www.latintrails.com. The companies Galapagos travel programs include 4, 5, 6 and 8 day departures.

4 day cruises cover the northern islands, 5 day programs include the Southern Islands and 6 and 8 day programs take guests to more remote western side of the archipelago.

For more information on the companys yachts:

Galapagos Luxury cruise : Sea Star Journey

Galapagos Cruise catamaran : Seaman Journey

Both Sea Star and Seaman offer a high level of comfort and unique nature encounters with the wildlife of the Islands. The Journey fleet is known for its sustainable practices and strong focus on conservation. Latin Trails supports the IGTOA traveler conservation program which helps raise funds for conservation efforts for the islands:

https://www.igtoa.org/galapagos-conservation-partner-program/seaman_journey

Latin Trails also offers expedition style trips into the Amazon rainforest on board the 8 guest M/V Spondias and M/V Cattleya, there are 4 and 5 day routes for Amazon river cruises with exploration into the Pacaya Samiria reserve and arriving to the 3 frontiers at Leticia, Tabatinga and Santa Rosa (Colombia, Brazil and Peru). Departures are from Iquitos twice per week.

Latin Trails also offers travel planning services for pre and post trips to Ecuador and Peru. Bookings can be made through any Galapagos/Ecuador specialized tour operator around the globe.

About Latin Trails

Latin Trails is a boutique cruise and tour operator based in Ecuador and Peru, it operates the most exclusive fleet of oceangoing yachts and riverboats in the Galapagos Islands and Amazon basin. The expedition Company is also known for its handcrafted itineraries around Ecuador and Peru offering highly personalized trips backed up by a 24/7 adventure concierge service. The Company also offers family friendly exploration of the Amazon at a boutique lodge in Ecuador.

To learn more about Latin Trails, visit www.latintrails.com or call 1-800-747-0567. Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Latintrails of follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Latintrails

###The NGO vessel Aquarius arrives in the port of Valetta, Malta, in August 2018.  UNHCR/UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency applauds yesterday's decision by the Government of Malta to permit the disembarkation of 141 asylum-seekers and migrants rescued on the Central Mediterranean by an NGO boat, the Aquarius. We also commend those European countries who have come forward to offer relocation places for rescued passengers post-disembarkation. This demonstrates the benefits that can be reaped from a collaborative approach.Nonetheless, the situation of the Aquarius and in particular the standoff of the last few days has again highlighted the need for a Mediterranean regional arrangement that provides clarity and predictability on where boats carrying rescued passengers can dock. This is essential if further such situations are to be avoided.

UNHCR welcomes the end to the deadlock around the Aquarius and the fact that 141 children, women and men are no longer stranded at sea, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. But the situation should never have come to this in the first place. It is wrong, dangerous and immoral to keep rescue ships wandering the Mediterranean while governments compete on who can take the least responsibility.

UNHCR has repeatedly called for a regional approach for dealing with rescue and disembarkation on the Mediterranean, and spelled out proposals for this in a joint Concept Note dated 27th June together with the UN Migration Agency, IOM.

There is an urgent need to break away from the current run of impasses and ad-hoc boat-by-boat approaches on where to dock rescued passengers, said Grandi. Only with clearly identifiable ports of safety will shipmasters feel confident when responding to distress calls that theyll be able to promptly disembark passengers, and wont become objects of lengthy negotiations.

UNHCR meanwhile appeals to shipmasters to continue their efforts in upholding rescue at sea. Without this vital and fundamental cornerstone of the law of the sea, lives will be lost. Although the number of people crossing the Mediterranean is today much smaller than in recent years, the rates of people perishing or going missing remains high. Already this year, more than 1,500 people have drowned or gone missing on the Mediterranean. On the Central Mediterranean route in particular, the rate of lives being lost has increased threefold, and now stands at one death for every 17 people who attempt to cross compared to one in 43 during the same period last year.

For more information on this topic, please contact:The Aquarius ship in the port of Valencia, Spain last month.  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency applauds yesterdays decision by the Government of Malta to permit the disembarkation of 141 asylum-seekers and migrants rescued on the Central Mediterranean by an NGO boat, the Aquarius. We also commend those European countries who have come forward to offer relocation places for rescued passengers post-disembarkation. This demonstrates the benefits that can be reaped from a collaborative approach. Nonetheless, the situation of the Aquarius and in particular the standoff of the last few days has again highlighted the need for a Mediterranean regional arrangement that provides clarity and predictability on where boats carrying rescued passengers can dock. This is essential if further such situations are to be avoided.

UNHCR welcomes the end to the deadlock around the Aquarius and the fact that 141 children, women and men are no longer stranded at sea, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. But the situation should never have come to this in the first place. It is wrong, dangerous and immoral to keep rescue ships wandering the Mediterranean while governments compete on who can take the least responsibility.

UNHCR has repeatedly called for a regional approach for dealing with rescue and disembarkation on the Mediterranean, and spelled out proposals for this in a joint Concept Note dated 27th June together with the UN Migration Agency, IOM.

There is an urgent need to break away from the current run of impasses and ad-hoc boat-by-boat approaches on where to dock rescued passengers, said Grandi. Only with clearly identifiable ports of safety will shipmasters feel confident when responding to distress calls that theyll be able to promptly disembark passengers, and wont become objects of lengthy negotiations.

UNHCR meanwhile appeals to shipmasters to continue their efforts in upholding rescue at sea. Without this vital and fundamental cornerstone of the law of the sea, lives will be lost. Although the number of people crossing the Mediterranean is today much smaller than in recent years, the rates of people perishing or going missing remains high. Already this year, more than 1,500 people have drowned or gone missing on the Mediterranean. On the Central Mediterranean route in particular, the rate of lives being lost has increased threefold, and now stands at one death for every 17 people who attempt to cross compared to one in 43 during the same period last year.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

Share on Facebook Share on TwitterArmy units deployed in Kerala for relief operations

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 (UNI) Various units of Army have been deployed in Kerala for relief operations following heavy rains and landslides as fresh rains that started lashing several parts in the State posing hinder to the relief operations.

After the opening of 33 dams, out of 39 reservoirs, several low lying places were also inundated in floods forcing the authorities to issue Red Alert in all the 14 districts in the State. The Madras Regiment has deployed 150 personnel at two places, Idukki (Munnar) and Aluva and four Columns were deployed by the DSC Kannur at Iritti, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram.

The Engineering Task Force has deputed three columns, one each at Palakkad, Kozhikode and Idukki for relief operations. One more column of ETF coming from Pune is expected to reach Air Force Station Trivandrum by 1800 hours on Wednesday.Defend people, not States: Zeid

United Nations, Aug 15 (UNI) For four years, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been taking governments across the world to task, publicly naming and shaming States which have fallen short of their human rights obligations.

His appointment by the Secretary-General back in 2014 was a landmark: he became the first Asian, Muslim and Arab ever to hold the post.

Before that, Zeid had already enjoyed a long and distinguished career, both at the UN and as a Jordanian diplomat. He served his country in several capacities, notably as Ambassador to the United States, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, with a stint as President of the Security Council in January 2014.United Nations, Aug 15 (UNI) An invasive pest that devours more than 80 different plant species, including many staple crops, could threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers in Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned.

The UN agency is offering its expertise to farmers and Governments in the region to help them manage Fall Armyworm. The insect was recently detected in India, marking the first time it has been found in Asia, and FAO fears it is highly likely to spread, with southeast Asia and south China most at risk.

Fall Armyworm could have a devastating impact on Asia's maize and rice producers - mostly small-scale farmers who depend on their crops for food and to make a living, said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.SBDC Offers Sheridan Workshops to Help Entrepreneurs Find Financing for Innovations

Small-business entrepreneurs in Wyoming can learn how to obtain federal funding to finance their innovations.

The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers workshops on this topic Tuesday, Aug. 21, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Wednesday, Aug. 22, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., at the WTBC Building, 1981 Double Eagle Drive, in Sheridan.

The SBDC is a partnership among the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Business Council and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC focuses on educating small-business owners and potential owners on how to successfully start and operate small businesses. The SBDCs main office is located at UW.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are federal funding opportunities that help small businesses bring their innovative ideas to market.

The first workshop, titled SBIR Proposal Preparation, will feature a comprehensive overview of the SBIR and STTR programs, and how to build a strong proposal. The second workshop, titled SBIR Cost Accounting, will dive into the often-confusing world of government accounting and how to prepare an accurate and defensible cost proposal. Both events are hosted by the Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI), which is part of the Wyoming SBDC Network.

Kelly Haigler Cornish, WSSI program manager, says this event is critical to developing fundable proposals that will lead to a growth in high-tech companies across the state.

We are bringing in Jim Greenwood, a nationally recognized expert on SBIR, Haigler Cornish says. Jim will be sharing his four-step method for technical proposal development. Attendees also will walk away with sample proposals from multiple agencies to give them a better understanding of what makes a fundable proposal.

Greenwood and his wife, Gail, have been involved in the SBIR program since its inception in 1983. The Greenwoods have taught SBIR/STTR workshops in 48 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. They offer training through local and regional economic development groups, universities, federal laboratories, SBDCs and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS).

The two-day workshop is offered at no cost to Wyoming residents throughout the state and is open to small businesses or those who are thinking of starting a business. To register for one or both days, go to the events section at www.wyomingsbdc.org. For more information, contact Haigler Cornish at (307) 766-2904 or haigler@uwyo.edu.

SBIR is oftentimes one of the only early funding opportunities available for innovators since it can come in at the idea stage, when risk is too high for most angel investors or venture capitalists, Haigler Cornish says. The Wyoming Legislature recognized the key role SBIR will play in diversifying Wyomings economy when it passed SF118. This workshop is part of the Wyoming SBDC Networks mission to educate and train Wyoming entrepreneurs so they can compete on a national level for SBIR funding.

Wyoming SBDC Network programs and services are available to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities, if requested at least two weeks in advance. For clients with limited English proficiency, language assistance services are available. For more information, call the SBDC at (307) 382-0947.

The Wyoming SBDC Network is a business-advising group of the Wyoming SBDC, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Market Research Center and SBIR/STTR Initiative. The networks mission is to help Wyoming entrepreneurs succeed. Advising and most market research activities are free of charge to Wyoming residents.

The SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. SBA. Additional support is provided by the Wyoming Business Council and UW.

For more information, go to www.wyomingsbdc.org.The World Needs More Civility: UW School, Institute Committed to Collaboration on Natural Resources

Melinda Harm Benson

By Melinda Harm Benson

In a state where 92 percent of its residents regularly hike, camp or enjoy other outdoor activities -- and where the economy is dependent on natural resources -- it should come as no surprise that Wyoming people have intense, often conflicting feelings about how those resources are managed.

Debates over environmental issues play out regularly in the Cowboy State, and solutions to those conflicts are often elusive -- as is the case across much of the American West.

But for a quarter of a century, the University of Wyomings Haub School and Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources have been quietly working to find collaborative and science-based solutions to Wyomings and the regions pressing environmental and natural resource challenges. Fittingly, the school and institute will celebrate their 25th anniversary Aug. 23 with a panel discussion and public reception, titled Civility: The Case for Collaboration.

The panelists -- former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, former Gov. Mike Sullivan and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director John Turner, with former Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice and natural resources attorney Marilyn Kite serving as moderator -- will look back at the last 25 years and ahead to the next 25 years as they explore the role of civility in addressing challenges of the day. The discussion is set for 5:30 p.m. in UWs Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, and its open to the public.

In an increasingly divisive and polarized world, its more important than ever to bring people with diverse perspectives together in fair and open forums. Thats because community-level, collaborative approaches lead to better, more productive and longer-lasting solutions to environmental challenges.

The universitys School and Institute of Environment and Natural Resources were established in 1993 with that philosophy at their core. As a result, much of their activity has been about ensuring that a range of representative voices comes to the table to build sound solutions.

The results have been noteworthy. They include facilitation of collaborative processes that produced recommendations to reduce ground-level ozone pollution in Sublette County; forest and recreation management plans in conjunction with the governors office; prairie dog management strategies in the Thunder Basin National Grassland; and, recently, a proposal from the Western Governors Association to improve the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act.

One of the signature efforts of the school and institute, the Wyoming Open Spaces Initiative, brings together diverse partners -- including the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, the Wyoming Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and other UW units -- to inform efforts to maintain open spaces in Wyoming.

In general, the school and institute help make it possible for environmentalists, ranchers, land management agency representatives, energy industry representatives and other disparate groups to negotiate solutions to not only meet each of their needs, but also to provide real gains while averting the alternative outcome of expensive and time-consuming litigation.

At the same time, more than 500 undergraduate and graduate students have earned UW degrees through the Haub School and its interdisciplinary partners with majors or minors in environment and natural resources, sustainability, outdoor leadership or environmental systems science. Most recently, the Haub School has added a dedicated faculty to research the science, economics, law and policy of environmental and natural resource systems. The institute communicates this research to the public using multiple platforms.

It is only appropriate that the Haub School is marking its 25th anniversary with a panel discussion among these Wyoming characters -- because they are all prominent voices for civility and supporters of the school and institute.

Simpson helped establish the school and institute and invited William D. Ruckelshaus, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to chair the first advisory board in 1994. The institute was named in his honor in 2002.

Sullivan held a seat on the founding advisory board and later served as its chair.

Turner, who also served as CEO and president of the Conservation Fund, currently chairs the Haub School and Ruckelshaus Institute advisory board, of which Kite is a member.

These distinguished leaders know better than most just how difficult it can be to resolve conflicts and find solutions regarding Wyomings natural resources. So did German entrepreneurs, sustainability advocates and Wyoming ranchers Helga and Erivan Haub, who provided an endowment to the schools academic programs in 2004.

They also know that collaboration, built upon the principle of civility, is most likely to produce results that serve the interests of all of the people in this wonderful state we call home.

Even though we dont always agree on management details, Wyomingites are strongly connected to -- and care deeply about -- the land and the life it supports. With that common commitment, theres no conflict that cant benefit from civility and collaboration.

Melinda Harm Benson is the dean of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming, a position she has held since Aug. 1, 2017.AkzoNobel Vietnam joined the 25th Mua He Xanh campaign

AkzoNobel Vietnam has been particularly enthusiastic about the Mua He Xanh 2018 campaign, as it appreciated the spiritual meaning of the wall painting and drawing initiative which helps refresh the exteriors of old apartment buildings and alleys in the city.

With the donated paint, Mua He Xanh volunteers have repainted and decorated the walls of 60 urban alleys and three old apartment buildings in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Mua He Xanh campaign is a summer-time specialty of Ho Chi Minh City. The enthusiastic young volunteers have brought practical and meaningful contributions to the community. On the occasion of its momentous 25th anniversary, the Mua He Xanh 2018 campaign was held with a special plan including many valuable and humane activities.

Many activities have been implemented, such as building bridges, making concrete roads in rural areas and urban alleys, repairing houses for the poor, changing the appearance of old apartments and alleys, cleaning up and purifying canals, as well as constructing fresh water pipelines and tanks for the poor.

These activities have drawn in an astounding number of volunteers, proving the Mua He Xanh campaigns popularity and the strong spirit of giving and helping each other among the young people of Vietnam.

Pamela Phua, general director of AkzoNobel Vietnam Decorative Paints Company, shared: "We are honoured to be able to contribute to changing the citys appearance and filling it with new energy. I hope that AkzoNobel can continue to accompany the Mua He Xanh campaign in the future to create more useful things for the community.

Ngo Minh Hai, deputy secretary of the municipal Youth Union Committee and head of the Mua He Xanh 2018 campaign, was overjoyed by the results of the project: "Colours inspire and energise people. We have seen real pleasure on the faces of people when the old space around them became new and interesting with fun, cute, and colourful images drawn by Ho Chi Minh Citys volunteers. We truly appreciate AkzoNobel Vietnams help to complete this meaningful project. This will be an unforgettable memory for all of us."

60 alleys and 3 old apartments of Ho Chi Minh City have been repainted

Mua He Xanh volunteers were excited to get startedThe strategic agreement between FPT and its Slovakian partner was witnessed by Prime Ministers Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Robert Fico

At the gala ceremony to honour exemplary mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Vietnam in the past decade from 2009 to 2018 as part of the recent Vietnam M&A Forum 2018 hosted by VIR under the patronage of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, FPT was called to the stage in three award categories.

First, it was named among the 10 companies with the best M&A strategies in the past decade. Second, it carved out a spot among Vietnams top 10 M&A deals during 2017-2018 in the acquisitions category. And third, it was honoured among Top 3 M&A deals during 2017-2018 in information disclosure.

Of the awards, the tech giant left the deepest impression with its most recent deal in which it spent about $50 million on acquiring a 90 per cent stake in Intellinet, becoming the first-ever Vietnamese tech firm to acquire a US consultancy firm.

In the deal, FPThas paid $30 million cash, while the remaining will be paid later based on Intellinets business results in the next three years.

FPT had also chosen to unveil its first deal in the US in a special way through a direct teleconference concurrently held in Vietnam and the US in the presence of more than 30 media agencies.

At the event, FPT chairman Truong Gia Binh said, FPT has recognised the tremendous demand for strategic consultancy and digital conversion in doing business with global firms amidst Industry 4.0. Our strategic investment into Intellinet will help the group meet this demand. We are ready to provide overall digital conversion solutions to global companies, helping to bolster Vietnams status on the world tech map.

At the time of the acquisition, Intellinet was one of the fastest growing technology consultancy firms in the US, with about $30 million revenue in 2017. The company serves more than 200 customers, many of whom appear on the Fortune 500 List. Meanwhile FPT holds a rich customer base with about 80 customers on the Fortune 500 List and 400 major global customers.

By acquiring 90 per cent of Intellinet, FPT expects to double its revenue in the US in the next 12 months to $100 million.

By acquiring 90 per cent of Intellinet, FPT expects to double its revenue in the US in the next 12 months to $100 million.

Truong Gia Binh stated that besides the US, the groups further targets might be Japan, Singapore, France, the UK or Germany. For years, FPT has been wielding M&A as a fulcrum to materialise its global strategy.

The groups M&A approach dates back to 2013, as chairman Binh said at the groups strategic conference late that year, One of the top means of realising FPTs global strategy will be M&A.

This orientation was once again affirmed at the groups 2014 annual general shareholders meeting (AGM). About two months after the AGM, in June 2014, FPT Software, a member unit of FPT Group, bought an IT firm in Slovakia to set a foothold in Europe.

The deal started producing profit one year later and served as the key element driving FPTs growth in Europe.

The group posted a 117 per cent jump in revenue in Europe in 2014 and 56 per cent in 2015. Early this year, FPT Slovakia signed a $100 million contract with FPT Software on providing solutions based on SAP technology, the Internet of Things, and digital conversion platforms to InnogySE, a member of European energy company RWE.

Overseas M&A continues to play a major role in FPTs go-global strategy, with a budget of about $50 million per year. We will continue searching for suitable partners in key markets, such as Japan and Europe in the future, said Nguyen The Phuong, FPTs deputy general director.A safe food shop on Ta Quang Buu Street in Hanoi. The capital city has developed 80 food safety supply chains, of which 36 are of animal origin and 44 are of plant origin. - VNA/VNS Photo Do Phuong Anh

The capital city has developed 80 safe food supply chains, of which 36 are of animal origin and 44 are of plant origin, according to the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Hanoi is also implementing a pilot programme granting safe-food certificates for 11 production units in the vegetable and meat supply chains, and for 23 food shops.

Hanoi has over 10 million residents with rising demand for agricultural products. However, the citys production output meets only 60 per cent of its needs, while many products are dependent on neighbouring localities.

According to estimates, Hanois rice output provides just 35 per cent of the citys demand. This number for beef production is 15 per cent, seafood 5 per cent, and processed food 20 per cent.

The area for growing vegetables in the city is currently estimated at over 10,000 hectares, satisfying 66 per cent of consumption demand. For the rest, the city must rely on supply from neighbouring provinces such as Hung Yen, Ha Nam, Bac Ninh and Vinh Phuc.

Twenty-one localities provide safe food for Hanoi, creating a production and supply chain of agro-forestry-fishery products for the city.

In the first six months of this year, Dien Bien Province provided about 50 tonnes of agro-forestry-fishery products for Ha Noi, while Vinh Phuc supplied 2,500 tonnes of vegetables, three million eggs, 60 tonnes of chicken meat, 500 tonnes of pork and 100 tonnes of fish.

According to the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, supply chains between Ha Noi and other provinces remain limited. One of the reasons is that some localities have yet to develop annual co-operation plans for each sector.

On the other hand, many provinces do not have specialised agencies or departments in agricultural trade promotion to maintain regular co-operation between enterprises.

At the same time, current policies to attract Hanois enterprises to invest in processing agricultural products have not been fully developed. Some products sold at chain stores do not have brand names or identification information. The amount of farm produce supplied to Ha Noi through co-ordination remains modest.

Therefore in order to diversify the agricultural products supplied to the capital city, the authority needs to step up coordination with provinces in food quality management and food safety, checking sample quality of their products for traceability.

In particular, Hanoi should build a mechanism to create favourable conditions for businesses to invest in processing, linking and selling products to farmers, building high-tech agricultural models.A customs staff is at work. The Ministry of Finance has proposed to amend and supplement 16 decrees in many fields including customs.-VNA Photo

The ministry also proposed to amend and supplement 16 decrees in many fields including insurance, securities, price appraisal, customs, accounting, auditing, lottery, electronic games for foreigners, casino, betting business, credit rating services and voluntary retirement fund management services.

For the insurance businesses, the Ministry of Finance proposed to abolish the conditions that insurance enterprises, foreign branches or insurance brokerage enterprises must meet upon establishment.

For Vietnamese organisations to set up insurance limited liability companies, the draft decree eliminated the condition that investors must operate in the fields of finance, banking and insurance to attract more investors to invest in the insurance market.

In the field of securities, the ministry reduced the conditions on minimum charter capital for self-trading securities activity from VND100 billion (US$4.3 million) to VND50 billion and reduced the conditions on the number of years of experience with general directors.How would you evaluate developments in the M&A market in the last 10 years? Where do you see Vietnam in the regional M&A market?

Pham Van Thinh

2018 marks the 10th year of the journey of the biggest M&A forum in Vietnamand a period of remarkable development for the Vietnamese M&A market. According to a recent report of the Vietnam M&A Forum (MAF) Research, total M&A value has reached $48.8 billion in the 2009-2018 period, and the market was 10 times as large in 2017 than in 2009. As can be seen, after 10 years of development, M&A has become a major channel for capital mobilisation, especially foreign investment.

The M&A market has grown both in the number and value of transactions. As for transaction size, the Vietnamese market is still dominated by small- and medium-sized transactions, with small transactions (under $10 million) accounting for over 90 per cent of the total number. Foreign investors continue to play a vital role in large transactions.

Despite the smaller size of the Vietnamese M&A market than its Southeast Asian counterparts, its recent growth rate has been especially strong. Particularly, there have been large M&A transactions among giant companies or groups whose size exceeds $1 billion in Vietnam.

The ceaseless pursuit of an open market economy by the Vietnamese government translates into the continuous expansion of businesses in which M&A can be effectively utilised to assist the businesses in accomplishing their goals and improving their competitive advantages. I believe Vietnam will remain an attractive market for investors, at least in the next 5-10 years. However, with the predominance of promising small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not have a clearly defined strategy and high transparency, in addition to their average market size, it seems unlikely that any significant growth in terms of transaction value would be achieved in the near future.

What do you think will incentivise the Vietnamese M&A market in the near future: state divestments, domestic private investors or foreign investors?

From an investors viewpoint, foreign investors will continue to lead the Vietnamese M&A market. However, domestic private investors would play an increasingly important role and will develop more proactive strategies, with the leading players being Vin-group, Masan, Sovico, and KIDO.

As for the goods in M&A transactions, the continuous divestment of the state from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) (over 400 during 2017-2020, according to the governments plan), and the requirement to restructure the banking system would create a great supply for the market, in addition to private companies and foreign-funded companies.

The biggest challenge in the development of the M&A market remains the readiness of businesses. The appeal of factors like strategy, business plan, transparent information, human resources or business size will have a significant impact on the success of M&A transactions as well as the market growth in the future.

The government's initiative to restructure the banking system will bring more M&A opportunities

As urbanisation shows no signs of stopping, real estate will continue to be in the focus

Which sectors will drive M&A activities? How are the prospects of Vietnamese startups?

The domestic market, with almost 100 million people, can be extremely inviting, especially in light of the fast growth of the middle class and changes in consumer behaviour, especially among the youth. In recent years, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) segment has attracted remarkable investments, and according to our prediction, it will continue to attract significant funding in the near future.

Real estate is also expected to continue drawing attention from investors. Together with the revitalisation of the economy, high population and urbanisation growth rates would be the major incentives for M&A deals in Vietnam.

Additionally, finance and banking is a potential field for M&A activities thanks to the coming reinforcement of the restructuring of the banking system.

As for Vietnamese startups, I believe there will be many opportunities for them, as venture investment funds are willing to invest. The Vietnamese government has always encouraged and facilitated the development of startups. The remaining issue is that startups must adopt clear goals and a strategic orientation in order to attract investment capital.

As a leader of Deloitte Vietnam-a reputable financial advisory firm providing M&A services-can you offer some recommendations for investors? In addition, looking back at the successes and failures, what do you think businesses need to pay attention to in their strategic management and post-M&A management to achieve success?

M&A is a tool to support the implementation of corporate strategy. Therefore, first and foremost, enterprises need to define strategies for their organisations. M&A plans will then be developed to fit and complement each organisation's strategy.

For sellers, the business needs to take specific steps to prepare for the sale, such as developing business plans, including short-, medium-, and long-term business plans, strengthening its corporate governance system as well as preparing financial information and personnel. For buyers, the determination of a business strategy in a market, especially in Vietnam, is crucial to how the business will invest, either directly or through M&A. Understanding the market and competitors will help businesses identify goals and prepare and implement the most effective M&A plans. For both sides, I always encourage businesses to seek help from professional advisors.

Strategic management and post-M&A management play a vital role, which is by no means secondary to pre-M&A preparation in ensuring that the transaction will accomplish its goals. Good post-M&A consolidation is crucial to the success of the transaction. Besides operation issues, management, and information disclosure, businesses should pay particular attention to factors concerning business culture, and have clear orientations on this issue after the M&A transaction. Furthermore, it is essential to prepare suitable core personnel to ensure the post-M&A strategy is implemented according to the goals specified.

What do you think about the role of advisors like Deloitte Vietnam in the success of M&A deals over the past 10 years in Vietnam?

Advisors have played a very active role in bridging buyers and sellers in M&A deals. By participating in both M&A cycles, advisors have helped businesses identify strategies, prepare plans, and implement them. Specifically, the advisors assist businesses in preparing information and valuation, while also helping organisations select and screen potential partnerships.

There will always be differences in the goals of sellers and buyers, so the advisor, as a bridge, will help the two sides understand each other's goals and cultures to reach a consensus. At Deloitte Vietnam, we take pride in having a team of highly experienced and highly qualified professionals with extensive knowledge of the industry and regulations to ensure a successful M&A transaction as cross-border transactions are becoming more common.Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "at an early date", the North's state media reported Wednesday AFP/Pavel Golovkin

Putin invited Kim and the South's President Moon Jae-in in June to an economic forum in Vladivostok next month although it is not known whether the North Korean leader responded to the invitation.

In a message to Kim on the North's National Liberation Day - marking the end of Japanese rule over Korea at the end of the Second World War - Putin reiterated his intention for a summit.

"I affirm that I am ready to meet you at an early date to discuss urgent issues of bilateral relations and important matters of the region," Putin said in a message carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

The message did not offer a specific date for the meeting.

Putin expressed hopes to further develop "reciprocal cooperation including the realisation of the tripartite project" that would also involve South Korea.

In his daily briefing for journalists on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin sent the telegram in which he "stressed his desire and readiness to establish a dialogue."

Asked about a possible meeting between the two leaders in Vladivostok, Peskov said the economic forum is "open for all the leaders of the region" but added that Moscow has "so far" not received confirmation from Pyongyang that Kim Jong Un will attend.

Kim also sent a message to Putin, KCNA reported, noting the "valuable tradition" of their joint wartime struggle against Japan was the "strong roots" of their bilateral relations.

The message gave no response to Putin's invitation, although KCNA did not make it clear if Kim's message came before or after the letter from Moscow.

The rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean Peninsula since the Winter Olympics has seen Kim meet with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in twice, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.A section of the North-South railway. - VNA/VNS Photo Minh Son

Earlier in August, the National Assembly Standing Committee approved the amount, which is nearly half of the Governments contingency fund of VND15 trillion for public investment in the 2016-20 period.

The package is nowhere near the estimates of funds needed to ensure a robust revival of the flagging sector, given that the money will be used only for four critical projects along the Hanoi  HCM City route.

VND1.6 trillion ($68.6 million) was allocated for the renovation and upgrading of infrastructure on the Hanoi-Vinh route in the north and VND1.8 trillion for the Nha Trang-HCM City route in the south. The cost of upgrading degraded tunnels and important infrastructure along the Vinh-Nha Trang route, and upgrading degraded tunnels and bridge pillars of the Hanoi-HCM City route will reach VND1.8 trillion each.

The State-controlled Vietnam Railway corporation (VNR) said that each year, it received only about VND2 trillion, or 30 per cent of what it needs to carry out upkeep on 3,150km of rail lines, the majority of which are weary with age and hundreds of kilometers. Most have not enjoyed a single repair since the French colonial era.

The uneven investment throughout the cross-country rail line has reduced the overall speed of running trains to 60km/h, while the newly invested ones can reach speeds of up to 90km/h.

The list of repair jobs just keeps getting longer, while the infrastructure keeps degrading, leading to safety risks. We had a really tough time choosing the most pressing projects to work on, Vu Anh Minh, Chairman of VNR, told Vietnam News Agency.

With the freshly approved budget, the railway sector expects to raise the route capacity, ensure traffic safety, enhance support infrastructure, reduce shaking on trains and improve services.

Speed improvement is not our primary concern, but it could be improved on certain routes with upgrades. If we were to spend VND10 trillion to revamp entire depot-to-depot sections of the four critical routes, then the speed gains would only save one hour of travelling  which is really not worth the amount of investment it would require, Minh said.

Thats why, we concentrate on the route capacity, or the number of trains passing, from 18 trains to 23-25 trains in one day, he added.

The VNR leader also expressed concern over the need to carry out maintenance and ensure normal operation of trains on the routes at the same time.

If things go according to plan, we could finish all four projects by the middle of 2021, Minh said.

The VND7 trillion package is part of the total budget of VND110 trillion reserved for the development of existing rail lines until 2030 (excluding the planned high-speed railway). The funds were set out by the Government in 2014 but State budget constraints have delayed the final approval up until now.At Lao Cai iron and steel plant (Source: VNA)

The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecast that the steel sector will maintain annual growth of nearly 20 percent this year, including construction steel (up 10 percent), cold rolled coil (5 percent), straight welded steel pipes (15 percent), galvanised iron sheet and colour coated paint (12 percent). Hot rolled coil is expected to see the strongest growth of up to 154 percent.

Hoa Sen Corporation plans to put into operation a line to manufacture cold rolled coils, galvanised and coloured coat steel with a capacity of 350,000 tonnes this year while Tung Ho company will launch a line able to produce 600,000 tonnes of construction steel.

Hoa Phat Corporation will embark on a rolled steel project with a capacity of roughly 600,000 tonnes in August and build a furnace in the central province of Quang Ngai, which is expected to be inaugurated in 2019 and eventually yield 3 million tonnes of steel sheets and cords each year.

Tran Dinh Long, Chairman of Hoa Phat Corporation, proudly said it is the first time a Vietnamese firm has been able to manufacture hot rolled coils.

Nguyen Thao Vy from VietCapital Securities commented that with the launch of many manufacturing lines, domestic steel firms could prove origin of products to avoid anti-dumping taxes.

Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Steel Association Nguyen Van Sua said Vietnam is suspected of being a transit for Chinese steel to move abroad.

To counter that, the US Department of Commerce imposed a 199.76 percent anti-dumping tax and a 256.44 percent special consumption tax on Vietnamese cold rolled coils of Chinese origin, after concluding that such products avoided the USs anti-dumping tax on the Chinese products.

In recent years, though domestic demand for steel has been met, China has adopted measures to send steel to Vietnam, from cutting prices to export incentives. Sometimes, Chinese steel is 20-30 percent cheaper than Vietnamese one.

To combat this, Vietnam took trade defence measures by imposing a 10  30 percent anti-dumping tax on Chinese steel.

Sua suggested that domestic firms invest in technological advances, improve governance capacity to increase competitiveness and study international practices.

He called on the State to continue with trade defence measures and ensure rolled coils used in construction under the guise of other kinds of steel are taxed correctly.

Statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that Vietnam exported iron and steel worth 3.15 billion USD last year, up 36 percent in volume and 55 percent in value from 2016.

Imports of Chinese steel also decreased from 60 percent of total steel imports in 2016 to 40 percent in 2017, and are forecast to fall to 38 percent this year.If true, this has disturbing national security implications, MP wrote on twitter. Many want the government to clarify the matter, worried that financial sovereignty is shared with China, with which India almost clashed over the Doklam plateau.

Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  There is concern and anger in the posts on social media after news agencies reported yesterday that India is one of many countries whose banknotes are printed in China.

The Indian government has denied the claim saying it is "baseless". "Indian currency notes are being and will be printed only in Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) currency presses," an official with the Department of Economic Affairs told agencies.

The news report gained traction on social media, causing the hashtag #ChinaPrintingRupee to briefly trend worldwide.

Many users want an explanation, worried that the country's financial sovereignty was shared with China, a country with which India almost clashed over the Doklam plateau, in Bhutan.

MP Shashi Tharoor was among those who demanded a clarification from the Indian government. "If true, this has disturbing national security implications, he wrote on twitter.

A spokesman for the Delhi state government warned that the move would endanger India's "financial sovereignty".This? Now, this? This episode right here? This episode right here? THIS is an episode of Bachelor in Paradise. Oh yes, completely ill thought-out romantic double crosses, breaking up with someone while describing how deep your connection with someone else is, extended metaphors about cheese. Paradise is back on its bullshit and Im ready for it.

Before we can get to all the delightful weirdness, we have to clear the slate between Colton and Becca. Becca cheerfully going to see Colton confirms to me that under her Minnesota personality lies a cold obsidian heart. Theres no viewing of Becca that makes this moment make sense. No human woman would fly to Mexico for an afternoon just to talk to your friend and your ex about how your friend dated your ex. Go do a different thing. Go do literally any different thing. Sure, its easy to buy that Becca is just a more amenable Bachelorette than other recent Bachelorettes but its also completely easy to buy that Becca is full of darkness and feasts on the tears of virgins.

But the real question is: Do we care? Do any of us care? Do any of us care about the closure between Becca and Colton? This is not why Im here. This is some Men Tell All bullshit and I dont want it in my episode three of Paradise. Becca tells Colton that what Tia told her had no impact on her decision, to which I say SURE, BECCA. Becca tells Colton that its okay for him to feel his feelings and express them. Partially because thats a healthy thing to do but theres the added bonus that women will find it attractive!

Then just Becca just leaves. Bye, I guess?

Its the next day in Paradise and the men have the power to give out the roses. Exactly how are we doing the rose ceremonies? I feel like we just had one and yet were months away from our next one. Anneliese gets a losers edit from the moment she wakes up. I feel like her most crucial error is that she thought a 26-year-old model from Clearwater, Florida, would be a stable partner. Trying to get a 26-year-old model from Clearwater, Florida, to commit to you sounds like a torture Michael would have generated on season one of The Good Place. Suddenly, very sexy music kicks in. Did you think it would be a 1920s cigarette girl? No, its  Jenna?

Jenna matched her hair to her Fashion Nova shorts set. She also says shes looking for her storybook romance and shes an alien. Shes another one I genuinely dont remember speaking on Aries season, but she brings up this alien thing like we all get the joke. Chris Harrison gives her a date card and sends her into the resort. Jordan looks at her dumb face and his dumb jaw drops. Jenna takes him aside to get to know him and they both agree that they can talk about dramatic issues.

Meanwhile Anneliese is this weeks lesson in dramatic irony. She keeps talking about how connected she is with Jordan and how he would make a good father. I would like to see a third-grade-style, five-paragraph essay detailing all the ways Annneliese knows Jordan would be a good father. I hope one of the paragraphs includes details that Jordan is busy telling Bibiana and Tia that hes really into Jenna. Jordan says that he believes that he and Jenna can burn the place down. Youre about to.

Jenna takes Jordan on her one-on-one date and they make out on the beach while a black box covers her butt. Everyone keeps talking about how excited Jordan is to be going on his date with Jenna while Anneliese sits crying on the inside. In front of her.

That night, Jordan comes back from his date with Jenna and decides hes got to sit down with Anneliese. He also decides that the best version of this conversation is to tell Anneliese about how great his date was with Jenna. He just monologues at her while he tells her that hes saving a place for her in his heart  if it doesnt work out with Jenna.

David cant help himself when it comes to his feud with Jordan and decides to take Jenna a birthday cake and awkwardly sit next to her. Jenna seems to pick Jordan after he tosses the cake plate into the sea.

I swear to GOD if Jordan ends up being one of the dudes that proposes this season, then we know 2018 is the darkest timeline.

The next day is a flurry of the guys trying to capitalize on being in power and just making out with everyone. Oh. Thats a terrible sentence.

Caroline shows up in Paradise the next morning with a date card. All of the women immediately realize that this week is going to shake up some of the relationships. Caroline takes some of the guys aside and shes shaking like a chihuahua. Shes SO nervous and has absolutely no idea where to stand or where to put her hands. She finally asks Venmo John on a date and they feed street cats and dance to a mariachi band.

The next morning, theres another new arrival. Jubilee! My favorite misunderstood hero! Shes out of the military and ready to mingle. Shes ready to look for smart and nerdy guys. Jubilee, sweetheart, this is not the place to look for nerds, but she finds Venmo John and asks him on a date. Caroline is not happy. Jubilee finally asks John to explain exactly how hes involved with Venmo (he coded the iPhone app). Jubilee asks WHY ARE YOU HERE? Jubilee has her finger on the pulse of America.

While Jubilee and Venmo John are finishing up their date, Kenny sets up a special date for Krystal on the beach. He sets up candles because shes brought love and light into his life. She tells him shes just not feeling it. UGH, LADIES. Look at Kenny. Look at Pretty Boy Kenny King! Imagine the lifting possibilities.

Krystal goes right from hanging out with Kenny to talking to Chris. Can you imagine more of a downgrade? Chris tells her that hes never kissed a blonde before and pulls her in close for a kiss. This would all be fine if he hadnt just told Tia that he was all-in on her and she has so much potential.

Chris is kissing Krystal while Kenny and Eric sit around like the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Paradise talking about when the time comes, people need to move with the cheese. Its better if we dont figure out what it means.

The next morning, Chris is bragging to all the guys that he kissed Krystal. Chris is the most trash of all the men in Paradise. He looks like a diagram in the dictionary next to the definition of trash. Hes Trash: Figure No. 1. He also starts bragging with Jordan that hes the only guy who can take half of the women on dates. He can have dinner with one and drinks with another and he ranks who is worthy of what meal. FUCK. GROSS. Colton goes to Tia and tells her that Chris is kissing other women while feeding her lines, and she heads out to confront him.

TO BE CONTINUEDThe last episode gave us proof that Caputos campaign to smear MCC is having an effect, when Linda bought Sophias silence to stop her testifying for Taystee. This episode shows the companys also moved on to a corporate rebrand.

Photo: Netflix

MCC no longer exists: Now its PolyCon Corrections, and Linda is at Max to cast real COs and inmates for a promotional video. Suzanne gets cast, and though she keeps derailing the proceedings by reciting monologues from Shondaland dramas, Linda is pleased with the results: The state of Connecticut is going to eat it up. They love seeing black people learning in prison. Makes them feel like theyre helping, but also that theyre safe.

Speaking of the trial: When Taystees lawyer gives Caputo a frank (meaning: not especially optimistic) report about how its going, saying that Taystees best chance will be to inspire empathy from the jury. Caputo goes to Taystees holding cell to make sure shes ready to turn it on, he finds her despondent after Black Cindys testimony. How am I supposed to get a bunch of strangers to care about me when my own friend dont give a damn? Caputo tells her shes wrong: He quit his job for her, and all the spectators whove been watching the trial from the gallery care about her too; he even extends Black Cindy the benefit of the doubt, pointing out that they dont know what happened with her behind the scenes. He then plays his best card, saying Poussey would have wanted Taystee to fight for herself, like she did in the riot. Maybe that jury will surprise you, he says. But theyre not going to get the chance if youve already given up.

When Taystee takes her turn on the stand  noting at the start of her testimony that Ward has taken a personal day to attend  she tells the story of her childhood in foster care, and how her role as a peacemaker in her various group homes made her a natural negotiator during the riots, in which she participated because of Pousseys death. She makes it clear, as well, that she wasnt after revenge: All I wanted was for the person who killed my friend to be up here, where I am now, telling you why he murdered  why he murdered an innocent person, instead of me explaining why I didnt kill a guilty one.

Photo: Netflix

The verdict is yet to come, but if Taystees fate really does rest on her having connected to the jury, it seems like shes done it.

Copelands scheme of housing the Denning sisters together in ad seg in the hopes that theyd attack each other and earn her some fantasy inmate points is scuttled when (a) theyre both too wily to do anything while Copeland is posted up right outside their cell, and (b) Alvarez busts the illegal cage match that [she] orchestrated between two mortal enemies, calling her a cheater and releasing Carol and Barb back to their respective blocks. However, merely spending time in forced confinement with one another has inflamed both sisters determination to kill one another, and they separately tell their people theyre headed for a gang war  a huge disappointment for Red when Carol tells her, since it means murdering Frieda is no longer the priority.

Alex comes to visit Piper, disheartened about her application to business school, only to get entangled in  what else? Pipers drama. Piper tells her about the heroin Badison planted on her  and also shows her, because she still has it. Her plan is to explain the situation to a friendly CO and request a transfer to ad seg, on the theory that its the only course with a bully like Badison. That theyre immediately interrupted by Stefanovic giving them each a shot because Alex isnt in her cell suggests that a friendly CO might be harder to find than she thinks.

Hoppers going through security (with, we may reasonably presume, his first all-heroin Nutri-Health canister) when Fig fetches him. Its not because anyones dimed him out, though; its because PolyCon is implementing a new Prisoner Quotient system, and she needs him to enter data for all the prisoners so that the algorithm can rank them. Must take a lot out of you, turning people into numbers, comments Ward, reminding us, in case wed forgotten, that shes not playing the fantasy inmate game. Hopper says that its actually kind of relaxing. Eventually, he finds out the purposes of PQ is to get rid of the mild-mannered, short-sentence inmates and replace them with long-timers who have behavioral issues, to give PolyCon more bang for the buck. In fact, the inmates ranked Nos. 1 to 25 are going to be released at the end of the week. Basically, PolyCon has formalized the fantasy inmate game and made it a cornerstone of its business plan.

After her loss of faith in the last episode, Ruiz is extra hostile at kickball practice, particularly when some of her former fellow prayer warriors annoyingly distract her; she kicks the ball too hard and pops it. McCullough announces that practice is canceled, and as the inmates all complain about the ruling and come closer to her, McCullough gets anxious, pulls out her baton, and yells at them all to get on the ground before Stefanovic defuses the situation and sends the inmates back inside (not without offering to help McCullough work out some of her excess energy).

With D block at kickball, Piper is free to make her first attempt at cultivating a friendly CO, begging Copeland, I need you to transfer me to ad seg so Badison cant steal my date. Copeland tells her to stop living in fear and run toward the problem by getting to know Badison better. The fact that Piper is on Copelands fantasy inmate team surely has nothing to do with it.

Alex, pretty sure Pipers plan wont work, goes to Badison herself and tells her to leave Piper alone. Badison says Piper mouthed off to her in front of her crew, which cannot stand  though she might consider backing off Piper if Alex came to work for her. Carols the big boss, Alex tells her. Youre a fucking child.

Ward flees a gleeful conversation among COs about Taystee getting fried to splash some cold water on her face in the bathroom, where she can smell someone smoking. No one responds as she calls to ask who it is, so she peeks over the divider and sees McCullough, soothing herself by burning her thighs with a cigarette. She knows she overreacted at practice, but she couldnt help it: They are horrible people who have hurt me, and they are regular people who just want to play a game. Or get through the day, or feel human. And I just get so messed up when I can only see the horrible, which is pretty much all the time. But I dont know how to exist in the world with so much hate inside me.

Badison has taken Alexs request so much to heart that she  goes to Hellman with a cash offer for whatever he can do to get time added to Pipers sentence. Hell take her money, but further demands blow jobs from inmates in her crew he calls Mulan and Jasmine over there.

Having been tipped about the coming gang war by Daya, recruiting new soldiers from among the former camp cookies, Mendoza tries to approach Luschek to intervene, but her prohibition from exercise class still stands and two of Badisons cohorts chase her out. When she tries to get to him by guest co-hosting the radio show, hes on his way out to star in the PolyCon video and tells her to leave him a note; to do so, she goes into his desk and finds everyones fantasy inmate score sheets. With Alvarez, the substitute producer, still out of the room getting them water, Mendoza jams the door, gets on the mic, and exposes the fantasy inmate game, and how its in COs interest if they fight each other. Flaca, moved, tells her to do it again on the air, because, wah wah, they arent live until a CO turns a key. Mendoza might not be interested in enlisting in D blocks army, but Ruiz is: Barb gives her a modded Bible with shivs inside.

Alex goes over Badisons head straight to Carol, asking her to get Badison under control, and lowering Badisons value for Carol by letting her know that the phone scam is entirely her conception. Carols impressed, but warns, I do this for you, it means youre working for me now. Then I guess we have a deal, Alex replies. True to her word, Carol orders Badison not to steal Pipers date, informing her that Alex is in the gang now: Keep mouthing off, and youll be working for her. Badison tries to call off the blow jobs, but theyre already done (and she owes the blowers some mouthwash). Badison looks to the upper tier, where Hellman is delivering paperwork to Hopper: an incident report stating that Piper assaulted Badison.

Oblivious to all these machinations, Piper tries Hopper next: So if drugs are coming into the prison, youre responsible? What do you mean? he asks, guiltily. She shows him the heroin Badison planted, telling him the backstory, and says that if he helps protect her from Badison, she can sniff around on his behalf and find out whos bringing the drugs in.

Red gets a break from seething about Frieda when she gets some good news: Not only has her son come to visit, but hes heard the requests shes been making for months and brought her grandchildren. Reds in line plotzing about meeting the kids for the very first time when she sees Frieda on the other side of the hall, returning from court. Unable to stop herself, Red attacks her and gets dragged to the SHU 

Photo: Netflix

 while her family waits.

Badison passes Piper with a pleasant smile and no guff; Pipers certain it means she solved her problem, and Alex doesnt correct her. She does, however, let her know that she has submitted her business school application.

Carol shows Badison a new shiv, and orders her to make enough to arm everyone for the kickball game. Badison asks whether Alex got one, but Carol says, Let her handle the business front. I only give weapons to my warriors.

At his desk, Hopper pulls up Pipers PQ profile, ponders Hellmans fraudulent report, tears it up, and messes with her data until she ends up at the very top of the rankings. After all that hassle, Piper might be turfed before she even gets to play kickball, which is almost certainly the least of the problems she doesnt even know she has.Photo: Netflix

I didnt appreciate what a unicorn-like rarity a good, solid boy is in a teen comedy until To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. The male lead was a drip, but it doesnt matter! is a line I feel like Ive subconsciously been telling myself since Pretty in Pink, or really any number of Brat Packera classics that our young romance-obsessed heroine Lara Jean (Lana Condor) would probably know by heart. When was the last time a boy in a teen movie was worth all the fuss that inevitably bubbles up around him? And isnt that maybe just a commentary on what those boys actually stand for?

Teenage fantasy is To All the Boys vibranium, the inexhaustible resource that fuels all manner of cute hijinks. And yet, it has the nerve to go and deliver a romantic interest (two, if youre feeling generous) that in every way lives up to the burning ball of emotion that is Lara Jean Covey. Chalk that up to the larger-than-life  but never not-human  direction of Susan Johnson, and the excellent casting of Condor and Noah Centineo as her fake-but-not-really-fake boyfriend Peter Kavinsky. Together, they are able to stare down the entire history of teen rom-coms they reference both implicitly and explicitly, and do it all justice and then some.

Lara Jean is the middle child in a trio of sisters, Korean-Americans with a dead mom and a well-meaning Caucasian gynecologist father (yikes!). Her older sister Margot (Janel Parrish), we are told by way of prologue, snatched Lara Jeans crush Josh Sanderson (Israel Broussard) out from under her  but before leaving Portland for college in Scotland, Margot unceremoniously dumps him. As the school year begins and Lara Jean once again finds herself in a rut of social stagnancy, her younger sister, 11-year-old Kitty (Anna Cathcart) takes it upon herself to intervene, digging into her secret stash of unsent love letters, slapping stamps on them, and sending them off into the world. Lara Jean wakes up to a nightmare world where all her crushes  past and present  know her feelings, in florid detail. This includes Josh, but it also includes Peter, the jockish player she kissed once during a seventh-grade game of spin the bottle, and the recent ex of her former-best-friend-turned-mean-girl Genevieve (Emilija Baranac). In order to throw Josh, and the world, off the far more scandalous scent of her crush on her sisters ex, she and Peter go in on a fake relationship  Peter to make Genevieve jealous, and Lara Jean as shelter until the whole love letter thing blows over.

There are five letters in total, and if theres a flaw in To All the Boys, its one it shares with Jenny Hans bestselling YA book: I would have liked to see the ramifications of all five outed crushes. We only meet a third one besides the two most pressing, Lucas (Trezzo Mahoro), who has since come out as gay and is an intermittent sounding board for all of Lara Jeans woes. But it would be a fun teenage nightmare/fantasy for all five boys to come back into Lara Jeans life as a kind of Greek chorus of adolescent emotions. Both the primary letter recipients are more or less wildest-dreams crushes for Lara Jean; wouldnt it be interesting to see more variations on unrequited love, lopsided in all plausible directions? Romance, especially teen romance, is treated as such an aspirational pursuit in film, but for every love that cannot be, theres one left in the dust, probably unconsciously.

But other than that, its hard to find much to dislike about Johnsons sweet and savvy film, particularly Condor as its sparkling lead. In the films intro, shes seen running toward Broussard in a grassy field, wearing a flowing red Ren-Faire gown; its hard to not see her spiritually running around in a red gown for the rest of the movie, perpetually on the brink of spilling her emotional guts. Like most movie characters, shes wittier and quicker with a comeback than any actual teenager, but shes also a fully human creation, never relegated to one mode, and by turns mortified and ecstatic and seductive and reflective. Her voice-over narration feels like the way a diary entry reads, hushed and uncertain and exhilarated. Condor is a ready-made star, and Centineo rises to meet her, the adoring, throaty lunk any introverted teen dreams of coming around and melting away her shyness. Theirs is a teenage romance I can believe in, despite its ridiculously convoluted circumstances. And when was the last time you believed in a teenage romance!?Don't count on sanctions to drive Iran to Donald Trump's bargaining table. Bill Clinton tried that gambit 20 years go. It led to a decade of grief and misery for the Iranian people and set the world even closer to a nuclear-armed Iran.

Without question, there have been cases where sanctions have worked. The almost universally observed sanctions against South Africa eventually played a major role in bringing an end to apartheid and freeing the imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela. Equally, it is likely that the increasingly tough sanctions on North Korea played a role in bringing Kim Jong Un to the summit with Trump, though there is still no evidence that Kim is prepared to dismantle his nuclear program.

Continents and regions Embargoes and sanctions International relations International relations and national security Iran Iran nuclear development Middle East Middle East and North Africa Bill Clinton Donald Trump Embassies and consulates Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government departments and authorities Military Military weapons North America Nuclear weapons Political Figures - US State departments and diplomatic services Tehran The Americas United States Weapons and arms Weapons of mass destruction

But Iran is a different case -- and history is our guide. And, more importantly, there's already a strong suggestion that history is poised to repeat itself.

The evidence of the failure of sanctions is buried in a large collection of international cables, e-mails and memoranda, which the Washington-based National Security Archives managed to have declassified, at least in part. In the mid-1990s, the warnings were simple and direct: ratchet up sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program, and it will be pushed ever more deeply into the arms of its most rabid extremists. Sure enough, Clinton did ratchet them up, and the results were exactly what were predicted.

The warnings were strikingly similar in tone and language to many of those Trump has been hearing today. So, let's examine these warnings and their consequences.

Sanctions have been a part of American relations with Iran from the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, but especially since the time extremists seized the American embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, beginning in November 1979. Sanctions invoked by President Jimmy Carter had virtually no impact on the hostages' fate. Their release came on the morning Ronald Reagan was sworn in as Carter's successor.

But, in 1995, amid growing fears that Iran had embarked on a full-scale program to develop a deliverable nuclear weapon, Clinton imposed new sanctions, barring all American involvement with Iran's petroleum industry. By 1997, he'd turned the screws even tighter, banning all American trade with the country and recommended other countries to follow suit.

It was here that the cables pick up. "We do not view such pressure as an alternative to dialogue," then-Secretary of State Warren Christopher wrote in January 1996. Indeed, such a viewpoint was clearly held not only by the administration but by America's European allies and Middle Eastern friends as well.

"It would be very dangerous to isolate Iran totally," French President Jacques Chirac told the American ambassador to Paris, which the embassy promptly cabled to Christopher. "Experience proves that the US embargo benefits only the extremists." This was not only the view of the French, who had their own lucrative economic engagements with Iran at the time, but senior officials along the Persian Gulf, who would be far more directly affected. In June 1995, a cable from the American embassy in Abu Dhabi warned Christopher that a UAE official observed, "If Iran were pushed over the brink, the aftermath could prove risks for the entire region," adding that it was "neither necessary nor desirable for the US to take additional measures against Iran."

The fear throughout was that the consequences would be potentially horrific. And so they proved to be as the Clinton sanctions, taken to a new and higher level, were ratcheted up even further under his successor, George W. Bush who froze assets of individuals and businesses identified as aiding and abetting Iranian-sponsored terrorism, including non-Iranian banks doing business there.

Within Iran, the sanctions were beginning to bite, Kenneth Pollack, a scholar at Brookings Institution, describing them as "their greatest nightmare" since 1990.

And the results followed much of the script contained in the warning cables. The president, Hashemi Rafsanjani, elected twice, in 1989 and 1993, was described in his New York Times obituary as "a Machiavellian and often ruthless player in the power struggles among Iran's elite factions, protected by his close association with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the revolutionary leader who overthrew the shah in 1979." While considered a centrist, Rafsanjani would eventually head the Assembly of Experts who chose the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iran's Supreme Leader -- and determined foe of the United States.

Throughout this period, the sanctions offered little restraint on Iran's progress toward developing a deliverable nuclear weapon -- until the talks in 2015 led to the nuclear treaty putting the brakes on all such Iranian efforts.

Today, with his Iran sanctions efforts, Trump is taking us back to the 90s, with no assurance that sanctions will prove any more effective now than they were under Clinton or Bush. Indeed, if all restraints come off and Iran begins to rebuild its nuclear capabilities, Tehran could still have a bomb in a year, perhaps even a few months by some estimates.

On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader issued his own warning, saying that Iran would not participate in negotiations in the face of the latest round of US sanctions, though he pledged there would be "no war." Still, it was clear that Khamenei is as fully prepared to stand up to Trump as he was to Clinton, even in the face of sanctions that do appear to be biting into the already strapped Iranian economy. With the Iranian rial plunging 70% in value since May, some major Tehran money exchanges don't even list dollars or euros anymore.

At the same time, there is already the same ascendancy of extremist elements that the Clinton-era cables warned about. "Iran's senior officials are attempting to head off a looming economic crisis -- triggered by the return of US sanctions -- with threats of new rights-abusing policies," Human Rights Watch warned last Friday. They pointed to Tehran's prosecutor Jafari Dolotabadi, who's suggesting that importers who abuse government subsidies could be charged with "corruption on earth," which carries the death penalty. It is a warning not to be taken lightly as the government executed at least 507 individuals last year, according to Human Rights Watch estimates.

The sanctions are also beginning to have an impact on some of Iran's neighbors. When Iraq's prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, tried to walk a delicate tightrope, opposing the Trump sanctions while reluctantly agreeing to observe them, Iran let it be known that Abadi's planned visit to Tehran would not be welcome.

Still, we have a little breathing room before the next round of even more crippling sanctions kicks in this November. At that time, as Trump tweeted, with some apparent glee, "Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less!"

But as we can learn from examining the world of 20 years ago, the United States should not trust sanctions to drive Iran to the bargaining table, at least not anytime soon, and they will definitely not produce world peace. After all, it took more than a decade and the united force of six nationsthe five permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, Britain, France, Russia and China) plus Germany, none of whom have bought into the new round of American sanctions, to arrive at the Iran accord that Trump has ditched. Perhaps a will to negotiate can be found on both sides before the next round rolls in.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did discuss the recent Saudi-led airstrike in Yemen in a Monday call with a Saudi prince, an agency official said, after a State Department readout failed to note that aspect of the conversation.

In a readout of Pompeo's conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the top US diplomat made no mention of last week's Saudi-led airstrike on a school bus in Yemen that killed dozens of children, many under the age of 10.

Continents and regions Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government organizations - US Middle East Middle East and North Africa Saudi Arabia US Department of State US federal departments and agencies US federal government Yemen Mike Pompeo Political Figures - US

On Tuesday, when asked about the omission, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said not every detail of Pompeo's calls is included in readouts. She added, "This is an issue that the Secretary did raise."

"Our current position is for an investigation to take place," she added while saying that the State Department favored a Saudi-led investigation.

"We don't always list every single thing, every single item" in the Secretary's calls with foreign officials, she said when asked why neither the strike nor a probe were mentioned in the official State Department readout.

The UN has called for a separate investigation into the deadly strike.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis has said a three-star US general would be involved in an examination of the strike. Nauert said the general is in Saudi Arabia "today" and "was having conversations with the government of Saudi Arabia and coalition partners."Two red state Democrats are scheduled to meet Wednesday with President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, highly anticipated meetings that could set the tone for where some of the Senate's most vulnerable Democrats land on appeals court Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination.

Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Donnelly -- both members who face tough re-elections this fall in states Trump handily won -- are among the first Democrats to meet with Kavanaugh, preceded only by West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Heitkamp, Donnelly and Manchin also broke with their leadership and voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch last year.

Brett Kavanaugh Donald Trump Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government organizations - US Heidi Heitkamp Joe Donnelly Joe Manchin Political Figures - US Political organizations Politics US Congress US Democratic Party US federal court system US federal government US political parties US Senate US Supreme Court White House

Whip list: Where senators stand on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh

No Democratic votes are required to confirm Kavanaugh after a rules change last year, but that is only if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can hold his entire Republican conference together, a tall order with some independent-minded members. So far, key swing votes Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins have not said if they plan to back Kavanaugh.

Heitkamp and Donnelly's meetings come after thousands of documents related to Kavanaugh's time in the Bush White House were released last week. The documents include records of Kavanaugh's time in the White House counsel's office. Records related to his time in as staff secretary won't be released despite Democratic complaints that Republicans are hiding critical information.

Another issue for the Democrats: Kavanaugh's records are being screened by a group of lawyers working for Bush and by a team of lawyers from the Department of Justice. Democratic senators say the current process risks the omission of materials that would reveal Kavanaugh's true record.

It's not expected that either Donnelly or Heitkamp would immediately decide on whether or not they would support Kavanaugh.

"I want to get a sense of who he is as a person," Heitkamp told CNN in an interview Tuesday in Bismarck, North Dakota ahead of the meeting with Kavanaugh. "You aren't going to get him to answer questions on, 'what if this case came in front of you?' I tell people who say, 'well, he is going to do this,' I say, 'number one, you never know that someone is going to do.' I mean, look at the Burger court. No one would have predicted that they made the decision that they made. The single most important thing for me is somebody who approaches ever case with a completely open mind."

RELATED: In private, Kavanaugh hints at views on Mueller

After his meeting, Manchin told reporters he still wanted to read more about Kavanaugh as well as see him in his confirmation hearing, which has been scheduled for September 4 in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"I've told him, my thing is now is what until he has his Judiciary hearing. When the hearing is over, I will want to call him back in to sit down and go over basically what we heard today. What we have looked into in more detail and also seen what he said to the Judiciary hearing to see if there's anything we need clarification on," Manchin said after his meeting.

But while Manchin, Heitkamp and Donnelly are preparing for hard-fought re-election campaigns, they are also under pressure from their base and Democratic leaders to stay united against Kavanaugh -- especially if there are any Republican defections -- an example of the precarious balancing act the lawmakers face as they weigh Kavanaugh's nomination.

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify the nature of the interview with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in Bismarck.When former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced last year that he was leaving his cushy DC lobbying job to try to reclaim his old job, establishment Republicans cheered. Pawlenty, who spent eight years as the state's governor last decade, was seen as the party's only chance of winning the governor's mansion in the Democratic-tilting state.

On Tuesday, Pawlenty lost the Republican primary -- convincingly. The author of the shocking upset was Jeff Johnson, a lightly known Hennepin County commissioner.

2016 Presidential election Continents and regions Donald Trump Elections (by type) Elections and campaigns Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Governors Heads of government Midwestern United States Minnesota North America Political candidates Political Figures - US Political organizations Political parties Politics Primaries and caucuses The Americas Tim Pawlenty United States US Federal elections US federal government US political parties US Presidential elections US Republican Party White House Eastern Europe Europe Investigations Russia Russia meddling investigation

"The Republican Party has shifted," Pawlenty acknowledged in his concession speech Tuesday night. "It is the era of Trump, and I'm just not a Trump-like politician."

Yup, that captures the current state of affairs nicely.

What's remarkable is how quickly Trump's hostile takeover of the GOP happened. Back when Pawlenty ran for president in 2012, he was regarded as one of the bright young stars of the party -- someone who had cracked the code on how Republicans could win in blue states in the industrial Midwest. Six years later, Pawlenty couldn't even win a Republican primary in a state where he spent almost a decade as governor -- and against a candidate who no one gave a chance of unseating him when the race started.

Pawlenty becomes the latest example of the penalty paid by those Republicans who resist Trump and the sort of bare-knuckled politics he has brought to the GOP. Pawlenty now joins a scrap heap of one-time rising stars that includes, among many, many others, Jeb Bush, Jeff Flake and Bob Corker. All of these men spoke out against Trump during the course of the 2016 campaign. All lost -- or were driven into retirement -- as the direct result of that decision.

To be clear: Pawlenty's past opposition to Trump -- "He is unsound, uninformed, unhinged and unfit to be president of the United States, and I am withdrawing my support of him," the former governor said in the wake of the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape in 2016 -- wasn't the only reason he lost on Tuesday. Having served as a very well-paid lobbyist just before deciding to run for governor again isn't exactly the resume point most GOP voters (or any voters) are looking for right now. Retired politicians trying to get back into government also don't fit with the current political moment. And perhaps most importantly, there's a reason why Pawlenty's star never rose in that 2012 presidential race -- he was deeply underwhelming as a candidate, seemingly lacking the spine to strike the hard body blows against his opponents that every successful politician must.

Still, even with those clear problems, the Republican Party of, say, 2012, almost certainly re-nominates Pawlenty to be their gubernatorial nominee. He's the kind of guy with the kind of background and the kind of policy positions -- average guy looking out for the average Joe and Jane -- who Republicans long believed was their future.

No more. Trump killed that Republican ideal during the 2016 primary season. Whether it was Jeb(!) Bush, Marco Rubio or John Kasich, Republican voters rejected them all in favor of Trump's populist, nativist appeals to their raw emotions. These losers have failed you, Trump told the crowds -- and they believed him.

For all of Trump's divisiveness, his norm-shattering and his rejection of the ideas that have long defined what it means to be the President of the United States, he has been embraced by Republican voters like few GOP politicians before him. In Gallup's weekly national tracking poll, almost 90% of Republican voters have consistently expressed approval for the job Trump is doing as president -- even as less than half that number of the overall public shares those sentiments. Trump has cast himself as "the most popular person in the history of the Republican Party," adding: "I beat our Honest Abe."

Trump's death grip on the GOP's base explains the unwillingness of Republican leaders -- with the exception of those who are retiring -- to cross him, even when he says and does things (like saying that both Russia and the US were to blame for Russian election interference in 2016) that would have elicited calls to resign in the past. They are afraid of him. And as Pawlenty's loss proves, with good reason!

Whether or not the Republican establishment -- such as it still exists in frail replica of its former self -- wants to admit it, there aren't two wings of the current GOP. There is the Trump wing -- and that's it. Yes, pockets of resistance remain -- and can even score an occasional win in their ongoing battle against Trump. But they are very much the exception, not the rule. This is Donald Trump's party now, and any Republican not willing to kiss the ring runs the risk of getting Pawlenty-ed. And soon.Parents of Deshler High School students in Tuscumbia called on the school district to let the band director continue to teach their kids.

Craig Weeks is currently on paid administrative leave.

The district won't tell us why, but they did tell us they are handling a possible asbestos situation in the band room.

Band students still can't go inside their bandroom while asbestos tests are concluded.

While some parents WAAY 31 talked to said they're upset their children could have been exposed to asbestos they're even more upset over how the district is handling the situation.

According to parent Katie Herron the asbestos scare started a few weeks ago when carpet in the band room was lifted up during renovations to reveal older tile.

We know some students helped pull up the carpet and tile in the band room.

"We feel like he's bein' railroaded about something that's not even really his fault," said Herron.

Herron said Weeks told his superiors about the older tile and was simply given new tile to replace the old tile while students were still allowed in the band room for two weeks.

"We don't feel like he's done anything wrong or ever put a kid in harms way," said Herron.

The district told WAAY 31 air quality tests show no signs of asbestos from the carpet, but they're waiting on results from tests of the tile.

The district will not comment on the paid leave of Weeks, because it is a personnel matter.

Meanwhile, the kids are continuing on with an interim band director.

"Our kids are working hard. They're out here every day putting a hundred and fifty percent in, because they want to put that show on and they want to do it for mr. Weeks to show him that they still love band and they want to play, but they want to play for him," said Herron.

Their hearts are heavy because of everything the 14 year veteran band director means to the program.

"He helps us raise these kids and they don't think of him as their teacher, or their band director. He's a second dad. He's a mentor. He's a friend," said Herron.

Weeks doesn't just provide that kind of leadership.

According to parents he can also provide a leg up for the future.

"He can get them exposure they need, honor bands they need, scholarship tryouts they need," said Herron.

Parents WAAY 31 talked to said they just want the school district to reinstate Mr. Weeks quickly, so their students don't miss out on opportunities.

The district did not say how long Weeks may be on paid leave.The Alabama Certificate of Need Review Board has approved Huntsville Hospital's plan for a new multi-story bed tower.

The $150 million West Bed Tower is being built to meet growing patient demand.

The tower will be built along Gallatin Street starting in early 2019.

According to officials with Huntsville Hospital, the construction is expected to take nearly two years.

The tower will hold 72 private patient rooms and 24 operating rooms. There will also be shelled-in space for future needs.

It will be located across from the hospital's front entrance and will be connected by an elevated walkway.

Hospital leaders decided to increase the number of operating rooms after Toyota-Mazda chose Huntsville to house their auto plant.

The new tower isn't the only construction happening at the hospital.

Right now, crews are working on a new 600-space parking deck.Lincoln County High School students will learn new skills and work with modern technology after a steel company donated $80,000 worth of equipment. Darrin Simms never saw it coming.

"I don't know if I can put it into words, I mean they are giving us roughly $80,000 worth of stuff here," Simms said.

Simms is a Career and Technical Education teacher (CTE) at Lincoln County High School. He works hands-on with students focusing on a variety of skills, such as heating and air conditioning, electrical wiring, and plumbing. After Nippon Steel closed their manufacturing plant in Fayetteville in July and moved operations back to Japan, the company donated some equipment to the school.

"This is a little more advanced than what we've had over the last couple of years," Simms said. "It's going to help us with more advanced training."

One of the biggest donations is a steel and aluminum mill worth approximately $40,000 dollars and is something students can expect to see in the modern workforce.

"Our machines are probably, I'd say, 30 years-old," Reese McDow, a senior at Lincoln County High School, said. "My dad worked on them and he is 40."

McDow is heavily involved in tech courses at the school. He says working with new equipment will help students be prepared for the real world.

"We aren't just going to go in there and take training classes and spend hundreds of dollars just trying to get training," McDow said. "We already know we can just jump in and go."

Nippon Steel may be gone, but they will have a lasting impact on these students.

"There legacy will kind of go on forever, because they've donated this stuff and for years to come there will be more students that can learn more from these benefits," Simms said.

Nippon Steel also donated equipment to Motlow State Community College in Fayetteville.Parents in Madison County are on edge after learning their neighbor is an accused child sex offender. According to deputies, 70-year-old Don Hendrix is charged with four counts of traveling to meet a child for sex, four counts of sexual abuse, and three counts of sexual torture. WAAY 31 spoke with neighbors about the accused criminal and learned just how close he was to other children.

Its insane, terrifying to know that something like that was right across the street from where my girls are," said Cheryl Langley who is a mother of two and found out from WAAY 31 that her next-door neighbor, 70-year-old Don Hendrix, is accused of committing sex crimes against a child. "Sick to my stomach," she said. "Angry.

And Langley isn't the only Whitt Haven parent whos concerned about the news. "I know we dont live in a perfect world so Im not ever going to say, Not my neighborhood, because it can happen anywhere, but I am shocked," another parent said.

Officials tell WAAY 31 the victim is related to Hendrix. "Thats somebody theyre supposed to know. Their family," said Langley. "Theres just no excuse. How dare somebody do something like that.

Neighbors say the incident has definitely opened their eyes to what can happen around them. "I dont care how safe you think a neighborhood is, theres always an opportunist, so you do have to be very vigilant and watch out for your family, regardless of where you live," one parent said. "Makes me nervous to let my kids out now. I will be paying a lot closer attention," Langley added.

Officials with the Madison County Sheriffs Office tell WAAY 31 that Hendrix is still being held at the Madison County jail on a $390,000 bond.CHICAGO (AP) - Drug Enforcement Administration officials tell The Associated Press that new plans to combat Mexican drug cartels will be unveiled in Chicago alongside members of the Mexican government.

Wednesday's announcement at a joint news conference will be a public display of bilateral cooperation amid ongoing tensions over President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies.

The new plans include putting greater emphasis on attacking cartels' financial infrastructure. Strategies also call for a new enforcement group, based in Chicago, focused on international investigations.

The DEA didn't immediately release the names of the Mexican officials attending the Chicago event.

The director for the DEA's North and Central American Region, Matthew Donahue, told the AP Tuesday the U.S. wants cooperation with Mexico "to be a little more efficient, a little bit more aggressive."

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)Two men, one from Guatemala, the other from Mexico, have pleaded guilty to crossing into the United States after having been deported.

Twenty-eight-year-old Victor Yobany Archila-Rojas of Guatemala illegally crossed from Canada in Sandy Bay Township on July 29. He'd been deported in 2013.

Forty-five-year-old Benigno Godinez-Cortez of Mexico crossed a railroad trestle near Calais on July 10. He'd been deported after an arrest in 1994.

Both entered their pleas Tuesday, and both face up to two years in prison.

An Australian woman, meanwhile, pleaded guilty Tuesday to encouraging Godinez-Cortez to cross the border. She faces up to five years in jail.ONE of Waterfords most-loved shopping centres has been placed on the market, with a guide price of 24.5m. City Square is perfectly located in the...WATERFORD is the most sunny city in Ireland and the county is second in the sunshine league, being pipped to first place by our...IMAGINING Arts was about all we could do over the last 18 months or so, but now we need imagine no more. Celebrating its 20th...



SPRINGFIELD - Wednesday, Governor Rauner spoke to supporters at the Governor's Day rally at the State Fair. He focused on the need for lower taxes, more jobs, and ending corruption. His speech highlights the clear distinction between him and Madigan's handpicked candidate JB Pritzker, his campaign office said in a press release distributed after the speech.

Some excerpts from the governor's speech:Americas trade war with China and diplomatic engagement with North Korea have captured the headlines. But what of Americas stalwart ally Japan? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had established the closest relationship with President Trump of any world leader. But Tokyo didnt receive preferential treatment on tariffs and was surprised by the U.S. policy reversal on North Korea. Abe traveled to the U.S. to ensure Japanese priorities were addressed during the Trump-Kim summit.If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

SubmitThe largest inland body of water will be neither sea nor lake but will benefit from "special" status. The leaders of Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed the deal. Some 50 billion barrels of oil and 300 trillion cubic metres of natural gas are at stake. The sea is famous for its caviar, the roe of wild sturgeons.

Tehran (AsiaNews)  Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have reached a landmark agreement on how to divide the Caspian Sea and put an end to the dispute over the legal status of the body water that began with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Under the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the Caspian Sea is neither a lake nor a sea, despite its name. The agreement establishes a formula for dividing up its fishing and seabed resources, including oil and gas.

The deal was signed in the Kazakh city of Aktau on Sunday, which Turkmenistan declared "Day of the Caspian Sea".

Its provisions will determine how gas and oil pipelines will be built, how environmental issues will be managed, and how its various ecosystems will be protected.

The signatories also established that no other regional or world power will be allowed to establish a military presence in the area.

The decision was long in the making. According to experts, it will be essential to easing tensions around among the five nations.

For Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the signing of the Convention is a major event, a view shared by his colleagues, including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Kremlin, the agreement keeps most of the Caspian Sea as a shared area; however, the seabed and natural resources are divided between the five countries.

The sea will benefit from a special status with free access from all the coasts, going beyond the concept of territorial waters.

A key factor is the delimitation of seabed boundaries, whose precise definition must be the subject of further negotiations in bilateral rather than multilateral discussions.

The question of calling the Caspian a sea as opposed to a lake is not academic. What is at stake is ownership of rich oil and gas resources. It's estimated there are 50 billion barrels of oil and nearly 300 trillion cubic feet (8.4 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas beneath its seabed.

If treated as a sea, the Caspian would be divided based on median lines, running at an equal distance from the acknowledged coast baselines of the five states. If treated as a lake, each state would get an equal share. For example, had the Caspian been deemed a lake, Iran would benefit at the expense of Kazakhstan.

The deal signed in Aktau is the fifth since 2002. More than 50 ministerial and technical meetings have been held since the collapse of the Soviet empire.

The Caspian Sea is famous for its caviar, which comes from the roe of its sturgeons. About 80 to 90 per cent of world production of caviar comes from here; however, the latter has been in the decline in the past few decades.Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Aug. 15, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 15, 2018 | 12:26 PM | PADUCAH

After an interview Tuesday, in which Governor Matt Bevin compared state workers who are angry about changes in the pension system to drowning victims who panic and fight their rescuers, Bevin spoke about the situation again Wednesday morning on a Paducah radio station.



Bevin told "The Greg Dunker Show" on WKYX that he used an analogy that has been conflated and characterized into a personal attack on teachers and state workers. But he said those people are continuing to fight against their own best interests.



Bevin said the hard-working teachers have paid millions of dollars in dues to the KEA and unions who promised to defend them, but instead, those organizations helped elect the legislators and governors who fleeced the system.



"The previous governor never funded the pensions fully, never even submitted a budget asking that they be funded. Most of his budgets didn't even fund half of what was required by actuaries, and yet, the teacher's unions fell over backwards supporting him. Loved him. Why? Because he was of the same political ideology. And sadly, now we have the worst funded pension system in America," Bevin said.



Bevin said the ones who stand to lose the most are the men and women who are expecting their benefits from the crippled system - not the teacher's unions.



He said, "They already have the union dues. They have the money, the power, the control, but they are misusing it and leaving their own membership out to dry."



Bevin said his comments aren't personal attacks, but his observations of the situation.



He said, "To try to conflate that into a personal attack is the exact reason why people have been wasting their money on teacher's union dues. Because this isn't about what's best for the individuals in the plan. It isn't about what's best for the plan itself. It's about silly things and about political points and about people being falsely outraged, and it's nonsense."



Bevin said teachers and other state employees who have been falsely represented for years should be outraged by the people in unions and the legislature who helped let the pension system get underfunded. Instead, he said, they're angry at him and the current legislators who are trying to fix the problem.Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

Your Full Name: (optional)

Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Aug. 15, 2018 | CARBONDALE

By The Associated Press Aug. 15, 2018 | 03:38 PM | CARBONDALE

The search for a new president for Southern Illinois University could take a year following the resignation of its previous leader following a contentious dispute over shifting state funding between its campuses.



The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan reports Board of Trustees members met in a private session for nearly three hours Tuesday to discuss how they will replace former President Randy Dunn, who resigned in July.



Board chairwoman Amy Sholar says the trustees will work with two consultants but will take their time. Sholar says she hopes a new president will be in place before the fall 2019 semester starts.



Dunn became the target of criticism over his handling of a proposal to shift $5 million in state funding from the school's Carbondale campus to the Edwardsville campus.By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 15, 2018 | 12:23 PM | MAYFIELD

A truck and tractor pull in Graves County this weekend will ensure that some local kids have a very Merry Christmas this year.

It's called Pulling for Kids, a truck and tractor pulling competition put on by Ken/Ten and Graves County Truck & Tractor Pullers. It's this Saturday at 7:00 pm at the Graves County Fairgrounds in Mayfield.

Organizer Larry Wooley says this is the 11th year for the annual event, which features several different truck and tractor classes.

It's turned into a great thing, Wooley said. The community has gotten behind us. When you're doing something for kids, people get behind you and support you 100 percent.

All proceeds from the event will go to provide Christmas assistance to students at Mayfield and Graves County schools. Tickets can be purchased at the gate. Admission is $10 for ages 13 and older, and $5 for kids 6-12 years old. Free admission for kids under five years old.By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 14, 2018 | 06:33 PM | GRAVES COUNTY

A collision between a car and a motorcycle Tuesday morning in Graves County left a Mayfield man seriously injured.

The crash happened around 6:00 am on Westplains Road, near Herman Road. According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, 19-year-old Claire Thomas, of Fancy Farm, was westbound on Westplains Road when she topped a hill and struck an eastbound motorcycle reportedly in her lane.

Deputies said the operator of the motorcycle, 36-year-old Dustin Bell, of Mayfield, was not wearing a helmet and suffered multiple injuries. He was treated by Mayfield-Graves County EMS and taken to the parking lot at Trace Creek Baptist Church, where he was airlifted to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, IN.

Thomas had minor scrapes from airbag deployment, but was otherwise uninjured.

Deputies say the investigation is ongoing and charges against Bell are expected.IL House passes amendment to allow those who refuse vaccine to be firedWINNEBAGO COUNTY, Ill. (WIFR) -- 911 dispatchers are typically the first people we talk to in an emergency situation. 911 centers across the country are experiencing dispatch shortages according to a Wall Street Journal article. Some area 911 centers are falling short when it comes to staffing and others are just getting up to speed.

"The safety of our public and the safety of our deputies depend on highly skilled 911 dispatchers, said Chief Deputy Mark Karner with the Winnebago County Sheriffs Office.

911 centers around the U.S. are struggling to fill dispatch positions due to the high-stress demands of the job.

You have to be smart, you have to be articulate, you have to have good technology skills, said Karner.

The Winnebago County 911 center currently has 18 employees, seven fewer than where they should be, causing current call takers to work overtime. The sheriff's office says the county can't afford to pay for additional staff.

We have people ready and willing and able to be hired. We haven't been given the funding. The stability of the county's finances contributed to some departures, no question about it, said Karner.

For the first time in three years the Boone County 911 center is fully staffed with 16 employees.

"Training is typically the time that we lose most of our employees. They think it's as easy as answering the phone and telling them where to go but there's so much more that's involved, said Lieutenant with the Boone County Sheriffs Office Pat Molloy.

Lieutenant Molloy says the emotional aspect of being a 911 dispatcher can lead to burnout in many cases but the reward of helping to keep the public safe makes it worthwhile.

The amount of stress they deal with goes underappreciated and they do a tremendous job and I couldn't be prouder being in charge of them, said Molloy.

We value the employees that we have, they do an amazing job, said Karner.

The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office plans to ask for a budget amendment this week from the county finance committee to be able to get the money needed to fill those seven vacancies.By: Paige Cline Sometimes I am asked to reprint a column from the past. Here[Read More]For the first time in a week, investigators returned to the makeshift New Mexico compound where 11 starving children lived in squalor.

But this time, they know a lot more about what happened at the filthy site in Amalia, where the decomposed body of a young boy was found.

Belief, religion and spirituality Deaths and fatalities Investigations Society Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj Continents and regions Misc people New Mexico North America Siraj Wahhaj Southwestern United States The Americas United States Jany Leveille Subhannah Wahhaj

Investigators searched vehicles on the property on Tuesday, according to a law enforcement source close to the investigation.

As authorities return to the compound, four of the five suspects accused of abusing the children could be released on bond at any moment.

Here's the latest on this bizarre case:

Suspect asks man to drain his bank account and bring guns

Many wonder how 16 people survived for more than seven months with no plumbing and apparently very little food. Those found by authorities include:

-- Siraj Wahhaj, who is suspected of fleeing Georgia with his young son Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj

-- His sisters Hujrah and Subhannah Wahhaj

-- His brother-in-law Lucas Morten

-- Jany Leveille, who was considered Siraj Wahhaj's "Muslim wife"

-- 11 children, ages 1 to 15, who are the children of the three women.

On Tuesday, a family member told CNN it was Leveille who wrote a letter to Wahhaj's brother in December, asking for money and weapons.

"Take all your money out the bank and bring your guns," said the letter, addressed to "Muhammad."

"Allah says He will protect you always, so follow until He makes you die as a martyr as you wanted and the only way is by joining the righteous (us)."

Leveille also warns Wahhaj's brother not to tell his father, because if he does, "you will put all of us in danger. So DON'T."

Muhammad never joined his brother at the compound in New Mexico.

A disabled boy allegedly died in a religious ceremony

The one child who still hasn't been seen alive is Abdul-Ghani. Throughout his young life, he's been plagued by medical problems. He couldn't walk properly and suffered frequent seizures, his mother told CNN.

After the toddler's father took him from Georgia to New Mexico, Abdul-Ghani died during a religious ritual meant to cast demons from his body, prosecutors said a preliminary hearing Monday.

The family believed that once the demons were gone, the boy would later return as Jesus and tell his family which institutions to get rid of, a witness said.

It's still not clear whether the remains of a young boy found at the compound are those of Abdul-Ghani -- and if they are, what the cause of death was.

Authorities found the remains on August 6, which would have been Abdul-Ghani's fourth birthday. But the remains were so decomposed, officials said they might take weeks to identify.

While many people are perplexed by the ritual on Abdul-Ghani, an attorney for the boy's father said public perception is skewed because of the five suspects' race and religion.

"If these were white Christians, faith healing is of no consequence because we have freedom of religion in this country," said Thomas Clark, an attorney for Siraj Wahhaj. "But they look different and they worship differently from the rest of us."

Leveille allegedly claimed Abdul-Ghani's mom stole the boy from her womb

More clues are emerging about the drama between Wahhaj; his legal wife in Georgia, who is Abdul-Ghani's mother; and Leveille, who was found with Wahhaj in New Mexico.

According to court testimony and a family member, Leveille was considered Wahhaj's "Muslim wife."

Family members at the compound believed Leveille received messages from God, FBI agent Travis Taylor testified. One of those messages purportedly said family members should go to New Mexico to continue trying to expel demons from Abdul-Ghani.

According to the testimony, one of the older children rescued from the compound said Leveille thought Abdul-Ghani was her baby -- and that the toddler's mother had stolen him from her womb using black magic.

Leveille, who is from Haiti, overstayed a non-immigrant visitor visa for more than 20 years and is now in custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa. A hearing before a judge will be scheduled.Jahana Hayes moved one step closer towards becoming Connecticut's first black Democrat in Congress on Tuesday when the former National Teacher of the Year bested Mary Glassman in the state's 5th Congressional District primary.

Glassman conceded to Hayes as results streamed in, calling her a "tough competitor" who "ran a good race." The seat was opened when Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Esty announced she wouldn't be seeking re-election following accusations she mishandled an abuse claim in her office.

Connecticut Continents and regions Crime, law enforcement and corrections Crimes against persons Criminal offenses Education Elections and campaigns Government and public administration Government organizations - US Homicide Mass murder Murder North America Northeastern United States Politics Sandy Hook School Shooting Shootings Teachers and teaching The Americas United States US Congress

President Barack Obama named Hayes, who was then teaching social studies at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, National Teacher of the Year in 2016. She was celebrated for her story: She grew up in a housing project in Waterbury, was raised by her grandmother while her mother struggled with drug addiction and became a mom at 17.

"Our teacher of the year here stands as proof that you can't set expectations high enough for our kids," Obama said. "There's magic in those kids. We just have to find it."

Hayes ran toward her story during her primary campaign, touting the hurdles she overcame to get to her place in life and her campaign prominently featured Obama awarding her the teacher's award.

"This is my home, where people are strong, but they aren't supposed to run for Congress," Hayes said in a campaign video about Waterbury. "If Congress starts to look like us, no one can stop us. This is our moment to act, to organize, and bring our truth to power."

Hayes ran on protecting the public education system, moving towards a single-payer health care system and passing gun control legislation, a position she attributes to the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in nearby Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Hayes will face either Republicans Manny Santos, Ruby Corby O'Neill or Rich DuPont in the November general election. The district leans Democratic, according to a host of race ratings.Amy and Marco Becerra got some very welcome news Wednesday: The orphaned Peruvian girl they adopted will not be deported.

US Rep. Mike Coffman, who took up the Colorado couple's cause, told CNN that he met with immigration officials, who will allow the child to seek citizenship.

Continents and regions Latin America North America Peru South America The Americas United States Citizenship and naturalization Deportation Families and children Immigration Immigration, citizenship and displacement International relations and national security Mike Coffman Orphans Political Figures - US Society Adoption Parents and parenting Embassies and consulates Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government departments and authorities International relations State departments and diplomatic services Colorado Southwestern United States Undocumented immigrants

The Becerras, both US citizens, were living in Peru in 2014 when they met the newborn girl they would name Angela. They fostered, then adopted her and eventually brought the girl back to their home in Aurora on a tourist visa. Amy Becerra works for the state of Colorado, while Marco Becerra, who is also a citizen of Peru, works for the federal government.

"She changed our lives. We became parents. And so it was no longer about our needs. It was what was best for Angela," Amy Becerra said. "And coming back to the US was best for Angela hands down, largely because of education."

READ: The Becerras put together this story of Angela.

But the couple's plan to raise Angela, now 4, in Colorado was in jeopardy. Angela's tourist visa expires at the end of the month and US Citizenship and Immigration Services had initially denied the child's application for citizenship.

Her parents feared Angela would have become an undocumented immigrant and faced deportation.

"It's inconceivable that a child of two citizen parents would have to live out their life as an undocumented alien in this country," Amy Becerra told CNN affiliate KDVR before the decision.

From a Peruvian orphanage

The Becerras met Angela when she was just 12 days old and living in an orphanage.

"On that very day they literally placed her in our hands," said Amy Becerra, who volunteered at the orphanage. "The orphanage director said, 'Hey, wait a minute, will you guys take care of her?'"

The little girl had been abandoned by her mother, who lived in extreme poverty and had a developmental disability, Amy Becerra said.

"She needed medical care. Her first year of life she was often sick," Amy Becerra said. "But medical care, diapers, formula, whatever needs she had, we took care of it."

The couple was granted a provisional adoption in October 2014. The adoption was finalized in July 2017, leading the couple to make plans to return to the United States, Amy Becerra said. Angela was issued a six-month tourist visa early this year.

"We complied with the laws in both countries," Amy Becerra said.

Fighting for citizenship

In its August 8 denial, the immigration agency said the couple "failed to demonstrate" that they had "legal custody" of Angela for two years before filing the petition for citizenship, Angela Becerra said.

The USCIS has not responded to a request for comment.

The denial also said the couple failed to demonstrate that the adoption does not fall under the Hague Convention. That's an international treaty on adoptions forged to save children from being kidnapped and whisked across borders.

But the couple argued that the 2014 provisional adoption constitutes legal custody.

"It said we had not demonstrated we had full legal custody prior to July 2017," Amy Becerra said. "But we had it prior to October 2014. We had it in four different court documents."

"I've encountered nothing but incompetency and conflicting information," Amy Becerra said of the fight so far.

Still, they are keeping their fingers crossed.

If they get word that her citizenship is approved, Marco Becerra said, "We're going to make a big party. A big, big party."UTICA  An $11 million apartment complex renovation in the city of Utica is now complete.

The former Jeffrey Hardware building on Bleecker Street, which was built in 1893 and sat vacant for eight years, has been transformed into 49 apartments with the help of a New York State grant.

The building is now known as Asteri Utica and it includes one- and two-bedroom apartments, a fitness center, two offices and a community space. The building also includes 12 unites for individuals with developmental disabilities.

A state official who attended the ribbon cutting event on Wednesday says that grants like the one that made this project possible are designed to improve downtown areas all over the state.

This project, Asteri Utica, is a part of the governors $20 billion Affordable and Homeless Housing Plan and we are doing projects like this  49 units here in Utica  but we are doing this from Buffalo to Brooklyn and everywhere in between, where we are making investments to revitalize existing buildings to provide affordable housing and to provide housing for people with services who need a place to live and committees that they call home, said RuthAnne Visnauskas, commissioner for New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

Residents have already moved into the newly renovated building.The state Department of Transportation and Rome residents are celebrating the completion of the Veterans Memorial Parkway in the Griffiss Business and Technology Park.

It was a $21.9 million project to reconstruct 2.6 miles of Route 825 in Rome, between state routes 49 and 46 (Black River Boulevard).

The third and final phase, which cost $8.8 million, was completed three months ahead of schedule, according to the state DOT.

The construction project included adding roundabouts, sidewalks, and a new trail to connect to the Griffiss Sculpture Park trail. The road was also transformed from two lanes to four.

DOT officials say the goal was to make the area safer and boost the local economy.

We've seen a lot of growth here in the community, said Sean Hennessey, assistant commissioner for operations for the state DOT. From the work we have done, we see Stewarts Shop, we see new hotels and shops. The business park has really prospered just from the development of this project.

The project was part of Gov. Andrew Cuomos Drivers First Initiative.COOPERSTOWN  The former SUNY Oneonta student who is accused of stabbing his girlfriend in an Oneonta apartment last year has accepted a plea deal, according to the Otsego County District Attorneys Office.

In Otsego County Court on Tuesday, Julian Vancourt-Wels of Schenectady pleaded guilty to felony first-degree assault in exchange for 10 years in state prison.

On Dec. 8, 2017, Oneonta police were called to an apartment on Maple Street where they found a female victim with stab wounds to the face, wrist and shoulders. Police said Vancourt-Wels showed them the small kitchen knife he had used to stab his girlfriend multiple times.

Vancourt-Wels was initially charged with felony second-degree attempted murder, felony first-degree assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Vancourt-Wels is scheduled to be sentenced in Otsego County Court on Oct. 5.ROME, NY - The Griffiss Institute announced Tuesday that they will be receiving an Upstate Revitalization Initiative Grant for 2 million dollars over the next 3 years.

The grant will be used to fund the Innovation and Development Entrepreneurial Accelerator program or the IDEA New York program.

IDEA NY will supplement the Commercialization Academy, which the institute has been running for the past 4 years in conjunction with Rome Lab.

It takes aspiring entrepreneurs and teams them up with technology from the lab in hopes of bringing new start-up companies to New York state.

Bill Wolf, the president of the Griffiss Institute says the program has brought 45 start-up companies to the state, of those companies more than 30 of them are still in operation.

"We have had companies from high tech companies, companies building cybersecurity tools, to telemedicine for pets. We run the gambit. A lot of the companies employ the technology from the airforce research lab in ways we never thought they could. That's the objective of the program, to transfer the technology out and commercialize it."

IDEA NY will fund prizes for a Shark Tank like event at the end of the Commercialization Academy.

Winners of the competition will have to keep their businesses in NY for at least a year to receive the prize.

Applications for the IDEA NY program will be available starting in September.

Click here for the application.UTICA  A truck driver from Lee Center has pleaded guilty to perjury for receiving Workers Compensation benefits he wasnt entitled to, according to New York State Workers Compensation Fraud Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott.

Roger Decker Jr., 48, pleaded guilty to third-degree perjury in Utica City Court on Wednesday.

Decker was charged back in June with the felonies of third-degree falsifying business records, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, third-degree insurance fraud, first-degree perjury, and third-degree grand larceny.

According to Leahy Scott, Decker was injured while he was working for an Oneida County trucking company in 2004, and shortly afterward he stopped working and started collecting Workers Compensation benefits. Leahy Scott says Decker repeatedly submitted falsified forms to the state Workers Compensation Board and to his physician in 2016 and 2017, and he testified that he hadnt worked in more than a decade when he actually worked for at least two trucking companies during that time.

Leahy Scott says Decker received $7,875.08 in Workers Compensation benefits in 2016 that he wasnt entitled to.

In late 2017, Decker also applied for a highway maintenance job with the New York State Department of Transportation and submitted documents saying he had never been injured while working, according to Leahy Scott. He was then fired from that position when he was arrested in June.

After pleading guilty in Utica City Court, Decker was released on his own recognizance and he is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18.OLEAN, N.Y. (AP) - State police in western New York say they're looking for one of their rifles.

Troopers say the Rock River Arms rifle was last seen early Monday on Buffalo Street near the state police barracks off Interstate 86 in Olean in Cattaraugus County, 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Buffalo.

Troopers say the semi-automatic, AR-15-style weapon was in a soft black carrying case.

A news release on the missing gun sent out Tuesday by Troop A didn't mention that the weapon belonged to state police, but troopers later confirmed to local media that the rifle is a state police weapon.

No other details have been released.

State police are seeking the public's help in locating the rifle.

Troopers say an internal investigation is underway.ROME  A town hall was held Tuesday in Rome, aimed at addressing KKK fliers recently being distributed in a local neighborhood.

The public came out to learn more about how the incident is being handled. People were able to voice their concerns to law enforcement, The Rome Common Council, the Rome City School District, and other agencies about the incident.

Sheriff Rob Maciol gave an update on the investigation into who might be distributing the fliers.

He says deputies have been conducting interviews in Rome neighborhoods, and are working closely with state police to find the person responsible for the fliers. So far, deputies have not found anyone, but the investigation is ongoing.

Maciol says while no laws were broken its important to know whos distributing the fliers in case that person could be linked to any criminal activity.

This is the second forum being held in Rome about the incident. There was recently a public meeting at Jervis Library as well.

Anyone who has information about the investigation, including home surveillance cameras, are asked to call the Sheriffs Office at 315-736-0141. All calls will remain confidential.The Yorkville man who is accused of stabbing his brother to death last month has been indicted on a murder charge by an Oneida County grand jury, according to the Oneida County District Attorney's Office.

John Ferguson, 37, was indicted Monday on charges of second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Ferguson is accused of stabbing his brother, 42-year-old Daryl Ferguson, to death at the home they shared with their mother in Yorkville on July 17.



Police search 10 Jones Place in Yorkville on July 17, 2018 Police search 10 Jones Place in Yorkville on July 17, 2018

RELATED: Yorkville murder: New information

Around 3:50 a.m. July 17, Yorkville police were called to 10 Jones Place for a reported assault. Police say the two brothers got into an argument that led to John stabbing Daryl to death, and their mother called 911 when she heard them arguing.

When police arrived at the home, they found John on the front porch and they found Daryl dead from multiple stab wounds in a bedroom inside the home. According to the arrest narrative, Daryl was stabbed in the stomach, back and chest with a kitchen knife.

Police said that was not the first time they had been to their home.

John Ferguson is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges next week.

RELATED: Police ID Yorkville man accused of stabbing brother to deathCARROLL COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  A Carroll County woman is concerned about jail conditions after visiting an inmate on a regular basis.

Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby is aware of her frustration and said he believes most of the county feels the same.

Marcella Peterson said she doesn't like what's happening inside the jail. Though she admits some of what she is sharing she hasn't actually witnessed.

"I hear a veterinarian was a nurse," said Peterson.

Sheriff Leazenby said the nurse on staff is more than qualified to do the job.

"That's an opinion, she's licensed," said Leazenby.

He said he would bet almost every jail has received complaints about inmate's health care and about lice, one of the other complaints he confirmed.

"Indiana law requires that we provide basic medical services and so if anybody is expecting they are going to get more than that, you know let's face it I mean it's jail," said Leazenby.

Peterson still doesn't think it's right.

"I think they are still human and they need to be taken care of, you know we pay our taxes and the inmates should still be taken care of," she said.

Peterson also expressed concerns about head lice and inmates not being able to shave.

Leazenby confirmed the lice and said it was taken care of immediately. As far as shaving goes, he said privileges were taken away for basic safety purposes after a recent disciplinary issue with an inmate.

Peterson was also concerned about sleeping arrangements, Leazenby said there simply isn't enough space.

"They are sleeping in the what's considered the day room area which is outside of each individual pod," he said.

There are currently 58 inmates in a jail only built to hold 34. It's an on-going issue he is hopeful will end soon considering an architect firm was hired to explore options back in January.

"I know that is still being done and maybe not as quickly as folks would like to see it but it's moving forward and I'm encouraged by that," said Leazenby.The Japanese Minister of Education will also be present. The initiative involves a thousand students. Tokyo wants to confirm a summit with Xi in October. China and Japan mark 40 years since the signing of their peace and friendship treaty. Both want to counter US protectionism as the trade war escalates.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang plans to attend a student exchange event with Japan later this month, sources close to diplomatic circles said.

The relations between the two neighbouring countries have improved lately. Beijing looks to Tokyo to counter US hegemony in the region, as the trade war with Washington heats up.

The event, set for 29 August at Peking University in Beijing, will bring together about 1,000 Japanese and Chinese students. Japans Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yoshimasa Hayashi is expected to attend.

Tokyo hopes that the event will confirm Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to China for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially in October, sources said.

The relationship between the two countries, which has often been strained by differences in views on history and territory, has been improving recently. Two days ago, the two marked the 40th anniversary of the signing of a peace and friendship treaty.

Last May, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited Japan, becoming the first high-ranking Chinese official to visit the country in seven years. On that occasion, the two leaders agreed to promote student exchanges.

China has been looking to its neighbours to counter US hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region.

Although Tokyo has sought to boost ties with Beijing to improve regional stability, some diplomats warn that China is likely to try to drive a wedge into the Japan-US alliance.

What is certain is that the trade war between Washington and Beijing is pushing Tokyo to get closer to China to resist US protectionism.



China News on Women





Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home pageSuffragette with Wrexham links features in new exhibition

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Aug 15th, 2018

A Suffragette with links to Wrexham has featured in an important new exhibition which tells the story of how women fought to have their say in Parliament.

The battle to earn women the right to vote  won 100 years ago, in 1918  is detailed in Voice and Vote: Womens Place in Parliament.

Located at Westminster Hall in London, the free exhibition tells the often turbulent story of the Suffragette movement  and it even features an activist who had connections with Wrexham.

Speaking about the exhibition, Wrexham MP Ian Lucas said that it is important the people of Wrexham come and hear the story of this hidden history

The town has its own links to the Suffragette movement and, if any of my constituents are in London this summer, then Id urge them to pay a visit to this fascinating exhibition, he continued.

Not only should we remember those who fought for the democratic rights we have now, but I would urge everyone to make their voices heard in our democracy today.

The exhibition marks 100 years since The Representation of the People Act 1918, which extended the right to vote to all men over 21 and some women (those over the age of 30 who met a property qualification).

Wrexham has its own place in Suffragette history.

The leader of militant suffragettes, Emmeline Pankhurst, spoke to a large crowd at the Drill Hall on Poyser Street in January 1912, while in September of the same year a suffragette called Kitty Marion heckled future prime minister Lloyd George during his speech at the Gorsedd Ceremony of the National Eisteddfod of Wales, held in Wrexhams Bellevue Park.

The crowd savagely attacked her, with photographs of the incident appearing in the national press and questions asked in Parliament.

Wrexham was also home to a non-militant branch of the National Union of Womens Suffrage Societies. Their meetings were attended by Liverpool activist Muriel Matters, who has her own section at the Voice and Vote exhibition.

Two people whose names are on the plinth dedicated to NUWSS founder Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square also worked regularly with the Wrexham branch  Maud Royden and Mrs Raffles-Bulley.

Melanie Unwin, co-curator of the Voice and Vote exhibition, promises visitors will be immersed in lost historical spaces. Rare historic exhibits from around the country, some of which have never been on public display before, help to tell the story of the battle for women to gain the right to vote.

The exhibition runs until October 6. Capacity is limited so advance booking is recommended. Further information can be found here.Last Saturday, August 11, in central London, a small group of far-right thugs returned to the Bookmarks bookstore, intent on entering and disrupting a meeting held to protest the attack on the store by members of Make Britain Great Again (MBGA) just one week earlier.

Several hundred people turned up to show their support for Bookmarks, which is run by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and is the official bookseller of the Trades Union Congress. They listened to authors, poets and other speakers in the shop and at an overflow meeting in nearby Bloomsbury Baptist Church.

Bookmarks manager Dave Gilchrist told the crowd, The number of messages weve received has been absolutely immense.

You recognise that what happened, an attack on a bookshop, was not merely an attack on us but a whole movementthe Labour, the trade union movement, the radical movement and the left entirely.

Whatever the intentions were of these fascists breaking into our shop, destroying books, harassing staff, the opposite has been the case because in fact weve emerged from this much, much stronger, he added.

David Rosenberg, author of Battle for the East End, read out a statement from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that said, Bookshops being attacked shows how frightened they are of ideas of a different world of social justice and equality. ... There is only one eternal answer: solidarity.

However, despite the large crowd, the sensitive nature of the event and the high probability of a far-right provocation, there was no police presence.

It was left to a couple of stewards and some of those milling around outside the meeting to prevent the handful of thugs gaining entry to the event and to then chase them off.

The police response to calls for help was to send one officer (and a junior in support) who proceeded to tell a steward to phone again if there was further trouble. He made no attempt to summon support to apprehend the suspects, whose yells could still be heard in the background.

This follows a pattern.

The Metropolitan Police Service has repeatedly treated such aggressive displays by fascists in central London over the last weeks with kid gloves, including a rally on the day of one of the main events of the Royal Family calendar, Trooping the Colour, with the Royal Family gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace just hours before.

Despite London being the CCTV capital of the world and the perpetrators gleefully posting videos of their activities on social media, there have been no reports to date of their detention, arrest or charging.

When Steve Hedley, assistant general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, was subjected to a bloody assault last monthfollowing his speech at a Stand Up To Racism counter-protest of a far-right demonstration in support of Tommy Robinsonit was he and his companions who were arrested and detained for several hours. The real culprits were able to vanish into thin air despite a massive police presence on the day.

The same held true on August 4 at Bookmarks, when it was invaded by a dozen far-right, anti-Muslim and pro-Trump MBGA supporters who intimidated staff and customers, tore up posters and overturned displays.

The action was organised by the Peoples Charter Foundation/MBGA, whose patrons include Robert Oulds, chair of the right-wing, anti-European Union Bruges Group, and Elizabeth Jones, a member of the National Executive Committee of the United Kingdom Independence party (UKIP).

UKIP, for damage limitation purposes, was forced to suspend Jones along with the protest organisers, her brother Luke Nash-Jones and Martin Costello, only to later reinstate Jones, who was not present at the provocation.

Even so, there are no reports of the police questioning any of the three, or any one of those taking part who are clearly identifiable from the 12 and a half minutes of film footage they made and which has been posted on YouTube. One of the participants declares, Were going to do an ambush.  Lets get the bastards. Luke Nash-Jones is seen clearly organising the group, fraternising with an individual in a Trump mask and telling them to wait for three minutes until he has entered Bookmarks acting normally and put on his red MBGA hat. The group then pour in chanting Tommy Robinson, F***ing paedophile nutters, Scum, and Trump, Trump, Trump, intimidating the staff and customers, tearing up posters and knocking over displays.

That Nash-Jones is concerned about prosecution over the storming of Bookmarks is evident in a subsequent video published on the Red Pill Factory website. He is obviously afraid, blatantly lies about what happened and attempts to shift the blame onto the Trump character for initiating a prank that went wrong. Nash-Jones declares that MBGA opposed the criminal damage inflicted on the bookshop by third parties and that all he wanted was a political debate with the Bookmarks staff in the spirit of John Stuart Mill. An earlier posting of a video, now taken down, makes clear that Nash-Jones knows the identity of the man in the Trump mask and the individual filming events who tore up placards.

Despite Nash-Joness admission that criminal damage took place and the obvious public order offence, which covers affray...using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour causing fear of or provoking violence, the Metropolitan Police downplayed the incident. They merely recorded, Police were called at approximately 18:35hrs on Saturday, 4 August to reports of a protest inside a shop on Bloomsbury Street, WC1.

No other offences were disclosed at the time. Police received a second call a short time later stating that the group had left the premises after causing some damage inside the shop. There were no injuries. An appointment has been made for officers to speak with the complainant. No arrests have been made.

The Bookmarks attacks are part of a resurgence of far-right, often violent, activity in Britain and internationally. These are minuscule groups with little or no public support, but they are being orchestrated and financially backed by extremely wealthy and influential figures in the US and British elite and act under the protection of the state.

They have been encouraged by the Brexit referendum result, media coverage of US President Donald Trump and the Tommy Robinson campaign.

Robinson was jailed on May 25 for contempt of court after live-streaming a fascistic rant against Muslim paedophiles and Muslim rapists during the concluding stage of a child-grooming trial in Leeds. His promotion as a free speech martyr is a calculated attempt by sections of the political elite to cultivate a far-right movement along the lines of Germanys Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Frances Rassemblement National (the renamed National Front.)

A key player has been former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, a former Goldman Sachs banker and self-professed admirer of Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Bannon has echoed Trumps barely disguised call for Boris Johnson to replace Theresa May as prime minister.

What is also revealed by the attack on Bookmarks and Steve Hedley is that fascistic layers feel able to attack the left because they enjoy virtual impunity from prosecution by the police.Declassified cables released last Friday provide irrefutable evidence that the current CIA director, Gina Haspel, played a direct role in the torture of detainees at a CIA black site in Thailand in 2002. The National Security Archive obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. Haspel was chief of base at Detention Site Green (also known as Cats Eye) and either wrote or authorized the cables.

The publication of the damning cables was given short shrift by the corporate media. The New York Times and the Washington Post each published only one article on the story in their August 10 editions. Both newspapers placed the story on their inside pages and buried it thereafter.

Haspel, tapped by Trump earlier this year to succeed Mike Pompeo, who was promoted to secretary of state, served as acting director beginning last April 26 and became director on May 26. The Democrats supplied the necessary votes to assure her confirmation by the Senate following hearings in May. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearings on Haspels nomination provided a revealing exposure of the criminality of the US intelligence apparatus as well as the disintegration of bourgeois democratic processes in the United States.

The hearing was characterized by gushing tributes by both Democrats and Republicans for the work of an agency long ago dubbed Murder, Inc. for its crimes around the world, including the organization of political assassinations, the creation of terrorist armies and the orchestration of fascist-military coups.

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who after the hearing became the first Democrat to announce his support for the nomination, went so far as to tell Haspel that when speaking to constituents, I brag about what you people do in the Clandestine Services.

The CIA has redacted Haspels name from the released cables, as well as those of CIA contract psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen. The three were identified in a Senate Intelligence Committee torture report declassified and released in 2014, which documented the grisly and illegal torture methods sanctioned by the George W. Bush administration following the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington DC.

President Obama and his CIA chief, John Brennan, blocked the release of the report for months, and Brennan had his agents hack into the computers of Senate Intelligence Committee staff who were drafting the report. Obama blocked any prosecution of Bush officials, including Brennan himself, a high-ranking CIA official during the Republican administration, who were involved in the torture program.

The 16 cables from Haspel published by the National Security Archive document scenes fit for a medieval dungeon. The CIAs victims endured waterboarding, a technique in which water is poured through a cloth placed over the victims mouth and nose, inducing drowning; walling, i.e., having ones back and head slammed repeatedly into a wall; forced nudity, hooding and shackling, confinement in a small box, sleep deprivation and other forms of physical and psychological torture.

Haspel was also involved in the 2005 destruction of CIA tapes of torture sessions sought by the courts.

The documents identify the victim as Abd Al-Rahim Al-Nashiri, a Saudi national and member of Al Qaeda, who endured at least 16 days of unabated torture before he was moved to another facility. Sixteen years later, Al-Nashiri is a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba. A psychological expert has described him as one of the most damaged victims of torture she has ever examined.

The first torture session of Al-Nashiri took place on November 15, 2002. At 0415 hours, HVT [high-value target] interrogators, security team members and linguist entered the cell, the first cable states. The rolled towel/neck support was placed around his neck, and subject was moved to the walling board.

When it was deemed that Al-Nashiri had not divulged a sufficient amount of information, the interrogators immediately used the attention grab with the rolled towel/neck support to move subject off the wall and down on to the floor of the cell. Subjects clothes were ripped off of him by security team members while the interrogator told subject we knew he was lying

The interrogators threatened Al-Nashiri, stating that if he refused to cooperate he would suffer in ways he never thought possible. The security team then forcibly shaved his head while he moaned and wailed. Finally, the security team locked him in a box roughly the size of a coffin.

Another document reveals that at a subsequent torture session, interrogators locked al-Nashiri in an even smaller box, requiring that he curl up in order to fit inside.

The cables describe as many as three torture sessions a day. The victim spent the majority of this time nude and shackled in a containment box, allowed only liquid food. When he gave information that interrogators believed to be true, he was given solid food and allowed to sleep on the floor of his cell with a mat and a towel to cover himself. On day 12 of his confinement, his interrogators began routinely waterboarding him.

One particular cable from December 1 describes a torture session in lurid detail. The author, who may have been Haspel herself, gloats:

Security team backed the hooded and shackled subject against the walling panel with the towel/neck restraint over his shoulders. [High-value target interrogator] [redacted] and linguist [redacted] strode, catlike, into the well-lit confines of the cell at 0902 hrs [redacted], deftly removed the subjects black hood with a swipe, paused, and in a deep, measured voice said that subjecthaving calmed down after his (staged) run-in with his hulking, heavily muscled guards the previous dayshould reveal what subject had done to vex his guards to the point of rage.

Haspel, 61, joined the CIA in 1985. Among the positions she has held in the agency are chief of station in several world capitals, senior manager of the Counterterrorism Center and, under the Obama administration, acting deputy director of the National Clandestine Service (NCS), which carries out covert operations around the globe.The World Socialist Web Site and the Defense of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks

The World Socialist Web Siteand the Socialist Equality Party have been at the forefront of major struggles in the past year. Two new pamphlets from Mehring Books document the record of the campaign of the WSWS and the SEP in defense of Wikileaks editor and founder Julian Assange and the struggles of US teachers.

For six years, Julian Assange, who exposed the crimes of the US military and intelligence apparatus, has been trapped in the Ecuadorean embassy in London under increasingly onerous and precarious conditions, including the loss of internet access. The WSWS has spearheaded the campaign for the defense of Assange under conditions where he has been abandoned by the various left-liberal and pseudo-left organizations.

The 2018 Teacher Rebellion

The statewide teachers strikes in the US earlier this year marked an upsurge in the class struggle after years in which strikes have been suppressed by the trade unions. The strikes, organized by rank-and-file teachers outside of the framework of the teachers unions, had the character of an incipient rebellion of workers against the corporatist unions. The WSWS intervened in strikes in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and other states to provide leadership and a political perspective for teachers and school employees, as well as for students and parents seeking a means to defend public education.

Both of these pamphlets are available for online purchase, with a discount available for purchases of five or more copies.

The 2018 Teacher Rebellion, price $3.50, click here to order

The World Socialist Web Site and the Defense of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, price $3.50, click here to orderFor the past several days, official American politics has been gripped by the extraordinary revelation that former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman, known in media shorthand by her first name only, had secretly recorded conversations with Trump and White House chief of staff John Kelly.

Manigault-Newman gave recordings to the press of her December 2017 firing by Kelly in the White House Situation Room and a subsequent phone call with Trump, in which he claimed to be unaware of what his own chief of staff had just done.

The audio released thus far by Maginault-Newman reveals Trump staff referring to how they would respond to the release of tapes showing Trump's use of N-word, the most foul racial slur in the English language. This implicit acknowledgement that the president of the United States is employing the language of the Ku Klux Klan is a warning to the entire working class. It follows Trump's reference to Nazi demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia last year as good people.

The fired aide has made nonstop appearances on cable television over the last week to promote her new book, Unhinged: An Insiders Account of the Trump White House, which was released yesterday. She claims to be in possession of many other recordings taped secretly during her time in the White House, including conversations with Trumps daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The White House struck back Tuesday morning, with the Trump campaign filing for arbitration in New York City, alleging that Manigault-Newman was violating the non-disclosure agreement she signed when she joined it in 2015. The agreement is an extraordinary lifetime gag rule that is likely illegal and unenforceable, but can be used to tie up a former employee in expensive legal proceedings.

The book itself consists almost entirely of unverifiable accusations against Trump and various figures within the White House, of a highly subjective and personal character.

Much of the press coverage has focused on claims by Manigault-Newman, who has long been the most prominent African-American in Trumps inner circle, of the existence of a tape of Trump uttering a racial slur against black people during filming of his NBC reality program The Apprentice. She claims that she had spent months while in the White House trying, without success, to locate the recording, and released recordings yesterday of staffers discussing contingency plans should it eventually surface.

Nevertheless, a picture is beginning to emerge of an executive branch in crisis, in which aides are recording each other, leaking to the media, and collecting dirt on each other to hold in reserve for later, either for personal financial gain, political leverage, self-defense in case of criminal charges brought by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, or some combination of all three.

Manigault-Newmans release of secret tapes follows the revelations that Michael Cohen, Trumps ex-personal lawyer, had secretly taped confidential conversations with Trump, before his own offices were raided by police under Muellers orders. Trump himself is said to regularly record his own phone conversations, and threatened former FBI Director James Comey with alleged recordings last year, although none materialized.

The fact that Kelly decided to fire Manigault-Newman in the Situation Room is itself extraordinary. This is the ultra-secure, innermost underground sanctum of the White House, established after the Cuban Missile Crisis, where nuclear wars are planned for and the assassination of Osama bin Laden was tracked by Obama and his top aides in real time. According to Manigault-Newmans recording, Kelly locked the door behind her and issued gangster-style threats, stating that if we make this a friendly departurethen you can go on without any type of difficulty in the future relative to your reputation.

The fact that she nevertheless privately recorded Kelly is, according to former White House officials who spoke with the media, an unprecedented violation of security procedures, one that opens her up to prosecution, something which Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has already called for.

Especially given the prospect of the Democrats regaining one or both houses of Congress in November, raising the prospect of much broader investigations than the Mueller probe, or actual impeachment, the existence of numerous tape recordings of White House conversations represents a major danger to the Trump administration. It was the court-ordered release of tapes of Oval Office conversations that led to the forced resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974, in the Watergate scandal.

There is undoubtedly anxiety among many White House personnel that the Trump administration is a sinking ship that they may go down on. As one unnamed ex-staffer told Politico, many of them had taken significant reputational risks by joining the Trump campaign in the first place.

All sides in the dispute have the filthiest character. An entry-level aide to Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration, Manigault-Newman began her association with Trump in 2004 when she appeared on his reality television show The Apprentice. As a Trump campaign staffer in 2016, she defended Trump from his critics in expansive terms, declaring that every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump.

Trump, for his part, responded to her accusations with a typical Twitter tirade against his former associate. Wacky Omarosa, who got fired 3 times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time.  When Gen. Kelly came on board he told me she was a loser & nothing but problems. I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said GREAT things about meuntil she got fired!

After being fired from her White House post, Manigault-Newman allegedly turned down a lucrative sinecure from Trump in exchange for her silence. She calculated, however, that her personal fate would be better served by defecting to Trumps opponents in the ruling class.

In her appearances on television news programs, Manigault-Newman has thrown her weight behind the unverified claims of Russian collusion. On MSNBC yesterday, she admitted to having met investigators under special counsel Robert Mueller and made vague, unsubstantiated claims that the Trump campaign had advance notice of the publication of Hillary Clintons e-mails by Wikileaks.

The claim Wikileaks released these e-mails at the instigation of the Russian government to tip the election in Trumps favor is central to the anti-Russian campaign organized by the Democrats and sections of the military and intelligence apparatus who are opposed to Trumps relaxing of tensions with Russia. It is also central to their campaign to smear Wikileaks and other oppositional groups online as purveyors of Russian propaganda.In May 1947 the Socialist Workers Party received information that Sylvia Callen, the personal secretary of long-time party leader James P. Cannon, was an agent of the Soviet secret police, the GPU. It quickly became clear that Callen had concealed critical personal information about her Stalinist background when she joined the SWP in 1938. For nearly nine years Callen had high-level and unrestricted access to the partys most sensitive information. However, rather than exposing Callens murderous role as a spy within the Trotskyist movement, the Socialist Workers Party launched a cover-up that lasted for nearly 40 years. What follows is a historical account of the cover-up and its exposure by the International Committee of the Fourth International.

On Saturday, March 8, 1947, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) ran a banner headline in its publication, the Militant, which read:

Stalins guilt in Trotsky murder bared by ex-Daily Worker editor: Budenz discloses details of how 1940 assassination was prepared, implicates leaders of Communist Party in GPU conspiracy. [1]

The Militant said Budenzs book now supplies conclusive evidence that top operators of Stalins secret police worked for years on American soil to prepare the murder of Trotsky

The article detailed revelations from former American Stalinist leader Louis Budenzs forthcoming book This Is My Story. The SWP had acquired an advanced copy and made its contents known for the first time.

This Is My Story vindicated the Fourth Internationals insistence that the assassination of Trotsky had been ordered by Stalin and carried out by the GPU, the secret police of the Stalinist regime in the USSR.

John G. Wright

The lead article on March 8 in the Militant, written by John G. Wright, explained, As an eyewitness and direct participant, Budenz, who served the Kremlin loyally for ten years, now supplies conclusive evidence that top operators of Stalins secret police worked for years on American soil to prepare for the murder of Trotsky. [2]

Less than seven years had passed since a Stalinist agent, using the false name Frank Jacson, murdered Leon Trotsky in Coyoacan, Mexico City, and it was only a decade since the peak of the mass exterminations during the Great Terror of 193639 within the Soviet Union.

Aside from Trotskys assassin, who eventually was identified as Ramon Mercader del Rio, while serving a 20-year murder sentence in a Mexican prison, nobody had been punished or jailed for the crimes of the GPU. Budenzs book exposed the conspiracy behind Trotskys murder. It not only confirmed that the assassination was ordered in Moscow. Budenz also named leaders and members of the American Communist Party as accomplices.

The cover of Budenzs book, This is My Story

Budenz revealed that in December 1936, a GPU agent asked to meet with him secretly in a nondescript restaurant on East 14th Street.

It was rather early in my Party career that I was summoned to meet members of the Soviet secret police working on American soil, he wrote. [3] The agent, who spoke with a heavy Russian accent, described himself as Richards. The two sat in a corner, the clatter of dishes from the dinner crowd in the background. As we ate together, Richards quietly told me his purpose in seeing me. His commission was to investigate the condition of the Social Democrats, and to determine who among them and what Trotskyites and fascists were making organized efforts to enter the Soviet Union. [4]

Just four months earlier, in August 1936, the first Moscow Show Trial had concluded, resulting in the execution of 16 defendants, including Old Bolsheviks Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, for engaging in a Trotskyite conspiracy. During the ensuing campaign of mass murder to terrorize and destroy opposition to the Stalinist regime, hundreds of thousands were executed or thrown into labor camps. The mere accusation of sympathy for Trotskyism meant a death sentence.

When the topic of discussion turned to the August trial, Budenz expressed his support. The GPU was now preparing purges on an international scale.

As the meeting between Budenz and Richards took place, Trotsky was aboard a tanker headed from Norway to Mexico, fleeing from a continent comprised of governments who had rejected his appeals for asylum. With Trotsky taking up residence in Mexico, the GPU was preparing its North American counterparts to carry out his assassination.

After this meeting, Budenz began his assignment:

Where did I fit into an enterprise for the protection of the Soviet Union from plotters? I was readily told. I was to collect all the data I had on enemies of the Soviet Union within the Left or labor ranks, and specifically the Trotskyites. Their names were to be given and everything else about them that might be pertinent to this inquiry.

The GPU knew it was the SWPthe leading section of the Fourth Internationalthat was responsible for ensuring Trotskys security in Mexico. As a result, Budenz wrote, particular attention was to be paid those who did much traveling, especially abroad. [5]

Louis Budenz in 1947

Budenz exposed CP leaders Earl Browder and Jack Stachel as personally supervising the infiltration campaign. With their collaboration, Budenz was able to move back and forth across Manhattan meeting GPU agents and delivering information on the SWP. [6]

In 1937, Budenz began working with an agent named Roberts, a.k.a Dr. Gregory Rabinowitz, a leader of the American Stalinist spy ring. Rabinowitz had been tasked with weaving a net of agents to entrap Trotsky, and Budenz was to help plot the most intimate details. Rabinowitz asked Budenz, Can you tell me where the Trotskyites here get their mail from Trotsky in Mexico City? [7] Budenz obliged, mining his sources for information and helping the GPU get to those close to Trotsky, always looking for information regarding the SWPs international correspondence.

Photographs, too, came into [Roberts-Rabinowitzs] field of inquiry, Budenz wrote.

He began to bring me a number, one after another, and ask, Do you know this man? Or that? For the most part they seemed to be men and women seeking Soviet visas. Then he inquired about certain names on lists, which he said were Trotskyite couriers. One of these was an inconspicuous newspaperman working in and out of China, who later, I believe, became associated with Reuters. Another was Sylvia Ageloff, whose name became widely known as the woman who brought Leon Trotskys assassin, Frank Jacson, into Mexico. [8]

Budenz and the GPU built a network of agents to acquire information about the Trotskyist movement and the SWPs communications with Trotsky. Rabinowitz would propose candidates and Budenz would supply information on them, providing the GPU with his appraisal of their political trustworthiness and abilities for espionage.

Generally, he [Rabinowitz] asked me first about their Party records and then how they would fit into further underground work among the Trotskyites or other groups, Budenz wrote. After getting the individuals record, my job was to size him or her up according to their attitudes and associations (if I knew them in the past). [9]

The central purpose of the infiltration was to kill Trotsky. To this end, Budenz exposed how he helped put the GPU in touch with Ruby Weil, who orchestrated the meeting between her friend Sylvia Ageloff, a member of the SWP, and Mercader, Trotskys future killer.

Mexican police hold the pickaxe that Mercader used to murder Trotsky in 1940

Rabinowitz asked Budenz that I bring Miss Y [later identified as Ruby Weil], a young woman who he had learned was a friend of Sylvia Ageloff, to a meeting at a Chicago hotel. [10] Weil was later to work with Paris-based GPU agent Mark Zborowski, party name Etienne, to give Mercader access to Trotskys household in Mexico City through Ageloff. Zborowski was, at the time, a member of the Fourth International.

The rendezvous between Mercader and Ageloff took place in Paris in 1938. Beginning in 1939, the two traveled to Mexico City together, where Ageloff introduced Mercader, the man she knew as Frank Jacson, into Trotskys household. [11] The Stalinist ring around Trotsky was growing tighter, and the stage for his death was being set.

SWP demands grand jury indict Stalinist spies and CP leaders

In response to the Budenz revelations, the SWP immediately began to publish the new information as widely as possible, demanding an investigation into the Stalinists role in infiltrating the Trotskyist movement and assassinating its founder and leader.

All this was reported in the pages of the Militant. [12] The front page article of March 8, 1947 explained: Sinister and secret details connected with the assassination of Leon Trotsky by Stalins hired killer in Mexico City in August 1940 have been disclosed by Louis F. Budenz. [13]

The Militant proclaimed that the revelations of Budenz fill in the missing threads in the fabric of evidence that places the responsibility for the murder of Leon Trotsky on the shoulders of Joseph Stalin.

The Militant said Budenzs book now supplies conclusive evidence that top operators of Stalins secret police worked for years on American soil to prepare the murder of Trotsky and that American Stalinists, including Budenz himself, helped pave the way for the assassin Frank Jacson to worm his way into Trotskys home. [14]

The Militant detailed how the book described Budenz meeting with the GPU chieftain in charge of Anti-Trotskyist activities, an agent known as Richards. Budenz was consulted on the selection of spies to penetrate the Trotskyist ranks and contacted GPU chieftains at least once a week. No piece of information was deemed too unimportant. [15]

The article continued: Stalins murder machine was particularly eager to collect every scrap of information concerning Trotskyists who travelled abroad. They were in search of some individual whom they could enmesh in Europe in their murder plot. Budenzs book showed how the Stalinists had laid all the preliminary groundwork in the United States in 1937 for the assassination of Leon Trotsky in Mexico in 1940. [16]

The Militant proclaimed, the revelations of Budenz fill in the missing threads in the fabric of evidence that places the responsibility for the murder of Leon Trotsky on the shoulders of Joseph Stalin. [17]

Based on Budenzs account of GPU infiltration and the plot to kill Trotsky, the SWP launched a public campaign to expose the GPU and the role of the American Communist Party. The SWP immediately put forward the demand that a grand jury subpoena key Stalinists so those responsible for orchestrating the infiltration of the Trotskyist movement would be forced to testify about the penetration of the Trotskyist movement, and called for the exposure of those agents remaining in the movement.

The revelations and demands for an investigation had an immense political impact among broader circles of the political left, which the SWP fought to mobilize in a commission to demand a grand jury to investigate the role of the GPU and the Communist Party USA in Trotskys death.

On March 17, 1947, an SWP-led coalition that included Socialist Party leader Norman Thomas, presented a petition to the district attorney in Manhattan demanding the convocation of a grand jury. The SWP mobilized a number of leading political and intellectual figures, including the author James T. Farrell and academics John Dewey and Sidney Hook, who reflected popular anger over the news of the Stalinist plot and gave the demand for a grand jury a broad popular appeal that the state could not ignore.

On March 22, The Militants lead headline read, Ask grand jury to investigate Trotskys murderdelegation demands probe of Stalins agent who plotted assassination in New York City. [18]

The Militant reported the delegation held a 45 minute meeting with Jacob Grumet, assistant District Attorney, to demand action on the sensational revelations made by Louis F. Budenz in his recently published book, This is My Story. In his autobiography, the former Daily Worker editor and Communist Party national committee member, testifies from personal knowledge that GPU agents, aided by American Communist Party leaders, plotted their moves here which ended in the murder of Trotsky in Mexico City in 1940. The delegation handed the District Attorney a statement signed by scores of prominent citizens. [19]

The statement delivered to the assistant District Attorney on March 17, 1947 read, in part:

Earl Browder, Jack Stachel, Budenz himself, and all other Communist Party leaders, past or present, who are known to have been involved in the activities of the Soviet secret police in our community, or who are declared to have had knowledge of such activities should be subjected to official examination and such judicial action as the facts may warrant. Budenz adds new and hitherto missing links to the chain of evidence presented during Jacsons trial in Mexico, which showed him to be a Soviet police agent. [20]

The Militant reported that Norman Thomas also asked the district attorney for an investigation into other murders believed to have been carried out in New York City by the Stalinists, including the 1937 disappearance of Juliet Stuart Poyntz, a prominent member of the Communist Party suspected of opposing the Stalinist terror, and anarchist leader Carlo Tresca, gunned down in 1943.

Thomas said:

There are many others. The so-called suicide of [Soviet defector Walter] Krivitsky in Washingtona phony if there ever was one! There is the murder of [defector] Ignace Reiss in Switzerland; the series of murders of Trotskys secretaries and members of his family. We think the situation is so grave that immediate action is imperative to halt these political murders. [21]

The significance of Budenzs revelations and the weight of his word as an accomplice compelled the District Attorneys office to acknowledge that the Budenz book could provide many leads, the Militant wrote. [22]

The May 3, 1947 issue of the Militant featured an article by Trotskys widow Natalia Sedova titled, Stalins guiltBudenz book supplies link to GPU murder of Trotsky.

The SWP expanded its campaign with the publication on May 3, 1947 of an article by Trotskys widow Natalia Sedova titled, Stalins guiltBudenz book supplies link to GPU murder of Trotsky. [23]

Sedova wrote:

Everything we said in connection with the violent death of L.D. Trotsky is today being wholly confirmed by the confessions of Louis Budenz, a former leader of the American Communist Stalinist Party, in his book This Is My Story published in March of this year. She added, The confessions of Louis Budenz throw into the limelight the entire activity of the secret Stalinist Apparatus which has usurped power and which acts with bloody arbitrariness.

Sedova continued:

The participation of the leaders of the Communist party of the US in the plot against Trotsky, attested to by Louis Budenz, provides sufficient grounds to bring before the court, Budenz himself, together with Browder and Stachel, and to place them in the hands of the Mexican judicial authorities. [24]

Within weeks of publishing Budenzs revelations, the SWP campaign for a grand jury compelled the DA to call Budenz to testify. For the first time since Trotskys assassination, the SWP had caused a person with intimate knowledge of how the GPU murdered Trotsky to appear under oath in an American courtroom. The opportunity to expose the Stalinists crimes and shed light on their infiltration of the Trotskyist movement had never been closer.

But just as a real investigation appeared likely, an event occurred that led the SWP to abort its campaign, denounce Budenz as a liar and abandon further efforts to expose Stalinist agents inside the Trotskyist movement.

A visit from Max Shachtman and Albert Glotzer

James P. Cannon, Martin Abern and Max Shachtman in New York, 1938

It had been seven years since Max Shachtman and Albert Glotzer split from the SWP to found the Workers Party when the two walked in to National Secretary James P. Cannons office at 116 University Place, New York, in May 1947. Despite their political differences with the SWP, both men had long histories in the Trotskyist movement, and they held a principled position toward sharing information related to questions of political security.

Shachtman and Glotzer brought shattering news. They told Cannon that they had received reliable information that implicated his personal secretary, Sylvia Callen, whose party name was Caldwell, as a GPU agent.

Shachtman and Glotzer affirmed that the source was reliable and had provided them with correct information in the past. The source informed Shachtman and Glotzer that the Stalinists had moved Callen from Chicago to New York in 1939 for the purposes of infiltrating Cannons office. Their source said Sylvia had been in a relationship with a young Stalinist from a Stalinist family whose father was a doctor.

The 1947 Control Commission

Sylvia Callen/Franklin/Caldwell

Callen was, in the language of the day, Cannons Girl Friday. She handled all of his political and personal affairs. She organized Cannons schedule, had access to all party records, finances and international correspondence, and took dictation of his letters, memoranda and political reports. If Callen were an agent, it meant the security of the SWP and the Fourth International had been severely compromised by the GPU. All important information that crossed Cannons desk had been read by the GPU and transmitted to the Kremlin, including details of Trotskys security in Coyoacan.

Alongside the evidence of Callens role, Shachtman and Glotzer also informed Cannon that their source stated there was an FBI agent in the party leadership.

On May 26, 1947, Cannon convened a meeting of the Control Commission, the party organization responsible for internal investigations. The ICFI has accessed the minutes of the May 26, 1947 and subsequent commission meetings in the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, and publishes them here for the first time:

Meeting of Control Commission, May 26, 1947. Report by Martin [Cannon]: For several years the WP has been sending us reports that they have information which would indicate that the FBI had an agent in our party, high in the leadership. They claimed that their source of information had proven correct in several instances and that they believed this source was reliable. Recently Shachtman and Gould [Glotzer] talked with Cannon and told him that the same source has informed them as follows: The Stalinists have a woman in the SWP and that her name is S. She came from Chicago in 1939 and that she worked there in a doctors office. She has or had a boy friend whose name is Irving. Gould insisted that she came from the YCL. This information pointed to Comrade S. MOTION: That the case be thoroughly investigated by the Control Commission. That we have a session with S. to get her biographical story and then call in Shachtman and Gould. Carried. First meeting with S. set for Thurs. evening May 29, 1947.

Three days later, on May 29, Callen appeared before the Commission. The facts relating to her background largely substantiated the information provided by Shachtman and Glotzer. It was quickly established that Callen had concealed critical aspects of her personal and political background and associations, including the fact that she was married and that her husband, Zalmond Franklin, was a leading Stalinist from a prominent Communist Party family in Wisconsin.

The May 29 meeting minutes read as follows:

Case of Comrade S. May 29, 1947. In response to questions put to her by members of the Secretariat and Control Commission in combined session, the following biographical sketch was given: My fathers name is John Callen. He has been a salesman for many years. Neither he nor any other member of my family entertain or ever entertained any political views other than the average citizen. I myself did not know that there was such a thing as a radical movement until I was about 19, at college. I lived in Milwaukee until about 1932. I went to Madison, Wisc. to attend the University of Wisconsin. I met Zalmond Franklin and we got married in February 1935. We were together on and off for about a year. I graduated June 1935 and left school. Franklin remained at school. After graduating I looked for work and finally found a job in a Milwaukee drug store and worked there for a while as sales clerk. In the Fall of 1935 or Spring of 1936 I went to Chicago to live with my folks. There I entered the Chicago University to study social service. I went to school there for four quarters, working one summer for the Jewish Social Service outfit there, and then went to work for the Chicago Relief Administration where I worked until I came to New York. In the summer of 1937 I joined a YPSL [Young Peoples Socialist Leaguethe youth movement of the Socialist Party, within which the SWP conducted its activity at the time] circle in Chicago. I came to New York in May 1938 to go to work for the Hebrew Association for the Deaf. I worked part time there and helped out in the National Office of the SWP in spare time. In December 1939 [here there is a strike out over the 9 and a line to a margin correction which reads 1938] I was asked to take a full-time job in the SWP National Office as the office secretary was leaving to take a job in industry. On direct questioning of Cannon, the following answers were given: My first contact with radicalism was at Wisconsin University where there was a group of the National Students League. My husband joined the League, 1935 semester, and I joined too just because he did. But I really didnt know what it was all about. I dont know whether the YCL [Young Communist Leaguethe youth movement of the Stalinist Communist Party] had a fraction there at the time, but there was a radical group, bohemian types, of which my husband was one, and which was considered the Communists on the campus. I never knew whether my husband had any communist affiliations, but knew he was radical in his views and he may have been a member. I do know that his parents were either communists in ideology or just on the fringe of the Communist Party. They once gave a house party for the Friends of the Soviet Union. Some years ago I heard that my former husband had been in Spain during the revolutionary days there. So I imagine he must have become a YCLer after our separation. Or he may very likely have been one before. I did not know enough then to be able to detect that and he never trusted me with any information about his activities. Did you ever belong to the YCL? No, never. I knew of the existence of such an organization but reacted against it emotionally because of the Bohemian character of the people around my husband who were considered communists. But I did not really understand what communism was. How did you come to join the YPSL? Any member of your family interested in socialism? No, none of my family ever had or have now any radical views. I came to join the YPSL chiefly, I guess, because I was so lonely. I did not fit in with the friends of my family and I had no circle of my own. At the University in Madison, I got my first contact with radicalism and in a vague way I got to feel that socialism is a good thing. I heard Norman Thomas speak at the Socialist Club of the University of Chicago and he made a deep impression on me. I wanted to know more about socialism, so in my loneliness, I consulted the Chicago telephone directory for the address of some socialist organization, and founf [sic] the Socialist Bookstore. At the time I was working as a social worker in Chicago. The work I was doing, by the way, did not help me any. The patronizing attitude toward the poor was very distasteful to me. Well, so I went to the Socialist Party bookstore for some of their literature. There I met Lydia Beidel. She told me about the Young Peoples Socialist League in my neighborhood and invited me to attend. I went. They met at Belles house. There I met a number of people. They seemed so different from the people I had known and made me feel so at home that I returned to a number of meetings and then joined the Circle. They were different from the other type of radicals I had known at college and I liked them as people. In the summer of 1937 I joined the YPSL circle on the North Side, Chicago. Paul Picquet was the organizer of this circle. Most of the members of this circle were already Trotskyists. I came under their influence. Several months after the Founding Convention of the Socialist Workers Party. [sic] I joined the party. The branch I joined had in it Goldman, Belle, Helen Judd, Shirley S, Irving Bern and all the other Landaus. When I left for New York I was transferred. Here I was attached to the Village branch which met at Luttingers. In this branch was Rose Karsner, Frieda Moore, Billie Ramloff. Did you ever work for a doctor in Chicago or Milwaukee? No, never. The only doctor I knew in those days was my husbands father. But I never worked for any doctor. Did you ever have a boy friend by the name of Irving? I may have casually known some student by that name, though I dont recall any. But I never had any close friend by that name.

Callen admitted that she had been a member of the Stalinist-aligned National Student League and that her husband, Zalmond Franklin, fought as a Stalinist in the Spanish Civil War and came from a Stalinist family. Until then, after eight years working in the national office, the SWP leaders had not known that Callen was married, let alone to a Stalinist. This was also the first time the party learned of her involvement with the Stalinist National Student League. But the SWP was grasping at straws when it claimed that Shachtman and Glotzer's reference to Callen's boyfriend "Irving" undercut the source's assertions. Every other detail substantiated the source as well as Budenz's revelations.

The facts which Callen now revealed left no doubt that she had lied about her close connections with the Communist Party. But Zalmond Franklin was not merely a rank-and-file CP member or an innocent YCLer. Information that was readily available when the Control Commission convened showed Callens husband was a prominent public representative of the Communist Party and a member of a leading Stalinist family.

Zalmond David Franklin (19091958), and his father, Samuel Nathan Franklin (18821958), both served in the Spanish Civil War. Samuel Franklin was a doctor who was elected County Coroner in Milwaukee in 1918 as a member of the Socialist Party. Long active in politics, Samuel Franklin led the Milwaukee Medical Bureau of the Stalinist-led North American Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy during the civil war. [25]

Samuel Franklin with his son Zalmondthe fact that Sylvia Franklins husband was a Stalinist was covered up by the SWP control commission

According to ship travel log records, the elder Franklin was in Spain with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade as a medical adviser from July 1937 to February 1938. [26] Callen herself admitted on May 29 that her husbands father was a doctor.

The Wisconsin State Journal article reporting Zalmond Franklins travels Somewhere in Spain

Zalmond Franklin was the second oldest of Samuel Franklins three children. A University of Wisconsin bacteriology student, he served as an agent of the GPU in Spain from July 1937 to March 1938. His passport lists a Chicago address. [27] An article titled Zalmond Franklin, Somewhere in Spain in the October 11, 1937 edition of the Wisconsin State Journal makes reference to the young Stalinist:

Zalmond Franklin, former University of Wisconsin student, is with his father, Dr. Samuel N. Franklin, Milwaukee, in an American base hospital somewhere in Spain. Zalmond quit his bacteriology studies here early this year to go to Spain, and was followed by his father, head of the Milwaukee medical bureau of the North American Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy. [28]

An article from the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle announcing the talks of Zalmond FranklinSylvia Callens husbandon his unusual experiences in Spain

In an article published in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle on May 6, 1938, Zalmond Franklin was referred to as a well-known public speaker on behalf of the Stalinists and their crimes in Spain. The Chronicle article reads:

Zalmond Franklin, graduate student of bacteriology, left the U. of Wis. Last June to serve the cause of democracy in republican Spain. He was in charge of all laboratory work in the four American hospitals in Spain. He left Spain this February, arriving in New York a month ago. At present he is touring the [middle] west telling of the terrific struggle in Spain and of his own unusual experiences. He will speak at the Jewish Center, 1025 N. Milwaukee street, this Saturday, May 7, at 8 p.m. [29]

When Callen admitted to hiding her marriage to this Stalinist, the SWP had enough information to know she was a spy. All the SWP had to do was investigate the Franklin family by picking up the telephone and calling the Milwaukee branch or by inquiring with Harry Milton, an SWP member who fought in Spain with the Workers Party of Marxist Unity (POUM) while the Franklins were also present. Readily available reports in the local newspapers would also have shown the Franklins roles as high-profile Communist Party figures. Callen provided the SWP with information that left no doubt about who she really was.

But when the party control commission met for the last time a week later on June 5, 1947, it covered up the evidence of Callens marriage to Zalmond Franklin. A stenographic report of the meeting, titled Case of Comrade S., is published in full:

Case of Comrade S. June 5, 1947. Joint meeting of Control Comm. and Secretariat. PURPOSE of meeting: To hear a report from WP members about rumors concerning comrade S which came to their attention. Report by Shachtman: About one, two or three weeks after Budenzs book, THIS IS MY STORY came out, a reliable friend of ours came and told me that an FBI agent called on him to get some information. In the course of the conversation the FBI man told our friend Jones that the Stalinists have an agent in the SWP. He then asked if Jones knew a certain S in the SWP who came from Chicago in 1939, got a job in the office of the SWP and then became private secretary to Cannon. In Chicago she worked for a doctor. She had a Stalinist boy friend by the name of Irving. The WP comrades were then told of Ss biographical sketch as it was given to us by her. Comrade G of the WP then told of the first time he met S at a membership meeting in Chicago in the NW side, about 1937. The WP members assured us they had not talked to anyone about the matter and would not do so. They agreed there was nothing in the information they had except the statement of an FBI man, but felt duty-bound to report the matter to us. Cannon pointed out that the only facts upon which the FBI man based the conclusion that she is a Stalinist agent in the SWP were: 1 - That comrade S came to New York from Chicago in 1939. 2 - That she had worked for a doctor in Chicago 3 - That she got a job as stenographer in the office of the SWP and later became Cannons private secretary. 4 - That she had or has a boy friend named Irving. Discussion followed and the general consensus of opinion was that the above points did not constitute any facts upon which to base any credence in the rumor or further action. After the WP members left the discussion was continued and the following motion was made and carried: MOTION: That there is no basis for suspicion of comrade S in the statements of the FBI man and that we so notify comrade S. That we make no mention of the case to anyone and ask the WP comrades not to speak of it either. That we watch for evidence of any gossip about this matter and in the event that such gossip develops we act promptly according to the circumstances dictated by the new developments. Rose Karsner

Control Commission

The obituary of Samuel FranklinCallens father-in-law

The SWP response was a dishonest cover-up. Shachtman and Glotzer had provided the Control Commission with clear and actionable facts. The publicly available information about the Franklin familys role as public advocates for Stalinism proved definitively that Sylvia Callen had lied about her ties to the Communist Party.

The SWP would have been entirely within their rights to demand a grand jury investigation into Callens role just as they had demanded with Louis Budenz. On June 5, 1947, the same day of the second SWP Control Commission meeting, Budenz finally appeared before a grand jury in New York. The SWP had been in regular contact with the Manhattan District Attorney whom they had met to deliver petitions demanding a grand jury indictment. Now, the SWP had proof that the GPU had infiltrated the party leadership with an agent who had access to high-level internal material. This was a major breakthrough in the case to expose GPU infiltration of the Trotskyist movement.

But the SWP did nothing to investigate Callens role. They should have expelled Callen for lying and concealing her background. They should have made this information public, adding to the Budenz revelations and the hemorrhaging of information relating to the GPUs infiltration of the SWP and its role in orchestrating the assassination of Leon Trotsky. Instead, they let her go and passed a motion that we make no mention of the case to anyone and ask the WP comrades [Shachtman and Glotzer] not to speak of it either. The control commission resolved, in the event that such gossip develops we act promptly according to the circumstances dictated by the new developments. Cannons wife and Callens good friend, Rose Karsner, was the sole signatory on the June 5 stenographic report.

By withholding this crucial information, the SWP was obstructing the very investigation they had demanded in the first place.

Zalmond Franklin's obituary

Budenzs exposure of Callen was, without question, a devastating political and personal blow to Cannon. He would have immediately recognized the political implications of Callens treachery. The security of the SWP had been fatally compromised. Callen had access to the partys documents, records, and international correspondence. Cannon was confronted with a nightmare that was all too real. Nevertheless, Cannon and the Control Commission had an inescapable political obligation to get to the truth of the matter. Instead, acting in a manner for which there could be no justification, they decided to organize a cover-up of Callens role as a Stalinist spy.

Callen left the movement immediately after the SWP control commission and moved out of New York. Her sudden disappearance was neither reported nor explained to the membership. Moreover, Budenzs appearance before the grand jury was barely noted in the Militant; the SWP soon dropped its coverage of the Budenz revelations altogether.

Budenzs Men Without Faces and the House Un-American Activities Committee

Budenzs book, Men Without Faces

In 1950, Louis Budenz published a second book, Men Without Faces, which provided an even more detailed description of the agent who had infiltrated the national headquarters of the SWP.

Budenz wrote: Just before I went out to Chicago in 1937 to become editor of Midwest Daily Record I had been instructed by Roberts [Dr. Gregory Rabinowitz, the GPU spy leader] to find a comrade who was engaged in penetrating the Trotskyite organization there. [30]

Though employing the pseudonym Helen in place of the spys real first name, Sylvia, Budenzs biographical sketch left no doubt that he was telling the story of the GPUs recruitment of Sylvia Callen and her successful infiltration into the SWPs national headquarters.

From out of the ranks of the Chicago YCL there came a young couple whom we shall call Helen and Irving. The two were assigned to dangerous secret work. Helen, being quiet and inconspicuous, was assigned to penetrate the Trotskyite groups. Irving, who went to Spain as a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, was used as a special agent, under Steve Nelson and the forbidding George Mink, to detect and eliminate enemies of the party. Helen had been instructed to move to New York, in order to penetrate the Trotskyites on a national scale, Budenz continued. I was then in Chicago, and it was I who had arranged this transfer, on the orders of the Soviet secret police representative with whom I was working and who was known to me only as Roberts. [31]

Budenz described his first meeting with Callen.

Our first conference was at [YCL Chicago leader Jack] Klings house out on the West Side of Chicago. With curtains drawn so that no one could see who was there, we arranged the ways and means by which I could get in touch with her. She expressed an eagerness to work on a wider scale for the party among the Trotskyites and, before she knew what the mission involved, gladly volunteered her services. [32]

Budenz was impressed by Helen-Sylvias soft voice and conservative dress, which suited her position as a social worker, enhanced her skill as an underground agent. Budenz arranged to meet her privately at different places in South Chicago, where much of her social work was done. He convinced her to move to New York when I had satisfied myself about her loyalty and capability. [33]

The SWP's offices in New York at 116 University Place, taken in 1975

Budenz explained that Rabinowitz provided Callen with $300 in cash to cover her first-class fare to New York and her initial expenses there. He then told her how she was to proceed. She would have an apartment in mid-Manhattan; and arrangements had been made for her apparent employment by a woman doctor who was a trusted party member. This would explain her regular income and also her regular hours. She could then volunteer to do stenographic and other clerical work at the Trotskyite national headquarters on University Place and 13th street. [34]

Certain conditions were set. It was to be an unspeakable rule that Irving was never, for any reason, to go to her apartment; nor were they ever to be seen together in public. [35]. The Stalinists were aware of Zalmond Franklins public profile and his familys widely-known role as leaders of the Communist Party in Milwaukee. They knew that if the SWP discovered Callens husbands identity, her role as a GPU spy would be exposed. Callen observed this rule, and concealed her marriage from the SWP.

The arrangements went through at top speed: Helen departed for New York and Irving soon was located in the Bronx. And Helen so ingratiated herself with the leading Trotskyites that she became a close friend of James Cannon, American Trotskyite chief, and his wife Karsner. She had the full run of the Trotskyite offices, became Cannons secretary and made available to the Soviet secret police all the correspondence with Trotsky in Mexico City and with other Trotskyites throughout the world. [36]

Callen dictates the SWPs response to Men Without Faces

Farrell Dobbs

Budenzs account of Callens activity in Men Without Faces was detailed and irrefutable. Nevertheless, the SWP leaders sought to maintain the public pretense that Callen had been a devoted and hardworking comrade.

But the pressure to come up with a response to Budenz was overwhelming. In August 1950, the Party leaders dispatched Farrell Dobbs to meet Callen at her home in Chicago to ask her how the party should reply.

In an August 21 letter to Cannon, Dobbs reported on his meeting with Callen. He wrote:

Chicago, Ill. August 21, 1950 Dear Jim, I have seen S. When I showed her the passage in the Budenz book and told her of the Shachtmanite prattle she reacted with mingled anger against her detractors and anxiety for her family. She told me the FBI has been hounding her and her family. As a result her father almost lost his job and was told that if there is any more investigating he will be fired. The FBI tried to question her about the party but she refused to give them any information. Her family now knows the whole score and they have put heavy pressure on her to keep her away from the movement. She does not want to be involved either directly or indirectly in the matter of a reply to Budenz. I asked if she would be willing to sit down with Mike and me to help us gather some of the facts needed to refute Budenz which would be used without openly or directly involving her. She said she did not want to be drawn into the thing in any manner whatever. I told her that we considered it absolutely necessary to reply to Budenz charges. She asked if we couldnt just issue a statement announcing that a full investigation of his allegations was made three years ago which proved his story false and denounce him as a character assassin. She asked if the statement couldnt be general, i.e., not refer to any specific person in refuting him, but state that no such person as he describes has ever been in the party office. She appeared to be in good health, seemed pleased to see me, and asked about everyone. She had not heard about Oscar [Coover, a longtime leader of the SWP who died earlier that year.] So far as I can see there is no point in attempting to press her any further on this matter. It seems best to go ahead along the lines we agreed on when we discussed the question in the secretariat right after the last plenum. (signed) Farrell

The SWP sent Dobbs to meet Callen because they wanted to know whether she had spoken to the FBI about the party and its leadership. The bizarre, Dostoevskyan quality of the letter is a product of the fact that the SWP was going along with a story they had created which they knew to be a lie. By preventing any investigation into Callens ties to the Communist Party and by calling Budenzs revelations and Shachtman and Glotzers warnings rumors and gossip, they created a false narrative that they felt they had to maintain.

Dobbs 1950 letter to James Cannon concerning his discussion with Sylvia Callen

Callen brazenly told the SWP how they should respond to Budenzs revelations. She instructed Dobbs to simply deny the existence of anyone who fit Helens description, and to cite the 1947 Control Commission as proof that the allegations against her were baseless. The SWP leaders, in a decision that was as cowardly as it was duplicitous, acceded to Callens instructions.

One week after Dobbs letter, on August 28, 1950, Cannon published an article in the Militant acknowledging that the party had received a report of a possible GPU agent in the national headquarters. Calling Budenz a well-known professional perjurer, Cannon wrote that the references to Helen in Men Without Faces were false.

This story, published by Budenz for the first time in the middle of the year 1950, has been known to us for more than three years. In 1947, we received a tip purportedly emanating in the first instance from circles close to the FBI, that one of the secretarial workers in the National Office, who was identified by name and specifically by previous occupation and biographical details, was an agent of the Stalinists. [37]

Mischaracterizing Callens role as a mere secretarial worker and not as his personal secretary, Cannon claimed that this report was promptly handed over to the party Control Commission for investigation according to the established principles of the revolutionary workers movement and that the investigation established that the information given to identify the accused comrade as to her biography, her previous occupation, and her personal life, was false. It was evident to us then that the accusation was based either on mistaken identity, or was a deliberately planted story designed to create a spy-scare in the organization. [38]

This account was a lie from beginning to end. The Control Commission covered up the fact that the testimony corroborated the report from Shachtman and Glotzers source and that she lied about being married to a leading Stalinist. It concluded by swearing those present to secrecy and was signed by the accuseds close personal friend, Rose Karsner. Far from proving the sources information was false, the Control Commission hearings confirmed she had moved to Chicago in 1939 and uncovered that she had not told the party she had been married to a Stalinist and had been in the Stalinist youth movement. She left the SWP as soon as her cover was blown. Under the circumstances there was no innocent explanation.

Following Callens instructions, Cannon added that Budenzs allegations do not apply to this particular person or to anyone else who ever worked in the National Office of the Socialist Workers Party. He said, falsely, that the Control Commission rejected the accusation and exonerated the accused comrade, who had fully cooperated with the investigation, answered all questions put to her and supplied the Control Commission with all the data relating to her biography and previous occupations, which were subjected to verification. [39]

In fact, none of Callens claims had been verified nor had there been any real investigation. From the initial visit of Shachtman and Glotzer to the issuing of the Control Commissions findings, little more than two weeks had elapsed. Callen had not cooperated with the SWP.

Budenz was not through with his exposure of Callen. On November 11, 1950, Budenz submitted an affidavit to the House Un-American Activities Committee that included new details of Sylvia Callen-Caldwells role. This time, Budenz dispensed with the use of the fictional name Helen.

Another person whom I introduced to Roberts, Budenz testified, referencing the alias for Dr. Gregory Rabinowitz was Sylvia Caulwell [sic] and whose maiden name was something like Sylvia Kallen [sic]. Her husband, Irving Franklin, had been in Spain working in secret work and had been sent to Canada to aid in espionage activities thereSylvia under the direction of Roberts-Rabinowitz, gradually made herself indispensable to James Cannon, then head of the American Trotskyites. She became his secretary and served in that capacity for some time. Roberts-Rabinowitz advised me that she had proved to be invaluable. [40]

The SWP did not respond to this testimony.

Joseph Hansen and the SWP cover-up

The cover of Isaac Don Levines book on Trotskys killer, Ramon Mercader

Over the next years, the evidence against Franklin mounted and the SWP continued to defend her along the lines Franklin laid out in her meeting with Dobbs, repeated in Cannons article of August 28, 1950.

In 1954 and again in 1958, Franklin testified before federal grand juries investigating Soviet espionage in the US. In her first appearance, Franklin relied on her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. In 1958, however, she admitted that she was, in fact, a GPU agent. This testimony would not be known for another 25 years.

In 1959, however, the journalist Isaac Don Levine published an account of Ramon Mercader and the GPUs assassination of Trotsky, The Mind of An Assassin, that substantiated Budenzs testimony.

Levine wrote:

He [Budenz] made it possible for the NKVD [the GPU] to steam open and pilfer Trotskys mail to his New York followers. He got a Communist Party girl, a Chicago social worker, to move to New York and volunteer her services to James Cannon, the American Trotskyist leader: She had the full run of the mill of the Trotskyite offices, became Cannons Secretary, and made available to the Soviet secret police all the correspondence with Trotsky in Mexico City and with other Trotskyites throughout the world, he testified. [41]

SWP leader Joseph Hansen tried to convince Levine to drop the matter. Hansen had joined the SWP in the mid 1930s and served in Coyoacan, where he provided secretarial assistance and security for Trotsky. In fact, he was the second man to reach Trotskycaptain of the guard Harold Robins was the firstafter Mercader struck the fatal blow. Hansen wrote to Cannon on October 24, 1958 about a discussion he had with Levine about the latters book:

What he wanted from me was information on any spies or evidence of spies in Soviet pay working in or around our movement. Not having any such information, I could not help him; in fact, when he came to Sylvia Caldwell I hope I was able to give him some further considerations to help squelch that rumor. [42]

Joseph Hansen

On March 19, 1960, Hansen responded to an urgent note from Gerry Healy, then National Secretary of the Socialist Labour League, the British section of the International Committee of the Fourth International. Healy inquired from Hansen what the latter knew about a report in Levines book regarding another GPU agent, named Etienne, the party name of Mark Zborowski, the Paris-based GPU agent who played a central role in providing the Stalinist secret police with information that led to the murders of Trotskys son Lev Sedov, Trotskys political secretaries Erwin Wolf and Rudolf Klement, and GPU defector Ignatz Reiss, who left the Soviet Union to join the Fourth International.

Referencing his own review of Levines book, Hansen attempted to deflect Healys interest in Etienne, claiming the SWP could not spare anyone to attend Etienne-Zborowskis 1958 perjury trial, where the agent was sentenced to prison for lying under oath about his ties to Jack Soble, a GPU controller responsible for a network of agents in the United States. In reality, Hansen and the SWP had no interest in covering a trial that could expose details of GPU infiltration of the Fourth International.

Trotsky's secretaries Rudolf Klement and Irwin Wolf, defector from the GPU Ignatz Reiss and Trotsky's son and closest collaborator Leon Sedovall murdered by the GPU

Hansen said he decided not to give much space to the Etienne case in his review of The Mind of An Assassin because, in his words, Levine was an anti-communist. Hansen said he considered referencing the report about Cannons personal secretary being a GPU agent as an example of Levines false material, adding, But this would necessitate an article on our investigation years ago of the slander and the review would have been thrown out of balance.

Hansen continued, One of our primary concerns was not to give the slightest encouragement to the view Levine seeks to implantthat our organizations are loaded with spies. Such a view is deadly poisonous and can do incomparably greater harm than the occasional stool pigeon that turns up in any organization. [43]

Cannon's letter to his wife, Rose Karsner

Weeks later, in April 1960, Cannon wrote a letter from Los Angeles to his wife, Rose Karsner, which is published here for the first time. In a discouraged tone, Cannon wrote:

I havent felt like writing but I am sending this note so that you wont worry about something possibly being wrong. Spiritually I am tired and have no present ambition to do anything. I spend the time reading stuff that is easy to read, thinking a little, but mostly musing and remembering and reflecting. Most of my musing and remembering these days is sad, and that paralyzes the will to work or even to plan to work later on. The memories of work I have already done in the pastnot speaking and writing, which was the easiest part and probably all that others really noticed, but carrying people on my backgive me a delayed reaction of spiritual weariness. I feel that I have done all of that heavy work I can do or even want to do again for anybody I dont want to do anything for anybodyin fact, I cantand I dont want anybody to try to do anything for me except for routine technical things. The most I want from people now is to let me alone, not pull at me or try to push me, and above all not expect me [to] pick them up and inspire them and try to solve their problems. [44]

That same year Sylvia Callen was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment of GPU spy Robert Soblen, Jack Sobles brother. At Soblens trial, further information proving Callens role emerged. Soble testified, I went further into the Trotsky field and worked with the secretary of Cannon, Sylviaalso introduced to me by the same Russians who worked for them already beforeShe gathered material at the secretariat of Cannon and gave it to mepure Trotsky material. [45]

GPU agents Jack Soble and Robert Soblen

The SWP again failed to cover the trial and report on this testimony. The absence of any coverage by the Militant of the Soblen trialwhich was front page news in The New York Times is all the more incriminating given the fact that another prominent ex-member of the SWP, Floyd Cleveland Miller, was also listed as a GPU co-conspirator.

The cover-up of Callens role as a GPU agent became the official policy of the SWP leadership. In a manner that defies innocent explanation, the SWP went out of its way to uphold her bona fides, perpetuating the myth of Cannons selfless secretary and denouncing Budenz as a perjurer.

On November 12, 1966, Cannon wrote to Reba Hansen, Joseph Hansens wife, regarding a proposal by a party member to change the functioning of the SWPs Control Commission. He addressed the matter in a thoroughly dishonest way.

Cannon explained that the partys Control Commission was responsible for the double purpose of maintaining party security and to provide the maximum assurance that any individual party member, accused or rumored to be unworthy of party membership, could be assured of the fullest investigation. [46]

To defend his position, Cannon cited the case of Callen-Caldwell without identifying her by name. He said that at the time, a rumor circulated by the Shachtmanites and others outside the party against the integrity of a National Office secretarial worker was thoroughly investigated by the Control Commission which, after taking stenographic testimony from all available sources, declared the rumors unfounded and cleared the accused party member to continue her work. [47]

This letter to Reba Hansen had clearly been written for public consumption, with the purpose of suppressing questions about the official story, particularly among older members of the SWP who must have wondered why Sylvia Callen had suddenly left the party.

Cannons letter neglected to explain that Callen-Caldwell was not simply a National Office secretarial worker, but his personal secretary, assistant and his wifes close friend. He hid the fact that she quit the party shortly after supposedly being cleared to continue her work. The 1947 control commission did not investigate the matter thoroughly and it did not take testimony from all available sources, as he claimed. Her lies were exposed by Budenz, Levine and Soble, and the SWP control commission covered up her real role.

The SWP defends Hansen and Franklin

In 1975, the International Committee initiated its own investigation into Security and the Fourth International. The initial findings included evidence of Hansens meetings with the FBI and State Department as well as information of Callens role as a GPU agent.

Hansen denounced the revelations as A Geyser of Mud. He wrote that the Healyites in no place indicate the basis of their charge that the agent with whom he had met, Robert McGregor, was in association with an agent of the FBI. [48]

Hansen rejected the ICFIs call for a commission of inquiry into Trotskys assassination, adding:

Sylvia Caldwell, (that was her party name) worked very hard in her rather difficult assignment of managing the office of the Socialist Workers Party, which included helping Cannon in a secretarial capacity. In fact all the comrades who shared these often irksome chores with her regarded her as exemplary. They burned as much as she did over the foul slanders spread by Budenz. [49]

In the December 8, 1975 edition of the SWP magazine Intercontinental Press, leading SWP member George Novack attacked Healys reckless and indiscriminate allegations against Sylvia Caldwell, Cannons secretary, writing that anything goes in his frantic endeavors to cast a net of suspicion around Joseph Hansen and his colleagues. [50]

A two-page spread from the ICFI's "Case for a Commission of Inquiry" on the Budenz revelations

In early 1976, the SWP published a collection of essays memorializing the life of James P. Cannon, who had died in August 1974. Titled James P. Cannon As We Knew Him, the volume consisted of essays written by SWP members, including one by Joseph Hansens wife, Reba Hansen, which contained the following extraordinary tribute:

During those years Sylvia Caldwell served as secretary in the national office, a job that included working with Jim, who held the post of national secretary. She was the second full-time secretary the party had. The first was Lillian Roberts. Jim often told us about how it was in the old days, when it was difficult to get things done because of having no secretarial help. He said he was grateful for any help he could get and he never failed to show his deep appreciation for the aid that Sylvia gave. Jim was fond of telling the story about how Sylvia went to a business school to learn shorthand when it was proposed she work in the national office. This was before the days of the tape recorder, and shorthand was essential to taking adequate minutes at meetings and dictation for letters and articles. Sylvia learned fast and well. Her Gregg characters were like copper-plate engravings, her typing without strike-overs, and no messy erasures. When the load in the national office was heavy and Sylvia needed help, I gave her a hand, working very closely with her. Her efficiency impressed me. She knew how to do everything that was necessary to keep a one-person office running smoothly. Her devotion to the movement and her readiness to put in long hours of hard work inspired us all. Sylvia and I became close collaborators and good personal friends. She was a warm human being. When Sylvia left New York in 1947 because of family obligations, Jim asked me to take her place in the national office. Since this included working closely with Jim, I felt a little nervous, but Sylvia helped me through the transition from business manager of the Militant to my new assignment. At that time Rose and Jim lived at 126 West Eleventh Street, seventh floor. The apartment building was modernit had an elevatorand the rooms were large by New York standards. The front room, facing on Eleventh Street, was big enough for two desks, several filing cabinets, and a worktable. Sylvia took me there to work with her and learn the ropes. But Jim didnt shift easily from one secretary to another. And it was only after Sylvia had been gone some time that Jim felt enough at home with me through working together in the national office to ask me to come over to West Eleventh Street. [51]

There is no innocent explanation for the inclusion of this lying tribute to Sylvia Callen in a book that was supposedly intended to eulogize Cannon. Reba Hansen knew full well that Callen had suddenly disappeared from the SWP national office in 1947 not because of family obligations, but because she had been exposed as a GPU agent. Her gratuitous tribute to Cannons secretary, who had for nearly a decade managed the national office, did not make any mention whatever of the allegations made by Budenz, the 1947 control commission, Budenzs more detailed account in 1950 of Callens activities, or of her being named by the US government as a co-conspirator in the 1960 trial of Soviet agent Robert Soblen.

The ICFI Locates Sylvia Callen

The SWPs defense of Callen made it critical to locate the former agent. In 1976, the Workers League (predecessor of the Socialist Equality Party), initiated a search to find Callen. Without the benefit of modern-day search engines, it was necessary to reconstruct the biography of this dedicated and ruthless American GPU agent who was able to spy on and betray without remorse people with whom she worked on a daily basis for almost a decade. She was absolutely indifferent to the human impact, which included murder, of her actions.

In order to locate Callen it was necessary to discover the name under which she was living. The November 1960 federal indictment that named her as a co-conspirator in the GPU spy ring led by Robert Soblen and Jack Soble identified her only by her maiden name, Callen. However, through an examination of court documents, David North, the national secretary of the Workers League, was able to ascertain that Callen had been living in Wheaton, Illinois, at the time of her indictment.

Callen left Wheaton shortly after the conclusion of the Soblen trial. But there was a paper trail that could be followed. In the early 1950s Callen had divorced her husband and co-GPU agent, Zalmond Franklin, who died in 1958. Callen married her second husband, James Doxsee, a member or fellow-traveler of the Communist Party who worked for ABC. Together they had three children, whom they raised in Wheaton. Her pleasant middle-class life was disturbed only by visits from the FBI and two extensive federal grand jury interrogations, the first in 1954 and the second in 1958.

GPU agent Sylvia Callen, pictured in Wheaton, Illinois in 1977

After selling their home in Wheaton, James and Sylvia Doxsee relocated to a nearby West Chicago suburb. The domesticated Mrs. Doxsee was careful to conceal her past, refusing to allow her family and few friends to take pictures of her. In the mid-1970s, the Doxsees sold their home and purchased an RV, which became their mobile residence. Much of their time was spent driving through Central America.

However, in May 1977 the Doxsees returned to Wheaton to visit James aging mother. North had been able to establish Callens new married name. He learned in advance of the Doxsees planned visit to Wheaton, where they had reserved a space for their RV in a local trailer park. He and Alex Mitchell, who was then the editor of the News Line, the publication of the Workers Revolutionary Party (British section of the International Committee), located Sylvia Callen-Franklin-Caldwell-Doxsee at this trailer park in Wheaton.

On May 9, 1977, North and Mitchell went to the Doxsees trailer and confronted the ex-GPU spy.

When asked about her political past, Doxsee (aka Callen, Caldwell, Franklin) acknowledged working as Cannons secretary, but sought to brush aside her years in the SWP as a minor episode in her life. As the Bulletin, newspaper of the Workers League, reported on May 31, 1977, Doxsee said: I dont see why its even important. I was never really in politics. I never read. I never understood it. I was just an immature child, thats about all I can say Its like I blacked it out. All that period of my life. [52]

Regarding James P. Cannon, with whom she had closely worked on a day-by-day basis for almost a decade, Doxsee said with unconcealed contempt, He wasnt an important man, in my opinion. Is he? What part did he play in the world?

Pressed by North and Mitchell to explain why she was indicted as a co-conspirator in a GPU spy ring, Doxsee feigned amnesia. The following exchange was reported in the Bulletin:

Question: This is an official document. Grand Jury, 1960, in which your name is mentioned right here, Sylvia Callen. Franklin: Grand Jury charges! Question: Yes. All I would like to ask you is why were you named on this indictment? Thats all Id like to ask you. Franklin: I cant believe it! Another document was shown to her. Question: Here as well is your name on the list of witnesses the Government was going to call. Franklin: My God! Question: You have no explanation for your name. Franklin: No, but the FBI came to see me here. Question: Why did they come to see you? Franklin: I dont know. I had a mental breakdown afterwards so it must have been pretty terrible. Question: So why Franklin: I dont know. I dont know. I dont want to think about it. Question: Do you have a memory block which begins after all these events supposedly took place? Franklin: I dont know. I wish you wouldnt try to make me remember because Ill have a breakdown. I cant remember. Its been many years, and Ive put it out of my mind. Question: Is it possible that you were in the Communist Party and simply have forgotten all about it? Franklin: I dont know. I dont know. It could be one way. It could be the other. I cant believe that person was me. I cant believe that I worked in that office. That I was his secretary. I cant believe anything. [53]

Reba and Joseph Hansen hiding from the camera

After the publication of the interview with Sylvia Doxsee-Franklin-Caldwell-Callen on May 31, 1977, Hansen responded in an Intercontinental Press article on June 20, 1977 titled Healyites Escalate Frame-up of Trotskyist Leaders. In the article, Hansen attempted to cast doubt on what he called the purported interview, stating that the ICFI had escalated their slanders on the leadership of the Socialist Workers Party. [54]

Hansen attacked the Security and the Fourth International investigation by referencing the 1947 Control Commission:

The members of this select body of witch-hunters [i.e. the ICFI] commit themselves to a slander they had previously only hinted at; namely, that the control commission set up by the Socialist Workers Party in 1947 to examine the rumours circulating about Caldwell was rigged.

He continued:

If there was a cover-up, if the control commission was rigged, if no control commission was held at allas the Healyites now allegethen the main guilt clearly falls on James P. Cannon, one of the founders of the Fourth International. In accordance with the logic of the Big Lie as practiced by the Healyites, Cannon must be listed as an accomplice of the GPU, if not worse. This is only the beginning. If Cannon was an accomplice or agent of the GPU, then the entire top leadership of the SWP associated with him must be similarly listed, for they obviously participated in staging the alleged control commission fraud, whether by helping to rig it or, if it was not held at all, by making outalong with Cannonthat it had been held. How far back did such fraudulent practices go? Was Cannon an accomplice or agent of the GPU when he founded American Trotskyism? When he collaborated with Trotsky in founding the Fourth International? Was his long battle against Stalinism a sham? Were his close relations with Trotsky a cover up for a secret connection with Stalin? Just whom did Cannon use as willing tools in working for the GPUfor instance, in the alleged fake control commission? [55]

On June 25, 1977, North, in an article published in the News Line responded to Hansens claims in an article titled Hansens Big Lie Grows Bigger. After quoting the above paragraphs, North wrote:

All this comes straight from the pen of Joseph Hansen! He is charged with covering up the activities of GPU agents, and so he replies by trying to frighten SWP members with the suggestion that his guilt makes Cannon a Stalinist agent! He is trying to intimidate the SWP membership and bully them into silence by telling them how terrible the consequences will be if the International Committees charges against him are proven correct. Hansen deals with his members like an airplane hijacker with a bomb in his hand who waves it above his head and shouts at the passengers Anyone tries to stop me and well all be blown to kingdom come! What is clear is that Hansen will stop at nothing to save his own political neck. Hansen is not protecting Cannon; hes using Cannon; hes using Cannon to save himself. [56]

The fact that Hansen resorted to this desperate method precisely on the question of the 1947 Control Commission shows just how central it was to Hansens narrative. As North wrote:

This is Hansen at his tricks again. He doesnt give a straightforward answer: was the SWP control commission rigged or wasnt it? Instead, he drags in James P. Cannon in order to hide behind his grave. Why doesnt he leave Cannon out of it? The International Committee has made no accusations against Cannon. Weve accused Hansen! Its Hansens favourite trick to immediately conjure up Cannons Ghost the moment he himself is challenged. [57]

The publication of the ICFIs interview with Sylvia Callen-Doxsee and the calling into question of the 1947 Control Commission produced anxiety among the SWP leadership and the Stalinist bureaucracy. Those involved in penetrating the Trotskyist movement had good reason to believe the Security and the Fourth International investigation would publish further revelations exposing the GPU infiltration of the Trotskyist movement.

Tom Henehan, 26-year-old member of the Workers League Political Committee, murdered in 1977 after Hansen warned of "deadly consequences" to Security and the Fourth International investigation

Hansen responded by adopting the methods of Stalinist intimidation, attempting to create a threatening atmosphere of provocation against the ICFI. Unable to challenge the damning implications of the Callen interview, Hansen wrote, The Healyites are quite capable of initiating physical violence against other sectors of the labor movement. In the same article, he threatened the International Committee, warning it that Security and the Fourth International would bring deadly consequences. [58]

Less than four months later, on October 16, 1977, Tom Henehan, a 26-year-old member of the Workers League Political Committee, was assassinated in New York City by two professional gunmen while supervising a public party event. Though the killers were quickly identified, the New York police refused to make any arrests. Finally, after a three-year campaign waged by the Workers League, the gunmen were arrested, placed on trial, and convicted in July 1981 of second-degree murder. Following the trial, the private detective who had investigated the case for the defense attorney informed North that the word on the street was that the killing was a hit.

The Gelfand case and the Franklin grand jury transcripts

In August 1977, Alan Gelfand, an SWP member and a public defender in Los Angeles, obtained copies of the Security and the Fourth International documents circulated by Workers League members outside the SWPs National Convention in Oberlin, Ohio. [59]

Gelfand asked other SWP members about the documents and particularly the 1940 State Department and FBI memos that referenced Hansens meeting with the GPU and with the US government.

In response, Gelfand was given different explanations. Some SWP members told him the documents were forgeries, either by the Workers League or the FBI. Others, including SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes, told Gelfand the documents were legitimate but that the SWP had instructed Hansen to contact US government agencies to obtain information about Trotskys assassination. SWP leaders also claimed that all the allegations made by the International Committee had been fully answered in a party internal bulletin that was provocatively titled, Healys Big Lie.

"Healy's Big Lie." The SWP mobilized the international Pabloite movement to slander Security and the Fourth International

After the convention, Gelfand carefully studied this internal bulletin and concluded that the answers were contradicted by documents uncovered by the Security and the Fourth International investigation after its publication.

Gelfand continued to ask for discussion regarding Hansens connections to the GPU and United States agencies, and of Callens connections to the GPU. The SWP leadership repeatedly barred him from speaking to other members about his concerns. Gelfand realized that the cover-up must be tied to the activity of high level state agents still operating within the party.

In December 1978, Gelfand filed an amicus curiae brief in support of a lawsuit by the SWP related to the FBIs surveillance of the movement through COINTELPRO. This lawsuit, which had been initiated by the SWP primarily as a fundraising activity, was not being conducted with the intention of exposing past or still active agents inside the party. In fact, the US government eventually settled the case by paying the SWP hundreds of thousands of dollars but without identifying a single agent that it had infiltrated into the party. In the course of the trial, the FBI admitted that between 1960 and 1976 there were 300 informants serving as members of the SWP.

Gelfands brief, however, referenced the history of FBI and GPU penetration of the movement, and the recent revelations concerning Callen and Hansen to further demonstrate the need for the court to compel the government to identify the agents that had been sent into the SWP.

This demand outraged the SWP leadership, which accused Gelfand of violating party discipline. On January 5, 1979, SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes charged Gelfand with undisciplined and disloyal behavior. Six days later, on January 11, the SWP Political Committee expelled him. This was the last meeting of the SWP Political Committee attended by Joseph Hansen. He died in New York City exactly one week later, on January 18, 1979. Hansen was 68 years old.

In a letter to the SWP Political Committee, dated January 29, 1979, Gelfand stated that he had been purged from the SWP to block the exposure of agents inside the party. This purge, he wrote, is the result of my persistent and principled fight over the last 18 months to obtain satisfactory answers and explanations to the various questions raised by Joseph Hansens and Sylvia Franklins relationship with the FBI and GPU.

The Gelfand Case, the record of Gelfand v. Attorney General, published by the International Committee of the Fourth International in 1985

On July 18, 1979 Gelfand filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging that the government violated his First Amendment rights by infiltrating the SWP with agents who expelled him from the political party of his choosing. Gelfand named as defendants high US government officialsincluding the attorney general and the directors of the FBI and CIAas well as leading members of the Socialist Workers Party.

The SWP immediately filed a motion to dismiss Gelfands lawsuit. Oral arguments were made before United States District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer on November 19, 1979.

In June 1980 Pfaelzer denied the SWPs motion, finding that Gelfands complaint raised fundamental constitutional issues. She wrote that the government manipulation and takeover of plaintiffs political party that is alleged  is a drastic interference with the associational rights of its adherents and cannot pass constitutional muster. [60]

Gelfand and his lawyers took depositions of many current and former SWP members. The first to be deposed was Sylvia Doxsee, who had relocated to an exclusive neighborhood along Chicagos Gold Coast. In the course of her deposition, she invoked memory loss 231 times. She admitted, however, during the course of the deposition that she had previously appeared before at least two federal grand juries. Referencing her grand jury testimony, Doxsee-Callen said:

Q: Did you take the Fifth Amendment on any questions? A: On some I did. Q: How did you know to take the Fifth Amendment? A: From reading the papers from the McCarthys thing. I copied it down, even what to say. Q: Did you talk to anybody about when to use the Fifth Amendment? A: No. I probably should have, but Im just so dumb. Q: What types of areas did you take the Fifth Amendment in? A: Oh, I dont remember. Q: Well, would it be fair to say that certain questions you were willing to answer? A: I dont remember. Q: Well, did you answer any questions? A: That I dont remember either. Maybe I didnt answer any questions, I dont know. [61]

Although grand jury proceedings are generally sealed, Gelfands attorneys petitioned a federal court in New York to release the transcripts of Sylvia Callens testimony of 1954 and 1958. This request was bitterly opposed by the SWP, which argued for continued secrecy on the basis that the grand jury testimony is wholly irrelevant to any material issue in this litigation and should not be disclosed.

The judge in New York released the transcripts to Judge Pfaelzer in Los Angeles. Pfaelzer, a liberal Democratic judge, was managing the case with extreme caution.

Her ruling in June 1980 had accepted that Gelfands expulsion from the SWP would be unconstitutional if engineered by government agents to prevent their own expulsion. However, as the case proceeded, Pfaelzer, the SWP, and the government sought to block Gelfand from accessing the evidence he would need to prove that his First Amendment right was denied by the government agents who expelled him from the SWP.

As Gelfand and his attorneys wrote in their closing brief on summary judgment:

Legally, this case presents a double paradox. For the court, there is the tension between the enforcement of First Amendment rights on the one hand and the duty to protect claims of national security on the other. In denying the motions to dismiss, the court in ringing terms affirmed the right to political association free from governmental interference. By upholding the governments claim of informer privilege on plaintiffs motion to compel, however, the court demonstrated its sensitivity to the countervailing concerns. Rarely does a case require the reconciliation of two such fundamentally opposing legal principles. The plaintiff faces the other side of the coin. On the one hand he is told that, if he can prove that the leaders of the Party are agents of the United States government, he will establish the violation of his constitutional rights. Yet the most straightforward method of proofexamination of relevant government documents and direct responses to questions aimed at government agencieshas been denied to him. [62]

Mark Zborowski, alias "Etienne," was located in San Francisco in August 1975 by the International Committee of the Fourth International. (Photo by David North)

Pfaelzer appeared concerned that Gelfands evidence-gathering efforts would lead to the publication of state secrets regarding the penetration of the SWP. When denying Gelfands request that Zborowski be compelled to testify, she said:

Now, my feeling is that Mr. Zborowski, given the very nature of this case, when postured up against, since the case was filed, an enactment known as the Protection of Certain National Security Information, which has just become law this year, does or would run a possible risk of violating section 601(a) of that act, were he asked to identify either by name or description or anything else which might lead to the identity of possible intelligence agents who might be superficially participating in this Socialist Workers Party. And that act specifically provides that if any person has such information and knowingly discloses it, regardless of whatever the motivation, can be prosecuted, fined $50,000, and imprisoned up to ten years. And, therefore, I feel that his invoking the Fifth Amendment in that area, which is the pivotal point of this lawsuit, perhaps, nonetheless is a legitimate concern of the witness and his counsel that must be honored by this court. And, therefore, insofar as any invocation of the Fifth Amendment that has, up to now, been asserted in this deposition, Im not going to order him to further answer. [63]

The highest levels of the US government and military-intelligence apparatus were closely monitoring the case. A June 11, 1982 memorandum from Central Intelligence Agency General Counsel Stanley Sporkin to CIA Director William J. Casey cites the Gelfand case as an item of major interest for the CIA.

Referencing a request by Gelfand and his attorneys that the CIA and other state agencies reveal the identities of agents in the party, the recently-declassified CIA memo reads:

In Gelfand v. Attorney General, DCI, et al., Gelfand claims that alleged CIA and FBI agents in the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) expelled him from the party. In pretrial discovery, Gelfand submitted interrogatories asking the DCI [Director of Central Intelligence] whether 19 named SWP members are or have been CIA agents and whether CIA believes that one named individual is a Soviet intelligence agent. The DCI refused to answer the interrogatories on the ground that answering them would tend to reveal intelligence activities, sources, and methods. The U.S. District Court hearing the case upheld the DCIs refusal to answer, holding that the DCIs statutory responsibility to protect intelligence sources and methods and the CIAs statutory exemption from any requirement to disclose the names or functions of CIA personnel justify the refusal to answer. [64]

Under pressure from the government, Pfaelzer sought to restrict the focus of the trial to the narrow procedural issue of whether Gelfand technically violated party rules by continuing to press for answers on the Hansen and Callen exposures after the SWP leadership told him to stop.

When the proceedings began, Gelfands attorney, John Burton, asked Judge Pfaelzer to release the transcripts of the Callen grand jury transcripts that had been forwarded from New York. The judge replied that she would rule later on that request. Several further requests for the release of the transcripts were brushed aside. Her brusque demeanor and seemingly hostile attitude to Gelfand gave the impression that she would deny the request.

Jack Barnes, National Secretary of the Socialist Workers Party

On the last day of the trial, March 9, 1983, SWP National Secretary Barnes was called to testify. Apparently confident that Pfaelzer would not release the grand jury transcripts, Barnes not only defended Franklin. He concluded his testimony with an extraordinary tribute to this GPU agent:

Q: Now, was it your opinion at the time you received [Gelfands letter] that there was no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Sylvia Franklin was an agent of the GPU? A: All the evidence is just the opposite. Her whole comportment not only when she was in the movement but everything thats happened since she left indicates that she is exactly what she was: a loyal, hard-working, and model member of our movement. Q: That is still your opinion today? A: Well, my opinion today is she is one of my heroes after the harassment and what shes been through the last couple of years. I would even feel more strongly about her, her character, than I did then. Q: Now, was Sylvia Franklin the subject of an SWP Control Commission investigation? A: No. Sylvia Franklin was not the subject of an SWP Control Commission. Sylvia Caldwell was invited to an SWP Control Commission hearing to discuss the fact of the Shachtmanites were spreading this rumor. The control commission had their hearing and then they passed a motion saying, one, that there is zero evidence that there is anything connected with this rumor that could be true and, number two, which of course is the key of why they met, to request of the Shachtmanites to cease spreading this rumor because of that. [65]

These lies may have proved too much for Pfaelzer. Following Barnes testimony, Pfaelzer suddenly released the transcripts of both the 1954 and 1958 grand jury hearings. While Pfaelzer shielded Barnes from exposure on the witness stand, these transcripts nevertheless decisively answered, with Callens own words, the question of her role as a GPU agent inside the SWP.

In her 1954 testimony, Callen employed the tactic that she would later use when confronted by North and Mitchell in 1977 and during her 1980 deposition, i.e., memory loss. In 1954, Callen did confirm that she had been married to Franklin, and that they had attended meetings of the Stalinist Young Communist League. But in response to crucial questions, such as whether she had met with Louis Budenz, Callen stated: I cant answer that because of possible self-incrimination, invoking her Fifth Amendment privilege. [66]

In her second grand jury appearance, on June 18, 1958, Callen was more forthcoming. She realized that the grand jury was preparing indictments for an espionage case against her former GPU handler, Robert Soblen, and that she was facing the danger of a lengthy prison term, if not the death penalty, on charges of treason.

The US government attorney began his interrogation by reminding Callen (now addressed as Mrs. Doxsee) of problems that arose during her 1954 appearance:

Q. You do recall testifying before a grand jury? A. Oh, yes. Q. And you do recall, Mrs. Doxsee, that at that time your memory was not as good as it might be? A. Yes. Q. And have you since that time tried to improve your memory as best as you could? A. Yes, I have. Q. And have you talked over the matters with your husband? A. Yes. Q. And do you feel that you are beginning to remember some things that you had difficulty with before. A. Yes. [67]

Callen told the story of her role as an agent inside the SWP. She recalled how she was paid to hand over confidential information from the desk of James Cannon to two leading GPU spies, Dr. Gregory Rabinowitzthe Roberts Budenz worked withand Jack Soble, the brother of Robert Soblen. Under examination by a government attorney, the transcript of her testimony read, in part:

Q: If I can make a little resume here, Miss Doxsee, you say then that you joined the Young Communist League in the middle thirties, but after you joined the Young Communist League and at the suggestion from someone from the Communist Party you joined an organization that was part of the Social Workers [sic] organization. Is that right? A: I think thats it. Q: Then ultimately you entered the office of James Cannon and became his secretary? A: Yes. Q: Now, during the time that you were working in Mr. Cannons office, did you ever discuss anything that you learned there with anybody else? A: Yes. Q: Do you recall who it was that you discussed that with? A: Well, I used to go to my former husbands apartment, Zalmonds apartment. Q: Did you meet anyone there? A: I metnot every time I went up therebut I had met a man I called Jack [Jack was the alias used by Gregory Rabinowitzaka Robertsduring his meetings with Sylvia Franklin]. I dont know his name. Q: This man, Jack, you say, was introduced to you by Louis Budenz? A: Yes. Q: And that was in Chicago? A: Yes, thats the way I recall it. Q: Do you ever recall meeting a woman to whom you gave information? A: Yes; a womans apartment. Q: And was that a different apartment from the apartment you have previously described? A: Yes. [68]

Callen was referring to the apartment of Stalinist agent Lucy Booker. She then testified, I used to go up there and type reports also, the way I used to at my husbands apartment, and sometimes, as I recall, she was there and sometimes she wasnt just as I recall.

There, she would sometimes meet Jack Soble, who she knew as Sam. He would pay her for her services.

Q: Do you recall how you knewcommenced going to this apartment that youre now describing, the womans apartment? A: No, I dont. Q: Did someone tell you to go there? A: No, I hadnt given that any thought. I dont know whether someone brought meI cant remember whether I was given an address, I really cant remember that, the sequence there. Q: Now, you described the mimeographed material which you gave, can you recall the contents of the material that you typed? A: Well, I remember I used to just type upit was mostly during faction fights in the party and political committee meetings, who was fighting with who, and then if there was correspondence from Leon Trotsky that I saw, I would try to remember what was in the letters and write that all out, whos going with who and that kind of thing, personal things like that, I remember, how much money they hadI knew, you know, bank balances and stuff like that. [69]

Callen and the GPU had access to everything: international correspondence, internal discussion papers from Trotskyist movements worldwide, all of Cannons correspondence, and personal information about the membership.

The Sylvia Franklin Dossier, published by the International Committee of the Fourth International in 1977

The release of the grand jury transcripts exploded the cover-up of the GPUs penetration of the SWP, and completely vindicated the investigation conducted by the International Committee.

But Judge Pfaelzer, guided by a desire to prevent Gelfand from exposing the depth of the FBIs involvement in the SWP, denied his requests that she release information about specific agents operating in the party.

Pfaelzer ruled against Gelfand by conjuring up a clearly unattainable level of proof.

Pfaelzer asserted that Gelfand could not prove his case by a preponderance of evidence if there were other explanationsno matter how implausiblefor the SWP defendants actions. The judge acknowledged that Gelfands conclusion that the SWP leaders were agents might be a permissible inference to be drawn, but you cant prevail by a preponderance of the evidence on that because its equally likely that they just sat there without investigating because they had blind faith. You cant win on a preponderance of the evidence based solely on the fact that the charges were true. (Emphasis added). [70]

In a further exchange with Gelfands attorney, Pfaelzer said:

Let us assume that you prove that every single thing that Mr. Gelfand said is true and that there is no doubt but that Hansen was working with the FBI and may indeed have been an agent of the FBI at some point, and that Sylvia Caldwell was an agent of the GPU, and that indeed his suspicions were well founded and they made a mistake, the Party made a mistake in believing the contents of Healys Big Lie. Now, lets say that is all proved, what permissible inference may be drawn from that if that is all you have?

Burton said, Your Honor, it cant be examined out of context.

To which Pfaelzer responded, Oh, no. It can be examined out of context. [71]

This reasoning does not stand up to basic legal analysis. As all first year law students know, the preponderance of evidence standard only requires a civil plaintiff show there is a greater than 50 percent chance that the evidence presented proves the claim, not that all other potential inferences have been disproven. Furthermore, circumstantial evidence is always evaluated in context and frequently incriminating evidence can lose its meaning when viewed in isolation.

As the Workers League correctly noted, The central pillar of the SWPs defensethat Gelfand had been propagating a slander campaign manufactured by the International Committeewas utterly shattered. The transcripts release completed the destruction of the defendants credibility. [72]

Joseph Hansen and the control commission

Joseph Hansen could not be deposed or questioned during the Gelfand Case. To the end, Hansen actively defended Callen, however, having organized an international campaign to slander those who raised questions about what was ultimately proven to be the truth: she was an agent of the GPU.

Why did Hansen, and the SWP after his death, go to such lengths to defend Callen? Why did not they simply admit, even before the release of the grand jury transcripts, that James P. Cannons secretary had been an agent of the GPU from 1939 to 1947? By the mid-1970s, when the International Committee initiated its investigation into Security and the Fourth International, nearly 30 years had passed since Callen left the SWP.

Dossier of a Double Agent: The Lies of Joseph Hansen, part of the Security and the Fourth International investigation

The obvious question is: Why did Hansen and Barnes cling so desperately to the transparent lie that Callen had been an exemplary comrade? Would it not have been easier for Hansen to admit that the SWP had been duped by Callens claims of innocence, and that the 1947 control commissions investigation had been inadequate?

The only answer is that the activities of Callen and Hansen were too closely intertwined. Hansen was compelled to lie about Sylvia Callen becauseas a document obtained by Gelfands attorneys near the conclusion of the litigation provedhe was shielding his own role as an agent inside the SWP.

Late in the litigation, Judge Pfaelzer compelled the SWP to turn over a letter sent to Hansen by his close friend, Vaughn T. Irish OBrien.

In this letter, dated June 8, 1976, OBrien recalled an encounter in the late 1940s or early 1950sthe general time frame of the control commission and the publication of Budenzs bookswith Pearl Kluger, a former member of A.J. Mustes American Workers Party who knew Budenz personally. OBrien wrote, I had not seen Pearl for a considerable period of time, but she immediately said, Budenz says your friend Joe Hansen worked with the GPU. [73]

This extraordinary revelationthat the same man who had originally exposed Sylvia Callen had also identified Joseph Hansen as a GPU agentwas substantiated by the Socialist Workers Party. Just one month after the conclusion of the Gelfand trial, in the April 15, 1983 edition of the Militant, SWP leader Larry Seigle wrote that Budenz had fingered not just CP members, but also several SWP members, as Soviet agents. Among these were Joseph Hansen, a central leader of the SWP until his death in 1979, and Sylvia Caldwell, who had been a secretary in the SWP national office. [74]

It is evident that there were, in the immediate aftermath of the Gelfand trial, disagreements within the SWP leadership as to how to handle the evidence that incriminated Hansen as a GPU operative. Seigles public acknowledgment of Budenzs exposure of both Caldwell and Hansenthus confirming the allegations made by Gelfandwas evidently seen as a major political blunder.

Just one day after Seigles article appeared in the Militant, the SWP leadership formulated a plan to reverse the damaging admission. The minutes from the SWP Political Committee meeting of April 16, 1983 show that the Barnes leadership conspired to denounce the grand jury transcripts as forgeries and double down on its defense of Callen-Caldwell:

We should write an article presenting the partys position on the accusations against Sylvia Caldwell. The article should present for the party and the international movement our political position on the responsibility of the party to defend itself against COINTELPRO-type snitch-jacket operations of the kind that is now being carried out against Sylvia Caldwell and the SWP. It is especially necessary to explain again, for those who have never learned or have forgotten, the responsibility of the leadership of a revolutionary workers party to defend loyally each and every member against such slander campaigns. The article will examine the new evidence presented by the FBI in Pfaelzers courtroom and circulated by the WL/WRP, consisting of what is presented as transcripts of testimony given by Sylvia Caldwell before two grand juries investigating Soviet espionage in the 1950s. We have no way of knowing how much the transcripts are doctored. Moreover, testimony given under these conditionsbefore a secret grand jury, without a lawyer, under threat of indictment as a Soviet spy in the shadow of the judicial murder of Ethel and Julius Rosenbergcannot be taken as true by any serious workers leader. [75]

SWP Political Committee Meeting Minutes, April 16, 1983, page 1 (Wisconsin Historical Society)

The minutes also reveal that the publication of the grand jury transcripts, exposing the cover-up of Sylvia Franklin, had produced widespread anxiety within the SWP membership and among its international allies.

Because of inexperience and some confusion on these points, in the party and in the international movement, an article along these lines would be helpful. [76]

SWP Political Committee Meeting Minutes, April 16, 1983, page 2 (Wisconsin Historical Society)

On August 5, 1983, the Militant published a report that had been given by Jack Barnes in May, weeks after the PC meeting, to the SWPs national committee. Barnes resumed the defense of Callen-Caldwell:

Another thing that happened at the trial needs to be emphasized. And that is what the government and the WL-WRP did concerning our comrade Sylvia Caldwell, whom they accuse of having been an agent of the Soviet secret police during the years when she was a member of our party, from the mid-1930s to the late-1940s. As we know, Sylvia was vilified by the FBI disrupter and stool pigeon, Louis Budenz. She was hounded by the FBI throughout the years of the witchhunt. She was hauled before the federal grand juries investigating Soviet espionage during the 1950s, like the one that indicted the Rosenbergs. And she has now had the WL-WRP continuing the effort as a means of furthering their disruption operation against our movement, here and internationally. [77]

This tirade was a lie from beginning to end. If our comrade Sylvia Caldwell had been, as Barnes claimed, the subject of vicious persecution throughout the 1950s, why had the SWP failed to mount a public campaign in her defense? Why was there not a word written in the Militant about comrade Sylvia being hauled before federal grand juries investigating Soviet espionage during the 1950s, like the one that indicted the Rosenbergs? Why had the SWP and the Militant not denounced publicly the listing of Sylvia Callen as a GPU co-conspirator in the 1960 federal indictment of Robert Soblen?

Barnes went on to imply that the 1958 transcript was a forgery, referring to it as what the FBI claims is a transcript of her testimony before a grand jury in 1958. He continued:

This is supposed to be the perfect framean official transcript, in which the woman under oath herself says that she did the things she was accused of doing. (I leave aside the fact that nowhere in the transcript is there any mention of the Soviet secret police, or any activity by Sylvia on their behalf. All it quotes her as saying is that she was gathering information for the Communist Party (CP). It is revealing that, for the WL-WRP as for the FBI, being a member of the CP and being a Soviet espionage agent are the same thing.) [78]

The intense involvement of the Communist Party in the operations of the GPUand especially in the penetration of the Fourth International and the SWP and in the organization of Trotskys assassinationis an indisputable and massively documented historical fact. Budenzs own writings and testimony had made very clear that he, and those whom he recruited for anti-Trotskyist espionage activity, had been working for the GPU. Barnes claim that Sylvias admission that she was gathering information for the Communist Party does not prove that she was acting on behalf of the GPU testifies as much to his desperation as to his unscrupulous dishonesty. The reasons for Barnes desperation are to be found in the evidence uncovered in the course of the Gelfand case and the Security and the Fourth International investigation.

The significance of the OBrien letter, and Seigles and Barnes statements about the release of the 1958 transcript waINDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A guidance counselor at an Indianapolis Catholic school could lose her job after administrators learned that she was married to a woman.

Roncalli High School President Joseph D. Hollowell told The Indianapolis Star in an email Monday that Shelly Fitzgerald has been placed on administrative leave. The newspaper says shes worked for the school for 15 years and has been with her partner for 22 years. She says shes hired an attorney.

The school responded to criticism of its stance with a Facebook post saying in part that the personal conduct of every teacher, guidance counselor and administrator and staff member, both at school and away from school, must convey and be supportive of the teachings of the Catholic Church.

WRTV reports a protest took place Monday at the school.Kristin Davis, a former employee and close friend of Roger Stone, said after testifying before a grand jury, she sensed special counsel Robert Mueller's team was concerned with what Stone might have had prior knowledge of before the 2016 election.

"I think there's the general concern for some things that he seemed to predict," Davis said on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time" Monday night.

Investigations Kristin Davis (Manhattan Madam) Law and legal system Misc people Political Figures - US Roger Stone Testimony Trial and procedure Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal law Grand jury 2016 Presidential election Elections (by type) Elections and campaigns Government and public administration Political candidates Politics US Federal elections US Presidential elections Continents and regions Eastern Europe Europe Robert Mueller Russia Russia meddling investigation

Davis pointed to "the Podesta tweet" in particular -- an apparent reference to a tweet Stone sent in the heat of the 2016 campaign, where he said, "It will soon the Podesta's time in the barrel." That tweet in August came weeks ahead of WikiLeaks' publication of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's emails, which were hacked by Russia, according to the US intelligence community.

A previous CNN review showed that outside of that tweet, Stone repeatedly claimed he knew about future WikiLeaks dumps.

Stone is a longtime acquaintance and supporter of President Donald Trump, and his name has continued to come up as the investigation into potential coordination between Russia and members of Trump's orbit has continued. Davis is more widely known as the "Manhattan Madam" and was set last week to testify before a grand jury convened for the special counsel investigation led by Mueller, a former FBI director.

Stone has denied any wrongdoing, and in an appearance on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" earlier Monday evening, he said he was communicating with Davis through their attorneys to avoid "any inference" that he had tampered with witnesses.

Davis told CNN that she spent "about an hour" before the grand jury and that the investigators showed concern "about whether or not any collusion happened with Russia."

"I think they're concerned with all of the people in the 2016 campaign, all of the high profile names that we've seen come across and all of the people that have worked for Roger," Davis said.

Asked if she got the sense that investigators were coming for Stone, Davis said, "I did."

"I think that there's cause for concern based on that they just want to believe something happened, which I don't believe that it did," Davis said.The US military intends to return to the Philippines the famed Bells of Balangiga, captured by occupying US troops more than 100 years ago, a US defense official told CNN Tuesday.

Manila has long sought the repatriation of the church bells, which were taken by US troops in 1901 during a particularly bloody chapter of the Philippine-American War.

Asia Continents and regions Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government organizations - US Philippines Southeast Asia US Department of Defense US federal departments and agencies US federal government Armed forces Defense departments Government departments and authorities International relations and national security Military Military casualties National security North America The Americas United States Unrest, conflicts and war War casualties

The bells have deep significance for many in the United States and the Philippines. Some members of Congress and veterans' groups had opposed their return. Some lawmakers still do.

The defense official said that no specific date has been identified for the return of the bells, but that the Pentagon is committed to a timely resolution.

Opposition

In 2017, Congress passed legislation lifting a decade-long ban on returning the bells and the Pentagon consulted with various veterans' associations, according to the official.

Congress was notified of the Pentagon's intention to return the bells last week.

However, the congressional delegation from Wyoming, where two of the bells are located, slammed the decision to return the artifacts. The third bell has been kept on a US military base in South Korea.

"These bells are memorials to American war dead and should not be transferred to the Philippines. We oppose any efforts by the administration to move the bells to the Philippines without the support of Wyoming's veterans' community," Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Liz Cheney said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"While we have respect for the relationship between the United States and the government of the Philippines, we believe that moving the bells establishes a dangerous precedent for future veterans' memorials," they added.

Ringing bells

The defense official said that the Pentagon has received assurances from the secretary of national defense for the Philippines and the ambassador that the bells would be returned to the same Catholic Church in Balangiga from where they were removed.

The village of Balangiga was the site of one of the deadliest days suffered by US troops during the 1899-1902 Philippine-American war, which erupted after the US took possession of the islands from Spain following the Spanish-American War. More than 4,300 US soldiers died in the conflict.

Forty-eight US soldiers were killed in an ambush in Balangiga. Years after the attack, surviving US troops said they could still remember the sound of the ringing church bells, which signaled a surprise ambush by rebels. The US military seized the bells after conducting a series of attacks in retaliation.PEARL, Miss. (WTVA) -- A man with local ties becomes the sixth inmate to die in Mississippi Department of Corrections custody.

Ricky Martin, 58, was an inmate at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility near Jackson.

The Clarion-Ledger reports he was sentenced in Lowndes County to 60 years in prison for selling cocaine.

Martin died Saturday after complaining to fellow inmates that he could not breathe.

Three inmates spoke with the newspaper by phone who said they were with Martin as he was dying.

They say around 2:30 a.m, Martin walked out to the table where several men were gathered having a hard time breathing.

The paper reports that Martin was at the guard tower fifteen minutes later asking if he could "get some help down here."

The inmates say he was told to get away from the tower.

Martin died at a Rankin County hospital at 6:03 a.m. Saturday.

MDOC spokesperson Chris Baker confirmed Martin's death to The Clarion-Ledger but did not have information regarding the inmates' allegations.

Martin is the sixth person to die in MDOC custody since August. He's the second to die at CMCF this month.TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - A man accused of exposing himself to a Tupelo hotel clerk turned himself in to police.

According to officers, the suspect is identified as Michael Healey, who is from the area.

The incident happened Friday around 1:20 a.m.

Police say a man entered the Wingate Hotel on Stone Creek Boulevard, went to the front desk, approached the clerk on duty and exposed his genitalia to the clerk.

He was last seen that night leaving the hotel in an 18-wheeler with no trailer.

Police say Healey is charged with a misdemeanor.

WTVA usually does not report misdemeanor offenses, but Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi asked on Monday for help in finding the person who exposed himself.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A former massage therapist will spend 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a victim he befriended at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Tallahassee.

Kevin Koelemij was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual battery on a physically helpless victim. He will spend his sentence years in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by five years of probation.

Koelemij has also been declared a sexual predator.

The former massage therapist was found guilty in July on the charges.

Koelemij, who was a licensed massage therapist and certified nursing assistant at the time of the incident, was arrested after he sexually battered a victim he had met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Tallahassee.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A former massage therapist accused of sexually assaulting a victim he befriended at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Tallahassee has been found guilty.

In less than 30 minutes, a jury returned a guilty verdict against 57-year-old Kevin Koelemij for sexual battery on a physically helpless victim.

Koelemij, who was a licensed massage therapist and certified nursing assistant at the time, was arrested after he sexually battered a victim he had met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Tallahassee.

Court documents say Koelemij provided a massage to the victim for free in February 2015, as he had for several months, but this time, Koelemij sexually assaulted the victim after he fell asleep.

An investigation revealed Koelemij had allegedly done this to multiple victims, and even had a report filed against him, though no charges were issued in that case.

Another victim told investigators that he believed Koelemij was "preying on young people in recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous and other organizations."

He was taken into custody March 2015.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Florida State University is launching a new initiative that will help new students engage with students and activities on campus.

The Engage 100 initiative will offer zero credit courses which are geared toward connecting students with similar interests and activities to help improve their college experience.

"These are going to part of their regular academic path at the University and the idea is to not create obstacles through this but give the students the kind of support and engagement they need and that are known in the research to have really high impact on student success," said Joe O'Shea, FSU Assistant Provost.

University officials say that only 40 percent of the students participate in undergrad research and other programs. Theyre hoping that the initiative will help numbers improved.WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A registered sex offender from Leon County has been arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a victim at knifepoint.

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office has arrested Kevin Greene, who's a registered sex offender in Leon County.

Deputies say they got a report on July 2 from a victim who reported being raped by an unidentified man. The victim said the man drove her to an isolated area in Wakulla County, parked the car, and sexually assaulted the victim while armed with a knife.

After the assault, the suspect demanded cash and her cell phone. The victim said the suspect also warned that if she contacted law enforcement, he would harm her and her children.

After the suspect left, the victim called WCSO.

WCSO says detectives on the case arranged for an examination of the victim, obtained store video surveillance footage, cell phone records, statements and sent evidence to the FDLE Crime Laboratory for analysis.

During the investigation, deputies were alerted about a hit on the sexual assault kit submitted to the lab that matched Greene's DNA.

Based on the evidence, WCSO coordinated with the Leon County Sheriffs Office and the Deputy Marshals with the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to find Greene.

Marshals eventually found Green in South Florida and took him to the Leon County Detention Center for violation of registered sex offender registration requirements.

In June, detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Greene with sexual battery, kidnapping, and robbery. Since he was in jail in Leon County, a hold was been placed on him to face the charges in Wakulla County.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A shocking report details decades of abuse by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania and a cover-up by the church.

The report documents hundreds of cases of abuse pulled from the confidential files of each diocese.

It finds more than 1,000 children were sexually abused by clergy and Catholic Church leaders protected and covered-up for more than 300 "predator priests."

Local Catholic leaders talked about the abuse allegations Wednesday.

Father John Cayer of Co-Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Tallahassee says his first reaction was sadness, and then anger.

He's disappointed that so many high-ranking clergy members victimized the people who trusted them most.

"One good deed by any clergy member is good for all clergy. One bad deed from one clergy member is bad for all clergy," said Father Cayer. "All the cards have to be placed on the table and there has to be an examination of everyone who is in a position of leadership and we hope that there are things put in place to prevent this."

Father Cayer says change needs to come from the top, to create a safe environment for all who attend and interact with the Catholic Church.BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) - Authorities have arrested more than 20 people after a year-long investigation targeting drug sales both north Florida and southwest Georgia.

Bainbridge Public Safety's Criminal Investigation Unit along with the Cairo Police Department, the Thomas County Drug Unit, the U.S. Marshal's Office, and the Grady County Sheriff's Office arrested the suspects in the early morning hours of July 31.

The arrests followed an 18-month long investigation that revolved around the sale and distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, molly, and flakka in southwest Georgia and north Florida.

Officials say the investigation started in the early part of 2017. Based on evidence found, investigators and arrested more than 20 people suspected of obtaining and selling controlled substances in southwest Georgia and north Florida on federal indictments.

BPS states the suspects arrested lived in the Bainbridge, Cairo, Thomasville, and Tallahassee areas.

They say the majority of them were taken to the U.S. Courthouse in Albany for their prosecution while two other Florida suspects were taken into custody in north Florida and are being prosecuted by the DEA in Tallahassee.

BPS says more indictments and arrests are expected in the near future.

According to Bainbridge Public Safety Deputy Director Frank Green, the investigation was a successful because of the long hours put in by CPD, BPS, TCDU, DEA as well as the assistance provided by District Attorney Joe Mulholland and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Quinn of the South Georgia Judicial Circuit.BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A 14-year-old girl who went missing from a North Florida county five years ago has been found safe and sound.

According to ABC affiliate WEAR, Emily Paul disappeared five years ago from her Southport home. She was 14 at the time.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office told WEAR that Paul had recently written a letter to her parents saying that she was safe. In response, deputies posted a video on Facebook asking her to contact them.

Deputies told WEAR that Paul called the sheriff's office on Tuesday and they asked her go to police so they could verify her identity and confirm she was safe.

Paul showed, and not long after, WEAR reports the sheriff's office closed the missing person case.DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - Although this summer has seen its fair share of stormy afternoons, south Georgia typically sees a lot of sunshine.

If you've ever driven along Highway 27 toward Colquitt, you've likely driven past the Decatur County Solar Farm, which is about 1,000 acres with 1.2 million solar panels. Of course, solar power is good for the environment, but the county also sees a tax benefit.

"All the equipment out here is taxable property, so they're more than twice as large as the number two taxpayer in the county, and all they're doing is using our sunshine, so it's really a good deal," said Rick McCaskill, Executive Director of Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County.

This solar farm is large enough to power about 28,000 homes, and all that power has to go somewhere.

"What this size facility does is it actually puts the power back on the grid, just like a hydroplant, or a coal powered plant, or any other kind of electric producing facility," said McCaskill. "The power that goes in the transmission lines, this is just part of it."

The solar plant isn't just catching the eye of travelers. Other communities in rural Georgia are looking to Decatur County for guidance on their own solar farms.

"We get a lot of calls from elected officials from surrounding communities asking us how we did it, what we did, how we put it together," said McCaskill. "We're happy to help out any of those folks that we can."

McCaskill even received a call from an elected official from Indiana wanting to know about the Decatur County solar farm.

The solar field continues to show the rest of the region just how progressive a small community can be.

Electric customers in Decatur County have not seen a decrease in electric cost since the solar plant began operating three years ago, but the cost to build solar plants like this one have decreased quite a bit.LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - A middle student was hit by a car Wednesday morning while trying to get on the bus, officials confirm.

Georgia State Patrol has confirmed that a middle school student was struck by a car Wednesday morning on Cat Creek Road, as the student attempted to get on the bus.

Troopers say the crash happened around 7:14 a.m. when a Nissan Murano traveling north on Cat Creek Road hit a 13-year-old girl who was preparing to board the school bus.

The student has since been transported to South Georgia Medical Center for minor injuries and is currently undergoing tests.

According to GSP, the driver stated that the school bus was slowing down, but wasn't completely stopped when children began running in the road. The bus driver, however, claimed he was completely stopped during the crash.

An investigation of the incident is ongoing as troopers work to obtain the video from the school bus.

Lowndes County Schools released the following statement regarding the crash:Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-14 20:29:17|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on Aug. 14, 2018. Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership," Sergey Lavrov said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

ANKARA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said here on Tuesday.

"We are at a turning point in the world. We are at a time of transition from bipolar order to multi-polarization," he said at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.

Russia hopes that a reasonable approach will prevail in international relations and countries will return to a depoliticized dialogue, Lavrov said.

He also noted that Moscow appreciates Turkey's rejection to join the anti-Russia sanctions by the West, saying the U.S. "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.

U.S. sanctions, including the latest round targeting Turkey, undermine all principles of global trade and in time this move will undermine the role of U.S. dollar as a settlement currency, he said.

Lavrov said Russia and Turkey would continue talks for the full implementation of Astana deal which envisages de-escalation zones in Syria, including in Idlib.

The Turkish minister, for his part, stressed that "it will be a massacre to bomb all Idlib civilians, on the reason of there are terrorists."

Cavusoglu recalled Turkey's long-standing demand for lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens travelling to Russia.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 00:40:19|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A specially designated court in India on Tuesday resolved a 50-year-old water dispute among three southern states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, officials said.

The Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, which was set by the federal government to hear tussle among the states and allocate water among them, delivered its final verdict on Tuesday allowing 134,000 million cubic (TMC) feet of water to Karnataka, 24 TMC feet of water to Goa and 1.33 TMC feet of water to Maharashtra.

"The tribunal has allowed Karnataka to access to 13.4 TMC feet of water, 5.4 TMC feet for its consumptive use and 8.02 TMC feet for its power generation," an official said.

"The share of Goa was pegged at 24 TMC feet for its municipal water needs, irrigation water requirements and industrial water demands. Maharashtra got the lowest share of 1.33 TMC feet for meeting its in-basin needs with respect to five projects."

The tribunal, headed by Justice J. M. Panchal, has recommended that a board, called the Mahadayi Water Management Authority, be constituted to ensure the river's water is equitably used by Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, officials said.

The dispute over sharing of water from Mahadayi or Mandovi river that flows through Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra has escalated in the recent years. The Mahadayi river basin drains an area of 2,032 square km, of which 375 square km lies in Karnataka, 77 square km in Maharashtra and the remaining 1,580 square km in Goa.

Karnataka and Goa, situated on the banks of Mandovi river (which originates in Karnataka's Belgaum district), had been at loggerheads with each other over its water sharing for some 50 years. Since 2001, Karnataka has been asking Goa to release 7.6 TMC feet of the river water to meet the drinking and irrigation needs of its people in four drought-prone districts.

Goa feared the project will cause deficit of water and raised concerns over the potential ecological disaster that would be likely created if the tributaries are diverted. However, Karnataka claimed the river is water-surplus.

To resolve the dispute the federal government constituted the tribunal in November 2010.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has welcomed the verdict and described it justice to Goa.

"I am happy that the Mahadayi Tribunal with its final verdict has done justice to Goa," Parrikar said in a statement.

The government of Karnataka said it would read complete recommendations before commenting on the verdict.

"Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy said that he will respond to the final award of Mahadayi Water disputes which submitted its recommendations to the Union (federal) Government today after studying the 12 volumes of the final award recommendation Tribunal and consulting with all concerned," a local government spokesman said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 01:00:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

VALLETTA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A group of 141 rescued migrants currently waiting aboard the rescue ship MV Aquarius will be disembarked in Malta and redistributed across other European states, the Maltese government said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the government said that the vessel, whose passenger load includes 73 children, will be allowed to dock in Malta following discussion between Malta, France and a number of European states.

The decision ends a four-day standoff which saw Italy, Tunisia and Spain each refuse the ship entry, after the migrants were rescued from two wooden fishing vessels as they were attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

"Malta will be making a concession allowing the vessel to enter its ports, despite having no legal obligation to do so," the government said in the statement.

It added that the country would "serve as a logistical base" and that "all of the reportedly 141 migrants on board will be distributed amongst France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain".

The government said it considers this to be a concrete example of European leadership and solidarity.

In June, the vessel, carrying over 600 migrants, was at the centre of standoff between Malta and Italy, and remained stranded at sea for days. Its passengers were eventually taken in by Spain.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 01:30:31|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Immigration authorities in Zamia have arrested three foreigners for alleged human trafficking, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Namati Nshika, Immigration Department Spokesperson, said the foreigners -- two Kenyans and one Somalian -- were arrested in Lusaka, the country's capital, last week for suspected trafficking of six Somalians into the country.

The victims, including three females, two males and a child aged between five and seven years, were found at a lodge in one of the residential areas in the city, he said.

He said the three suspects were currently detained while the victims have been placed under protection.FILE PHOTO: Chinese and U.S. flags are set up for a meeting during a visit by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao at China's Ministry of Transport in Beijing, China, April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between U.S. and Chinese scientists, although currently strong, could benefit from more exchanges, environmental experts said at a recent meeting held here.

"There has always been good cooperation in sciences between researchers in the United States and researchers at Chinese universities, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other science administrations," said Arthur Lerner-Lam, academic director of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

"This has become more frequent, and more comprehensive in addition to teaching visits. It's a very healthy exchange of ideas, and exchange of students and professors," he said at the meeting discussing how to better protect the environment.

Lerner-Lam said scientists should meet more often to discuss things such as the sustainability of the earth.

The ability of people around the globe to negotiate a sustainable future really depends on how the United States and China think about sustainability, he said.

Scientists from both countries should exchange more knowledge on pollution control in their countries and together work to monitor the pollution of the atmosphere, the oceans and the land, Lerner-Lam said. Bringing the countries closer together would help improve the prediction of extreme weather phenomena, such as storms, droughts and floods.

Yan Weimin, President of the Greater New York chapter with Chinese Association for Science and Technology, said an increasing number of Chinese and U.S. scientists are seeking more opportunities to meet and exchange views and ideas in different fields in a bid to advance their research.

Yan said he is confident that bilateral exchanges in the sciences will continue and move at a faster pace. "The world will definitely become much better if scientists of the two biggest economies are working more closely," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 01:50:35|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Five German "model cities" have launched a joint initiative on Tuesday to improve urban air quality by lowering the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions produced by diesel vehicles.

The mayors of Bonn, Essen, Mannheim, Reutlingen and Herrenberg unveiled plans in Berlin to enhance the provision of public transportation and build more cycle paths in their respective cities.

The projects have secured the support of transport minister Andreas Scheuer and minister for the environment Svenja Schulze who said that the federal government would contribute 130 million euros in funding to reduce pollution in the five model cities until 2020.

In two years, Berlin wants to assess the progress achieved so far by the model cities and consider whether the projects are worth expanding to other locations across the country.

The initiative which was announced in response to "dieselgate" scandal when several German carmakers were found to have installed illicit defeat devices which falsified the NOx emissions levels produced by their vehicles.

Amongst others, Bonn is planning to introduce an annual ticket for public transportation at the price of 365 euros. The city is hereby copying a successful model already adopted by the Austrian capital Vienna in 2012.

Across the border, the Viennese low-cost pricing model witnessed a subsequent increase in the number of annual ticket holders from 373,000 to 780,000 by 2017. There are consequently now more Viennese owners of a 365-euro ticket than citizens in possession of a private vehicle.

Speaking to the German press agency (dpa) on Tuesday, Bonn mayor Ashok Sridharan said that the next two years offered an opportunity to test a range of measures for their effectiveness in lowering NOx emissions.

Berlin has referred to the five model cities as part of its attempt to prevent prosecution by the European Commission in Brussels for the country's repeated failure to uphold clean air standards. NOx levels currently exceed binding EU limits in several German cities, prompting the Commission to file a law suit against the federal government at the European Court of Justice.

The Federal Environmental Agency estimates that diesel cars are responsible for more than 50 percent of harmful nitrogen oxide emissions in Germany. Although some cities have since already imposed bans unilaterally, chancellor Merkel and transport minister Scheuer argue that the financial resources of the automotive industry would be better spent developing the mobility technologies of the future.

While refusing to offer costly technical upgrades, automotive producers in Germany have voluntarily committed to update the software of more than 2.8 million older diesel vehicles in order to reduce NOx emissions.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 03:26:03|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Several high level police officers were charged with negligence of duty on Tuesday.

According to the charges, the Helsinki police had not registered the sources of criminal investigations in 2008-2013 as prescribed by the law. The high echelon officers had neglected their duty to supervise the operations.

The prosecution claimed that the then national police commander Mikko Paatero had already in 2009 known about the problems in registering the sources at the Helsinki drug squad. Finnish law requires that police sources are registered for any need of later review.

The prosecution demanded on Tuesday suspended prison sentences or large fines on Paatero and also on the former head of Helsinki police Jukka Riikonen and the current head Lasse Aapio.

Despite the negative publicity involving the Helsinki police for several years now, Finnish Ministry of the Interior conducted a survey which said the trust of the people in the police force has remained high.

In June, 95 percent of the interviewees said they trust the police highly, particularly in the conduct of basic police duties such as responding to urgent calls, intervening in domestic violence and combating terrorism. However, 40 percent of the respondents said corruption and unethical actions are likely in the police force.

The suspicion of the ethical qualities of the police force has started increasing in 2012. The police survey is carried out every two years.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 03:56:07|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 313 aid workers had been victims of violence in 158 separate attacks across 22 countries in the year 2017, a UN official said here Tuesday ahead of the August 19 World Humanitarian Day.

Jens Laerke, from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told a press briefing Tuesday that among those victims, 139 had been killed, compared to 107 in 2016.

According to the UN official, two thirds of the attacks had taken place in only five countries, namely South Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic and Nigeria.

Michele Zaccheo, an official from the UN Information Service in Geneva, told reporters at the press briefing that this year's World Humanitarian Day commemoration was particularly important because it marked the 15th anniversary of the Bagdad bombing in which 22 UN staff had died and the 11th anniversary of the attack in Algiers that had killed 17 UN staff members.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 04:11:11|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

Lagos, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria presidency has refuted a local media report that the country's president Muhammadu Buhari is under foreign pressure to quit campaigning for re-election, describing the report as "fiction parading."

The Lagos-based Daily Independent Newspaper on Tuesday published a story with the headline "pressure mounts on Buhari not to seek re-election."

Femi Adesina, media adviser to the president, condemned on Tuesday the publication, describing it as "fake news."

According to him, Buhari is not a flippant or frivolous person, as he gave deep thought to the prospect before announcing his bid for a second term in office.

"It is only those who fear that their goose would be cooked, if they meet with him at the polls, that are trying to dissuade him from running by all means, including sponsored newspaper stories," he added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 04:26:15|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders (Rear) attends a press briefing at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, Aug. 14, 2018. The White House said Tuesday that U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton will meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva of Switzerland next week as a "follow-up" to the Helsinki summit last month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Tuesday that U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton will meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva of Switzerland next week as a "follow-up" to the Helsinki summit last month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said Bolton and the Russian side will discuss "a range of important national security issues."

Bolton will also meet with officials in Israel and Ukraine, she added.

The U.S. State Department said on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over phone to discuss the recently announced U.S. sanctions on Russia and the bilateral ties.

Pompeo "reiterated that the U.S. seeks an improved relationship with Russia and agreed to future dialogue."

On Wednesday Washington determined that the Russian government "used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals."

The U.S. sanctions, which are based on the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, will take effect on or around Aug. 22, following a 15-day congressional notification period.

According to senior State Department officials, the sanctions will come in two phases. The first phase will ban the granting of licenses to sell "all national-security sensitive goods or technologies" to Russia.

Unless Russia, within three months since the sanctions become effective, provides "reliable assurances" that it will no longer engage in chemical weapons use and allows on-site inspections by the United Nations or other internationally recognized impartial observers, the second batch of "more draconian" sanctions would be imposed.

Sergei Skripal, a 66-year-old double agent who worked for the Soviet military's intelligence services before defecting to Britain, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in the southwestern British city of Salisbury on March 4.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the U.S. actions were "absolutely unacceptable," and Moscow "once again most emphatically reject any accusations in the context of a possible involvement of the Russian state in what happened in Salisbury."

The U.S. decision is unfriendly and inconsistent with the constructive atmosphere created after the recent Putin-Trump meeting, he added.

Trump has been widely attacked after his Helsinki meeting with Putin, due to his reconciliatory remarks that many saw as a sign of siding with Moscow against the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. elections.

The White House has said that the next meeting between Trump and Putin will be delayed till next year, citing the ongoing Russia probe in the United States.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 04:26:15|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LAGOS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 28 lives have been confirmed dead following the outbreak of Cholera across Nigeria's northwest state Kano in the past seven months, an official said Tuesday.

The state recorded 400 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhoea with 50 confirmed cases of cholera across the 33 local government areas, Kabiru Getso, state commissioner for health, told reporters in Kano city.

Out of 50 the confirmed cases, 28 deaths were recorded, he added, noting that the state had instituted several control measures to combat the outbreak.

He said other measures include mounting of continuous surveillance for all epidemic-prone diseases as well as active search for cases of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Cholera is a highly virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea that can lead to death by severe dehydration.

The outbreak is common in Nigeria due to the poor water supply systems, especially in densely populated areas.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 04:56:21|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- More than 300 "predator priests" from six Catholic dioceses across eastern U.S. state of Pennsylvania have been accused of sexually abusing over 1,000 children, according to a new grand jury report released Tuesday.

The report, issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, detailed a "systematic coverup by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican" over more than six decades, State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference on Tuesday.

PREDATOR PRIESTS

Shapiro said that over 1,000 children victims were identifiable from the church's own records, and the grand jury believes there are more after about two years of investigation.

"We believe that the real number - of children whose records were lost, or who were afraid ever to come forward - is in the thousands," read the grand jury report introduction.

According to the report, some predator priests even manufactured child pornography. In a diocese, one victim was forced to stand on a bed in a parish rectory in front of the reverends.

Todd Frey, 50, who said he was abused when he was 13 by a priest in Lancaster County, northern Pennsylvania, spoke to the grand jury on Monday. He said he had told church and law enforcement officials over the years, but nothing was done.

"Who else did he pick?" Frey was quoted as speaking before the grand jury, adding that the report will be his first opportunity to see if the priest is accused of abusing others, and who in the church knew.

SYSTEMATIC COVERUP

Church leaders in these Catholic dioceses were more interested in safeguarding the church and the "predator priests" than helping their victims, the redacted report said.

"The main thing was not to help children, but to avoid scandal," the report said. "Priests were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing: They hid it all."

"Several diocesan administrators, including the bishops, often dissuaded victims from reporting abuse to police, pressured law enforcement to terminate or avoid an investigation or conducted their own deficient, biased investigation without reporting crimes against children to the proper authorities," the report said.

"As a consequence of the coverup, almost every instance of abuse we found is too old to be prosecuted," it read.

THOROUGH PROBE

One of these predator priests pleaded guilty last month to charges that he sexually abused a 10-year-old boy more than 20 years ago. Another has been charged with felony child sex crimes, according to local media reports.

However, some of the accused have died, and statute of limitations laws prevent many others from facing criminal charges, said the media reports.

The Harrisburg Diocese earlier this month identified 71 priests and other members of the church who had been accused of child sex abuse.

"That conduct has left a legacy of pain and sorrow that is still being felt," Harrisburg Bishop Ronald Gainer wrote in a letter to the diocese. "I apologize for these actions."

Gainer also announced sweeping changes to confidentiality policies and stripped from any place of honor in the diocese the names of bishops and others associated with the abuses.

The grand jury said they subpoenaed and reviewed half a million pages of internal diocesan documents which contained credible allegations against the more than 300 predator priests.

The whole investigation covers all eight dioceses in Pennsylvania. Previous grand jury reports already revealed abuse and coverups in two of them, Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown. Local media said the probe is the most comprehensive yet on Catholic Church sex abuse in the United States.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 06:11:39|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

ZAGREB, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Six Chinese police officers will leave Croatia on Wednesday after patrolling with their Croatian counterparts for a month during the tourist season.

The joint patrol was the first such cooperation between the two countries and both sides are more than happy with the results.

The project was launched on July 15 and ended on Tuesday. In the past month, six Chinese police officers -- four policemen and two policewomen -- along with their Croatian colleagues, patrolled popular tourist spots of Dubrovnik, Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes National Park.

The main aim of the joint patrol was to help Chinese tourists in Croatia with security-related issues.

"This way of cooperation has gained positive reactions from citizens and tourists. The project enhanced communication between Chinese tourists and Croatian police. We did a very good job together," Velimir Tisma, Head of Prevention Unit of the police department in Zagreb, told Xinhua on Monday.

As Tisma explained, this type of cooperation has a preventive effect and tourists like to see police officers in uniforms of their countries.

During the joint patrol on Monday in Zagreb, a Chinese tourist was overjoyed to see Chinese police officers.

"I was very happy when I saw Chinese police officers here. I feel very safe with their presence. .. I was worried when I left China for the trip, but now I feel at ease," Mr. Chen, a retired geological engineer from western China's Xi'an City, told Xinhua.

Crime rates are low in the southeastern European country, and they are not increasing as more and more foreign tourists come to Croatia, attracted by its beautiful Adriatic coast and the fame it has gained as the filming location of many blockbuster movies and popular TV series like Star Wars and Game of Thrones.

In 2017, Croatia recorded 17.4 million tourist arrivals and 86.2 million over-night stays. The number of tourists from the Chinese mainland reached 160,000, a nearly 60 percent increase from 2016.

According to Tisma, the "Safe Tourist Season" project which started in 2006 has seen many foreign police officers coming to Croatia every summer to deal with tourists-related cases with their local colleagues.

This summer, 87 foreign police officers from about 20 countries are patrolling with their Croatian colleagues. China is the only Asian country sending police officers here.

The Chinese police were not simply patrolling in Croatia. They had put their creative ideas into reality with the support of their Croatian colleagues. Chinese police officer Liang Shukai named language barrier as a major obstacle to Chinese tourists.

After consulting local police, the Chinese language was added to a police form designed for troubled tourists who need to report a theft or loss of valuables, and Croatian police authorities agreed to use the form nationwide.

Flyers with Chinese language was adopted at Plitvice Lakes National Parks. Police from the two countries visited a Chinese shopping mall in Zagreb and answered questions on security and visa policies. The Chinese police also hosted a WeChat group which included many Chinese tourists they met during patrol, in order to offer help while they were in Croatia.

One month in Croatia was a special experience to Chinese police officers. According to Liang, in the past month, they have dealt with a dozen criminal cases against Chinese tourists. At the same time, they answered over 300 questions per week from Chinese tourists.

Ante Maric, Sector Chief of the First Police Station of Zagreb who patrolled with his Chinese colleagues, told Xinhua that the form with Chinese language would shorten the time for the procedure of reporting a case.

"This form is just the first step in our cooperation. I also hope that in this way we bring our countries closer to each other. Although we are thousands of miles away, I hope we will remain true friends and partners," Maric said.

Police from the two countries all agreed that the first year of such law enforcement cooperation went great and that it should continue.

"Our first joint patrol lays the foundation for further police cooperation between China and Croatia. Through our effort, more possibilities and development of China-Croatia police cooperation can be expected," Chinese policewoman Wei Ming explained.FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises near Pinoche Peak on the east flank of the Ferguson Fire looking towards Chowchilla Mountain in this YosemiteFire and Aviation photo from California, U.S. released on social media on July 23, 2018. (Courtesy Yosemite Fire and Aviation/USDA/US Forest Service/Handout via REUTERS)

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Heart of U.S. Yosemite National Park, one of the most visited national parks located in the western U.S. state of California, was reopened to the public Tuesday as more than 900 firefighters are still struggling to contain a huge wildfire nearby.

Yosemite Valley is open, but only accessible by entering Yosemite via Highways 140 or 120, according to the latest update of the Yosemite National Park. Glacier Point Road and Merced Grove remain closed. Other areas of the park, including Wawona, Mariposa Grove, Hetch Hetchy, and Tuolumne Meadows are open.

Sections of the National Park, including its heart, Yosemite Valley, has been closed to visitors since July 25, due to impacts from the blaze, dubbed "Ferguson Fire." Some of the most scenic locations of the park are in the Yosemite Valley.

The destructive fire didn't reach the heart of the park, but it burned in remote areas, making roads inaccessible, choking the park with smoke and forcing the Yosemite Valley and other areas to be closed along with hundreds of campsites and hotels. Thousands of tourists from all over the world have to cancel their lodging reservations due to the closure of the park.

Ferguson Fire has burned 96,606 acres (around 390 square km) as of Tuesday morning with containment rising to 86 percent. A total of 910 personnel are battling the blaze on the scene, aided by 51 engines and 3 helicopters, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, glaciers, biological diversity and so on. Some 4 million visitors flock to the park each year.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 06:36:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. top electric automaker Tesla Inc said Tuesday that it has formed a special board committee to assess its CEO Elon Musk's plan to take the company private.

The "Board of Directors has formed a special committee comprised of three independent directors to act on behalf of the Company in connection with Elon Musk's previously announced consideration of a transaction to take the Company private," Tesla said in a statement.

The three independent directors include Brad Buss, Robyn Denholm and Linda Johnson Rice, who will have the full power and authority of the Board to "take any and all actions on behalf of the Board of Directors" to evaluate and negotiate a potential "going-private proposal," it said.

Musk tweeted last week that he wants to take Tesla private at 420 dollars per share, and funding has been "secure."

Musk said Monday that he has held talks with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund about his plan to privatize the Palo Alto, California-based electric car manufacturer.

The Tesla CEO broke silence in a blog post Monday after several days of speculations on how he is going to privatize Tesla following his announcement on Twitter on Aug. 7 that he was considering taking Tesla private at a price of 420 U.S. dollars per share.

"Going back almost two years, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund has approached me multiple times about taking Tesla private. They first met with me at the beginning of 2017 to express this interest," Musk said.

He said the Saudi sovereign fund has recently purchased almost 5 percent of the company's stock on the public market.

However, the Special Committee of Tesla's Board has not received from Musk any formal proposal for the firm's privatization.

"No assurances can be given regarding the likelihood, terms and details of any proposal" for the going-private deal, nor will there be any guarantee that it would accept a proposal from Musk, said the special committee.

Musk tweeted on Monday that he was working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and private equity firm Silver Lake Capital Partners, as well as two law firms, as advisers for a deal.

Analysts said if Tesla goes private at 420 dollars per share, it could cost 72 billion dollars to cover the buyout. But Musk said in a Monday Twitter post that the estimation has been "dramatically overstated."

Musk's going-private announcement a week ago has caused skepticism among investors on how he is going to privatize Tesla, which also caught the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The U.S. regulator said it was inquiring about the deal to see whether his statements were misleading.Access and the internet

Clearing up four misconceptions about digital connectivity in NepalSource: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 06:46:44|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CARACAS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Some 34 suspects have been linked to the failed assassination attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a top official said on Tuesday.

Authorities have arrested 14 of the suspects, including two members of the armed forces, Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab said at a press conference, adding others are abroad, in Colombia and the United States.

His agency has notified Interpol "in record time" as to their identities, he said.

Among the suspects is former National Assembly legislator Juan Requesens, who has been charged with treason, attempted homicide, terrorism and other crimes, based on video and audio evidence, as well as the confessions or testimony of those in custody, said Saab.

Interpol has also been asked to arrest former opposition lawmaker Julio Borges, for his role in the scheme.

In the meantime, authorities have asked that both lawmakers have their accounts frozen.

According to Saab, his office has opened an investigation into his predecessor, Luisa Ortega Diaz, who has reportedly said: "If I was behind this plan, the country would be celebrating its freedom."

During an outdoor ceremony on Aug. 4 to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Venezuela's national guard, two drones carrying explosives flew close to the presidential stand as Maduro was giving a speech and detonated.

Maduro was unharmed but several members of the military sustained injuries.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 07:14:19|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Sun Yiqing arranges costume for Liu Xingren during a contest of Huanglong music festival in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 14, 2018. The 82-year-old Liu is a retired lawyer. He once organized an amateur chorus and orchestra. As a music enthusiast, Liu practices singing in his spare time. His wife Sun Yiqing, 76, is a retired teacher. Liu Xingren was accompanied on several singing contests in Beijing and Tianjin by his wife. The aged couple has a wish to continue to pursue their singing dream in the future. (Xinhua/Wei Hai)Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-08-15 09:28:08|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

by Solomon Elusoji

Chinas relationship with Africa is presently at an all-time best and the comprehensive and strategic cooperation plans between them mean they have concrete understanding of each others needs and aspirations.

This was said by Zeng Aiping, Deputy Executive Director of the China-Asian African Cooperation Centre, ahead of the third Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing in September.

I think it is the best time in history for China and Africa relations, he said during an interview with Xinhuanet.com recently.

He pointed to the frequent meetings of high-level officials from both parties as a sign of a healthy relationship. This kind of high-level political visit strengthens mutual trust, he said.

Zeng stressed the tangible economic elements of the relationship.

Since 2009, Zeng said, China has been Africas largest trading partner. Now, it is also one of the biggest investors on the continent.

We have a lot of direct investments in Africa and have also financed a lot of big projects, especially in the infrastructure sector, Zeng said.

The quality of the relationship, according to Zeng, has been improved with increasing people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Asked why China does not focus on issues such as corruption and human rights in the African countries, he said China is committed to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of others.

From my perspective, I think this is the right approach for China to engage with Africa, he said.

China follows the non-intervention policy. Not only in Africa, but other parts of the world. China believes that you cannot understand Africa better than the Africans.

"So, our approach to Africa is more practical, more concrete, more tangible. We help African countries build infrastructure. This is tangible. Everybody can see this and feel it," he said.

He added that China does not follow the kind of ideological diplomacy promoted by the western countries.

"Our approach is different and I think this is the right way, the right approach and it is beneficial to the Africans.

"We try to help Africans develop their economies. If the economy develops better, I think human rights can be better guaranteed,  Zeng noted.

On what African countries can learn from Chinas economic rise over the past four decades, Zeng pointed to the need for strong governance and correct, open, robust economic policies.

He believed FOCAC will be a useful platform to collectively discuss China-Africa cooperation while helping African countries further improve their economic strength.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 10:02:15|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 15, 2018. Moon Jae-in said Wednesday his country will deepen trust with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the upcoming summit with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Moon made the remarks during a ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from the 1910-45 Japanese colonization, according to the presidential Blue House.(Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho)

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday his country will deepen trust with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the upcoming summit with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.

Moon made the remarks during a ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from the 1910-45 Japanese colonization, according to the presidential Blue House.

After the high-level talks earlier this week, the two Koreas agreed to hold the third Moon-Kim summit in Pyongyang before the end of September. Moon and Kim met in April and May at the border village of Panmunjom, promising to meet in Pyongyang this fall.

Moon said he will take a dauntless step, through his summit with the DPRK leader, toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as the war-ending declaration and peace treaty.

The peninsula remains in a technical state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Agreements can be sincerely implemented only after deep-rooted distrust is eliminated between Seoul and Pyongyang and between Pyongyang and Washington, Moon said.

Moon vowed to build deeper trust relations with the DPRK, while making best efforts to facilitate a denuclearization dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

The South Korean leader stressed that improved inter-Korean ties are not a byproduct of the enhanced DPRK-U.S. relations, but an impetus for the peninsula's denuclearization, saying nuclear threats were eased when inter-Korean relations were good in the past.

Moon and Kim held their first summit on April 27 in Panmunjom, agreeing to the complete denuclearization. It was followed by the inter-Korean summit on May 26, eventually leading to the historic summit between the DPRK leader and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 10:12:19|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

YANGON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and Thailand have reached an air service agreement and a memorandum of understanding on development of shrimp culture in Rakhine state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.

The signing of the agreements took place following the 9th meeting of the Myanmar-Thai Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday, co-chaired by Myanmar Minister of International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin and visiting Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.

At the meeting, the two sides also touched on a wide range of issues relating to promoting bilateral relations, economic and cultural cooperation and enhancing the bilateral relations to the strategic partnership.

Their discussions also covered doubling the current bilateral trade by 2022, working for promotion and protection of the rights of Myanmar migrant workers, opening of the Second Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge, implementing of modern village projects for the development of Rakhine state and promoting people-to-people contact and tourism.

During his visit in Nay Pyi Taw, the Thai foreign minister also held talks with Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on the same issues.

At a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Myanmar and Thailand, Aung San Suu Kyi said positive Myanmar-Thailand relations contribute to regional progress, while Pramudwinai said that the stability of Myanmar is the stability of Thailand.

The Thai foreign minister arrived in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday for the meeting of Myanmar-Thai Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.File Photo: A repoter takes photos of a "comfort women" statue on a bus in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday the issue of World War II sex slavery cannot be resolved diplomatically, in what appeared to reiterate his denial of the 2015 deal between Japan and the former South Korean government under impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Moon made the remarks during a ceremony to mark the inauguration of a new national day, which was held at the national cemetery in Cheonan, South Chungcheong province. The country designated Aug. 14 as the new national day for former South Korean sex slaves who were forced or duped by the Imperial Japan into sex enslavement for Japan's military brothels before and during the Pacific War.

The issue of comfort women victims, Moon said, cannot be resolved between Seoul and Tokyo through diplomatic solutions, but can be resolved when South Korea and the international community, including Japan, deeply repent over and firmly commit to not repeating the sexual violence against women.

Moon expressed his hope that the issue would not lead to diplomatic row between South Korea and Japan as it is a universal issue of women's rights beyond a historical issue between the two countries.

The comfort women issue has long been a source of diplomatic dispute as the Japanese government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refused to sincerely apologize and compensate for the wartime atrocity.

The impeached South Korean president Park, Moon's predecessor, signed the deal in 2015 with the Abe government to finally and irreversibly wrap up the comfort women issue, without consent from the victims, in exchange for receiving 1 billion Japanese yen (9 million U.S. dollars).

Moon denied the deal as it failed to reflect demands from the victims, including a sincere apology from the Japanese government and the official acknowledgement of the forced sexual slavery.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 11:22:35|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

MANILA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Philippine police killed seven suspected leftist rebels in a clash on Wednesday in central Philippines, police said.

Police said the collision broke out after midnight on Wednesday in a village in San Jose town in Antique province when the New People's Army (NPA) rebel fired at a police team out to serve warrants of arrests for two suspects allegedly involved in a murder case.

The firefight, reportedly lasted an hour and resulted in the death of the seven rebels, police said.

Police said no policemen died in the clash.

The leftist insurgency in the Philippines is one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has cancelled his administration's efforts to negotiate a peace pact with the leftist rebels.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 11:37:37|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Some 931,763 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in the first six months of 2018, up 75.8 percent over the same period last year, the Tourism Ministry's latest report showed on Wednesday.

Chinese holidaymakers accounted for 31 percent of the three million international tourists visiting Cambodia during the January-June period this year, the report said, adding that China topped the chart among the top 10 international arrivals to the kingdom.

Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon predicted that the Southeast Asian country could attract at least 1.7 million Chinese tourists in 2018 and up to 2.5 million in 2020.

Cambodia is well-known for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, the Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province.

Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching in the length of 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the country's economy. Last year, the country received 5.6 million foreign tourists including 1.21 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 12:12:41|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government on Tuesday released a statement expressing grief and pledging solidarity after a bridge in Italy collapsed earlier in the day, killing at least 31 people.

"The Brazilian government expresses its condolences to and solidarity with the families of the victims, the people and the government of Italy," the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry read.

Some 200 meters of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa collapsed, causing the death of 31 people, including three children, the Italian Interior Ministry confirmed. The tragedy also displaced over 400 people from their homes.

Local authorities reported earlier in the evening that over half of the victims have been identified.

The Brazilian Government said there was no news of Brazilians being among the victims so far. Brazilians in need of assistance are being asked to contact the Brazilian Consulate in Milan.

The bridge is believed to have collapsed due to structural problems. Built in the 1960s, it has been under extensive renovation since 2016.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 12:27:44|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of a critical meeting on tuberculosis (TB) next month, an international scientific organization fighting the disease has expressed concern at the slow progress in coming up with new drugs, blaming it on lack of commitment.

In the past 50 years, only two medications were developed to treat TB, plus a 15-percent-effective vaccine for children under the age of 5, Paula Fujiwara, scientific director of the International Union Against Lung Disease and Tuberculosis, said Tuesday.

She attributed the slow research and development to the "sneaky" TB bacteria and lack of commitment, financially and politically.

The TB community wants to see an annual sum of 13 billion U.S. dollars to fund the global response, she said. Of this, 1.3 billion dollars, almost double the current amount, should be invested in research and development.

"TB is an economic issue, a development issue, a security issue, and we need leadership from heads of state," she said.

On Sept. 26 the United Nations General Assembly will convene its first high-level meeting on the fight against TB. Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Fujiwara proposed five priorities in battling TB: reaching everyone in need of care, ensuring people's right to know their status, developing new tools to end the disease, investing necessary funds, and establishing an independent body to monitor how the commitments are progressing.

The commitments will be announced at the Sept. 26 meeting.

The first priority, she added, entails treating 40 million people by 2022. "Within this 40 million, we need to reach at least 3.5 million children and 1.5 million people with drug-resistant TB."

Over 1 million children aged under 15 contract TB every year and nearly one in four affected children die. Moreover, the disease is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Of all the deaths from drug-resistant bacteria, viruses and fungi, TB accounts for one-third.

Stressing the importance of making TB patients aware of their status and keeping them informed, Fujiwara said of an estimated 10.4 million people with TB in 2016, only about 6.1 million were reported to the World Health Organization.

TB kills more people around the world than any other infectious disease. In 2016, 1.7 million patients died, according to official figures.

The top five countries with the worst TB epidemic are India, which accounts for approximately a quarter of the cases and a quarter of global deaths, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Pakistan.Mert & MarcusAt her concert in Florida Tuesday night, Taylor Swift reflected on the one-year anniversary of the groping trial she won against former DJ David Mueller.

"This exact day a year ago, I was not playing a sold-out stadium in Tampa, I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado," she told the crowd.

She referenced her sexual assault case, noting that the jury "sided in my favor and said they believed me."

"I guess I just think about all the people who weren't believed," she said, getting emotional. "And the people who are afraid to speak up, because they think they won't be believed."



Swift said she was "sorry" to anyone who wasn't taken seriously after they accused someone of assault.



"I don't know what turn my life would have taken if they didn't believe me," she continued. "I just wanted to say we have so, so much further to go and I'm so grateful to you guys for being there during what was a really, really horrible part of my life."

She closed by thanking her fans for supporting her through the ups and downs of her very public life and added, "I'm sorry, I just haven't really talked about it, so I'm not composed at all."



In that trial one year ago, a Denver jury sided with Swift against Mueller's claim that the allegations of groping -- made by Swift, her mother Andrea Swift and her radio manager Frank Bell -- had intentionally interfered with his employment contract and business opportunities, resulting in his firing and lost wages.



The jury voted to award Swift the $1 she asked for in the civil court case.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Gyawali reappointed NRA Chief

The government has reappointed Sushil Gyawali as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 13:27:51|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 45 Afghan security force members were killed after Taliban militants stormed a joint military camp in northern Baghlan province overnight, reported local media Tolo News TV on Wednesday.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 13:57:55|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) will ink an agreement with China's e-commerce giant, Alibaba's travel arm, Fliggy, to bring down 1,000 travelers weekly to Sri Lanka for expanding the island's growing tourism sector, local media quoted Tourism Minister John Amaratunga as saying on Tuesday.

Amaratunga said after obtaining the necessary approval, the ministry will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Alibaba next week.

Supreme Global Holdings Limited, the local company that has tied up with Alibaba, will work closely with SLTPB on the project's implementation, which is expected to result in a positive large-scale impact on Sri Lanka's tourism.

Supreme Global also intends to promote "Alipay", an online payment, actively in Sri Lanka upon receiving the necessary clearances, thus taking Sri Lanka Tourism to new heights, especially among Chinese tourists, Amaratunga said.

The minister expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would comfortably achieve the 2.5 million target set for this year, while noting that the country could achieve 3.5 million arrivals in 2019 provided global tourism outlook remains favourable.

Over 1.3 million tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka in the first seven months of this year, recording a 13.7 percent growth compared with the same period of last year.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 14:17:59|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

SAO PAULO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China is getting ready to make its twin-engine Harbin aircraft available in the Brazilian market and to manufacture the planes locally, a company executive said on Tuesday.

"We are commercializing the first Chinese plane, with an eye to opening a plant in (Brazil)," Jose Santos, a Brazilian representative of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), told Xinhua.

The move would bring the company's Y12, Y12F and Y12E model planes to Brazil for the first time, Santos said at Sao Paulo's LABACE 2018, Latin America's biggest annual business aviation trade fair and the second largest in the world.

This year marks the first time the fair is featuring an Asian aircraft manufacturer, with AVIC hoping to break into Brazil's growing regional aviation market with the Y12E turboprop.

"This is a low-cost, broad-capacity plane. It carries 18 passengers and it's coming to fill a demand that is not being fully met in the Brazilian aviation market -- (tne demand for) regional aviation," Santos said. "There is a lot of (air) connection between the larger cities, but not (the smaller ones) in the interior, especially in regions like the Amazon."

AVIC is also looking at the feasibility of opening a plant to supply the local market with the Y12E.

"It's a project that's under study," Santos said.

The three-day trade fair opened on Tuesday at a hangar at the Congonhas Airport with some 100 firms participating.

The event draws the world's leading aviation companies, such as Brazil's own Embraer, and is showcasing 47 types of aircraft ranging in prices from 2 million U.S. dollars to 60 million dollars.

Brazil has the world's second largest fleet of aircraft for general aviation, with 15,406 registered planes, from turboprops to helicopters.

This transportation segment has grown 0.3 percent compared to 2016, according to the Brazilian Association for General Aviation (ABAG), which organizes the fair.

According to Flavio Pires, CEO of ABAG, Russian and Chinese brands have joined the fair. "The entire world is eyeing the potential of the Brazilian market because of Brazil's size and reliance on general aviation, as commercial aviation only reaches 100 towns out of more than 5,500," Pires said.

Santos said China wants to position itself within the medical transportation niche, as well as air taxis, agribusiness and logistics.

AVIC's turboprop is the "most competitive" aircraft currently in Brazil, costing some 5 million dollars, he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 14:17:59|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 45 Afghan security force members were killed after Taliban militants stormed a joint military camp in northern Baghlan province overnight, reported local media Tolo News TV on Wednesday.

The brazen attack occurred at midnight after hundreds of Taliban militants attacked Allahuddin Base in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the province, 160 km north of Kabul, the report quoted a provincial security source as saying.

Those among the killed were 35 army soldiers and 10 Afghan Local police personnel, the report said.

This is the second attack against Afghan security forces this week. On Monday, 17 Afghan army soldiers were killed, 15 injured and five others were captured by Taliban after the militants overran a military base in northern Faryab province.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 14:58:04|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China Wednesday welcomed the upcoming north-south summit in Pyongyang set for next month, saying it looks forward to positive results.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) agreed Monday to hold a third summit between their respective leaders Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang in September.

"We welcome the agreement and commend the efforts of both sides to this end," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a press statement.

He said China, as a close neighbor, is glad to see and supports contact and dialogue between the north and south of the peninsula, as well as efforts to implement the Panmunjom Declaration and promote reconciliation and cooperation.

"We hope that the summit will be held smoothly and yield positive results, and believe the efforts will help forge ahead the denuclearization process and a political solution on the peninsula," Lu said in the statement.

Kim and Moon signed the Panmunjom Declaration after their first meeting on April 27. Under the declaration, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:03:04|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

SUVA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Vishvas Sapkal said Wednesday that the Indian government is holding talks with the Fiji Navy on possibility to provide boarder security support to Fiji.

According to Fijivillage website, Sapkal said this was a continuous discussion that they were working on with the Fiji Navy as part of a partnership to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Sahyadri, which was on a visit to the island nation, entered the Port of Suva on Monday.

The Indian naval ship is visiting Fiji en route to India after participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC)-2018 organized in Hawaii, United States.

During the visit, the Indian naval ship personnel had interaction with their Fijian counterparts and the ship had an "Open Day" for the general public on Tuesday.

A medical camp was also organized, in collaboration with the Fijian government where doctors from India and Fiji jointly organized free health screening on Wednesday.

Officers from the Indian ship, the Fiji military forces and Indian High Commission also participated in mangrove and sandalwood planting activities on Tuesday.

Sahyadri is the third and latest ship among the Shivalik Class of indigenously built stealth frigates and forms a part of the Eastern Fleet of Indian Navy.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:03:05|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 45 Afghan security force members were killed after Taliban militants stormed a joint military camp in northern Baghlan province overnight, reported local media Tolo News TV on Wednesday.

The brazen attack occurred at midnight after hundreds of Taliban militants attacked Allahuddin Base in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the province, 160 km north of Kabul, triggering heavy clashes lasting for hours, the report quoted a provincial security source as saying.

Those among the killed were 35 army soldiers and 10 Afghan Local police personnel, the report said.

At least five soldiers were injured and eight local policemen went missing after the fighting.

The Taliban seized several military vehicles, weapons and ammunition after the seizure of the camp.

This is the second attack against Afghan security forces this week. On Monday, 17 Afghan army soldiers were killed, 15 injured and five others were captured by Taliban after the militants overran a military base in northern Faryab province. Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful region in the north, where Taliban have been recruiting from among the youth.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:08:06|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

People look at the scene of the collapsed bridge in Genoa, Italy, Aug. 15, 2018. As the death toll in the deadly bridge collapse in Italy's northwestern city of Genoa reportedly reached 35 and rescue workers frantically searched in the debris for survivors, the chance of finding more people alive looked slim. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

GENOA, Italy, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- As the toll in the deadly bridge collapse in Italy's northwestern city of Genoa reportedly reached 35 and rescue workers frantically searched in the debris for survivors, the chance of finding more people alive looked slim.

Bloomberg reported the toll had reached 35. It could rise further in the following days, police and Red Cross officials told Xinhua.

Genoa police cordoned off peripheral areas and blocked the roads to the Morandi bridge, which connects the west of Genoa to the east. Some 300 firefighters were at work with 92 rescue vehicles. Search dog units were also pressed into service to look for survivors.

Police officers on the spot, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Xinhua there were still cars and trucks under the rubble and it would take several days more to clear the site.

Several hundred meters away, Marco Parodi, an Italian Red Cross official in the rescue effort, told Xinhua a special corps has been searching for survivors or bodies, but the rubble pile was so huge that the chance of finding survivors was slender.

An emergency plan had been made to evacuate 440 people living in 11 buildings around the area for safety reasons.

The bridge collapsed shortly before noon on Tuesday while some 30 cars and 5 heavy trucks were passing through. The city was under heavy rain at that time, which hampered the first rescue operations.

The 1,182-m-long bridge was built between 1963 and 1967.

Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci declared two days of mourning, on Aug. 15-16.

The city's chief prosecutor Francesco Cozzi said a criminal probe will be launched for culpable manslaughter and culpable disaster -- so far against a person or persons unknown -- to ascertain whether the collapse was due to negligence, Ansa news agency reported.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:13:07|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

ANKARA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree to raise the tariffs on some U.S. imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco, an official report said on Wednesday.

According to the decree published in the official gazette, Turkey has imposed an extra 60-percent of tariffs on passenger cars, 70 percent on alcohol and 30 percent on tobacco. Tariffs on cosmetics, rice and coal were also increased.

The move was a response to Washington's "economic attack" on Turkey, the country's Vice President Fuat Oktay tweeted.

The retaliation comes amid escalated tensions between the United States and its NATO ally over some diplomatic disputes in recent weeks. The Trump administration last Friday announced to double the tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Turkey, driving the Turkish lira to a record low.

Related:

Turkey's Erdogan announces to boycott U.S. electronic products

ANKARA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Tuesday to boycott U.S. electronic products amid an ongoing and deepening rift between the two NATO allies over a number of issues. Full story

Spotlight: Turkey's Erdogan decries U.S. "plot," seeks new alliancesSource: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:18:08|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

URUMQI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Alataw Pass, the largest land port in northwest China, saw an increase in the number of China-Europe freight trains and freight volume in the first seven months of 2018, local authorities said.

More than 1,320 China-Europe freight trains carrying 577,600 tonnes of goods passed through the port in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region between January and July, up 32.4 percent year on year, according to the port's administrative office.

The port on the China-Kazakhstan border has become a busy transportation hub since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative. Around 70 percent of China-Europe freight trains pass through the port each year.

According to the local customs office, over 6,000 China-Europe freight trains had traveled through Alataw Pass as of Tuesday since 2011, when the first China-Europe line was launched between Chongqing and Duisburg, Germany.

Li Hongfeng, a customs official, said that the average waiting time for China-Europe trains at Alataw Pass has been reduced to around 15 hours from 24 hours years ago.

Ten China-Europe railway routes pass through Alataw, reaching 36 cities in 13 European countries.Hearing on Tikapur incident begins

The Kailali District Court on Wednesday began the hearing on Tikapur incident.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:28:10|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

KATHMANDU, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Wednesday stressed on the need for revitalizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to advance prosperity in the region.

Addressing a function in the capital, the foreign minister expressed the hope that the SAARC can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the South Asia region.

"A peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia is in our interest. As a common platform, SAARC can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the region. What we need to do is to revitalize SAARC. We must make it an organization that delivers tangible outcome. Without deeper integration we cannot enjoy the fruits of regional cooperation," said the foreign minister.

The SAARC member states should focus on core areas of trade, investment, tourism, and connectivity to achieve tangible results, the Nepali foreign minister said.

"Nepal always remains proactive in realizing the objectives enshrined in the SAARC Charter and as the current chair has been working closely with member states in the spirit of solidarity, cooperation and partnership," Gyawali said amidst the presence of diplomats from South Asian countries.

SAARC is a regional body established in 1985 in South Asia, comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal is currently the chair of the SAARC.

Nepali foreign minister's remark has come at a time when the SAARC member states are failing to forge consensus on holding of the 19th SAARC summit since its cancellation in 2016 amid border tensions between India and Pakistan.

Since then, Nepal, in the capacity of the chair of the SAARC, has been urging India and Pakistan to make positive atmosphere for holding the SAARC Summit.

The 19th SAARC summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Nov. 9-10 in 2016, was cancelled after India, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh decided to boycott the summit, blaming Pakistan for not cooperating on combating cross-border terrorism in South Asia.

Pakistan denied the charges, saying it was sincerely working to fight against cross-border terrorism.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 15:43:14|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

Greek soldiers Angelos Mitretodis and Dimitris Kouklatzis pose for photo with their parents, upon their arrival in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Aug. 15, 2018. The two Greek servicemen who had been detained in Turkey since March after accidentally crossing the border returned to Greece in the early hours Wednesday. (Xinhua/Fani Tripsani)

ATHENS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The two Greek servicemen who had been detained in Turkey since March after accidentally crossing the border returned to Greece in the early hours Wednesday.

Following an order by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Greek officials traveled to Edirne, Turkey, to bring Turkish Angelos Mitretodis and Dimitris Kouklatzis back home.

At Thessaloniki airport in northern Greece, the two military men were warmly welcomed by their families, government officials and Chief of the Hellenic Army Alkiviadis Stefanis.

"We wish to say 'thank you' to all those who have supported us. Thank you very much," Mitretodis said in a short statement to Greek public broadcaster ERT.

Following the welcome ceremony at the airport, Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos sent a message in a statement that the two neighboring countries can cooperate in peace to build a future for the two peoples.

Kammenos also invited his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar to visit Greece.

Mitretodis and Kouklatzis had been detained in Edirne in Turkey since early March after crossing the border amid bad weather conditions, and the detainment of the two servicemen had further soured relations between Athens and Ankara.

The two men allegedly insisted that this was not a case of attempted espionage and they had entered Turkey by mistake, following footprints which they had located on the Greek side.

The Edirne court ruled on Tuesday that there was no evidence of espionage and grounds to detain them any longer and order their release from jail until the start of their trial on charges of illegally entering a military zone, Greek national news agency AMNA reported, citing Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.

Prime Minister Tsipras welcomed the ruling of the Turkish court as a positive step for bilateral ties, and provided the jet he uses on official foreign visits to bring the two servicemen back.

"The release of the two Greek servicemen from jail is an act of justice which will contribute in boosting friendship, good neighborly ties and stability in the region," said the Greek prime minister in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday.

Despite being North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, Turkey and Greece have a strained relationship over disputes in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas regarding islets and gas drilling rights as well as over Greece's refusal to extradite eight Turkish soldiers suspected of involvement in a coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 16:13:18|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel reopens Gaza's main cargo crossing on Wednesday morning, a week after it was closed amidst a flare-up of violence.

The opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing after nearly two weeks was decided by Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and the Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot, the military said in a statement.

"The Kerem Shalom crossing will be re-opened this morning for full activity," the statement read, adding that the fishing zone off the Gaza Strip will also be expanded to nine nautical miles (16.6 km).

Lieberman wrote on his Facebook account that the opening of Kerem Shalom is "a clear message to residents of the Gaza Strip, that is, quiet pays and violence doesn't pay."

The move came amid Egypt's efforts to broker a cease-fire deal that will include eased restrictions on the besieged Palestinian enclave and a long-lasting truce.

In recent weeks, the escalation between Israel and Hamas have reached almost a full-fledged war. It came after month-long protests along Gaza-Israel border against the 11-year-long blockade imposed on Gaza.

Since March 30, Israeli forces have killed at least 164 Palestinians, including 121 protestors, while a Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli soldier.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 16:18:18|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson Wednesday warned that pushing "de-sinicization" and "Taiwan independence" in education would poison the younger generation in Taiwan, further damage cross-Strait relations, and intensify cross-Strait confrontation.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to a new high school history curriculum passed by Taiwan's education authorities.

According to recent reports, the new curriculum allegedly makes the Chinese history part of East Asian history.

Taiwan and the mainland belong to one China, people on both sides are all Chinese, and Taiwanese culture is an inalienable part of Chinese culture, said Ma.

No "de-sinicization" moves can separate the connections of history and culture across the Strait, Ma stressed.

This activity by the Democratic Progressive Party administration is strongly opposed by Taiwanese society and the "Taiwan independence" activity has forgotten the origins of the island and will receive strong objections from compatriots on both sides, said Ma.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 16:28:20|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has sent disaster-relief supplies to quake-hit areas of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The supplies were transported to Tonghai County and other affected areas and included 3,000 tents, 12,000 foldaway beds, quilts, and clothes, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.

A total of 24 people were injured and more than 39,000 residents evacuated after two 5.0-magnitude earthquakes jolted four county-level regions of Yunnan in the early hours of Monday and Tuesday.

An emergency workgroup from the ministry is currently in Tonghai to assist with local disaster-relief efforts.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 16:38:22|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- British automotive brand MG Motors announced on Tuesday that it will form a joint venture with Egyptian automotive dealer Mansour Group to promote its products in the Egyptian market.

Mansour, with 60,000 employees worldwide, will become the exclusive distributor of MG's products in Egypt after the forming of the joint venture.

The Egyptian dealer has been one of the largest dealers of General Motors, a U.S. multinational corporation in vehicle and vehicle parts.

MG Motors, now owned by the Chinese automaker SAIC Motor, also unveils on Tuesday three new cars in Egypt: one sedan and two SUVs, with prices ranging from 4,914 to 22,030 U.S. dollars.

SAIC expressed in a press release optimism in the future of the Egyptian market, which is the second largest car consumer market in Africa.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 16:48:24|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Members of a visiting Japanese delegation pay tribute to the victims in silence at The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 15, 2018. A peace assembly was held Wednesday in Nanjing to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II. Representatives from countries such as China, Japan, the United States, and Thailand attended the event held in the Nanjing Massacre Victim's Memorial Hall, mourning the 300,000 people who were killed in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. (Xinhua/Sun Can)

NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A peace assembly was held Wednesday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II.

Representatives from countries such as China, Japan, the United States, and Thailand attended the event held in the Nanjing Massacre Victim's Memorial Hall, mourning the 300,000 people who were killed in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.

Japanese invaders slaughtered about 300,000 Chinese during a six-week rampage after they captured the city, then China's capital, on Dec. 13, 1937.

Members of an anti-war NGO based in Japan's Kobe laid wreaths and paid tribute to the victims in silence. It was the 22nd time the group had attended the peace assembly in Nanjing.

"We choose to come to China to mark the event because Chinese people were the victims of the war and they deserve tribute and remembrance," said Miyauchi Yoko, head of the group.

"Ordinary people suffer the most in times of war," said a student from Thailand. "Everyone should make contributions to world peace."

Ge Daorong, a survivor of the massacre, was only 10 years old when Nanjing fell to the Japanese invaders.

During the massacre, he and his close family took refuge in a safety zone and survived the onslaught, but his three uncles did not.

"We look back at the sad episodes of history in order to cherish today's peace," Ge said at a forum held after the assembly.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 17:03:28|Editor: mym

Video Player Close

ISTANBUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Turkish court on Wednesday rejected an appeal for U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson to be released from house arrest during his trial, local media reported.

The lawyer of Brunson, Ismail Cem Halavurt, on Tuesday filed an appeal for the second time to a Turkish court in the western province of Izmir to lift his client's house arrest and travel ban.

According to the Hurriyet daily, the 2nd Penal Court rejected Halavurt's petition and sent it to a higher court.

The continued detention of the pastor has increased the tension between the two NATO allies.

Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey, doubling steel and aluminum tariffs over the issue of Brunson, which caused the Turkish currency lira to tumble down against the U.S. dollar.

The 50-year-old pastor, who has been living in Turkey for more than two decades, was detained two years ago and faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.

The pastor was accused of espionage and having links to a network led by the U.S.-based outlawed cleric Fethullah Gulen and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Gulen was deemed by Ankara as being behind a failed coup that took place in July 2016.

Brunson's next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 12.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 17:33:35|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

File photo taken on Sept. 2, 1945 shows Japan's surrender ceremony aboard the United States Navy battleship USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay. (Xinhua)

TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- As Japan marked the 73rd anniversary of the end of World War II on Wednesday, war witnesses and experts said the atrocious war should never be forgotten and measures should be taken to prevent the war's tragedies from reoccurring.

MEMORIES TO PRESERVE

For Nobuo Okimatsu, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, Aug. 15 is a day that he could never forget. Born in 1925, Okimatsu's life largely overlapped with Japan slipping into the abyss of the invasive war and finally declaring unconditional surrender on Aug. 15, 1945.

Okimatsu entered middle school in 1937. Though people in his hometown talked little about the Lugou Bridge Incident that year that marked Japan's full invasion of China, Okimatsu could feel that militarist thoughts were prevailing.

"People took pride in becoming a soldier at that time. I was also determined to go to the Imperial Japanese Army Academy," he told Xinhua.

That same year, the Japanese troops captured Nanjing, the then Chinese capital, on Dec. 13, and in some 40 days following the capture, more than 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in Nanjing were slaughtered and 20,000 women raped.

In 1945, then 20-year-old Okimatsu became a Kamikaze pilot in the Japanese army. After three months' training, he along with other soldiers were tasked with a suicidal mission to crash into the Allies' ships.

Luckily for Okimatsu, his mission was delayed that day and then stopped by Japanese Emperor Hirohito declaring Japan's unconditional surrender.

Okimatsu later called that day his "rebirth" and told of his experience and the sufferings of his family in the war.

"Many historical problems in Japan nowadays are rooted in the lack of knowledge and recognition of history," he said. "It's an obligation for us who have experienced the war to pass on our memories and promote Japan's friendship with its neighbors to eliminate the factors that could cause wars," he added.

VOICES TO HEAR

Kazuya Iwamura, commentator from the Kyodo News who was born after the war, says Aug. 15 is significant for Japan as "it marks the starting point of Japan's postwar pacifist period and economic development."

After the war ended, Japan achieved fast economic development, for which the peaceful environment facilitated by the pacifist Constitution was no doubt a precondition.

"To prevent these war tragedies from happening again, it's really necessary to reflect on what happened on Aug. 15 and the postwar history," said Iwamura.

Okimatsu became a high school teacher after the war. In 1975, haunted by the memories of war, he joined an anti-war organization founded by a group of Japanese veterans who had taken part in the aggression. Later, the organization renamed itself "Aug.15 Japan-China Friendship Association."

The organization published a monthly journal titled "Aug. 15," calling for reflection and a preservation of historic memories.

"In the past year, we published the journal monthly. We have also participated in rallies to call for protection of the pacifist Constitution and activities promoting friendship between Japan and other countries," 93-year-old Okimatsu told Xinhua.

It's just one example of how some in Japan have made ceaseless efforts to convey to the younger generations a true sense of history despite the obstructionist work by the ultra-rightist forces.

Another example was a documentary released last year by Japan's public broadcaster NHK titled "The Truth of Harbin Unit 731" which revealed the outrageous crimes committed by Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that undertook lethal human experimentation during WWII.

The documentary, while irritating the ultra-right wing forces, allowed many Japanese learn the truth of the war and reflect upon history.

On Tuesday, designated "Comfort Women Day" in South Korea, around 100 people attended a memorial event held at the Woman's Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM) in Tokyo.

"We held the yearly event calling for people from all over the world to pay attention to the 'comfort women' issue," said Eriko Ikeda, chairwoman of WAM, Japan's only museum focused on wartime sexual violence against women.

"The Japanese government should face up to this problem," she said.

TOWARDS THE FUTURE

Reflection and preservation are the best way to ensure peace and face the future, historians here have said.

But with the aging of those who experienced the war, there are concerns that the younger generation would become immune to the need preserve the past.

"Our generation has a strong feeling for the day Aug. 15. But the situation is gradually changing for the younger people," said Tase Yasuhiro, political analyst and Nikkei columnist.

During an annual national ceremony to mourn the war dead on Wednesday, Japanese Emperor Akihito reiterated his "deep remorse" over the country's past actions.

"Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated," said the emperor who is set to abdicate next year.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also attending the ceremony, renewed his pledge not to repeat the tragedy of war, but again refrained from mentioning Japan's wartime aggression at the annual event.

"For some people in Japan, Aug. 15 has been seen as a day of humiliation for Japan as it had to surrender unconditionally," said Okimatsu.

"But in fact, we should think of it as a day for Japan's rebirth," he added.

To his delight, the Aug.15 Japan-China Friendship Association has now also attracted some young members, including teachers, students and white-collar workers.

"I really hope the younger generation could learn more about that history," said Okimatsu. "Without true historical recognition, without reflection upon the war, there will be no true friendship between Japan and other countries including China."Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 18:08:42|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on Aug. 14, 2018. Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership," Sergey Lavrov said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

ANKARA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia display further rapprochement after the United States imposed sanctions on Moscow and Ankara on different grounds.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pays a two-day visit to Ankara just after the Turkey-U.S. ties hit historical deterioration.

Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership" between the two countries, Lavrov said on Tuesday at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"We are at a turning point in the World. We are at a time of transition from bipolar order to multi-polarization," he said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Russia hopes that a reasonable approach will prevail in international relations and countries will return to a depoliticized dialogue, Lavrov said.

He also noted that Moscow appreciates Turkey's rejection to join the anti-Russia sanctions by the West, saying the U.S. "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.

U.S. sanctions, including the latest round targeting Turkey, undermine all principles of global trade and in time this move will undermine the role of U.S. dollar as a settlement currency, he said.

U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey are shattering the former's reputation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

"The era of bullying must end," the minister said and called on the U.S. to return to a dialogue, warning that threats and pressure on Turkey would cause chaos.

At the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara was preparing to switch to using national currencies with its trading partners, such as China, Russia, Iran and Ukraine. Ankara was also ready for such a move in trade with the European Union, he added.

Turkey's national currency lira has lost almost 20 percent of its value against U.S. dollars since Friday, amid ongoing strain between Turkey and the U.S. over detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

The lira tumbled to a historical low on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a 20 and 50 percent tariff hike on imported Turkish aluminum and steel, respectively.

The U.S. Congress also passed a bill prohibiting the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey pending a review assessing the possible risk associated with Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense system.

Russia backed Erdogan in urging countries to do business in their own national currencies rather than dollars. Moscow recently declared Moscow will decrease its holdings of U.S. assets in retaliation against increasing tariffs imposed by Trump on Russia and Turkey.

Russia seeks to use national currencies in trade with Turkey but the issue needs to be worked out meticulously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that a four-way Syria summit "is planned in the upcoming future," with the leaders of Russia, France, Turkey and Germany attending. The summit focusing on Syria and the wider region will be held in Istanbul on Sept. 7.

These four countries are also known to have been opposing the sanctions of the U.S. on Iran.

Turkey has come to the point of seeking new allies, according to Burhanettin Duran, coordinator of Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

"Turkey has come to this point over irresponsible actions the U.S. in the past few years. The U.S. is having the same attitude towards not only to Turkey but also to China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela," he said, noting that this perspective introduces a new world order.

Murat Yetkin, commentator of Hurriyet Daily News, said that world leaders including Russia's Putin, Germany's Merkel expressed that U.S. President Donald Trump was displaying his power.

"He was trying to use economic sanctions and tariffs as a political weapon against his country's economic rivals, including China and the European Union," said the leaders.

"Trump managed to unite leaders, from Merkel to Putin, for supporting Turkey, and banks and opposition parties in Turkey are in support of the government against them," he said.Landslide-dammed Bheri bursts with ruinous force

A landslide triggered by heavy rains briefly dammed Bheri River before it burst with a destructive force, wiping out four houses and leaving more than 100 others at risk of collapse at Tallu Bagar area in Nalgadh Municipality of Jajarkot district on Tuesday.Fishing boats are seen at the seaport of Gaza City August 15, 2018. (REUTERS)

GAZA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel eased Wednesday restrictions on border commercial crossing point and expanded fishing area in the sea of Gaza from three to nine nautical miles, officials said.

Ra'ed Fattouh, Palestinian official in charge of coordinating the shipment of goods through the crossing of Kerem Shalom on the border between Israel and southeast Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that Israel will allow 700 trucks carrying construction materials, fuel, food, commercial and industrial products to pass through.

A truck carrying goods to Palestinians arrives at Kerem Shalom crossing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 15, 2018. (AFP photo)

He also unveiled that the Israeli authorities will allow the shipment of other various kinds of products, which have been banned to the Gaza Strip since last September.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman instructed more than one month ago to shut down Kerem Shalom commercial crossing for all kinds of products except the basic needs of food and medicine for more than 2 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian fishermen carry a box containing fish at the seaport of Gaza City August 15, 2018. (REUTERS)

The Israeli decision to tighten its measures at the crossing points between the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave and Israel was made to put pressure on Hamas and other Palestinian activists to stop releasing arson kites and balloons into southern Israel, which caused severe damages.

Since March 30, Palestinians have organized weekly rallies and protests called the "Great March of Return," defying Israeli blockade. Medical sources said that the Israeli army have killed 169 Palestinians since then.

Jamal al-Khudari, an independent Palestinian lawmaker and chairman of the committee to defy the Israeli siege, said the Israeli decision of easing restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip "is not enough."

"Easing tight and unfair restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip doesn't mean a complete lifting of the Israel siege which has been imposed on the Gaza Strip since the summer of 2007," said al-Khudari in a press statement emailed to reporters.

Al-Khudari stated that around 95% of industries in the Gaza Strip had completely stopped after Israel banned raw materials for more than a month, causing severe damage to the weak economy there.

Boxes containing fish are displayed for sale at a market in Gaza City August 15, 2018. (REUTERS)

Meanwhile, Nizar Ayyash, chairman of Gaza Fishermen Association, told reporters that Israel informed the Palestinian liaison that the Israeli army decided to expand the allowed area for Palestinian fishermen to fish from 3 nautical miles to 9 nautical miles.

Egypt and United Nations Special envoy Nicolai Mladenov have been mediating a long-term truce between Israel and Gaza Hamas-led militant groups following weeks of military escalation between the two sides.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 18:48:56|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

KAMPALA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday said he was not hurt in a Monday attack on his convoy in the northwestern Ugandan district of Arua.

Museveni in a statement issued here said opposition supporters threw stones at one of his cars, where he put some luggage, breaking the rear glass window.

"There was no harm on the old man with a hat," he said. Museveni normally wears a hat.

"It is a big shame to have such confused people who want to use violence to intimidate Ugandans. Nobody has a right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or action," he added.

Museveni said the attack could have resulted into several deaths if his security details had resorted to using live ammunition.

He said during the scuffle one of the attackers who has since been identified as Yasin Kawuma was shot dead. Museveni blamed this on the weak crowd management by the police and what he called the criminal behavior of some opposition leaders.

Police on Tuesday said security agencies had arrested three lawmakers and scores of opposition supporters in relation to the stoning of the convoy.

Emilian Kayima, Uganda's police spokesperson in a statement said independent lawmakers Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, Gerald Karuhanga, opposition legislator Paul Mwiru and scores of their supporters are being held for obstructing and violently attacking the president's motorcade.

Others arrested include Michael Mabikke, former opposition legislator and Kassiano Wandri, an independent leaning opposition parliamentary candidate for Arua municipality by-elections slated for Wednesday.

At least two journalists had also been arrested and released on police bond on Tuesday afternoon.

The supporters of Wadri on Monday reportedly pelted stones at Museveni's convoy after he left Arua Boma Grounds where he had held the last campaign rally for his ruling party candidate, Nusura Tiperu at Prisons Cell at around 6:30 p.m., local time.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 18:58:59|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

MALE, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Maldives government on Wednesday said that the presidential election will go ahead as scheduled on September 23 and campaigning for the election was progressing smoothly in a peaceful environment.

The foreign ministry, in a statement, said the government had noted with concern the doubts and queries raised by certain international partners on whether the election would be held as announced.

The ministry said the government has been working closely with the election commission and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the election is held in a free, fair and credible manner.

The ministry further said the election commission of the Maldives had extended invitations to several international stakeholders including some key bilateral and multilateral development partners of the Maldives, to observe the election.

"As genuine friends and partners of the Maldives, it is important for the international community to extend their full support and cooperation to the unrelenting efforts of the government and the people of the Maldives in this endeavor," it added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 18:59:00|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

A man looks on in a burnt building in Ghazni city, capital of Ghazni province, Afghanistan, Aug. 14, 2018. Peace and normalcy returned to Afghan eastern city of Ghazni after government forces launched a massive operation supported by war planes and helicopters, a statement said Wednesday. (Xinhua/Sayed Mominzadah)

by Farid Behbud

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Peace and normalcy returned to Afghan eastern city of Ghazni after government forces launched a massive operation supported by war planes and helicopters, a statement said Wednesday.

"People in Ghazni city regained their normal life, following deadly clearance operation launched by security and defense forces on the terrorist outfit of Taliban, swiping Haidar Abad, Hassan Abad, Mughulan and Naw Abad areas from insurgents, in the provincial capital," said the statement from Afghan Ministry of Defence.

On early Friday, Taliban militants launched a coordinated attack and overran the city which is capital of eastern Ghanzi province, triggering heavy clashes lasting for five straight days.

However, some neighborhoods were still deserted as sporadic clashes were ongoing particularly in outer sides of the city.

The militants set on fire scores of government offices, houses and shops.

About 150 civilians were killed or injured in the clashes while around 150 security forces and 500 Taliban militants also lost their lives.

"The Taliban's attack against Ghazni city, and the subsequent fighting in densely-populated urban spaces, has again caused terrible suffering to civilians caught in the conflict. Equally unacceptable, the fight for the city of Ghazni has exacerbated deep-rooted wounds dividing Afghan communities at a time when cohesion is more crucial than ever before," Tadamichi Yamamoto, special UN envoy and head of UN mission, was quoted in a UNAMA statement Wednesday.

"The Taliban attack and seizure of the city was a disaster, I lost everything, I am a shop owner and I lost all my goods as a main business market in downtown was burned by the militants and the shops and its goods have changed into a pile of ash," resident Mohammad Karim, 42, told Xinhua.

He blamed the local officials for failing to respond to people's demand after the militants set fire on the market and no fire squad of the city municipality was sent to the area after shop owners frequently requested.

"Reports also indicate that the situation in Ghazni for non-combatants remains particularly grim, as the fighting has led to electricity outages along with water and food shortages. Communication networks and media outlets have been shuttered, and roads remain blocked, preventing freedom of movement for families seeking safety," the UN mission or UANANA said in the statement.

Humanitarian actors ready and willing to supply desperately needed assistance must be given explicit, public and absolute guarantees by all parties to the conflict that they will be allowed to operate safely, without hindrance or any attempts to interfere with distribution carried out under humanitarian principles, the statement said.

"The people in Ghazni are in urgent need of assistance. We want the government to compensate the shop owners as we lost all of our assets," resident Karim said.

The first humanitarian aid trucks arriving in Ghazni city late Tuesday were carrying coffins but scores of injured in Ghazni regional hospital are in need of medication and health supplies, resident Zekria told Xinhua, adding that Taliban militants used civilians as human shield and they fire on security forces and war planes from houses and none-military buildings.

"The extreme human suffering caused by the fighting in Ghazni highlights the urgent need for the war in Afghanistan to end. The United Nations continues to maintain that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan," UN envoy Tadamichi Yamamoto added.

"The Afghan government has extended an unprecedented overture to talk with the Taliban rather than to fight. The most recent Eid ceasefire on 15-17 June illustrated to all Afghans, especially those too young to have known anything but war, what peace looks like. It is therefore vital for this war to come to an end through an Afghan-led negotiated settlement," he noted.

The fighting in Ghazni must stop and the fighting in Afghanistan must stop. Confidence-building steps that immediately reduce violence are crucial, and talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are necessary to identify and expand common ground. The United Nations stands ready to support any endeavours that would advance peace in Afghanistan, he said.

A main roadway, connecting Kabul to southern and western provinces and passes from outskirts of Ghazni city, was blocked after the fighting started, causing scores of passenger buses and transport trucks to be stranded since early Friday.

"We assure the population in Ghazni that ANDSF stands with them protecting their lives and properties. We are in control of the city and will drive Taliban and terrorists from other areas of the province soon," said Defense Ministry spokesman Sayyed Ghafor Ahmad Javeed in a statement issued by the Government Media and Information Center.

"Five city Police Districts in Ghazni city are operational. Clearance operation is ongoing in Police District 6. Afghan National Defense and Security Forces is clearing areas in north and west of Ghazni in the vicinity of Haydarabad. Firefighters are in Ghazni to provide services and help the people. Local mobile phone company Roshan Telecom towers are operational again," the government statement added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 19:34:08|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

RABAT, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and its pilots association have reached a deal to end a month-long partial strike of its pilots, the two parties announced in a joint statement Wednesday.

The two parties have not revealed the details of the deal, but the statement said they "welcome the conclusion of an agreement bringing together the points of convergence and re-establishing the climate of confidence."

Tensions between RAM and its pilots started in mid July after month-long bilateral talks failed.

The pilots association demanded a rise in wages and an increase of monthly holidays from four to five days like their foreign peers working for the company.

Since the beginning of the strike on July 18, Morocco's airline cancelled more than 186 flights.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 20:34:24|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- State Council investigators have discovered two batches of 499,800 defective DPT vaccines produced by Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Limited.

The investigation team will step up efforts to investigate related vaccines, pledging to hold officials neglecting regulatory responsibilities accountable.

The vaccines were sold to the provinces of Shandong and Anhui, and 76.2 percent of children who had used the first batch of unqualified DPT vaccines, labeled "201605014-01", were revaccinated.

Meanwhile, health and drug authorities have made plans for those subjected to the second batch of vaccines, labeled "201605014-02", to renew their vaccinations.

In October 2017, the DPT vaccine produced by Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Limited was found to be defective. The company's DPT vaccine production has since been suspended.

DPT refers to a combination of vaccines against three infectious diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 20:39:24|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The federal government in Berlin has passed a motion on Wednesday which will allow German farmers affected by a recent drought to grow animal feed in environmentally-protected areas of the country.

"Animals require feed every day. As a consequence, I have made a legislative proposal which enables farmers to use ecological priority areas to grow a mixture of crops for feed purposes," a statement by agricultural minister Julia Kloeckner (CDU) read.

The temporary measure is a response to the extremely hot and dry weather which was recorded throughout parts of Germany this summer and is now anticipated to cause widespread crop failures by the agricultural industry. Farmers have pointed to a shortage of animal feed in particular as posing a risk to their financial solvency.

Citing effects of climate change as witnessed during an ongoing heatwave in Europe, the German Farmers Association (DBV) has downgraded its annual forecast for grain yield for a second time in 2018 from 41 million tonnes to 36 million tonnes. DBV vice-secretary general Udo Hemmerling described the development of German crop output in the current year as the "worst harvest of the century."

Kloeckner (CDU) already announced earlier that her government would not ignore resulting calls for help from farmers. However, federal, as opposed to state-level, funding for agricultural emergencies can only be made available under German law if the adverse event in question is considered to have impacted the entire country. A decision on whether this condition was met during the past months can only be reached when an official harvest report is published at the end of August.

"I am very concerned about the consequences of the drought which farmers in the North and East of Germany in particular will suffer from. At least some assistance and compensation will be derived by farmers from the circumstance that producer prices have risen by around 10 percent compared to last year," Kloeckner said.

The ministry for agriculture noted that mankind had faced natural catastrophes and extreme weather patterns since biblical times, adding that Germany remained a relatively safe country for agricultural production by global standards. Nevertheless, the ministry warned that domestic weather risks were set to increase in coming years as a consequence of climate change.

"Extremer weather patterns like snap freezes, heat, floods and storms can cause significant and long-lasting damage to the German agricultural sector within short periods of time. These events destroy cultivated plants and lead to crop failures," the ministry for agriculture wrote on its website.

Commenting on the latest heatwave which gripped Germany and much of western Europe, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) recently highlighted that temperatures which were still considered unusual for July could become normality in Europe within the coming decades.

"In Germany, average temperatures have already risen by 1.4 degrees since the industrial revolution," PIK researcher Fred Hattermann told the press. Higher average temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions were hereby likely to lead to more extreme heatwaves in the future.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 20:54:27|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday urged Japan to face up to and reflect on its invasion history, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a press release.

According to reports, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual donation to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Wednesday, which was also visited by a few Japanese congress members.

Lu said China has noticed and is firmly opposed to these actions.

"The Yasukuni Shrine honors Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II who were directly responsible for the aggression," said the spokesperson.

He said China urges Japan to face up to and reflect on its invasion history and regain trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 20:59:28|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

HANGZHOU, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- "Where are you? Looking for Relatives of Lisbon Maru POWs."

Fang Li, a Chinese film-maker, posted this notice in major British newspapers last month, seeking relatives of 828 British soldiers who died when a Japanese prison ship sank in the East China Sea during World War II.

He has so far received about 200 replies and has visited more than 30 families in Britain. He hoped to keep these last memories in a documentary.

Fang, 64 years old, first heard the story in 2014 from a ferry captain in the Zhoushan archipelago, near the site of the sinking.

More than 1,800 prisoners of British army were aboard the unmarked Lisbon Maru freighter, sailing from Hong Kong to Japan, when it was torpedoed by an American submarine in October 1942.

As the vessel slowly slipped into the water, Japanese troops locked the unarmed men in the hold and shot those who tried to escape.

The Japanese fled to another ship, where they kicked off British POWs who followed them.

All told, 828 British soldiers died.

"If you had been to hell, you'd know what it was like. It was hell," Dennis Morley, 98, the British survivor of the disaster, told Fang Li.

A group of Chinese fishermen in 46 sampans spotted the men in the water. Over 65 desperate journeys, they saved 384 British soldiers from drowning, according to local wartime records.

"They had extraordinary courage and rescued hundreds under Japanese fire," Major Brian Finch, 77, told Fang.

Finch wrote a book about the Lisbon Maru in October 2017 and became the documentary adviser.

"The story is not widely known. The people who lived didn't talk about their experiences mostly until very later," Finch said in an interview.

The Japanese later recaptured 381 of the POWs in China and many died of disease, starvation and exhaustion in Japan.

"I couldn't believe that a thousand young lives were lost in those waters," said Fang. "They were supposed to enjoy life at that age just as my son does now."

Fang, who is also a geophysical engineer, started an investigation. He led his team to Dongji Island, Zhoushan, and found the ship with sonar in 2016.

"We were just 30 meters from the wreck. At that moment, I felt so close to those boys."

Then he had the idea to find relatives of the fallen soldiers, to tell their stories and make a documentary film. And, if possible, bring them home.

The notices elicited a theme from several families.

"He's not there; that's just a stone," said Amanda Christian of her grandfather's "grave." "If you send a man to war you should bring him home, dead or alive."

"He would rather be with his comrades," Fang was told by Barbara Stagg, whose father George Edmond Wilkinson survived, but spent a lifetime struggling with the trauma.

Fan Ming, director of the documentary, said interviewing the families was heart-rending: "Imagine your friends dying in front you, struggling to live and giving up hope -- and families torn apart."

Ron Brooks, 83, was aged 7 when he lost his father, Charlie Brooks. The old man wept when reading his father's last letter. He still wants his father brought home.

The stories confirmed Fang's determination to finish the documentary, The 828 Unforgotten.

In 2005,nother Lisbon Maru survivor, Charles Jordan, took his family to Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, so he could to thank his savior, Wu Lanfang. Both men have since passed away, but their reunion was recorded in photographs.

Fang's team plans to go to Canada later in August to interview the other remaining survivor.

Fang hopes to complete the film in time for the 100th birthday of Dennis Morley on October 26, 2019.

"These men are almost a hundred years old. Time is running out. We feel history is slipping away," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 20:59:28|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

WUHAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A barracks opening activity took place in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Wednesday morning. The event was the first of its kind at national level.

A barracks of a brigade of airborne troops and one for armed police were opened for public visits, with more than 3,000 Wuhan residents participating.

Soldiers in the two barracks gave performances reflecting their military training. Citizens were also able to take a close look at military equipment and experience daily military life.

The participants, including students, civil servants and enterprise employees, were mainly selected via an online test on national defense and a national-defense-themed essay competition.

The general office of China's Central Military Commission issued a guideline on opening barracks of the People's Liberation Army in October 2017, and China this July announced plans to open more than 600 barracks to the public during major festivals and days of commemoration.

According to the plan, barracks for the army, navy, air force and rocket force of the PLA and armed police at division, brigade, regiment, battalion and company levels will be available for public visits, covering 31 provincial regions across the country.Malaysia positive about signing labour agreement with Nepal: Minister Bista

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista said that the government of Malaysia is moving ahead in a positive way to sign labour agreement with Nepal.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:55:30|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

Indian paramilitary troopers parade during the India's Independence Day celebration in Srinagar, summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 15, 2018. India celebrated the 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:34:37|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Since the start of the year, the United States has been wielding tariffs against its trading partners worldwide to alter what President Donald Trump calls "unfair trade practices."

The moves have triggered tit-for-tat retaliations from countries affected, and are expected to drag down global growth by 0.5 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund.

In the latest development, Turkey announced Wednesday that it will increase tariffs on U.S. imports including rice, vehicles, alcohol, coal and cosmetics, in response to Trump's decision last Friday to double the tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum.

In part to press Ankara to release U.S. Evangelical pastor Andrew Brundson, Trump raised tariffs on Turkish steel to 50 percent, and aluminum duties to 20 percent.

Below is a review of the international trade spat so far this year.

On Jan. 22, Trump approved tariffs up to 50 percent on imported washing machines for the next three years, and duties as much as 30 percent on imported solar panels for the next four years.

In response, South Korea, one of U.S. major sources of washing machine imports, said it will "actively respond to U.S. trade protectionism."

Seoul notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) on April 6 that it will suspend tariff concessions on 480 million U.S. dollars worth of American imports. It said on May 14 it had issued a request to the WTO for a dispute settlement process with Washington.

On March 23, the United States implemented additional tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, exempting Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union (EU) and Mexico. The exemption for Canada, the EU and Mexico expired on June 30 and Washington refused to extend it.

On April 2, China hit back by adopting tariff hikes on 128 U.S. items, including pork, sparkling wine, nuts, and fresh and dried fruit products.

On May 22, the WTO said Japan, Russia and Turkey warned the United States of retaliatory measures for its steel and aluminum tariffs. One day later, the WTO received a complaint filed by India against the United States.

On May 31, Canada announced it would impose "dollar-for-dollar" tariffs on 16.6 billion Canadian dollars (12.7 billion dollars) worth of U.S. imports on July 1 if Washington does not drop its steel and aluminum tariff threat.

On June 5, Mexico imposed taxes -- with immediate effect -- on U.S. steel and aluminum, pork belly, as well as a range of other agricultural products. Mexico's economy minister, Ildefonso Guajardo, said the tariffs will affect some 3 billion dollars in value terms.

On June 21, India raised tariffs on U.S. goods including soya oil, palm olein oil and cashew nuts. On the same day, Turkey's imposition of tariffs on 266.5 million dollars of U.S. goods took effect.

On June 22, the EU levied duties of 25 percent on 2.8 billion euros (3.2 billion dollars) of U.S. imports in retaliation of Washington's steel and aluminum tariffs.

Trump responded immediately to the EU's move by threatening a 20 percent tariff on cars assembled in the EU and sold to the United States. Brussels said in late July that it was considering tariffs on 20 billion dollars of U.S. goods should Trump proceed with the proposed auto duties.

On July 6, U.S. tariffs on 34 billion dollars of Chinese goods came into force, and China responded by enacting tariffs on 34 billion dollars of goods it buys from the United States.

On July 16, China filed a complaint with the WTO against Washington's proposal on July 10 to levy additional tariffs on 200 billion dollars of Chinese products.

On Aug. 1, Trump called for raising the proposed tariff on 200 billion dollars of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent, adding the implementation is pending a public comment process ending on Sept. 5.

China responded two days later by proposing tariffs ranging from 5 percent to 25 percent on 5,207 U.S. goods worth 60 billion dollars.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Aug. 8 that tariffs of 25 percent on 16 billion dollars of U.S. goods -- including autos, fuel, steel products and medical equipment -- will be activated on Aug. 23, the same day when Washington initiates tariffs on an equivalent amount of Chinese imports.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:44:38|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 391 others injured including women and children in separate road accidents during the Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, local media and rescue officials said on Wednesday.

According to rescue officials in the metropolis Karachi, during the country's Independence Day which was celebrated on Aug. 14, over 350 road accidents, including minor and major ones, were reported in Karachi, the provincial capital of southern Sindh province.

Out of 391 wounded people, 200 sustained minor injuries and were discharged from hospitals after the first aid. However, remaining injured are still being treated at various hospitals in the city, according to hospital sources.

Meanwhile, at least three people were killed and over 45 others wounded in different incidents of aerial firing and firework display during the celebrations of Independence Day in various cities of Pakistan.

The practice of celebrating the special occasions and events with aerial gunfire and firework display is common in Pakistan, which claims a number of lives each year, said media reports.

City police have devised a special security and traffic management plan keeping in view various challenges, including securing ceremonies, maintaining law and order, controlling one-wheeling, aerial firing and fireworks on Independence Day to avoid untoward incidents.

Additional contingents of police were also deployed at public areas like cinemas, parks, zoo, markets and all the important roads of the city.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:54:41|Editor: mym

Video Player Close

NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A peace assembly was held Wednesday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

Representatives from countries, including China, Japan, the United States and Thailand, attended the event held in the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, mourning the 300,000 people who were killed in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.

Japanese invaders slaughtered about 300,000 Chinese during a six-week rampage after they captured the city, which was then China's capital, on Dec. 13, 1937.

Members of an anti-war NGO based in Japan's Kobe laid wreaths and paid tribute to the victims in silence. It was the 22nd time the group had attended the peace assembly in Nanjing.

"We choose to come to China to mark the event because Chinese people were the victims of the war and they deserve tribute and remembrance," said Miyauchi Yoko, head of the group.

"Ordinary people suffer the most in times of war," said a student from Thailand. "Everyone should make contributions to world peace."

Ge Daorong, a survivor of the massacre, was only 10 years old when Nanjing fell to the Japanese invaders.

During the massacre, he and his close family took refuge in a safety zone and survived the onslaught, but his three uncles did not.

"We look back at sad episodes of history in order to cherish today's peace," Ge said at a forum held after the assembly.

In northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, nearly 100 teenagers from China and Russia took part in a historical reenactment to mark the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender.

The activity was held at Shengshan Stronghold, a war relic that has now been turned into a base for patriotic education of young people from China and Russia.

"Both China and Russia suffered great losses during WWII," said Yulia Ablova, an education official in the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk and representative of the Russian youth delegation. "We need to remember the history and cherish the peace."

In the southwestern city of Chengdu, 1,207 hand prints of World War II Chinese veterans were donated Tuesday to the Jianchuan Museum Cluster, the largest private museum complex in China, to commemorate the anniversary.

The hand prints were from surviving soldiers in Hunan Province who fought during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945).

During the ceremony on Tuesday, Fan Jianchuan, curator of the Chengdu based museum, said that the veteran hand prints installation was expanding. More than 4,800 red hand prints have been imprinted on tempered glass slabs arranged in a V-shape to symbolize victory.

"Seventy-three years ago, these hands held broadswords and spears, threw hand grenades and buried landmines to safeguard our country and rescue our people," Fan said. "They should be remembered."Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:54:41|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, co-hosts the 14th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from China and Russia vowed Wednesday to jointly safeguard "just and equitable" international order and promote global and regional peace and stability.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev made the remarks when co-hosting the 14th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation here.

Yang, who is also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said both countries should firmly support each other on issues of major concern, increase coordination within multilateral frameworks, and jointly push for the settlement of international hot-spot issues.

He said China-Russia relations are developing at a high level and have entered the best period in history under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yang said Xi and Putin have already met twice this year and reached important consensuses.

Both countries should work to implement those consensuses and continue to cement and enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, the senior official said.

China and Russia should deepen cooperation in various areas so that it can better benefit the two peoples, Yang said.

Patrushev said Russia-China ties are developing at an unprecedentedly high level thanks to the efforts of both presidents.

Russia is ready to continue high-level contacts, strengthen strategic coordination, and work for greater results from practical cooperation, he said.

The two sides also discussed issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East and the Iran nuclear deal, and they reached broad consensuses.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:04:44|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Public schools and childcare centers in Germany are suffering from a dearth of investment, a study published on Wednesday by the state-owned KfW banking group finds.

According to KfW, the public education sector is confronted with a massive backlog in government spending on German infrastructure in spite of the country's booming economy. Schools and childcare centers accounted for 35 percent or 55 billion euros (62.3 billion U.S. dollar) of a total of 159 billion euros worth of outstanding investment in 2018.

Schools recorded a nationwide investment requirement of 48 billion euros alone, while government spending on nurseries and kindergarten facilities fell short by 7.6 billion euros. Broken down by regions, the biggest spending gaps were measured in North Rhine-Westphalia and Southern Germany.

KfW chief economist Joerg Zeuner explained that although public investment in schools and childcare centers had risen in nominal and relative terms during recent years, most funding had been "consumed" by higher construction cost. Additionally, Zeuner warned that capacity bottlenecks in communal administration and the construction sector currently posed a significant obstacle to the implementation of necessary infrastructure projects.

Among others, the federal government in Berlin has repeatedly promised to improve the provision of early childcare centers in order to facilitate combining a career with raising a family for its citizens. The average fertility rate in Germany rose slightly to 1.59 children per woman in 2016 but remained below the European average of 1.6 and well below the 2.0 rate recorded by France.

The study highlighted that even if communal governments devoted all of their available financial resources to education, it would still take seven years to clear the investment backlog. The KfW argued that higher investment levels in the longer-term were "necessary and sensible" given that education was a "key pillar for German competitiveness."

However, education is only one of several public infrastructure areas in need of better funding which the KfW has identified in Germany. The group has pointed to deteriorating roads and public transportation services as accounting for large shares of 159 billion euros in outstanding government spending as well.

Nearly 36 percent of German authorities reported a "significant backlog" of infrastructure investments in 2018, compared with 17 percent in neighboring France and an average rate of 33 percent across Europe.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:09:46|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 people were confirmed dead and 36 injured in a suicide bombing that targeted a private educational center in Dasht-e-Barchi locality in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, local media reported.

Citing unknown officials, a television channel Tolonews said in its news bulletin that 25 people had lost their lives and 36 others injured.

Officials have yet to make comment.

A terrorist, according to eyewitnesses, blew himself up inside Mawood, a private class training course for students around 3:50 p.m. local time (1120 GMT) and the victims were students including boys and girls.

Meanwhile, Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai, without providing details, said that a "blast" hit western edge of Kabul city Wednesday afternoon.

No group has claimed responsibility yet. However, some people pointed finger at the hardliner Islamic State (IS) group, saying the extremist outfit could be behind the deadly attack as it did in the past.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:09:47|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen won all 125 parliamentary seats in the recent general election, according to the National Election Committee (NEC) official results released on Wednesday evening.

The results were announced on the state-owned National Television of Cambodia.

"Yes, the CPP won all 125 parliamentary seats," NEC spokesman Dim Sovannarom told Xinhua.

Twenty political parties contested in the sixth general election on July 29. The NEC said the CPP garnered 4.88 million votes, or 76.84 percent, of the total valid votes.

In the 2013 election, the CPP earned only 68 seats.

In a speech to thousands of garment factory workers on Wednesday morning in Phnom Penh's western suburb, Hun Sen expressed his profound gratitude to people for overwhelmingly supporting the CPP.

The prime minister said the landslide victory truly reflects the confidence of the people in the leadership of the CPP, which has led the country for nearly 40 years.

Hun Sen will continue to lead the government for another five years through the triumph.

He said a new parliament and a new government will be formed on Sept. 5 and 6, respectively.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said that in the new term government, he will hold regular consultation forums with other political parties in order to seek constructive ideas for national development.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:09:48|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

Heavy machines work at the site of the collapsed bridge in Genoa, Italy, Aug. 15, 2018. The region of Liguria surrounding the Italian northwest city of Genoa has officially filed a state of emergency request, after the dramatic collapse of a major bridge on Tuesday that caused so far 39 victims, the regional governor said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

GENOA, Italy, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The region of Liguria surrounding the Italian northwest city of Genoa has officially filed a state of emergency request, after the dramatic collapse of a major bridge on Tuesday that caused so far 39 victims, the regional governor said on Wednesday.

"We expect a quick positive response from the Presidency of the Council (central government)," Giovanni Toti told reporters in a joint press conference, along with the head of the civil protection agency.

"The state of emergency will allow us to cover the costs of the most urgent activities," the governor added.

According to regional infrastructures councillor Giacomo Gianpedrone, the official request comprised a call for 5 million euros (5.66 million U.S. dollars) in funds from the central government.

Once the state of emergency was confirmed by national authorities, the Liguria Region would be able to speed up bureaucratic procedures in several sectors of activity needed in this first phase of emergency and in the next ones, the governor further explained.

Meanwhile, the provisional toll was 39 victims, according to the prefecture of Genoa. At least three minors aged 8, 12, and 13 were registered so far among them.

The chief of the national civil protection, Angelo Borrelli, said 15 wounded people were in hospital, and nine of them were in "red code", meaning they were still in serious health conditions.

The Morandi Bridge involved in the collapse -- measuring 1,182 meters in length -- was a major viaduct between the western and the eastern part of Genoa, and a key driveway connecting to the highway A 10.

A central portion of about 100 meters caved in shortly before noon on Tuesday, sending 30 to 35 cars and three heavy trucks crashing from about 50 meters to the ground.

A huge rescue operation was still underway at the site of the incident, involving 300 firefighters and at least 400 more staff from civil protection and police forces.

Up to ten people would still be missing, and the civil protection coordinating all emergency efforts stressed on Wednesday morning the toll would remain "still provisional and in constant update."Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:34:55|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Amid a jobs bloodbath in the mining sector, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday warned mining companies against retrenchments.

The ANC is "emphatically against retrenchments in both the private and public sectors," the party said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.

"Over the years, the mining sector has been shedding jobs, and the recent pronouncement of more than 50,000 purported job losses across the board is shocking," the ANC said.

The mining sector is an industrial development backbone upon which the economy relies, the party said, adding that every mineworker benefits seven or more family members.

Although the government offers mining companies tax breaks to keep jobs alive, more mining companies opt for worker retrenchments as a measure to deal with economic constraints.

Gold Fields, one of the world's largest gold mining firms, on Tuesday announced a restructuring at its South Deep operation west of Johannesburg, which would result in about 1,560 jobs being cut.

In early August, Impala Platinum, one of the world's foremost producers of platinum and associated platinum group metals (PGMs), announced that it would cut 13,000 jobs over two years as part of a strategic restructuring process.

"It is unsustainable that mineworkers continue to bear the brunt of losses, as this is not necessarily a function of productivity, but historical and irrational management decision," the ANC said.

The party called on the sector to urgently convene a dialogue aimed at finding alternative solutions to this impasse, in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) which enjoins all the parties.

Massive planned retrenchments have prompted trade unions to propose a moratorium on layoffs for a humane mechanism to be sought to resolve the crisis.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday it is worried about the continuing trend of mining companies retrenching mineworkers in the country.

"This is a bloodbath of job losses in the mining industry. Mineworkers have become the sacrificial lamb in the name of profit. We hope the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), as the regulator of the mining industry, will promptly intervene," the union said.Malaysia to resume hiring Nepali workers

Malaysia on Tuesday said government-to-government (G2G) system would bring migrant workers from Nepal.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:44:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government is taking the wrong approach to addressing its trade imbalance with China by imposing hefty tariffs on Chinese products, which caused trade tensions between the world's two largest economies, a U.S. expert on China said Tuesday.

Tariffs will not fix America's trade imbalance, Handel Jones, CEO of the consulting firm International Business Strategies, Inc. (IBS), said in an interview with Xinhua.

What China is doing now is making significant investments in manufacturing and building products, he said, adding that U.S. consumers have to buy televisions and smart phones, which are made in China.

"That they are creating trade imbalance is really because the U.S. does not invest in manufacturing capacity, (and) the U.S. is not investing in basically developing products that also can be bought in China," said Jones, who travels to China regularly.

"When I go to China, I can find almost nothing made in the U.S. that I can buy," said the IBS chief who wrote several books on China and U.S.-China relations.

He said the United States needs to build its own industries and "we need to build capability of products that we can export."

He cited the field of 5G communication technology as an example, where the United States has little advantage over China. "In 2025 to 2028, China will have 1 billion 5G users."

The IBS CEO said that even two or three years ago, he had predicted that China was going to be one year or two years ahead of the United States in terms of 5G.

China is also making investment in robots, while American investment seems not as robust as China's, he said.

Jones said the United States is making some fundamental errors on how to maintain global competitiveness. "As a result, the trade imbalance has become significantly worse."

He cautioned that the United States is taking the completely wrong approach to China and the result of the China-U.S. trade spat is that China will be accelerating rapidly.

Jones offered some thoughts on how the United States can reverse its trade deficit.

"Trade imbalance has to be fixed. But while you fix it, it should be done by you becoming stronger, not hoping other countries becoming weaker. That's where we think the U.S. should change," Jones suggested.

Most important is that China becomes a strategic partner. "We have to exist together and so we have to be strong together," he said.

China has a bigger population than the United States and China should be a good market for U.S. products, he noted.

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is one area where there can be big room for collaboration between China and the U.S., and basically better and efficient energy is another area where they can conduct global collaboration," Jones said.

Other areas also include the medical field, where medical research promises a significant collaboration for Beijing and Washington, he said.

"There should be joint development activities between the U.S. and China and also collaboration in established manufacturing facilities, not only for present-day products, but products for 2025 to 2030," Jones suggested.

"The U.S. needs to change its position in terms of how to partner with China, instead of pushing to consider China as an enemy," he stressed.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:44:59|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party Samdech Techo Hun Sen for his party's victory in the recent general elections.

In his message, Xi said it's glad to see that in recent years, under the leadership of the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the country has achieved political stability, fast economic growth, rising international status and remarkable success in various areas.

We believe that the Cambodian People's Party will continue to unite and lead the Cambodian people to pursue a development path that suits its own national reality, promote economic growth, improve people's livelihood, strengthen national unity, and make greater contribution to the country's prosperity, people's happiness and regional stability and development, Xi said.

The Communist Party of China attaches great importance to its friendly cooperation ties with the Cambodian People's Party, and is willing to enhance the political guidance on bilateral relations through inter-party exchanges, deepen experience sharing on governance and party running, push forward the development of China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, in order to benefit the two countries and their two peoples, and promote regional and global prosperity and progress, Xi said.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a congratulatory message to Hun Sen.

In his message, Li said China and Cambodia are good neighbors and good partners. China will as always support Cambodia in preserving stability, speeding up development and improving people's livelihood, Li said.

China is willing to seize the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to push China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level and jointly build a community of shared future with strategic significance, Li added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 22:45:00|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The slump of Turkish lira against the U.S. dollar would have a ripple effect on Iran's economy, EghtesadOnline reported Wednesday.

The depreciation of lira in recent months could escalate the capital outflow from Iran toward Turkey's real-estate market, said Mohammad Tabibian, an Iranian economist and former deputy director of Plan and Budget Organization.

"The Central Bank of Iran needs to take into account the new developments and their knock-on effects on Iran's economy," Tabibian noted.

He also warned against the negative impact of cheap imports of consumer goods from the neighboring country on Iran's already alarming manufacturing sector.

Reza Kami, chairman of Iran-Turkey Chamber of Commerce, expressed similar concerns as Iranians are among the main foreign buyers of Turkey's real estate.

The Turkish authorities "recorded more than 944 properties in the name of Iranian nationals in the first half of 2018, making Iran the third largest foreign purchasers of its residential properties," Kami said.

Trade between Iran and Turkey hit 10.75 billion dollars in 2017, up 11 percent from a year earlier, while Iran's exports to Turkey stood at 7.5 billion dollars, registering a 59-percent year-on-year growth.

Iran is the 12th largest exporter to Turkey, with oil, natural gas, petroleum products and copper as its main exports, while Iran is the 8th biggest importer of Turkish products including essential goods, fruits, wood and metal products.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 23:00:04|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces killed two Islamic State (IS) suicide bombers and wounded another on Wednesday in an operation in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, the Iraqi military said.

Acting on intelligence reports, troops from Samarra Operations Command surrounded three IS militants in the early morning in the rugged area of al-Siefonah in eastern Samarra, some 120 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said in a statement.

The troops opened fire on the three militants, killing two of them and wounded the third, and seized an explosive belt, 15 hand grenades and two AK-47 assault rifles, the statement said.

The search for IS hideouts and militants in the surrounding area is still underway, it added.

The key cities of Salahudin Province, including Tikrit, located some 170 km north of Baghdad, were captured by IS militants in June 2014, but the Iraqi security forces have freed the province during major anti-IS offensives.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from the IS after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, IS remnants regrouped in desert and rugged areas, carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians despite operations from time to time to hunt them down.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 23:15:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

The Humanitarian vessel the MV Aquarius docks at Boiler Wharf in Senglea, Malta, on Aug. 15, 2018. The Humanitarian vessel the MV Aquarius docked in Malta on Wednesday afternoon with 141 rescued migrants on board. (Xinhua/Roberto Runza)

VALLETTA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Humanitarian vessel MV Aquarius entered Malta's Grand Harbour on Wednesday afternoon with 141 rescued migrants on board.

Before being granted permission to enter Malta, the ship had been stranded at sea for four days, as the Mediterranean states including Malta, Italy, Spain and Tunisia initially refused to accept the ship.

The migrants on board, including 73 children, were rescued from two separate wooden fishing vessels as they were attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Libya.

The Aquarius' passengers could be heard cheering as the vessel made its way to Boiler Wharf in Senglea to the sound of music being played by other NGO rescue vessels currently blocked in Malta's port.

In a statement published ahead of the vessel's arrivals, the Maltese government said that the AFM (Armed Forces of Malta) would be assisting with the disembarkation, while health authorities, immigration police and members of the civil protection department, the Agency for Welfare of Asylum Seekers and Transport Malta were overseeing the preparations for the rescued migrants to be brought to Malta.

"Once the immigrants are medically cleared they will be escorted to the reception centre where eventually the distribution process of immigrants amongst France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain will be initiated," the government said.

On Monday, the AFM rescued 114 migrants from within Malta's search and rescue region, 60 of whom will also be distributed among other member states as part of the joint EU cooperation deal.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 23:20:10|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PARIS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- French foreign ministry raised to four the number of nationals killed in a bridge collapse in northwestern Italian city of Genoa.

The Quai d'Orsay, in a statement, "sadly confirms the presence of a fourth French national among the victims of the Genoa disaster."

"We remain in contact with the Italian authorities to determine the possible presence of other French among the victims," it added, noting that the ministry's crisis cell and French embassy in Rome and consulate in Milan were Following "in real time" the situation.

On Tuesday morning, about 100-meter section of Morandi Bridge collapsed amid torrential rains. So far the death toll in the tragedy hit 39 according to Italian authorities.

Built in late 1960s, the motorway links port city of Genoa with France's southern regions.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 23:40:14|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- German federal government passed a cabinet motion on Wednesday to introduce a third "divers" (literally meaning diverse in German) sexuality option in the country's official birth registry.

The move comes in response to a landmark ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court back in 2017 concerning the official treatment of intersexual citizens for whom a definitive biological allocation to "male" or "female" categories cannot be made. The verdict by the Karlsruhe-based judges found at the time that forcing such individuals to select one of two inappropriate constituted a serious breach of their identity rights under the German constitution.

"A modernization of civil registry laws by policymakers is long overdue," Justice Minister Katarina Barley (SPD) commented on the passing of the motion on Wednesday. The Federal Constitutional Court has set a deadline for corresponding legislation to be implemented by the government in Germany by the start of 2019 at the latest.

Intersexuality is usually caused by variations in the chromosome set of affected individuals. The phenomenon is extremely rare and distinct from transsexuality wherein individuals are born with a genetically-unambiguous male set of XY or female set of XX chromosomes but self-identify with the gender roles associated with the opposite sex.

The Vienna-based European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has criticized that governments in the continental bloc frequently neglect the rights of their intersexual citizens. There is still little specific legal protection offered against discrimination faced by the group and in some cases children without a clear biological sex have even been subjected to dubious surgical interventions which are designed to make them exclusively male or female.

Justice minister Barley argued on Wednesday that the cabinet motion would give intersexual citizens the dignity they deserved in bureaucratic proceedings and enable them to develop a more positive identity. As a next step, the government would look into eliminating outdating provisions concerning for transsexual Germans as well.

Speaking to the press after the cabinet session, family minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) called for the replacement of the current transsexual with a legal framework which recognized and promoted diversity in gender. "All humans should be able to live freely in accordance with their own sexual identity and preferences," Giffey said.

Germany is not the first country in the world to introduce a third sex option in official documentation. Intersexual citizens in Australia can chose to be referred to as having a "non-specific" sex by authorities in Australia since 2014, while Nepal created a similar "other" category in 2015.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 23:55:18|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PARIS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ways to bolster security cooperation to combat terrorism and developments of regional crises topped discussions of French President Emmanuel Macron and King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday, Macron's office said.

During a phone conversation, the French head of state proposed helping Jordan to secure its border with conflict-torn Syria and to further cooperate to fight against the Islamic State within the framework of the international coalition.

The two leaders also held talks about the situation in Syria, reiterating the importance of political solution under the auspices of the United Nations.

Speaking about Syrian refugees, Macron and Abdullah II stressed that the displaced people should return to their home in "safe and fair conditions."

Expressing their concerns about the situation in Gaza Strip, they noted the need to revive dialogue between the rival parties and to involve Arab states in any settlement attempt in hope to end the year-long deadlock.

The Elysee added Jordan's king would visit Paris in the coming months at the invitation of the French president.FILE PHOTO: State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, DC on November 30, 2017. (Xinhua/ AFP PHOTO)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday tacitly ruled out intervening in the current diplomatic spat between Canada and Saudi Arabia, though it said it supported free speech.

In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes "this is an issue for the Canadians and ... for the Saudis to resolve themselves."

"The United States does not have to get involved or interfere in every issue that's out there before countries," she said. "It's not necessary for the United States to have to step in between two countries that ... have the ability to pick up the phone and handle these issues among themselves."

However, she added that Washington firmly supports the right to free speech.

"Every time one of these issues comes up, we remain concerned about the detention of activists in Saudi Arabia, and we urge the government of Saudi Arabia and all governments to ensure that due process is done, and that it's handled in a transparent and fair manner," she added.

Over the past few days, Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador, froze new trade and investment in Canada and withdrew thousands of Riyadh-funded students from Canada. It also announced the suspension of Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to and from Toronto.

The measures were taken to show the kingdom's displeasure at Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and other officials criticizing the detention of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia and urging for their immediate release. Riyadh called it an intervention in its internal affairs.

As the dispute escalated, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that Canada will always stand up for human rights.

In response, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir ruled out the possibility of mediation and warned of more measures against Canada.

Saudi Arabia is Canada's 19th largest trading partner and the source of some 10 percent of Canadian crude oil imports. Trade between the two countries amounts to nearly 4 billion Canadian dollars (about 3 billion U.S. dollars) annually, according to reports.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:10:24|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The toll in rain-related incidents since Aug. 8 in the southern Indian state of Kerala has touched 67, its Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

"Kerala is going through a serious situation," the chief minister said.

Among the worst affected districts are Idukki, Wayanad, Pallakad, Malappuram, Kochi, and state capital Thirvananthapuram. "Some 11 people died in Malappuram district alone Wednesday," a disaster management official said.

The rain turned out to be Kerala's worst monsoon in almost a century, he added.

Apart from the casualties, more than 10,000 km of roads and hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged in the heavy rains-triggered floods in the state, prompting the state government to cancel celebrations for Onam, a major festival in southern India.

The Kochi airport, one of the busiest in southern India, has been shut down following flooding of the runaway. "Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Aug. 18 afternoon since the inflow of water is still on a raising trend," a spokesperson told media.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the flood-affected state in his address to the nation on the occasion of the country's Independence Day from the iconic Red Fort in the national capital.

"Many parts of the nation witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India," he said.

The weather department has predicted more rains in the next three days and sounded a fresh alert. "People living on river banks in the rain-hit districts have been asked to relocate, while fishermen urged not to venture into the Arabian Sea," the disaster relief official said.

Officials said that several dams, particularly the Idukki dam, the biggest arch dam in Asia, have been opened to release excess water. All the shutters of the Idukki dam were opened last week for the first time after a gap of 26 years.

Apart from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have been pressed into rescue work. "Some 14 NDRF teams and 10 columns of Army are now in action in Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Wayand, Kozhikode and Idukki districts," sources said.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who undertook an aerial survey of the state on Sunday, had termed the situation in Kerala as serious.

This is the state's worst monsoon rains since 1924. Last month, rain-related incidents in Kerala claimed 40 lives.Medicines locked in storage while patients suffer in remote districts

The tiny pharmacy at Dadeldhura Health Office has run out of oral rehydration salts. For months, theres been a shortage of saline water at the district hospital in Darchula.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:15:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DUBAI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday sent a cable of condolences to Italy over the collapse of the Morandi motorway bridge in the northwestern Italian city of Genoa on Tuesday.

Through the cable, the UAE government expressed its deepest condolences to the Italian leadership and people, and the families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The Morandi bridge is part of the A10 highway, a key highway linking the northern regions of Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont.

Police reports indicated that the 51-year-old bridge collapsed during violent storms pounding the area, with winds gusting as much as 60 km per hour.

The death toll of the accident has risen to 39 people, Italian media reported.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:20:29|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community member (EAC) states plans to develop a policy framework to address the human and animal health threat of aflatoxin contamination and boost food security, the economic bloc said on Wednesday.

Christophe Bazivamo, Deputy Secretary General of the EAC, told a regional forum in Nairobi that aflatoxins from fungi are widespread in the region and cause contamination of staple foods such as maize milk and groundnuts in the field and during storage.

"The EAC partner states will therefore develop policies to aid in the formulation and implementation of intervention programs to curb the spread of aflatoxins," Bazivamo said.

The overall goal of the framework is to said to contribute to food and nutrition security as well as to protect human, animal and plant health.

Bazivamo said to eliminate the threat of aflatoxin, the region needs to create awareness and sensitize high level policy makers and other key stakeholders on the necessary policy action and interventions to mitigate impacts of aflatoxin.

According to Bazivamo, the control of aflatoxin will enable the EAC to expand intra-regional trade in the agricultural products.

He said a comparative analysis of trade-related impacts of aflatoxin indicate that export destinations such as the EU have rejected agricultural commodities from the region leading to huge losses.

He urged the member states to focus on preventive measures given that disposal of aflatoxin-contaminated food can be a costly and time consuming affair.

Mwangi Kiunjuri, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, said aflatoxins contaminate about 25 percent of agricultural products in Kenya.

Kiunjuri said the country has experienced multiple aflatoxicosis outbreaks in recent years, often resulting in fatalities.

He said aflatoxins can cause fatal liver toxicity at high dosage levels while chronic exposure is associated with a range of health problems including liver cancer, child stunting, low birth weight and immune suppression.

The cabinet secretary said mitigating the impacts of aflatoxin demands good management practices in crop and animal production, drying, handling and storage.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:45:33|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The non-governmental German Environmental Aid (DUH) group has accused policymakers and carmakers on Wednesday of making half-hearted attempts to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions caused by diesel vehicles in Germany

DUH President Juergen Resch told press that urban air quality would only improve again in the country once a commitment was made to conduct more comprehensive "hardware solutions" to modify diesel motors.

Resch said that emissions testing by his organization had showed that Volkswagen vehicles which had undergone software treatments in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal continued exceed regulatory limits set by the European Union (EU).

German carmakers have refused hardware upgrades so far on the grounds that they would be too costly, volunteering to offer motor software updates for more than 2.8 million diesel vehicles instead. However, Resch argued on Wednesday that the costs associated with more effective technical changes could easily be shouldered by the highly profitable automotive industry.

According to DUH, quick-fix technical upgrades could be completed for as little as 1,500 per vehicle. "It is possible and would not endanger jobs", Resch said. By contrast, he criticized the measures offered by carmakers as "Mickey-Mouse software upgrades" which failed to tackle the problem at hand.

So far, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) coalition government has shown leniency towards economically-significant national automotive industry on the issue. Merkel's cabinet has debated for several months whether technical diesel motor upgrades constitute a feasible alternative to software upgrades.

The chancellor and Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) publicly side with carmakers, while Minister for the Environmental Svenja Schulze has repeatedly demanded mandatory hardware upgrades as well. In the meanwhile, some major German cities like Hamburg and Stuttgart have already grasped an opportunity offered in a landmark court ruling by the Federal Administrative Court to unilaterally impose driving bans on diesel vehicles as a means to lower NOx emissions.

The Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) estimates that diesel cars are responsible for more than 50 percent of harmful nitrogen oxide emissions in the Germany. NOx levels currently exceed binding EU limits in several of the country's cities, prompting the Commission to file a lawsuit against the federal government at the European Court of Justice (CJEU).

Speaking to press on Wednesday, DUH President Resch urged Merkel to take a firmer stance on carmakers by forcing them to pay for technical diesel upgrades or take back vehicles which were installed with illicit defeat devices to understate their actual emissions levels.

"We expect the federal government to either enable citizen to access technical upgrades of manipulated vehicles which are paid for by the producers, or to return their vehicles to the producers in exchange for the original purchasing price -- just like authorities in the United States already have", Resch said.File photo shows Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) beef up security at Adar oilfield, South Sudan, March 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Gale Julius)

JUBA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Wednesday said the peace agreement signed with rebels marks the end of over four years of conflict as it brings members of the various warring factions into one national army during the start of the transitional period.

"My take is that the best agreement is the one on the security arrangement not only because it was straight forward but it provided that the transitional period will start with a neutral force," Kiir told leaders from the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba .

He said the army will recruit from the 64 ethnic groups in South Sudan that will give the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) the desired national outlook and character.

President Kiir signed the peace agreement on Aug. 5 in Khartoum with Riek Machar, leader of the main rebel group SPLM/A-IO and other opposition groups which was mediated by the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir under the auspices of the East African bloc IGAD.

According to the peace deal, civilians will be disarmed throughout South Sudan which the president said are crucial for security to improve, since the civil population is awash with illegal guns that aid the rampant cattle raiding and revenge killings through community clashes that have greatly contributed to loss of lives and property.

"As I said in Khartoum this peace is the most important for me and I reiterate that it marks the end of war in South Sudan forever, but that can never happen if our people continue forming militia groups which are based on ethnicity and regions," said Kiir.

South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

A 2015 peace agreement was shattered when the warring parties renewed fighting in July 2016 in the capital.

The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:50:35|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Afghan security force members inspect the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 15, 2018. At least 48 people were confirmed dead and 67 injured in a suicide bombing that targeted a private educational center in Dasht-e-Barchi locality in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private educational center in Dasht-e-Barchi locality of Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday, the Public Health Ministry said.

Many of the injured remained in critical condition. Earlier reports said that 25 people were killed and 36 others injured.

Most of the victims were high school graduates who attended lessons on preparation for university entry test. Among the victims were many female students.

The UN mission in the country condemned the attack, saying in a statement that "no justification whatsoever for targeting civilians, at any time, under any circumstances."

No group has claimed responsibility yet. However, people pointed finger at the hardliner Islamic State (IS) group, saying the extremist outfit could be behind the deadly attack as it did in the past.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 00:55:36|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RIGA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Britain's new Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt made an official visit to Latvia on Wednesday for talks with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics, with bilateral and transatlantic ties, as well as Brexit featuring high on the agenda, the Latvian foreign ministry informed.

Rinkevics said at a joint news conference with Hunt, which followed their meeting in Riga, that diplomatic and economic relations between Latvia and Britain still remained close.

During the talks, the two top diplomats also touched on Britain's forthcoming exit from the European Union, with Rinkevics noting the necessity for all the parties concerned to seek comprise solutions to a number of pressing issues.

"We are unanimous that we need an agreement between the European Union and the UK. Unfortunately, very many issues still remain, which is why I would say that the chance of striking the deal is 50-50," the Latvian foreign minister said, voicing hope that in the weeks to come Britain and the European Commission will succeed in resolving the remaining disagreements concerning Britain's departure from the bloc, such as Northern Ireland's border, governance issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and the role of the European Court of Justice.

The British and Latvian officials also exchanged opinions about the two countries' cooperation in strategic communication and boosting media independence, stressing the importance of providing reliable and unbiased information to the public.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:00:36|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BUCHAREST, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Two Romanian citizens were identified among the persons killed in the Genoa motorway bridge collapse on Tuesday in Italy, the Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

"Among the persons who were killed in the incident discovered so far were also two Romanian citizens," informed the foreign ministry, adding that a mobile consular team, led by the chief of the consular office in Turin, went to the site of the accident and the hospitals in the area to grant consular assistance.

The first one identified was a 36-year-old man who worked as a driver for a French firm. He was driving a truck in transit to France when the bridge collapsed. The second Romanian citizen killed was a 44-year-old driver with dual citizenship, Romanian and Moldavian. It is possible for both of them to have worked on the same truck.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic accident near Genoa, which caused 39 deaths so far.

According to a release of the Presidential Administration, Iohannis also sent condolences to his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella and to the Italian authorities.

Romanians are the largest immigrant group in Italy, with a population of over one million.

Italy has become the prime destination for emigrating Romanians, because of its relatively close distance from Romania and its similarity of culture and language.

The Morandi Bridge, built in the 1960s, is a major connection for the port city of Genoa.

The Italian government has termed the bridge collapse as "an immense tragedy".Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:10:38|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has established emergency healthcare centers to provide medical service to Ethiopian returnees from neighboring Djibouti, Ethiopia's Ministry of Health revealed on Wednesday.

Amir Aman, Ethiopian Minister of Health, said on Wednesday that four emergency healthcare centers have been established in Dire Dawa and its surroundings to provide necessary medical treatment to Ethiopians who are returning from Djibouti as recent violent clashes ignite safety concerns.

The move came amid a reported revenge attack against Ethiopians in the Red Sea nation over the past few days following recent violent clashes in eastern part of Ethiopia.

According to Aman, some 74 of the returnees have so far received healthcare treatment upon their arrival from Djibouti, and 24 of them have recovered from injuries while the remaining are currently under treatment.

Over 30,000 Ethiopian migrants have been displaced from Djibouti after an attack by ethnic Somalis days after violent ethnic clashes in the eastern part of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) reported on Monday.

The Red Sea nation as of last week have been repatriating its citizens from Dire Dawa following the violence last week that killed at least ten people, of whom 5 were said to be from Djibouti, according to various Ethiopian local media reports.

The establishment of the four medical centers in Dire Dawa city by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health on Wednesday is the second major healthcare response during the week, as the ministry last week dispatched a medical team to provide assistance for those injured during the unrest that hit the eastern Somali regional state.

According to the ministry, the team primarily dispatched to Jijiga city, capital of the Somali regional state, which during the weekend saw deadly unrest that left an unknown number of people dead and injured and scores of private homes and businesses damaged.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:15:40|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- American researchers have restored for the first time vision in mice through activating retinal stem cells, advancing effort toward therapies for retinal degenerative diseases which currently have no cure.

Researchers reported in a study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature that they reversed congenital blindness in mice by changing supportive cells in the retina called Muller glia into rod photoreceptors.

"This is the first report of scientists reprogramming Muller glia to become functional rod photoreceptors in the mammalian retina," said Thomas Greenwell, the program director for retinal neuroscience of the National Eye Institute that funded the study.

Photoreceptors are light-sensitive cells in the retina in the back of the eye that signal the brain when activated. In mammals, including mice and humans, photoreceptors fail to regenerate on their own.

"Rods allow us to see in low light, but they may also help preserve cone photoreceptors, which are important for color vision and high visual acuity. Cones tend to die in later-stage eye diseases. If rods can be regenerated from inside the eye, this might be a strategy for treating diseases of the eye that affect photoreceptors," said Greenwell.

Muller glia had been found with regenerative potential in zebrafish where they divide in response to injury and turn into photoreceptors and other retinal neurons.

However, from a practical standpoint, it is counterproductive to injure retina first to activate the Muller glia for a person, according to Chen Bo, associate professor of ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

"We wanted to see if we could program Muller glia to become rod photoreceptors in a living mouse without having to injure its retina," said Chen, the study's lead investigator.

ONE-TWO PUNCH

In the first phase, Chen's team spurred Muller glia in normal mice to divide by injecting their eyes with a gene to turn on a protein called beta-catenin.

Weeks later, they injected the mice's eyes with factors that encouraged the newly divided cells to develop into rod photoreceptors.

The researchers found that the newly formed rod photoreceptors looked structurally no different from real photoreceptors.

In addition, synaptic structures that allow the rods to communicate with other types of neurons within the retina had also formed.

To determine whether the Muller glia-derived rod photoreceptors were functional, they tested the treatment in mice with congenital blindness.

Functionally, they confirmed that the newly formed rods were communicating with other types of retinal neurons across synapses.

Also, light responses recorded from retinal ganglion cells, neurons that carry signals from photoreceptors to the brain, and measurements of brain activity showed that the newly-formed rods were in fact integrating in the visual pathway circuitry.

Chen's lab is planning to see if the technique works on cultured human retinal tissue.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:20:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The African Union peacekeeping mission and Somali forces on Wednesday launched military operation in Lower Shabelle region to flush out al-Shabab terrorists.

Abdiweli Jama Hussein, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Somali National Army (SNA), said the operation is aimed at pursuing militants who fled north.

"The Somali forces and AMISOM are committed to ensuring the insurgents are wiped out, for peace and prosperity in the country and comply with International Humanitarian Law, while conducting military operations," said Hussein according to a statement from the AU mission.

Hussein also directed the government forces to enhance collaboration with AMISOM and other partners in military offensives against al-Shabab.

The latest operation comes amid heightened vigilance by Somalia's stabilization security unit forces that have launched operation targeting the southern parts of the country, in response to the increasing terror attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.Modi set to open pilgrims house

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the dharmashala built at Pashupatinath during his upcoming visit to Nepal for the BIMSTEC Summit. Modi will be participating in the fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation to be held in Kathmandu on August 30 and 31.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:20:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Sepahan Oil Company and German ADL Group on Wednesday signed an agreement on cooperation in downstream crude oil sector, official IRNA news agency reported.

The agreement envisages the transfer of engineering technology by the German group to improve the quality of the basic materials used for producing oil for the industry and cars.

"This contract is important as it comes concurrent with the mounting pressures of the United States," Mohammad Ebrahimi, managing director of Sepahan, was quoted as saying.

The ADL Group will implement the first phase of the project in collaboration with its Austrian and Swiss partners, Ebrahimi said.

The Iranian companies will later get engaged in the second phase of the project, he added.

With the acquisition of the engineering technology through the project, Iran will turn its exported raw material of paraffin wax into products with added value, Ebrahimi noted.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 02:20:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A court in northern Tanzania on Wednesday sentenced three people to 20 years in jail after finding them guilty of illegal possession of two pieces of ivory worth 15,000 U.S. dollars.

In its ruling, the Serengeti District Resident Magistrate's Court jailed Paul Ryoba, 38, Petro Mikwabe, 42, and Yagara Mang'era, 31, to 20 years imprisonment each.

Reading the judgement, the magistrate said the convicts were found guilty of entering the Serengeti National Park and hunting down elephants without valid permits as well as possessing the national trophies illegally.

In their defense, the convicts asked the court to have mercy on them on grounds that they had families to take care of.

They were arrested on January 13, 2017 in the Serengeti National Park in Serengeti district in Mara region.Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov attend a joint press conference following their meeting in Ankara on August 14, 2018. (AFP photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia display further rapprochement after the United States imposed sanctions on Moscow and Ankara on different grounds.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pays a two-day visit to Ankara just after the Turkey-U.S. ties hit historical deterioration.

Turkey and Russia will take steps to "enhance strategic partnership" between the two countries, Lavrov said on Tuesday at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"We are at a turning point in the World. We are at a time of transition from bipolar order to multi-polarization," he said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Russia hopes that a reasonable approach will prevail in international relations and countries will return to a depoliticized dialogue, Lavrov said.

He also noted that Moscow appreciates Turkey's rejection to join the anti-Russia sanctions by the West, saying the U.S. "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.

U.S. sanctions, including the latest round targeting Turkey, undermine all principles of global trade and in time this move will undermine the role of U.S. dollar as a settlement currency, he said.

U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey are shattering the former's reputation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

"The era of bullying must end," the minister said and called on the U.S. to return to a dialogue, warning that threats and pressure on Turkey would cause chaos.

At the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara was preparing to switch to using national currencies with its trading partners, such as China, Russia, Iran and Ukraine. Ankara was also ready for such a move in trade with the European Union, he added.

Turkey's national currency lira has lost almost 20 percent of its value against U.S. dollars since Friday, amid ongoing strain between Turkey and the U.S. over detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

The lira tumbled to a historical low on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a 20 and 50 percent tariff hike on imported Turkish aluminum and steel, respectively.

The U.S. Congress also passed a bill prohibiting the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey pending a review assessing the possible risk associated with Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense system.

Russia backed Erdogan in urging countries to do business in their own national currencies rather than dollars. Moscow recently declared Moscow will decrease its holdings of U.S. assets in retaliation against increasing tariffs imposed by Trump on Russia and Turkey.

Russia seeks to use national currencies in trade with Turkey but the issue needs to be worked out meticulously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that a four-way Syria summit "is planned in the upcoming future," with the leaders of Russia, France, Turkey and Germany attending. The summit focusing on Syria and the wider region will be held in Istanbul on Sept. 7.

These four countries are also known to have been opposing the sanctions of the U.S. on Iran.

Turkey has come to the point of seeking new allies, according to Burhanettin Duran, coordinator of Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

"Turkey has come to this point over irresponsible actions the U.S. in the past few years. The U.S. is having the same attitude towards not only to Turkey but also to China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela," he said, noting that this perspective introduces a new world order.

Murat Yetkin, commentator of Hurriyet Daily News, said that world leaders including Russia's Putin, Germany's Merkel expressed that U.S. President Donald Trump was displaying his power.

"He was trying to use economic sanctions and tariffs as a political weapon against his country's economic rivals, including China and the European Union," said the leaders.

"Trump managed to unite leaders, from Merkel to Putin, for supporting Turkey, and banks and opposition parties in Turkey are in support of the government against them," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 02:41:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Court of Appeal on Wednesday sentenced 45 supporters of former leader Gaddafi's regime to death over the killing of demonstrators in the capital Tripoli during the 2011 uprising, according to the Ministry of Justice.

"The Second Criminal Circuit of the Court of Appeal of Tripoli issued verdict in the case of Abu Salim highway... in which 128 people are accused," the ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry said that the Court convicted 99 people, 45 of whom were sentenced to death.

The case goes back to Aug. 21, 2011, when supporters of the Gaddafi regime killed a number of civilian demonstrators near the highway in the capital Tripoli.

Video footage circulated showed Gaddafi supporters forcing the demonstrators to kneel and then executed them on the spot.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 03:11:08|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Democrats in the U.S. state of Vermont on Tuesday night nominated the country's first transgender gubernatorial candidate for a major party, while in Minnesota, former governor Tim Pawlenty, once an open critic of President Donald Trump, lost his reelection bid in Republican primaries.

It was a resurgence night for progressives, the liberal factions of the Democratic Party, in the primaries across four midwest and northeastern states of Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Vermont on Tuesday.

Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman, won Vermont governor's Democratic primary. In Connecticut, an African-American who grew up in public housing won a nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives. In Minnesota, Democratic primary winner Ilhan Omar will become the nation's first Somali-American immigrant in Congress if she wins the mid-term elections in November.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a popular leader of progressives, easily won Vermont's Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday but was expected to turn down the nomination, as he did in his previous campaigns, and campaign as an independent.

"You can feel the progressive earthquake from Milwaukee to Danbury to Burlington," said Joe Dinkin, a progressive activist. "A new generation of trailblazing progressives are running, and they' re running without the backing of any political machines."

However, in the midwest, it seems Democrats are arming themselves with general election candidates widely considered palatable to a broader electorate than the party's progressive base, local analysts say.

Tim Walz, a six-term congressman from Minnesota, and Tony Evers, Wisconsin's 66-year-old state education superintendent, won their states' gubernatorial contests in Democratic primaries on Tuesday.

On the Republican side, Pawlenty's loss in Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary was widely seen as the latest evidence proving Trump retains strong support among Republican voters.

Weeks before the 2016 Election Day and in the wake of the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which Trump boasted about grabbing women, Pawlenty openly called Trump "unsound, uninformed, unhinged and unfit to be president."

"The Republican Party has shifted...It is the era of Trump, and I'm just not a Trump-like politician," Pawlenty lamented.

"Republicans proved once again that they will punish primary candidates who have disparaged Donald Trump," John Fund, a political columnist for National Review, commented on Wednesday.

In primaries, Democrats go for diversity and Republicans go for Trump supporters, he observed.

Some analysts are concerned that big wins of progressives on Tuesday, which have reenforced the trend of growing strength of Democratic Party's left wing since the 2016 general elections, may set up high-stakes mid-term election battles against their Republican rivals.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 03:21:10|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BRATISLAVA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Delegations of the Agriculture Ministries of eight European Union (EU) countries have adopted a joint declaration on a draft European directive to combat unfair trading practices.

Slovak Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna confirmed this after talks held by Agriculture Ministry representatives of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia in Oponice in the Western Slovakia on Wednesday.

"This topic is one of our common issues that hasn't been solved for a long time and it's our duty towards the weakest, primary producers, to bring it to a successful end," added representative of the Czech delegation Pavel Sekac.

Within the talks on the EU's Common Agricultural Policy after 2020, the ministers dealt with setting new rules. An important issue was the definition of an active farmer and the formation of a crisis reserve to help European farmers in crisis situations.

"We've agreed that the European Commission should keep the definition of an active farmer at the national level so that every member state defines an active farmer individually," stated Matecna.

Matecna will present the attitude of the countries to European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 04:06:19|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KIEV, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine on Wednesday has unveiled a concept of a new railway project "China-Ukraine-EU (European Union)," which is aimed at unlocking Ukraine's transit potential under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

The project, which envisages a construction of a 1,100-km-long high-speed railway line in Ukraine, was presented during a roundtable in Kiev entitled "High-speed railway and transit potential under the Belt and Road Initiative."

The roundtable, which brought together officials and experts from Ukraine and other Belt and Road countries, was organized by the Ukrainian association of Belt and Road cooperation "Silk Link" and "High-speed Rail Lines" association.

Serhii Rudkovskyi, the chairman of the board of the "High-speed Rail Lines" association, said that the project would help Ukraine to become an important transit link on the modern Silk Road by providing favorable conditions for movement of goods between China and the EU.

"We see that there is a need for this project. Currently, about 1 million containers can be delivered annually from China to the EU and in the opposite direction per year," Rudkovskyi told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Victoria Yanovskaya, a professor at Kiev-based State University of Infrastructure and Technology, said that the planned "China-Ukraine-EU" project will contribute to the development of the Ukrainian economy.

"This project means the creation of new jobs, the further integration of Ukraine into the global economy, as well as the increase in tax revenues," Yanovskaya said.

According to her, the implementation of the project will help to create about 450,000 new jobs in Ukraine at the construction stage and about 70,000 jobs at the operational stage.

According to an optimistic scenario, the "China-Ukraine-EU" project with an estimated cost of 23 billion U.S. dollars could be implemented within seven years.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 04:16:21|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Wednesday launched a petition with world leaders for the protection of civilians and aid workers in armed conflict.

The petition was launched on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, which falls on Aug. 19.

"Each year on World Humanitarian Day, we stand in solidarity with the millions of people affected by conflict and the aid and health workers who risk their lives to assist them. We take the day as an opportunity to remind the world of our collective responsibility to bring that suffering to an end," said OCHA in a message.

Today, in conflict zones all over the world, civilians are routinely killed or maimed, towns and cities are damaged and destroyed, in targeted or indiscriminate attacks. People are cut off from food, water and life-saving assistance, in some cases, starved as a deliberate tactic of war, it said.

Humanitarian and medical personnel are killed, injured, kidnapped or otherwise prevented from reaching people in need. They are exposed to legal obstacles and even forms of punishment for impartially providing aid and care to people who need it to survive, said the message.

The petition was launched prior to next month's gathering of world leaders in New York for the annual UN General Assembly General Debate.

OCHA asked parties to conflict to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

The use of air-dropped bombs, artillery, mortars, rockets, improvised explosive devices and other explosive weapons in towns and cities kills and maims civilians, and destroys and damages their homes, hospitals, schools, electricity grids and water and sanitation systems -- the critical infrastructure they rely on. This has devastating long-term consequences for civilians, said OCHA.

It noted that three out of four victims of explosive weapons in 2017 were civilians.

OCHA demanded states ensure that civilians in conflict zones can access medical care and humanitarian assistance, and enable humanitarian and health workers to work in safety.

According to a UN report, 313 humanitarian aid workers were attacked in 2017, resulting in 139 deaths. The World Health Organization recorded 322 attacks on medical workers, which resulted in 242 deaths, for the same year.

Directing attacks against medical or aid workers violates international humanitarian law, and such attacks must be investigated and perpetrators be held to account, said OCHA.

States should ensure better protection and assistance of people forcibly displaced within their country and uphold their human rights, it said.

Two-thirds of the people displaced by conflict, violence and persecution are IDPs, people who are internally displaced within their own countries, said OCHA.

Once displaced, many of these IDPs will not return home for years, even decades, if ever. Governments must ensure IDPs have access to the protection and assistance they need. IDPs must also have the right to freedom of movement, including the right to voluntary and safe return to their homes, to resettle in another part of the country, or to seek asylum in another country, said OCHA.

Moreover, governments should put in place development plans to enable IDPs to access housing, work and schools, it added.

OCHA said states should condition their arms exports on respect for international humanitarian and human rights law.

It said the UN Security Council should not accept attacks on children as the "new normal" of armed conflict.

Attacks on children in armed conflicts have continued unabated during the first six months of 2018, and many long-running wars have seen new spikes in the killing and maiming of children in attacks, said OCHA.

Warring parties have indiscriminately or deliberately attacked schools, hospitals and essential water infrastructure; used children as human shields; recruited children into armed groups and state forces; killed children with chemical weapons; raped and sexually exploited children; and forced them to be suicide bombers, it said.

"We must not accept this as the 'new normal' of armed conflict. We call for zero tolerance for methods of warfare that deliberately or indiscriminately harm children."

It is essential that the UN Security Council holds parties to conflicts to account, and prioritizes actions that protect children, said OCHA.

Aug. 19 was designated as World Humanitarian Day by the UN General Assembly in 2008 to mark the bombing that targeted the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq on Aug. 19, 2003. The blast at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad killed 22 people, including the world body's top envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 04:36:28|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders (Rear) attends a press briefing at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Aug. 15, 2018. The White House said on Wednesday that the United States will not lift sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminum products even if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson is released. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Wednesday that the United States will not lift sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminum products even if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson is released.

In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said, "The tariffs that are in place on steel would not be removed with the release of Pastor Brunson. The tariffs are specific to national security."

"The president's been clear about the steel and aluminum industries, steel, particularly, in this case; that those are industries that must be protected. We must have the ability to reach certain levels of manufacturing those products here in the United States for the purposes of national security," she explained.

Turkey announced earlier to slap tariffs on American goods.

Sanders responded that "the tariffs from Turkey are certainly regrettable and a step in the wrong direction," adding "certainly we don't support Turkey's decision to retaliate against us protecting our national security interests."

"The tariffs that the United States placed on Turkey were out of national security interests, theirs are out of retaliation," she noted, refusing to reveal U.S. further actions to respond to Ankara's statement.

Speaking of Brunson's case, Sanders said, "We feel that Turkey and specifically President Erdogan have treated Pastor Brunson ... very unfairly, very badly."

"It's something that we won't forget in the administration," she added.

As for the Turkish economy and its currency, Sanders said, "We're monitoring the situation with respect to the Turkish economy and the decline of the lira, but Turkey's economic problems, those are part of a long-term trend, something of its own making and not the result of any actions the United States has taken."

After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's appeal to boycott U.S. electronic products on Tuesday, Erdogan signed a decree to raise tariffs on some U.S. imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco, state-run Anadolu agency quoted Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan as saying on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted last week that he had authorized to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum products from Turkey to 50 percent and 20 percent respectively.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 04:41:29|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the Israeli decision to reopen its border crossing with Gaza to its full operating capacity and to expand the fishing zone off the coast of the Palestinian enclave.

Through his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres said he is encouraged to see that "those concerned" have responded to calls to avoid the devastating impact of the conflict on the civilian population in and around Gaza.

He called on all parties to support the efforts of UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov and Egypt to avoid an escalation of the conflict.

Earlier Wednesday, Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza's sole functional goods crossing, for the entry and exit of permitted goods.

Between July 9 and Aug. 14, Israel had allowed only food, medical and limited fuel deliveries into the blockaded enclave, and prohibited the exit of any goods.

Thanks to the reopening, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that more than 400 truckloads of goods are expected to enter Gaza.

In addition, Israel increased the permissible fishing zone from three back to six nautical miles off northern Gaza's shore and to nine nautical miles in the southern shore.

Israel's larger blockade and other restrictions in Gaza however remain in place.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 05:46:41|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DUBLIN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's foreign trade surplus reached 28 billion euros (31.78 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of this year, up nearly 23 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the statistics released by the country's national statistics bureau CSO on Wednesday.

According to the CSO, Ireland exported a total of 69.2 billion euros of goods in the January-June period of this year, up 9.52 percent over a year ago, while its imports in the same period edged up by 2 percent to reach 41.17 billion euros.

The United States was the largest destination of the Irish exported goods, with exports to the market reaching 19.48 billion euros in the first six months, followed by Belgium (8.89 billion euros) and Britain (7.71 billion euros).

Britain was the largest source of the Irish imported goods, with imports from the country reaching 9.35 billion euros in the first half of this year, followed by the United States (6.78 billion euros) and Germany (5.39 billion euros).

During the period, Ireland exported 34.28 billion euros of goods to the European Union (EU), accounting for nearly half of its total exports while its imports from the EU stood at 25.73 billion euros, accounting for nearly 63 percent of the country's total imports.

Of all the goods exported by Ireland in the first half of this year, chemicals and related products accounted for 43.29 billion euros, ranking in the first place in terms of its value, followed by machinery and transport equipment (8.92 billion euros) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (7.69 billion euros).

Of all the goods imported, machinery and transport equipment accounted for 15.88 billion euros, ranking in the first place in terms of its value, followed by chemicals and related products (10.15 billion euros) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (3.98 billion euros).

Commenting on the latest figures, Alan McQuaid, an economist with local consulting company Merrion Fixed Income, said: "while there are a lot of uncertainties regarding the outlook of the Irish external trade, we are still anticipating another strong performance this year with a record surplus of around 48 billion euros forecast, up from 43.5 billion euros in 2017. Overall export volume growth of 5.5 percent is projected for 2018 as against 7.8 percent last year." (1 euro = 1.135 U.S. dollars)Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 05:51:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China are looking for ways to attract more tourists from Mexico.

Earlier this week, Li Bin, vice chairman of the regional government, visited Mexico City and spoke about Guangxi's growing tourism industry and the regional government's efforts to boost tourism influx from Mexico.

"This time in Mexico, we not only want to learn about its successful tourism strategy, but also to promote the beautiful and unique landscapes -- both cultural and humanitarian -- found in Guangxi," Li said in a presentation which was also attended by Chinese ambassador Qiu Xiaoqi.

Guangxi's abundant flora and fauna, and rich cultural heritage make it a popular tourism destination for Chinese and foreigners alike, Li said.

The region's top attractions include the renowned Karst Mountains and Caves in the riverside city of Guilin, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site famed for its unusually-shaped verdant hills.

Another leading sight is Zuojiang Huashan, home to rock paintings believed to be more than 2,300 years old.

Ambassador Qiu also praised the beauty of Guangxi.

"I've been in Mexico five years, many friends know me, but very few know that I am from Guangxi," Qiu said.

"I am going to do everything possible so that my birthplace becomes a destination that contributes to the development of tourism and the human relations between our two countries," Qiu added.

In 2017, 520 million tourists visited Guangxi, including 5 million foreigner visitors.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 05:56:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GENOA, Italy, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Italian families on holiday and people from at least three different countries were among the dozens of fatalities that occurred when a highway viaduct collapsed in the northwestern city of Genoa.

A large section of the much-trafficked Morandi Bridge, built in the 1960s, gave way amid a torrential downpour shortly before noon on Tuesday, sending several cars and trucks crashing onto a railway, a riverbed and a couple of warehouses that lay 45 metres below.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte put the provisional death toll at 39.

Among the victims were four French nationals. Also reportedly on the list of confirmed victims were two Romanian citizens, and three Chileans who were long-time residents of Italy.

The Italian victims included families, couples, and groups of friends on their way to seaside destinations ahead of Italy's "Ferragosto" national holiday, which this year fell on Wednesday.

The town of Campomorone, located inland from Genoa, lost four of its own, including a couple in their early 40s and their little boy who were reportedly on their way to a holiday on the island of Sardinia, according to the town's Facebook page.

Another Italian couple who fell to their deaths along with their two teenaged children were from the Piedmont city of Pinerolo. Its administration wrote on Facebook that it is "overwhelmed by so much tragedy" and expressed its sympathies to "the families of our fellow citizens who passed way in Genoa."

Four young friends from the Sicilian town of Torre del Greco who were on their way to Barcelona also died under the bridge, according to local news website Vesuvio Live.

Hundreds of rescuers worked through the night and were continuing to dig through the rubble for survivors more than 24 hours after the disaster, while the government declared a state of emergency for the Liguria region whose capital is Genoa.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 05:56:44|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KUWAIT CITY, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait strongly condemned on Wednesday the suicide bombing that targeted an educational center in the Afghan capital of Kabul earlier in the day, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The government of Kuwait renews solidarity with Afghanistan and reaffirms rejection to all forms of violence and terrorism, an official at the ministry said in a statement.

The source reiterated the call for more international efforts to combat terrorism and ensure security for all humanity.

He also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the wounded quick recovery.

Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private educational center in Dasht-e-Barchi locality of Kabul on Wednesday, the Afghan Public Health Ministry said.

No group has claimed responsibility yet. However, people pointed finger at the Islamic State group, saying the extremists could be behind the deadly attack as it did in the past.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 06:11:46|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PARIS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Paris prosecutor's office on Wednesday opened an investigation into the motorway bridge collapse in Italian city of Genoa, state-run France info radio reported.

An inquiry into "involuntary homicide and ... injuries" had been launched after foreign ministry confirmed four French nationals were among the dead.

One of the victims was from Tarn, southwest France and two others were from southern town of Toulouse, according to BFMTV news channel.

On Tuesday, about 100-meter section of Morandi Bridge collapsed amid torrential rains. At least 39 people were killed in what Italian authorities called "an immense tragedy."

Built in the 1960s, the bridge links port city of Genoa with France's southern regions.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 06:31:49|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TEGUCIGALPA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Honduran government on Wednesday declared an emergency due to severe drought affecting communities in the country's southwestern Corredor Seco (Dry Corridor) region.

The declaration, made by the Honduran Council of Ministers, came at the request of the country's National Risk Management System and the food-assistance branch of the United Nations, the World Food Programme.

The drought has been caused by a particularly hot El Nino, the annual cycle of warm weather that has wiped out 70 percent of the country's corn crops and 45 percent of bean crops.

Last week, President Juan Orlando Hernandez presented a plan of action intended to help the communities most effected by the crop loss.

The president also requested international aid for supplies and food for those hit by drought.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 06:41:51|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BRASILIA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's economy contracted 0.99 percent in the second quarter of this year, Brazil's Central Bank said on Wednesday, citing the Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br).

The bank blamed the drop primarily on a prolonged truckers' strike that paralyzed the country's economy for 11 days in May.

As a result, the financial market downgraded its economic growth forecast to 1.49 percent for 2018.

The second-quarter contraction was the biggest since the first quarter of 2016, when the index registered a drop of 1.51 percent.

The decrease followed a 0.2 percent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) during the first three months of the year.

Bank data shows that in June, the IBC-Br grew 3.29 percent compared to the previous month, indicating a rapid correction following the decline in May.

It was a sharp increase compared to the same month the year before, which registered 1.82 percent growth.

The economy grew 0.89 percent in the first half of this year, and 1.3 percent in the 12 months ending in June.

Last year, Brazil's GDP expanded by 1 percent, marking the end of a two-year recession.Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 07:18:49|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Cao Heimao is seen at a courtyard on March 13, 2018. Cao died at the age of 96 in Qidong Village of Yuxian County, north China's Shanxi Province, July 24, 2018. In the autumn of 1941, Cao was captured by Japanese invaders and became a "comfort woman". Two years later, she fled and returned home. Women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II were called "comfort women." Research shows some 400,000 women in Asia were forced to be "comfort women" for the Japanese army during World War II, nearly half of whom were Chinese. However, the Japanese government has refused to acknowledge legal responsibility for the "comfort women" issue so far. Reporters from Xinhua spent many years to look for the victims and recorded their current lives. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 07:18:58|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Seabirds stand on the Tian'en vessel of China's COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. on the northwest Pacific ocean, Aug. 15, 2018. "Tian En", a cargo ship belonged to COSCO Shipping corporation, is an ice-class vessel. After leaving China's Lianyungang Port, it will sail along the Arctic's Northeast Passage, a waterway known as the Polar Silk Road, and visit Europe. This is the first time "Tian En" visits the Arctic. (Xinhua/Liu Hongxia)Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 07:11:57|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday warned Turkey not to test the resolve of U.S. President Donald Trump on the case of the detained American pastor Andrew Brunson.

Pence tweeted that "Turkey would do well not to test" Trump's resolve "to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States."

Saying that Brunson is innocent and "justice demands that he be released," Pence noted that he and Trump "continue to stand firm" until Brunson is released and returns to the United States.

Also on the same day, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said that "Turkey and specifically President Erdogan have treated pastor Brunson... very unfairly, very badly."

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Aug. 1 slapped sanctions on Turkey's justice and interior ministers, citing their roles in the detention of the U.S. pastor.

Brunson, a 50-year-old Christian pastor, was detained two years ago in Turkey on spying charges, and faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.

He was indicted on charges of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization, which Turkey accuses of being behind a coup attempt in 2016 to topple Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Pence had warned before the sanctions that the United States would slap significant sanctions on Turkey unless it releases Brunson "immediately."Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.The government has discussed a ban on skyscrapers to preserve the traditional profile of Budapest, Gergely Gulyas, who heads the Prime Ministers Office, said at a regular press briefing.

There would be an outright ban on buildings over 90 metres, and decisions would be taken by authorities on a case-by-case basis for buildings between 65 and 90 metres, he said.

The ban will not affect the construction of a 120-metre headquarters in the south of the capital for oil and gas company MOL, as the building was cleared before the ban, he said.



Informal talks were earlier held with MOL, OTP Bank and Richter - Hungarian companies with high international profiles  on the possible construction of skyscrapers to serve as their headquarters, and only MOL wanted to avail of the opportunity, he added.

On another subject, Gulyas said that Hungarian tourism had seen considerable growth, with a 5.3% increase in total turnover this year compared with 2017 and an over 10% increase in commercial accommodation revenues.



The number of foreign visitors increased by 4% and the number of domestic tourists by 6.8% this year compared to the same period of last year, he said.

Photo courtesy: MOLThe restaurant that offers the finest Levantine cuisine prepares all dishes halal, placing emphasis on traditional recipes, fresh and premium ingredient and, last but not least, on exquisite serving.

Baalbek, with its oriental atmosphere, welcomes guests with homemade Arabic bread, unmatched genuine dishes all week long.

The menu - in addition to the all-time favorite mezzes and colorful salads - present culinary specialties such as Kofta the spicy ground lamb with tomato and potato, freshly made grill meat and fish, Lebanese milk pudding flavored with rose water or Um Ali the Egyptian bread pudding.

Reservation

Date: 18 August 2018

Venue:

Buddha-Bar

1052 Budapest, Vaci u.

Phone number: +36 1 799 7302



Click here to visit Baalbek Restaurant onlineSchool water poisoned, 27 children taken ill

Panic broke out at Shree Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Letang Municipality-9, Morang, on Tuesday morning after children started falling sick, prompting the school to call the authorities.OJIBWAY CORRECTIONAL Facility, seen here Tuesday, is scheduled to close Dec. 1, according to a Michigan Department of Corrections announcement Tuesday. The facility, located in Marenisco Township, employs more than 200 people.

MARENISCO - The Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco Township will close Dec. 1, the Michigan Department of Corrections said Tuesday.

The facility has 203 employees and is one of the biggest employers in Gogebic County.

Gogebic County Board of Commissioners Chair George Peterson, of Watersmeet, said Tuesday the news came as quite a blow.

"It's devastating to our county to lose those jobs - 200 jobs plus the related service industry. It's going to trickle out to our school districts."

He said the county's economic scene is already not good.

"Seventy-two percent of our families in the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District are living in poverty, and we lose 200 more jobs; it's really going to be devastating. I don't know how we can make Lansing understand."

Peterson said the news came as a group of people from local government, business and Gogebic Community College were planning to travel to the state capital to lobby for the prison's survival. Camp Ojibway was on a short list of facilities from which the DOC was going to choose one to close.

"We were making plans to travel downstate, but they beat us to the punch. County board members and other members of a committee working on this were going. I believe they did this now, knowing we were coming," Peterson said.

As for the future, Peterson said, "We need to try and figure out how to get something for our people here; maybe its mining. There has to be something. I don't have an answer for it today, but we'll be working on it. We have to do something."

Erik Guenard, interim president and Dean of Business Services at GCC, said news of Ojibway's closure "is difficult to absorb.

"Gogebic Community College understands the impact of this closing on the region," he said.

Guenard said the college assembled the group of individuals who represent local municipalities and businesses to address and advocate for the continued operations of the prison.

"This committee has worked diligently with our state representatives for the past several months and is now looking for opportunities to support our region with the loss of 203 jobs in our communities.

"The representative committee and the college are committed to assisting the employees affected by the closing and find solutions for our area," he said. "The representative group will be working with state departments and legislators to find opportunities for investment and economic growth and development in the western Upper Peninsula in the next few months to stabilize our regional economy."

The group will also work with local and regional employers.

"We are currently working on a plan to present to our legislators and governor in the upcoming weeks for assistance to continue the positive momentum that we have seen over the past several years," he said.

Marenisco Township Supervisor Dick Bouvette said, "It's downright devastating. Other areas with more going on economically can take a hit, but I don't know how we can recover."

Bouvette estimated the township will lose 20 percent of its revenue, including more than half of its revenue sharing, which is based on the township's population that includes the prison's population.

He said he didn't know what this will mean for property values.

Bouvette also lamented the number of people who work at the prison who may now leave the area.

"There are no other comparable jobs here. People get used to making that kind of money. They might be able to get a job at minimum wage, but you've bought your house, bought your cars. The banks are expecting payments. This is going to hurt the community in many ways," he said.

Bouvette also mentioned the promise of mining, as Highland Copper plans to open a copper mining operation north of Wakefield in Ironwood Township.

"I'm hoping the mine can hire 250 people," he said.

More immediately, Bouvette sees a drop in business. "People aren't going to have the money to spend in our restaurants and taverns," he said.

The DOC previously announced it would close another prison this year to save $19 million in the next fiscal year. The state's prison population has been declining.

The DOC says there are no immediate plans for how the facility will be used.

The OCF was formerly Camp Ojibway, a minimum security facility, prior to expansion.

The maximum security facility presently has an administration building, a warehouse and store, and buildings for education, meals, training and housing of inmates.

The five housing units can accommodate up to 1,180 prisoners.

-Daily Globe StaffChief Assistant Prosecutor Tracie Wittla shows a dog crate to CPS worker Brad Smith Tuesday in Gogebic County Circuit Court during the trial of Matthew LaPlant. LaPlant is facing child abuse charges, including accusations he put a child in the crate as punishment.

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Bessemer - Allegations of being locked in a dog cage, being physically beaten and made to taste soiled underwear were the focus of testimony as the prosecution began its case in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday against a Bessemer man facing child abuse charges.

Matthew James LaPlant, 31, is charged with one count of first degree child abuse, two counts of second degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. All four counts are felonies, with first degree child abuse carrying a potential maximum sentence of up to life in prison.

Following opening arguments from both sides, Gogebic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tracie Wittla called a number of law enforcement officers, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services workers and others to the stand to testify regarding the alleged abuse the 7-year-old son of LaPlant's ex-girlfriend suffered while he and his mom were living with LaPlant on South Barber Street in Bessemer's Yale location.

While she didn't appear in person, a transcript of testimony the alleged victim's mother gave at an earlier court appearance in the case was read into the record for the jury to hear.

She said she believed her relationship with LaPlant began in December 2016, and continued until March 7, 2018. According to witnesses, the abuse allegations began to be investigated on March 8.

The mother's testimony said LaPlant sent text messages saying he didn't like to watch the child as the child had trouble listening and there were repeated instances of LaPlant hitting, spanking or otherwise being violent toward the child; as well as using profanity toward him.

"There's been multiple times I've seen him hit (the victim), and punch (him) in the nose to where it bleeds. Multiple spankings on the butt. I've seen him twist and grab (the victim's) arm on March 7," the mother's testimony reads. "He would hit him anywhere he could hit him."

The alleged abuse began in January 2018, according to her testimony.

She also testified LaPlant would make the child stay in the dog cage for hours at a time, using a screwdriver to lock the door shut. While she said the child could remove the screwdriver to get food, the mother testified he slept in the cage and sometimes would go to the bathroom in his pants while in the cage. Being put in the cage was punishment for not listening and peeling paint off the walls, according to the testimony.

She said she failed to prevent this out of fear for what LaPlant would do.

"I was scared Matt was going to come after me," she said, citing his actions when she left on March 8 as the basis of her fear.

While her direct examination testimony focused on the abuse she said LaPlant inflicted on her son; LaPlant's attorney, Douglas Muskett, got her to admit she also hit, insulted and put the boy in the dog kennel. Her testimony in the earlier case led to her also being charged with the same four felonies LaPlant is facing. Her case is still in the court system.

She also testified during cross-examination in the earlier hearing that LaPlant never actually hit her, but said she felt threatened when he yelled during arguments.

Over the course of Tuesday's witness testimony, Wittla laid out the timeline surrounding the allegations coming to light.

Wittla first called Gogebic County Sheriff's Department deputy Jesse Yesney to the stand to testify he was one of the officers dispatched to a "civil standby," where officers are on hand to help someone move out or access their belongings during a potentially confrontational situation.

Yesney testified he left the scene after the child and his mother were able to get some of their belongings and leave in a taxi without incident.

The taxi took the pair to the DOVE Inc. shelter in Ironwood. It was at the shelter that workers began to suspect the child may have been abused.

Amber Hendrickson, who worked at DOVE in March 2018, said she suspected the child had been abused when he arrived at the shelter. Based on her suspicions, Ironwood Public Safety Department Sgt. Matt Sterbenz and Brad Smith - a child protective services worker with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - interviewed the child and his mother.

While Sterbenz said Smith conducted most of the interview with the child, both witnesses testified he only identified one person - LaPlant - as his abuser to him.

Smith acknowledged - when questioned by Muskett - while he originally believed the child was only abused by one person, it now appears the child was allegedly abused by two people.

Based on the interviews at DOVE, members of the Gogebic County Sheriff's Department obtained a search warrant for the Barber Street residence; seizing a dog kennel, screwdriver and photographs of the house as evidence during the search.

The final witness to testify Tuesday was Daniel McRae, the other deputy involved in the original civil standby and who would later become the primary officer in the case.

McRae said LaPlant had no objection to the child and his mother leaving during the original interaction. He testified he was contacted again once the abuse allegations at DOVE came to light and interviewed the mother. As with the other witnesses, McRae testified the mother identified LaPlant as the source of the alleged abuse.

McRae later interviewed LaPlant, short excerpts of which were also played for the jury. While LaPlant initially denied putting the child in the cage, McRae said he later acknowledged having done it on occassion. LaPlant said he never locked the cage when the child was in it, and the child's mother was the one who would leave him there for long periods of time.

He also denied forcing the child to put soiled underwear in his mouth, according to McRae, who said LaPlant brought up the matter prior to being questioned about it.

While the prosecution's case was directed at LaPlant's guilt, Muskett's cross-examination questions and opening statement focused on the victim's mother as the source of the abuse. He argued authorities decided to look no further than LaPlant once the child identified him as his abuser, when in reality the boy was lying to cover for his mother or doing what he thought she wanted.

"(The victim) is lying. The question for you is to decide is how much is he lying about, why is he lying and what's he doing it for," Muskett said during his opening statement.

While Gogebic County Circuit Judge Michael Pope's ruling allowed the trial to continue, a defense motion for a mistrial Tuesday afternoon almost ended proceedings several days early. At issue was Muskett's objection to a question Wittla asked the CPS worker regarding LaPlant's refusal to be interviewed by him.

Muskett argued LaPlant's refusal was based on his advice and protected under the fifth amendment's protection against self-incrimination. Muskett argued raising the question meant the silence could be interpreted as an admission of guilt by jurors and violated his client's constitutional rights.

While Pope ultimately found a mistrial wasn't necessary based on several legal precedents, he did say there may be a jury instruction regarding the matter. The issue will be touched on this morning, prior to the start of the day's proceedings.

Testimony in the case is expected to continue today, including from the victim in the case and more questions for McRae.This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

Happy shootin' my friends!

Buying Guides:

Firearms

Firearm Accessories

Ammunition

Gun Safes

Scopes & Optics

Hunting

Air Rifles

Best AR-15

Best AR 15 Scope

Best Hunting Rifle

Best Gun Safe

Best AK 47

Best AR 10

Best Glock Triggers

Best Glock

Best Home Defense ShotgunArticle published on the 2009-06-08

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday expressed sadness over the death of long-time Gabonese President Omar Bongo. Also, Ghana's former president, John Kufour, told RFI that he was "stunned" by Bongo's passing.

Sarkozy said in a statement that "a great and loyal friend of France has left us".

Kufour said that Bongo "seemed to be imbued with a sense of humanity and morality", despite corruption allegations against Bongo.

Interview: former Ghanian President John Kufour

Sarkozy called Bongo "a major figure in Africa and a head of state who had won the esteem and respect of his peers, especially for his many peace initiatives on the continent." He also said that France was "at Gabon's side during this ordeal".

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, "confident in the democratic aspirations of the people of Gabon, I offer my best wishes for peace and unity".

The government of the Central African Republic told the AFP news service through a spokesperson that it learned of Bongo's passing "with a very deep grief, a very deep sadness, a very deep bitterness".

President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire commented that "Africa has lost one of its most illustrious sons and a key player in its political emancipation".Article published on the 2009-09-26

Guinea's military ruler Captain Moussa Dadis Camara on Saturday set off in an armed convoy to the country's second largest city, the opposition stronghold of Labe, 400 kilometres north of the capital.

It is his first trip outside the capital Conakry since seizing power in December of last year.

About 20,000 local residents took to the streets of Labe in the thousands Thursday to protest at the planned visit.

They threatened to boycott Camara when he arrived and to close shops and businesses for the day. But on Saturday the city was reported to be calm, with shop open and groups of Camara's supporters gathered to greet him.

"Even though he is trying to embark on a nationwide tour, he is beginning from Labe before he goes to the other areas," points out correspondent Karim Kamara. "This is a clear message that Captain Dadis himself is intending to contest the 2010 presidential elections in Guinea."

Q+A: Karim Kamara in Conakry

The President is to give a speech to a rally in a stadium on Saturday evening.TBS's Full Frontal With Samantha Bee paid a visit to Philadelphia last month, where the show's namesake host interviewed District Attorney Larry Krasner. But that wasn't all Bee got up to when she was in town, as a segment slated to air tonight shows.

Full Frontal will feature a Philadelphia-filmed segment focusing on undocumented immigrants in the restaurant industry on Wednesday night's episode at 10:30 on TBS. Krasner's interview will not appear in the segment, a network spokesperson said.

Instead, the show's Philly segment will feature appearances from Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi and Philadelphia chef Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa and El Compadre fame.

According to an episode description, Bee's Philly bit will focus on "introducing you to the undocumented immigrants that make your food." Lakshmi, an outspoken critic of the Trump administration's policies toward undocumented immigrants, appears in the segment to "supervise."

Bee made the trek to Philadelphia in July, which included filming at Center City's Franklin Inn Club, a social club with a literary bent that was founded in 1902. As member Basil Talbott told the Inquirer, Full Frontal producers settled on the location because they were looking for a "bookish, intellectual look" for interviews, and the Franklin Inn Club fit because it "looks like something out of old Philadelphia."

During the visit, Talbott said, Bee interviewed Krasner in the club's first-floor foyer, and followed that up with an interview with a group of supporters in the building's second-floor library. Krasner was not part of the second interview. Neither TBS nor the DA's Office would elaborate on what Krasner and Bee discussed.

El Compadre's Martinez is a noted advocate for undocumented immigrants and earlier this year was called the "voice of the undocumented" in a profile from Al Dia. She arrived in the U.S. undocumented in 2009, according to an Inquirer report.

"Unfortunately, we're people that immigrated without studies," Martinez told the Inquirer last year, "but with the desire to work and take care of our families."

Launched in 2016, TBS's Full Frontal is in its third season and has been a hit for the network since its debut. Last month, the show earned seven Emmy nominations, including nods for outstanding writing in a variety series, outstanding interactive program, and outstanding variety talk series. Host Bee, of course, is no stranger to controversy, having used a vulgarity to describe Ivanka Trump earlier this year on the show. Bee soon after apologized.More than 10,000 children and teens in Philadelphia have been affected by a public health crisis that too few people  even those dedicated to helping the most vulnerable to thrive  fully understand. This condition affects at least two or three children in every city classroom, and can set up children for worsening asthma, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer as they get older, as well as double the rates of substance abuse, promiscuity, and suicidal behavior.

Of the 22 children I cared for at our clinic on a single day last week, five were exposed to this serious health risk. A 6-month-old not rolling over yet. Two 7-year-olds  one was suddenly not doing well in school, and the other was exhibiting all the signs of ADHD. A remarkably sullen 11-year-old. A teen who was emotionally disengaged from everything she once found exciting.

The public health crisis all these children share: having a parent in prison.

A study of more than 13,000 adolescents and young adults with a history of paternal incarceration, published in this month's Pediatrics journal, powerfully demonstrates the effects of having an incarcerated mother or father. These youths are far less likely to have routine health care, instead waiting until a small issue needs emergency room attention  which means worse health for the individual, and higher costs for everyone. Parental incarceration also meant a 50 percent higher chance of prescription drug abuse and 2.5 times higher likelihood of using illegal injection drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, which caused most of Philadelphia's 1,200 drug overdose deaths last year.

Another recent study connected parental incarceration with visible changes in the DNA of 9-year-old children. Telomeres, like the plastic aglets on the tips of shoelaces, keep a person's DNA healthy, and better able to ward off cancer, autoimmune diseases, and even early death. In these 9-year-olds, however, the telomeres were significantly shorter than normal. Unlike a worn shoelace that can be replaced, DNA cannot.

In our homes, day-care facilities and schools, the toxic effects of parental incarceration on developing brains can be a major driver of delays in development and learning. A 2014 study of more than 95,000 children whose parents had spent time in prison found double the usual rate of developmental delays and speech problems in infants and preschoolers. In school-aged kids, learning disabilities were also doubled, and ADHD diagnoses were tripled. There was also a 50 percent higher school absentee rate. All these factors add to the "school to prison pipeline" and the cycle of incarceration that put children of incarcerated parents at a six times higher risk of prison time themselves.

Although the United States has only 5 percent of the world's population, we house 25 percent of the world's prisoners. There are 2.5 million adults in state and federal prison; one million are parents of minors. On average, 2.7 million kids in the U.S. have a parent in prison at any given time, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. With census figures showing that there are 75 million children in the U.S., that comes out to 1 in 28  the equivalent of one child in each classroom. But the burden falls disproportionately on communities such as Philadelphia, where 1 in 8 kids who live in poverty have a parent in prison.

It costs more than $43,000 a year on average to keep someone in prison in Pennsylvania, three times the price of a public education and 13 times that of having a child in an accredited pre-K program. The total prison tally to the state: $3.2 billion dollars a year. The medical, educational and societal costs are much higher, but the cost to an individual child is immeasurable.

In effect, whenever a parent goes to prison, it's a double sentence; the adult is behind bars, and the child falls behind at school and life.

Author Neil Bernstein articulates the effects of parental incarnation fittingly. "The dissolution of families, the harm to children  and the resultant perpetuation of the cycle of crime and incarceration from one generation to the next  may be the most profound and damaging effect of our current penal structure."

Of course, people who break the law must pay a penalty. But some judicial reform and public health approaches have shown promise in serving both the need for law enforcement and also child development.

Reduce sentence lengths with more effective rehabilitation in prison.

Consider alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders, addicts, and mentally ill, with community-based sentencing alternatives.

Rate prisons, just like medical interventions, on effective decreases in recidivism.

Increase funding for early-childhood education and public schooling.

Expand and get to know resources for families affected by incarceration, such as the Amachi mentoring program, Essie Justice Group, and Sesame Street Resource for Children with Incarcerated Parents, all of which can be found on the cap4kids.org/Philadelphia website.

Train teachers and others who work with children to identify those with an incarcerated household member by asking nonjudgmental questions, such as "who else is involved in your life?" and when a parent is not available, finding out if he or she is "away."

As I drive home along Erie Avenue, I pass underfunded schools, a large line for a food bank, a young man with the characteristic blank expression of a heroin user. As I approach the intersection of Broad and Erie, I glance up at the ever-present sign attached to the Black and Nobel Bookstore: "We Ship to Prisons," spelled out in two-foot-tall letters. My mind goes to an unintended double meaning as I think of our current situation as a ship that is capsizing too many of our children.

Daniel R. Taylor, D.O., is an associate professor at Drexel University College of Medicine and director of community pediatrics and child advocacy at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Bucks County Republican, and Democrat Scott Wallace (right) are facing off in one of the toughest U.S. House races in the Philadelphia region. Read more

Democrats in Pennsylvania can almost always count on labor groups to support them in major general elections. But in a pivotal midterm race in the Philadelphia suburbs, many high-powered unions are pledging their support to a Republican.

That could be another red flag for Democrats in Bucks County's First Congressional District, a top target in their campaign to take back the U.S. House that isn't quite going as planned.

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a freshman GOP lawmaker who has sided with Democrats on some key issues and said he is "extremely disappointed" by a recent Supreme Court decision weakening unions, has raised more than $200,000 from labor groups, according to the website OpenSecrets. His Democratic opponent, multimillionaire philanthropist Scott Wallace, has collected only about $3,000.

Fitzpatrick also won the official endorsement of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, an alliance of 45 unions across the state. That's no easy task: Of the 190-plus candidates backed by the group in 2018, only 13 are Republicans. He's received nods from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, AFSCME Council 13, and local firefighters and police unions, too, among others.

"He has a broad base of labor support," said Mustafa Rashed, a Democratic political consultant. "He's not one to be taken lightly."

The First District is exactly the kind of moderate suburban district that Democrats hope they can turn blue this fall. It voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, and last fall Democrats won seats in Bucks County that had been held by the GOP for more than 50 years. Those factors led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to put Fitzpatrick on its very first "target list" for 2018.

But Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan elections analyst, recently went from describing the race for the First District as a "tossup" to being in the "lean Republican column." One reason: Fitzpatrick has "garnered support from unlikely places," including unions.

"Wallace's wealth, elite pedigree, and out-of-state addresses could backfire" as well, said Cook Political Report's David Wasserman, adding that his "general election efforts have gotten off to a very rocky start."

G. Terry Madonna, a political scientist at Franklin and Marshall College, said that Fitzpatrick's campaign contributions from labor groups aren't as damaging to Wallace as they would be to a typical Democrat, since Wallace has millions of dollars to pour into his campaign. But "it diminishes the enthusiasm gap that the Democrats have," he said.

It means that Fitzpatrick will have union help for "legwork, meet-the-voter work on Election Day," and "he's not going to be overwhelmed by an organized labor that would unite against him."

The First District race also exposes a rift within the labor movement over electoral strategy.

Pro-Fitzpatrick union leaders said he has cast "tough votes" on issues that are important to them. He was one of the Republicans who voted against the GOP's proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act in 2017, and he recently voted against a farm bill that would have imposed tougher work requirements on food-stamp recipients. He also joined Democrats in defeating a Republican-led effort to weaken the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires most construction workers on federally funded projects to be paid the prevailing wage.

"The labor movement is not a party. It's a movement," said Rick Bloomingdale, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. "If you're for us, we're for you. And he's been with us, so we're with him."

Fitzpatrick's supporters said he made an effort to build relationships with unions early in his first term, even though labor backed his Democratic opponent in 2016.

"One of the first things he did when he won was reach out to organized labor about having a partnership," said Tom Tosti, president of the AFL-CIO Bucks County Central Labor Council. "You've got to respect that when it comes from somebody after they didn't endorse him."

There may be another rationale for backing Fitzpatrick: If Republicans maintain control of the House, labor groups will keep an ally in the majority. Several unions that haven't endorsed Fitzpatrick have contributed to his campaign, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Wallace has won the endorsement of such labor groups as the United Steelworkers, SEPTA's union, American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania, American Postal Workers Local 7048 and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1360.

Wallace's union allies strongly disagreed with the notion that Fitzpatrick is labor's friend, noting he has voted with President Trump 83 percent of the time, according to the website FiveThirtyEight.

"He voted for the tax plan, which hurts our working-class families. That's an inexcusable vote," said Tara Huber, president of Neshaminy Federation of Teachers. "Fitzpatrick may have voted favorably on a few labor issues. But Wallace is going to vote the right way on all of the issues."

Wallace's backers also said that the national AFL-CIO gave Fitzpatrick a rating of only 47 percent in its "legislative scorecard" of Congress members. Every current Democratic member of the U.S. House ranks above that.

"I'm a schoolteacher. Under 70 percent is a failure," said Ted Kirsch, president of the AFT Pennsylvania. Supporting Fitzpatrick, he said, undermines the goal of taking control of at least one house of Congress.

Bloomingdale said the national AFL-CIO's legislative scorecard is an imperfect measure, in part because it's not weighted: "Some issues have more of an impact than others, and that's the struggle with doing a voting record."

He added that there was a time when some Republicans scored 100 percent. Currently, the top GOP score in the U.S. House is 61 percent.

"Unfortunately, the Republican leadership or right-wing philosophy has dragged the party away from supporting workers," said Bloomingdale.President Trump welcomes Neil Gorsuch during a the announcement of his nomination to the Supreme Court on Jan. 31. The judge is kissing his wife, Marie Louise. Read more

WASHINGTON  As the Senate moves toward confirming Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are leading a lower-key yet deeply consequential charge to remake the entire federal judiciary.

The Senate will return Wednesday from an abbreviated summer recess to confirm two more federal appeals court judges by the end of the week. That would come on top of a record-breaking string of confirmations: The Senate already has installed 24 appellate court judges since Trump was sworn in, the highest number for a president's first two years in office.

While much of the focus has been on Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch, the Senate's rapid approval of appellate court judges is likely to have its own broad impact on the nation, as the 13 circuit courts will shape decisions on immigration, voting rights, abortion and the environment for generations.

For McConnell, this is the culmination of a years-long gambit that started with stymieing President Barack Obama's judicial nominees, most notably Supreme Court choice Merrick Garland, and creating a backlog of vacancies on the nation's highest courts.

Trump's 2016 election enabled McConnell, R-Ky., to cement a legacy of judicial confirmations that is likely to be felt long after the two men leave office. The Republican leaders are also trying to use judicial nominations to energize conservative voters, whom party leaders worry will sit out the midterm elections.

There are 179 authorized judgeships for the U.S. Court of Appeals. With 24 confirmations and 13 vacancies to fill, Trump and the Republicans have the power to install more than 20 percent of the judges on the nation's second-highest courts.

"One of the most significant accomplishments in President Donald Trump's first year will serve Americans for decades to come, yet it has received very little fanfare," wrote McConnell with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, in a January National Review op-ed.

On Wednesday, the Senate plans to advance the nominations of Marvin Quattlebaum Jr. and Julius Ness Richardson, both for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Both Quattlebaum and Richardson have some bipartisan support, winning the votes of some Democrats when they were considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"The Supreme Court gets the bulk of the attention, but the circuit courts decide the bulk of the cases," said Arthur Hellman, a University of Pittsburgh law professor who studies the federal judiciary. "Because the Supreme Court these days is taking so few cases, the law of the circuit is, on many, many issues, the final law for the people who live in that circuit."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said two of his children are beginning law school and "these judges will be there for a good part of their legal careers." The appeals court is "the backbone of the federal judiciary," said Blumenthal, who regretted the "very unfortunate," enduring legacy of Trump's choices.

Virtually all of Trump's nominees have graduated from top law schools, held Supreme Court clerkships or worked in big-name law firms or the Justice Department. But they also have affiliations with the Federalist Society or other conservative credentials. That, as well as past writings and cases, have sparked often fierce opposition from Democrats and liberal groups.

"These are not mainstream jurists being nominated because they are legal luminaries, but people who are coming to the bench with clear ideological-driven missions of eroding constitutional rights and legal protections," said Daniel Goldberg, legal director for the Alliance for Justice, a liberal group focused on judicial issues.

Hellman said that Trump's nominees have, so far, largely replaced retiring Republican-appointed judges, and thus he has yet to wholly remake any of the 13 circuit courts. But he said at least one circuit  the 5th Circuit, covering Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas  is at a tipping point.

Democrats have sought to slow the confirmations, forcing every circuit court nominee to clear procedural hurdles. But a Democratic rule change in 2013 allows federal judicial nominees to advance to confirmation by a simple majority.

Under Trump, the pace of confirmations to the district courts, which are lower on the court hierarchy, has lagged behind Obama and George W. Bush.

"Twenty-four is excellent for two years," said Ed Whelan, president of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center and a former law clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia. "But it needs to be sustained in order to have any real transformative effect."

During the final two years of the Obama administration, in which Republicans controlled the Senate, the confirmation of judicial nominees slowed to a crawl  giving McConnell and Trump plenty of vacancies to fill starting in 2017.

Hours after Scalia's death in February 2016, McConnell said the Senate would not consider any Obama nominee until the voters had their say in the presidential election. Democrats were enraged but powerless.

The decision paid huge dividends when Trump won in 2016 and nominated Gorsuch, a conservative choice widely hailed by Republicans. Gorsuch won the vote of all Republican senators and three Democrats.

Now, McConnell is confidently eyeing a confirmation vote for Kavanaugh this fall. The judge plans to meet Wednesday with Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., and Joe Donnelly, Ind. The two backed Gorsuch, face challenging reelection bids in states Trump won and are feeling pressure to vote for Kavanaugh.

Russell Wheeler, a Brookings Institution visiting fellow who closely tracks judicial nominations, said that now more than ever, the confirmation process is more about hardball politics and less about cooperation between the parties. "It's just dog-eat-dog for the moment, and we'll worry about what happens when the tables get turned later," he said. "I don't see how you ratchet it back."

The Democratic attempts to defeat Kavanaugh have fallen flat, leading to finger-pointing within the party. Liberal activists have portrayed Kavanaugh as a threat to tilt the court toward erasing health-care protections and abortion rights  arguments that have shown virtually no signs of swaying most critical swing votes in the Senate.

McConnell is trying to use the Supreme Court pick as well as the Senate's work on lower court nominees to spur conservative voters to participate in November's midterms. Republicans are defending a 51-49 majority, and party leaders are bracing for a difficult election, due to Trump's unpopularity.

A Pew Research Center poll in July found conservative Republicans more likely than moderate and liberal Republicans to say the choice of the next Supreme Court justice was very important to them.

Steven Law, a former McConnell aide who is now the president of the conservative group American Crossroads, predicted that the Supreme Court and judicial nominations more broadly "will be part of our pitch to conservatives on why their vote matters this fall."

Exit polls conducted in the 2016 election found that 7 in 10 said Supreme Court appointments were the most or an important factor in their vote. Among Trump voters, 26 percent said it was "the most important factor" and 48 percent said it was "an important factor."

"It was a way for him to reassure people who didn't really want to vote for Hillary Clinton that he was going to be, even though he was quite unusual, he was going to be a real Republican," McConnell said of Trump in an interview with The Washington Post this summer.

McConnell, who titled his memoir "The Long Game," frequently reminds his allies that the Senate is in the personnel business. He's had a rocky relationship with Trump since his election, but the confirmed judges have given them a common goal.

Republicans face difficult political head winds in November, with some on the right fearful they will soon lose their plum chances to push through court nominees.

"If the Republicans lose the Senate in November, the great start will be nothing more than a great start," said Whelan.

The Washington Post's Emily Guskin, Seung Min Kim and Paul Kane contributed to this report.Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs

07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0)

Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na...Wet lease train starts this year

The train wet leased from India for the Janakpur-Jayanagar-Kurtha railway line will start this December, railway department said.At least 25 people lost their lives due to incessant rain and floods in Kerala on Wednesday, taking the total death toll to 67. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sent an SOS to the central and the Tamil Nadu governments even as a red alert has been sounded in all 14 districts of the state.

The Kerala Chief Minister has requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to send additional teams of Army, National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and Army Engineering Corps to Kerala on immediate basis.

The state has also sought a C-17 aircraft to facilitate transporting of equipment to areas hit be rains and floods. Vijayan also took up the issue of increasing water level in Mullaperiyar dam with the Home Minister, pointing that water has reached dangerous levels.

Vijayan also reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy, asking him to look into the Mullaperiyar dam water level issue. According to the Kerala Chief Ministers office, CM raised the issue of the water level in Mullaperiyar dam, which has reached dangerous levels, with the Home Minister CM informed that Tamil Nadu has to intervene immediately to lower the water-level in Mullaperiyar dam. @HMOIndia discussed the matter with the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu.

The Kerala Chief Minister wrote a letter to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister demanding the lowering of water level in the dam. It must be done urgently in the interest of the security of the dam, wrote Vijayan.

Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams. Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem.

Train, road and air services have also been hit due to worsening situation. The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area.

As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek Centre's permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

(With PTI Inputs)NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday  which will be his fifth speech after the BJP-led NDA came to power in 2014. He will be received by the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra.

This will be followed by seven hundred cadets of the National Cadet Corps, drawn from 16 schools of the Delhi Directorate comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force wings, participating in the flag hoisting ceremony this year.

The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronise with the 21 Gun Salute fired by the valiant gunners of the elite 2281 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel C Sandeep and the Gun Position Officer will be Regiment Havildar Major Kolate Rajesh Shripati.

Tight Security in National Capital

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in the national capital in view of the 72nd Independence Day Celebrations. The Red Fort from where Prime Minister Modi will address the nation has been put under a high-security cover. Around 70,000 Delhi Police personnel and about 90 companies of security forces have been deployed.

As far as the celebrations are concerned across the country, the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar has been illuminated in tri colours of the national flag. Along with that, the Parliament, Vayu Bhawan and North and South Block have also turned tri-coloured. Meanwhile, Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Moradabad railway station have beautifully been illuminated in tricolour.

Navy to Coordinate Official 72nd I-Day Celebrations

For the 72nd Independence Day celebrations, the Navy is the coordinating service. The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander PR Jagan Mohan of the Indian Navy. The Army Contingent will be commanded by Major Suraj Pal, the Navy contingent by Lt Cdr MYV Tejas, while Squadron Leader Praveen Narayan will lead the Air Force contingent.

The Delhi Police contingent will be led by ACP Jagdev Singh Yadav, a Defence Ministry statement said.

PM Invites Suggestions/Ideas From People



PM Modi had recently sought ideas from people for his Independence Day speech, a practice he has followed for the past three years. For the past three years, Modi has invited ideas and suggestions directly from people. According to MyGov.In, PM Modi will pick up some of the ideas in his speech.

Some of the suggestions already received on the website include the ones on cases of rape, open defecation, reservation system and education.

PM May Announce Major Health Scheme, Sops

On the occasion of 72 Independence Day, the PM is likely to make major announcements, sops and special assistance for flood-hit states. He may also announce tweaking of the Sukanya Sammridhi Yojana to provide more benefit to the girl child along with benefits for about 32 crore Jan Dhan account holders.

The PTI quoted sources as saying that the government may also announce an attractive micro-insurance scheme. In a bid to provide relief to elderly people, PM Modi may announce doubling of the maximum limit under Atal Pension Yojana. Currently, the amount is limit to Rs 5,000.

In addition, the PM's speech may also focus on controversial issues the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Rafale Deal, mob lynching and atrocities against Dalits.

PM Modi will also announce pilot projects of Ayushman Bharat in select district hospitals on the occasion of Independence Day on Wednesday. The full roll-out of the scheme is expected to be announced from September 25 onwards. Ayushman Bharat, which is also referred to as 'Modicare', is the national healthcare policy launched by the Government of India in February this year.

The ambitious healthcare policy promises to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families

(approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country and a beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospitals across the country.

The scheme is entitlement based, with the entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) database. The beneficiaries can avail the facilities in both public as well as empanelled private healthcare centres.

Last year, PM Modi spoke for nearly 54 minutes from the Red Fort, which was his shortest Independence Day address to the nation since 2014. He spoke for over 65 minutes in 2014, 86 minutes in 2015, and 94 minutes in 2016.

(With Agenncy Inputs)New Delhi: In a setback to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), senior leader Ashutosh resigned from the party. The former AAP leader cited personal reasons as the reason for his resignation.

Taking to Twitter, Ashutosh said, "Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/ revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the PARTY/ requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/ all of them who supported me Throughout.Thanks."

Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end.I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason.Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout.Thanks.  ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) August 15, 2018

In another tweet, he requested the media to respect his privacy. "To media friends. Please respect my privacy. I won't be giving any bite of any kind. Please cooperate," Ashutosh said.

The journalist-turned-politician had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket.The Indian Army on Wednesday morning foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The intruders were armed and opened fire on Indian troops when apprehended.

As the terrorists opened fire, Indian troops responded to the same with retaliatory fire in equal measure. The incident occurred at around 5.15 am on Wednesday.

According to Indian Army PRO of Jammu range, posts of the Pakistani Army provided support and cover fire to aid the infiltration bid. The Pakistani Army provided the cover fire to help in extrication of the armed intruders.

One of the Indian Army personnel suffered injuries in the incident. He was later evacuated for further medical treatment and his condition is said to be stable.

Search and sanitisation operations were going on when the last report came in. The White Knight Corps is keeping a constant vigil along the LoC. According to the PRO, Pakistan continues its nefarious activities along the LoC, and continue to vitiate the atmosphere both along the border and the hinterland.NEW DELHI: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health has deteriorated and is currently on life support system. According to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the medical condition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart has worsened over the last 24 hours. He is critical.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani were among those who visited the AIIMS in Delhi on Wednesday to inquire about Vajpayee's health.

The 93-year-old leader has been receiving treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi since June 11 for multiple ailments. He was taken to the hospital with chest congestion, kidney infection, urinary tract infection and other associated conditions.

The three-time prime minister has been ailing since he suffered a stroke in 2009. He subsequently developed dementia, and has had trouble with cognition and memory.

PM Modi visited AIIMS on Wednesday evening to inquire about his predecessor's health. Earlier in the day, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani too visited AIIMS.

Just about 12 hours earlier, PM Modi had cited Vajpayee in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He had quoted Vajpayee in the context of peace in Kashmir. "We will move forward in Jammu and Kashmir by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse (goli and gaali). For Jammu and Kashmir, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said --insaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriyat (eclectic Kashmiri culture), jamhooriyat (democracy). I have also said the solution of every problem of Jammu and Kashmir can be done only by embracing. Our government is committed to the development of all the areas and all sections of Jammu and Kashmir," PM Modi had said.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as Prime Minister of India for three terms that began in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He was the first non-Congress, non-Gandhi Prime Minister to complete a five-year term.Ahead of the 21st round of India-China boundary talks, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said on Wednesday that a dispute over a "large segment" of the border with China has been resolved, barring the Western sector, and the negotiations were moving in the positive direction.

India and China have so far held 20 rounds of Special Representative-level talks to resolve the dispute over the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. The next round of talks are due to be held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the coming weeks.

"The talks are moving in the positive direction," BJP general secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media in Beijing.

"It is not true. Most of the time those who are engaged in talks don't disclose day-to-day progress. They want to achieve certain milestone then only they will disclose," he added, refuting the perception that the border talks have not made much headway.

"As far as I know, issues with large segments of our border have been resolved. There are few areas where negotiations are still going on," he said.

Asked whether the understanding he referred to also applied to section of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of South Tibet, Madhav said, "I cannot say anything on those things. But mostly the Western sector is where major issue are there. Some areas are yet to be delimited. That I think will continue in 21st round. It is inherited problem for us."

He also sounded positive about achieving a political consensus with the opposition parties if any agreement is reached between two countries. He played down differences over a report on Doklam prepared by the Standing Committee Parliament on External Affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

"Until now we had bipartisan consensus on issues like border talks. As we move closer to elections in India every issue becomes a political issue," he said, in an apparent reference to the committee's report.

"The report you are mentioning, that was not the spirit in which we used to handle the issue but having said it, there will be bipartisan consensus on these (border) negotiations," he said, adding that it is not a problem initiated by the BJP.

"We are continuing (the talks) and taking them forward," he said.

He also said the border talks mechanism is working.

"As far as I know, the mechanism is working. We had so many rounds of talks without any complaints from either side. Things are moving, generally in the positive direction. I don't know of any other plans," he said.

On Doklam, he insisted that the status quo prevailed at the standoff site which is being maintained by all three parties- China, India and Bhutan.

The 73-day standoff last year began when Chinese troops tried to construct a road close to India's border. Indian troops objected to the road in the territory claimed by Bhutan as it came close to the Indian highway. The standoff ended in late August after both sides agreed to disengage.

There is "no change in the status quo. What existed earlier, exists today," Madhav said.

India's main issue in the area is with respect to the tri-junction because it has been agreed earlier that it should not be moved, he said.

Referring to reports of build up by the Chinese troops in areas close to the standoff site, he said, "what a country does on its side is its prerogative. How can we comment on it? Right now, status quo is being maintained there".

"When Doklam happened the policy adopted by our government was proactive diplomacy together with strong positioning (on the ground). This combination has helped in achieving good results on Doklam issue," he said.

"Our position with regard to border and trade deficit with China is clear and strong position. To address these issue, proactive diplomacy is the best way," he added.

"As far as the government position is concerned, the status quo which we wanted to be maintained there when Doklam dispute happened is being maintained by all the three sides," he added.

On the ballooning trade deficit which touched last year about USD 51 billion in over USD 84 billion bilateral trade, Madhav said, "definitely there is conscious efforts (being made) by both the governments to bridge the gap".

"I am sure in the coming days we will be able to improve the situation. Today it is USD 51 billion. Even if we bring down by USD 20 or 30 billion it is a major achievement," he said.

On the first informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, he said, "the Wuhan spirit is a new phrase between the two countries. Not formal but strongly informal relationship between the two countries. Both the countries should continue the spirit."

He said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi now enjoy personal bond and relationship. "That helps. Understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming differences," he said.

"Other neighbours are telling they are very happy that the two countries are having good ties at summit level," the BJP leader said.

On China stepping up ties with India's neighbours, Madhav said India has very good relations with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"Maldives is a persisting problem for a couple of years. (We're) Trying to sort it out," he added.

He said both India and China should step up people-to-people contacts. Madhav said the ties between the BJP and the ruling Communist Party of China are improving and such relationship helps to sort out difficult issues between the two countries.The flood situation in Kerala is still grim as a red alert on Wednesday has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for eight districts across the state which will continue till Thursday. A red alert, which means heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places, has been issued for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts.

The death toll in the state has risen to 44 as there is no let up in heavy rains and the operations of Kochi's Cochin International Airport have been suspended till Saturday (August 18). The flights are being diverted to other airports as the state has been battered by torrential rains since several weeks.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm. It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday.

Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a rising trend, a Kochi airport spokesperson said. "We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate," the spokesperson said.

Weathermen have warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts. With almost all rivers in spate, reports of landslides have come in from Malappuram and Munnar in Idukki on Wednesday morning.

A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni to 12 nautical miles off Alappuzha Coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it. "A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting," he said.

Over 1,000 people living on the banks of Periyar river have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure after the Mullaperiyar dam's shutters were opened and water released through spillway early on Wednesday morning.

Though initially 13 shutters of the dam were opened early by 4.30 am, three were closed and discharge through the spillway reduced to 3,480 cusecs. The water level in the dam has touched 140 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet.

Many parts of Thiruvananthapuram are also receiving heavy rains since early on Wednesday morning. Unabated rains have forced the state government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations and the amount set apart for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations.

Governor P Sathasivam also decided to cancel the reception to be hosted by him today as part of Independence Day celebrations due to the floods in the state. Ayyappa devotees have been asked not to visit the hill shrine at Sabarimala as the rain-fed Pampa rose menacingly.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, the district authorities and the police have issued alerts to devotees and decided to stop them at various points till the water receded.

In Munnar, a man hailing from neighbouring Tamil Nadu was killed and six persons were rescued after a mound of earth fell on a hotel last evening, official sources said. In a similar incident in Kondotty, a heavy mound of earth fell onto a concrete house at 1 am today, claiming a couple's lives. A search is on for their six-year-old child who was asleep in the same room with them, district authorities said.

A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur as he came in touch with a snapped electric wire.Today is the day when the nation attained Independence from the British Raj. The morning of August 15, 2018 marks the 72nd Independence Day of India and the entire country is immersed in patriotic fervour and love for the nation. With patriotic songs being played in every nook and corner of the nation and the stories of our brave freedom fighters being told everywhere, the people of India are fully immersed in the Independence Day celebrations.

On this prestigious day, Google celebrated India's Independence Day with a special doodle. A Google Doodle is a temporary alteration of the logo on the homepage to celebrate holidays, events, achievements and people.

Check out today's doodle here:



The doodle features India's national bird, the peacock as well as our national animal, the tiger. The tricolour is too featured beautifully on the colourful doodle.

Google has beautifully depicted our nation's diversity by using the colourful doodle. We have many different cultures and today is the day when they all unite in spirit of patriotism.

On August 15 in 1947, our country got independence from British rule.

Only by preserving our culture, tradition, ideology and values shall we be able to uphold the dignity of individuality of our country.

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Independence DayNew Delhi: Daredevilry in counter-militancy operations in the Kashmir Valley, including the Lethpora and Sumbal camp attacks, earned the CRPF the highest number of gallantry medals - 96 - this Independence Day, including five Shaurya Chakras, the third highest peacetime bravery award.

Head constable A S Krishna, constables K Dinesh Raja and Prafulla Kumar of the 45th battalion of the force were decorated with the Shaurya Chakra for their gallant act of thwarting a suicide attack on their camp in Sumbal in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on June 5 last year.

As the troops were alert and prepared, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) team eliminated the four terrorists and finished the operation in quick 45 minutes, the citation for the operation read.

Deputy Commandant K S Chahar and constable D Ravindra Baban (posthumously) of the 182nd battalion of the force won the military medal (Shaurya Chakra) for their brave act of thwarting a similar attack by three militants on the district police line camp in Pulwama on August 26 last year.

The encounter had gone on for 20 hours.

"Head constable Baban laid down his life for the cause of the nation in the treacherous gunfire," the citation said.

The country's largest paramilitary force, with over three lakh personnel in its ranks, got the highest of these bravery medals and only its personnel were chosen amongst all the forces for the top-notch President's Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG).

It also got 89 Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) making the highest tally of these citations for it during any Independence Day.

While Constable Sharief-ud-din Ganaie and Head Constable Mohd Tafail got the PPMG posthumously for displaying raw grit and courage during the December 30 last year suicide attack on their camp in Lethpora (Awantipora district), eight of their colleagues were decorated with the PMG for the same operation.

The midnight attack on the 131-acre camp, that had inadequate perimeter security owning to ongoing construction, went on for over 36 hours during which five men of the paramilitary force were killed.

"Operation Lethpora was one of the most daunting and challenging operations and it was replete with numerous challenges, including logistical constraints, the enormous and knotty terrain, including the rescue of scores of trapped force personnel in the buildings and overcoming of the initial casualties," the citation said.

Three militants were killed at the end of the violent siege and a lethal cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from them.

While Ganaie, who was one of the sentries of the camp, and Tafail laid down their lives in the line of duty, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) A S Negi, assistant commandants Naresh Kumar and L Ibomcha Singh, Assistant sub-inspector Uttam Raj and constables S Prakash, Jitendra Kumar, Budhi Singh and Zulfiqar Ahmed were also awarded for rendering their duty with courage.

The CRPF had deployed close to 65 battalions in Jammu and Kashmir for counter-militancy and law and order assistance duties. Each of its battalion had about 1,000 personnel.

A total of 177 PMsG were awarded this time to various state police and central paramilitary forces, a government release said.

The CRPF was followed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police that was accorded 37 PMsG, Odisha Police (11), Border Security Force (10), Maharashtra Police (8), Chhattisgarh Police (6) among others.

A total of 942 state police and paramilitary personnel were decorated with various service medals on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day.NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday assured that India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, PM Modi listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a "fragile and risky" economy to being the fastest in the world.

''Prior to 2014'', he said, ''India was likened to policy paralysis and delayed reforms.''

"India was considered among 'fragile five' but today the world is seeing it as a destination of multi-billion dollar investment. The narrative has changed," he said.

The government's motto, he said, is reform, perform and transform.

Red tape has been replaced with 'red carpet', propelling India on the 'ease of doing' business ranking, the PM said.

Bottlenecks were a topic of discussions among international institutions and experts prior to 2014 but "today they are saying the sleeping elephant has woken up and has started running".

The comment was an apparent reference to International Monetary Fund's commentary on India last week in which it said the country is on track to hold its position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies as reforms start to pay off.

Stating that India is now the sixth largest economy in the world, PM Modi said international institutions are saying that "India will give strength to the world economy for the next three decades. India will be the engine of growth".

"We have the potential to take tough decisions. We are not partisan," he said. "Prior to 2014, global institutions used to say the Indian economy is risky. Today the same institutions and people are saying that reform momentum is giving strength to fundamentals," the PM said.

He went on to list structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST), bankruptcy and insolvency law and benami property law that helped transform the economy.

Electrifying all villages, providing 5 crore cleaner cooking gas to poor women, doubling the pace of highway construction, record foodgrain production, record mobile phone manufacturing, and building four-time more new houses in villages were some of the achievements of his government, the PM said.

If the work continued at the pace that was prevalent in 2013, it would have taken one or two more decades to electrify all villages, 100 years to provide LPG gas connections to all and generations to take optic fibre to villages.

PM Modi said the government fulfilled the promise to provide 50 per cent more than the cost of production for kharif crops to farmers and is on the way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.New Delhi: On the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. This was his fifth and last Independence Day speech ahead of the next Lok Sabha election to be held in 2019.

The Prime Minister spoke on a wide range of issues and made some key announcements. He covered aspects like Jan Arogya Abhiyan, Jammu and Kashmir, honest taxpayers, northeast states, etc.

Watch the video here:

Drawing a comparison between the situation in 2013 and how things stand today, PM Modi said if the pace of the UPA government's last year was maintained, it would have taken decades, centuries and generations to build as many toilets, distribute as many LPG connections among the poor and lay down as much optical fibre as his government has done. While the country is brimming with self-confidence today, it is forging ahead with a new sense of commitment, he added.

Speaking about the recent Monsoon Session of Parliament, PM Modi said it was dedicated to social justice, with measures being taken to protect the interests of Dalits, deprived people, tribals, women and the backwards.

He further said that Indians today across the globe are feeling proud as the country has become the sixth largest economy in the world. While decisions have been held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like the GST are being taken now, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)New Delhi: Launching an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday said that his Independence Day speech proved to be shallow and it had no substance.

The Congress leader slammed PM Modi for not speaking on the corruption of Rafale and Vyapam, Chhattisgarh PDS scam and Chinese encroachment in Doklam while addressing the nation on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day.

"PM Modi's last speech on Independence Day proved to be shallow. There was no substance, he didn't speak on the corruption of Rafale and Vyapam, Chhattisgarh PDS scam, Chinese encroachment in Doklam and other areas or atmosphere of hatred created in the nation," Randeep Surjewala said.

"He should have spoken the truth in his last speech. Mann ki baat nahi kar paate, kam se kam desh ke kaam ki baat to kar paate kyunki ab acche din to aaye nahi ab is desh ko sacche din ka intezar hai aur wo tab aaenge jab Modi ji desh se jaaenge (There's no hope left for Acchhe din, people are now waiting for Sacchhe din and it will come only after PM Modi goes)," he added.

PM Modi, earlier in the day, addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort. This was his fifth speech since the NDA government came to power in 2014. Beside speaking at length on a wide range of issues, he also made some key announcements.

PM Modi said his government had the courage to take "bold decisions", like MSP for farmers and GST, putting India on a new trajectory, unlike the previous regime that he alleged had suffered from indecisiveness. He started his speech with how his government had been working for the upliftment of Dalits and backward sections.

The PM further said institutions and economic scientists across the world used to refer India as a "risky economy but today the same institutions and the same individuals are saying with confidence that reforms have given India a new momentum and strong fundamentals".New Delhi: With the nation gearing up to celebrate its 72nd independence on August 15, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to launch Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) on Wednesday. The full roll-out of the world's largest government-funded public health insurance scheme is expected to be announced from September 25 onwards.

The announcement is expected to come during PM Modi's Independence Day speech at Delhi's Red Fort.

Ayushman Bharat, also referred to as 'Modicare', is the national healthcare policy launched by the Government of India in February this year. The ambitious healthcare policy promises to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country and a beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospitals across the country.

The scheme is entitlement based, with the entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) database. The beneficiaries can avail the facilities in both public as well as empanelled private healthcare centres.

(With inputs from agencies)New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation from Red Fort on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day. This was his fifth Independence Day speech since the NDA government came to power in 2014.

Heavy security arrangements, including NSG snipers, elite SWAT commandos and thousands of security personnel were deployed around the Red Fort, ahead of his speech. More than 500 CCTV cameras and kite catchers were also stationed to ensure safety.

During the speech, the Prime Minister covered various aspects including Jan Arogya Abhiyan, Jammu and Kashmir, honest taxpayers and northeast states.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's Independence Day speech:

* The Constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly, PM Modi said.

* He announced India will send a person into space using indigenous spacecraft before 2022. Isro had tested a pad abort system in June. It is a system to help astronauts escape in an emergency.

* India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space: PM

* With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing exceptional reforms in the agriculture sector. Our aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022: PM Modi

* Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the WHO has praised it. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat: PM

* Prime Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched this year on 25 September, which is the birth anniversary of Deendayal Upadhyay. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get proper access to good quality and affordable healthcare, PM Modi said while addressing the nation.

* We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme, no one can take the law into their hands: PM

* The honest Indian taxpayer has a big role in the progress of the country. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM Modi

* Women officers who joined armed forces under short service commission eligible for a permanent commission like their male counterparts: PM Modi

* The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. I promise the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them: PM

* We will move forward in Jammu and Kashmir by embracing people, not by bullet: PM Modi

* Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace. From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation: PM ModiNEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government had the courage to take "bold decisions", like MSP for farmers and GST, putting India on a new trajectory, unlike the previous regime that he alleged had suffered from indecisiveness. He started his speech with how his government had been working for the upliftment of Dalits and backward sections. PM Modi also announced several new schemes and promised several first missions for the country.

In his fifth and last Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort ahead of the next Lok Sabha election, the PM said institutions and economic scientists across the world used to refer India as a "risky economy but today the same institutions and the same individuals are saying with confidence that reforms have given India a new momentum and strong fundamentals".

Read: Highlights of PM Narendra Modi speech

Targeting the Congress-led UPA but without naming it, PM Modi said if his government had worked with the speed followed in 2013, it would have taken a century in making India open defecation free or electrifying every part or even providing LPG connection to every woman.

The Prime Minister spoke on several issues:

ECONOMY: Indians today across the globe are feeling proud as the country has become the sixth largest economy in the world, he said. While decisions have been held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like the GST are being taken now, he said. "The world was worried earlier about India as it saw the country among the fragile five, now it looks at us with hope," he said.

"The world earlier viewed India as a country hit by policy paralysis, delayed reforms, now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination," he said, adding that his government also took the bold measure of announcing the minimum support price for grains at 1.5 times the cost to farmers.

SPACE MISSION: PM Modi announced a manned mission to space by 2022. "In space technology, we have dreamt something, our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission. We will put an Indian in space by 2022 or earlier," he said.

He said India was proud of its scientists, who were excelling in their research and were at the forefront of innovation. "Our scientists have made us proud. They launched over 100 satellites... They successfully completed the Mars mission."

HEALTHCARE SCHEME: PM Narendra Modi announced that his government will launch an ambitious healthcare scheme on September 25 this year which will benefit 50 crore citizens of the country. He said the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (Ayushman Bharat) will be launched on September 25 on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. "The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians," he said.

"It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare."

The ambitious Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families. The scheme aims to target poor, deprived rural families and identified the occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, as per the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data, and will cover around 50 crore people.

INCIDENTS OF RAPE: PM Modi said the narrow mentality towards women has to end and justice must prevail. "We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. In Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast track court. People should know this. Rule of law is supreme and no one can take the law in their hands," he said.

HOUSING: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he wanted to provide a quality life for all Indians, which includes housing, electricity, water and other amenities. "Housing for all, power for all, water for all, LPG for all, toilet for all, skill for all, health for all, insurance for all, connectivity for all. Malnutrition is a big problem. I want to provide quality life to my people."

JAMMU AND KASHMIR: PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday said Kashmir's problems can be resolved only by embracing its people, not with bullets or abuses. He said his government was following the teachings of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Atalji called for `insaniyat` (humanity), `Kashmiriat` (eclectic Kashmiri culture) and `jamhooriyat` (democracy). I also said that the issues in Kashmir can be resolved by embracing the people of Kashmir."

PM Modi said his government was committed for the all-round development of all sections and regions in Jammu and Kashmir, the country`s only Muslim-majority state. He said Jammu and Kashmir, now under Governor`s Rule, would hold the much-awaited Panchayat and local body elections. He did not say when.NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is known for doing unexpected things in order to please his supporters and fans, yet again broke the security cordon to meet and shake hands with school children at the historic Red Fort on Wednesday.

According to reports, after delivering his fifth speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi stepped out of his car to meet the school children.

Defying the security protocols, PM Modi went straight to the crowd to meet and shake hands with the school children who were anxiously waiting for him.

Like every year, hundreds of school children, dressed in the tricolour attire, had gathered outside the Red Fort for the Independence Day celebrations.

A number of them surrounded the Prime Minister's car, prompting him to step out to meet them.

PM Modi was spotted shaking hands with some of the students and waving at others.

He was also seen talking to a few of them.

The PM earlier addressed the nation from the Red Fort during which he listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a "fragile and risky" economy to being the fastest in the world.

Prior to 2014, he said, India was likened to policy paralysis and delayed reforms.

PM also assured that India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Besides launching a major health care initiative, the PM also announced a manned space mission by 2022.The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas Your choice for flooring in Central Texas! Your flooring is more than just the surface you walk on  it's an integral part of your home. With over 35 years of flooring experience, The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas has the resources and knowledA 12th century Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago was returned to India on Wednesday by the UK's Metropolitan Police as part of a ceremony in London to mark India's Independence Day.

The bronze statue with silver inlay is one of the 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in Nalanda and changed several hands over the years before surfacing at a London auction.

Once the dealer and the owner were made aware the sculpture was the same one that had been stolen from India, the Metropolitan Police said they cooperated with the Met's Art and Antiques Unit and agreed for the piece to be returned to India.

The statue was identified at a trade fair in March this year by Lynda Albertson of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA) and Vijay Kumar from the India Pride Project, who then alerted the police.

Scotland Yard returned the stolen statue to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Y K Sinha, as part of the ceremony to mark Independence Day at India House in London on Wednesday.

"I am delighted to return this piece of history. This is an excellent example of the results that can come with close cooperation between law enforcement, trade and scholars," said Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Stewart, who was accompanied by officials from the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the handover ceremony.

"Although this was stolen over 50 years ago, this did not prevent the piece being recognised and the credit must go to the eagle eye informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years," she said.

Sinha described the return of the "priceless Buddha" as a "wonderful gesture" and a particular honour given his own roots in Bihar.

"I hope it will now go back to where it originally belongs... On our Independence Day, it (return of the statue) highlights the multi-faceted cooperation between our two countries," he said, after a Tricolour-hoisting ceremony to mark India's 72nd Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in London.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes of the Met's Art and Antique Unit said that it had been established that there was no criminality by the current owner or the dealer who had been offering the stolen statue for sale.

"Indeed, from the outset they have cooperated fully with the police to resolve this matter and they have made the decision to return the sculpture via the police," Hayes said.

"We are delighted to be able to facilitate the return of this important piece of cultural heritage to India," she added.

The Art and Antiques Unit was founded 50 years ago and is one of the oldest specialist units in the Metropolitan Police Service. The unit prides itself on a "long history of reuniting owners with their stolen property".

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: "As we celebrate India's Independence Day, I am proud to highlight the latest example of the UK's cultural diplomacy in action. Thanks to the work of the Metropolitan Police's Arts and Antiques Unit, we are one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues stolen from Nalanda nearly 60 years ago.

"This underlines how law enforcement and the London art market are working hand in hand to deliver positive cultural diplomacy to the world."New Delhi: On the occasion on country's 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in the national capital during which he reiterated his government's unwavering commitment to the take the nation to the newer heights.

The PM, who spoke on a wide range of issues and made several key announcements, delivered nearly 82-minute long speech. This was the Prime Minister's third longest speech in the last five years.

This was also his last Independence Day address ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.

In his speech, the PM spoke at length about the progress India has made under his government and asserted that its rise is being hailed by the world.

PM Modi had last year delivered his shortest Independence Day speech.

Having made a record of delivering the longest Independence Day speech - 94 minutes  in 2016, PM limited his speech at 57 minutes in 2017.

In 2016, he had spoken for 96 minutes - the longest ever Independence Day address by an Indian Prime Minister.

PM Modi spoke for over 65 minutes in 2014 and 86 minutes in 2015

Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh, who delivered 10 speeches during his long tenure at the helm, stuck to the 50-minute mark in his Independence Day speeches.

While he delivered speeches that lasted 50 minutes only on two occasions - 2005 and 2006 - during the remaining eight years, his speech ranged from 32 to 45 minutes.

Modi's party colleague and the first BJP prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke for about 30-35 minutes in his Independence Day addresses.

On August 2002, he delivered a speech that lasted 25 minutes, while in 2003 he gave a 30-minute address from the historic 17th-century Mughal monument.

India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke for about 72 minutes in 1947, which was till 2015 the longest ever speech by an Indian leader from the Red Fort.

Interestingly, in his radio address ''Mann Ki Baat'' last year, PM Modi said that he had received letters from people complaining that his Independence Day speeches were "a little too long" and promised to make a shorter speech.

(With PTI inputs)Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he is honoured to be a part of "The President's Bodyguard", a documentary on one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army.

The documentary, produced by National Geographic, is directed by Robin Roy. It tells the story of the President's Bodyguard, the oldest surviving mounted unit and one of the senior most regiments of the Indian Army.

The regiment, which has a 245-year-old legacy, is made up of almost 200 soldiers and represents supreme and selfless service.

"I am honoured to have been a part of a story and a legacy of over 245 years that truly deserves to be heard," Big B tweeted on Tuesday night.

"A story that deserves to be heard by the whole nation... The president has seen it already. Will you?" he added.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday watched a special screening of the documentary at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the release of 72 prisoners from different jails to mark the country's 72nd Independence Day.

These prisoners, who have been convicted for various crimes, are poor and have been serving the extra term for not being able to deposit fines imposed by courts, an official told IANS.

The fines have been arranged to be paid by social service groups, clubs and trusts after which the procedure for their release was initiated.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted the people on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day.

"Independence Day greetings to the people of India. Jai Hind!" Modi said in a tweet.

PM Modi earlier reached Raj Ghat and paid floral tribute to the 'Father of the Nation' Mahatma Gandhi.

PM Modi later reached Red Fort and unfurl the national flag at the Red Fort to mark the Independence Day.

This was his fifth speech at the 17th-century monument since he became the Prime Minister.

During his Independence Day speech, PM Modi spoke on a wide range of issues and announced major sops.Open source

Ukrtatnafta company, the operational management of which carries out management associated with the "Privat" group, appealed to the Ministry of Economy with a request to conduct a special investigation of imported petroleum products, as well as establish on its basis quotas for imports of gasoline and diesel fuel. Representatives of Ukrtatnafta, which owns the only private refinery in Ukraine, located in Kremenchug, are confident that thanks to the protectionist measures they will be able to increase the market share and additionally earn 31 million USD from an increase in capacity utilization. However, greenhouse conditions can help start non-operating enterprises, primarily Odesa Refinery, on the basis of which the state enterprise was recently created, and it is managed by the State Property Fund. Experts are sure that ordinary Ukrainians will pay for the fuel monopoly: the implementation of the proposals formulated by Ukrtatnafta may lead to the increase in gasoline prices from 0,11 to 0,14 USD per liter.

Ukrtatnafta (56% of which belongs to private investors  Igor Kolomoysky, Gennady Bogolyubov, Olexandr Yaroslavsky, and another 43% re-owned by Naftogaz) reported that it has sent an application to the Ministry of Economy to initiate and conduct a special investigation into imports into Ukraine of certain refined products. 112.ua has got a copy of the document, from which the details of the offer became known. It follows that the company asks the Interdepartmental Commission for International Trade to conduct a special investigation into the import of petroleum products to Ukraine and establish on its basis a quota for importing petroleum products for 3 years.

Since May 1, 2018, Ukrtatnafta proposed to set a quota for the supply of motor gasoline, produced in Belarus and Russia, in the equivalent amount 50% of the Ukrainian gasoline market, which corresponds to 90 thousand tons per month. As for the gasoline produced in other countries, the quota is set at 30% of the Ukrainian gasoline market - 55 thousand tons per month. Since July 1, 2018, Ukrtatnafta suggests reducing quotas for the supply of gasoline from Belarus and Russia to a volume equivalent to 40% of the Ukrainian market - 75 thousand tons produced in other countries - up to 30% of the Ukrainian market, namely 55 thousand tons per month. From October 1, 2018, the quota for gasoline from Belarus and Russia will be set at 30% of the market (55 thousand tons), as for the other countries it will amount to 30% (55 thousand tons per month).

Ukrtatnafta also proposes to establish a quota regime for diesel fuel. Since May 1, no more than 50% of the market should be allocated for Russian and Belarusian diesel fuel (250 thousand tons per month), for the diesel produced in other countries  up to 30% of the market (150 thousand tons). Since July 1 quotas for Russia and Belarus are reduced to 200 thousand tons per month, and from the other countries, this figure remains 150 thousand tons per month.

Ukrtatnafta suggests charging a duty from the volume of supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel exceeding the size of quotas. It offers 29.3% of the customs value of the goods and 30.7% of the customs value for diesel fuel.

Ukrtatnafta indicates that the share of the Kremenchug refinery, which it manages, is more than 50%in the total volume of gasoline production in Ukraine, on the basis of which the company can be considered a national commodity producer. 640,6 thousand out of 785,4 thousand tons of gasoline produced in Ukraine are accounted for the Ukrtatnafta production. 520.2 thousand out of 626.5 thousand tons of diesel fuel were produced by this company. Another 144,800 tons of gasoline and 106,300 tons of diesel fuel were produced by the Shebelynsky GPP (gas processing plant), which is managed by the state-owned company Ukrhazdobuvannia.

It should be noted that the market share of the Kremenchug plant, according to Ukrtatnafta, has been declining in recent years. In the period 2014-2016, the market share of Ukrtatnafta, according to its own data, declined from 28.4% to 19.9% (in comparison with 2005-2007).

Ukrtatnafta blames imported auto fuel and assures those restrictions will allow to radically improve the situation.

Ukrtatnafta wants to solve its problems at the expense of the state quotas so that from the autumn of this year there would be at least 40% of Ukrainian fuel on the market.

Experts and market participants say that Ukrtatnafta has problems with the sale of its products, but they have nothing to do with imports. "In fact, the reasons for Ukrtatnaftas anxiety are much more obvious than it seems after reading the statement. They cannot sell their gasoline and blame it on imports. In fact, reducing the gasoline market by more than 30% over the past four years is problematic. Some people have switched to liquefied gas, others reduced consumption, the territories are lost... At the same time, Ukrtatnafta has no problems with the selling diesel fuel as this is a really popular product," Serhiy Kuiun, director of Consulting Group A-95, noted.

On the rights of anonymity, several traders told 112.ua that the problems of Ukrtatnafta are connected with the fact that the company does not work enough to formulate a flexible marketing policy, it does not offer favorable terms for the wholesalers  so it does not use a deferred payment system.

The offer of Ukrtatnafta is not new. "Over recent years, they have repeatedly suggested introducing the duties. Instead of building a system for marketing their fuel, they solve problems with the help of corruption innovations in the legislation," Olexandr Melnychuk, director of the strategic marketing department of TM" BRSM-Nafta," notes.

Ukrtatnafta claims that the biggest threat to the domestic producer is the supply of motor fuel from Belarus and Russia. "This trend was especially vivid in 2014-2016, when the share of supplies from the two countries increased due to other traditional suppliers of gasoline, in particular, Lithuania, Poland, and other countries," the company claims in its statement. According to Ukrtatnafta, Belarus had the largest share in the volume of imported gasoline supplies in 2005-2016, while Russia accounted for only 2.2% (21.6% of supplies falls on Lithuania, 8.2% - on Poland). According to Ukrtatnafta, Belarus and the Russian Federation were the main suppliers in the volume of import of diesel fuel in 2005-2016. The share of Belarus supplies accounted for 43.73%, Russian - 36.41%.

Against the backdrop of the introduction of protectionist measures, which Ukrtatnafta is seeking, Privat can be in a double win. Protectionist measures are beneficial to Ukrtatnafta, but the production capacity of the state Shebelynsky gas processing plant (controlled by Ukrgazvydobuvannia) is almost exhausted, Sapegin says: "Further increase in the volume of gas condensate processing without reconstruction and increasing the capacity of the plant is impossible."

In addition to the Kremenchug refinery, the Privat group has the most powerful oil terminal in Odesa. Sergei Kuiun states: "If we simulate the situation according to the scenario outlined in the appeal to the Ministry of Economy, Ukrtatnafta can take 100% of the gasoline market and 50% of the diesel fuel market."

The company recalled that "last year the operating enterprises of the domestic oil refining industry - the Kremenchug refinery (Ukrtatnafta) and the Shebelynsky gas processing plant (Ukrgazvydobuvannia) - have completely switched to producing Euro-5 ecological class products." At the same time, "the expected changes in the market did not happen. And without the state support, domestic enterprises cannot fulfill strategic tasks and eliminate dependence on energy supplies from Russia."

Read the original text at 112.ua.According to the intelligence, three occupants were eliminated, seven - injured

Open source

Over the past 24 hours, on August 14, the militants attacked at the Joint Forces positions 46 times in Donbas, as a result of what one Ukrainian soldier died and three got injured, as the JFO HQ reported on Facebook.

The enemy opened fire 46 times at the positions of our troops including ten times from Minsk-banned weapons, the message says.

The militants used grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms and infantry fighting vehicles in some sectors. Russian occupants also used 152-mm artillery and 122-mm mortars.

The attacks were performed at the defenders of Krymske, Troitske, Zolote, Svitlodarsk, Mayorsk, Zaitsevo, Krasnohorivka, Opytne, Marinka, Pisky, Novotroitske, Chermaluk, Hnutove, Lebedynske, Pavlopil, Vodyane and Shyrokyne.

Moreover, the enemy fired at the defenders of Krymske from 152-mm artillery and from 122-mm artillery at the defenders of Hnutove, Vodyane and Shyrokyne.

As a result of the battle actions, one Ukrainian defender died, three were wounded, the HQ reported.

Since midnight the Russian occupation troops opened fire at our positions near Novozvanivka and Marinka.

Ukraine news on 112.internationalOpen source

The command of the Russian occupation forces increased the number of Russian intelligence officers in the Donbas. Colonel Dmitry Hutsulyak from the press-center of Ukraines Defense Ministry said this at the briefing.

"According to the intelligence headquarters of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the command of Russian occupation forces increased the number of Russian reconnaissance officers involved in the preparation of intelligence-diversion groups in 1st and 2nd units of Russian Armed Forces," he said.

Ukrainian intelligence says this is due to the decrease in effectiveness of militants reconnaissance units and increase in intelligence losses.

"In this regard, about 20 intelligence officers of the Russian Armed Forces have begun a thorough study of the situation and conducted a reconnaissance of the area in frontline positions of the Russian occupation troops," Hutsulyak said.

Engineer units of militants, at the request of the Russian intelligence, increased the number of main and emergency passages for sabotage and reconnaissance groups in areas of mine barriers.

As it was reported earlier, the command of Joint Forces Operation ordered to increase the combat readiness of the reactive artillery.

It is noted that crews of combat vehicles are ready to carry out tasks for their intended purpose.

BM-27 Uragan - a missile launch system of 220 mm caliber. Combat and transport vehicle is based on the renewed chassis of the ZIL-135LM truck. The number of shells in the salvo of one combat vehicle: 16 pieces. The time of a salvo from one combat vehicle is 20 seconds.The tranche will be provided if Ukraine manages to reach an agreement with IMF

Open source

Ukraine might receive another tranche from IMF in autumn, as Oleg Chury, Deputy Chairman of NBU, predicted on air of Radio NV.

If IMFs mission is positive, if Ukraine manages to reach an agreement with IMF, we will get a positive decision of the board in autumn and, I think, Ukraine will receive a tranche in autumn, he said.

Chury thinks that the appointment of the boards date highly likely means that the decision on Ukraine will be positive.

According to NBU Deputy Chairman, though IMF mission to Ukraine will be technical, its arrival in Ukraine means the process begins.

As he said, the questions on fulfilled obligations will be discussed as well.

At the beginning of summer, Yakiv Smoly, NBU Head, predicted that Ukraine might receive the fifth tranche from IMF in autumn.

Earlier, ex-Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danylyuk stated that he did not doubt that Ukraine would receive another IMF tranche having stressed that we have to do that in June.Unilateral actions against Turkey by the United States will undermine American interests and force Turkey to look for other friends and allies.

ANKARA, Turkey  For the past six decades, Turkey and the United States have been strategic partners and NATO allies. Our two countries stood shoulder to shoulder against common challenges during the Cold War and in its aftermath.

Over the years, Turkey rushed to Americas help whenever necessary. Our military servicemen and servicewomen shed blood together in Korea. In 1962, the Kennedy administration was able to get the Soviets to remove missiles from Cuba by removing Jupiter missiles from Italy and Turkey. In the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, when Washington counted on its friends and allies to strike back against evil, we sent our troops to Afghanistan to help accomplish the NATO mission there.

Yet the United States has repeatedly and consistently failed to understand and respect the Turkish peoples concerns. And in recent years, our partnership has been tested by disagreements. Unfortunately, our efforts to reverse this dangerous trend proved futile. Unless the United States starts respecting Turkeys sovereignty and proves that it understands the dangers that our nation faces, our partnership could be in jeopardy.

On July 15, 2016, Turkey came under attack by members of a shadowy group led by Fethullah Gulen, who leads his organization, officially described by my government as Fethullah Terrorist Organization, from a compound in rural Pennsylvania. The Gulenists tried to stage a bloody coup against my government. On that night, millions of ordinary citizens rushed to the streets out of a sense of patriotism, similar to what the American people undoubtedly experienced after Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 attacks.

Two hundred and fifty one innocent people, including Erol Olcok, my longtime campaign manager and dear friend, and his son, Abdullah Tayyip Olcok, paid the ultimate price for our nations freedom. Had the death squad, which came after me and my family, been successful, I would have joined them.

The Turkish people expected the United States to unequivocally condemn the attack and express solidarity with Turkeys elected leadership. It did not. The United States reaction was far from satisfactory. Instead of siding with Turkish democracy, United States officials cautiously called for stability and peace and continuity within Turkey. To make matters worse, there has been no progress regarding Turkeys request for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen under a bilateral treaty.

Another source of frustration relates to the partnership between the United States and the P.Y.D./Y.P.G., the Syrian branch of the P.K.K., an armed group that is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Turkish citizens since 1984 and that is designated a terrorist group by the United States. According to estimates by the Turkish authorities, Washington used 5,000 trucks and 2,000 cargo planes to deliver weapons to the P.Y.D./Y.P.G in recent years.

My government has repeatedly shared our concerns with American officials about their decision to train and equip the P.K.K.s allies in Syria. Unfortunately, our words have fallen on deaf ears, and American weapons ended up being used to target civilians and members of our security forces in Syria, Iraq and Turkey.

In recent weeks, the United States has taken a series of steps to escalate tensions with Turkey, citing the arrest by the Turkish police of an American citizen, Andrew Brunson, on charges of aiding a terrorist organization. Instead of respecting the judicial process, as I urged President Trump to do in our many meetings and conversations, the United States issued blatant threats against a friendly nation and proceeded to impose sanctions on several members of my cabinet. This decision was unacceptable, irrational and ultimately detrimental to our longstanding friendship.

To convey that Turkey does not respond to threats, we retaliated by sanctioning multiple American officials. Moving forward, we will abide by the same principle: Attempting to force my government to intervene in the judicial process is not in line with our Constitution or our shared democratic values.

Turkey has established time and again that it will take care of its own business if the United States refuses to listen. In the 1970s, the Turkish government stepped in to prevent massacres of ethnic Turks by the Greek Cypriots despite Washingtons objections. More recently, Washingtons failure to grasp the seriousness of our concerns regarding national security threats emanating from Northern Syria resulted in two military incursions that cut off the so-called Islamic States access to NATOs borders and removed the Y.P.G. militants from the city of Afrin. As in those cases, we will take necessary steps to protect our national interests.

At a time when evil continues to lurk around the world, unilateral actions against Turkey by the United States, our ally of decades, will only serve to undermine American interests and security. Before it is too late, Washington must give up the misguided notion that our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has alternatives. Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require us to start looking for new friends and allies.

Read the original text here.After all the conflicts that have taken place in recent years in relations between Ukraine and Russia, the topic of who "feeds" whom is quite popular in the Ukrainian and Russian media. As it is not difficult to guess, the Russian media write that Russia has been feeding" Ukraine all these twenty-seven years, and in the Ukrainian media everything is the opposite. Who is right? Let's look at the figures and facts.



There are data from the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine on the export-import of Ukraine and Russia, since 1996. These calculations are conducted in US dollars and show how many products Ukraine sold to Russia and how much it bought in Russia. During the period from 1996 to 2017, Ukraine sold goods to Russia for $ 253 billion, and bought goods in Russia worth $ 378 billion. It turns out that Ukraine paid Russia $ 124 billion more than it received from Russia. It turns out that Ukraine "fed" Russia.



But what about the myth about the "cheap gas" that Russia supplied to Ukraine? This is really a myth. Until 2006, Russia really supplied gas to Ukraine at a low price, but then on the world market natural gas prices were low too. But when the price of oil in the world increased, as well as gas prices, Russia began to supply natural gas to Ukraine at very high price. Russia has never sold gas to Ukraine at below-cost prices. Therefore, all these conversations in the Russian media about "Russia's losses of $ 200 billion from cheap gas to Ukraine" is an ordinary fake. All is just the opposite. Ukraine largely subsidized and financed the Russian economy. And now it continues to do this. For the first half of 2018, Ukraine sold to Russia goods worth $ 1.8 billion, and bought goods in Russia worth $ 3.8 billion. Thus, we can say that Ukraine subsidized the Russian economy this year at $ 2 billion. And this is despite all the anti-Russian hysteria in Ukraine.



It is clear that Russia is offended that the subsidy of its economy at the expense of Ukraine has decreased. If the level of Ukraine-Russia trade turnover for the period 2014-2017 would have been at the level of 2013, then Ukraine would additionally receive export revenues from the supply of goods to Russia -$ 38 billion. This is the loss of Ukraine's exports from the severance of trade relations with Russia. At the same time, Russia lost $ 60 billion from the break of trade relations with Ukraine. This is the amount the import of goods from Russia to Ukraine decreased.



The question arises: where does Ukraine find the currency to subsidize the Russian economy? Partly from the sale of metal and grain to the countries of Asia and Africa. Our trade with Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, India is always surplus. In this situation, these countries are subsidizing Ukraine at the expense of buying Ukrainian goods. But this currency amount is small, and therefore it is necessary to spend currency on the purchase of goods from Russia at the expense of the currency that entered Ukraine in the form of foreign investments, foreign loans and guest workers money. But this solves the problem partially. There have been several precedents when Ukraine had to hastily borrow money from foreign companies and organizations in order to pay for imported gas bought in Russia, which was considered "very cheap." Therefore, when they say that the Ukrainian authorities have many foreign debts, this is really true. Because part of these debts, since the days of president Kuchma, were used to pay for the import of Russian gas.



Lets draw a conclusion. Ukraine should trade with Russia, and not only with Russia. The economy of Ukraine needs natural gas, oil and oil products, and they can be bought in Russia, or you can buy Russian gas through the EU, and Russian gasoline through Belarus. In any case, for Ukraine it is currently difficult to achieve a surplus in foreign trade with Russia. We can only partially reduce the deficit, by increasing exports from Ukraine to Russia. But Russia does not really want it, and Volodymyr Groysman's government helps Russia to close the Russian market for Ukrainian goods. Therefore, the decline in exports from Ukraine to Russia in recent years is a mutual "merit" of the leadership of Russia and Ukraine.



Is it possible to restore normal trade relations with Russia? Everything is possible, but so far unlikely. And it is clear that it is necessary not only to restore the foreign trade of Ukraine and Russia, but also to make it more profitable for Ukraine, so that subsidizing the Russian economy at the expense of Ukraine would be minimal. Foreign trade should be mutually beneficial, but now and before it was more profitable for Russian side. This is the picture of our foreign trade in the talk about "who feeds whom".



P.S. Just for your information. During the entire period of Ukraine's existence, investments from Russia into the Ukrainian economy amounted to $ 4.5 billion. But, most likely, soon they will be stopped, as the policy of the Ukrainian government towards Russian investors is very aggressive.

Read original article at 112.uaHe wanted to return to the territory controlled by Ukraine on the SBU program "You are wanted at home"

In Luhansk region, the relatives of the pro-Russian militant called the police and reported that he wants to return to Ukraine as the Luhansk Police reported on Facebook.

According to them, a militant attempted to return to the territory controlled by Ukraine on the SBU program "You are wanted at home".

The police along with the SBU workers helped the man to pass the grey zone and met a 40-years-old citizen of Donetsk region near the demarcation line.

"The man said that in December 2014, due to the difficult material situation and "thanking" to the Russian propaganda he entered one of the detachments of the so-called "People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic" in Alchevsk. During the service a man was a security of the storages and the detachment," the message said.

He added that in May 2015, after the constant arguments with the command, he moved to Donetsk where he still was a part of "the command unit" of the local criminal formations. He guarded the parts of the unit and moved as a member of the patrol for the check of other detachments of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The man left the service due to the health problems but after the treatment he returned to the service and entered the so-called "internal forces of the DPR.

'During the service the man disappointed in the ideas of the militants and when he understood that he serves in the illegal armed formation, he decided to left the criminal formations and return to the territory controlled by Ukraine," the police added.

Now the criminal proceeding due to the creation of the military or armed formations not provided by the law is opened. The court will decide a destiny of the man.

Earlier an armed militant targeted the OSCE patrol from the AK-47 at the western suburb of Smile village uncontrolled by Ukraine.It will be the first public demonstration of Antonov An-178 in Ukraine at this level event

Transport aircraft Antonov An-178 with the carrying capacity of 18 tons will be presented as a novelty of the Ukrainian defense industry complex at the military parade in Kyiv on the occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day. Interfax-Ukraine reports this with a reference to the source in the defense sector.

It is planned to present a brand new transport aircraft An-178 at the military parade in Kyiv on the occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day, the source reported.

It will be the first public demonstration of Antonov An-178 in Ukraine at this level event

An-178 have been demonstrated only to specialists in Ukraine. Ukrainians will see the new transport aircraft for the first time at the military parade, was noted.

Previously, Antonov An-178 was successfully demonstrated at the leading professional platforms: International Aerospace Exhibitions Le Bourget-2015 (France) and Farnborough-2018 (Great Britain) and became one of the main events.

Traffic in Kyiv will be limited due to the rehearsal of the parade dedicated to the Independence Day.1.2 thousand illegal migrants were identified for two weeks, most of them are deported. Sergiy Yarovyi, Deputy Minister of Ukrainian MIA claimed this during exercise, the press office of the MIA reports.

1 thousand 167 illegal migrants were identified during two weeks. A decision on their urgent deportation from Ukraine was provided, Yarovyi noted.

According to Yarovyi, the illegal migration issue threats the State security.

The results of preventive refinement Mihrant show that the problem with the illegals is very serious in the State. The massive influx of illegal migrants reached a critical level, and soon it will threat the State security, the Deputy Minister of the MIA stressed.

As Natalia Naumenko, Head of the Department for Foreigners and Stateless Persons of the State Migration Service noted that the trend of the illegal migration is not expected to be diminished. This is why the Institution is developing an emergency plan in the case of the massive influx of illegal migrants to Ukraine.

At the same time, Serhiy Knyazev, Head of the National Police assured that the rights of the illegal migrants wouldnt be violated. He also claimed that the Police would be involved in the patrol of the state border area to prevent the illegal migration.

The Principal Deputy of the Chairman of the State Border Service Vasyl Servatyuk claimed that the Russian side violates the international agreements on readmission since they do not receive illegal migrants coming from their country.

In terms of the exercises, which took place at the Chernihiv point of temporary residence of foreigners and stateless persons who are illegally staying on the territory of Ukraine, the law enforcement worked out scenarios of riots and revolts of migrants like hostage-taking, arson, and detection of an explosive device at the temporary residence of migrants.The funds are planned to be allocated for the settlements damaged by the Russian aggression

The Lithuanian Government is planning to allocate one million euros to support Ukraine in 2019. Chairman of Donetsk Regional Military-Civil Administration Oleksandr Kuts claimed this on Facebook after the meeting with Lithuanian Ambassador Marius Janukonis.

He noted that the decision is yet adopted. Lithuania wants to send money to support the settlements damaged by the Russian armed aggression.

We have discussed a list of objects in need of funding: schools, water supply systems, checkpoints. The Lithuanian Government will make the final decision on where send the money to, Kuts added.

Earlier it was reported that the USAID was going to allocate $125 million for the development of economies in Donbas.The building of repeating TV tower initiated in Donetsk region. The tower to cover the territory of the area including the occupied part with Ukrainian TV channels. Oleksandr Kuts, Head of the regional Military-Civil Administration claimed this on Facebook.

The building is held on the territory subordinate Selydove City Administration.

The area is yet prepared for the building. Currently, they are doing the groundwork for poles, and soon, they will get to the assembly of the supporting structure. According to Petro Semerei, Director General of the Broadcasting, Radio Communication, and Television Concern, according to the plan, the works have to be completed by the end of November, Kuts said.

Earlier, the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine issued new permissions for temporary broadcasting under a simplified procedure in temporarily uncontrolled territories in Donetsk region and in Crimea.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law on the introduction of amendments into several Ukrainian laws considering the temporary permits for broadcasting in JFO zone and at Ukrainian border areas.According to the First Vice-Speaker of Ukraines Parliament, Sentsov does not have to ask for pardon personally

Iryna Gerashchenko, First Vice-Speaker of Ukraines Parliament, wrote on Facebook that Sentsov does not have to ask for pardon personally  it is not an obligatory condition.

Savchenko did not ask for pardon! Cynicism, but the relatives of Russian journalists murdered in Donbas asked to pardon her, complete strangers. And it worked because it was the Kremlins scenario. The absence of a personal petition did not keep Putin from pardoning her, Gerashchenko reminded.

She added that neither Akhtem Chiygoz nor Ilmi Umerov wrote any appeals for pardon.

The statement is connected with the fact that yesterday Sentsovs mother received a letter from the Russian President Administration which says that Sentsov has to appeal to Putin personally to be pardoned.

As is known, the native of Crimea, film director and political activist, Sentsov has been serving time in the Russian penal colony in Labytnangi since May 2014. This spring, he announced a hunger strike, demanding to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, illegally held by the Kremlin.

Oleg Sentsov was illegally detained in Crimea in 2014, then taken to Russia. They judged him and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment at a high-security penal colony. The prosecutors charged Sentsov with preparing terrorist acts in the occupied Crimea. Sentsov denies his guilt. Ukraine's government, common citizens and the international society - politicians, artists, public figures - urge the Kremlin to release him.

Sentsov enjoys the wide support of the many in Ukraine and abroad. Rallies, where participants urge to release him, are held worldwide - in Ukraine, Russia, the EU and the U.S.Since the beginning of JFO, the illegal armed formations shelled the checkpoint three times

JFO will demand closing Maiorske checkpoint due to the constant shelling of the militants. The press office of JFO claimed on Facebook.

Horlivka-Bakhmut road corridors remain one the main humanitarian roads in Donetsk region, which are used by 250 thousand people every month fleeing difficult social-economic situation on the territory of Ukraine, reads the message.

The HQ claimed that the militants shelled the checkpoint three times since the beginning of JFO. The latest shelling took place on August 9, 2018.

About 6:30 a.m. the militants used small arms and anti-tank missiles against Maiorske checkpoint, which maintains the operation of the road corridor, the press office claimed.

During this shelling, except for servicemen, civilians appeared to be in the kill zone crossing the contact line in both directions. As a result of the shelling, the infrastructure and defense stores were damaged.

The JFO claimed that if the prevocational actions with a threat of life and health of the civilians and the staff who implement their activity at the checkpoint continue then the HQ will demand the closing of the checkpoint

Commander of JFO will be compelled to address the trilateral contact group concerning the closing of the checkpoint in accordance with non-compliance with Russian-occupation forces agreement on the ceasefire regime, the HQ claimed.The leader of the brotherhood nicknamed Yatsyk was arrested in Zhytomyr for organizing contract murder in early August

Police conducted searches of the members of White Brotherhood who were distributing drugs throughout Ukraine in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, as Vyacheslav Abroskin, First Deputy Chairman of the National Police, reported on his Facebook page.

The police officers visited the brigades with searches and rank-and-file members of a criminal gang White Brotherhood which focuses on production and distribution of drugs throughout the state, the message says.

Additionally, Abroskin stated that the leader of the brotherhood nicknamed Yatsyk was arrested in Zhytomyr for organizing contract murder in early August.

Yatsyks favorite words during any detention: Draw any figure you like and youll have everything. But it didnt work, he wrote.It is noted that crews of combat vehicles are ready to carry out tasks for their intended purpose

Open source

The command of Joint Forces Operation ordered to increase the combat readiness of the reactive artillery. This was announced by the press center of the JFO headquarters on Facebook page.

"Under the order of the United Force Commander, Lieutenant-General Serhiy Nayev, measures are being taken to increase the readiness and coherence of jet artillery units, in particular, Uragan. During field training, the combat unit took fire positions, shelled the targets and retreated from the fire positions," the message said.

It is noted that crews of combat vehicles are ready to carry out tasks for their intended purpose.

BM-27 Uragan - a missile launch system of 220 mm caliber. Combat and transport vehicle is based on the renewed chassis of the ZIL-135LM truck. Number of shells in the salvo of one combat vehicle: 16 pieces. The time of a salvo from one combat vehicle is 20 seconds.

The system is designed to destroy various plane targets: open and hidden living force; unarmed, light armored and armored vehicles for motorized and tank units; artillery units; tactical missiles; anti-aircraft complexes.

As it was reported earlier, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister, and Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraines Foreign Minister, discussed the peacekeeping mission in Donbas on the phone. It was noted that Germany will continue investing efforts into searching of the ways to solve the conflict in Ukraine.Open source

John Bolton, National Security Advisor of the United States, will visit the parade dedicated to the Independence Day in Ukraine, a Ukraines Embassy in the US reported on Facebook.

Sarah Sanders, White House Press Secretary, announced that National Security Advisor of the United States John Bolton is to visit Ukraine, the message says.

The visit will take place next week. Within the visit, Bolton will meet with Ukraines authorities and high officials.

On August 24, a military parade dedicated to the 27th anniversary of Ukraines independence and the 100th anniversary of Ukraines nationhood will be carried out in Kyiv on Independence Square. 4,500 military servicemen and 250 units of equipment will take part in the parade.Courtesy of the UNM Art Museum

Alibi: Why is it vital to have a museum on-campus?

Khan: University art museums can do things that larger municipal or private museums cannot. What kinds of things? More intellectually risk-taking exhibitions; real engagement of students in creative and meaningful ways that have the potential to nurture life-long lovers and supporters of the arts; meaningful involvement of faculty across disciplines, that can lead to a broader understanding and appreciation of the key importance of art and visual culture in civilizations and cultures throughout human history; and new ways of thinking about collections, experimentation with new media in partnership with related university disciplines and resources, and the building of important collections in new areas not yet recognized by larger museums.

How does the museum aim to inspire and improve the lives of students and other Albuquerque residents?

Campus museums, not just art museums, provide a space where the community can engage with the university. They are one of the few places where students, faculty, alums and the public can all gather. We hope our exhibitions and collections spark conversations not only in art and art history courses, but across disciplines and departments, too.

What kind of things do you have coming up this school year at the museum? Anything that you personally are very excited about?

What Im really excited about it is the variety in our exhibitions and programs this year. We are making a long term decision to highlight our amazing permanent collection of over 30,000 objects with HINDSIGHT/INSIGHT [opening Aug. 24]. Over the next few years well be rotating those artworks in our largest gallery and engaging our audience with the museums history of collecting. We hope that this exploration of our history informs the directions we take the museum in the future. ... Flight is an installation by local artist Sheri Crider that examines connections between empathy, personal transformation, mass incarceration and migration. ... Finally, we are proud to represent New Mexico by participating in the national For Freedoms  50 States Initiative which is described as the largest creative collaboration in US history. Faculty and students ... will create diverse programming and educational opportunities focused on a range of topics exploring art, politics, freedom and civic discourse leading up to the mid-term elections this November.

What do you learn by working in such an environment everyday?

Where to begin! Our staff is always discovering hidden treasures in our collection. Besides the objects themselves, I love learning about the stories behind how they ended up in the museums collection. I enjoy learning about the impact that the museum has had on peoples lives. I have met many alums and Albuquerque community members who have shared stories about the museum and the positive impact its had on them. It is a pleasure having so many UNM students work at the museum and their feedback on our exhibits and programs is key in how we want to engage students across campus. Due to these informal conversations with students we have decided to start a student council for the museum so we can ensure that student voices are always present.Rob M.

Can you believe that at one time I actually enjoyed writing about US Attorney General Jeff Sessions? It's true, dear reader. Too true. Those milky eyes, that permanent scowl, the hunched shoulders bearing the weight of a morality beyond the ken of mortal manall ripe for comedy. But then I realized that most of the country already hates the old codger, and making fun of him was like shooting hippies in a barrel (his favorite pastime, from the rumors I've heard).

Now I see his weirdly terrified smirk on his weirdly pinched face, and the words stop on their way to the keyboard. I can't stand to think about him anymore. I'd rather be fishing, I think, or have my kneecaps broken with rebar.

A few weeks ago the Great Beast Sessions told those gathered at a press conference in Boston that states have a right to set their own laws and will do so, but added in the same breath, and we will follow the federal laws. He was asked about the recent legalization of cannabis in Massachusetts and whether the Department of Justice plans on respecting their state law. We'll enforce the federal law, he answered. The federal law remains the law in the United States.

But despite the words, it's starting to feel like Sessions knows he's going to lose. You can hear it in his speech and see it in the curve of his spine. But he's planning to scare the shit out of the industry before he goes down. It's the least he can do in his righteous battle against el Diablo.

Watching the 45-second YouTube clip of his address to the Boston press is a study in crestfallen nervousness. Gone are the condescending smiles and incredulous barks we saw and heard in his salad days. In their placea grave frown and an exhausted mumble.

I know I'm cursed with an insatiable optimism, but Sessions doesn't really worry me anymore. Someone should give him a hug and tell him he's been forgiven.

CA Company Introduces THC Breathalyzer

One of the biggest problems faced by states legalizing cannabis is determining whether drivers are operating vehicles under the influence. Testing for cannabis impairment has proven tricky since THC can stay in your system for weeks or months after the effects have fadeduntil now, supposedly.

Hound Labs has developed the worlds first marijuana and alcohol breathalyzer, called the Hound Breathalyzer. The device can reportedly produce results in minutes and can detect if a person has used cannabis in the previous two hours. Levels of THC are more difficult to detect in the breath than alcohol. To battle this, the breathalyzer has been designed to detect THC levels in parts per trillion. The company claims it has conducted hundreds of tests with the device and it delivers better information than results from oral fluid, blood or urine tests.

Problems arise when it comes to just how much THC is an impairing amount, though. Different states have different regulations on this matter, and unfortunately the breathalyzer can't detect the concentration of THC, just its presence.

The good news is the California Legislature is funding a study to determine how THC levels affect one's ability to drive. Researchers will have participants smoke different amounts of cannabis or a placebo and then test them in driving simulations. Researchers expect to learn how impaired a driver is at different levels and how long the impairment lasts. The study should be published in the spring of 2019.

FDA-Approved CBD-Based Medicine Cost Revealed

In June, the Food and Drug Administration blew everyone's minds by approving Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical-grade version of CBD oil, designed to treat two types of childhood epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome (but doctors will be able to prescribe it for other issues).

Although the mechanism behind CBD's effects on epilepsy is still unclear, the FDA said it reduces seizures when combined with other epilepsy drugs. Side effects associated with Epidiolex include diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and restlessness.

Last week, Business Insider reported that the drug's maker, British-based GW Pharmaceuticals, told investors Epidiolex would cost roughly $32,500 per year. Chief Executive Justin Gover told the Wall Street Journal that the price was set in line with similar brand name orphan drugs (which treat rare diseases) used to treat epilepsy. Out-of-pocket costs for patients could reportedly cost up to $200 a month on some private insurance plans. Uninsured patients may be able to receive the drug for free.

The company is waiting on the DEA to assign it a controlled-substance classification before they'll release it in the US market. That decision is expected to be made by late September. How descheduling or rescheduling CBD will affect the legal status of cannabis-derived CBD products is still unclear. Rather than fully legalizing, the DEA has the option of moving it to Schedule II or Schedule IIImaking it legal as pharmaceutical, and not as an over-the-counter drug.Bringing together more than 65 knowledgeable experts in American Indian art and thousands of select historic art objects from indigenous cultures throughout the US and Canada.

The Antique American Indian Art Show Santa Fe, the most anticipated show and sale of historic Indian art of the summer season, returns August 14-17, 2018. It brings together more than 65 of the worlds most knowledgeable experts in American Indian art, and thousands of select historic art objects from indigenous cultures throughout the United States and Canada. Now in its fifth year, it is the largest show of its kind in the world. Set in Santa Fe, the Southwest heartland of American Indian art and culture, the Antique American Indian Art Show follows the citys centuries-old tradition of trade in Native art, offering authentic, original, high-quality examples by Southwestern pueblos and tribes. At the same time, the show reaches far beyond the Southwest to represent the cultural and geographical diversity of indigenous peoples throughout the U.S. and Canada. From the Navajo Nation to the Great Plains to the Eastern Woodlands and Northwest Coast, the shows selection of indigenous artworks is unparalleled. The four-day event will take place Tuesday through Friday at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe in the Santa Fe Railyard. The festivities kick off on Tuesday evening, August 14, with an opening party from 6 to 9 PM to benefit KNME New Mexico PBS. The show continues from 11 a.m. to 5 PM. Wednesday through Friday, August 15-17. Admission includes a special viewing of Germantown Weaving: First Modern Art -1870-1900. A stunning group of Navajo Germantown weavings, this extraordinary collection is one of the largest and rarest in the world. The exhibition will include a variety of brilliantly colored, meticulously designed weavings made from 1870 to 1900. Puchase tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/objects-of-art-shows-1268462515PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Reel World Popcorn and Frybread The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (2401 12th Street NW) presents a special movie screening of Holt Hamiltons Native American mockumentary More Than Frybread on Thursday, Aug. 16. You can catch it under the stars in the mural-lined IPCC courtyard starting at 8:30pm. The filmstarring Tatanka Means, Greg Fernandez and May Kim Titlafollows the inter-tribal chaos that erupts when representatives from Navajo, Tohono Oodham, Yavapai-Apache, Hopi and Hualapai nations gather in Flagstaff to compete in the first State of Arizona frybread cooking competition. Appropriately enough, frybread is available for sale in the courtyard during the screening. This is a fundraising event benefitting the 2018 Pueblo Film Fest, hitting the Cultural Center this Nov. 16 through 18. A $5 suggested donation gets you in the door. For more info go to indianpueblo.org. View in Alibi calendar

Jounalism in the Spotlight The New Mexico Humanities Councils film/discussion series Fake News: Journalism Goes to Hollywood returns Sunday, Aug. 19 to the KiMo Theatre (423 Central Ave. NW). This month the film screening will be 2015s Spotlight. The Academy Award-nominated film tells the true life story of Boston Globe investigative journalists who reported on cases of widespread and systemic child abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. In 2003 the Spotlight reporters earned The Globe a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. The film features an ensemble cast, including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Stanley Tucci. Following the film there will be an on-stage panel discussion about the state of modern journalism involving Alibi film editor Devin D. OLeary (thats me), award-winning journalist Erin Berkovitch, state editor for the Albuquerque Journal Bruce Daniels and UNMs department chair in Communication & Journalism David Weiss. Sponsored in conjunction with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Pulitzer Prizes, Journalism Goes to Hollywood is part of the Democracy and the Informed Citizen initiative. The initiative is aimed at deepening the publics knowledge and appreciation of the interconnections joining democracy, the humanities, journalism and an informed citizenry. The screening starts at 2pm. Admission is free. View in Alibi calendarIt was back in 2016 that University of New Mexico students (now alumni) Sara Collins and Gus Pedrotty proposed the construction of a taproom on the Albuquerque campus. After years of hard work and gaining approval from university higher-ups, their vision is finally becoming a reality. The UNM Taproom began construction earlier this summer, and is set to open in mid-September. It will serve beers from several local breweries as well as a small food menu. The taproom will share kitchen space with Wise Pies, its neighbor in the SUB food court.

It started with a conference that we went to at Colorado State [University], says Collins, who graduated from UNM in May. They've got a taproom in their student union building. And it is a thriving community.

Collins and Pedrotty took this kernel of an idea and ran with it. They wanted to have a space on campus where students and staff could gather for less formal events, meetings and social gatherings. But their proposal to put a taproom on campus wasnt met with open arms at first.

When we started the project I wasnt even 21. We knew we would be thought of as just some college kids who wanted to drink, says Collins. In a lot of those meetings we took, people were ready to laugh us out of their office. But the students were soon taken seriously after they demonstrated how much research and legwork they were willing to do to get this project off the ground. The amount of presentations and meetings we did to make this happen should be standard. Its really proved that grassroots efforts can accomplish things on a tight timescale, and that the university does listen, says Pedrotty.

UNM is really trying to cultivate this Live, Work, Play on campus thing, says Pedrotty, who sees the taproom as a great opportunity to get students more involved in campus life. They hope to have poets, comedians and musicians perform in the space, and even to encourage visiting scholars to give shortened, casual versions of their academic lectures in the taproom. It could be a great way for students with full-time jobs to engage with academics on their own schedules.

The layout of the taproom is based on a design from a UNM architecture student, whose whole class presented potential designs for the taproom as their final projects. While the taproom wont have any brewing equipment, Pedrotty hopes that there could be some partnership with CNMs new Brewing and Beverage Management department in the future. The two alumni have put in their work on this project, and now its up to current students to dictate what kind of force the taproom will be in the UNM community.

Collins admits that theres some bitter irony in the fact that she and Pedrotty are no longer students at UNM when the taproom is finally opening, but she says, We always knew it wouldnt open before we graduate. And were fine with that.

Both alumni hope that the taproom will be an example to future students of just how much students can create change with grassroots efforts. Its such a testament to students being the voice of the university, says Collins.PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Newscity Judge: N.M. Failed Students Last month a state judge ruled that New Mexico's school finance system was unconstitutional and failed to provide enough funds to schools. Education Week reports State District Judge Sarah Singleton ruled that the state doesn't pay teachers enough, is not providing up-to-date learning materials and has not incentivized teaching in poorly performing schools. Failing to meet these needs violates the state constitution, which insures a uniform system of free public schools sufficient for the education of the state's children. The case involved a lawsuit filed against the state by a number of plaintiffs represented by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. The suit claimed that a lack of oversight has created hurdles for the state's studentsespecially low-income students. Judge Singleton ordered the governor and Legislature to establish a system that meets constitutional requirements by April 15, 2019. The state is expected to appeal the ruling.

Teacher Shortage Hits APS Albuquerque Public Schools faced hundreds of teacher vacancies as schools opened their doors for the first time this year. According to the job postings page on the APS website, the school district was still looking for more than 500 new employees to fill vacanciesincluding nearly 300 positions for teacherson the first day of school. Over 160 of those positions were for special education teachers. The district is apparently not alone in this crisis. The US is currently suffering from an educator shortage as teacher protests sparked across the nation this year and the number of people pursuing education majors in higher education reach record lows. Albuquerque school officials have said that the empty teaching positions will be filled by substitute teachers until more permanent solutions are found. Classes will be evaluated after the first 20 days and restructured if needed.1. Yes. It makes me wonder why Killeen is having the problem and other cities arent.

2. Yes. The city also had water issues after the winter storm, so this is rather troubling.

3. No. Its good that the city is dealing with the problem and playing it safe with consumers.

4. No. Its more of an annoyance than a concern. The city will take the necessary steps.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say until more information about the issue becomes available.

Vote

View ResultsRecent political events raise an issue that usually remains dormant until a President is about to leave office, namely pardons. Many political watchers fear President Trumps pardon authority, perhaps for good reason. However, their analysis of the pardon power is normative. They argue that there are proper uses for the pardon power and Trumps usage and potential usage are not it. Reasonable people can disagree about the wisdom of pardons and the circumstances when they should be granted. Critiques of the pardon power have become commonplace when Presidents inevitably pardon people in the waning days of their Administration for apparent political reasons. This article unearths the origins of Presidential pardons. It asks and answers why President George Washington pardoned the people he pardoned.Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Kentucky

The pertinent portion of Kentucky's postconviction DNA testing statute, Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann.  422.285(5)(d), provides that the court shall order postconviction DNA testing if, inter alia,

Except for a petitioner sentenced to death, the petitioner was convicted of the offense after a trial or after entering an Alford plea....

So, where does that leave pleading defendants?

As Kentucky's statute makes clear, most defendants who pleaded guilty cannot get postconviction DNA testing. The only exceptions are: (1) defendants given death sentences; and (2) defendants who entered Alford pleas. The Court of Appeals of Kentucky applied Kentucky's prohibition to prevent Russell Milburn from seeking DNA testing. See Milburn v. Commonwealth, No. 2013-CA-000417-MR, 2016 WL 1069124 (Ky. App. Mar. 18, 2016). Pursuant to a plea agreement, Milburn pleaded guilty to rape in the third degree and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. Milburn later sought DNA testing, claiming that he was coerced into entering a plea because the Commonwealth offered to dismiss a bail jumping charge that would have led to a property bond foreclosure on a family home. The Court of Appeals of Kentucky denied Milburn relief, finding that his valid guilty plea to a non-capital offense precluded him from seeking DNA testing.

-CM

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/evidenceprof/2018/08/kentucky-the-pertinent-portion-of-kentuckys-postconviction-dna-testing-statute-ky-rev-stat-ann-4222855d-provide.htmlWednesday, August 15, 2018

Anne Yeager has the story on the web page of the Ohio Supreme Court

Following the unanimous recommendations of a 16-member task force appointed by Chief Justice Maureen OConnor to study the Ohio bar exam, the Ohio Supreme Court announced today that it will join with more than 30 states and U.S. territories and begin using the National Conference of Bar Examiners Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) beginning in July 2020. Under the Ohio Constitution, admission to the practice of law and regulation of the bar falls within the Courts exclusive authority. The Courts decision was unanimous.

This is a monumental and hugely beneficial change for Ohio and the Ohio Bar, said Chief Justice OConnor. There are obviously some details we will be ironing out. But I am very pleased that all 16 members of the task force and my colleagues recognized the need to update and modernize our approach to the bar exam by taking advantage of the portable nature of UBE scores, she said.

Many metropolitan areas in the United States now span multiple states boundaries. Increasingly lawyers in Ohio have clients in other states, states along our borders and even across the nation. Our admissions systems have to recognize the growing demand that attorneys be admitted in multiple states without imposing monumental costs on young lawyers seeking to practice across state lines, Chief Justice OConnor noted. We must recognize the challenges that a very mobile society present to us without discarding our responsibility to regulate the Ohio bar to the benefit of Ohios citizens, she concluded.

Once implemented, the UBE will enable lawyers in other UBE states to transfer their exam scores to Ohio without sitting for another bar exam. Ohio lawyers passing the UBE here will be able to transfer their passing scores to other UBE states as well. D. Benjamin Barros, chair of the task force and Dean at the University of Toledos College of Law, said the task force was charged with evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of implementing the UBE as an alternative to the current Ohio bar exam in light of the fact that an increasing number of states and territories have moved to adopt the UBE.

Verna Williams, Interim Dean at the University of Cincinnatis College of Law, who served as vice-chair of the task force noted that, the UBE also means that Ohios law schools will remain competitive with the majority of states that have now adopted the UBE. Williams noted, It provides Ohio graduates with greater opportunities to practice law in other parts of the nation without the huge costs and time incurred when sitting for multiple bar exams.

Although UBE scores are transferable, each UBE state retains authority to set the acceptable UBE passing score and candidates character and fitness qualifications. Having a passing UBE score in one state does not automatically mean a person is admitted to the Ohio bar, Gina Palmer, Director of Attorney Services at the Supreme Court, noted. What it does mean is that qualified applicants from other UBE states can be admitted to Ohio without having to take another bar exam, provided they meet the Courts passing standards and comply with all other requisites, including character and fitness requirements.

Ohio will recognize acceptable UBE scores from other UBE states for five years post-examination. After that period, an attorney from another state would have to seek admission to the Ohio bar on motion to the Supreme Court.

The UBE is a two-day test comprised of three components prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Ohio was already using two of the three components of the UBE, the Multistate Bar Exam and the Multistate Performance Test. Ohio will now use the Multistate Essay Exam in place of the Ohio essay questions.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/08/ohio-goes-ube.htmlDan Trevas reports on a bar discipline matter before the Ohio Supreme Court

A Cincinnati attorney who provided legal assistance to a client while under suspension received a second indefinite suspension from the Ohio Supreme Court today.

The Supreme Court unanimously agreed to sanction Elizabeth Ford not only for giving legal advice while under suspension, but also for repeatedly failing to follow through with her clients domestic relations matters and refusing to cooperate with disciplinary proceedings. However, the Court was divided on the appropriate penalties to impose.

The Court majority agreed with a joint recommendation from Ford and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel to place Ford on a second indefinite suspension to run concurrently with an indefinite suspension levied in March 2020 for similar professional misconduct.

Justices Sharon L. Kennedy, R. Patrick DeWine, Michael P. Donnelly, Melody J. Stewart, and Jennifer Brunner joined the per curiam opinion imposing the concurrent indefinite suspension.

Chief Justice Maureen OConnor stated she would permanently disbar Ford.

In a separate opinion, Justice Patrick F. Fischer agreed with the Board of Professional Conducts recommendation that Fords new suspension should run consecutively to her current indefinite suspension.

Lawyer Advises Client While Suspended

Todays suspension is now the third Ford is serving. In November 2019, she was suspended for failing to register as a practicing attorney for the 2019-2021 biennium. At that time, the disciplinary counsel had already filed a complaint against her for violating several of the rules governing the ethical behavior of Ohio lawyers.

In March 2020, the Court indefinitely suspended her for professional misconduct that included dishonesty, failing to reasonably communicate with clients in four matters, and failing to cooperate with disciplinary investigations. Both the 2019 and 2020 suspensions are in effect.

Prior to her suspension, Jeffrey Streckfuss hired Ford in 2018 to assist him in reinstating his parenting time, which had been stopped for failing to comply with court orders to complete medical and mental-health assessments. In July 2019, Ford filed a motion in domestic relations court to have Streckfuss parenting time reinstated, and the motion indicated Streckfuss had completed the required assessments.

Ford did not take any other action on Streckfuss case.

The domestic relations court scheduled a December 2019 hearing on Streckfuss motion and a request by his ex-wife to hold Streckfuss in contempt for failing to comply with court orders. At that time, Ford was suspended from practicing law, and she failed to notify the court of her suspension or withdraw from Streckfuss case.

The night before the hearing, Ford sent Streckfuss a text message informing him of her suspension and that she was out of state because of a death in the family. In the text, she advised him to attend the hearing on his own and how to request reinstatement of his parenting time.

With respect to the contempt motion, she advised Streckfuss to request more time and to blame her for the delay. She told him to notify the court that she was no longer involved with his case. She then told Streckfuss she could strategize with him when she returned.

Streckfuss appeared at the hearing before a magistrate, who denied his request to reinstate the parenting time, stating neither he nor Ford presented any evidence that he completed the health assessments. Streckfuss sent Ford several messages seeking copies of his completed assessments, but she did not respond to his messages.

The magistrate discovered Fords license was suspended and filed a grievance with the disciplinary counsel. Ford failed to respond to a request from the disciplinary counsel to submit written responses to the grievance and failed to appear for a deposition.

Based on her actions in Streckfuss case, the professional conduct board found Ford violated several rules, including failing to act with reasonable diligence on a clients matter and giving legal advice to Streckfuss while under suspension.

Attorney Ignores Disciplinary Investigations

In September 2020, the disciplinary counsel submitted another complaint to the board, stating that along with the violations Ford committed while representing Streckfuss, she committed more violations before and during her November 2019 suspension.

In June 2019, Mary Goldfuss hired Ford to file an emergency custody action. Ford accepted an advance fee from Goldfuss. Goldfuss sent two unanswered texts to Ford, and then heard from Ford in mid-August. Ford implied she had filed the custody action, but she had not. Goldfuss was unable to contact Ford again and sent a certified letter seeking a refund.

Goldfuss filed a grievance, and Ford again ignored requests by the disciplinary counsel to respond in writing and did not appear at a scheduled deposition. Eight months after Goldfuss fired Ford, the lawyer refunded Goldfuss her money.

In May 2019, Walter Monroe paid Ford $3,000 to represent him in a divorce proceeding, but agreed with Ford not to file for divorce immediately. In December 2019, Monroe sent Ford a text requesting she file the divorce. She did not respond. Monroe discovered Ford had been suspended and requested the return of his divorce paperwork and his money, but she failed to do so.

Monroe filed a grievance, and Ford did not immediately cooperate in the disciplinary investigation.

Supreme Court Considered Sanction

The Court noted that Ford freely cooperated with the disciplinary investigation once the disciplinary counsel filed its complaint with the board.

The board noted that except for advising a client while under suspension, her violations were like the ones that led to her March 2020 indefinite suspension. While the presumed sanction for an attorney practicing while under suspension is disbarment, the board found her actions were not so egregious as to warrant disbarment. The board recommended a second indefinite suspension to run consecutively to the 2020 suspension, along with other conditions the board believed would be sufficient to protect the public.

The Courts opinion noted that an indefinite suspension is appropriate for attorneys who continue to practice law after their licenses have been suspended for registration or continuing legal education violations. The Court also noted that in cases where an attorneys misconduct occurs over essentially the same period as the prior misconduct, it may be appropriate to impose a second indefinite suspension that runs concurrent to the first. The Court imposed Fords second indefinite suspension to run concurrently with the first.

To be reinstated, Ford is required to submit proof she paid Monroe $3,000 in restitution; undergo an evaluation by the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program; comply with any treatment or counseling recommendations resulting from the evaluation; and obtain a written opinion from a qualified healthcare professional that she can return to the competent, ethical, and professional practice of law. The Court also required her to pay for the disciplinary proceedings.

Concurring and Dissenting Opinion Seeks Tougher Sanction

In his opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part from the majority, Justice Fischer noted that Fords misconduct did not occur over essentially the same period as the prior misconduct, but instead represented a continuing pattern of misconduct.

He noted the violations involved in her March 2020 suspension occurred while representing clients between 2016 and 2018. He wrote the matters leading to this suspension happened between 2018 and 2020.

Fords misconduct was very serious, Justice Fischer stated, noting that she ignored her clients who had time-sensitive cases and lied to those clients about the status of their cases, all while wrongfully keeping some funds paid for services that she never rendered. He stated that running the indefinite suspensions consecutively is the appropriate sanction.

2021-0441. Disciplinary Counsel v. Ford, Slip Opinion No. 2021-Ohio-3661.

(Mike Frisch)

October 21, 2021 in Bar Discipline & Process | Permalink | Comments (0)Hunter L. Clark and Thomas Klitgaard

Chinas population is only growing at a 0.5 percent annual rate, its working-age cohort (ages 15 to 64) is shrinking, and the share of the population that is 65 and over is rising rapidly. Together, these trends will act as a significant restraint on the countrys economic growth. Nonetheless, there are reasons to conclude that growth will remain relatively strong going forward, most notably because the ongoing shift from rural to urban jobs will continue to boost labor productivity for some time to come.

China Has Cashed In on an Enormous Demographic Dividend

Demographics have played a major role in Chinas economic dynamism of recent decades, with the countrys GDP growth averaging 10 percent per year from 1979 to 2010. Before this transformational boom period, China population was growing rapidly and the government, over the course of the 1970s, adopted various family planning policies that culminated in the one child policy in 1979. These policies contributed to a subsequent decline in the fertility rate, which fell from a bit over six children per woman in 1969 to just under two by 1990.

The resultant population dynamics led to a large swing in the ratio of the working-age population to the dependent population (those under 15 and above 64). As illustrated in the chart below, that ratio surged from 1.2 in 1966, when Chinas population skewed very young, to a peak of 2.8 in 2010, among the highest ever recorded, as the youth populations share of Chinas overall population shrank and the aged cohort remained stable.





Chinas economy earned a demographic dividend from having a large decrease in its child-dependent population relative to its working age population, as did the other highly successful economies of East Asia. Research suggests that these economies strong growth experiences derived to a significant degree from having unusually large working age populations, in proportional terms.

Chinas dependency ratio, though, is now set for a steady decline; a United Nations projection traces a slide from 2.5 in 2017 to 2.1 in 2030 and 1.5 in 2050. Specifically, the working-age population is shrinking while the share of the population aged 65 and over is surging. Such a decline in a developing countrys working-age cohort is unusual, as reflected in the chart below. It compares the U.N. projection for Chinas working-age cohort with those for India and Indonesia, the second and third most populous developing countries, respectively. Both of those countries are expected to see their working-age populations grow at 1 percent per year over the next ten years.





The aging of the population is also pushing Chinas dependency ratio down. The share of the population that is 65 and over rose from 7 percent in 2000 to 10 percent in 2015. It is projected to surpass 17 percent by 2030. Again, the projected trends for India and Indonesia are quite different, with the 65 and over cohorts in both countries only rising from 5 percent in 2015 to 8 percent in 2030.





Will the End of the Demographic Boom Lead to a Growth Bust?

Having fewer workers supporting an ever-growing retired population will certainly be a challenge for Chinas economy. But headwinds to Chinas growth from demographics trends will likely be partially offset, as seen in Japan, by people working longer. Indeed, the country has young official retirement ages60 for men and as low as 50 for some women in factory jobsand expectations are that these will be increased for those who want to work longer.

Ultimately, the strongest growth counterbalance to the countrys demographic shift will likely be in policies aimed at supporting sustainable urbanization. As seen in the chart below, the share of Chinas population living in urban areas has increased from 36 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2017. (Note that urbanization has been driven by both the migration of people from rural areas and by the expansion of urban areas into the surrounding countryside.)





Viewed from the perspective of labor supply, a continued population migration to urban areas will support growth because the countrys labor productivity is boosted when workers switch to urban jobs that are typically much more capital intensive than rural/agricultural jobs. Indeed, this shift from rural to urban employment explains how China has devoted, on average, 40 percent of its GDP to physical investment spending over the past thirty years. Even though Chinas investment rate peaked in 2011 and is now gradually declining as its economy rebalances toward consumption, urbanization should support relatively high investment rates and productivity growth going forward.

The consensus that Chinas trend growth will stabilize at somewhat below 6 percent over the medium term implies a substantial continued increase in output per capita given that the population is set to increase by only 0.3 percent per year over the next five years. Such an outlook rests on a reasonable assumption that the gains from urbanization are far from complete.

Demographic Trends Also Represent a Fiscal Challenge

Strong growth will help China deal with the strains of population aging on its fiscal resources and social safety net. In particular, the safety net is now modestly funded, with government spending highly skewed toward investment spending and social safety net spending less than half the average level among developed countries. Part of the problem is that the countrys highly decentralized fiscal structure puts about 85 percent of government spending responsibilities on local governments, which often have limited revenue sources.

The rapid aging of Chinas population will put greater pressure on the authorities to meet the demographic transformation with a mix of higher taxes and a shift from investment spending to social spending. Managing this fiscal adjustment will be part of the countrys overall challenge of sustaining high per capita growth in a government-driven economic system.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this post are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors.



Thomas Klitgaard is a vice president in the Banks Research and Statistics Group.



How to cite this blog post:



Hunter L. Clark and Thomas Klitgaard, Will Demographic Headwinds Hobble Chinas Economy?, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics (blog), August 15, 2018,

http://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2018/08/will-demographic-headwinds-hobble-chinas-economy.html.El canciller @NestorPopolizio se reune con su par de Japon, Taro Kono (@konotaromp), quien realiza una visita oficial al Peru para profundizar la Asociacion Estrategica e impulsar iniciativas especificas en materia de cooperacion, comercio e inversion. pic.twitter.com/l3Fmvw5BtIUsername: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average

1

2

3

4

5

Investigative Journalist Jen Moore was found dead in a suburban Washington D.C. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 451759

08-15-2018 07:25 AM











Post: #1 Investigative Journalist Jen Moore was found dead in a suburban Washington D.C.

Advertisement



Moore died of an apparent seizure. Police are closely investigating the cause of death after former FBI Agent Robyn Gritz, a friend of Moores, made inquiries with homicide detectives Monday afternoon in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Preliminary reports from police said the death was not the result of suicide.



Moores body was found by employees at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Washington, D.C. East  in Capitol Heights, Maryland. The investigation is ongoing. An autopsy had not been scheduled as of late Monday.



Moore, an advocate who investigated abused and trafficked children, had been in the process of investigating allegations by a 26-year-old man that  as a young boy  he was sexually assaulted by Bill Clinton and pimped out at private sex parties attended by other D.C. elites.



https://truepundit.com/investigative-jou...aping-boy/







Moore had approached True Pundits Thomas Paine in June with the allegations against Clinton. Paine conducted a series of face-to-face interviews with Moore and the alleged victim in various locales. By July, the victim agreed to tell his story to Paine. But Moore and the traumatized victim wanted to contact Homeland Security and the FBI first to see if they would open a criminal case against Clinton prior to publicizing the claims.



Jen thought that with a criminal probe, federal agents could use the victim possibly to dangle in front of Clinton to see if he made a mistake or tried to pay him off, Paine said. She was worried about the safety of the victim and was working to find him safe harbor until this story broke.



Now she is the one who turned up dead.





She was also at the Manafort Trial on 8/8/18



Investigative Journalist Jen Moore was found dead in a suburban Washington D.C. hotel room Monday, according to police and shocked and distraught friends and colleagues.Moore died of an apparent seizure. Police are closely investigating the cause of death after former FBI Agent Robyn Gritz, a friend of Moores, made inquiries with homicide detectives Monday afternoon in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Preliminary reports from police said the death was not the result of suicide.Moores body was found by employees at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Washington, D.C. East  in Capitol Heights, Maryland. The investigation is ongoing. An autopsy had not been scheduled as of late Monday. https://twitter.com/LaofVa/status/1029145491219599360 [/Hide]Moore had approached True Pundits Thomas Paine in June with the allegations against Clinton. Paine conducted a series of face-to-face interviews with Moore and the alleged victim in various locales. By July, the victim agreed to tell his story to Paine. But Moore and the traumatized victim wanted to contact Homeland Security and the FBI first to see if they would open a criminal case against Clinton prior to publicizing the claims.Jen thought that with a criminal probe, federal agents could use the victim possibly to dangle in front of Clinton to see if he made a mistake or tried to pay him off, Paine said. She was worried about the safety of the victim and was working to find him safe harbor until this story broke.Now she is the one who turned up dead.She was also at the Manafort Trial on 8/8/18 https://www.bit chute.com/video/MHzgfljUXGXD/ LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 451759

08-15-2018 07:36 AM











Post: #2 RE: Investigative Journalist Jen Moore was found dead in a suburban Washington D.C.











This was when everyone found out. MONDAY











https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvfPnUm2f30 This was her channel https://www.bit chute.com/video/MHzgfljUXGXD/This was when everyone found out. MONDAY















Legal Aid Departs

"We should be where our clients are," says Bob Gillett.

by James Leonard

From the August, 2018 issue

Starting this month, they will be. Gillett directs the Michigan Advocacy Program, parent of Legal Services of South Central Michigan. "Legal Aid," as most locals call it, owns a historic brick building on the corner of Kingsley and Fourth and rents additional space in the City Center Building. In August, it's leaving both for the long-vacant Smith Furniture building in Ypsilanti. The move will more than double its space to 23,000 square feet; they'll occupy as much as they need and rent out the rest.



Gillett has headed the nonprofit since 1983. "We started as a legal aid field program," he says. After a series of mergers, they now serve fifteen counties, with additional offices in Monroe, Jackson, Battle Creek, and Lansing. They've also "added a statewide farmworker program and a whole bunch of statewide advocacy programs," he says, including the Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project, the Michigan Poverty Law Program, and the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.



The Immigrant Rights Center recently handled a case involving a minor who illegally crossed the southern border and was sent to foster care in Michigan. Recalls Gillett, "The kid is mildly delayed, and he's riding his bicycle on the freeway and gets stopped by the police and panics--and tried to run away, like a sixteen-year-old who doesn't speak the language and is afraid of what the police might do.



"They arrest him and put him in detention for deportation back to Guatemala. He's a mildly mentally retarded sixteen-year-old in an adult deportation facility in Calhoun County, and what kind of [expletive] country does that?"



The same kind that pays Gillett and his crew to get the kid out, is the answer. An immigration specialist arranged to have him bonded out and returned to the foster care facility. "The lawyer sent a picture of him walking out of jail with her yesterday!



"There's a heartwarming story every day," says Gillette, a U-M law grad who's devoted his career to legal aid. More

...continued below...

than 12,000 people received help from MAP last year, says attorney Charles Borgsdorf, a longtime board member."You get as much justice as you're able to pay for," Borgsdorf adds. "Businesses and people with means can be plaintiffs and can defend themselves, but if you don't have means, you don't have a lawyer--and you're almost certain to lose."Ellen Rabinowitz, health officer at Washtenaw County Public Health, calls MAP "a tremendous community resource"--and not just for their own clients. "They brought a class action suit against the county because it didn't provide hospitalization for medically indigent individuals," she points out. "They won, and the county started funding, and so did other counties. That had a real impact throughout the state."MAP also helped start Avalon Housing. Former director Carol McCabe says they're "hugely important" to Avalon clients, "helping them resolve all sorts of legal matters."But the program can't help everyone. "The Legal Services Corporation says 86 percent of the legal needs of low-income people are unmet," Gillett says. "We do a lot better, but still the unmet need is 50 percent here."The LSC's federal funding is a favorite conservative target--this year, President Trump wanted to zero it out. Congress increased it instead--"there's a lot of bipartisan support for legal services," Gillett says--but MAP is less dependent on the LSC than most legal services groups. Thanks to grants, donations, and generous pro bono support from local law firms, only about a quarter of its budget comes from the feds.Still, federal rules dictate priorities. "The bulk of our cases are evictions and foreclosures, domestic violence prevention, getting someone on Medicaid, getting someone on Social Security or SSI." In family law, they prioritize domestic violence cases, but that leaves "a lot of really compelling custody cases and meritorious child support cases that we don't handle."Those needs are greater now in the eastern part of the county. "When we moved into this location in 1977, Kerrytown had just started," Gillett says. Zingerman's didn't exist, and the nearby neighborhood was still primarily African American--the building itself was once the Dunbar Center, providing services to black Ann Arborites. Now, "in terms of client volume, it's [Ypsilanti's 481] 97 and 98 zip codes, Ypsilanti Township, and the trailer parks on Michigan Avenue."MAP sold its Ann Arbor building to the O'Neal family, who own the Kerrytown Market & Shops next door. It was a "very friendly sale," Gillett says-- Andrew O'Neal was the first person to show them the Ypsi building, and O'Neal Construction is doing the renovation work.In mid July, they were on track to move by the end of the month. But Gillett will run the new office for just a few months--he's retiring at year's end. A new co-executive director, Ann Routt, is already in place, and will take over when he leaves.[Originally published in August, 2018.]YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a letter of condolences to President of Italy Sergio Mattarella on the bridge collapse in Genoa which claimed numerous human lives, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

Sharing your grief and that of the good people of Italy, I wish courage and tenacity to the relatives and families of the victims, and speedy recovery to the injured, reads the Presidents condolence letter.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The decision by the Sheki Appeal Court of Azerbaijan to conditionally release opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov after over five years in prison is a welcome step, the spokesperson of the EU External Action Service said in a statement, Interfax reported.

The European Union has been following Mr Mammadov's case very closely together with the Council of Europe. Judgements of the European Court of Human Rights are expected to be fully implemented, the statement says.

The European Union expects the unconditional release and rehabilitation of all those currently imprisoned or under restriction of movement in Azerbaijan on political grounds in line with Azerbaijan's international commitments as a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, it added.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government will allocate 120 million drams to the foreign ministry aimed at implementation of the actions for the preparation and holding of the 17th summit of La Francophonie heads of state and government, reports Armenpress.

The respective decision is included in the governments August 16 session agenda.

According to the explanation, more than 1300 rooms in nearly 40 hotels have been booked for the period of October 6-13 for the accommodation of the high-ranking delegations that will arrive in Armenia to participate in the summit from October 7 to 12.

The bookings were made in November 2017 and there was a preliminary agreement with the hotels on signing contracts and transferring prepayments. Thereafter, the Council of the Secretariat of the International Organization of La Francophonie made a decision that the aforementioned 40 hotels will be provided for the guests who will cover their accommodation costs.

The issue has been discussed with the hotels and as a result a necessity to sign a deal with the hotels and make 25% prepayment emerged in order to keep the bookings until October 1. According to the new agreement reached, the Armenian foreign ministry will cancel the rooms not booked by the guests as of October 1, and the paid advance payment for already booked rooms will be returned to the state budget.

In such situation the signing of contracts with the hotels and the transfer of the 25% prepayment is the only guarantee to properly provide the summit guests with accommodation.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The citizen, who threatened to blow up the building of the Armenian healthcare ministry, has been identified, Head of the PR and Information Department of the Police Ashot Aharonyan told Armenpress.

The citizen has been identified. The details are being clarified, he said.

On August 15, at 11:21, the citizen alerted the 911 service that he is going to explode the building of the Armenian ministry of healthcare.

The respective rescue-firefighter squads dispatched to the scene.

The employees of the healthcare ministry have been evacuated.

As a result of the respective operations nothing dangerous has been found in the building.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The session of the Permanent Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) was held in the organizations Secretariat chaired by Kazakhstan, which was attended by the permanent and plenipotentiary representatives of member states and the CSTO deputy secretary generals, Armenpress reports citing the CSTO website.

The Permanent Council has discussed the draft agenda of the joint session of the sitting of the Foreign ministers council, the Defense minister council, the Committee of secretaries of security councils and the CSTO Collective Security Council which will be held in Astana this near in November. A decision was made to continue the discussion of documents at the next session of the CSTO Permanent Council.

The session participants discussed the draft protocol on amendments to the Collective Security Treaty on May 15, 1992, as well as the draft charter of the CSTO adopted on October 7, 2002 which has been proposed by the Armenian side in connection with the coming into force the amendments of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

Based on them, the adoption of decisions on issues being discussed by the CSTO Collective Security Council is under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Prime Minister. The CSTO Secretariat has developed a draft protocol which plans to change several articles of the organizations main documents.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Ruben Sadoyan on August 15 met with Georgian minister of finance Ivane Matchavariani, the Embassy told Armenpress.

During the meeting the officials discussed a number of issues of bilateral interest.

The Armenian Ambassador congratulated the Georgian minister on appointment, expressing hope that during his tenure the cooperation between the Armenian and Georgian finance ministries, as well as the tax and customs structures will be at a high level.

The meeting also touched upon issues relating to the customs field.

Notice: Tax and customs service are under the jurisdiction of the Georgian finance ministry.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanAt least 22 children drowned on their way to school when their boat capsized in swollen waters of the Nile river north of the Sudanese capital on Wednesday, official media said. A woman on board also died when the vessel carrying more than 40 children sank about 750 kilometres (470 miles) from the capital, SUNA news agency reported. Rescue workers were sent to recover victims' bodies, according to the Sudanese civil defence and a witness. "This morning, 22 schoolchildren and one woman died when their boat sank in Bouhayra in Nile State as they travelled to school from Kneissa," SUNA reported. "The accident was caused by engine failure half-way across because of a strong current," it said. According to witness Ibrahim Hassan, at least nine children survived the ordeal. SUNA said the small boat was overloaded, carrying about 30 sacks of sweet potatoes and 10 bags of grain in addition to the children and the woman, an employee at a local hospital. Villagers in the region rely on wooden boats to cross the Nile. Another witness told AFP by telephone that the boat had been crossing the river against the current. "All the families (in the area) are in mourning," said the witness, who did not want to be named. - Closed schools - In the deadliest Nile accident of its kind in Sudan, 50 students drowned in August 2000 when their wooden barge overturned 350 kilometres southeast of Khartoum. In September 2014, 13 Sudanese drowned when a boat sank north of Khartoum. The Nile, which is nearly 6,700 kilometres long, is formed by the convergence of the White Nile, which has its source in Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile, which originates in Ethiopia's Lake Tana. The two rivers meet in Khartoum before the Nile crosses through Egypt to reach the Mediterranean. Water levels in the Nile rise every year during the rainy season in Ethiopia, and United Nations aid agencies regularly warn of floods in Sudan between July and November. Heavy rains in Khartoum on Wednesday morning flooded the capital's streets and electricity was cut in most neighbourhoods. Authorities in the capital announced the suspension of classes until the end of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha on August 25. In August 2013, floods killed 50 people, most of them in Khartoum. The floods, the most serious to hit the Sudanese capital in 25 years according to the UN, effected hundreds of thousands of people. The Nile River is seen after heavy rainfall in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in August 2016 Map locating the sinking of a boat 750 km north of Sudan's capital Khartoum Wednesday in which 22 school children drownedAn Istanbul court on Wednesday ordered the release of Amnesty International's Turkey chair who has spent more than a year in jail over alleged links to a 2016 failed coup, the rights group said. First detained in June 2017, Taner Kilic was released a few hours after the court ruling. "Ok now we can start to celebrate. Taner really is free!" Amnesty's Turkey researcher Andrew Gardner said on Twitter, sharing a picture of Kilic reuniting with his family. Kilic, who was being held in the western city of Izmir, is accused of links to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who Turkey says ordered the 2016 coup against President Tayyip Recep Erdogan. Gulen denies the accusation. "This time, #TanerKilic is actually free and at long last reunited with his family," said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International's new Secretary General. "A bittersweet moment after 14 months of unjust detention but we share their tears and their joy," he said, posting an emotional picture of Kilic's hugging his family after release. The release is set to be conditional, with the charges still standing and Kilic on trial. Kilic is one of dozens of journalists and rights activists caught up in the crackdown launched under a state of emergency after the coup, which critics say has netted not just the suspected plotters but also a wide array of opponents of Erdogan. He was arrested on June 6, 2017, on what Amnesty describes as the "baseless charge" of belonging to a terrorist organisation. Authorities accused Kilic of having an encrypted messaging application on his phone called ByLock, which Ankara claims was especially created for Gulen supporters. Amnesty has always rejected that Kilic had used Bylock on his phone and said even a report presented at his trial had acknowledged there was no evidence that he did so. In a cruel twist, an Istanbul court earlier this year ordered his conditional release but then overturned its decision within 24 hours and he has been in jail ever since. He could face up to 15 years in jail if found guilty. Kilic is on trial with 10 other rights activists, including Amnesty's Turkey director Idil Eser, who were detained on terror charges after holding a workshop on an island off Istanbul. The other 10 were all released last year although they also remain charged and on trial. Activists in Berlin staged a protest last June against the detention of Amnesty International's Turkey head, Taner KilicThe Aquarius was due to dock in Malta on Wednesday after EU countries thrashed out a deal to take in the 141 migrants onboard the rescue ship, which had yet again become stranded in the Mediterranean. The ship was set to arrive in the Maltese port of Valletta at around 1.30 pm (1130 GMT), according to a spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee, the French charity which charters the ship. The Aquarius had rescued the migrants off the coast of Libya in two separate missions last Friday, only for Italy and Malta to refuse access to their ports. The standoff was a repeat of that seen in June when the vessel was at the centre of an international diplomatic crisis. Stranded with 630 people onboard after Rome and Valletta turned it away, the Aquarius had finally been allowed to dock in Spain. On Tuesday, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain agreed to take in its latest passengers, along with 114 others who arrived in Malta on Monday. The agreement is the fifth of its kind between Western European governments since June when Italy -- until now the main landing point for rescue boats -- began turning them away. Italy's new populist government has said it has had enough of migrant arrivals, taking in 700,000 people since 2013. Far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed that the Aquarius will "never see an Italian port" again, though the Italian coast guard continues to rescue migrants. NGOs say they have a moral obligation to rescue people making the perilous crossing, who could otherwise join the estimated 1,500 killed en route this year alone. Most of the 114 people onboard the Aquarius are from Somalia or Eritrea, and many of them are unaccompanied children. burs-kjl/nla The Aquarius rescue ship was at the centre of an international diplomatic crisis in JuneShanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese Internet titan Baidu Inc will cooperate with China Speech Valley, an industrial park in East China's Anhui Province focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) development, to gradually implement such programs as Baidu autonomous vehicle and Baidu Cloud there, according to local media.

Baidu has established Baidu Cloud Service center in Shushan district of Hefei. Going forward, the center will team up with China Speech Valley in incubating AI innovation programs, said Zhang Gao, general manager of Baidu's Education Business Unit.

Autonomous driving is also a key sector in which Baidu and China Speech Valley will deeply cooperate, added Zhang.

Robin Li, chairman and CEO of Baidu, had announced at the Baidu World 2017 that Baidu and JAC Motors, a state-owned automaker headquartered in Hefei, will jointly launch autonomous vehicles in 2019. Zhang Gao disclosed that Baidu's Autonomous Driving Unit has already signed a strategic agreement with JAC Motors. Both parties are on course developing self-driving vehicles equipped with Baidu's AI technologies.

At Baidu Create 2018 on July 4, Robin Li announced that the world's first mass-produced L4 autonomous mini bus Apolong developed by Baidu Apollo in collaboration with King Long has already rolled off the production line at its manufacturing facility in Xiamen.

Reportedly, the Apolong is China's first self-driving microcirculation bus, which made its first debut at Baidu World Conference in November last year. Without steering wheel, driver's seats, accelerator and pedal, the vehicle measures 4.3 meters in length and 2 meters in width with a capacity of 14 people. The Apolong bus is driven by electric power system that allows a 100km-trip with 2-hour charging.Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 4 Vote(s) - 2 Average

1

2

3

4

5

Page: 1 2 BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 440888

08-15-2018 06:53 PM











Post: #1 BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Advertisement



Excerpt:



Since the Carr wildfires began on July 27, almost 360,000 acres of pristine California real estate have been burned to a crisp, making the inferno the largest in the states history. Despite a massive firefighting operation that has pooled resources from fifteen states and even conscripted prisoners from state correctional facilities to fight the blaze, less than twenty percent of the fire, which authorities have attributed to everything from arson to a blown tire on a tractor-trailer, has been contained as of this writing. Regardless of cause, evidence now proves that certain agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management, have intentionally exacerbated the fires rather than help extinguish them.



On August 7, regional firefighters in Redding, CA noticed shiny, metallic particulates on the ground shortly after a BLM Lockheed P2V firefighting plane dropped flame retardant chemicals on the blaze. These aircraft, commonly called airtankers or water bombers, have augmented wildfire operations for decades. They dump either water or mixture of borates and ammonium phosphates around a wildfires perimeter to contain its spread, giving ground crews time to extinguish the fire. The chemicals, however, typically dissipate on contact and do not leave metallic residue on the forest floor.



Article:

http://www.someonesbones.com/blog/blm-ex...wildfires/ Many of us suspected this. Now it's proven. It has all been written in scripture.Excerpt:Since the Carr wildfires began on July 27, almost 360,000 acres of pristine California real estate have been burned to a crisp, making the inferno the largest in the states history. Despite a massive firefighting operation that has pooled resources from fifteen states and even conscripted prisoners from state correctional facilities to fight the blaze, less than twenty percent of the fire, which authorities have attributed to everything from arson to a blown tire on a tractor-trailer, has been contained as of this writing. Regardless of cause, evidence now proves that certain agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management, have intentionally exacerbated the fires rather than help extinguish them.On August 7, regional firefighters in Redding, CA noticed shiny, metallic particulates on the ground shortly after a BLM Lockheed P2V firefighting plane dropped flame retardant chemicals on the blaze. These aircraft, commonly called airtankers or water bombers, have augmented wildfire operations for decades. They dump either water or mixture of borates and ammonium phosphates around a wildfires perimeter to contain its spread, giving ground crews time to extinguish the fire. The chemicals, however, typically dissipate on contact and do not leave metallic residue on the forest floor.Article: nli

lop guest

User ID: 456658

08-15-2018 07:09 PM











Post: #2 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

holy sh*t!

this is really bad!



thermite??? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 397453

08-15-2018 07:12 PM











Post: #3 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

That's too bad...



SYKE!







LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456886

08-15-2018 07:18 PM











Post: #4 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

I observed the P2V make a pass over the fire. Normally, when the plane drops its chemicals, there is an almost immediate stifling of the fire. In this case, the height of the flames leapt nearly fifty feet and I physically watched the blaze widen. Ive been a firefighter for fifteen years, and never before have I witnessed this. The plane was clearly dropping accelerants onto the fire, one firefighter said





A second firefighter echoed his opinion, while adding additional information.



Many of us saw the BLM planes dumping this silvery material on the fire, and we did question it. When I spoke to the chief, he said the BLM was using some sort of new chemicals to combat the fire. It made no sense. With each pass of the planes, the fire grew in size, spreading in height, width, and girth. Many of us are veterans and not stupid. We knew what was happening. Accelerants were clearly being dropped onto the fire. I very quietly had the residue indecently tested, our other source said.



According to him, he sent particulate samples to Avomeen Analytical Services, a peer-reviewed expert company in the field of chemical analysis. The results were shocking: the chemical composite contained a blend of phosphor, sulfur dioxide, solidified-turpentine, and thermite, all of which are highly combustible agents .



Were working to kill these fires, and some asshole is trying to keep them going and spreading, he said.





There you have it.... Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

08-15-2018 07:24 PM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #5 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Someone needs to be brought to justice in this. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456860

08-15-2018 07:24 PM











Post: #6 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018 06:53 PM) Many of us suspected this. Now it's proven. It has all been written in scripture.



Excerpt:



Since the Carr wildfires began on July 27, almost 360,000 acres of pristine California real estate have been burned to a crisp, making the inferno the largest in the states history. Despite a massive firefighting operation that has pooled resources from fifteen states and even conscripted prisoners from state correctional facilities to fight the blaze, less than twenty percent of the fire, which authorities have attributed to everything from arson to a blown tire on a tractor-trailer, has been contained as of this writing. Regardless of cause, evidence now proves that certain agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management, have intentionally exacerbated the fires rather than help extinguish them.



On August 7, regional firefighters in Redding, CA noticed shiny, metallic particulates on the ground shortly after a BLM Lockheed P2V firefighting plane dropped flame retardant chemicals on the blaze. These aircraft, commonly called airtankers or water bombers, have augmented wildfire operations for decades. They dump either water or mixture of borates and ammonium phosphates around a wildfires perimeter to contain its spread, giving ground crews time to extinguish the fire. The chemicals, however, typically dissipate on contact and do not leave metallic residue on the forest floor.



Article:

http://www.someonesbones.com/blog/blm-ex...wildfires/

No names.

No pictures.

No video.

No lab report.

No evidence at all.

Just an empty claim. No names.No pictures.No video.No lab report.No evidence at all.Just an empty claim. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456860

08-15-2018 07:25 PM











Post: #7 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Archangel Wrote: (08-15-2018 07:24 PM) Someone needs to be brought to justice in this.

Libel should be taken more seriously. Libel should be taken more seriously. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 430723

08-15-2018 07:26 PM











Post: #8 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018 07:24 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018 06:53 PM) Many of us suspected this. Now it's proven. It has all been written in scripture.



Excerpt:



Since the Carr wildfires began on July 27, almost 360,000 acres of pristine California real estate have been burned to a crisp, making the inferno the largest in the states history. Despite a massive firefighting operation that has pooled resources from fifteen states and even conscripted prisoners from state correctional facilities to fight the blaze, less than twenty percent of the fire, which authorities have attributed to everything from arson to a blown tire on a tractor-trailer, has been contained as of this writing. Regardless of cause, evidence now proves that certain agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management, have intentionally exacerbated the fires rather than help extinguish them.



On August 7, regional firefighters in Redding, CA noticed shiny, metallic particulates on the ground shortly after a BLM Lockheed P2V firefighting plane dropped flame retardant chemicals on the blaze. These aircraft, commonly called airtankers or water bombers, have augmented wildfire operations for decades. They dump either water or mixture of borates and ammonium phosphates around a wildfires perimeter to contain its spread, giving ground crews time to extinguish the fire. The chemicals, however, typically dissipate on contact and do not leave metallic residue on the forest floor.



Article:

http://www.someonesbones.com/blog/blm-ex...wildfires/

No names.

No pictures.

No video.

No lab report.

No evidence at all.

Just an empty claim.

IOW. "Fake News" IOW. "Fake News" LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456871

08-15-2018 07:29 PM











Post: #9 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

All lives matter. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 430723

08-15-2018 07:31 PM











Post: #10 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Clever psyop piece to distract and obfuscate from the potential of Particulate Matter from chemtrail jet operations acting as a fire accelerant through acid disposition though. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456860

08-15-2018 07:34 PM











Post: #11 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018 07:26 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018 07:24 PM) No names.

No pictures.

No video.

No lab report.

No evidence at all.

Just an empty claim.

IOW. "Fake News"

Just lies.

No need to dance around it.

Just lies. Just lies.No need to dance around it.Just lies. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 456643

08-15-2018 07:41 PM











Post: #12 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

black lives matter into arson now? Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

08-15-2018 07:44 PM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #13 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

If this beast government will bomb both sides of Iraq's Water Treatment system with the idea of killing the maximum number of Iraqi Civilians, they'll burn people out in the US too. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441077

08-15-2018 07:46 PM











Post: #14 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

No BLM in British Columbia, Canada.. where this year almost 750 000 acres have burned already. Last year, close to 3 million acres burned..



No BLM, just lightning, wind and dry forests. A state of emergency has been declared, the military is moving in to help. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441783

08-15-2018 07:46 PM











Post: #15 RE: BLM EXACERBATING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Did you know that most of the firefighters at these large California fires are prison inmates working slave labor at $.12 cents/ hr?



Many of these inmates have been convicted of marijuana possession or some low level crime. Advertisement

















The Aquarius rescue ship arrived in Malta on Wednesday after EU countries thrashed out a deal to take in the 141 migrants onboard, defusing another diplomatic standoff in the Mediterranean. Loud cheers could be heard from the ship as it pulled into the Grand Harbour in Valletta, five days after the migrants, most of them Somalis and Eritreans, were rescued off Libya. Some flashed peace signs and waved from the deck. Malta and Italy both initially refused to let the Aquarius dock in a re-run of the standoff seen in June when the vessel was at the centre of a heated diplomatic crisis between European governments. But Malta on Tuesday agreed to reverse its decision as France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain offered to take in the ship's latest passengers, along with 114 others who arrived on the island on Monday. The Maltese government said later that Italy had agreed to take some of the migrants but did not say how many. The Aquarius was allowed to dock despite Malta having "no legal obligation to (allow it to) do so," the government said in a statement later. The migrants were unloaded from the Aquarius straight onto police buses to be taken to a reception centre, officials said. Dozens of children were on the ship -- more than 30 of them unaccompanied, according to a Maltese government source -- while two heavily pregnant women were taken to an ambulance. The agreement is the fifth of its kind between Western European governments since June when the Aquarius was stranded at sea with 630 migrants onboard, until Spain finally offered to let them land. - Rival protesters - About 10 rightwing protesters were waiting for the migrants at the port in Valletta, waving a banner that read "Stop Human Trafficking". But the crew of another rescue ship -- the Lifeline, which has been impounded by Maltese authorities -- were also there to greet them, holding a banner which read: "Everyone has a right to life". Until this summer Italy was the main landing point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life, many of them sub-Saharan Africans who have suffered appalling abuses in Libya. But Italy's new populist government says it has had enough of migrant arrivals, having taken in 700,000 people since 2013. Far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed that the Aquarius will "never see an Italian port" again, though the Italian coastguard continues to rescue migrants. NGOs say they have a moral obligation to rescue people making the perilous crossing, who could otherwise join the estimated 1,500 killed en route this year alone. - 'Wrong, dangerous, immoral' - Spain has offered to take 60 people, Germany up to 50 and Portugal 30. France has said it will accept 60 from the Aquarius and the other rescue boat that arrived in Malta this week, while Luxembourg said it would take in five of the migrants. The UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, hailed the deal but warned that Europe needed to come up with more permanent solutions. "The situation should never have come to this in the first place," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. The UN called for an agreement "that provides clarity and predictability on where boats carrying rescued passengers can dock". "This is essential if further such situations are to be avoided," it added. Grandi said of countries that refused to take in migrants that it was "wrong, dangerous and immoral to keep rescue ships wandering the Mediterranean while governments compete on who can take the least responsibility". The Maltese authorities said separately that a military patrol vessel had rescued about 35 migrants on a small boat southwest of the island. The Aquarius, chartered by French charity SOS Mediterranee as well as Doctors Without Borders, suffered a setback this week when Gibraltar said it would not longer be able to operate under the British territory's maritime flag. But SOS Mediterranee's German wing said Wednesday that it would likely continue operating under a German flag if the dispute is not resolved. "The Aquarius of course has the intention and obligation to set sail again as soon as possible, back into the rescue zone off the Libyan coast," said the group's Germany chief Verena Papke. burs-kjl/bmm/har Loud cheers could be heard from the Aquarius as it docked in Malta on Wednesday Dozens of children had been onboard the ship, rescued while trying to cross from Libya The Aquarius was at the centre of a European diplomatic crisis in JuneThe Rohingya had no time to consider what to take as Myanmar forces drove the Muslim minority into Bangladesh in a crackdown a year ago likened by the UN to ethnic cleansing. Some fled with little more than the clothes on their backs and children on their hips. But what they did manage to bring tells an intimate story about the plight of a long persecuted and stateless people. - 'This isn't immaterial' - Jalal Ahmed prised the faded tin number plate marked with Burmese characters off the front of his family's home as they packed up their lives and left Rakhine state. "When we were leaving, we knew we would need something to prove we were Rohingya, and proof of our residency," he told AFP in the doorway of the shanty where he lives with his family in a vast refugee camp in southern Bangladesh. The Ahmed family had lived in a proud two-storey wooden home in their village for countless generations, Jalal's grandfather Abdul said. Jalal, a 52-year-old businessman, said the plate was not a memento but a connection to his past before the misery of refugee life. "This isn't immaterial," Jalal said. "We carried it with us because wherever we go, this will show that we belong to a place." - Our identity - Mohammad Ayaz, 12, brought a faded old photograph of his family with him on the long journey from Myanmar. It shows 17 people -- his grandparents, siblings and parents, aunts and uncles -- posing for an official portrait holding signs marked with Burmese script. The Rohingya are reviled in Myanmar as illegal immigrants, branded "Bengalis" and denied citizenship and basic rights and freedoms. "We will need this photo when we go back to Myanmar, to identify who is who from our family," he told AFP, folding up the creased photograph for safekeeping. "It's a very important picture. We will need this." - Feeding the needy - Asaru Begum knew the journey to Bangladesh would be long and arduous, especially for her children and grandchildren. So she brought cooking pots to gather water, stew rice and green chillies, and perform ablutions for prayer while hiding out in the hills. "I brought the pots and rice because I knew the children would get hungry after two days' journey," she told AFP, pointing to the pots she still treasures today. "I brought them so I could feed the babies. They cry a lot when they are hungry." - 'I miss school' - Mohammad Khares, a diligent pupil with dreams of going to university, was in his final year of high school when violence erupted in his village. "I miss school very much. I was about to graduate, I was this close. That really hurts," the crestfallen 20-year-old told AFP. There are no schools in the camps, so Khares has used his Bengali and English language skills to find piecemeal work with foreign aid groups helping the refugees. His school ID card is precious. Most Rohingya receive little or no schooling in Myanmar so his card -? bearing his photograph, credentials and official seal -? is a rare privilege and a passport to opportunity. "When I go back to Myanmar, I want to resume my studies. But they might ask, 'what proof do you have of your education?' This card will prove that I was a Class 10 (final year) student," he said. - Family first - Violence descended so quickly on Mohammad Jubayer's village that he had no time to choose what his family might need to survive in Bangladesh. "On our way here, we couldn't bring anything," he told AFP at the edge of a fetid tent colony overlooking a trash-strewn, muddy clearing. Other escapees shared what food they could as Jubayer, 30, and his wife took turns carrying their four infant children as their eldest daughter trailed behind. "We spent nine days walking through the hills. We had our children with us. So we just carried them -? nothing else." - A touch of home - Mohammad Umar left all this favourite playthings behind in Myanmar as his family joined the steady exodus of Rohingya leaving their burning homeland. But once in Bangladesh, the industrious 12-year-old put his mind to work. Scavenging a rechargeable battery, and carving a hull from a chunk of styrofoam, he fashioned a rudimentary boat replete with a pen tube for a rudder. "We used to make these and play with them in Myanmar," Umar said as the boat chugged through brown puddles swollen by monsoon rain. Young Rohingya refugee Mohammad Ayaz shares a creased family photo photograph, grainy and faded -- one of the few possessions he managed to keep hold of after fleeing Myanmar Jalal Ahmed with his old house number plate -- a faded piece of tin that provides a precious connection to his past Mohammad Ayaz with a family photo showing around a dozen people of all ages posing for a portrait in Myanmar Asara Begum with the cooking pot she took with her when Rakhine state exploded in violence, thinking firstly of how she would feed her children and grandchildren Mohammad Khares with his school ID card. A diligent pupil with dreams of going to university, he was in his final year of high school when violence erupted in his village, forcing him to flee and abandon his studies Major Rohingya refugee camp populations in Bangladesh.Cambodian leader Hun Sen has swept all seats in parliament after holding an election with no opposition, as the country settles into one-party rule and a government that could face questions of legitimacy on the world stage. The strongman has been in power for 33 years but the vote late last month was widely decried as a sham after a crackdown on the rival Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November. A spokesman for the National Election Committee told AFP Wednesday as official results were released that the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 seats up for grabs and took nearly 77 percent of the vote. In a post on his Facebook page later Wednesday Hun Sen said the election was "free, fair and just." Cambodia's new government will be formed next month but problems of credibility could dog the regime as experts believe Hun Sen will try to bolster popular support at home. "It's like pushing a cart uphill," said independent political analyst Meas Ny. "From now on the new government will be under attack and defending itself." The results were in line with preliminary tallies and Hun Sen said in a speech earlier in the day that he would take suggestions from parties who contested the election on ideas to "build the country." Nineteen other political parties took part in the sixth national vote since UN-backed polls in 1993 but many are new or obscure and posed no challenge. The dissolved opposition is planning on ramping up efforts with governments abroad to put more pressure on Hun Sen. "We will not abandon more than half of the country who voted for change but were excluded from exercising their choice," Mu Sochua, deputy CNRP leader, told AFP from self-exile. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would expand its restrictions on granting visas to include Cambodians "responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up to the flawed July 29 election". Nauert said Wednesday the visa sanctions would apply to people in and outside the government as well as their immediate family members in some cases. The CPP pointed to 83 percent voter turnout as evidence that a boycott by the opposition failed, but allegations of voter intimidation and some 600,000 spoiled ballots undermined the claims. - 'Outright dictatorship' - Hun Sen has held onto power for decades through a complex mix of development dollars and alliances in the police, army and courts. The 66-year-old helped bring roads and mega-malls to a country ravaged by decades of civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime, which killed a quarter of the Cambodian population from 1975 to 1979. A former commander in the group, he defected and was installed as prime minister in 1985 at the age of 32, later presenting himself as saviour while warning of conflict if his regime falls. The message has resonated with segments of society. "I don't care about having a one-party parliament. What I want is calm after the election," a tuk-tuk driver named Nhem Ry told AFP ahead of the results. "We had demonstrations during previous elections which I do not like." Western governments pulled funding for the vote and condemned it as not credible, but China, which has showered the country with loans and stayed silent on human rights issues, maintained support. Independent election monitors also steered clear but representatives of populist parties in Europe and Asia filled the void. The CPP has long dominated Cambodia but the CNRP, which was founded in 2012, capitalised on discontent with corruption and inequality. It earned 44 percent of the vote in 2013 and took home a similar amount in local 2017 elections. Analysts say the threat to Hun Sen prompted a rewind of democratic freedoms as civil society, NGOs and the press were squeezed in the run-up to this year's ballot. Sam Rainsy, a co-founder of the CNRP, said in a statement after the official results were released that the election was "fake" and compared the victory to polls in communist and authoritarian states. John Cavanaugh, who was serving as Cambodia country director for the National Democratic Institute when Hun Sen expelled the group during the sweeping crackdown last year, told AFP that hardline regimes often get tough on dissent before voting. "But rarely to the degree and with the focused intensity... (of) the Cambodian government's methodical campaign to entirely shut-down the space for true democratic participation, and unfortunately move the country towards outright dictatorship." Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia for decades through a complex mix of development dollars and alliancesA cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 127 people since February, while a further 22 have died in Niger, officials said on Wednesday. "A total of 2,100 patients are currently being treated and since February we have registered 125 deaths," said Hippolyte Mutombo Mbwebwe, health minister in the eastern Kasai region. Ten more cases, including two deaths, were confirmed in neighbouring central Kasai, he said. In the DRC's violence-wracked North Kivu province, 41 people have also died in the country's latest Ebola outbreak, its 10th since 1976. Meanwhile, in Niger the United Nations said on Wednesday that 22 people had died from cholera in the Maradi region, close to Nigeria. It said 1,351 cases had been registered including the 22 fatalities. A member of the Congolese Red Cross explains the symptoms, risks and precautions of cholera to children in Kinshasa in January 2018, as the Democratic Republic of Congo experiences a cholera epidemic, with 125 registered deaths since February 2018The number of days marked by potentially destructive ocean heatwaves has doubled in 35 years, and will multiply another five-fold at current rates of climate change, scientists warned Wednesday. Even if humanity does manage to cap global warming "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), as called for in the Paris climate treaty, marine heatwaves will sharply increase in frequency, intensity and duration, they reported in the journal Nature. Compared to hot spells over land, which have claimed tens of thousands of lives since the start of the century, ocean heatwaves have received scant scientific attention. But sustained spikes in sea-surface temperature -- typically to a depth of several metres -- can also have devastating consequences. A 10-week marine heatwave near western Australia in 2011, for example, shattered an entire ecosystem and permanently pushed commercial fish species into colder waters. Another ocean hot spell off the coast of California warmed waters 6 C (10.8 F) and lasted for more than a year. Known at "The Blob", it generated toxic algae blooms, caused the closure of crab fisheries, and led to the death of sea lions, whales and sea birds. "Marine heatwaves have already become longer-lasting and more frequent, extensive and intense in the past few decades," lead author Thomas Frolicher, an environmental physicist at the University of Bern, Switzerland, told AFP. "This trend will accelerate in the future under further global warming." Coral reefs -- which cover less than one percent of the ocean's surface but support a quarter of marine species -- are especially vulnerable to warming waters. Recent spikes in tropical and sub-tropical sea surface temperatures, magnified by an especially potent El Nino, have triggered an unprecedented mass bleaching of corals, affecting 75 percent of global reefs. "Until now, the corals were often able to recover from such bleaching events," said Frolicher. "However, if the intervals between these events becomes shorter, the corals will no longer be able to regenerate and irreversible damage can be expected." "This can lead to a complete change in the ecosystems," he added. - Sea-water sponge - Frolicher and colleague Erich Fischer, along with Nicholas Gruber from ETH Zurich, used satellite data and climate models to calculate recent and projected changes in marine heatwaves. The projections looked at two possible futures. The so-called "business-as-usual" scenario -- the track we are on now -- sees average global air temperature heat up 3.5 C by 2100. Under the Paris Agreement scenario, global warming is capped at 2 C above the pre-industrial revolution benchmark. So far, the world has warmed by 1 C. The number of days with marine heat waves jumps from about 33 today, to 84 in a 2 C world, and 150 in a 3.5 C world, the researchers found. The area covered by marine hotspots has already increased three-fold, and will rise nine- and 21-fold in a 2 C and 3.5 C scenario, respectively. Marine heatwaves will also last longer on average, from 25 days today, to 55 days in a 2 C world, and 112 days on a planet that has warmed by 3.5 C. Marine heatwave may also affect the ocean's ability to soak up greenhouse gases. To date, oceans have absorbed more than 90 percent of the extra heat generated by manmade climate change. Without that sea-water sponge, air temperatures would be tens of degrees Celsius higher. It is already known that global warming slows the transport of the carbon absorbed by microorganisms at the ocean surface to the ocean floor, where it can safely remain for millennia. Marine heatwaves do not affect that "carbon cycle" process, but could make things worse by damaging shallow-water ecosystems that also store CO2. "That damage can lead to the release of the carbon," said Frolicher. Sustained spikes in sea-surface temperature -- typically to a depth of several metres -- can have devastating consequences, just as hot spells over landGreece on Wednesday hailed a "day of joy" as two Greek soldiers held in a Turkish prison for more than five months on espionage charges were released in a surprise move by Ankara. "This is a day of joy... we share the joy of their families," junior foreign minister George Katrougalos, who accompanied the pair home, said on arriving at Thessaloniki airport. The soldiers, Lieutenant Aggelos Mitretodis and Sergeant Dimitros Kouklatzis, had been detained since March for illegally crossing the border in a case that has stoked tensions between Athens and Ankara. The two were "dumbstruck" when their release was announced, their Turkish lawyers told the media. "We want to thank all those who supported us," Mitretodis told reporters at the airport. The surprise release came as Greece celebrated the Feast of the Assumption in honour of the Virgin Mary, one of the country's foremost religious events. Underscoring the importance of the case for Greece, senior officials were swiftly dispatched to Turkey on board the prime minister's state jet to collect the soldiers. The pair could be seen on public broadcaster ERT dressed in their uniforms. They were greeted by a guard or honour, Greek officials and their parents. - 'New chapter' - "I hope that their release will mark a new chapter for Greek-Turkish relations," Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos told reporters. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed the Turkish court's move as an "act of justice". Their release will "contribute to a reinforcement of friendship, good neighbourliness and stability in the region," Tsipras said in a statement. The soldiers told Turkish prosecutors shortly after their arrest in March that they mistakenly crossed the border after getting lost in the fog. The case added to a long list of troubles between Turkey and Greece which, though both NATO members since 1952, have tense relations. On Tuesday, Turkish media reported that a court in Edirne region had ruled that the two soldiers would now be tried without being held in detention. The court had previously refused several requests for the two soldiers to be released from detention. The European Union had also backed member state Greece in the dispute, condemning the detention of the soldiers and calling for their release. The release order for the two men -- which was wholly unexpected -- comes as Turkey is engulfed in a bitter dispute with its NATO ally the United States which has seen the Turkish lira plunge to record lows. Turkey charges the two soldiers with "attempted military espionage" as well as entering a forbidden military zone. The prosecution said the pair testified they entered the Turkish side by tracking footsteps in the snow and filmed images on their mobile phones to send to higher ranking officials. Their surprise release came amid another spike in tensions between the two neighbours. A day earlier, Greece's general staff had ordered a freeze in cultural contacts with the Turkish army. Athens and Ankara have also clashed over Turkish demands that Greece extradite eight Turkish troops wanted over the July 2016 attempted coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. LieutenantAggelos Mitretodis, centre left, and Sergeant Dimitros Kouklatzis, centre right, with their parents after returning to GreeceFrom the southern border with Guatemala to the northern border with the United States, AFP spent 24 hours traveling with migrants who are crossing Mexico to chase their American dreams. Here are seven of their stories. Andres Sanchez, 18 "Being a migrant means being an outcast," says Sanchez, a day after being deported from the US for the second time. A native of Puebla, in central Mexico, he tried to cross the border two months ago with a fake tourist visa he bought from a smuggler for $3,500. But the document was registered as stolen, and US authorities detained and deported him. Now, carrying nothing but a Bible and a plastic wallet, he is contemplating his next move at a migrant shelter in the border city of Ciudad Juarez. The Americans warned him he would face six months in prison if he tried to enter the country illegally again. Having just spent two months in detention, that is giving him second thoughts. "It's really cold in prison. You can barely sleep," he says. Going back home does not sound appealing, either. But neither does his current state of limbo on the border. "It's hard to be far from your family," he says. Micaela Perez, 24 Crossing illegally into the United States is risky business, says Perez, who nearly died trying. "The most horrible part is crossing the desert. I ran out of food and water, so I had to turn myself in," she says, a day after being deported for the third time. She paid $1,500 to a human trafficker to smuggle her in. But the ordeal left her with nothing, not even the clothes on her back. The ones she is wearing now were given to her at a migrant shelter in Ciudad Juarez. A native of Mexico's poorest state, Chiapas, in the south, she is desperately trying to reunite with her husband, who snuck into the US two years ago. She spent six days in detention before being deported. US authorities warned her she would face 20 years the next time. Angel Saravia, 61 "We have to emigrate to get ahead," says Saravia, a life-long border-jumper. "We suffer for it, but we have to take the risk." However, after his last deportation six years ago, Saravia decided he had had enough of being treated as an "illegal alien." Today, he lives in a remote cabin in the Matadero canyon, near the border that separates Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego. "This is a kind of sanctuary. I live far away from everyone, from people who think deported migrants are criminals. Here, nobody points their finger at me. People just leave me alone." Sandra Hernandez, 28 Hernandez left two children behind in her native Honduras to make her way north with her youngest daughter, four-year-old Danaya. They have traveled most of the way by hopping the freight train known as "The Beast." A domestic worker in Honduras, Hernandez says her pay was too meager to support her family. "It's hard to leave your children behind," she says. When she calls them on the phone, she cries. They are six and nine years old. Pausing at a migrant shelter in Guadalupe, in eastern Mexico, she is planning to hit the road again in three days' time. But she fears being separated from her daughter at the US border. David Ramirez, 23 Ramirez has traveled by truck, boat and train to make it from Honduras to this shelter in Guadalupe. He has already been deported from the United States twice, but is determined to try again, even though he has been targeted by the criminal gangs that attack and rob migrants. At the shelter, he is helping prepare bags of food to give to migrants riding "The Beast." "It makes me really happy to hand out food to them. But also really sad," he says. Soon he plans to join them again, trying to reach his aunt's home in Michigan. Raquel Padilla, 27 "Every Central American dreams of migrating," says Padilla. Still, she misses the son she left behind in her native Honduras. Four months pregnant, she has paused at a migrant refuge in Guadalajara, in western Mexico, before continuing her journey. Asked what her most prized possession is, she smiles. "The baby in my belly." Graciela, 16 Graciela started her journey by giving birth to a baby boy, Cesar, in a bathroom near the Mexican-Guatemalan border. Now she is at a migrant shelter in Tijuana, on the US-Mexican border, waiting for Mexican authorities to issue him a birth certificate. She wants to obtain Mexican papers, then seek asylum in the United States. This combination of pictures shows migrants holding their most valuable belongings (Top L to R) Venezuelan migrant Faviola Lourido Vergara, Mexican deported migrant Angel Ayala, Honduran migrant Sandra, (Bottom L to R) Victorino Ramos Chavarria, Mexican Faustino Castillon, and Mexican Juan Israel Rodriguez Tejeda. An aerial view of the United States (L) - Mexico (R) border fence extending into the Pacific ocean at Playas de Tijuana, Mexico Asylum seekers gather at El Chaparral port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico as they seek an appointment to present their asylum request to US authorities Migrants and residents use a makeshift raft to cross the Suchiate River, which formsl the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala Raquel Padilla, a 27 year old Honduran migrant who is four months pregnant, poses at the FM4 Paso Libre shelter for people heading north to the US Graciela plays with her five-month-old son Cesar in the recreation room at the Casas YMCA shelter for migrant minors in Tijuana, MexicoThe flood toll in India's southern tourist hotspot of Kerala jumped to 67 after another 25 deaths were reported Wednesday, with more than 50,000 people seeking shelter in relief camps, a state official told AFP. Kerala, famed for its pristine palm-lined beaches and tea plantations, is battered by the monsoon every year but the rains have been particularly severe this season, flooding hundreds of villages and prompting the authorities to suspend flights in and out of the region. "Twenty five deaths were confirmed earlier in the evening. The situation is bad in many parts of the state and the number (of deaths) will likely increase," a senior official from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority told AFP. Unconfirmed local media reports mentioned a much higher toll and cited ongoing efforts to reach many flooded areas. The official added that authorities had issued a "red-alert" warning in all 14 districts of the flood-ravaged state, with heavy downpours expected over the next 24 hours in many of the worst affected areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office announced on Twitter that Kochi International Airport -- the main gateway to the region -- would be closed until Saturday "due to heavy rains and resultant flooding". Vijayan held emergency meetings with rescue officials in the state late Wednesday and discussed the situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The chief minister has requested the deployment of additional personnel from the Indian army, navy and other emergency forces who are already working across the state, which is home to around 33 million people. "Our state is in the midst of an unprecedented flood havoc," Vijayan said earlier this week. "The calamity has caused immeasurable misery and devastation." Authorities have opened the gates of 34 reservoirs as water reached dangerous levels. Vijayan's office on Wednesday said that the authorities were also worried about rising water levels in the massive Mullaperiyar dam, and urged officials in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu to release water from the reservoir. Hundreds of villages have been flooded, more than 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of roads and thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged across the state, officials said. "We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut," Suresh Prabhu, India's civil aviation minister said on Twitter. "For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergency DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is coordinating," he added. The US embassy last week advised Americans to avoid Kerala, which drew more than one million foreign tourists last year, according to official data. Thousands of kilometres (miles) of roads and hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed by floods that have ravaged Kerala during the monsoon Kochi International Airport was flooded following the rains, prompting the authorities to suspend flightsMoney sent home by Filipinos working overseas shrank 4.5 percent in June from a year ago, after the government ordered the repatriation of workers suffering abuse in the Middle East. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that cash remittances fell to a three-month low of $2.357 billion in June from $2.467 billion a year ago. This followed a 6.9-percent increase in May this year and a 5.7-percent rise in June 2017. The countries that registered the biggest declines in cash remittances in June were the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The OFW repatriation program of the government may have partly affected the remittance flows for the month. During the first two months of 2018, a total of 4,149 OFWs were repatriated from UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, the Bangko Sentral said. Preliminary data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration also showed that the number of land-based workers deployed to other countries dropped 3.28 percent in 2017 to 1,614,674 million from a year ago. The number of sea-based workers deployed in 2017 also fell 14.62 percent to 378,072 workers. Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, fell 4.9 percent in June to $2.615 billion from $2.751 billion a year ago. Data showed that despite the drop in June, total cash remittances in the first half grew 2.7 percent to $14.179 billion from $13.813 billion in the same period last year. Cash remittances from land-based workers and sea-based workers rose 2.5 percent and 3.4 percent to $11.2 billion and $3 billion, respectively.Personal remittances, including non-cash items, totaled $15.787 billion in the first six months, up 2.8 percent from $15.364 billion a year earlier. Cash remittances from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, UAE, Japan, Qatar, Germany, Hong Kong and Canada accounted for more than 79 percent of total cash remittances in January to June. Personal remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more grew 2.5 percent to $12.2 billion, while transfers from sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term contracts increased 3.4 percent to $3.2 billion. British banking and financial giant Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. said remittances would likely recover in the months ahead after the government lifted the deployment ban to some countries in the Middle East. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the repatriation of thousands of OFWs from Kuwait where they were allegedly maltreated. Duterte appealed to OFWs in Kuwait to return to the country after Kuwait expelled the Philippine ambassador for launching rescue missions for Filipinos abused by their employers in the Gulf state. Remittances, which account for a tenth of the gross national income, hit a record $28.06 billion in 2017, up 4.3 percent from $26.90 billion in 2016. The Bangko Sentral projected a 4-percent growth for remittances in 2018.With hundreds of empty plastic bottles collected from the shores of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, fisherman Muath Abu Zeid has turned litter into a floating source of income. The Palestinian father-of-four used glue and old nets to bind the bottles into a small fishing boat that he hopes will help him support his family. Simple but effective, the 700-bottle craft is capable of carrying up to eight people out to sea, according to its 35-year-old skipper. A broad slab of wood lashed to the top serves as a seat, allowing the Abu Zeid to row a few hundred meters out from shore -- far enough to go fishing. It takes him about eight hours to pull in between five to seven kilogrammes (11 to 15 pounds) of sardines, mullet and other small fish with his rod. He sells his catch to passersby on the nearby corniche, making between 20 and 40 shekels ($5-11, 4-9 euros) a day. Muath's two younger brothers -- Mohammed, 23, and Ashraf, 20 -- accompany him on his daily excursions. Neither were able to find work elsewhere. "I'm a house painter but because of the difficult situation I'm unemployed," said skipper Muath, a descendent of refugees from a village near Jaffa in present-day Israel. "So this boat has been a lifesaver for me and my family." Under a crippling Israeli blockade more than a decade, Gaza suffers 44 percent unemployment, rising to a "staggering" 60 percent amongst the young, according to 2017 World Bank figures. The coastal enclave's electricity crisis means sewage is often pumped directly into the sea, leaving its 40-kilometre (25-mile) coast line heavily polluted. Yet many in Gaza depend on fishing for a living, despite Israel enforcing a fishing zone limited to nine nautical miles in the south of the enclave and just six nautical miles in the north, near Israel. Muath picked up the idea for the boat on YouTube, where he saw hobbyists designing boats using plastic bottles discarded by holidaymakers on beaches. "I appreciated the idea and said to myself, why not preserve the environment and create a living for me and my family -- and that's what happened," he said. The craft cost him about $150, borrowed from his father. He hopes to buy a fishing net soon, "so that I can pull in larger amounts of fish, sell them and live a decent life". The craft is fragile and he's hemmed in by the frontier with neighbouring Egypt, but he says the waters along the border have plenty of fish waiting to be caught. Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid (R) and his friends carry his boat, made of 700 plastic bottles, into the sea off Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 14, 2018 Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid and his friends ride his boat in the sea of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 14, 2018 Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid adjusts his boat, made of 700 empty plastic bottles, which he uses to catch sardines, mullet and other small fish Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid and his friends pull ashore his boat, made of 700 empty plastic bottles, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 14, 2018 Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid (2nd L) displays his catch after a fishing excursion on his boat, made of 700 Plastic empty bottles, on a beach in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 15, 2018 Palestinian fisherman Mouad Abu Zeid (R) fixes his plastic bottle boat on a beach in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 14, 2018A teenage girl who allegedly killed her seven-year-old nephew and hid him in a closet has been charged over his murder.

Jennie Bunsom, 16, intentionally killed Jordan Vong before wrapping his body in a blanket and hiding him in a portable closet in her basement bedroom on August 6, according to the Denver Police Department.

An arrest affidavit says Jordan made his way to Jennies basement bedroom at her Montbello home to ask her to play video games, US television station KDVR reported.

Jennie Bunsom has been charged with the murder of her seven-year-old nephew Jordan Vong. Source: ABC Denver

Having had an argument with her girlfriend, Jennie told police she instructed Jordan to go upstairs but he would not leave.

She said she pushed the Jordan from the bed, resulting in the boy hitting his face off the ground.

When Jordan began crying, Jennie said she placed her hands over his face until he stopped moving.

Jennie claims Jordan asked her to play video games while she was upset over an argument with her girlfriend. Source: KDVR

Police scoured the area for the missing boy until he was found the day after his family raised the alarm. Source: KDVR

She then told police she hid the body in her bedroom.

Jordan was reported missing at 4.30pm (local time) on the day of his death, prompting a wide-scale search of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Jordans body was discovered the following day and Jennie was arrested the next morning.

Jennie was charged as an adult with first-degree murder after deliberation and first-degree murder of a person under the age of 12 by a person in a position of trust.

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner is working to determine Jordans cause of death.

Jennie is due in court on Thursday.Israel reopened its only goods crossing with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after closing it to most deliveries on July 9 over months of border tensions, as relative calm returned and truce talks progressed. An Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that an initial set of "understandings" had been reached with the help of Egypt and United Nations officials, leading to calm over the last several days and the opening of the crossing. But the official, commenting after an Israeli security cabinet meeting on the issue, warned there could be no "real arrangement with Hamas" unless it returned the remains of two soldiers it is believed to be holding -- a key sticking point. Humanitarian issues in the blockaded Gaza Strip and the return of the soldiers can be addressed if calm is maintained, the official said, adding that if not, Israel would return to "aggressive" military action. The crossing is a vital lifeline for Gazans and their crippled economy, but Israel had closed it to goods except for food and medicine to pressure Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Palestinian enclave. The opening came as speculation mounted over indirect negotiations mediated by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, including Hamas, have fought three wars since 2008 and tensions since late March have led to fears of yet another full-blown conflict. There have been three intense flare-ups since July, the latest on Thursday, when Israel responded to some 180 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza with widespread air strikes. - Kites with firebombs - An AFP journalist at the goods crossing, known as Kerem Shalom, said dozens of trucks began passing into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning. Israel also returned the fishing zone it enforces off the strip to nine nautical miles in the south of the enclave, after having reduced it. The maximum allowed for Gaza fishermen is six nautical miles in the north bordering Israel. On July 9, Israeli authorities closed the crossing to most deliveries, partly in response to kites and balloons being flown across the border carrying firebombs to burn Israeli farmland, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. Food and medicines have been allowed through, but fuel and cooking gas had been intermittently blocked, including since August 2. All other goods were turned away. The fuel ban exacerbated an electricity crisis in Gaza, which already suffers from severe power shortages and relies heavily on generators. UN officials have repeatedly called for the blockade to be lifted, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave of two million people. Israel says it is necessary to stop Hamas from obtaining weapons or materials that could be used for military purposes. Gaza's only other goods crossing is at Rafah on the Egyptian border. That checkpoint had largely been kept closed in recent years, but Egypt opened it in mid-May and it is has mostly remained so since. The Rafah crossing is currently only open to people, according to Egyptian sources, but a Hamas source said goods such as cement and fuel have passed through since May. - Truce talks - Gaza border protests broke out with mass demonstrations on March 30 and have led to months of tension. At least 169 Gazans have since been killed by Israeli fire, mostly during clashes and protests. One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in July. Efforts by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce face major hurdles. Officials from Hamas and its allies Islamic Jihad travelled to Egypt on Tuesday for talks, a Hamas source said. Cairo has also been seeking to reconcile Hamas with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah after more than a decade of bitter division. Abbas told a meeting of Palestine Liberation Organisation officials Wednesday night in Ramallah that he appreciated Egypt's efforts but Hamas "has no intention of reconciling." He also said US officials were "lying" when they said they were interested in improving the lives of Palestinians. Abbas cut off ties with the White House after President Donald Trump's deeply controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and sees the current administration as blatantly biased in favour of Israel. A truck carrying goods for Palestinians arrives at Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on August 15, 2018 A fuel tanker arrives at Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on August 15, 2018At least 25 people were killed when a suicide attacker struck an education centre in a minority Shiite area of western Kabul Wednesday, officials said, the latest assault in Afghanistan's war-weary capital. "We can confirm the attack was caused by a suicide bomber on foot. The bomber detonated himself inside the education centre," police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said. The spokesmen for the interior ministry and health ministries confirmed that at least 25 people were killed and 35 injured. There was no immediately claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban quickly denied they were involved. Afghanistan has been reeling from a recent upsurge in militant violence, including a massive, days-long Taliban onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni. Analysts have said the assault on Ghazni was a military and psychological victory against the government in Kabul, proving the insurgents have the strength to strike a strategically vital city near the capital at will and remain entrenched there for days. At least 100 security forces were killed in the fight for Ghazni, officials have said, with unconfirmed fears that at least as many civilians died. Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and low morale, have taken staggering losses since US-led NATO combat forces pulled out at the end of 2014. But it is ordinary Afghans who have taken the brunt of the violence in the grinding conflict, especially in Kabul, which the United Nations has said is the deadliest place for civilians in the country. Militant attacks and suicide bombs were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, a recent UN report showed. The uptick in violence comes as US and Afghan forces intensify ground and air offensives against the Islamic State (IS), and the Taliban step up their turf war with the group. The Taliban have not claimed a major assault in Kabul for weeks. IS, however, has carried out multiple attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad and the capital in recent months, targeting everything from government ministries to a midwife training centre. bur-emh-us-ds/st/qan Map locating Afghanistan's capital Kabul, where dozens were killed Wednesday in a suicide bombing attack on an education centreMario Abdo Benitez took office Wednesday as Paraguay's new president, four months after playing down close family ties with the South American country's late dictator to win a tight election race. The 46-year-old conservative took the oath of office at a ceremony in the capital Asuncion, attended by hundreds of dignitaries including seven heads of state. He pledged to work with the opposition to push through reforms, but will also have to overcome divisions within his own Colorado ruling party -- a rift so deep that outgoing president Horacio Cartes skipped the ceremony. "I hope I can demonstrate through my conduct that I will be a leader who considers the future of his country, in whom you can trust," he said. He also expressed solidarity with the peoples of Nicaragua and Venezuela and Nicaragua. "In the face of abuses of power, our libertarian voices will not be silent, Paraguay will not remain indifferent to the suffering of these fraternal peoples." - Stroessner Aide - Abdo Benitez's father was a top aide to feared dictator Alfredo Stroessner and was also a distant cousin of the general. The business-friendly former senator said his April election victory had shown that Paraguayans had turned the page on the darkest chapter of their recent history. He said he would largely maintain Cartes' economic policies, which have led to consistent growth, due mainly to buoyant soybean and beef exports. The IMF has forecast growth of 4.5 percent in 2018 and 2019. But the outgoing government showed little progress in alleviating a poverty rate running at 26.4 percent and endemic corruption, with Paraguay languishing 135th out of 180 countries ranked by Transparency International. The presidential inauguration came a week after thousands took part in street protests in Asuncion against political corruption. He campaigned on a pledge to tackle corruption in the judicial system. - Party problems - One of his priorities will be healing the wounds within the ruling Colorado party, in power almost continuously since 1947. Seven Colorado senators and 20 MPs joined Cartes' boycott of the ceremony. The factions clashed last year over Cartes' unsuccessful bid to change the constitution to allow him another term. "His party finds itself deeply divided and the opposition can back him if his projects are genuine, democratic and if they show that his government is liberal," opposition Liberal Party leader Miguel Abdon Saguier told AFP. The Colorado party has a minority in Congress, with 41 of 80 seats in the lower house but only 17 of 45 seats in the senate. The divisions rob Abdo Benitez of important momentum during his crucial first months in office, analysts said. "This is a key time, important for any government, Abdo is going to have to build legitimacy," Argentine analyst Daniel Montoya told AFP. Among the regional heads of state and other dignitaries at the inauguration was Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, who said in a Tweet he had taken the opportunity to thank Cartes for moving Paraguay's embassy to Jerusalem. It became the third country to do so in May, after the United States and Guatemala. Before his death in Brazil in 2006, Stroessner was accused by human rights groups of up to 3,000 killings and disappearances during his 1954-1989 rule. Paraguay's new President Mario Abdo Benitez (L), receives the presidential sash from Congress leader Silvio Ovelar next to his wife Silvana Lopez Moreira during his inauguration ceremony in Asuncion, on August 15, 2018. Paraguay's new President Mario Abdo Benitez and his wife Silvana Lopez head to Asuncion's Cathedral after his swearing in on August 15, 2018. Paraguay's new President Mario Abdo Benitez (C) delivers a speech after being sworn-in, in Asuncion, on August 15, 2018.Western Australias Health Minister has called for two new anti-vaccination billboards that have appeared in Perth to be torn down immediately.

The advertisements have gone up within metres of a daycare centre, proposing the controversial question: Do you know whats in a vaccine?

Similar billboards were erected in June and quickly became a target for vandals.

This billboard has gone up across from a daycare centre in Perths eastern suburbs. Source: 7 News

Im calling on the local council authorities, Im calling on the company who sponsors this billboard, to get them down now, Health Minister Roger Cook said.

These people are pedalling lies and they must be stopped.

The Town of Victoria Park says the signs havent been given planning approval and so the property owner will need to pull them down within 14 days.

The website that the billboard points to claims that vaccinations are killing people  a claim that Mr Cook swiftly refuted.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook called anti-vaxxers a devious bunch who were peddling lies. Source: 7 News

The anti-vaxxers are a devious bunch and theyll use any way they can to try and get their lies out into the community, he said.

The uproar emerged on a day when the Health Department confirmed another child is in hospital with meningococcal  the 16th case in WA this year.

The child has the W strain and the government is urging parents to take up a free vaccine for children aged one to four.Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "at an early date", the North's state media reported Wednesday, amid a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula. Putin invited Kim and the South's President Moon Jae-in in June to an economic forum in Vladivostok next month although it is not known whether the North Korean leader responded to the invitation. In a message to Kim on the North's National Liberation Day -- marking the end of Japanese rule over Korea at the end of the Second World War -- Putin reiterated his intention for a summit. "I affirm that I am ready to meet you at an early date to discuss urgent issues of bilateral relations and important matters of the region," Putin said in a message carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The message did not offer a specific date for the meeting. Putin expressed hopes to further develop "reciprocal cooperation including the realisation of the tripartite project" that would also involve South Korea. In his daily briefing for journalists on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin sent the telegram in which he "stressed his desire and readiness to establish a dialogue." Asked about a possible meeting between the two leaders in Vladivostok, Peskov said the economic forum is "open for all the leaders of the region" but added that Moscow has "so far" not received confirmation from Pyongyang that Kim Jong Un will attend. Kim also sent a message to Putin, KCNA reported, noting the "valuable tradition" of their joint wartime struggle against Japan was the "strong roots" of their bilateral relations. The message gave no response to Putin's invitation, although KCNA did not make it clear if Kim's message came before or after the letter from Moscow. The rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean Peninsula since the Winter Olympics has seen Kim meet with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in twice, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 'at an early date', the North's state media reported WednesdayThree officials of the Department of Labor and Employment official snubbed the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commissions invitation to testify in connection with the alleged extortion cases filed by two recruitment agency owners. The PACC is now investigating the extortion charges filed by Amanda Araneta and Monalie Dizon against DoLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, former Undersecretary Dominador Say, and Director Jesus Cruz of the DoLEs International Labor Affairs Bureau. Former labor undersecretary Nicon Fameronag said that Atty. Philip A. Paredes, Director of the DoLE Legal Service, Warren M. Miclat, Director of the DoLE Financial and Management Service, and Maria Victoria Marquez of the DoLEs Cash Division have refused to comply with the subpoenas issued to them by the Presidents anti-corruption watchdog. The three have been directed to appear before the PACC but have refused, Fameronag said in a statement. Fameronag, President of Lilac Foundation, said that Secretary Bello III, as DoLE chief, is the person responsible for the custody of agencys documents and other official records and should, therefore, be the one to have been subpoenaed as a matter of courtesy and recognition.They also said they could not honor the subpoenas because the documents being asked by the PACC do not exist and that in order for them to submit such documents, the PACC should first furnish them copies of the complaints so they would know exactly what documents are material to the said complaint. Some of the documents being subpoenaed by the PACC are remanded/reversed cases decided by the DOLE Secretary and/or the undersecretary, a disbursement voucher/check for  5 million, and travel documents of Bello, Cruz, and ILAB Staff Jessa David. By refusing to comply with the subpoenas, these officials face the risk of possible administrative action and a criminal offense for obstruction of justice under Executive Order no. 43. S. 2017, Fameronag added.A young surfers dream holiday with his mates has ended in tragedy after their 4WD plummeted off a 20-metre cliff at a remote coastal location in Western Australia.

In the days leading up to the fatal crash, Corey Ring, 25, had been exploring some of Australias most idyllic beaches along with his friends, Baxter Woodger and his girlfriend Tahlee De Clouett.

The Wollongong trio had just celebrated Ms De Clouetts 21st birthday, sharing images of crystal blue waters from the beaches they had been surfing, fishing and camping at.

But that incredible adventure came to a horrific end on Saturday when their LandCruiser plunged off a cliff at Lyndon.

Mr Ring, a passenger in the car, was killed in the crash, while Mr Woodger and Ms De Clouett suffered suspected neck and spinal injuries and were airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital.

Corey Ring, 25, was killed in the crash. Source: Facebook

The trio had been camping with other friends, exploring WAs idyllic white-sand beaches. Source: Instagram/Tahlee De Clouett

The young couple are now both in serious but stable conditions.

Images shared by WA Police show the crumpled 4WD sitting at the bottom of the cliff.

Mr Rings heartbroken grandfather said they held no grudges against anyone for the crash.

He was enjoying himself, he was having a ball. Everyones very supportive of what he was doing, he told the Illawarra Mercury newspaper.

We hold no grudges against [Mr Woodger, who was driving at the time]  they were just good mates having a good time and this has happened.

Tahlee De Clouett and Baxter Woodger suffered serious injuries when the 4WD plunged off a cliff near Lyndon. Source: Facebook/Baxter Woodger

Ms De Clouetts father, Christian De Clouett, said both his daughter and her boyfriend were expected to make a full recovery.

Our family has been shattered by this event  and we are devastated by the death and our thoughts are with the family at this terrible time for us all, he said in a statement.

While my daughter and her boyfriend have suffered some serious injuries, they are expected to fully recuperate  they will leave hospital and return home to the Illawarra in due course and on the advice of doctors.

As could be imagined, this is a very difficult time for our family, we are very appreciative of the kind support that has been extended to us all, especially from all the community in the northern suburbs and we would like to thank everybody for their kind words and best wishes.Near an abandoned United Nations observation point whose wall had been riddled with bullets, Syrian and Russian policemen gazed across the Golan Heights near the Israeli border. The faded UN logo on the hut's rusty roof was barely visible in Tal Krum, just inside the buffer zone that separates war-torn Syria to the east, from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the west. His back to the hilly Israeli side, the Russian army's Lieutenant-General Sergei Kuralenko on Tuesday told reporters on an organised press tour how "stability" had returned to the buffer zone. Apart from "a few problems with the Islamic State" jihadist group in its southern tip, the demilitarised zone was "entirely under control of Syrian military police", Kuralenko said. "Everything is ready" for the return of UN troops, he said, after the peacekeepers were forced to withdraw in 2014. With help from its Russian ally, President Bashar al-Assad's regime has expelled rebels and jihadists from large parts of the country's south since June. After retaking most of the two southern provinces adjacent to the buffer zone, regime forces last month raised their flag inside, above the key border crossing of Quneitra. The Russian military police have set up four observation points along the demarcation line on the Syrian side of the buffer zone, Kuralenko said, and plan to set up four more in the near future. They are "willing to hand them over to the UN if it says it is ready to ensure the monitoring of the Golan alone", he said. - 'Ensure security' - Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the 1967 "Six-Day War" and later annexed it in a move never recognised internationally. In 1974, a UN peacekeeping mission was created to monitor the ceasefire line separating Israelis from Syrians. But in 2014, the United Nations Disengagement Observation Force was forced to withdraw after Syrian rebels and jihadists overran it, briefly kidnapping more than 40 Fijian UNDOF troops. UNDOF resumed its activities on the Syrian side in February, and earlier this month carried out its first patrol since 2014 to the Quneitra crossing. "There should be no military forces in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF," according to a UN Security Council resolution in June. With that in mind, Russia is demining the areas around the observation posts abandoned in 2014 to help establish secure patrolling routes for the UN troops, Kuralenko said. "Our mission here is to ensure security so that the UN flag can fly above their posts and that (UNDOF) work without restriction in the zone," he said. A UN spokesman was not immediately available for comment. But on Tuesday, Syrian Defence Minister Ali Abdullah Ayub received a UN delegation including UNDOF chief Francis Vib-Sanziri in Damascus, Syrian state news agency SANA said. They spoke of redeploying UN forces on the Syrian side, it said. - Iranians? - During the media tour Brigadier-General Muhammad Ahmad, from Syria's military police, accused the peacekeepers of fleeing when they were needed in 2014 but said they were welcome to return. "The UN is welcome -- if it wants to cooperate with Russia and with us," he said. In Hamidiyeh, less than a kilometre (mile) from the demarcation line with Israel, buildings lay in ruins and the white dome of its mosque appeared battered by bombardment. In front of a destroyed bridge, two Syrian policemen observed a Russian military convoy drive past twice, flying its country's flag and with its gyrating lights on. Syrian military police patrol the area, "from time to time" helped by Moscow's forces, Russian army spokesman Igor Konachenkov told journalists on the press tour. Though Russia has maintained friendly ties with Israel, it has backed Assad's regime alongside two sworn enemies of the Jewish state: Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Israel has repeatedly pledged to prevent Iran from establishing a military presence along its border. A series of air strikes that killed Iranians inside Syria have been attributed to Israel. Asked about any Iranian presence in the Golan, Konachenkov's face became tense. "The Russian army has nothing to say about the presence or not of any Iranians," he repeated several times. Syrian military police members also systematically refused to answer the question. In late July, Russia offered to keep Iranian forces 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the demarcation line, according to an Israeli official. A member of the Russian military police patrols near the village of Tal Krum in the Syrian Golan Heights on August 14, 2018 A member of the Russian military police and Syrian government forces patrol in the Syrian Golan Heights on August 14, 2018 A member of the Syrian government forces patrols near the village of Tal Krum in the Syrian Golan Heights on August 14, 2018Christine Hallquist won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the US state of Vermont on Tuesday, moving a step closer to becoming the nation's first transgender governor, US media projected. In another ground-breaking political moment, Somali-American state legislator Ilhan Omar claimed victory in her primary in Minnesota, putting her on track to become one of the first female Muslim members of the US House of Representatives. "HISTORY MADE! @christineforvt just became the first trans/non-binary gubernatorial candidate from a major political party in American history!" the Victory Fund, an organization that supports LGBTQ candidates, tweeted about Hallquist. But she still faces an uphill battle in the general election, when she is projected to face Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who has been in office since 2016. Hallquist transitioned while heading the Vermont Electricity Coop, several years before launching her gubernatorial bid. In 2015, "Christine made the decision, after years of holding it inside, to come out as her true self, a transgender woman, becoming the first business leader in the country to transition while in office," according to her campaign's website. "Working to ensure that Vermont remains the special, inclusive and progressive place that it has always been... is what motivates Christine to seek the honor and opportunity to serve the people of Vermont as its next governor," it says. Hallquist beat out James Ehlers, a Navy veteran and environmentalist, and Brenda Siegel, the executive director of a dance festival, to win the Democratic nomination. - Muslim women aim for Congress - Also among the primary candidates was 14-year old schoolboy Ethan Sonneborn, who took advantage of a quirk in the constitution of the bucolic northeastern state that imposes no age minimum on running for governor. Despite praise for Sonneborn's "maturity" and political awareness, his campaign attracted calls for Vermont lawmakers to close the loophole. In Minnesota, Ilhan Omar -- a Somali-American state legislator who is Muslim and wears a headscarf -- declared victory in her primary race -- a result also reported by US media. "Ilhan Omar has been declared the winner of the primary election in the race for Congress to represent Minnesota?s Fifth District," a statement on her website said. "As the first refugee elected to Congress (and the second Muslim woman after Rashida Tlaib of Michigan), Ilhan will bring a unique perspective and new energy to our nation's capital," it said. Tlaib, a 42-year-old former social worker, won a Democratic primary last week in a safe seat in Detroit. With no Republican or third-party candidates, she is positioned to enter the House of Representatives with the November midterm elections. "Tonight we are celebrating because we engaged and empowered our community and we won!" Omar said in the statement. "Together, each and every one of us are the inspiration we need to keep fighting for a democracy that gets us closer to the American promise of prosperity for all and the hope for a better tomorrow," she said. Somali-American state legislator Ilhan Omar, pictured in 2016, claimed victory in her primary in Minnesota, putting her on track to become one of the first female Muslim members of the US House of RepresentativesA Turkish court on Wednesday rejected a new appeal to free US pastor Andrew Brunson, whose detention has sparked a major row between Turkey and the United States, local media reported. The court in the western city of Izmir ruled that Brunson, who faces 35 years in jail over terror and espionage charges, will remain under house arrest, the state television TRT reported. Brunson's jail term had been converted to house detention for health reasons. His detention has soured relations with Washington, with US President Donald Trump doubling aluminium and steel tariffs for Turkey in punitive actions against Ankara's refusal to release Brunson. The crisis has sent the Turkish currency into free fall since Friday. "The president has a great deal of frustration (about) the pastor not being released," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday. The statement came after US embassy charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier visited Brunson in Izmir. Brunson's lawyer Cem Halavurt told AFP that a higher court would also discuss his appeal for Brunson's release. Turkey's ambassador to Washington Serdar Kilic on Monday held private talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in a meeting to discuss the pastor's status. A Turkish court rejected a new appeal to free US pastor Andrew Brunson, whose detention has sparked a major row between Turkey and the United States, local media reportedIt is pouring rain, but Norma Romero is standing by the train tracks as she does every night, ready to hand food to migrants crossing Mexico on the freight train known as "The Beast." In a few minutes, hundreds of undocumented migrants chasing the American dream will ride by atop the train as it passes through her village, Cordoba, crossing the eastern state of Veracruz on its way to the United States. Romero is part of a group of 12 women who pass bottled water and bags of food up to the migrants to help them on their dangerous journey. For years, she thought the men clinging to the cars were Mexicans train-hopping their way to another town instead of taking the bus. Then one day "The Beast" ground to a halt in Cordoba, and the men jumped to the ground and begged her for help. "They had Central American accents," says Romero, 48. "They were hungry. I had some bread and milk I'd just bought, and they asked me if they could have it." When she got home, she told her mother the story, and the two decided to cook the clandestine travelers a meal. That was 23 years ago. Every day since, Romero and a group of like-minded women dubbed "The 12 Apostles" have handed out food to the migrants to help them flee the poverty and gang violence ravaging their home countries. - Danger on the tracks - It can be a dangerous undertaking. The train moves through the night slowly, but with brutal momentum. A nun who volunteered to help hand out the provisions once nearly lost three fingers when they got caught in the parcel she was passing up to the train. Migrants riding "The Beast" regularly lose their limbs or lives in accidents -- not to mention the attacks they face from criminals and sometimes police seeking to rob them. "The criminals often attack in the tunnels," says David Ramirez, 23, a Honduran migrant. As the train passes through Cordoba, migrants hang precariously from the sides to grab the sacks held out to them. Some jump off and run along the tracks, then hop back on. "Mexico!" shout some. "Thank you, sister!" others say to nuns, as the train disappears into the darkness. "It makes us happy to see them continue their journey with something to eat, but also sad," says Julia Ramirez, 44, a fellow "Apostle" and, like Romero, a widow. "It infuriates me to see these young people with so much talent having to leave their countries and take such risks," Romero says through tears. - Food and maps - On a wall in Romero's house, there is a large painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, standing by the cars of a train. Across the room, a map of Mexico showing the route of "The Beast." Romero calls her project a "mission of love." The bags of food usually contain rice, beans, bread, tuna and sometimes a piece of cake. "We sometimes cook 40 kilos (88 pounds) of rice a day," says Ramirez. A local supermarket and other merchants donate the provisions. The "Apostles" complete the bags with brochures outlining migrants' rights and a map of shelters where they can spend the night. Romero's own house has become an impromptu shelter. With donated funds, she built an addition and a small chapel where migrants can spend the night. It is vastly different from the welcome the migrants get in some areas. "Some people throw stones at us," says Santos Delgado, 45, a Honduran making his third attempt to cross the border. Deported on his previous two tries, Delgado is hoping to reach the United States and find his sister, who went missing there five years ago. He keeps a picture of her in a pouch tied around his neck. At Romero's house, migrants resting from their journey help cook the day's provisions as children play barefoot and a woman nurses her baby. When the train arrives, some of the migrants help hand out food to their fellow travelers. Despite the volunteers' efforts, not everyone on the train manages to grab a bag of food. "But at least they leave here with hope," says Romero. Undocumented migrants climb on a train known as "La Bestia" (The Beast), in the town of Las Patronas in Mexico's Veracruz state hoping to reach the US A migrant runs next to the freight train heading toward the US border Romero is seen handing food to migrants traveling on the train known "La Bestia" A Guatemalan migrant woman, Paola, nurses her baby at the Las Patronas shelterThe teenager who allegedly pushed her friend from an 18-metre bridge and left her with serious injuries is being investigated by police.

Taylor Smith, 18, is cooperating with investigators from the Clark County Major Crimes team after allegedly shoving her 16-year-old friend from Moulton Falls bridge in Yacolt, Washington, US television station KATU reported.

The incident was forwarded to Clark County Prosecutors Office for appropriate charging.

Taylor Smith is cooperating with police over the incident. Source: Facebook/ Taylor Smith

Jordan Holgerson was pushed from the 18-metre bridge leaving her with five broken ribs. Source: YouTube

Terrifying footage of the incident shows friends counting Jordan in for a jump from the bridges ledge, to which she replies, No, I wont go in as she hesitates.

Just seconds later Jordan is shoved in the back sending her smashing into the waters surface at a horrible angle.

Oh, thats so f*****, one man can be heard saying among a series of screams.

Taylor Smiths apology insincere, family claims

The family of Jordan Holgerson has claimed Taylor Smith isnt sorry for her alleged actions.

Ms Smith was pictured with a friend at the Clark County Fair in a post on Instagram on Saturday, The Sun reported.

Jordans family has claimed Ms Smiths apology was insincere after she was pictured at a county fair. Source: Instagram via The Sun.

Taylor has been going out as if nothing happened, a family member of Ms Holgerson told the publication.

Shes been at a pool party and there were pictures of her at the county fair with a friend on Instagram.

She clearly doesnt care.

While Ms Smith messaged Ms Holgerson an apology, her family doesnt believe it was sincere.

Jordans pain continues

Jordan suffered five broken ribs, a punctured lung and air bubbles in her chest, while her uterus lining also suffered damage and her legs are covered in significant bruising.

Ms Holgerson left hospital over the weekend but her family says she can barely move and is in constant pain.

Despite leaving hospital, Jordan remains in constant pain from the ordeal. Source: GoFundMe

Her aunt has since started a GoFundMe page to help cover her spiralling medical bills as the teens single mother of four struggles to cover the cost while taking time off work to be by her daughters side.

Her mother, Genelle Holgerson, said her daughter could have been killed from the push.

Story continues

My daughters gonna have a long road to recovery This is not okay. She could have killed my daughter, Ms Hogerson told US news outlet KATU 2.

Ashley Mahree, the girl who recorded and shared the video online, said the culprits actions were almost criminal.

This could have easily taken a life, and I think this girl needs to be held accountable in some way, she wrote online.Two Greek soldiers held in a Turkish prison for more than five months on espionage charges landed home early Wednesday, after a court ordered their release. The two had been detained since March for illegally crossing the border in a case that has stoked tensions between Athens and Ankara. Lieutenant Aggelos Mitretodis and Sergeant Dimitros Kouklatzis told prosecutors shortly after their arrest that they mistakenly crossed the border after getting lost in the fog. The case added to a long list of troubles between Turkey and Greece which, though both NATO members since 1952, have tense relations. On Tuesday, Turkish media reported that a court in Edirne region had ruled that the two soldiers would now be tried without being held in detention. Greek officials promptly travelled by plane to Turkey to collect the soldiers. The pair, dressed in their uniforms, arrived at Thessaloniki airport in the early hours of Wednesday morning, greeted by a guard of honour, Greek officials and their parents. "I hope that their release will mark a new chapter for Greek-Turkish relations," Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos told reporters. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed the Turkish court's move as an "act of justice". Their release will "contribute to a reinforcement of friendship, good neighbourliness and stability in the region," Tsipras said in a statement. The court had previously refused several requests for the two soldiers to be released from detention. The European Union had backed member state Greece in the dispute, condemning the detention of the soldiers and calling for their release. The release order for the two men -- which was wholly unexpected -- comes as Turkey is engulfed in a bitter dispute with its NATO ally the United States which has seen the Turkish lira plunge to record lows. Turkey charged the two soldiers with "attempted military espionage" as well as entering a forbidden military zone. The prosecution said the pair testified they entered the Turkish side by tracking footsteps in the snow and filmed images on their mobile phones to send to higher ranking officials. Athens and Ankara have also clashed over Turkish demands that Greece extradite eight Turkish troops wanted over the July 2016 attempted coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Greek Minister of Defence Panos Kammenos greeted the two soldiers on arrival back homeAn Australian politician was widely condemned Wednesday after demanding "a final solution" to immigration and calling for a return to the White Australia policy that favoured "European Christians". Fraser Anning stunned lawmakers during his maiden speech to the senate when he invoked the infamous Nazi phrase used under Adolf Hitler in reference to annihilating Jewish people from Europe. He also sparked widespread anger by urging a ban on Muslim migrants and defending the race-based White Australia immigration policy that was in place for seven decades from 1901. "We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominantly reflect the historic European-Christian composition of Australian society," Anning told the upper house late Tuesday "Those who come here need to assimilate and integrate." He added that "ethnocultural diversity ... has been allowed to rise to dangerous levels in many suburbs". "In direct response, self-segregation, including white flight from poorer inner-urban areas, has become the norm." Anning, who represents Queensland for Katter's Australian Party, called for immigrant numbers to be slashed, and for a ban on Muslims, justifying his call by saying they had "consistently shown to be the least able to assimilate and integrate". "While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims, so why would anyone want to bring more of them here?" He added: "The final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote." Immigration remains a hot button issue in Australia, amid concern about jobs and overcrowding in major cities. Data released last month showed migration numbers hit a 10-year low last year, with the annual intake falling by 20,000 to 162,000 as vetting procedures were tightened. - 'Shocking insult' - Anning's comments sparked a backlash from all sides of politics, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who emphasised Australia was one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world. "So we reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all," he said, adding that the "final solution" jibe was "a shocking insult to the memory of six million Jews who died in the Holocaust". Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten called the speech "a low point for our parliament", while independent senator Derryn Hinch said there "was hardly a group of Australians he did not offend unless you were very close to being a member of the Ku Klux Klan". Despite the criticism, Anning was unrepentant Wednesday and claimed he did not know the connection between the phrase "final solution" and Nazi Germany. "I don't regret anything, I am not going to apologise or regret anything that I say," he said. He won support from his party leader, Bob Katter, who said he "1,000 percent" backed him. "His speech was absolutely magnificent and it's everything that this country should be doing," he said. Immigration remains a hot button issue in Australia, amid concern about jobs and overcrowding in major citiesThe leader of one of the two warring factions of the ruling PDP-Laban party is willing to forge an alliance with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpios regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a source said Wednesday. Lawyer Rogelio Garcia, the leader of one of the factions, said nothing would stop them from talking about alliances with other political parties. Hugpong doesnt prohibit itself from having alliances. We are more than willing to talk it out with them and discuss the possibility of an alliance, Garcia told ANC. He said former Senator Manny Villars Nacionalista Party had already signed an alliance with Hugpong. Duterte-Carpio has offered help to the PDP-Laban amid the internal conflict. If there is anything that HNP can do to help PDP Laban, our group is ready to assist them, President Rodrigo Dutertes daughter said last Friday. Garcias faction has been in conflict with the faction led by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, the PDP-Laban president.Pimentel earlier said the members of Garcias group had already been expelled from the party. The rift between the two factions started when Pimentel and former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez allowed the mass oathtaking of new members who did not even undergo the basic seminar, Garcia said. He said they had repeatedly aired this concern to Pimentel and Alvarez out of fear that opportunists would come to President Dutertes party without understanding its core values, but they said they were snubbed. Garcia said Duterte had vowed to help unite the two factions. For him, the only way to resolve the issue was for Pimentels group to acknowledge the officers elected during their own mass oathtaking.President Donald Trump's administration denied Tuesday any change to its "One-China" policy after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen made a political speech in the US, the first time in 15 years a Taiwanese leader has done so. Beijing said that it had lodged an official protest with the United States over Tsai's speech Monday in Los Angeles, where she said Taiwan's freedom and future was not negotiable. Tsai spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library while in transit on a trip to Paraguay and Belize, two of the few countries that continue to recognize the government in Taipei. State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the speech did not represent any move by the Trump administration to alter the official US stance that accepts Beijing as the sole government of China, and does not officially recognize Taiwan's government. "Our policy on Taiwan has not changed," she told reporters. "The United States in regard to this trip facilitates from time to time representatives of the Taiwan authorities to transit the United States." "Those are largely undertaken out of consideration for the safety and the comfort of those travelers, and that is in keeping with our One-China policy." Yet previous US administrations have prevented Taiwan leaders from making speeches in the United States that would implicitly elevate their diplomatic status and irk Beijing. Tsai's transit in Los Angeles was the most high-profile since former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian's 2003 stopover in New York, where he accepted a human rights award and delivered several public speeches. Tsai, a firm defender of Taiwan's independence, said in the speech Monday that "We will keep our pledge that we are willing to jointly promote regional stability and peace under the principles of national interests, freedom and democracy." Tsai's stopover came amid a rise in tensions between China and Taiwan that has raised concerns in Washington. In April the Chinese military held live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait in what was widely seen as a move to intimidate Taipei. In Singapore in June, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned China not to alter the security status quo in the region. Last month, Beijing forced several international airlines, including US carriers, to begin listing Taiwan as a part of China in advertising their services. This photograph by Taiwan agency CNA Photo shows Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaking during her visit to Los Angeles, CaliforniaA selfless woman rescued an injured dog from a mountaintop, carrying the pooch down the rocky incline for six-and-a-half hours through snow, debris and heavy rainfall.

She set out to climb the mountain twice in one day, in an act of solidarity to support her son, Porter, who was recovering from mental health struggles at a wellness camp. However, she didnt realise that her biggest test of the day would come in the form of an injured dog.

Tia Vargas was trudging her way up the final strides of the 3385-metre summit of Table Rock, Idaho, when she spotted an English springer spaniel limping alongside two hikers, who were desperately searching for the dogs owner.

The 40-year-old single mother of three hoisted the ailing canine over her shoulders and carried him back down the mountainside for a staggering six-and-a-half-hours, navigating her way across snow, debris and heavy rainfall, on July 5.

I put him over my shoulders and carried him down the mountain for six-and-a-half hours, when usually the entire trip would only take me four, she said.

Physically, my legs were shaking, my neck was hurting and I was exhausted, but I kept going.

Tia Vargas rescued an injured English springer spaniel dog from a mountaintop at Table Rock, Idaho, United States. Source: Caters

Hiking alongside her father, Ted Kasper, 76, the pair gave up all of their food to four-year-old Boomer in a bid to give him the strength to last the journey down.

Boomers eyes were bloodshot and swollen, he was dehydrated and his body was scratched all over, Ms Vargas said.

He couldnt walk on his left leg at all, he just wanted to lay down. He had very little left in him and I knew he wouldnt be walking down the mountain.

Incredibly, Boomer had fallen down a 30-metre crevasse the day before and was presumed dead, his owners told Ms Vargas when she contacted them at the bottom of the mountain.

Ms Vargas carried the dog, Boomer, down the mountain and later adopted the pooch. Source: Caters

Rescuer and pooch together forever

Boomer was set to be put up for adoption the day after he went missing, so Tia asked the family if she could adopt him and is now the proud owner of the pooch.

The hikers [at the top of the mountain] asked if Boomer was mine and that theyd seen a note at the bottom of the mountain mentioning someone had lost their dog.

Story continues

I knew instantly that this was my real trial, that I was meant to meet Boomer. I didnt hesitate in offering to help him.

As I was carrying Boomer, I thought about Porter and how to he was lost, and injured, and how I wanted to help him find himself again and mend.

Boomer, the English springer spaniel, has been a ray of sunshine in the life of Tia Vargas and her son Porter. Source: Caters

Her son Porter, 17, identified Boomer as his kindred spirit and told his mother that the dogs story has made him excited for life once again.

Boomer has bought nothing but sunshine into our lives since he arrived in it, Ms Vargas said.

I knew the second I picked him up that he was the new love of my life. A part of our family, a perfect fit for our home,

[Since the rescue] Porters now looking forward to the future again, about going to college, starting a family. Its amazing.

He had one short but sweet meeting with him, and now he cant wait to be back with Boomer.

Boomer has lifted our spirits after so many hardships. Life before him was not nearly as fun.Today on the Eye on NY podcast:

U.S. Rep. John Katko's re-election campaign released a new TV ad Wednesday. The commercial stars Teresa Woolson, an Oswego County woman who has advocated for laws to crack down on synthetic drugs. Woolson's son, Victor, died in 2012 after he had a fatal reaction to synthetic marijuana.

Woolson, a registered Democrat, has worked with Katko to raise awareness about the dangers of synthetic drugs, She supports a bill sponsored by Katko that aims to combat synthetic drugs.

Breaking down the 50th Senate District race and why it's one of the most important contests in New York.

SUBSCRIBE: Listen on iTunes, Google Play or PodBean.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Today on the Eye on NY podcast:

A recap of President Donald Trump's visit to central New York. It was his first visit to upstate New York as president.

Trump's first stop: Fort Drum, where he signed a $716 defense policy bill. He made news there by not mentioning Sen. John McCain. The bill was named in honor of the ailing Arizona senator.

After Fort Drum, Trump headlined a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney. He praised Tenney, blasted Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and he gave a shout-out to Gillibrand's Republican opponent, Chele Farley.

SUBSCRIBE: Listen on iTunes, Google Play or PodBean.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Despite a Democratic voter enrollment advantage and the possibility of a "blue wave" in November, a political forecaster believes U.S. Rep. John Katko is well-positioned to win re-election in the 24th Congressional District race.

Cook Political Report's Dave Wasserman wrote Wednesday that a handful of Republicans hold leads in their districts, according to internal campaign polling. One of the GOP members he mentioned is Katko, R-Camillus, who is seeking a third term in Congress.

Katko and the other Republicans "appear to be defying the 'blue wave' in Democratic-leaning seats," Wasserman explained.

Cook Political Report rates the 24th district race as "likely Republican," meaning the publication believes Katko is favored to win. His opponent is Democratic candidate Dana Balter, who won a primary in June to set up the general election contest.

A poll released by Speak Out Central New York, a progressive group, showed Balter leading by four points. On Twitter, Wasserman called that an outlier and again referred to the internal polling in the race.

The internal polls haven't been released, but they reportedly show Katko leading Balter in the 24th district race. It's routine for campaigns to commission polls, but the results usually aren't released to the public.

Katko was first elected to Congress in 2014. He won that race and his re-election campaign in 2016 by at least 20 points.

In 2016, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won the 24th district by four percentage points over Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Democrats are expected to pick up several House seats this year. The neighboring 22nd Congressional District is a top target for the party. U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, a freshman Republican who recently campaigned with President Donald Trump, is facing a tough re-election bid. Her opponent is Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, a Utica Democrat.

Cook Political Report rates NY-22 as a toss up.

Republicans may lose control of the House, but Katko appears to be in a strong position for re-election. He has a significant financial advantage over Balter  he reported more than $1.6 million in his campaign account last month  and he released his second television ad this week.

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2Gov. Andrew Cuomos recent visit to the Great Meadow Correctional Facility highlights the need to crack down on prison contraband and improve safety. According to media reports, the governor has indicated he will release a prison reform plan in January. Any reform plan needs to address the contraband crisis plaguing our prisons and driving the drug and violence epidemic.

The Governors visit comes after a 20- to 25-inmate fight that occurred last Wednesday at this state maximum security prison. The facility went into lockdown to quell the violence. Nearly 10 canisters of tear gas had to be used to break up the fighting. According to reports, multiple weapons were found after the fight. Incidents like this are why we need to adopt legislation that allows effective screening of packages and visitors, to keep weapons and dangerous drugs out of state prisons.

With significant input from the men and women working in state correctional facilities, I wrote legislation that would address prison violence and drug use head-on. Correctional officers are the boots on the ground. They have the hands-on experience to recommend changes to help stanch the flow of contraband and weapons. My bipartisan legislation passed the Senate 48-14 during the 2018 legislative session. However, despite making multiple Assembly-driven revisions to the bill, the Assembly failed to pass this critical legislation. We need the governors help and support to pass this important legislation to make New Yorks prisons safer for both inmates and officers.

The legislation requires the commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to establish a contraband screening plan in correctional facilities to include:

 Use of leashed and controlled canines at the entrances (at least 12 facilities per week, on a random but rotating basis);

 Search of visitors entering the facility including but not limited to electronic searches, image scanning searches (not backscatter technology), pat searches, and visual searches;

 Training of staff on current contraband screening procedures; and

 Requiring the DOCCS commissioner to provide the Legislature with an annual report summarizing the current plan and the results of the prior years plan.

We need to give our corrections officers the tools they need to curtail the influx of dangerous contraband. The measures currently in place are clearly not working and have done little to impact the high level of violence and inmate drug abuse. This is a concern not only for correctional officers and prison staff but also for the families of those who are incarcerated. I met with parents who have a son incarcerated at a state facility who expressed how the availability of drugs in the prison is hindering their sons recovery and rehabilitation. The increase in contraband coming into state correctional facilities is making it harder for officers to control both drug use and violence.

In July 2017, the Auburn Citizen published an article highlighting prison contraband entering Auburn Correctional Facility. The report cited data from 2012 to 2015. Auburn Correctional Facility recovered 1,178 illegal contraband items from inmates and visitors at the prison. Of that contraband, there were 708 weapons, 359 drugs, and 111 miscellaneous items such as cash or cell phones. Attempts to bring drugs and weapons into state correctional facilities reached record high levels in 2017.

Data collected indicates that 2017 marked the most violent year inside state prisons since 2007, the year statistics began being recorded. According to statistics provided by DOCCS, assaults on staff statewide have risen from 645 incidents in 2013 to 800 in 2017. As of Aug. 5, 2018, there have already been 556 incidents of assaults on staff. For assaults on inmates, the numbers are even higher. In 2013, there were 767 assaults on inmates statewide, and this number grew to 1,220 in 2017. In the first half of 2018, there have already been 716 assaults on inmates. Every metric tracked by DOCCS (inmate-on-staff assaults, inmate-on-inmate assaults, use of chemical agents, contraband) rose above the previous years numbers. These alarming statistics and the several incidents since the beginning of this year underscore the critical need for changes to current protocols set forth by DOCCS.

We need to take immediate action to stem the flow of illegal contraband and weapons into our prisons. If the governor is sincere about reducing violence and drug use in our state correctional facilities, he will take a serious look at my legislation that passed the Senate. As vice chair of the Senates Committee on Crime, Crime Victims, and Corrections, I will continue my aggressive efforts to work with NYSCOPBA and my legislative colleagues to make our correctional facilities safer for all.

Helming is senator for the New York State 54th Senate District

Love 11 Funny 2 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 3At the Cayuga County Legislature's Public Safety Committee meeting last week, Sheriff David Gould briefed lawmakers on a plan he's going to bring before them to create a transitional care coordinator position at the Cayuga County Jail.

The new position would replace a nursing job that's being vacated by retirement; Gould said the resulting impact on the budget should be negligible.

A transitional care coordinator would work with inmates who are being released from the jail to help them successfully integrate back into civilian life. Services that the coordinator would help line up include housing, substance abuse counseling, health care, transportation and job training and search assistance.

Cayuga County sheriff's office hopes to be one of first in state with jail transitional coordinator AUBURN  The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office is looking to be among the first counties in the state with a specialized position to help jail in

We imagine some people might have a problem with a taxpayer-funded employee providing this range of services for free to inmates. Why should Cayuga County do this for people who have been convicted of crimes?

There are actually several good reasons.

For one thing, it's state law. Although only a few counties have officially implemented a transition program, New York state does require it. And with considerable new focus from Albany on criminal justice reforms in recent years, it makes sense for Cayuga County to get ahead of this issue and implement a position in a careful manner.

Another reason to support this move is financial. Ultimately, Cayuga County residents should want a jail with a low recidivism rate. Housing inmates costs money, and when the same inmates keep getting checked in and out of the county jail, taxpayer resources are being used up. This transition program should help many people avoid falling into the same civilian life traps that get them into trouble.

A final reason is the most important: it's the humane thing to do. When people have served their sentence and are released from jail, they may have their freedom back but they also can face overwhelming circumstances trying to get back on their feet. It's just the right thing to do to give them some assistance so they can have a decent shot at redemption.

We applaud the sheriff for acting on this measure, and encourage the Legislature to give him their support when he brings a formal proposal before them.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3The House of Representatives will resume budget deliberations after suspending them over a disagreement with the Department of Budget and Management on its cash-based system, which gives agencies only the fiscal year and the next three months to spend their funds and implement their projects. House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said the impasse was ended after both sides agreed to a compromise that would retain the use of the previous obligation-based system on certain projects, depending on their requirements. Andaya said lines of communication were opened when Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met with President Rodrigo Duterte Tuesday night regarding the proposed national budget. He said this prompted House leaders to resume budget deliberations during the two-week congressional break. The President opened the lines of communication on how the budget for 2019 will come out at the House of Representatives, said Andaya, who attended the meeting at the Palace. He said a hybrid budgeting system would combine the cash-based system with the obligation-based system, depending on the requirements of individual projects. He said he would suggest the resumption of budget hearings to the chairman of the committee on appropriations, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles. The Presidents instructions were clearduring the break we will resume the hearings, he said. Likewise, it is a gesture of cooperation to the DBM and the Senate. After all, we know a compromise has been reached, Andaya added in a mix of English and Filipino. The House appropriations committee had earlier suspended deliberations on the P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019 amid opposition from lawmakers to the new cash-based budgeting system adopted by DBM. Under the proposed cash-based 2019 national budget, all payouts are valid within the fiscal year and three months the following year. DBM said the cash-based budgeting would limit incurring the obligation and disbursing payments for goods delivered and services rendered, inspected and accepted to the fiscal year. This is in contrast to the obligation-based budgeting where agencies can spread appropriations across two years or more to enable the completion of long-term budgets. This has had the effect of lowering the 2019 budget, which is P10 billion lower than the P3.8 trillion for 2018. Andaya said the House leaders agreed that budgetary cuts would be restored and that they would allow the validity of some payments to one year plus six months of the following year. He said the President told the lawmakers to do what is good for the country. I leave it to you [members of Congress] to decide. Do what you feel is right. Im not going to get involved in that, he quoted the President as telling them. In a separate press conference, House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez and Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza hit Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno for his poor appreciation of the cash-based budgeting system, which they said would not work in reality. Cash-based budgeting system is only ideal to developed nations, Suarez said. That is right in academic discussions, but politcally wrong. Suarez said that under the 2019 national budget, the Department of Health suffered a P35-billion cut; the Department of Education, P77 billion and the Department of Public Works and Highways, P95 billion.The Department of Social Welfare and Development and Commission on Elections also got budget reductions at P5 billion, Atienza added, saying that these cuts on social services are not correct after the government implemented the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Act. The leftist Makabayan bloc, meanwhile, called for a total revision of the budget. Party-list Representatives Antonio Tino of ACT Teachers and Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela said next years budget should contain huge funding for basic social services. Tinio said their group opposed the spending plan because of the budget cuts. We call for an overhaul of the budget submitted by the Malacanang, and our position is we will fight for increases in the budget for social services, education, health, housing, and for salary increases, he said. Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday taunted some congressmen, who he said opposed the budget cuts because of they would lose their pork barrel allocations for their infrastructure projects. 2019 National Budget standoff: Some congressmen are protesting the budget cuts for their infra projects aka PDAF, he said on his Twitter account. They need massive detox and full rehab so they can lick the more dangerous addiction for money. Tokhang may be good after all, he added, referring to the governments bloody war on drugs. Priority Development Assistance Fund, commonly known as pork barrel, was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in 2013. Lacson said those who were holding hostage the 2019 budget were doing so because the projects in their districts would suffer. What projects are they talking about? Didnt the SC already declare the PDAF unconstitutional in November 2013? Lacson said. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that the Senate has agreed to support the DBMs cash-based appropriation for 2019. The entire Senate, in caucus, has agreed to support the Presidents budget. Yes, we are supporting the DBMs budget proposal, he said. The Senate leader also said the budget hearings will resume soon based on the National Expenditure Program, because the general appropriations bill must emanate from the House. Senator Loren Legarda said that the committee on finance, which she chairs, will not only scrutinize the proposed P3.757 trillion budget, but also review the performance of agencies, especially those with infrastructure programs that have registered low obligation or disbursement rates throughout the years. The proposed 2019 national budget is now cash-based as a way to ensure efficient spending of public funds and implementation of projects. But as we look into the 2019 budget of agencies, we will also exercise strong oversight and review how the 2018 budget was spent and implemented, Legarda said. Legarda on Tuesday said the Senate supports the governments move to shift from obligation-based to annual cash-based appropriations starting with the 2019 national budget. The Senate supports a cash-based budgeting system that will help discipline the bureaucracy, addressing the problem of underspending, which has long plagued the government, Legarda said. With a cash-based budget system, projects will be done sooner, thus, people would also feel the benefits of government services sooner, Legarda said.Cooper also promises he'll file suit to get two amendments removed from ballot

Editor's note: This story was edited after initial publication to include information about legislation from Sen. Jeff Jackson and Gov. Roy Cooper's proposed litigation.The Republican-led General Assembly wasted no time Saturday, Aug. 4, batting down a pair of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes dealing with constitutional amendments.A Supreme Court candidate affected by the action then vowed to sue to block the reinstated legislation - which bars him from switching his party affiliation to run as a Republican - and Cooper promised to file his own legal challenges.The House voted 70-39 to override vetoes of both Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 3 . The Senate voted 28-12 on both measures. After the votes, lawmakers promptly adjourned the special session which started last week. (The short session, which opened in May, will convene again after the November election.)S.B. 3 prevents judicial candidates from switching parties for a general election less than 90 days before the filing period. This affects Chris Anglin, a Raleigh attorney seeking a Supreme Court seat. Anglin changed his affiliation from Democrat to Republican about three weeks before filing. Now he will appear on the ballot with no party affiliation.H.B. 3 reversed a 2016 state law that would have let a three-member commission draft descriptive captions to accompany constitutional amendments on the ballot. Rather than captions, each amendment will be identified by the words "constitutional amendment."The legislature has overridden a record 20 of Cooper's 25 vetoes in the two-year legislative cycle."This is about falsely and unconstitutionally misleading voters and crippling the checks and balances that are the foundation of our democracy," Cooper said in a news release after the special session closed.Cooper said." House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said in a joint statement.Meanwhile, Anglin said he would file a lawsuit Monday. He is deciding whether to pursue his case against S.B. 3 in state or federal court. They have dual jurisdiction in the matter, he said.Anglin told Carolina Journal.Incumbent Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jackson, a Republican, also will face Democrat Anita Earls. Republicans say Anglin is a Democratic plant trying to split the GOP vote to give Earls an electoral edge.Anglin said.Anglin said.Top legislative Republicans held a press conference shortly before the override votes. They said they are protecting legislation popular with constituents that Democrats want to derail, and defending voters against Democrats' attacks on their ability to make informed choices.During this year's short legislative session, the General Assembly passed six constitutional amendments to appear on the fall ballot. Under a provision of a 2016 election law, the state Constitutional Amendment Publication Commission had been charged with drafting captions to describe those amendments on the ballot.This would have been the first time that commission would have drafted captions. Since 1983, the commission has preparedaccording to the N.C. Secretary of State's office." The Secretary of State then distributes the explanation to the local boards of elections, the press, and others." H.B. 3 has no effect on that part of the commission's work.Republicans say the Democrat-controlled commission has politicized the caption-writing process. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Attorney General Josh Stein, both Democrats, are two of the three members of the commission. The third is Paul Coble, the state legislative services officer, a Republican.Berger said.To lay the groundwork for those suits, DemocratsBerger said.He said one false claim is that the amendment appointing a bipartisan board of elections would allow the General Assembly to appoint Cabinet secretaries. Instead, the bill deals only with boards and commissions, not state agencies.Democrats wrongly allege the judicial vacancy amendment revising the appointment process would erode gubernatorial veto power, Berger said. Critics contend provisions could be added to any bill filling a judicial vacancy and the governor couldn't veto it.Berger said.Sen. Jeff Jackson, R-Mecklenburg, filed a bill Saturday which would have scrubbed the ambiguous language from the amendment. It died in the Rules Committee without getting a vote.Late Saturday afternoon, Cooper said he would ask state courts to remove two of the amendments from the ballot. See his filing here One is Senate Bill 814 , the judicial vacancy measure. Cooper's filing says the bill's language would indeed let lawmakers make any bill veto-proof by incorporating it with a judicial appointment.The other, House Bill 914 , continues a longstanding battle between the executive and legislative branches over separation of powers. Cooper says the amendment would give the legislature too much power over boards and commissions which administer policy.Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, House Rules Committee chairman, addressed questions of the effect threatened Democratic lawsuits against the Republicans' actions could have on the fall election. The Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement has said ballot language must be completed by Wednesday Those concerned about the amendments could have sought relief in the courts earlier, Lewis said.Lewis accused Marshall and Stein of staging "a political dog and pony show" at a July 31 meeting at which Coble was absent.Lewis said.Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, said S.B. 3 was about fairness and transparency.Hise said. That type of last-minute party switching already is illegal in every other elected office.Hise said Anglin and three District Court candidates would be affected: Two Democrats switched to Republican, and one Democrat changed to unaffiliated.Hise said.Comments during the short floor debate closely mirrored the press conference script. Democrats offered mostly token opposition.House Minority Leader Darren Jackson, D-Wake, reminded Republicans they changed the law requiring judicial candidates to be identified by party label, but now want to strip Anglin's affiliation from the ballot.he said, when Republicans passed legislation to bypass this year's primary. A federal court rejected the suit.Jackson said Republicans scrapped judicial primaries this cycle because they believed allowing multiple candidates on the ballot would have diluted Democrats' votes, helping Republicans. The plan backfired when Barbara Jackson got a Republican opponent, with Earls the only Democrat. Republicans then hastily put together S.B. 3, Darren Jackson said.Jackson said.In addition to casting ballots for local, state and federal candidates, this November North Carolina voters will be asked to vote on six proposed amendments to the state constitution.Six is the highest number of proposed amendments since the adoption of the North Carolina Constitution of 1971. A quick review of proposed amendments since that time shows it was not unusual to see multiple amendments on the same ballot.On two separate occasions in the 70s, five amendments appeared on the ballots. In 1982, five amendments appeared on a late June ballot along with two more on the November ballot.Finally, North Carolina voters were asked to vote on three proposed constitutional amendments three different times between 1986 and 2004.In total, voters have been asked to approve 45 possible amendments. Of the 45 placed on the ballot, 37 were approved. That works out to a little less than one new amendment per year.For a bit of perspective, let's look at how this ratio rank compares to other states.Professor John Dinan of Wake Forest University is an expert on state constitutions and federalism. At a recent talk on the subject, Dinan said North Carolina ranks in the middle of the 50 states for adopting amendments. On one end is Vermont which adopts a new amendment only once every four years. On the other end is Alabama, which on average adopts eight new amendments per year.Amendments may be proposed to the state constitution for any number of reasons. Many times, constitutional amendments are the vehicle to get the government to act - or not act.Likewise, constitutional amendment may provide a way to achieve an end that may not be readily achievable through traditional means. For example, passage of the Defense of Marriage Act in 2012 was a deliberate attempt to limit the influence of federal courts in defining or redefining marriage.Some amendments delineate who can run for public office and the terms of service. In 1977, voters said yes to an amendment to allow the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected to two consecutive terms. In 1982, by a better than 3-to-1 margin, voters said no to increasing the term lengths of state senators and representatives.A quick review of proposed amendments reveals that many of the amendments aim to limit government power and direct how government can spend or borrow money.Since 1971, eight amendments have been rejected by voters. In five of the eight amendments, voters rejected the idea of providing state or local municipalities the ability to issue bonds, finance capital facilities or to issue bonds without voter approval. In 1977, over 80 percent of North Carolina voters supported a constitutional amendment requiring that the state budget remain balanced at all times. In 1993, 76 percent of North Carolinians voted to reject a constitutional amendment authorizing counties and cities to issue tax incremental bonds without voter approval.Deciding how government spends taxpayer money is a clear theme among North Carolina constitutional amendments. History suggests that the public wants tight control on state and municipal spending.Thus, it should not be all that surprising to learn one of the amendments on the ballot this fall reduces the maximum percentage of income tax the state can charge individuals or corporations from 10 percent to 7 percent. The amendment was last changed in 1936 when voters approved raising the maximum income tax from 6 percent to 10 percent. The first income tax amendment was passed in 1920 and limited the percentage of income taxed to 6 percent.Another noticeable theme in recent amendments is elections, specifically who can vote in elections, the qualifications of specific offices as well as the terms of service. Since 1971, 16 proposed constitutional amendments addressed at least one of these concerns. This fall, voters will be asked whether they should be required to show photo ID to vote.Constitutions are important documents that define our relationship with government and how we are to live as a people.They are also imperfect documents aware of their own shortcomings. Since 1787, over 11,000 amendments have been proposed to the US Constitution. Only 27 amendments have been added to the Constitution in 231 years. North Carolina has had three constitutions. The most recent was adopted in 1971. It has been amended 37 times.Such realities mirror the enduring struggle to find a constitutional framework that tempers passions yet is also responsive to needed change. This fall North Carolinians will have to determine the outcome of this struggle when they vote on six constitutional amendments. We would do well to give this responsibility the time and attention it deserves.Two of the constitutional amendments voters will decide in November have final explanations for voter guides and other educational uses.The North Carolina Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission Monday published the amendment descriptions for House Bill 551 and Senate Bill 677 , which support the rights of hunters and victims. The commission decided to wait to write the other four explanations because of pending litigation. Any amendments surviving legal challenges will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.The other four amendments remain mired in lawsuits and controversy, much like the commission itself. In late July Republicans called a special legislative session to reverse a 2016 state law dealing with ballot captions for constitutional amendments. This year would have marked the first time a three-member commission would have written captions to appear on the ballot. Fearing that the two Democratic members of that commission would draft misleading captions based on partisan bias, lawmakers dumped the captions completely. Instead each amendment will be identified with the words "constitutional amendment."The commission's members are Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Attorney General Josh Stein, who are both Democrats, and Paul Coble, who is the state legislative services officer and a Republican.The description for the amendment guaranteeing the right to hunt and fish clocks in at 136 words.the amendment description reads, before going on to explain the amendment's relation to existing laws.The description also says the amendment will "establish that public hunting and fishing are a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife."The description for the victims' rights amendment will be almost three times the length at more than 300 words.It lays out eight rights already guaranteed to victims in the N.C. Constitution. Then it describes seven other rights the amendment would ensconce in the Constitution if approved.Gov. Roy Cooper has filed a court challenge to two constitutional amendments because they "would take a wrecking ball to the separation of powers" by rewriting bedrock constitutional provisions - including the Separation of Powers Clause itself.Cooper, a Democrat, says the Republican-led General Assembly wants to strip his power to appoint thousands of officials to hundreds of boards and commissions that execute state laws, defying recent state Supreme Court decisions.In the suit, filed in Wake County Superior Court on Monday, Aug. 6, Cooper also claims the amendments wouldCooper wants a court injunction toand immediately block it from appearing on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.Among the defendants are Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland.said Moore spokesman Joseph Kyzer.Berger spokesman Bill D'Elia said in a written statement.D'Elia said.By waiting five weeks to file multiple "absurd lawsuits," Cooper and Democratic allies created an emergency of their own making," D'Elia said.Cooper spokeswoman Sadie Weiner said in a written statement House Bill 913 and Senate Bill 814 "cripple separation of powers and checks and balances."H.B. 913 creates a new eight-member Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement appointed by the legislature, and outside the authority of the executive branch. S.B. 814 deals with filling judicial vacancies. It creates nonpartisan judicial merit commissions to recommend judge candidates to the General Assembly, which would make nominations to the governor.By giving the legislature the authority to appoint hundreds of regulators and decisionmakers to state boards and commissions, Weiner said H.B. 913Weiner said S.B. 814 poses another threat.she said.Weiner said.The lawsuit claims the vague and misleading ballot language on the constitutional amendments is a way for legislative Republicans to circumvent court decisions rejecting their repeated attempts to politicize and delegitimize the courts.Article XIII of the state Constitutionthe suit states. Other constitutional provisions hold that an amendment cannot be the will of the people if amendments are not fairly and accurately presented.Cooper said he faces immediate and irreparable harm without a court injunction because the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement might finalize the Nov. 6 ballot by Wednesday. Permitting the false and incomplete constitutional questions to remain on the ballot could triggerthe suit states.An injunction would preserve the governor's rights and the status quo while the matter is in the courts, the suit states.Also named as defendants are the N.C. Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement and the elections board's nine individual members: Andrew Penry, Joshua Malcolm, Ken Raymond, Stella Anderson, Damon Circosta, Stacy Eggers, Jay Hemphill, Valerie Johnson, and John Lewis.A perplexing recent comment from North Carolina's attorney general suggests now might be a good time for a refresher course about the way people exercise power in our system of government.A.G. Josh Stein delivered that line to reporters July 31, just after the conclusion of a "work session" of the Constitutional Amendment Publication Commission.State law assigns that three-member commission the task of writing plain-language descriptions of proposed constitutional amendments. Stein joined fellow commissioner and N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall for the July 31 session. The third member, Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble, skipped the meeting. Coble's absence prevented Stein and Marshall from taking any official action.The lack of a quorum didn't stop the two Democratic Council of State members from criticizing the six proposed constitutional amendments N.C. voters will see in November. Both Stein and Marshall complained about misleading ballot language. During the meeting, Stein used the analogy of voters buying a birthday cake but ending up with cat food.Stein said to reporters.He followed up that comment with the statement about voters giving their own power to the legislature.Voters giving up their power? Really? Which of the six constitutional amendments would achieve that dubious end?To analyze the attorney general's comment, it's important to remind ourselves about key details of the constitutional amendment process.The N.C. Constitution acts as state government's fundamental document. It spells out powers for various government actors and sets limits for them. It reminds people - and government - about inviolable rights. It supersedes any other state law and defers only to the dictates of the U.S. Constitution.Our state constitution is so important that only the people can amend it. They have opportunities to approve amendments only after three-fifths, or 60 percent, of both the N.C. House and Senate endorse proposals for voters to consider.When people vote on amendments, they do not give up power. They exercise power.In general, voting offers one of the few opportunities in our system of government for "the people" to exercise power. In most cases, voters delegate their power to elected officials. If the system works well, those officials reflect the choices and priorities of the people who elected them.Fans of limited government support those limits precisely because elected officials can deliver - at best - only a rough approximation of the sovereign people's wishes. Limit government to its proper sphere, and there's less likelihood of elected officials misusing the people's power.One doubts that Attorney General Stein actually misunderstands the facts about the people's power. It's more likely that his statement about people giving up power actually meant to convey his concern about a change in the current distribution of the people's delegated power.If so, then it's worthwhile to examine the six proposed constitutional amendments . While critics have raised at least some concern about each one, not all seem likely to have contributed to Stein's questionable comment.Amendments to strengthen crime victims' rights and to protect North Carolinians' rights to hunt and fish have attracted the least opposition. A louder chorus has objected to a proposal to lower the state's cap on maximum income tax rates. Critics also have assailed an amendment that would require photo identification for voters.But none of these four says much about the distribution of the people's power. If anything, the first two (victims' rights and hunting and fishing) purport to give people more power over government agencies. The tax amendment tweaks one number in the existing constitution. It shifts no power. The voter ID amendment, if implemented appropriately, could strengthen the people's power to some extent. It would set up a larger obstacle for those who want to dilute legitimate votes through fraud.That leaves two amendments for consideration. One changes the process of filling judicial vacancies. The other changes the composition of the state elections and ethics board and clarifies appointment powers for government boards created by state law.The judicial vacancy amendment clearly gives the General Assembly a larger role in determining who will fill the job of a judge who leaves office before her term ends. Rather than have the governor play the primary role in filling those unexpired terms, lawmakers would sift through all qualified candidates and submit at least two names for the governor's consideration. If the governor refuses to name one of those candidates, lawmakers would choose. The chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court would take on the appointment duty under limited circumstances.Regardless of the details of these appointments, voters maintain the ultimate power. They will endorse the new appointee or choose an alternative in an election. Nothing about the amendment changes the judicial election process.Republicans are likely to argue that the amendment gives people an even larger role in the judicial selection process. The amendment gives members of the public the chance to make initial recommendations of candidates to fill judicial vacancies. From the list of names submitted by the public, a new merit commission would send a list of qualified candidates to the General Assembly.This amendment clearly would affect the distribution of government power. It would not amount to the people giving up power.That leaves one final amendment dealing with election and ethics oversight and government appointments. The portion of the proposal dealing with elections clearly makes no change in the people's power. State government already operates a board overseeing elections and ethics enforcement. That group takes no power away from the people if its members are appointed by Republican and Democratic legislative leaders, rather than the governor.As for appointment powers, here's what the amendment proposes.Critics contend that this amendment would give the General Assembly control over every appointment to every state board or commission. Perhaps that's the goal. But it's just as likely that the General Assembly simply wanted to clarify in the constitution itsas one N.C. Supreme Court justice recently described legislative power.Recent court cases have threatened the once well-accepted principle of legislative predominance. The same justice warned of "perilous consequences" of a January court ruling suggesting that the governor has a newOnce again, this issue represents a debate over distribution of power. If voters adopt the amendment, they would hold no more and no less power over government than they did before Election Day.All six constitutional amendments deserve a thorough debate. Thoughtful voters will consider each proposal carefully, rather than accept each one blindly or devote themselves equally blindly to the #NixAllSix cause.As voters weigh the pros and cons, there's little reason to worry that they are giving up power. Instead their votes will represent the most basic form of putting the people's power into action.Should Beaufort County's commissioners be resolved to ask the federal government to defend our Southern Border by ending the Biden /Harris Open Border policy in regards to that one border that is intentionally made OPEN?

Yes, Illegal Migrants are a huge expense to local governments.

No, the cost of Undocumented Immigrants is insignificant in our providing a pathway for the "Browning of America".Wacky Omarosa, who got fired 3 times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will. She begged me for a job, tears in her eyes, I said Ok. People in the White House hated her. She was vicious, but not smart. I would rarely see her but heard....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018

...really bad things. Nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work. When Gen. Kelly came on board he told me she was a loser & nothing but problems. I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said GREAT things about me - until she got fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018

Former Trump White House staffer Omarosa Managault is making the media rounds. Suffice it to say that she has flipped her prior, highly-sycophantic position with regard to President Trump, and now says she regrets ever having worked with him and for him. All of which prompted Trump to a fit of apoplexy on Twitter:These hilarious tweets raise some rather obvious questions about the way in which the White House functions. Here are just a few.Trump seems to suggest that Omarosa was randomly hired and then fired. But Trump insisted on Omarosa being hired over the objections of people inside and outside the administration. She had a checkered employment history, a reputation for being nearly impossible to work with, and no resume to speak of in leading a significant office in the White House. So why did Trump hire her? After all, isn't Trump supposed to be the guy who hires only the best people?One of the most laugh-out-loud aspects of the Omarosa-Trump fight are the tapes in which Omarosa is informed by Chief of Staff John Kelly that she's out, followed by the tape of Trump explaining he has no idea why anyone would say she's out. "Omarosa? Omarosa, what's going on?" Trump says on tape. "I just saw the news that you're thinking about leaving? What happened?" It's nearly impossible to imagine that Trump had no idea Omarosa was being ousted. It's just that Trump actually hates firing people - he makes his subordinates do it (see Comey, James, and Tillerson, Rex).Trump made rather obvious why he hires people - and why he treats people kindly in general: they're nice to him. His tweet about Omarosa being a garbage employee but a person who "only said GREAT things about me" rings absolutely true - he only wants to hear from people who blow smoke up his ass. That's the real reason he treats Vladimir Putin with respect, as well as Kim Jung Un (so long as Kim is kissing his posterior). It's not that Trump is in league with the world's worst people. It's that anyone who praises him is now considered an ally, and anyone who criticizes him immediately becomes an enemy.Turnover at the administration has been extraordinarily high . That's because Trump doesn't mind chaos around him - he actually enjoys the competition for attention among his subordinates. As Trump writes in his Omarosa tweets, he likes viciousness. The problem is that this generates both headlines and conflicts that damage his administration. The policy from the administration has been, on the whole, quite good; the stories emerging from the administration about the lack of organization from within aren't. That problem starts at the top.At this point, it seems deeply unlikely that Omarosa has anything. She's merely the latest disgruntled employee to suggest that she has dirt and then deliver little of consequence (see Bannon, Steve). The lack of damaging material actually suggests that Trump doesn't say quite as many nutty things as his detractors claim behind closed doors. But it's obvious that Trump needs to clean house in a much more thoroughgoing fashion if this sort of nonsense is ever to stop.Blockchain of the Philippines president and Unionbank of the Philippines chairman Justo Ortiz collaborates with Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines Itamar Gero to share best practices about the financial technology landscape in Israel and how the Philippines can improve its own.

IN AN effort to engage common Filipinos in digital transformation and solutions, technological communities from the Philippines and Israel birthed a collaboration and knowledge partnership during the TechUp Pilipinas held recently in Makati City. Blockchain Association of the Philippines and Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines both led the collaboration, which targets to share the best practices about the financial technology landscape in Israel and how the Philippines can improve its own. BAP President and UnionBank Chairman Justo Ortiz spearheaded the session by encouraging different startups, financial technology companies, and entrepreneurs to learn from one another. Ortiz expressed that he acquired the inspiration from self-regulatory organizations which do not choke the industry. By learning from other principles-based regulation practices, he believes blockchain companies and other startups can model their own ecosystem in the country.We have a tendency to play in our own sandbox and test and learn by ourselves. But we know that blockchain and other technology is moving very quickly and we need more innovation rather than less, he said, highlighting the need for the normal individuals to advance as both technology and the Internet progress. We need to encourage the community to learn from the best practices happening in other countries and industry players and take inspiration from that, said Ortiz. GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc. chief marketing and communications officer Amor Maclang moderated a series of talks joined by ICCP president Itamar Gero, Asia Select chief executive officer and president Gilbert Camasura, Satoshi Citadel Industries co-founder Miguel Cuneta, and the Philippine Association of Digital Commerce and Decentralized Industries and Fintech Advisor to CEZA chairman emeritus Mary Rose Magsaysay. Gero discussed the environment and situation in Israel which allows for innovation and startup culture. According to Gero, Israel, while being located in the oil-rich Middle East, lacked natural resources, resulting in limited opportunities for growth. To address this problem, Israel turned their efforts investing towards their people and focusing on the development of innovative industries.He added that Israel has been dubbed as the Startup Nation - the innovation capital of the world. Also, as per the World Bank, the Jewish country spends 4.27 percent of its growth domestic product on research and the development. To make the Filipino workforce ready for the advances in technology, Camasura expressed the importance to invest more in people, particularly in tech. Meanwhile, Cuneta discussed how quickly blockchain in the country progress and the opportunities it possesses for Filipinos to be leaders in this field. Magsaysay, on the other hand, talked about how the community is formalizing and coordinating with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators for the guidelines of the evolving economic financial tool. She added that she was broadcasting through the radio every week to reach and educate the common people. We talked about it in Tagalog because we want everybody to appreciate what technology can do, Magsaysay said, adding that they would need to level up and tell the people that they are now organized. We are going to work with the government, together with the SEC. We are going to lobby heavily to prove that this technology will cheapen the services of the Filipino people and help them become very whole, so they can help in the development of the country, she said, further explaining the aim of the talks. TechUp Tuesday is a monthly initiative targeted to achieve inclusion and access to the digital platform for more Filipinos. The said initiative will be held every last Tuesday of the month, hosting a series of talks and presentations to help the country in digital transformation.On Tuesday, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty was rejected by Republican voters in his gubernatorial primary with Jeff Johnson, a commissioner from Hennepin County. The main cause of his defeat: failure to follow President Trump with enough alacrity.Johnson cut an ad at the end of the campaign featuring Pawlenty criticizing Trump after tape broke of Trump in October 2016 talking about grabbing women by the genitals. "Tim Pawlenty stuck his finger in the wind," Johnson intoned. "I won't panic when it matters most."Pawlenty had called Trump "unsound, uninformed, unhinged, and unfit to be president of the United States" during the 2016 campaign. Pawlenty lamented, "The Republican Party has shifted. It is the era of Trump, and I'm just not a Trump-like politician."Pawlenty joins a bevy of other Republican politicians who have seen their support base erode for failure to pay fealty to Trump: Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) among others.Now, the race as a bit more complex than a mere referendum on Trump. Pawlenty had flamed out in his 2012 presidential bid, and he'd spent the intervening years as a lobbyist. He wasn't exactly the type to make the heart go pitter-patter for primary voters.But it is certainly true that Republican politicians cannot afford to cross President Trump in the way they could afford to cross, say, President George W. Bush.So why is Trump such a litmus test for primary voters?For the same reason Trump was elected: attitude.There's been a continuous two-year effort afoot to intellectualize Trumpism, as though Trump's popularity is tied to his policy proposals. That's nonsense. Trump won the Republican primaries because he was - by far - the most aggressive, no-holds-barred candidate. Republican primary voters wanted to see Hillary Clinton pummeled on stage, and Trump offered the best promise of that. After brutalizing Jeb Bush and reducing Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz to frustrated stammering, Trump proceeded to pile drive Hillary Clinton at every opportunity. Republican primary voters got precisely what they bargained for.What's more, backing Trump lent Republican voters a sense that they were in the fight. After Mitt Romney's destruction at the hands of Barack Obama in 2012 - after the Democrats turned the cleanest politician of the modern era into a gay-bashing, dog-hating sexist who wanted to put black people "back in chains" - Republicans were fully on board with the Sean Connery line from The Untouchables: "They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way." Trump was the knife, and the morgue, and all the consequences wrapped up into one giant bag of id, topped with a puzzling hairdo.And, like Sean Connery, much of the Republican base began asking its politicians a simple question: "What are you prepared to do?" What are you prepared to do to defeat the Left? Are you prepared to defend a man on tape bragging about grabbing p*****s? Are you prepared to back him when he says some "very good people" marched at Charlottesville? Are you prepared to cheer when he kisses up to Vladimir Putin? What are you prepared to do?It isn't just the Lord who hates a coward - it's the Republican base. And the Republican base perceives cowardice in anyone who won't back Trump down the line. In fact, the worse the black mark on Trump's record, the more the base judges politicians who won't back him - every sin becomes a referendum on the courage of politicians. Trump is the man who stopped Hillary Clinton and who stands between the country and Hell, in this view - those who mouth niceties about tape of the n-word or holding meetings with Russian lawyers are simply providing aid and comfort to the other side. In this view, Republicans weren't even willing to smack around Democrats for violating basic rights, but they're more than willing to earn "strange new respect" by attacking Trump. This makes Trump the only important figure in the Republican Party, and the standard upon which all Republican politicians are judged.Trump exposed a crack in the Republican political facade: an unwillingness to challenge perceived political norms. He burst through that crack like a big rig busting through a pane-glass window. But here's the problem: destroying some political norms that required destruction does not mean that all political norms should be destroyed. Pre-Trump Republicans erred on the side of leaving too many political norms in place; Trump errs on the side of eviscerating all political norms in the name of victory. And because Trump won, and continues to win, the Republican base largely believes in the evisceration.The truth is that Republicans must go up against the Left with the same alacrity with which they attacked Trump in October 2016. They didn't. Trump did, because he attacks all of his enemies with that alacrity. If Republicans who wish to push back against Trump's lack of character truly wish to emerge with a conservative movement intact, they must combine Trump's fighting spirit with the principles Trump lacks. And that means showing the base that they are willing to fight Left tooth and nail - not once, but over and over and over again. Otherwise, the base will continue to judge fighting spirit by the lengths to which politicians will go to defend the often-indefensible.Attacks against children caught in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen must stop, the UN childrens agency, UNICEF, appealed on Monday.

In a tightly worded statement, UNICEF pointed out that since Sunday, 28 children were reported killed in Idlib and western Aleppo, located in northern Syria.

The death toll included an entire family of seven, UNICEF said, pointing out that the escalating hostilities in southwest Syria endanger some 750,000 people  almost half of them children.

Furthermore, three UNICEF-supported health facilities were also attacked, two of which are now out of service.

The war on children in Syria is putting at least one million children at risk in Idlib alone, said the statement, attributable to Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

These latest incidents follow the deaths of 21 children in Yemen last week, killed when their school bus was hit during an airstrike.

For Juliet Touma, UNICEF Chief of Communications in the region, they represent an escalation in attacks on children.

Theres obviously a war on children, she told UN News, explaining that ongoing fighting means children in the two countries are being deprived of basic rights such as access to healthcare and education.

The Syrian crisis began nearly eight years ago with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of a conflict marked by unparalleled suffering, destruction and disregard for human life, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA.

UNICEF reported that more than five million children there require humanitarian assistance, with nearly half forced to flee their homes.

Meanwhile, OCHA said three years of fighting in Yemen means nearly two-thirds of the population requires some form of aid relief or protection support to survive.

Across the region there are about 30 million children who need humanitarian assistance, the UNICEF official Juliet Touma said, also referring to the situation in places such as Libya, Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.Arizona Summit Law School Cancels Classes, Sends Students Packing

Classes at Arizona Summit Law School are out. Forever.

At least it's the beginning of the end at the Phoenix institution, and the law school shows little sign of coming back. Officials have cancelled fall classes, and are working on transfers for the remaining students.

About one-third of them already had plans to transfer, leaving about 70 students scrambling one week before the fall semester was supposed to start. Now they are getting a lesson in how to think on their feet.

"Confusion and Panic"

According to reports, students reacted with a "mix of confusion and panic." They got the bad news last week in an email.

The law school told them classes were cancelled and to apply as "visitors" to Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. The school gave "no guarantees," however, that they would be accepted.

Tom Williams, an assistant dean at ASU Law, told the ABA Journal that the law schools were negotiating a teach-out plan for the Arizona Summit students. He said his school will not take students who appear incapable of graduating and passing the bar exam.

"We don't want any student to be paying tuition for a JD if we don't think they can be successful here," he said.

What Does That Mean?!

Williams said the American Bar Association admission standard, which requires law schools admit only candidates who appear capable of succeeding, does not apply to teach-out transfers. But Sandra Day O'Connor has a much higher standard than Arizona Summit.

The last median LSAT at Arizona Summit was 148; Sandra Day O'Connor was 162. The disparity when measured by GPA: Summit, 2.81; O'Connor, 3.76.

Arizona Summit lost its ABA accreditation earlier this summer, but is appealing. Not to the students; to the ABA.

Related Resources:In January 2015 Alex Jones said on a video that "Sandy Hook is a synthetic completely fake with actors, in my view, manufactured. I couldn't believe it at first. I knew they had actors there, clearly, but I thought they killed some real kids. And it just shows how bold they are, that they clearly used actors. I mean they even ended up using photos of kids killed in mass shootings here in a fake mass shooting in Turkey  so yeah, or Pakistan. The sky is now the limit."

In December 2014, Jones claimed that the mass shooting was "a giant hoax."

Today, Alex Jones posted a threat to the parents of Sandy Hook who dare to repeat what Jones has said: "At a certain point," he says, "do cease and desist letters have to go out? With a letter and videos and everything so it's all on record?  You see, *I'm* the one whose under assault, *I'm* the one whose being misrepresented."With today's passage of the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill, the Parliament of New Zealand has banned nonresidents from buying most residential property in the country, in an effort to end the skyrocketing housing expenses (Auckland is one of the world's least-affordable cities) by freezing out overseas speculators, though these account for less than 3% of total real-estate transactions, with the majority coming from China.



The bill mirrors similar provisions in Australia, which coincided with a fall in housing expenses in that country. The Kiwi measure exempts Singaporeans and Australians, who enjoy a treaty-right to buy in NZ.



New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern campaigned on a promise to clamp down on foreign buyers, blaming them for soaring prices that have left many New Zealanders unable to enter the property market. "If you've got the right to live in New Zealand permanently, you've got the right to buy here," Trade Minister David Parker said during a final debate on the bill Wednesday. "We believe it's the birthright of New Zealanders to buy homes in New Zealand," he added.



New Zealand bans foreigners from buying property [Daniel Shane/CNN Money]

(Image: Henry Burrows, CC-BY-SA)It's dangerous to be a candidate for office in Mexico. Forty-eight candidates were murdered and nearly 400 kidnapped during the most recent campaign. The latest victim is 32-year-old Norma Azucena Rodriguez, the former mayor of of Tihuatlan in Veracruz. She won a seat in Congress in the July 1 election, but was kidnapped, likely by a gang that opposed her policies, in a highway ambush in which shots were fired.

From The Independent:

She was said to be travelling down a highway when two men opened fire on her vehicle, injuring her driver and assistant and causing the car to flip over.

Ms Rodriguez was then seized by the gunmen, who pulled her out of the vehicle and fled after forcing her into their car. Her whereabouts, along with the motive of the assailants, remain unknown.Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH Pigs in Space's four or eight year mission is to use Trump's Space Force to seek out new life and new exploitations.

FOR THE KIDS IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEIR SUMMER READING: Get Ruben Bolling's hit book series for kids, The EMU Club Adventures.

"The EMU Club inhabits exactly the world I always hoped to live in when I was 12, when the answer to questions like 'Where did I put my toy' led inevitably to alien conspiracies and secret underground tunnels. A book for the curious and adventurous!" -Cory Doctorow, author of "For the Win" and "Little Brother"

"The type of non-stop action and improbably hilarious fun that only a kid could dream up.  The EMU Club's adventures perfectly capture the intersection of imagination and wonder  the crossroad that's so often found in cardboard boxes, pillow forts and backyards everywhere." -GeekDad

Get Book the First, "Alien Invasion in My Backyard," here.

Get Book the Second, "Ghostly Thief of Time," here.



RESIST!! The temptation to not join Tom the Dancing Bug's INNER HIVE!

More Tom the Dancing Bug comics on Boing Boing!We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor necessarily reflects their views. Whether it's your sunglasses, your phone, or your keys, it's way too easy to leave little things lying around at home, restaurants, or in the back of an Uber. But with the advanced READ THE RESTWho likes socialism and mistrust capitalism? Democrats and young people, who are mostly the same people.



The latest Gallup poll has 57% of Democrats in favor of socialism and 47% trusting capitalism (16% of Republicans also like socialism!); 51% of 18-to-29 year olds trust socialism and 45% of the same cohort trust capitalism.







Capitalism's brand is way, way down, declining sharply among young people and Democrats (it's up among Republicans, but Republicans are a dwindling and aging group of people  one percenters, bootlickers, and temporarily embarrassed millionaires).

Belief in capitalism climbs at age 30, to 58%, and it's 60% for over-50s (don't trust anyone over 30, I guess?).

Meanwhile, belief in "free enterprise" for all Americans is down six percentage points since 2016.



A majority of Democrats have viewed socialism positively each time Gallup has measured the concept since 2010, and  despite the increased visibility given to the concept this year  those views have not changed substantively. But the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism this year has for the first time left Democrats more positive about socialism as a concept than about capitalism. It's possible that the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism is related to Donald Trump's presidency. Trump is an enthusiastic capitalist, and his administration's efforts to roll back regulations on business and industry, as well as the tax cut law that is advantageous to businesses and corporations, may have caused Democrats to view the entire capitalist enterprise with less positive eyes.

Most young Americans prefer socialism to capitalism, new report finds [Kathleen Elkins/CNBC]

Democrats More Positive About Socialism Than Capitalism [Gallup]Sarah Sanders told a whopper at yesterday's briefing when she claimed that Trump had so far created over triple the amount of jobs for African-Americans than President Obama did during his time in the White House.

"This President since he took office, in the year and a half that he's been here, has created 700,000 new jobs for African-Americans. That's 700,000 African-Americans that are working now that weren't working when this President took place. When President Obama left, after eight years in office, he had only created 195,000 jobs for African-Americans."

Of course she was wrong.

First of all, according to CNN, the figure Sanders was trying to push included 140,000 new jobs from November-January of 2016, which is when Obama was still president. It also tried to blame 162,000 lost jobs during November-January of 2008 on Obama, even though George W. Bush was still president during that time.

Secondly, CNN points out that Sanders conveniently left out the fact that 3 million new jobs went to "black workers" while President Obama was in office.

When Obama took office in 2009, 15.5 million African Americans had jobs in an economy filleted by one of the country's worst recessions. When he left office, the economy had 18.4 million black workers.

The White House issued a rare, albeit skimpy, apology about their botched math, calling it a "miscommunication": "Apologies for @WhiteHouseCEA's earlier miscommunication to @PressSec."

Image by The White House  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glKTertdqXk, Public Domain, Link

Tunisia will soon become the first country in North Africa to grant women and men equal inheritance rights after a long debate.

Despite protests from thousands of people objecting to any challenge to Islamic law, Tunisias President Beji Caid Essebsi promised he will submit a bill to parliament granting women and men equal inheritance rights, in line with a proposal put forward by a government-backed committee.

The inheritance move comes after the North African country allowed Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men.

I propose equality inheritance to become law, the Tunisian President said in a speech marking Womens Day in Tunisia

However, in the face of the opposition from conservatives, he left the door open for some exceptions, saying families who wished to continue the allocation based on Islamic law would be able to do so.

I propose that equality in matters pertaining to inheritance be signed into law by modifying the code of personal status, he said.

Tunisia is ruled by a coalition of moderate Islamists and secular forces, which have been managing its democratic transition since 2011, avoiding the upheaval seen in Egypt, Libya or Syria.

Yet the new inheritance law is no subject of unanimity as thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament in the capital Tunis, to denounce the committees proposals, which they said  if passed  would amount to anti-Muslim legislation.News / National

by Staff reporter

FORMER Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko is yet to receive his pension, despite government undertaking to settle it four months ago.Mphoko's lawyer Welshman Ncube said his client, who still has his State security aides and government vehicles, has not yet been paid his monthly benefits, despite the State acknowledging that it was obliged to pay him."The irony of this issue is that what they had agreed to pay; they are not paying, but what they had refused to take responsibility for, they are doing it. I am talking about security details and the likes and yet they are still to pay him his pension, which is equivalent to a salary of a sitting Vice-President. We will take up the matter once these election issues are over," Ncube said.Mphoko lost his post last November after the military deposed former President Robert Mugabe and since then, his lawyers have been fighting to get the State to pay his pension.Section 102 of the Zimbabwe Constitution stipulates that: "A person who has ceased to be President or Vice-President is entitled to receive a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting President or Vice-President, as the case may be; and such allowances and other benefits as may be prescribed under an Act of Parliament."Section 103 adds that: "The President and Vice-Presidents, and any former President or Vice-President, must not, directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or be employed by anyone else while they are in office or are receiving a pension from the State as former President or Vice-President, as the case may be."Besides his fat monthly pension payout, Mphoko is entitled to State security, an office and a government vehicle.His former boss, Mugabe, has been given his constitutional benefits, but the latter claims that his pension benefits were far below expectation.News / National

by Stephen Jakes

MDC Alliance official Chalton Hwende has warned that senior party member Eddie Cross must be chucked out of the party for disregarding party policies and decisions."This guy called Eddie Cross must be immediately expelled from the Party for disregarding party decisions and bringing the name of the Party into disrepute," Hwende said.This was after Cross tweeted saying MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa was wasting his time by taking the electoral challenge against Emmerson Mnangagwa to court.News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has furnished the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) with more damning "evidence" of alleged electoral fraud by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), the Daily News can report.In the latest testimonies lodged at the Con-Court, the MDC Alliance's chief election agents recounted their chilling experiences at the hands of alleged State security agents who appeared to be taking instructions from Zec.They told the court in their signed affidavits that they were threatened with death if Zanu-PF was to lose the elections held on July 30, forcing them to flee from their homes.Most of them gave their accounts from their hiding places.Before making good their escape, they claimed to have been visited by suspected army officers who threatened them with death.It was specifically demanded that they should append their signatures on V11 and V23 forms, which they had been initially denied access to by officials from Zanu-PF and Zec.A V11 form is used to record results at polling stations and is signed by all agents of the contestants while the V23 collates polling station results within a ward before they are forwarded to Zec's National Command Centre.Chamisa is pulling out all the stops in his attempts to overturn the July 30 presidential poll result.Zec declared that Zanu-PF presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa won the election by 50,8 percent, but Chamisa described the results as fake, claiming they were rigged.In court papers, the MDC Alliance's chief election agents said they were not given an opportunity to sign V11 and V23 forms, observe and participate in any way in the post poll process, only to be summoned and visited later by the suspected security officials who then demanded that they should sign the forms."We did not see, neither were we given or signed any V11 or V23 forms. All this was done by Zanu-PF and Zec officials without our input. All the agents for Zanu-PF were headmen and village heads who moved around homes making threats and distributing food aid and inputs to people," MDC Alliance's chief election agent for Chiredzi North constituency, Mahohoma Matumba, told the court.He said he later received a message from a Zanu-PF headman on August 3, 2018, seeking him to visit the polling station to sign V11 forms that he had been denied access to on the election day.Matumba said he refused to sign the forms and has since fled from his home and is in hiding.Another chief election agent for Gokwe Kabuyuni constituency, Misheck Nyoni, narrated how Vice President Constantino Chiwenga came to address a rally in the area sometime in June.He said people were forcefully ferried by lorries, to attend the rally."At the rally, we were told in no uncertain terms that we would die if Zanu-PF lost and that there were recording machines in the ballot booths and village heads would be watching and writing down everyone's name."At Mutiura polling station, I saw four village heads and headman Charumbira and war veterans acting as polling agents. I confronted them and we had a heated altercation. They refused to leave and Zec polling and police officers said they had no power to do anything," he said.Nyoni said he later fled from his home after one of his children told him that soldiers had come looking for him.Lizzie Munozohamba, who was the MDC Alliance's chief election agent for Gokwe North constituency said headmen and war veterans were used as polling agents by Zanu-PF in her area.She said during vote counting, Zec's presiding officer and Zanu-PF agents rejected valid ballots cast in favour of the MDC Alliance, adding that she was approached at home by people wearing army uniform demanding V11 and V23 forms from her.Munozohamba claimed she refused them entry and fled to Harare soon after they had left.Another chief election agent for Muzvezve constituency, Jacob Jacha, said they were denied entry into the polling station while voting was in progress."They (agents) were only allowed in after 10:00hrs despite the polling having started at 07:00hrs. They were being told they had not been accredited and when we raised the issue, we found out that we were all properly accredited."I received deaths threats and messages on the 2nd of August 2018 reminding me of the injuries and abductions that had happened to me in 2008," said Jacha.Precious Chapanduka from Chiware Village in Karoi, said Zanu-PF used intimidation tactics in her area."They (Zanu-PF members) were telling them (people) that if they vote for MDC there will be war. At 6pm the youths came again asking for polling station agents that were for MDC Alliance. We were then barred from signing the V11 forms."The unknown MDC Alliance polling agents were beaten up with sticks and were accused of being sell-outs," Chapanduka said, adding that when she went home, she found a group of Zanu-PF youths waiting for her.Chamisa is asking the apex court to consider "mathematical violations" because all the "constitutional and statutory violations" and counting discrepancies "were meant to and did unduly favour the first respondent (Mnangagwa)."He is arguing that the violations go to the root of a proper and credible electoral process."These are accordingly irregularities that cannot be ignored. These are irregularities that do not arise from mistakes," he said."I submit that the evidence placed before the court shows gross irregularities which affect the validity of the election and its outcome. That being the case, I submit that the entire process must be declared invalid and accordingly set aside," added Chamisa in his court papers.Zanu-PF is filing its opposing papers today before the Con-Court, challenging Chamisa's submissions.News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zanu-PF legal team for President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa has successfully filed opposing papers challenging the application lodged by the MDC Alliance.Advocate Lewis Uriri the lead counsel for the respondents said the application by the MDC Alliance was devoid of merit and pure political grandstanding as it failed to attach the results contained in the V11 forms which all political parties are in possession of.Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana also said they are quite confident that the application by the MDC Alliance would be thrown out for lack of merit and the President-elect will duly be inaugurated after the court process.The registrar is yet to set down the matter for hearing before a full Constitutional Court bench.News / National

by AP

Amnesty International's new leader said on Wednesday his first act is writing to Zimbabwe's next president about the disappearance of activist Itai Dzamara: "Whoever leads the new government must move to undo the injustices of the past."Kumi Naidoo, a South African-born former anti-apartheid activist, took office as secretary general of the London-based rights group on Wednesday.His focus on Dzamara, who was abducted by suspected state agents in 2015 under Zimbabwe's former leader Robert Mugabe, puts further pressure on the government of President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe's former enforcer, to acknowledge past abuses.Dzamara is the highest-profile activist to go missing under Mugabe's 37-year rule, which was marred by the Matabeleland massacre of thousands of people in the 1980s by a North Korea-trained military brigade, harsh repression against the opposition and sometimes violent land seizures from white farmers.The southern African nation eventually became an international pariah.Last week President Donald Trump signed a law tightening the requirements Zimbabwe must meet for the lifting of US sanctions, which include ordering an inquiry into the disappearance of Dzamara and other rights activists.It was a setback for Mnangagwa, who has tried to recast himself as a reformer since taking over after Mugabe's military-enforced resignation in November. Mnangagwa himself remains under US sanctions.Instead of addressing the abuses of the past, however, Mnangagwa has urged Zimbabweans to let "bygones be bygones" and move on from the repressive era during which, at different times, he held the posts of minister of state security, defence and justice.The 94-year-old Mugabe last month dismissed Dzamara as "that character" and denied knowing of his fate.The former newspaper reporter was abducted when he was having a shave at a barbershop near his home. Two days before that, Dzamara told a rally organised by then-opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai that Zimbabweans should rebel against Mugabe.Patson Dzamara, the activist's brother, was assaulted and arrested by state security agents after protesting the kidnapping by raising a placard in front of Mugabe when he was still president.On Wednesday he tweeted that it was "humbling" that Amnesty International's new leader decided to speak up for his brother in his first act in office. He called it sad that Mnangagwa "chose to ignore us over this."Opinion / Columnist

A man defined by his politics

Light moments, but grit when it mattered

A doyen of the March 11 Movement in ZAPU

Potential academic and intellectual professional

This piece is being sent out on 14 August 2018, the last day of the long Heroes Day weekend of the year in Zimbabwe. This is barely two weeks after the country's critical presidential, parliamentary and local elections. For a small band of us, one of the most memorable events earlier was the passing away of Walrer Nqabeni Mthimkhulu (alias Mgcozo). He died after succumbing to illness in a hospital in the city of Hull in England on 7 July 2018.A week after I heard of Walter's death I said to one South Africa based political scientist that history is indeed the story of winners. This is because the narrative of what has happened is heavily tilted in favor of the exploits of those who control the sources of information and who perpetuate their own relevance. Occasionally the perspective of people like Walter Mthimkhulu breaks through the chink of dominant narratives, sometimes as reconstruction of events or as simple memories and testimonies.Walter Mthimkhulu was interred in Hull on 25 July 2018 but there was a parallel service in Bulawayo at the main Brethren in Christ Church in the city. At that service I delivered a personal message and spoke as one of those who knew "Mgcozo". My hunch is that this unusual name was coined by Joshua Mahlathini Mpofu; it was a pun on Walter's family name (Mthimkhulu = Big tree, hence herbal medicine or "mgcozo"). I did not deliver the official biography of Walter because this was ably dealt with by Pathisa Nyathi whose project had a long and recorded interview over several days with Walter in April 2018.The main address at the memorial service had been expected to be from Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, who knew him well from their time in the youth movement inside Zimbabwe and later in the ferment of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle over the years when he was based in Tanzania and Zambia. Dr Dabengwa assigned me to represent him at the service in addition to doing my own slot. Looking back, it is remarkable how much of Walter's life was woven with his political activism, including his most creative and fun-loving days in the mid-1960s. The other speakers also showed the early influence of politics or a political inclination in young Walter. On a more social plane I made reference to a nickname that was used by one person throughout the encounters I witnessed between him and Walter in 1970-1971 whenever he came through our Luthuli Camp special program in Zambia. This is Phelekezela Mphoko (who became Zimbabwe Vice President and served until the 14 November 2017 ouster of President Robert Mugabe by the army). Mphoko (alias Report) always called Walter "Masaka", that being the name used by Walter's father in the 1960s when Mphoko worked in the Mthimkhulu retail store in Bulawayo's Njube Township before leaving to join the armed struggle. Literally this means the man of the sacks (heaps of clothing left untidily instead of being folded away). In his person Walter was however very fastidious and had an even more acute mastery of politics, certainly not slovenly in thought or delivery of ideas.When I asked Dr Dabengwa what he wanted to say at Mgcozo's memorial service, he said Walter was an outstanding or simply the best expert or communication officer of his time in what was later renamed the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZPRA). He however stressed that whatever I said I should not leave out the famous saga of the chicken. This took place sometime in 1960 in the days of the National Democratic Party (NDP) when the well-known organizer S'khwili Khohli Moyo (S.K. to those who worked with him) was on a membership recruitment offensive, accompanied by Dumiso Dabengwa and Walter who was the driver. One account of "the chicken" incident is that at a hospitable home a delicious meal of the bird was prepared and served the trio. Then the three men ate together in traditional style the starch and the chicken, picking pieces of the chicken in turn. All was well until the choice pieces were all taken, whereupon Walter picked the last decent portion left: the uncut backbone of the chicken. This angered S.K. because traditionally this piece of the chicken was reserved for the older person, and he was by far the elder in the group. He frostily protested and abandoned the meal! Oddly, the week Walter died but before his death was communicated to us, Vunguza Roma Nyathi reminded us in amusement about the incident of the chicken, which was recounted quite often in gatherings among those who knew either SK or Mgcozo, or both men.In the early 1960s after ZAPU succeeded the banned NDP, activists like Walter Mthimkhulu either escaped arrest or simply crossed into Tanzania through Zambia to intensify the resistance by different means. In his case he became a famous radio broadcaster into racist Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) for a few years. After this stint in Tanzania he went to the United States of America at the height of the Civil Rights Movement which had a wide spectrum of political opinion from preachers to armed radicals ganged up against racism and denial of basic human rights to black Americans. James Baldwin ("The fire next time"), Malcom X, Martin Luther King and Jesse Jackson, Hueghwey Newton, the Black Panthers, Angela Davies and the Soledad Brothers and numerous others became familiar in their distance.I had a lot of conversation and debate with Walter in camp whenever time permitted because I was fascinated with his love of music, dance and poetry. This resonated with me because in my late teens I was into music appreciation, poetry writing and broadcasting as well as radio drama before I too crossed into Zambia. A great story teller, Walter made me vicariously relive poetry recitations and political orations, the venue for which was usually the Smalls Paradise in Harlem in New York which he frequented with his close friend Keorapetse William Kgositsile of the fraternal African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa. He was immersed in the age of jazz, rhythm and blues, and soul music. I could visualize the atmosphere of black intellectuals, radicals and militants, and the context of music and dance of the 1960s from the humorous accounts, recitations and anecdotes and sometimes even demonstration.It is a curious coincidence that that William Kgositsile (always Willie to Mgcozo) passed away in January 2018, just half a year before Walter. One of my thoughts when I heard of the death of Willie Kgositsile was how surprised I was when I first met him how much he and Walter shared physical resemblance and stature, even posture. But this physical and social similarity did not extend to their political and social ending; Willie died at home in South Africa and got national recognition whereas Walter died outside Zimbabwe and without much acclaim and had not been coming home for a long time, since independence. This very social animal was underneath driven by his politics in the choice of friends and balance between professional life and culture. This came through in other presentations at the memorial service, and it explains the pivotal role of Mgcozo at stages of the agitation among guerillas and other political actors in Zambia in 1970 and 1971.Now that the events of 1971 are water under the bridge, accounts of personal experience are beginning to belatedly emerge, with the exception of the pioneering work of Owen Tshabangu that captured his perspective early on. A more recent and detailed personal take is from Joshua Mahlathini Mpofu. Unfortunately, Walter Mthimkhulu has not left a long account of his life. On the positive side a forthcoming work by Pathisa Nyathi has a piece based on a long interview that Walter gave just four months before he died. What I can confidently say here is that Walter Mthimkhulu (Mgcozo) lived his politics and convictions even at personal risk and uncertainty during Zimbabwe's liberation struggle. This is illustrated by his role at the ZAPU cadre conference held in Mboroma in Zambia as a result of the turmoil that led some party militants and fighters to intervene and forcibly hold senior commanders and political leaders on March 11, 1971. He was chosen to articulate the perspective and position of the cadres, to the extent that he was viewed by many as the then leader of the insurrection whereas there was a complex leadership that was evolving. Actually, the person chairing the Revolutionary Council at the time of the Mboroma conference was Philemon Mabuza, a Cuban trained veteran of the 1969 battles with Rhodesian forces. Whatever the formal position was, the relevant thing in Mboroma is that Walter was an articulate and confident spokesman of the March 11 militants, an orator whose skill matched the seriousness of the moment.Walter Mthimkhulu contributed a lot to the character of the March 11 Movement, as did the political and ideological clarity of Joshua Mahlathini Mpofu when the case was shaping up for opposing the division among the top leadership of ZAPU along ethnic lines. The combination of these two people at the special program for security and communication personnel enabled the cell to link up purposefully with like-minded in other camps and form a formidable network that took over the organization without firing a shot. Many years later I would on several occasions at the airport in Harare on transit meet Edward Mbahwa Ndlovu (one of the five top leaders when ZAPU leaders were rounded up in the March 11 operation) and he would say, "You young men made us proud of the political training we gave because there was no thuggish behavior that could result in leaders being killed, unlike in sister movements".At the practical level there is no doubt that Walter's resoluteness and tenacity played an important part in sustaining the planning of the insurrection. First at the Luthuli Camp and subsequently at the Nkomo camp when the crisis boiled over and led to the March 11 action, Walter was instrumental in efforts to procure weapons for the operation. A key moment in that endeavor is the operation to procure weapons from dumps in Southern Province when the vehicle driven by Walter Mthimkhulu capsized on the way back , resulting in serious hip injury to the intelligence officer Thomas Maphosa (alias Job, later Chipempula) that left him limping for the rest of his life. The vehicle accident and its link with James Chikerema's inventory misled some in the ZAPU security sector to erroneously associate the March 11 Movement to his faction of the leadership that eventually formed the Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe (Frolizi).When I was told that I would say something at the memorial service for Walter, I asked Owen Tshabangu, a comrade, what he thought I should include. He texted, "Walter Mthimkhulu was a dedicated ZAPU cadre at heart no matter what tactical differences there may be in the course of the long struggle for independence. It is sad that he continued to remain in exile long after political independence. Mgcozo will continue to be held in high esteem by all who know his contribution to Zimbabwe's continuing struggle for total liberation. May he rest in eternal peace".What Owen Tshabangu did not elaborate on is that Walter explored and entered into the controversial politics of the late 1970s when an "internal statement" was cobbled under Bishop Abel Muzorewa. He was bold to venture into what friends would call "tactical differences" because the direction was far from a revolutionary path. It is a mark of Walter's political resilience that few of his comrades would seriously think that he changed his thinking and vision by being compromised through the Muzorewa "settlement".Over a hundred and twenty guerillas were deported into Rhodesia when they refused to be separated from what were seen as 'ring-leaders" and to paper over the truce imposed by Zambia's Aaron Milner on behalf of the Liberation Committee of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The forty two (42) of us singled out as "ring-leaders" and detained from the 1971 Mboroma conference contained only a few who had set foot in University at the time. Walter Mthimkhulu was in that select group that included Owen Tshabangu, Matsikidze Gutu, Gershon Phangwana and Eli Mtetwa. This group was among the "teachers" when we embarked on educational improvement in detention because we did not know how long we would be incarcerated. In Walter's case he was instrumental in getting in contact with Professor Phineas Makhurani to source material and funds for registration and examinations. I touch on this because each time Walter had an opportunity to complete a degree program (earlier Medicine before resuming full time involvement in 1978, and after the 1974 release from detention it was Mathematics) he was interrupted by the political bug. I always reflect on this aspect of "what could have been" in the light of Walter's demonstrated all-round brilliance in social and scientific fields. Those who were with him at Fletcher High School will hopefully be interviewed on this in the writing of his biography.There are many facets of Walter's life that I and my family could throw in, but one of these is that we got to interact more closely with members of his family in London in the 1970s and 1980s. Brian Mzana Mthimkhulu was among the groomsmen at our wedding (Mildred and Strike) in 1976 whereas we were close to another close relative Jane Moyo (now Jane Siziba). My condolences therefore go not only to the broader Mthimkhulu family but more directly to these two who have been part of our own history.I am sure that I speak for many of Walter's friends and acquaintances because few were left untouched by his generosity of spirit and lack of malice even in the face of strong political and social differences.May He Rest In PeaceOpinion / Columnist

For years, I have been warning Zimbabweans about the dangers of the so-called experts. Today I want to speak directly to President Emmerson Mnangagwa (ED). Time has arrived for ED to decisively deal with malcontents masquerading as experts and politicians. Some of these malcontents are committing treason in the name of freedom of expression.As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect."To President Mnangagwa, I say follow Eleanor Roosevelt's advice and make people accountable for their actions. We cannot have people going around the world calling for sanctions against their own country. There is nothing called smart or targeted sanctionsthere are only sanctions. Any Zimbabwean who calls for sanctions against our country must face treason charges. If there are no laws for that, then parliament must make that their priority.Time for talk is over Mr. President. We have seen people starting to behave like animals; threatening to burn others even at funerals; using abusive language to anyone they don't agree with; burning people's property in Harare in front of all international journalists. This Mr. President is not a coincidence and requires your immediate firm response. Freedom comes with its own responsibilities; only allow people to be stupid as long as they don't hurt others. Many people have been hurt and others lost lives because of malcontents who infringed on other people's rights. Nowhere in the world will this be tolerated. No one has a moral compass to blame you for using force to maintain peace. Yes loss of life is always regrettable but I would not want some confused malcontent to burn me alive, NO!Mr. President, do your job and stop worrying about the reaction of the international community. Most of them never gave Zimbabwe a chance anywhere - they consider any African election farcical. What you did brought pride to Zimbabwe, a first in Africa and it brought shame to detractors and the so-called experts who never gave you a chance not only winning but of holding a free, fair and credible election. Don't discount the fact that some of those experts are in cohorts with the international players and would want to satisfy their stereotypes. You can't preach peace to someone holding a gun to your head unless you are praying for your last rites. Be decisive and take them head on.Just like my champion, President Abraham Lincoln did in 1861, he fired 1, 200 disloyal bureaucrats out of his administration of 1,500. In 1993, Bill Clinton, fired 93 US attorneys in one day. We never head uproar around the world about judiciary interference yet people are blaming you for anything and going around the world advocating for sanctions and trying to kill you at any given opportunity yet you keep on preaching peace and love, ENOUGH Mr. President!!. If you need help just say so, I will be there on your side and I am sure I am not alone.Do not worry about the international outrage - deal with the saboteurs, deal with ZANU PF wayward members, jail people who commit crime. We need freedom with responsibility. Pasi nemhandu!You have given your best in a short period of time but as you know from your time in the liberation struggle, there are things that will never change. There are people you can never change. You and I knew it then and know it now otherwise we would not have taken up arms. These noisy, confused, malcontents are our own children being used to provoke us - it is a never-ending game, speak the language they understand comrade.Opinion / Columnist

Tyrannical regimes are hard to change because they not only brainwash the populous but worse still they brainwash themselves - they start to believe their own lies and propaganda - making it next to impossible to reason with them."Our country has since independence remained as one of the most peaceful and politically stable countries in the region," said President Mnangagwa."Today's celebrations come just two weeks after the country's crucial harmonised general elections. These were held in a peaceful environment where our citizens were able to exercise their democratic rights without fear or intimidation."Allow me to extent my sincere appreciation to the whole of Zimbabwe for observing peace before, during and after the harmonised election. This has made us a proud nation."Until a few years ago, the regime was still boasting of Zimbabwe being the "most prosperous" country in the region. With the country now confirmed as the poorest nation in Africa the regime has quietly dropped all reference to the country's economic performance.Still with unemployment soaring to dizzying heights of 90% and 75% of the population now living on US$1.00 or less a day it is not surprising that many Zimbabweans have left the country. At least 30% of the country's population are political and/or economic refugees or illegal migrants, who will be shocked to hear Zimbabwe is the most stable country in the region.On the political front, Zimbabwe has never ever held free, fair and credible elections. President Mnangagwa has been at the head of Zanu PF's culture of political violence; the intimidation, harassment, beatings, rape and even cold blooded murder of political opponents. Yes, compared to 2008 and 2013 elections, these elections were peaceful.It is interesting to note that until a few weeks before voting day 30 July 2018, President Mnangagwa had insisted these elections would be "peaceful, free, fair and credible." He has since dropped everything else only to focus on peaceful.He knows that no one in their right mind would ever judge elections in which there was no free public media, no verified voters' roll, were Zanu PF robbed the nation blind to bankroll its vote rigging schemes, etc. free, fair and credible. Of course, Zanu PF rigged the elections.President Mnangagwa, by rigging these elections you have just confirmed that Zimbabwe is still the pariah state of the Mugabe era, you have been trying hard to distance yourself since last November's coup. You have just dashed all the hopes of the desperately needed economic recovery because no investors want to do business with vote-rigging thugs.As the reality of very little inward investment and worsen economic situation sink in there will be a new wave of Zimbabweans leaving the country and it will be just a matter of time before those remaining go on the street to protest the inhuman economic hardship they are facing.Zimbabwe is the most unstable country in SADC and its continued instability is now a serious threat to the development and stability of the whole region. What is there for you, President Mnangagwa, and us, the people of Zimbabwe, to be proud of in being one of the "shit-hole" of Africa, as US President Donald Trump would put it!Opinion / Columnist

How can someone be Zanu and a Christian together? Or, can someone save Satan and God at the same time?Sometimes Zimbabweans exhibit cognitive dissonance when it comes to Faith and Politics. The bible says that one must strive to choose good over evil everytime.Statistically speaking, if someone observed the number of Christians in Zimbabwe, and the years that Zanu has been winning elections generating poverty and strife, one would conclude that Christianity is not well understood in Zimbabwe.God stands for good. The first and most basic skill a Christian must have is the ability to choose between good and evil. If your hand is always attracted to evil, the whole of Christian essence in you is void.'Good' is not difficult to see and so is Godliness. 'Good' is apologetic, it is ever ready to say sorry. 'Good' produces good. 'Good' does not cheat, steal, torture, corrupt, marginalise, discriminate, destroy, maim, intimidate, silence or lie.'Good' is not frightening. 'Good' does not revenge. 'Good' does not carry grudges.'Good' is Godly and it does not fail. 'Good' is Godly and it is not difficult to see.If a Christian cannot identify 'Good' then, that Christian is far away from the orders of the Kingdom of God which is the Kingdom of Good.A 'Good' Christian who understands what God stands for will not struggle to see that Zanu does not have the identity of God's Goodness.Zanu does not apologise for 70 000 Zimbabweans who were killed by Guerillas during the Colonial War in the seventies. Zanu does not apologise for Gukurahundi which killed more than 20 000 Zimbabweans in the eighties.Zanu does not admit, nor does it apologise that it ran down factories, roads, rail, air and National Welfare since coming to power in 1980.Zanu does not admit that people were killed, maimed and silenced in 2008.Zanu does not apologise for poverty now.Christians in Zanu do not want to think about what happened to a Zimbabwean called Itai Dzamara. These Christians are seen running fast, clutching Bibles, claiming to be late for Church service every weekend. They are also seen running, claiming to be late for Zanu rallies during the week, singing Zanu is for blood.Cognitive dissonance!!!A good Christian is a sinner who keeps trying to do good. No one does not sin, Christian or otherwise, but, a Christain should not be found walking on the same path with permanently evil organisations. A Christian who prays for Zanu is not different from a Christian who tries to pray for Satan to be cleansed.God created Satan and cast him on Earth so that God can clearly see who, of Earth Citizens, chooses God and his goodness? In the same manner, God allowed Zanu to happen and prove unequivocally, that it is evil so that God can easily see who understands him.If you mitigate for Zanu sins, or you can't see them at all, then, go for Baptism.Heaven has got no room for someone who can't tell good from bad. It's like marrying a wife who can't tell the difference between feeding you with food or poison. A good wife has to know the difference.If we had good Christians in Zimbabwe, President Mugabe would have found out in 1985 elections that evil has no place in Zimbabwe. Our country would have taken a prosperous path since then.Zimbabwean Christians have encouraged evil to multiply in our country. They reward killers, the corrupt, the cruel, and ignore the clean contestants.How can a Christain expect good to come out of evil? Can you pray for a thorn tree to produce grapes?God have mercy on my beloved country!!!Georgian Constitutional Court Says They Did Not Legalize Marijuana

By Tea Mariamidze

Georgias Constitutional Court has released a statement saying they did not legalize marijuana, as reported by various media or religious organizations, but abolished the administrative punishment for its consumption only.The court calls on the public to take more responsibility while assessing the activities of the court. The statement says some media, political and religious organizations dismantle the wrong information about the decision, including pressure on the judges over the issue.The court decision was assessed as the legalization of the drug, but it is the wrong interpretation of the court decision, the statement reads.The court also noted in the decision reads the establishment of responsibility for the use of marijuana is by the Constitution in cases when the particular fact of consumption creates threats to third parties.For example, the court found the administrative punishment for marijuana use to be justified when it took place in educational institutions, in some public places, for example in public transport, in the presence of minors, etc. " the statement reads.The court also says the statements of political or religious organizations discredits the court activities and harms the courts image."It is regrettable that recent statements released by media outlets, political and religious organizations do not contain any substantial factual circumstances and impair the Constitutional Court's image, the statement reads.Besides, the court responded to the demands of some religious groups about the abolition of the Constitutional Court.There is a broad consensus in the democratic society regarding the importance of the Institute of the Constitutional Court and of its special role in protecting different views. The Constitutional Court of Georgia will continue to carry out constitutional control and constant protection of human constitutional rights, the statement reads.On July 30, the court decided to abolish administrative punishment for the use of marijuana.Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II disapproved the decision, saying it was a big mistake and it would promote drug trade in the country and the entire region as well.Before Ilia II, several clergymen of the Georgian Orthodox Church spoke against the judges who made the controversial decision and stated that the whole Constitutional Court needed to be abolished.Opinion / Columnist

The brazen robbery of the election and the scale in which it was carried out is astonishing. ZANU PF is longer appealing to the masses due to systematic abuse of state's instruments and callous torture of those opposed to military rule.It doesn't require a rocket scientist to prove that the election was won by the Alliance led by the Nelson Chamisa. Well, in the past the military has stated categorically that power won't be relinquished to any aspiring presidential elect as long as he lacks military know how.This signals one thing, that the country is and has always been under military rule since the disputed 2008 elections, which prompted the SADC Block to convince the leaders of political parties to form a government of national unity to avoid needless bloodshed similarly to recent incidents where the Army opened fire with live ammunition on non-violent protesters.In all probabilities, it is inconceivable to think the elections were free and fair knowing the role played by the military prior and during the elections. One wonders why countries like South Africa would endorse the illegitimate regime to rule unconstitutional whereas such scenarios are an eyesore in their own country. Is South Africa benefitting from Zimbabwe's lawlessness?Whether the situation would ever improve it's hard to predict given the lengthy period the military has dictated to the generality of Zimbabwe how they should live their lives. This type of madness ought to come to an end in order for the country to realise its true potential.The truth of the matter is the elections were heavily rigged and manipulated in favour of ZANU. ZEC is no longer a trustworthy body as it announced incorrect figures which were in some instances inflated or deflated. This is exactly what prompted the opposition to lodge a complaint and also open a court case to challenge the results of the just ended election.I hope the outcome would be different and the actually correct results would be announced in due course to the relief of the nation. Frankly, the problems that the country is facing are man-made and could be resolved if only the will of the people is respected.The shrewd advice to the Junta is to return the military to the barracks that is where they belong and the militarisation of Beitbridge border post is unjust and illegal, all soldiers should be withdrawn with immediate effect. It seems the security departments are at loggerheads over which one is trusted more than the other.The peace-loving citizens and human rights bodies will continue to expose the rot within the military government until the president and commanders realise that such deployment is scary and intimidating as masses are not used to seeing soldiers in the streets armed to their teeth and ready to kill.Opinion / Columnist

The state of a democracy can best be measured by evaluating its journalism. A free press is often called the "Fourth Estate", and its importance is second-to-none for every prospering society.But alas, it seems that we in Zim are also deprived of this cornerstone of modernity. While we are world-champions of Twitter and Whatsapp groups, the standard of our newspapers in steep decline, and the people influencing opinions work in a shallow and sloppy way at best.As an example, let's talk about an article published by Foreign Minister SB Moyo yesterday. In the article, he claimed that Nobel peace-price laureate and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared that in her view, the 2018 harmonised elections were held freely and fairly.Immediately, cyber-chaos broke out and dominated much of my TL for the next hours. Journalists, self-declared journalists and self-declared influencers were quick to attack the Foreign Minister for this statement. One particular case stands out: Alex Noyes, an American political scientist who stated, amongst others, that he was at the aforementioned press conference and specifically remembers that former President Sirleaf did not say anything to that effect (I for one find it very peculiar that one can remember exactly all the things that haven't been said, but that's another matter). Many people retweeted it, and our journalists back home copy-pasted his statement, because why work?Well, as it turns out, there is a clip of an interview on the website of the BBC. It is not hard to find, and only 30 seconds into the clip, you can hear former President Ellen Sirleaf say loud and clear that "all things considered, the elections were free and fair" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06gkqqd). It is astonishing but at the same time does not surprise me that there have been no retractions, no excuses, no clarifications. The lies just persist in cyberspace for eternity. The tarnish will not be cleansed in cyberspace. And we should all join in signing one last farewell to factual journalism.Vermont's Christine Hallquist Just Became The First Transgender Nominee For Governor

Last night after a Democratic primary win, Vermonts Christine Hallquist made history as the first transgender gubernatorial candidate nominated by a major party. She beat out three opponents, securing 48% of the vote, according to Vox.

I am so proud to be the face of the Democrats tonight, Hallquist said in her victory speech.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hallquist, a first-time candidate, has been CEO of Vermont Electric Cooperative since 2005. She hopes to protect Medicare and Medicaid, support the states public schools, and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, Hallquist writes on her website.

The BBC reported that this year, 43 openly transgender candidates across the country have run for office at all levels. Like many others, Hallquist said she was inspired to run for office following Trumps election. She told The Washington Post that, at the Womens March in Vermont, she had a realization that our lovely cocoon in Vermont has been pierced by the hatred coming out of Washington. Coming from a marginalized community myself, that really hit me hard.

Via Hallquist's Twitter.

Among Hallquists many supporters is Danica Roem, the trans politician who unseated conservative Virginia legislator Bob Marshall last November. Victory! Roem tweeted. If anyone tells you the Republican incumbent is too entrenched for you to defeat in the general electionyeah, about that. Go win.

Next up, Hallquist will campaign against Republican Governor Phil Scott. The general election will be held in November.

Top photo via ChristineForVermont.com

More from BUST

7 Young, Progressive Women Running For Congress in 2018

5 Incredible Political Campaign Videos From Progressive Women Candidates

6 Reasons To Call Your Senators And Tell Them To Vote Kava-NO On Kavanaugh

Lydia Wang is a writer, a Pisces, and one of BUST's digital editors. Find her on Twitter or say hi: lydiaw@bust.com.'His life had value': Friends, family of road rage shooting victim plead for answers

Family and friends of a young man killed in an apparent road rage shooting are calling for the suspect to come forward.

Willis Hunt, 33, was shot and killed last Friday on Bridgeway Street under the Ironworkers' Memorial Bridge.

A group of friends and family lit candles and gathered Monday night at the spot where Hunt died.

"How can this happen? Over what, over what? Over nothing," said Willis' mother, Sunni Hunt.

Sunni Hunt said her son lived well and was a familiar face on Commercial Drive.

She is hoping someone will come forward with information.

"Because this could have happened to anyone, just anyone, and it did happen," she said.

"And Willis, you know, his life had value."

Police say the investigation is very active.

They are asking anyone with dashcam video who was driving near McGill and Renfrew streets early Friday morning to contact them.Scuba divers returning from a deep dive in Belize were making their way along the shallow grass bed to their dive boat. As they finished their dive, they met up with an adorable baby nurse shark who approached them much like a lost puppy. These sharks are docile and harmless, occasionally curious, but they have no reason to sit and look at a diver expectantly as this one did. It paused and looked right at divemaster, Danny, waiting at his fins as if he would issue a command or dish out a treat. When he began to swim away, the shark moved under him as if it wanted something and he couldn't resist the urge to give it a little scratch on the back. As the divers continued, the baby shark followed along as if he were a stray looking to be adopted by a family. It swam under Dave and seemed to be looking for attention. As Dave swam on and met up with Kristy, the shark followed. It was like he was completely at home with his new human friends and was ready to follow them all the way home. Nurse sharks are abundant in Belize. They can reach a size of approximately ten feet and can weigh much more than a full grown man. Powerful swimmers and graceful in the water, they are no threat to people. Although they possess impressive teeth, as any shark does, their mouths are actually designed for feeding on scraps and smaller prey than people. They are not known to attack humans, except if provoked or treated carelessly. Divers find them to be a welcome sight as they occasionally follow a group from a distance and act like curious tagalongs. Baby sharks are seldom seen and this one is smaller than most people are familiar with. Its friendly nature is also exceptional as they don't usually follow divers so closely and they also don't usually seem to want interaction. When careful and respectful, an interaction with wildlife can be the highlight of a dive for scuba enthusiasts. Such encounters should be kept to a minimum and should also be completely on the animal's terms. It is not only dangerous, but it is also unfair to make an animal more comfortable with people than they should be. Such habits can lead to disaster for all. In this case, the divers had very little interaction with the shark before choosing to ignore it as much as possible. He still followed the divers until they reached their boat. His unusual behavior was a treat for these shark lovers. Despite their ill reputation, we cant ignore the facts that sharks are a masterpiece. They have lithe bodies that are able to thread waters despite their weight. And if you think that they are slowed down by their built, think again. They are so fast that escaping them requires a certain amount of skill, and an enormous amount of luck. Its only normal that we are afraid of them. What do you think about this video? Make sure you tell us more in the comments down below. If you like what you see, dont forget to share it with others who might like it as well. It just might be the highlight of their day! Enjoy!Helicopter ambulances will soon be able to land at the hospital in Tofino, B.C. after an eight-year absence.

Island Health is working with the Tofino General Hospital Foundation and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District to build a new helicopter pad next to the hospital, the health authority announced this week.

The relatively remote location of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island makes medical helicopter access vital for quick evacuations.

"There's the challenge of having one road [out] and it's a windy road," said Marie Duperreault, interim executive director of the area for Island Health.

"In order to have expedient service for those who really need that urgent evacuation, a helicopter or air transport is important."

Community support

She said the community has been concerned about the lack of a hospital helipad for years.

A public consultation was held in 2016 with community stakeholders  including municipal representatives, neighbours and the hospital foundation  to go over proposals for the new helipad.

"The community has been clear that a helipad at Tofino General Hospital is an important part of the health-care picture for this region and it is great news that this project is moving forward," said Health Minister Adrian Dix in a press release.

The Tofino General Hospital has been without helicopter service since 2011 when the previous helipad was shut down after Transport Canada ordered upgrades.

"In the interim, we have still been able to have airvac landings which took place at the Tofino airport which is located about 20 minutes by land ambulance from the hospital," Duperreault told Jason D'Souza, the host of CBC's All Points West.

The hospital will continue to rely on a combination of ground ambulances and air evacuations via the airport until the new helipad is ready which is expected in early 2019.

With files from All Points West.

Read more from CBC British ColumbiaIrving Shipbuilding is looking for reassurance from the federal government that it plans to build coast guard and navy ships in Halifax and Vancouver and not at the Davie shipyard in Quebec.

"We call upon the federal government to confirm to Irving Shipbuilding, our shipbuilders and their families, the province of Nova Scotia, and all Atlantic Canadians that the National Shipbuilding Strategy remains intact and, therefore, construction of the ships for Canada's navy and coast guard will be done exclusively by Irving Shipbuilding and Vancouver Shipyards," Irving Shipbuilding said in a press release.

The controversy developed late last week when Steven MacKinnon, MP for Gatineau and parliamentary secretary to the minister of Public Service and Procurement Canada, stated the Davie shipyard in Levis, Quebec, will have opportunities to bid on and win work under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

"The men and women of the Halifax Shipyard are concerned that these remarks signal the possible redirection of shipbuilding work out of Atlantic Canada," Irving Shipbuilding said in its news release. The company would not provide any further comment and declined an interview.

A spokesperson for Carla Qualtrough, the federal minister of Public Service and Procurement, told CBC News that the announcement on Friday did not make any changes on the way forward for the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

"As has always been the case under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, further opportunities exist for Canadian shipyards, including Davie, for small vessel construction, conversion work, maintenance, repair and refit contracts," Ashley Michnowski said in an email Tuesday.

$610M contract for Davie

Last week, federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, who represents the Quebec City region, announced the signing of a $610-million contract to acquire and convert three icebreakers to renew the Canadian Coast Guard's aging fleet.

Story continues

The announcement was made at the Davie shipyard, which will be doing the work. The contract is expected to result in the creation of 200 new jobs over the next two years, according to Davie spokesperson Frederik Boisvert.

Irving Shipbuilding says in developing the framework for the shipbuilding strategy, the federal government acknowledged there was not enough future large ship construction required for the navy and coast guard to sustain more than two shipyards and their workforces.

In 2011, a competitive process led to Irving Shipbuilding and Vancouver Shipyards being selected over Davie to build Canada's future fleets.Police say the death of a Conception Bay South man who fell from a building in downtown St. John's is not considered suspicious.

In a media release issued Tuesday, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said the man, 57, fell from the sixth floor of the Sonco Parking garage and not Atlantic Place as police had initially said, though the two buildings are connected.

The man's name will not be released, the RNC said.

Emergency crews responded to the Harbour Drive area at 2 p.m. Monday afternoon to a report of a sudden death.

Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

A section of Harbour Drive alongside Atlantic Place, between Baird's Cove and Ayres Cove, had been closed to traffic for part of Monday afternoon.

The RNC said the investigation is continuing and anyone who was in the area and saw the man fall is asked to call police at 709-729-8000.

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and LabradorMajority of Russians Support Putins Foreign Policy

By Vladimer Napetvaridze

On 10 August, Russian news agency - Ria Novosti published the results of Russian Public Opinion Research Center survey, which was conducted on August 6, using the telephone interview method among 1,6 thousand respondents over 18 years old. According to the results, most Russians still consider that the decision to recognize the independence of so-called South Ossetia was correct, only 10% of the population think that it was a wrong political move.80% of the respondents approved the decision taken ten years ago (growth from 75% in 2013), and against 9% (in 2013,14% of respondents had this opinion). At the same time, more than third (36%) of the respondents continue to monitor what is happening in so-called "South Ossetia."Most (81%) of Russian citizens still believe that Russia was right to support South Ossetia with the military power. In 2009, the number of respondents who shared this view was 86%, but in some years, as shown by previous surveys, it was lower (76% in 2010 and 71% in 2013).We may discuss possible reasons for the survey results: Russian citizens do not have accurate information about the 2008 events, and due to the information campaign carried out by their government, they believe that Georgia started the war against Ossetians, and Russia helped them defend themselves. The Russian government is actively trying to convince its population that Georgia started the war in 2008. The Ria Novosti article which published the results of the mentioned survey reads:On August 8, 2008, Georgian troops attacked South Ossetia, fired at it from the Grad rocket launchers and destroyed part of its capital, Tskhinvali. Moscow, defending the inhabitants of the republic, many of whom took Russian citizenship, used military forces and after five days of fighting, forced Georgian soldiers out of the region. In late August, Russia recognized the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,"- the Ria Novosti article reads. Therefore, the attitude of Russian citizens, towards 2008 events, shouldnt surprise us, as many of them still believe that they are the citizens of the empire, which defends justice everywhere, even on the territories of other countries.Another likely reason is that despite the critical economic situation in the country, each aggressive international action of Russia causes the growth of Putin's rating. This fact is indicating that the Russian society/voters prefer to feel like a citizen of a strong empire, capable of managing an internal policy of other countries rather than to live in a developed country with a prospering economy.It is to take into consideration that the survey used the telephone interview method. Presumably, citizens would be under pressure of an official agency of the authoritarian country while expressing their opinion on Putin's foreign policy.SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore police said on Tuesday an aircraft linked to an investigation into a multi-billion scandal at Malaysian state fund 1MDB was in the city-state but Malaysia had not made a formal request for its return. Singapore authorities had not previously confirmed that the $35-million private jet, which Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said he is seeking to repossess, was in the city. Aviation services firm Jet Aviation said on Monday a jet, which the U.S. Department of Justice alleges was bought by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho using funds taken from 1MDB, was at their facility at Singapore's Seletar Airport. "Singapore has not received any formal request from the Malaysian authorities seeking the return of the aircraft," a police spokesman said. "Any such request, along with other requests for the return of seized 1MDB-related assets, will be dealt with in accordance with Singapore's legal framework." Singapore authorities in 2016 said they had seized S$240 million ($175 million) in funds and properties as part of investigations into 1MDB-related fund flows through Singapore, of which about half belonged to Low and his family. Malaysian authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Low, whose whereabouts are not known. Low, whose Malaysian passport has been revoked, has previously denied any wrongdoing. Last week, the $250 million superyacht Equanimity, which the U.S. Department of Justice says was also bought by Low, was handed over to Malaysia by Indonesia, which had seized the vessel this year. A representative for Low has said the handing over of the yacht to Malaysia was illegal and in violation of Indonesian and U.S. court orders. ($1 = 1.3738 Singapore dollars) (Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Robert Birsel)'It's so upsetting': 6-year-old killed in boating accident on Kalamalka Lake

A six-year-old child from North Vancouver has died after being struck by a boat on Kalamalka Lake in B.C.'s Okanagan.

The incident happened when the family was returning to the dock after boating on the lake, according to a statement from Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

As the adult driver turned the boat, a six-year-old child fell overboard and was struck by a part of the boat, Cpl. Tania Finn said in the statement.

The child was rushed to the pier on Kalamalka Lake to meet emergency personnel, but did not survive.

Police say the family is receiving support from Vernon North Okanagan Victim Services.

Steve Cartwright said he was working as a security guard at a nearby marina parking lot as the situation unfolded and assisted emergency personnel at the scene by keeping people away from the dock the boat returned to.

"It's very unfortunate and very sad," Cartwright said. "I have a very hard time talking about this even right now. I'm just trying to hold back from shedding tears. It's so upsetting."

With files from Brady Strachan

Read more from CBC British Columbia

Correction : An earlier version of this story stated that the six-year-old child was a boy. In fact, the RCMP has not released any details about the identity of the child. (Aug 14, 2018 4:17 PM)The Trudeau government has been bringing up the case of imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi privately at high levels with Saudi Arabian officials since its first weeks in power, documents obtained by CBC News show.

A confidential 2015 memo to then-minister of foreign affairs Stephane Dion was drawn up by officials in his department to help him prepare for a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Adel Al-Jubeir, on December 17, 2015, just six weeks after the Liberal government took office.

The memo, which is redacted in several places, was obtained by CBC News through Access to Information.

It contradicts the accusation from some quarters that the Trudeau government has used "Twitter diplomacy" instead of diplomatic back-channels to try to secure the release of Badawi  who has been in a Saudi jail since 2012 and was publicly lashed in 2015 as punishment for his criticism of the regime.

In fact, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland took to Twitter earlier this month to criticize the Saudi government's treatment of the Badawi family only after nearly three years of quiet diplomacy had failed to win his freedom and after the Saudis suddenly escalated the situation by arresting Badawi's sister, Samar.

Freeland's tweet so incensed the Saudi regime that it quickly retaliated by announcing the country would:

- Expel Canada's ambassador;

- Sell off Canadian assets and freeze new investment;

- Cease flights to Canada on its national airline;

- Stop buying Canadian wheat and barley;

- Suspend student exchange and medical treatment programs.

Irwin Cotler, former attorney-general of Canada and Badawi's international legal counsel, said claims that Canada violated diplomatic norms by going on Twitter are false.

"I think it's unfair," he told CBC News. "This tweet comes at the end of a long process. A lot went on before this. This was not the first expression of Canada's position, and there was nothing new or novel about it."

Story continues

The Trudeau government has been accused by the Conservatives of botching the Canada-Saudi diplomatic relationship by issuing its criticisms through social media.

The notes prepared for Dion were intended to provide him with the context behind his first contact with the Saudi foreign minister  the same one who demanded that Canada apologize for the recent tweets. It also lays out the objectives Canada had for the meeting, which was scheduled to last 45 minutes and took place in Dion's Ottawa office.

Immediately afterward, the two men sat down to a 90-minute lunch that was also attended by Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Canada.

The notes were written by department analyst Emily Haji with input from Canada's current ambassador in Riyadh, Dennis Horak.

"The purpose of your meeting is twofold," the notes read, "to establish a working relationship with your counterpart from a key trade and security partner and to discuss important bilateral issues including: human rights [redaction], trade, and regional security, including terrorism and the fight against ISIL."

There is a lengthy redacted section in the document that begins: "The case of Saudi citizen Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and ten years in prison."

Only Saudi Arabia's role in the wars in Syria and Yemen takes greater prominence than Badawi's case in the backgrounder document. Issues of trade  including Canada's contract to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia  rank lower than the Badawi case.

Several redactions in the document appear to relate to the case. One, under the heading "Human Rights," says: "[redaction] is of particular interest to Canada, and has attracted significant attention from Canadian media and human rights organizations."

Several more of the subsequent paragraphs are blanked out.

Under Access to Information Rules, the government must give reasons for withholding information. In this case, the redactions are justified by the government as privileged under the headings of "personal information," "advice to a minister" and "information that pertains to Canada's defence or relations with another state."

Dion's meeting with Al-Jubeir was only the first of the Trudeau government's contacts with Saudi Arabia over the case  many of which would end up being made public by the Canadian side.

In November 2016, Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, president of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, visited Canada and heard about the case from Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of international development, and Minister for the Status of Women Patty Hajdu. The next day, he heard about it again from Dion.

Cotler said both Dion and Freeland "made several representations to the Saudi minister of foreign affairs on this matter," keeping up the pressure that already had been exerted by the Conservatives before them.

"This was ongoing, direct, non-Twitter diplomacy by both (the Harper and Trudeau) governments, and by both foreign ministers of the current government," he said.

And in April of this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the case directly with Saudi King Salman in a phone conversation  which also was made public.

Some critics have said that Saudi officials reacted negatively to the use of the term "immediately release" in the Aug. 3 tweet from Global Affairs.

But in April 2015, the Canadian House of Commons had passed unanimously a motion stating "that the House denounce(s) the reprehensible treatment of Raif Badawi, and call(s) on the government of Saudi Arabia to cease his punishment and release him from prison immediately."

In its choice of language, the new Liberal government actually took a less confrontational approach to the Badawi case than did the previous government.

In a statement made public on Jan. 8, 2015, Andrew Bennett, the Harper government's ambassador for religious freedom, wrote that "the public flogging outside a mosque in Jeddah each week for 20 weeks, with 50 lashes administered on each occasion, is a gross violation of human dignity, which I strongly denounce."

"The punishment being administered to Mr. Badawi is inhumane and is unbecoming of a society which seeks to advance itself within the family of nations," wrote Bennett.

Foreign Minister John Baird followed up six days later with his own public statement: "This punishment is a violation of human dignity and freedom of expression."

Now in private life and working as a lobbyist, Baird has criticized the current government for making its concerns public.

"For Canada to treat a friend and ally this way has been tremendously unhelpful and disappointing," Baird told Saudi state-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya. "We had respectful discussions face-to-face, not hectoring tweets."

And yet Baird tweeted himself about the case, calling it a "violation of human dignity."

Baird told Bloomberg that Freeland's decision to communicate through Twitter "has obviously caused great damage to Canadian interests."

Trudeau has defended his government's approach, saying that "Canada will always speak strongly and clearly in private and in public on questions of human rights."

The words are similar to those Baird himself used in January 2015, when he stated: "While Mr. Badawi is not a Canadian citizen, we will continue to make our position known, both publicly and through diplomatic channels."

The memorandum prepared for the first meeting between the Trudeau government and the Saudis paints a picture of a complicated relationship at a moment when both countries were deeply involved in the coalition to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Other issues that were on the agenda included a Canadian defence of the government's decision to explore "options for re-engaging with Iran"  an arch-enemy of the ruling Saud family. One government talking point prepared for Dion's meeting, referred to as a "defensive line," stated that "re-engaging does not mean that we agree with the Iranian regime."

Dion also was asked to tell Al-Jubeir that "Canada is concerned about the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the severity of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis and the growing number of civilian victims."

But Canada also was at pains to paint the relationship in a positive light. One of the key messages Dion was to transmit to his Saudi counterpart was that "our people-to-people relationship is particularly strong, with 16,000 Saudi students in Canadian universities and colleges. We should work to increase this number even more, especially in the medical field."

Early this month, the Saudi government announced it would withdraw all Saudi students it has been sponsoring at Canadian universities, colleges and other schools as payback for Canada's criticism.Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Nairobi, August 15, 2018 Authorities in Lesotho should immediately withdraw a baseless complaint of incitement against the privately owned MoAfrika FM radio station and cease trying to intimidate critical journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Lesothos Broadcasting Dispute Resolution Panel (BDRP) in a letter dated August 7 summoned MoAfrika to appear tomorrow, after the Ministry of Communication filed a complaint on behalf of the government accusing the station of incitement to violence, according to its editor-in-chief, Sebonomoea RK Ramainoane, and documents reviewed by CPJ. The letter cites four instances in July when the station aired critical reporting or commentary on government officials and the government claims MoAfrika may have incited violence.

The Lesotho governments allegations of incitement to violence against the MoAfrika FM are clearly baseless and expose intolerance to critical journalism, said CPJ Sub-Saharan Africa Representative Muthoki Mumo. The government should withdraw its complaint immediately and let journalists do their work of holding the powerful to account.

On a weekly news review program July 1, according to the documents seen by CPJ, Serialong Qoo, an opposition party spokesperson, called in and made several critical comments about Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, including about his purported per diem allowance. On July 4, the complaint says, Qoo was again interviewed by MoAfrika and discussed the prime ministers alleged role in a diplomatic crisis with South Africa relating to Lesothos King Letsie IIIs delegation being stopped and searched at the border on the way back to Lesotho. The complaint further claims that on July 12, MoAfrika quoted Deputy Home Affairs Minister Machesetsa Mofomobe refusing to respond to questions on a procurement dispute in connection to birthday celebrations for King Letsie III. The government also complained about July 23 radio programming in which Ramainoane and guests, including Qoo, discussed reports that Lesothos first lady, Maesaea Thabane, had been warned to behave well when she took over as chairperson of a continental anti-cancer forum. Thabane took up the role in the wake of news reports that she had been involved in a public altercation with a woman at a hospital in the capital, Maseru. Tabane denies having started the altercation, according to Lesotho Times.

Ramainoane told CPJ that his station aired the content cited in the government complaint but denied it amounted to incitement of violence.

Ramainoane and MoAfrika lawyer Zwelakhe Mda told CPJ that they fear tomorrows hearing could lead to authorities ordering MoAfrika to shut down. Lesothos BDRP, which is a statutory body of members appointed by the minister of communication, can impose fines on stations but not withdraw media licenses, according to Lesothos 2012 Communication Act. However, the BDRP may refer cases to the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), which can withdraw licenses, according to the same act.

BDRP Chairman Arthur Majara on August 10 told CPJ that he could not comment on the matter until the hearing was completed. He referred CPJ to the LCA, the broadcasting industry regulator whose chief executive, Tseliso Mokela, declined to comment, saying he was not party to the dispute. Communication Minister Thesele Maseribane did not respond to a phone call, text messages, or WhatsApp message on August 10. Rorisang Molefe, a legal officer who responded on his behalf, today told CPJ via telephone that the minister had filed the complaint on behalf of the cabinet because he could not sit back and watch MoAfrika insult people. Citing as an example MoAfrikas coverage of the diplomatic crisis, Molefe said some of the stations programming had posed a threat to public order, leaving people at loggerheads and causing confusion. She said the station also failed to label commentary as such, as required by Lesothos 2004 broadcasting rules. She said the ministry has the power to shut down MoAfrika but chose to go the civil route by having the BDRP adjudicate the matter, and that it would take other measures if this fails.

Maseribane on August 10 warned the media that the government would take unspecified action against outlets inciting violence, according to Chalale Mokhenthi, a MoAfrika journalist who attended the press conference, and Tsebo Matsasa, national director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa who watched reporting of the event on the state-owned Lesotho Television. The action, the minister said, would be taken within existing legislation and the constitution, according to these same sources. Molefe said that no warnings were issued at the press conference and that the minister was reminding the press to be ethical and comply with existing regulations. She referred CPJ to a video recording of the event, but did not immediately provide the recording and CPJ was unable to locate it.

In a separate incident, Thabo Thakalekoala, spokesperson for the prime minister, on August 9 tried to forcibly enter the MoAfrika studio in Maseru, Ramainoane told CPJ. Thakalekoala was reacting to MoAfrikas earlier on-air criticism of the spokesperson, according to Ramainoane and Malichaba Lekhoaba, manager of the privately owned Harvest FM which shares a building with MoAfrika and whose journalists reported the incident. Thakalekoala wanted to enter the studio with a group of men that had accompanied him but Ramainoane denied entry, saying that he would speak with the spokesperson alone, according to these same sources. Thakalekoala told CPJ that he left the MoAfrika offices after Ramainoane went on air and called on MoAfrikas supporters to come to the studio. Some of the supporters who showed up included opposition politicians, according to Ramainoane and Thakalekoala. He denied the allegation that he tried to enter the studio forcibly, telling CPJ that he had gone to MoAfrika to ask why Ramainoane had insulted him on air. He did not specify the nature of the insults. Ramainoane and Mda, the lawyer, said the editor-in-chief had reported the incident to the police in Maseru.

MoAfrika has run into difficulty before. Authorities shut down the station in August 2017 for six days saying it had not paid government fees, allegations that MoAfrika disputed, according to media reports and Ramainoane. In September 2017 the station was shut down for 72 hours as the government alleged incitement to violence, while Ramainoane was briefly arrested as police accused him of criminal defamation, according to media reports and a statement by international human rights group Amnesty International. The criminal defamation case has fallen apart since Lesotho repealed the law earlier this year, Ramainoane told CPJ. However, the station in April applied for the High Court to set aside a 40,000 Maloti ($2,929) fine imposed by the BDRP in a separate case in which MoAfrika is accused of contravening broadcasting codes through a historical drama series, according to Ramainoane and documents reviewed by CPJ.A finger canal off the Caloosahatchee River in the River Oaks neighborhood near LaBelle was clogged with algae. [Pedro Portal | Miami Herald]

Congressman Ron DeSantis is scheduled for a quick visit to southwest Florida on Wednesday, adding himself to the long list of state and federal officials who have traveled to see the green, "guacamole-like" toxic algae for themselves.

But there is one thing that makes DeSantis's visit different: his condemnation of U.S. Sugar's role in the algae crisis during the Republican debate in Jacksonville last week. U.S. Sugar is one of the most dominant special interests in Tallahassee, one that some Democratic candidates for governor, like Chris King, have used as a punching bag during this race.

DeSantis's harsh criticism of the company, is highly unusual for a Republican frontrunner for governor, especially during a televised debate. U.S. Sugar has poured millions and millions into the campaign of his opponent, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam.

READ MORE: Only one candidate for governor still takes money from Big Sugar: Adam Putnam

Calling Putnam the "errand boy" for U.S. Sugar, DeSantis dismissed the effect of septic tanks in causing the green, toxic algae, instead placing heavy blame on the phosphorous pollution from agriculture, which includes U.S. Sugar. Research has found that both play a role, but U.S. Sugar has also been resistant to sell land south of Lake Okeechobee where Republican state Senate President Joe Negron suggested building a reservoir that would hold excess water so it wouldn't have to be released to surrounding waterways, which exacerbates the crisis.

"Commissioner Putnam ... will not do anything that offends U.S. Sugar who is his main supporter," DeSantis said. "At the end of the day, if you let one company call the shots were going to continue to end up having the problem. Nobody should get special treatment."

Putnam argued back that the toxic algae was caused by many factors, and that there is "no unicorn and rainbow pixie-dust solution to this."

READ MORE: Seinfeld candidate vs. Sugars errand boy. DeSantis, Putnam clash in final debate

Putnam held a grassroots campaign events in both Fort Myers and Port St. Lucie in the past two weeks, but neither were algae-specific. Putnam is also kicking off a statewide tour of about 20 cities Wednesday, which is scheduled to last until just three days before the primary.

Meredith Beatrice, Putnam's campaign spokeswoman, said that he is the "only candidate with a plan and a track record of protecting Floridas Golden Goose: water."

DeSantis's visit to Englewood in southwest Florida is scheduled to last just an hour and 30 minutes total, starting with a one-hour "roundtable" with local business owners at 4 p.m., then a 15-minute press conference, ended by a 15-minute "waterfront tour" to wrap everything up by 5:30 p.m.Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, August 15, 2018Authorities in Mozambique should immediately reverse plans to impose prohibitively high financial charges that unduly target independent media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A July 23, 2018, government decree outlined massive hikes in registration fees to be paid to the government-run Gabinete de Informacao, a bureaucratic body that facilitates media registration.

The decree states that new fees will take effect on August 23, 2018. It comes as the Mozambican government looks to sign natural gas contracts with multinational corporations, and hold municipal elections in October 2018 and general elections in 2019, according to the Mozambican state news agency (AIM) and Agence France-Presse.

Not only do these fee increases by the Mozambican government make it practically impossible for independent press to continue working, they also lay bare a flagrant attempt to undermine transparency ahead of elections and as the country brokers natural resource deals, Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, said from Johannesburg, South Africa. The Mozambican government should reverse the decree mandating such outrageous fee increases for media.

The decree includes a chart of fees for various types of media outlets and journalists, including for registration, licensing, and license renewal. Accreditation for foreign correspondents living in Mozambique will cost 500,000 metical (US$8,630), according to the decree. Tom Bowker, editor with the privately owned Zitamar News, told CPJ that the previous administrative fee for foreign correspondents accreditation was insignificant and came out to around US$5.

Community radio stations will need to pay a 50,000 metical (US$855) licensing tax as well as a 3,000 metical (US$50) annual licensing tax, according to the decree. Erik Charas, publisher of the privately owned Verdade newspaper, told CPJ that the previous annual licensing tax for community radio stations was 2,000 metical (US$34).

Charas emphasized that the fees imposed by the July 23 decree were crippling and that Mozambicans would not be able to pay them.

Tomas Vieira Mario, president of Mozambiques press regulator, the Conselho Superior da Comunicacao Social, told CPJ that he believes the fees imposed are illegal because they violate the right to freedom of expression enshrined in Mozambiques constitution. The government should move to nullify and renegotiate the decree, he said.

Mario also said the regulator, which is made of 11 memberssix appointed by the presidency and parliament, and five appointed by the journalists union and media companiesfirst learned about the decree when it was published as law in the government bulletin, and should have been consulted beforehand. An initial conversation between journalists and the head of Gabinete de Informacao took place on August 10, and a second meeting is scheduled for August 21, Fernando Lima, chairman of the privately owned, independent media cooperative MediaCoop, told CPJ.

Cecilia Napido, a public employee with Gabinete de Informacao, told CPJ over WhatsApp messages in Portuguese that the government did consider press freedom when forming the decree and the new fees were introduced to make the industry sustainable.

Yesterday, influential members of the Mozambican media communityincluding CEPL (Emergency Committee for the Protection of Liberties), MISA-Mozambique (Mozambican chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa), AEJ (Association of Journalistic Companies), FORCOM (National Forum of Community Radios), CIP (Center for Public Integrity), and OAM (Mozambican Bar Association)sent a petition to the national ombudsman, Isaac Chande. The petition requested support to have Mozambiques constitutional council review the decrees constitutionality and legality, according to a press release from the groups.

Repeated calls to Jaime Basilio Monteiro, Mozambican minister of the interior, went unanswered. Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario hung up when a CPJ representative called and identified himself. WhatsApp messages to Rosario asking to speak about Mozambican journalists concerns about the fees were marked as read but went unanswered.

EDITORS NOTE: The text has been modified in the eighth paragraph to correct the fact that Fernando Lima was not physically at the August 10 meeting.Three men barged into Kumars house on Tuesday morning to commit robbery and shot Kumar after he tried to stop them. (Representational Image)

Patna: A senior government officer posted at Patna Secretariat was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Tuesday morning.

Rajiv Kumar, an under secretary-level officer, was rushed to a hospital under a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries.

According to reports, three men barged into Kumars house on Tuesday morning to commit robbery. The assailants shot Kumar after he tried to stop them.

"Three men entered our home around 3 am, all of them were carrying pistols. They locked us in a room and demanded money from my husband. When he resisted, they shot at him. The bullet pierced through his chest. Then they took money and valuables and fled," Rajni Ranjan, wife of the officer told NDTV.

58-year-old Rajiv Kumar was posted with the Department of Planning.

(With ANI inputs)A screenshot from UNITE HERE's ad attacking Gwen Graham over her affiliation over the American Dream Miami mega-mall.

A major labor union says it's launching a six-figure ad buy against Gwen Graham, targeting the Democratic front-runner for governor over her family's involvement in the American Dream Miami mega-mall.

UNITE HERE, which represents more than 260,000 mostly service industry workers across the country, says it's going after Graham because of her failure to take a stance on the project, of which her family's company is involved.

"We think that Gwen Graham cant hide behind the fact that its her family whos involved in the project," said Wendi Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer for UNITE HERE Local 355. "She skirts the issue at every turn."

The union has endorsed one of Graham's opponents, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, in the governor's race.

The union says it's spending six figures to target more than 800,000 Democratic voters, mostly in South Florida. In addition to advertising on social media and websites, they're buying 50 30-second ad spots during morning and evening shows on CNN, MSNBC, OWN and BET in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.

"While Graham and her family make millions," one of the TV ads says, "Florida will be stuck with poverty-wage jobs, endangered wildlife and massive traffic congestion."

The campaign is expected to start today and run through Tuesday.

Walsh says the union has tried to get Graham to come out against the project, to no avail. Graham has repeatedly declined to take a stance on it.

Her campaign's spokesman has said Graham "believes local communities should have the first and final voice on the project and to date, they have strongly supported it."

The union isn't the first to go after Graham about the project. Fellow candidate and Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene has already aired television ads attacking Graham. Levine has said he's been against the project from the beginning, but has so far stayed out of the fight.

The mall project, which would feature a theme park and an indoor ski slope, would be America's largest, and it has been strongly opposed by environmental groups over fears that it would encourage more development on the eastern edge of the Everglades.

Despite rhetoric by Graham's opponents, however, the mall is not in the Everglades, and Graham's campaign maintains that she's never had any involvement in its formation.

The mall is being built by Triple Five, the company that developed Minnesota's Mall of America, but part of the 175-acre property is owned by the Graham Companies. The Graham Companies is also planning to build a massive mixed-used development on 300 acres south of the mall.

Graham, like many members of her family, has a small stake in the family company that is worth millions. But she resigned as a member of the board in 2015, when she was elected to Congress, and her campaign says she owns less that 1 percent of voting stock in the Graham Companies.Myth-making can be very seductive, like a coquettish whisper in your ear, beckoning you to make a tryst with yet another urban legend. Remember that every legend is a myth whispered at a campfire. And this acquires a life form of its own once it finds a way into an echo chamber. There are voices in the head, which squabble, challenge and harangue, but the chrysalis nature of the myth prevails, trumping all else. So, while Doklam becomes the big story and the quantum of naked Chinese aggression is viewed as a force majeure, the reality of the past cannot be ignored. The relentless nature of Chinese intrusions is much like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season creeping up on you just when you least expect it to. They are invasive and constantly trespassing, gauging our strength and resolve levels. The India-China relationship is beyond counter-proliferation responses, it is the conventional war which is a more likely scenario.

Battle, it is said, is a great redeemer. And on the 51st anniversary of Nathu La, Chinas transgressions and lust for land notwithstanding, the crucible of warfare in which heroes are forged where courage overcomes fear is a stand-out chapter in the derring-do and bravado of the Indian armed forces. Let me contextualise this for you. Jawaharlal Nehru was dejected and his psyche brutalised by the gargantuan Chinese deception of 1962, and died a heartbroken man. Our great foe and natural adversary, Pakistan, thinking this was the moment to kick us and keep us down, structured Operation Grand Slam and Gibraltar. Operation Grand Slam was a key operation of the 1965 war. The Pakistan Army plan in May 1965 was to attack the vital Akhnoor Bridge in J&K. The bridge was not only the lifeline of an entire infantry division in J&K, but could also be used to threaten Jammu, an important logistical point for the Indian forces. The operation ended in a failure for the Pakistan Army as the stated military objectives were not achieved and they were subsequently forced to retreat, following a counterattack by the Indian Army.

The second part of this construct was Operation Gibraltar. Believing the Indians were badly demoralised and Muslims of J&K would revolt against them with a little help, Gen. Ayub Khan gave his approval for Gibraltar, a plan to provoke uprisings in J&K by infiltrating teams of military personnel to conduct sabotage and prod the Kashmiri people against the Indian forces. The infiltration started in the first week of August 1965, as Pakistani infantry infiltrated the border in teams of twos and threes, eventually swelling to more than 4,000-5,000. Identifying the insurgents as Pakistan Army regulars, India countered them by bringing in additional troops. The Indian Army also launched attacks on the logistical bases of the insurgents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Intertwined with Gibraltar was Grand Slam. The Pakistani Army commenced Operation Grand Slam at 5 am on September 1, 1965. The aim was to ease the pressure on the 12th Division, which was defending against repeated Indian attacks, and to guard against th

e threat to the city of Muzaffarabad from the territorial gains by Indian forces of strategic areas such as Haji Pir Pass in PoK. As always, Pakistans best-laid plans went awry.

On January 11, 1966 Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died in Tashkent, a feisty young Indira Gandhi took charge in a faction-ridden Congress Party where the Kamaraj-led Syndicate called the shots. The Syndicate was all-powerful K. Kamaraj, the former chief minister of Madras; Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, an Andhra leader; S. Nijalingappa, chief minister of Mysore state; and Atulya Ghosh, the president of the Bengal Congress Committee, along with Maharashtra leader S.K. Patil. Against this backdrop comes one of Indias finest military victories in a distant place called Nathu La. The Chinese, who revel in their military might, have received a bloody nose twice in recent memory an abomination called Nathu La in 1967 followed years later with the Sino-Vietnam war, where the unceasing waves were taught a lesson in 1979. Nathu La can be described as a largish skirmish, but it resulted in the death of 300 to 400 Chinese soldiers. More than 80 Indian soldiers were killed. In many ways, the Doklam standoff and what began in Nathu La are mirror images. Nathu La also began with pushing, jostling and shoving. Nathu La was a result of the Chinese being irked over the Indian military presence in Sikkim, then a protectorate of India, while Doklam is at the tri-junction of Bhutan. India and China, where India has the heights and the Chinese the valley below. The aggressive mien being displayed by a muscular China has been pushing the envelope repeatedly with as many as 426 border transgressions last year, on the back of 273 in 2016. Many of these have resulted in actual physical contact between the two sides with the Indian Army keeping the PLA at bay. The new Chinese mindset is a result of anger over Indias infra build out across the undefined border running for over 4,000 km from Ladakh to Arunachal.

Recent media reports suggest that India has upped the ante in terms of border infrastructure and military deployment. Of course, the daunting challenges for the Indian troops remain ranging from lack of requisite roads, bridges and inter-valley connectivity to shortages of artillery, helicopters, drones and specialised ammunition stocks. Visits to the far-flung areas by media teams show that operational readiness and troop morale is high, with India slowly but steadily adding some much-needed muscle to its military capabilities all along the 4,057-km-long LAC to offset the stark military asymmetry with its larger neighbour. This has picked up pace after the PLA occupied north Doklam throughout the winter this time, even as it is disengaged from the actual faceoff site on Bhutanese territory.

Ground zero reports say that four infantry mountain divisions (each with over 12,000 soldiers) under the 3 Corps (Dimapur) and 4 Corps (Tezpur), with two more divisions in reserve, are for example tasked for the defence of Arunachal Pradesh alone. The troop density at Tawang, which China claims to be part of south Tibet, is particularly high to thwart any nefarious designs. Then, of course, the new 17 Mountain Strike Corps and associated units, with a total of 90,274 soldiers for quick-reaction ground offensive capabilities, will be fully raised by 2021-2022. After the 59 Infantry Division of 17 Corps became fully operational at Panagarh (West Bengal), the 72 Infantry Division, to be headquartered in Dehradun, is now taking shape, with its first brigade to raised at Roorkee. Despite a depleting squadron strength, two full Sukhoi-30 squadrons armed with the Brahmos has been readied at Tezpur. Further, an Akash SAM squadron has been deployed in the airbase. China has three airbases just 350 km from Tezpur. Similarly, more Sukhoi-30s are parked at Chabua, also in Assam. The controversial Rafales, when they arrive, will be stationed at Hasimara airbase in West Bengal to replace the ageing MiG-27s. The second Rafale squadron is expected to be stationed at Sarsawa base in Uttar Pradesh. The IAF recently activated the advance landing ground (ALG) at Tuting, in Arunachals Upper Siang district. It is the sixth such ALG to be made operational in Arunachal apart from the ones in eastern Ladakh, all with China in their crosshairs. The Panagarh base in West Bengal is also set to get its six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Panagarh, of course, is also going to be the headquarters of the Armys new 17 Mountain Strike Corps being raised with two high-altitude infantry divisions, apart from other armoured, artillery, air defence and engineer brigades spread from Ladakh to Arunachal.

Moreover, a fresh controversy has broken out with the circulation of a draft report of the standing committee on external affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor that deals with the Doklam standoff. This has been opposed by NDA MPs on the panel for revealing sensitive information provided in the course of privileged briefings. The draft is understood to deal with details that could cause diplomatic awkwardness for the information revealed in a manner that reproduces official briefings in a verbatim manner, without fully explaining contexts. Which once again establishes the primacy of the 73-day old Doklam standoff and its relevance to the national narrative. With Rahul Gandhi on this committee, questioning officials over the objectives behind China forcing a confrontation in the areas near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction have acquired a deep political hue. Questions have also been asked about the current situation in the area, as it has been said that the Chinese are fortifying their positions

in a very hostile and belligerent manner. With so many parallels between Nathu La and Doklam and given the strategic nature of the plateau as an access point to the vital Siliguri corridor or Dooars as it is called, India needs to be alert and constantly vigilant.

A two-front war represents a great risk to the already stretched Indian Army, which requires large dollops of funding for modern weaponry. The delicate issue of Doklam remains unresolved the Chinese extending a road through a disputed piece of land which slopes down to the Siliguri corridor, a narrow strategic strip of Indian territory dividing the Indian mainland from the seven northeastern region states. If China cuts off this access point, it can isolate the Seven Sisters, a frightening thought for the Indian Deep State. Not only is it pushing the envelope in the border areas, it is trying to encircle India using blue-water tactics with a string of pearls strategy. From the One Belt One Road initiative to Gwadar, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar, it is teasing India using its financial muscle. Described as salami slicing by Indian strategists, it works due to the absence of proper road infrastructure in vast swathes of border areas in India.Speaking during a trip to Brazil on Tuesday, Mattis said repeatedly that the US has no plans to put weapons in space, but he emphasised the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy. (Photo: File)

Rio De Janeiro: A US Space Force is necessary to protect American satellites from being targeted by attack weapons in the hands of China and Russia, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said.

Mattis' comments came days after Vice President Mike Pence announced ambitious plans to create a sixth, separate US military warfighting service by 2020 to ensure American dominance in space.

Speaking during a trip to Brazil on Tuesday, Mattis said repeatedly that the US has no plans to put weapons in space, but he emphasised the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy.

He recalled China's use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, which he suggested was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.

"We understand the message that China was sending that they could take out a satellite in space," Mattis said in remarks to about 270 military officers and civilians at Brazil's premier war college.

"Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability."

He was responding to a question from an audience member who expressed concern that the planned Space Force could lead to an international arms race in space.

Mattis said the US cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.

"So this is a reality," he said.

"We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We don't intend to militarise space. However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary." He did not say this meant the US would respond to a satellite attack by attacking the aggressor's satellites or with any other use of force.

But that scenario is one that worries many who have warned that space could become the next global battlefield.

The US military has worked on anti-satellite weaponry in the past but has no deployed weapon dedicated to that mission today.

Asked later to elaborate on how the US would respond to an attack on a satellite, Mattis said he preferred to maintain ambiguity.

"I don't tell adversaries in advance what we will do or what we will not do," he said.

"We will not stand idly by if someone tried to deny us the use of space."

He added: "I wouldn't read anything more into" his comments.

Mattis' point about countering the space capabilities of other nations was reinforced yesterday by the State Department's top arms control official, Yleem Poblete, speaking in Geneva at the UN Conference on Disarmament.

She said that despite Russian claims it wants to prevent an arms race in outer space, Moscow is developing new anti-satellite missiles and has given its forces a mobile laser system.

She also voiced suspicion about Russia's deployment last October of a satellite whose behaviour she said was inconsistent with its supposed purpose of conducting in-orbit space inspections.

"Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," Poblete said.

Russia denies any hostile intent.

The timing of Mattis's visit to Brazil, so soon after Pence announced the Space Force plan last Thursday, was coincidental.

Mattis's trip, which includes follow-on stops in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, had been in planning for many months.

In a speech prior to fielding questions from the war college students, Mattis made a detailed pitch for closer US-Brazilian security relations.

He noted that Brazil was an ally during World War II; later he visited a monument in Rio to Brazil's role in the conflict.

He emphasized US interest in partnering with Brazil in space research, an area in which China has shown growing influence in South America.

The Chinese operate a space centre in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Brazil's Alcantara space centre is located near the equator, making it advantageous for space launches.

The closer a launch is to the equator, the more velocity the rocket gets from the Earth's rotation.Vietnamese smartphone brands face stiff competition from not only Chinese but also other international brands.

Xiaomi and Huawei were the two fastest growing mobile phone brands in Vietnam in the second quarter, technology industry analyst Counterpoint reports.

They grew respectively by 363 percent and 193 percent, according to the HongKong-based company's recent release.

Further, amid the US-China trade war, the RMB (renminbi) is weakening, resulting in cheaper Chinese products in Vietnam. This will favor the Chinese brands, which now hold around 39 percent of the market in Vietnam, said Tarun Pathak, Counterpoint associate director.

Vietnamese smartphone brands face stiff competition from not only Chinese but also other international brands, he said.

The report noted that Xiaomi had only 1 percent of the market share in the second quarter of 2017, but it surged to 5 percent a year later.

Overall, Chinese brands have a market share of around 39 percent in the form of Oppo (22 percent), Xiaomi (5), Huawei (5), and other smaller names.

Besides, the report said Huawei has tied up with local gaming firm VNG to enter the industry.

Varun Mishra, a research analyst, added that Chinese companies such as Alibaba, JD.com and Tencent have invested heavily in the Vietnamese e-commerce market, which would give a further boost to the Chinese players who have leveraged both offline and online platforms to sustain growth in similar markets.

While the Chinese players are actively targeting mid-tier segments, local players are being pushed toward the entry level segment.

South Korean giant Samsung still dominates the smartphone market with a 37 percent share.

Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup has also entered the market. Vingroup hopes to launch its phones next year.

By the end of March 2018, Vietnam has 118.7 million mobile subscriptions, according to official data.Go-Jek launched in Vietnam on August 3 as Go-Viet. Photo courtesy of Go-Jek

Go-Viets attractive perks for drivers are motivating many to shift from Grab, and the market leader is responding.

Hes one of the first drivers to sign up with ride-sharing service Go-Viet, but Thanh Hung is still wearing the well-recognized green GrabBike uniform.

Too many drivers have just signed up for Go-Viet so there are not enough jackets, Hung said.

The 40-year-old motorbike driver said he was able to make VND800,000 ($34) in a day and a half since he began driving for Go-Viet, much higher than the VND500,000 ($21) he would get from GrabBike for the same work duration.

Hung said he is also attracted by the tax exemption Go-Viet promises for the first six months and the bonus hell get if he finishes nine trips a day.

Go-Viet, a Vietnamese version of Indonesian service Go-Jek, entered the Vietnamese market early this month, seeking its slice of the market pie that Grab has been dominating after the departure of Uber.

Aiming to tailor its service to Vietnam with a different name and local teams, one of the first goals of Go-Jek in the country is to recruit drivers.

The company hopes to bring a stable income to tens of thousands of drivers through technology, Nguyen Vu Duc, CEO of Go-Viet told local media in June.

The company had contacted potential drivers months before the launch, either by meeting face to face or talking to them online, its communication representative Huong Cung told VnExpress.

Grab did not comment on the ploys Go-Viet is using to attract drivers, but its also deploying its own strategies.

The company has just launched a campaign to reward drivers with five percent of the total revenue they make in a week, said Nguyen Thu An, communication director of Grab Vietnam.

In early June, Grab also announced a plan to have over 100 stops for Grab drivers with free wifi, coffee and even vehicle washing service in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

There is a large number of drivers who dont like Grab and want to work for Go-Viet, said Vu Hoang Tam, a mobile app expert and one of the founding members of GrabBike in Vietnam.

This creates a good supply of drivers for Go-Viet, which has learned a lot from the previous battle, Tam said, referring to the competition between Grab and Uber earlier this year.Lelectricite est devenue, de nos jours, un besoin dune importance majeure, et cela, dans tous les domaines dactivite. Que ce soit dans les maisons ou []Scratches on a woman's neck caused by harassment from a male colleague at a Quang Tri's government office. Photo by VnExpress/ Quang Ha

A provincial official has been dismissed for sexual harassment months after being slapped on the wrist for the crime.

In a rare victory, on Tuesday, a disciplinary panel of the Peoples Committee of Trieu Phong District in the central province of Quang Tri voted unanimously to fire Nguyen Binh Trieu, 39, an official of its Finance and Planning Department, for sexually harassing a female colleague.

The previous day, Trieu was dismissed from the Communist Party for his indisciplined lifestyle, sexual harassment in the workplace, dishonoring a colleague, evoking public outrage and reducing reputation of the workplace.

In late June, a female staff of his department reported that Trieu had sexually harassed her. Trieu took a file to her office and used force to kiss and molest her. The victim tried to escape but was forced to sit. Few minutes later, she broke free in messy clothes, torn lips, bruises and scratches on her neck and arms.

However, the Trieu Phong District police concluded that Trieus behavior was only aimed at teasing and touching, and not tantamount to rape. It slapped a paltry fine of VND200,000 ($8.59) for offending someones honor, under government decree.

Trieu Phong District's disciplinary panel denounced the meager punishment that had enraged the public.

Sexual harassment is underreported in Vietnam and is not typically dealt with as a serious issue.Police in Hue found the body of a Norwegian tourist in the Perfume River on Wednesday morning.

The victim has been identified as a 31-year-old man but his name has yet to be disclosed.

People in Hue, a popular tourist destination in Vietnam, said they spotted an unidentified motorbike and backpack at the area near the hill overlooking the Perfume River a day before the body was found naked.

Local police rush to the scene to pick up the body of the dead foreigner on the Perfume River in Hue. Photo by Huong Ngu

The backpack contained identification papers.

Police have taken steps to conduct an autopsy to identify the cause of death. No further initial information has been revealed.Residents of a central Vietnam district have taken turns to prevent garbage trucks from entering a new waste treatment plant.

Vietnamese block garbage trucks with coffin, want treatment plant shut In central Vietnam, locals block garbage trucks with coffin, want treatment plant shut

For the past two weeks, people in Pho Thanh Commune in Quang Ngai Provinces Duc Pho District have set up a camp to cook on site, and blocked the street leading to the plant with rocks, logs and an empty coffin, protesting that waste from too many parts of the province is treated there, posing a huge pollution threat to their neighborhood.

The landfill in Pho Thanh previoulsy just took in garbage from the commune, but now authorities allow waste from other parts, including Quang Ngai town, Dang Vuong, a local, told VnExpress.

Authorities did not even ask for our opinions before building the waste treatment plant.

Locals want the plant to be closed, he said.

Nguyen Thi Ke, another local, said, Duc Pho is now home to many families and as the plant is located near a residential area at the upstream of a river, we are worried it will pollute the water and affect our health.

Nguyen Van Thinh, deputy chairman of Duc Pho District, said the landfill in Pho Thanh Commune was created in 2007 on an area of more than 15,000 square meters (3.3 acres) to bury waste.

In 2016, Quang Ngai Province allowed local firm MD Trading and Environmental Technology Co. Ltd to build a waste treatment plant near the landfill to treat waste by burning.

The plant began operation last January to meet the increasing waste being generated in Duc Pho, which is good for its residents and that is why there is no reason to shut it, he said.

Authorities have spoken with local residents twice since late July, telling them it is not true that the plant handles trash from other communes or from the town.

But the locals refuse to be convinced and the problem continues.

Thinh said authorities had told locals on the two occasions that the distance between the plant and houses is 513 meters, which complies with current regulations that stipulate a minimum distance of 500 meters.

Before building the plant, the authorities had held a meeting to collect public opinion, he said.

The recent odor from the landfill is because workers at the plant have dug up trash buried years ago for burning and building a tank to treat waste water, he said, adding that the district would instruct MD to ensure wastewater does not leak and there is no odor in the area.

Air and water indexes around the plant indicate it operates in line with regulations and does not infringe any environmental regulations, he said.

Le Thi My Diep, director of MD, said locals have persuaded the plant's workers, who were all from the neighborhood, to quit and there are now only three managers left.

With entry to the plant blocked, trash is now all over Duc Pho District. Locals have been burning trash in their backyard or letting it pile up on the streets before burning.

Vo Van Hao, head of the province Party Committees propaganda department, said the province would find a way to convince locals because a waste treatment plant using advanced burning technology is a very effective facility that cannot be shut down.Eight Vietnamese nationals were among 30 people arrested as Malaysian authorities raided massage parlors in Johor state.

Eight massage parlors in Jalan Bahri Town, Muar District, were raided Sunday as police officers acted on tip-offs that foreign women were providing special services in these establishments.

The massage packages in these parlors cost MYR100 to MYR150 ($24.38-$36.57).

The raids were part of an anti-illegal immigration operation, dubbed Ops Mega 3.0. The Sunday raids netted a total of 27 foreigners - 15 Thais, eight Vietnamese, three Chinese and one from Myanmar.

Six locals, including Malaysian supervisors and cashiers of the premises, were also apprehended during the raid, The Star quoted the Malaysian Immigration Department as saying on Tuesday.

All the detainees are being held at the Immigration Department Depot at Pekan Nenas pending further investigation.

Earlier this month, Malaysian police detained 24 women, including nine Vietnamese, in an anti-prostitution raid in Melaka.

Vietnam reported 670 human trafficking victims last year, down almost half from 1,128 in 2016. Most victims were uneducated women and children from poor areas who were sold to men seeking wives in China, Malaysia and South Korea, for bearing children, or as sex workers in these countries.Construction on the Hai Phong-Ha Long Expressway that runs 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from the port city to the famous bay. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong

A new expressway connecting the world-famous Ha Long Bay with the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway is almost finished.

Nguyen Duc Long, Chairman of Quang Ninh Province, where Ha Long is situated, has called on the builder to finish all remaining works before August 31 so that the expressway could open to traffic on September 2, Vietnam's Independence Day.

As some of the supporting facilities are still being built, Quang Ninh authorities have proposed limiting the maximum speed on the highway to 80 kilometers per hour. Once the project acceptance is complete, the speed limit would go up to the designed 100 kph.

Workers can still be seen installing traffic signs, barriers and lane dividers and painting road markings.

The expressway is set to reduce the Ha Long-Hanoi commute by 50 km to 130 km, and the Ha Long-Hai Phong route from 75 km to just 25 km.

Built at a cost of VND13 trillion ($556 million), the 24.6-kilometer Ha Long-Hai Phong Expressway connects National Highway 18 in Ha Long's Dai Yen Ward with the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway in Hai Phong's Hai An District.

Also built are a VND7.27-trillion bridge across the Bach Dang River between Quang Ninh and Hai Phong. The 5.4-km bridge, with a 3.5-km span above the river, has a width of 25 meters (82 feet) and four lanes.

Work on it began in September 2015 and was scheduled for completion last March, but was delayed twice.

The expressway is among a series of infrastructure projects aimed at boosting the tourism industry.

Others include an international airport in Quang Ninh's Van Don District and a new expressway between Ha Long and the proposed special economic zone in Van Don, both of which are scheduled for completion later this year.

In the first half of this year Ha Long held many events including the launch of the National Tourism Year - Ha Long - Quang Ninh and the 2018 Carnival Ha Long.

The Ha Long bay helped Quang Ninh welcome 6.6 million visitors this year as of May, including 2.17 million foreigners, according to official figures.

Tourism revenues for the period rose 32 percent year-on-year to VND11 trillion ($472 million).A British government Home Office van is seen parked in west London, Britain, in a file photo by Reuters.

Britain has been denying refugee status to many former child slaves from nations including Vietnam since 2012.

Britain is refusing asylum to more former child slaves from nations such as Vietnam, Eritrea and Afghanistan, having denied refugee status to more than 275 non-European victims since 2012 despite fears many will fall back into the hands of traffickers.

Between 2015 and 2017, the government denied asylum to 183 people trafficked or enslaved as children - double the total for the previous three years - Home Office (interior ministry) data obtained exclusively by the Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed.

The data - uncovered under the Freedom of Information Act - exposes for the first time the number of ex-slaves refused refugee status after turning 18. The rise in rejections may dissuade other young victims from coming forward, lawyers say.

Many teenage survivors are then deported to nations where they have no relatives and end up prey once more to traffickers, according to charities that say the spike in asylum denials belies Britain's vow to lead global efforts to end slavery.

"It is incredibly shocking ... that the situation is getting worse for young victims of trafficking," said Catherine Baker, policy officer at the anti-child trafficking charity ECPAT U.K.

"They are being returned to countries where they have a high risk of being retrafficked," she added. "If the government is serious about protecting child victims of human trafficking, it needs to ensure that they have long term stability and support."

A Home Office spokesman said Britain was committed to supporting victims of human trafficking, including children, and that those seeking asylum would not be returned to their country of origin if found to be at risk of persecution or serious harm.

"It is inaccurate to suggest that the government is ramping up the removal of people (from Britain) who have been victims of human trafficking," the spokesman said in a statement.

The data did not reveal how many of the 276 non-European ex-victims refused asylum since 2012 have been allowed to remain in Britain on other grounds, but activists and lawyers say it is likely most would have been removed from the country.

It is also unknown how many young trafficking victims are granted refugee status once they turn 17 and a half, when their automatic right to stay in Britain as child asylum seekers ends.

"We should be ashamed as a nation," British lawmaker Sarah Champion said on Twitter, referring to the figures.

'Terrifying situation'

In Britain, 2,118 children suspected to have been trafficked - mostly trapped in sexual exploitation, domestic servitude or forced labour - were referred to the government last year, up 66 percent on 2016 and marking the highest annual number on record.

While about a third were British, many used as drug runners, hundreds were trafficked from countries such as Vietnam, Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan and Iraq, according to government figures.

Britain is considered an international leader in the fight against slavery having passed the 2015 Modern Slavery Act to jail traffickers for life, better protect vulnerable people, and compel large businesses to address the threat of forced labour.

Yet child victims of slavery have no guarantee of specialist support or time to remain under the law, which is under review amid campaigners' concerns that it has not made a serious dent in a trade estimated to cost Britain billions of pounds a year.

"And if they fear being deported, they will be put off from coming forward and seeking help, and will instead disappear and go off the radar," said Tamara Barnett, projects leader at the Human Trafficking Foundation. "That is a terrifying situation."

More than a quarter of all trafficked children rescued and placed in local authority care go missing at least once - with Vietnamese the most likely to disappear - according to ECPAT UK.

A proposed law put forward by parliament's upper chamber this year would allow slavery victims to remain in Britain for a year and receive a support package while deciding whether to apply to remain indefinitely, or accept help to return home.

Britain is home to at least 136,000 modern-day slaves, Australian human rights group Walk Free said last month - a figure about 10 times higher than a 2013 government estimate.

Struggle after slavery

Many child slaves are given to traffickers by parents hoping they have a better life in Britain, and end up sexually abused or forced to work in cannabis farms and nail salons - often controlled with the threat of violence or revenge on relatives.

Yet those who escape or are rescued from slavery face a fresh struggle and fear when they have to apply for asylum as adults, said Ahmed Aydeed, a director at law firm Duncan Lewis.

"Many of the young people we work with have lost contact with their families and have suffered torture and sexual assault," said Aydeed, whose firm has helped victims from nations including Vietnam, China and Nigeria apply for asylum.

"Then they have this fear of being deported or prosecuted," Aydeed added, explaining that non-European trafficking victims are far less likely than Europeans to be granted refugee status.

Many young trafficking victims refused asylum in Britain are removed from the country due to convictions for crimes they were forced to commit in captivity, such as drug offences, said criminal defence lawyer Philippa Southwell of Birds Solicitors.

Child slaves discovered during police raids are often treated as criminals rather than victims, and face deportation once they have finished their prison sentences yet many have little idea about their status or fate, the solicitor said.

"The system is slow and letting down many young victims of trafficking ... there is a domino effect of failings," she said.

"Britain is failing to identify forced criminality."#MeToo, the hashtag movement that galvanized women all over the world into coming out with their sexual harassment experiences, has had its impact on Vietnam. Photo by AFP

While the global anti-sexual harassment movement has inspired Vietnamese women, they are still denied justice and safety.

To say that Loan was disappointed would be a gross understatement.

She was aghast.

After she had put herself through the agony of detailing the sexual harassment that shed suffered at her colleagues hands, the punishment that the man received was a paltry fine of VND200,000 ($8.59).

I was really shocked, said the 30-year-old accountant in Quang Tri Province, her voice carrying pain and bitterness.

I traded my honor to reveal a crime and seek justice, and cannot imagine that this was the result.

For Loan, the punishment meted out to her harasser was salt rubbed into her wounds.

Police investigations found that one day in late June, a male colleague took a file to Loan's office where he asked her for a "kiss" and molested her. The police identified bruises on Loan's lips caused by the male colleague, but there were no signs of disarranged desks and chairs or torn clothes.

They concluded that his behavior "was not aimed at sex, but only teasing and touching" and fined him VND200,000.

Loan said this penalty would not be a deterrent, and worse still, would discourage female victims of sexual harassment from reporting the crime.

"... victims will hesitate to report such incidents since they themselves have to endure a lot of pain and prejudice, while the offender faces no significant punishment, she said.

I think this sentence is a joke. It is like mocking the victim, Khuat Thu Hong, Director of the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), told VnExpress International. It is absolutely useless in terms of defending the victims honor, and in terms of protecting her and women in general against such harassment.

In terms of deterring the offender and encouraging victims and potential victims to reveal the truth, and fighting for safe, healthy living conditions for women and girls, this is absolutely futile, Hong emphasized.

Lawyer Nguyen Anh Thom of the Hanoi Bar Association said that a fine of VND200,000 was too lenient and revealed a legal loophole, because there are no specific provisions on sexual harassment in current legal documents.

At present, harassment is usually equated to the act of offending someones honor, which entails a fine of VND100,000 to 300,000 ($4.29-12.89).

Thom said sexual harassment was on the increase in Vietnam, and pervasive in the workplace, public places and public transportation.

Research has shed light on sexual harassment in the daily life of Vietnamese women. In their 2014 report, NGO Action Aid found 87 percent of interviewed women and girls faced sexual harassment in public places.

#MeToo in Vietnam

#MeToo, the hashtag movement that galvanized women all over the world into coming out with their sexual harassment experiences in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the U.S., has had its impact on Vietnam, too.

In a country where public discussion of mundane sex-related topics remains taboo, many women came out to expose sexual abuse and assaults.

One of the prominent ones was dancer Pham Lich reporting the harassment she suffered at the hands of rock star Pham Anh Khoa. Two other women then came out, revealing Khoa had harassed them, too.

In May this year, nude model Kim Phuong accused painter Ngo Luc of raping her. After a two-month investigation, Kim Phuong and Ngo Luc were asked to confront each other directly in front of police officers. Kim Phuong told the Thanh Nien newspaper that Luc denied all accusations, saying that shed taken advantage of the #MeToo movement to attack him. He said he was the victim of false accusations.

Despite such setbacks, many women throughout Vietnam have shared their stories of harassment and abuse.

They shared hashtags like #ngungimlang (stop silence) and #MeToo on the social media together with their stories.

"Vietnamese women are increasingly aware of their rights; they know they should be equal to men, be able to live in a safe environment, go to school or work safely without constant fear of being harassed by their colleagues or bosses," Hong said.

Cultural prejudice

A bride waits for her wedding ceremony in Hanoi. Activists believe that women in Vietnam are not properly protected in cases of sexual harassment. Photo by AFP

Despite improving public awareness of sexual harassment, victims rarely get justice in Vietnam, and many women are worried that #MeToo will eventually fail because of the culture of blaming the victim that persists to this day in Vietnamese society.

Loan, the accountant, said that in the wake of her coming out, some rumors began circulating that I had an affair with him, and he could not satisfy my demands, so I made the whole thing up.

Some women even said, its okay if she is a virgin, but she is divorced, why did she make such a fuss?

Loan said that when the harassment was brought to authorities notice, she knew she would face public criticism, but she never imagined such malicious comments from women.

After the incident, Loan took two weeks off work and spent many days crying and could not step outside.

"My parents are teachers, they live a disciplined life. Now they have to endure criticism because of me, though I didnt do anything wrong. Fortunately my parents showered me with love and encouragement to help me through the dark days," she said.

Hong said it is true that a victim blaming culture exists in Vietnam. Vietnamese society usually suspects sexual harassment victims of doing something provocative to attract the offenders, she said.

Because of this, many victims do not dare to speak up for fear of being blamed by families, friends, colleagues and the whole community.

They are always asked: Why arent others harassed, but you are? In such a situation, victims are frightened to come forward, because instead of protection, they get blame.

I think this is the biggest barrier to preventing sexual harassment in Vietnam, said Hong.

Another barrier is the legal process, according to a 2017 report by United Nations. It attributed victims attrition to the lack of evidence of force that police officers usually look for, like tied arms and torn clothes to conclude that harassment or assault had taken place.

Police officers also admitted that if the victim seemed unhurt, they would suggest that the family protects her honor by remaining silent.

In Loans case, as not earlier, police found no sign of torn clothes and disarrangement of chairs and desks, and concluded that the behavior was aimed at just teasing and touching.

Loan has now returned to work, and moved to another position to avoid contact with the molester.

"Honestly, Ive lost confidence, and Im still scared and in panic. Every time someone passes by, I get tense, but thats life, I have to go to work. It is good that my female colleagues stand by me, she said.

Despite these challenges, Hong is optimistic about #MeToo.

I believe that #MeToo will continue to develop, though the road we have to walk is long. It may go in a zigzag pattern, and it can face downturns, but it will rise strongly, I believe. I think Vietnamese society has been awakened, she said.

But whether the road is long or short will depend on the commitment and efforts of all stakeholders, particularly women.

*Name of the victim has been changed.Pyae Phyo Aung training in Myanmar's Karen state in preparation for an attempt on Hkakabo Razi in the north of the country, a peak so treacherous it has only been conquered once. Photo by AFP/Ye Aung Thu

Three Myanmar mountaineers are planning to take on Hkakabo Razi, believed to be the highest peak in Southeast Asia.

The journey awaiting them is a two-week jungle trek followed by a sheer climb up avalanche-prone slopes to a jagged ridge of icy pinnacles.

Hkakabo Razi stands at an estimated 5,881 meters (19,294 feet) in the northern tip of Myanmar near the border with China and India, a Himalayan cap of the largely tropical nation. The peak is so treacherous it has been conquered only once.

The formidable route to the top starts with a gruelling 240-kilometer (150-mile) slog by foot through Kachin state's dense jungle, filled with venomous snakes and bloodsucking leeches.

But it is the challenging climb itself that has thwarted nearly all of the handful of attempts to reach the summit, one of which resulted in a deadly rescue attempt.

"The difficulty level of the mountain is extreme," Zaw Zin Khine, 32, told AFP during a break from a training session on a limestone karst cliff in eastern Karen state.

The team will have to negotiate precipitous faces of loose scree, frequent avalanches and a choice between ridges spiked with towers of rock and shrouded in snow and ice.

"There is a risk we wont come back alive," the climber added.

He and his two partners Pyae Phyo Aung, 36, and Aung Khaing Myint, 32, aspire to make history as the first all-Myanmar team to summit the mountain.

They also hope to settle a decades-long dispute over whether Hkakabo Razi or the nearby Gamlang Razi -- also in Myanmar -- claims the honour as the regions highest.

'Makes Everest look easy'

The three climbers, now waiting for the right window in the weather to start their expedition, have been in intensive training for months, including a trip to Nepal and sessions in a Yangon gym, wearing masks to simulate low-oxygen levels at altitude.

Team member Pyae Phyo Aung is one of only two people from Myanmar to have summited Mount Everest but he says Hkakabo Razi's isolation and lack of infrastructure makes it far more perilous.

Aung Khaing Myint coils a rope as fellow mountaineer Zaw Zin Khine prepares gear ahead of training at a gym in Yangon ahead of their attempt on Hkakabo Razi.

"Even if you're 70 years old, you can get to the top of Everest if you have the money to pay people to pull you up," he says.

"They maintain the routes from the base camp to the summit, have lots of porters and it's easy to find people by air if they're missing. That's not the case on Hkakabo Razi."

The first known attempt to scale the mountain was by British explorer and botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward in 1936.

In his book "Burmas Icy Mountains", he describes how the peak "utterly defeated" him, forcing him to turn back a vertical kilometre below the top.

It took another 60 years before Japanese mountaineer Takashi Ozaki and his Myanmar climbing partner Nyima Gyaltsen prevailed on their third attempt.

Ozaki, the first-ever climber to successfully tackle Mount Everest's north face, reportedly described the peak as "one of the most difficult and dangerous mountains in the world".

Two separate expeditions in 2014 both met with costly failure.

One local Myanmar team never returned, a tragedy magnified when a rescue helicopter crashed, killing one pilot.

The other ill-fated ascent is the subject of a National Geographic documentary.

The expedition ground to an icy halt on what team member Emily Harrington remembers as a "nightmare ridge" that dropped off for hundreds of feet on either side, leaving them "depleted on all fronts".

"We kinda assumed it would be like Nepal and Pakistan where the culture is centred around the mountains," the 31-year-old told AFP from California.

"But it's not. Theyre not used to people coming here to trek so we had to take more on ourselves."

'Listen to the mountain'

The three climbers, now waiting for the right window in the weather to start their expedition, have been in intensive training for months.

This years expedition organisers are preparing for anything.

Tycoon Tay Za, who was behind both the 2014 Myanmar teams failed attempt and the successful ascent of Everest, is also bankrolling this venture, which is expected to take around two months.

The three climbers will have a five-member support team and some 70 porters to help - compared to 25 last time - as well as several rescue helicopters on stand-by.

"If we complete this, we can be proud Myanmar citizens," Zaw Zin Khine said.

"We plan to plant the nation's flag with our own hands at the summit."

He also hopes they will inspire more climbers in a country that only boasts a few dozen enthusiasts.

But Harrington warns that reaching the summit is not everything and advises the team to "listen to the mountain".

"If its telling you not to go for it then dont go for it. In my head the only thing that matters is that you come back alive."Ukraine sees decline in meat production in H1

Milk production over the period under review shrank by 2%, while egg output grew by 2.6%.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterEU-Ukraine agricultural trade estimated at almost US$4 bln in H1

Ukraine mutually traded in agrarian produce mainly with the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland, France, and Germany.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterNairobi Governor Mike Sonko has told off his Kiambu counterpart, Ferdinand Baba Yao Waititu, saying he should concentrate on his own county affairs.

Sonko was responding to Waititus stand against the ongoing demolition of buildings constructed on riparian land and road reserves.

Baba Yao has been the butt of the joke on social media for suggesting that instead of bringing down buildings worth billions of shillings, the owners of the buildings should consider diverting the rivers.

If your house is near a river, you should be told to move the river at [your] own cost. Demolishing houses is not a solution. Honestly speaking, its such a big loss, he said during a thanksgiving service for Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah at Gikambura.

Waititus assertion, however, did not amuse Sonko who on Tuesday took to social media to take a dig at Baba Yaos intelligence.

In addition to telling Waititu to keep off Nairobi matters, Sonko further sensationally claimed that his Kiambu counterpart used to copy from him during campus examinations.

My good friend and colleague should concentrate on his county. He should know we dont mix friendship with work.

Maybe he[Waititu] does not know what is the definition of a Riparian land and thats why even in campus he was copying me during CATS, claimed Sonko.

Well, if Waititu copied from Sonko then there lies all the problems facing Nairobi and Kiambu Counties.

Waititu copied CATS from Sonko nikotwe muthurwa pic.twitter.com/c4C8lt466u  Bill Clinton (@chedesclish) August 14, 2018



The Nairobi boss further reiterated that contested buildings such as Taj Mall, and Rutos Weston Hostel will be brought down if found to have flouted rules.

Even Weston; My Buru Buru Casurina coco beach plot; Taj mall and many other buildings shall not be spared if found to be on riparian or public land, declared Sonko.

Sonko went even further and asked Waititu to shed light on the status of a petrol station allegedly constructed on a grabbed public access road at the junction of Mihango and Njiru.Ukraine responds to Russia "annulling" Ukrainian subsoil licenses in occupied Crimea

The ecology minister says that for each such step, the Russian Federation should be held responsible.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterLithuania in 2019 to provide nearly EUR 1 mln aid to support Donbas

The funds are to be used to support settlements most affected by Russian armed aggression.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterThe political situation in Zimbabwe has deteriorated since the disputed July 30 presidential election in which incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner over challenger Nelson Chamisa by a narrow margin.

The United States is gravely concerned by credible reports of numerous detentions, beatings, and other abuses of Zimbabweans, in particular, targeting of opposition activists, said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert. She went on to say, There should be no role for violence, intimidation, or harassment in the new Zimbabwe.

In another development, Ms. Nauert expressed deep concern over the fact that Zambia chose to hand over former Zimbabwean Minister of Finance Tendai Biti to the Zimbabwean authorities, and in the face of a reported Zambian court order blocking his expulsion from Zambia. In addition to being former finance minister, Mr. Biti is a senior figure in the Movement for Democratic Change.

This decision is particularly disheartening, said Ms. Nauert, given the courage that Zambia showed in sheltering thousands of Zimbabwean freedom fighters from Rhodesian aggression in the days of Zimbabwes independence struggle. U.S. officials will be discussing this matter with Zambias leaders.

The government of Zimbabwe is now responsible for Tendai Bitis safety and welfare, cautioned Ms. Nauert. We call on Zimbabwes leaders to guarantee Mr. Bitis physical safety and ensure his constitutional and human rights are respected, consistent with the rule of law and Zimbabwes international obligations and commitments. In an effort to register its gravest concerns, the United States convoked the ambassadors of both Zimbabwe and Zambia. A judge has since released Biti on conditional bail. He remains under house arrest.

Zimbabwe had a historic opportunity to move the country toward a brighter future for all its citizens, but an electoral process marred by violence that does not respect constitutional rights and procedures is not a step toward that future.Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has reiterated that the ongoing demolition of buildings constructed on riparian land in Nairobi should be reviewed, adding that owners of the establishments are victims.

Baba Yao made the declaration barely a day after he evoked a public backlash for publicly opposing the demolitions and suggesting rivers should be diverted instead.

Speaking during an interview on NTV last night, the embattled Governor maintained that the demolitions should be stopped and a committee formed to look into other available alternatives.

He said it was unreasonable and uneconomical to bring down buildings sustaining the livelihoods of possibly over 30, 000 Kenyans.

Waititu noted that the loss and blame should lie on the government and not owners of the buildings.

The owners of the buildings are innocent people who perhaps got loans from banks or received their retirement packages and invested in the construction of the buildings, said Waititu.

They (building owners) are the victims the mistake is not on their side because they received all the required documents needed for constructing the buildings from the necessary government offices.

Baba Yao further defended his earlier remarks on diverting rivers saying they should be redirected because some of the owners of these buildings they are demolishing will probably just die because they have no other sources of livelihood.

My suggestion to the people behind the demolitions is that they should first halt the demolitions and then form a committee that includes the building owners, engineers, architects, designers and a representation of the people, added Waititu.

This should be done so that, when a building is selected for demolition, this committee contemplates and looks into other available alternatives; demolitions should only proceed if this committee agrees that there is no other available alternative.

The former Kabete MP also called for the arrest and prosecution of government officials who gave clearance for the construction of buildings on riparian land.UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH

Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees

Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia

Google Ad

UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13

Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition

S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive

Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk

Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide

1217 new cases

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel

Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch

"Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia

UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month

Google Ad

The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate roadUNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH

Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees

Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia

UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13

Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition

S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive

Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk

Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide

1217 new cases

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel

Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch

"Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia

UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month

Google Ad

The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate roadMedia girl Joey Muthengi has set the tongues wagging on social media after revealing that she prefers to date from a much older pool.

The Citizen TV news anchor made the revelation on air during a heated debate on the TV stations morning show. Joey, her co-host Willis Raburu, and panelist Roy Karuhize were discussing the popular topic of older men being with younger women.

During the discussion, Willis sought views from the two on what could be the main reason why young women go for older men instead of people in their age group.

Karuhize interjected by suggesting that Joey was better placed to answer.

Joey, who is one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the country, broke the hearts of the embattled Kenyan boychild by claiming that we(young guys) are only good for pictures.

As a consumer of older men there is just like stability in that, or reassurance that they know what they need out of life, have learnt the lessons that needed to be learnt. They are even able to share their knowledge. These young guys are only good in pictures, she said. Ouch! Im still hurting.

Joey further listed her reasons for preferring the ancient man saying: I am looking for security financially, maturity, these are things I need in a relationship. Like I said off camera I spent a lot of my youth with the youths while in campus. What did they do for me?

And she wasnt even done there. She added: ati we are hustling together, we cant both be on the same level. Someone needs to have made it. In fact, most of the guys whom you build each other from scratch usually end up leaving the woman for someone else. That is what mostly happens in those types of situations.

And that ladies and gentlemen is how the Kenyan boychild took another major L. Ata hatujaskia vibaya!

Watch the debate below, video courtesy of Citizen TV.New party to support Nikol Pashinyan (video)

New party, called Armenian Christian-Democratic Party (PPA), has been added to Armenian parties. At today's meeting with journalists, the members of this party informed that they will be right-wing forces. "This is not a religious organization, but it is a philosophy of the church, the religion of Etchmiadzin. Our place is right in the center. We will defend the views of the leader of the velvet revolution. We will cooperate with Nikol Pashinyan. In a sense, this party is conservative, in some sense liberal," said Levon Shirinyan, political scientist, member of the initiative group. Shirinyan assured that their position on Artsakh issue is one: "We will not tolerate any concessions." Vardan Ayvazyan, another member of the initiative group, said that the party's goal is to raise the social welfare. Levon Shirinyan stated that if they did not enter the parliament, they would make a revolution. Their first summit will take place on September 15. The symbol of the party is the white pigeon of Noyan.Ara Papian: Kocharyan is not one of those people who will sink alone, he will give names (video)

Ara Papian, head of the Modus Vivendi Center says that according to our constitution, the President of the Republic is immune, but there is a precondition: Robert Kocharyan is immune to actions stemming from his status. "The SIS made a mistake in the sense that it presented a rather disputable charge. I think then there can be another charge, which is easier to prove, let's say illegal enrichment." Ara Papian believes that failure of Robert Kocharyan's conference was wrong. "Kocharyan is not one of those people who will sink alone, he will give names. The society should know the whole truth about March 1." Ara Papian does not think that the failure of the news conference has been directed by the current authorities. According to another opinion that he has heard, the aforementioned was directed by Kocharyan so that he would not answer questions. If Robert Kocharyan wants to speak, he can organize a press conference today, invite reporters to his house, and answer questions on live broadcast." According to Ara Papian, the trial should be fair and competitive. "I am convinced that whatever decision the court will make, some part of the society will not accept it. If Justice was through the phone call, they would not release Kocharyan," he said.Which is favorite dish of prime minister?

Today, Sedrak Mamulyan, chairman of the Armenian Culinary Traditions Development and Conservation NGO, told a news conference that this year, a barbecue festival is being held in Armenia for the tenth time, and which is the favorite dish of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He expects that the Prime Minister and some members of the Government will attend the festival as well. "I would like officials to come as guests and taste like everyone else. I have not yet encountered with the new government, I invite everyone," he says. Traditionally, there will be also participants from Georgia. The festival will be held this Sunday in Akhtala. "We have demanded that the prices should be. They should start from 1000 to 1500 AMD and will be available by weight. That is, they will be in the form of small pieces that a person can take 2 or 3 different dishes and that should be affordable for him," says Sedrak Mamulyan. More information is in the video.Interview with Ambassador of India: More Indians will come to Armenia (video)

The Indian Independence Act came into force in 1947 and the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised country's first national flag of Independence in Delhi. The Independence Day in India is celebrated without taking into account national affiliation or denomination, and it symbolizes the aspiration for a democratic Indian unity. On this day, a flag raising ceremony is taking place in the presence of state officials and public figures in all the cities of the country. The 71st anniversary of the independence of India was also celebrated also at the Indian Embassy in Armenia with the ceremony of raising the national flag. "It is important for us that we have invited all Indians living in Armenia and friends of India to this events," Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Armenia and Georgia Yogeshwar Sangwan told "A1 +." Armenia and India have established diplomatic relations since 1992, and these relationships, according to the ambassador, have always been wonderful. "Regardless of which government or president was the head of country, our relations with Armenia have been wonderful. The three former presidents of Armenia visited India and our two vice presidents were in Armenia. Vice President Hamid Ansari visited [Armenia] last April. We have wonderful political relations with Armenia, we support each other on the international platforms in the UN. During a recent meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, he personally reaffirmed that India is one of the five countries that Armenia will develop relations with. So, Armenian-Indian relations will continue to grow and develop," said the Indian Ambassador. He also noticed that at present, they concentrated on expanding trade, economic and cultural relations between Armenia and India. According to the Ambassador, most of the time try they to deepen business ties, and connections between the people. Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) President Gagik Tsarukyan has recently invited about 100 Indian businessmen to Armenia during the meeting with the Indian Ambassador. According to Ambassador, this process is going on and will continue. To remind, since November 21, 2017, Armenia has simplified the process of granting visas to Indian citizens. The positive shift is already visible. "It's not a problem for Armenians as well to go to India. They can come to the embassy and get a visa on the spot, as well as receive an e-visa. Now, as a result of this process between the two countries, people will come to Armenia more, tourism will develop, more businessmen and Bollywood producers will come because Armenia is a beautiful country. Recently Air Arabia Company invited famous Hollywood actress Huma Qureshi and her brother to Armenia. He was also a famous Bollywood director who thinks about filming in Armenia. So, the interest towards Armenia has been growing," said the Ambassador. By the way, an agreement was reached between the heads of India's Harian province and the Shirak province of Armenia last year to expand cooperation, especially in the spheres of culture and sport. The Indian ambassador welcomed the initiative. "The idea is good, I think it will develop business ties between Harian and Shirak, and connections between the people."Ukraine's State Agency of Motor Roads of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) plans to overhaul 45 bridges in 2018 for UAH 2.3 billion, said Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Volodymyr Omelyan told TV Channel 112 Ukraine.

"This year, at least 45 bridges are planned to be repaired within the framework of a bridge infrastructure rehabilitation program in Ukraine under which UAH 2.3 billion will be allocated," he said.

As of January 1, 2018, Ukravtodor had about 6,000 bridges on its balance sheet, Omelyan said. Of the number, 1,000 facilities are in critical condition and another 2,500 need repairs.

According to the minister, most of these bridges are links not only between populated localities, but connect major routes in the country.

In the past two years, more than 60 bridges were overhauled, another 200 underwent maintenance repairs.

"In general, the program for renovation of Ukraine's bridge infrastructure until 2022 provides for an investment of $1 billion, or UAH 25 billion, which will be spent on bridges only," the minister said.

In his words, the amount is not enough, but even such disbursement is already a "good start."

According to Omelyan, about 6,000 bridges on the balance of Ukravtodor today, another 10,000 are managed by local (regional and municipal) councils.

As reported, Ukravtodor plans to stop maintenance repairs to roads and highways, switching to overhauls from 2020.Russia-led occupation forces have launched 46 attacks, including ten from heavy weapons, on positions of Ukrainian troops, with one Ukrainian servicemen killed in action (KIA) and another three wounded in action (WIA), the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) press centre has reported.

"The enemy opened fire on the positions of our troops 46 times, including 10 times with weapons, which was banned by the Minsk accords. As a result of the fighting, one Ukrainian defender was killed, three others were injured," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in its update on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

"The defeders of Krymske, Troyitske, Zolote, Svitlodarske, Maiorske, Zaitseve, Krasnohorivka, Opytne, Maryinka, Pisky, Novotroyitske, Chermalyk, Hnutove, Lebedynske, Pavlopil, Vodiane, and Shyrokyne were also under fire," the staff said.

The enemy shelled the defenders of Krymske, using 152mm artillery systems, while the defenders of Hnutove, Vodiane and Shyrokyne were attacked with the use of 122mm artillery systems. In addition, the Ukrainian positions near Krymske, Maiorske, Zaitseve, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, and Vodiane came under mortar fire.

"Since Wednesday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted two attacks on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Novozvanivka and Maryinka," the report says.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, three enemy troops were killed and another seven were wounded.The U.S. State Department's Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not expect such a robust response from the West to his actions against Ukraine.

Putin expected that the reaction of the West to his actions in Ukraine would be insignificant. In the case with Crimea he was right - there was no significant reaction. There were certain sanctions, but they did not have much power. It was only when the Russian occupation touched eastern Ukraine that the West responded and the attitude of many countries of Western Europe towards Russia changed, Volker said during the discussion dedicated to the anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war, the U.S.-government funded Voice of America reported.

Volker said Western countries realized that they can no longer ignore Russian aggression and must oppose it.

Such a policy has been going on for more than four years and I think that this was unexpected for Russia. The sanctions had a deterrent effect, Volker said.

Volker said Russia is starting to understand that one cannot be an empire and have good relations with neighbors simultaneously.

The Georgian lesson influenced the war in Ukraine: Russia felt that it could . use military force on foreign territory and interfere in the management of other countries, Volker said.

If Russia occupies Ukrainian territory and annexes Crimea, we should say: No, it does not work, you will not achieve success. The result will be sanctions, isolation from the United States and the European Union. This will affect Russian interests. You simply cannot continue to do this. We need to find a solution, how Russia can come to peace and understanding with an independent Ukraine and resolve the conflict, Volker said.President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to pass to the European Commission a national report on the Ukrainian state's fulfillment of the visa-free regime criteria with the European Union.

"In the development of agreements at the Ukraine-EU summit, I instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pass to the European Commission a national report on the fulfillment by our state of the criteria for a visa-free regime," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

The president noted that Ukraine fully fulfills its obligations, and "Ukrainians can adequately and freely travel to the countries of the European Union."Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is serving his time at a penitentiary in Russia's Yamal-Nenets autonomous district and has been on a hunger strike for over 90 days, will not ask for pardon, Pavel Chikov, the head of the international human rights organization Agora, whose lawyers are defending Sentsov in Russian and international courts, said on Wednesday.

"Oleh will not write any appeals, it's very obvious," Chikov said on his Telegram channel.

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov had said earlier that there were no grounds to criticize the Russian authorities for declining a plea to pardon Sentsov. "You know that there are effective laws, and you know that using the phrase 'denied pardon' is perhaps incorrect in legal terms, as there has been no pardon request," Peskov said.

Sentsov's lawyer Dmitry Dinze had said earlier that the filmmaker would not ask for pardon. "Oleh is against pardon. He won't write anything to the president," Dinze told Interfax on June 22.

Sentsov's cousin Natalya Kaplan also said Oleh would not ask for pardon. "Oleh would definitely not write a pardon plea," the Ukrainian publication Hromadske quoted Kaplan as saying on August 14.

The North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don ruled in August 2015 to sentence Sentsov, who was detained in Crimea in 2014, to 20 years in a high-security penitentiary for plotting a terrorist attack there.

Sentsov declared a hunger strike on May 14, 2018 to demand that all Ukrainians held in Russia "on political motives" be freed.Lithuania to give almost EUR 1 mln for support of Donbas in 2019  Donetsk regional administration

Lithuania's government plans to give about EUR 1 million to support Ukraine. The funds will go to help villages, which have suffered as a result of Russia aggression, Donetsk Regional Military-Civilian State Administration head Oleksandr Kuts has said.

"Next year Lithuania's government plans to allocate about EUR 1 million to support Ukraine. The decision has already been made in principle," Kuts said on his Facebook page on Wednesday after meeting Lithuania's Ambassador to Ukraine Marius Janukonis.

Kuts said the ambassador said Lithuania wants to send the money to support settlements that have suffered from Russian military aggression.

"We discussed a number of facilities requiring funding, including schools, aqueducts, checkpoints. The Lithuanian side will take the final decision what to support," Kuts said.Illegal armed groups attacked the Ukrainian positions of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas 16 times on Wednesday, with no losses recorded among Ukrainian military.

"Today, from 07.00 to 18.00, Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire 16 times, including twice from heavy weapons. [...] There are no casualties among the staff of the Joint Forces," the press center of the JFO headquarters said in a report on its Facebook page on Wednesday evening.

Illegal armed formations opened fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms on the positions of the Joint Forces near Krymske, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Mayorsk, Maryinka, Avdiyivka, Novotroitske, Novomykhailivka, Opytne, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, Hnutove and Shyrokyne. In addition, the enemy twice fired at the defenders of Hnutove from 120mm and 82mm mortars.

Militants again committed a provocation near Stanytsia Luhanska, firing at Ukrainian positions from small arms.Over 180 cases of inhuman treatment recorded in Crimea since its occupation by Russia - CrimeaSOS

KYIV. Aug 15 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Some 181 cases of inhuman treatment of people, including 55 cases of torture, have been recorded on the Crimean peninsula since the beginning of its occupation by Russia and until June 2018, Head of NGO CrimeaSOS Tamila Tasheva has said.

"The organization CrimeaSOS recorded 181 cases of inhuman treatment of inhabitants of the peninsula from the moment of annexation to June 2018, and in 55 cases it was torture. There were many cases of the failure to provide necessary medical assistance, beating by representatives of law enforcement agencies [at least 22 people, including film director Oleh Sentsov], shock electric torture [in particular, Hennadiy Afanasyev]," she said at a press conference at the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Wednesday.

According to her, due to the fact that the territory of Crimea is closed to international organizations, such cases are just "the tip of the iceberg."

"Not so long ago, the Russian Federation reported to the UN Committee Against Torture, and it made fairly tough conclusions on the Russian Federation," the human rights activist said.

Tasheva also said that, for example, torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners were more actively used in Kerch penal colony No. 2 after Russia's occupation of Crimea.

Murad Aliyev, a political prisoner of Kerch penal colony No. 2, spoke at the press conference about his stay in this institution and torture used against him and other prisoners.The Islamic Republics judiciary has ordered the Department of Environment (DoE) to cease its investigation into the arrest of seven environmentalists who have been held incommunicado since January after being accused of espionage.

DoE head Isa Kalantari told state-run news agency IRNA August 13 that the DoE had been warned by the judiciary that the cases of the environmentalists are none of the its concern. Kalantari noted that the environmental activists, among them some renowned professors and experts, continue to be held despite an announcement from the Intelligence Ministry that there is no evidence to suggest their involvement in espionage.

Kalantari has bitterly criticized the judiciary over the proceedings against the environmentalists, which he says are shrouded in ambiguity.

Keeping the environmentalist behind bars under the vague accusation of espionage, but without filing official charges, not only violates their rights, but has also put important environmental projects on hold, Kalantari says.

Tehrans Prosecutor-General, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, has dismissed Kalantaris comments as meddling in judicial matters and insisted, The DoEs head and other officials in the executive branch of the government are not entitled or in a position to make statements on such affairs.

In a July 31 open letter addressed to President Hassan Rouhani, the families of the imprisoned environmentalists insisted on the innocence of their loved ones and implored the administration and parliament to send a delegation to visit the detainees and hear their story. There has been no official response to this request.

Meanwhile, the families of the detainees say they have experienced extreme difficulty reaching their loved ones.

The detainees families have gone to the relevant agencies numerous times to make inquiries, but so far they have not been given any clear answers about the charges against their relatives or where they are being held, wrote friends and colleagues of the environmentalists in another open letter to President Rouhani.

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence agents arrested the environmentalists January 24, among them the Iranian-Canadian founder of Irans Wildlife Heritage, Kavous Seyyed-Emami. Two weeks later, officials announced that Seyyed-Emami had committed suicide at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, a story Seyyed-Emamis friends and family categorically reject.

In an exclusive interview with Radio Fardas Mahtab Vahidi-Rad in May, Seyyed-Emamis attorney, Payam Derafshan, said the judiciary officials responsible for Seyed-Emamis case have not yet allowed his lawyers to see the so-called collected evidence against the late professor and environmental activist.

According to Derafshan, the families of the remaining detainees are under pressure to keep quiet about their loved ones behind bars. Seyed-Emamis wife, Iranian-Canadian Maryam Mombeini, has been barred from leaving Iran and joining their sons in Canada.

The Islamic Republics Prosecuter-General's office is responsible for barring people from leaving the country, Derafshan told Radio Farda, adding, Mombeinis name is not on the list of people officially barred from leaving the country. Who exactly barred her from leaving Iran is still a mystery.

Ramin, one Seyed-Emamis sons, says his mother has been living alone since the authorities barred her from leaving Iran March 7.

The trauma stemming from her husbands death on February 8 has caused her extreme physiological distress, said Ramin, who lives in Vancouver. She has been going through so much emotionally and physically. And she doesnt have her family to support her through this devastating time.

The Iranian judiciary has not yet commented on Mombeinis situation or why she has been prevented from leaving Iran.

Amnesty International has called for an impartial investigation into Seyyed-Emamis highly suspicious death.

In the meantime, two female environmentalists, Niloofar Bayani and Sepideh Kashani, along with their male colleagues, Taher Qadirian, Hooman Jowkar, Mir Hossein Khaleqi, Abor-Reza Kouhpayeh, and Iranian American Morad Tahbaz remain in custody.President Hassan Rouhani and his cabinet members lined up on Wednesday to defend a Convention signed by the littoral states of the Caspian Sea.

Responding to reports and speculations that question the possible benefits and advantages of the convention for Iran, Rouhani and his ministers tried to draw a rosy picture out of the treaty, presenting it as a great national achievement for the Islamic Republic.

Without any elaboration, Rouhani asserted that the Islamic Republic has received special privileges based on the Convention on Caspian Sea legal status.

Setting aside the meaning and content of special privileges, Rouhani expressed happiness over the improvement of security in the region compared to past years, saying After twenty years of negotiations, only thirty per cent of the Caspian Sea issues have been solved and negotiations still continue.

Reports from other Caspian Sea countries say that full agreement has been reached. Kazakhstan, for example, celebrated its great victory at the summit meeting. It appears only Iran remains vague on the nature of the agreement.

Still steering clear of spelling out the solved and unsolved issues, Rouhani, maintained, We have to continue negotiating because this is the only way. We must resolve the issues with dialogue and negotiation."

Meanwhile, Rouhani, who was speaking at his cabinet meeting on Wednesday, accused the United States and NATO of conspiracy in the region, claiming, The conspiracies of the Americans and even NATO was to be present in these waters and deploy their soldiers, frigates, helicopters and bases on the coasts of Caspian Sea. In this agreement, the five countries agreed to ban the presence of foreign vessels in Caspian Sea."

Furthermore, Rouhani boasted, We have had great achievements in national security as the result of the negotiations and agreements.

In the meantime, Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif was assigned on Wednesday to dismiss critics who believe the Caspian Sea Convention signed in Ak Tau, Kazakhstan, is detrimental to Irans interests.

Speaking to a pro-hardliners website, Alif, Zarif stressed that Tehran has not conceded any significant part of its territorial rights to the Caspian Sea.

The top diplomat said such figures are not correct, adding that no shares of the sea have been determined yet other than for Russia and Kazakhstan.

Zarif further emphasized that the Iranian administration has not retreated (from its stance) or relinquished its rights to the Caspian Sea.

The Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship signed on February 26, 1921, in Moscow gave an equal share to both countries and it stayed the same until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Iranian critics of the recent convention signed by President Rouhani argue that the new treaty jeopardizes Irans equal rights to the usage of Iran-Russia frontier rivers and waterways, i.e. Caspian Sea, stipulated in the Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship.

In the heated debate over the new convention and comparing it with the old treaty, BBCs Persian Service aired a controversial comment by an analyst, introduced as a Russian expert who had been involved in the negotiations on the Caspian Sea.

The Russians were astonished when Iranian representatives to the talks easily abandoned their 50% share in the Caspian Sea, Rajab Safarov told the BBC.

Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi, denied as invalid the comments by Rajab Safarov about Irans share of the Caspian Sea, saying no such person has ever been involved in the team of Russian negotiators.

Iran has not insisted on its fifty-percent share of the Caspian Sea from the outset of the negotiations Qassemi insisted.Aug 14 (Reuters) - Commentary - (Maysam Behravesh is a journalist at the TV channel, Iran International and a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Lund University, Sweden. The opinions expressed here are his own.)

By Maysam Behravesh

The first round of what U.S. President Donald Trump called the most biting sanctions ever imposed against Tehran went into effect on August 7. Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States, Trump continued, in a tweet posted that morning. An even more damaging second round of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic, reinstated after Washington pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, is expected to take effect in November.

Yet economic pressure is not the only tool the United States and its allies are using to counter Iran. In recent months, the Trump administration has been quietly working to forge a new security alliance, with the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman  as well as Egypt and Jordan, to counter what Washington views as aggressive Iranian expansion in the region. Tentatively known as the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA)  but already nicknamed Arab NATO by the international press  U.S. and Arab officials say the coalition is being planned in an effort to expand cooperation on counterterrorism, missile defense and military training, partly to address the security challenges posed by Iran and its proxies.

The basic concept of an Arab NATO, however, is structurally flawed, and stands little chance of success.

Unlike the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which was established on the basis of shared interests and a more or less common strategic culture, in the face of a shared Soviet threat, the Sunni-led countries that the Trump administration expects to join the new alliance disagree on fundamental matters, including the crucial question of how best to conduct relations with Iran. While Saudi Arabia and the UAE view Tehran as their greatest enemy and are fighting a protracted war against Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, Kuwait and, especially, Oman have historically enjoyed peace, and periods of close cooperation, with Iran. While Muscat facilitated the secret negotiations between Iranian and American officials that ultimately produced the historic nuclear deal, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have consistently opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the accord is formally known.

An even greater obstacle to the formation and effective functioning of an Arab NATO is the schism pitting the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain against Qatar. That crisis began in June 2017, when Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Manama decided to ostracize their tiny neighbor, cutting trade and diplomatic ties with Doha over its alleged support for terrorism and relationship with Iran. Qatar, notably, is home to the largest U.S. air base in the region, while Saudi Arabia is the worlds largest buyer of American weaponry; the crisis, therefore, put the United States in an awkward position vis-a-vis two of its most important Middle Eastern allies.

Officially floated for the first time by Trump during his 2017 trip to Riyadh, the idea of forging an Arab NATO seems to be an attempt at what has come to be known, in international relations, as buck-passing. In other words, by pursuing an America First foreign policy the Trump administration is trying to shift the responsibility for taking on Iran to its Arab allies. The administration appears to be intent on using the plan as a catalyst for profitable arms sales to those countries; hours after the U.S. president landed in Riyadh last year, he and Saudi King Salman signed a number of agreements, including an arms deal worth about $110 billion, effective immediately, plus another $350 billion over the coming decade.

But buck-passing is exactly what Americas Arab allies want, too, when it comes to countering Tehran. Unwilling or unable to engage with Iran directly, its Sunni rivals hope to persuade the United States and even Israel to do the heavy lifting for them. As one analyst pointedly put it, Saudi Arabia seeks to fight Iran to the last American, by luring it into a war with the Islamic Republic. This fundamental clash of perceptions and expectations at the heart of the concept does not bode well for the successful launch of an Arab NATO  especially given the irony that these plans are being mooted at the same time Trump has threatened to break with the original NATO if other allies dont increase their military spending.

Lastly, is it far from clear how such an organization would go about confronting Iran in practice. A successful alliance might manage (as Israel has emphasized recently) to prevent Tehran from establishing a long-term military presence in Syria as well as defeat Shiite Houthis in Yemen and restore the ousted Saudi-allied President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to power or, more concretely, to set up a missile defense shield covering the wider Middle East.

But unless internal rifts between potential members are resolved and a political consensus on burden-sharing is achieved, the Trump administrations plans for passing the buck to an Arab NATO are unlikely to become reality.

The opinions expressed in this column, provided by Reuters, are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Radio Farda.Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

As of late July 2018, Azerbaijan has increased its non-oil exports by 14 percent, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Rufat Mammadov said at a meeting of the Exporters' Club, dedicated to the activities of Azerbaijani trading houses.

"Azerbaijan's non-oil exports in January-July 2018 increased by 14 percent compared to the same period of 2017. Azerbaijani exports' geography is also significantly expanding. It is encouraging to mention that the number of entrepreneurs engaged in foreign trade is rising," the deputy minister said.

Mammadov expressed confidence that this positive tendency will continue.

"Azerbaijan has a huge export potential. The achievements demonstrate that the work we have done so far is bearing fruit. I believe such positive dynamics will continue until the end of 2018," the deputy minister said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_MammadovBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 91 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said August 15.

Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns.

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, Aug. 15

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to provide funding for the construction of the Hajigabul-Bahramtepe-Minjivan highway in the Fuzuli district.

Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.7 million manats for the construction of the highway connecting four residential areas with a total population of 15,000 people.Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

This year marks 26 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Azerbaijan. The relations between the two countries have reached a high level, in particular in the field of economy and trade.

Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Wei Jinghua spoke about the distance covered by the countries during this time, new tasks, prospects and plans for the future in an interview with Trend.

How do you assess the potential of economic and trade cooperation between Azerbaijan and China?

In the 26 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation between China and Azerbaijan in the economic and trade spheres has grown significantly and has become a driving force for the development of bilateral relations. This cooperation is constantly developing. While in 1992 the bilateral trade turnover amounted to $1.5 million, in 2017 this figure, having increased more than 800 times, reached $1.298 billion. Despite the slowdown in the global economy, the volume of trade between Azerbaijan and China reached a record level in 2017.

In the first half of this year, China became one of the seven major trading partners of Azerbaijan and the third largest importer of products to the country. Cooperation between the two countries is developing in particular in such areas as transport, communications, agriculture, construction, engineering and light industry.

The structure of trade turnover is becoming more diversified. This fully demonstrates that business cooperation between China and Azerbaijan is very mutually beneficial and has great potential.

What is the potential for mutual investment growth today?

The 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up policy is celebrated in 2018. During this period, great changes occurred in the country. Experience was accumulated in the field of economic liberalization, optimization of the investment sphere, construction of industrial, scientific and technical parks. The Azerbaijani government continues to carry out economic reforms, constantly improves the investment sphere. Chinese enterprises are ready to participate in the economic construction of Azerbaijan. The Chinese side also welcomes the investments of Azerbaijani companies in China and the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of oil and gas, infrastructure, ICT, alternative energy, tourism, equipment production, creation of free trade zones, construction of industrial and agricultural parks.

I am confident that as far as the investment climate in Azerbaijan develops, more Chinese companies will arrive in the country for carrying out investment activity and setting up enterprises. In general, more than 20 Chinese enterprises are engaged currently in entrepreneurial activity in Azerbaijan in various fields. I would also like to note that there is a growing interest of foreign entrepreneurs in investing in China, especially in the spheres of high-tech industry and services.

China, in turn, will continue to create more attractive investment conditions, significantly expand access to its market, increase intellectual property protection, and actively increase imports to create a more attractive and balanced environment for entrepreneurs from Azerbaijan and around the world. I am sure that the efforts of both sides will lead to an increase in the level of mutual investment between the two countries.

What are the opportunities for the implementation of joint Azerbaijani-Chinese projects in third countries?

In 2015, Chinese government initiated a new model of "international cooperation in the market of third countries" that effectively connects China's manufacturing capacity, advanced technologies of developed countries and the needs of developing countries. This cooperation model has received positive responses in the international arena over the past 2 year, demonstrated a positive development trend, and has become an important part of the "One belt, One road" initiative.

That is, the Chinese side encourages and supports any international cooperation in the market of a third country, conducted on the basis of compliance with the principles of business, allowing to achieve mutual benefit, openness and tolerance, the development of friendly relations between states and raising living standards.

How do you assess the role of Azerbaijan in the implementation of the "One belt, One road" initiative?

Azerbaijan is an important country situated along the "Silk Road" and actively supporting and participating in the initiative of joint construction of "One belt, One road". In April 2015, Azerbaijan became a founding country of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and in July - a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In December 2015, during the visit of President Ilham Aliyev to China, the two sides signed a Memorandum of understanding on the joint construction of the Silk Road economic belt. The document gave a new impetus to the further development of the Chinese-Azerbaijani economic and trade relations.

The Caspian sea is an important trade channel connecting the Eurasian continent. China welcomes and highly appreciates the efforts of the Azerbaijani side to promote the construction of transport infrastructure and the implementation of projects that promote interconnection. Beijing is ready to deepen the comprehensive Chinese-Azerbaijani cooperation within the framework of the "One belt, One road" initiative, and to make a proper contribution to the development of countries situated along the "Silk Road".

How do the existing high-level contacts influence the level of development of bilateral economic relations?

This year is marked by its importance in the history of Chinese-Azerbaijani relations. In February, Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev paid an official visit to China. During the visit he took part in the opening ceremony of the office of the Trade Representation of Azerbaijan in China, attended the conference on the role of the Trans-Caspian international transport route in the "One belt, One road" project, the Chinese-Azerbaijani business forum, presentations dedicated to investment climate of Azerbaijan and held meetings with the Minister of Transport of the PRC Li Xiaopeng and the International Trade Representative and Vice-Minister of Commerce of China Fu Ziying. In April and June, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan Oktay Asadov visited China.

Close high-level ties testify to the high level of political trust between our countries. We will continue this active trend, continuously expand and deepen contacts at a high level. As you know, the Azerbaijani delegation is expected to participate in the Chinese-Eurasian exhibition, which will be held in Urumqi in August this year.

By the end of this year, the wine house of Azerbaijan will be opened in Shanghai. Trade and wine houses are planned to be opened in other major cities. It is worth noting that in November the first Chinese international import exhibition will be held in Shanghai, which is projected to attract about 150 buyers from more than 100 countries. The Azerbaijani delegation will also take part in this grand event. We are sure that with the help of this exhibition your products will gain popularity among Chinese consumers. The Chinese side is ready to provide the necessary assistance to bring trade and economic relations between our countries to a higher level.

Does China expect the growth of bilateral trade with Azerbaijan at the end of this year?

According to data for 1H2018, China ranks seventh in the list of trading partners, and third in imports. In general, China accounts for 3.81 percent of Azerbaijan's total trade turnover. In the structure of trade turnover, the main volume fell on various machines and mechanisms, electrical equipment and spare parts, fossil fuels, plastics and products made of them, clothing, rubber and so on. China provides Azerbaijan with a large market for exports, which gives a new impetus to the increase in trade turnover between our countries. I am confident that this figure will increase in 2018 with our joint efforts.

What are the current trends in the Chinese economy?

In the first half of this year, China's economy remained stable. The upward trends are observed, the structural reorganization is carried out intensively. New driving forces are constantly replacing the old ones, the quality and efficiency are steadily improving, China's economy has good inclinations to reach a higher quality development level. From January to June, GDP increased by 6.8 percent and remained in the range of 6.7 - 6.9 percent. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other international organizations positively assess the success of China's reforms and development, which is reflected in the forecasts for China's economic growth.

China's economy has great potential in the long term. Reforms and openness continuously give new impulses. China's economy will continue its trend to continuous improvement. In general, Beijing has always advocated free trade, and will work with the international community to defend the process of multilateralism, the system of global free trade and the principles of the World Trade Organization. Reforms and openness are China's national policy, the doors to China will never be closed.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyevBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

On Oct. 9, 2018, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) will organize the German-Azerbaijani Business Forum Energy and ICT in Azerbaijan with support of the German Eastern Business Association (Ost-Ausschuss  Osteuropaverein der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V.), the press service of the AHK Azerbaijan stated.

The aim of the event is to present projects, proposals and needs of German and Azerbaijani companies and to identify current opportunities for cooperation.

The main focus of the Forum will be on reforms and perspectives for partnerships in the energy and ICT sectors. High-level representatives of the Azerbaijani government are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Forum.

The participation in the Forum is free of charge. The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation into the Azerbaijani language.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanovDetails added (first version posted on 11:37)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

Azerbaijan intends to significantly expand the number of its trading and wine houses abroad, the Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Rufat Mammadov said at the meeting of the Exporters' Club, dedicated to the activities of Azerbaijani trading houses on Aug. 15.

"In the near future Azerbaijan plans to open trading and wine houses in five more countries," the Deputy Minister said. "It is planned to open trading and wine houses in the UAE, Russia, China, Poland and Kazakhstan until the end of 2018."

Presently, Azerbaijan's trading houses operate in Ukraine, Belarus and Latvia.

Trading houses support the promotion of Azerbaijani products under the "Made in Azerbaijan" brand, marketing research, participation in exhibitions at a single stand and other activities related to the promotion of Azerbaijani goods.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_MammadovDetails added (first version posted on 12:45)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

As of late July 2018, Azerbaijan has increased its non-oil exports by 14 percent, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Rufat Mammadov said at a meeting of the Exporters' Club, dedicated to the activities of Azerbaijani trading houses.

"Azerbaijan's non-oil exports in January-July 2018 increased by 14 percent compared to the same period of 2017. Azerbaijani exports' geography is also significantly expanding. It is encouraging to mention that the number of entrepreneurs engaged in foreign trade is rising," the deputy minister said.

Mammadov expressed confidence that this positive tendency will continue.

"Azerbaijan has a huge export potential. The achievements demonstrate that the work we have done so far is bearing fruit. I believe such positive dynamics will continue until the end of 2018," the deputy minister said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_MammadovBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

The Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), conceived and promoted by the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), attended a high-level event hosted by the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) and United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) at the New York Public Library on April 27, the press service of the ISFD stated.

The event focused on the pressing issue of out-of-school children (OOSC) and supporting accomplishment of the EAA objective in reaching out 10 million vulnerable and marginalized children around the world to return back to school.

The event was organized to celebrate the milestone achieved by EAA through its Educate a Child program and UNICEF in securing the commitments needed to enroll 10 million children to schools.

Fahad Al-Sulaiti, CEO of EAA, said education is a key to achieving prosperous and peaceful world.

ISFD with its participation in this event not only marked this achievement, but also inspired us to continue working towards the accomplishment of the entire SDG agenda by 2030, Al-Sulaiti said.

Besides, the ISFD board of directors for tackling the problem of low literacy rates during its Annual Meeting in Tunisia approved to support education initiatives through a program to re-enroll 2.4 million children in schools in countries like Mali, Pakistan, Nigeria and other selected member countries.

The program is implemented in cooperation with the Qatari Foundation, Education Above All (EAA), the governments of beneficiary countries, international donors, international institutions and civil society organizations. The total cost of the program is $375 million, of which the ISFD will contribute $100 million.

The program aims to deploy accelerated alternative learning modules to reach out, enroll and retain out-of-school children based on their diverse backgrounds and those living in conflict situations, and children with mild special needs or disabilities.

The program is anchored on three principles, namely leveraging innovative joint financing that avails additional concessional resources to Member Countries; broadening the participation of non-state actors in educational service delivery based on proven expertise and willingness to share knowledge to build national capacity; and lastly on focusing inclusive and quality education outcomes with targeted intervention on out-of-school children in conflict and deprived hard-to-reach communities.

The program is aligned with the IDB 10 Year Strategy and the IDB President 5-Year Program orientation towards a developer-focused programming and implementation mechanism that harness local capacities.

Investing in education is crucial and essential to addressing extreme poverty and building safe and sustainable societies. It is vital that children living in armed conflict and insecure areas need to be protected, and also they shouldnt lose the opportunity to go to school and dream of a better future. This program, initiated through the partnership, will help the marginalized children to restore a sense of normalcy to their lives and give them hope for a better future, Director General of ISFD Waleed Al-Wohaib said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanovBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

Trend:

Azer Turk Bank launched the "Student Loan" campaign for students studying or enrolled in higher educational institutions from August 15.

The loan up to 5,000 manats is provided for a period of 12 and 24 months at rates of 18 percent and 19 percent respectively.

In order to receive a loan for tuition, the client needs to provide ID card, documents confirming income. Taking into account that the loan is provided as a transfer, the reference indicating the amount of the annual payment and the bank details of the relevant educational institution should be provided as well.

The campaign is valid till September 30.

More information about the Bank, its service network, products and services is available at

www.azerturkbank.az , the Banks corporate pages at social networks or at (012) 945 Call Center.Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

Azerbaijan intends to increase exports of its products to China till late 2018, trade representative of Azerbaijan in China Teymur Nadiroglu told Trend.

In 2017 the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China amounted to $1.298 million, while this figure was 20 percent more than in 2016, he said.

"Exports from Azerbaijan to China increased by 63.75 percent and amounted to $443, 800,000, imports from China to Azerbaijan increased by 21.38 percent and amounted to $854,500,000 in 2017," Nadiroglu added.

The volume of imports from China to Azerbaijan was much more than the export from Azerbaijan to China, he said.

"In the future, this should be an incentive for Azerbaijani exporters to increase exports to China mainly in the non-oil sector and actively promote domestic products to the markets of the CIS countries, Europe and China, Nadiroglu stressed.

I think for this purpose there is a certain developed strategy, state support and in particular, a great desire of our producers, he said. About five years ago no one could even think that our national products will be exported to China. Today as an exporting country Azerbaijan is of great interest, which testifies to the thoughtful and competent economic policy of our country."

Azerbaijan mainly exported fuel, plastic and plastic products, chemical products, etc. to China in 2017. Azerbaijan imported electric equipment, vehicles and spare parts, clothing, ceramic products, household items, etc. from China in 2017.

In 2017, China became the fourth biggest trading partner of Azerbaijan. Besides China, among the biggest trading partners of Azerbaijan are Russia, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Germany.

According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China in January-July 2018 amounted to $616.4 million, of which $30 million accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to China.Baku, Azerbaijan, August 15

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan is interested in joining the working group developing an agreement on free trade in services among the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the CIS Executive Committee told Trend.

The Working Group developing the draft Agreement on Free Trade in Services was formed by the Executive Committee upon the decision of the Heads of Government of the CIS countries during the signing of the Treaty on a Free-Trade Area dated October 18, 2011.

"According to the draft Agreement on Free Trade in Services, which is developed within the CIS, its provisions will be applied not only to trade in services, but also to the creation and implementation of activity of service provider companies, as well as investments," the executive committee said.

"As is known, the investment flows determine the flows of goods."

The agreement will promote not only the free exchange of labor resources. It will create favorable conditions for investment by citizens of some CIS countries in the territory of other CIS countries and ensure the protection of these investments.

The representatives of the countries involved in the agreement are working on the draft document [except for Ukraine, which has not participated in the meetings of the working group since 2014], the executive committee said.

"The importance of the service sector is great," the executive committee said. "From a half to two-thirds of the GDP of the CIS countries account for services. Trade in services is much less exposed to external influences than trade in goods, which is important. If trade in goods decreases during crisis, trade in services only slows down its growth."

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, about a third of the country's GDP account for services.

According to the Azerbaijani Central Bank, export of services amounted to $1.16 billion in January-March 2018. At the same time, non-residents rendered services worth $1.66 billion to Azerbaijani residents.

Earlier, the CIS Executive Committee sent an invitation to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to join the work on the document. The recent meeting of the working group on the draft agreement was held on April 27, 2018. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan also took part in this meeting.

The next meeting of experts of the working group will be held in Moscow on July 4-5.

---

Follow the auhor on Twitter: @AzadHasanliBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug.15

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The priority in the implementation of the project for construction of Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) now is the finalization of the tenders for the main contracts  line pipe supply and the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), Teodora Georgieva, executive officer at ICGB AD joint venture company, the projects operator, told Trend.

"Also what is expected and shall be fulfilled in the next few months is approval, signing and ratification of the intergovernmental agreement focused on taxation issues for Greece and Bulgaria. On the basis of the exemption decision we have to move towards signing of gas transportation agreements with the shippers with reserved capacity. The interconnection agreements with the neighboring operators shall be completed," she said.

The executive officer noted that the respective contracts with the financial institutions shall be finalized including application for the grant financing of the 39 million euros.

The official notification procedure for compatible state aid is under preparation and will be undergone in the next few months, she added.

Georgieva pointed out that the most important work is the selection of the main contractors which is the practical condition for the start of construction and our efforts are focused mainly on this process.

"We believe that all conditions for the realization of the project are already on place and what is left is the formalization of some elements which are already agreed/approved/aligned among stakeholders," she said.

IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets.



The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynAshgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 15

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Employees of Turkmenistan's Scientific Research Institute under the state concern Turkmengaz are completing the development of an environmental passport and draft of standards for permissible emissions to the atmosphere for three large facilities of the Chinese oil and gas company CNPC, Turkmengaz said in a message.

The Chinese company produces and processes natural gas on the Bagtyyarlyk contract area, on the right bank of the Amu Darya river.

The monitoring is carried out at gas processing plants in Saman-depe, South Khojambas and the compressor station that supplies gas to China.

The standards for maximum permissible emissions and discharges (MPE and MPD) are under examination in the State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources of Turkmenistan.

It was reported in May 2018, that since late 2009 China has acquired 204 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas and became its largest importer. The raw material sources are the Turkmen deposits "Bagtyyarlyk" and "Galkynysh".

At present, three branches of the pipeline on the route Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China (branches "A", "B", "C") have been built and functioning. They are to supply 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year altogether.

The agreement on the construction of the fourth branch "D" of the gas pipeline "Turkmenistan-China" via Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan was signed in September 2013. It was also reported that the additional branch's rate of flow would be 25 billion cubic meters of gas.

According to the plans the annual volume of Turkmen natural gas exported to China can reach 65 billion cubic meters in 2021.Baku, Azerbaijan, August 15

Trend:

The Iranian energy minister said the government is in negotiations with Azerbaijan to export electricity to Russia.

Reza Ardakanian, speaking to IRNA news agency on August 13, added that the country would start exporting power to Russia as soon as talks with Baku are finalized.

We are seeking to join the European power network and there are several scenarios for this, he stressed.

"One of the scenarios is to get help from our northern neighbors and get connected to the European electricity network," Ardakani said.A Turkish court on Wednesday rejected a new appeal to free US pastor Andrew Brunson, whose detention has sparked a severe crisis in relations between Turkey and the United States, local media reported.



The court in the western city of Izmir ruled that Brunson, who faces 35 years in jail over terror and espionage charges, will remain under house arrest, the state television TRT reported.



Brunson's jail term had been converted to house detention for health reasons.



His detention has soured relations with Washington, with US President Donald Trump doubling aluminium and steel tariffs for Turkey in punitive actions against Ankara's refusal to release Brunson.



The crisis has sent the Turkish currency into free fall since Friday.



"The president has a great deal of frustration (about) the pastor not being released," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday.



The statement came after US embassy charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier visited Brunson in Izmir.



Brunson's lawyer Cem Halavurt told AFP that a higher court would also discuss his appeal for Brunson's release.



Turkey's ambassador to Washington Serdar Kilic on Monday held private talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in a meeting to discuss the pastor's status.







AFPBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will support construction of a solar power station in Navoi region of Uzbekistan with a capacity of up to 100 megawatts, Uzbek media reported referring to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the document, an agreement has been concluded between the State Committee for Investments, state energy operator Uzbekenergo and IFC on providing financial advisory services by IFC in attraction of private investors on a competitive basis for design, financing, construction and operation of solar power facilities worth up to $1 billion on the basis of public-private partnership.

Within the framework of the agreement, a pilot project to attract private investments for construction of a solar power plant with a capacity of up to 100 megawatts in Navoi region is planned to be implemented.

In accordance with the road map, an international tender for the project will be conducted in March 2019. It is expected that the agreement on the project with an investor will be signed in August 2019.

The Uzbek government is planning to hold talks with IFC in September 2019 on terms, volumes and timing of the agreement on other solar power plants with a total capacity of up to 900 megawatts.

In Spring 2018, an agreement was signed with the Canadian SkyPower Global for construction of facilities for generation of solar energy with a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The company is intending to invest $1.3 billion in construction of facilities in Tashkent, Samarkand, Navoi, Jizzakh, Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya regions.

Construction of Central Asia's first solar power plant in the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan was announced in 2014.

In 2016, it was reported that the tender for construction was won by the Chinese Zhuhai Singyes Green Building Technology. The project worth $275.8 million was to be financed through loans from the Asian Development Bank and by the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan and Uzbekenergo.

Later, however, as a result of careful examination of technical and economic documents related to the project, it was found that the project should be revised, resulting in construction of a solar power plant in the Samarkand region being suspended.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanovBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend:

TUT, a mobile application for monitoring the quality of food products, has been launched in Azerbaijan, the head of Neuron Technologies Ismayil Alakbarov told Trend on Aug. 15.

The project was initiated by the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan and developed by Neuron Technologies. The application is fully functional for devices running on Android and iOS operating systems.

"The app is a technological innovation in the field of food safety for the entire public," Alakbarov said.

The application was first demonstrated at the 12th Azerbaijan International Agriculture Exhibition (Caspian Agro 2018), which was held on May 16-18.

"We are now preparing for the expansion of this software to other countries of the region.The mobile software has recently been demonstrated to the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan and caused great interest. AZPROMO is planning a business mission to Mongolia in September 2018, where the product will also be offered to relevant structures the country," Alakbarov said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyevBaku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

Trend:

President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov visited today the "Atalyk-Ozgon" enterprise, a branch of the "Eldan Atalyk" agro-industrial complex in Uzgen district of Osh region in the framework of a two-day working trip to Osh and Jalal-Abad regions of the country, Kabar agency reported.

The head of state got acquainted with the work of the enterprise, which is engaged in providing local farmers with quality seeds, cultivation of garlic and safflower, as well as their processing, the Information Policy Department of the Presidential Office of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan said in a statement.

The General Director of the enterprise Turat Ukubaev said that 203 farmers of Uzgen and Kara-Suu districts were provided with more than 20 tons of garlic seeds, which were sown on 20 hectares of land.

Also a safflower oil processing plant with a production capacity of 50 tons/day has been built.

Ukubaev noted that safflower grows in arid areas, and does not require much water. This region is very well suited for growing safflower. Local farmers can grow safflower themselves and hand it over for processing to the production units of the enterprise.

The enterprise is also engaged in leasing and servicing of agricultural machinery, sale of agricultural products and laboratory services on determining safety of products. A total of $3.5 million was spent on the modernization of the enterprise.

Zheenbekov, having got acquainted with the work of the enterprise and the plans of its executive staff, noted the great importance of such a processing enterprise in the regions.

One such enterprise can provide many residents with jobs. One of the most important goals of the state is to increase and support precisely the processing enterprises in the regions, the president stressed and expressed gratitude to the management and the staff of the enterprise for their work.Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

Trend:

Vienna hosted the Kyrgyz-Austrian business forum in the construction sphere on August 13-14, the press service of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Kabar news agency reported.

Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and representatives of Austrian companies took part in the forum.

During the forum, Austrian companies presented their projects in the field of production of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly construction materials and the use of the latest innovative technologies in construction. Kyrgyz businessmen expressed interest in these projects and the parties discussed possible areas of cooperation in this sphere.

Austrian companies were shown video footage about economic and investment opportunities in Kyrgyzstan and about the 3rd World Nomad Games.

The Kyrgyz side invited Austrian companies to invest actively in the national economy and to open new export-oriented production plants in Kyrgyzstan together with Kyrgyz partners.

As part of the forum, in order to familiarize themselves with the Austrian experience and study it, Kyrgyz entrepreneurs visited the plant for the production of construction materials and the new district of Vienna, which was built as a smart city.

The Kyrgyz business delegation also got acquainted with the activity of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Austria and was accepted by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan to Austria Bakyt Dzhusupov.Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15

Trend:

Press Secretary of the President of Uzbekistan Komil Allamjonov has published on his official page on Facebook the program of the state visit of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to Uzbekistan, the Tajik news agency Avesta reported.

"As you know, on March 9-10 this year, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to Tajikistan. Now, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon will visit our country for a return visit," Komil Allamjonov said.

"The president of Tajikistan will arrive in the morning on August 17. After the ceremony of laying flowers in front of the "Mustakillik" monument, the negotiations of heads of state will begin in the Kuksaroy residence. Negotiations will be held first in a narrow, and then in an expanded circle," he said.

Allamjonov added that the sides will discuss issues of cooperation in political, trade-economic, transport and communication sectors, tourism, cultural, humanitarian and interregional cooperation between the two countries and also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

"Based on the results of the talks, it is planned to sign a number of documents raising the bar of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to a new level. In the second half of the day, the exhibition of the Tajik goods will be held at the Uzexpocenter in Tashkent. It is also expected that Emomali Rahmon will visit the "Artel" manufacturing plant in Tashkent," said Allamjonov.

He said that on the same day, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will take part in a concert featuring the artists of the two countries.

"On August 18, the President of Tajikistan will hold talks with the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan Nuriddinjon Ismailov and Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. On the same day, Emomali Rahmon will arrive in Samarkand and visit the sightseeing attractions. The program may be amended in the course of the visit," he said.Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 15

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

A meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus Oleg Tabanyukhov has taken place in Ashgabat, the Embassy of Belarus in Ashgabat said in a statement Aug. 15.

The parties discussed prospects for further expansion of cooperation in a number of areas.

The parties confirmed the strategic nature of the relations between the two countries, noting their consistency and high level of cooperation, both in the bilateral format and at international venues.

The results of the meeting once again demonstrated the mutual desire of Belarus and Turkmenistan to further expand multifaceted cooperation, the message says.

Belarus supplies to Turkmenistan mainly the goods with high added value: trucks, special-purpose vehicles, tractors, road construction equipment, medicines, wood products, agricultural products, etc.

From 2009 to 2017, about 6,000 MTZ tractors and more than 10,000 MAZ trucks were delivered to Turkmenistan. A concrete example of effective cooperation is the implementation of the project of construction of the mining and processing industrial complex for the production of potash fertilizers in Lebap region of Turkmenistan.

The complex worth more than $1 billion the construction of which was completed in March 2017 by Belgorkhimprom JSC company is designed for the production of 1,400,000 tons of fertilizers per year.Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 15

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a letter of condolence to Italian President Sergio Mattarella in connection with the tragedy caused by a motorway bridge collapse in the northwest Italian city of Genoa, the Turkmen government said in a message.

On behalf of the people and government of Turkmenistan, as well as on his own behalf, Berdimuhamedov conveyed sympathy and support to the families and friends of the deceased and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

On Aug. 14, a motorway bridge collapsed in Genoa, killing around 30 people and injuring many others. An 80-meter section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed above a river, railroad tracks and buildings. As many as 35 vehicles were driving on the section when it collapsed in torrential rain.Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 15

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Russian President Vladimir Putin received Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Sochi's residence Aug. 15, the Kremlin's press service said.

The key issues of development of cooperation in the political, trade-economic, scientific-educational and cultural-humanitarian spheres, as well as current regional problems were discussed.

"We have recently communicated within the 5th Caspian Summit, where we signed a very important document on the settlement of the situation in the Caspian Sea," the Russian president said.

In Sochi Putin and Berdimuhamedov will talk about bilateral relations.

"We will discuss all the issues that are of interest for bilateral relations, namely, economy, social sphere, the issues of interaction in the humanitarian field, our international activity," Putin said.

"Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation are strategic partners," Berdimuhamedov said.

"You are doing a lot today in the international arena in the name of stability and security, and to strengthen friendship between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation, so I would like to thank you for this huge personal contribution," the Turkmen president said.

The agenda of the meeting in Sochi includes priority issues of the Turkmen-Russian partnership in key areas.

Among the topical issues is the energy sphere which is strategic for both countries, which are world energy powers and possess huge hydrocarbon resources.

There are great opportunities for diversification and intensification of contacts, stimulation of business and investment activity.

About 190 companies with Russian capital operate in Turkmenistan. The ARETI International Croup holding (formerly ITERA) has been operating since 2009 in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea on the basis of the production sharing agreement.Baku, Azerbaijan, August 15

Trend:

Iranian envoy to Moscow and Russia's deputy minister of digital development, telecom and mass communications in a recent meeting emphasized more enhancement of cooperation between telecommunication ministries in the two countries.

Iran's Mehdi Sanaei and Alexey Volin also discussed the Caspian Sea media conference expected to be held on September 19 in Astrakhan, Russia and other media-related conferences, Irna news agency reported Aug. 15.

The meeting can be considered as the follow-up of the fourteenths meeting of the joint committee of Russia-Iran cooperation.

The first session of the meeting aimed at setting up a media committee was held in Tehran in early summer and Volin took part in it.

In the Tehran meeting, among other things, media cooperation, such as joint production of TV programs for children, supplying equipment and holding training courses for journalists were discussed.A Sudanese immigrant is suspected to be behind Tuesdays terror attack in London, in which a car ploughed into a group of 15 cyclists outside Parliament, TASS reported citing the Daily Mail.

The paper identified the suspect as 29-year-old Salih Khater, "a Sudanese immigrant known to police."

According to the paper, the man left his apartment in Birmingham on Monday evening and spent all night driving around tourist hotspots in central London. He spent 90 minutes driving around Westminster, leading to suspicions he may have been hunting for large crowds of tourists.

At 7:37 local time on Tuesday morning, a vehicle crashed into the barrier near the UK Parliament. As a result, two people were hospitalized; their condition is not life-threatening. According to witnesses, the car drove into a group of cyclists and then into a security barrier just outside the Houses of Parliament.

The Scotland Yard press service said it detained the driver "on suspicion of terrorist offences." "At this stage, we are treating this as a terrorist incident and the Met's Counter Terrorism Command is now leading the investigation," the Metropolitan Police informed.Swiss authorities have halted registrations of some new Mercedes-Benz Vito and Porsche Macan and Cayenne vehicles which had diesel engines that disguised emissions Reuters reported.

The move will affect vehicles imported from Aug. 17. Vehicles already registered in Switzerland may continue to operate, but must be retrofitted, Astra said in a statement.

Mercedes Vitos with 1.6-litre diesel engines, Porsche Macans with 3-litre diesel engines and Cayennes with 4.2-litre diesel engine are affected by the action. All have Euro 6 emission norms, which refers to the emissions standards these engines are required to meet.

Daimler said it had stopped exporting the Vito model after German authorities in May ordered a recall and halt to new registrations for the vehicle. This affected 24 Vito vehicles destined for Switzerland, a spokesman for the German manufacturer said in an emailed statement.Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready for a personal meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the KCNA news agency reported, citing a congratulatory telegram from the Russian leader on the occasion of the Liberation Day, marked by the two Koreas on Wednesday, TASS reported.

"I assure you that I am ready to meet you in the near future to discuss pressing issues of bilateral relations and important regional problems," the agency quoted the telegram as saying.

Putin also said the relations between the two states keep developing in a "friendly and constructive manner."

He expressed hope that Moscow and Pyongyang would "consistently develop mutually beneficial cooperation, including the implementation of the three-party program involving Russia, North Korea and South Korea."

The Liberation Day, celebrated annually on August 15, marks Korea's independence from the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule.

Earlier, Putin has invited Kim Jong Un to visit Russia. According to the Russian leader, his North Korean counterpart could attend the Eastern Economic Forum due in the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok in September, or pay a separate visit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in early July that Kim Jong Un is yet to confirm his participation in the forum and meeting with Putin.Nine people were injured after a natural gas explosion blasted through a one-story apartment complex in Denver, the capital of Colorado, Sputnik reported.

Officials with the Denver Fire Department told the local Fox affiliate that two people were inside the building when the blast, which reduced much of the complex to rubble, occurred. One man is in critical condition at a local hospital and a woman rescued from the rubble is recovering in stable condition. The remaining injured were bystanders who were treated by paramedics at the scene.

Some of the injuries were burns from the explosion, Denver Fire Department spokesman Captain Greg Pixley told the Associated Press. Injuries from blunt force trauma were also reported.

Because the explosion broke out in a rowhouse, nearby units were also damaged, photographs appear to show.

Images show construction materials  bricks, wooden boards, and roofing  strewn throughout the street in front of the building. The fire department tweeted that they are currently investigating the cause of the blast.

The local Fox affiliate, Fox31, spoke to a Denver local, Alan Rodriguez, who resides just four blocks from the explosion. Rodriguez told the channel that he thought his roof was caving in when the explosion broke out, and witnessed a "mushroom cloud" of smoke when he went outside to see what was happening.

Local business owner David Bacon told WFAA that "There was a couple that was covered in ash that looked disoriented but were OK," and that he heard a huge "bang" while driving nearby.Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $2.9 billion for three missile warning satellites, the Air Force said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Lockheeds Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellites will provide improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats than the current system, the Air Force said.

As we develop these new systems, speed matters, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told the Air Forces internal news service. We are focused on providing a missile warning capability survivable in a contested environment by the mid-2020s.

Last year, North Korea conducted a dozen missile tests, including the launch of a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could hit the U.S. mainland, and tested a purported hydrogen bomb.

The Air Force said the undefinitized contract allows the government to meet urgent needs by authorizing Lockheed Martin to begin work before reaching a final settlement on contract terms.By Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2018 - 14:23 | World, All, Feature

As Thailand pushes for a notorious railway built by the Japanese military during World War II to become a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, local people are debating whether the track's widely known name "Death Railway" should be used in the campaign.

The debate is framed by a strong sense that future generations must be taught history for what it is, and on the other hand by a concern that using the popular name in the application could cause a diplomatic rift with Japan, with which Thailand has long-standing ties.

At a recent public hearing in Kanchanaburi, capital of the province of the same name in western Thailand, nearly half of about 450 participants from four districts along the Thai-Burma Railway raised their hands in agreement when asked if they were concerned using the name "Death Railway" could cause bad feelings and an unnecessary friction with Japan.

Borvornvate Rungrujee, president of the Thai chapter of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, or ICOMOS Thailand, has advised Thailand not to use "Death Railway" for official heritage designation on the grounds that doing so would seem like pointing the blame at Japan.

"We will mention in the tentative list (of potential properties to be considered for nomination) that the railway can also be called 'Death Railway,' but I do not recommend using it as an official one," Borvornvate said at the July 22 hearing, adding that Japanese officials have expressed concerns about the use of the name to him.

The roughly 400-kilomter-long railway connecting Thailand and what is now Myanmar was built to support Japanese forces in the Burma campaign of World War II, using Allied prisoners of war and Asian civilians, including Thais, as forced labor.

Construction began in 1942 and was completed in slightly over a year. But harsh working conditions and infectious diseases like malaria took large human tolls, with the undertaking thought to have claimed the lives of over 100,000 people, many of them POWs.

Sites envisioned for listing by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization include a dark steel bridge that was featured in the 1957 Oscar-winning movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai."

The others include the Tham Krasae Bridge, a wooden viaduct that hugs a cliff along the Khwae Noi River; the Hellfire Pass, a narrow cutting completed quickly but with tremendous loss of human life; and the Chong Kai Allied War Cemetery, where many Allied POWs were buried.

Local authorities claim that the proposed sites, which draw a huge number of foreign tourists to the region, present an outstanding example of human interaction with the environment and are associated with ideas or beliefs of outstanding universal significance.

A preliminary draft for World Heritage recognition is expected to be submitted to a government working group after September this year.

If recommended by the Thai government, the tentative list in English and French will be handed over to the UNESCO World Heritage Secretariat by early 2020.

Pisun Chansilp, Kanchanaburi Province's chief cultural affairs official, says the main objective of pushing the railway for World Heritage designation is that the line has strong potential to serve as a reminder to mankind that war should not happen again.

Echoing the view of Borvornvate, the president of ICOMOS Thailand, Pisun also says the proposal is not intended to highlight how cruel the Japanese soldiers were and instead suggests using an alternative term like "Historical Railway -- World War II" for the official title.

Meanwhile at the public hearing, half the participants seemed to consider "Death Railway" the most suitable title as it is the most recognizable name internationally.

"I insist on using the same well-known name. I do not want to point out Japan's past conduct, nor do I blame them, but it is the fact," one of the participants said.

ICOMOS Thailand will hold a meeting to finalize the name later this year. If the selection process proves successful, according to ICOMOS Thailand, the historic railway will become Thailand's first World Cultural Heritage site in 25 years.

"It is not about blaming each other now. It is the past and we can learn from it," said Chutimon Sitthiwong, a 42-year-old tour guide who says visiting railway-related museums in Kanchanaburi would be an eye opener. "The point is that the cruel war must not happen again."Kerala received 567 millimetre of rainfall between October 1 and 28, going past the 1999 northeast monsoon rain record of 566 mm.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe skipped a visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Wednesday, the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

He apparently gave consideration to China and South Korea, which regard the Tokyo shrine as a symbol of Japan's past militarism and strongly oppose visits by Japanese leaders.

For the second consecutive year, no minister of Abe's cabinet made a visit to the shrine, which honors Class-A war criminals along with the war dead.

Abe, however, made a "tamagushi" ritual offering at his own expense to the shrine as usual.

In his speech at an annual war memorial ceremony in Tokyo, Abe said: "We will never again repeat the devastation of war. Humbly facing history, we will remain committed to this resolute pledge, no matter what the era may bring."New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind paid tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa are also present.

For the first time, an all-women SWAT team comprising 36 commandos was part of security arrangements on Independence day India

The 72nd Independence Day India being celebrated in Nepal. Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri unfurls Tricolour at Indian Embassy in Kathmandu

On the eve of Independence Day, President Ramnath Kovind and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has approved 131 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces.

Kirti Chakra has been conferred posthumously to the Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh of 44th Rajput Regiment. Apart from this, 20 Shaurya Chakras, 3 Bar to Sena Medals for Gallantry, 93 Sena Medals, 11 Nao Sena Medals and 3 Vayu Sena Medals has been awarded.

942 police medals announced

Ministry of home affairs has announced 942 Police Medals. President's Police Medal for Gallantry has been awarded to 2 personnel, Police Medal for Gallantry to 177 personnel, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service to 88 personnel, and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 675 personnel.

CRPF constable Sharief-ud-Din Ganaie and head constable Mohammad Tafail, who lost their lives in 2017 while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, have been posthumously selected for the President's Police Medal for Gallantry. This is the highest police medal.A new study has found that nearly half of fishers from seven countries had witnessed someone poaching in marine protected areas in the past year and most of them did nothing about it

A new study has found that nearly half of fishers from seven countries had witnessed someone poaching in marine protected areas in the past year and most of them did nothing about it.

Dr Brock Bergseth from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University led the study. He said poaching is widespread in the world's marine protected areas, and that fishers have the potential to make or break a marine protected area.

"Enforcement capacities are often limited, so managers are trying to encourage fishers to help out when they see someone breaking the law. But until now, we were uncertain about how fishers respond when they witness poaching."

The research team surveyed fishers in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, and Australia.

Fishers told researchers that they typically did one of four things after witnessing poaching: "do nothing," "confront the poachers," "report them to authorities," or, in rare instances, "join the poachers."

"Unfortunately, the most common response was to 'do nothing,'" said Dr Bergseth.

Inaction was especially common on Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR).

"Nearly 80 percent of fishers on the GBR did nothing in response to the observed poaching," said Dr Bergseth. "This means there is a substantial portion of fishers who managers might hope to engage in surveillance and reporting, given the growing concern over the health of the GBR."

Co-author Dr Georgina Gurney said fishers offered a variety of the reasons for inactivity after witnessing poaching on the GBR.

"GBR fishers said that they did nothing when they saw others poaching mostly because they thought it wasn't their concern or their responsibility, they were uncertain as to whether it was illegal fishing, or because of obstacles to reporting."

In all of the other countries in the study, a desire to avoid conflict was the most common reason offered by fishers for inaction after witnessing poaching, said Dr Bergseth.

"This highlights the fact that dealing with poachers is potentially dangerous in some countries - defending environmental rights can be risky, but there are tools to greatly reduce or eliminate the risk."

"The bad news is that apathy towards poaching in marine protected areas is widespread," said co-author Dr Michele Barnes, "but the good news is that there are already many tools and programs to encourage citizens to report poaching and other types of crimes. These can be adapted and tailored to encourage fishers to take action against poaching in a responsible way that minimises risk to themselves."

The research team found that people who agreed with marine protected area rules and who were included in the decision-making processes were more likely to report or confront poachers.

"We know that when fishers are engaged in the management process of marine protected areas they tend to follow the rules more often. Here, we show that empowering fishers can also encourage voluntary enforcement," said Dr Barnes.

"Encouragingly, many of the fishers who took action did so because they held stewardship beliefs, or saw that poaching personally affected them. These ideas can be further reinforced and leveraged by managers to improve conservation outcomes," said Dr Gurney.

"The reality is that fish stocks are almost certainly going to be increasingly depleted in the future, to the point where poaching will affect all of us," said Dr Bergseth.

"Equipping fishers with this knowledge, and the resources to responsibly do something about it, may well be the deciding factor as to whether our kids enjoy the same resources we do," he said.

###

The paper "Addressing poaching in marine protected areas through voluntary surveillance and enforcement" is published today in the journal Nature Sustainability.

Images available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5pv7n5s7ej7nlax/AABratTLCxCzcLOf0TFClPDYa?dl=0elon musk

Kiichiro Sato/AP

Goldman Sachs is working with Tesla on its bid to go private, the bank confirmed Wednesday.

It's still unclear whether there was a formal agreement when Elon Musk tweeted about working with the Wall Street firm.

Follow Tesla's stock price in real-time here.

Two days after Elon Musk said he was "excited to work with Silver Lake and Goldman Sachs" as financial advisers in his bid to take Tesla private, at least half of the tweet has been confirmed.

In a note to clients Wednesday, Goldman Sachs said it was suspending research coverage of Tesla because it was "acting as a financial advisor in connection with a matter that is fundamental to the reasonable analysis of the rating and price target for the stock."

"Earnings estimates during this period will be made without regard to the proposed matter," Goldman said, adding that the "not rated" status "will continue until such time as sufficient information is available, and/or contingencies appear resolved, to allow such analysis."

It is typical for a bank to suspend coverage when its investment-banking unit does business with a company under the bank's sell-side department's research coverage. The two departments of any given bank are legally required to maintain independence through what is known as a Chinese wall.

It's unclear whether the arrangement was finalized at the time of Musk's tweet. On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the Goldman Sachs Tesla analyst David Tamberrino had not yet received a mandate to suspend coverage at the time of the tweet.

Curiously enough, Goldman Sachs is one of the most bearish on Wall Street when it comes to Tesla. It's surprising that Musk, who has often publicly bemoaned his skeptics and short sellers, would choose such a pessimistic firm. A University of Michigan professor told Business Insider last week that companies were much more likely to choose a firm with a more favorable outlook on the stock.

Story continues

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Silver Lake, the other half of Musk's tweet, had been assisting in an unpaid role with the transaction but had not yet been formally tapped as an adviser.

Musk's cryptic tweets have wreaked havoc on Tesla's stock price since his first announcement last Tuesday. After surging to an all-time high of $389 shortly after Musk suggested there was "funding secured" to take Tesla private, shares have since given up all their gains.

Shares sank another 4% on Wednesday, as low as $333, after a Fox Business report said the Securities and Exchange Commission had formally subpoenaed Tesla over Musk's tweets. That report follows stories from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg saying the top stock regulator was investigating Musk's tweets.

Goldman's confirmation has brought Tesla up from its session lows, and the stock is now trading down about 4%, at $336.

Tesla shares are up about 5% this year.

More about Tesla's bid to go private:

Now read:

tesla

Markets Insider

NOW WATCH: I woke up at 4:30 a.m. for a week like a Navy SEAL

See Also:

SEE ALSO: The SEC reportedly sent subpoenas to Tesla concerning Elon Musk's tweets about taking Tesla private (TSLA)Barclays BCS has already initiated steps to transfer ownership of European branches from a British-based entity to the banks Ireland unit, per a report by Reuters. Specifically, the bank will start with the ownership transfer of its French, German and Spanish branches and ultimately bring other European branches under the control of its Irish subsidiary as well.



In its second-quarter 2018 earnings presentation, Barclays outlined its goal to expand Barclays Bank Ireland as part of its preparation for a hard Brexit. The unit will consist of Barclays Corporate, investment and private banking activities, and the Barclay card business in Germany. Further, the unit is expected to have total assets of 224 billion pounds after completing all expansion activities. The Irish unit will likely be operational by March 2019.



Earlier, this July, the bank relocated around 40-50 investment banking jobs from the U.K. to Frankfurt.



Management expects that the impact of a no-deal Brexit will be lower on Barclays due to its Ireland unit expansion.



Almost all banks have started taking steps to avoid any disruption that might be caused on Britains exit from the European Union. HSBC Holdings HSBC recently transferred the London branchs ownership in its Polish and Irish subsidiaries to the unit in France, while Credit Suisse CS chose Frankfurt, Madrid and Luxembourg for shifting its investment banking jobs from Britain. JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM has also initiated relocation plans for several dozen of employees at its U.K. offices in a bid to ensure business continuity post Brexit.



Barclays shares have declined 15.2% in the past six months compared with the industrys fall of 16.1% during the same period.









Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?



Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.



Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.



See the pot trades we're targeting>>



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



JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Credit Suisse Group (CS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Barclays PLC (BCS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.The Japan Meteorological Agency upgraded on Wednesday its volcanic alert for the island of Kuchinoerabu in the town of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, calling on local residents to prepare for evacuation.

In a volcanic warning issued at 10:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. GMT), the agency raised the alert from Level 2 to Level 4, the second highest on the Japanese alert scale of 5, citing increasing volcanic activities at Mount Shindake on the island. Level 2 urges people not to approach the crater, while Level 4 advises them to make evacuation preparations.

The agency called for strong caution over large ash deposits and pyroclastic flows within 3 kilometers of the crater.

According to the Yakushima town government, 105 people lived on the island as of Aug. 1.

Some elderly residents aged 65 or older have started evacuating to the town hall, while other islanders have started preparations for evacuation, officials said.

4 15329Last week, analysts from Morgan StanleyRajeev Lalwani and Kai Panreleased a note listing the compelling reasons Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) should consider buying Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV). The joint note, entitled "Should BRK show more LUV?" is not associated with any insider knowledge, according to the analysts. Instead, it's a result of their screening of potential airline acquisitions that meet Berkshire Hathaway's acquisition criteria, as quoted by CNBC.

Throughout the course of their research, Pan and Lalwani noticed that "Berkshire focuses on quality of business and management in acquisition, which could make for an obvious pairing [with Southwest]." They also found that Berkshire Hathaway tends to acquire larger businesses with "consistent earnings power," minimal debt, and simpler business models, according to CNBC.

"While we recognize that other factors could come under consideration, our screen suggests Southwest as a hypothetical candidate for a more permanent relationship with Berkshire," the note states.

Investing in transportation is nothing new for Berkshire Hathaway. In October 2017, the Omaha-based holdings firm acquired a 38.6 percent stake in Pilot Flying J, announcing plans to acquire an additional 41.1 percent stake by 2023. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is already the owner of Fort Worth, TX-based BNSF Railways as well as NetJets.

SONAR_panelad.png

This also isn't the first time rumors surrounding Berkshire Hathaway and Southwest Airlines have swirled.

Buffett made headlines in March when, in an interview with CNBC, he stated that he "wouldn't rule out owning an entire airline" or investing more in the airlines that Berkshire Hathaway already owns shares in. This followed Buffett's 2018 letter to his investors, in which he writes that "Berkshire's goal is to substantially increase the earnings of its non-insurance group. For that to happen, we will need to make one or more huge acquisitions. We certainly have the resources to do so."

Story continues

Berkshire Hathaway has invested in four major US airlines since 2016: American Airlines, United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL), Delta Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL), and Southwest Airlines. The company's share in Southwest Airlines amounts to $2.8 billion, as reported by CNBC. For years, Buffett steered clear of investments in the airline industry. "It can turn into a fierce competitive battle that wipes out earnings, or it can be a business that's more decent but still subject to lots of competition...it's really hard to know," Buffett commented.

If Berkshire Hathaway does indeed acquire Southwest Airlines, Pan and Lalwani believe that shares for Southwest Airlines could reach $70 to $80 per share, according to the Dallas Business Journal. As of Monday, August 13th, Southwest's shares are at $58.83 each.

Upon publication, Southwest Airlines declined to comment and a representative from Berkshire Hathaway did not immediately respond to FreightWaves' request for comment.

Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe

Latest Ratings for LUV

Jul 2018 Buckingham Maintains Buy Buy Jul 2018 Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight Equal-Weight Jun 2018 Argus Downgrades Buy Hold

View More Analyst Ratings for LUV

View the Latest Analyst Ratings

See more from Benzinga

 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Boeing (BA) won an order for delivering retrofit documentation and kits to convert nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft into a Blue Angel configuration.

The Boeing Company BA recently won an order for delivering retrofit documentation and kits to convert nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft into a Blue Angel configuration. Valued at $17 million, the contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.

The work will be carried out in St. Louis and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds will be utilized to finance the task.

Growing Demand of F/A-18

Boeings Super Hornet aircraft is continuously evolving to outpace future threats. Its radar, mission computers and sensors continue to evolve in order to meet extensive mission profiles. Due to the ever rising worldwide demand of military aircraft, Boeing has also developed the Advanced Block III Super Hornet to complement existing and future air-wing capabilities, which includes battle-space situational awareness, counter stealth targeting, increased acceleration and improved survivability.

Such major developments have enabled Boeing to witness solid demand for its fighter aircraft and major aerospace programs, including the F-18 aircraft. This is evident from the contract that it secured from Kuwait in first-quarter 2018 for delivering 28 F-18 Super Hornets. We believe that this latest contract will also help in substantiating Boeing jet fighters strong position in the global market.

Our View

As Boeings key forte lies in manufacturing combat-proven aircraft, it has inevitably secured large number of contracts from the Pentagon for long owing to its proven expertise in aerospace programs. Subsequently, revenues at its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) segment witnessed a 9% rise year over year to $5.59 billion in second-quarter 2018.

Further, Boeings recently completed the KLX Inc acquisition will enable the aircraft major to enhance its global parts distribution and supply chain services, accelerate Global Services growth strategies. Moreover, this deal will position the company in effectively serving customers in a $2.6- trillion, 10-year services market.

Story continues

Meanwhile, the fiscal 2019 defense budget recently approved by the U.S. Senate, provisions for major war fighting investments worth $21.7 billion for aircraft. This should not only boost Boeings profit margin but also benefit military jet makers like Lockheed Martin LMT, General Dynamics GD and Northrop Grumman NOC.

Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?



Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.



Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.



See the pot trades we're targeting>>



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



The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



General Dynamics Corporation (GD) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.InvestorPlace

Retail traders have won big (and lost big) with meme stocks in 2021. When the social media-driven investing phenomenon became a thing last January, those early enough to the game saw jaw-dropping returns in the span of just a few weeks. The same thing happened during the summer when the trend came back in vogue, this time with a greater focus on short-squeeze potential. Not only did some new names obtain meme stock status as a result, but the original names in this category made partial or even(Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp (INTC.O) on Tuesday disclosed three more possible flaws in some of its microprocessors that can be exploited to gain access to certain data from computer memory.

Its commonly used Core and Xeon processors were among the products that were affected, the company said.

"We are not aware of reports that any of these methods have been used in real-world exploits, but this further underscores the need for everyone to adhere to security best practices," the company said in a blog post https://newsroom.intel.com/editorials/protecting-our-customers-through-lifecycle-security-threats.

Intel also released updates to address the issue and said new updates coupled those released earlier in the year will reduce the risk for users, including personal computer clients and data centres.

In January, the company came under scrutiny after security researchers disclosed flaws that they said could let hackers steal sensitive information from nearly every modern computing device containing chips from Intel Corp, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD.O) and ARM Holdings.

AMD on Tuesday said it was not impacted by the new flaws disclosed by Intel.

The chipmaker's shares fell nearly 1 percent to $48.18 in late afternoon trading.

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil and Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)PM addresses nation from ramparts of Red Fort on 72nd Independence Day

New Delhi, Wed, 15 Aug 2018 NI Wire

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day.

Asserting that India is today brimming with self-confidence, the Prime Minister mentioned developments such as the success of Navika Sagar Parikrama by six young women naval officers, and the achievements of young Indian sportspersons from humble backgrounds. He mentioned the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers in the Nilgiri hills, a phenomenon that occurs once every 12 years. He said that the recently concluded session of Parliament, was one dedicated to the cause of social justice. He noted that India is now the worlds sixth largest economy.

The Prime Minister paid homage to the freedom fighters and martyrs. He saluted the jawans of the security forces and police forces. He recalled in particular, the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which happened on Baisakhi day in 1919. He offered condolences to people affected by floods in some parts of the country.

He quoted poet Subramaniam Bharti to say that India will show the world the path to freedom from all kinds of shackles. He said such dreams were shared by countless freedom fighters. And an inclusive Constitution was drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar to achieve this dream of a nation where there is justice for the poor, and equal opportunities for all to move forward. He said that Indians are now coming together to build the nation. He gave examples of the pace of development in various fields such as toilet construction, electricity reaching villages, LPG gas connections, house construction etc.

He said that the Union Government had taken decisions which had been pending for long, including higher MSP for farmers, GST, and One Rank  One Pension. He said this has become possible because the Union Government has kept national interest supreme.

The Prime Minister mentioned how international organizations and agencies were looking at India very differently today, as compared to 2013. He said that from a time of policy paralysis, India had moved to Reform, Perform, Transform. He said India is now a member of several important multilateral organizations, and is leading the International Solar Alliance.

The Prime Minister said that the North-East is today in the news for achievements in sports, for connecting the last unconnected villages with electricity, and for becoming a hub of organic farming.

The Prime Minister mentioned 13 crore loans being disbursed under the Mudra Yojana, and four crore loans out of this number, being disbursed to first time beneficiaries of such loans.

The Prime Minister said that India is proud of its scientists. He announced Gagan-Yaan a manned space mission, to be undertaken by India by 2022, using its own capabilities. He said India would become the fourth nation in the world to do so.

Reiterating the vision to double farmers incomes by 2022, the Prime Minister asserted that the aim is to accomplish tasks which seem extremely difficult. He said initiatives such as Ujjwala Yojana and Saubhagya Yojana are providing dignity to the people. He said organizations such as the WHO have appreciated the progress made in the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Shri Narendra Modi announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan on 25th September this year  the anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare, he asserted. He said this scheme would positively impact 50 crore people.

The Prime Minister explained how better targeting of government benefits has been achieved by weeding out about 6 crore fake beneficiaries. The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation, he said, adding that it is due to them that so many people are fed, and the lives of the poor are transformed.

The Prime Minister asserted that the corrupt, and those who have black money would not be forgiven. He said that Delhis streets are now free from power brokers, and the voice of the poor is heard.

The Prime Minister announced that women officers of Short Service Commission in the Indian Armed Forces would now be eligible for permanent commission through a transparent selection process.

Noting that the practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women the Prime Minister assured Muslim women that he will will work to ensure that justice is done to them.

The Prime Minister spoke of the decline in Left Wing Extremism in the country. He reiterated former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees vision of Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat, for the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

He emphasized on the vision of Housing for All, Power for All, Clean Cooking for All, Water for All, Sanitation for All, Skill for All, Health for All, Insurance for All, and Connectivity for All.

He said that he is impatient, anxious and keen to see India progress, eliminate malnutrition, and to see Indians get a better quality of life.

-- by PIB DelhiCanopy Growth marijuana weed

Canopy Growth

Canopy Growth, the world's largest marijuana company, is set to report earnings after the closing bell Tuesday.

The stock has long been popular among millennials on Robinhood, and Tuesday was no exception.

Follow CGC's stock price in real-time here.

Canopy Growth  the world's largest marijuana company and the first to trade on the New York Stock Exchange  has been a wildly popular stock among millennial investors, and heading into the Canadian company's firs- quarter earnings report, that enthusiasm was only growing.

More than 26,000 investors on the stock-trading app Robinhood , which skews much younger than traditional brokerages, held the stock as of Tuesday afternoon. That's a 179% increase in holders since the stock first appeared on Robinhood's "Top 100" list in June. It's now the 42nd most-popular stock on the app.

Canopy soared earlier this year when Canada passed legislation legalizing marijuana throughout the country. However, it saw heavy selling Tuesday, down 7%, alongside its peers as the Ontario province delayed the launch of brick-and-mortar marijuana sales until April 2019.

Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect Canopy to report an adjusted loss of $0.11 a share on revenue of $26.33 million.

Shares of CGC have fallen by 12% this year.

Canopy Growth Stock

Markets Insider

NOW WATCH: The CEO of one of the largest health insurers in the US explains the problem with healthcare in America

See Also:

SEE ALSO: The 'world's biggest legal-pot dealer' talks about taking his company public and the future of weed (CGC)Wednesday, August 15, 2018

What to watch today

On Wednesday, a busy week for the retail sector will bring investors the weeks biggest economic highlight with the July report on retail sales set to show a 0.1% increase over the prior month, according to estimates from Bloomberg. This is expected to mark a deceleration in retail sales from Junes 0.5% increase, though excluding auto sales expectations are for a 0.3% increase in sales during July. Also on the economic calendar will be the NAHBs homebuilder sentiment reading for August, the Federal Reserves July report on industrial production, and the New York Feds Empire State manufacturing reading for the month of August.

And on the earnings side, Macys (M) will report results as will S&P 500 members NetApp (NTAP) and Cisco (CSCO). Macys shares have more than doubled over the last year as the retail sector  beaten down through 2015 and 2016  has staged a big comeback over that period.

Read More

Top news

(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)

Turkey doubles tariffs on some US imports: Turkey doubled tariffs on some U.S. imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco on Wednesday in retaliation for U.S. moves, but the lira rallied a further 6% after a fresh move by banking authorities to underpin the currency. [Reuters]

Story continues

How much Warren Buffett has made from his massive investment in Apple: Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A, BRK-B) bet big on Apple and is winning big, too. During the second quarter ended June 30, Berkshire Hathaway added nearly 12.4 million shares of Apple (AAPL), bringing its already massive stake in the iPhone maket to nearly 251.96 million shares, a position valued at over $52.8 billion when using Tuesdays market close of $209.75. [Yahoo Finance]

Tinder founders lawsuit includes #MeToo allegation against ex-CEO: A lawsuit against Match Group filed on Tuesday includes an allegation of sexual misconduct against former CEO and Chairman Greg Blatt, though it does not name him as a defendant. The allegation was mentioned on page six of a lengthy complaint filed by Tinders founders and early employees along with a handful of the dating apps current executives against parent companies Match Group (MTCH) and IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC), alleging a scheme to cheat them out of billions of dollars by violating their contractual rights as option holders. [Yahoo Finance]

Kroger partners with Alibaba in China grocery venture: Kroger Co. (KR) has partnered with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA) to sell nuts, supplements and other products in China, venturing outside the United States for the first time in what is fast becoming a fierce global battle to dominate online grocery sales. [Reuters]

Walmart teams up with Ellen DeGeneres for fashion line: Walmart (WMT), the worlds largest retailer, is looking to boost its apparel sales by teaming up with TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres to launch a new womens fashion line. Called EV1, a play on the word everyone, the new line is inspired by inclusiveness, offering a range of size options. [Yahoo Finance]

For more of the latest news, go to Yahoo Finance

Former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in New York. Manigault Newman declared she will not be silenced by President Donald Trump, remaining defiant as her public feud with her former boss shifted from a war of words to a possible legal battle. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Yahoo Finance Originals

Both political parties are rejecting capitalism

Musks plan to take Tesla private may be hurt by a bill just signed by Trump

Hurricane predictions signal good news for your gas tank

The 25 top-paying jobs in America, according to Glassdoor



Like what you just read? Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. And feel free to share it with a friend!

The Morning Brief provides a quick rundown on what to watch in the markets, top news stories, and the best of Yahoo Finance Originals.Oil prices fell on Wednesday

Investing.com - Oil prices fell on Wednesday after data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed increased U.S. crude inventories in the week to Aug 10.

Brent Oil Futures for October delivery went down 0.2% to $72.33 per barrel at 13:00AM ET (5:00 GMT), while Crude Oil WTI Futures for September delivery also edged downwards by 0.4% to $66.78 per barrel.

U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly rose by 3.7 million barrels in the week to Aug. 10, to 410.8 million barrels, the API said, adding that crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub also jumped 1.6 million barrels.

The overall build of 3.66 million really did catch the market by surprise, said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at Price Futures Group Inc. in Chicago. The build in Cushing, Oklahoma is raising concerns that maybe demand is softening just a little bit.

The Energy Information Administration will release official U.S. fuel inventory data later in the day.

Trade tensions between the U.S. and China has been cited as headwind for global energy demand.

Analysts believe the tariff war between the two nations is likely to become more intense in the coming months. Given China is one of the major consumer of global oil, a weaker economy could potentially hamper its demand for crude oil and push oil prices down.

OPEC, in its monthly report Monday, said its member production for July (from secondary sources) rose 41,000 bpd to 32.32 million bpd, led by increases in Nigeria, Kuwait, Iraq and UAE. This was partially offset, however, by decreases in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Libya and Venezuela.

The rise in OPEC production comes just a few months after the oil cartel agreed to ease curbs on output restrictions, which had been put in place by the production-cut pact in November 2016 to rid excess crude supplies from the market.

OPEC agreed in June to raise output at a nominal increase of 1 million barrels a day (bpd) in an effort to stabilize oil prices and ease the threat of a global supply deficit amid expectations for a drop in Iranian exports.

Story continues

Related Articles

Gold Prices Pull Back as Demand for Dollar Goes Up Amid Turkish Worries

Oil dips on rising U.S. crude inventories, darkening economic outlook

Nine hurt as Denver gas explosion levels residential buildingChina is "definitely a target" for Ripple, Jeremy Light, the firm's VP of EU strategic accounts, told CNBC.

Among Ripple's clients is the Hong Kong-based financial services firm LianLian International.

Ripple's focus on China would unlikely be on advancing the adoption of its cryptocurrency.

Ripple is targeting the Chinese market with its distributed ledger technology designed to speed up cross-border payments, an executive at the firm told CNBC.

"China is definitely of interest, it is definitely a target," Jeremy Light, vice president of European Union strategic accounts at Ripple, told CNBC in a phone interview. "China is definitely a country and region of interest."

Earlier this year, the blockchain company struck a deal with Hong Kong-based financial services firm LianLian International, aimed at powering the latter's cross-border transactions between China, the U.S. and Europe. It is not clear whether Ripple's technology is being deployed by LianLian yet.

Blockchain , also known as distributed ledger, is the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. It records transactions across multiple locations, rather than one centralized server. Ripple's distributed ledger technology is different to bitcoin's, however, as transactions are validated by a network of independent servers  owned by banks, retailers and traders  rather than the "miners" that validate transactions on bitcoin's public blockchain network.

Ripple's focus on China would unlikely be on advancing the adoption of its cryptocurrency, XRP , as Beijing has clamped down on the trading of virtual currencies. China last year banned initial coin offerings (ICOs) , a controversial means of financial technology start-ups raising funds through the sale of new digital tokens.

Ripple currently has more than 100 financial institutions signed up to its network, including Santander SAN-ES , UniCredit UCG-IT , UBS UBSG-CH and Standard Chartered STAN-GB . But with just one Chinese client, the firm has a long way to go before making waves in the country. China is home to a number of large fintech (financial technology) firms, with payment apps like Ant Financial's BABA Alipay and Tencent's 700-HK WeChat Pay proving popular with Chinese consumers.

Story continues

Elsewhere in Asia, Ripple has created an app called Money Tap in Japan, in partnership with 61 domestic lenders. The app is designed to allow banks to settle round-the-clock payments in the country.

Most banks and financial firms are uninterested in the cryptocurrency side of Ripple's offering, however. Ripple is mostly known for its digital token, which is used to essentially bridge payments from one currency to another.

Instead, lenders have sealed deals with the start-up to use its xCurrent product, which is aimed at settling payments instantly around the world.

Ripple's xRapid platform meanwhile  where XRP is used  has seen interest from money transfer firms including MoneyGram and Western Union. Both uses of the cryptocurrency are in trial phase rather than commercial deployment.

But there are fears the volatility of cryptocurrencies could inhibit Ripple's XRP from seeing mainstream adoption with banks and other financial institutions. Ripple saw its cryptocurrency soar to unprecedented levels last year, notching a record high of $3.81  and a market value of $147 billion  on January 4, according industry website CoinMarketCap. It has since receded to just 29 cents, a decrease of more than 90 percent.





More From CNBC

OPEC's oil output ticked up by 41,000 barrels per day to 32.3 million bpd in July.

Top exporter Saudi Arabia's production fell just one month after it reached an agreement with OPEC and other producers to hike output.

The monthly production figure the Saudis reported was about 150,000 bpd lower than an estimate by independent sources.

OPEC's oil production ticked higher in July, but cuts by top exporter Saudi Arabia weighed on the 15-member group's output just one month after it agreed to start pumping more crude.

The Saudis throttled back drilling last month after agreeing with OPEC , Russia and several other producers to put more barrels on the market in June. The kingdom is facing pressure from big oil consuming nations like China and India, as well as the Trump administration, to tamp down fuel costs ahead of the renewal of U.S. sanctions on Iran , OPEC's third biggest producer.

President Donald Trump is aiming to cut Iran's oil exports to zero by November, a policy that threatens to leave the world short of oil and boost prices at the pump if OPEC and Russia cannot fill the gap. A group of two dozen oil-producing nations has been limiting its production since January 2017 in order to drain oversupply, but has scaled back that policy in light of the Iranian sanctions and output declines in places like Venezuela and Angola.

"Compared to a year earlier, there has been an overall improvement in crude oil prices in 2018," OPEC said in its monthly report. "At the same time, product prices have generally followed the upward trajectory of crude oil prices."

In another twist for the market, OPEC's latest report shows a significant discrepancy between July production figures provided by Saudi Arabia and data compiled by independent sources. While the kingdom says it cut output by about 200,000 barrels per day, an average of estimates from several outside sources puts the drop at nearly 53,000 bpd.

Story continues

Saudi Arabia had telegraphed the drop prior to the release of the report. However, S&P Global Platts and the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated the Saudis actually hiked output to 10.6 million bpd in July, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. According to the Journal, the Saudis asked several sources whose estimates underpin the independent figure to make an adjustment for July, but Platts stuck by its analysis.

The Saudis face the challenge of managing the oil market so that prices do not rise high enough to hurt demand or upset allies like Trump, but do not fall so low that they put stress on the kingdom's finances.

Saudi Arabia is trying to keep oil prices around $80 a barrel, analysts say, and a drop in Saudi production tends to boost prices. U.S. crude ended last week below $68, while international benchmark Brent crude settled under $73.

The drop in production from Saudi Arabia comes after the kingdom hiked output by more than 400,000 bpd in June.

The entire OPEC group saw its output jump by nearly 41,000 bpd in July to 32.3 million bpd, according to independent figures cited by the group in its monthly report.

Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, two of the only OPEC nations with spare capacity, contributed the biggest and third-largest increases, respectively. Africa's top producer, Nigeria, rounded out the top three largest increases for the month, while Iraq also pumped more.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, independent sources also reported declines of about 50,000 bpd from Iran, Libya and Venezuela.

Looking forward, OPEC increased its forecast for oil production from countries outside the group for this year and next.

It now expects those countries to pump 59.6 million bpd in 2018, up 73,000 bpd from its last estimate. In 2019, it sees non-OPEC producers pumping nearly 61.8 million bpd, or 106,000 bpd more than previously expected. Both adjustments were due to OPEC's view that China will pump more than previously anticipated in both years.

Meanwhile, the cartel knocked down its outlook for growth in global oil demand by a moderate 20,000 bpd for both 2018 and 2019. However, the world is still expected to consume a record 98.8 million bpd this year, while demand is projected to top 100 million bpd for the first time next year.

That will leave the world with less demand for OPEC's oil. This year, oil buyers will need about 600,000 fewer bpd from OPEC than it consumed in 2017. Demand for OPEC's oil is set to drop by another 800,000 bpd in 2019, according to the group.





More From CNBC

Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman reportedly states in her book that she was offered a monthly salary of $15,000 for signing a nondisclosure agreement. Finance records obtained by ABC News appear to back this claim.

According to the network, federal election filings show a number of former Trump aides have received monthly payments of around $15,000. The money comes from either the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, or the America First PAC, but its not clear if the payments are in exchange for the former aides silence.

Those receiving paymentseither directly or through firms they manageinclude former director of Oval Office operations Keith Schiller, former personal assistant to the president John McEntee, former digital media director of the Trump campaign Brad Parscale, and former director of advertising for the Trump campaign Gary Coby, ABC reports. The salaries are listed for security services, payroll, digital consulting [and] management consulting, and media services [and] consulting, respectively.

The White House has not responded to the claims of hush money, although Trump has publicly attacked Manigault-Newman after tweeting she, too, signed an NDA, a statement she denies.

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, told ABC earlier this week that NDAs are standard practice for any workplace, Politico reports. Thats not hush money, she said. But Manigault-Newman says she was offered a salary for a job that required no workonly her signature on an NDA.

The Washington Post obtained copies of Trumps NDAs and reported they have breathtakingly broad prohibitions, forbidding signers from publicly criticizing Trump, his family, or his business affiliations.

These NDAs may not be legally enforceable for public servants, however, as federal employees must report to Congress and answer inquiries by federal agencies, The New York Times reports. Theyre also supported by strong whistle-blower protections if they choose to speak out.529 plans

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the price of college tuition increased by 63% from 2006 to 2016. Over that same time period, the median household income in the United States increased by only 19%. This makes college more expensive than ever for the average family. However, there are efficient ways that you can save for your childrens education. One example is through 529 plans. These are tax-advantaged savings plans designed to help people save money for schooling. Every state has its own plan or set of plans, but they are all a little different and vary in popularity. For example, some are actively managed, utilizing a financial advisors technical skills, while others have lower fees and are passively managed.

Below we look at data on state 529 plans to find which states utilize their 529 plans the most. To do this, we compare the number of 529 plans to the local population and the average account value to the average household income. Check out our data and methodology section below to see where we got our data and how we put it together to create the final rankings.

Key Findings

Wide range in 529 plan utilization  Some states have very popular 529 plans. Others do not. For example, New Hampshire has 2.2 open accounts for every resident under the age of 20. Illinois 529 plans are used with less frequency. There are only 0.12 accounts for every resident under the age of 20 in Illinois.

Similar levels of investment  While the number of accounts differs widely by state, the level of investment is fairly consistent. Tennessee residents invest the least. They have an average 529 account value equal to just 16% of the states median household income. South Dakota residents invest the most with an average account value of 69% of median household income.

529 plans

1. Maine

Maine takes the top spot as the state making the most out of their 529 plans. The 529 plans in Maine are called the NextGen College Investing Plans. The NextGen College Investing Plan  Select is more popular than the NextGen College Investing Plan  Direct, with 252,929 open accounts for the Select plan compared to 101,880 open accounts for the Direct plan. Across the two plans, the average account has a value of less than $28,000. That is nearly half of the annual income for the average Maine household. In total, Maine ranks in the top five for both of our metrics.

Story continues

2. Nevada

Nevada also ranks in the top five for both of our metrics but falls just short of the top spot. There are more open 529 accounts in Nevada than there are residents under age 20 . Only four other states can make that claim. Nevada 529 plans also stand out for their variety. There are five different 529 college savings plans available. Most states have two. The value of the average 529 account in Nevada is equal to more than six months worth of income for the average Nevada household. Thats the fourth-highest value in our study.

3. Utah

When we control for household income, Utah ranks second for average 529 account value. Only South Dakota invests as much as Utah residents. The average 529 account in Utah has $34,700 under management. However, given that Utah also has a pretty high median household income, its not surprising that residents can invest in their 529 plans.

4. West Virginia

West Virginia takes fourth. This state has one 529 account for every 3.5 students, the ninth-highest rate in our study. In terms of value, the average 529 account balance in West Virginia equals just under six months worth of income for the average West Virginia household. That is the sixth most in our study.

5. Rhode Island

Coming in fifth is Rhode Island. The Ocean State offers two Rhode Island College Bound plans. Across the two options, there are around 338,000 open accounts, with a combined $7.9 billion in assets. Comparing those two figures to local data, we see that there is about one open 529 account per resident under age 20. The average account has a value equal to 42% of the median Rhode Island household income.

6. (tie) New Hampshire

New Hampshire comes in tied with three other states for sixth in our ranking. The Granite State is one of the most popular states in which to open a 529 account. According to our research, there are more than 2.2 accounts per resident under 20 years old. New Hampshire ranks first in our study for that metric. However, the state falls a bit short on our other metric. The average 529 account has a value equal to just 36% of the median household income in New Hampshire.

6. (tie) New York

New York offers two different 529 plans: a direct plan and an advisor plan. There are about one million New York 529 plan accounts in total. Those accounts have a total value estimated at $28.2 billion. Dividing account value by the number of accounts, we see that the average 529 account has an estimated value of $28,180. That is roughly 44% of the New York median household income.

6. (tie) Virginia

Virginia is the third of the three states tied for sixth. Our data suggests that most parents invest with Virginias 529 college savings plans. The state has 1.24 accounts open per resident under age 20. Thats a top-three rate. However, judging by household income data, Virginia parents still dont save as much as parents in other states. Virginia ranks 19th in the average value of 529 accounts.

9. South Dakota

The Mount Rushmore State takes ninth. The 529 plans in South Dakota are simply not as popular as in other states. Our data shows that there are 29,337 accounts in the South Dakota College Access 529 Plan. Those accounts are worth a combined $1.1 billion. That means the average 529 plan has a value of $37,500, one of the highest values in our study. In fact, when you control for household income, South Dakota ranks first in average value of 529 accounts.

10. (tie) Alaska

Alaska comes in tied for 10th with New Mexico. The state has three different 529 plan types with the John Hancock Freedom 529 plan being the most popular. Between the three plans, Alaska has about 306,700 accounts with combined assets of $8.3 billion. Overall, Alaska ranks second in the number of accounts per resident under the age of 20. The state ranks 23rd for average 529 account value as a percent of household income.

10. (tie) New Mexico

Rounding out our list is New Mexico. New Mexico has two 529 plans: the Scholars Edge and The Education Plan. Between the two plans, Scholars Edge is more popular with around four times as many accounts and total assets. Overall, New Mexico ranks in the top 15 in both of our metrics. The state has one 529 account open for every four residents under age 20. The average account value is 41% of the states median household income.

529 plans

Data and Methodology

In order to find the states which use their 529 plans the most, we looked at data for 49 states and Washington D.C. (Wyoming doesnt sponsor any 529 plans.) Specifically, we ranked them across the following two metrics:

529 Accounts per Resident Under Age 20. This is the number of open 529 accounts in each state divided by the number of residents under the age of 20. Data on 529 plans comes from the College Savings Plan Network and is for 2017. The number of under-20 residents comes from the Census Bureau 2016 1-year American Community Survey.

Average 529 Account Value Relative to Income. This is the average value of 529 plans divided by the median household income in each state. Data on the average value of 529 plans comes from the College Savings Plan Network and is for 2017. Median household income comes from the Census Bureau 2016 1-year American Community Survey.

To create our final rankings, we first ranked each state in each metric. We then averaged the two rankings for each state, giving equal weight to each metric. Using that average ranking, we created our final score. The state with the best average ranking received a score of 100. The state with the worst average ranking received a score of 0.

Tips for Saving for College

Check out your states 529 plan  Like saving for retirement, there are tax-advantaged mechanisms for saving for education. For example, many states allow you to deduct contributions to a 529 plan from your state income taxes. Contribution limits vary by state so make sure to check the 529 contribution limits for your state. Limits generally range from $235,000 up to $500,000.

Get an experts opinion  When you make a big life decision like buying a home or saving money for your kids college, make sure you have the best information and advice at your disposal. A financial advisor can help you navigate lifes big decisions and balance college, home ownership and retirement. If you are not sure how to find an advisor, check out SmartAssets financial advisor matching tool. It will match you with up to three local financial advisors who fit your specific requirements.

Questions about our study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com.

Photo credit: iStock.com/Tashi-Delek

The post States That Use Their 529 Plans the Most appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

Related Articles:Charles Harder, the lawyer who represented Hulk Hogan in a successful lawsuit against Gawker that pushed the set of media sites into bankruptcy, has been hired by President Donald Trump in an arbitration fight with former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman.

Manigault Newman has made a number of claims in media appearances and in her new book, Unhinged, about the president making racist statements. She alleges tapes existand she has heard oneof him using the N-word racial epithet.

Trump denies any tape exists, and said he doesnt use the N-word. The people that Manigault Newman said had played her the tape or had knowledge of it denied it. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, however, that she couldnt guarantee that no such tape exists, but that shed never heard such a recording.

The presidents demand for arbitration is based on a confidentiality agreement that the Trump campaign states Manigault Newman signed with the organization covering her work on the 2016 campaign. Manigault Newmans attorney said she hadnt see any legal action filed as of earlier today and had no comment, according to NBC News.

Harder already represents Trump in California, where Stormy Daniels, the adult-movie actor, has sued him to nullify a non-disclosure agreement.

Harder has become widely known in recent years for suits brought by clients including Terry Bollea, known as Hulk Hogan, and Shiva Ayyadurai (an inventor who claims he invented email) against Gawker Media, the remains of which were sold to a division of Univision; Melania Trump, in a defamation lawsuit about the Daily Mails claim that she had worked for an escort service (settled); and Ayyadurai against TechDirt, who alleged the digital policy editorial site had defamed him (dismissed, but being appealed).

After a jury found against Gawker, news emerged that billionaire Peter Thiel had helped fund Bolleas lawsuit.An AT&T logo is pictured in Pasadena, California, U.S., January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. entrepreneur and cryptocurrency investor Michael Terpin filed a $224 million lawsuit on Wednesday against telecommunications company AT&T (T.N), accusing it of fraud and gross negligence in connection with the theft of digital currency tokens from his personal account.

In a 69-page complaint filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Terpin alleged that on January 7, 2018, the tokens were stolen from him through what he alleged was a "digital identity theft" of his cellphone account. In the complaint, he said AT&T was his service provider.

In an emailed response, an AT&T spokesman said: "We dispute these allegations and look forward to presenting our case in court."

At the time of the theft, the three million stolen tokens were worth $23.8 million, the complaint said. Terpin is also seeking $200 million in punitive damages.

The complaint said that AT&T had been previously contacted by law enforcement authorities about such frauds.

Cryptocurrencies have a market capitalization of about $200 billion, according to data from virtual coin tracker coinmarketcap.com. Nine years after bitcoin came into existence, the market has seen the emergence of more than 1,800 digital currencies.

Terpin, represented by Los Angeles litigation firm Greenberg Glusker, claimed in the lawsuit that after the theft of the digital currency, his cellphone account was transferred to an international criminal gang.

Terpin co-founded the first angel group for bitcoin investors, BitAngels, in early 2013, and the first digital currency fund, the BitAngels/Dapps Fund, in March 2014. He is a senior advisor to Alphabit Fund, one of the world's largest digital currency hedge funds.

The complaint claimed that the theft of the tokens occurred through what is called a SIM swap fraud. SIM stands for subscriber identification module, and SIM cards are used to authenticate subscribers on mobile phones.

SIM swapping consists of tricking a provider into transferring a subscriber's phone number to a SIM card controlled by someone else. Once that person gets the phone number, it can be used to reset the subscriber's passwords and access online accounts.

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Nick Zieminski)Most miners across Pakistan come from a picturesque northwestern region where almost everyone knows someone who has worked in dangerous conditions with little protection or assistance.

Many families in Shangla, an impoverished mountainous district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, have lost loved ones to mining accidents, while others struggle to look after those who were injured or who suffer from diseases caused by harsh working conditions.

Ebadullah Khan, an activist in Shangla, says hundreds of people from the district are killed in mining accidents across Pakistan every year.

Almost every week, someone from Shangla is killed or injured in a mining accident, he told Radio Mashaal. Every year, thats between 300 and 350 people [from Shangla] who are killed in such mishaps.

Just this week, Shangla received several dead bodies as rescuers recovered 14 miners who had been trapped in a coal mine in the southwestern province of Balochistan, where many Shangla residents work in coal and chromite mines. In May, more than 20 Shangla residents were killed in another accident near Quetta, Balochistans capital.

Alibash Khan, another activist, says the Alpuri part of Shangla has suffered most, with graveyards in some villages exclusively filled by young men killed in mines.

Every third family has lost at least one member to a mining accident, he told Radio Mashaal. Many more are trying to look after family members who have damaged their spines or contracted debilitating diseases while working in mines. Their condition is truly heart-wrenching.

Hafiz Ullah was only 13 when he first began working in a coal mine. His mother stopped him from working after he lost his father and brother in a recent mining incident.

My mother is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Although we are very poor, she forces me to stay at home, he told Radio Mashaal. My brother was only 22 when he was killed in a mining accident.

Hussain Ali, a 28-year-old father of two, is bedridden after a mining accident damaged his spine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Cherat district in 2016. He says the lure of better wages attracted him to mining.

Working in mining is like inviting certain death, but poor people are drawn by the promise of a bit more money, he said.

According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labor Federation, nearly 200 workers die each year in coal mining accidents alone. Many are simply buried whenever mines collapse. Poisonous gases, explosives, coal dust, and malfunctioning equipment cause additional deaths, diseases, and injuries. Poor working conditions, lax safety regulations, and little oversight contribute to accidents at all kinds of mines.

Studies by the Pakistani government and the United Nations have cited Shangla as one of the poorest regions in the country, with a majority of its 750,000 residents considered living below the poverty level.

Tashfeen Haider, the deputy commissioner or senior civilian administrator of Shangla, says the authorities are now working on ways to reduce the regions dependence on mining.

We are trying to utilize government and nongovernmental resources to create jobs in Shangla so that we can prevent its residents from flocking to mining, he told Radio Mashaal.As the United States reinstates crippling economic sanctions on Iran, Washington's ally in the region, Afghanistan, could become collateral damage.

A first wave of U.S. sanctions against Iran that had been eased under a 2015 nuclear deal went back into effect on August 7, targeting the country's economy.

But Washington's censures of Tehran will also hurt Afghanistan, which has forged increasingly strong economic links with its western neighbor.

As Iran's financial woes worsen, an exodus of Afghan migrant workers is expected and an economy in Afghanistan that relies on remittances flowing in from Iran will suffer.

The new U.S. sanctions could also lead to landlocked Afghanistan losing access to Iran's sea routes and a budding trade could be scaled back.

Analysts also warn that Iran could retaliate to U.S. sanctions by ramping up its covert support for the Afghan Taliban, the militant group that has fought against U.S. forces since 2001.

"Afghanistan is at risk of becoming an unintended casualty of heightening tensions between Washington and Tehran," says Ahmad Majidyar, the director of the IranObserved Project at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

In May, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal that eased international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. A second wave of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector and financial system will be reinstated in November.

'Significant Decline' In Economy

A record 440,000 Afghans migrants left Iran this year, with nearly half of them returning to their homeland voluntarily, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The IOM says the mass exodus has been largely driven by Iran's crippling economic crisis, which has sent unemployment soaring and the national currency plummeting, hitting migrant workers particularly hard.

The demand for work in the informal economy, where most Afghans are active, has declined sharply. Iran's currency, the rial, has weakened against the afghani and is at record lows against the U.S. dollar, which is widely used in Afghanistan.

"As all Afghans [living in Iran] typically send home the main parts of their earnings in the form of monthly remittances, the Afghan economy itself will suffer direct and immediate effects," says Nick Bishop, emergency-response officer for IOM Afghanistan.

Afghanistan suffers from around 40 percent unemployment, is heavily dependent on dwindling foreign aid, and is in the midst of the worst drought in decades. Humanitarian groups say the returnees from Iran, should they stay, could exacerbate the problems Afghanistan is facing.

"[There will be] less money coming from working males who are instead returning home to [Afghanistan] to few jobs, combined with an ongoing drought and resource competition with other returnees will mean a significant decline in the economy, worsening impacts of the drought linked to migration, and potentially the conflict itself," Bishop adds.

'Undercut Regional Connectivity'

Pakistan has historically been Afghanistan's biggest trading partner but Iran has now taken its place. Afghanistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industries said in March that trade between the two countries in the past year amounted to nearly $2 billion, an almost 30 percent increase from the previous year. In comparison, trade with Pakistan amounted to $1.2 billion.

Afghanistan's economic future is also linked with Tehran via Iran's Chabahar port complex, a project that is part of a new transportation corridor for Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on rival Pakistan, its neighbor to the east.

The project is a key part of developing the Afghan economy, a major goal of the U.S. strategy to end the United States' longest war.

But the project could be derailed by U.S. sanctions. "The return of U.S. sanctions on Iran undercut Afghanistan's regional-connectivity ambitions, as the sanctions make it harder for India to develop Iran's Chabahar port," analyst Majidyar says.

Afghanistan has applied for a sanctions waiver for Chabahar, but Washington has yet to make a final decision.

Washington has indicated that it would not sabotage the Chabahar port project. The Pentagon and the U.S. State Department have encouraged India to use Chabahar to increase its investments in Afghanistan.

"But as U.S. sanctions on Iran are reinstated, many Indian and international companies would be reluctant to be involved in the project, fearing U.S. secondary sanctions," Majidyar adds.

Those secondary sanctions include existing U.S. sanctions linked to Iran's human rights record, alleged support for terrorism, and its ballistic-missile program that forbid U.S. and foreign companies from doing most forms of business with Tehran. Secondary sanctions could leave big banks and multinational companies worried they could still be prosecuted for doing business in Iran.

'Covert Support For Taliban'

Analysts also warn that U.S. sanctions on Iran could have security ramifications for Afghanistan. "The big risk for Afghanistan of U.S. sanctions on Iran is that Tehran could retaliate by ramping up its covert support for the Taliban," says Michael Kugelman, South Asia associate at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.

Iran has been long been accused of providing support to the Taliban, an allegation it denies. Tehran has confirmed it has contacts with the Taliban but insists that it is aimed at ensuring the safety of its citizens in Afghanistan and encouraging the Taliban to join peace talks.

"Iran has already provided small arms and other support to the insurgents, and the sanctions regime could give it a powerful incentive to increase that support in an effort to strengthen Washington's enemy," Kugelman adds.

Rising support from a powerful regional actor would be a blow to Kabul and Washington, who are trying to convince the Taliban to agree to a negotiated end to the 17-year-long war.Colorado Springs ranks as the nations fourth-friendliest city for small business, says the seventh annual survey released Tuesday by Thumbtack.com, a San Francisco-based online consumer service.

Its the latest in a series of accolades the city has received from national publications, news organizations and web-based services. Last month, U.S. News & World Report ranked Colorado Springs as the nations most desirable place to live, and this year it listed Colorado Springs as No. 2 among best places to live.

In Thumbtack.coms 2018 survey, Colorado Springs No. 4 ranking out of 57 cities was a marked improvement from last year, when it ranked No. 37 out of 80 metro areas. The Springs also received an overall grade of A+ this year, up from a B in 2017.

This year, Thumbtack.com ranked cities and states in nine areas of performance based on 7,629 responses from small-business owners and operators across the country, though only 32 respondents were from Colorado Springs.

The survey, conducted June 4 through July 16, is voluntary and unscientific. Business owners and operators who use Thumbtack.coms website are provided a link asking them to take the survey. Thumbtack.com helps match consumers with small-business professionals who market hundreds of auto, home and other services.

The citys high marks this year resulted from providing a more welcoming environment for small businesses, said Mayor John Suthers.

A few years ago, the City Council agreed to phase out the citys personal property tax on business equipment and machinery, which was paid by small manufacturers and companies of that size, Suthers said.

We were getting $2 million in revenue, and it was pretty tough to explain to businesses here (that were) thinking about expanding and businesses thinking about moving here, Suthers said. Frankly, it wasnt worth the $2 million in revenue.

He also credited the citys Rapid Response Program  started under former Mayor Steve Bach  for assisting businesses and expediting their regulatory hurdles.

In general, Suthers said, small businesses also are in a better frame of mind because of a stronger economy.

Ive just got to believe that when the economy gets better, small businesses feel better about things, he said.

Colorado Springs has seen its ranking go up and down over the years in the Thumbtack.com survey. In 2014, the city ranked No. 1 nationally, but it dropped to No. 29 the next year, and later to No. 37 before rebounding this year.

In addition to its overall A+ grade this year, Colorado Springs received grades of A and A- in employment, labor and hiring regulations; tax regulations; licensing regulations; and training and networking programs. The city earned Bs for its ease of hiring and overall regulations. It received a C+ in the ease of starting a business. Government websites, however, got an F  a grade shared by 34 other cities in this years survey.

Generally speaking, Colorado Springs has a lot to be happy with, with regard to how small-business owners are feeling, said Lucas Puente, Thumbtack.coms lead economist.

The Texas cities of Fort Worth and San Antonio ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in this years Thumbtack.com survey, followed by Columbus, Ohio, Colorado Springs and Jacksonville, Fla. The cities all received grades of A+. The bottom five cities, which all received F grades, were San Francisco, Honolulu, and Anaheim, San Diego and Riverside, Calif.

Denver  the only other Colorado city in this years Thumbtack.com survey  ranked No. 41 and received an overall grade of C-.5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church, 2215 Paseo Road; free admission, tickets sold at entry for food and goods. amgoc.org

My whole life, people have asked me what opa! means, Iakovos Topakas said. I tell them there is no literal translation, its just an expression of joy.

Plenty of opa! will be heard this weekend during the 20th annual Colorado Springs Greek Festival, hosted by Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church on the church grounds.

Topakas, president of the churchs parish council, runs the food booth  a fitting job, he says, for someone who also owns Jake & Tellys Greek Taverna in Old Colorado City.

He said his restaurant and the Greek festival have grown as the Colorado Springs community has become more acquainted with Greek culture, food and tradition.

The Greek community, culture and tradition was kind of new to Colorado 20 years ago, Topakas said. In New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, it was there for a longer time. As you get more inland, it took longer for people to catch on to what the Greek culture was about, or to become familiar with it and educated about it.

Now the festival continues to grow and reels many locals back year after year. One of the most popular attractions is the traditional Greek dancing, Topakas said.

Theyre a youth group of all different ages that comes down from Denver, he said. Theyre dressed in the old ancient uniform. Its called the evzone. Thats the Greek word for the soldiers.

The dancers will perform four shows Saturday and two shows Sunday. Hot food and packaged food will be sold all weekend, along with Greek art, wine and goods. Tours of the church will be offered during the festival by the Rev. Dennis Schutte, the parish priest.

The event is the biggest fundraiser for the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church, but a percentage of proceeds also is donated to charity.

This year, proceeds will go to military charity Team Red, White & Blue, which benefits veterans through social and physical community activities, and to Tennyson Center for Children, which provides a spiritual therapy program for abused and neglected children.

Most of Colorado Springs Greek community belongs to the church and works the event, Topakas said, so many of the guests are people who want to learn about and enjoy Greek customs and culture.

Most of all, the festival allows people to enjoy time with parea, which Topakas said is his favorite Greek word.

Your parea is your people, your friends and the people you hang out with, he said.

It can also be used as a noun, Go and enjoy some parea. Meaning, Im going to go sit down and take a break and drink ouzo and eat some souvlaki and enjoy music and sit with my friends and have some parea.

Haley Witt, The Gazette

haley.witt@gazette.comIf youre an omnivore, you might be among the many consumers increasingly concerned about their meat, Colorado beef retailers say.

Many consumers are turning their trust over to local suppliers, said Brad Buchanan, owner of the Flying B Bar Ranch, which produces grass-fed beef in Strasburg.

Weve seen a real increase the last few years in terms of the information that families want about the food they put on their table, Buchanan said. Our business has been increasing year over year for the last 12 years.

Flying B Bar Ranch serves 500 to 600 direct customers a year and sells to restaurants and stores in Denver. He said customers are attracted to the meat freshness, no added hormones or antibiotics, supporting local business, making a smaller environmental footprint and ensured animal welfare.

Dave Anderson, general manager at Ranch Foods Direct, said he was hooked on local meat as a customer before he joined the business.

The most important thing, from my point of view, is that if you buy something from someone who produces something in southeastern Colorado, the money stays here, Anderson said.

Ranch Foods Direct raises and slaughters cattle 200 miles from Colorado Springs in St. Francis, Kan., and imports the meat directly to its store on Fillmore Street in Colorado Springs. It also supplies to local restaurants such as Cafe Red Point and Drifters Hamburgers.

Ranch Foods Direct also boasts no antibiotics, no hormones and humane handling of cattle for its grain-finished beef.

The most significant difference between Anderson and Buchanans products is what the cattle are fed.

All cattle start life feeding on grass, but some ranchers switch to feeding them grain toward the end of their lives. Buchanans cattle continue to be fed grass  a difference he says has consumer health benefits.

There are significant health benefits, Buchanan said. Significantly higher omega-3 and omega-6 in the beef, higher vitamin levels and actually cancer-fighting agents in the beef.

Buchanan warned that some grass-fed beef sold in grocery stores is imported from Argentina and Australia, and local grass-fed beef is best.

Andersons cows are grain-finished. They feed primarily on non-GMO barley, with regular harvests that keep his customers supplied.

If youve ever seen a grass-fed steer, it doesnt have any marbling or intermuscular fat because it doesnt get very much nutrition, Anderson said. Right now, I can tell you, because of the lack of rain, the grass-feeding cattle ranchers will be doing a lot of slaughtering very soon because theyre running out of grass. There isnt any grass anywhere these days.

The prices depend on where you shop.

If you buy beef from Flying B Bar Ranch, some cuts are cheaper than they would be at King Soopers or Safeway, but you have to order in bulk, Buchanan said.

Theyre buying half a beef at a time, and for some folks, its harder to do that, he said.

If you dont have the freezer space for half a cow, you might find better luck at a store such as Ranch Foods Direct, where you can buy in smaller quantities at prices competitive with specialty retailers such as Whole Foods.

It might be more convenient for shoppers to pick up beef with the rest of their groceries, but Anderson said hes confident his product is worthwhile.

If you go to Whole Foods and you buy a steak, and you want to do a comparison  I would urge people to do that  you will find a difference. Theyre different visually, and theres certainly a difference in the taste, he said.

But as consumer priorities have started to shift, mainstream stores are trying to keep up.

In 2008, Whole Foods wanted to provide customers with a label that certified animal welfare, and the Global Animal Partnership was born.

More producers are getting on board with welfare standards and wanting to have a certification label on their products, said Libba Letton, a spokeswoman for Global Animal Partnership.

The organization is building partnerships with farmers, ranchers, producers, manufacturers, food service companies and restaurants to improve the quality of life for livestock and farm animals.

The cost of more ethically produced meat is still the biggest obstacle for consumers though, Anderson said.

Theres been consistent erosion in earning power for a generation, he said. So people end up defaulting, not necessarily just to cheaper meat, but to cheaper everything to fill the belly and to keep going.

Despite economic deterrents, local suppliers such as Ranch Foods Direct and Flying B Bar Ranch continue to serve dedicated customers young and old.

The unifying customer demographic is care, Anderson said.

I think if you asked 10 people you would get at least seven different answers, Anderson said. The demographic is just people who care about where their food comes from.Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis receives military honors before his meeting with Brazils defense minister in Brasilia on Monday.DENVER  Jack Phillips, whose refusal to make a custom wedding cake for a gay couple went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, is back in the news with another discrimination complaint filed against the Lakewood baker.

And Phillips and his attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom have returned fire with a lawsuit in federal court that claims the state of Colorado is engaged in unconstitutional bullying.

The latest claim against Phillips stems from his refusal in June 2017 to make a cake for a transgender woman, Autumn Scardina.

Scardina, a family law attorney, asked for a birthday cake last year that was pink on the inside and blue on the outside, which she said would celebrate her birthday as well as seven years since she transitioned from male to female.

According to a complaint filed July 20, 2017, with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, a female employee at Phillips Masterpiece Cakeshop said they would not make the cake as they did not believe in celebrating gender changes based on religious beliefs and hung up on Scardina. She called back and allegedly was hung up on again.

Scardina said the employee did not object to making the birthday cake until Scardina told her the cake was intended to celebrate her birthday and the gender transition.

In a decision June 28, the Division of Civil Rights found that the cake shop had discriminated against Scardina, based on the states public accommodation law, which says that a retailer must serve everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, religion, race and a host of other protected characteristics.

That was a few weeks after the Supreme Court ruled on June 4 in Phillips favor after he refused in 2012 to make a custom wedding cake for two gay men, Charlie Craig and David Mullins. That case also went through state civil rights officials.

In that case, the state Civil Rights Commission said that Phillips refusal violated the law. The Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the determination; the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

But the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling that said the Civil Rights Commissions consideration of this case was inconsistent with the states obligation of religious neutrality. The justices stopped short of a sweeping declaration about whether theres a right to discriminate based on religious beliefs.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Phillips in the Supreme Court case for the previous complaint, is now suing the Hickenlooper administration, the Division of Civil Rights and the Colorado Civil Rights Commission in federal court over the Scardina matter.

The lawsuit claims Colorado has been on a crusade to crush plaintiff Jack Phillips because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith.

The lawsuit also claims that Phillips serves everyone  despite his refusal to create custom cakes for LGBT individuals. The Alliance claimed the state admitted that cake artistsincluding Phillips  are free to decline to create custom cakes with a specific design that they will not make for anyone.

All people  no matter who they are, what they believe, or what protected characteristics they have  are welcome in Phillips shop and may purchase anything available for sale, the lawsuit continued. But as a devout man of faith, Phillips cannot create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in conflict with his religious beliefs.

The lawsuit also claimed the U.S. Supreme Court vindicated Phillips, stating that the court found commission failed to exercise religious neutrality in its decision, which the court said was required by the Colorado Constitution.

Phillips claimed in the lawsuit that during the past year he has fielded calls asking for cakes that celebrate Satan, featuring satanic symbols, depicting sexually explicit materials, and promoting marijuana use. Phillips believes that some of those requests came from the same Colorado lawyer, an apparent reference to Scardina, the lawsuit stated.Four intersections will get red-light cameras in an effort to slow this years high traffic-death rate, Colorado Springs officials have decided.

The cameras will be at the northbound lanes of Academy Boulevard at North Carefree Circle, the southbound lanes of Academy at Dublin Boulevard, the eastbound lanes of East Platte Avenue at Chelton Road, and the westbound lanes of Briargate Boulevard at Lexington Drive.

Colorado Springs residents Patricia Hynek, 31, and Alford Mannix Jr., 48, died in separate motorcycle crashes last weekend near North Carefree Circle and Academy Boulevard.

This is not a money issue. This is a safety issue, folks, Presiding Municipal Judge HayDen Kane II told the City Council on Tuesday. We have 32 deaths already this year within the city. Were probably going to get to 50.

The city had 22 traffic-related deaths at this time last year, said police Lt. Howard Black.

But by years end, the city saw a record 39 traffic fatalities.

Residents opposed red-light cameras installed at four intersections under former Mayor Steve Bach in November 2010. The public distaste, including privacy concerns, led to removal of the devices in 2011.

City officials are ready to try again, though. And contrary to detractors arguments, they say the cameras are meant to bolster safety rather than raise revenue from fines.

Last summer, the Police Department began investigating which intersections would benefit most from the cameras. Preliminary reports showed that many intersections with the highest crash rates sit along Interstate 25.

Black said more information on the choice of cameras will be released later.

Mayor John Suthers said the cameras can have a ripple effect on drivers.

They have a general notion, but they forget exactly which intersection it is, so it has the effect of making people a lot more careful within a radius, Suthers said.

Thats a good thing, said Police Chief Pete Carey.

I want them to say, Maybe we ought to slow down on Platte. Maybe we ought to slow down on Academy, he said.

The cameras should be working by this fall, as the Police Department recently finalized its contract with American Traffic Solutions, and construction is underway, Carey said.

The program is intended to be cost neutral, and six more cameras could be added next year, he said.

Carey suggested the council members brace for opposition, though his department is working to educate the public on traffic dangers.

Were doing a lot of (public service announcements) and things like that on distracted driving, speeding, red light running, he said. Its tough right now, and its getting really bad.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article posted an incorrect intersection for one red light camera location.At a protest in his name Wednesday over public records access, Thomas Villanueva gave the first glimpse of what his life is like since he was paralyzed from the chest down in a shootout six months ago.

He waited in the passenger seat of his familys compact Chevy Cobalt as his father pieced together a wheelchair that barely fit in the trunk. It took both of them to get him into the chair.

Villanueva was shirtless, saying his skin at times is too sensitive to tolerate the feel of fabric. A thick red scar traced his injured spine between his shoulder blades. He discussed in graphic detail his new manual process of using the bathroom. And he had to leave the protest when the pain became too much.

But Villanueva sat outside the coroners office and later the El Paso County Courthouse as long as he could to demonstrate that he deserves to know how and why he was shot, challenging the county coroners request to seal otherwise public autopsy records.

Officers were trying to arrest suspected car thief Manuel Zetina on Feb. 5 when a gunfight erupted in the Murray Hill Apartments parking lot.

Sheriffs Deputy Micah Flick and Zetina were killed, three other officers were injured and Villanueva  an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time  was critically wounded.

I almost died that night, he said. Im trying to walk again, but they say I dont really have a chance to walk again.

His small contingent of supporters held signs saying, Civil servants should offer diplomacy/transparency, Do not seal public records and Justice for the innocent.

We need to know what happened to Thomas, said Villanuevas father, also named Thomas. It just seems like theyre trying to hide something going on.

The coroner says releasing the autopsy records on Flick and Zetina  with details on where they were shot, how many times, the trajectory of bullets and possibly the types of bullets  will harm the public interest and cause additional stress and grief to Flicks family. His widow, Rachael Flick, also opposes release of the records, the request said.

But Villanuevas family says the records might answer lingering questions about how he was shot and by whom, such as whether the bullet that injured him matches those that killed Flick or Zetina.

His father questioned whether the reports also could point to violations or deficiencies in law enforcements policies or protocols, such as conducting arrests in highly populated areas with children and oblivious citizens nearby. Could they lead to changes, he asked, to make sure this doesnt happen again?

They either didnt have the right training or not enough, he said.

There should be protocols in place for the safety of the public as well, said protest organizer and shooting witness Michael DeRossett.

The Gazette and the Colorado Springs Independent have hired legal counsel to fight for the autopsy reports.

The Feb. 5 shooting is being reviewed by the 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office, which will decide whether officers were justified in using deadly force against Zetina. Their reports typically include details on how deadly incidents unfolded and who shot whom.

Those findings could lead to a lawsuit. Villanueva has filed a notice of claim  a precursor to a lawsuit  indicating that if officers are found to have acted inappropriately, he will sue city and county agencies for his serious physical injuries requiring hospitalization and surgeries.

At the time of that filing, Villanuevas attorney, Joseph Ramos, said he didnt know what damages might be sought, but Thomas likely will rack up millions of dollars in medical bills related to his spinal surgery and recovery at Craig Hospital in Denver.

About $30,000 raised through GoFundMe has paid for a powered wheelchair and physical therapy beyond what his insurance covered, Villanueva said. But the account had to be closed because it was going to interfere with his Medicaid.

Meanwhile, costs continue to mount for incidentals, such as the constant supply of rubber gloves his family needs to care for him, DeRossett said.

We want answers so Thomas can move on with his life.

Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 or find her on Twitter: @njKaitlinDurbin.A 41-year-old woman is accused of stabbing her husband in the head several times Tuesday, police said.

Shona Lee Martinez was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault in the stabbing at the couple's southeast Colorado Springs home after an argument, according to police.

The victim was taken to a hospital with severe, but non-life-threatening injuries, investigators said.Loan growth of 12% in the quarter to a net loan balance of NOK 3 212 million

Net interest income of NOK 81.7million, up 19% from Q1 2018 (NOK 68.8 million)

Net profit after tax reached NOK 13.8 million, up 37% from Q1 2018 (NOK 10.0 million)

Successful launch of Monobank's unique and innovative credit card platform, a combined credit card and mobile payment app in late May

Geographical expansion continues; quarterly loan growth mainly driven by Finland

Euro denominated deposits from Germany, Austria, France and Spain through Raisin, a German online deposit platform

The first sale of non-performing loans under the forward flow agreement with debt management company Axactor, took place June 6, supporting capital adequacy ratios

Expected profit after tax in a range of NOK 55 - 60 million for the full year 2018, including negative net effect from investments in the credit card platform roll-out with Widere

Second quarter loans and advances to customers increased by NOK 353 million to NOK 3 298 million excluding provision for loan losses and prepaid agency commissions. Interest income for the quarter was NOK 98.0 million, an increase of 16% compared to previous quarter (84.7). Cost/income ratio was down 4 percentage points compared to last quarter, mainly driven by more efficient marketing spending.

"Monobank had a solid quarter with positive operational development and solid progress on strategic initiatives. Growth in net loans continued at a satisfactory pace driven mainly by strong demand in Finland. The bank handles loans and deposits from an internally developed multi country platform to facilitate efficient and expedient geographical expansion of our core business" said Bent H. Gjendem, Chief Executive Officer at Monobank.

Monobank has built and invested in a technology driven multi country platform and a credit card platform. A key element of Monobank's strategy is to leverage its established position in digital consumer banking to create new revenue streams using the Mono Pay app which is included in the credit card platform. The first partner roll-out is with Scandinavia's largest regional airline Widere, where Monobank will launch a Widere branded credit and loyalty card in September this year.

The bank's multi country platform offers considerable operational synergies and adds strength to the bank's growth platform. The bank's opex is now scaled for further growth, and the board has therefore decided to launch consumer loan business in Sweden in the first quarter 2019. The expansion will further contribute to diversify the business model and regulatory risk exposure.

"Increased focus on efficient use of marketing resources as well as leveraging our distribution platforms to increase operational efficiencies should improve the bank's profitability going forward. For the full year 2018, we expect a profit after tax in a range of NOK 55-60 million. This includes a negative net effect resulting from investments in the roll-out of our card card platform with Widere, in addition to expenses related to the continued development of the Monobank platform", Bent H. Gjendem concludes.

Presentation in Oslo and webcast today Wednesday 15 August at 11:00 AM CEST

The company will host a presentation of the second quarter 2018 results in Oslo today Wednesday 15 August at 11:00 AM CEST at Hotel Continental, Stortingsgata 24, 0117.

The presentation can be followed through live webcast here: www.monobank.no/ir

Presentation in Bergen Thursday 16 August at 08:30 AM CEST

The company will also host a presentation of the second quarter 2018 results in Bergen Thursday 16 August at 08:30 AM CEST at Monobank's headquarter, Telegrafen, Starvhusgaten 4, Entrance: Olav Kyrresgate 3rd floor, Bergen.

Material

The second quarter report and presentation will also be made available on www.monobank.no/ir and www.newsweb.no.

For further information contact:

Bent H. Gjendem, Chief Executive Officer at Monobank, phone: +47 996 11 996

About Monobank

Monobank ASA a is digital bank focused on consumer finance in the Nordics. Monobank is a cloud based bank with strong focus on customer experience and fintech solutions. Monobank is based in Bergen, Norway and started operation in November 2015. The bank has experienced strong growth and went profitable after only three quarters. The bank offers unsecured lending to qualified private individuals in Norway and Finland. The screening process is based on an automated evaluation system. Loans are granted up to NOK 500 000. The bank also offers attractive deposit rates on its savings accounts. Deposits up to NOK 2 million are guaranteed by the Norwegian Banks' Guarantee fund, of which Monobank is a member. Monobank is an independent bank with approximately 1 000 shareholders and was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange's Merkur Market on 16th February 2017 under the ticker symbol MONO-ME. Monobank has been awarded with "Great Place to Work" twice since the start.15 August 2018

Vast Resources plc

(Vast or the Company)

Acquisition of a 29.41% interest in the Blueberry Project

in the Golden Quadrilateral of Romania

Vast Resources plc, the AIM listed mining company with operations in Romania and Zimbabwe, is pleased to announce the acquisition of an indirect 29.41% interest in the Blueberry Project, which hosts highly prospective polymetallic mineralisation and is located in the Golden Quadrilateral of Western Romania (the Blueberry Project). The Golden Quadrilateral hosts the prolific Baia de Aries gold mine, the 17.1Moz Rosia Montana Mine and 7.2Moz Rovina Valley Project.

Overview

Acquisition of an interest of 29.41% in a brown field perimeter covering a total of 7.285km in the Golden Quadrilateral of Western Romania: The Blueberry Project is adjacent to the previously producing Baia de Aries Mine, which operated until 2004 and is reported to have produced 20% of the historical gold production from the Golden Quadrilateral Historic work across the perimeter area has demonstrated prospectivity for gold and polymetallic mineralisation  sample values of up to 22.4g/t of gold were obtained from historic soil sampling Drilling programme and assaying underway, which is anticipated to deliver sufficient information to support an Inferred JORC Mineral Resource for gold and other polymetallic minerals including silver, copper, lead and zinc in one or more of several distinct breccia pipes Following expiry of the Exploration Licence over Blueberry Project the holder has the right under the Romanian mining law subject to satisfaction of certain conditions detailed below, to migrate this to an Exploitation Licence by 31 December 2018



Transaction structured to be non-dilutive to Vast shareholders  initial acquisition to be satisfied in new shares in Vasts newly formed subsidiary EMA Resources Ltd (EMA) which will be financed at a project level

EMA to be issued with an initial interest of 29.41% (as further set out below) and the retention of this interest is conditional on EMA procuring funding of $1 million by 31 August 2018 or such later date as the Vendors may agree  the acquisition does not require any regulatory approval in Romania

Intention for EMA to develop into a standalone enterprise significant enough to justify an Initial Public Offering (IPO) targeted by the end of 2019

Pre-IPO costs expected to be funded by third party finance and no material cost commitment for Vast

Vast to have management and control of the future mining operations, and also over the exploration programme and the IPO process in consideration of a fee equal to 10% of pre-IPO costs

Andrew Prelea, Chief Executive of Vast, commented:

As shareholders will be aware, my enthusiasm for and confidence in the reinvigoration of the Romanian mining industry remains a central pillar of Vasts future growth strategy and I am delighted to present this acquisition to shareholders. Due to the structure of this transaction, Vast would benefit from the significant upside potential of developing the Blueberry Project whilst safeguarding investors from significant dilution.

Work has already started at Blueberry and we look forward to reporting the results of drilling in the coming weeks in order to begin to give the market a tangible sense of the size and quality of this significant mineralised system in addition to our path to developing the project and ultimately crystallising value for Vast shareholders through a proposed IPO.

Acquisition of Interest in the Golden Quadrilateral of Romania



Vast announces that its newly formed subsidiary EMA Resources Ltd (EMA) has contracted to acquire the entire share capital of the Romanian company Blueberry Ridge SRL (BRL) in consideration of an undertaking by EMA to issue to the vendors (the Vendors) new shares which will constitute 70.59% of the enlarged ordinary share capital of EMA. The result, subject to a condition explained below, is that Vast will retain 29.41% of such enlarged capital subject to a possible reduction to 26.41% on account of the entitlement by Andrew Prelea, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, to 10% of Vasts share and as explained more fully below.

BRL is the holder of the Blueberry Project, an exploration licence over a brown field perimeter of prospectivity with high gold in an area known as the Golden Quadrilateral in the Metaliferi Mountains of Romania. This licence, based on the exploration programme already completed, gives BRL the right to convert the exploration licence into an exploitation licence provided it complies with the requirements concerning this process as set out tin the Romanian mining law. A summary of these requirements is set out in the penultimate paragraph under further information below.

Vast is of the opinion, based on the known geology of the Blueberry Perimeter, the extensive historical mining activities and together with the expected results of the exploration drilling now undertaken, that the potential of EMA together with its subsidiary BRL will be such that EMA may justify an IPO as a standalone enterprise.

Vast has agreed with the Vendors to use reasonable endeavours both to manage the process by which EMA achieves an IPO by 31 December 2019 and to procure finance for EMA of up to $2 million which is the amount estimated to be needed for pre-IPO costs, including repayment of a proportion of the exploration drilling costs already incurred. Of this, $1 million is to be raised by 31 August 2018 or such later date as the Vendors may agree, satisfaction of which is a condition of Vasts retention of 29.41% of the enlarged share capital of EMA. Any shares that fall to be issued to pre-IPO financiers will dilute the interests of the Vendors and of Vast rateably.

Under the agreement between Vast and the Vendors, a shareholders agreement is to be drawn up under which one of the Vendors will have a seat on the Board; there will be usual provisions concerning circumstances where a unanimous decision of shareholders is required; but Vast will have management control of the IPO process and of the direction of the ongoing resource evaluation process and Vast will be entitled to a fee equal to 10% of EMAs pre-IPO costs.

It is the intention that Vast will have management and control of future mining operations which will be carried out through a gravity process for the free gold and otherwise by a floatation process which will separate out all the polymetallic minerals. It is not intended that cyanide will be employed for the gold extraction. Metallurgical test work to determine the optimal extraction method will be undertaken.

Further information on Blueberry

The Blueberry perimeter of 7.285km is a brownfield area of prospectivity in the Golden Quadrilateral located in the immediate vicinity of the now closed Baia de Aries mine. The Golden Quadrilateral has significant areas of polymetallic prospectivity (copper, zinc and lead coupled with particularly high gold and silver) and has been estimated to have produced approximately 55 million ounces of gold in the past. Also in the Golden Quadrilateral are Rosia Montana with a reported NI 43-101 Resource of 17.1 million ounces of gold and 81 million ounces of silver (SRK Consulting - October 2012) and Euro Sun Minings, Rovina Valley project with a reported 7.2 million ounces of gold and 1.4 billion pounds of copper (AGP Mining Consultants  NI 43-101  July 2012).



Mineralisation styles within the Blueberry perimeter

Mineralisation is developed in the form of breccia pipes, polymetallic quartz  carbonate veins and metasomatic replacement deposits on the lithological boundaries between andesite, limestones and schists.

Within the perimeter, a number of breccia pipe localities are indicated on surface geological plans. These localities have been the subject of the recent drilling programme. The breccia pipes occur as Phreatomagmatic collapse and / or eruptive breccias and range in size from 20m  150m in diameter, with known depths of up to 1 000m. The breccia occurrences take a quasi-circular form with a central dip direction suggesting the presence of a deeper intrusive structure.

Polymetallic sulphide bearing veins are developed adjacent to the breccia pipes in areas of intense fracturing. The veins are typically 100m  400m in length, 50m -150m vertical extent and approximately 1m wide. Zinc and lead are the main minerals with copper being subordinate. References to 44 veins are made to and documented in historical literature and maps.

Metasomatic replacement deposits form either in the limestone lithologies or on the boundaries between the limestones, andesites and schists.

Gold mineralisation is more prevalent in the breccia pipes and occurs as free gold or inclusions within sulphides. The area is a type locality for sylvanite, a gold  silver telluride, which has been observed in core from the recent drilling program. Further mineralisation takes the form of auriferous pyrite whereby fine-grained gold is included in the crystal lattice of the pyrite structure.

The gold (dominant) and polymetallic (subordinate) mineralisation is spatially associated to the andesite intrusive structures with hornblende  pyroxene (Afinis structure), while the polymetallic (dominant) and gold (subordinate) mineralisation is spatially associated to the quartz andesite intrusive structure with hornblende  biotite (Ambru si Malai structure).

Polymetallic mineralisation is more prevalent in the vein systems and the metasomatic replacement bodies with a lower tenor of gold. Zinc and lead are the main economic with copper being subordinate but locally elevated in places.



A detailed assessment of the geology and of historical sample results on the Blueberry perimeter was given in a doctoral thesis by Professor Calin Tamas from Babes  Bolyai University (Cluj): Structures of Endogenic Brief (Brief Pipe  Breccia Dyke) and Petrolmetalogenia Rosia Montana (M.Metaliferi) 2007. It records extensive rock samples taken at an average grade of 1.47 g/t Au with a range of 1.2 to 2.9 g/t.



The Blueberry Perimeter encircles the old Baia de Aries Mine which is reported to have produced from six breccia pipes contained therein 20% of the historical gold production from the Golden Quadrilateral which is reported to total 55 million ounces of gold. This mine was closed and rehabilitated with finance from an EU project following Romanias accession to the EU, as a result of which the area is currently excluded from exploration or mining operations. Under the proposed new Romanian mining law expected to come into force in 2018 this exclusion will end with the consequence that BRL will be well placed to apply for an exploration licence over this area. Obtaining of this licence will carry the additional benefit of access to all the historical records of the old Baia de Aries Mine.



Previous work on the Blueberry Perimeter from records directly available to Vast includes 159 soil samples, 98 rock samples and 25 drill holes. The partially recorded information history derived therefrom is positive and encouraging and shows that the area as a whole is open to mineralisation.



An anomaly has been verified by Vast from nine additional soil samples, and a simple contour of gold sample values obtained has indicated elevated gold in the samples centred around a breccia pipe indicated on the local geological maps of the area. Sample values of up to 22.4g/t of gold were obtained in the historical soil sampling programmes.



Vast has been involved in the planning of a further exploration programme (the Planned Exploration Programme) involving 6,800 metres of targeted drilling, assaying and associated works. In the opinion of Vast the Planned Exploration Programme is likely to provide sufficient information to estimate at least an Inferred JORC Mineral Resource for gold and other minerals in one or more distinct breccia pipes.



The greater part of the Planned Exploration Programme has now been completed although the assays from the drill cores are awaited. This has been financed to date by the Vendors. The Vendors have agreed to bear the cost of the first 1,200 metres of drilling. The balance of the costs of drilling, assaying and other works incurred by the Vendors will be refunded out of the $2 million pre-IPO finance to be raised.



Under the Romanian mining law, BRL has the right to be granted an exploitation licence giving it the right to mine on the giving of a satisfactory final exploration report by 3 October 2018. The subsequent application for the exploitation licence must be submitted by 31 December 2018 and accompanied by a feasibility study, development plan, environmental impact and rehabilitation study and a social impact assessment. Arrangements for this process are in hand but are subject to the assay results from the Planned Exploration Programme being as expected.



Andrew Prelea has been engaged with investigation and negotiations on Blueberry since before he joined the Company. Blueberry is a Joint Asset of which Andrew Prelea is entitled to a 10% interest as referred to in the Companys announcement of 1 March 2018 following his appointment to the Company as a Director. As therein stated, in order to eliminate conflicts of interest, it was and remains the intention of both the Company and of Andrew Prelea to negotiate terms under which Andrew Preleas interests in the Joint Assets are exchanged for special option rights to acquire shares in the Company subject to approval by shareholders of the Company at a General Meeting. On account of this intention no shares in EMA are being issued to Andrew Prelea at present pending further discussion on the special option rights.

Qualified Person

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Targets, Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr Craig Harvey, the Chief Operating Officer for Vast and a full-time employee and Director of the Company. Mr Harvey is a Competent Person who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and of the Geological Society of South Africa, a Recognised Professional Organisation included in a list that is posted on the ASX website from time to time.

Mr Harvey has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Harvey consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

**ENDS**

For further information, visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or please contact:

Vast Resources plc

Andrew Prelea (Chief Executive Officer) www.vastresourcesplc.com

+44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Adviser

Roland Cornish

James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com

+44 (0) 020 7628 3396 Brandon Hill Capital Ltd  Joint Broker

Jonathan Evans www.brandonhillcapital.com

+44 (0) 20 3463 5016 SVS Securities Plc  Joint Broker

Tom Curran

Ben Tadd www.svssecurities.com

+44 (0) 20 3700 0100



St Brides Partners Ltd

Susie Geliher

Charlotte Page



www.stbridespartners.co.uk

+44 (0) 20 7236 1177

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR).ganeshvenugopal wrote:





Age:23

Undergrad: Bachelors of Engineering

GPA: 3.7

Nationality: Indian

Gmat: 710-730 Expected (giving on Sept 1)



Work Exp: 24months

Field: Trading (Finance)



Landed a job at a prop trading firm, traded commodities such as crude oil on London, Chicago, and New York exchanges from the firm's Bangalore office (Firm HQ: London).

I love what I do, but I believe there is a lot more to learn about the finance world, and so, I'm looking to do my MBA, in Finance (mostly).

However, 24 months work exp is all I have and that is the minimum work exp for all most colleges.



I prefer getting my MBA right away and not wait two more years because my opportunity cost is low right now and it grows fast in a profession like this.

Also, I believe it is hard to mold traders after a few years of trading, so now is my best time to do my MBA.



I'm not keen on doing the one-year programmes, because, I want to keep myself open to Consulting roles, in case I begin to like it more than trading over my course period.



Kindly suggest the colleges/programmes that would consider me despite my minimum work experience.



Thank You Hi ,Age:23Undergrad: Bachelors of EngineeringGPA: 3.7Nationality: IndianGmat: 710-730 Expected (giving on Sept 1)Work Exp: 24monthsField: Trading (Finance)Landed a job at a prop trading firm, traded commodities such as crude oil on London, Chicago, and New York exchanges from the firm's Bangalore office (Firm HQ: London).I love what I do, but I believe there is a lot more to learn about the finance world, and so, I'm looking to do my MBA, in Finance (mostly).However, 24 months work exp is all I have and that is the minimum work exp for all most colleges.I prefer getting my MBA right away and not wait two more years because my opportunity cost is low right now and it grows fast in a profession like this.Also, I believe it is hard to mold traders after a few years of trading, so now is my best time to do my MBA.I'm not keen on doing the one-year programmes, because, I want to keep myself open to Consulting roles, in case I begin to like it more than trading over my course period.Kindly suggest the colleges/programmes that would consider me despite my minimum work experience.Thank You



mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant

Chicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT Club

Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/

Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders



Kate RichardsonmbaMission Senior Admissions ConsultantChicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT ClubSign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More

Hi ganeshvenugopal-Hope the GMAT coming up goes well, as Round 1 is just around the corner! A high GMAT will help your chances a lot so I hope you can reach the higher end of your expected range.The first thing I noticed is the low amount of work experience. It's not a deal breaker but it will be a challenge and you'll need to show that you've already had some leadership experience under your belt, and that you have clear/compelling reasons for why you need an MBA now. Being low on the work experience side, also puts more pressure on you to stand out on the GMAT. So if it doesn't go well this first attempt, I think you should consider waiting til you can raise your score.Otherwise, I agree with your reasons for pursuing a 2 year program. Gives you a chance to try out a role in an internship and is more suited to changing your career.Best of luck!Kate_________________puneetj wrote:

Got to the correct answer but took too much time...E



Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor



Learn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their KarishmaVeritas Prep GMAT InstructorLearn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their GMAT Prep Options > Signature Read More

If you get messed up in mods, such a question can be done in under a minute by trying out some values. Now, I am no fan of plugging in numbers, especially not in DS questions, but such questions are perfect for plugging in if you are not comfortable with algebra. Why? Because they have asked for the range of x. If there is even one value in the given range that doesn't satisfy the inequality, it is not the answer and if there is even one value outside the given range that does satisfy the inequality, it is not the answer.0Kennewick and Richland city pools are still open.

According to a public service announcement put out by the NCUAQMD, areas of Orleans, Weitchpec and Hoopa are all experiencing "unhealthy" air conditions.

That means everyone is advised to limit time outdoors and avoid strenuous activities, both outdoors and indoors.

The bad air was just the latest in a long summer of poor air quality for southwest Oregon. The concern is greatest for infants, the elderly, and those with diabetes or lung or heart disease.

Stay indoors and keep indoor air as clean as possible.

Air conditioners should be set to "recirculate" and the fresh-air intake closed.

The elevated levels of fine particulate matter are expect to persist until there is a change in fire and/or weather conditions.

"We now have 17 large fires burning and are on pace to have the most fires ever this year", said Carlo Davis, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Red marks on a satellite image show where fires are burning in Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Use an indoor air filter if available.

The Washington State Patrol is asking drivers to turn their lights on to make them more visible in the haze. Check the air quality forecast regularly at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's website.

N95 or N100 rated masks can help protect some people from air pollution.

Typical symptoms from the smoky air include watery or dry eyes, coughing or wheezing, sinus irritation and headaches.

Smoke that has blanketed the Okanagan since Sunday is expected to stick around until the middle of the week.

The skies should begin to clear up on Thursday night.It is too soon  far too soon  to declare victory. But the numbers are in, and Springfield public schools are making progress when it comes to academic excellence for the best and brightest students.



The district in July received scores of advanced placement tests taken by high school students last spring. Its the first batch of test scores since Superintendent Jennifer Gill, chagrined by lackluster AP programs, last year vowed to improve participation in the academically rigorous classes and work to ensure that students would succeed.

The tests on such subjects as calculus, history, literature and physics can get kids college credit if they score at least 3s on a 1-to-5 scale. Results are a mixed bag.At Springfield High School, students took 301 AP tests and scored at least 3s on 215 of the exams  thats a pass rate of 71 percent, better than the 64 percent who scored sufficiently high to earn college credit during the 2015-16 academic year, before Gills AP efforts began. Southeast High School students took 163 exams last spring (as in other schools, some kids took more than one test) and earned at least 3s on 87 of the tests for a pass rate of 53 percent, an improvement over two years ago, when 39 percent of Southeast test scores were high enough to merit college credit.And then there is Lanphier High School, where just 19 tests, or 14 percent of the 134 exams taken, came back with grades of 3 or better, a dramatic fall-off from the 2015-16 school year, when 49 percent of tests taken by Lanphier students were scored at 3 or better. It sounds even worse when considering that 195 Lanphier students were enrolled in AP classes at years end.And so Lanphier sucks at being smart, right? Not so fast.Kids enrolled in AP classes arent required to take the tests, and Lanphier led the district in the percentage of AP students who took the exams. You cant get college credit if you dont try, so taking the tests is smart, considering that college costs a lot and test fees are south of $100. At Lanphier, 99 students sat for AP exams last spring, more than took AP tests during the previous two school years combined.By comparison, the number of Springfield High School students who took AP exams dipped from 248 during the prior school year to 203 last spring. At Southeast High School, 101 students took tests, up from 87 during the previous year. And so Lanphier is surging in one respect: More Lions than ever are willing to at least try than at other schools. The district, which once said kids werent taking AP tests because families lacked funds for test fees, has helped by paying fees for poor students with funds from the districts foundation and individual donors.These are encouraging signs, at least at this point in Gills campaign to bolster the districts AP classes. Minorities and kids from poor families have been overlooked as candidates for rigorous academic programs, and Springfield isnt alone. The state, which helps pay AP test fees for low-income students, has pushed districts to enroll more minorities and poor students in AP courses, and districts across the state have done exactly that. More work needs to be done.It is enough for now, but not enough for tomorrow, to increase the number of kids enrolled in AP courses. More AP students should take the AP tests, more should receive at least 3s and challenging demographics shouldnt be excuses.In Franklin Park, a Chicago suburb nestled against OHare International Airport, Leyden High School District 212 increased the number of AP students by 22 percent between 2017 and 2018. Students enrolled in AP courses are required to take AP tests. Most students take more than one exam, the district says, and 59 percent of the students who took exams this past spring got scores of at least 3. Thats down slightly from the 65 percent pass rate during the prior year, but still impressive for a district where 55 percent of the students are poor and 64 percent are Hispanic. Were a very working class community, says Michael Manderino, the districts director of curriculum and instruction.We need to see these kinds of results in Springfield, where a 58 percent overall district pass rate in 2017 was asterisked by the fact that fewer than half of AP students enrolled in AP courses took the tests. Gill insists theres value in simply taking an AP class, even if students dont sit for exams. But she acknowledges that scores should improve. Given the choice of grading scales  A to F, as on report cards, or 1 to 5, as on AP tests  Gill gives the district a 3-plus for efforts at improving advanced placement programs.You always have to have your foot on the gas, she says. You dont have to put it down all the way.Crucible Series #20 by Ken Baskin, the first prize winner at the Shapes of Influence exhibit.

The latest iteration of Springfield Art Associations biennial Shapes of Influence exhibit stands as both an exceptional showcase for original ceramics work from across the country and an introduction to the shows jurist  world-renowned ceramic artist Simon Levin, who settled in Springfield last November.

Currently on display at the M. G. Nelson Gallery on the SAA campus, Shapes of Influence is nearly overwhelming in the variety, quality and volume of the work chosen by Levin, featuring 51 pieces by 51 different artists whose work went through the judging process, along with work by nationally recognized guest artists Dan Anderson, Kahil Irving, Peter Pincus and Kelsie Rudolph, all invited by Levin to participate.



Levin has been a full-time studio artist in rural Gresham, Wisconsin, for the past 18 years and came to town when his wife, Presbyterian minister Susan Phillips, became pastor of Springfields First Presbyterian Church. It was an exciting opportunity for her and I have family in St. Louis, so we decided to move down here, Levin said. When they were looking into relocating, Levin made contact with the SAA to see what kind of arts community was available in Springfield. Im not used to an active arts community, having lived in rural Wisconsin, Levin said. I travel around the world and teach in the field and write for journals and magazines, so Im very active in the larger community  Ive just never had it where I live.

Levin acknowledges a symbiotic relationship with Springfield has already formed. Springfield gains from his international connections while he benefits from living in proximity to a supportive local arts community. He has also opened Mill Creek Pottery South at 10220 N. Pawnee Rd. in Pawnee, where he will create and sell his own work along with that of others. We havent fired the kiln yet, he said. Im planning an annual sale, at the end of September, where I invite artists here to showcase their work, focusing on quality and diversity to hopefully draw customers not just from Springfield but also Edwardsville, St. Louis, Bloomington. It would be a yearly event with a lot of pots, a lot of food, a lot of fun.

First prize for the Springfield Art Association show ($500) was awarded to Ken Baskin for Crucible Series #20, with second place ($300) going to to Austin Wieland for Error and Jessica Sallay-Carrington receiving third place ($200) for Concentrate. In addition to the official award winners, the SAA has added a peoples choice award for the show. Art lovers are encouraged to stop by the gallery to vote  and to try not to be discouraged by the construction currently underway on the campus.



Shapes of Influence will run through Sept. 1. The M.G. Nelson gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information about Simon Levin, visit SimonLevin.com or follow @woodfire on Instagram.



Scott Faingold can be reached at sfaingold@illinoistimes.com.

As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQTuesday morning's execution of Carey Dean Moore is also the first time the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl had been used in a lethal injection in the U.S.

"I am required to carry out the order of the court", Frakes said in a statement.

In the execution chamber, Moore was strapped to a gurney and turned his head toward the three people and member of the clergy he invited as witnesses and several times mouthed "I love you". One of the victims' family members was also present, but the statement did not specify which victim.

Joe Duggan, one of media witnesses described Moore's demeanor as the warrant was read, "The gravity of what was happening to him was clear on his face and his expression I would say".

Nebraska has carried out its first execution since 1997 with the lethal injection of Carey Dean Moore, who fatally shot two cab drivers nearly four decades ago. Fresenius Kabi raised questions about how the state obtained them and wrote in its lawsuit that the use of its drugs in capital punishment would cause "harm to its property interests".

Dunham said Nebraska's use of fentanyl was problematic, because use of the powerful opioid is closely controlled by law, and the state has not disclosed its source for the drug.

Moore was pronounced dead at 10:47 am (1547 GMT) in an execution that lasted approximately 20 minutes, according to Scott Frakes, Director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

Prior to the execution, Nebraska had 11 inmates on death row, which ranks among the nation's smallest.

"Today stands as the most recent dark chapter in Nebraska's troubled history with the death penalty".

Legal efforts by German drug company Fresenius Kabi to force Nebraska to return two of the drugs it planned to use in the execution were denied. Prince, the late musician, died after taking fentanyl in 2016.

While still in his early 20s, Moore was sentenced to death in 1980 for the killings of two Omaha taxi drivers five days apart. It last performed an execution in 1997 with the electric chair.

According to the Omaha World-Herald newspaper, the state used an untried drug cocktail of diazepam, fentanyl, cisatracurium and potassium chloride to execute Moore.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, a wealthy former businessman, helped finance a ballot drive to reinstate capital punishment after lawmakers overrode his veto in 2015.

"Murder is murder", said anti-death penalty protester Diane Reyes.

Carey Moore, 60, was put to death at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, a state official told local media at the site.

Two weeks ago, Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church's teaching, declaring the death penalty "inadmissible" in all cases. "It is an important tool to protect our corrections officers and public safety".

On Friday, a federal district court judge denied the company's request for a temporary restraining order, which would have halted the execution. The referendum passed, effectively restoring capital punishment to the Midwestern state.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 31 states, the federal government and USA military allow for capital punishment. "As I've thought about this and meditated on it and prayed on it and researched it, I've determined it's an important tool".Undermining the Iranian nations national interests, including one trillion dollars in damages from the unpatriotic war with Iraq, the destruction of the environment, the drying up of the nations water reserves, the plunder of the Iranian peoples wealth and its squander on exporting terrorism, warmongering, and nuclear and missile programs, are all familiar devices of the mullahs regime, which has declared safeguarding the totalitarian rule of the Vali-e faqih (absolute clerical ruler) as the absolute imperative.

Now, it is the turn of Caspian Sea, one of Irans greatest national treasures, which the anti-Iranian mullahs have given away in a bid to preserve their security and disgraceful rule.

Indeed, so unpalatable is the treaty, that even the regimes experts and parliament deputies from different factions are describing it as another Turkmenchay Treaty, (according to which the control of the South Caucasus in 1828 was ceded to Russia).

The state-run daily Etemad on August 12, 2018, quoted a Majlis Deputy as saying, Given the timing and particular political circumstance, negotiations about our share of the Caspian Sea and similar issues do not serve our interests. Another Majlis deputy said, Rouhani has gone to Kazakhstan at a time when the legal provisions of the Caspian Sea are in doubt. Is it true that Irans 50 percent share has dropped to 11 percent? Is there another Turkmenchay on the way?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), a partner of Rouhani in this sell-out, defended him in its publication, Javan on August 13: Expectations for favorable terms regarding our rights to profit from, or making use of the Caspian Seas reserves in determining the borders and setting a demarcation point are unrealistic.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, said: For Khomeini, Khamenei and Rouhani, neither water, nor the land, nor the culture, nor the lives, nor the wealth of the Iranian people have any value. Only one thing matters: Preserving the rule of the mullahs, which Khomeini described as the absolute imperative, and for which one can abrogate Islamic edicts, and first and foremost give away the land and water of Iran and its people and massacre its valiant children in the prisons. She added Indeed, what could an invader do that the mullahs have not done to Iran and the Iranian people. The mullahs are among the worst in Irans history.The US State Department said in a statement that Qassim Abdullah Ali Ahmed (also known as Qassim al-Muamen), the leader of the Bahraini al-Ashtar Brigades militant group, recruited terrorists in Bahrain and provided funding, weapons and explosives to the members of the al-Ashtar Brigades, so that they could carry out attacks against the Bahraini government.

The State Department also said that al-Muamen had facilitated the training of weapons and explosives for al-Ashtar Brigades members.

The statement read: Todays designation seeks to deny al-Muamen the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of his property and interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.

This terror designation would isolate al-Muamen and expose him to law enforcement authorities around the world.

Meanwhile, the Bahraini government revoked al-Muamens citizenship and sentenced him in absentia to life in imprison for terrorism.

This follows on from the State Departments decision to blacklist the Shiite militant group last month for its ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), where the Al-Ashtar Brigades adopted IRGC branding and worked to enhance Irans agenda in the Middle East.

The al-Ashtar Brigades (also known as the Shiite Saraya al-Ashtar) were established in 2013 and they claimed to oppose the Bahraini Sunni al-Khalifa monarchy and represent the majority Shiite population, but in reality they serve the interest of the Shiite Iranian Regime.

Al-Muamen, 29, has been on the wanted list for the US and Bahrain for a while now. Last November, Bahraini authorities said that he had ordered five terrorists in al-Ashtar Brigades to attack three oil pipelines and assassinate prominent national figures.

It is not surprising that the Iranian Regime has supported al-Muamen, given that that US State Department has listed them as the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world. The US has imposed many sanctions against Iran since Donal Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May and promised the return of stringent sanctions on Iran related to its nuclear weapons programme and its malign behaviour across the Middle East, including supporting terrorists.



The Iranian Regime supports terrorist and militia groups across the Middle East to cause chaos and deflect from the problems that Iran is facing. However, the exorbitant amount of money that Iran has wasted on these conflicts has meant that they are now in the middle of an economic crisis, which has triggered an anti-regime uprising in the country, with the Iranian people loudly calling for the Regime to go.Gov. Rick Scott, a man who over the past eight years cut almost $700 million from Florida's environmental agencies (many of whom oversee algae outbreaks) declared a state of emergency today to combat our current algae outbreak.

Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties are now under a state of emergency due to the toxic algae bloom, and his office added in a statement that "red tide is a naturally occurring algae that has been documented along Florida's Gulf Coast since the 1840s and occurs almost every year".

The declaration will provide $1.5 million in emergency funding and make state scientists available to help with clean-up efforts and animal rescues.

In a statement, Scott said he wants to continue to combat the issue of red tide with great enthusiasm.

"I am issuing an emergency declaration to provide significant funding and resources to the communities experiencing red tide so we can combat its bad impacts", said Governor Rick Scott in a statement on Monday.

VISIT FLORIDA will also create a $500,000 emergency grant program to assist local tourism development boards in counties affected by the naturally-occurring red tide.

The red tide  a harmful bloom of algae that occurs naturally  began previous year and has spread through the Gulf of Mexico, now spanning some 150 miles.

The toxins generated by red tide can be harmful to people and marine life.

Making additional biologists and scientist available to support local government's response to red tide and protect wildlife - this is in addition to the staff deployed by FWC at Governor Scott's direction last week.

This summer, that means the devastating red tide is happening at the same time as a toxic blue-green algae bloom spreads in the Caloosahatchee River and St. Lucie Estuary.

"Nitrogen is the limiting factor on the growth of anything in the sea", said Bill Mitsch, who is the head of Everglades Wetlands Research Park and an environmental science professor at FGCU, according to the NBC report. Researchers also continue to study whether pollution and human activity may be intensifying the effects of red tide.Some of the more embarrassing conversations that have been made public present Trump as an unpolished, brash leader - something that CNN said inspired the White House's recent decision to stop releasing public summaries of Trump's conversations with world leaders.

He is also said to have tried to put in a call to Tokyo in the middle of the night there when he wanted to speak to the prime minister of Japan.

Last year, when Donald Trump discovered that Narendra Modi would be flying solo on his then upcoming June 2017 state visit to the USA, he joked that he could play matchmaker for the Indian prime minister.

When Donald Trump was running for the office of president, part of his appeal to some was his lack of political experience, but with over a year and a half in office some sources say that he still hasn't caught on to some of the finer points of the job, and he seems to have a particular problem with numerous details critical to global politics and relations. He would want to call world leaders at all hours and not remember, understand, or care that it might have been the middle of the night for that person.

Donald Trump mispronounced Nepal as "nipple" during a briefing ahead of a meeting with the Indian prime minister, it has been claimed.

The report, citing persons close to Trump, also described Trump's advisors struggle when the President would decide to call a world leader during afternoon United States time - irrespective of the time in the other country, such as in the case of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe who would be asleep around midnight in the eastern country.

Norm Eisen, ethics czar during the Obama administration, told Politico that Trump's discounts are unpatriotic.

Anyone who's travelled a lot knows the trouble with time zones. 'He was like, "What is this stuff in between and these other countries?" That's the whole reason you have a staff to say "Yes, we'll set it up", and then they find a time that makes most sense'.

A White House official said Trump is well aware of how time zones work, especially as someone who's worked in worldwide business for years, but is often too busy to be concerned with such details.

A White House official told the publication that Macron had requested most of the calls with Trump.

"So I called up, under the guise I'm checking on my card, I said, 'Where are you from?'"

The report cited "two people who briefed Trump on the meeting".

"I don't think he sees those as faux pas; I think he sees them as, 'Look, I do things differently, '" Heritage Foundation's James Carafano explained.APF officer Thaman BK murder: Jaleshwor Mayor, RJPN Gen Secy released on general date

Two absconding men accused in the murder of Armed Police Force (APF) Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Thaman BK turned themselves in before the District Court Mahottari on Tuesday before they were freed on general dateCaan passes Rs45b budget with largest chunk for infra

The board of directors of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) has approved a Rs45.17 billion budget for the fiscal year 2018-19, mainly focused on improving infrastructure at Kathmandus problem-plagued Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).Kyiv is also interested in energy and water saving technologies.

Israel is interested in participating in a project for the construction of a modern waste-processing plant in Kyiv.

This was announced by Israel's Minister of Environmental Protection and Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, co-chairman of the joint Ukrainian-Israeli commission on trade and economic cooperation, Ze'ev Elkin, at a meeting with Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.

"I know that many of our achievements have been introduced here. In terms of garbage processing, Israel has something to offer. The technologies that we have can help you. We are very interested in exchanging technologies. Drinking water treatment is also of interest," Elkin said.

Read alsoKyiv calls tender to build waste recycling plant

Klitschko noted that Kyiv is also interested in technologies related to energy and water saving.

"Kyiv and Israel have successfully cooperated. In particular, the Ukrainian capital has borrowed several projects, which were once implemented in Tel Aviv. A video surveillance data processing center has successfully been operating in Kyiv today. Over 6,000 video surveillance cameras have been installed. And we will use these developments in the field of security. We are interested in Israel's experience in developing its tourist potential amid terrorist threats. We are very interested in cooperation in tourism," Klitschko said.

He also thanked the minister for the support Israel provides to Ukraine and for its unchanged position on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

In turn, Elkin confirmed his country's willingness to provide any assistance to Ukraine.

Also, the sides discussed the issue of the creation of a memorial to Babyn (Babi) Yar victims in Kyiv. Klitschko expressed confidence that the memorial would be built in Kyiv within several years.Turkey has meanwhile resisted pressure to release Brunson - who has been held for two years and is now under house arrest - with officials warning it could face further sanctions.

A previous appeal by Halavurt on behalf of Brunson was rejected by the court. If the Turkish government does not eventually agree to USA demands and release him early, Brunson could spend 35 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Turkey has refused to agree to US President Trump's latest demand, made in July, for the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

That's according to Turkish state media, which also reported a higher court will likely review the appeal.

He was arrested in October 2016 during the purges occurring after the aftermath of the 2016 Turkish coup d'etat attempt, which involved imprisoning tens of thousands of Turkish military personnel, civil servants, educators, academics, dissidents, and journalists.

Turkey accuses Brunson of espionage and is holding him under house arrest pending his trial.

A decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the tariffs on cars to 120%, on alcoholic drinks to 140% and on leaf tobacco to 60%.

Turkey's ambassador to Washington Serdar Kilic on Monday held talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in a meeting that Cavusoglu said was arranged by the White House.

A number of other Americans and Turkish employees of the U.S. diplomatic mission were also caught up in the post-coup crackdown.

"Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the government of Qatar is now overlooking the situation in Turkey and did not provide the necessary political and humanitarian support... is this how a friendship should be?" the newspaper's report said.

Erdogan said on Tuesday the country will boycott U.S. electronic goods in response to United States measures meant to punish Turkey.

"But beneath the smiles of joy and relief there will be sorrow, anger and a steely determination". It is not just Turkey's request.

While policy makers have hiked lending rates by 500 basis points this year to 17.75 percent, they're under constant pressure from Erdogan to keep rates low because he thinks it's better for the economy.

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos welcomed the two Greek soldiers, named as Angelos Mitretodis and Dimitros Kouklatzis, as they returned to Greek soil on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

"We (also) have our Venus and Vestel", he said about homegrown Turkish electronics brands.

"We can live together, and we can live in peace, to the advantage of both our nations".

Trump has repeatedly asked for Brunson's release, while Ankara said the decision was up to the court.

He added: "The EU will remain engaged in this strategic partnership".

FILE PHOTO: A 100 Turkish lira banknote is seen on top of 50 Turkish lira banknotes in this picture illustration in Istanbul, Turkey August 14, 2018.The grand jury report says the diocese in Erie, Penn. and the diocese in Hawaii knew that Hannon had "admittedly abused at least 20 youths" who were between the ages of 12 and 19. "It was child sexual abuse, including rape", Shapiro said.

At nearly 900 pages, the exhaustive report details methods by leaders of the dioceses to insulate accused members of the church from outside prosecution and judgment - employing the same strategies uncovered by The Boston Globe's 2002 report on the systematic cover-up of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro planned to publicly release the 884-page document in late June, but the report was held up while the identities of persons criticized in the report are blacked out or redacted.

A Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse faults Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the former longtime bishop of Pittsburgh, over his handling of abusive priests.

A prior comprehensive investigation into clergy sex abuse resulted in the 2004 John Jay report, which found that over 80 percent of abuse was committed against male victims, which has been used to underscore the predominantly homosexual nature of the clerical abuse crisis. "Today's order ensures that will not be the case - the redacted report on widespread sexual abuse and cover up within the Catholic Church will be released".

Numerous more than 1,000 victims were persuaded to drop their allegations of sexual abuse or were ignored by church officials, according to the report, which adds that the church also worked to have investigations dropped by local law enforcement agencies. Authorities charged just two, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty.

"My belief is what happened to me shouldn't happen to another child", Lennon said. The same priest, he said, sexually abused one of his childhood friends, who killed himself in 2009.

"We, the members of this grand jury, need you to hear this".

The introduction of the report provides several examples of how the dioceses investigated ignored allegations or even praised priests accused of sexual abuse.

In July, the Pennsylvania supreme court ruled the interim report would be released with temporary redactions by 14 August.

Since the abuse crisis became public in the 2000s, the U.S. church has spent more than $3 billion in settlements, according to Bishop Accountability.

Most of the abuse survivors were boys, but girls were abused too, the report said.

The six dioceses - Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton - serve almost 1.6 million Catholics in Pennsylvania. Many dioceses, including those covered by the report, have found themselves obligated to continue providing minimum benefits and support for priests. But all of them were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institution above all.

The Diocese of Erie added five names to its list August 14 and those names were not included in the grand jury report, said Bishop Persico.

Theodore McCarrick, who preceded Wuerl as archbishop of Washington from 2001 to 2006, stepped down last month from the College of Cardinals, becoming the first cardinal in history to resign because he was accused of sexual abuse.

Eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sexually abusing children. For decades. Monsignors, auxiliary bishops, bishops, archbishops, cardinals have mostly been protected; many, including some named in this report, have been promoted.

"The main thing was not to help children, but to avoid scandal", says the report.

On August 1, the leader of one of the largest Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania released a list identifying 71 priests, deacons and seminarians accused of "substantiated" sexual misconduct over the past seven decades.

The document comes at a time of renewed scrutiny and fresh scandal at the highest levels of the US Catholic Church.

Many victims claimed they were drugged or otherwise manipulated.

Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Harrisburg Diocese also issued an apology on behalf of the religious community. Some are accused of being in possession of child pornography, others of inappropriate touching, kissing, soliciting a child for sex, but most are listed as "sexually abusing a child".Clark Atlanta Experiences Freshman & Sophomore Blues with Housing Debacle

According to social media and Atlanta news about 150 freshman and sophomores arrived for the Fall 2018 semester to the notice of no housing. Clark Atlanta responded, We have housing for all freshmen and sophomores who are financially enrolled, the statement from Michael Marshall, Clark Atlantas associate vice president of enrollment services said in part. Those who have not completed the financial enrollment process are being offered temporary housing while they complete the process.

About 150 students are waiting for answers about their housing at Clark Atlanta University. Many of them told us they had already paid in full and were supposed to be in a dorm tonight. What the university told @rikkiklausWSB, on the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat at 11. pic.twitter.com/zYnKNecpyy  WSB-TV (@wsbtv) August 14, 2018

ADVERTISEMENT

Developing story..Ellison Wins Minnesota Attorney General Democratic Primary

In this July 18, 2018, file photo, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., asks a question at a House Committee on Financial Services hearing in Washington. Ellison decided to leave Congress for a chance to make a difference as his states attorney general, but an ex-girlfriends late accusation of domestic abuse clouded what had been his race to lose. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

ADVERTISEMENT

Rep. Keith Ellison, the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee and first Muslim elected to Congress, won his partys nomination Tuesday for Minnesota attorney general in a race clouded in the final days by an ex-girlfriends allegation of domestic abuse.

The allegation surfaced the weekend before Tuesdays primary when the son of Ellisons former girlfriend, Karen Monahan, posted on Facebook that he had seen angry text messages from Ellison to his mother and a video that showed him dragging Monahan off a bed.

Ellison easily emerged out of a crowded field that included state Rep. Debra Hilstrom, former Department of Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, former Ramsey County Attorney Tom Foley and attorney Matt Pelikan.

Monahan, a Minneapolis political organizer, said via Twitter that her sons posting was true but did not respond to an Associated Press request to review the messages and video. She later told Minnesota Public Radio News that she would not release the video because it is humiliating.

While Ellison called for Sen. Al Franken to step down when sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against him last November, Ellison said Tuesday night that theres a crucial difference in their cases.

In this case, its not true of me. Its just not true. Well talk more about it in the coming days, he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ellison earlier denied any abuse or threatening messages and said the supposed video does not exist because I have never behaved in this way.

Ellison, 54 and divorced, is a six-term congressman and a leader within the Democratic Party. He became deputy chairman of the DNC last year after falling just short of the top job.Refugees carry few material goods with them when they flee war, violence or persecution in the homelands. But they do bring skills to their new countries.

An exhibit in the United States shows that sometimes these skills are artistic. The Sandy Spring Museum in the state of Maryland is currently displaying the work of refugee artists from Iraq, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Some of the works on exhibit represent the memories of the artists homelands.

My hometown is Wollo, said Fetun Getachew, an artist from Ethiopia. There is a marketplace once a week. People meet there at the markets for not only buying or selling (but) just to meet together for so many purposes.

Her paintings show such gatherings.

Iraqi artist Ahmad Alkarkhi was well known for his work in his country. Violence there and in Syria forced him to flee to America in 2009. About his paintings of Iraq since then, he said he wants to show Americans good things about his country instead of war.

For Alkarkhi, being in a new country brings changes to his art.

In my country, we dont have a lot of color there, just gray and brown, he said.

Alkarkhi said the clear seasonal changes he has experienced in the U.S. led him to add a lot of color to his work.

The museum is in Sandy Spring, Maryland, a community of about 6,000 people near Washington, D.C.

Its website says the center is a living history museum where people can gather and cultural artists create experiences for the entire community to enjoy.

Allison Weiss is the museums executive director. She says the exhibit shows what refugees can provide to America.

Theres so much talk in the news now about refugees, and how many people we should let into the country, and what are they contributing. And I think this exhibit shows that theres individuals behind the word 'refugees' and they have all sorts of talents that maybe were not hearing about from the news.

During the day, Alkarkhi is a caretaker at an apartment complex in Riverdale, Maryland.

But at night and on weekends, he paints in the living room of his small apartment.

Painting for me [is] like music. Each painting, different music. I just tell myself, let me dance with colors on the canvas.

He said creating art is his way to give back to America for helping him and his family build a new life in safety.

America gives refugees a lot of things. I want to do beautiful painting, and I give it to this country and to the people to enjoy with my art, he said.

Im Mario Ritter.

June Soh reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. 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

persecution n. to treat someone cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs

talent n. a special ability that lets someone do something well

encounters n. to meet without expecting or meaning to

exhibit n. a collection of objects that are presented to the public in a public place

contribute v. to give something to help a person, group, cause or organization

canvas n. a strong rough cloth used to bags, tents, sails and for paintingMany Android and iPhone owners use Google services on their mobile devices. Some of these services use GPS technology to collect information about the places people go.

One of the most widely used location services is Google Maps. When someone uses Google Maps, information about times and locations are recorded and stored.

Google also uses tracking tools with other services. Weather apps, for example, are designed to identify a users location to provide local weather information. Even some Google internet searches can result in the collection of information about exactly where a person was when the search was made.

Google says it collects the data to improve localized experiences for its users. But such practices have also raised privacy concerns. Privacy activists have called on Google and other major technology companies to make it easier for users to turn off location services if they do not want to be tracked.

An investigation by the Associated Press, or AP, suggests this process is not as easy as it might seem. The investigation found that Google continues to collect location information even on users who have changed their privacy settings.

The AP says the results of its investigation were confirmed by computer science researchers at Princeton University in the American state of New Jersey.

Googles influence in the mobile device industry is far-reaching. About two billion people worldwide use Google-developed Android devices. In addition, hundreds of millions of iPhone owners use Google for maps or for making searches.

In some ways, Google is clear about asking permission to use location information. For example, Google Maps will seek approval from a user to give the app access to locations so it can provide directions. If a user agrees to let Google collect location information over time, Google Maps will show this history in a timeline that shows the persons daily movements.

Google also has a Location History setting, which it explains on its support page. The company says any user can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored, Google states. The company says when Location History is turned off for a users account, it is turned off for all devices linked to that Google account.

But the AP investigation found this does not appear to be true. It found that Google continued to save location history even if a user had turned off Location History. Turning off Location History only stopped Google from creating a timeline of locations the user had visited.

One of the tests the AP carried out involved Princeton privacy researcher Gunes Acar. The news agency was able to track his movements and identify visited locations  including his home  over several days in the New York City area.

Acar was carrying an Android phone with Location History turned off.

Other Princeton researchers confirmed the APs test findings on multiple mobile devices.

Jonathan Mayer is a Princeton computer scientist and former technologist with the Federal Communications Commission. He disagrees with Googles methods for storing location data, which he says can be unclear for users.

If youre going to allow users to turn off something called Location History, then all the places where you maintain location history should be turned off, Mayer said. That seems like a pretty straightforward position to have.

In answer to a request for comment from the AP, Google said it uses several location tracking tools.

There are a number of different ways that Google may use location to improve peoples experience, including: Location History, Web and App Activity, and through device-level Location Services, the company said in a statement.

Google says users can stop the saving of all location markers by turning off another setting. That setting, however, is not clearly identified as being connected to location tracking. The setting is called Web and App Activity. It is activated on new devices. The tool stores different kinds of information from Google apps and websites to a users Google account.

How to prevent further tracking

The easiest way to block further location tracking on any device is to go to the website myactivity.google.com, which permits users to change Google account settings. On the upper left drop-down list, go to Activity Controls. Turn off both Web & App Activity and Location History. This should prevent exact location markers from being stored to your Google account.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Detailed directions on how to turn off these tools for iOS and Android operating systems can be found here.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on a report from the Associated Press and other sources. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Quiz

Quiz - Report: Google Still Tracks You Even with Location History Off Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

GPS  n. abbreviation for Global Positioning System: a system of computers and satellites used to identify where users are

location  n. place or position

tracking  n. the recording of locations or progress of a person or thing

app  n. computer program designed to do a specific task or set of related or connected tasks

access  n. way of being able to use or get something

account  n. an arrangement in which a person uses internet or service of a particular company

maintain  v. keep something going in a consistent way

straightforward  adj. easy to do or understand

activate  v. make something start workingMinnesota State Representative Ilhan Omar became a major partys candidate for the states 5th District in the United States Congress.

Omar won the Democratic Partys primary election for the area on Tuesday.

She is seeking to become the first refugee from Africa to gain a seat in the U.S. Congress.

A simple message

The 35-year-old politician spoke at the University of Minnesotas Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs before Tuesdays vote.

I am a millennial with student debt, she said. And a renter, she added, someone who is not ready, or cannot yet afford, to buy a home.

It was a simple but effective message. She was born in Somalia and wears a hijab on her head. However, Omar said that she was still like the many young, progressive and liberal voters whose support she needs to get elected.

It was the same message that helped her make history two years ago in her election to the Minnesota state House of Representatives. Her campaign says there was a 37-percent increase in the number of voters in that election.

Khalid Mohamed is a 25-year-old Somali American. He said, Before Ilhan, I think a lot of us didnt know what type of government we had, but now that she was elected, a lot of us started paying attention.

He added, She represented us at the state level and we saw how productive she was.

Mohamed is just one of tens of thousands of Somali Americans who voted for Omar in Tuesdays primary election.

Building a coalition

Omar hopes to follow Keith Ellisons path. Ellison is the first Muslim American elected to Congress. He currently represents the same Minneapolis Congressional District that Omar is competing in. But, Ellison is leaving Congress to run for the Minnesota Attorney Generals office.

Larry Jacobs is a University of Minnesota Professor. He said, Around America it might seem odd that one of the whitest states in the country would be sending its second Muslim to CongressBut not so in Minnesota.

Minnesota is home to the largest number of Somali refugees in the United States.

Jacobs said their votes are only part of Ilhans success. He said the Somalia community is not a large voting group. It even split its votes between Omar and another Somali candidate. What Omar has been able to do, Jacobs said, has been to build a coalition that includes politically liberal voters and people who believe the Democratic Party needs to become more diverse.

Omar is the Democrats Assistant Minority leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives. She has opposed the separation of families by officials at the U.S. border. She also has criticized the so-called Muslim Ban of the administration of President Donald Trump.

Speaking at her primary election victory party, Omar said, In my last race I talked about what that win would mean for that eight-year-old girl in that refugee camp.

Like Omar, many people in Minnesotas Somali Muslim American community are refugees. They hope Omars election represents a chance to change public opinion about their religion and situation.

Mohamed believes that Omars election sends a message of hope to not just to a religious community, but to all of Africa.

"It sends a message to everyone from Africa that you might be a refugeebut you have rights, and you can be whoever you want as long as you put the work in, he said.

Observers say Omar has a good chance of winning in the general election in November.

Im Ashley Thompson.

This story was originally reported by Kane Farabaugh for VOANews.com Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

Are there members of any minority community that you would like to see elected to office? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

afford - v. to be able to pay for (something)

encourage - v. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful, or confident

hijab - n. a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women.

millennial - n. a person who was born in the 1980s or 1990s 

type - n. a particular kind or group of things or people

odd - adj. strange or unusual

progressive - adj. using or interested in new or modern ideas especially in politics and education

diverse - adj. different from each otherSouth Korea President Moon Jae-in says his government plans to begin a new railroad project with North Korea this year.

However, Moon also said economic cooperation with North Korea is linked to that countrys denuclearization.

Moon made the comments during a speech on Wednesday celebrating the liberation of Korea at the end of World War II. He said the reconnection of railroads and roads is the start of prosperity for the two Koreas. He also said work would begin this year.

Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to work toward increased economic cooperation when they met in April. That meeting took place in the village of Panmunjom in demilitarized zone (DMZ) of the inter-Korean border. At the Panmunjom summit, Kim also agreed to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean president helped bring about the historic summit in June between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. At that meeting, Kim repeated his commitment to denuclearization.

However, since the summit in June, the U.S. and North Korea have not been able to reach agreement on the denuclearization issue. The U.S. insists that North Korea completely disarm its nuclear and missile weapons before it receives any economic concessions.

North Korea wants economic concessions after each step of the denuclearization process.

Sanctions enforcement

Currently, international sanctions put on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests do not permit a major railway project.

The joint Korean railway project to link South and North Korea with high speed train service is estimated to cost $35 billion. It would provide North Korean industries an overland rail connection to China, Russia and even Europe.

The international sanctions stop 90 percent of all trade with North Korea and most international finance.

President Moon did not explain how he would get past the sanctions to proceed with the railway project.

This week, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris repeated the Trump administrations position. He said denuclearization must come before the sanctions are eased.

Sanctions will remain in place, said Harris during a speech at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul. He added that the North must take strong actions toward denuclearization.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that no official meetings are planned between the U.S. and North Korea, but that informal talks continue.

Economic ties

Moon said that improved relations between the two Koreas will aid progress in denuclearization.

Moon also said that renewed economic ties could generate $149 billion for North Korea over 30 years. And joint economic projects, like the Kaesong industrial center which closed in 2016, could bring thousands of jobs to the North.

Moon is to visit Pyongyang in September to hold another summit with Kim.

Peace treaty

The South Korean president also said he supported a peace declaration to officially end the Korean War. Fighting stopped in 1953 with an armistice agreement.

South Korean media have said that the U.S., South Korea, China and North Korea may release a peace statement in September. Such as announcement could take place at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City.

North Korea has called for a peace declaration before moving forward with nuclear talks. The U.S., however, wants denuclearization progress first.

Im Susan Shand.

This story was reported by VOAs Brian Padden and adapted for Learning English by Susan Shand. It was edited by Mario Ritter.

__________________________________________________

Words in This Story prosperity  n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money commitment  n. a promise to do or give something concession  n. the act of giving up something or doing something in order to reach agreement sanctions  n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country ballistic missile - n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes

armistice  n. an agreement to stop fightingThe United Nations refugee agency is increasing its efforts in Ecuador to help the government deal with a large number of people from Venezuela.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) seeks to protect and assist refugees around the world.

UNHCR officials say more than 500,000 Venezuelans have entered Ecuador through the Colombian border this year. That is about 3,000 refugees entering the country each day.

The UNHCR reports that number has increased to more than 4,000 people a day arriving in the first week of August. The government of Ecuador declared a state of emergency last week in several areas in an effort to deal with the growing refugee problem.

William Spindler is a UNHCR spokesman. He said the agency supports Ecuadors decision, which permits it to use additional resources to deal with the problem. He also said that the number of people leaving Venezuela is one of Latin Americas largest mass population movements in history.

Spindler said the refugees walk for days or even weeks in dangerous conditions before reaching Ecuador. He said many are then forced to beg or seek other ways to survive.

He noted that about 20 percent of refugees are in need of special protection and assistance. He said, Women and girls represent 40 percent of the new arrivals and face serious risks of sexual violence.

Spindler added that most Venezuelans entering Ecuador do not end their travels there. Instead, they continue on to Peru and Chile. He said the UNHCR is increasing its emergency services.

The agency will provide Ecuador with technical assistance, such as screening and registering the refugees. He says agency workers will identify those Venezuelans in need of special protection and aid.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Lisa Schlein reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in this Story

beg  v. to ask people for money or food

screening  n. the act of doing a test on a person or a person's blood, urine, etc., to look for evidence of a disease, illegal drug, etc.One American university is putting electronic voice-controlled assistants in every student housing room on campus.

Saint Louis University recently announced it will equip every student living space with Amazons Alexa system. The school in St. Louis, Missouri, will place about 2,300 Echo Dot smart devices in all student dorms and other university housing.

Officials said the university will be the first in the world to put the devices in every student living space. The devices and the Alexa service are being provided at no costs to students.

The Amazon Echo is a speaker with the ability to listen and talk to users and can perform some operations. The Alexa assistant competes with similar systems made by Google and Apple.

Devices linked to the systems have become increasingly popular in homes in recent years. They can be used for things like looking up information, playing music, ordering food or buying things on the internet. The devices can also complete actions in the home. These include turning lights on and off, and controlling systems for heating and cooling and security.

Amazon calls these different tasks Alexa can perform skills.

Amazon said in a website post that Saint Louis University chose the Alexa system after carrying out a test program. The program involved the Echo Dot and a device from a competing company. It said the students had a better reaction to the Alexa system.

The Echo Dots will include a special skill developed especially for Saint Louis University. It will provide information and answer questions about local school activities and campus life.

Next year, the university plans to add more personalized skills, such as providing information about classes and grades.

The university said it did not increase student tuition to pay for the project. Instead, officials said, it was financed through the schools general fund, as well as partnerships with Amazon and n-Powered. The company, based in Los Angeles, California, helped develop the parts of the system that are related to Saint Louis University.

David Hakanson is Saint Louis Universitys vice president and chief information officer. In announcing the project, he said it will fit well with students who are highly driven to achieve success in and out of the classroom.

He added: Every minute we can save our students from having to search for the information they need online is another minute that they can spend focused on what matters most: their education.

While the devices are being placed in every university housing space, students do not have to use them. For those wishing not to take part, the school suggests students just remove the devices from their rooms and put them away in a safe place.

Other universities have also experimented with voice-controlled assistants in student living areas.

A year ago, Arizona State University announced a program that provided Echo Dot devices to a special housing area for engineering students. In the program, all engineering students moving into the special housing community were given the choice of receiving an Echo Dot if they wanted one.

As is the case at Saint Louis University, Arizona State students are able to use the system to get the latest information on university programs and events. However, the Arizona students also have the chance to sign up for classes that teach subjects related specifically to creating new uses for Alexa devices.

Octavio Heredia is a director with Arizona States Fulton Schools of Engineering. He said he thinks it is a good idea for students to get as much experience as possible with the voice assistants to improve their development skills and prepare for future jobs.

Once they are familiar with the devices, they are going to want to further develop their own skills and begin integrating that technology - the hardware and the skills - into other projects, he said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - US University Puts Electronic Assistants in All Student Housing Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz



_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

campus  n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc.

dorm  n. large building at a college or university where students live

grade  n. number or letter that indicates how a student performed in a class or on a test

tuition  n. money a student pays to be taught at a college or university

fund  n. amount of money collected

achieve  v. succeed in doing something good, usually by working hard

focus  v. center on something

integrate  v. combine two or more things to make something more effective

hardware  n. machines or equipment used inside computers or together with electronic devicesYosemite National Park reopened on Tuesday after a being closed for 20 days because of severe wildfires.

The park is in the western state of California and has been suffering from some of the worst forest fires in its history. The fires have burned 389 square kilometers of land and killed two fire fighters since they started on July 13.

The fires did not reach the center of Yosemite Valley, but they still burned far away areas of the park and filled popular places with smoke.

Not soon enough

The reopening of Yosemite National Park cannot come soon enough for Douglas Shaw. He estimates that the closure cost him $200,000 in lost profits at his hotel near Yosemite. That is because the summer months are the busiest part of the tourist season there.

In recent weeks, Shaw used all the money he had saved. He had to let go of eight of his 43 employees. Now, he is considering retiring early to avoid a possible future with similar damaging wildfires.

If I hadnt had savings, which is depleted, Id be scrambling for money or I wouldnt have a business, Shaw said Monday.

Shaw is among hundreds of business owners in small communities surrounding Yosemite who depend on tourist money. Tens of thousands of visitors from around the world canceled trips because of the parks closure, which began on July 25.

Worst in state history

Fires in several areas in California have killed at least a dozen people. The most recent victim was a firefighter from Utah who died Monday while battling the largest fire north of San Francisco.

In Yosemite, the wildfires were most severe during the busiest month for tourism. The National Park Service says Yosemite usually gets more than 600,000 visitors during the month of August.

Steve Montalto is creative director at Visit Yosemite Madera County. He said visitor centers in the area and the park are estimating they have lost about $50 million in combined tourism income.

Hotel owners and other businesses are happy about the reopening. But it will likely be weeks before their business recovers.

Shaw said rooms in his hotel probably will not be more than 45 percent reserved this week. Usually, he said, the hotel is completely reserved for weeks. There were just 10 people staying there Monday night, he added.

Tom Lambert rents an apartment within the park. He said he and his wife have lost about $20,000 in profits because of the closure. He said his next reservation is not until the end of August. That is because the apartment is near the only entrance to Yosemite Valley that will remain closed for at least another week.

The summer is pretty much lost, he said.

Spreading the message

Officials are trying to spread the message that the park is open again. They have posted pictures of themselves and visitors holding red paddleboards that say #YosemiteNOW online. They have asked visitors to do the same.

Scott Gediman is a park ranger. He said the loss in visitor money will affect park improvements, such as fixing roads and updating buildings.

Because those projects are planned years ahead, all improvements for this year will be covered. But projects in the future will be affected.

Gediman says that in Yosemite, visitors likely will see some smoke and even fire as they come to the park. However, the fire is almost completely under control.

People wont have the crystal clear blue skies theyre used to, he said, but added that the smoke is the best Ive seen it in several weeks.

Im Phil Dierking.

This story was written by Amanda Lee Meyers for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted the story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

Have any national parks in your home country been affected by wildfires? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story

deplete - v. to use most or all of (something important)

dozen - n. a group of 12 people or things

let go - v. to end someone's employment

paddleboard - n. A surfboard or similar long narrow board that a rider propels over the water, often in a standing position by means of a long-handled paddle. intransitive verb.

reserve - v. to make arrangements so that you will be able to use or have (something, such as a room, table, or seat) at a later time

scrambling - v. to move or act quickly to do, find, or get something often before someone else does

crystal clear - adj. perfectly clear; able to be seen through completelyGoogles Android Go Edition software is designed to run on entry-level smartphones, and since introducing Android 8 Oreo (Go Edition) last year, Google says device makers have shipped more than 200 different phones powered by the software, with some models selling for as little as $30.

But while these phones can run Android Go Edition software, theyre not exactly top performers. So now that Google is introducing Android 9 Pie (Go Edition), the company is promising a couple of improvements that will roll out along with the new version of Android Go Edition this fall.

None of them are likely to make a $30 smartphone feel like a $300 device. But they could make cheap phones feel slightly less terrible.

Among other things, Google says that Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) brings faster device boot speeds, new security features including support for verified boot, and a new dashboard for monitoring your phones data consumption.

Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) also uses up to 500MB less storage space than Android 8 Oreo (Go Edition). That might not sound like a lot, but if youve got a phone with just 4GB of built in storage, this software update could give you 12.5 percent more space for apps, photos, media, or other files.

Google is also bringing new features to some of its Go Edition apps. Google Go can now use text-to-speech to read web pages out loud. YouTube Go offers a gallery mode for downloaded content. And Maps Go now supports turn-by-turn directions.

Google has also added support for Spanish, Indonesian, and Brazilian Purtuguese to Assistant Go, added caller ID to the Phone app, and reduced the size of the Messages app for Android Go Edition devices.

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

Motorola announced the launch of three phones for the Chinese market today. The Moto Z3 and Moto E5 Plus which made their debuts earlier this year are headed to China. But the company also introduced one brand new phone: the Moto P30.

The new phone features a 6.2 inch display with a camera cut-out, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, 6GB of RAM, and a starting price of 2099 RMB (~$300).

The entry-level model has 64GB of storage, but theres also a 128GB model priced at 2499 RMB (~$360). Theres also a microSD card slot for removable storage.

Both versions have 16MP + 5MP dual rear cameras and a 12MP front-facing camera, a USB Type-C port, and a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support, and a full HD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio with a fairly slim bottom bezel.

Theres a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone, and a 3.5mm headset jack on top.

The phone will ship with Android Oreo software, but itll also feature Lenovos ZUI 4.0 user interface. Motorola is owned by Lenovo but I suspect if the company decides to sell this phone outside of China the company will probably lave the ZUI interface at home.

via GSM Arena

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

In an effort to maximize screen space on smartphones, most phone makers have borrowed design elements from the Essential PH-1 and iPhone X and included a cut-out at the top of the screen for cameras and other sensors. The trend has been controversial, to say the least. But with Google adding official support for notches, its likely the design is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

That said, not all notches are created equal. Some take up so much space at the top of the display that you have to wonder why a phone maker didnt just go with a slim bezel. Others make just enough room for a single camera, but still require an extra-thick notification bar that makes you wonder why the phone maker didnt just go with a slim bezel.

And then theres the OPPO F9. The latest mid-range phone from the Chinese company has a waterdrop screen with a subtle curve in the top edge that reaches down to wrap around the camera to create one of the least distracting notches Ive seen to date.

Sure, that cutout is still going to be visible when viewing full-screen videos or other content unless you have black bars on the sides. But the OPPO F9 doesnt look like a phone where someone cut a piece out of the screen. It looks like a device with a screen with funny looking top bezel that curves a bit in the center. Its not so deep that youll need an unusually large notification tray to hide it. And its not so wide that itll take away much space that could otherwise be used for notifications.

That said, some folks will probably still hate it because itll still look funny when running full screen apps that arent optimized to wrap around it.

OPPO already has a phone for bezel-haters: the OPPO Find X has no top bezel at all, because the front-facing camera is hidden away in a section of the phone that slides out only when you want to snap a picture. But thats a $1000(ish) phone.

The OPPO Find 9 with is waterdrop display is a mid-range phone that will be available in Vietnam and the Philippines this month for about $330 and up.

It has a 6.3 inch, 2,340 x 1080 pixel display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, a MediaTek Helio P60 processor, 4GB to 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. The phone has a 3,500 mAh battery, a micro USB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and support for OPPOs VOOC fast charging technology.

Theres a fingerprint sensor on the back, along with 16MP + 2MP rear cameras and a 25MP front-facing camera.

The smartphone comes in red, blue, or purple color options, and each version has a gradient-style design with the color shifting from one edge of the phone to the other. The color gradient wraps around the phones back and edges (making this the first OPPO phone to feature a gradient design on the sides).

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.Health Care Workers Speak Out on Why They Would Rather Lose Their Jobs Than Take a COVID-19 VaccineOnce an ardent Polisario supporter, Paraguay has made a U-turn on its pro-separatist stance in favor of backing international law and Moroccos historic rights over its southern provinces, the Sahara.

Paraguays Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni said that his country recognizes Morocco as a united country and backs its territorial integrity.

This is a final and lasting position, Castiglioni told Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament Lahbib el Malki at the investiture of Paraguays new president Mario Abdo Benitez.

The Paraguayan official also commended the reforms launched in Morocco under the leadership of King Mohammed VI saying that they stand as a model to follow.

Last May, Paraguays MPs unanimously adopted a resolution backing Moroccos autonomy initiative to end the Sahara conflict.

The resolution expresses support for Moroccos autonomy initiative, which reflects the serious and credible efforts to prepare conditions propitious for finding a politically acceptable solution to the long-lasting regional dispute.

The Polisario has been dealt severe blows in South America. In August 2017, a Uruguayan court turned down a request to seize a phosphates shipment originating from the Sahara following a similar rejection by Panama to a similar request early June the same year.

In September 2017, Peruvian authorities declared Polisario official Khadijatou El Mokhtar persona non grata and proceeded to her deportation manu military to Madrid.

An increasing number of states are coming to terms with viewing the Polisario as a totalitarian organization fed by an ideological anachronism peculiar to the Cold War era.

Over the last years, support for the Algerian-sponsored separatist thesis in the Moroccan Sahara has been waning as 43 countries have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR entity out of 80 that previously recognized it in a Cold War context.Libyan militias have forced nearly 2,000 people from an ethnic minority, targeted for their alleged links to the former Gadaffi Government, to flee long-established shelters in the capital Tripoli, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

In an appeal for the respect of the human rights of families originating from the city of Tawergha, UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler, said that the exodus happened last week, following attacks by unidentified assailants.

According to residents, a local militia forced the entire population of Triq Al Matar to flee their homes last week, following three nights of indiscriminate raiding and the arbitrary arrest of 94 residents, 12 of whom remain detained by the militia in dismal conditions.

Until the attacks, Triq Al Matar was the largest settlement for internally displaced people in Tripoli and home to around 370 families. The former inhabitants of the northern city of Tawergha had fled their homes in 2011, after the battle for nearby Misrata ended, seeking refuge in informal settlements around Tripoli or Benghazi.

After their recent targeting in the Libyan capital, victims sought shelter with relatives or in other settlements for displaced people, according to UNHCR.

Families owning cars are now sleeping in them, said Spindler, noting that the 40,000-strong displaced minority from Tawergha are waiting to return home following an agreement by the parties involved in the crisis-wracked country.

All I can say is that they have been subject to prosecution and discrimination, and they have been prevented so far from returning to their city of origin, Spindler added. Although now, there are moves that seem to be opening a way for them to return, and we hope that this will be the case soon.

The development comes amid ongoing factional conflict in oil-rich Libya, widespread instability and a humanitarian and economic crisis, despite the international communitys efforts to provide a platform for reconciliation agreements between warring parties.

The problem as you know in Libya is that there are numbers of competing authorities as well as militias with different allegiances, Spindler said. So this complicates the issue and makes the protection of IDPs and others very difficultthis is a part of the reality on the ground.

In Libya, some 192,000 displaced people have been living in dire conditions for years, according to UNHCR. The agency is calling for urgent solutions to end their suffering and allow them to return home in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner.Hallquist greets supporters during her Election Night party in Burlington, Vermont. Photo: Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock/Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Christine Hallquist made history on Tuesday night when she won Vermonts Democratic gubernatorial primary, becoming the first transgender gubernatorial nominee for a major political party. Now Hallquist will take on Republican governor Phil Scott, who easily fended off a challenge from businessman Keith Stern.

Hallquist faced three other Democratic candidates for governor, including a 14-year-old boy, taking 48 percent of the vote, with 80 percent of precincts reporting.

Until Tuesday the race hadnt drawn much attention even within the state, but polls suggested Hallquist had the highest name recognition on the Democratic side. She transitioned in 2015 while she was CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative, a power utility that she helped turn around. She told the Guardian that she would have been happy to stay on at the company, but the election of Donald Trump inspired her to run for governor.

November 8, 2016, I realized the world changed, she said. I went to bed, and of course like any other trauma I was in political depression and I just didnt know what to do. I mean, many of us in this country shed a lot of tears for what happened on November 8.

Hallquist is running on her managerial abilities, and has promised to boost economic development in rural Vermont by expanding broadband access. She also supports various progressive policies, like Medicare for All and raising the minimum wage to $15.

Christines victory is a defining moment in the movement for trans equality and is especially remarkable given how few out trans elected officials there are at any level of government, Annise Parker, the chief executive of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which supports gay and transgender candidates, said in a statement. Yet Vermont voters chose Christine not because of her gender identity, but because she is an open and authentic candidate with a long history of service to the state, and who speaks to the issues most important to voters.

While Scott, a first-term governor, was popular during his first two years in office, his approval rating plummeted after he signed a bill tightening gun restrictions in April. As Morning Consult explained last month:

The first-term governor, who was elected in 2016 and is facing a primary challenge, saw his stock plummet between the first and second quarters of the year. His approval among Vermonters fell 18 points to 47 percent while his disapproval doubled to 42 percent.

That net 38 point drop is the biggest quarterly shift since Morning Consult began polling the subject in May 2016. It was also enough to knock Scott out of his place in the top 10  which he had shared with popular blue-state GOP Govs. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland  and place him three spots from the bottom 10.

But Scott is still the favorite in the race, with Cook Political Report rating it solid Republican. A poll conducted in July had some good news for the governor: Two-thirds of Vermonters said they support the gun law, and nearly half of Democrats had a positive opinion of Scott. Only 18 percent of Democrats had a favorable opinion of Hallquist, but 55 percent did not know who she was.

Hallquists path to victory may be difficult, but the New York Times notes that with her campaign drawing national attention, shell attract more fundraising dollars and other resources.

I tell people this isnt the hardest thing I ever did, she said in the days before the primary. In fact, I think after transitioning everything else looks pretty easy.William C. Clyde, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president of Manhattan College, has been elected to join The Salvation Armys National Advisory Board, which provides guidance for programs and services throughout the United States. He will maintain his current position at Manhattan College while serving on the National Advisory Board.

Along with his experience in economics, finance, strategic planning and nonprofit leadership, Clydes expertise in poverty alleviation will be a great asset to the Board. My current research is in economic development and the transformation of the understanding of how underdeveloped economies grow, Dr. Clyde said. Empowering the poor to lift themselves out of poverty with strategies of support that help people help themselves, rather than focusing solely on providing direct aid is vital to economic growth.

Clyde has published widely, including the book, Using Technology in Teaching, has spent several years as a trader and corporate advisor in the foreign currency markets and has served as Vice President at First National Bank of Chicago, now part of JP Morgan Chase. He has served on several boards and is currently chair of the board of the Union Community Health Center in the Bronx.

Bill and his wife Christine have been loyal supporters of the work of The Salvation Army for nearly 30 years, said Dawn Fleming, The Salvation Armys Donor Relations Director for Connecticut and Rhode Island. As monthly contributors, their generosity has provided a predictable stream of funding for programs that make a lasting impact on the lives of those who turn to us for assistance. As an economist with a particular interest in lifting families out of poverty through self-directed solutions, Bill has been a trusted advisor to our Development team in Connecticut and Rhode Island, offering counsel as we develop our poverty reduction program for families through Pathway of Hope. The Clydes genuine interest in alleviating suffering and improving lives has been a blessing to all of us at the Army and to those we serve.

Clyde holds a Ph.D. in economics from Edinburgh University, an M.S. in chemistry from New York University, and a B.S. in economics and chemistry from DePauw University.I am arrived in Baku! Here goes:

1. Chess player: Garry Kasparov. Maybe the greatest player of all time? He is not ethnic Azerbaijani, but grew up in Baku.

Teimour Radjabov. It is amazing for how long he has gotten away with playing the Kings Indian Defense at the highest levels of chess competition.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Over the last year, he has had the best results of anyone in the chess world, including Carlsen. His forcing style resembles that of Kasparov.

Vugar Gashimov. He was pretty good too, passed away prematurely in 2014.

Cellist and conductor: Mstislav Rostropovich, born in Baku. His Bach Cello Suites are perhaps my favorite of all extant recordings. Here is one (different) YouTube version. As a conductor he was uneven, but capable of spectacular live performances of Shostakovich.

Pianist: Bella Davidovich, born in Baku, especially her Chopin.

Philosopher: Max Black, also born in Baku. He edited Frege and worked on problems from Leibniz, such as the identity of indiscernibles.

Note that numbers 1, 5, 6, and 7 on this list were Jews who emigrated to America.(HealthDay)The American Medical Association (AMA) calls for stable, affordable housing, without mandated therapy or service compliance, in order to improve housing stability and quality of life among individuals who are chronically homeless.

According to the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, more than 550,000 people experience homelessness each night in the United States. An estimated 35 percent stay in unsheltered locations.

"It is important that we take steps to improve the health and well-being of people who are facing chronic homelessness, and focusing on housing first may help do that," AMA Trustee Ryan J. Ribeira, M.D., said in a statement.

Explore further Homelessness in infancy linked to poor health outcomes for children and mothers

More information: More Information

Copyright  2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at the University of Zurich have discovered a new approach to suppressing itch by targeting two receptors in the spinal cord with the right experimental drug. In a series of experiments in mice and dogs, they successfully alleviated different forms of acute as well as chronic itch. For the chronic itch, current treatment options are very limited.

The itch of a mosquito bite can be relieved by a number of drugs that are available on the market. However, these drugs are largely ineffective when it comes to the unrelenting and debilitating urge to scratch experienced by patients suffering from skin, kidney or liver diseases. This chronic condition, which affects about 10 percent of the population, is currently treated with antidepressants or immune suppressants. Originally developed to treat other diseases, these drugs often fail to provide the desired relief or come with severe side effects.

Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer, professor at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Zurich and his research group have now discovered a new way to alleviate itch. They used an experimental drug to boost the effect of specific neurons in the spine that prevent itch signals from being relayed to the brain. The scientists had previously located and described these neurons three years ago. Since then, they have used genetic mouse models to identify two specific receptors that control the effect of the spinal neurons. These receptors are part of a large group of receptors that is activated by the amino acid transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. Benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used to treat insomnia, anxiety or epilepsy, interact with these GABA receptors.

The experimental drug used by the researchers in their study, which was originally developed as a drug for anxiety, interacts with the two identified receptors. In their experiments, the pharmacologists were able to show that it not only suppresses acute itch, but is also effective against chronic itch. Mice that were administered with the drug scratched themselves less often, and their skin changes healed significantly quicker than in animals that were given a placebo. The same itch-suppressant effect was also observed in tests with dogs carried out by the researchers in cooperation with the University of Zurich's Veterinary Department. Moreover, the drug did not cause obvious undesired side effects.

Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer is optimistic about the study's results: "We are confident that the substance we've tested will also be effective in humans." At the same time, the findings should be valuable for veterinary medicine: "Like humans, dogs also often suffer from chronic itch. They, too, therefore stand to benefit from the approach." The researchers see great potential in their discovery and have filed a patent application. They are cooperating with companies that develop the compound as a drug for use in human and veterinary medicine.

Explore further New clues point to relief for chronic itching

More information: William T. Ralvenius et al, Itch suppression in mice and dogs by modulation of spinal 2 and 3GABAA receptors, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications William T. Ralvenius et al, Itch suppression in mice and dogs by modulation of spinal 2 and 3GABAA receptors,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05709-0Credit: CC0 Public Domain

When we listen to music, we often tap our feet or bob our head along to the beat  but why do we do it? New research led by Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute suggests the reason could be related to the way our brain processes low-frequency sounds.

The study, published in PNAS, recorded the electrical activity of volunteers' brains while they listened to rhythmic patterns played at either low or high-pitched tones. The study found that while listening, volunteer's brain activities and the rhythmic structure of the sound became synchronized  particularly at the frequency of the beat.

Co-author of the paper, Dr. Sylvie Nozaradan from the MARCS Institute, say these findings strongly suggest that the bass exploits a neurophysiological mechanism in the brain  essentially forcing it to lock onto the beat.

"There is mounting evidence supporting the hypothesis that selective synchronization of large pools of neurons of the brain to the beat frequency may support perception and movement to the musical beat," says Dr. Nozaradan.

While this research is an important step in answering the mystery of why we "dance to the beat of the drum," according to co-author Dr. Peter Keller from the MARCS Institute, these findings could also prove important in clinical rehabilitation.

"Music is increasingly being used in clinical rehabilitation of cognitive and motor disorders caused by brain damage and these findings, and a better understanding of the relationship between music and movement, could help develop such treatments," says Dr. Keller.

The research team  also comprising of co-authors Dr. Manuel Varlet and Tomas Lenc  suggests that while this research is an important step in understanding the relationship between bass and movement, there are still many open questions about the mechanisms behind this phenomenon.

"Future research is needed to clarify what networks of brain areas are responsible for this synchronization to the beat and how it develops from early in infancy," says Dr. Nozaradan.

Explore further Rhesus monkeys sense isochrony in rhythm, but not the beat

More information: Tomas Lenc et al. Neural tracking of the musical beat is enhanced by low-frequency sounds, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Tomas Lenc et al. Neural tracking of the musical beat is enhanced by low-frequency sounds,(2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1801421115Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A powerful psychedelic compound found in ayahuasca can model near-death experiences in the brain, a study has found.

Near-death experiences, or NDEs, are significant psychological events that occur close to actual or perceived impending death. Commonly reported aspects of NDEs include out of body experiences, feelings of transitioning to another world and of inner peace, many of which are also reported by users taking DMT.

DMT is a potent psychedelic found in certain plants and animals, and is the major psychoactive compound in ayahuasca, the psychedelic brew prepared from vines and used in ceremonies in south and central America.

Researchers from Imperial College London set out to look at the similarities between the DMT experience and reports of NDEs. Their findings, published today in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, reveal a large overlap between those who have had NDEs and healthy volunteers administered DMT.

As part of the trial, the team looked at 13 healthy volunteers over two sessions, who were given intravenous DMT and placebo, receiving one of four doses of the compound. The research was carried out at the NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility. All volunteers were screened and overseen by medical staff throughout.

Researchers compared the participants' experiences against a sample of 67 people who had previously reported actual NDEs and who had completed a standardised questionnaire to try and quantify their experiences. The group were asked a total of 16 questions including 'Did scenes from your past come back to you?' and 'Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light?'.

Following each dosing session, the 13 healthy volunteers filled out exactly the same questionnaire to find out what sort of experiences they had whilst on DMT and how this compared to the NDE group.

The team found that all volunteers scored above a given threshold for determining an NDE, showing that DMT could indeed mimic actual near death experiences and to a comparable intensity as those who have actually had an NDE.

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, who leads the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial and supervised the study, said: "These findings are important as they remind us that NDE occur because of significant changes in the way the brain is working, not because of something beyond the brain. DMT is a remarkable tool that can enable us to study and thus better understand the psychology and biology of dying."

Professor David Nutt, Edmond J Safra Chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial, said: "These data suggest that the well-recognised life-changing effects of both DMT and NDE might have the same neuroscientific basis."

Ph.D. candidate Chris Timmermann, a member of the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial and first author of the study, said: "Our findings show a striking similarity between the types of experiences people are having when they take DMT and people who have reported a near-death experience."

The researchers note some subtle, but important differences between DMT and NDE responses, however. DMT was more likely to be associated with feelings of 'entering an unearthly realm', whereas actual NDEs brought stronger feelings of 'coming to a point of no return'. The team explain that this may be down to context, with volunteers being screened, undergoing psychological preparation beforehand and being monitored through in a 'safe' environment.

"Emotions and context are particularly important in near-death experiences and with psychedelic substances," explains Timmermann. "While there may be some overlap between NDE and DMT-induced experiences, the contexts in which they occur are very different."

"DMT is a potent psychedelic and it may be that it is able to alter brain activity in a similar fashion as when NDEs occur.

"We hope to conduct further studies to measure the changes in brain activity that occur when people have taken the compound. This, together with other work, will help us to explore not only the effects on the brain, but whether they might possibly be of medicinal benefit in future."

The authors caution that while the initial findings are interesting, they advise against self-medication with ayahuasca.Kris Kobach probably hasnt been this happy since the Kansas legislature passed his last bill restricting voting rights. Photo: Steve Pope/Getty Images

Ending what many observers expected to be a long, long dispute over the Kansas GOP gubernatorial nomination, perhaps including a recount, incumbent Jeff Colyer abruptly conceded this evening to secretary of state and Trump favorite Kris Kobach.

Kobach led at the end of the regular vote count by a spare 191 votes. Some minor adjustments didnt change a lot, and the major drama was over the conflicts of interest arising from Kobachs role as the states election chief (he recused himself from the process, but only after issuing some questionable guidance to county officials).

But as provisional ballots rolled in this week, Kobach gradually increased his lead. And what seems to have convinced Colyer to throw in the towel were the final ballots from the states largest county, and one he carried on Election Day:

Colyer won Johnson County overall, so his inability to narrow Kobach's lead using the county's provisional ballots is not good news for him #ksleghttps://t.co/t3c2LEJ9VD  Jonathan Shorman (@jonshorman) August 14, 2018

So with a booming 345 vote lead (as of this moment), Kris Kobach has become the GOP nominee for governor.

We can expect a gloating tweet from President Trump, who (with some justice) can claim his late endorsement of Kobach put him over the top. But his happiness may be matched by that of Kansas Democrats, who are betting that in the end the voters of their state dont want to return to the nightmarish fiscal policies of former governor Sam Brownback with a big side order of voter suppression and anti-immigrant histrionics.

The Democratic nominee, State Senator Laura Kelly, will remind a lot of voters of former Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who similarly took advantage of a bout of GOP hyperextremism to offer calm, reasonable leadership to her state. A complication in the race will be self-funding independent candidate Greg Orman, who won over 40 percent of the general-election vote in a Senate race against Pat Roberts in 2014  after the Democratic candidate withdrew. Maybe Orman will return the favor to Democrats this time around.

In any event, a gubernatorial election involving Kobach will have high dramatics and probably a few moments of low comedy.Self-destructing brain tumor cell captured by electron microscopy after treatment with the small molecule KHS101. Credit: Stem Cells and Brain Tumour Group, University of Leeds

Aggressive brain tumour cells taken from patients self-destructed after being exposed to a chemical in laboratory tests, researchers have shown.

The study could be the first step in tackling cancers like glioblastoma, which led to Dame Tessa Jowell's death earlier this year.

The research, led by the University of Leeds, found that the synthetic chemical, named KHS101, was able to cut the energy source of tumour cells from glioblastoma, leading to the death of the cells.

Published in Science Translational Medicine, the research represents an important step forward in tackling this disease, which is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than five per cent.

Over 2,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma in the UK every year, and it has recently been discussed in Parliament as a disease which urgently requires improvements in treatment options.

Funded initially by the Medical Research Council, the new study showed promising results which may lead to the development of a therapy to fight brain cancer in years to come.

Dr. Heiko Wurdak, from the University of Leeds who led the international research team, said: "When we started this research we thought KHS101 might slow down the growth of glioblastoma, but we were surprised to find that the tumour cells basically self-destructed when exposed to it.

Self-destructing brain tumor cells captured by microscopy. The red staining stems from a marker for self-eating (autophagy) processes in cells. Credit: Stem Cells and Brain Tumour Group, University of Leeds

"This is the first step in a long process, but our findings pave the way for drug developers to start investigating the uses of this chemical, and we hope that one day it will be helping to extend people's lives in the clinic."

The study revealed that the chemical was disrupting the mitochondria and metabolism within the tumour cells, and shutting off the energy supply leading to their self-destruction.

To test whether KHS101 could cross the blood brain barrier in mammals, essential for it to be effective in stopping brain cancers, tumour cells were transferred from humans into mice. The blood brain barrier stops most molecules from entering the brain and severely limits treatment options.

The chemical successfully crossed the blood-brain barrier and significantly decreased tumour growth (by around 50 per cent) in mice treated with KHS101 compared with those given a placebo, leading to an increase in survival. Importantly, normal brain cells were unaffected by the chemical.

The team also reviewed how effective KHS101 would be against the different genetic profiles of cells within a tumour, and between tumours in different patients. Genetic variation in tumours has complicated efforts to identify treatments in the past, but the team found that all tested variations of glioblastoma subtype cells responded to the treatment.

Professor Richard Gilbertson, Cancer Research UK's brain tumour expert who wasn't involved in the research, said: "Treatment for glioblastoma has remained essentially unchanged for decades, so there is a pressing need for preclinical research like this to identify and characterise potential new drugs.

"While the findings are encouraging, as an experimental chemical, further rigorous testing and refinement of KHS101 is required before trials in people can begin."

Further research into the properties of KHS101 may lead scientists to discover similar drugs which also disturb the energy sources causing self-destruction of tumour cells, and thus broaden the range of treatment options available in the fight against brain tumours.

The paper 'KHS101 disrupts energy metabolism in human glioblastoma cells and reduces tumor growth in mice' is published in Science Translational Medicine on 15 August.

More information: E.S. Polson el al., "KHS101 disrupts energy metabolism in human glioblastoma cells and reduces tumor growth in mice," Science Translational Medicine (2018). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine E.S. Polson el al., "KHS101 disrupts energy metabolism in human glioblastoma cells and reduces tumor growth in mice,"(2018). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/  scitranslmed.aar2718Elderly individuals with fewer teeth, poor dental hygiene, and more cavities constantly ingest more dysbiotic microbiota, which could be harmful to their respiratory health, according to new research published in the journal mSphere. The findings come from a large, population-based study that identified variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults in Japan.

"Fewer teeth, poorer dental hygiene, and more dental caries (cavities) experience are closely related to dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota composition, which might be harmful to the respiratory health of elderly adults with swallowing problems," said corresponding author Yoshihisa Yamashita, Ph.D., DDS, Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.

Prior to this study, researchers knew that constant aspiration of saliva can lead to pneumonia, a major cause of death among elderly adults with swallowing impairments, and that tongue microbiota are a dominant source of oral microbial populations that are ingested with saliva. Previous research has also shown that in institutionalized frail elderly adults, the dysbiotic shift of indigenous tongue microbiota is associated with an increased risk of death from pneumonia.

In the new study, Dr. Yamashita and colleagues set out to understand the variations in tongue microbiota composition related to oral health conditions among community-dwelling elderly adults and to identify factors associated with the dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota. They investigated the tongue microbiota status and dental conditions of 506 adults aged 70 to 80 years living in the town of Hisayama, Japan who received a dental examination during a health examination of the town's residents performed in 2016. The scientists collected the tongue microbiota from the center area of the tongue dorsum using a modified electric toothbrush as a sampling device, and used next-generation sequencing approaches to analyze the samples.

The researchers found that the total bacterial density was independent of the conditions of teeth surrounding the tongue, whereas the microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions. "Commensal microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions," said Dr. Yamashita. "Two cohabiting groups of predominant commensals exist in the tongue microbiota; one of which was primarily composed of Prevotella histicola, Veillonella atypica, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus parasanguinis, which have been previously associated with an increased risk of mortality due to pneumonia in the frail elderly. This bacterial group was more predominant in the elderly with fewer teeth, a higher plaque index, and more dental caries-experienced teeth."

The study highlights the importance of dental health. "Careful attention should be given to the tongue microbiota status in elderly adults with poorer dental conditions," said Dr. Yamashita.

Explore further Periodontal inflammation a risk with tongue piercing(HealthDay)Recommendations have been developed for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African-American community; the recommendations are presented in an article published in the June issue of the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

Noting that African-Americans comprise close to half of the total reported HIV/AIDS cases in the United States, while representing only 12 percent of the U.S. population, Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Connecticut in Farmington, and colleagues developed an action plan to reduce the disparity.

The authors note that trends have continued and worsened since a previous report in 2008, with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African-American community of crisis proportion. African-Americans continue to be overrepresented across all categories of transmission. In order to impact the HIV/AIDS disparity, an action plan is recommended for community leaders. The plan includes being active in African-American communities and participating in free or reduced cost testing; working to eliminate prejudices and unconscious bias in treatment of patients; understanding new approaches to treatment, nuances in medications, and HIV/AIDS-related issues; advocating by calling attention to the epidemic and its impact in the African-American community; and encouraging proactive and creative solutions that can evolve with the changing trends and needs of the affected population.

"We are hopeful that with renewed vigor and re-dedication, the next 10 years will demonstrate dramatic progress towards reversing this disease in the African-American community," the authors write.

Explore further African-Americans still disproportionately affected by HIV

Copyright  2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.Carey Dean Moore. Photo: Nebraska Department of Correctional Services

Three years ago, Nebraskas legislature voted to end the death penalty in the deeply conservative state, in a move that seemed to signify a major blow against capital punishment in America. The practice has been declining for years, as it has grown less popular among Americans.

But just one year later, Nebraskans voted 61 to 39 in a referendum  supported heavily by prodeath-penalty governor Pete Ricketts  to bring the death penalty back. And on Tuesday, the state went ahead with its first execution since 1997. In a dubious milestone, it used the powerful opioid fentanyl, which has played a major role in the opioid epidemic, to help carry out the killing.

Carey Dean Moore, who was convicted of murdering two cab drivers in Omaha decades ago, was on death row for an extraordinary 38 years before being put to death on Tuesday. He had admitted his guilt.

Four members of the media witnessed his execution. Various accounts described Moore as mouthing I love you to family members present, and his face turning purple before he lost consciousness. It took 23 minutes from the administering of the first drug for Moore to die.

How Moore would react to the cocktail of drugs injected into his body  which, along with fentanyl, included diazepam, cisatracurium besylate, and potassium chloride  was an open question. In what has become a familiar and grotesque routine for states that still carry out executions, Nebraska had to come up with a new drug combination to carry them out, since the pharmaceutical companies that had been the source of the substances traditionally used in such circumstances dont want to be involved.

Moores death did not appear to be the kind of catastrophe that sometimes occurs when untested drugs are added to the mix. But Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, told the New York Times that I cant tell from the description whether its an indication of an execution gone bad or there are just question marks, citing the length of the execution and accounts of Moore coughing.

Moore was the 16th person executed in 2018, roughly on pace with 2017, when 23 people were put to death. (The modern execution high-water mark was 99, in 1999.) But with a state that once seemed on the antideath-penalty vanguard carrying out the killing, and a resolutely prodeath-penalty judge about to take a spot on the Supreme Court, it looks like the complete abolition of capital punishment is still a long ways off.NOTICE:

TO BE CLEAR:

WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT AND CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE MERELY ACCUSATIONS,EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW AND CONVICTED. FCRA DISCLAIMER: MUGSHOTS.COM DOES NOT PROVIDE CONSUMER REPORTS AND IS NOT A CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY. OUR DATABASE CANNOT BE USED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CONSUMER CREDIT, EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE, TENANT SCREENING, OR ANY OTHER PURPOSES THAT WOULD REQUIRE FCRA COMPLIANCE. MUGSHOTS.COM PARTICIPATES IN AFFILIATE PROGRAMS WITH VARIOUS COMPANIES. WE MAY EARN A COMMISSION WHEN YOU CLICK ON OR MAKE PURCHASES VIA LINKS. MUGSHOTS.COM IS AN AGGREGATOR OF THE TODAYS CRIME NEWS. IN EACH FRONT-PAGE POST, THE HYPERLINK TO THE PRIMARY SOURCE IS SPECIFIED. ALL TRADEMARKS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, ALL MATERIALS TO THEIR AUTHORS. IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THE CONTENT AND DO NOT WANT US TO PUBLISH YOUR MATERIALS, PLEASE CONTACT US BY EMAIL mugshots.com1@gmail.com. THE CONTENT WILL BE DELETED WITHIN 48 HOURS.

MUGSHOTS.COM IS A NEWS ORGANIZATION. WE POST AND WRITE THOUSANDS OF NEWS STORIES A YEAR, MOST WANTED STORIES, EDITORIALS (UNDER CATEGORIES - BLOG) AND STORIES OF EXONERATIONS. OUR CONTENT REVOLVES AROUND CRIME, ARRESTS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT. WE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PUBLISH UNPOPULAR SPEECH. OPEN RECORD LAWS WERE WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; BY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF ARRESTS AND TO HOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ARRESTEES. MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE...About a decade after Swiss bank secrecy laws started to crumble under the impact of a U.S. investigation, one of the last large lenders still entangled in the matter agreed to settle the dispute.

Zuercher Kantonalbank, Switzerlands largest publicly-owned regional bank, will pay $98.5 million as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice to end the investigation into the banks former business with U.S. clients.

More than a dozen Swiss banks have been targeted by the U.S. in a wide-ranging clampdown on offshore tax evasion. Among the biggest were Credit Suisse Group, which agreed to pay $2.6 billion in 2014 to settle the matter, and UBS Group, which paid about $780 million five years earlier. Both admitted they helped Americans cheat the IRS. Julius Baer Group, Switzerlands third largest wealth manager, settled for $547 million.

We are relieved that after seven years, we were able to conclude the investigation following an objective dialogue with the U.S. authorities, Joerg Mueller-Ganz, the Zurich-based banks chairman, said in a statement.

The tax evasion dispute between the U.S. and Swiss banks was kicked off by Bradley Birkenfeld, a former UBS banker arrested in the U.S. who then assisted investigators probing about $20 billion in taxpayer assets hidden overseas. That sparked investigations into other Swiss banks and, along with pressure from European governments, led to the end of Switzerlands famous secrecy laws for offshore accounts.

Swiss banks have since adapted, with many smaller firms being taken over. Zuercher Kantonalbank has been adjusting its crossborder private banking business for the last nine years and now only takes tax-compliant customers, with an emphasis on Europe, it said.

Under a deferred prosecution agreement, a company is typically charged with a crime that is later dismissed if the firm makes a payment, complies with specified conditions, and makes a detailed statement of facts about its wrongdoing.

The terms of the agreement, announced Monday, require the bank to give prosecutors detailed information on accounts directly or indirectly held by U.S. taxpayers, including information on other banks that transferred funds into the accounts or accepted funds when ZKB accounts were closed.

The payment would have been smaller if ZKB for years hadnt dissuaded two of its bankers, Christoph Reist and Stephan Fellmann, from cooperating with U.S. authorities, the department said.President Donald Trump holds an African American History Month listening session attended by Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison Omarosa Manigault (L) and other officials in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on February 1, 2017 in Washington, DC. Photo: Michael Reynolds - Pool/Getty Images

This chat ran in the Daily Intel newsletter, which combines a digest of the stories you care about with exclusive political commentary that you wont find on the website. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here.

Im your humble host and editor Ezekiel Kweku, and today Im talking with three members of New Yorks politics team  Jonathan Chait, Eric Levitz, and Ed Kilgore  about whether Trump said the N-word on tape, and if it should matter if he did.

Ezekiel: Today, Omarosa Manigault Newman released a tape of her and two other Trump staffers discussing the existence of a tape of Trump saying the N-word as if the tape exists. How likely do you think it is that such a recording is real?

Jon: At least 50-50? Maybe higher, but if you mean a tape we will see, 50-50 or lower.

Ed: Given his relentless, and presumably not just recent, resentment of political correctness and his habit of running his mouth in public and private, Id say the odds of it existing are pretty high.

Eric: Id guess high. The man is very racist and loves to be taped. Lets not forget how his longtime butler liked to talk about African-Americans. [W]ith the last breath I draw I will help rid this America of the scum infested in its governmentand if that means dragging that ball less dick head from the white mosque and hanging his scrawny ass from the porticocount me in !!!!!

Jon: Good pull. The butler. Nobody expected that guy.

Eric: Seems unlikely that he and Trump/Trump and other Mar-a-Lago guests never got similarly colorful on the subject of the first black president.

Jon: Very un-butlery language. Maybe in real life, butlers are nothing like in the movies.

Ezekiel: He sounds like what Trumps butler would sound like.

Ed: Id also say that anyone prone to using the phrase the blacks, as Trump is, is going to say something more vivid in private, whether or not its the actual N-word. I say that from my elaborate experience with white racists back home in Georgia.

Ezekiel: Very true. And Sarah Huckabee Sanderss inability to guarantee that Trump said the N-word on tape, especially given her usual willingness to dissemble on behalf of Trump, probably tells us something about the way he talks in private.

Jon: The man is a civil rights hero, he said so himself.

Ed: Maybe Ill think about constructing a Ten warning signs that you might say the N-word in private list. Theyd include questioning African-Americans IQs, opposing and exploiting African-American protests, defending confederate monuments and their champions, employing Corey Stewart, ranting about law and order, going exactly as far as is possible in specifically deploring other minority groups, bragging about relationships with black people in a patronizing way  I could go on and on.

Ezekiel: Thats a good segue to the next question, which is  given his record, would it matter whether theres a tape of him saying the N-word? How much would it matter?

Ed: Knowing he said it would be more of a confirmation of racism than independent proof  or maybe you could call it adding insult to injury. It would make it a lot harder for people who are in denial about racism generally.

Jon: I think, given that politics is played between the 40s for the most part, a tape of him saying that would be catastrophically bad for him. The caveat means, of course, Hannity and Carlson would defend him. That said, it would be a disaster. A big part of conservative attitudes on racism is defining it in very narrow terms, but that would undeniably qualify as racism in their eyes. Losing, say, 10 percent of your support is catastrophic.

Eric: In the abstract, it matters whether the president of the United States uses racial slurs in private. In political terms, it will likely matter if a recording of him using it surfaces. But it shouldnt really matter whether Trump uses the N-word in private, since his public remarks, taken collectively, amount to much stronger evidence of racial animus than a single recording of him using that word privately would; and his public racism is a far greater threat to vulnerable minority groups in the U.S.

To put a finer point on it: If Trump ordered DHS to publish a weekly list of crimes committed by Jews, held rallies with mothers whose kids were killed by Jews, repeatedly referred to Jewish immigrants as animals in public, and proposed banning all Jews from America during his primary campaign, I wouldnt give a shit about whether there was a secret tape of him saying kike, and would find it I bizarre for the country to treat that as a huge story  on which the presidents fitness for office might hinge  since doing so necessarily implies that what is already publicly visible was within the bounds of acceptability.

Ed: Certainly those who believe discrimination against white people is the great civil rights cause of our era arent going to abandon him over it.

Jon: I mean, I think we all agree Trump is pretty racist. But using that word, in this day and age, is a deliberate choice that signals something important about ones intent. Youre not merely indicating a willingness to overlook structural racism. Youre signaling active, sweeping hostility.

Ezekiel: I think there would be a lot of talk about why black people are allowed to say it, Kanye West, rap music, context, black culture, Chris Rock, double standards, etc. etc.  my guess is that the vast majority of people who currently support him would find a way to justify it. Many of them would even find a way to frame it as a positive. But as Jon said, losing a fraction of his support could hurt him pretty badly.

Ed: Maybe Im alone here, but I strongly believe that nine out of ten people who endlessly complain about political correctness, which is one of Trumps signatures, are defending the right to make racist (or sexist) jokes. Use of the N-word is probably on the line, but yeah, the why do the blacks get to say it? would be heard a lot.

Jon: But losing the one in ten is a disaster.

Eric: But praising General Pershing for (supposedly) mass murdering Muslim prisoners-of-war with bullets soaked in pigs blood is also signaling active, sweeping hostility to a minority group.

Jon: Yeah, but not in the same way, I dont think.

Eric: I think the fact that theres any question about Trumps overt racism reflects the fact that our political culture treats bigotry towards Muslisms as fundamentally more acceptable than overt expressions of anti-black racism.

Ezekiel: Heres a question  would the reaction be any different than that of the combined impact of the Access Hollywood tape + the dozen or so women who came forward to accuse Trump of sexual harassment?

Jon: Thats a great question. Heres a distinction I would draw  in the minds of many people, or at least the conservative-leaning ones Im describing, sexual harassment is an act he was merely describing, while the N-word is itself an act. So they might dismiss the tape because it was merely describing actions that may have unfolded elsewhere, but the N-word tape is the action itself.

Eric: Yeah. They could still maybe pull a similar he was just joking sorta move. Locker room talk, and what have you.

Ed: Well, if he was reciting a Richard Pryor routine, he might have that defense 

Eric: But if I had to guess, I think an N-word tape in October would have been more damaging.

Jon: Maybe Im wrong, maybe Im sheltered. I have never heard a white person use that term about black people. So in my mind its a nuclear bomb, but maybe I am wrong about how it would unfold.

Eric: Wow, really?

Ezekiel: Haha. Well, I can assure you that it happens, and depending.

Jon: Haha yes, I realize that.

Ed: You really have lived a sheltered life, Jon.

Eric: I havent heard it a lot, but have def been in the company of white people saying it.

Ed: I probably havent heard it more than 700 or 800 times.

Jon: Wow.

Ed: You have to appreciate I grew up in the Jim Crow South. The word was not tolerated in my own household, but it was used commonly by my maternal relatives, many classmates, etc. Actually some of my paternal relatives as well, though some used marginally genteel variations.

Jon: I mean, I grew up in a suburb of Detroit where lots of parents (not mine) would not let their kids go south of 8 Mile Road, so my frame of reference is a world where all kinds of racist assumptions might circulate, but that word would be totally verboten. I could see the parents of many of my classmates nodding along when Trump equates cities with crime and so on, but being shocked at the word. Again, maybe this is my idiosyncratic perspective.

Ezekiel: It is often the case that people modify their language depending upon the audience  but I think were getting a little far afield here. Who Does And Doesnt Hear the N-word and Why is perhaps a different chat, haha. Anyhow: My case for the existence of the N-word tape is that it would be darkly humorous, given the rumors of the Michelle Obama whitey tape that circulated during the 08 primary and campaign.

Ed: Good point.

Ezekiel: One of my favorite forgotten subplots of that campaign.

Eric: The 2032 news cycle about whether the Democratic candidates #cancelwhitepeople tweet is more disqualifying than the Republicans #whitegenocide ones is gonna be lit.The faces of 500 El Salvadorian immigrants look innocently into the center of the room. A screen, showing a film of dancers, writhing over a stump burned by last Octobers wild fires, hangs from the ceiling. Five hundred red and orange tambourines dangle in mid air, gently disturbed by a whirring fan.

Sound weird? It may. But the spectacle of it is a sight to behold. Its the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Arts second installment of their series Be Not Still: Living in Uncertain Times.

For years, the di Rosa was known for its eclectic collection of art made by artists from the Bay Area. For this show, Robert Sain, di Rosas new director, has commissioned three large-scale installations that speak to these Uncertain Times.

Just like part 1 of Be Not Still, the exhibit begins in Gallery One, where di Rosa has asked artist Lexa Walsh to take a selection of works from the permanent collection and use them to illustrate a theme.

This time, the theme is assembly, and Walsh as arranged the pieces to represent the idea of assembly and how assemblies  protests, demonstrations, strikes, marches  are so common that they seem intrinsic to the nature of our political life.

Walsh primarily chose pieces from the collection that are figurative, representations of the human body in myriad poses, colors, materials and orientations, as the actual person is the physical manifestation of an assembly. Walsh was deliberate in her placement of the pieces relative to one another, and its in their placement that the message behind the exhibit becomes clear.

Walsh said, I was looking at how people assemble in protest and the choreography of those, what are the motions that we make and the stances we are in. Of course, these works cant move, but I went searching for figurative works in the collection first that could be anthropomorphized. I think of the sculptural works as participants in the activity and the portraiture staring at you as witnesses. And then I invite the visitor to choose where they are.

That idea is first communicated at the beginning of the exhibition where Viola Freys life-sized, multicolored ceramic statue of an older woman wearing a straw hat with flowers and a waistcoat, looks at a picture on the wall of Goofy, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck reenacting the flag raising of Iwo Jima.

This juxtaposition, of a proper older lady gazing, perplexed, at the irreverence of cartoon characters replaying a sacred moment in American history, is emblematic of how some members of society are content with the status quo. Others, however, feel compelled to upend that very same status quo, which is often what leads one to protest.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a collection of figures that all face the same way. An onyx-colored bust of a businessman with a shoe in his mouth; a greyish blue metallic, taciturn-looking man with a rectangular torso and arms that are flailing; a ghoulish blue and black figure that seems to have been reanimated out of a graveyard. All march toward a fiery red and yellow wall meant to symbolize, Walsh says, the fire and fury that protesters march toward, or the conflict that sparks a protest to begin with, or the wildfires that threatened the di Rosa last October.

Dedicating Gallery One to an arrangement of the permanent collection is a brilliant way to employ the art while the major exhibition space, Gallery Two, is in use by the commissioned work. In a way, Gallery One is a prelude to the main event in Gallery Two.

Victor Cartagena is a El Salvadorian artist who came to this country in 1985. As a Latino immigrant, he explores through art what it means to be in the United States, but not from the United States. Given his origin in Central America, he has a special affinity for the plight of immigrants who are trying to enter this country.

His installation consists of a collection of photos of faces, all mounted on stakes. The faces were originally passport photos taken in a shop in El Salvador of people who were looking to leave the country. The stakes are meant to evoke the signs protesters hold up. Seeing them there, 500 laid against the wall, its almost as if Cartagena is encouraging the viewer to pick one up and take to the streets to spread awareness about the treatment of immigrants from south of the border.

The work is especially prescient given the Trump administrations immigration policy to separate parents from their children as they are trying to gain entry into this country. Cartagena planned the installation before that took place. But then, in retrospect, he decided to separate out all the childrens passport photos, and they line a separate wall, across from the adults, which evokes a sense of loneliness, giving the viewer a palpable, concrete idea of what that their experience must be like.

The second commissioned work is by Ranu Mukherjee. Projected on a screen hanging from the ceiling is a film of dancers writhing around a burned tree stump. While the theme of this installation is health, the work seems to have more to do with resiliency. Rather than shy away from the devastation of the fires, the dancers are immersing themselves in it. They roll and ooze around the charred wood as if on a waterbed, but that is made from the absolute opposite of water. Instead of running away from the awful-looking stump, they wallow in it. Its as if they are physically looking to learn the lessons the fires can teach us by embracing what is left over, rather than regretting the destruction and doing everything one can to forget it.

The third work is by Lava Thomas and consists of almost 500 tambourines suspended by imperceptible wire from the ceiling. Several fans gently blow air through them, making them sway back and forth, almost like a wind chime.

Thomas has made several works with tambourines because she said she thinks that instrument is the most egalitarian. Anyone can use a tambourine. Theyre not expensive, theyre portable, and they make noise  useful in any protest.

The drums of the tambourines are either red or orange, whose color, illuminated by the skylight above, makes them glow. They seem to radiate the rage and fury some protests can exhibit. They swing as a group moving together, just as an assembly of protesters lumbers toward its goal.

The three works together form a sort of trilogy. Cartagenas somber, quiet photos are meditative, pensive. That is followed by Mukherjees pensive nymphs, communing intimately with a burned tree stump. And finally, a visual cacophony of percussion instruments, waving gently in the artificial breeze, is almost a relief from the heaviness of the first two works.

Pieces in the di Rosas collection may shock you. You may wonder why on earth someone would pay money for something like this, let alone show it in a museum. You are not alone. That has been a criticism of modern art ever since Marcel Duchamp mounted a urinal in a gallery and called it art.

But what you find strange may be the key to another persons fuller understanding of the world. And you may find something that is beautiful, that takes your breath away.In a slow procession to the song Remember Me from the movie Coco, several hundred people celebrated the dedication Tuesday afternoon of a pathway between a north Napa neighborhood and Northwood Elementary School.

The newly paved walkway was officially named Joes Path, after former student Joe Horn.

Horn, 14 and his father, Daryl Horn, 50, died in a hit-and-run wreck on Interstate 80 in San Pablo on Nov. 25. Also killed in the crash were 52-year-old Troy Biddle of Bainbridge Island, Washington, Daryl Horns brother-in-law, and Biddles 12-year-old son Baden.

Joe Horn, who attended Northwood Elementary School, as did his mother Denise and his siblings, was well known at the school, said his former kindergarten teacher Marcia Smith.

Even after he went on to middle school, Joe used to walk through our campus on the same path to and from school with his friends, she recalled. Theyd always be laughing and giggling.

He was humble. He was kind. He was inclusive, Smith said. The path honors Joe and those characteristics, she said.

Smith said on Tuesday she felt bittersweet. It tears at the little pieces of your heart knowing that we lost such special people, she said. Noting the large turnout, it just shows you how important the Horn family is.

The Horns were quite involved with Northwood school, said principal Sarah Knox. In addition, Sweet Joe was everyones buddy. The school also recently installed a new buddy bench near shady trees that is also dedicated to Joe Horn.

The new path is here, said Knox, and we know Joe is here as well.

Jared Horn, Joes older brother, also spoke.

This means a lot to our family, he said. If his brother could see the path today, hes sure that Joe would say, Its pretty dope.

To me, this is not just a reminder of Joe, its a reminder to cherish our loved ones, said Jared Horn.

I love you, Joe.

I was lucky to have a friend like Joe, said Blake Porter, one of Joes buddies. He was friends with everyone.

Porter said the path makes him think about what it takes to be a good friend.

Denise Horn, Joes mom, received lots of hugs and kind words during the dedication.

This is home to her family, she said. The outpouring of the community reaffirms that.

I feel love and support from everybody, said Denise Horn. Im thankful.

After the dedication, everyone walked down the path to remember Horn.

Remember me, echoed the song.

Though I have to say goodbye

Remember me, dont let it make you cry

For even if Im far away, I hold you in my heart

I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart

Remember me.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The Napa Special Investigations Bureau has arrested 21-year old San Bernardino resident, Travonte Gasaway Jr., in a sting operation to combat human trafficking.

Gasaway tried to recruit a person he believed was a 16-year old Napa County girl into the commercial sex trade. All the time, he was in contact with a social media profile maintained by an NSIB detective, the task force said.

Over the course of approximately one week, Gasaway conversed via social media, texts and calls with undercover law enforcement detectives in an effort to recruit her into working as a child sex worker for him, NSIB said in a news release.

As Gasaway grew increasingly assertive, NSIB asked a Vacaville Police Department detective to assist with the investigation. Gasaway agreed to come to Napa County to pick up the girl and her friend, also described as a 16-year old girl, and take them back to Southern California where he would manage their work in the commercial sex trade, detectives said.

Gasaway told the two girls they would then travel back and forth between Southern California and Napa County working in the commercial sex trade for him, NSIB said.

Gasaway bragged about promoting the 16-year old girls on commercial sex websites, recruiting sex customers for them, and offering to protect them while they worked as child sex workers. Gasaway promised the girls they would make money and he would show the minors everything they would need to know to make money engaging in commercial sex, according to NSIB.

On Aug. 9, Gasaway arrived to pick up the fictitious 16-year old girls for the purpose of sexually exploiting them. He was greeted by NSIB detectives who arrested him without incident, the bureau said.

Gasaway was booked into the Napa County jail for a number of crimes related to the human trafficking of a minor. Detectives secured a court ordered increase in bail to $2 million. He remained in custody as of Wednesday.

NSIB investigates drug trafficking and human trafficking in Napa County. Residents are urged to call NSIB at 253-4458 with tips. Callers can remain confidential or anonymous.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Because so many of us got it wrong in 2016, we often tend to reflexively tell ourselves that President Donald Trump must be working some kind of hidden magic over public opinion that we're all missing. One place this constantly manifests itself is with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation: If Mueller's approval falls a few points, a throng of pundits and hand-wringing liberals rushes forth to tell us that Trump is "winning" his battle with Mueller.

But what if public opinion about Trump and the Russia probe is a lot simpler than we think? What if the story is that large majorities think Trump is probably guilty of some sort of wrongdoing; believe that Mueller's investigation is legitimately in keeping with the rule of law and is pursuing matters that are important to the public interest; want Trump to face questioning over these matters; don't like Trump's constant attacks on the investigation; and believe Trump has been trying to interfere with the probe and has been steadily lying about it all along?

Tuesday morning, Trump was once again raging at Mueller on Twitter, calling for his probe to be shut down. Uh-oh. His base will march in lockstep with him on this, and that's all that matters! He's flooding the media zone!! We are doomed to helplessness while his mighty social media presence mesmerizes the electorate!!! He's winning!!!!

Except . . . no, he isn't. A new CNN poll finds:

--Only 34 percent of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the Russia investigation, vs. 55 percent who disapprove.

--58 percent say this is a serious matter that should be investigated, vs. only 37 percent who think it's mainly an effort to discredit Trump.

--56 percent say Trump has interfered with the investigation, vs. only 38 percent who say he has not.

--Only 37 percent say the things Trump has said publicly about the investigation are true, vs. 56 percent who say they are false.

--70 percent say Trump should testify to Mueller, vs. only 25 percent who say he should not.

--57 percent say Trump knew about contacts between his campaign operatives and Russians, vs. only 36 percent who say he did not.

Trump is losing every single public argument about the Mueller probe. His latest, in a tweet citing Judicial Watch, is that the firing of former FBI agent Peter Strzok, who authored texts critical of Trump, shows that the "fundamental underpinnings of the investigation were corrupt." This is a lie: The inspector general's report into all this actually found that the FBI decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton was untainted by bias or politics, completely laying waste to Trump's narrative.

Regardless, this is only the latest in a long string of things that was supposed to "give Trump fodder" to disqualify the investigation, to use that deeply misleading and self-reinforcing journalistic cliche.

But the fodder is failing, and so are all his lies. Only small minorities believe the probe is a witch hunt; think he hasn't interfered in it; believe he's telling the truth about these matters; and don't think he should testify. And those minorities are largely dominated by Republicans: In all these cases, independents - who matter in midterms - are tilted against him, a trend that other polls have also demonstrated.

It is often suggested that all Trump has to do to "win" is keep his base behind him against Mueller. The idea is supposed to be that this will ensure that House Republicans won't impeach Trump. But House Republicans are almost certainly never going to impeach Trump, no matter what Mueller finds. The only way Trump will be held accountable, should those findings be very serious, is if Democrats take back the House.

And so, what will matter for accountability purposes is whether Trump's lies about the Mueller probe are enough to prevent a Democratic takeover. And on this score, the CNN poll is notable: The college-educated white voters who will be so important this fall tilt heavily against Trump: 60 percent say the Russia affair is serious and should be investigated; 61 percent say Trump interfered in the investigation; and 58 percent say he has been lying about it.

Non-college-educated whites, by contrast, side with Trump on these things (though far more narrowly than you might think). Indeed, it's worth asking whether the Mueller investigation constitutes another matter in what David French on nationalreview.com calls the "great white culture war."

It's plausible that college-educated whites see Trump's handling of the Mueller probe as part of his broader degradation of our democracy and institutions, and see this as very troubling, in a manner that non-college-educated whites (perhaps believing that our system has failed them, thus making them responsive to Trump in the first place) do not.

It is often also suggested that Trump's attacks on the Mueller probe work by galvanizing his base, which could help keep the House in GOP hands. But here, too, the CNN poll is instructive: While large majorities of Republican voters say the Mueller probe will be important to them this fall, similarly large majorities of Democrats say the same.

I'm not claiming the Mueller probe will necessarily give a big lift to Democratic efforts to take the House. My view is that Trump's handling of it is part of a broader story about Trumpian self-dealing and corruption and his reliance on the House GOP to shield him from accountability and allow him to act with impunity on many fronts. And the precise impact of the Russia story as part of that broader narrative is hard to gauge.

But there is no evidence Trump's lies are likely to give the GOP a boost in keeping the House. The Russia story is probably hurting Republicans more than it is helping. Which means that on this score, Trump isn't "winning" at all.

Greg Sargent writes The Plum Line blog, a reported opinion blog with a liberal slant  what you might call opinionated reporting from the left. He wrote this for The Washington Post.Elections for the U.S. Senate get less attention compared with the House, where control is likely to change hands, based on the latest polls. The odds that Democrats can pull this off in the Senate are maybe only about 25 percent.

This is about arithmetic and geography; 26 of the 35 Senate seats up this year are held by Democrats, with five in heavily Republican states. Republicans currently have a 51-49 advantage.

Still, its not far-fetched to think that Democrats could hold all but one or two of their seats and pick up two or three Republican seats; they need a net gain of two for control.

For Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, its important to add a couple of seats so he isnt dependent on one or two senators for a majority. In 2020, its the Republicans who could have up to twice as many Senate incumbents facing the voters, so the party needs a cushion.

Although the odds are against the Democrats this year, the party that holds the presidency usually suffers setbacks in midterm elections, and issues favor them. In a survey late last month for the Democratic group Priorities USA, pollster Geoff Garin found that only 35 percent of voters say President Donald Trumps economic policies are good for people like them and only 33 percent have a favorable view of the Republican tax cut.

Twelve weeks before Election Day, I think there are a half-dozen bellwether Senate races. This assumes some Democrats, once considered vulnerable, like Montanas Jon Tester and West Virginias Joe Manchin, look to be in good shape. And if its a pretty good Democratic year, its hard to see how the party is not going to win back a seat in purple-blue Nevada. This outlook also assumes that the Democrats dream of pulling an upset in Texas, Mississippi or Nebraska will remain just that: a pipe dream.

So the big six, all rated toss-ups by the Cook Political Report, are:

Florida: This will be the mother of all Senate races, and astronomically expensive, with the three-term Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson up against Republican Governor Rick Scott.

Scott, a thoroughly mediocre governor, is a shrewd campaigner with very deep pockets, which he is willing to open. Nelson, a competent senator, isnt an exciting candidate.

Democrats note, however, that Scott won his governors races by very small margins in 2010 and 2014, which were banner Republican years; this year will not be. While Republicans celebrate a few mildly favorable public polls, Democrats counter that Scott has spent $20 million this summer attacking Nelson without moving the needle. They also believe that the electorate, fueled by a fast-growing Latino population, will be as much as five points more Democratic than the last time Scott ran.

North Dakota: This is the top Republican target, where Democratic incumbent Heidi Heitkamp is facing a difficult challenge from Representative Kevin Cramer, who represents the entire state. Trump carried North Dakota by better than 2-to-1.

Heitkamp is an independent-minded politician who has overcome big odds. Cramer, notes Nathan Gonzales, editor of Inside Elections, is not a perfect candidate but hes better than any shes faced before. The race may hinge on whether Trumps tariffs, which are clobbering some farmers, are a major factor in November.

Arizona: Along with Nevada, this is Democrats top target for a takeover with Representative Kyrsten Sinema, a libertarian-leaning moderate Democrat. Theres a bitter Republican primary later this month with mainstream conservative Representative Martha McSally facing two right-wingers, one the infamous sheriff Joe Arpaio.

If either of them wins, this is a slam dunk for Sinema. And shed still be a slight favorite over McSally, whod have to appease both a forceful tea party element and those Republican supporters of two anti-Trump senators, John McCain and the retiring Jeff Flake.

Missouri: Months ago, Republicans were confident theyd unseat two-term Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in a state that has moved steadily their way. They had recruited 38-year-old Attorney General Josh Hawley, a golden boy candidate with glittering credentials and support from both establishment and Trump conservatives.

But Hawley has been a lackluster candidate and has been ensnared in some mini-scandals. McCaskill still needs all the breaks she can get. She may be helped by ballot initiatives on legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, raising the minimum wage and reforming redistricting _ measures that will bring out more likely Democratic voters.

Indiana: The state has moved right since Joe Donnelly, a moderate Democrat, was elected six years ago. Republicans were cheered when businessman Mike Braun blew away two incumbent U.S. House members in the primary.

There is a question now whether Braun was fully vetted in the Republican contest, and a Democratic poll shows Hoosiers evenly divided now on Trump. Vice President Mike Pence, Indianas former governor, will go all out for Braun to avoid an embarrassment in his home state.

Tennessee: A state that hasnt voted for a Democratic senator since Al Gore in 1990 wasnt even on the radar until late last year when incumbent Republican Senator Bob Corker announced his retirement and popular former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen surprisingly jumped into the race.

Hes running against right-wing U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn. The key may be whether Republicans can paint Bredesen as a left-winger and tie him to Chuck Schumer, or whether voters remember his impressive record as governor, which ended eight years ago.

Albert R. Hunt is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He was the executive editor of Bloomberg News, before which he was a reporter, bureau chief and executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal.The Stonebridge Housing Community, celebrating our 25th year, is pleased to announce the creation of a new playground for our kids in St. Helena.

Great news for our kids.

Some of our youngest residents will have a lot of fun for years to come.

Kaboom will build an amazing playground for the children of the Stonebridge Homes. It will be designed by Kaboom, with input from the kids and their parents.

The playground will be worth $250,000 and is being paid for by a grant from Kaboom. Kaiser Hospital is also helping us with this effort and will be contributing 100 volunteers.

Thanks to all, the project should be completed by the end of August.

Leo Ainsworth, Board President

Stonebridge Housing CommunityThe St. Helena Montessori School wants the city to consider rezoning an acre and a half of land on College Avenue to allow for workforce housing.

The idea is still in the conceptual phase, but school representatives asked the City Council to consider rezoning the land from A-20 Agriculture to Medium-Density Residential as part of the General Plan update, which is nearing an end and could wrap up by the end of the year.

Instead of taking immediate action on the request, the council agreed Tuesday to consider the idea as part of a comprehensive review of St. Helenas residential zonings that will take place soon after the new General Plan is adopted. Neighborhoods on Monte Vista and McCorkle have also been flagged for possible rezoning.

The Montessori school owns three half-acre parcels next to its campus on College Avenue. The current zoning allows for a single home and one accessory dwelling unit on each of the three parcels. Medium-Density Residential zoning would allow between 8 and 24 units on one and a half acres, but the exact number of units and their level of affordability havent been determined.

Matt Heil, the schools director of development, said a few units could be reserved for the schools teachers, but others could be available to the community or to specific workers like firefighters and other first responders.

Were not forcing this issue, Heil said. We just wanted to let the city to know that this property could potentially be developed for workforce housing  for the community.

Updated drafts of the proposed General Plan and its environmental impact report should be released for public review in September.

Brenkle Court

In other action on Tuesday, the council dedicated another $160,667 from the citys affordable housing trust fund to Our Town St. Helenas Brenkle Court project on McCorkle Avenue.

The funds include $15,000 to supplement a previous commitment to restrict two of the sites eight units to Very Low Income families; $65,667 to allow a third unit to be restricted to Very Low Income levels; and an $80,000 bridge loan to cover a temporary funding shortfall as the nonprofit Our Town awaits federal funding for mortgages.

The city has now contributed $1.2 million to Brenkle Court. That includes the $700,000 the city spent to buy the lot, but it doesnt include the bridge loan that will be repaid in 2019.

The self-help housing project is being built through sweat equity, with the eventual homeowners providing most of the labor. Preparatory site work is almost done, and construction should start in November and take about 16 months, according to Our Towns Mary Stephenson.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to defend the Affordable Care Act against a new challenge brought by red states. Photo: AAron Ontiveroz/Denver Post via Getty Images

The Democratic Party believes that its strongest argument against Donald Trumps latest Supreme Court nominee and the GOPs congressional majority is that both pose a clear and present danger to Americans health care.

Specifically, Democrats maintain that Brett Kavanaughs jurisprudence on the power of regulatory agencies suggests that he would be open to striking down the Affordable Care Acts regulatory protections for people with preexisting conditions. And the party further argues (more indisputably) that the GOPs congressional leadership would love to undermine those protections  and gut funding for Medicaid and federal health-care subsidies  if they ever get a large enough Senate majority to pull off such feats.

It isnt hard to see why Democrats have chosen to put health care at the center of both their midterm campaign and opposition to Kavanughs confirmation. The GOPs proposed Obamacare replacement, the American Health Care Act, ended up being the most unpopular piece of major legislation in our nations modern history. Shortly after the bills introduction last spring, the Democratic Party opened a double-digit lead in polls of the 2018 generic ballot, while President Trumps job approval rating dipped. Subsequent surveys showed the public favoring the Democrats over the Republicans on health-care policy by wide margins.

Thus, it is difficult to understand why the Trump administration decided to revive its crusade against Obamacare or, more precisely, against the laws single most popular provision  its protections for people with preexisting conditions  this summer.

Back in June, the Justice Department announced that it would not defend the Affordable Care Act from a challenge brought by a group of red states, which had claimed that Congresss repeal of the individual mandate rendered the laws prohibition on discrimination against people with preexisting conditions invalid  as that provision is not severable from the rest. This is a legal claim so radical and ill-supported it made the National Review blush. The notion that Congress is not constitutionally allowed to eliminate the ACAs insurance mandate  unless it also repeals the laws other regulations of the health-care market  is not some sacred principle of constitutional originalists. Rather, its an ad hoc rationalization for the judiciary to veto a duly-passed expansion of the safety net. And yet, Attorney General Jeff Sessions concluded that his department could make no honest argument against the plaintiffs case.

On Tuesday, a federal judge scheduled oral arguments in that case for September 10  just days after Kavanaughs confirmation hearings conclude, and weeks before the midterms. Which is to say: Right before the Senate casts its judgment on Kavanaugh  and voters cast theirs on the congressional GOP  the White House and its allies will be making the Democratic Partys case against both for it.In non-presidential year elections, Northern Californians frequently have very few contests to think about. This November, our governor, senior senator, and congressman will all be Democrats. Dianne Feinstein does have a younger Democratic opponent, but all polls indicate she will dispatch him effortlessly.

But we will have a spirited contest for mayor in St. Helena and some younger new blood for the city council. In reporting on local politics several years ago, I passed on the comment that the British historian Andrew Roberts once gave me, personality is vital. Thats especially true in local elections, where we know our candidates as persons and not politicians. One to focus on is a candidate for a new office and the other is a first-timer in city politics.

Using a personality palette, we can see that mayoral challenger Geoff Ellsworth is plenty colorful, while our incumbent exhibits shades of grey. And Ellsworth is a generation younger.

I sat down with Ellsworth (and also went on a country drive with him) to gauge him and his views. A professional artist and stage performer, he is ebullient and effusive in discussing the town where he grew up and is spending his adult life. He won his city council election by winning over voters in person, door-to-door. Undoubtedly, thats how hell run for mayor.

Several St. Helenans have told me they view Ellsworth as anti-winery and not pro-business. He takes issue with that assessment. I grew up in the wine business, he says, accompanying his father making deliveries of winery equipment all over the valley. But he says that like any industry, wine has to stay in balance with its community and with resources like water.

On downtown business issues, Ellsworth says that, We need to stimulate an interest in the town by making it as attractive and charming as it can be. He feels strongly that the overall economic situation in the city is more stable than previously understood, with the highest per capita sales tax in all of Napa and Sonoma and the highest revenue of Upvalley cities.

He acknowledges that we need to define solutions for the business district, as its an obvious and critical problem. Yet any such solutions should factor in limitations and constraints such as roads, water, housing, environment and quality of life concerns.

Ellsworth was in favor of Measure C, but now that its been defeated, he wants to move to an issue he feels all sides should be able to unite on: protecting the quality of the sources of St. Helenas water. He took me on a drive up Howell Mountain to the lands surrounding Bell Canyon reservoir, the major source of our water. He showed me where tributaries to the reservoir are endangered by agro-industrial (and even medical industrial) run-offs.

A major issue is that we dont control Bell Canyon; the county does. So he points to relations with the county government as key to protecting our water. At the least, his campaign will focus attention for us on how we protect, use, and pay for our water.

Nearly a generation younger than Ellsworth is our one announced city council candidate, Anna Chouteau, who is set to run along with incumbent Paul Dohring for the two city council seats. (The deadline to file is Wednesday, Aug. 15, after this columns deadline.) She is energetic and a self-starter. I should know  Ive worked out with her twice a week at the gym for years. That she has tolerated (and supported) me for so long indicates her strength of character.

Chouteau says the most important thing about her running for office is how much I care about our community and keeping families here. She is raising her own young family in St. Helena; by itself, that would give her a perspective unique among our five council members. She has prepped for holding office by serving as vice-chair of the SHAPE committee that evaluated City Hall and the other city-owned properties.

She feels that her varied employment history has also prepared her well for elective office. She ran a marine sanctuary foundation in Santa Barbara and was a business consultant in Dallas, working with Southwest Airlines and a local police force.

If we have just one contested race  the mayoral position  that should be enough to engender a needed debate about resources, business development, and leadership. And we should be able to disagree without being disagreeable. In politics, we can be both combative and positive at the same time.

(Mark G. Epstein moved to St. Helena from the East Coast early this century after a career in international business).On Independence Day last year, Naskara, a back-of-the-beyond village in Assam, stole the limelight after two students and four teachers hoisted the Tricolour in waist-deep floodwaters on the primary school field. With this, the other problems confronting the village in Assams Dhubri district also came to the fore.

A year on, the villagers said as India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday that the final draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), released on July 30 last, was perhaps the only good thing that happened to them in the past year.

A report appearing in the The Telegraph quoted Tajem Sikdar, one of the four teachers of Naskara Lower Primary School, as saying, The names of over 92 per cent residents were present in the final draft NRC and we hope this will remove our Bangladeshi tag finally. We are considered Bangladeshis despite the fact that our father was born here. The only other difference is that there is no flood this time.

Also Read: Assam: Dhubri kid patriot name missing from final draft NRC

The report further quoted Tajem as saying, Vast stretches of roads are still bumpy, voltage is as low as it was last year and the Brahmaputra continues to erode villages. Last year, when the media came rushing and the name of our village and our problems were highlighted, we hoped for better days. But we have seen no significant step so far except the NRC.

Sikdar and three other teachers  Mizanur Rahman, Joydev Roy and Nripen Rabha  and two Class III students  Haidor Ali Khan and Jiarul Ali Khan  had defied the floodwaters that submerged their village to hoist the Tricolour and sing jana gana mana and Vande mataram during Independence Day last year.

Haidor and Jiarul were selected as they knew how to swim while the rest stood on higher ground and sang the National Anthem. Roy clicked a photograph to forward to the cluster resource centre coordinator for official record while Rahman uploaded it on Facebook. It went viral.

The primary school, with nearly 200 students, is situated 2.5 km from Fakirganj town in Dhubri district and 200 km west of Guwahati. Joydev took a transfer, while Tajem, 50, stepped down from the headmasters post owing to ill health. A new teacher, Arup Mahanta, joined the school a few months ago.

On Tuesday morning, the students practised for the Independence Day parade to be held on Wednesday at 7.30 am. Haidor, now in class IV, found his name missing from the final draft NRC though his mother and two siblings figured in the list.

Even after 72 years, there is no Government bus. There is no ATM machine. We have to take a two-hour boat ride over the Brahmaputra to withdraw money in Dhubri town. There is only one higher secondary school offering arts, so students cant pursue science. Many students of our school get scholarships every year but they cant pursue higher education in science subjects, said Mizanur.

He had emailed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a solution to their problems last year. Mizanur received a reply but no action has been taken as yet.Ilhan Omar, who is likely to be one of the first two Muslim women in Congress. Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In Tuesday nights primaries Democrats looked like a party ready to make history, while Republicans continued rejecting their pre-Trump past. If Democrats have their way in November, Vermont will have the nations first transgender governor, Connecticuts congressional delegation will include a black Democrat for the first time, and Minnesota will send one of the first of two Muslim women to Congress. Meanwhile on the Republican side, Trump critic Tim Pawlentys comeback attempt failed, and other candidates struggled with allegations of previous disloyalty to the president. Though the race took place last week, the president scored another primary win on Tuesday night when Kansas governor Jeff Colyer conceded to Kris Kobach, a close Trump ally.

Heres a look at the nights most significant results.

Connecticut

 Ned Lamont is at the top of a Democratic ticket in Connecticut once again after a rocky political history. The wealthy businessman pulled off a shocking upset in 2006, beating then-Senator Joe Lieberman in the Democratic congressional primary. However, Lieberman refused to bow out of the race, running as an independent and winning. Four years later Lamont lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary to Dannel Malloy.

Malloy went on to win that race, but after serving two terms he opted not to run again, with polls showing hes the countrys least popular governor. Republicans are hoping to capitalize on that to flip the state red, though Democrats outnumber Republicans by five to three in Connecticut.

There was an upset in the Republican gubernatorial race, with Bob Stefanowski, a former GE executive, beating the party-endorsed Danbury mayor Mark Boughton and three other candidates. Stefanowski embraced Trump during the campaign, though he didnt vote for him  or Hillary Clinton, or any other candidate in the last 16 years.

 Jahana Hayes is one step closer to being Connecticuts first black Democrat in Congress after winning her primary on Tuesday. Hayes, who President Obama named the National Teacher of the Year in 2016, beat longtime politician Mary Glassman in the states Fifth Congressional District primary, winning 62 percent of the vote to Glassmans 38 percent. The seat opened up when Democratic Representative Elizabeth Esty retired amid claims that she mishandled an allegation of sexual misconduct against a top staffer.

Hayes, who was thought to be a long shot, touted her impressive life story on the campaign trail, describing how she rose to the top of her field despite growing up in a housing project in Waterbury, Connecticut, being raised by her grandmother as her mother battled drug addiction, and becoming a mother at 17.

This is my home, where people are strong, but they arent supposed to run for Congress, Hayes said in a campaign video. If Congress starts to look like us, no one can stop us. This is our moment to act, to organize, and bring our truth to power.

Jahana Hayes makes her closing case to 5th District voters at campaign rally in Meriden: pic.twitter.com/VASuaoLT3A  Daniela Altimari (@capitolwatch) August 11, 2018

Hayes will face Republican Manny Santos, the former mayor of Meriden, Connecticut, in November. Hes said he only disagreed with Trump one time: When he suggested raising the age of owning long guns to age 21  its just, its a nonstarter for me. The district is seen as solidly Democratic.

Minnesota

 In another sign that the GOP is firmly the party of Trump, Republican County Commissioner Jeff Johnson defeated former governor Tim Pawlenty in the GOP gubernatorial primary. TPaw, who fizzled in the 2012 GOP presidential primary, was the heavy favorite with much higher name recognition and a big fundraising advantage, but his comeback attempt flopped.

Pawlenty had struggled to move past his criticism of Trump as unhinged and unfit during the 2016 race. During their debate, he noted Johnson once publicly called Trump a jackass, but the county commissioner still went on to vote for him. I supported him. You told people not to vote for him, Johnson said.

There was an upset in the Democratic gubernatorial race too, with U.S. Representative Tim Walz beating the front-runner, state attorney general Lori Swanson, in a three-way race.

 Allegations that he physically abused an ex-girlfriend did not stop Representative Keith Ellison from winning the Democratic primary to be Minnesotas attorney general. Ellison took 49.9 percent in a field of five candidates.

Ellison denied the allegations of physical and emotional abuse, which were shared last weekend by the son of his ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan, an environmental activist. He denied claims that video shows him dragging Monahan out of bed and cursing at her, saying, This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false.

Monahan said the video is real but she doesnt plan to release it. It sets the expectation for survivors of all kinds of forms of abuse, whether it be abuse toward women, abuse from police officers, abuse from other people in power, to have to be the ones, like Im doing right now, to show and prove their stories, she said. Its feeding into that.

The state hasnt had a Republican attorney general since 1955, but the GOP is hoping that the scandal might help hand the seat to their nominee, Doug Wardlow.

 Progressive Minnesota state representative Ilhan Omar is poised to become one of the first Muslim women in Congress after winning a crowded primary to replace Ellison. She won 48.2 percent of the vote, beating five other candidates in Minnesotas Fifth Congressional District.

Ellison is currently one of two Muslims in Congress, but they are both male. With Cook Political Report rating the district D+26, Omar is expected to win her race against Republican Jennifer Zielinski in November. Omar will likely be joined in the next Congress by another Muslim woman, Michigans Rashida Tlaib, who won the Democratic primary to replace Representative John Conyers, who resigned amid sexual-misconduct allegations.

Omar would also be the nations first Somali-American legislator. She talked about her experience coming to America at 12 after living in a refugee camp in Somalia during a recent appearance on The Daily Show. I am Americas hope and the presidents nightmare, she quipped.

.@IlhanMN's victory speech is nothing short if beautiful pic.twitter.com/pCR2oNGgus  jordan (@JordanUhl) August 15, 2018

Vermont

 Christine Hallquist scored a historic victory on Tuesday night when she won the race to be the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Vermont, becoming the first transgender person to be a major partys nominee for governor. Hallquist, a former power utility CEO, beat three other candidates, taking 48 percent of the vote. Shell face incumbent GOP governor Phil Scott, whose popularity in the state recently plummeted, though political analysts still consider the state solidly Republican.

"What we're looking at in our political world is a definite reaction to what happened in 2016. People like myself and people who normally wouldn't be in politics are rising up all over." - Christine Hallquist, Vermont's first transgender candidate for governor pic.twitter.com/19pFojAvcI  CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) August 15, 2018

Wisconsin

 While he once labeled fellow 2016 GOP presidential candidate Scott Walker not smart and called the state a mess under his tenure as governor, President Trump endorsed Walker last week in his quest for a third term. Walker won the GOP primary with 92 percent of the vote on Tuesday.

Tony Evers, the Wisconsin state schools superintendent, won the Democratic gubernatorial race decisively, taking 42 percent of the vote in an eight-way race. A recent poll showed Evers leading Walker by 13 points.

 In the Republican Senate primary, longtime state lawmaker Leah Vukmir managed to beat Kevin Nicholson, though she had been down in the polls for months and a recording recently emerged of her calling Trump offensive to everyone during the 2016 race. During their debate, neither candidate could come up with a single thing to criticize about the president. Vukmir said a liberal elite and the media want nothing more than to bring this president down. I want to see President Trump succeed. When he succeeds, America succeeds.

Vukmir will face Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin in November. Cook rates the race likely Democratic.Theres a new mystery involving a former opponent of embattled California congressman Dana Rohrabacher. Photo: Kent Nishimura/LA Times via Getty Images

According to Rolling Stone, the FBI has been investigating an apparent series of cyberattacks on email accounts and websites associated with former California congressional candidate Dr. Hans Keirstead. At this point there are no allegations about the identity of the attackers, and thus no idea whether they might have a whiff of vodka about them. What is clear is that Keirstead was at the time of the attacks the front-running Democratic candidate challenging U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, often referred to as Putins favorite congressman.

The hacks on Keirstead began in August 2017 with a spear-phishing attempt  a fake email intended to deceive the recipient into typing in his or her password or other confidential information  sent to Keirsteads work email address. The phishing attempt was successful  Keirstead thought it was a legitimate Microsoft Office message and entered his password before quickly realizing the message was fake and having his company take measures to secure their email system. (Keirstead had used his work account for campaign purposes, emails show.) This was similar to the phishing attack on Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta that later resulted in the release of thousands of Podestas personal emails 

In December [of 2017], the cyberattacks on Keirstead took a different form: a sophisticated and sustained effort to hack into the campaigns website and hosting service.

As Rolling Stone notes, these attacks occurred during a period when U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies were warning of heightened cyber-threats against the United States, including those based in Russia. That may be why the FBI has shown interest in the attacks on Keirstead. But if Russian involvement is suspected, it may have something to do with the fact of Rohrabachers close relationship with Moscow, which was established years ago but keeps popping up in the news. Most recently he was linked to suspected Russian spy Maria Butina, who was indicted last month for allegedly acting as a Russian agent without registering with authorities.

To be clear, nobody so far as I know has any dirt involving Rohrabachers relationship with Moscow, but he continues to stand out for an aggressive defense of the regime, as in this comment on Butinas arrest:

News of the 2015 meeting [with Butina]  confirmed Tuesday by Rohrabachers office  came the same day he told Politico that Mondays indictment of 29-year-old Maria Butina was bogus and stupid, saying he believes the allegations are part of a larger plot to undermine President Donald Trumps relationship with Russia.

Rohrabacher chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committees Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, so hes not just some back-bencher when it comes to Russia policy. And his district is pretty much ground zero for the 2018 battle for control of the House. So anyone with a pro-Russian outlook would probably want to see him win.

As it happens, Hans Keirstead, who was endorsed by the California Democratic Party, is not Rohrabachers general election opponent: He lost to Harley Rouda by 125 votes after he was hit with allegations (never substantiated) of sexual harassment of his students at UC-Irvine. Keirstead is now supporting Rouda, and his former campaign manager is quick to say he doesnt think the hacking attempts (which the campaign brought to the attention of the authorities) had anything to do with his narrow defeat.

Its all a Dog Days mystery at this point, and no one knows what if anything the FBI will find or say. But it probably does not help Dana Rohrabacher to find his name connected, however remotely, to the words Russia and hacking just weeks before balloting begins in Orange County.Another underwhelming campaign left Tim Pawlenty probably wishing he hadnt given up that posh lobbying gig to run for governor again. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty is famous for being a presidential candidate who looked great on paper, but flamed out early. In the 2012 campaign he couldnt even beat fellow Minnesotan (and mad-fringe favorite) Michele Bachmann in an Iowa straw poll before the race was properly underway. He left behind a lot of lost bets on his candidacy, and this memorable campaign video that struggled unsuccessfully against his flat personality and less-than-stirring speaking style:

Having embodied a political version of the Peter Principle (holding that most people eventually rise to a level where they become incompetent), Pawlenty went back to his comfort zone and announced a third gubernatorial run. Perhaps drawing on his experience in Iowa, he did not pursue the endorsement of the conservative-activistdominated state party, and instead attempted to drown his primary opponent, 2014 gubernatorial nominee and local government official Jeff Johnson, in a sea of name identification and money (he was outspending Johnson by a ten-to-one margin as of June). Sparse polling showed him comfortably in the lead.

But then on Tuesday night, he lost. Johnson played the underdog well, scoring points over Pawlentys post-presidential-campaign career as a D.C.-based bank lobbyist. He also reminded Trump-loving GOP voters that TPaw called POTUS unsound, uninformed, unhinged, and unfit to be president of the United States while withdrawing his support from the GOP nominee after the Access Hollywood video came out in October of 2016. In the end Pawlenty again turned out to be a better candidate on paper than on the campaign trail.

Pawlenty wasnt the only gubernatorial candidate to have a shockingly bad night, though. Democratic front-runner and Attorney General Lori Swanson finished a poor third behind state legislator Erin Murphy and the winner, U.S. Representative Tim Walz. Swanson had antagonized Democratic progressives for years, and was hit by a late-breaking series of scandals involving alleged misuse of state property and personnel for electioneering. Walz, meanwhile, seemed to benefit from a consolidation of anti-Swanson voters. Hes likely to be the favorite over Johnson, bolstering Democrats hopes of holding onto the governorship of this increasingly purple state.Former CIA Director John Brennan. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Last month, President Trump first threatened to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, who has criticized him harshly. A reporter asked Paul Ryan if he believed it was dangerous for the president to use this tool to punish critics. I think hes trolling people, honestly, replied the House Speaker, with a forced laugh. Get it?

The punchline to the joke is that Trump is indeed revoking Brennans security clearance. The White House also announced that it is reviewing clearances for James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, and Lisa Page  all former security officials who have criticized or otherwise offended Trump.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders managed to maintain a straight face when she announced that the grounds for Brennans disqualification was the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior. Trump himself has of course behaved erratically throughout the course of his presidency, posing innumerable risks to American security, up to and including the potential for triggering a nuclear war, which he has threatened to do on his Twitter feed. In one documented instance, Trump literally handed over classified, highly sensitive national security secrets to Russia.

Trump may or may not possess the legal authority to make his plans stick. (Lawyer Bradley Moss has a good summary of the legal issues.) Regardless of whether it is ultimately upheld as law, as a matter of custom, Trumps behavior is without precedent. Presidents have not previously used security clearances as a partisan club with which to discredit their political opposition. Of course, neither has any previous president posed the kind of security risk Trump presents, with his murky finances and long trail of ties to Russia.

Trump may be trolling people, but the notion that trolling represents for Trump a category of action that is distinct from official government policy is obviously fallacious.Wisconsin GOP Senate nominee Leah Vukmir with her friend Paul Ryan. Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

It didnt get much attention in a night of historic firsts, mostly for Democratic candidates in Vermont, Connecticut, and Minnesota. But Leah Vukmirs Wisconsin Republican Senate primary win over Kevin Nicholson bears mention as a rare GOP counterpart to the Year of the Woman that has been unfolding on the Democratic side this entire midterm election cycle.

Looking around the 2018 Senate landscape, there arent many Republican women in competitive contests. In the Trump Ten races where Democratic incumbents are running in states carried by the president in 2016, there were no Republican women nominees at all until Vukmirs win  an upset, by most measures  in Wisconsin. Four of the Trump Ten Democrats are women.

Yes, Marsha Blackburn is the GOP choice to try to hold onto deep-red Tennessee, and two of the three Republican Senate candidates in Arizona (which holds its primary on August 28) are women. The Arizonans, however, are all at this point general-election underdogs to a Democratic woman, Kyrsten Sinema.

So Vukmir is important to Republicans who want to fight back against a large and growing gender gap. And whatever you think of her politics, you have to admire her tenacious campaign against a primary opponent who was right out of central casting and had the backing of one of the deepest pockets in U.S. politics.

To call Kevin Nicholson a GOP golden boy is a bit of an understatement. A nationally prominent Democrat in his younger days (like Ronald Reagan!), he picked up a couple of Ivy League professional degrees, deployed as a Marine to both Afghanistan and Iraq, joined the A-list consulting group McKinsey and Company, and then set up his own lucrative management consulting operation in Wisconsin. Tim Alberta memorably described his effect on GOP audiences during the early stages of his campaign:

[C]andidates like Kevin Nicholson dont come around every day. It should come as no shock that some Republicans have fallen for him: With his Hollywood looks, military pedigree, Ivy League smarts and private-sector proficiency, Nicholson could have been built in a GOP laboratory. He is hungry and confident and committed, having oriented much of his adult life around an eventual run for public office. His published writings on pension reform read like a product of the Heritage Foundation; his voluntary second tour overseas is the stuff ad-makers fantasize about. He is, for comparisons sake, a wealthier, better-looking and more charming version of Senator Tom Cotton. Kevin is even more impressive in person than he is on paper, gushes David McIntosh, the former congressman and Club for Growth president.

Just as importantly, Nicholson had early on won unlimited financial backing from Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, heavy investors in hard-core conservatism nationally and especially in Wisconsin. The Uihleins eventually gave nearly $11 million to groups backing Nicholson and bashing Vukmir.

So Vukmir, a stolid conservative legislator known for her loyal support of Governor Scott Walkers union-busting, budget-cutting, corporate-friendly agenda, had a tough row to hoe. It didnt help that in a climate of national GOP toadying to Donald Trump, she was on record as having backed three other 2016 presidential candidates at various points in the primaries. She was precisely the kind of time-serving non-MAGA conservative pol that had not been doing well in competitive primaries since Trumps election.

But Vukmir had her own assets, including endorsements from House Speaker Paul Ryan and several other members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation, and tacit support from Walker (he was officially neutral, but his wife endorsed Vukmir, and his son worked on her campaign). She also received the official state-party endorsement. And she even found her own deep-pocket donor in building-supply-tycoon Diane Hendricks, who didnt match the Uihleins but did help.

Nicholson led in the preprimary polling averages, and seemed to have a lot of mojo working for him, but Vukmir won by better than 11 percent by sweeping her (and Walkers) vote-heavy Greater Milwaukee base. Kevin Nicholsons inevitable path to the White House will have to take a detour, and Tom Cottons lane as the GOPs Man With the Golden Resume is safe for now.

Vukmir, though, now has the daunting task of taking on incumbent senator Tammy Baldwin, who has much higher name ID, a lot more money, a solid lead in the early polls (she leads Vukmir by an average of 13 points, which is a lot for hyperpolarized Wisconsin), and a presumed Democratic tailwind of some size. According to Morning Consult, Baldwins current approval ratio is 44/39, not great, but positive and stable. And Donald Trumps approval ratio in Wisconsin is 41/56, which wont help Vukmir or her ticket-mate, Scott Walker, who is facing probably the toughest challenge of his career.

Long before the returns came in, Wisconsin Republicans began planning a postprimary unity event for this Friday, August 17, co-chaired, significantly, by Diane Hendricks and Richard Uihlein. Their ticket will need all the money both these billionaires can afford. And you can be sure that their inspiration will be the 2016 Senate race when left-for-dead incumbent Ron Johnson soared past Russ Feingold in a cash-infused late surge that shocked everybody.

Nationally, Republicans would love to see Vukmir win most obviously because that could offset likely Senate losses elsewhere, helping the GOP maintain or even increase control of the upper chamber. But it would also give them the rare trophy of a 2018 statewide Republican woman candidate whos not just a loser or an afterthought.Dear Newsie Readers,

Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019.

Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one.

Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures.

With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day.

Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles.

Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight.

The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions.

We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news.

The team at NewsieThailand Bitcoin Scam

Thailands Crime Suppression Division (CSD) has sought arrest warrants of six more people in an ongoing $24 million Bitcoin scam case.

The law enforcement agency has confirmed that among the six wanted individuals, two are siblings of the famous Thai actor Jiratpisit Jaravijit. One of them is the elder brother of Jaravijit, Prinya Jaravijit, while another is a renowned stock exchange investor, Prasit Srisuwan. Police had already arrested Jiratpisit for his alleged involvement in the scam. However, the Criminal Court granted him a bail set at nearly $60,000, believing he is not a flight risk. The court also noted there is no evidence that Jiratpisit joined other suspects to lure the victim.

The 27-year old soap actor, however, would be facing money laundering charges solely because of the money trail that led authorities to his account.

Jaravijit has denied allegations against him, but evidence shows a different picture. BangkokPost reports that CSD investigation has unearthed evidence that links $630,000 worth of Baht from the scam to Jaravijits bank account. However, the actor has pointed fingers at his brother, saying the accused at large was using his bank account all this time.

Six Accused Received $22.3 million in Total

The CSD suspects Prinya of leading the Bitcoin scam. The reports find that he had invested in real estate in Thailand using the tainted money, and his bank accounts  now frozen  received $3.3 million in total. Suphitcha, on the other hand, received over $4.2 million from the scam.

Including Jaravijoit siblings, the Bitcoin scam gang received around $22.3 million in total via Bitcoin. The money was a part of investments made by Aarni Otav Saarimaa, a Finnish national and Thai businesswoman Chonnikan Kaeosali, into three dubious companies, a casino and a cryptocurrency project called Dragon Coins. The investors believed Dragon Coins would be used at a major casino in Macao. Prasit Srisuwan, with his high-profile trading career at the Stock Exchange of Thailand, is believed to be instrumental towards luring victims into the gangs HYIP scheme.

Story continues

After receiving the digital currency units from investors, the gang sold them for fiat currencies and transferred 747 million baht in total into various bank accounts. However, the victims claim they lost 797 million baht. There are possibilities that some of the Bitcoins have not been converted to fiat yet. It makes money trailing difficult for CSD, which has already termed this case as one of the most challenging cases they have investigated  ever.

The authorities have already seized 14 plots of land worth $5.27 million, and have frozen over 50 bank accounts connected to the scheme.

Thai police cap image from Shutterstock.



The post Thailand Police Seek More Arrests in $24 Million Bitcoin Fraud appeared first on CCN.

Cryptocurrency Vietnam Bitcoin

After months of deliberation, Vietnam has moved to halting imports of cryptocurrency mining equipment according to a customs department in the country.

Domestic businesses and individuals have stopped importing crypto mining equipment altogether since the beginning of July, according to the Ho Chi Minh City (HCM) Customs Department, as reported by Viet Nam News on Monday.

Officials from Vietnams largest city said individuals and firms had imported as many as 3,664 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices in the first half of 2018. 3,000 machines were notably imported by four enterprises involved in mining operations with the rest imported by individuals and organizations who did not include import tax codes, the authority said. A majority of the devices were revealed to be Antminer models, a brand of cryptocurrency mining equipment developed by industry giant Bitmain.

As reported previously, Vietnams Ministry of Finance (MoF) first proposed the blanket ban in June after authorities in the nation increased their scrutiny into the domestic crypto sector following a nationwide ICO-fraud that reportedly conned an estimated $660 million from 32,000 domestic investors. The fallout led Vietnams prime minister ordering six government ministries, the police, and the central bank to investigate the scam.

As a consequence, the MoF said it requires State management agencies to take strict control measures with the import and use of this [crypto mining] commodity, leading to the eventual proposal of the ban. In July, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the countrys central bank, agreed with the MoFs proposal and backed the ban.

According to figures from Vietnam Customs, some 9,300 ASIC devices were imported into Vietnam in 2017, predominantly into Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnams capital.

As things stand, cryptocurrencies are outlawed as payments in the country after the central bank refused to include them among the recognized exceptions of non-cash payments that include checks, payment orders and bank cards. The law, which came into effect at the turn of 2018, forbids the issuance and usage of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as legal tender with the threat of criminal prosecution and fines of up to $9,000 for adopters.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Vietnam Confirms Suspension of Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency Miner Imports appeared first on CCN.

A local fisherman and a Chinese tourist were killed in a single day by hippo attacks in Kenya's Rift Valley, authorities reported.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said the tourist was taking pictures when the attack occured.

Mr Chang Ming Chuang, 66, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Naivasha District Hospital.

A Taiwanese tourist was killed over the weekend in Kenya, bitten in the chest by a hippo that he was trying to photograph.

Witness James Omollo said the man got too close to the animal which turned against him, biting him on the chest. "We are tracking the hippo", the Kenya Wildlife Service wrote in a tweet.

The deaths brought to six the number people who have been killed by hippos around Lake Naivasha so far this year.

But David Kilo, chairman Lake Naivasha boat owners association, told The Star that attacks have increased in recent weeks due to increasing development into hippo habitats. A second Chinese tourist was injured in the attack.

Several people have questioned the rationale of killing the hippo, which they say was provoked in "its natural habitat".

Naivasha is a city on the lake 90 km northwest of the capital, Nairobi.

Kenya experienced heavy rainfall for a lengthy period earlier this year causing floods, coming on the back of a severe drought that hit most parts of the country in 2016 and 2017.

Tourism is one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange and almost 1.5million tourists visited Kenya previous year, according to the tourism ministry.

Florida Man Charged With Manslaughter In Stand Your Ground Case

The sheriff passed the case to prosecutors for a final decision. (Drejka) would've thought twice before he pulled the trigger. McCabe said charging Drejka is "consistent with the decision-making process established under Florida law in this case".9 - Why you should choose mediation over court to resolve disputesThe inspector general of police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola has transferred the District Police Commander (DPC) of Arua following an attack on the presidential motorcade on Monday.



Superintendent of Police (SP) Abbas Ssenyonjo has been sent to Masaka district with immediate effect according to a Tuesday letter signed by the director human resource administration Moses Balimwoyo.

An image released by government showing one of the president's official cars that was allegedly pelted with stones

Ssenyonjo is replaced by Henry Kintu, formerly the DPC of Masaka. Ssenyonjo, is accused failing to deploy enough security and failing to control crowds which led to an alleged attack on the presidential motorcade.

President Yoweri Museveni was in Arua for the final rally of NRM candidate Nusura Tiperu. Yasin Kawuma, the driver of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi was shot dead when police and presidential guards stormed Hotel Pacific in Arua town to arrest supporters of independent candidate Kasiano Wadri, who, they accused of obstructing the presidential motorcade.Monday, the last day of campaigns in the competitive Arua municipality parliamentary by-election, started out peaceful but quickly descended into deadly violence.

By press time yesterday, supporters of the FDC-leaning independent candidate Kassiano Wadri and his key mobiliser Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, the Kyadondo East MP, were still searching frantically in all detention centres in the West Nile district of Arua for their candidate.

But some on-the-ground sources suggested that the two politicians could have been moved to undisclosed detention facilities in Gulu, about 200km away from Arua.

Bobi Wine and Kassiano Wadri with their supporters earlier

Wadri and several key political supporters were arrested on Monday evening in the aftermath of the violence in Arua town. Some journalists were also rounded up and spent a night in detention in Gulu. At least two people were confirmed dead in the violence and these included Yasin Kawuma, a driver of Bobi Wine.

Interviewed about the whereabouts of Bobi Wine and Wadri yesterday, Police national spokesman Emilian Kayima said by telephone, We have them in our custody and we assure all voters that we will provide a conducive environment for them to exercise their constitutional obligation of voting for candidates of their choice without fear.

KAWUMAS DEATH

Kawumas death has drawn the most notice and equally polarizing and controversial explanations. Some opposition supporters claim he was intentionally targeted by security forces in an apparent reprisal for the smashing of the hind screen of the non-bulletproof presidential car, but security forces have roundly denied that claim.

There are also contradictory narratives from the ruling NRM and opposition supporters of what actually triggered the deadly violence. Questions, however, are still being asked whether indeed opposition supporters smashed the hind screen of President Yoweri Musevenis car.

Violence broke out on the last day of campaigns to replace Col Ibrahim Abiriga, the former area MP, who was killed in June in a volley of bullets by unknown assailants at Kawanda, Wakiso district.

On Monday, Kawuma and another individual were shot dead in what some say was a targeted killing by a joint security force of the Special Forces Command, police and the regular army.

Speaking to The Observer yesterday, a journalist who witnessed the specter from start to end said violence broke out when soldiers of the Special Forces Command, the elite presidential protection force, with support from the police and regular army, attacked the FDC-leaning independent candidate Kassiano Wadris procession in an attempt to clear the way for NRM party candidate Nusura Tiperus procession.

Both processions were marching in the same direction after the candidates last campaign rallies. The journalist, who was on the team that covered President Musevenis rally, said by the time violence broke out, the president had already left for the Arua Presidential Lodge.

There was nothing like people attacking the presidents convoy because by the time the chaos broke out, the president had already passed. The story of the president car being smashed came much later after the killings, the journalist said.

He said when they were told about the pelting of the presidential car with stones on Ediofe road, they rushed to the scene but found no trace of a single stone.

We wonder where the stones they used could have come from. I think that car was smashed elsewhere and they are trying to justify the killing, the journalist said.

Speaking to CBS, Kim XP, a Bobi Wine handler, also dismissed as false, the narrative that the MPs driver was felled by a stray bullet. He said the deceased was shot at close range, meaning the killing was intended. Kims take is corroborated by another journalist who was at Hotel Pacific, the place where Wadris team was putting up.

The police said the guy wasnt killed at Hotel Pacific that the dead body was just taken there. The question is who drove the car there and why is there no blood trail? This is also another lie because bullets kept coming from the same place where the guys body was found, the journalist said.

Charles Wasswa, the Uganda Young Democrats secretary general, who was also in Arua, dismissed the states claim that Wadris supporters attacked the presidential convoy. He said security operatives randomly arrested everybody in Wadris camp without provocation.

They fired bullets and then started moving into the hotel arresting whoever they found there, he said.

Those arrested included MPs; Paul Mwiru, Gerald Karuhanga, Robert Kyagulanyi and Francis Zaake. Others are Michael Mabikke, Lubega Mukaku, Moses Katabu and Sulaiman Kidandala.

NRM REACTS

NRM deputy secretary general Richard Todwong who is leading the Tiperu campaign urged police to explain who was behind the assassination attempt on their national chairman. Like the opposition, he said NRM members were also assaulted and arrested.

We are all concerned and we are asking questions, why did they attack our members including our national chairman? The crime they have committed is very serious. Threatening to assassinate the president should be a concern for everybody. We want police to provide answers to what happened, Todwong said while addressing the media.

The Arua municipality parliamentary race can be typically described as too close to call. The main horses are largely NRMs Nusura Tiperu, FDCs Bruce Musema and independents Kassiano Wadri and Robert Ejiku. There are five other candidates in the race.

In the recent by-elections dogged by violence, the opposition emerged victorious. During the Kyadondo East by-election, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, who was running against NRMs Sitenda Sebalu and FDCs Apollo Kantinti bore the harshest brunt of state violence.

His supporters were violently arrested and tear-gassed on the last of the campaign. He won, sweeping all polling stations. In the recent Bugiri by-election, a few days before the election, Asuman Basalirwas bodyguard Asuman Walyendo was shot dead by police. Basalirwa won ultimately.

Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, Basalirwa said violence scares voters away from polling stations.

There is no scientific proof that when there is violence people are emboldened to come out and vote because others will be scared. Secondly, if violence involves death, it means you are going to lose that vote. For me, Walyendo was my voter who couldnt vote because he was killed, Basalirwa said.

He added however, that sometimes violence has the exact opposite of its intended purpose.

You know violence is always perpetrated by state actors because they have monopoly over the tools of violence. Secondly, you might employ it thinking that it will help you but in the end it turns out to be counterproductive, Basalirwa said.

Who is Yasin Kawuma?

Yasin Kawuma was a political activist cum Kyagulanyi driver and a resident of Kiteezi in Kasangati town council in Wakiso district.

He ran for chairman of Lusanja village but dropped out of the race before election day. According to Muwada Nkunyingi, a former contestant in the Kyadondo East MP by-election, Kawuma was once a boda boda rider, truck and taxi driver.

He was my campaign chairperson for Lusanja in the 2016 general elections but in the by-election of 2017, he supported Bobi Wine who he has been with since then, Nkunyingi, also a resident of Kiteezi, said.

People here are very saddened by what happened. His family wanted to bury him today [yesterday] in accordance with Islamic traditions but when the delegation that was sent to pick his body arrived in Arua, the police told them that they were still investigating. 

bakerbatte@observer.ugCountrymen, Countrywomen and, especially, Bazukulu (grandchildren)

I always insist on singling out the grandchildren because I want them to be conversant with our rich experiences spanning a period of 58 years.

I understand that some of our people were worried about the endless criminal acts of elements of the Opposition, including the incidents of Arua on Monday.

The elements of the Opposition, including Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) and others, who stoned our convoy, including my vehicle. The stones they threw broke the rear glass window of the car where we transport luggage. That window glass is not armoured. There was no harm on the old man with a hat.

It is a big shame to have such confused people who want to use violence to intimidate Ugandans. Nobody has a right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or action.

Fortunately, my convoy did not react with fire in response to this attack. This was because we were not equipped for anti-riots. Our intervention could have resulted into people's death because we only had live bullets.

Unfortunately, this crowd, with a tinga tinga (a grader), apparently continued to the town where they attacked people who were coming from the NRM rally.

They injured quite a number of people with stones. It was in those scuffles that one of the attackers was shot dead. This is due to the weak management by the Police and the criminal behaviour of some of the Opposition leaders.

Why take supporters in processions through congested streets? The legal thing is to go for the rally at the agreed venue and, after the rally, everybody disperses to his/her home. Processions are illegal and the NRM leaders should not be part of them because they inconvenience the public.

Some leaders have been acting with impunity and it has caused the death of one in Bugiri and, now, one person in Arua. These acts are strongly rejected and will be punished according to the law. Anybody who organizes such groups is responsible for their misconduct.

We went to the bush to fight for the right of making political decisions by Ugandans without intimidation by word or action. Anybody who threatens this will have himself to blame.

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

PresidentGay McDougall, a member of the committee, also cited estimates that two million Uighurs and Muslim minorities were forced into "political camps for indoctrination" in the western Xinjiang autonomous region.

She expressed her concerns over reports that Beijing had "turned the Uygur autonomous region into something that resembles a massive internment camp".

A Chinese official told a United Nations human rights committee in Geneva that tough security measures in China's far-west Xinjiang region were necessary to combat extremism and terrorism, but that they did not target any specific ethnic group or restrict religious freedoms.

The latest alleged crackdown follows a spate of largely small scale incidents of violence, including protests and attacks on police officers, which the Chinese authorities have blamed on Muslim Uyghur separatists seeking to establish an independent state.

Hu Lianhe, deputy director general of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that authorities in the far western Xinjiang region protected the full rights of all citizens equally.

Ma, who was among around 50 high-level Chinese officials answering questions from the committee on Monday, insisted that "the argument that one million Uighurs are detained in reeducation centres is completely untrue".

In an editorial with the headline "Safeguarding Xinjiang's peace and stability is the most important human right", the Global Times said: "There is no doubt that intense control contributes to Xinjiang's peace today".

This is not a couple of hundred people - it is more than 1 million to 3 million in detention. "Please tell me. And what were the laws on which they were detained?"

She told Reuters after the review: "We have quite a long way to go in terms of our dialogue with China".

Tesla forms committee to assess proposal to go private

In the days that followed, the SEC got involved, reportedly investigating Musk's online musings about taking the company private . Musk said last week that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund had approached him about taking Tesla private.

Information in Xinjiang is tightly controlled - the province was cut off entirely from the internet for 10 months in 2009 and is still subject to greater censorship and surveillance than other parts of China.

"The turnaround in Xinjiang's security situation has avoided a great tragedy and saved countless lives", it said in an editorial.

The Uygurs are known to be a Muslim ethnic minority making up 45% of the population in China's Xinjiang province.

But McDougall stressed that numerous detainees have never been properly charged with a crime or tried in court.

In May, pictures were spread on social media of Uyghur Muslims being forced to welcome Communist Party officials into their homes, to "maintain social stability and achieve lasting security".

Most inmates have never been charged with a crime, it is claimed, and do not receive legal representation.

China Human Rights Defenders, a Hong Kong-based NGO, said the "body of evidence of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment is overwhelming".

The session on Friday coincided with a day of worsening religious tensions elsewhere in China.Angry youths today attacked the mayor of River Oli Division in Arua municipality, accusing him of attempting to stuff pre-ticked ballots for the NRM candidate, Nusura Tiperu.

The more than 10 irate youths roughed up Hajji Isa Kato after accusing him of stuffing ballot papers for Tiperu at Kebir Cell polling station. They also pelted with stones Kato's vehicle, registration number UBA 392Z, destroying its windscreen and bonnet. Police officers deployed at the polling station simply looked on as Kato came under attack from the angry youths.

Upon sensing danger, Kato, who belongs to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, sped off to Arua Central police station where he registered a case of assault. He denied any wrong doing and blames the attack on 'hooligans' who he says have invaded the municipality.

Hajji Isa Kato addressing journalists from Arua Central police station

"I was from home [and] I was coming to vote. Now, when I reached there, I found a bit of kavuyo [chaos], it was at Kebir. I wanted to see what was happening so that I go and vote. But immediately I got out of my vehicle, I saw a group of youth coming out shouting; 'youve come to steal, youve come to steal. I said 'what have I come to steal? I am coming to vote and I have a right to vote." said Kato.

"They started pushing me here and there. I asked them 'why are you pushing me? I have come to vote.' Then from there someone told me, mayor you first go away. Now when I was opening the vehicle to enterthat was even worse. Others were stoning me, others banging me on the back, others were hitting me and I even have bruises. I jumped inside and if I was not a [good] driver, I would have lost my vehicle and even my life."

The attack on Kato comes just a day after supporters of the now jailed independent candidate Kassiano Wadri were accused of stoning President Yoweri Museveni's motorcade on Monday. One person and Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, Yasin Kawuma was shot dead and more than 34 people including several MPs were arrested on Monday for the alleged attack on Museveni's motorcade.



According to Kato, two of his attackers have been arrested and are locked up at Arua Central police station. Voters in Arua municipality are casting their votes to elect a new area member of parliament after the seat fell vacant in June this year when the area MP Ibrahim Abiriga was gunned down together with his brother and bodyguard Saidi Butele Buga.



The by-election has attracted eight contenders including Alfred Nyakuni, Simon Avutia, Sunday Anguandia, Jackson Atima, Francis Nyero Bavuga Saf, Robert Ejiku and Wadri Kassiano, all independents. The others are DP's Moses Kennedy, Jaffer Alekua of Jeema and FDC's Bruce Musema.

Wadri was unable to cast his ballot as he stayed locked up in Gulu, some 200km away from Arua.Detained independent candidate Kassiano Wadri has won the Arua municipality parliamentary seat.

Wadri who was not able to cast his ballot as he's still detained some 200km away in Gulu district, beat 11 others, among them, Nusura Tiperu, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party who finished second in the race.



He polled 6,421 while his main challenger Tiperu polled 4,798 votes. Another independent candidate Robert Ejiku had 2,694 and Forum for Democratic Change's (FDC) Bruce Musema had 1,369 votes. Wadri was declared winner by the returning officer Ruth Angom Ococ at Arua Public School.

The former Terego county legislator now takes the seat previously occupied by Col Ibrahim Abiriga who was gunned down in June this year. The total number of votes cast were 17,089 while invalid votes were 613.

TREASON

Meanwhile, police in Arua today displayed items including two guns they say were recovered from the hotel room that was occupied by Wadri's chief mobiliser also Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi popularly known as Bobi Wine. Kyagulanyi's driver, Yasin Kawuma was gunned down on Monday evening at Hotel Pacific parking yard and has been laid to rest today at his ancestral home in Buwama, Mpigi district.



Among the exhibits police displayed before journalists as items allegedly recovered from Kyagulanyi's hotel room; include two rifles with 30 rounds of ammunition each, a pistol with 8 rounds of ammunition, several mobile phones, T-shirts and several red caps.

While exhibiting the items before the media, Josephine Angucia the police spokesperson for West Nile said, police recovered the two guns from the hotel room of Kyagulanyi while the pistol was found with Wadri.



However, when asked in which room the police recovered the items and whether the hotel was aware of the exhibits, Angucia referred journalists to the hotel management.

Luigi Candia, the proprietor of Hotel Pacific dismissed the police allegations against Kyagulanyi as untrue - aimed at covering up the "vandalism and robbery" done by the presidential guards. Kyagulanyi was arrested on Tuesday morning allegedly from the ceiling of the hotel where he'd been hiding. Wadri and several MPs were arrested on Monday.

Luigi said his hotel was besieged by the army who beat up hotel staff, vandalised guest rooms, destroyed furniture and went away with over Shs 80 million. He said the money belonged to the hotel and their guests.

Luigi added that he's documenting all the losses incurred as a result of the destruction caused by the army which besieged the hotel from Monday night till Tuesday afternoon. According to some of the hotel staff URN spoke to, more than 20 rooms were vandalized and their locks destroyed, three hotel staff including the watchman were beaten and are still receiving treatment.

First deputy prime minister Gen Moses Ali told parliament today that Kyagulanyi will tomorrow appear before the General Court Martial in Gulu to face charges of treason. Ali told the MPs that Kyagulanyi was found in possession of a gun.

He also said that Kyagulanyi is receiving treatment at Gulu Military hospital. He said that the other MPs; Francis Zzake, Gerald Karuhanga, Paul Mwiru and former MP Mike Mabikke are under custody and will appear in the Gulu Magistrate's court tomorrow.



The MPs face tentative charges of obstructing the president's motorcade and inciting violence in Arua. The MPs were arrested by the presidential guards from Hotel Pacific on Monday.

Parliament selected six MPs; Jacob Oboth Oboth, Allan Ssewanya, Medard Ssegona, Andrew Baryayanga, Dolly Amulle and Jovah Kamateka to travel to Gulu to attend the General Court Martial.In June this year, about five Ugandans were ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen in Moli village, about 140 kilometers from Juba, the capital city of South Sudan.

A month earlier in May, a Ugandan businessman was shot dead while his driver escaped with injuries. With the signing of the peace agreement in South Sudan, Ugandan traders were hopeful that they could take back their agricultural produce there.

However, the transporters are complaining over being mistreated. Some traders in South Sudan are complaining about corruption, double taxation and insecurity along NimuleJuba road.

This is unfortunate because South Sudanese enjoy a cordial relationship with Ugandans.

My simple request to South Sudanese is to stop mistreating Ugandans when they come into your country so that they can also get an opportunity to work and cooperate with you.



Zaharah Nalubega

Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala.



Govt should avail free life jackets to all landing sites



The ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Police should ensure that all operators of boats and passengers wear life jackets.

The government should as well give out free life jackets to all landing sites because the number of lives lost on Ugandan water bodies is alarming.

However, few people are complying with this regulation and instead choose to risk long journeys on Ugandas major lakes unprotected.

Moses Mulumba, a passenger who regularly travels from Ggaba landing site to different islands on Lake Victoria, says the authorities are not strict about enforcing the wearing of life jackets. That is why he doesnt bother to wear one.

Most of the commercial boats doing transport on Lake Victoria have no life jackets and this poses a risk to passengers in case the boats capsize.

For instance, on August 6, 2018, five people from the same family drowned when the canoe they were travelling in capsized during bad weather on Lake Victoria. Their bodies were found without life jackets.

Therefore, I call upon government to tighten up the regulatory mechanisms and regulations to ensure that there is more use of life jackets and make sure that the boats are well inspected for safety.



Catherine Namuddu,

Kampala.



UPDFs new mambas are impressive



There is a saying that goes: If you want peace, prepare for war.

I was impressed with Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) manufacturing and assembling plant for amoured personnel carriers (APCs), Nyoka 4x4s which have been nicknamed mambas. Most noteworthy about these mambas are that they are landmine-resistant.

The facility was launched on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 by the commander-in-chief, President Yoweri Museveni.

It is good to see that the investment in artillery at the Nyoka military conversion facility located at Magamaga military barracks in Mayuge district has finally borne fruit.

These mambas come with many advantages: they strengthen the armys artillery; they will reduce fatalities among our soldiers by protecting them from occupational hazards such as snipers and unseen dangers like landmines; they will speed up the transportation of soldiers and logistics to battlefields.

All in all, their presence will boost the soldiers confidence on the battlefield.

Having strong artillery is necessary to protect our borders, which is especially important for Uganda since it is a landlocked country. Due to its open-door policy and pan-Africanist outlook, Uganda has also become a haven of peace for refugees from neighboring countries.

Stabilising the region is important to prevent any spillover effects from regional insecurity.



Josepha Jabo,

josephajabo@gmail.com



Passport office needs urgent change





Before Gen Aronda Nyakairima (RIP) was appointed as the minister of internal affairs, the immigration office had become completely rotten, with corruption reigning supreme.

When he came in, sanity prevailed and getting a passport became the easiest thing in Uganda. One would actually get a passport within one week if you fulfilled all the requirements. Before he came, it had reached a point where it would take six months to get a passport.

Today, a few years after his death, the ghosts are back at immigration office.

I reached here this morning at 7:47am to pick passport forms to process my daughters passport. It is now 9:13am and I am still waiting for nothing else except picking mere forms!

Mr. President, the only institution that has proved to be efficient in Uganda is the UPDF. May you kindly bring UPDF soldiers here to serve angry and hungry Ugandans who are yearning for better services?

When will this malaise of government employees serving citizens as if they are doing them a favour end?



Ntegye Asiimwe,

Kampala.



Minister Namuganza attacks on Land probe unfortunate



State minister for Lands Persis Namuganza has thrust herself into the limelight by launching an attack on the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.

The minister who did not have a friendly sail before the commission, let loose her fury to the media, lamenting that the commission of inquiry was all but, a waste of taxpayers money which has outlived its usefulness.

The ministers attitude does not add value, but takes away public confidence in the commission, demoralizes the commission and its staff and, above, all speaks to the lack of political will by the leadership of the ministry to ensure that the commission, notwithstanding its challenges, succeeds and achieves its mandate and objectives.

Namuganzas statements cannot be taken lightly, given her critical role as the line minister. Her ministry is expected to play a significant role in the implementation of the findings of the commission.

Her tirade directed at the commission comes at a time when her senior colleague at the ministry didnt have a cordial appearance at the commission.

Therefore, to the extent that she has, after a single appearance, written the work of the commission off, and declared it a waste of time and resources, one cannot help but wonder what the technical and political leadership at the ministry thinks of and feel about the commission.

It is prudent upon the minister to be part of the solution, and not the problem and, above all, to have the humility to appreciate that we are all below the law and respect must be earned, not demanded.

It is in the interest of the minister, taxpayers and the appointing authority that the commission achieves its objectives and there is value for money and time because some of the commissioners are government employees who have had to leave their duty stations to do the work of the inquiry while still earning from their earlier postings.

So, the investment on the part of the Ugandan taxpayer is considerable. Her remarks come on the backdrop that reports from similar commissions of inquiry have been challenged in court, even after government has invested enormous resources in these inquiries.

Accordingly, we urge and expect the minister to be part of the team working tirelessly to support the commission of inquiry.



Cissy Kagaba,

Kampala.





letters@observer.ugNutshell-Overview

Crude-by-Rail (CBR) has been a savior for North American producers seeking higher returns for heavily discounted crudes caused by a lack of pipeline take-away capacity. And CBR, once again, is on the rise. North American shipments of petroleum and petroleum products are up over 10% year-to-date compared to 2017. In May 2018, nearly 200,000 barrels per day were shipped by rail from Canada to the U.S., nearly five times that of June 2016. But, the story of CBR is really about how price differentials became so large in certain regions.

For Western Canadian producers, intense anti-pipeline opposition, regulatory changes, legal limbo, political tensions and foreign interference from well funded U.S. environmental lobbies have muddled new projects. In Western Canada, new export capacity has been politically denied (Northern Gateway), cancelled (Energy East), or is still in the process of getting the darn shovels in the ground (Trans Mountain Expansion, Keystone XL, and Enbridge Line 3 Expansion).

For U.S. producers, the story is quite a bit different. While anti-pipeline opposition has been present, at Standing Rock for example, U.S. midstreamers largely could not keep up with blistering pace of production set off by the shale revolution. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that 2018 US crude production will more than double that of 2008 and sit around 10.7 million barrels per day. Often pipelines were needed where there was no previous or oil or natural gas infrastructure. In addition, pipelines cant be built overnight: Years of planning, permitting, and construction are required.

With global crude prices now stabilized from the price crash in 2015/2016, all is not well in Western Canada and West Texas/Southwest Mexico. Massive price differentials are preventing some producers from enjoying the current price recovery. A large Western Canadian Select-West Texas Intermediate (WCS-WTI) differential is back, sitting at a painful $27 US per barrel (August 13, 2018). And Morgan Stanley suggests that with increasing Permian production and lack of take away capacity, the Midland-WTI differential of $15.50 per barrel (July 2018) could blowout to $25-$30 per barrel in 2019. Related: Saudi Crackdown On Canada Could Backfire

However, there are some signs that CBR may not be the savior it is hoped to be. To start, lease rates for DOT 117 cars have jumped from $400 to $1000 per month. The size of the U.S. crude oil fleet sits at about 15,500 cars, compared to nearly 51,000 in 2014. And tariffs affecting new pipeline construction could also impact the rail industry.

For companies that do not make the Trump Administrations steel tariff waiver list, one can expect additional costs for tanker car construction to be passed onto customers. Producers hit by large price differentials may have to pay even more for each new DOT-117J or 120J200 tanker car they buy or lease.

To make matters worse, BNSF is now refusing to haul DOT117R tanker cars, the majority of which are legacy DOT111 & CPC1232 cars retrofitted with additional safety features. This would complicate things for the owners of roughly 12,500 DOT117R tanker cars, because BNSF moves a lot of crude. In the last quarter of 2017, nearly half of all U.S. CBR was shipped by BNSF. If other rail operators do the same, those DOT117R could quickly be sent to Americas empty places to collect graffiti and birds nests just like thousands of DOT111s. Although tanker car manufacturers have been building DOT117s & 120J200s at a steady clip, about 19,000 since 2014, the impact of removing over 12,500 DOT117Rs from service will be more than noticeable. Not every owner may be in a position to fork over additional dollars to buy DOT117s, especially after retrofitting their old DOT111 or CPC1232.

Suffice it to say, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers are concerned with BNSFs decision to refuse certain DOT-authorized tank cars and are currently considering options to address these concerns with the railroad. However, BNSF may very well indeed have the right to exclude use of equipment that it feels is unsafe or too risky to haul. We shall see how this pans out.

Seasonal factors can also impact CBR. Major logistical issues arise during extended periods of extreme cold weather in Canada and the Northern U.S. For example, rail operators deal with icy tracks and cant haul as many tanker cars. Likewise, trains must run at lower speeds and more locomotives are needed to move the same volume of product. This can lead to rail terminal congestion. CBR shippers also have to contend with grain shippers after fall harvest during the winter months. Related: Who Profits From Irans Oil Major Exodus?

And then there are unique factors that arise based on the region. For example, the Permian is sucking up 45% of all U.S. frac sand, and, ironically enough, is impacting CBR take-away capacity in the region.

Producers in Western Canada and the Permian will be paying close attention to the outcome of Trumps steel tariff waiver list (both tanker car manufacturers and midstreamers), BNSFs decision to ban DOT-117R tankers, and other regional factors that can impede take away capacity. The EIA estimates U.S. production soaring to 11.7 million barrels per day in 2019. Canadian heavy crude could rise by half a million barrels per day in the same period. But, even without pressure on the market for tanker cars, suggesting CBR is a stop-gap for new North American pipelines may be quite a stretch.

P.S.: Plains All American Pipelines steel tariff waiver application was rejected for the Cactus II pipeline which would run from the Permian to Corpus Christi. Future pipelines in the region may also be forced to pay for domestic steel piping or pay a 25% tariff on imports if they do not get White House approval for tariff exemption.

By Justin Ziebart for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:The future is looking grim for foreign resource companies with investments in Indonesia. In the current election cycle, it has become increasingly politically popular to push for repatriation of the countrys vast wealth of natural resources.

The California-based Chevron Corporation is just the latest in a rapidly expanding list of companies to lose lucrative contracts to an Indonesian state-run company. State-owned Pertamina will be taking over operations of the Rokan oil block on the island of Sumatra, the nations second largest crude producing oil field, as soon as Chevrons contract expires in 2021. Under the current agreement Pertamina will retain control until 2041. Chevron had pursued a 20-year extension of their Rokan project, which they have been running uninterrupted since 1971, when they were outbid by Pertamina.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has stated on his Instagram account that Pertaminas takeover of the Rokan oil block will put the state-owned company on par with the worlds top oil companies by 2021, when it gains 60 percent of Indonesias total oil and gas production. Earlier this year Pertamina also secured expiring contracts for Indonesia's largest natural gas project, previously held by Total SA of France and Inpex Corp of Japan.

President Widodo is currently seeking re-election for a second five-year term, and he has been pushing the nationalization of resources hard in the run-up to election day in April 2019. It is expected that greater domestic control over Indonesias trillion-dollar economy and a general spirit of economic nationalism will continue to be a primary focus of his platform. Related: Is This The Most Important Geopolitical Deal Of 2018?

Despite the popularity of the movement, so far economic nationalism hasnt paid off for Indonesia in any literal sense of the phrase. Pertamina greatly outbid Chevron on the rights to Rokan at a time when the bloc is serving up diminishing returns--crude oil drilling by Chevron Pacific Indonesia reached only 207,148 barrels per day in the first half of 2018, noticeably below their target of 213,551 bpd--and despite all the recent acquisitions Indonesia still has not achieved its H1 financial goals. In fact, they missed them by a mile. The countrys investment target was set at $14.2 billion, but figures show that Indonesia reached just $3.9 billion in the first half of the year.

These figures highlight what a gamble Indonesia is taking with their aggressive economic nationalism movement. With underwhelming payoffs and a struggling economy plagued with underemployment and flat-lined consumer spending, among other difficulties, Indonesia may want to think twice about burning its international bridges. Many long-standing and lucrative foreign relationships are at risk of being alienated to the point of no return if Indonesia continues to turn its back on the global market.

No matter how you slice it, politically popular or no, economic nationalism has put Indonesia in a bit of a financial bind. Reviewing the H1 results, it certainly looks like Pertamina has taken on more than they can handle, but of course they are quite unlikely to get any foreign money without ceding control of production. The Indonesian government, to their credit, is already making some course corrections, including a planned budget cut of up to $1 billion dollars in Rokan. Related: Irans Latest Tactic To Save Market Share

It bears reminding that nationalization is not a bad word. Despite all the well-founded fears for Indonesia, economic nationalism is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, state-owned companies played an absolutely key role in building up the Indonesian economy after 300 years of Dutch colonial rule. The nature of Indonesia, with 18,000 distinct islands spread across two oceans (Pacific and Indian), and the fourth largest population in the world, presents unique challenges when it comes to evenly-spread economic development.

Despite significant challenges, Indonesia boasts Southeast Asias largest economy, and compared to many other nations with a history of colonization, is doing quite well for itself. If Indonesia can overcome this rough patch (and yes--its a big if) and secure the returns that foreign investors have been enjoying for nearly a century, it could be an incredible success story and a source of inspiration for the many resource-rich, cash-strapped developing countries around the world.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:President Donald Trumps first year in office must have been a pleasant surprise for Chinese President Xi Jinping. A successful state visit in Beijing and an apparent personal chemistry between the two leaders suggested a close relationship between the countries was brewing. But President Trumps second year has turned that narrative on its head. The trade war between the two largest economies in the world has been intensifying of late, with both countries implementing a second round of tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods.

It has been one of Trumps main goals to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China. The shale revolution in the U.S. has shrunk the deficit slightly, with China requiring ever-larger volumes of oil and gas to power its economy. In an attempt to avert a trade war, Beijing proposed to buy nearly $70 billion of American products of which LNG was an important part. The U.S. administration turned down the offer and chose instead to implement the first batch of tariffs, hoping to squeeze more out of China.

After its proposal was denied by Washington, Beijing threatened to include oil in its list of tariffs, which obviously affected prices. However, the fundamentals of the oil market made the Chinese reconsider. China has seen a 200-fold increase in its import from the U.S. in the past two years (see below). Despite the impressive rise, it still accounts for just 3 percent of Chinas total imports. However, the light sweet characteristics of American oil compared to the medium sour of other suppliers and the discount at which it is being sold, makes it an attractive product. Other customers in the region could easily fill the gap created by Chinese customers meaning that the tariffs would affect Beijing more than the U.S.

It is another story for LNG. While oil is conspicuously absent from the proposed list of tariffs of present and possibly future products, LNG undoubtedly remains an option. Chinas shift towards more environmentally friendly policies and its goal of doubling natural gas to at least 12 percent of its energy mix, has made it quickly emerge as a significant player in the market. The potential LNG glut was forecast to persist until 2022, but Beijing singlehandedly changed the fortunes of producers with a massive increase in imports. China has already surpassed South Korea to become the second biggest importer of natural gas and, according to the IEA, the country is set to become the largest importer next year.

(Click to enlarge)

The effect of tariffs on U.S. LNG could be significant as it would obviously raise the cost of transporting the super-chilled natural gas to Chinese customers. Despite American exporters being the sixth biggest supplier of LNG at the moment, impressive growth and overabundance of natural gas in the U.S. provide it with even more supply for global customers. For every 175 units being produced, just 100 are being consumed in America while 75 percent is available for export. Furthermore, the enormous potential of China in terms of growth makes it the most important future market for LNG. The situation seems ideal for both countries, but tariffs may soon change that.

(Click to enlarge)

In the short-term, tariffs are likely to simply shift the global LNG market. When China decides not to buy LNG from the U.S. and instead purchase from alternative sources, other consumers are likely to act in the opposite direction. However, the factors that made Beijing reconsider its threat regarding crude oil (the discount of U.S. product and higher quality) do not apply for LNG where the cost of transportation rises significantly with distance and quality is not an issue. Related: Shale Profits Remain Elusive

When it comes to investment decisions, the current conflict could not have come at a worse time for the U.S. Several U.S. companies are competing to construct additional LNG facilities on the Gulf of Mexico, each of which will require years of construction. The imposition of tariffs on American LNG could delay a decision to construct gasification facilities while aiding competitors in other regions as most LNG is secured on long-term contracts.

Besides the U.S., other major exporters such as Australia and Qatar are looking to expand their production capacity. Woodside Petroleum, Santos, and Oil Search are targeting the final investment decision on three projects worth $35 billion in Australia. Qatar intends to increase production from 77 million tons to 100 million. Russia, on the other hand, is on the brink of completing a multi-billion-dollar pipeline in the northeast with the second string under negotiations in the northwest. All producers are aiming for China and any decision concerning American LNG would strengthen their position.

The imposition of tariffs would significantly impact both the U.S. and China. in the short-term Beijing risks being exposed to supply crunches especially during the winter period. The U.S. on the contrary is shielded for the short-term due to long-term contracts. However, as decisions to expand export capacity have to be made in the near future, losing out on the most important LNG market is not reassuring for investors. Despite Donald Trumps claim, trade wars are dirty and risk damaging all parties. Energy trade between the U.S. and China is not an exception.

By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Diamondback Energy will buy Energen in all-stock transaction valued at around US$9.2 billion, which will create the third-largest pure play Permian company in terms of production, Diamondback said in a statement on Tuesday.

The value of the deal, unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, includes Energens net debt of US$830 million as of June 30, 2018.

Earlier this year, Energen was a potential takeover target of activist investor Carl Icahn and hedge fund manager Keith Meisters Corvex Management.

Under pressure from Corvex, Energen appointed in March two independent directors to its expanded board of directors, and promised to promptly conduct an in-depth review, assisted by its financial advisers, of the companys business plan, competitive positioning, and potential strategic alternatives as part of efforts to enhance shareholder value.

Diamondback Energys deal with Energen comes just a week after Diamondback announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to buy all leasehold interests and related assets of Ajax Resources in the northern Midland Basin for US$900 million in cash and 2.58 million shares of Diamondback common stock.

The two announced acquisitions take Diamondbacks combined pro forma Q2 2018 production to over 222,000 boe/d, of which 67 percent was oilthe third-largest production for a pure play company in the Permian Basin, the company said. This is an increase of 79 percent from Diamondbacks Q2 2018 production of 124,700 boe/d.



Related: Oil Prices Jump As Saudis Cap Oil Supply

This transaction represents a transformational moment for both Diamondback and Energen shareholders as they are set to benefit from owning the premier large cap Permian independent with industry leading production growth, operating efficiency, margins and capital productivity supporting an increasing capital return program, Diamondback CEO Travis Stice said.

The transaction is the latest in this years consolidation push in the U.S. shale patch, after Concho Resources struck a deal to acquire natural gas peer RSP Permian for US$9.5 billion in an all-stock transaction that is the biggest acquisition in the sector since 2012.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh will attend the September meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee of OPEC and Russia and will probably press his OPEC partners to preserve original member production quotas, S&P Global Platts reports, quoting an Iranian oil ministry official.

The JMMC was formed when the cartel and Russia agreed to reduce oil production to boost international prices to keep an eye on compliance, but the committee is still in place after in June the partners agreed to start pumping more to keep a lid on prices. This, however, led to a suggestion by Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih that production quotas should be reallocated among OPEC members, since some could not pump more than they did at the time.

This suggestion prompted a heated response from Tehran and no wonder: with more U.S. sanctions on the way, Iran would certainly feel a squeeze in its oil production. If other OPEC members have their hands tied by their original quotas, there will be reverberations from the Iran sanctions across global oil markets, and this could give Iran some leverage against the U.S. If, however, OPEC members are allowed to pump more than their original quotas allow, then the effect of the sanctions could be absorbed, albeit partially.

The JMMC includes Al-Falih, Russias Alexander Novak and the oil ministers of Kuwait, Venezuela, Algeria, and Oman. Of all these, Venezuela has the most interest in supporting Iran, which is not a member of the committee, as it is dealing with its own production slump resulting not least from severe U.S. sanctions. Support from Venezuela, however, is unlikely to be enough for Zanganeh to make OPEC reject the Saudi ministers proposal.

So far, Zanganeh has expressed Tehrans displeasure with OPECs latest moves in letters, the latest of which, addressed to the 2018 President of the cartel, UAEs Suhail al-Mazrouei, said Zangahen will call an extraordinary meeting of OPEC. The minister added that he would resort to this move if the JMMC does not stop trying to make any attempts to redistribute the over-conformity, including, among OPEC member countries, or, between OPEC and non-OPEC countries, as this is beyond the mandate of JMMC and it contradicts the decision made at the 171st Meeting of the OPEC Conference."

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:She set a $20,000 bond for each defendant and ordered that they wear ankle monitors and have weekly contact with their attorneys.

Judge Backus said prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats or plan against the community, despite providing concerning information.

They presented evidence of the firearms training done by Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and described a compound fortified by old tires and wooden pallets.

Clark said his client had permits to carry his weapons and no criminal record - accusing prosecutors of holding adults at the compound to an unusual standard due to their race and Muslim faith.

Meanwhile, a state judge has denied a request by prosecutors to keep in jail the two men and three women who were arrested during a raid at a New Mexico compound as they await trial on child abuse charges.

The 15-year-old described attempts to cast demonic spirits from Abdul-ghani's body through a ritual that involved reading passages from the Quran while Siraj Ibn Wahhaj held a hand on the boy's forehead, and that Abdul-ghani apparently died after one of the sessions, Taylor said. The remains of a young boy, believed to be Abdul-Ghani, were found buried at the site three days later. No charges have been filed in connection with the death.

According to prosecutors' presentation on Monday, at least some of the children were given weapons training to defend the compound against a possible Federal Bureau of Investigation raid.

Two men and three women, all related as siblings or by marriage, have each been charged with 11 counts of felony child abuse.

The children, ranging from 1 to 15 years of age, were clothed in rags and starving when they were found on August 3, authorities said.

But defense attorneys said the family was being unfairly characterized because of their religion and said if they had been white, law enforcement would not have paid much attention to their stockpile of firearms.

Firefighter dies in Mendocino Complex Fire

This is the first reported death linked to the Ranch and River fires. "We are here for you", he said. He was fighting California wildfires and protecting life and property.

In describing what the children said about the death of Abdul Ghani Wahhaj, Lovelace said, "It was a religious ritual carried out on Abdul Ghani, a ritual meant to cast out demonic spirits from Abdul Ghani Wahhaj".

"They were waiting for Abdul-Ghani to be resurrected to let them know which government institutions to get rid of", Lovelace said.

Prosecutors believe the remains were that of Wahhaj's son, who is disabled, according KOAT, but investigators say it could take weeks to verify the child's identification.

In court Monday, Hogrefe mentioned tunnels for the first time, saying police found a sniper rifle at the scene.

Officers who discovered the children said they looked "like Third World country refugees not only with no food or fresh water, but with no shoes, personal hygiene and basically dirty rags for clothing".

Prosecutors were asking that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and the other defendants be held pending trial.

During Monday's hearing, prosecutor Timothy Hasson said that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj had sent his brother a letter that was "an invitation to come to the compound and pursue his intent to become a martyr".

Defence lawyer Thomas Clark, representing Ibn Wahhaj, told reporters afterward that prosecutors were applying a double standard to his client because of his Muslim faith.

"These people are not Christian, they are black and they are Muslim", Clark said.Iraq and Turkey must reach a deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) first in order to export oil from the Kirkuk fields in northern Iraq via Turkey, Kurdish officials told local media this week.

Around 300,000 bpd of crude oil previously pumped and exported in the Kirkuk province have been shut in since the Iraqi federal government moved in last October to take control over the oil fields in Kirkuk from Kurdish forces.

Before Baghdad seized control of the oil fields, the Kurdistan Region was exporting the crude oil via the Kurdish-operated pipeline to the Ceyhan port on the Turkish Mediterranean coast.

Earlier this week, Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Ankara, where he discussed many issues, including oil exports via Turkey, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.

According to the Kurdistan 24 outlet, the two leaders reportedly reached an initial deal to sell Kirkuks crude oil via Turkey, possibly through a new pipeline closer to the Syrian border that would cross only a small portion of land controlled by the KRG.

Kurdish officials, however, argue that Turkey and Iraq will need first to strike a deal with Kurdistan before proceeding with plans to export Kirkuks oil.

It is in the best interest of Baghdad to resume the export of Kirkuks oil through the Kurdistan Regions pipeline as they would benefit more from the revenue than the KRG, Rebwar Talabani, the head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC), told Kurdistan 24. According to the Kurdish official, it is unrealistic to think that Iraqs federal government could export oil from Kirkuk via the Nineveh province because security and safety concerns persist in the area.



Related: Crude-By-Rail Could Save The Permian Boom

Turkey and Iraq cannot take any steps regarding Kirkuks oil export without first reaching an agreement with the Kurdistan Region. The oil pipeline is completely under the control and protection of the Kurdistan Region, Bewar Khinsi, an adviser on natural resources to the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) Chancellor, Masrour Barzani, said.

Last week, KRGs Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said that exporting Kirkuks oil via Turkey was at the top of the agenda for the talks between Kurdistan and Iraq.

Currently, fields controlled by KRG export around 350,000 bpd via the pipeline to Ceyhan, roughly half its capacity, industry sources told S&P Global Platts last week.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Tesla and more specifically its chief executive Elon Musk are facing three lawsuits over an already notorious tweet by Musk, in which the CEO said he was planning to take the company private and had already secured funding.

It was this phrase, funding secured, that alerted the Securities and Exchange Commission, which launched a probe into this claim, prompting Musk to come forward with the revelation that he had for years been in talks with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to take the company private.

Yet the tweet and the following explanation caused changes in the Tesla stock price within two days, which allegedly affected shareholders who bought Tesla stock in the period.

As the law firm representing plaintiffs in the latest among the three cases states in an update, On August 7, 2018, Tesla CEO Elon Musk proclaimed via social media that [a]m considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured, among other things. On this news, Tesla shares soared to close at $379.57 that day. On August 9, 2018, media reports highlighted a probe by the SEC into the veracity and nature of Musks statements as well as an investigation by Teslas Board of Directors into the secured funding.

On this news, the price of Teslas shares plummeted.



Related: Is Deepwater Drilling More Profitable Than Shale?

All three lawsuits seek class action status, but while the first one seeks to represent shareholders who only bought Tesla shares on August 7 and 8, the second one seeks plaintiffs that bought and sold Tesla stock in the period. The third lawsuit has extended the period, seeking shareholders who bough or sold Tesla stock between August 7 and 10.

The allegations made in the three lawsuits are identical, according to a CNN report: Musk had given misleading information to, basically, get back at short sellers. Yet, the information may not have been misleading if it was true, one legal expert told CNN.

According to Pennsylvania University business law professor Jill Fisch, the lawsuits against Musk and Tesla only have a chance if the plaintiffs can prove that Musk had not sought funding for the operation and had not, in fact, secured it.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Isaac Hou is one of Taipei's best-known street artists, famous for his mesmerising acrobatics using a giant spinning hoop. The 37-year-old Taiwanese American is a master of the metal Cyr wheel, whirling himself around while stretched out inside the ring. He performs on stage and television but still busks, drawing crowds in various spots around Taiwan's capital, mainly in the shopping district of Xinyi. Hou, who also practises the Brazilian dance-like martial art capoeira, as well as ballet, jazz and tango to balance his body, says he finds street performing liberating. "The reason I wanted to become a street performer is because I saw it as a job without an unpleasant boss, having a great deal of freedom, a way to travel," Hou told AFP. After high school, Hou travelled around the world doing odd jobs and learned kung fu at the Shaolin temple in China, going on to hone his acrobatic skills at circus performance schools in Denmark and Russia. He turned to the Cyr wheel as an alternative to torch juggling, which he had started to do for a living. "I wanted to get away from doing fire so I wouldn't have problems with the police chasing me around," said Hou, who is married to Polish-Canadian dance teacher Magdalena Zieba. But the freedom he finds as a street artist also has its complications. "It's hard to maintain a good schedule for a long period of time. When you have too much free time it's easy to get distracted," he said. When Hou starts losing his way, he says the key is to just keep going. "I guess what works for me is to keep putting one foot in front of the next, to keep doing something even if it seems pointless, to try to go out and do things and see people."A jet allegedly bought with money stolen from a Malaysian state fund is in Singapore, police said Wednesday, as Kuala Lumpur seeks to claw back assets linked to the graft scandal. Malaysia's government has launched investigations into allegations former premier Najib Razak and his cronies looted billions of dollars from the fund, 1MDB. Last week a luxury yacht allegedly bought by a playboy financier at the centre of the controversy was returned to Malaysia from Indonesia, and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said authorities are now seeking to repossess his $35 million jet. Businessman Low Taek Jho, who was a key adviser to 1MDB, is accused of having bought both the $250 million yacht and the Bombardier Global 5000 jet with money stolen from 1MDB. Singapore police said in a statement that "an aircraft that is the subject of ongoing 1MDB-related investigations is parked at Seletar Airport," referring to an airport that caters to private jets. However it added that the city-state had not "received any formal request from the Malaysian authorities seeking the return of the aircraft". The jet is believed to currently be housed in a hangar belonging to a firm that does maintenance and repair works, the Straits Times newspaper reported. Malaysian authorities have said they want to arrest Low, but his current whereabouts are unknown. Singapore is one of several countries -- including the United States and Switzerland -- which have launched investigations into the use of their financial systems to launder money believed to have been siphoned from the fund. The corruption allegations swirling around Najib were a major factor in a shock election loss in May that toppled his coalition, which had ruled Malaysia since 1957. Najib has since been charged with corruption and money laundering over the scandal. He has denied the charges and is out on bail.Botanists have discovered a new species of orchid in Peru's central Amazonian rainforest, the country's national parks service announced Tuesday. "The new species of orchid was recently discovered in the Tingo Maria National Park" in the Huanuco region, the parks service SERNANP announced. The orchid is classified as belonging to the Andinia genus and was discovered in area of the Bella Durmiente (Spanish for Sleeping Beauty) mountain, which is a prominent feature of the Tingo Maria National Park, it said in a statement. Set in the middle of Peru, the area is marked by mild weather with an annual average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). Fragrant and delicately beautiful, there are around 30,000 different species of orchid around the world, around 10 percent of them in Peru. Around 240 can be found in the Tingo Maria National Park, which was created in 1965. "This kind of discovery highlights the natural heritage of the country and demonstrates the good standard of conservation of the park," said Lorenzo Flores, director of the Tingo Maria National Park. The orchid was given the name "Andinia tingomariana" by the US Department of Biologicial and Ecological Organisms in honor of the protected natural area where it was discovered.Tonga Prime Minister Akalisi Pohiva has called for China to write-off debts owed by Pacific island countries, warning that repayments impose a huge burden on the impoverished nations. Chinese aid in the Pacific has ballooned in recent years with much of the funds coming in the form of loans from Beijing's state-run Exim Bank. Tonga has run-up enormous debts to China, estimated at more than US$100 million by Australia's Lowy Institute think tank, and Pohiva said his country would struggle to repay them. He said the situation was common in the Oceania region and needed to be addressed at next month's Pacific Island Forum summit in Nauru. "We need to discuss the issue," he told the Samoa Observer in an interview published on Tuesday. "All the Pacific Island countries should sign this submission asking the Chinese government to forgive their debts. "To me, that is the only way we can all move forward, if we just can't pay off our debts." Tonga took out the Chinese loans to rebuild in the wake of deadly 2006 riots that razed the centre of the capital Nuku'alofa. Beijing has previously refused to write-off the loans by turning them into aid grants but did give Tonga an amnesty on repayments. Pohiva said China now wanted the debts repaid. "By September 2018, we anticipate to pay $14 million, which cuts away a huge part of our budget," he said. Tonga's ability to pay has been further dented this year by another massive rebuilding effort in Nuku'alofa, this time after a category five cyclone slammed into the capital in February. "If we fail to pay, the Chinese may come and take our assets, which are our buildings," Pohiva said. "That is why the only option is to sign a submission asking the Chinese government to forgive our debts." His comments come as Australia and New Zealand ramp up aid efforts in the Pacific to counter China's growing presence in the region. Australia has raised fears in recent months Pacific nations' debts to China leaves them susceptible to Beijing's influence. It has resulted in a race to win hearts and minds in the region. Canberra recently announced plans to negotiate a security treaty with Vanuatu, while also funding and building an underseas communications cable to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Meanwhile, Chinese company Huawei has agreed to build PNG's domestic internet network with funds supplied by Exim Bank.Seabirds such as gulls can be key indicators of environmental change as their populations respond to shifts in their ocean habitat over time. A new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances investigates how several species have responded to changing environmental conditions in the Arctic over the last four decades. The authors find that a warming ocean is directly and indirectly affecting seabird populations in Alaska.

The University of Idaho's Holly Goyert (now at the University of Massachusetts) and her colleagues used mathematical models to explore relationships between large, long-term datasets covering climate fluctuation, zooplankton abundance and distribution, and populations of several seabird species in the waters off Alaska from 1974 to 2014. They found that declines in populations of an Arctic gull called the Black-legged Kittiwake are tied to deteriorating zooplankton productivity, while their cousins the Red-legged Kittiwakes, also declining, are more sensitive to warming ocean surface temperatures. Not every seabird is in trouble, thoughCommon and Thick-billed murres, relatives of puffins, have proved resilient to changing conditions and may even be benefitting.

This study is the first attempt to explain how climate and habitat variability affect seabird population dynamics across such a large scale. "Our hope is that these results will be used in a proactive approach to seabird conservation, and that measures will be taken to prevent populations from declining to small sizes. For example, although Black-legged Kittiwakes are one of the more abundant gulls in the world, their populations are undergoing significant declines, which calls their global status into question," says Goyert. "Our paper suggests that the deterioration of food web resources such as krill, which is related to warming oceans, has contributed to these declines."

"Mass seabird deaths and breeding failures in recent years have the scientific community puzzled, and both appear to be climate-related," according to Melanie Smith, Audubon Alaska's Director of Conservation Science, who was not involved in the study. "This study is an important step in clarifying the effects of changing climate on seabird population dynamics across Alaska. We can use what we've learned here to design detailed monitoring and to better anticipate population declines, improving managers' ability to protect vulnerable species."

Explore further US wildlife officials eye ongoing Alaska seabird die-off

More information: "Effects of climate change and environmental variability on the carrying capacity of Alaskan seabird populations" The Auk: Ornithological Advances DOI: 10.1642/AUK-18-37.1 "Effects of climate change and environmental variability on the carrying capacity of Alaskan seabird populations"Credit: CC0 Public Domain

As sea levels rise due to climate change, so do the global hazards and potential devastating damages from tsunamis, according to a new study by a partnership that included Virginia Tech.

Even minor sea-level rise, by as much as a foot, poses greater risks of tsunamis for coastal communities worldwide.

The threat of rising sea levels to coastal cities and communities throughout the world is well known, but new findings show the likely increase of flooding farther inland from tsunamis following earthquakes. Think of the tsunami that devasted a portion of northern Japan after the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, causing a nuclear plant to melt down and spread radioactive contamination.

These findings are at the center of a new Science Advances study, headed by a multi-university team of scientists from the Earth Observatory of Singapore, the Asian School of the Environment at Nanyang Technological University, and National Taiwan University, with critical support from Virginia Tech's Robert Weiss, an associate professor in the Department of Geosciences, part of the College of Science.

"Our research shows that sea-level rise can significantly increase the tsunami hazard, which means that smaller tsunamis in the future can have the same adverse impacts as big tsunamis would today," Weiss said, adding that smaller tsunamis generated by earthquakes with smaller magnitudes occur frequently and regularly around the world. For the study, Weiss was critical in helping create computational models and data analytics frameworks.

At Virginia Tech, Weiss serves as director of the National Science Foundation-funded Disaster Resilience and Risk Management graduate education program and is co-lead of Coastal@VT, comprised of 45 Virginia Tech faculty from 13 departments focusing on contemporary and emerging coastal zone issues, such as disaster resilience, migration, sensitive ecosystems, hazard assessment, and natural infrastructure.

For the study, Weiss and his partners, including Lin Lin Li, a senior research fellow, and Adam Switzer, an associate professor, at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, created computer-simulated tsunamis at current sea level and with sea-level increases of 1.5 feet and 3 feet in the Chinese territory of Macau. Macau is a densely populated coastal region located in South China that is generally safe from current tsunami risks.

At current sea level, an earthquake would need to tip past a magnitude of 8.8 to cause widespread tsunami inundation in Macau. But with the simulated sea-level rises, the results surprised the team.

Tsunami inundation maps for different sea level conditions. Credit: Linlin Li

The sea-level rise dramatically increased the frequency of tsunami-induced flooding by 1.2 to 2.4 times for the 1.5-foot increase and from 1.5 to 4.7 times for the 3-foot increase. "We found that the increased inundation frequency was contributed by earthquakes of smaller magnitudes, which posed no threat at current sea level, but could cause significant inundation at higher sea-level conditions," Li said.

In the simulated study of Macaupopulation 613,000Switzer said, "We produced a series of tsunami inundation maps for Macau using more than 5,000 tsunami simulations generated from synthetic earthquakes prepared for the Manila Trench." It is estimated that sea levels in the Macau region will increase by 1.5 feet by 2060 and 3 feet by 2100, according to the team of U.S.-Chinese scientists.

The hazard of large tsunamis in the South China Sea region primarily comes from the Manila Trench, a megathrust system that stretches from offshore Luzon in the Philippines to southern Taiwan. The Manila Trench megathrust has not experienced an earthquake larger than a magnitude 7.8 since the 1560s. Yet, study co-author Wang Yu, from the National Taiwan University, cautioned that the region shares many of the characteristics of the source areas that resulted in the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, as well as the 2011 earthquake in northern Japan, both causing massive loss of life.

These increased dangers from tsunamis build on already known difficulties facing coastal communities worldwide: The gradual loss of land directly near coasts and increased chances of flooding even during high tides, as sea levels increase as the Earth warms.

"The South China Sea is an excellent starting point for such a study because it is an ocean with rapid sea-level rise and also the location of many mega cities with significant worldwide consequences if impacted. The study is the first if its kind on the level of detail, and many will follow our example," Weiss said.

Policymakers, town planners, emergency services, and insurance firms must work together to create or insure safer coastlines, Weiss added.

"Sea-level rise needs to be taken into account for planning purposes, for example for reclamation efforts but also for designing protective measures, such as seawalls or green infrastructure."

He added, "What we assumed to be the absolute worst case a few years ago now appears to be modest for what is predicted in some locations. We need to study local sea-level change more comprehensively in order to create better predictive models that help to make investments in infrastructure that are or near sustainable."

Explore further How large can a tsunami be in the Caribbean?

More information: L. Li el al., "A modest 0.5-m rise in sea level will double the tsunami hazard in Macau," Science Advances (2018). advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/8/eaat1180 Journal information: Science Advances L. Li el al., "A modest 0.5-m rise in sea level will double the tsunami hazard in Macau,"(2018). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat1180Denmark is to erect a 70-kilometer (43.4-mile) fence along the German border to keep out wild boars, in the hope of preventing the spread of African swine fever, which can jeopardize the country's valuable pork industry.

Denmark's Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it had approved the outline for the steel fence, which will be up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Construction is slated to start next year.

Lawmakers approved the fence in June, among a raft of measures aimed at stopping the spread of African swine fever, which has been reported in the European Union, chiefly in the Baltics, Poland and Romania.

Critics say the 30 million kroner ($4.5 million) fence will harm wildlife and is a symbolic gesture tackling a largely non-existent problem.

The fence would be out up in such a manner that "people and transportation could still be able to cross in accordance with (the EU's border-free) Schengen zone, said Bent Rasmussen, of Denmark's Environmental Protection Agency.

He also conceded that wild animals could, in theory, pass through 15 gaps in the fence where it crosses highways, roads and streams.

Environment minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen warned in June that Denmark's pork exports to non-EU countriesworth 11 billion kroner ($ 1.6 billion) annuallycould be affected. Total Danish pork exports were worth about 30 billion kroner ($4.55 billion) in 2016.

"In case of an outbreak of African swine fever the export to non EU-countries will shut down," Ellemann-Jensen said.

Unlike swine flu, African swine fever doesn't affect humans but it can be deadly for domestic and wild boars, and cause massive losses for farmers.

According to the European statistical agency Eurostat, there are some 150 million pigs in the EU, far outnumbering cattle and other bovines, the second-largest livestock category with 89 million head.

Eurostat says 40 percent of the EU's pigs are in Spain and Germany, with significant numbers also in France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland.

Denmark, known for its quality bacon, is the only EU country where pigs outnumber people, with 215 pigs to every 100 residents.

Explore further Romania reports 500 outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

When the Equifax data breach impacting nearly 147 million people occurred just over a year ago most consumers took little to no action to protect themselves despite the risk of identity theft, University of Michigan researchers found.

In comprehensive interviews with 24 consumers, a team of researchers at the U-M School of Information led by Yixin Zou and Florian Schaub found that few knew if they were impacted by the breach, although they had heard about it and understood the risks of identity theft, and even fewer took protective measures, such as freezing their credit reports.

"We expected that people might have issues with protecting themselves effectively but the degree of inaction after the data breach was definitely unexpected," said Zou, a doctoral student at the school. "While a majority of our participants (19 out of 24) knew a big data breach had occurred at one of the big three credit bureaus and demonstrated detailed awareness of identity theft risks, more than half of them did not translate this awareness into any protective measures."

The researchers said many participants exhibited what is called optimism bias.

"They underestimated the likelihood of becoming a victim of identity theft, thinking they would not be an attractive target and making the assumption that whoever had access to the stolen data would target people who were more affluent and had a better credit history, even though scammers are unlikely to investigate their financial situation before stealing their identity," said Schaub, U-M assistant professor of information. "In fact, other research has shown that people of low socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected by identity theft."

Some consumers reported a tendency to delay security related tasks until they are actually harmed, even though recovery from identity theft is more labor and time-intensive than prevention, the researchers said.

Many consumers think if a problem is going to occur it will happen right away, so when all seems well shortly after a breach they move on without much more thought about it.

Then there were some who were unaware of available protective measures or had heard certain terms but misinterpreted their meanings.

"For example, 'fraud alerts' were understood as alerts sent by your bank or credit card company when fraudulent activities have been detected on your account, whereas placing a fraud alert on your credit file actually means adding a flag to your credit report when it is requested by vendors, alerting them that you may be at risk of fraud and that they should carefully verify your identity before a transaction," Zou said. "Credit freezes, which are the only effective way to prevent companies from requesting your credit report without you explicitly "unfreezing" it again, were misunderstood as 'freezing' credit cards by half of our participants."

For a number of the consumers, their inaction was an issue of cost. Placing a freeze on credit can cost up to $10 for each of the three major credit bureaus.

"Freezing and unfreezing your credit reports should be free nationwide, because it is the only measure that can effectively limit certain types of identity theft," Schaub said. "Similarly, consumers should be able to access their credit reports anytime for free, whereas current laws only mandate one free credit report per year.

"The good news is that credit freezes will be free in all U.S. states starting from this September, as a result of a new federal law amending the Fair Credit Reporting Act. However, this new law doesn't address some of the other issues we uncovered. For instance, consumers still need to place separate credit freezes at each credit bureau, something many of our participants were not aware of."

The actions favored by those that took the time to monitor their accounts were no-cost options such as going to Equifax's website, checking credit reports either through the annual credit report site or free third-party services, and closer self-monitoring of existing bank, credit card and other financial accounts.

Those actions can help spot identity theft when it occurs, but on their own do little to prevent identity theft, the researchers said. The Equifax breach included names, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver's license numbers of all impacted, plus credit card numbers of about 209,000 consumers and credit dispute documents for another 182,000 people.

Zou and Schaub said the media played a role in informing consumers about the breach but not in prompting action. Instead, consumers were more willing to take actions when prompted by family members, colleagues or experts.

The researchers said this points to the need for the companies not only to report breaches but to clearly inform consumers how they are affected, what their risks are from the exposure of their personal data, and what steps to take to protect themselves. Usually when a breach happens, the companies send a message that says the consumers' data may have been compromised, with an offer for free credit monitoring and little more, leaving consumers to decide if they want to take steps or wait and hope for the best.

The Identity Theft Resource Center shows that the number of data breaches in the United States climbed from 157 in 2005 to 1,579 in 2017 with nearly 179 million records exposed. All told, from 2005 to date there have been 9,215 breaches and 1.1 billion records exposed.

Explore further Equifax identifies 2.4 mln more affected by massive hack

More information: "I've Got Nothing to Lose": Consumers' Risk Perceptions and Protective Actions after the Equifax Data Breach: "I've Got Nothing to Lose": Consumers' Risk Perceptions and Protective Actions after the Equifax Data Breach: www.usenix.org/conference/soup  018/presentation/zouChristine Hallquist won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the USA state of Vermont on Tuesday, moving a step closer to becoming the nation's first transgender governor, U.S. media reported.

The Democratic primary in Vermont was a fairly sleepy affair, with no big-name contenders to block a first-time candidate such as Hallquist.

Also among the primary candidates was 14-year old schoolboy Ethan Sonneborn, who took advantage of a quirk in the constitution of the bucolic northeastern state that imposes no age limit on running for governor.

Transgender candidates are hoping to build on the breakthrough year of 2017, when at least 10 won office across the country at levels ranging from state legislator to zoning board - the most ever recorded. She became the first openly transgender candidate for governor to be backed by a major party in the United States. Bernie Sanders is seeking the Democratic nomination, although he plans to run for reelection as an independent come November.

Tesla forms committee to assess proposal to go private

In the days that followed, the SEC got involved, reportedly investigating Musk's online musings about taking the company private . Musk said last week that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund had approached him about taking Tesla private.

Hallquist is the former CEO of Vermont Electric Cooperative, a member-owned utilities group, and has stressed that while media coverage often focuses exclusively on her identity as a transgender woman, she wants to be seen as more than an LGBTQ candidate.

Hallquist moved to Vermont in 1976.

He was the only candidate to have won election statewide before and now faces his biggest challenge against Walker. Seventeen have lost primary or general elections and 21 have yet to face voters, Casey's research shows. "Vermonters believe in being on the right side of history". It was the first state to allow civil unions for same-sex couples in 2000 and in 2009 became the first state to legalize gay marriage through the state legislature.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A team of researchers affiliated with MIT and Harvard University has found evidence suggesting that as the planet heats up, the performance of some government workers might be negatively impacted. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nick Obradovich, Dustin Tingley and Iyad Rahwan describe their study of data related to police officer and food inspector performance during hot weather, and what they found.

Most people know that exposure to hot weather can impact thought processing, emotions and ultimately behaviornews reports of higher rates of crime during heatwaves provide just one example. In this new effort, the researchers wondered what impact hot weather might have on public servantsparticularly those who have to work regardless of the weather. More specifically, they focused their attention on food inspectors and police officersand the people with whom they interact. The study was done as part of ongoing research into possible impacts on people due to global warming.

To better understand how food inspectors and police officers might be impacted by hotter weather, the researchers accessed databases of information about food inspection activities and traffic statistics. More specifically, for food inspectors, they looked at the number of food safety inspections that occurred and the number of food safety violations that were reported over the years 2001 to 2015. For police officer performance, they looked at the number of police stops made and the number of accidents that occurred across the U.S. from 2002 to 2017. Linking such data with weather data allowed the researchers to spot behavioral changes during periods of hot weather.

The researchers found that there were more car accidents during hot weatherbut there were fewer traffic stops. There were also fewer food inspections, but more food safety violations. They suggest more car accidents and food safety violations are indicative of changes in the behavior of drivers and those who work in restaurants, when they get hotthey become less careful. The data also suggests that hot weather can causes police officers and food inspectors to be less diligent, which, the researchers suggest, could be a problem as the planet continues to heat up.

Explore further Empathetic police are less effective in the face of public criticism, study says

More information: Nick Obradovich et al. Effects of environmental stressors on daily governance, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018). Nick Obradovich et al. Effects of environmental stressors on daily governance,(2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1803765115 Abstract

Human workers ensure the functioning of governments around the world. The efficacy of human workers, in turn, is linked to the climatic conditions they face. Here we show that the same weather that amplifies human health hazards also reduces street-level government workers' oversight of these hazards. To do so, we employ US data from over 70 million regulatory police stops between 2000 and 2017, from over 500,000 fatal vehicular crashes between 2001 and 2015, and from nearly 13 million food safety violations across over 4 million inspections between 2012 and 2016. We find that cold and hot temperatures increase fatal crash risk and incidence of food safety violations while also decreasing police stops and food safety inspections. Added precipitation increases fatal crash risk while also decreasing police stops. We examine downscaled general circulation model output to highlight the possible day-to-day governance impacts of climate change by 2050 and 2099. Future warming may augment regulatory oversight during cooler seasons. During hotter seasons, however, warming may diminish regulatory oversight while simultaneously amplifying the hazards government workers are tasked with overseeing. Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

 2018 Phys.orgCredit: CC0 Public Domain

Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency due to Florida red tide in seven counties, including Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. Florida red tide blooms have struck the state's west coast, leaving discolored, smelly water and dead wildlife in its wake. The governor's actions mobilize available funding and resources to address the impacts of the harmful algal bloom.

FIU experts Kathleen Rein and Jeremy Kiszka offer insight on the sudden and massive growths of Karenia brevis the microscopic algae causing the Florida red tide.

Florida red tide isn't red. K. brevis, the algae blooming throughout Florida's west coast, is actually green or brown. Other types of algae made up of red pigments cause red tide. So, to distinguish K. brevis blooms from red tide blooms, researchers call them "Florida red tide." Red tide shouldn't be confused with a blue-green algae bloom. Blue-green algae, which is actually a type of bacteria, produces harmful blooms when it comes into contact with discharge from Lake Okeechobee. Cyanobacteria can cover Florida's beaches along the Atlantic coast with foul-smelling, thick, green muck. Nutrients fuel red tide. Red tide begins as algae in the ocean. They are carried to shore by currents and wind. Once closer, they can come into contact with nutrients from agricultural runoff, including fertilizers and pesticides, producing a harmful bloom referred to as red tide. Red tide affects wildlife. Blooms suck up all the oxygen in the water. They also produce a toxin that can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory damage or death in marine wildlife, including fish, turtles, dolphins, manatees and whales. Red tide also affects people. It can cause respiratory irritation, as well as eye, nose, skin and throat irritation, to those who live along or visit an infected beach. It also impacts the state's economy, including the tourism, recreational fishing and commercial fishing sectors. Red tide outbreaks have been happening for a long time. Outbreaks were first recorded in Florida's west coast when European explorers arrived there in the 1500s. Blooms typically occur in the late summer and can persist into the late fall or early winter months.

Credit: Florida International UniversityCredit: CC0 Public Domain

There's nothing like a good laugh to lighten a mood, especially when the atmosphere is seriouslike it can be in a science classroom.

Using humor in the classroom has been shown to positively impact student learning, but what if an instructor simply isn't funny? Or what effect does it have on students if a teacher tells an offensive joke?

In a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from Arizona State University found that students appreciate when instructors tell jokes in science class, but that female and male students differ in what topics they find funny or offensive.

Researchers from the School of Life Sciences surveyed students from 25 college science courses about their perceptions of instructor humor. Of the 1,637 respondents, 99 percent say they appreciate instructor humor and believe it improves the classroom experience. Many students also say humor decreases stress, enhances the relationship between students and instructor, and helps them remember what is taught in class.

Researchers were fascinated by the high number of students who valued humor.

"I went into [this study] thinking that maybe we shouldn't be joking in the classroom, but I left the study thinking that instructors should use humor as a way to better connect with students," said Sara Brownell, associate professor in the school and senior author of the paper. "But, as might seem obvious, we need to be careful with what we're joking about because we found the topics that instructors are joking about can have different effects on different students."

What if a science instructor tells a joke that's not funny?

The study found that even if teachers tell jokes that fall flatjokes that students don't find funnyit did not change the students' attention to course content or their relationship with the instructor.

However, if a teacher tells a joke that is offensive and unfunny, more than 40 percent of students say it decreases their ability to pay attention to course content and negatively affects whether an instructor is seen as relatable. Although this can hurt all students, it may have a larger impact on women.

This study found that men and women in science classrooms differed on what topics they thought were funny or offensive. In the survey, science students were presented with hypothetical topics professors could joke about. Male students were more likely to find hypothetical jokes told by the instructor about gender, sexual orientation, religious identity and race funny, while women were more likely to find these same hypotheticals offensive. However, both men and women find three topics to be funny and not offensive: science, college and television.

"More and more studies are starting to paint a picture that the classroom environment is really important for student learning," said Brownell. "Science classrooms and the instructors teaching the science are typically described by students as boring, unapproachable and difficult. So, science instructors who try to be funny can create better learning environments, as long as they are not offensive."

What does this mean for instructors?

"They need to think twice about the type of humor they use," said Katelyn Cooper, lead author and postdoctoral researcher in Brownell's lab. "Is it a joke about cute animals? Probably OK. A pun about science? Probably OK."

Student researchers

One unusual aspect of this study is that it was carried out by 16 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a class that focused on biology education research. Advertised as a project-based course, the entire class worked on the research project during one semester. The students worked as investigators on the projectformulating the initial research idea, collecting and analyzing data, and editing the final manuscript.

Taija Hendrix, an undergraduate student researcher at the time of the study, said by taking the course, she was able to see the entire process of research from the very beginning. Hendrix said the possibility of being published was exciting.

"This class brought together students from all across the School of Life Sciences, some of whom I probably wouldn't have worked with, but in this course, we were all able to work together towards a common goal," said Hendrix. "The instructors told us they wanted our research to be published. For me, this idea was incredible that something I did would be read not only by other students, but scientists. The idea of contributing to the scientific literature before officially being a scientist myself wasn't something I thought I would have the privilege to do. Because of this course I was able to."

Hendrix graduated in May of 2018 with her bachelor's in biological sciences.Hello little ones! Juvenile giant Australian cuttlefish developing under rocks in the waters of South Australia. Credit: Fred Bavendam, Author provided

Australia is home to the world's only known site where cuttlefish gather to mate en masse.

From May to August, if you head into the water around Point Lowly, South Australia, it will be a chilly 12. But you'll be able to observe what look like aliens  hundreds, even thousands of tentacled organisms with their unusual distinctive W-shaped eye pupils, and pulsating colours moving across their body.

Intent on mating, the cuttlefish will be totally oblivious to your presence.

But this population of cuttlefish dropped in abundance from an estimated 150,000 animals in the late 1990s to only 13,492 in 2013.

Although counts in recent years suggest the creatures have recovered, my research aims to determine what sorts of factors influence this very unique cuttlefish population. This may allow us to better manage and protect the species  important not just for science, but also for the local environment and economy.

Rockstars of the sea

Every time I head to the Point Lowly coastline and dive with the giant Australian cuttlefish I'm amazed and excited by their antics.

The name "giant" is perhaps a misnomer. Giant Australian cuttlefish only ever reach about one metre in size. Most animals are much smaller, especially in South Australia.

Giant Australian cuttlefish can change the colour and texture of their skin. Credit: David Wiltshire, Author provided

Cephalopods have been described as rockstars of the sea for their "live fast, die young" life history strategy  they grow rapidly, reproduce early and die following reproduction. Giant Australian cuttlefish live for 1-2 years.

Although they are found in waters across southern Australia, giant Australian cuttlefish live in distinct populations that do not interact. We know from genetic studies that those breeding along that small area of Upper Spencer Gulf coastline are restricted to an area north from a line across the gulf from Wallaroo to Arno Bay (around 6,500 km).

Outside the breeding season of May to August they are distributed throughout this northern region. Come May they start to move towards a narrow 8km stretch of rocky coastline. At their peak you see literally one cuttlefish per square metre. It's the sheer numbers that are impressive!

They come solely for one purpose over winter  to find mates to reproduce.

Sudden drop in numbers

Around the late 1990s, the cuttlefish breeding aggregation in the Upper Spencer Gulf began to be targeted by fishers. Since then, a number of restrictions on taking cuttlefish and other cephalopods from these waters have been in place.

Around that time, a program of research through the University of Adelaide and SARDI Aquatic Sciences also began. Estimates of abundance and biomass of the breeding aggregation population suggested around 150,000 cuttlefish bred in the Upper Spencer Gulf. The surveys stopped after a few years.

Giant Australian cuttlefish in an intimate embrace. Credit: Matt McMillan, Author provided

Then in 2005 anecdotal reports from SCUBA divers suggested cuttlefish were less abundant. A survey at that time and continual data collected since 2008 confirmed that numbers had dropped. In 2013 less than 15,000 individuals were estimated on the breeding aggregation.

Significant resources were put towards studying the cuttlefish to determine what might be causing such a decline. Changes in water temperature and salinity may be involved.

We looked at data for other cephalopods over a similar time frame, and found no such decline. In fact, over the last 60 years many different types of cephalopod have been increasing in abundance  it's not yet clear why.

The low numbers of 2013 seem to be unique to the giant Australian cuttlefish on the Upper Spencer Gulf.

Since this time there has been a recovery in this population, with numbers bouncing back towards their late 1990s levels.

How cuttlefish breed

We know that cuttlefish come to this breeding aggregation to mate using a range of amazing strategies and behaviours  for example, small males impersonate females to avoid detection by larger males and gain access "under cover."

The most northern waters of Upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia host a unique population of giant Australian cuttlefish. Credit: Ellen Rochelmeyer (using Google Maps), CC BY-NC-ND

Because the population on the breeding aggregation is skewed towards males (an average o four to one), females have some choice over who they mate with.

After mating takes place, females deposit eggs on the underside of rocks.

Cuttlefish eggs take three to five months to develop, hatching from mid-September through to early November. They emerge as miniature adults about the size of your thumbnail.

Baby cuttlefish disperse within the Upper Spencer Gulf with an even sex ratio.

To work out why there was a difference in sex ratio between the broader region (1 male:1 female) and the breeding aggregation (4 males:1 female), we tagged male and female cuttlefish using trackable acoustic markers. We discovered that males spend around four times the length of time on the breeding aggregation compared to females, and that individuals are not present for the whole breeding season.

So the breeding aggregation is likely larger in size than fixed time frame counting estimates allow us to measure.

Some giant Australian cuttlefish reach one metre in length - but most are smaller. Credit: Nick Payne, Author provided

Positive influence on local economy

Although the apparently low population size in 2013 caused great concern, we are now cautiously optimistic for our giant Australian cuttlefish in Upper Spencer Gulf.

These creatures attract tourists from around the world, who come and snorkel or SCUBA dive on a unique breeding aggregation. This in turn injects money into the local economy and diversifies business in the region.

The cuttlefish are just one "user" of our shared marine environment along with the other activities and industries of South Australia.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Citation: Why we're watching the giant Australian cuttlefish (2018, August 15) retrieved 30 October 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2018-08-giant-australian-cuttlefish.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.When glaciers terminate off the coast of Greenland at a specific range of weater depths, the meltwater upwelling at the glacier front can cause summer plankton blooms. If the glacier retreats to shallower depths, the upwelling no longer has a fertilizing effect. Credit: Mark Hopwood / GEOMAR

The unusual timing of highly productive summer plankton blooms off Greenland indicates a connection between increasing amounts of meltwater and nutrients in these coastal waters. In a new study published today in the international journal Nature Communications, an international group of researchers led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel shows that this connection exists, but is much more complex than widely supposed. Whether increasing meltwater has a positive or negative effect on summertime phytoplankton depends on the depth at which a glacier sits in the ocean.

Observational data clearly shows that Greenland's mighty ice sheet is, slowly but surely, losing the race with rising global temperatures. Each summer, Greenland's glaciers transport more ice and meltwater to the ocean. There, among other things, the meltwater contributes to global sea-level rise. But does it also change the chemistry and biology of the oceans? According to a common theory, nutrients in the meltwater trigger plankton blooms off Greenland during the summer months.

"The timing of these summer blooms is actually unusual for plankton, so the connection with the meltwater seems obvious," says Dr. Mark Hopwood, chemical oceanographer at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

However, Hopwood and colleagues from GEOMAR, as well as from the U.S., the Netherlands and Greenland, have found that this connection is more complex than previously thought. "Our samples and data show unambiguously that a retreat of glaciers inland will lead to a decrease in the extent of summer plankton blooms," says Dr. Hopwood. The team has published its results today in the international journal Nature Communications.

It was already clear that more factors than simply the amount of meltwater affect plankton blooms. "The main nutrient that plankton lack around Greenland is nitrate, while glacier meltwater contains mostly iron and silicon," explains Dr. Hopwood. The fact that the meltwater can cause plankton blooms is due to the way glaciers release meltwater below sea-level at the coastline.

The outermost tongues of over 200 of Greenland's glaciers directly end in the sea and extend to depths of several hundred meters below the surface. Meltwater, which flows below the glaciers into the sea, is less dense than the seawater and therefore rises, often violently, to the surface. This upwelling process transports nitrate-rich deep seawater to the upper layers of the ocean and thus triggers plankton blooms in the light-flooded surface layers.

"In our study, we have calculated this relationship between meltwater discharge and the resulting nutrient change from deep seawater quantitatively for the first time," says Dr. Hopwood. The result: The deep seawater contributes over 90 percent of the nutrients that fertilize the surface layers, the actual meltwater only about 10 percent.

Based on this result, the team has further calculated what happens when the affected glaciers continue to melt and retreat inland. "The fertilizing effect of the upwelling works only for a certain depth range of the glaciers terminating in the sea. This depth is likely to vary regionally, but is generally between about 700 and 500 meters," says the lead author Mark Hopwood. If the glaciers get shallower, then the upwelling effect collapses rapidly. In simple terms, this means that the relationship between meltwater volume and ocean fertilization is complex. It depends very strongly on the location of the glacial terminus.

"So the study shows that further melting of Greenland's glaciers only leads to stronger summer plankton blooms under very specific conditions, an effect that will ultimately end with very extensive further melting," Hopwood summarizes the results of the study.

More information: M. J. Hopwood et al, Non-linear response of summertime marine productivity to increased meltwater discharge around Greenland, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications M. J. Hopwood et al, Non-linear response of summertime marine productivity to increased meltwater discharge around Greenland,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05488-8Credit: Shutterstock

When going on holiday to a foreign country, there's one part of the journey that everybody dreads: border control. Everyone has to have their passport checked by an immigration official when entering a new country  and even when leaving some  so queues are almost inevitable.

At Heathrow airport  one of the largest in the world  many arriving passengers are experiencing waiting times of up to two hours at passport control. Border control officials seek to manage these queues through staff rosters  and when there aren't enough staff rostered on to meet the number of arriving passengers, then queues at passport control can become excessively long.

Staff rostering presents what's known in industry as an "optimisation problem". It is used in hospitals for nurses, in call centres and even in schools, for playground supervision. The main goals are typically to ensure that services are completed in a reasonable amount of time, and to reduce the cost of staff.

But these two goals are often contradictory  since paying more staff usually leads to better service. And because of this contradiction, staff rostering can be a very difficult optimisation problem to solve.

Meeting requirements

To balance these two aspects of staff rostering, organisations or regulatory bodies typically impose "service requirements", in the form of expected service times. At Heathrow airport, the service requirements state that 95% of passengers should be processed at passport control within 25 minutes for EEA citizens and 45 minutes for everyone else.

Unfortunately, the border force at Heathrow has been unable to meet the services requirements for non-EEA immigrants since February 2018. July saw the worst performance, with 24.5% of all passengers entering the UK through terminals three and four experiencing waiting times of more than 45 minutes at passport control. In June, July and August, there have been reports of passengers waiting longer than two hours.

Having lots of valid data is critical to making a good roster and reducing waiting times. The main components of staff rostering are modelling demand, scheduling days off and assigning staff to shifts or tasks. If the demand is known exactly in advance  for example, if the number of playground supervision tasks are the same every day throughout the school year  then staff rostering only needs to consider the last two components.

In more dynamic environments, such as airport arrivals, demand modelling plays a crucial role in staff rostering. In an airport, the demand for passport control is directly related to the arrival times of aircraft, which can in turn be delayed. For example, in May 2015 only 75.93% of flights arriving into Heathrow airport were on time. Of the remaining flights, 17% were delayed by less than an hour, and about 7% were delayed by longer. Since 94% of passengers are international travellers, border control is massively affected by flight delays.

Digging into the data

One of the worst options, in regard to meeting service requirements, is to roster staff according to the scheduled arrival time of all flights. Although this would be relatively cheap, it ignores the fact that air travel is routinely subject to delays.

A better way for border force to reduce delays at passport control is to roster staff so that the largest expected demand can be served within the set service requirements. Basically, this would mean opening as many booths at passport control as possible, at the busiest time for arrivals  taking into account any expected delays.

But this is a very impractical and expensive solution, and there are limitations with respect to the number of available staff  especially since border force is already struggling with insufficient numbers of staff. Fortunately, there is lots and lots of data relating to air travel, which can be used to model demand more accurately, and roster staff and employ other available technologies accordingly.

Historical records of flight arrivals, the number of EEA and non-EEA citizens arriving and the demand at passport control are all available. Through the use of statistical and data science techniques, such as forecasting, a sophisticated model of demand at passport control can be developed.

Performing staff rostering with such a demand model may be conservative, meaning a higher overall cost, but it will be more likely to fit with the reality of air transportation. Yet proper demand modelling can also highlight situations  periods of time when predominately EEA citizens are arriving  where automatic passport scanners could provide flexibility in rostering staff, and which could decrease costs.

Given the excessive delays reported at Heathrow border control, we can only assume that there is significant limitations to the demand model currently being used for staff rostering. By making better use of statistical techniques and drawing on the large amount of data that is available, it's possible to significantly reduce the waiting time for passport control  even when flights are delayed.

Explore further Mobile app could speed O'Hare passport lines

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Students who pass one or more College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests in high school or college are more likely to earn a postsecondary degree, according to research published as a Georgia State University W.J. Usery Workplace Research Group working paper.

The CLEP is a program of college-level exams that offers credits for student mastery of specific content areasat $85 per examin lieu of completing a course. It is accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities across the U.S.

Passing CLEP exams led to a 17 percent increase in associate degree completion for students at two-year colleges and a 2.6 percent increase in bachelor's degree completion for students at four-year colleges, the research found. CLEP credits also lessen the time it takes to obtain a degree by reducing the number of courses required for its completion.

Economist Jonathan Smith, an assistant professor at Georgia State's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, and his colleagues Angela Boatman of Vanderbilt University, Michael Hurwitz of the College Board and Jason Lee of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission analyzed College Board data sets from more than 800,000 unique, first-time CLEP test takers between 2008 and 2015.

"Degree completion remains a persistent problem in American postsecondary education," said Smith. "Nationally, only 60 percent of first-time, full-time, four-year college students who began working on their degree in the fall of 2008 completed it six years later. And only 20 percent of those who entered public community colleges in 2008 received an associate's degree within three years. Over 20 years, these percentages amount to approximately 31 million students enrolling in college and leaving without holding a degree or certificate."

Degree completion rates are even lower for students who are underrepresented minorities, part-time, adult and military veterans.

Smith and his team found that two-year college enrollees who earned a credit-granting CLEP score and were military veterans whose exams were funded by a federal government program were 18.1 percent more likely to obtain an associate degree. Adults older than age 24 were 19.5 percent more likely, and those who had been home-schooled were 62.8 percent more likely to obtain a degree.

"Our findings have important policy implications because they suggest that the CLEP, and other credit-granting exams like it, can be a cost-effective way to increase degree attainment rates in the U.S., particularly among underrepresented students," Smith said.

"The impacts from this inexpensive intervention are at least as large in magnitude as most other programs designed to improve degree completion," he and his co-authors conclude.

Explore further Trends in college attendance rates in rural AmericaThe new software instantly shows stream lines as well as pressure on the surface (color-coded) of interactively deformable shapes. Credit: Nobuyuki Umetani

When engineers or designers want to test the aerodynamic properties of the newly designed shape of a car, airplane, or other object, they would normally model the flow of air around the object by having a computer solve a complex set of equationsa procedure that usually takes hours, or even an entire day. Nobuyuki Umetani from Autodesk research (now at the University of Tokyo) and Bernd Bickel from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have now significantly sped up this process, making streamlines and parameters available in real time. Their method, which is the first to use machine learning to model flow around continuously editable 3-D objects, will be presented at this year's prestigious SIGGRAPH conference in Vancouver, where IST Austria researchers are involved in a total of five presentations.

Machine learning can make extremely time-consuming methods a lot faster. Before, the computation of the aerodynamic properties of cars usually took a day. "With our machine learning tool, we are able to predict the flow in fractions of a second," says Nobuyuki Umetani. The idea to use machine learning came up in a discussion between the two long-time collaborators. "We both share the vision of making simulations faster," explains IST Austria Professor Bernd Bickel. "We want people to be able to design objects interactively, and therefore we work together to develop data-driven methods," he adds.

So far, it has been extremely challenging to apply machine learning to the problem of modeling flow fields around objects because of the restrictive requirements of the method. For machine learning, both the input and the output data need to be structured consistently. This structuring of information works well for 2-D images, where a picture can be easily represented by a regular arrangement of pixels. But if a 3-D object is represented by units that define its shape, such as a mesh of triangles, the arrangement of these units might change if the shape changes. Two objects that look very similar to a person might therefore appear very different to a computer, as they are represented by a different mesh, and the machine would therefore be unable to transfer the information about the one to the other.

The solution came from Nobuyuki Umetani's idea to use so-called polycubes to make the shapes manageable for machine learning. This approach, which was originally developed to apply textures to objects in computer animations, has strict rules for representing the objects. A model starts with a small number of large cubes which are then refined and split up in smaller ones following a well-defined procedure. If represented in this way, objects with similar shapes will have a similar data structure that machine learning methods can handle and compare.

The researchers also proved in their study that the machine learning method achieves an impressive accuracy, a prerequisite for engineering. Nobuyuki Umetani explains: "When simulations are made in the classical way, the results for each tested shape are eventually thrown away after the computation. This means that every new computation starts from scratch. With machine learning, we make use of the data from previous calculations, and if we repeat a calculation, the accuracy increases."

Explore further First machine learning method capable of accurate extrapolation

More information: Nobuyuki Umetani et al. Learning three-dimensional flow for interactive aerodynamic design, ACM Transactions on Graphics (2018). Nobuyuki Umetani et al. Learning three-dimensional flow for interactive aerodynamic design,(2018). DOI: 10.1145/3197517.3201325The Valley of Peace Archaeology project team explore an ancient Maya site in central Belize. Credit: Jeannie Larmon

Deep in the untamed lowlands, we search for artifacts buried under hundreds of years of sediment. We are excavating two ancient Maya sites nestled in the sacred landscape of Cara Blanca in central Belize. Both date to A.D. 800-900, when prolonged and severe droughts struck this region, disrupting the daily life of the Maya.

These two structures  a platform teetering on the edge of a 60-meter-deep pool and a sweatbath compound  were part of a ritual pilgrimage circuit traversed by the ancient Maya to pay tribute to the rain god Chahk during the extended droughts.

Openings in the earth like this pool were thought to be portals to the underworld, places where deities and ancestors resided. In previous years studying this poolside platform, we discovered a massive burning event and thousands of ceramic sherds purposely placed on the plaster floor.

Burnings and offerings of this nature were a common practice with the ancient Maya. These were part of termination rituals, meant to "deanimate" objects or spaces and remove them from the life cycle. Everything was believed to contain a life force, making deanimation a critical process for the Maya.

Our aim this year is to garner a deeper understanding of this ritual space. We scrape away at the soil, trowel by trowel, filling buckets and sifting each one to avoid missing any bit of data. The deeper we go, the harder it becomes to hoist the dirt out of this trench.

Pools like this were sacred to the Maya, who considered them portals to the underworld. Credit: Drone photo by Jeannie Larmon

It isn't long before we unexpectedly uncover another platform. The ceramics at this layer seem to be from a much earlier time period  about A.D. 600! This suggests the Maya were ritually engaging with the Cara Blanca landscape before the drought period began  much earlier than we anticipated.

This older, deeper platform has thin floors and few walls. No human remains are buried here. This might reflect a wetter, less socially trying time.

As we walk from the trench to a sweatbath compound 10 minutes away, tiny pink petals fallen from flowering trees paint the walkways. The sweatbath appears heavily looted; our goal is to salvage whatever information remains. But when we start to excavate, we find no looters' debris. We also find no large stones, which are usually present in a building collapse. This suggests the Maya dismantled this structure themselves during a termination ritual prior to their total abandonment of the area.

A ceremonial platform uncovered in 2018. Credit: Jesann Gonzalez Cruz

As we leave the site, driving off-road for 20 minutes down a rocky ravine, we ponder the importance of Cara Blanca to the ancient Maya. The intense effort they made to build and terminate these structures may reflect just how dire their circumstances were in the time of the droughts.

Explore further Extreme archaeology: Divers plumb the mysteries of sacred Maya poolsA woman sells Indian national flag memorabilia on the eve of Independence Day in Lucknow, India, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday as part of India's independence day celebrations.

He said India will become the fourth country after Russia, the United States and China to achieve the feat and its astronaut could be a man or a woman. The space capsule that will transport India's astronauts was tested a few days earlier.

Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to travel in space, aboard a Soviet rocket in 1984. As part of its own space program, active since the 1960s, India has launched scores of satellites for itself and other countries and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.

It hopes to showcase its technological ability to explore the solar system while also using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. The $1 billion-a-year space program has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies and has been used to gauge underground water levels and predict weather in the country prone to cycles of drought and flood.

India won independence from British colonialists in 1947. Modi's 80-minute speech, broadcast live from the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, comes months before national elections.

Commuters move past an illuminated Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus station building on the eve of Independence day in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Modi listed his government's achievements in the past four years in reforming the country's economy, reducing poverty and corruption. He announced a health insurance scheme for 500 million poor people providing a cover of 500,000 rupees ($7,150) per family a year.

He said India will become a growth engine for the world economy as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural economic reforms.

He said its economy was seen as fragile before 2014 but was now attracting investment. India is the sixth-largest economy in the world and Modi said international institutions see India as giving strength to the world economy for the next three decades.

Indian children sit in formation to spell out the Hindi word "Bharat", which is the name of the country as they listen to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the nation on the country's Independence Day from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

He said the structural reforms like a national tax replacing various state and local taxes, bankruptcy and insolvency laws, and a crackdown on corruption have helped transform the economy.

Modi became prime minister when his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won a resounding victory in the national elections in 2014. He will seek another 5-year term for his party at elections due by March-April next year.

A bird flies past as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in white, arrives at the historical Red Fort to address the nation on the country's Independence Day, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. India won independence from British colonialists in 1947. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses to the nation on the country's Independence Day from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Modi announced Wednesday as part of India's independence day celebrations. He said India will become the fourth country after Russia, the United States and China to achieve the feat and its astronaut could be a man or a woman. The space capsule that will transport India's astronauts was tested a few days earlier. In the background, Jama Masjid Mosque is seen. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves as he leaves after addressing the nation on the country's Independence Day from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. India won independence from British colonialists in 1947. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Explore further Samsung opens world's biggest smartphone factory in India

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved."Over 1,000 child victims were identified by our investigation, though the grand jury notes that they believe that number was in the thousands", Shapiro said. 18 of those offenders spent at least a portion of their time in a Butler County church.

The near-900-page report is the result of one of the largest United States investigations into sexual abuse in the Catholic church.

Mizic says in his case, the abuse started as sexual, then it was physical and emotional.

The Harrisburg Diocese earlier this month identified 71 priests and other members of the church who had been accused of child sex abuse.

In his written testimony to the grand jury, Wuerl recounted that in his first months as Bishop of Pittsburgh he had to meet with two brothers who had been victims of abuse. "Every redaction represents an incomplete story of abuse that deserves to be told", Shapiro said at a news conference.

Shapiro called on bishops to adopt and support four reforms outlined in the report: the elimination of the criminal statute of limitations for sexually abusing children; creation of a longer civil window in the state so older victims can sue for damages; clarification of the penalties for continuing to fail to report child abuse; and disallowing civil confidentiality agreements from covering communications with law enforcement.

"My belief is what happened to me shouldn't happen to another child", Lennon said.

Shapiro said his office is not satisfied with the release of the redacted report.

Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Harrisburg Diocese also issued an apology on behalf of the religious community.

He said the report points out instances in the past when the church did not respond effectively to victims.

The report released Tuesday comes on the heels of Pope Francis accepting the resignation of the former archbishop of Washington D.C., Theodore McCarrick, following his own accusations of sexual abuse.

"No one who has read it can be unaffected", he said, including many who are themselves victims of child sexual abuse and its details would reopen wounds.

The grand jury's report follows the resignation last month of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a towering figure in the USA church and a former archbishop of Washington who was accused of sexually abusing children and adults for decades.

Google may soon let you run Windows 10 on Chromebooks using 'Campfire'

It could be at the firm's hardware event in a couple of months, and Alt OS/Campfire would be a feature of a possible Pixelbook 2. They say that setting up Campfire to dual boot Windows 10 will be seamless and won't require users to enable developer mode .

The introduction of the report provides several examples of how the dioceses investigated ignored allegations or even praised priests accused of sexual abuse. A third report in 2016 found more allegations dating back decades in a second diocese, Altoona-Johnstown.

More than 300 priests, clergy, and lay teachers with credible allegations are cited in the document, according to KDKA.

"They took photos of their victim, adding them to a collection of child pornography which they produced and shared on church grounds", Shapiro said.

The report cited 301 priests, some of whom have died.

"To make it easier to target their victims, the priests gave their favored boys gifts - gold crosses to wear as necklaces".

The priests named in the Diocese of Scranton are listed on the Diocese of Scranton website.

With one priest, George Zirwas, the grand jury says his diocese knew of complaints starting in 1987 that he purportedly sexually abused children.

That report led to a second grand jury investigation in 2011 to determine whether the Philadelphia diocese had updated its practices and stopped protecting accused clergymen.

Sexual abuse scandals have rocked the Roman Catholic Church for decades, not just in the US but throughout the world.

The state Supreme Court said the public had a right to see it, but ruled the names of priests and others who objected to the findings would be blacked out pending a September hearing on their claims.

A couple dioceses made a decision to strip the accused of their anonymity ahead of the report and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct.

As the most senior sitting bishop to be named in the report, and having served for so long as the head of a diocese as prominent as Pittsburgh, it was widely expected that Wuerl would be singled out for special attention by the report, and by the state's Attorney General, Josh Shapiro.

Dellamalva, who was ordained in 1975, last functioned as a priest in the Greensburg Diocese in 1984, before he resigned from the priesthood in 1986, according to the report.Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/ESO/F.Vogt et al); Optical (ESO/VLT/MUSE & NASA/STScI).

According to University of Illinois physicist Douglas H. Beck, "Neutrons play some unusual roles in our world. Free neutrons decay in about 900 s but, bound in nuclei, they are stable and make up somewhat more than half the mass of the visible universe."

In nuclei, the strong force provides the binding that overcomes the weak-interaction-decay of the free neutron, forming nuclei that have of order 102 neutrons. Neutron stars, containing some 1057 neutrons, form when the gravitational collapse of a supernova is stopped by the strong interaction. In this situation, the strong interaction is repulsive and balances the extreme gravitational forces associated with having a solar mass compressed into a city-sized object.

But exactly how long do free neutrons live? According to Beck, this question has been remarkably elusive to answer. "In fact, at the moment we seem to have two different answers," says Beck.

Scientists use two different experimental methods to determine the value of , the neutron lifetime. Experiments that measure the products of neutron decayprotons, electrons, and neutrinostend to predict a longer lifetime than do experiments where the number of neutrons at a specific starting time and ending time are simply compared. In fact, despite intense effort on both fronts in recent years, the value of  determined in the two types of experiments differs by about eight seconds, with uncertainties of about two seconds. As experiments have gotten more and more precise, the discrepancy could indicate new physics, not just experimental error. Physicists care, because they must know the precise neutron lifetime to test various cosmological models of the universe's evolution.

In January, theorists Bartosz Fornal and Ben Grinstein at UC San Diego posited that the difference could be explained by an "invisible" decay missed by the decay-product experiments; namely, that some 1 percent of the time, neutrons decay to dark matter particles that go undetected. Remarkably, the stability of ordinary nuclei does not completely rule out such a possibility.

This idea of a new decay process is appealing to physicists, because it could account for the dark matter present in the universe. While the existence of dark matter, having gravitational but not ordinary electromagnetic, strong or weak interactions, is beyond dispute, its origin and composition is unknown. That dark matter could be "hiding in plain sight" in terrestrial neutron decay experiments sparked intense interest by physicists and a number of stories in the popular press earlier this year.

However, as shown in a paper by Gordon Baym, Doug Beck, Peter Geltenbort (ILL, France) and Jessie Shelton, to be published in Physical Review Letters, the physical properties of observed neutron stars effectively rule out the possible decay of neutrons to dark matter particles.

The physics argument has two pieces. Neutrons have a spin of  h-bar, i.e., they are fermions, and to conserve angular momentum, at least one of the possible decay products would also have to be a fermion. Even though the decay of neutrons to dark-matter particles would be relatively rare in the FornalGrinstein picture, over the life of a neutron star, the neutrons and dark fermions would come to equilibrium, leaving two fermion species in place of the one that was originally there. The so-called degeneracy pressure that prevents two fermions from being in the same place at the same time would thus be reduced.

Furthermore, the interactions between dark particles themselves are expected to be very weak. The strong repulsion of neutrons required to withstand the intense gravitational pressure inherent in neutron stars would therefore also be substantially reduced. The authors conclude that the maximum mass of a hybrid neutrondark-matter star would be only about 0.7 times the mass of the sun, contradicting the observations of numerous neutron stars having masses up to about two solar masses.

Jessie Shelton points out, however, that if the dark fermions were to have some sort of exotic self- interactions, it would be possible to have both neutron decays and neutron stars of the observed two solar masses, because these interactions would provide the missing component of pressure to hold up the neutron star.

"If we did discover exotic neutron decays, then we would in the same stroke also learn something amazing about the dark side of our universethe survival of massive neutron stars would then immediately tell us that there isn't just one dark matter particle, but a whole set of dark particles with their own dark forces." said Shelton.A new class of insecticide'can have a negative impact on the reproductive output of bumblebee colonies'

A new class of pesticides positioned to replace neonicotinoids may be just as harmful to crop-pollinating bees, researchers cautioned Wednesday.

In experiments, the ability of bumblebees to reproduce, and the rate at which their colonies grow, were both compromised by the new sulfoximine-based insecticides, they reported in the journal Nature.

Colonies exposed to low doses of the pesticide in the lab yielded significantly less workers and half as many reproductive males after the bees were transferred to a field setting.

"Our results show that sulfoxaflor"one of the new class of insecticide"can have a negative impact on the reproductive output of bumblebee colonies," said lead author Harry Siviter, a researcher at Royal Holloway University of London.

As with neonicotinoids, sulfoxaflor does not directly kill bees, but appears to affect the immune system or the ability to reproduce.

Foraging behaviour, and the amount of pollen collected by individual bees remained unchanged in the experiment.

The study has been published amid legal challenges and shifting national policies on neonicotinoids, among the most commonly used insecticides in the world.

In April, European Union countries voted to ban three neonicotinoid-based products in open fields, restricting use to covered greenhouses.

Earlier this month Canada followed suit, announcing the phase-out of two of the pesticides widely applied to canola, corn and soybean crops.

Neonicotinoids are based on the chemical structure of nicotine and attack insect nervous systems. Sulfoximine insecticides, while in a different class, act in a similar way.

Unlike contact pesticideswhich remain on the surface of foliageneonicotinoids are absorbed by the plant from the seed phase and transported to leaves, flowers, roots and stems.

They have been widely used over the last 20 years, and were designed to control sap-feeding insects such as aphids and root-feeding grubs.

Past studies have found neonicotinoids can cause bees to become disorientated such that they cannot find their way back to the hive, and lower their resistance to disease.

Colony collapse

Other research has shown that crop pests have also built up resistance.

"Sulfoximine-based insecticides are a likely successor and are being registered for use globally," Siviter noted.

In 2013, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved two sulfoxaflor-based pesticides for sale under the brand names Transform and Closer.

Sulfoxaflor is also registered in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Mexico and a couple of dozen other countries.

Experts not involved in the research praised its methodology and said the findings should sound an alarm.

"This study shows an unacceptable scale of impact on bumblebee reproductive success, after realistic levels of exposure to sulfoxaflor," commented Lynn Dicks, an Natural Environmental Research Council Fellow at the University of East Anglia.

Conducting such research should be a "mandatory requirement" before pesticide companies bring such products to market, he said.

For Nigel Raine, a professor at the University of Guelph in Canada who holds a chair in pollinator conservation, "the findings suggest that concerns over the risks of exposing bees to insecticides should not be limited to neonicotinoids."

Fears have been growing globally in recent years over the health of bees.

Pesticides have been blamed as a cause of colony collapse disorder along with mites, pesticides, virus and fungus, or some combination of these factors.

The United Nations warned last year that 40 percent of invertebrate pollinatorsparticularly bees and butterfliesrisk global extinction.

Explore further EU court upholds curbs on bee-killing pesticide

More information: Harry Siviter et al. Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces bumblebee reproductive success, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Harry Siviter et al. Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces bumblebee reproductive success,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0430-6

 2018 AFPFig. 1 GRACE device fabrication and characterization. a Schematic drawing of ERG recording with the GRACE device. b Schematic illustration of GRACE fabrication with G-quartz and G-Cu. c Photographs of a GRACE device made from G-quartz. Scale bar, 3 mm. Image in the inset demonstrates the high softness of the GRACE device. d Optical transmittance of the bare Parylene-C, and GRACE devices made from G-quartz and G-Cu, all with Parylene thickness of 25 m. The transmittance at 550 nm wavelength is shown in the inset. e Magnitude and phase of electrochemical impedance of GRACE devices measured in 1 PBS (pH 7.4). Credit: Rongkang Yin, Zheng Xu, Xiaojie Duan, et al. Soft transparent graphene contact lens electrodes for conformal full-cornea recording of electroretinogram. Nature Communications volume 9, Article number: 2334 (2018). Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

Our vision can be damaged or lost by damage to the retinaa sensory membrane lining the back of the eye that senses light, converting the image formed into electrochemical neuronal signalsresulting from two classes of medical conditions: a number of inherited degenerative conditionsincluding retinitis pigmentosa, Leber's congenital amaurosis, cone dystrophy, and Usher Syndromeas well as diabetic retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion, sickle cell retinopathy, toxic an autoimmune retinopathies, retinal detachment, and other ocular disorders. To be properly diagnosed and treated (especially when a cataract compromises ophthalmoscopy, 2-D fundus photography, 3-D optical coherence tomography, and other retinal imagery tools), such medical conditions rely on electroretinographya sensitive technique that detects and measures electrical potential changes at the eye's corneal surface produced in response to a light stimulus by neuronal and non-neuronal retinal cells. Nevertheless, electroretinography has historically faced challenges in the ocular interface electrodes needed to detect an electroretinogram (ERG), these being patient discomfort due to hard electrodes, limited types of electroretinograms with a single type of electrode, reduced signal amplitudes and stability, and excessive eye movement. Recently, however, scientists at Peking University, Beijing, have demonstrated soft, transparent GRAphene Contact lens Electrodes (GRACEs) for conformal full-cornea electroretinogram signal recording in rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys, showing that their soft graphene contact lens electrodes address these limitations.

Prof. Xiaojie Duan discussed the paper that she, graduate students and lead authors Rongkang Yin and Zheng Xu, and their co-authors published in Nature Communications. The biggest challenge in fabricating soft graphene contact lens electrodes with broad-spectrum optical transparency, Dr. Duan told Phys.org, was fabricating wrinkle-free contact lens electrodes, explaining that wrinkles can cause optical inhomogeneity across the electrode, thereby affecting ocular refraction and the accuracy of the light stimulus pattern on the retina. "This in turn undercuts retinopathy diagnosis efficacy," Dr. Duan added. "Graphene obtained from conventional growth method is a flat film, and wrinkles inevitably form after transferring the flat graphene film to the curved surface. To make a graphene contact lens electrode with high electrical conductivity and optical uniformity across the electrode, it's important to directly use a curved graphene film with uniform thickness."

Applying GRACEs to conformal full-cornea electroretinographic recording presented no major obstacles, she continued. "While there's no primary difficulty in applying GRACEs to conformal and full-cornea electroretinographic recording as long as the fabricated GRACEs have reasonable impedance and optical transparency, we can always record high-quality ffERG and mfERG signals. Therefore, to get GRACES with reasonable impedance and optical transparency, graphene film with sheet resistance"a measure of the resistance of thin films that are nominally uniform in thickness"below 2000 /sq and optical transparency above 70% will be good enough."

However, the leading challenge for general ERG recording is to measure multifocal ERG (mfERG)which simultaneously measures local retinal responses from up to 250 retinal locations within the central 30 degrees mapped topographicallyreflects the retinal response to stimulation on a specific small retinal area. "For multifocal ERG measurements," Dr. Duan told Phys.org, "the light stimulation pattern is projected onto the retina. It is therefore important for the eye to have proper refraction so that the stimulus pattern can be projected clearly." In addition, the signal amplitude of multifocal ERG is only about 1/1000th that of conventional full-field ERG (ffERG, which measures ERG under entire retina stimulation with a light source under scotopic (dark-adapted) or photopic (light-adapted) retinal adaptation), while mfERG requires relatively longer recording periodmaking sensitivity, comfort, and stable interfacing with the eye very critical for multifocal ERG recording. "Conventional contact lens electrodes tend to alter the eye's refraction," she pointed out, "which makes them unsuitable for multifocal ERG recording." That said, other electrodes (for example, DTL electrodes), will not alter the eye's refraction but suffer from low measurement sensitivity and signal stability.

Another consideration, Dr. Duan noted, is that the spatial distribution of the ERG potential across the cornea has been a long-existing question. "Conventional electrodes use opaque metal as recording elements, which can only be located at the periphery of the cornea in order to avoid blocking visiona situation that prevents multi-site spatially-resolved ERG recording, which is necessary to reveal the ERG potential distribution across the cornea. Another factor is that for a conventional stiff electrode, there is always thick tear film between the electrodes and the cornea, which can shunt the potential difference between different locations on the cornea." This last issue introduces yet another significant challenge in elucidating the ERG spatial distribution across the cornea.

Fig. 3 Multifocal ERG recording. a Infrared fundus photo of a cynomolgus monkey eye taken during mfERG recording with a GRACE device, superimposed with the stimulus array. The white dotted oval marks the position of the optic nerve head and black dotted circle marks the position of the macula. b Representation of trace array recorded from the cynomolgus monkey eye in a with GRACE. The waves of 37 focal ERG signals are topographically arranged. The principal mfERG components N1, P1, and N2 can be clearly defined in these waveforms, as labeled for one of the responses. c Response density plot (retinal view) on P1-wave associated with b. d The mfERG responses grouped and averaged for each of the regions marked by different colors. The values show response density of the P1 peak (as defined by the triangles on the traces) in each of the associated regions. Credit: Rongkang Yin, Zheng Xu, Xiaojie Duan, et al. Soft transparent graphene contact lens electrodes for conformal full-cornea recording of electroretinogram. Nature Communications volume 9, Article number: 2334 (2018). Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

Dr. Duan described the key insights, innovations and techniques they leveraged to address these challenges. "As I mentioned, we eliminate wrinkles by using a curved graphene film directly grown on curved quartz moldand the film's shape and curvature can be easily tuned by changing those of the quartz molds." The key point, she emphasizes, is the curved graphene film's uniform thickness leads to the resulting GRACEs having uniform electrical conductivity and optical transparency across the entire contact lens electrode, which is what is unique about the team's GRACEs when compared to previously-reported graphene-based eye interfacing devices. "In addition," she added, "we established and optimized the electrode fabrication flow." She emphasizes that by directly depositing ultrathin insulating film (Parylene-C, which forms the GRACE substrate) onto the graphene/quartz complex, and then etching the quartz mold, GRACE devices can be readily fabricated." The key takeaway is that this fabrication strategy avoids poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)a transparent thermoplastic (also referred to as an acrylic or acrylic glass) commonly used for graphene transfer, which not only avoids possible PMMA contamination that could cause optical inhomogeneity, but also maintains graphene film integritya factor critical to maintaining GRACE electrical conductivity.

As previously noted, it is challenging to record multifocal ERG signals with contact lens electrodes because it tends to alter ocular refraction. "To solve this problem," Dr. Duan pointed out, "we designed the GRACE to be soft and conformable to the cornea surface with a tight GRACE/cornea interface." This avoids the formation of thick liquid gaps or air gaps between the electrode and the corneathe main origin of refraction change when wearing hard contact lens electrodes. As shown in their paper, GRACEs can successfully record high-quality multifocal ERG signals, which is indicative of the advantages of GRACEs over hard contact lens electrodes.

To provide efficient multi-site, spatially-resolved ERG recording, the scientists designed and deployed a soft, transparent graphene multi-electrode array. "The soft electrode's tight interface with the cornea avoided tear film shunting," she explained, "and high optical transparency enables placement of high-density electrode array across the entire corneal surface without blocking the vision or affecting the light stimulus uniformity." As a result, they observed a stronger signal at the central cornea than the periphery, proving the advantages of the soft transparent graphene-based electrodes in ERG recordings.

As to implications of their findings regarding GRACE for in vivo visual electrophysiology studies, Dr. Duan reiterated that their graphene-based contact lens electrodes show the capability for high-efficacy recording of various kinds of ERG recording, including ffERG, mfERG, and meERG (multi-electrode ERG, which maps spatial differences in retinal activity using a conventional full-field stimulus and an array of electrodes on the cornea)a flexibility not achievable by conventional ERG electrodes. "With further testing and development," she underscored, "it could replace the traditional electrodes and be used in clinical practice. In addition, because retinal lesions can cause change of the local corneal potentials, the multi-electrode ERG recording with the graphene microelectrode array demonstrated herein provides a potential functional retinal electrophysiological imaging technique that can be used as a diagnostic tool for detecting local areas of retinal dysfunction under single full-field stimulus."

Fig. 5. Multi-electrode ERG recording with soft, transparent graphene electrode array. a Diagram of graphene multi-electrode array construction showing the layered structures. b Top, a soft, transparent graphene electrode array positioned over a printed paper to show its optical transparency. Scale bar, 5 mm. The recording sites, arranged in a linear pattern, are located in the region marked by the red box. Under each recording site, there is a channel number patterned with Au which is optically opaque. Bottom, optical microscopy image showing some of the graphene electrode sites and traces. The red box marks the graphene recording sites. The black arrow points to the patterned SU-8 insulation layer on one electrode. Scale bar, 150 m. c A stripped graphene electrode array positioned over a dilated rabbit eye. Scale bar, 5 mm. d A schematic drawing showing the positions of the recording channels (marked by the squares) on a rabbit eye. Channel 1 to 13 was evenly distributed over equator of the cornea from temporal to nasal periphery. e A representative set of the multi-electrode scotopic ERG response waveforms. Stimulus strength, 0.3 cd sm2. The placement of the graphene electrode array is shown in d. The crosses mark the positions of the a and b- waves. Channels 4 and 7 have abnormally high impedance and are considered non-functional. f Plots of the electrode impedance values |Z| at 100 Hz, a- and b-wave amplitudes of the ERG signals recorded from different channels associated with e. The lines show the quadratic curve fitting of the a- and b-wave amplitudes. g Spatial profile of b-wave amplitudes under different stimulation strength. 0 dB corresponds to 3.0 cd sm2. The dots in the overlaid grid mark the positions with actual experimental data. Credit: Rongkang Yin, Zheng Xu, Xiaojie Duan, et al. Soft transparent graphene contact lens electrodes for conformal full-cornea recording of electroretinogram. Nature Communications volume 9, Article number: 2334 (2018). Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

Moving forward, Dr. Duan identified three planned next steps in the scientists' research, these being:

Improving electrode gas permeability to make it more suitable for long-term wear

Fabricate high-density two-dimensional soft transparent electrode array to map the ERG potential across the entire corneal surface

Apply the soft transparent graphene microelectrode array for in vivo recording of electrical activity of retinal ganglion cells at single-cell level

She also discussed research and other innovations they might consider developing. "Based on nanomaterials and nanotechnology, we seek to develop techniques that can record or modulate neural activities at large scales with high spatio-temporal resolution and long-term stability, and to explore the application of these techniques in understanding fundamental and pathological brain processes."

In closing, Dr. Duan listed other areas of research that might benefit from their study. "Soft transparent electrodes also enable simultaneous electrophysiology and optical neural imaging or stimulation, which is important for studying the connectivity and function of neural circuits. Conventional neural surface electrode arrays using opaque metal conductors are not suitable for use in simultaneous electrical and optical neural interfacing because they block the field of view and are prone to producing light-induced artifacts in the electrical recordings. The soft transparent graphene microelectrode array described herein can be used in research combining optical and electrical modalities in neural interfacing."

Explore further A sprinkle of platinum nanoparticles onto graphene makes brain probes more sensitive

More information: Soft transparent graphene contact lens electrodes for conformal full-cornea recording of electroretinogram, Journal information: Nature , Nature Communications Soft transparent graphene contact lens electrodes for conformal full-cornea recording of electroretinogram, Nature Communications Volume 9, Article number:2334 (2018), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04781-w

 2018 Phys.orgCredit: CYSMETER

Energy use in industrial buildings continues to skyrocket, contributing to the negative impact on global warming and Earth's natural resources. An EU initiative introduced a disruptive system that's able to reduce electricity consumption in the industrial sector.

Using energy efficiently helps industry save money, conserve resources and tackle climate change. ISO 50001 supports companies in all sectors to use energy more efficiently through the development of an energy management system. It calls on the industrial sector to integrate energy management into their overall efforts for improving quality and environmental management. Companies can perform several actions to successfully implement this new international standard, including creating policies for more efficient energy use, identifying significant areas of energy consumption and targeting reductions.

Innovative system to improve energy efficiency

The EU-funded EFICONSUMPTION project set out to improve energy efficiency based on the monitoring, modelling and smart management of electricity consumption. To do so, it addressed the problem of electrical energy efficiency from two different dimensions. "Electric energy savings, on the one hand, thanks to a more efficient and effective consumption, in turn determines lower CO2 emissions," says project coordinator and CEO of CYSNERGY SL, Vicente Rodilla. "On the other, savings lead to business activities that are developed with a greater degree of sustainability and higher return."

Project partners analysed real industrial data obtained to implement the improvements and modifications necessary to achieve reductions in electricity consumption of up to 40 percent, as expressed in unitary energy cost (kWh/unit). This fed into the development of a solution that includes several key components.

The core system consists of a voltimetric clamp technology (CYSMETER) that measures specific electricity consumptions, cables temperatures and vibration parameters, directly on the receptors. This hardware is supported by a Big Data software (CYSCLOUD), that analyses and sends an automatic diagnosis and list of actions for the energy-efficiency improvement. The patented plug and play machine-to-machine measuring device is directly connected to electrical wires through a metallic spike. This allows it to obtain the voltage waveform along the cables without cutting or extending them. It's autonomous and measures the voltage and current at the same point of an electrical conductor. As a result, the CYSMETER&CYSCLOUD solution optimises the accuracy of electrical efficiency measures, without interrupting production or services.

Electric energy savings are good for business and the environment

CYSMETER works together with the mentioned software cloud platform CYSCLOUD, that receives real time data and can establish efficient consumption patterns to effectively lower electricity costs. "It is providing important savings for industrial companies  they are receiving electricity bills, with specific consumption reductions of up to 20 percent to 40 percent less than before," notes Rodilla. "This decrease will also contribute to proportionate reductions in the associated carbon footprint and emissions."

The system was successfully tested at several plants of industrial and services companies based in Spain and other countries.

Rodilla highlights the innovation's business potential thanks to its unique features. It functions as an electrical modeller, and a safety and quality controller, that can be adapted to all industrial sectors and a wide variety of facilities. The components can be seamlessly integrated into networks, the system can be scaled up to cover a very complex network and it's easy to operate for non-professional users.

"Efficient consumption of electrical resources, predictive maintenance and electricity savings are the most relevant benefits of the EFICONSUMPTION technology, particularly for industrial production plants and buildings," concludes Rodilla. "It's a win-win proposition, profiting the EU economy, boosting the competitiveness of European industry and positively impacting the environment."

Explore further Portable solar energy system powers rural developmentA free-living cupuladriid bryozoan colony filter feeding with its many crowns of tentacles. Credit: Aaron O'Dea, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

A quick look at the fossil record shows that no species lasts forever. On average, most species exist for around a million years, although some species persist for much longer. A new study published in Scientific Reports from paleontologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama shows that young species can take advantage of new opportunities more easily than older species: a hint that perhaps older species are bound to an established way of life.

"We're lucky to live and work in Panama where nature has set up its own evolutionary experiment," said Aaron O'Dea, STRI paleontologist. "When the Caribbean Sea was isolated from the Pacific Ocean by the slow uplift of the Isthmus of Panama, nutrient levels fell and Caribbean coral reefs proliferated. We can use the excellent fossil record to observe how Caribbean life responded to this dramatic environmental and ecological transformation."

The team's best choice for tracking the change was a peculiar family of marine animals known as the cupuladriid bryozoans. These relatively small animals consist of unusual, free-living, disc-shaped colonies of individuals called zooids. "Colonies form through sexual reproduction or asexually by cloning, as bits of the colony break off and continue to grow," said STRI post-doc and coauthor Blanca Figuerola. "They abound on the sea floor along the continental shelf across the tropics, filtering plankton from the water via a beautiful waving crown of tentacles. When colonies die, their hard skeletons remain, and are exceptionally abundant as fossils."

Aaron O'Dea, paleontologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, examines marine fossils in the Dominican Republic. Credit: Sean Mattson, STRI

O'Dea's group collected and identified more than 90,000 cupuladriid colonies from 200 fossil samples and 90 more recent samples collected by dredging the sea floor. The samples contained mud, sand, coral remains and other indicators of the kind of habitats where the bryozoans had lived. The team measured the abundances of the 10 most common species along gradients of these environmental and ecological indicators.

"We were intrigued to find that, even though all species could expand into the new Caribbean habitats created after final formation of the Isthmus, different species did so at different speeds," said O'Dea. "The patterns were clearold species that originated before 8 million years ago took 2 million years longer to expand into the new habitats than the younger species."

"Perhaps younger species, which have smaller populations, are less tied to their history," said former STRI post-doc and University of Saskatchewan researcher

Santosh Jagadeeshan, another co-author. "Old species, with large, settled populations may be less able to escape from established roles and defined environmental tolerances because they mate with each other creating a high gene flow that makes it hard for genes for new traits to become established. It seems you can't teach an old dog new tricks in evolution, either."

Stiff setae extend away from the edge of cupuladriid bryozoan colonies, and work in synchrony to allow the colony to "walk" over the sea floor. Credit: Aaron O'Dean, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

More information: Aaron O'Dea et al, Young species of cupuladriid bryozoans occupied new Caribbean habitats faster than old species, Scientific Reports (2018). Journal information: Scientific Reports Aaron O'Dea et al, Young species of cupuladriid bryozoans occupied new Caribbean habitats faster than old species,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30670-9VLA S-band radio image of NGC 6109 at 0.8 arcsec resolution at 2.99 GHz. The main jet extends to the NW, and a bright knot is located approximately 1200 from the core. 400 SE of the core, a tight swirl of radio emission is seen. This approximately circular component has a radius of 500 and diffuse emission is observed to the NE. The color bar shows the intensity scale in units of Jy beam1. Credit: Rawes et al., 2018.

Astronomers from the University of Bristol, U.K., have uncovered an unusual doughnut-shaped jet in the radio galaxy NGC 6109. It is the first time that such a jet morphology has been observed in a low-power radio galaxy. The finding is detailed in a paper published August 6 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

Located approximately 400 million light years away, NGC 6109 is a low-power, head-tail radio galaxy. Observations of this galaxy four decades ago with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) revealed its radio tail extending for a projected distance of about 800,000 light years. Subsequent studies of this galaxy also revealed the presence of a counter jet located opposite its main jet.

Now, new observations of NGC 6109 conducted by a group of researchers led by Josie Rawes provide insights into the morphology of the counter jet. The observational campaign was carried out with the use of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico in order to investigate how low-redshift radio galaxies interact with the external environment. One of the findings of this campaign is the detection of a doughnut-shaped morphology of the counter jest in NGC 6109.

"VLA radio observations of this source reveal a remarkable 'doughnut' component emitted on the opposite side of the core to a relatively straight jet," the astronomers wrote in the paper.

According to the study, radio polarimetry observations of the doughnut-shaped jet show a complex magnetic field structure across this component, directed predominantly radial to the jet axis. Moreover, high rotation-measure structures are found for this component. The researchers added that no infrared, optical or X-ray emission is associated with this unusual feature.

Furthermore, the observations provided evidence for an interaction between the jet and the external environment. This could be the cause of the jet's unusual morphology.

In concluding remarks, the researchers suggest a possible hypothesis explaining what kind of interaction could be behind the jet's doughnut shape. They noted that this morphology might be explained, for example, by a ballistic precession model.

"This could be due to an external wind pushing against the component, which causes it to become diffuse and sweep back along the direction of the main jet, but the absence of X-ray or optical emission suggests that the density of the external gas is very low," the paper reads.

The researchers also assume that an interaction model where the path of the counter jet is disrupted due to the external environment is possible, as well.

"A simple hydrodynamical model would require a very light jet to produce the tight doughnut structure. The presence of strong rotation-measure structure to the south of the doughnut suggests an enhanced density or field in that region," the authors concluded.

However, the scientists added that further investigation of NGC 6109 is required in order to determine which of the hypotheses is most plausible. They emphasized that optical observations and hydrogen-alpha imaging, as well as lower frequency, high-resolution observations of the galaxy should be conducted to better understand the mechanism behind the morphology of the unusual jet.

Explore further Two radio relics discovered in the galaxy cluster Abell 168

More information: Extreme jet bending on kiloparsec scales : the 'doughnut' in NGC 6109, arXiv:1808.01967 [astro-ph.GA] Extreme jet bending on kiloparsec scales : the 'doughnut' in NGC 6109, arXiv:1808.01967 [astro-ph.GA] arxiv.org/abs/1808.01967 Abstract

We present new radio observations of the z = 0.029 radio galaxy NGC 6109, a member of the 3CRR sample. We find the radio morphology of the counter-jet to be highly distorted, showing a unique 'doughnut' structure ~6 kpc in diameter. The doughnut is overpressured compared with the surrounding atmosphere as measured with Chandra. We investigate the polarisation properties of the source and find evidence for an interaction between the doughnut and the external environment. This may cause the extreme jet bend. Alternatively, while providing no explanation for the rotation-measure and magnetic field structure seen in the doughnut, a ballistic precession model may be feasible if the ballistic flow persists for a distance much less than the full extent of the 100 kpc-scale jet. A light jet being deflected by gas flows and winds just outside the transition between the galaxy and cluster atmospheres appears to be a more plausible interpretation.

 2018 Phys.orgOf these, 25 were found adrift on a small wooden boat that had no motor and was believed to have been at sea for about 35 hours, the group said.

Italy's transport minister Danilo Toninelli claimed the United Kingdom is responsible for the migrants because the rescue ship that picked them up is sailing under the flag of the British territory of Gibraltar.

The Aquarius, run by Franco-German charity SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), picked up the people in two separate operations and is in worldwide waters between Italy and Malta.

MSF and SOS MEDITERRANEE have called again on all European governments and their relevant maritime rescue authorities to recognise the gravity of the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean and grant quick access to the nearest place of safety and to facilitate, instead of impede, much-needed lifesaving humanitarian assistance on the Central Mediterranean. The other 116 migrants, 67 of whom are unaccompanied minors, were picked up in a separate operation.

The majority of those rescued had come from Somalia and Eritrea.

The vessel is carrying 141 migrants aboard, and questions about its destination have been raised in the worldwide media, after Italy and Malta denied it entry.

Malta's armed forces say that a patrol boat has rescued 114 migrants aboard a rubber dinghy taking on water 53 nautical miles south of the Mediterranean island nation. The ship anchored off the coast of Malta and said it was awaiting instructions.

Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool can not be anything but the challenger

James Milner is having something of a renaissance under Klopp and the 32-year-old deserves a regular starting place in the middle. There was also something very different, a huge improvement.

Italy's new right-wing populist interior minister Matteo Salvini, who campaigned on an anti-immigrant platform, is making good on his election promise by forbidding NGO ships carrying refugees to dock in Italy's ports.

Malta rejected any suggestion the Aquarius should dock in its ports, saying the latest rescue was made closer to Libya, Tunisia and Italy than to its own shores.

Its transport minister, Danilo Toninelli, wrote on Twitter: "The boat is now in Maltese waters and has a Gibraltar flag".

The group said many reported they had been held in inhumane conditions in Libya.

More than 650,000 migrants have come to Italy's shores since 2014, and Rome has accused its European Union peers of not sharing the burden of taking in those who arrive on the bloc's southern border. "Both refused to coordinate the disembarkation of the survivors to a place of safety".

The Aquarius, which was left stranded with 630 migrants on board in June after being turned away by Rome and Valletta, resumed rescue operations off the Libyan coast last week.

Due to pressure from Italy and Malta, most charity ships are no longer patrolling off the coast of Libya.Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day Speech today highlighted his government's achievements in the past four years. Prime Minister Modi said that the country has made rapid changes in the past four years compared to 2013 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power. The Prime Minister listed down the progress in the economy and mentioned the steps his government has taken in electrification of villages, resolving of NPAs in banking sector, among others.

Prime Minister also said the world's approach towards India has seen a change in the past four years with global agencies saying the India economy is going to grow even bigger. Prime Minister Modi in his Independence Day speech also cited IMF's recent report which said India's economy is an elephant that's starting to run. "India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the mood in the country has changed with new hope amongst youngsters. He said there is a flood of start-ups in Tier II and Tier III cities in India. Prime Minister Modi said that had the country continued at the pace of 2013 under the UPA, the country would not have achieved many socio-economic targets that it has in the past four years for decades.

In his speech Prime Minister Modi also thanked the Indian middle class tax payers. "Every honest tax payer is helping three poor families get enough food," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Modi also said that under the Mudra Yojana, loans worth Rs 13 crore were issued and four crore people got the loan for the first time. Prime Minister Modi said that the rollout of GST has also benefited the country and thanked the business class for embracing the new tax system. PM Modi said in one year after GST, direct tax payers have grown from 70 lakh to 1 crore 16 lakh.

PM Modi also announced that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, which will benefit 10 crore families, will be launched on September 25, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya.

The Prime Minister also announced that by 2022, India will send its manned space mission. "It is my pleasure to announce that by 2022, in India's 75th year of Independence or even before that, India will take the tri-colour to space," said Modi.

Ahead of I-Day, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the country and said contentious issues and extraneous debates should not be allowed to distract us at a "pivotal moment" when the country is at the cusp of achieving many long-awaited goals.

"Universal access to electricity, the elimination of open defecation, the elimination of homelessness, the very elimination of extreme poverty is achievable and attainable. We are at a pivotal moment. Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us," Kovind said"

In his televised address to the nation, he said: "The decisions the country takes today, the foundations we lay, the projects we undertake, the social and economic investments we make today whether for the immediate future or for the medium term will determine where we stand."

"The pace of change and development in our country is rapid and appreciable. And as per our civilisational traditions, it is driven by our people, by civil society and by a partnership between citizen and government. Its focus, again in keeping with the essence of Indian thought, is on a better life for the less fortunate," the President further said.Vera Jourova, the EU justice commissioner

By Kate Youde

Five stories making global property headlines:

Brussels warning on golden visas

Vera Jourova, the EU justice commissioner, has warned member states to watch how many citizenships they grant in return for investment, saying they represent a threat to security. Deutsche Welle, Germanys international broadcaster, reported on an interview with the Czech politician by German newspaper Die Welt in which she expressed the commissions concern about the increase in golden visas, which are offered by countries including Cyprus, Malta, Latvia and Lithuania.

The FT has reported how Maltas Individual Investor Programme attracts wealthy foreigners to move to its shores.

Low-cost loans aim to cap US rent rises

US mortgage provider Freddie Mac has launched a low-cost financing initiative aimed at capping rent increases. At a time when investors are facing a slowing rental market, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company is offering low-cost loans to operators at least half of whose units are affordable to households on the local median income or less. Borrowers have to agree to limit rent increases on 80 per cent of units.

Freddie Mac has launched a low-cost financing initiative

Saudi Arabia to get new city

A new mixed-use 7m square metre city is to be built close to the airport in the north of Riyadh, according to The National. Al Akaria Saudi Real Estate Company is behind the Al Widyan project, which will be officially launched in October and completed in phases within seven years. The developer aims to cut energy use by 40 per cent compared with existing schemes of a similar size.

Riyadhs new city will be near its airport

UK house prices rise at fastest rate this year

House prices in the UK grew at the fastest rate in eight months in July, according to figures from Halifax. The Financial Times covered the lenders house price index, which showed that prices rose 3.3 per cent from a year ago. This was up from a 1.8 per cent year-on-year increase in June.

UK house price rises in July nearly doubled on the previous month

Kiwi homes still unsold after a decade

If you are struggling to sell your home, spare a thought for the owners of five properties in New Zealand that have been on the market for more than a decade. The New Zealand Herald revealed the mix of houses and land that have been on sale through internet auction site Trade Me for more than 10 years. The oldest listing dates back to September 2007.

The New Zealand market is too slow for some homeowners

Photographs: AFP/Getty Images; Bloomberg; Alamy; Getty Images/iStockphoto; DreamstimePrime Minister Narendra Modi today visited All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi to enquire about the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Earlier in the evening, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani also visited the hospital to check on Vajpayee.

The former PM has been on life support since the last two days. He is currently undergoing treatment at the premier institute.

There was no official update on the BJP stalwart's health condition.

Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

The 93-year-old leader, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.ABC/Randy HolmesEven though Charles Kelleys son Ward isnt even three yet, hes already become quite the world traveler.

Charles estimates the boy's already been on more than one hundred flights and traveled to multiple continents, including Europe. The Lady Antebellum hitmaker brings Ward and his wife Cassie on tour as much as he can, because he doesnt want to miss any of the big moments in his little boys life.

My wife and I have such a strong relationship that its just so much better when theyre out with me, Charles tells People. Having them with me is so cozy. I also dont want Ward to grow up [and] be like, I never got to see my dad -- he was always traveling.'

The Augusta, Georgia native says Ward was recently enamored by all the bikes he saw whizzing by in Amsterdam.

I thought, Buddy, youve seen more in 2 years than I ever saw in my 24 years of existence until this band, Charles recalls. I still love the South, I love Georgia, but theres just so much beauty in the world.

You can read more about the travels of Charles, Cassie and Ward in the new issue of People, which comes out on Friday.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.If economics is the dismal science, says Hans Noel, an associate professor at Georgetown University, then political science is the dismissed science.

Most Americansfrom pundits to votersdont think that political science has much to say about political life. But there are some things, notes Noel, that political scientists know that it seems many practitioners, pundits, journalists, and otherwise informed citizens do not.

Here are excerpts from Noels list of ten things political scientists know that you dont:

#1. Its The Fundamentals, Stupid

The most exciting and visible part of politics is the political campaign. Politicians and their team of strategists, pollsters, and surrogates wage battle for the votes of the public. Slogans are trumpeted. Gaffes are made. Tactics are deployed. And it probably does not matter all that much. At least not as much as the political environment matters. Presidential elections can be forecast with incredible accuracy well before the campaign really begins. In fact, if all you know is the state of the economy, you know pretty well how the incumbent party will do.

#2. The Will of the People is Incredibly Hard to Put Your Finger on

How do you know a political commentator is making stuff up? They pretend to know what The American people want, think, will do, or anything else. The first, most obvious, problem is that a majority in a given survey does not represent all of the American people. If 75 percent of respondents say they are for something, this means that 25 percent did not say they were for it. Those 25 percent are Americans, too. But of course, we have a strong belief in majority rule, so perhaps that is not so troublesome.

#3. The Will of The People May Not Even Exist

OK, let us say that the American people do have preferences, even if it is hard to measure them with surveys. We need to aggregate those preferences somehow. We need to let the American people participate in democracy and get collective decisions that are reasonable. That might not be possible.

#4. There Is No Such Thing As A Mandate

Take items #1, #2, and #3 together, and it is hard to interpret elections the way that politicians and pundits want us to. Economic fundamentals guide voters who might not have well-defined attitudes to vote in a system that cannot satisfy all the demands of democratic decision-making. This is not a formula for sending a clear message to anyone.

#5. Duverger: Its The Law

Social scientists are notoriously unwilling to declare anything with certainty. Physical science is full of laws; we just have findings. Except for Duvergers Law. It was put into print in the 1950s by Maurice Duverger but understood for much longer (Riker, 1982). To wit: The simple-majority single-ballot system favours the two-party system.

#6. Party On

Policy disagreements happen because people disagree about policy. Liberals believe the government has an important role to play in managing the economy, and conservatives do not. Conservatives believe that the government must protect a set of cultural values that liberals do not share. It is true that politicians also want to win, and scoring political points is a part of that. But this winning is in service to policy goals that are divergent. Some compromises are just incoherent.

#7. Most Independents Are Closet Partisans

It is true that if you ask a survey respondent if they identify with a major party or are independent, a growing number over the last several decades will say they are independent. The problem is that a majority of those independents act like partisans when it comes time to vote or take positions on issues.

#8. Special Interests Are A Political Fiction

How do you know a politician is being dishonest? He blames something on special interests. What is a special interest? Why, it is an interest opposed to the general interest or collective will. But see items #2 and #3 above: There aint no such thing. Special interests are labor and business. They are environmentalists and developers. They are pro-life and pro-choice activists. They are gays and they are fundamentalist Christians. They are you. They are me. It is hard to think of any political outcome that does not satisfy some interests and oppose others

#9. The Grass Does Not Grow By Itself

Is the Tea Party a real movement, or is it astroturf? The speed at which this debate is bouncing around partisan circles is shocking, considering how silly the question is. If a movement is astroturf if some outside force is organizing it, then all movements are astroturf. People do not spontaneously wake up and go to rallies. Someone hosts the rally and invites them to come.

#10 We Do Not Know What You Think You KnowIndia will launch its first manned space mission by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, which could make it the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China. An Indian astronaut, be it a man or a woman, will go on a space odyssey by 2022 on board 'Gaganyaan', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort in Delhi.

PM Modi said when India celebrates 75th year of Independence in 2022, "and if possible even before, an Indian son or daughter" will be part of a manned space mission on board 'Gaganyaan' "carrying the national flag".

It should be noted Indian Airforce pilot Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to have travelled in space. He flew aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 in 1984. Sharma was awarded the Ashoka Chakra for his achievement.

Kalpana Chawla became first woman of Indian origin to fly into space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.

In both instances, astronauts of Indian origin went into space aboard foreign spacecrafts.

Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in October 2008 and operated until August 2009.

Mangalyaan is another Indian space project.

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan, is a space probe orbiting Mars since September 24, 2014.Nawaz Sharif celebrated Independence Day in Adiala jail

RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday celebrated Independence Day in Adiala jail with other inmates. Three cakes weighing 10 pounds each were brought to the jail and the former premier paid for them, said a jail official.



At the request of some inmates, Mr Sharif cut a cake and made a brief speech, he added.



Mr Sharifs daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Muhammad Safdar were present at the event. Ms Maryam informed women inmates about the progress the country made during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.



According to the official, the jail inmates took interest when the former prime minister told them about events leading to his governments decision about conducting nuclear tests in 1998. He said Mr Sharif had also spoken about his familys struggle after the independence of the country.



Meanwhile, Mr Sharif has expressed the resolve to initiate a programme for providing higher education to prisoners in jails across the country, according to a senior PML-N leader.[MUTARE, ZIMBABWE] Africas quest to use innovation for sustainable development could suffer as only eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa were ranked among the top 100 in the latest Global Innovation Index (GII).

The GII, which was released last month (10 July), grades countries by measuring components of innovation input such as human capital, as well as research and business sophistication and the results of innovation activities.

African governments are not prioritising collection and collation of innovation information, Bruno Lanvin, INSEAD

According to the index, which was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University in the United States and INSEAD, a global business school, the African countries featured among the top 100 are Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

Out of the 126 countries included in the ranking, the bottom ten include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Togo and Zambia. A total of 29 African countries were included in the index.

Bruno Lanvin, co-editor of the 2018 GII and executive director of INSEADs global indices, tells SciDev.Net that data for the report were obtained from governments through their respective ministries, statistical agencies as well as international public and private sources.

A small number of economies that did not report enough innovation-related data had to be excluded so they would not bias the results, he explains  in this sense, the index offers countries an incentive to measure innovation properly and report the data that will allow comparison with others.

In this case, African governments are not prioritising collection and collation of innovation information, says Lanvin.

He attributes the success of high-performing countries to the role of their governments. One of the top reasons for this performance is usually the persistent pursuit of an innovation agenda over time at the highest policy levels. This then translates into an improvement of innovation inputs and outputs as measured in the GII, Lanvin explains.

The GII also shows how some economies are considered efficient innovators, which means they maximise returns with small-scale innovation. Kenya, for example, is ranked 78 globally in the innovation ranking, but its innovation efficiency ranking is 41.

According to Lanvin, the African countries mostly likely to rise up the global rankings  if they continue to support innovation budgets and prioritise innovation reporting  are Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Tunisia.

Francis Gurry, director-general of the WIPO, tells SciDev.Net that many innovations abound in Africa and can be seen in finance, drone delivery of medicines, or new heating and energy storage solutions.

The report shows that grassroots communities in Sub-Saharan Africa are applying simple innovations to improve their production and use of wood fuels in ways that address practical needs alongside global challenges.

According to Yogi Naik, director of research and innovation at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, Africas potential for growth is currently not matched by investment.

The greatest mishap that confronts Africa is its reluctance to dedicate massive budgets for technological and smart development, says Naik. The continent has a competitive human capital to drive innovations agenda.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.A shopper browses products at Japanese discount retailer Don Quijote Holdings' store in Tokyo A shopper browses products at Japanese discount retailer Don Quijote Holdings' store in Tokyo, Japan, June 18, 2018. Picture taken on June 18, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

By Sam Nussey

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese discount retailer Don Quijote Holdings Co Ltd <7532.T> was once the industry's enfant terrible, overturning standard retail practices with its cluttered and chaotic stores that sell everything from faux leopard-skin rugs to designer watches.

These days, however, Donki - as it popularly known - is more of a role model, defying Japan's weak retail environment to last week report its 29th year of unbroken sales and profit growth.

With sales projected to hit 1 trillion yen (7 billion) this year, Donki is joining the top ranks of Japan's heavyweight retail market, among the likes of Aeon Co Ltd <8267.T>, Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co Ltd <9983.T> and convenience store operator Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd <3382.T>.

(Click here for an interactive graphic on the trillion-yen club https://tmsnrt.rs/2nlHCUl)

The company says its success lies in its ability to amuse customers, who have tired of the efficient yet predictable shopping experiences at other Japanese stores.

"Our biggest rival is not Amazon or Aeon, but customers' losing interest," Mitsuo Takahashi, Don Quijote's chief financial officer, told Reuters in an interview.

After struggling to find sites in some areas to fuel its sustained expansion, Donki has tied up with FamilyMart Uny Holdings Co Ltd <8028.T> to convert its struggling big box stores, delivering a rapid turnaround at the first six outlets to try the new format.

And on Monday the discounter said it would be interested in buying Walmart Inc's <WMT.N> Seiyu supermarket unit, reflecting its increasingly ubiquitous presence on Japan's shopping streets, where it has replaced stores struggling in the new economy.

As Amazon <AMZN.O> grows rapidly in Japan, Donki aims to increase the fun of visiting stores by making its app more interactive - with points to collect and discounts to find - in a doubling down on its store-focused approach.

Story continues

"If Amazon is like downloading music, we are like a concert venue. Both are needed," Donki Chief Executive Koji Ohara said on Monday.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

Shoppers at Donki are welcomed by tanks of exotic fish before they enter a maze-like warren piled high with goods ranging from face-massaging gadgets to oversized bags of potato chips.

What feels like a pell-mell approach is actually a finely honed company strategy, the result of decades of experimentation in each store.

First-time customers often come away bewildered and humming the store's unending earworm of a theme song, but return for more, drawn back by a constantly changing array of goods. (Click here for an interactive graphic on Donki's irresistible rise https://tmsnrt.rs/2OfGeOo)

Many of the products Donki sells are cast off from other retailers, a result of the Japanese penchant for a huge variety of seasonal, limited edition and experimental products, from cans of beer splashed with cherry blossom patterns to yogurt-flavoured water.

Stocking decisions are left to store staff, and financial incentives help motivate them to source and display wares effectively. The approach is a far cry from how head offices micromanage the operations of many large Japanese retailers.

With every store catering to local tastes, "you cannot create a strategy that will be effective against all of their stores," Jefferies analyst Michael Jon Allen said of Donki's rivals.

RIDING FORTH

Donki also has a growing range of store formats, including smaller Picasso stores, giant Mega Don Quijote and even a Platinum Don Quijote selling high-end products.

Looking to expand but faced with a shortage of suitable suburban locations, Donki last year took a 40 percent stake in the merchandise store unit of FamilyMart Uny Holdings.

It's an unlikely marriage of disparate corporate cultures. But so far it seems successful: the companies' first six Donki-style stores have almost doubled sales in the five months to July, with a further 20 stores to be converted in 2019.

That is helping push Donki toward its target of 500 stores by 2020, from 420 stores currently. Uny has almost 200 locations.

The purchase of part or all of Walmart's Seiyu chain would mark a dramatic acceleration of that expansion. Walmart says it has not made a decision to sell Seiyu.

Graphic: The trillion yen club interactive (https://tmsnrt.rs/2nlHCUl)

DON DON DONKI

Donki's newest frontier is overseas, with two "Don Don Donki" stores opened in Singapore in the last year and another due to open in Bangkok this year.

Founder Takao Yasuda, who moved to Singapore after retiring three years ago, drove the expansion there after finding Japanese products too costly. Prices are as much as 50 percent lower than rivals, said Takahashi, the CFO.

The Singapore stores are stocked mainly with food and drink, leveraging Japan's culinary reputation. Donki's "yaki-imo" or baked sweet potato is its best-selling product.

Singapore-based Euromonitor analyst Chayadi Karim said Don Quijote has tweaked its strategy in Singapore, where shoppers are unburdened by a deflationary mindset and "are willing to pay that premium for Japanese products."

Southeast Asian expansion, with several new stores opening annually, along with 28 outlets in Hawaii and California, are building Donki's food retailing expertise.

Concerns about overly rapid expansion weighed on the company's shares this year, and like all Japanese retailers, it faces headwinds from the country's aging population and growing affection for online retailers.

But for now, its ability to make money seems to be resilient.

In the most recent quarter Donki's gross margin - a key measure of profitability - climbed 0.4 percent on a year earlier to 26.6 percent.

(Reporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Gerry Doyle)Morgan Stanley digital signage is displayed on the exterior of the companys headquarters in New York, U.S. (Photo: Getty Images)

By Joyce Koh

Morgan Stanley is promoting a pair of dealmakers in Southeast Asia, with one banker rising from intern to a senior position in just seven years.

The U.S. firm has appointed Jannie Tsuei, who started as an associate intern in New York in 2011, as chief operating officer for Southeast Asia investment banking, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg. It named Jonathan Pflug, who joined Morgan Stanley as an associate that year, to head Southeast Asia M&A and Singapore coverage.

Tsuei, who is a vice president at the firm, began her finance career on Morgan Stanleys real estate investment banking team in the U.S. before moving to Singapore in 2015, the memo shows. Earlier this year, she transitioned to Singapore coverage and has been helping build out the firms work on health-care deals in the region.

A representative for Morgan Stanley confirmed the contents of the memo.

Gone are those days where you have to spend fifteen to twenty years before you get a shot at the top, Tsewang Bhotia, a Hong Kong-based director at recruitment firm Executive Access Ltd., said by phone Monday. These days, the turnover is a lot faster and in the last five years, they are getting younger.

The promotions follow the departure of Gordon Parker, who was head of Southeast Asia M&A at Morgan Stanley before moving to San Francisco-based boutique DBO Partners. Citigroup Inc. poached Kelvin Goh, who was Morgan Stanleys head of Singapore coverage and chief operating officer for Southeast Asia investment banking, Bloomberg News reported in June.

Morgan Stanley ranked fourth on mergers and acquisitions involving companies in Southeast Asia this year, down from first place for all of 2017, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The bank worked on the $1.2 billion sale of EMR Capitals Martabe gold mine announced last week. It also advised a TPG-backed consortium on its sale of a stake in consumer lender PT BFI Finance Indonesia to Mediobanca SpA.

Morgan Stanley advised Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. on the acquisition of animal feed producer Gold Coin Management Holdings Ltd. announced in July. Its also working with Indonesias state-owned Inalum on a $3.85 billion deal to gain control of Freeport-McMoRan Inc.s giant Grasberg copper mine in the country.

 2018 Bloomberg L.PPTI Asad Qaiser elected as speaker of NA

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Asad Qaiser was sworn in as National Assembly (NA) speaker on Wednesday, beating out the candidate fielded by opposition alliance, PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah, in a secret ballot. The election for the post of deputy speaker is now ongoing.

Qaiser, the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker, received 176 votes to Shah's 146 votes. Eight votes were rejected.

Following the announcement, Sadiq administered oath to Qaiser among loud chants of vote ko izzat do by opposition lawmakers.

Qaiser, after the announcement, made a round of the opposition benches and shook hands with opposition leaders seated in the front row of the assembly.

Outgoing Ayaz Sadiq announced the name of the speaker after newly elected MNAs voted for their preferred candidates.



The election was expected to commence at 10am; however, the session faced a delay of nearly one hour due to the late arrival of MNAs.



Prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan left the assembly after his casting vote for the speaker and returned as counting of ballots commenced.



Ayaz Sadiq delivered a speech in the house thanking his party and opposition parties for their support throughout his tenure, particularly during the 2014 protests and the resignation of lawmakers.



He congratulated Qaiser and winning the contest for speaker, and Shah for putting up a fight. "Many times I listened to people call me 'fake speaker' and say 'we won't agree' to me, but I didn't frown once," he said.



He asked for lawmakers to respect each other despite their differences. "I would like all of us to work for Pakistan's betterment," he added.



"Each second of each minute that I gave to the opposition (as speaker) is recorded. My government complained that I lean too much towards the opposition," he said.



Recalling the mass resignation of lawmakers, Sadiq called for changes to rules regarding attendance of lawmakers in the assembly and the procedure surrounding it.



He also lauded the formation of the Elections Act 2017 that was worked on by all political parties, but also mentioned shortcomings in Section 95-5 pertaining to recounting of results at the time of consolidation of votes.



He also regretted that the Election Commission of Pakistan did not execute its responsibilities as required despite being given greater powers than before.



"The house will decide whether we need to hold it accountable or not."



"Everyone should be held accountable," he added. "Let us work for the betterment of Pakistan and the Parliament. We receive a lot of insults, no on appreciates our work. We have to make sure our work is appreciated," he said.



"All of us wish to work for Pakistan, but it is also our right to play a role as the opposition," he added.



He urged Qaiser to summon the previous assembly's record and examine how much time was given to the government and the opposition, and how "we tried to make it equal".



PPP's Khursheed Shah also made a speech promising that his party would never become a hurdle to the passage of legislation for the country's progress.



"And under Bilawal's leadership, we will fully play the role of the opposition. It is our constitutional and legal right," he added.



"And once more, we pray that the Parliament completes its five-year term in a democratic manner."



PTI's Shah Mahmood Qureshi in his speech praised PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for his positive role and democratic behaviour. He also thanked Khursheed Shah for his democratic views and said that Shah showed political maturity in his maiden speech in the National Assembly. He said that the lawmakers would have to exhibit such democratic behaviour to maintain the sanctity of the house.



He also thanked the leadership of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), PML-Q, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), and independents who supported the party in speaker's election.



He assured the opposition that the government would safeguard their democratic rights, and assured them that their criticism would be taken positively.



The PTI leader added that the country has been facing enormous challenges and that the government needed guidance from opposition lawmakers to cope with the challenges.



"All your positive points will be paid heed to; we have the courage to listen and we will try to act accordingly," he concluded.



MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui lauded the democratic transition of government and said it should be the first step towards change for better democratic process in the future.



"The people of Pakistan have entrusted their dreams to us, it is our responsibility to ensure they become a reality," he said.



He said that the fruits of democracy would indeed be evident when the common man would be sitting in Parliament, and farmers would be represented by farmers, and labourers would be represented by labourers.

Cambodian leader Hun Sen has swept all seats in parliament after holding an election with no opposition, as the country settles into one-party rule and a government that could face questions of legitimacy on the world stage. The strongman has been in power for 33 years but the vote late last month was widely decried as a sham after a crackdown on the rival Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November. A spokesman for the National Election Committee told AFP Wednesday as official results were released that the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 seats up for grabs and took nearly 77 percent of the vote. In a post on his Facebook page later Wednesday Hun Sen said the election was "free, fair and just." Cambodia's new government will be formed next month but problems of credibility could dog the regime as experts believe Hun Sen will try to bolster popular support at home. "It's like pushing a cart uphill," said independent political analyst Meas Ny. "From now on the new government will be under attack and defending itself." The results were in line with preliminary tallies and Hun Sen said in a speech earlier in the day that he would take suggestions from parties who contested the election on ideas to "build the country." Nineteen other political parties took part in the sixth national vote since UN-backed polls in 1993 but many are new or obscure and posed no challenge. The dissolved opposition is planning on ramping up efforts with governments abroad to put more pressure on Hun Sen. "We will not abandon more than half of the country who voted for change but were excluded from exercising their choice," Mu Sochua, deputy CNRP leader, told AFP from self-exile. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would expand its restrictions on granting visas to include Cambodians "responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up to the flawed July 29 election". Nauert said Wednesday the visa sanctions would apply to people in and outside the government as well as their immediate family members in some cases. The CPP pointed to 83 percent voter turnout as evidence that a boycott by the opposition failed, but allegations of voter intimidation and some 600,000 spoiled ballots undermined the claims. - 'Outright dictatorship' - Hun Sen has held onto power for decades through a complex mix of development dollars and alliances in the police, army and courts. The 66-year-old helped bring roads and mega-malls to a country ravaged by decades of civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime, which killed a quarter of the Cambodian population from 1975 to 1979. A former commander in the group, he defected and was installed as prime minister in 1985 at the age of 32, later presenting himself as saviour while warning of conflict if his regime falls. The message has resonated with segments of society. "I don't care about having a one-party parliament. What I want is calm after the election," a tuk-tuk driver named Nhem Ry told AFP ahead of the results. "We had demonstrations during previous elections which I do not like." Western governments pulled funding for the vote and condemned it as not credible, but China, which has showered the country with loans and stayed silent on human rights issues, maintained support. Independent election monitors also steered clear but representatives of populist parties in Europe and Asia filled the void. The CPP has long dominated Cambodia but the CNRP, which was founded in 2012, capitalised on discontent with corruption and inequality. It earned 44 percent of the vote in 2013 and took home a similar amount in local 2017 elections. Analysts say the threat to Hun Sen prompted a rewind of democratic freedoms as civil society, NGOs and the press were squeezed in the run-up to this year's ballot. Sam Rainsy, a co-founder of the CNRP, said in a statement after the official results were released that the election was "fake" and compared the victory to polls in communist and authoritarian states. John Cavanaugh, who was serving as Cambodia country director for the National Democratic Institute when Hun Sen expelled the group during the sweeping crackdown last year, told AFP that hardline regimes often get tough on dissent before voting. "But rarely to the degree and with the focused intensity... (of) the Cambodian government's methodical campaign to entirely shut-down the space for true democratic participation, and unfortunately move the country towards outright dictatorship."When Chinese state TV accidentally revealed much of the "salmon" sashimi eaten in the country was actually rainbow trout, domestic fish farmers faced a crisis of consumer confidence. After fishing for a solution, they came up with an idea: to officially deem the rainbow trout a type of salmon. Over the weekend, China's major rainbow trout producers, with the support of an industry group attached to the agriculture ministry, announced a new standard to allow the fish to bear the "salmon" label. The move solves woes facing domestic producers after a feel-good spot on state broadcaster CCTV earlier this year highlighted China's "freshwater salmon" fish farming on the Tibetan plateau. "You probably didn't know it but our country's Tibetan plateau has long raised this salmon, and not just a few of them, they've captured one-third of the market," the programme's narrator intoned while showing a montage of consumers scooping up salmon fillets in supermarkets. Thousands of sceptical comments piled up on social media, some questioning how the "salmon" could migrate thousands of kilometres over dozens of dams from China's northwest to the ocean, as most salmon do after hatching. Local news website The Paper then sent a reporter, who confirmed China's "freshwater salmon" were in fact rainbow trout. Amid concerns over the safety of eating freshwater fish, Chinese e-commerce sites moved to make fish farmers from the plateau label their fillets as rainbow trout, cratering sales and fuelling an industry crisis. But with the launch of the new standard, China's fish farmers have decided to broaden the definition of "salmon" to include rainbow trout, in the process muddying the waters for consumers. Academics remain adamant the two fish are not the same. "You cannot call a rainbow trout a salmon," said Sigurd Stefansson, a salmon expert at the University of Bergen in Norway, noting they are related but not the same species. The proposal has ignited controversy online, with science writer Fang Shimin comparing it to China's melamine-tainted milk scandal in 2008 that sickened thousands of children. "Back in the day, why didn't Chinese milk producers think to release a standard requiring melamine to be called an ingredient of milk," Fang wrote in a wry social media post. "These salmon sellers are smarter." Not everyone agrees. Guangdong Ocean University professor Zhu Chunhua said the relabelling was appropriate for consumption purposes and it was not a major issue if consumers did not know exactly what they were eating. "Importing huge amounts of Norway's salmon is not practical," he said.A farm by-product that usually goes to waste in China could be the fuel of the future, helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions throughout the country, according to research by US-based scientists.

But more government incentives are needed to make the most of the opportunity, one of the researchers said.

In a study published last week in the scientific journal Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, scientists at Iowa State University in the United States said that corncobs could be used to produce the biofuel ethanol more efficiently and generate less greenhouse gases than other sources such as corn grain.

Blending ethanol with petrol can reduce vehicle emissions, something China plans to do nationwide by 2020 to meet its commitment to limiting its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The authors analysed data from an ethanol refinery in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, one of the few in the country that turns corncobs into the fuel.

Their analysis covered the entire ethanol production chain, from transporting the raw material to sending the fuel to service stations.

The researchers found that corncob ethanol emitted less in greenhouse gases  including carbon dioxide and methane  in its fermentation process than other sources of the fuel.

Ethanol produced from corncob emits about 50 per cent less greenhouse gas than from corn [grain], said Wang Yu, an energy policy researcher at the university and the lead author of the study.

The researchers also found that about 0.52 megajoules of energy was needed to produce one megajoule of ethanol from corncob, compared with the 0.74 megajoules required to make the same amount of ethanol from corn grain.

Making ethanol from crop stover  the leaves and stalks left after harvesting grain crops  was even less efficient, requiring 0.9 megajoules of input for each megajoule of ethanol, the researchers found.

China ethanol push must not go to waste

Story continues

Wang said that as much as 17 per cent of corncobs produced in Jilin province, a major corn-growing area, went to waste but could be converted into fuel.

Producing ethanol from corncobs can be a good way to utilise the currently wasted resources, she said.

But for now, corncobs are used to produce fuel ethanol in only one of seven biorefineries in China.

Wang said that stronger government incentives were needed to encourage the use of corncobs in the fuel ethanol industry.

This article Could Chinas waste mountains of corncobs fuel a greener future? first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.From the southern border with Guatemala to the northern border with the United States, AFP spent 24 hours traveling with migrants who are crossing Mexico to chase their American dreams. Here are seven of their stories. Andres Sanchez, 18 "Being a migrant means being an outcast," says Sanchez, a day after being deported from the US for the second time. A native of Puebla, in central Mexico, he tried to cross the border two months ago with a fake tourist visa he bought from a smuggler for $3,500. But the document was registered as stolen, and US authorities detained and deported him. Now, carrying nothing but a Bible and a plastic wallet, he is contemplating his next move at a migrant shelter in the border city of Ciudad Juarez. The Americans warned him he would face six months in prison if he tried to enter the country illegally again. Having just spent two months in detention, that is giving him second thoughts. "It's really cold in prison. You can barely sleep," he says. Going back home does not sound appealing, either. But neither does his current state of limbo on the border. "It's hard to be far from your family," he says. Micaela Perez, 24 Crossing illegally into the United States is risky business, says Perez, who nearly died trying. "The most horrible part is crossing the desert. I ran out of food and water, so I had to turn myself in," she says, a day after being deported for the third time. She paid $1,500 to a human trafficker to smuggle her in. But the ordeal left her with nothing, not even the clothes on her back. The ones she is wearing now were given to her at a migrant shelter in Ciudad Juarez. A native of Mexico's poorest state, Chiapas, in the south, she is desperately trying to reunite with her husband, who snuck into the US two years ago. She spent six days in detention before being deported. US authorities warned her she would face 20 years the next time. Angel Saravia, 61 "We have to emigrate to get ahead," says Saravia, a life-long border-jumper. "We suffer for it, but we have to take the risk." However, after his last deportation six years ago, Saravia decided he had had enough of being treated as an "illegal alien." Today, he lives in a remote cabin in the Matadero canyon, near the border that separates Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego. "This is a kind of sanctuary. I live far away from everyone, from people who think deported migrants are criminals. Here, nobody points their finger at me. People just leave me alone." Sandra Hernandez, 28 Hernandez left two children behind in her native Honduras to make her way north with her youngest daughter, four-year-old Danaya. They have traveled most of the way by hopping the freight train known as "The Beast." A domestic worker in Honduras, Hernandez says her pay was too meager to support her family. "It's hard to leave your children behind," she says. When she calls them on the phone, she cries. They are six and nine years old. Pausing at a migrant shelter in Guadalupe, in eastern Mexico, she is planning to hit the road again in three days' time. But she fears being separated from her daughter at the US border. David Ramirez, 23 Ramirez has traveled by truck, boat and train to make it from Honduras to this shelter in Guadalupe. He has already been deported from the United States twice, but is determined to try again, even though he has been targeted by the criminal gangs that attack and rob migrants. At the shelter, he is helping prepare bags of food to give to migrants riding "The Beast." "It makes me really happy to hand out food to them. But also really sad," he says. Soon he plans to join them again, trying to reach his aunt's home in Michigan. Raquel Padilla, 27 "Every Central American dreams of migrating," says Padilla. Still, she misses the son she left behind in her native Honduras. Four months pregnant, she has paused at a migrant refuge in Guadalajara, in western Mexico, before continuing her journey. Asked what her most prized possession is, she smiles. "The baby in my belly." Graciela, 16 Graciela started her journey by giving birth to a baby boy, Cesar, in a bathroom near the Mexican-Guatemalan border. Now she is at a migrant shelter in Tijuana, on the US-Mexican border, waiting for Mexican authorities to issue him a birth certificate. She wants to obtain Mexican papers, then seek asylum in the United States.Legal representation for the couple embroiled in the death of a Dutch teen model was asked to leave the court room during the re-opened cases inquest today.

Free Malaysia Today, who have been reporting from to proceedings detail that presiding coroner Mahyon Talib asked that Alex and Luna Johnsons special counsel remove themselves from the room, as their clients were not showing up to testify, despite being subpoenaed by the prosecution. He also declined to accept a letter from the couple that explained their absence.

Ivana Smit, a 19-year-old Dutch model, fell to her death on 7 December 2017 after spending time with the couple at their Dang Wangi condo. Her body was found 14 stories below their 20th floor unit, naked, and without explanation over what prompted her untimely death.

GM Tan, their lawyer, apologized and explained that the couple were no longer in the country, and declined to confirm whether they would testify at any point during the eight-day inquest.

Calling their absence irresponsible, SN Nair, special counsel who is holding a watching brief for Smits family over the proceedings, said that it only added to suspicions that their role in her death played a greater part than they have alleged.

They now risk being the prime suspects in Smits death, he said.

FMT adds that Nair also drew attention to the fact that the couple managed to engage tabloid rag The Mail on Sunday for an exclu$ive interview concerning the case, during which they made a number of unsubstantiated allegations against Ivana. It is only fair that they answer questions regarding them, he posited.

They must take the stand. If they are not going to testify, then their special counsel has no business here. He is sitting behind me here and making me uncomfortable, Nair said.

Coroner Mahyon then told Tan to leave, agreeing that he had no business there if he could not even confirm if his clients would be attending future inquest dates.

Snap, gavel, and pop.

Story continues

Although initially ruled an accidental death, Ivanas family hired a private investigator, and conducted a second autopsy on her body.

Their investigator later confirmed that the report indicated that she had received a head injury before her fall, saying that while it was not significant enough to cause her death, it would have rendered her unconscious.

The pathologist elaborated that the lack of blood at the scene when she died adds further credence to the conclusion that the teenager was already dead when her body fell 14 stories onto a 6th-floor landing below.

Bruising on her arms are consistent with having been grabbed roughly before, or shortly after, she died.

Ecstasy levels in her blood at the time of death were high enough to cause her death alone.

In conclusion, though possible, it is highly improbable that she fell over the balcony, taking into consideration all of the injuries sustained before her death, he said.

It is not known when the couple left Malaysia, nor where they have gone.

The post Expat couple who last saw Dutch teen model alive are a no-show at inquest into her death appeared first on Coconuts.Hong Kongs air traffic controllers left flying blind for six minutes as HK$1.56 billion system malfunctions again  but authorities insist safety was not affected

Hong Kongs much-maligned HK$1.56 billion (US$200 million) air traffic control system malfunctioned again on Monday, after a lull in problems for more than a year.

The momentary hitch, which lasted six minutes, was only disclosed on Wednesday morning, but the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) insisted the incident did not affect aviation safety.

During the system malfunction, some air traffic control staff were left flying blind, as radar screens for three aircraft did not show full information, except for their flight position, altitude information and secondary surveillance radar code  the identification code assigned to planes.

The aviation regulator said air traffic controllers were able to keep direct voice communication with the pilots and still obtain all information they needed from all flights but as a precaution, they delayed giving clearance to departing flights for about six minutes.

Arrivals and planes flying through the citys airspace were not affected.

The CAD attaches great importance to the occurrence, it said in a statement. The contractor was tasked right after the occurrence to conduct a thorough investigation and come up with a solution as soon as possible. The CAD will continue to follow up on the occurrence proactively.

It also noted that the air traffic control system had multiple fallback systems to tackle different scenarios so that operations could continue even if there were an outage in one system.

Developed by US contractor Raytheon, the system went live at the airport in November 2016. In the initial months, multiple teething problems occurred, forcing authorities to play down safety fears and later invite the press to the CADs headquarters to try and dispel concerns.

They included planes disappearing from radar screens and phantom aircraft appearing on monitors. Screens were also sometimes left unable to display various pieces of flight information.

Story continues

Incidents lasted between 26 seconds and 78 minutes, and in some cases flights were not permitted to take off for several minutes.

Mondays failure, which the department disclosed after the Post sent it an inquiry, was identical to a failure on November 29, 2016, just weeks after the new system was officially commissioned.

At that time radar screens were unable to show flight information as the system went down for 26 seconds, prompting departing flights to be halted for 15 minutes.

The Transport and Housing Bureau ordered a report from the systems contractor within 48 hours, while the department gathered an expert panel of aviation administrators and technical specialists to meet regularly to monitor the systems progress for a year.

The latest failure came amid a heavy workload for the system and air traffic controllers during the peak summer travel season, when there is a higher demand for flights. Hong Kong International Airport is continuously breaking records for number of flights and passenger movements.

In the past week, airport workers have been placed under higher levels of stress as Tropical Storm Bebinca caused flight delays, cancellations and forced planes to circle in Hong Kong airspace for up to an hour before they could land.

To me, its quite serious, said lawmaker Jeremy Tam Man-ho, who had previously pressed the CAD over other air traffic control failures.

The transparency is getting worse

Jeremy Tam Man-ho, lawmaker

Criticising the timeliness and the lack of information to explain the newest malfunction, the qualified commercial pilot and Civic Party legislator added: This happened two days ago. Now, a year-and-a-half ago, a proper announcement would be made on the day when it happened, and now they leave it for two days after some press inquiries.

The transparency is getting worse.

We need a reliable system, not something we hope will go well. With the third runway, we are going to increase our flight capacity by 50 per cent. Is this system going to be capable of handling all this extra traffic?

In April, Europes computerised air space and flight management system suffered a glitch causing delays and cancellations to half of the 29,500 scheduled flights in one day.

Last month in Belgium, a flight data glitch saw no planes allowed to take off or land for two hours, triggering significant disruption during one of the busiest months of the year for flying. In 2015, Belgium airspace faced a different issue, with a power failure causing 200 flights in the country to be cancelled.

Delays to flights in Europe in particular are part of a growing industry concern about the lack of manpower to help meet the growing demand for air traffic.

This article Hong Kongs air traffic controllers left flying blind for six minutes as HK$1.56 billion system malfunctions again  but authorities insist safety was not affected first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Rescue workers toiled through a second night Thursday in a desperate bid to find survivors in the rubble of a Genoa bridge which caved in during a heavy rainstorm, killing at least 39 people and injuring 16 more. A vast span of the Morandi bridge collapsed in the northern port city on Tuesday, sending about 35 cars and several trucks plunging 45 metres (150 feet) onto railway tracks below. Italy's government has blamed the firm that operated the collapsed bridge for the disaster and announced a state of emergency in the region. Children aged eight, 12 and 13 were among the dead, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said, adding that more people were still missing. Sixteen people were injured. The driver of a green lorry left precariously close to the edge told Italian media how he had escaped the "hell" of the bridge collapse. "It was raining very hard and it wasn't possible to go very fast," he told the Corriere della Sera daily. "When a car overtook me I slowed down... (then) at a certain moment everything shook. The car in front of me disappeared and seemed to be swallowed up by the clouds. I looked up and saw the bridge pylon fall," he said. "Instinctively, finding myself in front of the void, I put the van into reverse, to escape this hell," he added. Three Chileans, who live in Italy, and four French nationals were also killed. The tragedy has focused anger on the structural problems that have dogged the decades old Morandi bridge and the private sector firm Autostrade per l'Italia, which is currently in charge of operating and maintaining swathes of the country's motorways. Deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio said the tragedy "could have been avoided". "Autostrade should have done maintenance and didn't do it," he alleged. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also confirmed that his government would push to revoke the company's contract for the A10 motorway, which includes the bridge, while Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said the company should be fined up to 150 million euros ($170 million). The firm, which said the bridge had been undergoing maintenance work, however, released a statement refuting accusations of underfunding of motorway infrastructure. "In the last five years (2012-2017) the company's investment in the security, maintenance and strengthening of the network has been over one billion euros a year," it said. - 'I went down with the car' - Survivors recounted the heart-stopping moment when the bridge buckled, tossing vehicles and hunks of concrete into the abyss. Davide Capello, a former goalkeeper for Italian Serie A club Cagliari, plunged with his car but was unscathed. "I was driving along the bridge, and at a certain point I saw the road in front of me collapse, and I went down with the car," he told TV news channel Sky TG24. As cars and trucks tumbled off the bridge, Afifi Idriss, 39, a Moroccan truck driver, just managed to stop in time. "I saw the green lorry in front of me stop and then reverse so I stopped too, locked the truck and ran," he told AFP. While around a dozen apartment blocks that stand in the shadow of the viaduct were largely spared the impact of the falling concrete, the Liguria regional government said some 634 people had been evacuated. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the homes would have to be pulled down. - 'A tragedy waiting to happen' - The incident is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of a faltering economy. The Morandi viaduct, completed in 1967, spans dozens of railway lines. The bridge has been riddled with structural problems since its construction, which has led to expensive maintenance and severe criticism from engineering experts. On Tuesday engineering website "Ingegneri.info" called it "a tragedy waiting to happen". Conte also announced after a cabinet meeting Wednesday that a national day of mourning was being planned. Media reports said it would be held on Saturday to coincide with some of the funerals. There would also be a 12-month state of emergency in and around Genoa, Conte added, with five million euros of funds going into recovery work.A Libyan court on Wednesday sentenced to death by firing squad 45 militiamen for killing demonstrators in Tripoli during the 2011 uprising against dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the justice ministry said. It was the highest number of death sentences passed by a Libyan court in a single case since the overthrow of Kadhafi's regime seven years ago. Dozens of demonstrators were killed on August 21, 2011 when pro-regime militiamen opened fire near the Abu Slim district of the capital as rebel forces closed in on the capital, eight months into a NATO-backed revolt. The ministry said in a statement that 54 other defendants were sentenced to five years in jail, 22 were acquitted, and three others had died before the verdict was reached. The case against three other defendants was closed without a reason stated. Kadhafi, who had ruled the country since a 1969 coup, was killed in October 2011 near his hometown of Sirte, south of the capital. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the uprising, with two rival authorities and a myriad of militias vying for control of territory and the country's vast oil wealth. An agreement struck in Paris in May to hold elections by the end of this year has done little to calm tensions. Taking advantage of years of chaos, people smugglers have established Libya as a major transit point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe. On top of insecurity and violence, ordinary Libyans have been hard hit by power cuts, fuel shortages and sharp rises in the price of basic goods.QUEZON CITY, Philippines  The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has begun Wednesday (August 15) its week-long dry run for the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic scheme.

The proposed new policy aims at reducing the volume of vehicles, particularly private cars, along Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue (EDSA) during rush hours.

Under the policy, all private vehicles occupied by one person or a driver without passengers or companions will be banned from plying on EDSA from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., from Monday to Friday.

The new measure will also encourage private motorists to share a ride with others or the concept of carpooling.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra, however, clarified that what they meant of carpooling is sharing free ride among family members, friends, neighbors or officemates to minimize the number of vehicles along EDSA.

Kapag carpooling iyan, strict carpooling. Hindi kayo nag-a-ambag ng pang-gasolina or pamasahe for that matter. Iyong sinasabi ninyong per ulo, hindi mangyayari iyan kapag talagang carpooling ito, Delgra explained.

Based on MMDAs survey of average daily traffic in 2017, about 60% to 70% of private vehicles that ply EDSA are single occupancy vehicles or occupied only by their drivers.

This translates to an average of 148,516 to 185,645 in actual units per day, from the average number of 367,738 vehicles traversing EDSAs major artery daily.

This figure, according to MMDA, is the major cause of extremely heavy traffic along EDSA.  Joan Nano / Marje Pelayo

The post MMDA kicks off week-long dry run of driver-only ban in EDSA appeared first on UNTV News.Nicaragua's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a drastic cut to the national budget because of the economic impact of months of anti-government unrest. The lawmakers adopted a 9.2-percent reduction of the 2018 budget, projecting $180 million less in spending to partly make up for a drop of $220 million in government income. It was the steepest cut seen in the past 11 years that President Daniel Ortega has been in power. The minister for finance and public credit, Ivan Acosta, blamed the reduction on protesters accused of trying to stage a "coup" against Ortega's government. The demonstrations against Ortega began in April in anger at moves to cut back social security. But when security forces cracked down, they quickly spread to become marches demanding Ortega's ouster. More than 300 people have died and thousands of Nicaraguans have fled what they say is harsh repression and persecution. After operations against protest hubs in July, the president claimed the unrest was over and the country was getting back to normal. But demonstrations are continuing. Acosta said that before the protests the economy had been expected to grow 4.3 percent this year. The government has now lowered that target to one percent, although some independent analysts say a contraction of 3.5 percent could be in the cards. The minister told the National Assembly that the fall-out from the unrest had forced 8,700 small businesses to close, leaving 71,000 people without work. The important tourism sector has lost $235 million, he said. The private sector estimates that 200,000 people were left unemployed by the continuing crisis. Acosta said the budget cuts would not affect social spending, public investment or involve a reduction of government workers. "This reform is tough," he said. "Right now we are working on the premise that the country is returning in the direction of normality and stability." A fiscal and tax reform was needed to make up for the diminished growth, he added, warning that "those who must pay will be made to pay." That warning appeared to be aimed at Nicaragua's business owners who have abandoned Ortega because of the deadly violence ordered against the protesters.By Hyonhee Shin and Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea agreed on Monday to hold a summit in the North in September, another step towards boosting cooperation between the old rivals, even as doubts grow over efforts to end the North's nuclear weapons programme.

Officials from both sides meeting in the truce village of Panmunjom, in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas, reached an agreement on a September summit between the countries' leaders in the North's capital of Pyongyang.

No date was announced for what will be the third meeting this year between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

They first met in April in Panmunjom, a remarkable thaw in ties after more than a year of rising tension and fears of war over the North's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

There they agreed that Moon would visit the North's capital in the autumn, though the pair met again in May in an unannounced meeting at Panmunjom.

No details on an agenda for next month's talks were announced, but the two Koreas have been discussing a range of issues, from a possible peace declaration to joint economic and infrastructure projects.

The progress between the two Koreas comes as North Korea and the United States are struggling to agree on how to bring about the North's denuclearisation, after Kim vowed to work toward that goal at a landmark summit in June in Singapore with U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. officials have told Reuters that North Korea had yet to agree to a timeline for eliminating its nuclear arsenal or to disclose its size, which U.S. estimates have put at between 30 and 60 warheads.

After Monday's talks, Ri Son Gwon, the chairman of a North Korean committee aiming for the "peaceful reunification" of the peninsula, told his South Korean counterpart, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, it was important to clear "obstacles" preventing inter-Korean relations from moving forward.

Story continues

"If the issues that were raised at the talks aren't resolved, unexpected problems could emerge and the issues that are already on the schedule may face difficulties," Ri said, without giving details.

PROBLEMS

One issue that has angered North Korea recently has been the case of a dozen North Korean restaurant workers who came to the South in 2016 via China.

The North says they were abducted by the South and should be returned, and has raised the possibility of the issue creating an obstacle to the reunion of some families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War, planned for next week.

Cho did not say if North Korea had raised the case of the restaurant workers on Monday, merely saying it had not brought up new issues.

"There were mentions that if there are problems to be resolved by both sides, on humanitarian issues or for the development of inter-Korean relations, we should do it," the minister told reporters.

Cho said the two sides had exchanged views on the North's denuclearisation and on a peace mechanism to replace the armistice that ended fighting during the Korean War.

Moon and Kim agreed during their first summit to push for a declaration of an end to the Korean War together with the United States this year, but Washington has said it would only be possible after the North abandons its nuclear programme.

Last month, the North's state media criticised the South accusing it of only caring only about the views of the United States and failing to take practical steps to advance inter-Korean relations.

South Korea hopes to restart efforts on a cross-peninsula railway and a joint industrial park but has been cautious about major projects due to international sanctions chiefly engineered by Washington over the North's nuclear and missile programmes.

The North has urged the United States to end the sanctions, saying it had made goodwill gestures, including a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, the dismantling of a nuclear site, and the return of the remains of some U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.

"The North is asking the South to play a bridging role as they want the United States to speed up progress in declaring an end to the war officially," said Seo Yu-seok, a researcher at the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Christopher Green, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, said the North could try to increase pressure on the South to deliver on economic promises made at the April summit, while widening the distance between Seoul and Washington.

Ri said the two sides had agreed on a date for the summit, but he declined to elaborate.

Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman of South Korea's presidential office, said it would be difficult for the summit to happen before the Sept. 9 anniversary of North Korea's founding, a major holiday there.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Joyce Lee and Joint Press Corps; Additional reporting by Josh Smith, Haejin Choi and Daeun Yi; Editing by Robert Birsel and Darren Schuettler)Mario Abdo Benitez took office Wednesday as Paraguay's new president, four months after playing down close family ties with the South American country's late dictator to win a tight election race. The 46-year-old conservative took the oath of office at a ceremony in the capital Asuncion, attended by hundreds of dignitaries including seven heads of state. He pledged to work with the opposition to push through reforms, but will also have to overcome divisions within his own Colorado ruling party -- a rift so deep that outgoing president Horacio Cartes skipped the ceremony. "I hope I can demonstrate through my conduct that I will be a leader who considers the future of his country, in whom you can trust," he said. He also expressed solidarity with the peoples of Nicaragua and Venezuela and Nicaragua. "In the face of abuses of power, our libertarian voices will not be silent, Paraguay will not remain indifferent to the suffering of these fraternal peoples." - Stroessner Aide - Abdo Benitez's father was a top aide to feared dictator Alfredo Stroessner and was also a distant cousin of the general. The business-friendly former senator said his April election victory had shown that Paraguayans had turned the page on the darkest chapter of their recent history. He said he would largely maintain Cartes' economic policies, which have led to consistent growth, due mainly to buoyant soybean and beef exports. The IMF has forecast growth of 4.5 percent in 2018 and 2019. But the outgoing government showed little progress in alleviating a poverty rate running at 26.4 percent and endemic corruption, with Paraguay languishing 135th out of 180 countries ranked by Transparency International. The presidential inauguration came a week after thousands took part in street protests in Asuncion against political corruption. He campaigned on a pledge to tackle corruption in the judicial system. - Party problems - One of his priorities will be healing the wounds within the ruling Colorado party, in power almost continuously since 1947. Seven Colorado senators and 20 MPs joined Cartes' boycott of the ceremony. The factions clashed last year over Cartes' unsuccessful bid to change the constitution to allow him another term. "His party finds itself deeply divided and the opposition can back him if his projects are genuine, democratic and if they show that his government is liberal," opposition Liberal Party leader Miguel Abdon Saguier told AFP. The Colorado party has a minority in Congress, with 41 of 80 seats in the lower house but only 17 of 45 seats in the senate. The divisions rob Abdo Benitez of important momentum during his crucial first months in office, analysts said. "This is a key time, important for any government, Abdo is going to have to build legitimacy," Argentine analyst Daniel Montoya told AFP. Among the regional heads of state and other dignitaries at the inauguration was Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, who said in a Tweet he had taken the opportunity to thank Cartes for moving Paraguay's embassy to Jerusalem. It became the third country to do so in May, after the United States and Guatemala. Before his death in Brazil in 2006, Stroessner was accused by human rights groups of up to 3,000 killings and disappearances during his 1954-1989 rule.The Philippines bagged first place in the World Skill Olympics for Commercial Vehicle Distributors in the Asia and Pacific region.

Hosted by Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) last July 19 at the Hyundai Logistics Center (HLC) in Calamba Laguna, twelve top service technicians from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar competed for a chance to represent Asia Pacific at the very first Technical Truck and Bus World Skills Olympics in Korea this October 2018.

The Philippine won first place, with Gary Junio and Mark Eric Rellosa leading the pack; second place went to Thiha Saw and Aye Chan Aung of Myanmar; and third place went to Vu inh Cong and Le Hong Ninh of Vietnam.

Junio and Rellosa will represent the Philippines in the Hyundai Motor Companys (HMC) first-ever Technical Truck and Bus World Skills Olympics in Korea.

The World Skill Olympics, which started in 1995, celebrates and showcases the abilities of the best Service technicians for passenger cars. It aims to encourage service personnel in the world to update and improve their knowledge and skills, and to find new avenues of enhancing the after-sales customer experience.

According to Park Sung Hwan, general manager of HMC Commercial Vehicle Technical Division, after-sales service is the most important aspect that helps maintain and grow the truck and bus business.

He also added that HMC chose the Philippines to host the first-ever World Skills Olympics for Commercial Vehicles because HARI has shown the highest level of cooperation (as host to the 2018 Hyundai Global Commercial Vehicle Service Conference in April this year). HARI has a well-organized team, excellent facilities, and the experience to stage such an event.

The post PH Bags First Place in Regional Hyundai World Skills Olympics appeared first on Carmudi Philippines.The Auditor General has charged the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for breaching the constitution as well as the public financial management Act.



According to the 2016 Auditor Generals report on Consolidated Funds, EOCO kept GH1,168,998.37 it recovered from individuals and organizations in 2015 in contravention of article 176 of the constitution.



The Auditor General further stated that it noted that the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) failed to disclose an accumulated interest of GH806,407 which formed part of the DANIDA loan.



The failure of MoF (Ministry of Finance) to ensure effective management of these loans accounted for this state of affairs, the Auditor General Daniel Domelevo stated in his report.



Mr Domelevo has, therefore, recommended that Debt Management Division (DMD) and Public Debt and Investment (PDI) should strengthen their collaboration to ensure full recovery of all outstanding debts due Government of Ghana (GoG).



I also urged CAGD to restate the loan balance to reflect the accrued interest and ensure that all monies deposited into EOCO accounts are reconciled and transferred into the Consolidated Fund, he added.



Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Monday to answer questions on the development, the Deputy Finance Minister Abena Asare said EOCO was supposed to have transferred the monies that they have collected to us.



Responding to a question from the Chairman of the Committee James Klutse Avedzi on whether the Finance Ministry had a contract with EOCO to keep the monies, Asare revealed we never stated in any agreement that it should be a year, no! But they failed to do that and we drew their attention to it.



Asked if the Ministry has any sanction for EOCO for contravening of article 176 of the constitution, Asare said EOCO is a State Institution not like a debt collecting institution that you engaged with terms. They should have paid into the Consolidated Account as and when they got the monies and we believe that as we have pointed it out to them, EOCO will desist from keeping monies that have collected on behalf of the Ministry.

Source: Starrfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoHong Kong police have arrested seven men in connection with a HK$10 million (US$1.27 million) robbery that took place in a busy shopping district a week ago.

Five of the suspects were picked up in a series of raids carried out on Wednesday morning, according to police.

Acting chief inspector Chan Ka-ying of the Yau Tsim district crime squad said the other two men were arrested on Monday and Tuesday.

No money was recovered, she said, adding that investigations were ongoing and further arrests were expected.

The robbery happened on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, at about 7.15pm last Wednesday after three men withdrew HK$10 million from a money exchanger, put the cash in a suitcase and took it to their car.

Chan said five men approached the trio, and one robber used a glass bottle to attack one of the victims.

As the trio gave chase to the attacker, the suitcase was taken by two of the gang and loaded into a seven-seater car. The five robbers escaped on foot and the car was driven away by the sixth suspect before police arrived.

At about 10am on Wednesday, one of the suspects, who was hooded and handcuffed, was escorted by police back to the scene to reconstruct the crime.

A police spokesman said one of the seven men, aged 20, had been charged with one count of robbery and would appear in Kowloon City Court on Wednesday afternoon.

This article Seven men arrested for HK$10 million robbery in Hong Kongs Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Driven by the ongoing recovery in global trade and the resilient domestic demand, the Singapore economy is expected to expand by 2.7 percent this year

Singapore has fallen behind Hong Kong in global liveability.

Singapore has been ranked as the 37th most liveable city in the world in the Economist Intelligence Units (EIU) Global Liveability Index, down two spots from its previous ranking.

The city-state was overtaken by Hong Kong by a marginal difference of 0.1 percent, as it settled in 35th place.

More:

Hong Kongs ranking fell significantly in 2015 due to heightened concerns of unrest as part of the Umbrella Revolution and was even surpassed by Singapore for the first time last year.

Despite the drop in its ranking, Singapore registered the highest possible score in the public healthcare category this year.

A part of the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, EIUs liveability rating assigns scores to 140 cities based on healthcare, stability, education, infrastructure as well as culture and environment, reported Channel NewsAsia.

Melbourne has been overtaken by Vienna for the first time in seven years as the worlds most liveable city.

A long-running contender to the title, Vienna has succeeded in displacing Melbourne from the top spot due to increases in the Austrian capitals stability category ratings, said EIU, referring to one of the five headline components in the index.

Viennas low crime rate and a downgraded threat of militant attacks in western Europe helped push the city to first place.

While in the past couple of years cities in Europe were affected by the spreading perceived threat of terrorism in the region, which caused heightened security measures, the past year has seen a return to normalcy.

Osaka, Calgary and Sydney rounded off the top five list in the survey, while Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, Lagos in Nigeria and Syrias Damascus occupy the last three spots.

Home buyers looking for Singapore Properties may like to visit our Listings, Project Reviews and Guides.

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sgBangladesh police said they had arrested a prominent student leader Wednesday, in the latest detention of government critics following protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill earlier this month. Authorities have taken social media activists, journalists and students into custody in the days since the demonstrations were violently dispersed. Lutfun Nahar Luma was arrested at her grandfather's home in the north of Bangladesh where she had been "hiding" since the end of the protests, said Sirajganj district police chief Abdur Razzaque. "There is an allegation that she has conspired against the government," Razzaque told AFP. Dhaka and other cities were paralysed for more than a week as tens of thousands of young students students blocked the streets to demand road safety measures, following the death of two teenage pedestrians in a bus accident. About 1,000 people were injured in the unrest when the protests were broken up. Numerous people have been arrested since, including renowned photographer Shahidul Alam, a television actress and the head of an online media outlet. Authorities have also this month arrested at least seven leaders of a series of demonstrations earlier this year as police widened their dragnet. Luma was a leader of the April protests, which called for an end to discriminatory recruitment policies in the Bangladeshi civil service. Bangladesh police have announced the arrest of at least 12 online activists accused of spreading rumours but not given a figure for the overall number of detentions. Nazmul Islam, a senior officer of the unit, said on Monday that they were looking for 50-60 people accused of spreading rumours during the protests. "All of them are hiding. Some of them are outside the country," Islam told AFP. Famed writer Pinaki Bhattacharya is among the high-profile government critics arrested in the crackdown and has not been seen since intelligence officers asked him to report to their headquarters on August 5, his father told AFP. In recent years Bhattacharya, a doctor and former student leader during pro-democracy protests in 1990, has been an outspoken opponent of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said arrests targeting student protesters and journalists have created "an atmosphere of fear, putting a serious chill on free speech". "Authorities should halt arbitrary arrests, prosecute those involved in violent attacks, and immediately and unconditionally release people it has thrown in jail, said Brad Adams, Asia director for the rights group.Terengganu Islamic courts have convicted and charged two women for attempting to have lesbian sex, and sentenced each to a fine of RM3,300 (US$800), and six strokes of the cane, after both plead guilty.

Courts charged the women under the syariah law known as musahaqah, which bans lesbian sex.

Prosecuting lawyer Muhamad Khasmizan Abdullah has said that the verdict is a first for them, in terms of a conviction of same-sex relations in the east coast state. He also added that sexual intercourse between people of the same sex is forbidden in Islam.

It is an offence and morally wrong, he postulated over the phone.

The two women are currently out on bail, awaiting the meting out of their punishment later this month.

However, activist groups are not taking the action against the couple lightly, re-affirming that the couple were two consenting adults, and that courts punishment was tantamount to torture.

Justice for Sisters has highlighted that while there have been cases of lesbian couples being arrested, though no reports of such punishments being handed out.

They are worried that the ruling will set a precedent for other couples, and will add to the discrimination currently being faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community in the country.

Last week, two prominent LGBTQ+ activists had their portraits removed from a photo exhibition at the behest of an Islamic Affairs ministry official, setting off a litany of criticism from rights groups, and the public at large.

In April of this year, Islamic enforcement officers found the two women, aged 32 and 22, in a parked car, attempting to engage in sexual acts. Officers reported that one of the women was in a state of undress, and that a sex toy was also discovered in the car.

For the record, Malaysias penal code states that the possession of any obscene objects whatsoever is a punishable crime.

You know that they say: One persons vibrator is anothers massage device.

The post Two women in Terengganu convicted of lesbian sex, will be fined and caned appeared first on Coconuts.Alpha7 is currently looking for investors to support their regional expansion plan to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand

Singapore-based cloud company Alpha7 today announced that it has raised a total of US$5.2 million in private funding to date, following a US$2.7 million seed funding round the company has raised previously.

e27 has reached out to the company to find out more details about their latest funding round and funding history.

In a press statement, the startup said that it is currently looking for investors to support their regional expansion plan to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. It has also secured clients in Singapore, Australia, and Europe.

Founded in 2014 by CEO Lynette Seah, Alpha7 aims to promote the use of cloud and digital tech to business owners, entrepreneurs and CXOs to help them grow their businesses.

Also Read: Google to invest US$350M to build third data centre in Singapore to expand cloud platform capabilities

It described its service as a COO-as-a-service.

The startup has launched its digital dashboard A7 IoB (A7 Internet of Business) in August 2017. The platform enables business owners to view their business data (on marketing, sales, operations, finance and HR) in just one place. It can also be used by enterprises to provide services for their SME clients.

The platform has already been customised for a tech partner in Sweden and Alpha7 is working on getting exclusive terms to collaborate with the company in Europe.

It claimed to have 500 users online.

The startup said it is working with a Singapore business accelerator that is a joint venture between top Asian bank and a government-backed venture capitalist fund under the National Research Foundation of Singapore to help SMEs embrace digital technology.



Image Credit: Alpha7

The post With US$5.2M in funding, Singapores Alpha7 sets to accelerate international expansion appeared first on e27.Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen underscored her administrations focus on freedom and democracy during her two-day stopover in the United States, shrugging off mounting pressure from Beijing to return to its fold.

Addressing supporters and US officials at the Berlin Wall monument at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library just outside Los Angeles on Monday, Tsai quoted the late American president, saying: Everything is negotiable except two things: our freedom and our future.

Beijing sees Taiwan as a wayward province subject to eventual union, by force if necessary, and has ramped up pressure on Tsai to accept the one China principle, an understanding that there is only one China but each side has its own interpretation of what that means.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen heads to Latin America to shore up diplomatic ties

Beijing considers the understanding the foundation for any cross-strait talks but, unlike her predecessor Ma Ying-jeou, Tsai has resisted going down that path since she became president in May 2016.

As a result, Beijing has held a series military exercises near the island, wooed away four of Taipeis allies, and pressured international airlines to not refer to the self-ruled island as a non-Chinese territory.

Freedom and democracy are important values for Taiwan, and Taiwan abides by its commitment to promote regional stability under the principles of national interest, freedom, and democracy, Tsai said in her address on Monday before leaving for Paraguay and Belize, two of Taipeis 18 remaining allies. This is what all Taiwanese people feel.

During her two days in Los Angeles, the Taiwanese president was given an unprecedentedly high level of courtesy, according to Taiwanese media.

How Donald Trumps Taiwan hands approach cross-strait tensions as Tsai Ing-wen lands in America

Apart from visiting the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Tsai also toured the Cultural Centre of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and state institutes. In a break with the past, the media contingent travelling with her were also allowed to report on all of her activities, including her meetings with US congressmen and New Mexico governor Susana Martinez. Previously, aides or Taiwanese lawmakers travelling with the leader would brief the media after the event.

Story continues

Taiwanese analysts said Tsais warm reception in the US included US President Donald Trumps signing of the National Defence Authorisation Act, which opens the door to bigger arms deals and military exchanges with Taiwan.

Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen to transit in US on trip to Paraguay and Belize

Beijing protested against the signing of the act, saying it violated the one-China policy that Washington had agreed to.

Alexander Wang, a professor at the Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan, said Washington might offer an even higher level of courtesy next time Tsai visited as long as such small progress did not overly provoke Beijing.

[Tsai] was probably given such courtesy because of the attitude of the US Congress in the past few years that Taiwan should not be treated unreasonably, and Beijings more recent persistent suppression of Taiwan, Wang said.

He said it was not in line with American interests for Taiwan to bow to pressure from Beijing, given Washingtons desire for Taipei to stand with it to counter the Chinese mainland.

This article Warm, high-profile welcome for Taiwanese president in the United States first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Shiraz is based on the true story of the 17th century Mughal ruler Shah Jahan, his queen and the building of the worlds most beautiful monument to love, the Taj Mahal. Shot entirely in India, it features lavish costumes and gorgeous settings, including the extraordinary fort at Agra.

Himansu Rai (also the films producer) stars as the humble potter Shiraz, who follows his childhood sweetheart Selima (Enakshi Rama Rau) when she is sold by slave traders to the future emperor.

Newly restored by the BFI National Archive, and looking better than it ever has, the film also features a sumptuous new score from world-renowned sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar.White paper: Raising the bar for digital employee experience

The workplace is becoming mobile and always available, forcing organisations to reimagine the employee experience.

Read moreAbout Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profileThe title of Jeffrey Lewis new novel, The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States, gives you a pretty good idea of whats inside. Written in the style of the 9/11 Commission Report, it recounts a disturbingly plausible series of events that lead to the governments of U.S. President Donald Trump, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in starting a nuclear war that kills millions of people in Asia and the United States.

Advertisement

In the year 2020, as imagined by the book with painstaking detail and bleak humor, the current era of good feelings between the U.S. and North Korea has ended and Trump has returned to his little rocket man taunts. The crisis begins when North Korea shoots down a South Korean civilian airliner, mistaking it for a bomberan incident with a real-world precedent. An unexpectedly aggressive military response from South Korea combined with an ill-timed tweet from Trump, while on his way to a tee time in Mar-a-Lago, to make Kim believe he is under attack and that a nuclear strike is his only option for survival.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Lewis, a blogger, columnist at Foreign Policy, and scholar at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, is a leading authority on nuclear weapons, frequently quoted in news articles about the North Korea crisis. The books realism is heightened by his detailed descriptions of the safeguards and strategies in place to prevent a nuclear catastropheand how they break downas well as real quotations from survivors of the Hiroshima attacks, repurposed to tell the story of the aftermath of a modern-day nuclear strike.

Advertisement

I spoke with Lewis about why we underestimate the risk of nuclear war, why we overestimate how much that risk has to do with Trump himself, and why recent events havent made him any less worried. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Joshua Keating: I was surprised by how up to date the timeline in the book is. But you didnt quite get the Singapore summit in there. Has anything that has happened since changed your views on how likely this scenario is?

Jeffrey Lewis: No. In fact, kind of the opposite. It was very funny because when the summit was announced, the publicity people were like, maybe we wont publish the book now because Kim Jong-uns going to give up his nuclear weapons. And I was like, did you read the book? This is literally what happens in the book. Then, of course, things started to get complicated.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But other than your overall views, are there things that have happened since you finished writing that you wish you could have included?

Definitely the thing about Trump not understanding time zones. I would have made so much hay with that, but if I had invented it, no one would have believed it. I would have had that be a consequential plot point, that he literally couldnt understand that the Earth was round and that it was warm and sunny here and the middle of the night there.

Advertisement

But for all that Trump and his Twitter account play a major role in the story, a lot of the events that lead up to your nuclear war are kind of independent of him: the shoot-down of the plane, how South Korea responds, how Mattis responds. Do you think that sometimes Trump makes us understate the risks that are there regardless of who is president?

Advertisement

Yes, that is exactly the point. Trump sheds a light on all these risks that we live with every day. He makes us question how well our institutions are designed. And the fact is, theyre not that well-designed. Weve gotten really lucky in the past. Trump helps us focus on what happens when that luck runs out.

Advertisement

As much as I dont like the man, in the book I kind of treat him more as a force of nature than as some kind of malign personality. Its clear throughout the book that at no point is he interested in a war. He feels pushed and pressed. Hes never a deliberate actor who puts in place a plan that comes to fruition. He thrashes about, and its all the movements around him that generate the nuclear war.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Right, although as bad as things get in the book, at one point you hint that it could get even worse when the president is talking about bombing China as well. Were you ever tempted to go full apocalyptic with this?

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fact is that the North Korean arsenal is only a certain size and could only be a certain size by 2020. I felt like the war was always going to be limited, which then frees me to have this commission. Without spoiling anything, when you get to the end, I dont envision a dystopia. It looks shockingly like the situation now. Its almost like you go through this and say, Oh my God, were kind of in the dystopia already.

The accounts of the victims of the nuclear blasts in the book are all taken from testimonies of Hiroshima victims, right?

Yeah, theyre all from Hiroshima. Im a member of the governor of Hiroshimas roundtable on disarmament, so I go every year. Thats a really important experience for me. I find that the real testimonies are incredibly moving, and it didnt feel right to make up stories of suffering when there already are such stories. And Id like more people to engage with that literature, which I know can be hard. Im hoping that at least some portion of readers go back to the originals. If they cant contemplate this happening to them, maybe they can think about people it did happen to and consider different choices they could make.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

One thing I found kind of refreshing in the book is the depiction of North Korean leaders as basically rational, even if they have some disturbing ideas. I wonder if the depictions of the North Koreans as wacky and crazy in both news coverage and pop culture has played some role in us underestimating the nuclear threat.

Advertisement

Hmm. I think the word youre looking for is racism! I started my career working on Chinas nuclear program. And I was struck that when I would go to China and interview people involved in their program about the choices theyd made and the historical reasons for them, and then Id come back to the U.S. and talk about Chinas nuclear weapons programit was like talking about two different countries.

Advertisement

I struggled here at the Middlebury Institute when we did open-source research on the reasons why North Korea developed nuclear weapons. People were pretty resistant to imagining that the North Koreans had their own ideas about why they need nuclear weapons. We all say, Oh, those ideas are crazy. But you know what? Our ideas are crazy, too. Pretty much everyones ideas about nuclear weapons are insane.

Advertisement

When you step back you can see that two groups of people with crazy ideas about nuclear weapons, even if theyre being rational in a narrow sense, the system as a whole is chaotic.

Does the China comparison suggest how we will one day look at North Koreas weapons as well? Not liking that they have them, but accepting them as a reality?

Advertisement

Yep. To be honest, I think thats what the North Koreans are bargaining for now. Whenever I say that the North Koreans arent going to give up their nuclear weapons, theres this assumption that Im therefore against negotiations. Im for negotiating for something that we might actually achieve. Theyre looking for a deal similar to Israel, Pakistan, and India, where they dont talk about their weapons and we dont talk about them.

Another passage that really stuck with me was about missile defense and Trumps belief that its 97 percent effective. You suggest in the book that the people around him might be letting him believe that, even though its not true, that they prefer he underestimate the danger from North Korea so he doesnt do anything really stupid like starting a war. Is that something you also think about in trying to make the public aware of this danger? That if people really understood it, they might overreact?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its a huge problem in our field. When people are presented with a threat, they either pretend it doesnt exist, or they freak out and shut down. So you want to present people with accurate information, and you dont want to trigger this unhelpful responses where they want to bomb everyone or hole up in their bunker. In the book, one way that I tried to do that is to focus on survivor stories. Its terrible, but theres a sense that life goes on.

When people are confronted with the problem and our unwillingness to change our behavior, they say that once theres a nuclear use, people will figure it out. There have already been two nuclear uses, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and we didnt figure it out then. The commission in the book has two more uses, and it doesnt figure it out.

We have enough information now. We could start making different choices now.



The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States by Jeffrey Lewis. Mariner Books.

See all the pieces in the Slate Book Review.Justin Torres We the Animals is a slim, lyrical gut-punch of a novel. Composed of vignettes that offer unfettered access to the interior life of their protagonist and little dialogue, its all formative feelings and scattered recollections that swing between the dreamily poetic and the painfully precise. These same qualities that make Torres semi-autobiographical debut so powerful would also seem to make it nearly impossible to adapt for the screen.

Director Jeremiah Zagar was determined to do so anyway, and hes been open about first having tried and then discarded a more faithful translation from text to screen. Ultimately, he and fellow screenwriter Daniel Kitrosser, working closely with Torres himself, have emerged with a work thats different in structure but remains true to the books essenceand one that stands apart from other coming-of-age stories as a result.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The heart of the film, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, remains the same: A young Puerto Rican father (Looking heartthrob Raul Castillo) and a white mother (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night star Sheila Vand) navigate financial hardships and their own tempestuous marriage while raising three boys in upstate New York. The sons, left mostly to their own devices and alienated from the white inhabitants of their industrial town, rely on each other for companionship and protectionuntil the youngest, Jonah, begins to find himself diverging from the expected path.

The film is a closely, compassionately observed study of a boyhood thats otherwise largely unsupervised.

The books already-scarce conversations and exposition have been pruned back yet further, but cinematographer Zak Mulligan makes up the difference in visuals as vivid as Torres prose. Careful camerawork means we take in the world as Jonah does: We never see Paps hit Ma, but we do steal a shaky glance at the bloody tissue on the bedside table. And when Jonahs imaginationor his traumatakes him further afield, we follow, plunging underwater or drinking in gorgeous sweeping shots of wooded hills and open skies.

Advertisement

Zagar is a documentarian at heart, and it shows: The film is a closely, compassionately observed study of a boyhood thats otherwise largely unsupervised. He elicits impressively naturalistic performances from his child stars (Evan Rosado as Jonah, Isaiah Kristian as Manny, and Josiah Gabriel as Joel), all first-time actors who shine in difficult roles. The three move in unison, almost indistinguishable at the outset, but gradually make their personalities known. Where one brother smirks at their fathers jokes at their mothers expense, the other puts an arm around the visibly discomfited Jonah. And Castillo himself is magnetic, charming one moment and furious or wounded the next. When he struggles not to cry in front of his boys, its impossible for them or us to look away.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Throughout, the film is charged with a longing for another life in another place. Ma fantasizes about running away to Spain, where, she tells her sons, all the boys look like you. Jonah dreams of joining his teenage crush in Philly. Crucially, though, this yearning and the creeping sadness that comes with it are punctuated by real, intense joy.

The most potent scenes are somewhere in between. After Paps leaves with no plans to return, the boys play-act as their parents, roleplaying their reunion over the phone. Jonah, pitching his voice higher in imitation of Ma, informs Paps that she hasnt been returning his calls because he sounds so ugly. But when they run out of banter, the ritual reveals itself as a poor substitute for real catharsis. Its a game until, abruptly, it isnt.

Advertisement

These moments have a profound impact on Jonah, and Zagar finds a neat way of expressing that shift. The journal in which the novels older protagonist sharpened insults against his family, cultivating a facility with language and a bitter spite, becomes something more abstract and more visceral in the hands of the films 10-year-old lead: reams of illustrations (animated by Mark Samsonovich) that turn from child-like doodles to a disturbingly primal scrawl as he struggles to process the reality of sex, violence, and his increasingly fraught family dynamic.

Advertisement

The timeline of the novelwhich follows Jonah from age 6 through to his late teensis collapsed into a six-month period.

How the harshness they witness will be internalized or rejected by each boy becomes the crux of their respective emotional arcs. Here, though, the timeline of the novelwhich follows Jonah from age 6 through to his late teensis collapsed into a six-month period. The difference in age necessarily softens some of the actions and reactions that shape the plot, but Kitrosser and Zagar still want to illustrate the way their protagonist has begun to break away from the titular we, forcing them to rush his brothers adolescence while forestalling Jonahs own. In doing so, they excise both the erotic element and the central tragedy of the novel: The encounter that establishes Jonahs essential difference is so chaste it seems unlikely to ruffle even the mother who deems him nine plus one years old so hell never grow up and leave her.

The fact that Jonah is so young means the writers hands are partially tied when it comes time to land that final gut-punch, and the effect is to leave the film feeling somewhat unfinished. But maybe thats part of the pointto depict a young life in which, for better or for worse, its unclear what comes next.A public charter school in the rural town of Livingston, Alabama, opened its doors on Monday and made history: It was Sumter Countys first integrated school, AL.com reported. Howalmost 65 years after the Brown v. Board Supreme Court casewas that possible?

Partly because of an old tactic used to thwart federal civil rights mandates. There have been other, more widespread systemic roadblocks to integration, such as racist political scheming and redlining, that have made unofficial segregation resilient (and in some cases resurgent) across the country. But in the South, the legacy of segregation academies has stymied educational equality throughout the region.

Advertisement

Sumter County, Alabama, is part of the Black Belt, a rural region named after its dark, rich soil and known also for its mostly black population, a legacy of its plantation slavery days. The countys population is about 76 percent black, yet its public schools are more than 99 percent black. In fact, all but 11 of the 1,500 students in Sumter County public schools in the last school year were black, according to AL.com.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The white students in the county went to the other available educational institution: Sumter Academy. Those familiar with the Southern educational landscape might recognize the schools original purpose from its name and founding date: 1970, just one year after the Supreme Court ordered Alabama schools to immediately desegregate (though 15 years after the Brown v. Board ruling, as the state was skilled at delaying the implementation of federal civil rights decisions). Sumter Academy opened as a workaround to forced integration, and its just one of many former segregation academies across the South.

Advertisement

As Southern states found they could no longer put off public school integration, white parents in the late 60s and early 70s fled the system by enrolling their children in a network of whites-only private schools that suddenly cropped up. Whites-only private schools were not, of course, a new phenomenon: They had long existed around the country for the children of wealthy to be set apart. The difference was that these segregation academies were designed as a direct response to the broadening of civil rights.

These schools have since integrated, at least officially, and some have actively pushed to diversify, for reasons both moralas new generations took over the leadership of the schoolsand practicalas some needed to diversify to qualify for some types of funding, for example. But many remain overwhelmingly white and feed into a system of education inequality that persists to this day.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In Sumter County, the education system continued to feature all-black public schools and an all-white private school. Over the years, the private schools attendance declined. Some attributed it to white families moving from the area to seek other job opportunities or to put their children in other school districts. At the end of the 201617 school year, Sumter Academy closed, with some claiming that the coming charter school had finished it off. Supporters of the public charter school have praised it for bringing white and black students together for the first time. Critics have said it is another way for white families to avoid the other public schools. This years inaugural class has slightly more black students than white.

Explainer thanks Hilary Green, Philo Hutcheson, John Giggie, and Vincent Willis of the University of Alabama and R. Volney Riser of the University of West Alabama.President Donald Trumps revocation of former Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennans security clearanceand his threat to remove the clearances of several current and former intelligence and law enforcement officialssent shockwaves through the national security community on Wednesday.

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who was on a list of officials whose statuses were being reviewed by Trump, told CNN that it was unprecedented for the White House, as opposed to an agency itself, to pull clearance. CNN has also reported that Clappers successor, Dan Coats, was not involved in the decision to revoke Brennans clearance. The larger issue here, to me, throughout has been an infringement of First Amendment rights. And I think people ought to think seriously about that, Clapper told CNN.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Michael Hayden, who ran the National Security Agency under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and the CIA under Bush, told CNN that he hadnt gotten a briefing from the CIA in nine years since leaving that job. With regard to the implied threat today that I could lose my clearance, that will have no impact on what I think, say, or write, he added.

Former Deputy CIA Director John McLaughlin described the move as  ridiculous on MSNBC and said I can think of few things the president has done that more directly indicate a kind of authoritarian attitude in his governing style.

The lawyer for Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director of the FBI who has been a longtime target of Trump, tweeted a response as well:

Advertisement

This has zero to do with national security. This is an Official Enemies List. The offense: exercising 1st Amendment rights. https://t.co/tNLr86S4m5  Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) August 15, 2018

CNN reported that the original date on the presidential announcement that Brennan was losing his status was three weeks ago, which will lend credence to suggestions that Trump made the move in a pique of fury, or to distract from a news cycle dominated by former aide Omarosa Manigault Newmans tell-all book.

AdvertisementKansas Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded the Republican gubernatorial primary to state Secretary of State Kris Kobach Tuesday, a week after polls closed without a clear winner. Colyer, who became governor in January after then-Gov. Sam Brownback resigned to take an ambassadorship in the Trump administration, trailed Kobach by only 191 votes after the initial tally of the 300,000-plus cast on election day. A mix-up in reporting one countys votes then halved that margin to 91 votes the following day, as the state dived into the some 10,000 provisional ballots to determine a winner in the race that seemed destined not only for a recount, but litigation over the count. Making the contests results even more hazy on the horizon, Kobach initially refused to recuse himself from his official role as secretary of state, even though it presented a clear conflict of interest actively occupying the office that oversees the administration of elections.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Colyer, however, ended his candidacy Tuesday after the tally of provisional ballots in the states largest county, Johnson County, saw him lose ground in his home county that he carried by six points in the general vote. It was an about-face for a candidate that appeared to be gearing up for a legal fight over the count. Colyers legal team sent out a letter to the Johnson County Board of Canvassers an hour before the county certified its election results to call on the county to include 153 ballots that were being discarded because the signature did not match the one in the voters file, the Kansas City Star reports. Colyers legal team argued that Kansas law does not require verification as a precondition to accepting a vote.

Advertisement

Colyer was trailing by just 345 votes as of Tuesday evening, with just 85 of 105 counties having counted their provisional ballots, when the governor called Kobach and conceded the race. Ive just had a conversation with [Kobach] and I congratulated him on his success and I repeated my determination to keep this seat in Republican hands, Colyer said Tuesday. The numbers are just not there unless we were to go to extraordinary measures.

Advertisement

The race now moves to the general where Kobach, who made his name nationally as an advocate for Trumps pet project of combating (so-called) voter fraud that theres no real evidence exists. Despite Kansas beet red reputation, the state hasnt elected consecutive Republicans or Democrats to the governors mansion in 50 years. Adding to the historical headwinds, Kobach is facing an electorate angry with the stewardship of staunch conservative Gov. Brownback after deep tax cuts left the state in economic shambles and functionally broken. The economic calamity that ensued prompted the state Legislature to step in to try to undo the tax cuts, a move so overwhelmingly popular that the state house voted to override Brownbacks veto of efforts to reverse the cuts.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Whether shoddy GOP governance will lead to a resurgent Democratic ticket in the state will fall to Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka, who won a five-way race for the nomination.

Potentially complicating matters for Kelly is the presence of independent candidate businessman Greg Orman, who sailed past the 5,000 signatures required to get on the ballot, registering 10,000 backers. While the dynamics of the race are sure to change now that the candidates are set, a July poll by Remington Research Group provides an initial snapshot of the state of play. The survey of a then-hypothetical Kelly-Orman-Kobach race put Kelly and Kobach in front in a statistical tie at 36 percent for Kelly and 35 percent for Kobach, trailed by Orman at 12 percent, and 17 percent undecided.U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison cruised to the Democratic nomination for Minnesota attorney general on Tuesday, just days after allegations surfaced that he had once physically assaulted his former girlfriend.

Ellison denies the alleged incident happened, though the Democratic National Committee says it is reviewing the matter. All allegations of domestic abuse are disturbing and should be taken seriously, the DNC said in a statement Tuesday. Ellison has served as the DNCs deputy chairman since 2017, when he lost a bid to be the partys chairman. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a close Ellison ally who endorsed his AG campaign, have not yet commented on the abuse allegations, first raised by the son of Ellisons ex-girlfriend over the weekend.

Advertisement

With about a third of votes counted, Ellison, a six-term congressman, led the five-person field with 53 percent of the vote, while his next closest challenger, Debra Hilstrom, was at 16 percent. It was not immediately clear how many ballots were cast during early voting, which began in June.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ellisons district is the most liberal in Minnesota, and his decision to trade a safe seat and the DNC spotlight for the chance to become the top prosecutor in the 22nd most populous state in the nation came as something of a shock when he announced it in June, shortly before the filing deadline. But state AGs have proved to be the first line of the Trump #Resistance, and should he win in November, Ellison would be well positioned to lead the charge against the presidents agenda on everything from immigration to climate change. When this moment in history is written, theres got to be a chapter on state attorneys general, standing up for immigrants, standing up for students, he told the New Republic last month. Its why I want to be a part of it.

Advertisement

While Ellisons campaign rolled to victory in the primary, its still unclear what effect the allegations will have on his party in the general election, and should he become attorney general, on his ability to do the job. Former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken resigned from the Senate last year under pressure from his Democratic colleagues after seven woman came forward to accuse him of groping or forcibly kissing them. Another AG with a national profile, Eric Schneiderman of New York, resigned in May after four women accused him of physically assaulting them.

Advertisement

The allegation against Ellison, which involves a single incident, was first made by the son of Karen Monahan, a Minneapolis political organizer who dated the unmarried congressman for several years. In a Facebook post this past weekend, the son claimed he had seen both angry text messages Ellison sent to Monahan and a video of Ellison dragging her off a bed. Monahan later confirmed her sons storyEvery statement he made was trueand filled in her backstory in an interview with Minnesota Public Radio this week:

Advertisement

Advertisement

The alleged incident  happened at Ellisons Minneapolis home. In Monahans telling the couple had a verbal confrontation, so she slept in a guest bedroom. The next morning she said she was listening to a podcast on her phone when Ellison came into the room, asked her to take out the garbage before he left town, and grew upset when she ignored him. Then, according to Monahan, he pulled her from the bed by an ankle and shouted profanities at her. She says she recorded it on her phone, which she was holding at the time.

Monahan says she still has the video but that she will not make it public, in part, because doing so unfairly raises the bar for others to come forward to report abuse. It sets the expectation for survivors of all kinds of forms of abuse, whether it be abuse toward women, abuse from police officers, abuse from other people in power, to have to be the ones, like Im doing right now, to show and prove their stories, she told MPR. Its feeding into that.

Ellison has denied any such tape exists, saying the incident never happened. He will likely continue to face questions about the incident in the general election, when he faces off against GOP nominee Doug Wardlow, a former state lawmaker and an attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a well-funded conservative Christian legal organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed a hate group. The winner will replace Democratic AG Lori Swanson, who opted to run for governor instead of a fourth term.My 9-year-old brother is a happy, healthy, wide-eyed third-grader. He sneaks a flashlight under the covers at night to read Harry Potter and goes on and on about Minecraft and Legos. Hes also brilliant and full of creative energy, excels at math and science, and plays piano and guitar. And the other day, perhaps a bit precociously, he asked me why the news was telling him it would be harder for him and his Asian friends to get into college someday.

Advertisement

What he was referring to is, of course, the recent class-action lawsuit against Harvard, which has produced headlines like Harvard Rated Asian-American Applicants Lower on Personality Traits and revealed prejudiced comments made by admissions officers such as would she relax and have any fun? Time again, these officers described Asian applicants as indistinguishable from one another, feeding into dangerous stereotypes. It was also horrifying to learn from the lawsuit that Asians received, on average, much lower personal ratings from admissions officialsratings that are supposedly calculated based on traits such as likability, courage, and kindness.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The suit is a validation of the very real, and very palpable, injustices that generations of Asian Americans have felt for years, from being denied minority status at Harvard in 1976 to somehow facing the absurd consequences of performing just too well now that this status has been granted. This is a matter of textbook racial discrimination that must be addressed. The actors orchestrating the lawsuit, however, are in the same camp as white conservatives and the Jeff Sessionsled Justice Department. These groups have only thinly concealed their ulterior motive of using the lawsuit to help replace affirmative action with a race-blind, perfect meritocracy, despite the fact that evidence from the lawsuit itself shows that this meritocratic vision is a total fabrication. Whats needed is not a new race-blind admission policy but one that actually attempts to redress some of the key factors that help maintain a status quo of white privilege at our nations universities: the abolition of the legacy and other white-racial-preference systems.

Advertisement

Blum and like-minded conservatives are strategically positioning Asian Americans as pawns in a larger agenda to dismantle race-based affirmative action.

First, its important to recognize the history behind this suit. The architect and financier is conservative Edward Blum, who similarly sponsored the Fisher v. University of Texas case, in which a white student accused UTAustin of prejudiced admissions policies against Caucasian applicants. The Supreme Court rejected her claim, upholding the legitimacy of affirmative action. Now, Asian Americans are being pushed to the forefront of this debate, as the nonprofit Students for Fair Admissions, backed by Blum, is exposing Harvards insidious discrimination against them.

Advertisement

Its brilliant, really, on Blums end. Unable to make a substantial case with a white plaintiff, he turned to a group that has been repeatedly proven to suffer from unfavorable admissions policies at elite colleges. Despite their higher test scores, grades, and equally stellar extracurriculars, Asian American students are accepted to Harvard and other top-tier schools at much lower rates proportional to their applicant pool.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But Blum and like-minded conservatives are strategically positioning Asian Americans as pawns in a larger agenda to dismantle race-based affirmative action policies and create a race-blind admissions system. Instead of pitting a white student against blacks and Latinos, as they did in Fisher, they are now rechallenging affirmative action by making it about Asians versus other minorities.

A closer look at the evidence, though, shows precisely how the system of pure meritocracy envisioned by Blum and his conservative cohort is a fraud. In one exhibit submitted by an expert witness for the plaintiffs, Duke University economist Peter Arcidiacono, all the calculations are made specifically excluding athletes, legacies, students on the deans or directors interest list, and children of Harvard faculty and staff. Arcidiacono claims that each of these characteristics is associated with a preference by Harvard, and thus an increased chance of admission. Excluding them from the baseline allows me to more easily compare similarly-situated candidates, and thus better perceive the role that race/ethnicity is playing (both positively and negatively) in Harvards admissions process.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And therein lies the crux of the antiaffirmative action camps masterful positioningthey are insisting that we completely disregard an entire subset of elite-college applicants who benefit from their legacy and wealth in order to create a remaining group that is similarly situated. This method of cherry-picking favorable data excludes favored-admission groups that are overwhelmingly white and wealthy and have almost double the admission rates of regular applicants. The exhibit shows that 21.5 percent of the admitted white population are legacies, compared to 4.8 percent of admitted blacks, 7 percent of admitted Hispanics, and 6.6 percent of admitted Asians.

To move to a race-blind, merit-based system would be to refuse to acknowledge that a racial reflection of the current wealthy, educated elite in America is largely white and that they are the ones who wield the power, legacy, and influence to send their children to the same top schools as they once did. All merit-based really means, in such a context, is perpetuating this cycle of wealth begets wealth.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So we Asian Americans find ourselves in an interesting conundrum: As the unjust bearers of a discriminatory admissions system, we are now on the same fighting front as outspoken conservatives who hold a record of defending white privilege. We are a convenient pawn in a battle that we believe to be ours, but in actuality has been carefully orchestrated by those who wish to maintain the status quo of elites in America.

Advertisement

That same America simultaneously lauds my demographics miraculous achievements as those of a model minority, a proven myth magnified by policymakers and pundits, and then turns around and paints us all under the same brushstroke as just another textureless math grind. Yet there has to be a way to reconcile the remedies needed to undo prejudices faced by Asian Americans and implement race-conscious policies that acknowledge the institutionalized and structural disadvantages that blacks and Latinos have endured for generations.

Advertisement

First and foremost, we must reform admissions policies so that elite groups, such as deans interest list applicants and legacies, who stand to benefit from nothing more than the good fortune of inherited privilege, are given no admissions preference whatsoever. Sheryll Cashin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, argues correctly that because it has been proven that children whose parents have attained more years of education tend to have much higher college-attendance rates, legacies neither intrinsically need nor deserve any special admissions treatment.

Furthermore, it is paramount that Asian American applicants should not, by any means, be wrongfully punished for being high-performing minorities. The skewed and preferred admissions of white students above Asians must be remedied while maintaining race-conscious affirmative action policies that continue to give opportunities to other minority groups.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

What is direly needed, particularly at this moment in time, is not a standoff between minority groups, but a reckoning of who holds the power in our country to enter higher education institutions backed by their generational wealth and legacy. It will only be when we direct our real outrage against the status quo toward those who stealthily work to maintain it that we will be able to scrutinize inequitable admissions policies for what they are and seek to reform them in a more judicious way. Maybe then, by the time my little brother is able to apply to colleges, he will be more fairly evaluated, not by the advantages and disadvantages of his race, but by his own unique identity and story.Tuesdays batch of primaries was heavy on historic firsts but light on suspense. The nights biggest surprise occurred in a state that held its primary last week: Kansas, where interim Gov. Jeff Colyer unexpectedly conceded the GOP nomination to Trump-backed Kris Kobach, despite being down just a few hundred votes with a few thousand provisional ballots yet to be counted.

Given Kobachs extreme anti-immigration views, irrational beliefs about voter fraud, and general love of bombast, establishment Republicans have long feared he would prove toxic in a general election. Nonpartisan handicappers agree. Before Colyer conceded, the Cook Political Report saw the governors race as likely Republican; immediately after, Cook deemed it a toss-up.

Advertisement

Two other competitive governor contests in the Midwest gave Democrats some similar reasons for optimism on Tuesdaygood news that could potentially spill over to as many as 10 key congressional races.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In Minnesota, Rep. Tim Walz won Tuesdays Democratic gubernatorial primary, while former two-term governor and one-time presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty flamed out in the GOP contest, despite raising nearly four times as much as his opponent, former county commissioner and 2014 nominee Jeff Johnson. Walzs victory was a relief for Democrats fretting that state Attorney General Lori Swanson would have entered the general with too much baggage. Johnson, meanwhile, lost his latest run for governor by 6 points and his embrace of Trump this time around stands out, given Minnesota is the only swing state in the Midwest the president lost two years ago.

Advertisement

Limited polling suggests Walz, a six-term congressman from a rural district, was going to be the early favorite against either Pawlenty or Johnson. But T-Paw would have had the advantage of being able to call up his friends in financehe was the industrys top lobbyist after his failed presidential runto help bankroll his campaign. Instead, Johnson enters the general election with less than a third of the cash Walz has on hand, and with the finance sector thinking twice about cutting him checks after he spent so much of the primary hitting Pawlenty for his time at the Financial Services Roundtable.

Advertisement

In Wisconsin, teacher-turned-state superintendent Tony Evers emerged from a crowded Democratic field on Tuesday to earn the right to take on Gov. Scott Walker, who has been a white whale for the left since he began decimating organized labor after taking office in 2011. Like Walz, but in contrast to many other Democratic nominees this year, Evers fits the mold of boring old white dudethough the safe play might be the best one in a race Democrats are eager to make all about Walker. Evers has also clashed with Walker over education before, giving him some needed experience heading into one of the highest-profile governors races in the country.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Winning control of the governors mansion this year would give Democrats a leg up heading into the next redistricting process, and having quality nominees at the top of the ticket could have more immediate consequences further down the ballot.

In Minnesota, Democrats are defending two Senate seatsSen. Amy Klobuchars, which is safe, and interim Sen. Tina Smiths, which is notas well as two open House seats that are among just three that Republicans have a credible chance of flipping this fall. Meanwhile, theyre targeting two GOP incumbents who seem vulnerable.

Advertisement

In Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is playing defense, while union steelworker Randy Bryce is playing offense in Paul Ryans congressional district and Dan Kohl is doing the same against Rep. Glenn Grothman.

Kansas is less of a battleground, but two GOP congressional seats there are thought to be in play this fall. Given how tight many of those races could be, a gubernatorial dud could prove to be a decisive drag on down-ballot turnout.

Democrats are wary of getting too excited, even in Kansas, where another politically incorrect candidate won the presidential contest by 20 points two years ago. For now, though, Democrats leave a low-key primary night with things still trending their way. Whether that will continue through Election Day remains to be seen.Puerto Rico celebrated a belated, but welcome milestone Tuesday when the American territorys electric utility, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), announced it had restored power to 100 percent of those homes and businesses that went dark during Hurricane Maria nearly 11 months ago. The cataclysmic Category 4 storm knocked out electricity to some 1.5 million homes and businesses on an island whose population hovers around 3.3 million people and for the bankrupt state utility company, replacing the existing infrastructure proved to be an existential struggle of its own.

Advertisement

The physical impact of Maria was significantit was the strongest storm to hit the island in 85 years and resulted in the largest blackout in U.S. historybut the restoration process proved equally damaging. Repairing the electrical grid was politically fraught and rife with mismanagement and alleged corruption, and crawled along such that 10,000 people were still without power as recently as June, some eight months after the storm came and went. During the rebuilding process that left scars of its own, multiple companies that were contracted to help restore the grid came and went, as did leaders of PREPA itself. The current head of the utility has been on the job for just three weeks following a string of successors; last month the entire PREPA board resigned over salaries for new executives, while alleging meddling by elected officials. The result is a significant portion of the multi-billion dollar effort, up to one-quarter of the repairs, will need to be done over to ensure the stability of the islands power supply, which still is hit by large scale blackouts.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

After spending $3.2 billion, erecting some 52,000 new electrical poles and stringing 6,000 miles of wire from the federal government alone, the Puerto Rico electricity system is not in much better condition now than it was before Maria cut power to every home and business on the island, according to the New York Times. Even as some of the last customers are reconnected, many billions of dollars more must still be spent to reconstruct the system and fortify the transmission lines that have been so tattered and poorly maintained that when a mishap occurs, the lights can go out on the entire island.In a gutting, 1,400-page report released Tuesday, a grand jury in Pennsylvania said internal documents show more than 1,000 people have credibly accused 300 Catholic priests in the state of sexual abuse. Many of those victims testified about the abuse and methodical cover-ups by the church over the past 70 years, in what is one of the most damning revelations of the Catholic sex abuse scandal that has played out in the U.S. over the past 15 years.

Advertisement

The report covered countless cases of rape and other sexual abuse that devastated the lives of children, junior priests, and young seminarians. In one case, the report says, five sisters in the same familyone an 18-month-old toddlerwere all abused by the same priest; in another, a girl said she was raped in the hospital after having her tonsils removed; and in another, a priest impregnated a young girl and arranged for her to have an abortion. Priests sometimes shamed their victims after their abuse and compelled them to repent of sins, the report says.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The report also found that priests collaborated to produce and disseminate child pornography and even share victims with one another, as one victim named George, who said he was also forced to pose naked as Jesus Christ for a group of priests to photograph him, testified:

Advertisement

George recalled that each of these priests had a group of favored boys who they would take on trips. The boys received gifts; specifically, gold cross necklaces. George stated, He [Zirwas] had told me that they, the priests, would give their boys, their altar boys or their favorite boys these crosses. So he gave me a big gold cross to wear. The Grand Jury observed that these crosses served another purpose beyond the grooming of the victims: They were a visible designation that these children were victims of sexual abuse. They were a signal to other predators that the children had been desensitized to sexual abuse and were optimal targets for further victimization.

Many victims later wound up grappling with drug abuse and alcoholism or died later by suicide. The investigation concluded that there are likely thousands of more victims who have not come forwardand just from priests who worked in the six dioceses in the state covered in the report.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As with other Catholic Church abuse scandals, this investigation detailed the repeated and consistent ways church leaders covered up the allegations of abuse and moved accused abusers around to different dioceses, with false reasons for the priests transfers.

In one instance, after a fellow clergyman intervened on behalf of an accused priest in Pittsburgh in the 1960s, the district attorney at the time admitted he dropped his investigation because he wanted the churchs support for his political career. Several bishops in the following years vouched for the accused priestincluding Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who allowed the priest to resign in good standing in 2003 to collect his pension. Wuerl is now the archbishop of Washington. In other cases in the report, Wuerl stepped in to stop abusive priests, but at other times he transferred them back into parishes.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The former archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, was removed from office in June after being accused of assaulting a 16-year-old altar boy decades ago. Other allegations have since emerged. McCarrick was the highest-ranking Catholic official in the U.S. to ever be removed from office for allegations of child sexual abuse. Some Catholics are calling for an investigation into why McCarrick advanced as far as he did, despite warnings to superiors in Rome about the allegations.

Advertisement

These allegations will largely not lead to criminal convictions, as the states statutes of limitations have passed for many cases. In Pennsylvania, victims of child abuse lose the ability to file civil suits at age 30 and cannot file criminal charges after age 50. Victims groups and advocates, as well as the grand jury and attorney general, are now campaigning for an extension, or at least exemption, to the statute of limitations for child abuse.

Pennsylvanias Catholic bishops have promised more transparency and said recent measures have already made the church a safer place. Other bishops have denied widespread cover-ups by the church. The Vatican has not yet commented on the report.David S. Glossers extraordinary condemnation of his nephew Stephen Miller, the presidential adviser, in a widely read Politico op-ed this week, is the story of an American mystery: How can a man who owes his very life to the countrys tradition as a safe haven for refugees and immigrants turn his back on said history?

Miller, whose family fled poverty and anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century, might be one of the most glaring examples of this contradiction, but hes not the only one. The presidents inner circle is full of radical nativists with deep immigrant roots. All but one of John Kellys great-grandparents emigrated to the United States from Italy and Ireland, including a fruit peddler and a wagon driver. Jared Kushners grandparents were immigrants. Chief nativist ideologue Kris Kobach is of German and Norwegian descent. And, of course, Donald Trump would not exist without his paternal grandfather, Friedrich Drumpf, who fled Germany as a teenager to avoid military conscription and built a life in the United States of America. Trumps mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was also an immigrant, as was the mother of his eldest children, Ivana Zelnickova, and his current wife.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Are these lives American enough to deserve an opportunity to prosper, like previous generations of immigrants who arrived in America when settlement laws were far friendlier?

Glossers piece, however, is more than a mere reminder of the blatant moral failings of Trumps team. By recounting his own familys story of assimilation into American life, a tale of hardship and achievement shared by generation after generation of immigrants since the countrys foundation, Glosser has suggested a shift in the immigration debate away from the administrations refusal to welcome immigrants and refugees to a much more complex dilemma. What happens if we stop focusing on immigration itselfthe difficulty of simply getting to Americaand instead begin to ponder the lives immigrants have built in the United States? Once we contemplate those lives in all their intricacy, would we then reconsider who deserves to be uprooted through the trauma of deportation? In other words: What kind of life can an immigrant build after a quarter of a century in the United States? At what point does that life deserve to be considered fully American?

Advertisement

This is not a rhetorical question. Under the Trump administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has become unhinged, a deportation machine that increasingly fails to discern between those immigrants who deserve removallike members of Trumps bete noire, the feared MS-13 gangand those who have led peaceful and productive lives for decades in the United States and now face repatriation after being detained by the federal governments ruthless immigration enforcers for, say, jaywalking or other minor traffic violations.

Advertisement

Who exactly is being deported? The Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles recently shared with me a comprehensive study, which has not yet been published, that offers a dramatic glimpse. Over the course of a year, personnel at the consulate interviewed more than 1,200 Mexican immigrants detained for deportation in Southern California. Sixty-seven percent of them had lived in the United States for at least 16 years. Half of those had been in America since the mid-80s.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Most of the interviewees held steady jobs and had at least finished middle school. Only 2 percent declared they were unemployed. Ninety-seven percent said their children were American citizens. The trend extends far beyond Los Angeles. An increase in arrests made in the interior of the country has produced a dramatic upsurge in the detention of long-term residents. The government has even stepped up efforts to target U.S. citizens for denaturalization.

Are these lives American enough to deserve an opportunity to prosper, like previous generations of immigrants who arrived in America when settlement laws were far friendlier? Many communities across the country seem to think so, coming to the rescue of immigrants who have been arrested for deportation after years of leading honest lives as assimilated members of American society.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The town of Morristown, in Hamblen County, Tennesseewhich Trump won with ease in 2016movingly fought back after a wide-ranging ICE raid in a local meatpacking plant rounded up almost 100 immigrants. Some of those arrested had lived in Morristown since the early 90s and had, between them, 160 children who had been born in the U.S. Something similar happened last year in Lincoln Heights, a mostly Hispanic neighborhood east of downtown Los Angeles, where the community fought tooth and nail for the release of Romulo Avelica, an undocumented cook who had lived there for about a quarter century. Immigration authorities detained Avelica while he was dropping off Fatima, one of his daughters, at school. Fatima recorded her fathers arrest and can be heard crying while Romulo is led away. The apprehensionand the videoroused the public, and, following ample coverage of the case and backing from local authorities and the neighborhood, Avelica was released after six months.

Advertisement

Ultimately, though, the responsibility for halting the fracture of these livesso wholly American were it not for the paperworkfalls on the presidents shoulders as well as those of his closest advisors. They should be mindful of their own life stories. After all, after he disembarked in New York harbor, young Friedrich Drumpf traversed the country and built a business in the northwest that, in time, allowed him to become a U.S. citizen and return to New York. It took him seven years to take full advantage of his new countrys generosity toward men like him, hardworking and dedicated immigrants who were given a fair chance at belonging. His grandson Donald would be born over 50 years later.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In David Glossers telling, it took his own family a whole generation to consolidate a business that allowed future generations to prosper, Stephen Miller among them. What would have happened to either mans ancestors under the current punitive mayhem? What would they have done if, after years of living in the United States, their adoptive country, they found themselves having dinner after a long day of work, sharing their quintessentially American dreams in half-broken English, and the immigration police had come knocking? It is a moral question that Miller and Trump have chosen to avoid. History will not be so kind.After decisively losing his comeback bid for Minnesota governor to a little-known county commissioner in Tuesdays Republican primary, Tim Pawlenty told a reporter for the Minnesota Star-Tribune that he no longer had a place in Donald Trumps Republican Party.

The Republican Party has shifted, the former two-term governor and 2012 presidential candidate said. It is the era of Trump, and Im just not a Trump-like politician. When asked whether this was the end of his political career, Pawlenty stated the obvious: The answer is yes.

Advertisement

Pawlenty suffered, in part, by a record of treatment toward Trump that was less-than-100-percent reflexively glorifying. Pawlenty, like some other establishment politicians this cycle, was haunted in the primary by his 2016 disavowal of candidate Trump. Following the release of the Access Hollywood tape in October 2016, Pawlenty declared Trump unsound, uninformed, unhinged and unfit to be president of the United States while withdrawing his support.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When he decided to re-enter electoral politics and the flattery contest that is a 2018 Republican primary, though, he admitted that he voted for that very unsound, uninformed, unhinged, and unfit candidate.

I support most of what hes doing, nearly all of what hes doing on a policy level, Pawlenty said in April. I just didnt approve of some of his comments and language and behavior.

Advertisement

The denial when denial was convenient, followed by measured support when measured support was convenient, set up the final act: A closing campaign ad from his opponent, county commissioner Jeff Johnson, titled Finger in the wind.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pawlentys defeat could lead to another round of despairing punditry about the sad state of affairs in which a decent, experienced reformer like Pawlenty is toast in Trumps Republican Party, with the candidate himself among the pundits pushing this idea. And while its not great that candidates who kept their mouths shut after the Access Hollywood tape appear to be the only ones who can survive competitive Republican primaries, it is great that Tim Pawlenty is finished.

Following the insta-collapse of his spark-free presidential campaign in 2011, Pawlenty took a lucrative gig as president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, a Wall Street lobbying group. It was quite a turn from the guy who made his name based on appeals to Sams Club Republicans. How did he fight for workin moms and pops there? As the Washington Examiners Tim Carney writes, one of Pawlentys reforms at the FSR was kicking out the smaller members and becoming more exclusively a lobby of financial giants. Wholesome.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres something especially grating among these common sense ex-politicians who sell out magnificently and then expect to be welcomed as heroes into their second tour of duty. Former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh lost a challenge for his old seat in 2016, despite being a hot-shot Democratic recruit, when his opponent just sort of pointed at him and said the obvious. Pawlenty was rightly called out for opportunism in his posture toward Trump and for being a literal big bank lobbyist. A vote against Tim Pawlenty wouldnt seem like a very difficult decision, even if hes pleasant and doesnt say gross things all the time.President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at the White House press briefing Wednesday. Reading a statement from the president himself, Sanders said that Brennans frenzied commentary and erratic conduct and behavior were reasons why Trump removed his clearance. She also offered that security clearances were being reviewed for several other critics of the president.

Sanders announces that Trump is evaluating security clearance for several others including James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page and Bruce Ohr https://t.co/r5usPAqdw4 pic.twitter.com/jZPSdWSjXN  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 15, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When asked if Trumps revocation of Brennans clearance was politically motivated and a punishment for his frequent speaking out against Trump, Sanders said the president has a constitutional responsibility to protect classified information and who has access to it, and that this action is only specific to Mr. Brennan, the others are currently under view.

Brennan described Trumps press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki as nothing short of treasonous.

Sanders also could not identify any specific times Brennan has improperly disclosed or profited from classified information. When Sanders had first floated removing clearances, she said the officials had politicized and in some cases monetized their public service and security clearances.

As noted, Sanders said that other former national security officialsall of whom are either Democrats or served under President Obamaare having their clearances reviewed. The other officials are former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former National Security Agency and CIA director Michael Hayden, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, and current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr. When asked if Trump would fire or ask the DOJ to fire Ohr, who currently works there, Sanders said she had no personnel announcements to make.

Advertisement

According to early reporting, the decision seems to have been made unilaterally by the White House.In his latest move to expand executive powers into new realms, President Donald Trump declared Monday night that he would ignore or override 51 sections of the $716 billion defense authorization bill that hed signed just hours earlier.

Its not unheard of for presidents to issue a signing statement that spins their interpretations on what certain aspects of a new law mean. But rarely have they, in effect, scratched out whole sections of a law, citing vastand, in this case, clearly excessivenotions of a presidents constitutional powers.

Advertisement

Trumps hostility to NATO and the EU runs so deep that he couldnt let this stand even as a token gesture.

Several newspapers reported on Trumps signing statements on Tuesday, citing in particular his dismissal of sections restricting his ability to move closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin. One such section bans the funding of any activity that would recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But Trumps overrides went way beyond issues that might affect his relations with Russia.

One of the clauses that he cites as objectionable, Section 1233, expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. should support a Europe whole, free, and at peace through strengthening such institutions as NATO and the European Union and that it should adopt policies to defeat Russian aggression.

A sense of Congress resolution explicitly has no binding authority whatsoever; it merely expresses an opinion. By definition, it cannot interfere with a presidents authority to conduct foreign policy. But apparently Trumps hostility to NATO and the EU runs so deep that he couldnt let this stand even as a token gesture.

Advertisement

Another clause that Trump wants to eliminate (Section 1665) allows, but does not require, the secretary of defense to estimate the cost of his nuclear-weapons program beyond the 10-year budget that hes already published. Similarly, Trump says hell ignore the bills request for a briefing to Congress on the risks and dangers of North Koreas intercontinental ballistic missile program (Section 1257), a Pentagon report on special counterterrorism operations (Section 1031), a report on civilian casualties caused by Saudi Arabias bombing of Yemen (Section 1265), and an itemization of how many U.S. troops are deployed in foreign countries (Section 595).

Advertisement

Again, these measures wouldnt affect Trumps policies one bit. They simply call for more information, to which Congress is unambiguously entitledand which Trump wants to withhold, perhaps illegally.

Advertisement

A few challenged sections do place limits on spending. Section 1689 allows the acceleration of a hypersonic ballistic missile defense system, if funds are available, only after the Pentagon submits a cost estimate and a testing plan. Section 1036 forbids funds for transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay.

Advertisement

Its surprising that Trump, who has said Gitmo should be expanded rather than shut down, objects to that section. It seems he simply doesnt want to let Congress box him in on principle. (If President Barack Obama had taken the same attitude, he would have ignored the same restriction and transferred the detainees at his own initiativewhich, no doubt, would have sparked a motion of impeachment.)

In any case, Congress is well within its rights to attach conditions to spending bills. It routinely cuts, kills, or restores spending on specific weapons systems, even if the Pentagon has advised, or the president prefers, otherwise. The Vietnam War ended when Congress cut off funding for all its activities (though, by then, the last U.S. combat troops had long departed). This is what the power of the purse means.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its worth noting that this is not a confrontation between Republicans and Democrats but rather between the White House and Capitol Hill. The defense bill was drafted by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, with compromises hammered out in a bipartisan House-Senate conference committee, then approved by both chambers. All of these bodies have Republican majorities.

What happens now is hard to say. One Armed Services Committee staffer regards the exercise as Kabuki theater. Trump issued a similar, but far less extensive, signing statement with last years defense bill; Congress ignored it, and so did, by and large, the Pentagon, releasing the reports that the bill had called for. However, the same staffer says this years signing statement goes a bit overboard. Another staffer expressed concerns that it might reflect Trumps growing self-confidence in office and his growing eagerness, on many fronts, to assert the power of a monarch.Is This Normal? is a Slate series that attempts to determine which controversial Trump World behaviors are outrageously unprecedented, which are outrageous but within the realm of what others have gotten away with, and which shouldnt be considered outrageous at all.

The Issue

President Donald Trump has reportedly asked members of his White House staff to sign nondisclosure agreements. As the Washington Post reported on Monday:

Dozens of White House aides have signed NDAs in exchange for working for Trump, who has long relied on such agreements in his business career, according to current and former administration employees. But NDAs have not been widely used by past administrations outside the transition time between presidents, in part because most legal experts believe such agreements are not legally enforceable for public employees.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

On Tuesday, at her daily briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back on the notion that these NDAs were outside the norm of previous administrations. Despite contrary opinion, its actually very normal and every administration prior to the Trump administration has had NDAs, particularly specific for anyone that had a security clearance, Sanders said.

Is this normal?

The Precedent

Previous administrations have indeed required government officials to promise they would not reveal certain information to the public, even after leaving the White House. But that ban has alwaysin one way or anotherspecifically been restricted to classified information. President Ronald Reagan introduced nondisclosure agreements for classified information in the 1980s in a way that many initially considered to be overly broad. Reagan began requiring executive branch officials to sign a form called Standard Form 189, or the Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement, which demanded that officials keep secret any information that is classified or is classifiable.

Advertisement

This vague classifiable definition resulted in lengthy congressional and court battles over efforts to protect potential government whistleblowers. After Steven Garfinkel , director of the agency that oversees classification from 1980 to 2002, told a congressional investigator that the term could mean anything, Congress began to seek to limit the forms scope, and a group of government employees sued. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa actually called on government officials to ignore the pledge. As Angus MacKenzie wrote in Secrets: The CIAs War at Home, the Congressional Research Services legal arm reviewed Standard Form 189 at Grassleys request and found it was arguably in conflict with the language and intent of whistleblower statutes then on the books.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In the midst of these legal and legislative fights, Garfinkel modified the scope of the NDA to cover unmarked classified information  in the process of a classification determination. The administrations classification definition initially passed judicial muster at the district court, but the Supreme Court ruled that the issue had not yet been ripe for a decision and sent it back to the district level. During this period, Congress started issuing an appropriations rider that blocked the enforcement of SF 189. But the unfavorable district court ruling threatened that rider, and in 1988, Reagan said that it had no effect. At this point, Standard Form 189 became Standard Form 312, and the classifiable language was removed from the form.

Advertisement

Ultimately, both the legal challengers and the congressional leaders reached a compromise with the George H.W. Bush administration on the use of SF 312. That agreement, and all such agreements, would include a provision saying that any whistleblower laws superseded it. This was encoded in the yearly appropriations rider as well as in the 2012 update to the 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act. Tom Devinethe legal director at the Government Accountability Project who helped craft the compromise language in the early 1990stold me that his group essentially won a definition of classification that wasnt as broad as Reagan first sought it to be. The information has to be specifically designated marked as classified  or needs to be for national security purposes, Devine told me. Youre entitled to notice that something is classified, he added. Even under Reagans since-disregarded and overly broad definition, classifiable information ostensibly had to have something to do with national security, Devine said. In principle there was that limitation to it, he told me.

Advertisement

Advertisement

That current form, SF 312, is likely what Sanders was talking about when she said that every administration required nondisclosure agreements. Indeed, two former members of the Obama administration, Lisa Brown and Andy Wright, told me that this was the form that they had signed for security-clearance purposes. Neither of them recalls signing any other type of nondisclosure agreement. Its basically just a commitment not to release classified information you have access to, Wright said of SF 312. Thats not what these are. These sound like theyre political NDAs not actual security NDAs.

According to the Post, former Obama adviser David Axelrod said it would be unthinkable for Obama to have requested employees sign something similar to whats been reported Trump has requested. Ari Fleischer, who was a press secretary under George W. Bush, also told the Post that Bush aides were not asked to sign such agreements. A likely reason that past administrations havent requested these is that there is wide agreement that they would violate both whistleblower statutes and First Amendment case law.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Attorney Mark Zaid, who told me hes seen a copy of the Trump White House NDA, offered on Twitter on Monday to represent pro bono any Trump official who was made to sign one. Either shes completely ignorant, or shes lying, Zaid told me of Sanders statement that other administrations had done something similar.

Advertisement

Citing a pair of cases in the 1960s and 1980s, Zaid also noted that its been long established that the government cant block the publication of nonclassified information by former government employees just because it doesnt like the content, even in the cases of CIA officers. You have no First Amendment right to [publish] classified information, he said. But if its determined to be unclassified, you have as a former government official every constitutional right to publish and disseminate that information.

The Verdict

Requiring government employees to protect secrets that could pose a threat to national security if revealed is normal. Requiring government employees to protect secrets that could pose a threat to Donald Trumps reputation is very much not normal, nor is it legally enforceable according to long-standing precedent.Greetings, Future Tensers,

As with other social institutions, marriage has always evolved alongside changes in technology. Electric appliances gave rise to wives pursuing paid work outside the patriarchal burdens of homemaking. The latex condom and other birth control tech offered both partners more choices and provoked society to reckon with the idea that women, too, seek sexual gratification from their relationships.

Now, argues economist Marina Adshade, another technology seems poised to radically transform this age-old practice: sex robots. She explains how titillating androids of the future might disentangle our association between sexual intimacy and marriageand, in doing so, remake our matrimonial unions for the better.

Advertisement

Of course, whether sexbots and other emerging technologies really transform our societies for the better depends on the people who make and use them. Elsewhere on Future Tense, weve been hitting hard on this question. Victoria Sgarro explored whether those in the tech industry making appeals for ethics in design are being clear about what that means. Joelle Renstrom asks the same question about what the U.K. government means when it claims it wants to become a world leader in ethical A.I. Aaron Mak covered the news that Sacramento officials had been using license plate readers to monitor welfare recipients. And Daniel Benaim and Hollie Russon Gilman explore how China aggressively exports its authoritarian-minded surveillance technology outside of its bordersand what that means for liberal democracies that want limits on these digital tools.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Other things we read between stressing over the most terrifying device hacks from this years Def Con:

Merch before the storm: How the QAnon conspiracy theory went from the fringes of the internet to themed T-shirts, hats, jewelry, and mugs for sale on Amazon and Etsy.

DDoBS: In the days before the Federal Communication Commissions controversial repeal of net neutrality last year, the organization asserted that a cyberattack had crashed its public comment system. Aaron Mak covers the official report released last week that identified a different culprit.

Dr.

Robot: Artificial intelligence may provide a huge step forward in the treatment of diseases like diabetes. But making smart decisions as a patient will still be hard.

Alexa, whats the news?: Rachel Withers wrote about those worried that getting our news from smart speakers might threaten media diversity.

Bot or not: New legislation in Congress and in the California State Legislature aims to regulate social media bots. Easier said than done, writes Madeline Lamo.

Desinformacion: Mia Armstrong rounded up the most popular fake news that spread ahead of Mexicos presidential election this summerand explained what it tells us about the global fight against digital disinformation.

Leaving talk of meddling to the Hardy Boys,

Kirsten Berg

for Future Tense

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University.It was 16 years ago this August when I first set foot as a freshman on a college campus. Perhaps the experience is particularly vivid for me because now, as a college professor, I teach in a building just a few dozen yards from where I, as a student, drank Hurricane 40s, snorted amphetamines, and tried LSD and MDMA for the first time. Watching the buzz on campus always brings me back to my first year.

My first few days as a college student were a blur, but somewhere between my drug- and alcohol-induced blackouts, one specific memory stands out in my mind: when one of my floormates showed us the medium-size cardboard box filled with condoms100, at leastwith which his family had sent him to school.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Instead of telling him to not have sex, his family used a harm-reduction strategy that after many decades of opposition is commonly used today. After years of pushback (and despite some pushback today, still), we now know that increasing students access to condoms does not encourage those who would otherwise abstain from sex to have it; instead, it minimizes harms associated with unprotected sex by dramatically decreasing the risk of unexpected pregnancies and reducing the spread of sexually transmitted disease.

Today, as our young people face the deadliest drug overdose crisis in American historyan estimated 72,000 Americans died of overdoses in 2017its time for parents of first-year students to follow the lead of families that give their children condoms. This year, if youre sending your kids off to college, pack fentanyl testing kits and naloxone. I promise youre not enabling or encouraging them to use drugs; youre just telling them to use drugs more safely if they do.

Advertisement

For many college students, their drug use is just experimentation. For some it wont belike me, though, thankfully, in my late 20s, I found recovery for my addiction. But if I were a student now, at a time in which our illicit drug market is saturated with fentanyl, I doubt Id have lived to be the wife, mother, and educator I am today. And its worth mentioning that opiates werent my thing. Harm-reduction tools, like fentanyl testing kits, can tell your child if theres fentanyl in the drugs theyre ingesting, and naloxone can reverse an overdose if ingesting an opiate is something they do, consciously or unconsciously.

Advertisement

During the last academic year in Philadelphia, we lost several students to drug overdoses, as did many other towns and cities across the United States. At the end of the fall semester at Temple University, where I teach, two students died in one week: One overdosed in the library, and another was found dead a block off-campus in his home. A few months later, a Penn Law student died of an overdose in his campus apartment, too.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Though collegiate recovery is indeed having a moment, a vast majority of American colleges are not recovery- or overdose-prevention friendly. Only a small number of schools have collegiate recovery programs (many of which promote abstinence) with dedicated staff and space, and beyond first responders such as campus police, few (if any) require staff like resident assistants, building security guards, and parking attendants to carry naloxone.

I promise youre not enabling or encouraging them to use drugs; youre just telling them to use drugs more safely if they do.

Many schools (mine included), are certainly improving how they accommodate students in addiction and recovery, but change, especially at some of Americas slowest-moving institutions takes time. (It can take up to a year to amend a course title, folks!) So while we wait for our colleges to catch up to student needs and illicit drug trends1 in 5 college students reports using illicit substances other than marijuana, and recently fentanyl has reportedly contaminated other drugs such as cocaineyou, as parents, need to take matters into your own hands. The pre-college just say no talk will just not do (as it never has).

Advertisement

Advertisement

While laws regarding naloxone access vary by state, getting the medication is now easier than ever. With insurance, the copay depends on your prescription plan. Without insurance, it costs about $150. You dont even need an in-person training; you and your child can train online at Get Naloxone Now. As for fentanyl testing strips, you may be able to get them from free from your local public health department, and can otherwise purchase them from organizations like Bunk Police for between $1.50$2 each online.

Not only will providing your children with harm-reduction supplies reduce the risks associated with using drugs should that be something they do, but it will also provide you with the opportunity to give them other overdose prevention tipssuch as only using one substance at a time, using less after decreased use or abstinence, and never using drugs alone. Plus, it gives you the chance to tell them where they can get treatment should they develop a substance-use disorder as a student, like I did.

If youre a product of the war on drugs like me, raised on this is your brain on drugs messaging, these suggestions may sound radical. But as a parent, Id imagine youd like for your child to be breathing at Thanksgiving when they come home. This could help.On Monday, an investigation by the Associated Press revealed that Google tracks and stores users locations even when theyve told it not to.

The story refers to a setting in your Google account called Location History, which keeps track of where youve been via your phones GPS and other data sources. Google allows you to turn off your Location History via either Android or the web, and you can even delete its previously stored data.

But with help from a Princeton computer scientist, the APs Ryan Nakashima showed that Google continues to collect and store time-stamped location data in other places. To stop Google from doing that, you have to go through a whole different set of steps, via a separate feature called Web & App Activity. And turning that off will limit Googles data collection in far stricter ways, including many forms of collection that are unrelated to your location.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The APs investigation made it clear that Googles misleading practices can affect users of Apples iOS devices, such as the iPhone and iPad, in addition to Android devices. For instance, if you have Google Maps installed on your iPhone and have granted it access to your location in your iOS settings, then Google is still tracking and storing your data. Wired has a handy guide to exactly how to turn that off. That handy guide is several paragraphs long.

What the APs report didnt mention was that theres another way to protect your location privacy, on both Android and iOS devices: turning off all of your location services in one fell swoop. It just happens that both Google and Apple subtly discourage it by making it far more of a hassle than it should be. If they rightly take the APs investigation as a moment to rethink some of their practices, this should be at the top of the list. In this era of rapacious data collection and rampant security breaches, every mobile device should allow you to turn location tracking on and off with the ease of adjusting your volume or brightening your screens.

Advertisement

In this era of rapacious data collection and rampant security breaches, every mobile device should allow you to turn location tracking on and off with the ease of adjusting your volume or brightening your screens.

First, some background: Both the Android and iOS operating systems allow you to opt in to location tracking on an app-by-app basis. Thats a good start: If an app wants to track you, it has to get your permission first. The assumption is that youll grant permission to some apps and refuse it to others. In a laudable step to limit unnecessary trackingalbeit only after a scandal involving Ubers tracking of customers even when their rides were overApple now requires apps to give users a third option: tracking them only when the app is in use. For the privacy-conscious, thats a smart choice: You might be surprised by how many apps are tracking you in the background if you havent told them not to. (Android doesnt give you such fine-grained control, but the latest versions at least limit background-location requests.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Apple also deserves credit for storing its own records of your location only on your device itself; unlike Google, Apple doesnt maintain a profile of your location anywhere on its servers. Thats one of many reasons Apple has earned a reputation for better privacy practices than its chief rival (although some critics contend it could be doing much better).

Advertisement

As this weeks Google privacy snafu reminds us, though, Apple doesnt fully control what other apps (such as Google Maps) do with your location data once youve granted them permission to track it. So as long as youre allowing tracking, your privacy is at risk.

The good news is, there is a straightforward way to prevent this, which is to turn off location services altogether. The bad news is that neither Apple nor Google make that particularly easy.

Advertisement

On iOS devices, you do it by tapping Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services, and then move the slider to the off position. On Android, you go to Settings, then Google, then Location, then turn it off.

Once youve done this, your phone stops tracking you via its GPS system and a host of other systems it can use to home in on your location, including cellular and Wi-Fi networks. The device also stops providing your location data to any of the apps you use. Its not quite the equivalent of putting a tinfoil hat on your phone, because there are other means by which your wireless carrier, apps, and other third parties can try to infer your location. But its the closest feature youll find to a systemwide off switch for location tracking.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The best part, for those whose phones are constantly running low on battery, is that turning off location services can substantially extend your battery life. My iPhone 6 is usually flirting with a shutdown by late afternoon, but with location services disabled, it can last all day. (Android used to provide a battery saving mode that turned off GPS but continued tracking you through other systems, but it discontinued that in Android P.)

Advertisement

The downside, of course, is that when apps cant track your location, they cant help you based on your location, either. So if you turn off location services, you cant get turn-by-turn directions on Google Maps, find the nearest sushi place on Yelp, or play Pokemon Go. And turning location services back on is just as much of a hassle as turning it off.

Advertisement

In tests on my own iPhone 6, it generally took me about 10 seconds to do this from the unlocked iOS home screenand thats after Ive become an expert at it. If your phone is locked, or if youre in the middle of using an app, it takes longer. That may not sound like a lot of time, but it adds up to an infuriating user experience if you have to do it multiple times over the course of a day. Imagine if your browser required 10 seconds or more to load each time you opened it; it would be a throwback to the bad old days of dial-up and Netscape.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Then theres the fact that many apps will serve you annoying messages imploring you to turn location services back on. I cant count the number of times Yelp has asked me if Im a ninja. To make matters worse, apps in iOS tend to assume by default that youve disabled location services only for them, not systemwide. So they direct you to the menu in Settings where you can turn location services back on for their app, specifically. But if youve disabled them altogether, then that menu doesnt give you the option to enable themyou have to navigate to a different menu first. The whole process of getting from an app to the proper setting to enable location services and then back to that app can take up to 30 seconds. And again, thats if you know what youre doing.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The way I use location servicesdisabling them altogether most of the time, then enabling them only when I need themseems like it should be the default, at least for the privacy-conscious. But a quick, unscientific survey of my Slate colleaguesa relatively tech-savvy and privacy-conscious bunchfound that only 15 of 48 who responded toggle location services on and off regularly. The majority, 31 of them, keep location services on systemwide, while adjusting permissions on a per-app basis. Just two of the 48 said they keep systemwide location services off most of the time.

Advertisement

Of those who said they keep location services on, several users of both iOS and Android told me theyd much prefer to be able to turn them on and off as needed but find it too inconvenient to do so.

Advertisement

Theres an exceedingly simple way for Apple and Google to fix this problemif they cared to. The solution is to put a shortcut for the location-services button in the Control Center (on iOS) or Quick Settings menu (on Android). Thats where these operating systems put other systemwide controls that they expect users to employ regularly, such as airplane mode, Rotation Lock, and Do Not Disturb. That puts them just a swipe and a tap away at any given time and incentivizes people to use them whenever they feel like it. Anyone who has ditched their actual flashlight in favor of their smartphones flashlight can testify to how easy it is.

So why dont Apple and Google do this?

Advertisement

Google declined to comment, beyond a boilerplate statement defending its location-tracking practices. And while the company has made some gestures toward better protecting user privacy in recent years, it might be too much to expect a company whose business is built partly on digital surveillance to go out of its way to help users turn off tracking.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Apple was more responsive. The company said it couldnt comment on what features or settings might come in future versions of iOS. But a representative clarified that the company sees its main goal as protecting users location privacy without them having to think about it on a regular basisan approach it refers to as privacy by design. Thats why its location-privacy settings are geared toward keeping a lid on users location data via local storage and fine-grained app permissions, rather than making it easier for them to turn it on and off manually on a routine basis.

Advertisement

Its clear that Apple is thinking seriously about users location privacy. But the AP report about Googles misleading tracking underscores how vulnerable iOS users remain to tracking and profiling by even reputable third parties, even if they trust Apple itself.

Its timepast time, reallyfor Apple and Google to acknowledge that toggling location services on and off is something that even normal, nontechie users might want to do, in the interest of protecting their privacy. (And battery life!) With iOS 11, Apple took a step in the right direction by allowing users to customize their Control Center for the first timeyet it still didnt include a Location Services switch among the options. If the companies care about privacy as much as they claim to, the next versions of iOS and Android should let users turn off tracking with a swipe.It all makes sense once you realize they want to kill us, by Mike Whitney - The Unz Review : 'It is now apparent that these products in ...Crucial events take place amid banalities like fruit preserves and frying crackling, says playwright Viliam Klimacek who wrote a book about Czechoslovak emigrants.

Viliam Klimacek wrote a novel, Hot Summer of 68, based on dozens of interviews he conducted with people who emigrated from Slovakia following the Warsaw Pact invasion. A new version of the story will be presented on stage to mark the 50th anniversary of the event in Bratislava.

When the tanks arrived to Czechoslovakia, you were only ten years old; but you experienced the first part of your professional life in the era of so-called normalisation. Have you ever considered emigrating?

Read also:

Read also: August 1968: After a temporary thaw, the Czechoslovak borders were sealed Read more

Viliam Klimacek (VK): No. There were a few reasons, but mostly because of my brother who left for western Germany in 1983. He was a musician and found it very hard there. Ultimately, he committed suicide. Only my mum was allowed to attend his funeral, I had to stay at home with my father  the communists probably feared all of us could flee Czechoslovakia. From then, my relation to the communist regime was very, very cold. But I think that every Slovak family has some link to emigration. People used to leave abroad for work a hundred years ago just as they do today.

In Hot Summer 68, one of the characters grows grey hair overnight in which she and her husband must decide whether to send their daughter to Vienna with just a small suitcase. When a young student, another character in the book, learns that occupation armies have invaded Czechoslovakia, she sits on the ground and starts eating mud. Are these stories authentic?

15. Aug 2018 at 10:00 | Diana SchniererovaThis year marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most consequential anti-poverty programs in human history, says Rev. Ben Johnson in this weeks Acton Commentary. Now, there is evidence that its spillover effects may lift millions more out of dire need.

The new openness to enterprise, private property, and investment led to Chinas meteoric economic rise. Now, Donald Trumps tariffs are encouraging manufacturers to take their factories elsewhere. Ian Chen, CEO of a Chinese technological exporter, said that Trumps tariffs have his fellow manufacturers seriously considering setting up a backup production line in Malaysia or Vietnam to prepare for the worst.

The full text of the essay can be found here.Justice Minister sends officials to check whether Yandiyev is not being tortured in Russia

One month since he was extradited by Slovakia to Russia  where he faces charges of terrorism  the fate and whereabouts of Aslan Yandiyev will be checked by Slovak diplomats; event if they find wrongdoing, however, they can only report it to international institutions.

Font size: A - | A +

On August 17, it will be one month since Ingushetia citizen Aslan Yandiyev was extradited to Russia. Slovakia did so despite his fear of being tortured  as he had already been in the past, filing an appeal with the Constitutional Court and despite calls by the United Nations. Neither Slovak authorities (Justice and Foreign Ministry), nor his lawyer in this country, Lukas Opett, know anything about what happened next, the Sme daily wrote on August 14. The lawyer says he has not contacted him and doubts that he has any opportunity to do so.

What is Yandiyevs case about?

Opett's client spent 10 years in Slovakia, most of those in prison. Yandiyev is suspected by Russia of complicity in a series of terrorist attacks in 2006 in various locations of the city of Vladikavkaz. He himself claims that the confessions from 12 years ago were forced out of him by three days of torture, where he ended up in the hospital.

Currently, the Ingushetia citizen is very probably in custody, but it is not known where.

Slovak diplomats will travel to Russia to formally inspect the conditions Aslan Yandiyev has been facing since their country extradited him to Russia. Justice Minister Gabor Gal wants to check on whether the suspects concerns of torture and inhuman treatment have not become reality, since Russia promised  before the extradition itself  that it would be possible to monitor him later on.

Read also:

Read also: Authorities to extradite asylum seeker to Russia. Against international law, say NGOs Read more

We will do so in the form of an inspection visit by the representatives of the embassy in Moscow, Justice Ministry spokesperson Zuzana Drobova told Sme.

Slovakia extradited Yandiyev on July 17, under controversial circumstances: it was even before the Constitutional Court and the UN Human Rights Committee were able to decide on his complaint. The latter even issued a preliminary ban on his extradition until it itself decided on the case. The UN committees decision is still being awaited; but even if it accommodates his appeal, it would be pointless, as Russia will not send him back to the European Union.

Options of the Slovak diplomats

Even if the Slovaks uncover anything suspicious, the diplomats can only report it with international institutions, as the alleged criminal is not a Slovak citizen, and so our representative office has its hands tied.

Read also:

Read also: Constitutional court turns down Aslan Yandiyevs Appeal Read more

No provisions at the consular help concern him  which is otherwise rendered to Slovak citizens in dire situation by the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel said, as quoted by Sme.

The Amnesty International human rights watchdog has expressed doubts about the possible happy end of Yandiyevs case and pointed out that the ongoing tension between Northern Ossetia and Ingushetia could complicate his situation, especially if he is detained in Vladivkavkaz, the capital of Northern Ossetia where, according to AI information, torture is often used to get confessions from suspects.

15. Aug 2018 at 13:11 | Compiled by Spectator staffUPDATED: The town of Snina clearly expressed a ban against a public meeting organised by the extreme-right LSNS MP Milan Mazurek.

The eastern-Slovak town of Snina on August 14 published its decision banning the extreme-right LSNS MP Milan Mazurek from organising a public meeting on Friday, August 17, arguing that this meeting would be directed against the local community.

Mazurek said he wanted to point to the increased crime rate among excluded communities, the Pravda daily quoted him.

Reasons against the gathering

Snina reacted within three days after the request was filed, and banned the meeting as it considers it to be risky and at odds with some facts. The municipal authorities banned the gathering, using  among other things  last years motion filed by General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar as an argument, who evaluated the LSNS as an extremist party with fascist tendencies and requested that it be abolished. They also disproved the very reasons for the meeting to take place.

Mazurek's personality is also one of the reasons for not allowing the meeting.

Snina authorities question the very goal of the meeting: The town has no knowledge of increased criminality being recorded in our town and in the Snina District, it wrote.

... and reactions

Hats off, was the reaction of the Government Proxy for Roma communities, Abel Ravasz, as cited by Pravda. Kotleba (Marian Kotleba is the chairman of LSNS, an MP, and former governor of Banska Bystrica Region) have never really aimed at solving the problem, he also noted. Snina's self-administration has disclosed this and carried out the due measures. We express high respect for this responsible step."

On the other hand, the Dennik N daily wrote that Snina Mayor Stefan Milovcik (independent) has taken up arguments not stemming from the law. He found that the meeting would be targeting the local Roma community, and thus he decided to ban it.

Meanwhile, LSNS members pretend that they do not know about the ban, and ignore it.

The reason for the meeting is a recent case in which Snina Roma women beat a young woman whose dog bit a Roma teenager. It started when a group of teenagers provoked the girls dog, which was on a leash.

The report from JOJ TV, broadcast one week ago, evoked  despite being unbiased and well-balanced  strong emotions and received a million views on Facebook. These spread despite the fact, stressed by Dennik N, that also the young woman attacked was of Roma origin. LSNS decided to use the anti-Roma sentiments sparked by it, and to organise the meeting, the daily summed up.

UPDATE: Police charged three women, two from Humenne and one from Snina, with misdemeanours of disorderly conduct: They allegedly attacked a woman from Snina, aged 23, on August 7, in the park on Palarikova Street.

The women are relatives of the boy who was bitten by a dog owned by her the day before, Presov Regional Police Presidium spokesman Daniel Dzobanik told the TASR newswire. He added the three women hit the young Snina woman in the face, pulled her by her hair, and when she fell, kicked her and repeatedly beat her with their fists.

The woman suffered injuries that have required up to six days of sick leave and have caused limitations in normal life. The three women are prosecuted outside of custody, Dzobanik added.

15. Aug 2018 at 13:59 | Compiled by Spectator staffIconic company Palma will again produce table oils in Slovakia

The firm is owned by financiers of the Slavia Capital group.

Table oils that have started to be produced in Slovakia, by the iconic Palma company. (Source: Courtesy of Palma. )

Font size: A - | A +

After five years, the once iconic company Palma is re-launching its production of oils in Slovakia.

It wants to start off with specific types for now, namely oils from poppy, nut and pumpkin seeds. In the past, Palma mostly produced common table oils such as rape-seed.

A Slovak product once again

The first oils should have already appeared in the shops this August but as the CEO of the company, Martin Varga, explains, so far it has been a trial period. In practice, the firm will decide, based on trader and consumer demand, how to set future production and which type of oil it will produce in the greatest quantities. It plans to launch regular operations in October.

Palma aims to make oils only from Slovak crop-plants.

After the trial operation, the company will also decide in which city or village it will open its facility which will depend on which product turns out to be the most sought-after.

We have chosen several localities in Slovakia depending on which type of oil will be produced, Varga said. The localities are as close as possible to the main crop-plant. He refused to specify the localities, saying only that the plant will definitely not open in Bratislava.

At present he does not even want to specify how many new jobs the company will create. Back in 2011, Palma employed as many as a thousand people. Then, over the course of two years, it laid off hundreds of workers, until it ended the production of oil in Slovakia totally. The pressing-shop was moved to the Czech Republic, and crops were supplied by farmers from neighbouring countries.

Thus, Palma oil as a typical Slovak product was ended. Later, the oil was imported to Slovakia to be bottled here. As well as this, baking fats and cosmetics were also made in Slovakia. Last year, around 40 people worked for Palma in this country, according to the financial statement.

15. Aug 2018 at 23:27 | Michaela Stalmach KusnirovaProtest pointing to stalemate in SAV takes place at Cabinet Office

The academy of sciences has been paralysed and its operation threatened, organisers from the initiative Veda Chce Zit (Science Wants to Live) argue.

Font size: A - | A +

The Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) is in critical condition, as the Education Ministry still has not included SAV on the Registry of Public Research Institutions, organisers of the August 14 protest in Freedom Square/Namestie Slobody, in front of the Cabinet Office in Bratislava, said.

Stalemate caused by ministry

SAVs individual institutes have been paralysed, and their future is uncertain, while the ministrys arguments against enrolling SAVs units on the registry are irrelevant in principle, according to the organisers. SAV head Pavol Sajgalik described, as quoted by the TASR newswire, the ministrys refusal to enroll the academys bodies on the list as unlawful. This sentiment is echoed by a legal analysis carried out on its behalf.

Read also:

Read also: Scientists to protest against current situation at SAV Read more

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister for Investment and Informatisation Richard Rasi (of the ruling Smer party), who is also chairman of the governmental Council for Science, Technology and Innovations, announced at the request of Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (also Smer) that an extraordinary session will take place on August 16 to discuss the situation on neutral ground.

In response to SAVs determination to resolve the situation via the General Prosecutors Office, Education Minister Martina Lubyova (a nominee of the SNS, junior coalition party) described it as inappropriate.

We dont want to see chaos at SAV, the minister noted, as cited by TASR. Were taking steps, writing and speaking to everyone, but were labelled as the worst, simply due to our efforts to observe laws, to ensure that state property is transferred under transparent conditions and that the laws concerning registration are respected.

What is the bone of contention?

The most notable problem for the SAV now concerns the Agency for Support of Research and Development, Sajgalik said, as quoted by the SITA newswire, adding that the Education Ministry gave a recommendation to the Agency [which is in charge of distribution of EU funds] not to conclude contracts with the SAV.

Read also:

Read also: Current stalemate paralyses the Slovak Academy of Sciences Read more

Education Minister Lubyova on August 14 launched five calls for support for long-term strategic research and development worth 288 million. At a press conference, she announced that the SAV may also apply for support for their projects. If we can apply for EU funds, then I dont understand why the Education Ministry directly instructed the agency not to conclude contracts with us, the president of the Academy told SITA. It is difficult for us to understand, as the Education Ministry issues statements that suggests nothing is happening and the academy is living its normal life.

Law passed, not implemented

Last year, Slovak parliament passed a Law on Public Research Institution, based on which all SAV institutions should have been transformed into public research institutions by July 1, 2018.

However, for them to be established, the Education Ministry has to inscribe them on the register, which has not been done as of August 15, according to SITA. Thus, the academys organisations cannot manage the money to buy technology, employees pay business trips from their own pockets, and institutions cannot bid for projects or grants, SAV spokesperson Monika Hucakova told SITA, adding that the mental harm when scientists feel no support from the state and face absurd obstacles threatens the attractiveness of the profession.

Potential partners have even started withdrawing from prepared projects. The Horizon 2020 project was especially threatened, Sajgalik said, and added that this issue must be solved as soon as possible, and not some time in September.

15. Aug 2018 at 23:14 | Compiled by Spectator staffCargo ships on the Danube are better off in Slovakia

Unlike in other countries, the Slovak section of the Danube river is fully navigable for cargo shipping as of mid-August.

The banks of the low Danube river are seen in Mariaposching, southern Germany, Aug.1, 2018. (Source: AP/TASR)

Font size: A - | A + 1 On the Slovak section and along the joint border sections of the Danube river with Hungary and Austria, navigation has been unlimited so far. In the Bratislava and Komarno harbours, however, more ships are docked and waiting for more favourable conditions on the Hungarian part of Danube, spokesperson of the Transport Authority Eva Oravcova told the TASR newswire. The Danube rive rin Bratislava, end of July 2018. (Source: SITA) The low water level of the Danube, caused by heat-waves and lack of precipitation, has resulted in problems mainly for cargo ships along several sections of the Danube, mostly in Hungary, Serbia and Germany. Oravcova noted that ship masters are obliged to seek information, before as well as during the passage, on the current state of water levels on all sections of the water route they are travelling by and adjust their passage to the due conditions. The Slovak Navigation and Harbours (SPaP) shipping company told TASR that Hungary, Serbia, and Germany are facing complications. Due to the weather forecast, the situation is not expected to improve within the upcoming week either. 15. Aug 2018 at 23:24 | Compiled by Spectator staff

Top storiesAfter a long while, VAIO is officially available in Malaysia once again with their VAIO S11 and their S13 Notebooks starting from RM6499 and RM6199 respectively. Targeted towards users who are Business oriented who are also style conscious, the VAIO S11 and S13 offers performance and elegance inside a chassis as light as 850 grams. Not only that, it is also highly durable, being able to withstand stress tests such as the Water Spill Test, Pen Bend Test, 90CM drop test, Vibration test and lastly the Corner Impact Test.

The notebooks also feature the VAIO TruePerformance technology which improves processing power up to 13% due to enhance cooling giving the chipset thermal leeway for higher performance. Last but not least, the S11 and S13 will come equipped with a fingerprint sensor which is also integrated with Windows Hello. In terms of colour options, the VAIO S11 will come shipped with 5 different colour schemes including Black, Silver, Brown, Pink, and White while the VAIO S13 will come with only Black and Silver.

Tech spec wise, the VAIO S11 and S13 will house up to 8th generation Intel Core i5-8550U, up to 13.3-inch display with Full HD screen resolution, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB SSD internal storage. You can check out their official website for more information about the VAIO S11 and VAIO S13 notebooks. For more updates like these, stay tuned to TechNave.com.11 hours ago

US to look at climate emissions from oil and gas lease sales

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The Biden administration announced Friday that industry regulators for the first time have begun analyzing greenhouse gas emissions from federal oil and gas leases on a national

Read ArticleIssues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacationPASCAGOULA, Miss. -- A comparison of 2017 and 2018 finance reports bolsters a former mayor's argument that recent overspending is a major factor in Pascagoula's $14 million deficit crunch.

On Friday, The Mississippi Press published an extensive look at the City of Pascagoula's budgets from fiscal years 2015 through the current fiscal year 2018.

The reports at face value did not yield anything that would be considered startling other than three categories -- intergovernmental revenues, transfers in, and other financing sources.

Those three categories fluctuated the most financially, causing The Mississippi Press to pose questions to city leaders on Friday morning about the categories in question.

As of Tuesday evening, those questions have gone unanswered. However, a comparison of third-quarter financial results for 2017 and 2018 shows a significant difference between the two years.

A publicly available city database contains reports showing the city's year-to-date expenditures and revenue on June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2018, or three-quarters of the way through each fiscal year. Both appear to have been generated by current city comptroller Sherria Trosclair.

The report for June 30, 2017 showed that the city had collected $31.4 million, or 47.9 percent of the money it expected to take in that year. It had spent $35.9 million or 57.3 percent of its budget.

The report for June 30, 2018 shows that $35.4 million had come in, or 56.3 percent of the city's expected revenue for the year. But spending to date came in at $44.1 million, or 72.1 percent of the budget.

That backs up an account by former mayor Jim Blevins. In an exclusive interview, Blevins previously said the current administration already had spent a total of $44 million in the first three quarters in the budget year.

Expenditures and revenues fluctuate over the course of the year, so the year-to-year difference may not translate directly to the year-end totals.

But a $9 million difference in expenditures going into the final quarter does lend weight to Blevins' accusation that spending has been significantly higher under current city leaders.

The Mississippi Press placed a call to current City Attorney/City Manager Ryan Frederic, but our call thus far has not been returned.Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

Home Regional News EastABC will screen UK mystery Loch Ness, about a murder in the picturesque village of Lochnafoy.

The 6 part ITV drama by screenwriter Stephen Brady (Fortitude, Vera, Taggart, Silent Witness) features Laura Fraser and Siobhan Finneran.

This aired in the UK in June 2017.

Beneath the waters of Loch Ness, we see the pigment bleached body of an unidentified middle-aged man, curling stones tied to his ankles.

On her day off, Det Sergeant Annie Redford (Laura Fraser) is called upon by her boss DCI Frank Smilie (John Sessions) to clear up a gory prank, which reporters are claiming with tongue in cheek, to be the washed-up remains of the Loch Ness Monster. Annie, with a raging hangover, heads to the lochside where the inexperienced PC Jason Denny (Murray Fraser) helps her clear up the decaying animal entrails. Among the remains Jason finds a heart, which he bags.

Meanwhile, piano teacher Niall Swift (Jordan McCurrach) is sacked by widower Dr Marr (John Heffenan), for giving his daughter inappropriate music. When Swift accuses Marr of hypocrisy an argument ensues. Shortly afterwards Swift receives a text from someone who wants to meet him at a local beauty spot. A couple of hours later we see college principal, Craig Petrie (Alastair MacKenzie), in full running gear, standing over Swifts twisted, broken, blooded body as it lies at the foot of a cliff. Before Petrie calls for help, he pockets Swifts phone.

The pathologist ascertains that Swift was murdered and a sliver of his brain was removed. DCI Lauren Quigley (Siobhan Finneran) is seconded to the case to head up the investigation and is later joined by forensic psychologist Blake Albrighton (Don Gilet), whom she drafts in, much to Smilies dismay. Annie shows Quigley the spot where Swift was killed and finds a newspaper from the day of the murder in a gully nearby.

The investigation is further complicated when the heart Jason found among the animal remains turns out to be human. The teenagers responsible for the prank, Jonjo (Keiran Gallacher), Kieran (Jack Bannon) and Annies daughter Evie (Shona McHugh), are brought in for questioning, and Annie, now compromised, is off the case, causing tensions at home.

Elsewhere, we meet Kierans brother Jordan (Oliver Greenall), a young man with locked-in syndrome who awakens and begins to show signs of recovery. Could he be connected to the events and will the police identify the killer before he can strike again?

8:50pm Thursday August 30 on ABC.

Amended.Update: Legendary TV presenter Denise Drysdale will take time out from Studio 10 but told presenters she would be seen next year.

Gold Coast-based presenter said she was tiring of the travel and not being able to sleep in her own bed. She had planned to depart but producers coaxed her into remaining part of the family with occasional appearances.

I spoke to our executive producer and said, I need to go. I had a meeting and they said, We dont want you to go. Have a break. Then come back. So I am lucky to still be working at my age and have an opportunity to have a little break, she said.

Denise Drysdale addresses rumours that she's leaving the show. #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/jxiLxu93gO  Studio 10 (@Studio10au) August 15, 2018

News of Drysdales exit was broken by Peter Ford yesterday.

Drysdale joined the TEN morning show in November 2015 as a fifth presenter, in a job-sharing arrangement with Ita Buttrose.

Late last year both were caught up in a headline-grabbing Brussels Sprout-gate during a festive shoot when Drysdale tossed Brussels Sprouts at Buttrose on set.

Since then the show has seen a string of high-profile departures including Executive Producer Rob McKnight -now locked in a salary dispute with the network- presenters Ita Buttrose and Jessica Rowe. It recently added Angela Bishop and Denise Scott to the family.

Rowe and Drysdale are happily fronting a popular podcast One Fat Lady & One Thin Lady.

Meanwhile ratings for the show continue to face an uphill battle, on Tuesday averaging 48,000 against The Morning Shows 150,000 and Today Extras 89,000.

TEN advised Drysdale will confirm her plans on Studio 10 this morning.Foxtel has dropped the dots from its corporate logo.

At the launch of its new 4K channel and iQ4 this week in Sydney, the dots were nowhere to be seen, with new CEO Patrick Delany flanked by a simple Foxtel brand on orange backdrop.

It echoes the previous branding which referenced the historic 20th Century FOX searchlight logo.

A spokesperson confirmed to TV Tonight that the dots were no more.

But at just 14 months in existence, the 2017 refresh by design business Maud may also have been an expensive exercise, under former CEO Peter Tonagh and former Managing Director, Customer and Retail, Mark Buckman.

There was also a striking resemblance to a UK logo print specialist company Team Impression.

The removal of the dots is now taking place across several corporate platforms.



Guwahati, August 15 : A photograph was taken on August 15, 2017, that warmed the heart of every Indian citizen last Independence Day.





Two children, while standing in chest-deep flood water, were seen saluting the tricolour national flag along with their teachers at their lower primary school in lower Assams Dhubri district.





Barkalia Nashkora, a remote bordering area in Dhubri district along with Assam-Meghalaya border and the flag hosting photograph of No. 1185 Naskara Lower Primary School last year Independence Day went viral every corner and warmed the heart of the nation.





But, a year later, one of the two young boys in the photograph, Haydor Ali Khan, is among the 40 lakh people whose name have been excluded in the complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).





Haydor Ali Khan and Jiarul Ali Khan are two braveheart students, who swam up in floodwaters, stood at their school premise and saluted the Indian

tricolour last year.





The photograph was clicked by Mizanur Rahman, a teacher at the No. 1185 Naskara lower primary school and uploaded in social media and it went viral.





But this Independence, 10-year-old Haydor looking with some tension as his name not found in the complete draft of NRC.





Other members of Haydors family got their names in the list.





Haydors mother Joygon Khatun said that, Haydors name was missing in the list, but his brother and sisters name have been included.





 I am worry about it after three among four members of our family have been included in the list, Haydors mother said.





Haydors father Rupnal Khan, was killed in a clash in Kokrajhar in 2011.





Haydors mother is working as a cooking helper at a school and earned Rs 1000 per month.





 I appeal to the government to include my sons name in the NRC, Joygon Khatun said.





For inclusion in the NRC, Haydors family members had submitted sufficient documents including legacy data, birth certificates during the application submission process.





On the other hand, Mizanur Rahman, a teacher of the No. 1185 Naskara Lower Primary School said that, they had hoisted the tricolour national flag by standing in flood waters, last years Independence Day guided by headmaster of the school Tazen Sikder.





It is unfortunate that, Haydors name missed out in the list. I request the government to include his name in the final NRC, Mizanur Rahman said.





Headmaster of Haydors school, Tazen Sikder said that, they had celebrated this year Independence Day in presence of students and locals.





 Haydors name excluded in the final draft NRC, but I said his mother  dont worry about it, your sons name will be included in the final NRC, Tazen Sikder said.



People work on a yacht under construction at the Heesen Yachts shipyard in Oss, Netherlands August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

By Anthony Deutsch

OSS, Netherlands (Reuters) - With three lounges, three dining rooms, an open-air jacuzzi, a bar and six luxury cabins, the 50-metre "Aster" is one of Dutch shipyard Heesen's more modest superyachts.

The Netherlands, which amassed huge wealth through the technical superiority of European shipbuilders during its 17th century Golden Age, is continuing its maritime tradition by carving out a prominent place in the luxury yacht industry.

"It's a big year for us," Johan Kaasjager of Heesen Yachts told Reuters at his shipyard in Oss. "We'll have delivery of three yachts this year and still a lot to come. The order book is very good at the moment so we're full till 2020."

A new ship construction dock is so large it's been nicknamed "the cathedral". At 90 meters long it will enable Heesen to build its largest ever superyacht, the 80-metre Cosmos.

Heesen has found a sweet spot in that 50-80 meter market segment, with demand so strong it cannot keep up, even after adding new facilities.

Home to several of the world's top 10 superyacht builders, the Netherlands ranks second behind Italy this year in the builders of yachts longer than 24 meters, with 65 in the pipeline, data from Superyacht Times shows.

Last year, the average price per yacht rose nearly 10 percent to a record 57 million euros ($65 million).

"The reason for strong demand is that people are more trying to escape daily life," Kaasjager said. "A yacht of course, when you're out at sea, is fully private so it's the perfect way to relax and be with your family."

ONBOARD WATERFALLS

The trend seen since the recovery from the 2007-2008 recession is for more luxurious, larger ships, with features such as waterfalls that double as projection screens, helipads and swimming pools, blurring the boundary with cruise liners.

While Italy produces a greater numbers of ships and Germany dominates the market for mega yachts over 100 meters long, the Dutch are known for their reliability in delivery, high-tech specifications and speed, Kaasjager said.

Story continues

Top customers over the past decade have been the United States and Russia, accounting for nearly 40 percent of business, with Americans making up 22 percent of existing orders.

The value of superyachts built in Dutch yards rose from 662 million euros in 2014 to nearly 1.2 billion euros in 2017, the report said, giving the Netherlands roughly 30 percent of global annual sales of around 4 billion euros.

"It's also the Dutch mentality to build good yachts, good quality, on time, and we do what we promise", Kaasjager said.

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Alexander Smith)FILE PHOTO: Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Reuters in Putrajaya, Malaysia June 19, 2018. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin/File Photo

Thomson Reuters

By Liz Lee and Philip Wen

KUALA LUMPUR/BEIJING (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrives in China on Friday seeking to renegotiate, and perhaps cancel, billions of dollars worth of Chinese-invested projects entangled in domestic graft probes.

Ties have been strained since a stunning election victory returned Mahathir to power in May and he suspended unpopular Chinese projects authorized by former premier Najib Razak.

During his decade-long rule, Najib courted Chinese investment and was a cheerleader for President Xi Jinping's signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in southeast Asia.

But Mahathir has vowed to discuss the "unfair" deals on his visit.

"Where we can drop the project, we will," the 93-year-old told reporters this week. "But we may have to postpone some because we have made agreements, and to breach the agreements will cost us a lot."

The centerpiece of China's infrastructure push in Malaysia is the ambitious $20-billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, work on which has been suspended pending discussions over pricing and graft accusations.

Hit by ballooning costs, lack of transparency and the risk it could saddle Malaysia with uncomfortably large debt, the 688-km (428-mile) project has come to symbolize Najib's scandal-ridden administration.

Najib, charged with money laundering and corruption over state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) , has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

During his election campaign, Mahathir was critical of the benefits of the Chinese projects, which helped him win.

His government also halted work on two projects worth more than $2.3 billion awarded to the China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau that have been linked to graft at 1MDB.

"China has been very spooked by Mahathir's election," said a Malaysian official familiar with talks before the visit, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Story continues

China is nervous that Malaysia wants to cancel the projects, "but we just want to reassess them," the official added.

Mahathir's trip is set to run until Tuesday, but he will first visit the eastern city of Hangzhou to meet e-commerce giant Alibaba's chief Jack Ma before flying to Beijing, the source said.

OPEN TO IDEAS

China's eagerness to save the BRI from another embarrassing setback leads some analysts to believe it might be open to striking a pragmatic compromise with Malaysia.

"They don't want a failure to taint their name," said one Malaysian source involved in the contract reviews. "They don't want to be involved in a project that is clear-cut corruption."

Other major projects that have hit hurdles include a rail link from Indonesia's capital of Jakarta to southeastern Bandung and the ports of Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Gwadar in Pakistan.

"The Chinese are open to ideas and negotiation in many BRI countries where projects run into problems," said Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of Kuala Lumpur's Malaysia-China Friendship Association.

"But Malaysia has to be clear on what it wants."

Mahathir has courted Japan in recent weeks, announcing plans for a big yen-denominated loan when he visited Tokyo.

His shift away from China is also seen as an opportunity for the United States, worried at Beijing's growing regional clout and building of islands in the South China Sea.

But for Malaysia to distance itself from biggest trading partner China would further hurt its economy, sluggish under massive debt.

"The domestic politics and change in government delivered a shock to the bilateral relationship, at the very least it has increased uncertainty and risk," said Pang Zhongying, an international relations expert at the Ocean University of China, adding that the changes had inspired caution.

Residents of Malaysia's placid coastal town of Kuantan hoped the ECRL, launched a year ago, would boost economic activity through the link to the Malacca Strait, a key shipping lane.

"The east coast people want (the ECRL)," said Andy Chiew, a Kuantan-based official of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce.

But for now, the project has hit the buffers.

($1=4.0900 ringgit)

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Joseph Sipalan in KUALA LUMPUR; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Praveen Menon)

See Also:At least 23 people, the majority of whom are children, have died after a boat sank in the River Nile in Sudan.

The boat was carrying more than 40 pupils on their way to school in the north of the country, before suffering a technical failure, according to Sudan's state news agency.

At least 22 students and a woman were killed in the country's northern River Nile state, with civil defence forces searching waters for the missing, but are yet to recover any bodies.

A female hospital employee was among those drowned some 470 miles north of Sudan's capital Khartoum.

"The accident was caused by engine failure halfway across because of a strong current," said the SUNA news agency.

It also reported the small boat was overloaded with about 30 sacks of sweet potatoes and 10 bags of grain, in addition to the human cargo.

One witness said at least nine children survived the tragedy.

The River Nile state is one of 18 wilayat (states) of Sudan, with an estimated population of more than one million, where locals rely on wooden boats to cross the waterway.

Sudan experiences monsoon rains between June and November, which cause the River Nile and its tributaries to overflow.

United Nations aid agencies regularly warn of floods during this period.

Khartoum sits where the White Nile, which flows north from Lake Victoria, meets the Blue Nile, which flows west from Ethiopia.

Classes have been suspended in the capital until August 25 due to heavy rains in Khartoum flooding streets and amid power outages.

At nearly 6,700km (4,160 miles) in length, the River Nile is argued by many to be the world's longest river.

It is an important transport route for goods and people in much of northeastern Africa.

In August 2000, 50 students drowned when their wooden barge overturned southeast of Khartoum.

Another boat tragedy, in September 2014, saw 13 people drowned north of the capital.The abuse of more than 1,000 children for decades by hundreds of priests was systemically covered up by church officials, , according to a report.

It says the real number of victims in Pennsylvania may be very much higher because records have been lost and some of those abused may be afraid to come forward.

The report claims more than 300 clergy were involved in the abuse, but only two have been charged, including one who has pleaded guilty.

The grand jury report says the current archbishop of Washington was involved in the cover-up.

In most cases the statute of limitations has expired, meaning charges cannot be brought. Some of the alleged abusers have since died, retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood.

The assaults are said to have ranged from groping to rape, with most, but not all of the victims, boys.

In one case a boy was made to pose naked as if being crucified and then was photographed by a group of priests who produced and shared child pornography on church grounds.

"We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated," the grand jury said.

At a news conference Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said church officials often dismissed or ignored allegations of abuse.

He said: "Church officials routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling and inappropriate conduct. It was none of those things. It was child sexual abuse, including rape."

He went on: "Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing. They hid it all."

The grand jury report accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh's bishop between 1988 and 2006.

Cardinal Wuerl has rejected the allegations insisting he had tried to stop the abuse.

"While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse," he said in a statement.

"I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report."china baby

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

China has become a demographic time bomb despite ending its one-child policy two years ago.

Local authorities are scrambling to incentivize women to have more children, as the country's birth rate continues to drop.

Some provinces want to offer cash bonuses to parents who have a second child, and others are voicing support for eliminating all limits on childbirth.

For more than 35 years, China restricted all of the country's women to having only one child  a policy that was implemented due to population growth and food shortages, among other things.

In 2016, a shrinking workforce and aging population led the government to end the policy. Authorities began encouraging women to have two children. But the damage to China's population growth had been done, and now the country is dealing with a demographic time bomb.

Demographic time bombs, marked by a falling birth rate and an increase in the number of elderly people, can cause a country's economy to suffer. Though China's economy boomed while the "One Child policy" was in effect, it now has too few workers to support a large number of senior citizens.

About 25% of China's population is expected to be at least 60 years old by 2030, a notable increase compared to the roughly 13% of citizens who were 60 or older in 2010.

To undo this demographic time bomb, local authorities are coming up with new ways to encourage more childbirth. The northeastern Liaoning province in China has expressed interest in paying cash bonuses to parents who have a second child, the northwestern Shaanxi province has voiced support for eliminating limits on childbirth, and the National Health Commission has reportedly asked researchers to study whether tax breaks could generate a baby boom.

And earlier this year, the northern province Shanxi announced China's first marriage subsidy, offering to help couples with the cost of wedding photographs, honeymoon travel, and more.

Story continues

These efforts are vastly different from China's previous stance on childbirth, when the government punished most couples who had more than one child with fines and enforced abortions or sterilization procedures for millions of women.

Despite the government's desire to raise the birth rate, the percentage of Chinese women interested in having more children is falling. According to a 2017 survey by recruitment website Zhaopin, about two-thirds of working women with one child do not want any more children  a 17% increase from 2014. The percentage of women who are not interested in having any children at all rose from 21% in 2016 to 40% last year.

According to The New York Times, China's new campaign to encourage childbirth is also causing concerns that the government may take extreme actions. In the southeastern Jiangxi province, for example, women who are more than 14 weeks pregnant need to get three signatures from medical personnel before getting an abortion. While this policy is not new, there is growing fear that authorities will enforce the rule more strictly than before.

Other provinces are making it more difficult for people to get divorced  in some parts of the country, couples are required to take a quiz about each other as part of the divorce process. Local news outlets have reported that a score of 60 points or higher  on a scale of 100  is interpreted as room for recovery, with such couples being told to work on their marriages.

The number of births in China keeps decreasing, from 17.9 million in 2016 to 17.2 million last year. But according to The Times, the National Health Commission insists that the "two-child policy" is working, as the percentage of families with two children has risen from 36% in 2013 to 51% this year.

China is not the only country grappling with a demographic time bomb. In Japan, authorities are also taking steps to encourage women to have more children after the country recorded its lowest-ever number of births last year. In Spain, a low number of childbirths has created a population desert in the northeast, and Bulgaria's population is on track to reaching the lowest point since World War II.

NOW WATCH: Here's the incredible amount of work that goes into making an award-winning movie trailer

See Also:The Emirati soldiers in Yemens port city of Aden were starting to get jumpy. We had only spent 15 minutes in Dar Saad, one of the citys worst hit districts from the ongoing war, when they thought security had been compromised. This section of the neighbourhood is deeply impoverished and divided. It is also where the Shia Houthi rebel group first entered the city back in March 2015 when they swept control of the country and ousted the recognised Yemeni government, prompting the UAE and Saudi Arabias intervention in Yemen.

We have to go back a different way, groups may have laid land mines or IEDs along the road we originally took while weve been here, said one of the officers quietly. The 15-vehicle armoured convoy swiftly rolled away.

Despite the fact that Aden is now the de facto headquarters of the Gulf coalition and the Yemeni government, the UAE forces are taking no chances. Days after The Independent was there, a roadside bomb targeted the convoy of a coalition-backed provincial leader in the city. Ameen Mahmood, governor of the southwest province of Taiz, was not injured but his bodyguards were.

The Gulf coalition and the recognised Yemeni government control the city but face hidden threats from supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and al-Qaedas most lethal franchise, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), that once controlled a western district of the city.

The UAE in particular is concerned their forces will be targets since it has spearheaded the coalitions complex and controversial counter-terror operation in Yemen, which was launched in April 2015 alongside the war against the Houthis, and which has faced some backlash.

Since then, unlike the Saudis, the Emiratis have rolled out a significant military footprint in Yemen, with UAE troops or forces trained by their men, controlling several bases, airfields and ports along the south coast of the Gulfs most impoverished country.

The UAE military leadership say it is their job and their highest priority to crush AQAP, as the only member of the Gulf Coalition Council to have previous counter-terror experience from their time in Afghanistan. They have vehemently denied accusations that their successes have relied on doing deals with AQAP members.

Story continues

In rare interviews with top UAE commanders in both Abu Dhabi and Yemen, representatives from the Gulf state have vowed to stay put in Yemen until AQAPs central command has been beaten. Even if it means remaining embroiled in the countrys conflict long past the end of the war with the Houthis.

The UAE says that since the Gulf intervention in 2015 it has trained a force of 60,000 Yemeni soldiers, made up of tribesmen, former security forces and militiamen, half of which are leading the counter-terror battle in Yemen.

It says under the military guidance of the UAE, these troops have now reduced AQAPs geographical control to just a string of villages and its fighting force in south Yemen to just 200 men that are doing little else but surviving coalition strikes.

Al-Qaeda is now running and hiding. We have deprived them of their safe havens, finance streams, and recruitment pools. The coalition has been relentless in its pursuit of the group, thanks to the 30,000 Yemeni forces we have trained and equipped to take them on, said a senior UAE military official.

The counter al-Qaeda operation will remain and we will remain in Yemen until AQAP is broken. We will stay until it is done, he added.

Brigadier Ali, a senior Emirati task force commander, echoed that even if the Houthi war ends the UAE will continue to fight the global enemy of al-Qaeda.

We will eventually cleanse Yemen of all terror outfits, he added.

Certainly, before the Emiratis and their Yemeni counterparts started the war against AQAP, the terror group controlled a significant sweep of territory that stretched along the entire southern coastline of Yemen and into the mainland.

The militants had been able to expand their territory by exploiting the chaos after the Houthi takeover of Yemen that ousted recognised Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The group raised its flags above several provincial capitals including Mukalla, Yemens fifth largest city, as well as Zinjibar and Jaar, the capital of Abyan and the provinces second largest city. According to the UAE, AQAP governed cities with a combined population of 850,000, providing a major source of funding and recruits.

AQAP has been labelled by the US as one of the most lethal franchises of al-Qaeda. Since it was formed in 2009 it has attacked US, Italian and British embassies, targeted Belgium tourists with suicide bombers, killed more than 90 military recruits in Sanaa and in 2009 bombed a Japanese tanker.

In the same year, AQAP militant Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to take down a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas day by smuggling explosives into his underwear. AQAP also claimed responsibility for the January 2015 attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that killed 12 people.

The Emiratis say thanks to their counter-terror operation, the group is now on the decline: al-Qaeda only holds tiny pockets of isolated land in the central province of Marib, to the south in Bayda and to the east in Wadi Hadramawt. Its capabilities to plan attacks abroad from Yemen have been all but destroyed.

But despite these successes, the UAEs counter-terror operation has come under fire. Some have accused the coalition of not winning militarily but rather striking secret deals with AQAP fighters, paying many of them off, allowing others to leave with looted cash, and recruiting hundreds more into its ranks.

The most controversial battle was the one to free Mukalla, which AQAP held for just over a year until April 2016 when Emirati-trained and led Yemeni forces ousted them.

A recent investigation published by the Associated Press, quoting tribal leaders, military security and government officials in the area, claimed militants were guaranteed a safe route out and allowed to keep weapons and cash looted from the city, up to $100m by some estimates.

Emirati commanders dismissed the accusations as untrue and illogical. They said there had been isolated cases of surrender from small groups but no major reconciliation agreements. They added that allowing fighters to leave with loot would contradict their primary objectives: depriving AQAP of its financial strength.

General Faraj al-Bahsani, governor of Hadramawt, the province where Mukalla is located, pointed to the high death toll on the battlefield as proof they secured his city through a military win.

The accusations are completely untrue. From our side, 360 were killed from Hadramawt in the liberation of the area, there were high casualties, he said from his offices in Mukalla.

It took at least four hours to take one of the military bases on top of the mountain. The fight at the airbase was heavy, he added.

Bahsani also dismissed accusations that the counter-terror forces had absorbed battle-hardened al-Qaeda leadership into Yemeni ranks, saying it would be suicide.

If they were inside or with us I would be the first one to be killed  there would be sleeper cells, he added.

AQAP were presented with a pretty simple choice: either you can fight [the coalition] or you can leave and walk out with your weapons and your money and people"

Peter Salisbury, Yemen expert

That said residents of central Mukalla admitted they heard little fighting in the battle to retake the city, which lasted just 24 hours.

We heard a bit of fighting, it was violent in some places, particularly outside the city, said Ahmed, who was kidnapped by al-Qaeda himself during their year-long hold on the city.

We understand there was some kind of mediation to avoid a high civilian death toll. We were pleasantly surprised when al-Qaeda was quickly gone.

Analysts say that deals within Mukalla were made early on in the battle.

AQAP were presented with a pretty simple choice: either you can fight [the coalition] or you can leave and walk out with your weapons and your money and people, said Peter Salisbury, a Yemen expert at Chatham House.

AQAP made a strategic decision  After application of pressure, after drone strikes against their leaders, that it made more sense in their long-term interest not to occupy a physical space where they were a visible target, he added.

Michael Horton, a fellow at the Jamestown Foundation that tracks terrorism, agreed: AQAP understood it was not going to hold Mukalla, AQAP knew weeks ahead and were seen moving heavy equipment out of Mukalla, he told The Independent.

That said its undeniable that AQAP are no longer controlling those huge swathes of territory, he added. Whatever is happening in south Yemen, the war against AQAP is reducing their geographical footprint.

"The coalition used all the people who are against the Houthis  in particular their fiercest ideological rivals the Salafis. But the problem is in Yemen you cant really differentiate between Salafi fighters and AQAP"

Relative of an AQAP kidnapping victim

One senior Emirati commander did admit to The Independent that they had absorbed deserting al-Qaeda fighters, the rank-and-file that had been lured to AQAP with promises of money, after a careful programme of investigation, observation and rehabilitation.

The commander said that the programme was successful: ex-fighters sent positive messages back to their former AQAP colleagues, encouraging more to break rank and join the Yemeni forces.

Another senior Emirati army official said that due to the complexity of the situation in Marib, central Yemen, where the coalition has a significant force fighting the Houthis in the hills, the security of their camp bizarrely relied on an unspoken relationship with al-Qaeda.

Although it is their intention to eventually snuff out al-Qaeda in Marib, if coalition forces were to battle the militants in the area right now while trying to fight Houthis, angry AQAP fighters would pose a major threat to their camps.

The same officials also admitted that when they clandestinely went into Aden to first oust the Houthis in the spring of 2015, they found themselves accidentally fighting alongside al-Qaeda, who as battle-hardened Sunni fighters had a common enemy in the Shia Houthis.

In short, the problems lie in how complex al-Qaeda is in Yemen and its ability to be indistinguishable from other groups, which is part of its survival strategy in the Gulf state. It is not an easily separable international terror group but often deeply engrained in society: their leaders have married into major families, become part of influential tribes and bought loyalty.

Its ideology is also virtually indistinct from powerful Salafi groups in Yemen that are fighting within the Gulf coalition against the Houthis.

One Yemeni from a prominent pro-UAE family in the south, whose cousin was kidnapped by al-Qaeda in Mukalla in 2015, said his relative was taken to an AQAP training camp. There he saw fighters belonging to a brigade controlled by powerful Salafi commander Aboul Abbas, that was going afterwards to fight the Houthis with the coalition in Taiz.

There were also people training in that camp reinforcing the [anti-Houthi] front in Aden, he said.

At the beginning of the war the coalition used all the people who are against the Houthis  in particular their fiercest ideological rivals the Salafis. But the problem is that in Yemen you cant really differentiate between Salafi fighters and AQAP, he added.

That all said it is clear that AQAPs presence in Yemen has been severely compromised. The UAE said that the number of attacks by AQAP in Yemen has fallen by over 93 per cent in the past three years. They added that around 1000 core AQAP fighters have been killed since 2015, including most of the groups most-wanted leaders.

Its impossible to independently verify this. But the once boisterous group has remained largely quiet on social media. The number of reported attacks has plummeted.

The Emiratis meanwhile are determined to keep reducing AQAPs footprint in Yemen with their 30,000-strong force of Yemeni soldiers. Having recently cleared the whole of the south-central province of Shabwah, where much of the AQAP leadership hails from, they said Wadi Hadramawt and Marib is next on the cards.

We know that many AQ leaders are holed up in safe havens in Marib, said Brigadier Ali from a heavily armed base in Mukalla.

We are confident that we will deal with them effectively.British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt and Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen address the media after their meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark August 15, 2018. Tariq Mikkel Khan/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS

By Gederts Gelzis

RIGA (Reuters) - The short-term market impact will be significant if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said during a visit to Latvia on Wednesday.

Britain is due to quit the EU in less than eight months, but the government has yet to agree with Brussels the terms of its departure. It has stepped up planning for the possibility of leaving without a formal agreement.

Sterling fell last week, in part on concern about the state of negotiations and the chance of a no-deal Brexit.

Asked about the possible market reaction to leaving without a deal, Hunt said at news conference: "Well, of course, there will be significant short-term impact, but I think in these situations the British economy would find a way to get through it and, indeed, we would find a way ultimately to thrive and be successful."

Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics, who met with Hunt on Wednesday to discuss Brexit, told the same news conference he now estimated the possibility of reaching a deal by the March 29 exit day was 50-50.

Hunt said he did not want to put a percentage on it.

"Of course, there is this risk of a no-deal. But I think there are a growing number of countries that recognise that would be a very, very big mistake not just for the United Kingdom, but for the EU as well," he said.

"So rather than speculating on exact percentages, lets work hard to make sure that doesnt happen."

During a visit to Helsinki on Tuesday, Hunt said the risk of a no-deal Brexit has been increasing and everyone needed to prepare for the possibility of a "chaotic no-deal Brexit".

Both London and Brussels say they want to reach agreement at an Oct. 18 EU Council, but diplomats think that target date is too optimistic. EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier rejected key elements of British Prime Minister Theresa May's new trade proposals last month.

Economists say failure to agree the terms of leaving would do serious damage to the world's fifth-largest economy as trade with the EU, Britain's largest market, would become subject to tariffs.

Supporters of Brexit say there may be some short-term pain for the economy, but that long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are pushing for a rerun of the 2016 referendum.

(Additional reporting by Sarah Young in London, writing by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Larry King)VALLETTA (Reuters) - The Mediterranean rescue ship Aquarius arrived at Valletta harbour in Malta on Wednesday to allow 141 migrants to get off, ending a five-day tug-of-war among European Union countries which had seen the vessel banned from docking in several ports.

The ship, run by the Franco-German charity SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), was allowed in after France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain agreed on Tuesday to take in the migrants, who were rescued off the coast of Libya.

Aid groups said there were more than 70 children on board.

The EU countries will also take some of a group of 114 migrants who were rescued by the Maltese armed forces and brought to Malta on Monday.

The row was the latest tussle illustrating how politically fraught the issue of coping with seaborne migrants remains despite a deal on migration that EU leaders agreed on at a summit in June.

Malta had initially argued that the migrants on board the Aquarius should be taken to Libya, Tunisia or the Italian island of Lampedusa, all closer to the rescue points.

As the ship docked, members of a right-wing group Moviment Patrijotti Maltin (Malta Patriotic Movement) unfurled a banner reading "Stop Human Trafficking". Next to them, crew members of another rescue vessel, the MV Lifeline, held up a banner of their own reading "Everyone has a right to life."

A government spokesman said the ship's migrants, mostly from Eritrea and Somalia, would be given an initial medical check before being taken to a reception centre.

This was the second time in as many months that the Aquarius was at the heart of a Mediterranean standoff. It was refused entry by Italy and Malta in June, and the boat eventually docked in Spain, which took in its migrants.

(Reporting by Chris Scicluna; Editing by Sarah White, Richard Balmforth)Medecins Sans Frontieres said it was relieved after the Aquarius rescue ship, which it operates in partnership with SOS MEDITERRANEE, was granted permission to dock in Malta on August 14.

The ship was carrying 141 people rescued from the Mediterranean on August 10.

The UN Refugee Agency also welcomed the decision, but said the standoff highlighted the need for

a Mediterranean regional arrangement that provides clarity on where boats carrying rescued passengers can dock. Credit: Lauren King/MSF via StoryfulBy Natalia Chumakova and Natalia Zinets

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Some Russian ships have stopped transporting cargo to Ukraine, deeming it risky after a Russian tanker was detained in a Ukrainian port as Kiev made good on sanctions against Moscow, two sources at shipowners said.

It is the latest fallout from Russia's annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and the emergence of a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

The Mekhanik Pogodin oil tanker, under the Russian flag, has been moored in the port of Kherson since Aug. 10, Reuters ship tracking data shows.

A spokeswoman for a regional unit of the Ukrainian state security service (SBU) said the tanker had been detained in the port and prevented from offloading because its owner is on a list of sanctions imposed by Kiev.

"We are just following the law, the presidential order, which has approved the (sanctions) list... I think this is the first (detention) of such kind," Veronika Frolova said.

The vessel is owned by VEB-Leasing, part of Russian banking group VEB and among Russian companies subject to sanctions imposed by Ukraine in May as a response to "Russian aggression in Ukraine".

The tanker was leased by V.F. Tanker to carry diesel from Turkmenistan to Ukraine on behalf of the Canadian company Oil Marine Shipping and Chartering Inc., the captain, Mikhail Zamyatin, said via a statement sent by V.F. Tanker, one of the largest shipping companies in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov region.

VEB-Leasing declined to comment. The Russian Ministry of Transport did not respond to a request for comment.

Reuters tracking data shows that some Russian vessels that are not subject to sanctions are still bound for Ukrainian ports.

However, industry sources said that other Russian shipowners which are also not subject to sanctions have now stopped shipping to Ukraine for fear of losing their cargo.

"Of course we won't go to Ukraine, we have suspended the shipments for now. If needs be, we will be searching for other destinations," a shipping industry source told Reuters.

Story continues

SUNFLOWER TRADE

Ukraine's presidential office imposed sanctions on more than 700 mostly Russian companies, including VEB Leasing, in May. Those entities - including banks, transport, media and defence companies - were banned from doing trade in Ukraine and their assets in Ukraine would be seized, it said.

Many Russian companies have already sought to wind up their Ukraine-linked activities due to earlier sanctions since the Crimea conflict in 2014.

Russian ships typically carry oil products from Turkmenistan via Russian ports and the Sea of Azov to the Ukrainian ports of Odessa, Kherson and Nikolayev during summer, partly by river.

They also ship sunflower seed oil from Ukraine, and those operations have also been suspended, according to the sources.

"No one wants their ship to get stuck (in Ukrainian waters) with a cargo, which had been paid for," another source at a Russian shipping company said.

V.F. Tanker, in its statement, said Mekhanik Pogodin's captain was still on the ship as the Kherson harbour master had barred the vessel from leaving the port. The harbour master declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

Ukraine's coast guard detained a Russian fishing boat, Nord, in the Sea of Azov on March 25, accusing the crew of entering "territory, which has been under a temporary occupation". The crew was released, but the boat is still detained.

(Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Susan Fenton)The evacuation of 422 White Helmet volunteers from Syria seemingly marks the end of a daring five-year humanitarian mission in one of the worlds most war torn countries. Founded and initially trained by a retired British officer and comprised of local recruits, the White Helmets (AKA the Syrian Civil Defence) were formed in 2013. Their aim was to carry out search and rescue operations for victims of bombings in rebel held areas of Syria.

The White Helmets, who claim to have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people, stand as a beacon of light for much of the international community amid the darkness of the Syrian civil war. They have becoming the subject of an Oscar-winning Netflix documentary and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2016.

But this rosy picture of humanity at its best has been tainted by the politicisation of the outfits activities and the establishment of a counter narrative in which the volunteers appear as anything but battlefield angels.

Propaganda and smear campaigns

The White Helmets have been demonised by Russian-backed propaganda outlets as everything from being partial to the rebel cause (despite the groups motto being to save a life is to save all humanity) to collaborating with ISIS, to staging chemical weapons attacks, to simply being an all-purpose front for unofficial Western meddling into Syrian president Bashar Al-Assads affairs.

The latter claim, in particular has been repeated in press outlets sympathetic to the Syrian president, which reference the fact that the White Helmets have been funded primarily by Western governments.

Aside from this smear campaign, the White Helmets have also been the victims of more direct action. This has included the bombing of several of their hospitals and, most unambiguously, a midnight raid on one of their safe houses in August 2017 in which seven of the volunteers were executed by assassins still unknown.

This might read like chapters of a modern war thriller  indeed, the tale of the White Helmets is scheduled to become a George Clooney-led film.

Story continues

Wartime humanitarianism

So much of their experience is neither new nor unique. The triumphs, travails and tragedies of the White Helmets are just the latest instalment in the long, brutal story of wartime humanitarianism which stretches back over 150 years. Similar tales were played out on the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the Balkans Uprisings (1875-1878). Both involved cases of clearly identified humanitarians being targeted for violence and having their motives questioned.

In these instances, it was not White Helmets, but Red Crosses and Red Crescents that distinguished the volunteers from the fighters. They were the symbols enshrined by the articles of the Geneva Convention as indicating the neutrality of battlefield medics. But these sacrosanct symbols did not protect the volunteers from suspicion and attack.

Red Cross hospitals were routinely shelled throughout the Franco-Prussian War. During the siege of Paris a number of volunteers were shot in the belief that they were using their neutral Red Cross status as a cover for committing acts of espionage. Like the White Helmets of today, the idea that volunteers could act in the service of all wars victims raised eyebrows.

The Swiss volunteer, Frederic Ferriere was imprisoned on suspicion of being a spy, despite offering his medical services to the enemy Prussians.

The French volunteer nurse, Coralie Cahen, was also forcibly ejected from a camp by Prussian troops when she tried to gain access to starving prisoners of war, testament to how  then as now  humanitarians actions were also politicised. Cahen was later lauded by the national press as a symbol of French humanitarian spirit triumphing over Germanic barbarism.

Contemporary questions over the White Helmets funding and motive are also nothing new. During the Balkans Uprisings of the 1870s, a British organisation called the Stafford House Committee sent a humanitarian mission to the troubled region. Although serving under the Red Cross and Red Crescent  and therefore supposedly impartial  Stafford Houses volunteers were characterised in the press as medical mercenaries acting in favour of the Turkish army and taking gold from the Sultan and pro-Turkish backers in Britain.

The grounds for these accusations were far firmer than those currently being thrown at the White Helmets. But the fact remains that the murky grey area between political agendas and neutral humanitarian action has always existed, along with slur campaigns and violence from those who are threatened by the work of humanitarian volunteers.

In this sense, the White Helmets evacuation from Syria may mark the end of their individual story. But, if history is any guide, the sobering and sadly familiar aspects of their tale will continue elsewhere in future.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

James Crossland is the author of War, Law and Humanity: the Campaign to Control Warfare, 1853-1914 (Bloomsbury, 2018)..Two Greek soldiers freed after months in a Turkish prison flew back to their home country on August 14 government after their unexpected release eased tensions between the neighbors and historical rivals. Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said he phoned his Turkish counterpart to express his satisfaction with the soldiers' release and invite him to visit Greece. "I hope that their release ... will herald a new day in Greek-Turkish relations," Kammenos told reporters. "We can live together peacefully, for the benefit of both our peoples."The soldiers, an army junior officer and a sergeant, were met by Kammenos, the army chief of staff and an honor guard after their arrival before dawn at the airport in the northern city of Thessaloniki. "All I want to say is thank you," 2nd Lieutenant Angelos Mitretodis told reporters. The men were arrested on March 1 for illegally entering Turkey after crossing the heavily militarized land border. Greece strongly protested their long detention in the western town of Edirne, arguing that they had strayed across during a patrol amid poor visibility due to bad weather. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed their release as "an act of justice," and provided the jet he uses on official foreign journeys to bring them back. "(Their release) will contribute to strengthening friendship, good neighborly relations and stability in the region," Tsipras said in a statement. "I want to congratulate and thank (the two men) and their families for their fortitude, patience and trust in our efforts, which were finally justified."Jim Mattis Brazil

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis made a pitch on Tuesday to Brazil for building a closer defense partnership with the United States, including in space research.

Speaking to military students at Brazil's senior war college in Rio de Janeiro, Mattis encouraged them to remember and follow their nation's long tradition of working with the US military, including as allies in World War II.

Mattis' visit reflected his emphasis on strengthening alliances, demonstrating US concern about instability in Venezuela, and countering the influence of China and Russia.

Mattis emphasized US interest in partnering with Brazil in space research, an area in which China has shown growing influence in South America. The Chinese operate a space center in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Brazil rocket space ship Alcantara Launch Center

REUTERS/Lucas Ruiz

"We choose Brazil not because it lies along the equator in a happy accident of geography, but because we want to work with Brazilians  our hemispheric neighbor whose values we share politically, as well as your impressive technological orientation," he said. "Others cannot credibly say the same."

Mattis was referring to Brazil's Alcantara space center. It's location near the equator is advantageous for space launches because the closer a launch is to the equator, the more velocity the rocket gets from the Earth's rotation.

Mattis made no direct mention of political tensions in the US, but he did offer what he called personal observations about defending one's nation.

"In defending our people's 'right to democracy,' keep faith as you deal with the human contradictions and the natural polarities that exist everywhere in the world," he said. "Where I come from in the American west, we have a saying: 'Ride for the brand.' It means loyalty only counts when there are 100 reasons not to be loyal. You do this daily, by imposing reason over impulse in extremely hard circumstances, and so much rests upon your shoulders."

Story continues

Brazil rocket space ship Alcantara Launch Center

REUTERS/Jamil Bittar

This is Mattis's first trip to South America as Pentagon chief. He told the war college students the US is "thinking long term" in Latin America.

"The United States seeks to earn your trust daily; we want to be your partner of choice, especially if trouble looms  when refugee flows must be addressed, when a shipping disaster happens in a South American navy, when threats to your sovereignty or way of life manifest," he said in his prepared remarks.

During a question-and-answer session with his audience after his speech, Mattis pushed back politely against a civilian's expression of concern that by creating a US Space Force the Trump administration is opening the door to militarizing space.

"We don't intend to militarize space, however, we will defend ourselves in space, if necessary," he said, adding, "We have no intention of initiating operations in space."

Later this week Mattis will visit Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

NOW WATCH: NASA is flying a $1.5 billion spacecraft into the sun  here's why

See Also:University intellectual property commercialisation specialist Frontier IP announced on Wednesday that its portfolio company The Vaccine Group (TVG) has been awarded a 50,000 grant from the global Bacterial Vaccine Network, to support development of a vaccine to combat one of the main causes of bovine mastitis, E.coli.

The AIM-traded firm said TVG - a University of Plymouth spin-out - would use the grant to run a proof-of-concept study to investigate whether its novel platform technology could produce a safe-to-use vaccine that was cheaper and more effective than the vaccines currently available to farmers.

It said E.coli was one of three main bacteria that causes bovine mastitis, which costs the UK dairy industry 200m each year through reduced milk production and quality.

The disease was also described as a serious problem in low and middle-income countries which relied on milk as a staple food source.

An effective vaccine would remove the need for farmers to use antibiotics, and cut the risk of the bacteria developing antibiotic resistance.

TVG's novel technology was based on safe forms of herpesviruses, which occurred in nearly all animals, including humans.

Vaccines were created through modifying those benign viruses by inserting regions of the target pathogen to stimulate immune responses against the disease.

Other potential applications of the technology included vaccines to fight diseases that jumped from animals to humans, such as ebola, SARS, Marburg viruses, swine and bird flus.

The technology was being developed by Dr Michael Jarvis, associate professor of virology and immunology at the University of Plymouth's School of Biomedical Sciences, and his team.

Frontier IP said they were working in collaboration with a global network of academics and institutions.

Professor Alain Vanderplasschen of the Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases at the University of Liege, Belgium, was the main collaborator on the E.coli vaccine project.

Networks such as BactiVac are critical in bringing together the necessary multidisciplinary expertise required to answer society's problems, said TVG co-founder and director Dr Jarvis.

The current project is using a vaccine against bacteria as means to control bacterial infections, but without antibiotics and associated antibiotic microbial resistance concerns.

Frontier IP Group chief executive officer Neil Crabb added that the award from a world-leading vaccinology network provided strong validation of the technology being developed by The Vaccine Group, and its potential.

We're delighted and look forward to the results of the proof-of-concept study and the opportunities they might provide for longer-term commercialisation, Crabb said.Mining company Vast Resources announced the acquisition of an indirect 29.41% interest in the Blueberry Project, which hosts highly prospective polymetallic mineralisation and is located in the Golden Quadrilateral of Western Romania, on Wednesday.

The AIM-traded firm said the Golden Quadrilateral hosted the prolific Baia de Aries gold mine, the 17.1Moz Rosia Montana Mine and 7.2Moz Rovina Valley Project.

It said the acquisition consisted of an interest of 29.41% in a brownfield perimeter, covering a total of 7.285 square kilometres in the Golden Quadrilateral of Western Romania.

The Blueberry Project was said to be adjacent to the previously-producing Baia de Aries mine, which operated until 2004 and was reported to have produced 20% of the historical gold production from the Golden Quadrilateral.

Historic work across the perimeter area had demonstrated prospectivity for gold and polymetallic mineralisation, the company claimed, with sample values of up to 22.4g/t of gold said to have been obtained from historic soil sampling.

A drilling programme and assaying was underway, which Vast anticipated to deliver sufficient information to support an inferred JORC mineral resource for gold and other polymetallic minerals including silver, copper, lead and zinc in one or more of several distinct breccia pipes.

Following expiry of the exploration licence over Blueberry Project, Vast said the holder had the right under the Romanian mining law - subject to satisfaction of certain conditions - to migrate that to an exploitation licence by 31 December.

The transaction was structured to be non-dilutive to Vast shareholders, with the initial acquisition to be satisfied in new shares in Vasts newly formed subsidiary EMA Resources, which would be financed at a project level.

EMA was to be issued with an initial interest of 29.41%, and the retention of that interest was conditional on EMA procuring funding of $1m by 31 August, or such later date as the vendors could agree, with the acquisition not requiring any regulatory approval in Romania.

Vast said its intention was for EMA to develop into a standalone enterprise, significant enough to justify an initial public offering targeted by the end of 2019.

Pre-IPO costs were expected to be funded by third party finance, with no material cost commitment for Vast.

The company said it would have management and control of the future mining operations, and also over the exploration programme and the IPO process in consideration of a fee equal to 10% of pre-IPO costs.

As shareholders will be aware, my enthusiasm for and confidence in the reinvigoration of the Romanian mining industry remains a central pillar of Vasts future growth strategy and I am delighted to present this acquisition to shareholders, said Vast chief executive Andrew Prelea.

Due to the structure of this transaction, Vast would benefit from the significant upside potential of developing the Blueberry Project whilst safeguarding investors from significant dilution.

Work has already started at Blueberry and we look forward to reporting the results of drilling in the coming weeks in order to begin to give the market a tangible sense of the size and quality of this significant mineralised system in addition to our path to developing the project and ultimately crystallising value for Vast shareholders through a proposed IPO.Advanced materials engineering group Versarien on Wednesday saw a second Department for International Trade (DIT) secondee join its ranks.

Peter Jay, head of policy and governance for outward direct investment at the DIT, will work exclusively for Versarien over a 12 month period and be primarily responsible for the company's planned Chinese expansion as deputy head of international strategy and government relations.

His appointment follows that of Matt Walker, who joined the AIM-traded company as the head of international strategy and government relations.

The programme is part of Trade Secretary Liam Foxs commitment to support UK businesses with their overseas investment, which has been named as one of the departments priorities, the company said.

Neill Ricketts, chief executive of Versarien, said: "We are delighted to welcome Peter Jay to Versarien. Peter will be key to ensuring the successful execution of our Chinese expansion plans and his arrival further broadens our special relationship with the UK government."

Within the DIT, Jay, who has studied mandarin in Beijing and worked in investment consulting, was a member of the infrastructure team before becoming the department's head of policy and governance for outward direct investment.

Versariens shares were up 3.43% at 120.50p at 0921 BST.Berenberg upgraded Esure to 'hold' from 'sell' and lifted the price target to 280p from 230p after the insurer agreed to be bought by Bain Capital for 280p a share in cash.

The bank said that given the significant premium offered and the lack of obvious potential counter-bidders, the offer is an "excellent outcome" for shareholders. It also said that with the backing of chairman Peter Wood and Toscafund, who between them own 47.7% of the shares, shareholder approval should be an easy hurdle to clear, while regulatory approval is not expected to be an issue.

"We believe Esures aggressive growth strategy will lead to worsening underwriting margins and significant capital strain. Indeed, this was demonstrated at its H1 results. With such strategic risks, exiting at a reasonable price is a good outcome, especially given the collapse in the shares over the past 12 months."

The bank does not reckon Esure will become the subject of a bidding war. "It has been widely rumoured that the company was up for sale for at least two years, with no bidders forthcoming. It is difficult to understand the strategic rationale for the acquisition, other than the favourable valuation.

"UK motor insurance is highly competitive, has a volatile pricing cycle and lacks growth. Hence, we do not think there will be significant demand for this asset from elsewhere."

Berenberg, which expects the deal to get regulatory approval before year-end 2018, said there is a risk that Bain could find something it does not like during further due diligence, such as a reserving shortfall. However, it noted that the private equity firm has already conducted a period of due diligence and was confident enough in the financials to submit a proposal to acquire the company.

Analysts at Barclays Research reiterated their 'overweight' stance on Chemring's stock following the tragic incident at the firm's countermeasures facility near Salisbury on 13 August.

Their updated estimates for the rate of growth in th company's earnings per share in 2018 to 2020 were -29%, +1% and +2%, respectively, but they believed the 12% drop in the shares on the day following the announcement had been an "over-correction".

Indeed, they believed it afforded investors with an entry point into a business with "strong" niche positions and self-help potential.

Changing hands on a 2019 price-to-earnings multiple of 15.0 and trading on an EV/EBIT multiple of 10.0, the shares did not look expensive, they said, adding that "these near-term multiples seem to overlook future self-help and mix improvement".

However, they did trim their target price by seven pence to 258p in order to better reflect on-going incident risk.

Analysts at Peel Hunt reiterated their 'buy' rating on TBC Bank on Wednesday, saying they were "confident" the Georgian banking group's underlying results would again highlight the consistency of its returns.

Having spoken with management across the bank's divisions, the broker said TBC was "well positioned" to continue serving the needs of the booming Georgian economy, as well as meeting the ongoing developments of banking.

Peel Hunt noted that TBC's long-term ambition of being the best digital financial services company in the region was evidenced in its ongoing innovation, particularly in the launch of Space Bank, its cloud-based, digital-only neobank.

In addition to maintaining its 'buy' recommendation, Peel Hunt also reiterated its 2,150p target price on the group.

Peel Hunt expects TBC's net loan book to grow to GEL 8.9bn (2.67bn), while its first-half pre-tax profits estimate of GEL 210m (63.22m) was 2% below consensus forecasts of GEL 213m.sacw.net - 15 August 2018

My book Sheikh Mohammad Abdullahas Reflections on Kashmir (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) is a compendium of the speeches and interviews of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who reigned as Prime Minister of the State of Jammu and Kashmir from 1948 to 1953, and who was a large presence on the political landscape of India for fifty years. The volume is designed to enable a student of South Asian politics, and the politics of Kashmir in particular, to analyze the ways in which experiences have been constructed historically and have changed overtime.

On the occasion of the Independence Days of Pakistan (August 14) and India (August 15), here is a highly relevant excerpt from my book:

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on Kashmiras Welfare Dependent on Indo-Pak Amity

"So far as the people of Kashmir are concerned, their future happiness and welfare are linked with the people of India and Pakistan, but, unfortunately, those two countries are a loggerheads with each other, and we have become a pawn in their hands. So long as the two governments are not able to resolve their disputes, our own safety is in jeopardy. It is, therefore, in our vital interest that these two countries should be on the best of terms with each other. We are firmly of the opinion that friendship between India and Pakistan is very essential for the happiness, prosperity, and well-being of their peoples. While, therefore, struggling for our right of self-determination, it becomes essential for Kashmir that we should strive hard to secure friendship between India and Pakistan. The main hurdle in the achievement of friendship between the two is the Kashmir dispute, and until it is settled, friendship between them would not appear to be attainable. Government leaders in India often lend themselves to making extraordinary statements on Kashmir form time to time, declaring that Kashmir is an integral part of India and reiterating this parrot like.

Indo-Pak Peace and Amity Essential

We should, therefore, deliberate on the matter before us with this background in our mind. Whatever solution may strike your mind, you shall have to test it with this yardstick---whether it will ensure Indo-Pak peace and harmony, and whether it can give peace to the 5-million people of this State. You cannot achieve peace if your objective is not to part with what you have got, unmindful of the fact that the attitude of possessiveness contributes to peace and conflict in the subcontinent. You do not then give first priority to peace but to hold on to what you have got in your possession by any means. It is because of this that I am making it incumbent on you to clearly fix your objective in your mind before you start deliberating upon the problem before you. If we are all agreed upon the objective, then I have no doubt in my mind that there will be no difficulty in finding a way out. But, if we are doubtful in our objective, then our deliberations will not yield any results.

Our Hallmark Objectivity

We can deliberate on this delicate problem objectively only if we keep our minds free from prejudice and hatred, no matter what injustices we may have suffered. We are a part of the subcontinent and we cannot run away from this geographical reality. Our future is, therefore, closely linked with the future of India and Pakistan. When President Nasser himself could say that the future of his country is largely linked politically with that of the subcontinent, we too are a part of it. Both India and Pakistan are our neighbors. We cannot, therefore, hate one and love the other. We, on the other hand, must realize that we are a limb of the same body, and our peace, prosperity, and freedom are largely dependent on the peace, prosperity, and freedom of our two great neighbors.

Unfortunately, our State has become a bone of contention between the two, and we are caught as if between two millstones. We want to extricate ourselves from this position, and this can only be achieved if our efforts are directed toward creating peace and harmony between India and Pakistan. In their friendship alone lies our salvation; and in their permanent enmity, our perpetual ruin. Therefore, if we visualize it as our main objective, then we cannot nurse feelings of hate either for the one or the other."A mix of US dollar strength, weak Chinese data and worries that the Turkish currency crisis might have a 'knock-on' effect on growth in other emerging markets saw a wave of selling hit markets, leaving Bloomberg's commodity index just off a fresh 52-week low..

Base metals were especially weak, with market observers unsure whether to blame a slowdown in China's economy or the ongoing situation in Turkish assets for the drop.

All the main LME contracts were left nursing heavy losses, with zinc and lead both shedding roughly 6% each.

Three-month copper meanwhile fell from $6,039 per metric tonne mark at the start of trading to $5,801.

"Today's market activity saw weakness and a degree of panic across the financial markets as investors and traders grapple with increasing global trade tensions, concerns over China's ability to maintain its target 6.50% growth target and possible contagion and further fallout from the Turkish economic crisis," said analysts at Sucden Financial.

"The underlying strength in the USD continued to weigh on USD commodities triggering technical price break- downs in copper, lead, nickel and zinc as weaker longs were forced to abandon positions."

To take note of, news of progress in wage talks between BHP Billiton and workers at its giant Escondida mine, in Chile, was another factor weighing on the red metal.

Gold futures for December delivery on COMEX continued to slip lower alongside copper, shedding 1.28% to finish at $1,185.30/oz..

West Texas Intermediate from prompt-month delivery also got pummelled, erasing 2.86% to $65.12 a barrel on the NYMEX.

The sharpest selling ensued following the release of the US Department of Energy's crude oil inventory data for the week ending on 10 August, which revealed a 6.8m barrel build (consensus: -2.5m barrels).

As an aside, according to Reuters, which cited shipping data, in July, China and India's shipped imports were running about 0.5m barrels a day beneath their January-June average of 12.4m barrels per day.

Combined, the two Asian nations accounted for 12% of global oil purchases.

All-in-all, by 1849 BST the Bloomberg commodity index was reeling, having lost 1.82% to stand at 82.25, just off a 52-week low.Italy's deputy prime minister called for the resignations of senior executives at the company that operated the Morandi motorway bridge in Genoa which collapsed on Tuesday, killing at least 39 people.

Deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio said Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli had started the process to cancel Autostrade per lItalia's contract to run and manage the A10 toll motorway. Shares in the company remained suspended on Wednesday as were those of parent company Atlantia.

I have given mandate to my ministry to start all proceedings to apply the agreement, that is to revoke the concession from these companies and seek significant sanctions, Toninelli told RAI television

Di Maio said resignations should come "from the highest level".

Those responsible for the tragedy in Genoa have a name and a surname, and theyre called Autostrade per lItalia. For years its been said that private management would be better than that of the state," he said.

And so today, we have one of the biggest dealers in Europe telling us that the bridge was safe and there was no worry of it collapsing. Autostrade had to maintain it but didnt. It takes the highest road tolls in Europe and pays low taxes, moreover in Luxembourg.

Rescuers and sniffer dogs searched through the rubble during the night, and heavy equipment was moved in to lift pieces of the bridge.

Witnesses described an "apocalypse" as a massive section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed onto an industrial area and the bed of the Polcevera River at about 11.30am during a sudden and violent storm. Rescue workers said at least 30 vehicles were involved.

Civil Protection Chief Angelo Borrelli said that 30 - 35 cars and three lorries were travelling on the A10 Genoa highway viaduct when it collapse. Four people had been rescued with another 15 injured. Pictures at the scene showed crushed cars and overturned trucks.

Shares in Atlantia fell 5.39% on the Milan stock exchange before halting trading. Autostradesaid in a statement that it was working to strengthen the 1960s viaduct and constantly monitored the state of the bridge. The company suspended its shares after falling 8.7%.

The company added that it had met with the leaders of the Liguria Region and the Municipality of Genoa and was now "busily engaged...to evaluate the best solutions to reconstruct the viaduct in the shortest possible time in an efficient and safe way".

"In relation to the collapse of part of the Polcevera viaduct on the A10, Autostrade per l'Italia reports that on the structure - dating back to the 1960s - works were underway to consolidate the viaduct slab and that, as planned, a bridge crane to allow maintenance activities to be carried out," Autostrade said on its website on Tuesday.

"The work and the status of the viaduct were subject to constant observation and supervision by the Tronco Management of Genoa. The causes of the collapse will be the object of in-depth analysis as soon as it will be possible to safely access the site."

State police posted a video of the span collapsing during a storm. Other images showed a truck stopped just before the edge of what remained, while footage from a helicopter showed the scale of the damage.

Some witnesses who were in the car near the Morandi bridge before the collapse saw "lightning strike the bridge", the ANSA news agency reported.

The Autostrada 10 runs along the northwestern Italian coast, connecting Genoa with the city of Ventimiglia and France. It is a component part of the wider European route E80 which stretches from Portugal to eastern Turkey.US crude oil inventories rose last week as net imports recovered and domestic output continued climbing higher.

According to the Energy Information Administration, the US Department of Energy's statistical arm, commercial crude oil inventories jumped by 6.8m barrels to reach 414.2m barrels (consensus: -2.5m barrels) over the week ending on 10 August, putting them roughly 1.0% above their five-year average.

Central to that gain, net imports increased by 1.341m b/d to reach 7.422m barrels, helped by a 258,000 b/d drop in exports.

Domestic production also strengthened, increasing by 100,000 b/d to 10.9m b/d.

Significantly, refineries ramped-up their operating rate to 98.1%, despite which gasoline inventories fell by 0.7m barrels, although they remained nearly 5% above their five-year average, while distillate fuel inventories increased by 3.6m barrels.

"Even though consumption is strong at the minute, we expect a slowdown in US economic growth to weigh on demand in 2019 and 2020. Combined with rapid supply growth, this should put further downward pressure on oil prices," Capital Economics's Thomas Pugh said following the release of the data.

As of 1824 BST, front month West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures were down by 2.869% at $65.17 a barrel on the ICE.Results come as DoJ reveals staff joked about wrecking US homes market

State-owned Royal Bank of Scotland has come joint bottom of the personal banking customer services league table, along with Clydesdale, according to first time figures released on Wednesday.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the results as part of its 2016 review that ordered banks to twice-yearly publish customer ratings.

HSBC's First Direct topped the personal banking list of those asked if they would recommend it to someone else, followed by the challenger Metro Bank, while Nationwide was third.

CMA senior director Adam Land said the survey was designed to provide customers with information on the the quality of the service their bank provided and judge if they're getting the most for their money or could do better elsewhere".

Customers were asked how likely they would be to recommend their bank on a number of measures, such as overall customer service, online and mobile banking, overdrafts and services in branches.

In terms of overall quality of services, 49% of RBS personal customers would be likely to recommend the bank to friends and family, with Clydesdale also at 49%.

For business customers, 47% of those with RBS would recommend it in terms of overall service quality, while Handelsbanken came top with 84%.

The results were published on the same day RBS confirmed the final cash settlement of $4.9bn (3.7bn) had been agreed with the US Department of Justice a penalty for the bank's misselling of residential mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis.

This settlement means the FTSE 100 bank will be able to pay the 2p-per-share interim dividend it indicated at its recent half-year results.

The DoJ penalty will be paid out of existing liquidity resources, as RBS indicated on 10 May when it announced that it had reached the settlement in principle, with the cash accounted for in the interim results earlier this month.

The Justice Department said in a statement overnight that the penalty is the largest ever imposed on a bank for misconduct leading up to the financial crisis.

Transcripts of internal conversations at the bank during 2007 and 2008 were released by the DoJ alongside details of the settlement.

Despite assurances by RBS to its investors, RBSs deals were backed by mortgage loans with a high risk of default, said Andrew Lelling, district attorney for Massachusetts.

While RBS disputes the allegations and does not admit wrongdoing, chief executive Ross McEwan said, There is no place for the sort of unacceptable behaviour alleged by the DoJ at the bank we are building today.

But the DoJ said senior RBS executives showed little regard for their misconduct and, internally, made light of it.

Details of one pre-crisis conversation showed RBS's chief credit officer in the US referred to selling investors products backed by total fucking garbage loans that were "disguised to, you know, look okay.

In a later exchange, the banks head trader received a call from a friend who said: [Im] sure your parents never imagine[d] theyd raise a son who [would] destroy the housing market in the richest nation on the planet.

He responded: I take exception to the word destroy. I am more comfortable with severely damage.Transcripts from 2007/8 show RBS executives making light of 'garbage' loans

Royal Bank of Scotland overnight confirmed the final cash settlement of $4.9bn (3.7bn) had been agreed with the US Department of Justice a penalty for the bank's misselling of residential mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis.

This settlement means the FTSE 100 bank will be able to pay the 2p-per-share interim dividend it indicated at its recent half-year results.

The DoJ penalty will be paid out of existing liquidity resources, as RBS indicated on 10 May when it announced that it had reached the settlement in principle, with the cash accounted for in the interim results earlier this month.

The Justice Department said in a statement overnight that the penalty is the largest ever imposed on a bank for misconduct leading up to the financial crisis.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

Transcripts of internal conversations at the bank during 2007 and 2008 were released by the DoJ alongside details of the settlement.

Despite assurances by RBS to its investors, RBSs deals were backed by mortgage loans with a high risk of default, said Andrew Lelling, district attorney for Massachusetts.

While RBS disputes the allegations and does not admit wrongdoing, chief executive Ross McEwan said, There is no place for the sort of unacceptable behaviour alleged by the DoJ at the bank we are building today.

But the DoJ said senior RBS executives showed little regard for their misconduct and, internally, made light of it.

Details of one pre-crisis conversation showed RBS's chief credit officer in the US referred to selling investors products backed by total fucking garbage loans that were "disguised to, you know, look okay.

In a later exchange, the banks head trader received a call from a friend who said: [Im] sure your parents never imagine[d] theyd raise a son who [would] destroy the housing market in the richest nation on the planet.

He responded: I take exception to the word destroy. I am more comfortable with severely damage.The roof is caving in on miners again on Tuesday, amid fears that the recent rout in Turkish assets presages weakness in other emerging market economies.

Compounding matters was a weak showing in some of the main Asian bourses overnight, including Shanghai and Tokyo, alongside weakness in both the yuan and the yen.

All of the above, together with the resulting strength in the US dollar, which was trading at its strongest in 13 months, had led to across-the-board declines for base and precious metals.

September-dated copper futures on COMEX were doing particularly poorly, shedding 3.75% to $2.5815/lb..

"It's a broad based sell-off across Europe as dealers are worried about the currency crisis in Turkey, and the cooling of Chinese growth," said David Madden at CMC Markets UK.

"Natural resource stocks like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Randgold Resources and Glencore are all lower on the session as metals are under severe pressure. Copper, Platinum and Palladium are weaker as traders are concerned the Chinese economy is cooling, and yesterday's disappointing fixed asset investment and industrial production reports from Beijing confirmed their fears.

US dollar-strength was also taking its toll on oil futures, with ICE-traded Brent for front month delivery erasing 2.722% to trade a $70.5 a barrel, and in turn that was weighing on share prices in the oil patch.

So too was a report from America's Department of Energy that commercial crude oil inventories in the US saw an unexpected 6.8m barrel build over the week ending on 10 August.

Somewhat misleadingly, the Greenback was again lower against the Turkish lira on Tuesday, falling by 4.88% to 6.0405, which some observers may have mistaken for a signal earlier in the session that the 'coast was clear'.

Not at all said analysts, some of whom were now waiting for the proverbial "other shoe to drop" in Turkey.

On that note, earlier analysts at TD had highlighted how Turkish policymakers were in fact engineering a 'short squeeze' in short-term rates, even as in public they toed the same line as President Erdogan, refusing to hike their main policy rate.

"Where are rates now? The 1w USD-TRY FX implied yield is now at 32.75% and rising. This is 1385bps higher since 9 August, in excess of our 1225bps call. A liquidity squeeze is pushing market rates higher, i.e. the CBRT is tightening without hiking," they said.

"This is what's helping the lira now: front-end rates are normalizing and above 30%. However, if the CBRT eases rates soon, the lira goes kaput again. If the CBRT doesn't ease, the economy goes kaput instead."

But not all analysts were as alarmed, with IG's Chris Beauchamp pointing out how the lower-than-usual trading volumes typical of August were likely also influencing price moves.

"While already crowded, it looks like a few more people have joined the long-dollar trade, as emerging market jitters encourage more funds into the US currency, seen as a safe haven from both the Turkey crisis and trade wars," he said.

"The ingredients for a classic summer swoon are all there, from rising volatility to an emerging markets crisis, just the thing to provide some excitement before normality returns in September."

Top performing sectors so far today

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 14,881.30 +0.24%

Insurance (non-life) 3,242.54 +0.07%

Alternative Energy 0.00 0.00%

Alternative Investment Instruments NULL 0.00%

Automobiles and related providers NULL 0.00%

Bottom performing sectors so far today

Industrial Metals & Mining 4,357.28 -6.43%

Mining 16,564.91 -4.77%

Oil Equipment, Services & Distribution 13,697.08 -3.56%

Forestry & Paper 23,212.96 -2.74%

Oil & Gas Producers 9,043.13 -2.44%"America's Got Talent" just got more talented when 14-year-old Courtney Hadwin belted out James Brown's 1965 song, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." She had the audience and the judges on their feet with her incredible talent. It takes a lot to 'wow' Simon Cowell, but she carried it off. Her slim build and shy appearance when she's not singing make it hard to associate how her music transforms her into an iconic music master.

In the audition rounds, Howie Mandel gave her a golden buzzer after her slam-dunk performance of "Hard to Handle" by Otis Redding.

In the live rounds on Monday, she came across as simply confident, polished, and spine-tingling.

Courtney Hadwin gets some serious attention from Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell is not one to dish out compliments on "America's Got Talent" unless contestants really deserve it. Of Courtney's performance on Monday, ET Online quoted him as saying she should just carry on doing "everything exactly like what you did tonight." In fact, he was so impressed by the fact that Howie Mandel gave her the golden buzzer, that he even hugged Howie and suggested his talent spotting was that good, that they should "start a start a record label together."

The whole panel of Simon, Howie, Mel-B and Heidi Klum had only good things to say about her performance.

Heidi said, "I have not been this excited about a new artist in a very, very long time. You definitely are in a category of your own."

Exciting artist on America's Got Talent gives out goosebumps

Listening to the power-delivery by Courtney is a goosebump affair. Whether it's from watching her transform from a young girl into a rock star in an instant or the power of her voice, is hard to say.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Basically, she is one huge package packed into a young girl. And, like any young woman, she has her insecurities. Speaking to ET Online, she explained that she was a bit nervous about the performance, but the music settled that.

They also noted that in her pre-taped recording she said people at school could not figure out her taste for music.

For a while, she considered changing her style but decided that "Janice Joplin" didn't and she made it big. The world of music can be grateful for that, as she has a style simply unique that promises to take her a very long way.

Simon Cowell also talked to ET about Courtney Hadwin's performance when she slayed the audience with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." He said that "it was incredible." He added that "you always remember that one performance where you go."Police have arrested a 29-year-old man in London who drove his car into cyclists and pedestrians outside the Houses of Parliament and injured three people. It was during rush hour Tuesday morning, when suddenly the car disturbed the peace in the neighborhood and police suspect it to be another act of car bound terror attack.

Agencies who are supposed to maintain details of terrorists and terror related activities were caught off-guard because they had no record of the individual and he was uncooperative. He is believed to be from Birmingham and the authorities have launched search operation there as well as in Nottingham.

The BBC reports that suspect was alone and the police have not found any weapon. It appears to be a deliberate act and is being treated as an incident of terrorism. The authorities feel there is no need to panic.

Terror Attack in London, Suspect Drives Car into People in Front of Houses of Parliament https://t.co/7eGtr0Lloi pic.twitter.com/uNejUL6TQs  Fugitive Watch (@FugitiveWatch) August 14, 2018

Second car bound terror attack in London

There have been several incidents of car bound terrorism in different countries. This was the second one for London within two years. The previous one was the London Bridge attack in March 2017 in which four people were killed. This time, fortunately, there were no casualties.

The suspect is believed to be British and is being held in police custody while his car is being searched. Eyewitnesses have described that the vehicle was travelling westbound in Parliament Square when suddenly it went into the opposite lane. It looked like a deliberate move as the car finally crashed into the security barriers.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

The sequence of events reveal that the car had traveled some distance to reach London on Monday at around midnight and remained in the Tottenham Court Road area for a few hours. It was then taken around the Westminster and Whitehall area until the incident happened.

Acts of this nature create panic and Prime Minister Theresa May has urged the public to remain vigilant but "carry on as normal." Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, has condemned the acts of terrorism in the city while Donald Trump also took the opportunity to express his views via Twitter.

Donald Trump on London terror attack

According to the CNN, US President Donald Trump once again called for tougher anti-terror measures in view of the latest car bound terror attack in London. He had commented on terror attacks in the UK earlier also. In September 2017, there was an explosion in the London Tube, and Trump wants Britain to take a strong stand against such acts.

Terrorism is a global evil and in order to check it, the security apparatus must be geared up to check the background of those who arrive in the country. Since people usually Travel by air, checks at airports of origin must be as thorough as possible to improve security.Karen Herrington has been appointed director of data analytics and visualization in the Division of Information Technology, moving from her previous role in Secure Identity Services to direct the IT data analytics and visualization initiative.

Herrington will promote and facilitate a culture of data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement in the division, identifying metrics to inform strategic and tactical decisions. Her work will focus on developing meaningful standard data visualizations and formulating the policy needed to implement a division-wide approach to producing and collecting the data needed to support them.

In her previous role as director of identity strategy and administration in Secure Identity Services, Herrington led the design and delivery of identity and access solutions and planning for the university, creating and supporting new and existing policies to meet Virginia Tech's needs.

Speaking about the opportunity ahead, Herrington noted, Data's true value can be realized when the right business questions are asked and when the insights gained are effectively presented to decision-makers. I look forward to leveraging my years of IT experience and, as a native Mississippian, my natural propensity as a storyteller, to enable IT leaders to make data-informed strategic, operational, and service portfolio decisions.

Herringtons work will be supported on a part-time basis by Philip Kobezak, associate director of university information security initiatives, and Carl Harris, chief technology architect. The team has begun their work with a one-year exploratory period, after which IT leadership will consider the teams findings, examining the outcomes and effectiveness of the proposed approaches and determining next steps.

There are opportunities across the Division of IT to use data more effectively to guide our investments and improve services, stated Scott Midkiff, vice president for Information Technology and CIO. The work of Karen and the team has the potential to benefit both the Division of IT and the university as a whole.

Karen Herrington holds both an M.S. and a B.A. in computer science from Mississippi State University and has worked in the information technology field for over 30 years; 20 of those years have taken place within the Virginia Tech community.

Written by Damien Patrick WilliamsMaltese architect, writer, artist, academic and Honorary Member of World Architecture Community Richard England, explores "architecture and the senses" with a series of images in this exclusive essay, starting from the historic buildings to the present examples of architecture.

Text by Prof. Richard England

"Whatever space and time mean, place and occasion mean more" - Aldo van Eyck

We are well aware that the appearance of architecture is important, yet more important is how its spaces and ambiances affect us as users. Architecture is not only experienced visually, but more so holistically through all of our five senses in a haptic manner that extends our sensations well beyond our retinal imagery. The French poet and philosopher Paul Valery, in his book Eupalinos or the Architect speaks of the appearance of architecture, but more of how buildings can move their users. In an Ancient Greece Platonic dialogue between Socrates, Phaedrus and Eupalinos, the latter refers to buildings which are mute, some which speak and the rarer ones which "sing".

Buildings emanate emotional intensity through our experience of their spaces; for space, being mood manipulative influences and energises our feelings and reactions. However, establishing exactly what it is that makes a building sing and in turn moves us, still remains difficult to identify or define.

The oldest and perhaps best definition of architecture comes from the Roman architect Vitruvius in his Ten books on Architecture (30-20BC) utilitas, firmitas et venustas i.e. utility, firmness and delight. Utilitas accommodates the materialistic functional needs of a building, while firmitas refers to its engineering stability; i.e. that a building is well constructed structurally. These two qualities however, produce solely construction and not architecture. For construction to be elevated to the level of architecture and produce buildings which sing, it is necessary to add the third element of Vitruvius definition venustas (beauty), as was also emphasised much later by the Modern master Le Corbusier, you employ stone, wood, concrete and with these you build houses that is construction. You touch my heart that is architecture.

However, defining beauty and how it is applied to make a building sing remains difficult to identify. Vitruvius proposes that for buildings to possess the quality of beauty, they should be designed with a sense of order and based on proportions found in nature and on those of the human body. However, beauty itself also remains difficult to define. Dostoevsky correctly pointed out that beauty is mysterious and philosopher Roger Scrutons definition as exhilarating, appealing, inspiring, calming and also consoling, disturbing, sacred or profane is equally complex. Complications further arise when we are told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that our concept of beauty varies and changes over time. Despite our inability to define beauty, we are fully aware that beauty always seems to provide us with a sense of comfort and well-being.

To understand our reaction to architectural space, it is necessary to examine how we sense, perceive and conceive space and how space in turn activates and influences us; i.e. how the geography of the mind and body reacts to the geography of space and place and vice versa, and how our presence in a particular space affects our moods and feelings. While it is widely believed that architecture is sensed only visually, this is far from the truth, since we comprehend far more than what we see, as our whole body is constantly acting as a sensor. We respond to space, in a space-time equation, through our physical movement in the passage of time.

All of our five senses; visual, haptic, aural, olfactory and oral, act as gateways to the mind. There is however also a sixth sense; that of our overall reaction to the atmosphere of space incorporating our total sensual response to a space with all of our senses; seeing, touching, hearing, smelling and tasting. This is our total sensory reaction which geographer Yi-Fu Tuan in his book Space and Place describes as ranging from inchoate feeling to explicit experience while coining the phrase Topohilia to describe positive reactions to space and place.

The Great Hall of the Reich, as planned by Albert Speer. Image courtesy of Flickr/Marten Kuilman

The destruction of Pruitt-Igoe. Image  St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Architecture may be considered as the third skin of our body, our natural envelope skin, being the first and clothes the second, which provide insulation the second. As such, the third skin affects our mind, brain and nervous system either positively or negatively depending on the pulsations it receives. Sculptor Anthony Gormley says that "we feel pleasure and protection when our body resonates with a space, and author Alain de Botton in his The Architecture of Happiness stresses that a good building can change your life and a bad one, ruin it". Philip Johnson further adds that "great architecture is the design of space that contains cuddles, exalts or stimulates the persons in that space. When a space which we are in resonates with meaning that it becomes place and we then react positively to it.

Maggie's Centre by Lily Jencks in collaboration with Harrison Stevens in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Image courtesy of Lily Jencks Studio

Maggie's Centre by dRMM in Oldham, England. Image  Alex de Rijke

Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa in his The Eyes of the Skin a publication which is now required reading in architectural schools, addresses the role of how our body, with its senses as loci of perception, reacts in relation to how we experience architectural space. The book pioneered the understanding of the phenomenological response of our body to its physical surroundings, echoing the earlier writings of Rasmussen and Gaston Bachelard, who in his classic Poetics of Space had already referred to the polyphony of the senses. Phenomenology adds meaning making to our experience of architecture. While it is a fact that people may not necessarily think of architecture, they still feel it, and consequently are influenced by it. Architect Richard Rogers confirms this when he says I believe we architects can affect the quality of life of people.

Harmony, proportion, number, measure and order have for long been cited as the necessary qualities for an architecture of beauty by Pythagoras, Vitruvius, Alberti, Filarete, Palladio, Leonardo da Vinci, Le Corbusier and others. Yet no Golden Section, Fibonacci or Modulor formulae application will ensure a well-designed or soul-enhancing edifice. While the solution may not be a mathematical one, enhancing architecture may perhaps be more dependent on the capabilities of the projects designer and on the passion, commitment and love that is put into its making. Spaces conceived with dedication, commitment and love absorb and retain these energies and then pass and convey them to their users. It was Mother Teresa who said that more important that what you do is the love that you put in the doing and Belgian painter Erik Pevernagie also stated that love has the power to create an inviting space in the lives of people.

Confirmation of this is demonstrated in the buildings of monasteries, priories, cloistered spaces and sacred buildings, including those of pre-history; all fashioned with love, dedication and an overlays of religious fervour. These are buildings which emanate convivial atmospheres, empathy and ambiances suited for meditation, prayer and ritualistic gatherings. Ancient sacred buildings seem to possess palpable, physical and psychological energies, perhaps because, as Einstein stated the ancients knew something which somehow we seem to have forgotten.

The sites of pre-historys temple edifices seem to possess and emanate inherent earth energies. It seems that ancient man was able to tap these energies perhaps because, human relationship with nature in those times was a more compatible one and that for the ancients, land had more meaning. This demonstrates that space is not only a physical entity, but more so an energy filled milieu. Monastic spaces designed to be conducive to reflection and prayer, with their cells as guardians of silence and solitude; all provide ambiances in which one is coaxed towards reflection and spiritual meditation. They are also spaces where ones perception of time and space is altered. Jonas Salk, long struggling to solve the Polio puzzle, eventually deciphered it in the contemplative ambiance of an Assisi monastery. He later claimed that the silence and solitude of his monastic enclave were instrumental in inducing a sense of calmness which in turn, sharpened his thought process.

Cards On The Table: The Architecture Of Richard England

A Garden For Myriam  St Julians, Malta

Aquasun Lido  St Julians, Malta

In stark contrast and to again manifest the power of architecture is the penchant which dictators throughout history had for architecture as a propaganda machine to promote their philosophy and ideology. Perhaps the most notorious example is the overstated, over-sized neoclassical architecture of the Third Reich conceived by Hitler and architect Albert Speer to promote the values of the Nazi party; architecture utilised strictly as propaganda.

In more recent times there have also been non-intentional examples of dysfunctional architecture, edifices which attracted apathy, crime and vandalism to such an extent that the buildings had to be abandoned and eventually demolished. The 1956 Pruitt-Igoe apartments in St Louis USA, infamous for crime, decay and squalor, had to be eventually demolished. Demolition was also the fate of the 1959 Hutchesontown C and the Red Road Apartments in Glasgow Scotland. These Brutalist edifices proved so unpopular with their tenants that they were soon scheduled for demolition. Both buildings are clear examples of how architecture can affect its users negatively.

Ir-Razzett Ta Sandrina - Mgarr, Malta

Ir-Razzett Ta Sandrina - Mgarr, Malta

Dar Il-Hanin Samaritan  Santa Venera, Malta

Dar Il-Hanin Samaritan  Santa Venera, Malta

In todays secular world architecture seems to focus more on monetary gain and profit; hence the endless soulless world-wide dystopias; the result of an age where we know the price of everything and the value of nothing. As Richard Rogers has said today form follows profit.

There is however, one area where particular attention is given to design quality and emotional response, and that is in the planning of hospital and healing environments. It is now recognised that well designed wards in hospitals contribute positively to patients healing process, as these spaces influence patients senses and their bodies consequently react and respond positively. Florence Nightingale long ago had already emphasised the need of visual stimulation, interaction with nature and the use of colour (it is well-known that colour itself is mood manipulative; hence strident reds and yellows for fast food outlets and more comforting blues and greens for relaxing venues).

Dar Il-Hanin Samaritan  Santa Venera, Malta

Manikata Church, Malta

Filfla Chapel, Malta

Chapel of the Rainbow, Malta

The most outstanding examples of contemporary user friendly medical edifices are the numerous Maggie Centres constructed over the last two or three decades in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. These are care homes specifically designed to respect and comfort cancer patients. Originally conceived by Maggie Keswick, herself a cancer victim and a believer in the ability of buildings to affect peoples lives, the Centres, after her demise are now nurtured by her husband, the distinguished architectural critic Charles Jencks. Through Jencks contacts with leading world architects, a number of excellently designed small-scale, patient friendly centres by such architects as Frank Gehry, Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid and others have been built. The projects are veritable examples of how buildings can impart positive, emotional and friendly atmospheres to their users.

We all know that we react positively to nature. Its soothing sights, seas, lakes, woods and parks confer on us beneficial and salutary affects. On the other hand, we are unsettled and disturbed by the chaos and clutter of contemporary cities and our turbulent, breathless lifestyle. Urban chaos and the frenzied assault of technological gadgets, have depressing and disorientating effects on our lives. We live in a spiritually and morally barren age and architecture today seems to have abandoned its social and cultural mission to build a better and harmonious world, which is why the public at large seems to have fallen out of love with architecture. Architecture, once a route to enlightenment, has degenerated into a road to speculation. However, it still remains the architects solemn duty to create, not only shelters for the body, but more so homes for the soul, for as Axel Munthe reminds us the soul needs more space than the body.

San Raffaele Hospital Church, Malta

Avenue Of Hope, Malta

On my part, throughout my architectural career I have attempted to create an architecture of enchantment; an architecture of dreamscapes which gives poetry to the pragmatic, an architecture which arises not only from utility and practicality, but more so from the desire to sensualise and poeticise the human condition; an architecture of myth and magic which enriches the spirit and enhances the soul. Tennessee Williams words "I dont want reality I want magic" and Jorge Luis Borges "my business is to weave dreams together with Louis Kahns statement that "joy is the key word" best define my design philosophy. I believe in an architecture which relates to place and its memories, the zeitgeist of the age and one which enhances and augments the human spirit.

In the making of sacral spaces, the most difficult task for an architect, as confirmed by Antonio Gaudi who said that "the most arduous task for an architect is the design of a church. One has the difficult task of measuring against the immeasurable. My search in the creation of sacral enclaves is for a sacred choreography mantled over by a rich chromatic palette to create ambiances of sacral mysticism. Yet, to achieve this, one needs not only all of ones professional qualities but also an overlay of love, dedication and faith. It was my mentor Gio Ponti who told me that religious architecture is not a question of architecture but one of religion". The words of C.S. Lewis "while others where building ships in their bottles, I was building a lighthouse", reflect my intentions in the making of the many edifices of sacrality I have been privileged to be involved with.

A Garden For Myriam  St Julians, Malta

We have seen that the human body is in fact a medium for our surrounding world and that our senses act as gateways to our mind, also that architecture is the stage-set on which man unfolds the drama of his life. Therefore, an architecture of beauty and harmony is conducive to a more favourable lifestyle. Nietzsche was right when he said that "architecture is an oratory of power through form as was also Winston Churchill who said "we shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us. Jung, the founder of analytical psychology correctly reminded us that "people are products of their physical environments, and the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges was also correct when he stated that "it is more important to feel a place than to see it.

"Places matter they map our lives" - Rebecca Solnit

Richard England was born in Malta and graduated in Architecture at the University of Malta continuing his studies in Italy at the Milan Polytechnic and also worked as a student - architect in the studio of the Italian architect-designer Gio Ponti. He is also a sculptor, photographer, poet, artist and the author of several books. His architectural works have been published in leading international journals. Richard England is a Visiting Professor at the University of Malta, having acted as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture between 1987 and 1989.

His buildings and designs have earned him numerous awards, including ten International Academy of Architecture Awards and two Commonwealth Association of Architects Regional awards. He was also awarded the Grand Prix of the International Academy of Architecture in 2006 and 2015 and the 2012 International Academy of Architecture Annual Award. In 2016 he was one of the winners of the European Architectural Awards. Richard England has lectured and worked in the following countries: USA, UK, Ex-Yugoslavia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Argentina, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, Kazakhstan and his native Malta.

Recently, Richard England has reviewed the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale with in-depth analyses and observations. Read England's exclusive article on here.

Top image: Private Villa - Siggiewi

All images courtesy of Richard England, unless otherwise statedBut if experts are optimistic about our chances of avoiding a nasty season here, they're cautiously so. Influenza, they say, is notoriously unpredictable, given its tendency to shift and mutate. In fact, another reason epidemiologists track flu so widely and watch it so closely  reporting and sharing lab results on patients at key World Health Organization sites across the globe  stems from the fear that a flu mutation could turn into something we have no existing means to fight. Pandemics are caused when a completely novel virus emerges. And so we're always on the watch for anything that's completely new and different from anything that's circulated before, Subbarao explains. Because then the entire population is susceptible."

The worldwide spread of a new flu virus could be as simple as one sick person getting on a plane, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases. Influenza is a respiratory infection  when we acquire it from someone else, we literally breathe it in from them. If someone is within three to six feet of you, they can inhale what youve just exhaled.

On the rare chance that a flu strain has dangerously mutated, the WHO's worldwide surveillance system  which has evolved over the last 65 years  would also help in the rush to create a vaccine to fight it, as global health agencies did in a matter of weeks during 2009s swine flu pandemic.



More often, though, the international tracking system is employed in a more routine way, for things like the formulation of a country's yearly flu vaccine, which changes based on what strains are considered likely to predominate  a task that experts note involves both reams of data and educated guesswork.

Flu vaccine effectiveness reported to the WHO from around the world, for instance, gives the CDC an indication of how a similar formulation might work here, if circulating strains ... remain the same, says a CDC spokesperson. That information helps the agency come up with its recommendation for the year's flu vaccine formula, which is also based on how well last year's vaccine worked.

From there, the work becomes hyperlocal: As in, it's up to you show up at your pharmacy or doctor's office to get your shot, which you can do as early as late September. Each year, flu causes some 200,000 extra hospitalizations, with excess deaths in the thousands, Schaffner says. And even if getting the vaccine doesnt prevent you from getting the flu, it can minimize its severity and help you avoid a hospital stay. Although we cant prevent influenza in each and every person using the vaccine, we can shift the odds in your favor, Schaffner says.But red tide is also harmful to humans. Algae release toxins into the air that settle in the throat and lungs, a serious concern for those with already compromised respiratory systems from conditions such as emphysema and asthma, says Don Anderson, senior scientist in the biology department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and an expert on algal blooms. But its typically not a life-threatening situation, he says. Its more bothersome  than insidiously dangerous.

Usually, the airborne toxins cause just an itchy throat or cough  whats known as a red tide tickle.

I get kind of a scratchy throat, says John Lucas, 68, a retiree in Bradenton who headed out to Lido Key Beach about a week ago, when red tide had just moved heavily into the area near Sarasota. He found it deserted, with dead fish littering the sand. Lucas didnt hang around very long. If you stayed there for a few hours, he says, youd feel terrible.

Scientists arent sure what causes red tide, though some have speculated that its related to agricultural pollution that drains into the Gulf. Theres also no approved way to kill the algae: Floridians just have to wait for it to dissipate  which it often does quickly. One of the mysteries is why this one is going on so long, Anderson says.

This recent bloom began causing alarm last year and is lingering longer than others in recent years.

But theres good news for snowbirds and vacationers who plan to head south during Floridas peak tourism months, says Stephen Leatherman (known to some as Dr. Beach), director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University. The warm waters help the algae bloom, so the red tide usually ends by fall when the weather cools. Its very unlikely to be there in the high season.

To see if your destination is clear of red tide, Sarasotas Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium keeps an updated statewide map online that indicates the affected areas.For Subscribers Nepotism probe, marijuana put spotlight on South Dakota Capitol

Legislative investigations, votes on cannabis policy and wins and losses for government transparency make for a hectic week in South Dakota politics.View in Other Languages



Australian Potash Limited ( ASX:APC ) (Company) is pleased to advise the appointment of experienced mining industry executive and director Mr James (Jim) Walker to the role of Non-Executive Chairman of the Company. Mr Matt Shackleton, formerly Executive Chairman, has been appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.Mr Walker has 45 years' experience in the resources industry, at both senior management and board level. Prior to retiring from the position in 2013, Jim was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of WesTrac Pty Ltd, during which time that company enjoyed significant expansion across Australia and into north-east China.From January 2015 through to July 2015, Jim performed the Executive Chairman's role at Macmahon Holdings Ltd ( ASX:MAH ) as that company sought a replacement CEO. Jim has been a member of the Macmahon board since 2013, and now serves in a non-executive capacity as Chair.In addition to his role as Chairman at Macmahon, Mr Walker is Chairman of Austin Engineering Ltd ( ASX:ANG ), Wesley College and the State Training Board. He is Deputy Chairman of Seeing Machines Ltd ( LON:SEE ), RACWA Holdings Pty Ltd and the WA Motor Museum.Previously, Mr Walker was a director of Seven Group Holdings Ltd and National Hire Group, and a past National President of the Australian Institute of Management.Mr Shackleton commented: "Our Company has reached an important stage in the development of the Lake Wells SOP Project and it is now appropriate for the roles of Chair and Managing Director to be separated. We continue to develop marketing and financing relationships around the Project and the board are unanimous in the view that an independent, Non-Executive Chairman will provide great value to these relationships and to our shareholders more broadly."I look forward to working very closely with Jim over this next phase, as he imparts his experience and wisdom from a deep, varied and successful career to our Company."As Managing Director and CEO, I am also looking forward to dedicating my energy towards the finalisation of the Definitive Feasibility Study and the development of Lake Wells. We have a detailed 'road-map' of what we have to do across the four major work streams to get to where we need to be. It is an enormous boost to our plans to have someone of Jim's calibre join us as we take the final steps to reporting the results of the DFS in 2019."About Australian Potash LtdAustralian Potash Limited (ASX:APC) is an ASX-listed Sulphate of Potash (SOP) developer. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Lake Wells Potash Project located approximately 500kms northeast of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields.Following the release of a Scoping Study in 2017, APC has been conducting a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) into the development of the Lake Wells Potash Project. The Company is aiming to release the findings of the DFS in H2 2019.The Lake Wells Potash Project is a palaeochannel brine hosted sulphate of potash project. Palaeochannel bore fields supply large volumes of brine to many existing mining operations throughout Western Australia, and this technique is a well understood and proven method for extracting brine. APC will use this technically low-risk and commonly used brine extraction model to further develop a bore-field into the palaeochannel hosting the Lake Wells SOP resource.A Scoping Study on the Lake Wells Potash Project was completed and released on 23 March 2017. The Scoping Study exceeded expectations and confirmed that the Project's economic and technical aspects are all exceptionally strong, and highlights APC's potential to become a significant long-life, low capital and high margin sulphate of potash (SOP) producer.

Contact Matt Shackleton

Managing Director and CEO

E: m.shackleton@australianpotash.com.au

M: +61-438-319-841



Jim Walker

Chairman

E: j.walker@australianpotash.com.au

M: +61-459-041-052 Matt ShackletonManaging Director and CEOE: m.shackleton@australianpotash.com.auM: +61-438-319-841Jim WalkerChairmanE: j.walker@australianpotash.com.auM: +61-459-041-052Just days before the start of a new academic year, University of New Mexicos leaders are warning that enrollment could be significantly lower than initially projected.

Having experienced head count declines each of the past five years, UNM anticipated another loss this fall and designed its budget around a forecast 2.5 percent drop.

But now officials are bracing for worse.

The drop is going to be quite a bit bigger, Terry Babbitt, vice provost for enrollment management and analytics, said Tuesday.

Babbitt said he had no numbers yet, as classes dont start until Monday and fluctuations occur during the first few weeks of the semester.

But UNM President Garnett Stokes prepared UNMs regents for some lower-than-expected figures, saying the administration has already implemented some changes in recruiting strategy but will need an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackle the issue.

What I want to do is come back to you later after weve examined this more thoroughly and know what our final numbers are so we can plan on what our strategies will be for dealing with our enrollment situation, she said during her presentation at Tuesdays Board of Regents meeting.

UNMs enrollment has been trending downward. It fell 2.9 percent from the fall of 2016 to the fall of 2017 and has dropped a cumulative 9.3 percent since its 2012 peak.

Ironically, improving graduation rates may be contributing. UNM has more than doubled its four-year graduation rate in the past five years.

The fact that were trying to get our students finished actually works against (the enrollment numbers), but thats a good problem to have because we want to continue to increase our graduation rates, Stokes told regents.

But she and Babbitt cited a number of other reasons UNM has struggled to recruit and retain students  some of them larger than the institution itself.

Demographics  specifically New Mexicos population stagnation and the net out-migration  have meant a narrowing student pipeline. An improving local economy is another factor. Babbitt said in an interview that UNM is especially vulnerable to losses when jobs are more plentiful, because many of its students are likely to choose a paycheck over school.

Albuquerques unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in June 2012, shortly before UNMs enrollment peaked. Unemployment was 4.9 percent this summer.

There are also issues of competition. Babbitt said more UNM prospects than ever before opted to go to Central New Mexico Community College.

Concerns about campus safety may also cost UNM some students. The university has more auto thefts than any other campus in the country, according to federal data, and prospective students routinely ask about Albuquerque crime during campus tours.

Stokes told regents Tuesday that fear about crime and safety can and does prompt students to choose other institutions.

Its one of the reasons I made campus safety probably my highest priority coming in  because if we cant address campus safety, and the perception of it, we will continue to take a hit in the communities, both in Albuquerque, but really throughout the state and outside of the state, Stokes said.

Enrollment is a major concern at UNM, given its impact on revenue. The previously anticipated drop of 2.5 percent represented about $2.5 million in lost tuition dollars, Babbitt said.

In other action at Tuesdays meeting:

 Regents approved a new master of science degree in global and national security. Emile Nakhleh, director of UNMs Global and National Security Policy Institute, called it an interdisciplinary degree with a broad view of national security  covering subjects such as terrorism, international law, food and water security and cybersecurity  and described it a natural fit for UNM, partly because of the universitys proximity to two national laboratories.

 Backed by $475,000 in donations, regents approved naming a new professorship in the UNM School of Medicines Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology after Dr. Luis Ben Curet, a professor emeritus in the department. They also approved appointing Dr. Luis A. Izquierdo to the professorship.The July 8 op-ed by Matt Geisel, N.M. Secretary of Economic Development, touted economic gains under Gov. Susana Martinez. I would like to suggest that this is only one side of our economic/societal coin that will be her legacy.

The other side of this coin and her legacy will contain at least some of the following:

 In her first week in office, the governor cut all funding for the N.M. Commission on the Status of Women, saying other agencies of the state could/would handle the work previously handled by this commission. I would suggest this attitude and action are connected to the fact New Mexico children continue to live in a state very close to the most at-risk youth in the nation.

 In her first term, the governor endorsed the efforts of the secretary of state to launch an extensive investigation into voter fraud. Some years later, after an expense of some $600,000, Diane Duran ended the investigation without publishing a single case of voter fraud. A huge waste of governmental time, energy and treasure. Duran later left office and pleaded guilty to her own economic fraud.

 The Department of Health Services, with the governors active support, did an immediate defunding of 15 counseling agencies across the state due to fraud alleged by an out-of-state corporations audit. Two-plus years later, the state Attorney Generals Office declared there was no fraud by any of the 15 agencies. That out-of-state corporation had its own creditability and accuracy of findings challenged in some serious ways. The Arizona corporations which were hired to take over the counseling needs of our state began walking away from their contracts in a couple of years. The governor knowingly wrecked a support system for those in most need of counseling help.

 Yes, New Mexico felt the economic impact of the 2008 Wall Street led financial collapse. However, two terms of no new taxes has meant substantial underfunding of our judicial systems, district attorneys, public defenders, public safety and education systems. Our governor, a former DA, could have understood the connections between underfunding these areas and the increases in crime, but didnt. Getting corporations to move here, with the crime stats of our state and city, has been a huge challenge.

The underfunding hasnt helped with the 4,000-plus untested rape kits in the state. The number of untested rape kits per capita in New Mexico far surpasses any other state in the nation, according to a special audit by the Office of the State Auditor. (Dec. 6, 2016 Journal). As a woman and a former prosecutor, the governor should understand that these untested rape kits essentially said to all females in this state that what happened to them didnt really matter to our government, serial rapists werent a serious problem and this crime didnt really need our attention. The new funding found recently really cant and wont cure the neglect of multiple years of budget cuts.

 Cuts in funding happened  20 percent in the past decade  for all of the agencies providing services for vulnerable, at-risk and elderly populations. Forty-plus agencies providing these services have closed their doors during Gov. Martinezs two terms due to lack of state funding.

 Judge Sarah Singleton just ruled that New Mexico has not met its constitutionally mandated responsibility to adequately fund the education of our states children.

This societal side of the coin has a serious impact on the economic side of the coin. The health of our overall society is the bedrock foundation for any sustainable economic success. Ignoring the undersides of poverty, drug use, crime and low educational achievement is to chase a vapid dream. Matt Geisel should be aware of both sides of the coin.

Any governor or state legislators who cant find the will or dollars to adequately fund the needs of their people while also granting tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy dont deserve ongoing support or votes.One man is suspected of shooting a good samaritan to death after that man tried to thwart an attempted robbery outside a New Mexican brunch spot last summer.

The other was awaiting trial for allegedly shooting another person in the face.

Law enforcement officers did their jobs by nabbing the suspects and booking them into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Unfortunately for the residents of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and New Mexico, these pillars of society were able get out of jail due to errors by MDC employees.

Matthew Joe, 30  the prime suspect in the July 2017 death of 36-year-old Jaime Dimas  was in jail on unrelated charges as the DAs Office put together its murder case. Joe faced stolen vehicle charges and was supposed to be safely behind bars for a year. Instead, he was released May 8, the same day an employee entered the wrong date on Joes paperwork, which made it look like he had already served a year.

Luckily, Joes freedom was fairly short-lived since U.S. marshals located him in Cibola County, and arrested him Tuesday.

But Duwin Perez-Cordova, who had been in jail since December for allegedly shooting someone in the face, remains on the loose after the jail incorrectly released him June 10. Perez-Cordova fooled corrections officers and other jail staff into releasing him by posing as his cellmate. He was wearing the cellmates wristband, groomed his facial hair into a mustache to resemble the cellmate and had even memorized much of the cellmates personal information.

It should go without saying that each and every one of us makes mistakes.

The difference here is the consequences of mistakenly releasing an inmate are so much higher  potentially even deadly. Just look at the crimes these two men are suspected of committing: One is accused of shooting someone to death because he tried to stop a robbery, and the other is accused of shooting another individual in the face.

In fact, Perez-Cordova is suspected of committing an armed robbery at a North Valley business hours after he was released.

Releasing one allegedly violent suspect by accident is seriously troubling. But letting two out by accident over two consecutive months? Thats outrageous. And these are only the incidents we know about. MDC officials, after all, didnt volunteer the fact that a mistake by an employee had resulted in Joes erroneous release when news broke about Perez-Cordova being accidentally let out.

MDC Chief Greg Rees needs to get to the bottom of these mistakes and come clean with the public about how, exactly, they occurred and what disciplinary actions, if any, his employees faced as a result of these errors.

He should also let the public know whether these are two isolated incidents or part of a larger, systemic problem at MDC. And if they are part of a larger problem, how he plans to address them as well.

Rees has already announced MDC would be scanning the irises of all inmates as soon as they are booked into jail, and that inmates would have their eyes scanned again when leaving to make sure the right person is being released. As weve said before, thats a good step.

Rees must now figure out whether theres something MDC should be doing to catch the type of clerical error that resulted in Joes release. And while hes at it, he should conduct a review of all of the jails systems to ensure yet another dangerous MDC inmate doesnt gain his freedom through another mistake.

Ultimately, its up to county commissioners to make sure jail operations dont allow such errors and that those individuals deemed dangerous by the legal system are kept behind bars until they are adjudicated. Law enforcement shouldnt have to do its job twice.

Bernalillo County taxpayers spend tens of millions of dollars on MDC every year, and they deserve better.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.SANTA FE  The Taos County Courthouse was closed about 3 p.m. Tuesday after the judge who is allowing the release of five adults arrested at a remote northern New Mexico compound  who were accused by prosecutors of training children to carry out armed attacks  was barraged via telephone, email and social media.

There have been threats of physical violence against District Judge Sarah Backus, said Barry Massey, spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts.

One caller said she wished someone would come and smash the judges head, he said. At least one caller threatened violence against all staffers in the courthouse.

No one was allowed to enter the courthouse after 3 p.m., but Massey said staffers remained at work inside and a civil trial not overseen by Judge Backus continued. News reporters were told to leave.

Backus  who on Monday denied a state motion to keep the Muslim compound defendants in jail with no bail  pulled down her own Twitter account Tuesday amid the social media furor.

You let jihadist (sic) out after what they have done? You better believe we arent going to let you rest until you are disbarred you horrible sick sorry excuse of a human, said one tweet to the judge that matched the sentiment of many others.

Hundreds of posts, some of which used the hashtags #sarahbackus and #judgesarahbackus, called for her to be removed from the bench or be disbarred. Others posted her picture, address and contact information.

Twitter critics linked her Monday court decision with her being a Democrat and said she would be held responsible if the defendants commit dangerous crimes while released.

Backus was appointed to her judgeship by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez in 2011.

Amid the controversy over Backus decision to let the defendants out of jail, Artie Pepin, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, released a statement saying, A judges responsibility is to follow the law  not popular sentiment that may develop from incomplete or misleading information.

Pepin said the New Mexico Constitution provides that defendants can be held in jail before trial only if prosecutors show by clear and convincing evidence that they are so dangerous that no release conditions will reasonably protect public safety. In this case, Pepin said, the judge ruled that prosecutors failed to meet that burden.

Five adults from the ramshackle compound  Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, 39, Lucas Morton, 40, Jany Leveille, 35, Hujrah Wahhaj, 38, and Subhanah Wahhaj, 35  are charged with multiple counts of child abuse.

Eleven children were taken into state custody after the Taos County Sheriffs Office raided the site near the Colorado border on Aug. 3. The body of a boy, believed to be the missing son of Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, was found there three days later.

The raid took place after authorities were provided with a web posting from one of the women inside the compound that went to a friend, saying the group was broke and starving.

After a long hearing Monday, Judge Backus ruled that, despite the assertions by prosecutors that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was training the children to commit violence and the discovery of the body, the state didnt prove the group was a danger to the community.

She set a light bond  a $20,000, unsecured signature bond  with house arrest in new accommodations and other restrictions for each defendant.

None of five was released Tuesday.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj wont be let go in any case, because he is wanted on warrants out of Georgia for allegedly kidnapping his son, his lawyer said at Mondays hearing.

In another development, Jany Leveille  described in testimony Monday as a leader in the compound group who translated messages from God  was transferred to the custody of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Leveille is a native of Haiti, according to the Taos County Sheriffs Office.

Hearing arguments

At the Monday hearing, prosecutors argued that some of children at the compound were being trained to use guns in preparation for attacks on educational, law enforcement and other institutions. That information came from two teenagers, ages 13 and 15, who were interviewed by an FBI agent.

The agent testified that he was told that the children were undergoing firearms and tactical training to attack corrupt institutions that would be identified by the dead boy, who was to be resurrected as Jesus in the coming months.

Prosecutors also cited a letter inviting another person to come to the compound and follow Allah until he makes you die as a martyr; the guns at the compound and books about combat found there; weapons training and a trip to Saudi Arabia undertaken by Siraj Ibn Wahhaj; and the magical thinking shown by accounts from children who lived at the compound.

Defense lawyers said the group wasnt aggressive when officers raided the compound and had guns that could be purchased readily at retail stores.

This might be a custody case, for all we know, said defense lawyer Tom Clark of Santa Fe.

Judge Backus, while saying she was concerned by troubling facts, particularly the discovery of the boys body at the compound, said the state had not shown by clear and convincing evidence what the Muslim groups plan was.

She also noted that while the defendants are charged primarily with child abuse at this point, she had heard little about how the 11 children at the compound had been treated.

The state alleges that there was a big plan afoot, but the state hasnt shown, to my satisfaction, by clear and convincing evidence, what that plan was, she said from the bench.

She said the people in the compound were living in an unconventional way, but that many in northern New Mexico do. She also noted that no one in the group has a criminal record except Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, who is accused of kidnapping his child from the boys mother in Georgia.

Gov. Martinez is among those criticizing Backus ruling.

I strongly disagree with this decision, she said. Unfortunately, it highlights for the entire nation how extreme the New Mexico Supreme Court has been in dictating pretrial release for all kinds of dangerous criminals.

The state Republican Party also weighed in.

Judge Backus has put New Mexicans at risk by releasing suspected terrorists back into the community, said state GOP Chairman Ryan Cangiolosi.

Rituals cited

There was extensive testimony Monday about why the defendants came to New Mexico from Georgia and rituals performed on the dead boy, believed to be Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, the son of Siraj Ibn Wahhaj.

The boy would have been 4 years old last week.

FBI agent Travis Taylor testified Monday that the children he interviewed told him that Reveille had received a message from God through the angel Gabriel that the group should move from Georgia to New Mexico and perform a ritual on Abdul, who was disabled and suffered from seizures, to remove demons.

Jany (Reveille) thought Abdul was already dead and could only walk and move because of the demons inside him, Taylor said, describing what he heard from the compound children. Once the demons were gone, he would become Jesus.

The boys mother has told police in Georgia that she was afraid that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj would stop giving the boy his medications after the father and son disappeared in December.

Taylor said he was told Siraj performed the ritual by reading two passages from the Quran and placing his hand on the boys head. The boy would start to choke, and foam or slime would come from his mouth  what a prosecutor would later describe as a seizure.

The last time the ritual was performed, in February, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj could not feel a heartbeat and told that to the rest of the family, and Jany believed this was a sign from God, Taylor recounted.

Clark, Siraj Ibn Wahhajs attorney, attacked the idea that the ritual was being presented as something nefarious and that it amounted to merely praying over someone who was sick.

If we were talking about Christians, they would be faith healers, he said.

Prosecutors said Siraj Ibn Wahhaj proclaimed that he didnt want his sick son on medication after he returned from a trip to Saudi Arabia.

Journal North reporters Megan Bennett and Edmundo Carrillo contributed to this report.Are you a citizen, or do you just live here? Let me start by stating this column has nothing to do with your citizenship status but has everything to do...

Wife concerned about husbands treatment Dear Editor: I have read the article in the Sanilac County News. I am so happy they can get the...

Finances for Port Sanilac taxpayers to consider Dear Editor: Port Sanilac property taxpayers may want to put on their seatbelts and pull it extra tight. Over the...U.S. Marshals arrested a murder suspect in western New Mexico on Tuesday  months after he was mistakenly released from county jail by an employees typo.

Marshals spokesman Ben Segotta said they arrested 30-year-old Matthew Joe at his mothers home in Thoreau.

Segotta said marshals had been looking for Joe a couple of weeks, but found him through a tip from a confidential source.

Police say Joe is a suspect in the July 2017 slaying of Jaime Dimas, 36, outside a popular restaurant in southeast Albuquerque.

In May, a District Court judge ordered Joe to serve a year in the Metropolitan Detention Center  on stolen vehicle and other charges  but a jail employee entered the wrong year as Joes booking date, leading the judge to believe he had already served his sentence.

The error resulted in Joe being mistakenly set free and, by the time the mistake was discovered, Joe was long gone and three felony warrants were put out for his arrest.

Anna Dimas, Jaimes mother, said she feels like she can breathe again.

I feel like I was on a mission and my mission was completed, she said.

Dimas said she was at home when Second Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez called to tell her Joe had been arrested.

I couldnt believe it happened this fast, she said.

The day before, Dimas said she met with Torrez  and representatives of the U.S. Marshals  about Joe and the case against him.

I felt like I had somebody by me, fighting with me, she said. I felt so alone before  I was in the dark.

Dimas called the MDC employees typo a blessing in disguise because it brought attention to the case.

If the outcome was different, I wouldve been pissed off, she said. Now we just have to finish and do it the right way, where no mistakes will happen again.

Now that Joe is behind bars, Dimas said she hopes he gets the maximum sentence for taking her son away  but she also empathizes with Joes family.

Its so sad all around, she said. I feel when he was caught, I could breathe but  the same moment I caught mine  his mom lost hers. Nobody really wins.Advocates for free-roaming horse herds in the Alro area north of Ruidoso say they are growing impatient waiting for a district court judge to rule on the fate of the horses

While the advocates for the horses of Alto have split into two different camps, they both want District Court Judge Dan Bryant to settle the ultimate disposition of about 15 horses and for a ruling on a motion that two colts rounded up in June be added to a temporary restraining order against any the of herd being sold.

In one of the hearings on the 2016 case, the judge himself said he never imagined it would drag on for such a long period, those attending the hearing reported.

Adding to their anxiety is the seeming disappearance of a herd that frequented the Ski Ruin road area.

Folks we need many prayers and help to locate the wild horses as we continue to search for the Eagle Creek small herd on Ski Run Road, Debi Wilcox wrote in an appeal on social media and through emails. It appears they are missing for over a month and rumored to have been rounded far back behind the Alto Chisum Convenience store.

May we find them safe and together, she wrote. We are actively searching, but only finding the stallion Diamond. They were not listed on the New Mexico Livestock Boards auction page, but disappeared the same time NMLB rounded up the two colts, which are waiting for the judge to bring them back home.

We have 15 horses on a ranch in free roaming, two colts in Santa Fe in holding now Ski Run Road missing. No one can find them and NMLB has not listed them.

The original lawsuit seeking to establish the herds status and protect them from possible sale for slaughter, was filed by Wild Horse Observers Association in 2016, after a herd of about a dozen mares and offspring were hauled away by the livestock board after a rancher enclosed them in a corral, claiming they posed a danger to her mare and property.

Those horses were returned to teh county, one or two were adopted, because of special physical problems. The rest remained confined waiting for a trial or ruling. As money became tight and time dragged on, some advocates reached the conclusion the horses never could survive if returned to the wild after so long being dependent on humans.

Signers of agreements to care for the horses were released from those pledges in February and March. WHOA members moved them earlier this year to a larger tract of land near Carrizozo, where advocates on the side still pushing for return to free roaming, contend they are being reconditioned to survival without heavy human intervention.

The last hearing was July 6, and the last filing occurred July 13. according to New Mexico Court records.



2018 the Ruidoso News (Ruidoso, N.M.)

Visit the Ruidoso News (Ruidoso, N.M.) at www.ruidosonews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.ALEXANDRIA, Va.  Paul Manafort lied to keep himself flush with cash for his luxurious lifestyle and lied some more to procure millions in bank loans when his income dropped off, prosecutors told jurors Wednesday in closing arguments at the former Trump campaign chairmans financial fraud trial. Jurors will begin deliberations Thursday.

In his defense, Manaforts attorneys told jurors to question the entirety of the prosecutions case as they sought to tarnish the credibility of Manaforts longtime protege  and government witness  Rick Gates.

The conflicting strategies played out over several hours of argument that capped nearly three weeks of testimony in the first courtroom test for special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. The verdict, now in the hands of 12 jurors, will provide a measure of the special counsels ability to make charges stick.

And while the case doesnt involve allegations of Russian election interference or possible coordination by the Trump campaign, it has been closely watched by President Donald Trump as he seeks to publicly undermine Muellers probe through a barrage of attacks on Twitter and through his lawyers.

In the closing arguments, prosecutor Greg Andres said the governments case boils down to Mr. Manafort and his lies.

When you follow the trail of Mr. Manaforts money, it is littered with lies, Andres said as he made his final argument that the jury should find Manafort guilty of 18 felony counts.

Attorneys for Manafort, who is accused of tax evasion and bank fraud, spoke next, arguing against his guilt by saying he left the particulars of his finances to other people, including Gates.

Defense attorney Richard Westling noted that Manafort employed a team of accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers, a fact he said showed his client wasnt trying to hide anything. Westling also painted the prosecutions case as consisting of cherry-picked evidence that doesnt show jurors the full picture.

None of the banks involved reported Manaforts activities as suspicious, he said, saying Manaforts dealings only drew scrutiny when Muellers investigators started asking questions.

Westling questioned whether prosecutors had proven Manafort willfully violated the law, pointing to documents and emails that the defense lawyer said may well show numerical errors or sloppy bookkeeping or even false information on Manaforts tax returns but no overt fraud.

During the prosecutions arguments, jurors took notes as Manafort primarily directed his gaze at a computer screen where documents were shown. The screen showed emails written by Manafort that contained some of the most damning evidence that he was aware of the fraud and not simply a victim of underlings who managed his financial affairs.

Andres highlighted one email in which he said Manafort sent an inflated statement of his income to bank officers reviewing a loan application. He highlighted another in which Manafort acknowledged his control of one of more than 30 holding companies in Cyprus that prosecutors say he used to funnel more than $60 million he earned advising politicians in Ukraine.

Prosecutors say Manafort falsely declared some of that money to be loans rather than income to keep from paying taxes on it.

Ladies and gentlemen, a loan is not income, and income is not a loan. You do not need to be a tax expert to understand this, Andres said.

The government says Manafort hid at least $16 million in income from the IRS between 2010 and 2014. Then, after his money in Ukraine dried up, they allege, he defrauded banks by lying about his income on loan applications and concealing other financial information, such as mortgages.

Manafort chose not to testify or call any witnesses in his defense. His lawyers have tried to blame their clients financial mistakes on Gates, calling him a liar and philanderer.

Gates, who struck a plea deal with prosecutors, told jurors he helped conceal millions of dollars in foreign income and submitted fake mortgage and tax documents. He was also forced to admit embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort and conducting an extramarital affair.

Andres said the government isnt asking jurors to like Gates or take everything he said at face value. He said the testimony of other witnesses and the hundreds of documents are enough to convict Manafort on tax evasion and bank fraud charges.

Does the fact that Mr. Gates had an affair 10 years ago make Mr. Manafort any less guilty? Andres asked, noting that Manafort didnt choose a Boy Scout to aid a criminal scheme.

Referring to charts compiled by an IRS accounting specialist, Andres told jurors that Manafort declared only some of his foreign income on his federal income tax returns and repeatedly failed to disclose millions of dollars that streamed into the U.S. to pay for luxury items, services and property.

Andres said Manafort should have been well aware he was committing crime each time he signed tax and financial documents indicating that he had no foreign accounts to declare. Mr. Manafort knew the law and he violated it anyway, Andres said.

In a brief rebuttal after defense arguments, Andres said the defense wants to make this case about Rick Gates, but hasnt explained the dozens of documents Manaforts name is on.

The argument was in response to the arguments made by Manafort attorney Kevin Downing, who split the closing argument with Westling.

Downing told jurors that the government was so desperate to make a case against Manafort that it gave a sweetheart plea deal to Gates, and he would say whatever was necessary so it would not recommend he serve jail time.

Mr. Gates, how he was able to get the deal he got, I have no idea, Downing said.

Several times during their arguments, Downing and Westling referred to the prosecution as the office of special counsel and suggested that Manafort was the victim of selective prosecution, an argument the judge had specifically ruled they couldnt make.

The move drew a quick objection outside the presence of the jurors by Andres. In response, Ellis attempted to repair any improper prejudice created by the defense attorneys, instructing jurors to put aside any argument about the governments motive in bringing the case.

Leaving the courthouse, Downing said he felt very good about Manaforts chances of being acquitted.

Mr. Manafort was very happy with how things went today, Downing said.

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  In an eight-page court order, Taos District Court Judge Sarah Backus spells out what prompted her to rule for release on a signature bond for five adults arrested at a makeshift compound in Amalia earlier this month.

People have threatened serious harm to Backus since the ruling on Monday, and the courthouse was put on lockdown Tuesday afternoon.

Backus wrote that prosecutors didnt provide any evidence of child abuse when asking her to hold Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, 39, Lucas Morton, 40, Jany Leveille, 35, Hujrah Wahhaj, 38, and Subhanah Wahhaj, 35. All five remain in custody as of Wednesday evening.

The judge did admit that she was presented with troubling evidence at Mondays no-bond hearing in Taos, but that it didnt prove dangerousness to the community. And she said prosecutors asked her to make a lot of assumptions.

Taos District Attorney Donald Gallegos said he plans to file an appeal by the end of the week.

The five defendants were arrested at the makeshift compound Aug. 3 while the Taos County Sheriffs Office was executing a search warrant.

Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a message came from the compound saying the residents were starving, and the sheriff also had information that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and his son, then-3-year-old Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, were at the compound.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was wanted in Georgia for allegedly abducting the boy. Eleven children, ages 1 to 15, appeared to be malnourished and were taken into CYFD custody.

All the defendants were charged with 11 counts of child abuse. Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was also charged with custodial interference and Morton was charged for aiding a felon.

Though Backus ruled that the defendants would be allowed to visit their children under supervision, state Children, Youth and Families Department Secretary Monique Jacobson said Wednesday there are no such plans right now.

We dont have any visits planned with them, Jacobson said. Unless they are court ordered, I dont see us having visits anytime soon.

She said there are also no plans right now to enroll the children in public school.

At Mondays hearing, prosecutors told Backus that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was training the children to use firearms in a tactical way to bring down corrupt institutions, like the educational system, law enforcement and banks.

But Backus wanted to hear more about the condition of the children, and prosecutors Timothy Hasson and John Lovelace never obliged.

The charges in all these cases are for child abuse, Backus wrote. The State produced no evidence of any abuse.  The Court has no information and none was presented as to their current conditions.

Backus said she was presented evidence that a yet-to-be-identified child  family members have reportedly claimed that its Abdul-Ghani  died while in the defendants care, but no charges have been filed in his death. She said there was no evidence regarding his cause of death or that he didnt receive adequate medical attention.

The only evidence received by the Court regarding this child is that he was ill and disabled and that the defendants prayed over him and touched him on the forehead prior to his death, the judge wrote. While the Court finds these allegations extremely disturbing, the allegations, without more, do not rise to the level of evidence that clearly convinces the Court that the defendants are a danger to any other person (all other children are in the custody of the State) or to the community at large.

The Office of the Medical Investigator said it could take weeks to identify the body due to the level of decomposition. Prosecutors said at the hearing that one of the children said the boy died in February during one of the prayer ceremonies.

Prosecutors seemed to hinge a big part of their argument on information that the children were being trained to carry out terrorist acts. The judge said there was no evidence of that, either.

No actual threats of terrorism or any credible evidence of a substantive plan was produced regarding the same, Backus wrote.

One child told an FBI agent that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj had said that Abdul Ghani would be resurrected as Jesus and instruct them on what institutions to destroy.

From this meager evidence the Court is requested by the State to surmise that these people are dangerous terrorists with a plot against the Country or institutions, Backus wrote. The Court may not surmise, guess or assume.

Evidence was presented that the children were being trained to use guns and there was a shooting range on the compound, but Backus wrote, The State conceded that any children exposed to firearms should be trained in their use.

And none of the weapons were stolen or illegal, she noted. They are readily available for purchase at retail stores.

The defendants also didnt have a criminal history, which is one criterion judges use when determining dangerousness.

The State did not produce any evidence of any history of violence that would cause the Court to conclude that they are a danger to the community or are unlikely to appear at hearings or to abide by their conditions of release, the judge wrote.

The DAs Office said in court that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj took a trip to Saudi Arabia and suggested that he became radicalized on his return, but prosecutors also noted that devout Muslims are required to travel to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, once in their lifetimes.

The State apparently expected the Court to take the individuals faith into account in making such a determination, Backus wrote. The Court has never been asked to take any other persons faith into account in making a determination of dangerousness. The Court is not aware of any law that allows the Court to take a persons faith into consideration in making a dangerousness determination.

The state rules for pretrial detention said, The court shall deny the motion for pretrial detention if, on completion of the pretrial detention hearing, the court determines that the prosecutor has failed to prove the grounds for pretrial detention by clear and convincing evidence.

The judge acknowledged in the court order that her decision would be controversial, and she said that law enforcement has worked tirelessly and honorably on the case.

The Court is aware that it will receive criticism about this decision, Backus wrote. The canons of judicial ethics require that judges not concern themselves with public opinion and base their decisions in the law and the evidence presented in Court.

In Court, the burden was on the prosecution to prove its case and it did not do so. For that reason, the Court has denied the motion for detention without bond.

Gallegos said he stands by his attorneys presentation.

Judges disagree with us all the time. Thats how the system works. I wasnt surprised by the decision.

Two of the defendants wont be released under the terms set by Backus.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj will held on a Georgia warrant for the alleged abduction of his son. Leveille, originally from Haiti, was taken into custody by federal immigration authorities on Tuesday.

Leveille has been unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 20 years after overstaying the validity of her non-immigrant visitor visa, Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa said in an email Wednesday.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

In a rare move, a state District Court judge has ordered the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator to change its conclusion about the manner of death of a prominent Albuquerque attorney from suicide to undetermined.

First Judicial District Judge David Thomson in Santa Fe ruled, in part, that the Albuquerque Police Departments investigation into the death of attorney Mary Han was so flawed that OMI couldnt reach a conclusion of suicide and should make changes to her death certificate. The judge said OMIs conclusion was arbitrary and capricious.

Alex Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, which OMI is a part of, said the agency disagreed with the judges ruling and is considering an appeal.

Thomsons ruling was in response to a non-jury trial held back in January 2017.

Elizabeth Wallbro, Hans sister, had brought a petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to have the manner of death changed.

Wallbros attorneys said that more than 50 police officers and upper-level city and Albuquerque police officials turned the death scene into a surreal circus, in which high-ranking officials trooped through Hans home, drank water in the kitchen, used her bathroom and handled items in her home instead of preserving evidence.

Han on many occasions during her career had filed lawsuits against the police department.

Due to the contamination of the scene and the loss of critical evidence, even under the most deferential standard, there is no basis for (OMIs) determination of the manner of death, Thomson wrote in his 96-page opinion filed Wednesday. Simply put, the evidence needed to make this determination was spoiled by the acts of the investigating agency.

But Sanchez said in a prepared statement: We have the highest respect for the court but disagree with the judges ruling in this case. Our experts conducted a complete and thorough investigation into Ms. Hans death and we stand by the autopsy determination that Ms. Han died as a result of a suicide.

Paul Kennedy, Hans former law partner, found Han dead in a car parked in the garage of her North Valley Albuquerque home in November 2010.

OMIs report of death concluded Han died by inhaling carbon monoxide in a closed garage. The cause was ruled as a suicide.

In court filings, Hans sister said she had spoken with Mary Han the night before her body was found and she didnt seem out of character.

Han also had plans to visit her only child the week after her death, and no note indicating suicide was found.

Wallbros petition alleged that the police failed to test carbon monoxide levels inside Hans home, her fingernails for DNA evidence and some of the items found at the scene of her death, such as a glass of liquid thought to be vodka. It also questioned why no attempt was made to explain why she was found inside a car that wasnt running and no neighbors were interviewed.

Those were just some of the problems with Albuquerque polices investigation into her death, according to court documents.

There were also questions about the thoroughness of OMIs autopsy, said Diane Garrity, one of Wallbros attorneys.

Thomsons ruling said while some responding Albuquerque police officers tried to follow proper protocols, the scene was overrun for some unknown reason by other responding individuals both civilian and supervisors at APD.

The degree and extent of the collusion and obscuring of truth by the (OMI) and the (APD) will never be known, but at least the medical investigators office has been held accountable for their decisions and must  from this point forward  justify the bases for their decisions, Rosario Vega Lynn and Garrity, Wallbros attorneys, said in a prepared statement.

Garrity said there have been few cases in which judges have ordered OMI to make changes to a death certificate. She said the case is important because it shows families they have a way to challenge OMI if they disagree with the offices findings.

Garrity said the experts who testified at trial believe that the manner of Hans death will never be conclusive.

The experts believe that the crime scene was so contaminated and the contamination was so acute that well probably never be able to say conclusively what happened, she said.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

When paramedics and officers were called to a brick, one-story house in Rio Rancho last Saturday regarding an unresponsive child, it was hardly their first time at the address.

Officers quickly determined that 6-year-old Ariana Jade Romeo was dead. Her death is being investigated as a homicide, and no one has been arrested.

And although police have said the child and her mother, Stephanie Romeo, had not been living at the house very long, the homes history of troubles is well-documented by the police department.

https://abqjournal.com/1209420/index.html

Recently released dispatch logs show that, since 2009, officers, firefighters or paramedics have been called 35 times to the home in the 200 block of Moonstone, near N.M. 528 and Northern NE.

Police officers were called 26 times, the fire department five times and emergency medical services four times. Several different names are referenced over the years but there is little information about their relationships with the homeowners.

Reasons for the calls vary wildly, ranging from the collection of a found dog to domestic violence to a man who was reportedly coming down from a methamphetamine binge. Two of the calls involved custody disputes.

A spokesman for the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department said Monday that the agency had not had any prior contact with Stephanie Romeo or Ariana, but the agency walked that back after more investigation Wednesday. Henry Varela now says CYFD has since found an allegation involving the Romeos made in Carlsbad last October. It was screened out and referred to law enforcement because it did not meet the departments criteria for investigation.

Per state law, Varela could not give details of that call or say why it was screened out.

CYFD has investigated one person associated with the home in 2012, but no information about that investigation could be provided.

A man who lives there currently  and who court documents say was present when Ariana was found dead  has owned the house since at least 2009, according to online tax records.

Saturday morning, officers called to the home for a DOA or dead on arrival, found Ariana in a makeshift bedroom converted from a garage. Officers said the home was in total disarray and Ariana was found on blood-stained sheets and with blood on her body. She wasnt wearing underwear or pants.

The Office of the Medical Investigator found the girl had damage to her genitals but has not said how she died.

Many people were in the home when officers arrived, although a Rio Rancho Police Department spokesman has not said how many were there. Some were children, and the police department is working with CYFD to ensure their safety.

Capt. Ron Vigil said the case has taken time to develop because investigators have had to conduct multiple interviews, process lots of evidence and wait for an autopsy report to determine how Ariana died and whether any DNA was on her person or drugs were in her system.

I understand the importance to the community to find a quick resolution, but we want to make sure we also come to the correct determination, Vigil said Wednesday.

Just two months ago, police were called to the home for a domestic dispute after the callers daughter got in a fight with an ex-girlfriend. According to a criminal complaint filed in Rio Rancho Magistrate Court, the former couple started fighting at a local brewery and continued to fight all the way home.

The ex-girlfriend was charged with aggravated battery on a household member and kidnapping. It is unknown if either party was at the home when Ariana was killed.

In 2015, police went to the house to pick up a statement from someone who reported being a witness to child abuse. The details of that case were not provided.

In 2009, police were called to a domestic fight between two sisters-in-law.

In 2010, two different calls, several months apart, involved a child calling 911, then hanging up.

The fire department responded to a call in 2010 about an unattended fire pit left to burn all night.

And in September 2013, someone in the house called to say a man was wandering around their backyard speaking in gibberish and refusing to leave. Later comments on the call say the man was going off meth binge.EL PASO  Former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo during a visit to the border told business leaders and others gathered for a U.S.-Mexico summit that hes worried about current relations, but things can change if people who are affected by government policies speak out.

Zedillo, a native of the Mexican border city Mexicali, gave the keynote address Wednesday at the summit organized by the Borderplex Alliance, a non-profit organization promoting economic development in the borderland region of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua.

A lot of the discussions focused on concerns about renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement as well the rocky U.S.-Mexico relationship under the Trump administration. Zedillo, who called himself a man of the border, helped implement NAFTA during his presidency from 1994-2000.

He agrees it is time to update the nearly 25-year-old trade pact but is concerned current negotiations will lead to a new NAFTA that is not only useless, but destructive of trade and investment. He was critical of a proposal by the Trump administration to do away with protections of investments by companies in Mexico or Canada.

Whether or not we get a new NAFTA that benefits all three countries depend on one man, and thats our president, said former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Jim Jones who kicked off the daylong summit.

President Trump has threatened to scrap NAFTA if he doesnt get what he wants for the U.S., but he recently tweeted that a deal with Mexico is moving along nicely. Canada has recently been shut out of the process, as President Trumps relationship with the Canadian prime minister has deteriorated.

Jones, who served as ambassador from 1993 to 1997, also discussed his view of Mexicos President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a man he met decades ago. Rather than a far left winger, Jones said Lopez Obrador had matured into a pragmatic and skilled political strategist.

Weve already seen his maturity in responding to some of the things (Trump) has said about Mexico, said Jones.

In a tweet President Trump wrote, New President of Mexico has been an absolute gentleman.

Both men ran as populist candidates vowing to put their countries first and focus on workers who have felt left behind by past administrations, including those hurt by NAFTA. In Mexico, fifty percent of them are still poor and pissed off and so they voted for the guy who said he would upset the system, said Tony Payan, director of the Mexico Institute at the Baker Institute.

The U.S. Mexico relationship is larger than those two individuals, said U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas.

Hurd said its not just whether the leaders of the U.S., Mexico and Canada sign a renegotiated trade agreement, but whether Congress approves the pact. That could be affected by the results of the mid-term elections this fall.

Trade in general and NAFTA in particular are hot button issues on the campaign trail.

NAFTA is the Pancho Villa of all trade treaties, said Tom Fullerton, professor and Trade in the Americas chair at the University of Texas-El Paso.

Fullerton said just as Pancho Villa was often accused of murders and mayhem in this border region, even years after he was dead, NAFTA is now blamed for a myriad of economic problems in the U.S.

More than 500 people registered to attend the border summit which included a roundtable with mayors of Las Cruces, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, and Sunland Park.

If we can get more people outside our region to come down and experience this (border), I know those are the people who are going to advocate for us in the future, said Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea.Travelxp, the worlds leading travel channel reaching more than 91 million homes globally and renowned for mainstream travel showsfilmed on the latest 4K technology, has launched a new show, 10 Days Cyprus, encompassing stunning beaches and uncovering beautiful nature trails.

The show, 10 days Cyprus is presented by Travelxp anchor Sabrina Chakici, who is a popular British television presenter and travel expert. She recently hosted live from the red carpet at The British Fashion Awards and The Golden globes interviewing Lady Gaga and Christopher Bailey. Sabrina has also presented on a number of Sky Channels and is a recognizable radio voice over artist for brands like Boots, Glossy Box and Lego; as well as well-known for hosting the breakfast show for Vibe 197.6 FM.

Sabrina will take travel buffs and foodies on an expedition to explore the Mediterranean island nation. Viewers will be able to explore a unique and rewarding experience to ancient cities steeped in Greek myths and will cherish local cuisines to understand the regions rich culture.

Nisha Chothani, Director - Travelxp, said, I am delighted to announce the launch of our latest show, 10 Days Cyprus, showcasing this unique and extraordinary Mediterranean island nation. The show has been created with 100% original travel content shot in exquisite 4K and HD. We are launching the show on 12th August in India. The show will telecast on channel Travelxp. Through this new show, we want our audience to experience the history and archeology of these ancient cities soaked in Greek myths, the pristine beaches and the rich culture that Cyprus has to offer its viewers. 

H.E. Mr. Agis Loizou., Ambassador - High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus stated, We are delighted that Travelxp has filmed an entire television show in our beautiful Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Through this show, I am confident viewers will get a wonderful tour of this picturesque travelers hot-spot and will certainly like to visit and experience its amazing beauty and vibrant lifestyle. I urge you all to watch 10 Days Cyprus on Travelxp and get immersed in exciting Cyprus.

10 days Cyprus will be showcased in five parts and Larnaca shall comprise the first part of it, wherein viewers can catch a glimpse of the city of Lazarus with ten thousand years of history, and one of the worlds twenty most ancient, continuously inhabited cities for the last 4000 years.

In the second part Nicosia, Travelxp will unfold the largest city of Cyprus. This city for the past 1100 years served as the nation's capital and travel to the medieval village of Fikardou, visiting Troodos ranges.

Khirokitia which is its third part will showcase the road leading to Troodos ranges and UNESCO village churches. It will showcase the Greek culture and uncover the history and beautiful beaches of Paphos.

In the fifth part of the show, Paphos will present the discovery of the myths of Greek and Roman philosophies and unravel the stories at Paphos Archaeological Park. It will help travelers explore the historic town of Limassol and top it with fun-filled kite surfing on Mediterranean.

In the final leg, the show will unravel Akamas National Park which is known for its Biodiversity. It will also show donkey farms to learn about its significance and dine on traditional Cypriot dishes.

Video teaser for 10 Days Cyprus

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/ae9d3fd3c2ee357d73f158816850d6c420180809052908/395ac6c140599900c942380be860a4d920180809052908/1acde9Sometimes it`s easier to blame evil spirits than admit that you have a psychological problem or a difficult situation in your family - says psychologist Dr. Igor Pietkiewicz from the SWPS University, who studies the phenomenon of sudden behavioural and identity changes attributed to possession.

"We are interested in the clinical picture of people who report to exorcists with sudden behavioural changes. Some of them have the impression that a foreign force enters their bodies, their identity changes, they start screaming, blaspheming, crawling on the ground, they have convulsions" - says Dr. Igor Pietkiewicz from the Research Centre for Trauma & Dissociation at SWPS University. His team conducts in-depth clinical interviews and psychiatric consultations with people who use exorcisms.

He explains that different mechanisms can be responsible for these changes. "We want to know what these people feel when they lose control of themselves, how much they remember about what is happening to them, how they function in everyday life, how they deal with stress and whether they have any symptoms related to trauma" - Dr. Pietkiewicz says in an interview in PAP.

The interdisciplinary project team members, in addition to health care specialists (psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist), include a priest-psychologist. The scientists cooperate with the Dominican Information Centre on the New Religious Movements and Sects, as well as parish priests and exorcists from all over Poland. Thanks to cooperation with clergy, scientists can reach people who report for exorcisms.

DIFFERENT VIEWS ON POSSESSION

The psychologist explains that the concept of possession can be considered at various levels. "In many cultures, societies, people attribute certain human behaviours to the influence of spiritual factors. For example, if someone begins to behave strangely - has convulsions, screams, blasphemes or loses consciousness - the community believes that the person is influenced by a spirit, a deity, spirits of ancestors. This is a cultural understanding of possession" - he explains.

Possession is also a theological category. "In many religions, believers think that supernatural forces can influence a person. For example, in the Catholic Church it is believed that certain people behave in a certain way because they are influenced by evil spirits. Priests try to make discernment and in some situations they propose an exorcism as an antidote to possession" - the researcher says.

"Of course, as researchers, we do not deal with obsession in the theological sense. Science can not say whether supernatural forces exist or not. We do not have the research apparatus for that" - says Dr Pietkiewicz.

Sometimes, however, it happens that although the family or local community believes that someone is obsessed, the priest does not share their opinion, because he suspects that the cause of incomprehensible behaviour may be psychological conflicts. And then the priest consults a psychologist or a doctor - says Dr. Pietkiewicz.

"Unfortunately, although the Vatican recommends clinical consultations before any exorcism is performed, not all exorcists recommend them" - the scientist complains.

POSSESSION, ACCORDING TO A CLINICAN

The psychologist adds that even if an exorcist refers a petitioner to a psychiatric consultation, it often focuses on determining whether the person suffers from mental illness. Meanwhile, sudden changes in behaviour and identity can be associated with completely different clinical entities, which are poorly recognized in Poland. "Such people are be more likely to experience dissociative disorders (associated with trauma) or personality disorders" - he says. He adds that people referred by exorcists can also include neurotic people, experiencing conflicts associated with the need for support and attention from others. He points out that psychological help will be different in each of these cases.

EXCORCISMS AND TRAUMAS

The psychologist explains that exorcisms are a culturally accepted, alternative way of dealing with problems.

"Accepting that certain behaviours are caused by an evil spirit can be difficult, but it can also be convenient - for the affected person and their family. The family can avoid dealing with the problem of abuse at home and instead focus on defeating the evil spirit during exorcisms" - says the scientist.

"Sometimes it`s easier to blame an evil spirit than admit to having a psychological problem or a difficult situation in the family. It`s even more difficult to confront psychological trauma to which victims of violence or abuse react phobically" - he says.

He explains that using an exorcist`s help can benefit a person. "But there are situations when participation in group or individual exorcisms can retraumatize, trigger difficult memories and related emotions, sensory impressions" - warns the scientist. He recalls the example of a woman who was sexually abused as a child and exhibited symptoms of PTSD during the exorcisms.

"The situation during the ritual, when someone is holding a person, overpowers them, applies force, dominates, can bring back traumatic memories" - says Dr. Pietkiewicz. "Such a person may feel like before, not know what they are doing, be very scared, possibly angry, try to escape or lose consciousness" - describes the psychologist.

DIFFERENT CULTURES

The phenomenon of possession is found in various cultures and religions. "In Poland, exorcisms are quite popular. In other countries there is no exorcist institution in the Catholic Church - a believer talks to the bishop who appoints the priest to help. In Poland there is a group of priests who have been mandated to perform these rituals" - says the psychologist from SWPS University.

Dr. Pietkiewicz previously conducted similar research in Mauritius, where sudden changes in behaviour were attributed not only to Satan but also to local deities. "Being possessed by a Hindu or Buddhist deity can be seen as ennobling. Even if I lose consciousness and control over myself, I am in contact with the deity that has chosen me. It does not have the negative connotations of being possessed by Satan" - says Dr. Pietkiewicz.

IT`S NOT ME, IT`S AN EVIL SPIRIT!

The psychologist gives an example of a woman from Mauritius. She said about herself that she was nice, polite and would speak ill of others. But when she saw her husband flirting with another woman, she became aggressive and stabbed him with a knife. "This woman was convinced that she was not the who did it, it was the goddess Kali who possessed her" - said Dr. Pietkiewicz.

He explains that people who feel that they are not responsible for their behaviour, allow themselves to express different conflicting feelings, emotions, and desires that they do not normally show. Their explanation is: "I am not doing this. It`s the spirit".

During research on possession - as Dr Pietkiewicz assures - scientists respect religious views of the examined person. If psychologists think that psychotherapy would be advisable in a given case, and contact with the priest is important for the subject, they try to reconcile and provide both forms of support.

"So far, there has been very little psychological and psychiatric research on possession, and Polish research is unique on a global scale" - says the scientist.

Scientists plan to study dozens of people. They will spend a few hours with each person to conduct a detailed diagnosis and discuss the possibilities of support. Later, they will devote a lot of time to detailed material analysis. Details of the research project (in Polish) are available at www.badaniepsyche.pl/opetanie

Research is carried out under the National Science Centre grant. "The aim of our project is to better understand the impact of cultural factors on the clinical picture of people with sudden behavioural changes that report for exorcisms. The accumulated experience will allow to develop a therapy model for this group of people that will combine modern clinical knowledge with spiritual support, which is of great importance to many people" - he says.

As part of the project, a conference is planned on cooperation between representatives of the health care sector and priests. There will also be workshops for priests, aimed at developing their competences in the field of recognizing certain clinical symptoms and referring applicants to the appropriate type of diagnosis.

PAP - Science in Poland, Ludwika Tomala

lt/ ekr/ kap/

tr. RLWould you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.+19 Orientation day at Aiken Technical College Aiken Technical College had it's orientation day where new students take a tour of the campus, are introduced to services and opportunities.

GRANITEVILLE  Lisa Washington took new students on tours of Aiken Technical College on Tuesday.

It's a campus she knows well. Washington graduated in the spring but is taking a few more classes as she prepares to transfer to USC Aiken.

ATC will welcome approximately 800 new students for the fall semester when classes start at 8 a.m. Monday, and students are still enrolling.

I want the new students to know that everyone at Aiken Tech is very flexible, and the teachers are great, Washington said, taking a quick break between tours.

Washington, one of ATC's student ambassadors, said she also wants students to know they can start or come back to school any time. Again, Washington knows from experience.

A retired U.S. Navy veteran with 20 years of service, Washington, who originally is from Florida but now lives in North Augusta, came back to ATC to earn her associate's degree. At USCA, she plans to major in biology with the goal of becoming a physicians assistant.

This is my second career, said Washington, who is president of ATC's Student Veterans Association.

Allen Newman from Aiken said he chose ATC to start a new career. A 2012 graduate of Ridge Spring-Monetta High, he has been been working for cable companies, installing television and internet connections, but plans to study computer graphic engineering.

I like working on computers and anything to do with technology. I feel I can build a really good career with that, Newman said. Technology is where everything is going now, so you've got to have some type of education in the technological field or they you're not going to get anywhere.

More than 200 future ATC alumni signed up for new-student orientation Tuesday, said Melissa Johnson, ATC's director of recruitment and student experience.

This is our official welcome to campus, she said.

Students toured campus, met with deans and faculty members, broke into smaller groups by program and saw classrooms and learning spaces.

The orientation ended with a student services fair, allowing students to talk with financial aid representatives and other campus officials and learn about a variety of student activities.

We're excited and are looking forward to students coming back to campus Monday, Johnson said.GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) on July 31 announced new regulations for the licensing of payment service companies. The new requirements, whose implementation was called for by the 2018 National Plan for the Promotion of the Use of Electronic Payment Systems, should help solve a problem many Palestinians in Gaza face in receiving payments for work performed online.

Hundreds of young Gazans have encountered obstacles having fees or remittances transferred to banks inside Gaza or wired via e-payment cards. Some have experienced delays in payment, while others have lost jobs as a result.

In the statement announcing the new regulations, PMA Governor Azzam al-Shawwa noted the goal of developing and expanding payment methods  that is, money movement and payment services  through safe and secure e-payment system infrastructure and tools. On June 5, the Palestinian government had approved the national plan, which was developed in light of banks having problems obtaining foreign currency, as well as shekels, from Israel due to its 11-year-long siege against Gaza.

Yahya Salha, a graphic designer, and six other Palestinians used to work remotely for a Saudi company, which he declined to name. They were terminated because their employer could not transfer their earnings money to banks in Gaza.

I know many people who were laid off because of this, or because they could not even open current accounts at the banks so they could receive money transfers, Salha told Al-Monitor.

In March 2018, a group of young people who work online sent Shawwa a request for support in an electronic petition coordinated by the Arab Women's Enterprise Fund. It stated in part, We ask your Excellency to instruct the relevant authorities and stakeholders as well as our Palestinian banks to consider [us] and facilitate our access to current accounts, so that we become an integral part of the official Palestinian banking system. The petition played a role in influencing the PMA decision to act to make it possible for freelancers to be paid electronically.

In 2017, the unemployment rate among Gazans aged 15-29 was a remarkable 62.4%. In light of Gaza's dire economic conditions and such high unemployment, many young people have sought, and found, work online in various fields, landing jobs through global business platforms and social media.

The PMA held a public panel discussion in Gaza City on Aug. 2 that included financial experts who discussed the tools and techniques of e-payment systems. Companies already in operation will need to make sure they are in compliance with the new regulations and apply for new licenses.

Mohammed al-Ashi, a professor of finance and banking at the Islamic University, who took part in the workshop, said that one of the main objectives of the decision was to facilitate the transfer of remittances by young online workers  the population most affected by problems surrounding transferring money to Gaza  without the need to have banks get directly involved.

The PMA announced that it needs service providers, who will probably be from the West Bank, Ashi told Al-Monitor. This electronic money transfer service will go through private companies regulated by the PMA outside the banking system. It is expected to employ blockchain technology for money transfers from and to the Gaza Strip.

In blockchain money transfers, the transaction is conducted directly between the sender and recipient electronically. Blockchain's powerful encryption eliminates the need for a third party, such as a bank, to initiate wires and transfers.

In the case of remote workers in Gaza, Ashi explained, They can activate this service and start receiving remittances without the need to open current accounts with banks, which require many prerequisites they cannot meet.

Ashi also noted some potential obstacles to the system. Most important, he said, we still do not know how much this new approach will be accepted by people, who might have doubts about e-services locally. The PMA must also work on providing a robust infrastructure for service companies and administration cadres [in both the public and private sectors] to implement the decision.

Wael Sharfa, who in the past found jobs through Up Work, a platform for freelancers, told Al-Monitor, The biggest problem we face is the ban on money transfers and remittances to the Gaza Strip for political reasons, especially from the Gulf states, which is seen as the biggest market for Palestinians working online. Gulf companies are banned from transferring money to Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas.

Although the Gulf states have not designated Hamas or any of its leaders terrorists, they have been reluctant to transfer money to Hamas-controlled Gaza after the United States added Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas political bureau, and a number of other Hamas leaders to its terrorism list in February 2018.

Sharfa explained that remittances can be wired through Western Union, but the fees are high, sometimes 10% of the transfer value. He also noted that some people do not like using Western Union because it can be time-consuming. PayPal is not available in Gaza.

On April 27, the Bank of Palestine in Gaza City held workshops on Arab Financial Inclusion Day, which was attended by dozens of young freelancers. On the occasion, the bank launched An Account for Every Citizen, a program to allow young people to open current accounts so they can receive money transfers. It is facilitating new accounts by reducing application requirements, such as the need to provide a work certificate or contract.

Doaa Shaheen, a journalist who works for foreign websites and participated in the Bank of Palestine event, told Al-Monitor, Not many foreign companies and websites can deal with banks in Gaza because of the political situation, and not everyone can open a bank account, not to mention that banks charge 5% commissions on every transaction.

Speaking for many, Shaheen added, We hope that the PMA's new measures will allow us to receive money transfers electronically without the need of third parties, whether institutions or people.

The PMA's electronic payment effort might prompt a surge in online jobs in Gaza, which could lead to more college graduates finding employment. The biggest challenge, however, will be to create the proper infrastructure, hire qualified staff to oversee implementation of the new regulations, promote the new system and track financial transparency.On Aug. 12, the Caspian Sea littoral states  Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan  signed what has been described as a historic accord on the legal status of the Caspian Sea.

Controversy over the details of the convention has not subsided, however, and the issue remains the talk of the town in Tehran. On Aug. 15, pro-government papers once again put the spotlight on the pact and went the extra mile in its defense, dismissing claims that Iran ceded its share of the Caspian Sea to Russia and other littoral states.

Days before the convention was signed, reports circulated on Persian-language social media that Tehran was set to offer concessions on its share of the inland lake. Those reports were relying on claims that in older agreements Iran had possessed 50% of the Caspian Sea, but that it was now losing a significant portion to primarily the Russians. The fall of the Soviet Union led to the creation of new independent republics such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, each of which now claim shares of the Caspian Sea as littoral states, disrupting the previous understanding of the lake as equally shared by Iran and the Soviet Union.

Iran's Foreign Ministry was quick to respond, saying what was agreed upon in the historic pact had not touched upon the respective shares of littoral states. The ministry said the convention stressed the sovereignty of the lake and prohibited any foreign military presence there.

But that did not stop the flow of hashtags, articles and statements against the government of President Hassan Rouhani, which was accused of inking a humiliating pact likened to Turkmanchai, the 1828 treaty whereby the Qajar monarchy ceded large swaths of territory to imperial Russia.

Articles in moderate and Reformist papers Aug. 15 once again came out in support of the president. Etemaad described the criticisms of the convention as a "wave of populism" derived from unfounded claims that seek to condemn the authorities instead of engaging with the facts of the matter. "Those claims are presented by people with no expert views," the daily wrote, raising the question that the public might no longer be pursuing in-depth facts through conventional media.

On its front page, the moderate-leaning Ettelaat used a tweet by Iran's ambassador to Britain, Hamid Baeedinejad. The Iranian envoy had criticized "celebrities who posed as intellectuals and unintentionally acted against national interests by making claims without enough knowledge." Baeedinejad defended the Rouhani government for "preventing an unjust sharing of the Caspian Sea despite the most pressing sanctions and international pressure."

Jomhoori-e Eslami, another moderate daily, also responded to claims about the Iranian concessions. "Iran's rights have not been violated," read the paper's headline. The editorial quoted Foreign Ministry officials and the Iranian ambassador to Kazakhstan as saying that the convention on the legal status of the Caspian did not cover the issue of shares and borders, which will have to be negotiated down the line.

Taking a cautious approach, Ghanoon, a Reformist daily, wrote about "the hidden layers of a convention" and called for the government's clarifications on the pact and explanations to the parliament. While rejecting claims on social media about a 50% Iranian share of the Caspian as "worthless propaganda," the paper pointed out that the treaty fell short of determining each state's share of resources, saying that those issues remain under dispute. Ghanoon also described Russia as a state that has not left behind a positive image in Iran's contemporary history.

As pro-Rouhani papers wrote on the unfoundedness of the reports, conservative dailies remained silent, both before and after the convention was signed. Still, the debate over where the claims originated from and what purposes they sought could remain heated in the days to come.In Syria, it's increasingly clear that Iran and Russia aren't getting along the way they did in 2015 when Moscow first intervened to help keep President Bashar al-Assad in power. Back then, the situation was too chaotic and complicated for the allies of convenience to differ on existential issues, though they had several clashes of views that were reflected in the field.

From Aleppo to Homs, and from Damascus to Palmyra, the intersection of Russian and Iranian interests was far greater during Assads bad days than today, particularly as hes preparing to announce his victory in the seven-year-long war once his forces secure Idlib. Now the main questions are, how do the Russians and Iranians differ in Syria, and why?

The Syrian military establishment doesn't see Iran and Russia as equals, though this is a point that many in Iran and Syria don't want to concede. The root of this dynamic lies in the relations between Damascus and Moscow since the Soviet era. Russia has trained thousands of Syrian military officers and other professionals during the reign of the Assad family, which began in 1971. Of the eight Baath Party members who determined the party's general direction prior to 2011, half spoke Russian. Besides, Russians are closer to the Syrians when it comes to lifestyle, which varies 180 degrees from that of the Iranian military. Indeed, it's quite difficult for Syrian officers, who are mostly secular, to harmonize with the Iranian militarys Islamic identity, one that also applies to Hezbollah and other groups fighting alongside Iran.

Iranian officers are highly respected. They are good people, but its not easy to get along with them, a Syrian army officer told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. He added, We are different types of people. They are religious and many of us arent much into religion. ... On the other hand, Russia is a superpower and it has a clear vision of where the war is heading. [The Russians are] in contact with the US, Israel, Turkey, the Saudis and the Iranians themselves -- and its clear to us that our leadership has a strong coordination with the Russians.

Many members of the Syrian political establishment believe that if it weren't for Assad himself, Irans role would probably have come into question earlier; Tehran has always insisted that Assad should remain in power. The same dynamic applies to the military pressure Israel is exerting on Syria via airstrikes to force Iran away from the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as a first step, and later, out of Syria altogether. Irans official stance has always been that since Tehran was invited into Syria by Damascus, it wont leave unless asked by the Syrian government. Iran's presence in Syria has always been only at the advisory level and nothing more. In this vein, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said Aug. 4 that Tehran will withdraw troops from Syria if the country can establish relative stability.

On Aug. 1, Russia's official TASS news agency quoted a Russian envoy as saying Iranian forces had withdrawn their heavy weapons in Syria away from the Golan frontier, even though Israel has deemed the pullback inadequate. The Iranians withdrew and [its] Shiite formations are not there, TASS quoted Alexander Lavrentiev, President Vladimir Putins special envoy to Syria, as saying. Lavrentiev said Iranian service personnel, whom he described as advisers, could be among Syrian army forces who remain closer to the Israeli border, but there is nothing "that could pose a threat to Israel" within a 50-mile zone.

Yet according to an Iranian military source who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, there were never any Iranian heavy weapons in the south, or indeed in any part of Syria to begin with. Iran understands the Russian commitment to stability in the region, and Iran is also committed to it. But it was always the Syrian army thats been attacked by Israel, and its the Syrian army thats always responding and preventing the Zionists from imposing their [plans]. The source added, There were some international attempts to convince the Syrian leadership to turn a blind eye to Israeli aggression against Syrian sovereignty, but President Assad himself made it clear that Syrian interests and not those of any other country come first in Syria. Also, he clearly refused to ask his army to avoid firing at Israeli planes and rockets. Hes not happy [regarding Israel] at all.

It's clear there are two points of view in Syria, each aligning with either side of the pro-Assad coalition. Though it is highly unlikely that these points of view are going to clash one day, these differences are causing uncertainty inside the Assad camp and are giving Israel an advantage that could help it impose some of its conditions on the ground. Still, there are actors who seem unwilling to agree to conditions to appease Israel. On Aug. 14, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah denied reports by some media outlets that he plans to withdraw from Syria, or is at least considering a kind of redeployment. Rather, Nasrallah mocked what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus begging campaign to get Iran and Hezbollah out of Syria.

It remains to be seen to what extent Iran and Russia share this perception of Netanyahu. Indeed, Nasrallah voiced one key assumption that could prove to be the ultimate guiding light for Iranian and Russian policy: Losers cannot impose conditions.Hamas sent a delegation from Gaza to Cairo on Aug. 14 for another round of discussions on the outline of the arrangement that is taking shape with Israel under Egyptian mediation and with UN cooperation. A Hamas source told Al-Monitor that the sides are nearing the finish line. The biggest question is whether the Palestinian Authority will be part of the arrangement.

In order to realize a large program Israel-Hamas arrangement, the Ramallah Palestinian leadership must be handed civil responsibility over the Strip. According to Hamas, this program would lead to an almost complete removal of the blockade on Gaza. But should Ramallah refuse, Hamas would have to settle for a small program of significant easements on the transfer of raw materials and food supplies from Israel and Egypt, as well as the expansion of economic initiatives and infrastructure development.

As of now, it seems that all the efforts to harness Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to be part of the large program have been in vain.

A Fatah delegation headed by head of Fatah's Central Committee Azzam al-Ahmad was sent to Cairo about two weeks ago to find a compromise in the main disagreement between the PA and Hamas: control over the security apparatus in the Strip. It became clear very quickly that the delegation was not empowered to not offer enough.

According to a Hamas source who spoke to Al-Monitor, Abbas opposition is psychological and has little to do with the actual facts on the ground. According to the source, Abbas does not want to be a fig leaf in a deal with two entities he hates. The proposals submitted to him by Egypt were not appealing, to say the least. For example, they offered to give him civil responsibility over Gaza and a promise that control over Hamas security apparatus would be transferred to him gradually. But a gradual process was too slow. And many Palestinian seniors in Ramallah believe that without significant control over the security forces and enforcement rights, civil governance in Gaza is doomed to failure.

Abbas refusal to be part of the arrangement only emphasizes the gaps between Israel and Hamas on critical issues, for which solutions will probably not be found. One example is the development of economic projects and control over raw materials that Israel will transfer to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Who will control the border crossings? Will it be possible to ensure that Hamas will not siphon resources like cement, iron and construction materials for military needs? Hamas leaders are not willing to allow international bodies to supervise the crossings, a prospect it considers humiliating.

Thus, the discussions are now on the small program, as there is no other choice. This small-scale plan is supposed to be carried out in four stages. Here, too, are many unknown variables.

The first stage in the outline that is taking shape is about what Israel calls Hamas provocations. It means an absolute halt of border demonstrations and incendiary kites and balloons. Hamas seems to be adhering to this condition.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announced on Aug. 14 that the Kerem Shalom crossing, which was closed three weeks ago, would be reopened Aug. 15 on the condition that quiet prevail on the Gaza-Israel border, in his words. And the crossing did, indeed, open on Wednesday at nine a.m. Liberman did not volunteer information to the Israeli public and did not say whether the quiet is part of the arrangement that Israel, Hamas and Egypt are discussing. This is also the reason that Israel denied last week that a cease-fire had been achieved with Hamas meant to protect the understandings that had already been achieved with Egyptian mediation.

In the second stage, Israel and Egypt commit themselves to a joint effort to boost the electricity supply to the Strip from the Israel Electric Corporations lines and from a power station to be built in Sinai.

It seems that in this section of the arrangement that is being hammered out, there are no obstacles that cannot be overcome. So far, so good. However, the problematic parts are next: a deal for Hamas return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin (killed in 2014) and of Israeli civilians, and the establishment of large economic projects that are supposed to involve the removal of most of the blockade restrictions on Gaza.

According to the proposed outline, the first step is the return of the bodies and civilians. Only after that will the next and crucial stage begin: the large economic projects including an airport in El Arish and a naval port in Ismaila. UN emissary Nickolay Mladenov promised to put all his weight behind efforts to recruit hundreds of millions of dollars from the Gulf states.

However, the arrangement carries the seeds of its own destruction in the early stages. Hamas military wing will not easily give up its bargaining chips even if Israel frees the Shalit Deal prisoners that were re-arrested in June 2014 just prior to Operation Protective Edge. The heads of the military wing, who have promised the families of the prisoners in the Gaza Strip that hundreds of prisoners would be released from Israeli prisons, will try to extort more assets from Israel. This is the reason that Hamas insists on separating the agreement into two tracks.

Regarding the economic stage, which is supposed to create employment for tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, there can be no guarantees so long as Abbas continues to refuse to take civil responsibility over the Strip. Egypt is inflicting heavy pressure on him, but Abbas is not budging an inch. He feels that in any case, he could be the one to lose the most in such a deal.

If Abbas would agree to send his people to Gaza and the arrangement subsequently fails, Israel and Hamas would engage in another armed conflict, and Abbas would find himself in the middle of a war that is not his. If the arrangement succeeds, Abbas would be viewed as someone who helped Israel to turn his opponent Hamas into the leading political movement of the Palestinians.

Thus, we are left with the default option: A small and very brittle arrangement.For the first time in the history of the Israeli air force, a woman was appointed commander of an operational squadron. On Aug. 7, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, Israeli air force commander, appointed Major G. to command the air forces espionage squadron and promoted her to the rank of lieutenant colonel. I am happy about the appointment, Major G said in a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). A great privilege alongside a great responsibility. The real work is still ahead. I am proud to serve in the air force. G., a mother of two whose husband is also an officer in the air force, is the first woman pilot to be promoted to that rank during her service. She is also the first woman to command an operational squadron (although another woman was previously appointed commander of a maintenance squadron).

The systems with which the Israeli air force gathers intelligence and conducts espionage operations are considered among the most advanced in the world. They are now overseen by a woman. According to one senior air force officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, data and experience alike both prove that the results of appointing women commanders are no less professional, and perhaps even more professional than if these jobs were being done by a man.

The Mossad, the Weizmann Institute of Science and the air force are three of the strongest Israeli brands in the world. As conservative and religious forces in Israel gain strength, more and more attempts have been made recently to exclude women from public and military spaces. The air force is moving in the opposite direction and at a dramatic pace. The very fact that the air force, like the Mossad, is a closed system and an almost isolated bubble in the larger IDF allows its commanders to make decisions based on relevant, professional considerations, while ignoring all the background noise. The air force has pushed the envelope to the edge. So has the Mossad.

As of now, the air force is almost entirely open to women. No gender distinction is made between the people serving in it, giving the air force the luxury of selecting candidates for different positions from a much bigger pool than is currently available to the IDF. After all, the air force pool includes women, who make up some 51% of the total population. Apart from certain extreme posts (such as combat positions in the air forces elite Shaldag Unit, where candidates are expected to be able to carry heavy weights that most women might find hard to lift), almost all positions are open to women, and, in fact, have been filled by women over the past few years. Its simple, a senior officer in the air force explained to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The more we increase the number of candidates, the more likely we are to get the best people to fulfill them, since we can choose from a much richer pool.

Many dozens of women have already been trained as fighter pilots and navigators, transport and supply chain pilots, and helicopter, espionage and aerial refueling pilots. But this is just the beginning. It is only natural that the media would be attracted to the sight of women in flight suits, with sophisticated pilots helmets, but the revolution in the air force extends to other positions too. Few people know that the air force recently appointed a woman to head the branch charged with investigating performance. This is one of the most sensitive and critical systems in the air force, known for the high level of its research. It conducts precision studies of the performances of just about every one of the air forces sophisticated pieces of equipment. This is the first time that a woman has headed this important department.

Furthermore, for the first time, the head of the operational control staff in the air forces operational headquarters (the Pit) is a woman officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In practice, she serves as the duty commander of the air force, in charge of air traffic. The chief medical officer of the air force is also a woman, as is the commander of the maintenance squadron. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of women serving in different capacities throughout the air force and making up the spine of what is commonly perceived as the insurance policy of the Jewish people.

No matter where you turn in the air force, you will find women in senior and subordinate roles. In addition to the posts already listed, the air force also has a female deputy commander of a fighter squadron; a human resources commander with the rank of colonel; a woman serving as deputy brigade commander in charge of aerial defense; a woman commanding a sky rider drone unit; and women in many other senior positions. Over the past few years, the air force has doubled the number of women in combat positions throughout its aerial defense system and increased the number of women technicians from hundreds to thousands. It has also doubled the number of women serving as warrant officers and continues to train women for many other positions.

This is a thorough process that reaches across the entire air force. It starts at the bottom, during the enlistment process at the IDFs induction center, and is already starting to trickle to the top, with the first appointment of a woman to command an operational squadron. Since the number of women technicians has grown significantly, it was only natural that a woman commander of the maintenance squadron would be appointed, as happened recently. If the revolution continues at this rate, disregarding the background noise resulting from the spread of conservatism across Israeli society, it is quite possible that a woman will be candidate for commander of the Israeli air force in five or 10 years time. Is it conceivable? Maybe.

When it comes to the integration of women, as far as is known, the Israeli air force is at the forefront of all Western air forces around the world. This is true about the proportion of women pilots, but also with regard to the participation of women on a macro level. A senior air force commander insisted, speaking on condition of anonymity, that this makes it a much better fighting force. Once the general pool of candidates increases, their level increases too. Its axiomatic.

The air force is accustomed to visits by senior officers from parallel branches of the IDF. They inevitably end up staring in amazement when they run into two 19-year-old technicians preparing an F-35 stealth fighter for takeoff or doing maintenance work on a Yasur helicopter.

Particularly interesting is the integration of women into the roles of fighter pilots and navigators. They complete their regular service and then continue on to career service, as pilots usually do, stopping only when pregnant, since flying fighter jets while pregnant is forbidden. Since the air force relies on its reserve forces, women also continue to serve in the reserves upon their discharge, just like their male counterparts. The only difference is the absence of women from the service for a set period of time when they are pregnant and after giving birth. All of this follows a series of predetermined rules. As a result, the air force is one big family in every sense of the term.

It is also worth noting that a similar revolution is taking place in the Mossad. This has been taking place under the impetus of the agencys director, Yossi Cohen, for the past few years. Overall, 40% of Mossad agents are women, compared to 60% men. The problem is that the percentage of women declines as they move up the ranks. Cohen has been behind an enormous initiative to attract women to continue serving in the Mossad and to make their way up through the hierarchy of Israels clandestine espionage organization.

According to sources in the Mossad, the number of women serving as department heads has doubled in the past few years, from 12% to 25%, while the number of branch heads has risen from 17% to 29% in that same time. Similarly, the Mossads most recent command course had 12 participants, half of them women. Furthermore, the Mossad has launched a mentorship program for women who are hesitant to continue serving and advancing through the ranks when faced with the usual dilemma of how they might still raise a family and children. In some cases, the Mossad waits for these reluctant women, keeping them in their manpower reserves and then restoring them to the ranks after they have established a family and their children are a little older. Only recently, a woman aged 42 participated in the command course after taking just such a break to raise her family.

Like the air force, the Mossad takes pride in the growing number of women in its ranks, boasting that this improves the organization and its operations. It can only be hoped that this much anticipated revolution will trickle down to the somewhat less liberal bastions of Israeli society, particularly when it seems that the conservative forces are actually growing.Women's rights activists and jurists hailed a decision by the Supreme Judiciary Council earlier this month to promote 16 female judges, expressing hope that women in top judicial positions will make their mark on the gender-sensitive issues that come before the courts.

"I am very optimistic about the promotion of the 16 female judges as it may bring forth another interpretation of laws, especially those concerning female genital mutilation, rape, safe abortion, inheritance and violence against women and eventually reform the judicial system," Randa Fakhr El-Deen, executive director of Egypt's union of nongovernmental organizations working to protect women and children, told Al-Monitor.

Fakhr El-Deen said that the long overdue move reflects the Egyptian leadership's willingness to move toward recognizing equal rights and ensuring the fair representation of women in Egypts judiciary.

Hadia Abdel Fattah, a womens rights activist and founder of an anti-harassment initiative, said that feminists face a male mentality in judicial and wider government circles. With the increased presence of female judges in the judicial system, changes and reform, particularly regarding womens issues, are possible.

Female activists in Egypt have been pushing for efficient implementation of new laws that protect women, such as the penalization of female genital mutilation and jail terms for those who marry underage girls as well as upcoming legislation that would penalize families who allow such marriages. They ask for maximum penalties for domestic violence, swift divorce under fair conditions for women and a no-tolerance attitude toward harassment and rape.

When we feminists push for changes in laws affecting women, we get stuck with a male-dominated judicial community. Men in Egypt do not feel womens problems as much as women do. That is why having female judges can be very helpful for women in Egypt, she told Al-Monitor.

One of the plum posts is Qena Appeals Court, one of the top judicial rank now taken over by Judge Amal Ammar, a member of the Egyptian National Council for Women.

National Council for Women chairwoman Maya Morsi said that the Egyptian Constitution's Article 11 guarantees womens right to high administration posts, including the judiciary. Morsi added that there are currently 66 female judges in the country. The number was reached in four batches of large-scale nominations  all of them in the last 15 years, almost half a century after other regional countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and pre-revolutionary Iran. In 2003, Tahani al-Gebali was appointed to the Supreme Constitutional Court. In 2007, the first female judges and prosecutors were appointed. More appointments followed in 2008, 2015 and 2017.

Yet, Egypts female jurists still have to break into the all-powerful State Council. The council issues legal opinions and reviews bills, resolutions and draft contracts for the state and public entities. The National Council for Women and some individual female jurists have been battling for access to this powerful body to no avail. Though there is no legislation banning their appointment, the State Council has kept women out via its own selection process.

Nevertheless, Gebali sees the recent appointments as a success story for women in the judicial sector. She told Al-Monitor, "The process started in 2003, when I was the first woman to be appointed vice president of the Supreme Constitutional Court and then tens of female judges were appointed in Egypt's courts in 2007. It is normal now for these female judges after being for several years in the judicial system to be promoted."

Gebali said that women's involvement can transform and reform the system, explaining, "There were many distinguished female graduates of Egypt's law schools who were not allowed to take up posts in this field. Now, those efficient women are being appointed as judges and also being promoted to leading posts. This is for sure a huge benefit to the judiciary system in the country."

But she added that 66 female judges out of a total of 17,000 judges in Egypt are not nearly enough. Although the number of female judges is still low, I believe that Egypts new leadership is adamant on getting women to join every field in the country, especially the judicial system, Gebali concluded.GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Civil engineer Ramadan Dabash, from the village of Sur Baher in the southern outskirts of East Jerusalem, is trying to form an Arab electoral bloc to compete against Jewish blocs in the upcoming Jerusalem municipal election in October. Dabash lectures on engineering at several Israeli universities and holds a leadership position in Sur Baher.

Dabash is encouraging Palestinian residents of Jerusalem to vote for his bloc despite formal and religious Palestinian calls to boycott the election. On July 30, the Supreme Fatwa Council in Palestine forbade Palestinians from participating, as it could be considered recognition of the legitimacy of Israel's occupation of the city.

An Arab municipal body called the Council of the Jerusalem Secretariat once ran East Jerusalem's affairs. But after Israel occupied the city in 1967, the Israelis dissolved the council and integrated East Jerusalem into the jurisdiction of the Israeli municipality to the west.

Since then, the great majority of Palestinian Jerusalemites have boycotted the elections, which are held every five years, though Israel has granted them the right to vote and stand for office. Over th years, some Palestinians have attempted to run but withdrew due to Palestinian public pressure. If Dabash doesn't withdraw from the contest, his will be the first Palestinian bloc to compete since 1967.

Dabash told Al-Monitor his bloc, which he calls Jerusalem for Jerusalemites, includes 22 Palestinians living in East Jerusalem. Some of them are dignitaries from Palestinian tribes.

Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians in the eastern and western parts of Jerusalem, make up 37.4% of the population, while Jews make up 62.6%, according to the annual Jerusalem Book issued in 2017 by the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research.

Dabash said his bloc wants to provide services to improve the living conditions of Palestinian Jerusalemites in terms of housing, education, health, infrastructure and hygiene, in light of the failure of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem to provide proper services for us.

Mohammed Hussein, head of the Supreme Fatwa Council, told Al-Monitor, "The decision to boycott the municipal election in Jerusalem was made on the very first day of the occupation of this city in 1967." He pointed out that the fatwa was based on UN Security Council Resolution 465 of 1980, which reads, All measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem or any part thereof, have no legal validity.

Hasan Khater is director of the International Jerusalem Center. He told Al-Monitor, The majority of Palestinians are against participating in the Jerusalem municipal elections because it constitutes recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the city, not to mention that the results are predetermined for the Jews because of their demographic superiority.

According to Khater, Israel has made many changes to East Jerusalem to achieve that demographic advantage. It established 14 Jewish settlements inside the area and since 1967 has annexed 72,000 dunams (17,791 acres) of the West Bank to build new neighborhoods and integrate them within Jerusalem's municipal boundaries.

Al Jazeera reported Aug. 11, 2017, that the number of Jews in all of Jerusalem had nearly tripled by 2015 from the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967. There were 195,700 Jewish residents in 1967. That number reached 542,000 in 2015.

Ziad Hamouri, director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, told Al-Monitor, There is Palestinian consensus on boycotting Jerusalems municipal election because the issue is not about municipal services, but rather a national and political issue stemming from the insistence of [Palestinian] Jerusalemites not to grant the occupation any legitimacy.

He added, However, dozens of them ignore that consensus and vote every year due to several factors, the most important of which is the absence of the Palestinian Authority's role in supporting Jerusalemites. In addition, some Israeli employers promise their Palestinian employees more money if they vote in favor of the Jewish parties they support.

Hamouri noted, Even if any Arab member wins a seat at the municipal council of Jerusalem, their vote will have no value since [that person] would be the minority. Meanwhile, Israel will use this participation to promote [those Arabs'] recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem.

On the other hand, Dabash added, Boycotting the municipal election in Jerusalem adversely affected the level of services provided to Jerusalemites, because there is no Arab municipal council to defend our rights." East Jerusalemites pay 350 million shekels ($97.2 million) a year in taxes to the Jerusalem municipality but do not receive the same services as Israelis in West Jerusalem, he noted.

Dabash explained, There are no construction projects for East Jerusalemites or even planning for residential neighborhoods, making it difficult to obtain building permits. To make matters worse, the Jerusalem municipality demolishes dozens of Palestinian homes every year and no opposition has yet been formed to object to such actions.

According to a report published in March by the Land Research Center in Jerusalem, the Israeli occupation has demolished 5,000 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem since 1967 for lack of permits. The demolitions of 1,200 homes between 2000 and 2017 displaced about 10,000 Palestinians.

Dabash pointed out poor health services and a severe shortage of classrooms for Palestinian students, forcing many students to drop out of school.

He noted that Palestinians make up a third of Jerusalem's residents in the entire city and that about 18,000 of them are entitled to vote on election day. By stepping into Jerusalem's municipal election, Dabash hopes to win a third of its 31 seats. I think that 20% of Jerusalemites now support the idea of participating in municipal elections. They just need someone to encourage them, he said.

I intend to organize awareness campaigns in our Arab constituency among Jerusalemites to increase this percentage, and I think [the effort] will make progress before elections are held.

Despite the many claims to the contrary, Haaretz reported in February that a Hebrew University-commissioned poll conducted in January showed 58% of Palestinians in East Jerusalem support Palestinians voting in municipal elections, while only 13%-14% oppose the idea. Still, less than 1% of Palestinians voted in the 2013 election.Although Turkey publicly appears to sustain its anti-Bashar al-Assad stance on Syria, it is actually getting ready for a new Syria that will allow Assad to stay on as the country's president. While a termination of the de facto Kurdish autonomy in northern Syria seems to be the first precondition for a possible normalization between Ankara and Damascus, there is another unspoken condition as well: the allotment of a share in Syrias reconstruction.

Naturally, the Assad administration does not have the intention to allot any share to Turkey, which is accused of supporting anti-regime military groups that have destroyed the country and looted Aleppo's industrial zones. However, Turkeys control of a sizable territory in northern Syria and its cooperation with Russia make it difficult for Damascus to exclude Turkey from these calculations.

Turkeys influence over opposition groups that could have a bearing on the Geneva process can not be dismissed. Turkey has been able to preserve its most important trading partner position with Syria despite the seven-year-old conflict. Its geographical proximity to Syria, logistical superiority and advanced capacity of its construction sector encourages Turkey to obtain a substantial part in the reconstruction process.

Moreover, Turkey is currently organizing local entities in al-Bab, Jarablus, Azaz, Cobanbey and Afrin that are de facto under its control. It is also setting up systems for security, education and religion and even issuing ID cards to residents. In addition it has started building a road network.

Manbij, which Turkey has begun patrolling the periphery of following an agreement with Washington, is also in the works. If Turkey can impose its control over the area, a new highway will be built between Jarablus and Manbij. In fact, local sources have confirmed that the construction work has already started.

The Turkish government sees Manbij as a key trading hub both for Iraq and Syria, and Manbij and al-Bab will be preludes to the rebuilding of Aleppo. This de facto situation created by Turkey will likely be a stepping stone to lucrative reconstruction contracts.

Ankaras entire calculations are based on getting the reconstruction contract for Aleppo. But will Russia and Iran, which also have spent billions of dollars in Syria, allow Ankara to get what it wants?

For the reconstruction of Aleppo, Ankara relies on its negotiations with Russia. An operation in Idlib and potential withdrawal of Turkish troops from there may well determine the outcome of those negotiations. Ankara hopes that an agreement with Russia on these two issues may overcome the reluctance of Damascus to deal with Turkey.

A foreign technocrat who is closely involved in the reconstruction process of Syria said that Assad considers the reconstruction process an extremely delicate issue. He told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Contacts are top secret at high levels. Assad insists that those who had a part in destroying Syria cannot have a role in its reconstruction and he prefers Russian, Iranian and Chinese firms. Can Russia persuade Damascus to allot Turkey a portion?

He added, In principle Syria doesnt want to give Turkey anything. But there are three important facts. The Russians understand the Turks and the economic dimension is on the agenda of Moscow-Ankara talks. If you ask any Russian official, he will say that Turkish companies are important for the quick reconstruction of the destroyed towns  thus acknowledging the importance of Turkish contractors in large-scale construction projects. Then you have the facts on the ground. In 2017, 150,000 heavily laden trucks entered Syria from Turkey. Everything sold in northern Syria comes from Turkey.  The third fact is that eastern Aleppo  which the government liberated two years ago  still lies in rubble.

He noted that China can be an important alternative to Turkey, but that the Chinese are reluctant to commit themselves to major investments before any political settlement is agreed on. Beijing does not want to take the wrong side while Moscow and Washington are still arm-wrestling, he added.

The source also indicated the indirect contacts between Ankara and Damascus. There are open channels in the background and the most important one is via Russia. Many issues are negotiated but neither country is in a position to reveal them. Anyone with the right mind in Damascus has to admit that if you want to rebuild Syria quickly, secure the return of the refugees and ensure normalization, they have to acknowledge the role of Turkish companies, he said.

The business prospects are significant. According to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, the total cost of Syria's reconstruction will be some $388 billion. Assad estimates $400 billion is needed for the reconstruction process.

One key factor that will determine the reconstruction process is the support from the international community; where are the funds coming from and who will get a slice of the cake? Even the $9.6 billion humanitarian assistance pledged by the Friends of Syria Group in 2017 is dependent on a successful political transition.

Syrias reconstruction was on the agenda of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Helsinki summit July 16. Russian Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov sent a letter to his American counterpart, Joseph Dunford, July 19 proposing cooperation in the reconstruction process. Yet Dunford replied they could not cooperate before a general election under UN supervision is held and a political transition is achieved.

The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini also said if progress is achieved in the UN peace process, the EU would be ready to contribute.

Naturally, countries that contribute financially will want to have a say in the process. According to the high-level technocrat source, Russia is trying hard to turn the attention of the United States and the EU to the post-conflict phase; Russian experts are convinced that unless there is financial and political support soon, Syria will shortly become a bankrupt state. EU members who have agreed that Assad is staying are aware of the perils of a bankrupt state and want to see some change. Syrians who count on Iran, Russia and China are aware that they are not going to receive more than $10 billion from the international community. That's why their only hope are the Syrian people.

In order to mobilize the Syrians first have to build the people's confidence and offer them guarantees. The qualified and young population must be encouraged to return home. Idle government bodies that cant even spend more than 20% of their own budgets because of their dismal capacities and bad management must be reactivated and the private sector must be allowed to operate, the source said.

If the Idlib operation is completed as foreseen and the Kurdish-Damascus dialogue produces positive results, the reconstruction issue will become much more prominent. Although political normalization may take longer, practical cooperation models on the ground are possible.The Business Council of Alabama has approved a new governing structure, while at the same time welcoming back several companies that withdrew a few months ago in a dispute over leadership.

The CEOs of Alabama Power, Regions and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama are all on the new executive committee of the BCA.

In June, Alabama Power Company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Regions Bank and PowerSouth all announced their withdrawal from the BCA, saying they were dissatisfied with the performance of the BCA and its leadership.

Former BCA CEO Billy Canary resigned in July to take a position as senior fellow at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The BCA, formed in 1985, has built considerable clout in the Alabama Legislature and is a significant source of campaign dollars for office-seekers through Progress PAC.

In an announcement, the BCA board of directors announced a new executive committee to "help lead the organization through an ongoing transition."

Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite, in a statement, said the changes "show what is possible when businesses come together with a common goal."

"While the hard work of moving this organization forward remains, I am pleased with this progress and look forward to working with businesses across our state for a stronger BCA and a better Alabama," he said.

The BCA executive committee is now made of 11 individuals, with five representing larger businesses, five for smaller businesses and one trustee representing the Alabama Self-Insured Worker's Compensation Fund.

The new executive committee members are Crosswhite and:

Rey Almodovar, CEO, Intuitive Research and Technology.

Perry Hand, Volkert Inc. chairman.

Denson Henry, Owner/Vice President, Henry Brick Co.

Carl Jamison, Shareholder, JamisonMoneyFarmer PC.

Johnny Johns, Executive Chairman, Protective Life Corp.

John Mazyck, Principal, The Frazer Lanier Co.

Gary Smith, CEO, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

John Turner, CEO, Regions Bank.

Bobby Vaughan, Chairman of the Board, Alabama Self-Insured Worker's Compensation Fund.

Tim Vines, CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

The BCA said other leaders elected to the BCA Board of Directors include representatives of Drummond Co. Inc., Kemp Management Solutions, Maynard Cooper & Gale, Parker Towing Co. and Progress Rail Services Corp.

Regions Senior Vice President Evelyn J. Mitchell said the company believes the BCA "has taken steps that will help it more effectively support public policy and economic development initiatives that are important to all of us as Alabamians."

"Given this progress, Regions has decided to rejoin the BCA," Mitchell said. "We look forward to helping address issues that strengthen Alabama's business climate and benefit the customers and communities we serve."A 13-year-old runaway out of western Alabama was struck with a Taser stun gun and taken into custody Wednesday morning after police found him with a handgun in a Birmingham neighborhood.

The incident happened about 8:20 a.m. in the 6600 block of Avenue M in the Green Acres neighborhood. Sgt. Johnny Williams said West Precinct officers were called to the area on a report of someone with a gun.

When officers arrived in the neighborhood, they spotted two young males - ages 13 and 15 - that matched the description called into Birmingham police. An officer told the teens to put their hands up, but Williams said the 13-year-old instead reached into his pocket.

That's when police used the stun gun on the juvenile. He was taken into custody and handcuffed. Williams said the 13-year-old had a .38-caliber handgun in his pocket.

The juvenile, he said, is a Department of Human Resources runaway from Woodstock, Al. His case will be handled through the juvenile court system.

The 15-year-old, Williams said, was not armed. His parents were called to the scene and he was turned over to them.

The investigation is ongoing.A north Alabama couple arrested in south Florida after one of them was found in the stolen vehicle of a murdered Birmingham couple have been charged in the brutal stabbing deaths of the middle-aged grandparents.

Zachary Phillips and Kristen Gullion, both convicted felons who for weeks had been staying at a friend's house across the street from Mary and Steve Holt, are charged with capital murder in the slayings of the couple. Phillips, 23, and 30-year-old Gullion, who share a young son, both had warrants out for their arrest at the time of the Aug. 2 killings for separately failing to complete court-ordered substance abuse treatment.

Birmingham police charged Phillips and Gullion with capital murder during a burglary, police spokesman Sgt. Johnny Williams Jr. announced Tuesday night.

Neighbors of the Holts said they had often seen Phillips and Gullion sitting on the front steps of the home where they had been staying. They even made conversation with neighbors.

The Holts' bodies were found at 3:50 p.m. Aug. 2 when East Precinct officers responded to the 8700 block of Ninth Court Circle South after they were notified about a child wandering the street alone. A neighbor said her front door was open that Thursday afternoon when the little girl came to their house. She was bloody and crying out for her grandparents but didn't say anything else. Someone from inside the neighbor's home called 911.

Once Birmingham East Precinct officers responded to the scene, the child led officers to her grandparent's bodies, which were found in separate rooms of their modest home. The Holts were pronounced dead on the scene at 4:41 p.m.

Initially the murders of the beloved grandparents were a "whodunit" with few clues to tell investigators who killed the Holts. That all changed Aug. 9 when Gullion, who most recently lived and worked in Cullman County, was arrested in the Holts vehicle.

According to a Miami Beach Police Department report, Gullion was stopped at 1:09 p.m. Thursday on South Pointe Drive in Miami Beach. A police officer on routine patrol had spotted the Honda Civic, which had North Carolina plates, parked illegally in a roundabout.

The officer ran a check on the vehicle and learned it had been reported stolen by the Birmingham Police Department on Aug. 2, 2018. The officer said in his report that Birmingham police requested officers hold and seal the vehicle for processing because it was linked to a double homicide.

While the officer was completing his report, Gullion returned to the vehicle and tried to drive off, according to the report. The officer conducted a traffic stop and Gullion told him the Civic was a friend's vehicle and "that in situations like this, her father told her to keep her mouth shut."

Gullion was detained and then arrested on an outstanding receiving stolen property warrant from Cullman County that was issued June 28. She remains held in the Miami-Dade County Jail.

Birmingham homicide detectives immediately headed to Miami Beach to question Gullion about the Holts' vehicle and her possible connection to the Holt murders. Then, on Friday, Phillips was taken into custody in Hollywood, Fl., which is just over 20 miles north of Miami Beach.

Hollywood Police Department spokeswoman Miranda Grossman said Phillips was taken into custody about 3 p.m. Friday after police spotted a him and a woman in stolen Mustang. Grossman said that the vehicle had been stolen out of Miami Beach. Officers tried to stop the vehicle and it fled, ultimately crashing into multiple parked vehicles. A female - Vivian De La Rosa Toniana - was driving the vehicle and taken into custody at the scene.

Phillips was a passenger, Grossman said, and fled on foot. He was believed to be armed, so a perimeter was established, and SWAT called in, as well as tracking dogs. Those tracking dogs found Phillips hiding in a yard and he was captured. He was taken to a local hospital after he was injured by the K9.

Phillips was released from the hospital Saturday and booked into the Broward County Jail on charges of resisting an officer, trespassing and third-degree grand theft. Jail records noted he had holds from Florida's Dade County and an out-of-state hold - likely Alabama - on a theft of property charge.

Alabama court records show Phillips has been in trouble with the law for the past couple of years. In July 2017, Phillips pleaded guilty to escape and third-degree burglary, both felonies, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison with one year to serve. In that case, he broke into a Marshall County home and stole a Taurus revolver.

In October 2017, while serving time for the break-in, Phillips pleaded guilty in Morgan County to two 2016 felony charges of unlawful breaking and entering into a vehicle. He received a 36-month suspended sentence in those cases, records show.

He was released from lockup on Feb. 17, 2018 but remained on probation. In April, his probation supervision was transferred to Cullman County, where he was then living. Just one month later, on May 6, according to court records, Phillips had a "mental breakdown" and police were called to his home. Social media posts made during that period indicted he and Gullion were still involved in some kind of relationship.

On May 8, Phillips reported to the probation office, adamantly requesting to be allowed to attend Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery in Ball Ground, Ga. "Phillips stated that it would not only help with his mental issues, but also his substance abuse,'' records show. He was instructed that he must complete the program and return to the probation office upon completion or dismissal.

The following day he was admitted to Blue Ridge, a residential treatment center for drug addiction and alcoholism with a completion date set at June 13, 2018. Seventeen days into the program - on May 26 - Phillips was kicked out of the treatment facility for "repeated refusal to engage the process by not attending groups, disrespect towards staff and disregarding redirection from staff.

He failed to report back to the probation office in Alabama and, on June 18, a probation violation warrant was issued for his arrest. Court records noted he also still owed more than $4,000 in fines and restitution.

While social media indicated Gullion worked in the mail room at a Cullman County newspaper, day care and most recently a motel, there was no job on record for Phillips. In court records he listed his only income at $600 month in SSI benefits, and estimated his month expenditures at $600 as well.

Court records show Gullion pleaded guilty May 11 to receiving stolen property in connection with a Cullman County burglary after she was found in possession of a Remington .22 rife, electronics and lawn tools worth more than $2,500. She received a two-year suspended sentence, but her probation was revoked later that month after the Morgan County Task Force arrested her for possession of methamphetamine.

Records also show that Gullion was admitted to Phoenix House in Tuscaloosa, a resident treatment program for substance, on Feb. 26, 2018 and left March 16, 2018 without completing the program. A warrant was issued for her arrest on June 8.

Phillips and Gullion remain jailed in Florida pending extradition to Alabama.The funeral for the Holts is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18, at Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn.A man was shot in a hail of gunfire and crashed his car into a utility pole near Mark's Village in Gate City Tuesday night, Birmingham police said.

East precinct officers responded to a call of 30 to 40 shots fired in the area of Interlake Avenue and 66th Street South around 10:15 p.m. While investigating the shots fired, officers heard additional shots and saw a vehicle attempting to flee the scene, police said.

Officers began pursuing the fleeing car, and it crashed into a utility pole on 66th Street South, police said.

The person driving the car had been shot in his lower extremities, police said. He was taken to UAB Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

It appeared the front windshield of the car had been shot.

Police said it is unclear if the man who was shot fired some of the shots reported earlier and heard by police.

Police do not have a suspect in custody at this time. Further details about the incident were not immediately available.A man sought following reports of an active shooting at an east Alabama home followed by a short chase has surrendered to authorities.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said Cherokee 911 received a call about 10:20 a.m. Tuesday in reference to gunfire at a residence north of Cedar Bluff. Law enforcement from across the county responded to the area. No was reported to be injured.

Cedar Bluff Police Chief Steve Walden was the first in the area and spotted a white Ford F-150 leaving the home residence at a high speed headed towards the state line on Alabama Highway 9. Walden initiated a short pursuit of the truck but lost sight of it north of Alabama Highway 35 due to excessive speed, the sheriff said. Floyd County, Georgia authorities were notified of the incident and began searching for the truck also. It was determined that the suspected shooter, later identified as Billy Wayne Trammell, had stolen the truck.

Cherokee County Investigators found the truck a short time later parked off County Road 773. Trammell was not in the truck and was believed to be on foot in the area still armed with a firearm, Shaver said. After several hours of searching, authorities called off the search, believing that Trammell had assistance leaving the area.

About 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Shaver said, Trammell's family members contacted a deputy to talk about Trammell turning himself into him at the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. Trammell arrived and was taken into custody without any injuries to Trammell or law enforcement.

The sheriff thanked the Cedar Bluff Police Department, Centre Police Department, the Floyd County Sheriff's Office, and Alabama Game and Fish for assisting in the investigation and search.

"This is always our number one goal in situations like this," Shaver said. "Anytime someone is arrested without injuries to either the suspect or law enforcement, especially in a serious crime like this, we count this as a success."

Trammell is charged with attempted murder and first-degree theft of property. He remains in the Cherokee County Detention Center without bond.Despite the latest dark cloud to rise over the horizon of Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in northeast Alabama, the push is on to continue that push and complete what's touted as a major economic development.

Still, that dark cloud is there - lingering over a project that's been in the works for almost 50 years, promising jobs and opportunity to a rural region of the state that needs it.

On Aug. 2, The Wall Street Journal published a detailed account that described a business relationship between Franklin Haney - whose Nuclear Development LLC is in the process of purchasing Bellefonte from TVA for $111 million - and Michael Cohen, President Trump's former lawyer who is facing a federal criminal investigation in New York.

The Journal reported that Haney hired Cohen in April, promising him $10 million if he helped deliver a $5 billion Department of Energy loan Haney is seeking to help pay for completion of Bellefonte.

Haney, a Chattanooga developer, denied through his lawyer entering into any contract with Cohen.

Still, state Sen. Steve Livingston - a Republican who lives in Scottsboro in the shadow of the plant's giant cooling towers in neighboring Hollywood - described the Journal story and any possible implications for Bellefonte as "a distraction."

"I think it is probably distracting from the merits of the project," Livingston said. "I don't know Mr. Cohen. I've met Mr. Haney. The folks at Nuclear Development, I've talked with and dealt with. I'm afraid it might be another distraction, I don't know."

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, is a strong supporter of Haney's effort to complete Bellefonte in Jackson County - which is part of Brooks' congressional district.

The day after the Journal story broke, Brooks said he spoke with Haney and Bud Cramer, a former Huntsville Congressman himself who is now a Washington lobbyist working with Nuclear Development to bring the project to completion.

"That depends on whether it's true or not and I don't know the answer to that," Brooks said of his concern over the Journal article. "I will say that Bud Cramer and Franklin Haney assured me that the Wall Street Journal article was fake news."

Cramer, in a statement to AL.com, emphasized the virtues of the project and said he did not know Cohen.

"Bellefonte is a long-awaited development project that will create jobs and economic growth for the Tennessee Valley region, including my home state of Alabama," Cramer said. "I have been committed to seeing this project through to completion since my days in Congress, and I believe great progress is being made.

"I do not know Michael Cohen. He was not involved with any of my efforts or -- to the best of my knowledge - the efforts of the many local, state, and federal leaders who have been working tirelessly to bring the project to fruition for the region."

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that federal prosecutors were seeking documents from Haney related to his business dealings with Cohen, citing sources who were not named.

The investigation is focused on whether Cohen was operating as an unregistered lobbyist, the Journal reported. Cohen has never registered as a federal lobbyist.

"My motivation is strengthening of America's power grid so we have more sources of electricity and with that additional supply, more competition that will hopefully force electricity prices to be lowered. That's motivation No. 1," Brooks said of his support for Bellefonte.

"Motivation No. 2 is over 1,000 jobs averaging over $100,000 per employee. That is a great boon for Jackson County. I'm all for Bellefonte being completed, power being generated and Jackson County enjoying a wealth of high-paying jobs."

Bellefonte is a little more than 50 percent complete at this point, according to Nuclear Development. That completion is expected to cost at least $3 billion but less than a former TVA estimate of $8 billion, according to Nuclear Development officials.

Once the plant is online - projected to be in about 2024 or 2025 - Nuclear Development has already lined up a customer to purchase the electricity, Cramer said. That customer has not yet been revealed publicly.

Nuclear Development released a promotional video on the project last week, showing children eating watermelon and swaying on a tire swing hanging from a tree with a voiceover that talked about "finishing what you start."

"It's all about economic development," Livingston said. "This area has been depressed here for a number of years, dating back to the late 80s and early 90s when we lost most of our sewing and textile industry and heavy industry that was here. We're looking for economic development. This is an opportunity to create jobs - a good number of permanent jobs and a huge number of construction jobs. That's the simple gist of the matter."

With the early morning sunshine dramatically highlighting fog over the plant and a marine layer blanketing the nearby Tennessee River, the video concludes with these words:

"It gives us a chance to show all of America how bright we can be."

And in the 4-minute video, there are no dark clouds.

Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant from Rocket City Digital on Vimeo.NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Wednesday that he supports "100 percent" the agency's Space Launch System program and the future of Alabama's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Bridenstine spoke to reporters in historic Marshall Building 4619 while taking his first tour of NASA's propulsion center in Huntsville since the Senate confirmed him as administrator in late April.

Building 4619 houses 60-foot-tall test stands for SLS components now, but the building has verified the design and construction of key parts of every American spaceship since the Apollo program. Marshall engineers are now pressure-testing a qualification version of the "intertank" that will connect SLS's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel tanks.

"What this represents is a key piece of American architecture that is going to enable us to do more than we've ever done before," Bridenstine said of SLS. "A lot of times I hear folks say, well, these commercial companies are doing amazing things and the answer is, yes, they are, and so is SLS and so is Orion and so is the Marshall Space Flight Center."

Bridenstine said NASA plans to "buy access to space" and the International Space Station from commercial carriers such as SpaceX. "We want to be one customer of many customers," he said, "and that drives down our cost. And we want the providers to be many. If we have that capability ... they're competing on costs, they're competing on innovation (and) that means our access to space goes up and the cost to taxpayers goes down."

"And then we take American taxpayer dollars and use them on things like SLS and Orion to go further than we've ever gone before," he said.

Bridenstine spelled out the Trump administration's plan for deep space exploration. "We're going to use this rocket, ultimately, to get to the moon and to build an architecture that the president said will be sustainable," he said.

"It's not going to be like Apollo again, where we left flags and footprints over the course of six missions and never went back," Bridenstine said. "This time, we're going to stay."

A moon-orbiting space station, smaller than the International Space Station and built with "open source" technology, will let astronauts stay aboard and friends and partners dock and visit. A new, permanent base on the surface will let America "retire risk, prove capability, build reusable landers (and) prospect on the moon," Bridenstine said. The proven systems will prepare for a trip to Mars that America will make next, he said.

Bridenstine toured Marshall and spoke to employees. He said he wanted spouses and families of NASA employees "to know that what they do is important to the country."

"The history here is amazing," Bridenstine said. "We hope NASA is as important to Huntsville as Huntsville is to us."A man is wanted on capital murder charges in the shooting death of a 35-year-old Childersburg man, Childersburg police said.

The man, 19-year-old Kev'vakius Jemison is accused of fatally shooting Homer Deshawn Calloway at his home in Childersburg on Aug. 4, said Chief of Police Richard McClelland.

At this time, it is unknown if the two men knew each other prior to the shooting.

Police said Jemison may be in the Talladega Downs area of Talladega.

Jemison is a black male with black hair and brown eyes. He stands 6-feet-1-inch tall and weighs about 215 pounds, according to Metro Alabama Crime Stoppers.

Police said he is considered armed and dangerous.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about Jemison's whereabouts or the shooting should call 256-761-1556 or 911.A coalition of eight Alabama environmental groups say this summer's bribery trial of a prominent attorney and a coal company executive showed that changes are needed at the state's environmental agency and the appointed board that oversees it.

The groups sent a letter to Gov. Kay Ivey this week, asking her to investigate the Alabama Environmental Management Commission's role in opposing efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up a Superfund site in north Birmingham, and determine whether or not changes are needed on the commission.

The groups asked that Ivey determine what role the current commissioners played in opposing the clean up and to ask for the resignations of any commissioners who may have behaved inappropriately.

"We've got to have a culture change in the state," said Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, one of the groups who signed the letter.

"This agency is sort of the poster child for this culture of influence by large corporate interests over the public interest and in this case over environmental health and public health."

The letter was signed by the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Gasp, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Cahaba Riverkeeper, the Cahaba River Society, Tennessee Riverkeeper, the Friends of Locust Fork, and Friends of Hurricane Creek.

The AEMC is a board that oversees the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, appoints ADEM's director and votes on new environmental rules and regulations to be implemented by ADEM. Its members are appointed by the governor to six-year terms at staggered intervals, and must be confirmed by the Alabama Senate.

Three of the commissioners' terms will end in September, and another seat is still vacant after Scott Phillips resigned in 2017.

Trial brings issues to light

Earlier this summer, former Balch and Bingham attorney Joel Gilbert and Drummond Company Vice President David Roberson were each convicted of conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and honest services wire fraud for their roles in an elaborate enterprise devised to oppose fast-tracking the north Birmingham Superfund site cleanup and expanding it to the neighboring city of Tarrant.

Commission chairman Lanier Brown testified during the trial and then-commissioner Scott Phillips was revealed as a consultant who helped the defendants plan their opposition of the cleanup.

During testimony and exhibits at the trial, it was revealed that Phillips had provided advance copies of a presentation from environmental group Gasp to Gilbert, who was representing Drummond. Gilbert then sent talking points for the commissioners to use as Gasp made its presentation advocating for the cleanup.

Lowry said that's not how the AEMC is supposed to work.

"The public, or a citizens group like Gasp, has to request to speak 14 days in advance to get their voices heard by the commission," Lowry said. "And yet the corporate interests have an open door. They were talking behind the scenes and providing talking points on the public's presentations that are given in advance.

"This is the kind of culture we're talking about. The deference is always to the corporate interest and that's not an even playing field."

Gasp executive director Michael Hansen said this an opportunity for Ivey to distance herself from the corporate interests that have wielded heavy influence in the state.

"We know that Gov. Ivey has taken $35,000 in campaign contributions from Drummond Co. since the scandal broke last year," Hansen said via email. "This is an opportunity for her to prove to her constituents across the state of Alabama that she is not beholden to big money special interests and that she is an independent woman who is willing to stand up to the corrupt power brokers holding Alabama back."

Ivey's press secretary Daniel Sparkman re-issued an earlier statement from the Governor's office responding to environmental groups calling for the firing or resignation of ADEM Director Lance LeFleur.

"The governor does not appoint the Director of ADEM, although Governor Ivey does have several key upcoming appointments to the Alabama Environmental Management Commission, which selects the director," Sparkman said. "Governor Ivey will take into account all of the information and actions regarding this situation when making those appointments."

Sparkman did not address AL.com's questions as to whether the governor believes the AEMC acted appropriately in their opposition to the Superfund clean up, which is ongoing.

The AEMC is scheduled to meet this Friday in Montgomery for the first time since the verdict was reached.

"This is not a difficult request we're making," Hansen said. "All we're asking is that the governor ensure that the Environmental Management Commission is looking out for the environment, not those who would (and do) pollute it."Interstate travel through downtown Birmingham should get a little bit easier later this month, when several redesigned entrance and exit ramps from Interstate 59/20 and Interstate 65 are opened to the public.

Gov. Kay Ivey made the announcement Wednesday from the top of the ramp leading to I-65 South from 17th Street North in Birmingham, the tallest ramp planned in the multiyear project to redesign the interchanges of I-59/20 and I-65 and then replace the existing 59/20 bridges through downtown.

Ramps planned to open by Aug. 31 include:

On-ramps from 11th Avenue North (at 17th Street) leading to I-65 North and South, as well as I-59/20 South toward Tuscaloosa.

Exit ramps from I-65 North and I-59/20 North to 17th Street.

Officials with the Alabama Department of Transportation said the department is hopeful the new ramps will lead to improved traffic flow and the end of their least favorite nickname for that interchange: "Malfunction Junction."

"We don't want to hear that word ever again," said DeJarvis Leonard, ALDOT's east central region engineer. "We're really thrilled that the level of service will be such that it will function where at a level that [nickname] won't be considered any more."

Leonard said the opening of the new exits should improve traffic immediately after opening. Leonard said the new ramps will eliminate scenarios in which drivers had to cross multiple lanes of traffic to take certain exits around downtown.

"It pulls all the conflicts out of the interchange," Leonard said. "Where [drivers] used to have to cross four lanes of traffic just to exit at 17th street, you get on a bridge that carries you over the interstate.

"You never get into conflict with the main line traffic."

Ivey said the ramp openings were a sign of positive momentum created during her administration.

"Since I became governor, we have seen nearly 16,000 new jobs created. We've had several coveted economic development announcements, and we've seen strides taken to improve our education system.

"This momentum will not stop and infrastructure investments like this one is a right step in the right direction and with the continued growth of Alabama's economy there's an even greater demand for improvement in our infrastructure."The Jefferson County Board of Education is considering adopting a set of social media guidelines for their 4,500 employees in the wake of the firestorm over controversial posts shared online by board member Donna Pike this summer.

A separate code of conduct for the board, also presented to the board at Tuesday's committee meeting, would govern social media posts by board members.

Pike said she agrees with putting something in writing to help employees and others connected to schools avoid offending people as she did.

"No matter how you feel about [what you're sharing], you need to be aware of somebody else's perspective," Pike said. "Sharing something---even though you may feel one way about it---it can be taken so many other ways."

Pike was called a racist by a Birmingham activist at the board's June 12 meeting over posts she shared on Facebook negatively depicting former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett and deceptively portraying Michelle Obama not holding her hand over her heart during a Veteran's Day celebration.

One week later, the board passed a resolution asking Pike to resign, but she refused. She apologized, saying at the time, "I vow to continue with vigor to serve the children of Jefferson County and the people who elected me." Pike was elected in 2016. Her term expires in 2022.

Board members then agreed to pursue adopting social media guidelines for employees and board members.

Though every Alabama school board was required to adopt a code of conduct for board members by Apr. 1, 2013 in accordance with the Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012, Jefferson County's board has not yet done so.

Pouncey said the school district was transitioning between superintendents when the state department sent out a model code of conduct adopted by the state board of education for use by local boards, and it was likely just overlooked.

The state board's model does not address the use of social media, but the Jefferson County proposal does.

The board code of conduct being considered states that board members will be expected to "refrain from using social media or communication platforms so as to call the Board's commitment to meeting and maintaining the foregoing commitments into question."

Scroll down to see the full draft presented at the board's committee meeting.

The conduct of district employees is already regulated both in the board's current policy manual and in the Alabama Educator Code of Ethics, according to board attorney Melissa McKie.

Board attorney Carl Johnson drew the distinction between the proposal for employees' social media use as guidelines rather than board policy to ensure employees understand the board is not trying to infringe on their First Amendment free speech rights in their use of social media.

McKie told board members that having social media guidelines allows employees to "think before they type." The guidelines are more about what to avoid, McKie said, rather than laying out what is legal and permissible.

Specific disciplinary action would likely not be made as a result of a social media post that conflicts with guidelines, McKie said, unless the post also violates a current board policy.

For example, McKie said, if teachers post information on social media about students at school, the teacher could be violating board policy requiring teachers to keep information about children confidential, subjecting the teacher to disciplinary action by the board.

That disciplinary action, Pouncey said, could include a written reprimand and possibly a suspension from work for a day, but would depend on the violation.

McKie said the guidelines are designed to help employees "clean up their social media world" not only by governing current posts, but also to remove past postings made before the person became employed that could be offensive.

Once the guidelines are adopted, employees will be required to acknowledge they have read them, officials said.

Alabama Education Association representative Tracee Binion said the city school districts in Leeds, Tarrant, and Trussville have adopted social media guidelines for employees.

The president of the Jefferson County chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, Marrianne Hayward, said she agrees a set of guidelines is helpful. "It's thought-provoking," she said. "It would cause people to stop and think and perhaps to review their social media accounts."

Hayward said employees should be cautious sharing anything through social media connected to their work if it isn't in the public's interest to know.

The draft documents could change after further review by board members, but the board is expected to vote on a final version of both documents at the Aug. 23 board meeting.

Pike said she learned a very valuable lesson through this experience. The bottom line, she said, when it comes to posting on social media is, "Be sensitive, beware, and take care."

Jefferson County Board Code of Conduct - Draft by Trisha Powell Crain on Scribd

Social Media Guidelines for Jefferson County Board Employees - Draft by Trisha Powell Crain on ScribdFlorida Gov. Rick Scott has issued a state of emergency in response to red tide, a toxic algae bloom blamed for sickening humans and killing marine life along the Gulf Coast.

The emergency declaration covers the south Florida counties of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas, allowing for additional resources to assist in dealing with the impacts of the red tide.

"As Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area continues to feel the devastating impacts of red tide, we will continue taking an aggressive approach by using all available resources to help our local communities," Scott said.

The state is pledging $100,000 to fund recovery work by Mote Marine Laboratory and $500,000 to establish an emergency grant program to assist tourist communities. Another $900,000 will go to Lee County to clean-up the hard-hit area. The state is pledging additional marine biologists and scientists to assist with clean-up and animal rescue efforts.

Lee County currently has 170 signs posted at beach access areas warning of the problems associated with red tide.

Red tide is caused by naturally occurring algae blooms caused by the organism Karenia brevis. The current red tide started in October 2017 and is expected to persist, making it the longest outbreak since 2006. The algae outbreak has been blamed for illnesses, such as respiratory problems and skin conditions, in people and the deaths of thousands of fish, sea turtles, dolphins and manatees.

The current red tide is affecting communities from Naples in the south to Anna Marie Island in the north, a stretch of about 150 miles, Weather.com reported.

Going to the beach? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Research Institute provides updated reports on red tide conditions here.Alabama's State Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin following allegations that he had sex with two underage girls 26 years ago during parties he hosted in Rainbow City.

"I'm conducting the investigation into Sheriff Entrekin up in Etowah County," Steve Arrington, a special agent with the SBI, told AL.com Tuesday. "It's kind of information-gathering right now for the investigation."

The Oneonta Police Department has been investigating the allegations against Entrekin since May. Entrekin said during a brief phone interview Tuesday that he welcomes the new state probe, and that he believes it will prove that the claims are false.

"I requested it, I wanted it. I told you the other day. Yes sir, I'm very glad," he said, referencing a July 13 conversation he had with AL.com about the allegations. "I'm glad it's getting started."

Arrington said he planned to interview Mary Elizabeth Cross, the 41-year-old Tuscaloosa woman who accused Entrekin of having sex with her while she was under the legal age of consent in 1992 in a report published last month by AL.com.

"I'm going to meet Elizabeth, or Mary - whatever you refer to her by. I'm going to meet with her tomorrow," Arrington said Tuesday. Cross also goes by the name Elizabeth Williams and was born Mary Elizabeth Buckner.

Entrekin - who earned the moniker "beach house sheriff" in March after AL.com reported that he personally pocketed more than $750,000 intended to feed inmates over the past three years and bought a $740,000 beach house in Orange Beach in September - said that the SBI has not yet contacted him about the ongoing investigation.

The SBI inquiry has been underway since at least last week, as Arrington said he was at the Oneonta Police Department "all day long" on Wednesday, gathering information and conducting interviews.

Since May, the Oneonta Police Department has interviewed Cross multiple times, taken an official statement from her and generated an incident report based on her claims. AL.com has conducted a series of in-person and telephone interviews with Cross since May.

Cross alleged that Entrekin had sex with her four times in a camper on a piece of waterfront land he owns in Rainbow City in the late summer of 1992, when she was 15 and he was 29 years old.

Cross also alleged that as a minor she had sex with two other adult men who were employed as law enforcement officers in Etowah County, as well as another adult man who was not in law enforcement. She also alleged that she watched Entrekin and the man who was not in law enforcement have sex with a female friend of hers who was a minor at the time of the incident.

The Oneonta Police Department incident report classifies the crime allegedly committed by Entrekin as second-degree rape and describes the details of the alleged sexual encounters between Entrekin and Cross and her friend, who requested anonymity during an in-person interview with AL.com in June.

The friend declined to speak about the details of any sexual activity but corroborated the general circumstances that led to Cross being in a position to have sex with adult law enforcement officers as a minor.The second graders of UCS

This is an opinion column.

As I scanned the young faces of 35 second-graders standing outside of the University Charter School in Livingston, AL, in Sumter County, early Monday morning--as I chuckled at the cheesy, kid smiles and varied stances--I could all but hear the photographer: Alright everyone, look at me, hands at your sides. Now, smile!

And I thought about Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, about the brilliant legal minds who 64 years ago successfully persuaded the highest court in the nation that racially segregating children in the classroom was unconstitutional.

About how that unanimous decision obliterated a 54-year-old decision by that same court, which ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that separating blacks and whites in public facilities was legal--as long as those facilities were "equal".

I thought about the myriad people, black and white, who for decades battled the insane notion that separate could ever be equal--and in some cases died doing so.

I thought about the generations of children, black and white, whose education, growth, and perspectives on their surrounding world--especially people who did not look like them--were sacrificed while they sat in demonstratively unequal public classrooms.

Including the children of Sumter County.

Fifteen years after Brown, federal courts ordered Alabama to integrate its public schools. White parents throughout the state, including in Sumter County, fled public schools as if they were burning to the ground and formed their own all-white private, and definitely unequal, schools.

As I looked at the photo, I thought about my own educational experience as a youth, about being pulled by my parents from one the all-black public middle school--George Washington Carver Jr. High--just up the road from our home in Tulsa, Oklahoma's predominantly-black north side sent to Holland Hall, a private school on the south side that had, oh, let's say, two African-American students when I arrived in the mid-1960s.

The next six years were, as you might imagine, a mixture of experiences, inside the classroom and beyond. The vast preponderance of my days and interactions were good. The school was small; there were 57 in my high-school class. It was filled with supportive teachers and I developed numerous friendships with other students, many of which endure today. (So, when I say some of my best friends are white, it's the truth.)

And yet: I opened my locker one day late during my sophomore year, during which time I was running for class president, and found a handwritten note. It read: We don't want no nigger for class president. On it, a hangman's noose was drawn.

Then there was the evening during my freshman year when I received a call from a sophomore girl--yes, a white girl--who had asked me to take her to the prom. She said her father told her she could not go with me. This was the night before the prom. (FYI: He was a member of the school's board of trustees.)

There were certainly other racial moments, but none so significant I even recall them.

Most occurred more out of naive curiosity, now know--like kids' annoying habit of touching my hair.

I learned from the most grievous encounters how to respond effectively (trust me, each of the perpetrators ultimately got theirs), and that all whites were not racist.

Through it all, I gained insights that carried me through years of living and working in an increasingly diverse world--like that I belonged, for instance, no matter the racial composition of the room, and that I could compete, no matter, too.

I learned to be what I grew up calling "bi-lingual"--being able to comfortably speak the "language" of any room, no matter its racial or social-economic composition. Today, they call it "code-switching."

Yeah, I still do that, too.

Even more: many of of the students I shared the hallways with in Tulsa have shared with me through the years just how much I affected them--how our interactions, conversations and exchanges influenced their thinking or enlightened their perspectives on race and culture.

Some have shared how those experienced shaped their own interactions with African-Americans and people of other races as adults, how it influenced how they raised their own children, including giving them books with diverse characters and taking them to films with diverse casts and or story lines involving black American history. .

As I scanned the photo of those UCS second graders, up in Sumter County, where white parents for generations pulled their kids out of the public schools so they would not have to sit next to a black child, I thought of all they will undoubtedly from other over the next few years as they navigate the naive and curious awkward moments and endure the treacherous ones.

In 2000, the American Council on Education and the American Association of University Professors collaborated to produce a study called, "Does Diversity Make a Difference? Three Research Studies on Diversity in College Classrooms". It was conceived, in part, because, at the time, "affirmative action"--WHAT--and the progress made under those initiatives was under siege.

"Many higher education faculty members and administrators are deeply concerned that abandonment of race-sensitive admissions and hiring, at a time when most minority groups continue to be underrepresented in higher education, will severely limit campus diversity and will undermine the learning environment for all students," the study read.

At the end of the extensive and intensive study, just a snippet of the conclusion: "[Faculty participants] said a multi-racial/multi-ethnic classroom allows for unique educational possibilities: racial and ethnic diversity, combined with a supportive climate, diverse content, and interactive methods, can catalyze and magnify educational potential."

And although just as all of my experiences in a racially missed were not kum-bah-yah, the study discerned that the good overwhelmingly prevailed over the bad.

"Faculty and students admitted that conflict and tension sometimes arose in multi-racial/multi-ethnic classrooms, but they said that such experiences actually contributed to educational possibility. Whether the conflicts resulted from fear of offending or lack of experience in dealing with individuals of different ethnic or racial backgrounds, students said they learned from them.

"In general," the study concluded, "multi-racial/multi-ethnic classrooms expand on course content by engendering more perspectives, more complicated discussion, and more sophisticated analysis."

And those were college students.

Look at those children in the UCS photo, children in that county's first--or darn near close to first--integrated public school. Imagine how they'll interact and engage and unleash their naive curiosity over the next few years.

Imagine how they'll endure the treacherous moments, too.

Imagine how they'll touch each other's hair.



How they'll make each other better.

How they'll make us, Alabama, better.

Roy S. Johnson's column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Hit me up at rjohnson@al.com or/and follow me at twitter.com/roysj.Dhaka, Bangladesh  Almost a year ago, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya living in Myanmars Rakhine state crossed the border into Bangladesh to escape a brutal campaign of mass killings, rape and arson by Myanmars security forces.

Today, more than 700,000 people from the persecuted, mostly Muslim minority are settled in Ukhiya and Teknaf, the two sub-districts  or upazilas  of Coxs Bazar, a tourist beach town in Bangladesh.

Along with 300,000 others who had previously fled Rakhine, the Rohingya refugees number over a million. They live in dire conditions in overcrowded camps, rife with sanitary problems and at risk of perilous landslides during heavy rains.

In November 2017, Bangladesh, a small country with a population of 160 million, signed a repatriation deal with Myanmar to return the recent influx of refugees, who were not consulted about the agreement.

To date not one Rohingya has been allowed back into Rakhine State, while refugees and rights groups express concern about the deal, which does not guarantee safety upon return or basic rights such as full citizenship.

Al Jazeera spoke to Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs state minister of foreign affairs, about the Rohingya repatriation and whether resettlement within the country will take on a more permanent character.

Shahriar Alam, foreign state minister, says Rohingya population must be convinced of willful return to Myanmar [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

Al Jazeera: Bangladesh has received many waves of Rohingya refugees over the past three decades. Is there any plan to assimilate any Rohingya, especially those who first fled Myanmar in 1978 and in 1991?

Shahriar Alam: No, there is no such plan because Bangladesh is already the most densely populated country on Earth. We strongly believe they (Rohingya) belong to Myanmar. They were ripped off their citizenship rights, but that is something Myanmar should address. Its not an issue we should be dealing with.

Al Jazeera: Theres been little movement forward since the signing of the repatriation deal. Why there is such reluctance on Myanmars part to repatriate some of the recently displaced Rohingya?

Alam: First of all, political willingness is very important on such a sensitive issue. We believe that State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Myanmar, has the right mindset but probably facing opposition domestically. However, I dont want to comment on that.

Progress is painstakingly slow. Things are moving, but the actual repatriation is yet to start in numbers. There are very small groups who were taken back by Myanmar  who claim that they are being repatriated but that is not the case, they were on the Zero Line (no mans land). Bangladeshs Foreign Minister Pororashtrya Montri went to Myanmar twice, and their minister came here and in my observation, the significant developments are threefold:

One is after intense negotiations, Myanmar signed the tripartite agreement with UNDP and UNHCR who will be overseeing repatriation. This is the first time they have engaged UN bodies. The second is my minister came back from Myanmar on August 13 after visiting the troubled region where the Rohingya will be going back to. He has seen for himself the new infrastructures Myanmar has built in their villages in Rakhine.

Progess is painstakingly slow. Things are moving, but the actual repatriation is yet to start in numbers.

And the third is that Myanmar has reached out to their people of their own country here. Two months ago, an official from Aung San Suu Kyis office for the first time visited the camps here. He met and spoke to the Rohingya people and listened to their grievances and concerns about security, the lack of stability and economic emancipation of the area theyre from.

This is the progress, and we believe that since we have done almost everything, some minor details need to be addressed at the centres  not unlike immigration offices  when the physical movements will take place. We believe that repatriation will start soon.

Al Jazeera: Many of the Rohingya refugees we spoke to in the camps said that they would rather stay and die in Bangladesh rather than go back to Myanmar if there no Rohingya recognition, government compensation and reparations, and more inclusivity in government services. Will there be a forced return implemented by the Bangladeshi government of refugees, especially those who despite their living conditions, prefer being stuck in the camps rather than going back?

Alam: We appreciate their concern, and we fully understand where they are coming from. That is why we didnt want to rush into repatriation despite massive domestic pressure. We are talking about more than a million people  780,000 this time around and 300,000 from decades ago.

Rohingya men in the Balukhali camp carry firewood for cooking [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

We want a sustainable return. That means willful return, law and order, having facilities they lacked before, and safety and security. That is the exact reason why the foreign minister went to the Maugdaw and Buthidaung townships in Rakhine State. We want to convince ourselves and assess the situation before we send back one Rohingya. If they go back in numbers and something bad happens to them, itll be extremely difficult then to convince these people that they should go back. We understand that no one wants to leave their homeland, but at the same time we understand why some of them refuse to go back unless those demands are met  and that is legitimate.

Al Jazeera: On the international stage, Russia and China have vetoed resolutions in favour of ending the political persecution of the Rohingya population. Is there any kind of pressure being applied to them to vote otherwise?

Alam: We have done our best for them to understand the ground realities, even though if there was a voting tomorrow they would still hold the same position. The UN Security Council did a fantastic job by bringing in all of the 15 members. All of them spoke to the media, shared their views and appreciated the efforts made by [Bangladeshi] Prime Minister Sheikha Hasinas government.

At the same time, they understood the suffering of the Rohingya people and the challenges they face. The only difference between the 13 countries and China and Russia is that the latter think we need to have a staggered approach, a gradual approach.

Aggravating the Myanmar government might backfire because it is a complex country, and is trying to come out of a decades-old military rule into a democratic system of government. Considering these complexities, we understand where they are coming from. Obviously, we would love to see an all-agreed-upon proposal from the Security Council where no one would object to, but unfortunately, that is yet to happen.

Bangladesh said it would soon start relocating 100,000 Rohingya to an uninhabited island [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

Al Jazeera: Theres been a lot of criticisms from human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over the Bangladeshi governments plan to resettle 100,000 Rohingya in the uninhabited island of Bhashan Char. The government is spending $280m from its own coffers. Do you think the reason why there hasnt been other funding coming from donor countries or organisations is due to the fact that it is a cyclone-prone area? What will this new settlement look like?

Alam: Its not a detention centre. We havent reached out to the developmental partners for help and support [because] we want to build it first. Whoever, be it Amnesty or other human rights organisations, are welcome to come and visit the place upon its completion.

Bangladesh is climatically vulnerable. The worst natural disaster in the history of mankind happened in Bangladesh in 1970, where, in one evening, one million died. The most important part on Bhasan Char is the embankment, which will protect the area from the sea. That is where most of the money is going.

We are building concrete U-shaped clusters which will house 800 people. Its a multi-purpose centre that has a cyclone-resistant shelter, a school, a freshwater pond where they will be allowed to fish, and given cattle to herd. At the same time, they will be able to grow vegetables. So, it is a much better place than the camps they reside in now, where they basically do nothing but collect meals from agencies. In Bhasan Char, they will be busy with livelihood activities. But that is only for 10 percent of the entire Rohingya population in Coxs Bazar.

I would advise those criticising to wait until we open it. We will hopefully be able to invite our friends there in October, before moving the Rohingya people.

Al Jazeera: What are the guarantees that this will not turn out to be a permanent settlement?

Alam: We are sometimes caught in this dilemma. There are suggestions of why we dont improve what is already there in Kutupalong. And when we do, we get asked by people whether this will become more permanent. But no, it is not. Its perfectly all right for us to build something where they can stay here for a year, or two, or three more. Thats the way we see it. There is a plan that we can use these structures once the Rohingya are gone for the Bangladeshi people as well.

Follow Linah Alsaafin on Twitter: @LinahAlsaafinAt least 40 soldiers and police killed in major assault on a base in Baghlan in the latest Taliban onslaught.

At least 40 Afghan soldiers and police were killed in a Taliban attack on a military outpost in a northern province, the latest in a series of deadly assaults on security forces.

Nine policemen and 35 soldiers died in the attack in Afghanistans Baghlan province that began in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said.

Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, head of the provincial council, said the fighters set fire to checkpoints after the attack in Baghlan-i Markazi district.

There was no immediate comment from the Afghan defence ministry. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Monday, the Taliban also overran a military base known as Camp Chinaya in northern Faryab province, killing 17 soldiers and wounding 19 others.

Ghazni battle

The assault in Baghlan came as fighting between the Taliban and security forces raged in several areas of the war-torn country.





Battles in Ghazni had eased, however, after the Taliban attacked the strategic city on Friday.

The Taliban said it ordered fighters out of Ghazni after five days of street battles that killed and wounded hundreds and left it a burned-out wreck.

The city hospital was overcrowded with hundreds of wounded people and dozens of bodies and people desperately searching for relatives among the dead and wounded.

As civilians emerged onto Ghaznis streets, residents told AFP news agency how they hid in basements during the campaign.

My house was just near the front line, the Taliban would force people to bring them food and tea, said Hassan Safari.

The fighting was intense. For two days, we had no water and no food. My children would cry when they heard booms and sounds of firing by Taliban from behind our wall.

Ghazni lies along the major Kabul-Kandahar highway, effectively serving as a gateway between Kabul and the Talibans strongholds in the south.

Extreme human suffering

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent fresh water and electricity generators for trauma surgeries and delivered material for the management of remains.





About 20 percent of the population in Ghazni depend on the city water system, which has been down since the beginning of the fighting. The ICRC is organising emergency water supplies by truck to cover the needs of about 18,000 people.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said Wednesday that life is getting back to normal. But the United Nations warned of extreme human suffering caused by the latest fighting.

Reports indicate that the casualty toll in Ghazni is immense, the UNs special representative in Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said Wednesday.

Unconfirmed estimates range from 110 to 150 civilian casualties. Reliable information indicates that the Ghazni public hospital is overwhelmed by a continuous influx of injured government forces, Taliban fighters and civilians.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Zabul province early Wednesday, killing four police, according to the provincial police chief, Mustafa Mayar, who said another three officers were wounded.

He said seven attackers were killed and five were wounded during the battle, in which the Taliban used artillery and heavy weapons.

The Taliban have seized several districts across the country in recent years and carry out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan security forces.

The assault on Ghazni was widely seen as a show of force ahead of possible peace talks with the United States, which has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 17 years.Gwede Mantashe, a close ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa, says land ownership should be limited to 12,000 hectares.

The chairman of South Africas ruling African National Congress (ANC) has said the state should take land without compensation from owners of more than 12,000 hectares.

The remarks of Gwede Mantashe, who is a close ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa, were partly blamed for the weakening of the South African rand on Wednesday.

You shouldnt own more than 12,000 hectares of land and therefore, if you own more, it should be taken without compensation, Mantashe, who is also the countrys mines minister, told the News24 website in an interview published on Wednesday.

More than two decades after the end of apartheid, white South Africans still own most of the countrys land.

The ANC is under pressure to make headway with land reform to transfer land to the black majority before next years national election.

The rival leftist Economic Freedom Fighters party has made faster land redistribution one of its main policies.

The ANC plans to amend the constitution to redistribute land [Themba Hadebe/AP]

The ANCs plans to amend the constitution to redistribute land have been interpreted negatively by some investors, who see them as undermining property rights.

The ruling party has sought to assuage those fears by saying that land reform will follow a parliamentary process.

The 12,000-hectare land ownership limit was mooted in 2016, by then-Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti.

But Nkwinti said the government would seek to buy, not expropriate without compensation, land from those owning more than 12,000 hectares.Queensland Senator Fraser Anning criticised after proposing a final solution to prevent Muslims from entering.

An Australian politician was widely criiticised on Wednesday after demanding a final solution to immigration while calling for a return to the White Australia policy that favoured European Christians.

Queensland state Senator Fraser Anning stunned legislator on Tuesday when he invoked the infamous Nazi phrase used under Adolf Hitler in reference to annihilating Jewish people from Europe.

He also sparked widespread opposition by calling for a ban on Muslim migrants and defending the race-based White Australia immigration policy that was in place for seven decades from 1901.

We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominantly reflect the historic European-Christian composition of Australian society, Anning told the upper house of parliament.

Those who come here need to assimilate and integrate, he added.

Anning said ethnocultural diversity has been allowed to rise to dangerous levels in many suburbs.

Terrorist Muslims

In direct response, self-segregation, including white flight from poorer inner-urban areas, has become the norm, he said.

While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims, so why would anyone want to bring more of them here?

Annings comments were condemned by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who emphasised Australia was one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world.

So we reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all, Turnbull said.

Labor Party opposition leader Bill Shorten called the speech a low point for our parliament.

Immigration remains a hot-button issue in Australia amid concerns about jobs and overcrowding in major cities.

Data released recently revealed migration numbers hit a 10-year low last year, with the annual intake falling by 20,000 to 162,000 as vetting procedures were tightened.Brazil election: Thousands call for Lula da Silva to run

Former leader is serving 12-year prison sentence for corruption, leaving many Brazilian voters feeling disillusioned or disinterested.Ruling party sweeps up all seats in parliament in last months poll overshadowed by forced absence of viable opposition.

Cambodias ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), led by long-time Prime Minister Hun Sen, has won all parliamentary seats in last months largely unopposed general election, according to electoral officials.

The CPP won in all 25 provinces and cities, Sik Bun Hok, chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC), said in a statement on Wednesday.

Hun Sen, who has led Cambodia for 33 years and said he wants to hold office for at least another 10, campaigned on promises of continued economic development, peace and stability.

But rights groups said the July 29 vote was neither free nor fair given the absence of a significant challenger to the prime minister.

Critics had condemned the vote as illegitimate and called for a boycott following the dissolution of the largest opposition political force  the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)  and a government crackdown against dissent.

The CPP pointed to 83 percent voter turnout as evidence that a boycott by the opposition failed, but allegations of voter intimidation and some 600,000 spoiled ballots undermined the claims.

Observers said that problems of credibility could trail the new government, which will be formed on September 5.

Its like pushing a cart uphill, independent political analyst Meas Ny to AFP news agency.

From now on, the new government will be under attack and defending itself.

{articleGUID}

The CNRP, the only viable opposition party which almost won in 2013, was disbanded last year by the Supreme Court and 118 of its members were banned from politics for five years.

CNRP leader Kem Sokha was jailed on treason charges in September. He remains in pre-trial detention.

Opposition figures also doubt the claimed high turnout, saying they would ramp up efforts to try to advocate with governments abroad.

The CPP is leading the nation to a one-party state with one man making all decisions for the entire nation through a sham election rejected by democratically elected governments, Mu Sochua, CNRPs vice president who lives in self-imposed exile abroad, told Reuters news agency.

Sham elections cannot produce a legitimate National Assembly, she said.





Hun Sen is one of the longest-serving rulers in the world.

The 66-year-old helped bring roads to a country affected by decades of civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime, which killed a quarter of the Cambodian population from 1975 to 1979.

A former commander in the group, he defected and was installed as prime minister in 1985 at the age of 32, later presenting himself as a saviour while warning of conflict if his time in office ends.

The message has resonated with segments of society.

Western governments pulled funding for the vote and condemned it as not credible, but China, which has provided loans to Cambodia, remained silent on human rights issues.

The CPP has long dominated Cambodia but the CNRP, which was founded in 2012, capitalised on discontent with corruption and inequality.

It earned 44 percent of the vote in 2013 and took home a similar amount in local 2017 elections.

The United States, which already imposed visa curbs on some Cambodian government members close to Hun Sen over the crackdown, said it would consider steps, including an expansion of visa restrictions, in response to Julys flawed election.Former refugee could become the first Somali American elected to US Congress if she wins Novembers election.

Somali American legislator Ilhan Omar neared another first by winning the Democratic primary in a congressional race.

Omar, who drew national attention just two years ago by becoming the first Somali American elected to a state legislature in Minnesota, led a field that included former state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

If Omar wins in November in the reliably liberal district, she would be the first Somali American elected to Congress.

Tonight, we are celebrating because we engaged and empowered our community and we won, Omar said in a statement.

Our campaign staff, our volunteers, and the people of the Fifth Congressional District are the inspiration we need to get up every day and fight for a democracy that guarantees a more just and equitable society.

Representative Keith Ellison left the seat to run for state attorney general, winning his primary Tuesday night for that job.

Omar and Rashida Tlaib  a Palestinian American who won a Detroit-area Democratic primary in Michigan last week and is running unopposed in November  are now positioned to become the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress.

Tlaib wrote on Twitter: I cant wait to walk onto the floor of United States Congress hand in hand with you. So incredibly proud of you.

.@IlhanMN I can't wait to walk onto the floor of United States Congress hand in hand with you. So incredibly proud of you. pic.twitter.com/KEkhUBE6OQ  Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 15, 2018

Omar was first elected into office in 2016 by unseating a 22-term Democratic incumbent.

With a slight record after a single term in the minority party, Omar touted her background to voters, saying she would fight against US President Donald Trump, noting she would have been affected by his proposal to restrict travel from Muslim-majority countries.

The 2018 midterm elections have seen a record number of Muslims  at least 90  running for political office.Officials say at least 10 people were killed on Wednesday night, taking the toll to 77.

The death toll brought on by floods, landslides and bridge collapses in Indias monsoon-hit state of Kerala has risen to 77 as heavy rainfall threatened new areas.

Authorities in the southern state, which is home to 33 million people, have placed local agencies on the highest alert level in what has turned out to be Keralas worst monsoon in almost a century.

All districts are under red alert as more rains are expected in the next 24 hours, an official from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority told AFP on Thursday.

Kerala is battered by the monsoon every year but the rains have been particularly severe since August 8, flooding hundreds of villages and prompting the authorities to suspend flights in and out of the region.

More than 60,000 people have sought shelter in relief camps and the army and navy have been called in to assist with rescue operations, airlifting people to hospital, according to the official.

Unconfirmed local media reports mentioned a much higher toll and cited ongoing efforts to reach many flooded areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that he was praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala and has ordered the Ministry of Defence to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state.





Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans office announced on Twitter that Kochi International Airport  the main gateway to the region  would be closed until Saturday due to heavy rains and resultant flooding.

Vijayan held emergency meetings with rescue officials in the state late on Wednesday and discussed the situation with Prime Minister Modi.

The chief minister has requested the deployment of additional personnel from the Indian army, navy and other emergency forces who are already working across the state, famed for its pristine palm-lined beaches and tea plantations.

Our state is in the midst of an unprecedented flood havoc, Vijayan said earlier this week. The calamity has caused immeasurable misery and devastation.

Authorities have opened the gates of 34 reservoirs as water reached dangerous levels.

Vijayans office on Wednesday said that the authorities were also worried about rising water levels in the massive Mullaperiyar dam, and urged officials in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu to release water from the reservoir.

Hundreds of villages have been flooded, more than 10,000km of roads and thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged across the state, officials said.

{articleGUID}

We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut, Suresh Prabhu, Indias civil aviation minister said on Twitter.

For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergency DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is coordinating, he added.

More than one million foreign tourists visited Kerala last year, according to official data.Israel reopened the Karam Abu Salem border crossing, known as Kerem Shalom in Israel, the primary passageway that transfers necessities to residents of the besieged Gaza Strip.

The lifting of the closure on Wednesday will allow the flow of vital products such as cooking gas, wheat and flour into Gaza  home to nearly two million people. Clothing and construction materials such as plastic can also now be transferred.

The crossing, which would usually be sealed off during official Israeli holidays and on weekends, also aids in the delivery of foreign aid to Gaza, an official responsible for coordinating the movement of cargo through the border previously told Al Jazeera.





Israel sealed off the border last month, saying it was in retaliation over Palestinians setting fire to Israeli land. After partially lifting the closure, Israel blocked the supply of fuel into Gaza two weeks ago.

Expanded fishing

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday if calm near the Israeli fence was maintained, the border would reopen, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Israel will also expand the fishing zone that it enforces in the waters off the Gaza Strip from six nautical miles to nine. Expansions occasionally occur and usually last for only three months at a time with the objective of boosting Gazas economy, which is heavily reliant on the fishing sector.

Although the expansion allows the Gaza Strips 4,000 registered fishermen to reach a wider array of fish, the nine-mile nautical border is still not enough to serve some 1,000 boats, according to Nizar Ayash, head of Gazas fishermens union.

UN-brokered truce

The developments follow a series Israeli air attacks and artillery shelling that killed three Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old child, in Gaza last week.

Israel launched more than 140 attacks after about 150 rockets were fired from the coastal enclave, injuring at least six people in Israel.

Since, the United Nations and Egypt secured a ceasefire deal between Hamas, the group that governs Gaza, and Israel in the hope of achieving a lasting truce.

Jamal al-Khoudary, a Palestinian parliamentarian and the head of the Popular Committee to End Gazas Siege, said the decision to reopen the commercial crossing wasnt considered a lifting of the siege.





Rather, he said, it only brought back the situation as it was prior to July 10, when Israel sealed off the border in retaliation for incendiary kites and balloons sent into Israel to start fires.

So far, flaming objects have caused $2.5m in damage to farmland, according to Israels government.

Palestinians have been protesting since March 30 east of the Gaza Strip, calling for their right of return. More than 164 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and 18,000 more wounded.Son of opposition leader Hassan Mushaima enters third week of hunger strike, saying his father is denied healthcare.

A Bahraini mans hunger strike against his fathers torturous life sentence in the Gulf state has entered its third week in London.

Ali Mushaima, the son of jailed Bahraini opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, has already spent 14 days away from his wife and four-month-old daughter and lost seven kilos since starting his demonstration outside the Bahraini embassy on August 1.

Hassan Mushaima, 70, was sentenced to life in prison in Bahrain in 2011 on charges of attempting to overthrow the government at the height of the Arab Spring.

Ali, 35, has been calling for his father to be granted his basic rights, namely access to medical treatment and family visits.

Its not easy to sleep on the streets. I left my daughter and my wife. Its hard, but I have no choice, he told Al Jazeera.

I have to do something to save my dads life. Sometimes, we need to sacrifice ourselves to save others.

Ali @AMushaima began to feel dizziness as he entered his 13th day of hunger strike.  He has lost 7kg since the strike began

 He is still stable according to his doctor

 Police paid Ali a visit & asked his doctor about his health#FreeHassanMushaima #Bahrain #London pic.twitter.com/4FYEU43dTS  Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei (@SAlwadaei) August 13, 2018

Ali, who has been living in London since 2006, said his father suffers from several serious illnesses, including high blood pressure, diabetes, gout and a urinary tract infection, but has been kept from accessing medical treatment he relies on to survive.

Hassan also needs a scan every six months to check his cancer, with which he was diagnosed in 2010, has not returned. Ali claims his father has not had one for almost two years.

No one will hear my father suffering or see him in his cell, he said. Now, I become weaker, Im losing weight but everyone can see me and see how the Bahraini government is treating Bahraini people.

The embassy in London dismissed the allegations about Hassans mistreatment and told the Reuters news agency that he had had all the medical attention he required.

It also said arrangements were made for him to get cancer screenings every six months, but Hassan had refused to attend these scans on both occasions last year.

Responding to the remarks, Ali said: He has asked for medical treatment, unfortunately, the Bahraini government is lying to the population.

He claimed his father only refused to be shackled when taken to receive medical assistance.

He didnt refuse any medical treatment, he is refusing humiliating treatment.

UK complicity

Ali accused the UK of being complicit in Bahrains human rights abuse through its five million British pounds technical assistance fund, in place since 2012.

Most of the fund is purportedly aimed at briefing Bahrains police and prison guards on human rights, as well as establishing new bodies to investigate torture allegations, according to a report by Reprieve.

Ali called on the UK to take steps to ensure Bahrain, one of its allies in the Gulf region, resolves his fathers ordeal.

The British government should be questioning what is their value in providing Bahraini authorities with technical assistance. If there is no value and the human rights abuses continue, they should stop.

It should question if the taxpayers should be paying for a dictatorship and human rights abuses, said Ali.

The former Bahraini citizen said he tried flagging his plight with Britains Foreign Office. He said it raised the issue with senior Bahraini authorities but nothing changed.

Fake acid attack at Bahrain embassy in London https://t.co/n0E9bnlHdR pic.twitter.com/3SlDdP39sO  BIRD (@BirdBahrain_) August 12, 2018

Intimidated while protesting

Ali claimed he was physically intimidated at about 1:50am London time on Saturday morning.

According to him, a foamy liquid was thrown at him from the embassys balcony.

He had feared it was an acid attack.

He said there are two witnesses who support his claim that the liquid, which was not damaging, was hurled from the ambassadors residence.

Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei, director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), told Al Jazeera the incident couldnt have happened without the direct instruction from the ambassador.

A statement by Londons Metropolitan Police to Al Jazeera said police were alerted of an assault outside the embassy. They said no arrests were made, but an investigation continues.

Ali said he was disappointed when he expressed concern it could have been a real acid attack and police replied saying they had limited power to stop such incidents. They added they hoped it would not reoccur.Modicare: Indias PM to launch new health scheme

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revealed an ambitious national health protection scheme during Independence day celebrations in New Delhi, he says says it will cover around half a billion poor people.Rights group says that hundreds arrested during nearly four months of anti-government protests remain in detention.

Thousands have taken to the streets of the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, to demand the release of hundreds arrested during nearly four months of anti-government protests in the country.

Freedom, freedom! demonstrators chanted as they marched on Wednesday, some carrying signs that read justice and freedom for those arrested.

According to the Civic Alliance, an organisation representing the protesters, about 400 people who have been arrested since the protests began in Nicaragua in mid-April remain in detention. Nearly 140 have been charged with crimes, including terrorism and organised crime, the organisation said.

Translation: March for the freedom of political prisoners in Managua.

Marcha por la libertad de los presos politicos en Managua pic.twitter.com/q1P2a8wAlK  Radio Corporacion (@Corporacion540) August 15, 2018

Anti-government protests began on April 18 after a now-scrapped pension reform proposal was introduced.

The protests have since mushroomed into a broad campaign against Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.

More than 300 killed

Protesters accuse Ortegas government of using heavy-handed tactics to curb the demonstrations, including arbitrarily arresting thousands of people.

{articleGUID}

According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), 317 people have been killed by police and groups loyal to Ortega. The government puts the death toll at 197, including 22 police officers.

Ortega, whose supporters have also taken to the streets in recent months, has denied allegations that he controls the pro-government paramilitaries that rights groups claim work with police. He accused Nicaraguan political groups of heading rival anti-government groups.

In a recent interview with Fox News, the president accused those groups of killing tens of police officers, adding that none of the peaceful demonstrators has been attacked by police.

Ortega said he will serve out his term until 2021, maintaining that moving up the elections  a demand of the protesters  would make things worse.

The Organization of American States (OAS) has called on Ortegas government to put an end to the violence and to and to initiate once and for all the forms of dialogue that would pave the road to peace and the respect of human rights.

Some 23,000 of Nicaraguans have sought refugee protection in neighbouring Costa Rica as a result of the violence.President Moon Jae-in said he wants to start a railroad community with other countries, including North Korea.

President Moon Jae-in proposed connecting South Korea with North Korea with a vast railway network in a move towards peace and prosperity after decades of conflict.

Describing what he envisioned as a railroad community, the transport system would include several other countries including China, Mongolia, Russia and Japan, Moon said on Wednesday.

This community will lead to an energy bloc and economic bloc in Northeast Asia by expanding our economic area to the northern continent and becoming the foundation of co-existence and prosperity, he said according to Yonhap news agency.

Moon modelled his plan after the European Union, saying that bloc originally started as an organisation for coal and steel, but eventually grew into something larger.

The plan was unveiled during a speech marking the Korean Peninsulas independence from Japanese colonial rule 73-years ago on Wednesday.

Political unification

Officially North and South Korea are still at war having signed only an armistice in 1953 at the end of the Korean War.

Even though a political unification may be a long way from here, establishing peace between the South and the North and freely visiting each other and forming a joint economic community is true liberation to us, Moon said.

Moon, who was elected to office in 2017, has been an advocate of closer relations with North Korea in an attempt to bring peace to the peninsula.

Earlier this year, he met twice with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in historic meetings during which the two countries pledged to sign a peace deal.

At their next summit in September in Pyongyang, the two leaders will take an audacious step to proceed towards the declaration of an end to the Korean War and the signing of a peace treaty, as well as the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, Moon added.

He said he hoped for speedy progress in talks between the United States and North Korea, with steps by Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programmes matched by corresponding comprehensive measures from Washington.The children were on their way to school when their boat capsized in rough waters.

At least 22 children have drowned in Sudan when their boat sank in the Nile while they were on their way to school, according to official media.

A woman also died when the vessel went down around 750km north of the capital, Khartoum, with more than 40 children on board, the SUNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

The accident occurred when the boats engine broke down as result of heavy rains and winds in Beheir district in the Nile River state.

Civil defense forces were still searching the Nile river for the bodies of the victims.

Villagers in the region rely on wooden boats to cross the Nile.

A witness told AFP news agency by telephone that the boat had been crossing the river against the current.

All the families [in the area] are in mourning, added the witness, who did not want to be named.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of schools across Khartoum amid heavy torrential rains and winds that have destroyed hundreds of homes in some provinces, including North Darfur and North Kordofan.

Nearly 40 people have been killed due to heavy rains since last week, including 10 in Khartoum, according to local media.Syria rebel group accused of abduction, murder of key activist

Razan Zaitouneh, who disappeared almost five years ago, was one of the faces of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.A court previously ordered Taner Kilics release in January but reversed the decision a day later.

A court in Turkey has ordered the release of Taner Kilic, honorary chair of Amnesty Internationals Turkish branch, the rights group said in a statement.

Kilic had been in pre-trial detention since June 2017, when he was arrested alongside 22 lawyers for allegedly having links to an outlawed group who the government blames for a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

Authorities accused Kilic of using ByLock, an encrypted communication software which the government says is used by members of the group led by Fethullah Gulen, a self-exiled cleric based in the US. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup bid.

Amnesty International has consistently denied the allegations against Kilic, saying he had never downloaded the application.

{articleGUID}

Kumi Naidoos, Amnesty Internationals new secretary general, said the UK-based group was  overjoyed at the news about Kilics release.

It has taken us more than a year of campaigning and a struggle to get here, but it appears that Taner will finally be freed, he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Whilst we rejoice at this decision, our celebrations will only truly begin when he is safely back at home in the arms of his wife and daughters.

Andrew Gardner, a researcher for the group, has since published an image of Kilic reunited with members of his family.

Ok now we can start to celebrate. Taner really is free! pic.twitter.com/BdsY2QPki2  Andrew Gardner (@andrewegardner) August 15, 2018

An Istanbul court had previously ordered Kilics conditional release and imposed a travel ban on him, prohibiting him from leaving Turkey, pending his trial.

That ruling was however reversed a day later on February 1, 2018, after state prosecutors filed an appeal contesting the ruling.

The announcement by Amnesty International on Wednesday came a day after a court in Edirne province released two Greek soldiers facing espionage in Turkey. Athens welcomed the move and said the ruling would help mend ties between the two NATO allies.

Turkeys continued detention of an American pastor has also caused a diplomatic uproar between Ankara and Washington in recent days.

Authorities accuse Andrew Brunson, a Christian Evangelical preacher from North Carolina, of links to outlawed groups. Retaliatory sanctions by the US President Donald Trumps administration have seen the lira hit a record low against the US dollar.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Turkish court rejected an appeal for Brunsons release from house arrest and the lifting of his travel ban, with an upper court expected to render its verdict in the coming few days.As thousands of mining jobs are cut, families of striking workers slain in 2012 still await compensation and justice.

Johannesburg, South Africa  It has been described as the worst act of South African police brutality since the end of apartheid. On the afternoon of August 16, 2012, some 34 striking miners were shot dead by police outside the Lonmin platinum mines on the outskirts of the dusty town of Marikana, in the countrys northwest.

In a video that circulated far and wide, police officers were seen spraying hundreds of bullets wildly at miners who had stubbornly gathered to demand better pay and living conditions.

In all, 47 people were killed, including miners, four security guards and two police officers between August 12-16.

A nation was left stunned and in mourning.

Six years later, families of the victims are still awaiting compensation and justice.

Though the president-appointed Farlam Commission found that a defective police plan was in part to blame for the massacre, not only has the South African Police Services (SAPS) refused to apologise, but the officers involved in the shooting are yet to be held to account.

{articleGUID}

Nomzamo Zondo, director of Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI), a group representing the miners, said the states response over the past six years does not give the impression that they want the families to heal or that they actually matter.

Internally, as an institution, the police have not accepted responsibility for what happened, Zondo told Al Jazeera.

Very early on, from the Commission of Enquiry, the miners families have been treated like second-class citizens, she added.

The families still want to know why their loved ones were killed.

In July 2018, the government reportedly offered 100 million rand ($7m) as damages to 36 miners (one miner reached a settlement separately). Zondo says that the families have not rejected the deal outright.

They want us to explore it, she said.

But Zondo added the manner in which compensation was offered left a lot to be desired.

The way it has been presented to was like this: We shot your husband, here is 500,000 rand ($35,000), Zondo said.

Part of the demand for a settlement is that families also want an apology from the police and authorities. This part would have come from a caring state.

No apology

From the outset, police say they acted in self-defence, claiming to have opened fire after being shot at by the striking miners  it is an early characterisation of the striking miners that has been difficult to shake off.

While the commission did not find evidence of the police having been attacked, it said the police had reasonable grounds for believing they were under attack.

At the same time, it said that some police officers had provided false testimony when explaining the deaths of some miners. In one case, the police had declared that one miner, Modisaotsile Van Wyk Sagalala, had died at a hospital. Later, the Independent Police Investigative Directive (IPID), the body that provides oversight to the South African police, found evidence that he had, in fact, died while in police custody.

There is overwhelming evidence to support that SAPS intentionally failed to disclose the information to the Commission, Moses Dlamini, media liaison officer for IPID, told Al Jazeera.

Families of the victims are still awaiting compensation and justice [File: Jon Gambrell/AP]

In a report released on Wednesday, researcher David Bruce with the Pretoria-based Institute of Security Studies (ISS), said that there was significant evidence to suggest that in the second of two incidents that took place on August 16, 2012, police were not under threat when they opened fire.

Researchers say many of the miners were shot at close-range, including in the back of the head, or in the face, in wounds that resembled executions.

Dlamini, from IPID, told Al Jazeera that charges against eight police officers involved in the incidents on August 12 had been filed. After completing its investigation on the events of August 16, recommendations were passed on to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in August 2017.

We were told last year that the concerned police officers would be prosecuted, but a year later, nothing has been done, Zondo, from SERI, said.

Al Jazeera was not able to secure comment from the NPA despite several attempts to do so.

Periodic commemoration

On Wednesday, Lonmin held a ceremony to commemorate the workers killed in August 2012.

But the gesture is unlikely to detract from tumultuous developments in the sector.

Last week, Impala Platinum, the worlds second-largest platinum producer, said it would cull 13,000 jobs at its mines, following a decision to close down five of its 11 shafts over the next two years.

Then, on Monday, Lonmin said it would be cutting some 12,600 jobs over the next three years following what they described as years of losses. The announcement comes six months after Lonmins chief executive accepted a salary increase for the first time in five years.

With South Africas unemployment soaring at around 27 percent, the developments have roused panic.

The Department of Mineral Resources called Impala Platinums decision careless and reckless, while the ruling-African National Congress (ANC) urged the companies to reconsider.





In response to the news, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) said it will embark on a new wave of strike action to protest against the decision.

Popular research has shown that one salary in the mining sector actually represents between five and 10 livelihoods of spouses and family members dependent on said salary, Joseph Mathunjwa, AMCU president, told a press conference last week.

This could mean up to 130,000 people [will be] directly affected by the looming retrenchments, he added.

In many ways, the never-ending spectre of job cuts, low salaries and poor living conditions, at the centre of the desperate strike action in 2012 that led to the Marikana massacre, never truly went away.

For the workers at Lonmin, the disconnect between the lives and the wealth they unearth for one of the largest companies in the world remains as stark as ever.

Despite periodic commemorations, I do not see how Marikana has influenced how South Africans view the relationship between business and the ruling elites. Given how tragic Marikana was, I do not see sufficient reflections on the tragedy by South Africa, political analyst Ralph Matheka, based in Johannesburg, said.

I do not think we have moved on; I think there is some element of denial regarding this. We are often reminded about Marikana, yet we do not reflect deeply about it, Matheka told Al Jazeera.

As a hotbed of protest, resentment and insecurity, little has changed at the mines. The killings and their aftermath merely provide opposition parties with endless fodder to throw punches at the ANC-led government without much concern for the people themselves.

Indeed Marikana is used as a political tool, said Matheka.

Waiting for an apology

The slow move towards a paid settlement and the refusal from the state to offer an unreserved apology has also left activists and the bereaved families bitter with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The president, a non-executive director of Lonmin at the time of the massacre, has long been seen as partly culpable for the stern police action. On August 15, 2012, Ramaphosa had sentan email to Lonmins chief commercial officer, describing the ongoing strikes as plainly dastardly criminal  there needs to be concomitant action to address this situation.





Though the Commission cleared Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing, Zondo, from SERI, said there are many who refuse to accept that he played no part in the disaster.

There are widows who still feel Ramaphosa is culpable  he is still tied to Marikana, she said.

Responding to Al Jazeeras enquiries over the long-held perceptions that Ramaphosa was partly responsible for Marikana, Khusela Diko, the presidents spokesperson, said that the president is on record several times expressing his deepest regret for the tragedy that transpired in Marikana.

He has committed himself to work in whatever way he is able with all stakeholders to address lingering concerns in Marikana and for healing and closure, she said.

Diko also confirmed that Ramaphosa will be out of the country on Thursday when the country commemorates the incident.

Zondo said that the state refuses to acknowledge that the miners and their families are the victims. The reality is that there is a lot of pain, trauma, and there have been suicides in families  and all of this dates back to 2012.

In recent days, activists have been warning that without said accountability, another Marikana-type incident could easily take place again.

It is an incident that has not sufficiently taken seriously to a point where one can say it has changed the country, said Matheka.

Additional reporting by Lizeka Maduna in DurbanNew legislation comes amid a housing crisis which has left around one in every 100 New Zealanders homeless.

New Zealand has rolled out legislation banning foreigners from buying existing homes in the country amid an ongoing housing crisis which has left tens of thousands of people homeless.

The Overseas Investment Amendment Bill, passed by parliament on Wednesday, is aimed at making housing more affordable for residents, particularly first-time buyers.

This government believes that New Zealanders should not be outbid by wealthier foreign buyers, Associate Finance Minister David Parker, of the ruling Labour Party, said in a statement.

Whether its a beautiful lakeside or ocean-front estate, or a modest suburban house, this law ensures that the market for our homes is set in New Zealand, not on the international market, he added.

Foreigners who already own homes in the country will not be affected by the legislation, which also exempts Australian and Singapore nationals because of bilateral free-trade agreements.

International buyers will still be permitted to buy new properties and land to be used for house-building projects.

About three percent of houses bought in the first three months of this year were purchased by foreign nationals, according to government statistics, with Chinese, Australian and UK citizens accounting for the largest contingent of international buyers.

In Auckland, the countrys most populous city, foreign buyers accounted for almost six percent of all house purchases made during the same period.

A nonsense

In the lead-up to the September 2017 elections, Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns election campaign included a pledge to ban foreign speculators from buying existing homes and create a level playing field for first-home buyers.

But Wednesdays bill drew the ire of opposition National Party politician Judith Collins, who described it as a cynical attempt to blame foreigners for the countrys housing issues.

This bill in many ways is like using a hammer to try and crush a teeny weeny little nut because it is about saying that every house, every residential house, is now apparently sensitive land. Its a nonsense, she said.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealands (REINZ) chief executive also denounced Wednesdays law change.

We dont believe that banning foreign buyers from purchasing property in New Zealand is going to have any impact on house prices, nor will it help young people into their first homes, Bindi Norwell said.

#REINZCEO @bindinorwell said, "We don't believe that banning foreign buyers from purchasing property in New Zealand is going to have any impact on house prices, nor will it help young people into their first homes." https://t.co/0GTs0sm9H5  REINZ (@REINZTweets) August 15, 2018

House prices have jumped by more than 60 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

Meanwhile, home ownership levels dropped last year to 63.2 percent nationwide, the lowest level since 1951, according to local media.

The median price for residential property throughout the country was 550,000 New Zealand dollars (US$365,000) in July, according to REINZ, more than 11 times the average level of annual personal income in 2017.

About one in every 100 New Zealanders, or 41,000, were homeless or living in emergency housing or substandard shelters in 2013, according to the countrys most recently published census data.

The country has the highest rate of homelessness among member states of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a study by Yale University revealed last year.

The study also noted, however, that definitions of homelessness vary by country.Once the sick man of Europe, Germany weathered the financial crisis and the Great Recession better than its neighbours.Four years ago, the trendy city of Ferguson, Mo. -- an up-and-coming gentrifying community in north St. Louis county -- went up in flames after a very large black man assaulted a police officer, grabbed for his gun, and was shot to death. George Soros-linked groups spent $33 million dollars shipping rioters into the community to loot and pillage. A grand jury was convened to assess whether Officer Darren Wilson should be charged with a crime in the killing, and this after a DoJ investigation found no substantial evidence to charge Wilson. The grand jury announced they were not going to indict Wilson, and St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCullough announced he was closing the case.

In the Tuesday primary election McCullough lost to a black Ferguson city councilman named Wesley Bell who is clearly interested in reintroducing charges in this case. While Bell is being a bit coy about the matter -- he has yet to be elected in the general election although he is running unopposed -- it seems likely he will take a page from his hyperpartisan counterpart in the city of St. Louis (who brought bogus criminal charges against Governor Eric Greitens, forcing him to resign from office) and will bring new charges against Wilson.

According to KSDK Channel Five News:

"5 On Your Side took that question to Saint Louis University Law professor John Amman. He said if a prosecutor wants to go for a murder charge there is no statute of limitations for that crime. And, since the grand jury that originally investigated the case never charged Wilson there is no danger of double jeopardy. So, we can verify that a prosecutor could still charge Wilson. But what are the chances? "It would be difficult to do I would think after four years, after one grand jury looked at it and the federal government decided not to do anything," said Ammann referencing the Department of Justice under President Obama that investigated Brown's death and declined to prosecute Wilson. "Our community has felt that there's something else that could be done in trying Darren Wilson," said Bishop Derrick Robinson with Kingdom Destiny Fellowship, who emerged as a leader of the protest movement after Brown's death. Robinson said many do not feel justice was served by the grand jury that investigated Wilson. Asked how he would respond if Bell took another look at the case and still no charges were filed he said, "We're going to hope that he's going to find some charges on Mr. Wilson."

Notice how this "Bishop," a supposed man of God, doesn't care about the truth here, but is rather more interested in "social justice" even though all evidence points to Officer Wilson's innocence and Mike Brown's guilt. It does not matter; the races of the individuals involved is all Bishop Robinson seems to care about.

They are never going to let this go.

In fact, they just recently appealed to Missouri's governor-by-default Mike Parsons to reopen the case. They would never try to pressure Eric Greitens in a matter like this; they knew Greitens, for all his faults, wouldn't cave to political pressure. But having forced Greitens out, they believe they can put the screws to Parsons, a mild-mannered, and possibly weak man from rural Missouri with little experience dealing with race hustlers.

It was part of why they were so desperate to get rid of Greitens. The labor unions, too, and I rather doubt the vote would have gone so against Right to Work had the GOP in Missouri rallied around their governor. But they surrendered and are now paying the price.

Meanwhile, Lezley McSpadden, mother of the "gentle giant" Brown, the woman who along with her husband exhorted rioters to "burn this bitch down" (meaning Ferguson) after the verdict was reached in the grand jury deliberations, is running for city council in Ferguson.

I wonder how much of George Soros' money is flowing into that campaign?

From the article:

"McSpadden pointed out three platforms that she plans to focus on upon election after telling the crowd she is speaking a successful campaign election into existence. They include: community policing, economic equality and access to quality healthcare. "This is very important to me  and I know a lot of people wonder what makes me qualified, McSpadden said. "Because I watched my son lay in that very spot where those trails of bears are  that makeshift memorial -- for four and a half hours four and a half hours. They disrespected an entire community, disregarded us. And when Im elected, they will learn to respect us.

I didn't know city councils had anything to do with health care or economic equality.

McSpadden (who got into a fist fight during the protests with Brown's grandmother over the sale of merchandise) is being duplicitous here; Brown lay in the streets because a crowd had formed making it unsafe to remove his body -- at least without hurting or killing somebody else. The meat wagon arrived and police had to tell them to leave. She forgets this little detail, as she forgets Brown was just leaving from beating and robbing a local store clerk.

But no doubt the black community and especially black Democrats -- who were enraged when Steve Stenger (a white man) beat the black and corrupt Charlie Dooley in the last primary to become St. Louis County Executive and wanted to show their power by burning Ferguson down -- will support this paragon of civic virtue to the fullest. (Dooley was strangely silent on the troubles in Ferguson.) Many prominent black Democrats were regular fixtures in the Ferguson protests.

I wonder when Al Sharpton will show up to campaign for her.

Tim is a life-long resident of St. Louis who grew up very near Ferguson. His website is www.tbirdnow.mee.nu.Attempting to teach a college-level humanities course, Gold "could classify [his] students in three general groups, intelligent, mediocre, and stupid, allowing for the confusions of three general factors  background, capacity, and interest."

In his 1962 essay titled "A Dog in Brooklyn , a Girl in Detroit: A Life among the Humanities," from The Age of Happy Problems, Herbert Gold recounts how "neither glory nor pleasure nor power, and certainly not wisdom, provided the goal of [the] students" he attempted to instruct.

Reminiscing about his attempt to motivate young people, Gold admits that he "often failed at inspiring [his] students to do the assigned reading. Many of them had part-time jobs in the automobile industry or its annexes." Thus, the plaintive "I couldn't read the book this week, I have to work" reverberated in the classroom with "its implied reproach for a scholar's leisure." Continuing to describe the paradoxes of teaching in a university, Gold finds little common ground between himself and his students.

When he attempted to explain Seurat's "La Grande Jatte" and the "importance of ... pointillism to students who only wanted to see life clear and true, see it comfortably," he encountered students who asserted that "this kind of painting hurt [their] eyes." In addition, students clamored that "there was too much reading for one course  'piling it on. This isn't the only course we take.'"

Then, in the middle of his essay, Gold details how, in front of the school building, a skidding truck sideswiped a taxi, and the cab "was smashed like a cruller." From the door of his cab, the driver emerged, stumbling holding his head. There was blood on his head and hands. He was in confusion and in shock  "[d]rivers turned their heads upon him ... but did not get involved."

Gold ran out to lead the cab-driver into the building and told a student to call for an ambulance. Before the ambulance arrived, the police were there  but they did not seem to be alarmed by the injuries of the cabbie. Instead, they wanted to see his driver's license and then his chauffeur's license. They were not concerned with Gold's anxiety for the bleeding man. They had "their business" to attend to  i.e., going through the cab-driver's pockets looking for possible weapons.

Meanwhile, the students were getting restless, and the ambulance had not yet arrived. So Gold gave one of his students a dime to make the call again. By now the cab driver was fading away. Finally, a "puffing ambulance intern rushed into the room."

And then, the denouement  against the backdrop of a winter storm, a bleeding cab-driver, self-important police officers doing their jobs, and a classroom of indifferent students, Gold has to face off with one of his students who, enraged, cries out in the middle of all this that "[she doesn't] think [she] deserved a D on that quiz. 'I answered all the questions. I can't get my credit for Philo of Ed without I get a B off you.'"

The improbable juxtaposition of this was just too much for Gold.

I must have looked at her with pure stupidity on my face. There is a Haitian proverb: stupidity won't kill you, but it'll make you sweat a lot. She took the opportunity to make me sweat, took my silence for guilt, took my open-mouthed gaze for weakness.

And then she said "If I was a white girl, you'd grade me easier."

Guilt, a hundred years, a thousand years of it; pity for the disaster of ignorance and fear, pity for ambition rising out of ignorance[.] I looked at her with mixed feelings. She was talking and I was yelling in a whisper about the sick man. She was blaming me for all her troubles, all the troubles she had seen, and I was blaming her for not seeing what lay before her.

The next day Gold tried to explain to this student that there were two questions at issue: "her exam grade and her choice of occasion to dispute it." He tried to explain to this female student "why putting the two events together had disturbed" him.

To no avail.

As a teacher, Gold realized that he caught his students too late "and only at the top of their heads, at the raw point of pride and ambition, and [he] had not enough love and pressure as a teacher to open the way through their intentions to the common humanity which remains locked within."

As another school year begins anew, the eternal quest to give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to young people remains elusive.

We "must find a way to teach better and to learn." The need is greater than ever.

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com.An editorial by Holman Jenkins in the Wall Street Journal on June 29, 2018 recommends an investigation of the CIAs involvement in the 2016 election, and I agree. The WSJs Kimberley Strassel has commented on CIA involvement as well, as did Rudy Giuliani on August 13th.

The FBI is being held accountable for its role in spy operations against the Trump campaign. John Brennans CIA should be held accountable as well.

If press reports are accurate, American spy operations targeted the Trump campaign by luring Trump associates such as George Papadopoulos to meetings in Britain. There are two key factors at work here.

The first factor is the location. The CIA is in charge of American government spy ops that occur in foreign countries, not the FBI. While an American tourist can fly to Britain to see the changing of the guard and be in front of Buckingham Palace within 24 hours, an American FBI agent can do nothing in Britain without intricate CIA approvals and supervision. If the CIA were not involved, theyd be raising hell with the FBI for doing business on their turf. Turf is everything in bureaucracy. CIA involvement is certain.

The second factor -- I do not know the people named and am basing this on press reports -- is that these ops bear the distinctive signature of being run by bureaucrats at CIA Headquarters, not by professionals in CIA field stations.

Headquarters spy recruitments are weak. Our full-time government employees, such as CIA officers and FBI agents, are expected to recruit part-time spies called agents, assets, sources, informants, and access agents. (Some folks dont like the use of the word spy, but in fact everyone involved is a spy. I was a spy.) With 17 redundant spy agencies and tens of thousands of idle employees in the Washington D.C. area, theres a natural tendency to recruit American citizens to help spy on Americans. Such operations provide employees with opportunities to look busy and get promoted while living in the comfort of Washington.

Recruitments of sources are important to the CIA, but if you try to recruit a terrorist in Syria, you might get a bullet in the head. North Korea and Iran are far away, out of sight and out of mind. Why not recruit an American college professor instead? Assign him a secret code name and he comes to look like a real spy. Most Americans are happy to help out, so theres no fear of embarrassing rejection.

Theres only one thing easier for Headquarters employees than recruiting an American college professor, and that is recruiting an American college professor who has already been recruited by other U.S. spy agencies. This appears to have been the case in these operations.

Hey, this isnt a secret source, this is just old Bill Jones! is the kind of statement heard at CIA Headquarters when someone realizes that a secret asset is not a brave source deep within a rogue state, but is instead an American college professor, an old colleague, or the family member of a CIA employee.

In espionage, youve got to recruit directly. If you need intelligence on Iran, youve got to go out and find an Iranian. Its like courtship. Youve got to get out and find your potential spouse and you must do it yourself. When I first saw the woman who would become my wife, I approached her immediately and directly. A simpering Headquarters bureaucrat would have thought, I must find someone who can sidle up to her and assess her and then provide me with information that I can use to develop a relationship.

Weve spent billions training our officers and then they live in Washington and recruit American college professors to do their work.

The question is: If these Headquarters-run operations are so lightweight, why did John Brennans CIA choose this kind of operation to target Trump?

The answer is that they already knew there was no collusion, so they didnt need a surgical, focused, silent CIA field operation.

They wanted the noise and the hum of activity, the smoke, rumors, leaks, and innuendo of a Headquarters-run operation. And they were right. Their plan worked. All this noise, combined with the fraudulent Steele Dossier, led to relentless media attacks on Trump, an unlimited budget for Mueller and his team, and even to ongoing demands that Trump kowtow to the intel agencies.

The deep state left a sloppy trail behind. They must have figured Hillary would win and so it wouldnt matter. Theres much more going on here than CIA spies merely sidling up to Trump associates for brief conversations and handing them some money. Big meetings about these operations meant people like Peter Strzok and Andrew McCabe from the FBI piled into cars to head over to the CIA. Once there, they sat around the Nirvana of bureaucracy, a big conference room table. (McCabe spent $70,000 of your money to buy his own table.) Each agency and office would have been at the table. Each senior person brings along a herd of minions. The senior people talk while the minions sit there like potted plants. These potted plants will be willing to talk to investigators.

CIA employees document their activity exhaustively in records that are sent to lots of other offices to keep everyone informed. These documents are cross-referenced, so if a deep stater tries to delete them, it will be obvious. A Horowitz-style investigation will find a treasure trove of information plus a trail of accountings that will show wasteful spending and possibly fraud. Headquarters-run ops are expensive extravaganzas.

Democrats seem to understand that these ops are easy to unravel. Their only defense is to scream that details must be kept secret to protect national security. Yet they are the ones who did the leaking of identities of people involved, which is a felony.

Mueller and his 13 angry Democrats are missing out on all the fun. Their investigation of the President has been frustrating. Had Mueller focused instead on threats from our own intelligence agencies, hed have been able to indict and jail his prey at will.

We must hold John Brennan and his bureaucrats accountable. At the same time, we must strengthen our intelligence capabilities by cancelling phony operations and redirecting our officers to service overseas.

Ishmael Jones is the pen name of a former CIA case officer. He is the author of The Human Factor: Inside the CIA's Dysfunctional Intelligence CultureFor generations, one of the great joys in life has been watching Roadrunner cartoons, during which the Roadrunner always manages to find a way to trick Wile E. Coyote into running off a massive cliff. Sadly, it seems as though in the bizarre cartoon political world we now live in, the Roadrunner has become the U.S. government, and We the People have become Wile E. Coyote.

In 2018, Ben Bernanke, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, stated that fiscal stimulus is going to hit the economy in a big way this year and next, and then in 2020, Wile E. Coyote is going to go off the cliff. Bernanke was referring to the return of trillion-dollar deficits added on top of the $21 trillion national debt that the federal government has already accumulated.

What most elected officials refuse to admit is that we have a structural deficit that is not sustainable. The expectation is that in the next recession the federal government will bail out financial institutions, corporations, and state and local governments, as it did during the recent financial crisis. Yet what Bernanke and most economists are saying is that even the most prudent monetary policies are being undermined by deficit spending. As debt continues to accumulate, we are watching the federal government slowly go over a fiscal cliff -- and without a safety net.

The debt crisis is a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States. For two centuries, elected officials adhered to what economists refer to as the old time religion of balanced budgets at the local, state, and national levels. Under the old model, yes, the government might incur deficits and accumulate debt in periods of war, but in peacetime, it was expected politicians would balance the budget and use surplus revenue to pay down the debt.

This old religion was practiced well into the post-World War II period. During World War II, debt increased to levels exceeding our national income. However, in the following three decades that ratio was reduced below 40 percent. In those days, the United States economic growth rates averaged about 3 percent per year, which allowed the government to pursue a countercyclical economic policy without accumulating unsustainable levels of debt in the long run.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government seems to have abandoned the vestiges of the old time fiscal religion. In other words, deficits dont matter anymore, at least according to elected officials. With the exception of a few years in the 1990s, the government has consistently incurred massive deficits and accumulated a mindboggling national debt. Over the next decade, the debt held by the public is projected to again exceed national income, and continue to increase to more than 150 percent of national income over the next three decades

In recent years, higher levels of debt have been accompanied by stagnant economic growth. As debt levels have soared, the fiscal room to pursue countercyclical fiscal policy has disappeared. The United States recently experienced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and it is now exposed to even greater economic instability.

To understand why the government has abandoned the old time fiscal religion of balanced budgets, it is important to understand the sources of deficit spending and debt accumulation over the past half-century. Unlike much of U.S. history, the cause of our recent deficits is not related closely to military spending. In fact, even during the Cold War, defense spending was not the primary source of deficits and debt. Defense spending as a share of the total federal budget declined over most of the period, and in recent years has reached an all-time low.

The major source of deficits and debt over the past half-century has been income transfers. Since the Great Society programs were enacted during the 1960s, income transfers have continuously increased as a share of the total federal budget. Mandatory expenditures for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid now exceed the entire amount spent on discretionary programs. Over the next three decades, these mandatory expenditures are projected to engulf more than two-thirds of the federal budget.

These troubling trends in debt-financed spending helps to explain why the country continues to pursue unsustainable fiscal policies. Throughout most of our history, there was a consensus supporting the old time religion of balanced budgets. Citizens understood that during wartime the federal government could not finance military spending by raising taxes. Elected officials incurred debt to finance military spending, knowing all the while that in peacetime spending would be reduced. Citizens expected elected officials to balance the budget in the near term and pay down debt in the long term.

The growth in income transfers over the past half-century has replaced commonsense fiscal policies. As spending for mandatory entitlement programs has displaced spending for other federal programs, including defense spending, political parties have become increasingly polarized. The Republican Party fights to restore defense expenditures, while the Democratic Party defends expenditures for domestic programs and entitlements. Game theorists describe this as a negative sum game in which the political parties are trapped in a prisoners dilemma. The failure to reach consensus on the budget leaves the government trapped with suboptimal fiscal policies.

However, we dont need to watch Wile E. Coyote go over the cliff this time around. Other countries have shown that with effective fiscal rules in place, the government can balance the budget and reduce debt to sustainable levels. In our research, we propose similar fiscal rules for the U.S. government. Stabilizing the debt-to-GDP ratio at current levels is not a sufficient condition for a sustainable fiscal policy. In the long term, the goal of this simple approach to fiscal policy must be to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to historic levels, i.e. less than 50 percent. At these lower levels of debt, the country can restore higher rates of economic growth and also provide fiscal space to pursue countercyclical economic policies. At that point, the fiscal rules would create the conditions necessary for a cyclically balanced budget, with surplus revenue in periods of economic expansion offsetting deficits in periods of recession. Fiscal rules can restore this old time religion of balanced budgets.

John Merrifield (think@heartland.org) is professor of economics at the University of Texas-San Antonio. Barry Poulson is emeritus professor of economics at the University of Colorado-Boulder. They are the authors of Restoring Americas Fiscal Constitution New York, Lexington Books, 2017.Fighting socialism

As wrong and warped as most leftists' views seem today, the reality is that most people on the left fight relentlessly for their cause. Can the majority of conservatives look themselves in the mirror and honestly say they fight for their beliefs and principles to the same degree as the left does? Our U.S. Constitution is the rock of America, the foundation for maintaining our way of life. It is the main cog within the engine of freedom. Freedom is fragile and needs to be cared for. It can be sustained only through vigilance. A secure U.S. border, a respect for law enforcement, and a belief in a strong U.S. military are some of the key conservative principles that keep all of us safe and free. Individual liberty, limited government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility are among the many fundamental concepts we as conservatives need to continue to promote when confronting leftists.

When conservatives are able to clearly communicate their logic-based beliefs and principles to others, conservatism inevitably wins. It is imperative that we highlight the huge differences between conservatism and socialism. When we are able to illustrate these differences, most people begin rejecting socialism. Individualism and critical thinking are integral parts within a free society, as opposed to collectivism and group thought, the two main components of socialism, which stagnate a society. Diversity of thought is an important concept for people who value a free society. Education and the encouragement of diversity of thought within our schools produce critical thinkers and entrepreneurs. The use of leftist indoctrination within our public school system ultimately creates a society inhabited by human drones, most of whom find contentment in becoming the parasites of society. Conservatives believe in free-market capitalism, which creates incentives and motivates people to strive for a better way of life. Socialism promotes a government-controlled economy, which inevitably leads to poverty, an entitlement mentality, and victimhood. A free-market capitalist system with limited government regulations and multiple thriving small businesses is crucial in maintaining a strong economy. The massive and excessive government regulations within the socialist model are prone to stagnating an economy, and without exception, this results in the middle class shrinking. A stable and flourishing middle class is the lifeblood of the American way of life. Without a vibrant and expanding middle class, a free society cannot exist. Socialism doesn't allow for a middle class. Socialism's very survival is dependent upon the federal government breaking the will of its citizenry and stymieing each person's ability to think for himself. Conservatism thrives when people are able to make personal choices uninhibited by government bureaucrats. Conservatives believe in personal liberty, while the leftist socialists believe that every citizen should be willing to relinquish his individual rights to the federal government. Most conservatives don't mind doing things that require perseverance, determination, and discomfort. These things build character and self-esteem. People on the left tend to make excuses for their situation in life and naively think the government can magically make their lives better. Existing in a leftist-driven society where people are forced to choose illusion and political correctness instead of reality and honesty eventually pushes a society toward dystopia. Our constitutional republic is based upon individual citizens being able to choose their own paths in life. Socialism is based upon an authoritarian federal government imposing its will upon the citizenry. Most conservatives seek moral clarity, in stark contrast to their counterparts on the left, who tend to embrace a selective morality and moral relativism. Moral relativism wrecks souls. It creates people who lose their ability to prioritize. A person who is more concerned about a plastic bag's effect upon the environment than the body parts of the aborted baby within that plastic bag can eventually lose his moral compass. Selective morality and moral relativism have become a lethal combination in destroying human souls. The embrace of this fake value system has now produced a couple of generations incapable of recognizing evil. How can anybody fight evil without the ability to recognize it? Leftist technocrats are boldly trying to control and monitor people's lives. The dangerous combination of leftist media and a leftist-controlled internet is currently being used to stifle and censor conservative opinions. The leftist media and the technocratic tyrants of the left have gone all in, attempting to brainwash people into becoming their useful idiots. These diabolical leftist authoritarians are unashamedly trying to convince citizens that convenience is more important than freedom of speech and more valuable than personal liberty and personal privacy. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Today, technology is making people lazy and willfully ignorant. People are foolishly relinquishing their personal liberty and privacy and actually receiving nothing in return for this concession but endless worry. Have people become so seduced by technology that many of them are now willing to become enslaved by it? To paraphrase Franklin: "Those who are willing to give up essential Liberty and personal privacy to leftist technocrats and leftist bureaucrats deserve the tyranny and dystopia that will ensue." Encouraging people to think for themselves is what every person should endeavor to do. Enlightening people and highlighting the huge contrast between conservatism and socialism is a tactic conservatives need to employ when confronting the many leftists of today, the leftists who seem to have this twisted love affair with socialism. The time is now for conservatives to take a real stand in defending their beliefs and principles. It is time for all of us within the conservative movement to plant the seeds of discernment within the lives of the many people who currently find themselves thirsting for the truth.A judge is facing death threats after granting bail to five adults in an abuse case involving nearly a dozen allegedly malnourished and dehydrated children found at a remote compound in New Mexico. In an hours-long bail hearing on Monday, Judge Sarah Backus acknowledged "troubling facts" presented by prosecutors against Siraj Wahhaj, Jany Leveille, Lucas Morten, Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhannah Wahhaj, who were arrested and charged with child abuse. However, Backus said prosecutors failed to identify any specific threats.

Yes, indeed there are "troubling facts" as the prosecution outlined in the defendant's bail hearing. The family believed some very bizarre things.

NBC2:

The family fled Georgia for a compound in New Mexico where they trained their children in firearms use, according to testimony. A child died at his father's hand during a religious ritual intended to expel religious demons from his body. Eleven more malnourished children were later found on the property. The family believed that once the demons were gone, the boy would return as Jesus four months later and tell his family which institutions to get rid of, a witness said. Those who did not believe "their message" would be killed or detained "until they believed," a teenager on the compound said, according to a FBI agent. But none of that makes them a present danger to the community or to their children, a defense lawyer argued. They were following religious rituals that might be viewed in a different light if they were white Christians instead of black Muslims, the lawyer claimed.

And the judge agreed:

"What I've heard here today is troubling, definitely. Troubling facts about numerous children in far from ideal circumstances and individuals who are living in a very unconventional way -- although if you have lived in northern New Mexico for any period of time you are aware that many people here live in unconventional ways," Judge Sarah Backus said.

"Unconventional" is one word to describe the way the family lived. What the rest of us think is probably unprintable.

In truth, the judge had less leeway in granting bail to the child abusers than you might think. The reason? Bail reform.

NBCNews:

"These people have been charged. They have not been convicted," said Leo Romero, a professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico Law School and the chairman of a committee that made recommendations on reforming cash bail in the state, which were adopted by the state Supreme Court in 2017. "So you're balancing individual rights versus safety of the community, and the judge is weighing that when she is determining the evidence presented by the prosecutor," he said. New Mexico is part of a wave of a states that, in recent years, have re-examined how they handle bail and pretrial detention. In 2014, the state Supreme Court, in New Mexico vs. Walter Ernest Brown, deemed that even if someone is charged with a serious offense, a judge has to make an individual determination on whether to detain the defendant before trial. "Just because someone is charged with first-degree murder or first-degree sexual assault, that by itself is insufficient," Romero said. "The court's got to consider other evidence of whether the person might be a danger or a flight risk, such as the nature and circumstances, which is different than the charge itself."

Should residents of New Mexico be complaining about this? They voted for a constitutional amendment "reforming" the bail system.

And in 2016, an overwhelming number of voters agreed to a constitutional amendment that moved the state away from the traditional money-based bail system to an evidence-of-risk-based system of release and detention, in an effort to bring more fairness. The new system took effect last year. Backus would not comment on the case because it is still pending. Barry Massey, a spokesman for the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, said that "what she said in court yesterday is as much explanation for her decisions as she can provide." "Prosecutors have to file a motion, and then they have to prove by clear and convincing evidence that no other conditions of release will reasonably protect the public's safety," he said. "What the judge said yesterday is that they didn't meet that burden."

Note this, Chicago, New York, and other major cities looking to "reform" the bail system. When it comes to your city, it won't be a bunch of kooky religious nuts who will be free. It will be cold blooded, gangbangers who are likely to kill again once they're on the street.

Just because a gangbanger sprays automatic weapons fire in a residential neighborhood killing the innocent along with rival gang members, doesn't mean he can be held unless the police can prove it to a judge's satisfaction. Past convictions, his membership in a gang - none of that is relevant to whether he walks.

Basically, those pushing "bail reform" are perfectly willing to get a few people killed in the interest of "fairness" and "race neutral" justice. That puts them on a par with the murderers and rapists they are so eager to see on the streets.Kid you not, they've got a 'Style' column with some woman writing as 'Whitey' into a Dear Abby-style personal problem-solving column asking a panel of leftists (of color) what she can do about all her 'white-skin privilege.'

Oh, the crazy, crawly things you can find on the 'style' pages of the New York Times where they apparently think no one is looking.

You can't make this stuff up:

Dear Sugars, Im riddled with shame. White shame. This isnt helpful to me or to anyone, especially people of color. I feel like there is no me outside of my white/upper middle class/cisgender identity. I feel like my literal existence hurts people, like Im always taking up space that should belong to someone else. I consider myself an ally. I research proper etiquette, read writers of color, vote in a way that will not harm P.O.C. (and other vulnerable people). I engage in conversations about privilege with other white people. I take courses that will further educate me. I donated to Black Lives Matter. Yet I fear that nothing is enough. Part of my fear comes from the fact that privilege is invisible to itself. What if Im doing or saying insensitive things without realizing it? Another part of it is that Im currently immersed in the whitest environment Ive ever been in.

Apparently, this is real, and not some joke put on by rightwing satirists. No satirist could make up something this bizarre in its minute self-loathing and expect to be believed.

The panel of lefty columnists answer her with stereotypical soothingness -- there, there, dear -- and advise her to pick up the torch for social justice warrior-hood - to relieve herself of her white skin privilege affliction. Only by becoming a SJW will she be redeemed.

It's about the most retch-inducing column of advice I've ever read.

Obviously, Sarah Jeong will feel right at home at a place like the Times. I recall one columnist (can't remember who) who wrote that the Times should continue to keep the rabidly anti-white racist Jeong on staff because her tweets "are what they think."

Which sounds extreme.

Until you start looking at what's going on in the Times's back pages.The Associated Press, bless its heart, came up with a classic headline to describe the outcome of primary elections yesterday in four states:

Republican primary voters reflect the rock-solid 90% approval that President Trump consistently enjoys from self-identified Republicans, handing victory to candidate expressing support for him, and defeat to his critics. Meanwhile, Democrat primary voters are trending leftward.

The unconscious acknowledgment that identity politics is now the be-all and end-all of the Democrats voting is priceless.

NeverTrump critics of the president fared poorly.

In Minnesota, former Governor Tim Pawlenty, who denounced Trump as unhinged was handily defeated by almost a 9 point margin in his quest to regain that office by Hennepin County (Minneapolis and some suburbs) Commissioner Jeff Johnson.

In Kansas, incumbent GOP Governor Jeff Colyer finally conceded to Chris Kobach, a hardline opponent of illegal immigration endorsed by Trump .

In Wisconsin, incumbent Governor Scott Walker, a former Trump critic who earned the presidents endorsement Monday, won easy re-nomination, and will face a Democrat closely identified with teacher unions. Another Republican formerly critical of the president.

In Connecticut, Trump is less of an issue than misbehavior/incompetence/unpopularity of the departing Democrat governor and one Congresswoman. Vox:

...the GOP is hoping to capitalize on current Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloys overwhelming unpopularity  and the states struggling economy  to win the 2018 governors race. Theyre also mounting a vigorous challenge for retiring Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Estys seat, one shes vacating in the wake of blowback she faced over how she handled sexual harassment allegations against a staffer.

And in Vermont, Dems commitment to diversity us on disply with the first-ever nomination of a transgender person with Y chromosomes in every cell of his body who nonetheless calls himself a woman:In a city where filthy sidewalks are many residents No. 1 complaint, City Hall has come up with a new way to deal with No. 2.

It's not surprising, given that San Francisco just lost $40 million in convention revenue, after a major medical association, repelled by the unsanitary condition of the city's excrement-covered streets, decided to hold its annual convention someplace else. The medical association had held annual convention in San Francisco for years up until then.

I suppose we can give them credit for not denying there is a problem, given the global exposure this gross problem has gotten. Most socialists deny there are ever any problems, other than Republicans, but money seems to have gotten their attention.

But the solution proposed is pretty much a Band-aid on a butt problem. It's unlikely that five employees, armed with steam cleaners, is really going to be able to make a long-term difference given the reasons it's happening.

The root of the problem is in three things: the incentivization of homelessness, which draws street poopers from all corners of the world to the fair city, free to do their business. San Francisco spends $279 million on homelessness 'programs' having raised the amount $29 million this year, which is a great thing for bureaucrats, but serves as a magnet for more homeless to come in as mendicants of the bureaucrats. One hand washes the other. There are 'navigation' programs, pregnant women programs, housing subsidies to non-profits to provide housing to the homeless, public-private partnerships, Homeward Bound, Operation Outreach, public toilets, and well, now we see Poop City as the current sum result. Throwing more money onto the problem will just create ... more poop.

Second, San Francisco is expensive, so there aren't many legs up for the indigent outside the homeless bureaucracy's goodies to dole out. 'Expensive' is the work of high taxes, including sales and property taxes, which shut down minimum wage jobs, high minimum wages, which reduce jobs altogether, and massive green and other regulations which shut out entire companies which provide jobs. This is the work of city policies in a one-party city.

Third, you can bet the poop patrol is going to be expensive, given that workers undoubtedly are paid a premium for the sanitary hazards of their job, and given the unionization of the city workers, they'll not be happy about it. Expect work stoppages with this one, given the reality that the poop patrols are basically just reactive, cleaning up after the homeless as they do their business, offering no disincentives, such as tickets, for miscreants.

It's not the first time San Francisco has tried to solve its homeless 'residue' issues in this reactive way. When I lived in San Francisco, the problems were there, but the budgets for bureaucrats were smaller, and so the homeless problem was smaller. A Supervisor named Wendy Nelder tried to solve the problem by having the city construct Porta-Potties for the convenience of the homeless, only to see them turned into shooting galleries, sleeping facilities and prostitution tryst points, which apparently is still happening. Now they are trying steam patrols.

What they need is less homeless altogether, but that would require bureaucratic cutbacks. Instead, they're just larding on the costs, hoping they'll get a different result.



Pity the poor Swedish prime minister, whose nation was rocked by arson attacks all across the country on Monday night. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven just can't believe how ungrateful some of the 600,000 refugees Sweden has taken in over the last few years are.

Politico:

I am really surprised. My question for these people is what the hell are you up to? Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said. Youre ruining things for yourselves, for your parents, for the whole community, for the neighbors and most of Swedish society is dead against this, he told Swedish national radios news show Ekot. It seems very coordinated, almost like a military operation. Eighty cars  what is that all about? asked Lofven. Lofven said his government has already boosted resources for the Swedish police and is planning new measures to prevent attacks against emergency services that he said frequently occur when they respond to such events. The longer-term response to such crime, he said, is to reduce unemployment and improve education and infrastructure levels in housing estates. The newspaper Aftonbladet published photographs of black-clad figures setting fire to cars in Gothenburg. Police in western Sweden said they are investigating the possibility that the arson attacks had been coordinated via social media.

You would hope someone would enlighten Mr. Lofven, but he wouldn't accept the explanation anyway. The arsonists - and probably most of the refugees - don't care about their "community," or their "neighbors," and especially about "Swedish society." They have no desire to be "Swedish" in any real sense of the term, although they wouldn't mind occupying the space on the map we currently call "Sweden."

And note the clueless response that the Sweden socialists are planning; "reduce unemployment and improve education and infrastructure levels in housing estates." To reduce unemployment, you need people who actually want to work. To improve education, you need kids who actually want to learn. And does he really expect thanks for improving infrastructure in the slums that the refugees inhabit?

I wrote this for PJ Media:

When confronted with barbarism, most civilized people are usually perplexed. "Why are they doing this," the Roman citizen must have asked as Visigoths sacked their beloved city. The Visigoths might have been equally confused. "We do it because it's what we do and we like it." I'm not sure what the answer to the prime minister's query would be from the arsonists. It could be some variation of "God is Great" or "Death to Infidels."

Sweden is boiling and the ruling socialists don't even realize they're being cooked.I have never looked to California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell as a paragon of good judgment, as he is one of the most fanatic Trump-haters gracing the screens of all the cable news outlets with his allegations of criminality in President Trumps relationship with Russia, despite the lack of evidence. But, as he explained to Bloomberg TV, he is the brother of police officers and a former prosecutor, so he knows something about investigations.

Some of the smarter Trump-haters realize that Peter Strzok is no hero, and that defending him will not help the cause of ousting a duly-elected president. Not only is he a repulsive martyr , his conduct in one of the highest positions in American law enforcement was indefensible, and considering the deception of the FISA court, possibly criminal.

HOST: "FBI's Peter Strzok, fired?" SWALWELL: "Yeah, I would have fired him, too." HOST: "You would?" SWALWELL: "He has rights as an employee, and those should be exhausted, but I also believe as the brother of police officers and a former prosecutor, with the stakes this high, a presidential candidate being investigated, you can't talk that way, even if it didn't affect the investigation."

Watch the brief video below, as he explains why he supports the firing of Strzok: (hat tip: David Rutz, Free Beacon )

Some of the smarter Trump-haters realize that Peter Strzok is no hero, and that defending him will not help the cause of ousting a duly-elected president. Not only is he a repulsive martyr, his conduct in one of the highest positions in American law enforcement was indefensible, and considering the deception of the FISA court, possibly criminal.

I have never looked to California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell as a paragon of good judgment, as he is one of the most fanatic Trump-haters gracing the screens of all the cable news outlets with his allegations of criminality in President Trumps relationship with Russia, despite the lack of evidence. But, as he explained to Bloomberg TV, he is the brother of police officers and a former prosecutor, so he knows something about investigations.

Watch the brief video below, as he explains why he supports the firing of Strzok: (hat tip: David Rutz, Free Beacon)

Transcript via Grabien:The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty recently shared a video about a unique natural phenomenon in a village called Dinosa, located in southeastern Montenegroa small country on the Adriatic coast. There is a mulberry tree standing in the meadow there that turns into a fountain whenever it rains heavy. From a hollow on the tree trunk water can be seen gushing abundantly.

Apparently, the rains had flooded the underground springs and the additional pressure created pushed water up the tree trunk through cracks or hollows on the trunk, until it poured out of a hole a few feet above the ground. As you can see from the video, the ground is quite sloppy indicating the amount of groundwater there is in the soil and below. You can also see water gurgling out of other holes in the meadow. The entire area is flowing like a small stream.

According to a local man interviewed, this has been happening for the last 20-25 years or perhaps even longer. He estimates the tree is over 100 to 150 years old.

While Montenegros tree fountain is indeed unique, it isnt the only example of water gushing out of the ground after rains. In the Estonian village of Tuhala, there is a well that starts spouting water after a heavy downpour. The well happens to be placed just over an underground river. After rain water floods the river, water pressure builds to the point that it shoots up out of the well, sometimes up to half a meter high. This continues for a few days. During this time, more than 100 liters of water can flow out every second.

The local legend is that the witches of Tuhala gather in the sauna underground and beats each other vigorously with birch branches causing water to pour out on the surface. They call it the Witchs Well.

Photo credit: www.visitestonia.com

Photo credit: Greta/Flickr

Photo credit: Tony Bowden/Flickr

The Tuhalas Witch well when its not flowingHMD Global has confirmed that all of its Nokia-branded Android smartphones will get Android 9 Pie update. HMD Global shared such info with Suomimobiili.fi, and it only reaffirms the companys past promises when it comes to updates, it seems like HMD Global will stick to its word, its nice to see that HMD Global plans to upgrade all of its Nokia-branded Android handsets, not only the ones that are a part of Googles Android One project.

Some of you are probably wondering how many phones is that, as HMD Global had introduced quite a few Nokia-branded devices thus far. Well, were looking at 16 phones here, including: the Nokia X5, X6, 1, 2, 2.1, 3, 3.1, 5, 5.1, 6, 6.1, 6.1 Plus, 7, 8, 8 Sirocco, and the 7 Plus. The Nokia 7 Plus already has access to Android 9 Pie in form of a Developer Preview build, but a stable build is expected to land in the near future. Now, Android one handsets will probably get the update first, but it remains to be seen what are HMD Globals plans exactly when it comes to the order of updating all of these phones. HMD Global may decide to share a precise timetable for these update, but were still not sure, as the company may just start updating them in the near future without any additional info.

Android 9 Pie was introduced by Google earlier this month, after the company released four Developer Preview builds. Android 9 Pie is not just an iterative update, as it brings quite a few new features, while it also changes the design of Android quite a bit. Google has completely revamped the quick toggles menu, while the Settings menu has been updated as well. Googles take on gesture navigation has been implemented in this build as well, even though its not forced on consumers just yet, but it will be if you decide to purchase the Pixel 3 or 3 XL, as it seems like neither of those two phones will offer on-screen buttons. If youd like to read more about Android 9 Pie, click here.Integration between Googles Chrome OS and Androids default messaging platform  Android Messages  will be driven by a progressive web application (PWA) on the Chromebook side of the equation. Thats based on newly spotted commits to the Chromium Gerrit which explicitly points to the use of the new web technology for Android Messages on Chromebook. Since the commit is marked as a work in progress theres always a chance that future changes will alter the current plans and the code is nowhere near complete right now. In fact, right now the PWA works but it does not push the application to its own window or grab the Android Messages icon for use in the U.I. Moreover, at least one merge is currently in conflict with the rest of the code relating to the feature. Thats directly tied in with how the newly added CrosSmsService handles message-passing between the service worker and connection manager.

The former of those last two commits have already been merged, however, so it should only be a matter of time before everything works as intended and can be released via an update. With that said, the long-awaited feature will look and feel much more like a native Android app when it finally arrives if the developers continue in that direction. It should even include a messages icon on the shelf and in the Chrome OS app drawer for launching the service. PWAs essentially download a web-application or website and operate almost exactly like standalone applications. The latest cached version is pulled forward when the application registers that the installation device is offline.

In the meantime, the commits in question are just the latest in a string of commits which have pointed to the company joining the two operating systems via Googles ongoing Better Together campaign. That doesnt stop with Android Messages either, although that has been a primary focus since it was discovered. Beyond SMS sharing, Better together is expected to deliver instant device tethering and smart lock features similar to those found on Android. In short, a Chromebook and an Android handset will be able to instantly recognize a connection between the two after being set up. Theyll also keep each other unlocked while in proximity and connected.ASUS has now officially revealed the existence of its Chromebook C223 via a new page for the device uploaded to its website without fanfare bearing a Chromebook 12 designation. The 11.6-inch Chromebook 12 had been leaked back in June but not many specifications were given at that time. Now that its official, the full details of the new Chrome OS laptop can be examined in more detail. Although it was initially reported to weigh in at around 1224.7 grams, the ASUS Chromebook 12 is now confirmed to tip the scales at just 999g with its 38-watt-hour two cell battery accounted for. That battery does drive Intels Celeron Dual-Core N3350 Processor, clocked at 1.1GHz with 2Mb cache and boosting up to 2.4GHz, backed by 4GB of dual-channel RAM and 32GB of eMMC flash storage. In addition to its memory and storage, the inclusion of 2 USB Type-C ports, a standard USB jack, 3.5mm headphone plug, and micro SD card slot has been confirmed by the new listing.

There is also plenty of new information to be taken from the newly posted hardware as well. The above-mentioned USB ports are each listed as being USB 3.1, generation one. Both of the Type-C ports support both power delivery and display out functionality. The built-in battery is touted as allowing for up to 10 hours of browsing on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Chromebook 12s not quite 12-inch anti-glare display is set at a display ratio of 16:9 with a resolution of 1366 x 768 and a refresh rate listed at 60Hz. Thats packed into a frame measuring 286mm x 199mm x 17.25mm, which should allow for easy portability throughout the day for buyers.

As expected, ASUS has forgone the inclusion of either a touchscreen or 360-degree hinge. So theres no tablet mode and no touch interaction with Android apps. Thats not unsurprising but may be disappointing for those hoping for a budget convertible from the company. No details have been provided for the camera embedded just above that display but it is noted to feature an HD sensor. The chassis of the Chromebook 12 also appears to be comprised of plastics with a clean grey metallic look, although the materials havent been confirmed at this point. That may not be a negative point, however, since it trades off some durability but makes the device both lighter and more affordable. At the same time, ASUSs latest Chromebook isnt at all cheap. The build is designed to withstand spills up to 66cc of liquid  just over 2 ounces  and its full-size Chiclet keyboard is designed to feel premium with just 1.5mm key travel.

Advertisement

For connectivity, ASUS doesnt indicate whether or not a Bluetooth module is part of the package and no ethernet port or SIM slot is provided. The latter exclusions are not at all uncommon in hardware running Googles Chrome OS. The included Wi-Fi capabilities, enabled by Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n/ac radio with 22 MIMO, are more in line with whats expected from any Chromebook. That should equate to solid connection anywhere wireless connectivity is available. One other area where the company has not cut any corners at all, in the meantime, is the Chromebook 12s speakers. Both of the included speakers are rated at 2-watts and feature enhanced resonance chambers that ASUS says will generate 82dB of audio. Moreover, that audio as listed as Hi-Fi so the quality of sound pumped out at that volume most likely wont disappoint.

Aside from other details that still havent been clarified by the company, ASUS has not provided any information about how much its Chromebook 12 will cost or where it will be made available. Beyond that, there are no details about when it will become available for purchase either. The most recent estimates based on the hardware have ranged from below $200 to just past the $300 mark. Bearing that in mind, certifications have been provided and that could give at least a few clues as to where consumers can expect the new Chrome OS laptop-like to appear. Some of those are more general but that isnt the case for all. FCC compliance seems to suggest that North America will be included in the sales regions while BSMI points to sales in Taiwan. Australia and New Zealand sales also seem to be indicated in the list of certifications and both CB and EU Flower would appear to implicate Europe as a region where the Chromebook 12 will be sold.The FCC is firing back at AT&T today, stating that the statements that AT&T made to the FCC in years prior to the AT&T/Time Warner merger, should not have been ignored by Judge Richard Leon in the case with the Department of Justice. In the court brief on Monday, the FCC stated that this was an incorrect conclusion by Judge Leon. Stating while the Commission takes no position on the relevance of any document in this case, it is concerned that two fo the rationales supplied by the district court for discounting the probative value of submissions made to the FCC could reflect a misunderstanding of Commission procedures.

Essentially, the FCC is not taking either side in the case, but this court brief, that was filed at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, does give the Justice Departments case a bit more strength. The DOJ originally lost the case to block the merger of AT&T and Time Warner, and the two companies ended up completing the merger mere hours after Judge Leon gave his verdict. However, a few weeks ago, the Justice Department did file for an appeal on this case, and is attempting to get a do-over on this case. That is because the Justice Department did not seem ready for this case, while AT&T and Time Warner were.

If the appeal by the Justice Department does go through, it could force AT&T to undo the merger, that took nearly two years to actually complete. The Justice Department is pretty sure that it can win the case this time around and believes that the court erred on the decision in the case, the first time around. As Judge Leon ruled that the merger would not affect customers  when in fact, AT&T began raising rates about a week after the trial ended and the verdict was out.Amazon currently has the NVIDIA SHIELD TV on sale for just $179. That is for the model that includes both the remote and the controller  which is usually $199. This is the first time that the NVIDIA SHIELD TV has been on sale since Amazon Prime Day, and it also brings it back down to its all-time lowest price.

The NVIDIA SHIELD TV is an Android TV set-top box, which allows you to watch content from a slew of different sources like Netflix, Hulu, Google Play Movies & TV, HBO GO, and so much more. It also has plenty of Android games included, and with GeForce NOW, you can stream games from your Steam account and play them on the big screen. Which is a pretty fun way to play some of these games. The NVIDIA SHIELD TV is one of the more powerful set-top boxes out there, so its definitely worth picking up. It also was just updated to Android Oreo, and it has the Google Assistant included. This allows you to ask the Google Assistant to do a slew of things  like how the weather is, whats on your calendar, who is the actor in Anger Management, and much more. Google Assistant can also help you find something to watch on TV, which is also pretty neat.

This item is also eligible for Amazon Primes free shipping. Which includes free two-day shipping, and pretty cheap (usually $3.99) next-day shipping if you need it extra fast. If you are not an Amazon Prime member yet, you can sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime. Youll get 30 days free (if youre a student, you get 6 months), and then its $119/year (or $59/year for students). Prime members do get a whole lot more than just free shipping though, so be sure to check out the full benefits.In a recent blog post, Google announced that new customers in the United States can now choose to upgrade their plans to Google One. The company initially unveiled its revamped cloud storage offering back in May 2018, and a few weeks after it was revealed, customers with paid Google Drive subscriptions were upgraded to Google One. Now, the search giant has started allowing all subscribers in the US to directly choose Google One plans. Moreover, the tech firm stated that it will also roll out Google One in other markets within the next few weeks, although it failed to provide a specific timeline on the expanded availability of its enhanced cloud storage offerings. Googles support pages state that customers may get the Google One plans either through the services website or through the dedicated mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

One of the key selling points of Google One is the cheaper rates for some of its plans. For example, the search giant reduced the price of the 2TB plan from $19.99 per month to $9.99 monthly, while the 200GB cloud storage plan costs $2.99 per month. On the other hand, consumers will have to pay $1.99 per month for the 100GB plan. This cloud storage allocation can be shared with up to five family members, and account holders can set how much storage will be shared with other users using the Google One application. The app also allows the user to view the amount of storage consumed by the files stored on Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.

Google One also allows consumers to directly contact the search giants live support team either through chat or through calls using the services mobile application. The service also offers additional member benefits to its subscribers, including Google Play credits and special hotel discounts. In addition, the search giant mentioned that new benefits from both the Google Store and the Google Express will become available soon. Both the live tech support and member benefits are available not only to the account holders but also to other users who are included in the shared storage plan.

Advertisement

https://youtu.be/lWyv1k-kRaQIntroduction

Do we have a good one for you today  the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is compared to the new Galaxy Note 9. We need to know if Samsung went far enough with its new flagship to encourage Note 8 owners to upgrade to the newer model, or if owners of other smartphones should upgrade as well. Samsung is probably counting on a few Note 8 owners jumping on the new Note 9  but those few will be owners who simply must have the newest device. A number of Note 9 buyers will likely be those moving up from the S series, although Samsung will be hoping owners of other branded smartphones will decide to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 as well. The Note 8 and Note 9 look very much alike from the front, and almost as alike from the back  the main difference being the placement of the fingerprint sensor, which is to the right of the camera and flash on the Note 8, but under the camera and flash on the Note 9.

The Galaxy Note 8 and Note 9 have many things in common  and that should not come as a surprise since they are both made by Samsung. The display only increased a 1/10 of an inch while all other specs on the display remained the same. They both use a Snapdragon processor and an Adreno GPU, only a year apart in design. Both use a base of 6GB of RAM and both have expandable storage. Both devices use dual 12-megapixel cameras, however, the Note 9 has some definite improvements, while both use the same 8-megapixel front-facing camera (FFC). The devices use different capacity non-removable batteries, provide Samsungs Adaptive Fast Charging and quick wireless charging for both the Qi and PMA formats. They both have the usual items  NFC (Google Pay), Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi, and a 3.1 USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. They also have the usual Samsung features  Samsung Pay, Hi-Res Audio, IP68 certification, 3.5 mm headphone jack, DeX, Bixby, Samsung Connect, facial recognition, an iris scanner, heart rate monitor, Sp02 sensor, and an S Pen. Both are running Android 8.0 (Oreo)  the Note 8 was updated to 8.0 and the Note 9 is out of the box 8.1. Physically, they are very close in size with the Galaxy Note 9 weighing in only slightly heavier  195 grams versus 201 grams.

Advertisement

Please take a careful look at the detailed specifications comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two high-end smartphones stack up against each other. After that, we will look at each mobile offering in more detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on overall specs, as well as the execution of design and functions.

Specifications

Advertisement

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

After the Note 7 debacle in 2016, it was good to see the line return in 2017 with the Galaxy Note 8 . This version included an Infinity Display and eliminated the Home button in favor of on-screen buttons. The bottom bezel is void of any functions, making it extremely small, while the narrow top bezel handles the earpiece/speaker, indicator light, proximity sensor, iris scanner, and the front-facing camera (FFC)  also facilitating facial recognition. The fingerprint sensor was moved to the far right of the LED Flash to make it harder to smudge the camera lens. Samsung made some improvements to the S Pen and its software to make it more productive, yet easier to use.

Those that purchased the Note 5 (the last Note device still on the market) will notice many improvements with the Note 8. The display size jumped from 5.7-inches to 6.3-inches. The Infinity Display was included along with the 18.5:9 aspect ratio and the QHD+ display. This new display pushes out 2960 x 1440 pixels which translates to 521 pixels-per-inch (PPI). On the Note 8, you will find the same Always-On technology, while Gorilla Glass 5 protects the front and the back of the phone  just like the Note 9.

Advertisement

The Galaxy Note 8 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor in select markets  the best that was available at the time and the predecessor to the SD845/Adreno 630. It is clocked at 2.35 GHz and uses an Adreno 540 GPU. The Galaxy Note 8 packs 6GB of DDR4 RAM that offers a smooth experience and fast multitasking. It has 64GB of expandable storage via a microSD card. To power all of this, Samsung included a non-removable 3,300 mAh capacity battery that should make it through the entire day. Heavy users that need to charge the Note 8 during the day can do so with its Adaptive Fast Charger, or its Quick Wireless Charging, designed for both Qi and PMA formats.

The Galaxy Note 8 received the dual camera setup before the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Note 9. It uses two 12-megapixel cameras with the main camera offering 2x Optical Zoom, a large f/1.7 aperture for low-light shots, PDAF, an LED flash, Auto HDR, and OIS. The secondary camera has a smaller f/2.4 aperture and can help with bokeh effects or Live Focus. Samsung uses a nicely-sized 8-megapixel FFC along with a large f/1.7 aperture, auto-HDR, and even includes its own autofocus.

The Galaxy Note 8 also has the usual Samsung Note goodies  Samsung Pay, Bixby personal assistant, Samsung Connect, Samsung DeX, a side panel (right or left  you pick) for quick access to your most 10 used contacts or apps. It has an IP68 certification, a heart rate monitor, and an SpO2 sensor. In addition to the S Pen and its associated software that makes it even easier to access the Note 8s capabilities. With drawing apps you can create a real work of art, or just take a simple note and make a shopping list.

Advertisement

The Note 8 is available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold, and Rose Pink depending on market and carrier. It comes with Android 7.0 (Nougat) out-of-the-box, but has since upgraded to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and Samsung Experience 9.0 (UI). The device measures 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, weighs in at 173 grams, and will cost you a sweet $750 since the arrival of the Note 9.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Advertisement

Galaxy Note 8 owners already enjoy the benefits of a dual camera setup, but to further those features the Galaxy Note 9 incorporates Galaxy S9 Plus upgrades  in fact, the Note 9 is a combination of the looks of the Note 8 and the technology of the Galaxy S9 Plus. That means it includes the Infinity Displays narrow top and bottom bezels. The narrow top bezel handles the earpiece/speaker, notification light, proximity sensor, iris scanner, and the FFC. This time around the fingerprint sensor was moved directly below the camera (a la S9 Plus) to make it harder to smudge the camera lens. Samsung included yearly improvements to the display (from the Note 8 to the Note 9) and the new Bluetooth S Pen that can be used as a clicker to advance through photos  similar to a remote control. The S Pen software also saw an upgrade to make it easier to use, while adding more productivity.

The display size jumped from 6.3-inches on the Note 8, to 6.4-inches on the Note 9  hardly a huge increase, but detectable all the same. Beside keeping Samsungs Infinity Display and the 18.5:9 aspect ratio, it also keeps the QHD+ resolution with 2960 x 1440 pixels giving us a 516 PPI. The Note 9 also shares the Always-On technology, designed to save battery life and to make it easier on the user to decide if they really want to turn-on their device to read notifications in full. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the front and the back of the Note 9 connected by a metal frame.

The Galaxy Note 9 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor in select markets. It is clocked at 2.8 GHz and uses an Adreno 630 GPU. The Galaxy Note 9, like its predecessor, packs 6GB of DDR4 RAM that contributes to a smooth user experience and fast multitasking. It has an increased base of 128GB of storage expandable via a microSD card, although an 8GB/512GB model is also available. The greatest capacity battery Samsung has ever used in a Note device, a non-removable 4,000 mAh battery is included in the Note 9 and should be sufficient to get through an entire day. When you do need to charge the Note 9 you can with its Adaptive Fast Charger plugged in, or its Quick Wireless Charging, designed for both Qi and PMA formats

Many critics speculated that the Galaxy S8 would have dual cameras, but Samsung saved that distinction for the Galaxy Note 8, followed by the Galaxy S9 Plus, and now the new Galaxy Note 9. It uses the same two 12-megapixel Super Dual Pixel cameras as the Galaxy S9 Plus with the main camera offering 2x Optical Zoom. The main camera also uses the same adaptive aperture found on the S9 Plus. The camera will use a large f/1.5 aperture for low-light shots and adjust itself automatically to a smaller f/2.4 for bright shots. It uses OIS, PDAF, an LED flash, and Auto HDR. The secondary camera uses the smaller f/2.4 aperture and can help with bokeh, or Live Focus, effects. Samsung included an excellent FFC with 8-megapixels, along with a large f/1.7 aperture, auto-HDR, and even includes its own autofocus. It should produce some excellent selfies and video chats.

Advertisement

The Note 9 is initially available in Lavender Purple and Ocean Blue, but is also expected to become available in Midnight Black and Metallic Copper, depending on market and carrier. It comes with Android 8.1 (Oreo) out-of-the-box and the newest Samsung Experience 9.5 (UI). The device measures 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm and weighs in at 201 grams and will cost you a sweet $1,000 for the 6GB/128GB model.

And The Winner Is

Advertisement

The Final Word

I have to pick the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 as the winner of this comparison. There is just not enough of an upgrade to recommend purchasing a Galaxy Note 9  especially when you consider the price difference which is close to $250 right now. Not to mention that gap will likely widen further once the Galaxy Note 9 hits the streets. The Galaxy Note 8 is still a Note 9 look-a-like, beautiful in every regard, and holds up well after a year on the market. Yes, it has the Snapdragon 835, but still packs 6GB of RAM with storage, resulting in a fast and smooth user experience.

It is true the Galaxy Note 9 has a slightly larger display, the SD845 processor, an S Pen with Bluetooth, improved camera experience, and the addition of stereo speakers, but is that really worth the extra money? If you need to have the latest and greatest device and money is no object, then, by all means, purchase the fabulous Note 9. If you own a Note 8 already, you are probably best off sticking with it until the Note 10 arrives.T-Mobile Chief Executive Officer John Legere didnt miss the opportunity provided by the latest Un-Carrier Next conference to once again openly mock the rest of the wireless industry, having paid special attention to AT&T while speaking from Charleston, South Carolina, earlier today. The event organized for the launch of T-Mobiles Team of Experts initiative also saw the industry veteran compare DirecTV Now service with Slow Cooker Sunday, a weekly cooking show hes been streaming for the last two and a half years, primarily with the goal of pitching T-Mobiles service in an unconventional manner.

With the latest iteration of the show attracting 4.2 million viewers on Facebook Live and DirecTV Nows latest subscriber report estimating some 1.8 million users are with the service, Mr. Legere concluded AT&Ts video streaming platform is not delivering the growth T-Mobiles rival hoped for. [Its] just a bad use of my weekend time, said the executive in regards to the two viewership figures being compared. The 60-year-old also pulled up an image of an AT&T-themed Death Star during the event, remarking how the illustration never gets old and predicting that DirecTV Now will hardly see faster growth even as AT&T is now throwing Apple TVs at people. The full footage of the 75-minute event can be seen below.

The focus of the newest Un-Carrier Next conference was T-Mobiles vow to solve the issue of the soul-crushing customer service segment and its reliance on interactive voice response (IVR) robots. The companys expert teams are meant to address that problem by being individually dedicated to servicing particular areas and allowing customers to schedule calls or describe their problems in advance. As part of the same event, T-Mobile also announced an offer of free Pandora Plus subscriptions and Live Nation concert perks but hasnt mentioned anything regarding its ambitions to launch an Internet TV service by the end of the year, something it was widely expected to do today. The service in question should still be introduced in the coming months, powered by Layer3 TV which T-Mobile acquired in early 2018.T-Mobile is now offering free month-long trials of its services to American consumers who are considering switching to its network, though the promo still isnt available in all parts of the United States and comes with some other strings attached. The companys trial program can also end sooner if customers exceed 30GB of data and taking advantage of the promotional offer means using your smartphone in conjunction with a dedicated hotspot. T-Mobile will be sending the hotspot devices in question along with a SIM card meant to be used with them free of charge, whereas the shipping process itself will take two days.

The Bellevue, Washington-based carrier hasnt clarified which exact hotspots are being used in the trials, suggesting the company will be relying on more than one model. The promotional offer is presently only available in Atlanta, Georgia, Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts. T-Mobile has yet to disclose whether it has any plans to make the trial available in more markets, though the newly announced promotion doesnt appear to have a set end date. Anyone interested in enrolling in the trial can do so by referring to the banner below, filling out a short contact form, and waiting for their hotspot device to arrive. Trials are limited to one per six months and MetroPCS customers arent eligible to participate in them. Likewise, customers of any mobile virtual network operator using T-Mobiles network cant take advantage of the companys newest offer.

T-Mobile likely opted to invest in hotspots instead of shipping trial SIM cards alone so as to ensure even consumers with devices locked to other carriers can participate in the promotion which has likely been structured as a loss leader. The third-largest network operator in the country is also set to make a major announcement later today, with many industry watchers predicting the move will see the launch of T-Mobiles Internet TV service that the company already confirmed is coming earlier this year following its Layer3 TV purchase. "Nowhere to Go: Homelessness among formerly incarcerated people" | Main | "The American Execution Queue" 

This local story, headlined "49 Oklahoma inmates imprisoned for drug crimes asking for commutations; 49 asking state to consider commutations in light of State Question 780," reports on an interesting clemency echo in the wake of a notable ballot initiative passed in Oklahoma in 2016. Here are the details:

Some state inmates serving 10 years to life in prison for what has been described as low-level drug crimes have applied for commutations thanks to the help of advocates and law students.

The 49 inmates and those backing their commutation applications are citing recent changes in state law  and Oklahomas highest incarceration rate in the nation  as the reason why. A lot of these are 20-, sometimes 30-year sentences on a crime that if charged now would be a misdemeanor, said Corbin Brewster, Tulsa Countys chief public defender.

Brewsters office assisted Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform with creating the list of inmates. The coalition of business and community leaders, law enforcement experts and advocates across the state is led by former state House Speaker Kris Steele.

The state Pardon and Parole Board will take the up the first batch of 23 commutation requests  all female inmates  on Monday in Oklahoma City. The rest are scheduled to be considered next month.

The requests for commuted sentences, if recommended by the parole board and approved by the governor, would only reduce the length of the prison terms. Some sentences could be modified to time served, but the convictions would remain on the inmates record.

Push for commutations is spurred by the passage of State Question 780, which starting July 1, 2017, made nonviolent drug possession offenses and low-level property offenses misdemeanors instead of felonies. Steele led the call for the state question, which was approved in November 2016 by 58 percent of Oklahoma voters.

Eight law school students, working as summer interns for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, helped choose applicants and interviewed them, said Stephen Galoob, associate professor at the University of Tulsa Law School. Galoob said the effort is aimed at just making the system work.

These are all cases and these are all stories that are really powerful, he said. And a lot of what the students are doing is just telling the stories of the people who are in prison for crimes that the people of Oklahoma dont really think we should be locking people up for....

The parole board uses a two-stage process to consider commutations. During the first stage, the board reviews the application before considering whether to pass the request to a second, more thorough review stage. At least a majority vote of the board is needed to forward the commutation request to the governor for final consideration.

The parole board considered 477 commutation requests in fiscal 2018, which ended June 30, said DeLynn Fudge, the agencys executive director. The board passed 19 of the requests to the second stage of its review process, of which 10 were forwarded to the governor with a recommendation that they be approved, Fudge said.BarcelonaSusana used to work in a restaurant on La Rambla and on August 17 last year she was waiting for her bus when the van driven by Younes Abouyaaqoub brought terror to the centre of Barcelona city. The terrorists vehicle ground to a halt less than one metre from where she was standing, at Pla de lOs. At first I put on a brave face, she explains. Susana was not hurt physically, but a year on she is still feeling the impact of that day and the psychological consequences of the terrorist attack have prevented her from getting back her life as it used to be before 17-A. On Saturday August 19, not even 48 hours after the incident, she went back to work. My legs were like jelly. I had to leave the restaurant early because I had a panic attack. From that moment she sought professional help to get over her issues. She did so all by herself because no administration ever got in touch with her, not even Spains Ministry of the Interior, whose job it is to take care of the victims of a terrorist attack through its Terror Victim Support Department. We have been ignored, Susana declares.

Just over three months ago Susana heard about the UAVAT, which stands for Unitat dAtencio i Valoracio als Afectats pel Terrorisme [Terror Victims Care and Assessment Unit], a group born out of the experience of other terror victims and professionals who have worked especially with those who were hit by the 11-M attack in Madrid. The group led by Robert Manrique, a consultant, and a team of therapists and medical examiners has recently signed an agreement with the City of Barcelona. At present they represent about seventy families who were struck by the attacks, about 250 people in total, and the Council has passed on the case files of another 150 victims who can either be reported by calling 900 828 717 or can come forward themselves.

The profile of the victims that the UAVAT are helping is varied, ranging from people who suffered major injuries in Barcelona and Cambrils and their families, to local workers and members of the public who happened to witness the attacks and suffer from PTSD, including the neighbours of the Alcanar villa which the terrorist cell used as a safe house [until it went up in smoke as a result of an accidental explosion]. Manrique, himself a victim of a bomb planted by ETA in a Barcelona supermarket in 1987, confirms the feeling of helplessness reported by Susana who, despite finding herself on La Rambla, was not attended to by anybody on the day of the attack. We are doing the job that the administration ought to be doing, explains the UAVAT consultant.

One of the units tasks is to be proactive about locating the victims, attend to those who come forward, advise them about their rights and hold their hand throughout the whole process, explains Elisa Micciola, a UAVAT psychologist. Practically none of the people we have helped had any information about their rights and knew where to go, she claims. The psychologist explains that we ask them where they were [on the day], what they experienced, what injuries they sustained, what they need and how they are feeling. Once the professionals have formed a picture of their situation, they get in touch with the consultant so that he can help them out with the paperwork and red tape in order to be recognised as a victim of a terrorist attack and receive a benefit that covers their therapy or a disability pension and refer them to a local psychologist. The care is provided on an individual basis because each case is different.

The agony of re-victimisation

Susana sought professional help from therapists on her own, but she did not come forward because she just didnt know she was meant to. When I filed a report with the police a few months ago, I was told that it was up to me to prove that I had been on La Rambla that day. According to Micciola, one the problems with the victims having to handle the application process by themselves is the re-victimisation they experience when they have to recall their ordeal every time they are interviewed by the administration: they must report the incident, obtain medical reports that certify their condition if they havent got any, sort out the paperwork and recount their experience.

You cant get it out of your head. Youre having a good day and you think its gone for good, but it keeps coming back, says Susana while she is in a UAVAT waiting room. Thats why the group believed that it would have been key for Madrid to set up a permanent office for the victims in Barcelona. Manrique complains that they had one open for less than one week and then shut it down and theyve never been back since. As we near the first anniversary of the attacks, following the application procedure is more of an uphill struggle these days. Thats why the UAVT advisors and specialists accompany the victims and prepare for them all the forms they need to fill in so all they need to do is attach the medical reports and tests results that they have. Susana has just met Nuria in the UAVATs waiting room. Her eyes light up when she learns that Nurias experience was similar to hers. They sit closer together and tell each other where they were and how they felt. Susana says that you need to talk, listen and not be judged. Only those who have been through a similar experience can understand you, Nuria remarks. Being in touch with other people who have lived through the same ordeal is one of the biggest helps they have had.

Invisible after-effects

The UAVT psychologist explains that one of the main issues for the people who were not injured in the attacks but suffer from PTSD either because they lost someone dear to them or they witnessed the incident is that the psychological after-effects do not show immediately. That makes it even more difficult to obtain medical reports and have tests that can certify their condition.

As they start sharing their experiences, Susana and Nuria realise that both of them spent three months practically home bound following the terrorist attacks. Nuria used to run one of the stalls on La Rambla, next to carrer Hospital, and has lived in the area all her life. The van crashed into her shop. Id been back from my holidays for one day, she explains. My son used to say that I ought to feel well, as I was one of the lucky ones, but I couldnt. In Nurias case the UAVT approached her at the end of August, after they heard about her case through a police report that she filed with the Mossos dEsquadra after the attack and the fact that she was one of the stall owners with whom the Council was in touch. I thought I had processed all the paperwork but now I realise that I hadnt. Nuria was seen by her GP and began to receive therapy. I am so glad I filed my paperwork back then. Her case is being handled by a Madrid-based lawyer and she was under the impression that this would be enough to be recognised as a terror victim. She was wrong. In fact, she hadnt even begun the administrative process.

Another difficulty she faces is the uncertainty about the future. Nuria has not been back to her stall on La Ramble and is considering selling her flat and moving out of the city. Her sister has been living in the countryside for years and she reckons that is where she feels best these days. I struggle if I have to spend time in crowded places, she explains. She doesnt know whether shell ever be able to get a job. I have always worked in retail, but now I cant see myself doing that.

UAVT: born in the aftermath of the attacks

The UAVAT Unitat dAtencio i Valoracio als Afectats pel Terrorisme [Terror Victims Care and Assessment Unit] was rolled out at the beginning of 2018 to offer psychological support and guidance to the victims of the attacks, direct or otherwise. The group was born out of the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks as a joint venture with the University of Barcelona (UB) and is coordinated by psychologists Elisa Micciola and Sara Bosch, who used to lead the Catalan Association of Victims of Terrorist Organisations (ACVOT), and Robert Manrique, the former president of the ACVOT and himself a victim of ETAs Hipercor bombing.

The organisation also works closely with other groups, such as the 11-M association, and from the start they took it upon themselves to help the victims with all the paperwork, bearing in mind the shortcomings of the administration when it comes to providing immediate, ongoing support to the victims of terror attacks.

In June the City Council and the UAVT signed an agreement for a total amount of 80,000 whereby all the people affected by the 17-A attacks will receive legal, judicial and individual assistance.Everts Air Cargo, an Alaska-based cargo carrier, has acquired the aircraft to support its existing fleet of five MD-83s.

The subject aircraft was formerly operated by the now defunct Afrijet Airlines and was seized by AMCON, among other assets. Aerotask has been the sole advisor to AMCON concerning their aviation-related portfolio since 2016.

This asset was undoubtedly one of the most challenging ones we have been mandated with and successfully placing it has yet again proven the mettle and capability of our team, said Robert Sitta, Vice President Aircraft Leasing & Trading.Working in close co-ordination with the Ministry of Social Development, (MoSD) Oman Air aims to assist the eligible citizens in achieving their full potential.

The airline has restated its commitment to sustainable social development and has pledged to continue promoting initiatives, which aim to develop and support people with special needs. The Ministry of Social Development makes the support of these citizens a major priority and it works to meet their needs on a daily basis.

Oman Airs Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Abdulaziz Al Raisi, commented: As the National Carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Air is proud to be working closely with the MoSD to improve the life of the citizens of our nation. At Oman Air we have expanded the range of our community initiatives to support eligible individuals reach their full potential and achieve a rewarding and balanced life. Oman Air supports a wide range of educational, cultural and sporting schemes which not only help to improve the lives of individuals, but also make an important contribution to the economic and social wellbeing of the Sultanate.

The airline has developed a genuine strong partnership with the Ministry of Social Development. For example, the national carrier offers a 50 percent discount for individuals travelling from families that fall under the social insurance programme and their accompanying person. This includes those who are travelling for medical treatment and study purposes. Also, new graduates from high schools in Oman are entitled to receive a 25 percent discount on return flights to enable them to continue their studies overseas, with baggage allowance of 10kg above the weight normally permitted. In addition, Oman Air recently introduced a new Senior Citizen Discount on flights, wherein Omani nationals can get up to 15 percent discount on domestic flight bookings.There has been an increase in prices of houses and land in the city. The Department affirmed the volatility of housing segment in the property market follows the laws of supply and demand.

Notwithstanding, more people bought houses as there has been rise in price of land; consequently, land price has gone up more.



Speculation and incorrect information resulted in high transaction value, even 70 percent rise compared to same period last year.

The Department said present high land price is in some areas which have poor traffic and infrastructure.

Accordingly, in its document to Peoples Committee, the Department wants to take steps to curb property bubble in some areas for a transparent and sustainable development of real estate.

The Department said in its document that participation of related agencies, local governments and state bank of Vietnam is needed to curb the property bubble.

Specifically, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Construction and peoples committees in districts should publicize the information of construction pace of condominium projects, urban transport infrastructure.

Additionally, district administrations have to enhance management on separating farm land in urban and rural areas. Police officers and local governments will issue harsh fines on those spread incorrect information of projects or swindlers.

By NHUNG NGUYEN - Translated by UYEN PHUONGThe United Arab Emirates (UAE) army is testing a new variant of the Finnish-made Patria AMV (Armored Modular Vehicle) combat vehicle, which is fitted with the combat module of the Russian-originated BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), during its intervention to Yemen, an Arab military source told TASS.



Finnish Patria AMV 8x8 armored fitted with Russian BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle turret at IDEX 2007 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Picture source Army Recognition)

"The UAE military is actively testing the Patria AMV with the BMP-3 turret in combat environment in Yemen. The combination of the Finnish-originated chassis and the Russian-originated combat module is very effective. The BMP-3 stands out among other IFVs in terms of firepower, owing to its powerful armament suite, which comprises a 100 mm gun-launcher and a 30 mm coaxial automatic cannon," the source said.

The AMV combat vehicle has been developed by Finland`s Patria company. The variant fitted with the BMP-3 turret features an increased length. The Patria AMV fitted with BMP-3 turret was unveiled for the first time during IDEX, Abu Dhabi Defense Exhibition in February 2007.





In February 2016, Finnish Defense Company Patria Group has announced an export license to sell an unspecified number of 8x8 Patria AMV armored vehicles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Patria AMV has been used in Afghanistan, Chad and is also participating in ongoing Saudi-led operations in Yemen.

In December 2017, Army Recognition has released information about the use of Patria AMV 8x8 armored vehicles by the UAE armed forces during an offensive against Houthis in Western coast of Yemen.

The Patria AMV used by the UAE armed forces in the combat operations in the Yemen Western coast was fitted with a remotely operated weapon station armed with 12.7mm heavy machine gun. To increase the protection of the vehicle, slat armour is added on each side of the hull offering more protection against RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenades) threats.

 Copyright 2018 TASS / Army Recognition Group SPRL . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2017 provides readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Singapore and...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.COP26 may be a cop-out in the making COP26 is just about a month away. Delayed for a year by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference has built up even more expectations and momentum during the intervening monthsArchitect's rendering showing the approved affordable housing project at 488 Castle Creek Road, which is to be built by the private firm Aspen Housing Partners in cooperation with the city of Aspen, which owns the land. Aspen City Council on Tuesday agreed to finance a construction loan for the project using city fundsMak and Philip were supported by special counsel Nicole Graham in Sydney) and senior associate Nick Herbert in Perth.

Melbourne intellectual property partner Phil Catania, assisted by senior associate Suman Reddy, led the negotiation of the transitional services arrangements.

Corrs said that the deal team drew on the experience of a number of practice groups in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne due to the diverse nature of the business. Partners Mark McCowan, Alan Churley, Jack de Flamingh, Louise Camenzuli, and Kirsty Sutherland also provided expert advice.

With a network of 258 stores and more than 1,200 employees, KTAS is one of the countrys largest tyre, automotive repair, and automotive retail businesses. It was acquired by Wesfarmers in 2007 as part of the Coles Group deal.

Based in Hanover, Germany, Continental AG has operations in 60 countries and employs more than 243,000.Another global firm announces Latin American expansion

Following yesterdays news that Dentons has acquired a law firm in Chile, another global firm has announced a further push into Latin America.

DLA Piper has reached agreement with Argentine firm Cabanellas Etchebarne Kelly Abogados (CEK) which will operate as DLA Piper in Argentina.

CEK has offices in Buenos Aires and Mendoza in Argentina but also a New York office.

"Under this arrangement, we will be able to provide local companies with a world-class international platform to satisfy their legal needs, particularly as they relate to regional and international expansion," said Marcelo Etchebarne, co-founder of CEK and head of the firm's New York office. "DLA Piper has expanded its commitment to Latin America significantly over the past several years, and we are thrilled to come together with them during a time when the market in Argentina is rapidly growing and opportunities in a number of industries are increasing."

The deal with DLA Piper follows the firms agreements with local law firms in Chile and Peru. It also has a cooperation agreement with a firm in Brazil.An accomplished American lawyer was shot and killed in his own suburban Chicago home in an incident described by authorities as a domestic dispute.

Stephen Shapiro, who was 72, was shot multiple times at around 7:20pm Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported. Hours later, a yet-to-be-named suspect was arrested. He is said to have fled the scene running and barricaded himself inside his apartment about five kilometres away.

Shapiro was a senior partner at Mayer Browns Supreme Court and appellate practice, which he established. He had been briefed in more than 200 cases before the US Supreme Court, personally arguing 30 cases.Partner Rebecca Maslen-Stannage is leading the HSF team, with support from partner Malika Chandrasegaran and solicitor Alice Li.

Through the Capilano teams hard work they have secured this significant opportunity for their shareholders, Maslen-Stannage said.

Ben McKee, Capilano managing director, said that Wattle Hills strong relationships in Asian markets could unlock the potential of the groups premium and therapeutic brands.

Rebecca and the team at Herbert Smith Freehills have been a wonderful support and very professional partner in making this transaction possible for Capilano and its shareholders. I would have no hesitation in recommending their services to other businesses who find themselves the subject of merger and acquisition negotiations, McKee said.

Capilanos financial adviser is KPMG. The consortiums financial adviser is Macquarie.https://twitter.com/ProcessServiceC/status/1027960972504457217

Because WikiLeaks has more of a virtual than a physical presence, the court can and should exercise its authorityto authorize service by Twitter, the firm wrote in its motion.

The firm said that the DNC had tried and failed to serve the organisation through other methods, such as email and contacting past lawyers. It said that previous tweets by the Wikileaks Twitter account showed the organisation is aware of the lawsuit, even once asking for donations to file a countersuit.

The lawsuit, which claims millions in damages, was filed in April in a federal court in Manhattan. It alleges breaches of Americas Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, Wiretap Act, Stored Communications Act, Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and federal and Washington state trade secrets acts.

The lawsuit is also notable for the number of defendants. Among those named in the suit are Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, the Trump campaign, Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner, the Russian Federation, and general staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.GVWR

Photographed by Jeep Scrambler Forum members devwil68 and Wraith, the adventure-oriented workhorse is equipped with all-terrain rubber and a dual-exhaust system. The latter confirms the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine from a leaked document weve covered in a previous story.Expected to go arrive at dealers nationwide in April 2019 , the Scrambler could also welcome the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 at some point in the future. Whats not certain, however, is the matter of mild hybridization for the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that will be offered as standard.The five-seat sport utility truck with Wrangler-esque exterior design features an eight-speed automatic transmission from the get-go and arating of 6,075 pounds for the entry-level trim. What that means is, the Scrambler will tip the scales in the ballpark of 4,675 pounds.Towing capacity, meanwhile, comes in at 6,500 pounds. Those whore more interested in towing, fret not because the Scrambler is good for 1,400 pounds. Like the Wrangler, the pickup is expected to be offered with three top options The Scrambler is the heir-apparent to the Comanche, based on the Cherokee and produced between 1985 and 1992. From a maximum of 43,718 units in 1988, Jeep throttled down production to 952 in 1992. In its place, Chrysler soldiered on in the mid-size pickup truck segment with the Dodge Dakota.Even there's not much information on the subject right now, Fiat Chrysler confirmed the Dakota will return as well, as the mid-size segment heats up with the arrival of the 2019 Ford Ranger. Knowing the Italo-American group, Ram will base the newcomer on a shorter and narrower version of the 1500 platform.Image: RAA

A bill now under consideration in the U.S. Senate would provide grants to flight schools to help them recruit veterans to train to become commercial airline pilots. The bipartisan American Aviator Act, introduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., and John Hoeven, R-N.D., proposes to authorize up to $5 million per year to fund the program for the fiscal years 2019 to 2021. The money would go to up to 10 flight schools, which must have established pathways to employment with commercial air carriers, according to Senator Baldwins office. The grant funding also may be used by the flight schools to subsidize costs for individual veterans, beyond what is available through their federal benefits.

The legislation was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Commerce Committee. Senator Baldwins office said the plan is to introduce the proposal as an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill that the Senate is expected to address in the fall. The proposal has won support from the Air Line Pilots Association, Air Wisconsin, Fox Valley Technical College and others. The legislation aims to help ensure there will be enough qualified pilots in the future to provide safe and reliable air service to rural airports across the country, according to Senator Baldwins office.Image: NASA

NASA has announced new partnerships with six U.S. companies to develop technologies related to space exploration. The accepted proposals cover three strategic technology focus areas: Expand Utilization of Space, Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space, and Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces. Altogether, NASA will be awarding approximately $44 million dollars to the selected companies over the next 36 months.

These awards focus on technology collaborations with the commercial space sector that leverage emerging markets and capabilities to meet NASAs exploration goals, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. While these key technologies will support NASAs science and human exploration missions in the future, these awards are yet another example of NASAs commitment to our nations growing commercial space industry today. The companies that will be partnering with NASA are Blue Origin, Space Systems/Loral, United Launch Alliance, Frontier Aerospace Corporation, Paragon Space Development Corporation and Astrobotic Technology.

The proposals were selected from submissions to NASAs third Tipping Point Technologies solicitation. According to NASA, a technology is considered at a tipping point if investment in a ground or flight demonstration will result in significantly maturing the technology and improving the companys ability to bring it to market. In addition to the money provided by NASA, companies are required to contribute a minimum of 25 percent of the total costs for their projects.Google is rolling out the online library of U.S. political ads it promised lawmakers last year, along with a report detailing political ad-spending trends across its platforms.

Why it matters: With the midterms approaching, large tech platforms are taking steps to satisfy lawmakers and users who are demanding more transparency after the Russian campaign to disrupt the 2016 election.

How it works:

A searchable archive going live on Wednesday will include all ads across Google platforms including Search and YouTube that feature a candidate for a federal elected office or an incumbent officeholder. It includes ads from the end of May onward.

Each ad is accompanied by information on who paid for it to run, a broad range indicating how much was spent to deploy it, and a rough idea of how many impressions the ad received.

An application programming interface (API) will allow third parties and the public to directly access the archive. Researchers, political watchdog groups and private citizens can use our data set to develop charts, graphs, tables or other visualizations of political advertising on Google Ads services, said Michee Smith, the product lead on the companys transparency report, in a blog post Wednesday afternoon.

Google will also release a new report on election advertising similar to those the company releases that tally how much content it has taken down as a result of legal problems and government orders.

Users will be able to identify major advertisers and see how spending plays out by state and congressional district.

Google will also report the top keywords advertisers are using to reach users with election ads.

What theyre not doing: Listing issue ads" that address a contentious topic but don't support a specific candidate.

Even though the political advertising report and Ad Library provide many new insights, we know there is more work to be done, said Smith. Were working with experts in the U.S. and around the world to explore tools that capture a wider range of political ads  including ads about political issues (beyond just candidate ads), state and local election ads, and political ads in other countries.

The big picture: All three of the U.S.'s major online platform companies  Facebook, Google and Twitter  have pledged greater transparency going into the midterms.Irans Minister of Defense unveiled a new short-range ballistic missile called the Fateh Mobin, or manifest conqueror, on Monday. Initially designed for surface-to-surface combat, the Fateh missiles have been upgraded several times and include anti-ship variants. Select Iranian outlets carried video of the missiles launch, but did not provide the launch date or the missiles payload and range specifications.

The big picture: There has been a lull in highly publicized Iranian ballistic missile launches, and flight-testing of one particular category  nuclear-capable medium-range ballistic missiles  has fallen in the past year and half. But it would be a mistake to assume Irans recent risk aversion would last.

Coupled with Israeli allegations of two other nuclear-capable missile tests, the recent Fateh Mobin test puts Tehrans number of reported post-nuclear deal ballistic missile launches at 26. To date, the U.S. government has not acknowledged this number, nor has it provided its own public tally and assessment of Iranian missile launches.

Iran's flight-testing calculus is complex, and the regime conducts missile tests for multiple reasons:

Underwriting deterrence: Successful and public missile testing increases the viability of Irans main deterrent, enabling the regime to execute its ideological and proxy wars abroad with relatively little fear of reprisal against its homeland.

Successful and public missile testing increases the viability of Irans main deterrent, enabling the regime to execute its ideological and proxy wars abroad with relatively little fear of reprisal against its homeland. Signaling resolve and defiance: Firing a ballistic missile constitutes a signal to Irans adversaries, given their concerns over evolving Iranian missile power as well as the capability to detect these launches.

Firing a ballistic missile constitutes a signal to Irans adversaries, given their concerns over evolving Iranian missile power as well as the capability to detect these launches. Ensuring force reliability and readiness: Flight-testing confirms that both Irans missile arsenal and the people operating them can reliably perform  day or night and during all conditions  if called upon.

Flight-testing confirms that both Irans missile arsenal and the people operating them can reliably perform  day or night and during all conditions  if called upon. Implicit coercion: By testing ballistic missiles capable of reaching all of Irans regional adversaries, Tehran need not resort to overt threats. Its asymmetric military capabilities speak for themselves.

The bottom line: Tehrans return to highly public missile testing can be seen a response to the U.S.' re-instating of penalties waived by the nuclear deal. Should the Fateh Mobin missile be mass produced, it would serve as further proof of Irans commitment to qualitatively improving its already quantitatively robust ballistic missile arsenal in the face of U.S. pressure.

Behnam Ben Taleblu is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.Kansas' incumbent Republican Governor Jeff Colyer has conceded to Sec. State Kris Kobach after a razor-thin primary fight. In a press conference, Colyer said he will endorse Kobach.

Only two incumbent governors in Kansas have lost their bid for re-election before  the last time in 1956.

Be smart: Kobach had the best political gift for a Republican running in 2018: a Trump endorsement. But he still only narrowly beat Colyer, who's now the third Republican to lose his primary for re-election in 2018.

Expand chart Data: Associated Press; Chart: Axios Visuals

Bottom line: In the end, Trump gets what Trump wants. But theres a limit to his power  Democrats think they can be more competitive against Kobach in the general than they would've been against Colyer.There are primaries in four states tonight  Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Vermont  but Wisconsin is the state to watch.

Expand chart

Expand chart

Expand chart

Expand chart

Expand chart

The state of play: Sen. Tammy Baldwin is one of 10 red-state Democrats defending their seats this cycle and outside GOP groups have already spent more than $12 million attacking her  before they even have a Republican nominee to challenge her.

Why it matters: This seat is crucial to Democrats maintaining some sort of balance in the Senate. But either Republican candidate is going to give Baldwin a run for her money  at least four billionaires in the state have pledged to back the Republican nominee in their fight to oust Baldwin.

State Senator Leah Vukmir  who's got the backing of Paul Ryan and the Wisconsin GOP establishment  will face veteran and businessman Kevin Nicholson, the more outsider candidate who was previously endorsed by Steve Bannon.

Other races to watch: Democrats are fighting to take back Paul Ryan's congressional seat in Wisconsin's first district.

Both Minnesota U.S. Senate seats are held by women: Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, who took over after Al Franken resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. There could be two women fighting for this seat in November  incumbent Democratic Sen. Smith, who previously served as Lieutenant Governor, and Republican State Senator Karin Housley.

are held by women: Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, who took over after Al Franken resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. There could be two women fighting for this seat in November  incumbent Democratic Sen. Smith, who previously served as Lieutenant Governor, and Republican State Senator Karin Housley. Don't miss congressional races in Minnesota's 2nd, 3rd and 8th districts where Republicans are in danger and a Democratic-held seat is open.

where Republicans are in danger and a Democratic-held seat is open. Two Republican governors are running for a third term, so watch former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and incumbent Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tonight. Three candidates in Wisconsin's Democratic primary could make history if elected in November.

Go deeper: The candidates to watch in tonight's primariesThe presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan spoke on Sunday about who should run the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) following criminal charges brought by Armenian authorities against the Russian-led blocs current secretary general, Yuri Khachaturov.

Khachaturov, who is Armenias former top army general, is facing coup charges stemming from the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan. Russia has strongly criticized an Armenian law-enforcement agencys decision late last month to prosecute him. Following the criticism he was allowed to return to Moscow and continue to perform his CSTO duties for the time being.

Moscow has also scoffed at Yerevans efforts to replace Khachaturov by another Armenian secretary general. It has said that Yerevan must formally recall Khachaturov before asking the other CSTO states to pick his replacement.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian telephoned Kazakhstans President Nursultan Nazarbayev on August 7 to discuss the issue. Pashinian also had a phone conversation with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on July 28.

Nazarbayev singled out the issue of CSTO secretary general in his opening remarks at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin held in the Kazakh city of Aktau. He said it has become a problem.

Putin likewise noted that they will discuss issues of problematic character, including the selection of the next CSTO secretary general. Neither leader made public statements to that effect after the talks.

The CSTO member states agreed in 2015 that their representatives will take turns to run the organization on a rotating basis. They appointed Khachaturov as secretary general in April 2017 after almost two years of delay reportedly resulting from Kazakhstans and Belaruss reluctance to have an Armenian hold the position because of their warm ties with Azerbaijan. The two nations dropped their objections under pressure from Russia, according to Russian media reports.Hundreds of employees of the Armenian Ministry of Health and other government agencies were briefly evacuated on Wednesday after what turned out to be a false bomb alert.

The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations said security forces joined by rescue workers and demining experts were rushed to the ministry building in downtown Yerevan after an anonymous caller threatened to blow it up. They found no explosive devices in the building that also houses two other ministries.

The alert was false, a senior Armenian police official, Suren Khudoyan, told RFE/RLs Armenian service. The police carried out searches and found nothing dangerous. The employees are now returning to work.

A police spokesman said shortly afterwards that law-enforcement officers have already identified the person who made the bomb threat. But it was not immediately clear whether the suspect was detained.

False bomb alerts made over the phone have not been uncommon in Armenia. They have targeted government institutions, at least one private firm, Yerevans Zvartnots international airport and even a school in the Armenian capital. In virtually all of those cases, the callers were identified and prosecuted by the authorities.By Pascal Salin

The European Unions regulatory bodies seem to be particularly hostile to Google. In June 2017, the European Commission fined the company 2.42 billion ($2.75 billion) for breaching EU antitrust rules, after concluding that, Google has abused its market dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to another Google product, its comparison shopping service.

Then, last month, the Commission went after Google again, fining it 4.34 billion ($4.94 billion) for illegal practices regarding Android mobile devices. Google had made agreements with mobile-device manufacturers and network operators to pre-install the Google Search app and browser app (Chrome). Moreover, it seems that the European Parliament and several EU member states would like to dismantle Google by separating its search engine from other possible revenue sources.

There is no doubt that Google holds a unique position on the Internet. In terms of search activity, it has commanded around 90% of the market for over a decade, leading many soi-disant defenders of competition to denounce it for abusing its dominant position. But most of these attacks are driven by a mix of misconceptions and questionable claims of harm by Googles competitors.

Googles critics would define a monopoly as any firm that has a 100% market share, or at least a share large enough to make credible competition seem impossible. Traditional economic theory holds that a monopoly can take advantage of consumers by imposing higher prices than would otherwise be possible under conditions of pure and perfect competition. By this simple reasoning, legislators and judges must rein in monopolistic despoilers by imposing heavy fines, or by breaking them up, as has happened many times throughout history.

But to follow to this line of thinking, one must ignore a fundamental distinction between two kinds of monopolies: those that emerge from the free operation of the market; and those that are a result of state coercion. Traditionally, pure and perfect competition is taken to mean that many firms are producing the same good with the same techniques. But this definition takes a static approach, measuring market outcomes at a single point in time, even though the economy itself is dynamic.

Consider the case of a firm that is launching an innovative product. By definition, its market share will be 100%, at least for a while. The firm owes its dominant position to merit, and to the fact that consumers appreciate its product.

As this scenario demonstrates, competition should not be defined by some arbitrary number of producers, but by whether other firms are free to enter the market. Ultimately, market entry is the key prerequisite of innovation. If the state imposes constraints on that freedom in such a way as to establish or maintain a single private or public producers market dominance, then it has created a harmful monopoly, by severely limiting opportunities for innovation.

In the case of Google, no one has prevented others from entering the Internet-search market. Google thus owes its reputation in this area to talent and ingenuity. When it entered the market, it was not the first search engine, and any firm around the world had the freedom to pursue the same opportunity. Google prevailed because it provided a better service than anyone else, and it did so early.

Google should not be punished for this success. In the absence of state coercion, the word dominant has no purchase, and the complaints of Googles potential competitors have no legitimacy. They should have acted when they had the chance. Today, Google makes freely available important services such as email, translation, video hosting, and more. It is able to do this because it makes profits on other activities, namely online advertising connected to its search service. By dismantling Google, one risks undercutting its means of survival, and imposing high costs on consumers.

Let us return to the EUs recent actions. The Commission levied its June 2017 fine because Google prioritized its own comparative shopping service over those of its competitors. And yet, anyone who uses Google and its various services does so freely, not because Google is somehow forcing them. They could just as well use other services, so their decision to use Google must mean that Google provides the service most useful to them.

Likewise, Google did not use coercion in the case for which it was fined in July 2018. It entered into voluntary contracts with device manufacturers, who agreed to pre-install some of its services. There was no abuse of its powerful market position. There was only innovation in the context of free contracts and free markets.

In fact, if there has been any abuse of ones dominant position, it has been committed by the EU. Through coercion, the state is constraining individuals and firms from making their own decisions in the market, and innovative firms are being punished as a result.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Europes google fines cross the line

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan intends to significantly expand the number of its trading and wine houses abroad, Deputy Economy Minister Rufat Mammadov said on August 15 at the meeting of the Exporters Club, dedicated to the activities of Azerbaijani trading houses.

He noted that Azerbaijan plans to open trading and wine houses in five more countries in the near future.

It is planned to open trading and wine houses in the UAE, Russia, China, Poland and Kazakhstan by the end of 2018, Mammadov said.

Currently, trading houses of Azerbaijan operate in Ukraine, Belarus and Latvia. They support the promotion of Azerbaijani products under the brand Made in Azerbaijan, marketing research, participation in exhibitions at a single stand and other activities related to the promotion of Azerbaijani goods.

During the meeting, the deputy economy minister also mentioned that Azerbaijani entrepreneurs should participate more actively in various exhibitions held abroad. He added that Azerbaijan creates all the necessary conditions for this.

This step is very important, as it will allow our entrepreneurs to significantly increase their exports, thereby expanding the export of the state, Mammadov said.

He added that entrepreneurs should participate in exhibitions not only within the country stand, but also on an individual basis.

"During a year we can organize country stands only at 10 exhibitions. We choose the most popular and interesting exhibitions for our entrepreneurs, but this is not enough. If you want to expand your exports, you should also participate more actively individually in exhibitions, the deputy minister said.

He added that in this case, the Azerbaijani state is also ready to support the entrepreneurs by returning 50 percent of the expenses aimed at the organization of the stand at a particular exhibition.

The deputy economy minister also mentioned that Azerbaijan has significantly increased non-oil exports according to the data for the end of July this year.

The volume of non-oil exports of Azerbaijan in January-July 2018 increased by 14 percent compared to the same period last year. In addition, the geography of exports of Azerbaijani products is expanding significantly, Mammadov said, noting that the number of entrepreneurs engaged in foreign trade activities is growing.

He said this indicator is the result achieved during the huge work, and expressed confidence that this positive trend will continue.

Azerbaijan has a great export potential. The results achieved show that the work done is bearing fruit. I believe that such positive dynamics will continue until the end of this year, Mammadov noted.

The data by the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan says that the country has significantly increased its exports last year compared to 2016  $13,811 billion and $9,143 billion respectively, while the volume of imports remained almost at the same level.

Besides oil and gas products and electricity, Azerbaijan's exports in 2017 included mainly fruits and vegetables, sugar, chemical products, plastics, cotton, ferrous metals, aluminium, etc. Italy, which accounted for 20.91 percent of the total turnover of Azerbaijan, remained the leading trading partner of the country last year, while Turkey (11.68 percent) and Russia (9.48 percent) were the second and third top trading partners respectively.

--

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

On Oct. 9, 2018, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) will organize the German-Azerbaijani Business Forum Energy and ICT in Azerbaijan with support of the German Eastern Business Association (Ost-Ausschuss  Osteuropaverein der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V.), the press service of the AHK Azerbaijan stated.

The aim of the event is to present projects, proposals and needs of German and Azerbaijani companies and to identify current opportunities for cooperation.

The main focus of the Forum will be on reforms and perspectives for partnerships in the energy and ICT sectors. High-level representatives of the Azerbaijani government are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Forum.

The participation in the Forum is free of charge. The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation into the Azerbaijani language.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

There are no Azerbaijanis among the victims of the bridge collapse in the Italian city of Genoa, Spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend Aug. 14.

There are no Azerbaijani citizens among the dead and injured, he added. We are in constant contact with the Azerbaijani embassy in Italy in connection with this issue.

As a result of the collapse of a bridge in Genoa, 22 people died, 13 people were injured.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva expressed condolences to Italian President Sergio Mattarella in connection with the collapse of a bridge in the Italian city of Genoa.

"We are deeply saddened as people were killed and went missing after a motorway bridge collapsed near the city of Genoa," the president and the first lady said. "On the occasion of this tragedy, on our own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, we extend our deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who were killed, and all the people of Italy."

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzJoe Trembly has a unique perspective on homelessness in South Florida.

The 53-year-old landed in Broward County almost 30 years ago from Orlando after being fired from his job. He had lost his car, his apartment and all the safety and security that comes with having a good job, transportation and a roof over your head.

I found myself stuck, Trembly, who is gay, said.

Trembly was indeed stuck  and took shelter any way he could. He ended up livingin a Fort Lauderdale dumpster during an almost year-long stretch with no place to go. Trembly said he was eventually able to turn things around because of the kindness of a person who allowed him to take a shower, loaned him a scooter and set him up for a job interview.

It took someone believing in me when Id lost all belief in myself, Trembly said.

Daunting stats

The LGBT community has a higher than average number of people who are experiencing homelessness compared to the general population. Not only that, but LGBT youth  who comprise about 40 percent of all homeless young people, but only 7 percent of total youth population  are at a more than double the risk than non-LGBT youth.

Homeless services are limited in Broward and elsewhere, and facilities with gay staff who were once homeless  like Trembly  are virtually non-existent, even in a county like Broward thatis known for its high LGBT population.

Trembly, who has worked at Keystone Halls  a Fort Lauderdale-based transitional housing facility with about 65 beds  since 2013, saw an opportunity to make a difference with those he identifies with and whose experiences he understands.

A first for Broward

Trembly recentlywrote a grant and was awarded $75,000 by the Community Foundation of Broward to fund up to eight beds at Keystone Halls, which over the course of a year will likely assistabout 45 LGBT individuals who are trying to transition out of homelessness.

He said four of the beds have already been filled and estimates a typical length of stay will be about three to four months. Trembly is working with LGBT social service groups like SunServe in Wilton Manors to identify potential clients. He said its the first time something like this has been done in Broward.

The whole idea is to create inclusivity. We had six people come in last month, Trembly said of all the walks of life that enter Keystone Halls  veterans, gay, straight and everything in-between. One was from a shelter; one came from a [homeless] encampment and one [was] living in a dumpster.

The grant was one of five awards totaling $300,000 from the Community Foundation of Broward as part of its Broward Pride Program.

Motivation, inclusion

The inspiration for Tremblys grant was a report that was commissioned by the Broward Foundation.

Broward Pride: A Report to the Community was published this summer. It included the thoughts and analyses of more than 50 Broward residents who came together in multiple meetings. The subject was the state of LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion in the county.

One of the findings was that LGBT homeless youth are reluctant to seek help from homeless shelters for fear of rejection and concern for their personal safety.

Trembly says those concerns translate to LGBT homeless people of any age.

Oftentimes what we find is that people still dont want to identify [as LGBT]in order to obtain services, or they dont feel safe in the shelters, especially for transgender individuals, Trembly said.

His goal is forKeystone Halls to be known as a safe place for the LGBT community.

Falsehoods persist

Along with providing a safe space, Trembly said its important to address the misconceptions many have about homelessness in general.

One of the biggest, he said, is that the homeless are only in their situation because of drug abuse.

Thats really not the case. Many are people who have had an unfortunate situation that led to them becoming homeless, Trembly said.

He added that another misconception is that society tends to believe someone is homeless because its a choice. I dont think anyone chooses to be homeless. Most people want to move out of that situation, he said.

For more

More information on the Community Foundation of Broward, including a link to the Broward Pride Report, can be found at cfbroward.org.

More information on Keystone Hall, which also serves homeless individuals suffering from chemical dependency, is available by calling 954-763-2300 or going online to KeyStoneHalls.org.By Rashid Shirinov

The effectiveness of the meeting of the Caspian Five in Kazakhstan, which resulted in the signing of the Convention on the Status of the Caspian Sea and a number of intergovernmental agreements, is absolutely record for all inter-Caspian negotiations, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov said on August 14.

On August 12, the Kazakh city of Aktau hosted a ceremony of signing documents on the legal status of the Caspian Sea at the 5th summit of heads of the Caspian states. The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed by presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran and Turkmenistan.

The presidents of the five countries gave the highest marks in their statements to the press. They said it was "historical" and epoch-making event. This is not an exaggeration. The work was continuing for almost 22 years, it was not easy, Lavrov told TV and radio complex of the President of Kazakhstan.

The FM added that the crucial thing is that the convention adopted at the Aktau summit determined the legal status of the Caspian Sea and laid the foundation for the final agreement on the issues that have not yet been resolved.

Thanks to the convention, an absolutely universal basis for considering any issues of cooperation in the Caspian Sea appeared, Lavrov noted.

He also stressed that intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation and transport, the intergovernmental agreement on the prevention of incidents in the Caspian Sea and three intergovernmental protocols on combating terrorism, organized crime and cooperation of border services are no less important results of the summit.

The issue of determining the legal status of the Caspian Sea became relevant after the collapse of the USSR, when the emergence of new subjects of international law - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - raised the issue of delimitation of the sea between the five littoral countries. The difficulties in determining the status of the Caspian Sea were linked, in particular, with the recognition of it as a lake or sea, the delineation of which is regulated by different provisions of international law.

The status of the sea was the key topic of discussions at the Caspian states summits. The leaders of the five countries met for the first time in 2002 in Ashgabat. The second Caspian summit was held in Tehran in 2007, the third one in Baku in 2010, the fourth  in Astrakhan in 2014, and the fifth summit  in Aktau on August 12 this year.

--

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Naila Huseynli

Caspian Sea littoral states will conduct joint struggle against illegal exploitation in the Sea.

The states will sign a protocol during the second session of the Commission for the Conservation and Rational use of Aquatic Biological Resources and Management of Shared Stocks of Such Resources of the Caspian Sea scheduled for this November.

Mehman Akhundov, director of the Scientific Research Institute of Fisheries under the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry said that law enforcement agencies and border military forces of the Caspian littoral states will carry out joint measures against illegal exploitation on the basis of this protocol.

He also mentioned that illegal hunting must be prevented in order to achieve growth in the sturgeon population. For that, joint efforts should be made at the regional level, and the law enforcement agencies of the Caspian littoral states should cooperate together.

The final version of the intergovernmental agreement on establishing moratorium on industrial fishing for sturgeon in the Caspian Sea will be presented at the second session, added Akhundov.

The representative of MEHR noted that governments were instructed to prepare an intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of a moratorium on industrial fishing for sturgeon at the third Summit of the Caspian littoral states held in Baku in November 2010.

The Commission made such a decision during the session held at the end of 2010 that the Caspian littoral states apply a technical moratorium before the agreement is signed. This means that although we do not have intergovernmental agreements, we have promised each other not to hunt these fishes. These fishes can only be hunted for breeding purposes and very small amount for scientific purposes. Since 2011, the Caspian littoral states extend the moratorium annually. After the signing of intergovernmental agreement, the moratorium will be officially imposed.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The Iranian energy minister said the government is in negotiations with Azerbaijan to export electricity to Russia.

Reza Ardakanian, speaking to IRNA news agency on August 13, added that the country would start exporting power to Russia as soon as talks with Baku are finalized.

We are seeking to join the European power network and there are several scenarios for this, he stressed.

"One of the scenarios is to get help from our northern neighbors and get connected to the European electricity network," Ardakani said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

United States Assistant Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics Edward Gresser and Deputy Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Zeba Reyazuddin will make a presentation on the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for entrepreneurs and civil servants of Kyrgyzstan, Kabar news agency reported.

GSP provides a preferential duty-free regime for more than 3,500 products from a wide range of countries, including the Kyrgyz Republic, to promote the economic growth of certain US trade partners.

The Office of Trade Policy and Economics is responsible for the implementation of the GSP program worldwide. It is the largest and oldest program on trade preferences in the United States.

The GSP presentation will be held on August 17 at the Ministry of Economy in Bishkek.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Administration of the city of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, published a video calling on foreign investors to invest their money in development of the city.

The video demonstrates how the capital, trying to become a modern business metropolis, at the same time managed to preserve its eastern face and cultural heritage.

Tashkent is an international and multicultural city, where new high-rise buildings coexist with historical monuments and bazaars, which does not prevent it from developing.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Kamila Aliyeva

American company Air Products is ready to invest $ 1 billion in the oil and gas industry of Uzbekistan. This was stated by president of the company Seifi Ghasemi in an interview with Uzbekneftegaz.

Our operating model does not imply the supply of equipment. That is, one came, sold and left. We are aimed at investing in a certain country for the long term. In this regard, Uzbekistan is a promising country, he said.

Air Products possesses serious technologies that can be very useful for the development of the oil and gas industry in Uzbekistan, as well as in the development of the metallurgical industry, according to the companys president.

Air Products is interested in organizing production, use and distribution of industrial gases in Uzbekistan (including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, synthesis gas and others), he noted. The first meeting of the working group was already held, following which an agreement was reached to study the market and conduct an audit of industrial gas production with the subsequent development of proposals, according to Ghasemi.

We said the company is ready to invest in Uzbekistan a billion or more U.S. dollars for the development of these industries and the creation of an industrial gas production company that will be based in your country and provide services to neighboring countries, he added.

The project methanol to olefins (MTO) is one of the largest, which is being worked upon at this time. The company is already taking part in the construction of the GTL plant in the Kashkadarya region.

Air Products is an international oil and gas company, which is present in 50 countries. The staff consists of about 15,000 people. The market capitalization of the company to date is $ 35 billion. The main area of activity of the company is the provision of services in the chemical, metallurgical and food industries.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Kamila Aliyeva

Tashkent hosted the Uzbek-Chinese business forum on cooperation in the textile industry with the participation of representatives of the textile industry of the two countries on August 15.

The forum was organized by the Uztekstilprom Association in conjunction with the Chinese National Council for Textiles and Clothing, with the participation of the leadership of the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Investments, UzTrade JSC of the Foreign Trade Ministry, the Economy Ministry.

The purpose of this forum was to establish cooperation between Uzbek and Chinese companies specializing in the textile and apparel-knitting industry, as well as the production and supply of finished textile products to the Chinese market.

During the business forum, Chinese guests were provided with detailed information about the created opportunities and benefits, in particular for Chinese investors.

Participants noted that two countries have great potential for further development of Uzbek-Chinese trade and economic cooperation. And this visit will serve as an additional incentive for Chinese investors to start their activities in Uzbekistan.

The Chinese delegation included 33 representatives of China's associations and textile companies, in particular, the Subcommittee on Textile Industry, the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the China National Clothing Association, the China Non-Woven Fabric and Industrial Textile Association, the Chinese Cotton Textile Association, the Chinese Association of Knitting Industry, Chinese Textile Information Center, 19 large companies from Shanghai, Qingdao, Nanyang Province, etc.

In the course of the visit that lasted five days, the delegation got acquainted with the investment potential of the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Samarkand and Syrdarya regions, visited enterprises with the participation of Chinese investments, LT International and the Peng Sheng Industrial Park, the press service of the Uztekstilprom reported.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Kamila Aliyeva

The delegation of the U.S. Trade Representative will be on a visit to Uzbekistan on August 15-16, the press service of the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan said.

The delegation includes Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Mark Linscott, Assistant US Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics Edward Gresser and Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Zeba Reyazuddin.

The U.S. delegation will discuss with the government officials of Uzbekistan the requirements for continuing the use of the U.S. program, General System of Preferences (GSP), as well as the process of Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Previously, agreements on the assistance of the American side, including the technical one, in the process of Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO were reached.

The discussions will consider the role of protecting intellectual property rights and eradicating forced labor in accordance with international standards that are necessary to continue to receive the benefits of the trading system under the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences program.

The Office of the Trade Representative is the United States government agency responsible for formulating and recommending trade policy to the President of the United States, conducting trade negotiations at the bilateral and multilateral levels, and coordinating the government's trade policy throughout the country.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz(CNN) "The dirty war on the free press must end."

That's the idea behind an unusual editorial-writing initiative that has enlisted scores of newspapers across America.

The Boston Globe has been contacting newspaper editorial boards and proposing a "coordinated response" to President Trump's escalating "enemy of the people" rhetoric.

"We propose to publish an editorial on August 16 on the dangers of the administration's assault on the press and ask others to commit to publishing their own editorials on the same date," The Globe said in its pitch to fellow papers.

The effort began just a few days ago.

As of Saturday, "we have more than 100 publications signed up, and I expect that number to grow in the coming days," Marjorie Pritchard, the Globe's deputy editorial page editor, told CNN.

The American Society of News Editors, the New England Newspaper and Press Association and other groups have helped her spread the word.

"The response has been overwhelming," Pritchard said. "We have some big newspapers, but the majority are from smaller markets, all enthusiastic about standing up to Trump's assault on journalism."

Instead of printing the exact same message, each publication will write its own editorial, Pritchard said.

That was a key part of her pitch: "The impact of Trump's assault on journalism looks different in Boise than it does in Boston," she wrote. "Our words will differ. But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming."

Journalists have noticed an uptick in Trump's attacks against the news media in recent weeks. He has been using dehumanizing language like "enemy of the people" more often. He has also been speaking to reporters less often, limiting the chances for questions to be asked.

With Trump's words and deeds as the backdrop, some media critics have urged the White House press corps to engage in acts of solidarity. There were cheers last month when reporters in the briefing room deferred to rivals who were trying to ask follow-up questions, and when numerous outlets stood up for CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins after Collins was told she could not attend a Trump event.

The coordinated editorials may be another example of unity across the news business.

Although there's a longstanding debate about the effectiveness of newspaper editorials, there is certainly strength in numbers -- the greater the number of participants, the more readers will see the message.

Pritchard said she expects differing views from the editorials, "but the same sentiment: The importance of a free and independent press."Contact The Californians Robert Price at 661-395-7399, rprice@bakersfield.com or on Twitter: @stubblebuzz. His column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; the views expressed are his own.Today is the first day of school for many local students, and we want to see you celebrating the beginning of a new school year. Did you take Start of school

Summer break ends this week for most Bakersfield kids. Classes begin for tens of thousands of students tomorrow when school will be back in session for schools in the Kern High, Bakersfield City, Rosedale Union, Fruitvale and Norris school districts. The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District will open on Thursday.Beaumont ISD cut the number of schools that did not meet state standards by four from last year, but its three longest-struggling schools still must show improvement next year to avoid closures or another state takeover.

Central High, Smith Middle, King Middle, Blanchette Elementary, Jones-Clark Elementary and Fehl-Price Elementary were all not rated by the TEA this year, indicating that they would have been labeled "improvement required" if they hadn't received a waiver due to Tropical Storm Harvey.

Click through the photos above to see how your district scored.

All other traditional BISD campuses received a rating of "met standard." Pathways, Paul Brown and the preschool campuses are not rated.

Last year, 10 BISD schools were improvement required, up from six in 2016.

Smith, Jones-Clark and Fehl-Price have been on the IR list for four consecutive years, and would have been closed or triggered another takeover of the district this year under a rule that gives Education Commissioner Mike Morath the authority to take either action if any of a district's schools fall short for five years in a row. The waivers give BISD one more year to turn the campuses around.

As expected, most Southeast Texas school districts were "not rated" this year after receiving Harvey-related waivers. The reprieve went to districts that would have received any grade lower an A, and to any campuses that would have been rated "Improvement Required."

Their results are still available from the TEA, but they did not receive overall grades. School administrators from across the Gulf Coast told state officials this fall that comparing districts that were not affected by the storm to those that lost class time, had teachers and students displaced and in many cases had buildings damaged, would be unfair and punitive.

The ratings are the first time the state has used its new accountability system, which assigns districts letter grades from A through F. This is the last year that campuses will be rated "improvement required" or "met standard," before receiving letter grades next year.

Houston Chronicle

In addition to the six BISD campuses, six other campuses were not rated: West Orange-Stark Middle and High Schools, West Hardin Elementary, Little Cypress Elementary, Mauriceville Elementary and Mauriceville Middle School.

Three schools that did not receive waivers were rated improvement required: Warren Elementary, Chester Elementary and Jasper ISD's Parnell Elementary.

BISD, the largest district in Southeast Texas, would have received a D based on its scores on the new system. It received a C grade for school progress, which measures "how students perform over time and how that growth compares to similar schools."

The district received a D grade for student achievement, which is calculated based on standardized test performance, "college, career and military readiness" and graduation rates. BISD also earned a D for "closing the gaps," which measures how certain groups of students perform compared to state goals for that group, which includes by race, special education enrollment and economically-disadvantaged status.

The Early College High School, which opened two years ago, was the district's highest scoring campus with a grade of 93 out of 100. Odom Academy, and Charlton-Pollard, Sallie Curtis and Regina Howell Elementary Schools all earned Bs. King Middle School was the lowest scoring campus, with a score of 50. Only 19 percent of the campus's students met or mastered grade level performance on the STAAR test.

"In spite of the many challenges the District faced, such as missed instructional days and displaced students, achievement gains were made by numerous campuses," BISD said in a statement, pointing to the four campuses that met standard after being rated Improvement Required last year.

BISD also praised its nine campuses that earned a "distinction" for STAAR performance. The 2018-19 school year, which started Monday, will have more class days before testing begins, which the district said it expects "will have a significant impact on student achievement."

"The District will continue to focus on equipping teachers with the necessary skills to meet the needs of all students through ongoing professional development and by providing quality feedback and coaching," BISD said.

Read more: State rates school districts' finances

The district voted in July to open applications for partners to operate some of its campuses, which could include charter school operators, universities, nonprofits or groups of teachers or individuals. "We're no longer going to wait on the TEA to address chronically low-performing schools," Superintendent John Frossard said at the district's staff convocation last week.

Surrendering control of the schools through a charter or partner arrangement would stave off the state oversight for an additional two years.

Port Arthur ISD, which was also not rated due to Harvey, had all of its campuses meet standard for the second year in a row. Overall, though, the district would have also earned a D if not for the waiver.

Sabine Pass ISD earned the highest score of the TEA's Region 5 districts, with 90 out of a possible 100 points, followed by Brookeland and Orangefield with 88.

West Orange-Cove CISD, with a score of 58 out of 100, would have been the only district to receive an F if not for the waiver. The district's middle and high school were both Not Rated and would have been improvement required without the waiver, with scores of 53 and 51 out of 100, respectively.

Fourteen of Region 5's 31 districts' scores would have earned them B grades, including Colmesneil and Jasper, which were rated. Ten would have received Cs, and six would have earned a D.

Statewide, 121 districts earned As, 334 were rated B, 232 were rated C, and 46 received a D. Nine districts were rated F, according to the TEA. Ninety-two districts and charter schools were not rated due to Harvey.

Bob Hope School was rated an A district for its two Port Arthur campuses, Ehrhart School was labeled "met standard," and Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies was not rated, but would have received a B.

Superintendents and school boards from around Southeast Texas have criticized the new system since it was announced, and unsuccessfully asked for its repeal.

Orange County superintendents said in an open letter in December 2016 that "comparing districts without understanding the challenges and barriers each independent district must overcome is simply not fair," and accused state leaders of "demonizing (public schools) in the name of politics and profit."

"We believe in being accountable to our students, their parents, and our community, but we do not agree that the new system accurately communicates the achievements, programs and effective teaching on campuses," Jefferson County districts said in a joint statement last January.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/LizTeitzPaulette Armstead, 67, is the first black lesbian to be hired by the St. Petersburg, Florida Police Department. Shes seeking a state house seat in Floridas district 92, which covers 10 municipalities in Broward County.

Her opponent, Patricia Hawkins-Williams, elected in 2016, has been accused of anti-LGBT behavior. Broward Human Rights activist Michael Rajner denounced Hawkins-Williams in a Facebook post, writing Anti-LGBT Democratic Florida State Representative Patricia Hawkins-Williams has been anointed by the Miami-based hate group, Christian Family Coalition.

Dolphin Democrats President Scott Herman delivered a ringing endorsement of Armstead. The Dolphin Democrats, a political LGBT caucus, endorsed Armstead over sitting representative Hawkins-Williams.

They realize when she gives her word, shes gonna do it, Herman said.

Rajner said Hawkins-Williams attended the July Dolphin Democrats meeting and projected contempt.

She stood there with a nasty attitude and never once said hello to anyone in the room, Rajner wrote.

Herman, however, did not notice.

I heard she was outside, Herman said. Evidently, she wouldnt come in.

Herman added Hawkins-Williams is in bed with the extreme right in Tallahassee.

She was trying to go around the corner on all of her answers, Herman said.

SFGN reached out to Hawkins-Williams, telephoning her Tallahassee office seeking comment for this story. She did not return SFGNs call.

Adam Sabin, Treasurer of the Dolphin Democrats, said Hawkins-Williams did not apply for endorsement consideration from the largest LGBT political caucus in her district.

She was contacted multiple times and never responded to our requests, Sabin said.

In her last campaign finance report, Hawkins-Williams collected $33,500 through 49 contributions. Her contributors include AT&T, Walmart, Toyota and Disney.

Armstead, by contrast, has raised $32,480 with 70 contributions, the majority of which are from individuals and families.

SFGN also called the cell phone of Armstead but did not receive a return call in time for this story.

A few other local political notes:

1. Florida Senator Daphne Campbell called police on a Miami Herald reporter last week for threatening behavior reports Miami New Times reporter Jerry Iannelli. Campbell, a Democrat, faces former prosecutor Jason Pizzo in the partys primary election Aug. 28. Pizzo has earned the endorsement of SAVEs Action Pac. Jason, who strongly opposes license to discriminate legislation that allows employers to invoke religion to legally discriminate against employees based on sexual orientation has vowed to work hand in hand with our team to continue to further equality for the LGBTQ community, said Tony Lima, SAVE President.

2. Elijah Manley is campaigning for a Broward school board seat. The 19-year-old Manley revealed he is queer during a Pride month post on Instagram, writing Today is a day to be proud of who you are, Im #Queer, and will fight for your right to an inclusive educational experience. In 2016 he ran for President of the United States, eventually dropping out of the race to support Green Party nominee Jill Stein.

3. David Richardson, a gay Miami Democrat, received the endorsement of the Miami Herald last week. Richardson, a two-term Florida Representative and certified public accountant, is battling it out with former University of Miami President and Clinton administration Health & Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala for the party nomination in U.S House District 27.A systematic review, published in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, examined how patients perceived water exchange colonoscopies and the impact the procedure had on endoscopy room turnaround, Medscape reports.

Researchers reviewed 17 randomized controlled trials with 8,371 patients.

1. WE colonoscopies were criticized because past studies reported longer insertion times with WE than with standard air or carbon dioxide insufflation.

2. Researchers found while cecal insertion time was 1.4 minutes longer than standard air or carbon dioxide insufflation, withdrawal times differed by less than 0.3 minutes. Procedure time was 1.8 minutes longer for WE over GAS.

3. Despite the mild time increases, researchers found patients widely support the procedure. Pain scores were lower during WE than with GAS, and fewer patients required on-demand sedation. About 91.4 percent of WE patients said they'd repeat the procedure, compared to 87.2 percent of GAS patients.

Dr. Sergio Cadoni of CTO Hospital, in Iglesias, Italy, said in the report, "I hope that physicians will be stimulated to try WE in their practice and see for themselves its advantages. They will be surprised by the improvements that this technique will bring to them, even if they routinely use moderate or deep sedation for their patients."IBM said it is "setting the record straight" on its work with Watson Health after several recent media reports claimed the division's products recommend flawed advice and aren't based on real patient data.

Big Blue published a blog post by Senior Vice President of Cognitive Solutions and IBM Research John Kelly III, PhD, Aug. 11, the same day The Wall Street Journal published a scathing report outlining numerous issues with the artificial intelligence-powered decision support tool and detailing more than a dozen Watson Oncology-related projects IBM partners and clients have recently halted or shrunken.

Here are eight notes on IBM's Watson troubles and the company's response:

1. The WSJ report, which followed a slew of critical IBM Watson coverage from STAT, cited various anonymous sources, including former IBM employees and a hospital executive who was a former client, for its investigation.

2. However, Dr. Kelly refuted the WSJ article, saying it distorts and ignores facts by "suggesting IBM has not made 'enough' progress on bringing the benefits of AI to healthcare."

3. IBM has spent billions of dollars on Watson, but "the outlook looks gloomy," WSJ reports, adding that "no published research shows Watson improving patient outcomes."

4. The company's tools like Watson for Genomics have been piloted at multiple cancer centers, but physicians who've used them told WSJ the results weren't always accurate, or provided information oncologists already knew.

5. In response, IBM pointed to its work with cancer institutes like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., which aims to refine Watson tools. Dr. Kelly specifically highlighted four studies with various oncology groups and cancer centers, writing "to suggest there has been no patient benefit is to ignore both what we know The Wall Street Journal was told by a number of physicians around the world and these institutions' own public comments."

6. Weeks prior, on Aug. 6, Watson Health General Manager Deborah DiSanzo penned a blog post responding to "certain media reports"  presumably from STAT as it chronicled the company's supposed layoffs, internal disorganization and flaws with Watson  that presented an "incomplete and inaccurate perspective" of Watson for Oncology.

7. Ms. DiSanzo wrote: "We are 100 percent focused on patient safety. It's important to remember this tool does not diagnose. It provides treatment options to physicians, supported by evidence. Ultimately the treatment decision is always up to the doctor and patient  While a recent media report created the misimpression a potentially harmful treatment was recommended to a doctor in the field, the option cited was actually part of internal testing being done to improve Watson for Oncology, not a real patient."

8. Despite the recent media reports, IBM is pressing on. "Our work is only getting started," Dr. Kelly wrote in his blog post. "We are steadfast in our purpose and committed to our partners and clients around the world as together we continue to move forward."Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network will start construction Aug. 15 on its 160-bed hospital in Pine Township, Pa., part of its $1 billion systemwide expansion, according to The Tribune Live.

Here are four things to know:

1. The hospital, which will offer a wide range of services, will be built next to the health network's Wexford Health and Wellness Pavilion, which opened in 2014.

2. Plans also call for construction of a 180-space parking garage and a 165-space surface lot.

3. AHN's systemwide expansion includes establishing four neighborhood hospitals and renovating its existing Pennsylvania facilities.

4. AHN said the additional hospitals are needed to mitigate any lapses in access to medical care as a consent decree expires in June 2019. The consent decree allowed Highmark Health customers to continue using Pittsburgh-based UMPC facilities until next June. Highmark owns AHN.In this special Speaker Series, Becker's Healthcare caught up with Christopher Caggiano, MD, clinical principal at Allscripts.

Dr. Caggiano will speak on a panel during the Becker's Hospital Review 4th Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference titled "The Return on Investment in Data Analytics and Health IT," at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 20. Learn more about the event and register to attend in Chicago.

Question: How does your organization gain physician buy-in when it is implementing a new technology or solution?

Dr. Christopher Caggiano: Organizations should assure physicians that the new technology program is clinically driven, not IT driven.

Q: In the past 12 months, how have you adapted to new patient experience expectations in the age of consumerism?

CC: We'vemplemented a Fast Health Interoperability Resources app change control process and governance in anticipation of FHIR apps becoming popular amongst patients  how will you control which app can use your data?

Q: What do you see as the most vulnerable part of a hospital's business?

CC: Poor data governance. Without it, you cannot count on your data and become a data driven organization.The former CEO of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Health Network is searching for investors for his private venture, which could become the city's third full-service health system, according to The Journal Gazette.

In a 26-page presentation obtained by The Journal Gazette, ex-Lutheran CEO Brian Bauer seeks $25 million to $30 million in funding for his healthcare venture, Kyber Health.

The documents also detail his involvement with Indianapolis-based IU Health, which was the subject of a contentious legal battle between Mr. Bauer and Lutheran's parent company, Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems.

The Journal Gazette reports Kyber Health and IU Health are expected to enter into a joint venture partnership as early as next week. Plans for the venture include creating several primary care offices, two imaging clinics, two inpatient surgery centers and three urgent care centers during the rest of this year and into April 2019. The documents also note the venture eventually aims to construct a hospital or cancer center.

The plan is broken into three phases. The venture would need to build up its primary care base and launch outpatient services with independent specialists before tackling a hospital or cancer center, the documents state. The proposed hospital and cancer center are not included in the plan's proposed timeline.

The documents also identify five potential community leaders to be named as Kyber Health board members alongside Mr. Bauer  at least three of whom are former Lutheran Health Network board members. No formal offers have been made to any of the individuals.

To access the full report, click here.The editorial board of the Minnesota newspaper Star Tribune offered some advice for Mayo Clinic's CEO appointee Gianrico Farrugia, MD, in a Aug. 14 editorial.

The Rochester, Minn.-based health system said Aug. 10 that Dr. Farrugia would replace current CEO John Noseworthy, MD, after he retires at the end of the year. Dr. Farrugia not only has big shoes to fill, but according to Mayo's neighborhood newspaper, it's also time for the health system to work on rebuilding trust in the communities it serves.

According to the Star Tribune, regional trust has floundered since Mayo's 2017 decision to switch up services at its Albert Lea, Minn., and Austin, Minn., facilities, along with reducing its offerings at several other facilities.

"The tensions have not gone away despite aloof assurances from Mayo leaders that consolidation is necessary to achieve cost efficiencies. Nor do Mayo leaders' mea culpas about mishandled communications assuage fears about having to drive elsewhere if a loved one is having a baby or needs hospital care," the editorial board wrote.

The editorial boards described Dr. Noseworthy's tenure as marked by Mayo's reliance on state funds to become a "destination medical center," which included the state's $585 million public infrastructure investment in 2013 to help meet this goal. However, smaller cities in the state  like Albert Lea and Austin  need a full-service healthcare facility to drive their own economies.

"A nonprofit health system like Mayo, especially one with deep financial resources, must broaden its vision to include the well-being of the communities it serves," the editorial board wrote.

"[Dr.] Farrugia needs to ensure that metrics measuring satisfaction with services provided on Mayo's regional home turf are included and given priority in evaluations of the medical center's overall performance. As he officially takes over after [Dr.] Noseworthy's end-of-the-year retirement, [Dr.] Farrugia would do well to add 'community care' to his already-daunting agenda and make clear to his talented staff that Mayo must do better," the Star Tribune concludes.

To read the complete editorial in the Star Tribune, click here.In this special Speaker Series, Becker's Healthcare caught up with Cynthia Hines, DHA, owner and principal of ExecHelp & Consulting.

Dr. Hines will speak on a panel during the Becker's Hospital Review 4th Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference titled "Bridging the Gap Between Raw Data, Research, Analytics and Treatments," at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. Learn more about the event and register to attend in Chicago.

Question: Can you share your best advice for motivating teams?

Dr. Cynthia Hines: Creating extraordinary clarity around the vision through deliberate and clear communication. It is very difficult to motivate individuals or teams if they do not find meaning in the work. It is the leaders responsibility to make sure that the team has a clear line of sight between their role and the organizations strategy, goals and objectives. Therefore, teams need to be very clear on where the organization going, how they will get there and how the work they perform daily supports the vision.

Q: Describe your biggest failure. What did you learn from it?

DH: The biggest mistake I ever made was trusting the work of a subordinate in a new environment. That experience brought a new level of understanding for me  trust but verify. By nature, Im a very trusting person and I love people. However, people that work for you, although well-intended, may overlook key details that you as the leader would have identified. Therefore, it is critical, especially when going into a new and unfamiliar environment, to check everything. Its not that you want to be a micromanager, but the outcome will ultimately reflect on you as the leader. Hence, until you become more familiar with the work quality of the team and the culture of the new environment, the extra effort is time well spent.

Q: What is the No. 1 thing you wish you knew before taking a leadership post at your organization?

DH: How decisions are made in the new role. All too often it is very difficult to ascertain how decisions are made during the interview process. Even if you ask the questions, sometimes the hiring leaders have not given much thought to the decision-making process either. Sometimes if leaders have worked in an organization for a long time, they assume that their organization's approach to decision-making is the same everywhere. So, I would suggest that you at least ask, "How are decisions made in the organization?" More specifically, [how are they made] in your future role. There are few things worse than thinking youre the boss and, therefore, have the final say on a decision [when] thats not the case.Although most medical residents said they look forward to their first job, many said they experience bullying and depression during residency and blamed work for failed relationships, according to Medscape's 2018 residents lifestyle and happiness report.

Over 1,900 residents across more than 29 specialties responded to Medscape's survey, which asked about personal relationships, depression, what may reduce burnout and what residents look for in a first job.

Seven survey findings:

1. One in four residents said they are bullied often (4 percent) or occasionally (21 percent), most often by attending physicians (58 percent) and nurses (50 percent).

2. Ten percent of residents said they feel depressed always/most of the time, and 10 percent said they have had suicidal thoughts.

3. The majority (68 percent) said there is a strong stigma against seeking help for mental health issues.

4. The survey found 69 percent of residents said personal relationships have failed because they don't have time for the social life they want, and 33 percent say they rarely or never have enough time for a satisfying social life.

5. To avoid burnout at work, 64 percent of residents said manageable work schedules and call hours would help, and 41 percent said sufficient compensation would help. Forty percent said reasonable patient loads would help prevent burnout.

6. Seventy-five percent of residents said work-life balance is the most important factor when choosing their first job as a physician.

7. Despite the challenges, 87 percent of residents said they look forward to being physicians.With 335 million users, Twitter can feel overwhelming.

Here are 10 physician accounts that stand out from the crowd, presented in alphabetical order:

1. Vineet Arora, MD | @FutureDocs

Assistant dean for scholarship and discovery at University of Chicago Medicine

Dr. Arora, a patient handoffs expert, academic hospitalist at UChicago Medicine, focuses on improving medical education  or so-called #meded  both online and offline. She also serves as deputy social media editor for the Journal of Hospital Medicine where she blogs about topics like the sponsorship gap for female clinicians and trends in resident education, which she regularly shares with her 28,700 Twitter followers.

2. Toby Cosgrove, MD | @TobyCosgroveMD

Executive advisor to Google Cloud's healthcare and life sciences team

Dr. Cosgrove, who in May 2017 revealed plans to step down from his post as Cleveland Clinic's CEO, has traditionally focused his social media interactions on feel-good stories about his academic hospital's patients. However, we expect the accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon to expand his Twitter presence in the coming months as he takes on an advisory role with Google Cloud's healthcare and life sciences team  which has been making serious inroads in the industry with artificial intelligence, the cloud and more.

3. Atul Gawande, MD | @Atul_Gawande

CEO of the Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase healthcare venture

Dr. Gawande, a general and endocrine surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, both in Boston, has established himself as a healthcare thought leader through his work as a staff writer at The New Yorker, where he writes long-form analyses about the industry. He continues mulling complex healthcare topics  from what's driving medical debt to the power of primary care  on Twitter with his 257,000 followers.

4. Scott Gottlieb, MD | @SGottliebFDA

Commissioner of the FDA

Dr. Gottlieb doesn't practice medicine in his current post as FDA commissioner, but the former internist is making waves online, balancing informative tweets about regulatory decisions with lighthearted  and sometimes self-deprecating  posts. His tweets on skinny jeans and Thanksgiving leftovers even earned a mention in an in-depth profile The New York Times published on Dr. Gottlieb this past winter, as evidence of a "chatty" online persona that contributes to his support across the aisle.

5. John Halamka, MD | @jhalamka

CIO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston

Dr. Halamka leads a busy life at the intersection of health and technology. He's a practicing emergency medicine physician, the International Healthcare Innovation Professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston and the inaugural editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal Blockchain in Healthcare Today. He's garnered 18,300 followers on Twitter, where he shares insights into how elements outside the hospital setting  like technology and social determinants of health  affect wellness nationwide.

6. David Juurlink, MD, PhD | @DavidJuurlink

Head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto

Although Dr. Juurlink practices in Canada, his Twitter presence  which focuses on drug safety amid the opioid epidemic  prove informative for an American audience, as well. With 24,000 followers, the Toronto internist tweets about everything from reasons to avoid prescribing certain opioids to weighing in on national policy, building on his research interests in drug safety, adverse drug events and the consequences of drug-drug interactions in clinical practice.

7. Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu, MD | @JenniferAdaeze

Psychiatry resident at Harvard Medical School in Boston

Dr. Okwerekwu  a second-year psychiatry resident practicing at Cambridge (Mass.) Health Alliance, an academic community health system affiliated with Harvard Medical School  sits at the intersection of medicine and media. She pens a regular column for STAT, titled "Off the Charts," which offers a first-person look at her experiences as a black woman in healthcare. Before starting her residency, Dr. Okwerekwu worked as an intern in CNN's medical unit and as a medical student producer for The Dr. Oz Show.

8. Kevin Pho, MD | @kevinmd

Internal medicine physician at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, N.H.

Dr. Pho has made a name for himself as the founder of KevinMD.com, a blog he brands as "social media's leading physician voice." Thousands of physicians, nurses and medical students have contributed posts since the blog's launch in 2004, offering their first-person perspectives into front-line medical practice. Dr. Pho, who boasts 154,000 followers on Twitter, is also a contributor to USA Today, where he frequently pens opinion columns on the healthcare industry, and in 2013, he co-authored a book on why it's imperative for today's physicians to proactively manage their online reputations.

9. Pradheep J. Shanker, MD | @Neoavatara

CEO of radiology and medical service provider Pharon Systems

Dr. Shanker, who bills himself as a "conservative idealist by day" and "radiologist by night" online, uses Twitter to share thoughts on current events and healthcare policy with his 12,600 followers. His Twitter presence builds on his blog, where he pens reviews of movies, commentary on identity politics and essays about medical ethics, along with encouraging discussion on op-eds he's published in national media outlets like the National Review and The American Spectator.

10. Eric Topol, MD | @EricTopol

Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Dr. Topol, a cardiologist, professor and author, is a national expert in genomics and personalized medicine. Online, he's amassed 135,000 followers on Twitter, where he shares insights on how new discoveries inside and outside of the hospital setting  whether genetics research, digital health tools or social determinants of health  may improve patient care. He's a vocal proponent of patients' right to own their medical data, a viewpoint he's laid out extensively online and as a contributor to The New York Times.Medical students are ditching traditional classroom lectures in favor of learning through online resources, reports STAT.

Four takeaways:

1. Second-year medical students are increasingly less likely to show up to class. A questionnaire from the Association of American Medical Colleges found less than half of second-year medical students (47.3 percent) in 2017 said they attend in-person pre-clerkship courses or lectures "most of the time" (34.7 percent) or "often" (12.6 percent). This compares to 50.6 percent in 2016 and 52.3 percent in 2015. Nearly 24 percent of second-year medical students in 2017 said they "almost never" attend in-person courses or lectures. This compares to 18.2 percent in 2015.

2. As medical students are skipping class, they are opting more for virtual pre-clerkship courses and lectures. The AAMC questionnaire found 58 percent of second-year medical students in 2017 said they attended virtual courses "most of the time" or "often." Additionally, 24.2 percent of second-year medical students in 2017 said they used online videos for their medical education information daily. That compares to 13.4 percent in 2015 and 9.1 percent in 2014.

3. Medical students are increasingly using these online resources, including memory aids, videos and online quizzes, to prepare for the Step 1 test that is part of the nation's medical licensing examination, according to the report.

4. Some medical schools are adjusting amid the trend toward online resources. Harvard Medical School in Boston mostly eliminated lectures and allows students learn the course content outside of the classroom before applying the knowledge in mandatory small group sessions, reports STAT. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore has made similar efforts by reducing lectures and increasing sessions requiring active student participation.

Read the full STAT report here.

More articles on physicians:

Why physicians want to change hospital responses to active shooters

In California, a new app aims to keep patients up-to-date on physician misconduct

Henry Ford Physician Network CEO says system's direct contract with GM will drive value for beneficiariesMore than 500 unionized workers at Providence Tarzana (Calif.) Medical Center plan to strike Aug. 16 over wages, staffing and what they say are unfair labor practices.

The workers, who are represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, have been in contract negotiations with management for nine months. They include nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and medical technicians.

In a prepared statement, union officials said workers seek wages that are in line with the cost of living, as well as an end to the frequent cancellation of shifts that they contend has resulted in staffing issues, particularly among nursing assistants.

"We can't provide quality patient care if we don't have enough caregivers," said Denise Cruz, a longtime nursing assistant at Providence Tarzana. "And the hospital won't be able to retain quality workers if we can't make enough to help support our families."

Providence Tarzana officials did not specifically address the union's claims, but they did note recognition for quality by U.S. News & World Report.

Overall, they said they were surprised and disappointed by the union's plans.

"Negotiations have been continuing at a steady pace, with several bargaining sessions scheduled this month. Hospital officials are disappointed the union has chosen this option, as it is costly and disruptive," they told Becker's Hospital Review in a statement.

Providence Tarzana has strike contingency plans, which include employing temporary staff to cover the shifts of caregivers who walk off the job. Due to a five-day minimum term that must be guaranteed to these temporary workers, striking caregivers will not be able to return to work until the hospital completes its commitment to the temporary staffing agency, hospital officials said. They said caregivers who decide not to strike and have notified their supervisors of their intention to work their scheduled shifts will be able to do their jobs as scheduled.

"Providence respects every employee's right to choose to be represented by a union and has been negotiating with the NUHW in good faith," hospital officials concluded. "The hospital's goal is to develop an agreement that benefits employees, as well as the community. There are proposals on the table that are fair and competitive, and that deserve more consideration. Hospital officials are eager to get back to bargaining and engaging in constructive discussion with the union."

More articles on human capital and risk:

CMS rule could add hurdle for home health aides in unions: 6 things to know

Vermont hospital board told to get active in labor talks

Rhode Island Hospital, nurses file separate federal labor complaintsAuthorities believe an Ohio physician was fatally shot by his two sons last week, according to Fox 8.

Here are five things to know:

1. Richard Warn, DPM, was found dead in his home Aug. 9. He died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

2. Dr. Warn's wife returned from a vacation and was unable to get inside their home in Beachwood, Ohio. She called police, and officers found Dr. Warn's body inside the house. There were no signs that someone had broken into the home.

3. On the evening of Aug. 10, police officers went to a second home that belonged to Dr. Warn in South Euclid, Ohio, to execute a search warrant. As officers approached the home, someone began shooting at them. After a 12-hour standoff, officers deployed a gas agent and entered the home. Two male suspects, who were identified as Dr. Warn's sons, were found dead inside the home.

4. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office said Dr. Warn's sons suffered gunshot wounds and ruled their deaths suicide. Beachwood Police Chief Gary Haba said he is confident the evidence will show Dr. Warn was killed by his two sons, according to Fox 8.

5. Investigators do not have a motive for the murder. Although police were called to the Warns' house in Beachwood in the past, Mr. Haba said he would not consider it a problem home, according to the report.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

Ex-CEO pleads guilty in kickback case involving California health clinics

Illinois physician claims imitator wrecked his career

12 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlementsOregon officials are weighing a proposal that would eliminate opioids prescribed to chronic pain patients in the state's Medicaid program, according to STAT.

Here are six things to know:

1. The proposal outlines tapering chronic pain patients' opioids to zero over a 12-month period, starting in 2020. Instead of taking opioids, the proposal recommends shifting patients' pain management care to nonpharmacological therapies like chiropractic care, deep tissue massages or acupuncture.

2. State health officials declined to provide how many pain patients this policy could affect, but about 1 million Oregonians are enrolled in Medicaid. Nationwide, about 10 percent of adults experience chronic pain.

"We believe Oregonians in chronic pain deserve safe and effective pain management," Dana Hargunani, MD, CMO at Salem-based Oregon Health Authority, told STAT. "And at the same time, we're concerned about overdose and death, and we believe pain patients have been put at higher risk with regard to overprescribing."

3. Other states have passed legislation to cap first-time opioid prescriptions for acute pain to three, five or seven days based on the medical procedure. Yet, the proposed Oregon bill is the first of its kind to propose eliminating opioid prescriptions for patients who have not demonstrated signs of addiction or other negative health consequences.

4. Many chronic pain patients oppose the proposal, arguing it will drive individuals to seek illegal opioids, such as heroin, which is often laced with fentanyl, according to STAT. Chronic pain patient activists expressed concern that the task force charged with creating the proposal comprises three acupuncturists and a chiropractor. They said coverage for alternative pain management therapies provided by these types of clinicians should not come at the expense of opioid coverage.

5. Health experts are also skeptical of the proposal, citing little evidence on the benefits or consequences of taking pain patients off long-term opioids.

"What is notably missing is any review of any literature regarding the centerpiece of their proposed policy: Forced opioid taper to zero for all persons," Stefan Kertesz, MD, professor of preventive medicine at Birmingham based-University of Alabama School of Medicine, told STAT.

6. Oregon could approve the proposal as soon as October, according to STAT.

More articles on opioids:

Johns Hopkins creates opioid guidelines for 20 common surgeries

Dr. Toby Cosgrove: Opioid epidemic has 'peaked'

EMS naloxone use jumps 75% in 4 years, CDC saysGlens Falls (N.Y.) Hospital is implementing new safety guidelines to manage visitors, although the hospital said there is no security threat to the hospital, according to The Post Star.

Beginning Aug. 15, the hospital will close all of its doors to entry, save three locations. At those locations, visitors will be required to provide a photo ID to unarmed security officers at desks. The requirement will be phased in at each entrance during the next month. Visitors will also get a sticker denoting which floor they are visiting.



Glens Falls Hospital will also require visitors coming through the emergency department to show an ID, and will limit two visitors to each ED patient. The hospital expects its full visitor management system will be implemented by Sept. 12, with the ED protocol being changed Sept. 26.



Nearby Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y., Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center Hospital and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Saratoga Hospital have not implemented a similar ID requirement, according to The Post Star.



More articles on patient flow:

Car slams into Virginia hospital, driver injured

Sutter Lakeside Hospital reopens after wildfires force 12-day closure

CNN: Parents help daughter 'escape' from Mayo ClinicUniversity of California astronomers, including three from UCLA, have resolved a mystery about the early universe and its first galaxies.

Astronomers have known that more than 12 billion years ago, about 1 billion years after the Big Bang, the gas in deep space was, on average, much more opaque than it is now in some regions, although the opacity varied widely from place to place. But they weren't sure about what caused those variations.

To learn why the differences occurred, the astronomers used one of the world's largest telescopes, the Subaru telescope on Maunakea in Hawaii, to search for galaxies of young stars in an exceptionally large region of space -- 500 million light-years across -- where they knew the intergalactic gas was extremely opaque.

If the region had an unusually small number of galaxies, the scientists would be able to conclude that starlight could not penetrate as far as expected through the intergalactic gas; if it had an unusually large number of galaxies, the implication would be that the region had cooled significantly over the previous several hundred million years. (Having few galaxies in a region would mean not only that there was less light created by those galaxies, but also that even more opaque gas was being formed, so the light could not travel as far as astronomers had expected.)

"It was a rare case in astronomy where two competing models, both of which were compelling in their own way, offered precisely opposite predictions, and we were lucky that those predictions were testable," said Steven Furlanetto, a UCLA professor of astronomy and a co-author of the research.

The researchers found that region contains far fewer galaxies than expected -- clear evidence that starlight could not get through. The paucity of galaxies could be the reason this region is so opaque.

"It is not that the opacity is a cause of the lack of galaxies," Furlanetto said. "Instead, it's the other way around."

They concluded that because the gas in deep space is kept transparent by ultraviolet light from galaxies, fewer nearby galaxies might make it murkier.

The research is published in the Astrophysical Journal.

In the first billion years after the Big Bang, ultraviolet light from the first galaxies filled the universe and made the gas in deep space transparent. This would have occurred earlier in regions with more galaxies, the astronomers concluded. The astronomers plan to further study whether the void and others like it will reveal clues about how the first generations of galaxies illuminated the universe during that early period. Furlanetto said the astronomers hope that studying the interplay of galaxies and gas in deep space will reveal more about how the intergalactic ecosystem took shape during that period of the early universe.

Reference: "Evidence for Large-Scale Fluctuations in the Metagalactic Ionizing Background Near Redshift Six," George D. Becker et al., 2018 Aug. 14, Astrophysical Journal [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aacc73, preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.08932]. Co-authors of the research are Matthew Malkan, a UCLA professor of astronomy; George Becker, assistant professor of astronomy at UC Riverside; Elisa Boera, a UC Riverside postdoctoral scholar; Craig Douglass, a UC Riverside graduate student; and Frederick Davies, a former UCLA graduate student who is now a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Barbara.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.Health insurance startup Oscar Health reported net income of about $5 million in the first half of fiscal year 2018, a significant improvement from its $57.6 million loss in the first half of 2017, the insurer said in an email to Becker's Hospital Review.

Here are four things to know about Oscar's most recent financials:

1. Oscar's gross premium revenue totaled $630 million across all six states it operated in for the first half of 2018, including New Jersey, which only submits numbers annually. That's more than three times the premium revenue Oscar generated in the same period last year.

2. "This year, Oscar's focus has been to scale our consumer-focused, technology-driven approach to cover more members, in more markets. After doubling our market footprint, our financial results for the first half of 2018 prove that our business is trending in-line with expectations," the company said in a prepared statement to Becker's Hospital Review.

3. Oscar drove down its medical loss ratio in the first half of 2018 to 74 percent. Medical loss ratio is the amount a health insurer spends on claims versus operating expenses. The 17-point year-over-year improvement drove an underwriting profit of about $95 million.

4. On Aug. 14, Oscar said Google parent company Alphabet will invest $375 million in the startup. The investment will aid Oscar in expanding its technology, membership, markets and new business lines including Medicare Advantage in 2020.Google parent company Alphabet is planning to invest $375 million in Oscar Health, according to Wired.

Alphabet, an early investor in Oscar through its Capital G venture capital fund and its healthcare segment Verily, now owns about 10 percent of Oscar, Wired reports. In addition to the investment, Salar Kamangar, former YouTube CEO and one of Google's first employees, will join Oscar's board.



The investment will aid Oscar in expanding its technology, membership, markets and new business lines including Medicare Advantage in 2020.

Mario Schlosser, co-founder and CEO of Oscar, said in a prepared statement: "Oscar will accelerate the pursuit of its mission: to make our healthcare system work for consumers. We will continue to build a member experience that lowers costs and improves care, and to bring Oscar to more people."



More articles on payers:

Sharp, Providence Health, MemorialCare collaborate with Aetna for regional health plan

Investor Carl Icahn ends fight against Cigna-Express Scripts deal

2nd proxy firm backs Cigna-Express Scripts dealJackson-based University of Mississippi Medical Center and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi reached an agreement to keep all UMMC facilities and providers in network with the health insurer, according to the Clarion Ledger.

In early July, the organizations extended their contract until July 31 and agreed to a mediator in their dispute. A 28-year-old contract between UMMC and BCBS was set to expire July 1. Some Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi members could have paid 29 times more for the same procedure at UMMC if the provider left the insurer's network, according to the Clarion Ledger.



Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney encouraged the organizations to enter mediation over their dispute.

"Both Blue Cross and UMMC look forward to achieving their respective goals and serving Mississippians' healthcare needs," the organizations said in a joint statement. "There will be no further comment from either party."



More articles on payers:

Lawsuit aims to toss Arkansas' Medicaid work requirements

Oscar Health posts $5M profit: 4 things to know

Oscar Health to get $375M infusion from AlphabetAs hospitals work to reduce readmissions, healthcare experts are looking at why patients return to the hospital and strategizing ways to keep discharged patients from becoming inpatients again, according to U.S. News & World Report.

1. Rapid follow-up. Congestive heart failure patients are some of the patients who have the highest risk of early hospital readmission, and patients who see a physician soon after their hospital stay or receive a follow up from a nurse or pharmacist are less likely to be readmitted, a study published in Medical Care found.

After researchers looked at about 11,000 heart failure patients discharged over a 10-year period, they found the timing of follow-up is closely tied to readmission rates, said study co-author Keane Lee, MD. "Specifically, it should be done within seven days of hospital discharge to be effective at reducing readmissions within 30 days," Dr. Lee said.

2. Empathy training. When clinicians are trained in empathy skills, they may better communicate with patients preparing for discharge, and encouraging two-way conversations may help patients reveal their care expectations and concerns. Providers at Cleveland Clinic, for example, receive empathy training to better engage with patients and their families.

3. Treating the whole patient. When a patient suffers from multiple medical conditions, catching and treating symptoms of either condition early may prevent an emergency room visit. Integrated care models make it easier to give patients all-encompassing, continuous care, said Alan Go, MD, director of comprehensive clinical research at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.

4. Navigator teams. A patient navigator team of a nurse and pharmacist can help cut heart failure patient readmissions. Patients who are discharged may be overwhelmed by long medication lists and multiple outpatient appointments. A patient navigator team of a nurse and pharmacist can help cut heart failure patient readmissions.

One study examined results of these teams at New York City-based Montefiore Medical Center. The navigator team helped reduce 30-day readmission rates by providing patient education, scheduling follow-up appointments and emphasizing patient frailty or struggle to comprehend discharge instructions.

5. Diabetes home monitoring. For high-risk patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease, home monitoring can help avoid readmissions. In a study examining a Medicare Advantage program of telephonic diabetes disease management, nurses conducted regular phone assessments of patients' diabetes symptoms, medication-taking and self-monitoring of glucose levels. The study found hospital admissions for any cause were reduced for the program's patients.

6. Empowered patients. It is critical for patients to understand their care plan at discharge, including medications, physical therapy and follow-up appointments, said Andrew Ryan, PhD, professor of healthcare management at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor. "Patients don't want to be readmitted, either," Dr. Ryan said. "They can take an active role in coordinating their care. Ideally, they wouldn't have to be the only ones to do that."

7. Proactive nursing homes. "There are very high readmission rates from skilled nursing facilities," Dr. Ryan said. If a recuperating resident developed a health problem, traditionally, they were immediately referred to the hospital. "Now, hospitals are doing some creative things, like putting physicians in nursing homes, where they [make rounds] and try to figure out what could be treated there and what really requires another admission," Dr. Ryan said. "It speaks to this interest in engaging in care in a broader sense than hospitals historically have."

8. Nurses on board. A program putting nurse practitioners and RNs in about 20 Indiana nursing homes is seeing success in cutting preventable hospitalizations among residents. The OPTIMISTIC project, or Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care, reduced hospitalizations by one-third, a November 2017 report found. OPTIMISTIC allows on-site nurses to give direct support to patients and educate nursing home staff members, sparing frail older adults from the stress of hospital admissions and readmissions.CMS' plan to change Medicare payments to a flat rate per visit regardless of a patient's sickness could have harmful consequences for severely ill patients, a professor of medicine argues in a STAT op-ed.

Five insights from the op-ed, written by Timothy Sullivan, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City:

1. Dr. Sullivan discussed one patient with a complicated condition who had a comprehensive visit at his infectious diseases clinic that lasted over an hour. Dr. Sullivan billed the patient's insurance, Medicare, at the high rate for the most complex patients.

Medicare currently pays physicians $211 for a new visit with a complicated patient like the one Dr. Sullivan mentioned, compared to $76 for the simplest cases, but under the proposed changes, slated to start in 2019, the payment will be $135 for all new visits. "That means I would be paid the same for spending a few minutes caring for a patient with a runny nose as for treating [the complex patient]," Dr. Sullivan says.

2. "The effects of this policy could be catastrophic," Dr. Sullivan says. "Doctors will be pressured by clinic administrators to see more patients each day to maintain revenue, which will encourage them to treat more patients with simpler problems and fewer with complex, time-consuming health issues."

As a result, Dr. Sullivan says some physicians may send their sickest patients to emergency rooms as opposed to addressing their issues in the clinic, and others may stop seeing Medicare patients altogether.

3. Physicians who still treat the sickest Medicare patients may see lower incomes, Dr. Sullivan says, and medical students with hefty debt may be drawn away from lower-paying jobs in primary care. "Medicare's flat-rate plan, by contributing to a decline in income among physicians who treat complex patients outside of the hospital, would  discourage trainees from pursuing much-needed careers in primary care," Dr. Sullivan says.

The policy shift could also result in fewer available physicians, longer appointment waits and less time spent with the physician at every visit, Dr. Sullivan writes.

4. Medicare should therefore pay more, not less, to physicians who treat the sickest patients to improve care for vulnerable patients and encourage more trainees to enter primary care, Dr. Sullivan says. "By increasing payments for these visits, Medicare may still be able to cut overall costs," he writes. "Allowing doctors to spend more time with the neediest patients can prevent hospital admissions and other costly complications."

5. Paying physicians more for complicated visits may also encourage young physicians become primary care physicians while motivating existing physicians to give necessary treatment for the most complex patients, Dr. Sullivan says.

"Instead of broadly reducing reimbursement rates, Medicare administrators should consider how to better structure physician payments to help patients, reduce costs and foster a sustainable Medicare system," Dr. Sullivan writes.Jahangir (John) Asghar, MD, joined the Cantor Spine Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Here are four things to know:

1. Dr. Asghar specializes in pediatric, adolescent and adult scoliosis as well as complex deformities of the spine.

2. Dr. Asghar will lead clinical research, ultrasonic and robotic technologies for adult and pediatric scoliosis at the institute.

3. After completing a fellowship in pediatric spine surgery at Shriner's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Dr. Asghar worked at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital, formerly the Miami Children's Hospital, in Miami.

4. Dr. Asghar is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, the North American Spine Society and the International Society for Advancement Spine Surgery. He is also a founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.The University of Louisville (Ky.) welcomed three surgeons to its neurosurgery department, according to Lane Report.

The surgeons will conduct research at the University of Louisville School of Medicine while performing surgeries at University of Louisville Hospital and KentuckyOne Health Jewish Hospital in Louisville.

Norberto Andaluz, MD, will serve as director of skull base surgery at the university. He completed fellowship training at the University of Cincinnati and specializes in minimally invasive crania and spinal surgeries.

Dale Ding, MD, specializes in spinal vascular malformations, carotid stenosis and acute ischemic strokes. He underwent fellowship training at Auckland City Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

Emily Payne Sieg, MD, specializes in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery as well as traumatic cranial and spinal cord injuries. She underwent fellowship training at the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.Invibio Biomaterial Solutions' partnership with Beijing-based Fule Science & Technology Development developed a new hybrid PEEK-titanium expandable cage.

The two companies unveiled the Uplifter Expandable Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Device at the 11th Congress of the Chinese Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting in Shanghai.



Uplifter is comprised of two materials: Invibio's PEEK-Optima natural polymer and titanium. It is designed to treat degenerative disc disease of L2-L5, nerve root-canal stenosis and lumbar spondylolisthesis.



Patrick Hsieh, MD, from the University of Southern California Spine Center in Los Angeles, demonstrated the Uplifter during a direct-lateral lumbar interbody fusion procedure on a cadaver at the conference. Invibio and Fule also designed the expandable cage for oblique lateral interbody fusion procedures.



By using the PEEK-Optima polymer with Fule's technology, Uplift allows for three to five millimeters of expansion to support restoration of disc height and lordosis. Globally, Invibio's PEEK-Optima technology continues to expand. In various studies, the polymer has been shown to improve bone apposition at four- and 12-weeks post cervical spine fusion.



"The benefits of using PEEK for spinal implants include radiolucency that assists in accurate fusion assessment as well as having a track record of excellent long-term clinical results and radiographic fusion rates," Dr. Hsieh said.Local beef is now being sold in the Philippines

Beef and pork exporters in Northern Ireland look set to benefit from the opening of new markets in Taiwan and the Philippines.

Local beef is due to hit the shelves in the Philippines, one year on from an announcement that exports from the UK could recommence.

Filipino authorities announced in August 2017 that it would accept UK beef alongside existing exports of pork, chicken and lamb.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has confirmed that the first consignment of beef from here has now cleared customs in the Philippines. It has the potential to become a major trade opportunity for the local beef industry.

It follows an announcement from Taiwan that local pork exporters will now have access to that market after authorities agreed to accept such imports from the UK for the first time.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in London forecasts that additional trade to these new markets may be worth 34m and 50m to the UK beef and pork industries respectively over the next five years.

Welcoming the progress, DAERA's deputy chief veterinary officer Dr Perpetua McNamee said: "We have been working in partnership with Defra and industry to identify new markets and opportunities for our local meat sector.

"This process began in 2015 and it is welcoming to note that the Filipino people will now have the opportunity to sample the fine quality beef produced by our farmers."

Dr McNamee also welcomed the announcement that the pork industry will now have access to the Taiwanese market.

She added: "This market is of particular significance to the pork industry. It will provide opportunities for pork processors to export much of the less marketed 'fifth quarter' products, which have a limited outlet more locally.

"Gaining access to the Philippines and Taiwanese markets is further recognition of the rigorous standards we have in place to produce our high-quality, safe and wholesome meat.

"We will continue to invest much time and energy into opening new markets across the globe to expand the agri-food industry."A pair of cosmonauts are going into the weekend preparing for the seventh spacewalk this year from the International Space Station.

The rest of the Expedition 56 crew set up a student satellite competition, made space for a cargo mission and checked combustion experiment gear.

Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev are getting ready for a spacewalk Aug. 15 to conduct science and maintenance outside the station's Russian segment. Artemyev, who has two previous spacewalks under his belt, and Prokopyev suited up Friday for a dry run of their upcoming spacewalk with assistance from NASA astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor. The duo will hand-deploy four tiny satellites, install antennas and cables and collect exposed science experiments.

Commander Drew Feustel and Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold set up a pair of tiny satellites, known as SPHERES, for operation during the SPHERES Zero Robotics student competition. Middle school students in the United States are competing to write the best algorithms to operate the SPHERES simulating a mission on Saturn's moon Enceladus.

Alexander Gerst of ESA joined Arnold before lunchtime making space for cargo due to be delivered in Sept. 14 aboard Japan's H-II Transfer Vehicle. Gerst then opened up the Combustion Integrated Rack in the afternoon and took pictures of ACME (Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments) gear that supports five independent gaseous flame studies.

On-Orbit Status Report

Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Deployer 9 (J-SSOD#9): Robotics Controllers in Tsukuba, Japan maneuvered the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) to the Small Satellite Deploy Position and deployed the Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Demonstration (JSSOD)-9 satellites. These satellites are 1U CubeSats and were developed by Bhutan, the Philippines, and Malaysia. The crew supported the activity as observers, taking photographs of the various small satellites as they were deployed from both JSSOD launchers. Following the deployment, the JSSOD was re-installed on the JEM Airlock Slide Table.

Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Zero Robotics: The crew set up the SPHERES Zero Robotics hardware and cameras before executing today's experiment run. The SPHERES-Zero-Robotics investigation establishes an opportunity for high school students to design research for the ISS. As part of a competition, students write algorithms for the SPHERES satellites to accomplish tasks relevant to future space missions. The algorithms are tested by the SPHERES team and the best designs are selected for the competition to operate the SPHERES satellites on board the ISS.

Rodent Research-7 (RR-7): Today the crew cleaned the cameras in the two rodent habitat modules. The RR-7 investigation examines how the space environment affects the community of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of mice (also known as the microbiota). It also looks at microgravity's effects on multiple physiological systems known to be affected by the microbiota, including the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, circadian, and sleep systems. These studies should help explain mechanisms underlying interactions between these systems and the role of the microbiota in these interactions.

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME): The crew opened the Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) today and replaced one of the ACME controllers. The ACME experiment series being performed in the CIR includes five independent studies of gaseous flames. The primary goals of ACME are to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollutant production in routine fuel combustion activities on Earth. Its secondary goal is to improve spacecraft fire prevention through innovative research focused on materials flammability.

Barrios Protein Crystal Growth (PCG): Today the crew used a microscope to take photos of the Barrios PCG plate. Barrios PCG focuses on the successful transfer and mixing of different solutions into commercial off-the-shelf multiwell plates. Video of the growth of the protein crystals in the multiwell plates will be downlinked for evaluation.

Meteor: The crew attempted to replace and re-image the Meteor system disk and the application software to configure the diffraction grating and to power up Meteor. The attempt was not successful. Ground teams will determine further troubleshooting activities to be planned. The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument used to observe meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. Since the parent comets or asteroids for most of the meteor showers are identified, the study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.

H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-7 Rack Relocation Prep: After yesterday's successful transfer of five racks within the United States On-orbit Segment (USOS), the crew reconfigured stowage that was temporarily relocated for the rack moves. They also re-labelled the racks as appropriate to indicate their new position within the USOS. Successful completion of this week's activities were required to prepare ISS for the installation of new rack hardware manifested on HTV-7.

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Leak Update: As part of the ongoing effort to isolate the JEM MTL small leak, this morning the crew removed the Station Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) drawer from Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack 5 (ER5) in order to examine the Subsystem Valve for indications of a leak. Several points of interest were identified and experts are evaluating and developing further steps for the crew. Since ER5 was isolated from the MTL on Tuesday, experts at the Space Station Integration and Promotion Center (SSIPC) have seen no further fluid loss from the MTL.

Hatch Seal Inspection: The crew completed the second day of scheduled maintenance to clean and inspect the United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) hatch seals in Columbus, the Airlock, N3, JLP, JPM, and the PMM. They inspected the sealing surface and hatch handle mechanism for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) or damage and ensured yesterday's rack relocations did not cause damage to any seals.

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

MTL Leak Visual Inspection at JPM1F7 and JPM1A7

 maintenance

Preparing comm assets for Orlan EVA Training

Air duct disassembly in DC1 prior to EVA training

Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) Swabbing Operations

Glacier 3 Desiccant Swap

Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) MELFI Sample Insertion into a Box Module

SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge

Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)

JEMRMS Small Satellite Deployment Observation

Orlan Systems   Checkout

Stowage Rack Relabeling

Entry into Orlan No.4, No.5, and sealing off backpacks

Orlan Suit and Orlan Interface Unit () Controls Check

Orlan Suit fit and Leak Check.

SPHERES Zero Robotics Setup and Checkout

LAB1P1 Stowage Replace

Orlan Translation Exercise

SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow

Rack Front Stowage Replace

Assembly of air ducts in DC1 after the Orlan EVA training

Post Orlan EVA Training Closeout Activities

Station Support Computer (SSC) System Vent Cleaning

Payloads Network Attached Storage (NAS) Vent Cleaning

Post-training Orlan Closeout Activities

SPHERES Crew Conference

SPHERES Zero Robotics Run

ACME Controller Replace 1

Rodent Research 7 Camera Cleaning

Installation of Orlan-MKS No.4 and No.5 ORU for EVA.

-3 oxygen tank replacement.

METEOR Laptop Recovery [Not successful]

NanoRacks Barrios PCG Sample Removal from SABL

SPHERES Zero Robotics Shutdown

NanoRacks Barrios Protein Crystal Growth Microscope Ops

Hatch Seal Inspection

In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill

ISS Repress Using Air from Progress 438 [AO] 

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

JEMAL Deploy (JSSOD#9)

MSS Operations: MT translation

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 08/11: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty

Sunday, 08/12: Crew Off Duty

Monday, 08/13: HRF, PCG-13, Atomization Syringe, BEST, PWD Filter R&R, Microbial Tracking, Marrow Air, EVA LLB Ops, Storytime, PEPS Audit, MarconISSta

QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group:

Component - Status

Elektron - On

Vozdukh - Manual

[] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On

[] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Operate

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Process

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Full - Up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.On a rocky crag above the Devil's Coachroad on Slieve Beg with Slieve Donard framed between the cliff edges

Aerial view: looking across Carlingford Lough toward the Rostrevor Hills and Mourne Mountains from high on Slieve Foye

Breathtaking beauty: Ben Crom and other Mourne summits rising behind Ben Crom Reservoir, seen from rocky slabs on the slopes of Slieve Binnian

With the final series of the phenomenally successful Game of Thrones saga on the horizon, countless fans from all over the world have been taking to the Mourne Mountains to visit the northern backdrop of Westeros and walk in the footsteps of their beloved warring characters.

The explorations of some of the most devoted have taken them deep into Co Down, as far as Rostrevor. Almost a century ago, CS Lewis famously described the part of Rostrevor which overlooks Carlingford Lough as his idea of Narnia.

And now, 70 years on from the Belfast-born author's legendary Chronicles series, the photographer and hiking expert Adrian Hendroff took to the Co Down hilltops - the setting for countless scenes from Game of Thrones - to see exactly what Lewis meant. His trip resulted in A Walking Guide to The Mourne and Cooley Mountains, a beautifully illustrated booklet of graded routes and maps, filled with fascinating snippets on the history, heritage, folklore, geology, flora and fauna of each area.

"From the Mournes at Rostrevor, there are stunning vistas down to Carlingford Lough and across it to the hills of the Cooley Peninsula," says Adrian, a qualified mountain guide and a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, based in south Co Dublin.

"The scenic coast road connecting Rostrevor and Warrenpoint is also visible, and you can see a 30m (100ft) granite obelisk dedicated to Major General Robert Ross of Bladensburg, a Rostrevor native who fought in the American War of Independence.

"And, by the way, Major Ross's troops set fire to all public buildings in Washington during the war - and their actions inspired the writing of the national anthem 'Star-Spangled Banner'."

Having published eight highly acclaimed guides for walks in the Republic of Ireland, Adrian has straddled the border for the first time to focus on the Mourne and Cooley Mountains, which he describes as "quite simply a hiker's paradise".

Hugging the Co Down coastline, the Mournes are well-known as the highest and most dramatic mountain range in Northern Ireland, but the Cooley Peninsula - a finger of land in County Louth bounded in the north by the spectacular Carlingford Lough - is one of Ireland's best kept scenic secrets.

Indeed, as Adrian notes, the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once referred to the area around Carlingford Lough as "more beautiful than the Bay of Naples".

Adrian's latest guide includes sections of The Tain Way, a 40km (25-mile) long waymarked circuit which winds around the hills and valleys near Carlingford Lough.

But it was the peak of Slieve Donard in Co Down that proved the most breathtaking for the author, whose articles and photographs have been widely published in Irish newspapers and magazines.

"I found these walks absolutely exhilarating," he says. "There is nowhere higher in Northern Ireland than the summit of Slieve Donard, and that makes it a unique vantage point for appreciating views far and wide - including the iconic Mourne Wall and all the great peaks in the area.

"It wasn't until the dawn of Christianity that the boundaries of the kingdom of Mourne became defined. It was said that St Patrick threw his sandal between the streams of Srupatrick and Cassy Water - it flew 12 Irish miles, marking the 'Twelve Miles of Mourne'.

"There are gorgeous woodland trails through Castlewellan and Tollymore, and I came across the highest passage tomb in Ireland and an old smuggler's route.

"The Mourne Wall Challenge is for the more ambitious walker, along with some of the summits which have optional scrambles to the top of dramatic granite tors or rocky outcrops."

The Mourne and Cooley Mountains - a Walking Guide, 12.99 published by The Collins Press. For more information visit www.adrianhendroff.com

Facts and fables ... from a Grecian prince to a smugglers' route

The Mourne Mountains form a compact region designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB). The range holds an endless fascination for Adrian Hendroff - here are some fascinating snippets that accompany his walking guide to the Mourne and Cooley Mountains:

 In ancient times, Slieve Donard was known as Sliabh Slainge, named after Slanga, a Partholan prince of Grecian origin who came to these shores after the battle of Troy. Its summit cairn came to be known as Slainge's Cairn, as it was reputedly his final resting place, known today as the Great Carn.

 The dramatic Mournes mountain pass, from Slievenaglogh to Slieve Commedagh, includes an old smugglers' route known as the Brandy Pad. Back in the 18th century, when smuggling was commonplace, you might have heard ponies' hooves at night in these parts. The ponies were laden with illicit stock, mainly brandy but also tea, coffee, tobacco, soap, wine and silk. These contraband goods were shipped from the Isle of Man to the rugged coast south of Newcastle, funnelled up the Bloody Bridge River, along the Brandy Pad, then to Hare's Gap, exiting the mountains by way of Trassey and finally to Hilltown for distribution.

 Slieve Meelbeg is similar in shape to Slieve Meelmore but appears to be a little lower than the latter when viewed from the north. This optical illusion is probably the reason the Irish names of these mountains do not match their respective heights. Slieve Meelbeg (Sliabh Maol Beag) translates to Little Bald Mountain and Slieve Meelmore (Sliabh Maol Mor) means Big Bald Mountain - however, Meelbeg, at 708m, is actually higher than 680m Meelmore.

 You can find the fabled Cloughmore Stone on the Cloughmore Trail. Despite legendary tales of how it got here, the Cloughmore Stone is really an 'erratic' - a boulder dislodged from the mountains during the ice age and deposited in its present location as the glacier receded. It is thought that the 50-tonne boulder provided Belfast novelist CS Lewis with the inspiration for Aslan's table in his Chronicles of Narnia.An American honeymooner has appeared in court charged with attempting to murder three men.

Nicholas Keith Warner, an electrical engineer from Morrow Lane in Summerville, South Carolina appeared in Limavady Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old, who together with his wife arrived in Dublin last week on their honeymoon.

Last Saturday, three men, two aged in their 30s and one aged in his 60s, sustained stabbing injuries in an incident outside a bar at Main Street in the Co Antrim village of Ballycarry.

Warner denies attempting to murder the men and also denies assaulting a fourth. The defendant further denies causing an affray but he admits possessing a knife.

The defendant, who sustained a broken leg in the incident, was helped by two police officers as he walked on crutches from a cell van on Main Street, Limavady, into the courthouse for his remand appearance.

His wife Kaylee, a nurse also from South Carolina, sat behind her husband as he sat in the dock during the hearing.

When asked by the court clerk if he understood the charges, the defendant replied "yes mam".

A detective constable told Deputy District Judge Ted Magill that he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges and he said alcohol was an issue in the case.

Defence solicitor David Jones told the court that bail conditions proposed by the police and by the Public Prosecution Service were acceptable to the defendant.

"He accepts he was the individual who caused the injuries. From the moment of his arrest prior to his interviews he accepted he possessed the knife to defend himself," Mr Jones said.

"This case will come down to the argument of reasonable force or otherwise and because he is a US citizen I would request that if possible the case could be fast tracked. It is regrettable in that he is here on his honeymoon and his employment as an electrical engineer is now is jeopardy," Mr Jones added.

The defendant was released on his own bail of 1,000 to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court on September 6.

As part of his agreed bail conditions he was ordered to hand over his passport to the PSNI, to observe an 8 pm to 11 am curfew and to reside only at a bail address approved by the PSNI.

The defendant, who will also be electronically tagged, was further ordered not to leave Northern Ireland and not to contact any of the injured parties nor any other witnesses in the case.

He must also maintain an absolute ban from both possessing and consuming alcohol and he must agree to carrying out a preliminary breath test if asked to do so by the police.

An additional bail condition is that the defendant must not enter within the 30mph zone around the village of Ballycarry.The crash took place in the Abbeycentre car park.

One person had to be cut from a car following crashes involving five vehicles in the Abbey Centre car park.

Emergency services were called to the car park on the Logwood Road at around 12.25pm.

Five vehicles were involved in two separate incidents at the shopping centre.

Three fire crews were sent to the scene, two from Glengormley and one from Central Fire Station.

Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to rescue a casualty trapped in one of the vehicles.

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it received a 999 call at 12.18pm on Wednesday.

"NIAS despatched one Rapid Response Paramedic and two Emergency Ambulance crews to the incident," the spokesman added.

"Following assessment and treatment at the scene, one patient was transported to Antrim Area Hospital and another was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital."Childline is urging young people here worried about their GCSE and A-level grades to get in touch and not suffer in silence.

Over the past two years 70 children from Northern Ireland concerned about results were counselled by the charity, 38 in 2017/18 and 32 the previous year.

In 2017/18 across the UK Childline delivered 1,298 counselling sessions to children and teenagers apprehensive about their exam results and what they do next - a rise of 15% from the previous year.

Concern peaked in August 2017, with just under a quarter of all counselling sessions being delivered during the month when GCSE and A-level results are published.

Figures released by the NSPCC-supported service also showed that girls are much more willing to reach out for help, receiving 74% of all counselling sessions delivered by Childline on exams.

Young people told counsellors they were very worried about their results stopping them from going to university, with many expressing concerns about sharing them with parents and teachers.

Others said they were struggling to cope and that the build-up of pressure as they waited for their grades was making them feel stressed and depressed.

Mairead Monds, Childline manager for Northern Ireland, said: "We know that lots of young people struggle with the pressure of exam results season.

"The desire to get good grades and secure university places can feel like a lot to bear.

"We are also aware that once teenagers have got their results, they can feel overwhelmed by what comes next, especially if they don't get the grades they were hoping for.

"It's important they share how they are feeling and discuss their options with a friend, trusted adult or Childline."

Dame Esther Rantzen, founder and president of Childline, said: "From personal experience, I remember how terrified I was while I was waiting for my exam results and then how heartbroken I felt when they were not as good as they should have been. At that moment I felt that my hopes and dreams were shattered and that it was the end of the world.

"As it turned out, I was wrong, so I would like to remind young people that whatever happens with their exam results, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to go on and do very well in their lives. We all have different strengths and qualities and exams are only a small part of what makes you who you are."

Childline offers free, confidential support and advice, 24 hours a day on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.ukA north Belfast man has been granted compassionate bail to attend the funeral of his older brother, who died of a suspected heroin overdose.

Fergal Deeney (26) died in the Carrick Hill area of Belfast on Sunday and is due to be buried on Thursday.

Read More

His 21-year old brother Patrick Deeney - from Antrim Road and who is currently in Hydebank YOC after being charged with offences including wounding and possession of a knife - applied to Belfast Crown Court to be allowed out overnight, and to attend his brother's burial.

Revealing there will be no church service, defence barrister Mark McGarrity asked that his client Patrick Deeney be granted overnight bail which would enable him attend both a service in the Feeney family home, and the burial at Roselawn afterwards.

In response to the request, Crown prosecutor Philip Henry said that while there would be no objections to releasing Deeney, there were objections to the overnight element of the application.

This, he revealed, was due to concerns about an alleged injured party who lives opposite the Feeny family, and who would be unaware of Deeney's overnight release "as police have not yet been able to contact him".

Judge Stephen Fowler QC asked whether police have any further concerns, such as risk of flight or fear of further offending, with Mr Henry saying the main concern was unpredictability "because of the emotion of the day, the proximity of the injured party and the seriousness of the offences".

Judge Fowler agreed to release Feeney for a period tomorrow to allow him to attend his brother's funeral - both the service at the family home and the burial at Roselawn - but refused to release him overnight.

Urging the PSNI to try make every effort to contact the alleged injured party and inform him of Feeney's compassionate bail, the Judge agreed to release him from 8am to 4pm on Thursday. Feeney has also been banned from consuming alcohol "or any other substance" whilst on bail.A man charged with brothel keeping and targeting building sites in an extortion racket must remain in custody, a High Court judge ruled.

Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan refused bail to 60-year-old Brian Gillan after describing his alleged offences as "insidious".

Gillan, of Lurgan Road in Glenavy, was arrested in April during a series of police raids across Co Antrim and Belfast.

He denies counts of keeping a brothel operated at Agincourt Avenue in the city, possessing criminal property and blackmail.

Police observations, photographs and witness statements allegedly link him to the extortion of construction sites from September 2017 until his arrest, the court heard.

Prosecution counsel claimed evidence shows him attending businesses in the Crumlin and Glenavy areas each Friday to make collections.

"Police investigations show these building sites are blackmailed to pay money under the guise of protection money," she contended.

"Failure to pay that money has resulted in some sites being damaged and property stolen."

Gillan, who is on disability benefits, had up to 1,000 in cash on him when he was detained.

He also allegedly arranged the lease on the Belfast brothel said to have been run by Florin Ghita, 32, and 23-year-old Christina-Teodora Musa - both Romanian nationals.

According to the prosecution he placed Romanian prostitutes in the property and collected 1,000 a month, from which he paid out half in rent.

During police interviews Gillan denied knowing anything about sex work going on at the address.

Defence counsel Jonathan Browne said his client had been in a romantic relationship with Musa, holidaying with her in Romania and believing Ghita to be her cousin.

He argued that bail should be granted due to expected delays in the case, adding that Gillan's two co-accused have both been released.

But citing the risks of re-offending and interference with witnesses, Sir Declan denied the application.

He added: "Blackmail is an offence which is insidious, it's committed in conditions of absolute secrecy... and it has significant consequences so far as the community is concerned."There were five divisions of the second round of the Future Stars Series Tuesday evening for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies at Hippodrome 3R, and a heavy favourite was pushed to the limit in the first division.

The undefeated Hurryupatthebeach ($2.10) gave everyone a scare at the start of the first race, the first of three divisions for the fillies.

The daughter of Up The Credit, driven by Pascal Berube, broke stride at the start of the race from post four. Esprit Dequipe (Pierre Luc Roy) took the early lead with Majelyca (Marie Claude Auger) grabbing the two-hole seat.

But by the opening quarter mile in :28.2, Hurryupatthebeach and Berube came charging back into the race and took the lead away from Esprit Dequipe and the race was all but over at that point.

Hurryupatthebeach then led the rest of the one mile race, pulling away from the field and won by eight and three-quarter lengths in 1:59.4. Akita Bayama (Yves Filion) was second with Olis Spirit (Simon Delisle) third.

Now 5-for-5, Hurryupatthebeach is trained and co-owned and bred by Pierre Leclerc with Gina Bragagnolo of Louiseville.

The fifth race second filly division saw D Gs Fairystars and driver Jonathan Lachance take the early lead away from Black Elektra (Francis Picard) and then wire the field in 2:02.4. Cooking the Speed (Stephane Gendron) had come first-over and mounted a strong challenge on the outside but ended up second by three-quarters of a length. HP Xanadu (Stephane Brosseau) was third.

It was the first career victory for D Gs Fairystars, a daughter of Mach Three, trained and co-bred by Guylaine Fortin with Karine Surprenant of St. Paul. She paid $4.70 to win.

The eighth race third filly division went to H3R invader Better Now ($4.00) and driver Stephane Brosseau, who took the lead away from Moneymakehersmile (Guy Gagnon) and then held off a first-over challenge in the backstretch by Audi Bayama (Yves Filion) before pulling away for a three-length triumph in 2:00.1. Moneymake was second with Audi Bayama third.

It was the second win in four starts for Better Now, a daughter of Betterthancheddar, trained by Pierre Ouellette, owned by Ecurie Largo Inc of Laval and Ecurie Pierre Jr Ouellette of Joliette.

Unbeaten D Gs De Vito ($5.10) and driver Jonathan Lachance won the seventh race second division for the colts. They came first-over against pacesetter Angelo Benjo (Pascal Berube) and took control at the three-quarters and then held off a late challenge by Dernier Essai (Pierre Luc Roy) to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 2:00.1.

It was a lifetime mark for the son of Sportswriter and his third straight win for trainer Guylaine Fortin and breeder/owner Daniel Suprenant of Saint-Valentin.

The third race second colt division was an easy wire-to-wire triumph for YS Sunshine ($3.40) and driver Stephane Gendron. They won by four and one-quarter lengths in 1:59.1. Guinness Panic (Jonathan Lachance) was second with GA Speed Gaby (Pascal Berube) third.

It was the second straight win in the series for the gelded son of Sunshine Beach, trained by Michel Allard for breeder/owner Yves Sarrazin of La Presentation.

The highest win payoff in the past two years took place in the race when driver Stephane Gendron upset the field from post nine with CK Magic at odds of 77-1, paying $157.20 to win.

Requested (Francis Picard) won the 9th race pace in 1:55.3 and continues to be the winningest horse at H3R this season with seven wins.

Driver Jonathan Lachance had the hot hands Tuesday, scoring a driving triple.

Post Time Sunday for the Prix DEte program starts at 12:50 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.

(Quebec Jockey Club)

To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results  Hippodrome 3R.The man is to appear before a judge over the incident.

A man has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after a brawl outside a pub in Co Antrim.

The 31-year-old will appear in court on Wednesday morning.

He has also been charged with affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possessing article with blade or point in public place.

The charges are in connection with an incident on Main Street in Ballycarry during the early hours of Saturday 11 August when three men, two aged in their 30s and one in his 60s, sustained stab wounds as a result of an incident outside a public house.Police have appealed for information following the armed robbery.

A man made off on a bicycle following an armed robbery in Belfast on Wednesday morning.

Police are appealing for information after the robbery in the Dunluce Avenue area.

Shortly after 8:25am, it was reported that a man was outside his home when he was approached by a man riding a push bike and armed with a suspected handgun.

The assailant threatened the man before taking his bag and making off down Dunluce Avenue.

The man was left badly shaken as a result of the incident and police enquiries are ongoing," Detective Sergeant McCambridge said.

The assailant is described as wearing a dark coloured hooded top and riding a dark coloured pushbike,"

We would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw anything suspicious to contact Detectives on 101 quoting reference 275 1/8/18. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.A Northern Ireland mother has spoken of her frustration saying her mentally ill son was released from a Belfast hospital alone with no warning to her.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, was speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show.

Read More

The in-depth interview detailed her 19-year-old son's struggle to find the right mental health care over a number of years and said that she had reached breaking point and was "on the point of collapse" after six years of caring for him.

The woman said that her son's problems began when he was twelve and someone "hurt him" which led to him suffering from post traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD).

As a result of the incident her son has been in and out of hospital and psychiatric units, has self-harmed and attempted suicide numerous times.

She described her struggle to find him the right care, claiming she was told at one stage that she couldn't bring him to hospital unless he tried to kill himself.

Her son's problems worsened after the person who caused his PTSD was released from pirson. The mother said that at one point things got so bad her son asked his doctors if there was any prospect of him receiving assisted suicide.

The woman, who works as a nursing assistant herself, said that things had come to a head over the last month when her son began hearing voices telling him to kill himself which led to him being admitted to Belfast's Mater Hospital.

After four days he was then released.

"He was discharged on a day that I was working and they didn't even ring me so I could pick him up," the woman told the Nolan Show.

"He suffers from agoraphobia and had to find his own way home.

"When I went to pick up his medication that evening I asked if the doctor could call me and explain why he was released but I never received a call."

Things worsened and the woman's son took an overdose which led to liver failure.

She said that when her son received the diagnosis he told doctors "I don't care".

The son told the Nolan Show that he "needed help".

"I've needed help since I was 13, I need medication with the right services and the right team and sometimes people need to be in hospital or a psychiatric unit," he said.

After leaving hospital he returned the following week and was transferred to Londonderry were the mother said a doctor told him that he would be better off going back to Belfast and getting treatment from his home treatment team.

"I need my son to be stable and to do that everyone needs to get onboard, I do a lot of these things on my own, he has PTSD and doesn't even have a social worker," the mother said.

"I think the whole health service doesn't work together in the right way, they see you have a parent who's doing it all and that makes their job a little bit easier.

"I work as a nursing assistant in a hospital and every day I try and help those people to the best of my ability, because I know what it feels like to be failed, to knock on those doors and they don't open, all I want is to help our family."

A Belfast Trust spokesperson said that they are in close contact with the family

"While we are unable to discuss details of any individuals care, we would be happy to address any matters of concern directly with the person involved or, if they so choose, a relative who has the appropriate levels of consent," the spokesperson said.

Should you need help with any of the matters raised in this report call the Samaritans call 116 123.A new one-man play about the DUP and the controversies surrounding the party over issues such as gay rights and abortion has opened to mixed reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The play's Co Armagh-born writer John McCann denied that DUPed was a "hit job" on Arlene Foster and her colleagues, and offered to bring it to the party's next conference.

Dundee-based McCann, who won a Fringe award several years ago for Spoiling, a play about Scottish independence, says he decided to write this hour-long piece four years ago after conversations with friends in Scotland about the politics of Northern Ireland.

He was struck by the realisation that so few of them had any knowledge of what was going on in his homeland, and that pals were unaware of the row over Pastor James McConnell's sermon, when he said he didn't trust Muslims and that he viewed Islam as "a doctrine spawned in hell".

It also appeared that former DUP leader Peter Robinson's support for the pastor and his comment that he would "trust a Muslim to go to the shop for me" seemed to have gone almost unnoticed across the water too

"That's when the seeds were planted," said John of the narrative, which ranges from the rise of the DUP under founder the Rev Ian Paisley, through the Troubles, to the 'supply and confidence' deal with the Tories.

DUPed also deals with the party's opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. It has been long-listed for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award in Edinburgh.

McCann, who uses a megaphone to recreate Paisley's thundering speeches, said: "I wanted to give people in Britain a little bit of an education about some of the realities of the political situation in Northern Ireland and about the wall you come up against in terms of equality issues within certain sections of the DUP."

He said people in Britain needed to be aware that referendum results in the Republic over abortion and same-sex marriage had left Northern Ireland on its own in western Europe in terms of equality.

To write the piece, he conducted interviews with people here, including religious figures, community and political activists and journalists to get their perspectives.

"They had all spoken with the DUP or dealt with the DUP and the show basically evolved from those discussions," he said.

McCann concedes that not talking to anyone within the party was a weakness. However, he added, he did have conversations with people who are still trying to "empathise and engage" with the DUP on different levels.

His play also criticises the attitudes of the party's opponents.

For some, said McCann, the only engagement they want with the DUP is to call members "bigots" and toss brickbats.

"You have to find another way to make all this work," he added, revealing that he had found himself being challenged during the evolution of the play.

"I didn't want this to be a hit job on the DUP. I wanted it to be something that might start a positive conversation. Some audience members have said it's not a hit job, but others have said that's how they see it.

"At the end of the show there's a chink of light. Most people who've talked to me afterwards said they left with a feeling there is hope; that there is a more progressive wing within the DUP who want to have more engagement and want to speak in different ways with and about the LGBT community, for example.

"My personal hope is that the various strands will nourish each other and that people with different views from the party line might be able to speak freely."

The Scotsman newspaper was upbeat about DUPed, being performed at the Sweet Grassmarket venue in Edinburgh. Its reviewer said: "It's a presentation which works because of its strongly theatrical storytelling sensibility, leading us through four interviews with prominent religious, activist and journalistic figures.

"McCann is a clear and evocative orator and storyteller and the journey he takes us on is captivating yet the real power of his play is in its finale."

A British Theatre Guide review was more critical. It said: "What we hear seems less a dramatic event than a thoughtful set of reflections linked together by their criticism of the DUP.

"However, to be a monologue that does more than mildly pass the time, it needs a more substantial story and point to it."

The play doesn't dwell on the RHI scandal, the party's opposition to an Irish Language Act or the suspension of Ian Paisley jnr over his Sri Lankan holidays, though his "repulsion" over gays and lesbians does feature.

McCann added: "When it came to the DUP I was spoilt for choice, and not in a good way. The narrative could change every day if you wanted it to.

"So I just stuck to my guns and kept the play to what was happening up to the point of my writing it."

McCann said he hoped the DUP would take him up on his offer to present DUPed at the party conference.

"That's where I want to do it. The DUP would be my ideal audience. It would only be an hour of their time and I would gladly talk with them afterwards."

McCann said he wanted to bring his play to a wider audience in Northern Ireland as well.

"I believe that it does offer something new," he added.Former Ulster and Ireland rugby player Paddy Jackson has said people might not understand what he has gone through unless they have experienced something similar - but he is determined to push on with his career in France.

Jackson and former Ulster team-mate Stuart Olding are now plying their trade in France after a high-profile rape trial earlier this year.

Both were acquitted in March of raping a woman in June 2016, but had their contracts revoked after a review by Irish rugby bosses.

Jackson subsequently secured a two-year contract with Perpignan and has already made an impressive debut for the club against Toulouse.

Watched by his father Peter, the 26-year-old showed few signs of rustiness, playing the first 40 minutes.

He landed all three kicks he took at the posts.

Jackson (26) said he is now determined to focus and rebuild his career.

"It's been difficult, but it's something that me and my family have just had to get used to," he said.

"You only can really understand if you have been in my shoes or my family's shoes.

"I have come out somewhere where people know about it, but they are all respectful and understanding about it."

Jackson said he is aware of the comments of IRFU performance director David Nucifora, who suggested in June that the door might not be closed for returning to play in Ireland. "I saw the comments, but I just take everything as it comes now," said Jackson.

"There is no point getting too worked up over anything.

"I am just loving being here and trying to just fit in as much as I can.

"I am just glad to be back playing.

"I have somewhere where I have friends and family coming over to visit.

"It's a lovely climate. Everything for me, it's about enjoying where I am.

"It has just all been about rugby and really getting back enjoying life.

"That is all I have been thinking about, really."These guns have been taken off the streets following searches in west Belfast.

The PSNI published pictures of the three handguns on Wednesday.

The handguns were found during a search in the Lagmore area by the PSNI's Belfast District Support Team.

They have been taken away for further examination.

Expand Close Two handguns seized by the PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit. Credit: PSNI / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Two handguns seized by the PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit. Credit: PSNI

Detective Inspector Andrew Hamlin from the Terrorism Investigation Unit said: The seizure of these suspected firearms demonstrates our commitment to removing harm from our community and I would encourage anyone with information regarding criminality to contact police on 101.

"Alternatively, information can be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.

The four people who were arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms following the discovery - two women, aged 24 and 55, and two men, aged 55 and 20 - have been released on bail pending further enquires. The 20-year-old man is to be reported to the Public Prosecution Service for Possession of a Class B controlled drug.The Civil Rights Movement on the march in Co Tyrone during August 1968

Hundreds of people from a coalition of pro-life groups are set to march at a civil rights event organised by Sinn Fein, which they have accused of hijacking history.

The march on Saturday will follow the route from Dungannon to Coalisland taken by the original Civil Rights Movement 50 years ago.

Catherine Sewell, of the Tyrone Pro-Life Network, said Sinn Fein will not be allowed to dictate what constitutes civil rights - especially the right to life.

"Fifty years after the original civil rights demonstration we now find ourselves struggling for the most basic civil right of all, namely the right to be born," she said.

"Abortion is the greatest threat to that right and we intend to be the voice of the unborn on the day of the march.

"The original Civil Rights Movement never belonged to Sinn Fein and it doesn't belong to it now. Why should a pro-abortion party be allowed to hijack history?

"The civil rights legacy belongs to all of us and this is an excellent opportunity to highlight the pro-life cause, which enjoys widespread support in Tyrone and across the north. The timing is very fortuitous at this crucial time in the abortion debate.

"We have people travelling from around Ireland to be with us and we expect a large number of local people to join in as the Coalisland/Dungannon area is a pro-life stronghold.

"We shall not be moved and we shall overcome."

Sinn Fein declined to comment on the actions planned by the pro-life groups.

However, the party's Mid Ulster MP Francie Molloy said: "Civil rights as a movement was driven by ordinary people and they achieved an awful lot.

"When people joined together in peaceful protest, they were attacked on the streets - the violence came to us.

"We marched for our rights and risked everything, but the foresight shown by a brave few is remarkable. Presently, with the deliberate denial of rights, a shortage of affordable housing, and the ongoing issue around constituency boundary proposals, it is clear that there is still a job of work to be done.

"The political situation at the time of the Civil Rights Movement included gerrymandered constituencies, which led to systematic discrimination in the allocation of housing, jobs and rights - there can be no return to this."

The march will leave Dungannon at 3pm on Saturday.Trotters found themselves in the Tuesday evening spotlight at the Charlottetown Driving Park, as the half-mile oval hosted five divisions of the Atlantic Sires Stakes.

Two-year-olds sparred in a set of $8,640 contests while sophomores slugged it out in a trio of $6,420 events.

Dusty Lane Titan celebrated a maiden-breaking score in the first tilt for the two-year-olds. The Bo Ford-trained gelding led every step of the way for the 2:02.1 decision.

Driver Marc Campbell hustled the son of Tad The Stud-Starinthesky through panels of :30.1, 1:00.4 and 1:32.1 before using a :30-second closing quarter to seal the deal by 4-3/4 lengths. Setting Day was next best, with Ableway taking home third prize.

Grayland Farms of Pugwash, NS owns the youngster who now boasts a 1-2-0 record from four assignments.

Little Miss Winnie left hard to make the lead from Post 7 in the second division, and once she and driver Kenny Arsenault cleared it was game over for the others.

The Ralph Annear trainee zipped through fractions of :30.1, 1:01.2 and 1:32.4 before kicking home in :31 to win by 8-1/4 lengths over Now Look At Here in 2:03.4. Oceanview Hal rounded out the top three finishers.

Sent off as the odds-on favourite, the daughter of Tad The Stud-Worth Remembering improved her rookie record to 3-1-0 from five attempts for owner/breeder Steven Sorrie of Montague, PE.

Windmeredontuworry blew away the foes he faced in the first division for the three-year-olds. Gilles Barrieau pointed the colt to the lead, and together they never looked back en route to a 2:00.1 decision.

The Terry Gallant pupil chopped out fractions of :30.2, :59.3 and 1:30.1 before cruising home to win by 12 lengths over Dustylaneambyr. Never Fear took home the show dough in the $6,420 affair.

Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, the son of Armbro Barrister-Ginternal Revenue won for the first time this season and for the ninth time in his career. Trainer Gallant shares ownership on the trotter with Eric Johnston. The sophomore has banked close to $40,000 to date.

Buckaroo went coast-to-coast in the second division for the tandem of driver Marc Campbell and trainer Bo Ford.

The son of Tad The Stud-Buckling Banbury sliced out splits of :28.4, :59.4 and 1:30.4 before using a :29.4 kicker to win by two lengths over West River Cindy in 2:00.3. Majian Gilroy was third.

Sent off as the 1-5 choice in the seven-horse affair, the gelding improved his 2018 record to 3-2-2 from seven starts with the win. The nine-time winner has banked close to $40,000 for owners Larry & Kathy Chappell of Marshfield, PE.

Buddy White was the only stakes winner to win away from the front end. The colt turned a two-hole trip into a 2:01.3 triumph for driver Adam Merner.

Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Buddy White tripped out behind Sailor Blue. That front-stepper led the field through fractions of :31.1, 1:01.2 and 1:31.2 before being confronted in the late staged by the pocket-sitting Buddy White. The two-hole sitter fired home in :30 to win by three-quarters of a length over Sailor Blue. Third prize went to Daisy River.

Stephen Gass trains the son of Armbro Barrister-Highly Organized for Blayne White of Belle River, PE. The victory boosted this years record to 3-2-0 from seven starts and it pushed his lifetime earnings closer to $25,000.

To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results  Charlottetown Driving Park.Police are urging businesses and members of the public to be vigilant after a Northern Ireland construction company was targeted in a financial scam.

The PSNI received a report that a construction company was sent an email from a contractor alleging they had changed their bank account details and that monies owed for work should be paid into the new account.

Read More

Following investigation it was found the senders email had been hacked and the email was a ploy to defraud the construction company of a significant amount of money.

I want to take this opportunity to urge members of the public and businesses to always act with caution to any text, call, email or letter asking for payment or personal details in order to release money, refund fees, pay lottery wins or supply a holiday, giveaway or service," Chief Superintendent Simon Walls said.

Do not be fooled into giving out personal or banking details via email. Scammers and fraudsters are inventive and the schemes they use are varied, but their aim remains the same  to take money from unsuspecting members of the public.

If you are sceptical or suspicious about a correspondence, please report the incident to Action Fraud via their website www.actionfraud.police.uk or by phoning 0300 123 2040, or call police on the non-emergency number 101."

Remember; if you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Further advice and information can also be obtained by visiting www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseniGardai have arrested a man after cannabis herb worth 24,000 euro was seized from a house in Dublin on Tuesday morning.

Gardai raided the property in Lucan with a search warrant assisted by customs units officers.

During the search a package was seized, which contained around one and three quarter kilogrammes of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of 24,000 euro.

A 25-year-old Irishman was arrested at the scene.

He was detained at Ronanstown Garda Station and has since been released for a file to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

As part of ongoing joint investigations targeting drug importations, the joint operation was conducted by the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau,the Revenues Customs Service from the Dublin Region and the Drugs Unit from Ronanstown.

Investigations are continuing.Police in the Republic investigating the disappearance of a teenager near her home in Co Kildare 20 years ago yesterday launched a murder investigation.

Deirdre Jacob was last seen near her home, at Roseberry, Newbridge, on July 28, 1998.

Gardai have carried out a 20-year investigation into the 18-year-old's disappearance, during which significant inquiries were carried out to establish her whereabouts and to investigate the circumstances in which she disappeared.

The case was reclassified as a murder investigation following new information received by Garda.

The murder investigation is being conducted by gardai from the Kildare Garda District, with the support of the Serious Crime Review Team. An incident room has been set up at Kildare Garda Station.

Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton said: "Deirdre Jacob was a young woman starting off her life, who had just completed one year at St Mary's University, Twickenham, London.

"This 20-year-old investigation has been reviewed in detail by gardai from Kildare and from the Serious Crime Review Team over the last 12 months."

He continued: "The investigation team are following a number of lines of enquiry and progress is being made on the investigation.

"As a result of this review and new information that has been received, Garda have reclassified the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation.

"I wish to appeal to any person with information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob to come forward, particularly persons who have not come forward in the past."Work takes place on the construction of the altar at Phoenix Park

Work takes place on the construction of the altar at Phoenix Park

There's no show like a holy show. That's essentially the promise from those working behind the scenes to create a 12-hour programme for pilgrims in Dublin's Phoenix Park next week.

Global event specialist Arcana has been brought in to put together a series of performances that will be "the complete opposition of rock 'n' roll".

Former Saw Doctors drummer Johnny Donnelly has led the team, which is basing their staging on the Claddagh Ring.

"At the end of the day there's an event on here and a show has to be created for that," he said.

Mr Donnelly explained the concept is based on the Pope's teachings and his idea that families are connected to the vine.

He said: "A bit like a fine wine that grows as time progresses, a family does the same type of thing. Being from Galway we connected that to the Claddagh Ring. It's all about putting your arms around somebody. We started thinking about these different elements then we very quickly realised that the altar will be circular.

"Normally a lot of stages you see around the world are rectangle shapes. We knew then that we wanted to have that warming, feng shui type of a thing," he said. "Life isn't about how many breaths you take, it's about how many times life takes your breath away.

"We want to bring different emotions into people. For us the visual of this is really important."

Older people are being urged to consult their GPs before embarking on a lengthy trek to see Pope Francis in the Phoenix Park.

Health chiefs have warned that people will have to walk up to 14km by the time they attend Mass and work their way back to a public transport hub.

Chief emergency management officer Brendan Lawlor said people "need to engage with their healthcare provider". "For people who feel they may not be able to do this, we've moved on in 40 years. The television coverage of event is going to be absolutely massive and close-up," he said.

"You'll see every aspect of the event so people shouldn't lose out."

More than 1,000 medical providers will be working within the confines of the Phoenix Park on Sunday, August 26.The last BHS store closed its doors for the final time in 2016 (John Stillwell/PA)

The management at BHS made unreasonable and optimistic assumptions about the retailers future ahead of its doomed sale to a serial bankrupt, the accountancy watchdog has said.

Sir Philip Green sold BHS to Dominic Chappell for 1 in 2015, just over a year before the business collapsed, which led to the loss of 11,000 jobs.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) on Wednesday published a report on PwCs audit of the BHS accounts ahead of the sale, justifying its decision to levy an unprecedented 10 million fine on the firm for its part in the demise of the business.

The FRC also sanctioned Steve Denison, the audit partner responsible for the work, who was Sir Philips main contact at PwC before the retail chain was sold.

Settlement documents in relation to the 2014 audits of BHS and the Taveta Group published https://t.co/FWEIrIAO8O  Financial Reporting Council (@FRCnews) August 15, 2018

The watchdog said Mr Denison failed to act with integrity as he incorrectly blamed an IT error for the backdating of the accounts, and left large amounts of work to a junior auditor who was not aware BHS was being sold.

In drawing up BHSs accounts, the retailers bosses made a number of assumptions about the businesss future cash flow that the FRC described as both unreasonable and very optimistic.

BHS executives forecast the firms like-for-like sales would increase by 6.7% in 2015, even though sales dropped 2.6% between 2012 and 2014, and the womenswear market was only growing by 2.9% as a whole.

In addition, BHS sales fell 1.8% by January 2015, three months before the audit was completed.

The management team also assumed losses would decline by 10% every year over a five-year period, and forecast that BHS would break-even from 2022 onwards.

The FRC said Mr Denison should have been more sceptical of these assumptions, and that he did not find enough evidence to establish whether BHS was making a profit or a loss.

Expand Close Sir Philip Green sold BHS to Dominic Chappell for 1 in 2015 (Isabel Infantes/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sir Philip Green sold BHS to Dominic Chappell for 1 in 2015 (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Management had made further adjustments which had the effect of improving BHSs earnings, the FRC said.

Many of these adjustments were unsupported by audit evidence; some appeared to be incorrect.

Frank Field, the MP who led an inquiry into the BHS collapse, called on Sir Philips company Taveta Investments to produce evidence showing BHS was in fact a going concern when it was sold.

He said: The FRC has accepted Tavetas arguments that they were simply very optimistic about BHSs prospects as a going concern. That sounds like a euphemism of the most preposterous proportions.

If Sir Philip and his fellow directors really do believe they had proper evidence that BHS was a going concern, then surely they will be happy to put that evidence in the public domain so that BHS employees, pensioners and creditors can judge for themselves.

In a statement, the board of Taveta Investments, the parent company of BHS, said the report makes no criticisms of third parties, including Taveta or its directors or employees.

It added: While the FRC has since made a number of revisions to its report to address some of the serious issues we have raised, the report still gives an incomplete and potentially misleading picture into BHSs affairs.A worker inspects the area around the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy (Nicola Marfisi/AP)

A British family have told how they ran for their lives when they were caught up in the Genoa bridge collapse that killed at least 39 people.

Nicola and Lisa Henton-Mitchell were on holiday with their children, aged 12 and nine, in Italy when they were forced to abandon their car and take shelter in a tunnel.

A huge section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed, sending more than 30 cars and three trucks plunging to the ground as far as 150ft below, during a violent storm on Tuesday.

Expand Close Workers inspect the area around the collapsed bridge (Nicola Marfisi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Workers inspect the area around the collapsed bridge (Nicola Marfisi/AP)

The rain was torrential and as we drove along we felt the car slide to the right, Lisa, who is from Bicester in Oxfordshire, told the BBC.

We kept going, then all of a sudden we saw lots of red lights, all the cars in front braking. We could only see a couple of cars ahead of us.

Then all of a sudden all of the reverse lights came on.

Nicola said people started shouting and waving their arms out of car windows to tell people to reverse.

Lisa said: We tried to reverse and we couldnt go anywhere and the car in front hit the front of our car and people were running, screaming in Italian, Run, out, everyone out, cars.

We left everything in the car and we just ran for our lives because we didnt knowLisa Henton-Mitchell

So we just literally (said), Kids run, run because we didnt know what was happening.

She added: We left everything in the car and we just ran for our lives because we didnt know.

Italian prosecutors are focusing their investigation on possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance, with fears rising that a part of the motorway bridge which is still standing could also come crashing down.

Authorities have widened their evacuation to include some 630 people living nearby, while around 1,000 rescue workers continued their search through tonnes of rubble for any more bodies.The 12th-century Buddha statue is to be returned to India after being stolen nearly 60 years ago (Metropolitan Police/PA)

A 12th-century statue of the Buddha stolen from India nearly 60 years ago is to be returned to the country after it was discovered at a trade fair in the UK decades later.

The bronze sculpture was one of 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Museum in Nalanda, eastern India.

It is believed the ancient artefact changed hands several times over the years, before eventually being sent to a London antiques dealer for sale.

The statue was identified at a trade fair in March this year by members of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art, an organisation which works to preserve cultural heritage, and the India Pride Project, which aims to recover stolen artefacts.

Police say the current owner and dealer were unaware of the icons history, and agreed for it to be returned to India.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes, of the Metropolitan Polices Art and Antiques Unit, said: We are delighted to be able to facilitate the return this important piece of cultural heritage to India.

Expand Close The statue was one of 14 stolen from India in 1961 (Metropolitan Police/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The statue was one of 14 stolen from India in 1961 (Metropolitan Police/PA)

This case has been a true example of co-operation between law enforcement, the trade and scholars. Particular credit must go to the eagle-eyed informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years.

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said the UK was one one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues.

The sculpture will be handed to the Indian high commissioner YK Sinha during a ceremony on Wednesday, which coincides with Indias Independence Day celebrations.The publics faith in three-year-old female trotter Manchego wavered ever so slightly earlier this month in the Hambletonian Oaks, when for the first time in her career she was not the favourite, but she looked to restore confidence with her stakes-record 1:50 win in the event. Now, she will try to bolster her status by taking on the boys in Fridays (Aug. 17) $350,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Open Trot at Vernon Downs in upstate New York.

Manchego is the 5-2 morning-line favourite in the Zweig, where she will face a field of eight male rivals. Manchego, who has won 17 of 19 career races, will start from post 2 with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Jimmy Takter. She will try to become the first filly since Moni Maker in 1996 to win an open division of the Zweig.

The card also includes the $180,000 fillies-only division of the Zweig, which features stakes winner and world record holder Plunge Blue Chip and Frank Zanzuccki Trot winner Basquiat. In addition, there is an $80,000 Zweig consolation division for the colts. Racing begins at 6:10 p.m. (EDT).

Prior to wins in her Oaks elimination and the final, Manchego saw her career-opening 15-race victory streak snapped when she went off stride in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on June 30 and got beat by a nose by Plunge Blue Chip in her world-record 1:49.4 mile on July 14 at The Meadowlands.

The 2017 Dan Patch Award winner also saw a streak of 20 consecutive appearances in the sports Top 10 dating back to last season come to an end. She returned to the Top 10 following her win in the Oaks.

She showed up (in the Hambletonian Oaks) and she was huge, said Barry Guariglia, whose Black Horse Racing is among Manchegos owners with John Fielding and Herb Liverman. I thought the elim and the final was what shes all about. If you take a step back and look at the disappointment when she made that break in the Beal, there are no other blemishes to speak of. Im very pleased with her.

Guariglia knew Manchegos win streak would come to an end at some point, and to see it happen when she made the break on the final turn of the Beal while challenging for the lead softened the blow.

I knew it would happen eventually, Guariglia said. To do it that way was almost better because you had no shot instead of getting nosed out on the line. It wasnt for lack of ability.

As for missing the honour of being the fastest three-year-old trotter in harness racing history by a nose, Guariglia said, That other filly went the race of her life. It happens. Thats the only thing missing, that mark by a tick, but Ive got a funny feeling somewhere down the road maybe well get a shot at it again.

Manchegos connections bypassed the opportunity to race the boys in the Hambletonian, preferring instead to compete in the all-filly Oaks. It paid off, with Gingras and Takter teaming for their fifth consecutive win in the event.

On Friday, Manchego will see a number of colts from the Hambletonian, including second-place finisher Mets Hall, Alarm Detector, Classichap, Evaluate, Fashionwoodchopper, Patent Leather and Six Pack. The Hambletonian was won by another filly, Atlanta. She was not eligible to the Zweig.

Its one heat, so we thought we would try it again, Guariglia said about facing the boys, which Manchego also did in the Beal. Well see what happens. We drew well. It looks like a pretty competitive race.

I take every week as a challenge. Youre kind of expected to win week to week, so its a little bit harder maybe mentally. But I dont take anything or anybody for granted because its a horse race.

Guariglia, a financial advisor, has enjoyed harness racing for more than 40 years. He was at the Meadowlands Racetrack when it opened in 1976 and got into racehorse ownership at the age of 27. Winning the Oaks was a thrill.

I never won anything like the Oaks, never a race that big, on Hambo Day, Guariglia said. That was a lot of fun. It was a little chaotic in the winners circle but thats OK too. It was a nice crowd, a nice spot to be.

Its wonderful. It doesnt get any better.

Following are the fields for the $350,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Open Trot and $180,000 Zweig filly division. The main event is race nine, with a planned 8:50 p.m. (EDT) post. It will be preceded by the filly race at 8:30 p.m.

Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Open Trot

PP - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line

1 - Patent Leather - Tim Tetrick - Jim Campbell - 10/1

2 - Manchego - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 5/2

3 - Evaluate - Brian Sears - Marcus Melander - 10/1

4 - Fashionwoodchopper - David Miller - Jim Campbell - 6/1

5 - Alarm Detector - Scott Zeron - Ben Baillargeon - 8/1

6 - Six Pack - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 7/2

7 - Classichap - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer - 12/1

8 - Mets Hall - Andy Miller - Julie Miller - 9/2

9 - Clive Bigsby - Corey Callahan - George Ducharme - 8/1

Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Filly Trot

PP - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line

1 - The Russian Spy - Corey Callahan - Paul Kelley - 8/1

2 - Supergirl Riley - Marcus Miller - Erv Miller - 9/2

3 - Cherry Peep - Dan Daley - Dan Daley - 10/1

4 - Basquiat - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 7/2

5 - Perfect Summer K - David Miller - Andrew Harris - 6/1

6 - Plunge Blue Chip - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 5/2

7 - A Gift For You - Scott Zeron - George Ducharme - 8/1

8 - Mooshka Stride - Tim Tetrick - Mark Harder - 10/1

(USTA)A cap on private hire drivers in London would limit Ubers operation (Yui Mok/PA)

London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Transport Secretary to give him the power to limit the number of Uber drivers in London following a similar move in New York.

Mr Khan wrote to Chris Grayling stating that the huge increase in mini cabs in the English capital was causing increased congestion, pollution and leaving many drivers struggling to earn enough money to support themselves and their families.

He stated that the number of private hire drivers in London had almost doubled from 60,000 in 2011 to 110,000.

I dont have the power to cap the number of private hire vehicles in LondonSadiq Khan

Last week, New York approved a cap on the number of licences for ride-hailing cars, which will impact app-based services such as Uber and Lyft.

Mr Khan described this as a necessary step.

He wrote: Unlike New York, I dont have the power to cap the number of private hire vehicles in London.

I am writing to again urge the Government to grant me that power as the Mayor of London  alongside appropriate restrictions on cross-border hiring, to enable Londoners, like New Yorkers, to breathe better air and live in a less congested city.

Such a move would limit the operation of all private hire firms in the capital.

An Uber spokesman said: Uber is committed to helping address congestion and air pollution and we strongly support the Mayors ultra low emission zone.

Already more than half of the miles travelled with Uber are in hybrid or electric vehicles.

By competing with private cars, getting more people into fewer vehicles and investing in our clean air plan, we can be a part of solution in London.

In June a judge granted Uber a short-term operating licence in London after its permit was initially not renewed over safety concerns.

The firm conceded it had made serious mistakes and that Transport for London (TfL) was correct in its September decision, but told an appeal hearing it had made wholesale reforms.

The Government is considering the recommendations of a group it commissioned to analyse taxi and private hire licensing.

A response is expected to be published in the coming weeks.A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan has left 30 soldiers and police officers dead.

Officials in Baghlan province said the insurgents set fire to the checkpoints after the attack late on Tuesday in the Baghlan-I Markazi district.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by local police.

In a separate incident, Taliban attacks killed four police officers in southern Zabul province.

Provincial police chief Mustafa Mayar said three officers were also injured when the Taliban attacked security posts in the Zabul capital of Qalat.

Expand Close Afghan security personnel patrol in the city of Ghazni (Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Afghan security personnel patrol in the city of Ghazni (Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP)

He said a gun battle lasted several hours, during which the Taliban used artillery and heavy guns. The attack also left seven rebels dead and five others injured.

Meanwhile, Afghans emerged from their homes and some shops reopened in the eastern city of Ghazni, where the Taliban launched a co-ordinated offensive last Friday, overwhelming the citys defences and capturing several neighbourhoods.

Afghan forces repelled the initial assault and in recent days have struggled to flush the insurgents out of residential areas where they are holed up.

The US and Nato have launched air strikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, which is just 75 miles from the capital Kabul and has a population of 270,000 people.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Wednesday that life is getting back to normal after at least 35 civilians were killed in recent days.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in Ghazni, which has killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces.

Also on Wednesday, six children were killed when they tinkered with an unexploded rocket shell, causing it to blow up.

Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for the governor of the eastern Laghman province, said the victims were girls aged 10-12, who were gathering firewood.

He blamed insurgents, saying the rockets they fire at Afghan security forces often harm civilians.

Afghanistan is littered with unexploded ordnance left by decades of war. It is also plagued by roadside bombs planted by insurgents, which are usually intended for government officials or security forces, but often kill and maim civilians.A man suspected of arson in connection with dozens of car fires in the Swedish city of Gothenburg has been arrested in Turkey.

About 80 cars were set ablaze in the night from Monday to Tuesday, chiefly in Gothenburg, Swedens second-biggest city, and nearby Trollhattan, an industrial city.

Fires were also reported on a smaller scale in Malmo.

Expand Close Around 80 vehicles were torched in three cities (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Around 80 vehicles were torched in three cities (AP)

Police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg said a man in his 20s was arrested a day earlier as he tried to enter Turkey. He is suspected of arson and is expected to be returned to Sweden.

Two others, aged 16 and 21 and living in Frolunda, a suburb of Gothenburg where of some the fires took place, were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of arson.By his recent public statements, Peter Robinson has broken the mould of unionist political debate. Whereas before his ground-breaking and timely comments at both Queen's University - where he has been appointed as an honorary professor - and at the MacGill Summer School at Glenties in Donegal, there was an unspoken and unbreakable consensus within unionism which was in denial about the real prospect of a united Ireland and the question of a border poll in the not-too-distant future.

That absurd position is now dead. The taboo against openly and candidly discussing the serious prospect of a united Ireland arising out of a border poll has now been discarded.

Peter Robinson - retired or not - is a commanding figure within unionism.

Although he no longer takes an active role in political life, his rare public interventions have been carefully crafted and have captured public attention. His presence in the political background is evident.

Historians will have much to discuss about his role over the past 40 years in our politics. In any critical analysis, there will be a negative as well as a positive assessment. But there is little doubt that the DUP would not be the force that it is today without Robinson's organisational genius and his sense of strategic direction for unionism and the DUP.

His transformation from a radical loyalist protester and chief lieutenant of Ian Paisley in the Seventies, on the extreme fringe of unionist politics, into the now-elder statesman of mainstream unionism is a remarkable achievement and the meat for many a thesis by future history students.

Remarkably, he successfully moved from being a radical fringe loyalist into a pragmatic and skilful unionist leader, whose greatest achievement was to restore the Assembly and Executive in 2007 by entering into a difficult and at times fractious coalition with Sinn Fein and, in particular, with the arch-enemy, Martin McGuinness.

In doing so, he developed an effective working relationship with McGuinness, which people may now look back upon with some degree of nostalgia and maybe envy.

Like McGuinness, he changed from being a radical street agitator into a pragmatic politician. While Ian Paisley's overall leadership was crucial to the restoration of the Assembly, it is hard to see how this could have been done without Robinson's political skill, imaginative thinking and support.

Much has been said about Robinson's Glenties comments on a united Ireland and a border poll. However, these comments were, in fact, extemporary comments - not the major focus of his carefully-constructed address.

In his lengthy speech, he concentrated on the disruptive and divisive fall-out of Brexit and the very real impact of Brexit destabilising the hitherto settled political relationship between the UK and the Irish Republic.

To mitigate such toxic consequences, he strongly supported the restoration of the Assembly and Executive and the north-south and east-west institutions.

In short, the Assembly and its ancillary institutions provide the basic context for maintaining and developing the crucial political relations between London and Dublin and Belfast and Dublin in the post-Brexit era.

Therefore, the Assembly should be restored with immediate effect and, in parallel with restoration, strictly time-tabled negotiations should take place to resolve outstanding issues. If that did not work within the set deadlines, that would trigger the removal of the Assembly. He frankly stated: "What is needed is an injection of urgency to get the process moving."

Robinson radically diverges from the conventional wisdom, which asserts that only after Brexit has been dealt with would the Assembly be restored. He sees the restoration of the Assembly as playing a positive part of the Brexit process. In his view, matters are too serious here to wait until Brexit in March 2019, or indeed even later.

Despite the brickbats thrown at him by unionist critics, including those within his own party, like Sammy Wilson, he has reiterated his position robustly. He rejects unionist arguments that say that a vote on a united Ireland should not even be discussed.

He accuses those unionist critics of talking claptrap. He has highlighted the idiocy of his critics and mocked their absurdity, when he said: "Not only are they advising us not to talk about a border poll, but they don't want us to even talk about the subject matter at the heart of such a poll."

Robinson has done our politics an enormous good by speaking out with authority on the consequences of Brexit, the restoration of the Assembly and addressing the possibility of a united Ireland.

He has brought some freshness and openness to a hitherto sour and sterile political discourse that has blighted and stifled political initiative here for far too long.

Politicians should reflect carefully on what he has actually said and take heed of his wise counsel.Thai Muslims, police and military officials rally outside a mosque in Narathiwat to protest the fatal shooting of a woman and her daughter two days earlier, Aug. 13, 2018.

This past weekend, a mother and her teenage daughter were shot and killed as they were returning home from a flea market in Bacho district in Narathiwat, one of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand hit with a 14-year-old separatist insurgency.

Riding up from behind, the gunman let off two rounds, sending the mother-daughter motorbike into a ditch. He walked up to them and fired two more rounds at point blank to each victims head before leaving the scene with the their motorbike, ring and gold bracelets. The two victims were Buddhists.

This particular sub-district, Tambon Palukasamo, also witnessed a murder a few weeks ago, on July 18, when a gunman hiding behind a bush riddled a pickup truck with rounds from an M16 automatic rifle. The driver was killed on the spot but the passenger took a bullet to his stomach and survived. The truck slid off the road and into a small pond. The two men were Muslims.

On the same day that the mother and daughter were murdered, Aug. 11, just 50 km (31 miles) north in Panare district of Pattani province, a paramilitary ranger was shot dead by a sniper who fired five rounds from about 100 meters away.

The victim was going about his daily chore  turning on and off the light switch at the hut outside his army base camp.

That same day, an army ordinance team was called to defuse a 5-kg bomb at a fair in Tung Yang Daeng district in Pattani province. Fliers floating around the village instructed people to stay away from the fair but offered no further explanation.

In these and in most cases, police make generic statements about the violence in this restive region, often blaming separatists. They, too, offer no further information.

Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the long-standing separatist movement that controls virtually all combatants on the ground, doesnt put out public statements to confirm or deny responsibility for specific incidents.

No eyewitness comes forward, probably for fear of reprisal from the insurgents and because nobody believes the security forces can give them the needed protection should they become a state witness.

7,000 dead

So far, this current wave of insurgency has claimed nearly 7,000 lives since January 2004. But life goes on as local Buddhists and Malay Muslims interact on a daily basis, looking for common ground.

In spite of bitter moments that surface every now and then between them, the fabric of society in this historically contested region remains largely intact. In morning eateries and tea shops, ethnic Thai, Chinese and Malays sit side-by-side and chat about low fruit prices and the heat wave.

Police say they are investigating the gruesome case of the mother and daughter shot in the head at close range in broad daylight on a village backroad.

They have not ruled out a personal dispute or robbery as potential motives.

Judging from the way the two victims were killed, it seems like a great deal of trouble for any criminal to go through just to get a motorbike, bracelets and a ring.

And if the past 14 years are any indication, chances that justice will be done are slim. Most criminal cases in the Far South go unsolved.

Information is scarce, truth is relative, and life is cheap.

As for ending the decades-long insurgency that sets the stage for the endless violence in the Far South, officials are busy with other matters in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Don Pathan is a Thailand-based security and development consultant for international organizations. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and not of BenarNews.Bangladesh has welcomed Malaysias decision to end a monopoly on recruitment of workers from the South Asian nation, saying the new measure would cut costs and allow fair competition.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been reviewing policies of the previous government since taking power in May. He announced talks earlier this week with Bangladesh officials to open the practice of recruiting migrant workers to all employment agents.

In Bangladesh, there are only 10 agents or companies involved in the hiring of workers and this has resulted in a form of monopoly by these agencies, Mahathir told reporters.

There was a case where a man was made to pay 20,000 ringgit (U.S. $4,875) and wed like to widen the opportunity so there will be a competition among companies involved in employment or intake of workers.

Mahathirs announcement followed Malaysian media reports that 50 Bangladeshi workers, representing 270 victims, filed a police report claiming they were cheated by a company promising jobs. One of the victims claimed the company required they turn over their passports and pay 8,000 ringgit ($1,950) with their applications and then did not help them, the New Straits Times reported.

Open the market for all

Ahmed M. Saleheen, the head of the foreign employment wing of the Bangladesh Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, said the Malaysian move would benefit Bangladesh workers.

When fair competition begins instead of a monopoly, the common Bangladeshi workers who want to go to Malaysia will benefit the most. Migration expenditures will be reduced, he told BenarNews.

Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, an ex-Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, said he had been pushing for such reforms when he was in office.

From the beginning, I have been saying that no such syndicate can be [effective]. As long as I was in charge of the ministry, no one could do such a thing, he told BenarNews.

I was telling the Malaysian government that the syndicate of 10 agencies could not remain. Open the market for all.

After chairing a parliamentary committee meeting on foreign workers on Tuesday, Mahathir said his government would create a system that will be observed by every country wishing to send workers to Malaysia.

This single system is being created without isolating any other country. Not just to Bangladesh, Nepal will subscribe to the same system, he told reporters, adding that the Human Resources Ministry would fine tune the system before it can be implemented.

In addition, the government will set up an independent committee to be chaired by a senior official to examine concerns related to hiring foreign workers.

Malaysia is facing myriad of problems with regards to the hiring of foreign workers. There are just too many entering the country and there are too many entering without documents, he said.

As of June 2017, the immigration department recorded 1.7 million foreigners working in Malaysia with Bangladesh nationals accounting for 221,089. The department also reported 728,870 workers from Indonesia and 405,898 from Nepal.

Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran said recently that the government would also review a 2016 memorandum of understanding signed with Bangladesh to import 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers over several years, according to Malaysian media reports.

This, he said, was part of the new governments decision to reduce the countrys dependency on foreign workers.

Tenaganita, a Malaysian organization fighting for foreign workers rights, told BenarNews there was no absolute guarantee that opening the hiring process would end worker exploitation.

There is no guarantee that a deviation or exploitation will not occur. The new government should be committed to defend the well-being of the foreign workers, Director Aegile Fernandez said.

The government should say no to agents or middlemen. The process of taking foreign workers should be done between Malaysian and Bangladesh governments through government-to-government relations, she said.A Philippine court issued an arrest order against a Chinese-Filipino businessman alleged to be a drug trafficker who hosted a party for President Rodrigo Duterte when following his election victory two years ago.

The Makati City Regional Trial Court set the arraignment later this month against Peter Lim, who is based in the central city of Cebu, for violating the countrys drugs law, a non-bailable offense.

The arrest order is unusual in the Philippines, where a majority of the more than 4,500 people killed by police in Dutertes drug war were mainly poor Filipinos. In contrast, Lim has enough connections that he was allowed a personal visit to Duterte to explain the allegations.

You are directed to execute this warrant without necessary delay to arrest the said accused to deliver him to the nearest jail or police station, the court said in the arrest order sent to the Cebu city police on Tuesday, but made public the following day.

Police have 10 days to implement the arrest order and present Lim before the court. If they fail to arrest him within the given time, officers would have to report to the court stating the reasons for such failure.

In Manila, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he could tap the National Bureau of Investigation, the departments law enforcement arm, to carry out the arrest.

The issuance of the warrant means that the judge has also found probable cause against the accused, he said. If police fail to find the accused, I will direct the NBI to assist.

The development shows that Duterte was serious in his drug war, his spokesman, Harry Roque said.

Big fish or small, our war against drugs spares no one. It is a war that drug smugglers and traffickers are bound to lose, Roque said.

Duterte has carried a list containing the names of politicians, judges, police and military officers who were allegedly involved in the drug trade. He never explained how he got the list, but at least three mayors whose names appeared on it had been gunned down, including one who died in a shootout in jail.

Lim was a suspected high-profile drug lord named by Duterte, but managed a meeting with the president in 2016 where he was given only a stern warning.

In addition, both men acted as co-sponsors at a lavish wedding in Cebu in June 2016.

Felipe Villamor in Manila contributed to this report.

Government officials inspect a damaged military outpost after a bomb exploded in a van in Lamitan on the southern Philippine island of Basilan, July 31, 2018.

Soldiers and police carried out joint operations in the central and southern Philippines on Wednesday, killing one leader of Abu Sayyaf militants and seven communist New Peoples Army (NPA) guerrillas, a military official said.

An operation on the remote island of Jolo in the south was carried out before dawn against Absulajim Abdulgani, a bomb expert and a known sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group, said Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, chief of the militarys Western Mindanao Command.

Abdulgani (aka Suraka Ingog) was the highest-ranking Abu Sayyaf leader slain since a suicide bomb attack killed 11 people on the southern island of Basilan two weeks ago, Dela Vega said.

The military initially suspected the Abu Sayyaf group was behind the Basilan bomb attack, but the Islamic State (IS) took responsibility and said it was carried out by a Moroccan national.

Authorities have cautioned against the claim, although the military has captured a Filipino Muslim cleric who allegedly helped foreign fighters enter Basilan, where the Abu Sayyaf group was formed in the early 1990s.

The Abu Sayyaf is considered more of a criminal gang engaged in kidnappings, bombings and beheadings during the past two decades.

The U.S. Department of State, which has designated Abu Sayyaf as a foreign terrorist organization, estimated the groups armed strength in July 2012 at between 200 and 400 fighters.

One of Abu Sayyaafs Basilan commanders, Isnilon Hapilon, later pledged allegiance to the IS and led the siege of southern Marawi city last year. About 1,200 people were killed in the five-month battle that began in May. It was only declared over when the military killed Hapilon and some of the ring leaders in October.

Earlier this week, the military said two soldiers were wounded in a clash with an Abu Sayyaf unit on Jolo.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that at least one militant was killed and six wounded, the military said.

Clash with New Peoples Army

Also on Wednesday, the military carried out joint operations with the police on the central island of Antique, triggering a clash that killed seven members of the communist NPA.

Regional police chief John Bulalacao said security forces were sent to arrest two NPA members on murder charges and for extortion activities in the area, but the guerrillas fought back.

Those killed belonged to the NPAs Napoleon Tumagtang Command of Southern Front, Bulalacao said, adding troops recovered firearms and a list of targets of extortion.

The suspects who chose to put up a fight against our police and military operatives have been victimizing community members and business owners here, Bulalacao told BenarNews.

The extortion letters, assorted firearms, cash and bank books recovered are proof of their criminal activities, Bulalacao said.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which has been waging Asias longest running insurgency that began in 1969. Peace talks between the group and Manila are suspended.

The government had accused the rebels of plotting to overthrow the government of President Rodrigo Duterte later this year despite negotiating peace.

Communist leader Jose Maria Sison, who lives in self-exile the Netherlands, has denied the allegation and blasted his former student of propagating what he called fantastic lies aimed at stopping the talks.The University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program today announced the creation of the Dave Johnson & William "Bill" Fisher Scholarship Award to support RTIP students pursuing their goal of a career in the business side of the industry, such as track management, publicity, announcing, etc.

The annually awarded scholarship is sponsored by retired track announcer, Dave Johnson, whose signature (and trademarked) call and down the stretch they come! is known by racing fans the world over.

Johnson not only wanted to support the future leaders of the racing industry but also honour his good friend, the late William Bill Fisher, treasurer and general manager of Hialeah Park before he retired. Fisher was instrumental in furthering Johnsons career in racing through the creation of this scholarship. Fisher spotted Johnsons talent at Fairmount Park and Cahokia Downs and hired him for the Hialeah Park meet in 1971. And as it is said, The rest is history.

We couldnt be more excited that Dave selected the RTIPs scholarship program as a way to support the industry while honouring William Fisher, said Wendy Davis, Director of the RTIP. Its incredibly gratifying to see the level of support from industry leaders for the next generation of racing executives.

(University of Arizona)For Immediate Release, August 15, 2018 Contact: Amaroq Weiss, (707) 779-9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org Oregon Wolf OR-7's Pack Produces Pups for Fifth Consecutive Year Pack's Expansion Highlights Critical Ongoing Federal Protections for Wolves PORTLAND, Ore. Wildlife officials announced late Tuesday that Oregon wolf OR-7 has sired a fifth litter of pups in the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest, just north of the California border. Video of this years pups  three gray-colored youngsters playing in the forest  was captured on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service trail camera in early July and just released by the federal agency. OR-7 made international headlines when he traveled across Oregon and entered California in late 2011, becoming the first confirmed wild wolf in the Golden State in 87 years. Three years later, after returning to Oregon, OR-7 mated with another wolf and had pups, officially forming the Rogue pack. Each year since then, the pair has successfully reproduced. At least three of their offspring have also traveled into California. They include one that became the breeding male of Californias only known existing pack, the Lassen pack, and two females including one whose recent travels had her almost reaching Lake Tahoe. Were delighted OR-7 is on his fifth successful litter of healthy, bouncing wolf puppies, said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. OR-7 traveled 4,000 miles to find a mate and start a family. But this important recovery can only continue if we keep protecting wolves in Oregon and California and across the United States. OR-7, so named by wildlife biologists because he was the seventh wolf captured and radio-collared in Oregon, established the first wolf pack in western Oregon in more than 60 years. In the past year, two additional wolves have been confirmed traveling together in part of Mt. Hood National Forest in Wasco County. Despite the gains, the states historic persecution of wolves continues. They once roamed statewide but were killed off to appease agricultural interests. Now, in southwestern Oregon in just the past few years, several wolves have been confirmed to have met tragic fates. The Silver Lake pack briefly established territory in Lake County but disappeared after the breeding female was illegally killed in 2016. In 2017 two additional wolves were found illegally killed in neighboring Klamath County. In 1999 wolves from Idaho began to make their way into Oregon but the first several wolves that entered the state were returned to Idaho, struck by vehicles or illegally shot. It was not until 2008 that Oregons first pack was confirmed, in the northeastern part of the state, and a year later OR-7 was born into that packs second litter. Oregons wolf population has increased but is still significantly lower than what the state can support. A scientific analysis determined that Oregon can support as many as 1,400 wolves. Just 124 wolves have been observed there, and the state fish and wildlife commission stripped wolves of state protections in 2015. Recently the Fish and Wildlife Service announced it may propose stripping wolves of federal endangered species act protection across most of the lower 48 states, including Oregon, Washington and California, where wolf recovery is in its infancy. Wolves started recovering in West Coast states only because they were protected, but once state protections were removed in Oregon, incidents of illegal wolf killing greatly increased, said Weiss. With the Fish and Wildlife Service poised to remove federal safeguards for wolves, we could see a tremendous setback for further recovery, and OR-7s wondrous legacy could come to an end.Editors Intro: Teaching for global competence should be part of every subject, but sometimes its difficult to think of ways to integrate global learning into fields like engineering and science. Here, Nicki Sirianni, Outreach and Digital Marketing Specialist at WGBH, shares how Design Squad Global , based on the Emmy Award-winning PBS Kids television series and website, has brought together students from all over the world through afterschool clubs that focus on engineering and invention.

Coming to Design Squad Global and seeing the number of kids that are engaged in learning, not just about engineering, but also about different countries ... learning things about themselves they didnt know before they engaged in Design Squad Global ... it just gives me hope for our kids and for the future of education.

Reggie Jean, Director of Programs, YMCA Dorchester, MA, USA

To prepare children for 21st-century jobs, it is clear that global competence is a critical skill. Learning about other cultures and people is important, but it only scratches the surface of what global competence truly is.

One way to build global competence in students is through engineering and invention. At Design Squad Global, we combine these two things with global competence to provide students with meaningful opportunities to converse with others from around the globe. By sharing engineering projects with one another, students learn about other places, hear new ideas, and get feedback on their projects from people with different perspectives. These kinds of exchanges enrich students understanding of different people and places and strengthens their ability to work with others from around the world.

Students join afterschool Design Squad Global clubs around the world. Regardless of their location, the first few sessions of the clubs focus on engineering activities that address different issues common to people around the globe and introduce kids to the design process as a way of solving problems. The last few sessions are dedicated to the students identifying a problem in their community and working together to build an original invention to solve the problem. For example, in an area in South Africa where power outages are common, one group of kids developed a light-up car that could lead people to safety during a blackout. In Botswana, where there is a high prevalence of HIV, another group designed a fun pill-dispensing game to help children take their medicine.

Design Squad Global then partners clubs together so that students from different parts of the world can share their impactful ideas with one another using photos and videos. Together, partner clubs learn the design and invention process, give each other feedback on their projects, and gain experience in how different communities have different needs. This helps kids in our clubs not only expand their design thinking, but also to expand their thinking about the world.

Below are some tips for using engineering and invention to encourage your students to build their global competence.

Why should you pair engineering and invention with global competence?

Most of the kids in my club havent even been outside of Soweto, so it gets them excited that someone else, outside of where I live, knows about me, and knows that Im doing this project ... its an eye-opener and it gives them so much confidence.

Kitty Moepang, Educator, Boys & Girls Club, Soweto, South Africa.





We are moving toward a more globally intertwined world. This means that global economies and jobs, especially for engineers, are going to require workers who have the skills and aptitudes to work productively across cultures. Providing students with opportunities to build their global competence will make them better candidates for jobs in the 21st century.

This means that global economies and jobs, especially for engineers, are going to require workers who have the skills and aptitudes to work productively across cultures. Providing students with opportunities to build their global competence will make them better candidates for jobs in the 21st century. Sharing and collaboration, especially with people who are different from you, is an important skill to foster in engineering as well as other professional fields. Being able to collaborate, take feedback, and effectively communicate are all necessary to succeed in almost any job! Designing a product and learning how to take and give feedback are a natural fit to have students practice their communication skills.

Being able to collaborate, take feedback, and effectively communicate are all necessary to succeed in almost any job! Designing a product and learning how to take and give feedback are a natural fit to have students practice their communication skills. When thinking about engineering and inventing, understanding the community you are designing for is a critical step. By having students work with others from different communities and cultures, they have an opportunity to listen to and understand those who have a different point of view, fostering compassion and empathy.

By having students work with others from different communities and cultures, they have an opportunity to listen to and understand those who have a different point of view, fostering compassion and empathy. Engineering is a powerful way to take action and make a change in ones community. Students can and should become active and engaged both in their communities and as global citizens. They should also view engineering as a powerful tool for change that can make the planet more equitable and sustainable for all.

How can you encourage your students to build their global competence?

Its a fun experience to learn from other kids in other places around the world, to learn about different ideas and what they have compared to ours.

DSG Student, Massachusetts, USA



Ask questions! Ask your students questions, such as: Who is this invention designed for? Would it be useful in another part of the world? How would you modify it for a community with different needs? These questions aim to get students thinking about the needs of the end user of their invention and helps them assess the application of their creation. This encourages students to think critically about other people in their community and from different parts of the world!

Ask your students questions, such as: Who is this invention designed for? Would it be useful in another part of the world? How would you modify it for a community with different needs? These questions aim to get students thinking about the needs of the end user of their invention and helps them assess the application of their creation. This encourages students to think critically about other people in their community and from different parts of the world! Express interest! If you express genuine interest in becoming more familiar with the unknown and demonstrate what it looks like to step out of your comfort zone to learn from and relate with people from different places, cultures, and backgrounds, your students will also grow more open and curious to learning about the world and people around them.

If you express genuine interest in becoming more familiar with the unknown and demonstrate what it looks like to step out of your comfort zone to learn from and relate with people from different places, cultures, and backgrounds, your students will also grow more open and curious to learning about the world and people around them. Encourage curiosity! Encourage your students to be curious about people and places from different parts of the globe. Have them ask questions. The more information they have about a community they are designing for, the better informed their inventions will be!

Encourage your students to be curious about people and places from different parts of the globe. Have them ask questions. The more information they have about a community they are designing for, the better informed their inventions will be! Embrace flexibility! Being open to new ideas and feedback are important both for understand different people, but also for the invention process. Encourage and model flexibility and openness to change in the classroom!

After participating in a Design Squad Global clubs, students develop an increased interest in people from around the globe. As our world continues to become more interconnected, students who have strong global competence skills and experience collaborating with others will be better prepared for 21st-century jobs. Building on the success of our program, Design Squad Global is developing new content that focuses on engineering for a sustainable future. Coming this Fall, check out the new Inventing Green Club Guide and training materials that inspire kids to use engineering to address the UN sustainable development goals.

Follow Heather and the Center for Global Education on Twitter.

Photo credit: Don Berstein, taken at the TouchTomorrow Festival in Worchester, MA, and used with permission.Arden Downs, the half-mile track that was formerly a stop on the Grand Circuit, is located at the Washington County Fairgrounds, not far down the road from The Meadows, where a two-day PA Fair Sire Stakes meet was conducted at the start of this week.

Mondays racing was given over to the three-year-olds, and not unexpectedly it produced the fastest mile of the meeting, a 2:00.3 victory by the Well Said gelding Choreographer. Second to Marvalous Falcon in his 2018 fair debut at Waynesburg, here he turned the tables on that foe for driver Cory Kreiser, trainer Marcus Marashian, and owner Robert Key.

Early in the card winning streaks were furthered by horses who turned in 2:02.4 miles. The first was the Cantab Hall trotting gelding Willie B Worthy, who now has three straight wins on the half-mile circuit for driver Aaron Johnston and owner/trainer Lisa Dunn.

The Delmarvalous pacing miss Marvalous Song stretched her own current win skein to four as she reported home first for Team Shaw  driver Chris, trainer Jason, and owner Mason.

Fastest trotter of the meet was the Donato Hanover filly Worldly Hanover, who toured the Washington layout in 2:02.3 for trainer/driver Harold Brocklehurst and the ownership of Double R Farms LLC, David Obley, and Richard Williams.

On Tuesday among the freshmen, best mile of the day was turned in by the DelmarvalousTreasure Valley colt Next Shot, who won his second straight, third at the fairs, and fourth overall in 2:02.3 for Cory Kreiser, his owner, and more importantly here, his driver/trainer  because this victory gave Kreiser his fourth sulky success and third conditioning triumph of the Washington session, enabling him to take top honours on both counts.

The trotting highlight focused on Justin Lebo, who scored his first career driving victory behind Dancin With Rose. Lebo has taken a very limited role in the sulky while training a small but successful stable up until this year, when he decided to increase his sulky efforts. Usually you dont compile a seasonal .311 UDR in 20 starts without a victory, but seven seconds and six thirds showed that Lebo was on the brink, and he made the breakthrough at Washington on Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania fair circuit now moves on to Dayton in Armstrong County, where a completely new set of horses will race Wednesday (three-year-olds) and Thursday (two-year-olds), as Pennsylvania fair rules require a three-day period from start to start.

(Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen's Association)Why Is Genetic Counselling Gaining Importance? Wellness lekhaka-DEVIKA BANDYOPADHYA

Medical science has reached great heights. The discovery that most of the diseases do have a genetic component has helped the development of the cure of such diseases. This finding has further led to the creation of genetic tests with clinical value for several diseases.

When done in a clinic, genetic testing involves analyzing genes in order to diagnose disorders, for instance determining the presence of muscular dystrophy. Treatment strategies for individual patients can be formulated if there is ample knowledge about specific mutations. Without such knowledge, a patient could be given treatment that might be ineffective or toxic.

Special care needs to be taken when treating a patient with a genetic disease. Genetic counselling is something that is mostly recommended when the case involves testing of minors, prenatal testing, etc. Genetic counselling is considered vital when an overall genetic testing process is being performed. The benefit of having a pre-test counselling is that the best strategy can be developed and the doctors and patients would also be aware of the expected outcomes. This also helps in providing information related to aspects of reimbursement and billing.

Like pre-test, post-test counselling also holds equal importance. This helps in the management of emotional responses to the results obtained after the test. Results might be complicated to understand, so the post-test process would also involve discussing the implications for the patient.

What Is Genetic Counselling?

Genetic diseases, as well as testing, are rapidly developing. Genetic counselling formulates a path not just for the doctor but also for the patient to navigate their roles and understanding of the outcomes in terms of treating genetic disorders. Genetic counselling is identified as a process through which the patient and his or her family who is at a risk of an inherited disease are advised of the associated risk and consequences of the disorder.

The issues related to the nature of the disease along with the chances of it being transmitted are also discussed under genetic counselling. The complex process of genetic counselling can be classified into diagnostic (that involves the actual identification and determination of the disease's risk factors) and supportive aspects.

What Is The Importance Of Genetic Counselling?

Understanding of whether one wants to be tested or not

When counselled about a genetic disease and its possible outcomes and consequences, the patient is educated a lot about it. The patient is therefore in a good way able to make decisions that are not just random but knowledge-based. When enough information about the genetic tests is obtained, a patient can decide whether to go ahead with the testing or not.

Some may also choose to postpone the knowledge of the carrier and the status of the diagnosis. Genetic counsellors are trained at providing ample information about the benefits, risks and limitations of such testing along with the inferences that can be attained through the results of these tests for the patient as well the patient's family.

Choosing the proper genetic tests

When one opts for genetic testing, there are several factors that are initially considered. Genetic counsellors are trained at providing assistance in this respect. The assistance is provided by attaining the three generation of family histories along with medical histories of the individual in detail and also reviewing previous test results to make an assessment as to which genetic testing would be most appropriate.

Emotional and professional support

When the patient gets to know about a negative genetic result or finds out that one is a carrier of a disease, it can be equally devastating quite similar to a positive test report. Genetic counsellors spend ample time in providing pre-test as well as post-test counselling sessions so that the patient and his or her family can be prepared for the results of the test and what inferences can be made from the test results.

The emotional side of being informed that a patient or his/her child has a genetic illness should also be considered during counselling. This aspect should be paid attention to when sharing medical and technical information related to the genetic tests. The counsellors are qualified enough to handle the psychological impact that a test result can have on the patient.

Information on treatment options

Genetic counselling is a must when undergoing genetic tests as it is designed to provide resources and guidance towards finding the most suitable medical management and treatment options available for the patient and his or her illness.

A patient may be directed towards attaining clinical trials for the disease that he or she is affected with. There are support networks, various unique ancillary services and advocacy groups that also aim at providing support to such patients.

Benefits Of Genetic Counselling

Mostly couples who are planning to conceive do get overwhelmed with information related to one of the couples being a carrier of a genetic illness. Genetic counselling is of utmost benefit in such scenarios.

In general, apart from the benefits of genetic counselling covered under its importance above, there are few other beneficial aspects as well.

 Increased level of understanding: Genetic screening tests can help in determining the chances of a fetus developing Down syndrome and other such diseases. Genetic counsellors can help couples understand the potential risk factors and preventive measures for it.

 Early intervention: Sometimes genetic testing can identify hidden gene mutations which can actually result in a deadly disease later on. Early diagnosis helps in attaining quick treatment.

 Attaining peace of mind: It is a great relief, especially for to-be-parents, to know that they are not a carrier of a particular genetic disorder after knowing the family history of a particular genetic disease.

 Appropriate testing: When pregnant, a genetic counsellor would help in identifying the necessary genetic tests that are required to be undergone.

 Decision-making: Once couples know the genetic disorders through appropriate tests, they are in a better position to make decisions related to family planning.

How Does A Genetic Counsellor Help?

Genetic counsellors work towards helping patients in understanding the fast-paced world of genetic diseases and the accompanying tests. Genetic counsellors are patient educators and also advocates. They also serve as a genetic testing resource to other doctors by translating the complex science of genetics into practical information so that important medical decisions can be made. These counsellors are also qualified to handle the emotional and ethical sides of genetic testing.Howrah Auto Rickshaw Puller Returns A Bag Filled With Gold To Its Owner Life oi-Staff

Mantu Saha, the 54-year-old man who is a rickshaw puller in Howrah, returned a bag which was filled with gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 2.98 Lakh, and Rs 60,000 in liquid cash to a traveller who left the bag when she stepped off near her Liluah home in the evening.

After visiting a relative in Howrah's Bajrang Bali Market, Rukhmini had bought those ornaments from a shop nearby. Later she took Mantu's rickshaw to her home at Liluah.

Thereafter reaching her flat she realized suddenly that her bag is missing and that she left it in the rickshaw. She then immediately rushed to the Belur Police Station and filed a missing case.

Meanwhile, Mantu had already returned to his home which is located nearby the Belur Simultala Ghat and he noticed the bag on the seat. He then went inside and showed that content to his wife, Anu. Without giving a second thought, the couple decided to return the bag. They visited the Belur Police Station and submitted the bag there.

After their arrival at the police station, Belur OC Swapan Saha called Rukhmini. Finding the exact contents, Rukhmini Devi, a resident of Dubai, was so happy and impressed with Mantu's honesty that she immediately awarded him with Rs 10,000.

She thanked him a lot and asked if she could do something else to thank him, then he said if he could drive an auto rickshaw or an e rickshaw, it could financially uplift him as well as his family. Rukhmini who had booked for her return flight to Dubai on the next day morning promised Mantu to send him a cheque through the OC so that he could buy the vehicle.

In this age, when people actually find dishonest means to make money, Mantu the rickshaw puller's fair act stands out. His honesty is truly praiseworthy!

GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 16:37 [IST]Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado

Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACIONTo keep the rating score and review content relevant for your upcoming trip, we archive reviews older than up to 36 months.

Only a customer who has booked through Booking.com and stayed at the property in question can write a review. This lets us know that our reviews come from real guests, like you. Who better to tell others about the free breakfast, friendly staff, or quiet room than someone whos stayed at the property before?

We want you to share your story, both the good and the bad. All we ask is that you follow a few simple guidelines.

Reviews vision

We believe review contributions and property responses will highlight a wide range of opinion and experiences, which are critical in helping guests make well-informed decisions about where to stay.

Reviews principles

Contributions to Booking.com are a reflection of the dedication of our guests and properties, and are treated with the utmost respect.

Whether negative or positive, we'll post every comment in full, as quickly as possible, after being moderated to comply with Booking.com guidelines. We'll also provide transparency over the status of submitted content.

Once a review has been submitted, you can modify it by contacting Booking.com customer service.

We will use the same guidelines and standards for all user-generated content as well as the property replies to that content.

We will allow the contributions to speak for themselves, and we wont be the judge of reality. Booking.coms role is that of a distributor of feedback from both guest and property.

Guidelines and standards for Reviews

These guidelines and standards aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly without limiting expression of strong opinions. They are also applicable regardless of the sentiment of the comment.

Contributions should be travel related. The most helpful contributions are detailed and help others make better decisions. Please dont include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Promotional content will be removed and issues concerning Booking.coms services should be routed to our Customer Service or Accommodation Service teams.

Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include 'hate speech', discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, and the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted.

All content should be genuine and unique to the guest. Reviews are most valuable when they are original and unbiased. Your contribution should be yours. Booking.com property partners should not post on behalf of guests or offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Attempts to bring down the rating of a competitor by submitting a negative review will not be tolerated.

Respect the privacy of others. Booking.com will make an effort to obscure email addresses, telephone numbers, website addresses, social media accounts, and similar details.

The opinions expressed in contributions are those of Booking.com customers and properties and not of Booking.com. Booking.com does not accept responsibility or liability for any reviews or responses. Booking.com is a distributor (without any obligation to verify) and not a publisher of these comments and responses.

By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and on additional criteria to display the most relevant reviews, including but not limited to: your language, reviews with text, and non-anonymous reviews. Additional sorting options may be available (by type of traveller, by score, etc...).

Translations disclaimer

This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement.The two-year-old half sister to the sensational trotting filly Atlanta 3,1:50.3, winner of this years Hambletonian, sold at auction today and it took a six-figure bid to secure her.

After spirited bidding, Columbia was haltered by Hanover Shoe Farms of Pennsylvania for $127,000. The auction was hosted by onGait.com for seller William Donovan.

The freshman daughter of Muscle Massive is only the second foal from the Cantab Hall mare, Hemi Blue Chip. She was winless in two starts for trainer Ron Burke but has a qualifying mark of 2:02.2f, taken on August 9 at The Meadows.

(with files from onGait)The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly recap and preview of Grand Circuit races.

This Week: Zweig Memorial and Zweig Memorial filly trot, Vernon Downs, Vernon, N.Y.; Gold Cup and Saucer final, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, PEI; Artiscape, Roll With Joe, and Miss Versatility, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.; and Prix dEte, Hippodrome 3R, Trois-Rivieres, Que.

Schedule of events: A busy week of Grand Circuit action kicks off on Friday (Aug. 17) at Vernon Downs. with the $350,000 Zweig Memorial for three-year-old open trotters and the $178,000 Zweig Filly Trot for three-year-old trotting fillies. There will also be an $80,000 consolation in the open division.

Saturdays (Aug. 18) Grand Circuit action will be featured by Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, which will host the C$60,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final for older pacers.

On Sunday (Aug. 19), Grand Circuit racing will be contested at Tioga Downs with the $175,000 (est.) Artiscape for older pacing mares, the $175,000 (est.) Roll With Joe for older pacing males, and a $40,000 (est.) leg of the Miss Versatility for older trotting mares. Also on Sunday, Hippodrome 3R will contest the C$200,000 Prix dEte for four-year-old pacers.

Last time: On a gorgeous Friday evening (Aug. 10) in which it appeared a presence from above intervened to provide perfect conditions, Lazarus N, the Wonder from Down Under, anointed himself as a true superstar with an impressive 1:48.4 performance in the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino before a legion of admirers in his first pari-mutuel engagement in the U.S.

Lazarus N anointed himself as a true superstar with an impressive 1:48.4 performance in the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

He also owns the distinction of being the only horse to pace sub-1:50 miles in two different hemispheres.

One of the reasons I decided to buy this horse with my brothers was because we are devoutly Catholic, said Duncan Taylor, whose Taylor Made Farms owns the six-year-old stallion. First of all his name is Lazarus which represents a miracle, and his dams name is Bethany, which is the location where the resurrection took place. Then Bethanys sire is Christian Cullen. These factors made it appear as if (purchasing the horse) was meant to be a gift from God.

Guided by Yannick Gingras and conditioned by Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter, Lazarus N, a son of Bettor' Delight, left alertly from post position nine to settle into second behind fellow New Zealand-bred Bit Of A Legend N before the teletimer posted the first quarter-mile split of :26.1.

Shortly after the two frontrunners glided around the first turn, Gingras brushed the stallion to the lead and the duo hit the half-mile marker in a measured :54.2. As Lazarus N continued to lead the field of nine to the three-quarter pole in 1:22.4, he placed a bit of separation between himself and his rivals.

As he rounded the final turn, it seemed the horse would pull away in the stretch to post a facile victory. Halfway down the lane, however, Breeders Crown victor Split The House (Brett Miller) mounted a furious rally which drew him nearly alongside Lazarus N.

Proving he already has established a passionate fan base, those in attendance were cheering so loudly for Lazarus N to hit the wire first the words of announcer Steve Cross could scarcely be heard. As the noise of the crowd drowned out all sound, Gingras asked his horse for more. He responded in kind to spurt away from Split The House, as well as a closing McWicked (Brian Sears), to stop the clock in 1:48.4. The stallion paced his last quarter-mile in a stellar :26.

Yannick said this horse only does what you ask of him, Taylor said. In Thoroughbred racing we would refer to it as not getting to the bottom of them, but in Lazarus case he is just a very relaxed horse. Jimmy (Takter) keeps telling us how intelligent he is and that characteristic definitely is a part of why he is a special horse. All I know is he is a blessing.

After his first U.S. victory, Lazarus N, New Zealands defending Horse of the Year and that nations Pacer of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017, now improves his record to 36 wins from 46 starts. The stallion has now earned more than $2.8 million.

As the 1-2 favourite, Lazarus N provided his backers with $3 for their support. Split The House paid $7.20 at odds of 19-1 for his second place finish while McWicked offered his supporters $2.20 for third.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2018, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2018 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend.

Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick  681.5; 2. Yannick Gingras  668.5; 3. David Miller  364.5; 4. Jordan Stratton  288; 5. Corey Callahan  273.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke  655.5; 2. Jimmy Takter  484; 3. Tony Alagna  266; 4. Jim Campbell  216; 5. Erv Miller  200.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable  143.6; 2. Weaver Bruscemi  138.6; 3. Fashion Farms  129; 4. Vonknoblauch Stable  117; 5. Robert Key  110.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Yonkers Raceway, Woodbine Mohawk Park, and Tioga Downs. Yonkers will contest eliminations for the Messenger Stakes and Yonkers Trot, the second legs of the Pacing and Trotting Triple Crown, along with eliminations in the companion Lady Maud and Hudson Filly Trot. Woodbine Mohawk Park will contest the Nassagaweya and Eternal Camnation for two-year-old pacers, along with eliminations in the Canadian Pacing Derby for older pacers and the Maple Leaf Trot for older trotters. Tioga Downs will offer Reynolds Memorial divisions for two-year-olds.

(Grand Circuit)Searchers remain empty-handed in their search for Brandon man Jeffrey David Freiheit, a 32-year-old experienced hiker who went missing in Germany.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/8/2018 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Searchers remain empty-handed in their search for Brandon man Jeffrey David Freiheit, a 32-year-old experienced hiker who went missing in Germany.

His wife Selena and mother Kathy flew to Germany on Saturday to assist in the search however they can.

FACEBOOK Jeff Freiheit

As of press time on Tuesday, Selena said that they have greatly appreciated the support they have received both at home and abroad. They are urging local supporters to connect with whomever they might know in Germany, Austria and Italy, to help spread the word.

German news source merkur.de is closely following how the situation unfolds.

On Monday, they reported that researchers found a couple items of clothing that might have belonged to Freiheit. By Tuesday, Tolz Police deputy inspector Andreas Rohrhofer said that theyd concluded the clothing was unlikely to have belonged to him.

"The search for the Canadian has aroused much public interest," merkur.de reported on Tuesday, adding that it has resulted in various tips which officials have to follow up on in order to authenticate.

The area Freiheit is suspected to have been has been searched thoroughly, merkur.de reported on Tuesday, and there are few blind spots they might have missed.

Freiheit was last seen on Aug. 2, in Bad Tolz, Germany, en route along a hiking rail called Der Traumpfad (The Dream Way), which spans from Munich to Venice.

Selena launched a gofundme.com fundraiser on Saturday called "Help Support the Freiheits" in order to help cover the costs associated with their trip to Germany.

As of press time, it had raised $27,285, with its previous goal of $25,000 raised to $30,000.

 The Brandon SunWednesday, August 15, 2018

Law.com, Law School Pulls Plug on Fall Classes Amid Accreditation Crisis:

The embattled Arizona Summit Law School wont hold classes this fall as it fights for survival.

The American Bar Association revoked the schools accreditation in Junea decision Arizona Summit has appealedand it informed its dwindling student body in an email late last week that it will not open as scheduled later this month. The school did not say it was closing outright, however, and maintained that it was working toward a formal teach-out plan that would allow existing students to complete their studies.

Asked for comment Tuesday, the school issued a statement saying that its appeal to hold onto ABA accreditation is pending. Arizona Summit has announced to its students that there will not be classes this fall, and that Summit is negotiating with another law school for a teach out, the statement reads.

But the schools email to students paints a dire picture of its prospects. As [Arizona Summit] will not be offering classes in the fall, [Arizona Summit] will not offer any scholarships going forward to any [Arizona Summit] students, the email reads. The [Arizona Summit] Library is not available; however, the ASU law library is open and available to the public.

If Arizona Summit never reopens, it will be the second of InfiLaw Corp.s three for-profit law schools to close in the span of a year. The Charlotte School of Law closed last August after losing its federal student loan eligibility and its license to operate within North Carolina. InfiLaws third school, Florida Coastal School of Law, remains open.

Meanwhile, the nearby Arizona State University Sandra Day OConnor College of Law has agreed to accept Arizona Summit students who are within one semester of graduating as visitors this semester, said ASU assistant dean Thomas Williams. That arrangement will allow visiting students the ability to complete their legal studies and graduate with an Arizona Summit law degree, he said.

But ASU opted against admitting Arizona Summit students with fewer credits out of fear that they would be left high and dry if Arizona Summit closes shop. (Arizona Summit remains ABA accredited during the appeals process, and because a decision is not expected until October, it will be able to confer degrees in December even if its appeal is unsuccessful, according to Williams.)

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/08/arizona-summit-pulls-plug-on-fall-classes-works-on-teach-out-plan.htmlLatest: Paddy Cosgrave has rescinded the invitation to Marine Le Pen to be a guest at this year's Web Summit in Lisbon Portugal.

He said that Web Summit made the decision as her presense is "disrespectful in particular to our host country" and to the attendees from around the world.

Mr Cosgrave had previously defended his decision to invite the French far-right leader saying that despite not agreeing with here "wrongheaded" views, "banning or attempting to ignore these views is unlikely to help address the roots of the rise in support for these views across parts of Europe in particular."

In a tweet thread, he said that it is now clear that the correct thing to do is to withdraw the invitation.

He said: "Based on advice we have received and the large reaction online overnight, her presence is disrespectful in particular to our host country. It is also disrespectful to some of the many tens of thousands of attendees who join us from around the world.

"The issue of hate, freedom of expression and platform technologies is one of the defining questions of 2018. We will redouble our efforts to approach this difficult issue at Web Summit with more care.

"At Web Summit, we are ambitious to be a recognised platform for rigorous debate. In recent years, weve added dedicated private and public stages specifically for robust dialogue on contentious and defining issues of our time. But weve still much to learn.

"We welcome any suggestions as to who might be appropriate and also inappropriate to speak on a whole range of issues affecting society and technology."

Its clear to me now that the correct decision for @WebSummit is to rescind Marine Le Pens invitation.  Paddy Cosgrave  (@paddycosgrave) August 15, 2018

Paddy Cosgrave defends decision to invite far-right leader Marine Le Pen to 2018 Web Summit

Earlier: Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave has defended the decision to invite French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to the annual tech conference.

The president of the French National Rally party is due to appear at the event in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon held between November 5-8.

In a Web Summit post, Mr Cosgrave said that even though he believes her views are "wrongheaded", banning or "attempting to ignore these views which have been fanned in our view by technology, does little to furthering understanding."

Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave

Mr Cosgrave emphasised the need for debate in a time where "detestable politicians, are being voted into power by their respective electorates."

He said: "Theres a palpable need in my view for debate and discussion on this phenomenon, its causes and the role technology is playing.

"Web Summit is a place where people should be prepared to have their opinions deeply challenged, and in turn to deeply challenge the opinions of others."

In the 2017 French presidential election, Ms Le Pen gained more than 33% of the popular vote when she faced off against current president Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Cosgrave said that despite over one-third of French people voting for the far-right politician it does not, in his opinion, "legitimise her views".

He added: "Nor does the rise into power of politicians of a similar hue in Italy, Austria, Hungary and elsewhere legitimise her reprehensible views."

He said that speakers are not brought to the Web Summit to be given a free platform to air their ideas and views, but would instead be "thoroughly challenged" and their views will be "openly" contested by a panel.

"Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, these speakers are not invited to deliver an uncontested address, but are instead invited to have their views thoroughly challenged and scrutinised by a professional journalist.

"Moreover, they sit on a panel, surrounded by authoritative and alternative voices who will openly contest the extreme viewpoints of these speakers. This has always been the case and will be the case with Marine Le Pen."

The 36-year-old entrepreneur said that it would have been very simple for Web Summit to rescind the invitation but have chosen not to because "ignoring these views...does little to further understanding. "

Defending freedom of speech and expression, he said: "More importantly perhaps, banning or attempting to ignore these views is unlikely to help address the roots of the rise in support for these views across parts of Europe in particular.

"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right within the European Union and a basic cornerstone of any democratic society."

However, Mr Cosgrave said that should the Portuguese government ask to cancel the invitation they would respect the decision of the host country.

He said: "Ultimately the interest of our hosts, Portugal, and the interest of the people of Portugal, should be placed far above those of Web Summit."Two leading candidates have called for the presidency to be limited to one term only and for all presidential costs to be made public in a double attack on Michael D Higgins.

Independent senator Joan Freeman and businessman Gavin Duffy both called for the new restrictions on the high-profile role as they made their latest pitch for the presidency.

Gavin Duffy

Speaking during a special Carlow county council meeting during which Mr Duffy also said he wants to set up a presidential youth corp which critics say would be akin to national service, both likely candidates said changes are needed.

Citing the 14 year time in power President Higgins will have if he is re-elected and ongoing concerns over the lack of financial transparency in the Aras, Ms Freeman and Mr Duffy said they will make reforms should they gain power.

"I absolutely agree with that [a single term limit], but I think it should be five years not seven," Ms Freeman told reporters when asked.

In a speech to councillors, Mr Duffy made a similar reference to President Higgins' decision to run for a second term, saying he also wants to limit the term to seven years.

However, Mr Duffy appeared to contradict himself moments later, saying he would make sure he tells people in the "sixth" year of his presidency if he wants to seek re-election.

Ms Freeman and Mr Duffy separately said they want information on presidential costs made public in response to Dail public accounts committee chair Sean Fleming calling for an examination of how much money has been spent during President Higgins' term.

Joan Freeman

Ms Freeman said "everybody should be able to explain" how much money is being spent, while Mr Duffy said he will make a "voluntary" commitment to release all cost records if elected.

Meanwhile, Mr Duffy has separately called for an Irish presidency youth corp to be set up to replace the previous Irish religious "missionary" zeal with a volunteer service "where people wear an Irish smile".

Ms Freeman also said she wants to set up a mental health summit within six months of entering office due to her Pieta House suicide awareness work, but insisted "I am not a one-trick pony".Update 4.25pm Talks aimed at resolving the Ryanair dispute are continuing this evening.

It is the third day of negotiations to try and prevent more strikes.

Representatives from the Forsa union and Ryanair management have been locked in talks since Monday to try and resolve the ongoing dispute.

The row over base transfers, annual leave and promotions has led to five days of industrial action by some Irish-based pilots.

Negotiations started again this morning led by mediator Kieran Mulvey - and they're expected to last until the end of the day.

He has asked both sides not to make a public comment while the deadlock continues.

If the two sides cannot reach a breakthrough by tonight, it could mean more strikes - and more disruption for passengers.

- Digital Desk

Earlier: Final day of Ryanair talks to take placeThe third and final day of fresh talks aimed at resolving the dispute at Ryanair will take place this morning.

Both sides will aim to reach a deal at the discussions at Dublin Airport over base transfers and promotions to prevent more strikes.

It has already led to five days of industrial action and the cancellation of around 100 flights.

Mediator Kieran Mulvey will chair the negotiations between the airline and the Irish Airline Pilots Association.More than a quarter of a million euro worth of cannabis, controlled drugs, tobacco and cash have been seized in Limerick.

Gardai from the Divisional Drugs Unit in Limerick and Revenue officers from the Southern Region searched business premises off Davis Street in Co. Limerick yesterday at around 10am.Update 3.40pm:

By Darragh Bermingham and Rob McNamara

Two Cork students were amongst the seven nationwide to receive eight H1s as more than 57,000 students nationwide picked up their Leaving Cert results.

Alex Burke from Montenotte at Christian Brothers College was one who received top marks.

Speaking this morning to the Evening Echo, Alex said it was all a bit of a shock.

"I wasn't expecting to get eight H1s. The exams were so long ago that I was thinking of a million ways it could go wrong but I'm very happy. Medicinal chemistry is a passion of mine and it would be a dream to pursue a career in that."

CBC Principal Dr Larry Jordan said it was one of the best years they have had.

"We are particularly proud of Alex Burke from Montennote who is one of the seven students in the country that got eight H1 results."

It is my last year as principal but in the first school that I worked in St Joseph's in Cahir Tipperary, I taught Alex's father Eamonn. It is by pure coincidence I am giving his son his Leaving Cert results in 2018  41 years later in Cork.

Alex's mother Margerie Burke said they were bursting with pride. "He worked so hard. Alex has been working for this since first year. He enjoys life but he is just a very hard worker and extremely diligent."`

Midleton student Liam Mariga also achieved eight H1s in his results.

A triplet, Liam collected his results today along with his brother Cathal and sister Katie.

Triplets, Liam Mariga (centre), from Gortroe, Youghal, 8 H1's in his results with sister, Katie and brother, Cathal. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Principal at Midleton College, Edward Gash praised Liam for his efforts, saying he worked consistently for the past two years.

Weve had very strong results from all our students and the teachers and myself are very happy, he added.

We offer 22 different subjects and we achieved at least one H1 in all of them.

The school also achieved 10 H1s and six H2s in Politics and Society, which was offered for the first time this year.

A version of this story originally appeared in the Evening Echo.

Mum Anne Deacon gives her son Harry a congratulatory kiss after he achieved 8 A1's in his Leaving Cert. The pair are puictured at Harry's school, St. Andrews College, Blackrock in Dublin. Picture: Collins

Update 11.22am:

By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

Two of the seven students with eight top Leaving Certificate grades collected their results from Cork schools this morning.

The eight H1s - at least 90% in higher level subjects - make Midleton College's Liam Mariga and Alex Burke from Christian Brothers College in Cork city part of a very small club within the 57,000 students getting their exam results today.

Liam is preparing himself now to study medicine at Trinity College Dublin with his maximum 625 CAO points and one of the top scores earlier this year in the HPAT aptitude test for medical school applicants.

Liam Mariga, from Gortroe, Youghal, who got eight H1s in the Leaving Cert. Picture: Jim Coughlan

For Alex Burke, who is also school captain at CBC Cork, the results he received this morning were a huge surprise.

He will not now have to wait until Monday to see if he is offered a science degree at University College Dublin where he wants to study medicinal chemistry, as he has maximum 625 points as his results include a H1 in higher level maths.

"It's a nice relief to have. I wasn't expecting this at all, I was really surprised," said Alex, one of 140 students who did the Leaving Certificate at his school.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) said that seven students got eight H1s this year, and they are among 53 with seven or more top grades.

Alex Burke from Montenotte in Cork city, a student at Christian Brothers College in the city, receiving his Leaving Cert results from principal Dr Larry Jordan. Alex was one of seven students nationwide to receive eight H1s.

The other five students got their eight H1s at Yeats College in Galway, and at four Dublin schools: Colaiste Padraig in Lucan, Oatlands College in Mount Merrion, Christian Brothers College Monkstown, and St Andrew's College in Booterstown.

The group are part of the 189 Leaving Certificate students who got at least six H1 grades, giving them guaranteed entry to almost every college course, although some may not have the maximum 625 CAO points if their top grades do not include higher level maths which earns a recipient 25 bonus points.

Almost 7,500 of the 54,440 students who did the traditional Leaving Certificate got at least one H1 this year.

The CAO will make its Round 1 offers on Monday morning, when applicants can log in from 6am to check if they have been offered a place on one of their chosen courses.

Update - 9.12am: It has emerged that almost 4,000 pupils appear to have failed maths.

A breakdown of the figures shows that works out as around 10% of all those who sat the ordinary level paper.

However, Education Minister Richard Bruton does not think there is a problem with how maths is being taught.

Mr Bruton said: "I don't think that's fair, we're not disappointed with Honours maths, but it is a reality that some people in a test of this nature will fail to reach the standard that is being set.

"The chief examiner will examine this and report to us each year on what's happening, it does feed back then into the upskilling of teachers."

Pupils are now able to find out what they got by going into school - they will have to wait until midday though if they want to look them up online.

Students at Deerpark CBS in Cork city, George Long, Jamie Geasley, Setanta Walsh, Shane OConnor and Ethan MacSweeney with principal Kevin Barry and vice-principal Aaron Wolfe after they received their Leaving Cert results this morning. Pic: Dan LInehan

7.11am: Seven students secure eight H1 grades in exams

By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

More than 57,000 students have been congratulated and advised to take pride in whatever their achievements in Leaving Certificate results being issued this morning.

They include more than 2,700 who did the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme over the past two years, which opens opportunities to progress to further training and apprenticeships.

The remaining 54,440 did the traditional Leaving Certificate in June, and the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has managed to issue their results on time despite continuing pressure to find enough teachers to correct exams this summer.

For seven of those students, they are in the rare group whose efforts earned them eight H1 grades for at least 90% in higher level exams. They are among 189 students to get at least 6 H1s in their results today, 11 more than a year ago, and 7,490 with the top grade in one or more subjects at higher level.

But, Education Minister Richard Bruton said, results day is the culmination of many years of hard work for the entire class of 2018, who should be proud of their work and achievements.

He also highlighted the awarding of first results in Leaving Certificate politics and society, which was examined at 41 schools in June and is now open to be offered at any second-level school. Among 867 students getting their results today, nearly 90% chose the higher level paper and more than 6% (almost 50) of those candidates got the top H1 grade for 90% or higher.

For more than 47,000 of the 54,440 students who did the mainstream Leaving Certificate, their hopes are pinned on applications for college places which will begin issuing next Monday. The Central Applications Office (CAO) will make its Round 1 offers from 6am, with the cut-off points for all courses to be listed in a special Choices for College supplement in Mondays Irish Examiner.

The Institute of Guidance Counsellors encouraged students to physically collect their results from school and share their achievements with friends and teachers.

Allow them to support you through the decision-making process of the next few weeks, said IGC president Beatrice Dooley.

Education and Training Boards Ireland general secretary Nessa White said the 16 member boards have a wide range of adult, community, further education and apprenticeship programmes, many of which can be found at a dedicated website, www.fetchcourses.ie

We wish all those who received their Leaving Certificate results continued success, and remind them that this is not the end, but rather a gateway to a myriad of amazing opportunities yet to be revealed, she said.

For students who are away or unable to attend their school or other education centre, an online results service is available from the SEC website from midday. When logging on to www.examinations.ie, students should have their exam number and a unique PIN number issued to them previously.

The National Parents Council-Post Primary Leaving Certificate helpline, staffed by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, is operating again this year. Last year, it handled over 4,300 queries from more than 1,600 callers, with a big focus on results day around calcluating points, appealing Leaving Certificate grades and how to organise to view an exam script.

The helpline (1800 265 165) is open 10am-7pm today and tomorrow, 10am-1pm on Friday, 8am-7pm next Monday and Tuesday, and 10am-1pm next Wednesday.

This story first appeared in the Irish Examiner.By Patrick Flynn

Two adults and two children had a lucky escape this afternoon after they were thrown from their boat into Lough Derg.

The four had been enjoying a boat ride on the lake when their power boat ran aground in shallow water south of Terryglass Harbour on the Tipperary shore.

They managed to raise the alarm themselves using a mobile phone which fortunately had not been lost overboard in the incident.

The Killaloe unit of the Coast Guard was alerted and requested to proceed to the area and commence a search.

A boat crew launched from Killaloe and raced to the scene while other volunteers travelled to the location by road.

On reaching the scene and locating the casualty vessel, the two adults and two children were transferred to the Coast Guard rescue boat.

It was then that rescuers were made aware that all four occupants had been thrown from their vessel into the lake.

The two children were showing signs of hypothermia so it was decided to alert the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and request paramedics to meet the rescue boat at Terryglass.

The four were wrapped in blankets while their vessel was taken on tow back to Terryglass where the Coast Guard land crew were waiting to assist.

The casualties were transferred to a Coast Guard vehicle where they were kept warm until ambulance paramedics arrived. An ambulance and rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene.

Once paramedics were satisfied that none of the four required hospital treatment they were transported back to their accommodation by the Coast Guard land crew and all units were stood down.

The rescue operation was coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard marine sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.By Aodhan O Faolain & Ray Managh

The owner of several houses in Dublin's north inner city has brought High Court proceedings against persons he claims are illegally occupying one its properties.

The action has been taken on grounds including fire safety concerns and because the house's insurance coverage will be cancelled if the occupation, which has been described as a political protest and has been the subject of several recent media reports, continues.

The action has been taken by PJ O Donnell (as trustee of the Pat O Donnell & Co Ltd Retirement and Death Benefit Plan) against persons unknown who he claims are trespassing at one of seven properties it owns located at 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 Summerhill Parade, Ballybough, in Dublin 1.

Lawyers for Mr O'Donnell told the High Court on Wednesday that the owner seeks several injunctions including ones requiring all those occupying number 35 to leave and to cease interfering or dealing with any of the properties.

The court heard while number 35 is currently occupied, there has been some interference with the other properties, and there are concerns the others may be interfered with in the future.

Mr O'Donnell, who holds the properties in trust for the members of the benefit plan, also seeks damages for trespass and intentional interference with the owner's economic interests.

The court heard there are 67 members of the benefit plan, including 18 pensioners, who are employees and former employees of Pat O Donnell & Company.

At the High Court on Wednesday Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted the owner, on an ex parte basis, permission to serve short notice of the proceedings on the occupiers.

The court also granted the owner permission to pin the motion papers on the occupied property and made an order the all those in occupation identify themselves to the High Court.

The Judge made the matter returnable to Thursday.

Julia Lawlor Bl for the owner instructed by Solicitor Tony Williams for Mr O'Donnell said that the properties were vacated in May after a senior officer with Dublin City Council Fire Brigade raised fire safety concerns.

Arising out of those concerns the owner decided to vacate the properties until all necessary upgrading had taken place. Payments were also made to those who had to vacate the properties so they would have funds to find suitable alternative accommodation.

Efforts were also made to find alternative accommodation for some of the other tenants.

The properties were left vacant until the required works were completed so that the accommodation is safe and appropriate.

Works were scheduled to take place to refurbish the properties, but the actions of those in occupation are delaying the process, counsel said.

In recent days the Fire Brigade has informed the owner that if the occupation continued it would have to take action against the owner.

Counsel said her client has also been informed or a risk that the properties insurance will be cancelled if the situation continues.

Counsel said her client does not know who exactly is in occupation.

Various persons have given interviews to various media outlets but they remain unsure exactly who is in the property.

In a sworn statement to the court, Mr O'Donnell said he was on holidays abroad when he heard reports about the occupation. He said he had hoped they would leave voluntarily as the buildings are not fit for occupation, but this had not happened.

He said he did not know who or how many people are in the properties, but said he is extremely concerned about the possibility that alterations have carried out to what are protected structures.

When his agent attended at number 35 he saw a number of people wearing Leo Varadkar masks and described themselves as being the occupiers. The did not identify themselves and refused to give his agent access to the property.

Mr O'Donnell said he is uncertain if any if anyone has gained access to the other properties he is concerned that they will in the future.American Martyrs Catholic Church officials arrived at the place of worship for Sunday morning Mass earlier this month and discovered an exterior wall and a sidewalk on the building's north side had been defaced with the hateful messages written in spray paint, police say.By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

This years Leaving Certificate students can, for the first time, get a copy of their written Leaving Certificate answers or recording of their oral tests.

As a result of a European Court of Justice ruling in December granting an Irish student access to his professional accountancy exam scripts, Leaving Certificate students can also photograph their marked exam script when viewing them to decide whether to appeal a grade.

Original scripts can be viewed at the school at the end of this month by those considering appeals. However, those who do not take this option must wait up to three months for a copy of their written exam script to be provided.

This exception to the 30-day rule for acceding to data access requests is to ensure the State Examinations Commission (SEC) can conclude the appeal system by mid-October. The exams authority issued over 1m grades to 120,000 Junior and Leaving Certificate students last year. The facility for data access requests will also be extended to Junior Certificate exams after almost 63,000 students get their results next month.

As well as their exam papers written in June during the Leaving Certificate, students getting results today are entitled to a recording of their answers at oral tests in Irish and other languages. However, questions asked by oral examiners will not be heard as they do not constitute a students personal data.

The SECs rule changes do not mean former Leaving Certificate students can get a copy of their exam answers, as the SEC disposes of exam material at the end of each year unless it is the subject of an extended appeal process.

For those considering an appeal this year, they will not be able to photocopy the exam papers being sent to schools for students to review at the end of the month.

Because the European court ruling deemed that exam scripts were personal data, there are strict controls over who has access to the scripts. However, for the first time, a student can bring a phone, tablet, or digital camera to make their own copy when viewing their script.

Last year, the SEC returned over 397,000 marked Junior and Leaving Certificate scripts to be viewed by students before the closing date to appeal a grade.

Students who want to appeal a grade do not have to view their script first, but are strongly advised to do so in order to avoid the small risk of a downgrade. This access is restricted to written work like exam scripts answered in June or coursework journals submitted for some subjects.

A student can be accompanied by one person to viewing sessions at schools on Friday, August 31, or Saturday, September 1. Applications to view scripts have to be made by next Tuesday so material can be sent to schools by the SEC in time.

This story first appeared in the Irish Examiner.Pressure is mounting on the Pope to use his Irish visit to apologise to victims of abuse by members of the Catholic Church.

Survivors say it is the least the Pontiff can do during his taxpayer-funded trip to this country.

The latest accusations against the clergy centre on 300 priests in the US State of Pennsylvania who are reported to have covered up the sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children over the past 70 years.

Irish man Darren McGavin was a victim of paedophile priest Fr Tony Walsh, and he says Pope Francis owes him an apology while he is here.

Fr Tony Walsh.

Mr McGavin said: "It's not going to go away, it's like putting a scratch on a record, it's always going to be there.

"You can go to therapy seven days a week, four hours a day, it's still going to be there. It's costing the Irish State and the Exchequer a lot of money to get this guy over here.

The least he can do, the very least he can do, is apologise to people.

A member of the organising team for the Pope's visit to Ireland has said that clerical abuse is something the Church needs to be vigilant about now and into the future.

Father McNeice said the clerical sex abuse in Pennsylvania is a story that is recognisable closer to home.

Fr McNeice said: "I just feel acutely for everybody who is there in Pennsylvania, because we in Dublin, having been through our own story, it's something we need to be constantly vigilant about both in the present and way into the future."Update - 12.24pm: A 20-year-old man has appeared in court charged in connection with an attack on a woman in Dublin last night.

An 18-year-old woman was slashed in the face before being robbed at Golden Lane in the city at around 7.20pm last night.

Mark Twomey, with an address at 15 Camac Park in Bluebell, Dublin, was charged on three counts, assault causing harm, robbery and the possession of a knife.

A 17-year female, who had been arrested along with the man shortly after the incident, has been released without charge.

A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

8.12am: Woman slashed in face and robbed in Dublin

An 18-year-old woman was attacked and robbed in Dublin last night.

She is being treated in St. James Hospital for multiple stab wounds in the face after being robbed at Golden Lane, Dublin 8, at around 7.20pm last night.

Gardai arrested two people, a 17-year-old female and a 20-year-old man, after searching the area shortly afterwards.

They are being held at Dublin City Centre Garda Stations under the provisions of Section 4  Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Officers have appealed for anyone with information or any person who may have witnessed the assault to contact Pearse Street Garda Station (01) 666 9000, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.Aidan and Joseph O'Brien who twice teamed up as trainer and jockey to land York's richest race, the Juddmonte International, look set to go head to head with classic winners in the 1 million showpiece of the Ebor Festival on its opening day next Wednesday.

2,000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior is on course for the race for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore Partners, while Joseph has confirmed his Irish Derby winner Latrobe is more likely to go for that race, rather than the Great Voltigeur Stakes over a furlong and a half further, for which he also holds an entry.At least 22 people have been killed after a boat sank while crossing the Nile River in Sudan.

Reports said at least 21 students and a woman died after the boat sank in the northern River Nile state as a result of a technical failure.Baidu Security's "DEF CON China HELLO, WORLD!" invited 200 people from tech companies, like Tencent, Alibaba and Huawei, to Las Vegas, US, on August 10. At the conference they reviewed how Chinese security geeks had fought for DEF CON and fared on the global stage.

DEF CON, founded by Jeff Moss in 1993, is the top international conference among the security industry. The conference attracts 25,000 people every year and security experts from all over the world come together to exchange ideas and share the latest security trends with each other.

Baidu Security brought DEF CON to China in May 2018. This was also the first time DEF CON has traveled abroad.

Zhang Yaqin, the president of Baidu, saluted the backstage heroes of DEF CON. He said DEF CON CHINA would cultivate the Chinese geek spirit.

"This will help Chinese geeks to step into important roles and contribute to the global security ecosystem," said Zhang.

That night at the party, Jeff Moss introduced DEF CON CHINA and its innovations through forms and content based on DEF CON to the attendees in Las Vegas.

Jeff Moss said that Baidu is a good partner who always makes the impossible possible. Baidu can help DEF CON go to the next level. The vision of building a strong Chinese community makes sense.

"Internet problems are global problems. We can't solve them only by one nation. We have to go out and make friends," said Jeff Moss.

The impact of DEF CON's first visit to China on Chinese geeks is far beyond what was expected. Many international geeks were also interested in joining "DEF CON China HELLO, WORLD!". The participants were fascinated with "the geek spirit". During the party, DEF CON was formally announced to be going to China.

"HELLO, WORLD!" is not only used as a sanity test to make sure that a computer language is correctly installed, but also, according to Baidu Security general manager Ma Jie, "HELLO, WORLD!" is how geeks interact with the world. "I feel grateful for the support of the security community. Welcome to DEF CON CHINA 1.0," said Ma.

At the "DEF CON China HELLO, WORLD!" party, Baidu prepared traditional performances, such as Chinese kungfu, and Chinese dragon and lion dances, with 3D holographic projections, which allowed culture and tech to mix.

DEF CON has become the symbol of the geek spirit, especially with China's 5,000-years of history where sages pursued the ultimate perfection of human wisdom influencing the modern geek spirit. While advocating the spirit of geeks, Baidu Security has also enabled global geeks to become more aware of China and expand the cognitive boundaries of the geek spirit.

Zhang Yaqin believes that more talks between China and the US will accelerate the development of global security.A mother, who was detained in Dubai for three days with her four-year-old daughter after a drinking a complimentary glass of wine on a flight from London has spoken about her experience for the first time.

Swedish dentist Ellie Holman, who lives in Sevenoaks, Kent in the UK, claimed that she was spat at, had her hair pulled and feared she would be raped while in prison.

In an interview with the Daily Mail Ms Holman described her treatment as 'inhuman'.

She said: "It is like an out-of-body experience. I still can't believe that I spent three days in jail. I have never been in trouble in my life and yet here I was sharing a cell block with 30 other women."

The 44-year-old was arrested on July 13 after having one glass of wine on her eight-hour Emirates Airline flight to Dubai from London.

She was eventually released on Sunday.

Ms Holman was born in Iran and raised in Sweden but has lived in the UK for almost 20 years.

Speaking about her experience she told the Daily Mail that she had visited Dubai a number of times and had never encountered this kind of treatment.

She said: "I enjoy a glass of wine with my meal and accepted it from the cabin crew. That was the only alcohol I had on the flight. I've flown to Dubai a dozen times and had a drink on the flight."

When she arrived in Dubai and handed over her Iranian passport at the immigration desk, Ms Holman was told by officers that her visa had already been used two months previous, which she said was her mistake.

Ms Holman was advised by officers to get a transit visa which would allow her to stay in the UAE before being told to get a ticket to fly home.

She said: "I did not swear and told him I was told I could get a transit visa. He just refused to listen and he was so close I could feel his spit on my face. He was jabbing a finger in my face and was rude and aggressive.

He looked at me as if I was like the dirt under his shoes, and I think it was because I was from Iran. If it had been a European woman he might not have reacted in the same way.

Ms Holman went on to describe what happened next after she was asked whether or not she had alcohol in her system.

"I was being honest and told him about the glass of wine. That was it. He just said you are drunk. I told him I'd had one glass, but he would not listen."

She continued: "I never swear in front of my children. I had my four-year-old daughter with me and I would never use bad language in front of her.

"People in Britain film police all the time. I was doing it for my own protection."

She describes being surrounded by more than a dozen immigration officers before carrying her off to a cell followed by her "weeping daughter".

Bibi Holman had to go to the toilet on the cell floor, her mother said (Detained in Dubai/PA)

"My feet were off the ground...Someone spat at me and they were pulling at my hair. I was terrified and crying. Bibi was behind me and she was crying.

"It was awful and all I could think of was why I did not take up the offer to buy a ticket and go home. I kept on thinking, "what have I done?". All I could think off was poor Bibi and how confused and frightened she must be."

Describing her experience in prison, Ms Holman said her survival instincts kicked in and she knew she would have to be strong for the sake of her daughter.

A pregnant woman told me how she had been raped while being held in the prison. I feared it could happen to me, but thankfully with Bibi with me all the time nothing occurred.

She was eventually released from prison and remained under house arrest at the home of a friend and eventually was allowed to return home.

The Dubai government issued a statement in which they said she was using an out-of-date passport, swore at officials and filmed them on her mobile phone.

She said that the experience has forced her to take anti-anxiety medication and is unlikely to ever return to Dubai because of it.

"I used to love going to Dubai where I have many friends, but I will never go back.

"If I had known I could be arrested for having a single drink on the plane then I would never have touched a drop."Dexus boss Darren Steinberg is looking beyond the rosy glow of Sydneys booming office market, which delivered the diversified property group a healthy $1.73 billion profit, to unfolding black swan events in Turkey.

Like most real estate funds, the countrys largest office landlord is highly dependent on Australias economic prosperity sustaining its 4000 business customers.

Office buildings underpinned Dexus' FY18 financial performance.

We watch with great interest what happens, Mr Steinberg told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. If you look at how our business is currently positioned, it is a black swan event that could potentially derail it.

We counter and manage that risk by having a close to five-year income WALE [weighted average lease expiry] on leases, we have a long dated debt WALE of about seven years, and our leverage is below our targeted range .. which gives us a great level of confidence if anything derails the Australian economy.Telstra's incoming chief financial officer Robyn Denholm has been drawn into controversy on the eve of the behemoth telco's annual results, with her external directorship of Elon Musk's Tesla raising alarm bells among corporate governance experts.

Ms Denholm, a director of Tesla since mid-2014, was on Wednesday appointed to a special board committee to evaluate the potential buyout of the $US58 billion ($80 billion) valued electric car company, following Mr Musk's claim on Twitter last week that he had secured funding to take the company private.

Robyn Denholm, who has just been promoted to be Telstra's finance chief, is also on the board of Tesla. Credit:James Brickwood

The appointment comes amid widespread speculation in the US media that the country's powerful securities regulator could investigate Mr Musk and the electric vehicle company over the tweet, and a report that directors of Tesla had sought legal advice to ensure they were protected from any fallout.

And it also coincided with news that Telstra non-executive director Steve Vamos would step down from the board of the Australian telco to focus on his role as CEO of accounting software firm Xero.This post is written by Alison Lee, Senior Research Scientist, and Meg Riordan, Director of External Research, at EL Education.

Strong relationships that really foster a sense of belonging, that foster empathy and caring, really set a tenor and a tone that might be different from where [students] have come from previous places.

~Crew Leader, Expeditionary Learning Middle School, Syracuse, NY

In 2016, EL Education joined forces with a network of organizations working to close opportunity and achievement gaps for students of color and low socio-economic backgrounds to launch the Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) project, funded by the Raikes Foundation . For its part in the project, EL Education is focused on improving students sense of belonging: the perception of having a rightful place in an academic setting and belonging in a community of learners.

Research shows that students who report a higher sense of belonging in school are more likely to persevere at challenging tasks --a key mindset for solving complex problems and learning how to learn. In EL Education, Crew supports students to learn deeply, about themselves and about one another. In Crew, a small group of students meets four to five times per week to develop and strengthen their socio-emotional skills. Crew also supports students to build their awareness of and practice habits of scholarship that enable students from all backgrounds to get to and succeed in college and careers. Yet, for all of our confidence in the power of Crew to build relationships and stoke students capacity to learn and to lead, we wonder about Crew as an engine for equity. More specifically, though our organization is 25 years old, we havent yet identified whether Crew serves allstudents equally and what practices are especially powerful for driving student belonging and inclusion. As part of BELE, we brought together six schools from across the country to tackle the question of how Crew can serve as an engine for equity.

How does this project differ from past research on student belonging? We believe that for our improvement work on student belonging and equity to have lasting impact, this work must be led by those positioned to impart change: the teachers/leaders who facilitate student Crews. Teachers (both in and out of Crew) are ideally situated as researcher-practitioners: they know their students, are well-situated to design and test interventions, and have access to (or can collect) a variety of telling data. However, teachers may lack sufficient authority, credit, professional support, or resources to impart schoolwide, systemic, and lasting change. What does it mean, exactly, to empower teachers with the agency, structures, and skill set to lead school improvements for and with their students?

Go to the Source: Ask the Students

A well designed survey can give teachers and students a birds eye view of patterns emerging from students experiences. In 2016-17, EL Education schools in our study piloted a 22-item Crew belonging student survey using an instrument co-developed with Project for Educational Research that Scales (PERTS) at Stanford University. Through this data, s chools like Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School analyzed their students perceptions of their experiences and sense of belonging in Crew , both as an affirmation of the power of Crew for their student body and as a driver for conversations about equity in their school.

In the fall of 2017, six schools self-identified teams of 4-6 teachers to lead improvement work. Teachers conducted the Crew belonging survey in the fall to get baseline data from their students and analyzed data from survey items like:



I feel like I belong in my Crew

If you share your opinion or ideas in Crew, people listen to and respect your thoughts

I feel like the other students in Crew accept me for who I am

Teachers also analyzed positive deviants"--specific Crews or items that had particularly high outcomes. Students responded anonymously to the electronic survey and provided demographic data (race, gender, English language learner and/or special education status) during one Crew period. This data propelled teachers inquiry into students sense of belonging and experience of Crew.

Get to the Root: What Prevents a Sense of Belonging?

After analyzing student data, teacher teams conducted a root cause analysis, asking:



What are the conditions of our system or structures that diminish the sense of belonging and a positive experience of Crew?

How might these conditions impact particular groups of students more than others?

What key changes can we make to improve students belonging?

In collaboration with the EL Education research team and our research partner, the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research , teachers reviewed focus group data with students that probed how students think about belonging and what kinds of factors influence their willingness to participate in Crew or build relationships with others in their Crew. By considering conditions that contribute to lower or inequitable outcomes, teachers imagined ways to recreate and leverage Crew as a brave and safe space where all students experience a sense of voice and belonging while working toward academic success.

Plan-Do-Study-Act

Teacher teams then launched their first Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, testing their change ideas and measuring progress with student exit tickets or weekly teacher observations. These teacher teams met regularly after each cycle to discuss the impact of the practice on their students and analyze their data. Then they continued, revised, or implemented new practices in a subsequent PDSA cycle.

While these activities may represent what many teachers do intuitively--testing ideas in their classrooms, convening with other teachers to talk about common problems of practice, and assessing students--systematically structuring these activities in a larger framework of improvement (i.e. change cycles) was transformative. One teacher remarked, This process allowed us to examine the ways we need to help all students to connect in more meaningful ways--not just hope for the best and get most of them to connect. On the process of looking at positive deviants, another teacher said, It was useful to have exemplar teacher work that we could implement schoolwide to address these areas. ... It allowed us to celebrate some of the great work we do as Crew leaders. And finally, on the process of using PDSA cycles to drive improvement: We had success using the data from the whole-group student analysis and creating meaningful targeted lessons that addressed specific targeted responses. This process was especially effective for improving novice teachers capacity to lead Crew, with 100 percent of teachers in their first two years as a Crew Leader reporting considerable gains in their capacity to lead Crew.

When teachers are empowered to listen to and learn from their students, they can lead effective and lasting change. But teacher leadership isnt the only essential ingredient to increase belonging for all students. How does giving all students opportunities to speak and to lead impact their sense of belonging and their academic growth? In our next post in this series, we unpack what lifting student voice as a key condition for improvement looked like in our study schools.

Photo Credit: David GrantMad Boy

Nick Arvin

Mad Boy. By Nick Arvin.

Europa, $24.99

Set during the War of 1812, Nick Arvin's Mad Boy is a wild picaresque with a pint-sized hero. When 10-year-old Henry Phipps' mother dies suddenly, he embarks on a journey across Maryland to carry out her final wish: to be buried at sea surrounded by family. To make that happen, he'll have to find his older brother (off fighting the redcoats somewhere) and bail his alcoholic father out of debtor's prison in Baltimore. It's a quest that spins into an action-packed adventure, spiced with black comedy, as Henry is joined by a motley supporting cast of turncoats, drifters and thieves. Arvin's wartime coming-of-age story is so alive with incident, memorable characters and vivid historical detail, it feels like condensed epic.THE MEG 

M, 113 minutes

In a world full of conflict, there are still a few things we can agree on: one of them, surely, is the joy of seeing people getting attacked by sharks.

Everyone I know seemed to be looking forward to The Meg, with its brilliantly idiotic title (short for "megalodon," a long-extinct shark species three or four times the size of a great white), and its irresistible trailer, which used Bobby Darin's finger-snapping Beyond the Sea to set the party mood. What can you laugh at, if you can't laugh at a giant monster rising out the depths and gobbling everyone in sight?

Now The Meg is here, and, unfortunately, it fails to deliver any of the catharsis viewers might be looking for. It isn't aggressively terrible such as the made-for-cable Sharknado, a film designed to be joked about rather than watched. It's just bland and dreary: it has the feeling of a mid-'90s James Cameron knock-off made on a budget requiring the producers to watch their spending on digital effects.An ad for horror film The Nun has been pulled from YouTube. Credit:Roadshow Films

Myriad Twitter and Reddit users complained about: 1) having to watch an unskippable ad that interrupted their YouTube viewing time, and 2) nearly suffering a heart attack in the wee hours of the morning while binge-watching YouTube videos.

The jump-scare ad was over in an instant, but it's apparently so startling to many who've seen it that their complaints reached YouTube, which decided to take it down.

The YouTube ad begins with a volume sign, its familiar white bar dancing left then right before finally switching to mute. For one second, there is only the mute sign against a black background. And then, abruptly, the grisly, zombielike face in a nun's habit leaps at the viewer, accompanied by a piercing sound.

"I advise you look away and/or turn down the volume if you have anxiety or just straight up jumpscares, pls rt to save a life," says one tweet that has been retweeted 130,000 times since Sunday.

YouTube replied to that tweet Monday, saying it has removed the ad because it violates the video-sharing website's "shocking content policy."

Google, YouTube's parent company, has advertising policies that prohibit what it considers to be shocking content. Ads that contain "gruesome or disgusting imagery" and that "are likely to shock or scare" aren't allowed on the platform.

A jump scare is a technique commonly used in horror movies. For several seconds, the character sees or hears nothing, and then suddenly, something or someone appears from behind, or in a nearby mirror.

"A good jump scare is a magic trick," screenwriter C. Robert Cargill told The Verge. "It's 'I'm going to get you to look over here while I'm doing this,' and then out of nowhere - bam! - something's going to get you."Scripted podcasts are filling the storytelling gap once provided by radio dramas  an all but forgotten art on traditional radio stations. The first scripted podcast to break out as a mainstream hit was Welcome to Night Vale. This surreal dark comedy is presented as a community radio station bulletin from a fictional town, one that feels like a mix between Twin Peaks and Buffy's hometown of Sunnydale. Cecil Baldwin is the presenter, reading announcements, advertisements, and so often hazards to avoid in the desert location  all with a deadpan delivery of a sadistic NPR host. Welcome to Night Vale. Night Vale has spawned two books, a spin-off show and will soon be coming to television. The podcast is being adapted for the screen by the producers of Breaking Bad. Getting started with Night Vale can be daunting; while each episode can stand alone, there are many plot arcs and running jokes that reward long-term listeners. Thankfully, the website has a starter's guide for new listeners, highlighting the episodes that introduce some of the major plot points of the series, as well as recap episodes to fill in the blanks.

Night Vale's format proved a popular one to mimic  with many successful scripted podcasts playing as radio bulletins or documentaries. Limetown is another breakout hit, this time presenting itself as a short-run documentary in the vein of Serial. Limetown's protagonist is Lia Haddock, a journalist researching the disappearance of more than 300 people at a neuroscience research facility in Tennessee. Limetown's six-episode run finished in 2015, but the show has since gathered a cult following, and a second series is in production, scheduled for release this Halloween. Also due out soon is a novel that will act as a prequel to the show. If you'd prefer something a little more absurd, The Onion's A Very Fatal Murder tells the tale of fictional radio host David Pascall and his search for the perfect murder to produce an award-winning podcast around. Pascall is a self-centred New York journalist with little regard for the victim or the small town residents he interviews. The joke wears thin pretty quickly, but fans of true crime podcasts will find much to cringe over  and the live ad reads for fictional but all too familiar products are beautifully done. Gimlet Media has also entered the radio drama market, presumably with much higher budgets thanks to the stars on board. Gimlet's first scripted drama, Homecoming, debuted in 2016, with Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, and David Schwimmer adding Hollywood glamour to the podcast. The psychological thriller tells the story of a damaged soldier and the case worker trying to rehabilitate him back into society. The story is now headed for the small screen, with Julia Roberts starring in the television adaptation. And earlier this year Gimlet debuted another star-studded podcast, Sandra, a seven-episode series with a fascinating premise. Sandra is a virtual assistant much like Siri, but behind the AI service is a team of real humans, answering the questions and offering advice to users. Here, the unseen human assistants become entangled in the lives of the users.Ads with ads Channel Ten's promo for The Bachelor is "brought to you by Blistex". So now the commercials have their own commercials? Brad Fahrney, Clifton Hill Funnier than fiction The second series of True Story with Hamish & Andy (Nine) is proving to be as excellent and entertaining as the first. The first episode was so well told both by the real-life narrator and the wonderful actors that it was hilarious and I was kept in suspense to the very end. Truth can sometimes be funnier than fiction.

Susan Munday, Bentleigh East Cut the best bit There was a time when Law and Order SVU was part police investigation, leading to part courtroom drama. The latter was usually compelling viewing, but this once integral component has now disappeared. This has been accompanied by an increasing intrusion of police officers' private lives, culminating last Thursday in the entire episode being devoted to the kidnapping of Sergeant Benson's son by his grandmother. The "Special Victims" are increasingly the cops themselves. Rowan Forster, Surrey Hills Barely on track

I don't think Chris Tarrant (Extreme Railway Journeys) has much interest in trains at all. Tarrant just likes travelling and behaves like a dopey English tourist with feeble humour which may appeal to the British audience, but is seldom worth a smile. The musical accompaniment is woeful. However, the photography is good, and some interesting historical or geographical information makes the show watchable. But it runs a distant second to Michael Portillo's presentations. Andrew McNicoll, Kew SBS trainspotters We understand that the SBS management likes to ride on trains, but, honestly, how many train journeys did you buy? Even Inside Windsor Castle is a welcome relief in the 7.30 time-slot. Anna Summerfield, Bendigo

Have mercy on us I have considered this matter for some time and I request that the "mercy rule" be implemented in matters of broadcasting involving the AFL broadcasts, and that both Bruce McAvaney and Craig Hutchison be permanently removed for the sake of the health and listening of viewers. Any comments considered. Les Cooper, Blackburn South Leave Jack alone "It would be helpful if they could reframe Jack's relationship to women" (Previews, 9/8). In my opinion, the character Jack Irish doesn't need to be reframed, retrained, cleaned up, sanitised or altered in any way. He is what he is and that's what makes Guy Pearce and co compelling viewing.It all began in Biarritz. Robert Connolly was in the French city early last year to present Barracuda, the ABC drama series he'd directed, as it was one of only four TV productions invited into competition at the Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels.

On his way home, Connolly stopped in London and visited his agent. She suggested he look at a script that she'd been sent. And, after reading the first two episodes of the espionage thriller Deep State, he was hooked. His agent set up a meeting with the producers the next day. In the meantime, they watched his acclaimed 2009 East Timor drama, Balibo, and decided it had exactly the kind of style that they were looking for. Within 48 hours, he'd signed on to direct the first four episodes in the eight-part Fox series that he describes as being "like le Carre meets a Bourne film". And he was heading for a seven-month adventure that started in Morocco, where much of the series was shot.

Mark Strong (centre) plays a retired M16 agent who is blackmailed back into action in Deep State. Credit:Fox Networks Group

A respected writer, producer and director, Connolly (The Slap, Underground: The Julian Assange Story) has spent much of his career working in Australia with a well-established group: "My entire career, I've been working with a team," he says. "The same cinematographer (Tristan Milani) shot The Bank, Three Dollars, Balibo and Paper Planes. With this job, I didn't know anyone, and, not only that, I was filming in Morocco, with Arabic language and French language scenes, on a massive-scale show."

Connolly says with a smile that he "had a ball: I blew things up. I did sniper fights on rooftops. I did hand-to-hand combat. It has those elements, but, underpinning it, there's a very contemporary political theme."NSW declared its earliest total fire bans on record on Wednesday in an ominous sign of what could become a disastrous season of bushfires unless substantial rain arrives, fire experts say.

Fire crews battled at least 83 fires across the state after stronger-than-expected winds prompted authorities to take the unusual step of declaring fire bans in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter regions part way through the day.

Early-season fires across NSW on Wednesday included a blaze on the Bells Line of Road in Bilpin. Credit:Wolter Peeters

The bans beat the previous earliest such declarations anywhere in NSW by almost two weeks, according to NSW Rural Fire Service records going back to 2009. The 2009 bans affected the Illawarra and north-west regions on August 28 of that year.

'Uncharted territory'Canberra residents are the most likely in the country to be slugged out-of-pocket fees for Medicare services, a new report reveals.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report released on Thursday showed a patient's postcode has a huge influence on how much their health care costs.

Half of Australians pay out-of-pocket fees for Medicare services out of hospital, an AIHW report shows. Credit:Fairfax Media

The report, Patients out-of-pocket spending on Medicare services, analyses health services that were delivered outside of hospitals and subsidised by Medicare, including GP, specialist, imaging and obstetric services.

In 201617, half of patients nationally paid something from their own pockets toward their non-hospital Medicare services.Two homes were destroyed and a third damaged in Wednesday's fires on the south coast of NSW, the Rural Fire Service has confirmed this afternoon, as their fire fighting focus swings from south coast to north.

More than 600 firefighters are continuing to battle more than 80 bush and grass fires across NSW, 38 of which are uncontained, with winds set to pick up again this afternoon.

The focus of resources has shifted from the south coast to the north, with fires burning in the Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley where winds are picking up.Police are searching for a man who allegedly held-up an inner west convenience store, minutes after walking past a school carrying a gun, two months ago.

About 8.30am on Friday, June 8, a male and female shopkeeper were threatened at gunpoint by an unknown man at the CNN convenience store on Cowper Road, Glebe.

The man threatened staff and demanded cash, before pulling a firearm from a bag he carried.

He then fled the store with less than $100 in cash and travelled in the direction of Wentworth Park.A man has been rushed to hospital after a workplace incident involving an excavator in Helensvale, on the Gold Coast, on Wednesday morning.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said paramedics were called to the workplace incident on Latrobe Avenue about 11.10am to reports of an excavator falling on the man.

Paramedics including a high acuity response unit and critical care paramedics attended and treated the man, who had "significant" chest injuries.

It was believed no one else was injured.

He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition before 11am.Queensland's crime-fighting watchdog questions why local councils need bodies with private sector links, which cannot be accessed by Right to Information legislation, to develop property as it broadens inquiries into local councils.

It also questions why a senior Ipswich senior executive allegedly did not accurately disclose receiving tickets given by a major contractor to race days at Doomben, Sydney and Flemington, nor explain an alleged $5000 in betting credits in his account.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe will tighten guidelines around council-owned entities and their business operations. Credit:AAP Image/ Glenn Hunt

The Crime and Corruption Commissions Operation Windage report into Ipswich City Council recommended a major review of Ipswich City Council and a review of other councils in Queensland.

Ipswich had, until recently, five council-owned business entities involved in property development, where councillors served as directors, but where there was no independent private sector expertise.A black BMW with a distinctive number plate is being sought in relation to a string of break-and-enters across North Brisbane, Moreton and the Sunshine Coast.

A stolen BMW being sought over break and enters across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast Credit:Queensland Police

Queensland Police were appealing for any sightings of the stolen black 2015 BMW X6 with a 9I9 number plate around North Brisbane over the past few days.

Police said nine properties on the Sunshine Coast and almost 20 properties around Chermside, Chapel Hill, Cleveland and Pine Rivers had been broken into in August, all of which are believed to be linked.

Several cars stolen during the break-and-enters had their keys left in the ignition when they were stolen, police said.An 18-year-old man has been charged with possessing what is believed to be an AK-47 assault rifle following a raid at a home in Melbourne's south-east.

The Oakleigh East man has been charged with possessing a controlled weapon an imitation firearm and cannabis, and breaching an intervention order.

An 18-year-old man has been charged with possessing a firearm. Credit:Victoria Police

The assault rifle is currently with ballistics experts for analysis. On Wednesday morning police said is could be a fake.

A police spokesman said the charges could be upgraded if the AK-47 was found to be real.A Border Force expert estimates there could be thousands of AK-47s in Australia after two of the high-powered assault rifles were allegedly found in the possession of Melbourne teenagers.

Former Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg said hes not surprised the Russian-designed AK-47 weapons were being found in Melbourne.

An 18-year-old man has been charged with possessing a firearm. Credit:Victoria Police

He said many were housed with collectors.

They were originally built in the Soviet Union in the late '40s. Over time theres been about 100 million or so manufactured in the global market. In the '50s and '60s it was quite easy to get them into the country, Mr Quaedvlieg told 3AW.Police found nearly $1 million in cash during the raid. Credit:AFP

Nearly $1 million in cash was seized at a home in Melbourne's north east after a police bust of an alleged tobacco smuggling ring.

Four men and two women, all Chinese nationals, were arrested in Templestowe on Monday night after a raid by Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.

Police believe the group imported 2.5 million cigarettes, evading duty and excise taxes of $1.75 million and are part of a syndicate which has laundered at least $11 million over the past six months.A controversial US doctor has praised the University of Western Australias decision to allow his talk on transgender gender identity to continue, and has urged students planning to picket the event to "sit down and discuss" their views with him.

The event will be hosted by the Australian Family Association at the UWA Crawley campus on Friday, and will feature US paediatric endocrinologist Quentin Van Meter.

Dr Quentin Van Meter, also headlined an event at Old Parliament House on Tuesday night. Credit:Facebook

Dr Van Meter is the co-author of the scientific paper Gender ideology harms children, which claims "conditioning children into impersonating the opposite sex is child abuse".

He is also well known for his comments likening transgender gender identity with a delusional disorder; a state of mind with no biologic basis for it that can be found.One of Australia's biggest law firms has reported a "worrying rise" in the number of West Australians suffering complications from botched cortisone injections.

WAtoday can reveal legal action is being taken in the most serious of cases by WA-based Slater and Gordon lawyers over alleged bungled procedures, some of which have left some victims barley able to walk.

Slater and Gordon say they have seen a recent rise in the number of people whose conditions had worsened after receiving cortisone injections in WA. (File Image). Credit:Carolyn Kaster

Senior Slater and Gordon lawyer Karina Hafford said she had "unfortunately seen a rise in the number of people whose conditions had worsened after receiving cortisone injections" in WA.

Three years ago we hadnt even considered these types of claims, but now we have multiple cases, she said.Pilbara's aspiring heavy diesel mechanics will no longer have to travel to Perth for their training after the introduction of the course at North Regional Tafe's South Hedland campus.

The campus has been transformed into a specialist heavy vehicle and engineering trades facility following consultation with industry.

Automotive lecturer Billy Muller from North Regional Tafe's South Hedland campus. He will lead the delivery of the new heavy vehicle training.

Light vehicle apprenticeship training has also been introduced to the campus.

J and S Truck and Machinery director James Herbert was one of the first to take advantage of the course by registering an apprentice for the first block of training, which is scheduled

to commence in September.The ACT Greens have admitted to "serious errors" in how the party handled a party volunteer's allegation that another volunteer sexually assaulted her in a taxi on the night of the 2016 federal election.

The branch has also distanced itself from comments made by party elder Bob Brown, who criticised the victim for not going to the police soon enough.

The admission follows the party bungling the handling of the allegation, including a former party convener attempting to water down an internal report of an investigation into the allegations.

The ACT Greens have admitted to serious errors in mishandling an allegation of sexual assault. Credit:Natalie Grono

The former Greens volunteer alleged that on the night of the 2016 election, a male Greens volunteer held her down in the back of a taxi, told her he hated her and digitally penetrated her.A workplace stand-off is building at Australia's air navigation service agency as frustrations grow over a push from its bosses to cut conditions.

Staff will vote on industrial action as unions resist federal government-owned Airservices Australia's move to drop entitlements from a new enterprise agreement.

Professionals Australia, which represents engineers and scientists at the 3700-strong agency managing the nation's airspace, said staff had been patient and that the decision to hold a protected action ballot was not taken lightly.

Airservices Australia would cut its Employee Grievance Board, an internal mechanism to resolve workplace disputes, forcing staff to take disputes directly to the Fair Work Commission in a move that could create more work and costs, the union said.

Agency-funded study relating to work could also disappear under the proposed deal, union ACT organiser Brendan Forde said.Who knows what his genuine beliefs are. He obviously deliberately chose that phrase [the final solution]. You cant say those sorts of things deliberately without being prepared to own them. Senator Anning earned just 19 primary votes at the last election and took his seat in the senate after a High Court ruling last October found One Nations Malcolm Roberts was ineligible because he was a British citizen at the time of his senatorial nomination. Senator Fraser Anning took his seat in the senate after former One Nation senator One Malcolm Roberts was ruled ineligible to be elected by the High Court of Australia in October 2017. Credit:AAP Senator Anning refused to back down, using a series of interviews on Wednesday morning to insist he was being targeted by the "thought police" for his use of the term "final solution". "I hadn't even thought about it," he told 2GB's Alan Jones. Senator Anning also doubled down on his bid to ban Muslim immigration.

"If you have a jar of jelly beans and three of them are poisonous, you're not going to try any of them," he said. "I think the safest thing for Australia is that we don't have any more of them [Muslims] coming into the place." Senator Bartlett said the KAP senators remarks only served to highlight the importance of the upcoming Queensland senate contest. [Fraser Anning] is in the One Nation seat that he got in on. That is the Senate seat Larissa Waters is seeking to hold for the Greens, he said. If she doesnt hold that seat, it almost certainly means the seat will fall to the far right.

It might not be this guy, it might be the One Nation candidate, but theyre going to be doubling-down all the way to the election and its important to stand up against this." One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said former One Nation staffer Richard Howard was behind Senator Annings address, which she says was straight from Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels' handbook. "I am appalled by Fraser Anning's speech. We are a multiracial society and I've always advocated you do not have to be white to be Australian," Senator Hanson told Parliament on Wednesday. She denied One Nation's immigration policy, or her views, were racist. Fellow crossbencher Derryn Hinch also savaged the speech as "vomitous poison".

Meanwhile, Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad denounced Mr Annings comments as disgraceful and divisive. As an Australian of Lebanese descent, I have frequently been on the receiving end of racism, even from other members of Parliament, Ms Trad said. Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad described Senator Anning's comments as "disgraceful and divisive". Credit:AAP Image/ Dan Peled I know first-hand how damaging this kind of rhetoric is. But it doesnt come from nowhere. People like Senator Anning and his former colleagues in One Nation are encouraged by the deafening silence from the LNP, failing to call out their electoral preference partners on hateful, racist remarks.

Its not good enough. This isnt the future I want for our state and I will call it out every single time. Her sentiments were echoed by Queensland Labor senators. Senator Chris Ketter said Senator Annings comments were racist and inflammatory and were an appalling start to his representation for Queensland. As Senators, we are elected to represent all Queenslanders, regardless of race, culture or geography, Mr Ketter said. Senator Murray Watt said the comments were disgraceful and do not represent the Queensland that we all know.

Only 19 Queenslanders voted for Fraser Anning, and now we know why, he added. He does not speak for Queenslanders. Only 19 Queenslanders voted for Fraser Anning, and now we know why, Senator Murray Watt said. Credit:Tammy Law His election shows the danger in Malcolm Turnbull and the LNP continuing to do preference deals with One Nation. If they continue with these deals, like they did in the Longman by-election, we will see even more extreme politicians elected in the future. Senator Anthony Chisholm added: There is no place in Australian society for the disgustingly racist and reprehensible comments made by Senator Anning yesterday.

Australia is nation built by people from every country and every corner of this world. I wholeheartedly condemn Senator Annings remarks and reiterate there is absolutely no room in our society for racism. LNP Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said: Ill always be polite and respectful to other senators. It is customary, of course, after someones first speech to shake their hand. The comments Mr Anning made are inconsistent with the values that I hold, and that the LNP holds strongly. The reason that Senator Anning is in the Parliament is because he was elected on a One Nation ticket. Theres a lesson here for the Australian people; that when you vote for One Nation, you end up with a divided nation. You dont end up with a nation that unites around shared values.

LNP state Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington described Senator Annings speech as hateful and agreed it would divide the nation and Queensland. It again demonstrates that Katter Australia Party have no plan for jobs, cost of living or infrastructure and are just out for cheap headlines, Ms Frecklington said. KAP leader Bob Katter said he supported Senator Anning "Absolutely one thousand per cent". Credit:ABC News "The comments are a disgrace. I call on (Queensland state MP) Robbie Katter to condemn the comments. Fairfax Media contacted Mr Katters office for comment but his office said he was travelling in the Gulf region and was not contactable.1. How can a person win a seat in Parliament, and the fat pay packet that goes with it, with 19 votes?

But his racist, bigoted and hateful comments say as much about our political process as they do about him.

Fraser Anning, who won his seat in the federal Senate on the back of 19 votes, represents no one I know.

That is undemocratic, perverse and allows non-representative untruths to become part of our national discourse. It gives the likes of Fraser Anning a platform, and sucks the life out of the work being done to create a more tolerant society.

2. Why can someone be subject to the law by saying outrageous, hateful and provocative allegations outside Parliament (as they should be), but those inside are protected, no matter what?

Perhaps it had justification in history, but there are now so many other avenues to bring attention to wrongdoing that we should overhaul parliamentary privilege that allows untested slander to make headlines, without any recourse.

It would also stop the particularly nasty innuendo that is now part of parliamentary debate, ensure politicians stuck to the truth (well, closer to the truth) and ensure those outside had an equal response.Queensland police have confirmed detectives are reviewing new evidence that has come to light against former governor-general Peter Hollingworth.

Dr Hollingworth apologised to survivors at a 2015 hearing of the child sex abuse royal commission and admitted he did not do enough in his response to abuse claims as Anglican archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s.

Former governor-general Peter Hollingworth, pictured last year. Credit:Joe Armao

A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed on Wednesday night that new information had been received in relation to those sex abuse allegations.

The spokesman said the new evidence was being reviewed by officers attached to state crime command as part of an ongoing investigation.The trials and tribulations of Emma Husar, the Labor member for Lindsay in western Sydney, raise many issues about our political system. She is just a small cog in a large machine but her case, partially resolved by her decision not to stand again at the next election, illustrates not just the narrow workings of parliament but the wider environment of party factions, inter-party competition, the demands of the media and other social developments like family breakdown.

Parliament is a workplace, populated by employers and employees, but there are more gradations than that: senior and junior employers and staff, full-timers and part-timers, electorate office staff and political and media advisers based in Parliament House in Canberra. There is also the complication of just who exactly is the employer-the individual MP, the broader party, the parliament or the government.

On leave: embattled Labor MP Emma Husar. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

My first reaction to the allegations against Husar was wariness that she was being accused of such a wide range of faults (bullying of staff, sexual harassment, misuse of entitlements and, eventually, lewd behaviour) that she was either a self-serving ogre or a victim of some sort of conspiracy.

The combination of the behind-closed-doors party investigation and some genuine respect for her privacy meant that, despite the furious leaking, there was always ambiguity and generalisation about the situation of this otherwise little-known MP.In a political street fight youd certainly want Tony Abbott on your side, rather than against you. He is the champion of the negative. While he could, and should, have been a real asset to Malcolm Turnbull, he has been totally counterproductive. Ignore all he says and does. He is just for Abbott, hoping to return to the leadership by destroying Turnbull.

Abbott has not been driven by evidence-based policy, or even ideology, nor a desire to support better government, but simply by a desire to undermine Turnbull, to get even with him for taking the leadership. He seizes every opportunity to do this.

Tony Abbott in Parliament on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

For example, having lost decisively at this weeks party meeting, he and a few of his easily misled mates now threaten to cross the floor when the NEG legislation is put to a vote. This is not a matter of principle. It is cold, calculated, disunity  hang the electoral consequences.

Given he has held so many positions on climate over the years, Abbotts claim to support a genuine policy alternative to the NEG is about as believable as his commitment on losing to Turnbull that there will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping. I've never leaked or backgrounded against anyone. And I certainly won't start now."Rome: Another few metres and he would have been dead.

Antonio Rubino slammed on the brakes of his car just short of the point at which the bridge in Genoa collapsed.

The driver of a Basko supermarket delivery van reacted in time, screeching to a halt just short of the drop. Credit:AP

A few seconds later and he would have plunged into the void - as did all the cars and trucks in front of him.

He was one of several drivers to cheat death on Tuesday when the Morandi bridge collapsed during a heavy thunderstorm and torrential rain.A man was detained on suspicion of "the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism", police said. Police said later the man was also suspected of attempted murder.

The suspect, believed to be Salih Khater, 29, was arrested on Tuesday after a car smashed into cyclists and pedestrians, injuring three, before colliding with barriers around Parliament. None of the injured people remains in hospital.

London. The man suspected of the terror attack on London's Houses of Parliament has been revealed as a British citizen of Sudanese origin.

British authorities do not name suspects until they are charged, but media and neighbors said the arrested man was Mr Khater. Police confirmed the suspect was a 29-year-old British man originally from Sudan.

The area around Parliament may be turned into a pedestrian zone, British authorities said on Wednesday, to prevent similar attacks.

Police also searched three properties for clues about the motivation for the attack: an apartment where the suspect had lived in the central England city of Birmingham, as well as another property in the city and a third in Nottingham, about 80 kilometres away. They continued to search a third Birmingham property.

A Facebook page for a man of the same name says he lives in Birmingham, works as a shop manager, and has studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology. Coventry University in central England said Mr Khater had studied accounting there between September 2017 and May 2018 but was no longer enrolled.

Ahmed Abdi, a neighbour of Mr Khater in Birmingham, said he recognised him from news footage, "and I was shocked".Omarosa Manigault Newman, formerly the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison, walks past President Donald Trump during a March, 2017 meeting. Credit:AP

Washington: In US President Donald Trump's singular lexicon, there is no more vicious put-down than likening an adversary to a dog.

Then there is what Trump said on Tuesday of Omarosa Manigault Newman, his former reality-television protege and White House staffer who is now scorned and telling all in her new book, Unhinged, and accompanying media tour.

"When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out," Trump tweeted. "Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!"

Animalistic slurs come easily to Trump, who over the past few years has likened a long list of perceived enemies to dogs - including former FBI director James Comey, former acting attorney general Sally Yates, former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, former 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Republican Senator Marco Rubio, journalist David Gregory and conservative commentator Erick Erickson.

But in Trump's telling, Manigault Newman did not simply get fired "like a dog". She was a "dog" herself.On your mark, get set, go! Alex Fitts, a first-grade student at Chatfield School in Lapeer, was all smiles as he took off from the starting line during a bicycle race...

Im happy its out there OREGON TWP.  Connor Martin always wrote little stories when he was younger. It was a good way to channel an active imagination and became...

Booster shots available in county LAPEER TWP.  COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are available to Lapeer County residents from all three manufacturers  Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Booster...Taos, New Mexico: A New Mexico judge has received death threats and Islamophobic abuse a day after she granted bail to five Muslims charged with child abuse and accused of training children at their compound to carry out terrorist attacks, court officials said.

Police raided the compound in Taos County on August 3 following a tip-off that children held there were starving. They found 11 children in need of food and water, and three days later unearthed the body of a toddler.

In an order published on Tuesday, district Judge Sarah Backus said prosecutors had produced evidence that was "troubling and unusual" but failed to show the defendants abused the children and were a threat to society if released on bail.

One caller on Tuesday told Backus "her throat would be slit" while another said he wished "someone would smash her head", New Mexico courts spokesman Barry Massey said.Latest News Inside the 'tech arms race' to bring down turnaround times How lenders are competing against each other to balance risk, compliance and speed for brokers

Reaction as inflation spike causes RBA interest rate rethink The RBA is again under pressure as inflation jumps 0.8% in a quarter, putting ultra-low rate era in firing line

Fintechs are filling the gap in SME lending as the big four banks concentrate on the fallout from the royal commission, according to one online lender.

The fintech commercial lending space opened up in around 2013 and since then has reported an annual growth rate of around 79%.

According to chief commercial officer at Moula, Matt Leeburn, part of this growth has been down to fintechs focusing on lending to SMEs, which make up more than 97% of all Australian businesses.

He said that while the space is still a while off being a significant threat to the banks, there is a huge opportunity to help the underserved SME market.

According to Leeburn, fintechs are best placed to help small businesses due to their quick funding time. He said, From our perspective, I think its our ability to go fast. The platform weve built can assess and process a loan within about 13 minutes and the average time is around 24 hours, and thats including being funded.

From a commercial brokers perspective, speed is a big factor. Theyll often see SME clients in need of cash quickly, because theres an opportunity to buy a large amount of inventory at a discounted rate, or they might have some cash flow needs which require capital to free up operations. They come to us and get an answer without waiting around for weeks. The result is a really happy client thats going to come back to you, and the benefit for brokers is that one interaction can translate into a continued revenue stream as we have ongoing commissions.

With the ability to lodge an application and receive funding within 24 hours, Leeburn is aware there comes a concern over responsible lending.

He said Moula is about backing good business, and only lending to healthy businesses. He said, Were very strong on responsible lending, and transparency is one of our core values. We only lend to businesses when were confident that theyll be able to pay us back. Were able to do this because of the strength of the technology behind our underwriting.

We do more than what a bank does. The banks typically will underwrite based on industry and an overall percentage of how much they can lend to certain industries, and then theyll have risk categories within that.

Weve built our own underwriting platform based on taking a snapshot of a business banking and accounting data. Weve built the technology based on Australian SMEs, and so its very much tailored to understanding their unique finance needs. The outcome is that we can look at a scenario without the rigid boxes that traditional lenders use.

That means we look at a much bigger range of data points than a bank will look at. If any flags come up our team call the broker and work through what has caused those flags.

Related stories:

Fintechs sign code of lending practice

The future of fintech in banking

Fintechs win at Finnie AwardsLatest News Inside the 'tech arms race' to bring down turnaround times How lenders are competing against each other to balance risk, compliance and speed for brokers

Reaction as inflation spike causes RBA interest rate rethink The RBA is again under pressure as inflation jumps 0.8% in a quarter, putting ultra-low rate era in firing line

There is now a new way for rejected SME loan applicants to source the capital they need for their business, following the launch of a new dashboard that transforms undesirable loan candidates into viable applicants.

The LendingScore dashboard uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data to pinpoint how a loan application should be modified to increase the odds of receiving funding.

LendingScore works by reducing risk miscalculations and creating a new market share, addressing the leading reason why SMEs are rejected for loans: application errors or improvable shortcomings on financial profiles.

Across the UK, US, and Australia, more than 50% of SMEs are denied a loan, and, per lack of industry transparency, never receive feedback about why their request was turned down, said CEO and co-founder of Lending Express, Eden Amirav.

This means essentially that 20.4 million businesses are inaccurately assessed for funding viability, leaving an enormous amount of potentially viable businesses out in the cold by both traditional and alternative lenders, he added.

LendingScore comprises four components: the SME personal dashboard; Match Score, to pair borrowers with lenders; a personal step-by-step plan for each SME; and a fundability prediction function.

With the launch of LendingScore we are leveraging AI-driven tech to turn undesirable loan candidates into viable applicants, transforming the alternative lending space by decreasing risk misconceptions and creating a new market share, Amirav continued.

Since launching in Australia in 2016, Lending Express has facilitated more than $40m in loans. With the LendingScore dashboard, the firm can now support rejected applicants to source the finance they need by addressing the common reasons for rejection. These often include an incompatible choice of lender; low credit score; tender business age; insufficient revenues; existing debt; prohibited industries; and technical application errors such as incorrect details or input errors.

What is problematic is that business dont know or understand the reasons for being rejected, and therefore dont know what to fix. Instead of abandoning these customers, we are using AI to pinpoint trouble areas and personalise the funding process. Each business is judged on individual, empirical data, allowing it to address its unique shortcomings to get access to the funding it deserves, Amirav explained.

Related stories:

64% loan increase as SMEs borrow

Recommendations to grow SME lendingSign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

88th Precinct

Fort GreeneClinton Hill

And a bag of chips

Police cuffed a guy for taking a bag of chips and can of soda from a Fulton Street bodega on Aug. 3.

The suspect, who is an employee at the deli near Washington Avenue, took the chips and soda, and then socked another employee in the face when he tried to stop from leaving the store at about 8 am, according to authorities.

Sign of trouble

Cops arrested a woman for hitting another woman with a sign inside a Tillary Street shelter on July 30, police said.

The victim told cops the 54-year-old suspect whacked her in the face with a yellow wet floor sign inside the shelter near Prince Street at about 10 pm.

Radio pirate

Some sneak stole a guys work radio from a trailer inside a park on Myrtle Avenue overnight on Aug. 3, police said.

A city Parks Department employee told cops he was working in the green space near St. Edwards Street when he left for the day at about 8:45 pm, leaving his Motorola portable radio and charger inside the trailer. When he returned the next day a little after 7 am, the trailer door was open and the radio was gone, according to authorities.

Quick thief

A nogoodnik swiped a womans purse while she was at a movie premiere on Lafayette Avenue on July 30, police said.

The woman told cops she was at the event near Ashland Place at about 3 am when she placed her purse  containing her phone, cash, and credit cards  on a couch and turned around for a minute when some punk took it and ran off, according to authorities.

Train pain

A malefactor grabbed a guys phone while on a train near Fulton Street on Aug. 2, police said.

The victim was on a Manhattan-bound C train reading an article when the snake snatched his phone and ran off the subway once the doors opened at Lafayette Avenue a little after noon, police said. The victim hopped off the train and chased the punk up the stairs, but he fled with his iPhone, officials said.

 Julianne CubaDear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorUS private equity firm Blackstone Group LP is in talks to acquire a stake in the frequent-flier loyalty programme of Jet Airways (India) Ltd, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. A potential deal could value the loyalty programme, Jet Privilege Private Ltd, between Rs 30 billion and Rs 40 billion ($429.1 million-$572.1 million) and would be dependant on Jet Airways securing adequate funding for its airline operations, Bloomberg said. The Indian carrier and its partner Etihad Airways will remain investors in Jet Privilege even after a potential ...India's Reliance Industries, which operates the world's largest refining complex, has declared force majeure on gasoline exports from its Jamnagar site, four people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, potentially boosting margins for other suppliers of the oil product. The force majeure follows an unspecified issue at a gasoline-producing fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) unit in its export-oriented refinery with a capacity of more than 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the special economic zone in Jamnagar, two of the people said. Force majeure is typically declared ...Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the fifth and the last Independence Day speech of his current term as the Prime Minister from the Red Fort on Wednesday. The speech for the first time was streamed live on Google and YouTube. In his last Independence Day address, PM Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (Ayushman Bharat) and said the government's flagship scheme will be launched on September 25, on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. "The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 500 ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorFollowing its tradition of celebrating international events, tech giant on Wednesday commemorated India's 72nd with a special doodle.

The doodle features the animal and bird of the country, tiger and peacock, respectively.

On this day, every year, India celebrates its freedom from the British colonial rule in 1947. The same day, the country also separated from Pakistan.

The historic event is celebrated on this day through religious ceremonies, parades, and official government functions.



On the eve of the day, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the nation and urged the students to spend a few days in villages to "understand our country." He also said that this year is special as it marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, hence, people should try and adapt his "ideas and maxims."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also unfurl the flag and address the nation from the historic Red Fort later in the day.12th Century statue of which was stolen from India some 57 years ago was returned by the United Kingdom on Wednesday in a special event on the occasion of India's 72nd

London's Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) handed over the gold statue of to the Indian High Commissioner YK Sinha on Wednesday.

The gold idol with silver inlay, which belonged from post-Gupta 12th century, was one of the 14 images stole in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in Nalanda, Bihar.

The image was discovered by Vijay Kumar, who is associated with India Pride Project and Lynda Albertson, CEO of Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA) at an auction organised by a London based dealer.

Kumar later got in touch with the Indian High Commission and the Met Police for the same.

A 12th century Buddha statue stolen from India 57 years ago is to be returned to the Indian High Commissioner by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The statue with silver inlay, is one of 14 statues stolen in 1961. https://t.co/jLwUU3x6z7 pic.twitter.com/emRNTzGKi9  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 14, 2018

A 12th century Buddha statue which was stolen from an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in 1961 was today (15 August) returned to India by Londons Metropolitan Police. pic.twitter.com/LRVNMLDhTk  Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 15, 2018

After obtaining this information, the Indian High Commission requested the ASI to confirm the findings and took up the case officially with the Metropolitan Police.During the investigation, it was found that the statue changed hands several times before being consigned to a London dealer for sale.

When the dealer and owner of the statue were made aware of the theft, they co-operated with the Police and agreed for the piece to be returned to India.India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law, the US said on Wednesday while greeting the country on its Independence Day.

In his message on behalf of the US government on the occasion of India's 72st Independence Day, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

"On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order," he said.

ALSO READ: Independence Day 2018: Here is what PM Modi said in his address at Red Fort

Since gaining its independence, India has "set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law values shared by the United States", Pompeo said.

"As members of the oldest and largest democracies, the people of the US and India have always enjoyed strong bonds of friendship. We are grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students," he said.

Pompeo said that the values shared by the people of the two countries "contribute to inspiring collaboration in health, energy, environment, science, and high technology that will fuel the jobs and prosperity of the future".The flood situation in Kerala further worsened today with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives today.

Officials said a red alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts of the state.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

The toll in rain-related incidents since August 8 mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported today, Chief Minister said.

Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation.

More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief across the state, he said.

A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister and Home Minister on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains.

The prime minister has assured all help, it said.



The prime minister has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters.

Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water.

Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams.

Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem.

As the situation became grave, the state government sought the help of more teams of army personnel, Disaster Response Force and Army Engineering.

The chief minister also met Governor P Sathasivam and informed him of the situation.



Major tourist centres including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar, which were expecting huge influx of visitors in the wake of Onam festival season, have closed.

The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area.

As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek centre's permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four long distance trains, railway sources said adding a few passenger trains have been partially hit.

There were also speed restrictions on trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thrissur section while rail traffic on the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended.

An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition maximum number of lifeboats from Tamil Nadu.

The chief secretary was asked to contact neighbouring states for emergency assistance.

As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, Vijayan asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority.

A group of military engineering personnel are expected to arrive in Thiruvanathapuram from Pune by IAF aircraft for rescue operations.

Periyar, Chalakudy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

The tourist town of Munnar is virtually inundated after shutters of the Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Mattuppetty dams were opened.

With the water level in the touching the maximum of 142 feet, Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami requesting him to bring down the level to 139 feet in view of the dam's safety.

Vijayan pointed out that the catchment areas of the the reservoir were receiving heavy rain.

informed Vijayan that based on the state's request, the Union Home secretary spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary on release of more water from the dam to bring down the level to 139 feet.

The dam, located in Idukki district of Kerala, is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu.

Water was released from the dam by 1:30 am this morning as the water level touched 142 feet and people staying in some villages have been relocated.

"There is no need for any anxiety with regard to Mullaperiyar dam, where the water level has touched 142 feet, the maximum as allowed by the Supreme Court, as the discharge is equivalent to the inflow," Vijayan told reporters.

Aluva and Paravoor in Ernakulam district, on the banks of the Periyar, are facing flood threat.

Peermade in Idukki recorded the highest rainfall of 27 cm today while Idukki town received 23 cm, Munnar 22 cm and Karipur in Malappuram 21 cm.

Rains also did not spare Thiruvanathapuram city with low lying areas being inundated, prompting residents to shift to relief camps.

Former KPCC V M Sudheeran and his wife were among the many people shifted from a high end residential area after rain water gushed into their house.

Officials said an underground parking area of a private hospital was also inundated.The Cochin International Airport on Wednesday suspended all flight operations till Saturday as the aerodrome was flooded following unabated rains and the opening of dam shutters in the Periyar river, prompting authorities to divert all incoming and outgoing flights to Thiruvananthapuram or Calicut.

The acceded to the state's request to utilise other airports in Kerala, instead of diverting the flights to Mumbai and other places.

Civil Aviation Minister tweeted, "We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut. For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergency. DGCA is coordinating."



To the state government's request to allow small aircraft to land at the naval airport in Kochi, the minister said they were exploring alternative landing places for small aircraft.

"Airport #Kochi is not operating flights as runway is flooded.We shall explore possibilities of smaller aircraft's landing at alternate authorised landing places,will ensure all rescue operations will get full assistance from aviation ministry,will coordinate all with state Govt (sic)," he said in another tweet.

The minister also said that he had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airport Authority to provide call centre facility to all stranded passengers as well as to provide requisite support to all rescue agencies so that "we ensure best possible solution to those unfortunately suffering from fury of nature".

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minster called an urgent meeting at the Secretariat.

The chief minister asked officials to make necessary arrangements to take passengers, who may be landing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, to their respective places by state-run buses.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday afternoon.

A spokesperson of the airport said, "Kochi Airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm as the inflow of water is still on a rising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water."



An official statement said the state government would soon approach the asking whether small flights to Kochi could be allowed to land at the naval airport.

In the morning hours, passengers faced problems due to suspension of operations as they had already reached the airport to catch flights. They complained of not getting assistance from any authorities.

"Monitoring situation arising out of unprecedented #KeralaFlood to mitigate challenges faced by passengers.Working with state government to ensure proper movement as much as possible in given situation.Airports Authority, DGCA,Secy all directed to provide best possible assistance(sic)," Prabhu tweeted.

Rains in the state have claimed 47 lives, officials said, adding a red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.Prime Minister will unfurl the flag and address the nation from the historic Red Fort on the 72nd on Wednesday. The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronise with the 21 Gun Salute fired by the valiant gunners of the elite 2281 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lieutenant colonel C Sandeep and the Gun Position Officer will be Regiment Havildar Major Kolate Rajesh Shripati. ALSO READ: Independence Day 2018 LIVE: PM Modi addresses nation from the Red Fort After unfurling the flag, the Prime Minister will address the nation. This will be followed by school children and Cadet Corps (NCC) Cadets singing the national anthem. This will be the Prime Minister's fifth speech after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in 2014. He will be received by the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (MoS) for defence Dr Subhash Bhamre and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra. Seven hundred cadets of the National Cadet Corps drawn from 16 schools of the Delhi Directorate comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force wings are participating in the flag hoisting ceremony this year. ALSO READ: With Independence Day speech, PM Modi set to sound the 2019 poll bugle According to media reports, Prime Minister Modi asked for ideas and suggestions directly from the common masses--a practice he has followed for the past three years. The topics that he would be discussing are cases of rape, education, employment, reservation system and open defecation. The cadets will take part in the singing of patriotic songs and the national anthem along with the school children. While 3,500 girls from 36 schools of Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi will sing the national anthem, 5,000 boys from 72 schools will witness the event. On this occasion, these school children will display the formation of Bharat.

Security in the national capital has been tightened. The Red Fort from where Prime Minister Modi will address the nation has been put under a high security cover. Around 70,000 Delhi Police personnel and about 90 companies of security forces have been deployed.

As far as the celebrations are concerned across the country, the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar has been illuminated in tri colours of national flag. Along with that, the Parliament, Vayu Bhawan and North and South Block have also turned tri-coloured. Meanwhile, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Moradabad railway station have beautifully been illuminated in tricolour.

At the stroke of 12, locals in Kanpur celebrated by burning crackers and dancing on the streets. West Bengal Minister Arup Biswas attended a celebration at midnight in Kolkata city.Nitin Sandesara, an absconding director of a Gujarat-based pharma company which is being probed in a Rs 50-billion fraud case, has been arrested in Dubai, officials said.

Officials said Sandesara was arrested by Dubai police based on a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Indian court.

"The legal process post the arrest is taking place in Dubai. We are waiting for details. Indian agencies will try to get him deported," a senior official said.

Reportedly, Indian probe agencies had information on Nitin Sandesara being in Dubai, following which the authorities alerted the officials in the United Arab Emirates.

The company and its directors are being probed. has booked Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech, its directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant Hathi, former director Anup Garg and some unidentified persons in connection with the alleged bank fraud case.

It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 50 billion from a consortium led by which had turned into non-performing assets.

According to the FIR, the total pending dues of the group of companies were Rs 53.83 billion as on December 31, 2016. The ED has taken the FIR into cognisance.

The has arrested few people in this case including Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan, former director Anup Garg and Ltd director Rajbhhushan Dixit.

Multiple prosecution complaints or charge sheets have also been filed by it before a special court here.

It had also attached assets worth over Rs 47 billion of the pharmaceutical firm in June this year.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has ordered the release of 72 prisoners from different jails to mark the country's 72nd

These prisoners, who have been convicted for various crimes, are poor and have been serving extra term for not being able to deposit fines imposed by courts, an official told IANS.

The fines have been arranged to be paid by social service groups, clubs and trusts after which the procedure for their release was initiated.Sudha Pai, whose daughter is a second-year computer engineering student at Oklahoma University, has been distressed with the sharp fall in the rupee in the past year. The decline has dealt a heavy blow to parents as the cost of educating a child has gone up by 10 per cent since last year. Parents, who have taken education loans are facing the brunt more expensive foreign exchange, said Pai.

With the rupee slipping to nearly Rs70 per dollar on Tuesday, most parents with children in the US will feel the pinch. Tuition costs are up between seven and nine per cent  ...The Commission, apex decision-making body at the department, is likely to meet on August 31 to discuss Trai's recommendation on spectrum allocation, according to official sources.

"The next Commission meeting is proposed for August 31," an official source told PTI without disclosing agenda of the meeting.

Another DoT source said though agenda has not been freezed for the meeting but it is likely to take up some of the recommendation made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regarding spectrum allocation.

The source, however, said the latest recommendations of on plan worth Rs 4.9 trillion may not come.

Last month, keeping aside observation of the Supreme Court order in 2G case that spectrum should be allocated through auction, recommended allotment of radiowaves without bidding route for PMRTS.

Unlike cellular services, PMRTS are operated for two-way communication within small distance of around 30 kilometre-range by police, security agencies, construction companies etc.

The recommendations were made after the requested the to suggest an appropriate method of spectrum allocation for Public Mobile Radio Trunking Service (PMRTS).

The Supreme Court order in 2012, which cancelled 122 telecom permits that were assigned spectrum administratively for 2G service, said that the spectrum should be assigned transparently through auction.

The DoT in July 2017 had sought regulator's views on method that should be used for spectrum allocation for PMRTS.Simultaneous launches are also being planned across all the 650 districts of the country and a schedule for the same is being drawn up. The importance of the launch can be gauged from how ministers have been asked to inform the Prime Ministers Office and take prior permission before leaving the country on August 21. In case a minister wishes ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorChina's commerce ministry said a US decision to subsidise renewable energy firms and impose tariffs on imported products has seriously distorted the global market and harmed China's interests, firing the latest shot in a broader trade conflict. China has lodged a complaint to the World Trade Organisation to help determine the legality of the US policies, saying they not only harm China's rights but also undermine the WTO's authority, the ministry said on its website late on Tuesday. (http://www.mofcom.gov.cn). Washington announced in January that it was imposing ...As Turkey's financial markets spiral down, threatening the country's economy, investors are gauging whether emerging markets as an asset class are in danger of falling out of grace. The following selection of data points indicate there is relative weakness in Argentina and South Africa, while Asia and Mexico show strength. A plunge in the Turkish lira has set off a wave of selling across emerging market assets, reviving fears of contagion that has been the sector's Achilles heel for decades. ALSO READ: Rupee hits record low of 70.08 a dollar, Turkey rout ...Elon Musk told investors this week that "obviously, the Saudi sovereign fund has more than enough capital needed" to finance taking Tesla private. The fund is estimated to have over $250 billion in assets. But it is not that simple. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has many claims on its resources, both financial and political. More than half of its assets are tied up in large Saudi companies whose stocks could be difficult to sell en masse. The PIF has made substantial commitments to other technology companies or investments, including a $45 billion agreement ...Oil demand from Asia's biggest importers, China and India, is growing more slowly than expected, exposing weakness in two of the world's largest economies and eroding a key pillar of global petroleum prices amid trade tensions. The two countries buy a combined 12 per cent of the world's oil, and their growth has helped drive the recovery in oil prices since 2016. Yet their shipped imports in July were about half a million barrels per day (bpd) below their Jaunary-June average of 12.4 million bpd, shipping data shows. That has dragged down demand growth in Asia, ...US entrepreneur and cryptocurrency investor Michael Terpin filed a $224 million lawsuit on Wednesday against telecommunications company AT&T, accusing it of fraud and gross negligence in connection with the theft of digital currency tokens from his personal account. In a 69-page complaint filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Terpin alleged that on January 7, 2018, the tokens were stolen from him through what he alleged was a "digital identity theft" of his cellphone account. In the complaint, he said AT&T was his service provider. In an emailed response, ...At least 25 were killed and 35 injured after a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in front of an educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi in the west of the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday

The blast occurred at a time when classes were being conducted, reported Tolo News.

The security forces have sealed off the place and the injured have been shifted to the city hospital.

The Taliban has not yet taken responsibility for the blast.

Further details are awaited.

More than 100 people were killed and 133 injured as hundreds of Taliban militants launched an attack in Afghanistan's city of Ghazni since August 10. The clashes are still going on.

Afghanistan has been in a political turmoil state for years. Taliban insurgency in the state has caused the country to become unstable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The nation is engulfed in the spirit of patriotism as India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day. To mark the occasion, Bollywood stars took to social media to wish their fans and followers.

Actor Sonam Kapoor Ahuja took to Twitter to urge everyone to be liberal, empathetic and tolerant. She wrote, "What does it mean to be free? Our forefathers fought to create a beautiful & safe home for us. As we look back over India's great history, let's be thankful for everything. Be liberal, empathetic, have civic sense, be tolerant & love your country! Happy Independence Day!"

'Simmba' star Ranveer Singh celebrated the day by proudly waving the national flag with a group of kids. He captioned the picture as, "Our young nation is the very future of the world !!!!! #HappyIndependenceDay"

Here's what the other celebs posted:

Akshay Kumar: Freedom is never free. Let us salute all those who fought for our freedom and to those who fight for us day and night at the borders to keep us safe. Let us not take their sacrifices for granted and always work towards a better India. Happy #IndependenceDayIndia

Taapsee Pannu: Happy Independence Day. The Constitution of India came into effect on 26th Jan but shayad aaj ke din bhi isko ek baar padhne ki zaroorat hai. Let's celebrate who we TRULY are so we can proudly say and mean it "Saare jahan se acha Hindustaan humaara" #HappyIndependenceDay2018

?Farhan Akhtar: This Independence Day, may all Indians pledge to work towards freeing their minds from prejudice & liberating their hearts from hatred. We are a great country with a glorious tradition of diversity. Let's work together to keep the spirit of our founding fathers alive. Jai Hind.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Megastar Amitabh Bachchan had a walk down the memory lane to mark 43 years of his cult classic 'Sholay'.

Through pictorial representations, the 75-year-old took his fans and followers back in the time when the film was being shot and promoted. Moreover, in his blog, the legendary actor shared his thoughts while shooting the Ramesh Sippy-film.

The 'Thugs of Hindostan' star, who has always been vocal about his bond with his late parents Harivanshrai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan, also shared a picture with them that was clicked at the film's premier.

The 'Brahmastra' star further wrote that in future, he might share some "details that have yet to be told."

". the 1st 70mm stereophonic sound film in India .. large and expansive and so the reference and pictures, must be large in numbers too .. books writings articles and so much has already been done that it would be futile to address the film its making and its stories .. yet there are some details that have yet to be told .. and ... they shall ... perhaps have to wait .."

The 1975 bluckbuster also stars Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan. The movie is, till date, considered as the ultimate cult classic of Bollywood.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)While there has been a lot of talk in B-town about global icon Priyanka Chopra and her rumoured boyfriend Nick Jonas' engagement, there is no official confirmation as of yet.

However, it seems like the 'Quantico' star is ready to make it official as she recently flaunted a ring on her engagement finger.

Priyanka attended Manish Malhotra's bash on Tuesday with other Bollywood celebrities namely Raveena Tandon, Kajol, Karisma Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur among others.

Taking to Instagram, Raveena Tandon shared several photos from the bash with Priyanka. In the pictures, the actors can be seen sharing a light moment where Priyanka can be spotted wearing a huge rock on her ring finger.

Earlier, at two instances, Priyanka was seen hiding her ring from the paparazzi.

The news of the couple's engagement came after Bollywood director Ali Abbas Zafar said that Priyanka opted out from his upcoming flick 'Bharat' in the 'Nick' of time, owing to a very "special reason".

Priyanka and Nick, who reportedly dated for two months, were first spotted together at the 2017 Met Gala.

The speculation about their relationship brewed after the pair met each other's family. First, Chopra met Jonas' family at his cousin's wedding in New Jersey, after which Nick traveled to India to meet Chopra's mother.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Fiji was the first place where the Indian national flag was hoisted on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day.

INS (Indian Naval Ship) Sahydri paraded the Guard and the flag was hoisted by the High Commissioner of India, Vishwas Sapkal along with Defence Advise Captain Manish Rai, and CO, INS Sahyadri Captain Shantanu Jha.

This was the first instance where an Indian Naval Ship celebrated India's Independence Day at Fiji.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo also wished the nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

Pompeo in a statement said, "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my best wishes to the people and government of India on their Independence Day. Since gaining its independence 71 years ago today, India has set an example for South Asia and the by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law-values shared by the United States.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Addressing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that our society needs to be free from the 'disgusting' mentaility of rape, while hailing the recent hanging of a rapist awarded by a fast track court in Madhya Pradesh.

"We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by fast track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme, no one can take law in their hands," he said.

The Prime Minister also took note of many other women-centric issues and underscored the strides made by his government to address the same.

Delivering his fifth Independence Day speech as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said that he is proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. He also underlined that fact that the present cabinet has the most number of women since independence.

In a major reform for women serving in defence, Prime Minister announced, "Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts."

He also pledged to end the practice of Triple Talaq.

"The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. I promise the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them," said the Prime Minister.

This was the fifth time the Prime Minister addressed the nation on the Independence Day since the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Should high school students learn to stop traumatic bleeding in the same way many learn other life-saving techniques, like CPR?

The suggestion has stoked frustration, and some sarcasm, from gun-control advocates who believe Congress and federal officials have not done enough to change gun laws and boost school safety after two large school shootings in Parkland, Fla., and Santa Fe, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to award $1.8 million in grants for the development of School-Age Trauma Training programs to teach students how to respond to tramautic hemorrhaging during mass casualty events, including school shootings, the Young Turks,a left-leaning commentary site, first reported Monday.

Uncontrolled bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death from trauma, says a solicitation for grant applications, quoting the Stop the Bleed campaign created by the American College of Surgeons. The greater number of people who know how to control bleeding in an injured patient, the greater the chances the patient surviving that injury.

School shootings are rare and, despite public perception otherwise, violent deaths in schools have not trended upward significantly in recent years.

The descriptions for the grant program say the training is to prepare students for mass casualty events, which could include natural disasters. But a statement of objectives for the program discusses one scenario specifically: school shootings.

Since 2000, school shootings have occurred in 43 of 50 states, resulting in over 250 deaths to students and teachers and hundreds more injured, the grant materials say. There have been 7 targeted shootings at schools in the first 45 days of 2018 alone. Similar to how students learn health education and drivers education, they must learn proper bleeding control techniques using commonly available materials; including how to use their hands, dressings and tourniquets. Victims can quickly die from uncontrolled bleeding within five to 10 minutes; however, anyone at the scene can act as immediate responder and save lives if they know what to do.

The grant was posted in July, but plans for the program have been in development for about a year, DHS spokesperson John Verrico said. That means it predates the Parkland shooting in February.

Training High School Students to Be First Responders

The training fits into a greater emphasis on training bystanders for emergency preparedness so they can quickly react to things like natural disasters, shootings, and other tramatic events while they await first responders, Verrico said.

A national Stop the Bleed campaign already provides courses to the public. Some states provide stop the bleed kits to schools and special training to teachers along with other emergency response techniques, like how to respond to a severe allergy attack. Georgia adopted such a program after the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

In a growing number of states, CPR training is mandatory for high school graduation . In strategic meetings, federal officials likened trauma training to public awareness campaigns of the past, like teaching young students how to stop, drop, and roll if their clothes catch fire.

Its relatively uncommon to teach high school students to respond to bleeding, but a 2017 video from the Modesto Bee shows California students learning to stanch uncontrolled bleeding in the event of vehicle crashes, shootings and other incidents.

A Federal Response to School Shootings

Still, the mental image of teenagers rushing to save their peers during a shooting is understandably troubling to many. And some, like this Florida doctor, questioned whether its practical to offer such training to students.

Soldiers and emergency medical personnel need to know proper tourniquet application and use. It can absolutely save lives. It is mind-boggling that lawmakers think this is a necessary skill for high school students. -- Barry Schapiro MD (@bschapiroMD) August 14, 2018

Stories about the grant also drew criticism from members of groups like Moms Demand Action, which has pushed for tighter gun restrictions after school shootings, and from some parents whove lost children in school attacks. That includes Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jaime in the Parkland shooting.

Our current legislators will not deal with guns but instead want to give $1.8m to teach children how to stop the bleed once they are shot. Cannot make this up. If you have a Congressman or Senator who refuses to deal with guns, fire them in November!!! //t.co/nHI0fsDSp5 -- Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) August 14, 2018

While federal officials havent passed any new gun laws in recent months, they have made some school safety efforts. President Donald Trump, who flip-flopped on new gun restrictions after the Parkland shooting, signed the STOP School Violence Act into law as part of a larger spending bill in March. That bill includes grant funding to train teachers and students to recognize warning signs of violence, money for anonymous reporting systems, and grants for other security infrastructure.

And U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos chairs a school safety commission that has heard from experts, advocates, and educators about issues like bullying and arming teachers, though much of that testimony has covered ground that is pretty familiar to those who have followed school safety debates for years.

School Shootings Remain Rare

Important context to any school safety conversation: School shootings remain statistically rare, and federal data shows that, by many measures, schools have actually gotten safer over time. But that data hasnt quelled public fear about such events.

Read more about what we know about school shootings in this Education Week explainer: School Shootings: Five Critical Questions

Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox.Wishing Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 72nd Independence Day, Russian President Vladamir Putin talked about the importance of New Delhi in resolving regional and global issues.

In a letter to President Kovind and PM Modi, the Russian President said,"The achievements of your country in social and economic development are widely recognized. New Delhi plays an important constructive role in solving relevant issues of the regional and global agenda".

"Russia values the relations of special and privileged strategic partnership with India. I am convinced that through joint efforts we will bring about further development of political dialogue, improve bilateral cooperation across all sectors as well as interaction in global affairs", the letter further read.

Putin concluded it by wishing them "wholeheartedly" for their "good health and success, and to all citizens of India - well-being and prosperity".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A special border meeting personal between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) was held at Nathu La Pass in Sikkim on August 15 to jointly celebrate the 72nd Independence Day of India.

The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility.

Beside interactions between the two Armies, cultural programme portraying the rich cultural diversity of the two countries, were presented by both sides to celebrate the occasion. Pleasantries were also exchanged in North Sikkim at Kongra La.

Joint participation of PLA was also seen as a reciprocal gesture wherein Indian Army had earlier participated in PLA Founding Day on August 1, 2018. Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations.

Indian Army troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of North Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the Flag at different forward posts with great zeal and enthusiasm.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Government on Tuesday released additional NPR 470 million for the Postal Highway being constructed in Southern Plains of Nepal.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over a cheque worth NPR 470 million to the Secretary of Nepal's Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Madhusudan Adhikari.

"The amount has been released to maintain fund liquidity for the ongoing construction of 14 road packages under Postal Highway Project. With this payment, a total of NPR 2.35 billion stands released to the Government of Nepal out of the total grant assistance of NPR 8.00 billion committed by the Government of India for implementing 14 packages under Packages 2-6 of Phase I of the Postal Highway Project," a press release from the Indian Mission in Nepal stated. The highway was inaugurated on January 19 last year.

Since 1950, the Government of India has been supporting infrastructure development of Nepal and has provided financial assistance for construction of various highways, roads, bridges, airports, etc as part of its multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)October 24, 2021, Sunday

Anyone would be allowed to add, change, or remove a link, so long as they are a moderator of a room and regardless of the number ...Concerned over the rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sought Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E.K. Palaniswami's intervention to draw water from the brimming dam.

The Mullaperiyar Dam has reached its full level of 142 feet and Vijayan Government wants the water level to be maintained at 139 feet.

Mullaperiyar Dam is one of the dams in Kerala, whose shutters have been opened, to release excess water, following the heavy downpour in the state. The dam is although located in Kerala, but it is operated by Tamil Nadu.

Kerala had said the dam was dangerous, but the Tamil Nadu always opposed this. This has always been a contentious issue between both states.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Kerala deluge has increased to 67. Around 85,398 people have taken shelter in the relief camps across the state.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert (heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places) for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki, and Ernakulam Districts in Kerala until Thursday.

The state has suffered an overall loss of Rs 8,316 crore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As rains continue to wreak havoc across the state, the death toll in Kerala rose to 42.

Rain-related calamities have rendered hundreds homeless and around 17,974 people have been sheltered in relief camps.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while addressing the media here informed that the state is witnessing such a situation for the first time.

For the first time in the history of Kerala, the state has opened 35 of its 39 dams. According to media reports, it is the worst floods the state had experienced since 1924.

"We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people," said the Kerala Chief Minister.

India Meteorological Department has issued red alert (heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places) for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts in Kerala until Thursday.

Meanwhile, four teams of Disaster Rescue Force have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations along with full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them.

The unabated rains in the flood-ravaged Kerala have also compelled the authorities to shut down flight operations from Cochin international airport till August 18 after flood water submerged the runway yesterday.

The state has suffered an overall loss of Rs 8,316 crore.

The state government had urged the Centre to declare the calamity a 'rare severity' and provide the required funds and assistance within four weeks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Reacting to the Mhadei water dispute verdict, the Congress in Goa has said that it was a big setback for the state and Goenkars.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president, Girish Chodankar said, "This is in no way a victory of Goa as claimed by the government. In the long run, it will have a huge negative impact on Goa."

"It looks like our legal team was struggling to make reality about the letter issued by Goa Chief Minister to Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) B. S. Yeddyurappa along with the party President Amit Shah and others. BJP Government at least should disclose now what was transcribed in that meeting," demanded Chodankar.

Further describing the details of the water distribution, Chodankar termed Mhadei River as a lifeline for the Goenkars.

"The Mhadei river known as lifeline for the Goenkars, has parted away by the order of the Mhadei water disputes tribunal (MWDT) as it has allotted to Karnataka 5.5 thousand million cubic (TMC) including 1.5 TMC for use within Mhadei basin and four TMC for diversion to Malaprabha reservoir. It also permitted Karnataka to produce power at Mhadei Hydro Electric project with 8.02 TMC," he said.

While attacking the Goa government, Chodankar said that it has to be more vigilant on the issue.

"Crores of rupees have been spent on protecting the Mhadei issue which has been exposed. This is a big let down and bogged failure of the government to protect Mhadei River who now wants to fool Goan's by projecting victory," he added.

The GPCC's statement comes after Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) on Tuesday submitted its final report to the Ministry of Water Resources by giving 5.5 TMC to Karnataka as against its demand for 7 TMC. Goa Government had earlier opposed to release water to Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After the government announced the prestigious Shaurya Chakra for gallantry on the 72nd Independence Day, mother of rifleman Aurangzeb said that she is happy that her son is being conferred with the gong but sad that he is no longer with the family.

Speaking to reporters here, the mother said, "I am happy and thankful that he (Aurangzeb) is getting the Shaurya Chakra but I am sad that he is no longer there with us. His death has shattered me".

Aurangzeb was abducted from Pulwama by terrorists and later his bullet-ridden body was recovered on June 14 this year. The deceased Army man was proceeding towards his home for the festival of Eid, when he was abducted in broad daylight from a vehicle. After his abduction, the Jammu and Kashmir police had launched a massive manhunt.

Aurangzeb belonged to 44 Rashtriya Rifles, and was posted in Shopian district.

Following Aurangzeb's demise, his family had made an emotional appeal to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to eliminate militancy from the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Embassy in Nepal on Wednesday handed over 30 ambulances and six buses to various hospitals, non-profit charitable organizations and educational institutions of Nepal on theoccasion of India's 72nd Independence Day.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over the keys of the ambulances and the school buses to the representatives of the respective organizations in a function held in Indian Embassy here. Along with this Indian Mission in Nepal also gifted books to 68 libraries and educational institutions spread across all the provinces of Nepal worth NPR 17 Lakhs.

The Indian Mission to Nepal has handed over about 7 Hundred ambulances and about 130 school buses to the various organizations in the Himalayan Nation so far.

At the occasion, Puri also felicitated one Veer Nari, seven Widows, three next of kins of the deceased soldiers and one disabled ex-serviceman of Indian Armed Forces by distributing their dues worth NPR 5.35 Crore and a blanket to each.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members on Wednesday raised slogans in the National Assembly against Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has bagged maximum seats in the recently-concluded general elections.

The opposition staged a protest against alleged rigging of elections on July 25.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan official Marvi Sirmed tweeted, "Lota fauj na manzoor, LotoN ki fauj namanzoor. Slogans being raised by PMLN members on the floor of the House #NA. Protesting against massive rigging plotted by permanent powers."

The protest and slogan shouting took place after PTI's Asad Qaiser was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly. No sooner did Qaiser take the oath, PML-N members started sloganeering 'Vote ko izzat do', Samaa TV reported.

Beginning of the month, anti-Army protests were also staged in Pakistan's Punjab province over alleged rigging. The protesters were heard shouting slogans like "Ye jo dahshatgardi hai, iske peeche vardi hai (Army is behind this terrorism).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the occasion of the 72 Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort. This is his fifth speech after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Democratic Alliance came to power in 2014.

After unfurling the Tricolour at the Red Fort, Prime Minister began his speech hailing six women officers of the Indian Navy, who circumnavigated the globe recently.

Sympathising with the victims in the flood-hit state of Kerala, he said that his thoughts are with the families of the victims. He said," Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India."

Speaking on the issue of social justice, the Prime Minister recalled his party's decisions on the issue. He said, "The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission."

Recalling social reformer Bahasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Prime Minister said, "The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly."

Addressing the concerns of farmers and the recent decision of hiking Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops the Union Cabinet, Prime Minister said, "The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government."

Praising the soldiers for their exemplary valour and sacrifices, the Prime Minister said, "Our soldiers overcome harsh climatic calamities and reach the spot everytime people of the nation are in crisis, they handle the situation with care and generosity. The same soldiers can also conduct a surgical strike."

Raising the issue of One Rank One Pension as demanded by Army personnel, the Prime Minister said, "The OROP demand was also pending for decades. People of India, our brave Army personnel had faith in us and we were able to take a decision on OROP. We will always take decisions in the interests of our nation."

On his Swacch Bharat campaign, he said, "Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the WHO has lauded the movement. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat ."

Announcing the date for the launch of Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, the Prime Minister said, "Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare."

"The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare," the Prime Minister added.

Raising the issue of corruption, Prime Minister said, "We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard."

The Prime Minister also spoke on Tripe Talaq and ensured justice to Muslim women, "The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. We are trying to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. I ensure the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them."

"We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way," the Prime Minister said.

Before addressing the nation, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the former could have spoken the truth.

"I wished that Modi Ji would have spoken the truth in his last speech as the Prime Minister, even if it wasn't his 'Mann ki Baat' he could have said 'Kaam ki Baat' for the nation. Since 'Acche Din' never came, the country is waiting for 'Sacchhe Din' when Modi Ji would leave. His last speech as the Prime Minister was shallow and insignificant," said Surjewala.

Surjewala also lashed out at the Prime Minister for not addressing issues like Rafale deal, Vyapam and PDS (Public Distribution System) scams, the rise of the hostile environment in the country.

"He didn't speak a word on Rafale, Vyapam, PDS scam, on Doklam or other areas being encroached upon by China, on the rising hostile environment in the country in the name of religion, caste, food, and clothes," said the Congress spokesperson.

The Congress leader also challenged the Prime Minister for an open discussion on issues of unemployment, falling rate of the economy, falling of the rupee.

"In 2013, the current prime minister challenged, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to have an open discussion over corruption, chaos, the situation with China and Pakistan, state of farmers, unemployment, failing economy and falling of the rupee. Today, as he is the Prime Minister I challenge him, to accept Congress president Rahul Gandhi's challenge for an open discussion over these issues."

While wishing the nation on the occasion of Independence Day, the Congress spokesperson said, "We wish the nation a happy Independence Day, on the behalf of all the workers and ministers of the Indian Congress. The country now has to fight a new fight for freedom, freedom from unemployment, poverty, inequality, lack of opportunity, hatred, and false promises.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening visited former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) here.

Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 after he was diagnosed with urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also visited him on the day when he was admitted to AIIMS.

Hours before Prime Minister's visit on Wednesday, Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Irani had also paid a visit to Vajpayee at AIIMS. Earlier, the hospital in a statement has said that the former prime minister was being monitored by a team of doctors and was recovering.

Senior politicians across party line have visited former PM at AIIMS in last two months. Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Veteran leader L.K. Advani, former PM Manmohan Singh, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, BJP Chief Amit Shah and others have visited Vajpayee at the hospital in the last month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday conveyed his wishes to the citizens on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day.

"My good wishes to fellow citizens in India & abroad on the occasion of India's Independence Day. Let us join together to pay tributes to the freedom fighters and respect to martyrs who laid down their lives for a free India," the former President wrote on his Twitter handle.

He also pointed out how from "a devastated colonial economy", India has reached where it stands today.

Highlighting some of the pressing issues that have rattled India since its Independence, the former Indian president said, "The task of nation-building will not be complete till we free every Indian from the constraints of illiteracy, hunger, poverty & disease. Let us pledge all our selves for this task. Jai Hind!"

On this day, every year, India celebrates its freedom from the British colonial rule in 1947. The historic event is celebrated on this day through religious ceremonies, parades, official government functions and a speech from the Prime Minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A scuffle broke out between locals and police in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu town after they protested against a minor girl's abduction.

Three police personnel were injured in the incident. The police have arrested 15 people in the matter.

The locals were staging a protest against the kidnapping of a minor girl outside the Gadhangauri police station. It was learnt that police could not find any clue about the girl who disappeared a week ago, something which prompted the angry mob to protest and later even pelt stones.

The video of the incident surfaced on social media wherein it can be seen that the police are beating the protesters with sticks. Following the incident, the angry mob also pelted stones and tried to vandalize the station.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Kashmir valley witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday following a strike call given by separatists. Shutters of all shops and business houses remained down as traffic too remained off roads.

In a statement, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) protested against the rights of the Kashmiri people being "trampled". The statement said: "New Delhi is muzzling the voices of freedom in Kashmir and people, especially the youth, are being selectively killed every alternate day."

The JRL warned that on the day of the Independence Day celebrations, the resistance leadership would either be caged or placed in various jails "to crush the dissent, and the entire Valley will turn into a military fortress for the day and people's right to live too will be snatched."

Meanwhile, a large number of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at major intersections to prevent any incident during the celebrations. Security personnel are guarding barricades at the entry and exit points of Srinagar city, and mobile services and mobile internet services have snapped in the valley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May has termed the second terror attack in Westminster as 'shocking'.

A man was arrested on suspicion of terror offences after a vehicle swerved into pedestrians and crashed into a barrier at the Houses of Parliament. However, no fatalities have been reported so far.

"Today's attack outside the Parliament is shocking. For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, what is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door," Prime Minister May said in a statement following the incident.

In a startling revelation, the Prime Minister's official spokesperson revealed that there are 676 live investigations carried out by March and the number has gone up 500 in just four months. It further revealed that the police has made a total of 2,029 arrests between 2010 and 2017, 412 of those were made at the end of 2017, Sputnik reported.

May, who is currently on a holiday, praised the emergency services for tackling well the terror attacks in the country. However, the Prime Minister issued a caveat saying terror threats in the United Kingdom remains severe than before.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The United States Treasury Department on Wednesday targeted three Chinese, Russian and Singaporean shipping companies for violating financial sanctions that were meant to restrict foreign assistance to North Korea's already-beleaguered economy.

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blacklisted one Russian national and the three shipping firms from the American financial system and froze their assets based in the US, The Hill reported.

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, "Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports, and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams to the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)."

"Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea," Mnuchin added.

China's Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co and SINSMS Pte. Ltd of Singapore are allegedly involved in facilitating Pyongyang to import tobacco, alcohol and cigarette-related products by using false documents while also directing the North Korean government on how to dodge shipping restrictions, the paper said.

Meanwhile, Russia's Profinet Pte is accused of harbouring North Korean ships by providing port services as many as six times, which also included those vessels slapped with US sanctions for importing oil illegally. The shipping company's director general Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov was allegedly collaborating with North Korean representatives and personally arranging North Korean trade deals.

"The tactics that these entities based in China, Singapore, and Russia are using to attempt to evade sanctions are prohibited under US law, and all facets of the shipping industry have a responsibility to abide by them or expose themselves to serious risks," Mnuchin further said.

The new penalties slapped by US president Donald Trump administration are an attempt to further pressurise North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme and to receive economic aid in exchange, as part of the commitment made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who promised to work for the "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean Peninsula, according to the report.

On August 10, three South Korean business firms had smuggled 35,038 tons of North Korean coal and pig iron worth 6.6 billion won (USD 5.86 million) between April and October last year.

The Korea Customs Office (KCS) had said that the companies brought the North Korean coal to South Korea from a port in Russia and received commission fees in facilitating the export of the commodity to other countries.

The agency further said that the North Korean pig iron was smuggled inside South Korea via a paper firm in Hong Kong. The iron was acquired in exchange for selling Russian coal to North Korea, violating South Korea's maritime laws and UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

Although Kim vowed to halt its nuclear weapons programme, a confidential report by the United Nations revealed that the reclusive nation had reportedly continued to build nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Last month, Pompeo expressed grave concerns that Pyongyang was illegally bringing in petroleum products "into the country at a level that far exceeds the quotas established by the UN," adding that "illegal ship-to-ship transfers are the most prominent means by which this is happening."

North Korea has become a virtual pariah in the international community since the UN imposed tough sanctions on the country, after conducting nuclear tests and launching three intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health has worsened over the last 24 hours, said All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in a press note released on late Wednesday evening.

Vajpayee is in a critical condition and is on life support, added the missive.

Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 after complaints of urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

AIIMS today issued a health bulletin on former prime minister's condition which said that his condition is critical and he is one life support system.

Earlier today evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also went to AIIMS to visit former PM. Union Minister for Textile Smriti Irani and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit to Vajpayee today evening.

Former PM has been admitted in AIIMS from last 9 weeks and a number of union ministers, chief ministers and senior leaders from opposition parties have visited him in the hospital during this time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 16 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed and another 19 reported missing after the Taliban attacked a police checkpost in the country's Baghlan province, officials said on Wednesday.

Around 30 soldiers were dispatched as reinforcement after dozens of rebels mounted an attack on the police checkpost in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district on Tuesday night, an Army spokesperson told Efe news.

The soldiers were ambushed and attacked by Taliban rebels before they could reach the checkpost, he said.

"In this fighting seven policemen and nine Army soldiers were killed and the 19 remaining went missing," the official said.

Mahmoud Haqmal, spokesperson for the Baghlan Governor, confirmed the attack and said sporadic fighting was still underway in the area.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the attack and said that the insurgents captured two bases and security checkposts in Baghlan.

Taliban, known for exaggerating the extent of damage caused by their attacks, claimed that 70 Afghan soldiers were killed in the attack and two armoured vehicles, two pickups and dozens of weapons were seized.

The attack came amidst a massive offensive by the militant group in Ghazni city, where Afghan security forces were still clashing with the insurgents, five days after the violence started on Friday.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As many as 17 suspected Bangladeshi pirates were arrested after a boat chase at Sunderbans in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday late night and the trawler was seized, police said on Wednesday.

"During intensified patrolling on the Matla river in Sunderbans, ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, a suspected boat was spotted by our team and on seeing the police boat, the accused started fleeing," said a police officer.

The cops chased the boat and intercepted it. "We arrested 17 suspects from the boat around 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday and seized the trawler," said the officer over phone.

Preliminary interrogation revealed the men were from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the officer said.

The police officer suspected Bangladeshi nationals might have some "terror links" and the investigations are going on to find out if they had any plan to rob fishing trawlers in Sunderbans.

The accused were produced before the court, he added.

--IANS

bdc/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 22 students drowned on Wednesday morning when a boat sank on the Nile River in Sudan, state news agency SUNA reported.

A woman also died in the drowning accident that took place at al-Buhaira area, SUNA added.

The boat was carrying more than 40 students when it sank.

The civil defence forces were sent to the area to search for the bodies of the victims, which have not been recovered.

The incident resulted from an engine malfunction, SUNA said.

--IANS

ahm/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 25 people were killed in a suicide bombing inside an education academy here on Wednesday, officials said.

The bombing took place at 4.10 p.m. while students were attending classes at the Mawoud academy in Dasht-e-Barchi.

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed the death toll and said 35 people were wounded in the blast, TOLO News reported.

Public Health Ministry spokesperson Wahidullah Majroh said that the victims were being transferred to hospitals and at least 18 ambulances were at the scene.

Security forces cordoned off the area. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least three people were killed and over 45 injured in different incidents of aerial firing and firework displays during Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan on Tuesday, the media reported on Wednesday.

In Karachi, a 22-year-old man was killed after being struck by a firecracker in Nazimabad area and another person died in the city due to aerial firing, Xinhua news agency reported.

The third victim was killed in Rawalpindi, also due to aerial firing.

The practice of celebrating Independence Day with aerial gunfire and firework displays is common in Pakistan.

--IANS

ksk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that six crore people from the state will be linked to the 'Aayushman Bharat' medicare scheme of the country.

Addressing a gathering on the 72nd Independence Day, the Chief Minister exhorted the people to realize their potential and contribute to the India's forward journey on the path of development and prosperity.

He also detailed various schemes rolled out by the Central and state governments for the welfare of the poor, weaker and marginalized sections and pointed out that for the youth, the skill development mission was turning out to be a big boon.

He paid rich tributes to the martyrs and freedom fighters who laid down their lives during the freedom struggle and called upon all sections of society to work for realizing the 'New India' dream of Prime Minister Modi.

Lauding the state police personnel, he assured them of all support from the state government.

Governor Ram Naik, state assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit, Chairman of the legislative council Ramesh Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Raj Babbar, state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav greeted the people on Independence Day.

--IANS

md/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior leader Ashutosh jolted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday by quitting it citing personal reasons, but AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal refused to let him go.

Ashutosh, who joined the party in 2014 after being a journalist for 23 years, took to Twitter to announce he was quitting and thanking the party for its support.

"Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party (and) requested (it) to accept the same," he tweeted.

"It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to (the) party (and those) who supported me throughout. Thanks," he added.

In another tweet, he asked the media to respect his privacy.

Retweeting Ashutosh's tweet, Kejriwal said he cannot accept the resignation, at least in this lifetime. "How can we ever accept your resignation? No, not in this lifetime."

In another tweet, he said: "Ashutosh sir, we all love you a lot."

Ashutosh had expressed unhappiness over the choice of two of the three nominees to the Rajya Sabha. Once seen as close to Kejriwal, he had mostly kept away from party activities since then.

Ashutosh was the AAP candidate from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and finished runner-up to BJP's Harsh Vardhan.

For 2019, Pankaj Gupta, a party spokesperson, has been chosen as the 'prabhari' of Chandni Chowk and most likely will be the candidate as well.

Sanjay Singh, MP and a member of the party's Political Affairs Committee of which Ashutosh was a member, called the resignation "heartbreaking".

"My association with Ashutosh as a friend and trustworthy partner will be lifelong. His separation from the party is a heartbreaking news for me," he said, adding he will request him to take back the resignation.

Delhi cabinet Minister Gopal Rai called the decision "sad".

Party's chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said his resignation had not been accepted yet and he had been asked to reconsider his decision.

Support for Ashutosh poured in from other party leaders as well.

Delhi MLA from Dwarka Adarsh Shastri described him as a source of inspiration and urged him to reconsider his move.

Sushil Gupta, one of the Rajya Sabha MPs who Ashutosh did not approve of, tweeted: "I have high regards and respect for Ashutoshji, his contribution in the victory of Delhi election and strengthening of AAP nationwide are unmatchable. I appeal him to rethink his decision."

Ashutosh is the latest in a series of senior leaders to quit the AAP, which has ruled Delhi since 2015. Those who exited earlier included Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Mayank Gandhi, Anjali Damania, Anand Kumar, Ajit Jha and Shazia Ilmi.

--IANS

nks/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Australian Senate on Wednesday appointed its first female Muslim member, Mehreen Faruqi, even as the country was caught up in a bitter row over racism.

Pakistan-born Faruqi, the Greens Party MP for New South Wales, was appointed to fill a vacant seat. Her joining coincided with the row sparked by Senator Fraser Anning by seeking immigration restrictions based on race.

Anning advocated a return to a White Australia policy and called for a migration ban on Muslims in his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday. He called for a "final solution" (the phrase that refers to a plan hatched by the Nazis to annihilate the Jews) to the immigration "problem".

Faruqi, who will be sworn in next week, was among the prominent critics of Anning's use of the Holocaust-associated term. She said that Anning had "spat in the face of millions of Australians, spewing hate and racism".

"I'm a Muslim migrant, I'm about to be a Senator and there's not a damn thing Fraser Anning can do about it," she wrote in a piece for website Junkee on Wednesday.

Faruqi migrated from Pakistan to Australia in 1992 with her young family. Her election to the state Parliament in 2013 made her the first Muslim woman to attain any political office in Australia.

She told the BBC she would use her new role as senator to fight for a "positive future for Australia where we are stronger for our diversity".

She said that overt displays of racism were not isolated incidents. "I could stand on Bondi Beach, serving sausage sangers in an Akubra, draped in an Australian flag with a southern cross tattoo and, for some, I still wouldn't be Australian enough," she wrote in the Junkee article.

Faruqi said she was excited to bring "much needed diversity" to Canberra and hoped her presence would encourage non-white Australians.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Australian Senator Fraser Anning on Wednesday compared Muslims with "poisonous jelly beans", following his "racist" maiden speech in the Senate seeking immigration restrictions based on race.

Anning, from the conservative Katter's Australian Party, advocated a return to White Australia policy and called for migration bans on Muslims in his speech in Parliament on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined other politicians and community leaders in criticizing the Queensland Senator for suggesting a "final solution" (the phrase that refers to a plan hatched by Nazis to annihilate the Jews) to the immigration "problem".

Turnbull said Anning made "a shocking insult to the memory" of those murdered in the Holocaust.

Following his controversial speech, Anning targeted Muslims once again in an interview to a Sydney talkback radio.

"Look, if you can tell me which ones are not going to cause us harm, then fine, that'd be great. But unfortunately if you have a jar of jelly beans and three of them are poisonous, you're not going to try any of them," he told Alan Jones of radio 2GB, while referring to Muslims.

Anning insisted that Muslims should be stopped from entering Australia. "I'm afraid that the Muslims, as a group, there's going to be three or four or five per cent that are going to mean us harm.

"Because I can't tell who's who, I think the safest thing for Australians is that we don't have any of them," he said.

Earlier in his Parliament speech, Anning said: "The record of Muslims who have already come to this country in rates of crime, welfare dependency and terrorism is the worst of any migrants and vastly exceeds any other immigrant groups.

"We have black African Muslim gangs terrorising Melbourne. We have Islamic State-sympathizing Muslims trying to go overseas to fight for it. While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims," he said while urging for a plebiscite to decide who enters Australia.

Several Australian parliamentarians denounced the speech as "disgraceful" and called on Anning to apologize for his choice of words.

Muslim MP Anne Aly said that the Queensland Senator deliberately used "neo-Nazi, white supremacist terminology".

"That was a deliberate use of a heinous word that brings back so many painful memories and sets a precedent for the future of our country that we need to stand up and stop it," said a tearful Aly in Parliament.

"I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of having to stand up against hate, against vilification, time and time again."

Besides Muslims, Anning also targeted international students as he asked for an "end to Australian-job-stealing 457 visas" and "force international students to return to their country of origin once they finish their education".

He also sought the number of student visas to be cut drastically. India is the second largest source of international students after China.

(Rekha Bhattacharjee can be contacted at vijaybhatta56@gmail.com)

--IANS

rekha/soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senator Fraser Anning has sought a drastic cut in the number of student visas in Australia, where India is the second largest source of international students after China.

In his maiden speech at the Senate on Tuesday, Anning targeted international students by asking for an "end to Australian-job-stealing 457 visas" and "force international students to return to their country of origin once they finish their education".

"Student visas should be drastically reduced in number. This will create more university places for Australians, whose parents have actually paid for the universities with their taxes in the first place," Anning said.

"Those studying here who decide to apply to immigrate should be required to return to their country of origin after their qualification and to apply as part of the general migration programme."

More Indian students are opting for admissions in Australian institutions. Universities such as New South Wales, Deakin, Canberra and Queensland had a "very good 2017", as far as the increase in Indian students is concerned, said an earlier report in SBS News.

The number of Indian students studying in Australia ascended to a seven-year high, the Australian High Commission in New Delhi reported in February.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V.P. Singh Badnore on Wednesday flagged off a rally to generate awareness against drugs and paid homage to the martyrs as he launched the Independence Day celebrations in the state here.

Badnore flagged off the bike rally of the Riders for Awareness and Welfare Club from the Raj Bhavan as they pledged to make Punjab a Drug-Free State.

He visited the War Memorial and later proceeded to the Independence Day celebrations venue here to hoist the national flag. He took the salute from various contingents of the police and NCC cadets.

Addressing a gathering, Badnore remembered the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki hoisted the flag at Yamunanagar.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh unfurled the tricolour at a state-level function in Ludhiana town, while Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unfurled the flag in Hisar town.

--IANS

vg/in/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday said that the state held immense potential in the tourism sector, which will not only boost economic activity but also help create jobs for youths.

"We need inflow of tourists throughout the year. The tourism industry must generate revenue all year round and not just during the 10-day Hornbill Festival in Kohima," he said at the Independence Day event at the Secretariat Plaza here.

He said that he was confident that the tourism roadmap in Nagaland will significantly contribute towards overall economic growth of the state in the years to come.

Quoting a non-governmental study, Rio said that by a conservative estimate, about Rs 51 crore was infused into the local economy during the Hornbill Festival last year.

"This festival alone creates thousands of job avenues in multiple sectors and gives opportunities to the youth through innovative and creative ideas while promoting Brand Nagaland to the international community," the Chief Minister said.

Rio said his government will hold similar festivals in every district of the state to coincide with various tribal festivals to promote state tourism and economy to generate more jobs.

Rio said the state is also pursuing the matter pertaining to the upgradation of the Dimapur Airport and increased air connectivity of Nagaland with other northeastern states and the rest of India.

--IANS

rrk/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress MP Vivek Tankha on Wednesday said that the party had moved the Supreme Court to seek a probe into duplication of names of lakhs of voters on the voter lists in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

"We have moved the court... the case is expected to come up for hearing this week, the Congress Legal Cell incharge told the media here.

He claimed that duplication of names of around one crore voters were found in Madhya Pradesh and a complaint was made to the Election Commission. Of these, names of 27 lakh voters have since been removed.

"We were surprised to see duplication of names of over 42 lakh voters in Rajasthan later. Hence, we will urged the apex court for a thorough investigation in this matter," the Congress leader said added.

Rajasthan's Congress unit chief Sachin Pilot pointed out that duplication of voters names increased the chances of bogus voting. "It will be a mockery of democracy if the voter lists are not accurate. Hence, we have submitted a memorandum to the CEC to demand unbiased probe," he said.

On April 14, a delegation of Rajasthan Congress complained to the the Election Commission against what they called 40-45 lakh bogus votes on the electoral lists in the desert state.

The delegation that met Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat in Delhi included state unit President Sachin Pilot, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, C.P. Joshi, Rameshwar Dudi and Rajasthan party affairs incharge Avinash Pandey.

Pilot had said that 40-45 lakh of the total 4.75 crore voters in Rajasthan were fake and that the matter needed to be investigated thoroughly.

--IANS

arc/tsb

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Do you constantly share ideas, knowledge and answers with your employees on email and various social media platforms? It may not be effective in solving problems and instead would crush their creativity, a new study has found.

The study, led by researchers from the Harvard University in Boston, showed that sharing knowledge intermittently might be better help in solving complex problems.

The groups that interacted only intermittently had an average quality of solution, preserved enough variation to find some of the best solutions, rather than succumbing to the worst.

According to researchers, organisations had been traditionally working intermittently -- individuals working alone, then coming together in a meeting, then returning to work alone, etc.

However, the constant advancement of technology has broken these cycles.

"As we replace those sorts of intermittent cycles with always-on technologies, we might be diminishing our capacity to solve problems well," said Ethan Bernstein, Associate Professor at the Harvard's Business School.

In the study, published in the journal PNAS, the team found that when high performers interacted with low performers constantly, there was little to learn from them because low performers mostly just copied high performers' solutions and high performers likely ignored them.

But when high performers interacted intermittently with low performers, they were able to learn something from them that helped them achieve even greater solutions to the problem.

The march towards always-on technology and more and more digital collaboration tools at work should not disturb the intermittent isolation that those practices bring, lest it keep groups from achieving their best collective performance in solving complex problems, the researchers warned.

--IANS

asj/rt/soni/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former energy executive Christine Hallquist has won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Vermont, moving a step closer to becoming the first ever transgender governor of a US state.

Hallquist, 62, defeated three other candidates, including 14-year-old school boy Ethan Sonneborn, to win the Democratic Party nomination on Tuesday. She will now face the incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott in the general election in November, the US media reported.

"Tonight we made history," Hallquist told supporters during her victory speech. "I'm so honoured to be part of this historical moment."

Hallquist told CNN on Wednesday that she didn't necessarily run to make history, but as a reaction to the election of Donald Trump to the White House.

"The reason I'm here is because of what happened in 2016," she said. "In physics we say for every action there's an opposite and opposing reaction. Well, I'm definitely a reaction to 2016."

The development was a breakthrough of both substantial and symbolic importance for LGBTQ Americans -- and particularly the trans community, which has long been shut out of the highest levels of elected office.

Three years after Oregon's Kate Brown became the nation's first openly bisexual governor, Democrats have now nominated what would become the nation's first openly gay (Lupe Valdez in Texas and Jared Polis in Colorado) and transgender (Hallquist in Vermont) governors if they win in November.

Hallquist was one of more than 400 LGBTQ candidates running in this cycle.

There were also a record number of female candidates in elections for governor and for the House of Representatives.

In 2018, 43 transgender candidates ran for political office at all levels in the US. But Hallquist was the first transgender person to win a major party nomination for state governor.

Also, Ilhan Omar -- a refugee from Somalia who came to the US as a teenager -- won her Democratic primary in Minnesota's fifth district. The victory puts her in a strong position to become one of the first female Muslim members of Congress in November.

Omar will likely join Rashida Tlaib, who won a Democratic primary in Michigan last week. Both were expected to easily win their general elections in safe Democratic districts.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Wednesday said it was easy to criticise, attack and destroy a system but instead an endeavour should be made to transform and reform it by transcending personal ambitions or grievances.

"To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy (but) very difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend one's personal ambitions or grievances", the Chief Justice said.

"There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution," but "I and you (lawyer community) together will refuse to succumb," Misra said in an apparent reference to discordant voices coming from within the top judiciary and outside.

He called for the "constructive steps to be taken with a positive mindset of reforms, no matter how small they are and a concrete reform must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and compassion. It has to be productive, instead of being counter-productive."

Mishra said this while speaking at the Independence Day function organised in the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Referring to the mention of "polity of identity" in Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's speech at the event, Chief Justice Misra said: "I must say I am happy the Law Minister of India has expressed concern about the identity of the citizens. I only like to add that this identity has to be founded on the identity of humanness which is fundamentally, constitutionally legitimate."

"How far we expand this idea only the future will tell. And why I say so all of you are absolutely aware."

Misra also disagreed with Prasad that people, wherever they go in India, should visit the family members of the freedom fighters in recognition of their contribution to the freedom struggle and praise them.

"I do not deny that each citizen during that period, in his own or her own way fought for the freedom of country. The Law Minister says that when we go to some place in India we must visit them (the families) and praise them (freedom fighters). I disagree. People who fought for the country did not fight for their praise. They did not even bother about you. They fought because they fought for the country", Chief Justice Misra told the gathering comprising of sitting and former judges of the apex court, senior lawyers including Fali Nariman and Soli Sorabjee and others.

To fight for one's own country, own civilisation and all the rights, the Chief Justice said is possibly a tribute to them.

Prasad called for striking a healthy balance between the three organs of the state saying that the governance of the country must be left to the elected representatives as governance and accountability go together.

The Law Minister while recalling the trauma of partition, said that despite large-scale destruction and dislocations, India chose not to be theocratic with the State having no religion or faith.

This he described as a "general larger blueprint of India".

Referring to the different phases of development over the last seven decades, the Law Minister said initially it was a "polity of want, then came polity of identity and now we have polity of aspiration and hope".

Speaking on the occasion, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal pointed to the overcrowding of the court rooms and corridors. He called for joint efforts by the top court, the Law Ministry and the Supreme Court Bar Association to address the problem.

Making a distinction on how differently independence means to the state and the people, Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh said "Independence is a state of mind and not a conferment of a status."

He said what was important was how people can serve their country.

--IANS

pk/pgh/bg

(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.)Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday said farmers in the state have been provided a total of Rs 76 crore over the last 15 years.

Hoisting the national flag here on the occasion of Independence Day, the Chief Minister said: "For the prosperity of farmers, the government undertook a massive initiative of increasing the farm produce."

Singh said the government has purchased crops on minimum support price in the last 15 years and after adding the bonus amount, the farmers were given Rs 76 crore.

The government increased the number of irrigation pumps from 72,000 to five lakh, Singh said.

"The farmers used to tell me that they are trapped in a vicious cycle of loans... In such circumstances, we have waived off several loans," he said.

--IANS

hindi-pgh/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actress Nora Fatehi feels lucky to be working with superstar Salman Khan in "Bharat".

"It is an exciting moment in my career to be a part of a huge project like 'Bharat'. I feel very lucky to be working with Salman Khan sir and Ali (Abbas Zafar) sir and the entire team! I hope to be a part of more projects as an actor in the near future," Nora said in a statement.

Nora, who has commenced shooting for "Bharat" in Malta, will be seen playing the role of a Latina in the film, which is a Hindi remake of the 2014 South Korean film "Ode to My Father".

Talking about her character, Nora said: "I am playing a Latina character from Malta and it's going to be a very different experience for me as an actor. Speaking in the way a Latina would speak, the body language and mannerism is something I needed to prep for before the shoot."

"Bharat" is slated for Eid 2019 release. It also stars Disha Patani and Sunil Grover.

--IANS

dc/sug/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Film: "Geetha Govindam"; Language: Telugu; Director: Parasuram; Cast: Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna; Rating: ****(4 stars)

Some movie experiences take us on a romantic joyride while offering us an insight into human nature but without hammering the "message" in like a rough Thai massage.

"Geetha Govindam" is a surprisingly low-key libido-teaser. It whips up a frothy fun ambience through a chance encounter between a virginal college lecturer and a rather stiff upper-lipped Miss Hoity-toity.

That the two roles are played by Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna is a dash of destiny doing its devilish bit to add spice to this honeyed, though never over-sweetened confection of love during times of wedding festivities and carnal urges.

Besides the very likeable leading man, what I really like about "Geetha Govinda" is its feisty take on gender equations that are played out in this film in a spirit of pukish irony.

Think. The guileless guy Vijay Govinda (Deverakonda) and the uppity girl Geetha (Rashmika Mandanna) get close during a bus journey to a wedding that will change their destiny. But that's later.

Back in the bus, the buck and the 'bak-bak' never stops. The pair creates some interesting moments of travel intimacy. She makes him stand guard outside a shady loo. He gets down to eat while she snoozes in the bus... All this while, Vijay, a stranger to female attention, whisper-shares with his friends on the phone about his growing closeness to the stranger.

And then all hell breaks loose. A moment of monstrous miscommunication and the haplessness, virgin-man is exposed to be a lecher and predator, which he is not.

The rest of the film maps their stormy liaison, his insistence on being her puppy dog and slave-on-demand, just so that she doesn't blurt out their shared secrecy in public.

Rashmika Mandanna very effectively brings out the manipulation of gender conflicts by the woman who is often known to grab the upperhand (and a lot of other parts) with all her might. Geetha knows she has Govinda by his throat.

She doesn't squeeze. But she uses Vijay's vulnerable state to her own advantage.

The scenes where she drags him by his collar (in a manner of speaking) through shopping sprees and early morning appointments, are done with a refreshing absence of malice.

The film, provocative as it is in the matter of gender conflict, never forgets to be sweet-tempered and supple, endearing and yet underlined by a layer of simmering discontent at the sheer unfairness of it all.

While playing out this beguiling and charming courtship game, director Parasuran draws out the tenets of the sprawling joint family. This is the world of Sooraj Barjatya tinged with a touch of tender eroticism and defined by a bustling state of constant anxiety about the mating game.

And who better equipped to project the exacerbated anxieties of sexual discontent than Vijay Deverakonda? Doing a fulsome 360-degreee about turn from his role as the self-consumed destructive alcoholic junkie in "Arjun Reddy", Deverekonda is absolutely at home playing a man bewildered by the circumstances that suddenly appear to control his life and libido.

Deverekonda brings a refreshing candour to the romance. Simultaneously flustered and in-control, he is the urban nomad looking for a place to pitch his heated tent.

After watching him go through the motions of manipulated courtship in this film, I am more than convinced Vijay Deverekonda is not just the next superstar of Telugu cinema but also one of the most engaging new-age actors of Indian cinema.

The actor gets able support from his leading lady Rashmika Mandanna who gives him the rom-com equivalent of a coitus interruptus.

The film is shot in a temperament of scenic aptitude, never allowing the urge to manipulate the landscape to make the film look prettier than it should.

The songs, specially the one where Mandanna walks behind Deverekonda emulating him, don't stop the narrative from moving forward.

The choppy relationship is never complemented by a lurching narrative. Smooth and sinuous, "Geetha Govindam" is a winsome exploration of the mating game, done with just the right dose of sweet and spine.

--IANS

skj/rb/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modis customary Independence Day speech, the Congress on Wednesday said all the Prime Minister said was "meaningless" for the common people who have given up on "achche din" (good days) promised by Modi in 2014 and are now waiting for "sachche din" (truthful days).

"The Prime Minister in his last address to the nation (before next Lok Sabha polls) on Independence Day did not utter a single word that would be meaningful to the common person. The people are now tired of the fake 'achche din' and are really waiting for 'sachche din' when Modiji will depart as the Prime Minister of the country," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

The Congress spokesman also challenged Modi for an open debate on issues of corruption, Rafale deal, Vyapam scam, "failing" economy, falling rupee, foreign policy, mob lynchings and woman safety, among others.

"In 2013, Modiji had challenged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, on China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, on falling rupee and economy, on unemployment as also farmers and women.

"We ask Prime Minister Modi today, is he ready for a debate on those very issues with the Congress President Rahul Gandhi? Will he debate on the issue of corruption, Rafale and Vyapam? Will he debate on the failing economy and falling rupee? Rupee has hit a new low of 70 per dollar and trade deficit has gone over $18 billion," Surjewala said.

"Will he debate on the manner China has occupied Doklam, and intruding into Ladakh and engulfing India from all sides? Will he debate on Pakistan's sponsored terrorism? Will he debate on the rampant unemployment prevailing in the country?" he added.

Commenting on Modi's observation that world leaders are acknowledging India's prowess, Surjewala said that Modi should desist from "undermining Indians' contribution to the world over the last 70 years".

"Let Prime Minister not insult India and India's entrepreneurial spirit. It has not happened in just the last four years. India was always a power and India is a power that the world reckons with," the Congress leader said.

--IANS

mak/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday predicted heavy rainfall in several parts of Odisha for the next two days.

According to the IMD, the well marked low-pressure area has concentrated into a depression.

The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over Nayagarh, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapara, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Rayagada, Sonepur, Baragarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Sundergarh districts in south Odisha.

The state government has put the district collectors on alert.

The East Coast Railway has asked its employees to remain vigilant to possible flooding of tracks at different places.

A release from the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said even though the state experienced heavy rainfall, all the major rivers were flowing below the danger level and there was no threat of floods.

--IANS

cd/pgh/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With the coastal and other districts of Karnataka receiving heavy rain a flood alert has been sounded in the southern state, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, coastal Udupi district received up to 35.7 cm rain in certain parts over the past 24 hours.

Other coastal districts like Dakshina Kannada received 33.8 cm rain, Uttara Kannada 33.6 cm, south interior districts of Kodagu 28.8 cm, Chikkamagaluru 25.1 cm, Hassan 24.5 cm and Shivamogga 33.6 cm.

"Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy directed Deputy Commissioners of Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, which are receiving heavy rain over the last few days, to be prepared to take up relief work," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

He also directed officials to visit the affected districts and assess the losses.

The northern parts of the state also received light to moderate rainfall.

The Chief Minister ordered preventive steps to avoid mishaps and inconvenience to the public due to floods and landslides.

Due to the heavy rain, landslides were reported since Monday in several parts of Karnataka, particularly on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, leading to suspension of services of several state-run buses and trains since Tuesday night.

Landslides were reported in Sakleshpur sub-district in the Western Ghats mountains in Hassan district, obstructing vehicular movement from Bengaluru to Mangaluru.

Six trains, including the Karwar-Yeshwanthpur Express and the Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Junction Express, were partially cancelled and a few other trains diverted since Tuesday evening due to the landslides, the South Western Railway said in a statement.

"All premium bus services from Bengaluru towards Mangaluru, Dharmasthala (in Dakshina Kannada district), and Kundapura (in Udupi district) have been cancelled due to landslides owing to heavy rain," the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation said.

With the state's reservoirs in the Cauvery basin filled to capacity due to the bountiful rains over two months, the incessant rains now are causing rivers to overflow.

In the Cauvery basin, water from the Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir across the Cauvery river in Mandya district, Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district across Kabini river, one of the major tributaries of Cauvery, is being released over the past few days, flooding nearby towns and villages.

"About 1.2 lakh cusecs of rainwater was released from the KRS reservoir and another 50,000 cusecs from the Kabini reservoir as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday," Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Shankar told IANS.

The released water has been flooding several farmlands and roads in the villages and towns around the reservoirs.

Due to high waves and heavy winds, the Bengaluru division of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its weather advisory asked the fishermen to avoid venturing into the Arabian Sea.

The heavy rain in the coastal and south interior districts will continue for the next couple of days, the IMD said.

--IANS

bha/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The border talks between India and China are going well and both countries have resolved disputes in large parts of their contentious frontiers, BJP leader Ram Madhav said here on Wednesday.

"Border talks are moving in the positive direction. As far as I know, disputes in large segments of our borders have been resolved. There are a few areas where negotiations are still going on," said the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Major issues were in the western sector, said Madhav, adding that some areas were yet to be delimited.

He said that India's neighbours were happy about increasingly growing friendly ties between New Delhi and Beijing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping developed a personal bond after their April meet in Wuhan which can help overcome "irritants" in Sino-India ties, said Madhav.

India and China have a 3,448-km-long undefined boundary over which the two countries went to war in 1962. Both the countries have had 20 rounds of border talks and the 21st is slated in Beijing later this year.

The Sino-Indian boundary has three sectors: East, Middle and West.

India's northeast state Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by China as South Tibet. In the West, India claims Aksai Chin held by China.

In the Middle Sector, opposite Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, there is a great chunk of territory claimed by China.

The 1962 Sino-Indian war occurred in the Eastern sector.

Madhav said it was pro-active diplomacy by the Indian government which helped resolve the 73-day military stand-off at Doklam in 2017.

"Even when Doklam happened, the policy adopted by our government was pro-active diplomacy. Together with strong ground positioning, this combination has helped us in achieving a good result in Doklam issue.

"Wuhan spirit is a new phrase now between our two countries," he said, adding that Modi and Xi "enjoy very strong personal bond a that helps."

"The understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming any such irritants that exist between neighbours. In fact, our neighbours tell us that they are very happy that the two countries are having such good relationships at the summit level," he said.

--IANS

gsh/soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)For the first time, India's space agency is planning to put an Indian astronaut for seven days in space at a cost less than Rs 10,000 crore as part of its manned mission by 2022, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said on Wednesday.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the Indian Space Research Organisation the target to be achieved in the next four years, Sivan told IANS: "Our plan is to have a human being in space for seven days and not less than that.

"He will be in a spacecraft, 300-400 km above earth," Sivan said, as he explained that the rocket to be used for the manned mission would be a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III).

He said the first unmanned flight as part of a manned space mission will happen two years from now.

"There will be two unmanned space missions before the actual manned space mission," Sivan added.

In his Independence Day address to the nation, Modi said: "In space technology, we have dreamt something; our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission.

"We will put an Indian in space by 2022 or earlier," Modi said.

Asked about the first animal flight before the actual manned mission, Sivan said those things have to be discussed.

Queried about the target date set by Modi and the steps to be taken by ISRO, Sivan said: "We will have to get a formal approval for the project. The manned mission project cost will be less than Rs 10,000 crore.

"We are in the process of developing some of the technologies and already have some. Our idea is to develop everything within India," he added.

According to him, ISRO has already tested the crew module and crew escape systems.

The space agency on July 5 carried out a successful maiden pad abort test at its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for the safe escape of the crew in an emergency.

"The technology is very essential for our manned missions in the future," Sivan had said at an event on July 7.

The critical technology is designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort.

"We are in the process of developing the life support system for the astronaut, space suit and other things. ISRO is doing this with the support of industries," Sivan had said.

The ISRO Chairman had then said that the space agency was "not close" to a human spaceflight yet.

"We are not close to that. We need to work a lot towards achieving the dream of putting a man in space."

According to him, the selection of astronaut to fly the spacecraft would be done by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the spaceflight training would be given overseas.

Sivan said ISRO has to set up necessary infrastructural facilities like the control centres for the proposed manned mission.

He said Modi's announcement was a big kickstart and as a whole the nation's science and technology sector would benefit.

So far, only the US, Russia and China have launched human space flights.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

--IANS

vj/in/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.The Indian Army and China's People Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday held a special meeting of border personnel at Nathu La in the Sikkim sector to boost mutual trust and promote peace, the Defence Ministry said.

The meeting was held on the Indian side as part of a "joint" celebration to commemorate the 72nd Independence Day of India. The PLA delegation, comprising several officers and soldiers, attended the celebration following an invitation.

"The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility," said a statement from the Ministry.

The two forces had held a similar meeting of border personnel to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the foundation of PLA on August 1.

"Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations," the statement said.

Beside interactions between the Armies, programmes portraying the cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides on the occasion, said the statement.

Situated at 4,310 metres above sea level, Nathu La -- a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district -- connects the Indian state of Sikkim with Tibet.

Indian troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of North Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal and enthusiasm.

The two back-to-back meetings between the two armies in the span of a fortnight follow an informal summit in Wuhan in China between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India and China fought a war in 1962 and claim each other's territory. The two armies were also locked in a dragging military stand-off last year on the border.

--IANS

rak/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Army and China's People Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday held two special meetings of border personnel at Nathu La in the Sikkim sector and Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir to boost mutual trust and promote peace.

Both the meetings happened on the Indian sides to commemorate the 72nd Independence Day of India. The PLA delegations, comprising several officers and soldiers, attended the celebration following an invitation.

In Sikkim, the Defence Ministry said: "The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility."

The two forces had held a similar meeting to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the foundation of PLA on August 1.

"Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations," said a statement from the Ministry.

Beside interactions between the armies, programmes portraying the cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides on the occasion, said the statement.

Situated at 4,310 metres above sea level, Nathu La -- a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district -- connects the Indian state of Sikkim with Tibet.

Indian troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of North Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal.

Another Indian Army delegation led by Brigadier V.K. Purohit and Colonel Anil Kumar Sharma met a Chinese delegation headed by Senior Colonel Wang Jun Xian and Lt Col Li Ming Ju at Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD meeting points in Eastern Ladakh, said the Army's Northern Command spokesperson.

"The ceremonial was marked by saluting the national flag of India by both the delegation members. Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The two sides exchanged greetings and vote of thanks and reflected the mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at functional level at the border," he said.

"The delegations parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)," said the official.

He added that both sides also sought to build on the mutual feeling to uphold the treaties and agreements signed between the governments of the two sides to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC.

The three back-to-back meetings between the two armies in the span of a fortnight follow an informal summit in Wuhan in China between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India and China fought a war in 1962 and claim each other's territory. The two armies were also locked in a dragging military stand-off last year on the border.

--IANS

sq/rak/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian community-based in the Polish capital celebrated the 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday with great patriotic fervour.

Hundreds of Indians along with their Polish friends assembled in the Indian Embassy early morning and were greeted by newly-appointed Indian Ambassador Tsewang Namgyal.

Namgyal unfurled the tricolour and joined the people there when the national anthem was played at the venue. He then read a message by President Ram Nath Kovind delivered on the eve of Independence Day.

Addressing the Indian community in Poland, Namgyal said: "You are an important bridge between the two important nations. Your hard work and your commitment speaks (for) itself."

Kirti Gahlwat, a yoga teacher sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), displayed her talent and mesmerized the audience with her remarkable asanas.

She was followed by Kathak dancer Jigna Dixit, who was also sponsored by the ICCR to promote the dance form in Poland. Dixit was joined by several Polish students.

In the afternoon, the Indian community in Warsaw organised an event displaying Indian cuisine, spices and handicraft items. At the same time, Polish girls performed on Bollywood songs and also showcased Bharat Natyam and Kathak dance forms.

"India as a soft-power has emerged in a big way in the length and breadth of Poland. There are more than 100 Indian restaurants in Warsaw alone. One can find an Indian restaurant practically on every important street in Warsaw," said J.J. Singh, President of the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"There are more than 300 yoga centres and there are five Polish groups which organise Indian music and dance programmes regularly," he added.

--IANS

sur/soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian embassy in Nepal on Wednesday felicitated the families of the martyred personnel of the Indian armed forces on the 72nd Independence day, with Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri hoisting the national flag and reading out the message of President Ram Nath Kovind.

According to a statement of the Indian embassy, a disabled ex-serviceman was also honoured. It said dues of over Rs 5 crore were distributed among the recipients.

The embassy also gifted books to 68 libraries and educational institutions spread across Nepal.

On behalf of the Indian government, the embassy gifted 30 ambulances and six buses to various hospitals, non-profit charitable organizations and educational institutions of Nepal, the statement said.

India has so far gifted 692 ambulances and 136 buses to Nepal, expanding healthcare access to thousands of Nepalis, the embassy said.

--IANS

giri/prs/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Fulfilling a long-cherished dream, Indian adventurist Shital Rane-Mahajan on Wednesday dived from over 5,000 feet in Finland with a Tricolour to mark India's 72nd Independence Day.

The Tricolour, measuring 10 feet by six feet, was handed over to Shital by Indian Ambassador to Finland, (Ms) Vani Rao after the I-Day celebrations by the Indian community settled in Helsinki.

"From Helsinki, we drove down to the Utti Skydiving Centre, around 100 km away, for the skyjump, which was absolutely smooth and successful," an elated Shital told IANS on phone from Finland.

The 36-year-old, a mother of two, said that the weather was perfect for the adventure and that she jumped off an aircraft from 5,000 feet and landed at the designated spot, with the huge flag fluttering all through the descent.

"It all happened within 100 seconds. I stepped out of the aircraft, opened my parachute and then the flag bag tied to my waist, unfurled the Tricolour and continued with my dive," Shital said.

Awaiting below on terra firma was her anxious husband Vaibhav and her nine-year-old twin sons Vrushabh and Vaishnav, besides a large number of onlookers who cheered her.

Though Shital -- a 2011 Padma Shri awardee -- has performed several demo skydives in India with different flags depending on the sponsors, this was her first-ever with an Indian flag.

Prior to her, renowned Indian adventure sportswomen Rachel Thomas and Archana Sardana have performed similar skydives on various occasions with the Tricolour, making Shital the third civilian to do so.

"Now, my ambition is to skydive with the Tricolour in India, especially since civilian skydiving of certain categories has been banned in the country since 2002," she said.

In February, Shital hit the headlines when she skydived from 13,000 feet over Pattaya, Thailand, sporting a colourful 'Nav-wari Sari' (traditional Maharashtrian nine-yard sari).

Hailing from Pune, Shital has around 18 national and six international skydiving records and has completed more than 705 skyjumps around the world, bagging national and international honours.

She shot to global fame on April 18, 2004, when she made her maiden jump -- without practice -- on the North Pole from a Russian MI-8 helicopter hovering 2,400 feet above the ground in minus 37 degrees temperature, making her the first woman in the world to accomplish the feat.

On December 15, 2006, she made the world's first accelerated freefall parachute jump at the South Pole in Antarctica, from a Twin Otter aircraft, coming down from a height of 11,600 feet.

This made her the first and the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat at both the Poles at the age of 23.

On April 19, 2008, Rane-Mahajan tied the knot with Finland-based software engineer Vaibhav Rane.

The couple got married in a hot air balloon, with a priest performing the nuptial ceremonies and parents in tow, around 750 feet above Pune city.

Vaibhav is also an avid skydiver with 57 jumps to his credit. They became the first Indian civilian couple to skydive together in November 2011.

However, she is still keen on pursuing her dream of skydiving over Mt Everest, despite two unsuccessful attempts in 2010.

At present, Shital is on a real high -- with dives on all seven continents -- in around 10 years, on Antarctica, Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America.

Last year, she became the first Indian woman to be nominated by the Aero Club of India for the prestigious FAI Sabiha Gokcen Medal for skydiving in all seven continents.

Settled in Finland since marriage, Shital has set her target this year on a 'family skydive' with her husband and two minor sons.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS

qn/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)State-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will fly an Indian astronaut into space for the first time by 2022, an official said on Wednesday.

"All the critical technologies for the human space mission are being developed. We will pursue it to put an Indian astronaut in space by 2022," a senior ISRO official told IANS, citing the space agency Chairman K.Sivan's statement.

Addressing the nation on the occasion of Independence Day earlier in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an Indian would be sent to space by 2022.

So far, only the US, Russia and China have launched human spaceflights.

ISRO Chairman Sivan earlier said a mission document for India's human space programme was in the making.

"Critical technologies are being developed for our human space programme, as it is India's dream to put a man in space. A mission document is in the making," Sivan had said on July 7 at an event here.

The space agency on July 5 carried out a successful maiden pad abort tests at its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for the safe escape of the crew in an emergency.

"The technology is very essential for our manned missions in the future," Sivan had said.

The crew escape system is an emergency escape measure designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort.

The ISRO Chairman, however, admitted that the space agency was "not close" to a human spaceflight yet.

"We are not close to that. We need to work a lot towards achieving the dream of putting a man in space," Sivan added.

--IANS

bha-fb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday unfurled the tricolour here to mark the 72nd Independence Day celebrations.

Kumaraswamy joined about 8,000 people at the Field Marshal Manekshaw parade ground in the city centre on the occasion.

Under a cloudy sky, an Army helicopter showered rose petals over the podium where the Chief Minister and many VIPs were present.

After receiving salute from the guard of honour contingent, Kumaraswamy went around the rectangular ground in an open jeep and greeted the battalions of armed forces, state reserved police, National Cadet Corps and Bharat Scouts and Guides.

The Chief Minister delivered his I-Day speech in Kannada.

According to reports from across the state, patriotic fervour and gaiety marked I-Day celebrations in various districts where cabinet ministers and Deputy Commissioners unfurled the national flag.

--IANS

fb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday announced a slew of schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat-Haryana Health Protection Scheme, 24-hour power supply to 507 more villages and government jobs for dependents of martyrs.

Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag on India's 72th Independence Day here, he said government employees would not be required to take no objection certificates (NOC) from the department concerned for applying to higher posts in other departments.

He also said that from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, each household in the state would have an LPG gas cylinder.

The Chief Minister announced that social security pension, including old-age allowance, widow pension and pension to the physically challenged would be raised from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per month from November 1.

The Chief Minister said on a pilot basis the Ayushman Bharat-Haryana Health Protection Scheme is being implemented in 25 government hospitals, including one main government hospital each in all 22 districts.

Under this scheme, 15.50 lakh families would get free medical treatment facilities up to Rs 500,000, an official statement said.

Referring to the 'Mahra Gaon Jagmag Gaon Scheme', he said 507 more villages would start getting 24-hour electricity supply.

With this the number of villages getting 24-hour power supply has been raised to 2,887 from 2,380.

He said all villages of Panchkula, Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts are already getting 24-hour power supply.

For the ex-servicemen, the Chief Minister said during his visit to Rohnat village in Bhiwani district on March 23, he had talked about setting up a freedom trust to get rid the people from various problems.

He said on the occasion of Independence Day the Rohnat Freedom Trust has been constituted and it would start working soon.

--IANS

vg/prs/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said the JD-S-Congress coalition government was committed to the development of the entire state, asserting that he has allocated more funds for all the regions than previous governments had done.

The Chief Minister hailed Kannadigas for their spirit of unity and strong will against attempts to divide the state.

"I have an emotional bonding with Belagavi (around 500km northwest of Bengaluru, bordering Maharashtra), where the state's first legislature session was held in 2006 during my previous tenure," he said in his address at the Sam Manekshaw Parade ground in Bangaluru on the occasion of the country's 72nd Independence Day.

"I salute the spirit of unity demonstrated by Kannadigas against the division of Karnataka. Their strong will has silenced the feeble voices of division of the state before they become louder," said Kumaraswamy.

Giving an assurance on addressing problems of the people living in Goa, Kasaragod in Kerala and Solapur in Maharashtra, Kumaraswamy said he would address them in talks with his counterparts from the three states.

"The state government aims to improve the human development index of all districts across the state. Besides basic infrastructure, amenities like education, health and social security for all are our priority," he said.

On the Rs 49,000-crore crop loan waiver to distressed farmers, the chief minister said an official order would soon be issued on it for loans raised from state-run banks, benefiting 20.4-lakh farmers across the state.

"The state government has already waived loan raised from cooperative banks. The new order will be issued to waive loans from the state-run banks," he noted.

--IANS

fb/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Liev Schreiber has denied allegations that he attacked a local photographer while he was shooting for his show "Ray Donovan" here.

The star appeared in court in Nyack on Tuesday asking a judge to dismiss the charges, reports pagesix.com.

"I never touched him. I never touched his camera," Schreiber told reporters outside the courthouse of his June altercation with photographer Sherwood Martinelli.

Martinelli, who was waiting across the street with a camera, shouted back: "You did touch me!"

Schreiber ignored the cameraman and, said: "I never touched his body with my body. I was pissed, but that was it."

The 50-year-old actor, dressed in a charcoal suit and knitted navy tie, seemed relaxed and chatted amiably with his lawyer before the hearing.

Martinelli claims the actor hit his Canon 7D camera on June 7 when he tried to take his photograph of Schreiber standing on the street while in town to film the show, which is aired in India on AXN.

"Everything that his attorney said to the news media is not true. It is fake, it is fabricated," Martinelli told reporters after Schreiber left.

"The fact of the matter is he did accost me, he did attack me, he did hit my right shoulder, he did hit my left hand and camera hard enough to break my camera, so that is fake news, when they are putting a story out contrary to that."

"I want him to pay for what he did to me. I want him to be held accountable in a court of law for his criminal activity," he continued.

The judge has set a September 20 court date to decide on the dismissal motion.

--IANS

sug/dc/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday led the state's 72nd Independence Day celebrations by hoisting the Tricolour at his official residence here and later at the state government headquarters.

A large number of his cabinet colleagues, top civil and services officials and other dignitaries were present at the solemn ceremony.

Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar hoisted the flag at the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.

Ruling ally, Shiv Sena leader Shishir Shinde organised two midnight functions in Mumbai: The national flag was hoisted in Mulund by senior leader and actor Adesh Bandekar and in Ghatkopar, by a physically-challenged person.

Thousands of party workers and locals took part in the celebrations which continued till the early hours of Wednesday in both the suburbs.

Western Railway General Manager A.K. Gupta hoisted the flag and later flagged off a unique 30-bike rally of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) from Churchgate to Charni Road to highlight the theme of "Security of Women & Children".

Central Railway General Manager D.K. Sharma hoisted the flag, addressed a gathering of railway officials and staff and gave the green signal to the RPF's motorbike rally to popularise its helpline no. 182 for safety of women and children commuters and other passengers on its network.

The Opposition Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan and Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam also organised functions at their respective offices here, hoisted the national flag and addressed gatherings of party workers and the members of the public.

The party called upon all to "cherish the feelings of liberty, tolerance and unity, not of bigotry or conquest" on the 72nd Independence Day.

The state Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Jayant Patil and Mumbai head Sachin Ahir hoisted the tricolor at the party headquarters in Mumbai.

In a message, national NCP President Sharad Pawar said: "India's plural diversity is our strength and let not anything divide the spirit of India."

In Nagpur, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) city chief Rajesh Loya organised a major function in which a large number of RSS workers, the general public, police and others joined.

Similar reports of celebrations were received from different parts of the city, including Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Kolhapur and all the districts of the state.

Despite heavy overcast skies and showers in some areas, schools, colleges, universities, housing complexes, government and private companies, the Armed Forces and other organisations also conducted their own I-Day functions across Maharashtra with huge participation.

The state and city police had provided tight security to prevent any untoward incidents.

--IANS

qn/ksk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Maldives government on Wednesday said that the presidential election will go ahead as scheduled on September 23 and poll campaigning was progressing smoothly in a peaceful environment.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government had noted with concern the queries raised by certain international partners on whether the election would be held as announced.

It said the government has been working closely with the election commission and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the election is held in a free, fair and credible manner, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry said the poll body had extended invitations to several international stakeholders including some key bilateral and multilateral development partners of the Maldives, to observe the election.

"... It is important for the international community to extend their full support and cooperation to the unrelenting efforts of the government and the people of the Maldives in this endeavour," it added.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to freedom fighters and the armed forces for protecting the national flag.

"On behalf of the people of India, I bow to all those great women and men who sacrificed themselves for the nation during the freedom movement," the Prime MInister said in his Independence Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Red Fort here.

"I salute the Army personnel and other forces who sacrifice their lives to protect India's national flag," Modi said.

He paid tribute to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. "Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I bow to them who fought for independence and sacrificed their lives."

The Prime Minister said his thoughts also lay with the families of those who have lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India.

--IANS

aks/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narednra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on phone and took stock of the flood situation in the state, besides assuring him of providing "any assistance needed".

"Had a detailed discussion with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the unfortunate flood situation in the state. Centre stands firmly with the people of Kerala and is ready to provide any assistance needed," Modi tweeted.

In Kerala, large areas have been inundated by floodwaters, claiming 58 lives since August 8, due to heavy rain and landslides. Incessant rains battered the state again on Wednesday resulting in 19 more deaths and further destruction, forcing the authorities to issue a red alert across the southern state.

--IANS

rak/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said women officers in India's defence forces would now have the option to take up permanent commission through the Short Service Commission.

However, the Prime Minister didn't elaborate if the government had decided to open all the branches of the defence forces to permanently commission women officers -- an issue awaiting a Supreme Court decision.

"I want to give a good news to my brave daughters -- women officers in armed forces will get permanent commission through a transparent selection process by Short Service Commission," Modi said in his Independent Day address from the Red Fort.

He said the move would help women officers get the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman quickly tweeted the Prime Minister's announcement, thanking him for the decision.

However, there was no clarification on the extent to which women will be allowed in the Army, Navy and the Air Force.

The Prime Minister's announcement comes four months after the government told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission to women army officers recruited through Short Service Commission.

As per the Short Service Commission, a woman officer can serve for 10-14 years. The women officers are allowed entry into Army Service Corps, Ordnance, Education Corps, Judge Advocate General, Engineers, Signals, Intelligence and Electrical and Mechanical Engineering branches.

But there is no option as of now to allow women in combat roles like infantry, armoured, mechanised infantry, aviation and artillery.

The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy also grant permanent commission to women officers even as both have opened up some combat roles for women.

The air force allows women as officers in flying and ground duties. Women IAF SSC officers fly helicopter, transport aircraft and now even fighter jets.

In the Navy, women officers inducted through SSC are allowed in logistics, law, observers, air traffic control, maritime reconnaissance pilots, naval armament inspectorate cadre (NAIC).

Some 1,561 women officers serve in the Army currently. The IAF has 1,594 has women officers and the Navy 644. Women are recruited only as officers and not as troops in any of the wings.

In May, the central government told the Supreme Court that the armed forces are considering a series of measures to usher in a more "liberal regime" to grant permanent commission to women officers and open new streams of induction for them.

The Defence Ministry said it required six months to formulate modalities and enforce the changes and alterations in the three forces.

"All three wings of the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence are actively considering the issue of parity between male and female officers in securing permanent commission in the armed forces," the ministry said.

--IANS

sar/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday avoided major economic announcements in his last Independence Day address before the next Lok Sabha elections and instead highlighted his government's achievements, citing GST as the centrepiece and the commendations from multilateral agencies on the reform measures.

He said his government will not relent on its unwavering commitment to weeding out corruption and black money.

"India has registered its name as the sixth largest economy in the world. It has created positivity. We are celebrating the festival of freedom in such a positive atmosphere," Modi said.

"Before 2013, institutions and economists across the world used to refer to India as a risky economy, but today the same institutions and individuals are saying with confidence that reforms have given India a new momentum and strong fundamentals."

While the country was earlier counted among the fragile five economies of the world, "today India is considered a multi-trillion dollar destination for investment," Modi said.

"They say the sleeping elephant has woken up and started walking. For the next three decades, India is going to guide and speed up the world economy."

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said last week that India'a near-term macroeconomic outlook is "broadly favorable" and that the country is on course to hold its position as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. IMF mission chief for India Ranil Salgado said the Indian economy is like "an elephant starting to run".

Targeting the Congress-led UPA without naming it, Modi said if his government had worked with the speed followed in 2013, it would have taken a century in making India open defecation free or electrifying every part or even providing LPG connection to every woman.

"The demand for higher MSP (minimum support price) was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. The decision was taken by our government to provide the MSP of 1.5 times of production cost," The Prime Minister said.

He talked about the Goods and Services Tax (GST), saying it had given a new confidence to small and big traders who "wholeheartedly embraced" the new tax regime despite facing "initial problems".

"From 70 lakh indirect tax payers after 70 years of Independence, within a year of GST implementation this number has gone up to 1.16 crore," Modi said.

He said the various initiatives to plug leakages in government subsidy distribution had benefited the exchequer to the tune of Rs 90,000 crore.

"We will not spare people who generate illicit income and black money. As many as 3 lakh shell and suspicious companies have been closed and their directors blacklisted by my government," he added.

Pointing to the government's inclusive programmes, Modi noted that under the Mudra loan scheme for disadvantaged sections, including women, as many as 13 crore loans had been disbursed, of which 4 crore people were first-time loan takers.

--IANS

bc-sar/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday appealed to the Centre and Naga groups involved in the ongoing parleys to expedite the peace process and arrive at a political solution to the insurgency problem at the earliest.

He said that the ruling People's Democratic Alliance government was committed to play the role of an "active facilitator" in the ongoing negotiations between the two groups.

"In our meeting with the tribal Hohos... it was unanimously resolved to urge all Naga political groups, including NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang) to renew the ceasefire with the Indian government and join the peace talks to realise an inclusive solution," the Chief Minister said after unfurling the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza here to mark the 72nd Independence Day of the country.

He said that several measures were taken to create a conducive atmosphere to ensure the end of Naga insurgency, include setting up of a Political Affairs Committee and holding of consultations with tribal Hohos and civil society groups.

Rio said that he urged all sections of the Naga society to come together to strengthen the peace process and create a congenial environment for the successful conclusion of the ongoing negotiations.

"On our (state government) part, we reiterate our commitment to pave the way for an alternative arrangement that may arise from the political agreement."

On amalgamation of all contiguous Naga areas, the Chief Minister appealed to the neighbouring states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur to appreciate the history and democratic rights of the Nagas in this respect to facilitate harmonious coexistence and brotherhood.

The Chief Minister said that a lot needs to be done in Nagaland vis-a-vis the infrastructure.

"We need to build roads and maintain them, create employment opportunities for our youths to enable them to live their dreams and reach their potential."

He said that lasting peace was needed in Nagaland as a conducive environment for investors that allows them to do business without compromising on Naga history, customs and culture.

"This will help create jobs and bolster our economy. This is an achievable goal and we have a great opportunity to be an equal and proud partner in the Indian growth story."

Thousands of people across Nagaland celebrated the 72nd Independence Day amidst tight security as Rio unfurled the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza here and took the salute from marching contingents of paramilitary forces, Nagaland Police, National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, besides school children.

--IANS

rrk/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)NASA's Opportunity Rover, which has been roaming Mars for nearly 15 years, is missing for two months after getting caught in a massive dust storm, the media reported.

The rover had to undergo an emergency shutdown in June, after the Martian dust storm prevented it from powering itself through its solar panels.

Scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been listening for the rover everyday since its forced shutdown and attempting to send Opportunity a message command three times a week. So far, it has not sent a beep back, the Inverse reported on Tuesday.

Last NASA heard from Opportunity was on June 10 and since then there's no real update, Andrew Good from NASA's Mars and Mars technology media relations specialist told Inverse.

"We still haven't heard from it. A variety of scientists think early to mid-September might be a time when the skies clear enough that it could recharge," he said.

Moreover, the science team does not expect to hear anything from Opportunity until there has been a significant reduction in the atmospheric opacity over the rover site, NASA said in a statement.

"Since the last contact with the rover on June 10, Opportunity has likely experienced a low-power fault and perhaps, a mission-clock fault. Additionally, the up-loss timer has also since expired, resulting in another fault condition," it added.

First detected by NASA on June 1, a massive storm led to a "dark, perpetual night" over the rover in the Perseverance Valley.

The rover uses solar panels to provide power and to recharge its batteries.

Opportunity's power levels had dropped significantly by June 6, requiring the rover to shift to minimal operations and later to temporarily suspend science operations.

Despite the worsening dust storm, Opportunity had sent a transmission to NASA engineers on June 10.

--IANS

rt/ksk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Navy on Wednesday rescued more than 80 persons as the flood situation worsened in Kerala again, leaving a fresh trail of death and destruction.

As part of its 'Operation Madad', the Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats as the situation deteriorated across the southern state where 19 people lost their lives since Tuesday evening due to the incessant downpour, forcing authorities to issue a red alert.

"A total of four teams went out (on Wednesday) to augment those already deployed. More than 81 persons were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp," an Indian Navy spokesperson said.

Flooding was reported near Varapuzha residential area, Aluva and hence a primary school has been converted into a relief camp by the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) wherein relocation of rescued persons was in progress.

Meals and lodging for survivors have been arranged from pooled resources of the Defence Services Corps (DSC), NAD and the civil administration. A clinic has also been set up with civil assistance for providing first aid to the rescued.

Three columns of relief teams have been put on standby at a naval base in Kochi to meet any other contingency.

Also, naval hospital INHS Sanjivani is on a standby with medical packages while INS Venduruthy is standing by for setting up community kitchens.

--IANS

sar/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday appeared before an accountability court here for the hearings of the two remaining corruption references against him.

Mehboob Alam, the investigation officer in the Al Azizia Steel Mills reference, was supposed to continue his statement in the case but Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris pleaded with the court to allow him to cross-examine the star witness in the case, Wajid Zia, first, reports Dawn news.

The court accepted the plea and summoned Zia at the next hearing.

After Haris' cross-examination, Zia will record his statement in the second Flagship Investment reference.

The hearing of the case has been adjourned to August 27.

Pakistan's anti-corruption body NAB had filed three cases -- Avenfield, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, and offshore companies, including Flagship Investment Limited -- against the Sharifs on the Supreme Court's directives in the July 2017 Panamagate verdict.

The trial commenced in September that year.

The three-time Premier and his sons Hasan and Hussain were accused in all the three graft references whereas his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.

Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Safdar are already serving prison sentences of 10 years, seven years and one year, respectively after being convicted in the Avenfield case involving the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London.

--IANS

ksk/bg

(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.)Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Wednesday stressed on the need for revitalizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to advance prosperity in the region.

Addressing an event in the capital, Gyawali expressed the hope that the Saarc can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the South Asia region.

"A peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia is in our interest. As a common platform, Saarc can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the region. What we need to do is to revitalize Saarc. We must make it an organization that delivers tangible outcome," he was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Without deeper integration we cannot enjoy the fruits of regional cooperation," Gyawali said.

The Saarc member states should focus on core areas of trade, investment, tourism, and connectivity to achieve tangible results, the Nepali Foreign Minister said.

"Nepal always remains proactive in realizing the objectives enshrined in the Saarc Charter and as the current chair has been working closely with member states in the spirit of solidarity, cooperation and partnership," Gyawali said amidst the presence of diplomats from South Asian countries.

Saarc is a regional body established in 1985 in South Asia and comprises of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal is currently the chair of the bloc.

Nepali Foreign Minister's remark has come at a time when the Saarc member states are failing to forge consensus on holding of the 19th summit since its cancellation in 2016 amid border tensions between India and Pakistan.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nepal will join the first ever military exercise of the countries in the BIMSTEC, or Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, to be hosted by India next month, a spokesman of the Nepali Army Headquarters said here on Wednesday.

Gokul Bhandari, spokesman of the Nepali Army, told Xinhua that 30 army soldiers of Nepal will join the military exercise to be held from September 10-16 in Pune of the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

"We are expecting the exercise will be helpful in sharing best practices in the area of counter-terrorism," Bhandari said.

BIMSTEC was founded in 1997, and groups India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Nepal, which is currently the chair of the regional organization, had announced last month it would hold the fourth summit of the BIMSTEC on August 30 and 31 in Kathmandu.

--IANS

ahm/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) on Wednesday held the Cosmos Cooperative Bank Ltd's "own IT environment" responsible for the unprecedented cyber loot which left the Pune-based bank poorer by Rs 94.42 crore.

In a statement here, the NPCI's Head Risk Management, Bharat Panchal, said: "The NPCI's systems are fully secure and this particular issue has occurred within the (Cosmos Bank's) own IT environment.

"This has happened due to malware-based attack on the bank's IT system which has caused a fraud. Under the attack, maximum transactions have been reported from outside India."

He reiterated that the systems of NCPI - the umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India - "were absolutely secure and it was continuously monitoring the situation arising out of the Cosmos Bank episode".

The Indian banking industry went in shudders on Tuesday after the Cosmos Bank admitted that it had fallen victim to an international group of hackers who siphoned off a total of Rs 94.24 crore in two cyber attacks on August 11 and August 13.

In the first cyber hit, the bank lost Rs 80.50 crore through multiple ATM swipes in 28 countries.

In the second malware assault, the hackers gobbled up Rs 13.92 crore by initiating SWIFT

transfers.

Cosmos Bank Chairman Milind A. Kale said that after the malware attack on the critical communication system between various payment gateways was hacked, the hackers' gangs were informed simultaneously in 28 countries and they immediately started the withdrawals, in many cases small amounts of around $100, to avoid rousing suspicions.

He said normally, the Core Banking System (CBS) receives debit card payment requests via its 'Switching System'. But during the malware attack, a proxy switch was created and all the fraudulent payment approvals were passed through the proxy switching system.

Kale said the bank's own servers and other systems were inspected annually by the Reserve Bank of India Audit and System Audit and the bank was ensuring all the measures for data security and this security system was fully operational.

Banking experts and industry players fear this could be a 'pilot run' unless the authorities take it seriously.

Meanwhile, pending investigations, the country's second oldest and second largest cooperative bank (in terms of deposits and advances) has now shut all its ATMs across the country for two days till Thursday to prevent any further incidents.

The consolation was the Kale's assurance that none of the bank's 20 lakh customer accounts across 140 branches in the country have been affected nor would they bear any loss.

--IANS

qn/ksk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistani and Chinese officials have jointly inaugurated an art exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA).

Pakistan's caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Ali Zafar and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing inaugurated the exhibition organized by the PNCA on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

People from all walks of life thronged the art gallery to appreciate the mastery of Pakistani and Chinese artists.

The minister expressed his gratitude to the Chinese artists for taking part in the exhibition to make Pakistan's Independence Day memorable.

A special feature of the exhibition was 30 art pieces from China. Apart from this, over 200 paintings and 100 sculptures were also displayed. The artworks included miniature paintings, graphite drawings, acrylics, sculptures and ceramics besides a display of images produced by Chinese artists.

A photographic exhibition titled "Mera Pakistan" (My Pakistan) was the highlight of the exhibition, in which over 100 photographs reflecting the face and culture of Pakistan were showcased.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Patriotic fervour, gaiety and the spirit of freedom marked the 72nd Independence Day celebrations across Karnataka on Wednesday.

In the state capital, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy unfurled the tricolour at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade ground in the city centre under a cloudy sky.

Kumaraswamy joined about 8,000 people, including women and children, when the national anthem was played by a military band at the sprawling venue.

An Army helicopter showered rose petals around the podium where the Chief Minister and many VIPs were seated.

After receiving salute and inspecting the guard of honour, Kumaraswamy went around the rectangular ground in an open jeep and greeted the battalions of armed forces, state reserved police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Bharat Scouts and Guides.

The Chief Minister delivered his speech in Kannada for about 30 minutes.

Forty contingents of state police forces, Home Guards, Fire Force NCC, Scouts and Guides and about 1,200 boys and girls from city schools joined the armed forces in the march parade around the ground, passing before the Chief Minister and other dignitaries.

About 2,500 students re-enacted select historic events of the freedom struggle, including non-violent protests and clashes with colonial police.

Some 100 young artistes staged cultural programmes, including folk dances and songs, depicting the war of independence.

Through song, dance and short plays, the youths relived the life of freedom fighters including Sangoli Rayanna and Kittur Rani Chennamma of Karnataka who fought against the British Army in the 19th century.

Martial arts and daring feats and acrobatics on motorcycles by the military as well as the police teams kept the crowds spellbound.

Later, Kumaraswamy presented gallantry medals and awards to police officers and distributed prizes to the participating organisations.

Governor Vajubhai Vala hoisted the national flag at the Raj Bhavan here.

According to reports from districts, the national flag was hoisted by the cabinet ministers and deputy commissioners.

Events were also held in hundreds of schools and colleges across the state.

--IANS

fb/ksk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Dana White, the Pentagon's chief spokeswoman, is currently under probe for allegedly retaliating against staff members who complained against her for asking them to do her personal work.

White has been under investigation by the Defence Department Office of Inspector General for several weeks after multiple complaints were filed against her, informed sources told CNN on Tuesday.

She is alleged to have misused support staff, asking them, among other things, to fetch her laundry and medicines and work on her mortgage paperwork.

Staffers also charged that she inappropriately transferred personnel after they filed complaints about her.

White has not been found to have violated of any federal regulation or policy at this point.

As many as half a dozen defence personnel have been interviewed so far, the sources said.

White became spokeswoman in April 2017 and reports directly to Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Pentagon ethics standards state that "a DoD (Department of Defence) official may not direct or request subordinates to use official time to perform any activities other than official activities".

White previously served as a foreign policy adviser to Senator John McCain of Arizona, worked on the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee and as a director of communications for the Renault-Nissan Alliance in France.

--IANS

ksk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two seers were found murdered and another seriously injured in a temple in Auraiyya district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, triggering protests, arson and tension in the area.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a grim view of the killings at the Bhayanaknath temple in Kudarkot area of Bidhoona and directed Director General of Police O.P. Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar to ensure that the culprits were caught within 48 hours.

The Chief Minister also announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families and Rs one lakh to the critically wounded.

Unidentified assailants had fatally attacked Lajja Ram and Halkeram as well as Ram Sharan, who was critically injured, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The three were found tied to cots. Their bodies bore attacks with sharp-edged weapons.

Tension brewed in Auraiyya district as angry groups of people took to the streets, staged demonstrations on the highways, vandalised property and torched vehicles when the twin murders came to light on Wednesday morning.

Police was rushed to control the situation as the crowds went berserk. There were skirmishes between the protesters and the police.

Authorities ordered the suspension of Inspector incharge of Bidhoona, Akhilesh Mishra, and Constable Islam for dereliction of duty. District Magistrate Shrikant Mishra and Superintendent of Police Nageshwar Singh rushed to the spot to pacify the irate mob.

The protesters claimed that the murders were committed after a complaint to the police about cow slaughter by certain area residents.

A senior official told IANS that a probe has been ordered and that the situation was tense but under control.

--IANS

md/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly or the lower house of the country's Parliament on Wednesday, beating PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah, who was fielded by an alliance of the opposition parties.

Qaiser received 176 votes to be elected to the speakership, whereas Shah got 146 votes. The election took place through a secret ballot. A total of 330 votes were cast, out of which 322 were accepted and eight were rejected, Dawn online reported.

Among those who cast their vote were PTI chairman and Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who has been elected to the National Assembly for the first time.

Qaiser was administered the oath by outgoing Speaker Ayaz Sadiq amid chants of "vote ko izzat do" by opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). They also displayed posters of their leader Nawaz Sharif, who is currently serving a 10-year jail term following his conviction in the Avenfield corruption reference.

MNAs from the PPP, which was also sitting in the opposition, remained silent. The opposition lawmakers decried the alleged rigging that they said helped the PTI win the July 25 general election.

Following the selection of the Speaker, polling began for the election of the deputy speaker in the Assembly. The contest was between the PTI's Qasim Suri and the opposition's candidate Asad Mehmood.

Qaiser, who belongs to the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, will be the 21st Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly. He had served as the Speaker of the provincial assembly of KP for five years from June 2013 to May 2018.

Earlier, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani of the PTI was elected the Speaker and Mehmood Jan the deputy speaker of KP's provincial assembly.

In southern Sindh province, Agha Siraj Durrani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was elected the Speaker of the Sindh assembly for the second consecutive term defeating the opposition candidate Javed Hanif. The PPP emerged as the largest party in Sindh and will form the government in the province.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday reminded people on the occasion of Independence Day that no religion teaches animosity.

As he and his deputy greeted the people on the occasion, Manish Sisodia told them to aspire for freedom from the shackles of caste, religion and narrow outlook.

Sharing a couplet from Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal's patriotic song "Sare Jahan Se Accha", Kejriwal wished that there be all around development in the country and peace should prevail.

"Religion does not teach us animosity... We are of Hind, our homeland is Hindustan," he tweeted.

Sisodia said only political freedom does not make a country free.

"Let's remind ourselves on the occasion that a free country is not made up of only political freedom. Freedom from the struggles over caste and religion, and narrow outlook towards women ensures that a country is truly free," he said.

--IANS

nks/in/mr/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Trend





On Oct. 9, 2018, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) will organize the German-Azerbaijani Business Forum Energy and ICT in Azerbaijan with support of the German Eastern Business Association (Ost-Ausschuss  Osteuropaverein der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V.), the press service of the AHK Azerbaijan stated.

The aim of the event is to present projects, proposals and needs of German and Azerbaijani companies and to identify current opportunities for cooperation.

The main focus of the Forum will be on reforms and perspectives for partnerships in the energy and ICT sectors. High-level representatives of the Azerbaijani government are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Forum.

The participation in the Forum is free of charge. The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation into the Azerbaijani language.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the people of the country and its institutions must strive to remain "independent" in the true sense of the word.

Banerjee unfurled the tricolour and attended a colourful parade at the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road), as West Bengal joined the nation in celebrating the 72nd Independence Day.

In a midnight tweet on the occasion, Banerjee called for cherishing the "idea of India" for which the freedom fighters had laid down their lives.

"Our country must reach the glorious heights that the founding fathers of our Constitution envisioned," she tweeted greeting "all brothers and sisters".

Her ministers, senior bureaucrats and police officers, armed forces officers and members of the diplomatic corps also took part in the main function in the city.

She also conferred the Chief Minister's medal to police officers.

Various wings of the police and NCC cadets participated in the parade, as a helicopter showered petals, and folk dance troupes from across the state depicted diverse cultures.

In a first, police personnel from Odisha took part in the parade.

Riding their blue-white and pink-black scooters, the newly formed special all-women patrolling team from the Kolkata Police earned applause on their maiden presence in the parade.

Constituted in 2018, the team christened "winners" have been primarily trained to assist their male counterparts in helping women complaining of molestation or eve-teasing.

Various state government departments also brought out colourful tableaux highlighting their achievements, some of the government schemes and Bengal's rich cultural heritage.

After the Trinamool came to power in 2011, Banerjee started the ritual of the Independence Day parade at the Indira Gandhi Sarani.

Earlier, Banerjee was present at the customary midnight Independence Day celebration organised by her party Trinamool Congress at South Kolkata's Hazra Crossing.

Governor K.N. Tripathi joined a traditional prayer meeting at the Gandhighat in Barrackkpore in 24 Parganas North district. He offered flowers at the base of the Gandhi Memorial column on the bank of the Hooghly river.

Amid rendition of Ramdhun and spinning of the charkha, patriotic compositions were sung by a choir on the occasion.

Tripathi also paid floral tributes exactly at noon at the base of Mahatma Gandhi's statue on Mayo Road in the heart of Kolkata.

The state government organised a sit and draw competition for school children at the Kolkata Information Centre, where a photography exhibition "Bengal is our pride" will be inaugurated in the evening.

The tricolour was hoisted and unfurled in all the districts of the state by the authorities.

Independence Day was also celebrated in schools and colleges, hospitals and other government and non-government institutions across the state.

Patriotic songs reverberated in the air while people exchanged greetings and wishes on the occasion.

--IANS

ssp/in/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Film: "Satyameva Jayate"; Director: Milap Zaveri; Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Aisha Sharma and Amruta Khanvilkar; Rating: **1/2

"Satyameva Jayate" which means, "Truth always triumphs", is designed as an action thriller. It is a revenge story, where a son fights the system, and makes it his raison d'etre to restore his father's lost dignity.

The film begins with Veer (John Abraham) an ex-army man becoming a vigilante, killing corrupt police officers in the city of Mumbai. The first police personnel killed was from Santa Cruz Police station. The second from Andheri Police station. The police force is baffled with the ghastly deaths.

The Commissioner puts his favourite and honest DCP Shivansh Rathod in charge of the investigation. No sooner than he takes charge, the vigilante calls DCP Shivansh and forewarns him about his next target.

The DCP accepts the challenge only to realise too late, that the killer had a systematic approach in targeting his victims.

He decodes the motive too in a jiffy. But then, nobody can break the law, so the vigilante has to be arrested. Thus begins the cat-and-mouse chase between the vigilante and the investigating officer.

The plot disrobes the police and exposes the horrific level of corruption that is prevailing within the system. While the premise of the film is anti-corruption, it does have a patriotic tinge, but all that is lost in the drama.

While the narrative is earnest, the plot, laden with cinematic liberties although credible, takes you by surprise. It seems like a Manmohan Desai fabrication with all the tropes of a good Bollywood masala film, which include an item number "Dilbar" picturised on Nora Fatehi.

The dialogues are intermittently impactful. They seem to be over-egged in an attempt to give its characters a larger than life image.

The first half of the film is done up in a slick and exciting manner which is intriguing and keeps you glued to the screen.

The second half that starts with the back story of Veer, off tracks the momentum set in the first half and hence, the tale drags.

Being an action hero, John Abraham is sincere as Veer, who has turned into a large-hearted and conscientious citizen who loves the oppressed immensely, after the death of his father.

He essays his part with panache.

John is aptly supported by Aisha as Veer's love interest Shikka, Manoj as DCP Shivansh Rathod, Amruta as the DCP's wife Sarita.

Though the film with its messages is kind of fascinating, its impact as a vengeance drama lacks the superhero punch.

--IANS

troy/nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)DMK Working President M.K. Stalin on Wednesday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into a Rs 6,000 crore scam in coal imports by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO).

In a statement issued here, Stalin said a CBI probe should be ordered immediately into the Rs 6,000 crore scam in coal imports by TANGEDCO.

He said the party would approach the court if a CBI probe is not sought by the state government.

Stalin alleged TANGEDCO had imported inferior quality coal at higher prices showing the coal as superior quality, resulting in a scam of Rs 6,000 crore.

He said the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its 2016-17 report has stated irregularities in the import of coal by TANGEDCO between 2012-2016.

--IANS

vj/pgh/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Wednesday said the state leads in attracting industrial investments.

Unfurling the national flag at Fort St. George, the state Secretariat here, to mark the 72nd Independence Day, Palaniswami said the state would host the second Global Investors Meet next year.

Listing the achievements of the government in the fields of industry, agriculture and education, he added that it was due to the sacrifices of many freedom fighters that India secured its independence.

He said the contributions of Tamil Nadu in the fight for freedom - armed or non-violent - were immense.

Palanswami recalled the Sepoy mutiny against the East India Company at Vellore on July 10, 1806, owing to similar causes that triggered the 1857 revolt at Meerut.

--IANS

vj/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to temper its behaviour in the disputed areas of South China Sea.

In a speech delivered on Tuesday night at the presidential palace, Duterte, who has sought improved ties with Beijing since taking office two years ago, called on China to respect countries' right of passage through waters Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

He said that it was "wrong" that China claims these disputed waters as its territories since they are "considered a part of international sea" and "the right of innocent passage is guaranteed", according to the official transcript of a speech provided on Wednesday.

"You cannot create an island. It's man-made and you say that the air above these artificial islands is yours," Duterte was cited as saying by Efe news.

Despite a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) two years ago which attributed the rights in the area to Manila, Beijing went on to occupy the territories and build large artificial islands with military facilities.

"They have to rethink that, because that would be a flashpoint someday and even, you know, warning others," he said.

In recent weeks, the Philippines media has published videos and recordings of radio transmissions in which the Chinese Coast Guards, in a threatening tone, asked foreign boats to leave the disputed waters.

The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei claim all or parts of the Spratly Islands, but Beijing has built artificial islands on the reefs to de facto appropriate them.

This is the first time that Duterte has openly condemned the Chinese military presence in the disputed Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

During his two years in office, he chose not to explicitly claim Manila's rights over them, by virtue of the favourable ruling of the PCA, in exchange for Chinese investment.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The contentious Mullaperiyar Dam issue between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which is now before the Supreme Court following heavy rains over the past week, is likely to trigger fresh tension between the two states.

Although the dam is located in Kerala, it serves and is operated by Tamil Nadu, and Kerala has for long been demanding de-commissioning of the dam which has over the years developed leaks.

On account of the huge rains that hit Idukki in the past one week, in the wee hours of Wednesday around 2.35 a.m, the sluice gates of the dam were opened after the water level touched 142 feet mark.

Incidentally, the route that the water from the Mullaperiyar Dam takes reaches the catchment area of the Idukki dam, which is also overflowing currently.

Tamil Nadu has all along maintained that the dam is safe, and a Supreme Court directive in May 2014 allowed the state to increase the water level from 136 feet to a maximum of 142 feet.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British regime.

With the ongoing downpour in and around Idukki dam, there is anxiety over the way Tamil Nadu would handle the water level in the dam, as they use the waters of the dam using large penstock pipes for irrigating their farmland.

Reports have surfaced that Tamil Nadu has now reduced its offtake to prove a point that the dam is safe and the water level in the dam could be raised further to 152 feet.

After a review meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media now that the water level in the dam has touched 142 feet, he would soon speak to his counterpart in Tamil Nadu and also to the Centre to appraise them of the gravity of the situation.

Anxious people living around the dam and downstream reacted sharply to the way things are being handled and wished that this is the time that the Supervisory Committee of the apex court should make a visit to the dam site and see for themselves that danger lurks here.

--IANS

sg/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged people to love and respect fellow Indians for the nation's development, saying those dividing the country on religious grounds are not its well-wishers.

"People are made to fight in the name of religion. One religion is instigated against another. The nation is our mother and we are its children irrespective of the religion or caste. A house where people living together are fighting will not progress," Kejriwal said in his speech on the 72nd Independence Day.

He said those who instigated one religion against the other were not the well-wishers of the country.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader also asked the people to recall the dreams of freedom fighters as the nation completes 71 years of freedom.

"A number of people lost their lives to give freedom to the nation with a vision for the country and the people. Can we say that we have fulfilled those dreams and visions?"

He said a number of countries got independence after India but had surged past India in growth.

"India is still counted among backward countries. We are considered a developing nation and not developed," he said.

Counting the issues faced by the people, he said a large number of people were illiterate, poor and lacked basic facilities like electricity, water and health.

Speaking about the achievements of his government in the last three years, he said it had proved that things can be improved. "All we need is a clear intention."

He urged people to work on the education sector on war footing so that no one is left uneducated.

"If we only dedicate one year to improving education, no can stop us from being number one in the world. No nation can develop without education," he said.

--IANS

nks/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump urged that tough action be taken against the person responsible for the alleged terrorist attack on Tuesday morning in front of the UK Parliament in London.

"Another terrorist attack in London...These animals are crazy and must be dealt with through toughness and strength!" Trump tweeted.

The US President has on several occasions criticized the UK authorities, particularly London Mayor Sadiq Khan, whom he has accused of weakness in dealing with the terrorist threat.

At least three people were injured when intentionally hit by a car Tuesday morning. One of them is in serious condition, though her life is not in danger, according to the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and head of its Counter-Terror Command, Neil Basu.

The counter-terror unit has taken charge of the investigation.

The driver of the car was arrested after speeding through a crowd of pedestrians and cyclists waiting for the traffic light to change, then crashing the vehicle against a steel and reinforced concrete security barrier outside the Palace of Westminster, seat of the Houses of Parliament, Efe reported.

London's Westminster underground station next to the Parliament was closed when the security alert was issued and police blocked traffic from entering the governmental area.

Parliament, closed for its summer recess, has been surrounded by steel and reinforced concrete barriers since the attack in March of last year by another man driving a vehicle.

In that attack, Khalid Masood ran over several people on Westminster Bridge next to Parliament, killing four people. He then got out and tried to enter the building, where he stabbed a police officer to death.

--IANS

qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man arrested on suspicion of terror offences after a car crashed outside the UK Houses of Parliament was named as Salih Khater, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, the media reported.

On Tuesday morning, the 29-year-old drove a Ford Fiesta into pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. Three people were injured in the incident.

Khater came to the UK as a refugee and was granted asylum, the BBC reported. His brother, Abdullah Khater, described him as a "normal person" with no fanatical ideas and no links to any religious group.

Abdullah Khater also said his family, originally from Darfur in Sudan, was in "a state of shock" over the incident.

The suspect was not believed to have been known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, but was understood to have been known to the local police.

He did not co-operate with officers after his arrest, Scotland Yard said. The investigation team's priority "continues to be to understand the motivation behind this incident", a spokesman added.

Police concluded searches of two properties in Birmingham and one in Nottingham. They were also searching a third address in Birmingham.

Khater was believed to have lived in a first-floor flat above a parade of shops in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham until four months ago, when he moved to the city's Highgate area.

Neighbours called him a quiet man who frequently visited an Internet cafe and a nearby shisha lounge, both on Stratford Road.

Local resident Ahmed Abdi described him as a man who "never spoke to anybody", and added: "I recognised his picture from the news and I was shocked."

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India plans to launch an "Understanding India" programme in China to "demystify" the country and create a better understanding of it.

Despite being immediate neighbours, India and China lack people-to-people contact and cultural exchange.

Indian Council of Cultural Relations President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was in Beijing to attend the World Congress of Philosophy, said that by watching Bollywood and reading websites one can know India only superficially.

"India cannot be understood by simply reading books and visiting websites. India is an experience," Sahasrabuddhe said.

"In most big countries like China, we are trying to have some kind of 'Understanding India' programme which will be a structural programme."

The Rajya Sabha MP said that India was a "riddle" to the people outside because of its diversity and coexistence of masses despite the economic disparity in the country.

"We would like to demystify the idea of India through this programme," Sahasrabuddhe added.

He also said the Indian cultural centres across the world that don't have any name will be named after Indian monk Swami Vivekananda.

The cultural centre at the Indian Embassy in Beijing was named after the spiritual leader on Tuesday.

"We respect everybody. There are Nehru centres; there are Mahatma Gandhi centres; there are Tagore centres but there are centres that did not have any names... so we thought it was fit to name all those under Swami Vivekananda because he symbolizes Indian culture in a multiple ways. He is an inspirational hero," said Sahasrabuddhe.

There are 37 Indian cultural centres in the world.

--IANS

gsh/soni/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Trend





Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva expressed condolences to Italian President Sergio Mattarella in connection with the collapse of a bridge in the Italian city of Genoa.

"We are deeply saddened as people were killed and went missing after a motorway bridge collapsed near the city of Genoa," the president and the first lady said. "On the occasion of this tragedy, on our own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, we extend our deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who were killed, and all the people of Italy."The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture, stocking, sale and transport of all plastic and thermocol items, an official said.

The ban on disposable cups, plates, spoons, forks and glasses was rolled out on the 72nd Independence Day.

This is the second phase of the initiative that was started in July by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the official told IANS.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the ban on polythene bags of less than 50 microns on July 15.

The state will roll out the third and final phase on the Gandhi Jayanti day on October 2 by imposing a total ban on non-bio-degradable polythene.

Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Manoj Kumar Singh said the government has directed all municipal corporations, district officials and concerned departments to enforce the ban.

There will be special inspections to ensure compliance.

For the first time, the polythene ban has been effective on ground as the government empowered various departments to seize and penalise offenders, rather than leaving it to municipal corporations.

Under the new rule, people found with 100 grams of polythene would be fined Rs 1,000 and those with five kilogram will have to cough up Rs 25,000.

--IANS

md/in/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The US said that it will not intervene in the ongoing diplomatic row between Canada and Saudi Arabia.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes "this is an issue for the Canadians and... for the Saudis to resolve themselves," reports Xinhua news agency.

"The US does not have to get involved or interfere in every issue that's out there before countries... It's not necessary for the US to have to step in between two countries that have the ability to pick up the phone and handle these issues among themselves."

She however, said that Washington firmly supported the right to free speech.

"Every time one of these issues comes up, we remain concerned about the detention of activists in Saudi Arabia, and we urge the government of Saudi Arabia and all governments to ensure that due process is done, and that it's handled in a transparent and fair manner," she added.

Last week, Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador, froze new trade and investment in Canada and withdrew thousands of Riyadh-funded students from Canada.

It also announced the suspension of Saudi Arabian airlines flights to and from Toronto.

The measures were taken to show the Kingdom's displeasure at Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and other officials criticising the detention of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia and urging for their immediate release.

Riyadh called it an intervention in its internal affairs.

As the dispute escalated, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that the country will always stand up for human rights.

In response, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir ruled out the possibility of mediation and warned of more measures against Canada.

Saudi Arabia is Canada's 19th largest trading partner and the source of some 10 per cent of Canadian crude oil imports.

--IANS

ksk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US State Department said on Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with South Korea's Foreign Minister over phone to discuss the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, and they vowed to keep close coordination on the issue.

In a statement released by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, Pompeo and Kang Kyung-hwa "discussed DPRK denuclearization efforts and the need to maintain pressure" until "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK" was achieved.

The two officials also "vowed to maintain close coordination and communication and they affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) held senior-level talks on Monday at a border village of Panmunjom, and agreed to hold a summit in Pyongyang between the two nations' top leaders before the end of September.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un signed the Panmunjom Declaration after their first summit meeting on April 27. Under the declaration, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges.

--IANS

qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The US state of Illinois has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Tower in Chicago, alleging that it was releasing millions of gallons of water into the Chicago River without assessing its impact on pollution.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan said she filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on Tuesday, reports NBC News.

She said that the building takes in almost 20 million gallons of water per day from the river to cool the property's heating and ventilation systems, and that heated water is later discarded into the river.

Madigan's office also said that federal law requires "extensive studies of Chicago River fish populations and the impact of the building's water intake system" and that the property failed to submit study results to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2013.

It also says that Trump Tower's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit expired on Aug. 31, 2017.

"Trump Tower continues to take millions of gallons of water from the Chicago River every day without a permit and without any regard to how it may be impacting the river's ecosystem," Madigan said in a statement.

"I filed my lawsuit to make sure Trump Tower cannot continue violating the law."

A spokesperson for the Trump Organisation said the issue could have been handled in other ways instead of a lawsuit, NBC News reported.

"We are disappointed that the Illinois Attorney General would choose to file this suit... One can only conclude that this decision was motivated by politics."

--IANS

ksk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to host "a great and grand" Prayag Kumbh in 2019, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday, while greeting the people on the occasion of India's Independence Day.

Adityanath said that various projects had been rolled out to ensure facilities for the millions likely to attend the Kumbh from all over the world.

Work was on war footing and extensive arrangements were being made to ensure that "pure Ganga water" was available to pilgrims, he said.

The Chief Minister said Independence Day, which he described as a "national festival", gave everyone an opportunity to introspect and reiterate their commitment to work towards making India a great nation.

He urged all sections to take part in his government's mission to plant nine crore saplings across the state on Wednesday.

--IANS

md/mr/qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The deal was surprising, but perhaps it shouldn't have been. At the core of the agreement concluded by Juncker and Trump was the understanding that the European Union and the United States will work together toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods, with no new trade barriers in the meantime. ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorThe on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken "the truth" in the last address of his term instead of making a "hollow" speech and urged him to accept party chief Rahul Gandhi's challenge of a debate on issues such as corruption, mob lynching and Chinese incursions.

In his last speech before Lok Sabha elections, Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was "policy paralysis" under the UPA.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the prime minister in his address did not utter a single word that was "meaningful" to the common person.

Surjewala claimed that people were now tired of the "fake achche din" promised by the BJP and were waiting for "sachche din" (days of truth) when he departs as the prime minister of the country.

In 2013, Modi had created a Red Fort-like replica in Chhattisgarh and from there he had challenged then prime minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, falling rupee and failing economy, rampant unemployment as also discrimination vis-a-vis farmers and India's women, Surjewala said.

"We ask you Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, five years after you have taken over as prime minister, are you ready for a debate on these very issues with president "

"Will you debate on the issue of corruption and Rafale and Vyapam and other corruption scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort on corruption," he told reporters at the AICC headquarters.

Gandhi had dared the prime minister to a debate on the Rafale deal and claimed that he will not be able to answer his questions on the issue "even for a second".

Surjewala also asked if Modi was ready to have a debate with the president on issues such as the state of India's farmers, "mob lynching that is happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders" and "insecurity" of women.

"You (prime minister) did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incident that happened in the country," Surjewal claimed, referring to the shelter home case of Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and the rape case in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao involving a BJP MLA.

"Will you today debate on the failing economy and falling rupee, for the rupee has hit a new low that is 70 and the trade deficit has gone over $18 billion. Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and has been engulfing India from all sides," the Congress spokesperson alleged.

He also urged the prime minister to debate on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and "rampant unemployment" in the country.

The last speech of Modi's tenure as prime minister has proved to be "hollow" because neither he made a mention of corruption in the Rafale deal nor did he say a word about the Vyapam or the PDS scams.

"He also did not talk about incursions by China in Doklam and other places. He also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country, on the conspiracy of making brothers fight and how people are killing each other, on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food," he said.

"We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, and if not 'mann ki baat', he could have at least done 'kaam ki baat'," Surjewala said, taking a swipe at Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' Radio programme.

The Congress leader also said there was a need to fight a second struggle for independence -- independence from discrimination, independence from unemployment, independence from poverty, independence from lack of opportunities and from empty rhetoric and promises.

Asked about the remarks of Modi that India's stature rose on the world stage in the last four years, he said the prime minister should not undermine India's contribution in the last 70 years.

India was always a power and it did not happen in the last four years, he said, adding that the prime minister's statement of this nature was "myopic, parochial and uncalled for" on a day like the

"He (Modi) makes promises to break them. His and his party's path has been one of spreading hate and divisiveness," Surjewala said.In a historic first for Noida, the city today witnessed plantation of more than one lakh saplings in a single day as part of the Uttar Pradesh government's afforestation drive, officials said.

As many as 1,04,918 saplings were planted during the drive which began at 9 am and went on till 7 pm. With enthusiastic public participation, we exceeded our own target, General Manager, Noida Authority, Rajeev Tyagi told PTI.

The Yogi Adityanath government aimed to plant nine crore saplings across the state in a single day to mark the 72nd Independence Day, Noida Authority officials said, adding that the target for Noida Authority was 86,725 saplings.

In the 42 years since Noida's formation, no plantation drive of this scale has ever taken place. Our annual plantation target is over four lakh. Today we have achieved 23 per cent of it, Tyagi said.

Plant varieties such as jamun, imli (tamarind), kadamba, bel, neem, amla, ashok, kachnar, jacaranda, peepal, pilkhan, maulshree, calendra, tikoma, champa, erica palm and lily were planted.

"The plant species we selected are beneficial from the environmental point of view. They help reduce pollution.

Besides, the branches of these plant species have relatively longer life, which means human and wildlife can enjoy their fruits, flowers, herbs, and shade for alonger period of time," the general manager said.

The saplings were planted along roads, in parks, under elevated roads and metro rail corridors, among many other such zones.

The drive was carried out in sectors 15, 22, 27, 44, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 72, 74, 77, 112, 115, 120, 121, 122, 123, 137, 144, 145, 150, 151, 156, 166, 167 and along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

Principal Secretary of infrastructure and industrial development, Uttar Pradesh, R K Singh participated in the drive in sector 122 where students from a private school joined him in planting jamun and other fruit trees.

Union minister and Gautam Buddh Nagar Member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma participated in the drive at Sector 44, where he was joined by students from Mahamaya Girls Inter College.

People from Resident welfare associations, Rotary Club, trade unions and general public participated in the massive afforestation campaign.

Citizens from urban as well as rural areas, office bearers of the resident welfare associations (RWAs), officials from government institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), industrial units, Noida Employees Association, Noida Industries Association and Horticulture Department participated in the drive.

Students from schools and colleges joined in for the special campaign to ensure its success, he said.

The general manager said contractors, who were selected through a tender for the project, will be taking care of these plants for the next two years.

In case any plant fails to grow, or meets casualty, the contractor will have to replace it with the same species. The contractor will bear the expense in such a situation and not the Noida Authority, he said.

District magistrate Brijesh Naryan Singh also participated in the afforestation campaign.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Trend





Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to provide funding for the construction of the Hajigabul-Bahramtepe-Minjivan highway in the Fuzuli region.

Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.7 million manats for the construction of the highway connecting four residential areas with a total population of 15,000 people.Altogether 17 fishermen from Bangladesh were today arrested in South 24 Parganas district and their trawler impounded, after they entered Indian territory violating the maritime boundary, police said.

A group of Indian fishermen in Kultali area caught the Bangladeshis and handed them over to police, they said.

The fishermen from Bangladesh claimed that their trawler had become inoperative because of a mechanical failure, and it floated across the maritime boundary owing to strong winds, a police officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two men were detained for allegedly misbehaving with Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sona Ram Choudhary in Rajasthan's Barmer district today, police said.

An altercation occurred when the MP was returning to Barmer town in his vehicle, while the accused were in a separate vehicle, a police officer said.

Acting on an information by the police control room, the vehicle was intercepted in Meethada area and the duo were taken to the police station, the officer said.

Further action will be taken as per the complaint of the MP, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian Navy today said it has deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with inflatable 'Gemini' boats as the flood situation further worsened across Kerala today due to the heavy rains.

"A total of four teams went out today to augment those already deployed. More than 81 people were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp," the Southern Naval Command said in a release.

Overall, five naval teams with an equal number of Gemini boats have been deployed at different places in Wayanad district, it said.

Two teams are at Thalapuzha, and one team each at Porunnannur, Anchukunnu and Wayanad respectively.

The Wayanad team is employed for assisting the civil administration in distribution of relief materials and vehicle management.

The other four teams are employed in general rescue operations, the release said.

Seven teams with one Gemini boat each are deployed in Ernakulam district at various places.

One team is deployed on Pizhala island and is continuously patrolling the flooded area. The team has been interacting with the inhabitants of the island and providing assurances for their safety, the release said.

One team stationed at Edapally under District Collector, Ernakulam has rescued two persons till now from inundated houses at Kunnukara.

Three teams deployed around Perumbavur were able to rescue in excess of 45 stranded people and is carrying out further relief operations, it said.

Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur to undertake rescue operations.

Subsequently, based on request received from the district collector, these two teams along with four more teams have proceeded to Aluva for augmenting rescue efforts there in the wake of the Periyar being in spate, the release said.

Flooding has been reported near Varapuzha residential area, Aluva, and a primary school has been prepared as a relief camp by Naval Armament Depot (NAD) wherin relocation of rescued persons is in progress, it said.

Meals and lodging arrangements for these persons have been arranged from the pooled resources of Defence Services Corps (DSC), NAD and the civil administration.

An Medical Inspection (MI) room clinic- has also been set up with civil assistance for providing first aid to the rescued.

Two teams have been despatched to Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, and one each team to Ranni, Kottayam and Kozhencherry for flood relief operations in areas south of Kochi.

Three columns of relief teams are at stand by at Naval Base, Kochi to meet any other requirement, according to the release.

The naval hospital, INHS Sanjivani, is prepared and standing by for providing medical aid, while INS Venduruthy is ready for setting up community kitchens, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Twenty-two children drowned today when their boat sank in the Nile in Sudan while they were on their way to school, official media said.

A woman also died when the vessel went down around 750 kilometres north of the capital Khartoum with more than 40 children on board, the SUNA agency reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three fishermen from Vypin near here went missing after a fishing boat carrying seven on board sank in rough seas off Alappuzha coast today, official sources said.

A Defence spokesperson said a Naval helicopter, launched by the Southern Naval Command, has rescued four others who were on board the ill-fated vessel Anugraha.

He said the Coast Guard this morning received information about the fishing vessel "taking in water 12 nautical miles NW" off Alappuzha.

Upon receiving information, the Southern Naval Command has diverted INS Kalpeni to the area, he said.

A helicopter has also been launched for Search and Rescue, weather permitting, he added.

"There were seven people. Four fishermen have been rescued by Naval ALH helicopter and brought back to INS Garuda in Kochi. Three still missing. Dornier aircraft in the area and searching," the spokesperson said in a communication sent out to media here.

All of them hailing from Vypin, were taken for medical examination in a facility in the Naval base, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tumors once considered untreatable have disappeared and people previously given months to live are surviving for decades thanks to new therapies emerging from the work of three scientists chosen to receive a USD 500,000 medical prize.

The recipients of the annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, announced today, are being recognized for their studies of the immune system that have led to innovative treatments for cancer, HIV and other diseases.

They are James Allison of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Dr Carl June of the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; and Dr Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute. They'll receive the award at a ceremony Sept 26 in Albany, New York.

"Their research has given hope to many who otherwise faced a certain death sentence, and has inspired the work of hundreds of other researchers to investigate new pathways for treatment," said Dr Vincent Verdile, dean of Albany Medical College.

"Their impact on the development of cancer immunotherapy - and where it goes from here - is unsurpassed."



Immunotherapy harnesses the power of the immune system to attack cancer cells and tumours.

In the 1980s, Rosenberg theorized that stimulating white blood cells called T cells could provoke immune reactions.

His work led to the first immunotherapy drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer in 1992.

Former President Jimmy Carter credited the new immune therapy drug Keytruda with shrinking his brain tumours in 2015.

The drug, developed using an approach pioneered by Allison, is among a new class of genetically engineered antibody-based medicines that are transforming treatment for several kinds of cancer with drugs that are often less toxic than chemotherapy.

June has led groundbreaking work in developing CAR-T cell therapies, which alter a patient's own blood cells to turn them into specialized cancer killers.

CAR-T therapy became the first 'FDA-approved personalized cellular therapy for cancer in 2017 with the approval of Kymriah to treat certain pediatric and young adult leukemia patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In a setback to the AAP, one of its top leaders, Ashutosh, announced his resignation from the party today, citing "very very personal reasons", although Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he will not accept it "in this lifetime".

Ashutosh's resignation is being interpreted differently with some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) insiders claiming that he was unhappy over the party's decision to send a businessman to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi. Others claimed that he was "angry" over being denied a Rajya Sabha ticket by the party.

The convenor of the AAP's Delhi unit, Gopal Rai, said Ashutosh was not "angry", adding, "Everyone has the right to take personal decisions."



Ashutosh described his association with the Kejriwal-led party as "beautiful and revolutionary", while urging the media to respect his privacy and not to chase him for sound bites.

Reacting to the development, Kejriwal, who is the AAP national convener, tweeted: "How can we ever accept ur resignation (sic)?," and added in Hindi, "Na, is janam mein to nahin (not in this lifetime)".

The chief spokesperson of the AAP's Delhi unit, Saurabh Bhardwaj, told PTI that Ashutosh's resignation was not accepted and he was urged to reconsider his decision.

"Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party/requested PAC to accept the same.

"It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me throughout," Ashutosh tweeted earlier.

The journalist-turned-politician had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket and managed to bag over three lakh votes, more than Congress veteran Kapil Sibal and over a lakh less than the BJP's Harsh Vardhan.

Senior AAP functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back."



He, however, added that his relationship with Ashutosh as a "true and dependable friend" will continue lifelong.

"His separation from the party is not less than a heart rendering incident for me," Singh tweeted.

Ashutosh, who was a member of the top decision-making body of the AAP -- the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) -- was "indifferent and less active" towards the party matters of late, a senior party leader said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today exhorted NRI youths from England, who are here on a visit under the 'Connect with Your Roots' (CYR) programme, to dispel any misconceptions about the state in the minds of the Punjabi diaspora back home.

Singh was interacting with a group of 14 youths, who are here on a 10-day visit to different parts of Punjab, over lunch, an official release said.

He urged the youngsters to convey to the diaspora that the people in Punjab are living in a peaceful atmosphere, contrary to what is being projected by some mischievous elements.

"They can now judge the difference between the perception created by some anti-Punjab elements settled abroad, including Sikh for Justice (SFJ) leaders, who were bent on tarnishing the image of Punjab and Punjabis (and) to promote secessionism amongst the peace loving Punjabis in a bid to destroy the state's hard earned peace and communal harmony," he said.

SFJ is a separatist Sikh organisation behind 'Referendum 2020', a campaign that seeks to garner support to demand a separate state for Sikhs.

The chief minister told the youths that there was neither any sort of tension nor any law and order problem in Punjab.

He extended an open invitation to all Punjabis to visit the state to ascertain the ground reality.

Singh cited an instance of two of his acquaintances who visited India recently to meet him and expressed the desire to visit their native village near Fatehgarh Churian in Gurdaspur district.

On their return, they narrated how the welcome by the villagers left them overwhelmed and showed the benevolence among Punjabis, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the launch of the ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme was lauded by various organisations which called it a much-awaited gift to the nation as it would ease healthcare woes of the poor in India.

The scheme, touted as the world's largest healthcare scheme, aims to provide a coverage of Rs five lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

The PwC India and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the scheme is one of the major policy initiatives of the government for the vulnerable section of the Indian population which, if implemented effectively, will help the nation move closer to the sustainable development goal of 'Universal Health Coverage'.

"It is extremely worrying that nearly 5560 million Indians are pushed into poverty every year because they are unfortunately compelled to shell out half of their annual household expenditure to meet medical needs, especially for hospitalisation.

"It is expected that the scheme will have a far-reaching impact on the entire Indian healthcare and insurance landscape," they said in a statement.

They, however, added the execution of the scheme, will be a big challenge since it would involve identifying and focusing on the right critical success factors, allocating the optimum budgetary support, acting speedily to cover all the beneficiaries and appropriate incentivising of all stakeholders like insurance companies, third-party administrators and healthcare providers.

Founder and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group Prathap C Reddy welcomed the annoucement, saying it is a call to medical fraternity to rise to the occasion and work towards easing the healthcare woes of crores of Indians.

"As the first step towards Universal Health Coverage, this is a pivotal moment in the country's healthcare journey that will require the entire healthcare ecosystem, public and private, to work with a collective sense of purpose and synchrony," he said.

Reacting to the announcement of the scheme, apex healthcare body "Healthcare Federation of India" (NATHEALTH) said Modi has given the nation a much-awaited gift which will act as a principle vehicle to transform the entire healthcare ecosystem in the country.

"To achieve set goals under the Scheme, all stakeholders need to move forward in a collaborative spirit. At NATHEALTH, we firmly believe that accessibility, affordability and accountability are the prime priorities for healthcare sector. Building a strong network of providers is very critical for successful implementation of the scheme," said , Secretary General at NATHEALTH Anjan Bose.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) members were not available for a comment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government will launch on September 25 the ambitious Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme which aims at benefiting 50 crore Indians.

The scheme aims to target the poor, deprived rural families and it identified an occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, as per the latest Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) data.

The Centre has allocated about Rs 10,000 crore for the project. The Health Ministry has launched a formal process to empanel public and private hospitals to achieve universal health coverage under the programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Anthony Mackie is in negotiations to join the cast of "The Woman in the Window" with Amy Adams in the lead.

Sources tell Variety, the "Avengers: Infinity War" star will start shooting for the Joe Wright directorial after wrapping up the Netflix remake of the French thriller "Point Blank".

"The Woman in the Window" is the story of a child psychologist with agoraphobia (Adams). She witnesses a shocking crime involving her new neighbours, but no one believes her.

The film is a big screen take on AJ Finn's book of the same name.

Tracy Letts has adapted the script and, Scott Rudin and Eli Bush will produce the project.

Cast also includes Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Wyatt Russell and Brian Tyree Henry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Azernews





By Kamila Aliyeva

Tashkent hosted the Uzbek-Chinese business forum on cooperation in the textile industry with the participation of representatives of the textile industry of the two countries on August 15.

The forum was organized by the Uztekstilprom Association in conjunction with the Chinese National Council for Textiles and Clothing, with the participation of the leadership of the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Investments, UzTrade JSC of the Foreign Trade Ministry, the Economy Ministry.

The purpose of this forum was to establish cooperation between Uzbek and Chinese companies specializing in the textile and apparel-knitting industry, as well as the production and supply of finished textile products to the Chinese market.

During the business forum, Chinese guests were provided with detailed information about the created opportunities and benefits, in particular for Chinese investors.

Participants noted that two countries have great potential for further development of Uzbek-Chinese trade and economic cooperation. And this visit will serve as an additional incentive for Chinese investors to start their activities in Uzbekistan.

The Chinese delegation included 33 representatives of China's associations and textile companies, in particular, the Subcommittee on Textile Industry, the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the China National Clothing Association, the China Non-Woven Fabric and Industrial Textile Association, the Chinese Cotton Textile Association, the Chinese Association of Knitting Industry, Chinese Textile Information Center, 19 large companies from Shanghai, Qingdao, Nanyang Province, etc.

In the course of the visit that lasted five days, the delegation got acquainted with the investment potential of the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Samarkand and Syrdarya regions, visited enterprises with the participation of Chinese investments, LT International and the Peng Sheng Industrial Park, the press service of the Uztekstilprom reported.The Indian Army and its Chinese counterpart today expressed mutual desire to maintain peace and improve relations at the functional-level along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a defence official said.

On the occasion of India's Independence Day, Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) was held at Indian BPM huts in Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD meeting points in Eastern Ladakh, a Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said.

He said Indian delegations were led by Brigadier V K Purohit and Colonel Anil Kumar Sharma. The Chinese delegations were led by Senior Colonel Wang Jun Xian and Lieutenant Colonel Li Ming Ju.

The ceremonial BPM was marked by both delegation members saluting the National flag of India, Kalia said. This was followed by the ceremonial address by both delegation leaders which included an exchange of greetings and vote of thanks.

Later, a cultural programme showcasing the vibrant Indian culture was organised, followed by lunch. Colonel Kalia said both delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment.

The delegations parted ways amidst a feeling of friendship and a commitment towards upholding treaties and agreements signed between the two governments, the spokesman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A visiting delegation from the Asia-Pacific group on money laundering will complete its review tomorrow of Pakistan's compliance with obligations regarding fighting terror financing in order to submit its report to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a media report said today.

By the end of September next year, Pakistan has to comply with a 10-point action plan it committed with the FATF in June this year to combat terror financing and money laundering to get out of the grey list or else fall into the black list, the Dawn reported quoting a finance ministry official.

FATF, an inter-governmental body aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing, has placed Pakistan on its 'grey list' for failing to curb terror financing.

The APG, an associate member of the FATF, has direct access to its policy-making and standards-setting process. Members are committed to adopting FATF recommendations to battle money laundering.

The APG comprises 41 member-countries including, the US, Australia, Canada, China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Singapore and the Maldives.

The six-member APG delegation visiting Pakistan did not have any meeting scheduled with caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar.

But it is expected to have a wind-up session with the federal finance secretary after going through a checklist of 26 actionable points with other stakeholders, including the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) of the State Bank of Pakistan, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs and interior.

The official said the response to the checklist by the authorities had already been finalised for sharing it with the APG after a plan to improve laws and strengthen the agencies concerned was approved by the caretaker cabinet last month.

Under the plan, the FMU will be upgraded, punishments and penalties will be enhanced to check smuggling of currency and two legal documents Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance 2010 and Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947 will be strengthened to meet the requirements of United Nations resolutions.

The official said the homework to address serious deficiencies had been completed and its implementation was in progress and would be completed within the time frame committed with the FATF, the daily reported.

The official said the SECP and the SBP had recently taken steps for strengthening the regulatory regime on anti money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.

To address risk-based challenges and changing identities and titles, the regulators have streamlined documentations for all individuals and entities in financial dealings.

To ensure that criminals are not able to hide their identity through use of complex ownership structure of companies, partnerships, trusts or other similar forms, the financial institutions are required to identify the ultimate beneficial owner, who is a natural person, of all legal persons and legal arrangements before offering their services to them, the official said.

Pakistan was found deficient in four areas such as supervision of AML/CFT, illicit cross-border movement of currency by terror groups, weak investigation and poor outcome of prosecution on terror financing and unsatisfactory implementation of UNSC resolutions 1267 and 1373.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 25 people were killed when a suicide attacker struck an education centre in a minority Shiite area of western Kabul today, officials said, the latest assault in Afghanistan's war-weary capital.

"We can confirm the attack was caused by a suicide bomber on foot. The bomber detonated himself inside the education centre," police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said.

The spokesmen for the interior ministry and health ministries confirmed that at least 25 people were killed and 35 injured.

There was no immediately claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban quickly denied they were involved.

Afghanistan has been reeling from a recent upsurge in militant violence, including a massive, days-long Taliban onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni.

Analysts have said the assault on Ghazni was a military and psychological victory against the government in Kabul, proving the insurgents have the strength to strike a strategically vital city near the capital at will and remain entrenched there for days.

At least 100 security forces were killed in the fight for Ghazni, officials have said, with unconfirmed fears that at least as many civilians died.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and low morale, have taken staggering losses since US-led NATO combat forces pulled out at the end of 2014.

But it is ordinary Afghans who have taken the brunt of the violence in the grinding conflict, especially in Kabul, which the United Nations has said is the deadliest place for civilians in the country.

Militant attacks and suicide bombs were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, a recent UN report showed.

The uptick in violence comes as US and Afghan forces intensify ground and air offensives against the Islamic State (IS), and the Taliban step up their turf war with the group.

The Taliban have not claimed a major assault in Kabul for weeks.

IS, however, has carried out multiple attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad and the capital in recent months, targeting everything from government ministries to a midwife training centre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Australian senator has called for "drastically reducing" the student visa numbers in the country, where India is the second largest source of international students after China.

Fraser Anning, from the conservative Bob Katter's Australian Party, in his maiden speech at the Senate, targeted foreign students by asking for an "end to Australian-job-stealing 457 visas" and "force international students to return to their country of origin once they finish their education", SBS reported.

Anning used his first speech yesterday to urge a host of changes to Australia's immigration policy and also sought a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

"Student visas should be drastically reduced in number. This will create more university places for Australians, whose parents have actually paid for the universities with their taxes in the first place," Anning said.

"Those studying here who decide to apply to immigrate should be required to return to their country of origin after their qualification and to apply as part of the general migration programme."



Close to 200 nationalities are represented in Australia's international student population.

Of the total, more than half (53 per cent) of all international students in the country come from five sending markets: China (30 per cent), India (11 per cent), Nepal (5 per cent), Malaysia (4 per cent), and Brazil (4 per cent), according to a report by ICEF monitor, a market intelligence resource for the international education industry.

More Indian students are opting for admissions in Australian institutions. Universities such as New South Wales, Deakin, Canberra and Queensland had a "very good 2017", as far as the increase in Indian students is concerned, SBS reported earlier.

As many as 291,916 Indians migrated to Australia between 2000 and 2016, of which 154,012 individuals have acquired Australian citizenship, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in July.

The data came at a time when Australia is witnessing fierce public debate on immigration amidst concern about jobs and overcrowding in major cities.

The 457 visa programme allowed businesses to employ foreign workers for a period up to four years in skilled jobs where there was a shortage of Australian workers. The majority of the visa holders under the category were from India.

Anning also alleged that Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare. Muslims account for less than three per cent of Australia's population, census data shows.

"The final solution to the immigration problem is, of course, a popular vote," Anning concluded, before proposing a plebiscite "to allow the Australian people to decide whether they want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the Third World and, in particular, whether they want any Muslims".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Babies in prams can be exposed to up to 60 per cent more pollution than their parents, causing potential damage to their frontal lobe and impacting on their brain development, a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Surrey in the UK examined over 160 references to highlight the factors concerning the pollution exposure of babies in prams and associated mitigation strategies.

The study, published in the journal International, also investigated different types of prams based on their height, width, and whether they seat one child or two to assess if this impacted on pollution exposure levels.

They found that infants in prams breathe in more polluted air since they are positioned between 0.55m and 0.85m above ground level and vehicle exhaust pipes usually sit within 1m above road level.

This increases in-pram babies' vulnerability to being exposed to more pollution than adults.

The study suggests a range of mitigation actions, including 'active' solutions such as controlling emissions of road vehicles, and 'passive' actions such as roadside hedges between vehicles and pedestrians.

The researchers also suggested technological solutions that can help to create a clean air zone around the child's breathing area as another effective mean.

They concluded that a mixture of innovative technological solutions, community activism, and exposure-centric policies that encourage authorities to tackle traffic congestion are needed as they are seen to be the key to a lasting solution to the problem.

The review also notes other measures such as carpooling, using public transportation to reduce traffic levels, improving technologies, and community collaborations with industry could make a real difference to improving air quality for children.

According to UNICEF, 17 million children across the world who are less than a year old live in regions where air pollution levels exceed World Health Organisation recommended guidelines.

Children from poor economic backgrounds are most at risk of these dangerous levels of pollution because of a lack of nutrition, access to health care, and exposure to tobacco smoke.

"We know that infants breathe in higher amounts of airborne particles relative to their lung size and body weight compared to adults," said Prashant Kumar, Founding Director of the Global Centre for Clean Air Research.

"What we have proven here is that the height most children travel at while in a pram doubles the likelihood of negative impacts from air pollution when compared to an adult," said Kumar.

"When you also consider how vulnerable they are because of their tissues, immune systems, and brain development at this early stage of their life, it is extremely worrying that they are being exposed to these dangerous levels of pollution," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The PDP today said senior leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig and party counsel will fight the legal challenge to the validity of Article 35-A in the Supreme Court on the next date of hearing.

"Veteran PDP leader and MP from Baramulla Muzaffar Hussain Baig along with party's legal counsel will fight the assault being launched against the state's special position in the Supreme Court of India and will remain present in the court on next hearing slated to be held on August 27," Peoples Democratic Party chief spokesman Rafi Mir said today.

Baig, an alumni of Harvard Law School, served as the advocate general of Jammu and Kashmir from 1987-89 before joining

Mir said PDP president Mehbooba Mufti held a detailed meeting with party's top leadership over the present political situation and measures needed to be taken to defend Article 35-A in the apex court.

"It was unanimously agreed during the meeting that the special position accorded to the state of Jammu and Kashmir by the Constitution of India needs to be protected on all fronts and that the party will remain in the forefront to defend it in the Supreme Court," He said.

Mir said it was highlighted how the PDP while being part of the coalition with the BJP took "drastic and vital measures" for the defence of Article 35-A and the government had engaged the top lawyers of the country for the purpose.

Mehbooba emphasised that the fight to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir's special status will be carried forward with the same zest, he said.

The Supreme Court had, on August 6, said a three-judge bench would decide whether the pleas challenging Article 35-A should be referred to a five-judge Constitution bench for examining the larger issue of alleged violation of the doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A Khanwilkar had adjourned the crucial hearing on as many as five petitions "to the week commencing from August 27" on the grounds that they pertained to the challenge to a Constitutional scheme and could not be heard as the third judge, Justice D Y Chandrachud, was not present on that day.

Article 35-A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today urged people to become part of 'Vision 2025' to make the state 'smart, powerful and prosperous' by 2025, when it celebrates the silver jubilee of its formation.

He said the works that were not carried out in 56 years after the Independence, his government has accomplished in merely 15 years of rule in the state.

Chhattisgarh was carved out from Madhya Pradesh in 2000, after which the Congress was in power for first three years. Assembly elections in the state are scheduled to be held by the end of this year.

"I remember when I took oath as the chief minister for the first time on December 7, 2003, that time the people were suffering from hunger, fear, corruption, diseases, unemployment, oppression, exploitation and terror, despite 56 years of independence," Singh said on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day celebrations.

"I am happy that the works which were not done for 56 years till 2003 after the Independence, were done by us in just 15 years. Credit for that goes to people's blessings, hard work, good governance, sensitiveness and public welfare policies," he said.

"In 2003, had I mentioned the works, which have been done so far, as our vision, then it would have been considered as 'khayali pulav' (imaginary). But we have done all those things which would have been termed as mere imagination in 2003 (when he became the CM)," he said.

"Today, I want to make an appeal to you to become a contributor in Chhattisgarh's vision 2025," he added.

"Today, we make a resolution that when Chhattisgarh observes its silver jubilee of formation in 2025, its GSDP would be doubled. It would be among top five states in terms of per capita income...farmers income would be doubled. Each citizen would have a right to quality medical facilities, each house will have a tap as well as internet connection and it would have achieved cent per cent literacy rate," Singh said.

In 2025, the state will become "smart, green, powerful, prosperous and happy", he said adding that when the people of Chhattisgarh resolve to do something, no one can stop them.

Singh said, the menace of naxals will soon be wiped out from the state.

"With the Centre's support, Chhattisgarh is heading towards a decisive battle against naxalism. We have made every possible effort to empower the security forces by increasing their number, quality and assault capabilities," he said.

"We have succeeded in exposing the anti-constitutional, anti-democracy, anti-development and anti people face of naxals and soon they will be flushed out from the state," he added.

The CM also briefed about the significant achievements made in the digital sector in the state. "Bharat Net, Bastar Net and Sanchar Kranti Yojna have brought a gold period of connectivity in the state," he said.

Earlier, he unfurled the tricolour and received the guard of honour from the joint parade of the state police, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan police contingent, the Border Security Force (BSF), women squad of the state police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Scout and Guide students at the Parade Ground here.

However, in view of Governor Balramji Dass Tandon's death yesterday, awards distribution and cultural ceremony was not held.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The World Congress of Philosophy currently being held in Beijing has attracted a large participation from India, the highest in recent years, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said today.

"There is a greater participation. This is the most important conference in the field of philosophy. India is a land of philosophy. But we never showed interest," Madhav, who is attending the event, told the Indian media here.

He said this time about 50 Indian scholars have come from different universities to attend the event, the highest from India in recent years.

Senior Congress leader Karan Singh is also attending the event.

Asked why the surge in numbers, Madhav said this was due to special efforts made by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research. Also, the Indian Council for Cultural Research (ICCR) has sponsored their participation. ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe too is participating in the Congress.

The 24th World Congress of Philosophy opened on Monday in Beijing. It is the first time that the once in every-five-year event is being held in China.

Themed "Learning To Be Human," the event included more than 1,000 activities, such as plenary sessions, symposia, lectures, and roundtables, according to the Chinese Organising Committee.

More than 6,000 philosophers and academics from 121 countries and regions have been invited to attend the event, which will end on August 20, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Attendees will share diverse philosophical thoughts and take part in dialogues focusing on major issues confronting the development of the global civilization and challenges that mankind will face in the future.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today dismissed the charge that it was attempting to "divide" the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and said it had become a practice to blame the saffron party for any problem.

Condemning DMK deputy general secretary Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan's yesterday's remarks, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan said there was no need and reason for her party to indulge in such acts.

Speaking at the DMK's executive meeting, Jagadeesan had accused the BJP of trying to divide the party in the wake of its chief M Karunanidhi's death and stressed on unity among the ranks.

She had made the charge a day after Karunanidhi's estranged son M K Alagiri claimed that all the loyal party workers were with him and accused his brother and DMK working president M K Stalin of blocking his return to the party, from which he was expelled in 2014.

Soundararajan said the rivalry between Stalin and Alagiri was not new.

"I strongly condemn this. There is no need and no reason for dividing the DMK. They blame the BJP for anything, whether it be some problem in the AIADMK or even in the Congress," she told reporters here.

"Are Stalin and Alagiri fighting only today?.... Did their fight start only after the BJP came to power (at the Centre)?," she asked.

Tamil Nadu BJP general secretary Vanathi Srinivasan had also rejected the DMK's charge yesterday, saying it was wrong to assume any link between Alagiri and the saffron party.

The critics of the BJP had accused the party of trying to "weaken" the AIADMK after the death of its general secretary and late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in December, 2016.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) today said there were two "casualties" following an explosion and fire on its oil tanker MT Desh Vaibhav in the Gulf of Oman.

The fire was extinguished and the ship "is in full command", the SCI said here.

The incident took place yesterday around 9.35 AM off the Oman coast, it said, without specifying clearly if there were any deaths or only cases of injury.

The vessel was en route to Fujairah on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, and the blast took place in one of its cargo tanks, the national shipper said here.

When contacted, SCI spokesman refused to share details saying more information is awaited.

"Explosion struck the MT Desh Vaibhav on Tuesday morning in the Gulf of Oman while sailing to Fujairah on the Eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates," the Shipping Corporation said in a statement.

"The fire is put out and the vessel is totally under control and continues to be in full command. All personnel who had left the vessel are back on board safely. Two casualties have been reported and are being sent ashore," the statement said.

Another injured crew member was undergoing treatment at a Muscat hospital, it further said, adding the vessel will be taken to nearest port for assessment of damage and repairs.

SCI also said that it sought help from the Omani navy for evacuation while other ships nearby responded to the fire call.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts said it has embarked on an end-to-end transformation to deliver fully digital courts for the first time in the judicial and legal system.



Established in 2015, Abu Dhabi Global Market is Abu Dhabis international financial centre. It has three independent authorities, one of them being ADGM Courts.



It is an extremely progressive Middle Eastern judicial framework, and has undertaken a remarkable journey of innovation. Its technological advances support the digital transformation of Abu Dhabis economy, serving one of the regions most strategic business centres and its global investors.



ADGM Courts said that it used Microsofts Azure, Dynamics 365 and Office 365 to build an innovative new legal platform to fully digitise dispute resolution and other legal proceedings.



The authority aims to make the legal system more simple, efficient and accessible for clients and legal professionals, said the statement from ADGM Courts.



Traditional courts rely heavily on paper-based systems, which can be costly and inefficient. This is not the case for the now fully digital ADGM Courts, it added.



Linda Fitz Alan, the registrar and chief executive at ADGM Courts, said: We realised that the traditional court does not reflect workings, operations and dealings of the international business community.



Most courts are challenged with a protracted process for dispute resolution and the associated high costs. We wanted our organisation to change this narrative and pioneer game-changing digital judicial services, she added.



In order to avoid these challenges, ADGM Courts said it had designed a platform that truly serves local and global investors.



The vision was to innovate and identify every opportunity to improve the way that a court interacts with opposing parties and their legal advisors, it stated.



The ADGM Courts team was able to create the legal platform they envisioned, supported by Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 that have been tailored to their needs and ensure data security and privacy compliance, it added.



Fitz-Alan said: We chose Microsoft as our trusted partner because we thought they shared our vision in wanting to be incredibly creative and progressive.



The court is now accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world, so we know no geographical or time boundaries. You can register, submit documents, file and pay online, and utilise Skype-enabled trial hearings from remote locations, she added.-TradeArabia News ServiceAs India celebrates her 72nd Independence Day, film personalities such as Kamal Haasan, Shabana Azmi and John Abraham, have expressed concern over the state of affairs in the country on the issues of women's safety and human rights violation.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan said the people today need to "stop celebrating numbers" and start rebuilding the nation.

"... This is 70 years of slow progress. Celebrations we will do when we achieve the targets. Political parties celebrate everything because they want to sell tickets.

"If we have not done that then what independence we are talking about? It is first year of independence that is what I am celebrating and mourning," Haasan told PTI.

Abraham is happy with the economic growth of the country but is saddened about the safety and security of women and animals in the country.

"As a democracy, we are magical and doing things which are fantastic and in terms of leadership, we are trying to clean up the system.

"The negative, I feel, is we have nurtured fringe elements from both sides, if you look at the communal space, that doesn't go well for the country. But the biggest negative is that this country isn't safe for women and animals. When you go out and someone asks, 'Hey is your country rape capital of the world?', it hurts."



Azmi is optimistic that things will change for the better.

"I feel things are looking up. But it is also bad. India is such a country that is living in several centuries simultaneously so there are so many contradictions," she said.

Bajpayee said women's safety has always been a concern for the country and it seems no government is in a mood to address it.

"Women's safety, animal welfare, human rights welfare, all these things are becoming a 'no-issue' for any government. It is a worrying situation where culprits are let off. You feel ashamed with each and every rape of a child or woman. We feel ashamed and scared when human rights are taken away.

"It has happened during all the governments. It is high time for all of us put our voice forward strongly, if you don't do that, nothing will happen," he said.

Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh and Swara Bhasker, among others took to social media to wish the country on her Independence Day and weighed upon the meaning to be free nation.

"We are free... Happy Independence Day," Bachchan tweeted in Devanagari script.

Swara wrote, "Happy birthday #India! Good, brave people full of empathy & love & an inclusive vision fought long and hard for you to be free... Let's hope your bickering children remember that."



Ranveer wrote on Twitter, "Our young nation is the very future of the world! #HappyIndependenceDay."His "Simmba" co-star, Sara Ali Khan, who made her Instagram debut today, said also wished fellow Indians on the birth of the nation.

Akshay Kumar said freedom comes bearing a cost and expressed gratitude to Indian armed forces for their selfless service.

"Freedom is never free. Let us salute all those who fought for our freedom and to those who fight for us day and night at the borders to keep us safe. Let us not take their sacrifices for granted and always work towards a better India. Happy Independence Day," he tweeted.

Deepika Padukone wrote in Devnagri: "Here's wishing all Indians a happy Independence Day."



"Wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day!" Aamir Khan wrote on the microblogging site.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A nine-year old boy, whose photograph of saluting the Tricolour in chest-deep flood water in an Assam school on Independence Day last year had gone viral, has failed to find a place in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Tajen Sikdar, the head teacher of the primary school in Dhubri district, who had stood in the flood water with Haider Ali Khan and two others, told PTI today that Haider's name was not in the draft NRC that was published on July 30, though those of his family members were there.

The eligible documents, including Haider's linkage and legacy data drawn from his great grandfather Sukur Ali who was in the 1951 NRC, his birth certificate, family land records and a certificate from his school were submitted in 2015 for the inclusion of his name in the NRC, Sikdar said.

The names of Haider's grandfather, Alom Khan; mother Jaibon Khatun, who works as a midday-meal cook; elder brother Jaidor and younger sister Rina are in the draft, said Sikdar, whose name is also on the list.

Stating that Haider's mother was poor and does not know about the NRC, the head teacher said he would help her to file the form for inclusion of her son's name in the register when the claims and objection process starts.

The boy's father, Rupnal Khan, who was a scrap collector in neighbouring Kokrajhar district, had lost his life in the 2012 ethnic clash there, Sikdar informed.

The lower primary school is situated about 2.5 km from Fakirganj town in the district and 200 km west of Guwahati.

The NRC is being updated with March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date to include the names of genuine Indian citizens and identify illegal migrants. Over 2.89 crore people were found to be eligible for inclusion in the draft NRC out of a total 3.29 crore applicants. Around 40.07 lakh applicants, however, did not find a place in the document.

The claims and objections to the draft NRC will start from August 28 before the final list is out as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

Assam, which has witnessed an influx of people from neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Border Security Force (BSF) today gifted traditional Indian sweets to Pakistani Rangers at the Attari-Wagah border on the occasion of the country's Independence Day.

Officers and personnel of the BSF and Pakistani Rangers looked relaxed as they shook hands with each other besides sharing pleasantries for a few minutes.

Yesterday, Pakistani Rangers had offered traditional Pakistani sweets to their Indian counterparts on the occasion of Independence Day of Pakistan.

On January 26 this year, the BSF had refused to exchange sweets and greetings with their Pakistani counterparts in the wake of heightened tension between the two nations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Canara Bank plans to hire a social media agency as part of its brand promotion and to reach customers in a better way.

The bank is looking for a social media service provider who can assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence as per the prevailing market trend and requirements of the bank, Canara Bank said in a notice.

Currently, the bank's marketing and retail resources wing uses manual methods for managing its social media accounts.

"The bank intends to engage a service provider who can provide social media services and assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence," the bank said detailing the scope of work.

It said the promotion of its products, services, events and campaigns through social media will be in accordance with its overall marketing plan.

The agency will have to manage the bank's account on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram as also the blogs.

Canara Bank is already present on twitter and YouTube, as per links available on the bank's website.

The interested parties can submit their bids by August 31, 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Election Commission was capable of holding the Lok Sabha elections and polls to four state assemblies together in December if the parliamentary elections are advanced, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said today.

His comments came when asked whether the EC was ready if the LS elections are held in December along with Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

"Why not. There would not be any problem," he told PTI.

There have been speculation in some circles that the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April-May 2019 may be advanced to November-December 2018 so that they can be held simultaneously with Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

While the term of the Mizoram Assembly will end on December 15, the terms of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assemblies would end on January 5, 2019 January 7 and January 20, 2019, respectively.

Asked whether the required electronic voting machines (EVMs) and paper trail machines would be ready if the LS polls are held in December along with those of four assemblies, the CEC said while all the required EVMs would be in place by September end, paper trail machines would come in November end.

The CEC explained that out of 17.5 lakh paper trail machines, 16 lakh would be in place before November.

The remaining 1.5 lakh paper trail or voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines would be delivered by the end of November.

"As you had sought to know, if LS elections are held in December, then the first level check (FLC) of the 1.5 lakh VVPATs (which EC would get in November end) would be difficult ... then some critical small gaps would be there," he said.

While the EC needs EVMs and VVPATs for 10 lakh polling stations for the LS polls, it needs the two devices for two lakh polling stations in four states where Assembly elections would be due in December-January.

"There would be a little constraint on the reserves. Instead of 135 per cent (reserves), will have to go for 130 per cent, if the situation arises," Rawat said about VVPATs.

Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) or paper trail machine is a device which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip appears on a small window for seven seconds and then drops in a box. But the voter cannot take it home.

The VVPAT are used in all polling stations. But as of now, results of EVMs and VVPATs are matched in one polling station per constituency.

There have been demands to increase the number of polling stations where EVM and VVPAT results are matched to dispel fears about electronic voting machines being 'hacked' to favour a particular political party.

Rawat said there have been delays in the delivery of paper trail machines as the Technical Experts Committee appointed by it analyses the technology stabilisation issues in the initial batches and incorporates essential design improvements.

"This ensures we don't face the problems later," he said.

While all required EVMs -- 13.95 lakh ballot units and 9.3 lakh control units -- will be delivered by September 30, 17.15lakh VVPATs will also be delivered well before the end of November, he added.

Over 11 per cent of the 10,300 VVPAT machines across 10 states had developed faults and had to be replaced during the May 28 bypolls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The CBI has taken over investigation into the killing of a resident doctor at the prestigious St Stephen's Hospital here last year allegedly by his colleague who is absconding ever since, the officials said today.

The Delhi High Court had handed over the matter to the CBI last month after the Delhi Police had failed to nab the alleged culprit who was a student at the hospital.

Shashwat Pandey, a resident student of Radio Diagnosis department, was found dead with his throat slit at a retiring room in the hospital on August 25 last year.

Pandey, a resident of Allahabad, was allegedly killed by Suyash Gupta, his batchmate at the hospital.

Multiple knife wounds were found on the body of Pandey during the autopsy, the official said.

Gupta and Pandey were on good terms and used to live together. But the relationship soured between them when Pandey became friends with a nurse and did not give much time to Gupta. The two developed differences and Gupta then hatched a plan to kill Pandey, police had said.

After killing Pandey, Gupta had fled Delhi, following which a lookout notice was issued for him.

The accused had allegedly bought a knife and clothes online as part of the plan.

He had come in his car to the hospital, killed Pandey and then fled to the Anand Vihar bus terminal where he abandoned his vehicle.

Police said they had found that the accused had stayed at a lodge in Haridwar in August last year but since then his whereabouts are not known.

The official said that it was suspected that Gupta was hiding in a monastery in Uttarakhand.

"He can easily avoid getting noticed. He also had withdrawn around Rs 8 lakh from his account before killing Pandey. It means that he also has money to sustain himself," a police official had said.

Pandey's mother Shalini had sought a CBI probe into the death of her son which was granted by the Delhi High Court on July 27.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China has blasted US tariffs on solar panel imports, filing a complaint at the World Trade Organization in the latest salvo of the trade battle between the world's two economic giants.

US President Donald Trump approved steep tariffs on solar panel imports in January to protect US producers, triggering an outcry from China, South Korea and even protests from the US solar industry.

China's commerce ministry accused Washington of erecting trade barriers while subsidising its domestic industry.

"While taking protectionist measures against imported photovoltaic products, the US provided subsidies to domestically produced photovoltaics and other renewable energy products," the ministry said in a statement.

China lodged its challenge at the WTO on Tuesday, the statement said.

The US subsidies have given an unfair advantage to domestic companies and "damaged the legitimate rights and interests of China's renewable energy companies," it said.

Beijing said the US measures are suspected of violating trade rules and that it would turn to the WTO's dispute resolution mechanism to protect its interests.

Trump's tariffs were not popular with the US solar industry, which claimed the rising cost of imports would cause the loss of thousands of jobs.

Imports of cheap Chinese panels helped triple US annual solar electricity generation between 2012 and 2016. But they also drove prices down by 60 percent, causing most US producers to stop production or declare bankruptcy, the US Trade Representative said in January.

The USTR accused China of using state incentives, subsidies and tariffs to increase production and said manufacturers had evaded US tariffs by repeatedly shifting production to new countries.

The United States and China have slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars worth of goods from each country, with another round of levies scheduled to being next week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India and China, the most populous nations in the world, are key to making the United Nations relevant to everyone, President-elect of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has said.

Garces visited the two countries this month as she prepares to assume the role of President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in September.

The 193-member UN body had in June overwhelmingly elected Garces as its next president, making her only the fourth woman to lead the General Assembly in its 73-year history.

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, veteran Indian diplomat and sister of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first woman to be elected President of the General Assembly in as early as 1953.

"Home to more than a third of the world's population, China and India are key to making the United Nations relevant to all people," Garces tweeted.

"The insights I gained during my visit to these countries will be invaluable as I prepare for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly," Garces added.

In India, the President-elect met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, besides holding discussions with members of prominent think-tanks and civil society.

Garces said she had a "successful" meeting with Modi in New Delhi where the two leaders agreed on the importance of improving the efficiency of the UN.

"Successful meeting with the PM of India Narendra Modi on my arrival to Delhi. I shared my priorities. We agreed on the importance of implementing commitments and improving the efficiency of the UN," she had tweeted.

Garces also expressed gratitude for India's support to her office.

"We will continue working together," she added.

Garces shared her priorities for the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly and the two leaders discussed the need for a stronger UN action on major global challenges including terrorism, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

In her meeting with Swaraj, the top UN official discussed revitalization of the UN, including reform of the Security Council, strengthening global counter terrorism legal framework and other global issues.

In China, she had met Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)When Chinese state TV accidentally revealed much of the "salmon" sashimi eaten in the country was actually rainbow trout, domestic fish farmers faced a crisis of consumer confidence.

After fishing for a solution, they came up with an idea: to officially deem the rainbow trout a type of salmon.

Over the weekend, China's major rainbow trout producers, with the support of an industry group attached to the agriculture ministry, announced a new standard to allow the fish to bear the "salmon" label.

The move solves woes facing domestic producers after a feel-good spot on state broadcaster CCTV earlier this year highlighted China's "freshwater salmon" fish farming on the Tibetan plateau.

"You probably didn't know it but our country's Tibetan plateau has long raised this salmon, and not just a few of them, they've captured one-third of the market," the programme's narrator intoned while showing a montage of consumers scooping up salmon fillets in supermarkets.

Thousands of sceptical comments piled up on social media, some questioning how the "salmon" could migrate thousands of kilometres over dozens of dams from China's northwest to the ocean, as most salmon do after hatching.

Local website The Paper then sent a reporter, who confirmed China's "freshwater salmon" were in fact rainbow trout.

Amid concerns over the safety of eating freshwater fish, Chinese e-commerce sites moved to make fish farmers from the plateau label their fillets as rainbow trout, catering sales and fuelling an industry crisis.

But with the launch of the new standard, China's fish farmers have decided to broaden the definition of "salmon" to include rainbow trout, in the process muddying the waters for consumers.

Academics remain adamant the two fish are not the same.

"You cannot call a rainbow trout a salmon," said Sigurd Stefansson, a salmon expert at the University of Bergen in Norway, noting they are related but not the same species.

The proposal has ignited controversy online, with science writer Fang Shimin comparing it to China's melamine-tainted milk scandal in 2008 that sickened thousands of children.

"Back in the day, why didn't Chinese milk producers think to release a standard requiring melamine to be called an ingredient of milk," Fang wrote in a wry social media post. "These salmon sellers are smarter."



Not everyone agrees.

Guangdong Ocean University professor Zhu Chunhua said the relabelling was appropriate for consumption purposes and it was not a major issue if consumers did not know exactly what they were eating.

"Importing huge amounts of Norway's salmon is not practical," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A group of kanwarias and local residents clashed in Tanda town of Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar district on Monday night over the playing of loud music by the pilgrims, police said.

The situation is under control, Onkar Singh, deputy inspector general, Faizabad range, told PTI today.

The dispute started when a girl, who was ill, is said to have fainted due to the loud music being played by the kanwarias who were passing through the area, Singh said.

The locals demanded that the volume be lowered, but the kanwarias allegedly started playing objectionable songs and raising objectionable slogans. It resulted in a clash and stone-pelting that continued for nearly half-an-hour, the DIG said.

Police arrived on the spot and separated the two groups. A case has been registered against 50-60 unidentified people under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the officer said.

Heavy security personnel have been deployed in the area, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of Mubadalas network of healthcare providers, is contributing to the national efforts to build a clearer picture of the regions health issues to guide the development of new, innovative care options.



Most advanced medical research is conducted in the US and Europe, with researchers focusing on the health challenges faced by the western population. This approach has led to a disparity in the quantity and quality of population data available between the Middle East and the West. Researchers at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are looking to level the playing field by investigating the specific health challenges facing the hospitals patients and people of Abu Dhabi.



An important focus of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabis research programmes is identifying unique risk factors, including genetic characteristics, which increase the risk for chronic conditions. Building comprehensive data sets and gaining a more detailed picture of the local population will allow us to tailor our therapies and treatments to their specific needs, said Dr Murat Tuzcu, chair academic officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.



Conducting research on the prevalence and cause of disease is the first step to being able to tailor therapies and treatments to better suit the needs of the local population, improving outcomes and enhancing the patient experience as they receive better, more efficient care.



It is important to first understand a problem before solving it. Studies show that the more research an institution carries out, the better the clinical outcomes for its patients. Our strong research focus means that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is able to attract clinicians motivated by driving patient care forward, said Dr Jorge Canedo, research administrator at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.



The hospital was designated as a human subject research facility by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health in 2016, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi established its Research Ethics Committee to oversee its research projects in the same year. The committee has approved 25 research projects in 2018, bringing the total number running in the hospital to 55. As part of its efforts to support medical research, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has partnered with a number of other academic institutions in order to collaborate on research projects and support a growing research sector.



Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabis research programme already has strong ties with other institutions in Abu Dhabi that are doing basic research, such as New York University Abu Dhabi and Khalifa University. These partnerships mean we will be able to bring research out of the lab and into a clinical setting  benefiting our patients greatly, now and well into the future, explained Dr Canedo.



Research activities at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are overseen by the hospitals Academic Office. The hospital employs administrators and research nurse coordinators to assist physicians with complex research projects. Researchers at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi published 137 papers in 2017 and 89 papers in the first half of 2018.  TradeArabia News ServiceCochin International Airport today suspended all flight operations till 2 pm as water level has increased in the airport area following continuous rains and the opening of dam shutters in Periyar river.

The decision to suspend the operations was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened last evening to release excess water.

The airport is situated near the Periyar river bank.

"Operations suspended to/from Cochin International Airport till 1400 hrs...due to flood level in and around Airport," an airport spokesperson said this morning.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, took the decision to shut the airport till afternoon after reviewing the situation.

The arrival operations at the airport were suspended for two hours on August 9 in view of possible inundation in the airport area.

The operations were resumed later on.

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Cochin International Airport on Wednesday suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water entered the airport area following continuous rains and the opening of dam shutters in the Periyar river.

Weathermen have warned of accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts of the state.

"Kochi Airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm as the inflow of water is still on a rising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water," an airport spokesperson said.

Suspension of operations created problems for passengers who had already reached the airport to catch flights.

They complained of not getting any assistance from any authorities.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

ALSO READ: Kerala govt declares red alert in 7 districts as IMD expects heavy rainfall

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday afternoon.

The decision was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened last evening to release excess water.

The airport is situated close to Periyar river bank.

The arrival operations at the airport were suspended for two hours on August 9 in view of possible inundation in the airport area.

The operations were resumed later on.

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 44 lives in Kerala.The government is committed to bring in a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today even as he blamed "some people" for stalling its passage in Parliament.

In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament.

He blamed "some people", an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon session.

The bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and seeks prison term of up to three year for the men.

He said the government had once again pushed for the passage of the bill in the Monsoon Session.

"The practice of triple talaq has created problems in life of Muslim women ... we brought law in Parliament, but some people are not allowing to pass it. I assure you that you would not be let down. I will do all it needs (to bring the law)," he said.

While the bill has been passed by Lok Sabha, it is pending in Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.

To make the proposed law palatable to the opposition, a provision of bail for the accused from a magistrate has been added. Also, the amendments to the bill cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, make provision for settlement between the husband and the wife.

The FIR can now only be lodged by the victim, her blood relations and those who have become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Others, like neighbours, cannot lodge an FIR to prevent misuse of the proposed law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress, if voted to power in the coming Assembly elections in Telangana, would double the amount of social security pension for all categories of beneficiaries, state party president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said today.

The pension amount of Rs 1,000 per month presently being given to senior citizens, widows, weavers and others, would be increased to Rs 2,000, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president told reporters here.

This assurance would be part of the party's manifesto for the assembly elections as per a decision based on the recommendation of a 42-member committee set up by the party to study the pension schemes, he said.

The TPCC leader also announced that the Congress government would give unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month to at least 10 lakh youth across the state if it came to power.

He said there were clear indications of early Assembly polls and the Congress was ready to face them.

AICC President Rahul Gandhi, who visited Hyderabad on August 13 and 14, has been informed about the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's announcement that he would declare the candidates of his TRS party next month.

In response, Gandhi has asked him and AICC's in-charge for Telangana to constitute a committee to shortlist the aspirants so that the list of candidates could be released next month, Reddy said.

Assembly polls in Telangana are due along with the Lok Sabha polls next year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An incoming member of Mexico's Congress was kidnapped at gunpoint, an official said, the latest violent episode surrounding the July 1 elections, the bloodiest in the country's history.

Azucena Rodriguez Zamora, who was elected to the lower house of Congress for the eastern state of Veracruz, was driving on a highway in the neighboring state of Hidalgo when gunmen in another car opened fire on her vehicle, said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The car flipped over, injuring two people who were traveling with Rodriguez.

The gunmen then pulled her from the car and abducted her, said the source.

It is the second such kidnapping in Hidalgo in recent days.

On August 6, the mayor of the town of Naupan, in Puebla state, was found dead after being abducted at gunpoint on a Hidalgo highway.

At least 152 politicians were murdered in the run-up to Mexico's elections, according to the consulting firm Etellekt.

The murders -- mostly of local-level politicians, the most frequent targets for Mexico's powerful drug cartels -- were recorded between September, when candidate registration opened, and election day.

It is by far the most violent election on record in Mexico.

The country also registered a record number of murders across the board last year: 28,711.

And the record is on track to be broken again in 2018. Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence since the government deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006.

Since then, more than 200,000 people have been murdered. Another 30,000 are missing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The bodies of seven persons, including two rescue workers, were recovered from the coal mine explosion in Pakistan's Balochistan's province taking the toll to 15, officials said today.

The authorities said that the bodies of all the 13 miners and two rescue workers were recovered last night.

He said they did not expect any other casualties as the work to clear the mine was now complete.

We have recovered 15 bodies since the rescue operation started Sunday including five more bodies which were taken out yesterday, Chief Inspector of Mines, Ifthikar Ahmed said.

The Thirteen labourers were working in the 400-foot-deep mine in Sanjadi area, about 50 kilometres east of the provincial capital Quetta, when they got trapped and later killed after a methane gas explosion caused the coal mine to cave in on Sunday.

All the 13 miners were trapped under the rubble when volunteers launched rescue work.

While the bodies of eight miners were recovered on Sunday itself, the remaining five miners and two of the rescue workers were recovered yesterday.

The rescue workers had died due to the accumulation of poisonous methane gas inside the mine.

Mine explosions accidents are common in Pakistan.

In June a mine explosion in the Sanjdi area claimed the life of four miners.

Similarly, in May two mine explosions in Pir Ismail and Marwah areas near Quetta killed 23 workers and injured dozens.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan of his rented room here today, following the demise of his two-year-old daughter, police said.

Dhirendra Singh, 37, was disturbed after the death of his daughter due to illness three days ago, they said.

Singh's family members said he was very much attached to the daughter who was born after nearly seven years of his marriage, investigating officer Rajendra Prasad Meena said.

"The last rites of the girl were performed in Sanganer town, where his parental house is located. The other family members and relatives were present there, but Dhirendra went to his rented room in the Mansarover area in the morning and committed suicide," police said.

The body has been taken to the Jaipuria government hospital for post-mortem, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Colourful fans hand crafted by tribal artisans offered relief to the dignitaries, including foreign diplomats and politicians, braving high humidity levels during the Independence Day function at the historic Red Fort.

An overcast sky with high relative humidity was a perfect recipe for a typical sultry morning in the national capital.

At 5.30 am, humidity was 72 per cent, the Met department said. It was 88 per cent a couple of hours ago.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times when delivering the Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.

The bamboo-made fans crafted by artisans from the Mahali tribe of West Bengal, were provided to the invitees, including ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats and other VVIPs.

A thousand hand-crafted fans were procured by the Defence Ministry from the Tribal Affairs Ministry's agency TRIFED, as part of the government's efforts to popularise tribal products.

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED) functions under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, to develop marketing of tribal products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Philippine president has said that China's claim to airspace above newly built islands and surrounding waters in the disputed South China Sea "is wrong" and Beijing should not tell others to leave those areas to avoid possible clashes.

President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks in a speech to an audience that included the American ambassador and other foreign guests were a rare public criticism of China, which he has refused to antagonize to nurture closer relations.

"They have to rethink that, because that would be a flashpoint someday and even, you know, warning others," Duterte said yesterday of China's actions to uphold its claims in the disputed waters.

"You cannot create an island, it's man-made, and you say that the air above these artificial islands is yours." "That is wrong because those waters are what we consider international sea," the president said. He added that "the right of innocent passage is guaranteed. It does not need any permission to sail through the open seas."



The Associated Press reported two weeks ago that the Philippines has expressed concern to China over an increasing number of Chinese radio messages warning Philippine aircraft and ships to stay away from Beijing-held artificial islands in the disputed waters.

CNN reported last week that the Chinese military repeatedly warned a US Navy P-8A Poseidon plane, which they were allowed to board, to "leave immediately and keep out to avoid any misunderstanding" while the reconnaissance aircraft flew close to some of the man-made islands.

"I hope that China would temper ... its behaviour," Duterte said, warning that in the disputed sea, "one of these days a hothead commander there will just press a trigger." During the rambling speech, Duterte nevertheless praised Beijing for its readiness to provide help.

A Philippine government report seen by the AP showed that in the second half of last year, Philippine military aircraft received Chinese radio warnings at least 46 times while patrolling near the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea's Spratly archipelago.

Philippine officials have raised their concerns twice over the radio transmissions, including in a meeting with Chinese counterparts in Manila earlier this year that focused on the Asian countries' long-unresolved territorial disputes, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

China transformed seven disputed reefs into islands using dredged sand. The new islands stand in close proximity to islands occupied by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. Malaysia and Brunei are the other claimants to the chain of islands and barren islets and atolls.

The messages used to originate from Chinese coast guard ships, but military officials suspect the transmissions now also come from the Beijing-held artificial islands, where far more powerful communications and surveillance equipment has been installed along with weapons such as surface-to-air missiles.

"Our ships and aircraft have observed an increase in radio queries that appear to originate from new land-based facilities in the South China Sea," Commander Clay Doss, public affairs officer of the US 7th Fleet, told the AP by email in response to questions about the Chinese messages.

"These communications do not affect our operations," Doss said.

Although the US lays no claims to the strategic waterway, its Navy has deployed ships and aircraft in operations to promote freedom of navigation and overflight, but which China protests as foreign meddling in an Asian dispute.

A Philippine air force plane on patrol near the Chinese-held islands received a particularly offensive radio message in late January when it was warned by Chinese forces that it was "endangering the security of the Chinese reef. Leave immediately and keep off to avoid misunderstanding," according to the Philippine government report.

Shortly afterward, the plane received a veiled threat: "Philippine military aircraft, I am warning you again, leave immediately or you will pay the possible consequences." The Filipino pilot later "sighted two flare warning signals from the reef," said the report,



which identified the Chinese-occupied island as Gaven Reef. China has repeatedly said it has the right to build on what it says is its territory and defend its sovereignty at all costs.

Philippine air force chief Lt Gen. Galileo Gerard Rio Kintanar Jr said Filipino pilots respond calmly to the Chinese radio messages and proceed with their mission as planned, adding that the higher number of reported radio challenges reflects the Philippine military's commitment to protect the country's territorial interests through intensified patrols.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Investors pumped a staggering Rs 10,585 crore in equity mutual funds in July, mainly driven by strong corporate earnings and near normal monsoon.

With this, total inflow has reached to over Rs 43,300 crore in equities during the current financial year (April-July), according to the data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).

Strong inflow pushed the asset base of equity mutual funds (MFs) by more than 10 per cent to Rs 8.3 lakh crore by July-end from Rs 7.5 lakh crore at end-March.

According to Amfi data, equity and equity-linked saving schemes saw an inflow of Rs 12,409 crore in April, Rs 12,070 crore in May, Rs 8,237 crore in June and Rs 10,585 crore in July.

"Strong earnings season and near normal monsoon have buoyed the sentiments in near term. However, in last few years we are seeing that the average Indian investors are now far more financially literate and mature. They realise that India is a strong structural story and participating for the long term as reflected by the growing SIP book.

"Also, the fact that no other asset class is showing the prospects of double digit returns over the long term is pushing many investors to increase the share of equity funds in their asset allocations," said Sumit Bhatnagar, head of equity funds at Indiabulls Asset Management Company.

Harsh Jain COO at Groww.in is of the view that growth in equity mutual funds inflows is mainly due to the bull run in large cap and a promising economic outlook.

"Investors are becoming more mature and investing through SIP (Systematic Investment Plan), which immunes them to short-term volatility. Additionally, a lot of investors who were earlier reluctant to invest through mutual funds, have diverted their direct equities into mutual funds. I see this trend continuing for next 3-5 years," he said.

Viral Berawala, CIO at Essel Mutual Fund, said that increase in assets under management (AUM) in July is a function of both the inflows as well as increase in prices of the underlying stocks.

Overall, the mutual fund industry saw a pull out of funds to the tune of over Rs 32,000 crore last month.

Liquid or money market segment -- with investments in cash assets such as treasury bills, certificates of deposit and commercial paper for shorter horizon -- witnessed an outflow of over Rs 31,000 crore.

Besides, income funds, which invest in a combination of government securities, saw a pullout of Rs 7,950 crore and gold exchange traded fund too witnessed an outflow of Rs 50 crore.

At present, the mutual fund industry, comprising 42 players, manages assets to the tune of Rs 23 lakh crore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)GP Petroleums (GPPL), a leading lubricant maker in India and part of UAE-based GP Global, has signed an agreement with MAG Lube, a leading manufacturer of lubricants in the region, to manufacture and market IPOL lubricants across the world.



According to the agreement, MAG Lube will pay a royalty to GPPL for the formulation technology and brand. The high quality of IPOL lubricants will be maintained across the world in accordance with the quality standards stipulated by GPPL for IPOL.



The consolidation of lubricant brands around the world is seen as an opportunity to grow and GP Petroleums with its brand IPOL, is well positioned to fill the space for affordable and high quality products in emerging markets, said Hari Prakash M, CEO at GP Petroleums Ltd.



We will bridge the gap between customer quality expectations and affordability due to our strength in low cost manufacturing. Our objective behind this step is to utilize the expertise of MAG Lube and their distribution to push the IPOL brand across the world, particularly in the Middle East and Africa.



In a short time span, MAG Lube is present in over 50 countries and we are looking to leverage this presence to take IPOL global, and in the process create a new global brand. GP Global has ambitions to become a 250,000 MTPA lubricant company by 2021 and this agreement is the first and most vital cog in our efforts to achieve our shareholders vision, said Sanjay Singh, COO at Maglube, UAE.



We are sure that our expertise and widespread presence in various countries along with GP Petroleums, veterans in the lubricant sector, will result in a great partnership. We are happy to be a catalyst and part of IPOLs journey towards becoming an international brand, said Mahmoud Al Theraawi, CEO at Maglube LLC.



The current focus will be in the Middle East, Africa and Far East markets mainly in the automotive and industrial lubricant space. Specialty products like neat cutting oils and rust preventives would be sourced from GPPL. The markets under focus have an aggregate demand of over 2 MTPA.  TradeArabia News ServiceSri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa will be questioned by the police in connection with a probe into the alleged abduction and assault of a journalist 10 years ago, a top police official said today.

Keith Noyahr, a journalist with The Nation newspaper, was abducted by unknown men in May 2008. He was released next day allegedly after being tortured.

Following his disappearance, it is said that Rajapaksa's intervention was sought to save Noyahr's life.

"A team of crime investigation officers will meet Rajapaksa on August 17 (Friday) to record his statement," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Rajapaksa was the president at the time.

The police has recorded statements from the parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Rajapaksa's brother Gotabhaya, who was a senior defense ministry bureaucrat at the time.

Jayasuriya, the then minister, had reportedly alerted Rajapaksa on the abduction.

Six senior military officials, including the then Director of Military Intelligence, were arrested in connection with Noyahr's abduction, but later, they were released on bail.

Noyahr is believed to be living in Australia after fleeing the country with his family after the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Chennai-Howrah Coromandel Express today rammed into a cement mixture machine left on the track at a manned level crossing near Balasore station, a railway official said.

No one was, however, injured and train services on the busy route under South Eastern Railway remained unaffected, the official said.

Some workers pulling the machine manually had left it on the track and fled after the gateman downed the level crossing bar to let the train pass.

Soon after, the train approached the gate and dashed against the machine, the official said.

The train was detained for sometime at Balasore station for inspection by engineers to ascertain whether any damage had been caused to its engine. After a short while, the train was given green signal to proceed.

The railway engineers also inspected the accident site and cleared the spot, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An "invasive pest", recently detected in India that devours more than 80 different plant species including many staple crops, could threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers in Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization has warned.

Fall Armyworm pest was recently detected in India, marking the first time it has been found in Asia after wrecking havoc in Africa.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) fears it is "highly likely" to spread, with southeast Asia and south China most at risk.

The UN agency is offering its expertise to farmers and Governments in the region to help them manage Fall Armyworm.

"Fall Armyworm could have a devastating impact on Asia's maize and rice producers - mostly small-scale farmers who depend on their crops for food and to make a living," said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

She described the arrival of the pest, which has been moving steadily east across the globe, as "a threat that we cannot ignore".

Small-scale farmers cultivate roughly 80 per cent of farmland in Asia, where more than 200 million hectares of maize and rice are cultivated each year, according to FAO.

China is the second-largest maize-producing country in the world, and over 90 per cent of the world's rice is produced and consumed in the Asia-Pacific region.

The fear is that Fall Armyworm, which can fly 100 kilometres at night, could chomp through crops year-round, given the region's "favourable" climate.

Though native to the Americas, Fall Armyworm has been on the march across Africa over the past two years, affecting millions of hectares of maize and sorghum.

It was first detected in Nigeria in January 2016. Two years later, it had spread to practically all of sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of 10 mostly northern countries and territories.

The FAO took immediate steps to tackle the insect in Africa and to support countries in mitigating the damage it caused.

The agency has supported more than 30 projects on the continent to fight the pest, which can eat dozens of crop species, including maize, rice, vegetables, groundnuts and cotton.

Hans Dreyer, Director of FAO's Plant Production and Protection Division, believes action taken in Africa can also benefit Asia.

"Much of what FAO has already done in sub-Saharan Africa to help farmers and governments better monitor and mitigate Fall Armyworm damage, can also be applied in Asia," he said.

"This includes recommendations on pesticide management, monitoring and early warning, and a practical guide for farmers and government extension workers on how to best manage the pest," he added.

Fall Armyworm, a pest which feeds on maize and other key crops, was first noticed in Shivamogga district in Karnataka in May this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Five holidaymakers were swept away while bathing near Sultangarh Waterfall in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh this afternoon, police said.

Twenty-seven others were stranded on rocks downstream, and eight of them have been rescued so far, police said, adding that a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had reached the spot.

The waterfall is located in Subhashpura area bordering Gwalior district.

"It is feared that five persons were swept away," said district Superintendent of Police R Hingankar.

A helicopter was pressed into service to rescue others who were trapped on two big rocks in the water downstream.

Eight of the 27 stranded persons have been rescued, Shivpuri Collector Shilpa Gupta told PTI over phone from the spot.

Tourists thronged the place today due to the Independence Day holiday.

The waterfall is near Mohana village, 55 km from the district headquarters.

There was a sudden surge in water around 4.30 PM, possibly due to heavy rain upstream, catching those bathing near the waterfall unawares, police said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in a tweet that efforts were on to rescue those stranded, and he was in constant touch with local officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Taking a dig at the flag falling incident at the BJP headquarters on Independence Day today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said it reflected that "Bharat Mata" is "sad", and added that no matter how strong, one has to bow down before the nature.

Kejriwal's reaction came on a video showing BJP chief Amit unfurling the national flag that fell as he pulled the string.

"Nature works in strange ways. No matter how strong one is, he has to bow down before the nature. The tricolour refused to be unfurled at the hands of Amit Shah. Bharat Mata is saying through this flag that she is sad," he tweeted in Hindi.

The video went viral, with Kejriwal also sharing it on his official Twitter handle.

It was also shared by the Congress that took a swipe at the BJP, questioning how the party would manage the country when they cannot handle the national flag.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Domestic carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, and some international airlines today announced cancellation and diversion of flights in and out of Kochi after suspension of operations at the Kochi airport till Saturday afternoon following incessant rains.

The airlines said penalties on change in date or cancellation on all confirmed tickets have been waived off.

The announcements were made on their respective Twitter handles.

Air India informed the diversion of international flights to cities such as Mumbai, Coimbatore and Trivandrum from Jeddhar, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

It said that flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Trivandrum and Bengaluru have been held up at the respective places.

"In view of suspension of operations at @KochiAirport , penalties on no-show, date/flight change or cancellations on all confirmed tickets to and from Cochin are waived off..." it tweeted.

Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a rising trend, a spokesperson for the airport said.

"We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate," the spokesperson said.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm. It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday.

Full service carrier Vistara said its affected flights included those operating between Delhi and Kochi; Kochi and Chennai and they would remain cancelled till August 18.

"We are exploring supplementary flights, if required, on or after August 18 once the airport reopens to support our customers who may be stranded in Kochi.

"We are also exploring the feasibility of operating our Kochi flights from alternate airports such as Trivendrum or Calicut until the Kochi airport reopens," the airlines said in a statement.

IndiGo also announced that all its flights to and from Kochi have been cancelled till August 16 due to runway unavailability owing to flood situation.

SpiceJet also informed the cancellations of its flight to and from Kochi for today.

Etihad Airways also tweeted today saying all its inbound and outbound flights to Kochi have been cancelled.

Jazeera Airways said its flights on the Kuwait-Kochi sector have been cancelled. Kochi is a major hub for passengers flying to Gulf countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The flood situation in Kerala further worsened today with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives today.

Officials said a red alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts of the state.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

The toll in rain-related incidents since August 8 mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported today, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation.

More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief across the state, he said.

A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains.

The prime minister has assured all help, it said.

The prime minister has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters.

Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water.

Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams.

Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem.

As the situation became grave, the state government sought the help of more teams of army personnel, National Disaster Response Force and Army Engineering.

The chief minister also met Governor P Sathasivam and informed him of the situation.

Major tourist centres including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar, which were expecting huge influx of visitors in the wake of Onam festival season, have closed.

The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area.

As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek centre's permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four long distance trains, railway sources said adding a few passenger trains have been partially hit.

There were also speed restrictions on trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thrissur section while rail traffic on the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended.

An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition maximum number of lifeboats from Tamil Nadu.

The chief secretary was asked to contact neighbouring states for emergency assistance.

As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, Vijayan asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority.

A group of military engineering personnel are expected to arrive in Thiruvanathapuram from Pune by IAF aircraft for rescue operations.

Periyar, Chalakudy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

The tourist town of Munnar is virtually inundated after shutters of the Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Mattuppetty dams were opened.

With the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touching the maximum of 142 feet, Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami requesting him to bring down the level to 139 feet in view of the dam's safety.

Vijayan pointed out that the catchment areas of the the reservoir were receiving heavy rain.

Rajnath Singh informed Vijayan that based on the state's request, the Union Home secretary spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary on release of more water from the dam to bring down the level to 139 feet.

The dam, located in Idukki district of Kerala, is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu.

Water was released from the dam by 1:30 am this morning as the water level touched 142 feet and people staying in some villages have been relocated.

"There is no need for any anxiety with regard to Mullaperiyar dam, where the water level has touched 142 feet, the maximum as allowed by the Supreme Court, as the discharge is equivalent to the inflow," Vijayan told reporters.

Aluva and Paravoor in Ernakulam district, on the banks of the Periyar, are facing flood threat.

Peermade in Idukki recorded the highest rainfall of 27 cm today while Idukki town received 23 cm, Munnar 22 cm and Karipur in Malappuram 21 cm.

Rains also did not spare Thiruvanathapuram city with low lying areas being inundated, prompting residents to shift to relief camps.

Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran and his wife were among the many people shifted from a high end residential area after rain water gushed into their house.

Officials said an underground parking area of a private hospital was also inundated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four policemen were injured when a mob, enraged by the kidnapping of a girl, attacked a police station in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan.

Gudha police station SHO Ashok Chaudhary suffered head injuries and three other policemen were also injured in the incident that took place yesterday.

"Nearly 100 people were demonstrating in front of the Gudha police station in support of their demand for bringing back the girl who was abducted few days back from the area.

"Some of them suddenly entered the police station and attacked the SHO and other policemen and damaged a police jeep and other properties of the police station," Additional SP, Jhunjhunu, Naresh Kumar Meena said today.

The SHO informed that 59 people were nabbed under Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) of the CrPC.

The case of kidnapping of the girl was lodged on August 3 and the family members and relatives of the girl were demanding that she be rescued.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four men were killed when their car rammed into a stationary truck on Jaipur-Delhi highway here today, police said.

The accident occurred under Paniyala Police Station in Jaipur rural area when the victims, all relatives, were on their way to their home in Gurgaon, they said.

The deceased were identified as Parmanand, Harish, Mamchand and Pawan Kumar.

Their family members have been informed about the accident, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)French heavyweight boxer Tony Yoka's appeal against a one-year ban for doping violations was rejected, denting his hopes of winning a world title.

The 26-year-old followed in the footsteps of British star Anthony Joshua by winning the Olympic super-heavyweight title two years ago in Rio de Janeiro.

But he was handed a 12-month suspension last month by the French anti-doping agency for failing three times to provide necessary information on his whereabouts for out-of-competition drugs tests.

Yoka appealed the case to the French Council of State, but the ban was upheld on Tuesday.

"The casualness of the behaviour of Mr Yoka, who as an experienced sportsman is particularly informed of the importance of doping tests couldn't be unaware from the first warning of the consequences of his carelessness, doesn't allow us to seriously consider that the one-year suspension would be disproportionate," read the judge's order.

Yoka says he is aiming to become the first Frenchman to win a world heavyweight title, a campaign he has dubbed "The Conquest" and for which he last year signed a four-year contract with French broadcaster Canal+, estimated at between 8 million and 10 million euros ($9.36 million to $11.7 million).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)LG Electronics has announced plans to launch advanced models of its revolutionary Styler clothing care system at the upcoming IFA 2018, a leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, in Berlin, Germany.



The event will take place from August 31 to September 5, at the Messe Berlin.



Both the Styler ThinQ and Styler Mirrored Glass Door will showcase unique features for enhancing user convenience while keeping clothes cleaner, more hygienic and stylish, said a statement from the company.



Users can control the Styler ThinQ using voice commands while the Styler Mirrored Glass Door maximises functionality in the home, it said.



The new system boasts high performance level and advanced technology of the original Styler. With TrueSteam, the new models continue to keep clothes clean and hygienic by eliminating over 99.9 per cent of the germs and bacteria in everyday clothes, it added.



The moving hanger shakes away light wrinkles and unpleasant odours, while the pants crease care function eliminates wrinkles and keeps them looking sharp with a crisp crease line. And thanks to the gentle dry feature, it dries delicate fabrics faster and more gently.



With LGs exclusive AI platform - DeepThinQ - at its core, the system enables more control through voice commands. Users can say, Hi LG to activate the Styler. With just a voice, users can turn the system on and off, select and start a cleaning cycle, check for problems and even get a recommendation on the best cycle, said a statement.



The LG Styler Mirrored Glass Door goes well with any home decor with its premium design, high functionality and optimum efficiency. This product features convenient mirrored doors to complement any furniture and room while delivering the same great cleaning power as the Styler ThinQ.



Song Dae-hyun, president of LG Electronics and Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, said: We are proud to pioneer advances in clothing care with products such as the Styler, which is equipped with advanced core technologies pioneered by our company.



We will continue to enhance user convenience and deliver complete lifestyle solutions with new features and technologies, he added.  TradeArabia News ServiceThe number people of killed during the collapse of a bridge in the Italian port city of Genoa has risen to 38, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said today.

"We're currently at 38 confirmed deaths and some people missing," Salvini, who is also co-deputy prime minister, told reporters on the sidelines of an event in the southern region of Calabria.

Salvini is due to arrive in Genoa, on Italy's north-western coast, in the afternoon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)German authorities say they have deported 46 Afghans whose asylum requests were rejected to their homeland.

The flight from Munich arrived today in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Interior Ministry spokeswoman Eleonore Petermann says the 46, all men, were sent back by authorities in 11 of Germany's 16 states. She said that 15 of them had committed criminal offenses of varying seriousness.

agency DPA reported that German authorities have sent 349 people back to Afghanistan since December 2016.

Flights were interrupted for a while after a bomb attack partially destroyed the German Embassy in Kabul last year, and then were limited to a smaller group including those with criminal records.

The government said in June that it no longer sees a reason to hold back on deportations on security grounds.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gold bars worth over Rs 47 lakh were recovered today from under a seat of an Air India (AI) flight at the city international airport, a Customs official said.

Acting on a tip-off, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs searched the flight after it arrived from Abu Dhabi this morning, the official said.

"During their search, 15 gold bars weighing 1.74 kg, were found concealed in a hollow pipe and placed under a seat," he said.

The total value of the seized gold is around Rs 47,69,330, the official said.

"The unclaimed gold bars were seized under reasonable belief that they were smuggled into India without paying the Customs duty and in contravention of the provisions of the Customs Act he said, adding that further investigation was on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, in his maiden Independence Day address today, assured people that he would strive to provide an "unbiased and corruption-free government".

The CM, after unfurling the Tricolour at Assam Rifles ground here, called for effective coordination between the state administration, neighbouring countries and the Centre.

Tripura shares 156-km-long border with Bangladesh.

"We are committed to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people of this state. Tripura will develop through effective coordination with the Centre and the neighbouring countries," he said.

The state government will not entertain any form of bias or partiality, Deb asserted.

"There is no space for bias or partiality in our policies. The administration shall work for the development of everyone," he said.

Talking about the key achievements of the BJP-IPFT coalition government in the past five months, the CM said a "fair and transparent employment policy was introduced in the state with focus on accountability and merit".

He stressed the need to curb drug abuse among youth.

"Combating addiction is very necessary for the progress of the youth in the state," the CM observed.

Lauding the women achievers who made it big in the national and international games, including ace gymnast Dipa Karmakar and kickboxer Nistha Chakraborty, Deb said, "God resides in the country where women are worshipped."



The CM thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his initiatives to bring about "development in the state and the northeastern region".

"A lot of work has been carried out in the northeast in the last four months, in line with Prime Minister Modi's vision of New India 2022. He has taken steps to develop 'Ashtalaxmi' (eight states of the northeast). We shall work in the same 'disha' (direction) too," he added.

Around 40 police officers from Mizoram, along with personnel of Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles, Tripura Police and National Cadet Corps, took part in the Independence Day parade this morning at Assam Rifles ground.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government has notified a new policy requiring state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) to pay royalty and cess tax only to the extent of their equity holding in certain pre-1999 oil and gas fields.

The 'Policy Framework for Streamlining the Working of Production Sharing Contracts in respect of Pre-NELP and NELP Blocks' was notified in the Gazette of India yesterday, according to the Gazette notification.

Till now ONGC and OIL had to pay 100 per cent royalty and cess tax on 11 pre-New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) fields that were given to private firms prior to 1999.

The government had awarded some discovered oil and gas fields to private firms in the 1990s with a view to attracting investments in the country.

To incentivise such investments, the liability of payment of statutory levies like royalty and cess was put on state-owned firms, who were made licensees of the blocks. ONGC and Oil India Ltd were allowed right to back in or take an interest of 30-40 per cent in the fields, but were liable to pay 100 per cent of the statutory levies.

The new rule, which last month approved by the Cabinet, will apply to 11 fields like Dholka field in Gujarat that is operated by Joshi Oil and Gas. It will also apply to Hindustan Oil Exploration Company (HOEC)-operated PY-1 field in Cauvery basin.

"In pre-NELP exploration blocks, the National Oil Companies, as Licensee are liable for payment of royalty, cess and other statutory charges on entire production of oil and gas.

"To facilitate further investments, the Government has decided that the contractors in pre-NELP exploration blocks will be allowed to share the liability of the statutory levies including royalty, cess and any other charges in proportion to their respective participating interests (PIs) in the block," the notification said.

All the constituents of the blocks would become licensees and payments made towards such statutory levies shall be eligible for cost recovery. It means that like capital and operating expense, the statutory levies can now be first recovered from the sale of hydrocarbons before sharing the profits with the government.

These are the same conditions that ONGC had insisted upon in 2010 when Vedanta bought Cairn Energy plc's 70 per cent stake in the prolific Barmer basin oil block in Rajasthan. ONGC, which held 30 per cent stake in the block, gave approval to the deal only when Vedanta agreed to pay royalty and cess on its 70 per cent share.

Royalty for onland block is presently 20 per cent. An equivalent amount of cess is also levied.

Also, the notification extended the time period given to oil and gas companies to develop hydrocarbon blocks in the northeast. Production from these blocks will be linked to market prices of natural gas.

It also extended tax benefits under Section 42 of Income Tax, 1961 prospectively to operational blocks under pre-NELP discovered fields for the extended period of the contract.

Section 42 of Income Tax allows the companies to claim 100 per cent of expenditure incurred under a production sharing contract (PSC) as tax deductible for computing taxable income in the same year.

While signing PSC of pre-NELP discovered fields, 13 contracts out of 28 contracts did not have provision for tax benefit under Section 42 of Income-tax Act. Now, this will bring uniformity and consistency in PSCs and provide an incentive to the contractor to make an additional investment during the extended period of PSC, it said.

The approvals given are expected to help in ensuring the expeditious development of hydrocarbon resources.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said his government will stay vigilant to ensure that name of any foreigner is not included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Hoisting the national flag at the Veterinary College playground here on the 72nd Independence Day, Sonowal said the list published last month was only a draft.

"We will keep an eye so that name of any foreigner is not included in the NRC," he said.

"The government is also committed to ensure that no Indian citizen living in Assam is left out of the NRC," he added.

The NRC will become an important safeguard for making Assam foreigner-free and the government had assured this after coming to power in 2016, he said.

Sonowal hailed the 70,000 policemen who were deployed in the state to ensure peaceful publication of the final draft of the NRC on July 30 and lauded the hard work of the 55,000 government employees in preparing the document.

Speaking about corruption in the state, Sonowal claimed it had come down drastically in the last two years and said 52 officials had already been arrested in the cash-for-job scam in the Assam Public Service Commission. The commission's dismissed chairman has also been arrested.

He said since his government assumed office, it has appointed over 45,000 people in various government jobs in permanent and contractual positions.

For making Assam a pollution-free state, the state government set a target to plant 10 crore saplings, out of which 4.5 crore have already been planted, the chief minister said.

He said 170 poachers have been arrested in the last two years and 10 fast track courts set up for their trial.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani today said he would sit on a three-day fast here from tomorrow to highlight his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut scam in the state.

Dhanani said he would launch the fast tomorrow morning outside the Sabarmati Ashram here to press for the demand for a judicial inquiry into the scam, which his party has alleged was worth Rs 4,000 crore.

The opposition party has also alleged that BJP leaders were involved in the scam.

"The government has not accepted our demand for a judicial inquiry under a sitting high court judge into Rs 4,000-crore groundnut scam, which shows the complicity of the ruling BJP into the scam," Dhanani, leader of the Congress legislature party, told reporters here today.

"As part of our second round of the fight, I will sit on a three-day symbolic fast beginning tomorrow outside Gandhi Ashram here," he said.

He alleged that the groundnuts procured by the state government were mixed with soil and pebbles before being stored in 279 godowns.

"Since the last six months, we have been demanding a judicial probe into the matter and have written to the chief minister and governor regarding this, but no action has been taken. We want to know who have benefited from the scam. The BJP government is under suspicion," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel hit back saying the charges were baseless as the government had taken a swift action in the case in which soil and pebbles were found stored in sacks of groundnuts at a warehouse at Gondal in Rajkot district.

"People know how our administration and police acted swiftly and arrested 30 persons in this connection. Those who are responsible are being arrested and the investigation is on," he said.

Nearly 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. They were kept at a private godown taken on rent by the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), which has procured groundnut on behalf of Gujarat government, at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district.

The NAFED had purchased the groundnuts from farmers under the minimum support price (MSP) scheme.

The opposition Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state and demanded a judicial probe into the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani expressed his government's resolve today to make the state free of water scarcity by 2050.

To achieve 'water security', farmers need to walk the path shown by Israel for water conservation, Rupani said at the main Independence Day function held in the neighbouring Surendranagar town, about 100 km from here.

"My government is committed to make Gujarat free of water scarcity by 2050. We want to provide water security to people. I am confident that scarcity will be a thing of the past with our collective efforts," Rupani said addressing people after hoisting the national flag at the event.

"Israel has shown us how we can grow more crops using very less water. We have to adopt those irrigation techniques to achieve our target. We have also planned to set up 10 desalination plants to convert sea water into fresh water," he said.

Notably, three Israeli companies have been working on drip irrigation projects in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Rupani said thanks due to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat has become a "role model" for other states in terms of development.

Giving details about the Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in January 2019, he said small and medium enterprises will be the focus during the mega event.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel attended an Independence Day function at Kandari village in Vadodara district.

State Governor O P Kohli celebrated the day at the Raj Bhawan in Gandhinagar while Gujarat High Court Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy unfurled the national flag in the court premises here in the presence of other judges, lawyers and officials.

Besides, several ministers and leaders attended programmes organised at different places across the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gutka and other tobacco items worth Rs 11.56 lakh was seized after a raid conducted today by the police at Kashimira township in the district, an official said.

The action was taken based on a tip-off, Assistant Superintendent of Police Atul Kulkarni of the district rural police said.

"Premises of two shops owned by a man named Kaushiik Rajghor, 37, in the township were raided in the wee hours today and a large stock of banned gutka, paan masala, scented tobacco, etc, was seized," he said.

An offence was registered against the shop owner and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was informed for further action, Kulkarni said.

The source of the banned gutka is being investigated, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US Army Air Corps veteran Daniel Crowley endured more than three years of slave labour while being held prisoner by Japan during World War II.

This week, the 96-year-old is in Hawaii to participate in a dedication that honours about 400 Allied prisoners killed when a Japanese ship transporting them to Japan from the Philippines was sunk by US forces unaware they were on board.

The men are in 20 separate graves marked as "unknowns" in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which is located inside an extinct volcanic crater also known as Punchbowl.

Today, Crowley will help dedicate a memorial stone for the prisoners at the cemetery in Honolulu.

"These are men from the United States Armed Forces who were ignominiously thrown in a pit without marking by the country, our country," Crowley said.

"It was a sad thing that they were never recognized before they were buried together in a mixed-up grave with no marker."



The men were on board the Japanese freighter Enoura Maru in what is now Kaohsiung, Taiwan, when planes from the USS Hornet aircraft carrier bombed it on Jan 9, 1945.

The Enoura Maru hadn't been marked as having POWs on board so the pilots didn't know they were attacking some of their own.

The 400 were buried in a mass grave near the harbour. The U.S. military retrieved the remains in 1946 and sent them to Hawaii for burial.

The group includes not just Americans but also Australians, Canadians, British, Norwegians and citizens of what is now the Czech Republic.

Crowley, who lives in Simsbury, Connecticut, is familiar with some of their ordeal as he experienced a version of it himself.

The Army shipped him to the Philippines in 1941 after he enlisted as an 18-year-old in Greenwich. It was a tropical paradise at first, he said, until Japan attacked in December.

The Army gave him and his fellow soldiers little to no training and equipped them World War I-era rifles.

By April, his commanders surrendered thousands of US forces at Bataan.

Crowley escaped to Corregidor Island, where he fought alongside US Marines for another month.

This time, he was taken into Japanese custody and paraded down the streets of Manila.

Eighteen months of brutal labour building an air strip on the Philippine island of Palawan followed.

"If you didn't move it, you were beaten immediately. Nothing was held back. They'd swing for your head with a pickaxe handle," he said.

Each prisoner would get about 600 calories worth of food a day -- just enough to keep them alive, he said.

Crowley's ship took 17 days to reach Japan from the Philippines after taking a circuitous route to avoid attacking US planes.

The conditions on the ships transporting prisoners to Japan were so horrific the Americans called them "hellships."



Crowley recalls being held below deck in such cramped conditions he could only squat not lie down or stand.

The prisoners had to defecate and urinate where they were, leaving their waste to cascade down to platforms below where more prisoners were held.

"You were showered constantly,"he said.

Their captors lowered rice to them once a day in a bucket that had earlier held excrement. The prisoners had to reach into the bucket for their share. Sometimes the men fought.

"Some men lost it completely and sank their teeth into the nearest person for liquid. They wanted a drink. There was no water ration," Crowley said.

Each day they'd collect those who had died and throw them over the side of the ship. That was actually a good job to have, Crowley said, because it meant you could get fresh air.

"It's hard to really describe in graphic enough detail for mixed readers of a family newspaper," Crowley said.

Once in Japan, Crowley spent the rest of the war working in two different copper mines.

After the war, he found a stigma followed those who had been prisoners of the Japanese military.

Major companies wouldn't hire them. His older brother told him not to tell anyone he was a POW.

"They felt you couldn't be mentally balanced if you had been through this nightmare,"he said.

Crowley made a living in sales by commission.

He counts himself lucky to have survived. Many others didn't make it especially in the first six months after they were surrendered in the Philippines.

"I had a tenacious desire to live, I guess," Crowley said. "I was going to beat it. I was going to get home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Alpha Destination Management has launched Pearl Tour by Fly High Dubai, a thrilling 12-minute helicopter flight from Atlantis The Palm heading to Burj Khalifa - the highest tower in the world, while flying over the most famous landmarks of Dubai: Atlantis The Palm, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Coastline and back to Atlantis The Palm Helipad.



The ride is available daily and costs only Dh649 ($176.6) per person on a sharing basis.



Samir Hamadeh, general manager of Alpha Destination Management, said: Given the popularity of helicopter rides among tourists and residents, we are delighted to introduce the Pearl Tour that will allow travellers to discover Dubais iconic sights in the shortest possible time. Few experiences provide the thrill and celebrity feel that a helicopter flight does. Fly High Dubai offers a choice of helicopter sight-seeing rides ranging from 12 to 45-minutes to explore Dubais fascinating attractions with experienced pilots at the controls. Whether its a special occasion, romantic escape, company incentive, private family treat or VIP trip, these exclusive flights from The Atlantis The Palm ensure an experience of a lifetime.



Travellers can also book a private helicopter flight to see the spectacular architectural marvels and stunning sights of Dubai. These exclusive five-passenger rides are ideal for families and groups, and allow people a chance to have a birds eye view of the citys impressive structures and incredible landscapes.



The Pearl Tour

 12-minutes helicopter flight from Atlantis The Palm heading to Burj Khalifa the highest tower in the world, while flying over the most famous landmarks of Dubai: Atlantis The Palm, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Coastline and back to Atlantis The Palm Helipad.

 Rates on a sharing basis: Dh649 ($176.6) per person

 Check in at the five-star helipad and heli-lounge at Atlantis The Palm - TradeArabia News ServiceManipur Governor Najma Heptulla has dedicated to the people the North East Circuit: Imphal and Khongjom tourism project under Centre's 'Swadesh Darshan Scheme' at Kangla here.

The project which covers two sites - Kangla Fort in Imphal and Khongjom - was taken up in 2015 at an estimated cost of over about Rs 72 crore under the Union Ministry of Tourism, officials said.

Manipur has a rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty and dancing deer Sangai is found only in the floating Keibul Lamjao National Park at Loktak lake, the governor said on the occasion yesterday.

Manipur is the birthplace of modern polo and Nat Sankirtana has been included in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Besides, the Ima market, which has around 4,000 women vendors, is the largest women's market in the world, she said.

In terms of connectivity, Heptulla said that several airlines had introduced direct flights between Imphal and New Delhi.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said completion and inauguration of the North East Circuit: Imphal and Khongjom project was yet another milestone for the state.

Speaking at the occasion, Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons said that the newly inaugurated project would attract a huge number of visitors to the state generating revenue and income.

Stating that 2017 was a very good year for tourism sector of the country, the minister said that the sector was now contributing over 7 per cent to the GDP and 12.36 per cent to the employment sector.

Alphons also read out a message of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the inauguration of the project.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Following are the top stories from the northern region at 9.15 pm



LUCKNOW DEL87 UP-2NDLD SADHUS



Lucknow: Two 'sadhus' were stabbed to death and another injured inside a temple premises by unidentified persons today triggering mob violence in the Bidhuna area of Auraiya district, police said.

LUCKNOW DEL83 UP-SHELTER-LD SP



Lucknow: Taking strong note of the Deoria shelter home abuse case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today shunted out Superintendent of Police Rohan P Kanay and initiated departmental action against him.

LUCKNOW DES34 IDAY-LD UP



Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today led the state in the Independence Day celebrations which passed off peacefully, including in Kasganj where the district administration had denied permission for a 'tiranga yatra'.

LUCKNOW NRG16 UP-AIRPORTS RENAME



Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has approached the Centre for its approval to rename the airports in Bareilly, Kanpur and Agra, a move that comes close on the heels of rechristening the iconic Mughalsarai Railway Station in the state after RSS thinker Deendayal Upadhyay.

LUCKNOW DEL84 UP-AKHILESH



Lucknow: With an SP-BSP tie-up on the cards for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today invoked Ram Manohar Lohia and Bhim Rao Ambedkar -- the icons of the two parties respectively -- and talked about "fighting unitedly" to fulfil their dreams.

LUCKNOW DES30 UP-MAYAWATI-PM



Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati today dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort as an "election speech in his political style."



CHANDIGARH NRG13 HR-CG-GUV-MOURNING



Chandigarh: The Haryana government today declared one day state mourning tomorrow as a mark of respect to Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon who passed away in Raipur yesterday



SRINAGAR DES10 IDAY-JK-VOHRA



Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today asserted that only dialogue and discussion can solve problems faced by the state as a confrontational approach will never lead to any resolution.

HISAR DES17 IDAY-HR-KHATTAR



Hisar: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced a slew of incentives for the people of the state, including the 'Ayushman Bharat-Haryana' health protection scheme and 24-hour power supply to 507 more villages.

SRINAGAR DES42 JK-PDP



Srinagar: The PDP today said senior leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig and party counsel will fight the legal challenge to the validity of Article 35-A in the Supreme Court on the next date of hearing.

JODHPUR DES25 RJ-LD ROBINHOOD



Jodhpur: Robinhood Army considers hunger a major problem and they have taken upon themselves to fight this. This Independence Day, volunteers of the group have decided to distribute food to 1 million people nationwide.

NEWDELHI LST BOOK-KHUSHWANT-PUNJAB



New Delhi: Four years since the death of the legendary Khushwant Singh, a new book brings together some of his finest writings on his native land Punjab and its people.

LUCKNOW DES27 UP-RAINS-LD DEATHS



Lucknow: Four people were killed and nearly 196 houses damaged in rain-related incidents in the state over the last 24 hours, officials said today.

SRINAGAR NRG2 JK-CLOUDBURST



Srinagar: One person was killed and several buildings nd shops were damaged after a cloudburst struck the Karnah area in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said today.

JAIPUR NRG5 RJ-MOB-POLICE



Jaipur: Four policemen were injured when a mob, enraged by the kidnapping of a girl, attacked a police station in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today expressed concern over rising number of drug addiction cases in the state.

Speaking at the state-level Independence Day function at Indora in Kangra district, Thakur urged the public to play an active role in eradicating the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Earlier, Thakur hoisted the National Flag and saluted the march-past contingents -- state police, Jammu and Kashmir police, home guards, NCC, scouts, guides and NSS cadets. The parade was led by DSP RK Thakur.

The state government is endeavouring to double farmers' income by 2022, for which zero budget natural farming is being promoted in a big way and Rs 25 crore has been earmarked for it, said Thakur during his maiden speech on Independence Day as chief minister.

Thakur announced the enhancement of grant being given to kin of person who dies due to attack by a wild animal from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 4 lakh and for those seriously injured from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

He also announced the enhancement of grant being given in case of death of milch cattle from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000. The CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation from the historic Red Fort today made special reference regarding daughters of Himachal Pradesh succeeding in Sagar Parikrama which was indeed a matter of great pride for the state.

Thakur announced opening of public works department (PWD) and construction of mini-secretariat at Indora. He also said Gau Sadans would be opened at Indora, Jawalamukhi and Jaisinghpur in Kangra district.

The CM said the community health centre in Indora will be upgraded to a 50-bed hospital. Further, X-ray and ultra sound machines will be installed at the medical institute.

He also announced upgradation of police post damtal to police station, besides five tube wells will be dug up in Indora.

The CM said ex-servicemen and their widows who were getting social security pension of Rs 500 per month would now get social security pension of Rs 3,000 per month.

The income limit for getting benefits under schemes of the State Sainik Kalyan Department would be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.

On the occasion, the CM granted Rs 51,000 from his discretionary fund to the school students presenting at cultural programme.

Thakur lso awarded Himachal Gaurav Puraskar to Shail Bala (posthumously), who was killed at Mando Matkanda during a demolition drive, and Gulab Singh (posthumously). Himachal Pradesh State Innovation Award went to Dr Pradeep Kumar, a scientist from Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Agriculture University, Palampur.

The CM also gave away prizes to the participants of culture performances.

Health Minister Vipin Singh Parmar, MLAs Ramesh Dhawala, Rakesh Pathania, Rajesh Thakur, Arjun Singh, Rajesh Thakur, Ravinder Singh, Arun Mehra and Rita Dhiman, former MP Kripal Parmar, former MLA Dulo Ram, Chief Secretary Vineet Chawdhry, DGP SR Mardi were present at meet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today hoped the Centre would respect and respond positively to public sentiments in favour of holding the Aero India show here itself and not shift it to Lucknow.

Kumaraswamy, who has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, raised it during his Independence day address after hoisting the tricolour.

The Congress had alleged that the Modi government was planning to shift the show to Lucknow for political gains in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar had clarified yesterday that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had confirmed that there was no decision on the matter.

"The public are strongly opposed to shifting of this event. I have written to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister and brought this issue to the notice of Members of Parliament too," the chief minister said.

On demands from various quarters for separate statehood for North Karnataka, he said the strong will of the people have silenced the 'feeble voices clamouring for division.'



Kumaraswamy said the government has taken a big step to help farmers through waiver of Rs 49,000 crore crop loans taken from cooperative as well as commercial banks.

"Already crop loans in the cooperative sector has been waived, which will help 20.38 lakh farmers," he said.

Kumaraswamy said the government would organise 1,000 theatre shows named 'Gandhi-150,a theatrical journey' all over Karnataka on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary on October 2.

The chief minister said that along with infrastructure and other facilities, education for all, health for all and social security for all is the priority of his government.

The government intends to establish industrial clusters in various districts and create one lakh jobs in each of them Kumaraswamy said.

He said the the government would accord priority to employment generation beyond Bengaluru in Tier II and III cities of the state, he said.

The Chief Minister said Karnataka tops in renewable energy production in the country and added that hydel power generation is also expected to be more this year.

The 370 MW gas-based power plant at Yelahanka was expected to start functioning this year, Kumaraswamy said.

"The transmission network will be strengthened by setting up 35 substations and adding 800 kilometres of transmission lines. Seven hours power supply will be given to irrigation pump sets wherever possible," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On the occasion of 72nd Independence Day today, Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki unfurled the national Tricolour and took salute from a parade in Yamunanagar district.

The Governor paid tributes to the martyr who sacrificed their lives for the country and wished people a very happy Independence Day.

On this occasion, he honoured seven freedom fighters, 35 war widows, 10 agitators of 'Hindi Andolan' of 1957, 39 persons who went to jails during Emergency period in 1977 and 26 persons of Yamunanagar for outstanding works in different fields.

He said that the aim of independence was not only to get freedom from British rule, but to get freedom from mismanagement, illiteracy and casteism.

For the last 71 years, the country has been fighting with these social evils. The country is now emerging as a military and economic superpower, he said.

Solanki said that every Indian has played significant role in this journey of development, but people of Haryana deserve special congratulations.

"Being a small state, it has contributed a lot and now Haryana is among the most developed states of the country. Haryana has become a leading state in terms of per capita income, industrial production, foreign investment, education, sports, agriculture and transport.

"The state is at second position in terms of food grain production and at number three position in terms of Ease of Doing Business. Haryana has been declared kerosene-free and Open Defecation Free," he said



Impressed with the performances of students of different educational institutions, the Governor announced Rs five lakh for them. Apart from this, he announced holiday of August 16 in all government and private schools.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A procession carrying a 1,100-metre long tricolour was taken out in Surat city of Gujarat today to mark the 72nd Independence Day.

The flag, made at a textile factory here, was held up by thousands of people as the procession stretched for five kilometres, accompanied by tableaux on themes such as unity and cultural diversity, said Rahul Agarwal, a member of the organising team.

Some tableaux also featured live performance of Kathak and tribal dance forms.

Several local organisations took part in the program which was coordinated by Agarwal Vikas Trust, a non-profit outfit, Agarwal said.

"The 1,100-metre long tricolour was made using ultra satin fabric. The colours used to paint it were imported from Germany. The procession was five kilometres long," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed as "policy paralysis" under the UPA, as he announced the launch date of his signature healthcare scheme covering 50 crore Indians.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, his fifth speech after the NDA came to power in 2014, Modi also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces and a plan to send Indian astronauts into space by 2022.

"When 125 crore people move towards achieving a goal, there is nothing that cannot happen. In 2014, the people of the country did not just stop at forming the government. They moved together towards nation-building and are continuing to do so," he said.

In the nearly 80-minute speech, Modi devoted much of his speech in presenting the report card of his government, highlighting that the country made fast progress in sectors like economy, defence and social justice.

Hitting out at Congress regimes, Modi said if the country moved forward at the same pace as in 2013, the last year of the UPA government, it would have taken decades to accomplish what has been achieved in the last four years.

"We can take tough decisions because nation's interest is first for us, not party's," said Modi, who was wearing a saffron and red Rajasthani-style turban.

Quoting Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharti, Modi said in Tamil, "India will show the path to the world in ridding it of its problems."



Among the dignitaries present at the Red Fort included BJP president Amit Shah, his wife who was sitting next to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh, H D Deve Gowda also attended the celebrations along with cabinet ministers, chiefs of the three services, top echelon of judiciary, civil servants as well as thousands of school children.

It was his last Independence Day speech of his term which comes to an end in May 2019. Lok Sabha elections have to be held before then.

One of the big announcements Modi made was roll-out of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, described as the world's largest healthcare measure, on September 25, the birth anniversary of BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. He said the scheme will initially cover nearly 50 crore people from 10 crore families.

He also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces like men.

"Women officers inducted into the short service commission(SSC) will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts," the prime minister said.

He did not elaborate whether it will be applicable to women in combat roles or in non-combat fields such as IT, military police, engineering etc.

Referring to recent incidents of rape, the prime minister said the law is supreme, and asserted that the society must be free from this "demonic" mindset. He hailed recent judgements by fast-track courts to hang rape convicts. He made no specific mention of recent cases of lynching -- another hot button topic being debated in the country.

Modi also highlighted his government's efforts to protect interests of Dalits and backward classes -- the two communities being wooed by the ruling BJP ahead of the crucial elections-- and said the recent parliament session was totally dedicated to social justice.

The prime minister said by 2022, India will send a "son or daughter" to the space with the national flag in hand.

On Kashmir, the prime ministers said "we will move forward by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse (Goli and Gaali).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On the occasion of India's Independence Day today, the armies of India and China held a special Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) at Nathu La Pass, Sikkim, an Army official said.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, 'with an aim to enhance mutual trust and border peace', the official added.

The People's Liberation Army of China celebrating with Indian troops at the border on Independence Day was seen as a reciprocal gesture to the Indian Army participating in PLA's Founding Day celebrations earlier this month.

Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations, the official added.

The armies of India and China were engaged in a 73-day-long stand-off in Dokalam last year, due to which ties had become frosty.

"Beside interactions between the two armies, a cultural programme showcasing the rich cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides to celebrate the occasion," the sources said.

Pleasantries were also exchanged in North Sikkim at Kongra La.

A ceremonial BPM was also held in Eastern Ladakh, Indian BPM huts -- Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD.

The Indian delegations were led by Brigadier V K Purohit and Colonel Anil Kumar Sharma.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ahead of the 21st round of India-China boundary talks, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said today that a dispute over a "large segment" of the border with China has been resolved, barring the Western sector, and the negotiations were moving in the positive direction.

India and China have so far held 20 rounds of Special Representative-level talks to resolve the dispute over the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. The next round of talks are due to be held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the coming weeks.

"The talks are moving in the positive direction," BJP General Secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media here.

"It is not true. Most of the time those who are engaged in talks don't disclose day-to-day progress. They want to achieve certain milestone then only they will disclose," he added, refuting the perception that the border talks have not made much headway.

"As far as I know, issues with large segments of our border have been resolved. There are few areas where negotiations are still going on," he said.

Asked whether the understanding he referred to also applied to section of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of South Tibet, Madhav said, "I cannot say anything on those things. But mostly the Western sector is where major issue are there. Some areas are yet to be delimited. That I think will continue in 21st round. It is inherited problem for us."



He also sounded positive about achieving a political consensus with the opposition parties if any agreement is reached between two countries. He played down differences over a report on Doklam prepared by the Standing Committee Parliament on External Affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

"Until now we had bipartisan consensus on issues like border talks. As we move closer to elections in India every issue becomes a political issue," he said, in an apparent reference to the committee's report.

"The report you are mentioning, that was not the spirit in which we used to handle the issue but having said it, there will be bipartisan consensus on these (border) negotiations," he said, adding that it is not a problem initiated by the BJP.

"We are continuing (the talks) and taking them forward," he said.

He also said the border talks mechanism is working.

"As far as I know, the mechanism is working. We had so many rounds of talks without any complaints from either side. Things are moving, generally in the positive direction. I don't know of any other plans," he said.

On Doklam, he insisted that the status quo prevailed at the standoff site which is being maintained by all three parties- China, India and Bhutan.

The 73-day standoff last year began when Chinese troops tried to construct a road close to India's border. Indian troops objected to the road in the territory claimed by Bhutan as it came close to the Indian highway. The standoff ended in late August after both sides agreed to disengage.

There is "no change in the status quo. What existed earlier, exists today," Madhav said.

India's main issue in the area is with respect to the tri-junction because it has been agreed earlier that it should not be moved, he said.

Referring to reports of build up by the Chinese troops in areas close to the standoff site, he said, "what a country does on its side is its prerogative. How can we comment on it? Right now, status quo is being maintained there".

"When Doklam happened the policy adopted by our government was proactive diplomacy together with strong positioning (on the ground). This combination has helped in achieving good results on Doklam issue," he said.

"Our position with regard to border and trade deficit with China is clear and strong position. To address these issue, proactive diplomacy is the best way," he added.

"As far as the government position is concerned, the status quo which we wanted to be maintained there when Doklam dispute happened is being maintained by all the three sides," he added.

On the ballooning trade deficit which touched last year about USD 51 billion in over USD 84 billion bilateral trade, Madhav said, "definitely there is conscious efforts (being made) by both the governments to bridge the gap".

"I am sure in the coming days we will be able to improve the situation. Today it is USD 51 billion. Even if we bring down by USD 20 or 30 billion it is a major achievement," he said.

On the first informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, he said, "the Wuhan spirit is a new phrase between the two countries. Not formal but strongly informal relationship between the two countries. Both the countries should continue the spirit."



He said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi now enjoy personal bond and relationship. "That helps. Understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming differences," he said.

"Other neighbours are telling they are very happy that the two countries are having good ties at summit level," the BJP leader said.

On China stepping up ties with India's neighbours, Madhav said India has very good relations with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"Maldives is a persisting problem for a couple of years. (We're) Trying to sort it out," he added.

He said both India and China should step up people-to-people contacts.

Madhav said the ties between the BJP and the ruling Communist Party of China are improving and such relationship helps to sort out difficult issues between the two countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India has unveiled a major plan for the development of its North Eastern states by connecting them with Bangladesh's Chittagong port and invited for the first-time limited Chinese investments which were shunned till now due to security concerns in the border areas.

Senior Cabinet Ministers from Assam, Tripura and Nagaland - the states governed by the BJP and its allies - accompanied by BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav visited the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou last weekend and met Indian and Chinese businessmen.

"There, we had an interaction with the Indian community who are exporters," Madhav told the Indian media here today.

"Later, we had a session with Chinese groups like e-bike manufacturers, software and hardware firms," he said, adding that they interacted with ministers and showed interest to go to Assam to explore the opportunities.

Madhav outlined a plan prepared by the BJP-led government for the development of North Eastern states by providing the landlocked region direct access to Bangladesh's Chittagong port instead of shipping the goods all the way from Mumbai and Chennai ports.

"North-East is a special focus area for our government. So we are connecting Tripura with Chittagong port which is about 90 miles," he said.

Through Chittagong port entire North East is connected with ocean trade, he added.

"Right now goods to North East are to be taken by rail and road from Mumbai or Chennai through Kolkata to Guwahati. If we are going to connect to Chittagong port, it will be an excellent connectivity," he said.

The Chittagong port is the busiest seaport on the coastline of the Bay of Bengal.

Madhav said North East connects with five countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan Nepal, Myanmar and China through Tibet.

He said India is developing Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) sub regional hub and even invited Chinese to use North East to access Indian Ocean through Chittagong.

"We have not attempted connecting North East with China. Our vision was that they are natural neighbours. North East has huge boundary with China...

"South West China can use North East as hub to go to Indian Ocean through Chittagong. We have not explored much. We only thought through Sikkim we can give access to China to the Indian Ocean through Kolkata port. But this (Chittagong port) is also an excellent opportunity," he said.

But challenges remain as China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet.

"We have issues in Arunachal Pradesh, that is a challenge," he added.

For its part, China is promoting Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM) as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The BRI focuses on improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa, China and Europe. The BRI includes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a project over which India has protested as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Madhav said India is developing North East as a trade hub.

"We are developing it as a hub for trade. That concept should sit in the minds of business here. They should not look North East as market. You set up market in Guwahati which can access entire Bangladesh market," he said.

In that context, the visit of the ministers is crucial, he said.

Asked whether Bangladesh was on board for the plan, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has talked about the rail, road and waterways connectivity through the country.

Asked about the security related issues in the border areas of North East, Madhav said Chinese investments can be in consumer goods and products like battery manufacturing for e-bikes.

"Where there is mutually beneficial arrangement is possible, there we will take them. Where there are concerns, we won't allow many people there," he said, adding that Guwahati can be an attractive investment centre.

He said India needs to explore ways to reduce the USD 51 billion trade deficit with China in about USD 84 billion bilateral trade.

India need to close our trade deficit with Chinese investments.

"We don't allow investments in all areas but where it is possible we should invite," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Saudi Arabian Airlines and Lebanon flag carrier Middle East Airlines-Air Liban have expanded their existing bilateral codeshare agreement, which will see both carriers adding their respective codes on flights between the two countries.



The expanded codeshare, effective today (August 15), follows from the existing partnership, which started in 2007, on ME operated flights between Beirut and Dammam. The expanded agreement now includes all flights sold and operated by MEA and Saudia between Beirut and Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.



This will effectively bring the total number of scheduled flights operated by Saudia and MEA between the two countries to 57 weekly flights, broadening the offering of both carriers and providing passengers with larger choice and more convenient schedule. Frequent Flyer members of each respective airline will find it even easier to earn and redeem miles on both carriers. Both carriers are members of SkyTeam Alliance providing their respective eligible top-tier frequent flyer members with a bouquet of privileges on SkyTeam operated international flights, including lounge access, priority services and excess luggage allowance.



Saudia currently flies 19 weekly flights from two cities in the kingdom to Beirut - Jeddah and Riyadh.



MEA currently operates 38 weekly flights from Lebanon to three cities in the kingdom - Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.



Both airlines are long-standing carriers in the Middle East region. MEAs first flight to Saudi Arabia was in 1945 and Saudia first begun flying to Lebanon in 1948. - TradeArabia News ServiceIndia's first all- from the north east beamed with pride as it provided security cover to the historic Red Fort on Wednesday on the

The 36-member all-women Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team has been trained by the NSG for anti-terrorism duty under the Delhi Police's Special Cell.

Sumata Rabta, a member of the team, said it has been her life-long dream to protect the country.

"I will always remember this day when I got the opportunity to provide security on one of the key events in the country," Rabta said.

ALSO READ: India gets first all-women SWAT team, all 36 commandos from northeast

Dipti Barman, another member, said to hear the prime minister speak on her team made her beam with pride.

"I can feel the responsibility and my team would give its complete support in fulfilling every task assigned to it," Barman said.

She hoped people change their perception towards the citizens of the north east and realise their capability.

Another team member, Mihnhunsa, felt proud to don the uniform.

"Even though it is difficult task to change people's set notions about our region, we can try to do so through our uniform," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, said the government has brought Delhi close to the north east and the region has become an inspiration for everyone.

The 36 women commandos, who broke the traditional male stronghold to enter the SWAT team, were formally inducted on August 10.

They are equipped with AK-47 rifles, MP5 machine guns, Glock 17 or 26 pistols and corner shot devices for enhanced night vision. The women commandos were also trained in Krav Maga, which is a self-defence system developed for the Israel Defence Forces, the police said.

The women commandos were trained to undertake complex operations during terrorist attacks at crowded markets, residential complexes or government premises.India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law, the US said today while greeting the country on its Independence Day.

In his message on behalf of the United States of America on the occasion of India's 72st Independence Day, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

"On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order," he said.

Since gaining its independence 71 years ago today, India has "set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law values shared by the United States", Pompeo said.

"As members of the oldest and largest democracies, the people of the US and India have always enjoyed strong bonds of friendship. We are grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students," he said.

Pompeo said that the values shared by the people of the two countries "contribute to inspiring collaboration in health, energy, environment, science, and high technology that will fuel the jobs and prosperity of the future".

He said that "we congratulate India, - a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend - on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said structural reforms of four years by his government have transformed the Indian economy from being among world's fragile five to an elephant that has started to run and made it a destination of multi-trillion dollar investment.

Delivering his last Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort before general elections, Modi said his government has the capability to take tough decisions and vowed not to spare corrupt and black money holders.

In a nearly 90 minute-long speech, the Prime Minister, sporting a traditional saffron coloured headgear, listed down the progress in the economy and his government's achievements, especially in programmes aimed at providing housing, sanitation and clean drinking water to the poor, electrification of villages, building of highways, providing clean cooking fuel and resolving of NPAs in the banking sector.

In the past four years of his reign, Modi said his government had improved incomes of farmers and ensured the sector matched growth witnessed in other sectors of the economy.

Prior to 2014, India was likened to policy paralysis and delayed reforms. "India was considered among 'fragile five' (economies of the world) but today the world is seeing it as a destination of multi-trillion dollar investment. Everything has changed," he said.

From being seen as a "risky" economy, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. "We are poised for record economic growth," he said.

Stating that India is now the sixth biggest economy in the world, he said businesses used to talk about red tape and policy paralysis, now they talk about the 'red carpet' and improvement in ease of doing business ranking.

He cited IMF's recent report which said India's economy is an elephant that's starting to run. "...the sleeping elephant has woken up and has started to run," he said.

The International Monetary Fund's last week stated that India is on track to hold its position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies as reforms start to pay off.

Modi said reputed international institutions and experts are now saying that India will be the engine of growth for the world for the next three decades.

Listing out achievements of his government, he said better targeting of government benefits has weeded out about 6 crore fake beneficiaries of government subsidy on LPG, pension, helping save Rs 90,000 crore.

He said there is no place for nepotism and strict action is being taken against corruption.

"We will not spare the corrupt and those who have stashed black money. They have ruined the country," he said. "Delhi's streets are now free from power brokers. From (a time when) the voice of power brokers (was heard), the voice of the poor is (now) heard."



Modi, in his fifth Independence Day speech, also mentioned the clamp down on three lakh shell companies that were used to launder ill-gotten money.

Listing measures that have brought the untaxed in the tax net, he said the number of income taxpayers has increased to 6.75 crore from 3.5-4 crore before 2014.

Also, the implementation of one-nation, one-tax scheme of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a rise in the number of indirect taxpayers from 70 lakh to 1.16 crore.

"We have the potential to take tough decisions," he said. "Prior to 2014, global institutions used to say the Indian economy is risky. Today, the same institutions and people are saying that reform momentum is giving strength to fundamentals," the PM said.

He went on to list out structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST), bankruptcy and insolvency law and benami property law that helped transform the economy.

Electrifying all villages, providing 5 crore cleaner cooking gas to poor women, doubling the pace of highway construction, record foodgrain production, record mobile phone manufacturing, and building four-time more new houses in villages were some of the achievements of his government, he said.

If the work continued at the pace that was prevalent in 2013, it would have taken one or two more decades to electrify all villages, 100 years to provide LPG gas connections to all and generations to take optic fibre to villages.

Modi said the government fulfilled the promise to provide 50 per cent more than the cost of production for kharif crops to farmers and is on the way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.

As many as 13 crore loans have been disbursed under the Mudra Yojana, and four crore loans out of this number, being disbursed to first-time beneficiaries of such loans, he said.

He emphasised on the vision of Housing for All, Power for All, Clean Cooking for All, Water for All, Sanitation for All, Skill for All, Health for All, Insurance for All, and Connectivity for All.

He said that he is impatient, anxious and keen to see India progress, eliminate malnutrition, and to see Indians get a better quality of life.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Thousands of Indians across the world today proudly celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day with the tricolour fluttering high and the national anthem reverberating at Indian missions abroad.

Indians in the US, China, Pakistan, Australia, Singapore and many other countries marked the day with hoisting of the national flag and singing of patriotic songs.

Independence Day was celebrated with joy, fervour and special resonance at the High Commission of India in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. The occasion was marked by High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria hoisting the national flag, singing of the National Anthem, a cultural program, and tea.

"High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria in his Independence Day message spoke of India's philosophy of 'Vasudeva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family) and hoped the 'new India' and 'new Pakistan' would build a 'new future' of peace and prosperity, substantially different from the past," the Indian mission tweeted.

The Indian envoy commenced the celebrations by paying floral tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.

In Beijing, a large number of the Indian diaspora took part in the Independence Day celebrations held at the Indian Embassy.

India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale hoisted the tricolour and read out President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation.

Several Indian dignitaries, including BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, and senior Congress leader Karan Singh, who are currently in China, took part in the flag hoisting ceremony. A large number of Indians were present at the occasion.

In Washington, Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna read out the president's address to mark the country's Independence Day.

In Houston, several Indian-Americans converged at the Consulate General early today where Consul General Anupam Ray unfurled the tricolour.

Independence Day was also marked in Russian capital Moscow with much enthusiasm and fervour. A large enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Indian Embassy as Indian envoy Pankaj Saran unfurled the national flag.

He read out the president's address to the nation to the 500-strong gathering that included Indian citizens, people of Indian origin and Russian nationals. The event included a cultural performance by the children from the Embassy of India School, Moscow.

In Australia, a large number of Indian expatriates attended the flag hoisting ceremonies held at the Indian High Commission in Canberra and consulates in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to mark the day.

Congratulating the Indian government, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that India and Australia were great friends with a lot in common as modern, vibrant and diverse democracies.

"Australia's large and growing Indian community makes a much valued contribution to so many areas of our national life - and has for many year," Turnbull said here in an official statement.

"Whether through culture, community, education, science or enterprise, Indian-Australians are helping make our nation stronger and more dynamic. We have a connection and friendship that stretch from Adelaide to Amritsar, Hobart to Hyderabad and everywhere in between," he said.

Turnbull said that he was fortunate to have seen the flourishing relationship first hand during his visit to India last year.

"I am confident that our deepening ties will ensure that these friendly relations will continue to prosper in the coming year," he said.

In his congratulatory message, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs minister Alan Tudge said, "India today is the world's largest democracy sharing our liberal democratic values and commitment to freedom.

"As Australia's fifth largest export market, and our 10th largest trading partner overall, Australia and India have a relationship based on strong political, economic and community ties," he said.

Tudge highlighted that investment between the two sides have grown significantly in the last decade and the number of Indians born in Australia also jumped.

Meanwhile, Indian diaspora across the country held several cultural events and special dinners to mark the occasion.

Last week, Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee, who was attending the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2018, hoisted the tricolour at the iconic building Federation Square here.

In Singapore, more than 500 Indians in Singapore joined High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf in celebrating India's Independent Day.

The Indian flag was unfurled in the presence of more than 800 Indian nationals.

A concert of patriotic songs and cultural performance was also organised to mark the occasion.

A mid-morning reception was hosted at the Indian High Commission for the business community linked to India.

Members of the Indian community in the Netherlands also celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day here with fervour.

The celebrations began with the hoisting of the national flag by the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony and singing of the national anthem,



Over 600 Indians and others gathered at 'India House' - the residence of the Indian envoy in Wassenaar - on the occasion.

In Nepal, Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri gifted 30 ambulances and six buses to Nepalese hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions at a function at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

Puri felicitated widows and wards of deceased Nepalese soldiers of the Indian armed forces by distributing cheques worth 53.5 million Nepalese rupees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Thousands of Indians across the world today proudly celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day with the tricolour fluttering high and the national anthem reverberating at Indian missions abroad.

Indians in China, Australia, Singapore and many other countries marked the day with hoisting of the national flag and singing of patriotic songs.

In Beijing, a large number of the Indian diaspora took part in the Independence Day celebrations held at the Indian Embassy.

India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale hoisted the tricolour and read President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation.

Several Indian dignitaries, including BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, senior Congress leader Karan Singh, who are currently in China, took part in the flag hoisting ceremony.

A large number of Indians were present at the occasion.

In Melbourne, a large number of Indian expatriates attended the flag hoisting ceremonies held at the Indian High Commission in Canberra and consulate buildings in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to mark the 72st Independence Day.

Congratulating the Indian government, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that India and Australia were great friends with a lot in common as modern, vibrant and diverse democracies.

"Australia's large and growing Indian community makes a much valued contribution to so many areas of our national life - and has for many year," Turnbull said here in an official statement.

"Whether through culture, community, education, science or enterprise, Indian-Australians are helping make our nation stronger and more dynamic.

"We have a connection and friendship that stretch from Adelaide to Amritsar, Hobart to Hyderabad and everywhere in between," he said.

Turnbull said that he was fortunate to have seen the flourishing relationship first hand during his visit to India last year.

"I am confident that our deepening ties will ensure that these friendly relations will continue to prosper in the coming year," he said.

In his congratulatory message, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs minister Alan Tudge said, "India today is the world's largest democracy sharing our liberal democratic values and commitment to freedom.

"As Australia's fifth largest export market, and our 10th largest trading partner overall, Australia and India have a relationship based on strong political, economic and community ties," he said.

Tudge highlighted that investment between the two sides have grown significantly in the last decade and the number of Indians born in Australia also jumped.

Meanwhile, Indian diaspora across the country held several cultural events and special dinners to mark the occasion.

Last week, Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee, who was attending the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2018, hoisted the tricolour at the iconic building Federation Square here.

In Singapore, more than 500 Indians in Singapore joined High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf in celebrating India's Independent Day.

The Indian flag was unfurled in the presence of more than 800 Indian nationals.

A concert of patriotic songs and cultural performance was also organised to mark the occasion.

A mid-morning reception was hosted at the High Commission for the business community linked to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Members of the Indian community in the Netherlands today celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day here with traditional fervour.

Over 600 Indians and friends of India gathered at "India House" - the residence of Indian Ambassador to The Netherlands - in Wassenaar, on the occasion.

The celebrations began with the hoisting of the national flag by the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony and singing of the national anthem, a statement issued by the Indian Embassy said.

The Ambassador them read out President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation, it said, adding that it was the largest Independence Day gathering ever in the country and organised the second time at the 'India House'.

It was followed by a performance of patriotic songs by the local music group "Madras Chorus" and kathak and Odissi fusion dance performance by the Netherlands Marathi Mandal, the statement said.

For the first time, Mayors of two leading cities of the Netherlands Utrecht and Wassenaar namely, Jan van Zanen and Frank Koen also took part in the celebrations, it added.

India and the Netherlands have a long history of friendly bilateral relations going back to more than 400 years, encompassing many areas of shared interest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the Netherlands in June 2017, while his counterpart visited India in May 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech as progressive, industry bodies today said his nearly 90 minutes address to the nation from historic Red Fort reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth story.

In his Independence Day speech, Modi said structural reforms of four years by his government have transformed the Indian economy from being among world's fragile five to an elephant that has started to run.

He placed special emphasis on doubling farmers' income and stated that diversification of agriculture is taking place through new sectors such as fisheries and bee-keeping.

In a statement, President of industry chamber CII Rakesh Bharti Mittal said the speech reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth story and emphasised that India would continue to lead in different areas, including the fourth industrial revolution.

Industry body Ficci welcomed "firm resolve" of the prime minister to position India among the top economies of the world.

"The reforms initiated in the last few years, including RERA, IBC and GST, have started yielding results, and there is no doubt that the continuance of the reform mode will usher in a high growth phase going ahead. This will certainly strengthen India's position in the global economy, and help in reaching to the top," said Ficci President Rashesh Shah.

Shah added that the Indian economy is already witnessing the signs of economic revival, and the industry is ready to capitalise on it and turn it into 8 per cent plus growth phase in coming years.

"Prime Minister's confidence in India leading the fourth industrial revolution, which will be knowledge-based, is an opportunity for Indian industry to show its real potential. Ficci dedicates itself to this exercise," he said.

CII said the announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyaan for health under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from September 25 is a milestone for the nation.

"With access to quality healthcare for 500 million people, the country will be able to make huge progress as people will feel secure and confident about their lives. This is really the need of the hour," Mittal said.

Founder and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group Prathap C Reddy said the Jan Arogya Abhiyan is a call to arms to the medical fraternity to rise to the occasion and work towards easing the healthcare woes of crores of Indians.

"We welcome the initiative, by which the government takes on the burden, and shares the cost of providing healthcare to those who cannot afford it. It is heartening to see the rapid progress made in a short time since the scheme was announced, and will be welcome relief to millions of poor patients when it is launched next month," he said.

The healthcare scheme is likely to benefit 50 crore people in the country.

Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani visited AIIMS this evening to enquire about the health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute.

There was no official update on Vajpayee's health condition.

Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output.

The 93-year-old BJP leader, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today praised the security forces in the state, saying they have successfully pushed back against the proxy war waged by Pakistan but hoped that a new leadership in Islamabad would help improve bilateral ties.

In his Independence Day address at Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, he said Pakistan has tried to send "an unusually large number of trained terrorists" into India during the past one year.

But "our Army and police forces carried out effective operations and neutralised, perhaps, the largest ever number of terrorists in the past many years", Vohra said.

India suffered because of the terrorists and several security forces personnel and civilians died, he said.

The governor said there has been a progressive increase in attempts by terrorists to infiltrate into Indian territory.

"Till June this year, there were repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan which caused manifold sufferings for our people living in villages along the LoC," he said.

Vohra, who took office of the state's governor 10 years ago, lauded the Army for enforcing strict vigil on the frontiers in the face of a difficult terrain and climate.

"I take this opportunity to raise my hand in salute to our fearless officers and men and pay respectful homage to the brave hearts of the state police, Central Armed Police Forces and the Army who made the supreme sacrifice to preserve the territorial integrity of our country," he added.

The governor said that the central government has taken several initiatives to improve ties with Pakistan but these efforts are yet to borne any result.

"Elections have just been concluded in Pakistan and a new prime minister shall be soon taking over. I very much hope that the new leadership in Islamabad will recognise the futility of continuing with its terrorist agenda in J&K and accept that peace between our two countries will contribute towards the establishment of fruitful relations, growing trade, prosperity and all around mutual benefits," he said.

The new government in Pakistan with Imran Khan as prime minister is expected to be sworn-in on August 18.

He said Jammu and Kashmir is striving to achieve its developmental goals despite several disadvantages such as long distance from major markets and inadequate connectivity.

"But most of all, steady growth and advancement suffered because of Pakistan's continuing proxy war and its unceasing campaigns for the past nearly three decades now...," he said.

On the militancy front, Vohra said he was pleased that several youths who had joined militancy have returned home.

He urged community leaders to influence the young men to return home and pursue their career goals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with Lotus Trans Travel Private Limited to establish a four-hotel portfolio under the Holiday Inn banner in India.



Slated to open between 2020 and 2023, Holiday Inn Bodhgaya, Holiday Inn Kushinagar, Holiday Inn Gorakhpur and Holiday Inn Shravasti together will add over 450 rooms to IHGs system and establish the companys presence at the Buddhist tourism circuit.



As a part of the agreement, Holiday Inn hotels in Bodhgaya, Kushinagar and Shravasti will be refurbished and upgraded, to ensure the portfolio is fully representative of the Holiday Inn brand globally. Holiday Inn Gorakhpur will be a new build hotel.



Bodhgaya in Bihar, Gorakhpur, Shravasti and Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh are some of the main pilgrimage centres for Buddhism in India and together form a part of The Buddhist Circuit in the country that drives a lot of religious visitors and international travellers to these states. With this signing, IHG is uniquely positioned as the first international operator to have a presence in the Buddhist Circuit of India.



Commenting on the announcement, Sudeep Jain, vice president, development, South West Asia, IHG, said: We are excited to be collaborating with Lotus Trans Travel Private Limited, who have a strong presence and a deep market understanding of Buddhist destinations in India. This signing adds to the rapidly growing presence of our well-recognised Holiday Inn brand across the country. The Holiday Inn brand family is IHGs growth engine in India, and this agreement is in line with our development strategy for the South West Asia region.



He added: "The Buddhist Circuit is an important landmark for religious tourism and is being further established, as a result of the governments efforts to develop and promote the route. This presents a great opportunity for us, and we look forward to catering to the growing number of tourists, and the local demand for F&B and banqueting requirements."



Lajpat Rai, managing director, Lotus Trans Travel Private Limited, said: We are thrilled to partner with IHG for our portfolio of hotels in the Buddhist tourism circuit including Bodhgaya, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur and Shravasti. The global scale and many years of international hotel management experience make IHG an ideal partner for us to further strengthen our offering. Holiday Inn is one of the worlds most loved hotel brands, and we are confident it will cater to the growing number of travellers visiting these cities. - TradeArabia News ServiceOn Independence Day today, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra asserted that only dialogue and discussion can pull the state out of "fear, distrust and growing cynicism" that have impeded its economic development.

In his address at Sher-e-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar, he also announced that the long-delayed panchayat elections and polls to urban local bodies will be held between September and December.

Vohra said confrontation will not help in resolving the issues facing the state, and urged political leaders and those helming socio-cultural and religious organisations to think about what has been gained from the "endless turmoil".

The governor, who took over the administration in the state after the fall of the PDP-BJP alliance government in June, urged political leaders to also think about human and economic losses and the trouble endured by people for decades.

"To pull the state out of the prevailing environment of suspicion, fear, distrust and growing cynicism, it is crucial that all stakeholders - whatever their political convictions or religious ideologies - close ranks and muster courage to accept that our problems can be resolved only through dialogue and discussion," he said.

"And by sustained efforts towards promoting reconciliation and communal harmony."



His appeal for peace, harmony and dialogue came as separatist organisations observed a strike in the Kashmir Valley.

The separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership had asked people to observe a "black day" today. JRL comprises Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik.

Shops, offices, fuel stations and other businesses remained shut in Srinagar. A police official said reports of a shutdown were also received from other district headquarters in the Valley. Authorities temporarily suspended mobile telephone services, including Internet facility on hand-held devices, as a precautionary measure.

At the main Independence Day function, which was hit by a technical snag leading to cancellation of some cultural programmes, Vohra said it needs to be understood that some people have the sole objective of stoking unrest and their behaviour has resulted in Kashmir being branded "with a negative profile".

This, he added, has discouraged tourism, external investments and adversely affected the economic advancement of the state.

Vohra praised security forces, saying they have successfully pushed back against the proxy war waged by Pakistan, but he said he hoped that a new leadership in Islamabad would help improve bilateral ties.

An Imran Khan-led government is expected to take over in Pakistan this week. An official announcement is yet to be made.

The Jammu and Kashmir governor said Pakistan has tried to send "an unusually large number of trained terrorists" into India during the past year.

"Our Army and police forces carried out effective operations and neutralised, perhaps, the largest ever number of terrorists in the past many years," Vohra, who took over as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir 10 years ago, said.

"I take this opportunity to raise my hand in salute to our fearless officers and men and pay respectful homage to the brave hearts of the state police, Central Armed Police Forces and the Army who made the supreme sacrifice to preserve the territorial integrity of our country," he said.

Vohra took the reins of Jammu and Kashmir following the fall of the PDP-BJP government on June 19. He said it has been his endeavour to see the administrative apparatus - right from the village level up to the state secretariat - functioning with promptitude, efficiency and complete accountability.

In that process, he announced the urban local body and panchayat polls, which have not been organised for several years, will be held from September this year.

"The prolonged delay in establishing democratically-elected self-governing bodies at the grassroots level in urban and rural areas has resulted in the loss of considerable funds which would have been available if elections had been held," Vohra said.

He said elections to urban local bodies will take place in SeptemberOctober while the phased panchayat polls will be held in October-December.

The last panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2011. The urban local body elections have not been held for nearly eight years.

The function at the stadium was temporarily hit after the sound system malfunctioned. The snag happened during a 'bhangra performance' by jawans of paramilitary forces.

As the audio system could not be repaired immediately, a few cultural performances had to be cancelled.

A senior official said the cause behind the malfunction was being investigated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Japan's Emperor Akihito has expressed deep remorse over his country's role in World War II as he made his last appearance at a ceremony marking the end of the hostilities.

The 84-year-old emperor made his final war-end anniversary speech before his abdication scheduled in April. He will be succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Naruhito.

Akihito, attending today's 73rd anniversary of the end of the war at Tokyo's Budokan hall, expressed "the feelings of deep remorse" over the tragedy. He pledged to reflect on the wartime past and expressed hope that the tragedy should never be repeated.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stayed away from a Tokyo shrine that honors convicted war criminals among the war dead, apparently not to upset neighbouring countries.

Abe instead sent religious offerings to the shrine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district today, an official said. An Army jawan was injured in the counter-insurgency operation.

At about 5.15 am,Armypersonnel noticed movement along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera Sector, the defence public relations officer said.

On being challenged, the armed intruders opened fire, he said, adding that our troops responded with retaliatory fire in equal measure.

Pakistan Army posts provided cover fire to the intruder, the PRO said.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, an army personnel sustained injuries and was evacuated for medical treatment. The jawan's condition is stable.

The search and sanitisation operations were going on when the last report came in. The White Knight Corps is keeping a constant vigil along the LoC.

Pakistan continues its nefarious activities along the LoC, they continue to vitiate the atmosphere both along the border and the hinterland, the PRO said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The death toll in a blast which rocked western Kabul today climbed to at least 25, officials said, with fears it could rise further in the latest violence in Afghanistan's war-weary capital.

The spokesmen for the interior ministry and health ministries both confirmed the toll and said at least 35 people were injured in the blast at an education centre in a Shiite area of the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today lamented the lack of development in the country and said if Delhi can achieve success in health and sectors, why other states cannot replicated the same.

He said the country these days is known as a place where "communal riots and rapes with women" take place. Kejriwal, however, added that now India has also been recognised for good things like Mohalla Clinic which is talked about world over.

In his Independence Day speech at a Delhi government function held at Chhatrasal stadium here, he claimed "unprecedented" development has happened in Delhi during AAP's over three-year rule.

The initiatives of the AAP government like improvements in school and health sector scheme such as Mohalla Clinic are being discussed all over the world. Former secretary general of United Nations Kofi Annan will come to India with a delegation to visit Mohalla clinics on September 6, he claimed.

"The question is why India is backward. If Delhi can achieve success in education, health, supply of water and electricity in three years, why it could not take place in rest of India," Kejriwal said.

Japan, which was ravaged in World War II, managed to rise again and is now far ahead of India. Many other countries that gained independence after India are now more developed, he said.

"If good is ensured for all children in the country, our poverty and unemployment can be removed within one generation," the Delhi chief minister said.

Kejriwal said his party dreamt of an India that would be number one in the world.

"These days, India is known as a place where communal riots and rapes with women take place, but now it has also been recognised for good things in the last three years like Mohalla Clinic which is talked about world over," he said.

He claimed that the AAP government is the most honest government in the country and it has achieved success in the field of education, health among others due to its honesty.

When those present chanted "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", Kejriwal said the slogan will be realised when all the children will receive good education, farmers will get price for their crops, women will be respected, and no country in the world will be able to browbeat India.

The Delhi chief minister said while the national capital had come up with best drainage system thousands of years ago, it now lacks a decent sewer system despite 70 years of Independence.

"But, the wind of change is blowing now. Delhi will have the best sewer system in the world in the next five years," he said.

Alleging that people charged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of being "stubborn", Kjeriwal said "Yes, we are stubborn because we want corruption free, rich and educated India. Our dreams are big but achievable."



The chief minister signed off rendering "Hum Honge Kamyab" alongwith school children present in the event.

Earlier, the chief minister unfurled the tricolor and was accorded guard of honour by contingents of the Delhi Police, Home Guards and students from government schools.

He awarded medals for gallantry and meritorious service to serving officials, and kin of personnel who died performing their fire fighting duty.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre rushed four more NDRF teams to Kerala today to assist the local administration in the relief-and-rescue operations for those affected by the incessant rains in the southern state.

"In view of the unprecedented rains and the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) red alert for several districts, four more teams of the NDRF are being airlifted from Pune to Kerala to strengthen the response," a spokesperson of the force said.

Till now, 14 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the affected areas of Idukki, Ernakulam,Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta districts, he added.

One NDRF team consists of about 45 personnel.

The NDRF spokesperson said the federal disaster response force evacuated 53 people in Kozhikode, 60 in Pathanamthitta, 115 in Ernakulam, 47 in Thrissur and 24 in Alappuzha today.

"The force is also assisting the state authorities in distributing the relief material," he added.

So far, the NDRF teams had rescued seven people and evacuated 685 others in the southern state, the spokesperson said.

The rain fury continued unabated today in Kerala, where 47 people have died so far. A red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts of the southern state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Cochin International Airport today suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water gushed the airport area following unabated rains and the opening of dam shutters in the Periyar river.

Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan called an urgent meeting at the Secretariat and decided to seek permission from the Centre to allow small aircrafts to land at the naval airport in Kochi.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday afternoon.

A spokesperson of the airport said, "Kochi Airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm as the inflow of water is still on a rising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water."



An official statement said the state government would soon approach the Civil Aviation Ministry asking whether small flights to Kochi could be allowed to land at the naval airport.

It would also request the ministry to utilise the other two airports in the state - Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram - instead of reverting the flights to Mumbai and other places, the statement said.

The chief minister asked officials to make necessary arrangements to take passengers, who may be landing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, to their respective places by state-run buses.

Earlier today, passengers faced problems due to suspension of operations as they had already reached the airport to catch flights. They complained of not getting assistance from any authorities.

Rains in the state have claimed 47 lives, officials said, adding a red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Cochin International Airport today suspended all flight operations till Saturday as the aerodrome was flooded following unabated rains and the opening of dam shutters in the Periyar river, prompting authorities to divert all incoming and outgoing flights to Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikode.

The Civil Aviation Ministry acceded to the state's request to utilise other airports in Kerala, instead of diverting the flights to Mumbai and other places.

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted, "We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut (Kozhikode). For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergency. DGCA is coordinating."



To the state government's request to allow small aircraft to land at the naval airport in Kochi, the minister said they were exploring alternative landing places for small aircraft.

"Airport #Kochi is not operating flights as runway is flooded.We shall explore possibilities of smaller aircraft's landing at alternate authorised landing places,will ensure all rescue operations will get full assistance from aviation ministry,will coordinate all with state Govt (sic)," he said in another tweet.

The minister also said that he had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airport Authority to provide call centre facility to all stranded passengers as well as to provide requisite support to all rescue agencies so that "we ensure best possible solution to those unfortunately suffering from fury of nature".

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan called an urgent meeting at the Secretariat.

The chief minister asked officials to make necessary arrangements to take passengers, who may be landing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, to their respective places by state-run buses.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday afternoon.

A spokesperson of the airport said, "Kochi Airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm as the inflow of water is still on a rising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water."



An official statement said the state government would soon approach the Civil Aviation Ministry asking whether small flights to Kochi could be allowed to land at the naval airport.

In the morning hours, passengers faced problems due to suspension of operations as they had already reached the airport to catch flights. They complained of not getting assistance from any authorities.

"Monitoring situation arising out of unprecedented #KeralaFlood to mitigate challenges faced by passengers.Working with state government to ensure proper movement as much as possible in given situation.Airports Authority, DGCA,Secy all directed to provide best possible assistance(sic)," Prabhu tweeted.

The Union minister informed that 14 international flights operated by airlines such as Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, Sri Lankan airways were rescheduled to and from Thiruvananthapuram instead of Kochi during the day.

Besides, six international carriers including Gulf Air, Air Asia Berhad, Scoot and Silk Air cancelled their flights to Kochi.

Meanwhile, a government statement said that to cater to the stranded passengers, "scheduled domestic airlines have been advised to reschedule their flights to/from Cochin to Trivandrum and Calicut airports till such time the situation at Cochin airport returns to normal".

Scheduled domestic airlines have also been advised to operate relief flights to Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode for passengers of diverted flights, who have landed at Bangalore, Coimbatore and Chennai on 15 August 2018 morning instead of Kochi.

Domestic carrier Vistara said it was operating special flights to Thiruvananthapuram in view of Kochi airport closure and will cap fares on economy class. Flights will operate from Delhi and Chennai.

In a tweet, the airline said, "economy class fares will be capped at Rs 10k/7.5k respectively one way. We don't normally operate to TRV,and have made special arrangements," it said.

Rains in the state have claimed 47 lives, officials said, adding a red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said his government created 31.5 lakh employment and self-employment opportunities and eradicated corruption during his three-and-a-half-year rule.

Unfurling the Tricolour at the Morahbadi ground here on the 72nd Independence Day, Das said one lakh more job opportunities in the private sector would be provided by the next National Youth Day.

Calling upon people to get rid of communalism, casteism, illiteracy, poverty and unemployment, Das said his government has zero tolerance on corruption and more than 300 people were arrested in corruption cases during the last three and a half years.

The chief minister said when he took over charge on December 28, 2014, Jharkhand was noted for corruption, but now the state is talked for development.

"Today the image of Jharkhand has changed and its every citizen proudly says he or she is Jharkhand-vasi," he said.

Stating that Jharkhand is number one in the country in health sector reforms, Das said 57 lakh of the 67 lakh families will get free health services.

Jharkhand is second in the country in growth rate, fourth in Ease of Doing Business and the state got the best performing state award in cleanliness drive, he said.

He said the Centre is assisting in the development of Jharkhand and cited example as to how the state got Rs 4064 crore in 2013-14 in central grant while it was increased to 82 per cent in 2014-15 and it reached to Rs 13,414 crore in 2017-18.

The chief minister said every household of the state would get electricity by December this year while it would become an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state by October 2.

Das said Jharkhand is the first state where women are able to purchase land worth up to Rs 50 lakh with just Re 1 as registration fee and so far 55,000 women have become owners of houses availing the benefit.

He said 33 per cent reservation has been given to women in recruitment for the police department.

The state has created "Jharkhand State Emergency Grain Cell" at various levels, he said.

Under Prime Minister Housing Scheme (Rural), more than 5 lakh dwellings have been approved and construction of over 2.13 lakh dwellings have been completed, Das said.

The chief minister hoped that development and cooperation of people would lead to the end of left wing extremism in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gulf Hotels Group (GHG), Bahrains leading home-grown hospitality provider, has announced the soft opening of its first UAE property - The Gulf Court Hotel Business Bay.



The opening is the first phase of GHGs expansion plan across the region.



The four-star deluxe hotel offers a total of 270 rooms, including superior rooms to suites, which overlook the Dubai Water Canal. Gulf Court Hotel Business Bay boasts fine-dining restaurants alongside impressive lounges and a grand banquet hall. Other facilities include meeting rooms, a swimming pool, fitness centre and spa. The hotel also has a nightclub and karaoke room for both in-house and public guests.



Located 15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport, the hotel will cater to both business and leisure travellers. Its location is in close proximity to the central commercial and business district, and lends itself for easy access to Dubai Mall, while facing the worlds tallest building - both of which are within two kilometres walk.



On August 1, the hotel opened its doors to welcome its first guests. Abdulrahman Al Hujaylan and Khalid Al Hujaylan were welcomed by the groups director of operations, Nils Axing; the hotels general manager, Marc Voller; and members of the hotels management team.



Garfield Jones, Gulf Hotels Group CEO, said: It is another landmark day in the history of the group. Since the opening of the Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa back in 1969, the group has been committed to delivering the highest standards of Bahraini hospitality. The opening of Gulf Court Hotel Business Bay is the first step of our regional expansion program, which will include Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries in the future.



We aim to deliver the same standard of hospitality, that has made Gulf Hotel an iconic property brand. We aim to provide all of our guests with a little taste of home away from home'."



Jones further stated: I am confident that with the guidance and expertise of our general manager, Marc Voller, that the team will quickly establish an excellent reputation for the hotel within the UAE.



Voller said: The opening of The Gulf Court Hotel Business Bay is a huge and exciting challenge for us. The property is fresh, friendly and trendy, and we will always aim to deliver what matters most to guests - quality, comfort and value for money. - TradeArabia News Service

The Law Commission is set to recommend a tough legal framework this month to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together, highly placed sources on the panel said today.

"We were not asked whether we support it or not. We were asked to provide the way ahead. We will do that," a functionary said.

The commission would recommend amendments to the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act to ensure simultaneous polls.

The recommendations of the commission are not binding on the government, but the report will allow an informed debate among political parties and stakeholders, he said.

Simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies can be held in two phases beginning in 2019, provided at least two provisions of the Constitution are amended and ratified by majority of the states, a Law Commission study paper had said in April.

According to the working paper, the second phase of simultaneous polls can take place in 2024.

The document stated that the leader of the majority party be elected prime minister or chief minister by the entire House (Lok Sabha or state Assembly) to ensure stability of the government as well as the Lok Sabha or the Assembly.

The document proposed amending the Constitution (Articles 83(2) and 172(1) dealing with tenures of Lok Sabha and state Assemblies) and the Representation of the People Act to extend the terms of state legislative Assemblies to effect the move.

It suggested that in case a government fell mid-term, the term of the new government would be for the remaining period "and not for a fresh five-year term".

"As an abundant caution and in order to avoid a challenge (in the courts) to amendments on the ground of not having obtained ratification by majority of the states, such ratification could be obtained for the proposed (constitutional) amendment," the working paper said.

The states which are recommended to be covered under phase I are where Assembly polls are due in 2021. These include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

States which will come under phase II are Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi and Punjab. To hold elections in these states along with Lok Sabha polls, the terms of the Assemblies have to be extended.

Based on a suggestion made by the Election Commission, the working paper also said that a no-confidence motion against the government should be followed by a confidence motion. This would ensure that if the opposition does not have numbers to form an alternative government, the regime in office cannot be removed.

Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat had a word of caution on simultaneous polls when he recently said that the legal framework required for holding of the two elections together would take a lot of time to get ready.

"We cannot put the cart before the horse. Logistical issues are subservient to legal framework. Unless legal framework is in place, we don't have to talk about anything else because legal framework will take a lot of time, making constitutional amendment to (changing) the law, all the process will take time, he said.

He had said once the legal framework is ready, the EC would deliver. EC is a creation of the Constitution. We have to perform willy-nilly, deliver the election, whatever way prescribed in the law, he had said.

Political parties are divided on the issue. Besides NDA constituent Shiromani Akali Dal, the AIADMK, the Samajwadi Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti have supported it.

The Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the DMK, the Telugu Desam Party, the Left parties and the JD(S) have opposed the proposal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Yami Gautam says she learnt the most valuable lesson of becoming a "selfless performer" from her co-star Hrithik Roshan.

Yami, who has been in the industry for over six years and has worked in films such as "Vicky Donor", "Badlapur", points out "Kaabil" as the most poignant experience so far.

"I learnt a lot about cinema on the sets of 'Kaabil'. I learnt the value of being selfless. Working selflessly and appreciating that in others. A lot of times it's natural for us to think 'How am I looking, how am I performing?', restricting everything to myself.

"But working with Hrithik made me understand and appreciate the value of being selfless. It isn't easy but very simple. That's why he is where he is. That has been quite life changing lesson in a lot of ways," Yami told PTI in an interview.

This year, Yami will be seen in "Batti Gul Meter Chalu" as a lawyer and will later be seen play an intelligence officer in "Uri", based on Indian Army's surgical strikes across the LoC in 2016.

"With the kind of work I'm doing, I feel like myself. I'm uninhibited and ready to take on challenges. I'm in a happy space," she says.

"I had to chop off my hair for 'Uri' and hair is a big deal for an actor. But I said lets go for it. It's going to be worth it," she adds.

The 29-year-old actor says she has evolved both as a person and a performer over the years and feels most comfortable today.

"I've been a reserved girl. But then you realise it's important to evolve and be yourself. I'm not trying to be suddenly this new energetic person. Sometimes you create inhibitions and draw lines on your own. But today I feel good about letting my inner personality reflect, both in my work and life."



Yami was appointed the brand ambassador for Hong Kong tourism, for which she recently visited the city.

She says opportunities coming from all quarters, both in terms of films and brands, make her feel slightly more responsible.

"You feel important when you are representing something. I feel responsible about it. But I also have fun and take it as it comes," the actor says.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Liev Schreiber had a heated exchange with a photographer who accused him of assault, shortly after the actor appeared in court asking a judge to dismiss the charges.

Shutterbug named Sherwood Martinelli claims the "Ray Donovan" star hit his Canon 7D camera on June 7 when he tried to click him standing on the street, Page Six reported.

Schreiber was then in the city to shoot the popular Showtime series.

"I never touched him. I never touched his camera," the actor told reporters outside the courthouse in Nyack, New York.

Martinelli, who was waiting across the street with a camera, shouted back, "You did touch me!"



The 50-year-old actor ignored him and said, "I never touched his body with my body. I was pi**ed, but that was it."



After Schreiber left, the photographer claimed the attorney for the actor lied to the media.

"Everything that his attorney said to the media isn't true. It's fake, it's fabricated.

"The fact of the matter is he did accost me, he did attack me, he did hit my right shoulder, he did hit my left hand and camera hard enough to break my camera, so that's fake news, when they're putting a story out contrary to that," Martinelli told reporters.

"I want him to pay for what he did to me. I want him to be held accountable in a court of law for his criminal activity," he added, saying he wanted the "bully" to pay for his actions.

Prosecutors have until August 30 to respond to the motion to dismiss.

Nyack Village Justice Robert Knoebel waived Schreiber's requirement to appear in person at the next court date on September 20, when the judge will decide whether to dismiss the charges.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Japanese water and housing products maker LIXIL Group is seeking to tap on India's sanitation drive to strengthen its presence in the country, which it has identified as a key growth market.

The company, which sells SATO toilets that are targeted at rural and semi-urban markets, also said it plans to train over 50,000 plumbers in India over the next 4-5 years.

LIXIL has invested Rs 400 crore on a sanitaryware plant in Andhra Pradesh, which it acquired from Sentini Sanitarywares in January this year, to serve the Indian market.

"India is a priority market for LIXIL and (it) presents tremendous opportunities for our growth...We will continue to invest strategically in our business here to offer pioneering water and housing products that solve every day, real-life challenges," LIXIL Group Corporation President and CEO Kinya Seto said.

Stating that the company is poised for the next lap of growth in India, LIXIL said its recent investment to boost manufacturing capabilities in the country will help it replicate "global leadership locally".

The company has a range of products under different brands for consumers across the spectrum.

While its SATO toilets are for suitable for grassroots sanitation initiatives, its water technology products under brands GROHE, American Standard and INAX are positioned as lifestyle aspirational items.

LIXIL Asia Pacific CEO Bijoy Mohan said investment of Rs 400 crore in sanitaryware plant, launch of its sash business, focus on addressing the sanitation challenge through SATO and plumber training programme are "are all testaments to our commitment to India and its tremendous growth potential".

He said SATO is an "innovative toilet solution for the underserved".

"Grassroots sanitation initiatives such as the SATO toilets have allowed the organisation to drive meaningful impact to transform the lives of rural and peri-urban communities through sanitation and hygiene solutions in India," the company said.

On the other hand, GROHE, American Standard have been highly successful in India allowing LIXIL to fulfil the lifestyle aspirations of its customers, it added.

On skill training initiatives in India, LIXIL said under its Project Nadee it is running pilot in five cities -- Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh -- for 500 plumbers.

"LIXIL aims to create more skilled plumbers over the next 4-5 years and will train over 50,000 plumbers in India," it added.

The plumbers will be given an advanced joint certification from IL&FS Skill Development Corporation Ltd and LIXIL India, it said.

The IL&FS Skill Development Corporation Ltd is a joint initiative between IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd and National Skill Development Corporation



The company said plans to open 1,000 stores in India and the dealers will have direct access as potential link up for plumber leads.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 12th century bronze Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago was returned to India today by the London's Metropolitan Police as part of a ceremony here to mark India's Independence Day.

The bronze statue with silver inlay is one of the 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in Nalanda and changed several hands over the years before surfacing at a London auction.

Once the dealer and the owner were made aware the sculpture was the same one that had been stolen from India, the Metropolitan Police said they cooperated with the Met's Art and Antiques Unit and agreed for the piece to be returned to India.

The statue was identified at a trade fair in March this year by Lynda Albertson of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA) and Vijay Kumar from the India Pride Project, who then alerted the police.

Scotland Yard returned the statue stolen to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Y K Sinha, as part of a ceremony to mark Independence Day at India House in London today.

"I am delighted to return this piece of history. This is an excellent example of the results that can come with close cooperation between law enforcement, trade and scholars," said Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Stewart, who was accompanied by officials from the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the handover ceremony.

Although this was stolen over 50 years ago, this did not prevent the piece being recognised and the credit must go to the eagle eye informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years, she said.

Sinha described the return of the priceless Buddha as a wonderful gesture and a particular honour given his own roots in Bihar.

I hope it will now go back to where it originally belongs... On our Independence Day, it (return of the statue) highlights the multi-faceted cooperation between our two countries, he said, after a Tricolour-hoisting ceremony to mark India's 72nd Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in London.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes of the Met's Art and Antique Unit said it had been established that there was no criminality by the current owner or the dealer who had been offering the stolen statue for sale.

Indeed, from the outset they have cooperated fully with the police to resolve this matter and they have made the decision to return the sculpture via the police, Hayes said.

We are delighted to be able to facilitate the return of this important piece of cultural heritage to India, she added.

The Art and Antiques Unit was founded 50 years ago and is one of the oldest specialist units in the Metropolitan Police Service. The unit prides itself on a long history of reuniting owners with their stolen property.

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: As we celebrate India's Independence Day, I am proud to highlight the latest example of the UK's cultural diplomacy in action. Thanks to the work of the Metropolitan Police's Arts and Antiques Unit, we are one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues stolen from Nalanda nearly 60 years ago."



This underlines how law enforcement and the London art market are working hand in hand to deliver positive cultural diplomacy to the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Maharashtra government will push forward various welfare initiatives taken up for farmers and socially backward classes in the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today.

The BJP-led government is also committed towards the development of industries in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said after hoisting the national flag at the state secretariat here on the 72nd Independence Day.

He lauded the state government's flagship water conservation scheme which, he said, has helped in dealing with water woes of people in 16,000 drough-affected villages.

Now, the government intends to provide benefits of this micro-irrigation project, called 'Jalyukt Shivar', to 25,000 more villages, he said.

The scheme involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, and digging of farm ponds, to make the state free of drought by next year.

Fadnavis said the state government has "done well" towards the empowerment of marginalised people and has introduced various social and welfare initiatives for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, Fadnavis said.

"This is the state of Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar where all are treated equally," he said, referring to social reformers Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar.

"We must progress at all costs and that is why we have focused equally on all sections of society, in all the areas of the state, be it urban or rural," he said.

The state is marching ahead to achieve its part of the nationwide 'Housing for All by 2022' Mission, he said.

Maharashtra has steadfastly worked on all schemes launched by the Centre and has done "exceedingly well" in initiatives like the 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Swachh City', on the livable city index and in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the chief minister said.

Notably, Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai from Maharashtra have been ranked India's three most livable places on the government's 'Ease of Living Index', released earlier this week by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

"Maharashtra has witnessed a quantum jump in attracting investments. Around 42 per cent to 47 per cent of the total investments in the country were actualised in the state alone," he said.

Besides, Maharashtra has been generating employment on a large scale, he said.

The EPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) figures prove that the state generated the maximum number of jobs, around eight lakh, last year, Fadnavis said.

Referring to other initiatives taken for farmers, he said the BJP-led state government purchased food grains (from cultivators) worth a record of Rs 8,000 crore in the last three years.

The previous (UPA) government had only spent Rs 450 crore in 15 years on the purchase of food grains, he said, adding that "this proves our commitment for the well-being of farmers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A black flag was allegedly hoisted by Maoists on the premises of Arewada panchayat office in insurgency-hit Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, police said today.

Some locals spotted the black flag when they went to the panchayat office to hoist a tricolour on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day this morning.

Arewada village is located in Bhamragad taluka in the district. It is around 180 kms from Gadchiroli.

"The villagers informed us in the morning that they found a black flag hoisted on the flag post at the panchayat office," inspector and in-charge of Bhamragad police station, Suresh Madne said.

"Since the village is remotely located, we could not visit it immediately. The village falls under a Naxal-hit region, so there is a possibility that the ultras may lay an ambush and attack the police," he added.

A gram sevak said he first spotted the black flag when he went to hoist a tricolour as part of the Independence Day celebrations. He, however, did not remove that flag out of fear.

The gram sevak then hoisted the tricolour some distance away on another pole.

Madne said he has asked the locals and village panchayat officials to remove the black flag. "But it is not yet known whether the flag has been removed or not because there is a communication problem," he added.

Police suspect that Maoists could behind the act.

They said the villagers also found a banner allegedly put up by the Naxals outside the panchayat office, which says people should boycott the Independence Day celebrations.

According to police, the banner denounced "fascism and Brahmanism" and said those fighting for their rights were branded as Naxals and jailed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)People of Maharashtra celebrated the 72nd Independence Day with patriotic fervour today.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the Independence Day celebrations by hoisting the tricolour at the Mantralaya (state secretariat) in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao hoisted the flag at the Council Hall in Pune, while Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar unfurled the tricolour at the Vidhan Bhavan in the state capital.

Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar hoisted the flag at the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in south Mumbai, while Guardian Minister of Mumbai (suburbs) Vinod Tawde took part in the flag-hoisting ceremony at the district collector office in Bandra.

Western Railway (WR) general manager A K Gupta hoisted the flag and flagged off a 30-bike rally of the railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel in the city to highlight the theme of 'security of women and children'.

Central Railway (CR) general manager D K Sharma hoisted the flag and addressed a gathering, where he highlighted various achievements of the CR.

Schools, colleges, universities, housing complexes, government and private companies, various organisations across the state also held I-Day functions. The police provided tight security to prevent any untoward incident.

Different political parties, including BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP, MNS and Samajwadi Party held flag-hoising ceremonies at their respective offices in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today unfurled the national Tricolour on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day and took salute from a Kolkata Police contingent during a guard of honour.

The Independence Day function on Red Road was marked by display of colourful tableaux themed on several schemes and campaigns of the state government.

Besides the 'Kanyashree', 'Khadya Sathi', 'Sabuj Sathi' and other schemes and 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign, the 'Unity in Diversity' theme was also highlighted in the tableaux.

The flag hoisting by the chief minister was followed by parade by different police wings including the recently raised 'Winners' women police contingent and a personnel of the Odisha Police.

Children from schools in Darjeeling hills, and remote Purulia and Sunderbans presented cultural programmes.

Banerjee's ministerial colleagues and representatives of different consulates in the city were present at the programme.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi greeted the people on the occasion of Independence day and called for building a vibrant and prosperous India.

Tripathi, in a message, said "We will never forget the tremendous sacrifice made by the freedom fighters and this is the occasion to pledge to defend the sovereignty of our land and work for national integrity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Maoist and his accomplice have been arrested from Barakhor area near the Bengal-Jharkhand border, a senior police officer said today.

The duo were held after questioning during a routine security check yesterday, the officer said.

The Maoist was part a group based in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra and was coming to West Bengal to grow its base in Purulia with the help of the accomplice, ADCP, Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, Anamitra Das said.

The two were produced in a local court today, which remanded them to 14 days' police custody.

Das added that the Maoist has over 25 criminal cases against his name in Aurangabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Praveena Thaali for TwoCircles.net

In recent times, Dalit-Bahujan women have started a speak-out* campaign to reveal their experiences of sexual harassment, which until now it has been relatively unfamiliar in the public sphere of Kerala. Many women began to write on social media about their experience of sexual harassment that happened in workplaces, friendly circles and activist spaces by progressive Savarna-Dalit men. Initially, Chandini Latha, a Bahujan student from the University of Hyderabad posted on Facebook about the slut-shaming and rape threat she was subjected to by a friend and the sexual advances and abusive messages she encountered from a Dalit activist as well. Further, Arathi Ranjith, a Dalit journalist shared her experience of harassment, while she was travelling to Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu with Dalit documentary activist Rupesh Kumar. Her Facebook posts were widely shared and have sparked off a massive discussion in the cyberspace. Prominent Dalit feminist writer Rekha Raj openly expressed her solidarity and offered legal support to these women. She also wrote a detailed note on Facebook regarding the various sexual assaults done by Rupesh Kumar and Rajesh Paul to many Dalit and Bahujan women. Following this, many women, including Trans-people from all social locations have begun speaking-out their experiences of sexual harassment.

The two accused men are Rajeesh Paul, a Savarna Christian man who is active in secular political spaces and social media, and Rupesh Kumar also a known figure in cyberspaces and the Dalit movement through his activism and writings. The Dalit women who engage in public space discussions have openly spoken about their experience of sexual harassment on social media. This article is a kind of exploration of the possibilities of social media in such instances. As far as Dalit women are concerned, these types of sexual assault and violence were dealt in state institutions such as police stations. Moreover, this speak-out campaign has various dimensions; primarily the detailing and explanation of the sexual assaults have always happened in private space, due to the so-called public morality which determines the future life of the survivor. In a way, these women have displayed the immense courage to cross the boundaries of private space in order to expect support from the large public in social media. Some newspapers have attempted subsume it within the initial #metoo campaign, but this movement has been relatively different in its nature. Here the women openly revealed their identity to the public.

Support TwoCircles



The Indian episode of the #metoo campaign was vehemently criticized by some Savarna feminists since explanations and evidence were not made public to substantiate the list of sexual harassers. However, women from this speakout movement revealed their identity, the particular incidents and contexts. Dalit women such as Remya and Arathi have addressed the public through videos. They did not merely share the details of the sexual assault they faced but the shock of experiencing it from an activist friend who always talks about progressiveness and democratic rights. Ami, daughter of imprisoned Maoist parents talked about the sexual harassment done by Rajesh Paul when she was a minor. He was a supporter of a pedophilic campaign in social media. All the women in the campaign stated that these men had taken advantage of their participation in public activities.

Hence, the womens decision to travel for a professional purpose or for being in a friends circle of men has been considered as consent for sex. The artificial intellectuality and liberal anarchist image of these men get access in many contemporary discourses, which has been used as a way to perceive women as sexual objects; and especially women from Dalit and marginalized communities. Apart from that, these men project themselves as different subjects by debating subaltern ideas to criticize the left-liberal discourse of Kerala. However, these incidents clearly show that they carry the Brahminic patriarchal value that sees women as mere sexual objects.

Politics of Speak-Out

The recent speak out campaign put forward certain political questions to the Kerala public. The young Dalit-Bahujan and Savarna women unmasked the well-known progressive face of Kerala. The nature of violence they faced was not merely an attack on their body but also their intellectual capacity. Besides they were morally policed, when they denied the sexual advances and resisted the attacks by those abusive men. In other words, they were termed as moralistic and not liberal enough to fit into the progressive community. These questions also make us think how far the liberal Malayali men are progressive and democratic. According to Gargi Harithakams Facebook post, Jeevan Thomas a painter cum sculpture tried to sexually abuse her after their intellectual discussions on painting wherein he switched the discourse to liberating womens bodies. Remarkably, these abusers repeatedly talked about liberal sexuality with women who befriended them. They, however, understand womens friendship or companionship as consent for sex. This has been the experience of all women in the speak-out campaign. Moreover, these men tried to define morality in their own terms to blackmail women with the given privileges of patriarchy, but the present movement brilliantly resisted and exposed them to the public.

Historically, rape of Dalit women is a religiously sanctioned idea. The Brahminical value system legitimizes the rape as part of Hindu patriarchal customs (see J. Indira). Therefore, rape and any other sexual assault on Dalit women have been normalized in India. The Dalit-Bahujan women in this movement declared their agency over body and sexuality by transgressing the existing Brahminical patriarchy. Thus this movement may not be read merely as an extension of the #metoo campaign. As Rekha Raj observes it is not a campaign for claiming the victim status but an assertive movement by survivors of sexual assault who politically articulate their experience and expose the abusive men in the public (see Rekha Rajs Facebook posts). These rising voices of women also interrogate the hegemony of male-centric social movements that often see women merely as sexual entities. As far as the Dalit movement is concerned, Dalit men have relative power to treat Dalit women as subordinate subjects that always reject equal recognition and dignity. Therefore, it cannot be read only as a campaign to expose the facts of sexual assault rather, it is a political articulation led by Dalit-Bahujan women that in the process addresses male dominance, exclusion, violence and humiliation. This movement also led to a discussion on the alliance of caste and patriarchy in the public space of Kerala. Furthermore, this movement also provided more visibility to the everyday political struggles of Dalit-Bahujan women. If Dalit Bahujan women are raped or murdered, they usually get attention in the mainstream media. Hence it can be read as an impact of social media discussions that highlights Dalit-Bahujan and minority issues nowadays. Likewise, this speak-out movement has received a lot of attention amongst the politically sensitive public. However, the other political interventions of Dalit women hardly receive the consideration of social media spaces that deal with the question of rights. For instance, Saranya a Dalit women journalist from Kerala was discriminated by a News channel on the basis of her caste; unfortunately, it wasnt a sensitive issue to the social media and the groups which argue for the rights of women journalists in the workplace. Therefore in the context of such invisibility, the wider-support to the speak-out campaign in social media must be critically analyzed

The speak-out and the right to talk

This movement has been reported by a few mainstream newspapers. However, the recent Deccan Chronicle (DC) report by Vandana Mohandas led to further discussion. The foremost criticism was raised by Dalit Bahujan women in Kerala; they opposed the unethical stand of the report in projecting Savarna women as authentic respondents to this issue. The journalist did not seek out the opinions of the women who initiated this movement although the report showed a clear awareness of the issue and the people involved. At the same time, it also projected Arathy Ranjith merely as a victim, and this, in spite of the fact that she herself rejected the cult of victimhood and claimed herself as a survivor. It could be read that the DC report rejected the agency and leadership of Dalit-Bahujan women in the Speak-out movement. Many women, including me, pointed out the erasure of subjectivity and the ways in which both the reporter and the respondents capitalized on the pain of Dalit Bahujan women but these criticisms were misread as Savarna women tried to hijack the movement. This is not an issue of a few Savarna women giving their opinion. Instead, their words were considered as an authenticated one in the report. The question that arises here is that in spite of the fact that there are Dalit women like Rekha Raj who is capable enough to talk about the issue, why Savarna women were brought to articulate the intellectual aspect of the story? If the reporter is not willing to reach out to the leaders of this movement, then the report itself lacks certain ethical elements. Obviously, the mainstream media required privileged and value-added faces for their stories, but the women who responded to DC did not realize the absences of the representation of Dalit-Bahujan women. Notwithstanding, it can be read as a continuation of Savarna womens capitalization of the existing womens spaces. In addition to that, these capitalisations can be understood as a form of violence that occurs from their caste privileged position. The choices and preferences adopted by journalists are significant issues here. I do not think that the selections of the women (who are in the report) are an innocent decision by the journalist. This clearly reflects that our media is Brahminical. Instead, her social location and convictions also reflect it. Moreover, Dalit women are picturised merely as poor/ helpless or lifelong fighters for basic human rights in our public discourses. Thus they hardly appear in media to articulate their own issues intellectually. Eventually, the Savarna women patronise and appropriate certain issues in the critical absence of Dalit-Bahujan women.

Spaces and political correctness

The political space of Kerala is designed through the imagination of Savarna educated men. However, it has influenced the Dalit and Bahujan men who are active in current political discourses. In addition to that, the power structure and male dominance in these spaces have not become a wider debate. Thus the present speak-out movement intervenes in those spaces by addressing such dominance with their political correctness. There are two existing arguments; one describes it as an extension of the global and the Indian #metoo campaign by centring the victim status, while the other is by the women in this movement who assert themselves as survivors. However, I read this movement as a political intervention of Dalit Bahujan women asserting their agency that critically engages with the power structure of existing spaces. Some feminists have expressed their anxieties on the fragmentation of feminist solidarities, especially on occasion when women raise different stands. This phase of womens struggles invalidates the old equations and previous dimensions of gender and the idea of homogeneity of womanhood as well. Spaces are very critical, especially those that are acquired through various struggles. This is especially so for Dalit Bahujan women because they have a historical claim on self-respect and womens rights, even before the so-called feminist movement emerged in Kerala. Shobana Padinjattil says these issues of sexual harassment either considered as gossips or normalized through negotiation or survivors might be in exile if it happens in any other space. However, Dalit Bahujan womens interventions raised those issues as a political question in the public. Moreover, it is the possibility of identity and micro-politics as well.

The speak-out movement can be read as a critical involvement initiated by Dalit Bahujan women towards democratizes political spaces. The sexual harassments against women in those spaces are considered as individual cases and negotiated in terms of the predators caste, class and other privileges. Dalit- Bahujan women have fearlessly taken a stand to talk about these abusers with proper context and explanation of incidents and this, in turn, has given confidence to Savarna women as well. Apart from that, the normalizing of sexual abuse in liberal, political or academic spaces is a crucial thing; precisely women who engage in those spaces are misjudged as available even by their colleagues. Thus the speak-out movement put forward brilliant political questions for the significance of a democratic space for them. The womens act of revealing in social media shocked Keralas public sphere since the sexual harassers were the people who stood for Dalit-Muslim-Adivasi and women rights. But the left activists of Kerala used this as an opportunity to bash Dalits and identity politics. Hence the Dalit movement did not come up with a stand against those activists. However, many people individually supported the cause of these women. Many activists in the Dalit movement misread the speak-out campaign as an initiative that would demoralize the movement, and some of them even supported the harassers publicly.

Some sympathisers of harassers argued that this is sheer mob lynching on social media. The accused must, in fact, be punished by law. Factually it is neither mob-lynching nor an attack on individuals; instead, their friends and colleagues exposed their real activities that contradict their progressive politics. The sexual harassment cases of women in general and Dalit Bahujan women, in particular, have hardly seen justice in time. Thus the speak-out campaign through social media becomes very significant; therefore it demands wider support from the people across genders who believe in democratic rights.

I am thankful to Dr Rekha Raj, Asha Rani, Ria, Chandran Komath, Reji Dev, Joby Mathew, Ashabahi Thankamma and Anjitha for discussions. *The term Speak-out is a translation of the Malayalam word Thurannuparachilukal which is repeatedly used by women in the movement.

The author is a PhD research scholar at the University of HyderabadUnidentified militants today attacked an army camp in Manipur's Churachandpur district near the Indo-Myanmar international border, a police officer said.

The militants triggered two lathode shells towards the 'B' Company camp of 6 Sikhli near Teigotang village under Singngat police station at about 5.15 am, and the security forces also retaliated, the officer said.

There is no report of any casualty, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Modi spelt out pro-farm measures taken during four years of his government, the cornerstone being the bold move to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of crops at least 1.5 times of the cost of production.

"The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. We decided that farmers should get 1.5 times more price than their cost of production and implemented the decision," he said.

The Prime Minister said doubts were cast when he set the target of doubling farm income by 2022 but decisions like increase in price for crops have ensured that the government is on track of meeting the target.

Noting that in the changing times, farmers too are facing global markets and the government is working on an agriculture export policy in this regard.

He, however, did not give details of the policy on the anvil.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry had in March had come out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling the agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain.

While the BJP had promised in 2014 to give farmers a price of 1.5 times of cost, an announcement to give effect to the promise was made in the government's fifth and final annual Budget presented on February 1 this year.

Last month, the government announced the minimum support price of kharif crops and hiked the MSP for paddy by a record Rs 200 per quintal. The MSPs of other kharif (summer-sown) crops were also raised sharply to help fulfil its poll promise to give farmers 50 per cent more rate than their cost of production.

"The country is producing record foodgrains. Our granaries are full," Modi said while highlighting the achievements in the farm sector.

Farmers are adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinklers, he said, adding that the government is reviving 99 stuck irrigation projects.

"With a 'Beej se Bazar Tak' (helping farmers in getting seeds as well as accessing market) approach, we are bringing a remarkable change in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmers' income by 2022. Today, our entire focus is on bringing transformation and modernising the agriculture sector," Modi said.

He said some people had doubt about achieving the goal of doubling farmers' income but the resolve of the government was firm.

"Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheechane wale hain (decisions taken by us are cast in stone and not on butter)".

The Prime Minister said the government is promoting value addition to boost the income of farmers.

In his about 90-minute speech, Modi spoke about the new avenues farmers are engaging in, like blue revolution and bee-keeping, as also solar farming.

India, he said, is currently the second largest fish producer in the world and will soon occupy the top position.

Referring to sugarcane farmers, he said the ethanol production has trebled.

The government recently announced Rs 8,500-crore package for the sugar sector, including soft loans for setting ethanol manufacturing capacity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today over the flood situation in the state.

Modi told him that the Centre stood firmly behind Kerala and ready yo provide any assistance. "Centre stands firmly with the people of Kerala and is ready to provide any assistance needed," he tweeted.

Rains in Kerala have claimed 47 lives, officials said, adding that a red alert had been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With the BJP working to strengthen its appeal among Dalits and backward classes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted his government's efforts to protect their interests in the Parliament's Monsoon Session which, he asserted, was dedicated to social justice.

In his last Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort before the next Lok Sabha election, Modi said a demand to confer constitutional status on the Other Backward Classes was being made for a long time but this was fulfilled by his government during the session.

Parliament passed a constitutional amendment bill to this effect in the Monsoon Session. It also passed a legislation to meet the demand of Dalit groups to overturn a Supreme Court verdict which, they said, had diluted a law on atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

"In a way, this session was completely dedicated to social justice. Whether they be Dalits, exploited, deprived or women, our Parliament with sensitivity and awareness strengthened social justice," Modi said as he also referred to his government's efforts to protect the interests of the OBC.

The OBC, which comprises backward castes, is more than half of the total population and the Bharatiya Janata Party has been working assiduously to woo the community and also the Dalits.

The OBC and Dalits are crucial to the party's fortunes in the next Lok Sabha election to be held within 10 months.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)South Korean President Moon Jae-in said today his visit to Pyongyang next month will be a "bold step" towards formally ending the decades-old war with the nuclear-armed North.

The two Koreas agreed earlier this week to hold a third meeting between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in September as a rapid diplomatic thaw builds on the peninsula following their first summit in April.

Moon's trip to the North Korean capital will be the first visit by a South Korean head of state to Pyongyang since 2007.

The leaders will "take a bold step towards declaring an end to the war and a peace treaty", Moon said at a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.

The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two neighbours technically still in a state of conflict.

The signatories to the armistice included the US-led United Nations Command -- that fought alongside the South's troops -- as well as China and North Korea.

Declaring an end to the war was one of the agreements at the groundbreaking April summit, but little progress has been made with the United States and North Korea at loggerheads over Pyongyang's denuclearisation.

The US State Department said Tuesday that while Washington supports "a peace regime", its prime goal was ending North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

"Our main focus is on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," State Department spokeswomen Heather Nauert told reporters.

China welcomed the September summit Wednesday, saying it believed the talks "will help promote the denuclearisation of the peninsula".

Moon brokered the historic summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore in June where the two leaders signed a vague agreement on denuclearisation.

"Deeply-rooted distrust" must be removed for each side to carry out the agreements, Moon said, but added the two Koreas must lead the current diplomacy on the peninsula.

"An improvement in inter-Korean ties is not a collateral benefit to better relations between the US and the North," he said.

The dovish South Korean leader offered his vision for economic cooperation with the North once the peninsula is denuclearised, stressing that true liberation will only be achieved by ending the division.

"We must overcome division for our survival and prosperity," Moon said.

"Even if political reunification is still far away, for the South and the North to establish peace, freely travel back and forth and to form a joint economic community will be true liberation for us," he added.

The rapid rapprochement between the two neighbours began this year ahead of the Winter Olympics in the South and cross-border exchanges have significantly increased since then, with planned reunions for war-separated families for the first time in three years.

However, international sanctions against the North for its nuclear and missile programmes have kept economic cooperation between the two Koreas from taking off.

Although Trump touted his summit with Kim as a historic breakthrough, the North has since criticised Washington for its "gangster-like" demands of complete, verifiable and irreversible disarmament.

The US has urged the international community to maintain tough sanctions on the isolated regime.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A majority of the Madras High Court judges were conspicuous by their absence at the "At Home" reception hosted by Governor Banwarilal Purohit today, days after one of them flagged protocol breach in the seating arrangement for them during the Chief Justice's swearing-in.

Besides Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani, a few other judges of the court participated in the reception held on the occasion of the independence day.

Most of the chairs reserved for judges were seen unoccupied.

Court sources said most of the judges did not want to participate in the At Home reception.

A Raj Bhavan release said the Chief Justice Tahilramani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam were among those who attended the reception.

The thin attendance of judges at the event comes days after they were upset over being made to sit in the second row behind ministers and police officials at the swearing-in function of Justice Tahilramani on August 12.

Justice M S Ramesh in a WhatsApp message had expressed his displeasure over the seating arrangements of judges at the event, calling it a protocol breach.

In his address at the reception, Purohit said India of today was on a proud forward march in the comity of nations.

"It is the fastest growing emerging economy of the world. It is on the cusp of reaping the benefits of the demographic dividend," he said.

He reminded that the country owed all this in substantial measure to the freedom fighters.

Purohit said anyone who worked against the nation was actually doing disservice not only to the rest of the population but also ruining the future of succeeding generations.

"It is therefore important that patriotism should reside in our thoughts and care and concern for the people of India should dominate our hearts," he said.

Noting that India was a nation with a glorious past, he said it was now asserting itself vigorously "inspired by the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the state has become a "role model" in dealing with rape cases of minors and 10



accused in such offences have been awarded the death sentence.

The earth needs to be rid of such "demons", he said after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function in the Motilal Nehru Stadium here.

The state had last year approved the provision of capital punishment for those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below.

"One thing saddens us is that on one hand we are hiring girls in police (department) for their empowerment, and on the other, demons are taking birth who rape innocent and minor girls," Chouhan said.

"The demons are a curse on the earth. We have to free this planet of them," he asserted.

He said MP is the first state to pass a bill for hanging rapists of minor girls.

"Madhya Pradesh has become a role model by awarding death sentence to more than 10 such offenders," he said, adding 50 special courts have been set up in the state to conduct trials in rape cases.

At least 10 rapists of girls aged 12 or below have been awarded the death sentence by various courts in the state since February this year.

A court in MP's Shahdol district had sentenced a 23-year-old man to death on February 28 for raping and killing a four-year-old girl.

Yesterday, a 40-year-old man was sentenced to death by a court in the Sagar district for raping a 10-year-old girl.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for giving wide publicity to cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with a "demonic mindset".

He spoke about fast-track trial of rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where convicts were condemned to death within days, and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes.

Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest 4,882 rape cases out of 38,947 recorded across the country in 2016, as per the National Crime Record Bureau's last report.

The state recorded 2,479 rape cases of minor girls, followed by Maharashtra and UP with 2,310 and 2,115 such cases respectively, the NCRB report said.

MP recorded the highest number of rape cases (4,391) in 2015 too, according to the report.

Chouhan said Madhya Pradesh has initiated a slew of measures for women's empowerment.

"After panchayat, provisions have been made for reservation to women in government jobs," he said.

Women are getting 50 per cent reservation in teaching jobs and 30 per cent in various other fields, except the Forest Department, he said.

Chouhan also said 500 additional seats have been created in MBBS courses to overcome the shortage of doctors in the state.

Efforts are on to improve the health services in MP, he said, adding medical colleges will be opened in Datia, Vidisha, Khandwa and Ratlam districts.

Also, sanctions have been granted to open two more medical colleges in the Seoni and the Chhattarpur district, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Muslim woman was today appointed as a member of the Australia's Senate, becoming the first female from the minority community to achieve the position amid a bitter row over racism in the country.

Mehreen Faruqi, the Pakistani-origin Greens Party MP for New South Wales, was selected by the legislative council to fill a vacant senate seat.

"The New South Wales Parliament has selected Dr @MehreenFaruqi to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator @leerhiannon," the Australian Senate tweeted.

Faruqi, who will sworn in next week, became the first Muslim to hold any political office in Australia when she was elected to the state parliament in 2013, the BBC reported.

She had migrated from Pakistan to Australia in 1992 with her young family. Prior to entering politics she held a distinguished career as an academic and has a doctorate in environmental engineering.

Faruqi, who is in her 50s, said she would use her new role as senator to fight for a "positive future for Australia where we are stronger for our diversity".

Her joining coincided with the row sparked by Senator Fraser Anning who has sought a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

In his maiden speech in Parliament yesterday, Anning alleged that Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare. Muslims account for less than three per cent of Australia's population, census data shows.

"The final solution to the immigration problem is, of course, a popular vote," Anning concluded, before proposing a plebiscite "to allow the Australian people to decide whether they want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the Third World and, in particular, whether they want any Muslims".

Commenting on Anning's remarks, Faruqi said the Australian Party senator had "spat in the face of millions of Australians, spewing hate and racism" in his first speech to parliament.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)NASA has reportedly not been able to establish contact with the Opportunity Rover - which has been exploring Mars for 14 years - for over two months, due to a global dust storm engulfing the red planet.

However, the US space agency has not given up on trying to make contact with the robotic rover.

The rover had to undergo an emergency shutdown after the dust storm prevented it from powering itself through its solar panels.

Scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been attempting to send Opportunity a message command three times a week since then.

The last time NASA heard from Opportunity was June 10.

"A variety of scientists think early to mid-September might be a time when the skies clear enough that it could recharge," Andrew Good, Mars and Mars technology media relations specialist, told 'Inverse'.

The planet-encircling dust storm on Mars is gradually settling. Dust-lifting sites have decreased and surface features are starting to emerge.

There are indications that the atmospheric opacity might be decreasing over the Opportunity site. Since the last contact with the rover , Opportunity has likely experienced a low-power fault and perhaps, a mission-clock fault.

While the storm of tiny dust particles has engulfed Opportunity and suspended its science operations, NASA's Curiosity Rover continues to study the other side of the planet.

Curiosity runs on a nuclear-powered battery meaning that allows it to run without solar power.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four years since the death of the legendary Khushwant Singh, a new book brings together some of his finest writings on his native land Punjab and its people.

"Punjab, Punjabis & Punjabiyat: Reflections On A Land and its People" presents a comprehensive picture of the land of five rivers, from its origins and geography to its illustrious history and the troubled times of Partition all through Singh's lens.

"The pieces collected in this book are my father's best writings on Punjab, its land and people, history, religion, culture, literature and art.

"Together they give us a portrait of Punjab and Punjabiyat, as he saw it," says Mala Dayal, the editor of the book, published by Aleph.

Born on August 15, 1915 in Hadali, in the then-undivided Punjab, Singh is considered one of the country's greatest writers. He could blend humour and simplicity in his signature descriptive storytelling.

He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2007 and passed away on March 20, 2014, aged 99.

"My father closely followed the political situation in Punjab and watched with dismay the growth of the Khalistan movement and the increasing influence of Bhindranwale.

"His anguish at the storming of the Golden Temple by the Army was so great that he returned the Padma Bhushan awarded to him by the government," Dayal says in the book.

She reveals that many of Singh's Rajya Sabha speeches, his diary and columns reflected his involvement and concerns about matters related to Punjab.

Dayal says though her father was a professed agnostic, he identified himself as a Sikh.

"He was worried Sikhism would lose its distinctiveness as a faith and be absorbed by Hinduism," she says.

Having witnessed the impact of Partition first-hand, Singh was inspired to write "A Train to Pakistan", one of his most famous works, published in 1956.

He subsequently published five other novels, "I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale","Delhi: A Novel", "The Company of Women", "Burial at Sea" and "The Sunset Club". Several of his short stories have been compiled in "The Portrait of a Lady".

Among his other books are "99: Unforgettable Fiction", "Non-fiction, Poetry & Humour", "The Freethinker's Prayerbook", "A History of the Sikhs", an autobiography "Truth, Love and a Little Malice"; a biography "Ranjit Singh: Maharaja of the Punjab" and a book of non-fiction "The Return of Indira Gandhi".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The death toll in Kerala has risen to 44 as there is no let up in heavy rains and the operations of the Kochi airport have been suspended till Saturday.

Flights are being diverted to other airports as the state has been battered by torrential rains since August 8.

In Munnar, a man hailing from neighbouring Tamil Nadu was killed and six persons were rescued after a mound of earth fell on a hotel last evening, official sources said.

In a similar incident in Kondotty, a heavy mound of earth fell onto a concrete house at 1 am today, claiming a couple's lives. A search is on for their six-year-old child who was asleep in the same room with them, district authorities said.

A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur as he came in touch with a snapped electric wire.

Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a rising trend, a Kochi airport spokesperson said.

"We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate," the spokesperson said.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday.

Weathermen have warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts.

With almost all rivers in spate, reports of landslides have come in from Malappuram and Munnar in Idukki this morning.

A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni to 12 nautical miles off Alappuzha Coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it.

"A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting," he said.

Over 1,000 people living on the banks of Periyar river have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure after the Mullaperiyar dam's shutters were opened and water released through spillway early this morning.

Though initially 13 shutters of the dam were opened early by 4.30 am, three were closed and discharge through the spillway reduced to 3,480 cusecs.

The water level in the dam has touched 140 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet.

Many parts of Thiruvananthapuram are also receiving heavy rains since early this morning.

Unabated rains have forced the state government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations and the amount set apart for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations.

Governor P Sathasivam also decided to cancel the reception to be hosted by him today as part of Independence Day celebrations due to the floods in the state.

Ayyappa devotees have been asked not to visit the hill shrine at Sabarimala as the rain-fed Pampa rose menacingly.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, the district authorities and the police have issued alerts to devotees and decided to stop them at various points till the water receded.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)All sitting MLAs may not get tickets to contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh as the party will decide its candidates on the sole criteria of winnability, senior Congress leader T S Singh Deo said.

He also echoed views of his bte noire and former Congress leader Ajit Jogi on the implementation of liquor ban in urban areas of the state in case his party comes to power.

Polls for 90 seats in Chhattisgarh Assembly are scheduled to be held later this year.

"The system this time, which should always be, would be the winnability of the candidate. It should be the sole criteria (for giving a ticket). Last time in Chhattisgarh, except one, all 38 sitting MLAs got the ticket," Singh Deo told PTI in an interview here.

He said this has already been conveyed to all members of the Legislative Assembly.

"I assured them (sitting MLAs) that all of your names will go to the panel (deciding on candidates). But whether a ticket will be given, it will solely depend on your work. So please buck up. Work in your area," said Singh Deo, who is also the leader of the opposition in Chhattisgarh.

The Congress lost to BJP in 2013 elections as it could secure only 39 seats out of 90. The ruling BJP got 49 seats and one each was won by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and by an independent candidate.

"As far as liquor is concerned, the Congress has announced that apart from the tribal areas, where Fifth Schedule will be in force (after winning the elections), and regarding liquor they are empowered to take that decision, there will be complete a ban in the sale of liquor in the urban areas. This we have already announced," he said.

The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution mentions a system of administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes by their representatives.

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi had recently said he would ban liquor in the state but permit tribals to consume it as it was part of their culture, if his party forms government.

Singh Deo said Congress' poll preparation is good, effective and sufficient.

"We are gearing up the organisation and taking it to sub booth level, to every mohalla. This is first time the Congress has gone to that level. We are preparing a manifesto. This time we are going to people seeking suggestions for it. Farmers, youths and women will be at the core of our manifesto," he said.

Singh Deo said there was a rampant corruption in the state which was facing the issue of "adhikarikaran".

"The government servants are being used by the BJP government to control the entire system. We would check this 'adhikarikaran'. This will be decentralised where executives will have full independence to work in their areas of responsibilities.

"The public representatives will be empowered to take a decision on work needed to be done in an area. How it needs to be done, it is for the executives to decide. Public representatives are not supposed to become 'thekedar' and public servants are not supposed to take policy decisions," he said.

Singh Deo said there were no employment opportunities for the youths of the state.

"After 15 years, the government has prepared human resource to a level where they have to outsource the teaching jobs. We will ensure that locals get priority in government and private sector jobs in the state," he said.

Singh Deo said most of the locals get jobs as sweepers or gatekeepers.

"Target will certainly be of 100 per cent or maximum jobs for locals. Women and youths need to be empowered. Privatisation of healthcare will be checked," he said outlining some of the probable poll promises.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced a slew of incentives for the people of the state, including the 'Ayushman Bharat-Haryana' health protection scheme and 24-hour power supply to 507 more villages.

Delivering his Independence Day address here, Khattar said dependents of security personnel killed in the line of duty would be given government jobs in 'Group B' category based on educational qualifications.

He added that the 'Rohnat Freedom Trust' would be set up to work towards uprooting malnutrition, diseases and unemployment from Rohnat village of Bhiwani district.

Speaking after unfurling the national flag, Khattar further announced that government employees would no longer be required to take 'No Objection Certifications' (NOCs) from their head of departments before applying for higher posts in other departments.

He said from October 2, every household in the state would have a gas cylinder, and from November 1, the social security pension, including old age allowance, widow pension and pension to physically challenged persons, would be increased from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per month.

The chief minister said that on a pilot basis, the "Ayushman Bharat- Haryana" health protection scheme was being implemented in 25 government hospitals, including one main government hospital each in 22 districts, the ESI Hospital in Faridabad, the PGIMS in Rohtak and the Kalpana Chawla Medical College in Karnal.

Under this scheme, 15.50 lakh eligible families would get free medical treatment facilities of up to Rs five lakh.

Any member of such families would get free treatment facility in any of these 25 hospitals from today, he added.

Referring to the 'Mahra Gaon Jagmag Gaon' scheme, he said that from today, 507 more villages in the state would get 24-hour electricity supply. These include villages of Hisar, Bhiwani, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Rewari, Palwal and Mahendergarh disricts.

With this, the number of villages getting 24-hour power supply goes up to 2887 from 2380. Khattar said all villages of Panchkula, Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts were already getting 24 hour power supply.

The chief minister said the present BJP government in the state was committed to the welfare of freedom fighters and their dependents, and ex-servicemen and serving soldiers.

Government jobs have so far been provided to the 221 dependents of martyrs in various government departments.

He said that till now, government jobs in Group C and D were provided. However, now the dependents of martyrs would also be given Group B jobs on the basis of their educational qualification.

The chief minister said that during his visit to Rohnat village in Bhiwani district on March 23, he had discussed about setting up of a 'Freedom Trust' to rid the people of various problems.

Today, on the occasion of Independence Day, the Rohnat Freedom Trust has been constituted and it will start working soon, he added.

Khattar said the BJP government in the state had succeeded in keeping a check on corruption and nepotism which prevailed during the previous regime.

While describing the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal as the lifeline of Haryana, the chief minister lamented that people with vested interests were trying to misguide citizens on the issue just to gain political mileage.

"..We are committed to get legitimate share of Ravi-Beas water," he asserted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a video message on Independence Day today that the state will have no youth unemployment after a new policy is rolled out.

The proposed employment policy will offer incentives to industries for hiring local people, said Parrikar, who is in the US for follow-up treatment for a pancreatic ailment.

The policy will be soon announced, he said.

"This year, we have planned a new action plan for generating employment for our local youth involving affirmative action which will include providing incentives and subsidies to the industries which give priority to employ the locals," he said.

"With this, I am hopeful that in the coming one or two years, there will be no unemployed youth in Goa," he said.

The employment policy will generate much-needed enthusiasm among the youth, Parrikar added.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government for helping in the state's development and sanctioning mega-infrastructure projects worth Rs 10,000-20,000 crore.

"With Mandovi and Zuari bridges,national highway expansion, Mopa airport and other facilities, the state is scaling high...While Mandovi (project) will be completed by December-end, other projects are set to be completed within next two years," he said.

The upcoming greenfield international airport at Mopa will reduce the congestion at Dabolim airport, he said.

The chief minister is expected to return to the state later this week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A special border personnel meeting between the Indian Army and China's People Liberation Army (PLA) was held on the Indian side at the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim today to jointly celebrate India's 72nd Independence Day.

Besides interactions between the two armies, cultural programme portraying the rich cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides to celebrate the occasion, a Defence press release here said.

The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim to enhance mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility, it said.

Pleasantries were also exchanged in North Sikkim at Kongra La.

The joint participation of PLA is seen as a reciprocal gesture as the Indian Army had earlier participated in PLA Foundation Day on August 1, 2018.

Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations, it said.

Indian Army troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of north Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal and enthusiasm, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will have the option of taking up permanent commission, which he described as a "gift" to the "brave daughters".

Modi made the policy announcement while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day.

He, however, did not give any indication whether permanent commissioning of women will pave the way for their entry into the combat positions in the Army and the Navy. The Indian Air Force has already started induction of women as fighter pilots.

"I want to give a good to our brave daughters. Women officers who have been appointed through the short service commission in the armed forces will get permanent commission through a transparent process. It is a gift for them," Modi said.

Official sources said government is likely to come out with a comprehensive policy in the next couple of months on permanent commissioning of women in the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force.

In a tweet, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman thanked Modi for making the announcement on permanent commission (PC) of women officers in the three services.

The three services have allowed permanent recruitment of women in select streams including medical, education, legal, signals, logistics, engineering and several other streams.

The women officers recruited through the SSC in the IAF have the option of seeking permanent commission in all streams except the flying branch.

Navy has allowed permanent commission of women in a host of departments such as logistics, naval designing, air traffic control, engineering and legal.

The Army offers permanent commission to women officers in two branches judge advocate general (JAG) and education.

Both the Navy and the IAF recruit women pilots under SSC.

The Army recruits women officers under SSC for streams like air defence, engineering, signals and services.

Under SSC, officers are allowed tenures ranging from five to 14 years of services. Permanent commission allows them to serve till the age of retirement.

A case relating to permanent commissioning of women in the Army is pending in the Supreme Court. The government had approached the top court after the Delhi High Court in 2010 ordered it to give women Army officers on short service commission a permanent commission.

In April, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission to short service commission women Army officers.

A group of women Army officers recruited under SSC scheme had approached courts seeking PC status.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The presence of three women judges in the Supreme Court for the first time since Independence found a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on the occasion of the 72nd Independence day today.

"Now, in a first, there are three women judges in the Supreme Court," Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra was present on the occasion and the television visuals showed him smiling at the reference made by the prime minister.

With the swearing-in of Justice Indira Banerjee on August 7, the Supreme Court now, for the first time in its history, has three sitting women judges.

Justice Banerjee is the eighth woman judge to be appointed to the apex court since Independence.

Before her, senior advocate Indu Malhotra was appointed as the seventh woman judge to the Supreme Court.

Malhotra was the first senior woman advocate to be directly appointed as a judge to the apex court.

Among the three sitting women judges, Justice R Banumathi is the seniormost. She was elevated to the apex court on August 13, 2014.

The first woman judge of the apex court was Justice Fathima Beevi, who was appointed to the top court in 1989, 39 years after it was set up in 1950. She was elevated to the apex court after her retirement as a judge of the Kerala High Court.

The second woman judge to be appointed to the top court was Justice Sujata V Manohar, who started her career as a judge of the Bombay High Court and rose to become the chief justice of the Kerala High Court. She was elevated to the apex court, where she remained from November 8, 1994 till August 27, 1999.

Justice Ruma Pal followed Justice Manohar after a gap of around five months and went on to become the longest-serving woman judge in the apex court, from January 28, 2000 to June 2, 2006.

After her retirement, it took four years to appoint the next woman judge to the top court. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Jharkhand High Court, where she was the chief justice. Her tenure in the apex court was from April 30, 2010 to April 27, 2014.

During Justice Misra's stint, she was joined by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, who served in the apex court between September 13, 2011 and October 29, 2014.

These two judges created history by holding court together as an all-women bench for a day in 2013.

After the retirement of Justice Desai on October 29, 2014, Justice Banumathi was the lone woman judge in the apex court till the appointment of Justice Malhotra on April 27 this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address today, hailed the all-women Indian Navy team that successfully circumnavigated the globe on board the INSV Tarini.

The "daughters of our country" returned home after spreading the hues of the tricolour across the oceans of the world, the prime minister said from the ramparts of the Red Fort here.

The six-member crew, on board the INSV Tarini, spent 194 days at sea as part of a mission that began on September 10 last year.

"My dear fellow Indians, we are today celebrating Independence Day at a time when our daughters from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have sailed the seven seas and returned home after splashing the oceans with the hues of the tricolour," Modi said.

Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi skippered the mission, traversing through the Indian, the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, along with Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal and Lt P Swathi, Lt Vijaya Devi, Lt B Aishwarya and Lt Payal Gupta.

The 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' was flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman near the Panaji coast.

President Ram Nath Kovind has approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) Medal for the six women crew members of the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe, braving treacherous seas and displaying "raw courage".

The mission witnessed several gut-wrenching moments like when the INSV Tarini negotiated the choppy waters off the Cape Horn, often dubbed as 'the graveyard of ships' owing to the dangerous seas conditions in the Pacific Ocean in January, she was overtaken by a cold front with winds gusting up to 130 kilometres per hour.

The turbulent weather caused 10 metre-high waves to come crashing down onto the boat, the Navy had said in a statement.

The expedition was covered in five legs, with stopovers at 4 ports -- Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).

INSV Tarini is a 55-ft sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and inducted in the Indian Navy last year.

In his speech, Modi also lauded the triumph of young tribals from India, who have successfully scaled Mount Everest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the AIIMS this evening to inquire about the condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who is undergoing treatment there.

There was no official update by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where a team of doctors are monitoring his condition.

Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there.

Earlier in the evening, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani also visited the hospital to check on Vajpayee.

Vajpayee was admitted at the AIIMS on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney.

He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today hosted 'At Home' reception at Raj Nivas here on the occasion of Independence Day.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, Welfare Minister M Kandasamy, Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam, Leader of the Opposition N Rangasamy of AINRC and MLAs were among those who attended the customary reception.

Talking to PTI on the sidelines, Bedi said elected representatives and officials in Puducherry should be social transformers making use of the composite nature of the Union Territory.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tata Steel Ltd CEO and Managing Director T V Narendran today said the steel sector has been witnessing a positive growth and this trend will continue with improving economic activities across the world.

Talking to reporters after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day at Tata Steel works here, he said the current demand for steel in the country is more than expected, buoyed by robust performance of the automobile and construction sectors.

The demand for steel was projected to grow by 5-6 per cent, but it has been 8 per cent, Narendran said.

The top Tata Steel official also hailed the initiatives taken by the state and the Union government for the betterment of the steel sector.

On the stock market consistently hitting new highs, Narendran said it was primarily because of the inflow of domestic savings through mutual funds.

Investors pumped a staggering Rs 10,585 crore in equity mutual funds in July, mainly driven by strong corporate earnings and near-normal monsoon, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Maharashtra government today handed over its 'Gaurav Puraskar' award to the family of Major Kaustubh Rane who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir in an anti-terrorist operation.

The award consists of a citation and cash. A cheque of Rs 6 lakh was today handed to Major Rane's wife by the district Sainik Welfare Officer at the family's residence in Mira Road area near here, an official release said.

The proposal for giving award to Major Rane came before the state government after he received a gallantry award on January 26 this year, but it was approved posthumously, the release said.

Major Rane and three soldiers were killed while foiling an infiltration bid in north Kashmir's Gurez sector on August 7.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A newly-elected provincial assembly member from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has landed himself in hot water after a video purportedly showing him beating a man who tried to cross his vehicle went viral on social media.

Imran Ali Shah who was elected as a member of the Sindh Assembly has been issued a show-cause notice by his party to explain the incident.

In the video, Shah, who is also a prominent orthopedic surgeon, was seen intercepting a car and beating up its driver who is surrounded by the PTI leader's armed bodyguards near a stadium here.

The alleged incident sparked widespread condemnation as PTI chief Imran Khan has been campaigning for elected representatives to travel without protocol and avoid causing problems to ordinary citizens.

The party, in a statement, said such behaviour by a lawmaker is unacceptable and if he fails to explain his act, disciplinary action would be taken against him.

Shah, however, termed the video as "half-truth" and claimed he had intercepted the man because he was harassing another elderly citizen driving a car and the man also used abusive language.

The driver who was beaten by Shah said he was going to a hospital with his grandchildren when he got in way of the the lawmaker's convoy and this angered him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "at an early date", the North's state media reported today, amid a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula.

Putin invited Kim and the South's President Moon Jae-in in June to an economic forum in Vladivostok next month although it is not known whether the North Korean leader responded to the invitation.

In a message to Kim on the North's National Liberation Day -- marking the end of Japanese rule over Korea at the end of the Second World War -- Putin reiterated his intention for a summit.

"I affirm that I am ready to meet you at an early date to discuss urgent issues of bilateral relations and important matters of the region," Putin said in a message carried by the North's official Korean Central Agency.

The message did not offer a specific date for the meeting.

Putin expressed hopes to further develop "reciprocal cooperation including the realisation of the tripartite project" that would also involve South Korea.

Kim also sent a message to Putin, KCNA reported, noting the "valuable tradition" of their joint wartime struggle against Japan was the "strong roots" of their bilateral relations.

The message gave no response to Putin's invitation, although KCNA did not make it clear if Kim's message came before or after the letter from Moscow.

The rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean Peninsula since the Winter Olympics has seen Kim meet with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in twice, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rain fury today continued unabated in Kerala, where 47 people have died so far, with the Kochi international airport announced shut till Saturday after water gushed inside the airport area and train services remained suspended in many parts of the state.

A red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

Operations at the Kochi airport have been suspended till August 18 and flights were being diverted to various airports.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

"All flights to/fro Kochi, stand cancelled till Aug 16, 2018 due to runway unavailability owing to flood situation. For cancellations/rescheduling, please visit bit.ly/2ndGnZ8 We hope everything gets normal soon," IndiGo said in a tweet.

Air India tweeted, "In view of suspension of operations at @KochiAirport, penalties on no-show, date/flight change or cancellations on all confirmed tickets to and from Cochin are waived off. Pax may contact #airindia call centre or #airindia website."



A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four trains - Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore express, Kanyakumari-Mumbai CSMT express, Dibugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and Gandhidham-Tirunelveli Humsafar Express, railway sources said.

A few passenger trains have been partially hit and rail traffic on Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

On Thiruvananhtapuram-Thrissur section, trains will be delayed due to speed restrictions due to rise in water levels in rivers and lakes.

The engineering department is continuously monitoring the safety of bridges, railways said.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate, shutters of several dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

In the high-range Idukki district, an 85-year-old woman was killed in Elakkal and a 52-year-old woman died in Keerithode when mounds of earth fell on their homes.

A man from Tamil Nadu was killed last evening when earth fell on a hotel he was working in Munnar while six other employees were rescued.

In a similar incident, a couple and their six-year-old son were killed when earth fell on their house at Kondotty in Malappuram district early today.

A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur after he came in contact with a live electric wire.

Tourist hill stations including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar closed and restrictions put in place for tourists.

Periyar, Chalakkidy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

Incessant rains and strong winds have battered the high ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, including Nedumangadu, Bonacaud and Neyyattinkara area, since last evening.

The low-lying areas of the capital city including Gowreesapattom and Kannanmoola are under water, hitting hard normal life.

At least 18 families have been stranded in Gowreesapattom here as the area remained inundated.

A joint team of police and fire service personnel is trying to rescue them, many of whom have sought refuge on the roof of two-storey buildings.

The water overflowing from Amayizhinchan canal has caused the unprecedented water logging in places like Gowreesapattom.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rajasthan will observe September as the "month of nutrition" to create awareness among people living in the state, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said today.

Addressing the state from the SMS stadium here on Independence Day, Raje announced that from next month, students of Class 1 to 8 of government schools will be given milk daily instead of thrice a week.

The government had introduced a scheme to provide milk to students in government schools thrice a week last month.

From September, the students will get milk on a daily basis for which additional funds of Rs 203 crore will be allocated, she said.

In the month of nutrition, the chief minister said, awareness in rural as well as urban areas will be created for nutrition.

Besides, she said, students in the age group of 3-6 years, adolescent girls and pregnant women registered with Anganwadi centres will also be provided milk thrice a week and the government will allocate Rs 100 crore for this.

The chief minister also announced two per cent interest subsidy to the farmers who repay loans taken from cooperative banks on time.

Construction of 94 new school buildings, vocational courses in 185 additional schools of secondary and senior secondary level, lowering of electricity duty for induction furnaces, mild steel re-rolling mills and mild steel rolling mills from 52 paise to 40 paise per unit were among other announcements.

The chief minister said her government worked with commitment for all sections of the society without discrimination.

"We want Rajasthan to become a modern state and get recognition in the country and around the world for modern education, new vision and new technology," Raje said.

"Our next step is to make our children modern citizens. They should not lag behind in competition at any level. It is our endeavour that our girls get more attracted towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths)," she said.

Ceremonies to mark Independence Day were held in government offices, schools and other institutions across the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Home Minister on Wednesday spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and took stock of the flood situation in the state, officials said.

The home minister, who spoke twice to the chief minister during the day, assured him all central help for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood-hit people in the southern state.

Singh was apprised by Vijayan about the steps being taken by the state government and central agencies to succour the sufferings of the people, a home ministry official said.



During his visit to Kerala on Sunday, the home minister had announced a Rs 1 billion immediate assistance to the Kerala government.

Over Rs 3.2 billion has been released by the Centre to Kerala government as calamity relief fund during 2018-19.

Allocation of the State Relief Fund (SDRF) for 2018-19 was Rs 2.14 billion of which the central government's share was Rs 1.6 billion and state government's share was Rs 535 million.



The balance available in the SDRF account as on April 1, 2018 as reported by the state Accountant General Rs 3.48 billion, another home ministry said.

The first instalment of the central share of SDRF for 2018-19, released on July 20, 2018 was Rs 802 million while the corresponding state share was Rs 267.5 million.

The central government supplements the effort of the Kerala government by providing assistance for relief of immediate nature through the SDRF and Response Fund (NDRF) as per established procedure, the official said.

Floods have hit 14 districts of Kerala in which so far 187 people have lost their lives during this monsoon season so far. 22 people also went missing.

Nearly 200,000 people have been living in relief camps in Kerala while 14 teams of the Response Force (NDRF), comprising 399 rescuers and 34 boats, were deployed in the state.Kangna Ranaut will be seen playing Rani Laxmibai in "Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi" and the actor says it was an honour for her to play the iconic role.

The makers chose Independence Day to release the first official poster of the film today, as an ode to the freedom fighter.

"It's an iconic role. I learnt sword fighting and horse riding. I got fever after two days of galloping on a horse, I can only imagine the muscles of steel and nerves of thunderbolt Laxmibai had...

"I don't feel anywhere close to her greatness, I have tried my best though," Kangana said in a statement.

Described as the story of "courage, strength and determination", the film is directed by Krrish.

"The film is mounted on a massive scale to justify the extraordinary story of Rani of Jhansi -- her courage, her strength, and her great love for the country. Who better than Kangana Ranaut to portray her on the big screen, we couldn't have been happier with the way the campaign is coming together," Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios said.

Producer Kamal Jain said Laxmibai is the "symbol of heroism in India" and hopes "Manikarnika" will give a fitting tribute to her.

"We believe, with this magnum opus action drama, we will be able to pay fitting tribute to this hero, and inspire the current generation, along with the ones to come. We embark on the journey of presenting this larger-than-life tale of determination, strength and valour on this Independence Day," he added.

Produced by Zee Studios, in association with Jain, "Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi", is slated to release on January 25 next year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Parents of Army jawan Aurangzeb, who was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and who has been nominated for the Shaurya Chakra award posthumously, hoisted the national flag here today.

Speaking to the media later, they said they were proud of his sacrifice for the country.

Aurangzeb's father Mohammed Hanif and mother Raz Begum unfurled the national flag at Regal Chowk on Independence Day here in Madhya Pradesh.

They had been invited as chief guest for the flag-hoisting ceremony by Apna Samooh, a local organisation.

"Aurangzeb was the son of entire India and we take pride in his sacrifice. We are thankful to the government for honouring his sacrifice with the Shaurya Chakra," Hanif said.

Aurangzeb, 24, who belonged to the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir on June 14. He was abducted when on the way home to celebrate Eid.

"Terrorists tied my brave son's hands. If his hands had been free, he would have killed at least four terrorists," an emotional Hanif said.

"I feel proud and happy that my son will get the Shaurya Chakra for his sacrifice," Raz Begum said.

"My son used to tell me he wanted do something for the country, and with his martyrdom, he proved himself right," she said.

The list of gallantry award winners, including Aurangzeb, was released by the defence ministry on the eve of the Independence Day yesterday. The awards were approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, in his capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) today said it has undertaken a short shutdown of one of the units at its Jamnagar facility to 'assure reliability and integrity' of operations.

While the company did not specify the nature of issue at the one of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (FCCU), the development is understood to have prevented the company from meeting its gasoline exports contract from the Jamnagar facility, the world's largest refining complex.

In a regulatory filing, RIL said it "has taken short shutdown of one of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (FCCU) at Jamnagar complex to assure reliability and integrity of operations".

The unit is expected to restart within two weeks, it added.

"The rest of the Jamnagar complex is operating normally," the filing said.

The company does not expect any material impact on overall operations of Jamnagar complex, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio today called for an early settlement of the Naga political issue, assuring people that his government is committed to play the role of an "active facilitator" between the centre and the negotiating parties.

The solution to the political imbroglio should be honourable, inclusive and acceptable to the Nagas, he said after unfurling the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza here,



The chief minister said the Naga political issue tops the agenda of the ruling PDA coalition in the state.

"We are committed to play the role of an active facilitator in the ongoing negotiations between the central government and the Naga political groups. The solution to the political imbroglio should be honourable, inclusive and acceptable to the Nagas," he said.

Rio also maintained that the Nagaland government has undertaken several measures over the years to end the imbroglio, including the setting up of a political affairs committee for conducting consultative meets with the tribal hohos and civil society organisations.

"During a meeting with the tribal Hohos on May 11 at Kohima, we decided to urge all Naga political groups, including NSCN-K, to renew the ceasefire with the Centre and join the peace talks," he said.

The chief minister urged the negotiating parties, including the Centre, to expedite the process and respond to the requests of the people by reaching at a solution at the earliest.

"Political negotiations have been going on for the past 21 years. We have had many challenges, but there is no problem that is insurmountable before the collective will of the people," he asserted.

Stating that his government supports the demand for integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas, Rio also appealed to the neighbouring states "to appreciate the history and democratic rights of the Nagas under a spirit of mutual respect and brotherhood".

"On our part, we reiterate our commitment to pave the way for an alternative arrangement that may arise from the political agreement," he said, urging all sections of Naga society to come together under a spirit of unity and oneness.

Grieving the death of 10 people in the recent rain-related incidents, Rio admitted that Nagaland has been ravaged by unprecedented showers and landslides and a "lot needs to be done" to boost the infrastructure of the state.

"We need to build roads and maintain them, create employment opportunities for our youth to enable them to live their dreams and reach their potential," he said.

The chief minister also thanked the central government for providing aid to the state during emergency.

"We express our sincere gratitude to the Government of India for heeding to the distress call of the people of Nagaland and deputing two Indian Air Force helicopters to transport essential commodities to areas that have been cut-off by the calamity," he added.

Altogether, 24 contingents of armed forces, civil police, National Cadet Corps and school students took part in the Independence Day parade here this morning.

Nagaland Assembly Speaker Vikho-o Yhosh, legislators and senior bureaucrats, Chief Secretary Temjen Toy and DGP T J Longkumer were among others who attended the celebrations at Secretariat Plaza.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today praised freedom fighters, including Tamil chieftain Veerapandiya Kattabomman who had waged a war against the British East India Company in the 18th century.

"We remember and tell stories about such kings and chieftains, who waged an armed struggle to gain freedom from the British yoke.

The great Tamil chieftain Veerapandia Kattabomman was one among many.

He and others not only fought for freedom, but also for world peace," he said.

Bhagwat praising Kattabomman comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoking noted Tamil poet Subramania Bharati in his Independence Day address.

Modi quoted a few lines from the works of the revered poet as he borrowed his words saying India will show the "whole world a way" to get rid of all kinds of bondage.

Bhagwat said Kottabomman inspired people to take up arms to fight against the oppressive rule of British East India Company.

"Many freedom fighters were inspired by Veerapandian Kattabomman. Even today Indians tell stories about his valour and courage," he said.

Kattabomman was a freedom fighter and chieftain from Panchalankurichi in Tamil Nadu. He had refused to accept the sovereignty of the British East India Company.

Society shall remember one who has served society not who lived for themselves and that is why Rani Chennamma and Shivaji were still remembered, Bhagwat said.

Bhagwat also spoke about Swami Vivekananda, who, he said, served people without seeking anything in return.

Earlier, Bhagwat unfurled the tri-colour at Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra and addressed students there.

He also planted and watered a sapling on the school premises.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil company, and its partner Abu Dabhi National Oil Co (ADNOC) will have marketing rights for half of the fuel produced by the planned USD 44-billion refinery in Maharashtra but cannot export them without first offering to local companies.

Aramco and ADNOC will together hold 50 per cent stake in the 60 million tonne per annum (MTPA) refinery and adjacent 18 MTPA petrochemical complex planned to be built at Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra by 2025.

"Marketing rights will be in proportion to the shareholding in the refinery. So they (Saudi Aramco and ADNOC) will get marketing rights over 50 per cent of the produce," said Sanjiv Singh, Chairman of Indian Oil Corp (IOC), which is leading the domestic refiners in the project.

The two firms can sell fuels like petrol and diesel in the domestic market. "They are free to market their share but they cannot export without first offering it to us," he said.

This clause has been inserted to meet domestic demand first. "We want to protect our market and meet domestic requirement first. So we will have first right of refusal and only when it is waived can they export fuel," he said.

IOC will hold 25 per cent stake in the project while Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) are to split the remaining equally among themselves.

ADNOC had in June signed an initial pact to join the project by agreeing to take a part of the 50 per cent stake that Saudi Arabia's national oil company had picked up in the project earlier this year.

Singh said how the 50 per cent stake would be split between Saudi Aramco and ADNOC is not known.

Aramco and ADNOC will supply half of the crude oil required for processing at the refinery. Like other major producers, the two are looking to lock in customers in the world's third-largest oil consumer through the investment. Kuwait too is looking to invest in projects in return for getting an assured offtake of their crude oil.

Last year, Saudi Arabia invested in refinery projects in Indonesia and Malaysia that came with long-term crude oil supply deals.

Singh said the state government was "extremely supportive" of the project and is helping in land acquisition, which is facing local resistance.

The project will need 15,000 acres of land, he said adding the companies are engaged with locals to address their issues.

The first production will start in 2022. Full capacity will be reached by 2025.

India has a refining capacity of 232.066 MT, which exceeded the demand of 194.2 MN in 2016-17.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), this demand is expected to reach 458 MT by 2040. IOC has 11 refineries with a total capacity of 81.2 MT, while BPCL has four refineries with a capacity of 33.4 MT. HPCL has three refineries with a total capacity of 24.8 MT.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 13-year-old school girl, who had come to perform in the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, fell unconscious due to heat and dehydration, while an exhausted photojournalist collapsed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was delivering his address at the venue today.

The girl, Fiza, a Class 7 student of the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, in Old Delhi, was rushed to the LNJP Hospital.

"She collapsed when the national anthem was about to end. A few of us and a staff member carried her off on a stretcher to an ambulance soon after the event," Ariba, a fellow student, said.

Ariba had also come to participate in the event, and the episode left her inconsolable.

"We (75 participants) came to the Red Fort at the crack of dawn to practice for the main event, and so were very exhausted. The heat and humidity made things worse. Fiza was very thirsty but couldn't get water, and suddenly collapsed on the ground," she told PTI.

Doctors from the Centralised Accident Trauma Services Ambulance service examined her and sent her to the hospital, citing "dehydration".

The photojournalist, who had collapsed due to heat and exhaustion while Modi was delivering his last Independence Day address ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections, later regained consciousness, but chose to remain laid on the ground for some time.

The celebrations began around 7 am but spectators, many of whom travelled long distances to attend the event, had to be present at the venue by 6:30 am as per instructions issued.

Many students and visitors complained that drinking water was not readily available.

"We had to really struggle to get a bottle of water. We were tired from the practice, and then the thirst and the heat made it more difficult," a girl student from another school, who did not wish to be named, said.

According to the MeT Department, at 5.30 am, humidity was at 72 per cent and it was 88 per cent a couple of hours before that.

The prime minister, who arrived at around 7:15 am at the Red Fort premise, was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times during his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Colourful bamboo fans, handcrafted by artisans of the Mahali tribe of West Bengal, were provided to the invitees, including ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats and other VIPs to beat the heat.

Modi, after his speech, ventured forth into the crowd of children, who had come to perform, and shook hands with them.

"It was a such a happy moment for me and my friend (Fiza) being part of the event, but she is unwell now, and so we cannot go back feeling very happy about it," Ariba rued.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Italian rescuers searched through the night for any survivors under the shattered remains of a motorway bridge in Genoa as investigators probed what could have caused such a catastrophic collapse.

More than 30 people were killed on Tuesday when a vast span of the Morandi bridge collapsed during a heavy rainstorm, sending about 35 cars and several trucks plunging 45-metres (150 feet) onto railway tracks below.

Rescuers spent the night within the tangled remains of the bridge under floodlights and there are fears the toll could rise in what the Italian government has called an "immense tragedy".

The collapse came as the bridge was undergoing maintenance work and as the Liguria region, where Genoa is situated, experienced torrential rainfall.

"Unfortunately there are around 30 dead and many injured in a serious condition," Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday, vowing that those responsible would "pay, pay everything, and pay dearly".

On Wednesday morning, sources in the interior ministry quoted by Italian media estimated that the death toll had risen to 35, including three children aged from eight to 12 years old. Sixteen people are also wounded, including 12 in serious condition.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said a "catastrophe" had hit Genoa and the whole of Italy.

"Italians have the right to modern and efficient infrastructure that accompanies them safely through their everyday lives," Mattarella said in a statement.

Rescuers scoured through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, as rescue helicopters winched survivors on stretchers from the ruined bridge.

Between firefighters police and other emergency service, around a thousand people have been mobilised in the rescue effort, according to the Civil Protection service.

"We're not giving up hope, we've already saved a dozen people from under the rubble," a fire official, Emanuele Giffi, told AFP.

"We're going to work round the clock until the last victim is secured." As cars and trucks tumbled off the bridge, Afifi Idriss, 39, a Morrocan lorry driver, just managed to come to a halt in time.

"I saw the green lorry in front of me stop and then reverse so I stopped too, locked the truck and ran," he told AFP.

The green lorry was still on the bridge late evening, stopped just short of the now yawning gap.

The incident -- the deadliest of its kind in Europe since 2001 -- is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of a faltering economy.

Aerial footage showed more than 200 metres (650 feet) of the viaduct, known locally as the Morandi bridge, completely destroyed.

"I'm following with the utmost apprehension what is happening in Genoa and what looks like it could be an immense tragedy," Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter.

Salvini, who is co-deputy prime minister and leader of the nationalist League party in the new coalition government, vowed to hold those responsible for the disaster accountable.

"I have gone over this bridge hundreds of times, and I commit to digging and finding out who is responsible for an unacceptable tragedy, because it's not possible that in 2018 you can work and die in these conditions," he said.

Italy's other deputy prime minister, Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio, is expected to arrive at the scene on Wednesday morning, with Salvini to follow in the afternoon.

The cause of the disaster was not immediately clear, although weather services in the Liguria region had issued a storm warning Tuesday morning.

The national motorways body said on its website that "maintenance works were being carried out on the base of the viaduct", adding that a crane had been moved on site to assist the work.

Genoa, home to half a million people, is located between the sea and the mountains of northwestern Italy.

Its rugged terrain means that motorways that run through the city and the surrounding area are characterised by long viaducts and tunnels.

The Morandi viaduct, completed in 1967, spans dozens of railway lines as well as an industrial zone with several factories.

One factory, immediately next to one of the viaduct's support columns, was virtually empty on Tuesday on the eve of a national holiday, and seems to have sustained minimal damage.

"I live nearby and I cross the bridge every day on foot," said Ibou Toure, 23, a translator. "I was never sure of it, you'd always hear these noises whenever lorries were going over.

"When I heard it had collapsed, I wasn't surprised." In March last year, a couple were killed when a motorway overpass collapsed on their car near Ancona on the country's Adriatic coast.

A pensioner died in October 2016 when his car was crushed by a collapsing bridge over a dual carriageway between Milan and Lecco.

That incident was blamed on bureaucratic bungling which led to a fatal delay in the bridge being closed after it was reported to be showing significant cracks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The body of Army jawan Pushpendra Singh, who was killed while foiling an infiltration bid in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated at his native village here.

Tears rolled down from the eyes of people at Khutia village here as eight-month-old Siddharth, the soldier's son, from the arms of his uncle, lit the funeral pyre of his father last evening.

Sepoy Singh laid down his life while foiling an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Monday.

Presenting a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the soldier's family on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, Minority Welfare, Wakf and Culture Minister Laxmi Narain Chaudhary assured the people all possible help to bereaved family.

"The Yogi Adityanath government would not lag behind in providing other possible help to family of Pushpendra," he said, adding that government job will be provided to Sudha, Pushpendra's wife, and agricultural land on lease to the family for livelihood.

Pushpendra's father is a mason and his uncle works as a rickshawpuller.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Several sign language instructors moved their hands up and down as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address to the nation from the historic Red Fort progressed. Several students with disabilities cheered and smiled. All of them were excited.

Nearly 120 persons with disabilities, including a number of children from schools and NGOs, sat patiently in the lawns of the 17-century monument, listening to Modi's address with help from the women instructors.

They were at the Red Fort to listen to their prime minister on the 72nd Independence Day.

And the prime minister ensured his address had words for his special guests. He mentioned the rights of the disabled and a common sign language dictionary prepared for them by the government.

The First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3,000 words was launched in March. It was developed by Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre.

Throughout the over 80-minute address of Modi, the instructors stood facing the disabled people in an enclosure marked for them. They ensured Modi's message reached them in a language they understood comfortably.

The instructors, with their back against the Red Fort, were there under the government's 'Sugamya Bharat' initiative, which aims to serve the differently-able community.

New Delhi-based Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute For Persons with Physical Disabilities, an autonomous organisation under the administrative and financial control of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, had facilitated the visit of the 120 people, a senior official said.

Sanskriti Bhatia, programme manager at Sai Swayam Society, a non-profit organization, was among the four people who interpreted the prime minister's speech.

Bhatia said she "meaningfully interpreted" the prime minister's address and not literally, to make the visitors understand it better.

Asked, how difficult it was to hear the speech from behind and interpret it simultaneously, Tanu Tomar, another instructor, said, "It was not difficult at all."



"We made the sign gestures for various emotions like pride, honesty, patriotism and nationalism an they cheered when Modiji talked about people with disabilities," she said.

"The youths, aged 13-18, came from schools run by Deendayal Upadhyaya institute, and a couple of NGOs. They were really excited to be a part of the event and cheered in their own language," an official of the institute said.

"Most of them who attended the celebration are speech-impaired or hearing-impaired. Some of them are autistic or have bone disorder," the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today hit out at opponents of the NRC for "spreading negative propaganda" saying the people of the state have stood strongly behind the move to prepare an error-free list of Indian citizens.

Citing the peaceful celebration of Independence Day across Assam, which has often witnessed violence during celebrations of national events in the past, he said despite continuous "canards" and "attempts to instigate people" in the name of the draft NRC, the state remained peaceful since July 30.

"The Independence Day was celebrated peacefully across the state. There has been no violence since the publication of the draft NRC despite provocation, negative propoganda and canards," he told PTI.

The draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), a Supreme Court-monitored list of Assam's citizens, was published on July 30.

There have been comments by opposition parties and media discussions which were critical to the decision to update the NRC, an Assam specific move to identify illegal immigrants.

"People of all caste and creed remained calm despite attempts to instigate people. We are thankful to everyone," he said.

The BJP chief minister said when he assumed charge in 2016, he had promised to ensure an illegal immigrants-free Assam and the draft NRC was a significant step in this direction.

Sonowal also said that the state government was committed to ensure that no genuine Indian is left out of the final NRC.

"At the same time, we want that no illegal immigrant is included in the final NRC," he said.

Over 2.89 crore people were found to be eligible for inclusion in the draft NRC out of a total 3.29 crore applicants. Around 40.07 lakh applicants, however, did not find a place in the document.

The claims and objections to the draft NRC will start from August 28 before the final list is out as per the directive of the apex court.

Assam, which has witnessed influx of people from neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951.

The current NRC is being updated with March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date to include names of genuine Indian citizens.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With an SP-BSP tie-up on the cards for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today invoked Ram Manohar Lohia and Bhim Rao Ambedkar -- the icons of the two parties respectively -- and talked about "fighting unitedly" to fulfil their dreams.

"Lohia and Ambedkar had advocated a united fight for justice and unity for strengthening the country's future. We have got a chance to fulfil this dream," he told SP workers after hoisting the national flag at the party headquarters here.

"The future of the country can be strengthened with economic and social equality and unity. This was also the dream of Lohia and Ambedkar. In 1956, both had written to each other and decided to work unitedly. However, in 1956, Ambedkar died...but now we have got a chance to fulfil their dream," Yadav said.

In an apparent attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said opposition parties were an important part of a democracy, but it was unfortunate that they were being described as "daldal" (swamp) by the ruling party leader.

Addressing a "Kisan Kalyan" rally at Shahjahanpur last month, Modi had said, "There is not just one 'dal' (political party) but 'dal' over 'dal', resulting in 'daldal' (swamp), which will only help the lotus bloom."



Lotus is the election symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"After Independence, crores of people toiled hard for the country's development, but it is being said that nothing was done in the last 71 years, demeaning their contribution.

"All the pillars of democracy are under attack in the present regime. While the officers are becoming biased, the judges are talking about the danger to democracy and the condition of the media is in front of us," Yadav said.

He pointed out that in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, around two crore young people will vote for the first time.

"Instead of dealing with unemployment and other crucial issues, the government is adding fuel to the fire of hatred so that the real issues get buried.

"Development is there in the DNA of the country, but they (BJP) are playing with it as well. There can be different ideologies in a democracy, but those with diverse views are being labelled as traitors," the SP chief said.

Through statistics, it was being shown that the country was progressing, Yadav said, adding, "But if you want to know the reality, talk to the farmers, see the pain of the labourers and ask the poor people what are the changes that the economy has witnessed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A strike called by separatists against Independence Day celebrations affected normal life in parts of Kashmir Valley today.

However, stringent security measures were put in place across the valley for the celebrations, a police official said.

Shops, private offices, fuel stations and other businesses were shut in Srinagar, the official said.

He said the city wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off roads. Only a few private cars were seen plying.

The police official said reports of shutdown were also received from other district headquarters in the valley.

The separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership had asked people to observe a "black day" today.

The JRL comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik has asked people to observe a complete strike.

The official said security forces have been deployed across the valley, especially at sensitive places, to maintain law and order.

Authorities also barred mobile telephone services, including Internet facility on handheld devices, as a precautionary measure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)British citizen of Sudanese origin Salih Khater was driving the car that injured three persons in a terror attack outside the UK's Parliament, government sources said today.

The 29-year-old, who has studied electrical engineering in Sudan, lived in Birmingham's Sparkhill district. He describes himself as a shop manager.

He was held on suspicion of terrorism by Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command after the crash yesterday.

Khater, a British citizen originally from Sudan, continues to be questioned at a south London police station as searches are undertaken at three addresses in Birmingham and Nottingham as part of the investigation.

It has emerged that he spent 90 minutes trawling the area around the Houses of Parliament before speeding into the barriers, having travelled up from Birmingham, 200 kms from here, overnight on Monday.

The suspect, who is yet to be officially named by police, had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology, according to his Facebook page.

Abubakr Ibrahim, a childhood friend of Khater, told The Times: "No, no, no. He is not a terrorist. I have known him since childhood. He is a good man."



He said that Khater was the son of sorghum farmers. He had moved to Britain about five years ago, having studied electrical engineering in Khartoum.

Ibrahim said: "His family are very simple and they let him travel to London to help them."



The suspect's Sparkbrook rental property in Birmingham is a 10-minute drive from the former home of Khalid Masood, the terrorist shot dead by armed officers during the last attack on Parliament in March last year.

He is not believed to have been known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police and did not co-operate with officers after his arrest.

Khater drove the car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside Parliament during rush hour, injuring three persons.

It was the second terrorism incident on the iconic building in central London since March last year.

Yesterday, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the National Lead for Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, said, "we are treating it as a terrorist incident".

A meeting of the UK government's Cobra emergency committee was held in the wake of the attack.

A Met police spokesperson said that there was nobody else in the vehicle. No weapons have been recovered at this stage.

The car was seen wedged into flap-style barriers that allows vehicles access to the House of Lords, giving the impression that the driver may have been trying to gain access to the Parliament building.

The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete.

Parliament is currently not sitting.

Britain's terror threat level remains at "severe", which means an attack is highly likely, since a series of terrorist attacks last year.

The UK has been on high alert since the March 2017 attack in which Khalid Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing five, before going on a stabbing spree at the gates of Parliament. It was followed by a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May, which claimed 23 lives.

In June last year, a group of three ISIS-inspired men rammed a vehicle into pedestrians in London Bridge area before going on a stabbing frenzy, killing eight people before being shot by armed officers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man suspected of arson in connection with dozens of car fires in Goteborg, Sweden's second largest city, has been arrested in Turkey, police said today.

About 80 cars were set ablaze in the night from Monday to Tuesday, chiefly in Goteborg, and nearby Trollhattan, an industrial city. Fires were also reported on a smaller scale in Malmo, Sweden's third largest city.

Police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg said that a man in his 20s was arrested a day earlier as he tried to enter Turkey. He is suspected of arson and is expected to be returned to Sweden.

Two others, aged 16 and 21 and living in Frolunda, a suburb of Goteborg where of some the fires took place, were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of arson. Police believe the arson attacks were coordinated on social media but have no motive.

In a separate statement, Sweden's national police said reasons for such fires are hard to establish and can have different motivations, including provoking authorities, hiding traces in connection with criminal activities and insurance fraud.

Such fires are "not a new phenomenon," Emil Eisersjo of Sweden's national police said. "There is a tendency for a hike in connection with the end of the school year, the beginning of the school year and in the winter when fireworks are on sale" ahead of the New Year.

Schools in Sweden started Monday after the summer break.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today launched two new schemes including the Rs five lakh insurance cover for farmers.

Unfurling the national flag at the historic Golconda Fort here on the occasion of Independence Day, he also launched the economic support scheme for backward classes.

Under the 'Rythu Bima' scheme, every farmer would get life insurance cover of Rs five lakh.

The state government has already paid Rs 636 crore towards premium for the scheme.

According to official sources, 28 lakh farmers in the age group of 18 to 59 would be insured.

The government would bear an annual premium of Rs 2271.50 per farmer.

Under the economic support scheme for backward classes, the government would provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to the beneficiaries to start small businesses.

Rao, who spoke on the number of welfare schemes being implemented by his government, said the second phase of distribution of cheques under the 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers would begin in November.

As per the scheme, the government provides Rs 8,000 per acre for two crops to every farmer as investment support.

In the first phase, the state government has distributed Rs 5,111 crore to 49,49,000 farmers.

The government is setting up a mega textile park in Warangal to provide employment to weavers.

'Textile hubs' are being set up at Sircilla and Gadwal, he said.

The chief minister said thestate government is spending Rs 2,000 crore on minorities welfare and development adding it has been decided to set up a special IT park for IT industrialists from the minority sections.

Work is on at a brisk pace to run Hyderabad metro rail services from Ameerpet to LB Nagar next month and from Ameerpet to Hitech City in November, Rao said.

The state government is implementing a special plan to make Hyderabad a global city, he said adding different construction programmes have been taken up with Rs 35,000 crore.

A plan to improve basic facilities would be implemented in Hyderabadat a cost of Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Akshay Kumar says he is in "the best phase" of his career as he is now getting to an opportunity to do different types of films.

Regarded as an action star in his early days, the 50-year-old star has cemented his place in the industry over almost three decades by featuring in romance dramas, comedies and issue-based movies.

"This is the best phase for me as an actor. I was always wary of having an image. When I came in the film industry I was given action hero tag, no one would offer me a romantic or comedy film, only action films were offered to me.

"I kept doing action films for 14 years. There was no growth. I would call this as the best phase as I can do lot of things like 'Kesari', as an action film, 'Housefull 4' as a comedy film and some socially-relevant movies. I get to play so many characters and do all kind of films," Akshay said in an interview here.

The actor said it was tough for him to break out from the action hero mould.

"... It was a difficult phase. It was hard to break an image and come out of it and I feel lucky I could do so," he said.

He credits frequent collaborator, filmmaker Priyadarshan, for trusting him with light-hearted movies.

"I also have to thank David Dhawan who gave me 'Me Aur Mrs Khiladi' and Rajkumar Santoshi for 'Khakee'. Things started changing since then," he added.

Akshay's latest, "Gold", released today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tinder founders and early employees have filed a lawsuit accusing parent firm InterActiveCorp of cheating them out of billions of dollars by manipulating the value of stock options for the popular dating app.

The suit filed in New York contends that IAC and its spinoff Match Group, which owns Tinder, schemed to dramatically drive down the value of stock options and then eliminate them altogether.

The companies "made contractual promises to recruit and retain the men and women who built Tinder" but then "lied, bullied, and violated their contractual duties, stealing billions of dollars,"said attorney Orin Snyder, who filed the suit on behalf of Tinder co-founders Jonathan Badeen, Justin Mateen, Sean Rad and others from its startup days.

The suit names IAC and Match as defendants, accusing the companies of breach of contract and called for at least $2 billion in compensation along with punitive damages.

Tinder, created in 2012, uses geolocation to propose nearby romantic matches for users to quickly scroll through, then "swipe" left or right to signal interest.

It was launched as a project from IAC-owned Hatch Labs, and the holding company eventually acquired a majority stake.

According to the lawsuit, IAC last year "manufactured a fake Tinder valuation of USD 3 billion" which was unchanged from two years earlier, despite its revenues having grown 600 per cent and user base grown 50 per cent.

By "lowballing" the value of Tinder and then merging it into Match, the companies "robbed the Tinder plaintiffs of billions of dollars," the suit alleges.

IAC and Match said the allegations were "meritless" and pledged to contest the lawsuit. "Mr Rad (who was dismissed from the company a year ago) and Mr Mateen (who has not been with the company in years) may not like the fact that Tinder has experienced enormous success following their respective departures, but sour grapes alone do not a lawsuit make," the companies said.

Match Group has paid out more than a billion dollars in equity compensation to Tinder founders and employees, according to IAC.

Plaintiffs in the case identified themselves as the team that built Los Angeles-based Tinder.

The lawsuit also claims the company sought to cover up allegations of sexual harassment against former Match Group chief Greg Blatt.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Tamil Nadu government was committed for the all-round development of the state, in lines with the policies of late J Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said today.

In his Independence Day address after unfurling the tricolour at the Fort St George here, Palaniswami also said the state was performing well in social and economic sectors.

"In order to honour the freedom fighters who had dedicated their lives for the cause of the country's freedom, their pension will be increased from Rs 13,000 to Rs 15,000," Palaniswami said.

Hailing the contribution of freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu, he said, the family pension provided to their kin would be hiked from Rs 6,500 to Rs 7,500.

Though the 1857 sepoy mutiny against the British was said to be the country's first war of independence, a similar revolt had happened in Vellore in 1806.

He recalled the contributions of various freedom fighters like local rulers Veerapandia Kattabomman, Maruthu brothers, poet Mahakavi Bharathi, C Rajagopalachary, K Kamaraj and EV Ramasamy 'Periyar' in the country's independence struggle.

The Chief Minister also announced a two percent reservation in select government positions for sportspersons from the state who win medals in national level games or those organised by the state government.

This will also apply to those from Tamil Nadu who win laurels in recognised international tournaments or even represent the country there, he said.

A high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary will draw the guidelines for implementation of this quota in the state government departments or its run PSUs, he added.

Listing out the AIADMK government's various achievements and proposals to ensure the state's growth, Palaniswami said he has launched over Rs 22,000 crore worth projects so far, besides initiating Rs 16,000 crore worth ones.

The government was committed for all-round development in lines with the policies of the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, he said.

The state was doing well in social sectors like education, with the enrollment in higher education touching 48.6 percent, making the state "no.1" in this aspect, he noted.

The government's focus on a "second green revolution" with steps to achieve this had resulted in the foodgrains production crossing 100 lakh tonnes for five times between 2011-12 and 2017-18, he said.

In the IT sector, the state's software exports for the year 2017-18 was estimated to be Rs 1,11,179 crore with about 6.38 lakh 'experts' involved in the sector, the Chief Minister said.

Underlining his government's commitment for industrialisation efforts, he said works were on for the conduct of the second edition of Global Investors' Meet in January 2019.

Later, Palaniswami gave away various awards, including the Kalpana Chawla Award for Bravery.

It was awarded to I Muthumari, a labourer from Valparai in Coimbatore district.

She was honoured with the award for "single handedly" attacking and chasing away a leapord in May this year after it entered her house and attacked her 11 year-old daughter.

The Dhaksha (UAV) Team, Centre for Aerospace Research, Anna University was given the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award for the year 2018.

The four-member team of the varsity's faculty was honoured for developing three Unmanned Aerial Vehicle systems to be used by various government departments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The head of China's government-run Buddhist association quit his post today amid an investigation into allegations that he coerced several nuns into having sex with him.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of the Beijing Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement.

In a 95-page report that circulated online late last month, two monks accused Xuecheng of sending explicit text messages to at least six women, threatening or cajoling them to have sex with him.

China's top religious authority launched an investigation shortly after the allegations were made public.

Xuecheng stepped down at a meeting of the Buddhist Association of China today.

"The council accepted Xuecheng's resignation as president of the Buddhist Association of China," said a statement posted today on the association's website.

It was tucked into a long report detailing a council meeting which neither elaborated on the abbot's reasons for quitting nor referred to the recent probe.

The same statement was also posted by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the government body overseeing religious groups.

A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng's Twitter-like Weibo account has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting allegations of sexual misconduct.

In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

One of the authors said on social media that he was compelled to speak out after the victims were ignored by authorities who said they could not investigate the matter.

The report and posts about it have been taken down or censored on social media.

There is no legal definition of sexual harassment in China and no national regulations on how to handle sexual assault cases in schools and workplaces.

The #MeToo movement ignited in China earlier this year with more women starting to open up about sexual assaults, especially on university campuses.

Unlike in the West, where #MeToo has forced resignations and sparked widespread public debate, authorities in China have sought to control the discussion, sometimes allowing and at other times censoring social media commentary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Christine Hallquist won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the US state of Vermont, moving a step closer to becoming the nation's first transgender governor, US media projected.

In another ground-breaking political moment, Somali-American state legislator Ilhan Omar claimed victory in her primary in Minnesota, putting her on track to become one of the first female Muslim members of the US House of Representatives.

"HISTORY MADE! @christineforvt just became the first trans/non-binary gubernatorial candidate from a major political party in American history!" the Victory Fund, an organization that supports LGBTQ candidates, tweeted about Hallquist.

But she still faces an uphill battle in the general election, when she is projected to face Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who has been in office since 2016.

Hallquist transitioned while heading the Vermont Electricity Coop, several years before launching her gubernatorial bid.

In 2015, "Christine made the decision, after years of holding it inside, to come out as her true self, a transgender woman, becoming the first business leader in the country to transition while in office," according to her campaign's website.

"Working to ensure that Vermont remains the special, inclusive and progressive place that it has always been... is what motivates Christine to seek the honour and opportunity to serve the people of Vermont as its next governor,"it says.

Hallquist beat out James Ehlers, a Navy veteran and environmentalist, and Brenda Siegel, the executive director of a dance festival, to win the Democratic nomination.

Also among the primary candidates was 14-year old schoolboy Ethan Sonneborn, who took advantage of a quirk in the constitution of the bucolic northeastern state that imposes no age minimum on running for governor.

Despite praise for Sonneborn's "maturity" and political awareness, his campaign attracted calls for Vermont lawmakers to close the loophole.

In Minnesota, Ilhan Omar -- a Somali-American state legislator who is Muslim and wears a headscarf -- declared victory in her primary race -- a result also reported by US media.

"Ilhan Omar has been declared the winner of the primary election in the race for Congress to represent Minnesota's Fifth District," a statement on her website said.

"As the first refugee elected to Congress (and the second Muslim woman after Rashida Tlaib of Michigan), Ilhan will bring a unique perspective and new energy to our nation's capital," it said.

Tlaib, a 42-year-old former social worker, won a Democratic primary last week in a safe seat in Detroit.

With no Republican or third-party candidates, she is positioned to enter the House of Representatives with the November midterm elections.

"Tonight we are celebrating because we engaged and empowered our community and we won!" Omar said in the statement.

"Together, each and every one of us are the inspiration we need to keep fighting for a democracy that gets us closer to the American promise of prosperity for all and the hope for a better tomorrow," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Turkish court today rejected a new appeal to free US pastor Andrew Brunson, whose detention has sparked a major row between Turkey and the United States, local media reported.

The court in the western city of Izmir ruled that Brunson, who faces 35 years in jail over terror and espionage charges, will remain under house arrest, the state television TRT reported.

Brunson's jail term had been converted to house detention for health reasons.

His detention has soured relations with Washington, with US President Donald Trump doubling aluminium and steel tariffs for Turkey in punitive actions against Ankara's refusal to release Brunson.

The crisis has sent the Turkish currency into free fall since Friday.

"The president has a great deal of frustration (about) the pastor not being released," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday.

The statement came after US embassy charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier visited Brunson in Izmir.

Brunson's lawyer Cem Halavurt told AFP that a higher court would also discuss his appeal for Brunson's release.

Turkey's ambassador to Washington Serdar Kilic on Monday held private talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in a meeting to discuss the pastor's status.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)TVS Motor Company today said it has launched two new products -- scooter TVS Dazz and three-wheeler TVS King -- in the Philippines market.

With TVS Dazz, the company is expanding its scooter portfolio, while with TVS King it is foraying into the three-wheeler segment in the Philippines.

TVS Dazz, a 110-cc scooter, has been developed to meet Euro 3 standards, while TVS King is a 200-cc three-wheeler passenger carrier, the company said in a statement.

"The launch of TVS King and TVS Dazz has opened two new segments for us and we are confident that both products will be well-received by the rapidly growing market," President & CEO KN Radhakrishnan said.

The company has been present in the Philippines since 2016 and the market has responded positively to its products, he added.

TVS King is targeted at the tricycle passenger carrier market for both government units as well as personal transport, Senior Vice-President, International Business R Dilip said.

On the other hand, TVS Dazz is designed for modern commuters who seek a practical as well as stylish offering, he added.

The Chennai-based firm is one of the major two-wheeler and three-wheeler exporters in India, distributing to over 60 countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two persons lost their lives and one went missing as heavy rain pounded five districts in Odisha for the third straight day today, official sources said.

Bo respite is likely soon as the Met office has forecast more rains in the next 48 hours.

The districts that have been severely hit by the rain include Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur in southern region and Bolangir and Kalahandi districts in the western parts of the state.

While the state government has put the district collectors on alert in view of the rains, the East Coast Railway has asked its employees to remain vigilant to possible flooding of tracks in different places.

"So far, two deaths have been reported and another person was missing due to rain related incidents," Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said adding that 17 persons confined due to flood water have been rescued from the tappoo (island) of river Tel at Banjipali in Titilagarh area in Bolangir district by the Fire Services unit.

Manguli Muduli of Rajubidei village of Rajput gram panchayat of Koraput district died in rain related incident while Sadashib Sahu of Bargaon village died in Kalahandi district.

Another person was missing in Koraput district, the sources said.

A report from Koraput said at least 13 blocks have been affected due to the flash floods. About 45 houses were damaged and a free kitchen was opened to feed the affected people.

Personnel of fire services and Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have beenc engaged for relief and rescue operation in Koraput district.

Meanwhile, IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall tomorrow in one or two places in Baragarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts of Odisha.

The average rainfall of the state recorded for the last 24 hours is 31.7 mm. Kalahandi district received the highest average rainfall 139.7 mm, SRC B P Sethi said adding that four districts received average rainfall between 50 mm and 100 mm.

Sethi, however, said that all major rivers were flowing below the danger level and there was no fear for flood now.

Meanwhile, sources in the ECoR said that the authorities have put the railway men on alert in view of the flooding of tracking. Track patrolling and inspection of bridges were being conducted by senior officers.

Railway tracks affected due to rain water and landslides were located in Titlagarh-Rayagada and Rayagada-Koraput sections. While five trains have been cancelled, four other trains will be controlled in some stations, an official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two jawans of the ITBP were injured today when a pressure bomb laid by naxals exploded in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, police said.

The incident took place near Mistri village when a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was out on a search operation in view of the Independence Day celebrations, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.

While the patrolling team was cordoning off a forest near the village, located around 150 km from here, a jawan came in contact with a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists, he said.

He said the IED exploded, causing minor splinter injuries to two constables of the ITBP's 44th battalion.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured were brought to a hospital in Mohla where they were provided preliminary treatment.

The injured were being shifted to Rajnandgaon, he said, adding a combing operation was underway in the area.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two kanwariyas were killed and another seriously injured when a truck hit their bike at Pihani in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district, police said today.

The accident took place yesterday when Amit (26), Atul (27) and Ankit were on their way to collect water from the Ganga, they said.

While Amit and Atul died on the spot, Ankit was rushed to the hospital, where his condition is serious, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to free 72 prisoners in the state on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day.

"These prisoners are who are poor (nirdhan) and helpless (asahay), and are serving extra term since they are not able to deposit the fine. They may be released after getting the remaining of the fine with the help of social organisations, self-help groups, clubs and trusts etc," an official spokesperson said in a statement issued last evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Uttar Pradesh government has approached the Centre for its approval to rename the airports in Bareilly, Kanpur and Agra, a move that comes close on the heels of rechristening the iconic Mughalsarai Railway Station in the state after RSS thinker Deendayal Upadhyay.

Since all the three are defence airports, the state government and the Airports Authority of India are in the process of consultations at various levels to facilitate flyers under the regional connectivity scheme, an official spokesman said today.

According to a proposal from the state civil aviation department, the Bareilly airport is to be named 'Nath Nagri', which is believed to be an ancient name of the city for its history of having ardent worshippers of Lord Shiva.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who belongs to the Nath sect, had earlier renamed the civil terminals of IAF's Gorakhpur airport.

The civil terminal of Gorakhpur airport was named after Maha Yogi Gorakhnath, founder of 'Nath Pant' (monastic movement). The chief minister is the 'Mahant' (priest) of Gorakhnath temple.

UP Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Nandi said renaming of the three airports was long awaited.

"We have reached out to the Centre to get the airports renamed. A meeting with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is expected soon," he said.

The proposal speaks about Bareilly in great detail. It says that the city is surrounded on all sides by as many as seven Lord Shiva temples--Alakhnath, Trivatinath, Marhinath, Dhopeshwarnath, Vankhandinath, Tapeshwarnath and Pashupatinath.

Kanpur's Chakeri airport is proposed to be named after freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. The proposal says that Kanpur was earlier known as Kanha Pur and was founded by Sachendi King Hindu Singh.

The Agra airport is proposed to be named after RSS thinker Deendayal Upadhyay.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Christine Hallquist has won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the US state of Vermont, moving a step closer to becoming the nation's first transgender governor, US media reported.

But she still faces an uphill battle in the general election, when she is projected to face Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who has been in office since 2016.

"HISTORY MADE! @christineforvt just became the first trans/non-binary gubernatorial candidate from a major political party in American history!" tweeted the Victory Fund, an organization that supports LGBTQ candidates.

Hallquist transitioned while heading the Vermont Electricity Coop, several years before launching her gubernatorial bid.

In 2015, "Christine made the decision, after years of holding it inside, to come out as her true self, a transgender woman, becoming the first business leader in the country to transition while in office," according to her campaign's website.

"Working to ensure that Vermont remains the special, inclusive and progressive place that it has always been... is what motivates Christine to seek the honor and opportunity to serve the people of Vermont as its next governor," it says.

Hallquist beat out James Ehlers, a Navy veteran and environmentalist, and Brenda Siegel, the executive director of a dance festival, to win the Democratic nomination.

Also among the primary candidates was 14-year old schoolboy Ethan Sonneborn, who took advantage of a quirk in the constitution of the bucolic northeastern state that imposes no age limit on running for governor.

His website proclaims him a champion for middle- and working-class families, with "the right ideas" on healthcare reform, economic development and education -- never mind that he's still years from graduating high school.

But despite praise for Sonneborn's "maturity" and political awareness, his campaign attracted calls for Vermont lawmakers to close the loophole.

"I think we should probably take a look at that to be perfectly honest," Governor Scott told reporters when asked if he thought 14-year-olds should be eligible to run.

"I think you should at least be able to get your driver's license at the time that you become governor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)National Award-winning filmmaker, Rima Das' next Assamese feature, "Bulbul can Sing" is set to have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2018.

Das' film, her third independent feature, will be showcased in the Contemporary World Cinema section.

The writer-director-producer returns to the prestigious film festival after the globally acclaimed "Village Rockstars", which premiered at TIFF last year.

"It's a huge honour to return to TIFF after 'Village Rockstars' and start the journey of my next feature, 'Bulbul Can Sing', which will have its World Premiere in Contemporary World Cinema. It's like homecoming for me," Das said in a statement.

"Bulbul Can Sing" is a visceral coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl, Bulbul, living in a village in Assam, fighting her way through love and loss as she figures out her identity.

"Village Rockstars", which also won National Awards for best location, sound recordist, editing and child artiste (Bhanita Das), also had an Assamese village girl, named Dhunu, at the centre of the story, who aspires to become a rockstar one day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two 'sadhus' were stabbed to death and another injured inside a temple premises by unidentified persons today triggering mob violence in the Bidhuna area of Auraiya district, police said.

Enraged at the killings, a mob set some shops ablaze and pelted stones forcing the police to fire in the air, they said. The situation was brought under control even as there was heavy deployment of security personnel to maintain law and order, they said.

The exact motive for the crime was not immediately clear, police said adding they suspected the victims' opposition to cow slaughter could be one reason.

Additional DG (Kanpur range) Avinash Chandra said the priests were found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds on their necks and other body parts inside the Bhayanak Nath temple in Kudarkot area under Bidhuna police station.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Auraiya, Rajesh Kumar Saxena told PTI, "The incident took place around 3 am, when three 'sadhus' (Hindu monks) were attacked by unidentified men."



Auraiya is around 180 km from Lucknow.

Police suspect the monks were attacked as they opposed some people who were allegedly into cow slaughter. "They were tied to a charpoy and attacked. Two of them were killed," Circle Officer, Bidhuna, Bhaskar Verma said.

Infuriated at the killings, a mob attacked shops and set some of them afire and hurled stones and brickbats, prompting police to open fire in the air, an official said, adding the situation was soon brought under control with heavy deployment of police to prevent any untoward incident



The deceased were identified as Lajja Ram (65) and Halke Ram (53), residents of Bakewar, Etawah.

Another monk, Ramsharan (56), received serious injuries, police said. A resident of Bidhuna, he was shifted to Saifai hospital, they said.

The three were rushed to the district hospital where Lajja Ram and Halke Ram were declared dead upon arrival, while Ramsharan was shifted to Saifai hospital in a critical condition, ADG Chandra told PTI.

Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range), Alok Singh, rushed to Auraiyya to supervise police action and to maintain law and order.

"People were generally complaining that the area where the murders took place was witnessing cases of cow slaughter and the victims were opposing it. That could be a possible motive behind the attack," the IG said, adding, Station House Officer, Akhilesh Mishra, was placed under suspension on charges of negligence.

Around a dozen police teams headed by senior officials were formed to investigate the double-murder.

Special surveillance teams were sent to Auraiya from Kanpur to assist local police in cracking the case and in dealing with rumour-mongers, officials said.

The exact motive behind the gruesome killings was not known immediately, the ADG said, adding that they were exploring all possible angles.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government will move forward in Jammu and Kashmir with the sentiment of embracing all and not by 'goli and gaali' (bullet and abuse), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as he announced early elections to village panchayats and local bodies in the coming months.

Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the prime minister in his Independence Day speech said his government will move forward in the state by following the path of 'Insaaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhuriyat' as shown by former prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee.

He said his government wants to ensure balanced development of various regions and communities in Jammu and Kashmir, be it Ladakh, Jammu or Srinagar valley.

The chief minister said the central government is now directly sending huge funds to villages in the state to help ensure speedy development. Through this, elected panches will get more power to take the villages forward, he said.

"In Jammu and Kashmir, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji has shown us the path and that path is right. We want to move forward on that same path. Vajpayee ji had said we have to move forward to ensure Kashmir's development on three basic issues of 'Insaaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhuriyat'.

"Be it Ladakh, Jammu or Srinagar valley, there should be balanced development in the state and hopes and aspirations of common people there should be fulfilled. Infrastructure should be improved and we should move forward with the sentiment of embracing all in Kashmir.

"We want to move forward by embracing the people of Kashmir, who are living with great nationalist feeling, and not on the path of 'goli and gaali' (bullet and abuse)," he said.

Modi said irrigation schemes were moving forward in the state and work on setting up of IIT, IIM and AIIMS and the reconstruction of Dal Lake is also being undertaken fast.

"In very near future, we are moving forward towards holding Panchayat and local bodies elections," he said, noting that the efforts are being made to strengthen democratic institutions in the state.

He said the people living in the villages of Jammu and Kashmir and panches were meeting him in hundreds, demanding early elections to Panchayats and local bodies, that were stalled for some reasons.

"I am happy to say that in the coming months, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will get an opportunity to exercise their right and set up their own system," he said.

Governor N N Vohra also said the urban local body and panchayat polls, which have not been organised in the state for several years, will be held from September this year.

He said elections to urban local bodies will take place in September-October while the phased panchayat polls will be held in October-December.

The last panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2011. The urban local body elections have not been held for nearly eight years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today led the state in the Independence Day celebrations which passed off peacefully, including in Kasganj where the district administration had denied permission for a 'Tiranga Yatra'.

The governor unfurled the national flag in the presence of senior officials at the Raj Bhawan and received the guard of honour. He later paid rich tributes to the freedom fighters who laid down their lives for attaining Independence.

Naik exhorted the people to make all out efforts to turn Uttar Pradesh into "Uttam Pradesh".

Chief Minister Adityanth after unfurling the tricolour said the state was marching ahead on the path of development since last year which was "never seen before".

Highlighting the various schemes and plans for creating employment in the state as well as those aimed at benefitting the poor and weaker sections of society, he said around six crore people in Uttar Pradesh stand to benefit from the government's health insurance scheme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He appealed the financially capable citizens to voluntarily opt out from the scheme so as to avoid straining the state's resources.

"I appeal to those citizens who, maybe are under some lists, but are financially capable, to voluntarily opt out from it. We have to invoke public participation in these schemes. Those families who are financially capable should help us implement these schemes," Adityanath said.

A home department spokesman here said the Independence Day celebrations passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported from any part of the state.

In Kasganj, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere as the district administration had denied permission to take out a "Tiranga Yatra" which had led to tension there on the Republic Day, leaving one person dead.

"Two organisations had sought permission from the administration to take out the 'Tiranga Yatra' on Independence Day and police recommended that it should not be allowed so as to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," SP Shivhari Meena said.

Kasganj District Magistrate RP Singh said, "There is no relevance of the Tiranga Yatra ... various programmes are held in schools, colleges and offices."



In view of the proposal of the yatra by some organisations, RAF, PAC and civil police was deployed in strength and the district administration put on high alert.

During 'Tiranga Yatra' in Kasganj on Republic Day, 22-year-old Abhishek Gupta alias Chandan, was shot dead by some persons after which a series of violence and arson incidents took place there.

Heavy deployment of forces was put in place in Kasganj to maintain law and order and prohibitory orders were also imposed in the district, police said.

Meanwhile, the state government decided to free 72 prisoners on Independence Day.

"These prisoners are poor and helpless and are serving extra term since they are not able to deposit the fine. They may be released after getting the remaining fine amount from social organisations, self-help groups, clubs, and trusts etc," an official spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will get opportunity for permanent employment like their male counterparts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today in his Independence Day address.

The prime minister, however, did not give any indication whether permanent commissioning of women will pave the way for their entry into the combat positions in the Army and the Navy. The Indian Air Force has already allowed women fighter pilots.

Till now, women officers, who had joined the armed forces as part of the Short Service Commission (SSC), were not allowed to seek permanent commissioning.

"Women officers of Short Service Commission in the armed forces would now be eligible for permanent commission through a transparent selection process like their male counterparts," the prime minister said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Official sources said government is likely to come out with a comprehensive policy on permanent commissioning of women in the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force.

All the three services have opened permanent commission (PC) of women in education, legal, signals, engineering and several other streams.

In April, the Centre had told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission to short service commission women Army officers.

A group of women Army officers recruited under SSC scheme had approached courts seeking PC status.

Majority of women recruits in the Army are short-service commission (SSC) officers and they have a maximum tenure of 14 years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh today assured people that his government will strive hard to bring about development by fighting corruption and creating employment opportunities for the youth.

The state government "wouldn't spare people found guilty of corrupt practices", he said.

"Of the 535 corruption complaints in the past few months, the state administration has initiated action in 310 cases. Around 33 erring officials have been taken to task for graft," he said after unfurling the Tricolour at Manipur Rifles Ground here.

Talking about the ongoing Manipur University impasse, the CM said the matter was likely to be resolved in 2-3 days.

"An official of the HRD Ministry arrived in the state yesterday and held meetings with the members of students union and teachers' association, who have been demanding Vice Chancellor AP Pandey's removal over allegations of irregularities. The possibility of finding a solution to the impasse in 2-3 days is at 99.9%," he said.

Singh also said that the recently inaugurated Startup Conclave in Manipur would provide a platform to the budding entrepreneurs.

"The conclave aims to harness innovative ideas and talents of potential entrepreneurs. The state government will dole out 30% grant to the selected candidates. The rest will be provided as loan by a nationalized bank," he explained.

Hailing the BJP-led central government's foreign policies on this occasion, the CM said the northeastern region and the country as a whole has witnessed economic growth because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in strengthening ties with the neighbouring countries.

He also lauded the PM for addressing the issue of "Pakistan-based terrorism on global platform".

Altogether 58 contingents, including personnel of armed forces of Madhya Pradesh and Mahila Battalion of IRB, took part in the Independence Day parade here this morning.

The CM decorated seven police officers with medals on this occasion for their distinguished services.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistani authorities today arrested a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari outside the Supreme Court in connection with fake bank accounts that were used for alleged money laundering, according to a media report.

Anwar Majeed, owner of Omni Group, and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed were arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after they appeared before the apex court in connection with the case, The reported.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar heard the case.

Majeed's lawyer sought pre-arrest bail for his client.

Chief Justice Nisar said it was FIA's discretion whether it arrests the suspects.

The hearing was adjourned after the court ordered the Majeed family to become part of the investigation.

The chief justice said the court intends to form a Join Investigation Team (JIT) and it would welcome anyone willing to argue.

Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai, Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are among those being investigated by a seven-member JIT led by FIA Additional Director General Najaf Mirza for allegedly facilitating 29 'fake' accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Limited.

Zardari served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. He rose to prominence after his marriage to Benazir Bhutto in 1987.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Shares of Asian video game companies such as Tencent Holdings, Nexon and Nintendo tumbled on Wednesday due to concerns over delays in new games releases in China, as Beijing halted approvals for game licences. Many firms have been awaiting games sales licences since March after Beijing reformed and reorganised the government bodies that oversee the sectors earlier this year, industry executives told Reuters on Tuesday. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.Chinese technology giant Tencent led the losses, ...By Tom WestbrookSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd posted record earnings in core divisions on Wednesday, sending its shares to a record high as investors glimpsed the rapid growth promised by a restructuring initiated by new managing director Rob Scott.Although an inglorious exit from an ill-fated hardware expansion in Britain hammered full-year profit almost 60 percent lower, profit from continuing operations rose 5.2 percent to A$2.9 billion ($2.1 billion), beating market expectations.Much of that rise was due to double-digit earnings growth in Wesfarmers' domestic ...BEIJING (Reuters) - China's second-largest steelmaking province, Jiangsu, will require steel mills to move to two new areas on the coast in the next few years, according to a provincial government document, to reduce air pollution and to make the industry more efficient.After years of getting rid of outdated excess capacity, the latest measures are the next front in the government's long-term effort to upgrade and streamline its smokestack industries.The province plans to create two steelmaking hubs, focusing on high-quality steel production, and relocate steel mills through merger and ...By Sijia JiangHONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings Ltd on Wednesday reported a surprise 2 percent fall in second-quarter net profit, its first decline in nearly 13 years, due to slower growth in mobile games and a drop in PC gaming. China's largest social media and gaming firm said April-June profit fell to 17.87 billion yuan ($2.59 billion), lagging the 19.67 billion yuan average of 12 analyst estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters.The outlook for the most valuable company listed in Asia has been overshadowed by a slowdown in mobile gaming and concerns over ...(Corrects scale of tariff raises in 2nd paragraph)ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has sharply raised tariffs on some U.S. imports, including passenger cars, alcohol, tobacco, the country's Official Gazette said on Wednesday.The decree, signed by President Tayyip Erdogan, raised the tariffs on passenger cars to 120 percent, on alcoholic drinks to 140 percent and on leaf tobacco to 60 percent. Tariffs were also increased on goods including cosmetics, rice and coal. (Reporting by Canan Sevgili; Editing by Daren Butler)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated ...BERLIN (Reuters) - German passenger rights company Flightright is taking Ryanair to court over whether it should pay financial compensation to passengers affected by strikes at Europe's largest low-cost carrier.Ryanair had to cancel around 1 in 6 flights on Friday due to a walk-out by pilots in five European countries, disrupting an estimated 55,000 travellers. The worst affected country was Germany, where 250 flights were cancelled, affecting around 42,000 passengers. EU rules state that passengers can claim monetary compensation of up to 400 euros for flights within the region for cancelled ...By Caroline Humer and Deena Beasley(Reuters) - Express Scripts Holding Co built a multi-billion enterprise pressuring drug companies to lower their prices for U.S. patients. Now it is quietly building a side business: getting paid to help drug companies dispense a new generation of high-priced drugs.Express Scripts is in talks with biotechnology companies Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc, Spark Therapeutics Inc and Bluebird Bio Inc to have its specialty pharmaceutical business exclusively distribute their new hemophilia therapies when they are expected to become available in 2019 and 2020, Chief ...BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. startup incubator Y Combinator said it is establishing a China unit, its first dedicated overseas office, which will be headed by Baidu Inc's former chief operating officer Qi Lu."China has been an important missing piece of our puzzle -the entrepreneurial energy and talent there is an amazing force. Qi will be able to take what makes YC work and adapt it for China," Sam Altman, president of YC Group said in a blog post.Y Combinator has backed companies such as Airbnb Inc, Dropbox Inc and Reddit.Lu, who oversaw the transformation of Baidu's artificial intelligence ...By Jonathan StempelNEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday said Goldman Sachs Group Inc shareholders may again pursue class-action claims that the bank concealed conflicts of interest when creating risky subprime securities before the 2008 financial crisis.U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty in Manhattan said shareholders could sue as a group because Goldman had not shown it more likely than not that its alleged misstatements had no impact on its stock price.Goldman spokesman Michael DuVally declined to comment. Class actions can allow plaintiffs to seek larger recoveries at lower cost ...DUBAI (Reuters) - Gulf finance ministers said on Wednesday they would support Bahrain's financing needs after reviewing its proposed fiscal balance programme at a meeting in Manama."The ministers reaffirmed their countries' commitment to supporting the financing needs of a fiscal balance programme with targeted indicators," they said in a statement.The ministers were from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.The Gulf Cooperation Council members have been discussing aid to Manama for more than a year, as foreign investors dumped Bahrain's bonds, bankers and other Gulf ...WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $2.9 billion for three missile warning satellites, the Air Force said on Tuesday.Lockheed's Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellites will provide improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats than the current system, the Air Force said."As we develop these new systems, speed matters," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told the Air Force's internal news service. "We are focused on providing a missile warning capability survivable in a ...By Henning GloysteinSINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Wednesday, weighed down by a report of increased U.S. crude inventories and as a darkening economic outlook stoked expectations of lower fuel demand.Front-month Brent crude oil futures were at $72.34 per barrel at 0648 GMT, down by 12 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 23 cents, or 0.3 percent, at $66.81 per barrel.U.S. crude stocks rose by 3.7 million barrels in the week to Aug. 10, to 410.8 million barrels, private industry group the American Petroleum ...By Christopher JohnsonLONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by a gloomier global economic outlook and a report of rising U.S. crude inventories, even as U.S. sanctions on Tehran threatened to curb Iranian crude oil supplies.Global benchmark Brent crude oil was down 50 cents a barrel at $71.96 by 0830 GMT. U.S. light crude was 55 cents lower at $66.49."Sentiment is sandwiched between a darkening global economic outlook and looming Iranian supply shortages," said Stephen Brennock, analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates.U.S. crude stocks rose by 3.7 million ...LONDON (Reuters) - Pay packages for the bosses of Britain's 100 biggest listed firms rose 23 percent over the past year, fuelled by payouts for the CEOs of house builder Persimmon and industrial firm Melrose Industries, a survey showed on Wednesday. Excessive corporate pay has attracted public anger since the financial crisis and Prime Minister Theresa May has denounced the gap between the amounts paid to bosses and average workers as irrational and unhealthy.The survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the High Pay Centre thinktank showed the average income ...By Huw Jones and Kirstin RidleyLONDON (Reuters) - PwC should have flagged significant doubts over the future of BHS in an audit that was completed just days before the now collapsed British retailer was sold for a token one pound in 2015, a regulator said on Wednesday.BHS, which was sold in 2015 by billionaire retailer Philip Green's Taveta Group, had 163 stores and 11,000 staff when it collapsed a year later, triggering a political firestorm.The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) watchdog in June fined PwC a record 6.5 million pounds ($8.3 million) and former partner Stephen Denison 325,000 ...MONTREAL (Reuters) - The Quebec government on Wednesday said it would invest C$863 million ($657.32 million) over five years to help mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on companies, including the Canadian province's agriculture sector. The plan would provide direct financial aid to some companies affected by the tariffs and would support investments to improve productivity, worker training and boost market diversification, Quebec's Liberal government said in a statement.The United States has imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from Canada. ...ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss authorities have halted registrations of some new Mercedes-Benz Vito and Porsche Macan and Cayenne vehicles which had diesel engines that disguised emissions levels, the Astra roads agency said on Wednesday.The move will affect vehicles imported from Aug. 17. Vehicles already registered in Switzerland may continue to operate, but must be retrofitted, Astra said in a statement.Mercedes Vitos with 1.6-litre diesel engines, Porsche Macans with 3-litre diesel engines and Cayennes with 4.2-litre diesel engine are affected by the action. All have Euro 6 emission norms, ...ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has raised tariffs on some U.S. products under the principle of reciprocity "in response to the U.S. administration's deliberate attacks on our economy", Vice President Fuat Oktay wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.Last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had authorized higher tariffs on aluminium and steel imports from Turkey as tensions mount between the two NATO allies over Ankara's imprisonment of a pastor and other diplomatic issues. (Reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Ali Kucukgocmen)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is ...ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has sharply raised tariffs on some U.S. imports, including passenger cars, alcohol, tobacco, the country's Official Gazette said on Wednesday.The decree, signed by President Tayyip Erdogan, raised the tariffs on passenger cars by 120 percent, on alcoholic drinks by 140 percent and on leaf tobacco by 60 percent. Tariffs were also increased on goods including cosmetics, rice and coal. (Reporting by Canan Sevgili; Editing by Daren Butler)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish trade minister Ruhsar Pekcan says the doubling of customs tarrifs on some imported U.S. products would amount to $533 million, the state run Anadolu news agency reported.Turkey doubled tariffs on some U.S. imports including alcohol, cars and tobacco in retaliation for U.S. moves. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Ece Toksabay)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday condemned Turkey's doubling of tariffs on U.S. cars, alcohol and tobacco imports, calling the action "a step in the wrong direction."Turkey took the action in response to what it called the Trump's administration's attack on its economy. The United States doubled tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminium last week, which contributed to a tumble in the Turkish lira ."The tariffs from Turkey are certainly regrettable and a step in the wrong direction. The tariffs that the United States placed on Turkey were out of national security interest. ...Reliance Industries, which operates the world's largest refining complex, has declared force majeure on gasoline exports from its Jamnagar site, four people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, potentially boosting margins for other suppliers of the oil product. The force majeure follows an unspecified issue at a gasoline-producing fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) unit in its export-oriented refinery with a capacity of more than 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the special economic zone in Jamnagar, two of the people said.

Force majeure is typically declared when matters deemed beyond a refinery's control disrupt supplies, allowing it to void some of its contractual obligations to customers.

Reliance operates one other refinery in Jamnagar, in Gujarat, which mainly meets domestic demand.

The people said at least two gasoline cargoes scheduled for this month's loading from Reliance were affected, one of which was destined for Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The people declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak with media.

A Reliance Industries spokesman did not answer mobile telephone and email requests for comment.

The force majeure on gasoline supplies was declared this week and this could last at least eight days, one of the four people said. It was not immediately clear what the issue at the FCC was, but it is expected to be resolved soon, another source said.

"This will have quite an impact on the (Asian) gasoline market," said a Singapore-based trader, adding that the market was already reacting to talk of trouble at Reliance's gasoline-making unit even before it had declared force majeure.

Reliance had offered a heavy naphtha cargo to the export market last month, which traders took as a sign its gasoline-making unit could be hit by glitches. Heavy naphtha is a feedstock for gasoline or paraxylene and Reliance does not usually offer the grade as it needs the feedstock.

Asia's gasoline crack, the premiums or losses of refining a barrel of Brent crude into petrol, hit a fresh 2-1/2 month high of $8.69 a barrel on Aug. 10, before easing to $8.62 a barrel on Tuesday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) on September 25. In an hour-long Independence Day speech today, PM Modi said that the AB-NHPM will be rolled out on the occasion of Deen Dayal Upadhyay's anniversary which falls on September 25.

"Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare," Prime Minister Modi said.

He further said that the healthcare initiatives of the government would have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. "It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare," he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister was expected to announce the roll out of Ayushman Bharat on Independence Day. The chief architect of the scheme Dr Vinod K Paul had told Business Today that only 12-15 states would launch the scheme on 15 August 2018 as the others were not prepared to roll it out on time. States like UP and Bihar may take another 6 months or longer to launch Ayushman Bharat, he had said.

The fact that the government has decided to delay the roll out could mean it does not want to risk any technical glitches similar to what GST faced immediately after its launch last year.

While presenting the Budget 2018, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced two major initiatives as part of Ayushman Bharat programme aimed at making path-breaking interventions to address health holistically, in primary, secondary and tertiary care system, covering both prevention and health promotion.

Prime Minister Modi's flagship National Health Protection Scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. This will be the world's largest government funded health care programme.In his fifth and last Independence Day speech ahead of 2019 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reminded people what the nation has achieved in the last four years - feats that were impossible, he suggested, for the Congress-led UPA government considering the pace at which they worked till 2013. The Prime Minister mentioned some of the key policy decisions such as GST and Benami Law that were discussed for years but did not see the light of the day till his government came to power.

He said that what we have achieved in last four years cannot be measured unless we remember where we were in 2013.

Referring to Swachh Bharat, free LPG connection under Ujjwala Yojna and electrification of 18,000 villages under Saubhagya Yojna, Prime Minister Modi said that all these initiatives would have taken years or decades for previous regime to execute.

Here's a list of what PM Modi thinks the Congress would not have achieved in decades

Building toilets

Prime Minister Modi today said that if the pace of the UPA government's last year was maintained, it would have taken decades, centuries and generations to build as many toilets as his government has done. He said: "If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being built in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete them." PM Modi had announced the Swachh Bharat initiative in his maiden Independence Day speech in 2014.

Providing LPG to the poor

The Prime Minister today said that if we had continued the pace of previous government, it would not have been possible for the government even in next hundred years to provide free LPG connection to every household in the country. Launched in 2016, Ujjwala Yojna aims at providing free LPG connection to 8 crore poor families. Till the first week of this month, the government had distributed 5 crore LPG connections to poor families. As many as 3 crore additional free connections will be given to poor households by March 2020.

Electricity in villages

The Prime Minister said that if the NDA government had worked at the pace of 2013, it would have taken another two decades to electrify all the villages in our country. Earlier in April, the government announced that it had connected all 18,000 villages - that were not electrified till 2013 - to the national electricity grid. In a statement isued in July, the Prime Minister's Office had said: "These 18,000 villages which were not electrified even after 70 years of independence were electrified in the last four years."

Infrastructure

Prime Minister Modi today said that his government has built twice as many highways. He said that the country was producing grains at a record level and manufacturing mobile phones like never before. He further said that the country was witnessing a record selling of tractors. "The country is constructing toilets in schools. It is also building new IITs, IIMs and AIIMs," the Prime Minister said.

MSP

The Prime Minister today said that economists and farming communities were demanding that the farmers get 1.5 times the cost of their production. "The discussions were on for years. Files used to move and then get stuck. But we decided to give the farmers 1.5 times of their production cost," the PM said. Earlier on July 4, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Modi approved the increase in the MSPs for all kharif crops for FY 2018-19. The Budget for FY 2018-19 had indicated that a paradigm shift in the agricultural policies was needed to achieve the objective of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

GST

On tax reform, the Prime Minister said that everyone wanted the GST to come but a decision could not be reached for many years. He further said that during these years, only politics, elections, profit and loss dominated the GST discussion. "Today, with the openness of small traders and entrepreneurs, the country has launched the GST," PM Modi said. The GST was first proposed in February 1986 by then Finance Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh. In 2000, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee introduced the concept and set up a committee headed by the then West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta to design a GST model. After 17 tumultuous years, Modi-led NDA government launched the GST on the intervening night of June 30 - July 1, 2017.

One-Rank-One-Pension

The Prime Minister said that the retired military officials were demanding one-rank-one-pension for more than three decades, but no government listened to them. "Somebody had to take that decision. You gave that responsibility to us, we fulfilled that," the Prime Minister said. OROP is the uniform desire of all three defence services. Ex-servicemen are presently drawing pension that is not consistent with their rank and/or length of service. On April 6, 2016, the Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for implementation of OROP.Prime Minister Narendra Modi today touched on many issues in his fifth Independence Day speech. In an hour-long speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted his government's achievements in the past four years. Prime Minister Modi said that the country has made rapid changes in the past few years compared to 2013 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power. The Prime Minister said that the country was on a new path of progress.

Here are the key highlights of Prime Minister Modi's I-day speech

Prime Minister Modi today said that India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like GST.

The Prime Minister also said that till 2014, India was among fragile five economies but today the world is seeing it as a destination of multi-billion dollar investment. The narrative has changed. He further said that before 2014, global institutions used to say the Indian economy was risky but today the same institutions and people believe that reform momentum would give strength to fundamentals.

The Prime Minister said that If the work continued at the pace that was prevalent in 2013, it would have taken one or two more decades to electrify all villages, 100 years to provide LPG gas connections to all and generations to take optic fibre to villages.

Prime Minister Modi said the government fulfilled the promise to provide 50 per cent more than the cost of production for kharif crops to farmers and is on the way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.

He said that the practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. The government was trying to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. He ensured the Muslim women that the government would work to ensure justice is done to them.

The Prime Minister furhther said that Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh were seeing historic peace. "From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation," he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the Indian middle class tax payers today in his Independence Day speech. The Prime Minister said honest and hard-working middle class tax payers' contribution was the reason the poor in the country got food to eat. "Every honest tax payer is helping three poor families get enough food," Prime Minister Modi said in his speech.

It is rare for the middle class to find direct mention in Indian Prime Ministers' Independence Day speech. Farmer issues and the sufferings of the poor usually dominate PM Modi's Independence Day speeches. The Prime Minister also thanked the business class for embracing GST, the new taxation system. PM Modi said one year after the rollout of the GST, direct tax payers have grown from 70 lakh to 1 crore 16 lakh.

"While decisions were held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like GST are being taken now," PM Modi said in his speech.

The Prime Minister in his hour-and-a-half long speech touched on many issues, including the progress the economy has made in the past four years. The Prime Minister said that the country was rapidly progressing towards becoming an even bigger economy. The Prime Minister said India is now seen as a land of reform, perform and transform. "We are poised for record economic growth," the PM said.

Edited by Mukesh AdhikaryA day after Pune-based Cosmos Bank said it was hit by a cyber attack in which miscreants allegedly hacked the server and transferred over Rs 94 crore to overseas accounts, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) claimed that its systems are "fully secure" and the cyber fraud happened due to a malware-based attack on the lender's IT system.

"This has happened due to malware based attack on bank's IT system which has caused a fraud. Under the attack, maximum transactions have been reported from outside India. We wish to reiterate that our systems are fully secure and we are monitoring the situation continuously. We are there to support Bank in identifying the cause of this fraud," Bharat Panchal, Head of Risk Management at NPCI said.

Hackers managed to siphon off over Rs 90 crore through a malware attack on the server of the cooperative bank and cloning thousands of debit cards, Cosmos Bank chairman Milind Kale had said. The fraudulent transactions were carried out on August 11 and August 13 and the malware attack by the hackers originated in Canada.

The bank has also registered an FIR at the Chatushringi police station in the city. A case was registered under sections 43, 65, 66(C) and 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Kale had said that over the two days, hackers withdrew a total Rs 78 crore from various ATMs in 28 countries, including Canada, Hong Kong and a few ATMs in India, and another Rs 2.5 crore were taken out within India.

On August 13, hackers again transferred Rs 13.92 crore in a Hong Kong-based bank by using fraudulent transactions, he had said.

Kale had said the cooperative bank's core banking system was not affected and that it has already appointed a professional forensic agency to investigate the fraud.

As a precautionary measure, the bank has closed ATMs operations and suspended net and mobile banking facilities, he had said.

With PTI InputsThe national commercial vacancy rate has fallen by 0.4% to 13.1% in the second quarter of 2018 according to the latest GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, published by GeoDirectory today.

The report found that 14 counties recorded a decline in commercial vacancy rates, compared to only two counties at the same period in 2017. This suggests that the economic recovery is slowly beginning to take hold outside of Dublin.

However, GeoDirectory warn there is still a clear divide between counties in the East and West of the country, and in urban and rural areas, in terms of commercial vacancies.



At a provincial level, Leinsters commercial vacancy rate stood at 12.3%, while at the other end of the scale, Connacht had the highest provincial commercial vacancy rate at 16.3%. Of the ten counties with commercial vacancy rates lower than the national average, six were located in Leinster. All five counties in Connacht had commercial vacancy rates higher than the national average.



Dublin was the county that recorded the largest commercial vacancy rate decline in the second quarter 2018, at 1.6pp. Within the capital, 16 districts out of 22 recorded vacancy rates lower than the national average.

Dublin 2, registered a significant drop in its commercial vacancy rate (5.6pp), while Dublin 16, at 7.1%, had the lowest commercial vacancy rate in Dublin. In contrast, the highest commercial vacancy rates in Dublin were found in Dublin 8 and Dublin 11, both at 15.8%.

Meath and Kerry were the counties with the lowest commercial vacancy rates in the country at 10.4%, while Sligo was once again the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate at 18.8%.



GeoDirectory has carried out an analysis of 80 towns across the four provinces. The report found that Ballybofey in Co. Donegal was the town with the highest commercial vacancy rate at 28.8%, followed by Kilrush, Co. Clare (26.6%), Edgeworthstown (26%), Edenderry, Co. Offaly (25.7%) and Shannon Co. Clare (25%). Of the 15 towns with the highest commercial vacancy rate, New Ross (21.3%) in Co. Wexford was the only to be located in Leinster.

Greystones, Co. Wicklow (5.7%), Maynooth, Co. Kildare (7.5%) and Gorey, Co. Wexford (9.1%) were the towns with the lowest commercial vacancy rates in the country.



Speaking about the findings of the latest GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, CEO of GeoDirectory, Dara Keogh said, "We are beginning to see evidence that the economic recovery is taking hold outside of Dublin, albeit at a slow pace. 14 counties recorded a drop in commercial vacancy rates in the year to date, compared to only two at this point last year. While this is a positive development, economic activity is still centred around Dublin, with Connacht, Ulster and the Midlands lagging behind."

Source: www.businessworld.ieCapitol Records/UMeAs expected, Paul McCartney premiered his suggestively titled new song "Fuh You" today. The tune, which will appear on McCartney'S upcoming album, Egypt Station, is available now as a digital single and via streaming services.

The catchy, mid-tempo pop-rock tune features modern production flourishes courtesy of OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder. A lyrics video for the song, which brings the McCartney-painted cover art for the single to life, can be viewed now at Paul's official YouTube channel.

McCartney notes that "Fuh You" was the only song on Egypt Station produced by Tedder and not Greg Kurstin.

"[Ryan and I] were just thinking of ideas and little pieces of melody and chords and the song just came together bit by bit," Sir Paul recalls about how "Fuh You" came together. "And then I would try and make some kind of sense of the story."

"So it was like 'Come on baby now. Talk about yourself. Tell the truth, let me get to know you' and basically 'I wanna know how you feel, you make me wanna go out and steal. I just want it for you,'" he continues. "So that was the basic idea and it developed from theresort of a love song, but a raunchy love song. There you go -- fuh you."

Meanwhile, McCartney has unveiled the full track list of Egypt Station, which features 16 songs. The album arrives on September 7.

In other news, McCartney is featured in a new video promoting his upcoming primetime "Carpool Karaoke" special with Late Late Show host James Corden. In the YouTube clip, Corden takes McCartney on a humorously awkward tour of the program's California office.

Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live from Liverpool airs this Monday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Here's the Egypt Station track list:

"Opening Station"

"I Don't Know"

"Come On to Me"

"Happy with You"

"Who Cares"

"Fuh You"

"Confidante"

"People Want Peace"

"Hand in Hand"

"Dominoes"

"Back in Brazil"

"Do It Now"

"Caesar Rock"

"Despite Repeated Warnings"

"Station II"

"Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link"

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.(CTech)  Israel's Commissioner of Capital Markets Dorit Salinger will be stepping down at the end of August after five years on the job. Her tenure was characterized by assertive behavior, an unprecedented amount of memos issued, and fast-paced, wide-ranging reforms that won her ardent critics and avid admirers in the local market. This was especially discernible on the subject of pension funds, when in addition to reforms intended to make services and transactions more transparent to investors, she blocked several potential acquisitions of Israeli insurers by companies with Chinese links.

Salinger, 58, comes from the private finance world. Between 1998 and 2011, she served as the CEO of S&P Global Ratings Maalot Ltd., an Israeli subsidiary of S&P Global that provides credit and issuer rating and credit assessment services. After two years as the owner of a private advisory firm and a board member of several public companies, she was appointed as commissioner in September 2013. In her current role, Salinger was in charge of pension and provident funds, insurance firms and agents, and any entities operating in the regulated finance industry.

Salinger blocked three Chinese-linked acquisition deals for Israeli insurer Phoenix Holdings during her tenure. In 2016, Chinese conglomerate Fosun International attempted an acquisition, and in 2017, Chinas Fujian Yango Group also failed to secure approval. In July, a deal to sell a controlling stake in Phoenix to Sirius International Insurance Group Ltd., a majority-owned subsidiary of Singapore-based investment company China Minsheng Investment Group (CMIG) International, was canceled after the two failed to secure regulatory approval by the deals deadline.

A potential acquisition of Israels second-largest investment house, Meitav-Dash, by Chinese affiliated London-based private equity firm XIO Group fell through in August 2017. In September, Israel-based Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd. announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding for the sale of a 44.9% stake to Hong Kong-based Huabang Financial Holdings Ltd. The exclusivity period ended in November, and in February, Clal officially announced the deal did not pan out, without stating a reason.

The attempts seen in recent years to sell off these insurance firms are the result of a law passed by the Israeli Parliament in 2013, intended to increase competitiveness in the local market. The law required the separation of financial assets and real property by the end of 2019, meaning stakeholders or holding companies that own both must divest some of their assets.

In July, Israels Channel 10 reported that earlier this year Netanyahu directed advisers to design a mechanism for reviewing foreign investments in Israel. According to Channel 10, the discussion specifically centered around the question of China and Trumps tariff policy. Diplomatic ties between Israel and China have been strengthening in recent years, with several cooperation memorandums signed and joint government initiatives formed. Commercial ties have also warmed up. Israeli exports to China accounted for 8.7% of all Israeli exports ($2.8 billion) in the first half of 2018, a 73% increase year-over-year, and the number of Chinese investors participating in funding rounds for local startups nearly doubled between 2013 and 2017.

In an interview with Calcalist held in mid-July, Salinger said she is not biased against Chinese firms. I wont allow a controlling stakeholder that is a government entity, no matter which government it is, she explained. Those were buyers with connections to government entities, or with government affiliations. I need to see an unambiguous corporate ownership structure.

A country should not be in control of pension funds, Salinger said. Following former legalization, Israeli pension funds must be managed by private organizations and not by the state, she added.

How can I, as a government representative, allow those funds to pass into the control of another country?

Salinger recounts an email she recently received from a potential Asian interested party, inquiring whether Israeli regulation would enable a controlling stakeholder to invest pension funds in companies and projects he has ties to. Israeli pension funds total around $460 billion currently. Thats my biggest concern and my incentive to say no, she said, adding that since all insurance-related deals had financial entities and not strategic investors as potential buyers, their corporate behavior was of utmost importance.

When it comes to Chinese-related companies, Salinger said, she had a hard time understanding who the actual decision-maker was. She gave as an example state-owned food conglomerate Bright Food Group Co Ltd., which saw one former chairman jailed for 18 years in 2015 for embezzlement and another probed in May for corruption. Bright Food paid $2.5 billion in 2014 for a 56% stake in Tnuva, Israels largest food manufacturer.

Salinger sees a major difference between acquisitions of Israeli tech and consumer products and acquisitions of financial services providers. When it comes to pension savings, our scrutiny should be the best it can be, she said.

Sirius, for example, never dealt with life insurance, she said. I didn't drag on the decision; we did not reach a decision because they didn't answer some of our questions.

This article originally appeared in CTech.news, latest-news

Two pilots were taken to hospital for precautionary checks after making an emergency landing at Canberra Airport on Thursday morning. Emergency services were called to the airport at 11.46pm on Wednesday after a sudden loss of pressure in a cargo plane. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the crew donned oxygen masks and descended to 20,000 feet after receiving a "wing body overheat warning", but the first officer was incapacitated. The captain then descended to 8000 feet and diverted the plane to Canberra. Firefighters and paramedics were on standby at Canberra Airport when the plane is understood to have landed safely just after midnight. The two pilots were taken to Canberra Hospital for monitoring, but were released later in the morning after precautionary checks. Their aircraft, a Qantas Boeing 737-376 cargo plane, was en route from Brisbane to Melbourne when a technical fault with the onboard air conditioning system caused the pressure loss in the cabin. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating. It will collect evidence to find out exactly what caused the incident. "As part of the investigation, the ATSB will collect and examine information on the aircrafts flight data recorders and interview maintenance and flight crew," it said in a statement. There were no passengers on board.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/2c089b49-1b17-4b75-b8bf-5eb9a1959be6/r0_17_320_198_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

Bushfires threatening properties along the south coast are expected to burn out of control for days and days, as strong winds combine with devastating drought and difficult terrain to create nightmare conditions for fire crews. Strong winds fanned the flames around Ulladulla early on Wednesday, with some residents evacuated while others were told to seek shelter as it was too late to leave. About an hour's drive north, emergency services have battled to control another blaze threatening property at North Nowra, forcing the closure of the Princes Highway in both directions. Train services on the South Coast Line were also suspended from Kiama to Bomaderry. And further south, towards Bega, an emergency warning was issued for a 300-hectare fire burning out of control at Bemboka. These major south coast bushfires are the worst of dozens of early-season blazes that firefighters are battling across the state under severe conditions, with a total fire ban declared for Sydney, the Illawarra and Hunter regions until midnight on Wednesday. It's the earliest declaration of a total fire ban in the regions in almost a decade, the NSW Rural Fire Service tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. More than 800 firefighters were battling more than 80 fires across the state, with 50 of those not contained. With conditions easing on Wednesday evening, the RFS tweeted around 9pm that all fires in NSW were downgraded to Watch and Act alert level. But the fires around Ulladulla and Bemboka continue to burn out of control  and are expected to do so for several days due to the lack of easy containment lines. NSW RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd said the Ulladulla region fire had "whipped up unbelievably quick" on Wednesday morning under the strong gusts. "The fire is moving quickly under some very strong north-westerly winds towards the Burrill Lake area," he said. "It's very erratic and it's very dangerous." By late afternoon, attention turned to Bemboka where conditions had become "very dangerous", the RFS tweeted. "The fire is burning in difficult terrain, which is making conditions dangerous for firefighters and residents. Seek shelter if the fire impacts." Any easing of conditions is likely to be short-lived, with temperatures and wind whipping up again on Saturday. "We are concerned about a return to these gusty conditions on Saturday," RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said. With the entire state drought-declared and unseasonably warm winter temperatures, Mr Rogers said firefighters were expecting this season to be bad. "We do get fires in August, but the big difference is 100 per cent of the state is drought declared," he said. "Its only been three months since the last fire we had in Holsworthy in April. "Hopefully this isnt going to be a sign of things to come." Milton resident Jodi Smith said the fire was a "small glow on the mountain" when she went to work at 4.30am on Wednesday. She had to leave after the wind picked up and she was overcome by smoke on the property. "I have lived here for 45 years ... but I havent seen anything like this," she said. Nearby resident Barry Matthews said "absolutely howling" winds woke him about 6am. "It had been burning for a few days, but we werent concerned at all," he said. He watched the fire as he ate his breakfast before he was evacuated about 9am. The RFS has urged property owners to think twice before burning off on Wednesday, as temperatures rise to the mid-20s. Fire crews had already been on high alert with warm and windy weather forecast across the state. The driest start to a year in NSW since 1965 has set the state up not only for a worsening drought but elevated the risk of bushfires. Earlier this week, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of higher fire risks by Wednesday as rising temperatures and expected strengthening winds combined with the very dry conditions across the state. Parts of the north-east have already had their official fire season brought forward a month to August 1, while the government is understood to be considering similar moves for other at-risk parts of NSW. Even without an early declaration of the fire season  which brings restrictions on burning-off activities  authorities are understood to have been preparing to shift assets to regions that are considered to have especially high fire risks this spring. Countering the ability to bolster resources is the deployment of about 200 firefighters to North America at the start of August, many of them from NSW. That contingent is helping to co-ordinate responses to huge blazes that continue to burn in California and other US states. The early-season bushfires are also likely to stretch the aerial resources of NSW and other states in Australia. Most of the large firefighting aircraft don't typically arrive in Australia until after September, and demand for their services is likely to remain high in Europe and North America amid record summer heat in many regions. The RFS says the state has access to many aircraft but those planes and helicopters typically have less fire suppressant capability than the leased jets and other aircraft brought in ahead of the summer fire peak. NSW Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said the fires are a wake-up call for residents in fire-prone areas. "The current situation down south is a reminder to all residents across the state that could be affected by bush fires to take the time to discuss with your family what you will all do and where you will go in the event of a bush or grass fire," he said. with Emily Barton, Milton-Ulladulla Times

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b35178c7-2a7d-47ce-8a0c-6062277c719b/r0_310_5472_3402_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, federal-politics

Queensland police have confirmed detectives are reviewing new evidence that has come to light against former governor-general Peter Hollingworth. Dr Hollingworth apologised to survivors at a 2015 hearing of the child sex abuse royal commission and admitted he did not do enough in his response to abuse claims as Anglican archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s. A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed on Wednesday night that new information had been received in relation to those sex abuse allegations. The spokesman said the new evidence was being reviewed by officers attached to state crime command as part of an ongoing investigation. There was no allegation of sexual abuse levelled against Dr Hollingworth but rather, the spokesman said, police were investigating whether the former governor-general could be charged as an accessory after the fact for failing to act while he was archbishop. Dr Hollingworth said he was yet to be approached by police. In a statement issued through his lawyer Bill Doogue late on Wednesday, he said the news reports were surprising, given the allegations "had been the subject of four inquiries in the past 15 years". "None of those inquiries suggested he had committed any offence," Mr Doogue said in a statement. "These inquiries included the royal commission, which examined the issues at length. "Dr Hollingworth says he is aware that some of his opponents have been making complaints to police for some time but he had never been approached or interviewed by police." Dr Hollingworth was head of the Brisbane diocese from 1990 to 2001, when then-prime minister John Howard appointed him governor-general. He was forced to stand down from that role in 2003 amid criticism over the church's handling of abuse allegations when he was in charge. Documents tendered to the 2015 child sex abuse royal commission in Brisbane showed senior Anglican Church officials knew about complaints St Paul's School headmaster Gilbert Case had not acted on sexual abuse allegations while in charge of Brisbane's Anglican schools. Mr Case was headmaster at St Paul's when school counsellor Kevin John Lynch and music teacher Gregory Robert Knight were employed. Lynch abused dozens of students and Knight was convicted on more than 20 sex abuse charges against a St Paul's boy. Several students told the royal commission they complained to the headmaster about both teachers but he called them liars and did nothing, which he denied. When a school council was told of allegations that Knight had exposed himself in front of boys at a school camp and fondled a boy's genitals, Mr Case accepted his resignation in 1984, before giving him a positive reference. In his 2015 apology at the royal commission in Brisbane, Dr Hollingworth said he and the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane had not done enough upon hearing the abuse allegations. "My apology is to the children, now adults, and the families of those who have been abused," he said. "It's offered to all of you who have suffered great pain and become disillusioned that your complaints were not dealt with from the outset as they should have been. "I am appalled by the abuse you suffered at the hand of the two school staff members from St Paul's School. I am saddened about the way these matters were dealt with during my time as archbishop. "I deeply regret that I did not press harder to have your complaints investigated more rigorously. If I had exercised stronger authority, they may have been addressed more promptly and in a better manner. "It's clear to me now that we did not do enough to help you, and the actions of the Diocese and the school compounded your distress and suffering, and for that, I am very sorry." In 1993, Dr Hollingworth allowed priest John Elliot to continue working in Dalby, on Queensland's Darling Downs, after hearing allegations the priest abused at least one boy between 1975 and 1981. The commission heard Elliot admitted to the abuse and that psychiatrist John Slaughter, who assessed Elliot, had advised Dr Hollingworth that paedophilia was not treatable. Elliot served as rector of the Dalby parish until 1998 on the condition he was not involved with the Church of England Boys' Society, did not meet with boys unless another adult was present and retired at 65. He was then 60. Dr Hollingworth apologised directly to the abuse survivor at the royal commission into institutional sex abuse in Hobart in 2016. He acknowledged he failed the survivor and his family and had not understood the long-term repercussions of abuse. - with Jorge Branco, Adam Morton and AAP

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/a9975629-7a20-4d8e-80fd-a6e5164cc406/r0_257_4500_2799_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgThe Panchayati Raj Department in Bihar has released a recruitment notification for the posts of Technical Assistant and Accountant-cum-IT Assistant. The notification was released for a total of 4,192 vacancies. The eligible candidates who meet all the prerequisites set by the department can start applying for the posts from August 16, 2018.

According to the official announcement, the candidates will be hired on a contractual basis. Technical Assistants will be provided with a salary of INR 27,000 and Accountant-cum-IT Assistants will get INR 20,000. Check more details about the post here.

Vacancy Details

Technical Assistant: 2096

Accountant-cum-IT Assistant: 2096

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Technical Assistant and Accountant-cum-IT Assistant Organisation Panchayati Raj Department, Bihar Educational Qualification Diploma in civil engineering from a polytechnic institute for Technical Assistants and B.Com/ M.Com degree for Accountant-cum-IT Assistants. Experience null Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Technical and computer skills Job Location Bihar Salary Scale INR 20,000 to INR 27,000 Industry Rural Development Application Start Date August 16, 2018 Application End Date January 1, 1970

Age Limit

The maximum upper age limit for the candidates belonging to general category male is 37 years. Age relaxation is provided to the candidates based on the state rules.

Click here for the official announcement

How To Apply

Candidates should visit the official website of the Bihar's Panchayati Raj Department (biharprd.bih.nic.in) to apply online. The details of the application process will be available soon on the official website. Aspirants can start their application process on August 16, 2018.

BPSC Preliminary Exam 2018 Application Process OpenGoogle announced the "Doodle 4 Google" contest and invited students to participate. Students from class 1 to 10 are invited to take part in the 2018 Doodle 4 Google contest and get a chance to win a scholarship worth 5 lakhs. All they have to do is create an uplifting doodle that tells the world "What inspires me?"

Starting from crayons to clay, students can utilise any material to bring their creation to life. Students must make sure that each doodle incorporates the letters G-O-O-G-L-E. One student will receive a 5-lakh scholarship. The winning doodle will be displayed on November 14, 2018. However, students can send their doodle until October 6, 2018.

The competition levels consist of national finalists, five group winners and one national winner. The top 20 doodles will be put up for public voting between October 23 and November 05, 2018. And one national winner will be finalised based on the cumulative score accumulated through public voting and the scores of judges.

This year, the panel of judges consists of team lead doodle at Google - Ryan Germick - YouTuber, TV Celebrity, Art & Craft Wizard - Rob - along with Arun Iyer and Sejal Kumar.

How To Enter

Students have to download and print the entry form available on the official website. They have to write the doodle description and fill out all the required information. They have to submit the details with the doodle.

Prize

The national winners' doodle will be showcased on www.google.co.in. The winner will also receive INR 5,00,000 as a college scholarship and INR 2,00,000 as a technology package for their school. He/she will also receive a certificate/trophy of achievement, a trip to the Google India office and Google Swag.

The first edition of the Doodle 4 Google for India was held in 2009. The theme for 2009 was "My India". A similar contest also runs in other countries such as Canada.

Want To Study In The UK For Free? Explore The Government-backed ScholarshipsVolkswagen India has extended service support for flood-affected customer vehicles in Kerala. The company offers free road-side assistance and discounts on repairs for flood-affected vehicles in the region. Stranded customers can avail the free road-side assistance by dialling 1800 102 1155 or 1800 419 1155 and get the vehicle transported to the nearest Volkswagen dealership. The company has reportedly issued a flood-repair guideline across dealerships for a standardised repair approach and well-equipped technical staff in the region.

The company further claims that its team is closely monitoring the status of all vehicles under repair to ensure quality repair and necessary actions are performed. Speaking on the occasion, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, At Volkswagen, customers are always at the centre of our initiatives. With the state of Kerala experiencing torrential rains and waterlogging causing heavy damage to the vehicles, we have taken special measures to ensure customers receive a prompt response to their service requirements Our team of highly experienced professionals at our dealer partners in Kerala: EVM Group and Phoenix group are working round the clock to ensure quality and timely service in order to bring the situation back to normal.

All affected customer vehicles will also be supported with benefits on the service repair invoice by Volkswagen dealer partners in Kerala.

VolkswagenPhoto: The Canadian Press

Twitter says it is suspending the account of the far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for one week after he violated the company's rules against inciting violence.

The New York Times reports that Jones tweeted a link to a video calling for supporters to get their "battle rifles" ready against media and others.

Jones won't be able to tweet or retweet from his personal account for seven days, though he will be able to browse Twitter.

The Twitter account for his "Infowars" show was not affected.

Facebook, Apple, YouTube and Spotify have taken down material published by Jones, reflecting more aggressive enforcement of hate speech policies after online backlash.

But Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defended his company's decision last week not to ban Jones, saying he did not break any rules.Al Wustas Duqm cement plant requires project finance

ICR Newsroom By 15 August 2018

Omans Al Wusta Cement is currently looking for project finance from international for its Duqm cement plant project. Total project investment is estimated to be US$85m.



Al Wusta, a joint venture between Oman Cement Co and Raysut Cement Co, is analysing project feasibility studies with the EPC process expected to start in the 4Q18. Procurement talks will begin soon after with equipment likely to be purchased from foreign equipment suppliers, according to Anil, project engineer at Raysut Cement Co.



The joint venture has acquired a 500,000m2 plot in the Duqm Special Economic Zones Heavy Industrial Zone on lease for 50 years. The proposed plant has a production capacity of 5000tpd, but an option exists for a 10,000tpd unit.



Construction of the new plant is scheduled to start early next year with completion in the 4Q20.



Cement requirements in the SEZ are currently met through shipments by land and sea from Muscat and Salalah. Surplus output from the project is expected to be exported to GCC markets.

Published underThe Chinese government is set to expand infrastructure spending to stimulate the economy amid the growing risk of a slump as its trade war with the U.S. escalates. As Nikkei Asian Review writes in an article "China to boost railway spending by $10bn to absorb trade war impact", Beijing plans to increase spending on railway construction by nearly $10 billion from the initial budget for 2018 by expanding existing projects, including the planned railway line linking Sichuan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region. It has also restarted approvals on subway construction in various parts of the country.

China's economy is already showing signs of a slowdown. According to government data released Tuesday, fixed-asset investment was up 5.5% in the January-July period year on year, but the growth rate was lower than the 6.0% in the January-June period and the weakest since early 1996.

Investment in railway construction served as economic stimulus that helped China recover quickly from the worldwide economic downturn in 2008. As the trade war with the U.S. could lead to a slump in steel demand, Beijing aims to support it by boosting domestic demand through expanded railway projects.

In a meeting with the National Development and Reform Commission, which leads the country's economic policy, state-owned China Railway decided to increase the 2018 railway construction budget to over 800 billion yuan ($116 billion), up 68 billion yuan, or 10%, from the initially budgeted 732 billion yuan.

According to a local railway industry official, a 100 million yuan increase in spending on high-speed railway projects typically generates 3,300 tons of demand for steel for use in bridges and rails. Based on this estimate, the latest spending boost is estimated to raise steel demand by 2 million tons, significantly more than the 1.18 million tons China exported to the U.S. in 2017. Premier Li Keqiang in late July said the country's inland infrastructure is inadequate and needs to be enhanced swiftly. He made the remark as he visited a railway construction project in Tibet.

The comment is believed to reflect a policy to support growth through aggressive fiscal measures in the second half of the year, hashed out in a late July meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party Central Committee. China Railway subsequently issued an order for its subsidiaries to suggest possible areas of additional investment for each province in their jurisdictions.

The expansion is being implemented mainly by expediting projects the company originally planned to start in 2020 or later. According to a railway industry insider, there is also a proposal to prioritize expansion in projects in the provinces of Shandong and Jiangsu, where economic impact from the trade war is already being felt.Just a few weeks ago, it seemed that the Iran nuclear deal could be saved. Now, it is highly likely that, even if the agreement is not formally cancelled, it will soon become a facade without any real meaning. As Atlantic Council writes in an article "European Failure to Safeguard Iran Deal Shows EU is Still a Paper Tiger", President Donald Trumps recent threats to block any companies still engaging with Iran from business in the US are a clear and serious incentive for foreign firms to leave Iran as soon as possible.

Despite European Union (EU) efforts to protect companies and neutralize US threats, major European businesses have already announced their departures. A sad conclusion is that the EU, despite its promises, is unable to negate punitive US actions. Again, the EU has failed to achieve anything spectacular, even though the Joint Comprehensive Pan of Action (JCPOA) was supposed to be a flagship achievement of the EUs common foreign policy and a symbol of the organizations growing strength. In fact, recent developments clearly show that the EU is still just a paper tiger. It is doubtful that European companies will heed a so-called blocking statute or that the EU will implement provisions penalizing firms for abiding by US secondary sanctions.

Despite the blocking statute and strong EU political support for the JCPOA, many large firms have already left Iran. Total has already announced that it will not develop the South Pars gas field. Maersk and Peugeot have also quit Iran. It was also recently reported that many German companies, including truck and auto manufacturer Daimler, are suspending Iran ventures despite receiving an export credit guarantee, or so-called Hermes cover, from the government in Berlin.

It is not difficult to understand the calculations made by large companies  the Iranian market is tempting but, at the same time, difficult, hard to comprehend and, above all, unpredictable. Even if European companies decided to ignore US warnings and do business with Iran anyway, what could they gain? Investing in Iran is extremely risky  nobody can guarantee European businesses that their investments in Iran are safe and will not be nationalized.

Average Iranians are now not even sure whether their economy is on the brink of collapse or whether the country is descending into civil war. Why would anybody want to invest in such a challenging economy, especially when compared to the much larger, richer and investor-friendly US economy? For instance, German exports to the US are worth $110 billion per month, while, in the whole of 2017, Germany sold goods worth just $3 billion to Iran.

So, if large, international giants are now afraid to have economic ties with the Islamic Republic, maybe smaller ones could fill the gap? That seems to be the Plan B for EU decision makers.

Central and Eastern Europe have many local companies that are not present in the US market, meaning they have no reason to fear US secondary sanctions. But, even for them, any business with Iran is a challenge. Banks are not willing to get involved because their potential profit would be too low while the potential risk remains high.

Countries such as Poland had also hoped that, thanks to Iranian oil, they would be able to trade with Iran and increase their energy security and decrease their dependence on Russia. Therefore, they weigh the question about whether to persist with the JCPOA and participate in some small-scale business ventures with Iran against the possibility of angering the Trump administration. The decision is easy to make.

What would have to happen to save the JCPOA? The Trump administration says that is ready to meet Iranians and negotiate a new more comprehensive deal. The Iranian government, for now, appears to have ruled out such talks. But many ideas once considered dreams have, at some point, become a political reality.A Christian's Guide to Using Debt Wisely Christian Examiner Contributor | 15 August, 2018 by Van Richards

Have you considered how faith influences Christians borrowing money? Debt is a significant part of today's society. There are good and bad times for a Christian to use debt. Thankfully, the Bible does help in determining the wise use of debt.

Before we look at the biblical pros and cons of debt, it is essential to recognize that nowhere in the Bible does it say that debt is a sin. However, several passages in the Bible do discourage debt, especially the irresponsible use of debt. Long ago, the prophets, disciples, and Jesus saw that debt caused impatience, self-indulgence, greed, and fear.

"The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers" (Psalm 37:21)

"Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverbs 22:7)

"Owe nothing to anyoneexcept for your obligation to love one another" (Romans 13:8)

Furthermore, in the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor (Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus uses the greed of a debtor to illustrate the significance of how we should forgive each other of our sins.

Conversely, when debt is used to satisfy greed and self-indulgence, it leads to a trap. The apostle Paul addresses greed and self-indulgence in his first letter to his disciple, Timothy, "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9, NLT).

Even though Paul's letter was written almost two-thousand years ago, it is still true today. The New York Post recently reported that for Bank of America and JPMorgan, "despite a booming economy, many Americans are having trouble paying credit card bills." Many of these people may be facing the financial ruin and destruction that Paul wrote about because of their unwise and harmful desires.

Here are some of the difficult questions that we all face about borrowing money. What if you see something that you want to buy, perhaps a house, a boat, a motorcycle, or a new car; how are you going to pay for it? What will you do if you want to buy new clothes, jewelry or smartphones for you or your children, but you do not have the cash to buy it? If you want your children to go to college, although you cannot afford the tuition, then what?

When thinking about these questions, Christians must honestly consider that we are not using our own money, because as believers, we know that God created everything and owns everything. By God's generous grace we are given the opportunity to be stewards of a portion of His earthly Kingdom.

As stewards of God's resources, these are four biblically-based steps to follow to help you determine if borrowing money is right for you.

Does it make economic sense? Do my spouse and I have unity about taking on this debt? Do I have the spiritual peace of mind or freedom to enter into this debt? In other words, am I living in consistency with biblical principles? What personal goals and values am I meeting with this debt that can be met in no other way? (R. Blue & M. Blue, 2016)

Only later in life did I come to realize God's grace and my responsibility as a Christian to be a good steward of God's gifts. Many years ago, when I was twenty-three, I wanted to buy a new car. It was not just any car, but an expensive German car. I saw a commercial for the car and was sold before I got to the dealer. I went to a bank and asked for a loan, then got turned down. The car was too expensive, and my income did not justify the purchase. When the salesman called me back, I told him I got turned down for the loan. He said that wasn't a problem, I could pay part of the down payment with my credit card, and they could arrange financing. It turned out to be one of the worst purchases I ever made.

I missed the first step of the four listed above because the purchase did not make economic sense. For step two, although I was not married at the time, now that I know my wife's clear logic, she would certainly have stopped me from making such a foolish purchase. I missed number three because I was not a good steward of God's gifts. I missed number four because the only reason I wanted the car was for self-indulgence. I am fortunate that I have lived to see my mistakes and ask for God's forgiveness.

I ran into a problem that too many people encounter. The problem is not borrowing money. The problem is how spending money makes people feel. The desire to have more is self-indulgence and greed. Sometimes people buy things for themselves or someone else to make them feel better.

Anytime that Christians make a purchase, they should ask themselves is this good debt or bad debt by answering the four questions. The example of my car purchase could have passed all four of the questions above if I had made a purchase that was within my means at the time.

The same self-judgment process can work for any purchase such as buying a house. From 2007 to 2009, the United States went through an economic recession which was primarily caused by a housing loan crisis. Too many people that bought homes failed on most of the four questions listed above. Many of those homebuyers lost their houses because they could not afford to make the payments.

The bottom line is, if you use the knowledge that the Bible offers on debt, you will have fewer financial problems. So if you are trying to make decisions about the best way to pay for a purchase, use the four steps above to be guided toward a Biblical decision.

And if you are already having debt problems, please do not read this as a condemnation of you and your circumstances. We all make mistakes, and we are all sinners. You can begin to improve your credit problems by applying these same biblical principles. No matter how dire you feel your circumstances are, it is not too late to work things out and pray for God's grace and direction.

 Van Richards is a Christian financial advisor as well as the founder of https://www.Advice4LifeInsurance.com and http://www.Advice4Retirement.com. Van draws from his 30 years as a financial advisor to write about financial issues from a Christian perspective. You can contact him at van@advice4lifeinsurance.com.Flying Too Close to the Sun Christian Examiner Contributor | 15 August, 2018 by Mark Klages

A common phrase when describing someone who fails miserably trying to reach an unfathomable goal comes from Greek Mythology. Fans of the Greeks will remember the story of Icarus, son of Daedalus, who flew too close to the sun and melted his wings of wax. Things did not end well for Icarus because he could not swim. According to myth, he drowned in the sea after falling. This story is good for teaching the trials of being overconfident and reckless.

The Greek Myth comes to mind while reading a recent CNN article about NASA launching a probe, the Parker Solar Probe, to fly "closer to the sun than any spacecraft has ever reached." According to Ashley Strickland, reporter for CNN, Parker launched to seek the face of the sun early on Sunday morning. Parker's mission is to enable NASA to study solar winds before plunging deep into the sun's corona, while transmitting as much data as possible during the death dive in four to five years. Like Icarus who drowned flying too close to the sun, Parker will burn for the same reason.

Icarus and NASA are not alone among humanity seeking to be closer to that brightest of lights that brings life to this existence. But it's not the Sun; rather, the light we seek is the Son. For Christians who truly know God, any darkness, any time away from Him, any choice to walk further from God or that puts distance between us and our Holy God, is like death. To be separate from our loving, merciful, gracious, Holy Father also invites disaster.

"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." (Psalm 105:4, NIV)

As I continue my play on words, Icarus and Parker are not alone. I know many a Christian who has been burned flying too close to the Son. Maybe it is because the good deeds of a devout Christian bring the wrath of Satan, and maybe it is because the appearance of godliness improves one's earthly stature. It seems the "greater" the Christian, the more impactful the fall from grace. Take America's shock in 1988 when Pentecostal televangelist Jimmy Swaggart gave his famous "I have sinned" sermon regarding sexual sin, or televangelist Jim Bakker's charges on mail and wire fraud in the same year. I digress. These two highly publicized and highly political falls are representative of the latter cause, the appearance of godliness, which causes burns flying "too close to the Son." One question remains, how much good did either Swaggart or Bakker do for the Kingdom before his fall?

Every churchgoer can recount stories of devout Christians who have been burned  some like Swaggart and Bakker by their own actions, some by fellow Christians who sought to tear them down or disagreed with their works, and some by the church itself. We are all human and churchgoers are not immune to human nature. In fact, Alexander Pope may have summed up all of humanity best in "An Essay on Criticism" when he wrote, "To err is human, to forgive divine." Even devout Christians are more human than they are divine.

But unlike Icarus who drowned or Parker, which will burn by its own actions, sometimes the "burn" is God's justified discipline used to bring us back to Him, to turn us away from the path we are taking as we walk away from Him.

"For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal." (Job 5:18)

"The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them." (Isaiah 19:22)

Regardless of the response of the "Church," or the indignation of the sinner, the Son isn't the cause of these injuries any more than your earthly father is the cause of your spanking; rather, while He is sometimes the hand of justice, He is always the source of healing, of redemption.

But for us, the Christian who takes an appropriate vector to the Son with the right mind to seek His face, give Him praise, and give Him all the glory, what is our role in dealing with a Swaggart or a Bakker? What is our purpose in the Church when someone has willfully abused God for his own gain? It is rather simple.

Always Forgiveness.

The Bible is replete with Jesus' teaching on forgiveness. And, despite some "church" teachings, it does not depend on the sinner's heart. Our forgiveness is not earned by the sinner's repentance; it was earned by Christ's death on the cross.

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Col 3:13, NIV)

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Eph. 4:32, ESV)

Sometimes Correction.

Unlike forgiveness, which was earned and is demanded by Jesus, correction is the rightful responsibility of the Church whenever a member persists in sin.

"But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning." (1 Tim 5:20, NIV)

Take a recent article on Fox News about a church in Santa Cruz, California. According to the article, the Greater Purpose Community Church, which sponsored an entry in Santa Cruz's recent Pride Parade, will convert a building into a worship space and brewery. The church is called "pro-gay" and will donate some proceeds of beer sales to Planned Parenthood.

Nothing about that last paragraph is Godly. Read it again  better yet read the original article. The Santa Clara "Good Times" cites Ecclesiastes 9:7 as the directive for "Pastor" Christopher VanHall's progressive-minded church.

And Test Everything  Always.

First off, anything can be a church, but not anything is God's Church. Satan twists the Word of God for his purpose and he is the most effective liar in history. He misled Adam and Eve with one word, "not." (Gen 3:4) He tempted Jesus with scripture pulled out of context (Matthew chapter 4). He misled half the world through Hitler and Nazi Germany's use of Romans 13. And he is misleading today from the pulpit of churches like Greater Purpose and Westboro Baptist. Don't be fooled by unsound doctrine or teachings that soothe itching ears (2 Tim 4:3); rather, test everything and be mature in your worship. Just because, "Jesus drank wine and had a reputation of hanging out in places where people consumed alcohol," does not give you license to profit from beer production while marching in a gay pride parade and donating to the murder of God's unborn children. Forgive, but be vigilant to correct whenever someone persists in sin. And be of sound mind and heart in your own worship.

So don't be like Icarus and fly too close to the Son for all the wrong reasons. Rather, be like Paul who, once chastised by the Almighty God, sought only His face for the betterment of His Kingdom. Forgive seventy times seven (Matt 18:22) and be prepared to lovingly correct anyone who persists in sin. But remember to do everything in love, else you risk being chastised yourself for wrongful motive. In the end, do everything with a pure heart, mature in your understanding, following His word. You can't go wrong if you don't deviate from the map.

 Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.Robert Morris Gives First Sermon at Gateway Church Since Near Death Experience, Preaches on Calvinism 15 August, 2018 by Michael Gryboski , |

Texas megachurch Pastor Robert Morris gave his first sermon since a near death experience earlier this year, receiving a strong applause from the Gateway Church community.

On Saturday, Morris returned to preach his first sermon, a three-part series, titled "Eternity: Your Choice," after suffering complications from hernia surgery in April that led to severe internal bleeding.

"I'm glad to be back," said Morris to the Gateway congregation, joking that despite being away for months "the pulpit still fits."

Before beginning his sermon, Morris reported that he was "fully recovered" from his illness and that Gateway Pastor Jimmy Evans, who filled in for Morris while he was ill, was going to continue to help with leadership as a senior pastor.

"Pastor Jimmy is going to help me a little more in leading the staff on a day-to-day basis," said Morris, who noted that he remains lead senior pastor and will be able to preach more often as a result.

Morris' first sermon back was titled "Whosoever Will," in which he expressed his opposition to Calvinism, or the belief that God alone chooses who is saved and who is damned.

"I really believe you determine where you spend eternity and that God is a just and merciful God and gives every person a chance to accept Jesus Christ," Morris said.

"Whatever belief you have has to be consistent with the nature and character of God. And a God that would love the world so much that He would give His Own Son for the world, I believe gives everyone an opportunity."

Morris explained that while he's OK with other Christians professing Calvinism, he believes that Calvinism hinders church outreach.

"I think, if we were to believe something like this, that God chose some people to be saved and others not to be saved ... why tell anyone about Christ?" asked Morris.

In March, Morris suffered pain in his abdomen. A doctor examined him and found that he had a double hernia. The pastor underwent surgery on April 2.

On April 8, Morris experienced severe weakness. Paramedics sent him to a hospital and it was discovered that he had a hematoma and had to have emergency surgery for internal bleeding.

Following additional invasive surgery, Morris required seven units of blood, equal to half the blood the pastor needed to survive. By April 11, the bleeding had ceased, but Morris was suffering from pneumonia.

On April 15, Morris was finally well enough to leave the hospital and later that month he was undergoing what he described at the time as a slow healing process.

"My night sweats and headaches are better, and my blood levels are rebuilding themselves. And I got a good report from the doctors. It's a slow process, but I am going in the right direction," Morris said on April 24.

In June, Morris returned to Gateway Church, not to preach a sermon, but rather to give an update on his health situation, declaring that "I'm here because of prayers."

Read more about Robert Morris Gives First Sermon at Gateway Church Since Near Death Experience on The Christian Post.The Enlightenment Got It Wrong: The West's Debt to Christianity Christian Post Contributor | 15 August, 2018 by Eric Metaxas And Roberto Rivera

It's a rock-solid Western conviction: All menand womenare created equal. But where does it come from? Well, not the Enlightenment.

Few modern historians have done more to educate the public about the ancient and classical world than Tom Holland. His 2004 book, "Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic," won the prestigious Hessell-Tiltman prize, which is awarded to history books of "high literary merit."

Subsequent books about the rise of the Persian Empire and the rise of Islam have received similar accolades. Put simply, when it comes to the ancient world, Holland knows his stuff, and no one doubts it.

That's why it's wise to pay attention to what he has to say about how the coming of Christianity, and in particular the writings of St. Paul, shaped our world.

Writing in the storied British literary and political journal, the New Statesman, Holland told readers how the Christianity of his childhood gave way to an obsession with ancient empires. "When I read the Bible," Holland wrote, "the focus of my fascination was less the children of Israel or Jesus and his disciples than their adversaries: the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Romans."

While he "vaguely continued to believe in God, [Holland] found Him infinitely less charismatic than [his] favourite Olympians: Apollo, Athena, Dionysus."

Like many historians, Edward Gibbons and other Enlightenment writers convinced Holland "that the triumph of Christianity had ushered in an 'age of superstition and credulity.' and that modernity was founded on the dusting down of long-forgotten classical values."

At this point his readers were probably thinking, "quite right!" But the story doesn't end there, as suggested by the title of the article, "Why I was wrong about Christianity."

He wrote that, "The longer I spent immersed in the study of classical antiquity, the more alien and unsettling I came to find it." Especially its callous disregard for human life. The Spartans, he noted, practiced "a peculiarly murderous form of eugenics." Julius Caesar may have killed a million Gauls and enslaved another million.

It wasn't only the body count, Holland says. It was also "the lack of a sense that the poor or the weak might have any intrinsic value." This led Holland to view the Enlightenment's insistence that it owed nothing to Christianity as not credible.

Let's assume that most people in the post-Christian West still believe "that it is nobler to suffer than to inflict suffering" and that every human life has equal value. We don't get that from the Greeks and Romans.

As Holland notes, it was St. Paul who proclaimed the "foolishness of the Gospel."

That foolishness"that a god might have suffered torture and death on a cross"reversed the way the West thought about weakness and victimhood. As Holland recently pointed out on the British radio program "Unbelievable?," the modern desire to cast oneself as a victim only makes sense in a world defined by Christianity. In the ancient world, if you claimed to be a victim, the response would have been "so what?" followed by further victimization.

It was the honest evaluation of the historical record that led Holland, an agnostic, to write that "In my morals and ethics, I have learned to accept that I am not Greek or Roman at all, but thoroughly and proudly Christian."

Read more about The Enlightenment Got It Wrong: The West's Debt to Christianity on The Christian Post.Therapies for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction Are Effective, Study Finds Christian Post Reporter | 15 August, 2018 by Brandon Showalter

A new study is challenging the American Psychological Association's contention that therapies for unwanted same-sex attraction are harmful.

The study, "Effects of Therapy on Religious Men Who Have Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction," which was first published July 23 in The Linacre Quarterly, finds that sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), often derisively called "conversion therapy," improves the mental health of participants. Researchers surveyed 125 male residents of the United States. The men, mostly Christian, were at various stages of experiencing unwanted same-sex attraction. Some were sexually active while others were abstaining from sex.

Eighty-nine percent of respondents were Christians from a variety of traditions; 13.6 percent identified themselves as "non-denominational Christians"; 5 percent said they were Roman Catholic; 28 percent were Mormons; and 9.6 percent were Jewish. 55 percent of the sample reported that they attended religious services weekly.

Fifty-four percent of the participants were single; 46 percent were married; and the sample had about the same number of those who were homosexually active as abstainers. Over 80 percent reported they had some degree of depression and suicidality at the beginning of therapy.

Nearly 70 percent of respondents self-reported "some to much" reduction in their same-sex attraction and their behavior and an increase in their opposite-sex attraction and behavior.

The study counters the assertions and recommendations of the APA that efforts aimed at reducing same-sex attractions are unsafe and damaging to mental health and well being.

Of all the SOCE techniques represented, over three-fourths of survey participants endorsed as especially helpful, with ratings of "extremely," "markedly," and "moderately" the following: "developing nonerotic relationships with same-sex peers, mentors, family members, and friends"; "understanding better the causes of your homosexuality and your emotional needs and issues"; "meditation and spiritual work"; "exploring linkages between your childhood and family experiences and your same-sex attraction or behavior"; and "learning to maintain appropriate boundaries."

Survey participants also reported improvements "in self-esteem and social functioning, and similarly decreases in suicidality, substance abuse, depression, and self-harm. Before therapy, they had experienced an average of three of these problems. The changes had apparently lasted for a median of nearly 3 years, for those postSOCE. The degree and intensity of the initial conditions are not known and are self-reported, nor are they on established psychometric scales."

"For this survey group, contrary to the null hypotheses, SOCE is neither ineffective, nor harmful, conflicting with APA findings. On the basis of this survey, religious clients could be told that some degree of change is likely from SOCE, and positive change in suicidality, self-esteem, depression, self harm, substance abuse, social functioning should be moderate to marked. Also contrary to the null hypotheses, social pressures do not predominate as reasons for entering SOCE, and effect sizes are not clearly less than for standard psychotherapies," the study concluded.

In 2009, APA formed a task force to study the issue. It concluded that telling patients with unwanted sexual attraction that they can change could harm their mental health.

In 2015, Barry S. Anton, then-president of the APA stated that "[s]o-called reparative therapies are aimed at 'fixing' something that is not a mental illness and therefore does not require therapy. There is insufficient scientific evidence that they work, and they have the potential to harm the client."

"APA has and will continue to call on mental health professionals to work to reduce misunderstanding about and prejudice toward gay and transgender people."

Yet the authors of the study maintain that the survey is further evidence that APA should reconsider their stance of discouraging men from seeking therapy for their unwanted same-sex attraction.

George Carneal Jr., author of From Queer To Christ: My Journey Into The Light concurs. Carneal spent 25 years living and identifying as a homosexual but has been celibate for over 10 years and says same-sex attraction no longer controls him like it once did.

Read more about Therapies for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction Are Effective, Study Finds on The Christian Post.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is going to visit Azerbaijan on August 25. Before her trip to Baku, head of German government is going to visit post-revolutionary Armenia and visit friendly Georgia, which is the most ardent supporter of integration into the EU in the Caucasus. Angela Merkel will pay a visit to this region for the first time in 13 years of her rule, which shows increased importance of the South Caucasus in German foreign policy agenda.

However, Merkel's visit to Azerbaijan, which traditionally preserves geopolitical neutrality, is especially interesting against the background of developments in the region. This country has demonstratively refused to sign the "Euroassociation" and insisted on an exclusive partnership agreement with the EU that meets its interests. Moreover, it's impossible to implement the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project, through which Europe could gain access to Turkmen gas, without Baku's consent. Merkel understands that she has to negotiate these issues with Aliyev.

In the 1990s, Germany couldn't take a peace of Baku's "oil pie", losing to Great Britain, which is traditionally more active and efficiently working in Azerbaijan. For comparison, during period from 1993 to 2016, total volume of direct investments of German enterprises in Azerbaijani economy amounted to 739 million euros. Direct investments of Great Britain amounted to 1.833 billion dollars just in 2017, mainly thanks to oil and gas industry of the republic.

Intensive dialogue on energy cooperation in gas sphere was established between Baku and Berlin in recent years. In particular, Germany shows great interest in diversifying sources of gas imported by the European Union, and that's why it considers Caspian basin with its huge natural gas reserves as an important alternative source - especially due to high costs of liquefied gas from the United States, instability of the situation around Iran and serious attempts of the US to block the Nord Stream-2. Baku can be Berlin's central partner in this matter. It's no coincidence that German enterprises such as Salzgitter Mannesmann International GmbH, Arcelor Mittal Bremen GmbH, AG der Dillinger Huttenwerke, Siemens AG, RMAKehl GmbH and Uniper Technologies GmbH were involved in construction of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.

After signing of the convention on Capian Sea's legal status on August 12 in Aktau, issue of transportation of not only Azerbaijani but also Turkmen gas to the European markets became relevant once again. It can be supplied after construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). Information spread in March of this year shows how serious Germans are regarding development of the SGC. As Euractiv reported, the German Finance Ministry will provide 1.2 billion euros to finance Azerbaijani sector of the SGC. Money will be sent to the closed joint-stock company "Southern Gas Corridor". It was founded in 2014 by the decree of Ilham Aliyev. This company had to consolidate, manage and finance development of the Shahdeniz offshore field, expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline, construction of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP). Operational management of the projects is carried out by the state energy company SOCAR.

That's how German-Azerbaijani gas agenda became relevant more than ever, and topic of energy cooperation will undoubtedly become one of the central components of future high-level talks.

Military cooperation may also be discussed. At the end of June it was revealed that German defense concern Rheinmetall plans to sign deals with Azerbaijan. Rheinmetall representative John Taylor signed declaration on "future bilateral cooperation" with the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan. There's no doubt that regional agenda, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, prospects of negotiations with new Armenian government, as well as worsening international situation around Azerbaijan's close ally, Turkey, and its southern neighbor Iran, will be discussed.

Science and education

Cooperation between two countries in the field of education is also developing. In 2017, Germany financed opening of the Goethe German Language Studies Center in Baku. Also in 2017, center received support from German state in the amount of 296,500 euros, while in 2018 financial support will reach half a million euros. In 2000-2016, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provided over four thousand scholarships to Azerbaijani students, several German scientific institutions and German political foundations provided dozens of scholarships. For technical reasons, these statistics don't include scholarships provided by DAAD until 2000. DAAD's operational activity in Azerbaijan received around 1.2 million euros until 2017.

Number of Azerbaijani students studying in Germany has been steadily increasing. If in 1996-1997 Germany had just 44 Azerbaijani students, then in winter semester of 2016-2017 number of students already reached 824. Germany is also an attractive labor market for highly qualified Azerbaijani specialists. According to official data, by the end of 2017, over 600 Azerbaijani doctors were working in German clinics.

Problematic issues

As for problematic issues in relations between Berlin and Baku, there are human rights issues, as well as Germans' dissatisfaction with practical suspension of activities of German political foundations in Azerbaijan several years ago. Responding to parliamentary inquiry of the Alternative for Germany party in 2017, German government stressed its concern over imprisonment of political activist Ilgar Mammadov and failure of Azerbaijani authorities to comply with demands of the European Court of Human Rights. However, on August 13 Mammadov was released from prison. The Shaki Appeal Court changed its ruling to suspended sentence. It's obvious that imprisonment, of an activist who represents small number of political movements wasn't in the interests of Azerbaijani government. Hype created by opposition around this person became a convenient pretext for criticism of the authorities. Today this pretext no longer exists.

As for activities of German foundations in Azerbaijan, this topic was discussed during Angela Merkel's previous meetings with Ilham Aliyev. According to available information, successful negotiations on this issue were held and agreements between Berlin and Baku were reached.

Azerbaijan, in turn, expresses dissatisfaction with insufficient support of Germany in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It should be noted, however, that Berlin consistently pursues policy of non-recognition of separatist formation known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, emphasizes illegality of "elections" and "referendums" held there and openly says that there's regular army of Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh, while overwhelming majority of "self-defense forces" are also formed from draftees from Armenia. However, German government hasn't banned separatists from Nagorno-Karabakh from entering into their territory. With their Armenian passports they freely visit Germany and even hold meetings with some deputies.

Baku is also unhappy with Germany's double standards policy, since It doesn't want to impose sanctions against Armenia over occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Answering question of Azerbaijani journalist three years ago regarding why Germany imposes sanctions against Russia, but doesn't do the same when it comes to Armenia, Merkel said: "Russia plays active role in this conflict. Considering the fact that Russia and Armenia are cooperation on some issues in this conflict, I think it's safe to say that we have the same approach." There's no doubt that Baku doesn't understand this position, since Armenia is, albeit nominally, an independent subject of international law. Hardly anyone in Baku seriously believes that anti-Russian sanctions imposed due to situation in Ukraine are related to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in any way.University of Iowa Reinstates Nearly 40 Student Groups After InterVarsity Files Lawsuit Christian Post Contributor | 15 August, 2018 by Samuel Smith

The University of Iowa has decided to temporarily reinstate several religious student groups after they were kicked off campus for policies that the university deemed discriminatThe move comes just one week after InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship, one of nearly 50 student groups derecognized by the university in July even though it had been a recognized student group for decades, filed a lawsuit against the university's actions.

According to a press release, the InterVarsity group received an agreement this week that allows it and the other groups banned for having selective leadership policies to be re-registered as campus groups until litigation against the university involving these matters are settled.

While much attention on the university's actions has been put on lawsuits filed by two Christian groups against the university, the school also deregistered Muslim, Mormon and Sikh groups.

The university's temporary agreement was announced on Monday by Becket, a Washington, D.C.-based religious freedom law firm representing InterVarsity in the litigation.

"This win is a win for everyone  Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Sikhs alike," Becket senior counsel Daniel Blomberg said in a statement. "Everyone loses when state officials pick who leads students in prayer and worship, and everyone wins when religious students can make those decisions for themselves. Here's hoping the courts make the university's temporary patch into a permanent fix."

As previously reported, the issues started last year when the university initially derecognized Business Leaders in Christ over a policy that required its leaders to uphold the group's statement of faith. After a gay student complained about being denied a leadership position, the university told the group that its policy did not comply with the school's discrimination policy.

At the time, only Business Leaders in Christ was targeted for enforcement of the rule and a federal judge ruled this year that the university had unevenly applied the policy when it kicked Business Leaders in Christ off campus while letting other student groups that also don't comply with the rules to stay on campus. The judge ordered the university to reinstate Business Leaders in Christ.

The university proceeded to warn other student groups with policies that don't comply with the university's discrimination rules protecting individuals on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and religion that they could no longer require their leaders to uphold a statement faith or ideology. After warning dozens of campus groups to change their policies, those nearly 40 that didn't were derecognized by the school last month.

Along with religious groups, certain campus groups reflecting cultural, political or occupational niches were also impacted, such as the university's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Students for Human Rights, the German Club, a number of Asian student groups, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a nursing group, and even a bass fishing group.

According to Becket, the new temporary agreement came just hours after InterVarsity threatened to file a motion for temporary injunction to participate in important campus activities as students are returning for the start of classes next week.

"As we all prepare to head back to school, we're excited to know InterVarsity will also be back on campus and part of the community we love," Katrina Schrock, the student president of InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship, said in a statement. "These last few months have been crazy, but we're grateful to be able to get back to focusing on meeting and serving the new graduate and professional students in our Hawkeye community."

Read more about University of Iowa Reinstates Nearly 40 Student Groups on The Christian Post.The Telegraph reports that Belgium has authorized and completed the euthanasia of three children ages nine, 11, and 17.

According to The Telegraph these deaths took place in 2016 and 2017 via lethal injection and have just recently come to light because of the release of a report from the CFCEE; the commission that regulates euthanasia in Belgium.

Belgium is the only country in the world that offers euthanasia as an option for children dealing with terminal illnesses that cause, what the CFCEE deems, unbearable suffering.

According to The Telegraph, in 2014 Belgium amended its euthanasia law to make it legal for doctors to terminate the life of a child no matter how young the requestor. The only requirements are that the patient must be judged to have the mental capacity to make the weighty decision and that their parents consent.

The report that was released by the CFCEE on July 17, reportedly notes that thousands of people along with the three youth died from euthanasia between January 2016 and December 2017 in Belgium.

The Telegraph reports that Belgiums clergy has spoken out on this issue saying the law is a step too far.

A professor and child cancer specialist, Professor Stefaan Van Gool responded to this news saying, There is, in fact, no objective tool today available that really can help you say, 'this child has the full competence or capacity to give with full understanding informed consent'.

Some doctors, like neurologist Dr. Ludo Vanopdenbosch, have even resigned from their posts in protests of the euthanasia program. In 2017, Dr. Vanopdenbosch resigned from the CFCEE because a dementia patients life was ended via euthanasia without her prior consent.

According to The Telegraph, Dr. Vanopdenboschs resignation led to the signing of a petition by 360 Belgian doctors which called for stricter control on euthanasia with psychiatric patients.

Though the legislation has received some backlash it has also gained widespread backing and euthanasia is actually on the rise in Belgium. According to The Telegraph the annual number of euthanasia cases have multiplied five-fold in the last ten year.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The nation of Burma repeatedly captures headlines as human rights in the Southeast Asian country continue to deteriorate. At the center of these stories is the southwestern state of Rakhine, home to the Rohingya, a predominately Muslim ethic group. According to the New York Times, currently over 680,000 Rohingyas are estimated to have fled to neighboring Bangladesh as a result of the Burmese military campaign against the group. The campaign, denied by the Myanmar government, has escalated throughout the past year and is now being called ethnic cleansing by both the United States and the United Nations, as reported by CNN. Many Muslims, who make up roughly 4% of the country's population, have been left with nothing but destroyed villages and now preside in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Bangladesh.

The violence is a result of a repeated pattern of systemic discrimination against the Rohingya by the Burmese government. Rohingyas have continually been excluded from political processes and enjoyment of rights of Burmese citizens. For example, in 2015, Rohingyas were prevented from participating in the first democratic election since the end of military rule. Just a year prior, Rohingyas were excluded from even being counted in the national census, the country's first in over three decades. Burmese Leader Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly condemned such discrimination and human rights violations, while ignoring those committed by her own country's military.

In addition, only hundreds of miles to the north, what has failed to make headlines is the Kachin state, located in northern Burma, where quite similar violence is being perpetrated against another minority group, which is mostly Christians. In large numbers, the military is targeting Christians in Kachin and Shan, another northern state, and has displaced around 100,000 more, according to the United Nations.

Such discrimination against Christians in the Buddhist-majority country is not a new development. According to International Christian Concern, the Burmese government has discriminated against minority groups for years. One example of such persecution is the inability of Christians to obtain National Registration Cards (NRC), preventing them from gaining access to government services and infrastructure, such as the train system.

Violence in Kachin state severely escalated in 2016 when the Burmese military began an offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), displacing more than 6,000 people, according to Frontier. The government then continued this violent campaign by hitting multiple IDP camps with mortar fire, in direct violation of Rule 7 of international humanitarian law, which protects civilians from being targeted as military objectives.

Frontier has also reported that the government of Burma has been blocking humanitarian aid from entering the country and reaching the IDP camps, especially those located in KIA-controlled territory. This prevention of aid represents another breach of international law perpetrated by Myanmar at the expense of suffering Christians in Kachin.

In 2017, as reported by Human Rights Watch, the Burmese military continued their aggression by distributing leaflets in Tanai Township in Kachin, informing citizens that they must leave their homes and evacuate the area or be considered terrorists by the government. With the military still blocking their path out of the region, many were unable to flee and were left in the midst of the military attacks.

The displaced Christians from Kachin state are living in quite dire conditions and need immediate assistance to survive, yet this assistance never arrives.

Although Myanmar is currently of particular interest for its campaign in the south against the Rohingyas, who are being forced to flee the country in mass numbers, the world must take a look at the full picture in Myanmar. The government is getting away with severe human rights infringements against the Christians of the Kachin state, which they have been doing so for years, and will most certainly continue this pattern of persecution if left unchecked. Though both crises have their own unique identities, they are inherently linked and must be addressed together to fully end the abuses. In order for the wounds of Myanmar to heal, the world must ensure that the bleeding in not only the Rakhine state, but also the Kachin state, comes to an end.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A big win for life in New Mexico had a small beginning: believers willing to speak out.

For years, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has performed research using fetal body parts. And for years, they might have been violating federal law which prohibits the exchange of fetal tissue "for any profit or benefit of valuable consideration."

That's why it's great news that the University of New Mexico has announced that, following its own internal investigation, all research using fetal body tissue has been suspended.

The University maintains no laws were violated, but emails obtained by the New Mexico Alliance for Life suggest otherwise. Those emails reveal that the head of the fetal research program, Dr. Robin Ohls, discussed reimbursement for sending samples to an adjunct professor at Michigan State.

And everyone thought it was just Planned Parenthood.

Here's some other good news: The House Select Panel on Infant Lives has now referred the case to the Department of Justice.

While the New Mexico Alliance for Life's Elisa Martinez is applauding the decision to shut down the research, she and the Alliance are also demanding that UNM officials "immediately turn their investigation over to federal authorities to ensure that these abuses will no longer harm women and commodify unborn children. If they won't," she promises, "we will."

But there's even more to this story than potentially illegal fetal tissue research. It's the University of New Mexico's active promotion of abortion.

Eric Pillmore, a long-time friend of Chuck Colson and a member of the Colson Center's Board of Directors, is a graduate of the University of New Mexico. He and his family foundation helped established the Pillmore Room for Ethics at the University's Anderson School of Management.

In 2017, the University asked Eric for another major donation. But Eric had something else in mind: using the university's request to him in order to obtain a meeting with the then-interim president of the university to discuss UNM's abortion culture.

Eric went into the meeting prepared and his presentation was straightforward. He consulted with Elisa Martinez at the New Mexico Alliance for Life and with pro-life apologist extraordinaire Scott Klusendorf.

The president had been assured that the university hospital only performed abortions when the mother's life was at stake. But he was misled. The University's hospital in fact performed late-term abortions, and its doctors performed abortions at Planned Parenthood. The university had only referred students to abortion provider Southwestern Women's Options and had never referred them to the local pro-life care center. And, of course, Eric expressed his disgust with the University's lack of cooperation with the congressional investigation of its fetal research program.

Eric then explained why he supports the culture of lifeand how the university could begin to do so as well. And, of course, he explained how it would be impossible for him and his family to make any additional contributions to the university unless the institution ended its support for abortion. He then offered specific recommendations for UNM to change course.

All of this helped put into motion the closing of the fetal research program, something that was just announced by the new president. And Eric stands ready to talk with her about ending the University's commitment to abortion, as well.

So what's the takeaway here? First: You have to find out what's happening at your alma mater, and then, like Eric, do something about it. We have to stop supporting institutions that promote evil and evil ideologies with our donations, even if they are our alma maters. Second, like Eric, we can all learn to make the case for life. The resources are there. Use them. Third: Support those organizations in your area that champion life.

And finally, we've got to remain vigilant. More may turn up at UNM. But the New Mexico Alliance for Life will be watching. And so will Eric Pillmore.

Originally posted at Breakpoint.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A curious division exists among the Religious Left when it comes to the subject of abortion.

The older, lifelong Mainline Protestant folks often tout their pro-choice sentiments openly. Some of their affiliated denominations, like the Presbyterian Church (USA) or the United Church of Christ, blatantly "protect women's equal and fair access to abortion."

Alternatively, some of the Religious Left's newest converts, many former conservative Evangelicals or "post-Evangelicals," are holding on to their pro-life labels. But for how long will it last?

I've mentioned some of these thoughts before on social media and most recently during a podcast interview with apologist Alisa Girard Childers that is yet to be published. These thoughts have been on my mind, especially since the brazen pro-abortion session at Wild Goose Festival last month. So I would like to further process and explore these observations here.

Post-Evangelicals find themselves in a precarious position when it comes to their pro-life labels. Too much anti-abortion talk is an insult to, say, the 44 Religious Left officials who collectively called for continued federal funding of the abortion giant Planned Parenthood or the liberal clergy in Texas who praised abortion as a "God-given right."

Professing pro-lifers among the Religious Left cannot deny that many of their liberal theological colleagues disagree with them. And for the post-Evangelical crowd who are "evolving" on abortion to appease their new theological (and political) tribe, an open pro-abortion trajectory seems almost inevitable. But for now, post-Evangelicals are claiming to uphold the dignity of unborn life without downright condemning abortion.

Perhaps this is why you'd be hard-pressed to find many in-depth discussions of the inherent dignity and vulnerability of the unborn on popular post-Evangelicals' blogs and social media feeds. It would also be helpful to hear their thoughts on euthanasia. Will they comment on news reports that Belgium is euthanizing children, as Brandon Showalter reported here?

Sure, popular post-Evangelicals will sporadically mention they're pro-life in blog posts to inflate their moral authority while simultaneously encouraging readers to vote for a pro-abortion Democratic political nominee. Others only remind us that they are pro-life when they want to criticize the pro-life movement or paint a broad brush stroke of hypocrisy on conservative Christians.

Katelyn Beaty, an author and former managing editor of Christianity Today, astutely noted this tendency among progressive Christians last week.

"Of course, I wish pro-life Christians would apply a consistent life ethic to other issues beyond abortion. "But I also wish progressive Christians who constantly critique pro-life Christians for being hypocritical would seriously, and publicly, weigh the life ethics of abortion," she wrote.

Post-Evangelical author Rachel Held Evans responded, in part:

"Every time I do that I get called a baby killer, am sent pictures of aborted fetuses, watch as my positions are completely mischaracterized in pro-life publications, and receive a bunch of death threats. Frankly, it's not worth it."

Evans shares more thoughts on her "consistent pro-life approach" here:

"...But what I think we're afraid to acknowledge is that ethics can be hard. Being "consistently pro-life" on guns, on war, on euthanasia, on healthcare, on foreign policy, on aid, and on abortion just isn't as straightforward as we'd like.... "...Yet we still pursue ethics based on the imago dei, on the assertion that every person is created in the image of God and therefore worthy of life abundant. But maybe with a little more openness and humility."

Frankly, I'm skeptical it's all a veneer. I would have more respect for progressive Christians' holistic pro-life approach if they mentioned the dignity of the unborn without caveats or narrative shifts. I've only ever heard one  just one  among the Religious Left discuss the sanctity of unborn life without pause or political aims. Kudos to Shane Claiborne for his willingness to do so and in front of the uber-liberal crowd at Wild Goose Festival back in 2016.

Interesting then that just last week the executive director of Claiborne's Red Letter Christians group, Don Golden, decried "Criminalizing or preventing a woman's choice" a.k.a. abortion. His remark was in response to a pro-life USA Today op-ed written by Daniel Darling, Vice President of Communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and author of the forthcoming book The Dignity Revolution: Reclaiming God's Rich Vision for Humanity.

Here is Golden's Twitter exchange:

"Criminalizing or preventing a woman's choice is wrong but your appeal for a dignity consensus is much needed. As it stands, Evangelical pro-gun, pro-war, pro-death penalty views puts Evangelicals among the most death honoring of Americans."

To which Darling responded:

"I'm saddened that a self-described Red Letter Christian would dismiss the dignity and humanity of the unborn."

Golden went on to tweet:

"Criminalizing a woman's choice is wrong but @dandarling appeal for a dignity consensus is much needed. As it stands, Evangelical pro-gun, pro-war, pro-death penalty views puts them among the most death honoring of Americans."

Ever notice that Progressive Christians publicly call for criminalizing guns and outlawing the death penalty, but when it comes to criminalizing abortion  the murder of innocent life  they back away and shift the narrative away from the vulnerability of the unborn? This was my thought shortly after reading Golden's remarks.

Post-Evangelicals have not only made a theological shift but a liberal political move too. Their deflections surrounding "criminalizing" the murder of innocent life focus heavily on promoting universal health care and increased entitlement programs, a clever pivot away from the murder of innocent lives in utero. This helps ease any offense to their pro-abortion theological and political friends and followers.

It seems fair to point out the cracks in many progressive Christians' pro-life posture. They can and will attempt to create nuance, but there is nothing inherently moral about the murder of the unborn. And as Darling's new book keenly points out, we cannot separate our social activism from our Christian witness to the world.

I encourage post-Evangelicals to consider the trajectory in which they are headed down. A society that fails to advance the dignity of the most vulnerable for of human life will not possess the ethics necessary to promote human dignity elsewhere.

Originally posted at Juicy Ecumenism.

Chelsen Vicari serves as the Evangelical Program Director for the Institute on Religion and Democracy. She earned her Masters of Arts in Government from Regent University and frequently contributes to conservative outlets. Follow her on twitter @ChelsenVicari.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity are proving as transformational as the first century church was in ancient Rome. They also reveal the stark contrasts between mere revolution and extraordinary transformation.

"Pentecostalism May Have Done More for Africa Than All Aid Organizations Combined," declared a recent oped in The Christian Post. Research indicates "that Pentecostalism is the largest movement for social justice that has ever existed."

The findings make it clear that social justice crusades without the Holy Spirit become ridiculous parodies and often violent authoritarianisms.

The oped quoted Dena Freeman, of the London School of Economics, and editor of Pentecostalism and Development: Churches, NGOs and Social Change in Africa. Freeman's conclusion bears repeating: "Pentecostal churches are often rather more effective change agents than are development NGOs." The Pentecostal churches "are exceptionally effective at bringing about personal transformation and empowerment..."

Matthew Parris, in a 2008 Times of London article, told of returning to the African nation he knew as a boy as Nyasaland, called today, Malawi. While there Parris observed the work of mainly Christian charities in relieving the hardships of Malawi's people. Such services, Parris wrote, "inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God."

Parris said even though he's a "confirmed atheist," he has become convinced "of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts." These are insufficient, Parris wrote, because they do not bring personal transformation. "In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts," he said. "It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good."

The Greek word often translated "good" in the New Testament refers to things that are profitable and beneficial. Thus, the "change is good," I would argue, because it is not mere revolution, but extraordinary transformation. "Mere revolution" stands in contrast to reform efforts profitable and beneficial for all, which is transformation in the best sense of the word.

Here are important contrasts between mere revolution and transformation:

Mere revolution primarily sees the immanent only; extraordinary transformation is based on transcendent truth and values.

Mere revolution works from outward to inward; transformation works from inward to outwardfrom the transformed "heart" to the behaviors and deeds of the body.

Mere revolution relies on force; extraordinary transformation is freely embraced.

Mere revolution is based on power; extraordinary transformation occurs through genuine authority.

Mere revolution must be re-ignited; extraordinary transformation becomes a state of being.

Mere revolution is a surface flare; extraordinary transformation is systemic.

Mere revolution is about causes and institutions; extraordinary transformation is about life.

Mere revolution is dependent on hypnotic leaders; extraordinary transformation rests in the power of the Holy Spirit working through people.

Contemporary revolutionaries-anarchists mistake the merely novel for the qualitatively new. The progressivist protestors are historically illiterate, thanks to the vapid academies many of them apparently attended. They likely don't know about a philosophical ancestor of theirs, Lincoln Steffens.

In 1919, Steffens was a New York newspaper reporter who believed devoutly in socialism, and, that year, went to Russia to observe events there. The country was two years into the Bolshevik Revolution that had as its goal that of igniting global revolution to create a "workers' paradise" everywhere. This is still the aim of many of today's revolutionaries.

After seeing the new Russia, he wrote, "I have seen the future, and it works." Talk about "fake news"!

Steffens died in 1936, and did not get to see the "future" he thought he was observing in 1919. The Black Book of Communism reveals what that future looked like for millions slaughtered in the name of Marx.

Jesus, not a mere revolutionary, but an extraordinary transformer, said He had come to give life, and that abundantly. (John 10:10) That quality of life was evident in Rome as Jesus' message and the power of the Holy Spirit through the church spread. "The Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body," wrote Mathetes to Diognetus about 200 AD.

Lincoln Steffens might have seen the future for which he yearned had he looked into the past rather than the Russian revolution of his own time. He might have seen the transformational impact of the early church on race, gender, social class, and many other concerns of social justice warriors.

Today's left-wing church that simply reflects the spirit of the age would do well to open its doctrinal, ecclesiastical, and ministerial doors to the Spirit of God. Right-wing churches that wall themselves off from what they consider Pentecostal extremes would impact their communities more effectively if they would open their gates more widely to the Holy Spirit.

When the church functions as the body of Christ midst communities in upheaval, doing incarnational ministry in the face of darkness and chaos in the power of the Holy Spirit, transformation happens.

Ancient Rome and contemporary developing nations prove it.

Wallace Henley, a former White House and congressional aide, is senior associate pastor at Houston's Second Baptist Church. He is the co-author of God and Churchill, with Jonathan Sandys, great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill. Henley is the principal architect of Belhaven University's Master of Ministry Degree.home US Potter's House gives Christian women a 'taste of yoga'

Serita Jakes, wife of popular televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes, has reignited debate over the practice of yoga among Christians after she shared a series of photos showing members of a women's group at The Potter's House of Dallas enjoying a "taste of yoga" as a part of a healthy living endeavor.

"Today, we aspired to inspire #health mentally, emotionally, and physically. Our ladies even got a taste of #yoga from @Mrs_BrittHall. Health goes beyond what you eat. It's in the way you think, speak, and live. Thank you to all of the lovely sister girls that came to play with us! I love you. #AspireToInspire #W2W#EmotionalWellnessMatters," Jakes wrote in a post on Instagram that was also shared on other social media platforms such as Facebook.

The post sparked debate with critics saying it's wrong for Christians to practice yoga.

In defense, an Instagram user named Cecilia Echevarria, who indicated she participated in the event, said it was "very inspiring."

"We learn on how different ways to enjoy yoga in a Christian perspective. Thank you," she wrote.

The Christian Post reached out to Jakes' women's group for comment on Friday but she was not immediately available.

A group of Christians who support yoga called Christians Practicing Yoga and have been meeting since 2001, argue that "the practice of yoga reminds us of the biblical basis for a Christian high theology of the body."

While yoga was developed in India in a primarily Hindu culture, the group says, it was intended as a universal human practice and can be used as a good health exercise for Christians.

"Where the body is concerned, Christianity has by and large not walked its talk. It has resisted the radical nature of its own good news. On the one hand, it has the highest theological evaluation of the body amongst all the religions of the world, and on the other hand, it has given little attention to the body's role in the spiritual life in positive terms. High theology; low practice," the group explains.

Well-known evangelical theologian John Piper expressed his opposition to yoga, calling it "antithetical" to Christianity.

In an earlier interview on Desiring God he encouraged Christians to find different kinds of exercise to stay healthy: "I would want to say that both yoga and tai chi, the little I know and the little research I have done, have their roots in eastern worldviews and are profoundly in those roots antithetical to a Christian understanding of God and the way he works in the world."

Christian writer Matt Walsh, who came under fire for calling out Christians who practice yoga earlier this year, endorsed Piper's advice.

"The physical practices of yoga are expressly designed to open ourselves up to enlightenment (Hindu enlightenment that is). The intended final stage of yoga is to achieve a state called Samadhi, where the self disappears and you are brought into an unthinking trance," he wrote for The Daily Wire.

"You may perform the moves without consciously seeking the demonic trance they were designed to help you attain, but it would seem you are playing, quite literally, with fire. And then the question is why?

"I don't think you'll automatically be possessed if you do yoga. I don't think all yoga practitioners go to Hell. But neither do I see how a pagan ritual could ever help someone get to Heaven, and maybe that's reason enough to leave it alone," he ended.

This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permissionFantastic Memes and Where to Find Them, Part 1

There's something called 'an appeal to authority'. It involves quoting someone more famous or more intelligent than yourself as though that proves the point you're trying to make. Both Christians and Atheists do it, and it can be annoying.

I call it the Stephen Fry syndrome (Melchett from Blackadder for our American readers): here's a wonderfully funny, clever, charming man who everybody loves and who doesn't believe in God. He is patently more in-the-know than me, so I can therefore hide behind his beliefs, appropriate them for myself, and never properly engage with the questions at hand.

It's not that quotes aren't helpful at times, but they aren't arguments in and of themselves. They can often act as placebos, giving us the idea that we're more clued up than we really are, while actually stopping us from engaging with the question of truth. It's so frustrating to hear people say, 'Well, you're an atheist when it comes to Zeus,' as though it's something that has just sprung into their fertile mind, and not something that gets copy-and-pasted on message boards across the world. (NB Christians do exactly the same thing with CS Lewis).

So let's check out some quotes that get bandied around, and look at how we might respond. Obviously, shooting down a quotation doesn't necessarily prove anyone right or wrong, but the gripe is with people who victoriously parade such quotes like placards of objective truth. Truth is not a popularity contest.

'The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it'  Terry Pratchett.

I loved Terry Pratchett  what an amazing mind that man had. But I don't agree with this. I mean, what if those guys who had been seeking the truth suddenly came upon it? Isn't that the whole point of seeking something? I don't find my car keys in the morning and then think, 'I better just check in a few more places  just in case.' My wife doesn't come in and say, 'I preferred you before you got all hoity-toity and confident about finding your keys; keep looking or it's divorce.'

It's great to seek the truth, but isn't it ultimately depressing if we never feel like we can get to it. That was the whole problem with Lost! Five series of expecting answers that never materialised. Embarrassing.

'Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest' Denis Diderot.

Nicely said, Denis (who really sounds like he should play in midfield for Auxerre). But in this world we would still be left with someone happy enough to gruesomely kill other human beings using their own innards. How do we get free of that guy? Oh brave new world...

'Faith means not wanting to know what is true' Friedrich Nietzsche.

Richard Dawkins uses something similar when he says that 'Faith is being content with not knowing.' Nietzsche was a brilliant philosopher, but I have literally never read a single Christian apologist from throughout history who affirmed this statement. Faith, in Christian terms, means 'putting your trust in', but to apply that here would mean that Christians 'put our trust in not wanting to know what is true'. That just doesn't make any sense. You might think that's what Faith-heads do, but you'd be way off-piste. I became a Christian in my early twenties because I wanted to know what was true. I didn't look at the list of all the worldviews and think, 'Hey, that one where you can't have sex before marriage  sounds perfect!' I may be wrong about God, but my route to him came out of genuinely desiring truth, not ignoring it.

Stay tuned for part 2...Franklin Graham slams judge who freed suspects in New Mexico child abuse case

Evangelist and Samaritan's Purse founder Franklin Graham has added his voice to criticisms of the judge who released five suspects accused of child abuse in a rural New Mexico compound.

Eleven emaciated children were found on the property in a case that shocked the nation. Another boy, three-year-old Abdul Ghani, died allegedly during a religious ritual designed to cast out demons and was buried there. His mother had reported him kidnapped by his father Siraj Wahhaj, one of the defendants, last year.

The surviving children have told how they were taught to use firearms at the squalid compound, in which they slept in a trailer buried almost up to the roof in the desert.

Judge Sarah Backus ruled on Monday that the suspects were not a threat to the community and that they should be released with electronic tags. Graham posted on Facebook: 'Can you believe that Judge Sarah Backus let these dangerous Muslim extremists out of jail already? They were training children how to execute school shootings  and she lets them out with an ankle bracelet. That sounds crazy to me. They need to be in a place where they can't do any more harm. One child is already dead and their intentions were to kill and maim as many people as they could. Why in the world would we let them back out on the street?'

Prosecutors said in court documents last week that all five defendants were giving firearms instruction to the children 'in furtherance of a conspiracy to commit school shootings'. However, Wahhaj's lawyer said there was no evidence of this.

'The state alleges that there was a big plan afoot,' Backus said in rendering her decision. 'But the state hasn't shown to my satisfaction, in clear and convincing evidence, what that plan was.'

Defence attorneys said prosecutors sought to criminalise their clients for being African-Americans of Muslim faith.

'If these people were white and Christian, nobody would bat an eye over the idea of faith healing, or praying over a body or touching a body and quoting scripture,' defence lawyer Thomas Clark told reporters. 'But when black Muslims do it, there seems to be something nefarious, something evil.'

Backus has received more than 200 threats, according to Barry Massey, a spokesman for New Mexico Courts. The Taos County courthouse was closed yesterday, reported CNN, after callers threatened physical violence against her, including threats to slit her throat and smash her head. They have also lashed out on social media and threatened court staff, Massey said.

He said they had called Backus 'an Islamic terrorist sympathizer' or 'disgusting garbage human'.TD Jakes' wife shares photos of yoga session at The Potter's House

Serita Jakes, wife of popular televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes, has shared a series of photos showing members of a women's group at The Potter's House of Dallas enjoying a "taste of yoga" as a part of a healthy living endeavor, despite traditional Christian opposition to yoga.

"Today, we aspired to inspire #health mentally, emotionally, and physically. Our ladies even got a taste of #yoga from @Mrs_BrittHall. Health goes beyond what you eat. It's in the way you think, speak, and live. Thank you to all of the lovely sister girls that came to play with us! I love you. #AspireToInspire #W2W#EmotionalWellnessMatters," Jakes wrote in a post on Instagram that was also shared on other social media platforms such as Facebook.

The post sparked debate with critics saying it's wrong for Christians to practice yoga.

In defense, an Instagram user named Cecilia Echevarria, who indicated she participated in the event, said it was "very inspiring."

"We learn on how different ways to enjoy yoga in a Christian perspective. Thank you," she wrote.

The Christian Post reached out to Jakes' women's group for comment on Friday but she was not immediately available.

A group of Christians who support yoga called Christians Practicing Yoga and have been meeting since 2001, argue that "the practice of yoga reminds us of the biblical basis for a Christian high theology of the body."

While yoga was developed in India in a primarily Hindu culture, the group says, it was intended as a universal human practice and can be used as a good health exercise for Christians.

"Where the body is concerned, Christianity has by and large not walked its talk. It has resisted the radical nature of its own good news. On the one hand, it has the highest theological evaluation of the body amongst all the religions of the world, and on the other hand, it has given little attention to the body's role in the spiritual life in positive terms. High theology; low practice," the group explains.

Well-known evangelical theologian John Piper expressed his opposition to yoga, calling it "antithetical" to Christianity.

In an earlier interview on Desiring God he encouraged Christians to find different kinds of exercise to stay healthy: "I would want to say that both yoga and tai chi, the little I know and the little research I have done, have their roots in eastern worldviews and are profoundly in those roots antithetical to a Christian understanding of God and the way he works in the world."

Christian writer Matt Walsh, who came under fire for calling out Christians who practice yoga earlier this year, endorsed Piper's advice.

"The physical practices of yoga are expressly designed to open ourselves up to enlightenment (Hindu enlightenment that is). The intended final stage of yoga is to achieve a state called Samadhi, where the self disappears and you are brought into an unthinking trance," he wrote for The Daily Wire.

"You may perform the moves without consciously seeking the demonic trance they were designed to help you attain, but it would seem you are playing, quite literally, with fire. And then the question is why?

"I don't think you'll automatically be possessed if you do yoga. I don't think all yoga practitioners go to Hell. But neither do I see how a pagan ritual could ever help someone get to Heaven, and maybe that's reason enough to leave it alone," he ended.

This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permissionDespite military defeat in the region, the "Islamic State" militant group can still "mount attacks inside Syrian territory," according to a UN report. In Iraq, the group "remains active" hiding out in desert areas. As Deutsche Welle writes in an article "'Islamic State': Up to 30,000 fighters still in Syria and Iraq, UN says", a report by UN sanctions monitors published Monday said the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group has between 20,000 and 30,000 fighters still in Iraq and Syria.

Despite major military setbacks and a near-halt on foreign fighters joining their ranks, the group continues to maintain a sizable presence "roughly equally distributed between the two countries," said the report. "Among these is still a significant component of the many thousands of active foreign terrorist fighters," it added.

The group is "still able to mount attacks inside Syrian territory," the report noted. "It does not fully control any territory in Iraq, but it remains active through sleeper cells."

While many of IS' funding channels have been cut off, it continues to hold sway in small territories in northeastern Syria, allowing its operatives to eke out a living through oil revenues.

According to the UN, the number of foreign fighters "remains lower than expected," but "significant numbers have made their way to Afghanistan," including senior figures.

Last year, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared military victory over IS, saying Iraqi forces had "reached the final strongholds of Daesh [IS] and purified it." That year, Iraqi forces liberated Mosul, where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a so-called caliphate in 2014.

In Syria, the US-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) last year ousted IS from its de facto capital, Raqqa, seizing much of the territory the militant group had captured in 2014. But the fight against IS has since slowed down, likely due to other developments in the Syrian conflict.

Despite military defeat in Iraq and Syria, the militant group continues to exert influence in other areas, including Afghanistan, the Sahel and Libya, where the UN estimates it has up to 4,000 fighters.

Although the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militant group maintains a strong presence in Somalia, IS "has the strategic intent to expand to central and southern Somalia." Observers have warned that although the group may one day disappear, its ideology is likely to endure.Turkish court rejects Andrew Brunson's plea for release from house arrest

One Turkish court has rejected an American Christian pastor's appeal to be released from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted, but an upper court is yet to rule on the appeal, his lawyer told Reuters on Wednesday.

Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson is standing trial in Turkey over terrorism charges. His case now lies at the heart of a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States that has sent Turkish lira into free-fall.

Brunson, who served as pastor of a church in Izmir, was arrested in March 2016 and accused of having links with the outlawed Gulen Movement, blamed by Turkey's President Erdogan for instigating an attempted coup against him. He faces 35 years in prison if he is convicted of the offences.

While his removal from prison to house arrest was regarded as a sign Turkey might be preparing to release him, it was followed by sanctions imposed by the US on two Turkish minister and the doubling of tariffs on steel and aluminium.

As well as sparking panic in financial markets, the move caused Turkey's President Erdogan to react in fury. He told supporters that Turkey 'would not give in'. 'The US is sacrificing its 81-million-strong ally Turkey for a pastor with links with terrorists,' he said.

Brunson's next hearing is scheduled for October 12.

Additional reporting by Reuters.The tastemaker: Michael S. Smith

The celebrated interior designer shows us around his Santa Monica offices, and reveals the thinking behind his collaboration with Christies on the forthcoming Rooms as Portraits auctions in London and New York on 12 and 26 September

What I have always loved is the idea of combining history, architecture and personality, explains the award-winning designer and decorator Michael S. Smith, whose signature style is a seamless blend of classic English country house, European classicism and American modernism. Ive always been a history obsessive and have always wanted to do something that puts that into practice. Showing us around his design studio and offices, a converted warehouse in Santa Monica, the California native who has been named in Architectural Digests AD100 list on five occasions, and whose work has appeared in countless magazines and books, explains that he chose the beachfront location for its sense of isolation. I wanted people who work here to be focused on the work, he reveals. I wanted somewhere where people would be incredibly dialled-in on the details and nuances that are so important in terms of what I do.

Michael S. Smith studied interior design in Los Angeles before continuing his studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. After returning to the United States, he worked under the revered antiques dealer Gep Durenberger before teaming up with designer John Saladino in New York. He then went on to open a home furnishings store in California, subsequently launching Michael S. Smith Inc, his design firm, in 1990. Ive always loved furniture and fabric, he says. I was a natural-born decorator. I have a very interesting practice in that I dont really delegate creative decisions to anyone. Everyone is involved  its a collaboration  but [each detail] is something Ive seen and approved. Smith compares his approach to three-dimensional chess, likening the process to a sculpture thats constantly being perfected and getting more and more refined.

The breakfast room in New York, overlooking Central Park, with a pair of English George III-style open armchairs, 20th century. Estimate: $1,500-2,500. Offered in Rooms as Portraits: Michael S. Smith; A Tale of Two Cities, New York & Los Angeles on 26 September at Christies in New York

This September Christies presents Rooms as Portraits, two collection sales of interiors decorated by Michael S. Smith  Eaton Square, London (12 September in London) and A Tale of Two Cities, New York & Los Angeles (26 September in New York). Together, these auctions will showcase the breadth of the designers considerable talents. Comprising pieces from private residences in London, New York and Los Angeles, the collections being offered reflect Smiths curatorial knowledge, multicultural sensibility and ability to create distinct environments. Within them will be Old Masters, 19th-century and Impressionist paintings, Modern British and Post-War and Contemporary art, as well as English and European furniture, 20th-century design, Islamic and Asian works of art, and antiquities.

The living room at the Los Angeles residence. The carved giltwood open armchairs (Estimate: $2,000-3,000) are flanked by a pair of Pelham three-seat sofas ($3,000-5,000). Offered in Rooms as Portraits: Michael S. Smith; A Tale of Two Cities, New York & Los Angeles on 26 September at Christies in New YorkShell Oil

WASHINGTON - A federal lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday generated $178 million in winning bids, raising expectations that drillers' confidence in the region is rising.

After a March auction that had been billed as the largest in U.S. history only generated $125 million, many began to wonder whether the Gulf's best days were behind it, as drillers looked to newer fields in countries with less restrictive drilling regulations.Battling the largest wildfire in California history has left crews with one option: remove the fuel by starting fires.

The Mendocino Complex, made up of the Ranch and River fires, grew nearly 10,000 acres by Wednesday to 363,845 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

The blaze was 64 percent contained compared to 68 percent contained the previous day.

A fire as large as this, removing the fuel is the best way to do it, said Capt. Cary Wright, a spokesman with Cal Fire.

Because the Mendocino Complex is so large, water and retardant only helps slow the blaze down, he added.

I dont know if theres enough aircraft in the country that can just continually drop retardant and water to put this fire out, Wright said.

The River Fire, the smaller of the two conflagrations, was fully contained Tuesday at 48,920 acres.

But the Ranch Fire continues to be fueled by dry vegetation and hot weather as it threatens communities surrounding the Mendocino National Forest, Cal Fire said. The Ranch Fire alone has burned 314,925 acres.

On Wednesday, firefighters focused their attack on the northwest and northeast edges of the blaze to prevent it from getting it closer to Lake Pillsbury, Cal Fire said. Ground crews started firing operations to burn the fuel even farther away from the blaze to prevent growth, while bulldozer operators worked throughout the day to remove any potential vegetation that the fire could burn by building containment lines.

Crews also worked to protect the 1,025 structures threatened by the flames. So far, 265 structures have been destroyed.

The first fatality in the fire occurred Monday, when 42-year-old Matthew Burchett of Utah was killed while battling the flames on the front lines.

Burchett was the sixth firefighter to die battling wildfires in California this year, making 2018 the deadliest fire season for firefighters in the past decade. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances that led to his death.

Meanwhile, the Carr Fire in Shasta County remained relatively calm overnight and barely grew more than 19 acres overnight, Cal Fire said.

The blaze has consumed 211,038 acres and was 67 percent contained.

Firefighters focused their efforts Wednesday on strengthening containment despite the same challenges that have plagued crews throughout the state: gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.

Similarly, the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite Valley remained calm the day after Yosemite National Park reopened to visitors.

The blaze has burned 96,810 acres  just 204 acres more than the previous day  and was 87 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Though Yosemite Valley, Wawona and Mariposa Grove were reopened, Glacier Point was still closed due to the blaze. The fire is expected to be contained Aug. 22.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavaniHumble Independent School District officials announced during the Aug. 14 school board meeting that the disbursement of nearly $5 million in property tax refunds to district taxpayers is scheduled to begin in September.

No action will need to be taken by the taxpayers, said Robert Sitton, Humble ISD board member. Refund checks will automatically be going out starting in September and finishing in December to the tune of close to $5 million in refunds from Humble ISD.

The school board voted during the April meeting to authorize Harris County Appraisal District property value reappraisals within district boundaries. The reappraisal was meant to identify refund amounts for taxpayers who paid the $1.52 per $100 valuation tax rate to Humble ISD based on the pre-Harvey property value, but whose property values may have been lowered due to storm-related damage.

Humble ISD Chief Financial Officer, Mike Seale, explained at the April meeting that the Harris County Appraisal District would assign a percentage of damage in different Harvey-affected areas based on the amount of floodwater those properties received. That percent would apply to all of the properties within their respective areas and be used to determine the properties post-Harvey values, from which HCAD would calculate reimbursement amounts.

The board voted unanimously several months ago to ask HCAD to do a reappraisal for those that were affected, Sitton said. Out of roughly 80,000 homes in Humble ISD, they performed 4,073 reappraisals.

In April, Humble ISD officials indicated that the state is expected to reimburse tax revenue losses and reappraisal costs. This message was echoed again at the August meeting.

They havent told us specifically how, but the state has told us they will take care of any losses we have resulting from Harvey, Seale said.

Seale was referring to the losses not covered by insurance and FEMA.

mfeuk@hcnonline.comHarris County voters this month will consider a $2.5 billion flood bond proposal that proposes projects for Armand Bayou and Clear Creek watersheds in the Bay Area.

The package, put forth by the Harris County Flood Control District in an Aug. 25 election that coincides with the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, would fund 25 projects for those watersheds totaling $54.3 million.

Armand Bayous watershed covers about 59 square miles and includes five primary streams: Armand Bayou, Horsepen Bayou, Big Island Slough, Willowspring Creek and Spring Gully.

The costliest of the local projects would be design and construction of the Red Bluff Regional Stormwater Detention Basin for $15 million. That work would construct a stormwater detention basin aimed at reducing the risk of flooding within the entire Armand Bayou watershed.

Other projects include the purchase of 30 buildings through a federal grant-funded home buy-out program, repair of eroded banks and restoration of natural floodplains in areas subject to flooding along the bayou.

A complete list of projects can be found on houstonchronicle.com where items are indexed by zip code or watershed name.

Support for the bond proposal has come from Houston City Councilman Dave Martin, who represents District E which includes Clear Lake, South Belt-Ellington areas, Kingwood and the Lake Houston area.

I unequivocally support the Harris County Flood Control District Bond Program, he said in a written statement. I applaud the Countys extensive efforts to provide meaningful projects to residents across the City.

He said his district includes more than five watersheds that would benefit from projects identified in the bond project list.

These projects, if the bond is approved, seek to reduce the impact of flooding regionally, he wrote.

In the southeast Houston and Clear Lake areas, projects would focus on Clear Creek and Greens Bayou and include design and construction of stormwater detention in Sims Bayou.

The Clear Creek watershed encompasses portions of Harris, Galveston, Brazoria and Fort Bend counties, with 16 cities including Houston, Brookside Village, Pearland, Friendswood, League Cityand Pasadena and five drainage/flood control districts, according to the Harris County Flood Control District.

The total number of projects for this watershed total 15, in the amount of $340,635.

Seabrook Mayor Thom Kolupski noted that if the bond is approved by voters, the proposed projects depicted on flood control districts interactive map will need to go through a process of evaluation and approval by county commissioners.

Seabrook is encouraged by the partnership of the county and participation of our residents at the public meetings in the process, he said.

Project identified by the district to be funded through the bond include ones in Seascape and Miramar in addition to improvement of Todville Bridge over Pine Gully, he said.

A complete list of projects can be found on houstonchronicle.com where items are indexed by zip code or watershed name.

More than 230 projects throughout the county are included in the bond for channel improvements, detention basins, floodplain land acquisition, new floodplain mapping and more than 3,000 buyouts of flood-prone buildings.

Harris County voters can go to harrisvotes.com to find polling places.

jaimy.jones@chron.com3 1 of 3 Matt Brown, STF / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times Show More Show Less 3 of 3





WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency is getting ready to replace the Obama administration's program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions coming from power plants, Politico is reporting.

The new climate proposal for coal-burning power plants, expected to be released in the coming days would give states wide latitude to write their own modest regulations for coal plants or even seek permission to opt out, according to the document and a source who has read other sections of the draft.A Metro bus shelter in front of CVS Pharmacy near FM 1960 and Champion Forest Drive now has a splash of green color and a dose of community spirit.

A green leaf logo was added on Tuesday as part of a branding initiative by the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber is working toward making northwest Houston and Harris County stand apart from other neighboring areas, such as Greenspoint and Cypress.

On the surface, this area looks like a conglomeration of disjointed subdivisions, but when you bring them all together, it really forms a true community, said Bobby Lieb, vice president of the community and economic development of the chamber. There really is a Cypress Creek community in terms of the social networks and the availability of education and amenities and jobs that are out here, but because theres no central municipality or central district, were trying to bring all those different neighborhoods together under one moniker.

In March, the chamber unveiled two monuments along Cypresswood Drive to mark the Cypress Creek Cultural District as part of its branding efforts.

The bus stop on 5603 FM 1960 is the first of 12 bus shelters that will be branded with a green leaf logo.

Tiger Berry and Mike Shaffer of Monarch Signs & Graphics cleaned off the translucent polycarbonate surfaces of the shelter before applying the green logo and adding a protective plastic coat on top.

During a government affairs meeting hosted by the chamber in July, Metro CEO Tom Lambert said the branding effort would help tie the shelters to the community.

We learned a long time ago that if you can tie things back to the community and the community owns them, you get more of an investment, Lambert said.

Lieb said that as part of the branding, the chamber will be seeking businesses to adopt the bus stops with logos to help with the maintenance.

Metro will need to inspect and approve the leaf logo before the other shelters are also branded, Lieb said.

This is our test case. If the work is to their specifications, theyll give us the go-ahead to do the rest. Each one of these bus shelters is not the same size, Lieb said.

Once approved, the logo will be customized to fit the measurements of each bus shelter and the remaining 11 stops will be branded before the end of the year.

The project will cost about $6,500 to brand all 12 bus stop shelters, with the rest of them located as far east as the Houston Northwest Medical Center, near the North Freeway.Vestnik Kavkaza prepared a series of interviews with leading Russian economists and politicians, working in economic sector. The Russian State Duma deputy from "A Just Russia" party, chairman of the State Duma Financial Market Committee, Anatoly Aksakov, discussed prospects of development of Russian economy prior to introduction of two packages of the US sanctions.

- How will promised sanctions, including freezing of US assets of our banks, ban on operations with our national debt and closure of American sky for Aeroflot affect our financial system and the economy?

- Let's start with Aeroflot. There are around three flights a day to the US. For comparison, there are at least 20 flights a day to Crimea. For the past 3-4 years Aeroflot is often recognized as one of the best companies in Eastern Europe, its credibility is very high, and, obviously, the US decision won't affect this credibility. Of course, inability to transport people to New York, Washington, Miami and Los Angeles will be unpleasant, but it won't have significant impact on its revenues.

As for our national debt, there's a budget surplus in Russia, and all revenue from oil above $40 per barrel goes to reserve funds, so there's enough money. In such conditions, there's no point in building up national debt, moreover, it can be reduced. In this sense, only American investors will suffer from this decision, because our bonds have high profitability by international standards and are profitable for buyers. Actually, Americans make up a large part of foreign investors in Russia's national debt.

Other measures will be unpleasant, of course, but they will harm the US more. These measures will make state-owned banks more interested in working on moving our export trade to rubles even faster, which will increase credibility of the Russian national currency. Perhaps strategically it's these events are for the better. During the second quarter Russia's economic growth reached almost 2%, which means that despite hostile actions of our Western partners, our economy continues to get better. I expect that our economy will reach pre-crisis levels of growth if there will be great economic policy and more active import substitution, including from the point of view of financial resources involved. We're used to planning reserves through investments in the US bonds, but at least some of them should be spent on economic development.

- In other words, Russian economy managed to deal with the crisis despite sanctions?

- Yes, there's no doubt. Growth of consumer demand is the biggest sign of that.When Lloyd Robinson pointed a revolver at two people in a parked car, they told him to stop playing around, investigators say. He told them the gun wasn't loaded, pulling the trigger two or three times to show it was empty.

Then, according to police, Robinson pulled the trigger again. This time a bullet struck and killed 38-year-old Marquis Henderson.

Robinson, 46, has been charged with manslaughter in the Aug. 6 incident, Houston police said.

According to investigators, Robinson was sitting in a parked car with Henderson and another person in the 6700 block of Indian Lake Drive in southwest Houston. He stepped out of the car, saying he had to relieve himself, and returned with a revolver.

The person told police that Robinson pointed the revolver at the car and pulled the trigger. When the person and Henderson told Robinson to stop playing around, Robinson told them the gun wasn't loaded and pulled the trigger a few more times. On the third or fourth pull, the person said, the gun fired, striking Henderson in the head.

The person, who got out of the car, told police that Robinson then jumped into the vehicle and drove off with Henderson inside.

When police arrested Robinson the next day, he refused to provide a statement but did help detectives locate Henderson's body in a ditch in the 16400 bock of Blue Ridge Road.

Robinson is in the Fort Bend County Jail on a $100,000 bond.Marvin Pfeiffer, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

The City of Humble Emergency Management and the Harris County Citizen Corps have teamed up to host a free eight-week training program to learn basic emergency response skills.

The Community Emergency Response Team program, a FEMA program, teaches people how to handle natural and man-made events that delays the communitys first responders to help and sustain lives until they arrive.The mother of a woman who was killed at a Shenandoah motel in 2016 filed suit on Tuesday against the motel, accusing it of ignoring signs of sex trafficking.

Hayley Farr was killed at the Americas Best Value Inn and Suites in Shenandoah in November 2016 when she was 19. Her killer and alleged pimp, Ryan Ray Moore, was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to her murder almost a year later.

Farr's mother, Ashley Minga, wants to also hold the motel accountable and is seeking $1 million in damages.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday morning in Montgomery County District Court, her lawyers say the motel and its managers were "aware of the illegal activities, including human trafficking" and "yet still rent rooms to known pimps and drug dealers."

"When you have cars coming in and out to different rooms during the night and day, there's obviously a problem," Minga told KHOU News, which first reported on the lawsuit.

A company called Anjali Hospitality LLC, doing business as Americas Best Value Inn, is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, as are the company's directors, Mahesh Patel and Dipivali Patel.

By allegedly turning a blind eye of sex trafficking, the lawsuit accuses the Patels of engaging in "fraudulent" and "illegal" activities.

The motel has since rebranded as an Econo Lodge. An employee who answered the phone Tuesday confirmed that the Patels still ran the motel but said she did not know about the lawsuit.

Mahesh and Dipivali Patel have not yet responded to a request for comment.

One of Ashley Minga's lawyers, Ross Bussard, said Tuesday night that he hoped this lawsuit would serve as a "deterrent" for other businesses allegedly ignoring signs of sex trafficking.

"Awareness and deterrence are goals we have in each trafficking suit we do," he said.The Texas Education Agency released its accountability ratings Wednesday morning, officially assigning districts an A-through-F letter grade for the first time.

While 47 of 123 local charter and traditional districts were not given an official ranking after receiving accountability waivers tied to Hurricane Harvey, nearly 62 percent of those that were rated earned A's and B's, 26 percent were given C's and 12 percent received D's or F's.

RELATED: Houston ISD to avoid sanctions after four long-struggling schools all meet standard

Harmony School of Science - Houston, which includes one campus, and rural Devers ISD in Liberty County scored the highest of all Houston-area ISD or charter school districts, both earning a score of 96 and an A grade overall. Rounding out the top local districts were Barbers Hill ISD (95), Friendswood ISD (95), Houston Gateway Academy (94), Harmony School of Excellence (94) and Pearland ISD (94).

The lowest performing district in the state, A+ Unlimited Potential charters, is located in Harris County. It earned a score of 45. Damon ISD earned a score of 50, charter district Meyerpark Elementary earned a 62, Comquest Academy charter district received a 62 and Santa Fe ISD (the site of a mass shooting in May) earned a 63.

Campuses still received ratings of "met standard" or "improvement required," but both districts and campuses were judged on a new set of criteria and on a new scale thanks to legislation passed in 2017.

At the campus level, three Houston-area campuses received the highest scores of any schools in the state, earning a 99 out of 100: Spring Branch Academic Institute in Spring Branch ISD, and DeBakey and Carnegie Vanguard high schools in Houston ISD. Another nine local schools earned 98 out of 100 points.

The Lane School in Aldine ISD earned the third lowest rating in the state, a 34. Other local schools with low scores were A+Up University charter (44), Victory Prep Academy South charter (48), The Varnett School Southeast charter (49) and Kashmere High in Houston ISD (49)

If individual schools were assigned letter grades based on scale scores, 21 percent of those in the greater Houston area would have received A's, 33 percent would be rated as B's, 31 percent would have gotten C's, 10 percent would be labeled as D's and five percent, or 84 schools, would have been F's.

Nowhere were the ratings more consequential than in the Houston Independent School District, where four campuses must be rated as "met standard" or risk triggering school closures or a state takeover of the entire district.

Houston Chronicle

All four campuses - Mading and Wesley elementaries, Woodson PK-8 and Worthing High - met the state's standard this year, staving off potential state action.

Local schools that were among the most devastated by Hurricane Harvey seemed to perform well. Kingwood and Summer Creek high schools in Humble ISD both met the state's academic standards after having to share one campus for most of the 2017-2018 school year. C.E. King High in Sheldon ISD, which flooded and saw more than 65 of its students lose their homes in the storm, also met the state's standard, scoring a 78 out of 100 possible points on the accountability system's scale score. Creech Elementary in Katy ISD, and Robinson, Braeburn, Scarborough, Kolter and Mitchell elementaries in Houston ISD also met the state's academic standard after their campuses flooded.

Houston ISD test scores explained: Growth at struggling schools, sanctions still loom

The state's new accountability system based 70 percent of each school and district rating on the highest scaled score earned among three categories: raw student achievement, student progress and performance relative to percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Another 30 percent of the grades were determined by schools' and districts' success in closing achievement gaps between different demographic groups, including at-risk students, English-language learners and students of different races.

Officials use those metrics to calculate an overall scale score that ranges from zero to 100, which match up with letter grades. Any scale scores below a 60 translate to F's, scores below 70 equate to D's, grades below 80 would be C's, scores below 90 would be B's and scores of 90 or above would be A's.

Those scores largely are based on how well students performed on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, tests.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said the new grading method produces scores that "are not strongly correlated with poverty," a common criticism of A-through-F grading systems in the 13 other states that use them.City Council on Wednesday unanimously agreed to put the controversial street and drainage program known as ReBuild Houston before voters again in November, but not before tweaking the ballot language in hopes of avoiding future court challenges.

The Turner administration should find out quickly if they were successful.

The lawyer who represented the conservative plaintiffs who got the Texas Supreme Court to throw out the original 2010 charter amendment already has asked a judge to force the city to include ballot language specifically stating that drainage fees will be imposed on and paid for by property owners.

Brenham-based lawyer Andy Taylor could not be reached for comment Wednesday on whether the new ballot language would satisfy his concerns.

He previously argued, and the state Supreme Court agreed, that the 2010 ballot measure should have included language clearly stating that a monthly drainage fee to pay for ReBuild Houston would be tacked on to property owners water bills

Mayor Sylvester Turner earlier this month proposed ballot language to establish a dedicated fund and list the sources of revenue, including drainage charges for providing drainage utility services to benefitted real property.

This week, however, the city Public Works Director Carol Haddock presented new ballot language specifying that the ReBuild Houston fund would be financed annually from the fees listed and states that the drainage fees are charged to property owners or users.

Even that did not appear to be enough to allay some council members concerns that the language was not specific enough to satisfy legal conditions.

At Large Councilman Mike Knox proposed amending the language to specify that the drainage fees are paid by property owners or users, but the measure failed 12-5. District G Councilman Greg Travis was among the four who sided with Knox, saying he was concerned failing to clarify the wording would get the city sued again.

The language is a sore point for me, Travis said. I fear there will be a court challenge. I hope theres not.

District J Councilman Mike Laster said he opposed the amendment because he did not think it was appropriate to draft legislation at the table, right before a vote.

Even if the language did become more clear with the amendment, making changes to the charter language could have a spiral affect, District D Councilman Dwight Boykins said.

Even if you change it to 10 different amendments, you still will have someone who will try to oppose it, Boykins said. I just cant go chipping at it  Sooner or later youre chipping at something else thats more clear, youre chipping at something else, and then you have no program.

Turner, however, has said approval of the charter amendment would be limited, calling it an an affirmation of what already is, and saying it simply would solidify a dedicated source of funding to continue the ReBuild Houston program as it is being run today. The drainage fee, which is a key part of the program, is not at risk in the November referendum because it was created via city ordinance, not by the 2010 charter amendment.

I think we all support a dedicated source (of funding), Turner said Wednesday. I think we all support the emphasis being placed on drainage, flooding and streets  Were all passionate about it, but I think there is more agreement than disagreement around this table.

ReBuild Houston narrowly was approved in 2010 as a $8 billion, two-decade infrastructure renewal program. It barred taking on new debt for street and drainage repairs, switching to a pay-as-you-go model to be paid for with the roughly $5 monthly drainage fee and a dedicated portion of the citys property tax revenues.

The program hit an administrative roadblock in 2015, however, when opponents convinced the Texas Supreme Court that the 2010 ballot language did not make it clear that the initiative would include a new rain tax.

That decision, Turner said, removed a lockbox on the source of funding  the financing rules spelled out in the charter amendment  and approving the charter amendment this year would restore that.

Conservative opponents have launched a number of lawsuits against ReBuild since 2010. In one case, attorneys argue the drainage fees the city has collected should be repaid to taxpayers or that the portion of the fees spent on street surfaces should be refunded. In another, they argue the fees Houston has collected have exceeded its 14-year-old, voter-imposed revenue cap.

Despite several legal challenges, about $1.8 billion has come through the ReBuild program for reconstruction or repair work, including an estimated $785 million in drainage fees. Roughly $1 billion in debt has been paid off.

This article has been corrected to display accurate amount of debt that has been paid off.

samantha.ketterer@chron.comJoel Osteen took sharp criticism during Hurricane Harvey when he didn't immediately offer shelter at his megachurch for displaced hurricane victims.

One year later, social media users re-upped their criticism of the renowned pastor this week when city officials honored his church for its post-Harvey recovery effort.

EXCLUSIVE: Joel Osteen and the making of a megachurch

Lakewood Church said it helped more than 1,150 Houston-are families rebuild homes destroyed by the storm. The church also said it donated more than $5 million in financial assistance, mobilized 9,300 volunteers and distributed more than 1,000 pallets of supplies in the aftermath.

City Council member Jack Christie praised Lakewood Church for "providing financial aid, volunteer hours, rebuilding assistance, food, medical care, and bring hope and restoration to Houstonians."

During Harvey, Lakewood welcomed overflow from other shelters days after the initial wave of criticism, said spokesman Donald Iloff Jr. He said the church wasn't prepared for the severity of the storm at first and some parts in and around the building flooded.

However, he said the church was never closed. Before it started accepting other groups of evacuees, Lakewood staff drove the only two people seeking shelter in the church to the city's convention center for refuge, Iloff said.

Despite the church's recovery efforts, people on Facebook and Twitter again accused Osteen of immediately refusing to help hurricane victims in their time of need.

Iloff said some people may not have realized that the proclamation issued by the city on Tuesday did not recognize Osteen, but rather the church's broader recovery efforts.

"There's so much that the congregation and the people from the community have contributed to this effort," he said, adding that Osteen and his wife, Victoria, are among their largest contributors.

RELATED: Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church answers why it isn't open as a shelter for Harvey flooding victims

Following the city's move to honor Osteen, a few people called Osteen a Houston icon or quoted Bible verses he cited in his sermons. But the majority of responses put him in a negative light, with many people comparing him to Jim McIngvale, aka "Mattress Mack."

"Mattress Mack has done more for Houston during #HurricaneHarvey than the city and Osteen has even thought about doing," one person said.

Iloff said the church is currently working with the city to more quickly respond to a major disaster moving forward.

"We have been working very closely with the city to integrate us into the plan moving forward... so that we fit in with the city's efforts," he said.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.comLeon County police recently discovered a massive marijuana growing operation roughly 45 miles north of College Station.

The Leon County Sheriff's Office said they seized 1,800 marijuana plants, as well as an undisclosed amount of methamphetamines and illegal firearms last week.

A 53-year-old man, Noel Hernandez, and a 52-year-old woman, Irma Morenopelayo, were arrested for possession of marijuana in connection to the drug bust, according to KBTX-TV.

"... He had two different crops there in different stages," Sheriff Kevin Ellis told the news station. "[They] had a small greenhouse where they were starting some of the plants and then moving one field to planting and onto another field."

Four vehicles were also seized on the property.

The plants will be tested at a state lab in Waco and later destroyed.

Police said the case is still under investigation.

RELATED: Coast Guard finds Mexican fishermen with 59 sharks in Texas

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93



Several Pasadena city leaders have expressed support for a $2.5 billion Harris County Flood Control District bond package that proposes 29 flood mitigation projects including ones for the Armand Bayou, Clear Creek and Vince Bayou watersheds that would total around $400 million.

The bond package, set for an Aug. 25 election, is a really great deal, Pasadena City Councilman Cody Ray Wheeler said at an Aug. 7 council meeting in which he and fellow council members Thomas Schoenbein and Don Harrison touted the bond as beneficial to Pasadena.

If approved, it will be the most money Harris County or the state of Texas has gotten for disaster relief, Wheeler said.

He said county taxpayers can enable the project to receive an additional $5 billion in federal funds if they pass the bond.

Said Schoenbein, We need the money to help with our infrastructure for our flooding issues. We need the support.

Harrison said the county has been responsible in its approach to the proposed work.

Harris County bond election Election Day: Saturday Aug. 25 Where to vote: Go to harrisvotes.com to find your polling place. See More Collapse

They went to each community and got their input, Harrison said. They went out and asked the average citizen what they wanted. Weve had a major flood event for the last four years. It appears the local government, the county and the federal government is serious about this flood control.

The county's budget analysts estimate that the bond would result in a property tax rate increase of 2 cents to 3 cents per $100 of assessed home value. Homeowners who are disabled or over the age of 65, and whose property is worth less than $200,000 would pay no additional taxes.

Projects that could affect Pasadena include work that would focus on Armand Bayou, which covers about 59 square miles and includes five primary streams: Armand Bayou, Horsepen Bayou, Big Island Slough, Willowspring Creek and Spring Gully.

The costliest local project would be design and construction of the Red Bluff Regional Stormwater Detention Basin at $15 million. That work would focus on reducing the risk of flooding within the entire Armand Bayou watershed.

Other local projects would include purchase of 30 buildings through a federal grant-funded home buyout program, repair of eroded banks and restoration of natural floodplains in areas subject to flooding along the bayou.

Work to Vince Bayou totaling $16.2 million would cover four projects aimed at reducing flood risk, buyout of several buildings and about 17 projects to repair erosion and infrastructure damaged from Hurricane Harvey.

Vince Bayou runs south from about eight miles from Buffalo Bayou to Genoa Red Bluff Road.

Attempts to reach Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner for comment were unsuccessful.

Support for the bond proposal has also come from Houston City Councilman Dave Martin represents District E which includes Clear Lake, South Belt-Ellington areas, Kingwood and the Lake Houston area.

I unequivocally support the Harris County Flood Control District Bond Program, he said in a written statement.

I applaud the Countys extensive efforts to provide meaningful projects to residents across the City.

He said his district includes more than five watersheds that would benefit from projects identified in the bond project list.

These projects, if the bond is approved, seek to reduce the impact of flooding regionally, he wrote.

A complete list of projects can be found on houstonchronicle.com where items are indexed by zip code or watershed name.

More than 230 projects throughout the county are included in the bond for channel improvements, detention basins, floodplain land acquisition, new floodplain mapping and more than 3,000 buyouts of flood-prone buildings.

jaimy.jones@chron.comTeachers will be getting a 2 percent raise and Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamoras contract has been extended as Tomball ISD trustees on Tuesday passed its $130 million budget for the 2018-2019 school year.

Salazar-Zamora will receive a $30,000 raise, which will make her salary $245,000 and her contract will be extended until June 30, 2021.

According to the Texas Education Agency, Salazar-Zamoras salary during 2017-2018 school year was $215,000.

The district is seeking to bring an additional 38 teachers to its schools and will continue its current initiatives, such Great Expectations, a character building program.

As part of the $275 million bond passed by voters in November, a new stadium, junior high and elementary schools will be built on the same 180-acre property along Cypress Rosehill Road and the Grand Parkway.

The board approved Salazar-Zamora to negotiate a contract with Drymalla Construction Company to be the construction manager at risk for the three-part project with a contract totaling $174,000.

The board also approved the purchase of musical instruments for $425,830 as part of the bond.

As part of the safety and security plan, the district will also invest $605,508 of bond funds to install access equipment on the exterior doors of all of its elementary schools.

Chief administrative officer Chris Trotter told the board during the workshop meeting on Monday how the district is moving forward to secure campuses.

Aside from partnering with local and federal law enforcement agencies, TISD is monitoring social media threats.

It also implemented Anonymous Alert, which allows students, families and community residents to alert the district of any suspicious or bullying behavior.

During the 2017-2018 school year, 12 anonymous reports were made to the district with three alleging bullying at school campuses that were investigated, he said.

It was a way for families, students, community members to share with us anonymously, similar to what Crime Stoppers does, but it was a more direct pathway to Tomball ISD. Under Davids Law, we had to have an anonymous mechanism to report bullying or concerning manners that the community or a person may have, Trotter said.

Beginning this year, elementary school visitors will be required to ring a doorbell before entering the campus.

Teachers will also have a way to alert administrators if they are facing trouble in the classroom by downloading an app and pressing smart button on their phone.

The district is also updating its lock down procedures during emergencies by installing lockdown buttons as well as providing maps, keys and first aid kits to first responders arriving at a campus.

Metal detectors will also be made available in middle and high schools, Trotter said.

During its workshop meeting on Monday, chief financial officer Jim Ross said the 2018-2019 budget would be a shorter year, ending at 10 months as the start date for the fiscal year will be pushed back from Sept.1 to July 1 in 2019.

mayra.cruz@chron.comEven before 7 a.m. this morning, the car drop-off line snaked nearly a mile along the Grand Parkway service road as more than 1,000 students arrived at Grand Oaks High School.

Inside the school, the unmistakable sounds of the first day of classes resonated through the hallways: administrators were heard welcoming students as students were heard finding their friends in nervous excitement.

This year came with a twist, though.

These students werent just back on campus after summer vacation, they were setting foot on their brand new Conroe Independent School District high school campus.

Freshman Dior Duckworth, her hair braided with touches of orange and blue string  the new schools colors  said she was feeling mostly good about the year ahead.

Im not really nervous, but (the school) is big. I toured it already, but Im still going to get lost, Duckworth said.

Construction on the $154 million building was completed in June, and Principal Christopher Povich said that the first day was a moment everyone had been waiting for.

For most of us, this is a one-time event that you get to actually open a building. The excitement and enthusiasm is the thing, and our challenge is to keep that energy going for the remainder of the year, Povich said.

The thing hes most looking forward to, he said, is building relationships with the students and establishing the schools traditions.

Weve talked about this culture of collaboration with the students and the staff, and the building is designed for that. Now its about putting it into practice, Povich added.

Ian Powell, one of the partners of the firm that designed the building, PDK Architects, was on-site as the students arrived Wednesday.

Powell explained that the schools features, such as the wider corridors, external classroom spaces and a large-group instructional room, were designed with modern instructional models in mind.

Less than 2 miles away at the new Clark Intermediate CISD campus, students streamed through the doors and were immediately greeted by the schools namesake: Katherine J. Clark herself.

As Clark welcomed the schools fifth- and sixth-grade students and their parents, she said her hope for students is that they remember to be kind, joyful and caring  an acronym that plays off her initials.

If students walk out of here and treat people with those qualities, its going to be a better world, Clark said.

Clark added that she wasnt special to have a school named after her, she was just blessed.

CISD Communications Director Sarah Blakelock said that across the district, CISD had a great start to the 2018-19 school year.

Our teachers, administrators and departments have worked hard to prepare for our students arrival and ensure that they feel welcome and loved as they return to school, Blakelock said.

Blakelock added that the almost 400 bus routes and 61 other campus maintenance systems were fine-tuned and ready for the first day.

jane.stueckemann@chron.comOver the past 20-25 years, Armenia has pursued a policy, which has been built on mere rhetoric and has not been reflected in specific projects. Armenia has had no energy or transport diplomacy, only general statements about good relations with Iran. As a result, today a situation has arisen when Iran deepens relations with neighboring countries, sending a worrisome signal to Armenia's geopolitical significance and economy. Energy security expert Vahe Davtyan said in an interview with EADaily.

- Iran's energy minister said earlier that Tehran is in talks with Armenia and Azerbaijan on the possibility of exporting electricity to Russia through the territory of the two Transcaucasian republics. What does this tell us? Because it is well known that Iran has traditionally been considered a country that buys electricity for its own needs. And how will it affect the Armenian economy?

- Iran has recently begun to change its status in the external energy policy, in particular, its policy in the field of electrical energy industry. If for 25-30 years Iran was traditionally perceived as a country with an electricity deficit despite its oil and gas reserves, then today we have a situation when the Islamic Republic solves the problem of its electric power deficit virtually step by step and holds talks to export electricity to foreign markets. It indicates a sharp change in the paradigm of the Iranian energy policy and on this basis we can conclude that Iran has completely solved the issue of the deficit and turned into a power surplus nation, which allows this country to think about increasing exports.

It is not a very good signal for Armenia. To the Iranian minister's statement on holding the talks with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, I would add another important news topic, which kind of drop off the media's radar. About a month ago, Tehran actually initiated talks with Tbilisi on the export of Armenia's electricity, intended for Iran, to Georgia. It is known that Armenia and Iran have an electricity-gas barter contract, but today Tehran practically says that it does not need this electricity and preparing to send it to Georgia. This suggests that Armenia may later face serious problems in terms of selling electricity, which is produced in the republic.

Armenia has viewed Iran as a very important importer of Armenian electricity and traditionally perceived Iran as a country with an electricity deficit, stressing that we, in turn, have power surplus. But we must admit that Armenia was somewhat late, because over the past few years we have talked about the activation of exports to Iran, but by and large, no real steps were taken in this direction. And the only thing Armenia has is the barter contract, which, as we see, is of purely symbolic meaning for Iran. Therefore, Iran's statement on export indicates rather serious risks for the Armenian energy sector, which should be built on the principle of boosting exports.

- But do foreign markets want Armenia to intensify?

- Foreign markets are increasingly closing for Armenia today, it happens because of two important factors. First, the high cost of electricity produced in Armenia. Second, the build-up of energy capacities by our neighbors: Georgia solved its electricity deficit problem, Iran, as we see, also did it. The Armenian energy system, while not being export-oriented and having low domestic consumption indicators, is surplus, this leads to a rather pessimistic assumption that we should not hope for low tariffs inside the republic in the near future.

- The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed on August 12, and many call it Azerbaijan's another victory in the policy of isolating Armenia in the region. Is it possible to consider this event in such a negative light?

- I do not want to dramatize this issue too much, since I do not think that the signed Convention is aimed at deepening Armenia's isolation. Of course, the Caspian Convention indirectly affects Armenia's regional interests. In particular, as for the energy component, I do not see here a direct link with Armenia's interests, which may suffer. But if we consider the issue in geopolitical or military-political terms, then Armenia is not in a very favorable position.

It is explained by the fact that in addition to the economic component of the Convention, it is still a document forming a certain system of mechanisms for effective interaction between Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and two other Caspian countries. Accordingly, based on economic cooperation, which unites the participants of this document, one or another geopolitical issues can be periodically raised.

Here we are witnessing the rapprochement between Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as the rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Iran, which traditionally had serious disagreements over the Caspian Sea. But since the mechanisms have been created to settle all issues between the Caspian states, Armenia's geopolitical role is taking a back seat.

- Against the backdrop of all these factors - the deepening of the Azerbaijani-Iranian and Russian-Azerbaijani relations, the signing of the Caspian Convention and Iran's decisions on its electricity market, what is your forecast of future relations between Yerevan and Tehran?

- Iran is a very pragmatic geopolitical player which will always keep its balance: its economic relations with Armenia will continue against the backdrop of deepening economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. It's another matter when we try to compare the relative weight of the Armenian-Iranian and Azerbaijani-Iranian economic cooperation. The preponderance is clearly not in favor of Armenia here. And it is not just a matter of energy communications, which are gaining an increasing volume in the Iran-Azerbaijan relations, but also of the transport and logistics component. A number of projects that were originally supposed to be implemented on the territory of Armenia, were refocused on Azerbaijan. Armenia's main problem was that Azerbaijan could offer Iran more favorable conditions.

I believe that the Armenian-Iranian cooperation will preserve the current volumes (Iran occupies the fourth place in Armenia's foreign trade with the trade turnover of $250-300 million), but the increase will be in the direction of Azerbaijan. Especially taking into account that the signing of the Caspian Convention gave free rein to Baku and Tehran, new energy projects will be formed, which were simply frozen because the parties did not have a common vision for using the Caspian water and subsoil resources.

The situation even reached a point where Azerbaijan regards Russia as a supplier of gas through the Southern Gas Corridor, which is fundamentally contrary to the European Union's energy diversification.

- Why is that the case?

- Time is not on Armenia's side, we are far too late. Over the past 20-25 years, Armenia has pursued a policy, which has been built on mere rhetoric and has not been reflected in specific projects. Armenia has had no energy or transport diplomacy with Iran. Now, geopolitical architecture is developing in such a way that Armenia is losing the weight and importance, which it partially had about 20 years ago and which could be raised in the case of competent foreign policy in the future. Unfortunately, the Armenian foreign policy has no conceptual basis today. Hence the drop-out from regional processes.When recently appointed Australian Sen. Fraser Anning commenced his maiden speech on Tuesday, few had heard of the right-wing Queensland politician.

And if you had only watched the end of it - when Australian politicians including the leader of the government in the Senate shook Anning's hand, following a long-standing tradition after a maiden speech - you wouldn't have sensed anything suspicious, either.

But in between, Anning had just demanded a "final solution" to Muslim immigration, using Adolf Hitler's exact words to describe what is now known as the Holocaust, in which the Nazis killed 6 million Jews and millions of other people.

"We should [...] ban all immigrants receiving welfare for the first five years after they arrive. The final solution to the immigration problem is, of course, a popular vote," Anning said.

Now, the member of the fringe Katter's Australian Party is known across Australia - but for all the wrong reasons.

Anning refused to apologize for his remarks, saying that they were not meant to be understood in the Nazi context. But even as his party leadership stood by Anning, the vast majority of Australian politicians viewed his comments as deliberate and despicable.

Leaders of all major parties condemned the rhetoric, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing it as "appalling."

"Two words would speak for the brutalization and murder of millions. Two words that evoke fear and grief and trauma and loss," said Bill Shorten, leader of the Australian Labor Party.

The disgust voiced over Anning's remarks might be real, but just as real are some of the other headlines that Australia's conservative government has itself produced in recent years:

-- Australia abandons refugees to a life of uncertainty and peril (Amnesty International)

-- UN official says Australia responsible for 'inhuman' treatment of asylum seekers (The Guardian)

-- 'Shocking': UN again slams Australia's treatment of refugees (SBS News)

-- UN slams Australia for refugee mistreatment - for the fifth time in 2017 (Refugee Council of Australia)

-- Australia's refugee policy of cruelty (New York Times)

In Parliament, the Australian government's rhetoric has largely remained conciliatory. Prime Minister Turnbull emphasized this week that "people from every corner of the earth, from every religion - or of none - and every race can connect, be inspired by, be part of [our] values. That is Australia."

Some of the actions by Turnbull and his predecessors, however, have sent a very different message.

For five years, Australia has detained hundreds of refugees on a remote island that is part of Papua New Guinea. Deadly clashes, deteriorating conditions and pro-immigration protests in Australia kept their plight in the public debate. Some of the men have since been resettled in the United States, but human rights organizations recently raised renewed concerns over the health of those who remain.

Australia maintains that the criticism is unfair and that Papua New Guinea officials are to be blamed. "Addressing irregular migration through secure borders has been essential in creating the confidence that the government can manage migration in a way that mitigates risk and focuses humanitarian assistance on those who need it most," Turnbull said in 2016.

But abroad, the dispute has made the country's self-perception as a human rights defender less credible.

Australia's Refugee Council accused Turnbull's government last year of "fast becoming an international pariah in relation to its human rights record" and expressed concerns over "the lives and safety of many thousands of people suffering due to Australia's cruel policy and practices."

The U.N. Human Rights Committee's then-vice chairman, Yuval Shany, lashed out at Australia's "chronic non-compliance" with human rights laws last year. "The question is: How does the state justify treating migrants as criminals?" he asked.

A U.N. report issued later urged the Australian government to take more steps to combat racist hate speech and violence. The concern, experts warned, was that anti-immigrant rhetoric may eventually escalate.

At the time, the Australian government described the criticism as "bizarre."Five of the six U.S. Senate nominees in the battleground states of Minnesota and Wisconsin will be women following primaries Tuesday in four states that highlighted the expanding presence of female candidates in this year's battle for control of Congress.

State Sen. Leah Vukmir will be one of them. She won Wisconsin's Republican U.S. Senate primary after a campaign that pitted two of the nation's top GOP donors against each other in a divisive and costly battle that Democrats hope will bolster their prospects of holding the seat in November's general election. She'll face incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin in a state that Donald Trump won by less than one percentage point.

Minnesota voters picked nominees for two U.S. Senate seats, an unusual circumstance triggered by the resignation of Sen. Al Franken amid sexual misconduct allegations. Incumbent Democratic senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith will face state Rep. Jim Newberger and State Sen. Karin Housley, both Republicans.

In a potentially positive sign for Democrats, their voters turned out in significantly larger numbers in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Primaries were also held Tuesday in Connecticut and Vermont as the nomination season enters its final month and just 10 states remain to pick their candidates for the general election.

As has been the case in other contests this year, Trump's shadow loomed over Tuesday's balloting in the Republican primaries.

In neighboring Minnesota, Hennepin County commissioner Jeff Johnson beat former Gov. Tim Pawlenty in the Republican primary to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. Both candidates harshly criticized candidate Trump in 2016, but once he was in the White House they expressed support for his policies.

Pawlenty had resigned a $2.6-million-year position earlier this year as head of the Washington-based Financial Services Roundtable, a group that lobbies for U.S. banks and insurance, asset management and credit card companies, to run for his old job.

Johnson will face Democratic Rep. Tim Walz in a race that the non-partisan Cook Political Report rates as a tossup. The state leans Democratic and Hillary Clinton carried it by 1.5 percentage points over Trump in 2016.

In Wisconsin, Vukmir beat businessman and Marine Corps veteran Kevin Nicholson, a business consultant, who sought to use Vukmir's political experience against her while selling himself as a Trump-like outsider. Nicholson, a one-time Democrat, pointed to Vukmir's statements that Trump is offensive, which were caught on video during the 2016 presidential primaries.

Vukmir and Nicholson fought over who was more closely aligned with the president - a position that may be less helpful in the general election. Vukmir, a longtime ally of Gov. Scott Walker, had the backing of top Republicans in the state, including House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Roofing supply billionaire Diane Hendricks backed Vukmir and Dick Uihlein, an Illinois resident who owns a Wisconsin shipping and packaging materials company, had supported Nicholson. Outside groups, including those heavily backed by the two mega donors, spent at least $17.8 million before the primary.

In Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor, state education superintendent Tony Evers won a contest that had 10 candidates on the ballot seeking to prevent Walker from winning a third term. Walker easily won renomination, but his approval rating was 47 percent in a recent state poll and he's repeatedly warned his supporters of a possible "blue wave" this year.

Walker, who lost out to Trump in a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, had been put in the awkward spot just before the primary of answering questions about Trump's promotion of a boycott of a Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson Inc.

The iconic American motorcycle manufacturer has said tariffs enacted by the European Union in response to Trump's penalties on imported steel and aluminum would add as much as $100 million a year to its costs. The company said that means it must shift production outside the U.S. for EU customers, prompting Trump to lash out.

Walker has avoided directly criticizing the president for blasting one of his state's top companies and instead expressed his support for free trade.

In the contest to fill the southeastern Wisconsin seat being left open by Ryan's retirement, Republican Bryan Steil, a lawyer and former Ryan aide, will face Randy Bryce, an iron worker and Army veteran who has gained a national following. Bryce has raised $6.3 million, but as a Democrat he's got an uphill climb in a district Ryan routinely won easily and Trump carried by 10 percentage points in 2016.

Tuesday's primaries narrowed the field in numerous competitive districts that will help determine whether Democrats can flip at least 23 Republican-held seats to win a majority in the House. They'll have a tougher time gaining control of the Senate, where Democrats have 26 seats to defend, compared with just eight for the GOP.

Minnesota will play a key role in the fight for control of the House. Four of the state's eight districts are rated as tossups by the Cook Political Report. Only California, which is seven times as populous, has that many.

Among the four tossup seats, two Republican congressmen representing suburban areas, Jason Lewis and Erik Paulsen, face serious Democratic challengers, while two Democrats are leaving seats in districts where Republicans are competitive.

Angie Craig, a former health-care executive, won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's nomination to challenge Lewis in the 2nd District and wealthy businessman Dean Phillips won the party's nod to take on Paulsen in the 3rd District.

In northern Minnesota's 8th District, where Trump has greater popularity, Republican Pete Stauber will face former Democratic state Representative Joe Radinovich.

In southeastern Minnesota's 1st District, Dan Feehan, an Army veteran and Defense Department official in the Obama administration, won the Democratic nomination for a seat now held by Walz. Republican voters selected Jim Hagedorn, a former Treasury Department official who came within one percentage point of unseating Walz in 2016.

Rep. Keith Ellison, the Democratic National Committee's deputy chairman, won his party's backing for state attorney general after he was accused this past weekend of domestic violence against a former girlfriend. Ellison, who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has denied the allegations.

In Connecticut, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy faced no primary challenge. The outspoken supporter of gun control is seeking a second term and will face Republican small-business owner Matthew Corey in a race Cook rates as "Solid Democratic."

Wealthy Businessman Ned Lamont won the Democratic nomination in the race to replace Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy. Former investment banker Bob Stefanowski won the Republican primary for governor.

Sanders, a two-term independent who caucuses with Democrats, easily won the Democratic nomination in Vermont. The 2016 presidential candidate will face a Republican in a race that hadn't yet been called in a state that Trump lost by 26 percentage points.

There were 28 female candidates running in Democratic or Republican congressional primaries on Tuesday and half of them advanced to the November general election.

Democrats in Minnesota nominated Ilhan Omar, who would be one of the first Muslim women in Congress if she wins in November. In Connecticut, Democrat Jahana Hayes in making a bid to become the first black woman to represent the state in Congress.

Christine Hallquist, a former utility chief executive who is the first transgender major-party candidate nominated for governor, won Vermont's Democratic primary for governor and will face incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott in race rated "Solid Republican" by Cook.One of President Trump's Cabinet members is taking heat this week over his comments about California's wildfires and climate change.

During a trip to parts of Northern California charred by the Carr Fire last weekend, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told reporters that "it doesn't matter whether you believe or don't believe in climate change; what is important is we manage our forests."

According to the Sacramento Bee, Zinke added: "This is not a debate about climate change."

The Trump administration usually does not seem to think it a good time to talk about climate change when the country is going through - or healing from -- a natural disaster. The interior secretary is just the latest of a series of officials to eschew such questions during these crises.

Democrats and their allies in the environmental movement, on the other hand, use the disasters as opportunities to bring up global warming. They say that these are the moments when its impacts are most visible.

After Hurricane Harvey inundated much of the area around Houston last August, for example, CNN's Chris Cuomo asked Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway whether Trump was "open" to discussing the role of climate change. At the time, many climate scientists were saying Harvey's record rains had been made worse by an atmosphere that is warmer , thus able to hold more moisture.

Conway's response: "Chris, we're trying to help the people whose lives are literally underwater, and you want to have a conversation about climate change. I mean, that is -- I'm not going to engage in that right now because I work for a president and a vice president and a country that is very focused on helping the millions of affected Texans and, God forbid, Louisianans."

Similarly, when Hurricane Irma rocked the Caribbean in September, former Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt told CNN that "to have any kind of focus on the cause and effect of the storm versus helping people, or actually facing the effect of the storm, is misplaced."

A few days after that, Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, reiterated that it was not the right time to talk about climate change.

"I'll be more than happy to have a longer discussion on another day," Mulvaney said.

Unlike Mulvaney, Zinke did acknowledge the warming climate in his remarks. "There's no doubt the [fire] season is getting longer, the temperatures are getting hotter," he said in the same remarks to reporters in California.

And in an op-ed in USA Today last week he wrote, "The fires are burning hotter and more intense, due in part to hot and dry weather and in part to the fuels that overload our forests."

The interior secretary was trying to point out that regardless of climate, federally managed forests are still laden with dead and dying trees that make them more susceptible to burning. The Trump administration, along with many Republicans in Congress, want to ease requirements for environmental review for tree-thinning projects while making it more difficult for environmentalists to hold up that work through lawsuits.

Many conservationists counter that such legislation will allow for more unwarranted commercial logging on public lands.

"Zinke is in California using an ongoing natural disaster to push an unpopular political agenda," said Greg Zimmerman, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities.CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A $42,000 antique desk. A $32,000 blue suede sectional sofa. A $7,500 inlaid wooden floor map of West Virginia's 55 counties.

A scandal involving lavish office renovations and other financial abuses by the highest court in one of the poorest states in America has triggered an extraordinary move by one branch of government to essentially fire another.

The West Virginia House of Delegates on Monday impeached four justices of the state Supreme Court on charges of extravagant spending and other misconduct, setting the stage for a Senate trial that could lead to their removal.

One of those impeached retired on Tuesday, averting the prospect of sitting through a proceeding that is sure to explore the justices' fancy tastes in embarrassing detail. And the court's fifth member retired under pressure last month.

Some Democrats have decried the impeachment drive against the elected justices as a power grab by the Republican-controlled House and Senate, strategically timed to allow GOP Gov. Jim Justice to name their temporary replacements.

Republican Delegate John Shott, who oversaw the House Judiciary Committee hearings that drew up the articles of impeachment, said the court's spending of more than $3 million in office renovations earlier this decade came at a time when the state was struggling so hard it made tens of millions of dollars in budget cuts.

Justice Robin Davis, who has identified herself as a Democrat even though justices are elected in nonpartisan races, spent $500,000 in upgrades to her office alone  the kind of money it would take most West Virginians a decade or more to earn.

"Like the vast majority of you and many West Virginians, I find many of these purchases offensive," Delegate Chad Lovejoy, a Democrat, said during the House debate. "I find them to be outrageous, and I find them to be out of touch with our citizens."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17.9 percent of West Virginians live in poverty, the fifth-worst rate in the nation. The state's median household income is near the bottom at $43,385, or about $14,000 below the national figure.

But some Democratic lawmakers worry that their GOP colleagues might be exploiting the opportunity to take control of a branch of government that is supposed to be chosen by the voters.

"We're taking away from the people," said Democratic Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer.

Tuesday was an important deadline: Any justice who left or was removed by that date would be replaced by way of a special election in November. After that, any vacancies on the court would be filled by the governor.

Davis announced her retirement Tuesday rather than face a Senate trial. Most of the money spent in her office went for construction costs. There also was $28,000 spent for rugs, $23,000 in design services, an $8,100 desk chair and $1,600 on painting.

Justice Allen Loughry rang up $363,000 in office renovations, including the blue suede sofa; the floor map of West Virginia with a different colored piece of wood for each county; $16,000 for eight chairs; $6,400 for window treatments; a $2,500 coffee table, and $1,700 for throw pillows.

He also had the state-owned antique desk moved into his home and drove a state car to book signings. Loughry, who wrote a 2006 book chronicling West Virginia political corruption, was suspended earlier in the year and has been indicted in federal court on 25 counts, including two fraud charges added Tuesday over the personal use of a state vehicle and credit card.

The Senate trial of Loughry, Chief Justice Margaret Workman and Justice Beth Walker has yet to be scheduled.

Supreme Court officials have said there will be no interruption in the handling of cases. The court is in summer recess and is not scheduled to begin hearing cases again until September.

The retired fifth justice, Menis Ketchum, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to a charge related to the personal use of state cars and fuel cards.

Workman and Walker announced separately Tuesday afternoon that they won't resign.

"There is no basis for my impeachment," Workman said in a statement. Walker said she looks forward to explaining herself before the Senate.

Even if the justices escape conviction, lawmakers have questioned whether they have the public confidence necessary to continue serving.

Under the West Virginia Constitution, the Supreme Court essentially sets and controls its own budget. A proposed amendment on November's ballot would give the legislature more control.

Shott said the impeachment articles overall accused the justices of a "culture of entitlement."

Impeachments in state government are rare in the U.S., especially among Supreme Court justices. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Judge Rolf Larsen was removed by impeachment in 1994 for voting on whether to hear cases based on input from an attorney who was also a political supporter. But impeaching an entire slate appears to be unheard of.

"The state of West Virginia has lost confidence in the court  the whole court," said Republican Delegate Mike Folk. "They think they're better than everybody in this state that works a blue-collar job."WASHINGTON - Chanelle Mattocks remembers everything about the night lead poisoned her son.

She was giving Alonzo, then 3, a bath in a tub that her landlord had just had painted to pass a housing inspection. She turned to find a washcloth, and when she swiveled back, she found the boy with bits of peeling paint in his mouth. She tried get it out, but it was too late.

The lead tests came back positive: Alonzo had more than double what the government defines as "elevated," and he hasn't been the same since.

Between March 2013 and March 2018, at least 41 families discovered that their homes, subsidized by a housing voucher and approved by city inspectors, contained lead contaminants, according to a tabulation requested by The Washington Post through the Freedom of Information Act.

The District Department of Energy and Environment, which performed the count and the testing, said it inspected about half of the homes because a child living at the property, or visiting it often, had tested positive for elevated levels of lead; the other homes were investigated following a tip about possible lead hazards. The agency said that the list wasn't exhaustive and that there may be more.

The findings again highlight key weaknesses in federal guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which the District of Columbia and other cities follow. Many rental properties supported by housing vouchers in the city receive inspections under these standards. But they require only visual inspections for peeling paint and don't mandate lead testing, unlike states such as Maryland and Rhode Island.

"You cannot detect with any certainty that a house does not contain toxic lead dust without doing a dust test, period," said Ruth Ann Norton, president of Baltimore's Green & Healthy Homes Initiative and one of the nation's foremost experts on lead-poisoning prevention.

Since 2013, Washington has subsidized and inspected more than 18,900 properties, all while it tries to meet a crisis in homelessness and affordable housing. In the first seven months of 2018, the D.C. Department of Human Services placed 367 homeless families - nearly three times as many as it did in 2013, according to city statistics.

Rick White, a spokesman for the District Housing Authority, which performs many of the inspections for subsidized properties, said that most of the voucher properties in the tabulation were overseen by the agency. After hazardous lead was found in the homes, some families moved out when their landlords did not abate the contamination. Other landlords cleared the properties of lead hazards and provided documentation to city authorities, and the families stayed. It is the landlords' responsibility, he said, to ensure that the homes are free of hazardous lead.

"I do not want you, or your newspaper, mistakenly believing or inaccurately reporting that DCHA is not fully meeting its legal obligations," he said, adding that the city is also reviewing how cities that have made strides in lead remediation, such as Baltimore, conduct their lead inspections. "Rest assured that if federal laws or regulations are amended, then we will adjust our operating practices accordingly. . . . In all cases, DCHA immediately takes appropriate actions against any private property owner where a DCHA inspector identifies peeling paint."

The fix for peeling paint, however, often includes another coat of paint. But superficial and cosmetic fixes, according to housing advocates, lawyers and tenants, do little to address more significant and underlying issues, such as plumbing problems or leaking roofs, that can cause paint to crack and peel again. And that's when lead paint, effectively banned in 1978, becomes dangerous.

"Sometimes families chose housing that may not be great because they feel like they don't have any other options," said Kathy Zeisel of the Children's Law Center. "They may believe the coat of paint has resolved the issue, but by the end of the month, the paint is peeling all over again, and the water is coming through the walls."

It was a problem for Donna Black. She moved into a house on in northwest Washington with her housing voucher in 2013 while she was pregnant. When she first saw the home, she didn't feel good about it but didn't want to seem "choosy." Plus, the inspectors had said it was OK, so she assumed it was safe.

"That was very false," she said.

The roof started leaking. The paint started peeling. She gave birth. She named the baby Damion.

A year later, his blood carried twice the amount of lead the government calls elevated, although most advocates and scientists say any trace of lead in a child's system can lead to diminished cognitive function.

Four years after that, Black is homeless, living in a Holiday Inn Express with Damion, whose needs her life revolves around. "My son is not a normal 3-year-old," she said.

A lot of days, she's filled with anger.

"We're very upset with the city," she said. "The city is the number one reason why this has happened to my son. . . . They let our family move in there, and it was fixed up to the point where it could look like it was OK, but it really wasn't."

Mattocks, too, has trouble understanding how to a raise a child who is different from her seven other children. Alonzo, now 7, is always behind in his schooling, and she worries about what sort of life he will have. "I'm worried that, as an African-American male, they're already having so many issues with police brutality and being discriminated against that I'm fearful . . . that this will be another barrier that he'll have to try to get through."

Mattocks and Black filed lawsuits against the housing authority and their landlords in District Superior Court in 2016, but the housing authority was dismissed from the cases after arguing that it wasn't liable, although that decision is being appealed. "There really should be stricter standards to protect the children," said Alan Mensh, the attorney representing the two.

Scott Muchow, the landlord for Mattocks' property, declined to address specific questions about Alonzo's lead poisoning. "In late 2016, I received notice of a lawsuit for lead paint related issues at the property from Ms. Mattocks, but during discovery, Ms. Mattocks chose to voluntarily dismiss the case," Muchow said in a statement.

The lawsuit against Black's landlord, Jerome Lindsey, who could not be reached to comment, is pending.

Mattocks and Black said they were less interested in money than a sense of justice. They moved into homes that were supposed to be safe but turned out to be anything but, and now they're raising children whose needs exceed their means. And no one, they say, wants to take responsibility.

"So who do we hold responsible?" Mattocks said. "We have to hold the city accountable, and the landlords accountable, we have to hold all of these people accountable . . . so that the children we call our future, we take care of these children. . . . But how do we do that if we don't hold them accountable?"Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin expressed Turkey's deep disappointment over the U.S. stance on the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

"If we are to mention any disappointment, we can say that Turkey is experiencing a deep disappointment in terms of its national interests," Kalin said at a weekly press briefing at the Presidential complex in Ankara.

"It is our expectation that the problems be solved as soon as possible. The U.S. administration must be respectful toward the judicial processes in Turkey," Anadolu agency cited the spokesman as saying.

Criticizing the U.S. administration, he said: "As they are taking relations with Turkey to a breaking point for one pastor, we have yet to see either the Obama or the Trump administration take any concrete steps towards Turkeys rightful and urgent national security matters."

"For years they said 'We are with Turkey in combating PKK. We are, and will do instant intelligence sharing, but when we look if these pledges are carried out perceptibly we did not see a satisfactory-level of cooperation from them [U.S.]," Kalin stressed.TOKYO - South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged on Wednesday to establish road and rail links with North Korea soon, as a first step toward the sort of regional economic integration that Europe established after World War II.

Moon will travel to Pyongyang next month for his third meeting this year with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and he pledged that the two would take an "audacious step" toward the signing of a peace treaty and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Moon spoke during a ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule. He said good relations between the two Koreas would be the "driving force " toward the denuclearization of the peninsula.

He also said he wants to see groundbreaking ceremonies before the end of this year to establish road and rail links between the two Koreas, links that would cross what is currently one of the world's most heavily militarized borders.

"The reconnection of railroads and roads is the beginning of mutual prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said.

That in turn could pave the way for an East Asian Railroad Community, encompassing six Northeast Asian countries and the United States, he said. Although he did not specify the countries, it is likely to mean both Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and Mongolia.

"The Community will expand the horizon of the Korean economy to the northern part of the continent and become the main artery of mutual prosperity in Northeast Asia," Moon said. "It will then lead to the creation of East Asian energy and economic communities. Moreover, it will initiate a Northeast Asian multilateral peace and security system."

Moon compared this initiative to the gradually expanding ties that Europe instituted after World War II, starting with a six-nation coal and steel community and eventually culminating in the European Union.

"When peace is established on the Korean Peninsula along with complete denuclearization, economic cooperation can be carried out in earnest," he said. "When the dreams of a peace-based economy and economic community are realized, our economy can take a new leap forward."

He also proposed the establishment of "special unification economic zones" in border regions.

Moon's remarks will be closely scrutinized in Washington for signs that he might be jumping the gun. The Trump administration wants to keep up sanctions pressure on North Korea until the regime dismantles its nuclear weapons program. So far, there has been no real sign that it is doing so.

---

The Washington Post's Min Joo Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.Drone attacks near Khmeimim Air Base in Syria by militants have intensified in recent weeks, head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria, Maj. Gen. Alexei Tsygankov said.

According to him, five more drones have been shot down by Russias Air Defense units near Khmeimim Air Base in the last 24 hours.

Tsygankov noted that he objects were launched from the militant-controlled area in the Idlib de-escalation zone. "The hostile unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down not far from the base and the incident caused no injuries or damage," RT cited Tsygankov as saying.

On Sunday the Russian military said it had repelled two drone attacks "at a safe distance from the base." On Saturday a drone, apparently carrying explosives, was downed on approach to Khmeimim, also from the militant-held de-escalation zone in Idlib.WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said he doesn't have to abide by parts of the $716 billion defense bill he signed into law Monday because they encroach on executive authority, pushing back on attempts by lawmakers to constrain him on foreign policy and military matters.

Among the 50 provisions of the law that Trump disputed late Monday in a White House statement were sections that require formal justification for any administration activities that recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea, as well as consultation with Seoul and Tokyo before any move to shrink the U.S. troop footprint in South Korea.

Trump also objected to the legal basis for a measure in the law that requires the Pentagon to assign a high-level point-person to review and manage the military's widely criticized process for determining when American airstrikes result in civilian deaths.

Trump didn't expressly say that his administration would refuse to abide by the provisions. Instead, he said he would implement them where feasible and consistent with his authority as commander in chief and sole representative of the nation in foreign affairs.

"I applaud the Congress for passing this bill to provide the [Department of Defense] with the resources it needs to support our Armed Forces and keep America safe," Trump said. "I note, however, that the bill includes several provisions that raise constitutional concerns."

Known as "signing statements," such declarations are an example of the traditional tug of war between the executive and legislative branches over control of the government.

President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama regularly issued them to dispute elements of the annual defense policy bill, known as the NDAA, one of the few laws Congress passes each year. Though the history of singing statements dates back to the 19th century, they carry questionable legal weight because the Constitution doesn't include them in the legislative process.

The signing statements are "not new and we're not particularly animated" about them, a congressional aide working on defense matters said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about the practical impact of the statement.

"If Congress is dissatisfied with the way provisions in an NDAA are executed, then Congress has tools in the next NDAA to do what they want," for example by adding reporting requirements or tying policy steps to funding. Above all, Congress controls the government's purse; the appropriations process is also another chance for lawmakers to try to force action.

Since Trump became president, Congress has grown more assertive in circumscribing the executive branch's foreign and defense policies, as lawmakers from both parties fear the president will cozy up to Russia, remove troops from South Korea or take other steps they see as harmful to U.S. interests.

Trump disputed dozens of clauses in the bill, whereas Obama generally disputed fewer, at times only a handful. George W. Bush was more expansive in his singing statements, at times hitting out at a raft of congressional measures in the annual defense bill, akin to Trump's approach Monday.

The White House took issue in particular with certain provisions that appeared to be responding to prior Trump comments. In March, for example, Trump seemed to threaten to pull the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea if he didn't get the trade deal he wanted with Seoul, though he later said a withdrawal wasn't on the table. Other provisions sought to box the administration into taking a harder line against Russia after Trump spelled out his desire for warmer relations with Moscow and left open the possibility of recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the peninsula Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Scott Anderson, a former State Department lawyer who is now at the Brookings Institution, said that while the signing statement issued Monday was similar to those from previous years, the pushback underscored the expansive approach that lawmakers took in crafting this year's bill.

"This Congress and NDAA are pushing the envelope a little more in terms of trying to guide or constrain national security policy," Anderson said.

That includes measures seeking to prevent Trump, for example, from giving Moscow a pass on potential arms-control violations or resuming Pentagon cooperation with the Russian military. Other measures in this year's bill force the administration to provide Congress with more information on U.S. activities advising foreign forces, an indication of lawmakers' desire to be kept abreast of operations such as the one in which U.S. personnel were killed in Niger in 2017.

Anderson said those kinds of provisions reflected concerns in Congress about the administration's handling of foreign affairs.

"I think it's questioning the judgment of the Trump administration," he said. "They want to set up some roadblocks if they drive it off the rails."

Anderson said the administration was vague in the signing statement about whether it would comply with the objectionable provisions, suggesting it would cooperate when possible but leaving the door open to not doing so.

Trump's statement also singles out provisions that restrict the administration's ability to move detainees out of the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Similar to objections raised by the Obama administration, the Trump White House said the law may violate separation of powers tenets "including the president's constitutional authority as commander in chief." It flagged those concerns even though the Trump administration's Guantanamo policy differs dramatically from that of the last administration. Trump has promised to keep the prison open and end overseas resettlement of detainees in most instances.

Trump's statement also disputed a section of the legislation that pulls funding for some in-flight refueling of Saudi and U.A.E. planes operating over Yemen until the Secretary of State certifies that those governments are undertaking good-faith diplomatic efforts to end the war, as well as measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and reduce harm to civilians.

Brian McKeon, a former senior Pentagon official who is now senior director at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, said the number of NDAA clauses requiring the Pentagon to submit reports to Congress had grown substantially in recent years.

McKeon, who signed off on such reports at the Pentagon during the Obama era, said the reporting demands often strained the resources of the Defense Department's policy division.

He said lawmakers had few options to enforce clauses that demand reports or actions that administrations have found objectionable.

"They don't have an enforcement mechanism other than to take some other retribution," he said. That could include holding up a Pentagon nominee or a request to reallocate military funding.President Donald Trump's new brand of foreign policy is about to see its next test in Hungary, a NATO ally that has swerved closer to Russia as populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban pushes the nation toward authoritarianism.

The U.S. intends to move from public criticism of the rollback of democracy and a policy that isolated Orban under former President Barack Obama. Instead it will engage the anti-immigrant, euroskeptic leader and seal strategic deals, said David Cornstein, Trump's new ambassador to Budapest.

"Criticism alone is not a strategy," Cornstein, a former jewelry executive in New York and a close friend of Trump, said in written responses to questions from Bloomberg News on Wednesday. "We must pursue engagement, not just with the Hungarian government, but also with the Hungarian public."

The pivot is part of the sea change in U.S. foreign policy, as Trump has clashed with the U.S.'s closest allies in the European Union and NATO while reaching out to foes from North Korea to Russia. Trump's administration has downplayed human rights concerns and reached out to authoritarian figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin and -- until a current conflict that has roiled currency markets -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The change in approach to Hungary also is a recognition that ostracizing Orban delivered scant results. Since returning to power in 2010, the 55-year-old former anti-communist student leader has consolidated power at home, spread what he calls his philosophy of "illiberalism" to other countries, challenged the EU's democratic values and courted the influence of Russia and China.

Trump called Orban in June to congratulate him on a third consecutive parliamentary election victory, a gesture inconceivable under Obama's administration, which drew up a list of allegedly corrupt Hungarian government officials and barred them from entry into the U.S. Trump praised Orban for building a fence on his country's southern border, an echo of the American president's trademark pledge and a symbol of the anti-immigrant politics they share with other populist leaders across the EU.

The U.S. priority is to strengthen Hungary's commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and to make it a bulwark against Russian and Chinese influence, Cornstein said. The U.S. wants to strike deals with Orban, including a pact to strengthen military ties and one on supplying Hungary with a source of alternative energy -- Trump has been pushing U.S.-produced liquefied natural gas for Europe -- to reduce dependence on Russia, he said.

An alienated Orban has cozied up to Putin since taking power, sealing a $12 billion nuclear power-plant deal and criticizing economic sanctions against Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support of a separatist conflict in Ukraine's east.

Hungary has tried to block Ukraine's talks with NATO, accusing the government in Kiev of curtailing language rights for the country's ethnic-Hungarian minority. Ukraine counters that Hungary is doing Russia's bidding by trying to divide the military alliance. Hungary is also building a railway connecting Belgrade and Budapest with Chinese funding, part of China's Belt and Road initiative.

"The United States is working hard to shore up the West in a time of serious geopolitical competition," Cornstein said, highlighting Ukraine's talks with NATO as an important issue. The U.S. "offers far more than what's on the table from Russia or China," he said.

There already have been signs the U.S. may tolerate the Hungarian leader's increasing authoritarian tilt, which has included the capture of independent institutions and a clampdown on dissenting voices, including the press, universities and civil society. In July, the State Department said it wouldn't disburse $700,000 in grants announced last year for cash-starved independent Hungarian media. The embassy said has said it hasn't canceled the program but is looking to make it regional.

Trump's policy shifts have drawn fire from traditional U.S. allies. After last month's acrimonious NATO summit in Brussels, EU President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, said Trump is seeking to "reconstruct the global order in a way where America has no stable friends but has flexible alliances," which could hurt Eastern European nations that rely on American military muscle to ward off threats from Russia.

On Hungary, skeptics say engaging Orban might legitimize his pursuit of an "illiberal state" lacking effective checks and balances on his power without getting much of anything in return.

"The Obama administration was excessively rhetorical and insufficiently transactional" on Orban, said William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "The threat is Trump will be excessively transactional and insufficiently rhetorical."

Cornstein said the U.S. under Trump remains committed to democratic principles and will continue to voice its concerns as part of a strategic partnership with a NATO ally. The ambassador called on Orban to back off from plans to shut down Budapest-based Central European University, established by the billionaire philanthropist George Soros to train democratic leaders across eastern Europe.

"Our values have not changed -- we still very much care about principles like the rule of law, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech," Cornstein said. "But we need to be smarter about how we talk to our allies when we have disagreements, and we should approach them with respect and friendship."A Turkish court has rejected an appeal for U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges.

Brunsons lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, filed the demand on August 14 around a week after his previous appeal was rejected by the court in Izmir.

The 2nd Penal Court in Izmir rejected the appeal today and sent the defendant's petition to an upper court, Hurriyet Daily reported.

Brunson, who has been living in Turkey for more than two decades, was accused of helping supporters of the U.S.-based Fethullah Gulen who Turkish authorities say masterminded the 2016 coup attempt. He was also charged with supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The pastor was released for house arrest on July 25. The court ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet at all times and barred him from traveling outside of the country.

His next hearing as part of the trial is scheduled for October 12.At the inaugural Girls in STEM conference in Houston next month, attendees will make bracelets that spell out their birthdays in binary language. The activity is a lesson in computer science, software engineering and related careers.

In another workshop, teams of three will be given mystery powders and then have to use their detective skills to figure out what they are  observing geochemistry, chemical properties and identifying what properties in sediment indicate there may be oil present.

And if theyre intrigued by prosthetics, a scientist from Baylor College can help them learn more.

Its all part of the conference designed to connect girls in 4th and 5th grades with women working in professions related to science, technology, engineering, and math. Girlstart, an Austin-based organization, hosts the all-day conference at Alief Taylor High School. The conference is open to girls already enrolled in Girlstarts after-school programming in Alief ISD and Spring Branch ISD. When online registration opens later this month, a few spots will be open to girls at other area schools (girlstart.org).

Every workshop at the conference has a hands-on component that ties to a career in STEM, said Sharlym Aquino Gil of Girlstart.

We dont want this to feel like theyre attending a lecture. We want it to be fun and engaging, she said.

The same goes for STEM Saturdays, a free program at Discovery Green that welcomes both girls and boys.

In the past at STEM Saturdays, kids have made spaghetti towers to learn about structural engineering. Theyve also created air cannons and balloon cars and learned about polymers.

Slime-making is always a popular craft, Aquino Gil said.

Some families return every week, she said. The hands-on projects give kids that a-ha moment that connects something fun to the fundamentals of science.

Melissa McNeill of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System said shes seen girls blossom after being exposed to coding and other tech-related fundamentals in the library programs she teaches.

This school year, shell launch a Girls Who Code program at R.B. Tullis Library in New Caney. Girls Who Code is a national network of after-school clubs and summer camps (girlswhocode.com).

The librarys program is free and open to both girls and boys in 3rd through 12th grades who will learn the basics of computer coding. Depending on grade level, this may include designing an animated character using a computer-based game or learning HTML, CSS and JavaScript code to build their own websites.

Some of the girls who have completed the librarys computer classes have told McNeill afterwards that theyve changed their mind about what they want to study in college.

Girls are actually still pigeonholed a lot into certain types of positions, said McNeill, who taught public school for 16 years before going back for her masters in instructional technology.

In her experience, while its girls who sometimes at first are more timid than boys about learning computer code, they often are more successful.

For most of them its learning something new they never thought they would, or ever could, do, McNeill said.

Allison Bagley is a writer in Houston.The United States is not going to respond to statements of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

"We heard the statement, and its just something where were not going to respond to something that every government official from around the world has to say," she stressed.

"I think weve been very clear in terms of our policy regarding Iran and our concerns and our continued concerns about Irans bad behavior around the world," Nauert added.

Earlier, Khamenei said that Iran would not talk with the United States.It's hardly State Fair of Texas if you don't veg out on the multitude of fried foods and desserts while enjoying the live music, rides, shopping and other exhibits.

In 2005 the State Fair launched the Big Tex Choice Awards contest, which according to the website, "solidified the State Fair of Texas as the top fair for great food creations."

The 2017 finalists included items like a funnel cake burger, deep fried Froot Loops, and a tamale donut, but they are no match for the 2018 finalists that were announced on Aug. 15. 2018.

READY TO PARTY: Texas State Fair announces star-studded 2018 lineup

The judges were able to narrow down the 31 semi-finalists to the top 10, and though there were several fried choices, some of the most unique options weren't battered.

Among the stand-out finalists were the cotton candy taco  a waffle cone pressed into a taco shape and filled with marshmallow glaze, chocolate, toasted marshmallow and cotton candy  and the Texas Twang-kie, a cornbread cake filled with chicken and white bean chili and served with cornbread fries and more chili for dipping.

Of course there was also plenty of fried food options. One of the finalists was deep fried shepherd's pie, which is a potato ball mixed with cheddar and cream cheese then filled with shepherd's pie filling and fried to golden perfection.

On Aug. 26 these finalists will compete for the titles of Best Taste - Sweet, Best Taste - Savory, and Most Creative, which will come with a one-year subscription to customized marketing products from Vistaprint.

Visit the Texas State Fair website for tickets to the event. The 2018 festivities are scheduled to kick off on Friday, Sept. 28 and go through Oct. 21.

Take a look through the gallery above to see the other Big Tex Choice Awards finalists. (Food descriptions provided by the State Fair of Texas.)

Daniela Sternitzky- Di Napoli is a digital producer covering Texas news and pop culture. | Daniela.DiNapoli@chron.com | @Dani_DiNapoliA Third Ward church pastor praised God and firefighters for sparing his Baptist church from major damage Wednesday.

Houston firefighters were called to the Mt. Caramel Baptist Church in the 4100 block of Cosby Street around 4 p.m.

When they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming out of the church roof. They immediately cut holes in the roof to alleviate smoke.

As firefighters were tackling the flames, Pastor Kenneth Isaac drove into the church parking lot  skidding on the wet, loose gravel  and rushed to see what was happening to his church.

He had just received an alert from the church's security company that someone was breaking into the sanctuary. It turns out that alert was generated by firefighters attempting to break down the church's doors to tap out the flames.

"You want to be there when someone's breaking in, but then again you don't want to be there," Isaac said. "I went to go see what was going on. Once I saw the fire trucks, I thought the worst. God was on our side."

Ultimately, the fire turned out to be an electrical issue in the church's sound room. Firefighters put out the fire quickly, stopping it from spreading to other parts of the building.

"They were on top of it," Isaac said of the firefighters. "They did a superb job. They even cleaned up. They were very, very helpful."

While the church recovers from the fire, services will be held in another building onsite. Bible study was also postponed.

Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.comA Harris County jury will continue deliberating on Thursday about whether a former Baylor College of Medicine doctor raped a patient while she was hospitalized in 2013 for an acute asthma attack or he had consensual sex with the woman.

The jury mulled the question for more than six hours Wednesday before calling it a day at 9:20 p.m.

THE VERDICT: Ex-doctor convicted of raping patient at Ben Taub Hospital

The woman reported to Ben Taub staff that she had been assaulted in the dark by an unknown physician, but it took two years for Houston police to file a criminal charge against the suspect. Investigators connected DNA from her rape kit to Dr. Shafeeq Sheikh, an internal medicine resident on call at Ben Taub that night who swiped his badge to enter her floor at least 12 times.

The 32-year-old woman, who has suffered from asthma since she was 8, told jurors this week the attack derailed her life and marriage. The woman was identified as Laura in a series of Lisa Falkenberg's columns about the incident. The Chronicle does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.

BACKGROUND: Patient says she became doctor's prey at Ben Taub (Oct. 14, 2015)

Sheikh lost his job and had his license revoked in 2015 by the Texas Board based on the finding that he posed a continuing threat to public welfare. The following year a Harris County judge cleared Ben Taub and Baylor of liability in a civil lawsuit brought by the patient.

Defense lawyers at the eight-day trial introduced evidence about the womans career as an actress and model, noting that she showed off her cleavage and rear end in what they posited were sexually suggestive online ads. DNA evidence indicated she had sex with her husband her first night at the hospital, which meant she wasnt so debilitated, they said.

Their client, a father of four, certainly breached the Hippocratic oath and his marriage vows, his lawyers said. But they contend the patient seduced the doctor and reported the wild rape story to make her husband jealous and make money off a civil lawsuit.

COLUMN: Immunity law works against victim of alleged rape in hospital

Prosecutors say the doctor exploited a vulnerable patient, betraying her inherent trust when she was weak, sore, and medicated  following several acute episodes  and tethered to an IV and a heart monitor. She was unable to fight off the attack, they said.

Doctors know they have immense power over their patients: They have power over their bodies, over their information and their privacy, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said in her closing argument. Patients give this access, this vulnerability to their doctors. They subject themselves to the bright lights (and) the poking and prodding in hopes that doctors will use that power to heal.

Reeder called the doctors account of events ridiculous.

Testifying in Spanish through an interpreter, the former patient said in the early morning of Nov. 2, 2013, she awoke to find a man at her bedside in a white doctors coat saying he needed to examine her. He pushed up her gown and touched her breasts in an ugly way, and she pushed the call button repeatedly, she said. Witnesses testified that it had been unplugged from the wall.

She told jurors the stranger woke her two more times that night, penetrating her digitally the first time and raping her the second time. The call button did not work and she was immobilized from her condition and treatment, she said.

The woman testified that she has 14,000 followers on Instagram. She posts photos on the site and videos on her YouTube channel for her job promoting clothes for a boutique. Under cross-examination, she said the photos were sexy but were meant to be humorous rather than sexually provocative.

Sheikh admitted, under clear duress Wednesday, that he had intercourse with the patient. He understood it was consensual based on the womans body language. He told the jury it was a shameful lapse in judgment on his part.

He testified that the patient grabbed his hand during a chest exam in the early morning hours and placed it on her breast. He returned to her room to check on the married mother of two because he was curious about her apparent breast implant. She enticed him to go further, he said, massaging his genitals and pulling down her panties.

The defendant, who wore a dark suit and tie, testified in soft voice with his head downcast. He said when the patient touched his penis, I took it as a sign that she wanted to have sex.

After what he described as a one-minute interlude, he said, It immediately sunk in that something terrible had happened and I was scared for myself. Youre not supposed to have sex with a patient. Thats part of medical ethics.

Sheikh admitted he began checking her chart hourly after she told officials someone raped her. He did not come forward to hospital staff to give his account, he testified, because he was terrified.

He made a mistake, but he didnt sexually assault her, attorney Lisa Andrews said in her closing argument, pointing to her 46-year-old client. Here we have this Latina woman with her fake boobs that came onto that little nerdy middle-aged guy, and he lost his mind.

If hes going to rape her, dont you think he would have taken a condom? Is he goingto keep using his badge access and going on the surveillance cameras?

Baylor College of Medicine declined to comment. But Bryan McLeod, a spokesman for the county system that operates Ben Taub Hospital, said, Harris Health System has been supportive of the legal process and has fully cooperated throughout the investigation and trial phase of this case.

We care deeply about the safety and well-being of our patients, he said.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

twitter.com/gabmobanksA Houston commission on preventing gun violence released its first report Wednesday, including dozens of recommendations that span from increased use of new technology to placing a police officer at every Houston ISD campus.

The reports release comes almost three months after a gunman opened fire inside Santa Fe High School, killing 10 people. Mayor Sylvester Turner named the 37-member Mayors Commission Against Gun Violence a week after the shooting.

While most of the recommendations focus on schools, several address firearm safety and access, community safety and domestic violence and sexual assault. The suggestions hit the local, state and federal level, and call for community involvement to see tangible effects, commission Chair Haley Carter said.

Collectively as a community we all kind of have to take it on ourselves and work with the stakeholders, Carter said at a City Hall news conference Wednesday. Theres nothing that says you as a concerned citizen cannot take these recommendations and go to a school district.

Read the full report here.

The recommendations for schools include apps to report anonymous tips, digital tools to provide school layouts and blueprints to authorities in advance of crises, and micro drones to clear scenes in the event of emergencies.

The commission also recommended that each of Houston ISDs 283 schools have one police officer on campus at all times. HISD currently has 216 officers, according to the district website.

Active shooter building codes should be put in place, the commission said. Some of those standards would include alarm systems, secure entrances to schools and secure walls and doors. A partnership with Microsoft will help the city create safer buildings, Turner said, with additional sensors and mobile and web applications that allow security to communicate with people in crisis areas.

Commission member Alina Dong, an incoming senior at Clear Lake High School, said the Santa Fe shooting opened her eyes to the reality of violence in schools and the need to take steps to prevent it.

We often think the things that happen in the news take place in a world separate from our own, Dong said. It was at that point that I realized that it was just 20 miles away from my school, and it could have been me. As a student, its really meaningful to push for recommendations and push for actions.

Other recommendations are less physical and would take form through mentorship programs, violence prevention curricula, and increased mental and behavioral health resources.

The firearms safety recommendations mostly call for legislative changes, including strengthened firearm storage laws and mandatory reporting of lost or stolen guns.

One of the community-based programs listed in the recommendations is United in Peace, a program that would aim to reduce gun-related homicides, assaults and robberies within the Scott Street corridor, running from the Third Ward to Sunnyside.

The domestic violence-related recommendations include the creation of a protocol that would require domestic violence offenders to surrender firearms through the length of family violence protective orders.

Its not just about schools, thats an important part, but it is about what is happening in our communities and neighborhoods, its about whats happening in our apartments or homes, Turner said.

A second report will focus on legislative issues and has an anticipated completion date of November, Carter said.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com

Twitter.com/sam_kettHouston ISD and civic leaders celebrated Wednesday after learning that four of the districts longest-struggling campuses met state academic standards this year, staving off potentially major sanctions that have loomed for months over Texas largest public school district.

According to preliminary academic accountability results released by the Texas Education Agency, the four HISD campuses  Mading and Wesley elementary schools, Woodson PK-8 and Worthing High School  all showed enough student growth and sufficiently smaller performance gaps to receive a met standard rating in 2018. If any of those four had failed to meet standard this year, the Texas Education Agency would have been required under a new state law to close campuses or replace HISDs locally elected school board.

We know that we have work to do to build some more trust and support from our communities, but the numbers show HISD is shifting course and turning schools around, HISD interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan told a jubilant crowd Wednesday morning at Worthing High School. Theres a lot of good news happening in HISD. My hope is that the greater community sees that were heading in the right direction and will work with us to get there.

HISD also showed relatively strong results districtwide under the states new accountability system, which assigned districts an A-through-F letter grade for the first time while continuing to label campuses as met standard or improvement required. Academic accountability ratings are based largely on performance and growth on standardized tests in all schools, plus college and career readiness and graduation rates in high schools.

As a district, HISD officially was labeled not rated under a waiver related to Hurricane Harveys devastation, but it would have received a B grade without the exemption.

At the campus level, seven schools were rated improvement required, 15 would have been labeled improvement required but received not rated scores due to Harvey, and 251 schools met standard. HISD had 27 improvement required schools last year.

Although HISD will avoid sanctions this year, the threat of state-imposed punishment likely will loom throughout the 2018-19 school year. Another set of four low-performing HISD schools could trigger the same sanctions next year if they fail to meet academic standards when results are released in August 2019. Those campuses are Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School and Kashmere and Wheatley high schools. District leaders are contemplating whether to surrender control over those campuses to outside organizations in exchange for a two-year sanctions reprieve.

For Wednesday, at least, HISD and community leaders focused on the prior years accomplishments, shedding several months of anguish tied to the superintendents unexpected departure and discord over how to manage the sanctions threat.

Houston Chronicle

In a gathering permeated with joy, relief and tears, about 200 people gathered at historic Worthing High School on the citys south side to herald the accountability results. Lathan, who was elevated from chief academic officer to interim superintendent in March, heaped praise on district staff for producing HISD's smallest crop of improvement required schools since 2012. School board president Rhonda Skillern-Jones declared the district an A-plus for its perseverance through Harvey.

We can have detractors, we can have naysayers, but what matters is the data and the children, Skillern-Jones said. The children did this. The staff did this.

Worthings first-year principal, Khalilah Campbell-Rhone, rejoiced over shaking the threat of campus closure, which she said had weighed on the school community.

Everybody was under the impression that we would be closed down, that there may be no more Worthing, and thats what we were fighting against, Campbell-Rhone said. To win, the feeling is indescribable.

Lathan credited the districts school turnaround plan, known as Achieve 180, for producing strong academic gains at lower-performing schools. HISD dedicated an additional $15 million this year to roughly 40 campuses, which funded staff salary incentives, professional development services and resources dedicated to students social welfare, among other costs. Many Achieve 180 schools showed strong gains on the states standardized academic tests, often improving at rates exceeding district and state averages.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, who is closely watching HISDs performance given the potential for state sanctions, lauded the districts results Wednesday while cautioning that some schools still must show improvement. He singled out Kashmere High School, which would have received its ninth consecutive improvement required rating if not for an accountability waiver tied to Harvey.

Houston ISD has made progress, like many school systems across the state. That's clear and that's very good news, Morath said. But there's obviously still a number of schools that need greater support throughout Houston, and I know they're working diligently on that.

With the threat of sanctions lifted for at least one year, HISD leaders will move forward with tackling several looming challenges. Chief among them: who should lead the district after former Superintendent Richard Carranza abruptly left to become chancellor of New York City public schools in March.

HISD trustees opted to delay any nationwide superintendent search until after the release of accountability results, given the possibility of the TEA replacing the school board. Trustee Wanda Adams on Wednesday called for removing Lathans interim tag, with Skillern-Jones saying its a worthy conversation to have.

Other board members, however, have been reluctant to move so swiftly. Trustee Sergio Lira said Wednesday that the accountability results definitely have a strong impact on a potential vote to retain Lathan, but he did not call to keep her in the role permanently.

In the coming weeks, trustees and administrators also will begin navigating whether to surrender control over campuses at risk of triggering sanctions in 2019 to stave off potential punishment. Lathan said district leaders are considering a request for proposals, in which potential partners would submit plans for operating campuses. Only nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, charter school networks and government entities can become partners.

Lathans administration in April recommended giving control over 10 schools to a Houston-based charter school operator, Energized For STEM Academy Inc., but the proposal died amid community backlash and criticism over the charter networks academic and governance history. Vocal community members argued the district should not hand over campuses to private groups, while supporters said they did not want to risk state sanctions.

TEA officials have suggested partnership plans for the 2019-20 school year will need to be finalized by November, with contracts between districts and outside organizations completed in early 2019. The agency, however, has not finalized deadlines. Lathan said she hopes the TEA will extend deadlines into spring 2019, giving HISD more time to find and vet potential partners.

It gives us a chance to truly go through a formalized process so we can cast that net as wide as we can to see whos willing to work with us, Lathan said.Celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti, who gained national fame for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump, appeared in a Houston immigration court Tuesday to reunite a 9-year-old immigrant boy with his mother, who had been deported to Guatemala.

The attorney and cable TV fixture visited early-voting Iowa over the weekend after announcing a potential presidential bid. In Houston, he urged the goverment to immediately release Anthony Tobar Ortiz so that he could return to Central America with Avenatti that same day.

The boy last saw his mother three months ago when federal agents separated the two at the southern border and he celebrated his birthday alone in a federal shelter for immigrant children last week.

Theres no reason for this child to continue to be detained, Avenatti said.

The Los Angeles attorney descended on the Rio Grande Valley at the height of national furor over the Trump administrations family separation policy. On Twitter he declared he was entering this fight to end this outrageous conduct, even though Avenattis law background and practice is focused on civil litigation and dozens of pro bono immigration attorneys volunteered for weeks in South Texas to find separated parents and children.

Under the now-rescinded policy, widely regarded as one of the biggest fiascos of Trumps presidency, more than 2,500 immigrant children were separated from their parents. The adults were prosecuted for the federal misdemeanor of illegal entry, then spent a few days in prison before being transferred to immigration detention centers. Their children were sent to federal shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Hundreds of parents were deported without their children, including Anthonys mother, Elsa Johanna Ortiz, and the government has struggled to find them. A California federal judge ordered their quick reunification in June, but as of last week, nearly 400 children remained in federal custody with their parents outside the United States.

The government said in recent court filings that it has no contact information at all for the parents of more than two dozen children, and has not been able to reach many others. The judge, Dana M. Sabraw, has criticized the government for risking permanently orphaned children if their parents cannot be found.

On Tuesday, Avenatti and Ricardo de Anda, a Laredo immigration lawyer, asked the government to terminate Anthonys immigration case and allow them to immediately take the child to the airport and fly him back to Guatemala City. The mother had signed a legal document giving them permission to do so.

Rory Potter, an attorney for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said the government opposed ending the case, but agreed to allow Anthony to return home through a procedure known as voluntary departure, effectively closing the legal matter, but not allowing for his immediate release.

In a press conference outside the courthouse, Avenatti called it an absolute outrage.

Trump and his cronies talk about wanting to return these kids to their parents, but when it really comes down to it, like you saw upstairs, they dont want to do that, he said. They want to continue to send this message to the world that if people come to this country and are caught that basically their child is going to be detained, stolen from them, and their families are going to be destroyed.

De Anda said had the government agreed to formally terminate the case, Anthony would have been released from federal custody right then, whereas voluntary departure could take longer.

They are delaying as much as possible the reunification to further dampen the desires of refugees to come to America, De Anda said.

Potter, the government attorney, did not return a call for comment. Tim Oberle, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in an email that the agency couldnt comment on the case due to privacy concerns because it involved a minor.

Charles Foster, a veteran Houston immigration attorney who has advised President George W. Bush, said the governments response was completely routine.

Voluntary departure is normally what we would want, he said.

Formally terminating cases means immigrants are freed without any compulsion for them to leave the country, while voluntary departure imposes penalties if people dont.

Despite all the bluster, Foster said, in practical consequences the latter amounted to the same result for Anthony.

Hours after the press conference, Avenatti posted on Twitter that the government had agreed to release Anthony late Tuesday after his negotiating. Thousands responded on social media, with one user noting, people can criticize and critique you all they want for being power and media hungry but any motivation aside, you are actually making America better.

Avenattis co-counsel, De Anda, said officials had expedited the boys voluntary departure, and that he would be flying back to Guatemala on Tuesday night.

Many separated children remain without their parents.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the California lawsuit forcing family reunifications, has criticized the government for not doing more to quickly reunite families. It said the government withheld contact numbers for parents for weeks and that it is taking an unnecessarily long time to grant children the voluntary departure orders Anthony quickly received.

The New York Times first reported on the boys case in June. His mother, who raised Anthony alone, told the Times that she came here fleeing violent criminals in her Guatemala City neighborhood and to join her boyfriend, who is working here illegally in construction.

Instead the mother and son were separated after Border Patrol agents found them near McAllen in May. The mother said agents first told her that Anthony would be put up for adoption, then that the two would be returned to Guatemala together. Instead she was deported alone in June without any idea about what had happened to her son.

She found him only after her boyfriend contacted a lawyer who helped them locate the child in federal custody.

Avenatti, who took on Anthonys case after it was publicized, has rejected characterizations that he inserted himself into the family separation issue to remain in the national limelight, telling the Washington Post in June that argument was a bunch of nonsense, and its offensive  highly offensive.

He said he did not seek out family separation cases, but was contacted by families asking him for help and that he was doing so pro bono. He now represents more than 70 such children.

Not an hour after leaving Houstons immigration court Tuesday, Avenatti posted on Twitter a summary of his views on various political issues were he to wage an outsider Democratic bid for the White House. They included a basic Medicare plan for all Americans, a path to citizenship for young immigrants here illegally known as dreamers, and decriminalizing marijuana on the federal level.

Many have asked me my position on various issues, he said. More positions & details will follow.

lomi.kriel@chron.com

samantha.ketterer@chron.comThe Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board signed off on Sam Houston State Universitys plan to start a medical school Tuesday, two months before it is scheduled to consider a similar proposal by the University of Houston.

Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes said the approval of a doctorate in osteopathic medicine at Sam Houston shouldnt affect the chances of UHs proposed medical college, a long-time dream the universitys board finally committed to last November.

I dont see the two proposals as being competitive, said Paredes. Well evaluate the UH proposal on its own merits and go from there.

Paredes downplayed the fact both schools aim to train primary-care doctors to practice in underserved areas. He noted that Sam Houstons will focus on rural areas in east Texas and UHs will focus on urban and not-yet-defined rural areas. He called UHs planned medical degree a traditional medical school, in comparison to Sam Houstons degree in osteopathic medicine, which is more hands-on, holistic and prevention oriented.

Jason Smith, UHs vice president of governmental relations, echoed Paredes comments in a statement, calling the Houston proposal separate and distinct from what was considered today. We believe the board will judge ours on the merits of our own proposal that builds on our existing health programs and research and a commitment to nearly 400 residency slots.

The last comment refers to plans for UH doctors-in-training to rotate through Hospital Corporation of America Gulf Coast Division facilities. Such residency slots are considered important to Texas because a current shortage results in many students educated in Texas going out of state for their training. Studies show a high proportion of such trainees stay in those other states to work.

Sam Houstons degree program includes affiliation agreements with 26 East Texas hospitals.

Texas desperately needs more doctors. It ranks 47th out of 50 states in the ratio of primary-care doctors per person, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the shortage is expected to get worse.

Two new Houston-area medical schools would make for a crowded field. Currently, the region has Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in the Texas Medical Center, UT Medical Branch at Galveston 55 miles to the south, and Texas A&M Medical School 100 miles to the northwest. Sam Houston is 70 miles north of Houston.

A UH medical school would be the first in Houston in nearly 50 years.

Sam Houstons plans for its medical school to be entirely self-funded (mostly through tuition), which Paredes said was a condition of the coordinating boards approval. UHs plans call for a request of $40 million in legislative funding over 10 years. An anonymous donor has pledged to pay for all four years of the first class tuition.

The Sam Houston proposed school must still be approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. If UHs school is approved by the coordinating board, it must still be accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Paredes said he has not yet looked at UHs plan and added that staff must conduct a UH site visit in order for the proposal to come before the board at its Oct. 25 meeting.

Both Sam Houston and UH hope to admit their first class of students in fall 2020.

todd.ackerman@chron.com

twitter.com/chronmedGov. Greg Abbott weighed in on the sentencing of a Jordanian immigrant convicted of two Houston-area "honor killings" on Tuesday.

"In Texas if you commit 'honor killings' you will get the death penalty," Abbott wrote the day the jury's verdict came back.

Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, 60, was convicted of the capital murder of his daughter's new husband and her best friend.

When a social media user criticized Texas law for not sufficiently and harshly cracking down on "minor crimes" such as rape, Abbott responded.

"Texas passed a law imposing the death penalty against criminals who rape a minor," Abbott wrote. "Federal Courts struck it down as a violation of the 8th Amendment. Been there, done that. Keep up."

Earlier this year, Abbott commuted the death sentence of Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, a 38-year-old Sugar Land man whose father asked the governor to spare his life.

Whitaker was convicted of hiring someone to murder his family in 2003 in an attempt to obtain his family's inheritance an attack that resulted in the death of his mother and brother.

"In just over three years as Governor, I have allowed 30 executions. I have not granted a commutation of a death sentence until now," Abbott said at the time.

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93



U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha by phone, according to the U.S. Department of State website.

The sides discussed DPRK denuclearization efforts and the need to maintain pressure until they achieve the "final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK" as agreed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kang vowed to maintain close coordination and communication and they affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance," the statement says.For Nick Duhe, who grew up in Southern Louisiana, hurricanes and flooding are a regular occurrence, a part of life near the Gulf.

Still, he was surprised by the amount of rain Harvey left in its wake. The volume is what caught everybody off guard, Duhe said.

He credits his past experience and his Louisiana roots for giving him the strength, know-how and courage to step up and help his neighbors and friends.

When Harvey made its landfall, Duhe was alone in his home with his dog in their Spring Branch neighborhood. He had sent his wife and son to safety in San Antonio to wait out the storm.

His street flooded, but water never reached the house. He kept in constant contact with his best friend, Chase Brignac, who grew up in the same small Louisiana town and had moved to Fleetwood, near the Barker Reservoir, about 10 miles away from Duhe. On Monday morning, Duhe got a call from Brignac, who was stranded with his then-pregnant wife and young son.

He went from no water in his home to a foot of water, Duhe said.

Duhe grabbed his dog, borrowed a kayak from his neighbor and jumped in his pickup. It took a while to reach the Fleetwood subdivision. High waters forced him to turn around several times.

Finally, he was close enough that he could launch the kayak in the street and head toward the Brignacs home.

It was a sobering experience, to be paddling down a subdivision street, Duhe said. I knew the situation was only getting worse.

Once he reached the home, he loaded mother and child into the kayak, with a bag of their belongings, paperwork and whatever they could grab.

He was able to walk through the water and lead the kayak back to his truck, where his dog awaited, along with water, snacks and childrens books.

Duhe returned for Brignac. The two men then became their own rescue team, evacuating the street.

It was surreal to see this happening to anyone, Duhe said. But you didnt have time to think about it. It was just, How do I help?

That afternoon, Duhe drove his friends back to his home, where they would be high and dry.

We decided to go out back out that evening and for the next couple of days to help more people, Duhe said. Wed park on high ground, then walk in waist deep water to help people get into boats.

Duhes employer, Chevron, gave him time off to help. .

His father Rodney Duhe drove into town with catering equipment from his familys business in New Orleans.

We hooked it up, drug it to Houston, set it up in my sons driveway, Rodney said. They went to work and fed about 7,500 people in five days.

Father and son made huge pots full of jambalaya and traveled around town, stopping at churches, community centers and fire stations.

It was no surprise to see his son step up, Rodney said. Its just his nature. Thats the way hes built.Voters this fall are expected to get a second crack at the ReBuild Houston program because a court ruled that the language that appeared on the ballot when the street and drainage repair plan was approved in 2010 was misleading.

As city council prepares to approve new language for this Novembers ballot and formally schedule the election at its Wednesday meeting, the city finds itself in court again over precisely the same issue.

Eight years ago, Houstonians were asked, Shall the City Charter of the City of Houston be amended to provide for the enhancement, improvement and ongoing renewal of Houstons drainage and streets by creating a Dedicated Pay-As-You-Go Fund for Drainage and Streets?

In 2015, the Texas Supreme Court said that language failed to identify that a monthly drainage charge tacked onto property owners water bills would be a key aspect of the program.

Merely stating that a fund is being established provides little definiteness or certainty about something important to the people  will they directly pay for it? the courts ruling stated. When the citizens must fund the measure out of their own pockets, this is a chief feature that should be on the ballot, and its omission was misleading.

Earlier this month, Mayor Sylvester Turner proposed language asking whether the same dedicated fund should be established, consisting of the programs list of funding sources, including drainage charges for providing drainage utility services to benefitted real property.

On Monday, Brenham-based attorney Andy Taylor, who represented the victorious plaintiffs in their suit against the original ballot language, again filed paperwork with the Texas Supreme Court, arguing Turners proposed language did not satisfy the courts concerns. He is asking a judge to force the city to include the phrase drainage charges imposed directly on and paid for by benefitted real property owners in whatever ballot language it adopts. The court on Monday ordered the city to file a response to Taylors arguments by Thursday.

In an interview last month, Turner and city attorney Ron Lewis said they were aware of the courts concerns and felt their proposed language satisfied those critiques.

On Tuesday, however, Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock presented new ballot language to a council committee. The new phrasing specifies that this fund would be funded annually from the fees listed and also adds a phrase stating that the drainage fees are charged to property owners or users.

Taylor could not be reached for comment Tuesday on whether the latest wording addressed his concerns.

Regardless, the council is expected to debate the issue Wednesday. Monday is the deadline for scheduling items for the November ballot.U.S. President Donald Trumps national security adviser John Bolton will meet with his Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev next week in Geneva for follow-up discussions on issues raised at the Helsinki summit, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

After meeting officials in Israel and Ukraine, Bolton will head to Geneva to meet with an unnamed Russian representative to "discuss a range of national security issues," Sanders said.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier that a meeting between Bolton and secretary of the Security Council Nikolay Patrushev could happen "by the end of the summer."

News of the meeting comes just hours after the website of the Congress published the text of a sanctions bill from hell proposed by some of the most outspokenly anti-Russian US Senators.WATERBURY  Political newcomer Jahana Hayes and former Meriden mayor Manny Santos were the apparent winners in Tuesdays primaries for Connecticuts 5th Congressional District.

In the Democratic primary, Hayes, 45, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, handily beat front-runner Mary Glassman, 60, a former eight-term first selectman of Simsbury. The Associated Press called the race with nearly 42 percent of the vote counted and Hayes ahead of Glassman 61 percent to 39 percent. Glassman conceded about 9:30 p.m.

At 10 p.m., Hayes declared her win.

I started this campaign 102 days ago with no money and no people, Hayes told a boisterous crowd of 200 supporters at the Marriott in downtown Waterbury. People told me I had no chance and I had no business trying, but tonight we proved them wrong. I am so honored to be your nominee.

Tonight is just the beginning of the real fight. The fight for the soul of this nation. The fight for our morals and our character. The fight for our integrity and for a government that aligns with the ideals we hold dear.

On Nov. 6, we take back the House, she said.

Democratic State Party Chair Nick Balletto called Hayes victory well-deserved.

This was hard fought contest between two qualified, progressive candidates and as we head into November, the Democratic Party is stronger for it, he said.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy agreed.

She will be a much-needed voice in Congress, and Ill be fighting with her to keep my old House seat blue, Murphy said. I need Jahana by my side in Washington getting things done for Connecticut families.

Mary Glassmans supporters seemed stunned at her loss.

I think its the place and time we are in, Glassman told reporters after her concession, noting her 25 years of public service did not win the day.

Asked if she will support Hayes, Glassman said Absolutely.

I believe in public service, Glassman said. And this election has not changed that. We need to elect Democrats in November.

Primary for 5th District seat Democrat Jahana Hayes - 59 percent Mary Glassman - 41 percent Republican Manny Santos - 52 percent Ruby Corby O'Neill - 26 percent Rich Dupont - 21.5 percent Source: Unofficial results from the Associated Press See More Collapse

In the GOP primary, Southburys Ruby Corby ONeill, 65, and businessman Rich Dupont, 59, lost to front-runner Santos, 49, according to unofficial results.

With 61 percent of the vote in at 10:30 p.m., Santos was declared the winner by the Associated Press with 53 percent over Corby-ONeills 25 percent and DuPonts 22 percent.

Santos told three dozen supporters at the Meriden comfort in that that GOP has a bigger fight ahead against Hayes.

This wasnt a very easy battle, Santos said of the primary. This is just a skirmish in the overall battle.

The results set up a Nov. 6 contest to replace U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a three-term Democrat who dropped re-election plans because of her role in an office abuse scandal.

At stake for Democrats is holding onto Estys seat as part of a larger midterm charge against Republican control of Congress. Republicans, meanwhile, see the 5th District as their best chance to break into Connecticuts all-Democratic Congressional delegation and advance President Donald Trumps agenda.

Hayes, who jumped into the race with none of Glassmans political experience or party connections, had the encouragement of Murphy.

After Estys surprise exit from the 2018 election, ONeill and Dupont jumped into the race and made it a close convention in May, when Santos edged the two out for the GOP endorsement.

Hayes and Santos will now turn their focus on each other in a renewed appeal to the five cities and 36 towns of the 5th District, which stretches from greater Danbury to Massachusetts and includes parts of central Connecticut.

Although Democrats have the enrollment advantage over Republicans, voters who are not affiliated with a party are the largest constituency, representing 42.5 percent of votes in the district.

Staff Writer Leslie Hutchison contributed to this story.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342NEW HAVEN  Not one day into the general election campaign for governor, the major party candidates have nicknames for each other: Trumpanowski and Ned Malloy.

The terms of endearment surfaced after President Donald Trump took to Twitter to endorse Bob Stefanowski, the Republican nominee who skipped the party convention, spent months on TV and answered few questions about his plan to eliminate the state income tax.

Ned Lamont, who handily took the Democratic nomination in Tuesdays primary, jumped on the chance to bestow Stefanowski with a new name, while Stefanowski took the same opportunity with Lamont. Its a political campaign in the age of Twitter and likely an indication of whats to come over the next three months.

These Republicans, these are not George and Barbara Bush Republicans, these are not old-fashioned Connecticut Republicans and these are not Connecticut values, Lamont said, just hours after Trump endorsed Stefanowski on Twitter.

Congratulations Bob, Lamont said at a news conference Wednesday morning at his New Haven headquarters. Nobody embraced Donald Trump more closely than Bob Stefanowski during that primary.

Lamonts demeanor Wednesday, as he discussed the upcoming battle with Stefanowski and his plans for a state in financial crisis, was far more subdued than the night before.

Not more than a half-hour after the Associated Press called the race in his favor, Lamont bounded out of a New Haven hotel Tuesday night, hand-in-hand with his wife Annie, to make the five-minute walk down Chapel Street to the College Street Music Hall, where he accepted the nomination.

He grinned ear-to-ear when he paused in the street to answer his cellphone and accept the congratulations and surrender of Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, whom he easily defeated. After finishing his speech, Lamont danced on stage to the 2014 pop hit Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars, again taking his wife by the hand as his daughters laughed at his less-than-coordinated attempt to be hip.

It was a rare moment of uninhibited celebration by the normally buttoned up, unflappable Lamont.

Ready to run

Whos ahead in the Republican race? Lamont asked, just before he accepted Ganims call. A flash of surprise crossed his face at the answer, Stefanowski.

It would be more than two hours after Lamonts shuffle across the stage at the music hall before the rest of the Republican field conceded and Stefanowski was officially declared the winner, but Lamont was already preparing for the next day.

Were going to have a real debate about eliminating the income tax, which is the central premise of Bobs platform, and I think George Bush called that voodoo economics in his day ... that will result in crippling cuts to education and a big increase in your property taxes, which is exactly the wrong thing to do, Lamont said Wednesday morning, quoting state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, who has called Stefanowskis plan silly.

Lamont shared quotes from Stefanowskis Republican primary rivals Tim Herbst and David Stemerman, who denounced Stefanowskis plan to cut the income tax, stressing the math doesnt add up. Both Herbst and Stemerman said they will support Stefanowski in the general election.

Lamont said he hopes to hold the line on the income tax, offering little more detail than he did on the campaign trail about how he wants to streamline government and raise revenue to dig Connecticut out of its multibillion-dollar fiscal hole, and attacked Stefanowskis plan as a lie to the voters.

I view it as the same kind of empty promise that has gotten Connecticut to the brink of collapse, Lamont said.

kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasseltYears ago, I wrote a series for CIO magazine entitled, Life after CIO, where I chronicled the career trajectories of CIOs who had moved into COO, CEO, and general management positions. Recently, I was chatting with my friend Dan Galdenzi, and I decided to revive the series.

In this first installment, Galdenzi, who moved from CIO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont to chief growth officer at healthcare technology provider NASCO, talks about how he secured the position and how different it is from his CIO role.

----------------------------------------------------

What is NASCO?

NASCO is a healthcare technology company that is for the Blues by the Blues. We are driving consolidation and scale for our customers, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. We help them to create operating efficiencies by delivering new technology and cloud applications to automate claims processing, CRM, membership, enrollment, and billing. We are also in the process of creating a blockchain consortium among the Blues, and we have a business process outsourcing group that is in the early stages of developing capabilities in robotics and AI.

[ Learn from your peers: Check out our State of the CIO 2018 report on the challenges and concerns of CIOs today | Get weekly insights: Sign up for our CIO Leader newsletter ]

What is your job as chief growth officer?

I oversee corporate and product strategy, marketing, communication, and sales. I am also responsible for building and maintaining our strategic and integration partnerships. This includes our relationships with firms such as Gartner, PWC, and Accenture. The exciting part of the job is leading the integration partnerships with niche healthcare technology firms that solve a very specific problem for payers. NASCO evaluates, vets, and integrates with them to create scalable shared services for Blue plans. A good example would be a company such as Zipari.

What is NASCOs product strategy?

NASCO Dan Galdenzi, chief growth officer, NASCO

NASCO has traditionally been seen as a healthcare claims processing company because thats where we got started and what has been successful for us. That experience got us to where we are, but it will not get us to where we are going. We have an expanded portfolio in the product space with solutions for member enrollment and billing, CRM, concierge services, operational analytics, and web portals. There are 36 different Blue Cross Blue Shield plans nationally, and they all use similar technologies, but in slightly different ways. Thats made it hard for them to commoditize technology for scalability and reusability. Thats the Achilles' heel of the Blues systems. NASCOs product strategy is to bring shared services and white labeling solutions to these plans so that they dont each have to solve the same problems independently.

What was attractive to you about the chief growth officer role?

When I was CIO at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, I was CIO, CTO, COO and chief digital officer all blended together. While I enjoyed that role, I wanted to focus more of my time on creating new technology products. Also, healthcare plans are in the business of providing healthcare services, not technology services, and they cannot absorb change as much as a technology provider can. Thats just the nature of a healthcare business. My passion is in developing innovative solutions that can solve our broken and fragmented healthcare system. I knew that I had to join a technology provider to pursue that passion.

How did you get the job?

Because BCBS of VT is one of the NASCOs owner plans, I sat on the board of NASCO. As I got to know the leadership team, and I saw where they were going as a company and with their product strategy, I was drawn to their vision. With my CIO and Blue experience, NASCO saw value in my joining the company.

How is your CIO experience helping you in your new role?

In this role, I have really relied on some core CIO skillsets, including process discipline, project management, and leadership. To me, these skills are transferrable to any industry or job. Cutting my teeth in the IT field has allowed me to gain those fundamental skills in a structured environment, and now, with that experience, I can apply them as I see best.

What CIO skills did you have to unlearn?

Working on the vendor side of the technology market is very different than being a CIO. As a CIO, I would take a top down approach where my team and I would review a number of potential solutions in the market, and then narrow them down and pick one vendor. Now, on the product development side, we cast out a bunch of lines and follow them all. We cant just pick one solution and go with it. We have to move many ideas forward at a time. I have to add some flexibility into what used to be a more methodical approach.

What advice do you have for CIOs who would like to pursue a leadership role in a technology product company?

I would join the board of a product company. My board seat was the primary driver for my getting to know NASCO and their offering me the job. Joining a board is easier said than done, but its an important part of opening up your network and being seen as something other than an operational IT guy.

In addition to being on the NASCO board, I was the chair of the CIO roundtable for the BCBS Association. In that role, I was responsible for bringing the 36 Blues CIOs together, as well as inviting in guest speakers, including technology providers. That work enhanced my networks and added to my presentation and relationship building skills. It also gave me insight into the technology challenges and needs of the majority of the Blues organizations. My knowledge of the market was attractive to NASCO.

Once you network your way into a product, sales and strategy role, understand that your team will now be different. I used to manage a team of introverts and now its a team of extroverts. Working with the marketing team at the creative level has been rewarding, and working on our companys product roadmap has been enlightening. Thats the biggest about-face for me, seeing behind the curtain of getting a product to market. I was always the one evaluating products, now Im building them.

Now that you are no longer a CIO, what are your observations about the future of the role?

Ive met a number of CIOs who would like to spend less time operating and more time innovating. It is important that other members of the executive team see the innovative possibilities of CIOs. The opportunities for CIOs to develop new technologies are opening up in the market. The less often CIOs are pigeonholed as operators and cost centers (and the less often they report to CFOs), the more innovation they will bring to the market regardless of which side they are on. Organizationally, its best not having a CIO report to a CFO. That alignment tends to exacerbate the cost center mentality and limits innovation.

About Dan Galdenzi

Dan Galdenzi is senior vice president and chief growth officer for NASCO. He is responsible for leading the companys sales, business development, corporate and product strategy, marketing, communications and strategic and integration partnership teams. Before joining NASCO, Galdenzi was vice president of business technology and CIO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT). Galdenzi holds a bachelors degree in geography and cartography/GIS from Central Connecticut State University.As privacy controversies continue to absorb public attention both here and in Europe, we are hearing more and more about manipulative dark patterns where online services nudge people toward their preferred choices. One consumer report says these websites might be in violation of Europes new General Data Protection Regulation because the consent resulting from such manipulative practices is not informed and freely given.

In the U.S., Senator Mark Warner has proposed a Congressional determination that design tricks to exploit human psychology are unfair and deceptive practices to be prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission.

These techniques are everywhere and are used for good purposes

They arent the sole province of activities such as targeted ads that many seem to think are intrinsically wrong or risky. Go online to buy tickets for the new Bob Dylan play at the Public Theater in New York as I did last month. At checkout you will find an enormous, pre-checked bright red button labeled DONATE that has automatically added $15 to the purchase price. Now I already donated to the Public Theater and didnt want to give more. So, I clicked on the less visible Pay button and avoided the $15 surcharge. I had been nudged, but I didnt feel deceived in the slightest. I knew exactly what the Public Theater was doing, and since Im a supporter, Im glad they did it and wish them great success in increasing donations through this and other effective methods.

For another example, take a look at combat-veteran MJ Hegars moving political ad. Anyone with a heart  left, right or center  will be moved by it. It uses every video and audio trick in the book to create a positive impression of the candidate. But does anyone think it is deceptive because it is a strong appeal to emotions rather than an exercise in dispassionate policy analysis?

Reporters too use these techniques all the time to frame stories. They often report what they think is the truth, then what they take to be false or misleading, and then a refutation of the falsehood and they finish with a restatement of the truth. For example, they might start an article with the fact that illegal immigration from Mexico is going down, then report a false rumor that it is going up, emphasize its falsity, and close by repeating the fact.

This truth sandwich approach is widely used. Some think it is condescending to the audience, and based on junk science. But is it manipulative in way that calls for legal prohibition?

In fact, calls for prohibition in this area might threaten activities protected by the First Amendment, and not just journalism. In Sorrell v. IMS, the Supreme Court made it crystal clear that the creation and dissemination of information are speech for First Amendment purposes. The court struck down a Vermont law regulating prescription information on free speech grounds, saying fear that speech might persuade provides no lawful basis for quieting it. Going after manipulative data collection and use might face a steep uphill climb to avoid constitutional infirmities.

The FTC already has authority to prohibit deceptive acts and practices

The agency has full authority to act when statements or omissions are false or misleading. It is careful to use this authority only when the misrepresentation or omission is material, that is, when a reasonable person might have made a different decision if he or she had known certain information. But it is not afraid to use this power to stop bad actors. For example, the Commission was entirely right to go after smart TV manufacturer Vizio for failure to inform viewers that it was tracking their viewing habits.

Design decisions would fall under the FTCs deception authority under the same standards of review. And some design choices might be deceptive. For this reason, the Electronic Privacy Information Center did the right thing in drawing the attention of the FTC to these issues.

Dark patterns shouldnt be a privacy issue

I would be cautious about addressing dark patterns as privacy violations, as many are thinking. The issues they raise turn on fact-intensive assessments of particular situations and controversial distinctions between closely-related concepts like deception, manipulation, coercion and nudging. The Europe Data Privacy Supervisor is right to note that the line between persuasion and manipulation goes well beyond data protection. Dark patterns are best addressed under existing rules for deception.

Lets remember how data protection policy got to the point of worrying about deceptive designs. Under GDPR and the new California privacy law, consumer choice is the primary means of ensuring consumer protection. If design undermines this choice, then privacy seems to be violated.

Of course, giving people information and letting them decide is often a way of affirming their dignity and autonomy as free rational agents. But it turns out to be a very poor way to protect them from abuse when consumer information is collected in such a variety of ways and used for such a variety of purposes. In these circumstances, any process of obtaining consent is going to be complex and confusing.

In a way, relying primarily on individual control is a way of responsibilizing consumers for their own data protection, turning a job that should be the function of government and responsible businesses into a task for isolated individuals trying to go about their daily business. Its as if we turned road safety over to drivers, requiring them to pay close attention to highway hazard signs and to take another route if they think the danger ahead is too great. Making sure these warning signs are accurate and complete wouldn't be a satisfactory way to provide highway safety.

A new privacy law in the U.S. should move away from this primary reliance on choice, thus putting less weight on addressing the thorny issues involved in dark patterns.Audio Transcript

Paul Beston: Welcome to another edition of ten blocks city journals podcast, Im Paul Beston, and managing editor of City Journal. And I'm joined today by Judy Miller, who was a contributing editor of city journal and a Pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter formerly with the New York Times her memoir which was published in 2015 is called The Story: A Reporters Journey, but we're here to talk with Judy today about the life and career of a great American patriot and public servant Michael Sheehan, a longtime counterterrorism official who served in New York City and in Washington and whose work put him at the center of many of the battles and debates of the last generation. Michael Sheehan died on July 30th after a long battle with cancer you can find Judy's tribute to him titled Faithful Servant on the City Journal website and it's as good a career summary and remembrance as you'll find of him anywhere. Judy, thanks for joining us.

For the general public Michael Sheehan was a guy who generally worked behind the scenes he didn't seek the limelight as you say in your story didn't seek the glory but he kind of exemplifies those many people in our in our national security eyebrows you're just doing incredible indispensable work but aren't generally known to the public so for the general public who was Michael Shannon why was his career so important to the United States

Judith Miller: I think for all the reasons Paul that you just mentioned he was that faithful public servant somebody somebody who believed in service and the concept of service not for himself but for the nation and he was a soldier when I asked people how do you think Mike and I did know him well and consider myself a friend when I ask people that I was interviewing for this piece how would he like to be remembered people said as a soldier and a patriot and I think you captured that in the title of this article but bike was a kind of irrepressible force of nature and he was somebody who believed in doing the right thing even if he was wrong a guy who believed in changing his mind once he figured out he was wrong a guy who you said did seek the limelight but made an enormous contribution to our public safety I mean most Americans don't know Mike Sheehan but if you visit the Freedom Tower and the New World Trade Center complex you are safe and you are there because of Mike Sheehan because one of the many jobs he had and that was an extraordinary thing was the breadth and depth of his career in public service is that he when he saw the plans for the Freedom Tower he was then Deputy Police Commissioner for counterterrorism and that is trying to prevent the next 9/11 he took a look at the plans and then he took a look at where the hole was dug for the Freedom Tower and he looked at the roads and he said my gosh and I remember because he told me this over breakfast he said this is another terrorist incident waiting to happen this building is too close to the major highways its base is glass and we know from terrorism attacks that glass becomes a lethal weapon an explosion where people are killed in by flying glass than anything else he said I can't be the Deputy Commissioner for counterterrorism and not say something and do something and he went to Commissioner Ray Kelly who worked for Mike Bloomberg and he said Ray we've got to do something about this and he waged this relentless campaign against the most powerful interests in this city including Mayor Bloomberg who loved the Freedom Tower was I'm convinced everybody overtime that we had to redesign the building move it back from the roads make sure that the base was not glass but something more substantial that in the event that it was hit again people wouldn't die he he never took credit for it but was one of the many things he that he did in this all-too-brief live of his right and

Paul Beston: Of course the whole reason that we had to build a freedom towers of course when what happened to the original Trade Towers on 9/11 at the hands of al Qaeda and al Qaeda is of course a central aspect in the in his career and the story of his career and he was one of the very early voices I mean I think of John O'Neill and people like that who have been filed probably a little bit more more widely to two people who are these early warning officials and even as far back as the eighties yes that he was talking about what was happening in the Middle East I mean in Afghanistan and elsewhere bin Laden and al Qaeda and trying to get that on the radar screen of presidential administrations

Judith Miller: Right there is a very famous story and he actually said a version of this to me but it's recounted in Daniel Bolger's book Why We Lost about Mike Sheehan when he was then a military fellow at the National Security Council and this was in the Clinton administration and he went to the Pentagon and he and Richard Clarke who were kind of co-conspirators in the effort to get the government to do more about this unknown guy called Osama bin Laden at that point bin Laden had already taken out a ship one of our ships and he had already struck in several terrorist attacks but somehow the US government just wasn't focused on it and so Mike went to the Pentagon he was trying to persuade the guys he knew because he was a military guy right he comes up through the US Army Special Forces and he said look we've got to strike these targets and these targets and the Pentagon was hesitant the official saying you know where's the proof and what is the blowback and will we injure civilians and an attack and finally Mike just slammed his fist down and said you know what is it gonna take for you guys to do something about al-qaeda or is they'll kind of gonna have to hit the Pentagon and that was about a year before 9/11 and I often thought of those words and his telling me this story because he was so appreciative the few people singled out along with Richard Clarke by the National the 9/11 Commission as being one of those guys who kept warning and warning and he was like a dog with a bone you know he knew al-qaeda he had seen them in action he had watched American foreign service people come home in body bags and he was furious that we weren't doing more he had a cause that was behind you know administration's of both parties as Richard Clarke did I knew him for about 25 years 30 years I never even knew what party he was it wasn't important to him because he was serving the public interest when I think of what's happened to our politics when I think of what's happened to the country and how partisan we are how divided we are I think that Mike was the exact opposite of that he worked for George Bush he worked for Bill Clinton he was just a political he thought that what was in the national interest was all that mattered

Paul Beston: What kind of a thinker was he because you know you talk about his willingness to change his mind and also this great breadth of experience that he had he seemed you know sort of like down to the granular level of how to question a suspect and then all the way up to the bureaucratic infighting and he just seemed to be able to cross across all these levels on the counterterrorism mission.

Judith Miller: He had done everything in counterterrorism you could do from fighting drug dealers and terrorists and and the Sandinistas in Central America where he was a ranger jumped out of helicopters West Point graduate Airborne Ranger I mean first-hand experience the kind of guy who kind of killed a chicken by you know biting into its back all these things they have to do that just fill me with horror and and he he loved that he was a real guy's guy but he also knew how to step back he had done advanced degrees at Georgetown and how to look at a problem and how to evaluate whether or not what America was doing in terms of policy was working and for example he knew we've talked about al Qaeda but he also knew after 9/11 that there was another danger for us and that is that we would overreach we were building this huge national security intelligence department of homeland security structure which spent gobs and gobs of money and he knew firsthand that a lot of it was being wasted it wasn't being spent well he also knew that there was a danger that we were exaggerating al Qaeda he used to say to me again and again they're not ten feet tall you make a terrible mistake when you exaggerate them because you play into their narrative they want you to think that we're that they're 10 feet tall they're not look they're after 9/11 in this country they're 0 for 10 they've been trying to do another 9/11 they can't do it and that doesn't mean that he was complacent he was never complacent but he also knew that there was a danger in exaggerating their role and that we'd be fighting the last war Mike was always aware of the danger of kind of repeating his own meme and he became very much a critic of the national security post 9/11 structure that he helped create sure and that's tough to do intellectually you know to separate yourself that did that make him isolated and for allies you know I mean that kind of critical stance no it didn't because his credentials were so impeccable and because everybody knew his heart was in the right place and he just wanted to make things better he worried constantly about what we were missing what the next threat was he was a he and I disagreed about a lot of things he was a major gun guy you know I live in New York I don't need an Uzi to hunt for lunch and and yet it never in the way of discussion about how to do the right thing what was right for the nation what made sense what we could afford to do he was very worried about all the billions and billions we were spending without much visible effect well

Paul Beston: To that whole point I mean near the end of his life I mean how would you characterize how did he think that we were doing both on the domestic front of counter-terror and then you know the much more fraught issue of what to do overseas in foreign policy-wise where we've had so many different changes of direction

Judith Miller: A decade after 9/11, he had a seminar here at the Manhattan Institute and he talked about those very issues and I watched the video that was very difficult for me to do that right after learning of his death, but he was so prescient out evaluating the next threat but also talking about what we had accomplished she said you know the time has come to kind of pat ourselves on the back and say it has been a decade since 9/11 at that point and they haven't been able to repeat that they're on the run Isis is on the run in Syria they've lost all the territory they gained in Iraq they kind of been pushed back there they're now on the defensive and that's where you want to keep them he was feeling very good about the job of the CIA the FBI the Department of Homeland Security had done and he was also very optimistic about how the American people would withstand the next terrorist attack if it happened he he said we've got to be more like the Brits and the Israelis who kind of weather these things know they're part of modern life and move on with with life he felt good about that and he by the way one of his other accomplishments right after leaving the NYPD in 2006 was to set up West Point's first Center for counterterrorism analysis and thinking and because of that Center we know a great deal about trends and where Qaeda is and Isis are operating whether or not they're still able to protect terrorist power that was another one of his many many projects that he did I thought

Paul Beston: I was struck in your article too near the end just to show what kind of a restless thinker he was that his efforts near the end of his life included in terms of domestic counter-terror and domestic security he was beginning to move into the subject of the mass shooters.

Judith Miller: Yes

Paul Beston: And seeing this as you know it's a very real and obvious domestic threat that's cost cost all lives in recent years and starting to study that as well...

Judith Miller: Yeah, he even thought had some ideas about what to do about that for example he thought that the FBI ought to set up these centers for countering violence and active shooting I mean he saw this as a trend something that was picking up steam for reasons we don't quite understand and he thought that once again the FBI had to reconfigure itself so that the FBI would be better able to respond to and more importantly prevent such shootings Mike was a prevention guy if you can prevent an attack it's so much better than a good response to one

Paul Beston: Well you described in the article that you say in your article his legacy is as enormous as his loss and everything you've said here today seems to lend credence to that so these kinds of people are just not replaceable with what they know. and with what they've done so

Judith Miller: But he did train a generation of people who have come after him and are still involved in national security work of many kinds. I've heard from a lot of them one of them, RP Eddy, was a fantastic guy who ran now runs a security company who said Mike taught me how to wade through the bureaucratic BS to get stuff done and Mike mentored me and now I know that I need to net mentor the next generation another part of a legacy training the next generation Mike believed in that and he did it and he's inspired a whole new group of young analyst to kind of carry forward we'll see if they've succeeded he was kind of unique but hopefully his legacy will be felt not only at the Trade Center and at West Point and in all of the things and all the institutions that he contributed to but to the young men and women whom whom he'd counseled and tutored and mentored.

Paul Beston: He sets a high bar. Thanks for joining us, Judy, and I know it's a sad day for you because you knew him so well for so long.

Don't forget to check out Judy's work and more about this episode on our website, and follow her on Twitter @JMFreeSpeech. We'd also love to hear your comments about today's episode on twitter @CityJournal. And lastly if you like to show and want to hear more please leave ratings and reviews on itunes thanks for listening and thank you Judy for being here today.The Vegan Society is to move offices next week to accommodate all its staff, after quadrupling in size over the last decade.

The increase, from 10 staff to 40, and to more than 1m of income a year, is down to the organic growth of the vegan movement.

The number of vegans in the UK has quadrupled in the last few years to 600,000  almost 1 per cent of the population.

The charitys new offices will be in Birmingham city centre, at Donald Watson House  named after the charitys founder, who also coined the term veganism.

George Gill, chief executive of the Vegan Society, said: When I joined the society back in 2009, I was one of just 10 members of staff.

We now have a 40-strong team of talented and hard-working vegans, and it feels like the time is right for us to move to accommodate the expansion of the charity.

Once everyone is housed under the same roof, we will have space to pursue our plans for the growth of the Vegan Society and the vegan movement.

For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here.Watch any relay race, and no matter the speed or level of competition, one thing is universal: the look. The moment a runner hands off the baton, trusting the next person to finish what he or she started, a look of both relief and exhaustion envelops their face. That is how Kalani Gordon looked at me when I checked in at The Baltimore Sun newsroom.

Four days prior, on Thursday, June 28, Jarrod Ramos had entered the offices of the Capital Gazette and killed five people. Unfortunately it was me who saw it [online] first, says Gordon, the senior content editor for analytics and digital products at the Sun. We found out from Twitter, and I actually sprinted upstairs to our publishers office. Ive never run so fast in my life.

In the moments that followed, she says, a physical and emotional shift was felt in the newsroom as the team gathered to assess the situation. There was kind of a mix of uncertainty and franticism, Gordon says. It was one of the weirdest tensions Ive ever felt in the newsroom. Because on one hand, this is breaking news, we know how to do this. But also, that sort of chilling realization hits, that this is really real.

Within hours of the shooting, the Sun had compiled individuals bios of each victim. There was an instance when I looked up and reporters are making calls to start writing obits, while crying, Gordon says. One of the greatest gifts as a journalistor curse, depending on how you look at itis the ability to compartmentalize things in the midst of chaos. In breaking news situations, when covering stories of loss or sadness, this skill becomes paramount.

But by Monday, reinforcements had arrived.

We knew we were gonna need help, says Trif Alatzas, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Baltimore Sun, of the days following the shooting. Obviously we had lost some people and had a lot of people grieving, and we knew there were going to be funerals and memorials and things, so we started figuring out how do we get people here. Our first wave of help was from within the company.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

The Capital Gazette is owned by the Baltimore Sun Media Group, of which the Sun is the flagship publication. All of these are owned by Tronc, which also owns the Chicago Tribune. Because of this corporate umbrella of sorts, Tribune staffers were able to help remotely in the hours immediately following the shooting.

On June 28, I walked into the Chicago Tribune newsroom to see every television streaming the press conference from Annapolis. The room was a combination of shock, organized chaos, and despair, along with a realization of how easily it could have been us.

There was an instance when I looked up and reporters are making calls to start writing obits, while crying

We kept in touch with Baltimore to let them know what the chatter was on the wires and on social media while they updated their stories with local reporting. I and one other person were parsed off and assigned to Baltimore duties. The majority of the day was very much, be ready for whatever is thrown your way.

The Capital Gazette Facebook page had been flooded with messages of support, endearment, condolences, and even the occasional rage-filled troll. That day, I was the person whose job it was to read each of them and reply appropriately. It was pitched to me by Gordon as a heavy ask, and by the end of the day, I saw what she meant. It wasnt labor intensive, but it was emotionally exhausting. We didnt want the Capital staff to have to sift through them all and relive the incident again, but the heartfelt ones went into a scrapbook of sorts to give to them.

Friday morning, an all-staff email went out, informing us that anyone willing to travel would be flown to Baltimore to help in person, and should inform their supervisors. That message was promptly followed by an email to my boss, and roughly 48 hours later I was lugging my suitcase through OHare airport.

ICYMI: When a candidate has fake credentialsand sends you her fake diploma

The Tribune sent staffers in two waves: two digital editors, myself and Elizabeth Wolfe, for three days in the first week, and another digital person and a staff photographer the following.

Reporters and copy editors were also sent from other markets such as Florida and Virginia, and a handful of former Capital and Sun staffers were loaned out from their current publications to help. It all came together very quickly, but Im glad it did, Wolfe said. I really didnt know what I was signing up for, but I was happy to try my best to help.

Resources from the Suns newsroom had been sent to Annapolis, and the help that came from other papers was used to backfill those spaces in Baltimore. We wanted as few new faces in Annapolis as possible, Alatzas says.

The faces that remained in Baltimore were very clearly happy to have guests. Everyone stopped by our desks to shake hands and say thank you, although we werent really sure what for. We just showed up, opened a laptop, and did whatever they needed us to do.

There was definitely a sense of relief, Gordon said of our arrival. We were stretched pretty thin, working pretty much nonstop trying to maintain coverage.

Being there during such a tragic time in the history of journalism made the room feel more prestigious than it already is. Theres just something about carpet that looks like it hasnt been updated in 30 years, randomly painted neon walls, Pulitzer Prizes hanging in the same place theyve been since they were won, books and papers stacked as tall as my shoulders, and Elaine the newsroom administrator, there to show you where the extra napkins are. I didnt work there. This wasnt my newsroom. Yet somehow it so naturally felt like a home away from home.

The following days brought an array of tasks: prepping stories, editing videos, compiling galleries from victims funerals and July 4 celebrations, and managing social accounts for Baltimore and the Capital. Since our papers share content management systems, we were able to jump in with a functional knowledge of how to navigate their content.

I didnt interact with any Capital Gazette people, but doing their social media definitely felt like a really big responsibility, Wolfe says. Honestly the most nervous I have ever been to send a tweet was the editorial explaining why they were walking in the local parade. I just wanted to make sure every word was perfect, and that I got the right tone and didnt seem to be exploiting this tragedy.

And despite working nonstop, those same people had to be convinced every single night that it was okay to go home. Journalists are such dedicated people; even when another journalist tells them to take the July 4 holiday to rest and try to get more than a few hours sleep for the first time in six days, the typical response was Are you sure? I can stay.

They were definitely not concerned about overtime or clocking out, Wolfe says. They were there to do the work, and even if they were at home, they were going to keep doing the work. They were eating, sleeping, and breathing this.

After three days on loan, it was time to fly back to Chicago. Aside from the nightside copy editor, I was the last remaining person in the Sun newsroom on July 4, which made for a bittersweet ending. A week prior I had never met, or even spoken to any of the people I had spent the last few days working alongside. Now they are all people I consider my colleagues. The entire experience was a powerful reminder of how journalism is a team sport. All of the parts move together to make the machine run. And I was humbled to be a spare part.

I have told everybody I hope we never have to return the favor, but we are just so appreciative of the journalism community. Alatzas says. Its a tough business, but this is something that makes you proud to be a part of it.

Photo by Kayli Plotner.

ICYMI: Capital Gazette shooting shows the vulnerability of journalists

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Kayli Plotner is the digital content editor for the Chicago Tribune. Follow her on Twitter @kayplot.Whether giant social platforms like Google, Facebook and Twitter should filter (or censor) content on their networks is the subject of much debate, thanks in part to notorious conspiracy theorist and nutritional supplement-peddler Alex Jones of Infowars, who has seen his video diatribes and pages removed by YouTube, Facebook, Spotify, and Pinterest, but not by Twitter. In that context, a look at public attitudes towards such behavior seems particularly timely, and thats exactly what the Knight Foundation and Gallup have come up with in a study published this morning.

For the survey, Major Internet Companies as News Editors, Knight (which also funds CJR) and Gallup asked more than 2,000 US adults for their opinions on whether the platforms are doing a good job of delivering the news, whether they need to change, and if so, how. The good news is that more than half of those surveyed said they believe internet companies in general help people become better informed about the world around them. The bad news is that about 85 percent feel the platforms arent doing enough to stop the spread of misinformation.

What exactly does stopping misinformation mean, in the eyes of users? Platforms removing more content from bad actors like Alex Jones, right? Apparently not. More than 60 percent of those surveyed said they were concerned that removing or excluding content from news feeds gives people a biased picture of the news, and restrict the expression of certain viewpoints. About 80 percent said internet companies should show all users the same information from the same news organizationsin other words, no filtering whatsoever.

Then theres the real kicker: Almost 80 percent of those who responded to the survey said they believe internet companies should be regulated like traditional mediaalthough its not clear exactly what they meant by this. Newspapers arent subject to a lot of regulation about what kind of content they can publish, apart from obscenity rules. Broadcasters are regulated and licensed by the FCC, but in general, the mainstream press are free to publish misinformation in much the same way that Facebook is, with one very important difference: They can be sued for slander or defamation, and Facebook cant.

Thats because the major web platforms such as Facebook are protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which insulates them from legal liability for things their users post. This is a protection that isnt available to traditional media outlets (except for user content hosted on their websites). Some critics, including members of Congress, have mused out loud about either watering down the protection Section 230 provides, or possibly removing it altogether. It sounds as though many of those who were surveyed by Knight and Gallup would support such a change, although the web companies argue losing this protection would make it almost impossible for them to stay in business.

Heres more on the thorny problem of filtering content on giant web platforms:

De-platforming works : In the wake of the de-platforming of Alex Jones, one important question is whether doing this has any real impact, or whether it only makes him look like a martyr, and plays into the conspiracy theories about the platforms being biased against conservatives. According to a piece at Vice Medias Motherboard site, there is some evidence that silencing someone on distributed platforms actually does succeed in reducing their reach and influence.

: In the wake of the de-platforming of Alex Jones, one important question is whether doing this has any real impact, or whether it only makes him look like a martyr, and plays into the conspiracy theories about the platforms being biased against conservatives. According to a piece at Vice Medias Motherboard site, there is some evidence that silencing someone on distributed platforms actually does succeed in reducing their reach and influence. How to cover hate : When it comes to toxic groups such as the racist fringes of the conservative movement, what is the right way to cover these groups without giving them too much attention? CNNs Brian Stelter wrote about this conundrum in the context of the second Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, and Amanda Darrach wrote for CJR about this same question, a piece based in part on an interview with Whitney Phillips, a researcher with Data and Society.

: When it comes to toxic groups such as the racist fringes of the conservative movement, what is the right way to cover these groups without giving them too much attention? CNNs Brian Stelter wrote about this conundrum in the context of the second Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, and Amanda Darrach wrote for CJR about this same question, a piece based in part on an interview with Whitney Phillips, a researcher with Data and Society. Deleting conspiracies : One of the parents of a child who was murdered in the Sandy Hook shootings tells The New York Times how he spends most of his days trying to erase conspiracy theories that his sons death was a hoax and he is a crisis actor. Although he has convinced many platforms to take such content down, Leonard Pozner says he has had no success with Automattic, the corporate parent of WordPress.com, which says misinformation doesnt breach its rules.

: One of the parents of a child who was murdered in the Sandy Hook shootings tells how he spends most of his days trying to erase conspiracy theories that his sons death was a hoax and he is a crisis actor. Although he has convinced many platforms to take such content down, Leonard Pozner says he has had no success with Automattic, the corporate parent of WordPress.com, which says misinformation doesnt breach its rules. Be careful what you wish for : David Greene of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says hes in favor of having a discussion about the platforms removing content, but that there is a lot more to talk about than Alex Jones. The web giants routinely silence the voices of Moroccan atheists, women talking about harassment, Muslim activists, and many other groups, he says, and we should be extremely careful before rushing to embrace an internet that is moderated by a few private companies.

: David Greene of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says hes in favor of having a discussion about the platforms removing content, but that there is a lot more to talk about than Alex Jones. The web giants routinely silence the voices of Moroccan atheists, women talking about harassment, Muslim activists, and many other groups, he says, and we should be extremely careful before rushing to embrace an internet that is moderated by a few private companies. A global problem: The problem of what to do with a demagogue like Alex Jones may seem unique to the US, but Facebook and other platforms have been fighting similar problems for years in a number of countries, says Max Fisher in The New York Times. In Myanmar, a Buddhist monk has been using the social network to spread a message of hate against the Rohingya people for some time, and other groups have used it for similar purposes in Sri Lanka, and both cases have led to real-world violence.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Other notable stories:

Brian Feldman, who writes for New York magazines Select All site, says he is cheering the news that Facebook reportedly doesnt care about publishers and doesnt want to talk about traffic with news companies any more, a signal that it is done sending them clicks. That old world absolutely sucked and made the internet ecosystem a discernibly worse place, Feldman writes.

magazines Select All site, says he is cheering the news that Facebook reportedly doesnt care about publishers and doesnt want to talk about traffic with news companies any more, a signal that it is done sending them clicks. That old world absolutely sucked and made the internet ecosystem a discernibly worse place, Feldman writes. Josh Russell works as a programmer and system administrator at Indiana University and has a quiet home life as the father of two children, but in his spare time he fights online trolls, and has helped expose a number of fake accounts and disinformation networks set up by the notorious Russian troll farm, the Internet Research Agency.

Justin Ray writes for CJR about David Bishop, the owner and sole reporter for a website called FLA News, who reported that a candidate in a Republican primary did not have the degree she claimed to have on her campaign website. After initially denying the story and forcing Bishop to take the story down, the candidate later admitted she lied about the degree and shut down her campaign.

Everyone is mad about how Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have distorted the online conversation and failed to act against misinformation, so we should all go back to using Tumblr, one of the original social networks, according to Jeremy Gordon. The only downside? Alex Jones is apparently moving to the network as well.

The owner of New York magazine and related websites such as The Cut is considering a sale of the properties, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal . The assets are controlled by a trust set up by former New York financier Bruce Wasserstein, who acquired New York in 2003 for $55 million. Wassersteins daughter, Pamela, took over running the company in 2016.

magazine and related websites such as The Cut is considering a sale of the properties, according to a report in . The assets are controlled by a trust set up by former New York financier Bruce Wasserstein, who acquired in 2003 for $55 million. Wassersteins daughter, Pamela, took over running the company in 2016. Dan Gillmor, a veteran technology writer who teaches journalism at Arizona State University in Phoenix, warns journalists that the war on what you do is escalating, and says if media companies and individual reporters want to try and fight back, they need to cooperate more and devote their time and resources to big stories such as the corruption inside Washington.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg.A damning report into allegations of decades of child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members and efforts to cover it up in six of Pennsylvanias Roman Catholic dioceses is expected to be released in the coming days.

The public disclosure of the findings, the result of an almost two-year grand jury investigation, has been delayed while some of the people named in the report have launched legal challenges, arguing the report is inaccurate and releasing it in its current form would violate their constitutional rights to their reputations and to due process of law.

The state Supreme Court has agreed to consider those claims and scheduled the matter for oral argument in September. In the meantime, the court has ordered identifying information regarding those challenges to be redacted and the nearly 900-page report to be released.

The justices last week appointed a senior jurist, McKean County Judge John Cleland, to serve as a special master who will sort out disputes over what must be blacked out.

The court said if the challengers didnt object to redactions made by the attorney generals office, the report would be released by last Wednesday. That date came and went without the reports release, suggesting there is a behind-the-scenes conflict pending before Cleland.

The court directed Cleland to resolve any redaction disputes and then release the report by 2 p.m. on Tuesday. The justices also warned the lawyers against provoking or instigating unnecessary ancillary litigation over producing the redacted version of the report.

WHATS IN THE REPORT

Some details about whats in the report have been made public, including the disclosure by the state Supreme Court that it will identify more than 300 predator priests.

In June, Cambria County Judge Norman Krumenacker, who supervised the grand jury, said the findings involved allegations of child sexual abuse, failure to report it, endangering the welfare of children and obstruction of justice by people associated with the Roman Catholic Church, local public officials and community leaders.

The grand jury focused on allegations going back decades in the Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton dioceses. Previous reports addressed child molestation by priests in the Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown dioceses.

The bishop of Pittsburgh told parishioners the report was a sad and tragic description of events that occurred within the church and noted almost all reports of abuse in his diocese occurred before 1990.

A retired Erie bishop withdrew his objection to the reports release after prosecutors agreed some of its broad claims were not directed at him. A court filing in that matter said the report concluded that victims were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institutions above all.

The report found that diocesan administrators, including the bishops, often dissuaded victims from reporting abuse to police, pressured law enforcement to terminate or avoid an investigation, or conducted their own deficient, biased investigation without reporting crimes against children to the proper authorities.

LEGAL MANEUVERING

In seeking to force change to the report, lawyers for nearly two dozen unnamed current and retired clergy members filed a group response last month alleging it is replete with improper assertions, gross mischaracterizations, oversimplifications and outright erroneous conclusions.

In a July 27 order, Chief Justice Thomas Saylor said the grand jury worked to expose child sexual abuse and concealment of such abuse on an extraordinarily large scale.

Saylor said that ideally the people named in the report as having committed criminal or morally reprehensible conduct would have been given an adequate chance to appear before the grand jury and provide their responses. He said those who didnt get that chance are entitled to this courts further consideration of whether additional process can and should now be provided as a curative measure. That will be the topic of a September argument session before the high court in Philadelphia.

Amid the legal back and forth, Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently wrote to Pope Francis, asking him to pressure the states Catholic leaders to withdraw any objections to releasing the report. A lawyer for some of the petitioners complained that prosecutors were reaching out to the pope to try to get their way.

The Harrisburg bishop recently announced his diocese concluded church leaders failed to protect children by not adequately responding to all the allegations of sexual misconduct over the years and would remove the names of all bishops from buildings and other facilities.

CHARGES

Two priests have been charged criminally as a result of the grand jury investigation, but the states statute of limitations for child sexual abuse is a barrier that could prevent additional charges, particularly considering that many allegations go back decades.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.North Carolina Family Charged With Insurance Fraud

Officials have filed multiple charges against a North Carolina couple and their daughter in connection with two cases of arson at homes of people the wife knew.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation told news outlets its filed charges against 64-year-old Bonnie Harrell Neely of Mount Airy, including 223 counts of exploitation of the elderly and two counts of second-degree arson. Her husband and daughter are also accused of insurance fraud.

The SBI said the charges stem from Bonnie Neelys work as a caretaker, when she had access to elderly peoples money and used it improperly for at least five years.

The other charges result from arson at two homes where Bonnie Neely worked as a caretaker in 2017. The three received at least $300,000 from insurance after the fires.

Washington Housecleaner Ordered to Pay Nearly $12K in Workers Comp Scam

The co-owner of a former housecleaning business in Snohomish County must pay more than $11,700 for her role in a scheme to avoid paying workers compensation insurance.

Monica Ann Covey-Standley pleaded guilty Thursday, Aug. 8, to third-degree theft of wages and attempted false reporting of workers comp information, both gross misdemeanor offenses.

Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Eric Lucas ordered the Snohomish woman to pay the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) $11,743  the amount of workers comp premiums she and her then-husband, Blake Joseph Standley, failed to pay for employees of their housecleaning company, Kogaty Interiors.

Standley previously pleaded guilty to the same charges as his ex-wife, and received a similar sentence.

Agrees to pay wage theft victim

Under the wage theft part of the case, Covey-Standley and Standley earlier paid one of their workers $1,030 in wages that were improperly withheld. As part of plea negotiations, the Washington Attorney Generals Office, which prosecuted the case, required the defendants to pay the worker in full before they could plead guilty.

Judge Lucas also sentenced Covey-Standley to 364 days in jail, but suspended all but 15 days, which were converted to community service. She must serve two years on probation, and will face additional penalties if she commits a new crime or fails to follow restitution requirements during that period.

The Attorney General prosecuted the case based on an L&I investigation. L&I began the investigation after auditing another business that Blake Standley managed; that audit led to questions about Kogaty Interiors.

Workers help provide paper trail

The charges stem from when Covey-Standley and Standley were married and co-owned the housecleaning business in Mill Creek. She ran Kogatys daily operations, and he communicated with L&I.

Standley filed reports to L&I in 2013 and 2014, claiming the business had no employees, according to charging papers. However, an L&I investigation uncovered bank records showing the company was paying employees to clean houses during that time.

Employees told investigators they worked for the company, and provided wage and tax statements, along with time sheets as proof. Based on the employee payroll records, charging papers said the couple should have paid L&I $11,743 in workers comp premiums.

At least one employee, a worker who cleaned newly built houses for the company, was shorted out of pay. After the Standleys ignored her phone calls and emails requesting payment, she filed a wage complaint with L&I, which determined the couple owed her about $1,030.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Soybean farmers David Allen Hall and Tyrone Grayer had high hopes when a farm-show salesman told them the seeds he sold would bring good yields in their fertile Mississippi Delta fields, and were less likely to be damaged by weeds.

But as the plants began to grow, Hall, Grayer and other black farmers who bought certified seeds from Stine Seed salesman Kevin Cooper in 2017 noticed that they were shorter and less uniform than plants from other seeds. A bad yield followed.

Now, Hall and Grayer are among a group of five black farmers in Tennessee and Mississippi who are suing Stine Seed Co., claiming the seeds were switched and they were given faulty, low-yield seeds.

I was disappointed because we bought certified seeds, says Hall, standing in a bright-green soybean field in the heart of the Delta. If you contract for a thoroughbred horse, you want Secretariat to be born. Not a jackass.

The farmers also make another claim: that Cooper and Stine sold them bad seeds because of their race. The company and Cooper call the allegations baseless and irresponsible and asked a judge to throw the suit out of court. They say it doesnt cite a single racist comment or instance where the black farmers were treated differently from white farmers by company officials to support such inflammatory charges.

The farmers dont cite specific statements showing racism by the company. Rather, they allege discrimination in a pattern of deflective answers to questions and refusal to remedy the problem  echoes, they say, of a sordid history in the South that dates back to slavery and sharecropping.

The farmers have gleaned evidence that the seeds they bought were bad.

Their lawsuit says the farmers sent the seeds to be tested at Mississippi State University. A report from the universitys seed testing laboratory said the seeds showed rotten molded seed.

The farmers had expected 48 bushels or more of plump soybeans per acre, based on prior performance. Instead, they got about 25 bushels per acre, sometimes less  as little as five bushels per acre. The farmers allege they lost $1 million.

Their lawsuit filed in federal court in Memphis in April says Cooper, a district sales manager for Stine, sold the farmers seeds that failed to produce the promised crop yields.

The suit claims the good seeds the farmers thought they had bought from Stine were replaced by inferior seeds before delivery. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and damages based on false advertisement, breach of contract, fraud, racketeering and racial discrimination. It names Cooper, Stine Seed, company president Myron Stine and others as defendants.

Adel, Iowa-based Stine calls the lawsuit meritless. In court documents, the company said it did not engage in a racially-motivated conspiracy to secretly switch the soybeans.

Cooper, in a separate filing, also denies allegations of racism.

Thomas Burrell, president of the Black Farmers and Agriculturists Association, acknowledges that Cooper and others who represented Stine did not make overtly racist comments.

Your not calling me the n-word or another word doesnt mean that youre not racist, said Burrell, a plaintiff in the case. Its what you did. You singled out certain individuals and you sold them seeds you would not sell your white customers.

Burrell says Stines actions are a legacy of post-slavery discrimination against black farmers. In 2011, a federal judge approved a settlement of more than $1 billion in a lawsuit brought by black farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The suit alleged that the U.S. government had discriminated against black farmers by unfairly denying them loans.

In March 2017, Grayer met Cooper at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis, their lawsuit states. Cooper said he had soybean seeds that were suitable for Mississippis growing conditions. The farmers ordered 12,000 pounds of Stine seeds.

The farmers say they planted the seeds correctly and under optimal farming conditions in Sunflower and Quitman counties in May 2017. They soon observed that the plants were germinating slowly, did not stand uniformly, and were too short.

When the seeds failed to produce the expected yield, Cooper said the farmers could have over-sprayed the plants, court documents say. He suggested the soybeans might have dicamba drift, caused by an herbicide that damages soybean plants.

The farmers allege Cooper and another man swapped out the good seeds for the bad ones at a warehouse. The black farmers were given the inferior seeds, and white farmers got the good ones, the lawsuit claims.

Hall and Burrell met Cooper and Stine agronomist Kevin Ryan at a farm in Rome, Mississippi. Ryan said you have a yield problem. He told the farmers Stine could trace the seeds origin and how they were shipped, the lawsuit says, but never offered to test the seeds.

Defendants categorical and absolute dismissal of the pleas and cries  from plaintiffs regarding the problem with Stine seeds was a direct, blatant and intentional disregard for the safety and welfare of black farmers and constitutes a badge of incidences of slavery, the lawsuit says.

A court hearing has been set for Nov. 14.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Federal prosecutors in Atlanta, Ga., say a former lawyer used the identities of three dozen former clients without their knowledge to apply for fraudulent litigation advances.

Prosecutors said in a news release Monday that Chalmer Chuck Detling II, was indicted last week on seven counts of wire fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft for using the identities of 36 former clients without their knowledge or authorization in order to apply for and obtain 50 fraudulent litigation advances, totaling hundreds of thousands dollars.

Lawyers are supposed to assist their clients, not use their identities to commit fraud. said U.S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak. Detling allegedly violated his ethical and fiduciary duties by using his clients personal information to apply for litigation advances in their names. He then kept the money for himself.

It wasnt immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment.

Prosecutors say Detling practiced personal injury law in Marietta before voluntarily surrendering his law license in October 2016.

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: Detling was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2004. In May 2012 through December 2016, Detling was the owner and operator of the Detling Law Group, a law firm based in Marietta, Georgia. Detling primarily engaged in personal injury law. On October 31, 2016, the Supreme Court of Georgia accepted Detlings petition for voluntary surrender of his license. He is no longer licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia.

Various financing companies offer litigation advances to cover non-litigation related expenses (e.g., living and medical expenses) for plaintiffs who typically have a pending personal injury or workers compensation lawsuit. Typically, a plaintiff applies for litigation advance financing by submitting a signed financing agreement that includes, among other things, the amount of money being advanced to the plaintiff and a repayment schedule. Although the financing agreement contemplates that a plaintiff will repay the litigation advances with interest, the litigation financing entities do not consider such financing to be loans. Instead, they characterize the financing as investments or advances because a plaintiff who has no recovery would not be obligated to repay the litigation financing entity. The litigation advances typically range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

From October 2014 through April 2016, Detling allegedly devised a scheme to defraud several litigation financing entities by obtaining fraudulent litigation advances in the names of his law firms clients without the clients knowledge or authorization. During this period, Detling allegedly obtained 50 fraudulent litigation advances totaling more than $383,000 in the names of 36 clients. Detling applied for the fraudulent litigation advances using personal identifying information of his clients, including their names and Social Security numbers. He allegedly submitted applications that were purportedly signed and executed by his respective clients, but Detling knew when he submitted the agreement paperwork that the clients had not actually executed the agreements. Detling was able to secure these fraudulent litigation advances without his clients knowledge in part because the litigation financing entities did not require the clients to be present when applying for the litigation advances or receiving the disbursements.

In order to further conceal that he applied for and received the fraudulent litigation advances, Detling allegedly had the loan proceeds wired directly to his law firms Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) or he personally picked up checks from the lending entity and deposited the funds into the IOLTA account. The fraudulently obtained litigation advances would then be transferred from the IOLTA account to Detling Law Groups operating accounts or other Detling Law Group accounts. Detling allegedly further concealed that he applied for and received the fraudulent litigation advances in his clients names without their knowledge or authorization by often providing inaccurate contact information to the litigation financing entities for the clients who were purportedly seeking the litigation advances. This included providing fake phone numbers and/or email addresses in the financing applications.

Litigation advances are typically meant to cover non-litigation expenses for people with a pending personal injury or workers compensation lawsuit.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the State Bar of Georgia.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.A construction company has dropped its appeal of federal workplace safety officials determination that it was negligent in a trench collapse in Boise, Idaho, that killed two workers and injured a third.

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors responded to the scene after the Boise Police Department alerted them that a trench between 9- and 11-feet deep had caved-in and buried three workers employed by Hard Rock Construction, Inc. The collapse killed the crews foreman and another worker, and hospitalized the third laborer with serious injuries. The men were doing underground utility work for the Meridian-based contractor when the incident occurred May 3, 2016, on Gary Lane.

Each year, dozens of workers die and hundreds suffer injury when trench walls collapse and bury them in soil and rock  sometimes weighing several thousand pounds. In fact, one cubic yard of soil can be equal to the weight of a small automobile, about 3,000 pounds. Excavation cave-ins are among the most common causes of fatalities in the construction industry.

OSHA inspectors found Hard Rock failed to provide cave-in protection systems or a ladder to enter or exit the trench, did not have a competent person conducting inspections and failed to train its employees on the hazards and dangers in working in trenches. The agency issued three serious citations and one willful citation, and assessed penalties of $77,319 to the company.

The tragic loss of these mens lives and serious injuries suffered by their co-worker were preventable  which makes this incident even more tragic, said David Kearns, area director of OSHAs Boise office. Our investigation found Hard Rock Construction made almost no effort to protect its workers, or even to understand the right ways to avoid the common hazards in this line of work. Hiring workers and assuming they know how to protect themselves is a sure path to tragedy.

Hard Rock employs about 24 employees in excavation, grading and underground utility installation.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Hard Rock Constructions hands-off approach to worker safety and rush to finish the job contributed to the collapse, the Idaho Statesman reported Thursday.

Inspectors identified safety issues at the construction site hours before the trench came down.

Hard Rock later dropped its appeal in March for unknown reasons. The companys lawyer did not respond to a message from the newspaper seeking comment this week.

Its unknown whether the U.S. attorneys office will pursue criminal charges. Federal records show prosecutors had considered it in the past.

The family of Bert Smith Jr., one of the employees killed in the collapse, is suing the city of Boise, state agencies, the construction company and French Homes, the company that hired Hard Rock to dig the trenches as part of a residential construction project.

The familys lawsuit blames government agencies for giving out licenses and permits to the company for the project, and private parties for putting Smith at risk.

The defendants have all responded in court, denying the claims or saying they werent filed correctly.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.AKRON, Ohio - United Way of Summit County's new headquarters in the historic Sojourner Truth Building is now the Thomas and Lisa Mandel Community Center, following a $1 million gift to the organization.

The United Way hosted a reception Tuesday for board members and major donors at the newly opened headquarters at 37 North High St. in downtown Akron.

Thomas and Lisa Mandel, who made the donation from the Thomas and Lisa Mandel Fund of the Morton and Barbara Mandel Family Foundation, are long-time advocates and have served as board chairs of United Way. Thomas Mandel is president and CEO of Rubber City Radio Group.

"Lisa and I are longtime believers in the power of the United Way to improve lives in our community, and really in every community where United Way serves," Thomas Mandel said in a news release. "We believe that the new Thomas and Lisa Mandel Community Center, here in this historic building, will be instrumental to achieving our United Way's Bold Goals by the year 2025. And we are happy and proud to be able to assist in that effort."

The Mandels are members of the Tocqueville Society, a group of United Way philanthropic leaders. They have invested more than $400,000 in United Way over the past decade.

"We are immensely grateful to the Mandels," said United Way president and CEO, Jim Mullen in the news release. "So much of what we are accomplishing today - whether it's working toward our Bold Goals or growing as an organization - would be impossible without the support Thom and Lisa have given throughout the years. They have left an indelible mark on our organization, and we are proud that we will now work every day to better our community in a facility that bears their name."

At the event, William and Rebecca Considine were to be honored as chairs of the United Way's Centennial Campaign. William Considine has been CEO and president of Akron Children's Hospital since 1979.

In July, United Way merged with Info Line, with Info Line's 2-1-1 line and Housing Services now overseen by United Way. The 2-1-1 service offers Summit County residents access to local resources such as food, nutrition programs and disaster relief. All services will be housed in the Sojourner Truth Building downtown.

Although United Way headquarters will be renamed, the Sojourner Truth Building will retain its name, which honors Truth, Akron's leading civil and women's rights activist. Truth delivered her notorious "Ain't I a Woman" speech on the steps of the Old Stone Church on May 29, 1851 during the Women's Rights Convention. The Truth building was built at that site in 1903.

The Sojourner Truth Building, located in the heart of the city's Historic Arts District, also houses tenant spaces on the first floor, which United Way will rent to nonprofit organizations.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland police officers used less force in the first five months of 2018 than during the same time period last year, following training on new policies required by its court-enforced reform efforts.

Officers reported 103 incidents where officers used force between January and May 2017, according to data the city provided to the consent decree monitor and included in a report released Wednesday. That number dropped to 63 instances between January and May of this year.

The decrease happened as the number of serious crimes reported to police also fell during the same time frame.

Fewer officers also got hurt on the job, the monitor said.

The monitoring team disclosed the statistics in a semiannual report that updates the court and the public on the city's progress under the consent decree, a federally mandated reform agreement between the city and the Justice Department signed in 2015. The city's new use-of-force policies went into effect Jan. 1, after all officers underwent training last year.

The drop of use of force, even if over a short period of time, is notable because the Justice Department wrote in a 2014 report that Cleveland officers too often used unnecessary and excessive force against suspects and residents, violating their constitutional rights.

While the length of time available to compare isn't long enough to show a definitive trend, monitor Matthew Barge said the drop happened much faster than he would have anticipated.

"It suggests that rank-and-file officers are getting on board quickly," Barge said in an interview.

The semiannual report highlights many works-in-progress, which includes plans for community policing and allocating officers in districts and units throughout the city.

The report also mentions the struggles certain city offices have had, including the Office of Professional Standards and the Community Police Commission.

(You can read the full report here or at the bottom of this story.)

It notes that the comparison between this year and last is not perfect. Officials did not track the number of times officers pointed their weapons, which is considered low-level force under the new policies, until 2018. As a result, the monitoring team excluded those numbers from its comparison.

With that caveat, "the Team is nonetheless thoroughly impressed, then, that the early returns with respect to use of force are overwhelmingly positive," the monitor wrote.

More serious reported crimes are also down in the city limits between January and May 2018 compared to the same time period last year. Homicide, robbery, burglary and theft numbers all decreased.

Police tactics are just one of many factors that may explain the drop in crime, the monitor wrote.

However, concerns by some officers that the new policies would contribute to a "soft-on-crime" approach to policing is not supported by the numbers, the monitor continued. While the numbers may not definitely show whether crime, reported or otherwise, is actually down, a higher number of residents surveyed by the monitoring team in 2018 say they feel "very" or "somewhat" safe in the city than in 2016 and 2017.

"It appears, then, that - at least initially - officers are using force less without apparent increases in crime. Indeed, force is down at the same time that it appears that crime is down," the report states.

Finally, the number of injuries suffered by officers who used force are also down. Sixty-eight officers were injured between January and May 2017. That number dropped to 24 during the first five months of 2018. The number of officers injured overall also dropped by 12 percent, the monitor wrote

The monitor wrote it is too soon to conclude whether the new policies and training will make a sustained difference. More time must pass for the monitor to assess the incidents where officers used force, and instances where officers elected not to use it, to ensure it's all based on departmental policy.

Greg White, the city's consent decree coordinator, said the use of force and crisis intervention policies are "the two greatest success stories" of the reform efforts so far. Officers were trained on dealing with the mentally ill around the same time they received use-of-force training.

"We will see how stats play out," White said of the future. "It's very encouraging."

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said Wednesday that his goal is to complete the work necessary in a consent decree the city reached with the Justice Department by Dec. 31, 2020.

Williams made the remark to the federal judge overseeing the city's police department and said he wants the reforms completed in 28 months after the first of September.

The chief's goal means that he acknowledges the city's efforts to come into compliance with reforms outlined in a 2015 settlement it made with the U.S. Department of Justice would require more than the initial five years outlined in the original consent decree.

That said, if the city meets Williams' goal, it will only go past that timetable by a few months.

Williams said the 28 months would give the city time to finish major policies on topics such as community policing and search and seizure, and to train officers and see their effectiveness when officers are on patrol. Since most of the policies are expected to take effect by Jan. 1, Williams said his plan will also give the monitoring team two years of data to show that the city is in "substantial and effective compliance" with all the requirements of the agreement.

Williams declined to talk to cleveland.com following the hearing, other than to confirm the date in which he hoped the city would be finished.

"That's our goal," Williams said.

His comments came after U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. asked officials where the processes were in relation to the original schedule set forth in the consent decree. The judge expressed concern about whether the city was on track.

Other than Williams, nobody who spoke to the judge gave a definitive timetable. Monitor Matthew Barge, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and Cleveland Law Director Barbara Langhenry all said they were committed to doing the agreed-upon work very well, regardless of how long it takes.

The city's progress was also laid out in a report the monitoring team filed Wednesday.

The report, which Barge and his 17-member team puts out twice a year, notes that the city and police department have reached a number of milestones, specifically on policies regarding use of force and crisis intervention. However, "significant work undoubtedly remains," the report states.

Such delays are not uncommon in court-enforced reform processes. Police departments in Seattle and New Orleans, which settled with the Justice Department before Cleveland, obtained extensions as they came into compliance with their consent decrees.

Oliver approved the consent decree in June 2015 and Barge and his team were hired in October of that year. Numerous deadlines were pushed back as the city worked to comply with requirements regarding use of force, dealing with the mentally ill and community policing.

The city and monitoring team gave myriad reasons for delays, from preparations for the 2016 Republican National Convention and work not being up to par. A recent deadline for the city's community policing plan was also pushed back to allow more time for public comment, Barge said Wednesday.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city of Cleveland will not be able to complete police reforms within in the five years called for in a settlement reached with the Justice Department, according to information in a report released Wednesday.

The revelation means Cleveland could remain under the eye of a federal judge past the date in which the city was initially set to finish. It also means the city could have to pay more money for a monitoring team.

The report, which monitor Matthew Barge and his 17-member team puts out twice a year, notes that the city and police department have reached a number of milestones. However, "significant work undoubtedly remains," the monitor says.

(You can read the full report here or at the bottom of this story.)

The report does not explicitly say the city cannot finish everything the consent decree calls for in five years. It also does not give an estimate on how long the city might take to comply with all of the agreed-upon requirements.

It does, however, specifically note what the city has completed, what it still needs to do and where it can improve. Officials have said key policies for search and seizure and community policing are set to be finalized in the coming months, and implemented after that.

The consent decree says the reforms will end when the city has been in "substantial and effective" compliance for two consecutive years on most major portions. Should everything be in place by Jan. 1, 2019, for example, the city would be able to show compliance by Dec. 31, 2020 at the earliest.

Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said at a hearing Wednesday that his goal was to finish the consent decree work by the end of 2020.

Such delays are not uncommon in court-enforced reform processes. Police departments in Seattle and New Orleans, which settled with the Justice Department before Cleveland, obtained extensions as they came into compliance with their consent decrees.

The consent decree also allows for and anticipates such delays, and either the monitoring team or the judge has approved extensions when the city sought them.

However, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's interim Chief of Staff Sharon Dumas insisted in an interview in March that the city would complete all the required reforms in five years.

U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver approved the consent decree in June 2015. Numerous deadlines were pushed back as the city worked to comply with requirements regarding use of force, dealing with the mentally ill and community policing.

As of Wednesday, the city continues to work on number of proposed policies and plans for community policing, staffing and recruitment. Officials also need to finish the city's new search and seizure policies and ensure the Office of Professional Standards, which investigates citizen complaints against officers, is handling cases properly, among other tasks.

The city and monitoring team gave myriad reasons for delays, from preparations for the 2016 Republican National Convention and work not being up to par. A recent deadline for the city's community policing plan was also pushed back to allow more time for public comment, Barge said Wednesday.

"The Monitoring Team is optimistic that, with the continued hard work and focus of all stakeholders, the upcoming reporting period will see many important policies finalized, training programs completed, and major reforms implemented - accelerating the rate of progress toward Substantial and Effective Compliance with the Decree," the report states.

The city can ask the judge to end the consent decree if it feels it is in compliance with all portions of the agreement.

Greg White, Cleveland's consent decree coordinator, said Tuesday that he wouldn't speculate on when the city would fully implement the required reforms. He noted that the consent decree is very "front loaded," as much of the intensive work was set to be completed earlier in the process.

He highlighted work the monitor praised and the work the city has done and said city officials remain dedicated.

"We're just at that point where we're reaching a milestone, in my view, of progress, of getting over the hump," White, a former U.S. attorney and federal magistrate judge, said.

The city took major steps in several areas, including training officers on how to properly use force and dealing with the mentally ill. Officials also unveiled thorough reports in the past few months on community policing, staffing and recruitment efforts.

The consent decree says the monitor will be appointed for at least five years. His contract will automatically be extended should the judge decide the city is not in full compliance after that period. If the reforms are to go for seven years or longer, the judge must determine the monitor is necessary to ensure the city is in compliance.

The monitor's contract calls for Barge and his team to be paid up to $4.95 million over five years. The city would have to negotiate an extension should the judge decide the monitor's services are still necessary.

Barge said in an interview that "we continue to operate under the assumption that we're trying to get as much done in five years as we can."

Should the reforms take longer, Barge said he would have to have a discussion with the city and Justice Department to see where the city is at and what needs to happen.

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said in a statement Tuesday that Cleveland police "continues to make progress implementing the agreement." He did not address the city's reforms going past the five-year mark.

"It remains our belief that increased training, oversight reforms and modernized technology and equipment will strengthen the relationship between the community and the division, while increasing safety for both the general public and the police officers," Herdman continued.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- On Nov. 6, Richmond Heights voters will be asked if they want to approve seven changes to the city's charter, as recently recommended by the Charter Review Commission.

The commission did its work quickly, poring through the city's charter -- which is akin to its constitution -- in four weeks, then recommending the changes. Although the changes will automatically go on the November ballot, council formally approved of each at its meeting Tuesday.

The recommended changes range from those clarifying language when it is necessary to try to recall an elected official, to one in which pronouns are merely made proper.

The proposed changes look like this:

-- An amendment stating that technical difficulties that make broadcasting a council meeting impossible will not prevent a meeting from being held or affect the validity of any action council takes at that meeting.

-- An amendment that would make it clear that the mayor has the power to authorize and execute contracts on behalf of the city as they pertain to services, materials, labor, goods and other matters, but only after City Council has set the amounts to be spent and appropriated the necessary funds.

-- An amendment clarifying the limits of City Council's authority to approve or confirm, disapprove or reject appointments of personnel made by the mayor.

-- An amendment suggested by Law Director Todd Hunt that the charter make stronger the qualifications for the person holding the law director position in Richmond Heights.

"I think it's important to have someone with (legal) experience, at least five years, and experience in Ohio's courts," Hunt said.

This charter amendment would ask voters to approve a law director having at least five years' prior experience, and that the lawyer be admitted to practice in Ohio courts.

-- An amendment clarifying the number of signatures needed on a petition to seek public office in Richmond Heights.

Hunt, who oversaw the commission's meetings as the city's representative, said the number of signatures would remain the same -- 150 valid signatures for those seeking citywide office and 50 for ward positions -- but that wording would be cleared up to reflect the charter's exact meaning.

-- In the case of a recall election, the charter would be amended to make clearer the language as to what voters are being asked.

The current language asks voters if they want to retain an office holder. Hunt said the amendment would ask voters if they want to remove a person from office.

"Four years ago, we had this issue come up," Hunt said of the recall of then mayor Miesha Headen.

"We had a terrible time educating voters four years ago about how to vote, yes or no for, at that time, retaining the mayor."

-- In a recommended change that Hunt called "my pet peeve," voters will be asked to make grammatical changes in the charter. The plural pronouns "they" and "their" would be replaced with the title of the position discussed, such as "Mayor" or "City Council."

"There is nowhere in the charter where 'they' or 'their' should be used at all," said Hunt, noting that there are 23 sections in the charter where those pronouns are used.

Residents serving on the Charter Review Commission this year were Brian Silver; Jeff Nypaver; former councilman Donald O'Toole, who served as chair; Cassandra Nelson; Vince Benander; Mary Muehle; Randy Doubek; Fred Cash; and Nelson Barmen.

The commission completed its work with a meeting Aug. 6. The charter states that a Charter Review Commission be named every five years. Mayor David Roche selected two commission members, while council members selected one each.

Hunt said that the Ohio Secretary of State's office will write the final language voters will see on the ballot.

Those with questions about the proposed charter changes can ask them of city leaders at the next Richmond Heights Community Conversations event, to be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Kiwanis Lodge at the city's Community Park, 26789 Highland Road.

Richmond Road work

Also at its meeting Tuesday, council approved an ordinance giving consent to the Ohio Department of Transportation's plan to resurface Richmond Road, from the city's Euclid border to its border with Lyndhurst.

City Engineer Lee Courtney said that contractors will take out bids for the work in January, and that the job will begin sometime in 2019. Courtney said existing asphalt will be milled, as will three inches of concrete now below that asphalt so that road foundation improvement work can also take place.

The state and federal governments are paying for 90 percent of the $2 million job, while Richmond Heights will pay the remaining $200,000.

Ready to open

Building Commissioner Jim Urankar told council that construction is complete on the new Dollar General store at 26180 Chardon Road, and that it is expected to open for business next week.CLEVELAND, Ohio - An ACLU of Ohio analysis of 14 mayor's courts, including four in Cuyahoga County, reports "distinct patterns of racial bias and profit-oriented policing" in some of them.

Among the courts examined by the ACLU of Ohio are those in North Olmsted, Newburgh Heights, Parma Heights and Woodmere. Several others are in the Cincinnati area.

"Mayor's courts are geared toward making money rather than delivering justice," the ACLU of Ohio contends. "In 2016, municipalities with mayor's courts issued one out of every six traffic tickets in Ohio."

Maps detailing results of the analysis can be accessed by clicking here. The ACLU of Ohio also produce a video explaining mayor's courts.

The ACLU's analysis comes several months after cleveland.com reported on mayor's courts in Northeast Ohio, including North Olmsted, and how some of them become cash cows for their host communities and siphon money away from the municipal courts in their region. The stories were part of cleveland.com's Justice for All series on court reform.

Observations made by the ACLU include:

North Olmsted "netted" $1,017,747 from its mayor's court in 2016.

Of the more than 40,000 citations issued by North Olmsted police from November 2012 to November 2017, 88 percent were issued to people who did not live in the city.

In Newburgh Heights, where 9,961 citations were issued from Nov. 2012 to November 2017, 49.8 percent of the citations were issued to black drivers, while the black population of the city is only 14.9 percent black.

The ACLU of Ohio also is conducting a survey and wants to hear from those who couldn't pay their tickets and had to appear in a mayor's court or those who faced losing their license or going to jail because they couldn't pay a mayor's court fine.

To access the survey, click here.

In addition to high rates of ticketing, our research uncovered that some mayors courts give misleading information to coerce defendants into paying fines, fees, and court costs, the ACLU of Ohio states. People who cannot afford to pay these fines go into debt for years, lose their drivers licenses, and even go to jail because of citations they received in mayors courts, according to the ACLU.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The nine Cleveland police recruits who sued the city lost their argument that a federal judge should allow them to take the state police certification test while they are under investigation for cheating during the police academy.

U.S. District Judge James Gwin on Wednesday denied the recruits' request for a temporary restraining order that sought to allow the nine to take the state test Thursday in Richfield.

Gwin denied the temporary restraining order and said he didn't believe the City of Cleveland was the right entity to sue.

He also said the recruits failed to establish that they would be irreparably harmed by not being allowed to take the test. Gwin said if the recruits prevail during normal disciplinary proceedings with the city, they would be able to sue the city for back pay.

The case stemmed from an internal investigation into 15 police recruits who the city accused of cheating on their police academy notebooks. The state requires police recruits to take detailed notes.

The academy supervisor-- called a commander-- is the only person that decides if the recruits pass or fail that requirement for potential officers. That commander-- Cleveland Police Sgt. Sean Smith--acts as an agent of the state, not the city, Assistant Cleveland Law Director Michael Pike argued.

Attorneys for the nine police recruits, who all attended the hearing wearing white shirts and black slacks, said they were disappointed by the judge's ruling.

The recruits argued that they had not yet been formally disciplined nor had the chance to respond to the accusations of cheating. All nine denied cheating during the police academy.

"We are disappointed in the denial of our emergency motion," an emailed statement from attorneys Eric Henry and Sean Sobel said. "Our clients remain committed to clearing their names and doing what is necessary to get their career in law enforcement started as soon as possible."

The investigation stems from accusations of cheating related to notebooks the recruits are required to keep as part of their certification training. The lawsuit says 15 recruits are accused of sharing and copying notes.

The notebooks are inspected, and recruits are required to take detailed notes. They are judged on content, neatness and formatting.

The 66-recruit class began taking courses Feb. 5. The investigation began last month, when a recruit "accessed and copied from another student's electronic notes without permission," the lawsuit says.

The recruit, who is identified in the lawsuit only as J.Y., later admitted to cheating, the lawsuit says. That recruit then tried to "sabotage" other recruits by sending an academy supervisor an anonymous message that implicated 33 classmates in a larger cheating scandal, the lawsuit says.

Police academy supervisors confiscated the 33 recruits' notebooks as part of the investigation.

Eighteen of the 33 recruits were cleared and permitted to take the state exam, including some who were cleared "immediately." Police officials did not indicate why they were cleared and the others weren't, the lawsuit says.

The remaining 15 recruits never had their notebooks returned and never received formal notice of any accusations against them and many have never been interviewed by investigators, the lawsuit says.

The 15 recruits were then excluded from Thursday's test.

Cleveland Police Deputy Chief JoEllen O'Neill testified during Wednesday's hearing that the city is scheduling hearings with the recruits sometime in the next week.

Gwin said during the hearing that if the recruits were cleared of cheating accusations that they could take another six-month training program and be allowed to sit for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy test, either for Cleveland or another police agency.

Sobel argued that being barred from taking Thursday's exam would harm the recruits because Cleveland's police academy, or other academies, could refuse to accept them as recruits.

"They're being labeled as cheaters," Sobel said. "It would be difficult if not impossible for them to be accepted into another academy class."WASHINGTON, D.C. - The federal Department of Health and Human Services doesn't adequately track unaccompanied immigrant minors who enter the United States after placing them with sponsors, putting the kids at "significant risk for trafficking and abuse," says a new report from Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman.

The report produced by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which Portman chairs, says no federal agency tracks the location or well-being of unaccompanied foreign children after they're placed with sponsors and many of HHS' follow-up efforts are unsuccessful.

After making 7,635 telephoned attempts to check on children it placed with sponsors from October through December of 2017, HHS found that 28 of the children had "run away," and it couldn't "determine with certainty" the whereabouts of 1,475 more, the report said.

HHS argues that it has no responsibility to track the children after placement, so it didn't try to find the children after making the calls, Portman's report said. Although HHS says local child welfare authorities are responsible for the children's well-being after their placement, subcommittee investigators said HHS usually doesn't tell local authorities the children are there.

HHS says it placed 483 of the children in Ohio during the 2015 fiscal year, 693 in 2016, 584 in 2017 and 433 through June of 2018.

The failure of any agency to make sure that sponsors bring the children to their immigration hearings means that nearly half don't show up and are ordered deported in absentia, the report said. A shortage of immigration judges means the children's cases usually drag on for more than a year. Many don't appear for their hearings because the courts are far away from where they live and they have no way to get there.

Portman criticized the agencies for making "small progress" on improvements his committee previously suggested to ensure that the children are safe and appear at their immigration proceedings.

"The problems that exist today began during the previous administration and have continued under this one," said a statement from Portman. "These federal agencies must do more to care for unaccompanied minors and ensure they aren't trafficked or abused."

The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services released a jiont statement that called the report "misleading" and said it "demonstrates fundamental misunderstandings of law and policy related to the safety and care of Unaccompanied Alien Children."

The statement said the subcommittee didn't focus on the "real challenges with preventing children from being smuggled and trafficked in the first place" and did not capture the "extensive work" the agencies did to protect the children when they arrive in the United States.

"Congressional oversight is critical and often helps to improve the agencies' operations, but flawed reports based on a lack of understanding of Executive branch operations will not produce any meaningful opportunities to advance legislation," the statement said. The Subcommittee initiated this review in 2014 following a surge that occurred under the Obama administration. Despite Congress failing to enact any meaningful legislation to address pull factors and close loopholes in current law, the Subcommittee now erroneously indicates that those problems have been exacerbated by the Trump Administration. In fact, the Trump Administration has ensured enforcement of our immigration laws."

Portman's subcommittee has scheduled a Thursday morning hearing to examine efforts by HHS and the Justice and Homeland Security Departments to protect unaccompanied alien children from human trafficking and other forms of abuse.

The subcommittee began to probe HHS' treatment of unaccompanied children who enter the United States after human traffickers forced eight Guatemalan teenagers to work on Marion, Ohio egg farms. Six traffickers have been sent to prison for their role in the scheme.

Most unaccompanied immigrant children who enter the United States come from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador. Responsibility for their well-being was transferred to HHS from the former Immigration and Naturalization Service under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as a way "to move away from the adult detention model," HHS says.

For many years, fewer than 10,000 unaccompanied children arrived in the United States every year. Their numbers began to surge in 2012, reaching a a high of 59,170 in 2016, as more children fled poverty and violence in their home countries in hopes of joining relatives who already immigrated to the United States.

The problem worsened when the Trump administration began separating immigrant children from their families at the borders this year and treating them as unaccompanied minors. The report said that 1,569 of the more than 2,500 children who were taken from their families were reunited with them after the policy was changed, and 423 were discharged - mostly released to sponsors. Roughly 559 of those children remain in HHS care.

When Portman asked HHS Secretary Alex Azar about the issue at a June congressional hearing, Azar told him the children leave federal jurisdiction after HHS places them with sponsors and are instead subject to state and local child welfare laws.

"Once they are placed with a sponsor, they are no longer subject to our jurisdiction," Azar said. "We cannot sort of pull a child back from a relative. We don't have the legal authority. They are then under the state and local child welfare laws, as well as of course they're subject to any immigration proceedings that they may have."CLEVELAND -- The Jewish Federation of Cleveland named Tuesday the fifth president in its 115-year history.

Erika Rudin-Luria, formerly the federation's Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, will succeed former president Stephen H. Hoffman effective January 1, 2019.

Erika Rudin-Luria will become the fifth president in the Jewish Federation of Cleveland's 115-year history, effective 2019.

Below is the full press release from the Jewish Federation of Cleveland:

"The Jewish Federation of Cleveland today announced that Erika Rudin-Luria has been named President of the organization, effective January 1, 2019. Rudin-Luria (44) the organization's Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, succeeds Stephen H. Hoffman (67), who will retire from this position at year end. She becomes only the fifth person to hold this title in the Federation's 115-year history. Today's action is in line with the leadership transition plan the Federation announced on February 15, 2018.

"After conducting a thorough, national search, Erika was the clear and enthusiastic choice to lead the Federation into the next chapter of its storied history," said Board Chair Gary L. Gross. "She is a seasoned leader, who possesses a keen insight into the challenges our community faces and the strategic thinking necessary to address them. The Board and I have no doubt that the organization will be in exceptionally skilled hands as we move with our integrated and inclusive growth plan."

In her current role, Rudin-Luria oversees the Federation's strategic planning, community development, allocations, governance, and marketing functions. In this capacity, she provides the vision and direction necessary to drive the organization's planning and research agendas, as well as to develop solutions for evolving community needs. Over the years, she has held a wide-range of positions of increasing responsibility across the organization. Rudin-Luria joined the Federation in 2001 as a Supporting Foundations Manager, Endowment and Foundations. She began her career as a Project Coordinator with UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local philanthropy in the world.

"There is no greater honor or privilege than serving as the president of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland," said Rudin-Luria. "Cleveland is one of the strongest and most passionate Jewish communities in the world. Thanks to the city's deep roots and strong civic pride, we are a community with tremendous opportunities for continued growth. I am excited to work even more closely with volunteer leadership, Federation staff, and our community partners to continue to create innovative solutions that impact people's lives in Cleveland and throughout the world."

Rudin-Luria received her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Brandeis University. She earned her Masters of Science in Social Work from Columbia University's School of Social Work and her Masters of Arts in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. She and her husband, Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, live in Pepper Pike, Ohio with their two sons, Jacob and Ari.

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to express again our deepest appreciation to Steve for his selfless service to the local and global Jewish community," said Gross. "Without question, his leadership has had an immeasurable and indelible positive impact on the Jewish community in Cleveland, Israel, and around the world."

"It has been my distinct honor to have served the Jewish community in this role for close to 35 years," said Hoffman. "I'm proud to have played a part in strengthening the meaningful impact the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has had both here and abroad over the years. It is extremely gratifying to see our volunteer leadership recognize the strength of the professional staff we have nurtured in Cleveland.

Erika is absolutely the ideal person to build upon the foundation my predecessors and I helped lay in Jewish Cleveland. I look forward to working closely with Gary and her over the coming months to ensure a smooth and seamless transition."PAINESVILLE, Ohio - Dozens of Lake County residents gathered on Monday night to chime in on two resolutions about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that the Lake County Commissioners will consider on Thursday.

The forum, hosted by Brian Posler, president of Lake Erie College, and organized with Glen Gross, president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Lake County, was intended to continue the public comment part of the Aug. 2 commissioners' meeting where the resolutions first appeared. Monday's event was held at Lake Erie College in Painesville, where college students jotted down a summary for the commissioners, two of whom did not attend.

Several people said Lake County had no business passing resolutions about ICE, that praising ICE is "not warranted or justified," and the commissioners should not be speaking for residents on immigration or ICE.

A few, like David Bennett, spoke in favor of ICE. "It sounds like everybody's in favor of not enforcing the law," he said. Just as he would not dare to go into Canada illegally, he said his ancestors and most of the others in the room "followed the law to get into this country. Where does it stop if nobody has to follow the law?"

Others, like Rita Danks, who said she has worked in the Southwest, said rather than being "open," the U.S.-Mexico border is one of the most militarized borders in the world, guarded by border patrol officers with drones, sensors, cameras and "dogs that can tear skin."

She said a mother fleeing violence in Honduras, walking six months across Mexico with two toddlers in her arms, can't afford to wait the 25-plus years it might take to come here legally. "It just doesn't work," she said.

David Lima, a member of SURGE (ShowingUpForRacialJustice.org), said the immigration policy separated families and put more than 2,300 children in cages, violating civil and human rights and dehumanizing people of color. Despite studies that show that undocumented immigrants are less likely than native born residents to commit crimes, and that the rate of violent crime has declined in areas where the number of immigrants grew, he said the aggressive enforcement efforts have made people more afraid to report crimes, making everyone less safe.

Diane Stockwell, visiting from New York City, home of more than 1 million immigrants, said: "The hypocrisy is astonishing, because we need this workforce" to wash dishes, clean hotel rooms and take other jobs other people don't want. "This is just racism, pure and simple."

Lois Osborn, a 50-year resident of Lake County, including 43 years in Painesville, said ICE was created post-9/11 to protect America from terrorists, not to enforce a zero tolerance immigration policy and violate the Fourth Amendment. If the Lake County Commissioners approve the resolution on Thursday, they will be the only ones in the nation to pass a resolution supporting ICE, she said.

Osborn asked what the resolution meant by supporting the "strengthening of ICE as necessary" to support Homeland Security. "Does that mean they're going to ask the Lake County Sheriff's Department to knock on doors and separate families?"

The first resolution, drafted by Commissioner John Hamercheck and modeled after a U.S. House resolution adopted last month, expressed the Lake County Commissioners' support for ICE officers and personnel "for their efforts to protect our community and in recognition of the heroic efforts by ICE officers and personnel in performing their duties."

Commissioner Jerry Cirino had proposed his own resolution to support "the continuation and strengthening of ICE as necessary to support the goals of the Homeland Security Department," but withdrew his resolution in favor of Hamercheck's version.

Commissioner Dan Troy's resolution urges the U.S. Congress "to enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation to address national concerns, including the role of" ICE. Rather than eliminate ICE, "the proper path should include an review and clarification of the mission of ICE in conjunction with the passage of comprehensive immigration reform legislation that protects our borders and our national security."

Troy, who has been a Lake County Commissioner since 1998 and is also president of the majority-Republican County Commissioners Association of Ohio, is the lone Democrat on the three-member board and is facing Republican challenger State Rep. Ron Young in November.

Lima said that because the Republicans want all three County Commissioners' seats, "Cirino decided to put this up to back Mr. Troy into a corner and get him on record as being against ICE, weak on immigration and for open borders." Cirino has insisted his resolution was not politically motivated.

At the end of the night, Troy stood up and agreed that Lake County Commissioners "have no business weighing in on ICE." He said he plans to propose tabling both resolutions indefinitely at Thursday's meeting.PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The FBI and police are searching for a suspect in an armed bank robbery Tuesday that they believe might be connected with other recent incidents.

According to the FBI, the suspect walked into a KeyBank at 6284 Pearl Road at 9:20 a.m.

The male ordered everyone in the bank onto the ground before demanding cash from two tellers. After leaving the bank with the money, the male got into a small, black, four-door sedan, the FBI says.

There were no injuries.

The suspect is believed to be 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-9 with a thin build and in his mid-20s. He was wearing a hooded sweat shirt and hat and had his face covered with a mask.

He was armed with a large-frame matte-finish black handgun.

Investigators say they believe the man also robbed a bank in Parma on Monday and a bank in Ravenna in July.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cleveland FBI at 216-522-1400, Parma Heights police at 440-481-3094 or Crime Stoppers. Information that leads to the identification and prosecution of the suspect could receive a reward.

Tips can remain anonymous.

To comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page.HAMILTON, Ohio -- A school district in southwest Ohio has set aside plans to allow teachers to carry firearms in the classroom.

Officials with Hamilton City Schools have not ruled out arming teachers and other school personnel in the future.

But the Journal News reports that school board members have decided they need more information before moving forward with a plan to arm school staff members. They also want to wait for the results of a school safety levy on the ballot in November.

The board is planning to add two more school resource officers, Fox 19 reports, which will put an officer in every building in the district.

The district also is increasing its mental health services.

The board's decision to back off plans allowing staff members to carry firearms was criticized by Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, who has pushed for the measure, according to the Journal News.

"They have changed up what they told me," Jones tells the Journal News. "I don't trust the school board or the superintendent, and I will not support their (school security) levy."BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- One of two sons suspected of killing a Beachwood doctor threatened his father in 2015 over money, police reports say.

Michael Warn, then 28, and his brother Mark, then 26, went to their father's Brentwood Road home on Sept. 24, 2015 despite the fact that they were told they were not welcome in the home, according to police reports.

Police later discovered that Michael Warn threatened his father unless he paid him money and said on a voicemail "people do crazy things when they do not get enough sleep," according to police reports. "Michael warns his father that if Richard does not give Michael money, Jehovah will be upset and might start 'burning s--t."

The incident happened more than two years before Dr. Warn was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds inside the same Beachwood home. Beachwood Police Chief Gary Haba on Tuesday said Michael and Mark Warn killed their father, then fatally shot themselves during a 12-hour standoff with a SWAT team.

Haba said his detectives have not determined a motive and that they would not necessarily seek one out because the sons were dead.

Haba said that "there was talk" that both sons suffered from mental illnesses, but said his detectives were unable to verify that.

The father and sons had a documented history of what Haba called "friction" dating back to 2004.

Dr. Warn called police on April 18, 2004 and asked for advice on how to deal with the escalating tension with his three children, including a then 13-year-old daughter. Michael was 17 at the time and Mark 15.

Dr. Warn told officers that he encountered difficulties disciplining his kids after he divorced their mother and started dating another woman, police reports say.

He asked the officers for advice on what his options were, and the officers noted in police reports they referred him to Jewish Family Services, the United Way and Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. The officer also told Dr. Warn to call back if there were any other issues.

On July 23, 2005, someone inside the home called police and dispatchers noted they could hear people yelling in the background. An officer went to the home and noted that Dr. Warn argued with Mark Warn about discipline involving his son's Xbox video game system, according to police reports.

No other instances involving the sons and their father were documented until the 2015 call, according to the records released by Beachwood police.

Officers surrounded Dr. Warn's home about 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 24, 2015. His second wife called police while hiding in the bathroom and told dispatchers she heard people inside the home and that no one should be there, police reports say.

Several officers went to the home and checked the doors, which were locked. Dr. Warn pulled up shortly after and said the car in the driveway belonged to his sons, who were not allowed to be at his home without permission, the police reports say.

Dr. Warn let the officers inside. They found Mark and Michael Warn standing in the front living room, police reports say. Both said they went to the home to search for hats.

Dr. Warn checked the house, found nothing missing and declined to press charges against his sons. The officers told Mark and Michael Warn that they would arrest the sons if they returned to the home.

Three hours later, however, Dr. Warn called police and said he wanted to play them the voicemail that Michael left on his phone two days before they showed up inside his home.

Michael Warn told his father in the voicemail that they had mold in home on Elmwood Avenue in South Euclid that their father bought in 2011. The sons lived at that home.

Michael then demanded money and issued the threat, police reports say. Dr. Warn asked the officer's opinion on what he should do. The officer wrote in police reports that he told Dr. Warn that only he knew what his sons were capable of and "gave possible outcomes in several scenarios that I have occurred in my career."

The officer told Dr. Warn he would press charges if Dr. Warn wanted to do so. Dr. Warn said he'd talk with his wife before making a decision. No charges were ever filed.

It was the last time police went to the home until Thursday, when Dr. Warn's wife came home from vacation and called police when her husband wouldn't answer the door. The officers found Dr. Warn dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the upstairs portion of the home.

A SWAT team the next day went to the sons' home in South Euclid. Someone inside the home fired .223 rifle rounds at the SWAT officers. A bullet cracked the SWAT tank's windshield. After a 12-hour standoff, officers found both Michael and Mark Warn dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the SWAT standoff and collected all the evidence, including at least one gun, from the home. BCI spokeswoman Dorcas Jones declined to answer questions about what the state agents found, citing an on-going investigation.

To comment on this post, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page.CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish's chief of staff, Earl Leiken, said the county will turn away crime suspects brought to the county jail by University Circle's police department unless University Circle signs an agreement over paying fees for the use of the jail, University Circle CEO Chris Ronayne said Wednesday.

"That was disturbing," Ronayne said in an interview with cleveland.com.

Contacted Wednesday morning, County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan released a statement that failed to address Ronayne's accusations:

"We've known about this for many months since last October and we've been working with the departments in the city. This plan saves $5 million a year for Cleveland and will save money for others communities as well. We have said we can't do it for free -- everyone's got to pay the $99 per night. And we have said, yes, we cannot do this without an MOU [agreement]. We've been flexible on the date and we've said as of Sept. 1, everybody needs an MOU."

Until earlier this year, the city of Cleveland operated the downtown jail and covered the cost of housing suspects arrested by its police force and nine other police departments operating within the city, including University Circle.

But as part of a deal in which the county took over all jail operations, the city negotiated a deal in which it agreed only to pay for suspects arrested by Cleveland police and suspects brought in by other departments on city warrants.

Many of the other departments cried foul, and did not immediately accept the terms offered by the county - $99 per day for each suspect, a sum that the county says covers medical care and all other expenses.

On Tuesday, the county announced that it is giving police departments an extra 16 days to accept the controversial fees.

The county initially reported that the fees would be charged starting Aug. 15, but moved the date to Sept. 1 as it continues discussions with affected departments. Madigan said she was unable to say how many departments have agreed to pay, but cleveland.com confirmed that two departments -- Cleveland MetroParks and Cuyahoga Community College police -- have tentative agreements to pay the fees.

Meanwhile, University Circle and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, which also operates police departments, report that the city of Cleveland has agreed to pay the jail fees for their suspects through Dec. 1. Such a deal has not been confirmed by the city.

"We're making good progress with the city of Cleveland and appreciate the mayor's efforts in that regard," Ronayne said. "It has come against the current of the county telling us we had until September to sign an agreement or else they would not accept our prisoners. That was disturbing."

This story has been updated to reflect that Chris Ronayne said it was Cuyahoga County's chief of staff who said the county will turn away crime suspects brought to the jail by University Circle police unless University Circle agrees to pay jail fees.AKRON, Ohio -- The University of Akron will phase out 80 degree or degree-track programs over the next few years.

That's nearly 20 percent of the degrees or degree tracks offered at the university.

Degree-tracks are specialized paths within a certain degree.

But UA will make 32 new full-time hires to teach classes in areas of opportunity, including polymers, health and biosciences and dance.

Board of Trustees members approved the results of a yearlong "Academic Program Review" in a Wednesday meeting. The review examined the areas where UA had potential for growth and which degrees had low enrollment or were duplicating efforts from nearby universities.

The university will phase out some master's, associates and doctoral programs, in addition to the bachelor's degree programs.

The university is battling a projected deficit of $16 million for next fiscal year and has faced financial problems since 2015.

Officials attributed part of it to declining enrollment.

The review was routine, complying with requirements from the state. It was not a way to cut costs, though the rearrangements could lead to some savings.

There will be no faculty reductions or dismissals, university spokesman Wayne Hill said. Instead, full-time faculty could be freed up to teach other classes. That could lead to less of a dependence on part-time positions.

The hires will be made before fall 2019.

How were the changes decided?

Officials assessed all of the university's 414 degrees or degree tracks.

Faculty, department chairs, school directors, deans, a 24-member faculty Academic Program Review Executive Committee and Faculty Senate gave input.

After looking at all of the programs, interim president John Green and provost Rex Ramsier made a list of recommendations to be approved by the board.

A key factor in deciding which programs should stay was enrollment. About 81 percent of degree tracks or degrees will continue. As of this month, about 965 students are enrolled in the 80 programs which will be cut.

Those students will finish their degrees at UA, which is why the cuts will be phased in over the next few years.

What programs will be phased out?

The breakdown of programs are:

10 doctoral programs

33 master's programs

20 bachelor's programs

17 associate's programs

A significant number of the cuts stemmed from low enrollment and a bigger program at nearby Kent State University. For example, UA will cut four bachelor's degrees in fashion merchandising, with university documents referencing Kent State's larger Fashion School.

See the full list of programs with the rationale behind them in the document viewer at the bottom of this post.

Where will UA hire?

The university plans to hire:

Seven positions in cybersecurity, criminal justice and emergency services

Six positions in polymer and chemical sciences

Four positions in health and biosciences, including one contract position

Six positions in performing arts

Three positions in digital communications

Six positions in business, law and education

Of these, 23 will be tenure-track, with eight non-tenure and one contract position.

For a full list of where the university will be hiring, see the document viewer at the bottom of this post.

Phased out programs

HiresCLEVELAND, Ohio -- If there was any question otherwise, President Donald Trump clearly plans to continue to play a hands-on role in Ohio's November election.

Trump is scheduled to come to Ohio on Aug. 24 to headline the Ohio Republican Party's annual state dinner fundraiser, Republicans announced Wednesday. He also will appear at a separate event to raise money for Rep. Jim Renacci, the Republican senate nominee who conspicuously has worked to align himself with the president's political agenda, and whom Trump's political team recruited to run in the race earlier this year.

Additional information was not immediately available for the fundraiser for Renacci, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. But a state party event portal lists tickets for its dinner with prices ranging from $250 for a single seat to as much as $10,000 for a 10-person VIP table. The event will be held at the Columbus Convention Center, near the city's downtown.

Renacci's senate campaign announced the Trump fundraisers in a news release late Wednesday morning.

Trump was last in Ohio on Aug. 4, when he appeared in Delaware County, north of Columbus, just days before a special election to fill an open seat representing Ohio's 12th Congressional District. Trump's appearance was meant to boost State Sen. Troy Balderson, the Republican candidate in that race who appears to have narrowly beaten Franklin County Recorder Danny O'Connor, a Democrat, according to final but unofficial results. The race was remarkably close, with less than 1 percent separating the two candidates, given that the district has a strong GOP tradition, and was designed to elect a Republican.CLEVELAND, Ohio - After years of struggling with their messaging, Democrats may finally have found their groove on health care as voters find the issue to be of more importance in the midterms.

Democrats are optimistic that the health care divide will break in their favor for the November election; polling, Google Analytics data and special election results point to an electorate more concerned about the issue. But Republicans are confident that a strong economy will stave off any blue wave in Ohio, regardless of the increased interest in health care.

Just two years ago, the Affordable Care Act - more commonly known as Obamacare - held a negative approval rating. But since President Donald Trump took office and Republicans attempted to dismantle the law, support has dramatically surged.

Dale Butland, a longtime Democratic strategist who was involved in six Senate campaigns in Ohio, primarily for Democratic U.S. Sen. John Glenn, said the Congress' and Trump's continued antipathy for Obamacare has caused consternation in many voters.

"For eight years now the Republican mantra has been repeal and replace. They got the repeal part down pretty well, but I haven't seen a replacement yet, and people are worried," Butland said. "They see that the exchanges under Obamacare have been undermined by Congress and President Trump. I think people are concerned, and I think it's a very good issue (for Democrats)."

Make no mistake: Healthcare is on the ballot this November.https://t.co/RL3ZdbDZ29  Sherrod Brown (@SherrodBrown) August 14, 2018

Public opinion polling backs up what Butland said. Polling from the Kaiser Family Foundation in July found respondents approved of the law by a 48 percent to 40 percent margin.

A Suffolk University/Cincinnati Enquirer poll from June in Ohio showed that after Trump, health care was the top issue for voters in the midterms. Respondents to a Quinnipiac University poll in the state during the same time period said health care was the top issue in the Senate race between Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and GOP U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci.

Curated county-by-county analytics provided by Google in a partnership with cleveland.com also show health care is the top-searched issue related to the 2018 election in each of the counties, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Aaron Pickrell, a Democratic strategist, said candidates can have a winning message on health care.

"It's a simplistic way to look at it, but that's kind of the fight right now that's still going on is the Republicans want to undo all of this without a well-defined answer to what they would replace it with, versus Democrats saying here is the current situation we have and we want to protect it for you so you don't have this uncertainty in the marketplace," he said.

Democratic candidates have looked to capitalize by showing their support for the law. Gubernatorial hopeful Richard Cordray has made keeping the state's Medicaid expansion - a provision in Obamacare that provided coverage to around 700,000 low-income people - one of the cornerstones of his campaign.

Butland said Democrats have the luxury of not needing to reinvent health care like they did in the past. Some Democratic candidates have embraced the idea of a single-payer plan, but most candidates have stuck to fixing the problems with Obamacare.

People are worried about losing their coverage, which could drive voters, Butland said.

The whole ordeal has put Republicans in something of a bind. For years, the GOP has vehemently opposed the health care law. Congressional Republicans voted 54 times to repeal Obamacare while President Barack Obama was in office, a futile exercise given they lacked the votes to override a veto, but a powerful message to voters who disapproved of the law.

But since Trump's election, many have changed their tone.

As recently as January of this year, Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, whose seat Democrats are targeting to flip, had on his congressional campaign website that he "fought to repeal and defund 'Obamacare' every chance he's had." Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, who could be vulnerable in his Dayton-area district, once touted writing the bill to repeal Obamacare.

A screenshot of an archived version of U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce's website. In it, he touts his 30-plus votes to repeal Obamacare

But both Turner and Joyce voted against Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare in 2017. There is currently no mention of repealing Obamacare on either of their campaign websites.

Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine, who is running for governor and spearheaded lawsuits against the ACA, as recently as the primary criticized the Medicaid expansion portion of Obamacare when attacking his GOP opponent, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor.

However, DeWine now says he supports the Medicaid expansion, prompting Politifact to label his switch a "Full Flop."

As dire as it might seem for the GOP, Republicans are confident a booming economy will mitigate any negative feelings. Unemployment is at 3.9 percent, the lowest level since 2000, and the stock market is at a record high.

I'm Dave, and I want the United States to have secure borders, a stronger military, and the repeal of Obamacare. Posted by Dave Joyce on Friday, January 29, 2016

Ryan Stubenrauch, a Republican consultant who worked for DeWine's primary campaign, said he expected the congressional races to be more of a referendum on Washington than about any specific issue. He said he did not expect health care to play a pivotal role in the governor's race or any of the other state-based races, which are almost always about the economy.

"Democrats are never going to make health care a winning issue," Stubenrauch said. "What they consider health care is government spending and entitlement programs. That's never driven in a governor's election."

Not all Democrats feel health care is the ultimate issue to run on, especially given the nuances and complexities in the policy.

Jonathan Varner, Democratic campaign consultant based in Columbus, said health care is a good litmus test for a candidate to get their bearings with voters, but not necessarily the issue that will push voters over the edge, especially with issues like the economy and wages that affect people's pocketbooks still up for debate.

"Ultimately, I don't think it is what is going to move (undecided) voters," Varner said.

But Butland said simple messaging and shifting voter opinions give Democrats an edge on the issue for the first time in years.

"There's broad agreement that everyone ought to have access to affordable health care," Butland said. "I think the vast majority of people in this country have bought into that. To the extent that it's not available, I think it's going to continue to be a big issue."Rotunda Rumblings



Healthy debate: Ohio Democrats see health care as a winning issue in this year's elections, cleveland.com's Seth Richardson reports. "Just two years ago, the Affordable Care Act -- more commonly known as Obamacare -- held a negative approval rating," Richardson writes. "But since President Donald Trump took office and Republicans attempted to dismantle the law, support has dramatically surged." Polls have shown health care is a top issue for voters in the midterms. And curated county-by-county analytics provided by Google in a partnership with cleveland.com also show health care is the top-searched issue related to the 2018 election.



High ratings: All four candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court this year have been rated "highly recommended" by a bipartisan Ohio State Bar Association panel, according to an OSBA release. Democrat Melody Stewart, who's running to unseat Republican Justice Mary DeGenaro, got the highest score of the four - a 29 out of a possible 30 points. DeGenaro also fared well, scoring a 27. Republican Craig Baldwin and Democrat Michael Donnelly, who are competing to succeed Justice Terrence O'Donnell, scored a 25 and a 26, respectively. The panel examined the judges' legal knowledge, temperament and community service, among other factors.



If the vest fits: Attorney General Mike DeWine announced local police can get new protective vests with grants of up to $40,000 from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation. The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation, under DeWine's watch, replaced outdated vests after the Associated Press reported more than 50 BCI employees were wearing expired vests in June. The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio issued a blistering statement Tuesday accusing DeWine, a Republican running for governor in November, of politicizing officer safety. "It's a shame that he waited less than 90 days before an election to decide he could adequately protect Ohio law enforcement officers. Our members deserve better," FOP President Gary Wolske said.



No on Issue 1: Common pleas judges say the Neighborhood Safety Act (Issue 1 on the November ballot) will fail to make Ohio safer. The proposed constitutional amendment would reduce penalties for minor drug crimes and eliminate prison time for non-violent violations of parole. The Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association says without the threat of prison time, criminals won't have an incentive to pay restitution or stay clean. They also say communities, which would bear the brunt of rehabilitation, don't have the capacity to provide drug treatment and other services for repeat offenders.



They'll be back: Supporters of a measure capping kidney dialysis costs say they'll try again next year to put the proposed constitutional amendment before Ohio voters. The measure, backed by SEIU District 1199, was thrown out Monday after the Ohio Supreme Court concluded some petition managers didn't submit the proper forms. "It shameful that the Ohio Supreme Court relied on what even the justices acknowledge is a technicality to stop millions of Ohioans from voting on a critical issue affecting tens of thousands of people who need dialysis to stay alive," committee spokesman Anthony Caldwell said in a statement.



Price cut: "Sen. Sherrod Brown wants the federal government to give a $3,500 discount to buyers of American-made cars and trucks, under legislation he introduced last week," cleveland.com's Andrew Tobias reports. Tobias notes that Brown, who promoted his bill in Cleveland Tuesday, is targeting "an issue important to some of the blue-collar areas that voted for Trump in the 2016 election, and that Brown now is courting for support."



Veep tour: Vice President Mike Pence was in Ohio Tuesday for a few events, including campaign appearances for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mike DeWine and GOP Senate nominee Jim Renacci. Pence stressed the importance of keeping Republicans in Congress, the Associated Press reports.



Just the facts: President Donald Trump referred to Gov. John Kasich as "the very unpopular Governor of Ohio" in his tweet Monday that blamed Kasich for Republican Troy Balderson's narrow victory in the 12th Congressional District special election. On Tuesday, PolitiFact set the record straight, deeming Trump's statement false and noting that "Kasich has largely positive approval ratings."



It's a jungle out there: The Rev. Gary Click has faced backlash over the prayer he delivered before President Donald Trump's recent rally in Ohio, the Columbus Dispatch's Randy Ludlow reports. The Baptist pastor prayed to protect Trump with a "shield of faith" against "that jungle of journalism that distorts truth and distorts honesty and integrity every single day," and "those poisonous asps that lurk in the swamp of politics," Ludlow reports.



Terminated: Ohio's Medicaid department is ending contracts with pharmacy middlemen who "bill taxpayers more than they reimburse pharmacists for filling Medicaid patients' prescriptions," the Associated Press reports via the Dispatch.



There's always an Ohio connection: A Republican candidate for the Florida legislature has dropped her election bid after admitting she lied about having a degree from Miami University in Ohio, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports. Melissa Howard apologized for displaying photos of a fake diploma from Miami U, but had vowed to stay in the race before changing her mind Tuesday.



Five Questions



Hocking College in Nelsonville was one of two colleges awarded provisional licenses to test medical marijuana for potency and purity. In addition to the testing lab, the school plans to train students and award associates degrees in cannabis lab sciences. Jonathan Cachat, an Ohio native and neuroscientist, will head both the testing lab and educational program.



1. If you weren't working in the cannabis field, what would you be doing?



Probably large-scale data analysis and data integration and trying to bridge the gaps of areas of inquiry or academic disciplines that are artificially segregated. There's a gap between the social sciences and the natural sciences and it's an artificial creation.



2. Most of the interest around Ohio's medical marijuana program has been in growing or selling cannabis - why get involved in the testing portion?



When I came back to Ohio in early 2017, the headlines at that point were that no universities are going to apply for a testing lab and the whole system is going to fall apart. I wanted to prevent that. I have experience in a lab that did controlled substance research but, ultimately, I'm interested in aligning the analytical profiles of marijuana with the disease category of cannabis patients.



3. How will the commercial testing lab be part of the education at Hocking College?



They are separate. There's a wall between the lab providing commercial service and the educational lab, but there's a two-way window. On the educational side, there's the same instruments for students to use. One informs the other. The commercial lab encourages the students in the other. We're hoping at the end of the program, the students who have excelled really well will get jobs in the lab.



4. You haven't shied away from sharing your concerns about Ohio's new program -- what areas of the program still concern you?



I'm concerned about the purchase limits based on THC content. I understand where the board of pharmacy is coming from, but ultimately, it's completely arbitrary and it will be interesting to see how the patient base responds because no other state has done it this way before.



5. Who's the best teacher you've ever had?



Dr. Susan Kennedy at Denison University. She had a giant Rolling Stone poster on her door. She taught psychopharmacology and made these connections between drugs, the brain, behavior and the social environment we live in. That's really where it all started for me -- I knew I wanted to study the brain and how people could seem so similar but be so different.



On the Move



Grant Doepel, the deputy communications chief for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has left to become social media director for Crossroads Church in Cincinnati.



Straight From The Source



"I'm old enough to remember when John Kasich was a Republican."



- Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, responding to a report about President Trump and Kasich sparring on Twitter.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On a new episode of Buckeye Talk, we're updating Ohio State fall camp (as best we can), discussing what it means for players who lose black stripes early and answering your questions on the Buckeyes.

One of the questions we answered centers on how Ohio State has kept recruiting classes together amid the university's investigation of Urban Meyer, and how we think recruiting will or won't change moving forward regardless of what happens.

You can always submit questions via Twitter to the @BuckeyeTalkPod account. You can also now submit questions, comments and complaints via email to BuckeyeTalkPod@gmail.com.

Before listening to the podcast below, make sure to subscribe to Buckeye Talk at any of these places:

* Buckeye Talk on iTunes

* Buckeye Talk on Google Play

* Buckeye Talk on Stitcher

* Buckeye Talk on SpotifyBrinks' CEO Douglas Pertz said that the cash management company is ready to benefit from Canada's legalization of cannabis.

"We're talking to some of the largest players there today to manage all of their deliveries, as well as their cash management of that," Pertz told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday.

Canada is the first Group of Seven country to approve recreational use of marijuana and only the second worldwide to legalize it nationwide. Starting Oct. 17, cannabis will be available for purchase in pot shops.

Brinks stands to gain from cannabis legalization. In the United States, marijuana dispensaries can only accept cash. That means that Brinks and its armored trucks are a necessary part of doing business.

"We are the largest player globally in high-value transportation, that's one piece of it, and the second piece of it is the cash payments," Pertz said. "We're in the best position for that as well."

However, the drug has only been legalized on a state-by-state basis in the U.S. Canada will give Brinks the chance to test how its business can profit from cannabis when it's legal throughout an entire country.

One factor that might help the Richmond-based business make the most of the opportunity is its deal with Dunbar Armored, previously one of its top rivals, which closed on Monday.

However, in a blow to Brinks, the Canadian province of Ontario also announced on Monday that recreational marijuana will only be available to consumers online when cannabis becomes legal. Regulated privately-owned retail stores will be allowed to start selling the drug in April 2019.

The decision means that Brinks' services will likely be less in demand than originally anticipated as Ontario is Canada's most populous province.Scotts Miracle-Gro: "You're right to be concerned because, frankly, they've missed quarter, missed quarter, missed quarter and enough is enough is enough. I don't know if I want to sell it here, it'll maybe get a bounce, but you're absolutely right."

Johnson & Johnson: "Under 130 - it got there. [CEO] Alex Gorsky is doing a magnificent job. You finally got a break to be able to buy that. I'd buy some here and buy it at 127."

Aspen Technology: "It is up huge. I'm a Salesforce, VMware kind of guy - the cloud kings - but that is generous. It kind of reminds me a little bit of Autodesk. I like it."

Stratasys Ltd: "We had a really good call from 3D Systems, the stock is up in a straight line, but it's really good. And let's not forget what they've been building at HP Inc  they've got terrific 3D. Those are my two favorites. I don't need to go anywhere further."

Laredo Petroleum: "We're going to lay low on oil right now. It's a little too risky. By the way, Diamondback Energy is an interesting idea to buy on the weakness."

Jet Blue: "I'm not a Jet Blue fan. I like Southwest Airlines. By the way, [CEO Oscar Munoz] is doing a good job at United Continental."

Tesaro: "That's a high risk stock. It's down a great deal. As long as you understand that it's totally speculative. I do not have a reason why it can go up, but it is speculative, and I know people want to do that."

Lumber Liquidators: "I don't want anything to do with anything related to housing, including lumber. By the way, lumber's come down in price."Ellen DeGeneres speaks onstage during 'One Voice: Somos Live! A Concert For Disaster Relief' at the Universal Studios Lot on October 14, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Walmart is partnering with Ellen DeGeneres on a new clothing line as the retailer looks to bulk up its apparel brands in stores and online to compete with the likes of Amazon and Target.

The move builds on Walmart's partnership with Lord & Taylor that was rolled out earlier this year on Walmart.com. Walmart also recently started selling in-house apparel brands for women, kids and plus sizes.

Amazon is on track to surpass Walmart as the No. 1 apparel retailer in the U.S. by year's end, according to Morgan Stanley. But Walmart isn't going down without a fight. It's been taking steps to become more of a fashion destination than it is today.

Amazon has focused on adding more in-house brands and partnering with Calvin Klein, Chico's FAS and Nike to bring more merchandise from well-known retailers to its platform.

Walmart's new line with DeGeneres will be called EV1 and will hit stores and Walmart.com next month, the company announced Wednesday. It will have nearly 60 items, including denim, graphic tees, sneakers and purses for women. According to Walmart, the "core" of the line is denim.

Target also recently launched a new denim-focused line called Universal Thread. The discount retailer has also been investing in fashion and has tended to team up with celebrities like Victoria Beckham more often than Walmart.

While the denim category had been falling out of fashion, particularly among younger shoppers, it's showing signs of a rebound. The $13.5 billion U.S. women's and men's jeans market grew sales by 4 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to the most recent tracking survey by The NPD Group.

All items from DeGeneres' EV1 line will be priced under $30, Walmart said, and there will be a "wide range" of sizes.

"The biggest inspiration [for EV1] was actually inclusiveness," DeGeneres said in a statement. "We wanted it to appeal and be available to as many people as possible."

DeGeneres notably served as J.C. Penney's spokesperson in 2012, while the department store chain was being led by CEO Ron Johnson. Her role was met by a wave of outrage from a conservative, anti-gay and Christian group, "One Million Moms," which complained that the openly gay DeGeneres was diluting the Penney brand, and that group's members would refuse to shop there.

As Walmart revamps its website with more to choose from in the fashion department, retail industry experts say apparel spending is increasingly drifting online. Shoppers are becoming more comfortable with buying items via the web because retailers are reducing shipping fees and making the returns process easier.

"The launch of EV1 is one of many steps we're taking to establish Walmart.com as a fashion destination," Denise Incandela, head of Walmart's e-commerce fashion division, said in a statement.

Walmart shares are up roughly 12 percent from a year ago, bringing the retailer's market cap to about $268 billion. By comparison, Amazon has a market cap of $935 billion and Target's is nearly $44 billion.

Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart is set to report second-quarter earnings Thursday morning. Analysts and investors will be looking for updates on Walmart's e-commerce investments, including its acquisition of Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart.

 CNBC's Courtney Reagan contributed to this reportThere's never been a better time to be an entrepreneur, according to Richard Branson. Thanks to crowdfunding and the feedback it provides, it's never been easier to secure the most important thing all business leaders need: proof their hunches are right.

Crowdfunding, according to Branson in a recent blog post, is more than a way to secure seed money or create brand awareness. It's a way to validate an idea.

"It helps you to create a tribe of customers, ambassadors and superfans. It brings market validation," says Branson, "and real time feedback."

"Crowdfunding is so much more than just raising money," he writes.

Crowdfunding is a large scale version of a method the Virgin Group often used himself: 'the mum test." Branson advises young entrepreneurs and leaders to pitch their ideas to someone close to them, someone who wants them to succeed. Ask for their honest thoughts, he says, and then gauge that person's reaction.An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China.

Stocks still rank low on the popularity list for Chinese investors, while private funds are playing a larger role in the country's asset management market  which many predict will soon become the world's second largest.

Mainland Chinese assets under management grew 22 percent last year to $4.2 trillion, outpacing growth of 13 percent in North American assets under management, Boston Consulting Group said in a July report. The North American market remains the largest at $37.4 trillion, but China has jumped to fourth place from eighth place in just five years, and BCG analysts said they expect Chinese assets under management to triple by 2025 to become the second-largest market.

The composition of investing in China looks quite different from that of the U.S. While equities account for a major portion of American portfolios, Chinese investors have preferred real estate to the volatile domestic stock market that is driven more by retail sentiment than long-term institutional holders. And as Chinese investors grow more sophisticated, local financial services are focused more on developing fixed income and private equity products.

On the mass market level, mobile-based money market funds dominate. The category accounts for 60 percent of investments in Chinese public funds, according to John Ott, Shanghai-based partner and lead in financial services practice at consulting firm Bain.

For example, the primary money market fund on Yu'e Bao, a mobile investment service run through Alibaba-affiliate Ant Financial, became the largest such fund in four years. It had more than 470 million users as of the end of 2017, according to Ant, and about 1.45 trillion yuan ($211 billion) in assets as of the end of June, public data showed.

"The next wave, we think, will be into fixed income," Ott said. He predicted allocation to money market funds will fall to about 50 percent in the next five years, while the proportion of fixed income investment will rise to 20 percent from 15 percent.

Equities will likely see some inflows as well, but still remain low overall, Ott said.

China's wealthiest also prefer other investments to stocks. A leading Chinese wealth manager for high net worth individuals, Noah Holdings, told CNBC that about 60 percent of assets under management are in alternative investments such as private equity and venture capital.

The heavy allocation to private investments makes sense in a country of many fast-growing young companies soon to go public or get acquired.

Last year, through its asset management arm Gopher, Noah said it invested in nearly half of 120 unlisted companies in greater China with valuations of more than $1 billion, according to a first quarter earnings presentation. Those so-called unicorns include Meituan Dianping  which combines features similar to Groupon, Yelp and Seamless and is expected to raise more than $4 billion in a Hong Kong IPO  and video streaming platform iQiyi, which held a $2.3 billion public offering in New York in March.

Chinese high net worth investors are also putting more money into real estate funds than houses, and hedge funds rather than individual stocks, according to Yue Zhang, senior vice president at CreditEase, another major Chinese wealth manager. More and more of those affluent investors are allocating assets overseas, she added.

At the high end of the market, total investable assets were expected to reach 188 trillion yuan in 2017, up from 165 trillion a year ago, according to the latest report available from Bain.

Western firms such as UBS and BlackRock have also been attracted to the growth opportunity, and a PwC survey of 126 global asset management CEOs found 40 percent of non-Chinese leaders are looking to China this year.

But the future development of the Chinese asset management industry still depends on government regulation. Beijing is trying to encourage more stable investment in the stock market, including from foreigners, and increasing supervision of financial firms overall.

"While private wealth is arguably growing faster there than anywhere else, and the government is taking steps to open up the asset management market, serious obstacles to doing business remain," the PwC report said. "Indeed, several asset and wealth managers have been disappointed."The researchers held focus groups in Los Angeles, Virginia and Washington, D.C., in which they asked retired Americans who had already claimed their Social Security to reflect on the timing of their choice. Were they remorseful, or satisfied?

"This doesn't mean they thought it was the healthiest decision financially," said Lila Rabinovich , a co-author of the study and a researcher at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California. "It just means that it was the best decision at the time for them  that they couldn't have done things any differently."

Few people who claim their Social Security early regret their choice, despite being aware of the financial benefits of waiting, according to a new report in the Journal of Aging Studies.

Most people were content with when they pulled the lever. The retirees often said the decision was highly personal, and unable to bend to any broad prescription.

While most of the people felt they'd made the right decision in the context in which they found themselves, many admitted they would have waited longer to claim if they'd been able to.

Indeed, a financial need was one of the most common reasons cited for why retirees claimed early. The average monthly Social Security check is $1,404, and more than 40 percent of single adults receive over 90 percent of their income from that check, according to the government.

"Well, I started calculating the Social Security, you know, here at 70 you would get this amount, which was far more than at 66. And so I was hoping to find work and it never materialized and didn't seem like any chance of ever happening, you know. So I filed for Social Security," one participant said.

Another frequent explanation given was a concern around how long they'd live.

"I realized that the African-American life span was shorter than other people, and especially black males. So, I decided I was going to retire at 62 even though my benefits would be lower," one of the participants said.

To be sure, research shows that older people tend to look back at their lives  as it happens, through rose-colored glasses. Other studies find people are less likely to regret decisions like this one that they can't unwind.

Such resignation might be useful, said Damon Jones, associate professor at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy.

"Since there's nothing that can be done about the Social Security claiming decision now, there may be a benefit in coming to terms with it and thinking about it in a positive light," Jones said.

Laurence Kotlikoff, an economics professor at Boston University and the author of "Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security," was less sanguine.Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares fell as much as 3.74 percent on Wednesday morning, their biggest intraday fall since February, as executives of its pension unit give evidence at a powerful inquiry into financial-sector wrongdoing.

The inquiry heard on Tuesday that the country's largest bank had breached a "legislative provision" when it failed to transfer 15,000 pension customers to a low-cost product.

The Royal Commission inquiry has already roiled the banking and funds management industries, and is now questioning managers of some of the largest retirement funds about suspected misconduct and poor governance.

Documents read at the Royal Commission on Tuesday showed the CBA failed to comply with a law introduced in 2014 to provide low-cost retirement funds  dubbed superannuation funds  to some clients who did not choose a specific retirement savings product.

Linda Elkins, executive general manager of CBA's Colonial First State unit, said some pension fund clients were not transferred to low-fee products because the company's computer systems could not support the move.

The inquiry had previously exposed how the Sydney-based bank overcharged and misappropriated funds from customers, including extracting fees from deceased clients.

CBA bank this month reported its first profit fall in almost a decade due to mounting regulatory costs, including provisions to cover costs related to the year-long inquiry and penalties for breaches of anti-money laundering rules.

Contributing to the fall in value, CBA shares began trading ex-dividend on Wednesday as Elkins and other executives continue to be questioned at the quasi-judicial inquiry in Melbourne.

Shares in Australia's three other big banks were little changed, in line with the broader market.Wednesday's sell-off can be blamed on Turkey, China and commodities, but investors should take advantage of cheap stocks instead of worrying, CNBC's Jim Cramer said.

The Mad Money host said the sell-off isn't as "special as it seems" because the root causes like Turkey and Macy's shouldn't be a long-term concern for investors.

The ongoing spat between Turkey and the United States about the detention of an American pastor has led the countries to levy tariffs on goods on each other. This issue will go away once President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan find some kind of compromise and Turkey releases the pastor, according to Cramer.

And while the Turkish lira might have rallied on Wednesday, the country's ongoing problems meant that Europe took a hit because many of its banks have lent to Turkey, which is in the middle of a debt crisis.

The relationship between Europe and China means that Europe's sell-off carried over to China because of Turkey. Adding to China's problems is the trade conflict with the U.S., a slowing economy and regulation of the internet and technology company Tencent.

According to the Mad Money host, the U.S. market shouldn't be worried about the Turkish debt crisis.

"Our linkage to Turkey is almost nil," Cramer said. "At this point it's mostly just man-made headline risk."

U.S.-related news that sent the market down included Macy's reporting a weaker-than-expected quarter, which sent its stock plummeting, and Kimberly-Clark raising prices on Kleenex and Huggies.

Cramer advised investors to remember that commodities are now plummeting after companies worried about soaring prices. For Macy's, that means that the gross margin issues that it saw this quarter shouldn't affect the numbers being up for the year, Cramer said. Overall, lower commodity prices mean that gross margins won't decline, a good sign for U.S. companies.

The Mad Money host also warned investors looking to buy during the sell-off to stick to high-flying stocks like Amazon and Facebook at a discount.

"Should we just buy everything then? No," Cramer said. "The charts are bad and the technicians are losing it. Lots of stocks are held by weak hands, people who don't know what they own."Through Post Holdings' acquisitions and its spin-off of a private label division that analysts disliked, the packaged food company behind Honey Bunches of Oats and Chips Ahoy cereal has become a stock to watch, CNBC's Jim Cramer said on Wednesday.

"It's taken a while for them to get the credit they deserve, but now that the company has shown that it knows how to unlock value by selling pieces of its subsidiary brands, the stock has taken off," the Mad Money host said.

While Post's latest quarter underwhelmed with an earnings miss, its stock soared on the announcement that the cereal company decided how it would handle its private label division. Both Post and private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners will own stakes in 8th Avenue Food and Provisions, an entirely new entity. Post will own the majority stake, about 60 percent of the business.

"Basically, the company found a creative way to monetize its private label business while still retaining some of the potential upside from that business," Cramer said.

Divesting from the private label division was the step that Post needed to satisfy the market. The stock is now up nearly 20 percent for the year.

The move also lets the company focus on dominating the certain aisles of the grocery store.

In January, Post closed its purchase of the packaged food division of Bob Evans, which sells frozen sausages and vegetables, for $1.5 billion. Months before the Bob Evans acquisition, the holding company bought the British cereal brand Weetabix. Other breakfast-related acquisitions include MOM Brands, Willamette Egg Farms and National Pasteurized Eggs.

"The thing about the packaged food business is that scale really matters here," Cramer said. "You need bargaining power to strong-arm the supermarkets into giving you the best shelf space and the best prices."

On Monday, Barclays equity analyst Andrew Lazar compared Post to a private equity fund in a note, actively managing its portfolio based on how the market is moving.

"I love this idea that Post is more like a private equity outfit that specializes in food than a food company, and I think the stock has a lot more room to run," Cramer said.

Post's stock closed on Wednesday up nearly 1.4 percent.Laura and Miles Lennon on Philosophers Path in Kyoto, Japan, earlier this year. Source: Laura Lennon

People save for retirement. For college. For a down payment. Few save for vacation. Yet every year, about two-thirds of Americans put everyday life behind them and set off for some R&R, according to a Gallup poll taken in December. Paying for it is another matter. Saving for vacation is not a priority for Americans, says a survey from CIT Bank. In February, CIT surveyed 1,100 U.S. adults online to see how they save money, and how the money is earmarked. Only about a third of people save for travel and vacation, CIT found.

Meet a planning pro

Laura Lennon, a risk operations manager who lives in Brooklyn, New York, makes the most of every long weekend in the year. Travel can be anything from a quick jaunt to Long Island to a trip to Japan. She and her husband look at the upcoming year to note available vacation days, estimate what travel will cost and plan about six months in advance. About two years ago, Lennon says, they also started tracking expenses and created a budget. More from Personal Finance

Why ghosting a prospective employer is a big mistake

Your next raise could be bigger. Here's how to get it.

Millennial women say they'd be happy with less money than millennial men "We love and value travel, but we wanted to make sure we were being responsible," she said. They settled on 5 percent of their income, and sometimes pull money from other budgets and leverage credit card points and miles to make it work. The Lennons found that regularly setting aside money for travel to a dedicated savings account has made it easier to book travel. Having the funds removes any doubt over whether it's a financially responsible decision.

Vacation planning 101

"If there is something out of your ordinary spending routine, there is no way around budgeting," said Justin Sullivan, certified financial planner and investment market manager at PNC Wealth Management. People often turn to credit cards to pay for trips, but when the weekend is over, "it's not worth it," Sullivan said. "It's such a reverse from how you felt on vacation."

1. Pad your budget by 15 percent

Sullivan's first advice is to budget for the obvious  flights, car rental, hotel, meals and entertainment. "People forget about other expenses, such as boarding your pet, which can be expensive," he said. Don't forget about gratuities or buying new clothes. Sullivan recommends taking the total estimate cost of your trip and adding 15 percent to 20 percent.

2. Reduce expenses when possible

Traveling with family and friends means you can split a hotel room or share the cost of a rental car. Don't automatically default to a hotel. "You can stay at someone's house using local apps, such as AirBnb," Sullivan said. You can save on restaurants by cooking a few meals yourself, and you might have a few nights in, watching a movie on TV and snacking on popcorn.

3. Show your loyalty

The longer your planning, the more chances you'll have to build up some credit card points or hotel program rewards. Even one night in a hotel or one plane ticket can help save money.

4. Pay as you goSen. Elizabeth Warren's corporate responsibility bill could help destroy capitalism, Harvard University economics professor Jeffrey Miron told CNBC on Wednesday.

Warren's proposal "will create a whole set of new rules that the federal government will enforce. Those rules will not be clean, explicit or simple. They'll be messy, they'll be complicated. [It will create a] huge ability for companies to evade and avoid," Miron said on CNBC's "Power Lunch."

"It's just a recipe for more crony capitalism, not for more productive capitalism," he added.

Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, unveiled plans for her new legislation, the Accountable Capitalism Act, in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. The proposed bill would require corporations with more than $1 billion in annual revenue to obtain a federal charter. The charter aims to mitigate income inequality by obligating company directors to consider the interests of all stakeholders, including employees and those in the community where the company is based, not just those who own the stock.

Black Entertainment Television co-founder Robert Johnson said companies that are run well are already taking into account all stakeholders, including employees.

"Most companies and most boards look at all of their stakeholders, not only their shareholders. They look at their employees, they look at the community where they reside and do business, they look at even the vendors that they do business with. So I think it's a solution in search of a problem that's absolutely not necessary," Johnson said on CNBC's "Closing Bell."

Johnson said despite Warren's best intentions of "channel[ing] Robin Hood," the type of government intrusion in industry she is proposing has "the dangerous potential of channeling Karl Marx."

"Her intentions may be great, but putting the government in the middle of how corporations in this country are run is a slippery slope toward a socialist economy that does not, in my opinion, work in the American system," Johnson said.

Miron, who is also director of economic studies at the Cato Institute, argued the new charter will discourage companies from honoring the rule of law. Only "honest" and "law-abiding" companies will comply, meaning it is those companies that also will bear the brunt of the regulatory burden, and, ultimately, those companies that will leave the U.S. for countries with friendlier regulations.

"If we make it more onerous for companies to locate in the U.S., they're going to locate somewhere else. And that hurts precisely the group Senator Warren is trying to help  that is, the employees of these corporations," Miron said. "They will have no jobs instead of jobs with wages she thinks are too low."

As for income inequality, Miron said it is still an "open question" as to whether policies should try to reduce income inequality created by a free market.

"The right way to help people who are very poor is through a social safety net of the kind that we already have ... not to interfere with capitalism, which is going to make a lot more people have low income and be poor, in particular by driving corporations out of this country," Miron said.

If consumers really don't like a company's lack of transparency or business practices, Miron said, it's up to them to make it known.

"They can organize boycotts. They don't buy the product; they don't buy the stocks. That drives down the value of the company, and then the management and remaining shareholders will respond," Miron said.

"The market is a much better way of encouraging companies to respond to consumer wants and needs than this top-down rule that will end up just generating more insiders and less accountability," he added.

Warren's office did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

 Tune in to "Mad Money" on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET to watch Jim Cramer's full interview with Sen. Elizabeth Warren.The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned banks in the U.S. of an impending cybercrime, a heist called an "ATM cash-out," in which thieves seek to swipe millions of dollars by using cloned ATM cards for fraudulent withdrawals.

This globally organized effort could be instigated soon, the FBI told banks Friday, with cybercriminals attempting to amass millions of dollars within a few hours, according to the confidential alert obtained by security researcher Brian Krebs.

"The FBI has obtained unspecified reporting indicating cyber criminals are planning to conduct a global Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cash-out scheme in the coming days, likely associated with an unknown card issuer breach and commonly referred to as an 'unlimited operation,' " the alert said, Krebs reported on his blog.

More from USA Today:

Stagnating salaries: Real US wages are essentially back at 1974 levels, Pew reports

Home prices: Even midsize cities are getting pricey, leading some buyers to smaller markets

Tinder founders sue IAC for billions claiming company 'robbed' them of stock options

In an unlimited operation, cybercriminals deploy malware to obtain bank customer card information and network access in a way to execute massive ATM thefts, the FBI said, according to Krebs.

"Historic compromises have included small-to-medium size financial institutions, likely due to less robust implementation of cyber security controls, budgets, or third-party vendor vulnerabilities," the FBI's alert said. "The FBI expects the ubiquity of this activity to continue or possibly increase in the near future."

The FBI, which would not comment on the specific alert, said in a statement: "The FBI routinely advises private industry of various cyber threat indicators observed during the course of our investigations. This data is provided in order to help systems administrators guard against the actions of persistent cyber criminals."

Organized crime gangs typically hack into a bank or payment processor to remove fraud controls, such as maximum withdrawal amounts and limits on number of daily customer ATM transactions, Krebs says. Account balances and security measures within the institution are altered to make an unlimited amount of money available at the time of the illegal transactions.

To commit the crime, cyber criminals create fake bank cards by imprinting stolen credit card data on blank magnetic strip cards, the FBI said. "At a pre-determined time, the co-conspirators withdraw account funds from ATMs using these cards," the agency said.

Most ATM cash-out operations happen on weekends, usually just after the close of business Saturday, Krebs said.

A heist that occurred over the weekend in India could be the operation the FBI had warned of. India's Cosmos Bank lost about $13.5 million (944 million rupees) in a wave of simultaneous withdrawals across 28 countries, Reuters reported.

Another example of an apparent unlimited operation resulted in the National Bank of Blacksburg in Virginia losing a total of $2.4 million in two separate ATM cash-out operations between May 2016 and January 2017, Krebs reported.

In that incident, a phishing email led to malware on a PC and the compromise of a computer at the bank that had access to Star Network, a debit card payment system run by First Data, which managed customer accounts and their use of ATMs and bank cards, Krebs said.

Hackers then disabled and altered anti-theft and anti-fraud protections, including four-digit PIN numbers and daily withdrawal limits. During one breach that began on May 28, 2016, and continued through Memorial Day, hackers got more than $569,000 from hundreds of ATMs across North America.

The FBI gave banks several security recommendations to combat any potential threats such as requiring strong passwords and two-factor authentication with a physical or digital token for critical employees.

Consumers should remain vigilant, said Paul Benda, senior vice president of risk and cybersecurity policy at the American Bankers Association. "They should be signed up for fraud alerts on their account. They should be monitoring their accounts for activity, and they should look for any unusual activity," Benda said. "If they see anything they should report it. A bank would much rather hear about a potential fraudulent charge that turns out to be something that you don't remember buying versus not hearing about that at all."

Should a customer lose something from their account as part of a crime such as an "ATM cash-out," he said, "the bank is going to make you whole."Other notable adjustments included paring stakes in Netflix , Citigroup , and Wells Fargo , but raising its shares of Pandora Media and Salesforce.com .

Soros Fund Management also dramatically boosted its shares in BlackRock  the world's largest asset management firm, overseeing $6 trillion  by nearly 60 percent to 12,983 total shares in the second quarter.

Soros Fund Management added Facebook , Apple , and Twitter , but trimmed stakes in Alphabet and Amazon.com in the quarter through June, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

Soros Fund Management took share stakes in Facebook of 159,200 class A shares during the second quarter and 54,500 shares in Apple.

A number of prominent fund managers sharply cut their holdings in Apple only weeks before it became the first publicly traded U.S. company to be worth more than $1 trillion.

David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital slashed its stake by 77 percent, while Philippe Laffont's Coatue Management unloaded 95 percent. Advisory firm Diamond Hill Capital Management cut its stake by 27 percent.

Other big holders, including Sanders Capital and Adage Capital Partners, only trimmed small amounts in the second quarter.

Soros also rejigged his energy holdings, raising stakes in Devon Energy and Kinder Morgan, while dissolving his stake in the VanEck Vectors Oil Services ETF and cutting exposure to Canadian Natural Resources and Williams Companies.

Quarterly disclosures of hedge fund managers' stock holdings, in what are known as 13F filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, are one of the few public ways of learning what the managers are selling and buying.

But relying on the filings to develop an investment strategy comes with some risk because the disclosures come 45 days after the end of each quarter and may not reflect current positions. Still, the filings offer a glimpse into what hedge fund managers saw as opportunities to make money on the long side.

The filings do not disclose short positions, or bets that a stock will fall in price. As a result, the public filings do not always present a complete picture of a management firm's equities holdings.The way you get and use both TV and internet in your home is about to change drastically. Verizon detailed a bit about how the next stage of home TV and internet will work when it discussed its 5G rollout plans on Tuesday evening. Lots of buzzwords get tossed around with 5G, so I'll try to explain how it's going to change how you get TV and internet at home as easily as I can.

How it works now

Stigmatize | Getty Images

Right now, you probably have a cable wire running from the telephone poles on your street to your house. It might come in the attic and then, thanks to some drilling done by the cable guy, snakes its way from room to room connecting to cable boxes. Those cables also need to connect to a modem and/or router to provide wireless internet to your house. That means even if you "cut the cord" and ditch cable, you still need the same coaxial cable line for internet at home. The current wireless standard offered by Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint  4G LTE  is fast but not quite fast enough for an entire house of people to play games and stream 4K movies at the same time. It makes a poor replacement for wired broadband. The technology for 5G is fast enough for that, and you can forget the cords. It's just as reliable as the wired broadband internet you're used to, and it could save you a lot of headaches.

How it will work

Apple

Verizon said Tuesday that instead of giving you a bunch of cable boxes and other gadgets, it's going to simply give you an Apple TV 4K and a wireless modem. Since Verizon isn't going to run a standard cable line to your house, it's also going to include a subscription to YouTube TV, YouTube's streaming service that will provide access to TV channels. YouTube TV normally costs $40 per month, but Verizon's deal is likely only a limited-time offer. You'll still have a modem at home, but it'll connect to Verizon's wireless 5G signal and then serve as a home Wi-Fi router, complete with standard Ethernet ports. This is how devices like the Apple TV 4K, your smartphone, computer and other internet gadgets will connect to Verizon's 5G wireless network. PCMag had a look at one of the routers Verizon said it was initially considering in 2017. This means you won't need to run a cable throughout your home to each TV, since you won't be using cable boxes to get your TV content. No more drilling through walls. No more waiting for the cable guy. Just plug in your Verizon modem and get online.

Some early caveats

CNBC: Todd Haselton

This won't be for everyone, at least not at first. To start, Verizon (and other 5G providers) are only going to roll out slowly in select cities around the United States. Verizon says it will be in four cities  Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California  by the end of 2018. More cities will get Verizon 5G next year. AT&T is also planning to expand its consumer 5G network. AT&T has its own streaming TV service, DirecTV Now, which it could theoretically offer through a 5G connection. Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Sprint are attempting to merge in order to build a 5G network that can compete with AT&T and Verizon.Today, Todd Brooks is a success. He's the owner of Brooks Gourmet Burgers & Dogs, a restaurant that brings in millions and is ranked the No. 2 burger joint in America by TripAdvisor. But it hasn't always been that way. In fact, Brooks' life has been all about taking risks. "The day I turned 16, I dropped out of high school," Brooks, now 47, tells CNBC Make It. "I was a young punk who thought he knew everything in the world." Brooks, who grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, got a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant to support himself. He liked the business and eventually worked his way up to the kitchen at the Hereford House, a popular area steakhouse, where he cooked for 15 years. "It became my home," Brooks recalls. "I planned on retiring here." But you know what they say about the best laid plans.

An inflection point

In 2008, the Hereford House burned down. (Its owner, a close friend of Brooks', was later sent to prison for fraud and his role in the fire.) Brooks, then 38, knew he had a decision to make.

Brooks Burgers

"I had to decide to either work for another person or take a chance and do something for ourselves," says Brooks. By then, had a family to think of  his wife, Sandra, then 8-year-old daughter Rylee Annabelle and then 3-year-old son James Albert. "I didn't want to work for another person," he says. The Brookses had friends who lived in Naples in southwest Florida, whom they visited once a year for almost a decade. The couple thought the town was paradise and had always wanted to move there. They never dreamed of making it a reality, but now they had their chance. Brooks decided he'd open his own restaurant in the town. "We only had one shot at this," he says. Brooks started looking at eateries for sale in the area and, after months of searching, settled on a place he could afford and make his own. He cashed in his 401(k) and sold his car and everything he owned for a total of about $180,000 to buy the restaurant and start a new life. "That was all we had," Brooks says of the money. But before moving his family to Florida, Brooks went to Naples at the end of 2009 to find a place to live and check out his new restaurant. "Everything went really, really bad," Brooks says. It turned out the paperwork to the restaurant was fraudulent and income figures were made up. "Even the lease was false," says Brooks. (He'd been represented by a business broker who had assured him everything looked good.)

Todd Brooks at Brooks Burgers Brooks Burgers

Brooks was shaken by the experience but set on moving forward with his plan to open his own restaurant in Naples. It took him two months to finally get the money back and, in 2010, Brooks, then 40, moved his family to Florida hoping to find another restaurant to buy. "I remember going into a divey burger joint, Lindburgers in Naples, to have a beer. It was such a gross and dirty place, I just went for a beer, knowing I wouldn't eat any of the food." Brooks struck up a conversation with the owner and told him about what had happened with the restaurant. The owner told Brooks he was selling Lindburgers. "It was a hole in the wall, but two weeks later, I bought it," Brooks says. "Lindburgers was gross but it was an institution. People have been coming for decades. People who are 50 years old had been coming when they were 20 years old. I thought at the time, we could clean it up."

His own neighborhood burger joint

Brooks got to work gutting the downtown Naples restaurant, putting in new furniture and replacing everything in the kitchen, even the fryers, all by himself. But he preserved some of the look and feel of Lindburgers, which had an aviation theme. "It was a very greasy spoon sorta feel, like a dive on the corner, which I liked," says Brooks. "We cleaned it up but kept it so it felt like an old, beat-up restaurant."

Naples has the 15th richest ZIP code in America. Two of southwest Florida's six billionaires, Shahid Khan and Reinhold Schmieding, live there. Lindburgers was right off Fifth Avenue, which was otherwise filled with "elite" restaurants, according to Brooks. But he wanted his place to be the spot where you could have "a normal dinner" where you don't feel like you have to get dressed up. Brooks opened the joint as Brooks Gourmet Burgers & Dogs in March 2010. "I decided on burgers and dogs because I knew a lot about the meat market and I also loved the history of the old burger joint," Brooks says. "It had been a part of the community for 30 years. It just needed new life," he says. "We made Lindburgers cleaner, more approachable and we improved all the food." But serving community regulars wasn't enough to make a profit. "For the first three years, we made no money," Brooks says. It was rough. "Every 30 days, I wanted to give up," Brooks remembers. "My wife and I were constantly working together, 60 hours a week, then we had to go home and take care of the kids together in a small, 1,500-square-foot rental house," which put a huge stress on their relationship, he says. "We were basically in survival mode for the first 18 months, trying to make ends meet and pay bills. There were times we were down to under $5,000 in the bank, which is pennies when you're operating a business," says Brooks. He borrowed money from credit cards and family members, took out loans and sold his car in favor of riding a scooter to work. He even applied to two or three corporate positions at area country clubs as a second job, finally deciding to stick with his burger joint and hope for the best. "There were multiple times I told my wife we should sell the restaurant," says Brooks. "I really thought we may not make it but I had to think of my kids." So Todd and Sandra "kind of fought our way through" the third year of the restaurant being open.

The secret sauce

Eventually, the couple started to get out into the community more. "We were still so new in Naples and never had the time to meet anyone since we were working so much. We really started shaking hands with people in town that third year. We took really good care of people who came through, and that's what started changing things." Brooks had upgraded the beef from Lindburgers' variety when he opened the place, but since then it wasn't a new menu or different food  word-of-mouth marketing became the secret sauce, so to speak, and the restaurant gradually started making money. "Naples is full of elite restaurants, and you come in here and I'm like 'Hey! Have a seat! Make yourself at home!' and people are like, 'Wow, I love this,'" says Brooks. If anyone ever had a complaint about anything, it never went unanswered, says Brooks. "I followed every social media site that was out there to respond to reviews. Every phone call and letter I responded to was like, 'Hey, you are the most important person in the world for us. Come back and let me fix this.' People actually came back and said 'We never had anyone invite us back, apologize, then cook for us,' and they became our advocates and they told people to come by. They told everyone about us, and it just started snowballing." Still, it didn't occur to Brooks that all the right ingredients for a successful restaurant  great burgers, great design and great hospitality  would carry the eatery's notoriety beyond Naples. "Right around the fourth year of us being around, in 2013, we got voted the top 10 local restaurants in Naples by TripAdvisor," Brooks says. "I was like 'that's kinda cool' and didn't think a lot about it  but then all these tourists started showing up," he says. "Then, eventually, we climbed up to No. 1 locally, and in 2014 we were ranked No. 6 in the nation for best burger on TripAdvisor. "We had no idea it was coming. Our restaurant got annihilated. Our business literally tripled."

Todd Brooks with a customer at Brooks Burgers Brooks Burgers

Brooks wasn't in Naples when TripAdvisor's best burgers in the country were announced. He was visiting family in Kansas City when a friend texted him the list. "I thought 'that's impossible' but I saw it and was like 'holy s---, we did.'" The reality of the situation didn't fully sink in until the next day when the manager called to tell him the line was literally out the door. "She took a picture and sent it to me. It was 52 people deep out the front door. We took off and went right back to Naples." Brooks thought he would see a burst of sales that would then die own, so he told his employees, "'Everybody that walks through that door, they have to come back. If there's a time to be perfect, it's now.' "I lived at Brooks Burgers day and night, but it wasn't as painful since we were making money," he says. Brooks wasn't just making money, he was making millions. "Our revenue went up to a million bucks almost overnight," he says. Not only did Brooks Burgers' revenue go from $320,000 in 2014 to $1.3 million in 2015, the kitchen went from one cook to three cooks and he doubled his staff to handle the volume. "It was the first time in a long time we put money in the bank. It felt good." And the crowds never fully dissipated. "We still get lines in high season in Naples, which is a seasonal town ... [and] we have people in there all day long now."

Behind the burger

After Brooks Burgers started turning a profit in 2014, Brooks decided it was time for a second location. "I said to my wife, 'We have all this momentum, we have the community behind us, and we have employees. Let's take the money we made and reinvest.'" Brooks Burgers opened in North Naples in 2016. In that same year, it was bringing in about the same as the original location, about $1.3 million in revenue, and earlier this year Brooks opened a third restaurant on East Tamiami Trail. "The third one is twice the size of the other locations, and it has a full bar and kind of a sports feel to it. It's a much larger operation. We're anticipating it will reach about $2.5 million a year in revenue."

While the third location is like a sports bar with 23 TV screens, dart boards and shuffle board, each location is based on great burgers. "I spent the last 15 years in Kansas City working at a steakhouse, and I did all the buying and I was extremely well educated on beef," Brooks says. "The beef we buy right now comes from a small plant called Iowa Beef. ... It's natural and corn fed and it's an expensive product, but we have our own grind of short rib, brisket and chuck. And then there's a company down here, Buckhead Beef, who take the meats and combine them and make them specifically for us, down to how hard they get packed, which has more of a steak feel than hamburger feel. The beef we get makes an awesome hamburger." He says the burgers are a premium product at a moderate price, with a classic burger only costing $9.95. Brooks is also known for its innovative twists, like a Korean burger with duck bacon; Goober burger with Angus beef, peanut butter and bacon; and the popular doughnut burger, where the meat is sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts. "The Donut Burger was something that we had eaten at state fairs and made a great talking point, so we offered it," says Brooks. "It took off like crazy when people started taking photos and put them on Facebook and Instagram.

"I must say that no matter how strange of a burger we come up with there's always people that fall in love with them. We have many patrons that come and have worked their way through every burger available." Whatever the case, it continues to please. Brooks Burger is now the ranked No. 2 best burger in America by TripAdvisor. The majority of reviews on the travel site give the brand five stars; the few that complain seem to do so mostly about service.

Burger kingThis courtroom sketch depicts Rick Gates, right, answering questions by prosecutor Greg Andres as he testifies in the trial of Paul Manafort, seated second from left, at the Alexandria Federal Courthouse in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 6, 2018.

The jury in the bank fraud and conspiracy trial of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort could begin deliberating on the case as soon as Wednesday, as both prosecutors and defense attorneys are poised to deliver their closing arguments.

Presiding Judge T.S. Ellis, who has repeatedly urged attorneys in the criminal trial to maintain a fast pace and scrap evidence related to Manafort's lavish lifestyle throughout court proceedings, also bluntly suggested that both teams of lawyers should keep their closing remarks brief.

Prosecutors for special counsel Robert Mueller and Manafort's defense team have both signaled that they will need about two hours to deliver their closing arguments. "If you think you can hold a juror's attention for two hours, you live on a different planet than I do," Ellis said Friday, The Washington Post reported.

Ellis may have a point, said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami. "Jurors don't have the longest attention span," especially in a "paper case" like this, Weinstein said. "At a certain point, the jurors begin to lose interest."

The jury of six men and six women have already sat through 11 days of testimony from more than two dozen witnesses and viewed hundreds of financial documents presented by Mueller's team.

Manafort, who was Trump's top campaign official before resigning in August 2016, is accused of multiple counts of bank fraud, failing to file foreign bank account reports and filing false tax returns.

The charges focus on the millions of dollars Manafort earned as a consultant for the pro-Russian political party of ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Prosecutors allege Manafort, with assistance from his former partner, Rick Gates, stashed millions in overseas accounts, misled the government about his income and failed to report many of those foreign accounts.

They also allege Manafort committed bank fraud by lying to obtain huge loans after Yanukovych was ousted in 2014, which dried up Manafort's income and strained his ability to maintain his lavish lifestyle.

If convicted, Manafort could be sentenced to as much as 30 years in prison for each count of the most serious charges.

Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case, the first to be brought to trial from Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. His lawyers are likely to argue in their closing remarks that Manafort did not willfully break any finance laws and that the prosecution has not met its burden of proof. Weinstein noted that proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt is "a very high" hurdle for Mueller's attorneys to overcome.While Silicon Valley might seem like a mecca for young entrepreneurs, the city with the highest percentage of millennial business founders is actually nowhere near there  it's Louisville, Kentucky, according to a new study from LendingTree.

For its study, LendingTree, looked at anonymized data from 35,000 business owners in the 50 largest U.S. cities who were seeking funding through its small business marketplace and compared the ages of the founders on their company's date of origination.

LendingTree found that 44.8 percent of business founders in Louisville, Kentucky were millennials (defined by the survey as born between 1981 and 1996). The highest proportion of Gen X founders (born 1965 to 1980) can be found in in Providence, Rhode Island and Philadelphia (48.7 percent). Silicon Valley actually goes to the Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) at 24.1 percent.

As for the top 10 U.S. metro cities with the youngest founders, LendingTree found that Salt Lake City takes the top spot, with an average founder age of 37.81 years old.

"The area known as 'Silicon Slopes' encompasses the Salt Lake City metropolitan area and nearby cities; it is home to billion-dollar tech companies such as Overstock.com, PluralSight and Qualtrics," LendingTree's study notes. "These big players have helped established a steady, growing economy in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah. The area also has an established (and growing) pool of qualified talent. Combined with the relatively low cost of living, and entrepreneurs in Utah have few obstacles  and plenty of opportunities."

Buffalo, New York comes in second (average founder age of 37.91) and New Orleans, Louisiana third (37.95 years old).

In general, LendingTree found "[B]ooming local economies, along with low local costs and taxes, may be fueling startup growth," according to the report. "These [top 10] cities also have strong support systems in place to help founders and their startups succeed, from business incubators and accelerators to networking events and opportunities to apply for small business grants or attract venture capital."

Here are the top 10 U.S. cities with the youngest entrepreneurs, according to LendingTree:

1. Salt Lake City, Utah

Average founder age: 37.81

2. Buffalo, New York

Average founder age: 37.91

3. New Orleans, Louisiana

Average founder age: 37.95

4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Average founder age: 37.97

5. Charlotte, North Carolina

Average founder age: 38.21

6. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Average founder age: 38.74

7. St. Louis, Missouri

Average founder age: 38.77

8. Portland, Oregon

Average founder age: 38.79

9. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Average founder age: 38.98

10. Austin, Texas

Average founder age: 39.02

Overall, LendingTree found that the average ages of founders when starting their business ranged from 37 to 42 years old.

Don't miss: Best states and cities for small business, graded from A+ to F (Hint: 5 states did stellar and 2 flunked)

Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!Forensic officers look towards a vehicle after it crashed into security barriers, injuring a number of pedestrians, outside the Houses of Parliament on August 14, 2018, in London, England.

A 29-year-old man detained over a suspected terrorist attack outside parliament has been further arrested for attempted murder, police said on Wednesday.

He had initially been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after he appeared deliberately to drive his car at cyclists and pedestrians before ramming it into barriers outside the parliament building on Tuesday morning.

Police confirmed media reports that the man is a U.K. national originally from Sudan. He has been named by a security source as Salih Khater.

"We are satisfied that we know the identity of the arrested man," police said in a statement. "The priority of the investigation team continues to be to understand the motivation behind this incident."Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (L) shake hands as they pose for a photo during their meeting at Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on January 15, 2018.

Turkish officials say Qatar has pledged $15 billion of direct investments for Turkey as it struggles with a currency crisis.

Officials from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said the pledge was made by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who met with the Turkish leader Wednesday.

The officials provided the information only on condition of anonymity, in line with government rules. They did not provide further information on the nature of the investments.

During the meeting, Erdogan and Al Thani also expressed their determination to develop ties between their countries "in all areas," according to the officials.

Turkey and Qatar have forged close bonds over the years, with Ankara supporting Doha during its standoff last year with other Gulf neighbors, including sending troops to a Turkish base there.Blockchain , also known as distributed ledger, is the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. It records transactions across multiple locations, rather than one centralized server. Ripple's distributed ledger technology is different to bitcoin's, however, as transactions are validated by a network of independent servers  owned by banks, retailers and traders  rather than the "miners" that validate transactions on bitcoin's public blockchain network.

Earlier this year, the blockchain company struck a deal with Hong Kong-based financial services firm LianLian International, aimed at powering the latter's cross-border transactions between China, the U.S. and Europe. It is not clear whether Ripple's technology is being deployed by LianLian yet.

"China is definitely of interest, it is definitely a target," Jeremy Light, vice president of European Union strategic accounts at Ripple, told CNBC in a phone interview. "China is definitely a country and region of interest."

Ripple wants to target the Chinese market with its distributed ledger technology designed to speed up cross-border payments, an executive at the firm told CNBC.

If it were to seek an entry into the Chinese market, Ripple's focus would unlikely be on advancing the adoption of cryptocurrency XRP, as Beijing has clamped down on the trading of virtual currencies. China last year banned initial coin offerings (ICOs), a controversial means of financial technology start-ups raising funds through the sale of new digital tokens.

Ripple currently has more than 100 financial institutions signed up to its network, including Santander, UniCredit, UBS and Standard Chartered. But with just one Chinese client, the firm would have a long way to go before making waves in the country. China is home to a number of large fintech (financial technology) firms, with payment apps like Ant Financial's Alipay and Tencent's WeChat Pay proving popular with Chinese consumers.

Elsewhere in Asia, Ripple has created an app called Money Tap in Japan, in partnership with 61 domestic lenders. The app is designed to allow banks to settle round-the-clock payments in the country.

Most banks and financial firms are uninterested in the cryptocurrency side of Ripple's offering, however. Ripple is mostly known for its digital token, which is used to essentially bridge payments from one currency to another.

Instead, lenders have sealed deals with the start-up to use its xCurrent product, which is aimed at settling payments instantly around the world.

Ripple's xRapid platform meanwhile  where XRP is used  has seen interest from money transfer firms including MoneyGram and Western Union. Both uses of the cryptocurrency are in trial phase rather than commercial deployment.

But there are fears the volatility of cryptocurrencies could inhibit XRP from seeing mainstream adoption with banks and other financial institutions. The cryptocurrency soared to unprecedented levels late last year and early this year, notching a record high of $3.81  and a market value of $147 billion  on January 4, according industry website CoinMarketCap. It has since receded to just 29 cents, a decrease of more than 90 percent.A hedge fund owned by the chief executive of Sears, Edward Lampert, has offered to buy the company's Kenmore appliances brand for $400 million in cash, Sears said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

ESL Investments also made an offer to buy the Home Improvement business of the company's home services division for as much as $80 million in cash, according to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

It said the offers were made in a letter to Sears' board.

The offer for Kenmore is conditional on ESL receiving equity financing from a potential partner, according to the filing. No partner was named.

Lampert said in April Sears should sell its Kenmore brand, home improvement businesses and real estate, and that ESL Investments would bid in any sale.

Sears formed a special committee in May to explore the proposal.

In its fiscal first quarter ended May 5, Sears reported a net loss attributable to the company of $424 million, or $3.93 per share, compared with a profit of $245 million, or $2.29 per share, a year earlier. The company's store closures brought down its revenue by nearly 31 percent in the first quarter.The Securities and Exchange Commission has served Tesla with a subpoena after CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was considering taking the company private and that he had the necessary funding lined up, according to reports from The New York Times and other outlets published Wednesday.

Earlier reports said the SEC had intensified scrutiny of the automaker after the controversial tweet. A subpoena would be one of the first steps in a formal inquiry.

Shares of Tesla were down 3 percent in afternoon trading, though they moved only a fraction of 1 percent following the Times article.

Representatives of Tesla and the SEC declined to comment to the Times.Corporate America is focusing too much on getting shareholders rich, so the federal government needs to intervene to hold businesses accountable, Sen. Elizabeth Warren told CNBC on Wednesday.

To that end, the Massachusetts Democrat introduced legislation, the Accountable Capitalism Act, which would require corporations with more than $1 billion in annual revenue to obtain a federal charter.

That charter would obligate company directors to consider the interest of all stakeholders, like employees and those in the community where the company is based, and not just those who own the stock. While charters, which define the obligations and structure of American companies, are done at the state level, Warren's bill brings it to the federal level.

In an interview with "Mad Money" host Warren laid out her proposal, which includes putting employees on the board of directors.

"Let's change the compensation structure for the CEOs to say that the CEOs will not be permitted to juice the [stock] price, and then once they juice the price, make a quick sale, make a bazillion dollars, and keep emphasizing the incentives," she said in the interview, part of which aired on "Power Lunch."

Warren initially put forth her plan in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. She pointed to a shift in corporate behavior from focusing on shareholders, employees and other priorities to focusing mostly just on those who own the stock.

"Before 'shareholder value maximization' ideology took hold, wages and productivity grew at roughly the same rate. But since the early 1980s, real wages have stagnated even as productivity has continued to rise. Workers aren't getting what they've earned," she wrote.

In fact, between 2007 and 2016, large U.S. corporations dedicated 93 percent of their earnings to shareholders, she said.

It's a trend that will apparently continue. According to a recent analysis by Goldman Sachs, U.S. companies are poised to reach a record $1 trillion in share buybacks this year.

Sen. Warren also criticized U.S. trade policies that serve corporate interests over workers.South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their meeting at the Peace House at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in wants to create a Northeast Asian railroad community with North Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia, Yonhap News reported on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event marking his country's independence from Japanese rule, Moon said such a "community" could eventually herald the launch of a "multilateral security system" in the region, according to the report.

"This community will lead to an energy bloc and economic bloc in Northeast Asia by expanding our economic area to the northern continent and becoming the foundation of co-existence and prosperity in Northeast Asia," Moon projected, according to Yonhap.

The president's administration will seek to link railways and roads with the North before year-end, Yonhap said.

The initiative is one of many efforts that Seoul is undertaking to strengthen peace in Northeast Asia following June's milestone U.S.-North Korea summit. Since then, the reclusive regime has dismantled some missile engine testing facilities, but many question leader Kim Jong Un's willingness to deliver on the denuclearization promise he made to President Donald Trump.

Moon also called for broad energy and economic cooperation with the North on Wednesday, stressing his goal to politically unify both countries. "True liberation" will only be achieved when the two neighbors establish a lasting peace and economic relations, the head of state was quoted as saying.

The South Korean leader indicated that he will soon visit Pyongyang for a third bilateral summit with Kim. In May, the duo held their official second meeting at the border village of Panmunjom following an earlier summit in April.

For more on Moon's Wednesday speech, see Yonhap's full report.Macy's  The retailer earned an adjusted 70 cents per share for the second quarter, topping estimates, with revenue also beating forecasts. Comparable sales posted an unexpected rise of 0.5 percent, compared to forecasts of a 0.9 percent decline. Macy's also raised its full year outlook for revenue, comparable sales, and profits.

Constellation Brands  The spirits producer is investing $4 billion in Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth, increasing its ownership stake to 38 percent through the exercise of warrants it holds. Constellation is buying the shares at a 51.2 percent premium to yesterday's closing price.

Energen  Energen will be bought by Diamondback Energy in an all-stock transaction worth about $8.4 billion dollars, excluding debt. Diamondback said the combination of the two energy producers should save at least $3 billion in expenses over time.

GlaxoSmithKline - Glaxo's long-acting monthly injection for HIV treatment proved as effective as standard daily pills in a clinical trial.

Express Scripts  The pharmacy benefits manager is in talks with biotech companies Biomarin Pharmaceuticals, Spark Therapeutics, and Bluebird Bio to distribute new hemophilia therapies, according to a Reuters interview with Chief Medical Officer Steve Miller.

Walmart  Walmart will collaborate with comedian Ellen DeGeneres on a new women's fashion line.

Yum China  Yum China is a possible target of a variety of investment firms, including Chinese investment firm Hillhouse Capital, according to a Reuters report. Yum China shares had risen four percent yesterday on a Bloomberg report that China Investment Corp. and others were interested in the restaurant operator.

BlackRock - Soros Fund Management significantly boosted its stake in the asset management firm during the second quarter, according to an SEC filing. The fund's BlackRock stake increased by nearly 60 percent to about 13 thousand shares.

Lockheed Martin  The defense contractor was awarded an U.S. Air Force contract for three missile warning satellites, worth up to $2.9 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway  Berkshire increased its stakes in Goldman Sachs, Teva Pharmaceutical, and Apple during the second quarter, according its quarterly SEC filing.

Sears Holdings - CEO Edward Lampert offered to buy the retailer's Kenmore brand for $400 million in cash, according to a letter from Lampert to the Sears board seen by the Wall Street Journal.

Nvidia - Nvidia was upgraded to "outperform" from "underperform" at Wells Fargo, ahead of the chip maker's quarterly earnings report on Thursday. Wells Fargo expects a positive report but said the upgrade also reflects the company's long-term position in gaming, data centers, and autonomous vehicles.

Agilent Technologies  Agilent beat estimates by four cents with adjusted quarterly profit of 67 cents per share, while the life science company's revenue matched Street forecasts.

Western Digital  Cowen downgraded the hard disk drive maker to "market perform" from "outperform", saying Street estimates for Western Digital are too high due to competitive pricing in the industry and a cost structure for the company that is not as efficient as those of its rivals.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that Macy's EPS came in at 70 cents.Tesla shares fell more than 4 percent Wednesday on continued concern the Securities and Exchange Commission will investigate the electric car maker.

The agency has sent subpoenas to the company over CEO Elon Musk's recent comments about having secured funding to take Tesla private, Fox Business Network's Charles Gasparino said Wednesday on Twitter, citing a "company source."

Subpoenas sent to Tesla

Company Source

The New York Times later reported the SEC had served Tesla with a subpoena, citing an unnamed source.

If Musk's statements were untrue, he could be accused of manipulating Tesla's stock.

Tesla declined to comment.After winning Tuesday's Democratic primary for Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, 2016 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes is on track to become the state's first black Democrat in Congress.

Hayes defeated politician Mary Glassman by winning 62 percent of the votes, reports The Washington Post. In November, she will face Republican nominee and former mayor of Meriden, Connecticut, Manny Santos. The winner of November's election will replace Rep. Elizabeth Etsy, who resigned earlier this year after accusations that she improperly handled an abuse claim made against one of her staff members.

If Hayes wins, she will not only be the state's first black Democrat in Congress, but she will also be the first black Congresswoman from any New England state.

"When we started this campaign a little more than 100 days ago, we had no organization and no network. People told us we had no chance and no business trying to upset the status quo," Time reports Hayes telling her supporters on Tuesday. "And tonight, we proved them wrong."Major players in the beverage industry will follow Constellation Brands into the cannabis industry, Jon Taffer, host of Paramount's "Bar Rescue," told CNBC on Wednesday.

"I don't think anybody is going to let Constellation control this space, so I think they're the first one. I think they're aggressive. And the next ones will be more defensive," the bar consultant said on CNBC's "Closing Bell."

Constellation announced an additional $4 billion stake in Canopy Growth, which Constellation says upped its stake in the company to 38 percent. The maker of Corona and Modelo beers in October took a 9.9 percent stake in the Canadian cannabis company.

Taffer said the $200 million October investment was "putting their toes in the water."

"This is a significant investment to acquire 38 percent of the company, so this was a $4 billion investment. I think this is a jump-in, not a walk-in," Taffer said.

The investment comes during a time alcohol is doing well, with the possible exception of beer, which Taffer said is under-performing. He said it is a big indicator of the opportunity that spirits and hospitality companies see in cannabis.

"We are starting to think cannabis is becoming the fourth leg of the industry: spirits, beer, wine and cannabis," he said.

Tim Seymour, founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management, agreed, adding that the investment is a consumer products play.

"The fact that Constellation is willing to spend a 50 percent premium to already extraordinary valuations ... and they think this is going to be earnings accretive in 2021  that tells you all you need to know about the opportunity," Seymour said Wednesday on CNBC's "Fast Money."

Seymour said other companies in the space, like MedRelief and the Green Dutchman, are out there building brands, and big players, such as Molson Coors and Constellation Brands, were starting to feel left out.

"They are worried about being left behind while guys build a name for themselves in the space. And if one of the biggest alcohol and beverage companies is involved in this kind of a way at this valuation it tells you the big boys are all coming," said Seymour.

"This is another hallmark week in the cannabis industry in what's been an extraordinary month," he added.The Treasury Department retweeted a post from President Donald Trump on Wednesday touting Republican election chances this fall, sparking concerns among experts that the action may have violated federal ethics laws.

The Treasury soon removed the post. A representative for the department told CNBC that the retweet was done "in error."

Trump's celebratory tweet came on the heels of another round of primary elections in advance of this fall's pivotal midterms, which will determine majorities in Congress. "Great Republican election results last night," the president wrote in a tweet Wednesday morning. "So far we have the team we want. 8 for 9 in Special Elections. Red Wave!"

The Treasury Department's official account soon retweeted it. Government ethics experts immediately sounded the alarm, suggesting it may have been a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on the job.

"Treasury definitely crossed the line here," said Nick Schwellenbach, a former communications director at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which enforces the Hatch Act. (The office is not related to special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.)President Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort departs U.S. District Court after a motions hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, May 4, 2018.

Former Trump campaign boss Paul Manafort "lied" and "lied" and "lied" again to avoid paying taxes on money he earned overseas and to get even more money when that income stream ran dry, a prosecutor told jurors as closing arguments began Wednesday in Manafort's federal trial.

"Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it and lied to get more money when he didn't," Greg Andres, a member of special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecution team, said in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, according to NBC News.

In fact, the prosecutor said, the case is all about "Mr. Manafort and his lies."

"When you follow the trail of Mr. Manafort's money, it's littered with lies," Andres said in his pitch to jurors. "Mr. Manafort is not above the law."

Manafort's defense lawyer Kevin Downing, in his closing statement, attacked the testimony of Manafort's former business associate Rick Gates, who has cut a plea deal with Mueller's team. Downing said Gates stole several million dollars from Manafort to fund a lifestuly that included a London apartment to meet his mistress.

He said Gates had lied to jurors.

Another defense lawyer, Richard Westling, in his own argument to jurors, tried to focus them on the claim that prosecutors had failed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Manafort was guilty of the crimes with which he is charges.

"Your job is to ensure the burden is met," said Westling.

He showed the jurors a chart of a scale ranging from proven not guilty to guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

"It's not enough to think someone is probably guilty or likely guilty," Westling said.

"Hold the government to its burden, ladies and gentlement."

Jurors could begin deliberating Manafort's fate soon afterward the same day.

A longtime Republican consultant and lobbyist, Manafort, 69, is accused of hiding from the IRS tens of millions of dollars he earned working for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine.

"In total, Mr. Manafort failed to pay taxes on more than $15 million," Andres said.

Prosecutors say that when that work ended, after the party lost power, Manafort sought to continue paying for his pricey lifestyle by lying to American banks to obtain loans.

But Westling argued Wednesday that none of the banks that Manafort is charged with defrauding ever complained about him to authorities.

Manafort has pleaded not guilty in the case, which is the first of two against him brought by Mueller to go to trial. He is set to be tried on related charges in Washington, D.C., federal court this fall.

Defense lawyers rested their case Tuesday without calling any witnesses to testify on Manafort's behalf and after introducing just 12 exhibits into evidence.

In contrast, prosecutors called 27 witnesses to testify, among them his fellow senior official on the Trump campaign, Gates, who earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making false statements.

Prosecutors also submitted more than 360 exhibits in the case.

Mueller lodged charges against Manafort and Gates after being appointed to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion by members of the Trump campaign in that meddling.

However, the charges against both men do not relate to their actions on that campaign, which sent President Donald Trump to the White House.

Trump has repeatedly called for an end to Mueller's ongoing probe, calling it a "Witch Hunt."

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.Former CIA director John Brennan testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Russian active measures during the 2016 election campaign in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, May 23, 2017.

President Donald Trump has withdrawn ex-CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance, in a move hitting one of the administration's most vocal critics.

The action, announced Wednesday by press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, appears to be more of a political than practical move. Brennan and most other prominent former White House officials do not use their clearances to consult with the Trump administration, and the move may not prevent them from speaking out publicly now.

In justifying pulling Brennan's clearance, Sanders read a statement from Trump claiming that the former spy chief has shown "erratic conduct and behavior" and "has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility." She said the move was about "protecting classified information," though she did not provide any examples of Brennan using his access to improperly leverage sensitive information since he left the CIA post. Sanders denied the move was political.

"Mr. Brennan's lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation's most closely held secrets and facilities," the president said in the statement read by Sanders.

Sanders said the White House will also consider whether to revoke security clearances of other former and current high-ranking law enforcement and intelligence officials  all of whom have earned Trump's ire in some way. Those are: former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, ex-NSA Director Michael Hayden, former national security advisor Susan Rice, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, ex-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

In response, Brennan called the action "part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech" and "punish critics." He signaled that it would not stop him from criticizing the president.

"It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent," Brennan tweeted on Wednesday.

Brennan tweet

He also told MSNBC that Trump is "trying to get back at" him with a move he called "politically motivated." Brennan said he did not find out about his clearance getting revoked until after Sanders' briefing on Wednesday and has not heard from a government official since.

The announcement at least temporarily puts more scrutiny on Trump's political opponents rather than the president himself. It comes amid repeated questions about nondisclosure agreements signed by former Trump campaign staffers brought about by accusations of racism and instability on Trump's part from ex-administration official Omarosa Manigault Newman.

Former top-ranking officials have frequently in the past kept their security clearances so that the White House can consult with them on important topics.

Brennan has frequently and pointedly criticized Trump since the president took office in January 2017. In a tweet on Tuesday responding to the president calling Manigault Newman a "dog," Brennan wrote that "it's astounding how often [Trump fails] to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility & probity."

"Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation," he wrote about the president.

Brennan tweet

On Tuesday night, he told MSNBC that "I think Donald Trump has badly sullied the reputation of the office of the presidency."

In pulling Brennan's clearance, the White House questioned his credibility in denying to Congress that the CIA "improperly accessed the computer files of congressional staffers." Trump's statement also claimed that Brennan showed inconsistency in telling Congress that the intelligence community did not use the so-called Steele dossier as part of its conclusion that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 election.

Ohr is the only one of the people Sanders named at risk of losing a security clearance who currently works in the Trump administration. The Department of Justice declined to comment on the evaluation of his clearance.

Last month, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that the president was "trolling people" with threats to pull their security clearances and noted that the decision about whether to do so falls under the executive branch's purview. Ryan's office declined to comment to CNBC.

Brennan had no immediate comment. The former CIA director who served during the Obama administration is a contributor to NBC News.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and some other intelligence officials were not told in advance about pulling Brennan's clearance, an official familiar with the decision told NBC News.

Other ex-intelligence and law enforcement officials criticized the move on Wednesday. Former Deputy CIA Director John McLaughlin called the security clearance removal "ridiculous." He told MSNBC that he doubts "anyone in the White House has thought through" the action.

Clapper told CNN that "the larger issue here ... has been in infringement on First Amendment rights." All of the people Sanders named have "either been outspoken about the administration, or have directly run afoul of it. And taken actions that were inimical to President Trump's interests."

Mark Warner, the Virginia senator and top-ranking Democrat on the chamber's intelligence committee, said, "This might be a way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two." But "politicizing the way we guard our nation's secrets just to punish the President's critics is a dangerous precedent," he said in a tweeted statement.

Warner tweetSupport for President Donald Trump among farmers has dipped as the trade war with China drags on, according to a Farm Journal Research survey published Tuesday.

Trump received about 70 percent of farmers' votes in the 2016 election but a new poll shows only more than 50 percent would vote for him again. The poll found that over 40 percent of them view Trump unfavorably and 35 percent "less favorably" since the trade war erupted.

The trade spat with China has resulted in retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of U.S. farm products.

Even so, Morning Consult polling data last week showed another trend: Trump support has remained intact or improved among rural voters. It found support was up in Iowa among rural voters despite the state being a large producer of some key commodities hit by new duties, including pork and soybeans.

Farm Journal's poll of about 2,300 farmers, conducted the week of Aug. 6, found 52 percent of farmers view Trump as favorable and 43 percent consider him as unfavorable. The remaining 5 percent had no opinion.

Chicago soybean futures were down about 15 percent since early April when China announced it would slap a 25 percent tariff on the 106 U.S. products, including American soy. Farm income this year could fall to the lowest level since 2006, according to government estimates.

The Trump administration last month announced a $12 billion emergency aid plan to help farmers impacted by retaliatory tariffs. But some farmers have said the assistance won't make them "whole."

While some farmers support Trump making China accountable on trade issues, they also worry about unintended consequences. Some are concerned about uncertainties surrounding the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

When farmers were asked whether they would vote to re-elect Trump, only 54 percent said "yes" and another 46 percent said "no," according to the Farm Journal poll.

The poll found Trump's support stronger among younger farmers under 45 years old, with two-thirds in favor of the president getting a second term. Yet 57 percent of the farmers aged 65 or older said they wouldn't re-elect Trump.

The White House didn't respond to a request for comment.

For more on the Farm Journal Research poll, see the report at agweb.comThe White House is preparing a new executive order expanding rules favoring American-made products in government projects, according to four administration officials and two other people familiar with the matter.

The order, which is said to be nearing completion, would apply current "Buy America" provisions to programs where they do not currently exist. In particular, the rules will apply to infrastructure projects such as roadways, pipelines and broadband.

Earlier iterations of the order sought broader  and stricter  mandates for federal agencies to source U.S. goods and services, but the language was significantly tailored during the review process as procedural and ideological roadblocks arose, three of these people said.

The release of the order would conclude a contentious process that's lasted more than six months in which multiple federal agencies and offices  the Department of Defense, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Management and Budget and the White House's Office of Legal Counsel  raised concerns about the potential purview of the order, originally proposed by one of President Donald Trump's key trade advisors, Peter Navarro.

Reached for comment, Navarro said: "It's not my job to correct fake news."

Among the concerns raised in recent months, according to three people familiar with the matter: a legal question of whether the executive branch alone could require vendors to source specific products and a financial question of how much such a policy would cost the government. For the latter reason, significant opposition was said to emerge from the Office of Management and Budget, which would be tasked with issuing guidance to other agencies involved in the order.

"The expectation is that it would cost a lot more money," said one person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to discuss a private deliberation. "If an agency chooses to buy a product not made in America, one main reason would be because it was more cost-effective."

The total dollar amount of federal outlays affected by the new order is unclear, as is the estimate for the potential cost increase.

The federal contracting process already has long-active regulations prioritizing U.S. domestic goods over foreign goods. Under the Buy American Act of 1933, which oversees direct federal purchases, civilian agencies give a price advantage of up to 12 percent for purchasing U.S. domestic goods, while the Defense Department gives a price advantage of 50 percent. The "Buy America" rules, which took effect in 1983, pertain to state and local transportation projects often funded by the Federal Transit Authority and require 100 percent of the materials to come from the U.S.

Under both laws, waivers can be granted if the cost of using U.S. products is considered unreasonable.

"Typically, if we see a change in sourcing, it's usually going toward a place like China or India as opposed to coming back to the U.S.," said Michael Mason, partner at Hogan Lovells who represents government contractors. "And the reason why companies are doing that is because labor and materials are cheaper, and they could offer the government a lower cost."

The forthcoming proposal expands on previous efforts by the Trump administration and, specifically, Navarro's White House Office of Manufacturing and Trade Policy, to reinforce preferences for American goods and services in government business.

"The laws have not changed, but I know agencies have been instructed to ensure that they're in compliance," said Karen Harbaugh, partner at Squire Patton Boggs focused on government contracts. "I have seen requests for waivers being given heightened scrutiny."

A January 2017 executive order required all new pipelines to be constructed using American-made material. An April 2017 executive order directed agencies to review existing Buy American policies in order to "maximize" preference for U.S. goods and workers. A July 2017 executive order commissioned a wholesale review of the manufacturing and supplier base for the Department of Defense. A Pentagon spokesman says the resulting report has been submitted to the White House.

"The Department of Defense continues to work closely with all inter-agency partners to implement policy, legislation and executive orders. At this time, there isn't anything to provide on a new or forthcoming executive order," said Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, a spokesman for the Department of Defense. He referred questions on this specific issue to the White House.

The White House did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls seeking comment.

 Follow CNBC's Kayla Tausche on Twitter:

Two Democrats are poised to become the first Muslim women in Congress, offering a sharp counterpoint to the anti-Muslim policies and sentiment surfacing in Washington and across the country.

Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota state lawmaker and Somali-American former refugee, is favored to take a seat in Congress after winning her Democratic primary in a left-leaning Minnesota district on Tuesday. She faces a challenge from Republican Jennifer Zielinski in November. And in Michigan last week, Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib won her Detroit-area primary and runs unopposed in November.

In a year when a record number of women are running for Congress and races across the country include gay, lesbian and transgender candidates, Omar and Tlaib represent a new addition to the diversity of this election cycle.

Omar attracted national attention after becoming the first Somali-American elected to Minnesota Legislature, unseating a 22-term Democratic incumbent. For her primary run, she received support from left-leaning groups and an endorsement from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose stunning primary upset over 10-term incumbent Joseph Crowley in New York made national headlines.

If Omar wins in November, she will fill Rep. Keith Ellison's seat. Democrat Ellison, who in 2006 became the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, decided to run for Minnesota attorney general and won his primary, despite an allegation of domestic abuse arising late in the campaign, an accusation he denies.

Tlaib also supported Omar's run, sending a dozen of her campaign workers to Minnesota to canvas for Omar the weekend before the election.

"I can't wait to walk onto the floor of United States Congress hand in hand with you. So incredibly proud of you," Tlaib said of Omar on Twitter.

Born in Somalia, Omar spent four years of her childhood in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to the United States. Her district encompasses Minneapolis and surrounding suburban area, home to the largest Somali community in the country.

President Donald Trump has targeted Omar's district, warning that Somali immigrants are a "disaster" for Minnesota. Omar and Tlaib have vehemently opposed the president's ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, and in 2016 Tlaib famously heckled Trump during his speech in Detroit.

"When you see a Palestinian person with your name and faith succeed, it shows [the government] can ban us from coming into the country, but not from getting elected," Tlaib told ABC News last week. "Showing people it can be done would be a victory to my family."Ride-hailing company Uber is still on track to book more than $10 billion in revenue this year, although growth has slowed and its losses widened since the first quarter, according to the company's self-reported financials.

Uber told CNBC its Q2 net revenue was $2.7 billion, up 51 percent from the same quarter last year, and gross bookings were $12 billion, up 41 percent year-over-year.

That's a slight slowdown in growth from Q1, when it booked revenue of $2.5 billion, up 67 percent year-over-year, and gross bookings of $11.3 billion, up 55 percent year-over-year.

Uber's adjusted EBITDA loss for the second quarter was $404 million. That's down 24 percent year-over-year, but an increase of 32 percent since the first quarter. Adjusted net loss widened in the second quarter to $659 million, up from $577 million in Q1.

Uber's gross cash on hand at the end of the June quarter was $7.3 billion, increasing by $1 billion from a quarter before.

Because Uber is privately held, these numbers are not reported publicly in a government filing, but are the numbers that Uber gives its own investors on a regular basis.

Uber is one of the most highly valued private companies in the world, with valuations fluctuating between $48 billion and $70 billion over the last three years. At the end of Q1, the company reported that it was raising a new tender at a valuation of $62 billion. It has said it's preparing to go public in 2019.

However, its lofty valuation could be difficult to maintain given Uber's slowing growth, which the company blamed on its larger size, and its continuing losses.

Additionally, spending at Uber's self-driving car unit may be weighing on the company, according to The Information. The report says the ride-hailing company has been spending between $125 million and $200 million over the past 18 months on self driving, which is equal to 15% to 30% of Uber's quarterly losses.

On the bright side, Uber has fast-growing newer businesses like Uber Eats. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi previously said Uber Eats is growing 200% per year and has a $6 billion run rate, meaning it's on track to book $6 billion over the next 12 months given current rates.

"Going forward, we're deliberately investing in the future of our platform: big bets like Uber Eats; congestion and environmentally friendly modes of transport like Express Pool, e-bikes and scooters; emerging businesses like Freight; and high-potential markets in the Middle East and India where we are cementing our leadership position," Khosrowshahi told CNBC.

Uber recently made some big bets on e-bikes and scooters by acquiring Jump Bikes and investing in scooter company Lime.



The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 4 basis points to 2.859 percent at 3:50 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond dropped 3 basis points to 3.027 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

U.S. Treasurys appeared to catch a safe haven bid Wednesday as lingering concerns over Turkey's financial crisis continued to spook traders around the globe.

Turkey's financial troubles have recently sparked fear of contagion with the country's currency having taken a deep slide in recent trading sessions. The free fall in the Turkish lira has put investors on edge and continues to be watched closely.

"The story for this week is clearly centered on Turkey, tariffs, the dollar, and weakness in the equity market," Kevin Giddis, head of fixed income capital markets at Raymond James, said in an emailed statement. "The economic data all but confirms that the U.S. economy is strong, but long-end investors prefer to trade with August data vs. July, so they merely shrugged it off and focused on a 'flight to quality' tradewith legs."

Pressure has been ramped up in recent days, as market-watchers became jittery over the Turkish president's control of the economy and U.S. leader Donald Trump saying last week that he was in support of doubling metal tariffs on the Middle Eastern country.BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 9: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping (R) meet business leaders at the Great Hall of the People on November 9, 2017 in Beijing, China.

With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China's cybersecurity standards could be used as an "invisible tool" of retaliation against Washington's tariffs, according to one expert.

Those so-called standards are government-issued guidelines about things like firewalls and software that are technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by foreign firms' Chinese business partners. Over the past several years, Beijing has issued close to 300 new national standards, Washington-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report earlier this month.

Those additions are contributing to China becoming an increasingly difficult market for some firms, the report said, explaining that the new standards could potentially hit foreign-owned firms with unforeseen costs and delays for operating in China  or they could even lead to companies shutting down their Chinese businesses.

Now, there's some concern that Beijing would use its standards regime to retaliate against the U.S. as the countries exchange salvos in their trade war.

And, if Asia's largest economy were to weaponize tech guidelines to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to quantify, but the effects on foreign firms could long outlive current tensions, according to the report.

That is, cybersecurity standards, unlike tariffs, are less likely to be softened by Beijing when the trade war is eventually brought to a close. That's in part due to Chinese President Xi Jinping's ongoing drive to increase his country's cyber power: Although the new standards could be spurred by the trade spat, "this is much bigger than the dynamic with the U.S." Samm Sacks, CSIS senior fellow and one of the authors of the think tank's report, told CNBC.

CSIS's warning about the "unwritten" rules came as China responded to American tariffs by announcing a 25 percent charge on $16 billion worth of U.S. goods  Beijing's latest move in an escalating battle between the world's two largest economies.

The Chinese have been strategic and coordinated in their responses to the U.S. so far, Sacks said, so it is likely that Beijing will seek to counter American tariffs through an "invisible tool" like its cybersecurity standards.Hans Vestberg, newly installed CEO of Verizon, told CNBC on Wednesday the top wireless carrier doesn't need to compete in premium content to succeed.

Vestberg was responding a question about the changing landscape in the telecommunications industry, with AT&T recently purchasing Time Warner and U.S. cable TV giant Comcast battling to add British satellite broadcaster Sky to its television holdings, which include NBC and CNBC. He did not offer an opinion on those moves.

"Our network is our asset," Vestberg said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "I think we have another way to deal with our assets, our distribution."

Verizon is making a big push into the next generation of wireless technology, 5G. "[It] can disrupt industries, change the way you're thinking about technologies, and I think that's what people really haven't understood yet," said Vestberg. The 5G standard is meant to allow more devices to be on one internet connection, with faster device communications and data transfers.

Verizon announced Tuesday that Indianapolis is scheduled to receive 5G residential broadband service in the second half of 2018, joining Houston, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California. "As [5G-capable] mobile devices become available in early 2019, Verizon plans to quickly move to be first in 5G mobile service," the company said in a statement.

Verizon also announced it will offer customers who sign up for its new 5G internet service a free Apple TV box and a subscription to Google's YouTube streaming television service. The service will debut in those four cities.

Competition in wireless is fierce. Verizon had been losing postpaid wireless subscribers, or customers who pay a monthly bill, to its No. 3 rival T-Mobile, which has won customers by pitching itself as more consumer-friendly and offering more perks. However, Verizon reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings last month as it attracted more subscribers with unlimited data plans.

Vestberg, promoted from chief technology officer, succeeded Lowell McAdam as CEO of the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier earlier this month. McAdam, who had been CEO since August 2011, continues as chairman of the board. Before joining Verizon last year, Vestberg spent six years as CEO of Swedish telecom powerhouse Ericsson.

 CNBC's Michael Sheetz and Jillian D'Onfro contributed to this report.The CEO of Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas warned about the impact of tariffs and trade barriers Wednesday, with the company lowering its revenue guidance for the year.



In its earnings report for the second quarter of 2018, Vestas said that as a result of the implementation of tariffs in the U.S., prices of U.S. steel and imported components were expected to increase.



"We are a global company, present in 70 markets with a global supply chain, and of course trade barriers and tariffs is a negative for any global company, and so also for Vestas," Anders Runevad told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" Wednesday.



"We have a big manufacturing footprint  regionally, so we of course can take mitigating actions within our supply chain and that's what we are doing, but of course it is a concern when we see tariffs being introduced," Runevad added.



In the second quarter of 2018, Vestas' revenue came in at 2.26 billion euros ($2.56 billion), while the intake of firm and unconditional wind turbine orders hit 3,807 megawatts which Runevad said led to an "all-time high order backlog."



Vestas narrowed its 2018 guidance for revenue to between 10 billion euros and 10.5 billion euros, compared to previous guidance of 10 billion euros to 11 billion euros. The business also launched a 200 million euro share buyback scheme, with shares rising by more than 7 percent in early deals Wednesday morning.



During his interview with CNBC, Runevad also commented on Vestas' work with battery manufacturer Northvolt.



In December 2017, the business announced it was investing 10 million euros in Northvolt and collaborating on the development of a lithium-ion battery platform for Vestas power plants.



"We need to see how we can make companies like Northvolt  and other types of battery companies  do an application for utility-based storage," Runevad told CNBC.



"There are several other storage solutions but we believe that the battery now, shorter term, looks to be the most promising," he went on to explain.





[The stream is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

The White House is slated to brief reporters Wednesday, after press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to directly deny that President Donald Trump has ever been recorded saying the N-word.

"I can't guarantee anything," Sanders said in the White House press room on Tuesday. "But I can tell you that the president addressed this question directly, I can tell you that I've never heard it."

Trump was alleged to have been taped using the racial epithet by Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former senior advisor to the president who has made a flurry of accusations in the run-up to the release of her tell-all book about her time in the White House. Manigault Newman reportedly said she heard Trump say the N-word on a recording dating from his time as host of the defunct reality show "The Apprentice."

In a pair of tweets on Monday, Trump denied ever using the N-word.

Trump tweet NO TAPES

Trump tweet 2

Sanders also told reporters on Tuesday that Trump "has a great deal of frustration" about Turkey's continued detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been on held on house arrest on espionage charges disputed by the U.S.

Trump said in a tweet on Friday that tariffs on Turkish metals imports would be doubled. The value of Turkey's currency, the lira, plunged after Trump's announcement.

Investors' concerns about a financial crisis in Turkey weighed on U.S. stocks on Wednesday.Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort arrives for a hearing at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on April 19, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Paul Manafort's fraud and conspiracy trial is rounding the final bend.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys on Wednesday delivered their closing arguments to jurors on the 12th day of the criminal trial against President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman.

From there, jurors in the U.S. District Court case in Alexandria, Va., will begin considering the 27 witnesses and more than 360 exhibits presented by prosecutors. Jurors are set to begin deliberating at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.

A verdict in the trial  the first borne of charges from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe  could be coming as soon as this week.

Manafort, 69, has pleaded not guilty to 18 counts lodged by Mueller's team.

Here are the charges he faces:Shares of China's Xiaomi slid 5 percent on Wednesday, closing below its initial public offering (IPO) price for the first time since its first day of trade and hitting a record low.

The smartphone maker closed at 16.30 Hong Kong dollars ($2.08), below the 17.00 Hong Kong dollar price its stock had when it went public. The last time it did this was on its first day of trade when shares closed at 16.80 Hong Kong dollars.

But Xiaomi's Wednesday closing price represents a more than 24 percent decline from its record high close of 21.55 Hong Kong dollars on July 18.

It's not clear if there was a single catalyst for the sell-off in Xiaomi shares, but it appears to be part of a broader downturn in Chinese and Hong Kong-listed stocks. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed over 1.5 percent lower, with major stocks such as Tencent ending the day in negative territory.

The trade war between China and the U.S. has been weighing on Chinese stocks, particularly those of technology companies. Xiaomi, which still makes the majority of its money in China, has been looking to expand to new markets, particularly in the West. It also has its sights set on the U.S. but has not made much progress in that market.

There's still a lingering concern that Xiaomi, which makes around 70 percent of its revenues from smartphones, might be relying too much on hardware, particularly in an increasingly competitive market. Still, it has shown strong growth, becoming the largest smartphone vendor in India in the second quarter, according to market intelligence provider IDC, and seeing a nearly 50 percent growth in smartphone shipments globally during the same period against the backdrop of a declining market.

But the company has made a business of selling high-quality phones at low prices with often thin margins. Similar to Apple, the company does have its own services business with video and music streaming offerings, but this only accounts for just over 8 percent of total revenues.

"I believe there is some fair skepticism on Xiaomi's business model as investors are scratching their heads on how Xiaomi will continue to make money beyond hardware. There is some ambiguity around if there is enough scale and capability to make money from services either by advertising or by content? Ads have taken the bulk of this and (Xiaomi is) effectively competing with big players," Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC by email Wednesday.

"Xiaomi has its work cut out to form a solid strategy to drive meaningful services revenues and at the same time make sure its user base is increasing and not shrinking."Qi Lu speaks during a keynote session at the Microsoft Developers Build Conference in San Francisco, California, U.S. on March 31, 2016.

American start-up incubator Y Combinator is setting up shop in China, with a new unit to be led by former Baidu chief operating officer Qi Lu.

Sam Altman, Y Combinator's president, said in a company announcement Wednesday that China had been "an important missing piece of our puzzle" when it came to sourcing new start-ups to take under its wing.

"We think that a significant percentage of the largest technology companies that are founded in the next decade  companies at the scale of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook  will be based in the U.S. and China," Altman said.

"YC's greatest strength is our founder community and with the launch of YC China we believe we have a special opportunity to include many more Chinese founders in our global community."

The accelerator, set up in 2005, has invested in more than 1,900 start-ups, including notable firms like Dropbox, Airbnb, Reddit, Stripe and Coinbase.

Y Combinator's entry into China will mark the latest push by U.S. companies and investors to invest in the country's fledgling tech scene, which has given rise to multi-billion dollar start-ups like ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing, drone maker DJI, Meituan-Dianping-owned bike sharing company Mobike and AI and face recognition firm SenseTime.

China's major tech giants Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent are themselves major investors in various global start-ups.

As part of the move to China, Lu will also head up Y Combinator's research team, Altman said. The accelerator also plans to launch a new research center in Seattle.

Before his time working with Baidu, known for its popular Chinese search engine, Lu served as an executive vice president at Microsoft, leading the division in charge of Office, Bing and Skype. Lu quit Baidu in May for "personal and family reasons," and said he wished to spend more time in the U.S.India on Wednesday gifted 30 ambulances and six buses to Nepalese hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions on the occasion of its 72nd Independence Day.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over keys of the vehicles to the representatives of the respective organisations at a function in the premises of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

A function was organised in Kathmandu to mark the Independence Day. Puri hoisted the Indian national flag and read out the message of President of India that highlighted the achievements of India in various fields in the past even decades.

On the occasion, Puri also felicitated widows and wards of deceased soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces by distributing cheques worth 53.5 million Nepalese rupees.

Books were also gifted to 68 schools and libraries across Nepal, the Indian Embassy said in a statement.

Hundreds of people, including members of the diplomatic community, Indian community in Nepal, friends of India, media persons and students attended the celebration.Modi shall unfurl the national flag at the Red Fort to mark the Independence Day. This will be his fifth speech at the 17th-century monument since he became the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced a manned mission to space by 2022 and unveiled Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan.

An Indian astronaut, be it a man or a woman, will go on a space odyssey by 2022 on board 'Gaganyaan', Modi said in his Independence Day address.

"In space technology, we have dreamt something, our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission," Modi said.

This seems to be PM Modi's 'JFK moment' as he announced that India will become the fourth nation to send a man to space.

On May 25, 1961, US president John F Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. A number of political factors affected Kennedy's decision and the timing of it.

The Prime Minister unveiled Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan and said it will be launched on September 25 this year. "It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare," Modi said.

The healthcare initiatives of the centre will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians, Modi said, adding that it is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare.

On Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said that the government will continue to follow the path of 'Insaniyat, Jamuriyat and Kashmiriyat' for peace envisioned by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He also said that efforts are on to hold early polls for local bodies and panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir to help strengthen democratic institutions there.

This is the Prime Minister's fifth and the last Independence Day speech before the general elections next year.

Setting the stage for the 2019 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech pitched for social justice as well as the achievements of his government.

Highlights from the speech:

Modi started his Independence Day speech by saluting the women of India and tribal children who unfurled the National flag on Mount Everest.

"India has registered its name as one of the largest global power. And after such an achievement, we are celebrating the Independence Day today. I salute Army personnel and other forces who sacrifice their lives to protect India's national flag," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

This year the country has witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time there has been parts in India which were affected by floods. Modi said, adding "My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods," Modi added.

#MyIndiaMyPride -- The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission: PM @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia | #ID18 LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/fWm3uTwlpT pic.twitter.com/kY7HmAqD4T News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018

On his government's achievement, Modi spoke about village electrification and construction of toilets. "Remember where we were then, where we are now. Penetration of optical fiber and internet in rural India would have taken decades, if we had progressed in the same speed as was in 2013," he said.

"Indians did not just elect a government, they went ahead and participated in nation building," PM Modi said.

On Minimum Support Price (MSP), Modi added that after years of files circulating in government offices, our government finally put MSP in place.

#MyIndiaMyPride -- Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year GST became a reality. I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST: PM @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia | #ID18 pic.twitter.com/NDSzBQAHSv  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018

He continued on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and Benami Property Act, saying that no one had the courage to enforce it but we did it. One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy was also put into practice when our jawans were struggling.

"From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth," Modi said.

#MyIndiaMyPride -- World always believed that India means policy paralysis or delayed reforms, but now it has changed to reform, perform and transform. We were counted among fragile 5, but now we are a multi-trillion dollar investment destination: PM #IndependenceDayIndia | #ID18  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018

On the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, PM Modi announce manned mission to space in 2022. "India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space," he added.

PM @narendramodi announces the launch of Gaganyaan, says before 2022, an Indian man will be put in space. When done, India will be the 4th country in the world to put a man in space. #IndependenceDayIndia #ID18#LIVE Updates:https://t.co/ZuoxoXj7Ve  News18.com (@news18dotcom) August 15, 2018

Modi said, India has become a ray of hope for people believing that global warming is a threat and a cause of environmental concern and that the country is heading international solar alliance.

"The world earlier viewed India as a country hit by policy paralysis, delayed reforms, now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination," Modi said, adding that his government also took the bold measure of announcing the minimum support price for grains at 1.5 times the cost to farmers.

#MyIndiaMyPride -- 13 crore Mudra loan, 4 crore people take loans for the first time  this itself presents a changed and new India: PM @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia | #ID18 LIVE UPDATES:https://t.co/JRYKcXCSY8 News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018

With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, the government is bringing reforms to the agriculture sectors and aims to double farmer incomes by 2022, Narendra Modi said from Red Fort.

PM Modi on Clean India: World Health Organisation (WHO) has just released a report that states that India's Swachh Bharat program has saved the lives of 3 lakh children.

PM Modi announces Jan Aarogya Abhiyan: The Prime Minister announced that 100 crore families will get Rs 5 lakh of health insurance under the Jan Aarogya Abhiyan which will be started along with Ayushman Bharat program.

#MyIndiaMyPride -- The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty so that they can afford healthcare: PM @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia | #ID18 pic.twitter.com/jWSP8bSZgs  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018This week will witness the inauguration of Imran Khan as Pakistans next prime minister, who whether you like him or not, admittedly marks a series a visible shift for the nation. Lets forget for a second that the army strongly backed his candidacy, or that the civilian government does not exercise much authority over policy, except over matters related to the economy. But at the end of the day, the electorate did in fact overwhelmingly support him.

It's no small matter that Khan built a political outfit and grew it from nothing just a few years ago, with no support, to the largest party in parliament today. Along the way he convinced the youth to join, along with defectors from the countrys two well-entrenched parties. He accordingly was able to absorb an assortment of ideas, themes, and strategies into his campaign. One of which included a tacit push for socialism, a throwback to a similar wave of support in the 1970s (granted he did not use the S word). This policy promotion incidentally is taking place at a time when Pakistans two much larger neighbors to the East are shedding their own socialist pasts, having learned that a command economy cannot help lift a nation out of poverty.

Perhaps most importantly, his presence symbolizes a shift in public sentiment. Unlike the Sharifs and Zardaris, politics is not in his DNA, nor is his party established in and around a particular family and last name. As a result, his ascension should be seen as a change election and very much in the vein of what is taking place globally; i.e. throw out the establishment and bring in someone new. Again, and granted, he is backed by the establishment which in Pakistans case is the army. But for voters, he is new and different than the standard bearer parties headed by the Sharifs and Zardaris, and for that reason, he represents change.

But one area we should not expect anything new, innovative, or different, will be his approach towards New Delhi. For the first year of Khans administration nothing will change in respect to India-Pakistan relations, and if anything, there is potential downside risk to regional security.

First, and this part may be obvious, but India is gearing up for its own election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has little to gain by engaging with Pakistan at this juncture. With less than 9 months till Indians go to the poll, there is precious little time for a breakthrough in ties. If anything, there will be greater opportunity for a massive letdown. So for Modi, why bother if the upside is so limited? If things go awry, the opposition will have field day of bashing Modis foreign policy. Furthermore, and as we saw in the final days of the Gujarat election, bringing out the Pakistan card still works with some voters when things go down to the wire, and if you are engaged in talks, that may not be an option. Thus, India is unlikely to advance talks until after the election.

Second, Khans first post-election speech included the standard talking points that his predecessors used. He stated that Kashmir was the root cause of issues between two countries and flagged alleged abuses by the Indian army in the Valley. Both topics have derailed talks in the past, as India also wants to make clear that terrorism is a cause of friction too.

More so, the verbiage indicates that Khan will very much use the Pakistani armys talking points, and why shouldnt he, given that he is their hand-selected leader?

The point is that Khan not only us using the armys language, which is a non-starter for talks, the only way things will change is if the army (and not Khan) choose to change the talking points; and that is not about to happen anytime soon.

But more importantly, even if Khan wanted to chart a different course, he cannot. Each of his predecessors who tried to freelance on India was severely reprimanded in the form of coups, exile, and corruption charges. Sometimes, India has been burned in the process. It is no secret that the Pakistani army uses cross-border terrorism to further its proxy war with India, but to also teach a lesson: the governments on both sides of the border that nothing can happen without the Pakistani armys involvement and the military can play spoiler if it chooses to.

Accordingly, while some are jubilant that Khans arrival marks a new beginning for Pakistan, lets also consider that some things will not change that easily. Specifically, India-Pakistan ties will not substantially pivot because a new leader who is not from the cloth of past prime ministers is suddenly in office. Furthermore, if anything, there is risk for India, particularly if Khan makes the mistake of thinking that his popularity gives him the ability to independently set a new course with India. Of course, given his proximity with the army he will likely not make that mistake. But if he is lulled into a sense of comfort and confidence, and does not seek approval from the army before engaging with India, history has shown that this can be problematic.

Shailesh Kumar is director, South Asia at Washington-based Eurasia Group and analyses political and economic risks and developments in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.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*Warning: Article contains violent threats against a transgender child below.*

The Achille ISD school district in Oklahoma completely shut down from Monday, August 13, to Wednesday, August 15, as a result of threats made against a transgender child by parents of the child's fellow students.

In a private Facebook group for parents of children in the school district, parents began posting transphobic comments about the little girl, which "included plans to attack the child with a knife and have her beaten up by other kids at the school."

What prompted these horrific threats? Maddie, the trans child, used a girls bathroom on the first day of school.

Upon seeing the hateful comments, a concerned member of the group took screenshots and posted them on the official school district's page:





@not2daymfz/Twitter









@not2daymfz/Twitter

In some of the posts, parents refer to the trans child as a "thing" and a "maggot." One goes so far as to say:

If he wants to be a female make him a female. A good sharp knife will do the job real quick.

@not2daymfz/Twitter





@not2daymfz/Twitter

Achille ISD superintendent, Rick Beene, commented on the situation:

We are putting in extra measures to help safeguard our students. We appreciate all the concern for our Achille students. Our school is shut down until Wednesday for safety precautions. While I will not go into specifics, we have increased security.











Local news station KXII reports that Maddie and her parents are afraid for their safety, and are "staying at a secure location."









Beene also commented that the Facebook group in which the hateful comments were made is not officially associated with the school district, and that many of the participants in the fear-fueled discussion weren't actually residents of Achille. He commented:

Achille Public Schools and administration believe everyone should receive a safe and free education. We have a very talented staff that cares about each and every student. We remain one of the few small Oklahoma schools to have a resource officer and have had [one] for the last several years.









Lisa DelCol, a board member at PFLAG Oklahoma City and parent of a transgender teen, commented that Oklahoma still has a "long way to go" when it comes to LGBTQ+ equality:

I know there are a lot of kids struggling. Our homeless youth population here  a good chunk is LGBTQ+ kids who have been kicked out by their families.









Reading the comments these parents left in the Facebook group, DelCol was reminded of her own experiences raising a child who was trans:

When my child came out to me, my first thought was, 'Oh my god, world, please don't hurt my kid.' My first fear was for their safety; how they're going to be treated out in the world.









Paula Sophia Schonauer, a retired police officer who ran for local office in 2014 (and lost by only 22 votes), commented that incidents of hate have increased in frequency since President Donald Trump's election in 2016.

Right after the election, I was filling my tank at a gas station, and someone drove by and called me a freak. And people generally have reported to me more blatant discrimination since then.









Schonauer believes most of Oklahoma's residents are "fair-minded" people, but that many "just don't know enough about trans issues yet." If given the chance to interact and learn about real trans individuals, she's confident transphobic incidents like these will become less common.

We can only hope that this is true, and that Oklahomans are given an educational opportunity soon.

H/T - Them, KXIIBen Roback is Head of Trade and International Policy at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme.

When the White House is a daily circus of news, denials and leaks, it can be hard to find the time to pause and analyse the opposition.

But for all the controversy emanating from Pennsylvania Avenue, we cannot forget that the Democrats have a chance to severely limit the power of Donald Trump in just three months time.

On November 8th, the Democrats will attempt to flip the House and Senate. All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, and 35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate, will be contested. Talk of a blue wave peaked several months ago and has since subsided. For a moment, some in the majority even dared to dream of a red wave  though perhaps that was limited to a President who is known to only read polls that show favourable results.

Messaging: a referendum on an unpopular president is not enough

The Democrats are well within their right to focus their messaging on the unpopularity of the President. With an approval rating of 42.2 per cent (per FiveThirtyEights tracker), Trump is rock solid amongst his most loyal Republican base but independent voters are unconvinced and he is reviled by Democrats.

In his personal approach, attitudes to society and race, policy delivery, and the undoing of as much of Barack Obamas legacy as possible, this president is the very embodiment of what Democrats stand against. That should be enough to engage the base and ensure a vibrant campaign and sky-high turnout amongst registered Democratic voters.

But a referendum on an unpopular president is unlikely to be enough to win over independent voters who seek to remove the personality-focused Washington beltway element of the midterms. That represents a monumental challenge to Democratic candidates, who would prefer to talk about expanding healthcare coverage and protecting the Dreamers than what the president tweeted in the middle of the night.

The new news cycle is obsessed with whos up and whos down, whos in and whos out of the White House. In the reality show taking place in Washington, personality is much more newsworthy than policy. For Democrats, they must find a way to engage their base by doubling down on the behaviour of the president.

But in spreading their message beyond those protesting at the Womens Marches and March for Our Lives, Democratic candidates must find a way to talk about more than just why Trump and Republicans are bad  proven by the homepage of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCCs) website. We must hear more about what Democrats would do in office.

Policy and candidates: the battle taking place within the Democratic Party makes it less clear what they stand for

The legacy of Hillary Clinton vs Bernie Sanders lives on. Within the Democratic Party, there is a renewed divergence in the direction of the party.

It is best typified by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-confessed democratic-socialist who won the Democratic primary in New Yorks 14th Congressional district. Socialism has historically been a political insult in America, but it is undergoing a period of rebirth in the left wing of the party. Her victory over incumbent Joe Crowley, the Democratic Caucus Chair, has put wind in the sails of the left of the Democratic Party.

On the campaign trail, progressive candidates like Ocasio-Cortez will be an asset to the party in states like California and New York, whereas blue-dog Democrats like Conor Lamb can be deployed in districts with a more conservative makeup.

A resurgent left wing of the Democratic Party has muddied the waters on the partys policy platform, though there is no rule that requires a shared national platform across all Democratic candidates. All politics is local, and therefore in some districts campaigning for a $15 minimum wage is much more important than pledging to expand clean energy supply.

Taking a step back from the beltway viewpoint, the lack of clarity on policy coming out of Democrats in the round is enough to confuse voters who will ask: what do you stand for, and what would you do differently to the current Republican-majority congress? It is a prime example of where the US political system suffers from the absence of a shadow cabinet.

A broad range of candidates is a positive, especially when considering the diversity amongst the broad slate of Democratic candidates. But a lack of clear direction when it comes to alternative policies and no shared national platform risks confusing voters who are less engaged with the minutiae Washington politics day-to-day.

Data and polls: grounds for Democratic optimism

Predicting elections has become a fools game, but that doesnt negate informed forecasts based on data and precedent. Dave Wasserman, of the ever-reliable Cook Political Report, has predicted that Democrats are 60 to 65 percent favourites to take back the House. He estimates Democrats need to win 7 to 8 percent more votes than Republicans to break even, and Democrats have averaged a 7 to 8-point lead in most aggregators.

The last of the special elections ahead of the midterms have now taken place, meaning Democrats and Republicans will return after the summer in full campaign mode. The special election in Ohios 12th Congressional district caused real concerns for Republican incumbents. Whilst the Republican candidate won, the narrow margin of victory suggests Republicans may perform poorly in November. Troy Balderson defeated the Democratic challenger by just 0.9 per cent of the vote. The race was unexpectedly competitive in a district than President Trump won by 11 points in the 2016 general election.

There are 79 Republican-held districts more competitive than Ohios 12th, where Trump got less than the 53 per cent he earned in this district in 2016.

Democratic report card ahead of the midterms: B-

Democrats have tried and so far failed to portray a clear message of what a flipped House of Representatives or Senate will look like, beyond blanket opposition to Trump and a check on his power. That might be enough when preaching to the converted, but it is hard to see how it will win over independent voters who want to hear more than just a party of protest.

The official messaging pushed by House Democrats ahead of November 8th  For the People  is sufficiently generic that it will inspire few undecided voters. It lacks the purpose and the punch of Make America Great Again or Yes We Can.

Gerrymandering and the incumbency may help Republicans structurally, but Democrats are showing surprising signs of life in traditionally Conservative districts within the likes of Kentucky, West Virginia, and North Carolina. The signs of a blue wave have subsided, but in the House a flurry of Republican retirements has led to 42 open seats; Democrats need to flip just 24 to win back the majority.

All things considered, most notably the unpopularity of the President, all roads point to a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives come November. But remember: predicting elections has become a fools game.John Bald is a former Ofsted inspector. He has written two books on the history of writing and spelling. He is a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Education Society.

The title of Barnaby Lenons book, Other Peoples Children, is well chosen. Almost everyone involved in education has a degree, and so is not in what Mr Lenon calls the bottom fifty per cent. Like him, we do not walk in their shoes, and he came to this area of education when members of his family had educational paths that were not straightforward.

Most people realise that the education of these lower-attaining pupils is not good enough, and parts of the Newsam Report, Half our Future, commissioned by the Conservative Lord Eccles, and published in 1963, reflect the school experience of some of my recent pupils. Take this, from paragraph 47:

Too many at present seem to sit through lessons with information and exhortation washing over them and leaving very little deposit. Too many appear to be bored and apathetic in school, as some will be in their jobs also. Others are openly impatient. They dont see the point of what they are asked to do, they are conscious of making little progressA headmaster acknowledges, There are far too many of our slow and average children who long ago reached saturation point doing tedious and hateful work year after year.

Particularly tedious and hateful was Labours incessant coursework grind, which wore five of my pupils out. Two needed clinical intervention, and the others were only kept from this by exceptional support and guidance from their parents.

Lenons first chapter describes the origin of the problem in simple terms  children start primary school without the basic skills they need to cope  they cannot speak well, they have little understanding of reading and numbers, they cannot manage simple tasks or respond to instructions. These characteristics are more common among pupils receiving free school meals, and among boys.

And yet the principle of primary education, since Lord Eccles Plowden Report, has been to place all children in mixed-ability classes, expecting teachers to cope with this huge range of starting points and ensure good progress for everyone. It has not worked, and I saw the beginnings of a more successful approach recently in the Basildon Excellence project, where teachers used flexible grouping  not formal setting  to match teaching more closely to learning needs, and supported it with carefully-designed activities to help parents to work constructively with their children.

The gap gets wider as children move through school, and Lenon points out that, even when academically effective schools improve the standards reached by his target group, the gap remains the same. They raise the bar, but do not close the gap. Or, at least, have not yet done so on statistical evidence  the impact of the best schools identified by Boris Johnson as Mayor of London was exceptional, as was the progress I saw on my visit to Michaela School in Brent. By the time children move to secondary school, and literacy demands increase, the gap widens further  those with good literacy skills make accelerated progress, while those without them slow down. Again, this is not a discovery  Jeanne Challs The Reading Crisis: Why Poor Children Fall Behind described it very clearly in 1989.

So, the children leave school at 16, usually with a handful of GCSEs at low grades, the threshold being set at such a ridiculously low level that it is almost impossible to have no grade at all  we recall the examiner who wished to award two out of five to a student telling him to F. off, one no doubt, for the correct use of the capital letter. Further Education is the destination of most, and Lenon picks out Croydon College as doing an excellent job for a wide range of students. Ofsted does not go quite that far, but its sensitive and well-written report recognises a good standard of professional work in difficult circumstances.

The Further Education sector sees itself, with good reason, as educations Cinderella. It is funded at a lower level than schools, and yet is expected to put right much that has gone wrong, including entering students en masse for GCSE resit and teaching a high proportion of students who have learning difficulties. It is, as Lenon points out, important to motivate these students, and Croydon clearly succeeds, Ofsted noting exemplary behaviour. What it cant do is wave a magic wand and turn eleven years of failure into instant success  Ofsted tells it to do more to raise students pass rates.

A strength of this book is the sheer range of information and evidence it offers on provision at each stage, but it also raises issues without fully resolving them. The biggest is that of parity of esteem for vocational  now sensibly renamed technical  qualifications. Labour tried to achieve this by giving fake GCSE equivalences to undemanding courses, up to four per subject, and having their education guru, the late Professor Ted Wragg, accuse anyone who questioned this of snobbery. There is still fakery at GCSE level through less demanding BTEC courses and the European IT passport, which should not count towards Progress 8.

Genuine attempts to provide better technical education, Studio Schools and University Technology Colleges, have struggled to recruit, and 16 out of 50 Studio Schools have closed. Mr Lenon sees the same fate awaiting T Levels, but there is reason to believe he may be mistaken. They probably wont appeal to Oxbridge candidates, but may be a good choice for people aiming at middle grades. Germany takes a much more realistic view of this issue. The top of the tree is the Abitur, whose standard is probably higher than our A level, and which can only be taken via a selective Gymnasium. Their technical qualifications are valued because they give entry to one of hundreds of state-controlled trades  Ausbildungsberufe  and a good job.

The alternative is a menial job on the minimum wage, and regular sacking every six months to avoid triggering employment rights. Labours goal of equality at all costs should be replaced by one of equity, offering something worthwhile to everyone.

Footnote. I was grateful for Robert Halfon MPs kind words in response to my last posting, and apologise for misreading the entry on Professor Becky Franciss website. It clearly lists her as a former, not current, adviser to the Select Committee. I concede nothing else. By failing to give due weight to the behaviour that leads to exclusion, and its devastating effects on education and the victims of bullying, the Committee produced an unbalanced report that implied that schools were not doing their duty. It does not require the use of a knife to break a childs finger, to assault a teacher, or to cause serious psychological damage. My pupils  from Cambridgeshire  are suffering unreasonably in school, and I will continue to stand up for their right to go to school and learn in peace.100%

Website gloswielkopolski.pl uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 19650 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 11868 bytes (11.59 kb uncompressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-08-31, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.100%

Website klimatici.biz uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap and WebFonts. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 374082 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 701506 bytes (685.06 kb uncompressed) and 99102 bytes (96.78 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2020-11-03, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds..CORNWALL, Ontario  Cornwall City Council will hear a presentation from the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at their meeting on Monday, Aug. 13.

The presentation by Director General Louis Dumas will explain the situation around asylum seekers staying at the Nav Centre.

It has been previously reported by Seaway News that the Nav Centre was asked by the IRCC to house asylum seekers while they are being triaged before going onto their final destination.

While they are being processed by the IRCC asylum seekers are finger printed, they receive a health check, background check and security screening.

Over the past week, tents, generators, outdoor shower facilities and fencing have all been installed at the Nav Centre, making it appear that asylum seekers could arrive imminently.

The Nav Centre had previously stated that during the summer months, they could house up-to 500 asylum seekers. Last summer, they housed 240 for about two weeks.

According to the IRCC between January and June 23,434 asylum seekers have entered Canada, of that number 12,690 crossed at a recognized Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) crossing.

Seaway News reached out to IRCC for a statement, but are still waiting for a response at time of publication.ALEXANDRIA, Ontario  Alexandria Moulding announced on Wednesday, Aug. 15 that it was being acquired by U.S. LUMBER.

As a private company, U.S. LUMBER and Alexandria Moulding will not disclose how much Alexandria Moulding was being acquired for.

Donna Gerrits Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Alexandria Moulding said that she did not expect there to be any job cuts as a result of the acquisition.

Absolutely not, there will be no job losses, she said. In fact, there may be growth at Alexandria Moulding.

We are very excited to be partnering with U.S. LUMBER as the next stage of Alexandria Mouldings growth, said Alexandria Moulding President Andre Cholette. U.S. LUMBER has earned a great reputation in the marketplace and its commitment to values like honesty and integrity is a perfect match for Alexandria Mouldings strong culture. Becoming a part of U.S. LUMBER will allow us to enhance our product and service offerings as we continue to provide growth opportunities for our customers, suppliers and employees.

In a joint press release, Alexandria Moulding and U.S. LUMBER state that Alexandria Moulding will continue to be lead by its current management team.

The deal is expected to be completed by October 2018.

There are approximately 400 employees at Alexandria Moulding in Alexandria.Sailing around 52 to 55 days per Antarctica season, Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) offers a product at the top of the pyramid on chartered Ponant ships, backed up by decades of experience and led by Bob Simpson, vice president of expedition cruising.

The companys polar region programs are now extending out to warm waters and cultural immersion, based on demand, Simpson said, in the 2018 Expedition Market Report by Cruise Industry News.

The (guests) have done Antarctica and the Arctic and now they want to know where the next place to go is, he said. The company is offering a new cruise in the Kimberley in 2019.

Chartering Boreal-class ships from Ponant, Simpson called the vessels the right ships in the right areas. The company had previously owned and operated its own ship, but exited that business in 2003 and has no ambitions to return to it.

Ponant has an excellent set of hardware, and as they continue to grow their fleet, it gives us an opportunity to grow, said Simpson.

The A&K staff numbers between 18 and 20 onboard.

That team consists of a cruise director, assistant cruise director, expedition leader and assistant expedition leader. Passengers get an all-inclusive experience, including all excursions, alcohol and WiFi.

The program is as all-inclusive as we can make it, Simpson continued.

Luxury ships in polar markets have led to an evolution of clients for A&K, as people feel more comfortable booking a trip to an unique destination in a comfortable environment aboard a five-star ship.

"There is tremendous interest for iconic and bucket list destinations, said Simpson. The Northwest Passage transit has been growing in demand for A&K.

People want an iconic, epic trip. There are very few left out there, and that is one of them  its an adventure that attracts a lot of our top clients, he said. At 21 nights, (guests) probably wouldnt do it if it was a less than comfortable environment. (New ships) have opened up a whole new opportunity for these types of itineraries for a segment of the market.

Excerpt from the 2018 Expedition Market Report.

--

About the Expedition Market Report:

The 2018 Cruise Industry News Expedition Market Report presents a complete 127-page overview of the entire expedition market, including capacity projections through 2027, and profiles of 30+ major players, with exclusive interviews and insight, along with trends, original data, operational coverage and much more. Original reporting, analysis and research.

Report Preview | Table of Contents | Download NowNorwegian Cruise Line announced its third season of its Meet the Winemaker cruises, which invite guests sailing on select itineraries on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Dawn, to participate in a robust program of private wine dinners and tastings, seminars and meet-and-greets with experts in the winemaking industry, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Rob Mondavi Jr., and Gerard Bertrand.

Last season was such a success that we are thrilled to bring back this series of incredible wine cruises, said Mark Kansley, senior vice president of hotel operations at Norwegian Cruise Line. It has been a great honor to collaborate with these remarkable industry visionaries and provide an innovative culinary program and a one-of-a-kind cruise experience to our guests.

Guests have several opportunities to engage with winemakers and other experts through a variety of seminars and activities including open-forum question and answer sessions and meet-and-greets, the company said.

For a more intimate experience, guided wine tastings, wine-paired dinners and educational seminars are available in The Cellars, A Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar and are hosted by the guest winemaker or expert on board.

Guests learn about the featured wines through an interactive session where theyll share tasting notes and learn how best to complement them. The experience features vintages chosen by the expert and brought on board for these exclusive events. The wine tastings are available at $19.95 per person plus tax and gratuity, and the exclusive five-course, wine-paired dinner available for $60 per person plus tax and gratuity.

The 2018/19 Meet the Winemaker series will be featured on the following sailings:

September 23, 2018 on Norwegian Escape -- Aaron Sanchez, celebrity chef and James Beard award winner, is the official ambassador and spokesperson for Moet-Hennessys Argentinian wine, Terrazas De Los Andes

October 12, 2018 on Norwegian Dawn -- Dina Mondavi, daughter of Isabel and Michael Mondavi, represents four generations of winemaking

October 27, 2018 on Norwegian Bliss -- Salvatore Ferragamo, heir of famed Italian fashion house and owner of Il Borro Winery in Tuscany, Italy

December 8, 2018 on Norwegian Bliss -- Bob Bertheau, head winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle, has maintained the vineyards legacy of crafting awarding-winning Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while putting his own signature on the wines

January 12, 2019 on Norwegian Bliss -- Juan Munoz Oca, head winemaker at Columbia Crest produces the winerys portfolio of Reserve, H3, and Grand Estates wines

February 16, 2019 on Norwegian Bliss -- Gerard Bertrand is the renowned vintner of Languedoc-Roussillo

Meet the Winemaker cruises on Norwegian Bliss take place on the seven-day itineraries to Alaska from Seattle during the summer months, the Mexican Riviera in the fall from Los Angeles and the Eastern Caribbean from Miami in the winter.

On Norwegian Escape, the cruises are available on itineraries from New York, and on Norwegian Dawn, they are available on seven-day itineraries from Boston to Canada and New England offering guests a beautiful way to witness the fall foliage.Diageo rival Constellation Brands announced Wednesday a $4 billion investment in Canopy Growth, an Ontario, Canada-based company that is a supplier of marijuana-derived ingredients for varying products under brand names like Tweed, Spectrum Cannabis and Craftgrow.

With a nearly 40 percent stake, Constellation described Canopy as its new exclusive global cannabis partner without detailing any cannabis-based beverages the companies might produce in time.

Constellation Brands is based in Victor, N.Y., outside Rochester as the third-largest beer company in the United States selling Corona, Modelo and Pacifico, with its spirits brands including Svedka vodka and its wine labels Robert Mondavi and Clos du Bois.

Diageo did not respond immediately Wednesday to a Hearst Connecticut Media query on whether it has considered partnerships with cannabis companies, or whether it has any in-house development on that front. In May, the Globe & Mail cited multiple unnamed industry sources that Diageo was among the liquor industry companies to have pursued exploratory talks with Canadian cannabis companies.

In a Wednesday morning conference call, Constellation Brands CEO Rob Sands said his company had a previous agreement with Canopy to produce a cannabis-based beverage, and noted Canopys efforts to prepare itself for U.S. expansion in states that allow for the sale of cannabis-based products whether for consumer or medical use.

This ... could potentially be one of the most significant global growth opportunities for the next decade, Sands said. This investment and alignment represents the next step in the evolution of our business.

Canopy CEO Bruce Linton told investment analysts that Constellation has made it clear this is where they are placing their bet when it comes to freeing up funds for merger and acquisition activities.

They are not now looking at any other M&A  even in their sector  for some time, Linton said Wednesday. I cant speak to their ultimate goal, but I suspect that if we do what were going to do which is build a global platform (and) one that generates massive amounts of (earnings) over the next few years, that is a pretty amazing company that everyone would think is a good one to own.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulmanAdvertisement

By The Associated Press

Aug. 01, 2018 | FRANKFORT

By The Associated Press Aug. 01, 2018 | 05:33 PM | FRANKFORT

The remains of a Kentucky soldier who disappeared after a 1950 Korean War battle with high casualties will be returned home for a burial with full military honors.



Army Pfc. Joe S. Elmore's remains were originally thought to be of a British soldier when they were discovered in North Korea in 1995, but they could not be identified. The remains were later buried in South Korea.



Nearly 20 years later, the remains were disinterred and transported to The Defense Department's POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which seeks to identify missing and unidentified American soldiers. The agency used DNA and anthropological analysis to match the remains to Elmore.



Elmore was 20 when he was killed during a battle on Dec. 2, 1950, in Hamgyeong Province, North Korea. He will be given a military funeral in Albany, Kentucky, on Aug. 18.



The POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in a release that Elmore was among about 2,500 U.S. soldiers that were attacked in late November by overwhelming Chinese forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. The attacks pushed the U.S. forces to withdraw south and by Dec. 6, the Army had evacuated about 1,500 soldiers. The release said the rest had been captured, killed, or were missing in enemy territory.



The agency says about 7,700 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War.





Original Story (Aug. 1):



A Kentucky soldier who went missing in 1950 during the Korean War has been identified by his remains.



PFC Joe Stanton Elmore was 20 when he died on Dec. 2, 1950, in Changjim County, Hamgyeong Province, North Korea.



A release from Gov. Matt Bevin's office says his remains will be returned to his family in Bowling Green.



The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which keeps a record of missing American soldiers, announced Elmore's identification on July 3. He was a member of the 7th Infantry Division and one of about 2,500 U.S. soldiers assigned to the 31st Regimental Combat Team, also known as Task Force MacLean and Task Force Faith.



This week, the U.S. received the remains of dozens of presumed U.S. war dead that were handed over by North Korea.While the vote-counting was not complete, Dennis Bradley, the Democratic Partys endorsed candidate, was celebrating what appeared to be a victory late Tuesday night over challenger Aaron Turner for the 23rd state Senate District seat.

Meanwile, the the Republican primary for the same seat was too close for either side to immediately declare victory.

Putting in an appearance at Testos in Bridgeport before headed over to his own party, Bradley said he wasnt tired, but was ecstatic, after a full day at the polls.

I cant wait to get up to Hartford, Bradley said of the district, which covers parts of Bridgeport and the South End of Stratford. Ive wanted this challenge for a long time. Its been my dream to be in the legislature. I cant wait to get up their and fight.

If he does win in November, Bradley said he is unsure if he would finish out the year left on his term on Bridgeports Board of Education, but that he would not seek re-election to that panel while serving in the legislature.

Across town at Miss Thelmas Restaurant on Fairfield Avenue, a tearful Aaron Turner entered to roaring chants of Aaron, Aaron.

We started this campaign close to six months ago and despite opposition from the machine we raised money, got 1600 signatures from registered Democrats, Turner told them. We didnt lose tonight. What we created was the start of a movement.

While many in the room pledged to continue the fight on the Working Families Party line with its endorsement in November, Turner said he will take a couple of days to regroup before making a decision on whether to press forward.

Bradley, 34, was taking his second stab at a seat that is held by Sen. Ed Gomes, who did not seek a new term. He is a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education and a local attorney specializing in immigration law.

In May, state election watchdogs began investigating a claim that Bradley sent a text message in October 2017 to a Stratford mayoral candidate offering a $5,000 contribution in return for a position with the town.

Bradley initially denied sending the texts; he later he said that they were taken out of context. This month, he said the text messages didnt read well, but insists that there was no foul play involved.

Tuesday night, Bradley said the race got nasty.

Things said against me that were not true. Hopefully can come together, Bradley said. The black side of Bridgeport, the brown side spoke unanimously. Its a grassroots movement and they all said were voting for Dennis.

Turner, 30 was backed by Gomes, who worked three years as his legislative aide. Gomes was with Turner on election night and called Turner the better man.

We came up short but I think we are going to come out of this with something that is going to benefit the city of Bridgeport, Turner said. Number one we have come to the conclusion that the party mistreats us and we are not respected in the party the way we should be.

On the Republican side, John Rodriguez, 65, the endorsed candidate from Bridgeport and challenger Casimir Caz Mizera, 56, of Stratford both said they were unsure of the results.TRUMBULL  The day after he came in fourth in a five-man race as Republican candidate for governor in November, Tim Herbst said he has no regrets.

I know I did everything in my power to win, and there really isnt anything that I would have done differently, he said. You know, when President (Donald) Trump was elected, it was a real game-changer in that he was a businessman  completely outside of the political spectrum, just like (primary winner) Bob (Stefanowski).

Im proud of the campaign that we had  we always took the high road, Herbst said, noting that his advertising stressed his views and accomplishments, rather than trying to torpedo the other four. I stayed out of the gutter, he said.

Herbst said his campaign hit our numbers, but said he wasnt counting on the relatively large turnout the race engendered. Primary contests typically pull 20 to 25 percent of party members to the polls; on Tuesday, more than 31 percent of state Republicans voted. All five GOP candidates waged strong campaigns and mailed out countless flyers, particularly by millionaire Stefanowski, the winner.

Herbst said that he wont be looking in the rear-view mirror and that hell be happy to get back to practicing law with Cohen and Wolf, one of Bridgeports largest law firms with about 50 attorneys. His specialty is real estate, zoning and property law.

Theyve been very good to me over the last few months, certainly, he said. Im going to grow my practice, take a deep breath and pursue work in the private sector.

A four term Trumbull First Selectman, Herbst said that he doesnt see involvement in any political races moving forward.

He also plans to remain in Trumbull for the foreseeable future but said that he wouldnt count out a move.

While I was campaigning, I got a good look at towns throughout the state, he said. And those towns in eastern Connecticut, particularly by the Connecticut River, are incredibly beautiful.

Herbst delivered his concession speech about 10:20 Tuesday night when more than 60 percent of the towns and cities still had unreported results. His watch party took place on the top floor of the Omni Hotel in New Haven  and at that stage of the evening, many of the more than 100 supporters there still thought that he had a shot at victory.

On Wednesday, Herbst had lunch with the four who were core of his campaign  political director Tom Daly, field director Stephen Falcigno, campaign manager Jordanne Anderson and consultant Jon Conradi.

There were many days when I got up at 4 a.m. and didnt get to bed until 1 a.m., he said.

Herbst captured 17.6 percent of the vote and came in fourth behind Stefanowski, party favorite Mark Boughton and David Stemerman. He finished ahead of Steve Obsitnik, who finished a distant fifth.

jburgeson@ctpost.comMILFORD  A city police dog is getting extra protection while out on the job, thanks to the donation of a ballistic vest from a nonprofit organization.

Milford police K9 Zar, a 4.5-year-old German Shepherd, got the armor from Vested Interest in K9s Inc. Zar is certified in patrol work and works alongside to his two-legged partner, Officer Sean Owens.

The bullet and stab protective vest is set to arrive for Zar within eight to 10 weeks, according to the nonprofit. Vested Interest is a charity based in East Taunton, Massachusetts. The organizations mission is to provide law enforcement dogs with ballistic vests.

Zar joined the Milford police force in Dec. 2014 after he completed his training.

K9 Zar is full of personality, enjoys playing with his Kong (toy) when he is home, going for walks and patrolling the City of Milford on evening shift with his handler, the department said. He especially enjoys challenging tracks leading to suspect apprehension and evidence recovery, both of which he has proven extremely successful at.

K9 Zar is a hard worker on the job and a faithful protector in the home, the department added.

Since Vested Interest was founded, it has provided over 3,000 vest across 50 states. Each vest is valued between $1,744 and $2,283. On average, the vests weight between four and five pounds.

More information can be found at www.vik9s.org. Donations can be made on the site as well.Andrew Carnegie sold his steel company, Carnegie Steel, to J.P. Morgan for $480 million in 1901. According to the Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie's personal peak wealth was about $380 million, or around $309 billion by today's standard. He spent the last 18 years of his life giving away what he called "excess wealth" to public causes, just as he outlined in his 1889 manifesto, The Gospel of Wealth.

In The Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie claimed that charity should act as a ladder, which the worthy would climb. He praised The Cooper Institute, which offered free classes to the underprivileged in New York City, as well as Samuel J. Tilden's $5 million gift to the City of New York to establish a public library.

It's clear to see why Carnegie found these sorts of philanthropic acts to be best: He himself had benefited from such charity when he attended the Free School in his native Dunfermline, Scotland, and when the American Col. James Anderson opened his library to local working boys in Alleghany, Penn.

Carnegie wrote in his 1920 autobiography, "Colonel James Anderson -- I bless his name as I write -- announced that he would open his library of four hundred volumes to boys, so that any young man could take out, each Saturday afternoon, a book which could be exchanged for another on the succeeding Saturday."

As such, you can see quite clearly an emphasis on art, education and world peace in Carnegie's own philanthropy. Here is a small list of his contributions, primarily during his retirement but also through posthumous gifts, which still bear fruit 99 years after Carnegie's death in 1919. You can find more of his charities at this Columbia University Libraries page.

Related: How Billionaire Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates Settle Disagreements

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie poured $145 million into his eponymous corporation, which was founded in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding." Originally, the Carnegie Corporation was intended to create libraries and build church organs, but its purpose has shifted over time. The corporation says it "currently supports four key program areas, including education, democracy, international peace and security, and higher education and research in Africa."

As of 2015, the Carnegie Corporation's endowment was $3.3 billion.

Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs

The Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs was called The Church Peace Union when it was founded in 1914. Its mission, according to its website, is to create "nonpartisan educational resources on international ethics used by professionals, journalists, educators, students, and the greater public."

The nonprofit Carnegie Council convenes more than 50 public events annually.

Carnegie Hall

The New York music hall cost $1.1 million to build in the 1890s, and Carnegie paid the majority of that sum. You can read about the history of its foundation here, but Carnegie Hall has since become one of the most iconic buildings in New York City -- despite nearly being torn down in 1960.

Today, the building is one of about 2,600 buildings in the country listed as a National Historic Landmark. It claimed more than $500 million in net assets in 2017.

Related: 20 Leadership Quotes From the World's Most Influential Leaders

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Carnegie founded the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 1910 with a gift of $10 million. The Endowment's charter was to "hasten the abolition of war, the foulest blot upon our civilization.

It has provided a wide range of services since its inception, from building libraries in Europe after World War I to conducting research on a global scale to help inform international policy.

Carnegie Institution for Science

The Carnegie Institution of Washington, better known today as the Carnegie Institution for Science, was one of Andrew Carnegie's first projects after selling Carnegie Steel.

Founded in 1902, the science research center has been host to some of the world's greatest researchers, including revolutionary astronomer Edwin Hubble, Nobel Prize winner Alfred Hershey and Nobel Prize winner Barbara McClintock.

Vannevar Bush, the fourth president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, also headed the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II, which included the Manhattan Project.

The Carnegie Library and Museums of Pittsburgh

In an 1881 letter to the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Carnegie offered to donate $250,000 for a free library if the city provided the land and $15,000 annually to maintain operations. However, Carnegie eventually increased his investment to $1 million so that he could build six libraries -- a main library and five neighborhood branches.

These were just a few of the more than 3,000 libraries Carnegie established throughout his life, according to the Carnegie Endowment.

Carnegie also built the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, which he considered the chief satisfaction of his life. The museums included the famous Dinosaur Hall, which has since been expanded into an exhibit called Dinosaurs in Their World and features 19 mounted dinosaurs in active poses.

As of 1994, the Carnegie Museums also hosts The Andy Warhol Museum, which it claims is "one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world and the largest in North America."

Related: A $150 Billion Net Worth Makes Jeff Bezos the Richest Person on Earth and 24 Other Crazy Things We've Learned About the Amazon Founder

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie initially donated $2 million to create a technical institute in Pittsburgh, which was originally called Carnegie Technical Schools. It offered two- and three-year certificates in arts and engineering, as well as a college for women.

In 1905, the institution received an additional $1.34 million for building and $4 million in endowment.

In 1967, Carnegie Tech merged with the Mellon Institute to form Carnegie Mellon University. The school's official motto is "My heart is in the work" -- a quote from Carnegie about building the school. Its endowment was listed at $1.72 billion in 2017.

The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland

Andrew Carnegie gave $10 million to The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. Today, that might not sound like such an incredible number, but consider this, from the trust's website: The donation was "yielding over 100,000 per year at a time when the total government assistance to all four Scottish universities was only about 50,000 a year. "

That's right: the trust was giving twice as much as the Scottish government. Since 1901, the trust says that more than 100,000 grants have been awarded for research or in support of tuition fees.

Related:

How Would You Spend $309 Billion? Here's How Andrew Carnegie Did It.

'The Gospel of Wealth' by Andrew Carnegie

A Modernized Version of Andrew Carnegie's 'The Gospel of Wealth'



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedpast daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)The issue: For five years, the Justice Department has fought to block a Texas-based company called Defense Distributed from posting on the internet blueprints for 3D printable guns. The legal argument was that the plans would violate federal export controls. But anyone with a modicum of concern for public safety could see the grave risk with opening the way for anyone  terrorists and other criminals  to make a firearm that could not be traced.

Defense Distributed, a nonprofit, joined with the Second Amendment Foundation to sue the Justice Department, claiming the block violated several Constitutional rights.

Then abruptly, for reasons not explained, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions changed course in June and settled the suit. Blueprints for making 3D plastic guns could be posted on the internet as of Aug. 1.

What we said: How could it be considered a good idea to let anyone make a do-it-yourself gun that would be untraceable and circumvent state and federal laws?

This is not something reasonable gun rights supporters are scrambling for. Unbelievably, it is our own government that is pushing to give this gift to terrorists and other criminals. ...

Not only did the government acquiesce to allow the public posting of blueprints to make a 3D firearm, but also it agreed to pay nearly $40,000 in legal fees to Defense Distributed and the foundation.

It is particularly galling that taxpayers money is paying those fees while the government is opening the door to a free-for-all manufacture of untraceable plastic guns. ...

Illegal guns on the street are dangerous enough to public safety without adding new unregistered, undetectable, untraceable firearms to the potent mix. Stop the insanity.

 July 29, 2018

Other reactions: Alarm over the Justice Departments unexplained reversal was swift and broad. Five U.S. senators, including Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, wrote to the department and demanded to see a copy of the settlement, which is public information, and receive a briefing. A letter signed by 53 groups, such as Sandy Hook Promise and Newtown Action Alliance, implored President Donald Trump to stop what is a special exemption for Defense Distributed.

Gun rights groups countered that proliferation of untraceable guns would be limited by the expense of the equipment and software.

What happened: The day before the blueprints for make-your-own guns were to go online, a federal judge in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order, in response to requests by eight state attorneys general, including Connecticuts. Also on July 31 Democratic senators proposed legislation to ban all undetectable and untraceable guns.

What should happen next: The judges temporary restraining order allows some breathing room for a much-needed discussion on how to regulate the emerging technology that allows anyone with the means to make deadly weapons. Other public safety measures must simultaneously be pursued, such as closing gun show loopholes and enforcing universal background checks. The focus must be on public safety, not sidestepping existing laws and regulations.In our Constitution, treason is defined as levying war against the United States or giving aid and comfort to its enemies. Those are the sole definitions.

U.S. intelligence agencies 100 percent agree that Russia launched malicious cyber attacks to disrupt our electoral process in 2016 and are doing it again for our 2018 elections.

These attacks were not by an unaffiliated 400-pound hacker guy but by state-sponsored terrorists, members of the Russian military intelligence agency, GRU.

Such an aggressive cyber attack by one sovereign nation against another is an act of war.

True, shots were not exchanged, but Russia intentionally violated our sovereignty. Ergo, this makes the attacker and the violated nation enemies.

President Trumps silence on these matters has been deafening. He has not condemned Russias aggressive criminal behavior at all.

For Vladimir Putin, under whose autocratic rule nothing occurs without his assent, Trump has had nothing but praise. But he has not been quiet regarding our side.

Nastily attacking longtime NATO allies and the alliance itself, constantly railing against our intelligence agencies and undercutting U.S. counter-intelligence, it appears that Trump is doing Putins dirty work for him.

In their two hour, one-on-one meeting in Helsinki, what corrupt bargain was agreed upon by the Russian dictator and the American wannabe dictator? If Putin sends armored columns into neighboring Latvia, will the U.S. fulfill its treaty obligations and defend its NATO partner? Or will Trump sit on his tiny hands?

Trump says he admired Winston Churchill. So, why is he acting like Neville Chamberlain? In doing so, he is giving aid and comfort to our enemies.

John M. Dederer

Stratford

The writer is a lecturer in History at Housatonic Community College and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans.Contributed

In a tweet early Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump endorsed Bob Stefanowski, a Connecticut businessman who won the Republican nomination for governor, calling Stefanowski the person needed to do the job.

It is about time that Connecticut had a real and talented Governor, Trump tweeted. Tough on crime, Bob is also a big cutter of Taxes. He will win in November and make a Great Governor, a major difference maker. Bob has my total Endorsement!New Mexico: Police find 11 starving children in compound

BBC News/August 6, 2018

Police in the US state of New Mexico have rescued 11 malnourished children who were being kept in squalid conditions in a remote desert compound.



They said the children, aged one to 15, had no shoes, were wearing rags and "looked like Third World refugees".



Five adults were found at the scene, including two heavily armed men.



Police searched the site after receiving a message from a third party that read: "We are starving and need food and water."



On Sunday, Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe "swore an affidavit for arrest warrants charging 11 counts of child abuse for all five adults related to the neglect and abuse of the children involved".



Each count of child abuse is a felony.



It is not clear how the group ended up at the compound in Amalia, near the state's border with Colorado.



Police described the compound as a small underground caravan covered by plastic, with no running water or electricity.



Sheriff Hogrefe told ABC News the children were hungry, thirsty and filthy.



"I've been a cop for 30 years. I've never seen anything like this. Unbelievable," he said.



"They were skinny, their ribs showed, they were in very poor hygiene and very scared."

No fresh water was found at the site, and the only food there was a few potatoes and a box of rice, police said.



Two armed men, Siraj Wahhaj and Lucas Morton, were arrested at the scene, and charged with several counts of child abuse.



Three women, believed to be the children's mothers, were "arrested without incident" and booked in the Taos Adult Detention Center, according to the Sheriff's Office.



Police have not explained what connection the women - named as Jany Leveille, 35, Hujrah Wahhaj, 38, and Subhannah Wahhaj, 35, - have to each other.

Mr Hogrefe told ABC it appeared the women and children "were brainwashed and feel great intimidation from the men that were in control of this facility".



The 11 children have been taken into care by local social services.



Mr Wahhaj is also wanted on suspicion of abducting his three-year-old son, but the boy was not among the group found at the compound, US media report. It was the search for the boy that led to the arrests on Friday.



According to the sheriff's office, law enforcement officials are still searching for the boy, who turned four on Monday.

Police said they had been aware of the compound for some time but had to wait for a search warrant to be issued before entering, as the occupants were "most likely heavily armed and considered extremist of the Muslim belief".



Mr Wahhaj was armed with an AR-15 rifle and four pistols when they encountered him, they said.



There were bullet casings covering the ground on site, as well as a makeshift shooting range and 150ft tunnel, KOB 4 News reported.

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.Update: Thomas prohibited from legal actions

Thomas is not allowed to execute any legal document on behalf of the Commonwealth or appear on behalf of the Commonwealth in a court proceeding.Last week, a right-leaning friend messaged me that she had been attacked by a set of liberals because she had spoken a few lines in favour of the BJP. She said, I was called a Muslim hater and assaulted by 20 people. So, you see, when you say all Muslims are scared, this is what we Hindus are made to go through. That every Hindu who supports BJP is termed a Muslim hater this is not acceptable.

I was taken aback by her last statement  every Hindu who supports BJP is a Muslim hater  is that what all the liberal dialogue had communicated?

If yes, then this is an utter failure.

The friend further said, This has helped me see things and people more clearly and get wiser. Its a huge help. Am glad it happened. Confirmed my perceptions. Now I see how deeply hate runs in our country, especially among the urban elite.

I must tell you, this friend is reasonably well-educated from a premier management institution and has been in the business of human resources since decades. Now she devotes much of her time working for the upliftment of less privileged communities irrespective of their caste and religion. She is deeply spiritual and goes out of her way to strengthen gender-specific and environmentally sensitive initiatives. She is everything that would identify with all accepted meanings of being 'liberal'.

But she is angry at this very creed.

Liberalism should be about opening the mind. But do we see that around us? (Photo: Representative/Pinterest)

Perhaps because there is a new us vs them in our lexicon.

What started with India (us) vs Pakistan (them) soon became Hindu (us) vs Muslims (them)  and has now shaped into Muslim-Haters (us) vs secular-liberals (them).

This new grouping, I believe, instead of shaming people, actually serves to strengthen their beliefs. It reconfirms their suspicions that the secularists hate everything Hindu. For people like my right-leaning friend, their politics is about taking pride in Hinduism. They truly believe that they dont hate Muslims, but are being branded so when they attempt to love Hinduism.

Are the two mutually not inclusive?

The same applies to the other side of the debate  is being a good Muslim not inclusive of respecting other value systems and beliefs? Just like the Quran is often mis-quoted and all Muslims painted in the same broad strokes of being kafir-haters, are we liberals too falling in the same trap, of painting all those who lean to the right as Muslim haters?

No echo chambers on Marine Drive: In a moment of freedom, we all enjoy the sea. (Photo: PTI)

My problem with such a perception is that it stops dialogues.

We end up speaking in our own echo chambers the moment we allow such an interpretation and divisions of us vs them. For dialogue to succeed, it has to essentially take into account the various dimensions of how it is being perceived.

Social anxiety gets heightened by the news and views that crowds our social media timeline. What I see as blatant lies and propaganda are viewed as gospels of truth by my friend  what is clear and present danger for me is a distant unending cacophony for her. Perhaps even an irritant that only spawns apathy. What I see as hate is perhaps a reaction for her in national interest. What I see as abetment to hate crimes perhaps has no correlation for her with the present government.

The debates can be unending on the merits of such a line of thought, but are we really even having a debate anymore?

Or are we in endless loops of our own proclamations and beliefs?

There is a new partition between our minds  there is no universal truth when the sanest fall for fake news. When the best of countries are fighting to keep ahead of this ugly mix of technology, religion, politics and economics-driven perceptions, why have higher standards for the common man?

If our bid to counter systemic and institutionalized hate politics has resulted in a vehement and moralistic rejection of people based on labels, the chasm is only going to increase.

We can  and often are  truly free with each other. (Photo: PTI)

This Independence Day, we need to acknowledge that it is not the majority that hates  it is only a politically driven minority that whips up this hatred, to make it a majoritarian cause and rhetoric. This rhetoric is further perpetuated everyday through both our criticism of it as well as the other side's jingoistic cheer-leading.

Instead of knocking down bridges, we need to reopen communication that we all listen to emphatically. For that, we cant push and label a certain section in a tit-for-tat race. Instead, only make 'other' those who whip up hate  all shades of hate  for a happier and truly inclusive independence.

Also read: 71 years of Independence: How free are we?On a day India is celebrating its Independence Day, its friendly neighbour Bangladesh is commemorating the countrys founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated on August 15, 1975.

He was killed along with his family in the wee hours of August 15. The only two family members who managed to survive were his two daughters  Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana. The two were in Europe when a military misadventure claimed the lives of Mujibur Rahman and their other family members.

All agencies failed to pre-empt the threat to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's life. (Source: Reuters)

The assassination came at a time when Bangladesh was just trying to find its feet as an independent nation after years of repression at the hands of Pakistan.

The assassination is believed to be the handiwork of the Pakistani 'deep state' that had the support of the anti-India forces and a section of Bangladeshis as well.

While it was for a long time believed that nobody had a whiff of the planning of the attack, it has now emerged that former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had personally warned Mujibur Rahman of an imminent threat to his life.

It is also reported that the then R&AW chief had positioned a helicopter to pull out Mujibur Rahman from Dhaka and take him to a safe haven in case there was an attack on him.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. The rest is history.

Mujibs own cabinet minister, Khondokar Mushtaq, is believed to have been involved in planning the attack. He was Mujibur Rahmans immediate successor. Also, involved were Bangladeshi politicians with pro-Pakistan leanings, and of course, a large segment of the highly politicised army that had been deeply indoctrinated.

Significantly, the then deputy chief of army staff, General Ziaur Rahman, who later became the countrys army chief and ended up being the President, was also complicit.

He was reportedly indifferent when informed about the assassination and feigned ignorance, but couldnt hide his complicity for too long. However, he wasnt the only army officer involved.

Investigations proved that almost the entire army had been compromised and had turned against Mujibur Rahman.

One Farooq Ahmed fired the first salvo with his inflammatory speech directed against Mujib in which he spoke against the President and his policies. The speech was delivered a day ahead of the assassination, on August 14, 1975.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the founding father of Bangladesh. (Source: Reuters)

A significant villain in Mujibur Rahmans story was Muammar Gaddafi, who reportedly ensured funding for the anti-Mujib forces.

Sadly, Faruque Rahmans acerbic speech did not alert the security agencies to the impending threat to Mujib. Had that happened a major tragedy could have been avoided.

Mujibs security force that was only tasked with ensuring his personal security Rakkhi Bahini too proved completely ineffective in stopping the attack.

The fact that all agencies failed to protect Mujib at every level tells a sad story of how a man revered as a father figure in Bangladesh was killed despite doing so much for the country and its people.

Shamefully, Mujibs assassins were hugely honoured and rewarded with coveted assignments and posts post his demise.

In the foreword to the Mujibs biography, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: From Rebel to Founding Father, written by Syed Badrul Ahsan, noted historian AF Salahuddin Ahmed, says, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains the rare instance of a statesman in history in whose name, and in whose physical absence, a nation fought its way to freedom. The surrender of Pakistan in Bangladesh in 1971 was indeed the culmination of Mujibs long struggle for the emancipation of his people. He asked his nation to give him three years to turn the country around. His enemies made sure he did not survive. They killed him, with most of his family, on August 15, 1975. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains in death, as he was in life time, Bangladeshs foremost political symbol.

Sheikh Hasina, who is at the helm of the affairs today in Bangladesh, should take note of the security and intelligence lapses leading to her fathers untimely and avoidable killing. She should be doubly cautious in ensuring that her security agencies dont lower their guard even for a minute particularly when forces inimical to the countrys interests are on the lookout for an opportunity to meet their devilish designs.

Also read: Freedom elusive on Independence Day: Why the likes of Umar Khalid get attackedCONSOL Coal Resources LP produces and sells high- British thermal unit (Btu) coal in the Northern Appalachian Basin and the eastern United States. It owns a 25% undivided interest in the Pennsylvania mining complex, which consists of three underground mines and related infrastructure that produce high-Btu thermal coal located primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania. The company markets its thermal coal principally to electric utilities. CONSOL Coal Resources GP LLC operates as a general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as CNX Coal Resources LP and changed its name to CONSOL Coal Resources LP in November 2017. CONSOL Coal Resources LP was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Boyd Group Income Fund operates as an unincorporated open-ended mutual fund trust. The company, through its operating company, The Boyd Group Inc., operates non-franchised collision repair centers. Its collision repair centers offer automotive collision and glass repair, and related services. The company operates its autobody/autoglass repair and related services facilities, as well as auto glass retail facilities under the Boyd Autobody & Glass, Assured Automotive, Gerber Collision & Glass, Glass America, Auto Glass Service, Auto Glass Authority, and Autoglassonly.com trade names in the United States and Canada. Further, it provides Gerber National Claim Services, a claim administrator service, which offer glass, emergency roadside, and first notice of loss services with approximately 5,500 glass provider locations and 4,600 emergency roadside services providers. The company is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

Read MoreMAXIMUS, Inc. engages in the operation of government and human services programs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Services; U.S. Federal Services; and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers a variety of business process services, and appeals and assessments for state, provincial and national government programs. The U.S. Federal Services segment includes process solutions, program management, as well as system and software development, and maintenance services for various United States federal civilian programs. The Outside the U.S segment comprises of national, state, and county human services agencies with a variety of business process services, and related consulting services for welfare-to-work, child support, higher education institutions, and other human services programs. The company was founded by David V. Mastran in 1975 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Valero Energy: AIR BP-PBF DEL PERU SAC, BELFAST STORAGE LTD, CANADIAN ULTRAMAR COMPANY, COLONNADE TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY LLC, COLONNADE VERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY LLC, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OF CANADA INC., DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL HOLDINGS LLC, DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL LLC, DIAMOND K RANCH LLC, DIAMOND OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., DIAMOND SHAMROCK REFINING COMPANY L.P., DIAMOND UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., DSRM NATIONAL BANK, ENTERPRISE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT INC., GCP LOGISTICS COMPANY LLC, GOLDEN EAGLE ASSURANCE LIMITED, HAMMOND MAINLINE PIPELINE LLC, HUNTWAY REFINING COMPANY, MAINLINE PIPELINES LIMITED, MAPLE ETHANOL LTD., MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT GP LLC, MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT L.P., MRP PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, NECHES RIVER HOLDING CORP., NORCO METHANOL LLC, OCEANIC TANKERS AGENCY LIMITED, PARKWAY PIPELINE LLC, PENTA TANKS TERMINALS S.A., PI DOCK FACILITIES LLC, PICKARD PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, PORT ARTHUR COKER COMPANY L.P., PREMCOR USA INC., PROPERTY RESTORATION L.P., PURE BIOFUELS DEL PERU S.A.C., PURE BIOFUELS HOLDINGS L.P., Parkway Pipeline, Premcor, Pure Biofuels Del Peru, SABINE RIVER HOLDING CORP., SABINE RIVER LLC, SAINT BERNARD PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, SUNBELT REFINING COMPANY L.P., THE PREMCOR PIPELINE CO., THE PREMCOR REFINING GROUP INC., THE SHAMROCK PIPE LINE CORPORATION, TRANSPORT MARITIME ST. LAURENT INC., ULTRAMAR ACCEPTANCE INC., ULTRAMAR ENERGY INC., ULTRAMAR INC., Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, V-TEX LOGISTICS LLC, VALERO (BARBADOS) SRL, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS GP LLC, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS LIMITED, VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ARUBA ACQUISITION COMPANY I LTD., VALERO ARUBA FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA HOLDING COMPANY N.V., VALERO ARUBA HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA MAINTENANCE/OPERATIONS COMPANY N.V., VALERO BROWNSVILLE TERMINAL LLC, VALERO CANADA FINANCE INC., VALERO CANADA L.P., VALERO CAPITAL CORPORATION, VALERO CARIBBEAN SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO COKER CORPORATION ARUBA N.V., VALERO CUSTOMS & TRADE SERVICES INC., VALERO EAST BAY LLC, VALERO ENERGY (IRELAND) LIMITED, VALERO ENERGY ARUBA II COMPANY, VALERO ENERGY INC., VALERO ENERGY LTD, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS GP LLC, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS LP, VALERO ENERGY UK LTD, VALERO ENTERPRISES INC., VALERO EQUITY SERVICES LTD, VALERO FINANCE L.P. I, VALERO FINANCE L.P. II, VALERO FINANCE L.P. III, VALERO FOREST CONTRIBUTION LLC, VALERO GRAIN MARKETING LLC, VALERO H2 PIPELINE COMPANY LLC, VALERO HOLDCO UK LTD, VALERO HOLDINGS INC., VALERO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., VALERO LIVE OAK LLC, VALERO LOGISTICS UK LTD, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY (PANAMA) LLC, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPY INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO MARKETING IRELAND LIMITED, VALERO MKS LOGISTICS L.L.C., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEW AMSTERDAM B.V., VALERO OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONS SUPPORT LTD, VALERO PARTNERS CCTS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS EAST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS WEST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS EP LLC, VALERO PARTNERS HOUSTON LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LOUISIANA LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LUCAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MCKEE LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MERAUX LLC, VALERO PARTNERS NORTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS OPERATING CO. LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PAPS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PORT ARTHUR LLC, VALERO PARTNERS SOUTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS TEXAS CITY LLC, VALERO PARTNERS THREE RIVERS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WYNNEWOOD LLC, VALERO PAYMENT SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE LLC, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE OIL TERMINAL LTD, VALERO PLAINS COMPANY LLC, VALERO POWER MARKETING LLC, VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL PARTNERS LLC, VALERO REFINING AND MARKETING COMPANY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-ARUBA N.V., VALERO REFINING COMPANY-CALIFORNIA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-OKLAHOMA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-MERAUX LLC, VALERO REFINING-NEW ORLEANS L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-TEXAS L.P., VALERO RENEWABLE FUELS COMPANY LLC, VALERO SECURITY SYSTEMS INC., VALERO SERVICES INC., VALERO SKELLYTOWN PIPELINE LLC, VALERO TEJAS COMPANY LLC, VALERO TERMINAL HOLDCO LTD, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO TEXAS POWER MARKETING INC., VALERO ULTRAMAR HOLDINGS INC., VALERO UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., VALERO WEST WALES LLC, VRG PROPERTIES COMPANY, VTD PROPERTIES COMPANY, WARSHALL COMPANY LLC, and ZELIG COMMERCIAL INC..Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. engages in the operation of senior living communities. The firm manages independent living, assisted living and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers. It operates through the following segments: Independent Living Assisted Living & Memory Care, CCRCs, Health Care Services and Management Services. The Independent Living segment is primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors who desire an upscale residential environment providing the highest quality of service. The Assisted Living & Memory Care segment offer housing and 24-hour assistance with ADLs to mid-acuity frail and elderly residents. The CCRCs segment offers a variety of living arrangements and services to accommodate all levels of physical ability and health. The Healthcare Services segment provides home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services, as well as education and wellness programs, to residents of many communities and to seniors living outside communities. The Management Services segment composes of communities operated by the company pursuant to management agreements. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN.

Read MoreDeutsche Pfandbriefbank AG provides commercial real estate and public investment finance products. Its commercial real estate financing activities include financing instruments, such as financing investment projects, development finance, cross-border portfolio financing, investment bridge finance facilities, standby/backup facilities, and derivatives. The company primarily finances offices, retail, and logistic real estate companies, as well as residential properties targeting real estate companies, institutional investors, real estate funds, and medium-sized and regionally orientated clients. It is also involved in the public investment financing activities, such as financing for public sector facilities, municipal and residential buildings, utilities, infrastructure, medical and geriatric care facilities, and administration and insurance facilities. In addition, the company operates a digital platform for public sector borrowers and institutional investors under the CAPVERIANT name. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG has offices in four locations in Eschborn, DAsseldorf, Hamburg, and Berlin in Germany; and five locations in London, Madrid, Paris, Stockholm, and New York City. The company was formerly known as Hypo Real Estate Bank AG and changed its name to Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG in June 2009. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG is headquartered in Garching, Germany.

Read MoreBayer Aktiengesellschaft operates as a life science company worldwide. It operates through Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science segments. The Pharmaceuticals segment offers prescription products primarily for cardiology and women's health care; specialty therapeutics in the areas of oncology, hematology, and ophthalmology; and diagnostic imaging equipment and contrast agents, as well as cell and gene therapy. The Consumer Health segment markets nonprescription over-the-counter medicines, medical products, medicated skincare products, nutritional supplements, and self-care solutions in dermatology, nutritional supplements, pain and cardiovascular risk prevention, digestive health, allergy, and cold and cough. The Crop Science segment offers chemical and biological crop protection products, improved plant traits, seeds, digital solution, and pest and weed control products, as well as customer service for agriculture. This segment also provides breeding, propagation, and production/processing of seeds, including seed dressing. Bayer Aktiengesellschaft has a collaboration agreement with MD Anderson Cancer Center to develop oncology drugs; research and license agreement with Dewpoint Therapeutics, Inc. for the development of new treatments for cardiovascular and gynecological diseases; collaboration agreement with Exscientia Ltd, Foundation Medicine Inc., and Evotec AG; research collaboration with Arvinas Inc. and Forschungszentrum JAlich GmbH; strategic research partnership with University of Oxford to develop novel gynecological therapies; and research collaboration agreements with Haplogen GmbH and Kyoto University to identify new drugs candidates for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The company distributes its products through wholesalers, pharmacies and pharmacy chains, supermarkets, online and other retailers, and hospitals, as well as directly to farmers. Bayer Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Wall Street analysts have given MGT Capital Investments a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but MGT Capital Investments wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.The following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc..National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment provides investment solutions, trust and estate services, banking services, lending services, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and other wealth management solutions through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment offers risk management products and services; and debt and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance expertise; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and the activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The company also offers credit cards. It provides its services through a network of 483 branches and 1,573 banking machines. The company was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Read More5 hours ago

US Democratic governors to participate in U.N. climate talks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  U.S. governors want a seat at the table as international leaders prepare to gather in Scotland at a critical moment for global efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions and slow the planet's temperature rise. At least a half dozen state governors  all Democrats  plan to attend parts of the two-week United Nations' climate change conference in Glasgow, known as COP26.

Read ArticleStantec Inc. provides professional consulting services in the area of infrastructure and facilities in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company provides consulting services in engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics. It also offers water, transportation, and public works; transportation planning and traffic engineering; and resource assessment, mine development, reclamation, hydrology, and geotechnical and infrastructure engineering services, as well as urban planning, traffic assessments and optimization, environmental impact assessments, and public consultation services. In addition, the company provides structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and hydraulics engineering services. It serves urban regeneration, infrastructure, education, public and private sector, tourism and leisure, and waste and water sectors, as well as office and commercial, residential, and retail and town centers. The company was formerly known as Stanley Technology Group Inc. and changed its name to Stantec Inc. in October 1998. Stantec Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada.

Read MoreRalph Lauren Corp. engages in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products. The firm offers apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and other licensed product. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, and Asia. The North America segment consists of sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Club Monaco. The Europe segment caters to sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Europe and the Middle East, excluding Club Monaco. The Asia segment covers the sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The company was founded by Ralph Lauren in 1967 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Read MoreThe Bank of New York Mellon pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.29%. The Bank of New York Mellon does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio of The Bank of New York Mellon is 33.92%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, The Bank of New York Mellon will have a dividend payout ratio of 29.44% next year. This indicates that The Bank of New York Mellon will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View The Bank of New York Mellon's dividend history.Wall Street analysts have given iShares S&P 500 ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares S&P 500 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.The following companies are subsidiares of Banco Santander: 2 & 3 Triton Limited, A & L CF (Guernsey) Limited (f), A & L CF June (2) Limited, A & L CF June (3) Limited, A & L CF March (5) Limited, A & L CF September (4) Limited, AFB SAM Holdings S.L., ALIL Services Limited (b), AN (123) Limited, ANITCO Limited, Abbey Business Services (India) Private Limited, Abbey Covered Bonds (LM) Limited, Abbey National, Abbey National Beta Investments Limited, Abbey National Business Office Equipment Leasing Limited, Abbey National International Limited, Abbey National Nominees Limited, Abbey National PLP (UK) Limited, Abbey National Property Investments, Abbey National Treasury Services Investments Limited, Abbey National Treasury Services Overseas Holdings, Abbey National UK Investments, Abbey Stockbrokers (Nominees) Limited, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, Ablasa Participaciones S.L., Administracion de Bancos Latinoamericanos Santander S.L., Aduro S.A., Aevis Europa S.L., Afisa S.A., Albert., Aljardi SGPS Lda., Alliance & Leicester, Alliance & Leicester Cash Solutions Limited, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (Derivatives) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (No.2) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments Limited, Alliance & Leicester Limited, Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited, Altamira Santander Real Estate S.A., Alternative Leasing FIL, Amazonia Trade Limited, Amherst Pierpont, Andaluza de Inversiones S.A., Aquanima Brasil Ltda., Aquanima Chile S.A., Aquanima Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aquanima S.A., Arcaz - Sociedade Imobiliaria Portuguesa Lda., Argenline S.A. (b), Asto Digital Limited, Athena Corporation Limited, Atual - Fundo de Invest Multimercado Credito Privado Investimento no Exterior, Atual Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos e Meios Digitais S.A., Autodescuento S.L., Autohaus24 GmbH, Auttar HUT Processamento de Dados Ltda., Aviacion Antares A.I.E., Aviacion Britanica A.I.E., Aviacion Centaurus A.I.E., Aviacion Comillas S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Intercontinental A.I.E., Aviacion Laredo S.L., Aviacion Oyambre S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Real A.I.E., Aviacion Santillana S.L., Aviacion Suances S.L., Aviacion Triton A.I.E., Aymore Credito Financiamento e Investimento S.A., BEN Beneficios e Servicos S.A., BRS Investments S.A., BZW Bank, Banca PSA Italia S.p.A., Banco Bandepe S.A., Banco Madesant - Sociedade Unipessoal S.A., Banco PSA Finance Brasil S.A., Banco Popular, Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 100740, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 2002114, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso GFSSLPT, Banco Santander - Chile, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal S.A., Banco Santander International, Banco Santander International SA, Banco Santander Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Banco Santander Peru S.A., Banco Santander Rio S.A., Banco Santander S.A., Banco Santander Totta S.A., Banco Santander de Negocios Colombia S.A., Banco de Albacete S.A., Bansa Santander S.A., CCAP Auto Lease Ltd., Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund IV LLC, Capital Street Delaware LP, Capital Street Holdings LLC, Capital Street REIT Holdings LLC, Capital Street S.A., Carfax (Guernsey) Limited (f), Carfinco Financial Group, Carfinco Financial Group Inc., Carfinco Inc., Casa de Bolsa Santander S.A. de C.V. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Cater Allen Holdings Limited, Cater Allen International Limited, Cater Allen Limited, Cater Allen Lloyd's Holdings Limited, Cater Allen Syndicate Management Limited, Centro de Capacitacion Santander A.C., Certidesa S.L., Chrysler Capital Auto Funding I LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Funding II LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Receivables LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 2 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 4 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding LLC, Cobranza Amigable S.A.P.I. de C.V., Community Development and Affordable Housing Fund LLC (g), Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A., Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV, Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Argentina S.A., Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Iberica S.L. Unipersonal en liquidacion (b), Consulteam Consultores de Gestao Lda., Consumer Lending Receivables LLC, Crawfall S.A. (b), Cantabra de Inversiones S.A., Cantabro Catalana de Inversiones S.A., Darep Designated Activity Company, Decarome S.A.P.I. de C.V., Deva Capital Advisory Company S.L., Deva Capital Holding Company S.L., Deva Capital Investment Company S.L., Deva Capital Management Company S.L., Deva Capital Servicer Company S.L., Digital Procurement Holdings N.V., Diners Club Spain S.A., Direccion Estratega S.C., Dirgenfin S.L. en liquidacion (b), Ebury, El Corte Ingles, Elavon Mexico, Electrolyser S.A. de C.V., Entidad de Desarrollo a la Pequena y Micro Empresa Santander Consumo Peru S.A., Erestone S.A.S., Esfera Fidelidade S.A., Evidence Previdencia S.A., Financeira El Corte Ingles Portugal S.F.C. S.A., Financiera El Corte Ingles E.F.C. S.A., Finsantusa S.L. Unipersonal, First National Motor Business Limited, First National Motor Contracts Limited, First National Motor Facilities Limited, First National Motor Finance Limited, First National Motor Leasing Limited, First National Motor plc, First National Tricity Finance Limited, Fondos Santander S.A. Administradora de Fondos de Inversion (en liquidacion) (b), Fortensky Trading Ltd., Fosse Funding (No.1) Limited, Fosse Master Issuer plc, Fosse Trustee (UK) Limited, GTS El Centro Equity Holdings LLC, GTS El Centro Project Holdings LLC, Gamma Sociedade Financeira de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Gesban Mexico Servicios Administrativos Globales S.A. de C.V., Gesban Santander Servicios Profesionales Contables Limitada, Gesban Servicios Administrativos Globales S.L., Gesban UK Limited, Gestion de Instalaciones Fotovoltaicas S.L. Unipersonal, Gestion de Inversiones JILT S.A., Gestora de Procesos S.A. en liquidacion (b), Getnet Adquirencia e Servicos para Meios de Pagamento S.A., Global Vosgos S.L. Unipersonal, Grupo Empresarial Santander S.L., Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, Guaranty Car S.A. Unipersonal, HQ Mobile Limited, Hispamer Renting S.A. Unipersonal, Holbah II Limited, Holbah Santander S.L. Unipersonal, Holmes Funding Limited, Holmes Master Issuer plc, Holmes Trustees Limited, Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH, Iberica de Compras Corporativas S.L., Independence Community Bank Corp., Insurance Funding Solutions Limited, Interfinance Holanda B.V., Inversiones Capital Global S.A. Unipersonal, Inversiones Maritimas del Mediterraneo S.A., Isla de los Buques S.A., Klare Corredora de Seguros S.A., Landcompany 2020 S.L., Langton Funding (No.1) Limited, Langton Mortgages Trustee (UK) Limited, Langton Securities (2008-1) plc, Langton Securities (2010-1) PLC, Langton Securities (2010-2) PLC, Laparanza S.A., Liquidity Limited, Luri 1 S.A. en liquidacion (b) (e), Luri 6 S.A. Unipersonal, Master Red Europa S.L., Mata Alta S.L., Merciver S.L., Mercury TFS, Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.A. de C.V., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.L., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.p.A., Moneybit S.L., Mortgage Engine Limited, Motor 2016-1 PLC, Motor 2017-1 PLC, Mouro Capital I LP, Multiplica SpA, NW Services CO., Naviera Mirambel S.L., Naviera Trans Gas A.I.E., Naviera Trans Iron S.L., Naviera Trans Ore A.I.E., Naviera Trans Wind S.L. (b), Naviera Transcantabrica S.L., Naviera Transchem S.L. Unipersonal, NeoAuto S.A.C., Norbest AS, Novimovest  Fundo de Investimento Imobiliario, Open Bank Argentina S.A., Open Bank S.A., Open Digital Market S.L., Open Digital Services S.L., Operadora de Carteras Gamma S.A.P.I. de C.V., Optimal Investment Services SA, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland Euro Fund, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland US Dollar Fund, PBE Companies LLC, PECOH Limited, PI Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH, PSA Banque France, PSA Finance UK Limited, PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V., PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C. S.A., PSA Renting Italia S.p.A., PagoFX Europe S.A., PagoFX HoldCo S.L., PagoFX UK Ltd, PagoNxt Merchant Solutions S.L., PagoNxt S.L., Parasant SA, Patagon.com, Pereda Gestion S.A., Pingham International S.A., Popular Spain Holding de Inversiones S.L.U., Portal Universia Argentina S.A., Portal Universia Portugal Prestacao de Servicos de Informatica S.A., Prime 16  Fundo de Investimentos Imobiliario, Punta Lima LLC, Punta Lima Wind Farm LLC, Retop S.A., Return Capital Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos S.A., Return Gestao de Recursos S.A., Riobank International (Uruguay) SAIFE (b), Rojo Entretenimento S.A., SAM Asset Management S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, SAM Investment Holdings S.L., SAM UK Investment Holdings Limited (b), SANB Promotora de Vendas e Cobranca Ltda., SCF Eastside Locks GP Limited, SDMX Superdigital S.A. de C.V., SMPS Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A de C.V, Sancap Investimentos e Participacoes S.A., Santander (CF Trustee Property Nominee) Limited, Santander (UK) Group Pension Schemes Trustees Limited, Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 1 S.A., Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 2 S.A., Santander Alternatives SICAV RAIF, Santander Asesorias Financieras Limitada, Santander Asset Finance (December) Limited, Santander Asset Finance plc, Santander Asset Management - S.G.O.I.C. S.A., Santander Asset Management Chile S.A., Santander Asset Management LLC, Santander Asset Management Luxembourg S.A., Santander Asset Management S.A. Administradora General de Fondos, Santander Asset Management S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Asset Management UK Holdings Limited, Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Santander Back-Offices Globales Mayoristas S.A., Santander Banca de Inversion Colombia S.A.S., Santander Bank & Trust Ltd., Santander Bank National Association, Santander Bank Polska S.A., Santander Brasil Administradora de Consorcio Ltda., Santander Brasil Gestao de Recursos Ltda., Santander Brasil Tecnologia S.A., Santander Capital Desarrollo SGEIC S.A. Unipersonal, Santander Capital Structuring S.A. de C.V., Santander Capitalizacao S.A., Santander Cards Ireland Limited, Santander Cards Limited, Santander Cards UK Limited, Santander Chile Holding S.A., Santander Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L4 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L5 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Bank, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander Consumer Bank GmbH, Santander Consumer Bank S.A., Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A., Santander Consumer Banque S.A., Santander Consumer Credit Services Limited, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., Santander Consumer Finance Global Services S.L., Santander Consumer Finance Oy, Santander Consumer Finance S.A., Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG, Santander Consumer Financial Solutions Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o. (b), Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH, Santander Consumer Holding GmbH, Santander Consumer International Puerto Rico LLC, Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH, Santander Consumer Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.L., Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Receivables 10 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 11 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 3 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 7 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables Funding LLC, Santander Consumer Renting S.L., Santander Consumer S.A., Santander Consumer S.A.S., Santander Consumer Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Services S.A., Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Santander Consumer USA Inc., Santander Consumo S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Corredora de Seguros Limitada, Santander Corredores de Bolsa Limitada, Santander Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., Santander Corretora de Seguros Investimentos e Servicos S.A., Santander Customer Voice S.A., Santander Digital Assets S.L., Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC, Santander Equity Investments Limited, Santander Espana Merchant Services Entidad de Pago S.L. Unipersonal, Santander Espana Servicios Legales y de Cumplimiento S.L., Santander Estates Limited, Santander F24 S.A., Santander Facility Management Espana S.L., Santander Factoring S.A., Santander Factoring Sp. z o.o., Santander Factoring y Confirming S.A. E.F.C., Santander Finance 2012-1 LLC, Santander Financial Exchanges Limited, Santander Financial Services Inc., Santander Financial Services plc, Santander Finanse Sp. z o.o., Santander Fintech Holdings S.L., Santander Fintech Limited, Santander Fundo de Investimento SBAC Referenciado di Credito Privado, Santander Gestion de Recaudacion y Cobranzas Ltda., Santander Global Consumer Finance Limited, Santander Global Facilities S.A. de C.V., Santander Global Facilities S.L., Santander Global Operations S.A., Santander Global Services S.A. (b), Santander Global Sport S.A., Santander Global Technology Brasil Ltda., Santander Global Technology Chile Limitada, Santander Global Technology S.L., Santander Global Trade Platform Solutions S.L., Santander Guarantee Company, Santander Holding Imobiliaria S.A., Santander Holding Internacional S.A., Santander Holdings USA Inc., Santander ISA Managers Limited, Santander Inclusion Financiera S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Insurance Agency U.S. LLC, Santander Insurance Services UK Limited, Santander Intermediacion Correduria de Seguros S.A., Santander International Products Plc. (d), Santander Inversiones S.A., Santander Investment Bank Limited, Santander Investment Chile Limitada, Santander Investment I S.A., Santander Investment S.A., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Santander Investments GP 1 S.a.r.l., Santander Inwestycje Sp. z o.o., Santander Lease S.A. E.F.C., Santander Leasing LLC, Santander Leasing S.A., Santander Leasing S.A. Arrendamento Mercantil, Santander Lending Limited, Santander Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Operations S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Services S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Uruguay S.A., Santander Merchant Platform SolucoesTecnologicas Brasil Ltda., Santander Merchant S.A., Santander Mortgage Holdings Limited, Santander Paraty Qif PLC, Santander Pensiones S.A. E.G.F.P., Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes S.A., Santander Private Banking Gestion S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Private Banking UK Limited, Santander Private Banking s.p.a. in Liquidazione (b), Santander Private Real Estate Advisory & Management S.A., Santander Private Real Estate Advisory S.A., Santander Real Estate S.A., Santander Retail Auto Lease Funding LLC, Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos Comunes de Inversion S.A., Santander Rio Trust S.A., Santander Rio Valores S.A., Santander S.A. Sociedad Securitizadora, Santander Secretariat Services Limited, Santander Securities LLC, Santander Seguros y Reaseguros Compania Aseguradora S.A., Santander Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Santander Servicios Especializados S.A. de C.V., Santander Technology USA LLC, Santander Tecnologia e Inovacao Ltda., Santander Tecnologia Argentina S.A., Santander Tecnologia Espana S.L.U., Santander Tecnologia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Totta SGPS S.A., Santander Totta Seguros Companhia de Seguros de Vida S.A., Santander Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A., Santander Trade Services Limited, Santander UK Group Holdings plc, Santander UK Investments, Santander UK Operations Limited, Santander UK Plc, Santander UK Technology Limited, Santander Wealth Management International SA, Santander de Titulizacion S.G.F.T. S.A., Santusa Holding S.L., Services and Promotions Delaware Corp., Services and Promotions Miami LLC, Servicio de Alarmas Controladas por Ordenador S.A., Servicios de Cobranza Recuperacion y Seguimiento S.A. De C.V., Sheppards Moneybrokers Limited, Shiloh III Wind Project LLC, Sociedad Integral de Valoraciones Automatizadas S.A., Sociedad Operadora de Tarjetas de Pago Santander Getnet Chile S.A., Socur S.A., Sol Orchard Imperial 1 LLC, Solarlaser Limited, Sovereign Community Development Company, Sovereign Delaware Investment Corporation, Sovereign Lease Holdings LLC, Sovereign REIT Holdings Inc., Sovereign Spirit Limited (f), Sterrebeeck B.V., Suleyado 2003 S.L. Unipersonal, Summer Empreendimentos Ltda., Super Pagamentos e Administracao de Meios Eletronicos S.A., Superdigital Argentina S.A.U., Superdigital Colombia S.A.S., Superdigital Holding Company S.L., Superdigital Peru S.A.C., Suzuki Servicios Financieros S.L., Swesant SA, TIMFin S.p.A., TOPSAM S.A de C.V., Taxagest Sociedade Gestora de Participacoes Sociais S.A., Teatinos Siglo XXI Inversiones S.A., The Alliance & Leicester Corporation Limited, The Best Specialty Coffee S.L. Unipersonal, Time Retail Finance Limited (b), Tonopah Solar I LLC, Toque Fale Servicos de Telemarketing Ltda., Tornquist Asesores de Seguros S.A. (b), Totta (Ireland) PLC, Totta Urbe - Empresa de Administracao e Construcoes S.A., Trabajando.com Mexico S.A. de C.V. en liquidacion (b), Trabajando.com Peru S.A.C., Trans Rotor Limited (b), Transolver Finance EFC S.A., Tresmares Growth Fund Santander SCR S.A., Tresmares Santander Direct Lending SICC S.A., Tuttle and Son Limited, Universia Brasil S.A., Universia Chile S.A., Universia Colombia S.A.S., Universia Espana Red de Universidades S.A., Universia Holding S.L., Universia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Universia Peru S.A., Universia Uruguay S.A., Uro Property Holdings SOCIMI S.A., WIM Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., WTW Shipping Designated Activity Company, Wallcesa S.A., Wave Holdco S.L., Waypoint Insurance Group Inc., and Wirecard (Technological Assets).Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI France ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI France ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Agilent Technologies, Inc. engages in the provision of application focused solutions for life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. It operates through the following segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets; Diagnostics and Genomics; and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers application-focused solutions that include instruments and software that enable to identify, quantify, and analyze the physical and biological properties of substances and products, as well as the clinical and life sciences research areas to interrogate samples at the molecular and cellular level. The Diagnostics and Genomics segment consists of activity providing active pharmaceutical ingredients for oligo-based therapeutics, as well as solutions that include reagents, instruments, software and consumables. The Agilent CrossLab segment includes startup, operational, training and compliance support, software as a service, and asset management and consultative services. The company was founded in May 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares Global Consumer Discretionary ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares Global Consumer Discretionary ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Wall Street analysts have given HighPoint Resources a "Sell" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but HighPoint Resources wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Valley National Bancorp is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of retail and commercial banking services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Lending; Commercial Lending; Investment Management; and Corporate and Other Adjustments. The Consumer Lending segment consists of residential mortgage loans, automobile loans and home equity loans, as well as wealth management and insurance services. The Commercial Lending segment includes the floating rate and adjustable rate commercial and industrial loans as well as fixed rate owner occupied and commercial real estate loans. The Investment Management segment refers to investments in various types of securities and interest-bearing deposits with other banks. The Corporate and Other Adjustments segment represents the income and expense items not directly attributable to a specific segment. The company was founded on November 12, 1982 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Read MoreKnown as The Worlds Largest International Birdwatching Event, The British Birdfair is Celebrating Its 30 Years This August & It Will Take Place on August 17-19, 2018

August 15, 2018  Birding Expeditions has proudly announced that it will be participating in the British Birdfair from Friday, August 17th to Sunday, August 19th, 2018. The renowned birding touring company will be available at Marquee 5 on the stands 20 and 21. Moreover, Birding Expeditions has also announced that it will be offering special prices for its birding and nature expeditions in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and Mexico. Birdwatching Guatemala is renowned worldwide and besides Guatemala, the company also facilitates tourists in birdwatching Belize and Birdwatching Mexico. Moreover, British Birdfair is the worlds largest international birdwatching event and it is celebrating its 30 years of success this year.

We specialize in organized trips and custom-made birdwatching schedules for small groups, and independent travelers that are looking for a professional birding tour company and unique travel experiences, said the spokesperson of Birding Expeditions, while introducing the company. We will be fully participating in this upcoming British Birdfair and we are welcoming everyone to attend our stall at Marquee 5 of this phenomenal event, he added. Birding Expeditions are known worldwide for its Neotropical Birding Tours and Wildlife Adventures in many exciting areas of the Mayan World.

In addition, Birding Expeditions is an authentic Guatemala Birding, nature and wildlife specialist that it is distinguished for the authenticity of its birding tours and selected destinations in Guatemala and the Mayan World. The company hosts its valued clients and tourists for Birdwatching Honduras along with many other Birding and Cultural Expeditions as well as exciting wildlife adventures. Furthermore, the company also offers many affordable touring packages, which include accommodation, local food, comfortable transportation, professional bilingual birding tour guides, and drivers.

For more information and to plan your next birdwatching trip, please visit the website at: www.birdingexpeditions.com

Media Contact

Company Name: Birding Expeditions

Contact Person: Benedicto Grijalva

Email: Send Email

Phone: +1 (305) 395 3935

Country: Guatemala

Website: www.birdingexpeditions.com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, 2020, the company had a total length of 31,151 km, including 22,555 km of natural gas pipelines, 7,190 km of crude oil pipelines, and 1,406 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.

Read MoreXcel Energy, Inc. operates as a holding company, which engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity. It operates through the following three segments: Regulated Electric Utility, Regulated Natural Gas Utility and All Others. The Regulated Electric Utility segment generates, transmits and distributes electricity primarily in portions of generates, transmits and distributes electricity in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. In addition, this segment includes sales for resale and provides wholesale transmission service to various entities in the United States. It also includes commodity trading operations. The Regulated Natural Gas Utility segment transports, stores, and distributes natural gas primarily in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Michigan and Colorado. The All Others segment engages in steam, appliance repair services, nonutility real estate activities, processing solid waste into refuse-derived fuel and investments in rental housing projects that qualify for low-income housing tax credits. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares Europe ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares Europe ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.The Southern pays an annual dividend of $2.64 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.21%. SO has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. The Southern has been increasing its dividend for 20 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio of The Southern is 81.23%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, The Southern will have a dividend payout ratio of 74.37% next year. This indicates that The Southern will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View The Southern's dividend history.

Agrees Key Approvals and Waivers with Arena Investors

Sydney, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mustang Resources Limited ("Mustang", the "Company") ( ASX:MUS ) ( OTCMKTS:MTTGF ) is pleased to announce that it has has obtained key approvals and waivers with Arena Investors L.P ("Arena") in an amendment deed dated 14 August 2018 ("Amendment Deed").As announced on 8 January 2018(see Note 1 below), Arena, a major institutional investor with more than US$750 million in assets under management on behalf of clients and affiliates, entered into an agreement ("Agreement") with Mustang, whereby it committed to invest AU$19.95 million into the Company, under a multi-tranche convertible note facility.On 17 July 2018(see Note 2 below), Mustang entered into a Merger Agreement ("Merger Agreement") to merge its Ruby Assets with Fura Gems Inc. ("Fura") ( CVE:FURA ) for AU$10 million in Fura shares over three tranches and a AU$25 million funding commitment from Fura.Under the amendment deed Arena has provided the required approvals for the Merger Agreement and, importantly, has agreed to waive the 15% termination fee on amounts not drawn under the Agreement. It is therefore now at the discretion of the Company to decide to which extent it wishes to draw on the finance, if at all.As at 1 August 2018 Arena held a total of AU$2.5 million (face value) of convertible notes in Mustang, of which AU$1 million is in Tranche 1 notes issued in January 2018 with an 18-month term and AU$1.5 million is in Tranche 2A notes issued in July 2018, also with an 18-month term. At the end of these terms, Mustang has the option to repay these convertible notes in cash or in shares at their election. Prior to expiry Arena is able to convert its notes to shares at the higher of the floor price (1.6 cents and 1.8 cents respectively) or the lowest preceding 20 day VWAP.(see Note 3 below)Mustang Resources Managing Director Bernard Olivier Commented "Given the Company's renewed focus on the Caula Vanadium-Graphite project and the fact that the Agreement with Arena was entered into by the Company only in January 2018, it is important that Arena has been willing to waive the termination fee, thereby allowing Mustang to decide whether or not to continue using this source of funding going forward."ABOUT ARENA INVESTORSArena is a global investment firm and merchant capital provider that seeks to generate attractive risk -adjusted and uncorrelated returns by investing in a highly diversified portfolio across the entire credit spectrum. Based in New York City, Arena employs a team of 42 professionals and was formed in partnership with The Westaim Corporation, a publicly traded Canadian holding company focused on the financial services industry.Notes:1 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 8 January 2018 for further details2 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 17 July 2018 for further details3 Refer to Cleansing Notice dated 24 May 2018 for further details.To view figures, please visit:About New Energy Minerals Ltd

New Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique.The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Beechcraft Service Company UK Limited, Bell Helicopter GK, Bell Helicopter KK, Bell Textron Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron Miami Inc, Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc, Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS, Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA, Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Chongqing) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Guangzhou) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Shanghai) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Wuhan) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex Corporation, Kautex Craiova srl, Kautex Germany Holding GmbH, Kautex Inc., Kautex Japan KK, Kautex Shanghai GmbH, Kautex Textron (UK) Limited, Kautex Textron Benelux BVBA, Kautex Textron Bohemia spol sro, Kautex Textron CVS Limited, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Italia Srl, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal  Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems Ltd., PEINER Umformtechnik, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. Ltd., Textron Aviation Canada Ltd., Textron Aviation Defense LLC, Textron Aviation Finance Corporation, Textron Aviation Inc., Textron Aviation Prague Service Center sro, Textron Aviation Rhode Island Inc., Textron Aviation Services de Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Capital BV, Textron Communications Inc., Textron Far East Pte. Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited, Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, Wuxi Textron Specialized Vehicles Co. Ltd., and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited.Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Benext, Bionic, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Cloudworks, Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Entropia, Epylon, Ethica Consulting Group, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Exton Consulting, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Gevity, Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Openmind, Openminded, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Salt Solutions, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sinnerschrader, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Trivadis AG, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Workforce Insight Inc, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH.

FY18 Full Year Results

Melbourne, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - SEEK Limited ( ASX:SEK ) ( OTCMKTS:SKLTY ) provides the Company's FY18 Full Year Results.FY18 Key HighlightsExcl significant items: Revenue, EBITDA and underlying NPAT at top end of guidance- Top end of guidance range: Revenue growth of 25%, EBITDA growth of 15%, Underlying NPAT(see Note 1 below) of c$230m- Record FY18 dividends of 46 cents (5% growth vs pcp)- Strong results reflect benefits of sustained investment and strategic executionAsia Pacific & Americas (AP&A): Strong ANZ results & good momentum in Asia- SEEK ANZ: Record financial results reflect benefits of sustained reinvestment- SEEK Asia: Strong revenue momentum due to new initiatives and improving macro conditions- LATAM: Challenging conditions and disappointing financial results led to impairmentSEEK Investments: Strong growth across the portfolio- Zhaopin: Strong financial results and well positioned for long-term capital appreciation- OES: Good underlying financial results and investing to grow new revenue streams- ESVs: Strong growth in operating metrics and revenue reflects high growth potentialSEEK Limited ("SEEK") announced its results for 12 months ended 30 June 2018- Reported Revenue of A$1,294.5m (FY17: A$1,039.7m)- Reported EBITDA of A$432.8m (FY17: A$375.8m)- Underlying NPAT (excl. significant items & Early Stage Ventures) of A$229.5m (FY17: A$220.8m)- Reported NPAT of A$53.2m (FY18: A$147m of significant items, FY17: A$340.2m, which includes OES fair value gain of $138.7m and other one-off items)Commenting on SEEK's last 12 months, SEEK CEO and Co-Founder Andrew Bassat said:"SEEK is performing strongly across five out of six of our major headings. Our three biggest businesses, SEEK ANZ, SEEK Asia and Zhaopin are all travelling well. In particular, each business achieved strong H2 revenue growth which augurs well for FY19.""We are disappointed with the performance of our LatAm businesses. We remain committed to these markets and hopeful greater strategic focus, resourcing under the AP&A structure and an improving economy can over time assist in turning around performance.""OES is making good inroads into their strategic imperatives and is progressing well with the Western Sydney University partnership which commenced in early FY18.""And finally our Early Stage Ventures are showing promising growth giving us confidence to invest more into some of these businesses and to make further similar investments.""Overall, SEEK is performing at a high level which is validation that our strategic approach is the right one to grow shareholder value."IMPAIRMENT OF LATAM BUSINESSES AND FAIR VALUE GAIN IN MAIMAISEEK will recognise the net impact of three key significant items totalling A$142m:- Non-cash impairment charge against the carrying value of Brasil Online (impairment charge: A$119m) and OCC (SEEK share of impairment charge: A$59m)- Non-cash fair value gain of A$36m on investment in Maimai (SEEK share)ASIA, PACIFIC & AMERICAS (AP&A)SEEK ANZ: Record EBITDA result despite continued investment- Strong financial result with revenue growth of 16% and EBITDA growth of 18%- Market leader with c36% of placements, lead of c7x times over our nearest competitorSEEK Asia: Continued momentum in operational metrics and revenue growth- Solid H2 Revenue result particularly across more mature markets- Investment is delivering strong growth in operating metricsAndrew Bassat commented,"SEEK ANZ delivered strong results alongside continued investment. Reflecting the strength of the business, ANZ's revenue has increased by approximately 70% in the last four years. We remain very excited by ANZ's product roadmap and the short and long-term outlook.""SEEK Asia is in an earlier stage of business model evolution. Early initiatives in sales, product and tech are delivering good results and alongside better macro conditions, this is leading to improving revenue results. We expect closer integration with ANZ to accelerate SEEK Asia's business model transition. SEEK Asia is well positioned to capitalise on the large market opportunities in a high growth region."SEEK INVESTMENTSZhaopin: Strong revenue result alongside growth in market share- Strong Revenue growth of 21% and strong growth in key operating metricsOES: Good underlying financial results alongside strong student outcomes- Investing to build a leading multi partner platformESVs: Continued investment to support rapid scale up of early stage businesses- Strong revenue growth of 30% across the portfolio(see Note 2 below)Andrew Bassat commented,"Zhaopin has successfully evolved its business model which contributed to strong growth in operating metrics and revenue. The focus is to continue investing aggressively and capitalise on the enormous market opportunity in China. Led by CEO, Evan Guo and supported by SEEK we believe that Zhaopin is well placed for long-term growth.""OES continues to successfully deliver excellent student outcomes to over 11,000 Australians, who are predominantly working adults. A key priority is to form new domestic and international partnerships to create new revenue streams.""We are pleased with the progress of our early stage investments which as a portfolio grew revenue by 30%. A dedicated SEEK Investments team is focusing on new investment opportunities across the large headings of Human Capital Management and Online Education."DIVIDENDS | 5% growth in FY18 dividends- H2 18 dividend per share of 22 cents per share (growth of 5% vs pcp)- Record total FY18 dividends of 46 cents (growth of 5% vs pcp)- The final dividend will be paid on 4 October 2018 with a record date of 13 September 2018.OUTLOOK | FY19 short term guidanceFY19 Guidance (excl. significant items)- Revenue growth in the range of 16% to 20% (FY19 vs FY18) (see Note 3 below)- EBITDA growth in the range of 5% to 8% (FY19 vs FY18) (see Note 3 below)- Investments in Early Stage Ventures of approximately A$35m to $40m- Reported NPAT (incl cost of investments in ESVs) to remain broadly similar to FY18 Reported NPATIn conclusion Andrew Bassat commented,"Our FY19 outlook for aggressive investment reflects our high conviction view that SEEK is well placed to capture large growth opportunities. We are looking to allocate approximately 80% of the increase in Group Opex and c70% of Group Capex into our largest and highest performing businesses being SEEK ANZ, Zhaopin and SEEK Asia. We are confident these businesses will deliver strong FY19 results and that the aggressive investment will underpin strong returns for long-term shareholders."ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGIn accordance with ASX Listing Rule 3.13.1, SEEK Limited advises that its Annual General Meeting will be held in Melbourne, Victoria on 27 November 2018.Notes:1 Underlying NPAT defined as excluding significant items and before deducting investments in early stage growth options2 Based on assumption of 100% ownership across FY18 and FY17 (SEEK Investment ESVs)3 Includes consolidated early stage investmentsTo view FY18 Result Presentation, please visit:To view Appendix 4E and Statutory Accounts, please visit: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.

Excellent Drilling Results from Binduli Gold Project

Perth, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ("Intermin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further excellent reverse circulation ("RC") drilling results from the 100% owned Binduli gold project, located 9km west of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the heart of the Western Australian goldfields (see Figure 1 in link below).HIGHLIGHTS- Follow up resource definition drilling complete at the 100% owned Binduli gold project area, 9km west of Kalgoorlie in the Western Australian goldfields- Final 1m split assay results from initial RC program(see Note 1 below) at the Crake prospect comprising 25 RC holes for 2,560m have now been received and include(see Note 2 below):o 23m @ 4.16g/t Au from 61m including 3m @ 20.73g/t Au from 66m (BRC18020)o 18m @ 3.13g/t Au from 70m (BRC18043)o 5m @ 2.73g/t Au from 55m and 16m @ 1.32g/t Au from 73m (BRC18034)o 11m @ 1.46g/t Au from 106m and 8m @ 2.51g/t Au from 124m (BRC18024)o 15m @ 1.96g/t Au from 75m (BRC18029)o 12m @ 1.75g/t Au from 45m (BRC18057)o 1m @ 5.39g/t Au from 32m and 5m @ 3.01g/t Au from 41m (BRC18033)- Initial 4m composite RC results from the follow-up drilling program include(see Note 2,3 below):o 8m @ 3.22g/t Au from 100m (BRC18050)o 8m @ 2.19g/t Au from 40m (BRC18065)- Results show significant gold mineralisation over a 360m strike length and remains open along strike to the north and at depth- Follow-up drilling continues at Crake with over 5,000m drilled to date and further results expected in the current September Quarter- Additional 30 holes for 3,000m planned testing extensions along strike and at depth with drilling to commence in September 2018- Detailed geological review completed with high priority targets generated at the Coote, Darter and Honeyeater prospects with first pass drilling to commence in the December Quarter- Binduli now joins Teal, Anthill and Blister Dam as a key project area for resource expansion and testing for new discoveriesCommenting on the results of the Binduli program, Intermin Managing Director Mr Jon Price said:"These latest results have confirmed previous assays and are starting to demonstrate the potential scale and quality of the Crake prospect. Step out drilling continues to deliver excellent width and grade and we will continue with aggressive extension drilling in coming months.""The exploration team have done an excellent job at Crake and have now identified a further three high priority targets within the Binduli project area and we look forward to testing these targets in an area where little modern exploration has been undertaken."OverviewIn February 2018, Intermin commenced a self-funded $4M, 55,000m drilling program across its 100% owned Kalgoorlie gold projects. The major drill program is focussed on new discoveries and resource extensions at the key Teal, Anthill and Blister Dam gold projects.In March 2018, the Binduli joint venture tenements were returned to Intermin on a 100% basis and an initial 5,000m of RC drilling commenced at the Crake prospect shortly thereafter.Crake prospectThe geology at Crake is similar to the 390,000oz Janet Ivy open pit, located approximately 1,500m to the south, where the gold is hosted in a structurally controlled feldspar porphyry. At the nearby Fort William and Fort Scott open pits, where over 100,000oz have been produced to date, gold is hosted within sheared units of volcanics and clastic sediments.The initial RC program at Crake consisted of 25 holes for 2,560m and was partially completed prior to the rig being relocated to Anthill at the end of June. Preliminary results for the first half of drilling were previously announced to the ASX on 10 July 2018. All of these 4m composite assays have now been finalised and are presented in Table 1 and Figure 2(see link below). The single metre splits confirmed the high grade hits such as 23m @ 4.16 g/t Au from 61m (BRC18020) and 18m @ 3.13 g/t Au from 70m (BRC18043)(see Note 2 below). Composite samples from six holes from the second half of the program have recently been received and are reported in Table 1(see link below).New mineralisation has been discovered in BRC18018 (2m @ 1.05 g/t Au from 117m and 4m @ 2.33 g/t Au from 123m)1 and BRC18033 (1m @ 5.39 g/t Au from 32m, 1m @ 1.00 g/t Au from 36m and 5m @ 3.01 g/t Au from 41m)1 and confirms the southern area of Crake has excellent resource potential at depth and shallow mineralisation to the north. Much of the historic drilling appears to be too localised.Two validation holes including BRC18043 (18m @ 3.13 g/t Au from 70m) were twinned against the historic hole IPC131 (20m @ 6.67 g/t Au from 66m)1. The second twin hole was BRC18053 (12m @ 1.75 g/t Au from 45m)1 with the historic hole IPC092 (8m @ 1.93 g/t Au from 51m). The comparison data is required for JORC reporting guidelines. The difference in results highlights the effects of coarse gold and grade variability (see Figures 2, 3 and 4 in link below).The drilling has focussed on a variably altered pink porphyry with minor amounts of pyrite and magnetite. Higher grades usually coincide with stronger pyrite mineralisation (up to 3% by volume). There is little correlation of gold and magnetite. The high grade zones appear promising with several new areas now identified. Recent drilling has now extended the Crake mineralisation strike length from 250m to >360m.Next StepsGiven the excellent results from the initial drilling, Intermin plans to complete a 30 hole/3,000m follow-up program designed to infill and extend the mineralisation. Drilling will commence in the September Quarter with first results expected early in the December Quarter. A maiden resource will then be compiled and is expected to be completed and released late in the December Quarter.In addition, Intermin has recently visited several historic prospects at Binduli (see Figure 5 in link below). These include Coote which is only 700m west of Crake and also appears to be directly along strike from the Janet Ivy open cut mine. Historic results from Coote include 5m @ 19.62 g/t Au and 12m @ 2.33 g/t Au(see Note 4 below). Darter is located 1,600m north along strike from Crake and has recorded highly encouraging mineralisation such as 20m @ 2.85 g/t Au. Further north at Honeyeater, there are historic RC hits such as 1m @ 175 g/t Au and 17m @ 2.06 g/t Au(see Note 4 below). Most of these areas have not been subjected to adequate drilling and have considerable upside potential.Given the strong width and grades at these prospects, shallow depth and prospective geological settings, Intermin plans to conduct a dedicated, first pass RC program in the December Quarter with a view to quickly establishing new resources and build up the gold profile of the emerging Teal-Binduli gold camp.Notes:1 as announced to the ASX on 10 July 20182 see Table 1 on Page 5, Competent Persons Statements on Page 7, Forward Looking Statement on Page 9 and JORC Tables on Page 103 denotes 4m composites only with 1m split assays yet to be received4 As announced to the ASX on 27 November 2017 and 16 January 2018, some historic data sourced from historic data bases from previous ownersTo view tables and figures, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited

Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.

Receipt of R&D Grant Payment

Sydney, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - DroneShield Ltd ( ASX:DRO ) ( OTCMKTS:DRSHF ) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received approximately $400,000 from the Australian Government by way of the R&D Tax Incentive payment in relation to the Company's 2017 activities.About DroneShield Ltd

DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (OTCMKTS:DRSHF) is an Australian publicly listed company with its head office in Sydney and teams in the US and UK. We specialise in RF sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing.

Our capabilities are used to protect Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world.

Through our team of primarily Australian based engineers - we offer customers bespoke solutions and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms.

DroneShield is proudly exporting Australian capability to customers throughout the world and supporting Australia's defence, national security and other organisations protect people, critical infrastructure and vital assets.

.

to Drill Cauchari Project - Updated - Adjoins Resource of World Class Lithium Brine Project

Brisbane, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Argentine-focused lithium exploration / development company Lake Resources NL ( ASX:LKE ) is pleased to announce that it will shortly commence drilling at its 100%-owned Cauchari Lithium Brine Project. Lake's Cauchari project adjoins the world-class Cauchari lithium brine projects of SQM/Lithium Americas, soon to be Lithium Americas/Gangfeng, with an indicated resource of 8.7 Mt LCE lithium and an additional measured resource of 3 Mt LCE lithium and the Cauchari resource of Orocobre/Advantage Lithium with an inferred resource of 3.0 Mt LCE lithium brine projects (*1). Lake originally secured the 18,000 hectare Olaroz-Cauchari leases in early 2016 and is the only ASX junior exploration company with a large lease area in this world class lithium brine province.- Lithium Americas Corp drilled immediately next to Lake's Cauchari West lease (see image and location of drill hole) - Updated with additional disclosures- Targeting same aquifers as SQM/Lithium Americas and Orocobre/Advantage Lithium- Drill locations are likely extensions of the third party Cauchari resources - an indicated resource 8.7 Mt LCE lithium of SQM/Lithium Americas with an additional measured resource of 3 Mt LCE lithium - and the inferred resource of 3 Mt LCE lithium of Orocobre/Advantage Lithium (*1).- Third party drill results on the adjoining project include 600mg/L lithium with high flow rates (*2).- LKE expects these known high grade lithium brines to extend into its leases- Gangfeng Lithium has increased its ownership of the adjoining Cauchari Lithium Project of Lithium Americas and promised increased US$100 million funding for development aiming for production in just over 2 years (*3).- LKE has a drilling rig secured - mobilising to site within 4 weeks- Lake holds 100% and secure title on 18,000 Ha Olaroz -Cauchari Lithium ProjectsLake will commence drilling at its Cauchari West project (see figures 1 & 2 in link below) with drill locations on the margins of SQM/Lithium Americas project (soon to be Lithium Americas/Gangfeng and Orocobre/Advantage Lithium's project where results include 600mg/L lithium with high flow rates on the immediate lease boundary (*2). Lake expects these high grade lithium brines to extend into its leases.A drilling rig has been secured and barring any unforeseen delays, drilling is targeted to commence at the end of next month. Lake is fortunate to have secured a rig given high exploration activity in the area.Managing Director Stephen Promnitz said: "Lake's Cauchari lease has all the hallmarks of being another large-scale lithium brine project located in a world-class lithium brine basin. We believe that the same brines as SQM/Lithium Americas and Orocobre/AAL projects extend into our leases. This is supported by the recent increased investment by Gangfeng Lithium in the adjoining project. Lake applied for these leases in early 2016, before the value of the adjoining brine projects were crystallised. Cauchari West, which has a strike length of 11km, and is nearly 2000 hectares in size, is an outstanding prospect and we are looking forward to commencing drilling.""Systematically, we are advancing with the development of our large 100%-owned lithium projects and have lots of optionality in the asset base. Exploration at Kachi is ongoing and interest in the project from battery manufacturers and the lithium supply chain is high. The drilling of Cauchari is very likely to be a major value event for Lake and we look forward to keeping shareholders updated on progress.""Lake's Chairman and Managing Director recently advanced discussions in China and Japan with major players in the growing lithium supply chain for cathodes used in electric vehicle batteries. Unlike some recent commentary regarding oversupply the interest level and demand was high. Strong and ongoing interest continues for both project development funding and offtake from major participants."Footnotes:(*1): The Cauchari project resource estimates of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) are from SQM/Lithium Americas (11.8 Mt LCE) and Orocobre/Advantage Lithium (3.0 Mt LCE). Lithium Americas Corp (LAC:TSX) updated their Cauchari indicated resource estimate of 8.7 Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at an average grade of 570 mg/L lithium with an additional measured resource of 3 Mt LCE at 630 mg/L lithium in a release dated 18 June 2012 and 24 July 2012 prepared by their Qualified Persons Mark King, Roger Kelley and Daron Abbey, as defined in the NI 43-101 technical report. Orocobre/Advantage Lithium announced their updated Cauchari inferred resource estimate of 3 Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at an average grade of 450 mg/L lithium, dated 29 June 2018 on the TSX ( CVE:AAL ) and dated 2 July 2018 on the ASX ( ASX:ORE ), prepared by Mr Frits Reidel, a "Qualified Person" as defined in the NI 43-101 technical report.(*2): Drill results released by Orocobre ( ASX:ORE ) from their market releases on the ASX on 18 April 2018 and 29 June 2018.(*3): Information released by Lithium Americas Corp ( TSE:LAC ) from their market releases on the TSX on 13 August 2018.To view figures, please visit:About Lake Resources NL

Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) is a clean lithium developer utilising clean, direct extraction technology for the development of sustainable, high purity lithium from its flagship Kachi Project, as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects are in a prime location within the Lithium Triangle, where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost.



This method will enable Lake Resources to be an efficient, responsibly-sourced, environmentally friendly and cost competitive supplier of high-purity lithium, which is readily scalable, and in demand from Tier 1 electric vehicle makers and battery makers.

India Project Update

Melbourne, Aug 15, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Environmental Clean Technologies Limited ( ASX:ECT ) (ECT or Company) entered a Trading Halt on Friday 10 August 2018, and subsequent Voluntary Suspension on Tuesday 14 August 2018 to allow it to confer with its project partners, NLC India Limited (NLCIL) and NMDC Limited (NMDC) to prepare the following update.Key points:- Project Agreement targeted financial close has been extended to 31 October 2018- NLCIL have requested an extension to the current Project Agreement sunset date of 31 August 2018, to allow further time to complete their review and approval process.- Delays at NLCIL stem from transition of three key executive Board members, Chairman-Managing Director, Director of Projects and Planning, and Director of Mines- NMDC have confirmed readiness to finalise approvals subject to NLCIL completing their review and approval- Parallel activities in support of project commencement continue, including:o Further refinement of Matmor retort engineering to support detailed designo Continuation of site & civil engineering preparationso Commencement of value engineering program with Indian firm Geofinyo Recruitment of project personnelo Preparation and establishment of the Project Control Committeeo Establishment of the Project Steering Committee with weekly joint meetingsOn 30 May 2018, the project partners signed a project agreement with NLCIL and NMDC for the largestever joint R&D collaboration between Australia and India.The project agreement set the framework for the preparation and execution of detailed sub-agreements (Research Collaboration Agreement or RCA) which will govern the implementation of the R&D phase and set the basis for articulation to the commercial phase following successful R&D outcomes.Given the first-of-a-kind nature of the technologies and the project, the Company has managed the uncertainties around changes in timeframes by providing ongoing guidance based on information at hand, with subsequent updates if there is a material change.The Company provided guidance in its announcement on 27 July 2018, noting:Recent guidance received from NLCIL and NMDC has revised the outlook, with estimates indicating financial close is likely to conclude around 21 - 25 August.Last Thursday (9 August), after market close (7:30 pm AEST) the Company met with NLCIL and NMDC to assess progress against this target.At that meeting NLCIL raised the need for further time to comply with its internal review and approval processes, noting it would not be in a position to table the RCA at its Board meeting, scheduled for 14 August 2018.The delay was due to longer than anticipated lead times caused by the transition of new personnel into the roles of Chairman-Managing Director, Director, Projects and Planning and Director of Mines.The Project Agreement signed on 30 May 2018 contained a sunset date of 31 August. NLCIL requested the sunset date be extended.The Company is pleased to advise that NMDC have confirmed they will convene a Board meeting and submit the RCA for approval, immediately following confirmation of NLCIL's completion of its necessary review and approval process.Both NMDC and NLCIL agreed to release a joint statement with ECT in support of the project highlighting that all partners are consistent in their support notwithstanding the differences that each may have with internal processes and compliance requirements.Director Technical at NMDC, Mr Narendra K Nanda stated, "NMDC are conscious of the timeframe for implementation of this important project and remain ready, willing and able to finalise approvals as soon as possible. It is essential that all project partners are able to complete their necessary internal processes such that the project, once started, can proceed with minimal interruption. All parties have made efforts to ensure that parallel processes such as engineering, site works, and establishment of the Project Control Committee continue to progress so that the overall project remains on track."Incoming Director of Projects & Planning at NLCIL, Mr NMM Rao noted that, "The ECT project is an important project for NLCIL. We are diligently working on the finalisation of all documents and arrangements for financial close and expect this to be completed as soon as possible. We have also commenced preparations to begin site clearance and continue geological survey activities ahead of full project mobilisation."ECT Chairman Mr Glenn Fozard travelled to Chennai and Hyderabad to sign the Project Agreement extension and discuss measures to ensure that the parties can adhere to the new timeline, adding "We understand that both our partners, while eager to commence this world-first project, are subject to complex and rigorous day-to-day requirements of a large Indian Government Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). The scale of these large Indian organisations is incredibly complex to manage so the additional challenge of transitioning a significant number of Executive Director roles has made it difficult for NLCIL to be able to co-ordinate adequate resources to meet the 31 August timeline."After meeting CMD Rakesh Kumar and Director Rao and discussing at length the importance of ensuring we progress this project, I am confident that the intent of all parties is to develop our project through to completion in line with the commercial terms as outlined in the Project Agreement."Whilst of little comfort in the short term to ECT shareholders, we understand that we are attempting to progress a world-first project for two innovative technologies with two large Indian companies in one of the most dynamic markets."Our hunger for progress is reflective of how important this project is to the future development of our business - a future that is greater than 10 years. In the past, ECT has failed to deliver projects through to completion. We are now undertaking an unprecedented project that entails layers of complexity - building a first-of-a-kind plant, in a foreign country, with two government owned partners."We are necessarily backing our partners, as good partners with long-term ambitions should, to collaboratively drive, facilitate or support solutions, through all the challenges that may come."On a personal level, I have no doubt we are on the right path in aligning our long-term interests with India. There is no doubt that India is the place to be and represents to Australian trade and business what China offered to us 15-20 years ago. We appreciate our shareholders strong support as we pursue demonstration on the global stage, as a prelude to the incredible value that Matmor and Coldry can deliver internationally."As noted, parallel activities continue in support of project commencement following financial close, including:o Further refinement of Matmor retort engineering to support detailed designo Continuation of site & civil engineering preparationso Commencement of value engineering program with Indian firm Geofinyo Recruitment of project personnelo Preparation and establishment of Project Control Committeeo Establishment of Project Steering Committee with weekly joint meetingsThe Company will provide further updates and guidance in due course and has requested the current Voluntary Suspension be lifted.IABCA Award - Excellence in InnovationECTs progress in India has been recognised recently through the Company's announcement as a finalist in the Excellence in Innovation category for the Australia-India Business and Community Awards (AIBCA).The annual India Australia Business & Community Awards have been a flagship event in the Australian- Indian business calendar since 2013.IABCA raises awareness of Indians in Australia and Australians in India, in a way that encourages further growth in relations between the two countries.The IABCA initiative directly contributes to the Australia-India objectives of promoting a broader and deeper relationship between the two countries providing a platform for recognition of these success stories to Indian decision-makers.The Awards feature high-profile patrons including Australia's Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and India's Consul General to Australia, Dr Gondane.Finalists Showcase Friday 31 August 2018The Finalists showcase event with fellow finalists, dignitaries, parliamentarians and the IABCA panel will be hosted on Friday 31 August at an intimate invite-only event at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.Winner to be announced on Friday 12 October 2018IABCA winners will be revealed on Friday 12 October at the Gala event at Brisbane City Hall in the presence of His Excellency, Dr Gondane, High Commissioner of India to Australia.ECT Chairman Glenn Fozard, who will be representing the Company at both events, commented "It's an honour to be selected as a Finalist for this year's award. We've worked hard to build relationships at the highest levels within two of India's leading PSU's and look forward to taking our innovative Coldry-Matmor project forward with them."Platforms such as the AIBCA help recognise that effort and promote it to a broader audience."Details on the awards are available at http://www.iabca.com.au About ColdryWhen applied to lignite and some sub-bituminous coals, the Coldry beneficiation process produces a black coal equivalent (BCE) in the form of pellets. Coldry pellets have equal or superior energy value to many black coals and produce lower CO2 emissions than raw lignite.About MATMORThe MATMOR process has the potential to revolutionise primary iron making.MATMOR is a simple, low cost, low emission production technology, utilising the patented MATMOR retort, which enables the use of cheaper feedstocks to produce primary iron.About the India R&D ProjectThe India project is aimed at advancing the Company's Coldry and Matmor technologies to demonstration and pilot scale, respectively, on the path to commercial deployment.ECT has partnered with NLC India Limited and NMDC Limited to jointly fund and execute the project.NLC India Limited is India's national lignite authority, largest lignite miner and largest lignite-based electricity generator.NMDC Limited is India's national iron ore authority.To view figures, please visit:About Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd

Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ECT) is in the business of commercialising leading-edge coal and iron making technologies, which are capable of delivering financial and environmental benefits.

We are focused on advancing a portfolio of technologies, which have significant market potential globally.

ECT's business plan is to pragmatically commercialise these technologies and secure sustainable, profitable income streams through licencing and other commercial mechanisms.SHASTA CO. Calif -- California State Superintendent Tom Torlakson visited the schools affected by the Carr Fire today along with other county and local school officials.

Officials from local schools all the way up to the state superintendent toured the schools affected showing their support for the communication and partnership between them.

The group toured 4 schools in the burn areas, some of which were damaged by the fire but all have students that now without homes because of the fire.

Now the process begins of rebuilding and making sure that all students in these schools are given the education they deserve.

I have all my top staff working on it Says Torlakson. Sharing the school's story and figuring out what can further be done to get those students back in the classrooms.

One of the heaviest hit schools is Shasta union elementary school that sustained some damage.

Shasta County Superintendent Judy Flores was one of those touring the damaged school.

While there was damage to sheds, a workshop, some classroom, and playgrounds, Flores remarked the learning environments for the kids... the office areas... the cafeteria... all that stands as it was last spring.

But the biggest task now is starting the school year at a new school for the 150 students who attended Shasta elementary school last year.

According to the county, the students will be starting at Igo-Ono Elementary School on Monday of this next week.

Flores also told us today as she is aware of the rebuilding process will take 4 to 6 months to repair Shasta Union Elementary School.

Once Repairs are finished the students will continue their school year back at the school they were supposed to go to.

This will be a long process between transportation, paperwork, and new learning needs, everyone involved in the education process will be here to help those students affected.

Torlakson pledged his commitment to the area as well as other areas today by saying we are going to be continuing to help... we did this last year, we are still helping with those fires in Napa and Sonoma.

Ultimately the state superintendent says that students health and students learning and that he sees an intense show of community support and cooperation within our community. And pledges his support through it all.

He says fighting the fire... suppressing the fire we are seeing that we are grateful it is coming under greater containment but this will be a one or two year process now where these districts will need help.Dayton Ohio - Dayton PechaKucha Night

Past Event - Thursday, February 20, 2020

This page may be updated if the event is repeated

Free Event

Another unpredictable mix of speakers with thoughts that will carbonate your brains.

Dayton PechaKucha Night





Enjoy an unpredictable evening of ideas at PechaKucha PechaKucha is a quarterly idea-sharing party and networking event for adults in Dayton, Ohio since 2009! Each presenter will share according to the fast PechaKucha 20x20 format: 20 slides, 20 seconds each. Between sets of speakers, enjoy a PK networking break with beer, wine and other refreshments. As always, PK is free to attend and donations are welcome.

Japanese for "chit chat," PechaKucha is a fast-paced style of presenting using 20 slides discussed for 20 seconds each. The images advance automatically as the presenter talks along to the images. Meet new talent, encounter new ideas and socialize! Dayton is one of over 900 official PK cities and attracts about 300 attendees.

RELATED EVENTSLadyfest 2019 in Dayton

A duo of duos, Shellshag from Brooklyn NY and Lung from Cincinnati are activating Wonder Twin powers and playing a month of shows together starting in Pittsburgh Friday August 16th at River Fest. We intend on bringing each town one of the summer's best shows, all we need is you. no scene, let's hug.

Ladyfest Dayton hopes to bring together and inspire people through music, art, and education. While the festival itself is a celebration of women in the arts, we hope to provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of gender identity. On top of enjoying some of the best live music from Dayton and our neighbors, you get to know you're making a direct contribution to your community.Dayton Ohio - Team Combat Dayton

Past Event - Thursday, May 23, 2019

This page may be updated if the event is repeated

$20 Half Session / $35 Full Session

Experience mission-based tactical laser tag using military grade equipment. Arm up and engage. For adults, teens, and 10-12 year olds. Be the hero!

Team Combat Dayton





Tactical laser tag meets first-person shooter gaming. Team formatted, objective-based missions using top of the line law enforcement/military grade equipment. 9000+ sq ft battlefield. "If you like Call of Duty or Battlefield, then you'll love Team Combat Live." - Mike Donaldson

RELATED EVENTSREDDING, Calif. - An international humanitarian organization named Tzu Chi, has donated $82,900 to help families impacted by the Carr Fire.

According to an email sent by the organization, that money will be put towards emergency cash cards for at least 145 families.

The organization says they hope to reach as many families as possible still.

Tzu Chi will host four more disaster relief distributions from August 16 through August 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the old Kmart building on 2658 Hilltop Dr.

If you would like to help donate or need aid, visit their website or text TZUCHI at 91999.Currently, the bank's marketing and retail resources wing uses manual methods for managing its social media accounts. (Photo: DC)

New Delhi: Canara Bank plans to hire a social media agency as part of its brand promotion and to reach customers in a better way.

The bank is looking for a social media service provider who can assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence as per the prevailing market trend and requirements of the bank, Canara Bank said in a notice. Currently, the bank's marketing and retail resources wing uses manual methods for managing its social media accounts.

"The bank intends to engage a service provider who can provide social media services and assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence," the bank said detailing the scope of work.

It said the promotion of its products, services, events and campaigns through social media will be in accordance with its overall marketing plan.

The agency will have to manage the bank's account on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram as also the blogs. Canara Bank is already present on twitter and YouTube, as per links available on the bank's website. The interested parties can submit their bids by August 31, 2018.New Delhi: Industrialist and Congress leader Naveen Jindal along with 14 others was on Tuesday summoned as accused by a Delhi court for alleged money laundering in a case pertaining to irregularities in allocation of a Jharkhand coal block.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar directed them to appear in the court on October 15, saying that prima facie there were enough evidence to summon them as accused.

"In view of the averments made in the complaint (ED's charge sheet), I take cognisance of the offence under section 3 (money laundering) punishable under section 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against all the fifteen accused persons," the judge said.

Besides Jindal, those summoned as accused include Jindal Steel and Power Ltd's then adviser Anand Goel, Mumbai's Essar Power Ltd's Executive Vice-Chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo, Nihar Stocks Ltd's Director BSN Suryanarayan, Mumbai-based KE International's Chief Financial Officer Rajeev Aggarwal and Gurgaon-based Green Infra's Vice-President Siddharth Madra.

Those arrayed as accused also include K Ramakrishna Prasad, Rajiv Jain and Gyan Swaroop Garg as well as six companies -- JSPL, Gagan Sponge Iron Ltd, Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd, Sowbhagya Media Ltd and Nihar Stocks Ltd.

The case, filed under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) pertains to the allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand.

In its charge sheet filed through special public prosecutor N K Matta and advocate Tarannum Cheema, the ED alleged that Jindal's firm JSPL along with others had influenced the screening committee to allot the coal block by investing more than Rs two crore in illegal gratification.

In another case filed by the CBI in relation to the present matter, the court had in April 2016 ordered framing of charges against Jindal, former MoS for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao (since deceased), former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, then Coal Secretary H C Gupta and 11 others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust under the IPC and sections of Prevention of Corruption Act in the case.

The court later also framed an additional charge of abetment of bribery against Jindal.

In the same case, the court also ordered invoking section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) against Jindal Steel's then adviser Anand Goel, Nihar Stocks Ltd Director BSN Suryanarayan and Mumbai's Essar Power Ltd Executive Vice-Chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo.

All the accused have denied the allegations levelled against them and said there was no evidence to show that there was any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process.

The ED had registered a case based on the FIR filed by the CBI.

The CBI has filed another charge sheet against Jindal and others, including Goel and Maroo, for allegedly cheating the government by misrepresenting facts to get the Madhya Pradesh based Urtan North coal block.New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like GST.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, he listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a "fragile and risky" economy to being the fastest in the world. Prior to 2014, India was likened to policy paralysis and delayed reforms.

"India was considered among 'fragile five' but today the world is seeing it as a destination of multi-billion dollar investment. The narrative has changed," he said.

The government's motto, he said, is reform, perform and transform. Red tape has been replaced with 'red carpet', propelling India on the ease of doing business ranking, he said.

Bottlenecks were a topic of discussions among international institutions and experts prior to 2014 but "today they are saying the sleeping elephant has woken up and has started running".

The comment was an apparent reference to International Monetary Fund's commentary on India last week in which it said the country is on track to hold its position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies as reforms start to pay off.

Stating that India is now the sixth largest economy in the world, Modi said international institutions are saying that "India will give strength to the world economy for the next three decades. India will be the engine of growth".

"We have the potential to take tough decisions. We are not partisan," he said.

"Prior to 2014, global institutions used to say the Indian economy is risky. Today the same institutions and people are saying that reform momentum is giving strength to fundamentals," the PM said.

He went on to list structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST), bankruptcy and insolvency law and benami property law that helped transform the economy. Electrifying all villages, providing 5 crore cleaner cooking gas to poor women, doubling the pace of highway construction, record foodgrain production, record mobile phone manufacturing, and building four-time more new houses in villages were some of the achievements of his government, he said.

If the work continued at the pace that was prevalent in 2013, it would have taken one or two more decades to electrify all villages, 100 years to provide LPG gas connections to all and generations to take optic fibre to villages.

Modi said the government fulfilled the promise to provide 50 per cent more than the cost of production for kharif crops to farmers and is on the way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Modi spelt out pro-farm measures taken during four years of his government, the cornerstone being the bold move to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of crops at least 1.5 times of the cost of production. "The demand for higher MSP was pending for years.

From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. We decided that farmers should get 1.5 times more price than their cost of production and implemented the decision," he said.

The Prime Minister said doubts were cast when he set the target of doubling farm income by 2022 but decisions like increase in price for crops have ensured that the government is on track of meeting the target. Noting that in the changing times, farmers too are facing global markets and the government is working on an agriculture export policy in this regard.

He, however, did not give details of the policy on the anvil. The Commerce and Industry Ministry had in March had come out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling the agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain.

While the BJP had promised in 2014 to give farmers a price of 1.5 times of cost, an announcement to give effect to the promise was made in the government's fifth and final annual Budget presented on February 1 this year. Last month, the government announced the minimum support price of kharif crops and hiked the MSP for paddy by a record Rs 200 per quintal.

The MSPs of other kharif (summer-sown) crops were also raised sharply to help fulfil its poll promise to give farmers 50 per cent more rate than their cost of production.

"The country is producing record foodgrains. Our granaries are full," Modi said while highlighting the achievements in the farm sector. Farmers are adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinklers, he said, adding that the government is reviving 99 stuck irrigation projects.

"With a 'Beej se Bazar Tak' (helping farmers in getting seeds as well as accessing market) approach, we are bringing a remarkable change in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmers' income by 2022. Today, our entire focus is on bringing transformation and modernising the agriculture sector," Modi said.

He said some people had doubt about achieving the goal of doubling farmers' income but the resolve of the government was firm. "Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheechane wale hain (decisions taken by us are cast in stone and not on butter)".

The Prime Minister said the government is promoting value addition to boost the income of farmers. In his about 90-minute speech, Modi spoke about the new avenues farmers are engaging in, like blue revolution and bee-keeping, as also solar farming.

India, he said, is currently the second largest fish producer in the world and will soon occupy the top position. Referring to sugarcane farmers, he said the ethanol production has trebled. The government recently announced Rs 8,500-crore package for the sugar sector, including soft loans for setting ethanol manufacturing capacity.Many celebrities extend their support to their ailing fans by visiting them and donating money for their treatment. In much the same vein, Baahubali actor Prabhas noble gesture brought him much closer to his fans.

A photograph of a kid named Madan, who has been suffering from an ailment, holding a placard which read, I want to meet Baahubali actor went viral on social media recently. And no sooner it came to Prabhas notice the actor asked his team to make arrangements for the meeting.

Taking a break from his Saaho schedule, Prabhas met his little fan. He spent some quality time with the kid and had a long chat with Madans parents. The actor also posed for a few photos with his little fan and made his dream come true.

HT00If you are planning to go and eat out, or just do something different this year, here are some places you can head out to.

While wishes and greetings are exchanged on Independence Day, there are many who take the occasion and make it more memorable by gathering friends and family and dining out.

In the spirit of Independence, many restaurants across India give discounts and plan events around the day.

If you are planning to go and eat out, or just do something different this year, here are some places you can head out to.

Celebrate this Independence Day with the Tri-colour Biryani offering by Biryani by Kilo

Tri colour biryani

Biryani by Kilo is celebrating 72nd Independence Day with a special tri-coloured handi.

The dishes on the menu are handpicked while keeping the significance of heterogeneity and perfection in mind.

From the refreshing BBK special Dum Nihari Gosht to Darun Biryani, to the tempting Galouti kabab, each dish is filled with divinity in its every morsel.

BBK delivers both authentic tastes of Hyderabadi (Kutchi) and Lucknowi (Pukki) Biryani prepared in individual earthen Handis with the vivid ingredients.

Price: Rs 700 for two

Get patriotic with food this Independence Day at Novotel Imagica Khopoli

Imagica Khopoli buffet

Commemorating Indias 72nd Independence Day this 15th August, Novotel Imagica Khopoli presents an ode to the 29 states of India through a diverse buffet of must-try dish that are sure to delight. Special dishes such as Paneer Pasanda, and Biryani will be served in Indian tri colours of saffron, white and green.

A live keyboardist playing popular instrumental will enhance your patriotic celebration with delectable food. The Squares special lunch & dinner buffet will also include delicacies like Jalebi with rabdi, malai sandwich & akhrot ka halwa to savour.

Where: The Square, Novotel Imagica Khopoli

When: August 15, 2018

Timing: Dinner  07.30 pm to 11.00 pm

Price: Special Buffet at INR 1299 plus taxes per head

Celebrate Freedom with Culinary Delights from across India at Saptami

Holiday Inn Mumbai

Embark upon a gastronomical journey as Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport gears up to honour 72 glorious years of Independence with flavours & aromas from India. The Indian themed brunch buffet includes dishes that celebrate our culinary diversity and gourmet delights from across the country under one roof.

Some of the highlights of the Independence Day spread would be Murgh seekh kebab, Zaffrani Paneer tikka, Murgh methi malai, Lamb roganjosh and dessert counter among several others.

The buffet is the perfect place to be for those seeking authentic cuisine and enjoy some patriotic zeal.

When: Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Time: 12:30 pm to 4 pm

Price: Non- Alcoholic Brunch- INR 1,499 + taxes / Alcoholic Brunch- INR 1999 + taxes

Where: Saptami, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport

Celebrating Independence Day at Royal China

Royal China dimsum

Unfurling patriotism in the air, India is all set to admire the 72nd Independent Day this year. Royal China are Celebrating is presenting distinctive dishes. Its time to enjoy the day with special dishes like Dimsum, Egg Tarts, Yeung Chow Fried Rice and varieties of beverages at Royal China.

Meal for One: Rs 2,500 plus tax

On Till: August 18, 2018

Time: 12.30pm -3.45pm & 7.30pm - 11.45 pm

Venue: Royal China, 16th Floor, Eros Corporate Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019

An Independence Day Feast at Sofitel Mumbai BKC

Sofitel BKC

This Independence Day, the luxury property brings to your plate cuisines from East, West, North and South regions of India. Guests can embark through a gastronomic journey across the country with the extravagant brunch at their all-day dining outlet, Pondichery Cafe.

Witness an interactive live painting demonstration by the renowned artist Manoj Das to melodious Indian music during the brunch.

So, this Independence Day, head to Sofitel Mumbai BKC & celebrate the food and flavours that India loves the most.

When: Wednesday, 15th August 2018

Where: Pondichery Cafe, Sofitel Mumbai BKC

Price: Non- Alcoholic Brunch- INR 2790 + taxes/ Alcoholic Brunch- INR 3243 + taxes/ Champagne Brunch- INR 3894 + taxes

For Table Reservations: +91 (22) 6117 5115

Celebrate this 72nd Independence Day with the Tri-colour Sushi and Dim Sums at Tanoshii Trail

Dim Sum

Love for the country grows each year seeing the devotion and dedication of our brave soldiers. Tanoshii Trail salute the ones who shield us throughout. This Independence day, they are offering special Tri coloured Sushi and Dim Sums.

Lets celebrate this 15th August with Tanoshii Trail special Tri coloured Sushi and Dim Sums.

Price: Rs1400 for two people approx

Where: M-18, 1st floor, M Block Market, Greater Kailash-1, New Delhi, Delhi 110048.Washington: If you like consuming alcohol with energy drinks, beware! A key ingredient found in the energy drinks can worsen the negative effects of binge drinking, a new study reveals.

Many people mix energy drinks with alcohol to neutralize the sedative nature of alcohol, tricking people into feeling more awake and less drunk than they really are.

Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil examined the effects of taurine, which is a key ingredient in many energy drinks, and alcohol on social and fear responses in zebrafish. They found out that taurine seemed to increase the fear-reducing properties of alcohol, but it also affected social communication.

"The effects of mixing alcohol and energy drinks is yet to be established. This study is the first to show that the two together may be exacerbating some of the negative effects of binge drinking; that is reduction of fear and problems in social communication while intoxicated, which collectively increase the risk of fighting, violence, and participation in risky behaviors," said the author, Dr Matt Parker.

The researchers tested how taurine and alcohol (at volumes reflecting levels that would induce moderate human intoxication) affected the behavior of 192 zebrafish. The fish were divided into shoals (four fish per shoal) and were exposed to just water, taurine and alcohol separately or taurine and alcohol for one hour.

Their shoaling behaviors were analyzed at different time intervals at 0-5 minutes, 30-35 minutes and 55-60 minutes. They were also tested for their fear-like responses to a predator by dividing the tank into four areas, with the furthest area used to mimic a predator fish.

The fish that were exposed to both alcohol and taurine had fewer interactions with other fish in the shoal compared to those exposed to water alone or just alcohol. These fish also showed more risky behavior than other groups.

Dr Parker explained that binge drinking and general alcohol misuse is a key problem in the UK and across the world, with the numbers of hospital admissions resulting from illness or injury following intoxication costing the NHS millions per year. " Zebrafish have similar biological and behavioral responses to alcohol, and are a highly social species, making them ideal for studying the effects of alcohol on behavior," he added.

He advised that people should be aware that drinking energy drinks in combination with alcohol may impair their judgment, and that they should do so with caution.

The findings were published in the journal Psychiatric Research.Many U.S. doctors dont discuss the harms of lung cancer screening or the potential for overdiagnosis in conversations with current and former smokers about whether tests are necessary, two new studies suggest.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that doctors engage patients in shared decision making, with thorough discussions about the risk and benefits of screening, before patients get low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans (a form of high-powered X-ray) to look for any abnormalities on their lungs, researchers note in one of the studies in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require proof of shared decision-making before they will pay for the test, the authors add. To gauge whether this actually happening, the study team analyzed recordings of 14 conversations between doctors and patients about starting lung cancer screening. Every one of the physicians recommended screening, and discussion of potential harms was almost entirely absent from these talks.

Conversations were uniformly brief and one-sided, said senior study author Dr. Daniel Reuland of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

While screening may reduce the chance of dying from lung cancer by catching tumors sooner, most people dont benefit because hundreds of patients need to be tested over many years just to prevent one death, Reuland said by email. Most of the time, CT scans detect nodules, or abnormal tissue, that arent cancerous, he added. Unfortunately, figuring out which nodules are cancer is hard and can require invasive procedures which can lead to complications and out-of-pocket costs, even for the people without cancer, Reuland said.

In addition to these false positives, another of the potential harms of screening that doctors are supposed to discuss with patients is overdiagnosis  when screening catches a cancer that is so slow-growing it might never have caused symptoms, or at least not before the person died of some other cause.

However, (these tumors) still usually get treated with chest surgery or other treatments, because figuring out which tumors dont need aggressive treatment is difficult, Reuland added.

On average, doctors in the study devoted only one minute to discussing lung cancer screening, during conversations that lasted an average of 13 minutes, the study found.

For a cancer screening with such unclear net benefit and clear harms, it is particularly important that patients understand this balance before signing up for such a test, said Dr. Rita Redberg, chief editor of JAMA Internal Medicine and author of an accompanying editorial. This matters a lot to patients, as they would have no way of knowing that their chance of benefit from the low dose CT is small and their chance of harm is greater, Redberg, said by email.

A separate study in the same journal examined the risk of overdiagnosis after lung cancer screening. Researchers randomly assigned 4,104 current or former smokers to receive annual screenings or no screenings for five years, then followed patients for an additional five years.

By the end of the follow-up period, 96 people assigned to screening were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 64 of these cases were detected by CT scans. In comparison, 53 people who didnt receive screening were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Researchers estimated that about 67 percent of the cancers detected by screening represented overdiagnosis. This group did start out with a higher risk for lung cancer than the group that didnt receive screening, the authors note.

Overdiagnosis is a critical outcome to consider when making decisions about participating in lung cancer screening or not, said lead study author Dr. Bruno Heleno, who did the work at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and is now at the Nova Medical School in Lisbon, Portugal. Unfortunately, research shows that it is difficult to be certain about the true extent of overdiagnosis when screening with low-dose CT-scans, Heleno said by email.

The USPSTF currently recommends that people aged 55 to 80 with a history of smoking the equivalent of a pack a day for 30 years get screened yearly with a low-dose CT scan.

Ex-smokers might want to think differently about screening than current smokers, said Dr. Mark Ebell, a public health researcher at the University of Georgia and coauthor of an editorial accompanying the overdiagnosis study. I primarily encourage patients from 55 to 70 who are current smokers, since they have the greatest benefit, Ebell said by email. Older patients in good health can also consider screening, although its uncommon to find a current smoker over 70 years that doesnt have other serious medical problems that limit the benefit from screening for lung cancer.When people take daily pills to minimize their chances of getting HIV, they are also more likely to get routine care like flu shots and recommended screenings for common health problems, a U.S. study suggests.

So-called HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly protective against HIV, and patients taking this daily pill also tend to get tested and treated more often for hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), researchers note in the American Journal of Public Health. But many people who take PrEP have other unmet medical needs, noted lead study author Julia Marcus of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Most PrEP users in the U.S. are gay and bisexual men, a community for whom experiences of discrimination contribute to a higher risk of mental health conditions, substance use and smoking, Marcus said by email. For this reason, PrEP users stand to benefit from the increased opportunities for non-HIV-related screening and treatment.

All 5,857 patients in the study were treated at a community clinic in Boston specializing in care for sexual and gender minorities. They were all considered at high risk for developing HIV because they had been tested for rectal STIs. Overall, 2,047 patients, or 35 percent, were prescribed PrEP. A total of 2,357 people in the study, or 40 percent, received flu shots.

In addition, 4,353 patients, or 74 percent, were screened for tobacco use, and 4,211, or 72 percent, received screening for depression. Researchers also looked at two tests for diabetes. About 15 percent of patients got a test assessing A1C proteins in the blood, which reflects average blood sugar levels over time, and 51 percent of patients got a different test that looks just at current blood sugar levels.

Compared to patients who didnt take PrEP, those who did were 28 percent more likely to get flu shots. They were also 7 percent more likely to get screened for depression, and 6 percent more likely to get screened for tobacco use. With PrEP, patients were 78 percent more likely to get a blood sugar test than other people in the study, but they were also 19 percent less likely to get the A1C test.

Its possible that patients prescribed PrEP were more motivated to care for their health in other ways, or that doctors did more screening for these patients because they assumed they had a higher risk for certain conditions than other people, the study authors note.

The study wasnt a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how taking PrEP might influence other care that patients receive. Its also possible that the impact of PrEP on primary care at a clinic for gender and sexual minorities does not reflect what would happen for patients treated in other settings.

Provided these results hold across numerous clinics, these findings are exciting because PrEP utilization may allow providers to periodically assess other referrals that are needed for patients engaged in PrEP services, said Matthew Beymer, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine and at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. This is particularly advantageous for young consumers of PrEP whose only engagement with the healthcare system may be for PrEP services, Beymer, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email.

Patients taking PrEP typically have checkups every three months, and this offers more opportunities to provide care to many people who are healthy and dont often go to the doctor, said Dr. Geoffrey Hart-Cooper, a pediatrician at Stanford Childrens Health in Menlo Park, California, and HIV prevention specialist at the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Building this patient-provider relationship over many visits can build trust and potentially lead to more open discussions about sensitive primary care topics such as sexual health, mental health and substance use, Hart-Cooper, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Having a trusted provider can have a bigger impact than just HIV prevention - it can support a patients overall health.Among better known people, actress Lena Dunham also suggested she has a bicornuate uterus. (Photo: Pixabay)

A 39-year-old mum with a heart-shaped womb defied all odds and surprised Russian doctors when she gave birth to twins.

According to the story published in MailOnline, the unidentified mum was born with a bicornuate uterus, an abnormality that strikes only one in 1000 women.

Doctors had warned her for years that she would struggle to have children, but she defied all odds to become pregnant with twins.

Before she gave birth, only a dozen cases of twins born to mothers with the unusual condition had ever been recorded in medical literature.

Among better known people, actress Lena Dunham also suggested she has a bicornuate uterus earlier this year, when she revealed she had a heart-shaped womb.

The woman, from Moscow, required a Caesarean section to give birth to her twins, who were both born healthy.

She named them Evgeny (son) born weighing 7lbs, and daughter Varvara, born weighing slightly under 6lbs.

Moskovsky Komsomolets, a daily newspaper in Moscow read by nearly one million people each day, was the first to break the story.

They reported that 'when doctors took the uterus out they could not believe their eyes, it had the perfect shape of a heart'.

The newspaper also revealed 'the uterus was not removed, it was only photographed and put back' so the woman could have more children, if she wishes.

According to experts, only three per cent of women are born with an irregular uterus, of which a heart-shaped womb is one of the most common defects.Washington: Turns out, a rare cancer known as myeloma could be caught early using simple blood tests.

According to a new study, myeloma could lead to GPs using simple blood tests to improve early diagnosis. The study investigated the best combination of blood tests that could be used to diagnose myeloma in GP practices.

The research was a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the University of Exeter and Chiddenbrook Surgery, Crediton, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Researchers investigated how useful a number of different measures were for indicating the presence of the disease, and suggested what combinations of these tests were sufficient to rule out the disease, and to diagnose it, saving the patient from the worry of specialist referral.

Blood tests of 2703 cases taken up to five years prior to diagnosis were analysed and compared with those of 12,157 patients without cancer, matching cases with control patients of similar age amongst other relevant parameters.

They demonstrated that a simple combination of two blood parameters could be enough to diagnose patients. Such blood tests are routinely conducted in GP surgeries.

Lead author of the study, Constantinos Koshiaris, said, "The combination of levels of haemoglobin, the oxygen carrier in the blood, and one of two inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate or plasma viscosity) are a sufficient test rule out myeloma. If abnormalities are detected in this test, it should lead to urgent urine protein tests which can help speed up diagnosis."

Myeloma has the longest diagnosis process of all common cancers, and a large number of patients are diagnosed after emergency care, over a third of which have had at least three primary care consultations.

Principal investigator on the study, Professor Willie Hamilton said, "We report a simple way a GP can check patients presenting symptoms such as back, rib and chest pain, or recurrent chest infections, and determine whether they have myeloma or not."

The authors also suggest the possibility of integrating a system in the electronic health record to alert clinicians to relevant symptoms or changes in blood parameters related to myeloma.

The full findings are present in the British Journal of General Practice.After sex, men can sometimes experience a myriad of confusing negative feelings, a phenomenon called post-coital dysphoria (PCD), which can interfere with relationships, researchers say.

The research team analyzed responses from over 1,200 men to an anonymous international online survey that asked whether they had ever experienced symptoms of PCD, which can include tearfulness, sadness or irritability following otherwise satisfactory consensual sex.

The men, aged between 18 and 81 years, were primarily in Australia and the U.S., but the sample also included men in the UK, Russia, New Zealand, Germany and 72 other countries.

The study team, led by Joel Maczkowiack, a masters student at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, found that 41 percent of the men reported having experienced PCD in their lifetime, with 20 percent saying they had experienced it in the previous four weeks. Between 3 percent and 4 percent of the men reported experiencing PCD on a regular basis.

I would like to think that this study will help males (and females) reflect on their experience of sex, as well as encourage communication between partners about their experience, Maczkowiack told Reuters Health by email. In addition, we hope that this type of research will help people whose experience of sex is dysphoric (or dysphoric at times) to know that they are not the only ones who feel this way. In this sense, we hope this study normalizes a variety of human experiences following sex, he said.

Past research has found that PCD is common among women. This is the first time it has been documented in men, Maczkowiack said.

PCD can occur despite satisfying and enjoyable sex. One man in the study reported that PCD made him feel self-loathing. Another reported, I feel a lot of shame. One participant said, I usually have crying fits and full on depressive episodes following coitus that leave my significant other worried . . . .

The study, published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, found that PCD may be related to previous and current psychological distress and past abuse, including sexual, emotional and physical abuse in childhood and adulthood.

Emotional abuse was the most common form of abuse reported by the men both before and after age 16, researchers found. Sexual abuse in childhood was reported by 12.7 percent of the men and sexual abuse in adulthood was reported by 3.5 percent of the men. Their most common reported mental health concern was depression (36.9 percent), followed by anxiety (32.5 percent) and bipolar disorder (3 percent).

Current psychological distress was the strongest variable associated with lifetime and four-week PCD. Higher levels of psychological distress were more strongly associated with PCD.

The data for this study was collected from February to June 2017 and drawn from a larger questionnaire that examined the post-coital experience of men and women.

While this research is interesting, the study of PCD needs psychometrically valid instruments, said Rory Reid, an assistant professor of psychiatry and research psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

The study used a few questions to measure PCD, but there is ambiguity in those items, Reid said in a phone interview. They lack precision and there was no specificity about frequency in responses as to exactly how often was a little or some of the time, he noted.

Future studies of PCD need to utilize qualitative approaches where participants are interviewed about their PCD experiences so we can further understand this phenomenon, why people might experience it, the extent to which it is causing individuals psychological distress, and whether it is negatively impacting their romantic relationship, Reid added.

One of limitations of the study was that the men self-reported their emotional response to previous sexual experiences. This information can be difficult for participants to recall, Maczkowiack, said. The findings of this study could influence marital therapy by normalizing different responses. In addition, it may open up communication between partners, he said.Chennai: Mobile snatchers and chain snatchers were arrested after three mobile snatching incidents occurred in the city on Monday night. Athithi Doss was returning after an event at a hotel on Sterling road in Nungambakkam on Monday night. At around 10.30pm, two men on a bike snatched her mobile and fled the spot. Probe is on.

Early Tuesday at around 3.45am, police caught B. Vijayakumar (18) of Maduravoyal during a vehicle check at Choolaimedu. The police found that he was returning after stealing two mobile phones after questioning him. Further investigation showed that the owner of the phones was P. Thyagaraja (34) of Velappanchavadi in Poonamallee, and the phone was snatched when he was at Thiruverkadu. The case was registered at the Thiruverkadu police and Vijayakumar was remanded In the third incident, the phone of Umesh Kumar Yadav (20), a cleaner in a goods truck was stolen, when he stopped near Nathamuni theatre on New Avadi Road at around 3.30am to ask directions. A man immediately snatched his mobile. Umesh alerted the patrol police who spotted the man on Vellalar street in Ambattur and arrested him, said a police officer. In another incident, D. Glory Visabhai (53) a resident of Kolathur was walking on New Avadi Road , when a man snatched her 13.5 sovereign gold chain and fled. Police arrested Sony Raj (38) at Peram

bur a police officer said. Probe reveals Sony Raj had 12 pending snatching cases against him.After taking her home, Venkatesh allegedly sexually harassed the girl by confining her to a room and later released her.(Representational Image)

Bengaluru: A 25-year-old meat merchant has been arrested by the Bagalagunte police for sexually harassing a minor girl. The accused, Venkatesh, a resident of Siddehalli in Nagasandra, befriended the 16-year-old girl, who was staying in his neighbourhood.

On August 10, when the girls parents who are daily wage workers went to work, Venkatesh allegedly went to the girls house around 3 pm and convinced her to go with him to his house. After taking her home, Venkatesh allegedly sexually harassed the girl by confining her to a room and later released her.

The girl returned home and narrated the ordeal to her parents. They immediately approached the Bagalagunte police. Venkatesh has been booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and arrested him.Visakhapatnam: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested an Income Tax Officer from Gudiwada for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the owner of an automobile shop for closing a case. According to CBI officers, Ms Lakshmi Neeraja was arrested after a trap was laid by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the CBI's Vizag unit in Gudiwada of Krishna district.

The officials said the complainant was running an automobile shop in Gudivada and Ms Neeraja collected a few documents pertaining to the complainant's business and property on August 10. Later, she demanded Rs 50,000 bribe from him for closing the Income Tax issue. After repeated requests from the businessman, Ms Neeraja, has reduced the amount to Rs 20,000. He then lodged a complaint with the CBI.Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of noted editor activist Gauri Lankesh on Tuesday, invoked the stringent Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act (KCOCA), 2000 in the sensational murder case. The murder of the outspoken journalist was a well planned act of organized crime involving a syndicate of highly indoctrinated and trained criminals, officials said.

Today Section 3 of the KCOCA has been invoked and applied to the Gauri Lankesh case  Crime number 221/2017 at Rajarajeshwari police station under Sections 302 (murder), 114, 118 (abetment), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) read with 35 (common intent) of the IPC and Sections 3, 25 of the Indian Arms Act, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration M. N. Anuchet, who is also the investigating officer in the Gauri murder case.

The SIT has so far arrested 12 accused from Karnataka and Maharashtra. KCOCA has special provisions for prevention and control of, and for coping with, criminal activity by organized crime syndicate or gang, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. An offence under the Act leading to death of a person is punishable with death or imprisonment for life.

The State government has already constituted a fast track court under the Act. The Principal Sessions Court has been designated as the fast track court in the Gauri case. The SIT will get an extended period of 180 days to file the chargesheet before the designated KCOCA court. Further, confessions of accused made before a police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of police shall be made admissible in the trial of such person.

The police can also obtain court permission for custody of the accused for 30 days. In Gauri case the accused have already been remanded in police custody for 15 days. The SIT can request the court for additional 15 days of police custody of the accused, said an official source. The defence lawyers of the accused can however challenge the invocation of KCOCA in the High Court.

Advocate N.P. Amrutesh, who has been appearing on behalf of some of the accused in the Gauri case, told Deccan Chronicle that they are yet to receive the order copy on KCOCA. The SIT has arrested K.T. Naveen Kumar, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen, Amol Kale, Amit Degwekar alias Pradeep Mahajan, Manohar Dundappa Yadave, Parashuram Waghmore, Mohan Naik, Ganesh Miskin, Amit Baddi, Rajesh D. Bangera, Suresh H.L. and Bharat Kurne in the Gauri murder case.London: A 12th-century bronze Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago was returned to India on Wednesday by the London's Metropolitan Police as part of a ceremony here to mark India's Independence Day.

The bronze statue with silver inlay is one of the 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in Nalanda and changed several hands over the years before surfacing at a London auction.

Once the dealer and the owner were made aware the sculpture was the same one that had been stolen from India, the Metropolitan Police said they cooperated with the Met's Art and Antiques Unit and agreed for the piece to be returned to India.

The statue was identified at a trade fair in March this year by Lynda Albertson of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA) and Vijay Kumar from the India Pride Project, who then alerted the police.

Scotland Yard returned the statue stolen to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Y K Sinha, as part of a ceremony to mark Independence Day at India House in London today.

"I am delighted to return this piece of history. This is an excellent example of the results that can come with close cooperation between law enforcement, trade and scholars," said Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Stewart, who was accompanied by officials from the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the handover ceremony.

Although this was stolen over 50 years ago, this did not prevent the piece being recognised and the credit must go to the eagle eye informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years, she said.

Sinha described the return of the priceless Buddha as a wonderful gesture and a particular honour given his own roots in Bihar. I hope it will now go back to where it originally belongs... On our Independence Day, it (return of the statue) highlights the multi-faceted cooperation between our two countries, he said, after a Tricolour-hoisting ceremony to mark India's 72nd Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in London.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes of the Met's Art and Antique Unit said it had been established that there was no criminality by the current owner or the dealer who had been offering the stolen statue for sale.

Indeed, from the outset they have cooperated fully with the police to resolve this matter and they have made the decision to return the sculpture via the police, Hayes said.

We are delighted to be able to facilitate the return of this important piece of cultural heritage to India, she added.

The Art and Antiques Unit was founded 50 years ago and is one of the oldest specialist units in the Metropolitan Police Service. The unit prides itself on a long history of reuniting owners with their stolen property.

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: As we celebrate India's Independence Day, I am proud to highlight the latest example of the UK's cultural diplomacy in action. Thanks to the work of the Metropolitan Police's Arts and Antiques Unit, we are one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues stolen from Nalanda nearly 60 years ago."

This underlines how law enforcement and the London art market are working hand in hand to deliver positive cultural diplomacy to the world.New Delhi: India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation from Red Fort in New Delhi. It is PM Modi's fifth and final Independence Day speech before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister had recently sought ideas from people for his Independence Day speech.

Here are LIVE updates of PM Modi's Independence Day speech from Red Fort

08:58 am: Once again, I convey my greetings to the people of India on Independence Day: PM Modi

08:55 am: We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way: PM Modi

08:50 am: Sanitation for All, Skill for All, Health for All, Insurance for All and Internet for All: PM Modi lays down his agenda

08:48 am: To strengthen the democratic units in J&K, we are planning to hold Panchayat and municipality elections soon: PM Modi

08:47 am: For Jammu and Kashmir, Atal ji called for 'Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat'. I also said that all the issues of J&K can only be resolved by embracing people and not by bullets and abuse. Our government is committed for the development of all regions and sections of the state: PM Modi

08:45 am: Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace. From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation: PM Modi

08:43 am: The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. We are trying to end this practice but there are some people who do not want it to end. I ensure the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them: PM Modi

08:42 am: Women officers commissioned in short service will get an opportunity for a permanent commission like their male counterparts: PM Modi

08:41 am: We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme,no one can take law in their hands: PM Modi

08:39 am: We have ensured environmental clearances are done transparently: PM Modi

08:38 am: In today's India there is no place for nepotism: PM Modi

08:36 am: We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard: PM Modi

08:34 am: At present, the country is celebrating the festival of honesty: PM Modi

08:33 am: The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM Modi

08:30 am: There were 6 crore people who were not even born, yet the benefit of government schemes were being taken on their name. This government stopped this: PM Modi

08:28 am: The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare: PM Modi

08:25 am: Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare: PM Modi

08:24 am: Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the WHO has lauded the movement. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat: PM Modi

08:21 am: As important as economic growth is dignity of the individual. Initiatives such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians: PM Modi

08:17 am: With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing exceptional reforms in the agriculture sector. Our aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022: PM Modi

08:16 am: Indian astronaut, be it son or daughter, will go into space in 'Gaganyaan' by the year 2022: PM Modi

08:15 am: India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space: PM Modi

08:13 am: 13 crore youths were given loan, out of which 4 crore received a loan for the first time. This is in itself is a proof of changing India: PM Modi

08:12 am: There was a time when North East India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them, but today we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of the North East: PM Modi

08:11 am: The world earlier viewed India for policy paralysis, delayed reforms but now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination: PM Modi

08:10 am: India's voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. We are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us: PM Modi

08:09 am: From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth: PM Modi

08:08 am: When there is determination, where there is a will to do something for the country then a law to fight against benami property is also implemented: PM Modi

08:07 am: The OROP demand was also pending for decades. People of India, our brave Army personnel had faith in us and we were able to take a decision on OROP. We will always take decisions in the interests of our nation: PM Modi

08:06 am: Will always take decisions in interests of our nation: PM Modi

08:05 am: Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year GST became a reality. I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST: PM Modi

08:04 am: While decisions were held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like GST are being taken now: PM Modi

08:02 am: There should be coordination between states and the centre to fulfil the aspirations of the people: PM Modi

07:58 am: The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With the blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government: PM Modi

07:56 am: If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete: PM Modi

07:53 am: We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realise the unbelievable strides the nation has taken: PM Modi

07:49 am: The Constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi

07:47 am: Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives: PM Modi

07:45 am: Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India: PM Modi

07:42 am: The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission: PM Modi

07:40 am: We are proudly celebrating Independence Day today as six women officers of the Indian Navy, circumnavigated the globe recently (on INSV Tarini): PM Modi

07:38 am: PM addresses nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

07:35 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the tricolour at Red Fort.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:30 am: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Red Fort in Delhi.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:26 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:20 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:17 am: Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister J P Nadda and BJP leader LK Advani at the Red Fort.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:15 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation shortly.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:08 am: Visuals of Red Fort on 72nd Independence Day

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The government is committed to bring in a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday even as he blamed "some people" for stalling its passage in Parliament.

In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament.

He blamed "some people", an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon session.

The bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and seeks a prison term of up to three years for men.

He said the government had once again pushed for the passage of the bill in the Monsoon Session.

"The practice of triple talaq has created problems in the life of Muslim women ... we brought the law in Parliament, but some people are not allowing to pass it. I assure you that you would not be let down. I will do all it needs (to bring the law)," he said.

While the bill has been passed by Lok Sabha, it is pending in Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.

To make the proposed law palatable to the opposition, a provision of bail for the accused from a magistrate has been added.

Also, the amendments to the bill cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, make provision for settlement between the husband and the wife.

The FIR can now only be lodged by the victim, her blood relations and those who have become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Others, like neighbours, cannot lodge an FIR to prevent misuse of the proposed law.In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was 'policy paralysis' under the UPA. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken "the truth" in the last Independence Day address of his term instead of making a "hollow" speech and urged him to accept party chief Rahul Gandhi's challenge of a debate on issues such as corruption, mob killings and Chinese incursions.

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was "policy paralysis" under the UPA.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister in his address did not utter a single word that made any sense to a common person.

Surjewala claimed that people were now tired of the "fake achche din" promised by the BJP and were waiting for "sachche din" (days of truth) when he departs as the Prime Minister of the country.

In 2013, PM Modi had created a Red Fort-like replica in Chhattisgarh and from there he had challenged then prime minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, falling rupee and failing economy, rampant unemployment as also discrimination vis-a-vis farmers and India's women, Surjewala said.

"We ask you Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, five years after you have taken over as prime minister, are you ready for a debate on these very issues with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Will you debate on the issue of corruption and Rafale and Vyapam and other corruption scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort on corruption," he told reporters at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi had dared the Prime Minister to a debate on the Rafale deal and claimed that he will not be able to answer his questions on the issue "even for a second".

Surjewala also asked if PM Modi was ready to open debate with the Congress president on issues such as the state of India's farmers, "mob lynching that is happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders" and "insecurity" of women.

"You (prime minister) did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incident that happened in the country," Surjewal claimed, referring to the shelter home case of Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and the rape case in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao involving a BJP lawmaker.

"Will you today debate on the failing economy and falling rupee, for the rupee has hit a new low that is 70 and the trade deficit has gone over USD 18 billion. Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and has been engulfing India from all sides," the Congress spokesperson alleged.

He also urged the prime minister to debate on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and "rampant unemployment" in the country.

The last speech of PM Modi's tenure as prime minister has proved to be "hollow" because he made a no mention of corruption in the Rafale deal nor did he say a word about the Vyapam or the PDS scams.

"He also did not talk about incursions by China in Doklam and other places. He also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country, on the conspiracy of making brothers fight and how people are killing each other, on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food," Surjewala said.

"We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, and if not 'Mann ki Baat', he could have at least done 'kaam ki baat'," Surjewala said, taking a swipe at Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' Radio programme.

The Congress leader also said there was a need to fight a second struggle for independence -- from discrimination, unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunities and from empty rhetoric and promises.

Asked about PM Modi's remark that India's stature rose on the world stage in the last four years, he said the prime minister should not undermine India's contribution in the last 70 years.

India was always be a power and it did not happen in the last four years, he said, adding that the prime minister's statement of this nature was "myopic, parochial and uncalled for" on a day like the Independence Day.

"He makes promises to break them. His and his party's path has been one of spreading hate and divisiveness," Surjewala said.'The talks are moving in the positive direction,' BJP general secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media in Beijing. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi/ Beijing: Ahead of the 21st round of India-China boundary talks, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said on Wednesday that a dispute over a large segment of the border with China has been resolved, barring the western sector, and negotiations are moving in a positive direction.

India and China have so far held 20 rounds of Special Representative-level talks to resolve the dispute over the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. The next round of talks are due to be held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in the coming weeks.

The talks are moving in the positive direction, BJP general secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media in Beijing.

Most of the time, those who are engaged in talks dont disclose the day-to-day progress. They want to achieve certain milestone and only then will they disclose, he added, refuting the perception that border talks have not made much headway.

As far as I know, issues with large segments of our border have been resolved. There are few areas where negotiations are still going on, he said.

Asked whether the understanding he referred to also applied to the section of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of South Tibet, Madhav said, I cannot say anything on those things. But mostly the western sector is where major issues remain. Some areas are yet to be delimited. That I think will continue in 21st round. It is an inherited problem for us.

He also sounded positive about achieving a political consensus with opposition parties if any agreement is reached between two countries. He played down differences over a report on Doklam prepared by the Standing Committee Parliament on external affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

Until now we had bipartisan consensus on issues like border talks. As we move closer to elections in India, every issue becomes a political issue, he said, in an apparent reference to the committees report.

The report you are mentioning, that was not the spirit in which we used to handle the issue, but having said it, there will be bipartisan consensus on these (border) negotiations, he said, adding that it was not a problem initiated by the BJP. We are continuing (the talks) and taking them forward, he said.

He also said the border talks mechanism is working.

As far as I know, the mechanism is working. We had so many rounds of talks without any complaints from either side. Things are moving, generally in the positive direction. I dont know of any other plans, he said.

On Doklam, he insisted that status quo prevailed at the standoff site which is being maintained by all three parties  China, India and Bhutan.

The 73-day standoff last year began when Chinese troops tried to construct a road close to Indias border. Indian troops objected to the road in the territory claimed by Bhutan as it came close to the Indian highway. The standoff ended in late August after both sides agreed to disengage.

There is no change in the status quo. What existed earlier, exists today, Madhav said. Indias main issue in the area is with respect to the tri-junction because it has been agreed earlier that it should not be moved, he said.

Referring to reports of a build-up by the Chinese troops in areas close to the standoff site, he said, What a country does on its side is its prerogative. How can we comment on it? Right now, status quo is being maintained there.

When Doklam happened, the policy adopted by our government was proactive diplomacy together with strong positioning (on the ground). This combination has helped in achieving good results on Doklam issue, he said.

Our position with regard to border and trade deficit with China is clear and strong position. To address these issue, proactive diplomacy is the best way, he added.

As far as the government position is concerned, the status quo which we wanted to be maintained there when Doklam dispute happened is being maintained by all the three sides, he added.

On the ballooning trade deficit which last year touched about USD 51 billion in over USD 84 billion bilateral trade, Madhav said, Definitely there is conscious efforts (being made) by both the governments to bridge the gap.

I am sure in the coming days, we will be able to improve the situation. Today it is USD 51 billion. Even if we bring it down by USD 20-30 billion it is a major achievement, he said.

On the first informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, he said, The Wuhan spirit is a new phrase between the two countries. Not formal but strongly informal relationship between the two countries. Both the countries should continue the spirit.

He said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi now enjoy personal bond and relationship. That helps. Understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming differences, he said. Other neighbours are telling they are very happy that the two countries are having good ties at summit level.

On China stepping up ties with Indias neighbours, Madhav said India has very good relations with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Maldives is a persisting problem for a couple of years. Were trying to sort it out, he added.

He said both India and China should step up people-to-people contacts. Madhav said the ties between the BJP and ruling Communist Party of China are improving and such relationship helps to sort out difficult issues between the two countries.Early this year, four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court had held a press conference to raise certain grievances about the administrative orders of the CJI. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Speaking at an Independence Day function organised in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Wednesday said that to transform a system 'one needs to transcend personal ambitions and grievances'.

Hinting at the apparent differences among the top judiciary of the Supreme Court, Misra said, "To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy. What is difficult and challenging is to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend one's personal ambitions or grievances."

He also added, "Constructive steps need to be taken with a positive mindset."

"Concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure. It's necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive. Then only the institution can go to greater heights," CJI Misra said.

"There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution but the judiciary will refuse to succumb," Misra stated.

Early this year, four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court had held a press conference to raise certain grievances about the administrative orders of the CJI.

In an unprecedented move, the judges had stated that despite discussions no concrete measures were taken and addressing the media was their last resort.Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Telangana state government and its authorities concerned directing them to place the details of the Rythu Bandhu Scheme.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice V. Ramasubramanian was dealing with a PIL by V. Kiran Kumar and another seeking to declare the action of the respondents in confining the benefits under the scheme only to landowners and not taking steps for the issuance of the Loan Eligibility Card while depriving the agriculture investment support to the actual farmers who cultivate the land as illegal.

The petitioner urged the court to direct the the respondent authorities to extend the agriculture investment support under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme to the actual cultivators as per the Telangana Land Licensed Cultivators Act 2011, Act 18 of 2011 and rules therein. While issuing notices to the respondents, the bench granted three weeks time to them to file their counter-affidavits.'Indians today across the globe are feeling proud as the country has become the sixth largest economy in the world', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. (Photo: Twitter | @BJP4India)

New Delhi: In his last Independence Day address ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke at length about the progress India has made under his government and asserted that its rise is being hailed by the world.

PM Modi drew a comparison between the situation in 2013 and how things stand today and said if the pace of the UPA government's last year was maintained, it would have taken decades, centuries and generations to build as many toilets, distribute as many LPG connections among the poor and lay down as much optical fibre as his government has done. While the country is brimming with self-confidence today, it is forging ahead with a new sense of commitment, he said.

"India is moving forward at a new pace," he said.

PM Modi also spoke about the recent Monsoon Session of Parliament and said it was dedicated to social justice, with measures being taken to protect the interests of Dalits, deprived people, tribals, women and the backwards.

"We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is progressing rapidly," he said.

Indians today across the globe are feeling proud as the country has become the sixth largest economy in the world, he said.

While decisions have been held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like the GST are being taken now, he said.

"The world was worried earlier about India as it saw the country among the fragile five, now it looks at us with hope," he said.

"The world earlier viewed India as a country hit by policy paralysis, delayed reforms, now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination," he said, adding that his government also took the bold measure of announcing the minimum support price for grains at 1.5 times the cost to farmers.

The Prime Minister also expressed his sadness at the plight of people in parts of the country affected by floods.Bengaluru: After decades of protracted legal battle over the sharing of Mahadayi River water between Karnataka and Goa, Karnataka had reason to cheer as Mahadayi River Waters Tribunal awarded 5.5 tmc ft of water for drinking purposes and 8.02 tmc ft of water for power generation.

The tribunal recommendation, which runs into 12 volumes, were handed over to Union Ministry of Water Resources by tribunal officials in Delhi on Tuesday. While the activists of Mahadayi Nadi Horata Samithi celebrated 'Vijayotsava' in Hubballi, Dharwad, Gadag cities by spraying colors and distributing sweets, political leaders opined that they were not satisfied since they had expected more for Karnataka.

The tribunal observed, The state of Karnataka shall undertake fresh planning and development of schemes for consumptive uses within the basin and/or diversion of water outside the basin, including the reservior losses for not more than 2.18 tmcft at the proposed Banduri dam site. It shall undertake fresh planning and development of schemes for consumptive uses within the basin and or diversion of water outside the basin including the reservior losses for more than 1.72 tmcft at the proposed Kalasa dam. Such utilizations shall necessarily rquire thorough review and modification of the DPR by karnataka government. It shall prepare a modified DPR for diversion of waer from the Mahadayi River basin. The proposals in the form of DPR would be considered for implementation only after techniocal appraisal for the proposed projects by the central agencies, and only after obtaining all mandatory clearences as required by law. Karnataka is permitted to develop the MHEP at Kotni for hydro power generation".

The row begun in 2002 when the then Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee gave clearance for the Kalasa-Banduri canal project but subsequently kept the order in abeyance after the Goa Government raised objection that it would endanger marine activities. Since this, the project had become a bone of contention. The BJP government headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had allocated Rs 100 crore for Kalasa Banduri project.

Reacting to the verdict, CM H.D. Kumaraswamy said, I have discussed with the officers from Water Resources Department and Legal Experts in this regard. The Final award recommendation of the Tribunal is about 12 volumes and will take a decision only after studying it in detail and consulting with all concerned. Meanwhile, Mohan Katarki, advocate representing Karnataka, said, We have succeeded partly with regard to the pressing needs in Karnataka. After holding that, the total water in the Mahadayi basin is 188.06 tmcft, the Tribunal should have considered allocation of more water for Karnataka. We will study the Report and decide on the next course of action.Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday lauded the timely intervention of the Centre during the monsoon havoc in the state.

At the Cabinet briefing, the chief minister said that the Prime Minister and Home Minister had intervened and provided timely assistance to the state. Rajnath Singh conducted an extensive tour of the affected areas and announced Rs 100 core immediately after his visit. "It was a good step and a very positive step," the chief minister said.

When asked whether the Centre had discriminated against the state by not giving adequate financial assistance, the chief minister said the Central government's response was positive.

The state government had sought an initial assistance of Rs 1,220 crore after the preliminary assessment of the destruction caused by monsoon havoc. The demand had been placed before Mr Singh.He said the government had also urged the Centre to send a central team to assess the situation after water receded. The enormity of the destruction would be known clearly then.Pinarayithanked each and every one who contributed in relief and rescue operations, stood with the people of the state in the time of such a humongous tragedy..Kochi: The flood situation in Kerala further worsened on Wednesday with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives today.

Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Red Alert in the entire state of Kerala on Wednesday.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan demanded the intervention of Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami to reduce the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam to 139 ft. The water level in Mullaperiyar Dam currently stands at 142 ft.

Vijayan pointed out that the catchment areas of the the reservoir were receiving heavy rain.

Rajnath Singh informed Vijayan that based on the state's request, the Union Home secretary spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary on release of more water from the dam to bring down the level to 139 feet.

A government release said Vijayan also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains. The prime minister has assured all help, it said.

Cochin International Airport temporarily suspended flight operations citing rising trend of water inflow at the airport.

In a statement, the Kochi airport said, "Kochi Airport operations temporarily suspended till August 18 Saturday, 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a raising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate."

Earlier, the airport authorities had said that all flight operations will remain suspended till 2 pm on Wednesday. However, hours later, it was decided that the airport would remain closed till Saturday.

The decision comes after shutters of two dams of the Idukki water reservoir were opened on Tuesday evening to release excess water.

Shutters of dams in Periyar river were also lifted that triggered to flooding in the area. The airport is situated near Periyar river bank.

Twitter Screengrab/ ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY

The weather station near the Kochi airport recorded 11mm of rainfall on Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday morning, the weather office issued warning saying that heavy rain accompanied with gusty winds, speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in most of the districts of Kerala.

Several districts of the state including Idukki, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Malappuram continue to witness landslides and flood.

Twitter Screengrab/ ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, "We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people."

"All the officials are involved in the rescue and relief operations. The rain will continue for the next four days and we all need to be careful. The neighboring states have been helping us and we need their help in the future too," added the chief minister.

(Photo: Twitter Screengrab | Amal)

Several people have vacated their homes due to landslides and land slips. People living in the downstream have been shifted to relief camps.

More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief camps across the state, Vijayan said.

In Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Many parts of India affected by floods. My thoughts are with families of those who lost their lives in floods."

Terming the flood situation in Kerala following heavy rains as something never witnessed by the state since Independence, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday announced Rs 100 crore as an immediate central relief.

(Photo: Twitter Screengrab/ Ivana @actress_Ivana)

The minister, who made an aerial survey of badly affected areas in Idukki and Ernakulam districts, said the rains and floods had caused "massive damage" to the farm sector and infrastructures like roads and power.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier told that the devastation is worst since 1924. The government also decided to do away with annual 'Onam' celebrations being organised by the state and to utilise the amount for relief measures, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)To manage space crunch in university, the iconic Senate House building likely to be used as one of the valuation centres, officials said.

Chennai: After revaluation scam rocked the Anna University, the University of Madras has decided to evaluate more than 11 lakh answer scripts on its four campuses to avoid irregularities.

To manage space crunch in university, the iconic Senate House building likely to be used as one of the valuation centres, officials said.

The directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption has unearthed a major revaluation scam in which officials had allegedly boosted the marks after taking money from students. The scam happened during the revaluation camp held at the University College of Engineering in Tindivanam. Following the revaluation scam, the University of Madras has decided to strengthen its existing evaluation process by grading the answer scripts within its campuses to rule out external influences.

For every semester, the university is evaluating answer scripts of 1.5 lakh students studying in affiliated colleges.

During the evaluation of April/May 2018 answer scripts, the university had set up 14 evaluation centres - 10 centres within the university and rest outside the university.

We want to evaluate all the answer scripts within our four campuses from this semester to have full control over the evaluation. It will also help to speed up the process. University will dedicate one additional controller of examinations to oversee evaluation process and the university top officials will monitor the process regularly, said P.Duraisamy, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras.

The revaluation is usually done within the university and normally the answer scripts with huge marks variation will be evaluated again by an examiner.

Of 11 lakh answer scripts, students sought revaluation to only 20,457 answer scripts. Around 48 per cent of these scripts had marks change and over 90 per cent of the scripts with marks change had an increase of fewer than 20 marks, he said.

The answer scripts of Institute of Distance Education exams will also be evaluated inside the university. The answer scripts of April/May exams were evaluated at six centres and only one centre was given outside the university.

From next semester, the university will seek an explanation from the faculty members in cases of the huge variation of marks after revaluation. So far, they were not held responsible for the variation of marks, university officials said.

The university is currently searching for large halls on the university to conduct the evaluation inside the campus. Apart from the department halls, we will also use the famous Senate House which has the huge hall for evaluation, officials added.On Monday, days after Karunanidhi's death, Alagiri claimed all loyal party workers were with him and that the DMK would 'dig its own grave' if it did not take him back. (Photo: File)

Chennai: Embroiled in a succession war with his estranged brother M K Alagiri, DMK working president M K Stalin on Wednesday said he would "not be cowed down" by any flutter and vowed to overcome any challenges emanating from within or outside the party.

Stalin made the remarks in a letter to his partymen. "I was raised by Kalaignar; (I) will not be cowed down by (any) flutter. I will overcome any challenges being created from within and outside the party with the help of the dear supporters of Kalaignar," he said.

His remarks come at a time when Alagiri, expelled by DMK patriarch and their father M Karunanidhi in 2014 at the height of his fight with Stalin over establishing supremacy in Tamil Nadu's main opposition party, has raised a banner of revolt.

The DMK's first family had presented a united face when Karunanidhi was fighting for his life at a city hospital. Alagiri was present at the hospital and was also seen at Karunanidhi's funeral.

On Monday, days after Karunanidhi's death, Alagiri claimed all loyal party workers were with him and that the DMK would "dig its own grave" if it did not take him back.

In his letter, Stalin also said "political rivals" were more concerned about what was happening in the DMK in the post-Karunanidhi era.

"The central rulers (BJP) are sowing communalism and snatching away the state's rights. Political rivals are showing more concern than us to know what is happening in our party in the wake of Thalaivar's (leader - Karunanidhi) loss," he said.

The rivals are nursing the fond hope that they can make a "mountain out of a molehill", he added. Claiming that Tamil Nadu had done well under the DMK rule, he alleged the ruling AIADMK had left the state in "shambles".

Stalin said he took the responsibility of keeping the party intact in the wake of Karunanidhi's demise with the "unshakable confidence" that the supporters will be with him.

On Tuesday, at an urgent meeting of the DMK's executive committee, the party rallied behind Stalin. Longtime aide of Karunanidhi and DMK principal secretary Duraimurugan had insisted that Stalin would soon take over the party's reins as he had traits like "concern, skills and hard work".

Though Stalin sits firmly in the saddle and his ascension as DMK president appears to be only a matter of time, Alagiri's tough posturing may prod his supporters in Madurai and adjoining districts to come out openly against the new chief.

If that happens, the DMK, which has lost two successive assembly polls and failed to open its account in the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, may encounter fresh electoral reverses in the elections next year.Vijayawada: Buoyed by an overwhelming response to the Amaravati bonds, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday that his confidence proved true with the oversubscription of bonds by 1.53 times within an hour after issued on Electronic Bidding Platform of Bombay Stock Exchange.

The Amaravati Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) could get Rs 2,000 crore within an hour and the amount (Rs 2,000 cr) is likely to be credited (to CRDA) by Thursdays evening or within two days. With this, it would be easier to APCRDA to obtain funds for capital city works from various financial institutions/banks.

Mr Naidu said that from the beginning, he was confident that the national and international investors had good faith in Amaravati project and were keen to invest. Now my confidence has proved true. It is a great boon for the capital city. The credibility of Amaravati has enhanced manifold at national and international levels. This credit goes to people of Andhra Pradesh, particularly farmers of Amaravati, who parted their lands to facilitate construction of the capital city. I am sure that the investments will double in near future, he said.

During a brief exclusive teleconference with APCRDA officials, the Chief Minister directed them to invite all prominent businessmen and investors to the programme in Mumbai during which the Amaravati bonds would be listing in Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

Sky is the limit for us. We have overwhelming support from people of the state and investors as well. They have reposed good faith in us. My credibility is a big asset in attracting investments to Amaravati. You (officials) have to work out the strategies to utilize this golden opportunity to build the best world class capital city on a fast track and realise the aspirations of 5 crore people," he said. The Chief Minister further instructed the CRDA officials to prepare a report on the programme in Mumbai on August 27 and on the further steps that needs to be taken on Amaravati Bonds issue and submit the same during the review meeting on Thursday at Secretariat. The Chief Minister is going to discuss the bonds issue and the future course of action in this regard. The officials said that Amaravati public issue of Bonds will be launched by October 2018.

When the officials explained that the retail investors were very keen to invest in Amaravati, the Chief Minister suggested them that the common public should also be involved in the capital development. "I strongly desire that the economic and development fruits of Amaravti needs to reach all the people of the State.

Explain the people that the credibility of the state government has established again with the quick response of investors. It is a history that the APCRDA could get Rs 2,000 crore within just an hour without mortgage any lands or assets. No state government in the country has achieved this record so far. As the entire world has watched the miracle, it will definitely encourage the global investors to come and invest in Amaravati and various districts across the state," he said.

He has also wanted officials to have constant interaction with the investors and business men and highlight the progress in capital city up to date which would be useful in realizing the investments promised during the partnership summits also.Bengaluru: Making a fervent plea to the Central government not to shift the Aero Show 2019 to any other location, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in his Independence Day address here on Wednesday, expressed the hope that the Centre will respect and respond positively to public sentiment. There have been reports that Lucknow is being considered as the venue for the show.

The CM has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue while his coalition partner, Congress had alleged that the Modi government is planning to shift the show to Lucknow for political gains in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

On demands from various quarters for statehood for North Karnataka, the CM said the strong will of the people has silenced the 'feeble voices clamouring for division.' He announced that the government will organise 1,000 theatre shows named 'Gandhi-150, a theatrical journey' all across Karnataka to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary on October 2.Hyderabad: Human Rights activists from Telangana vented out their ire at Google for translating the word Dalit Vyakti in Hindi to underdog and alternatively to a depressed person.

A screengrab of Google translation showing Dalit Vyakti as underdog.

Translations into different Indian languages by machines sounds easier than it is, especially when it is not just about replacing a corresponding word from one language to another. Underdog means a competitor thought to have little chance of winning a fight or contest. But the Google translation thinks it means a person from the Dalit caste. Various permutations and combinations of the word yielded the same result.

Previously, the word underdog when translated into Hindi gave Dalit Vyakti, which was soon changed by Google and started showing up as the same word as underdog in Hindi. Reacting to these translations, a few Dalit rights activists launched a social media campaign asking Google to correct it. Activists pointed out that machines throwing up such results was concerning. Human Rights activist Karthik Navayan Battul said, Branding individuals of some communities as incapable and losers is ridiculous and atrocious. I dont understand language experts who are feeding Google, but they seem to have racist ideas. Most of the new generation have access to internet and completely rely on the internet. This information is being fed into Google, which is being fed to the younger generation and is very problematic.

He said that Google needed to do a thorough audit of the social implications of these translations. In 2016, it was translating underdog to Dalit directly. Then after complaints, it intervened manually to not have any Hindi equivalent for underdog. Companies use the Neural Machine Translation to make sense of words in the local context and their dynamics with other words.

Mr Balaji Vishwanathan of Mitra Robots said, The issue is that Google uses automated methods where the algorithms run through existing text in multiple languages, looking for matching phrases. If a lot of documents used Dalit in the context of underdogs or depressed people, the translation would show that. Google does do a manual cleanup on such controversial translations. This particular case just slipped through the cracks.Fire and rescue personnel evacuate residents of Muppathadam near Eloor in Kochi on Wednesday (Photo: ARUN CHANDRABOSE)

Kochi: Kerala on Wednesday sent an SOS to the Centre to press Tamil Nadu to lower the water level in Mullaperiyar dam, blaming it for delaying the opening of the shutters till the storage level touched the contentious 142 ft, on a day 29 people died in the devastation wrought by rains across 14 districts, all of which are now on red alert.

The state was particularly perturbed by the rising water level in the more-then-a-century-old Mullaperiyar, in Idukki, operated by Tamil Nadu on a long-term lease.

This is the first time the Kochi Airport is being closed for four days. Operations were suspended after water reached the runway. Most of the incoming flights were diverted to either Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikkode airports, CIAL director ACK Nair said.

Train services were disrupted at many places and service between Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari was suspended after main bridges were swept away in the gushing waters.

Cochin International Airport, the countrys fourth largest in international passenger traffic, shut its operations till Saturday as the runway remained flooded despite 24-hour operations to drain out the water.

The government also asked scheduled domestic airlines to reschedule their flights to and from Cochin to Trivandrum and Calicut airports till the time the situation at Cochin airport returns to normal.

The State Disaster Management Authority, the State police, the Defence forces and paramilitaries battled to pull out people from swollen river banks and others caught in landslides, mudslides, breaches on bridges and dam spills.

The death toll mounted to 67 in rain havoc this season, most of them being crushed under debris after landslides.

Train services were disrupted at many places and service between Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari was suspended after main bridges were swept away in the gushing waters. Railway officials said all trains in the state will run at a speed of 30kmph to avoid any mishap.

The state government has asked visitors to avoid hilly areas as the popular hill station of Munnar was cut off.

Out of 39 major dams, 33 have opened their shutters. A Cochin airport official said they hoped that operations would return to normal by Sunday if the flood situation improves.

The airport handles 1,460 flights a week, and nearly 900 flights stand to get affected by the closure. CIAL asked all airlines to cancel their flights until the situation improves.

The airport lies near the banks of the swollen Periyar and water from most of the dams in the upper reaches of Idukki is flowing into the vast network that drains into the Arabian Sea.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor spoke to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha and expressed concern about Kochi-bound international flights being diverted to Mumbai.

He tweeted that it was causing great inconvenience to Keralites travelling home and suggested diverting them to Thiruvananthapuram instead or other nearby airports. In Idukki, the district administration banned tourists and asked reporters to leave Cheruthoni where they are stationed, citing safety concerns.

The Government has sought help from all quarters to deal with the unprecedented situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the flood situation in his address to the nation on 72nd Independence Day pledging all support to the affected. Many parts of the nation witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, he said.

Fresh landslips were reported in Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The worst-affected Idukki and Wayanad districts received 80mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, a spokesperson of the regional office of the meteorological department said. Indications are the heavy rains will continue for some more days.

Mr Vijayan also called on Governor P Sathasivam and apprised him of the situation.

Eight members of a family died in Malappuram after their house collapsed in a landslide. Idukki and Wayanad reported three casualties each. There were more than 1 lakh people, cramped in relief camps.

In Pathanamthitta, the Air Force airlifted 35 people stranded on a rooftop. The authorities asked the pilgrims not to go to the hill shrine of Sabarimala.

The rain will continue for the next four days and we all need to be careful. We are witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala, says Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.The show cannot be shifted from here for mere political reasons," he says emphatically, warning that moving of the show for any reason, including political, will be detrimental to Bengaluru's aerospace industry.

A retired Indian army officer, who is now with the BJP, Capt. Ganesh Karnik, is strongly against the mega biennial Aero India show being moved out of Bengaluru. The Aero India show should not be used as a political tool by any party, he stresses.

Having participated in the maiden Aero India show in 1996 as moderator of an international aerospace conference held as part of it , he admits it upsets him to hear about moves to shift the event from Bengaluru as it was the conference, which laid a strong foundation for the city to grow into an aerospace hub of the country.

Also, the new venue under discussion in Lucknow cannot hold a show of this magnitude, in his view. "Yelahanka has gained expertise in organising this show ever since Aero India show was officially launched in 1996. Also, Bengaluru is an aerospace hub apart from being country's Silicon Valley and start-up hub. The show cannot be shifted from here for mere political reasons," he says emphatically, warning that moving of the show for any reason, including political, will be detrimental to Bengaluru's aerospace industry.

The fact that the city has three airports at Jakkur, HAL and BIAL, also makes it ideal for the event and convenient for the delegates attending it, according to him. "Bengaluru is home to several defence units like the National Aerospace Laboratories, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, ISRO, DRDO, BEL and BHEL to name a few. So it has the infrastructure and expertise to organise this event much better than any other city in the country," he contends, observing that the city has good weather too , which cannot be said about Lucknow.V.S. Naipaul died last weekend. The articulate, liberal social media has not mourned the passing with the usual celebratory fervour. This is because Naipaul does not lend himself to easy appropriation. Consider a quote attributed to him: if a writer doesnt generate hostility, he is dead.

Naipauls writing provokes extreme views. Derek Walcott, not a very correct artiste himself, said Naipauls racism and perhaps misanthropy boils down to self-abhorrence.

Often ones weaknesses are a source of ones creativity.

On a good day, Naipaul might have been fathered by Rudyard Kipling. No other major writer in recent times bought into the mythologies and no mythology is free of a modicum of truth of the white mans burden, as defined in The White Mans Burden: The United States and the Philippine Islands (1899), a poem about the Philippines-American War (1899-1902), in which Kipling invites the United States to take control of that country. Which, for all the outrage and liberal rant and changing presidencies over the decades, the US has faithfully carried out to date, with the covert consent of all the civilised white states:

Take up the White Mans burden

Send forth the best ye breed

Go bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives need;

To wait in heavy harness,

On fluttered folk and wild

Your new-caught, sullen peoples,

Half-devil and half-child.

Naipaul espoused the truth of his world in his writings. He believed, again perhaps with some legitimacy, that the white world was superior to the coloured one trundling around the same sun. It was not as if he was naive; and that he presumed the white man was a saint; that the white man did not exploit the world he took over and owned. The world, Naipaul said, was what it was. It was given. His challenge was to portray it accurately. The non-sentimentality of his enterprise grew on him. But every time you gaze outwards, the eyes blow the furnace and fire inward, too.

Naipaul famously complained that Joseph Conrad had been everywhere before him. But the difference was not hard to place between the two great Conrad the more covert and deceptive of the two colonial/post-colonial commentators.

In Conrads Heart of Darkness, the narrator, Marlow, discovers Kurtz, the depraved Belgian representative, going to pieces (The horror! The horror!) in the depth of the colonial Congo jungles.

Marlow returns to lie to Kurtzs fiancee, the goodness of the man. It is this weakness of Conrad for decency, which helps keep pretences up and holds Western society together in their lies, that Naipaul does away with.

So when Naipaul says: Africans need to be kicked, thats the only thing they understand, or, its very attractive to people to be a victim. Instead of having to think out the whole situation, about history and your group and what you are doing... if you begin from the point of view of being a victim, youve got it half-made. I mean intellectually, Naipaul is simply stating a case, and hoping to provoke a defence of a position taken for granted as given and right.

His sceptical philosophy hardened over the years. Ironically, the world is a place that tends to affirm possibly the worst in you. But Naipaul was not blind to its suffering. Even as a young man awaiting his admission and scholarship at Oxford, he was acutely aware of the aches. Consider this letter of his from Trinidad to his elder sister, Kamla, away at BHU. (From Between Father and Son: Family Letters, edited by Gillon Aitken):

Miss Kamla Naipaul,

Womens Hostel,

Benaras Hindu University,

Benaras,

India

Trinidad

November 24, 1949

My darling,

I want you to promise me one thing. I want you to promise that you will write a book in diary form about your stay in India. Try to stay at least 6 months study conditions; analyse the character. Dont be too bitter. Try to be humorous. Send your manuscript in instalments to me. I will work on them. I am getting introductions to quite a number of people Pagett of Oxford included. Pa can put me on to Rodin, the star-writer of Englands Daily Express. Your book will be a great success from the financial point of view. I can see it even now My Passage to India: A Record of Six Unhappy Months by Kamla Naipaul.

Dont take everything in such a tragic way. I cant imagine how a girl like you so fond of laughter cant see the hilarious stupidity of the whole thing. If you go ahead taking everything to heart, your whole life will be just one lament

I have found it difficult to live up to my own maxim. We must be hard, I say. We must ignore the pain-shrieks of the dying world, yet I cant. There is so much suffering so overpoweringly much. That is a cordial feature in life suffering. It is as elemental as night. It also makes more keen the appreciation of happiness

Dont cry, my dear.

Your loving brother,

Vido

Naipaul was a man who took it for granted that he was a genius. If he was, his prickly personality is part of that package. The new world might want to separate the racist from the novelist. But without his racism and related worldviews, there is no Naipaul art. And that dark ink which flowed in his veins sprung from the sad, inescapable whiteness of the universe, the sad, sad fixities of human nature. You could only report it; you could never change the colonial nature of power.

The writer is a poet, novelist and journalist based in New Delhi, and his latest collection of poems is Available Light.NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine expressed full support Monday for President Donald Trumps proposed military Space Force but added that it will have a role separate from NASA.

Bridenstine said in New Orleans that NASAs responsibilities involve science, space exploration and technology development. As for defence and national security, he told reporters in New Orleans: We want to be an agency that maintains its independence from those capabilities.

Bridenstine was touring the Michoud Assembly Center, where workers are putting together major parts of systems that are planned to return Americans to the moon and, eventually, take them to Mars. In a towering building, Boeing workers are building parts of the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket known as the Space Launch System. Lockheed Martin workers are building the spacecraft called Orion.

Bridenstine, a former Republican congressman, was nominated by Trump to head NASA last year and confirmed by the Senate in April.

He touched on the work at Michoud and other NASA concerns while standing next to a massive liquid hydrogen tank  a test version of one that eventually will be part of the SLS rocket.

SPACE FORCE

Bridenstine was among the officials with Trump in June when he called for the creation of a new military branch known as the Space Force. He said its needed because the nations space assets  including satellite technology and global positioning systems  are vital to numerous interests and industries, including communications, navigation, food and energy production, banking and climate.

If we lose GPS, we lose banking in the United States of America. Theres no milk in the grocery store in a matter of three days, he said.

The space force plan requires congressional approval. Military leaders and experts have questioned the wisdom of launching an expensive, bureaucratic new service branch.

JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE

Bridenstine spoke enthusiastically about the much-delayed James Webb Space Telescope, what is now a nearly $10 billion project. That next-generation technology is envisioned as the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, despite an announcement in June  for the third time in less than a year  of a lengthy postponement.

Among the latest problems: In a vibration test of the telescope earlier this year in California by prime contractor Northrop Grumman, dozens of loose fasteners  some 70 pieces in all  came off. In another mishap, the wrong solvent was used to clean spacecraft propulsion valves, leading to a need for repair or replacement.

Webb, which officials now hope to launch in 2021, is meant to peer farther into space and deeper into time than ever before. It will operate from a point 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometres) from Earth.

Bridenstine gave a lengthy explanation of the infrared telescopes design and mission and added: We are, in fact, going to see back to the very beginning of the universe, what we call cosmic dawn.

He stopped short of saying there would be financial penalties for Northrup Gumman to cover NASAs burgeoning costs on the project but said the contractor is being held accountable.

SLS AND ORION

Bridenstine praised workers at Michoud for their work on the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket that will launch it into space, saying their efforts are helping the US get ahead and stay ahead of other nations in space.

This is a brand new, very large project that is unmatched in the world, he said. And it will remain unmatched for a very long time.

The SLS rocket is expected to launch an unmanned Orion mission beyond the moon and back, a 40,000-mile (64,370-kilometer) trip, in late 2019.

Bridenstine got a close up look at the Orion capsule with astronauts Stan Love and Nicole Mann, expected to be part of the crew for Orions first crewed mission.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.New Delhi: India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this on Wednesday during the course of his Independence Day speech. Once achieved, India could become the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China.

The mission named Gaganyaan, Mr Modi said, would be launched using Indian Space Research Organisation (ISROs) own capabilities.

Our country has been making a lot of progress in the area of space (science). When India celebrates its 75th Independence Day, or even before that, an Indian son or daughter will undertake a manned space mission on board Gaganyaan, carrying the national flag, he said.

The Prime Minister said with the launch of the Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), space scientists displayed Indias prowess in the field.

Chandrayaan-1 was Indias first lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in October 2008 and operated till August 2009, while the Mangalyaan is a space probe orbiting Mars since September 24, 2014.

Reacting to the Prime Ministers call, ISRO Chairman K Sivan told agencies that technologies that would help in sending an Indian astronaut to space  like the human crew module and the environment control and life support system  have already been developed.

Prior to the actual launch by 2022, the ISRO will have two unmanned missions, and the spacecraft will be fired using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III, he said.

We have already developed the technology like human crew module and environment control and life support system. Before undertaking the launch, we will have two unmanned missions. We will use GLSV Mark-III for this project, Mr Sivan told agencies.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Omarosa Manigault Newman (left) appears alongside Donald Trump (right) during a press conference in New York. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, calling her a dog as his fellow former reality TV star continued to publicly release recordings from her time in Trumps orbit.

Their escalating feud was sparked by the release of a tell-all book, Unhinged, by the former contestant on Trumps The Apprentice, describing her year at the White House before her firing last December. Manigault Newman had been one of the Republican presidents most prominent black supporters.

In recent days, she has released audio of her firing by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and of a call from Trump in which he says he did not know about her dismissal.

On Tuesday, CBS News released another recording it said was unverified but appeared to be Manigault Newman and several Trump campaign aides in October 2016 discussing the potential fallout from a tape of Trump using a racial epithet during the taping of The Apprentice.

CBS News parent company, CBS Corp, owns Simon and Schuster Inc, which published her book. CBS said the book also describes the conversation.

Trump on Monday denied the existence of any such tape, citing the shows former producer, Mark Burnett. Some of the aides on the latest tape also denied the conversation.

Reuters could not verify any of the recordings, and Burnett could not immediately be reached for comment.

On Twitter on Tuesday, Trump wrote, When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didnt work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!

Critics condemned Trump for what they said were racial and sexist undertones.

The president of the United States is calling a woman of colour a dog? ... How dare he call anyone a dog? Democratic US Representative Frederica Wilson, who is also an African-American, told CNN.

Asked whether Trumps language was appropriate, White House senior counsellor Kellyanne Conway did not answer directly but told Fox News she had never heard Trump issue a racial slur about anyone.

Trump brought on Manigault Newman, previously known for repeatedly being fired on NBCs The Apprentice, as director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison.

Manigault Newman has dismissed any legal concerns about taping conversations. On Monday, she told MSNBC that, if asked, she would give her recordings to the US Special Counsels Office investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign.

Russia has denied meddling in the election and Trump has repeatedly called the Mueller probe a witch hunt.Australian senator Fraser Anning sits in the chamber during a session at Parliament House in Canberra on August 15, 2018. (Photo: AP)

Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and all major political parties on Wednesday condemned a speech by a minor senator who used the term final solution in calling for a revival of a White Australia restrictive immigration policy.

In one of the most divisive speeches seen in parliament since 1996 when far-right politician Pauline Hanson declared incorrectly that Australia was being swamped by Asians, Senator Fraser Anning on Tuesday called for a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

Anning said Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependent on welfare. Muslims account for less than three percent of Australias population, census data shows.

Amid national outrage Turnbull, who will head to the polls within nine months, quickly condemned Anning.

We reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all, Turnbull told Australias parliament.

Opposition Labor party leader Bill Shorten told parliament on Wednesday: You have to be pretty outrageous to be condemned by everybody in the Australian parliament, but Senator Anning has managed to do just this.

Australians will return to the polls by May 2019, and recent polls show the majority of the electorate back multiculturalism, but far-right politicians are expected to pose a challenge to the mainstream parties.

Turnbull can and must bat this away, said Haydon Manning, a political science professor at Flinders University in South Australia.

Anning, who has been in parliament for less than a year has entered into a lose alliance with several conservative independent lawmakers that has boosted his otherwise inconsequential role in Australias upper house.

Anning split from Hansons One Nation party shortly after being sworn in, though his speech had many of the hallmarks of his former leader who has called for cuts to Asian and Muslim immigration.

The final solution to the immigration problem, of course, is a popular vote, Anning told parliament in his maiden speech.

The Final Solution or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question was a Nazi plan for the genocide or extermination of the Jews during World War Two. Anning has since said he did not know the history of the phrase.

Hanson joined the condemnation, telling the Senate she was appalled by Annings speech.

We are a multi-racial society and I have always advocated you do not have to be white to be Australian, she said.

Under what was commonly called a White Australia policy Australia restricted non-European immigration from 1901 until the late 1960s using various laws.In Stockholms suburbs, they happen almost on a daily basis, usually attributed to disadvantaged youths.(Representational Image)

Stockholm: Up to 80 cars were set on fire overnight across western Sweden by masked vandals, police said on Tuesday, in what they suspect was a coordinated attack weeks before a general election.

Most of the cars were burned at around 20 locations in Swedens second largest city of Gothenburg late pm Monday.

Authorities said two suspects aged between 16 and 21 have been arrested so far in Gothenburg and would be questioned on Tuesday. Police said they believe the attacks were organised on social media. No one was injured in the car blazes.

Weve never seen this many cars set on fire before, Hans Lippens, police spokesman in western Sweden, told AFP.

The incident triggered outrage among Swedish politicians who are busy campaigning for the September 9 general election. Im furious. My question to (the perpetrators) is: what the hell are you doing? Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told public broadcaster Swedish Radio on Tuesday. Youre ruining things for yourselves, your parents and your neighbourhoods, Lofven said, adding it looked very coordinated, almost like a military operation.

Cars set ablaze is common in Sweden. In Stockholms suburbs, they happen almost on a daily basis, usually attributed to disadvantaged youths. Last year, 1,457 cars were deliberately set on fire across Sweden, compared to 1,641 in 2016, according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency's figures. Sweden has tolerated this for too long. This must end now, Ulf Kristersson, leader of the conservative opposition party, the Moderates, wrote on his Facebook account.On the 72nd Independence Day, a Ceremonial Parade was held at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam.

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command (ENC), took the salute and inspected an armed guard of 50 men.

He reviewed the platoons of naval personnel drawn from various ships, establishments and Defence Security Corps.

Owing to inclement weather, the review was done indoors at the Command Gymnasium.

Vice Admiral MS Pawar, Chief of Staff ENC, was the conducting officer of the parade which was attended by all flag officers, commanding officers of various ships and establishments at Visakhapatnam, a number of service personnel and their families, and veterans.

Vice Admiral Karambhir Singh reiterated the need to remember the sacrifices of martyrs, who fought for our freedom and laid down their lives in service of the motherland.

He highlighted ENCs increasing engagement with friendly, foreign navies towards strengthening our capabilities and interoperability.

He also commended the personnel manning and supporting the ships for smooth transition to Mission Based Deployments aimed at maximizing time at sea with well defined outcomes.

Underscoring the need to ensure that the ships, submarines and aircraft remained combat ready at all times, he emphasized professional excellence by the personnel manning the platforms with rigorous on-job training and adherence to laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

In another event at the Victory at Sea War Memorial, a two minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the martyrs.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday lamented the lack of development in the country and said if Delhi can achieve success in health and education sectors, why other states cannot replicate the same.

He said the country these days is known as a place where "communal riots and rapes with women" take place. Kejriwal, however, added that now India has also been recognised for good things like Mohalla Clinic which is talked about the world over.

In his Independence Day speech at a Delhi government function held at Chhatrasal stadium here, he claimed "unprecedented" development has happened in Delhi during AAP's over three-year rule.

The initiatives of the AAP government like improvements in school education and health sector scheme such as Mohalla Clinic are being discussed all over the world. The former secretary general of United Nations Kofi Annan will come to India with a delegation to visit Mohalla clinics on September 6, he claimed.

"The question is why India is backward. If Delhi can achieve success in education, health, the supply of water and electricity in three years, why it could not take place in rest of India," Kejriwal said.

Japan, which was ravaged in World War II, managed to rise again and is now far ahead of India. Many other countries that gained independence after India are now more developed, he said.

"If good education is ensured for all children in the country, our poverty and unemployment can be removed within one generation," the Delhi chief minister said.

Kejriwal said his party dreamt of an India that would be number one in the world.

"These days, India is known as a place where communal riots and rapes with women take place, but now it has also been recognised for good things in the last three years like Mohalla Clinic which is talked about the world over," he said.

He claimed that the AAP government is the most honest government in the country and it has achieved success in the field of education, health among others due to its honesty.

When those present chanted "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", Kejriwal said the slogan will be realised when all the children will receive good education, farmers will get a price for their crops, women will be respected, and no country in the world will be able to browbeat India.

The Delhi chief minister said while the national capital had come up with best drainage system thousands of years ago, it now lacks a decent sewer system despite 70 years of Independence.

"But, the wind of change is blowing now. Delhi will have the best sewer system in the world in the next five years," he said.

Alleging that people charged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of being "stubborn", Kejriwal said "Yes, we are stubborn because we want corruption free, rich and educated India. Our dreams are big but achievable."

The chief minister signed off rendering "Hum Honge Kamyab" along with school children present in the event.

Earlier, the chief minister unfurled the tricolour and was accorded guard of honour by contingents of the Delhi Police, Home Guards and students from government schools.

He awarded medals for gallantry and meritorious service to serving officials and kin of personnel who died performing their firefighting duty.Delivering his last Independence Day address of his first term as prime minister, Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to project the change that the government led by him brought in different spheres in the last more than four years and counterpointed it with the alleged policy paralysis of the last two UPA regimes.



As the country braces for the next general elections in 2019, Modi also sought to give a message, though subtly, that he is here to stay even for the next term.

#WATCH: PM Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi. #IndependenceDayIndia https://t.co/G1rLxtfBrY  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Taking the nationalism pitch further, Modi said that an Indian with the tricolour will go to space in a 'gaganyaan' in 2022 when India completes 75 years of its Independence, making it the fourth nation in the world to have sent a manned flight into space.

He also talked of his governments plans for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi that falls on October 2, 2019, months after the next general elections will be over, to hammer home the point that he is confident of a second term in government.



Modi listed out the achievements of his government in education, health, women's rights and farming sector, and stressed: the nation is feeling a new change for the last four years.



Seeking to contrast the pace of development in various fields during his regime, he set a baseline of 2013, the last year of the UPA government.

That we are moving forward and where we have reached does not become very clear until we take into account the point from where we started. If we take the pace of 2013 as the baseline and then examine the work that has been after that, it can be understood how much work has been done. How much change has come to the nation. Government machinery and offices are the same, the files and those deciding over it are the same, but the country is experiencing a new change in the last four years and is moving forward with a new enthusiasm he said.

Had we continued to work with the pace of 2013, it would have taken generations to lay optical fibre throughout the country for better connectivity, even 100 years would have been less for providing smoke-free LPG ovens to women and taking electricity to all villages. Many more decades would have taken to achieve 100% sanitation," said Modi.

Recalling that the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 when the BJP led by him got a massive mandate, Modi said, In 2014, people did not stop at just forming a government. They had joined together for nation building and will continue to do so.

The farmers, economy and Kashmir



Training guns on the previous Congress-led regimes for pursuing "unclear goals" ('dhulmul lakshya'), Modi said that discussions went on over Minimum Support Price for farmers for years but the decision to give 1.5 times the price of the cost of crops was taken by his government and so was the case with GST.



The prime minister said that before 2014, the world used to say that Indias economy is full of risks but the same world now says Indias economic fundamentals are strong.



What a change has come now. Before 2014, the world was of the view that India means policy paralysis and considered India as a fragile link in the worlds economy. They used to discuss the bottlenecks here. The same world is now saying that the sleeping giant has now moved on. Now India is seen as one which will give momentum to the growth of the world economy. Such a trust has been built for India, Modi said, crediting his government for bringing about this change in the worlds outlook towards India.



Amid criticism from some quarters about the alleged "muscular" policy of his government towards Kashmir, Modi invoked the famous Jamhooriyat, Insaaniyat and Kashmiriyat line of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said that the latter had shown the right path and his government wants to pursue that. We want to move forward on the path of embracing the Kashmiris, not on the path of bullets ('gaali aur goli ke raaste par nahin, gale laga kar').



The prime minister made no reference to the recent incidents of mob lynching in the name of gauraksha or otherwise but chose to stress that the "rule of law is supreme for his government and there cannot be any compromise on it. No one can be allowed to take the law into his/her own hands". Modi also cited the death penalty handed out to rapists in record five days of hearing in the BJP-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Reiterating his governments commitment towards women empowerment, he also announced the formation of a permanent commission for recruitment of women officers in the armed forces.

Women officers commissioned in short service will get an opportunity for the permanent commission like their male counterparts. This is my gift to the women of this country from the Red Fort today - Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Modi also claimed that his Cabinet has maximum women representation since independence and also highlighted as to how for the first time there are three women judges in the Supreme Court.



On farmers' issues, he said that while some doubt his promise of doubling their income by 2022, his government is committed to achieving that. A highlight of his speech was the launch of 'Prime Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan', also called 'Ayushman Bharat', from September 25, the birth anniversary of RSS ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay. Under the programme, an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh will be extended to 50 crore people.



The prime minister also spoke on the surgical strike carried out by his government against Pakistan in 2016 in the wake of Uri terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir. Modi also trained guns on the Opposition Congress without naming it for non-passage of the bill on 'triple talaq' in Parliament during the Monsoon Session.

Amid indications that the government can bring out an ordinance on the issue, the prime minister said his government is committed to doing all that is possible to protect the rights of Muslim women and will definitely meet their aspirations.



Power brokers are not seen in power corridors now, the prime minister said, highlighting his governments fight against graft and black money that forced the closure of 3 lakh shell companies. He talked of how his government plugged leakages in the schemes meant for the poor, widened the tax net in both direct and indirect taxes.

Coming to the Northeast, which is a priority area for the BJP and his government, Modi spoke about how Tripura and Meghalaya are free from the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The people were up in arms against AFSPA in those states.



The prime minister concluded his speech with a poem invoking the new era ('navyug') and a called for housing, power, water, sanitation, skill, health, insurance and connectivity for all.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state for the next three days and have issued a warning.

Weathermen said the rainfall is due to formation of various systems which are a part of the south west monsoon. India Meteorological department Director General K G Ramesh, who was in Bengaluru on Tuesday, held a detailed meeting with heads of IMD Bengaluru and Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre on data sharing.

Over the last three months the two departments have been trying to iron out their differences and share data.Condemning people calling for a division of Karnataka by demanding a separate north Karnataka state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, said that Kannadigas had crushed such 'weak voices'.

Weak voices, threatening the unity in the state are heard from time to time. The unification movement in the state has a hundred-year history. People of Karnataka have nipped all separatism in the bud, thereby ensuring unity, he said.

Kumaraswamys Independence Day speech at the Manekshaw Parade Grounds, Bengaluru, largely focused on the separate statehood issue.

He said that his government was committed to the comprehensive development of the whole state, without compromising the identity of Kannadigas.

He said that the budgets presented by the previous Congress regime and the present coalition government complemented each other. His government was working at realising the assurances made in these budgets, he added.

The CM said that steps were being taken to transfer some of the government offices to Belagavi as desired by the people of northern districts.

The state government would also hold discussions with neighbouring states to ensure the welfare of Kannadigas living in Solapur, Goa, Kasaragod and other border areas, he added.

Kumaraswamy also announced that flexes and banners would be banned across the state. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has recently taken a decision to ban flexes and banners after it was pulled up by the High Court for not clearing them.The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal on Tuesday allocated 13.42 tmcft of water to Karnataka from Mahadayi river, including 5.40 tmcft for drinking and irrigation. The remaining 8.02 tmcft could be utilised for hydropower generation.

The tribunal, headed by Justice J M Panchal, allocated 24 tmcft to Goa in addition to the current utilisation of 9.39 tmcft against its demand of 122.60 tmcft and 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra against its demand of 6.35 tmcft.

The tribunal assessed total the 188.06 tmcft of water in Mahadayi basin and allocated 38.75 tmcft among the three states of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, and the remaining goes to the sea and other environment purposes, Mohan Katarki, the advocate representing Karnataka told DH.

Out of total allocation of 13.42 tmcft, the tribunal allowed Karnataka to utilise 1.5 tmcft for Mahadayi basin (Belagavi district) consumption.

The tribunal also permitted the diversion of 3.90 tmcft of water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha reservoir by building one barrage each across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river (2.18 tmcft of water diversion from Bandura and 1.72 tmcft from Kalasa).

Karnataka proposes to utilise this water from Malaprabha reservoir to provide drinking water to Hubballi-Dharwad, Kundgol and 18 surroundings villages. Karnataka was allowed to set up a hydropower project at Kotni in Belagavi district from 8.02 tmcft of water.

The tribunal also asked the Mahadayi Water Management Authority to implement the final award and it will be valid till 2048.

All states including Karnataka can utilise the water and implement the schemes as specified by the tribunal only after preparing fresh detailed project reports and getting all statutory clearances.

Till then, the 2014 interim order of the tribunal will continue.

In a 12-volume award, the tribunal said the equitable distribution of Mahadayi waters among three states is neither necessary nor feasible at this stage.

Karnataka, which locked horns with Goa on sharing of the Mahadayi river water, demanded 36.55 tmcft including 7.56 tmcft of water to provide drinking water to parched Hubballi-Dharwad and surrounding villages.

In 2002, the then NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given its in-principle approval for diversion of Mahadayi water but it was strongly opposed by Goa. Then the matter went to the Supreme Court.MILAN  A 51-year-old highway bridge in the Italian port city of Genoa collapsed in a driving rain Tuesday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 16 others as it sent dozens of vehicles tumbling into a heap of concrete and twisted steel.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte called it "an immense tragedy ... inconceivable in a modern system like ours, a modern country."

The disaster, on a major interchange connecting Genoa and other northern cities with beaches in eastern Liguria into France, focused attention on Italy's aging infrastructure, particularly its concrete bridges and viaducts built in the postwar boom of the 1950s and 1960s.

What caused the Morandi Bridge to fall remained unknown, and prosecutors said they were opening an investigation but had not identified any targets. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said the collapse was "unacceptable" and that if negligence played a role "whoever made a mistake must pay."

Early speculation focused on the structural weakness of the span.

Witnesses reported hearing a roar as the 45-meter (nearly 150-foot) bridge collapsed in a torrential rain during midday traffic on the eve of a major holiday that sees most Italians abandoning cities for beaches and mountains.

One unidentified woman who was standing below told RAI state TV that it crumbled as if it were a mound of baking flour. Video of the collapse, showing a misty scene of crumbled concrete, captured a man screaming: "Oh, God! Oh, God!"

Civil Protection authorities said at least 30 cars and three heavy vehicles were on the 80-meter (260-foot) section of the span that collapsed in the industrial area of warehouses.

There was an immense gap where the bridge used to be, and one heart-stopping image showed a green truck halted on the rain-slickened roadway just short of the edge.

A man who was standing under the bridge in front of his truck at the time of the collapse called it "a miracle" that he survived. The middle-aged man, who did not give his name, said the shockwave sent him flying over 10 meters (33 feet) into a wall, injuring his right shoulder and hip.

"I was in front of the truck and flew away, like everything else. Yes, I think it's a miracle. I don't know what to say. I'm out of words," he said, walking away from the site.

More than 300 rescue workers and canine crews were on the scene. They used heavy equipment and dogs to search for survivors in the rubble. At least four people were pulled alive from vehicles under the bridge, ANSA reported.

"Operations are ongoing to extract people imprisoned below parts of the bridge and twisted metal," said Angelo Borrelli, the head of Italy's civil protection agency.

Officials evacuated several hundred people living along the raised highway that traverses the city as a precaution.

The effort would continue into the night.

"It is a bit like working on an earthquake," said firefighters spokesman Luca Cari. "The main difficulty is removing the rubble and safeguarding the rescue teams."

There was confusion over the death toll throughout the day, with different officials giving conflicting numbers.

Officials in the Liguria region said Tuesday night that 26 people had died, saying two more bodies had been found and one of the 16 injured had died in surgery.

After visiting the scene, Conte told RAI state TV called the tragedy "a serious wound for Genoa, Liguria and Italy."

The Italian CNR civil engineering society said that structures dating from when the Morandi Bridge was built had surpassed their lifespan. It called for a "Marshall Plan" to repair or replace tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s. Updating and reinforcing the bridges would be more expensive than destroying and rebuilding them with technology that could last a century.

They cited previous accidents: a bridge that fell in April 2017 in the northern province of Cuneo, crushing a carabinieri police car after the officers and driver had barely managed to get away in time; and an overpass that in the northern city of Lecco that collapsed under exceptional weight, crushing a car and killing the driver.

The design of the bridge has been criticized in the past. Antonio Brencich, a professor specializing in reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, called the span "a failure of engineering" in an interview in 2016.

"That bridge is wrong. Sooner or later it will have to be replaced. I do not know when. But there will be a time when the cost of maintenance will be higher than a replacement," he told Italian media Primocanale.

Other engineers said corrosion or weather conditions could have contributed.

"As this reinforced and pre-stressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years, it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor," said Ian Firth, former president of The Institution of Structural Engineers, a London-based international network. He called the bridge "an unusual design."

Mehdi Kashani, an associate professor in structural mechanics at the University of Southampton in the U.K., said maintenance issues and pressure from "dynamic loads," such as traffic and wind, could have resulted in "fatigue damage in bridge components."

Borrelli said highway engineers were checking other parts of the bridge and that some areas were evacuated as a precaution.

"You can see there are very big portions of the bridge (that collapsed). We need to remove all of the rubble to ascertain that all of the people have been reached," he said.

The transport minister, Toninelli, said the company that has the concession to operate that section of highway said its maintenance on the bridge was up to date and no work was being done at the time of the collapse. But he added that they were about to launch a 20 million euro ($22.7 million) bidding process for significant safety work on the bridge.

"There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed  almost all  during the 1960s," he said.

It was the second deadly disaster on an Italian highway in as many weeks.

On Aug. 6, a tanker truck carrying a highly flammable gas exploded after rear-ending a stopped truck and getting hit from behind near the northern city of Bologna. The accident killed one person, injured dozens and blew apart a section of a raised eight-lane highway.

___

This story corrects the height of the bridge to 45 meters (147 feet).

___

Kirka reported from London. Simone Somekh in Rome contributed.For the past several months, I have been exploring the concept that faith is, or should be, a dimension of diversity that is highly valued  particularly in the public square. The first freedoms established in the First Amendment are central to the vitality and vibrancy of the American experience. More than just tolerating differences, we should be celebrating such differences and encouraging people to bring their diversity of faith into our businesses and communities.

I was recently in New York and had the opportunity to listen to Rabbi Dr. Meir Y. Soloveichik speak on the need for faith to be taken into the public square. He said, When the state demands disloyalty to ones faith as the price for entering society, that is an assault on the human soul, and that is intolerable, because the soul of man is the candle of God.

Rabbi Soloveichik continued, The soul of man is the candle of God. It is a powerful and enduring image. The human soul is a candle kindled by the Creator. Like a candles flame, the souls sanctity is so easily extinguished when buffeted by the winds of change, by the zeitgeist, by social pressure or by persecution. And yet like a flame, the soul, if protected, if sustained, if fueled by freedom, by faith, by courage, contains within it an infinite amount of power that can spark and inspire. 

What we bring to the public square as individuals is so much more than our physical presence. We should be bringing our whole, authentic self to work and to our communities  including our religious beliefs. Leaving our deeply held beliefs at home, in the mosque, synagogue or church is to leave a portion of self behind and accept a smaller portion of the illuminating light that emanates from the soul of every man and every woman.

More than just tolerating differences, we should be celebrating such differences and encouraging people to bring their diversity of faith into our businesses and communities.  Boyd Matheson

I have written previously about Salesforce, the worlds leading provider of customer relationship management systems, and its array of diversity programs ranging from Latinos, LGBTQ and Asian groups to veterans, women and those with unique abilities within their disabilities. Each is a force within the company  as in AbilityForce, Latinoforce, Outforce, etc.

Salesforce has discovered the power of faith in the lives and performance of its employees. In 2017, the company took a leap into faith as part of its diversity opportunities when Faithforce was officially organized.

The companys website describes Faithforce this way, "We acknowledge, celebrate, and foster understanding of our global faith and religious diversity across Salesforce. With the goal of inclusion and empowering our employees to bring their authentic selves to work, Faithforce is open to all people of faith and allies who wish to learn about the different traditions that are integrated into our global communities.

No employee should feel pressured or coerced to participate in a faith program. But for far too long citizens have been told that they can have their individual faith and religion  but dont bring it to work or into the public square. When people feel they have to disconnect who they are from what they do each day, they tend to feel isolated, marginalized or unappreciated.

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated, all voices need to be heard in the public square. Neither religious nor secular voices should be silenced. When each individual can share their authentic, best self with the community or group, all will experience the power of meaningful contribution and personal fulfillment. As Marianne Williamson said, As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

When people feel they have to disconnect who they are from what they do each day, they tend to feel isolated, marginalized or unappreciated.  Boyd Matheson

Rabbi Soloveichik concluded, Originally, until recent times and in Jerusalem today, Hanukkah lights were kindled not inside but outside the door of Jewish homes, right outside the door.  Lighting candles outside the doors of our homes expresses that when people of faith leave their homes and enter the world, they take their beliefs and their religious identity with them. They do not check their beliefs at the door when they enter the public square. Their souls, the candle within each person, illuminates their path wherever they may lead.

Valuing the light of belief within each soul adds fuel to the fire of freedom and brightens the beacon of hope America holds out to the world.When President Donald Trump signed a $717 billion defense-spending bill Monday at Fort Drum, New York, much of the media focused on his refusal to mention Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., whose name was on the bill as a tribute to his distinguished military career.

The president and McCain have been at odds for years.

But while that snub may be interesting, the real story is the size of the budget, which is a 13 percent increase over the previous year. That earlier level already was the largest military budget in the world and was more than the next eight largest nations combined, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

To put it in further perspective, the increase alone over last year is larger than the entire military budget of any other nation on earth except China.

Unquestionably, national defense is a vital function of the federal government. A strong defense is the best way to ensure peace. It also allows the United States to support peace in other freedom-loving nations and promote U.S. interests abroad.

The United States holds a unique place in the world and often is the only nation willing to stand up to despots and tyrannical thugs. U.S. armed forces still are seen mostly as the good guys in international conflicts.

But that doesnt mean the military should be given a blank check. In total, the military consumes 16 percent of the overall federal budget. But if you take away the entitlement programs that run on mandatory spending, it consumes about 60 percent or so of whats left.

With a national debt of $21 trillion and growing, an aggressive accounting of all expenditures is needed. Any budget as large and fast-growing as the militarys is bound to have waste and potential corruption issues, and these ought to be given special attention.

The nation ought to have a sober discussion about how much military spending is needed to accomplish the nations objectives.

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Lankford publishes an annual Federal Fumbles report. Last year, he noted the Air Force spent $745 million on a network upgrade that never happened, and the Department of Defense spent $1 billion on equipment for Iraq that it subsequently lost.

More importantly, the nation ought to have a sober discussion about how much military spending is needed to accomplish the nations objectives.

When the president signs a bill that is 7 percent larger than what the White House originally requested, and when even liberal Democrats such as Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., support it, fiscal conservatives ought to be concerned.

This new budget, and the nations growing national debt, come at a time when the administration is proposing to add a national space force as a new branch of the military  a move that certainly would increase defense spending considerably.

A national fiscal crisis would hamper the militarys capabilities. It makes sense to focus on prudent spending now to avoid such a thing.

Perhaps the nations leaders should be forced to read the farewell address of former President Dwight Eisenhower, certainly no slouch when it came to understanding and appreciating the military.

That speech is noted for his warnings against the military-industrial complex, but another thing he said has application here.

As we peer into society's future, we  you and I, and our government  must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow.

Those are wise words.SALT LAKE CITY  President Donald Trump signed a bill Tuesday that two Utah Republicans pushed to create a three-digit telephone number similar to 911 for the national suicide prevention hotline.

Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Chris Stewart were among lawmakers who introduced the legislation in May 2017.

The bill aims to reform the suicide prevention lifeline system and Veterans Crisis Line by requiring the Federal Communications Commission  working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs  to study the system and make recommendations to Congress on how to improve it.

Hatch said he's grateful the legislation was signed into law.

"With this topic, my heart is both heavy and hopeful  heavy because suicide has already taken so many lives, hopeful because this legislation can turn the tide in the campaign against this epidemic," he said.

Stewart called it a great day for Utah and the nation.

"By creating a hotline dialing code that is short and easy to remember, we are taking an important step towards potentially averting tragedy," he said. "This new law truly has the ability to save lives."LOGAN  A small modular nuclear power plant design for a facility in southeast Idaho is winding its way through the federal regulatory framework, a procession a key Trump administration official described Tuesday as historic.

Edward McGinnis, principal deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, said the NuScale Technology design represents the "next generation" in nuclear energy and would be "game changing" for Utah and other potential customers.

"I would say that I have never seen a moment in time in the United States from a transformative perspective that we are seeing in nuclear energy," McGinnis told members at a Logan conference for the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems.

If we are going to put this much money into something this important, we are going to do everything we can to support this technology.  Edwin McGinnis, principal deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy

The energy cooperative is a community-owned, nonprofit political subdivision of Utah, with member cities that include Bountiful, Logan, Murray and Blanding.

Members of the group are pursuing the project as a way to shore up energy stability in a market fraught with the threat of shuttered coal-fired power plants and fluctuating natural gas prices.

Once completed in 2026 at a 35-acre site at the Idaho National Laboratory, the energy coalition will own the project, which is the first of its kind in the country to come under review of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and receive funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Unlike the traditional, huge nuclear power plants in the United States that typically produce 2,000 megawatts, the small modular design occupies a smaller footprint and can be ramped up as needed with additional units coming online.

Incorporating zero carbon emissions technology, the project envisions cylindrical modular reactors that are 76 feet by 15 feet, installed underground, each capable of generating up to 50 megawatts of power. Depending on energy needs, there would be anywhere from six to 12 reactors at the Idaho site.

The small modular reactors are designed to be self-contained and operate independently within a below-grade, water-filled pool. Officials have touted the technology because of its lack of moving parts, relying on convection rather than pumps to circulate the water through the reactor.

McGinnis said the water needs for NuScale's project are "dramatically" reduced in contrast to traditional nuclear power plants across the country, which, on average, have been in operation for 39 years.

There are hurdles to clear, however, with lingering concerns over potential environmental impacts and opposition from anti-nuclear activists with questions over storage of nuclear waste.

The technology also needs to prove to be commercially viable and provide the energy to customers at competitive rates.

McGinnis said there is tremendous interest on the part of the U.S. Department of Energy to see the project through to a successful fruition.

"We don't do this lightly," he told the crowd. "If we are going to put this much money into something this important, we are going to do everything we can to support this technology."

John F. Kotek, vice president of policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, said people don't often realize the Idaho National Laboratory has a decades-long history with nuclear reactors, with more than 50 built on site.

The first American city to turn the lights on from nuclear energy was nearby Arco in the 1950s, he added.

"This represents an opportunity to open new markets for nuclear energy for greater flexibility in both size and how it is operated," he said, describing the potential for NuScale.

Many countries don't need a power plant that produces 2,000 megawatts of energy, so the smaller modular nuclear reactors provide smaller-scale options, he said.

Russia, China and South Korea are already leaders in modular reactor design, and the United States wants a place in the negotiating line, Kotek added.

In some ways, the global energy market has become the new geopolitical contest of its time, not driven by philosophy but who controls the energy supply chain.

Kotek pointed to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict over a natural gas supply that set Europe on edge during a brutal cold spell earlier this year.

The Trump administration criticized Germany over the contradictory fact that it belongs to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization but depends on natural gas supply from Russia.

NuScale's design application, all 12,000 pages, passed its first phase of review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and advances to the second stage.Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile West Africa/Europe: From Cocoa to Chocolate AfricaFocus Bulletin

August 15, 2018 (180815)

(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "Cocoa growing communities, particularly in West Africa, are facing poverty, child labour and deforestation that have been made worse by a rapid fall in prices for cocoa. Widely touted efforts in the cocoa industry to improve the lives of farmers, communities and the environment made in the past decade are having little impact. In fact, the modest scope of the proposed solutions does not even come close to addressing the scale of the problem." - Cocoa Barometer, April 2018 The global value chain from cocoa to the chocolate bars sold around the world and consumed in largest quantities in rich countries features the same inequality today as it has since the industrial expansion of the chocolate industry in the late 19th century. Harvesting of cocoa beans is centered in West Africa, particularly in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, while production of chocolate is concentrated above all in Western Europe. Of the estimated total value of the industry of $100 billion, latest estimates show that only about $6 billion go to the 4.5 to 5 million farmers who cultivate the cocoa trees and harvest the beans. This set of issues is now on the rise on the agenda not only for the chocolate industry and its critics, but also national governments in West Africa and European parliamentarians. Long-time activists in the fair trade movement and development organizations welcome the new attention. But they also stress that large-scale changes will require strong government actions and not just resolutions about "sustainability." This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains several articles highlighting the current situation and international debates about addressing these issues. Also included are links to organizations promoting fair-trade chocolate, and in particular one prominent initiative (Divine Chocolate) in which the Ghanaian cocoa farmers' cooperative also owns shares in the company distributing the chocolate internationally. In addition to the articles excerpted below, two other articles highlight the new trends, and are worth reading, despite likely over-optimistic language: Ruth Maclean, "Moves to clean up chocolate industry are racing ahead," The Guardian, 26 Jul 2018 http://tinyurl.com/y74rwlss Akinyi Ochieng, "The world's two largest cocoa producers want you to buy their chocolate, not just their beans," Quartz Africa, May 12, 2017 http://tinyurl.com/yagnn2lc For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on agriculture and related issues, visit http://www.africafocus.org/intro-ag.php Russia Intervention in the Trump Election: Putting "Collusion" in Context by William Minter For almost two years now, Russian intervention has been the highest-profile, most actively debated factor in the convergence of factors that led to the Trump electoral win. But this nonstop media spotlight has often produced more heat than light, with endless repetition of back-and-forth assertions of "no collusion" versus "collusion." Many critics rightly note that talk about Russia has drowned out needed discussion of the many domestic influences that contributed to Trump's victory. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to ignore the documented realities and real impact of Russian "active measures." ... It is also essential to find new paradigms for understanding the Trump-Putin connection, which goes beyond personalities to new structural alliances at the global level featuring the intersection of right-wing politics, kleptocracy, and racism. (continued) Part of a series. The previous essay was on "Voter Suppression Matters More Than You Think," and is available at http://www.noeasyvictories.org/usa/voter-suppression.php For additional context and background, see "Ten Ways to Misunderstand the Trump Election, and Why They Still Matter" at http://www.africafocus.org/docs18/usa1807.php, ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ The Bitter and Sweet: Dispatch from the 2018 World Cocoa Conference Simran Sethi http://tinyurl.com/y7cz4l3a Too many cocoa farmers are still living in poverty. Deforestation, child labour, gender inequality, human rights violations and many other challenges are a daily reality in many cocoa regions. We affirm the cocoa sector will not be sustainable if farmers are not able to earn a living income. This is the starting text of the new Berlin Declaration, the culmination of the discussion from the 4th World Cocoa Conference, a biannual event organized by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) that explores the most important issues in cocoa and chocolate. [See report from conference at http://tinyurl.com/yc6fkms4] Last week, more than 1,500 farmers, researchers, government representatives, chocolate makers and manufacturers, and civil society groups involved in the cocoa industry gathered in Berlin for the first time since the devastating price decline in cocoa when global commodity prices for the crop plummeted by over 30 percent, devastating the smallholder farmers who grow the majority of the worlds cocoa. The definition of sustainability, explained ICCO Executive Director Jean-Marc Anga, is that all stakeholders should be able to make a decent living. But they cantand the problem isnt new. Back in 2012, during the 2nd World Cocoa Conference in Amsterdam, Dr. Anga shared a PowerPoint slide on how value is distributed across the global cocoa economy. This year, he shared a slide with a similar (meager) apportionment: Within a US$100 billion confectionary industry, roughly US$6 billion is paid to farmersa figure Dr. Anga contrasted with the US$15 billion distributed to governments as Value Added Taxes (VAT). The implications are staggering: more money goes toward paying taxes on cocoa and chocolate than to the farmers who spend years sustaining the crop. Ninety percent of cocoa is grown by subsistence farmers working on modest plots of land, the majority of whom live in West Africa and, according to a new report from Fairtrade International, earn less than US$1 a day. As senior advisor Carla Veldhuyzen van Zanten explained, more than half of cocoa households live below the extreme poverty line. This poverty underpins the greatest challenges in the sector, and is why Dr. Anga, as well as the participants of the pre-conference civil society organized by the VOICE Network (a group of nonprofit organizations and trade unions working on sustainability in cocoa) prioritized the need for a living income for cocoa farmers. Antonie Fountain, the managing director of the Network, summarized, If poverty is the key issue, then it should be a priority to solve it. What will this take? Patrick Esapa Enyong, president of the Southwest Farmers Cooperative Union of Cameroon, explained during the conference track focused on sustainable production, prosperous farmers, and thriving communities that it starts with professionalization. Farmers need sustained access to land and credit, education and technology, as well as improved planting materials and technical support so they can advance agricultural practices and diversify what they grow. But, fundamentally, they need equity. This was echoed by additional speakers and through participant discussions and written commentary: We must engage with farmers as equal partners, one wrotenot the weakest link, but decisionmakers who are fundamental to the cocoa industry. The current inequity and income disparity is why farmers are leaving cocoa in favor of other crops and small-scale mining. Farmers bear the risks of a volatile price, the 2018 Cocoa Barometer report from the VOICE Network (released to coincide with the conference) states, and there is no concerted effort by industry or governments to alleviate even a part of the burden of this income shock. Doing so will require a number of steps. First and foremost, as Annemarie Matthess, agricultural economist and program director for the German sustainable development organization, GIZ, stressed, it must include an increase in the farmgate prices paid to cocoa farmers (and an increase in payments made to those who work on cocoa farms), as well as a focus on sustained, living incomes as a priority and key performance indicator across the sector. But changes also have to come from the governments of producing countries. Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, and Ecuador produce 75 percent of the worlds cocoa. They should be able to work together, Dr. Anga explained, to support the people without whom we would not have chocolate. The Cocoa Barometer states that in countries where cocoa is grown, there is a gap between the claims and actual delivered services. For example, the Ghana [Cocoa Board] has been shaken by corruption scandals in the last years, where millions of dollars of public funds have been diverted. Transparency and accountability are needed around public spending and support  for cocoa farmers. This transparency and accountability, of course, has to also extend to consuming countries, manufacturers, and other members of the industry. This includes taking a hard look at the mechanisms already in place. For example, anti-trust laws that are supposed to keep companies from engaging in price collusion have become the fallback reason manufacturers arent paying higher prices. But this can change; chocolate companies and others in the supply chain can devise a plan to pay premiumsespecially when the cost of cocoa input plummets, as it did in 2016. (Its important to note the prices for our chocolates and candy bars remained steady.) Speculation on the futures market (that contributes to price volatility) also has to be addressed. And certifications have to be strengthened; they have not succeeded in measurably improving the lives of farmers. These are just a few of the issues covered at the World Cocoa Conferenceand it is a lot of information to take in. But a key takeaway for all chocolate lovers is that we have a critical role to play in ensuring that the joy and deliciousness that comes from chocolate is not borne out of environmental degradation and human suffering. Every major chocolate manufacturer has committed to some degree of sustainability in how they source cocoa. But this term means different things to different entities. As Antonie Fountain reminds us, Cocoa farming will not be sustainable until it can provide a living income to farmers. Fair Trade Chocolate Buying fair trade chocolate, advocates concede, is not a strategy that can change the industry by itself. But it can and does aid some cocoa farmers to gain better prices and, in some cases, to fund development opportunities for thousands of farmers, particularly women. The following sites provide listings of chocolate brands meeting "fair trade" standards: http://www.fairtradeamerica.org/fairtrade-products/chocolate https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Chocolate https://www.fairtrade.net/products/cocoa/next/5.html Divine Chocolate, which has support from development agencies and celebrities, is co-owned by the 85,000 farmer members of Kuapa Kokoo, the cooperative in Ghana that supplies the cocoa for their chocolate bars. http://www.divinechocolate.com/us/ | http://www.divinechocolate.com/uk/ 2018 Cocoa Barometer Report Paints Dark Chocolate Picture: As Prices Fall, Woes Rise for Farmers, Children, Forests Not Sustainable: With Environmentally Damaging Overproduction and Insensitive Approach by Producers, Cocoa Sector Efforts Fall Far Short of Addressing Poverty, Deforestation, and Child Labour. Berlin, April 19th, 2018 http://www.cocoabarometer.org/Cocoa_Barometer/Home.html Cocoa growing communities, particularly in West Africa, are facing poverty, child labour and deforestation that have been made worse by a rapid fall in prices for cocoa. Widely touted efforts in the cocoa industry to improve the lives of farmers, communities and the environment made in the past decade are having little impact. In fact, the modest scope of the proposed solutions does not even come close to addressing the scale of the problem. These are core conclusions of the 2018 Cocoa Barometer, a biennial review of the state of sustainability in the cocoa sector. Smallholder cocoa farmers in Cote dIvoire  the worlds biggest cocoa producer, who are already struggling with poverty, have seen their income from cocoa decline by as much as 36% over one year. That fact reflects the world market price for cocoa, which saw a steep decline between September 2016 and February 2017. Farmers bear the risks of a volatile price; and there is no concerted effort by industry or governments to alleviate even a part of the burden of this income shock. This price collapse was caused by overproduction of cocoa in the past years, at the direct expense of native forests. This can be equally attributed to corporate disinterest in the human and environmental effects of the supply of cheap cocoa, and to an almost completely absent government enforcement of environmentally protected areas. In addition to often wrenching poverty for cocoa farmers, there is a host of other problems: An average cocoa farmer in Cote dIvoire earns only a third of what he or she should to earn a living income.

More than ninety per cent of West Africas original forests are gone.

Child labour remains at very high levels in the cocoa sector, with an estimated 2.1 million children working in cocoa fields in the Ivory Coast and Ghana alone. Child labour is due to a combination of root causes, including structural poverty, increased cocoa production, and a lack of schools and other infrastructure. Not a single company or government is anywhere near reaching their commitments of a 70% reduction of child labour by 2020.

A broken market in which farmers have no real influence. While many of the current programs in cocoa focus on technical solutions around improving farming practices, the underlying problems at the root of the issues deal with power and political economy, such as how the market defines price, the lack of bargaining power farmers, market concentration of multinationals, and a lack of transparency and accountability of both governments and companies. As long as poverty, child labour and deforestation are rife in the cocoa sector, chocolate remains a guilty pleasure, said Antonie Fountain, co-author of the Barometer. Current approaches will not solve the problem at scale. Companies and governments need to acknowledge the urgency, and make a change. Efforts that cover less than 50% cannot be called solutions. Recommendations for action in the report include the following: Make net income the key metric for all sustainability projects.

Commit to a sector-wide goal of achieving a living income.

Commit to a global moratorium on deforestation; focus on agroforestry and reforestation as environmental solutions.

Move from voluntary to mandatory requirements, on human rights as well as on transparency and accountability.

Develop sector-wide approaches at scale that address root causes to child labour.

Increase urgency and ambition to reflect the scale of the problems, and implement changes that also address issues around power and political economy, not just at technical levels. EU legislation must end child labour and deforestation in the cocoa supply chain NGO coalition calls on EU policy-makers to protect tropical forests and the 2.1 million children working in cocoa http://tinyurl.com/yd2f2pf3 Brussels, 10 July 2018  A group of civil society organisations are calling on the EU to pass legislation to end severe human rights violations and environmental destruction in cocoa supply chains. The NGOs have joined forces ahead of the European Parliamentary session Cocoa and Coffee - devastating rainforests and driving child labour: the role of EU consumption and how the EU could help, to be held on July 11th. The chocolate industrys current approaches to eliminate child labour and to end deforestation will not be sufficient without lawmakers creating a level playing field. Voluntary schemes have played a key role in encouraging companies to introduce more sustainable sourcing practices, but a lot more needs to be done. Urgent action by lawmakers is required, including in the EU. Cocoa has been driving 30% of overall deforestation in Ivory Coast and Ghana, and destroying other forests from Asia to the Amazon, declared Etelle Higonnet of Mighty Earth. Sergi Corbalan of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office added that cocoa must be good for people as well as planet: Child labour is a consequence of poverty. Better prices must be paid to cocoa farmers to enable them to secure a living income. Core challenges will require legislation in both producing and consuming countries. The EU must rise to the challenge, as Europe is the number one importer, manufacturer, and consumer of chocolate worldwide  and home to the biggest chocolate companies, explained Julia Christian of Fern. The NGO coalition calls on the EU to make mandatory compliance with Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) standards. HRDD would require chocolate companies to analyse, prevent, mitigate, remediate and report on risks in their supply chain, not only for their own operations, but also for those of their suppliers. It would require mandatory reporting on key measures, such as responsible risk management (on child labour, this would mean reporting on cases and on measures taken to address them). Future reporting should be based on standard, common definitions, which requires harmonisation of legislation across different jurisdictions and markets to avoid a regulatory fragmentation. To end deforestation for cocoa, we also call on EU to urgently develop import regulations that require companies and importers of cocoa to undertake responsible sourcing and proper due diligence to ensure that the cocoa they are importing is not coming from illegally cleared forests, added Obed Owusu-Addai of EcoCare Ghana. Just two months ago in the final declaration of the fourth World Cocoa Conference held in Berlin, the cocoa sector itself recognised that voluntary compliance has not led to sufficient impact, and that all stakeholders are called upon to strengthen human rights due diligence across the supply chain, including through potential regulatory measures by governments.' As such, the NGO coalition calls upon the EU Parliament and Commission to pass legislation protecting against human rights violations and deforestation in the cocoa sector. Signed by: EcoCare Ghana, Fair Trade Advocacy Office, Fern, Mighty Earth, Oxfam, VOICE Network. For further information, please contact Julia Christian of FERN at julia@fern.org / Mob: (+32) 487 8585 29 or Antonie Fountain at antonie@voicenetwork.eu / Mob: (+31) 06 242 765 17 Why Europe dominates the global chocolate market while Africa produces all the cocoa By Yinka Adegoke Quartz Africa, July 4, 2018 http://tinyurl.com/yac2f8az Europe has an insatiable appetite for chocolate. Not only is it the worlds biggest consumer of the sweet treat, its also the largest producer and exporter, thanks to a global market share of 70%. But while the continent dominates the finished-chocolate goods market, African countries are collectively the beating heart of that success, by producing and exporting over two-thirds of global cocoa, chocolates raw material. Cote dIvoire alone accounts for third of all cocoa produced in the world. A white paper by agribusiness data company Gro Intelligence ( http://tinyurl.com/y9t7s47n) delves into the numbers and history of the chocolate trade and it makes for sober reading from an African perspective. In many ways, Europes grip on the sector is unsurprising given that European companies innovations transformed the cocoa trade into the chocolate industry in the first place. But what is surprising is how little involvement Africa has had in over 200 yearsits been a major source of the raw material for most of the second half of the 20th century. From 1961, when data has been available, to 2016, Africas share of total chocolate exports inched up by a miserly 0.9%. Africas attempts to meaningfully break into the export market is so small that Europe doesnt even consider it as competition. Europes biggest rival comes in the form of Asia, where Indonesia, in particular, has been growing cocoa and building an industry which taps into the fast-growing middle class of China. Despite Chinese taste for chocolate growing slowly, the country is already the worlds 11th largest chocolate market. Despite this all, Africa is still where the biggest untapped opportunity remains for production, export, and consumption. Indonesia cant expand its cocoa production much more than it has, what with cocoa being a labor intensive crop (at least it is today). In tandem, labor costs in Asia are rising. More importantly, as weve written here, local entrepreneurs and the governments of Africas largest producers Cote dIvoire and Ghana, are getting serious about the opportunity to move higher up the cocoa-to-chocolate value supply chain. Indeed, if African countries like Ghana,Cote dIvoire, Cameroon, and Nigeria were to move further up the value chain, theyd reduce a bit of their exposure to the vagaries of commodity prices. And as chocolate has traditionally been a fixture of middle class tastes around the world, its unlikely Africas still small, but fast-growing, middle classes will be that different. They might just enjoy their own locally-produced products. As Gro Intelligence analysts note: If African governments are serious about diversifying their economies and providing higher-paying manufacturing jobs to their people, chocolate production is an obvious industry to pursue. The perfect conditions exist for chocolate producers to take root. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.orgSALT LAKE CITY  Utahns arriving at the airport could soon find that their state-issued driver's licenses wont allow them past security.

Like a new chapter in Dr. Seuss' classic tale of "The Sneetches"  a story of creatures who either had stars on their bellies or didn't  a missing star on Utah driver's licenses could mean the difference between getting on a plane or being turned away.

As Seuss' story says: "You might think such a thing wouldn't matter at all."

We want our people to be able to move and to travel as they choose,  Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville

But to the Department of Homeland Security, stars are a big deal. Utah drivers' licenses are supposed to have them  specifically a little gold star on the top right corner of each one.

"It's a card design flaw that's causing this problem," Chris Caras, director of the Utah Driver License Division, told a legislative panel Tuesday.

The solution could cost the state more than $3 million and would take an act of the Legislature to fix.

Utah has long complied with federal standards for vetting identities of those applying for a license  the same rules that require drivers to bring in an armful of documents in order to walk out with a new ID.

But U.S. Homeland Security officers have indicated Utah has not properly denoted its good standing on the cards, Caras said. The missing marker threatens their status as approved identification to board commercial flights, which the federal government regulates.

Utah licenses now contain the information, but it is included in a bar code on the back of the card, according to Caras.

The star's absence could cost Utah travelers the convenience of flashing only their state-issued licenses before boarding an airplane, and could require them to bring along a passport or some other form of acceptable ID. Transportation Safety Administration employees won't recognize licenses from noncompliant states, Caras said.

"Were very concerned about that, because we feel the citizens have met their obligation for that," he said. Really, it is a card design issue, but its a critical card design issue."

The Homeland Security department hasn't officially taken Utah off of its list, but if it does, Caras said he will pitch a corrective plan. If approved, Utah will have two more years to work through the changes. But if the proposal is rejected and Utah is found noncompliant, the IDs immediately stop being accepted at airports, he said.

The Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee was sympathetic Tuesday. It voted unanimously to draft a letter to federal officers asking for more time to roll out a new design with the star. Caras and Nannette Rolfe, deputy commissioner for the Utah Division of Public Safety, told the panel that they also are seeking help from Utah's congressional delegation.

When Utah last redrew its driver's license design, Rolfe said, federal officers were still discussing whether to require a gold star, a silver star or a flag, and hadnt made a final decision.

By 2012, the gold star was required. Yet Utah passed its Homeland Security review, even though it had no stars on its license, and officers believed they had until October 2020 to add the symbol. But the state learned in May it was up for a different evaluation, Caras said, and Homeland Security officers told him about the potential bad news on Aug. 6.

Even if he promises to print new IDs to meet the requirement, Utah law now prohibits Caras' agency from doing so. The Utah Legislature in 2010 precluded the division from putting more changes into effect than the minimum federal criteria amid concerns about federal overreach. Congress created the security standards following the Sept. 11 attacks.

One lawmaker, Sen. Wayne Harper, has signed on to bring a measure that will repeal a piece of the law to allow the change.

"We want our people to be able to move and to travel as they choose," the Taylorsville Republican said Tuesday.

The change also could be expensive, and could cost roughly $3 million to $3.5 million if the state begins to reprint the cards early next year, but even more if it waits, Caras said. His agency has the revenue to shoulder some of the cost using fees it collects, he added.

The state is hoping it can hand out many of the new cards at the time drivers renew their licenses, and deliver the rest in the mail. But Utahns are responsible to make sure their addresses are up to date  something the agency will hope to make clear in an upcoming public relations push.

The possible mechanics of the rollout raised concerns from members of the subcommittee.

Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, said he is wary of ID cards sitting in mailboxes and potentially waiting to be stolen.

"I see a lot of issues with putting  how many hundreds of thousands of drivers' licenses  in the mail," he said.

A Homeland Security Department official confirmed the federal agency is reviewing Utah's request to be recertified, but did not answer a list of questions Tuesday.

While a technicality has caused Utah's conundrum, several states have received more time to put in place the standards the Beehive State already observes. Eighteen states, plus the District of Columbia, currently have received extensions to come into compliance, according to the Homeland Security website.

The committee reconvenes Oct. 16.SALT LAKE CITY  The Road Home told lawmakers Tuesday it has found success with a pilot program intended to beef up admittance protocols and improve security at its downtown shelter.

Executive Director Matt Minkevitch's presentation to the Utah Legislature's Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee was the latest of several of his efforts to tell policymakers that the organization is serious about responding to a highly critical legislative audit published in May.

The meeting adds to his presentation to the same lawmaking group in June, as well as reassurance proffered earlier this summer to the Legislative Audit Subcommittee, the Salt Lake group called theCollective Impact on Homelessness Steering Committee, and the State Homeless Coordinating Committee.

"The Road Home has revised its guest expectations at emergency shelter, and its house rules in permanent supportive housing," Minkevitch reassured again Tuesday. "The Road Home board has reaffirmed its commitment to low barrier shelter ... (but) low barrier shelter is not anything goes, and low barrier shelter is not an absence of rules."

The report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor General in May said there were "serious concerns about the health and safety of the residents" at the Road Home's shelters in Salt Lake and Midvale, and that those were "largely due to a lax enforcement of the rules and procedures designed to prevent drug use and to provide a secure environment."

According to Minkevitch, the Road Home has since clarified its rules of conduct at the facilities, ensured staff are consistent in the enforcement of violations, and partnering with other groups to make sure the campuses generally enjoy more security safeguards than before. One new safeguard was the hiring of third-party security staff and the installation of walk-through metal detectors at the downtown shelter.

Before, only a wand detector was used, and Road Home staff members themselves screened shelter-goers as they entered, per Minkevitch.

That change started July 11, initially on a two-week pilot basis on the men's side of the shelter. Road Home officials explained they would measure the new protocol, in terms of both the amount of weapons and drugs found by security personnel and the number of such items found past the entry checkpoint, and compare those figures to prior data.

Minkevitch didn't share precise numbers with legislators Tuesday, but said the change "was very effective."

"What I find most effective about it is, we have trained personnel who can be surveying the whole area and look through a risk management lens, while our service providers are doing what they do best," Minkevitch said. "(It) is a value add."

He said efforts from the Road Home also include re-keying the locks and inspecting each alarm at its permanent supportive housing facility Palmer Court, as well as "reserving the right" to subject a person to more stringent screening than usual at the Midvale family shelter if they have significant past history that is concerning or if their abnormal times for exiting or entering the building raise red flags. New, bolder signage explaining rules for tenants has also been installed.

At all of the facilities, the Road Home is emphasizing to police partners that "we welcome any law enforcement at all times, 24/7," according to Minkevitch.

"We've also relooked at our procedure regarding guests who have been barred from the facility," he said.

Subcommittee member Rep. Rebecca Chavez Houck, D-Salt Lake City, asked for clarification regarding consequences for those found with illicit items during screening.

"I come in and you find that I've got a substance in my possession, or a weapon, am I just escorted out the door?" Chavez Houck asked. "What happens when a person is caught with something like this?"

Minkevitch answered, "As we undertook the pilot and this protocol, we simply called (law enforcement) when a person has an illegal substance."

He said that if a person is on the other hand found with drug paraphernalia only, without any drug itself, the protocol is to tell them to leave the premises and bar them from accessing the shelter for a minimum of one night.SALT LAKE CITY  Decisions about the long-term fate of the Utah Science, Technology and Research initiative were kicked down the road Tuesday, though an interim legislative committee heard an exhaustive rundown of the work being done by the Governor's Office of Economic Development as part of that process.

Lawmakers, who slashed USTAR's budget by a third in the last session and canceled the agency's long-running work to recruit top-tier researchers for the University of Utah and Utah State University, are continuing to consider whether the effort, launched in 2005 by then-Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr., has outlived its usefulness.

Is the $20-25 million better spent on this  or is it better spent on roads and other infrastructure that are more, in my mind, justifiable government operations?  Rep. Marc Roberts, R-Salem

In June, USTAR was called to give a similar accounting to the Business, Economic Development and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee as committee members work to evaluate if there are any redundancies or overlaps between the two efforts. USTAR presenters were peppered with questions about whether the agency's work, which is focused on supporting the pipeline that carries research innovations into for-profit commercialization, is an appropriate role for government.

"We, as policymakers, have to make policy decisions," said Rep. Marc Roberts, R-Salem. "Is the $20-25 million better spent on this  or is it better spent on roads and other infrastructure that are more, in my mind, justifiable government operations?"

On Tuesday, Sen. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, raised a similar question about the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

"Is this the proper role of government," Anderegg questioned. "Is this something we should even be doing? Giving taxpayer dollars to a business and expecting a return?"

The office's executive director, Val Hale, and his team spent two hours providing details of the agency's work in hopes of providing lawmakers with evidence upon which to answer that question. He noted the state continues to be a success story, with nation-leading job growth, the most diverse economic portfolio in the country and a business friendly regulatory and tax environment.

The economic development office oversees more than a dozen different programs aimed at bolstering the state's economy, ranging from tourism to broadband deployment to corporate recruitment.

Tourism, perhaps not surprisingly, is the most monetarily successful of the office's efforts. Visitors to Utah's five national parks, 14 ski resorts and numerous state and local attractions generated some $9.2 billion in overall spending last year, netting $1.3 billion in state revenues. Hale praised Utah Office of Tourism, Film and Global Branding Director Vicki Varela as "hands down, the best in the country."

The next most lucrative of the office's economic development efforts is the Economic Development Tax Increment Financing program, which can grant companies up to 30 percent tax rebates for as long as 20 years for either moving to Utah or making the decision to stay and expand in the state.

Last year, that program had generated over $260 million, after costs, since its launch in 2004. The beauty of the program, Hale explained, is that the tax rebates are only granted "post-performance" so if a company does not perform to its projections in terms of jobs created or revenues generated, the state does not lose money.

Lawmakers were particularly interested in hearing about two of the economic development office's programs: the Technology Commercialization and Innovation Program and statewide Business Resource Centers, which some legislators believe may represent redundancies with work that USTAR is also involved with.

While Hale and his team provided updates on both those efforts, committee co-chair Sen. Daniel Hemmert, R-Orem said the conversation about what, if any, overlap is occurring would be placed on hold until the committee's October meeting.

"The governor's office is working on a deal that covers the USTAR questions," Hemmert said. "They should have something for us to review in anticipation of (the October meeting)."

Correction: An earlier version incorrectly spelled the name of Utah Office of Tourism, Film and Global Branding Director Vicki Varela as Vicky Varela. Also, an earlier version indicated Val Hale, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, praised Varela as "the best in the county." He actually referred to her as "the best in the country."SALT LAKE CITY  As expected, Salt Lake City leaders have decided to place an $87 million bond on the fall ballot to leave it up to voters to decide whether to pay slightly more in property taxes in order to fund street repairs.

The Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to place the question on the upcoming general election ballot.

If voters approve of the bond, it would replace two bonds expiring next year and raise taxes by up to $5 a year for the average Salt Lake City homeowner, according to city estimates.

I constantly hear the administration and the City Council complain about the lack of affordable housing in our city and in our county and turn around and then increase taxes on a very regular basis  Spencer Nitz, Capitol Hill neighborhood resident

If it passes, it would also be the third tax hike this year for Salt Lake City residents  after Salt Lake City leaders implemented a $33 million sales tax hike as a piece of their plan to fund needs including streets, police and affordable housing, and after Salt Lake County leaders, with the support of city leaders, enacted the once-failed $58 million sales tax hike to fund transportation projects.

To Spencer Nitz, who told the council he currently rents in the Capitol Hill neighborhood but has been in the market to buy, that series of tax hikes has him hesitant to actually purchase a home in Salt Lake City.

"You know, we're just seeing tax increases across the board, and the more I look into it, the less and less I'm inclined to purchase a house in the city," he said.

"I constantly hear the administration and the City Council complain about the lack of affordable housing in our city and in our county and turn around and then increase taxes on a very regular basis," Nitz continued. "It's pricing people right out of the city."

"I'd love to continue living in Salt Lake City, but at the rate that these increases are approved, I don't know in 15 or 20 years I'll be able to afford the property taxes on a house," he said.

But prior to the council's vote in a work session earlier Tuesday, staff members briefed the City Council on the results of public engagement and a third-party poll that found wide support for the bond.

In a poll conducted by Y2Analytics of 1,471 respondents, 72 percent indicated early support for the bond, but that support increased to 79 percent after more information was provided about the state of the city's streets.

A 2017 citywide pavement study showed nearly two-thirds of Salt Lake City's streets are in poor or worse condition. Paired with revenue from the $33 million sales tax hike, city officials recommended using the $87 million bond to help repair existing roads, and also bring the city's budget on a more sustainable trajectory.

"This is an opportunity after of ton of work ... to have a conversation with our community about a singular need, which is street reconstruction," Salt Lake City Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall said before the vote. "I'm glad we get to do this through a vote of the public."

Mendenhall noted the bond, if passed, would be "a piece" of the plan to put the city on a healthier path.

"It's such an enormous pothole of financial need ... that we need multiple streams of funding to even begin to get towards filling it," she said.

The City Council was also supportive of the county sales tax hike, welcoming any additional cash for road maintenance, but Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski  while she supported the city's own sales tax hike  was at odds with the Council over the county sales tax hike, saying it wasn't "the right time" amid a year of so many sales tax increases.

Still, the council and other cities in the county supported the tax hike, leading county leaders to enact it this year.

Biskupski recommended the city's proposed $87 million bond alongside the $33 million sales tax hike in her State of the City address earlier this year.

In a prepared statement issued Tuesday night, Biskupski applauded City Council leaders for putting the bond on the ballot.

"Voters now have the ability to decide whether to pay a little now or pay much more later to improve our deteriorating roads," Biskupski said. "I urge residents to study the bond, make an informed decision and then vote on the future of Salt Lake City streets.

More information about the bond can be found on the city's website at FundingOurFutureSLC.com.SALT LAKE CITY  The Supreme Court could answer a brainteaser next term if it agrees to hear a case centered on a 93-year-old cross: When is a Christian cross not Christian?

The answer, according to those fighting for the Peace Cross to remain on public land in Maryland, is when it honors fallen soldiers, rather than Jesus Christ.

"It's a veterans' memorial," said Hiram Sasser, deputy chief counsel for First Liberty Institute.

Others, including a majority of the judges serving the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, say a cross doesn't stop being Christian when a war-related plaque is attached.

"If you were approaching it in a motor vehicle, you wouldn't think 'Oh, there's a cross-shaped memorial.' You'd think, 'There's a huge Christian cross,'" said David Niose of the American Humanist Association, the organization that filed the lawsuit against the Peace Cross.

Cases involving crosses aren't new, but they're becoming more significant as the share of Americans who identify as Christian continues to drop. This figure fell from 78.4 percent in 2007 to 70.6 percent in 2014, according to Pew Research Center.

What would it mean for faith groups if the government got out of the cross business for good?

"Religious expression is a fundamental aspect of human culture, just like race, sex, music or art," said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel for Becket, a prominent religious liberty law firm based in Washington, D.C. "If we erase all religious references from the public square, that would tell a false story about who we are as human beings."

Memorial cross or cross-shaped memorial?

Sasser and Niose were referring to the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, a 40-foot tall structure that stands near the center of a busy intersection. Constructed in 1925, the cross honors World War I veterans from Prince George's County.

"It was put up to honor 49 men who made the ultimate sacrifice," Sasser said.

The cross and the land surrounding it were originally maintained by the American Legion, but the government took control in 1961 during a road construction project. Around $117,000 of public money has been spent on upkeep since then, according to The New York Times.

In 2014, the American Humanist Association and three Maryland residents sued the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, arguing that the government's ownership of the cross violates the First Amendment's establishment clause. The clause prohibits lawmakers from giving a faith group special treatment.

"These citizens came to us because they felt it was wrong for a large Christian cross to be on public property. We agree with them on that," said Niose, the legal director of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center, the legal arm of the American Humanist Association, which advocates on behalf of Americans who don't believe in God in legislatures and courtrooms across the country.

The American Legion, represented by First Liberty Institute, joined the state of Maryland's defense of the cross. They won at the district level, but the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed this decision in October 2017.

"Even in the memorial context, a Latin cross serves not simply as a generic symbol of death, but rather a Christian symbol of the death of Jesus Christ," the opinion explained.

Attorneys representing the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission have appealed to the Supreme Court with the support of many religious freedom groups, as well as the state of Utah. Justices could announce whether they'll hear Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission v. American Humanist Association as soon as early October.

"Even at the 4th Circuit where we lost, it was a relatively tight vote," Sasser said. "We should have somewhat of a favorable shot at the Supreme Court."

Legal questions

The Supreme Court has a confusing record on cases involving religious symbols, according to Goodrich, the Becket attorney. In the past, justices have allowed some crosses and Ten Commandments replicas to stay on public land or in government buildings, but they've disagreed on what justified the various rulings.

"The Supreme Court hasn't yet been able to get five votes for a consistent, coherent legal standard for resolving these cases," he said.

Legal experts, including Supreme Court justices, interpret the establishment clause differently, Goodrich noted. Some believe it outlaws only active interference with a faith group, like mandating church attendance. Others reject any government behavior that appears to endorse religious practice.

We should honor the memory of those who fought and died for our freedoms  Hiram Sasser, deputy chief counsel for First Liberty Institute

Previous, split decisions seemed to say that "the establishment clause is about protecting the feelings of (religious) outsiders," Goodrich said.

Cases involving religious symbols are also complicated by the context surrounding the monument or display in question. Judges may allow a cross or menorah on public land if it stands next to other religious symbols. They consider whether there's a secular purpose that outweighs a monument's religious associations.

Supporters emphasize that the Peace Cross isn't used for religious services and that it shares land with other war memorials. Its purpose is to honor veterans, not celebrate the Christian faith, Sasser said.

"We should honor the memory of those who fought and died for our freedoms," he said.

But Niose said the outcry surrounding the American Humanist Association's actions betrays the religious concerns at the heart of the case.

"The fact that people feel this is an attack on religion actually validates our position that this (cross) is a religious endorsement," he said.

What's at stake

Like legal experts, religious freedom advocates don't agree on what to do about crosses on government land. In these cases, supporting religious expression in the public square can make it seem like you're disinterested in the concerns of non-Christian Americans.

The Peace Cross "asserts the truth of one religion and, implicitly but necessarily, the falsehood of all other religions," said Doug Laycock, an expert on religious freedom law at the University of Virginia, to The New York Times last year.

For Becket, support for religious symbols wins out. The organization rejects the notion that religion should stay in private, Goodrich said, noting that Becket has advocated on behalf of a Jewish menorah, too.

"What Becket is working for is not a world in which no religious person ever feels offended about anything. The government should be true to our humanity and history and culture," he said.

He compared government stewardship of crosses to publicly funded St. Patrick's Day parades and government participation in African-American history month. Religion is a big part of American culture and should be celebrated as such, he said.

When you outlaw religious symbols from the public square, "it impoverishes our culture," Goodrich said.

Becket has filed a brief in support of the Peace Cross and currently represents another publicly owned cross in court. In Amanda Kondrat'yev, et al. v. City of Pensacola, Florida, they're fighting to protect a cross erected at the start of World War II that stands in a public park.

As in Maryland, the American Human Association is currently winning in Florida. Becket appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and a ruling is expected any day. This case could end up before the Supreme Court next term, Goodrich said.

Cross supporters warn that recent losses for crosses could lead to a reshaping of the American landscape. Sasser worries about a famous cross in Arlington National Cemetery, which stands near the tomb of the unknown soldier.

"Are we going to tear that down, too?" he asked.

The American Humanist Association and the non-Christians it represents aren't on a search and destroy mission, Niose said. The goal is to separate church and state, not to tear down all signs of faith.

"It's really just a matter of getting people to understand there's nothing wrong with large religious symbols as long as the government isn't the entity that's displaying them," he said.MIDVALE  A Taylorsville man was shot by a Unified police officer during a scuffle in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant early Wednesday.

Steve Michael Darrel Hawkins, 26, was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound to his lower, side torso. He was released from the hospital a short time later and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault on a police officer, interfering with an arrest, possession of a dangerous weapon and public intoxication.

The officer was not injured, thanks in part to his bulletproof vest.

The incident began about 1:30 a.m. when a Unified police officer spotted a man acting "erratically" in the parking lot of a closed McDonald's, 425 W. 7200 South, though police did not immediately go into detail about what the man was doing that raised the officer's suspicion.

"It is 1:30 in the morning. The McDonalds is closed. So anytime anyone is wandering around at night in a closed business parking lot, just that behavior in and of itself would invoke some suspicion, said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray.

At some point after the officer approached Hawkins to talk to him, the two became involved in a fight, Gray said. In his jail mug shot, Hawkins' right eye is black and swollen shut. Gray said the black eye is the result of his fight with the officer.

During the fight, Hawkins pulled out a screwdriver and stabbed the officer, she said. Although his uniform was torn, Gray said "the officer's ballistic vest was able to protect him from receiving any injuries."

After being stabbed, the officer shot at Hawkins, striking him once, Gray said. It was not immediately known how far away the officer was from Hawkins when he fired.

The officer, whose name was not released, has been with Unified police for eight years. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation from an officer-involved shooting protocol team led by Salt Lake police.

In 2016, Hawkins was convicted of assault for punching his dad in the face, according to court records. He spent about 30 days in jail and was ordered to undergo an anger management class. In 2013, Hawkins was convicted of assault in another domestic violence-related case. He was charged two other times with domestic violence assault, according to court records, but those cases were later dismissed.

Contributing: Caitlin BurchillSALT LAKE CITY  Heres a look at the news for Aug. 15.

Operation Rio Grande celebrates 1-year anniversary

Utah leaders celebrated the one-year anniversary of Operation Rio Grande, an effort to curb drug and homeless issues across the Salt Lake area, the Deseret News reported.

State, city and county leaders gathered at The Gateway mall Tuesday to mark the anniversary.

They all reported on the successes of the operation so far.

"There is no 'mission accomplished' banner hanging behind us," said Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox.

He said the officials have found "problems, roadblocks and impediments we knew would be there."

Read more.

Idaho nuclear power plan could be game changing for Utah

A new modular nuclear power plant design in Idaho might have benefits for Utah, according to the Deseret News.

Edward McGinnis, principal deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, said the NuScale Technology design will display the new phase of nuclear energy.

And it could be game changing for Utah.

"I would say that I have never seen a moment in time in the United States from a transformative perspective that we are seeing in nuclear energy," he said.

Read more.

Utah driver's licenses could cause issues

Utahns might have some problems when they arrive at the airport if theyre using their state-issued IDs, according to the Deseret News.

A missing star on Utahs drivers licenses could lead to people getting turned away.

Stars are important for the Department of Homeland Security. The licenses are supposed to have them.

"It's a card design flaw that's causing this problem," Chris Caras, director of the Utah Driver's License Division, told a legislative panel Tuesday.

Read more.

Nearly 40 people dead in Italy bridge collapse

Thirty-nine people died Tuesday when a bridge in Genoa collapsed at about 12 p.m. local time, ruining 35 cars and three trucks too, according to Al Jazeera.

The 50-meter Morandi Bridge is one of the citys main arteries.

Prosecutors launched an investigation into the collapse as rescuers search for more survivors.

Francesco Cozzi, the head of Genoas public prosecutors office, said he is ready to "open a file for negligent multiple homicide and disaster.

Weather and corrosion could have been factors in the collapse.

Read more.

AROUND THE WEB:UTAH STATE PRISON  It's been 20 years since Milo R. Simper shot his girlfriend, Libby Fowler, killing her and her unborn child.

But Fowler's family says as long as Simper, now 53, is truly remorseful for what he has done, it is time for him to be released from prison.

"If he still has remorse for what he has done, I believe he should be released, but I want him to know that what he has done has scarred a lot of people, Jerica Drew, Fowler's youngest daughter, recently told the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

"My husband and I think you deserve a second chance and recommend parole, concurred Necia Harris, Fowler's sister.

On Dec. 21, 1997, Fowler and Simper got into a fight at their Lehi home. At trial, Simper's attorneys described the couple as having a violent relationship, and both struggled with drugs and alcohol. On that night, Simpler returned with a shotgun after arguing with Fowler and shot her in the head, killing her and their 17-week-old fetus.

Because the murders were determined not to be premeditated, Simpler was able to enter into a plea agreement, pleading guilty to murder, a first-degree felony, and manslaughter, a second-degree felony.

Simpler was granted parole in 2013, but his release date was set for Jan. 10, 2023. Because it was set that far out, he was allowed to have a "redetermination request" after five years if he chose.

On Aug. 7, Simper attended that hearing, going before pardons board member Clark Harms to ask to be released early.

"I feel like Ive worked hard in trying to better myself. My family is aging, my father is getting older and I would like to spend some time with him, he told Harms in a recording of the hearing.

Simper pointed out that he has a good work record while in prison, has completed 18 life skills classes  such as anger management, stress management and substance abuse courses  earned an associate's degree through Snow College and is currently working on a bachelor's degree from Utah State University.

"Theres a better way than to let your anger escalate to that point, he said when asked how he would deal with stressful situations differently than before if released from prison.

But the most compelling statements came from Drew and Harris. Harris told Harms that Fowler's children have "suffered terribly" since their mother's death, and have struggled physically and emotionally. Drew said she has post-traumatic stress disorder and typically finds herself "camping in the middle of nowhere."

"They did not deserve your stupid, selfish decision that night on my moms birthday, four days before Christmas. It has devastated our family and every Christmas since, Harris said.

However, Harris said if Simper can take responsibility for his actions, she wants him to help others when he is released.

"Im sorry. I feel so bad for them. My actions have taken so much away," Simper responded in tears. "I think about them all the time."

Simper said he would like to talk to youth when he gets out as part of a volunteer program, "so that they dont make the same mistakes."

The board is expected to make a decision in a few weeks.SALT LAKE CITY  Count My Vote made its case before the Utah Supreme Court for getting on the November election ballot Wednesday after being disqualified because nearly 3,000 residents removed their names from its initiative petitions.

The justices peppered lawyers for the group seeking a change in the law and the state defending Utah's initiative petition process with questions during a nearly two-hour hearing in what Attorney General Sean Reyes afterward called a "hot bench."

Much of the arguments centered on a person's right to sign and remove their signature from a ballot initiative petition. Justices also honed in on the 30-day period during which signers can remove their names after the petition is submitted to the state elections office for verification.

"To me, it comes down to my right to control my vote," Chief Justice Matthew Durrant said at one point.

Justice Paige Petersen disagreed that it's about individual rights. She said the law makes it much easier to "knock down" an initiative petition than to get one on the ballot.

"We dont give voters a window to think about their vote and go in and change their vote," she said.

Utah Solicitor General Tyler Green defended the 30-day period, noting those supporting an initiative have more than eight months to collect signatures. He said the law gives time for the state elections office to verify the signatures and people an opportunity to see if their names were fraudulently added to the petition.

Count My Vote attorney Matt Cannon argued the ability for people to take their names off the petition amounts to "veto power" over the entire initiative. The right to sign a petition and the right to remove a signature are not equal, he said.

Just over 113,000 voters statewide must sign an initiative, and the threshold must be met in at least 26 of the 29 districts. Count My Vote says it submitted more than 131,000 validated signatures.

Nearly 3,000 people had their names removed from the initiative, intended to maintain the current candidate nomination process that offers an alternative to the traditional political party caucus and convention system to get on the primary election ballot.

As a result, the initiative fell short of the required signatures in three state Senate districts where the required threshold had been exceeded, according to the lieutenant governor's office, which oversees elections.

Keep My Voice, a group that had initially intended to circulate a counterinitiative doing away with the 2014 legislative compromise known as SB54 that created the dual path to the primary ballot, targeted petition signers in specific Senate districts.

Backers of the initiative for the dual track asked the Utah Supreme Court to throw out the provision in the law allowing for voter signatures to be removed. The group contends if the provision is either declared unconstitutional or determined not to have been followed correctly, the Count My Vote initiative should be on the November ballot.

The court took the issue under advisement but is expected to rule before the state elections office certifies the ballot on Aug. 31.

Count My Vote argues that the signature removal process "stacks the deck" in favor of an initiative's opponents. Petitions turned into the state include signers' addresses and contact information.

Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, co-executive chairman of Count My Vote, said after the hearing that the law gives opponents a "treasure map" to find and persuade people to remove their names.

"The question that was addressed today is whether the system is lopsided. I believe it is. I think it needs to be changed," he said.

Leavitt said Utahns like the dual track nomination process and want a chance to vote on keeping it place.

Phill Wright, a Utah Republican Party Central Committee member and Count My Vote opponent, said after the hearing that the ability for people to remove their names from a petition is not only fair it's the law.

At stake, he said, is the "right of an individual to determine if they're going to vote for something or if they become more educated in the end and say, 'That's not really what I wanted,' the right to remove their vote."

The "relative ease" by which an opposition group can remove signatures, especially considering the difficulty of obtaining valid signatures, "imposes an undue burden on the people's constitutional right to initiative legislation," the petition states.

The law does not tip the scale toward initiative foes who urge signers to have their names erased, Green argued in court filings. As evidence, he said, three of four initiatives in Utah, including a medical marijuana question that faced a similar signature-removal push, won enough support to make the November ballot.

Green argued in court documents that "the state obviously shares (Count My Vote's) desire that elections and initiatives be fair  but that also includes fairness for initiative signers" who retain the right to withdraw their names before a state-imposed deadline.

If the court were to find the law unconstitutional or strike sections that Count My Vote argues are unfair, it would throw the state elections office into chaos as it tries to come up with new rules ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline to certify ballots, Green said.DRAPER  American flags, fire engines, and thousands of co-workers, friends and complete strangers lined the streets and freeway overpasses to welcome home a fallen hero.

"It's good to have Matt home," Unified Fire Authority Capt. Jay Torgersen said on behalf of fallen Utah firefighter's family Wednesday night.

The body of Draper Battalion Chief Matt "Matty" Burchett, 42, was returned to Utah on Wednesday evening. He was killed in the line of duty in California.

"Utah offered a wonderful sunset on his arrival at the airport today. It's something Matt would have loved," said Torgersen, a longtime friend and co-worker, who read a statement from the Burchett family.

A C130-J plane from the California Air National Guard flew Burchett's casket to Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base, 765 N. 2200 West, where it was then loaded into a hearse and escorted by a processional of fire engines, Utah Highway Patrol motorcycles and Draper police cars along I-215 to the Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 1007 S. Jordan Parkway.

At the funeral home, firefighters and citizens lined the street with American flags. The hearse passed under a large U.S. flag hanging from a ladder of a Draper fire engine as it approached, while family and friends awaited Burchett's arrival. Amazing Grace was played on a bagpipe as his casket was unloaded from the hearse and brought into the funeral home.

Funeral services are scheduled for Monday.

American flags also waved from freeway overpasses marking the procession's course from the airport to the mortuary. The mood was somber as firefighters and police officers from Salt Lake and West Valley gathered with some community members on the 2700 South overpass. Salt Lake City firefighter paramedic Daniel Jorgenson said it matched the mood among firefighters in the area this week.

"The atmosphere has been solemn, respectful, a lot of reflection. Thinking about how it could happen to anyone, you know?" said Jorgenson, who became a firefighter a year ago.

When the flashing lights of trooper motorcycles and police cars approached in the darkness, silence fell over the group of 20 to 30 firefighters and police officers as they stood at attention and saluted their fallen brother.

Jorgenson said it was meaningful to be part of the procession to show his respect and appreciation for his fallen brother.

"It's probably been a little bit hard for my wife. She married a firefighter, and she knew what she was getting into ... she's been really, really supportive," Jorgenson said.

Salt Lake City Fire Captain Cass Christopher, who has been with the department for 18 years, said "A lot of us knew him very well and know his family. So it's been a time of reflection for us all, for sure. We all know that our job is dangerous and has those kind of possibilities. But when it's someone you're close to and it's part of your family  it really hits home pretty hard."

"It reminds us all to appreciate the men that you work with every day," Christopher said.

He recalled Burchett "always had a smile" and was "always positive."

"He was the first one to get up and get going, and the last one to sit down," he said.

Christopher said the spouses and older children of many area firefighters have shown concern for them after Burchett's death. "It touched us all, let's just put it that way," he said.

"The fire service is just one big family. All of our wives and kids, we all hang out together, we all know each other and our families grow up together basically. And so it's hard not to have a loss like this and not have it affect us across the board," Christopher said.

After the procession had passed, a battalion chief from out of state who helped plan the procession said it was "such an honor to be a part of it, to pay our respects."

"It shows you that even though we're spread far apart, we're still one very small group  we rely an awful lot on each other," added the battalion chief, who asked not to be named.

The Cal Fire Honor Guard watched over Burchett's body following his death until it could be returned to Utah Wednesday. Members delivered his casket along with an honor guard representative of both the Draper Fire Department and Unified Fire Authority.

Burchett's wife, brother and a family friend were picked up by California Gov. Jerry Brown's plane earlier in the day and flown to California so they could accompany their loved one's casket home.

Torgersen said the family sincerely appreciates the love and support they have received across the country since Burchett's death, noting it "has been unbelievable and has helped ease the pain and made this difficult time a little bit easier for the family."

He said the family was humbled during the procession to see "literally thousands of people who paid their last respects as Matt made his journey home."

Burchett, a veteran firefighter with a speciality in wildland firefighting, was killed Monday while helping crews fighting the Mendocino Complex Fire north of San Francisco. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said a tree fell on Burchett while he was working. He was flown by medical helicopter out of the area to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

About 40 firefighters from Salt Lake City, Draper, Murray, Lone Peak, Provo, Uintah City in Weber County and West Valley City left Utah on Aug. 2 to join more than 12,000 firefighters from throughout the country who are helping California firefighters.

Waiting outside the funeral home on Wednesday, many of Burchett's fellow firefighters were having a hard time coming to terms with the loss of someone who was not only considered the expert in Utah in wildland firefighting, but who was also a great family man and person.

"Matt was a really humble dude, and an expert in his field. And he was respected extremely highly in the fire service," said Unified Fire Authority spokesman Eric Holmes. "We took a pretty devastating loss. It's going to be pretty difficult to get over what Matt brought to everybody.

"You will not find anybody that can speak negatively about him," Holmes continued. "He spent so many hours, so many years perfecting his craft that he was a mentor to everyone, he was a friend to everyone. He's an irreplaceable person and it's difficult to think about what his family is going to have to endure."

Burchett joined the Draper Fire Department in May after serving the Unified Fire Authority for 20 years. He went to California last year to help fight wildfires and became the liaison between California and all of Utah's firefighters.

"It's difficult to imagine the fire service without him," Holmes said. "This is a guy you want to follow on a regular basis. Whether you're in the fire station or whether you're in a park throwing a frisbee. This is a guy you want to hang out with. He is super well respected. It's going to be difficult for a lot of people to sit around the coffee table in the morning and not have that conversation with Matty Burchett."

"Matt was known for his sense of humor, his work ethic, and his desire to make things better. He led by example. He was one of those leaders everyone truly wanted to work with and he truly inspired those he did work with. People didn't work for Matt, they worked with Matt," Torgersen read from the family statement. "Matt's tragic death this week has left a hole in the heart of the Burchett family and in the hearts of all who knew him and had the pleasure of being around him."

Torgersen became emotional as he read one last wish from the Burchett family.

"The Burchett family would also like to remind everybody to reach out to those you love and care about. Put your arm around them. Hug them tightly. Don't take the time for granted. Reach out to those you love. Take advantage of all the time you have and live every day to the fullest. That's truly what Matt did, and that's truly what he wishes for all of us."

A fund has been set up by the Utah Firefighters Emerald Society to help Burchett's family.SALT LAKE CITY  Her 4-year-old daughter now is confident and happy, but Amie Schofield fears the girl's self-assurance will fade.

The intersex child identifies as a girl, but her birth certificate indicates she is a boy. And as Utah lawmakers consider guidelines for how Utahns can legally change their gender in the courts, Schofield wants them to keep in mind her daughter, Victory, who was born with both male and female characteristics.

If the girl is not able to one day match the document to the gender she knows herself to be, "she will start carrying the shame that comes with being outside what society has chosen for her," Schofield, of Ogden, told members of a legislative panel Wednesday at the Utah Capitol.

Utahns have long had the option to petition a judge to have their gender changed on their birth certificates, but judges lack guidance from the Legislature, said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross. He sponsored an unsuccessful bill that sought to set the standards last year.

Weiler said judges in some areas, and specifically in Salt Lake County, will grant almost any application, but in other districts, they will deny most any petition.

"There's really no uniformity. A judge can make up their own rules and grant or deny whatever the applicant is asking," Weiler said. "The world has moved. The landscape has shifted. The Legislature has remained silent, so we have judges and executive branch employees reacting to those changes with no guidance from the Legislature."

The Judiciary Interim Committee voted to continue the discussion on the measure. Rep. Merrill Nelson, the Grantsville Republican and lone panel member to vote no, suggested Utah disallow the change altogether.

Weiler noted that last year's version failed following lengthy discussion and sometimes emotional debate, in large part because people on both sides of the issue were unhappy with his bill.

Many LGBT advocates believed the measure didn't go far enough because it pertained only to those older than 18, therefore not allowing 16-year-olds to make the change before they receive drivers' licenses, he said. He said several Republican lawmakers opposed the measure, believing it went too far.

Drew Armstrong, of Pleasant Grove, told the panel his son Tyler, who is transgender, is "just another one of the guys." That reality now is reflected on his birth certificate after a judge signed off on a name and gender change in February, Armstrong said.

"They just want to be treated like any other kid," the father said of Tyler and the boy's peers after the hearing.

The Utah Supreme Court heard arguments in January from two Utahns who sought to have their birth certificates match their gender identity but were refused by judges. No ruling has been issued.

Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, said he had concerns about a new law taking effect before the court decision, especially if the court rules on a constitutional issue.

"My frustration with this bill, No. 1, is I didn't find anyone who liked it," Hillyard added. "I found that both sides were adamantly opposed to the bill."

Despite the controversy, a growing number of Utahns are having their birth certificates altered to indicate the gender they identify with, according to the Utah Department of Health.

Fifty-seven did so last year, up from just nine in 2012. The yearly high was in 2016, at 66, said Rich Oborn, the registrar and bureau director for the department's vital statistics office. Some of those included in the figures were under the age of 18, he said. And as of July, 36 Utahns had taken home a new certificate with an updated gender classification this year.

Judges can currently choose to order that the new birth certificate indicate a change has been made. By contrast, when adoptions take place or someone changes their name, it generally isn't noted on the document, Weiler said.

Chris Caras, director of the Utah Driver License Division, said his agency issues new licenses based on the birth certificates and passports drivers submit.

"They're not very prevalent, but we do process those periodically," Caras said. Under a Barack Obama-era policy, gender on a passport can be changed with a letter from a doctor, Weiler added.

Ahead of the hearing, the conservative Sutherland Institute submitted a statement supporting the measure, writing that the ambiguity has exposed vulnerable Utahns to inequities in the law. The group wrote that it is "prudent and responsible" for the Legislature to set standards addressing the ambiguity.

A new proposal Weiler is drafting would require those seeking the change to provide testimony or another form of proof they have identified with the new gender for at least six months, and would prohibit making the change for illegal or fraudulent ends, he said.

Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum, opposed the bill, saying she believed the criteria, including the six-month period, aren't strong enough, and would essentially take away judges' ability to deny petitions.

"I think the balance is going all to one side," Ruzicka said.

The panel reconvenes Oct. 17.SALT LAKE CITY  While the proliferation of rentable, electric scooters in Utah's capital is currently hovering at around 1,000 vehicles, local transportation experts' testimony on the new systems before a legislative committee Wednesday was overwhelmingly positive.

The response is notable as so-called dockless mobility companies have been earning mixed reviews across the country with host cities taking a wide variety of actions following the arrival of the new transportation systems, including doing nothing, imposing strict rules, implementing outright bans or launching legal action.

Dockless companies, like Lime and Bird Rides Inc., both of which are currently operating in Salt Lake City, rent scooters and bikes for rides via a smartphone app, and instead of needing to be returned to a designated location, or dock, they can be left wherever users finish their trips. Locating a vehicle to rent is also coordinated by the app, which identifies available scooters or bikes with a digital map.

Lime's Director of Strategic Development Gabriel Scheer told lawmakers his company, which just celebrated its 6 millionth ride after 14 months in business, is focused on filling an unmet transportation niche.

"Our vision as a company is to make things work better in cities," Scheer said. "And specifically to do so by making mobility more sustainable, more efficient and more equitable."

Scheer said one of the biggest challenges for Lime, and other efforts that are disrupting old transportation assumptions with new, tech-driven options, is creating comfort with the unfamiliar. He noted that going back 100 years and envisioning how a horseback rider might be assessing the arrival of the automobile may lead to some of the same questions being asked of new ideas, like dockless electric scooters. Where do you leave it? Why are there so many of them? And, why do we need them?

Salt Lake City transportation officials had anticipated the arrival of Lime, Bird and others, and though Bird flew into town unannounced in June, the company took a hiatus shortly afterward to allow the city to assemble an operating agreement aimed at laying some ground rules for the new system. The process, which relied on input from operators as well as some guidelines created by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, led to an outline of operating requirements that all dockless companies must adhere to if they want to operate in Salt Lake City.

Jon Larsen, the city's transportation director, told the Deseret News that the overarching goal of the contract is to ensure public safety.

"These (rules) came from our own knowledge and observing how these systems have worked in other cities and the kinds of issues that have been encountered and complaints raised," Larsen said. "We're working to get ahead of that here  and our top priority is public health and safety."

Larsen noted that, thus far, complaints and/or issues related to the scooters have been minimal and the city is currently gathering additional information via a survey effort. Sidewalk riding in the central business district is prohibited by longstanding municipal code for scooters and bicycles and is an issue that Larsen said "is probably the most difficult, complicated thing."

Residents or business owners who encounter issues or have scooter-related questions can contact the city via dockless@slcgov.com.

Utah Transit Authority Director of Governmental Relations Matt Sibul told the committee that most public transit users, around 80 percent, walk to their nearest transit connection. He noted UTA views innovations like dockless scooters in a positive light as another option to connect people with buses and trains.

"Bottom line for us at UTA is anything that helps our customers get to the transit system and connect to it, were absolutely embracing that," Sibul said. "Were also looking for opportunities to partner with Bird and Lime and others committed to this market.  Ultimately, these are all users of the transit system."

According to Scheer, Lime has racked up some big user numbers in just 2  weeks in operation in Utah. He said about 10,000 riders have made over 30,000 trips, traveling over 40,000 miles in that time.

While no current state laws prohibit the operation of the vehicles rented by Lime and Bird, there is one rule that applies specifically to motorized scooters that the companies would like to see modified. That prohibition forbids powered scooters from being used on roadways with four or more lanes or with speed limits in excess of 25 mph.

City officials agreed with scooter operators that the best approach would be to make rules identical for all bikes and scooters, since they essentially operate at about the same speeds and in a similar manner. Members of the Transportation Interim Committee sounded amenable to reviewing that rule and potentially modifying it in the next session.

Scheer noted his company has encountered similar challenges in other cities, where it's sometimes the case that standing statutes just don't account for new transportation modes, like powered scooters. He also noted that Lime, which operates other dockless systems including standard as well as electric-powered bicycles, is interested in expanding its offerings to Salt Lake residents.

"We'd love to launch our e-bikes here," Scheer said.

Larsen said while only two companies, Lime and Bird, have so far secured business licenses and begun operations in Salt Lake City, several other companies have expressed interest in launching additional dockless mobility systems.New research from Tutela analysing 4G speeds in Brazil shows that Vivo and Claro are battling for first place in the Latin American market.

Claro holds first place in 10 out of 26 regions, while Vivo comes in at a close second with the fastest 4G download speeds in 9 regions. TIM leads download speeds in 8 regions when speeds are averaged across both 3G and 4G.

To collect its results, Tutela analysed over 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) network performance measurements so far in Brazil this year, including over 60 million speed tests from more than 10 million devices, the biggest ever mobile network performance analysis for the country. Tutelas latest research analysed over seven million mobile speed tests in June alone and calculated the average speeds that users are getting on each network.

The research also highlights the difference between the download speeds available in the north and south, with the south receiving speeds of up to three times faster. When looking at different cities, Sao Paulo reports the fastest average download speeds across all networks, where users can expect speeds of 12.10Mbps, and Roraima brings up the rear, where users get by on just 4.20Mbps.

Tom Luke, Vice President, Tutela, said: These results show a clear contrast between network speeds on offer to those in the north and the speeds available to those in the south. Our data indicates that there is around double the amount of telecoms infrastructure in the south of Brazil than there is in the north. Additionally, many major data centre hosting providers have significantly more infrastructure presence in the South, delivering a better experience to those closer.

Tutela tests mobile networks in a way that represents the day-to-day usage and experience of real-world mobile users. The methodology and configuration simulate typical user mobile behaviour, such as accessing websites or downloading and sending images, rather than the more traditional testing of mobile network speeds, which have been based upon maximum potential speeds for mobile networks under optimum test conditions.The best thing about convertible laptops is the fact that they merge the best of two worlds. You get the productivity offered by a traditional laptop along with the convenience of being able to use the laptop in multiple modes. The Yoga series from Lenovo is probably the most appropriate and recognisable representation of convertible laptops today. Lenovo has pioneered the convertible segment by being an early entrant in the space with its Yoga series of convertible laptops that cater to a wide range of buyers, from affordable to premium, Lenovo has a Yoga offering for every kind of buyer. The Lenovo Yoga 730 is the latest in the Yoga series and it manages to offer the classic Yoga promise with latest hardware and all the necessary improvisations that make for a powerful and versatile convertible laptop. Lets dive straight into the key features that make the Lenovo Yoga 730 so special.

Multiple options

The Lenovo Yoga 730 is available in two variants, one with a 13.3-inch display and another with a 15.6-inch display. While both devices are pretty similar, there are certain hardware differences between the two, besides the obvious difference in size. This gives buyers multiple option, so they can choose a device based on their needs and budget.

Slim is in

A laptop needs to be easy to carry around and it seems like Lenovo kept this in mind when designing the Yoga 730. The 13.3-inch variant is 13.9mm at its thinnest, while the 15.6-inch variant 16.9mm at its thinnest point. Thanks to its thinness, the laptop is easy to carry around in a bag.

The joy of 4K

As mentioned earlier, the Lenovo Yoga 730 is available in two display sizes, a 13.3-inch variant and a 15.6-inch variant. However, both variants offers users the same options of the panel. They can choose between a UHD display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, or an FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Further, both laptops offer support for Lenovo Active Pen 2 stylus, which comes bundled with the device. So buyers dont have to feel left out for choosing a particular variant of the Yoga 730.

Impressive performance

Both variants of the Lenovo Yoga 730 are available with up to an 8th Gen Core i7 processor, which is one of the newest chipsets from Intel. However, those who purchase the 15.6-inch variant of the laptop will get an additional option a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card, instead of Intels built-in graphics card. This should be good news to those who plan to do a little bit of gaming on their device.

Lasts for hours and offers Rapid Charge

Battery backup is one off the most important things to look out for in any portable device. It seems like Lenovo knew this all too well when making Yoga 730. The company says that the 15.6-inch variant of the can offer up to 9 hours of use with the UHD display, and up to 11 hours with the FHD display. The 13.3-inch variant tops this by offering 11.5 hours of battery life regardless of the display resolution. Furthermore, the smaller variant of the Yoga also comes with a Rapid Charge technology. Lenovo says that this allows the 13.3-inch variant of the two offers 2 hours of use with 15 minutes of charging.

[Sponsored Post]In the age of fitness bloggers and exorbitant gym prices, the latest development in New Yorks wellness scene shouldnt come as a surprise. But seriously: $900 per month? If I joined it would work out to be about $100 per sit up (10 sit ups per month is a good PB, right?).

But Performix House is not your typical gym. Most places will entice you with a free trial, then call you more often than a clingy ex until you agree to sign up. At Performix you have to convince them youre good enough to be a member.

As reported by the New York Post, After filling out the online formand providing an Instagram handle, of courseapplicants must undergo a phone interview with their director of membership, followed by an in-person consultation with a trainer.

Whether this is exclusive or snobby is irrelevant: its a marketers wet dream: In a fitness-obsessed age where hoards of boutique studios offer to curate the perfect workout experiencefrom the design of the locker room to an instructors playlistPerformix is taking it a step further, promising to make sure your fellow gymgoers are also top-notch. This involves a review of each applicants Instagram.

We simply want to see, from a real-life feed, how they live their life [We want] people who want to live a fitness-driven lifestyle. Its as much a mentality as it is physical, (The Post).

Since opening its doors in February, the gym has accepted about 240 out of 1,000 applicants. According to founder Matt Hesse, the plan now is to cap membership at 500, creating a place where fitness bloggers and celebrities like Mark Consuelos, Hannah Bronfman and Nina Agdal, Dont have to worry about a rabid fan on the spin bike next to them (NYP).

Although this sounds elitist, the idea isnt to bar the door to non-famous peasants. Its to attract a mix of celebrities and non-creepy normal people with exceptional attitude. Now who knows how the selection process really worksfor all we know theres a 16 year old intern going through applications and picking the best looking people he canbut according to the gyms website, having a six pack and Kim Ks glutes/implants isnt what gets you in, its your desire for (and insta-proof of) self improvement.

If you get in your reward will be:

8,000-square-foot gym, with a clandestine back entrance.

Slushie machine serving leucine-, isoleucine- and valine-infused pre-training energizer (and recovery) drinks.

An AstroTurf area for pushing sleds.

Weights suitable for Olympic weight lifters.

A 3-D-imaging machine that shows where all of the fat on your body is.

Like minded #ballers.

Further highlights include the locker rooms, which have private massage rooms, infrared saunas with big-screen TVs that stream Netflix and cryotherapy chambers. And thats not to mention the content studio, which has lights and four cameras set up for fitness influencers to use at their leisure.

There are three types of membership, at $250, $400 and $900 per month. The lower two tiers are allowed to use a base amount of amenitiesthen must pay for extras a la carte. Interest piqued? Better go clean up your Insta story then

RELATED: Things You Should Never Do After A Workout SessionA recent report published by the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) has revealed that 2,349 new jobs in the accommodation and food services sector have been created in County Donegal since the introduction of the reduced VAT rate of 9% in July 2011.

This report identifies the direct and indirect employment associated with the introduction of the reduced VAT rate of 9%. Between Q2 2011 and Q1 2018, the number of people working in the accommodation & food services sector nationally increased by 54,400, taking total employment from 117,300 to 171,700 on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The sector also accounted for 7.7% of total employment in the economy in the first quarter of 2018. At a national level, the increase in indirect employment as a result of the job creation in the accommodation & food services sector is estimated at 25,024. The increase in direct and indirect employment is estimated at 79,424.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland is urging Government to retain the 9% VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality industry as they believe it has improved the competitiveness of the sector, while ensuring the viability of many small businesses that have been going through challenging times. The RAI is asking Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe T.D, not to return the VAT rate to 13.5%.

Meanwhile Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, who has hinted that the the 9 per cent VAT rate could be increased for large hotels and kept low for the rest of the industry, has stated that rural Ireland shouldnt be hit by any changes to the VAT rate for the tourism sector.

The Minister had suggested a two-tier tax system for big hotels and the rest of the hospitality sector.Dundalk currently has the highest commercial vacancy rate for towns in County Louth at 18.8% - 4.4% higher the county average.

The GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, published by GeoDirectory, also outlined that Louth's commercial vacancy rate was 14.4 percent for the period of the second quarter of 2018 - an increase of 0.1% when compared with the same period in 2017.

The company carried out an analysis of 80 towns across the four provinces and found that Ardee was the town with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in Louth at 11.6%.

Nationwide the commercial vacancy rate currently stands at 13.1%. 14 counties have recorded a decline in commercial vacancy rates compared to only two counties at the same period in 2017.

A statement from GeoDirectory said: "This suggests that the economic recovery is slowly beginning to take hold outside of Dublin. However, there is still a clear divide between counties in the East and West of the country, and in urban and rural areas, in terms of commercial vacancies."

Elsewhere, Dublin was the county that recorded the largest commercial vacancy rate decline in Q2 2018. Within the capital, 16 districts out of 22 recorded vacancy rates lower than the national average. Dublin 2, registered a significant drop in its commercial vacancy rate (5.6pp), while Dublin 16, at 7.1 per cent, had the lowest commercial vacancy rate in Dublin. In contrast, the highest commercial vacancy rates in Dublin were found in Dublin 8 and Dublin 11, both at 15.8 per cent.

Meath and Kerry were the counties with the lowest commercial vacancy rates in the country at 10.4 per cent, while Sligo was once again the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate at 18.8 per cent.



At a provincial level, Leinsters commercial vacancy rate stood at 12.3 per cent, while at the other end of the scale, Connacht had the highest provincial commercial vacancy rate at 16.3 per cent. Of the ten counties with commercial vacancy rates lower than the national average, six were located in Leinster. All five counties in Connacht had commercial vacancy rates higher than the national average.

Annette Hughes, Director of EY-DKM Economic Consultants said: The national commercial vacancy rate has fallen by nearly half a percentage point to June 2018 compared with the corresponding level in June 2017, with over half the counties in Ireland registering a decline. However, the stubbornly high commercial vacancy rates in western counties remain a concern, with Connacht, on average, 4pp higher than Leinster.Research institute KWR and grondwater monitoring specialist Royal Eijkelkamp provided the Ozgashkliti Institute in Uzbekistan with the software tool Menyanthes to monitor fluctuating groundwater levels in the city of Urgench.

The Uzbek institute wanted to monitor the groundwater levels and use hydrological analyses to better understand the fluctuating levels and solve the problems these fluctuations caused.

Royal Eijkelkamp and KWR also helped building the necessary capacity within the institute by training the institutes engineers.

Adequate groundwater monitoring

For years, the city of Urgench suffers from high (saline) groundwater levels, leading to infrastructure damage, corrosion of underground pipes and flooding of basements.

Ozgashkliti Institute realized that the first step to tackle these problems is adequate monitoring of groundwater levels and hydrological analysis to understand functioning of the groundwater fluctuations.

The institute contacted Royal Eijkelkamp and KWR to help them realize this monitoring and analysis and the project has recently been completed.

Dataloggers in wells

Royal Eijkelkamp has installed groundwater monitoring wells throughout the city of Urgench, each well equipped with state of the art dataloggers.

2D groundwater map as produced by Menyanthes to analyse the changing levels (photo: KWR)

Data from these loggers is automatically sent to a central control room in near real time, from where engineers use it for hydrological analysis and forecasting, using KWRs software tool Menyanthes.

Apart from delivering this software, KWR has extensively trained the engineers of Ozgashkliti Institute in hydrological modelling and data management.

Tools and capacity building

As a result, the engineers at Ozgashkliti Institute now not only have advanced monitoring and analysis setups, but they have also transformed their organization to be able to work with the equipment, monitor the groundwater system and analyze incoming data.

This news item was originally published on the website of KWR.

(Top photo: One of the wells in Urgench where the groundwater level is monitored with Eijkelkamps Dataloggers - Royal Eijkelkamp)

Read also on this website

 Royal Eijkelkamp helps manage groundwater problems in Sri Lanka, 3 April 2018

 Omans water authority Diam becomes member of global Watershare knowledge platform, 13 February 2018

 Expertise: Resilient cities



More information

KWR Watercycle Research Institute

Nieuwegein, the Netherlands

+31 30 606 9511

www.kwrwater.nl/en

Eijkelkamp Soil & Water

Giesbeek, the Netherlands

+ 31 313 880 200

www.eijkelkamp.com

Presentation of KWRs software tool Menyanthes to monitor and analyse groundwater.



Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor

With 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts, real-time security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click - for free! Learn More.

Everywhere we turn, videos are in our feed. Video is often how stories get told in the 21st century, so it's a good idea for e-commerce business owners to consider ways they can use this trend to their advantage.

"Today we are constantly bombarded by content, and video is one of the best ways to cut through that noise," said Chris Lueck, CEO of FastSpring, a global digital commerce platform based in Santa Barbara, California.

"It pays to take the extra time and effort to incorporate video into your strategy," he told the E-Commerce Times.

Because video is so immersive, it can make your site fun and personable, drawing people toward both your brand and your products.

Video "can lend an experiential layer to e-commerce," noted Oren Boiman, CEO of Magisto, a video-editing software provider based in Menlo Park, California.

"It offers businesses the chance to create a personality for themselves and start an ongoing relationship with customers that builds trust, loyalty, and value for the customer and the e-commerce site," he told the E-Commerce Times.

The push toward video is in part generational. Increasing numbers of consumers expect videos to be a component of their interaction with businesses.

"Everyone talks about the millennials changing the landscape of commerce," remarked Liz Pekarek, marketing team lead for ecomdash, a multichannel e-commerce management software provider based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Really, there is a new generation to think about -- Generation Z," she told the E-Commerce Times. "These kids have grown up with tablets and phones in their hands. They've grown up watching YouTube sensations and various other video-oriented content. They are savvier than the millennials and have higher technological expectations for businesses."

Where to start with incorporating video into your overall strategy? Following are some ideas from the experts.

1. Use Video to Build Your Brand

Because video is a natural storytelling medium, "creating branding videos for your website is a great start," said Jon Reyes, CEO of EcomVids, a custom video ad creation company based in Santa Ana, California.

That can mean "shooting a simple About Us video on your home page, creating 20-second product demonstration videos on your product pages, adding real customer testimonial videos, [making] videos promoting exclusive offers, or filming a post purchase video on your thank you page," he told the E-Commerce Times.

One reason video works for branding is that it's an intimate medium that draws in viewers.

"These establish trust and credibility with your customers," said Reyes. "People want to know that they're buying from a real company with real people behind it, and not just some faceless store."

The magic of using video for branding, in part, is that it can give a glimpse of a company's internal workings.

"Businesses can use video to better showcase their brand and connect with their customers on a more personal level," noted FastSpring's Lueck.

"Every company has their own culture and quirks that cannot be articulated through words or still images," he pointed out. "With video, you can provide customers a 'behind-the-scenes' sneak peek of how their favorite brand operates, benefiting customer engagement, sales and employee recruitment."

2. Build Video Into Your Advertising and Marketing

Video is a natural medium for advertising and marketing.

"If you're not advertising on Facebook or Instagram, it's time to start," said Reyes. "The ad inventory on these platforms is getting more and more saturated every year, but it shouldn't prevent you from taking advantage of these massive platforms that reach billions of people. It's all about creating content that's unique and speaks directly to your target audience."

In addition to using advertising videos, it's a good idea to incorporate video into your overall marketing plan.

"You can do indirect video marketing such as Facebook Live, or post educational or entertaining video content on your social media pages to help grow and maintain your following," said Reyes. "Video promotions are also a great way to engage your audience, such as introducing limited time sales or holiday promos."

3. Post Product Videos

Showing products being used and highlighting the features of those products is another key way video can help boost your business.

Based on client feedback, it appears that many customers have become more aware of product features after viewing a video on an e-commerce company website or in its advertising, noted Joshua Hall, the owner of Micromercial, a product video production company based in Virginia.

"Customers are more likely to watch a video that shows the features in use than they are to read about them," he told the E-Commerce Times.

Product videos are one way e-commerce businesses can stand out from the competition, said Hall. "If your competitor has pictures of their product, and you have fluid video showing your product, what it looks like in use, and highlighting the key features, the product is definitely more likely to convert."

Video grabs and holds the attention of buyers or potential buyers, and they end up spending more time on your site and with your products than they would just by scrolling through static images.

"It takes only a few seconds to skim through a catalog of products, a minute to read a review or blog," explained Lueck. "With video, you have the potential to keep a customer on your site for much longer."

However you decide to use video, it's important to do it regularly, so that customers will come to expect it.

"The key here is being consistent," said EcomVids' Reyes. "You need to be putting out new video content regularly to keep your audience engaged. This is easier said than done, but it's about prioritizing video content in your business and sticking to a routine."

With all the potential uses of video, experts recommend picking a few channels that really work and focusing on those.

"There are limitless ways for an e-commerce business to use videos," Reyes said, "but focus on one video and channel at [a] time, and don't try to do everything all at once."

Vivian Wagner has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. Her main areas of focus are technology, business, CRM, e-commerce, privacy, security, arts, culture and diversity. She has extensive experience reporting on business and technology for a variety of outlets, including The Atlantic, The Establishment and O, The Oprah Magazine. She holds a PhD in English with a specialty in modern American literature and culture. She received a first-place feature reporting award from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. Email Vivian.

(Screenshot from Christian Concern YouTube)British hospital nurse Sarah Kuteh

A British hospital nurse, Sarah Kuteh, who was fired for telling patients about her Christian faith and giving on patient a Bible was cleared last week following a two-year investigation.

After dismissing her, Darent Valley Hospital in southern England reported Sarah to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), questioning her "fitness to practice," Christian Concern, which took up her case said.

For nearly two years since, the NMC has held a series of hearings to determine whether Sarah would continue to be able to practice as a nurse.

The 49-year-old nursing sister was supported by the Christian Legal Centre, and engaged an prominent lawyer, Jonathan Storey, to represent her at the hearings.

On July 26, the NMC panel unanimously ruled that Kuteh was fully "fit to practice" and revoked all restrictions on her nursing practice.

The decision by the NMC comes two years after she was marched out of the Kent hospital where she worked and sacked for gross misconduct having discussed her faith with patients, the Daily Mail newspaper reported in its online edition

Kuteh was never accused of any clinical failure or wrongdoing, but was told by the regulator that her fitness to practice was impaired and she had failed to "respect equality and diversity."

She had been allowed to work in recent months only under the close supervision of a superior and in accordance with tight restrictions.

15 YEARS NURSING EXPERIENCE

The nursing sister has 15 years of experience and on average, she would see around 30-40 patients a week, and over the course of six months spoke to hundreds of patients, said Christian Concern.

The charity said that although Kuteh had no intention of imposing her beliefs on others, she would sometimes tell them about how her own faith in Christ had helped her overcome adversity.

"I would... reassure them, based on the joy and peace that I really have found in Jesus," she said.

In April 2016, her hospital matron came into her office and said she had been told by other staff about a few complaints by patients that she had discussed religion with them.

Kuteh said that from then on, she would only discuss religion if the patient asked her to.

If they initiated the conversation about religion, she would check they were happy.

But in June 2016, she was called into the matron's office and was shocked to be told that further complaints had been made.

Only days later, she was suspended, told to collect her belongings and escorted from the hospital.

Kuteh said that the experience was "embarrassing and very painful."

"I was walked out of that hospital after all I had done during all my years as a nurse and I was told I couldn't even speak to any of my colleagues," she said.

"All I had done was to nurse and care for patients. How could it ever be harmful to tell someone about Jesus?"({hoto: REUTERS / Carl Court)Britain's Attorney General Dominic Grieve gives his closing statement at the end of the Ukrainian Forum on Asset Recovery in London April 30, 2014. Organized by Britain and the United States and attended by representatives from 35 countries, the forum aimed at helping Ukraine's government recover money from President Viktor Yanukovich, who was toppled in February after months of street protests, and those close to him. Ukraine's chief prosecutor has accused Yanukovich of being used to fund Russian-backed separatists.

A former UK attorney general says in an interview that Christians in Britain are forced to hide their beliefs because of an "aggressive form of secularism" to "push faith out of the public sphere."

Dominic Grieve, a practicing Anglican, said he finds it unnatural for people to be persecuted for expressing their beliefs in an interview with The Telegraph newspaper in Britain on 23 August.

He noted that some public sector workers have been disciplined for displaying their faith at work.

There were also high profile cases where people have been banned from wearing crosses at work or dismissed for not doing tasks that are against their religious beliefs.

Grieve believes that Christianity is a "powerful force for good" in modern Britain and Christians should stand on what they believe.

"It doesn't mean that we have the monopoly of wisdom, but I do think Christianity has played an enormous role in shaping this country."

He noted that politicians should also not be intimidated of "doing God" in the decisions they make.

Grieve lost his government post during a cabinet reshuffle in July after opposing plans to give British lawmakers powers to veto decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights.

It was Tony Blair's publicist, Alastair Campbell, who said that his administration didn't "do God" due to concerns that religion would put off voters.

"I think politicians should express their faith. I have never adhered to the Blair view that we don't do God, indeed I'm not sure that Blair does. I think that people with faith have an entitlement to explain where that places them in approaching problems," he told The Telegraph.

Religion does seem to take a backseat in UK politics. Two the three major party leaders, Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats and Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, are self-proclaimed atheists.

Prime Minister David Cameron who sometimes attends Church of England services has said that his own faith is "like patchy reception of Magic FM in the Chilterns... it comes and goes."

However, earlier this year Cameron stated that he had found greater strength in religion and suggested that Britain should be unashamedly "evangelical" about its Christian faith.(Photo: REUTERS / Olivia Harris)Madiha, 12, and Afsha, 11, pose for a picture outside London Mosque in west London November 1, 2013. Madiha and Afsha started to wear the hijab around the age of 8. They wear the hijab for religious observance, modesty and to protect themselves. Reuters photographer Olivia Harris took portraits of a range of Muslim women in Britain and asked them why they chose to wear a hijab or veil.

New research suggests that Islam will be an even more significant part of religion in Britain in the future and that churches for black migrants are thriving while traditional churches with a mainly white base are on the decline.

"The future of religion in Britain is to be found in Islam and the black majority churches," says Professor David Voas, who specialises in population studies at Essex University and is an expert on religious trends.

"Muslims already contribute ten per cent of British births; within several decades people of Muslim heritage will form 10 percent of the population, even if immigration came to an abrupt halt tomorrow.

"If even half are observant, they will form a substantial proportion of the religiously active population. Ethnic minority Christians will have another large share," says Voas.

Professor Voas discusses the latest trends in a blog for the thinktank Theos.

"While the secularisation of consciousness in the West is an ongoing process, the secularisation of behaviour has reached the point of no return," he writes.

He notes that the leaders of the major Christian denominations are asking the wrong question asserting that the issue is not why people are staying away from church but why anyone would go to church.

"The onus is on churches to offer something that people want and would have difficulty finding anywhere else."

"While the secularisation of consciousness in the West is an ongoing process, the secularisation of behaviour has reached the point of no return," he writes.

He says the leaders of the major Christian denominations are asking the wrong question. The issue is not why people are staying away from church but why anyone would go to church.

"The onus is on churches to offer something that people want and would have difficulty finding anywhere else."Nationwide, public school counselors are overworked and under-resourced. The average student-to-school-counselor ratio is 482-to-1nearly double the 250-to-1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association. In fact, only three statesNew Hampshire, Vermont, and Wyominghave statewide averages that fall at or below the recommended ratio.

The impactor lack thereofthat school counselors have on students is easiest to understand in the high school context, where students face an increasingly dizzying array of choices about what comes next after high school.

There are more types of colleges with more specialties than ever before. For students looking for something other than the four-year college track, apprenticeships are gaining prominence once again. According to some, credential-based or technical-skill-focused modules are the new ticket to the middle class.

But even if high school students settle on a traditional college path, more questions follow: If they choose college, what kind of collegecommunity or four-year? Is there a scholarship for that? And does anybody know how to fill out a FAFSA? (Thats Free Application for Federal Student Aid.) And would a 16-year-old know she needed one without a counselor?

Without knowing their options, students inadvertently may miss out on the best path forward or simply make no choice at all. Unfortunately, some counselors are so overworked that they themselves may struggle to stay abreast of the latest trends and programs available.

Many school counselors do their best, but no number of early mornings and office night shifts can fully make up for too little money and a lack of administrative support.

Students fortunate enough to have engaged parents or other trusted adults in their lives to help them navigate their school years may not be harmed by a lack of in-school supports. Not every student needs the same level of attention. However, as is too often the case when it comes to school resources, the students who most need assistance often attend schools with the fewest supports. For low-income students or those who are the first in their families to attend college, the availability of good counseling can determine if they understand their options and are prepared to make informed choices.

To top it off, while many believe the school counselors core function is to shepherd students into either college or career, counselors are also responsible for helping students manage their social-emotional health throughout their school years. Yet only a fraction of the up to 1 in 5 children who exhibit symptoms of a mental-health disorder receive help.

Professionals, such as school psychologists, dedicated to addressing mental-health issues are in short supply in school districts across the nation and often work across two or more schools. That means the average school counselor is often the first point of contact for addressing students social-emotional concerns, academic readiness, and career- and college-counseling needs.

Counselors help students navigate a laundry list of issues that need to be addressed if students are going to make a successful transition to what comes next. They might discuss students interests and reviewing class schedules, help students cope with issues at home, and connect students in need of long-term mental-health support to the appropriate outside resources.

All of that requires timethe one thing that the average school counselor must severely ration. Many school counselors do their best, but no number of early mornings and office night shifts can fully make up for too little money and a lack of administrative support. The fact is that even the most dedicated, high-quality professionals cant give every student the necessary attention when juggling an unmanageable workload.

What steps, then, should we ask our school leaders and policymakers to take?

Starting at the district level, one option is for school leaders to monitor how existing counselors use their time. Advocates for the school counseling profession find that some counselors time is monopolized by data entry and administrative tasks that could be handled by office personnel. Freeing counselors time so they can focus more on providing the counseling they were trained to provide might not lessen their workload but would ensure they have more time to devote to students.

At the state level, legislators could mandate manageable caseloads for counselors and ensure a minimum level of access to counselors. Not every state requires that school counseling be available to students (particularly at the elementary level), and even fewer have instituted a cap on student-to-counselor ratios.

A mandate, of course, requires additional state resources. Some schools have adequate funding to support a more robust counselor workforce if they reallocate existing resources. But that is not true for all schools, some of which are severely resource-constrained.

Federal policymakers can help fill that resource gap. Currently, federal funding for school counseling is funneled through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment, or SSAE, program, a flexible block-grant program that replaces several targeted grants, including one for elementary and secondary school counseling. It is up to states to decide if they will prioritize school counseling programs when distributing funds to schools.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Educations 2019 budget proposed eliminating the SSAE, which would have left states with no choice in the matter. Thankfully, Congress instead increased SSAE funding, providing $1.1 billion for the grants in this fiscal years omnibus spending bill, a drastic improvement from the $400 million appropriated for the previous year. But ensuring school counselors have the time, money, and support they need to be an effective resource for their students requires sustained funding, which is why the Education Departments budget request remains alarming.

State legislators and the federal Education Department should allocate more resources to schools, not fewer. If youre looking for evidence of this fact, just ask a school counselorif you can find one.Aging usually improves the flavor of cheese, but that's not why some very old cheese discovered in an Egyptian tomb is drawing attention. Instead, it's thought to be the most ancient solid cheese ever found, according to a study published in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry.

The tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th century BC, was initially unearthed in 1885. After being lost under drifting sands, it was rediscovered in 2010, and archeologists found broken jars at the site a few years later. One jar contained a solidified whitish mass, as well as canvas fabric that might have covered the jar or been used to preserve its contents. Enrico Greco and colleagues wanted to analyze the whitish substance to determine its identity.

After dissolving the sample, the researchers purified its protein constituents and analyzed them with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The peptides detected by these techniques show the sample was a dairy product made from cow milk and sheep or goat milk. The characteristics of the canvas fabric, which indicate it was suitable for containing a solid rather than a liquid, and the absence of other specific markers, support the conclusion that the dairy product was a solid cheese. Other peptides in the food sample suggest it was contaminated with Brucella melitensis, a bacterium that causes brucellosis. This potentially deadly disease spreads from animals to people, typically from eating unpasteurized dairy products. If the team's preliminary analysis is confirmed, the sample would represent the earliest reported biomolecular evidence of the disease.

###

The research was supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, the University of Catania and Cairo University.

The abstract that accompanies this study is available here.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us on Twitter | FacebookWashington, DC - August 15, 2018 - Elderly individuals with fewer teeth, poor dental hygiene, and more cavities constantly ingest more dysbiotic microbiota, which could be harmful to their respiratory health, according to new research published in the journal mSphere. The findings come from a large, population-based study that identified variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults in Japan.

"Fewer teeth, poorer dental hygiene, and more dental caries (cavities) experience are closely related to dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota composition, which might be harmful to the respiratory health of elderly adults with swallowing problems," said corresponding author Yoshihisa Yamashita, PhD, DDS, Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.

Prior to this study, researchers knew that constant aspiration of saliva can lead to pneumonia, a major cause of death among elderly adults with swallowing impairments, and that tongue microbiota are a dominant source of oral microbial populations that are ingested with saliva. Previous research has also shown that in institutionalized frail elderly adults, the dysbiotic shift of indigenous tongue microbiota is associated with an increased risk of death from pneumonia.

In the new study, Dr. Yamashita and colleagues set out to understand the variations in tongue microbiota composition related to oral health conditions among community-dwelling elderly adults and to identify factors associated with the dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota. They investigated the tongue microbiota status and dental conditions of 506 adults aged 70 to 80 years living in the town of Hisayama, Japan who received a dental examination during a health examination of the town's residents performed in 2016. The scientists collected the tongue microbiota from the center area of the tongue dorsum using a modified electric toothbrush as a sampling device, and used next-generation sequencing approaches to analyze the samples.

The researchers found that the total bacterial density was independent of the conditions of teeth surrounding the tongue, whereas the microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions. "Commensal microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions," said Dr. Yamashita. "Two cohabiting groups of predominant commensals exist in the tongue microbiota; one of which was primarily composed of Prevotella histicola, Veillonella atypica, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus parasanguinis, which have been previously associated with an increased risk of mortality due to pneumonia in the frail elderly. This bacterial group was more predominant in the elderly with fewer teeth, a higher plaque index, and more dental caries-experienced teeth."

The study highlights the importance of dental health. "Careful attention should be given to the tongue microbiota status in elderly adults with poorer dental conditions," said Dr. Yamashita.

###

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of more than 30,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences.

ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications and educational opportunities. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.There's nothing like a good laugh to lighten a mood, especially when the atmosphere is serious -- like it can be in a science classroom.

Using humor in the classroom has been shown to positively impact student learning, but what if an instructor simply isn't funny? Or what effect does it have on students if a teacher tells an offensive joke?

In a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from Arizona State University found that students appreciate when instructors tell jokes in science class, but that female and male students differ in what topics they find funny or offensive.

Researchers from the School of Life Sciences surveyed students from 25 college science courses about their perceptions of instructor humor. Of the 1,637 respondents, 99 percent say they appreciate instructor humor and believe it improves the classroom experience. Many students also say humor decreases stress, enhances the relationship between students and instructor, and helps them remember what is taught in class.

Researchers were fascinated by the high number of students who valued humor.

"I went into [this study] thinking that maybe we shouldn't be joking in the classroom, but I left the study thinking that instructors should use humor as a way to better connect with students," said Sara Brownell, associate professor in the school and senior author of the paper. "But, as might seem obvious, we need to be careful with what we're joking about because we found the topics that instructors are joking about can have different effects on different students."

What if a science instructor tells a joke that's not funny?

The study found that even if teachers tell jokes that fall flat - jokes that students don't find funny - it did not change the students' attention to course content or their relationship with the instructor.

However, if a teacher tells a joke that is offensive and unfunny, more than 40 percent of students say it decreases their ability to pay attention to course content and negatively affects whether an instructor is seen as relatable. Although this can hurt all students, it may have a larger impact on women.

This study found that men and women in science classrooms differed on what topics they thought were funny or offensive. In the survey, science students were presented with hypothetical topics professors could joke about. Male students were more likely to find hypothetical jokes told by the instructor about gender, sexual orientation, religious identity and race funny, while women were more likely to find these same hypotheticals offensive. However, both men and women find three topics to be funny and not offensive: science, college and television.

"More and more studies are starting to paint a picture that the classroom environment is really important for student learning," said Brownell. "Science classrooms and the instructors teaching the science are typically described by students as boring, unapproachable and difficult. So, science instructors who try to be funny can create better learning environments, as long as they are not offensive."

What does this mean for instructors?

"They need to think twice about the type of humor they use," said Katelyn Cooper, lead author and postdoctoral researcher in Brownell's lab. "Is it a joke about cute animals? Probably OK. A pun about science? Probably OK."

Student researchers

One unusual aspect of this study is that it was carried out by 16 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a class that focused on biology education research. Advertised as a project-based course, the entire class worked on the research project during one semester. The students worked as investigators on the project -- formulating the initial research idea, collecting and analyzing data, and editing the final manuscript.

Taija Hendrix, an undergraduate student researcher at the time of the study, said by taking the course, she was able to see the entire process of research from the very beginning. Hendrix said the possibility of being published was exciting.

"This class brought together students from all across the School of Life Sciences, some of whom I probably wouldn't have worked with, but in this course, we were all able to work together towards a common goal," said Hendrix. "The instructors told us they wanted our research to be published. For me, this idea was incredible that something I did would be read not only by other students, but scientists. The idea of contributing to the scientific literature before officially being a scientist myself wasn't something I thought I would have the privilege to do. Because of this course I was able to."

Hendrix graduated in May of 2018 with her bachelor's in biological sciences. She is now teaching high school science classes in Avondale, Arizona, and plans on using plenty of humor to helpUrgent need to examine systemic causes of declining health in the US

The ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States is a key contributor to the most recent declines in life expectancy, suggests a study published by The BMJ today.

A second study shows an increase in US death rates in midlife (people aged between 25-64 years) involving all major racial groups, and cites a broad range of conditions as potential causes.

Together, these findings point to an urgent need to examine systemic causes of declining health in the US.

Life expectancy is a measure of the health and wellbeing of a population. Widespread or sustained declines in life expectancy may signal problems in a nation's social and economic conditions or in the provision or quality of its healthcare services.

The first study, authored by Jessica Ho at the University of Southern California and Arun Hendi at Princeton University, looked at trends in life expectancy across 18 high income countries and found that most countries experienced declines in life expectancy in 2015.

This is the first time in recent decades that these many high income countries simultaneously experienced declines in life expectancy for both men and women, and the size of these declines were larger than in the past.

In the non-US countries, these declines were largely concentrated at ages 65 and older and likely related to a particularly severe influenza season. The main causes of death driving these declines included influenza and pneumonia, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease and other mental and nervous system disorders.

But in the US, the decline was concentrated at younger ages, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, and largely driven by increases in drug overdose deaths related to its ongoing opioid epidemic. The authors point out that the US decline is particularly troubling in light of its already low life expectancy ranking relative to its peer countries.

And unlike other countries in the study, life expectancy in both the US and the UK continued to decline in 2016, which the researchers say raises questions about future trends in these countries.

A second study, also published today, suggests that the problem is larger than the opioid epidemic. It shows increased death rates from dozens of causes among people in all racial and ethnic groups.

Using national data to compare midlife death patterns from 1999 to 2016, Steven Woolf at Virginia Commonwealth University and colleagues found that although drug overdoses, suicides, and alcoholism were the leading cause of excess deaths, mortality rates also increased dramatically for organ diseases involving the heart, lung, and other body systems. "The opioid epidemic is the tip of an iceberg," said Woolf.*

Previous studies had documented a rise in "deaths of despair" among middle-aged white people in the US, but this is the first study to show that the trend now encompasses multiple body systems and is striking multiple racial and ethnic groups. These increases are offsetting years of progress in lowering death rates among black and Hispanic adults.

Furthermore, although overall death rates were higher among men than among women, the relative increase in fatal drug overdoses and suicides was greater in women, consistent with other reports of the worsening health disadvantage among women in the US.

The authors say "no single factor, such as opioids, explains this phenomenon" and suggest that their study "signals a systemic cause and warrants prompt action by policy makers to tackle the factors responsible for declining health in the US."

Both studies are observational, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the authors highlight several limitations that may have affected their results.

Nevertheless, taken together, these two studies highlight warning signs that must not be ignored and should prompt urgent review of systemic causes of declining health in the US.

In a linked editorial, Domantas Jasilionis at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany says life expectancy is a key characteristic of human development and declines should be taken seriously. Historical evidence suggests that discontinuities in secular trends can lead to prolonged health crises--they are warning signs of fundamental and longstanding societal and health problems.

He points to the negative health consequences of growing social deprivation and austerity policies, but notes that high life expectancies in the UK and many other high income countries (including the Nordic countries with strong pro-equitable social policies) coexist with large or even increasing health disparities. In future, persisting notable health disadvantages of some population groups may become an important obstacle for sustainable health progress at the national level.*

He calls for more reliable data to underpin effective policies, and says "more effort must be made to convince international and national agencies to invest in robust register based systems that allow timely and accurate monitoring of changes in longevity," he concludes.

###

Peer-reviewed? Yes (research), No (Editorial)

Type of evidence: Observational

Subjects: PeopleThe Virtual Brain (TVB), an international brain-mapping platform co-developed by Baycrest researchers, has become part of the Human Brain Project, one of the largest European research enterprises to advance neuroscience, medicine and computing

The Virtual Brain (TVB), an international brain-mapping platform co-developed by Baycrest researchers, has become part of one of the largest European research enterprises to advance neuroscience, medicine and computing.

Through TVB's international partners at the Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin and the Berlin Institute of Health, the platform will be integrated as the core simulation tool within the Human Brain Project, a multi-billion dollar enterprise involving more than 750 scientists in more than 20 countries.

"The Virtual Brain's involvement in this project will lead to widespread adoption of our platform among numerous researchers across Europe," says Dr. Randy McIntosh, one of TVB's co-founders and a senior scientist at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute. "This integration will help researchers around the world better understand the brain and incurable disorders and explore the effectiveness of different diagnostic and treatment options to offer personalized care to each and every patient. It also demonstrates the scientific excellence and potential of TVB as a tool."

TVB's team in Berlin, led by co-leader Dr. Petra Ritter, has been provided funding to build a digital infrastructure that will seamlessly integrate the two projects and give the Human Brain Project researchers the ability to incorporate all their brain data into the platform and run simulations.

"For The Virtual Brain, this move will add a wealth of clinical datasets to the growing platform," adds Dr. McIntosh, who is also a psychology professor at the University of Toronto. "The expanded use of TVB will also speed up its validation for diagnostics and prognostics among patients."

The Virtual Brain is a unique, open-source modelling platform that captures intricate details of the brain's structure and function through the collection of imaging data. The platform was built by an international team and will help clinicians detect different types of dementia and brain diseases earlier, and give doctors the ability to test potential treatments before prescribing them to patients.

Currently, the platform is being trialed by its European partners to assist in the healthcare for patients with epilepsy and brain tumours.

"The Virtual Brain is just one example of how Baycrest researchers are continuing to lead the charge in tackling dementia and transforming the aging experience," says Dr. Allison Sekuler, Vice-President, Research, and the Sandra A. Rotman Chair at Baycrest. "Research is a team sport and we are thrilled to be part of this global team. By collaborating with others around the world to merge neuroscience with big data and AI, we are advancing ways to understand, protect, and enhance brain health throughout our lifetimes."

###

Support for the project was provided by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, Ontario Innovation Trust, Dr. Max & Gianna Glassman and the Weston Brain Foundation.

About Baycrest

Now in its 100th year, Baycrest is a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging. Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest provides excellent care for older adults combined with an extensive clinical training program for the next generation of healthcare professionals and one of the world's top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience, the Rotman Research Institute. Baycrest is home to the federally and provincially-funded Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, a solution accelerator focused on driving innovation in the aging and brain health sector, and is the developer of Cogniciti - a free online memory assessment for Canadians 40+ who are concerned about their memory. Founded in 1918 as the Jewish Home for Aged, Baycrest continues to embrace the long-standing tradition of all great Jewish healthcare institutions to improve the well-being of people in their local communities and around the globe. For more information please visit: http://www.baycrest.org

About Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute

The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest is a premier international centre for the study of human brain function. Through generous support from private donors and funding agencies, the institute is helping to illuminate the causes of cognitive decline in seniors, identify promising approaches to treatment, and lifestyle practices that will protect brain health longer in the lifespan.

For media inquiries:

Michelle Petch Gotuzzo

Baycrest

416-785-2500 ext. 6932

mpetchgotuzzo@baycrest.org

Josephine Lim

Baycrest

416-785-2500 ext. 6127

jlim@baycrest.orgA research team has demonstrated how light-emitting nanoparticles, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), can be used to see deep in living tissue.

The specially designed nanoparticles can be excited by ultralow-power laser light at near-infrared wavelengths considered safe for the human body. They absorb this light and then emit visible light that can be measured by standard imaging equipment.

The development and biological imaging application of these nanoparticles is detailed in a study published online Aug. 6 in Nature Communications.

Researchers hope to further develop these so-called alloyed upconverting nanoparticles, or aUCNPs, so that they can attach to specific components of cells to serve in an advanced imaging system to light up even single cancer cells, for example. Such a system may ultimately guide high-precision surgeries and radiation treatments, and help to erase even very tiny traces of cancer.

"With a laser even weaker than a standard green laser pointer, we can image deep into tissue," said Bruce Cohen, who is part of a science team at Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry that is working with UC San Francisco researchers to adapt the nanoparticles for medical uses. The Molecular Foundry is a DOE Office of Science User Facility specializing in nanoscience research - it is accessible to visiting scientists from around the nation and the world.

Cohen noted that some existing imaging systems use higher-power laser light that runs the risk of damaging cells.

"The challenge is: How do we image living systems at high sensitivity without damaging them? This combination of low-energy light and low-laser powers is what everyone in the field has been working toward for a while," he said. The laser power needed for the aUCNPs is millions of times lower than the power needed for conventional near-infrared-imaging probes.

In this latest study, researchers have demonstrated how the aUCNPs can be imaged in live mouse tissue at several millimeters' depth. They were excited with lasers weak enough not to cause any damage.

Researchers injected nanoparticles into the mammary fat pads of mice and recorded images of the light emitted by the particles, which did not appear to pose any toxicity to the cells.

More testing will be required to know whether the aUCNPs produced at Berkeley Lab can be safely injected into humans, and to test coatings Berkeley Lab scientists are designing to specifically bind to cancerous cells.

Dr. Mekhail Anwar, a radiation oncologist and an assistant professor at UC San Francisco who participated in the latest study, noted that there are numerous medical scanning techniques to locate cancers - from mammograms to MRIs and PET-CT scans - but these techniques can lack precise details at very small scales.

"We really need to know exactly where each cancer cell is," said Anwar, a Foundry user who collaborates with Molecular Foundry scientists in his research. "Usually we say you're lucky when we catch it early and the cancer is only about a centimeter - that's about 1 billion cells. But where are the smaller groups of cells hiding?"

Future work at the Molecular Foundry will hopefully lead to improved techniques for imaging cancer using the aUCNPs, he said, and researchers are developing an imaging sensor to integrate with nanoparticles that could be attached to surgical equipment and even surgical gloves to pinpoint cancer hot spots during surgical procedures.

A breakthrough in the Lab's development of UCNPs was in finding ways to boost their efficiency in emitting the absorbed light at higher energies, said Emory Chan, a staff scientist at the Molecular Foundry who also participated in the latest study.

For decades, the research community had believed that the best way to produce these so-called upconverting materials was to implant them or "dope" them with a low concentration of metals known as lanthanides. Too many of these metals, researchers had believed, would cause the light they emit to become less bright with more of these added metals.

But experiments led by Molecular Foundry researchers Bining "Bella" Tian and Angel Fernandez-Bravo, who made lanthanide-rich UCNPs and measured their properties, upended this prevailing understanding.

Studies of individual UCNPs proved especially valuable in showing that erbium, a lanthanide previously thought to only play a role in light emission, can also directly absorb light and free up another lanthanide, ytterbium, to absorb more light. Emory Chan, a staff scientist at the Molecular Foundry who also participated in the latest study, described erbium's newly discovered multitasking role in the UCNPs as a "triple threat."

The UCNPs used in the latest study measure about 12-15 nanometers (billionths of a meter) across - small enough to allow them to penetrate into tissue. "Their shells are grown like an onion, a layer at a time," Chan said.

Jim Schuck, a study participant and former Berkeley Lab scientist now at Columbia University, noted that the latest study builds on a decade-long effort at the Molecular Foundry to understand, redesign, and find new applications for UCNPs.

"This new paradigm in UCNP design, which leads to much brighter particles, is a real game-changer for all single-UCNP imaging applications," he said.

Researchers at the Molecular Foundry will be working on ways to automate the fabrication of the nanoparticles with robots, and to coat them with markers that selectively bind to cancerous cells.

Cohen said that the collaborative work with UCSF has opened new avenues of exploration for UCNPs, and he expects the research effort to grow.

"We never would have thought of using these for imaging during surgeries," he said. "Working with researchers like Mekhail opens up this wonderful cross-pollination of different fields and different ideas."

Anwar said, "We're really grateful to have access to the knowledge and wide array of instrumentation" at the Lab's Molecular Foundry.

###

Other researchers at Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry and at UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, and Columbia University also participated in this study.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.

DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.A social-psychological study shows that while the social class in which a person is raised influences behavior, the communication situation is even more important

FRANKFURT. Are people with more money and education dominating and less warm? A social-psychological study at Goethe University scrutinizes stereotypes.

How is our behavior influenced by our social class? Sociology has long concerned itself with this question. Whether individuals grow up in a working-class environment or in an academic household, they take on behaviors that are typical for their class - so goes the hypothesis. The Frankfurt social-psychologist Dr. Anna Lisa Aydin has found new evidence to support this hypothesis. Her study, which she carried out jointly with researchers from Zurich, Hagen, Idaho and Tel Aviv, and which has been published in the scientific journal Social Psychological and Personality Science also shows, however, that people don't just rigidly exhibit class-specific behavior, but respond flexibly to counterparts from other social classes.

A large portion of the research on the influence of social class stems from the ideas of the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. He describes how the environment in which we grow up inscribes itself deeply into our identity. Social-psychological authors argue that people from lower social classes have access to fewer resources and can only influence their environment to a limited degree. They therefore rely more on mutual assistance, making solidarity an important value. People identify with this value and behave cooperatively as a result. People from upper social classes, on the other hand, have access to more resources, can choose from among several alternatives, and are less dependent on mutual assistance. This results in individualistic conceptions of the self where shaping the environment according to one's own preferences is paramount. These different modes of behavior therefore constitute adaptions to corresponding social environments.

This theory was supported in part by the current study. Overall, more than 2,000 people in Germany were surveyed. For respondents who considered themselves to be members of a lower class, warm and cooperative interaction with other people in their social class was more important than for those who considered themselves members of a higher social class. In addition, those who earned more and were better educated set more value on demonstrating competence and being assertive in their interactions with others than those in the group with lower earnings and less education.

The authors feared that these differences in behavior could lead to a further increase in social inequality in Germany. Individuals who exhibit assertiveness have better chances for social advancement. However, the observed differences in behavior were relatively small. The influence of the social class of the individual's counterpart had a significantly greater impact. How do people behave when interacting with someone from a lower or higher social group? The majority of those surveyed described social difference in Germany as unjustified or not very justified. As a result, they found it important to behave warmly and cooperatively toward people with less money and education. Conversely, they set value on appearing competent and assertive toward people with more money and education.

These findings are particularly relevant in view of the fact that social inequality is increasing in Germany and other parts of the world, although most people perceive this as unjustified. While research based on sociological theories can explain how this inequality can be exacerbated by conditioning within different social classes, the current study offers an optimistic perspective: in communication situations between people of different classes where class differences are perceived as illegitimate, solidarity with the poor and assertiveness toward the rich are exhibited.

###

Publication: Aydin, A. L., Ullrich, J., Siem, B., Locke, K. D., & Shnabel, N. (in press). The effect of social class on agency and communion: Reconciling rank-based and identity-based perspectives.

Manuscript accepted for publication in Social Psychological and Personality Science. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1948550618785162 https://psyarxiv.com/waz8e/

Further information: Dr. Anna Lisa Aydin, Institute for Psychology, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6, PEG, 5.G030, Tel. +49(0)69 798 35287, E-Mail Aydin@psych.uni-frankfurt.de

Current news about science, teaching, and society in GOETHE-UNI online (http://www.aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de)

Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre Frankfurt The university was founded in 1914 through private funding, primarily from Jewish sponsors, and has since produced pioneering achievements in the areas of social sciences, sociology and economics, medicine, quantum physics, brain research, and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a "foundation university". Today, it is among the top ten in external funding and among the top three largest universities in Germany, with three clusters of excellence in medicine, life sciences and the humanities. Together with the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Mainz, it acts as a partner of the inter-state strategic Rhine-Main University Alliance. Internet: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de

Publisher: The President of Goethe University Editor: Dr. Anke Sauter, Science Editor, International Communication, PR & Communication Department, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Tel: +49(0)69 798-13066, Fax +49(0)69 798-761 12531, sauter@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de.Nearly 100 leaders in science and medicine from Harvard University urge the EPA to withdraw a proposed rule that would put public health in jeopardy

Cambridge, MA, Aug. 7th 2018 - Nearly 100 leaders in science and medicine from Harvard University have sent a letter to Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler detailing how a proposed rule titled "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science" would damage America's health. The letter represents an unprecedentedly united front amongst leading experts in law, public health, science, engineering, and medicine in taking a strong stance against a proposed federal rule.

"Transparency is valuable and important. As used in the draft rule, however, transparency is a guise for excluding large bodies of valid--and best available--science." - Harvard science leaders on proposed rule 83 FED. REG. 18,768

The letter has been signed by people who are deeply involved in research that addresses the health impacts of chemicals and activities regulated by the EPA under its Statutes, which include the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act, among many others.

It adds important detail to the significant opposition mounted against the proposed rule, which would jeopardize the health of Americans by prohibiting the EPA from relying on high-quality, peer-reviewed scientific research - including most large-scale public health studies - when creating regulations.

The letter describes how the proposed rule would:

Block the agency from fulfilling its statutory duty to protect public health by preventing it from relying on the best available research.

Prevent the EPA from implementing its Statutes, including the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act, thereby jeopardizing the health and safety of infants, children, and adults in the United States and beyond.

Reverse the EPA's sound practice of relying on research in public health and environmental exposure - including studies that are based on data that "cannot be made publicly available due to laws and contracts designed to protect patient privacy".

Exclude valid research that cannot be repeated for ethical and humanitarian reasons, for example studies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors that underlie the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Undermine the research community's hard-earned methods and best practices - including peer review - for ensuring the transparency, reproducibility, replicability, objectivity, and validity of studies, analyses, models, and reports.

Not serve its stated purpose of ensuring that regulatory decisions are based on "valid" science, rather preventing it from relying on the best research involving human participants.

Furthermore, the letter states, the proposed rule "creates these multiple problems without providing any significant countervailing benefits".

###

This comprehensive, Harvard-faculty-led effort follows and expands upon a letter sent by former Harvard President Faust to the EPA in June. Its signatories include the President of Harvard University, Lawrence S. Bacow JD PhD; Harvard Law School Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic director; the Dean and faculty of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; the Dean and faculty of Harvard Medical School; the presidents of Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Massachusetts General Hospital; and eminent faculty of the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, among many others.

The EPA's comment period for the rule is open until August 16th, 2018.The open water nearest the sea ice surrounding Antarctica releases significantly more carbon dioxide in winter than previously believed, a new study has found. Researchers conducting the study used data gathered over several winters by an array of robotic floats diving and drifting in the Southern Ocean around the southernmost continent.

The effort is part of the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM), a six-year, $21 million-program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and based at Princeton University. NOAA and NASA provide additional support for SOCCOM, and NSF's OPP coordinates all U.S. research on the southernmost continent through the U.S. Antarctic Program.

As part of the SOCCOM project, researchers from the University of Washington, Princeton University and several other oceanographic institutions wanted to learn how much carbon dioxide was transferred by the surrounding seas. The floats made it possible to gather data during the peak of the Southern Hemisphere's winter from a place that remains poorly studied, despite its role in regulating the global climate.

"These results came as a really big surprise, because previous studies found that the Southern Ocean was absorbing a lot of carbon dioxide," said lead author Alison Gray, an assistant professor of oceanography at the University of Washington. "If that's not true, as these data suggest, then it means we need to rethink the Southern Ocean's role in the carbon cycle and in the climate."

From data-poor to data-rich

The Southern Ocean region plays a unique role in the global climate. It is one of the few places where water that has spent centuries in the deep ocean travels all the way up to the surface to rejoin the surface currents and connect with the atmosphere.

Carbon atoms move between rocks, rivers, plants, oceans and other sources in a planet-scale life cycle. Learning the rate of these various transfers helps to predict the long-term levels of carbon dioxide.

Obtaining data from this region is extremely difficult, though. The Southern Ocean is among the world's most turbulent bodies of water, which makes obtaining data extremely difficult. Storms in Antarctica are some of the fiercest on the planet. In winter, the circumpolar current and winds have no barrier to ripping around the continent. According to Gray, the average storm lasts four days, and the average time between storms is seven days.

Yet data from the Southern Ocean are vital to building a comprehensive global picture of how atmospheric carbon dioxide interacts with the polar oceans.

"Antarctic waters, until now, have been a data-poor region for these kinds of measurements," said Peter Milne, OPP's program manager for ocean and atmospheric science. "SOCCOM, using technologies that previously were unavailable to researchers, is already proving its worth by gathering information that otherwise would remain largely unobtainable."

Previous winter measurements in the region had come mainly from ships traveling across the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica to supply polar research stations. Those data were few and far between.

"After four years of SOCCOM, the vast majority of information about the chemistry of the Southern Ocean is coming from these floats," Gray said. "We have more measurements from the past few years than all the decades that came before."

Floating data

The floating instruments that collected the new observations drift with the currents and control their buoyancy to collect observations at different depths. The instruments dive down to 1 kilometer and float with the currents for nine days. Next, they drop even farther, to 2 kilometers, and then rise back to the surface while measuring water properties. After surfacing they beam their observations back to shore via satellite.

Unlike more common Argo floats, which only measure ocean temperature and salinity, the SOCCOM floats also monitor dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and pH, or the relative acidity of the water. The new paper uses the pH measurements to calculate the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide, and then uses that to figure out how strongly the water is absorbing or emitting carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Looking at circles of increasing distance from the South Pole, the authors find that in winter the open water next to the sea-ice covered waters around Antarctica is releasing significantly more carbon dioxide than expected to the atmosphere.

"It's not surprising that the water in this region is outgassing, because the deep water is exceptionally rich in carbon," Gray said. "But we underestimated the magnitude of the outgassing because we had so little data from the winter months. That means the Southern Ocean isn't absorbing as much carbon as we thought."

The newly published study analyzes data collected by 35 floats between 2014 and 2017. Gray is now analyzing newer data from more instruments to identify seasonal or multiyear trends, where the patterns might change from one year to the next.

"There is definitely strong variability on decadal scales in the Southern Ocean," Gray said. "And the models are really all over the place in this region. The SOCCOM floats are now providing data at times and places where before we had virtually nothing, and that is invaluable for constraining the models and understanding these trends."

Paper co-author and SOCCOM director Jorge Sarmiento at Princeton University said: "This is science at its most exciting -- a major challenge to our current understanding made possible by extraordinary observations from the application of new technologies to study previously unexplored regions of the ocean."

Sarmiento added that observations from these technologies have implications for understanding the global carbon cycle.

"We find that the Southern Ocean is currently near neutral with respect to removal of carbon from the atmosphere, contrary to previous studies, which suggest there is a large uptake of carbon by the Southern Ocean," Sarmiento said. "These results can be reconciled if there is a corresponding unobserved carbon uptake waiting to be discovered somewhere else in the ocean."

Gray conducted the research as a postdoctoral researcher in Sarmiento's research group.

The paper with the study's results will be published today, Aug. 14, in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.

###

Other contributors to the paper include Stephen Riser at the University of Washington; Kenneth Johnson at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; Seth Bushinsky at Princeton; Joellen Russell at the University of Arizona; Lynne Talley at Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Rik Wanninkhof at NOAA; and Nancy Williams at Oregon State University.ARLINGTON, Va.--The Office of Naval Research (ONR), Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have entered into an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) to encourage and strengthen studies in the scientific disciplines. The agreement, signed July 31, recognizes the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)--including the role of artificial intelligence (AI)--to the U.S. Navy and the nation.

"The Naval Research Enterprise works closely with leading minds in academia and industry to serve our Sailors and Marines," said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. David Hahn. "CMU is recognized as a world leader in AI, and we look forward to partnering with them to build the A-plus team that will tackle our future challenges."

A primary focus of the new EPA is to cultivate student interest and expertise in STEM-related disciplines. This agreement will provide unique opportunities for CMU students to become aware of, and collaborate in, the many disciplines associated with all aspects of AI--for example, as it applies to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR)--from concept, through development, and into implementation and testing.

The initial agreement will last up to five years and enable CMU students and employees to enjoy access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment--and new innovative, technological methods.

Benefits to ONR and NRL include enhanced perspectives through exposure to the ideas of the academic community; the opportunity to identify mutually beneficial areas of endeavor; and partnering in the education and professional development of future scientists and engineers.

ONR and CMU also recently co-sponsored an "AI and Autonomy for HA/DR" workshop. This brought together a community of academic, industry and government experts to speed up the development of new AI and autonomous capabilities in support of HA/DR missions.

"This agreement builds a foundation for expanded collaborations between NRL and CMU, especially in the rapidly developing discipline of artificial intelligence," said Capt. Scott Moran, NRL commanding officer. "Access to NRL personnel and facilities will provide unique opportunities for CMU students and faculty to develop, implement and test technologies focused on Navy needs. Furthermore, NRL researchers will benefit from opportunities to leverage CMU's world-renowned expertise in this field."

###A new study in the journal Rheumatology indicates that being exposed to secondhand smoke in childhood could increase the risk of someone developing arthritis as an adult.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that may be developed by environmental agents interacting with genetic factors. The role of genetics into arthritis susceptibility is well recognized. There are over 100 types of arthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common ones as well as one of the most frequent auto-immune diseases. The suspected relationship relies on the hypothesis that an environmental factor may induce changes in some tissues (for example the lung). But, this triggering of changes by interaction between genes and environmental factors might occur decades before the emergence of the disease.

The study investigated the link between smoking status, including childhood and adult passive exposures, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

The patients studied included 98,995 French female volunteers prospectively followed since 1990. Self-administered questionnaires sent every 2-3 years collected medical events, and general, lifestyle, and environmental characteristics. Arthritis diagnoses were collected in three successive questionnaires, and confirmed if women received an arthritis-specific medication.

The results of the study confirmed that adulthood smoking was associated with an increased risk of arthritis. In addition, ever (current and past) smokers who also had childhood passive smoking exposure had a higher risk of arthritis than those not exposed as children. Also, arthritis began earlier in smokers exposed to childhood passive smoking. The data also suggested that even in nonsmokers, passive exposure to tobacco during childhood tended to increase the risk of arthritis, the magnitude of the increase being similar to that associated with regular adulthood smoking, i.e. about 40%.

In summary, childhood passive exposure to tobacco is associated with increased risk of RA and earlier RA onset, particularly in adult smokers. This study also suggests for the first time that passive exposure to tobacco during childhood might also increase the risk of arthritis even in adults who never smoked.

"Further study is needed to explore if this increased risk is also mainly observed in people carrying the gene at risk for rheumatoid arthritis, which is quite likely with regard to tobacco," said the paper's lead author, Dr Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault. "These results also highlight the importance of children--especially those with a family history of this form of arthritis--avoiding secondhand smoke."

###

The paper, "Passive Smoking In Childhood Increases The Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis," is available to the public here: https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/key219 on Aug 14 at midnight BST.

Direct correspondence to:

Dr Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault

Inserm U1018, Health across Generations Team, EMT,

Institut Gustave Roussy

114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94708 Villejuif, FRANCE

marie-christine.BOUTRON@gustaveroussy.fr

To request a copy of the study, please contact:

Erin Brioso

erin.brioso@oup.com

Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournalsDallas museum and South African university sign Memo of Understanding with plans for future collaborations, scientific endeavors and more in paleoanthropology, particularly in the area of human origins

The MOU is part of the Museum's new strategic focus on human origins, with plans to increase research, produce traveling exhibitions, cultivate scientific communication and maximize accessibility around the world while cultivating projects that strengthen international scientific and academic cooperation

DALLAS (Aug. 15, 2018) - Just four months after forming an official alliance with internationally renowned paleoanthropologist Professor Lee Berger, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science has officially partnered with the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits University). A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed today providing the groundwork for future collaboration including research, exhibits, traveling exhibitions, and various projects in paleoanthropology, humanities and other academic areas.

"As the Perot Museum looks to the future, we want to establish our Museum as a global center of excellence in paleoanthropology," said Dr. Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the Perot Museum. "We are so fortunate to have Wits University, Professor Berger and his team as our partners, and research scientist Dr. Becca Peixotto on board to lead this important initiative. This is a remarkable opportunity to elevate our understanding of humanity and engage our community, not only in North Texas, but around the world."

The collaboration stems from the Perot Museum's new strategic focus on human origins called the Center for the Exploration of the Human Journey. With a mission to explore the human journey, communicate the science of paleoanthropology and stories surrounding humanity, and act as a catalyst for education and dialogue, the Center also focuses on supporting, curating and disseminating the dynamic research developed by Berger and his team of more than 160 scientists working around the world. Berger, who serves as the Center's Distinguished Science Advisor, has rewritten the way early human and hominin evolution is understood with his discovery of a new species of human relative, Homo naledi. Peixotto, who was named director of the Center in April, has worked with Berger since 2013 and guided the MOU to fruition.

With the goal of strengthening international scientific and academic cooperation, projects are already in place. These include the newly transformed Being Human Hall, specifically the Becoming Human Wall featuring casts of H. naledi and a virtual reality experience that gives Museum visitors a chance to travel deep into the Rising Star Cave to see where the painstaking excavations take place. The virtual reality experience is offered in English, and, starting this week, is also available in Spanish.

Future projects will include a free app called DinalediVR that is narrated, in their native languages, by six scientists from the international H. naledi research team. Three of those are South African languages, contributing to growing efforts to communicate science in local languages and highlighting the contributions of South African scientists on the team. The app, which launches in September, will be Google Cardboard compatible for Android and iOS devices, reducing economic barriers to the VR experience around the world.

"Wits University is excited to collaborate with the Perot Museum, and we look forward to bringing international scientific endeavors to the people of Texas and beyond," said Professor Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University. "By sharing research and programming in creative ways, we can maximize our institutions' capacity to be an international resource. This MOU helps us to strengthen academic and scientific collaboration, so that we can achieve social justice goals, based on our common humanity."

This fall additional collaborative projects between Wits University and the Perot Museum will be announced, with aims to develop traveling exhibitions, increase outreach in under-served schools around the world and cultivate enhanced communication of paleoanthropology and other social sciences.

###

NOTE: To obtain the news release, photos and more, please go to perotmuseum.org/press.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Becky Mayad, Perot Museum of Nature and Science

214-352-1881 work

214-697-7745 cell

becky@mayadpr.com

Schalk Mouton, Wits University

+27 11 717 1017

+28 739 9637

schalk.mouton1@wits.ac.za

About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in Victory Park in the heart of Dallas, Texas. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children's museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org.

About the University of the Witwatersrand. Wits University is a research-intensive University, one of the leading institutions on the African continent that produces world-class research that is locally relevant and globally competitive. Wits is a global leader in the palaeosciences, one of its key research areas. Wits' research output has increased by over 45% in the last four years with more than 85% of its research published in international journals. Wits offers a free space for the exchange of ideas and a vibrant intellectual community that fosters debate and knowledge transfer both within and beyond our lecture halls. Wits' latest research available at http://www.wits.ac.za/research.Reducing year-to-year variability in the commercial demand for trees for planting could reduce the import of exotic pests and diseases that can damage local forests and woodland

Oak processionary moth and ash dieback are among the most notorious tree pests and diseases intro-duced into the UK. And many exotic pests and diseases are suspected of having been introduced, or are known to have been introduced, through the import of commercial tree planting material.

New research, which unravels the dynamics of tree production, economics and variability in demand, shows how to reduce the risks of importing such damaging forest foes. The findings, from a team led by Rothamsted Research with the University of Cambridge, are published today in The Journal of Applied Ecology.

"Our results suggest that a balanced management of demand variability and costs can significantly reduce the risk of importing an exotic forest pest or disease," says Vasthi Alonso-Chavez, an epidemiological modeller at Rothamsted. She has developed a mathematical model to understand the problem.

The model assesses the impacts that three scenarios of increasing variability of demand has on the rela-tionship between gross profit margins for nurseries and the likelihood of introducing an exotic disease: where locally producing a tree is 25%, 50% and 75% of the cost of importing a tree from Europe.

"When the cost of producing a tree in a UK nursery is considerably smaller than the cost of importing a tree, the risk of introducing an exotic disease is hardly affected by an increase in demand variability," notes Alonso-Chavez. "But the risk increases as the cost ratio diminishes."

Uncertainty in market demand is one of the main challenges for nursery businesses, says Alonso-Chavez. "Nursery growers often receive short notice of requirements for trees for planting...even though nurseries require up to three years to produce a tree seedling."

As variability in demand hampers growers' ability to gauge how many trees to produce, nurseries cut their potential losses by restricting production to reduce the number of unsold trees. If demand rises and there is a shortfall, they buy trees from foreign sources to make up the difference.

Nearly 300 plant pathogens were introduced into Britain over the past 50 years, of which 10 species affect the forestry sector. About two thirds of introduced species are native to continental Europe, chiefly the Netherlands and France, with 10% from both North America and Asia.

Introduced pathogens from across continents can have catastrophic effects, record the researchers. Ash dieback (causal agent Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), native to Asia, was first discovered in the UK in 2012 in a nursery in southern England, in plants that had been imported from the Netherlands. The disease causes high levels of mortality in all age classes of ash trees across Europe and the United Kingdom. This is a big problem as ash is among the top five most common broadleaf trees in Britain.

Oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea), native to southern Europe, affects the health of oak trees, people and animals. According to the Forestry Commission, "a protein in the caterpillars' tiny hairs can cause skin and eye irritations, sore throats and breathing difficulties in people and animals who come into contact with them."

Growers need a range of measures to help them to manage the fluctuations in demand and the differ-ences in import and production costs, says Alonso-Chavez. She suggests longer-term grant schemes, to allow nurseries to plan their tree planting, and higher import duties, to encourage growers to sell home-grown plants.

###

NOTES TO EDITORS

Publication:

Variability in commercial demand for tree saplings affects the probability of introducing exotic forest diseases

Alonso-Chavez et al, 2018, The Journal of Applied Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13242

[link live to paper after publication; for embargoed copies, contact Vasthi Alonso-Chavez (vasthi.alonso-chavez@rothamsted.ac.uk) or Frank van den Bosch (frank.vandenbosch@rothamsted.ac.uk)]

Rothamsted Research contacts:

Vasthi Alonso-Chavez, Epidemiological Modeller

Tel: +44 (0) 1582 938 173

E-mail: vasthi.alonso-chavez@rothamsted.ac.uk

Frank van den Bosch, Crop Protection Scientist

Tel: +44 (0) 1582 938 372

E-mail: frank.vandenbosch@rothamsted.ac.uk

About Rothamsted Research

Rothamsted Research is the oldest agricultural research institute in the world. We work from gene to field with a proud history of ground-breaking discoveries. Our founders, in 1843, were the pioneers of modern agriculture, and we are known for our imaginative science and our collaborative influence on fresh thinking and farming practices. Through independent science and innovation, we make significant contributions to improving agri-food systems in the UK and internationally. In terms of its economic contribution, the cumulative impact of our work in the UK exceeds 3000 million a year (Rothamsted Research and the Value of Excellence, by Sean Rickard, 2015). Our strength lies in our systems approach, which combines science and strategic research, interdisciplinary teams and partnerships. Rothamsted is also home to three unique resources. These National Capabilities are open to researchers from all over the world: The Long-Term Experiments, Rothamsted Insect Survey and the North Wyke Farm Platform. We are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and international funding streams, and from industry.

For more information, visit https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/; Twitter @Rothamsted

About BBSRC

BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond. Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over 469M in world-class bioscience in 2016-17. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

More information about BBSRC, our science and our impact.

More information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes

About LAT

The Lawes Agricultural Trust, established in 1889 by Sir John Bennet Lawes, supports Rothamsted Research's national and international agricultural science through the provision of land, facilities and funding. LAT, a charitable trust, owns the estates at Harpenden and Broom's Barn, including many of the buildings used by Rothamsted Research. LAT provides an annual research grant to the Director, accommodation for nearly 200 people, and support for fellowships for young scientists from developing countries. LAT also makes capital grants to help modernise facilities at Rothamsted, or invests in new buildings.The development of Samara University scientists is significantly distinguished in the Russian market of unmanned systems due to the combination of fundamentally new characteristics.

One of the main advantages of the "Photon" is independence from navigation systems such as GPS and GLONASS. Full autonomy of the UAV provides a built-in alternative navigation unit, developed at the Samara University. The complete autonomy of the UAV is provided by the built-in alternative navigation block developed at Samara University. It is based on the principles of optical navigation. Due to the support points set beforehand along the route the UAV is able to navigate the terrain with the help of "machine vision" and correct the course without the use of satellite navigation signals. According to the developers of the UAV, the autonomous navigation will allow to increase the radius of the apparatus up to 400 kilometers, in comparison with other UAVs and increase its safety significantly. The duration of the flight of Samara University UAV is up to 24 hours. "Now in Russia there are no known analogues to such apparatus. There are many UAVs with different types of the work load, but they are all of exclusively local use", -- said Anton Nazarov.

During the whole flight control over the most important blocks and joints of the UAV is made from the ground control station. If radiocommunication is lost "Photon 601? automatically returns to the take-off place and lands. If on its way "home" the communication is resumed, the UAV returns to the source route again for the completion of the flight assignment. Herewith the apparatus can be followed both in visible spectrum and infrared band.

The UAV has two power supplies, i.e. the solar array system and combustion engine. At present young scientists of Samara University are working to obtain the highest possible efficiency of solar panels onboard the UAV. Their goal is to ensure the flight of the UAV exclusively on the basis of solar energy, which will allow the device to move to a higher level of autonomy (up to 32 hours).

Unmanned aerial vehicle "Photon 601? is intended as a research laboratory for running of experiments and is equipped with two types of cameras on gyro-stabilized suspension. On the UAV of Samara University another work load of up to 8,5 kg in weight can be set.

In addition the UAV is oriented to the solution of civil tasks, i.e. the problem areas monitoring of oil companies' main pipelines, surveying of hydraulic structures, revealing of unauthorized landfill sites, control of natural resources extraction, assistance in the field of cartography, geodesy.

On UAV "Photon 601? developed at Samara University 9 test flights were conducted. The flights resulted in working out of the autoflight mode, modifiability of the route as well as control over the work load (transmission of information and its quality).

According to the developers the abilities of UAV "Photon 601? have already caught the interest of different environmental structures, oil companies as well as national security, defence and law enforcement agencies

For reference

Flight time -- up to 16 hours

Cruising speed -- 120 km / h

Range of video transmission -- up to 120 km

Altitude -- up to 5 thousand meters above the ground level

Starting / landing parameters -- launcher / parachute

Flight modes -- Auto / Manual

Take-off weight -- 50 kg

Target load

Camcorder -- 10X zoom

Thermal imaging camera -- 640480

Auto object tracking module

Two-axis gyro-stabilized platform

More in video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6bv3ASk1B8

###SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Physicists at Syracuse University are closer to understanding what happened after the Big Bang nearly 14 billion years ago, thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation(NSF).

The High-Energy Physics (HEP) Group in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is the recipient of a three-year, $3.7 million NSF award, supporting ongoing research into the fundamental forces and particles in the universe. The group's project centers on the physics of heavy quarks.

Whereas light quarks make up protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom, heavy quarks form other nuclei and mesons (i.e., particles with two quarks). Heavy quarks are produced in the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment at the CERN laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Integral to HEP's work is the Standard Model, a theory describing all matter and forces, except for gravity, in the universe.

"The Standard Model is the starting point for investigations into the building blocks of matter," says Sheldon Stone, Distinguished Professor of Physics and the project's principal investigator (PI). "We know that an atom is made up of electrons, which swarm around the nucleus. The nucleus, in turn, contains protons and neutrons, each containing at least three quarks, sometimes more. It is within this microscopic framework that we go from the Standard Model to the realm of 'new physics.'"

The project's co-PIs are professors Steven Blusk, Marina Artuso, Matthew Rudolph and Tomasz Skwarnicki. Together with two research professors and a handful of graduate and undergraduate students in A&S, they spearhead one of the nation's top scientific and hardware programs in particle physics.

According to Stone, the grant will support ongoing physics data analysis at LHCb, as well as the construction and testing of a new tracking device called the Upstream Tracker (UT), located in the experiment's particle detector.

"LHCb is composed of about 10 different sub-detectors. The UT will significantly enhance the capabilities of this system, above and beyond what it currently does," he says, adding that the UT will be finished in 2020.

Several times a year, select members of HEP travel to CERN to participate directly in the LHCb experiment. The laboratory is home to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest, most powerful particle accelerator. Scientists use the LHC to recreate the Big Bang--the first millionth of a second of existence, in which all space, matter and energy in the universe, contained in a point the size of an atom, began to cool and expand.

"The LHC hurls beams of protons at one another at almost the speed of light. The higher the energy, the greater the impact," says Stone, a Fellow of the American Physical Society. "We examine the debris from these collisions to learn more about the very early universe."

Unlike other equations, such as Einstein's elegantly succinct E = mc2, the Standard Model is long and convoluted--rows of equations that seem to make little sense to the uninitiated. In actuality, the theory successfully describes three of the four fundamental forces in the universe: electromagnetism, as well as the weak and strong nuclear forces.

The model, however, is not without challenges. "It says nothing about dark energy and dark matter, which are invisible and make up 96 percent of the universe, and completely leaves out gravity, the weakest of the four fundamental forces," Stone says. "As a result, we have to look beyond the Standard Model to understand what the universe is made of and how it has come to be."

Enter HEP, known for its pioneering work with quarks--fundamental constituents of matter that combine to form composite particles called hadrons. Since 2014, the group has turned the field on its ear with discoveries of various hadrons, including two rare pentaquarks (a particle with four quarks and one antiquark), a tetraquark (two quarks and two antiquarks) and two never-before-seen baryons (three quarks).

A unifying characteristic of these discoveries is the presence of a bottom quark, known as a "beauty quark," or "b quark"--hence the "b" in "LHCb."

"For every particle, there is a corresponding antiparticle, identical in every way but with an opposite charge," Stone explains. "When matter and antimatter come into contact, they annihilate one another in a burst of energy. ... Theoretically, the Big Bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter. So why is there more matter than antimatter in the universe?"

The answer likely resides at CERN, where the LHC produces different types of quarks. (There are six varieties, or flavors, in all.) Artificially recreating the Big Bang is one thing; sifting through cosmic debris for evidence of heavy particles is another--something requiring sophisticated detectors. "We catch the b quarks when they decay into something else," Stone says.

Working with colleagues at MIT and the universities of Maryland and Cincinnati, members of HEP are replacing LHCb's current tracker with the UT. The new device will consist of four ultra-thin, silicon detector planes that produce data "read" by custom-built integrated circuits.

Artuso, who oversees the UT Project with physicists from Poland, Italy and Switzerland, says the hardware will increase the amount of data that LHCb can handle by factors of five to 10. "Improved luminosity will permit more accurate measurements of fundamental particles, and will enable observations of rare processes that occur below the current sensitivity level," she adds.

As with most NSF grant awards, this one involves public education and outreach. Witness HEP's involvement with QuarkNet, a research-based teacher professional development program, co-sponsored by the Department of Energy. At Syracuse, QuarkNet takes the form of workshops, lectures and online resources, benefitting high school physics students and teachers.

As one senior physicist puts it: "Syracuse is among the most productive and prestigious collider groups in the country. Their record in the physics of heavy quarks is a brand that is well regarded and prominent."

Says another, "The PIs are clear intellectual leaders in physics research."

###Researchers at Mount Sinai have successfully restored vision in mice through activating retinal stem cells, something that has never been done before. Their study, published in the August 15 online issue of Nature, could transform treatment for patients with retinal degenerative diseases, which currently have no cure.

"This study opens a new pathway for potentially treating blinding diseases by manipulating our own regenerative capability to self-repair," explained lead investigator Bo Chen, PhD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Ocular Stem Cell Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "This is the first step to finding promising cures for patients that involve self-repair as opposed to medicine or invasive procedures."

In zebrafish, Muller glial cells (MGs) are a source of retinal stem cells that can replenish damaged retinal neurons and restore vision. In mammals, MGs do not have regenerative capability after photoreceptors are lost, and therefore retina damage cannot fix itself. As a result, in patients with diseases like macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa that kill retinal cells, the disease progression is often irreversible. Researchers hypothesized if they could somehow reactivate MGs and bring back vision.

A team of scientists did a two-step gene transfer to reprogram MGs into blind mice. First, they activated dormant stem cells to become active stem cells. The second step involved another gene transfer to help stem cells develop into rod photoreceptor cells. The rod photoreceptor cells are the most abundant cell type in the retina, and the first step to sensing light in the retina. They then transmit to other cells in the retina, which send signals to the brain allowing for actual sight.

After this two-step reprogramming, investigators found that new rod photoreceptors were generated and integrated into the existing retinal structure, instead of floating around and being ineffective. They saw no difference between these new cells and real rod photoreceptor cells. These cells sensed light, which then triggered information to be sent to the visual cortex (brain) and restored function of the visual pathway. Between four and six weeks after the reprogramming, the blind mice were able to sense light and regained their vision.

While vision was restored to some degree, researchers could not measure the degree of improvement, and must do further testing to find this out.

"This could lead to extraordinary opportunities in the future where we can potentially use the same strategy to reactivate these stem cells in the diseased human eye," said Dr. Chen. "If this works, this could transform the way we treat patients with retinal disease and possibly learn how to cure other types of eye disease like glaucoma."

###

The National Eye Institute (NEI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, supported this 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. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 13 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. 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.New research published in The Journal of Physiology highlights how exercise could help people exposed to extreme temperatures protect themselves from the cold. This could be useful for people who live and work in very cold conditions.

Shivering is one of the first defences against cold and it boosts the body's heat production. Shivering can only warm you up for so long and after a few hours your muscles will run out of fuel and will grow too tired to contract. Exercise helps build-up muscle in the limbs and this new research shows that this exercise could help the muscle shiver longer and keep people warmer for longer. Therefore this suggests that people preparing to live in extreme cold conditions should exercise in order to protect against fatigue to their muscles caused by shivering.

The study, conducted by the University of Guelph and the University of Copenhagen, assessed mice that had trained with voluntary wheels and had been exposed to cold temperature conditions. During cold exposure their changes in body weight, food intake, blood sugar levels and rectal temperature were measured, in addition to an examination of their limb muscle and fat tissue. Mice that did not exercise lost a significant amount of weight when exposed to the cold however exercise-trained mice were better able to maintain their core temperature.

It is important to note that the researchers were unable to directly measure limb muscle activity during cold exposure, which will be essential for future exploration.

David C. Wright, corresponding author on the study, commented on the future direction of the work 'In this study we show that exercise training helps build limb muscle and in turn offers better protection against cold conditions. We would now like to determine if the responses that we saw in males also occurred in females. It would also be interesting to determine if obesity impacts the effects that we saw.'

###New analyses that use tree rings could settle the long-standing debate about when the volcano Thera erupted by resolving discrepancies between archeological and radiocarbon methods of dating the eruption, according to new University of Arizona-led research.

"It's about tying together a timeline of ancient Egypt, Greece, Turkey and the rest of the Mediterranean at this critical point in the ancient world -- that's what dating Thera can do," said lead author Charlotte Pearson, an assistant professor of dendrochronology at the UA Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research.

"What we can say now is that the radiocarbon evidence is compatible with the archeological evidence for an eruption of Thera in the 16th century BC," Pearson said.

Thera's explosive eruption on Santorini more than 3,400 years ago buried the Minoan settlement on the island in a layer of ash and pumice more than 130 feet (40 meters) deep. The effects of the eruption were felt as far away as Egypt and what is now Istanbul in Turkey.

"The volcano erupts and represents one short moment in time," she said. "If you can date precisely when that moment is, then whenever you find evidence of that moment at any archeological site, you suddenly have a very precise marker point in time -- and that's really powerful for examining human/environmental interactions around that time period."

Archeologists have estimated the eruption as occurring sometime between 1570 and 1500 BC by using human artifacts such as written records from Egypt and pottery retrieved from digs. Other researchers estimated the date of the eruption to about 1600 BC using measurements of radiocarbon, sometimes called carbon-14, from bits of trees, grains and legumes found just below the layer of volcanic ash.

By using radiocarbon measurements from the annual rings of trees that lived at the time of the eruption, the UA-led team dates the eruption to someplace between 1600 and 1525, a time period which overlaps with the 1570-1500 date range from the archeological evidence.

"There's been a huge debate about the timing of the Thera eruption and radiocarbon versus archeological dating," Pearson said. "Our data indicate that radiocarbon dating can overlap with various lines of archeological evidence for the eruption date."

The current radiocarbon calibration curve that was developed over the past 50 years using tree rings extends 14,000 years into the past. At that time, the scientists needed to use chunks of wood that combined 10 to 20 years of a tree's annual rings to have enough wood to test for radiocarbon.

Work conducted at the UA Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory contributed substantially to the radiocarbon calibration curve currently in use worldwide.

Now radiocarbon testing requires just slivers of wood, so Pearson and her colleagues could test the annual growth rings of trees from 1500 back to 1700 BC -- before, during and after the time Thera was thought to have erupted. The 285 samples of annual tree rings were analyzed for radiocarbon at the UA AMS lab.

Co-author Gregory Hodgins, director of the UA AMS lab, said, "Charlotte is redoing the calibration curve at an annual scale. What fell out of that was that the old calibration curve wasn't precisely correct during this time frame."

The paper, "Annual radiocarbon record indicates sixteenth century BC date for the Thera eruption," by Pearson and her colleagues is scheduled to publish online Aug. 15 in Science Advances.

Her other UA co-authors are Peter Brewer, Timothy Jull, Todd Lange and Matthew Salzer. Other co-authors are David Brown of Queen's University in Belfast, UK, and Timothy Heaton of University of Sheffield, UK.

The Malcolm H. Wiener Foundation, the Merops Foundation, plus the European Union and the State of Hungary (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund) funded the research.

Pearson learned about the Thera eruption while studying archeology in college and has been fascinated by the eruption and its aftermath ever since.

Narrowing the date for the Minoan-era eruption of the volcano Thera is so important for Mediterranean archeology that there have been whole conferences about when that eruption occurred, she said.

Pearson wanted to know whether current dendrochronological and radiocarbon techniques could provide a more precise date for the eruption.

"Every tree ring is a time capsule of the radiocarbon at the year in which it grew, so we can say here's a tree ring from 1600 BC and here's how much radiocarbon is in it," she said.

The radioactive carbon-14 within an annual tree ring decays at a steady rate and can act as a clock indicating when the tree grew that ring.

Pearson and her colleagues used two different tree-ring chronologies from long-lived trees that were alive at the time of the Thera eruption but were growing 7,000 miles apart. Salzer's extensive work on long-lived bristlecone pines living in California and Nevada provided the 200 tree-ring samples representing each year from 1700 to 1500 BC. Brown provided 85 Irish oak annual tree-ring samples that spanned the same years.

Because Irish oaks and bristlecone pines add a growth ring every year, the rings laid down year-by-year represent an environmental history going back thousands of years in time.

A massive volcano such as Thera ejects so much material into the atmosphere that it cools the earth. For cold-climate trees such as Irish oaks and bristlecones, that exceptionally cold year shows up as a much narrower tree ring. Salzer's work reveals at least four different years within the new radiocarbon age range for Thera where the bristlecone pines had exceptionally narrow rings that might indicate a huge volcanic eruption.

"What we're doing in this study is using the annual nature of tree rings to improve the existing calibration curve for radiocarbon," Pearson said. "We wanted to tackle this time period in hopes we could use this to shed new light on the Thera debate."

Hodgins said, "This research is about Thera, but really, the implications of it are profound for anyone that uses radiocarbon dating throughout the world for this time span. There's a kind of revolution in the radiocarbon community to revise the calibration curve using these more precise measurements."

Other research teams are also finding discrepancies between their radiocarbon measurements using annual tree rings and the current radiocarbon calibration curve, he said.

Pearson, still fascinated by Thera, hopes future research can nail the eruption down to a particular year.

###

Researcher contact information:

Charlotte Pearson

520-621-0807

c.pearson@ltrr.arizona.edu

Greg Hodgins

520-626-3619

ghodgins@email.arizona.eduWhen plants are in distress or being fed on by insects, they have been known to send out sensory volatile cues that alert organisms in the area -- such as birds -- that they are in need of help. While research has shown that this occurs in ecosystems such as forests, until now, this phenomenon has never been demonstrated in an agricultural setting.

Researchers at the University of Delaware have recently found that agricultural plants also send out these signals when under duress from insects, opening new potential avenues for growers to defend their crops while at the same time providing a much-needed food source for birds.

Ivan Hiltpold and Greg Shriver led the research at UD and used an unorthodox method to create their 'larvae' for the study: a little bit of Play-Doh and orange colored pins.

Using a field plot of maize on UD's Newark farm, the researchers attached dispensers using a synthetic odor blend that replicated the volatiles--odor cues given off by plants to indicate they are being attacked such as the smell of freshly cut grass--attached to corn stalks. They also used dispensers using only an organic solvent as a control measure.

The Play-Doh larvae with orange head pins were then distributed on plants around the volatile dispensers and the organic solvent dispensers with the researchers measuring the bird attacks or pecks on the larvae.

They found that the imitation larvae located closer to the volatile dispensers had significantly more attacks than those located closer to the organic solvent dispensers.

The results of their study were recently published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology.

Hiltpold said the results support growing evidence that foraging birds exploit volatile cues and a more accurate understanding of their behavior will be critical when implementing pest management programs benefiting from ecological services provided by insectivorous birds.

"Improving our understanding of how birds prey on insects would open new avenues in sustainable pest control," said Hiltpold.

While it has been proven for years that parasitoid insects or predatory insects respond to volatiles released by damaged plants and it has also been demonstrated that birds react to tree volatiles after insect herbivory on a tree in a forest setting, Hiltpold, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, said that this is the first time field research has been conducted on volatiles in an agricultural setting.

"It is a cry for help," said Hiltpold. "The plant is damaged, the plant emits something that recruits help and we're all thinking it's help from other insects but it seems that birds are also using that as a cue to locate a plant or a group of plants. Then what we think is that they use their visual equity to locate the larvae when they're in the vicinity of the plant emitting the volatiles."

Hiltpold said that their research in the field confirmed this, as they had one larvae located on a volatile dispenser on a plant, and then four larvae distributed on all the plants around the plant with the dispenser.

When they compared the number of pecks to the larvae on the plant with the dispenser to the number of pecks on the larvae on plants around the dispenser, there was no significant difference.

"This means that the bird is coming, smelling the volatiles and when it gets to the vicinity of the plant that is damaged, then it visually searches for the insect," said Hiltpold.

It is also interesting because birds have long been believed to not be able to smell, but this research indicates that they are smelling the volatiles and then coming in closer to visual locate their prey.

"Whether or not birds can smell is a big question because they apparently lack some anatomical things to smell the way other vertebrates are smelling," Hiltpold said. "Yet, they seem to have the capability of sensing volatiles but we don't exactly know how they do it yet."

The next step for the researchers will involve monitoring the diversity of birds responding to these cues in agricultural, forest and wetland environments over the course of the summer.

To evaluate bird predation of fake insects, caterpillars will be visually assessed once a week. To know which birds are responding to volatiles, two time-lapse cameras will be set up per environment to collect pictures over the course of the experiment.

###

They were able to get the project funded by using Experiment.com to give more information about the project and raise funds.People who suffer a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain could be helped by four simple checks of their brain scans, research suggests.

The checks could help spot people at risk of further bleeding so they can be monitored more closely.

Experts say this could help improve outcomes for the millions of people around the world who experience a brain bleed each year.

Bleeding in the brain - known as an intracerebral haemorrhage or ICH - is the most deadly form of stroke.

Only one in five patients survives without permanent damage. Of the remainder, half are likely to die within a month and half will be left with a long-term disability.

Cases of ICH are diagnosed by brain scans, but until now it has been difficult to predict which patients will continue bleeding. Those who do are expected to have worse outcomes.

Research led by the University of Edinburgh analysed data from studies around the world involving more than 5,000 patients.

The team identified four factors that helped doctors predict whether patients were likely to experience further bleeding.

These include the size of the bleed and whether or not the patient was taking medication, such as aspirin or warfarin, to thin their blood or prevent clotting.

Experts say the checks can be applied during routine care to help medical staff decide the best way to continue monitoring each patient.

Researchers also looked at the benefit of an advanced brain scanning technique - called CT angiography - for predicting a person's risk of ongoing bleeding.

The scan involves injecting a coloured dye into the patient's bloodstream and checking if it can be seen leaking into the brain.

For patients who showed leakage of the dye, the test was of little value in addition to the four simple checks for predicting their risk of ongoing bleeding, researchers found.

Incorporating the four checks into patient care could help to improve survival, especially in low or middle-income countries, where patients may not have access to CT angiography.

Experts from dozens of research centres worldwide contributed to the study, which is the largest of its kind to date.

The research, published in The Lancet Neurology, was funded by the UK's Medical Research Council and the British Heart Foundation.

Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, said: "We have found that four simple measures help doctors to make accurate predictions about the risk of a brain haemorrhage growing. These can be used anywhere in the world. Better prediction can help us identify which patients might benefit from close monitoring and treatment. We hope that an app could help doctors to do this. The next step is to find an effective treatment to stop the bleeding."

###Aggressive brain tumour cells taken from patients self-destructed after being exposed to a chemical in laboratory tests, researchers have shown.

The study could be the first step in tackling cancers like glioblastoma, which led to Dame Tessa Jowell's death earlier this year.

The research, led by the University of Leeds, found that the synthetic chemical, named KHS101, was able to cut the energy source of tumour cells from glioblastoma, leading to the death of the cells.

Published in Science Translational Medicine, the research represents an important step forward in tackling this disease, which is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than five per cent.

Over 2,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma in the UK every year, and it has recently been discussed in Parliament as a disease which urgently requires improvements in treatment options.

Funded initially by the Medical Research Council, the new study showed promising results which may lead to the development of a therapy to fight brain cancer in years to come.

Dr Heiko Wurdak, from the University of Leeds who led the international research team, said: "When we started this research we thought KHS101 might slow down the growth of glioblastoma, but we were surprised to find that the tumour cells basically self-destructed when exposed to it.

"This is the first step in a long process, but our findings pave the way for drug developers to start investigating the uses of this chemical, and we hope that one day it will be helping to extend people's lives in the clinic."

The study revealed that the chemical was disrupting the mitochondria and metabolism within the tumour cells, and shutting off the energy supply leading to their self-destruction.

To test whether KHS101 could cross the blood brain barrier in mammals, essential for it to be effective in stopping brain cancers, tumour cells were transferred from humans into mice. The blood brain barrier stops most molecules from entering the brain and severely limits treatment options.

The chemical successfully crossed the blood-brain barrier and significantly decreased tumour growth (by around 50 per cent) in mice treated with KHS101 compared with those given a placebo, leading to an increase in survival. Importantly, normal brain cells were unaffected by the chemical.

The team also reviewed how effective KHS101 would be against the different genetic profiles of cells within a tumour, and between tumours in different patients. Genetic variation in tumours has complicated efforts to identify treatments in the past, but the team found that all tested variations of glioblastoma subtype cells responded to the treatment.

Professor Richard Gilbertson, Cancer Research UK's brain tumour expert who wasn't involved in the research, said: "Treatment for glioblastoma has remained essentially unchanged for decades, so there is a pressing need for preclinical research like this to identify and characterise potential new drugs.

"While the findings are encouraging, as an experimental chemical, further rigorous testing and refinement of KHS101 is required before trials in people can begin."

Further research into the properties of KHS101 may lead scientists to discover similar drugs which also disturb the energy sources causing self-destruction of tumour cells, and thus broaden the range of treatment options available in the fight against brain tumours.

###

The interdisciplinary research group, led by the University of Leeds, included Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Huddersfield, California Institute for Biomedical Research and University of California, San Francisco.

The Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Brain Tumour Research and Support across Yorkshire, Worldwide Cancer Research, the Brain Tumour Charity, the European Commission (FP7), and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council contributed to the funding of the study.

Notes to editors

The paper 'KHS101 disrupts energy metabolism in human glioblastoma cells and reduces tumor growth in mice' is published in Science Translational Medicine on 15 August.

For further information and to request interviews please contact Simon Moore, Press Officer at the University of Leeds, on 0113 34 38059 or s.i.moore@leeds.ac.uk.

University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 33,000 students from more than 150 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

We are a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and are in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2019. Additionally, the University was awarded a Gold rating by the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017, recognising its 'consistently outstanding' teaching and learning provision. Twenty-six of our academics have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships - more than any other institution in England, Northern Ireland and Wales - reflecting the excellence of our teaching. http://www.leeds.ac.ukNanosized magnetic particles called skyrmions are considered highly promising candidates for new data storage and information technologies. Now, physicists have revealed new behaviour involving the antiparticle equivalent of skyrmions in a ferromagnetic material. The researchers demonstrated their findings using advanced computer simulations that can accurately model magnetic properties of nanometre-thick materials. The results are published in Nature Electronics.

Moving electrons around in circuits is the basis for creating useful functions in electronics. But would their guiding principles still apply for positrons, the antiparticle version of electrons? Besides their scarcity in nature, basic electrodynamics suggests that everything would essentially function the same way with positive charges rather than the negative ones of electrons up to a difference in sign, since electrons and positrons move in opposite directions in electromagnetic fields.

However, this question remains open for nanoscale magnetic particles called skyrmions. Skyrmions represent whirls of magnetic moments that extend across a few nanometres and can be found in magnetic films a few atoms thick. In the same way that spheres and doughnuts have different topologies, skyrmions possess a special property called topological charge which plays a similar role to electric charges when their dynamics are concerned. For example, if an applied force causes skyrmions to be deflected toward the left, then that same force would lead antiskyrmions, their antiparticle counterpart, to deflect toward the right. Since the first experimental observations in 2009, skyrmions have been the focus of intense research because they offer new ways to store data and process information.

Now physicists at Uppsala University in Sweden, the Universities of Kiel and Mainz in Germany, and University Paris-Saclay in France have shown that much richer phenomena can occur in nanometre-thick ferromagnets in which both skyrmions and antiskyrmions coexist. By using state-of-the-art simulation techniques to compute the magnetic properties and dynamics in such films, they studied how skyrmions and antiskyrmions respond when electric currents are applied to exert a force on them. At low currents, the expected behaviour is seen where opposite topological charges get deflected in opposite directions as a result of the same applied forces. As the current is gradually increased, however, their motion no longer mirrors each other. While skyrmions continue to travel in straight lines, antiskyrmions begin to undergo curved trajectories, initially as transients and then continuously as the currents are further increased. In the latter the trajectories resemble trochoids, similar to the curve traced out by the pedal of a bicycle that is pedalled along a straight path. These striking results illustrate that opposite topological charges can in fact behave very differently.

But more surprises were still in store. By increasing the amount of energy transferred to the system from the applied currents, the researchers found that the trochoidal motion can evolve to skyrmion-antiskyrmions pairs being created periodically. Because they move differently, the skyrmions created readily propagate away while the trochoidal motion of antiskyrmions mean they remain more localized to where they are created. Remarkably, each antiskyrmion created subsequently becomes a new source of pairs, resulting in a proliferation of such particles. To put this into perspective, this is akin to sending a single positron through a strong magnetic field and getting a gas of electrons and positrons in return.

Moreover, the onset of trochoidal motion sets the ultimate speed limit of such topological charges, which is an important parameter in designing any future circuits using skyrmions. More fundamentally, the work may provide hints at solving a bigger mystery on cosmological scales, namely, why there is more matter than antimatter in the observable universe. After all, skyrmions are named after Tony Skyrme, a British physicist who proposed a quantum theory of particles based on 'topological solitons' - special nonlinear waves just like the whirls in magnetic skyrmions. Because of the asymmetry in the motion of skyrmion and antiskyrmions, the simulations show that there is always an excess of skyrmions after pair creation, so the imbalance between "matter" and "antimatter" in these ferromagnetic films is a natural consequence of their dynamics at high energies. In the nanoscale magnetic universe, at least, matter can arise naturally from a single antiparticle seed.

"The consequences of this theoretical work are potentially far-reaching, since the study suggests that antiskyrmions could be a ready source of skyrmions. This would be crucial for any application that uses skyrmions to transmit and store information." says Ulrike Ritzmann, guest researcher at the Division of Materials Theory at Uppsala University.

###As sea levels rise due to climate change, so do the global hazards and potential devastating damages from tsunamis, according to a new study by a partnership that included Virginia Tech.

Even minor sea-level rise, by as much as a foot, poses greater risks of tsunamis for coastal communities worldwide.

The threat of rising sea levels to coastal cities and communities throughout the world is well known, but new findings show the likely increase of flooding farther inland from tsunamis following earthquakes. Think of the tsunami that devasted a portion of northern Japan after the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, causing a nuclear plant to melt down and spread radioactive contamination.

These findings are at the center of a new Science Advances study, headed by a multi-university team of scientists from the Earth Observatory of Singapore, the Asian School of the Environment at Nanyang Technological University, and National Taiwan University, with critical support from Virginia Tech's Robert Weiss, an associate professor in the Department of Geosciences, part of the College of Science.

"Our research shows that sea-level rise can significantly increase the tsunami hazard, which means that smaller tsunamis in the future can have the same adverse impacts as big tsunamis would today," Weiss said, adding that smaller tsunamis generated by earthquakes with smaller magnitudes occur frequently and regularly around the world. For the study, Weiss was critical in helping create computational models and data analytics frameworks.

At Virginia Tech, Weiss serves as director of the National Science Foundation-funded Disaster Resilience and Risk Management graduate education program and is co-lead of Coastal@VT, comprised of 45 Virginia Tech faculty from 13 departments focusing on contemporary and emerging coastal zone issues, such as disaster resilience, migration, sensitive ecosystems, hazard assessment, and natural infrastructure.

For the study, Weiss and his partners, including Lin Lin Li, a senior research fellow, and Adam Switzer, an associate professor, at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, created computer-simulated tsunamis at current sea level and with sea-level increases of 1.5 feet and 3 feet in the Chinese territory of Macau. Macau is a densely populated coastal region located in South China that is generally safe from current tsunami risks.

At current sea level, an earthquake would need to tip past a magnitude of 8.8 to cause widespread tsunami inundation in Macau. But with the simulated sea-level rises, the results surprised the team.

The sea-level rise dramatically increased the frequency of tsunami-induced flooding by 1.2 to 2.4 times for the 1.5-foot increase and from 1.5 to 4.7 times for the 3-foot increase. "We found that the increased inundation frequency was contributed by earthquakes of smaller magnitudes, which posed no threat at current sea level, but could cause significant inundation at higher sea-level conditions," Li said.

In the simulated study of Macau - population 613,000 - Switzer said, "We produced a series of tsunami inundation maps for Macau using more than 5,000 tsunami simulations generated from synthetic earthquakes prepared for the Manila Trench." It is estimated that sea levels in the Macau region will increase by 1.5 feet by 2060 and 3 feet by 2100, according to the team of U.S.-Chinese scientists.

The hazard of large tsunamis in the South China Sea region primarily comes from the Manila Trench, a megathrust system that stretches from offshore Luzon in the Philippines to southern Taiwan. The Manila Trench megathrust has not experienced an earthquake larger than a magnitude 7.8 since the 1560s. Yet, study co-author Wang Yu, from the National Taiwan University, cautioned that the region shares many of the characteristics of the source areas that resulted in the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, as well as the 2011 earthquake in northern Japan, both causing massive loss of life.

These increased dangers from tsunamis build on already known difficulties facing coastal communities worldwide: The gradual loss of land directly near coasts and increased chances of flooding even during high tides, as sea levels increase as the Earth warms.

"The South China Sea is an excellent starting point for such a study because it is an ocean with rapid sea-level rise and also the location of many mega cities with significant worldwide consequences if impacted. The study is the first if its kind on the level of detail, and many will follow our example," Weiss said.

Policymakers, town planners, emergency services, and insurance firms must work together to create or insure safer coastlines, Weiss added.

"Sea-level rise needs to be taken into account for planning purposes, for example for reclamation efforts but also for designing protective measures, such as seawalls or green infrastructure."

He added, "What we assumed to be the absolute worst case a few years ago now appears to be modest for what is predicted in some locations. We need to study local sea-level change more comprehensively in order to create better predictive models that help to make investments in infrastructure that are or near sustainable."

###In a paper published in TECHNOLOGY, a group of researchers have investigated a novel Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) that provides a barrier to prevent adhesions in post-operative complications. This has the potential to avoid the need for a second surgery to remove the adhesions.

Adhesions are fibrous bridges that form between tissues and organs. They can occur in spinal, intestinal, and peritoneal (abdominal cavity) regions of the body, as a result of surgery, injury, inflammation, or infection. Adhesions usually occur in abdominal, pericardial, and peridural spaces. It is estimated that 303,836 hospitalization cases, 800,000 days of in-patient care and $1.33 billion expenditures can be attributed to adhesion formation. Adhesion causes discomfort, extreme pain, reduced mobility, difficulty breathing, and infertility. The success rates of available anti-adhesive barriers are still low and there is a need for development of more effective bio-materials, which can significantly reduce adhesions.

A team of researchers from the Rutgers University, New Jersey have demonstrated a novel biomaterial film that is strong, flexible, and provides a physical barrier to prevent the joining of surfaces that should not stick together. The substrate-cells electrostatic interactions with the film also help prevent adhesions from forming.

"By taking advantage of the inherent properties of at least two oppositely charged polymers. Polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) primarily consist of Polymers with negatively charged functional groups such as carboxylate and sulfate have demonstrated an inhibitory effect on adhesions of macrophages, lymphocytes, platelets and fibroblasts," says Professor Noshir Langrana, PhD of the Rutgers University and Principal Investigator on the paper.

Current technologies have issues such as brittleness and an inability to prevent adhesions in the presence of blood. The technology we have developed is from a natural, non-toxic material complex that has the desired barrier properties including: being biodegradable in 1-2 weeks, cellular anti-adhesive, flexible, and reasonably strong. The design of Polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) primarily consist of at least two oppositely charged polymers. Polymers with negatively charged functional groups such as carboxylate and sulfate have demonstrated an inhibitory effect on adhesions of macrophages, lymphocytes, platelets, and fibroblasts. This film would prevent adhesions by providing a physical barrier to stop the surfaces that should not stick together from joining. The substrate-cells electrostatic interactions with the film also help prevent adhesions from forming.

###

Corresponding author for this study in TECHNOLOGY is Noshir A. Langrana (Email: Langrana@rutgers.edu).

For more insight into the research described, readers are invited to access the paper on TECHNOLOGY.Privacy Settings

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Dont Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.

Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.

Known as The Doyenne of Death, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die ABQ Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 400 videos!

Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.

Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV.

Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.Amid a flurry of announcements this summer for new luxury apartments downtown, a local nonprofit has closed on the sale of two properties it plans to convert into affordable downtown housing.

The Alamo Community Group has bought the land at North St. Marys and Jones, according to Michael Shackelford, a spokesman for the nonprofit. The group plans to build a five-story, 94-unit apartment complex there. The $17 million project is expected to be completed by July 2020.

The project, which will be down the street from the San Antonio Museum of Art, is being called Museum Reach.

This project is going to be transformational for the affordable housing market, especially considering that many properties that were once affordable are being bought and converted to market rate housing and forcing families and individuals out of their communities, Jennifer Gonzalez, executive director of the Alamo Community Group, said in a news release.

Only eight of the apartments will be market rate, with rent costing an estimated $830 monthly for studios and $1,455 for two-bedroom units, Shackelford said.

RELATED: City nonprofit may skip profits, take a slice of the rent in affordable housing project.

The remaining 86 will be affordable housing for low-income families and individuals. Prices will tentatively range from $333 to $858 per month, according to Shackelford. The units will be limited to those making less than 60 percent of the areas median income, which for a family in Bexar County would be about $31,800.

The apartments are intended to attract working individuals and families looking to work and live downtown.

The acquisition this month came shortly after the Alamo Community Group was awarded federal tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

The exact monetary value of those tax credits has not been determined, Shackelford said, but the recommended award was $1.16 million, according to the departments website.

Though the nonprofit is still determining specific amenities, there are plans for a learning center, which would be professionally staffed by a resident coordinator and would offer free programs to residents and guests. Residents would also have access to a computer lab and public space, according to Shackelford.

Demolition and cleanup of the site is scheduled to begin in January, Shackelford said.

Other recent housing developments downtown include luxury apartments at the River Walk, a 13-story apartment tower and a long-awaited luxury 17-story apartment complex on the River Walk.A C-5M Super Galaxy is shown in this video landing without its nose gear at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland a few months ago, the first incident of its kind in years.

The C-5 was on a routine training mission over the Alamo City when it came in for a landing on March 15 with a crew of 11 on board.

The flight was a training mission that involved pilots, flight engineers and loadmasters. The crew discovered the nose landing gear wasnt lowering while preparing to land at Lackland. That prompted them to declare an in-flight emergency.

RELATED: Mysterious cockpit problems continue, but Air Force trainers still fly

No one was injured, but the failure of the planes nose gear came after an Air Force order to ground all C-5 cargo planes so a faulty ball screw assembly could be replaced in all 56 of them. The grounding, ordered Aug. 2, 2017, came after two C-5M cargo planes based at Dover AFB in Delaware had problems with their nose gear.

The ball screw assembly is located in the nose landing gear.

The Air Mobility Command ended the stand-down about a month after crews repaired the planes, the largest in the services inventory.

The stand-down grounded the 433rd Airlift Wings Super Galaxies, which are often seen flying over U.S. 151 and U.S. 90 in southwestern San Antonio.

RELATED: Pilots report more oxygen system woes, but Air Force says T-6A is safe to fly

The Air Force Reserves 433rd Airlift Wing at Lackland flies eight Super Galaxy cargo planes. Its 356th Airlift Squadron and 733rd Training Squadron routinely do training missions over San Antonio. Another unit on the base, the 68th Airlift Squadron, does local training missions as well but often flies overseas.

The wing said Tuesday the March incident at Lackland remains under investigation with no cause determined yet.

This video first appeared on John Q. Publics Facebook page.

sigc@express-news.netRetired Army Maj. Clarence Sprouse, a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam who a four-star general once called the perfect soldier, died Tuesday in San Antonio. He was 93.

His legend went beyond the three wars: he also helped train the exiles who fought in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961.

He told me I was the bravest guy that he's ever seen, and, really, I wasnt, Sprouse once said about Gen. William DuPuy, who had dubbed him the perfect soldier. DuPuy was known for his role in restructuring the Army after Vietnam.

Sprouse had recently suffered a broken hip and struggled to recover, said San Antonio attorney Morton Baird, an old friend. Before that, he had been healthy and sharp, often meeting with Baird and others once a week for lunch at a local seafood restaurant.

The order was always the same  a fish sandwich and a glass of beer.

A great American and a great hero, Baird said of Sprouse.

A paratrooper who was the first soldier in the 11th Airborne Division to make 100 static line jumps and held more than 80 decorations when he retired here in 1968, Sprouse received two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars for valor, 18 Air Medals for assault landings, and three Combat Infantryman badges.

He began his career as an enlistee and rose to sergeant major of both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 1st Infantry Division before he earned a battlefield commission as an officer.

Sprouse was the chief trainer for 2,000 exiles who spent a year at Trax Base in 1959 in a mountainous region of Guatemala. Brigade 2506 later earned notoriety for the ill-fated invasion of Cuba early in the Kennedy administration.

In a 2012 interview, Sprouse thumbed through a thick album packed with 154 black-and-white photos documenting his time with the Cubans. In one image, three soldiers in the unit's honor guard hold the brigade's flag.

Spouse grew up in Delbarton, West Virginia. His father was a coal miner by day and a preacher by night who held his revivals in schoolhouses and churches. Everyone in his family of five boys and four girls worked in coal mines. One brother  Noah  died in a 1944 battle in New Guinea.

I liked it, Sprouse said about working in the coal mines. It was 60-degree weather.

Back home after the war, he returned to the mines but rejoined the Army as a staff sergeant in 1949 after work was cut back to three days a week. Soon after, the Korean War broke out.

When interviewed six years ago, his voice was that of a soldier given to using colorful language that includes politically incorrect references to old enemies. The men he served with only had last names, among them Victor and Duncan. War stories flowed like a stream of consciousness, complete with tales of death and misery and hard living, bad decisions that cost lives and a tough enemy.

There was no hint that Sprouse realized that his words and stories might fit in better with an era most know only in movies, books and museums, that time had passed him by. When asked about the blood he spilled, he unfolded the Japanese flag with a bullet in the red rising sun. There were no nights of lost sleep.

He had it tied around his body, Sprouse said. See that hole in it? Thats probably where the bullet got him.

It was war. I was there to kill them, he said. They didn't kill you, so you felt OK.

There were many memories of desperate fights. In one, a Chinese soldier in Korea jumped in front of him and opened fire. There was no time to shoot back, so Sprouse did the only thing left.

I jumped on top of him, beat him to death with my rifle, he said, no emotion in his voice.

Somehow, Sprouse said, he was never even scratched in all the fighting, and he didnt dwell on dying while killing more Japanese troops in WWII than anyone in his company  37 in all.

I didnt think I was going to be killed every damned day, and a lot of these people that thought they were going to draw their last breath anytime, Sprouse said. But I thought if one man survived, it would be me, and several cases it was and Ive never been wounded.

His wife, Charlotte Imogene Sprouse, is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The couple had three children, son Kelly Sprouse, and two daughters, Kimberley Zoeller and Sharon Joyce, all of San Antonio. Services are pending.

sigc@express-news.netBexar County would generate an additional $16 million if commissioners decide in September to maintain last years property tax rate, Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti told commissioners Tuesday.

Thats because the countys effective tax rate  the levy needed to generate the same year-over-year tax revenue accounting for property value changes  has fallen to 29.6862 cents per $100 property value, 0.2954 of a cent lower than last years rate.

Home valuations rose 8.8 percent in Bexar County compared with last year, according to preliminary estimates in April from the countys appraisal district.

The tax rate actually levied by the county is 30.4097 cents per $100 property value. Commissioners have reduced the countys tax rate or kept it stagnant for the last 23 years, although rising appraisals have meant higher property tax bills.

Its always been the position of this court to try to stay at the effective tax rate, or as near to the effective tax rate as we can, County Judge Nelson Wolff said. Theres been several times that weve gone below it. So our goal will be to get as close as we could to that effective tax rate.

Related: Judge denies Texas GOP's request that could have kept Gallego off ballot

Commissioners will set the 2019 fiscal year budget next month. Last year, the court approved a budget of $1.76 billion and lowered the county tax rate by nearly a half-cent.

November elections

The November elections will cost Bexar County an estimated $1.2 million, Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen told commissioners Tuesday. The county is set to hold a joint election with local independent school districts and municipalities at a total cost of about $1.8 million, with the other entities covering the difference.

On Tuesday, commissioners established 42 early voting locations for the election, setting the usual main location at the countys elections office at 1103 S. Frio St.

They also voted to raise the hourly pay of all Bexar County election officials by $1, costing the county an additional $79,000.

Callanen said the countys election officials, who last received a pay raise in 2014, basically are the pillars of democracy here.

For information about November elections, call the elections office at 210-335-8683.

Calverts development plan

Commissioners authorized staff to seek requests for a proposal to develop a 51-acre mixed-use project near Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph proposed by Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert. The area is set to include a hotel, amphitheater and thousands of square feet devoted to restaurants, retail and office space.

Calverts plan calls for a public-private partnership to develop the project, known as Sante 51. Under the plan, the county will sell parts of the land plot to developers, and maintain some office space for various county offices.

Related: Sick leave, firefighter proposals could shake up Bexar County's November vote

Elizondo absent

Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo, who won the Democratic nomination in a May runoff, missed Tuesdays meeting due to a broken arm and foot.

Elizondo said Tuesday hes on the mend in rehab and plans to attend the next Commissioners Court meeting on Aug. 21. He also confirmed he communicates regularly with Wolff and County Manager David Smith as the court goes through the process of setting the countys annual budget.

Elizondo turned 83 in June and is seeking his 10th term on the court.

Jasper Scherer is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jscherer@express-news.net | Twitter: @jaspschererWASHINGTON  Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro travels this week to the Iowa State Fair  a rite of passage for White House seekers since the 1950s  as he gears up for a possible run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020.

Castro has been running a PAC, writing a book and quietly building a grass-roots network while helping 2018 candidates around the country get elected.

But with a speech Friday at the time-honored Des Moines Registers Political Soapbox at the fair, Castro will thrust himself into a diverse mix of lesser-known Democrats expected to vie for their partys next nomination.

Castros three-day trip to Iowa is his first this year. Its expected to trigger more speculation about his future.

Iowa opens the 2020 presidential season with a round of precinct caucuses. Building a network is essential to making the cut in Iowa, known as the Big Winnower, and Castro could make headway this weekend with a strong impression.

Castro, 43, housing secretary in the Obama administration, has said hell decide after the November midterm elections whether to seek the presidency.

Earlier this year, he visited New Hampshire, which holds the nations first primary.

He was scheduled to be in Iowa in June but canceled to attend a protest in Texas over the Trump administration policy of separating migrant families at the border.

He recently picked up the pace of travel, campaigning in Nevada last week on behalf of office-seekers there.

Earlier this month, he was among potential Democratic presidential candidates who delivered speeches in New Orleans at a Netroots Nation conference, a gathering of left-leaning politicians and activists from around the country.

RELATED: Julian Castro officially launches PAC to support Democrats

Dont waste a minute of your time feeling daunted that (President) Donald Trump has a base of die-hard supporters. So did (former President) Richard Nixon before he resigned. So did (Alabama GOP Senate candidate) Roy Moore before he lost. And so will Donald Trump before he loses as well, Castro told his New Orleans audience.

Others who spoke included Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, all mentioned as possible contenders for the Democratic nomination.

Biography drops in October

Publishing a book often is a modern-day precursor to a presidential candidacy  and Castros family-heavy biography, An Unlikely Journey, is scheduled for release Oct. 9. Its being published by Little, Brown and Co.

Castro has worked to build a political operation outside Texas with his Opportunity First PAC, raising $464,000 thus far. Last week, the PAC announced endorsements of congressional and legislative candidates in Texas and 18 other states, including Iowa.

In Iowa, Castro has planned events in a half-dozen cities and towns, meeting with activists and helping candidates raise money, all the while making the contacts needed to compete in the Iowa caucuses.

Jennifer Fiore, spokeswoman for Castros PAC, said the former mayor aims to energize folks ahead of the midterms.

She added that Castro is actively working to elect Democrats in Iowa to local, state and federal offices where they can make a difference by increasing opportunity for all Iowans and bringing accountability back to Washington.

Castro is scheduled to meet with Iowa Latino Political Network leaders Saturday in Des Moines.

Later that day, hes attending a barbecue in the central Iowa city of Marshalltown, where Hispanics make up a quarter of the population. The number of Hispanics in Iowa has grown sixfold since the 1990s, to nearly 200,000, or 6 percent of the population.

Candidates amass

Candidate jockeying in Iowa has been slower to begin this cycle as better-known Democrats focus on helping their party regain control of the House. They may be wary, too, of opening themselves to early scrutiny.

RELATED: In 2020, Julian Castro could be one of 30 or more Democratic presidential candidates

Nonetheless, several prospective Democratic candidates are visiting Iowa this month, among them Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan of Ohio and Eric Swalwell of California. John Delaney, a Maryland congressman and entrepreneur who declared his candidacy a year ago, is scheduled to make his 14th trip to Iowa this weekend and already is airing television ads in the state.

Other more unconventional politicians also are showing up.

Last week, Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, declared at a state party fundraiser that Democrats need a fighter to take on Trump. He implied that he fits the bill.

At the Registers Soapbox forum last week, former CIA officer Evan McMullin declared his new mission is helping both parties elect moderate candidates.

McMullin is a former top aide to House Republicans.

Andrew Yang, another entrepreneur and declared Democratic candidate, touted a plan to state fair-goers for a monthly $1,000 dividend for every adult in America.

Call for a clear vision

Dennis Goldford, Drake University political science chair, predicted a fight in the state over the future of the party, which he jokingly referred to as the Sandinistas versus the Clintonites  a reference to Nicaraguas socialist party and Hillary Clintons former followers.

Those battles have been playing out in primaries around the country over support for a single-payer health care system.

Goldford, who has written a book on the Iowa caucuses, contends that Democrats have stumbled in Iowa over the years due to a lack of a clear vision, instead offering vague plans or arms-length lists of policy proposals.

He recalled then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagans are you better off than you were four years ago refrain in 1980 as an example of something easily understood.

All of his issues and programs hung on that. You have to have an overarching vision to give people a way of making sense of all your policy proposals, he said.

For Castro and others, now is a time for crafting a message while laying groundwork for a campaign.

In New Hampshire and New Orleans, Castro spoke of a 21st-century blueprint for progress, which would include free public college.

Brainpower is the new currency for success in the 21st-century economy, he said in New Orleans, suggesting a plan to embrace educational themes.

blambrecht@express-news.netThe San Antonio business community is united in its opposition to a paid sick leave ordinance.

Business leaders are divided, however, on how best to oppose it.

Thats because the issue is playing out like a movie in which the ending has been predetermined, but no one knows the exact plot points thatll get us there.

This much seems clear: One way or another, mandatory paid sick leave will become the law in San Antonio and, shortly thereafter, it will face a legal challenge. If the courts dont invalidate it, the state Legislature will.

The City Council could place it on the November ballot, in acknowledgment of the successful petition drive earlier this year by a grassroots coalition called Working Texans for Paid Sick Time. If that happens, voters almost certainly will pass it.

On the other hand, council members could speed up the inevitable and vote Thursday to approve a paid sick leave ordinance.

The result will be the same, but the political consequences will differ. And thats what business leaders are contemplating.

Related: Paid sick leave proposal draws crowd to City Hall

Councilman Manny Pelaez, a veteran labor-employment lawyer, put it this way:

The algebra that they are using in their head is, do you put it on the ballot in November and then wait for the Legislature to kill it early next year? Or is it better for the City Council to enact an ordinance giving the business community a chance to immediately challenge it in court and get a temporary restraining order?

In February, the Austin City Council passed a paid sick leave ordinance. Two months later, the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), an Austin conservative think tank, filed suit against Austins ordinance, on behalf of a coalition of business groups. One of their primary arguments against the Austin ordinance  which will surely be used against the San Antonio measure  is that municipal paid sick leave laws violate the Texas Minimum Wage Act.

By mandating paid sick leave, the argument goes, cities are requiring employers to pay minimum wage for hours not actually worked, thereby driving up the de-facto minimum wage above the cap set by state law.

Either way, whether it goes on the ballot or passes as an ordinance, it could be legally challenged, because the devil is in the details, said Cristina Aldrete, president/CEO of the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

Last Friday, a group of 29 conservative lawmakers  led by state Sen. Donna Campbell  filed an amicus brief supporting TPPFs lawsuit against the Austin ordinance, stating that it is not only preempted and prohibited by the Texas Minimum Wage Act, it is bad public policy, and contrary to the Legislatures economic growth policies that encourage so many people to move to Texas.

The flip side of that argument is that nearly 40 percent of San Antonio workers (about 354,000) are currently having to get by without any paid sick time, according to a recent study by the Institute for Womens Policy Research.

Related: City unveils legislative plan for property tax relief

When I mentioned political consequences earlier in the column, I was alluding to three proposed charter amendments from the firefighters union, which also are scheduled to go before the council Thursday.

Those proposals  which would made it easier to use referendums to challenge council ordinances, cap the pay for future city managers and give the fire union unilateral power to take contract negotiations to binding arbitration  are equally reviled by business leaders and council members.

Securing San Antonios Future, a political action committee fighting the fire unions proposals, is seeking a court injunction to block those charter amendments from getting on the ballot, on the grounds that the fire union improperly funded the gathering of petition signatures.

Assuming that the firefighters proposed charter amendments make it on the November ballot, persuading San Antonians to vote no on those proposals will be trickier with people turning out in big numbers to vote yes for the paid sick leave initiative.

Doug McMurry, executive vice president of the San Antonio chapter of the Associated General Contractors, sees paid sick leave as an issue best handled by the state. Nonetheless, he wants the council to pass paid sick leave this week, just to clear the table for the November election fight against the firefighters proposals.

Initially, there was great resistance (in the business community) to the concept of the City Council adopting an ordinance, McMurry said. I think in recent days, theres been some movement to the concept that the council can adopt the ordinance and then we can move discussion to the State Capitol next January.

We know how this movie will end. This week, well learn how it gets to the middle.

@gilgamesh470

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470Will the Pentagon, with its 30-year planning cycle for building ships, still be launching aircraft carriers in 2048  even though theyre highly vulnerable to attack today?

Thats an example of the military-modernization questions that kept nagging participants at the recent gathering of the Aspen Strategy Group, which annually brings together top-level current and former national-security officials, along with a few journalists, to discuss defense and foreign policy. A big takeaway was this: The future of warfare is now, and China is poised to dominate it.

Speakers at the conference described a new generation of combat systems, powered by artificial intelligence, cyberweapons and robots that can operate on land, sea and air. But America is still largely wedded to legacy weapons of the past  superbly engineered (but super-expensive) aircraft carriers, bombers, fighter jets and submarines.

We have a small number of exquisite, expensive, manned, hard-to-replace systems that would have been familiar to Dwight D. Eisenhower. They are being overtaken by advanced technology, argued Christian Brose, staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Instead, he said, the Pentagon needs a large number of inexpensive, unmanned, expendable, autonomous systems that can survive in the new electronic battlespace and overwhelm any potential adversary.

Future needs are being overwhelmed by past practices, because of what Broses boss, Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, has called the military-industrial-congressional complex. Brose calculates that in the Pentagons initial request for $74 billion in new defense spending in fiscal 2019, only .006 percent was targeted for science and technology. The National Science Foundation estimates that in fiscal 2015, only 18 percent of the Pentagons research and development budget went for basic, applied and advanced research.

Even when the Pentagon tries to push innovation, it often stumbles. When Ashton Carter was defense secretary under President Obama, he created the Defense Innovation Unit  Experimental, or DIUX, with offices in Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin. That operation thrived initially, negotiating 60 defense contracts with startups. The program has slowed under the Trump administration, despite support from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, because it lacks funds and bureaucratic support, warned Christopher Kirchhoff, a former DIUX partner.

The biggest technological challenge discussed here was artificial intelligence. In a few years, these systems have taught themselves to play complex games like chess and Go better than humans, and to recognize voices and objects better, too. And soon, they will be driving the weapons of combat.

China appears determined to seize this AI high ground of future conflict. For the last two years, Chinese companies have won an AI competition for detecting objects. The Chinese are happy for the U.S. to keep building carriers and bombers, so long as they deploy the more advanced technologies that can disable these systems.

Richard Danzig, a former Navy secretary, published a brilliant paper discussed at the conference warning that as AI systems dominate warfare, they will introduce important new risks of loss of control. Humans must be maximally thoughtful and creative during design (and plan for failure), because these AI-driven weapons will have accidents and unintended consequences. Wise policymakers must avoid a Dr. Strangelove world of unsafe killer robots and doomsday machines.

The Aspen Strategy Group is a devoutly bipartisan forum. But there was an intense discussion here of the issue thats vexing America this summer  the growing political polarization thats creating so much discord that its becoming a national-security problem.

As the gathering concluded Monday, Republicans and Democrats were equally passionate about spreading the message that this is a Sputnik moment for modernizing our military. Competing with a rising China begins at home, with a more nimble Pentagon and a country thats more united to face the big problems ahead.

David Ignatius writes a column for the Washington Post.An open letter to Mayor Ron Nirenberg:

It is easy to destroy a vibrant and growing city such as San Antonio. Impose a $15 minimum wage on all businesses, including restaurant wait staff. Impose paid sick time for all businesses. Institute a universal basic income and tax all your businesses to pay for it. Provide affordable or free housing, and tax both businesses and property owners to pay for it.

Just keep providing everyone with more city ordinances, more regulations, and more bureaucratic paperwork in order for businesses to comply. In short, keep implementing more feel good rules and regulations in which you tax evil, rich corporations to pay for them.

San Antonio (soon to be known as San Frantonio) already has problems attracting new businesses. You and your City Council are not helping.

David Gay, Alamo Heights

Equity overdue

I applaud the change to equity funding of the city of San Antonio budget supported by the mayor, the city manager and (apparently) most of the City Council. It is long overdue.

The contrary approach of equal funding, supported by Councilman Greg Brockhouse, evokes the sentiment of Anatole France: The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges.

John R. Heard

Workers as adults

Re: Sick days, Your Turn, Friday:

Richard Wallish writes that employees taking a sick day should have to prove they were under a doctors care.

This is absurd on many counts. It would force the employee with food-induced vomiting and diarrhea to somehow get to a doctor, incurring additional expense and discomfort, just to qualify for time he has earned through his employment.

It would penalize the healthy employee who seldom gets sick because he takes care of himself, and reward the employee whose lifestyle has caused serious health issues. It would incur resentment among hourly paid employees seeing their managers take an extra half-hour at lunch to run personal errands.

When I got involved in the management of a trucking company with hundreds of mostly low-wage employees almost 50 years ago, one of the first things I did was redefine sick leave. We converted it to personal time, which could be used for illness, attending a childs performance, caring for a parent, or any other purpose, no questions asked. It could be taken in hourly increments if desired.

Converting sick leave to personal time may have been the most popular change we ever instituted. Treating employees like responsible human beings is always preferable to mindless disciplinary requirements.

Reagin McAllister

Ds dont transfer

Re: Roadblocks for students who transfer, Editorial, Aug. 8:

As a community college student in the 1960s, I knew that a D grade would not transfer. As far as I know, this is still true. A D grade is only accepted for a diploma from the institution where it was earned.

My question: Of those with transfer woes, how many are students assuming a D would be transferred?

I suggest a closer look at such transferring facts.

Wanda Seals

Trumps rhetoric

Communication scholars have written about the concept of therapeutic rhetoric. In contrast to the ancient notion of deliberative rhetoric, which focuses on how speakers and writers employ discourse to create change (e.g., passing legislation, securing votes and getting others to see the world as they do), therapeutic rhetoric is invoked in those instances where one realizes they cannot persuade others to change reality; as a result they use a kind of self-rhetoric to bolster and make themselves feel better about that over which they have little control.

Late-night television host Seth Meyers recently referred to President Donald Trumps frequent rallies as public therapy. This portrayal isnt just funny. It points to the fact that that we may have a chief executive who is mentally unstable  someone who rather than seeking professional help or engaging in self-reflection chooses to vent frustration and anger in public to make himself feel better.

This is not just unhealthy for him but for the American public as well.

Richard Cherwitz, Ernest S. Sharpe Centennial Professor, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin

Space farce

The administrations new diversion is the Space Force. We already have a space program, called NASA. Dont put our tax money into the Space Force, a bureaucratic drain on our resources. Put that money into NASA and other necessary spending, like our aging infrastructure.

Rebecca Baker

Special, too

Re: Kavanaughs views on ACA could hurt LGBT community, Other Views, Friday:

Sofia Sepulveda claims pride for being a transgender Latina woman living in Texas.

Should I follow suit in writing that I am a proud white lady, 90 years age, of Irish/English heritage?

While I have lived in San Antonio for many many years, I was born in Brooklyn, New York. Doesnt that make me as special as Sepulveda?

Jean Hood

The world's largest carrier, American Airlines, has confirmed it is considering introducing new destinations in Eastern Europe next year. It comes following reports that the company is in talks with Dubrovnik Airport over a seasonal service from Philadelphia. This year, the airline expanded its reach from Philadelphia into Europe with seasonal flights to Budapest and Prague. Both are operated by its Boeing 767-300 aircraft. According to "The Boarding Area", American Airlines' Vice President for Planning, Vasu Raja, said, "Weve so far been really excited by Prague and Budapest. Their RASM (revenue per seat mile) performance has been pretty amazing, some of our best flying in continental Europe. So that may actually compel us to go fly more things in Eastern Europe next yesr". The world's largest carrier, American Airlines, has confirmed it is considering introducing new destinations in Eastern Europe next year. It comes following reports that the company is in talks with Dubrovnik Airport over a seasonal service from Philadelphia. This year, the airline expanded its reach from Philadelphia into Europe with seasonal flights to Budapest and Prague. Both are operated by its Boeing 767-300 aircraft. According to "The Boarding Area", American Airlines' Vice President for Planning, Vasu Raja, said, "Weve so far been really excited by Prague and Budapest. Their RASM (revenue per seat mile) performance has been pretty amazing, some of our best flying in continental Europe. So that may actually compel us to go fly more things in Eastern Europe next yesr".





American operates a number of seasonal flights to Europe from its Philadelphia hub including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Lisbon, Shannon, Venice and most recently Budapest and Prague. The carrier codeshares on Iberia's flights from Madrid to Dubrovnik. It recently said, "American constantly evaluates our network to ensure we are maximising our fleet and profitability while matching customer demand. While no airline can serve every destination, our joint businesses and alliances with airlines and membership in Oneworld allows our customers to seamlessly connect to Croatia". Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania which counts the biggest Croatian diaspora in the United States according to the American Community Survey.





Dubrovnik Airport has identified the United States and South Korea as two markets which could sustain services to the coastal city but noted that the development of long haul flights is still some way off. General Manager, Frano Luetic, told EX-YU Aviation News recently, "These two far-away markets are the most important for Dubrovnik. According to the city's tourist board, visitors from the US are the second most common, behind those from the United Kingdom, which is specific to the Dubrovnik region. On the other hand, Korean tourists are most plentiful during the winter months". With exception to several summer charters from Japan, operated by All Nippon Airways, Dubrovnik Airport currently has no regular long haul flights.5 Seconds of Summer continues to take the world by storm. The Australian pop group, also known as 5SOS, is touring in support of its new album, Youngblood, which dropped in June.

Youngblood follows the bands self-titled 2014 debut and 2015s Sounds Good Feels Good, each of which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1. Sounds Good Feels Good hit the top spot in 12 countries, including the United States and Australia.

5SOS brings its Meet You There Tour to Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, Aug. 29, with special guest, The Aces. Hailed by Rolling Stone as the biggest new rock act in the world, 5SOS features guitarists Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford, bass player Calum Hood and drummer Ashton Irwin. All four contribute vocals.

The musicians discussed their new record in an interview last month with BBC reporter Mark Savage. After Savage mentioned 5SOS had said Youngblood was the first album we recorded as adults, he asked: When did you first feel like a proper grown-up?

Hemmings, 22, said, Its hard to explain because we have to do serious, adult things  we run a business and people work for us  but we're still like kids. I just bought a Nintendo Switch!

Clifford, also 22, said, I think we looked at songwriting in a more adult way this time. When youre young, you write off instinct and you sponge off other artists. Once you get to adulthood, you start to come up with different ideas.

Hemmings added, Yeah, our second album is very much, Were a band and were going to play... so screw you! On this one, we only added guitar parts and harmonies when they were needed.

5SOS is known for such hits as Amnesia and Shes Kinda Hot. The band has earned numerous honors, including an American Music Award, a Peoples Choice Award and five MTV European Music Awards. Earlier this month, on Aug. 12, the quartet collected a pair of Teen Choice Awards, one of which was for Youngblood.

Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville. Wednesday, Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $39.50. Floor is general admission, standing only, no chairs. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.comErnesto Roman / Roman Visuals / Contributed photo

Joselito Dapuppet, the social media sensation who was featured on The Wendy Williams Show, and has appeared in music videos for hip-hop artists Fat Joe and Baby Bash, is headed to Connecticut.

The wide-mouthed star will appear at Fairfield Comedy Club on Friday, Aug. 24. Joselito took the internet by storm in 2015 when a bunch of his online comedy skits went viral, the club said. Since then, hes attracted a sort of cult following, with more than 400,000 combined followers.DERBY  Griffin Hospital is accepting registrations for its free, 10-week Mini-Med School course that begins Sept. 6.

Specifically designed for the layperson with little or no medical background, Mini-Med School provides a unique opportunity to gain a greater understanding of how the human body works, insight into common disorders of the various organ systems, as well as information about disease prevention.

This free course will be conducted over 10 consecutive weekly sessions. Griffin Hospital physicians serve as faculty, covering a wide range of topics, including: Anatomy and Physiology; Primary Care; Cardiology; Endocrinology; Orthopedics; Pulmonology; Gastroenterology; Nephrology; Neurology; Oncology and Hematology; Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Ophthalmology; Gynecology; Urology; Rheumatology; Dermatology; and General Surgery. Each weekly session will be divided into two hour-long presentations on different medical topics, with a refreshment break between presentations and ample time for questions and answers.

The program meets Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the hospitals Meditation and Learning Center, 130 Division St. in Derby. The Mini-Med School will culminate with a graduation ceremony for participants on Nov. 15. The course is comprehensive and the knowledge base is cumulative, so those participants who attend all sessions will gain the most benefit.

There is no fee to enroll, but space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. To register, visit the events calendar at griffinhealth.org or call 203-732-1511.3 1 of 3 Ned Gerard Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3





BRIDGEPORT - Official results were still being counted Tuesday night but with most of the vote counted it appeared state Rep. Charlie Stallworth had won the Democratic primary for the the 126th state legislative district.

I want to thank my constituents for giving me another opportunity to serve them in the state house, said Stallworth.Update: Anthony, Daniel and Jeffrey Kolich each pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

FAIRFIELD  Police said three brothers showed up at a Black Rock Turnpike restaurant Sunday night and assaulted a diner.

According to police, Anthony Kolichs soon-to-be ex-wife was at Barcelona with another man. She said she saw one of Kolichs brothers come into the restaurant and immediately leave.

Then, Anthony Kolich, 41, Daniel Kolich, 39, and Jeffrey Kolich, 32, came into the dining room. Anthony Kolich allegedly yelled and spit at his wife, and threw a glass at her. He told police the man she was with was antagonizing them, and they all began punching him.

Staff at the restaurant broke up the fight, and the three brothers left. Witness accounts and surveillance video were reviewed by police, and New Canaan police located the trio at Anthony Kolichs house on Driftway Lane and took them into custody.

Anthony Kolich was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was released on $5,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Bridgeport on Aug. 13.

Daniel Kolich, of Josephine Evaristo in Greenwich, and Jeffrey Kolich, of Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, were both charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. They were released after each posted $1,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 22.

greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-2585Wall Street analysts have given Botswana Diamonds a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Botswana Diamonds wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Thailand ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Thailand ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited.

Read MoreKB Financial Group, Inc. engages in providing financial services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, Other Banking Services, Credit Card, Life Insurance, Investment and Securities business. The Corporate Banking business segment provides services such as loans, overdrafts, deposits, credit facilities and other foreign currency activities. The Retail Banking business segment offers services such as private customer current accounts, savings, deposits, consumer loans and mortgage loans. The Other Banking business segment provides services relating to banking business besides corporate banking and retail banking services. The Credit Card business segment offers services such as domestic as well as overseas credit and debit card operations. The Investment and Securities business segment provides services such as investment banking and brokerage. The Life Insurance business segment provides products such as life insurance and wealth management. The company was founded on September 29, 2008 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

Read MoreChina Hydroelectric Corporation is a developer, owner and operator of small hydroelectric power projects in China. The projects are located in Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan and Sichuan. As of December 31, 2012, wholly owns 22 operating hydroelectric power projects and have controlling interests in three operating hydroelectric power projects. In March 2012, the Company sold 100% of the Yuanping hydroelectric power project. In April 2013, the Company sold the Yuheng hydroelectric power project, a 30 megawatt (MW) project located in Fujian province. In July 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the merger with CPT Wyndham Sub Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CPT Wyndham Holdings Ltd.

Read MoreGROVE CITY, Pa.  Beverly Henry was told shed be blind in 18 months. Determined not to rely on others or go on disability, she went home, put on a blindfold and baked two Boston cream pies.

Im the type of person that everything goes back to its place  my dad was the same way  everything has its place, Henry said about her ability to find what she needed to cook blindfolded.

In her home kitchen in Grove City, Pennsylvania, and now in her food truck  Grannies Kitchen  each utensil and ingredient has a home, which helps her stay organized and eliminates the need to read labels each time she grabs something.

When Henry was diagnosed with a hereditary eye disease, she left her job as a veterinarians office manger to start a business she could do even without her sight.

She is not able to make out details of faces or drive her food truck  but she can cook.

She started out making potato doughnuts.

Her husband was growing potatoes and not making much profit. She commented on the lack of income, and he said, You think you can do better? Yes, she did!

She set out to hone her recipe and buy a food trailer.

My husband, kids and grandkids and pigs ate a whole lot of doughnuts before I perfected the recipe, she said.

Once she started selling doughnuts and purchased the food trailer, she thought she might get bored with just doughnuts so she expanded the menu to include family favorites and popular requests.

Learning to cook

Henry learned to cook from watching her grandmother, aunts and mother in the kitchen.

My father always said I treated him like a Greek god, she said, because I was always giving him burnt offerings.

On the farm, we were always feeding people  friends, the help, salesman  they all ate around our table.

She has three brothers and two of them still operate the family dairy farm, south of Mercer, Pennsylvania.

Her grandma never followed a written recipe, so Henry had to watch her to learn what to do. There is one recipe she never perfected  her grandmothers chocolate cake.

I think she wanted to take it to the grave with her, she said.

Eating her food really is like sitting around my grandmothers table, said Maggie Mase, her niece and 4-H program assistant in Mercer County.

Busy, busy

Today, Henry turns people away because her food truck is double booked on many occasions.

Her customers do the marketing by word-of-mouth. In July of this year, she worked every day except July 4.

Each week, she sets up at the New Wilmington Produce Auction, General Electric and the Odessa Auto Auction. Her favorite jobs are private events, when the host tells her exactly what they want and how many people will be eating. She has done birthday parties, high school graduations, class reunions and many other types of events.

Dedicated to youth

She has done some county fairs, but says she doesnt like guessing games, when it comes to traffic to the trailer.

Still, she was at the Mercer 4-H Roundup, her home county.

I do it for the kids, she said. She even caters her menu to their favorites.

I wasnt going to make haluski today  didnt think it would sell well with the kids  but when a last-year 4-Her asks you for haluski, you make haluski, she said with a grin.

I try to take jobs I can do myself, she added, although her sister, Debbie Mezzara, helps her cook and serve.

Her daughter, husband and a family friend also pitch in when needed.

Henry tries to make as much as she can from scratch. She works with Curtze Food Service to order her ingredients  they call her each Tuesday to get her order and deliver it on Wednesdays.

She is thankful for their call service, eliminating the struggle to get online and order with her failing vision.

Sitting across from her at a picnic table, she shared she couldnt see my eyes or the details of my face, but she could make out my gender and the outlines.

She has a Facebook page for marketing, but doesnt update it, because its difficult for her to maintain and she has a steady flow of business anyway. Her food truck goal is simple: I want to enjoy it, to have fun cooking for people.

Thankful

In the last three years, her vision has held steady and she is committed to spending time with her nine grandchildren, who named her food trailer, before her sight is completely gone.

Connect with Grannies Kitchen, 724-99203146.

It was on my bucket list to take a family vacation to the Outer Banks  and we did, she said, as she plans to go again this summer to make memories and, of course, cook for her family.In her recent column, Kelly Riley urged readers, Dont mow, help the Monarch butterflies, meaning leave the milkweed for the caterpillars that will become the next generation of migrating Monarchs. While milkweed is important to the survival of Monarch caterpillars  its the only host plant these caterpillars will feed on  nectar plants are equally important.

After these caterpillars grow fat on milkweed plants, pupate and eventually emerge as butterflies, theyll need to prepare for the long migration ahead of them. That means theyre going to need to increase their fat reserves.

Nectar plants

The flight to Mexico is long and grueling. Traveling from the northern United States and Canada, Monarch butterflies try to make most of the trip by soaring on favorable winds, reducing the need to burn fat reserves. When the weather isnt ideal for traveling, they stop to rest and feed, replenishing fat reserves.

This is where nectar plants can make a huge difference to migrating Monarchs. The butterflies with adequate fat reserves are able to survive winter in the fir forests in Mexico. Those butterflies are also more reproductively fit when spring returns. Better and more readily-available food sources can increase fat reserves and ensure the survival of more migrating Monarch butterflies.

How can I help?

You can help by adding native nectar-producing plants to your landscape. Use a combination of perennials, shrubs and vines to provide a steady supply of nectar all summer and into fall.

Perennials

Shrubs

Vines

Trumpet honeysuckle : March to June

Related ContentA 30-strong farmer group called 'Antibiotics Anonymous' has successfully reduced antibiotic use on its farms.

For the last two years, the farmers have participated in multiple action-groups across South-West England, aiming to reduce their use of on-farm antibiotics.

The farmer-named group, Antibiotics Anonymous represented a wide range of farming systems; from organic and conventional 60 to 600 cow herds, block to all year round calving patterns, grazing and housed herds; all with different opportunities and challenges.

Using the stable schools approach from Denmark, the action group led by Lisa Morgans, Bristol Vet School, used knowledge and expertise from farmers to provide practical solutions to reduce antibiotic use.

Speaking at the final meeting, Lisa said: Reducing reliance of antibiotics reduction is a key focus in the dairy industry, all of the farmers involved in the action group put in 100 per cent to try and reduce their reliance on antibiotics.

One farmer in particular stands out, as he successfully implement over 90 per cent of the practical ideas on his action plan.

'Farmer-to-farmer learning'

Four of the farms involved successfully reduced antibiotic use across all of the criterias of measurement, with many more farms achieving a reduction for some of the criterion.

Additionally, nine farms stopped using highest priority critically important antibiotics completely, increasing the total of farms not using these from 20 to 50 per cent.

Antibiotics Anonymous has demonstrated the advantages of farmer-to-farmer learning. Farm walks led by the host farmer encouraged farmers to compare and contrast, and consider best practices, challenges and opportunities around reducing antibiotic use.

Farmer-to-farmer learning has been a benefit for many involved in the project, but the farmers noted the power of this learning style to bring people together and build relationships, allowing for more open discussion and feedback.

Going round other farms allowed us to cherry pick ideas from each other and when you go home you start to think how you could implement similar changes on your own farm, explained one farmer from the group.

Ping-pong

From farm maps to score-charts and ping-pong ball voting systems, Lisa used various methods to capture the groups ideas.

It helped to develop bespoke action plans for each farm. As a result, some three hundred practical steps were identified for the farmers to introduce over the course of a year.

The top three focus areas on the action plans included lameness management, cubicles, bedding and calf housing management.

In one innovative example, one farmer made small changes to his calf house, following hands on ideas from other farmers, which helped to reduce incidences of respiratory diseases.

After seeing a different protocol on one farm, another farmer changed his parlour milking routine, which helped to reduce the rate of mastitis.

Additionally, following a EuroDairy exchange visit to the Netherlands, two farmers implemented further changes, including dry cow management and using selective dry cow therapy to adapting cubicles to improve comfort to encourage an more lying time.A "well-known and hugely respected" dairy farmer who has made an "outstanding contribution" to the agricultural community in Wales has been recognised.

The Idris Davies Memorial Trust Award was established in 1982, with the winner receiving a cash award together with a trophy presented at Pembrokeshire County Show.

Former NFU Cymru President, Stephen James, has been announced as the winner of the Idris Davies Memorial Award for 2018 during a ceremony at Pembrokeshire County Show.

Stephen runs a 330 cow dairy farming herd in partnership with his wife Joyce and son Daniel.

He reached the pinnacle of agricultural politics in being elected NFU Cymru President in 2014, a position he held for four years and before that he served as NFU Cymru Deputy President from 2010 until 2014. His association with the union spans over 20 years.

During his time as NFU Cymru President, he has also held a number of positions at European agri-political level.

It was the issue of Bovine TB that first ignited Stephens desire to get more involved with NFU Cymru at a local level and he went on to become NFU Cymrus lead on all policy issues around animal health and welfare, including being the main contact between NFU Cymru and government.

Stephen has engaged with all aspects of the Bovine TB debate and has been equally as adept in putting forward the farmers perspective to the anti-badger cull lobby by engaging with organisations such as the RSPCA and the Badger Trust.

He also hosted the celebrity campaigner Brian May on his farm to show him the impacts of bovine TB on his farming family.

Stephen has also been at the forefront of lobbying for fairer terms and conditions around milk supply contracts and against Welsh Government proposals to expand areas of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in Wales.

Mansel Raymond, Chairman of the Idris Davies Memorial Award Management Committee said: Stephen has made an outstanding contribution to the agricultural community in Pembrokeshire in many ways, over many years and he joins some excellent company in becoming this years winner of this prestigious award.A delegation of Chinese cereal buyers have visited the UK to explore new opportunities for importing British wheat and barley into China.

The four-day visit included a tour of a farm and grain store to showcase the high levels of cleanliness of British grain.

The delegation, who were from the private sector and state-owned companies, also had a tour of Portbury to see what happens to grain once it leaves the farm gate and learn about the intake processes.

They also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the UK industry as well as Defra officials.

AHDB Export Marketing Executive for Cereals, Dorit Cohen said the visit provided valuable insight to the needs and requirements of the Chinese market.

The feedback we have received following the visit has been positive, she added. While there is a barley protocol in place to allow for trade to occur, meeting the technical requirements has proved challenging.

These were recently discussed with the Chinese plant health authorities (GACC) in Beijing and discussions are ongoing regarding reviewing the existing protocol to facilitate trade.

Australian drought

Chinese buyers are keen to find new sources of supply for their wheat and barley needs as their main supplier, Australia, is experiencing a drought and farmers are reluctant to sell their grain.

The ongoing trade tension between the USA and China and the talk of introducing tariffs is also creating uncertainty for the country as America is a supplier of wheat.

Ms Cohen added: Due to the current situation, opportunities for UK cereal exports to China look promising and we must do all we can to exploit these new opportunities for trade between the two countries.

The visit follows news of China lifting its ban on exports of British beef in a landmark move for farmers, estimated to be worth 250m in the first five years alone.A Worcestershire farmer died from a brain injury after one of her cows headbutted her, an inquest into her death has heard.

64-year-old farmer Patricia Ann Ganderton died from the injury on June 24 on her farm in Hallow.

She tried to reintroduce the cow to the calf before the incident happened. She had separated the two to allow the mother to graze.

Ms Ganderton, who had more than 40 years of cattle experience, was then thrown a metre up in the air by the cow.

An inquest into her death on June 24 was completed Tuesday (14 August). Senior Worcestershire Coroner Geraint Williams ruled her death as accidental.

Paul Dunne, NFU Worcestershire chairman told the inquest that Ms Ganderton was a "really bubbly character" and "very personable".

Worcestershire farmers are working hard, feeding the nation with quality produce and as experienced stockmen and women, we are well aware of our responsibilities and the potential risks of working with large animals," he said.

Ms Ganderton ran The Oakes farm in Hallow with her husband, Rae.

The inquest follows the recent death of a farmer who died while feeding his livestock, with the police saying he was likely trampled to death.

Wales Farm Safety Partnership has urged farmers to adopt safe cattle handling techniques in a bid to reduce the risks to life and limb.A Cumbria farmer has pleaded not guilty to intentionally disturbing the nesting site of ospreys.

58-year-old Paul Barnes faces two charges of intentionally or recklessly disturbing an osprey while it was on or near a nest containing its eggs or young.

Ospreys are protected under the Country and Wildlife Act 1981, meaning it is an offence to disturb the bird on or near its nest.

If convicted, Mr Barnes, from Keswick, could face an unlimited fine.

According to the BBC, the farmer is alleged to have driven his tractor and trailer with a group of children close to the site in June 2017, scaring the birds of prey from their nest.

Mr Barnes denied both charges at a hearing at Workington Magistrates Court.A no-deal Brexit when the UK leaves the EU next year will have a "disastrous outcome" for Northern Ireland's sheep sector, farmers have warned.

Northern Irelands beef, sheep and hill farming sectors have joined with red meat processors to warn that 'no deal' would lead to a "very risky outcome".

With time tight and, to date, no middle ground between London and Brussels, the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) and Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association (NIMEA) say they have "deep concerns" about the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU next March with no trade deal in place.

The UFU said Northern Ireland would face up to 60 per cent tariffs on exports and unfair competition in the UK market from lower standard meat imported from outside Europe.

The concerns are backed up by two independent reports from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), highlighting the dangerous vulnerability of the beef and sheep sector to a no deal result.

'Dubious quality'

John Kennedy, UFU hill farming Chairman warned that this cliff-edge scenario would mean the effective closure of export markets.

The AFBI report in particular underlined the negative impact of losing the French lamb market, if we default to a WTO relationship with the EU, Mr Kennedy said.

There must also be a settlement that protects the UK from being flooded with cheap food of dubious quality.

France currently takes around half of UK sheep exports.

Conall Donnelly of NIMEA added that uncertainty is a "growing concern" for processors as well as farmers.

He said it is hard to see any outcome that could be worse than no deal.

While we hope this will not happen no one can be sure. One problem already is uncertainty and brinkmanship, Mr Donnelly said.

Long before we get to March 29, this is already a trade barrier with the potential to make suppliers and customers hedge against the risk of a hard Brexit.

'Distort supply'

Sam Chesney, UFU beef and lamb Chairman added the challenge was not only to get a good deal, but to ensure that as the negotiations intensify uncertainty does not cause damage.

A no deal outcome would distort supply chains and create significant risks for farm businesses, whether they are primary beef and sheep producers in the hills or lowland finishers, he said.

John Kennedy said that in the run up to the crunch EU heads of state October summit, both Brussels and London must recognise the impact failure to agree a deal would have on farming families.

Politicians need to focus on finding solutions, rather than ramping up the rhetoric which only feeds uncertainty, he said.

Approximately 80% of the 25,000 farms in Northern Ireland are beef and sheep businesses.The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.Adnan Sami Biography: Who plays 35 instruments, Unknown facts from his Life | FilmiBeat

Born in London, Adnan Sami's soul-stirring voice has enthralled not just India but even in other parts of the world. He played the piano since the age of five and composed his first piece of music when he was nine years old. Later, he began taking lessons in Indian classical music from the santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma when visiting India during his school vacations. It is said that it was Asha Bhosale who spotted talent in a ten-year-old Sami at an R.D Burman concert and encouraged him to take up singing. Since then, there's no looking back for him.

On his 47th birthday today, we bring you 5 of his best songs which should be a must in your playlist. Do let us know which one is your track-Closing of Capital Pool Prospectus Offering

Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2018) - Hoist Capital Corp. (TSXV: HTE) (the "Corporation"), a capital pool company under Policy 2.4 (the "CPC Policy") of the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange"), is pleased to announce that it has completed its initial public offering of 4,000,000 common shares at an issuance price of $0.10 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $400,000 (the "Offering"). Canaccord Genuity Corp. ("Agent") acted as agent for the Corporation. Upon closing of the Offering, the Corporation granted 1,120,000 incentive stock options to its directors and officers which are exercisable within 5 years from the date of grant at an exercise price of $0.10 per share. In addition, the Corporation issued 400,000 options to the Agent which are exercisable at $0.10 per share for a period of 24 months. Following completion of the Offering, the Corporation has 11,200,000 common shares issued and outstanding and 7,200,000 of these shares are subject to the terms of an Exchange Form 2C Escrow Agreement. The Corporation anticipates that the common shares will commence trading on the Exchange on or about Aug. 16, 2018, under the trading symbol "HTE".

The only business of the Corporation is the identification and evaluation of assets or business with a view to completing a "Qualifying Transaction" (as defined in the CPC Policy) within 24 months. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

For further information, contact:

Arif Shivji, President

Tel: (403) 803-2150

arif.shivji@shivjicofservices.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, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES, THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1993, AS AMENDED, OR ANY SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESSplitt, a cloud server cryptocurrency mining service, is now making crypto mining user-friendly and safe like never before

London, England--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2018) - Splitt, a recently launched cloud server cryptocurrency mining service, is now making crypto mining user-friendly and safe like never before. Available currently in fifteen cities around the world, Splitt's Cryptocurrency Cloud Server is steadily gaining popularity among the amateurs as well as experts looking to mine cryptocurrencies on a larger scale.

The global crypto mining space is currently abuzz with the launch of a new cloud server cryptocurrency mining service named Splitt. Developed by taking the future of cryptocurrency mining into account, this service introduces an all-new approach to carry out cryptocurrency mining at home without any hassles whatsoever. With its highly sophisticated Cryptocurrency Cloud Server, Splitt prioritizes offering a standardized, high-performance cloud computing environment in all fifteen cities they are serving at present.

Over the last decade or so, Bitcoin mining has become extremely popular among the crypto enthusiasts around the world. The process involves solving complex mathematical calculations via computers to receive a block in the blockchain and Bitcoins. However, due to the recent increase in the number of miners, Bitcoin mining has become extremely competitive. Responding to this situation, the Bitcoin network has increased the difficulty level of their puzzles.

The changing landscape of Bitcoin mining demands optimized mining techniques to ensure profitability. Splitt offers mining services with ASIC integrated chips that are faster compared to GPU and CPU mining, and consume less power. Their cloud mining service requires no hardware, and utilizes shared processing power from data centers. Unlike the traditional mining techniques that require constant maintenance, Splitt makes mining cost-effective, more efficient and flexible for the miners.

Some of the most important features of Splitt include:

Better Pricing: Users need not wait for their equipment or deal with issues such as pool fees and system crashes. Hash power once purchased is retained for the entire duration of the contract.

Transparency and Service Delivery: Splitt follows the highest level of transparency and ethical standards, and discloses everything to the public. The company is easy to locate and their staffs regularly attend a number of events.

Mining Different Coins Simultaneously: Users can mine different coins with their purchased hash power. Allocation of hash power between the coins is completely flexible and simple to choose.

Three-tier Affiliate System: Users can earn commission for deposits of their downline up to the third level

Bonus System: Depending on the turnover of their first line, users are offered bonuses up to 10 BTC.

Dynamic Cloud Mining: 2.64% daily, hourly misc.credit, 0.001 BTC minimum deposit, and 25BTC maximum deposit

Bare Metal Simplified: 3.5% daily, every twelve hours misc.credit, 0.025 BTC minimum deposit, and 50 BTC maximum deposit

ASIC Mining 4.7%: 4.7% daily, daily misc.credit, 0. 5 BTC minimum deposit, and 500 BTC maximum deposit

In order to enhance the user experience of their customers, Splitt has recently launched their mobile application that can be downloaded from Google Play. This useful Android app allows the Splitt users to continue cryptocurrency mining on the go.

To download the Splitt mobile app, please visit https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.splitt

Splitt also has a flagship Telegram channel to help users broadcast their messages to a larger audience. More about this Telegram channel can be found at https://t.me/splittchat_en.

Splitt is the result of months of hard work by a twelve member international team led by its CEO Patel Nguyen. A self-made man who has worked his way up from the bottom, Mr. Nguyen is currently one of the most admired experts in the South Asian cryptocurrency fraternity. The company's CTO, Mr. Kim Lee, is a Bitcoin mining expert who was actively involved in identifying certain deficiencies in the process that were later addressed with the founding of Splitt.

"Flexible multi-algorithm cloud mining and alternatives to mining Bitcoin are just a few reasons to use Splitt's services," says Mr. Patel Nguyen. "We understand that mining of Bitcoin is difficult due to competition and the complexity of cryptocurrency algorithms. Minimal hardware, equipment, less consumption of electricity, as well as easier travel and movement, are some of the benefits you can expect while using Splitt."

To find out more about Splitt, please visit https://splitt.co/en

About Splitt: Splitt offers a user-friendly alternative to cryptocurrency mining from home at any time. It is suitable for amateurs as well as cryptocurrency experts working on a larger scale. The cloud mining service offers a fresh alternative to traditional means of cryptocurrency mining. The company's priority is to offer a standardized, highly reliable, and high-performance cloud computing environment in all of the fifteen cities they serve at present.

Contact: Gerald Snief

Email: gerald.snief@splitt.so

Source: Splitt Corp LtdVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN (http://tmx.quotemedia.com/quote.php?qm_symbol=ABN)) (OTCBB: ABNAF (http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/ABNAF/quote)) (Frankfurt: E2L2 (http://en.boerse-frankfurt.de/stock/Aben_Resources_3-Share)) (the "Company") announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 13,333,333 units at a price of $0.30 each to raise gross proceeds of up to $4,000,000. Each unit will consist of one common share and one warrant (each, a "Warrant") exercisable to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.45 each for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance. The lead order is for $2,000,000 from Eric Sprott who will subscribe for 6,666,667 million Units. Additionally, Palisade Global Investments will subscribe for 2,750,000 million Units and Venture Ad Network will subscribe for 600,000 Units.

Forrest Kerr Project, Golden Triangle, British Columbia location map:

https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4287/fk-003.jpg (https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4287/fk-003.jpg)

Jim Pettit, Aben's Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Aben Resources is very pleased to welcome Eric Sprott as a large strategic shareholder of the Company. Mr. Sprott is one of the world's premiere precious metals investors and a respected leader in the investment community. His participation in this financing speaks to the high-grade discovery and future potential of Aben Resources' Forest Kerr Project in the Golden Triangle region of British Columbia. The Company plans to expand its current drill program on the back of the results from the first drill hole in the program at the newly discovered North Boundary Zone which intersected four separate high-grade intervals including 62.4 g/t Au over 6.0m within 38.7 g/t Au over 10.0m from 114.0-124.0m. With drilling ongoing, Aben is awaiting assay results from an additional seven drill holes, all of which were drilled at the North Boundary Zone and will provide updates as results become available."

The Company intends to utilize the proceeds from the private placements to expand its 2018 exploration and drilling program at its Forrest Kerr Gold Project located in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia and for general working capital purposes. The private placement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, and all securities are subject to a four-month-and-one-day hold period. Finder fees may be payable in connection with the private placement, all in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Aben Resources:

Aben Resources is a Canadian gold exploration company developing projects in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

For further information on Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN (http://tmx.quotemedia.com/quote.php?qm_symbol=ABN)), visit our Company's web site at www.abenresources.com (http://www.abenresources.com/).

ABEN RESOURCES LTD.

"Jim Pettit"

____________________________

JAMES G. PETTIT

President & CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Don Myers

Aben Resources Ltd.

Director, Corporate Communications

Telephone: 604-687-3376

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: info@abenresources.com (mailto:info@abenresources.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 release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com (http://www.sedar.com/) for further information.Dow Jones received a payment from EQS/DGAP to publish this press release.

goetzpartners securities Limited Curetis (CURE-NL): On track to exceed our expectations 15-Aug-2018 / 07:49 GMT/BST *Free to access research and investor meetings in a post-MiFID2 world.* *This research report is intended for use only by persons who qualify as professional investors or eligible counterparties (institutional investors) in the applicable jurisdiction, and not by any private individuals or other persons who qualify as retail clients.* *Published to the market and investors on 15th August 2018 @ 7.04am (London time).* *Curetis (CURE-NL): On track to exceed our expectations* *Recommendation: OUTPERFORM* *Target Price: EUR10.00 * *Current Price: EUR4.02 (cob on 14th August 2018)* *KEY TAKEAWAY* Curetis's H1/2018A statement suggests upsides beyond our current expectations. On track to deliver its 6 - 12 month US installed base guidance, Curetis is already indicating possible US system occupancy and cartridge usage in excess of our current projections. With the Chinese regulatory strategy progressing and an increasingly active global distribution network, we see significant product revenue growth moving forwards. Further deal flow with major global partners is expected near term and could form the basis for strategic investment and / or closer partnership. Given this positive outlook, we are optimistic investors will participate in the anticipated fund-raising. We reiterate our OUTPERFORM recommendation and EUR10 post-financing TP as detailed in our fuller analysis *published in *May 2018. [1] US launch on track to exceed expectations - While still early days, with 10 accounts close to agreeing terms and up to 50 firmly in the sights, management remains confident in securing a US installed base of 40 - 60 by YE2018E and 60 - 80 within 12 months of launch. The first 10 accounts are indicating a need 700 - 800 lower respiratory cartridges p.a. and perhaps double that for other accounts targeted. This would significantly exceed the 400 - 500 in our model. The US promises to be a significant value driver; particularly as Curetis rolls out the extended lower respiratory tract and joint infection Unyvero panels in the US over the next 12 - 24 months. The announced change at the top of the US management team looks no more than unhelpful, in our view. Substantial opportunity in China and the RoW - The company is aggressively driving opportunities in China and RoW. The regulatory strategy on-track with the Chinesse partner. The CFDA frequently follows the lead of the FDA reducing regulatory risk and might even accept data generated for the US FDA and in Europe further streamlining or even abbreviating the process. The Unyvero platform has already been approved in East Asian hub Singapore market. Distributors in North Africa and Latin America have committed to buy at least 45 systems and several thousand cartridges. Direct sales in Europe continue to grow; 257% compared with H1/2017A. Deal-flow expected - With the deal with Chinese MGI moving forwards, we anticipate significant near term deal flow to follow with other major partners involving the Unyvero platform and Ares Genetics antibiotic resistance platform. Broader interest from multi-national partners could provide additional sources of finance and / or form the basis of a deeper strategic relationship. Financing opportunity - We estimate that the company will require a further EUR20m on top of the EUR4.1m and $10m equity line secured in April 2018 to achieve its 12 - 18 month objectives. We would see this as an attractive opportunity for investors or indeed strategically focused larger corporates at current levels given the increasingly positive outlook and potential upside post financing. Our analysis suggests a post-financing valuation of EUR9.2 - EUR13.3 / share. Kind regards, Dr. Chris Redhead | Analyst goetzpartners Healthcare Research Team | Research Team goetzpartners securities Limited The Stanley Building, 7 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG, England, UK. T +44 (0) 203 859 7725 | chris.redhead@goetzpartners.com / healthcareresearch@goetzpartners.com www.goetzpartnerssecurities.com Registered in England No. 04684144. Managing Directors: Dr Stephan Goetz, Martin Brunninger and Ulrich Kinzel. Click here [2] to see our privacy policy. GPSL has a formal client relationship with Curetis AG. GPSL publishes and distributes "Investment" Research and "Corporate Sponsored" Research. Our Corporate Sponsored Research and investor meetings (e.g. NDRs, 1 to 1 meetings) are free to access and attend and is not classified as an inducement in a post-MiFID2 world, this is because the issuer is paying GPSL. GPSL does not offer any execution or market making services. This is a marketing communication as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"). The information herein is considered to be an acceptable minor non-monetary benefit as defined under FCA COBS 2.3A19(5). In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR [3]") - if you would like to be removed / unsubscribed from our CRM (also please note that you are free to contact GPSL at any time in the future to have your e-mail subscription amended), please e-mail: researchproduction@goetzpartners.com About GPSL [4]: goetzpartners securities Limited is a member of the goetzpartners group, and a leading pan European investment bank and research company. We bring together a wide range of expertise, insights and innovations to advance the interests of our clients around the world. The fast-changing environment brings challenges for businesses and investors. Research innovation, digital transformation and disruptive business ideas reshuffle the corporate world at a relentless pace. Our sector knowledge and our global footprint bring together corporate intelligence and a deep understanding of the industry with a wide network of top decision makers. These collective insights help our clients to stay at the leading edge of change. This research report is intended for use only by persons who qualify as professional investors or eligible counterparties (institutional investors) in the applicable jurisdiction, and not by any private individuals or other persons who qualify as retail clients. This e-mail (including any attachments) from goetzpartners securities Limited ("GPSL") is confidential and may contain information which is proprietary, privileged or otherwise legally protected against unauthorised use or disclosure. If you receive this e-mail in error or are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please delete and destroy all copies in your possession, notify the sender that you have received this e-mail, and note that any review or dissemination of, or the taking of any action in reliance on this e-mail is expressly prohibited. GPSL shall not be liable for the improper or incomplete transmission of the information contained in this e-mail nor for any delay in its receipt or damage to your system. GPSL does not guarantee that the integrity of this e-mail has been maintained nor that this e-mail is free of viruses, interceptions or interference and makes no warranties in relation to these matters. This is not an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell securities or investment products, or an official confirmation. GPSL record electronic and phone communications in accordance with FCA and MiFID2 regulations, they will be monitored for regulatory and training purposes. GPSL [5] is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom (Firm Reference Number: 225563). Click on the following link for the GPSL MiFID2 Investor Guidance Notice [6] GPSL Equity Research publications are available on the following aggregators and via news distribution circuits (For Institutional Use Only): AlphaSense, Bloomberg (GOET), Capital IQ, EQS, FACTSET, Research Tree, RNS Reach and Thomson Reuters. If you cannot click on the above hyperlink please copy the below link and paste it into your browser for the full pdf version of the equity research report: https://gp.bluematrix.com/sellside/EmailDocViewer?encrypt=9aafe087-d48f-4148-b d25-20a422ec388e&mime=pdf&co=gp&id=paul.dunne@goetzpartners.com&source=library View [7] *Free to access research and investor meetings in a post-MiFID2 world.* *This research report is intended for use only by persons who qualify as professional investors or eligible counterparties (institutional investors) in the applicable jurisdiction, and not by any private individuals or other persons who qualify as retail clients.* Dissemination of a CORPORATE NEWS, transmitted by EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. End of Announcement - EQS News Service 714437 15-Aug-2018 1: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=47ea38d93da49605f09968673231decf&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 2: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=e4cf3d45df1d07e4e36e54790266d6f1&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 3: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=105c239b1a4ab584252dd4cb0ab60fcc&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 4: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=750ca54579c5d5447638f7f35718f4d1&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 5: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=ba4d174d6cc17a15461e9920a97cb6e6&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 6: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=0982f58d13c5bb2c5b9dc2883b4b3b1f&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 7: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=0ef832e32e4e227e0aad2a0cca367fb7&application_id=714437&site_id=vwd&application_name=news

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 15, 2018 02:49 ET (06:49 GMT)Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Cruz Cobalt Corp. (TSXV: CUZ) (OTC Pink: BKTPF) (FSE: A2DMG8) is pleased to announce that the Company has now completed phase 1 exploration at its 4,980 acre Hector Cobalt Property located near the town of Cobalt, Ontario. All work as planned was completed, including surface rock, soil geochemical and ground magnetic geophysical. 203 soils and 31 grab samples have been submitted to ALS in Sudbury. The Company will prioritize targets for follow-up diamond drill testing following receipt and review of rock and soil geochemical results, in conjunction with ground magnetic geophysical survey data and plan to begin a drill program as soon as possible.

James Nelson, President of Cruz states "We are very pleased to complete the first phase of exploration on our Ontario cobalt prospects. This is an exciting time for the company and we look forward to getting drills turning as soon as possible on the highest priority drill targets determined by the magnetic survey data and geochemical results."

Figure 1



Cannot view Figure 1? Please visit:

http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4754/38087_a1534280300493_50.jpg

Cruz currently has nine cobalt projects located throughout North America, comprising of five in Ontario, two in British Columbia, one in Idaho and one in Montana. Cruz's five separate Ontario cobalt prospects are all located in the vicinity of the town of Cobalt making Cruz one of the largest landholders in this emerging cobalt district. Cruz's Ontario projects include the 1,265 acre Coleman cobalt prospect, the 900 acre Johnson cobalt prospect, the 4,980 acre Hector cobalt prospect, the 1,580 acre Bucke cobalt prospect and the 10,556 acre Lorraine cobalt prospect. The company's BC prospects include the 15,219 acre War Eagle cobalt prospect and the 11,821 acre Purcell prospect. Cruz's USA projects include the 1,940 acre Chicken Hawk prospect in Montana and the 880 acre Idaho Star prospect.

If you would like to be added to Cruz's email list please send an email to info@cruzcobaltcorp.com or twitter @CruzCobalt

James Nelson

President

604.899.9150

Toll free 1.855.599.9150



www.cruzcobaltcorp.com

twitter @CruzCobalt

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.London-based broker achieves digital transformation with single view of the customer and omnichannel customer service

Brighton" Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Systems today announced that Stanhope Cooper has experienced significant growth since implementing Applied's Digital Broker product. The broker has driven significant growth through operational efficiency and a single customer view across all lines of business, enabling more effective cross-selling and upselling opportunities. Additionally, Applied software has allowed the broker to establish customer self-service access, a client app and an app for employees to drive more effective customer service.



"Our digital transformation has allowed us to provide an unprecedented level of customer service," said Will Cooper, managing director, Stanhope Cooper. "In addition, Applied's Digital Broker product has enabled us to create greater operational efficiencies throughout our entire business, while providing our customers and employees anytime, anywhere access to policy information, providing us with a competitive advantage."



As part of Stanhope Cooper's digital strategy, the broker utilises:

Applied TAM that provides brokers the ability to automate daily operational processes, effectively manage customer policy information and seamlessly connect with insurers and policyholders. Through an automated and easy-to-navigate interface, Applied TAM offers greater visibility into customers and day-to-day business operations to reduce time spent on administrative tasks, decrease errors and omission risk, provide a seamless employee onboarding and training experience, and better respond to customer needs.

Applied Cloud utilises Applied's leading purpose-built cloud platform and services designed for the insurance industry, providing reliable and secure delivery of software applications and anytime, anywhere access to business information. Applied's platform provides access to operations recovery, backup encryption, redundancy technology and active failover data centres. The dedicated team of Applied Cloud professionals manages and maintains all hardware upgrades, Applied software updates and system testing processes, increasing brokers' investment value by reducing time and expenses spent managing these processes whilst ensuring availability of the latest software capabilities. Today, more than 87,000 users across four countries rely on Applied Cloud to improve business performance, increase data security and deliver cost savings.

Applied Mobile enables employees to access and manage customer, prospect and insurance information from their broker management system anytime, anywhere via a mobile smartphone or tablet device. The only integrated application available to UK insurance brokers, Applied Mobile allows users to stay connected on-the-go with a direct link to information in their broker management system, providing access to view accounts, contact details and insurance policy information, add prospects, create and manage activities and automate sales operations.

Applied CSR24 enables businesses to meet demand from today's insurance consumers for anytime, anywhere access to information by providing 24/7 access to insurance policy information, claims filing and processing, and insurance documents through a custom-branded client webpage on a computer, tablet and smartphone. Additionally, a mobile app extension of Applied CSR24, Applied MobileInsured, provides brokers the industry's first native, broker-branded mobile application to provide mobile customer self-service via iOS or Android smartphone devices. The mobile app seamlessly integrates with broker management systems to provide customers accurate, convenient access to insurance information whilst on-the-go. By providing greater flexibility and customer service options, brokers can increase customers' satisfaction, build customer loyalty and deliver a more competitive business proposition.



"As insurance consumers are demanding faster and more convenient service, brokers must meet that demand with digital technology that enables brokers to provide a premier customer experience," said Jeff Purdy, senior vice president of International Operations, Applied Systems. "Applied's Digital Broker product enables brokers to improve operational efficiency, while allowing them to better service customers through advanced automation and customer self-service software, to ultimately drive profitable growth."



About Applied Systems

Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognised as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world's largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied's people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Dan Blondal, CEO of Nano One Materials (TSXV: NNO) (OTC Pink: NNOMF) (FSE: LBMB), is pleased to announce the launch of a project focused on improving the durability of lithium ion cathode materials with the support of the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).

NRC IRAP will support Nano One's project to develop Coatings for High Durability Lithium ion Battery Cathodes and will contribute up to $349,000 in non-dilutive and non-repayable funds between August 1, 2018, and May 31, 2020.

"NRC IRAP has been a strong supporter of Nano One since 2014 and we are honoured to embark on our fourth project with them," said Mr. Blondal. "The work will be directed to improving lithium ion cathode durability and stability, and it will build on the success of our NRC IRAP High Voltage Spinel project and leverage resulting patent applications."

The automotive industry is seeking higher levels of energy density to extend the range of electric vehicles. The trade-off for higher energy densities is reduced levels of material stability and durability. A range of dopants and coatings have been identified that could reduce instability and durability in high energy cathode materials and it is the goal of this project to determine the optimum combination. Based on strong market interest, High Voltage Spinel (HVS) will serve as the material of focus for the project, as it is both cobalt free and a strong candidate as cathode material for next generation solid state batteries. Results from the project will be applied to other high nickel materials including NMC622.

Nano One currently has active contribution agreements with NRC IRAP, Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program - all programs of the Government of Canada. Combined, these funding sources are projected to extend Nano One's operating capital into Q1 2020.

Mr. Blondal added: "We are excited to begin a focused effort on the critical challenge of stabilizing high energy cathode materials. We have a proprietary, advantageous and low cost method of applying coatings and dopants to cathode materials and this project will industrialize the process to further differentiate Nano One's commercial offering."

Nano One Materials Corp.

Dan Blondal, CEO

For information with respect to Nano One or the contents of this news release, please contact John Lando (President) at (604) 420-2041 or visit the website at www.nanoone.ca.

About Nano One:

Nano One Materials Corp ("Nano One" or "the Company") is developing patented technology for the low-cost production of high performance battery materials used in electric vehicles, energy storage and consumer electronics. The processing technology addresses fundamental supply chain constraints by enabling wider raw materials specifications for use in lithium ion batteries. The process can be configured for a range of different nanostructured materials and has the flexibility to shift with emerging and future battery market trends and a diverse range of other growth opportunities. The novel three-stage process uses equipment common to industry and Nano One has built a pilot plant to demonstrate high volume production and to optimize its technology across a range of materials. The pilot plant is being funded with the assistance and support of the Government of Canada through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP) a program of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Nano One also receives financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). Nano One's mission is to establish its patented technology as a leading platform for the global production of a new generation of nanostructured composite materials. For more information, please visit www.nanoone.ca.



Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the execution of the Company's plans which are contingent on the receipt of grant monies and the commercialization of the Company's technology and patents. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'plan', 'intend', 'continue', 'estimate', 'may', 'will', 'should', 'ongoing', or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing; including the receipt of grant monies from SDTC, ASIP, NRC IRAP and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASEThe Peruvian Government has submitted to public consultation the draft of Supreme Decree for the regulation of distributed generation (DG), which is the secondary legislation necessary to implement the DG law first promulgated in 2015. Talking to pv magazine, the president of the Society of Peruvian Renewable Energy explains how the new rules will not only introduce a net-billing scheme for installations up to 200 kW, but also a scheme for projects up to 10 MW, which is very similar to the so-called Pequenos Distributed Generation Media (PMGD) program in Chile.The Ministry of Energy and Mines ...

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.HONG KONG, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners announced the acquisition of Bell City mixed-use development for AUD$157 million in Melbourne's Preston precinct through its funds under management and its hospitality arm, GCP Hospitality.

Bell City, located just 20 minutes from Melbourne Airport and the CBD, consists of two hotels totaling 844 guestrooms under the Mantra and BreakFree brands, a conference complex, commercial tenancies, a 600-space car park and serviced offices.

In response to the growing popularity of community living, GCP Hospitality will work to incorporate a 'co-living' concept with vibrant social areas, a co-working hub, a state-of-the-art fitness center, in-vogue restaurants and bars, and an outdoor pool. Moreover, the Group will roll-out its modern student shared accommodation brand: Campus.

Kenneth Gaw, President and Managing Principal of Gaw Capital Partners, said, "We are excited about the opportunities this acquisition presents. In addition to giving us a foothold in the Melbourne market, this major hospitality asset will allow us to effectively roll out multiple concepts within the same project. After this acquisition, we look forward to further expansion opportunities in the Australia market."

Christophe Vielle, CEO & Co-Founder of GCP Hospitality, said, "We are delighted to expand our footprint in Australia with this new acquisition. The increasing demand for modern community living concepts will allow us to introduce within Bell City an in mode 'co-living' concept as well as roll-out our student shared accommodation concept -- Campus -- which has been successfully launched in Hong Kong and is due to open in Perth's city center in January 2019."

About GCP Hospitality

GCP Hospitality runs over 39 properties with 7,450 keys worldwide with an enviable reputation in the hospitality industry for providing hotel management, asset management, and business development services of the highest standard. GCP Hospitality's expertise has a global reach, with regional offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Perth, San Francisco, Singapore and Yangon. Current brands include Hotels G, The Strand Hotel & Cruise, Campus Co-Living Hubs, Hospes Hotels (JV in Spain) and Journal Hotels (JV in USA). GCP Hospitality is the hospitality arm of Gaw Capital Partners, a private equity fund management company focusing on adding strategic value to under-utilized properties in the global market.Mundipharma brings its cancer supportive care expertise to Vietnam after signing agreement with Helsinn Group for ALOXI

(palonosetron HCl)

Mundipharma and Helsinn Group expand exclusive licensing and distribution agreement for anti-emetic medicine ALOXI

This agreement builds on similar existing arrangements in a range of territories.

SINGAPORE and LUGANO, August 15, 2018: Mundipharma and Helsinn Group signed a licensing and distribution agreement for the anti-emetic agent ALOXI

in Vietnam, extending an international collaboration.

ALOXI.

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) is one of the most common and distressing side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Mundipharma and Helsinn are experts in the CINV field with decades of shared experience and are currently providing medicine to CINV sufferers.

Mundipharma CEO, Raman Singh said, "This important extension of our portfolio in Vietnam offers relief to patients suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy and enables patients and healthcare providers to benefit from our expertise in this area."

Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO, commented: "Helsinn and Mundipharma have an effective, longstanding partnership and Mundipharma successfully markets, promotes and distributes a number of our products across a range of territories.

We're delighted to be able to extend this relationship through this agreement."

ENDS

About the Helsinn Group

Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care products and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and supportive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage investment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need. The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., Monaco, and China, as well as a product presence in approximately 190 countries globally.

For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com

About Mundipharma

Mundipharma is a network of independent associated companies, which are privately owned entities, covering pharmaceutical markets in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The headquarters for these territories is in Singapore. Mundipharma consistently delivers high-quality medicines while standing by the values it represents. Its mission is to alleviate the suffering of patients and to substantially improve their quality of life. Mundipharma is dedicated to bringing to patients the benefit of novel treatment options in fields such as pain, oncology, oncology supportive care, ophthalmology, respiratory disease and consumer healthcare.

For further information, please contact:

H

e

l

s

i

nn

G

r

o

u

p

Me

di

a

C

o

n

t

act

P

ao

l

a

B

o

n

v

i

c

i

n

i



G

r

oup

H

ead

of

C

om

m

un

i

cat

i

on



Lu

g

an

o

,

S

w

it

z

e

r

l

and



T

e

l

:

+

41

(

0)

91

985

21

21

I

n

f

o

-

hh

c@

h

e

l

s

i

nn

.

com

For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com

and follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn

and VimeoDr. Katherine Kramer will lead the development of the company's new medicinal cannabis product line for pets

Vernon, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - True Leaf Medicine International Ltd. (CSE: MJ) (OTCQB: TRLFF) (FSE: TLA) ("True Leaf"), a plant-forward wellness brand for people and their pets, announced today the appointment of Dr. Katherine Kramer, DVM, as Founding Chair of its Veterinary Advisory Board.

Dr. Kramer, a vocal advocate for the research and therapeutic use of cannabis for animals, is the Medical Director at the VCA-Canada Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital and has been practicing veterinary medicine for 16 years. She became interested in alternative treatment early in her career, blending herbs and acupuncture with Western medicine to promote optimal health.

Dr. Kramer's study of cannabis is driven by the many successes her patients have had over the past six years and she is considered a pioneer in this field. She has been featured in local and national media in Canada and has become a resource for veterinarians across North America seeking information on the benefits of medicinal cannabis for pets.

"Dr. Kramer is a vital addition to our team and her recognized veterinary knowledge builds on our solid foundation of in-house integrative care, cannabis cultivation, and marketing expertise," said Darcy Bomford, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of True Leaf. "Her experience with medicinal cannabis for pets will be integral to our product development process. Over the years, Dr. Kramer has gathered specific knowledge on the safe use, dosage, and efficacy related to administering cannabis for pets. This knowledge will be key to the success of our upcoming cannabidiol (CBD) product line, scheduled to be launched to the veterinary market next year."

As Chair of True Leaf's Veterinary Advisory Board, Dr. Kramer will recruit veterinarians from around the world to join True Leaf as the company develops legal and safe medicinal cannabis products for pets. She and her colleagues will be instrumental in the research and development of CBD pet products at True Leaf, including the design and execution of supportive trials and the development of education programs for veterinarians and pet owners on the best use of cannabis products for pets.

"True Leaf has established itself as a leader in the pet supplement industry by committing to getting it right and developing products that are safe and effective," said Dr. Kramer. "By assembling a group of top clinicians, together with True Leaf's committed team, I look forward to developing industry-leading therapeutic pet products and being on the forefront of cannabis education and research. Ultimately, it's about returning the love - improving the quality of life for our dearest pet companions with medicinal cannabis."

Dr. Kramer is a member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

She is also a member of the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine (CAVCM), an organization that is working with the CVMA to encourage Health Canada to amend the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to permit the future classification of CBD as a Veterinary Health Product. This would open the door for True Leaf to bring legal, safe, and quality-controlled CBD products for pets to market in Canada.









Figure 1: Pioneer "Cannabis for Pets" Veterinarian Joins True Leaf

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3826/38099_IMG_6044.jpg

About True Leaf

True Leaf is a plant-forward wellness brand for people and their pets. Founded in 2013, True Leaf has two main operating divisions: True Leaf Medicine Inc. and True Leaf Pet Inc.

True Leaf Medicine Inc. is in the final stages of approval to become a licensed producer of federally-approved medicinal cannabis for the Canadian market. The license is subject to a Health Canada inspection to allow for the production, manufacture, and distribution of cannabis products upon the completion of True Leaf Campus: the company's cannabis cultivation facility being built in Lumby, British Columbia. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2018.

Established in 2015, True Leaf Pet Inc. is one of the first companies to market hemp-based products for pets worldwide. The company is initially marketing a line of hemp-seed based supplements for pets. True Hemp chews, dental sticks, and supplement oils are sold in more than 1,800 stores across North America and Europe.

www.trueleaf.com

Media Contact:

Paul Sullivan

Director, Public Relations

Paul@trueleaf.com

O: 604-685-4742

M: 604-603-7358

Investor Contact:

Kevin Bottomley (Canada)

Director and Corporate Relations

Kevin@trueleaf.com

M: 778-389-9933



Tirth Patel (US)

Edison Advisors

tpatel@edisongroup.com

O: 646-653-7035

Follow True Leaf

twitter.com/trueleafpet

facebook.com/trueleafpet

instagram.com/trueleafpet

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and management may make additional forward-looking statements in response to your questions. Such written and oral disclosures are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and True Leaf hereby claims such safe harbour protection for all forward-looking statements. True Leaf believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions; however, True Leaf's actual results and performance and the value of its securities could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to the impact of many factors summarized in the "Risk Factors" section of True Leaf's Offering Circular Form 1-A filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities and other discussions of risk factors contained in True Leaf's periodic filings or supplements to the offering circular. True Leaf's Offering Circular Form 1-A can be found at www.trueleaf.com/pages/investor. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. True Leaf undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such information for any reason after the date of this presentation unless required by law.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Tidal Royalty Corp. ( CSE: RLTY.U) ( OTC: TDRYF) ("Tidal Royalty"), a leading provider of royalty financing to licensed U.S. cannabis operators, is pleased to announce that on August 1, 2018 it has entered into a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with an established licensed operator in Illinois (the "Illinois Cannabis Company") to finance the expansion of the Illinois Cannabis Company's operations and strategic acquisitions.

The Illinois Cannabis Company LOI

The Illinois Cannabis Company is led by a seasoned management team with years of cannabis industry experience. The Illinois Cannabis Company currently operates a state-of-the-art 75,000 sq. ft. facility that uses highly-advanced plant monitoring technologies to precisely track plant inputs and other critical control factors in order to achieve optimal production yield and consistency. The Illinois Cannabis Company will use proceeds from the financing to expand their existing cultivation and manufacturing facility, as well as pursue acquisition of additional strategic assets that will increase market share.

Pursuant to the LOI, Tidal Royalty will provide the Illinois Cannabis Company with up to US$41MM, in the form of both a royalty financing and equity investment. The royalty financing and equity investment will be staged over specific milestones set by Tidal Royalty management:

Royalty Financing: Tidal Royalty will receive a 15% net sales royalty on all the Illinois Cannabis Company's Illinois operations. This includes both net sales generated from existing cultivation and dispensary sales, as well as incremental sales generated by the planned expansion.

Equity Investment: Tidal Royalty will purchase the Illinois Cannabis Company's common shares at an agreed-upon valuation.

"As Tidal Royalty looks forward to where the U.S. cannabis market is headed, we are excited to broaden our investment strategy," said Paul Rosen, CEO & Chairman of Tidal Royalty. "We are very excited to count the Illinois Cannabis Company among our portfolio constituents. Between the near-term cash flow generated by their existing operations, management's vision and drive to grow their market share, and the ability to accelerate their growth with Tidal Royalty capital, we feel this is going to be the beginning of a great long-term relationship between our companies."

Illinois is the sixth most populous state in the United States with nearly 13MM residents. According to Marijuana Business Daily, the state's medical market is expected to grow to US$150MM by the end of 2018 with significant opportunity for upside as the market develops.

The LOI includes an exclusivity period during which the Illinois Cannabis Company will not negotiate with any other party. Closing of the transaction contemplated by the LOI is subject to, among other things, the satisfactory completion of Tidal Royalty's diligence investigation, which is currently underway. Tidal Royalty expects to announce further details in respect to the contemplated transaction with the Illinois Cannabis Company upon the execution of a definitive agreement between the parties and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.

With the execution of this LOI, Tidal Royalty has now entered into letters of intent for expansion projects in California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Illinois. In addition, Tidal Royalty is in the process of evaluating multiple additional opportunities across the U.S., including in Florida, New York, Arizona, Ohio and Michigan. Tidal Royalty intends to provide further information on those discussions when the parties reach an agreement and execute respective letters of intent.

About Tidal Royalty

Tidal Royalty provides royalty financing to the U.S. regulated cannabis industry. Led by an executive team with extensive industry experience in Canada and the U.S., Tidal Royalty provides operators with the funding they need to grow their business. Operators benefit from non-dilutive capital and investors get top-line access to a diversified portfolio of companies that will form the future of this transformative industry.

For further information, please contact:



Tidal Royalty Corp.

Terry Taouss, President

Email: terry@tidalroyalty.com

Phone: 416.710.8377

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking information contained in this new release is not based on historical facts but instead is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to: the ability to enter into definitive documentation in respect of letters of intent currently entered into by Tidal Royalty, the ability of Tidal Royalty to enter into additional letters of intent and associated definitive documentation with current or further proposed investee companies, the operating and financial performance of any investee company to be funded by Tidal Royalty from time to time, the ability of Tidal Royalty to generate revenue or realize profit through royalty agreements with any future investee companies, the ability of Tidal Royalty to maintain DTC eligibility and the effect of such eligibility on the clearing and settlement of Tidal Royalty's common shares and the effectiveness of Tidal Royalty's Advisory Board in providing strategic advice. In addition, this news release contains forward-looking statements attributed to third-party industry sources, the accuracy of which has not been independently verified by Tidal Royalty. Forward-looking information contained herein is based on the opinions and reasonable assumptions and estimates of management as at the date hereof and is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Tidal Royalty, that could cause actual events or results of Tidal Royalty to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Such factors include: U.S. regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks and risks relating to regulatory change, risks relating to anti-money laundering laws and regulation, other governmental and environmental regulation, public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry, risks related to the enforceability of contracts, the requirement by Tidal Royalty to obtain additional financing, the limited operating history of Tidal Royalty, timeliness of government approvals for granting of permits and licences needed by any future investee companies, including licences to cultivate cannabis, the actual operating and financial performance of any future investee company, competition and other risks affecting Tidal Royalty in particular and the U.S. cannabis industry generally, and the risk factors effecting Tidal Royalty disclosed in the listing statement of Tidal Royalty available at www.sedar.com. Because of such risks, uncertainties and other factors, investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained herein. Tidal Royalty is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. The foregoing statements expressly qualify the forward-looking information contained herein.This release does not constitute an offer for sale of, nor a solicitation for offers to buy, any securities in the United States.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.State Innovation Model Funds First Blockchain-Enabled Data Aggregation and Reporting Collaboration in Colorado

Three leading health data organizations, CORHIO, QHN and CCMCN, partner with BurstIQ to pilot a blockchain-based health data platform to enable the statewide aggregation of clinical quality measures for the Colorado State Innovation Model

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2018 / Three of Colorado's clinical health data organizations, Colorado Regional Health Information Organization (CORHIO), Quality Health Network (QHN) and Colorado Community Managed Care Network (CCMCN), announced today that they have partnered with Denver-based BurstIQ to enable aggregation, consolidation, and sharing of clinical quality measures (CQMs) data across the state of Colorado. The project is funded by SIM, a federally funded, Governor's Office initiative, that is helping hundreds of primary care practices and four community mental health centers integrate behavioral and physical health and learn how to succeed with alternative payment models.

This partnership will be the first collaboration of its kind to leverage blockchain for HIPAA-compliant data aggregation and reporting in the state of Colorado. BurstIQ's secure blockchain-based platform will allow CORHIO, QHN and CCMCN to each maintain direct control over their respective data assets while enabling the consolidation and contextualization needed to report electronic CQMs for SIM.

"This partnership is truly the first of its kind in Colorado," says Frank Ricotta, CEO of BurstIQ. "The ability for disparate data systems across the healthcare ecosystem to interact and share data is critical. We applaud CORHIO, QHN, CCMCN and the state of Colorado for leading the way on blockchain and we're honored to help them accomplish their vision."

SIM practices will be the first to test this eCQM solution, which was designed to help providers extract eCQMs once and report data to multiple payers.

"Health information technology is one of the foundational pillars of SIM, and it is rewarding to see this work come to fruition," says Barbara Martin, RN, MSN, ACNP-BC, MPH, Director, SIM. "This solution will help reduce the administrative burden of reporting, and help providers prove their unique value to health plans, which is a core component to success with APMs."

"CORHIO is honored to be a part of such a collaborative and innovative project that will enable improved quality measures reporting for behavioral and physical health providers participating in SIM," says Morgan Honea, CORHIO Chief Executive Officer. "Colorado is leading the way in enabling practices to participate in the transition to advanced payment models. Initiatives like this one further demonstrate our innovative spirit and commitment to the quadruple aim."

"CCMCN is excited to have the opportunity to work with CORHIO, QHN andBurstIQ to create a new and innovative approach to integrating healthcare technology for Colorado. Our work will start with the development of quality measures and it has the opportunity to become a foundational component for community collaboration, further strengthening our ability to protect Colorado's vulnerable families," says Jason Greer, CCMCN CEO.

"This partnership will bring together health care providers, health information organizations, the State and technology to provide a more complete set of data to calculate measures," says Marc Lassaux, QHN's Chief Technical Officer. "At QHN, we believe that more complete data will better the lives of all Coloradans as it will help us identify patients in need. We are excited to be involved in this effort."

About BurstIQ

BurstIQ is an industry-leading blockchain enablement company, offering enterprise-level blockchain solutions for the health and healthcare industry. The company offers a HIPAA- and GDPR- compliant platform that seamlessly leverages blockchain, advanced security, Big Data capabilities and machine intelligence to enable healthcare businesses and individuals to access, control, monetize and gain insights from their health data. The BurstIQ Ecosystem allows people and businesses to create relationships and transact through a global network of marketplaces for personalized products and services, value-added B2B services, research opportunities, and peer-to-peer networks. The BurstIQ platform and Ecosystem work together to improve the security of health data, reduce healthcare costs, enable new insights and care models, and democratize health through increased global health access, equity and personal empowerment. For more information visit, www.burstiq.com.

About the Colorado State Innovation Model:

The Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) is a governor's office initiative that is funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Colorado was the only SIM state to select the integration of behavioral and physical health with support from public and private payers as its main goal to help providers succeed with alternative payment models. The four-year initiative, which ends in July 2019, is helping hundreds of primary care practices and four community mental health centers deliver whole-person care and gain the skills they need to succeed with alternative payment models. SIM has helped create a new workforce in the state and invested in local public health agencies to address mental health stigma and improve access to care. Get data that shows SIM's successes, listen to podcasts about how integrated care improves the lives of patients and the morale of provider teams and learn more about the initiative: www.co.gov/healthinnovation

About CORHIO

CORHIO is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality through the optimal use of health information exchange (HIE). The CORHIO HIE is one of the largest and most robust HIE networks in the U.S. with more than 12,000 users and 74 hospitals currently participating. In addition to managing the HIE network, CORHIO provides advisory services that help healthcare professionals effectively use electronic health records and improve care delivery, and supplies accountable care organizations and health plans with data that enhance population health programs. For more information, visit www.corhio.org.

About QHN

Quality Health Network (QHN) is a non-profit community collaborative serving western Colorado stakeholders since 2004. More than 90% of area health care providers participate in the network and financially sustain its ongoing operations. QHN services include real time electronic data collection, distributions, and reporting to facilitate the availability of information in order to optimize the health of our communities, improve the economic efficiencies of patient care, and bring value to our stakeholders. For more information, visit www.qualityhealthnetwork.org.

About CCMCN

Colorado Community Managed Care Network (CCMCN) is a Colorado non-profit organization founded in 1994. CCMCN's statewide network of Community Health Center Members and joint venture partnerships provide care to approximately 50% of Colorado's Medicaid population and low income families. CCMCN's approach to population health is to innovate, discover and spread proven technology solutions across safety net communities to help improve the quality and safety of patient care and reduce health care disparities. For more information, visit www.ccmcn.com.

CONTACTS:

PR & Media Contact:

Matthew Bird

CEO | 1800pr

1-800-PublicRelations

O: 646.248.7676

E: matt.bird@1800pr.com

CORHIO:

Jennifer Mensch

Marketing Communications Manager

E: jmensch@corhio.org

CCMCN:

Jason Greer

Chief Executive Officer

E: jason@ccmcn.com

QHN:

Marc Lassaux

Chief Technical Officer

E: mlassaux@qualityhealthnetwork.org

BurstIQ:

Amber Hartley

Chief Corporate Development Officer

E: marketing@burstiq.com

SIM:

Heather Grimshaw

Director of Communications, Strategic Partnerships

E: heather.grimshaw@state.co.us

The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity Number CMS-1G1-14-001 from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM), a four-year initiative, is funded by up to $65 million from CMS. The content provided is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.

SOURCE: BurstIQ, Inc.- Patent covers paired Cas9 nickase technology to reduce off-target effects, advance gene therapy and research

- Expands company's foundational CRISPR cutting and integration IP necessary to correct genetic defects in gene therapy patients

- Merck to license CRISPR-related patents to interested parties

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck, the vibrant science and technology company, today announced that the Australian Patent Office has allowed the company's patent application for the use of paired CRISPR nickases. Paired nickases represent a significant step in increasing safety by driving specificity through a highly flexible and efficient approach to reduce off-target effects. This improves CRISPR's ability to fix diseased genes while not affecting healthy ones.

"We've made tremendous strides in recent years evolving CRISPR technology, and this is a pivotal time in scientific research," said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board, and CEO, Life Science. "Merck's paired nickase CRISPR technology is important for researchers who need highly accurate methods when developing treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases. This new patent allowance represents a significant advancement in safety for CRISPR-enabled therapeutics."

The allowed patent application covers a foundational CRISPR strategy in which two CRISPR nickases are targeted to a common gene target and work together by nicking or cleaving opposite strands of chromosomal sequence to create a double-stranded break. This process can optionally include an exogenous or donor sequence for insertion in the same manner as Merck's patented CRISPR integration technology. The requirement of two CRISPR binding events greatly reduces the chances of off-target cutting at other locations in the genome.

In addition to allowing a patent application on paired nickases, the Australian Patent Office recently announced the formal grant of Merck's 2017 CRISPR integration patent, following withdrawal of four independent, anonymously filed oppositions.

Merck's CRISPR integration patent portfolio includes granted patents in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Singapore and South Korea. These CRISPR patents are directed to chromosomal integration, or cutting of the sequence of eukaryotic cells and insertion of a synthetic exogenous DNA sequence to make a desired genomic change.

Paired CRISPR nickase methods build on other technologies in Merck's CRISPR patent portfolio, including CRISPR integration. Commercial organizations need Merck's intellectual property for CRISPR-based insertion of DNA if they seek to correct genetic defects in the somatic cells of gene therapy patients. Merck is licensing this patent portfolio for all fields of use.

As a company that for the past 14 years has been highly involved in genome-editing innovation, Merck recognizes that genome editing has resulted in major advancements in biological research and medicine. At the same time, the growing potential of genome-editing technologies has opened scientific, legal and societal concerns. As both a user and supplier of genome-editing technology, Merck supports research with genome editing under careful consideration of ethical and legal standards. Merck has established a Bioethics Advisory Panel to provide guidance for research in which its businesses are involved, including research on or using genome editing, and has defined a clear operational position taking into account scientific and societal issues to inform promising therapeutic approaches for use in research and applications.

Merck was the first company to offer custom biomolecules for genome editing globally (TargeTron RNA-guided group II introns and CompoZr zinc finger nucleases), driving adoption of these techniques by researchers all over the world. Merck was also the first company to manufacture arrayed CRISPR libraries covering the entire human genome, accelerating disease cures by allowing scientists to explore more questions about root causes.

In addition to basic genome-editing research, Merck supports development of gene- and cell-based therapeutics and manufactures viral vectors. In 2016, Merck launched a genome-editing initiative aimed at advancing research in novel modalities - from genome editing to gene medicine manufacturing - through a dedicated team and enhanced resources, further solidifying the company's commitment to the field.

Follow Merck on Twitter @Merckgroup, on Facebook @merckgroup and on LinkedIn.

All Merck news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck

Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 53,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of 15.3 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the "Merck" name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/729760/Stage_CRISPR_Graphic.jpgVancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - ePower Metals Inc. (TSXV: EPWR) (the "Company" or "ePower Metals") announces that:

The Company has independently identified and acquired a 100% interest in the Brokopondo Cobalt Project in Suriname, South America.

Brokopondo is an ~8,900-hectare laterite-hosted, cobalt-manganese project with historic grades of 0.5-1.5% Co sampled by the USGS (USGS MRDS 1993).

The project hosts cobalt-manganese bearing laterites in a land package traversed by paved roads, high tension power lines and a navigable river. The Company views the Brokopondo Project as well positioned for fast and inexpensive exploration toward defining a meaningful resource that has the potential to address global cobalt demand.

Laterite hosted cobalt deposits tend to be free digging, low arsenic sources of cobalt. The Company believes these types of deposits are amenable to a simple crush and leach process, which can be designed and built on a timeline that could address market demand for additional cobalt supply.

Surname is home to the IAMGOLD Rosabel Mine and Newmont's Merian Mine. Suriname has a clear process for the development of mineral resources.

ePower Metals is focused on identifying new cobalt camps/projects globally and the company continues to work on developing cobalt projects globally.

Michael Collins, President and CEO of ePower Metals, comments, "ePower believes that it is necessary to look beyond current cobalt deposits to find new cobalt supplies that will address the pending shortfalls of cobalt in the battery market. The Brokopondo Cobalt Project has the potential to be a significant source of cobalt for the expanding cobalt market medium term. This is the first to be announced of several newly identified cobalt project areas that ePower believes are undervalued, strategically positioned and have the potential to provide future cobalt supply to the growing rechargeable battery sector. ePower continues to negotiate transactions to acquire interests in those other cobalt project areas."

The Brokopondo Cobalt Property

ePower Metals has staked an ~8,900 ha prospecting permit in Suriname based on historic USGS reports of laterite hosted Cobalt-Manganese with grades of 0.5-1.5% Co, (USGS MRDS 1993)*. The property lies 85 kilometres south of the capital of Paramaribo, a paved highway and high-tension power lines traverse Brokopondo, just north of the Afobaka Hydro Dam. Historic exploration for bauxite and placer gold mining has left the project area crisscrossed by tracks and trails and well suited for rapid exploration and development. The Company is operational in Suriname and in the field conducting orientation surveys. Work will expand to property-wide prospecting utilizing cup augers to sample on a 200-metre grid before September, with infill drilling planned on areas that demonstrate anomalous cobalt/manganese from the auger samples starting in mid to late October.

*The grades stated in the USGS report have not been verified by the Company, and readers are cautioned not to place undue weight on such results. The historical grades are considered relevant; however the reliability, assumptions, parameters and methods used in preparing the reports are unknown.

Targeting laterite hosted Cobalt-Manganese Deposits

ePower Metals target model is similar to cobalt/manganese deposits delineated in Cameroon. For an example, Geovic Mining Corp. has identified cobalt-manganese hosted in asbolane and/or lithiophorite minerals with a estimated Measured Mineral Resource of 59.8MT grading 0.24% Co, 1.37% Mn and 0.68% Ni, (NI43-101 report; Geovic Mining Corp. Nkamouna and Mada Deposits, June 2, 2011. These resources are historic in nature and while we believe the resources have been completed to the standards of the day, they should not be relied upon by the reader). These laterite deposits are formed over tropically weathered ultramafic bodies, which results in the enrichment and concentration of elements such as cobalt, nickel and manganese in the oxide facies. Cobalt mineralization is found in concretions with manganese and nickel. These concretions are amenable to physical upgrading through screening and washing which results in a concentrate, which can be 2 to 4 times higher than run of mine ore. These coarse-grained concentrates can be processed through a conventional crush and vat leach process that typically is simpler and cheaper than pure clay or silicate type nickel-cobalt laterite deposits, which require high pressure acid leach processing with associated complex and capital intensive technologies.

Laterite hosted cobalt-manganese deposits tend to be free-digging, low-arsenic sources of cobalt. The Company believes these types of deposits are amenable to a simple crush and leach process, which can be designed and built on a timeline that could address the market demand for additional cobalt supply.





Figure 1: ePower's Brokopondo Project in Suriname



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5688/38086_brokopondo.jpg

Bruce Kienlen, P.Geo., is Vice President of Exploration for the Company and is the qualified person for the Brokopondo Project.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Collins

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Nancy Curry

VP Corporate Development

ePower Metals Inc.

1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver BC, V6E 2Y3

Telephone: (604) 428-6128

Facsimile: (604) 428-6430

Website: www.epowermetals.com

Forward Looking Information

Information set forth in this document may include forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of ePower Metals. 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 these forward-looking statements. ePower Metal's actual results, programs, activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

We seek safe harbor.Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Scandium International Mining Corp. (TSX:SCY) ("Scandium International" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Impression Technologies Ltd. ("ITL"), to test scandium-containing alloys in proprietary aluminum sheet forming applications. ITL is a privately held technology company, developing and licensing its advanced aluminum forming technology, Hot Form Quench ("HFQ"), to automotive, aerospace, rail and electronics industries, globally. ITL also manufactures custom parts for customers with its patented HFQ technology, which enables the single-pass forming of complex, lightweight, high-strength aluminum parts that can't otherwise be similarly formed today.

The LOI calls for the Company to contribute various aluminium alloy samples containing scandium, using their proprietary process technology, in their testing facilities in Coventry, UK. ITL intends to report the results of the testing program utilizing the samples, and the Company intends to publicly report a summary of the results at the conclusion of the program.

LOI AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

LOI defines alloy sample contributions by the Company to ITL,

ITL will test the samples utilizing the HFQ process, at its Coventry facility ,

Testing results are to be shared , understood, possibly publicly disclosed, recognizing any intellectual property discovery,

ITL is the recognized leader in HFQ forming technology, servicing customers primarily in automotive, aero space , rail , and electronics applications, and

Successful testing results potentially forms basis of direct customer use of Al-Sc alloys with ITL's clients.

DISCUSSION:

Impression Technologies is a technology development and licensing company, focused on developing its HFQ (Hot Form Quench) technology, and is the exclusive licensor for that technology, initially developed at Imperial College, London.

HFQ technology is a production method for stamping complex-shaped aluminum components from high strength and ultra-high strength alloys. The technology provides a cost-competitive means of producing lightweight, deep-draw, complex, strong and structured aluminum components, in single pressings. The process can deliver better formed parts, in addition to reduced process cycle times and lower material losses when compared to more traditional forming techniques.

ITL offers design and simulation services to customers, based on HFQ forming systems, and can either directly manufacture specific components for customers from its Coventry facility, or will license its HFQ design, simulation, or processing technology to customers with higher-volume requirements or integrated manufacturing platforms.

HFQ technology is gaining further global recognition from a multi-partner testing initiative, called the Rapid Aluminium Cost Effective Forming Project (RACEForm). This program involves a consortium of industry and academic partners, lead by ITL, funded by a grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK Ltd. (APC). The focus of the 30-month RACEForm project, initiated in late 2017, will be on validating the HFQ technology for the mass production of complex, high strength aluminum structures for body-in-white and chassis applications, and to help establish the technology as a global standard for aluminum lightweighting worldwide.

Characterizing new or modified materials for HFQ simulation and process performance is a key part of ITL's ongoing HFQ development program, and ITL sees promise in testing Al-Sc alloys from Scandium International in this regard.

More information on Impression Technologies Ltd. and their HFQ process is available on the ITL website: www.impression-technologies.com and http://hfqtechnology.com/. HFQ is a registered trademark of Impression Technologies Ltd.

George Putnam, CEO of Scandium International Mining Corp. commented:

"We are pleased to add Impression Technologies to our list of partners exploring scandium's advantages in aluminium parts manufacturing. ITL's patented HFQ technology successfully advances the boundaries in aluminium alloy sheet forming capability today, and we are excited to have them find further improvements in their processes and part performance by including scandium. We think their clients will appreciate the demonstration of scandium's advantages as well."

ABOUT SCANDIUM INTERNATIONAL MINING CORP.

The Company is focused on developing its Nyngan Scandium Project, located in NSW, Australia, into the world's first scandium-only producing mine. The project has received all key approvals, including a mining lease, necessary to proceed with project construction.

The Company filed a NI 43-101 technical report in May 2016, titled "Feasibility Study - Nyngan Scandium Project". That feasibility study delivered an expanded scandium resource, a first reserve figure, and an estimated 33.1% IRR on the project, supported by extensive metallurgical test work and an independent, 10-year global marketing outlook for scandium demand.

Willem Duyvesteyn, MSc, AIME, CIM, a Director and CTO of the Company, is a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release on behalf of the Company.

For inquiries to Scandium International Mining Corp, please contact:

Edward Dickinson (CFO)

Tel: (775) 233-7328

George Putnam (CEO)

Tel: (925) 208-1775

Email: info@scandiummining.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company and its business. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited to statements regarding any future development of the project. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation: risks related to uncertainty in the demand for scandium, the possibility that results of test work will not fulfill expectations, or not realize the perceived market utilization and potential of scandium sources that may be developed for sale by the Company. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances, should change.Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. (CSE: PKK) ("Peak" or the "Company") today announced that it will host Mr. Kelong Chen, Executive Chairman of Jiu Dong Limited ("Jiu Dong"), and Mr. Changsheng Zhuo, Jiu Dong's CEO, at an event to be held in Montreal this coming October to introduce them to the Company's shareholders and select members of the Canadian investment community.

Mr. Chen and Mr. Zhuo were instrumental in creating the Company's Asia Synergy Financial Capital ("ASFC") subsidiary by personally investing a combined $15.8M to that end. They each possess several years of experience in the Chinese commercial lending space. Mr. Chen and Mr. Zhuo, now significant shareholders, will give a presentation to Peak's fellow shareholders on the current state of the Chinese commercial lending industry and their views of the role ASFC and the Company's technology will play in the future.

The Company will provide more specifics about the event and how shareholders wishing to attend may do so, in the coming weeks.

About Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.:

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. is an IT portfolio management company whose mission is to assemble, finance and manage a portfolio of promising companies and assets in some of the fastest-growing tech sectors in China, including fintech, e-commerce and cloud-computing. Peak provides a bridge for North American investors who wish to participate in the continued digitization of China's industrial sectors through the latest advancements in technology. For more information: http://www.peakpositioning.com

Contact information:

Cathy Hume

CEO

CHF Capital Markets

Phone: 416-868-1079 ext.: 231

Email: cathy@chfir.com

Or

Johnson Joseph

President and CEO

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.

Phone: 514-340-7775 ext.: 501

Email: investors@peakpositioning.com

Forward-Looking Statements / Information:

This news release may include certain forward-looking information, including statements relating to business and operating strategies, plans and prospects for revenue growth, using words including "anticipate", "believe", "could", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "potential", "project", "seek", "should", "will", "would" and similar expressions, which are intended to identify a number of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information reflects current views with respect to current events and is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as may be required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating any forward-looking information.Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Excelsior Mining Corp. (TSX: MIN) (OTCQX: EXMGF) (FSE: 3XS) ("Excelsior" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Barry Dahl as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"). Mr. Dahl has replaced Carlo Valente who had served as the Company's Interim CFO. The Company thanks Mr. Valente for his valuable contributions during the search for a new CFO. This change is part of a larger ongoing transition of the Company from developer to producer as the Gunnison Copper Project targets commercial production in 2019.

Mr. Dahl is a seasoned CFO in the mining sector and has over 30 years of varied accounting and finance experience. His focus will be on financial strategies and core internal operations as Excelsior grows. Mr. Dahl spent the past five years as the CFO of Klondex Mines, which was recently acquired for US$462 million. Prior to that Mr. Dahl was CFO of Argonaut Gold. While at Klondex Mines he helped raise over C$200 million in various equity financings; negotiated royalty and streaming contracts and established a US$40 million line of credit with a major bank. Mr. Dahl is a CPA and earned an MBA with distinction from New York Institute of Technology and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Brigham Young University. Mr. Dahl's exceptional skill set in financial structuring and strategic planning will serve Excelsior well as the Company moves through the final project financing stage and into commercial copper production.

About Excelsior Mining

Excelsior Mining "The Copper Solution Company" is a mineral exploration and development company that is advancing the Gunnison Copper Project in Cochise County, Arizona. The project is an advanced staged, low cost, environmentally friendly in-situ recovery copper extraction project. The Feasibility Study projected an after-tax NPV of US$807 million and an IRR of 40% using a US$2.75 per pound copper price and a 7.5% discount rate.

Excelsior's technical work on the Gunnison Copper Project is supervised by Stephen Twyerould, President & CEO of Excelsior, Fellow of AUSIMM and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Twyerould has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

Further information about the Gunnison Copper Project can be found in the technical report filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com entitled: "Gunnison Copper Project, NI 43-101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study Update" dated effective January 28, 2016.

For more information on Excelsior, please visit our website at www.excelsiormining.com.



ON BEHALF OF THE EXCELSIOR BOARD

"Stephen Twyerould"

President & CEO

For further information regarding this press release, please contact:

Excelsior Mining Corp.

Concord Place, Suite 300, 2999 North 44th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85018.

JJ Jennex, Vice President, Corporate Affairs

T: 604-681-8030 x240

E: info@excelsiormining.com

www.excelsiormining.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the timeline for commercial production from the Gunnison Project; (ii) the results of the Feasibility Study; and (iii) the ability to mine the Gunnison Project using in-situ recovery mining techniques.

In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, copper and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Gunnison Project in the short and long-term, the progress of exploration and development activities, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, the completion of the permitting process (including the resolution of any filed appeals), the estimation of insurance coverage, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not commence at the Gunnison Project, risks relating to variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates resulting from current exploration and development activities, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure, risks relating to changes in copper and other commodity prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of copper and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for copper and related products and in the mining industry generally, risks related to current global financial conditions, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the development process, regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, including the risk that the financing necessary to fund the exploration and development activities at the Gunnison Project may not be available on satisfactory terms, or at all, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interest, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information.

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, and no securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this release.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Pool Safe Inc. (TSXV: POOL) ("Pool Safe" or the "Company") announces that Mr. Mohammed Alhadi has resigned from the Company's Board of Directors. Amongst his many contributions, Mr. Alhadi has been instrumental in the opening of Pool Safe MENA DMCC office in Dubai. Mr. David Berger, Chairman & CEO of Pool Safe stated, "I would like to thank Mohammed for his hard work and dedication to the Company. My fellow Board members and I truly appreciated all his efforts but specifically the knowledge and expertise he contributed to the Company's expansion into the Middle East and North Africa region."

The Company is pleased to announce that Mr. Robert Pratt has been appointed to serve as a Director of Pool Safe, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Alhadi. Mr. Pratt is a 30-year veteran of the hotel and resort industry with decades of executive and operational experience. "We are delighted that Robert has agreed to serve on Pool Safe's Board of Directors. His vast knowledge, personal relationships in addition to the respect he garnishes within our industry makes him an excellent addition to our Board," said Mr. Berger.

"Having spent all my career within the hotel and resort industry, I can clearly understand the value add our PoolSafe product brings to the partners and customers of the Company. I look forward to working with my fellow Board members in guiding the Company throughout this expansive industry," said Mr. Pratt.

Mr. Pratt has been a hotel industry leader for more than 30 years. He spent 17 years with Westin Hotels and Resorts holding progressively senior roles in sales, marketing and hotel operations. Mr. Pratt then joined SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts (formerly CHIP Hospitality) and subsequently held a variety of operational leadership positions at SilverBirch where he was responsible for operations of 40 hotels coast-to-coast operating under 12 franchised brands employing 3,500 staff before being appointed President and COO of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts in 2007. From there he joined Westmont Hospitality Group in Toronto as Chief Operating Officer where he oversaw operations of 160 hotels across Canada operating under 10 franchised brands employing 10,000 people. Subsequently he was appointed President of Coast Hotels where he oversaw branding and franchise services for over 40 hotels as well as operations for the owned and managed portfolio. Mr. Pratt then joined ONE Lodging Management in 2015 as President, assuming responsibility for the day-to-day operations of all hotel properties in the ONE family, which includes 119 properties.Mr. Pratt graduated from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration with a Bachelor of Science. He is a current Board member of the Hotel Association of Canada, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and was also a founding member of the Board of Directors of American Hotel Income Properties. He also sits on the advisory councils for the Westin Hotels and Resorts and Courtyard Hotels brands.

The appointment of Mr. Pratt as a director is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Pool Safe Inc.

Pool Safe Inc. designs, develops and distributes a product known as the "PoolSafe", which functions as a multi-purpose personal poolside attendant. The PoolSafe is designed to provide safety, convenience and peace of mind for hotels, resorts, waterparks and cruise ship guests. Functions include: lockable safe, solar-powered charger for USB compatible electronic devices including phones and tablets in addition to a server call-button, a beverage cooler and holders. Conveniently located alongside pool or beach lounge chairs, PoolSafe is a unique way of providing vacationers with a comforting sense of security for their belongings, while they enjoy their vacation.

Pool Safe Inc. is a fully reporting publicly traded company which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol POOL. For more information please visit www.poolsafeinc.com or under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Pool Safe Inc.

For further information:

Pool Safe Inc.

Steven Glaser, C.O.O.

T: 416-630-2444

E: sglaser@poolsafeinc.comLONDON, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Fineqia International Inc. (the "Company" or "Fineqia") (CSE: FNQ) (OTC: FNQQF) (Frankfurt: FNQA) is pleased to announce the set-up of a subsidiary company in Malta via which it will own its investment shareholdings.

Fineqia Investments Limited has been established in Malta to hold the Company's growing portfolio of blockchain, fintech and cryptocurrency technology companies worldwide such as Estonian company Black Insurance, Malta-based IXL PremFina Ltd and the UK's Nivaura Ltd. The investments are adjunct to the Company's core business of placing debt and equity securities.

Malta, a European island country located close to Italy, was selected for its advanced regulatory framework that qualifies and regulates blockchain and cryptocurrency companies. Malta also benefits from its membership in the European Union (EU), whereby EU financial directives facilitate regulated business activities across its 28-member states.

"Malta ticks a lot of boxes as a pioneering crypto-friendly regime," said CEO Bundeep Singh Rangar. "Choosing a jurisdiction where the legal and regulatory framework is in sync with emerging technologies and new financial instruments is as important as selecting sound investment opportunities in the first place."

Malta, which uses English as one of its official languages, passed three laws this summer that signal ambitious changes to the country's legal system overseeing cryptocurrency-related businesses. The Malta Digital Innovation Authority Act (MDIA Act) established the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, which focuses on governance arrangements and certifies Distributed Ledged Technology (DLT) platforms for credibility and legal certainty to users.

The Innovative Technology Arrangement and Services Act (ITAS Act) deals with DLT arrangements and certifications of DLT platforms. It addresses the setting up of exchanges and other cryptocurrency related businesses such as identity verification services and electronic wallet providers. The Virtual Financial Assets Act (VFA Act) establishes the regulatory regime governing such companies as well as Initial Coin Offerings.

About Fineqia International

Fineqia International is a listed entity in Canada (CSE: FNQ), the US (OTC: FNQQF) and Europe (Frankfurt: FNQA). Fineqia International outlines the Company's corporate governance, culture, processes and relations by which the Company and its subsidiaries are controlled, directed and governed. It oversees and ensures the overall success, planning and growth of the Company and all of its subsidiaries and investments, including those propagating blockchain technologies. For more information visit: https://investors.fineqia.com/news.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information (as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws) ("forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Fineqia (the "Company") believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential acquisitions and financings) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the failure to obtain sufficient financing, and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made except as may be required by applicable securities laws. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement except to the extent required by applicable securities laws.

Bundeep Singh Rangar, CEO, T: +44-203-500-3462, E: info@fineqia.com , W: http://www.fineqia.comWashington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. will pay $4.5 million to settle charges that it failed to safeguard retail investor assets from theft by its representatives.

According to the SEC's order, five Ameriprise representatives committed numerous fraudulent acts, including forging client documents, and stole more than $1 million in retail client funds over a four-year period. The SEC found that Ameriprise, a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, failed to adopt and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to safeguard investor assets against misappropriation by its representatives.

The five representatives were based in Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia, and three previously pled guilty to criminal charges. Each of the representatives was terminated by Ameriprise for misappropriating client funds. The SEC's order found that Ameriprise has implemented a new system to safeguard clients' money and that Ameriprise reimbursed all impacted clients for the losses they incurred due to the misconduct of the five representatives.

"A critical obligation of an investment adviser is to safeguard investor assets," said Fuad Rana, an Assistant Director in the SEC's Division of Enforcement. "Ameriprise failed to meet that obligation and as a consequence was unable to prevent the theft of its clients' assets."

The SEC's order charged Ameriprise with failing to have reasonably designed policies and procedures to prevent its representatives from misappropriating client funds and failing to reasonably supervise the five representatives. Without admitting or denying the findings, Ameriprise agreed to be censured and pay a penalty of $4.5 million.

The SEC's investigation was conducted by H. Norman Knickle and supervised by Mr. Rana, and was assisted by Thomas Meier, Josh Herbst, and Susan M. Weis of the Chicago Regional Office's examination staff. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Council to be led by mayors of Los Angeles, Athens, Montreal, Milan, Freetown, Kampala, Amman and Bristol

Marrakesh, Morocco, Dec. 05, 2018, mayors from around the world will gather in Marrakesh on Dec. 8 to launch the Mayors Migration Council. Cities have played a leading role in responding to the refugee and migration challenges of recent years, pioneering practical solutions for both welcoming and integrating newcomers. The Council will help cities share these experiences to shape and inform international policy debates on migration.



"Today, more than ever, cities are ground zero for major global challenges -- and mayors are on the front lines of finding workable solutions to everything from migration to climate change to economic development," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "When refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants enter our cities, we do the hard work of integrating them into our communities and workforce. With the Mayors Migration Council, Los Angeles and our partners will be able to bring our experiences to the table, share best practices, and help inform smarter policies worldwide."



The Council will be represented in Marrakesh by members of its Leadership Board, which includes the mayors of Los Angeles, Amman, Milan, Kampala, Athens, Bristol, Freetown, and Montreal. The launch will take place during the fifth Mayoral Forum on Human Mobility, Migration and Development, where representatives from over 70 cities will debate and endorse a mayoral declaration that will be delivered to the UN conference.



"Cities are key players in developing and implementing innovative migration programs. They are leaders in the migration process and know what works and what's needed on the ground. That's why mayors around the world came together in order to influence the outcome of the Global Compact for Migration," Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said. Cities were not formally party to UN negotiations.

"The Mayors Migration Council, working with existing networks, will ensure that local governments have a strategic and powerful voice on the international front on the issue of migration, so that polices are grounded in the actual experience of cities, which is where most of the world's migrants and refugees live," Plante added.The Council will support cities to gain access to and actively participate in migration policy deliberations at the regional and international levels. It will help mayors elevate experiences of successful integration practices that can serve as models for policies and action by cities around the world."Cities offer economic opportunities, services and advanced infrastructure that already support large communities of migrants, the vast majority of whom live in urban areas," Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said. "Today, about 19% of the population of Milan is of foreign origin, more than double the national average. This is a sign of the openness and inclusiveness of our city. The people that come to Milan to work and to raise a family contribute daily to building the future of our city."In 2015, 22 "global cities" hosted 18%-or 44 million-of all international migrants. In Australia, 99% of immigrants live in cities and 95% in the United Kingdom and Canada. Meanwhile, more than half of the world's refugees live in urban areas, whereas only about 25% live in camps. 83% of refugees in Jordan live in urban areas. In the United States, refugees earned more than $77 billion in household income and paid almost $21 billion in taxes in 2015, according to a New American Economy report.Beyond their work on the Global Compacts, local leaders also are making progress in increasing their presence in the international arena on migration issues. A strategic partner of the Mayors Migration Council, since its inception, is C40 Cities, the global network of mayors committed to urgent action on climate change. C40 is working with the Mayors Migration Council to address the intertwined challenges of migration and climate change. For instance, climate-related migration flows are already a reality for many areas of the world, including cities. The World Bank estimates that climate change could force over 140 million to migrate within countries in the next 30 years. C40 and the MMC mayors are and will be at the frontline of these critical challenges.The Mayors Migration Council will work closely with established and recognized city networks who are making headway in engaging this space, most notably UCLG and the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments. The state-led Global Forum on Migration and Development.For further information about the Mayors Migration Council, interviews with Leadership Board mayors, as well as for press accreditation for this event, please contact Anne McPhersonand +1.917.531.4050).Awarded Top Prize for Entrepreneur of the Year in Computer Software for Companies Under 500 Employees

SANTA CLARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2018 / Han Jin, CEO, Lucid, was named the winner of a Gold Stevie Award in the Entrepreneur of the Year - Computer Software - Up to 500 Employees category in The 15th Annual International Business Awards today.

The International Business Awards are the world's premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide - public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small - are eligible to submit nominations. The 2018 IBAs received entries from 74 nations and territories.

"I am honored to receive this international award and share it with our team, investors and partners who have been part of Lucid's journey," said Jin. "We're on a mission to recreate human vision capabilities in dual cameras using AI and machine learning which finally allows devices to capture real-world depth and 3D. We are striving to replace expensive and space-consuming hardware depth sensors with our pure software solution."

Han Jin, CEO, Lucid, wins Gold Stevie Award

Lucid, the maker of the world's first VR180 3D camera, is a computer vision company developing the real-time 3D fusion technology. Its software solution empowers any device with dual cameras to easily capture and create immersive 3D, VR and AR content. Lucid is providing its proprietary software to mobile device makers, robotics companies, laptop and tablet makers, drones, automobile companies and more. This expansion comes when Lucid has become profitable and is in strong growth mode, with 36% quarter over quarter revenue growth expected to reach 10 times the revenue target from a year ago.

One Stevie judge commented that Jin is a 'promising young entrepreneur with a product implementation that drives exceptional innovation.' Another judge stated that he has an 'inspiring story line with proof of hard work and dedication to develop great innovation with his focus.'

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 270 executives worldwide who participated on 12 juries.

"This year's Stevie Award winners in the IBAs are the most distinguished group of winners we've had yet," said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. "We raised the minimum average score from the judges required to qualify as a Stevie winner, so 2018 winners should be especially proud of their achievements. We look forward to presenting their Stevies to them in London on October 20, and to telling their stories over the coming year through Stevie Awards media."

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA .

ABOUT LUCID

Lucid is a computer vision startup which developed an AI-base 3D depth sensing solution to enable any dual camera device like mobile phones to see depth through machine learning. A pure software solution, Lucid's technology outperforms expensive hardware competition such as depth sensors, structured light and time of flight systems in performance, intelligence and at no hardware cost. The management team has roots in Berkeley and Stanford and has strong background in computer vision. Mobile phone makers are among the first customers for Lucid's 3D depth sensing software. For more information, visit https://lucidinside.com .

About the Stevie  Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards , the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com .

Media Contact:

Erica Zeidenberg

erica@hottomato.net

925-631-0553 office

925-518-8159 mobile

SOURCE: LucidTORONTO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) today announced quarterly revenue of $21.8 million, adjusted EBITDA of negative $0.6 million and a consolidated net loss of $7.5 million for the third quarter of 2018.

The Company's condensed and consolidated interim financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, together with its Management's Discussion and Analysisand on the Company's website at www.mandalayresources.com . All currency references in this press release are in U.S. dollars except as otherwise indicated.

Commenting on the quarterly results, Mr. Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, noted, "Operationally, Mandalay had a challenging third quarter as we worked to address and correct production disruptions at both of our producing mines. The lower production and sales volumes for the quarter compared to previous quarters negatively impacted the Company's financial performance and led to uncharacteristically high unit costs, which we do not expect to recur in the coming quarters. Production and sales this quarter were significantly impacted by a delay in the on-vein development of the Brunswick lode at Costerfield, caused by the need for more dewatering than anticipated. This was combined with a changeover of the underground haulage contractor at Bjorkdal which caused a haulage bottleneck of higher-grade underground ore, resulting in the need to process lower-grade stockpiled material. We are, however, pleased to say that we have now begun development on the higher-grade Brunswick vein at Costerfield, and we are seeing higher-grade ore being processed at Bjorkdal early in the fourth quarter, as the underground haulage rates continue to increase at the mine."

Mr. Duffy continued, "Despite the positive signs we are seeing in production at these mines early in the fourth quarter, in light of the aforementioned production issues, we have revised our 2018 guidance, shown further below in this press release."

Mr. Duffy concluded, "With the operational issues of the third quarter now fundamentally behind us, Mandalay expects to finish with a stronger fourth quarter, generating positive momentum into 2019. Going forward, our primary focus is to fast-track production from the high-grade Youle deposit at Costerfield. Mandalay aims to release its Mineral Reserves and Resource update for Costerfield, which we expect will add Youle to our reserves, by the end of the year. This is expected to be instrumental to the Company laying out its longer-term production guidance for the years 2019-2021. We will also be putting an emphasis on exploration drilling and development along wider and higher-grade areas at Bjorkdal to further provide short-term, higher-grade underground ore feed."

During the third quarter, Mandalay had positive news regarding its non-core assets. First, the Company signed a non-binding letter of intent with Aftermath Silver Limited to sell its Challacollo property total consideration of CAD$11.6 million (see Mandalay August 1, 2018 press release). The Company also received $4.1 million (CAD$5.3 million) via a release of funds which had been posted by Mandalay as security for its reclamation obligations in respect of the Lupin mine. On July 27, 2018, the Company filed its final closure and reclamation plan for the Lupin mine, which is expected to be approved approximately 12 months from its submission.

Third Quarter 2018 Financial Summary

The following table summarizes the Company's financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017:

Three months

Ended

September 30,

2018



Three months

Ended

September 30,

2017



Nine

months

Ended

September

30, 2018 Nine

months

Ended

September

30, 2017 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Revenue 21,765 35,407 89,457 124,904 Cost of sales 21,023 22,403 69,191 84,421 Adjusted EBITDA* (582) 10,650 15,204 34,192 Income from mine ops before depreciation, depletion 743 13,004 20,266 40,483 Adjusted net loss before special items* (6,242) (1,673) (9,048) (10,954) Consolidated net loss (7,468) (7,181) (32,418) (19,634) Cash capex 12,051 9,890 35,286 34,980 Total assets 266,493 331,241 266,493 331,241 Total liabilities 139,488 141,859 139,488 141,859 Adjusted net loss per share* $(0.01) $(0.00) $(0.02) $(0.02) Consolidated net loss per share $(0.02) $(0.02) $(0.07) $(0.04)

*Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net loss before special items and adjusted net loss per share are non-IFRS measures, defined at the end of this press release "Non-IFRS Measures".

In the third quarter of 2018, Mandalay sold 8,860 fewer gold equivalent ounces than in the third quarter of 2017. In the same period the Company's realized gold price declined 10% quarter-over-quarter, while the average price of antimony remained broadly constant. The net effect is that Mandalay's revenue of $21.8 million in the third quarter of 2018 was $13.6 million lower than in the third quarter of 2017.

While per ounce costs were higher in the third quarter of 2018 as a result of production disruptions and delays, total cost of sales was slightly lower at Costerfield and slightly higher at Bjorkdal in the third quarter of 2018 versus the third quarter of 2017. Cost of sales during the third quarter of 2018 versus the third quarter of 2017 were $0.6 million lower at Costerfield, and $2.0 million lower at Cerro Bayo due to the suspension in operations. Cost of sales increased at Bjorkdal by $1.3 million. Consolidated administrative costs decreased by $1.0 million across the Company.

Mandalay generated a $0.6 million loss in adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2018, versus $10.7 million in the third quarter of 2017. This led to a consolidated net loss of $7.5 million for the third quarter of 2018, versus $7.2 million in the third quarter of 2017.

Mandalay ended the third quarter with $26.7 million in cash and cash equivalents and with $30.0 million drawn (during 2017 and 2018) on the $40.0 million revolver facility.

Third Quarter 2018 Operational Summary

The table below summarizes the Company's capital expenditures and operational unit costs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017:

Three

months

ended

September

30, 2018 Three

months

ended

September

30, 2017 Nine

months

ended

September

30, 2018 Nine

months

ended

September

30, 2017 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Bjorkdal Gold produced (oz) 8,504 13,233 35,237 39,993 Cash cost* per oz gold produced $1,304 $871 $1,058 $926 All-in cost* per oz gold produced $1,615 $1,199 $1,350 $1,213 Underground capital devel. & open pit prestrip 2,027 4,018 7,970 10,103 Capital purchases 3,878 2,684 7,938 5,761 Capital exploration 257 561 1,557 1,683 Costerfield Gold produced (oz) 4,938 7,370 16,662 24,290 Antimony produced (t) 505 804 1,613 2,310 Gold equivalent produced (oz) 8,370 12,586 27,158 39,777 Cash cost* per oz gold eq. produced $988 $736 $961 $699 All-in cost* per oz gold eq. produced $1,420 $1,068 $1,412 $1,019 Underground capital devel. & open pit prestrip 2,509 9 7,765 1,884 Capital purchases 1,670 1,065 5,461 3,545 Capital exploration 1,609 847 4,102 3,233 Cerro Bayo Silver produced (oz) - - - 794,533 Gold produced (oz) - - - 5,909 Cash cost* per oz silver net byproduct credit - - - $13.50 All-in cost* per oz silver net byproduct credit - - - $25.22 Underground capital devel. & open pit prestrip - 340 - 5,971 Capital purchases - 121 - 1,475 Capital exploration - 125 - 872 Consolidated Gold equivalent produced (oz) 16,874 25,819 62,395

96,791 Average cash cost* per oz gold eq. $1, 239 $907 $1,097 $912 Average all-in cost* per oz gold eq. $1,631 $1,301 $1,478 $1,258 Underground capital devel. & open pit prestrip 4,536 4,916 15,735 19,155 Capital purchases 5,548 3,887 13,399 10,812 Capital exploration** 1,967 1,086 6,152 5,013

*Cash cost and all-in cost are non-IFRS measures. See "Non-IFRS Measures" at the end of this press release.

**Consolidated capital exploration figures include spend at Challacollo.

Bjorkdal gold mine, Sweden

Bjorkdal produced 8,504 ounces of gold in the third quarter of 2018 with cash and all-in costs of $1,304/oz and $1,615/oz, respectively. As a result of the aforementioned haulage bottlenecks of higher-grade underground ore, mill head grade was considerably lower in the third quarter of 2018, averaging approximately 0.94 g/t gold for the quarter, lower than the third quarter of 2017 grade of 1.45 g/t.

Costerfield gold-antimony mine, Victoria, Australia

Costerfield produced 8,370 gold equivalent ounces in the third quarter of 2018. Third quarter production was lower than in the previous year's quarter due to a combination of expected lower mining grades and available ore in the current producing areas. The Company has dewatered the Brunswick lode and expects an increase in production going forward. Simultaneously, the infill and extensional drilling program continues on the Youle lode.

Cerro Bayo silver-gold mine, Patagonia, Chile

No production occurred at Cerro Bayo in the third quarter of 2018 and it remained on care and maintenance through the period.

Challacollo, Chile

On August 1, 2018, the Company announced that it had entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Aftermath pursuant to which Aftermath would acquire Minera Mandalay Challacollo Limitada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company which owns the Challacollo project, in exchange for total consideration of CAD$11.6 million (see Mandalay August 1, 2018 press release).

La Quebrada

The La Quebrada copper-silver project in central Chile remained held for sale throughout the period. Spending at La Quebrada was less than $0.1 million during the third quarter of 2018.

Lupin and Ulu

During the third quarter, the Company received $4.1 million (CAD$5.3 million) via a release of funds which had been posted by Mandalay as security for its reclamation obligations in respect of the Lupin mine.

2018 Revised Full-Year Guidance



In light of the Brunswick production delay at Costerfield and the haulage bottlenecks at Bjorkdal during 2018, the Company has revised its 2018 guidance as follows:

Bjorkdal Costerfield Cerro Bayo Consolidated Saleable Au produced (koz) 45-48 21-23 - 66-71 Saleable Sb produced (kt) - 2.1-2.3 - 2.1-2.3 Saleable Au Eq produced (koz)* 45-48 34-38 - 79-86 Cash cost**, $/oz Au Eq 1,020-1,190 920-1,000 NA 1,060-1,100 All-in cost, $/oz Au Eq 1,320-1,390 1,400-1,480 NA 1,450-1,510 CAPEX, $ million

23-24

24-25

-

47-49

(exploration, included in CAPEX) 2 6 - 8 Net C&M, $ million NA NA 2.5-3 2.5-3 Corp. Admin, $ million NA NA NA 5-6

*Assumes full-year 2018 metal prices of: Au $1,267/oz, Sb $8,386/t

**Cash cost per Au Eq. oz includes corporate overhead spending. Cash cost per Au Eq. oz is a non-IFRS measure. See "Non-IFRS Measures" at the end of this press release.

2018 Original Full-Year Guidance

Bjorkdal Costerfield Cerro Bayo Consolidated Saleable Au produced (koz) 56-63 27-30 - 83-93 Saleable Sb produced (kt) - 2.8-3.2 - 2.8-3.2 Saleable Au Eq produced (koz)* 56-63 45-50 - 101-113 Cash cost, $/oz Au Eq 820-920 720-770 NA 835-910 All-in cost, $/oz Au Eq 1,060-1,210 1,150-1,250 NA 1,155-1,280 CAPEX, $ million 18-21 18-21 - 37-41 (exploration, included in CAPEX) 3.4 2.9 - 6.3 Net C&M, $ million NA NA 2.5-3 2.5-3 Corp. Admin, $ million NA NA NA 6-6.7

*Assumes full-year 2018 metal prices of: Au $1,306/oz, Sb $8,361/t

Changes in Mandalay's revised capex for 2018 resulted from:

Bjorkdal - Additional funds were required for the lifting of the western wall in the tailings facility, which was partially offset by lower exploration spending, as Mandalay is focusing only on the higher-grade and wider zones underground



Costerfield - Additional capital spend for capital development to, and drilling of, the Youle lode

Conference Call

Mandalay's management will be hosting a conference call for investors and analysts on November 8, 2018 at 8:00 am (Toronto time).

Analysts and interested investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers:

Participant Number: (201) 689-8341 Participant Number (Toll free): (877) 407-8289 Conference ID: 13684820



A replay of the conference call will be available until 11:59 pm (Toronto time), November 22, 2018 and can be accessed using the following dial-in number:

Encore Toll Free Dial-in Number: (877) 660-6853 Encore ID: 13684820

For Further Information:

Dominic Duffy

President and Chief Executive Officer

Greg DiTomaso

Director of Investor Relations

Contact:

1.647.260.1566

About Mandalay Resources Corporation:

Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia and Sweden, and care and maintenance and development projects in Chile. The Company is focused on executing a roll-up strategy, creating critical mass by aggregating advanced or in production gold, copper, silver and antimony projects in Australia, the Americas and Europe to generate near-term cash flow and shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including guidance as to anticipated gold, silver, and antimony production and production costs in the future and the potential for a restart of operations at the Company's Cerro Bayo mine. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mandalay's annual information form dated March 29, 2018 and in its short form base shelf prospectus dated February 12, 2018, copies of which are available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Non-IFRS Measures

This news release may contain references to adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, cash cost per saleable ounce of gold equivalent produced, cash cost per saleable ounce of silver produced net of gold credits, site all-in cost per saleable ounce of gold equivalent produced, site all-in cost per saleable ounce of silver produced net of gold credits, all-in costs and cash capex, all of which are non-IFRS measures and do not have standardized meanings under IFRS. Therefore, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

Management uses adjusted EBITDA as a measure of operating performance to assist in assessing the Company's ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future working capital needs and to fund future capital expenditures, as well as to assist in comparing financial performance from period to period on a consistent basis. Management uses adjusted net income in order to facilitate an understanding of the Company's financial performance prior to the impact of non-recurring or special items. The Company believes that these measures are used by and are useful to investors and other users of the Company's financial statements in evaluating the Company's operating and cash performance because they allow for analysis of its financial results without regard to special, non-cash and other non-core items, which can vary substantially from company to company and over different periods.

The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as income from mine operations, net of administration costs, and before interest, taxes, non-cash charges/(income), intercompany charges and finance costs. A reconciliation between adjusted EBITDA and net income will be included in the MD&A.

The Company defines cash capex as cash spent on mining interests, property, plant and equipment, and exploration as set out in the cash flow statement of the financial statements.

The Company defines free cash flow as a measure of the Corporation's ability to generate and manage liquidity. This term does not have a standard meaning and is intended to provide the reader with additional information.

For Costerfield, saleable equivalent gold ounces produced is calculated by adding to saleable gold ounces produced, the saleable antimony tonnes produced times the average antimony price in the period divided by the average gold price in the period. The total cash operating cost associated with the production of these saleable equivalent ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. The site all-in cost is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the site all-in cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced.

For Cerro Bayo, the cash cost per saleable silver ounce produced net of gold byproduct credit is calculated by deducting the gold credit (which equals saleable ounces gold produced times the realized gold price in the period) from the cash operating costs in the period and dividing the resultant number by the saleable silver ounces produced in the period. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. The site all-in cost per saleable silver ounce produced net of gold byproduct credit is calculated by adding royalty expenses, accretion, depletion, depreciation, and amortization to the cash cost net of gold byproduct credit, dividing the resultant number by the saleable silver ounces produced in the period.

Also, for Cerro Bayo, saleable equivalent gold ounces produced is calculated by adding to saleable gold ounces produced, the saleable silver ounces produced times the average silver price in the period divided by the average gold price in the period. The total cash operating cost associated with the production of these saleable equivalent ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. The site all-in cost is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the site all-in cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced.

For Bjorkdal, the total cash operating cost associated with the production of saleable gold ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable gold ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. The site all-in cost is then divided by the saleable gold ounces produced to yield the site all-in cost per saleable gold ounce produced

For the Company as a whole, cash cost per saleable gold equivalent ounce is calculated by summing the gold equivalent ounces produced by each site and dividing the total by the sum of cash operating costs at the sites plus corporate overhead spending.SALINAS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2018 / In the 2017-2018 academic year, five Monterey County high schools implemented an interactive, web-based financial literacy curriculum sponsored by 1st Capital Bank (OTC PINK: FSIB). The program has reached over 300 students and delivered over 1,400 hours of financial education. 1st Capital Bank has committed to continuing the program through 2019, and hopes to reach at least 500 more students in the 2018-2019 academic year.

"1st Capital Bank is proud to have empowered so many students with the essential skills needed to make sound financial decisions. It's a testament to our investment in the communities we serve," 1st Capital Bank President and CEO Thomas E. Meyer said. "It is critical that our younger generations understand important aspects of personal finance. As a community bank, we are grateful to be able to deliver this education to schools that otherwise would not have access to the curriculum."

Administered by teachers in a classroom setting, the online course created by EverFi, Inc. offers over six hours of instruction on a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k's and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards. The platform uniquely tracks the progress and performance of every user, further helping to set students on a path to financial security and success.

"As an educator I am always in search new and up-to-date material to facilitate my instruction," said Patrick Smith, an Agricultural Educator at King City High School. "The EverFi program was an excellent addition to my Business and Economics class. The information was relevant and gave each of my students a clear image of reality regarding money management. 1st Capital Bank has provided a quality program that I know will guide my students toward financial literacy."

1st Capital Bank's partnership with EverFi, Inc. brings the program to local students at no cost to the schools or the taxpayer.

About 1st Capital Bank

The Bank's primary target markets are commercial enterprises, professionals, real estate investors, family business entities, and residents along the Central Coast Region of California. The Bank provides a wide range of credit products, including loans under various government programs such as those provided through the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") and the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA"). A full suite of deposit accounts is also available, complemented by robust cash management services. The Bank operates full service branch offices in Monterey, Salinas, King City, and San Luis Obispo. The Bank's corporate offices are located at 150 Main Street, Suite 150, Salinas CA 93901. The Bank's website is www.1stCapital.bank. The main telephone number is 831.264.4000. Member FDIC / Equal Opportunity Lender / SBA Preferred Lender

About EverFi

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America's leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Learn more at everfi.com.

This news release is available at the www.1stcapital.bank website for no charge.

For further information, please contact:

Thomas E. Meyer

President and Chief Executive Officer

1st Capital Bank

831.264.4057 office

Tom.Meyer@1stCapitalBank.com

Michael J. Winiarski

Chief Financial Officer

1st Capital Bank

831.264.4014 office

Michael.Winiarski@1stCapitalBank.com

SOURCE: 1st Capital BankToronto, Canada--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited (TSXV: NTRL) ("Sweet Natural Trading", or the "Company") announces that is has recently launched its e-commerce platform, the FIRST NO ADDED SUGAR MARKET, on its website www.sweetnaturaltrading.com. The e-commerce platform allows customers to directly purchase food products that contain no refined, added sugar, no aspartame and no sucralose. In addition to the Company's own natural sweetener branded products, the Company has executed an agreement with one of its distributors to also sell third-party food products in the United States such as beverages, candies, sauces, salad dressings, condiments, kids' snacks, chocolate and pasta with no refined, added sugar. The Company is working on expanding the service to its Canadian customers in the future.

"For us to execute on our purpose to disrupt refined, added sugar consumption and to reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes, we needed to create a platform that allows us to directly engage, educate, inspire and encourage our customers in their sugar reduction journey - our FIRST NO ADDED SUGAR MARKET provides us that platform," says Steven Haasz, CEO of Sweet Natural Trading. The Company will provide its customers with an assortment of frequently consumed food products with no refined, added sugar in a reliable, trustworthy e-commerce platform.

The Company has worked very closely with its creative agency, Arcane, to develop and launch the online market. Arcane is a leading digital marketing agency that combines digital innovation with ad agency strategies and brand storytelling to deliver ROI for its clients. Now that the Company has launched the FIRST NO ADDED SUGAR MARKET, the focus with Arcane will be to actively execute a digital marketing program - including social media, email and loyalty, integrated search (search engine optimization and paid) and conversion rate optimization - to continue evangelizing its purpose to reduce use of refined, added sugar.

As the FIRST NO ADDED SUGAR MARKET project developed, Arcane and the Company agreed that a portion of the fees owed to Arcane are to be paid for in the form of shares in the Company. As such, the Company intends to issue to Arcane 190,000 common shares at $0.12 per share for a total of $22,800 in payment for Arcane's services.

"Sweet Natural Trading Co. has a purpose we truly believe in. We all need to work together to disrupt big sugar and help people discover delicious naturally sweet alternatives. Our first foundational steps are cemented - we have built a digital machine to connect people and rally. Our campaign is designed to help families discover healthier alternatives and take their first important steps towards healthier habits. Arcane strives to partner with entrepreneurial teams that instigate change, make strategic moves and have the appetite to tackle societal change. Sweet Natural Trading Co. has all the puzzle pieces to facilitate significant change - a proven leadership team, widespread distribution and a deep supply chain," said Bryan Taylor, Arcane Partner, who leads the relationship.

About Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited

Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited is a leading natural sweetener company that promotes healthier eating by selling food products that reduce refined, added sugar consumption. With obesity and diabetes reaching unprecedented levels, the Company is focused on making a positive impact in reducing these lifestyle diseases. Sweet Natural Trading Co. products are sold in over 5,000 stores including major retail customers such as Loblaws, Walmart, Whole Foods, Costco, Publix, Sprouts and distributors including UNFI and KeHE.

For more information about Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited please contact:

Steven Haasz

CEO and a director of Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited

416.288.1019

shaasz@sweetnaturaltrading.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements 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 Company's strategic growth plan, 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 regulators.

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 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.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - Ateba Resources Inc. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding business combination agreement (the "Agreement") with Molecular Science Corp. ("MSC") whereby Ateba will acquire all of the securities of MSC by way of a three-cornered amalgamation, subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement (the "Transaction"). The Agreement will be filed under Ateba's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction, MSC will amalgamate with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ateba, and Ateba will change its name to Molecular Science Corp. As a result of the Transaction, the Company will continue on with the business of MSC. Ateba has no commercial operations, no assets and minimal liabilities.

Ateba is a reporting issuer in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec and its common shares (the "Ateba Shares") are not currently listed on any exchange or market. As contemplated by the Agreement, Ateba and MSC have applied to the CSE to list the common shares of the resulting issuer on the CSE (the "Listing"). The Company will provide an update of the Listing in a press release at a later date.

MSC has recently received, through its wholly owned subsidiary Molecular Science Labs Corp., a Dealer's License pursuant to the provisions of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its Regulations from Health Canada. Licensed activities will occur in MSC's laboratory facility located in Scarborough, Ontario, where cannabis samples can be received for the purpose of analytical testing. MSC's lab services will include multiple analyses, including pesticides, heavy metals, potency in cannabis flower, cannabis oil extract and hemp. This facility will implement processes in line with pharmaceutical industry best practices for analytical testing using high end LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, ICP-MS and advanced automation systems.

Further, MSC has recently closed a private placement financing through the issuance of 1,905,671 common shares for gross proceeds in the aggregate amount of $4,287,772.50. The proceeds will be used for working capital purposes and to further the business of MSC following receipt of the Dealer's License as noted above.

Resulting Capitalization

In connection with the Transaction, Ateba will complete a consolidation of its common shares on a 1 for 3 basis and MSC will complete a split of its common shares on a 5 for 1 basis. After completion of the Transaction, and assuming no further common shares are issued on certain liquidity rights that may be outstanding, an aggregate of 99,227,150 Ateba Shares will be issued and outstanding with former security holders of MSC holding 97,671,595 Ateba Shares, representing approximately 98.4% of the then outstanding Ateba Shares and the original shareholders of Ateba holding 1,555,555 Ateba Shares, representing approximately 1.6% of the then outstanding Ateba Shares. Further, following completion of the Transaction, there will be 8,069,145 stock options to purchase resulting issuer common shares, 6,000,000 common share purchase warrants to purchase resulting issuer common shares and 1,125,000 restricted share units to receive 1,125,000 over a three year period. The closing date for the Transaction is expected to be on or around October 31, 2018.

Upon completion of the Transaction, the board of directors and management of the resulting issuer will consist of the persons identified below:

Ian Morton (Director and Chief Operating Officer);

Dean Elterman (Director);

Cesare Fazari (Director);

Ted Witek (Director);

Alex MacGregor (Director); and

Howard Goldman (Director).

MSC is in the process of selecting a CEO, CFO and Corporate Secretary to act for the resulting issuer and will provide an update in due course.

Ian Morton - Director and Chief Operating Officer

Ian recently joined the Company after an extensive and successful career in the environmental services industry. He is responsible for building and operationalizing a highly proficient suite of laboratory services for the regulated cannabis economy. As an entrepreneur, Ian has established and operated over five companies in the environmental services sector, including Summerhill, Eco Generation and Scout Environmental. Under his leadership, Summerhill expanded across Canada and into the United States implementing demand side management programs for electric and gas utilities. Summerhill employs over 425 people on a full and part time basis in seven offices across North America. He's Chairman of the Board at Ample Organics and a member of the Durham College Cannabis Industry Program Advisory Committee. Ian has been recognized by Strategy Magazine for his marketing expertise and was appointed to an advisory panel of eminent Canadians to provide advice and assistance to the Government of Canada on Climate Change. His work has been recognized with a number of individual and organizational awards including the Clean16 category leader for Retail and Consumer Products in the inaugural 2011 Clean50 rankings in Canada. He is the past recipient of The Lung Association's Significant Contribution Award for his work developing the organizations environmental health program.

Dean Elterman - Director

Dr. Dean S. Elterman completed his medical degree followed by residency in urologic surgery at the University of Toronto. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2011. Dr. Elterman completed a two-year fellowship in Voiding Dysfunction, Neuro-Urology, Female Urology and Pelvic Reconstruction at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Elterman has worked in the areas of men's health and survivorship at the Iris Cantor Men's Health Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College and at the University of Toronto. He is the Medical Director of the Prostate Cancer Rehabilitation Clinic at Princess Margaret Hospital Cancer Centre.

Cesare Fazari - Director

As a founding partner in Northwood Developments for more than 30 years, Mr. Fazari has successfully specialized in commercial retail rollout, completing thousands of turnkey locations with major commercial franchises such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Marshalls, Trade Secrets and Public Mobile to name a few. With his entrepreneurial vision, Mr. Fazari has been the seed venture capital investor in many successful public companies such as Hydropothacary Corp., Ianthus, Drone Delivery Services, and others. Mr. Fazari also sits on the board as a director of the public merchant bank Fountain Asset Corporation and is on the advisory board of several public and private companies. Further, he has a vast portfolio of over one million square feet of real estate holdings which include hundreds of residential units and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial office space, commercial retail, industrial space and land. His philanthropic nature has led him to be actively involved in charitable organizations including The Breakfast Club of Canada, The Canadian Cancer Society and the Good Shepard Food Bank.

Ted Witek - Director

Dr. Ted Witek is a health care advisor and scholar based in Toronto and Lisbon. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, and Chief Scientific Officer at Innoviva in San Francisco (formerly Theravance, Inc). He is also appointed a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation (IHPME) of The University of Toronto and Adjunct Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Faculty of Pharmacy. Prior to joining Theravance, Dr. Witek, served as President and Chief Executive Officer, Boehringer Ingelheim in Canada from 2008-2014, and in Portugal from 2004-2008. Joining Boehringer in 1992, Dr. Witek held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, during which time he led the global clinical development and launch of several respiratory products, most notably Spiriva. He also led the Respiratory and Immunology clinical research groups in the United States. In 2001, he moved to Germany to lead the operating team for Spiriva, where he also served as the Boehringer Ingelheim Co-chair of the Joint Operating Committee with Pfizer in their global alliance. In his early research career, he was a senior investigator at Richardson-Vicks (a P&G company), where he studied nasal function methodologies (acoustic reflection/ laser Doppler velocimetry), psychomotor performance with antihistamines, and models of acute respiratory tract infection.

Alex MacGregor - Director

Dr. Alexander MacGregor founded the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology in 1992. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Alexander MacGregor has led the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology to become one of the leading North American institutions for biochemical research and development for postgraduate students. As Dean of Faculty and President of the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Dr. Alexander MacGregor utilizes years of experience in consulting for global biomedical firms, as well as serving as CEO and CSO of Orx Pharmaceutical Corporation. Prior to establishing the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Dr. Alexander MacGregor obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of London Royal Postgraduate Medical School. In addition, Dr. Alexander MacGregor holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Wales, from which he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Following several years of consulting, Dr. Alexander MacGregor earned a Master-Class Certificate in Pharmaceutical Technology from the European Continuing Education College at the University of Liverpool.

Howard Goldman - Director

Howard is a serial entrepreneur and innovator in many disciplines of study and work. He is the founder of the Zopa Canada and an avid backer of disruptive fin-Tech technologies. He is an early adopter of the medical cannabis industry in Canada. As a principal shareholder and Director of the Company, Howard brings multiple skill sets to the team. He has over $1 billion of real estate sales and leasing, development, property management and construction. He is well versed in Crypto-currency and digital payments solutions.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the disclosure document to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

About MSC

Molecular Science Corp. is a Canadian laboratory services company that will deliver analytical testing & data-driven business intelligence to the growing cannabis economy. MSC is dedicated to providing enterprise & craft-level Licensed Producers and Licensed Oil Processors the tools and services they require to succeed through quality compliance. Our brand new physical laboratory in Toronto will perform a series of analytical tests including potency, terpene profiling, pesticides, heavy metals and mycotoxins testing, as mandated by Heath Canada's regulatory standards.

MSC also operates a mobile lab, custom built to provide an onsite pesticide testing solution to customers and to enable an interactive educational platform for product safety awareness, assisting producers in making informed decisions about their cultivation practices. As an extension of our lab facility in Toronto, the mobile lab will employ a variety of scientific instrumentation with a focus on liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, and will utilize a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to ensure seamless and efficient alignment of analytical results between our mobile lab, physical lab and our clients.

For more information visit mscience.ca

For more information, please contact:

Lisa McCormack

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (416) 361-2515

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is 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 information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws.Passenger traffic up 2.0% YoY in Argentina and 11.1% in Brazil, further supported by growth across most geographies

Corporacion America Airports S.A. (NYSE:CAAP), ("CAAP" or the "Company") the largest private sector airport operator in the world by number of airports, reported today preliminary year-over-year passenger traffic growth of 7.8% in July 2018.

Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Highlights Statistics Jul'18 Jul'17 % Var. YTD'18 YTD'17 % Var Domestic Passengers (thousands) 4,322 3,800 13.7% 25,259 23,267 8.6% International Passengers (thousands) 2,602 2,613 -0.4% 16,188 15,525 4.3% Transit Passengers (thousands) 854 803 6.3% 5,154 4,541 13.5% Total Passengers (thousands) 7,778 7,216 7.8% 46,601 43,332 7.5% Cargo Volume (thousand tons) 31.2 30.7 1.6% 227.9 205.9 10.7% Total Aircraft Movements (thousands) 78.8 75.7 4.1% 507.7 485.3 4.6%

Passenger Traffic Overview

Total passenger traffic in July 2018 increased by 7.8% compared to the same period of 2017, primarily reflecting growth in Armenia, Peru, Brazil and Argentina, with increases of 14.3%, 10.9%, 10.0% and 8.3%, respectively.

In Brazil, passenger traffic at Brasilia Airport increased 10.7% in July 2018, driven by additional frequencies in existing routes to several domestic destinations by Gol, Latam and Azul.

In Argentina, despite more challenging macro conditions, traffic increased 8.3% YoY, mainly driven by a 17.7% growth in domestic traffic, partially offset by declines of 5% and 16.5% in international and transit passengers, respectively. During the month, new domestic routes were added by Fly Bondi and Avianca. Traffic also benefitted from several new frequencies to existing routes, both domestic and international that were added over the past 12-months.

Armenia reported an increase of 14.3%, resulting mainly from a particularly higher load factor during the summer season.

Moreover, traffic continued to grow in Peru, although at a lower pace reflecting the ramp up of Viva which began operations in May 2017.

CAAP's airports in Italy reported a 2.3% YoY increase in traffic, mainly due to the opening of new international and domestic flights, and the addition of new frequencies taking place during the Italian summer season. In particular, Pisa airport saw a considerable increase in passengers travelling to Russia, and at Florence Airport the new route to Lisbon, Portugal, opened last June, continued to perform very well.

In Uruguay, passenger traffic declined 6.1% mainly due to currency depreciation in neighboring countries Brazil and Argentina, which resulted in a decrease in passengers.

Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements

Cargo volume wasup 1.6% in July 2018. Growth was primarily driven by Brazil which posted an 18.0% YoY increase, followed by an 8.3% increase in Ecuador, both as a result of improved economic conditions. On the contrary, cargo volume declined by 15.4% in Armenia, due to reduced export activity to countries with political instability. In Peru, the decline of 17% reflects unusually higher cargo activity in July 2017, given a road block near Arequipa at that time.

Aircraft movements increased by 4.1% in July 2018 mainly driven by Peru and Armenia, which increased 18.9% and 9.5%, followed by Brazil and Argentina, with an increase of 15.2% and 2.2% respectively.

Summary Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Jul'18 Jul'17 % Var. YTD'18 YTD'17 % Var. Passenger Traffic (thousands) Argentina 3,683 3,402 8.3% 22,757 20,901 8.9% Italy 925 904 2.3% 4,682 4,557 2.7% Brazil 1,954 1,776 10.0% 11,776 11,065 6.4% Uruguay 186 198 -6.1% 1,381 1,348 2.4% Ecuador 392 369 6.3% 2,523 2,404 4.9% Armenia 320 280 14.3% 1,526 1,371 11.3% Peru 318 287 10.9% 1,957 1,687 16.0% TOTAL 7,778 7,216 7.8% 46,601 43,332 7.5% Cargo Volume (tons) Argentina 17,452 17,589 -0.8% 134,495 117,576 14.4% Italy 1,088 1,012 7.5% 6,774 6,416 5.6% Brazil 5,567 4,718 18.0% 35,348 30,579 15.6% Uruguay 1,937 2,135 -9.3% 15,488 15,702 -1.4% Ecuador 3,250 3,002 8.3% 23,783 20,155 18.0% Armenia 1,498 1,771 -15.4% 9,297 12,633 -26.4% Peru 406 489 -17.0% 2,764 2,798 -1.2% TOTAL 31,199 30,717 1.6% 227,949 205,858 10.7% Aircraft Movements Argentina 38,828 36,927 5.1% 258,165 239,951 7.6% Italy 8,652 8,777 -1.4% 44,582 45,266 -1.5% Brazil 16,411 15,947 2.9% 107,567 105,640 1.8% Uruguay 2,439 2,285 6.7% 20,509 19,825 3.5% Ecuador 6,954 6,922 0.5% 44,994 46,861 -4.0% Armenia 2,431 2,221 9.5% 13,382 12,059 11.0% Peru 3,083 2,594 18.9% 18,525 15,677 18.2% TOTAL 78,798 75,673 4.1% 507,724 485,279 4.6%

To obtain the full text of this press release, please click on the following link: http://investors.corporacionamericaairports.com

About Corporacion America Airports

Corporacion America Airports acquires, develops and operates airport concessions. The Company is the largest private airport operator in the world by the number of airports and the tenth largest based on passenger traffic. Currently, the Company operates 52 airports in 7 countries across Latin America and Europe (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Armenia and Italy). In 2017, Corporacion America Airports served 76.6 million passengers. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange where it trades under the ticker "CAAP". For more information, visit http://investors.corporacionamericaairports.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005718/en/

Contacts:

Corporacion America Airports S.A.

Investor Relations:

Gimena Albanesi, +5411 4852-6411

gimena.albanesi@caairports.comseven charts throw more light on the bad loans crisis that has engulfed the nation's banking sector.

Indian banks' gross non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, fell to Rs 10.03 lakh crore in June quarter from Rs 10.25 lakh crore as on 31 March 2018. On quarter, the pile has reduced by Rs 21,825 crore or 2.1 percent. This is the time in five quarters the NPAs of these banks actually declined. In the March 2018 quarter, the total bad loans of banks rose by a whopping Rs 1.39 lakh crore.

Bad loans of banks now account for 11.6 percent of the total loans disbursed by the banking industry. After making provisions, the net bad loans of all banks stood at Rs 4.86 lakh crore in the June 2018 quarter as against Rs 5.18 lakh crore in the March 2018 quarter.

Taking note of the alarming bad loans situation, the Narendra Modi-led government, in 2017, announced a Rs 2.11 lakh crore bank recapitalisation plan to pull out state-run banks from the NPA mess. As much as 90 percent of the above-mentioned sticky assets are on the books of government-owned banks or public sector banks (PSBs).

A break-up of the NPAs shows that 21 PSBs saw their bad loans pile decline by Rs 22,530 crore to Rs 8.74 lakh crore in the June 2018 quarter, compared to March 2018's figures, while that of 19 private banks surged by Rs 705 crore to Rs 1.29 lakh crore in the June 2018 quarter.

Industry leader, the State Bank of India (SBI), which tops the NPAs chart, logged a decline of Rs 10,588 crore in bad loans in the June quarter to Rs 2.13 lakh crore. The Nirav Modi scam-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB), which had reported the maximum rise of Rs 29,100 crore in gross NPAs in the March quarter, has seen its bad loans fall by Rs 3,731 crore to Rs 82,889 crore in the June quarter. Barring IDBI Bank, the Union Bank of India, Syndicate Bank, Vijaya Bank and the Oriental Bank, other PSB's also recorded a drop in bad loans during the quarter. While IDBI Bank's gross bad loans surged by Rs 2,219 crore in the June quarter, that of Union Bank was up by Rs 1,603 crore, Syndicate Bank's was up by Rs 603 crore, Vijaya Bank's was up by Rs 53 crore and Oriental Bank's was up by Rs 8 crore.

Among private banks, the gross NPAs of Axis Bank and ICICI Bank have declined significantly. Axis Bank's bad loans pile dropped by Rs 1,586 crore to Rs 32,662 crore in the June 2018 quarter from Rs 34,249 crore in the March 2018 quarter. ICICI Bank's pile lessened by Rs 598 crore in the June 2018 quarter to Rs 53,465 crore. Among private lenders, HDFC Bank showed the maximum rise in bad loans, at Rs 932 crore.

These seven charts throw more light on the bad loans crisis that has engulfed the nation's banking sector:

Gross NPAs

Public sector banks gross NPAs

Private banks gross NPAs

PSBs with higher gross NPAs in Rs cr

Private banks with higher gross NPAs in Rs cr

PSBs with high gross NPAs as % to advances

Pvt banks with higher gross NPAs as % to advances

The outlook for the country's banking sector is likely to remain negative until its capital position strengthens in proportion to bad loans and weak financial performances, global rating agency Fitch said in a report published on Monday. The report believes the sector's legacy problems have been largely recognised, but the system NPL ratio could witness more upside due to residual stress and new risks emerging out of the retail and SME sectors.



With inputs from PTITata Steel, Liberty House and JSW have submitted bids for the second time to acquire debt-laden Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd, sources said

New Delhi: The interim resolution professional (IRP) of Bhushan Power and Steel (BPSL), Mahender Kumar Khandelwal, on Tuesday alleged that the confidentiality of Committee of Creditors (CoC) meeting was breached as information on deliberations was "leaked".

He further alleged that a deliberate attempt was being made to sabotage the resolution process of the debt-laden firm.

"Today CoC meeting of Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL) was held .... Surprisingly, sanctity and confidentiality of meeting was breached ... news of deliberations was also leaked," Khandelwal told PTI.

"The office of Resolution Professional strongly condemns such breach of confidentiality and demands an investigation ...of such persons who may have leaked the proceedings of CoC meeting," he said.

There appears to be a deliberate attempt to sabotage the process of Resolution of insolvency of BPSL and defame the RP, he further alleged.

In Tuesday's meeting, he said, the representatives of operational creditors were invited as per directives of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

"While meeting was going on some discussions took place alleging irregular payments to some operational creditors and audit of such payments was proposed by an independent agency. This was one amongst many issues discussed during proceedings," he said.

Tata Steel, Liberty House and JSW have submitted bids for the second time to acquire debt-laden Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd, sources in the know of the matter said.

The bids were submitted to CoC late on Monday night by the three parties, a source said.

On 6 August, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had extended the deadline for submission of revised bids for BPSL by one week on the plea of Tata Steel.

BPSL owes about Rs 45,000 crore to its lenders. It was among the 12 non-performing accounts referred by the Reserve Bank of India for NCLT proceedings.Hackers managed to siphon off over Rs 90 crore through a malware attack on the server of Cosmos Bank.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on Wednesday, said its systems are "fully secure" and the cyber fraud of more than Rs 90 crore at Pune-based Cosmos Bank happened due to a malware-based attack on the lender's IT system.

Hackers managed to siphon off over Rs 90 crore through a malware attack on the server of the bank and cloning thousands of debit cards, Cosmos Bank chairman Milind Kale had said. The fraudulent transactions were carried out on 11 August and 13 August and the malware attack by the hackers originated in Canada, he said.

In a release, NPCI said one of its network members has confirmed about a malware based attack on their system which has caused a fraud loss of over Rs 90 crore.

"NPCI wish to reiterate that our systems are fully secure and this particular issue has occurred within the Banks own IT environment," it said, adding that NPCI will continue to extend support to the affected bank in identifying the cause of the fraud.

Head Risk Management of NPCI Bharat Panchal said the malware based attack on bank's IT system has caused the fraud. "Under the attack, maximum transactions have been reported from outside India...we are monitoring the situation continuously," he said.

The bank has also registered an FIR at the Chatushringi police station in the city. A case was registered under sections 43, 65, 66(C) and 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Kale had said that over the two days, hackers withdrew a total Rs 78 crore from various ATMs in 28 countries, including Canada, Hong Kong and a few ATMs in India, and another Rs 2.5 crore were taken out within India.

On 13 August, hackers again transferred Rs 13.92 crore in a Hong Kong-based bank by using fraudulent transactions, he had said. Kale had said the cooperative bank's core banking system was not affected and that it has already appointed a professional forensic agency to investigate the fraud. As a precautionary measure, the bank has closed ATMs operations and suspended net and mobile banking facilities, he had said.As a precautionary measure, Cosmos Bank has closed ATMs operations and suspended net and mobile banking facilities,

Pune: Hackers managed to siphon off over Rs 94 crore through a malware attack on the server of Pune-based Cosmos Bank and cloning thousands of the bank's debit cards over a period of two days, a top official said.

The fraudulent transactions were carried out on 11 August and 13 August and the malware attack by the hackers originated in Canada, Cosmos Bank chairman Milind Kale told reporters here on Tuesday.

"In two days, hackers withdrew a total Rs 78 crore from various ATMs in 28 countries, including Canada, Hong Kong and a few ATMs in India, and another Rs 2.5 crore were taken out within India," he said.

On 13 August, hackers again transferred Rs 13.92 crore in a Hong Kong-based bank by using fraudulent transactions.

He said the malware attack was on the switch, which is operative for payment gateways of Visa and Rupay debit cards.

Kale, however, said the cooperative bank's core banking system was not affected and it has already appointed a professional forensic agency to investigate the fraud.

"On Saturday afternoon, the bank came to know about malware attack on its debit card payment system and it was observed that unusual repeated transactions were taking place through Visa and Rupay cards used at various ATMs for nearly two hours," he said.

While cloning the cards and using a "parallel" or proxy switch system, the hackers self-approved the transactions and withdrew over Rs 80.5 crore in about 15,000 transactions, he added.

Explaining further, Kale said the core banking system of the bank receives debit card payment requests via 'switching system', but during this malware attack, a proxy switch was created and all the fraudulent payment approvals were passed by this proxy switching system.

He said that as per the payment settlement system, Visa and Rupay raised the payment demand for all these transactions and as per the agreement, bank had to pay this Rs 80.5 crore amount to them.

Talking about the Rs 13.92 crore fraudulent transaction in a Hong Kong-based bank, he claimed that though the money has been transferred to that account, it is still in the baking channel.

"We are in talks with the bank and requesting them to withhold the money," he added.

As a precautionary measure, the bank has closed ATMs operations and suspended net and mobile banking facilities, according to the official.

"We appeal customers to remain calm and not to get panic as savings, term deposits, recurring accounts of all the stakeholders are fully safe," Cosmos Bank chairman Milind Kale said.

The bank has also registered an FIR at the Chatushringi police station in the city. A case was registered under sections 43, 65, 66(C) and 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

When asked about the recovery of the amount, Kale said the malware attack was not against any bank but against the banking system and was done at international level in a very "coordinated way".

"Since a lot of countries are involved, getting the money back will completely depend on coordinated efforts of all the agencies," he said.

He said that the actual loss to the bank will be known only after reconciliation with Visa and Rupay. PTI SPK HV SS SS CK CKDid DBT really save the exchequer a colossal Rs 90,000 crore, and was this entirely due to elimination of 6 crore ghost beneficiaries, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech?

Did direct benefit transfer (DBT) really save the exchequer a colossal Rs 90,000 crore, and was this entirely due to elimination of 6 crore ghost beneficiaries, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech?

Going by data on the website of the DBT Mission, 8.8 crore duplicate, fake/non-existent and ineligible beneficiaries have been weeded out from various schemes, much more than the 6 crore Modi referred to (in the case of MNREGS, only the savings in wages on account of this is mentioned, not the number of beneficiaries). The 6 crore figure could be for the PAHAL scheme and the public distribution system (6.54 crore dubious beneficiaries have been deleted under these two schemes).

There is a caveat in the case of PDS and the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)  some names might have been deleted on account of migration and death). It is, however, unlikely that these instances will be significant enough to alter the numbers hugely.

But what about the financial savings figures?

The three biggest contributors to savings are the PAHAL scheme (Rs 42,275 crore), PDS (Rs 29,708 crore) and the MNREGS (Rs 16,703 crore). Now in the case of PAHAL, the role of the decline in global oil prices between 2015 and early 2018 needs to be factored in. So the savings could not have come entirely through the elimination of fakes/ghosts/duplicates (the data given by the DBT Mission does factor in 2.22 crore consumers giving up the cooking gas subsidy voluntarily). Unfortunately, with no clarity on how much savings came from the elimination of beneficiaries and how much from falling oil prices, both the government and its critics can make claims and counter-claims without challenge.

The deletion of 2.75 crore ration cards is a significant achievement, but even here it is not clear how much of the RS 29,708 crore savings came from the cash transfer programmes in the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Also, how much is because of genuine beneficiaries not being able to take their monthly rations for various reasons (failure of biometric authentication being a significant one)?

Nitpicking over, its time to stress that the amount of savings is not the main point. The main point is a fundamental shift in the manner of delivering welfare through less leaky pipes. It is possible that the poor are still not getting the entire rupee meant for them, but the amount being lost will be significantly less than the 85 paise the late Rajiv Gandhi lamented about. And that is no mean achievement; Modi has reason to boast. But it is now time for his government (and whoever comes to power in 2019) to build on this.

One essential step is to look beyond macro numbers and get state/local governments to look into individual cases to ensure that genuine beneficiaries have not been eliminated for whatever reason, mainly due to lack of Aadhaar/ration card.

While Aadhaars usefulness in de-duplication cannot be denied, it is also a pain point on the ground. It was meant as a proof of identity but is being used by individual departments as an eligibility document; the lack of it has often been used an excuse to deny someone a ration/below poverty line card. Besides, there are many instances of authentication failure due to various factors. These may not be statistically significant but even one eligible beneficiary being denied what is due is one too many.

This problem is particularly acute in the case of PDS where biometric authentication is needed each time a beneficiary goes to the ration shop. Economists Ashok Kotwal and Bharat Ramaswami had suggested a way out of this problem -- a one-time authentication at longer intervals -- and it is time some government looked at this proposal seriously. The PDS is a state subject, so perhaps some state government can take the lead in this.

What DBT/Aadhaar does not eliminate is quantity fraud  where a ration shop owner gives a beneficiary less than what he is entitled to. This is known to happen even in urban centres like Delhi.

Right-to-food activists want to do away with DBT/Aadhaar because of this but that will not be the right response. States will have to tone up their governance systems to deal with this.

It is quite possible that the government may actually end up showing fewer savings; it may even end up spending a mite more. But that is a small price to pay in the battle against vested interests who want to retain a leaky system. The political and economic gains of ensuring that the needy get the welfare benefits due to them will be far more.

(The writer is a senior journalist and author. She tweets at @soorpanakha)Kalyanaraman was appointed as MD and CEO for a period of five years in 2015.

New Delhi: The government has accepted the resignation of National Housing Bank (NHB) managing director Sriram Kalyanaraman even as an investigation has been ordered into alleged irregularities and misconduct committed by him as a regulator, official sources said.

"This is a part of the wider exercise to clean India's public financial sector. There were reports of mismanagement and unethical practices. An inquiry is on," a senior government official said.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) a few months back ordered an inquiry to probe alleged misconduct committed by Kalyanaraman and subsequently sought his reply, the official said.

The NHB chief, however, tendered resignation along with clarification, the official said, adding since inquiry was initiated when he was NHB MD so his resignation will not impact the departmental inquiry.

The resignation was accepted by Appointments Committee of Cabinet and notification to this effect has been issued, said the official. A query sent to Kalyanaraman seeking a comment did not elicit any response.

Meanwhile, the CVC has also directed the chief vigilance officer of NHB and the Delhi police to investigate various allegations levelled against Kalyanaraman.

There are allegations that Kalyanaraman was involved in objectionable activities at NHB's Delhi guesthouse.

"He was also availing multiple residential accommodations at Delhi and Mumbai. There were also irregularities in Campus Placements besides various irregularities in refinance," an official said.

Huge loans refinanced to leading private banks and housing finance companies, the official said.

Kalyanaraman was appointed as MD and CEO for a period of five years in 2015. Earlier, he was Director-Business Development at Equifax Credit Information Services Pvt Ltd.

Before Equifax, he was director and Head of asset products and business banking at Deutsche Bank India (from February 2007 to March 2010).

The government on Monday dismissed Usha Ananathasubramanian who was three months ago divested of her powers as MD and CEO Allahabad Bank in the aftermath of the country's biggest bank fraud perpetrated by Nirav Modi.Narendra Modi touched upon several initiatives the government had brought out from Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to MSP hikes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country was transformed from being seen as among the fragile five, to the land of reform, perform and transform". He said the country is set for record economic growth.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day, he touched upon several initiatives the government had come out from Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and MSP hikes, among others.

Speaking for over 80 minutes the prime minister said, a government needs to be courageous to implement changes. While making this comment, he referred to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Everybody wanted GST but it got stuck", said PM Modi.

Another brave step his government took was with regard to hiking Minimum Support Price (MSP), the Prime Minister said. "The farmers have been demanding 1.5 times of MSP for years, but my government took the brave step to accept it", he said.

He pointed out that the demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. After years of files circulating from one office to other, we came and put in place MSP for farmers, he said.

Wearing an orange turban while making his fifth and final Independence Day speech before the 2019 general elections, the prime minister put the spotlight on all that his government had done since being voted to power in 2014. Making a comparison between the situation in 2013 and the current times, the prime minister said if the pace of the UPA government's last year was maintained, it would have taken decades, centuries and generations to build as many toilets, distribute as many LPG connections among the poor and lay down as much optical fibre as his government has done.

The prime minister pointed out how the determination to do something for the country yields results. He said, when you are determined to do something for the country, then even Benami Property rules get implemented.

He also said that middlemen no longer ruled the roost in government corridors. There is now no role for middlemen or traditional power brokers in the capital in influencing Governmental decisions, he said.

Making a mention of tax evaders in his speech, he said over 3 lakh shell companies have been shut for evading taxes. The government has strengthened actions against tax evaders, he said.

The Prime Minister said, the honest Indian taxpayer has a big role in the progress of the country. It is because of them that the lives of the poor are transformed, he said.

The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

However, he said, the country will not forgive or let go of tax evaders, who had ruined the nation.

We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

He indicated that the work started by his government was far from over. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way, the prime minister said.

The prime minister said the country has to be taken to new heights. He reiterated his oft-mentioned sabka sath, sabka vikas. He said that every Indian should have a house, electricity and LPG connection, proper sanitation, skills, access to internet services among others and so the government has launched schemes for all these essentials.The prime minister said his government would not spare the corrupt and those who have stashed black money who have ruined the country

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today vowed not to spare corrupt and black money holders, saying efforts of his government have freed corridors of power from brokers, enhanced the number of taxpayers and saved Rs 90,000 crore by eliminating bogus beneficiaries.

In his nearly 90-minute address to the nation on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi thanked honest taxpayers for their contribution in the development of the country, which is now the world's sixth largest economy.

Also, nepotism and partisan politics have been eliminated and strict action is being taken against bribery. "We will not spare the corrupt and those who have stashed black money. They have ruined the country," he said. "Delhi's streets are now free from power brokers. From (a time when) the voice of power brokers (was heard), the voice of the poor is (now) heard."

Modi, in his fifth Independence Day speech, also mentioned the clamp down on three lakh shell companies that were used to launder ill-gotten money.

Listing measures that have brought the untaxed in the tax net, he said the number of income taxpayers has increased to 6.75 crore from 3.5-4 crore before 2014.

Also, the implementation of one-nation, one-tax scheme of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to a rise in the number of indirect taxpayers from 70 lakh to 1.16 crore.

The Prime Minister said the government has eliminated middlemen and bogus beneficiaries by transferring government benefits to those who actually deserve them.

We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

This has led to the elimination of 6 crore bogus beneficiaries who previously cornered subsidised cooking gas LPG, pension, and scholarships, saving Rs 90,000 crore for the exchequer. "There were 6 crore people who were not even born, and government benefits were being taken in their name," Modi said. Citing an example, he said the government procures wheat at Rs 25 per kg for supplying it to the poor at Rs 2 but this often gets diverted into the open market to the benefit of middlemen. He said the country was now celebrating the "festival of honesty".

Stressing that the honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation, Modi said: "It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed."

During his speech, Modi also listed out several welfare schemes being implemented by his government. Besides, he talked about distribution of 5 crore LPG connections among poor women that have helped replace polluting firewood in rural kitchens with cleaner cooking gas, and electrification of all the villages in the country in a record time.

Modi also said 13 crore Mudra loans have been provided so far, which is contributing towards job creation. Of these, four crore are the first-time borrowers.

Improvement in India's ranking on ease of doing business, the country becoming the world's sixth largest economy and praise from various international organisations too found a detailed mention in his speech.

Without referring to any political party, Modi also questioned the delay in implementation of the GST.

"Who did not want the passage of the GST, yet it was pending for years," he wondered.

The long-awaited GST was rolled out on 1 July, 2017.

Modi said despite initial difficulties in implementing the new indirect tax regime, traders have adopted it.Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a 'fragile and risky' economy to being the fastest in the world.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like GST.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, he listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a "fragile and risky" economy to being the fastest in the world.

Prior to 2014, India was likened to policy paralysis and delayed reforms. "India was considered among 'fragile five' but today the world is seeing it as a destination of multi-billion dollar investment. The narrative has changed," he said.

The government's motto, he said, is reform, perform and transform.

Red tape has been replaced with 'red carpet', propelling India on the ease of doing business ranking, he said.

Bottlenecks were a topic of discussions among international institutions and experts prior to 2014 but "today they are saying the sleeping elephant has woken up and has started running".

The comment was an apparent reference to International Monetary Fund's commentary on India last week in which it said the country is on track to hold its position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies as reforms start to pay off.

Stating that India is now the sixth largest economy in the world, Modi said international institutions are saying that "India will give strength to the world economy for the next three decades. India will be the engine of growth".

"We have the potential to take tough decisions. We are not partisan," he said. "Prior to 2014, global institutions used to say the Indian economy is risky. Today the same institutions and people are saying that reform momentum is giving strength to fundamentals," the PM said.

He went on to list structural reforms like Goods and Services Tax (GST), bankruptcy and insolvency law (IBC) and benami property law that helped transform the economy.

Electrifying all villages, providing 5 crore cleaner cooking gas to poor women, doubling the pace of highway construction, record foodgrain production, record mobile phone manufacturing, and building four-time more new houses in villages were some of the achievements of his government, he said.

If the work continued at the pace that was prevalent in 2013, it would have taken one or two more decades to electrify all villages, 100 years to provide LPG gas connections to all and generations to take optic fibre to villages.

Modi said the government fulfilled the promise to provide 50 percent more than the cost of production for Kharif crops to farmers and is on the way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.Lupin warns of more pricing pressure as fourth-quarter profit halves | Reuters By Zeba Siddiqui | MUMBAI MUMBAI Indian drugmaker Lupin Ltd expects to launch over 30 products in the United States this year, but warned revenue growth would remain muted due to growing pricing pressure and competition in the world's largest healthcare market."We've talked about medium single digits of price erosion in the past and I think we are now (seeing) high single digits," Managing Director Nilesh Gupta told Reuters after Lupin reported a quarterly profit that halved from a year earlier.The country's third-largest drugmaker has been working on building a pipeline of high-value complex generic drugs in the United States to offset growing competition in plain generics. But a consolidation among drug distributors has hit generic companies' ability to negotiate on prices, and price hikes have also become harder to justify amid regulatory scrutiny."Competition is increasing and (distributors) are getting more powerful than ever before," Gupta said. The company expects to launch more than 30 drugs this year, most of which would be small to medium-sized opportunities, with bigger, more lucrative launches planned for 2019, he addedWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $2.9 billion for three missile warning satellites, the Air Force said on Tuesday. Lockheed's Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellites will provide improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats than the current system, the Air Force said

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $2.9 billion for three missile warning satellites, the Air Force said on Tuesday.

Lockheed's Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellites will provide improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats than the current system, the Air Force said.

"As we develop these new systems, speed matters," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told the Air Force's internal news service. "We are focused on providing a missile warning capability survivable in a contested environment by the mid-2020s."

Last year, North Korea conducted a dozen missile tests, including the launch of a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could hit the U.S. mainland, and tested a purported hydrogen bomb.

The Air Force said the "undefinitized contract" allows the government to meet urgent needs by authorizing Lockheed Martin to begin work before reaching a final settlement on contract terms.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by David Alexander and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve its target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Modi spelt out pro-farm measures taken during the four years of his government, the cornerstone being the bold move to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of crops at least 1.5 times of the cost of production.

"The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. We decided that farmers should get 1.5 times more price than their cost of production and implemented the decision," he said.

The prime minister said doubts were cast when he set the target of doubling farm income by 2022 but decisions like an increase in the price for crops have ensured that the government is on track of meeting the target.

Noting that in the changing times, farmers too are facing global markets and the government is working on an agriculture export policy in this regard. He, however, did not give details of the policy on the anvil.

Decisions cast in stone



"The country is producing record food grains. Our granaries are full," Modi said while highlighting the achievements in the farm sector. Farmers are adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinklers, he said, adding that the government is reviving 99 stuck irrigation projects. "With a 'Beej se Bazar Tak' (helping farmers in getting seeds as well as accessing market) approach, we are bringing a remarkable change in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmers' income by 2022. Today, our entire focus is on bringing transformation and modernising the agriculture sector," Modi said.

He said some people had doubt about achieving the goal of doubling farmers' income but the resolve of the government was firm. "Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheechane wale hain (decisions taken by us are cast in stone and not on butter)".

The prime minister said the government is promoting value addition to boost the income of farmers. In his about 90-minute speech, Modi spoke about the new avenues farmers are engaging in, like blue revolution and bee-keeping, as also solar farming.

India, he said, is currently the second largest fish producer in the world and will soon occupy the top position. That apart, referring to sugarcane farmers, he said that ethanol production has trebled.

Last month, the government announced the minimum support price for kharif crops and hiked the MSP for paddy by a record Rs 200 per quintal. The MSPs of other kharif (summer-sown) crops were also raised sharply to help fulfil its poll promise to give farmers 50 percent more rate than their cost of production.

In June, the government announced a Rs 8,500-crore package for the sugar sector, including soft loans for setting up ethanol manufacturing capacity.

The commerce and industry ministry had in March had come out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling agricultural exports and integrating Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain.

While the BJP had promised in 2014 to give farmers a price of 1.5 times of cost, an announcement to give effect to the promise was made in the government's fifth and final annual Budget presented on 1 February this year.Wildlife experts are unanimously pointing fingers at imminent threats that are on the way due to massive shifts in migratory patterns of elephants.

The massive four-day event Gaj Mahotsav, which celebrates Indias national heritage animal  the Asiatic elephant  is on. But wildlife experts are unanimously pointing fingers at imminent threats that are on the way due to massive shifts in migratory patterns of elephants due to habitat degradation, changing climate, and recurrent shift in rainfall pattern.

The celebrations that have followed World Elephant Day on 12 August have brought together wildlife authorities, conservationists and the media to brainstorm on the ongoing crisis faced by Asiatic elephants. They have also led to analysis of strategic measures, failures and successes in conservation of the species.

The Asiatic elephants, that were once found in large numbers across the country, are now restricted to certain pockets in east, west, and north of India.

As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the population of Asian elephants was estimated to be between 41,000 and 52,000 and of that, India alone accounts for nearly 60 percent.

The 2017 census showed a fall in the population of elephants by a count of 3,000 when compared to the 2012 census. As per the census report, there are 27,312 elephants across 23 states, of which majority are from Northeast India.

Assam tops the list of states with the highest number of tuskers, with a number of 5,719, closely followed by 1,754 in Meghalaya, and 1,614 in Arunachal Pradesh. But not all is well even in Assam, say wildlife watchers.

The latest threat to elephants and humans in Assam is over and above the existing threats of habitat degradation. Experts are now worried about the shifting of indigenous habitat of elephants  a phenomenon they say could potentially double up the instances of man-elephant conflict in less than half a decade.

Unless stringent efforts to create awareness backed by political will to clear elephant areas are taken, the tuskers and man, both are headed towards unmanageable conflicts, warned state wildlife warden Kaushik Barua.

In the last 25-30 years, there is a massive shift in land use pattern and most elephant areas have got fragmented and shrunk. In some pockets, elephant numbers have increased significantly. As the elephants breed, there would be a spillover of elephant population from such areas into human dominated areas in the next half a decade, something that would give rise to unmanageable cases of man-elephant conflict, he added.

There are ongoing efforts by conservationists in terms of facilitating trans-boundary migration along the India-Bangladesh border, deploying response teams to handle cases of elephants straying into human settlements.

However, the weight of unplanned development and large-scale forest degradation is high and efforts to contain man-elephant conflict are clearly not proving to be enough.

Since 2016, a wild elephant that the locals named Laden, has killed 37 people till date, additionally destroying crops worth thousands of rupees.

The wounds are still fresh in the minds of the conflict-affected villagers, who are now resorting to retaliatory killings, using mostly deliberate electrocution. Assam lost 49 elephants to conflict between August and December last year. The number of elephant deaths has already reached 22 this year.

"We are talking of elephant corridors but ironically, these are all areas that were elephant habitats that are getting lost to new infrastructure, roads, buildings, dams, offices and other human needs and large-scale unplanned planning, said Bibhab Talukdar, noted wildlife expert.

The changing dynamics come at a time where Assam has lost over 60 percent of estimated forest land due to encroahcment in certain districts like Sonitpur  once the biggest hotbed for man-elephant conflict. While strict intervention and efforts of locals, forest department and conservationists could mitigate man-elephant conflict in Sonitpur to some extent, other areas like Udalguri, Golaghat and Goalpara are now turning into man-elephant conflict hotbeds.

Garo Hills, that once housed a huge population of elephants, has shifted its agricultural pattern to accommodate crops like areca nut, rubber plantations, pineapples and other fruits while significantly doing away with vegetation that was fodder for elephants.

The lack of food has now forced elephants to move to Goalpara, making them susceptible to conflict with humans.

Huge forests have been felled to make way for rubber plantations with barricades of electric fencing, thus making these elephants vulnerable to electrocution. Due to lack of food, these elephants either sustain by eating rotten and poisonous stuff or try to wander away in the foothills in search of food. Over the years, foothills have also been encroached.

The damage has been already done. We have lost a significant amount of forest land and elephant habitat to encroachments. If we have to save the remaining of our tuskers' habitat, we have to secure their existing dwellings, said Barua.

Moreover, there are concerns over accidental deaths of elephants while they cross railway lines. The year 2016 had a record number of elephants being knocked down by trains.

"Elephants are wandering creatures. They naturally need land and move from one place to another until fodder replenishes. One should look into why the elephants are crossing the railway line in the first place, said Dr Rathin Barman, a wildlife veterinarian and director of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

Wildlife watchers in the region say that Goalpara has been problematic in the last 20 years but the problems arising due to man-elephant conflict have increased in the last decade.

"We are talking of elephant corridors and securing them. In reality, we have taken up their indigenous habitat and are now struggling to give them a place there," said Hiten Baishya, senior coordinator, World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF). We are talking of corridors. But all of these are part of a greater habitat. Majority of such corridors are actually such parts of greater habitat."

Climate change adding to woes

Changing patterns of rainfall induced by climate change have led to a clear shift in flooding and drought patterns, which are directly affecting the elephants' migrating patterns.

Climate change has resulted in a complete shift of rainfall pattern. It has also affected the growth of crops and grasslands that provide fodder for elephants. In the last five years, Assam has seen a complete shift in rainfall pattern. Short-term flash floods have been on the rise. The years 2013 and 2014 witnessed two separate waves of flood  one around May-June and the second wave in September.

Since the last two years, elephants have started to migrate all through the year. They even migrate during the monsoons when there is no significant need to migrate since there is enough fodder for them in their own turf. Even two years back, their time of migration used to be around April-May, said Barua.

Random migration has also put these tuskers and humans at a risk of conflict.

While flooding to a certain extent is good for the forest lands, as per experts, it is the unpredictable flooding that actually poses threat. Kaziranga National Park and Karbi-Anglong have witnessed extreme flood and drought conditions in the last few years.

Efforts not proving to be enough

Even as forest watchers are able to witness and understand the existing crisis, the authorities have not been successful in putting a stop to it. Most of the encroached lands have already been areas of human settlement for years and it would take strong action that involves political will, strategic plan of action and due compensation.

The Amsung reserve forest is one such example where reclaiming wildlife habitat failed. Amchang Reserve forest is an original habitat. There was a court order which led to eviction to a certain extent. The area is dominated by people from the Mising communities in Assam. The eviction had to be stopped midway due to political intervention.

We are not being able to put a stop to it. On humanitarian ground, the government decided not to remove the people from the reserved habitat. This of course has left the elephants and humans at an equally helpless risk. Clearly, more strict measures focusing on rehabilitation are needed, rued Barua.

WTI has figured out four clear approaches in securing elephant corridors: Private purchase model, Community Securement Model, Government Acquisition Model and Public Securement model.

Under their Right of Passage project, six crucial high-priority elephant corridors have been identified. The WTI team is working in concert with the Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Council to secure those while simultaneously engaging in conflict mitigation measures with local communities.

We have found a great success with our models. These methods can certainly be looked into and replicated elsewhere. People should now learn to cohabit with the tuskers. We have realised that people essentially have no problems with elephants if their livelihood isnt suffering. The initiative to compensate for crop damage has been received well. Now, we need a lot of awareness and training on elephant hotbeds, says Hiten Baishya, senior coordinator, Assam, WWF-India.

Need of the hour

The crucial need of the hour, as voiced by wildlife experts, is a concrete plan for rehabilitation of people. The awareness programmes are obsolete and do not take into account the new and changing threats to existing elephants. There is also lack of sufficient awareness exercises to improve the relationship between man and elephant that can help them coexist and mitigate situations of conflict that arise.

Among the other measures pointed out by experts were the tightening of the anti-depredation squads, increased use of solar fencing and capacity building of people in terms of tactic, knowledge and expertise. There should be strategically located units at multiple points to stop human-elephant conflict.

Elephants need free movement to maintain genetic flow and offset seasonal variations in the availability of forage and water. These creatures have a massive role in the environment. They clear forests as they go by weeding out harmful plant species, thus allowing better opportunity for other animals to thrive. They dig out water bodies for smaller wildlife to sustain in times of drought.

Elephant movements are also crucial for seed dispersal since the animals consume plants, fruits and seeds and release seeds as they defecate. They are vital for the ecological food chain.All eyes are on the Red Fort ramparts today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the last Independence Day Speech of his current term in the Lok sabha, and other top stories of the day

Modi to address nation from Red Fort: As India celebrates 72 years of Independence, all eyes are on the Red Fort ramparts today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the last Independence Day Speech of his current term in the Lok sabha. Modis speech is likely to have messages for the 2019 elections next year.

Besides, market players will be tracking PM Modis independence day speech for announcements related to populist measures, including an ambitious plan to provide health insurance for roughly half the country; an anticipated boost to the ongoing campaign thats giving Indias poor access to banking; as also the expected modifications to a state-backed pension scheme targeting those employed in the unorganised sector.

Pronouncements related to the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Scheme (AB NHPS), dubbed Modicare; a boost to the Jan Dhan Yojana; and modifications to the Atal Pension Yojana will compel investors to begin decoding the economics of populism, ahead of general elections, due in early 2019.

Meanwhile, the chief ministers of states will be hoisting the Tricolour in their respective states. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor will be hoisting the flag amid heavy security.

India to push for Mehul Choksi's extradition: According to a top legal officer of Antigua, Indias request for Choksis extradition is likely to be taken up by the end of this month. So far, Antigua has refused India's request to extradite Choksi stating that there's no extradition treaty between the two. Choksi along with Nirav Modi is accused of siphoning off crores from the bank.

Kerala floods update: Red alert on heavy rains and floods continues in six Kerala districts. So far, 4,000 people have been evacuated amid reports that the gates of Mullaperiyar Dam may be opened due to rising water levels

Reliance Jio Phone 2, Jio GigaFibre pre-bookings start today: Reliance Jio Infocomm announced the Jio Phone 2 and Jio GigaFibre home broadband services at the Reliance Industries 41st Annual General Meeting, which was held in Mumbai on 5 July. While Reliance Jio confirmed the price of the Jio Phone 2, it did not reveal the GigaFibre connection cost or plans detail. However, the company announced that the pre-registrations for both the feature phone and broadband connections would start on Jio.com and Jio mobile app from 15 August.

Siri could come with multi-user support: A new patent granted to Apple for User profiling voice input processing may be hinting at a smarter Siri that could soon distinguish a users voice. The problem with Apples AI digital assistant right now is that it is unable to provide customised responses for different users. As per the patent, the new system would allow "a device to identify different users. It would be able to do this using user-entered credentials, specific commands, or even biometric voice prints. Once identified, the user would then receive customised recommendations or responses that would end up making Siri all the more accurate than what it currently is.His comments came when asked whether the Election Commission was ready if the Lok Sabha elections are held in December along with Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

New Delhi: The Election Commission was capable of holding the Lok Sabha elections and polls to four state assemblies together in December if the parliamentary elections are advanced, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said on Wednesday.

His comments came when asked whether the Election Commission was ready if the Lok Sabha elections are held in December along with Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan. "Why not. There would not be any problem," he told PTI.

There have been speculation in some circles that the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April-May 2019 may be advanced to November-December 2018 so that they can be held simultaneously with Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.

While the term of the Mizoram Assembly will end on 15 December, the terms of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assemblies would end on 5 January, 7 January and 20 January 2019, respectively. Asked whether the required electronic voting machines (EVMs) and paper trail machines would be ready if the Lok Sabha polls are held in December along with those of four assemblies, the CEC said while all the required EVMs would be in place by September end, paper trail machines would come in November end.

The CEC explained that out of 17.5 lakh paper trail machines, 16 lakh would be in place before November. The remaining 1.5 lakh paper trail or voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines would be delivered by the end of November.

"As you had sought to know, if LS elections are held in December, then the first level check (FLC) of the 1.5 lakh VVPATs (which EC would get in November end) would be difficult ... then some critical small gaps would be there," he said. While the EC needs EVMs and VVPATs for 10 lakh polling stations for the LS polls, it needs the two devices for two lakh polling stations in four states where Assembly elections would be due in December-January.

"There would be a little constraint on the reserves. Instead of 135 per cent (reserves), will have to go for 130 per cent, if the situation arises," Rawat said about VVPATs.

Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) or paper trail machine is a device which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip appears on a small window for seven seconds and then drops in a box. But the voter cannot take it home.

The VVPAT is used in all polling stations. But as of now, results of EVMs and VVPATs are matched in one polling station per constituency. There have been demands to increase the number of polling stations where EVM and VVPAT results are matched to dispel fears about electronic voting machines being 'hacked' to favour a particular political party.

Rawat said there have been delays in the delivery of paper trail machines as the Technical Experts Committee appointed by it analyses the technology stabilisation issues in the initial batches and incorporates essential design improvements. "This ensures we don't face the problems later," he said.

While all required EVMs  13.95 lakh ballot units and 9.3 lakh control units  will be delivered by 30 September, 17.15 lakh VVPATs will also be delivered well before the end of November, he added. Over 11 per cent of the 10,300 VVPAT machines across 10 states had developed faults and had to be replaced during the 28 May bypolls.A 34-year-old single mother was allegedly attacked by a mob of lawyers at the Hapur district court for pursuing a rape case against a lawyer; the family now claims they can't even engage a lawyer for the case

Hapur: Shabana (name changed) of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh always thought lawyers help litigants get justice, but instead she was attacked for pursuing a rape case against a lawyer.

When lawyers come forward to take law and order in their own hands, you can imagine the fate of the justice system, says the 34-year-old single mother of an eight-year-old girl who was allegedly attacked by a mob of lawyers, both men and women, at the Hapur district court on 10 August.

The incident took place when Shabana, who got divorced six months ago, was called to the district court to record her statement in the presence of the magistrate after she accused a lawyer, Anwar, of raping her on 6 August at her maternal house in Majipura village. She had filed a criminal case under Section 376.

"I am not afraid of anyone. In Yogis regime, the cases of rape and sexual assault have gone up. There is no justice and security for women. Tear their clothes, rape them, but there is no action taken. If the government cannot get you justice and security, then why are they in power?" asks Shabana.

"On Friday, I was taken to court under police custody. I could sense something fishy. Suddenly, a mob of lawyers including both males and females attacked me. By the time I could understand anything, my burqa was torn into pieces. I was abused and beaten badly. The sad part was that not only me, but the police present there were also targeted. Female constable Puja was someone who witnessed the abuse," bemoans Shabana.

"I can very well identify all the lawyers who attacked me, but I dont know their names. I am getting life threats. So much has happened by now. The culprit and his aides are out of the polices reach. No action can been seen at polices end. This could be because the matter concerns lawyers. If the police cannot control things, who else can? All I want is justice," she says.

Discussing the reason she had approached the lawyer in the first place, Shabana says she had given a sum of Rs 1,50,000 to a woman she knew. Since, she did return it, Shabana decided to see a lawyer.

"During my meeting with the lawyer, we exchanged phone numbers. Thereafter, I started getting his calls from different numbers as he asked me to come and sign documents pertaining to the case. I refused to go, saying there was no one at home," she says. She would get around three to four calls in a day from Anwar, says Shabana, adding that on 6 August, the lawyer insisted on visiting her to get the papers signed, and she did not object to that.

"Within no time, he (Anwar) was at my house. He asked me to get a pen to sign the papers. But, before I could find a pen, the lawyer forcefully caught hold of me and assaulted me on the tip of a knife," she claims.

Shabana says she is thankful that her mother entered the house at that very moment and found her screaming for help. Somehow, both of us managed to catch hold of the culprit. The neighbours had also gathered by then and helped us call the police, who took the lawyer into custody."

Superintendent of police (SP), Hapur, Sankalp Sharma, says a case under Section 323 of the IPC for voluntarily causing hurt was registered at Hapur police station against 20 unidentified lawyers last Saturday.

"Probe is under way. In first instance, they were two female lawyers who started the attack followed by a mob of male advocates," says Sharma.

"The question is how to identify the so-called culprits. We are moving an application to access CCTV footage of cameras installed outside the CJM court and proceedings would be swifter if the CJM permits. Arrests will be done once we have the evidence," Sharma adds.

There are allegations that the lawyers are supporting the advocate who has been accused of rape. However, Hapur Bar Association president Sanjay Kansal refused to comment on the case or the allegation against lawyers.

"We cant even engage with an advocate. They (lawyers) are spying on our every move. Previously, Shabana was getting threats. Now my family members and I are being followed and pressurised not to help her. How can one think of justice and fair trial when these lawyers are lobbying against a person who has suffered sexual assault," asks Shane Alam, village headman of Majipura.

The authors are Uttar Pradesh-based freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reportersAt a panel discussion after the launch of 'India's Vibgyor Man', politicians discussed the state of intolerance in India and whether Hindutva was a threat to democracy.

Former president of India Pranab Mukherjee took a trip down memory lane on Tuesday during the launch of the book Indias Vibgyor Man  Selected Writings and Speeches of LM Singhvi, an eminent jurist, parliamentarian, statesman and diplomat.

Recalling his long association with Singhvi, especially in 1995-96 when Mukherjee was the external affairs minister and Singhvi an MP, the former president called the period "post-independence renaissance".

"It was a post-independence renaissance because Singhvi worked towards institutionalising panchayati raj and tirelessly pushed for an anti-corruption ombudsman, as he was the original architect of India's Lokpal. It was Singhvi who gave the names Lokpal and Lokayukt," Mukherjee said at the event in Delhi, while narrating how Jawaharlal Nehru had asked Singhvi to tailor for India the ombudsman concept he had learnt about in Scandinavia.

Describing Singhvi as one among a handful of intellectuals with experimental expertise, Mukherjee said: "Through parliamentary interventions, Singhvi established his credentials in the House. Our paths crossed on many occasions, especially when he was the Indian High Commissioner in the UK. He never found difficulty in putting his views across to three British prime ministers and seven Indian prime ministers in his tenure and was extremely comfortable with all of them. He was truly a renaissance man."

Sharing his observations and experiences with Singhvi, Mukherjee called him a noted commentator on civil society, a prolific writer, scholar, a traditionalist and a jurist par excellence.

Indias Vibgyor Man was edited by Abhishek Manu Singhvi  LM Singhvi's son, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP  Supreme Court advocate Lokendra Malik. It contains more than 25 articles by Singhvi on constitutionalism, interfaith movement and other literary works, as well as his experiences as a diplomat and parliamentarian.

"The book's title comes from an article on Singhvi written by Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the Hindustan Times," Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at the launch.

At the panel discussion titled "Is India losing its identity or realising it" that followed the launch, Union minister Nitin Gadkari made two important statements: first, that neither the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) nor the Bharatiya Janata Party supported violence and mob lynching; and second, not a single political party in India could vouch that it didn't give tickets to candidates contesting elections on the basis of caste.

"From Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to me (as a former BJP president), we never supported any act of violence. As a swayamsevak, I can assert that the RSS never supported such incidents, which should be condemned by all. In 1947 and even later when there were riots in this country, the BJP was not at the Centre. Such isolated incidents shouldn't be connected with the government, or any party or organisation. In vote-bank politics, every party gives tickets on the basis of caste," Gadkari said.

In response to a question posed by moderator Karan Thapar  "Does the BJP believe that Hindutva is India's cultural ideology?"  Congress MP Anand Sharma said: "The present political environment has been vitiated by distrust and hatred in the name of religion. Hinduism is a composite and inclusive culture, which should never be mixed with Hindutva. There can't be any justification for the current incidents of communal violence and lynchings saying that riots happened in the past. The very idea of India is under assault. The public expects the government to follow its 'raj dharma'. The rule of law should prevail with effective enforcement, and culprits should be punished. Reawakening is needed to connect to Indias ethos and values."

Taking a leaf out of Sharma's statement, Abhishek Singhvi remarked: "The country hasn't changed, but its atmosphere has changed due to incidents of lynching, intolerance and mobocracy. Now, it's about right-wing Hinduism, and our syncretism and inclusiveness have been forgotten."

However, Biju Janata Dal MP from Puri Pinaki Mishra said that mob violence and incidents of lynching were "sheer lumpenism", rather than an effect of "Hindutva politics". "There have been countless assaults on Indian civilisation, but its identity was never lost. The current incidents have nothing to do with Hindutva or Hindusim, but these are due to lumpen elements in the society. There's a breakdown of law and order as well as an economic breakdown. And unfulfilled aspirations of the youth have given rise to anger, which has led to lumpenism," he explained.

Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi said: "We've used the minority as a vote bank. Minorities have to prove every day that they are not 'anti-national'. There's a sense of fear among people. What people actually feel is important, and the government has to make note of it."

In response to the question, "Is Hindutva undermining India's plural identity," Rajya Sabha member from the Shiromani Akali Dal Naresh Gujral observed: "India's strength is unity in diversity, and the challenge at present is to balance unity with diversity. There are fringe elements in every party. All governments should come down heavily on these fringe elements, who are nothing but terrorists."

As a possible remedy to social ills, former Janata Dal (United) MP Pavan Varma said: "The Indian civilisation is very old, and it's not easy for India to lose its identity. Today, there is a need to reassert that this civilisation won't be run by hatred and violence, and those who break the law of land will be reprimanded."

At the panel discussion, Gadkari also emphasised the need for a qualitative reform and said India's cultural bottom line is "welfare of the world".A new culture of target-driven goal setting has emerged in the past four years of the Narendra Modi government.

The profound thought of a saint defined a civilisational goal that, in its bid to do good to others, does good to oneself. However, before fulfilling the dharma, the artha needs to be realised. When a large part of Indias population is still barely making ends meet, it is their well being that becomes the first and foremost priority of the collective consciousness of the nation.

It is this very consciousness that is reflected in the prime ministers Independence Day speeches as he addresses the nation and sets common goals. A new culture of target-driven goal setting has emerged in the past four years of the Narendra Modi government. Prime Minister Modi has used the Red Forts pedestal to express his governments intent in clear measurable objective goals while also providing a new direction for people to combine their efforts towards.

Modi's first call for action was made during his first Independence Day speech in 2014, where he brought the nations attention to the plight of crores of women who were forced to defecate in the open. He highlighted the problems faced by school-going girls for lack of separate toilets in schools. Thereon, he launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and made the promise of ensuring separate toilets for girls in every school. Within one year of the announcement, 4.17 lakh toilets in 2.61 lakh government elementary and secondary schools were constructed/re-constructed. The entire endeavour was driven with public and private efforts combined. Everyone pitched in, from states, PSUs to private corporates, NGOs and spirited citizens. It is the outcome of concerted efforts by one and all that within the span of four years, the sanitation coverage has risen to 88.9 percent from mere 38 percent in 2014.

In recent times, the government has not only been able to just achieve the set goals but achieve them before the set target date. The goal of electrifying 18,500 villages within 1,000 days, made by Modi on 15 August, 2015, was realised 12 days before the target date. Considering the fact that the said villages were located at some of the remotest areas and had the most difficult terrain, it is no mean feat. Before the pledge was made, the pace of rural electrification had increasingly gone down.

In 2011-12, as many as 7,934 villages were electrified. However, it fell to mere 2,587 villages in 2012-13 and to 1,197 in 2013-14. A firm commitment to the cause and channelising of digital solutions to bring in transparency and probity in the system led to accelerated pace of village electrification.

The power ministry launched the GARV app that mapped Indias six lakh villages and tracked the ongoing electrification process. Power to every village and every home is the precursor to prosperity. By making it a focal point of his administration, Modi has shown how well he is attuned with the aspirations of the people.

It is, therefore, no wonder that when the world doubted Indians transition to a digital economy, Modi was firm in his belief. During one of his Independence Day speeches, he had said: "We have to move in a direction where every poor person is able to operate his bank account from his mobile, is able to demand various things from the government, can submit applications, can conduct all his business, while on the move, through mobile governance and if this has to be done, we have to move towards 'Digital India'."

He saw Digital India as an opportunity to reach the person at the last mile and empower him/her. For him, it was a great economic leveler. This counter-intuitive ability of the prime minister to catch peoples pulse is evident from the fact that in the year 2017-18, the number of e-payment transactions increased to Rs 2070.98 crore from a mere Rs 220 crore in 2013-14. With BHIM, a biometric payment systems app, the Modi government has further ushered in an era of financial equality. Based on Unified Payment Interface (UPI), it facilitates e-payments directly through bank. One does not even need an internet connection to operate the app. Till now, the app has proven to be seamless and secure. It has managed to surprise people with its world class design and easy operability.

The trend of promise followed by delivery, started by the prime minister, has turned around Indias image from a lumbered elephant to a charging mammoth. Modi announced 'Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana' to open the doors of banks to the poorest citizens of the country in his first address from the Red Fort. Since then, 31.95 crore beneficiaries have been banked with Rs 78,952 crore as the balance amount. The sheer scale of the worlds largest financial inclusion exercise is astounding.

The list of commitments made by Modi does not end here. In his 2015 Independence Day address, he spoke extensively of the need to get rid of deep-rooted corruption. He followed it up by striking hard on black money through demonetisation, forming treaties with Mauritius, Cyprus, Singapore to avoid double taxation, crackdown on shell companies, among others. For farmers, he promised irrigation; for the young, he promised strengthening their entrepreneurial spirit through institutional support and discontinuation of interview for junior-level posts; for our soldiers, he promised implementation of long-standing demand of One Rank One Pension and to each, he delivered.

From the ramparts of Red Fort, he stood with the crores of Muslim women fighting against the religious hegemony imposed on them through the archaic tradition of instant triple talaq. He promised them nations support in their struggle and he fulfilled his commitment by ensuring smooth passage of the bill in Lok Sabha to ban the practice in the Lok Sabha. He launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to provide a smoke-free life to 5 crore BPL women within three years. He fulfilled the promise 8 months before the intended target date.

The next in line are two significant promises that he has made to the nation. In his efforts to ensure ease of living for the citizens, he intends to provide comprehensive health coverage to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families under Ayushman Bharat and reach the target of housing for all by 2022. With a stellar track record of delivering on his promises, these too seem to be on their way to getting realised.

Every Independence Day speech of Modi is eagerly awaited as to what new direction he would give to the nation. Once he makes an announcement, it is then closely analysed for the results it produces. The government machinery and public come together to achieve that goal that once seemed like a distant possibility. What we are witnessing is a new era of delivery that seems to be setting in with every Independence Day.Narendra Modi castigated the Congress-led UPA for its 'governance failure' and promised housing, power, water, sanitation and healthcare for all in his mission to take the country to new heights.

New Delhi: Setting the stage for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday projected himself as an impatient agent of change, castigated the Congress-led UPA for its "governance failure" and promised housing, power, water, sanitation and healthcare for all in his mission to take the country to new heights.

He also announced that the ambitious Prime Minister's Jan Aarogya Abhiyan (PMJAA), dubbed "Modicare", for health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh each to 10 crore families will be launched on 25 September on the 102nd birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor.

In a strong election pitch, Modi reached out to Dalits, youth, farmers, tribals, women, fishermen, security forces, middle class and upper middle class by referring to the work done by his government and his endeavour to improve their lives, especially the poor.

In his last Independence Day speech at the Red Fort ahead of the next general elections, Modi said there was "senseless" criticism against him and asserted he was an impatient and restless agent of change for eliminating poverty and bringing all-round development. Five crore people, he said, have been brought out of poverty in the last two years.

The 80-minute address, however, avoided any reference to foreign policy issues, including Pakistan, or the controversies surrounding the spate of recent incidents of lynching, the National Register of Citizens in Assam and the Rafale jet deal.

Breaking his silence in the context of rape and sexual exploitation in welfare homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Modi said there was a need to attack such a mindset by putting the fear of the law that had been made stringent. He said the law was supreme and no one could take it into their hands.

Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Modi repeated the lines from his last year's 15 August speech that the Kashmir problem can be resolved only by embracing its people, not with bullets or abuses.

Reaffirming his mantra of "sabka saath, sabka vikas" (take everyone along, development for all), the prime minister said there would be no discrimination against any section and there would be no nepotism and favouritism.

"I want to reiterate my pledges - housing for all, power for all, clean cooking (gas) for all, water for all, sanitation for all, skills for all, insurance for all, connectivity for all. We want to go ahead with these programmes.

"People make senseless criticism against me. But whatever may be said, I want to publicly acknowledge that I am restless because several countries have marched ahead and I want to take the country ahead of them. I am impatient because children are still suffering from malnutrition. I am eager to provide quality of life and ease of living to countrymen. I am impatient to provide health coverage to each of the poor so that they can fight against diseases. I am eager because we have to lead a knowledge-based fourth industrial revolution," he said.

Answering critics who question his emphasis on cleanliness and the efficacy of the campaign, Modi cited a WHO report, which said that the Swachh Bharat Mission had saved the lives of three lakh poor children.

Modi turned poetic before winding up his long speech, saying that the country's fortunes were being transformed. "We have to make a new dawn and create a new India. We want to move ahead with the dream of reaching the crescendo of development."

Attacking the Congress but not by name, he said if a comparison was made of the speed of governance in the last four years, people would be surprised.

"If toilets were built at the speed of 2013, several decades would have gone to reach the present stage. Rural electrification would have taken two decades. Taking LPG connection to poor women would have taken 100 years. Generations would have gone to take optical fibre to its present levels. There are a lot of expectations, a lot of needs. The country is feeling a change in the last four years. There is new awareness, new enthusiasm."

He said the world had accepted that India was synonymous to "policy paralysis and delayed reform". "But, now the world is saying that policy decisions are being taken as per the 'reform, perform and transform' norm."

Avoiding any major economic announcement, the prime minister highlighted his government's achievements, citing GST as the centrepiece and the commendations from multilateral agencies on the reform measures.

"India has registered its name as the sixth largest economy in the world. Before 2013, institutions and economists across the world used to refer to India as a risky economy, but today the same institutions and individuals are saying with confidence that reforms have given India a new momentum and strong fundamentals.

"They say the sleeping elephant has woken up and started walking. For the next three decades, India is going to guide and speed up the world economy." He said while the country was earlier counted among the fragile five economies of the world "today India is considered a multi-trillion dollar destination for investment".

The prime minister said the BJP-led ND, unlike the UPA, A had the acumen to take bold decisions. "The demand for higher MSP (minimum support price) for farmers was pending for years."

Similar was the case with the veterans' demand for one rank, one pension, he said. Modi also attacked the opposition over the non-passage of triple talaq bill in the just-concluded monsoon session of Parliament and promised to do justice to Muslim women by getting it passed early.

Alleging that the previous governments had allowed a climate of corruption to thrive, he said his government had eliminated power brokers from Delhi and plugged loopholes in various schemes like Public Distribution System that had led to savings of Rs 90,000 crore.

He said six crore fake beneficiaries, "who were never born", of various government welfare schemes had been knocked out.

The measures initiated by the government had also led to near doubling of direct tax assesses from nearly four crore to 6.75 crore and indirect tax assesses from 75 lakh to 1.16 crore on account of the introduction of GST apart from barring over three lakh suspicious companies in the anti-black money drive.On India's 72nd Independence Day, the only section of people who seem independent are the radical Hindu groups: They recognise no authority, bristle at the control imposed on them and feel they have no obligation to others

The word independent has varying shades of meanings. It could mean anyone who is free from outside control and not subject to another's authority; one who is unwilling to be under an obligation to others; or one whose validity and value is dependent only on his/her opinion.

It was precisely why our forefathers felt so intoxicatingly liberated on 15 August, 1947: India, after all, was to become a self-governing nation, free from British control. Yet, their liberation was not absolute. They were to subject themselves to an authority they considered legitimate. They were to recognise constraints and obligations spelt out in the Constitution.

Our understanding of freedom, unfortunately, is increasingly coming under strain now.

On the 71st anniversary of India's Independence, the only section of people who seem independent, in the dictionary sense of the term, are the myriad radical Hindu groups mushrooming all over India. They seem to recognise no authority, bristle at the control imposed on them, feel they have no obligation to others, and their own validity is derived from their own sense of what India should be. Damn all those who differ from them, or so they think.

Examples conveying their idea of independence are captured in media headlines every other day  they lynch in the name of the cow, accost inter-faith couples, ride motorcycles shouting provocative slogans to trigger communal conflict, judge who is patriotic, and mount pressure to proscribe books and films. It can get as petty as objecting to the film Loveratri only because it rhymes with 'Navratri', and as dangerous as shooting at the student leader Umar Khalid.

They have turned festivals  whether of Hindus or Muslims or Christians, and even public celebrations not linked to any religion  into days of alarm and caution. Who can tell what they might find objectionable and unearth a reason to protest and fight? They feel emboldened because the climate for their politics has become favourable, the most recent example of which is Madhya Pradesh.

As we celebrate the 71st anniversary of Independence and enjoy a day-off from work, the madrasas in Madhya Pradesh have been ordered to hold Tricolour rallies and send videos to the State Madrasa Board as proof. The board will then judge which madrasa staged the best show. Other schools too have been asked to organise rallies, but they have been exempted from furnishing proof to the authorities. It is a glaring instance of the State doubting the patriotism of Muslims. It is just the kind of cue radical Hindu groups are quick to pick on.

Madhya Pradesh illustrates why suspicion and aggression have become the primary drivers of the politics of Hindu radicals. Or why they think they are under no obligation to anyone or required to submit to authority. Their conduct is a manifestation of their ideological belief. As is true of other groups on the opposite side of India's ideological spectrum, Hindu radicals also believe India's Independence remains an unfinished business; it is just a milestone on the long path to making the nation a 'Hindu Rashtra'.

This fact has had Hindu radicals re-interpret "independence" and "independent". All their actions, from lynching to hate mongering, are part of a long struggle which they believe will make India truly independent. This will happen with the advent of the 'Hindu Rashtra'. It is altogether a different matter that their ideological gurus have not outlined the contours of 'Hindu Rashtra', beyond just venting anger and hate against some social groups and categories of people.

Yet, behind this thought is a long political tradition, best represented by the actions and ideas of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the high priest of the Hindu Right, who coined the term 'Hindutva'. Freedom from British rule was not always Savarkar's principal impulse. For instance, when the Congress ministries in provinces resigned in 1939, in protest against the British unilaterally making India a party to World War II, Savarkar offered to work with the colonial masters.

On 9 October, 1939, Savarkar met Viceroy Lord Linlithgow, who reported to the Secretary of State for India their conversation. "The situation, he (Savarkar) said, was that His Majesty's Government must now turn to the Hindus and work with their support," Linlithgow said.

Savarkar also pointed out to the viceroy that France and Britain had strong differences in the past, but came together to face Germany. Likewise, the "essential thing was for Hinduism and Great Britain to be friends, and the old antagonism was no longer necessary".

Given that Gandhi, Nehru, Patel  the triumvirate of the national movement  were Hindu, who were the Hindus that Savarkar wanted the British to befriend? Obviously, they were those who were not participating in the anti-colonial movement. They were the Hindus who had rejected the idea of territorial nationalism for cultural nationalism.

Savarkar said so in as many words: "If India, because it was a territorial unit and called a country must be a national unit as well, then all of us must also be Indians only and cease to be Hindus or Muslims, Christians or Parsees. So they, the leaders of those first generations of English educated people, being almost all Hindus, tried their best to cease themselves to be Hindus and thought it below their dignity to take any cognizance of the divisions as Hindus and Moslems and became transformed overnight into Indian patriots alone"

Savarkar asked Hindu Sanghathnists to "first correct the original mistake". In other words, the struggle for Independence was not as important as the struggle to create the Hindu patriot  not the Indian patriot, mind you. On this kind of exercise, Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Muslim League too had embarked, demanding Pakistan as a homeland for Muslims. Like Jinnah, Savarkar's idea, too, was anchored in the two-nation theory.

In his address to the Hindu Mahasabha on 30 December, 1937, Savarkar said, "There are two nations in the main: The Hindu and the Moslems in India." A year later, he added, "The Hindus are the nation in India  in Hindusthan, and the Moslem minority a community."

His definition was exclusivist; it kept out Muslims from the Indian nation. Savarkar's ideas, directly or indirectly, continue to inform the actions of radical Hindu groups.

Members of these groups hold aloft the Tricolour and demand that others  students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Muslims, Christians  chant the slogan of 'Bharat Mata KI Jai' to display their patriotism. They would perhaps be shocked to know what Savarkar thought of the Tricolour. "I must emphatically state it (the Tricolour) can never be recognised as the national flag of Hindusthan (which) Hindudom at any rate can loyally salute no other flag, but this Pan-Hindu Dhwaja, this Bhagava Flag as its national standard."

Or perhaps they will not be shocked because of the sheer continuity, and persistence, of certain symbols around which the Hindu Right has constructed its politics. Since India and Hindu are overlapping terms for Hindu radicals, might not then the Indian flag subconsciously symbolise to them the Bhagava flag? A necessary substitute that would inevitably be replaced in the Hindu Rashtra? Is it why they try to coerce all others to pay obeisance to the flag in the way they think it is appropriate?

Let alone the flag, the two dominant motifs of the Hindu Right politics today  the cow and a Ram Temple in Ayodhya  also date to decades preceding Independence.

The cow-protection movement began in the late 19th Century, but its insertion in democratic politics was tellingly made in 1947 when thousands of telegrams, under the coordination of Right-wing groups, were sent to Rajendra Prasad, who was then the president of the Constituent Assembly. These telegrams, as Akshaya Mukul in The Gita Press and The Making of Hindu India noted, demanded a ban on cow-slaughter. Five days before Independence, on 10 August, 1947, an anti-cow slaughter day was organised and observed throughout the country.

In the 1950s, four Congress-ruled states banned the slaughter of cows. But this did not satisfy the Hindu Right, which, to press for an all-India ban on cow-slaughter, gave a call for a mass protest outside Parliament on 7 November, 1966. When it seemed Parliament would come under attack, lathi charge was ordered. There was chaos and mayhem. But the State's strong pushback against the violence of protectionists quieted them down for decades until their resurfacing, with renewed vigour, after the BJP swept the 2014 elections.

The other motif of the Hindu Right  the demand to build a Ram Janmabhoomi temple  too has a long history, dating all the way back to 1885. In 1949, the idol of Ram Lalla was installed inside the Babri Masjid, sparking litigations over the ownership of the disputed structure.

From 1989 until the demolition of the mosque on 6 December, 1992, the movement to reclaim the Babri Masjid left behind a trail of death and devastation. It has to be seen how the Ayodhya issue will shape politics before the 2019 elections, given that the Supreme Court is hearing the matter.

For all of us, 15 August 1947 marks the birth of India as a nation-state. It is the end of history, so to speak, of being and becoming. For radical Hindu groups, 15 August is an interlude, a staging station to realise the dream of the Hindu Rashtra. The struggle for it will necessarily target those whom it excludes, as has been happening with Muslims around the country.

As was true of the anti-colonial movement, there are moderates, radicals and armed groups constituting the Hindu Right. But just where India is headed has been alarmingly underscored by the seizure of weapons and crude bombs from members of the Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti.

We must note, grimly so, that Independence Day has a meaning quite different for Hindu radicals than what it has for you and I.The Congress party tweeted out a video of BJP national president Amit Shah, trying to unfurl the National Flag. However, instead of climbing up the mast, the flag accidentally came down. Shah, quickly realised his mistake and hoisted the flag properly.

Auto refresh feeds

A cordon of tight security, including NSG snipers, elite SWAT commandos, kite catchers, over 500 CCTV cameras and thousands of security personnel, have been thrown around the Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday

Security has been tightened in Delhi as India gears up for Independence Day; visuals from Daryaganj

Union home minister Rajnath Singh hoisted the Indian flag at his residence in New Delhi and distributed sweets among security personnel.

On the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, President Ram Nath Kovind has approved 131 Gallantry Awards to members of Armed Forces Personnel and Paramilitary Forces. Major Aditya and slain rifleman Aurangzeb will be posthumously conferred the Shaurya Chakra award today. Aurangzeb's mother told ANI I am happy and thankful that he is getting the Shaurya Chakra but I am sad that he is no longer there with us.

While nearly 70,000 Delhi Police personnel are guarding the national capital, close to 10,000 cops have been deployed in the Mughal-era fort, which will see the presence of senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people during the PM's address on Wednesday. Delhi Police personnel have been specifically asked to keep an eye on the sky to ensure that no stray kites are seen in the areas around the Red Fort.- PTI

"This year, intelligence agencies have not issued any specific alerts about any specific terror organisation planning to target the national capital. However, the threat is there from all terror outfits and we have to be alert, especially during this time," a senior police officer said.

This time, 36 women personnel of the Delhi Police Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit will also be guarding the venue with their male counterparts.

Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh, HD Deve Gowda, Union minister JP Nadda and BJP leader LK Advani at the Red Fort have arrived at the Red Fort and Narendra Modi is going to address the nation shortly. On Tuesday, around 2,500 lamps illuminated the historic Red Fort from 7:30 pm to 11 pm, in the run-up to Independence Day celebrations, a statement by the Ministry of Culture said. It is the first ever illumination of the historic monument's front fortification wall and its two important gateways: Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate, it said. Over 500 CCTV cameras have been installed on the routes leading to the Red Fort with over 200 cameras in the fort itself. The footage is being monitored round the clock, police said.

Early in the morning of the 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. This will be the prime minister's fifth speech since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in 2014. He will be received by the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (MoS) for defence Dr Subhash Bhamre and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra. Seven hundred cadets of the National Cadet Corps drawn from 16 schools of the Delhi Directorate comprising the army, Navy and Air Force wings are participating in the flag hoisting ceremony this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the historic Red Fort, will address the nation shortly. He is accompanied by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and goes ahead to inspect the guard of honour.

A team of five Delhi Police officers involved in the encounter of gangster Neetu Dabhodia in 2013 are among the 24 police personnel who have been conferred police medals for their exemplary service on Independence Day. Five police officers from the Special Cell - Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav and his team comprising ACPs Lalit Mohan Negi, Hridaya Bhushan, Ramesh Chander Lamba and Sub-Inspector Sukbir Singh have been awarded Police Medals for Gallantry. They formed the team that risked its life and killed gangster Dabhodia in an encounter in 2013. Among the 16 officers are Amarendra Kumar Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police Rajendra Singh Sagar, Aditional DCP and ACPs Birjender Singh Rai and Sanjay Dutt.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins speech at Red Fort; says the country is scaling new heights. Earlier, Modi arrived at the historic Red Fort with defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

PM Narendra Modi unfurled the Indian flag at Red Fort. Modi salutes the women of India, says our daughters have crossed all seven seas and have coloured the world in tricolour.

Addressing the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "We are proudly celebrating Independence Day today as six women officers of the Indian Navy, circumnavigated the globe recently recalling on INSV Tarini. While saluting the women of India, the prime minister says our daughters have crossed all seven seas and have coloured the world in tricolour.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "India has registered its name as one of the largest global power. And after such an achievement, we are celebrating the Independence Day today. He also brought up the recently concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission.

Mentioning the Kerala floods, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "This year, on one hand, we got news of good rainfall in the country, on the other hand, we know how people are struggling due to floods in some parts of India. " My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India, says Modi. He also pays tribute to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, says next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

On the 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The Constitution of India, given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is progressing rapidly."

We have to ensure social justice for all, create an India that is progressing rapidly: Modi

The nation pays respect to all freedom fighters and tributes to those martyrs who laid down their lives for Indias freedom, Union home minister Rajnath Singh says.

Narendra Modi lists NDA govt's achievements, schemes in last speech at Red Fort before polls. "We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realize the unbelievable strides the nation has taken," says Modi. We didn't just form the government, we are making process," PM Modi says while counting the success and contribution on his government.

Indians did not just elect a government, they went ahead and participated in nation building. The country has progressed manifold as compared to the government's speed in 2013. Launching an attack on UPA govt, Modi says, "If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete."

Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year, GST became a reality.I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST. Bringing up issue of delay in reforms, the prime minister says, "The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With the blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our government." He adds that there has been rapid "vikas" (development) in the last four years.

MSP decision was taken by our govt after UPA's years of delay, says Modi

Launching an attack on UPA government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says,"From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "There was a time when north east India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them, but today we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of the North East." Modi says that news of highway, railway, airways, waterways, and information-based highways are coming in from the North East. The youth is generating employment, North East is also is witnessing the rise of new educational institutes, he says. India's voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. and we are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us, says Modi. We were counted among fragile 5, but now we are a multi-trillion dollar investment destination, adds Modi.

We brought North East closer to Delhi, says Modi in last speech at Red Fort before polls

Bringing up agricultural development, he says, "With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing exceptional reforms in the agriculture sector. Our aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022."

Prime Minister Modi talks about India's technological advancement and says,"India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation." While announcing the launch of Gaganyaan, he says,"In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space." Modi says that in 2022, when we will celebrate 75th year of Independence we are dedicated to send the people of the country to space. "We will launch Gaganyan which will be made by Indian scientist then we will become the 4th country in the world to take people to space."

In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space, says Modi at Red Fort

Mentioning accomplishments in the agricultural sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says,"The farmers of our country are emphasising on solar farming. Apart from farming, the farmers can now sell electricity produced from solar energy." Enlisting his achievements, the prime minister says, "Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheenchne waale hain," (I am one of those who write my promises indelibly on stone and not butter).

Announcing the launch of health schemes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get proper access to good quality and affordable healthcare." Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives and even the WHO has praised it, says Modi. "Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat, " he says.Claiming that the healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians, he says, "It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare."

He also says that in the last two years, 5 crore people have been lifted out of poverty. "Taxpayers have almost doubled as compared to 2013. In 2013, there were 3 crore taxpayers and now there are close to 7.25 people paying direct tax," claims Modi.

As significant as economic growth, is the dignity of the individual, says Modi. Our schemes such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indian. "The honest Indian taxpayer has a big role in the progress of the country. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed," says Modi. Recalling demonetisation he says that his government will not forgive those hoarding black money. "They have ruined the country. Delhi's streets are now free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard," says Modi.

Saying that the rule of law is supreme,no one can take law in their hands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says,"We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by fast track court. We should spread this news and make people aware."

We have to free our society, country from this disgusting mentality of rape: Modi

Raising the issue of triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end. I promise the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them."

Talking of the north east, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace. "From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation."

Bringing up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "We don't want bullets or slurs, but development in Jammu and Kashmir."

We don't want bullets or slurs, but development in Jammu and Kashmir, says PM in speech at Red Fort

Enlisting the progress of women during his tenure, Prime Minister Modi said post Independence, this is the first Cabinet where maximum women have found a place. The prime minister said, "I am proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. Since independence, this is the first cabinet where so many women are a part of the cabinet." He also said that women officers commissioned in short service will get the opportunity for a permanent commission like their male counterparts.

Before concluding his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says," We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way."

PM Narendra Modi concludes his speech, says we want to progress more

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman says,"As we celebrate this festival of freedom, my heart goes out to those brave martyrs of the soil and their families who gave the supreme sacrifice to protect our motherland. "

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot tweets, "Independence Day is an occasion to salute the dedication, valour and zeal of our armed forces, with which they protect our borders day and night, in thunders n desert storms. Let us salute to all our soldiers." while Meira Kumar says,"On Independence day we salute those who fought for the cause of freedom from colonialism, injustice and oppression. Their sacrifices continue to inspire us."

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis unfurled the tricolour in Mumbai on Wednesday. Meanwhile, police have been put on high alert for Independence Day across Mumbai with maximum number of personnel deployed for patrolling and vehicles coming into the city being frisked at all entry points, a senior official said on Wednesday. He said that the security at sensitive locations as well as vital installations had been tightened in view of the red letter day.

Fiji is the 1st place where Indian tricolour was hoisted on the 72nd Independence Day.INS Sahyadri paraded the guard while the flag was hoisted by Vishwas Sapkal, High Commissioner of India, with Captain Shantanu Jha and Captain Manish Rai.

On Tuesday, Goyal has directed that the issues raised by US companies with regard to fast-tracking clearance at the railways' research and development wing RDSO, third-party certification and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be examined by the Railway Board, according to a statement from the national transporter.

The Indian Railways on Tuesday in its new time-table announced that it is all set to introduce more of its niche trains such as Antyodaya Express, Uday Express and Tejas Express in the next 12 months. According to the Railway Ministry's new Trains at a Glance (TAG), the railway publication, it includes the name of one new Antyodaya Express and two brand new Tejas Express trains. The new list also includes two new Uday Express trains.

In 2016, he had spoken for 96 minutes, the longest ever Independence Day address by an Indian prime minister. India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke for 72 minutes in 1947 which was till 2015 the longest ever speech from the Red Fort.- PTI

After delivering his shortest Independence Day speech last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed his trend of delivering long speeches and spoke for over 80 minutes while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort. Modi had last year spoken for 57 minutes, his shortest Independence Day speech in five years.

Colourful fans handcrafted by tribal artisans offered relief to the dignitaries, including foreign diplomats and politicians, braving high humidity levels during the Independence Day function at the historic Red Fort. An overcast sky with high relative humidity was a perfect recipe for a typical sultry morning in the national capital. The bamboo-made fans crafted by artisans from the Mahali tribe of West Bengal, were provided to the invitees, including ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats and other VVIPs. A thousand hand-crafted fans were procured by the defence ministry from the Tribal Affairs Ministry's agency TRIFED, as part of the government's efforts to popularise tribal products.- PTI

BJP President Amit Shah unfurls the national flag at Party headquarters in Delhi while Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami hoists the tricolour in Chennai.

"A long-standing tradition in this four million square kilometre nation where truckers who live on the road surround themselves with cheerful folk art to occupy their minds during long months away from their families," the search engine giant said in a statement.- PTI

Search engine Google on Wednesday dedicated a doodle to mark India's 72nd Independence Day inspired by the nation's truck art. The doodle features a couple of peacocks crossing their beaks at the centre and the national birds are flanked on both sides by a Bengal tiger and an elephant. Other elements in the doodle comprise India's national flower, the lotus with the sun rising in the backdrop and a riot of colourful flowers.

Indian and Bangladesh security personnel exchanged sweets at the border on Independence Day on Wednesday. Earlier, ahead of the Independence Day, Indian authorities had asked security forces to increase vigil along the international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar, officials said on Monday. Border Security Force troopers are guarding India's border with Bangladesh while the Assam Rifles are deployed along the country's frontier with Myanmar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India will be the engine of growth for the world economy for the next three decades as the "sleeping elephant" has started to run on the back of structural reforms like GST. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, he listed out the pace of reforms in the last four years of his government that pulled out the country from being considered a "fragile and risky" economy to being the fastest in the world.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh slams Modi for his Independence Day speech and says that the prime minister is misguiding people with his false promises. He also said that the speech seemed like an election rally address than an Independence Day speech.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he wanted to provide quality life for all Indians, which includes housing, electricity, water and other amenities. "Housing for all, power for all, water for all, LPG for all, toilet for all, skill for all, health for all, insurance for all, connectivity for all," Modi said towards the end of his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort in Delhi. "Malnutrition is a big problem. I want to provide quality life to my people."- IANS

Like his BJP counterparts, Congress president unfurled the tricolour at the Congress headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday. While wishing Indians, Rahul recalls freedom fighters who laid down their lives for this day. Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday unfurled the tricolour here to mark the 72nd Independence Day celebrations in Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy joined about 8,000 people at the Field Marshal Manekshaw parade ground in the city centre on the occasion.

After security personnel in India and Bangladesh border, Pakistan Rangers and BSF exchange sweets at Attari- Wagah border on the occasion of Independence Day.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee hoists the national flag in Kolkata. Earlier, Banerjee paid rich tributes to the nation on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day. "Salute to our great nation and all my brothers and sisters. Like every year, we will be celebrating 'Freedom at midnight... Jai Hind. Bande Mataram Independence Day India," Banerjee wrote on Twitter.

Defence minsiter Nirmala Sitharaman thanks the prime minister on Twitter, says, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart @PMOIndia @narendramodi for offering women SSC officers Permanent Commission. At every step, you do the needful to empower women."

The Congress party took a dig at Shah for 'insulting' the National Flag and tweeted that those who can't even take care of the National Flag can't run the country.

The Congress party tweeted out a video of BJP national president Amit Shah, trying to unfurl the National Flag. However, instead of climbing up the mast, the flag accidentally came down. Shah, quickly realised his mistake and hoisted the flag properly.

The middle class in India is estimated to be over 300 million.

He said the number of direct tax payers had nearly doubled and the number of those paying indirect tax had gone up from 70 lakh to 1.16 crore in one year of GST implementation. The salaried middle class was among those considered honest tax payers and Modi's mention of them in the Independence Day address is being seen as a ploy to reach out to them ahead of the Assembly polls later in 2018 and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to honest taxpayers saying it is their taxes that fund the government programmes for the poor and "these good deeds will earn them 'punya'. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 72nd Republic Day, Modi said the country was witnessing "a festival of honesty".

The Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) jointly celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day at the Nathu La pass in Sikkim. A border meeting between the two armies also took place today at Nathu La.

Indian Council of Cultural Relations President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was in Beijing to attend the World Congress of Philosophy, said that by watching Bollywood and reading websites one can know India only superficially. "India cannot be understood by simply reading books and visiting websites. India is an experience," Sahasrabuddhe said.

India plans to launch an "Understanding India" programme in China to "demystify" the country and create a better understanding of it. Despite being immediate neighbours, India and China lack people-to-people contact and cultural exchange.

After security personnel in India and Bangladesh border, Pakistan Rangers and BSF exchange sweets at Attari- Wagah border on the occasion of Independence Day.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee hoists the national flag in Kolkata. Earlier, Banerjee paid rich tributes to the nation on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day. "Salute to our great nation and all my brothers and sisters. Like every year, we will be celebrating 'Freedom at midnight... Jai Hind. Bande Mataram Independence Day India," Banerjee wrote on Twitter.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart @PMOIndia @narendramodi for offering women SSC officers Permanent Commission. At every step you do the needful to empower women. From the #RedFort #IndependenceDay #EmpoweringWomen #TransformingIndia

Defence minsiter Nirmala Sitharaman thanks the prime minister on Twitter, says, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart @PMOIndia @narendramodi for offering women SSC officers Permanent Commission. At every step, you do the needful to empower women."

The Congress party took a dig at Shah for 'insulting' the National Flag and tweeted that those who can't even take care of the National Flag can't run the country.

The Congress party tweeted out a video of BJP national president Amit Shah, trying to unfurl the National Flag. However, instead of climbing up the mast, the flag accidentally came down. Shah, quickly realised his mistake and hoisted the flag properly.

The middle class in India is estimated to be over 300 million.

He said the number of direct tax payers had nearly doubled and the number of those paying indirect tax had gone up from 70 lakh to 1.16 crore in one year of GST implementation. The salaried middle class was among those considered honest tax payers and Modi's mention of them in the Independence Day address is being seen as a ploy to reach out to them ahead of the Assembly polls later in 2018 and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to honest taxpayers saying it is their taxes that fund the government programmes for the poor and "these good deeds will earn them 'punya'. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 72nd Republic Day, Modi said the country was witnessing "a festival of honesty".

The Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) jointly celebrated India's 72nd Independence Day at the Nathu La pass in Sikkim. A border meeting between the two armies also took place today at Nathu La.

Indian Council of Cultural Relations President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was in Beijing to attend the World Congress of Philosophy, said that by watching Bollywood and reading websites one can know India only superficially. "India cannot be understood by simply reading books and visiting websites. India is an experience," Sahasrabuddhe said.

India plans to launch an "Understanding India" programme in China to "demystify" the country and create a better understanding of it. Despite being immediate neighbours, India and China lack people-to-people contact and cultural exchange.

Independence Day Latest updates: Setting the stage for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday projected himself as an impatient agent of change, castigated the Congress-led UPA for its "governance failure" and promised housing, power, water, sanitation and healthcare for all in his mission to take the country to new heights.

The Congress party tweeted out a video of BJP national president Amit Shah, trying to unfurl the National Flag. However, instead of climbing up the mast, the flag accidentally came down. Shah, quickly realised his mistake and hoisted the flag properly.

On the 72nd Independence Day, before concluding his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the country was on a new trajectory of growth due to initiatives in the last four years of his government and asserted that he was impatient to take the country ahead of many others in the world.

Announcing the launch of health schemes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year." He also Narendra Modi announces Rs 5 lakh health insurance for poor at Red Fort. Modi says, "There was a time when North East India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them, but today we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of the North East." Launching an attack on UPA government, Modi says,"From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth." Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins speech at Red Fort; says the country is scaling new heights. Earlier, Modi arrived at the historic Red Fort with defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

A cordon of tight security, including NSG snipers, elite SWAT commandos, kite catchers, over 500 CCTV cameras and thousands of security personnel, have been thrown around the Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

Police are on high alert in the wake of an attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid in the Lutyens' Delhi area on Monday and a terror attack in the UK on Tuesday, where a man drove a car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians, injuring three people, a senior police officer said.

On Monday, police were informed by a person that a man, wearing a uniform of an Indian Air Force officer, was suspiciously roaming near the Rajiv Chowk Metro station, and when he tried to call him, the man in uniform just fled from there.

"This year, intelligence agencies have not issued any specific alerts about any specific terror organisation planning to target the national capital. However, the threat is there from all terror outfits and we have to be alert, especially during this time," a senior police officer said.

While nearly 70,000 Delhi Police personnel are guarding the national capital, close to 10,000 cops have been deployed in the Mughal-era fort, which will see the presence of senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people during the prime minister's address on Wednesday.

Delhi Police personnel have been specifically asked to keep an eye on the sky to ensure that no stray kites are seen in the areas around the Red Fort.

Last year, when the Prime Minister was addressing the nation on Independence Day, a black kite had landed below the podium.

The kite landed quietly without causing any disturbance and the prime minister had continued his address unfazed.

Kite-catchers have been deployed even though kite-flying has been restricted in the area till 11 am. Over 500 CCTV cameras have been installed on the routes leading to the Red Fort with over 200 cameras in the fort itself. The footage is being monitored round the clock, police said.

This time, 36 women personnel of the Delhi Police Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit will also be guarding the venue with their male counterparts.

Police have already carried out anti-sabotage checks in the area and visited hotels in the vicinity in search of suspicious elements, officials said, adding that a security audit of the residents, including tenants, has been completed.

At the Red Fort, a special team of NSG snipers and commandos will form the inner layer of the security cordon, while anti-aircraft guns have been deployed to thwart any aerial intrusion by objects like drones and projectiles, senior police officials said.

Delhi Police has already prohibited aerial activities, including para-gliding, flying UAVs and hot air balloons, across the city.

The buildings facing the Red Fort will be secured by police and paramilitary personnel.

Security along the route to be taken by the Prime Minister's cavalcade, from his official residence to the Red Fort, will be monitored with the help of hundreds of CCTV cameras.

Special "spotters" of Delhi Police and the paramilitary will keep an eye on parking areas. Sniffer dogs will also be part of the extensive security deployment.

According to a statement by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, train services will run as usual. However, stations like Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate and ITO will have restrictions on entry and exit during the ceremony owing to security considerations.

Parking will not be available at the stations till 2 pm on Wednesday in view of the security measures, the DMRC said.In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament. He blamed 'some people', an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon session.

New Delhi: The government is committed to bring in a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday even as he blamed "some people" for stalling its passage in Parliament.

In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament. He blamed "some people", an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon session.

The bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and seeks prison term of up to three year for the men. He said the government had once again pushed for the passage of the bill in the Monsoon Session.

"The practice of triple talaq has created problems in the lives of Muslim women ... we brought law in Parliament, but some people are not allowing to pass it. I assure you that you would not be let down. I will do all it needs (to bring the law)," he said. While the bill has been passed by Lok Sabha, it is pending in Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.

To make the proposed law palatable to the opposition, a provision of bail for the accused from a magistrate has been added. Also, the amendments to the bill cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, make provision for settlement between the husband and the wife.

The FIR can now only be lodged by the victim, her blood relations and those who have become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Others, like neighbours, cannot lodge an FIR to prevent misuse of the proposed law.Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for giving wide publicity to the cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with 'demonic mindset'

New Delhi: Asserting that the rule of law is supreme for his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for giving wide publicity to the cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with "demonic mindset".

"The country, our society need to be rid off this demonic mindset," he said during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort. "The rule of law is supreme for us and there can be no compromise with this," he said. Modi said the society needs to feel a million times more pain a rape victim endures.

He spoke about fast-track trial of rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the convicts were condemned to death within days and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes. "The more the publicity, the more the fear it will instill in people with demonic mindset," Modi said.

He asked people to inculcate values and respect for women in their children. The prime minister referred to the elevation of two women as judges of the Supreme Court. "Now, in a first, there are three women judges in the top court," he said.

Justices Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee were recently elevated as judges of the Supreme Court. Malhotra was the first senior woman advocate to be directly appointed as the judge of the top court. Among the three sitting women judges, Justice R Banumathi is the seniormost and was elevated to the court on 13 August, 2014.Students and professionals from the North East have been harassed, abused and even murdered, simply because they were 'different', since we have been quick to label people and form judgements

Do you eat momos for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Are your grandparents from China? How come your parents allow you to wear such clothes? Your food smells! Dude, close the tiffin box! Is your village in a jungle? You are all tribals, right? Does your brother wear skirts to weddings and other celebrations?

That's how we stereotype our own people and that's how we are going to isolate and tear apart our nation. One of the authors of this post, Chum Darang, faced unwanted incidents of discrimination directed against her in Mumbai. She faced difficulties, and with great courage, protested in Mumbai. Her Instagram post on the issue went viral, but was still only covered by the North East media. Her harassers in Mumbai won't get to know about her side of the story at all.

India is a country which has always been seen as a melting pot of various religions, traditions and ethnicities. We pride ourselves on the fact that we have a pluralistic culture, which has evolved and matured over several millennia. Our nation survived attempts by the colonial forces to disintegrate and divide us, so why are we not trying hard enough to hold it together now? Why do we not see diversity as our USP? The fact that you can find momos, samosas and idlis in the same kitchen is a matter of great joy. We have always celebrated differences; let's not do this any other way.

We have written this article to express our worries and concerns over the way we are discriminating against citizens from the North East. Incidents of violence and abuse related to racial discrimination have been surfacing from most major cities in the country.

Students and professionals from the North East have been harassed, abused and even murdered, simply because they were "different". We have been quick to label people and form judgements; if we see a young boy from the North East with a distinct hairstyle and sporting tattoos, we assume that he is either a "junkie", an alcoholic or a drug peddler.

Nido Tania was just another 20-year-old boy having fun in a Delhi market with his friends when he was mocked for his "funny" hairstyle. And just like any other normal teenager, he retorted. However, what ensued after was not normal and Nido lost his life.

Yes, the colour of his skin was of a different shade; yes, he had Mongolian features; and yes, his food habits and dressing choices were different, but all that should not have made him any less worthy of respect and appreciation.

It was in response to this and other such incidents that the Bezbaruah Committee was set up. The committee came up with useful directives to address the growing menace of discrimination. However, putting these directives into action is our responsibility.

We need to start by sensitising ourselves towards the needs and concerns of the northeastern community. It has been highlighted in a number of reports that migrants from the North East avoid interacting with the police simply because they feel unsafe around them. This is bizarre. If those who are tasked to protect us do not inspire confidence, then we are clearly doing something wrong. We therefore need civil society groups to conduct awareness and sensitisation workshops for police officers and constables. Sensitising the law enforcement agencies has to be the first step in addressing the problem.

Bodies such as NCERT can also help sensitise the other stakeholders in society towards the northeastern community. NCERT can add a chapter on the history and culture of the North East in school curriculum, so that students are familiar with the unique culture of the region from a young age. Universities and colleges can also run short orientation sessions designed especially for students from the North East who are new to the city.

A cultural forum can be set up in collaboration with educational institutions and student associations. The main objective of such a forum will be to conduct cultural festivals showcasing different North East traditions, cultures, handicrafts etc.

The government should initiate and fund mechanisms to organise awareness campaigns on rights. Most surveys have found little understanding of the legal system and low awareness of important legislation such as the Prevention of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. If citizens don't know how to exercise their rights, there is only so much that the legal system do to ensure justice.

Support can also be offered by running campaigns through social media channels such as Facebook and WhatsApp. These channels can play a big role in cultivating a community spirit and offering support and advice in times of need.

This will not only help them adjust better and faster, but people would also know whom to reach out to in case they need help and support. By taking these small but proactive steps, governments and educational institutions can fulfil their promise of creating a just and equitable society, where diversity is not only embraced but also celebrated.

For, it is not only the victimised community that suffers alone; each of us who fail to stop this injustice, lose a bit of humanity.

The authors are a member of Parliament for Arunachal East; a former Miss India; and a policy analyst, respectivelyThe India Meteorological Department has sounded a red alert to several districts of Kerala after rains intensified, taking the toll of people who lost their lives in the floods to 44 on Wednesday.

The India Meteorological Department has sounded a red alert to several districts of Kerala after rains intensified on Wednesday, taking the toll to 54.

According to ANI, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam districts are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Thursday. Kochi's Nedumbaserry airport will remain closed till Saturday or until the situation improves, as runways at the international terminal have flooded, airport authorities said. Flights are being diverted to other airports as the state has been battered by torrential rains since 8 August.

#BREAKING - Red alert in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki, and Ernakulam. Death toll rise to 40 and flight operations have been suspended till 18th August | Inputs by @neethureghu #DamsDamnKerala pic.twitter.com/r9vPy4K8QR  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018

Heavy and incessant rain continues to lash Kerala; Visuals from Kochi's Eloor pic.twitter.com/JgHyFHBOWk  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Calling the development "unprecedented", Kochi airport director ACK Nair told IANS, "Why we decided to take this step is because since last night, dams like Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Idamalayar have opened their shutters. The water released by these dams reaches the Periyar river, and one of its tributaries that is overflowing flows close to the airport, sending the waters to our operational area."

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend arrival operations from 4 am to 7 am on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted about this saying, "CIAL is working hard to drain out the stormwater". Vijayan also chaired an emergency with the state officials to review the situation in the state, Times Now report.

Kerala-based journalist TK Devasia said heavy rains since Tuesday have brought the flood situation back to the state. The five sluice gates of Cheruthoni dam, part of the Idukki reservoir, are being raised again following heavy inflow of water from the Mullapperiyar dam which has necessitated the evacuation of people on the banks of Periyar river.

Two shutters, which had been closed on Monday, were opened on Tuesday evening as the water level rose. The rising level at the Mullaperiyar dam, which touched 136.10 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet, was still a matter of concern, official sources said.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four trains - Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore express, Kanyakumari-Mumbai CSMT express, Dibugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and Gandhidham-Tirunelveli Humsafar Express, railway sources said.

A few passenger trains have been partially hit and rail traffic on Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions. On Thiruvananhtapuram-Thrissur section, trains will be delayed due to speed restrictions due to rise in water levels in rivers and lakes. The engineering department is continuously monitoring the safety of bridges, railways said.

Weathermen have warned of heavy rains and gusty winds, with speeds reaching 60 kilometres per hour in all 14 districts. With almost all rivers in spate, reports of landslides have come in from Malappuram and Munnar in Idukki on Wednesday morning.

A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni 12 nautical miles off the Alappuzha coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it. "A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting," he said.

Over 1,000 people living on the banks of the Periyar river have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure after the Mullaperiyar dam's shutters were opened and water released through spillway early on Wednesday morning. Though 13 shutters of the dam were initially opened by 4.30 am, three were closed and discharge through the spillway reduced to 3,480 cusecs.

On Tuesday, one man was killed and two others were injured in Thrissur district after an uprooted tree fell on them following heavy rains and strong winds. In the high-range Idukki district, an 85-year-old woman was killed in Elakkal and a 52-year-old woman died in Keerithode when mounds of earth fell on their homes. A man from Tamil Nadu was killed last evening when earth fell on a hotel he was working in Munnar while six other employees were rescued. In a similar incident, a couple and their six-year-old son were killed when earth fell on their house at Kondotty in Malappuram district early on Wednesday. A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur after he came in contact with a live electric wire.

Unabated rains forced the government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations and the amount set aside for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday allotted Rs 1,000 crore for repairing public roads destroyed in rains across the state. Besides, Rs 200 crore was set apart for repairing roads in the Sabarimala region as well.

According to authorities, over 215 landslides were reported in the rain-battered state, where 444 villages were declared flood-hit by the state government. At least 20,000 houses were fully destroyed in the deluge and about 30,000 persons had taken shelter in relief camps. Rains and landslides had destroyed 10,000 km of roads in the state, Vijayan said.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board has asked the devotees to avoid their pilgrimage to Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district to participate in the Niraputhari as water level in Pamba River was rising steadily.

With inputs from agencies and TK DevasiaThe Tamil Nadu government has agreed to draw more water from the Mullaperiyar Dam, following neighbouring Kerala's request and Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention

Auto refresh feeds

Vijayan urged people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund. "Whatever the contribution, small or big, let us make this year's Independence Day an occasion to help."

"We are celebrating this year's Independence Day when the floods have ravaged the state. It is a disaster that has never been witnessed in the state. But if all of us join hands, we will be able to handle any disaster," he said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday urged people to contribute generously in the wake of the state's worst flood disaster in 94 years even as he took the Independence Day salute in Trivandrum in pouring rain.

Following the suspension of operations in the Cochin International Airport till 2 pm on 2 August, the Kerala government has approached Navy to explore the possibility of using the naval airport at the Wellingdon Island for operating smaller aircraft. The government has also urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to divert the Kochi-bound flights to Karipur airport at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airport instead of Mumbai and Bangalore airports. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been asked to operate special services to take the passengers in the diverted flights to their respective destinations.

Sluice gates of 35 out of 39 dams have been opened for the first time in the history of the state. The opening of all the 13 shutters of the Mullapperiyar dam, maintained and operated by Tamil Nadu, has led to floods in several areas in the downstream including the densely populated Aluva town. The shutters were opened after the water-level crossed the Supreme Court-approved 142. Even after opening all the shutters the water level remained at the maximum storage capacity.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan held an emergency meeting earlier in the day, to monitor the flood situation in the state. He said, "We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people," Vijayan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

A column of Garhwal Regiment rescued 23 civilians from HIL colony in Eloor, Ernakulam. The column used ingenuity and modified tubes and utensils to rescue the women and children stranded in the area.

According to the latest government order, several top-ranking IAS officers have been asked to report on duty and assist the district collectors in managing the relief and rescue work.

The Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has informed that the discharge of water from Idukki dam will be increased to 1500 cumecs at 5 pm. I was increased from 1300 cumecs at 3 pm to 1400 cumecs at 4 pm. KSDMA has appealed to the people near the dam and those living on the banks of the Periyar river to remain cautious.

In Ernakulam, the administration has declared holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, both on 16 and 17 August. Eleven of 14 districts in Kerala are on high alert.

The educational institutes will remain shut in the following eight districts tomorrow, owing to flooding and predictions of more rainfall: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Kottayam, Livemint reported.

A man from Tamil Nadu was killed last evening when earth fell on a hotel he was working in Munnar while six other employees were rescued. In a similar incident, a couple and their six-year-old son were killed when earth fell on their house at Kondotty in Malappuram district early on Wednesday. A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur after he came in contact with a live electric wire. With this, the death toll in the heavy rain since 8 August has risen to 54.

The fresh bout of heavy rain has claimed 21 lives in various parts of Kerala. Seven members of a family who died after a mass of earth fell on their house at Peringavu in Malappuram district are among the dead. One person is feared to be trapped in the debris. Moreover, in the high-range Idukki district, an 85-year-old woman was killed in Elakkal and a 52-year-old woman died in Keerithode when mounds of earth fell on their homes.

A few passenger trains have been partially hit and rail traffic on Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions. On Thiruvananhtapuram-Thrissur section, trains will be delayed due to speed restrictions due to rise in water levels in rivers and lakes. The engineering department is continuously monitoring the safety of bridges, railways said.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four trains - Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore express, Kanyakumari-Mumbai CSMT express, Dibugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and Gandhidham-Tirunelveli Humsafar Express, railway sources said.

Four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations. They have full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them, ANI reported.

Four NDRF teams airlifted from Pune to carry out rescue ops in Kerala

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts today. Red Alert has been issued in all the 14 districts of Kerala. IMD has also issued Red Alert for Idukki and Ernakulam districts on Thursday.

Kerala's Minister for Tourism K Surendran, along with District Collector K Vasuki and city mayor VK Prasanth visited some of inundated residential areas in Trivandrum city on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the phone, asking about the floood situation in the state. Modi later tweeted about his interaction with Vijayan and said that the central government will provide all assistance needed to tackle the natural disaster.

The Kerala chapter of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), an organization of professionals with the support of IT Mission, has launched a web portal called Keralarescue.in , to help coordinate the various rescue and relief operations being carried out by various NGOs, citizen initiatives, government agencies, army and navy, The Times of India reported. The website, available in English and Kannada, facilitates effective collaboration and communication between various government departments, voluntary organisations and public and also lets people raise a request for help.

A Defence spokesperson said a Naval helicopter, launched by the Southern Naval Command, has rescued four others who were on board the ill-fated vessel Anugraha.

Three fishermen from Vypin near Kochi went missing after a fishing boat carrying seven on board sank in rough seas off Alappuzha coast today, official sources said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged Tamil Nadu government to bring down the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam to 139 feet. He has sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard. The chief minister has reportedly informed the minister that the continuing rain in the catchment areas of the dam would lead to further rise in the water level, which had touched the Supreme Court approved 142 feet in the morning.

Senior IAS officer S Harikishore and his family are among thousands who have taken shelter in relief camps in Pathanamthitta district. Hari, who is the executive director of Kudumbashree, was evacuated after water entered his house in the district. After putting up his family members in the relief camp, he joined the officials engaged in the rescue and relief operations in the district. Earlier, former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president VM Sudheeran and his family were evacuated from their house at Gowreespattom in Thiruvananthapuram city.

IAS officer S Harikishore joins rescue ops while his own family puts up at relief camp

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan briefed the Kerala Governor about the losses suffered by the state due to the present heavy rains, floods, landslides and the rising water level in various dams and the relief and rescue measures being taken by the government. He informed Governor P Sathasivam that the state government was keeping close vigil on the situation and that the disaster management authority of the State was working in co-ordination with all other departments of the state and central forces such as Indian Army, navy, air force, coast guard and NDRF.

The government has sought the assistance of Indian Navy in the rescue operations in the Kuttanad region, many parts of which are below the sea level. The backwaters of Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad have been overflowing following the opening of the shutters of the dam in Pathanamthitta district. Forty members of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) are already in place in Kuttanad. The district collector has appealed to people living on the banks of rivers and backwaters to move to safer places.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Home Minister Rajnath Singh to send additional teams of Indian Army, NDRF and Army Engineering Corps to the state to help with the relief and rescue operations. In a tweet, Vijayan's office said that a C-17 aircraft and more dinghy boats were also requested for transporting equipment to the affected areas.

According to reports, more rainfall has been recorded in the catchment areas of Mullaperiyar dam reservoirs. This will mean higher water level in the dams, following which more water will have to be released downstream. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said: "There is heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the dam. To prevent the situation of a sudden release of water in large volumes, which will result in widespread damage, water levels must be lowered immediately."

The Kerala government has postponed Onam examinations scheduled to be held from 31 August in the schools following the heavy rains. Director of Public instructions said that the decision as many schools were being used as relief camps. He said that the revised schedule will be announced later. The Kerala government has already announced cancellation of the state Onam celebrations.

Several places in Pathanamthitta district, have no electricity which has made rescue operations very difficult.

The spate in the Pampa river has marooned hundreds of families in Pathanamthitta district. The Kerala government has requested Indian Airforce to airlift all the residents to safety from many places in Ranni and Kozhencherry towns in the district. Many people are forced to camp on their terraces even as water keeps rising

The Tamil Nadu government finally agreed to withdraw more water after Vijayan asked Centre to intervene and Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Tamil Nadu chief secretary.

Pinarayi Vijayan said that he had written to the Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami to decrease the water level to 139 feet as there is heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the dam. The decrease in the water level was important to prevent the situation of a sudden release of water in large volumes, which will result in widespread damage.

The Tamil Nadu government has agreed to draw more water from the Mullaperiyar Dam, following neighbouring Kerala's request and Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention.

"A total of four teams went out today to augment those already deployed. More than 81 people were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp," the Southern Naval Command said in a release. Overall, five naval teams with an equal number of Gemini boats have been deployed at different places in Wayanad district, it said.

Indian Navy today said it has deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with inflatable 'Gemini' boats as the flood situation further worsened across Kerala on Wednesday due to the heavy rains.

According to latest reports, the toll in rain-related incidents since 8 August mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported today, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

CM has requested the Home Minister Shri @rajnathsingh to send additional teams of Army, NDRF and Army Engineering Corps to the State. A C-17 aircraft was also requested for transporting equipments to the affected areas. More dinghy boats are also needed.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Home Minister Rajnath Singh to send additional teams of Indian Army, NDRF and Army Engineering Corps to the state to help with the relief and rescue operations. In a tweet, Vijayan's office said that a C-17 aircraft and more dinghy boats were also requested for transporting equipment to the affected areas.

According to reports, more rainfall has been recorded in the catchment areas of Mullaperiyar dam reservoirs. This will mean higher water level in the dams, following which more water will have to be released downstream. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said: "There is heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the dam. To prevent the situation of a sudden release of water in large volumes, which will result in widespread damage, water levels must be lowered immediately."

The Kerala government has postponed Onam examinations scheduled to be held from 31 August in the schools following the heavy rains. Director of Public instructions said that the decision as many schools were being used as relief camps. He said that the revised schedule will be announced later. The Kerala government has already announced cancellation of the state Onam celebrations.

Several places in Pathanamthitta district, have no electricity which has made rescue operations very difficult.

The spate in the Pampa river has marooned hundreds of families in Pathanamthitta district. The Kerala government has requested Indian Airforce to airlift all the residents to safety from many places in Ranni and Kozhencherry towns in the district. Many people are forced to camp on their terraces even as water keeps rising

#Visuals from Kochi airport that has been shut till August 18 due to incessant rains. #Keralafloods pic.twitter.com/xtXrAbovxg

The Tamil Nadu government finally agreed to withdraw more water after Vijayan asked Centre to intervene and Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Tamil Nadu chief secretary.

Pinarayi Vijayan said that he had written to the Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami to decrease the water level to 139 feet as there is heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the dam. The decrease in the water level was important to prevent the situation of a sudden release of water in large volumes, which will result in widespread damage.

The Tamil Nadu government has agreed to draw more water from the Mullaperiyar Dam, following neighbouring Kerala's request and Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention.

According to The Hindu , at least 13 people were stranded on the first floor of the Annadana Mandapam at the badly flooded Pampa Manalpuram in the foothills of Sabarimala. The newspaper reported that the PC Ramamurthy Mandapam is completely inundated with the flood waters of the Pampa in spate. The also report said that four tractors also have been washed away by the strong currents.

"A total of four teams went out today to augment those already deployed. More than 81 people were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp," the Southern Naval Command said in a release. Overall, five naval teams with an equal number of Gemini boats have been deployed at different places in Wayanad district, it said.

Indian Navy today said it has deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with inflatable 'Gemini' boats as the flood situation further worsened across Kerala on Wednesday due to the heavy rains.

According to latest reports, the toll in rain-related incidents since 8 August mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported today, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

Kerala Floods Latest Updates: The Tamil Nadu government has agreed to draw more water from the Mullaperiyar Dam, following neighbouring Kerala's request and Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Home Minister Rajnath Singh to send additional teams of Indian Army, NDRF and Army Engineering Corps to the state to help with the relief and rescue operations. In a tweet, Vijayan's office said that a C-17 aircraft and more dinghy boats were also requested for transporting equipment to the affected areas.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan briefed the Kerala Governor about the losses suffered by the state due to the present heavy rains, floods, landslides and the rising water level in various dams and the relief and rescue measures being taken by the government. He informed Governor P Sathasivam that the state government was keeping close vigil on the situation and that the disaster management authority of the State was working in co-ordination with all other departments of the state and central forces such as Indian Army, navy, air force, coast guard and NDRF.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, E Palaniswami seeking his intervention in lowering the water level in the Tamil Nadu-managed Mullaperiyar Dam. Currently, the water level in Mullaperiyar Dam has reached 142 feet. The Kerala chief minister asked that it should be lowered till at least 139 feet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the phone, asking about the flood situation in the state. Modi later tweeted about his interaction with Vijayan and said that the central government will provide all assistance needed to tackle the natural disaster.

The Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has informed that the discharge of water from Idukki dam will be increased to 1500 cumecs at 5 pm. I was increased from 1300 cumecs at 3 pm to 1400 cumecs at 4 pm

Unceasing heavy rains battered Kerala on Wednesday killing eight more people and taking the death toll to 47 since August 8, forcing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to seek generous public contributions to battle the worst floods in nearly a century.

Of the 14 districts, as many as 11 including Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Pathanamthitta, Kannur and Ernakulam are on red alert, an official euphemism to mean that huge devastation was expected. The Cochin airport was shut till Saturday after flood waters entered the complex.

Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts are on orange alert, asking the authorities and people to be prepared as there was a higher likelihood of bad weather.

Those reported dead on Wednesday included a couple in Malappuram who were crushed after their house crumbled. Their six-year-old child is missing.

A person died in a Munnar lodge as it crashed. A 70-year-old woman near Pathanamthitta was electrocuted as her house was submerged. Landslides in Malappuram claimed lives too.

In a first, sluice gates of 33 dams across Kerala have been opened, following incessant rains since late Tuesday. More rains have been forecast till Saturday.

More and more people are pouring into relief camps, including those who had earlier returned to their homes in Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad districts.

The capital district on Wednesday witnessed heavy rains, submerging several low lying areas. Officials hurriedly opened 14 relief camps.

The famed tourist destination in Munnar has been closed for traffic, following flooding at the Old Munnar town.

The Sabarimala temple has warned pilgrims not to reach the shrine in view of the surging river waters in the vicinity.

Although special prayers were listed for Wednesday, the temple was closed to devotees as the river Pamba was in spate.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Vijayan took the Independence Day salute despite rains here and urged everyone to contribute generously to overcome the challenge of the floods and its destruction.

The Idukki dam floodgates were reopened late on Tuesday as the water level in the Periyar river and its tributaries flowing through Ernakulam and Thrissur districts rose menacingly.

The shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam were opened at 2.35 a.m. after its water level crossed 140 feet.

People living in and around the dam were evacuated late on Tuesday.

The Cochin International Airport was on Wednesday closed till Saturday afternoon after water released from the Idukki dam flooded the area.

Airport Director A.C.K. Nair called the development "unprecedented".

"Why we decided to take this step is because since last night dams like Idukki, Mullaperiyar, Idamalayar have opened their shutters. The water released reaches the Periyar river and one of its tributaries flows close to the airport and it is overflowing, sending the waters to our operational area," said Nair.

He pointed out that with more rains predicted in the coming days, it was decided to close down the airport operations.

"Once the water recedes, it will take us 24 hours to clean up the area. Then only flights will resume. As of now we have decided to close down the airport till 2 p.m. of August 18," said Nair.

Cochin airport is one of the three international airports in the state, besides being the busiest.

The heaviest rains and floods since 1924 have caused massive destruction. Over 50,000 people are in relief camps and the damage to crops and properties is estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore.Incessant downpour battered Kerala on Wednesday resulting in 19 more deaths and further destruction, forcing authorities to issue a red alert across the southern state.

Thiruvananthapuram: The flood situation in Kerala further worsened with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives on Wednesday.

Officials said a red alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts of the state.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

"The toll in rain-related incidents since 8 August mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported Wednesday," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

"Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone," officials said.

Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation.

More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief across the state, he said.

A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains.

"The prime minister has assured all help," it said.

The prime minister has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters.

Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water.

Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams.

Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem.

As the situation became grave, the state government sought the help of more teams of army personnel, National Disaster Response Force and Army Engineering.

The chief minister also met Governor P Sathasivam and informed him of the situation.

Major tourist centres including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar, which were expecting huge influx of visitors in the wake of Onam festival season, have closed.

The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area.

As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek centre's permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four long distance trains, railway sources said adding a few passenger trains have been partially hit.

There were also speed restrictions on trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thrissur section while rail traffic on the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended.

An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition maximum number of lifeboats from Tamil Nadu.

The chief secretary was asked to contact neighbouring states for emergency assistance.

As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, Vijayan asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority.

Click here for LIVE updates on Kerala rainsPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that his government will launch an ambitious healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) scheme, also dubbed as Medicare, on 25 September this year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that his government will launch an ambitious healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) also also dubbed as Modicare, on 25 September this year which will benefit 50 crore citizens of the country.

"The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians," the prime minister said, announcing the scheme during his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort on Wednseday. The ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

What is the Ayushman Bharat Scheme?

Modicare aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The programme is being called the worlds largest health protection scheme.

The health ministry has included 1,354 packages in the scheme under which treatment for coronary bypass, knee replacements and stenting among others would be provided at 15-20 per cent cheaper rates than the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).

Hospitals run by the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) may also be empanelled based on their bed occupancy ratio. As for private hospitals, they will be empanelled online based on defined criteria, which is unavailable at the moment.

Who is covered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme?

It is an entitlement based scheme which aims to target poor, deprived rural families and identified occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, as per the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data, and will cover around 50 crore people.

The beneficiaries can avail benefits in both public and empanelled private facilities. There is no cap on family size and age in the scheme, ensuring that nobody is left out. The beneficiary will need to have an Aadhar card to avail the benefits of the scheme.

"It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford health care," said Modi in his speech adding that technology will play a crucial role in the implementation of the programme. He added that in four to six weeks, testing of these technology tools under the scheme will start.

Check eligibility for the scheme

Under the process, 80 percent of beneficiaries, based on the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) data in the rural and the urban areas, have been identified. Here is how you can check if you are eligible for the cover:

- Log on to the Ayushman Bharat website

- Click on the Download Beneficiary List tab on the homepage

- Select Rural or Urban depending on your location

- Enter mobile number to receive a one-time password

- Once the OTP is entered, the list can be downloaded

Do people have to pay for Modicare?

The medical insurance scheme is paid for by the government. The expenditure incurred in premium payment will be shared between Central and State Governments in a specified ratio as per Ministry of Finance guidelines in vogue. The total expenditure will depend on actual market-determined premium paid in States and Union Territories where the scheme will be implemented through insurance companies. In States and Union Territories where the scheme will be implemented in Trust/Society mode, the Central share of funds will be provided based on actual expenditure or premium ceiling (whichever is lower) in the predetermined ratio.

Is it available across India?

According to a government official , as many as 22 states have preferred to run the scheme on "trust model". While Punjab, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are yet to come on board, Odisha has refused to be a part of the scheme, the official said.

How will Modicare be implemented?

At the national level, New Delhi will put in place an Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission Agency (AB-NHPMA). States and Union territories will be asked to set up a dedicated State Health Agency (SHA) for the NHPM. They can use an existing trust, society, not-for-profit company, or state nodal agency (SNA), or set up an entirely new entity to implement the scheme. States and Union territories can also implement the scheme through an insurance company, or directly through the trust or society, or adopt an integrated model.

Funds from the central government will be transferred directly to the SHA via an escrow account. State governments have to contribute a matching share of grants within a defined time frame.

Is it a first for India?

India has never implemented a very large, free nationwide health insurance programme. The AB-NHPM will subsume two on-going centrally sponsored schemes, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS). RSBY was launched in 2008 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and provides cashless health insurance, with a benefit coverage of Rs 30,000 per annum on a family floater basis (for five members), for below poverty line (BPL) families, and 11 other defined categories of unorganised workers.

The policy was initially announced by the then finance minister Arun Jaitley in February this year during the presentation of last full budget of the NDA government and it was approved by the Cabinet in March.

With inputs from PTIPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of the nation's 72nd Independence Day. He spoke on a range of issues from new schemes to women empowerment, Kashmir and sanitation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of the nation's 72nd Independence Day. Modi, wearing a saffron safa (headgear), started his speech by congratulating the six women officers of the Indian Navy who recently circumnavigated the globe recently on INSV Tarini. Modi said that India's daughters continue to make the country proud as they have previously hoisted the national flag at Mount Everest as well.

Modi said that India is now touching new heights with more vigour and enthusiasm than ever before as it has become the sixth biggest economy in the world, and thus, the nation's confidence is worth saluting.

"From being seen as one among the 'fragile five', India is now the land of 'reform', 'perform' and 'transform' and the country is poised for record economic growth," he said. "We want to make a India which is revered globally and our Constitution is our guiding light," Modi remarked emphatically, adding, "India is the investment destination for multi-trillion dollars."

Modi also used the opportunity to bring out the difference in governance during his regime and the UPA government till 2013 by saying that India couldn't have build more toilets, provided electricity in villages and have given LPG gas connection to poor if the government would have worked at the pace of 2013.

"If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete," he said.

"We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from because it is then that we will realise the unbelievable strides the nation has taken," the prime minister remarked.

Modi also highlighted the contribution of the 150 crore Indians in the process of nation building by saying, "2014 se ab tak main anubhav kar raha hun ki sava sau crore deshwasi sirf sarkaar banakar ruke nahi, woh desh banane mein jutte hue hain."

"Today the country is moving forward with new consciousness, new ambition, new resolution, new accomplishment and new manners and India's voice is being heard at the world stage."

He then thanked the armed forces for their invaluable contribution to the nation over time and the sacrifices done by the security personnel at the border. "I bow to all the army personnel, paramilitary forces and soldiers for their great service," Modi said.

"Our army is always there to help people in times of calamity and yet is capable of carrying out something like surgical strikes on the enemy," Modi said proudly.

He also said that the One rank One Pension (OROP) demand of ex-army men was pending for decades and because "our brave army personnel had faith in us (Modi government) and we were able to take a decision on OROP".

Modi brought to fore the laurels achieved by the North East in recent times. He said that today the North East India is making the nation proud with positive news in the field of sports, technology and education.

"There was a time when North East India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them, but today we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of the North East. Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace," Modi said.

While addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi also made several new announcements during his speech, the most prominent was the desire to to send one Indian in space before 2022. "India will soon become the fourth nation to send a man to space. One of our son or daughter will reach space before the nation's 75th Independence Day," Modi proclaimed.

Another announcement made by him was of the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (Ayushman Bharat)' which is a healthcare scheme slated to be launched on 25 September on the birth anniversary of BJP ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. The scheme will ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare, said Modi, adding that the healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians.

Modi also praised the sanitation mission of his government by saying that due to the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', lakhs of children are able to lead healthier lives. "Mahatma Gandhi led the satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the 'swachhagrahis' have to ensure a 'Swachh Bharat'," Modi remarked.

He also announced new initiatives for the agriculture sector by championing his government's 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach. "The aim is to double the farmer's income by 2022. The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With the blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our government," Modi said.

Modi also reiterated his government's stance on black money and corruption saying that he will ensure black money is uprooted and the honest taxpayers get their due.

"We will not spare the corrupt and those who stashed black money. They have ruined the country. Delhi's streets are now free from power brokers," Modi proclaimed.

He also thanked the business community for making the Goods and Services Tax (GST) a success. "Last year GST became a reality. I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST," Modi said.

He also told the countrymen that how schemes such as 'Ujjwala' and 'Saubhagya Yojana' are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians, especially the poor strata of the society. "We are capable of taking tough decisions, because the nation is with us," Modi remarked. "Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheenchne waale hain (We carve a line on stone, not on butter," Modi remarked.

Modi also spoke prominently about the issue of triple talaq, for which his government has been rallying for long now. "I will fight for the rights of our Muslim women and daughters and will do everything to abolish triple talaq," he said. "The practice of triple talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this practice but there are some people who do not want it to end. But I promise the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them," Modi announced from the Red Fort.

He also spoke about the progress and developmental projects being done in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir. "Our government is committed to development of all areas and all sections of Jammu and Kashmir and we will embrace all nation-loving people of the state with a hug," Modi said. He announced the start of Panchayat elections in the state in next few months. "Hum goli aur gaali ke raaste par nahi par gale laga ke aage badhna chahte hain. Aane wale kuch hi mahino mein Kashmir mein gaon ke logon ko apna haq jatane ka avsar milega aur panchayat chunav honge (We do not want to take the path of bullets and abuse, but move forward with love. IN the coming months, every village in Kashmir will get a chance to stress its rights in the Panchayat elections)," Modi said.

Talking of the minorities and the backward classes, Modi said that the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Parliament was devoted to social justice as it witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission. "Parliament has tried to safeguard the rights of the backward sections by giving constitutional status to the Backward Commission," Modi said.

Modi also touched upon the sensitive issue of rapes and women atrocities in India. He said that his government has ensured death sentence for child rapists and that is going to deter such monstrous people from committing crime against women.

He, however, also emphasised how each family needs to imbibe the value of respecting women in their children. "We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme, no one can take the law in their hands", Modi remarked.

He also hailed the achievement of women in various fields and announced that from now on women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts. "I am proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. Since independence, this is the first Cabinet where so many women are a part of the Cabinet," Modi said highlighting the contribution of women.

Modi also paid condolences to those who have lost their lives in the recent floods witnessed across the country. "Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods," Modi said.

Modi, however, ended his address by conveying that this is not the end of the road as there is so much more to achieve, yet. "There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way; we want to progress more", he remarked.

Modi concluded his last I-Day speech by reciting a poem in Hindi:

     

 -  

     

    

    

    :

     

   

    

    

  ,   

   This was an election year speech  but credit goes to Modi for toning down the aggression and rhetoric that marked his rise to power in 2014, and for swapping these for statesmanly idioms

Sometime around 1990, when the then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Lal Krishna Advani made a big push for the party's run to power, in his Rath Yatra to build a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya used to say: "We are not the alternative to Congress. We are the next Congress."

Both Advani and Govindacharya have substantially been relegated to the background in the BJP these days, but what the latter said then rang significantly true on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his fifth Independence Day address. The speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort was strong on inclusiveness, modernity and a pan-India outlook, a far cry from the origins of the RSS.

The RSS, obsessed with history and ancestry, used to speak of 'Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan'. Modi's shift from that to 'Reform, Perform, Transform' symbolises both the acknowledgment that it takes a lot more to sustain power over a vast India, and an ambition to match the compulsion. His formula for that included factoids that smelt of technology, a futuristic outlook, women's empowerment and opportunities for youth.

The big question is whether ground realities and local perceptions in the sprawling Indian landscape are good enough for people to buy into the cocktail of slogans, statistics and statements that Modi spewed in his 80-minute-long speech.

Have no doubt, this was an election year speech  but credit goes to Modi for toning down the aggression and rhetoric that marked his rise to power in 2014, and for swapping these for statesmanly idioms. But idioms win over critics, not voters. His platter, therefore, offered several promises in a hold-all phrase that the prime minister wants: "Home, health, toilet, power and skill for all." And, of course, digital connectivity.

Modi's big promise, as expected, was in giving a measure of forward push to last Budget's vague announcement of the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme, now repackaged as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, as he aimed to bring health insurance benefits of Rs 5,00,000 each to 10 crore families  or 50 crore people, marking nearly half the population.

A lot now depends on the timeline and the rollout, or whether the people of India feel sufficiently enthused by the past four years to give the prime minister the benefit of doubt on whether he can execute what he aims for with a late promise.

For his part, Modi pointed out to how his government had weeded out 6 crore dubious welfare beneficiaries and cracked down on black money to improve administration.

The best thing going for Modi is something he mentioned in his speech: That 65 percent of India's population is below the age of 35. Thanks to this, the NDA government has a virtual blank slate in which it can sidestep its historical quirks while claiming credit for continuity as change.

For instance, the prime minister claimed 2 crore people had moved above the poverty line in the last two years, while the truth is that this is part of a long-drawn out process that dates back to Indira Gandhi's 'Garibi Hatao' days in the 1970s, and successive poverty alleviation programmes from the Janata Party's (1977-1980) early food-for-work ideas to the UPA's National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme three decades later under a special job support law. The same goes for rural electrification as well.

Modi spoke extensively on the North East, women and farmers. He quoted Tamil poet Subramania Bharati known for his nationalist passion and Dalit leader Babasaheb Ambedkar. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Twitter greeting on Independence Day featured a visual that marked freedom struggle leaders including Bhagat Singh and Sardar Patel  while carefully excluding the Nehru-Gandhi family.

All of this clearly shows a political appropriation and inclusion plank that the BJP is pursuing  to be a pan-Indian force transcending old ideological or party differences.

Understandably, therefore, the BJP has downplayed or outright sidelined its traditional heroes  Savarkar, Golwalkar or even the founder of the Jana Sangh (BJP's previous avatar) Syama Prasad Mukherjee. The singular ideological inspiration now is Deen Dayal Upadhyay, known for "integral humanism" that stayed somewhat clear of 'Hindutva' and after whom Modi's grandiose health insurance scheme has now been named.

Upadhyay's name is already attached to the former Mughal Sarai railway station, and is also aimed for Agra's airport. The new ambitious health insurance scheme will be launched on Upadhyay's birth anniversary on 25 September, closer to Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh  not to speak of general elections.

A lot depends, however, on the economy and jobs in the hinterland. If the UPA government was accused of "policy paralysis", NDA is being criticised for what it means for the poor. From demonetisation of high-value currency notes and GST's implementation to the revival of bad loan-hit banks, the Opposition's narrative is all about what this means for jobs and livelihood.

Modi's speech mentioned 13 crore as the number of beneficiaries under the self-employment-oriented MUDRA loan scheme. Can this and the 'Modicare' health insurance scheme generate enough positive buzz across small town India to win over hundreds of millions of hearts? We will have to wait and see.

In a speech that spoke of India's power to launch satellites, Modi promised to have a manned mission in space by 2022  although technically, an Indian, Rakesh Sharma was part of a Soviet space mission in 1984, becoming the first Indian in space.

Modi's carefully constructed speech straddled high ambitions on the one hand and the needs of the lower strata on the other. "The sleeping elephant has woken up," he said of India.

In a nation of 125 crore people, the question is whether the awake elephant is sprightly enough to dance or run. Modi's critics are betting that his speed may lag his aim, while his supporters would hope that his direction will compensate for what he lacks in speed and detail.

(The author is a senior journalist. He tweets @madversity)'If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear,' George Orwell wrote in his essay highlighting the importance of upholding freedom of the press

In a column titled 'A brief recent history of media self-censorship' published in October 2017, The Hoot's editor Sevanti Ninan examined if self-censoring was on the rise by Indian media establishments after the NDA government came to power, or if the practice had existed at a similar level under the UPA too.

Ninan listed instances of reports being taken off newspapers' websites, interviews being pulled off air/not aired at all, editors stepping down citing interference, defamation suits being filed against certain publications, and concluded by saying that media houses in India were attempting to walk a line where they could continue to do work that was editorially valid, even while "mollifying the powers-that-be".

Self-censorship was in the news in March this year as well, after The Wire ran a story detailing the resignations of VICE India's managing editor Rishi Majumder, and news editor Kunal Majumder. The Wire's report claimed that the Majumders (who're not related) had stepped down after a story involving a gay ABVP activist was pulled, allegedly on the advice of the company's legal team. Other problems that reportedly plagued VICE India were highlighted, including the establishing of a committee that would vet all "sensitive" political stories.

The talk of self-censorship came even as India was ranked a lowly 138th on the World Press Freedom Index  an annual assessment of 180 countries by Reports Sans Frontieres (RSF). In 2017, India's ranking was 136th on the same index, having slipped down three spots from the previous year.

The report was released in mid-April, days after the Government of India issued (then withdrew) a circular that said journalists found producing 'fake news' could have their press accreditation revoked. What 'fake news' entailed in this case, was not clarified. Neither was the question of who could bring these charges against a journalist, nor how such claims would be evaluated.

And just two months later  in June 2018  Shujaat Bukhari, the editor of the Kashmir Rising newspaper, was gunned down as he stepped outside his office in Srinagar, bringing to mind the slaying of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh in September 2017. Bukhari is possibly the 48th journalist to be killed in India for his work since 1992, according to figures released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The violence that journalists face is not always physical: it can take the form of extreme online harassment, hate speech and cyber-threats.

While the situation seems particularly bad in India  compounded by confusing laws, "toothless" regulatory bodies, and complications arising out of the ownership of media houses  the RSF report highlighted why 2018 was a particularly bad year for the press the world over.

"Hostility towards the media from political leaders is no longer limited to authoritarian countries such as Turkey (down two at 157th) and Egypt (161st), where 'media-phobia' is now so pronounced that journalists are routinely accused of terrorism and all those who dont offer loyalty are arbitrarily imprisoned," the report noted. "More and more democratically-elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracys essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion."

RSF illustrated this point by highlighting the US' fall in the World Press Freedom Index by two places to 45th, under Donald Trump. "A media-bashing enthusiast, Trump has referred to reporters as 'enemies of the people'  a term once used by Joseph Stalin," the RSF stated.

The RSF's reference to Stalin brings to mind the essay written by George Orwell as a proposed preface to his seminal 1945 novella Animal Farm. Orwell wrote that the book  an allegorical fable based on the Russian Revolution of 1917, which ushered in the Stalinist era  was turned down by four publishers. The rejection, Orwell said, was expected (England and Russia had been allies in World War II, from 1939-45, after all); what struck him though was the reason offered by one of the publishers (who initially accepted the book, only later to turn it down). His refusal didn't stem from any censorship imposed by the English government; the publisher had simply decided that it was "ill advised" to print a book that ran the risk of offending Russian sensibilities.

"If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion. In this country, intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or journalist has to face, and that fact does not seem to me to have had the discussion it deserves... The sinister fact about literary censorship (in England) is that it is largely voluntary," Orwell wrote.

Orwell then went on to present a compelling argument for why freedom of the press must be upheld  a freedom that was threatened as much by self-censorship as it might be by an authoritarian government or vested interests.

"Unpopular ideas can be silenced, and inconvenient facts kept dark, without the need for any official ban... At any given moment there is an orthodoxy, a body of ideas which it is assumed that all right-thinking people will accept without question. It is not exactly forbidden to say this, that or the other, but it is not done to say it, just as in mid-Victorian times it was not done to mention trousers in the presence of a lady. Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness. A genuinely unfashionable opinion is almost never given a fair hearing, either in the popular press or in the highbrow periodicals," Orwell wrote.

Orwell pointed out that when asking for freedom of expression, or for the press, one was not asking for an absolute liberty. Censorship would endure, "as long as organised societies" and an individual's right to express what he/she believed to be the truth would be bounded by considerations like whether or not it "harm(ed) the rest of the community in some unmistakable way". However, having encapsulated those considerations, Orwell wrote that at its core, the issue was a simple one: "Is every opinion, however unpopular  however foolish, even  entitled to a hearing?"

Orwell's essay overwhelmingly makes the case for "yes" as the answer to that question.

The essay also raises another timely point: if the 'banning' of intelligent criticism is considered in the best interests of democracy, is such a democracy worth preserving?

"There is now a widespread tendency to argue that one can only defend democracy by totalitarian methods. If one loves democracy, the argument runs, one must crush its enemies by no matter what means. And who are its enemies? It always appears that they are not only those who attack it openly and consciously, but those who objectively endanger it by spreading mistaken doctrines. In other words, defending democracy involves destroying all independence of thought." The danger in following such a course of course, is that "people dont see that if you encourage totalitarian methods, the time may come when they will be used against you instead of for you", Orwell wrote.

As India observes its 72nd Independence Day, maybe it's time  especially for the press, and those who seek to suppress it  to reflect on Orwell's concluding words:

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

Read the complete essay by George Orwell here.

The Freedom of the Press by George Orwell (Copyright  George Orwell) | Excerpts reprinted by permission of Bill Hamilton as the Literary Executor of the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell.Heavy rains in Kerala since Tuesday filled the reservoirs of the dams to full capacity, and the fresh bout of rainfall on Wednesday claimed 21 lives and disrupted life in 12 of the 14 districts.

The shutters of 35 of the 39 dams in Kerala, including the 123-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam, have been opened for the first time in history, leaving large areas of the state at the risk of floods.

The heavy rain in Kerala since Tuesday filled the reservoirs of the dams to full capacity, and the fresh bout of rainfall on Wednesday claimed 21 lives, including seven members of a family, in a landslide in Malappuram district, and disrupted life in 12 of the 14 districts.

Kerala State Disaster Management Authority chairman and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) PH Kurien described the situation as very alarming. He said the state of affairs will worsen if the rainfall continues at this rate in the coming days.

Heavy inflow of water from reservoirs in Idukki district into the Periyar river has thrown life out of gear in Ernakulam district. Cochin International Airport has suspended operations till 2 pm on Saturday, while Indian Railways has imposed speed restrictions for trains in the Ernakulam-Thrissur stretch because of flooding of tracks. Traffic on National Highway-47 was also disrupted after the Angamaly-Karukutty stretch in Ernakulam was flooded.

An increase in the water level in the Periyar river after the sluice gates of the Mullaperiyar and Mattupetty dams were opened caused the flooding. The subsequent additional discharge of water through the Idukki and Idamalayar dams exacerbated the situation.

All 13 shutters of the Mullaperiyar Dam, which is maintained and operated by Tamil Nadu, were raised after the water level in the reservoir touched the Supreme Court-approved level of 142 feet. Water was also being released through the dam's slipways.

Despite this, the water level in the dam remained at 142 feet, causing concern in the Kerala side. The water is now flowing down to the Idukki Dam, which is already full to the brim at 2,399 feet. From the Idukki Dam, water is now being released at a rate of 1,500 cumecs.

The rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam has fueled the simmering tension between the two states, with Tamil Nadu unwillingly agreeing to consider the Kerala government's request to reduce the storage level in the reservoir to 139 feet.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had taken up the matter with his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K Palaniswami, given the incessant rain in the catchment areas of the dam. However, the Kerala government has yet to get a favourable response from the neighbouring state.

Vijayan has also sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to persuade the Tamil Nadu government to cooperate with the Kerala authorities. Tamil Nadu has maintained that it has been abiding by the Supreme Court ruling over the height of the dam and expressed difficulty in conceding to the Kerala plea.

State Power Minister M Mani said Kerala will not go for a confrontation with Tamil Nadu at this stage. He said the government was holding discussions with authorities in the neighbouring state and also expressed the hope that they will realise the seriousness of the situation and respond accordingly.

Tamil Nadu, which benefits the most from the waters in the Mullaperiyar reservoir, has been mounting pressure on the Kerala and central governments to increase the storage level to 152 feet. However, Kerala has been opposing the demand, saying that the dam was built with limestone and surkhi in 1895 and cannot withstand additional capacity. The dam had developed a leak after a recent earthquake.

The release of water into the Periyar river has flooded low-lying, downstream areas. As many as 4,000 families were evacuated to safer places after water was released from the Mullaiperiyar dam. Floodwaters entered several residential areas in the densely-populated Aluva town, Kalady and Perumbavoor.

Ninety percent of the Kanjoor panchayat near Kalady on the bank of the Periyar in Ernakulam district has been inundated. About 1,300 people have been shifted to relief camps. The Eloor industrial area is also flooded.

Apart from Ernakulam, the rain has wreaked havoc in other districts, as well. The districts of Idukki, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur are the other worst-affected ones. While water from the reservoirs submerged Cheruthoni, old Munnar, Uppurhura and Chappath, floods and landslides have displaced a large number of people and caused heavy damage to property and crops.

The picturesque town of Munnar has been virtually cut off since the Mattupetty Dam was opened. The Kochi-Dhanushkodi highway, Munnar-Udumalpetta interstate highway and Munnar-Aluva highway  the three main roads that connect Munnar with the outside world  were inundated, and vehicular traffic was paralysed.

Water released from the dams flooded several places in Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode and Palakkad districts. All residents of Kannappankundu village in Kozhikode have been evacuated because of the heavy rain and landslips. Vehicular movement has been banned on the Kittiyadi Ghat road linking Wayanad. Nearly 7,000 people have been moved to safe places in Kozhikode.

The incessant rain has raised the water level in the Pampa, Achenkovil and Manimala rivers, submerging several areas in Pathanamthitta district. The Pampa Manalpuram on the foothills of Sabarimala was flooded after more water was released from the Pampa and Kakki reservoirs of the Sabarigiri hydroelectric project.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has banned devotees from visiting the Sabarimala hill shrine. TDB president A Padmakumar has advised devotees against undertaking the pilgrimage till the floodwaters recede. The air force rescued seven members of a family trapped in Ranni. The Thiruvalla town was also flooded after the rain.

The chief minister said that the flood the state is battling is the worst in the recent past. Vijayan said that the monsoon, which hit Kerala on 29 May, has devastated a large part of the state. He has sought the help of other states and the Centre in tackling the disaster.

According to a revenue official, the toll in the monsoon in Kerala crossed 260 after the death of 21 people on Thursday. The official added that over 36,750 people were now accommodated in over 360 relief camps across the state.

A total of 647 houses were fully and 12,876 partially damaged in the floods and landslides. The rain also destroyed crops in 30,216 hectares of land, and authorities have estimated losses worth Rs 397 crore.The American photographer Paul Strand once said, "Your photography is a record of your living, for anyone who really sees." In the world of smartphone cameras, Instagram, and numerous filters and apps, it seems odd to think of a time when photography was a rare and exclusive form. But this was exactly the case just 70 years ago, at the time that India was close to achieving independence from the British. While photojournalists and photographers proliferate today, there were only a handful of them back in the 1940s. Among them was Kulwant Roy, whose works were nearly lost in oblivion until photographer Aditya Arya brought them back into public consciousness. Arya's archiving of Roy's works opened up a window into the past, offering insights into not only Roy the photographer, but also into Indian photojournalism and the country's collective history as well. Arya and Roy's association goes back to the early 1980s; Arya, then in his 20s, was given packets of old photographs by Roy. From packets, Roy finally progressed to giving Arya a box containing more than 2,000 photographs, negatives, letters etc. But until 2007-08, Arya had no idea of the true value of the treasure trove he had been gifted. "The last big (batch) from Roy arrived in 1984 because he passed away soon after," says Arya. "I didn't have an idea as to how important this could be. I was young  in my 20s  and one doesn't realise these things. Later, I began to search for where else these (photos) might be available, and found the answer was 'nowhere'." "Right from the '70s till the time he died, Roy used to visit us regularly. He would tell us about his encounters with famous personalities; no one took it seriously. Now when I look back, (I feel) one should have recorded those conversations with him  his moments with Gandhi, attending these historic meetings," recalls Arya.

Kulwant Roy was born in 1914 in the village of Bagli Kalan, Ludhiana district. He learnt photography from Raj Gopal, who ran a studio in Lahore. Gopal was one of Arya's great grand-uncles from the maternal side. After Partition when they moved from Lahore to India, Roy kept in touch and visited them often. Arya, born in the '60s, also aspired to become a photographer, albeit in the commercial advertising sector. "I was 17 when I decided to become a photographer," says Arya, recounting too that Roy wasn't too keen on his young friend taking up photography as a profession. "He (Roy) would always tell me, Study study, forget all this. It an excellent hobby to have.' He was very against (my taking up photography as a profession) because his last few years were not very happy; he died a broken man. He never married, never had a family; there was no money in photojournalism. Since he knew only one genre of photography and thats photojournalism, he could never understand what I wanted to be, which was advertising. In the '80s there was little advertising so he had no idea what I was up to. I started working in 1980, so he saw the initial years of my career. He probably gifted me that box of photographs seeing my sincerity. He was convinced that I was committed."

Roy also worked in the Royal Indian Air Force for some time. He was posted as an aerial photographer at Quetta in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Roy was staunchly anti-British and would often get into trouble due t his stance. Finally, in 1943-44 Roy was court-martialed and dismissed from the force. Arya recollects a funny story that led to Roy's termination: "You see, in those days, Indians were not allowed to use a swimming pool from Monday through Saturday. They could use it only on Sundays as every Monday morning they would change the water. So, on a Monday morning, he took all his fellow officers with him and they crapped in the pool, as a mark of protest!" Those were also the days when resources were scarce; photography too was an arduous task and hence there were very few photographers. "For a photographer to survive he has to sell his photographs, but there were hardly any publications at the time. There was Tribune and couple of other newspapers so the scope for selling photos was very limited. Thats why this genre of journalism was very limited," says Arya.

But 'necessity is the mother of invention' and in order to function in this resource crises, the photographers of those days, including Roy, devised techniques (what we now term as 'jugaad') and found a way to make do with the bare minimum. At the same time, these self-taught photographers had achieved an uncanny degree of precision in regards to getting their picture right in just one frame. Arya explains, "These guys were really poor. They only made money in the '50s and the '60s, during the 40s they were literally living hand-to-mouth. They worked in a tremendous resource crunch, it was difficult to avail of things. Film was in short supply. Since Roy was in the Air Force, his friends would smuggle over-sized film and he would cut it to suit his camera and shoot pictures. They never had the luxury of shooting 5-10 frames, they would often shoot only one picture. They couldnt afford anything more than one. Going through his archives I found many single images, and it was during interviews (with veteran photographers who were Roy's contemporaries) that I came to know that they shot only one frame."

Recognition knocked on Kulwant Roy's door during the '60s. In the year 1958, he went on a world tour, covering 40 countries. He returned in 1962 with a more worldly perspective of photography as well as knowledge of the technical advancements in the field. He had two cameras  a Mamiya flex and a Leica M3  which, Arya says, was the equivalent of possessing a Rolls Royce. Roy also began working for a lot of foreign magazines like Stern, which paid him good money. He sold his pictures to newspapers. Some of his photographs were even shortlisted and exhibited in the coveted World Press Photo forum.

At the turn of the decade, both Roy's health and his career took a downturn. He stopped working in the '70s. His photos from the world tour were stolen. He was diagnosed with Leukemia. Many of his friends and colleagues had already died. Moreover, he didn't have much of a family  just a few distant cousins who he never really met. To use photographic parlance, things for Roy seemed to go out of focus. "He lost his stuff over time, he also never cared to look after his things. I would blame it on him, he was never the pushy kind and never tried to sell/market his work. He was happy making what he was making. His attitude was not driven by the idea of money. Those days the photographers used to work in a different way. If someone would go for a shoot and someone else wouldn't, the latter would ask for an extra negative of the pictures the former shot and that was absolutely fine, despite working for different publications. You see, there was no competition at all. They didnt take pride in their work or have that killer instinct of marketing," Arya says.

Kulwant Roy passed away in 1984, but over his career, he shot numerous photos of the heroes of the Indian freedom struggle movement, be it Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel. His camera captured some these leaders from close proximity, while they formulated the course of a new India. Noted photographer Pablo Bartholomew remarks on the same and says, "[His images] show the proximity of the leaders to the people...and how close photographers could get to their leaders in those days." Arya explains, "One must remember that there were very few photographers in those days. The relationship was very symbiotic. In the '30s and '40s, the freedom fighters needed the photographers as much as photographers needed them. People like Nehru and other leaders maintained a kind of personal equation with these photojournalists. Nehru would often ask them, 'Didn't see you for a long time, is everything okay? He would ask the same for somebody else. Even after many days, he would still follow up. That kind of relationship doesn't and can't exist today."

"Roy would often tell us how Gandhiji would always demand money from them. Gandhi would say, 'All of you will make money out of this [the photographs], so you please donate some for my Harijan Fund and the Freedom Fund. So he used to always demand money from them. The photographers would also be happy and willingly agree. It was like a joke within them  'Bapu ne ek aana mangna hi mangna hai. Unke liye ek aana rakha ki nahi? (Bapu will definitely ask for a pence. Did we keep one for him or not?') Of course, it was all in humour, there was no malice." This proximity with Gandhi also influenced Roy and he became a Gandhian, right until his final days. He left money for the daughters of each of his friends as he believed the girls in a family must be educated and settle down well.

Roy's legacy finally saw the light of the day when Aditya Arya opened the long-ago bequeathed box. Arya knew he had to do something with those pictures, and began to build a comprehensive archive of them. "I believe everything happens at the right time and place. The technology has arrived to preserve the images. We can now digitise and preserve them, which wasn't possible earlier. That has made a great difference," he says. A collaboration with Google means these photos can be widely seen and appreciated, which Arya feels happy about. "The photographs are markers of time, these are visual histories of nation, society which need to be seen and shared. One needs to preserve them, archive them and share them," he says. "There is a clear process when one goes about archiving: Sorting, obtaining information, restoration and preservation, digitisation and lastly dissemination of the restored archive. In 2008, we spent five years day and night digitising a major chunk of Roy's work. The Google collaboration will get all those pictures online and there will be more people to see and experience his legacy."

Photo captions (from top): Kulwant Roy. Image via Facebook Gandhi and Mahadev Desai with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan at Utmanzai in 1938. Photo by Kulwant Roy Gandhi emerging from the third-class compartment of a train. Photo by Kulwant Roy Mahatma Gandhi with Sardar Patel. Photo by Kulwant Roy The signing of the Constitution of India. Photo by Kulwant Roy Meeting of the Viceroy with the Indian leaders on 3 June 1947. Photo by Kulwant Roy Mountbatten at Rajghat during his last visit to India, after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Photo by Kulwant Roy On the way to Kedarnath: Shot by Kulwant Roy and featured by World Press Photo. Photo by Kulwant Roy Rajendra Prasad using a possibly transparent telephone, as S Radhakrishnan looks on. Photo by Kulwant Roy (Seated R-L) Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi and Sarat Chandra Bose. Photo by Kulwant RoyNote: This was George Orwell's proposed preface to Animal Farm, first published in the Times Literary Supplement on 15 September 1972 with an introduction by Sir Bernard Crick. Orwell's arguments for a free press are as relevant today (if not more), as they were when he originally articulated them. THIS BOOK WAS FIRST THOUGHT OF, so far as the central idea goes, in 1937, but was not written down until about the end of 1943. By the time when it came to be written it was obvious that there would be great difficulty in getting it published (in spite of the present book shortage which ensures that anything describable as a book will sell), and in the event it was refused by four publishers. Only one of these had any ideological motive. Two had been publishing anti-Russian books for years, and the other had no noticeable political colour. One publisher actually started by accepting the book, but after making the preliminary arrangements he decided to consult the Ministry of Information, who appear to have warned him, or at any rate strongly advised him, against publishing it. Here is an extract from his letter: I mentioned the reaction I had had from an important official in the Ministry of Information with regard to Animal Farm. I must confess that this expression of opinion has given me seriously to think I can see now that it might be regarded as something which it was highly ill-advised to publish at the present time. If the fable were addressed generally to dictators and dictatorships at large then publication would be all right, but the fable does follow, as I see now, so completely the progress of the Russian Soviets and their two dictators, that it can apply only to Russia, to the exclusion of the other dictatorships. Another thing: it would be less offensive if the predominant caste in the fable were not pigs[1]. I think the choice of pigs as the ruling caste will no doubt give offence to many people, and particularly to anyone who is a bit touchy, as undoubtedly the Russians are. This kind of thing is not a good symptom. Obviously it is not desirable that a government department should have any power of censorship (except security censorship, which no one objects to in war time) over books which are not officially sponsored. But the chief danger to freedom of thought and speech at this moment is not the direct interference of the MOI or any official body. If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion. In this country intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or journalist has to face, and that fact does not seem to me to have had the discussion it deserves. Any fairminded person with journalistic experience will admit that during this war official censorship has not been particularly irksome. We have not been subjected to the kind of totalitarian co-ordination that it might have been reasonable to expect. The press has some justified grievances, but on the whole the Government has behaved well and has been surprisingly tolerant of minority opinions. The sinister fact about literary censorship in England is that it is largely voluntary. Intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or journalist has to face Unpopular ideas can be silenced, and inconvenient facts kept dark, without the need for any official ban. Anyone who has lived long in a foreign country will know of instances of sensational items of news  things which on their own merits would get the big headlines  being kept right out of the British press, not because the Government intervened but because of a general tacit agreement that it wouldnt do to mention that particular fact. So far as the daily newspapers go, this is easy to understand. The British press is extremely centralised, and most of it is owned by wealthy men who have every motive to be dishonest on certain important topics. But the same kind of veiled censorship also operates in books and periodicals, as well as in plays, films and radio. At any given moment there is an orthodoxy, a body of ideas which it is assumed that all right-thinking people will accept without question. It is not exactly forbidden to say this, that or the other, but it is not done to say it, just as in mid-Victorian times it was not done to mention trousers in the presence of a lady. Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness. A genuinely unfashionable opinion is almost never given a fair hearing, either in the popular press or in the highbrow periodicals.

At this moment what is demanded by the prevailing orthodoxy is an uncritical admiration of Soviet Russia. Everyone knows this, nearly everyone acts on it. Any serious criticism of the Soviet regime, any disclosure of facts which the Soviet government would prefer to keep hidden, is next door to unprintable. And this nation-wide conspiracy to flatter our ally takes place, curiously enough, against a background of genuine intellectual tolerance. For though you are not allowed to criticise the Soviet government, at least you are reasonably free to criticise our own. Hardly anyone will print an attack on Stalin, but it is quite safe to attack Churchill, at any rate in books and periodicals. And throughout five years of war, during two or three of which we were fighting for national survival, countless books, pamphlets and articles advocating a compromise peace have been published without interference. More, they have been published without exciting much disapproval. So long as the prestige of the USSR is not involved, the principle of free speech has been reasonably well upheld. There are other forbidden topics, and I shall mention some of them presently, but the prevailing attitude towards the USSR is much the most serious symptom. It is, as it were, spontaneous, and is not due to the action of any pressure group. Unpopular ideas can be silenced, and inconvenient facts kept dark, without the need for any official ban The servility with which the greater part of the English intelligentsia have swallowed and repeated Russian propaganda from 1941 onwards would be quite astounding if it were not that they have behaved similarly on several earlier occasions. On one controversial issue after another, the Russian viewpoint has been accepted without examination and then publicised with complete disregard to historical truth or intellectual decency. To name only one instance, the BBC celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Red Army without mentioning Trotsky. This was about as accurate as commemorating the battle of Trafalgar without mentioning Nelson, but it evoked no protest from the English intelligentsia. In the internal struggles in the various occupied countries, the British press has in almost all cases sided with the faction favoured by the Russians and libelled the opposing faction, sometimes suppressing material evidence in order to do so. A particularly glaring case was that of Colonel Mihailovich, the Jugoslav Chetnik leader. The Russians, who had their own Jugoslav protege in Marshal Tito, accused Mihailovich of collaborating with the Germans. This accusation was promptly taken up by the British press: Mihailovichs supporters were given no chance of answering it, and facts contradicting it were simply kept out of print. In July of 1943 the Germans offered a reward of 100,000 gold crowns for the capture of Tito, and a similar reward for the capture of Mihailovich. The British press splashed the reward for Tito, but only one paper mentioned (in small print) the reward for Mihailovich: and the charges of collaborating with the Germans continued. Very similar things happened during the Spanish civil war. Then, too, the factions on the Republican side which the Russians were determined to crush were recklessly libelled in the English leftwing press, and any statement in their defence even in letter form, was refused publication. At present, not only is serious criticism of the USSR considered reprehensible, but even the fact of the existence of such criticism is kept secret in some cases. For example, shortly before his death Trotsky had written a biography of Stalin. One may assume that it was not an altogether unbiased book, but obviously it was saleable. An American publisher had arranged to issue it and the book was in print  I believe the review copies had been sent out  when the USSR entered the war. The book was immediately withdrawn. Not a word about this has ever appeared in the British press, though clearly the existence of such a book, and its suppression, was a news item worth a few paragraphs. It is important to distinguish between the kind of censorship that the English literary intelligentsia voluntarily impose upon themselves, and the censorship that can sometimes be enforced by pressure groups. Notoriously, certain topics cannot be discussed because of vested interests. The best-known case is the patent medicine racket. Again, the Catholic Church has considerable influence in the press and can silence criticism of itself to some extent. A scandal involving a Catholic priest is almost never given publicity, whereas an Anglican priest who gets into trouble (e.g. the Rector of Stiffkey) is headline news. It is very rare for anything of an anti-Catholic tendency to appear on the stage or in a film. Any actor can tell you that a play or film which attacks or makes fun of the Catholic Church is liable to be boycotted in the press and will probably be a failure. But this kind of thing is harmless, or at least it is understandable. Any large organisation will look after its own interests as best it can, and overt propaganda is not a thing to object to. One would no more expect the Daily Worker to publicise unfavourable facts about the USSR than one would expect the Catholic Herald to denounce the Pope. But then every thinking person knows the Daily Worker and the Catholic Herald for what they are. Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness What is disquieting is that where the USSR and its policies are concerned one cannot expect intelligent criticism or even, in many cases, plain honesty from Liberal writers and journalists who are under no direct pressure to falsify their opinions. Stalin is sacrosanct and certain aspects of his policy must not be seriously discussed. This rule has been almost universally observed since 1941, but it had operated, to a greater extent than is sometimes realised, for 10 years earlier than that. Throughout that time, criticism of the Soviet regime from the left could only obtain a hearing with difficulty. There was a huge output of anti-Russian literature, but nearly all of it was from the Conservative angle and manifestly dishonest, out of date and actuated by sordid motives. On the other side there was an equally huge and almost equally dishonest stream of pro-Russian propaganda, and what amounted to a boycott on anyone who tried to discuss all-important questions in a grown-up manner. You could, indeed, publish anti-Russian books, but to do so was to make sure of being ignored or misrepresented by nearly the whole of the highbrow press. Both publicly and privately you were warned that it was not done. What you said might possibly be true, but it was inopportune and played into the hands of this or that reactionary interest. This attitude was usually defended on the ground that the international situation, and the urgent need for an Anglo-Russian alliance, demanded it; but it was clear that this was a rationalisation. The English intelligentsia, or a great part of it, had developed a nationalistic loyalty towards the USSR, and in their hearts they felt that to cast any doubt on the wisdom of Stalin was a kind of blasphemy. Events in Russia and events elsewhere were to be judged by different standards. The endless executions in the purges of 1936-8 were applauded by life-long opponents of capital punishment, and it was considered equally proper to publicise famines when they happened in India and to conceal them when they happened in the Ukraine. And if this was true before the war, the intellectual atmosphere is certainly no better now.

But now to come back to this book of mine. The reaction towards it of most English intellectuals will be quite simple: It oughtnt to have been published. Naturally, those reviewers who understand the art of denigration will not attack it on political grounds but on literary ones. They will say that it is a dull, silly book and a disgraceful waste of paper. This may well be true, but it is obviously not the whole of the story. One does not say that a book ought not to have been published merely because it is a bad book. After all, acres of rubbish are printed daily and no one bothers. The English intelligentsia, or most of them, will object to this book because it traduces their Leader and (as they see it) does harm to the cause of progress. If it did the opposite they would have nothing to say against it, even if its literary faults were ten times as glaring as they are. The success of, for instance, the Left Book Club over a period of four or five years shows how willing they are to tolerate both scurrility and slipshod writing, provided that it tells them what they want to hear. The issue involved here is quite a simple one: Is every opinion, however unpopular  however foolish, even  entitled to a hearing? Put it in that form and nearly any English intellectual will feel that he ought to say Yes. But give it a concrete shape, and ask, How about an attack on Stalin? Is that entitled to a hearing?, and the answer more often than not will be No. In that case the current orthodoxy happens to be challenged, and so the principle of free speech lapses. Now, when one demands liberty of speech and of the press, one is not demanding absolute liberty. There always must be, or at any rate there always will be, some degree of censorship, so long as organised societies endure. But freedom, as Rosa Luxembourg [sic] said, is freedom for the other fellow. The same principle is contained in the famous words of Voltaire: I detest what you say; I will defend to the death your right to say it. If the intellectual liberty which without a doubt has been one of the distinguishing marks of western civilisation means anything at all, it means that everyone shall have the right to say and to print what he believes to be the truth, provided only that it does not harm the rest of the community in some quite unmistakable way. Both capitalist democracy and the western versions of Socialism have till recently taken that principle for granted. Our Government, as I have already pointed out, still makes some show of respecting it. The ordinary people in the street  partly, perhaps, because they are not sufficiently interested in ideas to be intolerant about them  still vaguely hold that I suppose everyones got a right to their own opinion. It is only, or at any rate it is chiefly, the literary and scientific intelligentsia, the very people who ought to be the guardians of liberty, who are beginning to despise it, in theory as well as in practice. It is important to distinguish between the kind of censorship that the intelligentsia voluntarily impose upon themselves, and the censorship that can sometimes be enforced by pressure groups One of the peculiar phenomena of our time is the renegade Liberal. Over and above the familiar Marxist claim that bourgeois liberty is an illusion, there is now a widespread tendency to argue that one can only defend democracy by totalitarian methods. If one loves democracy, the argument runs, one must crush its enemies by no matter what means. And who are its enemies? It always appears that they are not only those who attack it openly and consciously, but those who objectively endanger it by spreading mistaken doctrines. In other words, defending democracy involves destroying all independence of thought. This argument was used, for instance, to justify the Russian purges. The most ardent Russophile hardly believed that all of the victims were guilty of all the things they were accused of: but by holding heretical opinions they objectively harmed the regime, and therefore it was quite right not only to massacre them but to discredit them by false accusations. The same argument was used to justify the quite conscious lying that went on in the leftwing press about the Trotskyists and other Republican minorities in the Spanish civil war. And it was used again as a reason for yelping against habeas corpus when Mosley was released in 1943. These people dont see that if you encourage totalitarian methods, the time may come when they will be used against you instead of for you. Make a habit of imprisoning Fascists without trial, and perhaps the process wont stop at Fascists. Soon after the suppressed Daily Worker had been reinstated, I was lecturing to a workingmens college in South London. The audience were working-class and lower-middle class intellectuals  the same sort of audience that one used to meet at Left Book Club branches. The lecture had touched on the freedom of the press, and at the end, to my astonishment, several questioners stood up and asked me: Did I not think that the lifting of the ban on the Daily Worker was a great mistake? When asked why, they said that it was a paper of doubtful loyalty and ought not to be tolerated in war time. I found myself defending the Daily Worker, which has gone out of its way to libel me more than once. But where had these people learned this essentially totalitarian outlook? Pretty certainly they had learned it from the Communists themselves! Tolerance and decency are deeply rooted in England, but they are not indestructible, and they have to be kept alive partly by conscious effort. The result of preaching totalitarian doctrines is to weaken the instinct by means of which free peoples know what is or is not dangerous. The case of Mosley illustrates this. In 1940 it was perfectly right to intern Mosley, whether or not he had committed any technical crime. We were fighting for our lives and could not allow a possible quisling to go free. To keep him shut up, without trial, in 1943 was an outrage. The general failure to see this was a bad symptom, though it is true that the agitation against Mosleys release was partly factitious and partly a rationalisation of other discontents. But how much of the present slide towards Fascist ways of thought is traceable to the anti-Fascism of the past ten years and the unscrupulousness it has entailed?

It is important to realise that the current Russomania is only a symptom of the general weakening of the western liberal tradition. Had the MOI chipped in and definitely vetoed the publication of this book, the bulk of the English intelligentsia would have seen nothing disquieting in this. Uncritical loyalty to the USSR happens to be the current orthodoxy, and where the supposed interests of the USSR are involved they are willing to tolerate not only censorship but the deliberate falsification of history. To name one instance: at the death of John Reed, the author of Ten Days that Shook the World  (a) first-hand account of the early days of the Russian Revolution  the copyright of the book passed into the hands of the British Communist Party, to whom I believe Reed had bequeathed it. Some years later the British Communists, having destroyed the original edition of the book as completely as they could, issued a garbled version from which they had eliminated mentions of Trotsky and also omitted the introduction written by Lenin. If a radical intelligentsia had still existed in Britain, this act of forgery would have been exposed and denounced in every literary paper in the country. As it was, there was little or no protest. To many English intellectuals, it seemed quite a natural thing to do. And this tolerance or plain dishonesty means much more than that admiration for Russia happens to be fashionable at this moment. Quite possibly that particular fashion will not last. For all I know, by the time this book is published my view of the Soviet regime may be the generally-accepted one. But what use would that be in itself? To exchange one orthodoxy for another is not necessarily an advance. The enemy is the gramophone mind, whether or not one agrees with the record that is being played at the moment. The issue is quite a simple one: Is every opinion, however unpopular  however foolish, even  entitled to a hearing? I am well acquainted with all the arguments against freedom of thought and speech  the arguments which claim that it cannot exist, and the arguments which claim that it ought not to. I answer simply that they dont convince me and that our civilisation over a period of four hundred years has been founded on the opposite notice. For quite a decade past I have believed that the existing Russian regime is a mainly evil thing, and I claim the right to say so, in spite of the fact that we are allies with the USSR in a war which I want to see won. If I had to choose a text to justify myself, I should choose the line from Milton: By the known rules of ancient liberty. The word ancient emphasises the fact that intellectual freedom is a deep-rooted tradition without which our characteristic western culture could only doubtfully exist. From that tradition many of our intellectuals are visibly turning away. They have accepted the principle that a book should be published or suppressed, praised or damned, not on its merits but according to political expediency. And others who do not actually hold this view assent to it from sheer cowardice. An example of this is the failure of the numerous and vocal English pacifists to raise their voices against the prevalent worship of Russian militarism. According to those pacifists, all violence is evil, and they have urged us at every stage of the war to give in or at least to make a compromise peace. But how many of them have ever suggested that war is also evil when it is waged by the Red Army? Apparently the Russians have a right to defend themselves, whereas for us to do [so] is a deadly sin. One can only explain this contradiction in one way: that is, by a cowardly desire to keep in with the bulk of the intelligentsia, whose patriotism is directed towards the USSR rather than towards Britain. I know that the English intelligentsia have plenty of reason for their timidity and dishonesty, indeed I know by heart the arguments by which they justify themselves. But at least let us have no more nonsense about defending liberty against Fascism. If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. The common people still vaguely subscribe to that doctrine and act on it. In our country  it is not the same in all countries: it was not so in republican France, and it is not so in the USA today  it is the liberals who fear liberty and the intellectuals who want to do dirt on the intellect: it is to draw attention to that fact that I have written this preface. The Freedom of the Press by George Orwell (Copyright  George Orwell) | Reprinted by permission of Bill Hamilton as the Literary Executor of the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell.  All images via Facebook/@GeorgeOrwellAuthorAshutosh quit AAP and described his association with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party as 'beautiful and revolutionary', while urging the media to respect his privacy and not to chase him for bytes.

New Delhi: In a setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), one of its top leaders, Ashutosh, announced his resignation from the party on Wednesday, citing "very, very personal reasons". However, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said he will not accept it "in this lifetime".

Ashutosh's resignation is being interpreted differently with some AAP insiders claiming that he was unhappy over the party's decision to send a businessman to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi. Others claimed that he was angry over being denied a Rajya Sabha ticket by the party.

The convenor of the AAP's Delhi unit, Gopal Rai, said Ashutosh was not angry, adding, "Everyone has the right to take personal decisions."

Ashutosh described his association with the Kejriwal-led party as "beautiful and revolutionary", while urging the media to respect his privacy and not to chase him for bytes. "Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party/requested PAC to accept the same," the former journalist had tweeted.

Reacting to the development, Kejriwal, who is the AAP national convener, tweeted: "How can we ever accept ur resignation (sic)? Na, is janam mein toh nahin (no, not in this lifetime)."

The chief spokesperson of the AAP's Delhi unit, Saurabh Bhardwaj, told PTI that Ashutosh's resignation was not accepted and he was urged to reconsider his decision.

Ashutosh, a journalist-turned-politician had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket and managed to bag over three lakh votes, more than Congress veteran Kapil Sibal. He had lost to BJP's Harsh Vardhan by over a lakh votes.

Senior AAP functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back." He added that his relationship with Ashutosh as a "true and dependable friend" will continue lifelong. "His separation from the party is not less than a heart rendering incident for me," Singh tweeted.

Ashutosh, who was a member of the top decision-making body of the AAP  the Political Affairs Committee (PAC)  was "indifferent and less active" towards the party matters of late, a senior party leader said.AAP leader Ashutosh on Wednesday resigned from the party citing a 'very very' personal reason. The 53-year-old journalist turned politician who took to Twitter to convey his resignation is no stranger to politics.

Journalist-turned-politician Ashutosh resigned on Wednesday from the Aam Aadmi Party, citing "very very personal" reasons. The 53-year-old took to Twitter to post the news of his resignation on Wednesday.

Prior to his second stint in the party, Ashutosh had a long career as a television journalist.

He quit journalism to join politics, and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency on an AAP ticket against Kapil Sibal of Congress and Harsh Vardhan of the BJP, an election which the saffron party won.

Prior to this, he had also been a part of Anna Hazare's India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, News 18 reported.

As a scribe, Ashutosh was the managing editor of IBN7, part of the TV18 group for several years. Born to an Income Tax officer in Varanasi in 1965, Ashutosh had once said in an interview that he had never dreamt of being a journalist. "The first time I ever contemplated penning my thoughts was in 1989 when in China, Tiananmen Square was making news and in India, the Ayodhya issue was on the boil. I wanted to write and got an opportunity at Saptahik Hindustan to write occasional columns."

A science graduate from Allahabad University, Ashutosh said his father wanted him to be a doctor, but destiny clearly had other plans, as the Varanasi-born youth failed to clear his CPMT entrance examinations, The Sunday Indian reported.

Following his graduation, Ashutosh was asked to try his luck with UPSC in Delhi. That's when a chance application for the International Relations course at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) brought him to the heart of the capital.

Before long, he was recruited by Saptahik Hindustan, where his three-and-half-year stint paid off, and before long, he became a part of the television news industry after joining BiTV. After a brief time at the company, he was soon spotted by SP Singh of Aaj Tak and there his coverage of Uttar Pradesh politics made him a household name.Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to go for urban local bodies (ULB) and panchayat polls in multiple phases in the state from September.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to go for urban local bodies (ULB) and panchayat polls in multiple phases in the state from September. The elections in militancy-infested areas of south Kashmir will be held in the last phase after elections in relatively less volatile areas are over.

However, both the Opposition parties  National Conference and Congress  have said that the conditions in Kashmir "dont appear to be safe" for the contestants.

Governor NN Vohra in his Independence Day speech announced that the ULB polls will be held from September to October, while the panchayat elections will be conducted from October to December.

The state government has decided to hold the polls for the two municipal corporations of Jammu and Srinagar first, and later for the municipal councils and committees of Kashmir. A total of 80 urban local bodies will go for elections from September.

Earlier, after the violence during the elections for Srinagar parliamentary seat, the elections for the South Kashmir parliamentary seat of Anantnag were cancelled.

Around 74 lakh people are eligible to cast votes in the elections, said additional secretary in the office of chief electoral office, Krishan Lal.

He said that the while the number of urban electorate was nearly 16 lakh, the number of rural electorate was 58 lakh. The government will fill up the positions of 35,096 panchs spread over equal number of panch constituencies and 4,490 sarpanchs from the panchayat halqas. Besides that, the members will be elected for 80 urban local bodies.

Lal said that the previous practice has also been that the elections for the grass root level electoral bodies were held in phases.

In 2011, the panchayat elections were held in 16 phases, he said.

However, National Conferences Kashmir provincial president, Nasir Aslam Wani, said, We have been saying for a long time whether conditions are conducive for polls. Governor and his administration must ensure that conditions are safe for the elections. We believe that peaceful atmosphere should be created first in Kashmir so that people are ready for elections. He added, "There seem to be no conditions for polls. There is need to address the anger of people so that the confidence of people on the institutions is restored.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice president, GN Monga, also said that the situation in the state was not feasible for holding the polls. The mere announcements dont matter. The state should have to ensure the safety of the candidates and then a free and fear atmosphere. It doesnt appear that the conditions are safe for holding polls.

The office of chief electoral officer had recently notified the dates by which the allotment of electorate to different wards of the Municipalities and the two Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar will be made.

The date was fixed as 12 August and has been now been extended by a week to receive and dispose claims and objections. The electoral rolls which are being revised every year in January by the Election Commission of India were bifurcated into different municipal wards and put up for objections on August 2 and the date has now been extended, said Lal.

He said that the bifurcation of the electoral rolls for the panchayat polls has also been carried out and they will be put up for objections shortly.

According to police officials though, the incidents of violence have come down in Kashmir. However, in southern part of Valley, youths continue to pour in large numbers in support of Kashmirs freedom and try to help out militants escape from the cordons.tech2 News Staff

If someone told you that the way you press, scroll and type on your phone screen or even your computer or laptop keyboard is actually as unique as your fingerprints or facial features, would you believe it? And if they told you that a technology that like is being used to protect you from bank fraud, would you be sceptical? Because we are.

According to a report published by the New York Times on 13 August, banks are tracking visitors physical movements as they use websites and app, to fight fraud. While the intention of the technology is to eventually track automated attacks and suspicious transactions, the fact that there exists a technology out there that identifies people and their information, by the way they touch, hold and tap their devices is a bit worrisome.

The data gathered by companies is known as behavioural biometrics, which is collected using sensors in phones and codes on websites. It is a completely invisible data collection process and those who are being watched will never know.

How do security officials see this?

Security officials appreciate the technology and think that it is a powerful safeguard. Alisdair Faulkner, who is one of the founders of ThreatMetrix, told the publication that Identity is the ultimate digital currency, and its being weaponized at an industrial scale. Over the years cyberthieves have been able to obtain passwords and other personal information, which can be used to steal from customers bank accounts.

ThreatMetrix is a company which provides businesses with fraud and threat detection services, and many of the companys customers are currently using these behavioural biometric tools.

How do privacy advocates see this?

Privacy advocates see a lot of issues with the idea of the behavioural biometrics, and we guess we understand why. If companies are given the power to collect data for good, they can actually use it for is more ways than what was meant for in the first place.

According to what Jennifer Lynch, a senior lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the trend worldwide has been that the more data thats collected by companies, the more they will try to find uses for that data. Its a very small leap from using this to detect fraud to using this to learn very private information about you.

Who uses this technology?

The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the banks which collects behavioural biometric data, but it also talks publicly about it. In fact, they are planning to expand the systems to all the people who hold accounts with the bank.

In a recent case, RBS picked up an unusual signal from the customer  which was as detailed as, using the mouses scroll wheel and using the top numerical strip on the keyboard to log in  things that the customer had never done in the past. The account was immediately blocked and it was later identified to have been hacked.

While this sounds like a great technology to provide a guard against bank fraud and theft, it is being done at the cost of a users personal information. Do you want to secure yourself from falling prey to a fraud and lose your money, or do you feel strongly against a technology which measures the angle at which people hold their smartphones, the fingers and the ways that they use to swipe and tap, and even the pressure they apply and whether they scroll quickly or slowly? It can make you indecisive because you want neither, but unfortunately, you have no control over any of this.

What has made behavioural biometrics monitoring possible?

Cheap computing power and the sophisticated sensors built into most smartphones these days are the main reasons why this has been made possible. They make it easy to track behavioural traits in the background without an obstruction, unlike traditional physical biometrics like fingerprints which require people to sign up and physically authenticate.

Why is behavioural biometrics good?

You physical behaviour on your devices is very unique to you. No one can match that, and reproduce it. It is hard for a fraudster to fake your behaviour. Being able to track unusual movements this way can help detect crimes.

Then why is behavioural biometrics bad?

It's pretty simple. You, your movements and behaviour are being watched silently as you do your normal activities. While business appreciates, privacy watchdogs call it is dangerous.

According to the report, there are currently no laws governing the collection of using behavioural biometric data in most countries, even the GDPR has exemptions for security and fraud prevention.

Should we be worried?

Absolutely. We arent far from those dystopian novels we read, we are already in it.Reuters

Filip Liu, a 31-year-old software developer from Beijing, was travelling in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang when he was pulled to one side by police as he got off a bus.

The officers took Lius iPhone, hooked it up to a handheld device that looked like a laptop and told him they were checking his phone for illegal information.

Lius experience in Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, is not uncommon in a region that has been wracked by separatist violence and a crackdown by security forces.

But such surveillance technologies, tested out in the laboratory of Xinjiang, are now quietly spreading across China.

Government procurement documents collected by Reuters and rare insights from officials show the technology Liu encountered in Xinjiang is encroaching into cities like Shanghai and Beijing.

Police stations in almost every province have sought to buy the data-extraction devices for smartphones since the beginning of 2016, coinciding with a sharp rise in spending on internal security and a crackdown on dissent, the data show.

The documents provide a rare glimpse into the numbers behind Chinas push to arm security forces with high-tech monitoring tools as the government clamps down on dissent.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Public Security Bureau, which oversee Chinas high-tech security projects, did not respond to requests for comment.

The scanners are hand-held or desktop devices that can break into smartphones and extract and analyze contact lists, photos, videos, social media posts and email.

Hand-held devices allow police to quickly check the content of phones on the street. Liu, the Beijing software developer, said the police were able to review his data on the spot. They apparently didnt find anything objectionable as he was not detained.

The data Reuters analyzed includes requests from 171 police stations across 32 out of 33 official mainland provinces, regions and municipalities, and appears to show only a portion of total spending.

The data shows over 129 million yuan (INR 1.3 billion) in budgeting or spending on the equipment since the beginning of 2016, with amounts accelerating in 2017 and 2018.

For an infographic on China's investment on surveillance, click here.

In Shanghai, Chinas gleaming international port city, two districts budgeted around 600,000 yuan (INR 61 lakh) each to purchase phone scanners and data-ripping tools. Beijings railway police budgeted a similar amount, the documents show.

Right now, as I understand it, only two provinces in the whole country dont use these, said a sales representative at Zhongke Ronghui Security Technology Co Ltd, a Shaanxi-based firm that produces the XDH-5200A, one of the scanners detailed in several police procurement documents.

The representative said police stations across the whole country could consult a centralized repository of extracted data. Almost every police station will have the equipment.

Chinese-made devices cost as little as about 10,000 yuan (INR 1 lakh) for smaller ones, to hundreds of thousands of yuan for more sophisticated ones, according to prices seen at a police equipment fair in Beijing earlier this year.

The scanners have not been immediately apparent in cities like Shanghai and Beijing.

At recent checks at Beijing bus and train stations, and the heavily guarded Tiananmen square area, there were no signs of the devices. But a police officer at Beijing Railway Station confirmed they have access when needed to smartphone forensic technology.

Scanner Data

These sorts of scanners are used in countries like the United States but they remain contentious and security forces need to go through a lengthy legal process to be able to forcibly break into a suspects phone.

In China, while a number of firms say they have the ability to crack many phones, police are generally able to get users to hand over their passwords, experts say.

The procurement documents show some police stations asked for tools that can pull data from a phone users accounts on Twitter, Facebook and its WhatsApp chat service, Alphabet Incs Google Chrome browser and Japans Line messaging platform.

A 25 May filing from a customs bureau in Beijing budgeted 5.7 million yuan (INR 5.2 million) for smartphone forensic tools from two providers, Meiya Pico and Resonant Ltd.

It listed messaging platforms and overseas apps the devices could read.

Basic content collection functions must include mobile phone passwords, address books, call history, SMS records, MMS, pictures, audio and video data, calendars, memos and mobile app data, the document said.

Others listed tools that can breach well-known smartphone brands such as Samsung Electronics, Blackberry, Chinas own Xiaomi and Huawei, as well as Apple Incs tough-to-crack iPhone. Samsung, Blackberry, Xiaomi and Huawei did not respond to requests for comment. Apple declined to comment.

Wu Wangwei, an engineer at the Beijing-based Dasi Kerui Technology, which trains police personnel to use the scanners said the equipment had become very common.

The smartphone has become the most important source of evidence, he said. Police will always use it if the case needs it.

Chinese court cases often cite electronic investigations, including the collection and accessing of smartphones and tapping into social media accounts, but it is unclear what forensic equipment is involved.

Expanding Outwards

China spent roughly 1.24 trillion yuan on domestic security in 2017, accounting for 6.1 percent of total government spending and more than was spent on the military. Budgets for internal security, of which surveillance technology is a part, have doubled in regions including Xinjiang and Beijing.

A good bunch of that went to some very obscure, miscellaneous security spending categories ... including technology, said Adrian Zenz, an academic who specializes in Chinese security spending.

According to two officials at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, including one who worked on police projects in Xinjiang, surveillance techniques are tested in the region before being rolled out in other provinces.

The projects get both public and private financing. Those that have been tested in Xinjiang and later adopted in other provinces include surveillance camera systems, database software and smartphone forensics hardware, one of the officials said, requesting anonymity because the plans are not public.

Even if it is not the original plan, if the technology can be tested then it will be cheaper so it can easily be deployed some other place, the person said.

Cracks in the Machine

Chinas high tech surveillance gadgets, sometimes referred to as black tech, often make the headlines. They include police glasses with built-in facial recognition, cameras that analyze how people walk, drones and artificially-intelligent robots.

A fast-growing industry has developed supplying the governments surveillance needs, propelling firms like the camera maker Hangzhou Hikvision and SenseTime, a fast-growing facial recognition firm.

The scanners though are key to harvesting data from individuals, whether on the militarized streets of Xinjiang or behind closed doors in Shanghai or Beijing.

In a cramped training center at Jundacheng Technology in Beijings tech district, engineers showed Reuters one such machine: a gray, shoebox-sized computer that was hooked up to and ostensibly extracting data from a Samsung smartphone.

The training firm is one of many that has cropped up to meet a demand for surveillance tools from military, police and private firms.

The scanner was made by Cellebrite, an Israeli company, but firms including Xiamen Meiya Pico, Hisign Technology and Pwnzen Infotech also make versions widely used in China. Marketing materials promise the ability to crack into most smartphones, including iPhones.

The hype though can run beyond the reality, experts say.

Chinese scanner makers often tout the ability to crack smart phone security systems, including Apples iPhone, but industry insiders admit this usually doesnt mean the latest models.

I can only recover older iPhone versions, the most recent ones I cant, Zhang Baizheng, who heads digital forensics training school Beijing Judacheng, told Reuters during a recent visit to the center.

Apple is also taking steps to stop devices like those used by Chinese police from cracking its phones. New versions of its iOS operating platform disable the USB port after an hour without password access, blocking a key cracking route.

According to one of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officials, such security precautions may not matter.

Most people in China would comply with police requests to unlock their devices, he said.

In China, its not wise to refuse.Reuters

Sprint Corp said on 14 August that it has partnered with phone manufacturer LG Electronics Inc to launch a 5G smartphone in the first half of next year, marking the first 5G device deal for US number fourth wireless carrier.

Sprint is working to persuade antitrust regulators to approve its merger with larger rival T-Mobile US Inc in a $26 billion deal, which the companies say will help them more quickly build the next-generation wireless network. That network is expected to eventually pave the way for new technologies like autonomous cars.

The LG phone will be customized to Sprints planned 5G network, and will be compatible with T-Mobile only on that carriers existing 4G network, John Tudhope, Sprint director of product development, said in an interview.

The price of the phone and exact launch date will be announced later, Sprint said in a news release.

Last month, Sprint introduced new unlimited wireless plans bundled with video streaming platform Hulu and music streaming service Tidal, in an effort to attract more customers with media content.

Tudhope said Sprint will continue to use content as a way to bring to life the value of 5G, as one of the benefits of the 5G network will be faster download times of video content on smartphones.

The company had previously announced it would initially launch its 5G network in nine cities in 2019, including New York City and Los Angeles.

Sprint is the fourth-largest cellphone service provider in terms of the number of customers, after Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc and T-Mobile.Reuters

Uber Technologies Inc named Matt Olsen as its chief security officer, the ride-hailing companys Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said in a tweet on 14 August.

Thrilled to have Matt Olsen on board as #Uber Chief Trust and Security Officer. He has more than earned the respect of our team at all levels while working with us over the last few months - https://t.co/Xxssp1Wa3r  dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) August 14, 2018

Khosrowshahi hired Olsen, a former general counsel of the US National Security Agency, in November following a breach in 2016 that exposed the data of some 57 million users of the ride-sharing service.

Uber had fired its chief security officer, Joe Sullivan, and a deputy, Craig Clark, in November over their role in the handling of the incident.Indo-Asian News Service

For the first time, India's space agency is planning to put an Indian astronaut for seven days in space at a cost less than Rs 10,000 crore as part of its manned mission by 2022, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said on 15 August.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the Indian Space Research Organisation the target to be achieved in the next four years, Sivan told IANS. "Our plan is to have a human being in space for seven days and not less than that."

"He will be in a spacecraft, 300-400 km above the earth," Sivan said, as he explained that the rocket to be used for the manned mission would be a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III).

He said the first unmanned flight as part of a manned space mission will happen two years from now.

"There will be two unmanned space missions before the actual manned space mission," Sivan added.

In his Independence Day address to the nation, PM Modi said, "In space technology, we have dreamt something; our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission.

"We will put an Indian in space by 2022 or earlier," Modi said.

Asked about the first animal flight before the actual manned mission, Sivan said those things have to be discussed.

Queried about the target date set by Modi and the steps to be taken by ISRO, Sivan said, "We will have to get a formal approval for the project. The manned mission project cost will be less than Rs 10,000 crore.

"We are in the process of developing some of the technologies and already have some. Our idea is to develop everything within India," he added.

According to him, ISRO has already tested the crew module and crew escape systems.

The space agency on 5 July carried out a successful maiden pad abort test at its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for the safe escape of the crew in an emergency.

"The technology is very essential for our manned missions in the future," Sivan had said at an event on 7 July.

The critical technology is designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort.

"We are in the process of developing the life support system for the astronaut, space suit, and other things. ISRO is doing this with the support of industries," Sivan had said.

The ISRO Chairman had then said that the space agency was "not close" to a human spaceflight yet.

"We are not close to that. We need to work a lot towards achieving the dream of putting a man in space."

According to him, the selection of astronaut to fly the spacecraft would be done by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the spaceflight training would be given overseas.

Sivan said ISRO has to set up necessary infrastructural facilities like the control centers for the proposed manned mission.

He said Modi's announcement was a big kickstart and as a whole, the nation's science and technology sector would benefit.

So far, only the US, Russia and China have launched human space flights.Australian Senator Fraser Anning compared Muslims with 'poisonous jelly beans', following his 'racist' maiden speech in the Senate seeking immigration restrictions based on race

Sydney: Australian senator Fraser Anning on Wednesday compared Muslims with "poisonous jelly beans", following his "racist" maiden speech in the Senate seeking immigration restrictions based on race.

Anning, from the conservative Katter's Australian Party, advocated a return to White Australia policy and called for migration bans on Muslims in his speech in Parliament on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined other politicians and community leaders in criticizing the Queensland Senator for suggesting a "final solution" (the phrase that refers to a plan hatched by Nazis to annihilate the Jews) to the immigration "problem".

Turnbull said Anning made "a shocking insult to the memory" of those murdered in the Holocaust.

Following his controversial speech, Anning targeted Muslims once again in an interview to a Sydney talkback radio.

"Look, if you can tell me which ones are not going to cause us harm, then fine, that'd be great. But unfortunately if you have a jar of jelly beans and three of them are poisonous, you're not going to try any of them," he told Alan Jones of radio 2GB, while referring to Muslims.

Anning insisted that Muslims should be stopped from entering Australia. "I'm afraid that the Muslims, as a group, there's going to be three or four or five percent that are going to mean us harm.

"Because I can't tell who's who, I think the safest thing for Australians is that we don't have any of them," he said.

Earlier in his Parliament speech, Anning said: "The record of Muslims who have already come to this country in rates of crime, welfare dependency and terrorism is the worst of any migrants and vastly exceeds any other immigrant groups.

"We have black African Muslim gangs terrorising Melbourne. We have Islamic State-sympathizing Muslims trying to go overseas to fight for it. While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims," he said while urging for a plebiscite to decide who enters Australia.

Several Australian parliamentarians denounced the speech as "disgraceful" and called on Anning to apologize for his choice of words.

Muslim MP Anne Aly said that the Queensland Senator deliberately used "neo-Nazi, white supremacist terminology".

"That was a deliberate use of a heinous word that brings back so many painful memories and sets a precedent for the future of our country that we need to stand up and stop it," said a tearful Aly in Parliament.

"I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of having to stand up against hate, against vilification, time and time again," said Aly.

Besides Muslims, Anning also targeted international students as he asked for an "end to Australian-job-stealing 457 visas" and "force international students to return to their country of origin once they finish their education".

He also sought the number of student visas to be cut drastically. India is the second largest source of international students after China.By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 parliamentary seats in a national election in July, electoral authorities said on Wednesday as the opposition called the result illegitimate.

By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 parliamentary seats in a national election in July, electoral authorities said on Wednesday as the opposition called the result illegitimate.

Within hours of the National Election Committee (NEC) announcement, the United States said it was expanding visa restrictions on individuals responsible for "anti-democratic" actions in the run-up to the July 29 vote.

Rights groups say the poll vote was neither free nor fair given the absence of a significant challenger to Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for more than three decades.

NEC spokesman Dim Sovannarom told Reuters the CPP won all seats and took 4.8 million of 6.9 million votes.

The only viable opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved last year by the Supreme Court and 118 of its members were banned from politics for five years.

CNRP leader Kem Sokha was jailed on treason charges in September. He remains in pre-trial detention.

Authorities also launched a sweeping crackdown in the lead-up to the vote targeting non-governmental organizations, rights groups and independent media.

The CPP eventually contested the ballot along with 19 other parties, none of which were particularly critical of the government. The royalist Funcinpec party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, once Hun Sen's main rival but now aligned with him, came second with 374,510 votes.

Mu Sochua, CNRP's vice president, who lives in self-imposed exile abroad, called the new members of parliament illegitimate.

"The CPP is leading the nation to a one-party state with one man making all decisions for the entire nation through a sham election rejected by democratically elected governments," she told Reuters.

"Sham elections cannot produce a legitimate National Assembly."

Voter turnout was 83 percent, the NEC said in a separate statement on Wednesday, up from 69.6 percent in the previous election in 2013.

The CPP was banking on a high voter turnout to bestow a veneer of legitimacy on the election which many, including the United Nations and some Western countries, had criticized.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the poll was "flawed" and "neither free nor fair."

She said the expanded visa restrictions may apply to individuals inside and outside the government "responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions" in the run-up to the election and in certain circumstances to their immediate relatives.

"We reiterate our call for the Cambodian government to take tangible actions to promote national reconciliation by allowing independent media and civil society organizations to fulfil their vital roles," she said.

Nauert repeated U.S. calls for the release of Kem Sokha and other political prisoners and for an end to a ban on the political opposition.

Former CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, in exile in France since 2015, accused the NEC of "artificially inflating voter turnout" and being under the ruling party's control.

"The NEC was able to play all sorts of tricks because, after the forceful dissolution of the CNRP, the election body was placed under the absolute control of the CPP," he said in an emailed statement.

Sovannarom rejected the accusations.

Following the official result, Hun Sen thanked his supporters in a message posted on Facebook. "People have decided to choose peace, development and continue to democracy in the country," he said.

(Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by John Stonestreet and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Fiston Mahamba and Stephanie Nebehay GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo/GENEVA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo has started using the experimental mAb114 Ebola treatment to counter the latest flare-up of the virus, health officials said on Tuesday, the first time it has been deployed against an active outbreak.

By Fiston Mahamba and Stephanie Nebehay

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo/GENEVA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo has started using the experimental mAb114 Ebola treatment to counter the latest flare-up of the virus, health officials said on Tuesday, the first time it has been deployed against an active outbreak.

Forty-two people are believed to have died from the haemorrhagic fever in Congo's tenth Ebola outbreak since it was discovered in the 1970s.

In all, there have been 66 cases to date, including 39 confirmed and 27 probable, the health ministry said on Tuesday evening, an increase of nine confirmed cases since Monday.

The outbreak has spread from its epicentre in North Kivu province to neighbouring Ituri province after an infected person returned home, Congo's health ministry said, complicating containment in a region beset by militia violence.

Ebola, which causes fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, finds a natural home in Congo's vast equatorial forests. Continuing flare-ups have made the central African country a testing ground for new treatments against a virus that between 2013 and 2016 killed more than 11,300 people in a West African epidemic.

In an outbreak in western Congo which began in April and was declared over in July, an experimental vaccine manufactured by Merck & Co Inc was given to 3,300 people and was considered central in containing the virus when it reached a city.

The mAb114 treatment was developed in the United States by the National Institutes of Health using the antibodies of the survivor of an Ebola outbreak in the western Congolese city of Kikwit in 1995.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva that medics were already treating five patients with mAb114 and that he had been informed they were doing well.

"We will use it as much as needed," Tedros said. "But use of the molecules is decided by doctor and patient consent."

Several other experimental treatments have arrived in the regional hub of Beni and are awaiting approval from an ethics committee, including Remdesivir , Favipiravir and REGN3450, REGN3471 and REGN3479, the health ministry said.

Separately, authorities have vaccinated more than 200 health workers and contacts of Ebola patients. He said the risk of international spread was currently considered low even though it poses a high regional risk because of its proximity to the Ugandan border, which is only about 100 km (60 miles) away.

The response is taking place against the backdrop of insecurity caused by dozens of militia groups who regularly kill and kidnap civilians in the region.

"Before I went there I was really worried because of the different nature of the Ebola outbreak in DRC," Tedros said. "But after the visit I am actually more worried because of what we have observed there first hand."

Authorities are reaching out to militia to convince them to allow access to zones they occupy, he said.

(Reporting by Fiston Mahamba in GOMA and Stephanie Nebehay in GENEVA; Writing by Edward McAllister and Aaron Ross; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Grant McCool)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Israel allowed commercial goods back into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in a sign of easing tensions as neighbouring Egypt pursued a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian enclave's dominant armed faction. But the prospect of an agreement between Israel and the Islamist group prompted concern within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government that Hamas would take advantage of any respite from fighting to build up its rocket arsenal. Israel's security cabinet, a forum of senior ministers headed by Netanyahu, discussed the situation.

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel allowed commercial goods back into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in a sign of easing tensions as neighbouring Egypt pursued a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian enclave's dominant armed faction.

But the prospect of an agreement between Israel and the Islamist group prompted concern within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government that Hamas would take advantage of any respite from fighting to build up its rocket arsenal.

Israel's security cabinet, a forum of senior ministers headed by Netanyahu, discussed the situation. In a statement issued by Netanyahu's office, an Israeli "diplomatic official" said Hamas would have to prove its commitment to the truce.

As well as wanting calm along the border, Israel has said Hamas must return the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war and release two civilians whose fate is unknown, whom it says are being held by Hamas in the Strip.

"There will be no proper agreement with Hamas without the repatriation of our sons and citizens, and without (it) ensuring calm for an extended period," part of the statement from the prime minister's office said.

At Israel's Kerem Shalom commercial crossing with Gaza, consignments of fruits and vegetables, fuel and construction material moved into the territory of 2 million people.

Israel announced on Tuesday it would lift the commercial goods ban it imposed on July 9 in response to the launching by Palestinians of incendiary balloons across the frontier.

There have been fewer reports in recent days of such incidents, which have burned large tracts of agricultural land and forests in southern Israel.

Israel also expanded Gaza's fishing zone, in waters under Israeli naval blockade, from 3 to 9 nautical miles off the southern coast and to six nautical miles in the north, the head of Gaza's fishermen's union said.

The Oslo interim peace accords in the early 1990s set a 20 nautical mile limit, which was never implemented. Since then the zone has ranged in size between 3 and 6 nautical miles.

"We are hoping for a big catch at nine miles now," said Khader Baker, 25, who owns two fishing boats. "There had been almost no fish within three miles. We nearly starved."

Prior restrictions on the import of commercial goods that Israel says could also be used for military purposes remained in effect, a Palestinian border official said. He said they included balloons and tyres.

COMPREHENSIVE TRUCE

Egypt and the United Nations have been trying to broker a comprehensive truce to prevent more fighting and to ease the deep economic hardship in Gaza.

Hamas officials said Palestinian factions were in Cairo to discuss terms for a ceasefire with Israel.

Welcoming the reopening of the crossing, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement he was "encouraged to see that those concerned have responded to calls to avoid the devastating impact of yet another conflict on the civilian population in and around Gaza".

Guterres urged all parties "to support the efforts of U.N. Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov and Egypt to avoid an escalation and address all humanitarian issues in Gaza and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza".

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party in the governing coalition, put Netanyahu on notice that his faction would vote against an agreement with Hamas.

"This 'quiet' will give Hamas total immunity so that it can rearm itself with tens of thousands of rockets," Bennett said in a statement.

For more than a decade Gaza has been controlled by Hamas and subject to an Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has wrecked its economy, creating what the World Bank has described as a humanitarian crisis with shortages of water, electricity and medicine.

Israel says it has no choice but to enforce its blockade to defend itself against Hamas, a group that has called for its destruction.

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller and Ori Lewis in Jerusalem; Editing by Gareth Jones)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Rescuers scouring through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, said there were 'dozens' of victims, as rescue helicopters winched survivors on stretchers from the ruined bridge.

Genoa, Italy: About 39 people were killed on Tuesday when a giant motorway bridge collapsed in heavy rain in the Italian city of Genoa in what the government called an "immense tragedy".

The collapse, which saw a vast stretch of the A10 freeway tumble on to railway lines in the northern port city, came as the bridge was undergoing maintenance work and as the Liguria region, where Genoa is situated, experienced torrential rainfall.

"Unfortunately there are around 30 dead and many injured in a serious condition," Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told reporters.

Rescuers scouring through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, said there were "dozens" of victims, as rescue helicopters winched survivors on stretchers from the ruined bridge.

Cars and trucks were tangled in the rubble and nearby buildings damaged by vast chunks of concrete, according to an AFP photographer at the scene.

The incident  the deadliest of its kind in Europe since 2001  is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of economic stagnation.

Patrick Villardry, a French firefighter who came from Nice to help the rescue effort, said the task was huge.

"The first victims have been evacuated and now we have to search under the wreckage of buildings, but there are thousands of tonnes of concrete," he said.

President Giuseppe Conte was due to visit the scene later Tuesday.

'Unacceptable to die like this'

Aerial footage showed more than 200 metres of the viaduct, known locally as the Morandi bridge, completely destroyed.

"I'm following with the utmost apprehension what is happening in Genoa and what looks like it could be an immense tragedy," Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter.

Salvini, who is also leader of the nationalist League party in a power-sharing government, vowed to hold those responsible for the disaster accountable.

"I have gone over this bridge hundreds of times, and I commit to digging and finding out who is responsible for an unacceptable tragedy, because it's not possible that in 2018 you can work and die in these conditions," he said.

The cause of the disaster was not immediately clear, although weather services in the Liguria region where Genoa is situated had issued a storm warning on Tuesday morning.

The national motorways body said on its website that "maintenance works were being carried out on the base of the viaduct", adding that a crane had been moved on site to assist the work.

Shares in Italian company Atlantia, which runs much of Italy's motorway network, including the collapsed stretch of the A10, plunged on the Milan stock exchange after the news.

The shares were temporarily suspended when their slide exceeded 10 percent and closed the day down more than five percent at 23.54.

History of collapses

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, in a statement, expressed "my deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have died, and to the Italian people".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also sent her condolences.

Genoa, home to half a million people, is located between the sea and the mountains of northwestern Italy. Its rugged terrain means that motorways that run through the city and the surrounding area are characterised by long viaducts and tunnels.

The Morandi viaduct, completed in 1967, over-spans dozens of railway lines as well as an industrial zone housing several factories.

One factory, immediately next to one of the viaduct's support columns, was virtually empty on Tuesday due to a national holiday, and seems to have sustained minimal damage.

In March 2017, a couple were killed when a motorway overpass collapsed on their car near Ancona on the country's Adriatic coast.

A pensioner died in October 2016 when his car was crushed by a collapsing bridge over a dual carriageway between Milan and Lecco.

That incident was blamed on bureaucratic bungling which led to a fatal delay in the bridge being closed after it was reported to be showing significant cracks.DENVER (Reuters) - Nine people were injured, one of them critically, on Tuesday when a natural gas explosion levelled a Denver apartment building on Tuesday, a fire department spokesman said. Two of the victims were trapped inside the building, which was described as a 'fourplex,' following the blast in Denver's historic Baker neighbourhood but were rescued by first responders, said Denver Fire Captain Greg Pixley. Pixley said there were no reports of anyone else trapped in the rubble, but firefighters were making sure the structure was structurally stable before conducting a thorough search.

DENVER (Reuters) - Nine people were injured, one of them critically, on Tuesday when a natural gas explosion levelled a Denver apartment building on Tuesday, a fire department spokesman said.

Two of the victims were trapped inside the building, which was described as a "fourplex," following the blast in Denver's historic Baker neighbourhood but were rescued by first responders, said Denver Fire Captain Greg Pixley.

Pixley said there were no reports of anyone else trapped in the rubble, but firefighters were making sure the structure was structurally stable before conducting a thorough search.

Crews were also working with Xcel Energy Inc to insure all gas was eliminated from the area, he said.

The fire department posted pictures of the apartment building on Twitter showing it had collapsed.

(Reporting by Keith Coffman; editing by Dan Whitcomb, Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Joyce Lee and Yimou Lee SEOUL/TAIPEI (Reuters) - South Korea marked its first 'memorial day' on Tuesday for girls and women forced to work in Japan's wartime brothels, with both of the U.S. allies expressing concern that the emotionally charged issue could undermine their relations. Under a 2015 deal, Japan apologised to the 'comfort women', its euphemism for women - many of them Korean - forced to work in its wartime brothels, and provided a 1 billion yen (now $9.4 million) fund to help them.

By Joyce Lee and Yimou Lee

SEOUL/TAIPEI (Reuters) - South Korea marked its first "memorial day" on Tuesday for girls and women forced to work in Japan's wartime brothels, with both of the U.S. allies expressing concern that the emotionally charged issue could undermine their relations.

Under a 2015 deal, Japan apologised to the "comfort women", its euphemism for women - many of them Korean - forced to work in its wartime brothels, and provided a 1 billion yen (now $9.4 million) fund to help them.

But South Korea has recently sought to revisit the issue.

"I hope that this issue will not lead to a diplomatic dispute between Korea and Japan. Nor do I see this is an issue that can be solved through diplomatic solutions between the two countries," South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in comments marking the first "Memorial Day for Japanese Forces' Comfort Women Victims".

"It is an issue that can be solved only when the world, including ourselves and Japan, deeply reflects on sexual violence against all women and human rights problems and comes to a strong awareness and learns a lesson in a way that prevents this from ever repeating again."

Japan insists the issue was resolved by the 2015 deal, struck with a previous, conservative South Korean administration.

A senior Japanese official said differences with South Korea on the matter could undermine efforts to "develop a future-oriented relationship".

"We are concerned that this may spoil such endeavours," said the Japanese official, who declined to be identified.

"We have reached out through diplomatic channels to stress the importance of steadily implementing the Japan-South Korea agreement," the official said, referring to the 2015 deal.

The bitterness over Japan's wartime actions comes as concern about North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles has posed a threat to both South Korea and Japan, both of which play host to U.S. military bases.

Moon's administration has spotlighted the issue and has called for Japan to do more, despite backing down in January from a demand to formally renegotiate the 2015 deal.

In March, Moon described Japan's wartime use of the women as a crime against humanity. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the remarks "extremely regrettable".

TAIWAN PROTEST

A monument was unveiled as part of the events to mark the day, chosen as it was on Aug. 14, 1991, that South Korean comfort woman victim Kim Hak-sun became the first to give public testimony about her experience.

A think-tank funded by the South Korean government devoted to researching the issue also opened this month.

Japan has protested over monuments in South Korea dedicated to the women, including one in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, as well as the decision to designate a day to remember the women.

The issue has been a regular source of animosity between Japan and neighbours including China, North and South Korea and Taiwan, where earlier on Tuesday, more than 50 activists protested in front of Japan's representative office.

"Japanese government should apologise," chanted the protesters, many wearing black shirts with their faces covered by white masks. They also demanded compensation for Taiwan women forced to work in the brothels.

A bronze statue symbolising comfort women was also unveiled in the southern Taiwan city of Tainan, the United Daily News reported.

The unveiling was attended by former President Ma Ying-jeou.

Japan colonised the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945 and occupied parts of China before and during the war.

"It is quite regrettable to witness statutes of comfort woman being established or displayed in various parts of the world, which is incompatible with the position and measures taken by our government," the Japanese official said.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee in Seoul and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Additional reporting by Jeongmin Kim in Seoul, Judy Peng in Taipei and Linda Seig in Tokyo; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House national security adviser John Bolton will meet Russian officials in Geneva next week as a follow-up to the summit meeting that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in Helsinki last month, the White House said. Bolton, as part of his trip, will also visit Israel and Ukraine for meetings with officials in those countries, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House national security adviser John Bolton will meet Russian officials in Geneva next week as a follow-up to the summit meeting that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in Helsinki last month, the White House said.

Bolton, as part of his trip, will also visit Israel and Ukraine for meetings with officials in those countries, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

Trump has defended himself against criticism that he was too cosy with Putin in their talks in the capital of Finland and a subsequent joint news conference. The Trump administration in the aftermath of the summit imposed more sanctions on Moscow.

Trump has invited Putin to visit the United States in 2019.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday he hoped his country and Russia could find a solution over the northern Syrian region of Idlib, a rebel-held enclave which the Syrian government says it aims to recapture. The Idlib region, a refuge for civilians and rebels displaced from other areas of Syria as well as powerful jihadist forces, was hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling last week, in a possible prelude to a full-scale government offensive. Turkey, which has backed some rebel groups in the region and set up a dozen military observation posts, is trying to avert an attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Moscow

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday he hoped his country and Russia could find a solution over the northern Syrian region of Idlib, a rebel-held enclave which the Syrian government says it aims to recapture.

The Idlib region, a refuge for civilians and rebels displaced from other areas of Syria as well as powerful jihadist forces, was hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling last week, in a possible prelude to a full-scale government offensive.

Turkey, which has backed some rebel groups in the region and set up a dozen military observation posts, is trying to avert an attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Moscow.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it was important to distinguish between "terrorists", rebel fighters and up to three million civilians in Idlib.

"We need to determine these terrorist (groups) and eliminate them with intelligence and military forces," he said in Ankara ahead of talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, whose country has backed Assad militarily.

"It would be a massacre to bomb Idlib, civilians, hospitals, schools just because there are terrorists."

Idlib is controlled by an array of insurgent groups, with Sunni Muslim jihadists believed to be the dominant force there.

"We need to differentiate between moderate rebels and radicals. The local people and the moderate rebels are very disturbed by these terrorists so we need to fight against them all together," Cavusoglu said.

Last week U.N. humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said that Turkey, Russia and Iran had all agreed to "do their utmost to avoid" a battle in Idlib.

The Syrian army dropped leaflets over Idlib province on Thursday, urging people to agree to a return of state rule, telling them the seven year war was nearing its end.

Lavrov, speaking at a news conference with Cavusoglu, also said Moscow was surprised at what he said was Western opposition to refugee returns to Syria.

"A huge (portion) of Syria has been freed of terrorists. Its time to rebuild infrastructure, all living necessities for refugees from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and from Europe to start returning to their home," he said.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday a four-way Syria summit "is planned in the upcoming future", with the leaders of Russia, France, Turkey and Germany attending.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Daren Butler in Istanbul and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Writing by Sarah Dadouch; Editing by Dominic Evans, Richard Balmforth)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Taliban attack on an Afghan military outpost killed up to 44 policemen and soldiers, while a separate suicide blast in Kabul killed at least 48 people as a relentless wave of violence continued across Afghanistan

Kabul: A Taliban attack on an Afghan military outpost killed up to 44 policemen and soldiers on Wednesday, while a separate suicide blast in Kabul killed at least 48 people as a relentless wave of violence continued across Afghanistan.

Local officials in the northern province of Baghlan said at least nine policemen and 35 soldiers were killed in the attack early on Wednesday, the latest of a series that has killed dozens of members of the security forces nationwide.

Later in the day, weeks of relative calm in Kabul were shattered by a suicide attack on an educational centre in a mainly Shiite area in the west of the Afghan capital that killed at least 48 people and wounded 67.

The attacks, which came as the central city of Ghazni struggles to recover from five days of intense fighting, underlined how hard the insurgents have been pressuring badly stretched local security forces.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Kabul blast but the attack bore the hallmark of Islamic State (IS), which has conducted many previous attacks on Shiite targets. The Taliban issued a statement denying it was involved.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan called for the fighting to stop, saying up to 150 civilians are estimated to have been killed in Ghazni, where the public hospital was overwhelmed and water and electricity supplies cut.

The extreme human suffering caused by the fighting in Ghazni highlights the urgent need for the war in Afghanistan to end, the top UN official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said in a statement.

Taliban Pullback

The Taliban, who launched their Ghazni assault last Friday and battled Afghan forces backed by US air strikes in the middle of the city for days, said their fighters were pulled out to prevent further harm to the citys population.

They were facing severe shortages of food and drinking water as the power supply was also suspended two days ago, a Taliban commander, who declined to be identified, said by telephone.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was providing dressing packages and oral and intravenous medicine to treat the wounded, along with electricity generators and fresh water for about 18,000 people.

The Ghazni attack, one of the Talibans most devastating in years, has clouded hopes for peace talks that had been prompted by an unprecedented ceasefire during the Eid celebration in June and a meeting in July between Taliban officials and a senior US diplomat.

Two senior Taliban leaders told Reuters this week the group was considering announcing a ceasefire for the feast of Eid-al Adha, which begins next week, but the future of any peace process remained uncertain.

With parliamentary elections due on 20 October, the government had been bracing for more attacks in Kabul and other cities, but even so, the scale of the violence has come as a shock to a government facing bitter criticism over its handling of the war.

In the southern province of Zabul, Taliban insurgents clashed with soldiers on Tuesday, forcing the government to send reinforcements from neighbouring provinces to retain control of two checkposts.

"The clashes killed 11 soldiers and one policeman, with three soldiers wounded," said Haji Atta Jan Haqbayan, a Zabul provincial council member.

"Separately, six girls younger than 10 were killed when an unexploded mortar they picked up to play with suddenly exploded on Wednesday, officials in the eastern province of Laghman said.Mike Pompeo, in his message on behalf of the US government on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day, the US Secretary of State lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

New York: India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law, the US said on Wednesday while greeting the country on its Independence Day.

In his message on behalf of the US government on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

"On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India  a unique civilization, a fellow democracy, and a friend  on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order," he said.

Since gaining its independence, India has "set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law  values shared by the United States", Pompeo said.

"As members of the oldest and largest democracies, the people of the US and India have always enjoyed strong bonds of friendship. We are grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students," he said.

Pompeo said that the values shared by the people of the two countries "contribute to inspiring collaboration in health, energy, environment, science, and high technology that will fuel the jobs and prosperity of the future".Will Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) cut its dividend?

It's a question that has been on a lot of investors' minds recently. Ford's dividend yield is around 6%, a level that generally suggests that investors think a dividend cut is on the way. And at least at first glance, Ford's dismal second-quarter earnings report and reduced full-year guidance suggest that some belt-tightening might be necessary -- soon.

Ford CFO Bob Shanks had said back in 2016 that the company expected to be able to maintain its current quarterly dividend payment "through the cycle," meaning even through a moderate recession. But back then, Ford still expected profits to be strong through 2018.

I arranged a call with Shanks to ask him: Is that guidance still operative?

Ford's CFO: Sustaining the dividend is an important part of our strategy

"It's extremely operative," Shanks told me earlier this week. "It's an important foundation of our entire strategy around the balance sheet, around shareholder distributions and the way in which we provide them. It's also about the consistency that we hope to provide, and to demonstrate through -- whenever the next downturn is -- around the regular dividend."

Ford's plan, which dates back to when Alan Mulally was CEO, has been to demonstrate to investors that a recession isn't an existential threat. That's why Ford has long maintained a fat cash hoard ($25.2 billion as of June 30). It's intended to sustain new-product development and other expenses -- including the dividend -- when sales and profits fall during a recession.

Analysts have recently challenged that idea. In a note last week, Berenberg analyst Alexander Haissl argued that Ford will soon have to cut its dividend because its income from China has greatly diminished -- and it isn't generating enough cash from other parts of its business to fund the roughly $2.4 billion per year it pays in regular dividends right now. A few other Wall Street analysts have recently made similar arguments.

Shanks told me that he thinks those analysts' concerns about Ford's cash flow have missed something important: Yes, China income is down -- but Ford Credit is about to become a cash-flow monster.

The cash-flow piece that analysts are missing

Ford Credit, the company's captive-financing unit, has been very profitable in recent years. It generated $1.9 billion in pre-tax income in 2014, $2.0 billion in 2015, $1.9 billion in 2016, and $2.3 billion in 2017. It has already generated almost $1.3 billion in pre-tax profit in 2018, despite Ford's other troubles -- and Ford currently expects its full-year 2018 result to come in well ahead of the $2.3 billion it earned last year.

Until recently, most of the cash generated by Ford Credit was reinvested in its business, as Ford worked to increase its total "managed receivables," or the amount it has in outstanding loans and leases at any given time. "We've been taking most of their cash generation over the last number of years and reinvesting it in a larger equity base so it could support ever greater levels of receivables," Shanks said.

That will soon change, Shanks argues, because Ford has decided to cap Ford Credit's managed receivables at about $155 billion. (It's close to the cap now: Ford Credit's managed receivables totaled $151 billion as of the end of the second quarter.)

Those receivables are supported by equity of about $15 billion, Shanks said, and Ford targets an 11% return on that equity annually. (It was 15% in the first half of 2018.) He also said:

What that means is we should be able to expect that [Ford Credit] will send back to Ford, in general, about $1.6 [billion]-$1.7 billion every year, which is that 11% on the $15 billion -- and the $15 billion will grow. That pays for around 70% of the dividend on its own. So I've got the stable dividend and I've got the stable distribution coming from Ford Credit. It doesn't totally match up but it certainly pays a huge chunk of it.

The upshot: Ford's regular dividend is safe

Shanks wanted to make clear that he's only talking about the "regular" dividend, the $0.15 per share that Ford pays every quarter. In recent years, Ford also has paid a supplemental dividend in the first quarter as a way to return additional strong profits to shareholders. It has chosen to pay supplemental dividends rather than raising the regular dividend for exactly the reason outlined above: It wanted to keep the regular dividend at a level it could sustain through the business cycle.

As of right now, at least, Ford still intends to maintain its $0.15 quarterly dividend, even if the economy slips into recession. Yes, the reduction in Ford's income from its Chinese joint ventures is a concern, though Ford expects that to improve after this year. But Shanks argued -- persuasively, to this Fool's thinking -- that the cash flow from Ford Credit will help Ford continue to fund its strong quarterly dividend without it becoming an unreasonable burden.

Long story short: Ford's current quarterly dividend still is sustainable, even into a recession -- and Ford absolutely plans to sustain it unless things get dire. If you've held off buying Ford at recent prices because of concerns about the sustainability of the dividend, I think you can set those concerns aside for the time being.What happened

Tensions keep rising in the South African mining sector. Today that's taking a toll on shares of companies with major mining operations in the country. Sibanye-Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW) stock fell by as much as 13.4%, Gold Fields Limited (NYSE:GFI) stock dropped by as much as 12.3%, and Harmony Gold Mining Co. (NYSE:HMY) fell by as much as 9.9%. Others such as AngloGold Ashanti, Anglo American, and Randgold Resources also saw significant declines in their share prices.

It's a complex issue, but the 30,000-foot view is relatively easy to understand. Many mining companies have begun restructuring their underperforming assets in the country and leaning heavily on job cuts to stem operating losses. While necessary from an operations standpoint, it has led to an estimated 50,000 job losses in recent years -- and the African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party of South Africa, issued a stern warning today against further layoffs.

The warning comes just one day after Gold Fields announced it would cut 1,560 jobs at its South Deep mining complex, which has struggled (a lot) since being acquired in 2006. The warning is also making Wall Street worried that companies in South Africa could find it very difficult to improve operating efficiency at their mines.

As of 12:34 p.m. EDT today, shares of Sibanye-Stillwater had settled to an 11.8% loss, while Gold Fields Limited stock and Harmony Gold Mining stock were down 9.6% and 8%, respectively.

So what

South Africa is home to some of the world's most lucrative mining assets. In fact, it's the top producer of gold, platinum, and chromium, among other metals. It also suffers from some of the world's highest levels of unemployment (27% in 2017), poverty, and inequality. So the central government has instituted some of the friendliest mining regulations in the world to lure investment and create jobs for its citizens.

Unfortunately, the lax rules have also led to waste and inefficiency, further compounded by the fact that the delicate topic of employment has made it difficult to modernize mining operations with machinery and automation. As a result, many mines suffer from relatively low production and high operating costs. In a bid to clean up their act and boost operating margins, many miners have begun restructuring operations in the country, which has tended to include a heavy dose of layoffs. Due to mining's importance to the overall economy and jobs, the ANC signaled it's willing to push back against the industry's plans, although exactly how it will do so remains to be seen.

Layoffs are a significant factor in the growing tensions between the ANC and the mining industry, but the issue of worker safety has also become a point of contention recently. For instance, an accident in June at the Driefontein mining complex owned by Sibanye-Stillwater pushed the number of worker deaths at its South African operations past 20 -- and only since the beginning of 2018. It's an unfortunately common occurrence in the country. Workers have also died at the South Deep mine that Gold Fields is in the process of restructuring, which is one of the main reasons the company wants to improve operations in the first place.

Now what

The important takeaway for investors is that the situation is likely to remain very complex for the foreseeable future. The inconsistent arguments being made suggest there will be no easy solutions -- and no solutions any time soon. For instance, it will be difficult to improve worker safety without modernizing the country's mining industry with newer machinery and equipment, and that will inevitably result in job losses. But if the ANC insists that companies have to keep a minimum number of workers employed, then the current stalemate on these issues is likely to remain.

Until all stakeholders -- the ANC, miners, and worker-rights groups among them -- can sit down and navigate the nuances of the situation, mining in South Africa will be accompanied by inefficiency, dangerous working conditions, and uncertainty for investors. That's why it's likely better to steer clear of gold stocks with major operations in the country for the time being.Samsung patents self-healing Oleophobic coating for its displays News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Samsung wants to keep its devices smudge proof.

Samsung has won a patent pertaining to an anti-fingerprint compound with self-healing properties. The patent was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization earlier this month.

The application mentions the terms "film" "laminate" and "device" and the composition includes compounds such as polyrotaxane, polyhedral silsesquioxane, and fluorinated (meth)acryl.

Producing an anti-fingerprint coating with self-healing properties that can be placed over glass surfaces would make a lot of sense for Samsung, given the fact that majority of its smartphones have a glass-heavy design.

This isn't the first time an oleophobic coating will used, they have been applied to small screens for many years with varying degrees of success. These coatings are made to last, and they tend to last for a longer time compared to the phone's lifespan. Samsung plans to take this to another level by making an anti-fingerprint compound able to regenerate itself.

It's unclear whether the patented composition will have the ability to heal itself. But, it would still be helpful by tackling micro scratches and small defects. Samsung already uses the best protectors for its flagship phones. Given that Samsung phones are now mostly covered in glass and are highly prone to attract fingerprints.

As we move ahead with the trend of small bezels and glass body, Samsung'ss anti-fingerprint coating with self-healing could be a solution in the future. It could also come in handy in the development of flexible mobile devices.

Samsung also seems to serious about launching a smartphone with a foldable display. According to a report by The Bell, the South Korean company has shared its plans to launch a foldable smartphone with some of the parts manufacturers. If the report is to be believed, the production will start in November this year.

These parts will only lay the foundation of the phone, instead of shaping up its design. The report cites an industry source as saying that this is because the company is yet to finalize the form factor of the smartphone. The source also said that Samsung is working on both outfolding and infolding versions of the phone and the final design will be ready by June.

It is also said that the number of parts ordered is smaller than what Samsung usually uses for its flagships. The Bell claims that the orders for this device are somewhere between 500,000 and 2,000,000 which suggests it would be a pilot project.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 3 NFC feature still under testing after two months of launch News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Xiaomi fans will have to wait for a bit longer.

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 hit the shelves soon after the announcement on May 31. The smart wearable has also made its way overseas thanks to third-party online retailers with the price almost close to 199 yuan in China.

Despite the impressive availability, the Mi band 3 isn't completely ready. That's because the company is yet to release the NFC version into the market in China or anywhere else. The device was announced to come in two models, a Bluetooth version and one NFC version + Bluetooth connectivity.

For the people unaware of the tech, NFC means Near Field Communication and it refers to a set of comunication protocols that allow two electronic devices to establish communication when they are within 4cm of each other. This feature will come in handy for contactless payments using Mi Pay in China. Since the device only supports Mi Pay, its use may be restricted.

However, its use in China isn't easy, as the company has hinted that the feature is still under testing. Xiaomi first shared an image of the Mi Band 3 with the bus payment interface on the OLED display and a black strap on August 10.

The second picture was shared recently, showing the Mi Pay door card logo wth a rider which is still under test. The bus card feature will be enabled for use in 167 cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Tianjin, and several others. The version is compatible with non-Xiaomi NFC smartphones.

To recall, the Mi Band 3 comes with 0.78-inch OLED display with a resolution of 128 x 80 pixels. The fitness tracker comes in two variant one with NFC and the other one is without NFC. The Mi Band 3 variant with NFC will be available in China from September onwards.

The Mi Band 3 is powered by a 110mAH battery and comes with a water resistance of 5ATM. The fitness tracker is said to be waterproof up to 50 meters.

The wearable comes with motion tracking and health management. Xiaomi Mi Band 3 is said to deliver 20 days of battery life as well. Mi Band 3 also offers app and call notifications, motion tracking, and health management. The Mi Band 2 was launch in back in June 2016 in China at yuan 149.

via

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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

MONTREAL, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Goldstar Minerals Inc. (Goldstar or the Corporation) (TSX-V: GDM) is pleased to announce that its second phase diamond drill program on the Lake George property was completed today with the shipping of all remaining core samples to the laboratory. The Corporation has drilled 12 holes totaling 2,480 metres. The objective of the drilling was to follow up various occurrences of surface mineralization found on the property. Four different targets were identified for testing.



Next steps

With all core samples having been delivered to the laboratory, the Corporation anticipates releasing its first drill results shortly, with additional results to follow in the coming weeks.

Benoit Moreau, President and CEO of Goldstar comments: The Corporation is very pleased to complete its second phase diamond drilling program and looks forward to receiving assay results.

In addition to the work at Lake George, Goldstars exploration team is presently completing surface prospecting at the Julien (zinc target), Assinica (greenfield target for gold), and Victoria Lake projects (tin target). Systematic prospecting has identified new mineralized outcrops at each of these projects and samples are being sent for analysis. The Julien and Assinica projects are located in Quebec, and the Victoria Lake property is in New Brunswick.

Goldstar is focused on developing deposits that contain gold and technology metals, such as tungsten and tin, in leading mining jurisdictions in Canada.

Disclosure

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Benoit Moreau, P.Eng., CEO and director of the Corporation. Mr. Moreau is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For more information, please contact:

Benoit Moreau

President and CEO

514-591-8058

bmoreau@goldstarminerals.com

Francois Perron

Vice-President of Corporate Development

416-312-4811

fperron@goldstarminerals.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 news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.Posted on: August 15, 2018 10:48 AM

The Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, Kenneth Kearon, has written to Roman Catholic bishops who dioceses overlap with his, to welcome next weeks visit of Pope Francis to Ireland. Bishop Kenneth, the former Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, has also written to clergy and lay readers serving the 65 parishes in his diocese encouraging them to pray for the Pope and other global Christian leaders. The Pope will visit Ireland for the World Meeting of Families, a triennial event which promotes the pastoral care of families, protects their rights and dignity in the Church and in civil society, so that they may ever be more able to fulfil their duties.

This is an important event, not only for the Roman Catholic Church but for all Christians in Ireland, as we welcome someone who is exercising remarkable Christian leadership on a global scale, Bishop Kenneth said in the letter to leaders in his diocese. Given the very warm and cordial relationship we share with our Catholic parishes and neighbours, might I suggest the following: that you pray in church for Pope Francis and other global Christian leaders at this time; that you pray in church for the World Meeting of Families and for family life; that where appropriate you send a message, possibly a letter or a visit, to your local Catholic parishes, assuring them of your prayers and good wishes at this time.

He said: This is an important time of celebration for our Roman Catholic neighbours and we should assure them that we share in their joy and celebrations.

In 2013, in his then-role as Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Kenneth was part of the official Anglican delegation to Rome for the inauguration of Pope Francis Papal ministry.

Bishop Kenneth Kearon (left) at St Peters Square in the Vatican with the Anglican delegation at the innauguration of Pope Francis ministry in March 2013

In his letter to Roman Catholic bishops whose dioceses overlap with his, he said: On behalf of the Church of Ireland communities in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe, I extend our very best wishes to you, your priests and parishioners on the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to Ireland.

This is an important time for all in your diocese as you prepare for this visit. In a remarkably short time Pope Francis has exercised a ministry and leadership on a world scale which few would have thought possible. We rejoice in his ecumenical commitment on a wider front, and note his warm personal friendship with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd Justin Welby. All of this brings great hope to Christians of all denominations, in a complex and unsettled world.

The context of his visit, the World Meeting of Families, is an interest we all share. Families are at the heart of church and community in Ireland, and we welcome that emphasis at this time.

The World Meeting of Families begins on Tuesday (21 August) and will conclude on Sunday (26 August) with an open-air mass in Phoenix Park, Dublin, at which some 500,000 people are expected to attend.

Bishop Kenneth has suggested two prayers that churches can use in the coming days:

A Prayer for Christian Leaders

Hear us, O Lord, as we lift up before you all who bear the bewildering responsibility of Christian leadership among the churches of the world. Especially at this time we pray for Pope Francis and his visit to Ireland, for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury and His All Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch.

Give them wisdom beyond their own, integrity in all their dealings, and a resolve to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness for all humankind.

We ask it in the name of Christ.

A Prayer for Family Life

God our Father, whose Son Jesus Christ lived at Nazareth as a member of a human family; hear our prayer for all homes and families, and especially for our own, that they may be blessed by his presence and united in his love.

We ask this in His name.Posted on: August 15, 2018 2:01 PM

A delegation from the Anglican Consultative Council has concluded its fact-finding visit to the Diocese of Chile, with its Chair, Archbishop Paul Kwong of Hong Kong, expressing his hope that it will become the 40th Province of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Church in Chile is currently a Diocese in the Province of the Church of South America; but has been moving towards becoming one of the Communions independent-but-interdependent autonomous Provinces. The delegation will report its findings to the ACCs Standing Committee next month. If they give the go-ahead, and if that decision is ratified by a majority of the Communions Primates, the Province of Chile could be operational by the end of the year.

The delegation were in Chile from 7 to 13 August to investigate the current state of the Anglican Church in the country and to determine whether it is ready and meets the criteria to become an Anglican Province. They took part in an intense programme of meetings and visits to churches and institutions linked to the diocese; including its theological seminary and the Permanent Commission  a group made up of bishops, clergy and laity.

What we have seen during these days, is that the Anglican Church in Chile is a church that is centred on Jesus and his mission, and develops a ministry that is completely centred on people and how to equip them in the Gospel, Archbishop Paul Kwong, who led the delegation, said. We were here to learn, understand and experience through our eyes what the church is doing here, and it is something that I would love to apply to my own context.

I think that if all goes well, Chile will be the 40th Province of the Communion and will enrich the church, the life of the Anglican Communion, and I really want to see it.

The Bishop of Chile, Hector Zavala, will become the Primate of the new Province if it is given the go ahead. He said that the delegation was able to reflect and ask questions on aspects such as the administrative system, the canons, status and financial projection, theological education, among others, and obtain a complete picture of what the future Anglican Province of Chile would be like.

He said that an invitation had already been extended to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to consecrate the new Province if the Anglican Consultative Councils Standing Committee and Primates provide a positive response.

In addition to Archbishop Paul, the international delegation comprised the ACC Vice Chair, Maggie Swinson; the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury; Bishop Jane Alexander from the Anglican Church of Canada; Jeroham Melendez from the Anglican Church of the Central America Region; the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon; and the Chief Operating Officer for the Anglican Communion Office, David White.Posted on: August 15, 2018 9:31 AM

An Anglican theological college established in the Gambella region of Ethiopia is celebrating after its first group of students completed the three-year course and collected their qualifications. Two of the seven graduates of the St Frumentius Anglican Theological College are refugees and the others are from two different ethnic groups that have a history of conflict. At several points over the past three years, high levels of ethnic tensions in the Gambella region made it unsafe for students to meet on campus together.

Opened in November 2015, St Frumentius is the first Anglican theological training college in Ethiopia. It was started in response to a great need for theological training in the area: the church is growing rapidly in Ethiopia, largely through the migration of South Sudanese Christian refugees to the area.

Pastors say that while they know how to plant churches and bring people to Christ, they dont know the Bible and they dont know how to make disciples. At the time St Frumentius College was established, the growing number of churches in Gambella was served by just 17 clergy  and only one of those had a theological degree.

Since it opened, the colleges reputation as a provider of high quality theological education is growing steadily. Following positive reviews by the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, the Baptist Church in Gambella has asked St Frumentius to provide training for its pastors and the college is continuing to attract attention from other seminaries for the quality of its programmes.

Church Mission Society partner Chris Wilson oversees the teaching programme at the college. We are seeing local people coming to faith, communities changed and tribal tensions addressed, he said. The students had been away from Gambella for 10 weeks of field education and in that time, one student, Pastor Isaac, planted a church and baptised 54 people, and there were reports of many people making decisions to follow Christ, people healed and set free from various forms of affliction, including alcoholism.

Another student, a Sudanese refugee, helped build a church in a refugee camp. Christians living in the camp made round trips of two and a half hours into the mountains to bring bamboo to build a new church; alongside this young people decided to disclose their HIV status and commit themselves to educating others about harmful myths leading to the spread of the disease.

Other graduates from the course have started discipling young people in the Gambella region through sport and Bible teaching. One of them, Ajikune, said that before he came to the college he hated people from other ethnic groups  some of them had killed relatives of his  but now he sees them as other children of God.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Bishop Peter Gatbel Kunen Lual from the Anglican Church of South Sudan, CMS mission partners Chris and Suzy Wilson and Rosemary Burke, and Johann Vanderbijl, the first dean of the college.STAMFORD  An attorney for the embattled former city schools contractor says his client has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Al Barbarotta, CEO of Bridgeport-based AFB Construction Management, had been under local and federal investigation after a high-ranking Stamford official reported concerns of possible extortion in 2016.

The decisions to close the investigations were conveyed to me by both the Stamford States Attorneys Office and the U.S. Attorneys Office, attorney Robert Frost wrote in an email Tuesday to Hearst Connecticut Media.

Stamford States Attorney Richard Colangelo declined to comment.

The office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

In August 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed the Stamford Board of Education for all records pertaining to its business with AFB, Barbarotta and Conveo Energy, a company in which Barbarotta is a partner, according to a copy of the document obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

The subpoena was connected to an FBI investigation into AFB dating from March 2016, when Stamford police began looking into a possible charge that the company used its position to win business with another city contractor.

Hearst Connecticut Media also reported that a similar subpoena was issued to the city of West Haven, where AFB also managed school buildings.

The Justice Department also issued a separate subpoena to the Town of Trumbull, where AFB managed schools until 2014.

Stamford police conducted their own probe after being alerted to a June 2015 email in which Barbarotta offered to help ConEd Solutions obtain state certificates needed for outfitting public buildings in exchange for a $10,000 monthly payment, according to an affidavit.

Barbarotta has been a friend of Gov. Dannel Malloy since the 1990s, when Malloy was mayor of Stamford and Barbarotta obtained his first contract with the city. Stamford ended its relationship with AFB in March 2017, when ABM Industries was hired to manage the citys school buildings.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.comGREENWICH  Family members who witnessed a fatal accident that claimed the life of an 80-year-old New Jersey man will be permitted to sue the town of Greenwich.

The towns legal liability in the drowning death at the Cos Cob Marina has been expanded after a decision by a state Superior Court Justice last month. Patrick Conroy, of Wall, N.J., died after the minivan he was driving plunged off the loading area at the town marina and into the water on Sept. 14, 2015. The judge ruled that John Conroy, the victims son, as well as his wife and four children, can be party to the lawsuit and claim damages for emotional distress.

In September 2017, the Conroy family sued the town for negligence in the death of Patrick Conroy. The litigation is still going through procedural issues, and the towns legal staff had argued that the town should only be liable for the injured party  Patrick Conroy, who drowned in the accident not bystanders who witnessed the accident.

The towns attorneys cited state law and legal precedent under the defective highway statute, arguing that bystander claims for emotional distress should not apply. The town filed a motion to strike the bystander emotional distress claims from the suit, limiting the towns liability.

But Judge Irene Jacobs determined that six family members who were at the Cos Cob Marina at the time of the accident could be plaintiffs to the suit, deciding that the defective highway statute did not clearly apply to the case.

Lawyers representing the Conroy family, from northern Westchester County, N.Y., refiled their legal claims earlier this month.

Patrick Conroy had planned to go boating with his son and grandchildren that day, and they were preparing to launch from the public dock in Cos Cob after obtaining a day permit.

Conroy was maneuvering the minivan near the edge of the water and ending up sliding down the embankment into water. The van settled into the Mianus River, in water about 10 to 12 feet deep. John Conroy, the son, dove into the water to attempt a rescue, but he was unable to pull his father to safety.

The Conroy lawsuit cites negligence and carelessness by the town of Greenwich for the fatal accident. The lawsuit cites the lack of barriers or guard rails at the loading area near the marina.

A jury trial could take place in the spring of 2019, according to the court calendar.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.comGREENWICH  When Felipe Sanches and Juan Fernandez, two recent Greenwich High School graduates, first walked into their AP Psychology class, they realized they were the only two Latinos.

They partnered up for every presentation and quiz and they pushed each other to do their best. They saw their work representing that of all Hispanic students, in addition to themselves.

I remember thinking, I cant mess this up because I can strengthen the stereotypes, Fernandez said. When youre the only one representing a whole group of people, then theyll generalize you by the stereotypes that already exist.

Sanches and Fernandez were high-performing students, like many in their class, and ethnic group. But they had to overcome particular challenges many in the mainstream do not experience.

Latino students lag behind white students in access to teachers of the same ethnicity and access to challenging coursework, while outnumbering their white peers in rates of chronic absenteeism and school discipline, according to a recent report by the advocacy group Connecticut Voices for Children.

Just under 133,000 Latino children attend school in Connecticut, yet they make up 25 percent of the school population and the largest minority group. In Greenwich, Latino students comprised 21.2 percent of enrolled students in 2016-2017, up from 20.5 percent the previous year, while white students made up 63.2 percent in 2016-17, down from 64.4 percent.

Like almost every diverse school district in the nation, Greenwich has experienced a persistent achievement gap that breaks down along several lines, including ethnic.

Town school officials acknowledge the gap, but are quick to highlight many efforts they have taken to close it. And they point to the high performance of minority students in Greenwich compared to the states overall performance and ethnic disparity.

Even though we do have a gap, which every community does, we still perform much higher than other communities, Deputy Superintendent Elizabeth-Ann Carabillo said.

Latino, English-language-learning and special education students all perform above the state average, she said.

For example, 52.4 percent of Greenwich Latino students met or exceeded college preparedness course requirements in 2016-17, nine points higher than the state average.

But even minority students most successful at bridging the gap say they are affected by it.

For Sanches and Fernandez, friends since Western Middle School and both members of their alma maters Diversity Awareness Club, the biggest struggle they faced as Latino students in Greenwich was being underestimated.

Throughout all four years, Ive had to prove myself as either equal or more than other students, Fernandez said. When youre the only Latino student in an honors class, you feel like an outcast. You have to remember youre there for a reason.

Sanches, similarly, said he felt he has to prove himself to defy stereotypes, listing two: Latino students dont care, and Latino students get into drugs in high school.

We are aware that there are gaps, Carabillo said. We are focused on making sure were meeting the needs of the kids.

But the Voices for Children study found hurdles werent just ones of perception.

Statewide, Latinos are suspended at a higher rate, 10 percent, than white students, 4 percent. Latino youth are more likely to be punished for subjective violations, such as failure to remove a hat or disruptive classroom behavior, than their white peers, the Voices report states.

In Greenwich, which enjoys lower suspension and expulsion rates, Latinos faced disciplinary actions at a rate of 2.6 percent while their white peers were suspended or expelled at half that rate, 1.1 percent.

The Voices report group attributes this disparity to implicit bias.

GPS is working to overcome implicit bias with culturally relevant training for educators, Carabillo said. The ongoing education instructs teachers in being sensitive to how children and families of racial and ethnic minorities interact with each other and view teachers.

For example, Carabillo said, children who look down while their teachers discipline them might be showing respect in their culture, whereas white Americans expect children to make eye contact to show they are paying attention.

Learning about that gives you a better idea of how to go about developing a relationship with the child and the family, Carabillo said.

Developing a relationship is part of the schools approach to countering absenteeism, too.

Absenteeism is higher among Latino students, 16 percent, than their white peers, 6 percent, in Connecticut, the report found.

Greenwich is no exception: In the 2016-17 school year, 6 percent of Latinos were chronically absent, compared to only 3.3 percent of white students.

The district examines absenteeism on an individual level rather than comparing rates among different ethnicities, Carabillo said. She added that the individualized approach explains why rates in Greenwich are lower.

School administrators reach out to parents if children are absent for more than four days to determine if the child is sick, if there are external factors prohibiting them from getting to school and if the school needs to intervene.

The Voices report contends that having a faculty that reflects the student body helps all students perform, citing a recent Vanderbilt University study that showed schools with more Latino educators having higher Latino enrollment in gifted and talented programs.

Sanches said students of color need to see administrators and teachers who look like them to show them minorities can succeed. He said his mentor in high school, Bella House Assistant Dean Garfield Charles, pushed him to take on leadership roles that molded Sanches into the person he is today.

Fernandez felt a special bond with his Latina AP Spanish teacher, Senora Maria Yika. Her advice seemed more genuine.

I felt that, in a way, our connection of being Latino helped us trust in her, he said. I feel that theyre able to see themselves in you and youre able to see yourself in them.

According to school human resource documents, the district pledges to recognize the diversity of the community and act affirmatively in recruitment, hiring and assignment of personnel.

In the 2016-17 school year, Greenwich Latino educators held 5 percent of positions, higher than the states 3.6 percent. Greenwich has a much higher presence of white teachers, 89.8 percent of faculty, but it is lower than the states 91.4 percent.

During the 2017-18 school year, GPS hired 57 teachers, and 16 percent of new hires represented racial minorities, Carabillo said.

Sanches said despite its issues with diversity, GHS has plenty of resources for everyone.

If you choose not to take the resources you have, thats on you, not on the school, he said.

There are students from all ethnicities who can take advanced classes but choose not to, and Sanches said some of his friends who opted out of taking honors or AP classes said they did not want to put in the work. But he said their choice had consequences for the Latino student body as a whole.

Its unfortunate because that perpetuates the stereotype that we dont care, he said. Many people around the world dream of this opportunity, and the fact that theyre throwing it to the side says something.

GPS also has resources for parents. On Hispanic Parent Night, administrators inform parents about the school districts support systems, adult education programs and how to contact school officials.

Parents can also participate in English-language courses. This year, classes will be held at Julian Curtiss School, St. Roch Church, First Congregational Church and Greenwich High.

Despite the resources, Sanches, Fernandez and Carabillo all acknowledge the district has room for improvement.

Are we satisfied with where we are yet? No, Carabillo said. We need to come together and be partners in learning. We have a long way to go.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.comMy 8-year-old Selma went to sleepaway camp this summer. We gave her the option of staying two or five weeks, a decision she was to make while she was at camp.

This was our first brush with sleepaway camp; we had never had any of our offspring away from home for such a long time. Selma had wanted to go since second grade; she drew pictures of bunk life throughout the winter. There was no question she was ready. Selma assured us she would stay for five weeks, but we left the two-week option open just in case. Although it was hard to see her go, I knew she would have a blast. Her father was devastated.

This is just awful. We are sending her away, Claire  its a form of abandonment! When I went to Camp Powhaten I was totally traumatized. Camp can be a very mean place. I came home two weeks early! he said.

Thats because you stabbed a hemophiliac! I shot back. Long story, but it involved a counselor, self-defense and lack of knowledge re: hemophilia.

Exactly! Ian was now yelling. And I was defending myself, as you know, from a very mean counselor!

Ian and I hashed it out, and to Selmas delight off she went to Maine. Ian was a nervous wreck. After five days at camp, we received the following letter from Selma:

Dear Mommy and Daddy,

Camp is literally my home-away-from-home! I love my new awesome camp besties! Their names are Cassidy and Aneese. How are you guys? Im having an awesome start of camp!! I love you guys and cant wait to tell you all about new awesome new camp!

Lots of love, Selma

This is very suspicious. Ian started in immediately.

Are you kidding me? I was almost amused; I had never seen Ian like this before.

It is too cheerful; it feels forced. Do you know if they monitor the campers letters home? he said.

I calmly explained that I was pretty sure Selma was having a great time, but I promised I would check in with the director of the camp just in case.

I have never seen a child thrive so much at camp so quickly the camp director told me. She told me the Eco-Challenge was the best day of her entire life.

Of course, the camp director would say that  he wants our money! Ian said. He had officially lost it.

About a week later, we received our second letter from Selma:

Dear Mommy,

Today is Friday and my morning was painful. I was on my horse (in trotting mode) and my horse broke into a canter (the 2nd highest mode). Of course I was not ready for this and flew off. When I was on the ground my horse ran over me. I didnt break anything, I just got a bruise. It really hurt (but Im fine) so I dont know if I should stay. All my friends are only staying for two weeks. I love you and miss you sooooo much!

Love, Selma

P.S. (Just saying I didnt need to go to the hospital or anything).

Ironically Selmas stationary was lined with pink horse heads.

I knew it! Ian was nearly hysterical.

OK calm down babe, lets talk to her. We have a call scheduled tonight.

But before I could continue, Ian was packing the car to Maine.

That night we got a call from Selma, who was happy as a clam but felt like she might only want to stay at camp for two weeks because all her friends would be going home.

But I definitely want to stay for at least a month next summer! she added, on speaker phone.

Selma then proceeded to sing us all the camp songs; she even got choked up at the idea of leaving. She had never had so much fun in her entire life.

But what about the horse that trampled you? Ian asked cautiously.

Oh Daddy, he didnt trample me! I love horse backing riding! Can I have lessons when I get home? 

Whoa boy.

I just dont get it! Do you know if the camp director monitors her telephone calls? Maybe she was being forced to say these things Ian said.

And it went on.

I mean it doesnt make sense. She is all over the place emotionally! What is going on?! he howled. its just like you, the junior version!

At this point, I knew better than to respond. Besides, it was clearly all my fault.

So, we drove up to Maine and picked her up after two weeks. Selma was thriving; she gave us a tour of her entire camp, we met all her awesome besties and the camp director and his wife gushed about what a terrific kid she is.

As we drove away, Ian was a very happy father.

See, I told you. Sleepaway camp is a good thing for Selma, I said.

She is all mine again, he said victoriously.

And as we drove off into the brilliant Maine sunset, I could think of only one thing: We were in for a very long road ahead. And I didnt just mean the seven-hour drive back to Connecticut.

Claire Tisne Haft is a former publishing and film executive, raising her family in Greenwich while working on a freelance basis on books and films.STAMFORD - Preliminary, unofficial results 45 minutes after polls closed Tuesday night showed Anzelmo Graziosi, the former Democrat who switched parties to run on the Republican ticket, ahead of Dariens Marcy Minnick in the primary for the District 147 seat in the state House of Representatives.

The unofficial tally at 8:45 p.m. was 694 for Graziosi, a member of the Stamford Board of Representatives, and 405 for Minnick, according to Republicans gathering numbers from polling places in Stamford and Darien.

Absentee ballots also showed Graziosi ahead, 54-19, Republican Registrar of Voters Lucy Corelli said.

Turnout, which historically is low for August primaries, was 22 percent as of 7 p.m., registrars said.

Graziosi issued a statement saying he invites Minnick to join his campaign. If the results hold, Graziosi will face Democrat Matt Blumenthal, son of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, in November.

I know (Minnick) holds to the same values as I do, Graziosi said. Connecticut does not have a revenue problem, but a spending problem. We need to focus on getting our financial house in order and growing the economy by making Connecticut a business-friendly state. ... I am committed to public service and helping the people of our state. I have no interest in creating a political dynasty or a perpetual political legacy; my only interest is getting Connecticut back on the track of success.

Graziosi, a 47-year-old attorney and married father of five, has made headlines on the Board of Representatives for speaking out against high taxes and acting to cut spending. He challenged city Democratic Party leaders in May after they endorsed political newcomer Blumenthal and didnt support Graziosi enough to primary against Blumenthal as a Democrat.

Graziosi, saying party leaders pre-picked Blumenthal, who moved to the district only weeks before announcing his candidacy, then switched parties. He did not, however, switch positions - he is still socially liberal and fiscally conservative, Graziosi has said.

When he ran as a Democrat for the Board of Representatives in November, he also ran on the independent ticket, which he will do again in November if he officially wins the primary, said Graziosi, a former deputy mayor and city councilman in Glen Cove, N.Y.

Minnick, another former Democrat, also has described herself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. She is a newcomer to politics.

A 40-year-old married mother of three, Minnick runs a 25-employee family business, Excello Tool Engineering & Manufacturing. She has said she became interested in running for office after working at the state level to improve job training and education programs designed to fill worker shortages.

Because more than 80 percent of District 147 is in Stamford, she did not get a fair shot from Stamford Republicans, Minnick has said. They backed Graziosi without seriously considering her candidacy, she has said, so she petitioned her way onto the ballot to challenge Graziosi.

District 147 includes portions of Springdale, Westover, the Ridges, North Stamford, and western Darien.

Weather conditions often affect the number of voters who go to the polls, but a partly sunny, fully humid morning that erupted into a late-afternoon rainstorm likely had little to do with turnout Tuesday. It is not unusual for turnout in August primaries to be in the single digits, registrars have said.

Around lunchtime, Dolan Middle School on Toms Road did not have the crop of campaign signs usually planted outside polling places. The parking lot was nearly empty, and only two voters were casting ballots in the gymnasium.

City registrars said before the primary that two factors indicated a chance for a higher-than-usual turnout.

Democratic Registrar Ron Malloy said his office had received an unusually large number of requests for absentee ballots, indicating, possibly, heightened interest among voters. Corelli said the number of registrations as of last week was about 400 more than this time last year.

That proved true  22 percent is a good turnout for an August primary.

Regardless, Republicans from Stamford have a tough road ahead.

Democrats in the city outnumber them by more than 2-1. Even the number of unaffiliated voters is nearly twice the number of Republicans.

Corelli said the latest registration counts show 27,511 Democrats, 25,334 unaffiliated voters and 13,487 Republicans.

Unaffiliated voters do not affect primaries because they are not allowed to take part in them in Connecticut. Either can the 1,343 Stamford voters who registered with the Independent Party, the 96 registered Libertarians, or the 67 registered with the Green Party.

Everyone, however, can vote in the Nov. 6 general election.

acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296

.By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/08/14

"The Hand is here" and Kim Jae-wook, Kim Dong-wook and Jung Eun-chae are ready to greet it in the latest two-version teaser for upcoming exorcism-shamanism drama "The Guest - Drama". What is this infamous Hand coming from "deep within the East Sea", and can you fight it with hard praying or a gun?

Advertisement

The teasers, which are almost identical, really pile on the dreadful world we're about to dive into, complete with mysterious oceans, blood, rituals and a hanging body. Kim Dong-wook's psychic Yoon Hwa-pyeong, is troubled near the ocean, Jung Eun-chae's detective Kang Gil-yeong is looking through the forest, and Kim Jae-wook's priest Choi Yoon does what he does best, which is looking good in clerical clothing. Sorry, I meant praying at things.

I am more than ready to get into this series, and I can only do my own Dramaland praying that it will be available for us all in a timely fashion. "The Guest - Drama" will be premiering on OCN on September 12th, so we don't have to wait long for whatever horrors it has in store for us.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'The Hill County Attorneys Office filed a felony charge of aggravated assault against a man accused of jumping up and down on another mans chest while shouting he was going to kill him.

Elias Stump of Rocky Boy, 35, was being held this morning on $50,000 bail in the Hill County Detention Center.

He was arrested Aug. 2 on suspicion of attempted deliberate homicide and held on $250,000 bond.

In its document requesting permission to charge Stump with aggravated assault, the Hill County Attorneys office requested bond be set at $100,000.

Stump is scheduled to be arraigned, in which defendants usually enter their initial plea of guilty or not guilty, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m.

The maximum penalties Stump faces if convicted are 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

According to court documents, law enforcement responded to a call at 5:07 p.m. Aug. 1 to a location near the 22nd Avenue rail crossing.

Deputies were flagged down by a BNSF Railway employee and led to the victim of an assault.

The Havre man was lying on his back in the grass and witnesses told the deputies that a man who assaulted him had fled the scene.

A deputy noted that the man in the grass had injuries to his chest, with his ribs apparently broken and his chest caved in.

The man told the deputy that he didnt know who had assaulted him but the assailant kicked him, jumped up in the air and landed on his knees on the victims chest and pressed against his neck with his knees.

A multi-agency search of the area was conducted, but no one was found

When interviewed at the hospital, the victim said he had been sitting watching trains go by and drinking vodka when a man approached him. They began sharing the vodka when the man snapped, the victim told the interviewing deputies, and called him Custer and accused the victim of killing his people.

He then attacked him, the victim said.

Railroad employees who were witnesses told the deputies that a tall, Native American man wearing camouflage shorts was jumping up and down in the grass.

One of the witnesses said he approached and saw the attacker jumping up in the air and landing on the victims chest with his knees, yelling, Im going to (expletive) kill you.

The witnesses intervened and the assailant fled the scene, without being able to put his shoes on, they said.

Medical personnel at the hospital told the deputies that if the assault had continued, it could have killed him.

The deputies developed a potential suspect based on the descriptions given, and one of the witnesses identified Stump out of a photo lineup. The other witness said he did not get a clear look at the assailant and could not identify him.

Aug. 2, a deputy located Stump in Havre. He was wearing camouflage shorts with what appeared to be blood on them and his feet had cuts, blisters and scrapes consistent with his having run barefoot, the document said. He also had bruises on his shins and knees, it said.Editor's note: Watch for additional coverage on this topic in the September Farm and Ranch section of the Havre Daily News.

People are worried about the impact that retaliatory tariffs being imposed on U.S. by trading partners will have on agriculture in Montana, although experts say what the impact will be is still unknown.

Some farmers and ranchers are nervous about the future of the industry, although some remain hopeful the market will eventually be profitable and stable, said Associate Professor of Economics Anton Bekkerman of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at...New research led by The University of Western Australia has revealed that one in two patients admitted to hospital with a cardiovascular disease is suffering from multiple chronic medical conditions which required complex treatment. The rate was significantly higher among Aboriginal people, affecting three in four patients.

The study, published today in PLOS ONE, wascarried out by the UWA School of Population and Global Health and the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health and examined WA health data in patients aged between 25 and 59 years.

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke, are responsible for the majority of deaths and disability among Australians, second only to cancer. The health care costs associated with managing these conditions is substantial.

The data identified the presence of distinct patterns or combinations of commonly occurring long-term medical diseases in cardiovascular disease patients.

It revealed combinations of mental health issues including alcohol and drug abuse and respiratory conditions to be more prevalent in people under 40 years, while metabolic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney diseases were common in those over 40 years.

Lead researcher Dr Mohammad Akhtar Hussain said although his team identified the disease combinations in hospitalised cardiovascular disease patients, they expected these patterns to be reflective of what was present in the community.

A shift in thinking in how to provide high-quality, patient-centred, holistic care to patients with cardiovascular diseases and multiple health conditions is needed, Dr Hussain said.

This research can inform the types of services that need to be brought together within a one-stop shop in order to meet the needs of patients.

Co-author Professor Sandra Thompson from the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health said the research had implications for current treatment guidelines where treatments assessed in drug trials generally focused on one specific condition.

The clinical care of patients with cardiovascular conditions has become more complex, Professor Thompson said.

Rather than providing care in a single disease paradigm, management of cardiovascular diseases needs to be delivered by multidisciplinary teams that focus on the whole patient and all of the relevant conditions they have.

The University of Western AustraliaUNCA, YMCA launch after-school child care at Kellogg Center

A new afterschool child care option will be available this fall in Hendersonville, with UNC Asheville and the YMCA of Western North Carolina partnering to provide services at the Kellogg Center at 1181 Broyles Road, Hendersonville.

The YMCA of Western North Carolina will operate the afterschool child care services as part of their 2018-19 program offerings, beginning August 27. Families interested in registering for the program can learn more at http://ymcawnc.org/afterschool.

"This is a unique partnership opportunity to expand our services to Henderson County residents, ranging from youth to healthy agers," said Paul Vest, president and CEO of the YMCA of WNC. "We're also excited about building deeper connections with UNC Asheville, its students and alumni, the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness, and other partners in the community as we all strive to make WNC a healthier community."

The two buildings, which total just over 8,000 square feet, also will provide room for the YMCA to add health and wellness programs for older adults, while benefitting from the expertise of the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville. The 46-acre property features forest and field trails, complemented by natural and man-made art.

"Our partnership with the YMCA of Western North Carolina extends UNC Asheville's mission to connect to our community and provide high quality character building activities for all ages and stages of life. We are excited to see the Kellogg Center and the surrounding acres once again serve as a learning environment," said Nancy J. Cable, Chancellor, UNC Asheville.

The one-year facility use agreement may be extended for up to three years. This is the first time the YMCA of WNC has offered an afterschool program in Henderson County. Families interested in registering for the program can call the Y Business Center at 828.251.5910 or go to http://ymcawnc.org/afterschool to learn more.

The Kellogg Center was originally the summer residence of Kathryn A. Kellogg, who bequeathed it to Wake Forest University in 1969, which did not have a university use for it at the time, so it was transferred to the UNC System. The property has been part of UNC Asheville since 1987.The second boy charged with the murder of schoolgirl Ana Kriegel was tightly hugged and kissed by his parents before he was led away from court yesterday.

The 13-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was further remanded in custody for two weeks while the book of evidence is prepared.

The teenager is accused of murdering 14-year-old Ana at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan, on May 14.

Her body was found at the disused farmhouse in west Dublin three days after she was reported missing. The boy has been held in custody at the Oberstown detention centre in north Dublin since July 12.

He faced his fourth hearing in relation to the allegation before Judge John Cheatle at the Children's Court yesterday morning. The teenager was accompanied to court by his solicitor and his parents for the brief hearing.

He was further remanded in custody to appear before the Children's Court again on August 28. A book of evidence is being prepared by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). A State solicitor said it was not yet ready and she asked for an adjournment of two weeks.

Defence solicitor David Powderly said there was consent to the adjournment and Judge Cheatle further remanded the boy. Wearing black jeans and a pink hoodie, the boy was greeted by his mother when he walked into the courtroom.

He smiled and looked pleased to see his parents. The boy's mother smiled back, tenderly held his face in her hands and kissed him. She sat beside him in the dock, and clasped his hands during the short but emotional hearing.

After he was remanded in custody, the couple hugged their son tightly, again kissing him and tenderly touching his face. The boy hugged his parents back.

At the first hearing on July 12, Detective Sergeant Damien Gannon gave evidence of arresting the boy at his home that morning before he was charged at Lucan Garda Station. He had said the boy "made no reply to the charge after caution".

Anastasia Kriegel left her home in Leixlip, Co Kildare, at around 5pm on May 14. However, she did not come home and gardai were alerted by her family. Her body was found three days later.Four members of a family allegedly attacked two people in a brawl outside a courthouse. Stock photo: PA Archive

Four members of a family allegedly attacked two people in a brawl outside a courthouse.

John McDonnell (53) and his younger relatives James McDonnell (33), Patrick McDonnell (28) and Martin McDonnell (28) are alleged to have punched and kicked the victims in a row between two families.

Judge David McHugh adjourned the matters to October.

The men, all of St Dominic's Park, Belcamp Lane, Coolock, appeared before Blanchardstown District Court charged with violent disorder.

The incident allegedly took place outside Blanchardstown courthouse.

Patrick McDonnell is accused of seriously assaulting Sally Joyce, while the other three men are alleged to have assaulted John Joyce.

Scalp

The DPP had directed summary trial of the charges.

Outlining the allegations, Sgt Geraldine McManigan said a dispute arose between the McDonnell and Joyce families outside the courthouse at 11am last September 14.

She said Sally Joyce and John Joyce were assaulted during the incident, with Ms Joyce being punched on the left side of her head. It is alleged she suffered a wound to her scalp.

John Joyce was allegedly kicked and punched and suffered injuries to his face.

Judge McHugh said he would accept jurisdiction in the matter, meaning it will stay in the district court.

There was no CCTV footage of the incident, the court heard.

The men, who are all unemployed, have not yet indicated how they will plead.Top RTE presenter Miriam O'Callaghan has been barred from interviewing her younger brother on the national broadcaster.

The Prime Time host's sibling, Jim O'Callaghan, is a key figure on the Fianna Fail front bench.

But his appearances on RTE's flagship current affairs programmes are limited due to his connections with Ms O'Callaghan, the Herald can reveal.

The Dublin Bay South TD can appear on Prime Time, but cannot be quizzed by his sister on the latest political controversies.

He is also currently off limits as a guest for the Today With Sean O'Rourke programme on RTE Radio One which Ms O'Callaghan is fronting for the summer months.

"It would be best practice in any organisation, that no news or current affairs presenter would interview a close relative," said a RTE spokesperson.

"The decision regarding who a presenter would interview in any programme, would be made by the programme editor or producer."

Within Fianna Fail, Mr O'Callaghan, who also works as a barrister, is considered a confident and competent media performer.

Successor

The spokesman on justice and equality was famously sent out to appear on the Six One News late last year to declare his party had no confidence in then Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

He was first elected to the Dail in 2016, but is regularly talked about as a potential successor to Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin.

The 50-year-old has played rugby at a senior level, representing UCD, Cambridge University, London Irish, Wanderers, Leinster and Connacht.

He was also capped for Ireland at Under-21 level.

Miriam O'Callaghan has long been one of RTE's key journalists, but has recently had to refute that she has political ambitions of her own.

She was linked with a run for the presidency in October's election, but eventually ruled herself out after allowing speculation to mount for months.

"Thank the Lord I'm not in it," she said earlier this week.

"I have been covering the campaign on the radio virtually every day and it's such a tough contest."

Asked if she would consider taking part in a future election, the mother-of-eight said she hasn't thought about it.

"That's so far away... I am not one of those people who plans years, or even months, in advance."

Ms O'Callaghan has taken a break from her summer chat show this year to focus on other projects, including a documentary 1968: The Long March, which aired last night.

She is also co-hosting programmes on the visit of Pope Francis later this month before returning to Prime Time duties in September.Leaving Cert students are aiming higher - and are being rewarded today with a jump in the numbers achieving the highest grade in a subject.

As more than 57,000 candidates receive their results, a breakdown of the data shows that 7,490 of them were awarded at least one H1 - a mark of between 90pc and 100pc - while six brainboxes will be celebrating getting eight H1s.

An ongoing upward trend in the numbers sitting higher-level papers is revealed in data from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for the class of 2018.

There were no dramatic swings in the second year of the new Leaving Cert grading system.

However, a 1.7pc increase in students achieving at least one H1 grade is noteworthy in a year when overall candidate numbers dipped slightly.

Disappointment

The CAO bonus points for a minimum 40pc in "honours" maths continue to attract students, with more than 31pc of maths candidates taking higher level, but the relatively high numbers underachieving in the subject will cause disappointment.

At higher level, 7.7pc received below 40pc and, while most are in the 30pc-40pc bracket and will qualify for points under the new CAO scale introduced last year, it is a cause for concern in a subject regarded as critical for future study and life.

Meanwhile, 9.8pc of ordinary-level candidates failed to achieve 40pc in maths, a figure that remains stubbornly high year on year.

Art students in particular will notice an uplift in grades at the top following the introduction of new assessment arrangements this year.

It has been notoriously difficult for students to achieve at the highest levels in art, but the proportion receiving a H1 is up to 2.9pc, from 1.2pc last year, while H2s are up from 11.4pc to 13.5pc. Education Minister Richard Bruton led the congratulations to the students and said they "should all be so proud of the work you have put in and what you have achieved".

This is the first year of examinations in the new subject of politics and society, with 867 students in 41 schools having taken the exam. It will be available to all schools from September, while computer science and physical education are also being phased in from next month.

The release of the results sparked a hard-hitting statement from the business organisation Ibec, claiming that the Leaving Cert "is not fit for purpose".

The Ibec statement followed research published by Dublin City University (DCU) revealing that the exams were largely memory tests and were not adequately assessing students' intellectual skills.

Ibec senior executive for innovation and education policy Claire McGee said: "In its current form it is doubtful that the Leaving Cert is in tune with the needs of Irish society and its economy."

Skills

She said reform was overdue: "A high-stakes, terminal exam, predominately based on rote learning and information recall, leaves students with little opportunity to think critically, engage analytical skills and develop greater interpersonal skills."

Ms McGee said it was "now time to make the Leaving Cert, and indeed the whole senior cycle and careers service, more relevant for the 21st century".

"To help students transition to future study and into the world of work, we need an education system that encourages a spark for learning, one that creates options for young people and prepares them for their next phase in life."

She said Ibec looked forward to engaging on the review of the Leaving Cert that is under way.Photo credit: Jeremy HarrisTen thousand fans crowded the street next to Warner Music on Nashvilles Music Row yesterday, as Dan + Shay delivered a high-energy Tequila Tuesday concert celebrating their recent multi-week #1.

This is one of the craziest things Ive ever seen, Shay Mooney said shortly after kicking off the free event. This is my favorite show weve played in my career.

Shay and Dan Smyers offered a 17-song set packed with hits and fan favorites like 19 You + Me, Nothin Like You, From the Ground Up, and How Not To. The pair returned for an encore that included their new single, Speechless, as well as Tequila, of course.

The evening benefited Musicians on Call, with Dan + Shay and Warner donating $5000 to help the nonprofit with their mission of bringing music to the bedsides of patients all across the country.

This weekend, Dan + Shay travel to Canada, Ohio and Michigan as they begin to wind down their stint on Rascal Flatts Back to Us Tour.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.For Subscribers New restaurant to open in downtown Hagerstown

"It's just time that folks just relax and get back to having a good time and loving on one another," owner says of her planned restaurant.At its sanest, patriotism is being indebted to the land which has given us food, clothing and shelter. However, from long, it has been invested with a variety of sentiments ranging from veneration to jingoism, some time embodying devotion and sacrifice but at others, hating the other and deifying ones own. Whatever form it takes in a society, very soon finds reflection in its popular culture too.

This Independence Day, how about taking a look at the changing face of patriotism in Hindi cinema? At its best, it has reflected a benign and heartfelt call to love your land and at its worst, it is a loud and shrill cry of a chest-thumping bravado.

If you have been an avid watcher of Doordarshans Chitrahaar, you might have occasionally heard a song Chal chal re naujawan, rukna tera kaam nahin... This is from a 1940 film called Bandhan, starring Ashok Kumar and Leela Chitnis, and so old that even my 80-year-father only has faint memory of it. It was however a hit song in my grandfathers era.

The song is a gentle nudge to the young to strive for Indian independence - which was still seven years away.

Legendary filmmaker Sohrab Modi made films on historical characters, such as Sikander (1941), starring Prithviraj Kapoor as Alexander and he himself as Porus and Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), inspiring an entire generation into nation-building.

Then there was Pradip Kumar and Geeta Bali starrer Anandmath, portraying the sanyasin rebellion against the British in the late 18th century and was set during the Bengal famine (1770 CE), and based on the book by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The film features the song, Vande Mataram (as in the original), composed by Hemant Kumar and sung to perfection by Lata Mangeshkar.

In the years to come, viewers could watch few deeply moving films like Satyen Boses Jagriti (1956), Manoj Kumars Shaheed (1965), and Chetan Anands Haqeeqat (1964). While the first was about an idealistic teacher inspiring a group of students to contribute to the country, the second was an inspiring story of life and sacrifice of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and the last one a searing tale of Indias Himalayan disaster during the Chinese aggression of 1962, a fictionalised account of the battle of Rezang La in Ladakh.

Take a look at the lyrics of songs like Kar chale hum fida aye jaan-o-tann sathiyon, Ab tumhare hawale watan sathiyon (Haqeeqat) and non-film song Aye mere watan ke logon. Both stir strong emotions of love for the land and the necessary sacrifices to protect it but seldom talk ill of the other. The song from Jagriti - De di hamein aazaadi bina khadag bina dhaal, Saabaramati ke sant toone kar diya kamaal is a stuff of legends.

However, from the 1960s, the standards set by the previous generations, in terms of treatment of the films, underwent a sea change. Melodrama started to make strong inroads into films.

This was the era of Manoj Kumar brand of patriotism, where, while the sentiment was sincere, the manner of displaying it was loud. Films like Upkar, Purab Paschim and Kranti, much later, fell in this category. These were films that also showed the other in not-so-good light, while all the time, portraying the native patriot as a glowing, inspiring figure.

Come 1970s and KA Abbas Saat Hindustani (which also marked the debut of Amitabh Bachchan) was a fascinating tale of Goas liberation from Portuguese role, cast in the 50s mould.

Through much of this decade and the next, which saw the angry young man phase of Hindi cinema flourish, patriotic fervour took a backseat, save a few exceptions.

In the 1990s, patriotic-themed films made a comeback of sorts. The genre got a fresh new push and leading the way was Aamir Khan starrer Sarfarosh (1999). Now, the enemy was both outside and within. The film, was perhaps, the first of its kind to explore themes like cross border arms dealing. It was noticeable for its realistic drama, a far cry from Gadar brand of film-making and a welcome relief. During this time, Nana Patekar too made two films that stirred nationalistic fervour. While Prahar (1991), which also had Madhuri Dixit in a small role, was realistic film on the making of a soldier, Krantiveer (1994) was about social change.

The highlight of this era was Mani Ratnams Roja (1992), which also boasted some haunting melodies by A.R.Rahman.

Anil Sharmas Gadar (2001), which starred Sunny Deol and Amisha Patel, will remain one of the shrillest films made on the subject. Meant for the front benchers, the film made money but marked the decline in patriotic film genre.

The late 1990s and early 2000s also saw the emergence of JP Dutta, a modern-day Manoj Kumar. With films Border and LOC, he would take us back to films with high dose of melodrama.

Thankfully, soon another lot of films, hit the screen, which brought semblance of restraint to this genre. Leading the charge was Shah Rukh Khan with films like Swades and Chak De! India, both of which celebrated Indianness, one by bringing development to grass-root level and the other, celebrating Indias sporting glory.

With Rang De Basanti, Aamir was back on the silver screen, fighting many other ills that plague the nationsystematic corruption and political apathya band of college goers who take it upon themselves to set things right. All along, the narrative takes us back to the revolutionaries (Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, Ashfaqulla Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil) of the national movement.

Chandraprakash Dwivedis Pinjar (based on Amrita Prithams novel of the same name) was a poignant partition tale. So was Farhan Akhtars Lakshya, a realistic narration of the Kargil war with a love story thrown in.

However, a major shift in perspective was waiting to happen and leading this change was the duo - Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey. When A Wednesday released, it signalled a complete change in perspective. Innocence made way to newfound assertiveness. Sacrifice and valour acquired a whole new complexion. Fighting for the nation acquired a distinct cold and calculated demeanour. It wasnt about singing paean for the dead; it was about finishing off the enemy with assertiveness, not seen before. However, there wasnt any vindictiveness, just a crazy resolve (aided by some gritty filmmaking techniques).

Akshays Baby and Holiday and Rana Daggubatis The Ghazi Attack fell in this bracket.

Of late, movies of this genre have gone a step further, projecting the enemy in not necessarily in a negative light. Films like Raazi, which starred Alia Bhatt as an Indian spy in Pakistan, has its heart in the right place. Love of ones land doesnt necessarily have to be at loggerheads with intrinsic goodness or hating the enemy as a matter of fact.

With films like Mulk, the notion of identity has been turned on its head, with an attempt to show that the other can be every bit nationalistic.

Follow @htshwobiz for moreSatyameva Jayate

Director - Milap Milan Zaveri

Cast - John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Aisha Sharma

Rating - 0.5/5

The actor Varun Dhawan recently said that patriotism needs to be felt, not said. It is an indication of our times that level-headed statements such as this are considered brave.

We have been conditioned - thanks to sycophantic social media accounts, the imposition of pointless laws and most forcefully, a torrent of nationalistic films - to believe that to prove ones patriotism one must have an image of the national flag as ones profile picture, and the words proud Indian as ones bio. To be forced to stand for the national anthem in cinema halls - a secular, socialist, democratic venue if there ever was one - and to be expected to cheer every time a fictional character delivers a passionate speech about our country - that is what has become the new normal.

And what better way to publicise ones patriotism than to project poorly written propaganda on thousands of movie screens across the country?

So no, you should not watch Satyameva Jayate, the latest in this intolerable slew of films that seems to dismiss any form of patriotism that isnt loud, crass and oddly defensive. It is a film in which there are more gloriously shot flags, fluttering in slow motion, than there are believable characters; more ridiculous plot twists than there are honest cops, and more spoken Sanskrit than youd hear in Akshardham Temple.

John Abrahams self-flagellation could be a metaphor.

John Abraham plays Vir, a scud missile of a man who goes on a vigilante spree across Mumbai, ritualistically murdering crooked cops. Not only does he kill them, he subjects the doomed creatures to at least two minutes of poorly recited poetry before dousing them in kerosene (or alcohol, whichevers available) and flicking a lit match in their direction. Being burnt alive is bad enough, but imagine dying with John Abrahams couplets tossing about in your brain.

And DCP Shivansh, the man tasked with hunting him down, is no better. Hes played by the great Manoj Bajpayee, who once again proves that when enough money is dangled before ones eyes, no amount of embarrassment is bad enough. Every word out of his mouth is louder than the last, perhaps in an effort to hide the fact that were Shivanshs lines to be delivered in a softer tone, they could easily be passed off as song lyrics.

So on the couple of occasions that Vir and Shivansh speak to each other on the phone, it sounds more like a poetry slam than a macho face-off.

Shivansh is supposed to be the best man for the job  an honest policeman, a super-intelligent crime-buster, one of the rare few that remains in Mumbai. However, at one point in the film, he suggests this strategy to stop Virs cop-killing spree: We need to catch the killer, he says, and after a pause for effect continues, or hope that the entire police force turns over a new leaf. He then proceeds to laugh heartily at his excellent joke.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Manoj Bajpayee, star of Aligarh, one of the best Indian films of the last decade.

The problem with films like Satyameva Jayate  whose title should be an indication as to its subtlety  is that they want to have their mithai and eat it too. Only the law can take the law into its own hands, says Shivansh, as if that explains anything. It doesnt.

In recent years, John Abraham has sort of turned into a discount Akshay Kumar, and his films have become a front for discount patriotism. Like Parmanu  his previous effort to keep his toe firmly in line  Satyameva Jayate is also borne out of a fundamentally flawed idea. While Parmanu seemed to suggest that nuclear annihilation was worth it if national pride could be restored, Satyameva Jayate thinks that killing bad policemen is justice  as if corruption is a fly, and not a reflection of systemic problems in our country.

This is a brutal film, the sort of film that lingers over moments of violence well after the impact has been felt. It is also a gruesome film, overwhelmed by bad ideas and a headache-inducing background score. Many lives are lost, graphically, in Satyameva Jayate, all in the name of nationalism  a terrifying idea to celebrate if you consider the realities of similarly motivated crimes in our country.

When the item number is the best thing about your film, you need to reassess.

Whatever message there is has been incinerated by inept filmmaking, courtesy Milap Milan Zaveri, who last crossed my path with Mastizaade  and it shows, because the only competent moment in the film is the item number, which, tragically, he might not even have directed. Out of a possible 10 stars over two films, he has managed to squeeze one-half out of me.

Satyameva Jayate is near-unwatchable. It is a torturous experience; a deeply irresponsible, phony and tone-deaf waste of time, a shameful low for everyone involved.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

The author tweets @RohanNaaharDelhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday rejected party leader Ashutoshs resignation, asking how could they accept it.

How can we ever accept ur resignation?, Kejriwal said in a tweet, adding dramatically, No, not in this birth in Hindi.

Ashutosh, a former TV journalist who uses just his first name, had earlier on Wednesday announced his resignation from the party, citing personal reasons.

Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC [political action committee] to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout (sic). Thanks, he tweeted.

Ashutosh often defended the party in TV news debates, but felt sidelined in recent months, sources said. He was not in AAPs list of three candidates for a Rajya Sabha seat earlier this year. He has not visited AAP Delhis office and kept away from important party activities for the last few months, sources said.

He lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Delhis Chandni Chowk constituency to union environment minister Harsh Vardhan.A lawyer, who is part of the chief ministers legal team, moved an application in a city court urging it to restrain police from leaking contents of the chargesheet filed in the case of alleged assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash.

Delhi Police on Monday, in a 3,000-page chargesheet, booked chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia and 11 other Aam Aadmi Party MLAs for hatching a conspiracy and assaulting Prakash at the CMs residence, six months ago.

A chargesheet is a report detailing the evidence and list of witnesses, on the basis of which a court starts trial against an accused person.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Samar Vishal received the chief ministers plea and sought a response from Delhi police on or before August 25  the day when court is likely to take cognisance of charges against the AAP leaders.

In the application filed by advocate Mohd Irshad, police have been accused of selectively leaking the excerpts of the chargesheet to the media to assassinate the character of the persons allegedly mentioned in the chargesheet.

According to the plea, the matter is subjudice and that the court is yet to take cognisance of the charges. The plea said that if police is not restrained from making such uncalled for, unwarranted and biased comments, it would cause irreparable loss to their image and the proceeding in the case would also be affected.

AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj later also took to Twitter accusing the police of trying to tarnish the image of the chief minister. Though Bharadwaj did not share any evidence, he directed a tweet to the police commissioner in which he accused a deputy commissioner rank officer of leaking the contents of the chargesheet.

Advocate Irshad said that on Tuesday, an officer had given statements to the media claiming that two persons had been made as main witnesses in the case. How can they reveal it to the media even before the court accepts the chargesheeet? This is illegal as the matter is subjudice, said Irshad

Senior Delhi police officers denied the allegations and said that no officer had shared the chargesheet or held a press briefing.

Police have charged the 13 AAP leaders under Indian Penal Code sections for criminal conspiracy, illegal confinement, and causing hurt and assault, and 10 other offences. Causing hurt to deter a public servant (Section 332), the most serious of the charges levelled, carries a maximum punishment of three years in jail, or a fine, or both.

On February 20 this year, Delhi police had registered a first information report (FIR) against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan and others after Prakash filed a complaint alleging that he was called to the chief ministers residence for a meetingand then assaulted by the party legislators in front Kejriwal.

(With PTI inputs)As part of its crackdown on the spurious drugs market, the Delhi government tested 292 selected drug samples over the past six months and found five to be spurious and 13 of substandard quality.

The five fake samples were being illegally manufactured at a warehouse in Kirari in northwest Delhi.

The raid was conducted in March on information that medicines were being manufactured illegally in these warehouses. Lab tests of the samples collected confirmed that the drugs were spurious and did not contain active ingredients, said AK Nasa, head, office of state drug control department, Delhi.

Till now, the number of drugs that have failed the quality test is less than last year, said Nasa. In the financial year 2017-18, of the 584 samples tested, 30 were found to be below standard quality.

Four were a combination drug of domperidone and pantoprazole, which are used to treat acidity, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. The fifth drug was an antihistamine used to treat allergies, the government report said. A court case has been registered against the people caught in the raid.

The antibacterial drug cefuroxime and the painkiller diclofenac sodium failed quality test because they lacked uniformity of weight, which means the weight of individual tablets deviated from the average weight. One sample of albutamol syrup used for asthma management was found to have an abnormal pH level. A fixed dose combination of ofloxacin and metronidazole was found to have a higher quantity of metronidazole.

A committee recently set up by the Central government to review 349 fixed-dose combination medicines had said in its report that getting the quantity of one of the components of FDCs wrong may result in toxicity.

In case of minor defects, such as the sample failing the uniformity of the weight test, the impact on health is not much. However, if it is category A or B defects, meaning that the drugs are either spurious or the active ingredient is very less than intended, the drugs will fail to act, said Nasa.

Following the raids, companies manufacturing the drugs that failed the quality test may face a suspension for a fortnight to a month or cancellation of their licence, depending on the magnitude of offence.

Action was additionally initiated against 207 medicine stores, both wholesale and retail, for not maintaining records.

Several pharmacies did not maintain a register for the schedule H1 drugs (high-end antibiotics, including TB drugs) and others were found to be selling prescription drugs without asking for a prescription. Some did not have a pharmacist on duty while a few wholesalers did not maintain a proper cold-chain to store medicines to ensure viability, said Nasa.

The licences of most of these shops have already been suspended and the rest are being processed, he added.

It is essential for the drugs to have the prescribed amount of active ingredient. If the active ingredient is less it will be ineffective, if it more, it will cause toxicity, which is more harmful, said Dr Naresh Gupta, professor of medicine at Lok Nayak Hospital.

Moreover, apart from the active ingredient there is also a risk of contamination if proper manufacturing practices are not followed. As for the spurious drugs without the active ingredient, very few would be seen in the market nowadays as it makes no economic sense; several active ingredients are imported from China and are cheap, said Sanjay Bajaj, a Delhi government pharmacist.Delhi Police on Tuesday said they have obtained a photograph of the suspect who allegedly attacked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) PhD scholar Umar Khalid outside the Constitution Club of India on Monday. Police said they also have received confirmation from Khalid that the man in the photo is the same who had attacked him.

My friends and I were shown the CCTV grab. The man is the same, said Khalid.

Police have circulated the images of the suspect among their investigators who are on the lookout for the man  a well-built man with short hair who was wearing a checked shirt and a blue jeans. The suspect has been caught on tape in at least seven CCTVs. Police traced the suspect up to Ashoka Road near the Parliament Street police station. A camera installed outside a bank shows him on the phone while walking towards Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.

Investigators are yet to confirm his identity and so far have questioned 40 people. An officer, associated with the probe, said that they are investigating if there is more than one person involved in the crime.

We are collecting and analysing dump data of cellphones active on the location at the time.This could help us in identifying him, said the officer.

On Tuesday, the special cell  anti-terror squad of Delhi Police  took over the probe from the local police after reports emerged that Khalid had received threats from fugitive underworld gangster Ravi Pujari and others like Amit Jani, a self-styled leader of the group Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena.

Special commissioner of police (special cell) MM Oberoi said police will probe the role all accused by Khalid of extending threats.

Police said they are awaiting ballistic report of the pistol to confirm if a shot was fired. Police had found a pistol, which they claimed was jammed and had six bullets intact.

There are some who claim they heard gunshots. We did not recover any bullet shell from the spot, said an officer.

The 7.65 mm bore pistol has images of fish on both side with the words  Made In India  carved on one side of the pistols barrel. We found one finger print on the pistols trigger. But it is too small to help us match it with our database, the officer said.

The JNU PhD scholar in his complaint told police that he had gone to the Constitution Club to attend a programme -Khauf se Azaadi (Freedom from fear) - on Monday.

Khalid said that at around 2.10 pm. he and his friends were walking towards the venue when a man pounced upon him from behind and tried to shoot him.

...I kept pushing the weapon away from me. During this scuffle, when my friends came to my rescue, he fled, Khalid told police.On the eve of the countrys 72nd Independence Day, the Delhi Police have stepped up security at the borders. Checkpoints have been set up at various intersections and suspicious looking vehicles are being stopped and owners frisked.

The Delhi Traffic Police on Tuesday said the movement at Delhis borders have been restricted owing to security reasons. An annual exercise, these special checks are being conducted to avoid any untoward incident.

The borders were sealed and the police started diverting heavy vehicles from 11pm on Sunday. These vehicles are to take alternative routes, bypassing Delhi, to reach their destinations. Most vehicles were being re-routed and directed to turn back from below the Rajokri flyover or the Shankar Chowk flyover.

Security is our priority. Traffic restrictions will be stricter on Tuesday and Wednesday, a senior traffic officer said.

On the city roads, too, security checks have been put in place. Arterial roads and popular markets have police pickets for the last one week. The police said since Sunday evening, 34 cars with tinted windows have been prosecuted. These films have been removed and drivers fined.

The Supreme Court has banned the use of tinted films on windscreens and side windows of vehicles. Such tinted windows are a major security concern, the officer said.

Traffic restrictions along arterial roads in central and Old Delhi are also in place. On Wednesday, from 5am to 9am, the following stretches will remain closed to general traffic  Netaji Subhash Marg from Delhi Gate to Chatta Rail, Lothian Road from GPO Delhi to Chatta Rail, SP Mukherjee Marg from HC Sen Marg to Yamuna Bazar Chowk, Chandni Chowk Road from Fountain Chowk to Red Fort, Nishad Raj Marg from Ring Road to Netaji Subhash Marg, and Esplanade Road and its Link Road to Netaji Subhash Marg .Why did Nick Fury wait till half the universes population had been killed before calling Captain Marvel for help? Two new theories that were shared this week on Reddit take different approaches but arrive at the same conclusion: Nick Fury has always been aware of the importance of Iron Man in the grand scheme of things, and Captain Marvel is in on the plan.

The first theory, posited by an account named sjvkrgr1, notes Furys calm expression when people around him begin disintegrating after Thanos snap. He doesnt look worried or panicked when his partner Maria Hill also dies. In fact, the theory suggests, this is the moment that Fury has been waiting for. Notice that he has the pager on him, as if he was prepared for this day. So with a look of calm determination, he summons Captain Marvel.

via GIPHY

The theory suggests that the Ancient One - played in Doctor Strange by Tilda Swinton - told Fury that an event like Thanos snap might happen, and then and only then should he call upon Captain Marvel. Remember, Doctor Strange said at the end of Avengers: Infinity War that he could foresee only one out of 14 million outcomes in which the Avengers defeat Thanos.

And we also know that Fury first encountered Captain Marvel in the 90s - events that will be shown in the upcoming Captain Marvel film, due out in March. Whos really dead, and whos really in the flaky wind of Marvel dust, I dont know, but I do know theres a solution that they didnt even have to tell me, just because I know who Captain Marvel is and what all that means, Samuel L Jackson, who plays Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, had teased to Vulture.

The theory continues that Nick Fury had recruited and groomed Tony Stark because hed always known that hed play an important role in Earths protection in Avengers 4. Perhaps the Ancient One had told him of Tonys arrival in the MCUs past?

The second theory, shared by bluecoloredlenses, suggests that Fury tracked down the Ancient One in the past, like Doctor Strange, and she told him her visions of the future. Going back to the Dr. Strange movie there is an important conversation between the Ancient One and Strange. She knows she is dying and cant see any part of her future beyond that point, but offers to tell Stephen what will happen in his future beyond that time. Rather than explicitly state what will happen she says only possibilities and that he has such a capacity for good, the theorist writes.

When Doctor Strange sees into the future on Titan, he uses language similar to the Ancient Ones. Ive spent so many years peering through time  Ive prevented countless terrible futures, and after each one, theres always another, she had said. I went forward in time to see all the possible outcomes of the present situation, Doctor Strange says in Infinity War.

Well find out in less than a year, when Avengers 4 arrives at our screens and ends the MCU as we know it. These theories come courtesy Inverse.

Follow @htshowbiz for moreThe ministry of external affairs is rebranding more than 20 cultural centres it runs in missions across the world as Swami Vivekananda culture centres (SVCC), seeking to highlight the spiritual leaders role in creating the idea of India.

As part of the project, the cultural centre at the Indian embassy in Beijing was renamed as SVCC on Tuesday.

Of course, we respect everybody. There are Mahatma Gandhi centres, there are Jawaharlal Nehru centres, there are Tagore centres. In Bangladesh what we have is a (Tagore chair at the Dhaka University)...there are also chairs named after all these national heroes, said Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, president of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), in Beijing on Wednesday.

But there are centres that didnt have any particular name as such; it was just a cultural centre. We thought it fit to name all those centres under the name of Swami Vivekananda because Swami Vivekananda is a way symbolises Indian culture in multiple ways, Sahasrabuddhe told Indian media in Beijing after a national flag-hoisting ceremony at the Indian embassy on Independence Day.

Wherever there is no particular name attached right now (to the cultural centres), there only we will have SVCC. Otherwise, there is no question of renaming any centre. We are not going to change the names, he said.

The ICCR, which operatures under the external affairs ministry, runs 37 cultural centres in missions abroad of which around 20 to 25 will be named as SVCC.

The cultural centres in Nepal and Sri Lanka, for example, have been renamed as SVCC.

Swami Vivekanandas famous speech at the Parliament of World Religions completes 125 years on September 11 this year.

We tried to utilise that occasion and name this (Beijing) centre as the SVCC, Sahasrabuddhe said.

The ICCR chief added that most remarkable aspect of Vivekanandas work is that he tried to create for the first time an idea of India through his famous speech.

Sahasrabuddhe said cultural ties with foreign countries were crucial to overall bilateral ties.

Goodwill (of India) is very welcome but it is not enough. For any stronger diplomatic, strategic and economic relations, I believe the centrality of cultural relations need to be underscored, he said, adding cultural relations pave the way for all other three relationships if not many more.

He added that it was suggested at meeting of heads of missions in June, that they make a three-year country-specific plan to enhance cultural ties.

He said the ICCR was giving serious thought to launching an understanding India programme for big countries like China and the US.

India is a riddle. We want to demystify India through this programme, he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke away from his security cover to meet excited school children after addressing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day at the Red Fort in New Delhi.

Modi, sporting a traditional orange and red safa or a headgear, got down from his car while leaving the 17th-century Mughal-era monument to meet the group of school children assembled there.

Dressed in the colours of the national flag, the school children rushed to see the Prime Minister and jostled as he shook hands with a few of them. The crowd of children swelled as they hankered to meet and shake hands with him, prompting Modis security team to step in.

Thousands of schoolchildren wearing saffron, white and green-coloured track suits and matching caps, made a Bharat formation and waited patiently as Modi delivered his speech, which lasted for more than an hour.

The Prime Minister had greeted the children during the Independence Day celebrations last year as well and similarly swamped by the over-enthusiastic crowd.A month-and-a-half before Prime Minister Narendra Modis Ayushman Bharat programme is set to be launched, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday kick-started the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), a health coverage scheme, that, the government said, would assist over 70 lakh families in the state.

Healthy Odisha, Happy Odisha. Let us continue our endeavour to build a prosperous and strong state, the CM said, while launching the scheme at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

BSKY is a historic initiative and will have a catalytic impact on the states health scenario. The scheme will benefit more than 70% of our population. In addition, the states entire population will be covered under free health services, the CM said.

Patnaik expects the BSKY to be a game changer before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and has sent a personalised card to each of the expected 70 lakh beneficiaries. Odisha has refused to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, saying that the number of beneficiaries would be at least nine lakh less than the states scheme.

The health department officials said, under the scheme, secondary and tertiary cashless healthcare assistance will be provided up to ~5 lakh per family, annually. For women, the health cover will be Rs 7 lakh per annum.Disturbed by the popular notion that their homeland is a conflict zone, inhabitants of a Baksa village, one of the four that form the Bodoland Territorial Administrative Districts (BTAD) in lower Assam, stitched up a 3.5 km long tricolour to celebrate Independence Day on Wednesday.

We want to send a message that Bodoland is peaceful. There is no conflict and all the people are living in peace, said Pavan Oli, the assistant secretary of Sunrise Society, a local youth group in Uparkhuti village that came up with the idea.

Oli said the thought of the longest tricolour struck last year when they found that the longest till date has been a 3.2 km long flag. We wanted to better that, said Oli, who belongs to the Nepali community. He took part in the rally that had school kids, local womens groups and others who carried the tricolour through the village.

The tricolour, stitched by six village tailors, cost about Rs 4 lakh, part of which was subsidised by the local Bodo legislator and MP.

BTAD has been a theatre of violence for long. It was in 2014, that the region last saw two episodes of ghastly violence, one targeting Muslims, and the other targeting Adivasis or the tea tribes, prompting the Centre to initiate Operation All Out to flush out the cadres of the NDFB(S), a secessionist insurgent group.

Asked if there was any threat from the group, Oli said the only people who have been curious are the media from different parts of the country.

Villagers from the Bodoland Territorial Administrative Districts (BTAD) in lower Assam, stitched up a 3.5 km long tricolour to celebrate Independence Day on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

While there were no reports of any untoward incident from the state, the general defiance of the diktat by insurgents like ULFA(I) to not celebrate Independence Day was visible in Guwahati, too.

However, plans to hoist the tricolour on the third tallest flag pole in the country could not materialise as the ancillary works could not be completed in time for Independence Day, authorities said, adding how the 308-ft tall flag post will take another three to four days to get ready.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, meanwhile, addressing a function in Guwahati said his government is working for a state free of corruption, foreigners and pollution.

Lauding the work of those engaged in updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Sonowal said the exercise would protect the identity of the indigenous people of Assam and flush out illegal immigrants. The complete NRC draft has drawn flak for allegedly clubbing several genuine Indian citizens among the 40,07,707 people excluded from the list.The Congress on Wednesday dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech as hollow, and urged him to accept Rahul Gandhis challenge for a debate on corruption, mob lynchings and Chinese incursions.

People are now tired of the fake achhe din (good days) the BJP promised and are waiting for sacche din (days of truth) when Modi departs as Prime Minister..., Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters after a flag hoisting ceremony at the partys headquarters.

He said Modi did not utter a single word that would have been meaningful to ordinary people.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi earlier tweeted his wishes to the nation. As we celebrate our independence as a nation, let us remember all those brave men and women, our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices and dedication helped us win our independence. Jai Hind, tweeted Gandhi, who attended the flag hoisting ceremony along with his mother, Sonia Gandhi, and other Congress leaders.

Surjewala recalled that Modi, who was then Bharatiya Janata Partys Prime Ministerial candidate, had created a miniature Red Fort replica in Chhattisgarh in 2013 to challenge then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to a debate. The debate was to be on corruption, threats to Indias territorial integrity from China and Pakistan, the falling rupee and a failing economy, unemployment and womens safety.

We ask you, Prime Minister Modi, today..., are you ready for a debate on these very issues with the Congress president? Will you debate on corruption, Rafale and Vyapam and other scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort, Surjewala said.

The Congress has alleged wrongdoing in a deal to purchase 36 Rafale military planes from the French manufacturer Dassault; the government has denied the allegation.

Vyapam is the Hindi acronym for Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, at which widespread irregularities have been alleged in tests it conducted for entrance to medical and engineering courses and to recruit candidates to fill certain government posts.

Surjewala asked if Modi was ready to have a debate on issues like the state of farmers, mob lynching happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders and insecurity of women.

You did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incidents..., Surjewala said, referring to sexual abuse of girls at a shelter home in Bihars Muzaffarpur and the alleged rape in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator.

...the rupee has hit a new low  that is 70 (per dollar)  and the trade deficit has gone over $18 billion (in July). Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and been engulfing India from all sides? Surjewala said Modi should debate on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the rampant unemployment.

The last speech of Modis as the Prime Minister has proved to be hollow because neither did he made a mention of corruption in Rafale deal nor did he say a word about Vyapam, he said.

Surjewala said Modi also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country and on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food. We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, he said.Kerala continued to reel under flood fury on Wednesday as surging waters led to the Cochin international airport being shut till Saturday, hit rail services and threatened relief camps, affected power and drinking water supply in various areas and took the toll to 67.

A red alert was sounded in 12 out 14 districts following heavy rainfall and opening of shutters of 35 dams while more people were shifted to relief camps including 23,000 in Ernakulam. All educational institutions across the state were ordered closed on Thursday.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who discussed the situation with prime minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh, sought more army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in the state and was assured of all help.

As Mullaperiyar dam in worst-affected Idukki, which serves Tamil Nadu, again became an issue between the two states with the neighbouring state refusing to take more water from the dam which was full to its capacity of 142 feet, Vijayan raised the issue with Singh after his talks with his Tamil Nadu counterpart EK Palaniswami proved abortive.

Following the home ministers intervention, Tamil Nadu agrees to draw more water from Mullaperiyar.

As floods created havoc across the state, it was the first time the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) was closed for four days after the area was inundated. Operations of international and domestic flights were earlier suspended till 2pm on Wednesday but authorities decided to shut the airport till 2pm on Saturday after reviewing the worsening situation.

Operations were suspended after water reached the runaway in the early hours of Wednesday. Most of the incoming flights are diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikkode airports, CIAL director ACK Nair said.

The airport is situated near the banks of the swollen Periyar river and water from most of the dams in the upper reaches of Idukki is flowing into the river that later merges with the Arabia Sea. Shutters of Idamlayar, Idukki and Mullaperiyar dams were opened on Tuesday night to release excess water from the reservoirs. Sluice gates of 33 dams have now been opened across the state.

The arrival operations were suspended for two hours on August 9 in the view of a possible inundation in the airport area.

All Air India express flights from Cochin will operate from Thiruvananthapuram, a spokesman of the national carrier said.

Train services were disrupted at many places and rail service between Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari was suspended after main bridges were swept away in the gushing waters. Railway officials said all trains in the state will run at a speed of 30kmph to avoid accidents.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor who visited a temporary relief shelter for displaced people in the state capital said an 80-year-old lady, whose daughter insists shes 85, told him says she has never seen so much rain in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala sought more relief and help from the army and the NDRF. The toll in the worst natural disaster in the state could rise further with several people missing since Tuesday night.

Many areas were marooned and landslides reported in Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The state government asked visitors to avoid hilly areas as the popular hill station of Munnar was cut off from the rest of Kerala.

People were also asked to avoid the Sabarimala hill shrine in Pathanamthitta district as the water level in the nearby rain-fed Pampa River was rising.

The weather department has issued a red alert for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam districts till Thursday. The worst-affected Idukki and Wayanad districts received 80mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, a spokesperson of the regional office of the meteorological department said.

Prime minister Modi mentioned the flood-hit state of Kerala in his address to the nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

Many parts of the nation witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India, Modi said.

In his Independence Day speech in Thiruvanthapuram amid pouring rain, Vijayan said that the state is going through a serious situation and asked everyone to cooperate with the government to deal with the unprecedented situation.

We are celebrating this years Independence Day when the floods have ravaged the state. It is a disaster that has never been witnessed in the state. But if all of us join hands, we will be able to handle any disaster.

He said good work by armed forces and NDRF personnel have helped save many lives, while the state has shown the world that it can overcome the worst situations through commitment and hard work.

Vijayan also urged people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the states worst flood disaster in 94 years.Thousands of policemen were deployed and snipers took positions on rooftops on Tuesday as authorities placed special traffic arrangement in New Delhi ahead of Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the national flag from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on Wednesday morning to a 21-gun salute, and then address the nation on the 72nd anniversary of independence from British rule.

Modis speech will be streamed live on Google and YouTube for the first time this year and people can search for Independence Day to see his address, reports said. Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati collaborated with the search engine giant and the video-sharing website to telecast the programme live online, they added.

The Prime Minister has received thousands of suggestions for his August 15 speech after he asked people to send him ideas, a practice he has followed since the last few years, on several platforms including the Narendra Modi app.

Last year, Prime Minister Modi delivered his shortest Independence Day speech in four years as he spoke for 57 minutes. The year before he had spoken for 96 minutes, in the longest ever Independence Day address by an Indian Prime Minister.

He spoke about Kashmir, triple talaq, goods and services tax, good governance among other things in his speech.

This year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce benefits for about 32 crore Jan Dhan account holders in his Independence Day address among other things, news agency PTI reported.

Women SWAT team, CCTV cameras

The Mughal-era Red Fort has been put under a heavy security cover along with other critical areas in the national capital. Sharpshooters will also be stationed on rooftops in the cluttered streets around the fort while helicopters will fly overhead.

Nearly 70,000 officials of Delhi Police are guarding the national capital and close to 10,000 personnel have been deployed at the Red Fort, where senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people will be present during the Prime Ministers address.

This year, 36 women personnel of the Delhi Police Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit will also be guarding the venue with their male counterparts.

A special team of snipers and commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) will form the inner layer of the security cordon at the Red Fort with anti-aircraft guns deployed to thwart drones and projectiles, senior police officials told PTI.

Delhi Police personnel have been specifically asked to keep an eye to ensure that no stray kites are seen in the areas around the Red Fort. Last year, when the Prime Minister was addressing the nation on Independence Day, a black kite had landed below the podium. Prime Minister, however, had continued his address unfazed.

Kite-catchers have also been deployed even though kite-flying has been restricted in the area till 11am.

More than 500 closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras have been installed on the routes leading to the Red Fort and over 200 cameras in the fort itself.

Police have carried out checks in the area and visited hotels in the vicinity in search of suspicious elements, officials said, adding that a security audit of the residents, including tenants, has been completed.

Delhi Police have prohibited paragliding, flying UAVs and hot air balloons, across the city.

Security along the route to be taken by the Prime Ministers cavalcade, from his official residence to the Red Fort, will be monitored with the help of hundreds of CCTV cameras.

Metro, traffic

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement its train services will run as usual but four stations of Line 6, Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate and ITO, will have restricted entry and exit during the ceremony. Some gates will be closed at these stations owing to security considerations during this period.

Parking will not be available at the stations till 2pm on Wednesday in view of the security measures, the DMRC said.

The Traffic Police said at least half a dozen roads will remain closed and traffic will be diverted on some roads till Wednesday.

They said six roadsNetaji Subhash Marg, Lothian Road, S P Mukherjee Marg, Chandni Chowk Road, Nishad Raj Marg and Esplanade Road and its link roadwill be closed for the public from 5am to 9am.

Vehicles, which do not have parking labels for the rehearsal parade, need to avoid Tilak Marg, Mathura Road, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Subhash Marg, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and Ring Road between Nizamuddin Bridge and ISBT bridge and take an alternative route, joint commissioner of police (traffic) Alok Kumar said.

Kumar said traffic from Sri Aurobindo Marg, Connaught Place-Minto Road, Ring Road-ISBT and Nizamuddin Bridge would also be diverted.

Vehicles will also have to take alternative routes from Delhi-Noida-Direct way, National Highway 24, Vikas Marg, Vikas Marg- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, and Boulevard Road-Barfkhana.

Local city buses, including those of Delhi Trasport Corporation (DTC), will not be allowed to move on the Ring Road from 4am to 11am on August 15, between Hanuman Setu and Bhairon Road T-point and take alternative routes available.

Buses terminating at Red Fort, Jama Masjid and New Delhi railway station will either be curtailed or divertedAhead of the 21st round of India-China boundary talks, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said on Wednesday that a dispute over a large segment of the border with China has been resolved, barring the western sector, and negotiations are moving in a positive direction.

India and China have so far held 20 rounds of Special Representative-level talks to resolve the dispute over the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. The next round of talks are due to be held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in the coming weeks.

The talks are moving in the positive direction, BJP general secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media in Beijing.

Most of the time, those who are engaged in talks dont disclose the day-to-day progress. They want to achieve certain milestone and only then will they disclose, he added, refuting the perception that border talks have not made much headway.

As far as I know, issues with large segments of our border have been resolved. There are few areas where negotiations are still going on, he said.

Asked whether the understanding he referred to also applied to the section of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of South Tibet, Madhav said, I cannot say anything on those things. But mostly the western sector is where major issues remain. Some areas are yet to be delimited. That I think will continue in 21st round. It is an inherited problem for us.

He also sounded positive about achieving a political consensus with opposition parties if any agreement is reached between two countries. He played down differences over a report on Doklam prepared by the Standing Committee Parliament on external affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

Until now we had bipartisan consensus on issues like border talks. As we move closer to elections in India, every issue becomes a political issue, he said, in an apparent reference to the committees report.

The report you are mentioning, that was not the spirit in which we used to handle the issue, but having said it, there will be bipartisan consensus on these (border) negotiations, he said, adding that it was not a problem initiated by the BJP. We are continuing (the talks) and taking them forward, he said.

He also said the border talks mechanism is working.

Also read: Indian, Chinese armies meet at Nathu La to celebrate Independence Day

As far as I know, the mechanism is working. We had so many rounds of talks without any complaints from either side. Things are moving, generally in the positive direction. I dont know of any other plans, he said.

On Doklam, he insisted that status quo prevailed at the standoff site which is being maintained by all three parties  China, India and Bhutan.

The 73-day standoff last year began when Chinese troops tried to construct a road close to Indias border. Indian troops objected to the road in the territory claimed by Bhutan as it came close to the Indian highway. The standoff ended in late August after both sides agreed to disengage.

There is no change in the status quo. What existed earlier, exists today, Madhav said. Indias main issue in the area is with respect to the tri-junction because it has been agreed earlier that it should not be moved, he said.

Referring to reports of a build-up by the Chinese troops in areas close to the standoff site, he said, What a country does on its side is its prerogative. How can we comment on it? Right now, status quo is being maintained there.

When Doklam happened, the policy adopted by our government was proactive diplomacy together with strong positioning (on the ground). This combination has helped in achieving good results on Doklam issue, he said.

Our position with regard to border and trade deficit with China is clear and strong position. To address these issue, proactive diplomacy is the best way, he added.

As far as the government position is concerned, the status quo which we wanted to be maintained there when Doklam dispute happened is being maintained by all the three sides, he added.

On the ballooning trade deficit which last year touched about $51 billion in over $84 billion bilateral trade, Madhav said, Definitely there is conscious efforts (being made) by both the governments to bridge the gap.

I am sure in the coming days, we will be able to improve the situation. Today it is $51 billion. Even if we bring it down by $20-30 billion it is a major achievement, he said.

On the first informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, he said, The Wuhan spirit is a new phrase between the two countries. Not formal but strongly informal relationship between the two countries. Both the countries should continue the spirit.

He said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi now enjoy personal bond and relationship. That helps. Understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming differences, he said. Other neighbours are telling they are very happy that the two countries are having good ties at summit level.

On China stepping up ties with Indias neighbours, Madhav said India has very good relations with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Maldives is a persisting problem for a couple of years. Were trying to sort it out, he added.

He said both India and China should step up people-to-people contacts. Madhav said the ties between the BJP and ruling Communist Party of China are improving and such relationship helps to sort out difficult issues between the two countries.Chief justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra made an oblique reference in his Independence Day speech Wednesday to the criticism he faced this year from his colleagues, saying it was easy to criticise, attack and destroy a system but difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one.

For this, one has to transcend ones personal ambitions and grievances. Rather, constructive steps need to be taken with positive mindset for reform, no matter howsoever small, he said while addressing a gathering of lawyers on the Supreme Court lawns after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion.

This January, the four senior-most judges in the court after the CJI at the time  justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph  had in an unprecedented press conference raised the matter of alleged lack of transparency in the selection of judges to hear important cases, calling it a cause of serious concern.

Justice Chelameswar has since retired.

We have to serve the lady of justice, the queen of justice. She holds the scales of justice, symbolising that the act of delivering and imparting justice has to be balanced as far as possible and that is the basic essence of justice. Anyone who tries to create any kind of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice. And when queen of justice sheds tears, possibly all of us will shed tears, the CJI said in his speech.

He added that concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure, and that it is necessary to be productive instead of being counterproductive.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who spoke on the occasion, said the judiciary must intervene only where there was the deprivation of the rights of the poor, the marginalised, abuse of power for nepotism, or downright corruption by executive heads -- political or bureaucratic.

Public interest litigation (PIL), he said, was respected and accepted, but there was a need to have some kind of audit, some kind of understanding so that the larger perspective of a PIL was not lost.

Addressing the lawyers before the CJI, Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh urged both the bench and lawyers to refrain from making unnecessary oral observations.

He said though the judiciary has always ensured that the separation of powers remains intact, our experience is that in the day-to-day functioning of the court, this line is getting a little blurred.Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra made an oblique reference in his Independence Day speech on Wednesday to the criticism he faced this year from senior colleagues, saying it was easy to criticise, attack and destroy a system but difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one.

For this, one has to transcend ones personal ambitions and grievances. Rather, constructive steps need to be taken with positive mindset for reform, no matter howsoever small, he said, addressing a gathering of lawyers on the Supreme Court lawns after he unfurled the Indian flag.

This January, the four senior-most judges in the court after the CJI at the time  justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph  had in an unprecedented press conference raised an alleged lack of transparency in the selection of judges to hear important cases, calling it a cause of serious concern.

Justice Chelameswar has since retired.

We have to serve the lady of justice, the queen of justice. She holds the scales of justice, symbolising that the act of delivering and imparting justice has to be balanced as far as possible and that is the basic essence of justice. Anyone who tries to create any kind of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice. And when queen of justice sheds tears, possibly all of us will shed tears, the CJI said in his speech.

He added that concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure and that it is necessary to be productive instead of being counterproductive.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who spoke on the occasion, said the judiciary must intervene only where there was the deprivation of the rights of the poor, the marginalised, abuse of power for nepotism, or downright corruption by executive heads  political or bureaucratic.

Public interest litigation, he said, was respected and accepted, but there was a need to have some kind of audit, some kind of understanding so that the larger perspective of PIL was not lost.

Addressing the lawyers before the CJI, Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh urged both the Bench and lawyers to refrain from making unnecessary oral observations. He said though the judiciary has always ensured the separation of powers remains intact, our experience is that in the day-to-day functioning of the court, this line is getting a little blurred.Authorities on Wednesday sounded a flood alert in Tamil Nadus western and central districts and began evacuations even as the region has received deficient rainfall this monsoon. Officials said the alert was issued as major dams in the regions seven districts are full due to heavy water inflow from the neighbouring states.

The lower riparian Tamil Nadu had been getting heavy water inflow through the Cauvery river and its rivulets from Karnataka, which has recorded heavy rains.

All major dams in Tamil Nadu have filled and a huge amount of water is now flowing into Mettur, Bhavani Sagar and Amaravathi dams due to surplus inflow from Karnataka and Kerala, said state disaster management commissioner K Sathyagopal.

At present, Karnataka is releasing around 1.50 lakh cusecs of water from Billigindulu. Similarly, Cauvery catchment area and ghat regions of Tamil Nadu are also receiving downpour, flooding Perunchani, Bhavani Sagar and Amaravathi dams, he added.

He said this will add one lakh cusecs of water into the Cauvery. The river basin in the state will soon witness a discharge of 2.5 lakh cusecs of water, he said.

He said evacuations from low lying areas of Salem, Dharmapuri, Kanyakumari and Namakkal had begun. The Cauvery basin can hold an inflow of 4 lakh cusecs, but the public in low lying areas ought to be evacuated, he said.

He emphasised that the situation was under control and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was ready for any emergency. Currently, we are not reaching out to National Disaster Response Force, Sathyagopal said.

He said the release of water from Mullaiperiyar in Kerala will not have any adverse effect, but the stormwater in Theni is being diverted to Vaigai.

Officials said SDRF teams had fanned out in Salem, Nilgiris, Namakkal, Kanniyakumari and Coimbatore districts. So far around 200 families have been evacuated. Around 700 SDRF teams were ready.

The regional meteorological centre in Chennai has warned of heavy rains in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Theni and Tirunelveli districts. Tourist movements in reserve forests and coracle services in these regions have been suspended for the next few days.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has dispatched top officials to monitor the Cauvery basin districts.Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke for over 80 minutes while addressing the nation from the historic Red Fort on Wednesday after delivering his shortest Independence Day speech last year.

Modi had spoken for 57 minutes last year, his shortest August 15th speech in five years; he had addressed the nation for 96 minutes in 2016, the longest ever Independence Day address by an Indian Prime Minister. He spoke for over 65 minutes in 2014 and 86 minutes in 2015.

Indias first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke for 72 minutes in 1947 which was the longest ever speech from the Red Fort till 2015.

Modi said in his radio address Mann Ki Baat before last Independence Day that he had received letters from people complaining that his speeches were a little too long and promised to make them shorter.

His predecessor Manmohan Singh, who delivered 10 speeches over his long tenure at the helm, stuck to the 50-minute mark in his Independence Day speeches. Singh delivered speeches that lasted 50 minutes only on two occasions, 2005 and 2006, and during the remaining eight years, his address ranged from 32 to 45 minutes.

Modis party colleague and the first Bharatiya Janata Party prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke for 30-35 minutes in his Independence Day addresses. Vajpayee delivered a speech that lasted 25 minutes in 2002, and in 2003 he gave a 30-minute address from the historic 17th-century Mughal-era monument.

This was Modis fifth speech after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance came to power in 2014.

The Prime Minister began his speech by hailing the six women officers of the Indian Navy, who circumnavigated the globe recently. He mentioned the flood-hit state of Kerala, spoke on the issue of social justice and addressed the concerns of farmers and the recent decision of hiking the minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops.

Modi also praised the soldiers for their exemplary valour and sacrifices and raised the issue of One Rank One Pension as demanded by army personnel. He talked about the progress being made under the Swacch Bharat campaign and announced the date for the launch of Jan Arogya Abhiyaan on September 25.

He also spoke on triple talaq and said justice will be ensured to Muslim women.The union government plans to pass an ordinance to allow universities to hire faculty following an institution-wide reservation formula, and not a department-specific one which has come under fire from teachers groups and political parties because it will effectively reduce the number of teacher posts reserved for the scheduled class and scheduled tribe (SC/ST) communities.

The ordinance was widely expected after the Supreme Court on July 19 didnt provide a way out to the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry which filed a Special Leave Petition, but Tuesdays disclosure by a government official familiar with the matter is the first real confirmation that it could come soon.

The ministrys petition challenges an Allahabad High Court decision of last April that was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court last October and also adopted by the apex body regulating universities, the University Grants Commission. That order mandates department-specific reservations on the grounds that there are entire departments without a single SC/ST professor. However, because universities have many departments with just one professor, and the reservation will not apply to this, the impact of the courts order is the exact opposite of what it wanted to achieve. If implemented, it would have meant a fall in the number of SC/ST faculty.

The ordinance is also meant to allow universities to continue hiring teachers; recruitment has been frozen since July 19 after the Supreme Court said no faculty would be hired till it ruled on the HRD ministrys petition.

A second government official who asked not to be identified said the freeze has led to a staff crunch at many central universities.

The president promulgates ordinances or executive orders on the Union cabinets recommendation when Parliament is not in session for legislative processes. An ordinance needs Parliament approval within six weeks after it meets next.

The push for the ordinance came from the Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar. We are hopeful, we will be able to save reservation for SC, ST and OBCs (Other Backward Classes), he told Rajya Sabha on July 19.

The first official said the HRD ministry had conducted an empirical study at universities like the Banaras Hindu University before filing the petition. The study found the number of vacancies for SC/ST had gone down drastically due to the implementation of the new rule.

The matter was taken up with the Supreme Court but as the court has not heard it yet, it led to stalling of all recruitment process. It has been decided to bring in an ordinance that prescribes institution as a unit for implementing reservation in faculty recruitment, said the first official. This basically means a return to the policy in practice before the Allahabad courts ruling.

The ordinance tentatively titled Direct Recruitment of Teachers in Central Institutions Ordinance will be sent for the presidents assent after the cabinet approves the proposal.

PS Krishnan, a former secretary in the central government, said: It is a welcome move and is fully justified. I have also advised the Governments that if they do not get relief on the SLP in a reasonable time, they should proceed with legislation to restore the procedure of taking the university/college /other educational institution as the unit for implementation of reservation.This procedure helps progress in achieving the Constitutional objective of securing Equality through reservation in faculty positions.Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani said on Wednesday that he would sit on a three-day fast in Ahmedabad from Thursday to highlight his partys demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut scam in the state.

Dhanani said he would launch the fast on Thursday morning outside Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to press for a judicial inquiry into the scam, which his party has alleged is worth Rs 4,000 crore. The opposition party has also alleged that BJP leaders are involved in the scam.

The government has not accepted our demand for a judicial inquiry under a sitting high court judge into the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut scam, which shows the complicity of the ruling BJP into the scam, Dhanani, leader of the Congress legislature party, told reporters in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

As part of our second round of the fight, I will sit on a three-day symbolic fast beginning Thursday outside Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, he said.

He alleged that groundnuts procured by the state government were mixed with soil and pebbles before being stored in 279 godowns.

Since the last six months, we have been demanding a judicial probe into the matter and have written to the chief minister and governor regarding this, but no action has been taken. We want to know who benefited from the scam. The BJP government is under suspicion, he said.

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel hit back saying the charges were baseless as the government had taken swift action in the case in which soil and pebbles were found stored in sacks of groundnuts at a warehouse at Gondal in Rajkot district.

People know how our administration and police acted swiftly and arrested 30 persons in this connection. Those who are responsible are being arrested and investigation is on, he said.

Nearly 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. They were kept at a private godown taken on rent by the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), which had procured the groundnut on behalf of the Gujarat government, at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district.

NAFED had purchased the groundnuts from farmers under the minimum support price (MSP) scheme.

The opposition Congress has alleged largescale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state and demanded a judicial probe into the matter.Despite having the largest number of critically polluted cities in India, Maharashtra added almost 2.5 GW of coal-fuelled power capacity in 2017, while overall, India commissioned 13 GW of thermal power plants from January 1, 2017 till August 9 this year.

Barring two, none of the new plants or units meets the stricter thermal power plant emission standards laid down by the environment ministry in 2015. The issue of implementation of thermal power plant standards is now in the Supreme Court which has admonished the Centre for failing to implement standards and toying with public health.

Chhattisgarh, another state that relies heavily on coal-fired plants, which contribute to 95% of the installed power capacity, also added 2.7 GW of capacity in thermal power stations, the highest for any state.

Thermal power plants are an all-year-round source of air pollution, spewing particulate matter and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, which produce secondary particulate matter. Burning of coal also produces greenhouse gases that disrupt climatic patterns.

Mumbai is considered one of the most polluted metropolises in the world, and 16 other cities in Maharashtra feature on Indias most polluted cities list prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board.

In 2015, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change notified stricter standards for thermal power plants that use coal, and these had to be met by December 2017. However, most existing thermal power plants did not meet the standards and have now been granted extensions, some of which stretch to 2022.

As per the notification, power plants commissioned after Jan 1, 2017, have to meet the stricter norms from their date of commissioning.

However, the power ministry has argued that since the environmental clearance was granted before the issue of the new norms in 2015, the plants would need time to install the pollution-mitigation equipment.

The environmental clearance for such TPPs was already accorded before issuance of new environmental norms by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change , RK Singh, power minister, told Parliament in the monsoon session.

Activists disagree with this explanation. The notification clearly states that all under-construction plants should also comply with norms. Also logically, it is easier to retrofit while the plant is under construction, rather than shutting down power plants after commissioning, Nandikesh Sivalingam, an air pollution activist with Greenpeace, said.

Even if the plants started the process of retrofitting in 2015, when the norms were issued, they should be completed by this year, he added.India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law, the US said on Wednesday while greeting the country on its Independence Day.

In his message on behalf of the United States of America on the occasion of Indias 72st Independence Day, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India  a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend  on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order, he said.

Since gaining its independence 71 years ago today, India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law  values shared by the United States, Pompeo said.

As members of the oldest and largest democracies, the people of the US and India have always enjoyed strong bonds of friendship. We are grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students, he said.

Pompeo said that the values shared by the people of the two countries contribute to inspiring collaboration in health, energy, environment, science, and high technology that will fuel the jobs and prosperity of the future.

He said that we congratulate India  a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend  on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order.Pakistani law enforcement agencies on Wednesday said they had arrested an Indian national named Ram Bahar who was in the Kurram tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province without valid travel documents.

Local media reported that Ram Bahar had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan and was apprehended at Parachinar airport.

He reportedly hails from Gujarat state and speaks only Gujarati, officials said. They said the Indian man did not possess any identity documents at the time of his arrest and that he was aged 35 to 36 years.

No further details about Ram Bahar were made available.

An official of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa home department said the man was in the custody of an intelligence agency.

It is expected he will be presented before a magistrate in a day or so.

Kurram district was earlier part of Pakistans lawless tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

It is a Shia-majority region that witnessed internecine sectarian clashes that claimed scores of lives in recent years.

Earlier this week, Pakistan released 30 Indian prisoners, including 27 fishermen, from jail as a goodwill gesture ahead of the countrys Independence Day.

More than 470 Indians, including 418 fishermen, are detained in Pakistani jails, according to a government report submitted to the Supreme Court in July.

Most of the fishermen were arrested by maritime authorities for allegedly trespassing into Pakistans territorial waters.

The fishermen released this week were shifted to the Cantonment railway station from Karachis Malir Jail and sent to Lahore, from where they crossed the land border to India.The Indian Army and Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday held a special meeting of border personnel at Nathu La in the Sikkim sector to boost mutual trust and promote peace, the defence ministry said.

The meeting was held on the Indian side as part of a joint celebration to commemorate the 72nd Independence Day of India. The PLA delegation, comprising several officers and soldiers, attended the celebration following an invitation.

The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility, said a ministry statement.

The two forces had held a similar meeting of border personnel to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the foundation of PLA on August 1. Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations, the statement said.

Beside interactions between the Armies, programmes portraying the cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides on the occasion, said the statement.

Situated at 4,310 metres above sea level, Nathu La  a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district  connects the Indian state of Sikkim with Tibet.

Indian troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of North Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal and enthusiasm.

The two back-to-back meetings between the two armies in the span of a fortnight follow an informal summit in Wuhan in China between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India and China fought a war in 1962 and claim each others territory. The two armies were also locked in a dragging military stand-off last year on the border in Doklam.Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sought help from all quarters and appealed everyone to cooperate with the government to deal with the unprecedented situation in the state, where over 40 people have been killed in torrential rains and floods.

As you are aware the state is going through a serious situation. All the rivers are in spate and dams are full. Today we were forced to open the shutters of Mullaperiyar. The water reached many areas of three districts of Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, he said.

Things are moving on a war footing. We need help from all quarters and the government is committed to minimising casualty ... Since the met office has predicted rain for four more days, we have to be extra vigilant. I am sure we will overcome this challenge, he added.

Kerala has sounded a red alert in 12 out of 14 districts following the heavy rainfall and flooding after the shutters of more than 30 dams were lifted. Authorities decided to shut the international airport in Cochin on Wednesday for four days for the first time after the area was flooded.

Many areas have been marooned and landslides were reported in Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The weather department has issued a red alert for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam districts till Thursday.

The worst-affected Idukki and Wayanad districts received 80mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, a spokesperson of the regional office of the meteorological department said.

Vijayan also urged people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the states worst flood disaster in 94 years during his Independence Day speech in Thiruvananthapuram in the pouring rain.

We are celebrating this years Independence Day when the floods have ravaged the state. It is a disaster that has never been witnessed in the state. But if all of us join hands, we will be able to handle any disaster, he said.Kerala reeled under flood fury on Wednesday as surging waters led to the Cochin international airport being shut till Saturday, hit rail services and threatened relief camps while a red alert was sounded in 12 out 14 districts following heavy rainfall and opening of shutters of more than 30 dams.

The toll rose to at least 67, many areas were without power or drinking water, while more people were shifted to relief camps including 23,000 in Ernakulam.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state is going through a serious situation and asked everyone to cooperate with the government to deal with the unprecedented situation.

This is the first time the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is being closed for four days after the area was flooded. Operations of international and domestic flights were earlier suspended till 2pm on Wednesday but authorities decided to shut the airport till 2pm on Saturday after reviewing the worsening situation.

Operations were suspended after water reached the runaway in the early hours of Wednesday. Most of the incoming flights are diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikkode airports, CIAL director ACK Nair said.

The airport is situated near the banks of the swollen Periyar river and water from most of the dams in the upper reaches of Idukki is flowing into the river that later merges with the Arabia Sea. Shutters of Idamlayar, Idukki and Mullaperiyar dams were opened on Tuesday night to release excess water from the reservoirs. Sluice gates of 33 dams have now been opened across the state.

The arrival operations were suspended for two hours on August 9 in the view of a possible inundation in the airport area.

All Air India express flights from Cochin will operate from Thiruvananthapuram, a spokesman of the national carrier said.

Train services were disrupted at many places and rail service between Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari was suspended after main bridges were swept away in the gushing waters. Railway officials said all trains in the state will run at a speed of 30kmph to avoid accidents.

Kerala sought more relief and help from the Indian Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The toll in the worst natural disaster in the state could rise further with five people, three in Idukki and one each in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, have been missing since Tuesday night. Many other marooned have been saved by rescuers.

Many areas were marooned and landslides reported in Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The state government asked visitors to avoid hilly areas as the popular hill station of Munnar was cut off from the rest of Kerala.

People to avoid the Sabarimala hill shrine in Pathanamthitta district as the water level in the nearby rain-fed Pampa River was rising.

The weather department has issued a red alert for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam districts till Thursday. The worst-affected Idukki and Wayanad districts received 80mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, a spokesperson of the regional office of the meteorological department said.

Meanwhile, the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki, which serves neighbouring Tamil Nadu, again became an issue between the two states with the neigbouring state refused to take more water from the dam where water level reached the maximum 142 feet. Chief minister Vijayan is likely to talk to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K Palaniswami on the issue again.

Local workmen fix an electric pole during a torrential downpour in Kannur district. (HT Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the flood-hit state of Kerala in his address to the nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

Many parts of the nation witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India, Modi said.

In his Independence Day speech delivered in pouring rain, Vijayan said: We are celebrating this years Independence Day when the floods have ravaged the state. It is a disaster that has never been witnessed in the state. But if all of us join hands, we will be able to handle any disaster.

He said good work by armed forces and NDRF personnel have helped save many lives, while the state has shown the world that it can overcome the worst situations through commitment and hard work.

Vijayan also urged people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the states worst flood disaster in 94 years.Kerala govt offers a dedicated website for relief and rescue efforts

Keralarescue.in is an initiative by Govt. of Kerala, Kerala State IT Mission and IEEE Kerala Section. For effective collaboration and communications between authorities, volunteers and public

Rahul Gandhi asks to support CMs relief fund

I am deeply concerned for the people of #Kerala tonight, as the flood waters rise. Thousands are stranded. Relief camps full. Many have lost their loved ones. Its time to step up & help. Please contribute generously to the CMs relief fund. Use this link: https://t.co/GNUlGQbBZv pic.twitter.com/Gm5QGifSms  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 15, 2018

Death toll rises to 70

The death has risen to 70. The Army and Air force have been deployed.

The situation continues to be grave in Kerala. Many areas in the southern party of the state are engulfed in water.

Helpline numbers for Kozhencherry, Mallappally, Ranni, Thiruvalla, Konni

Tahsildar Kozhencherry

0468-2222221, 9447712221



Tahsildar Mallappally

0469-2682293, 9447014293



Tahsildar Ranni

04735-227442, 9447049214



Tahsildar Thiruvalla

0469-2601303, 9447059203



Tahsildar Konni

0468-2240087, 8547618430  Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (@KeralaSDMA) August 15, 2018

Red alert across Kerala, 1.5 lakh people moved to 1067 relief camps

CMO tweets, A high alert situation continues in Kerala, the death toll has climbed to 67 and currently about 1.5 lakh people have been moved to 1067 relief camps across the state.

In the morning, red alerts were issued for 12 out of the 14 districts, but by evening, it was extended to all districts in the state.

Army contingent lands at Thiruvananthapuram

An army contingent has landed at Thiruvananthapuramairport for rescue operations in Ranny, Kozhencherry and Aranmula. They will be rushing to these places soon. Their main task is to rescue people stranded in these areas, tweets CMs office.

Schools, colleges in Ernakulam district closed on August 16, 17

All the educational institutions in Ernakulam district to remain closed on August 16 and 17.

Over 80 people rescued by Navy

The Navy rescued more than 80 persons today. As part of its Operation Madad, the Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats.

A total of four teams went out (on Wednesday) to augment those already deployed. More than 81 persons were rescued, many of whom were also provided food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp, an Indian Navy spokesperson said.

All Kochi flights to be rescheduled from Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikode: Suresh Prabhu

We have asked all airlines, domestic and foreign, to reschedule their Cochin flights either from Trivandrum or from Calicut. For international flights, this will require special dispensation which has been granted considering the emergencyDGCA is coordinating.#KeralaFlood  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 15, 2018

Drinking water, power supply affected: CM Vijayan

As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, CM Vijayan has asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority.

Periyar, Chalakudy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

Power supply and communication systems have been disrupted in various parts of the state.

25 deaths today, 11 in Malappuram

Twenty-five deaths were reported today, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said. Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said.

Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation.

Visuals from Kochi airport

#Visuals from Kochi airport that has been shut till August 18 due to incessant rains. #Keralafloods pic.twitter.com/xtXrAbovxg  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Mullaperiyar water levels must be lowered immediately: CM Vijayan

CM raised the issue of water level in Mullaperiyar dam, which has reached dangerous levels, with the Home minister. The inflow of water to Mullaperiyar is now much more than the outflow.

In this situation, CM informed that Tamil Nadu has to intervene immediately to lower water level in the Mullaperiyar dam. The Home minister discussed the matter with the chief secretary of Tamil Nadu.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami demanding lowering of the water level in Mullaperiyar dam. It must be done urgently in the interest of the security of the dam.

There is heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the dam. To prevent the situation of a sudden release of water in large volumes, which will result in widespread damage, water levels must be lowered immediately, tweets Kerala CMO.

CM asks Centre for additional teams of Army, NDRF

CM Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Home minister Rajnath Singh to send additional teams of Army, NDRF and Army Engineering Corps to the state. In a tweet, the CMOs office said a C-17 aircraft was also requested for transporting equipments to the affected areas. More dinghy boats were also needed.

Death toll rises to 67

Death toll in Kerala rains have risen to 67.

A person died in a Munnar lodge collapse. A 70-year-old woman was electrocuted near Pathanamthitta as her house was submerged.

Landslides claimed lives in Malappuram too. In Thiruvananthapuram district, a 70-year-old man died after the wall of his house collapsed. Two landslides occurred in Idukki late evening, killing five people. Four persons were reported missing in the landslips.

Tamil Nadu agrees to draw more water from Mullaperiyar

After home minister Rajnath Singhs intervention, Tamil Nadu agrees to draw more water from Mullaperiyar.

Pinarayi demands Tamil Nadu CMs intervention to reduce Mullaperiyar water level

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has communicated to Tamil Nadu CM EK Palaniswami demanding his intervention to reduce the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam to 139 feet. The water level in the dam has reached 142 feet.

Shashi Tharoor visits temporary relief shelter in Thiruvananthapuram

Visited a temporary relief shelter for people displaced by the flooding. This 80 year old lady (whose daughter insists she's 85!) says she has never seen so much rain in Thiruvananthapuram pic.twitter.com/t1pTAka5jc  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 15, 2018

CM raises Mullaperiyar issue with Rajnath Singh

CM Pinarayi Vijayan has complained to home minister Rajnath Singh over Tamil Nadu not drawing enough water from Mullaperiyar. Tamil Nadu engineers camping at the dams site insist more water will destroy their crops.

Centre ready to provide any assistance needed: PM Modi

Had a detailed discussion with Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the unfortunate flood situation in the state. Centre stands firmly with the people of Kerala and is ready to provide any assistance needed. @CMOKerala  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018

Educational institutions to remain shut tomorrow

Barring Kasargod, educational institutions across Kerala will remain shut tomorrow, August 16. Colleges and universities have postponed exams.

CM speaks to PM Modi, Rajnath Singh

CM Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh over phone. CM informed them about the intensifying flood situation in the State, tweets the chief ministers office.

PM Modi has assured the assistance of Centre in handling the situation. CM informed that all the rivers in the State are overflowing and that all the dams are also releasing water. CM Pinarayi Vijayan also visited the Honble Kerala Governor P Sathasivam in Raj Bhavan and updated him about the flood situation, tweets CMO.

Death toll rises to 52

Death toll in the Kerala rains has risen to 52. CM Pinarayi Vijayan will hold a press conference at 7pm.

Armys engineering group is to be deployed in the state to restore basic infrastructure.

Flight status update

Air India says on Thursday, August 16, its Kochi-Sharjah-Kochi and Kochi-Bahrain-Kochi flights will operate to and from the Kozhikode airport. All other Kochi-bound Air India flights will operate from Thiruvananthapuram airport.

Vistara says it will reroute its Kochi passengers to or from Chennai with no change fee or additional fare on space available basis, for those who wish to use this option. However, passengers will have to arrange their own road transport between Chennai and Kochi.

4 NDRF teams airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala

Four teams of NDRF have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations.They have full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them, reports ANI.

200 killed in Kerala rains since May

A senior official with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose, told Reuters the seasonal rains have killed more than 200 people in the state since May and displaced many.

Eight dead as house collapses in Malappuram

Eight people have died after a house collapsed in Malappuram.

People asked to avoid Sabarimala

Authorities have asked people to avoid the Sabarimala hill shrine as the water level in the nearby rain-fed Pamba River was rising. Sabarimala is situated in the mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta district. Although special prayers were listed for Wednesday, the temple was closed to devotees as the Pamba was in spate.

35 reservoirs in the State are releasing water: CM Vijayan

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan tweets, Presently, 35 reservoirs in the State are releasing water. Many districts in the State are facing floods. Red alert has been issued for Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod, Thrissur, Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta districts.

All the officials are involved in the rescue and relief operations. The rain will continue for the next four days too and we all need to be careful. The neighbouring states have been helping us and we need their help in the future too, he says.

Navy starts camp in Aluva to coordinate with rescue ops

The Indian Navy has started a camp in Aluva region to coordinate with the rescue operations.

KSRTC cancels premium services

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has cancelled its premium services between Bengaluru and Mangalore. Premium services will not operate in Subramanya, Dharmasthala, Kundapur; only express service (Karnataka Sarige) buses are operating via Charmadi to Mangaluru: ANI.

It has also suspended its services from Bengaluru to Keralas Kannanur, Kozhikode and Kasaragod.

Death toll rises to 47

Unceasing heavy rains battered Kerala killing eight more people and taking the death toll to 47 since August 8: PTI.

Rescue operations underway

More visuals from Kochi's Muppathadam; rescue and relief operations are underway in the flooded area. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/prCuaYDvNQ  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

More than 23,000 shifted to relief camps in Ernakulam

More than 23,000 people have been shifted to relief camps in Ernakulam district due to heavy rainfall in the state.

Train services along Kollam-Chengotta section suspended

Train services along Kollam-Chengotta section have been suspended for two days.

Have to be extra vigilant, says CM

The state is going through a serious situation, all the rivers are in spate and dams have reached their full capacity. Today, we were forced to open the shutters of Mullaperiyar dam. The water reached many areas of Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, says Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

We have to deal with the situation carefully. We have sought help from the neighbouring state also but things are moving on a war footing - need help from all quarters. The government is committed to minimising the casualties. I ask everyone to cooperate with the government, we have to work together to deal with the unprecedented situation. Since the weather department has predicted rain for four more days, we have to be extra vigilant. I am sure we will overcome this challenge, he adds.

Tamil Nadu refuses to take more water from Mullaperiyar

Tamil Nadu government has refused to take more water from Mullaperiyar, as the dam water level touched 142 feet, says Kerala government. The chief minister is likely to talk to his Tamil Nadu counterpart again.

Shutters of Idamlayar, Idukki and Mullaperiyar dams were opened on Tuesday night to release excess water from the reservoirs. Sluice gates of 33 dams have now been opened across the state.

Landslide delays trains

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four trains - Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore express, Kanyakumari-Mumbai CSMT express, Dibugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and Gandhidham-Tirunelveli Humsafar Express, railway sources said:PTI.

A few passenger trains have been partially hit and rail traffic on Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions. On Thiruvananhtapuram-Thrissur section, trains will be delayed due to speed restrictions due to rise in water levels in rivers and lakes. The engineering department is continuously monitoring the safety of bridges, railways said.

Relief camps in Idukki affected by flood water

Kerala government asks Centre to urgently send more forces for help in flood-affected areas. Relief camps in Idukki also affected by flood waters.

Celebrate Independence Day by helping flood-hit: CM Vijayan

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to contribute generously in the wake of the states worst flood disaster in 94 years even as he took the Independence Day salute in Thiruvananthapuram in pouring rain. Addressing the 72nd Independence Day parade, Vijayan called upon the people to contribute generously at a time when the state was facing the worst ever natural calamity.

We are celebrating this years Independence Day when the floods have ravaged the state. It is a disaster that has never been witnessed in the state. But if all of us join hands, we will be able to handle any disaster, he said. Vijayan urged people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund.

Parts of Palakkad flooded

Kerala: Parts of Palakkad flooded after gates of Malampuzha Dam were opened yesterday. (14 August) pic.twitter.com/AapfL5q6d9  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

CM chairs meeting in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a meeting over flood situation in the state in Thiruvananthapuram.

Ops on to rescue crew of a fishing boat

A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni to 12 nautical miles off Alappuzha Coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it. A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting, he said.

Authorities ask resorts, houseboats to evacuate tourists

The India Meteorological Department has issued red alert (heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places) for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts till tomorrow: ANI.

Authorities have asked resorts and houseboats in Alappuzha and Kottayam to evacuate tourists immediately.

The weather department has warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts: PTI.

Water enters operation area of airport

Water has entered the Cochin International Airport. The airport has been shut down for four days.

Cochin International Airport to be closed till Saturday

Cochin international airport to be closed till Saturday after flood water submerged the runway, says CIAL. All Air India express flights from Cochin will operate from Thiruvananthapuram.

Train services disrupted

Train services were disrupted at many places in Kerala while some of the main bridges were swept away by water. Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari rail service was among those suspended.

Couple in Malappuram crushed to death as house collapses

According to news agency IANS, a couple in Malappuram were crushed after their house crumbled while their six-year-old child is missing. A person died in a Munnar lodge as it crashed while a 70-year-old woman in Ranni near Pathanamthitta was electrocuted as her house was submerged.

Red alert in 12 districts of Kerala

A red alert has been sounded in 12 out of 14 districts of Kerala after heavy rainfall. The government has sought more army and NDRF personnel as situation turned bleak.

Modi sympathises with victims of flood-hit Kerala in I-Day speech

Sympathising with the victims in the flood-hit state of Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his thoughts are with the families of the victims. He said, Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India.

Idukki, Wayanad districts receive 80mm rainfall

The worst-affected Idukki and Wayanad districts received 80mm rainfall in last 24 hours, a spokesman of the MeT regional office in Thiruvananthapuram said.

Landslides cut off hill station of Munnar

As rain continued, landslides cut off the hill station of Munnar. The government has asked visitors to avoid travelling to hilly areas after landslides and flash floods swept through many such areas.

Five missing as flood situation worsens

Five people have been missing since Tuesday night -- three in Idukki, one each in Malappuram and Kozhikode. Many others were saved by the authorities on Wednesday even as they sought more help from NDRF.

Govt seeks more contingents of NDRF

The Kerala government has sought more contingents of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to combat the serious flood situation in the state. Heavy rain, landslides and the flood have claimed almost 40 lives so far.

Mullaperiyar Dam opened

Authorities opened sluice gates of Mullaperiyar Dam. A total of 33 dams have now been opened across the state.

Flight ops form Cochin international airport suspended

Authorities shut down flight operations from Cochin international airport till 2pm on Wednesday after flood water submerged the runway. Operations were suspended after water reached the runaway in the early hours of Wednesday. Most of the incoming flights are diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikkode airports, said a spokesman of the CIAL.

The airport is situated near the banks of swollen Periyar river.Indian high commissioner to Pakistan hoists tricolour in Islamabad

High commissioner of India to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria hoists the national flag at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

Kerala CM urges people to celebrate I-Day by helping flood-hit

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan urges people to contribute generously in the wake of the states worst flood disaster as he took the Independence Day salute in Thiruvananthapuram in pouring rain.

School girl collapses during I-Day celebrations at Red Fort

A 13-year-old school girl, who had come to perform in the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, fell unconscious due to heat and dehydration, while an exhausted photojournalist collapsed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was delivering his address at the Red Fort.

Congress terms PM Modis speech shallow

PM Modis last speech on Independence Day proved to be shallow. There was no substance, he didnt speak on corruption of Rafale & Vyapam, Chhattisgarh PDS scam, Chinese encroachment in Doklam and other areas or atmosphere of hatred created in the nation: Randeep Surjewala, Congress, reports ANI.

He should have spoken the truth in his last speech. Mann ki baat nahi kar paate, kam se kam desh ke kaam ki baat to kar paate kyunki ab acche din to aaye nahi ab is desh ko sacche din ka intezar hai aur wo tab aaenge jab Modi ji desh se jaaenge: Randeep Surjewala, Congress pic.twitter.com/nwda0SnCQ0  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

India gifts 30 ambulances to Nepal

India gifted 30 ambulances and six buses to Nepalese hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions on the occasion of Independence Day.

ASC Tornadoes perform daring stunts in Bengaluru

ASC Tornadoes performing during the Independence Day celebration at Manekshaw Parade ground in Bengaluru on August 15. (HT Photo/Arijit Sen)

President Kovind pays tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti

Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa are also present. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/UytfjmKxU6  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Border meeting between Indian and Chinese soldiers at Nathu La

Border meeting takes place between Indian Army and the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) at Nathu La, Sikkim to jointly celebrate Independence Day.

Indians abroad celebrate Independence day

Independence Day was celebrated by Indians in China, Australia, Singapore.

In Beijing, a large number of the Indian diaspora took part in the Independence Day celebrations held at the Indian Embassy.

In Melbourne, a large number of Indian expatriates attended the flag hoisting ceremonies held at the Indian High Commission in Canberra and consulate buildings in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull congratulated the Indian government and said that India and Australia were great friends with a lot in common as modern, vibrant and diverse democracies.

In Singapore, more than 500 Indians in Singapore joined High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf in celebrating the day.

US wishes India, praises Indian-American diaspora

In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says, On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my best wishes to the people and government of India on their Independence Day. Since gaining its independence 71 years ago today, India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law-values shared by the United States.

On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India- a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend- on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules-based order reads the statement.

Pompeo also says, Grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students.

1100m long tricolour unfurled in Gujarats Surat

Indian flag hoisted in Fiji

Fiji is the 1st place where Indian tricolour was hoisted on the 72nd Independence Day, today. INS Sahyadri paraded the Guard & the flag was hoisted by Vishwas Sapkal, High Commissioner of India to Fiji, with Capt Shantanu Jha, CO INS Sahyadri & Capt Manish Rai DA. pic.twitter.com/nQG08oSxXq  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

APJ Abdul Kalams elder brother unfurls tricolour at Kalam House

Rameswaram: Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar, the elder brother of APJ Abdul Kalam unfurls tricolour at Kalam House. #TamilNadu #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/pPXKPbdz4L  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Pakistan Rangers and BSF exchange sweets at Attari- Wagah border

Pakistan Rangers and BSF exchange sweets at Attari-Wagah border on the occasion of Independence Day.

ANI Photo/Twitter

Congress president Rahul Gandhi hoists national flag

Congress president Rahul Gandhis Independence Day message via Twitter:

On this Independence Day my best wishes to all Indians. As we celebrate our independence as a nation, let us remember all those brave men and women, our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices and dedication helped us win our independence.

Jai Hind.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi unfurls the tricolour at Party headquarters in Delhi. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/wH2sDj4q8Q  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Sweets exchanged between Indian and Pakistani army officers

Exchange of sweets between Indian and Pakistani army officers took place at Chakkan Da Bagh on LoC in Poonch on Tuesday.

Sweets exchanged between Indian and Bangladeshi soldiers at the border

Exchange of sweets between India and Bangladesh took place at the Indo-Bangladesh border at BOP Fulbari.

BJP president Amit Shah unfurls national flag

BJP president Amit Shah unfurls the national flag at party headquarters in New Delhi on August 15. (HT Photo/Vipin Kumar)

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat unfurls the national flag in Bengaluru

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat unfurls the national flag at Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra in Karnataka's Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/tTBbgQtGJG  ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

PM Modi ignores security protocol to meet school children

After delivering the Independence Day speech at Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi steps out of his car to meet school children.

Modi shakes hands with some of the students and waves at others. He is also seen talking to a few of them

We want to progress more: PM Modi

We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way: PM

  ,        ,      



  ,               



  ,       Health cover   ,      : PM  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

PM reiterates his governments resolutions

Housing for All Power for All Clean Cooking for All Water for All  Connectivity for All Sanitation for All Skill for All Health for All  Insurance for All

J-K problems can be solved with hugs not bullets: PM Modi

Atalji called for insaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriat (eclectic Kashmiri culture) and jamhooriyat (democracy). I also said that the issues in Kashmir can be resolved by embracing the people of Kashmir: PM Modi

-       - , ,     , -                -            : PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

Tripura, Meghalaya completely free from AFSPA: PM Narendra Modi

Due to efforts of armed forces, central and state governments, the states of Tripura, Meghalaya are completely free from AFSPA: PM Modi

Many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are also seeing historic peace. From 126 districts, left-wing extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation: PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi addresses triple talaq practice

PM Modi says the practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. We are trying to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end...I ensure the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them, says PM Modi.

Women officers in short service will get same opportunity as male counterparts: PM Narendra Modi

Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts: PM Modi

Need to free country from demonic mentality of rape: PM Narendra Modi

We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by fast track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme,no one can take law in their hands: PM Modi

No place for nepotism: PM Narendra Modi

In todays India there is no place for nepotism. We have ensured environmental clearances are done transparently: PM

Wont forgive people who have black money: PM Modi

We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation: PM Modi

He says, Delhis streets are free from power brokers...From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard.

Country is celebrating honesty: PM Modi

PM Modi praises tax payers, says people are celebrating the festival of honesty.

The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM

PM Modi unveils Ayushman Bharat scheme

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare: PM

The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare: PM

WHO said 3 lakh kids in India were saved due to cleanliness drive: Modi

Last month, WHO said 3 lakh kids were saved due to the cleanliness drive in India: PM

By 2022, India will send manned flight into space: Modi

India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space: PM Narendra Modi

We have brought northeast India closer to Delhi in 4 years: PM Modi

Earlier people thought, the distance between the capital and the northeast region was a lot. We have reduced the distance between Delhi and northeast in four years: PM Modi

Indias voice is being heard effectively at world stage: Modi

Indias voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. We are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us: PM

India is now the land of reform, perform and transform: Modi

From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth: PM

Modi thanks business community for the success of GST

Who did not want the passage of the GST yet it was pending for years? : PM Modi

He says last year GST became a reality.

I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST: PM

India has become destination for trillion-dollar investment: Modi

PM Modi says India has become destination for trillion-dollar investment.

Centre and state govts have to constantly strive to fulfil expectations: PM Modi

Centre and state govts have to constantly strive to fulfil the expectations and needs of the country: PM Modi

Nation has made remarkable strides: Modi

We are proud of what we have achieved and at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realised the remarkable strides the nation has made, says PM

If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being built in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete them: PM

New energy in the country: PM Modi

Its the same people, same system, same files but in these four years there is a new energy in the country: PM

Have to ensure social justice for all: Modi

The Constitution of India, given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all.



We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is progressing rapidly: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

   ,               : PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

PM pays tributes to victims of Jallianwala Bagh massacre

        100                      : PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018

PM Modi offers condolences to families ravaged by floods

Many parts of the nation witnessed a good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India: PM

PM recalls sacrifice during freedom struggle

On behalf of the people of India, I bow to all those great women and men who sacrificed themselves for the nation during the freedom movement: PM

OBC Commission strengthened: PM

The recently concluded Parliament session was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the Bill to create an OBC Commission: PM

PM Modi praises women officers of Indian Navy

We are proudly celebrating Independence Day today as six women officers of the Indian Navy, circumnavigated the globe recently on the INSV Tarini: PM Modi

Young people have hoisted the tricolour on Mt Everest: PM

We are celebrating our independence when our young people have hoisted the tricolour on Mt Everest: PM Modi

Nation is achieving new heights: PM

Nation is achieving new heights; it has a new energy, says PM Modi in his address.

PM Modi begins speech

Narendra Modi begins address from the Red Fort.

National flag unfurled

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the national flag at the Red Fort.

PM Modi arrives at Red Fort

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Red Fort. Inspects Guard of Honour.

PM Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Major Aditya, rifleman Aurangzeb to get Shaurya Chakra

Major Aditya Kumar, who was embroiled in a controversy after his unit fired on a stone-pelting mob in South Kashmirs Shopian in January leading to death of three persons, is among 20 armed forces personnel named for the Shaurya Chakra award.

Rifleman Aurangzeb, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir and was brutally killed by militants in Pulwama in June when he was on his way home for Eid, will also be conferred the third highest gallantry award.

PM Modi receives suggestions for his August 15 speech

The Prime Minister has received thousands of suggestions for his August 15 speech after he asked people to send him ideas, a practice he has followed since the last few years, on several platforms including the Narendra Modi app.

High security in Delhi

Nearly 70,000 officials of Delhi Police are guarding the national capital and close to 10,000 personnel have been deployed at the Red Fort, where senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people will be present during the Prime Ministers address.

Commandos take over Red Fort

The Mughal-era Red Fort has been put under a heavy security cover along with other critical areas in the national capital. Sharpshooters will also be stationed on rooftops in the cluttered streets around the fort while helicopters will fly overhead.

A special team of snipers and commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) will form the inner layer of the security cordon at the Red Fort with anti-aircraft guns deployed to thwart drones and projectiles, senior police officials told PTI.Following Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement in his Independence Day address that the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) will be launched on September 25, pilot tests of the software to register patients, keep records and track transactions began in 14 states on Wednesday.

Popularly referred to as Modicare, Ayushman Bharat provides cashless health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for hospitalisation to 107.4 million poor and vulnerable families who have been identified using the socio-economic caste census 2011. When fully operational, the scheme is expected to benefit 500 million people.

The scheme will be launched on September 25, on the day of Pandit Deen Dayals birth anniversary. No poor will have to suffer because of the high cost incurred during hospitalisations, said Modi, from the ramparts of Red Fort .

Tara Devi from Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand is the first beneficiary to successfully register in what government officials are referring to as the golden list.

The first step is to identify the beneficiary and ensure the person in our list is the same person who is eligible to avail of the scheme benefits. After we certify the beneficiary, the system will generate a unique QR (quick response) code and the person will get added to our golden list, said Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat.

Uttarakhand is among the 14 states and union territories where pilot testing will continue for two weeks. The others are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Haryana, Chandigarh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The software will also maintain patients records , including details of hospital admission, treatment , medicines prescribed, discharge summary and feedback. Online patient records will make it possible for beneficiaries to be treated across states, irrespective of the state with which they are they are registered.

Each beneficiary will have a Rs 5 lakh wallet , with the billing amount getting automatically deducted after treatment. To prevent misuse, a referral from a public hospital is a must for treatment in a private hospital, with uncomplicated surgeries and procedures such as Caesarean sections being done only in public hospitals,

Close to 8,000 hospitals, both private and public, have applied for empanelment over the past month. We are flooded with empanelment requests, but only those hospitals that fulfil the criteria will be empanelled after a thorough inspection. Government hospitals will also have to apply but for the period of testing they are deemed empanelled, says Bhushan.

Seven states and one union territory are still to agree to roll out the scheme. These are Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, the BJP-ruled Maharashtra, and Delhi.

With the PM announcing the launch date, the countdown has begun. Delhi, Punjab and Odisha we arent sure of, but the rest should sign up in a week or so. We have just about 40 days to launch the scheme, and we are confident that we will, said Bhushan.The Mullaperiyar Dam again became an issue between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with flood-battered Kerala on Wednesday complaining the neighbouring state was refusing to accept more water from the brimming dam.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Tamil Nadu was requested to take more water from the dam, which had reached its full level of 142 feet but had refused.

He said he would talk to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K Palaniswami on the issue again.

Mullaperiyar dam was among the 33 dams in Kerala whose sluice gates have been opened to release excess water, after heavy rains in their catchment areas.

The over-century-old British-era dam is situated in Kerala, but serves and is operated by Tamil Nadu, making it a contentious issue between both states who have fought a battle in the Supreme Court over it.

While Kerala had said the dam was dangerous and needed to be replaced by a new structure, Tamil Nadu had sought an increase in its height. The Supreme Court, which had set up a committee headed by former Chief Justice of India AS Anand to check the condition of the dam in 2010, had ruled for Tamil Nadu in its verdict in 2014, allowing the raising of its height from 136 feet to 142 feet.Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modis customary Independence Day speech, the Congress on Wednesday said all the Prime Minister said was meaningless for the common people who have given up on achche din (good days) promised by Modi in 2014 and are now waiting for sachche din (truthful days).

The Prime Minister in his last address to the nation (before next Lok Sabha polls) on Independence Day did not utter a single word that would be meaningful to the common person. The people are now tired of the fake achche din and are really waiting for sachche din when Modiji will depart as the Prime Minister of the country, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

The Congress spokesman also challenged Modi for an open debate on issues of corruption, Rafale deal, Vyapam scam, failing economy, falling rupee, foreign policy, mob lynchings and woman safety, among others.

In 2013, Modiji had challenged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, on China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, on falling rupee and economy, on unemployment as also farmers and women.

We ask Prime Minister Modi today, is he ready for a debate on those very issues with the Congress President Rahul Gandhi? Will he debate on the issue of corruption, Rafale and Vyapam? Will he debate on the failing economy and falling rupee? Rupee has hit a new low of 70 per dollar and trade deficit has gone over $18 billion, Surjewala said.

Will he debate on the manner China has occupied Doklam, and intruding into Ladakh and engulfing India from all sides? Will he debate on Pakistans sponsored terrorism? Will he debate on the rampant unemployment prevailing in the country? he added.

Commenting on Modis observation that world leaders are acknowledging Indias prowess, Surjewala said that Modi should desist from undermining Indians contribution to the world over the last 70 years.

Let Prime Minister not insult India and Indias entrepreneurial spirit. It has not happened in just the last four years. India was always a power and India is a power that the world reckons with, the Congress leader said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Wednesday evening after the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, admitted at the hospital since June, worsened.

Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been admitted for the last nine weeks at AIIMS. Unfortunately, his condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical and he is on life support, AIIMS said in a statement at 10.08 pm.

The former prime ministers overall health had deteriorated after he suffered a stroke in 2009. He was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output, indicating impaired kidney functions. He was put on slow dialysis to help his kidneys heal and is being treated in the intensive care unit of the cardio thoracic and neuro science tower at AIIMS since then.

Prime minister Modi arrived at AIIMS at 7:24 pm and spent close to half an hour reviewing the iconic BJP leaders health with AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria and other doctors. This was PM Modis fourth visit to Vajpayee in the hospital since June.

Among other senior leaders who visited Vajpayee on Wednesday were Union ministers Harsh Vardhan, Piyush Goyal and Smriti Irani, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi and Union minister Arun Jaitleys wife and daughter.

The 93-year-old BJP leader has diabetes, has one functional kidney and developed dementia after a stroke in 2009.Parents of Army jawan Aurangzeb, who was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and who has been nominated for the Shaurya Chakra award posthumously, hoisted the national flag in Indore on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media later, they said they were proud of his sacrifice for the country.

Aurangzebs father Mohammed Hanif and mother Raz Begum unfurled the national flag at Regal Chowk on Independence Day in Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

They had been invited as chief guest for the flag hoisting ceremony by Apna Samooh, a local organisation.

Aurangzeb was the son of the entire India and we take pride in his sacrifice. We are thankful to the government for honouring his sacrifice with the Shaurya Chakra, Hanif said.

Aurangzeb, 24, who belonged to the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on June 14. He was abducted while he was on his way home to celebrate Eid.

Terrorists tied my brave sons hands. If his hands had been free, he would have killed at least four terrorists, an emotional Hanif said.

I feel proud and happy that my son will get the Shaurya Chakra for his sacrifice, Raz Begum said. My son used to tell me he wanted do something for the country, and with his martyrdom, he proved himself right.

The list of gallantry award winners, including Aurangzeb, was released by the defence ministry on the eve of Independence Day on Tuesday. The awards were approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, in his capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.Fulfilling a long-cherished dream, Indian adventurist Shital Rane-Mahajan on Wednesday dived from over 5,000 feet in Finland with a Tricolour to mark Indias 72nd Independence Day.

The Tricolour, measuring 10 feet by 6 feet, was handed over to Shital by Indian Ambassador to Finland, Vani Rao, after the I-Day celebrations by the Indian community settled in Helsinki.

From Helsinki, we drove down to the Utti Skydiving Centre, around 100 km away, for the skyjump, which was absolutely smooth and successful, an elated Shital told IANS on phone from Finland.

The 36-year-old, a mother of two, said the weather was perfect for the adventure and that she jumped off an aircraft from 5,000 feet and landed at the designated spot, with the huge flag fluttering all through the descent.

It all happened within 100 seconds. I stepped out of the aircraft, opened my parachute and then the flag bag tied to my waist, unfurled the Tricolour and continued with my dive, Shital said.

Awaiting below on terra firma was her anxious husband Vaibhav and her nine-year-old twin sons Vrushabh and Vaishnav, besides a large number of onlookers who cheered her.

Though Shital  a 2011 Padma Shri awardee  has performed several demo skydives in India with different flags depending on the sponsors, this was her first-ever with an Indian flag.

Prior to her, renowned Indian adventure sportswomen Rachel Thomas and Archana Sardana have performed similar skydives on various occasions with the Tricolour, making Shital the third civilian to do so.

Now, my ambition is to skydive with the Tricolour in India, especially since civilian skydiving of certain categories has been banned in the country since 2002, she said.

In February, Shital hit the headlines when she skydived from 13,000 feet over Pattaya, Thailand, sporting a colourful Nav-wari Sari (traditional Maharashtrian nine-yard sari).

Hailing from Pune, Shital has around 18 national and six international skydiving records and has completed more than 705 skyjumps around the world, bagging national and international honours.

She shot to global fame on April 18, 2004, when she made her maiden jump  without practice  on the North Pole from a Russian MI-8 helicopter hovering 2,400 feet above the ground in minus 37 degrees temperature, making her the first woman in the world to accomplish the feat.

On December 15, 2006, she made the worlds first accelerated freefall parachute jump at the South Pole in Antarctica, from a Twin Otter aircraft, coming down from a height of 11,600 feet.

This made her the first and the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat at both the Poles at the age of 23.

On April 19, 2008, Rane-Mahajan tied the knot with Finland-based software engineer Vaibhav Rane.

The couple got married in a hot air balloon, with a priest performing the nuptial ceremonies and parents in tow, around 750 feet above Pune city. Vaibhav is also an avid skydiver with 57 jumps to his credit. They became the first Indian civilian couple to skydive together in November 2011.

However, she is still keen on pursuing her dream of skydiving over Mt Everest, despite two unsuccessful attempts in 2010. At present, Shital is on a real high  with dives on all seven continents  in around 10 years, on Antarctica, Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America.

Last year, she became the first Indian woman to be nominated by the Aero Club of India for the prestigious FAI Sabiha Gokcen Medal for skydiving in all seven continents. Settled in Finland since marriage, Shital has set her target this year on a family skydive with her husband and two minor sons.Two priests were found brutally murdered and a third critically injured in a temple in Uttar Pradeshs Auraiya district on Wednesday morning, police said.

All the three sadhus were found tied to their bedsteads at the Bhayanak Nath temple in Kudarkot village in Auraiyas Bidhuna areawith injuries apparently inflicted by sharp-edged objects. Their tongues were also cut and flung nearby.

The deceased were identified as head priest Lajja Ram, 70 and Halke Ram, 60. The third, Ram Sharan, has been rushed to hospital where his condition is critical.

The murders angered the local residents who came out in protest and blocked the main road, demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

According to reports, the protesters also threw stones at the policemen trying to disperse them.

Auraiya district magistrate SP Mishra and superintendent of police Nageshwar Singh were on the spot.Two priests of a historic temple in the small town of Kudarkot near the ravines of Uttar Pradeshs Auraiya district were brutally murdered and a third was critically injured by unknown assailants, sparking street protests by local residents.

The murdered priests were identified as Lajjaram, 67, and Halkeram, 60, who had lived on the Bhayanak Nath Shiv temple premises for a long time. The injured priest, Ram Sharan, had joined the temple three days ago and was sent to hospital, additional superintendent of police, Rajesh Saxena, said.

The police said the victims were overpowered in their sleep, tied to their cots, and stabbed with sharp weapons. One of the priests had his tongue cut. The murders were reported by another priest who lives in Kudarkot and who found the bodies on Wednesday morning.

The murders triggered widespread protests in Kudarkot where people pelted stones on the police and tried to set shops afire. Two policemen, a station house officer and a constable were suspended.

As the police arrived at the temple,protestors set tyres ablaze and flung them on to the roads. As news about the murders spread, hundreds of the people took to the streets. They hurled stones at the police personnel. Other groups attempted to burn shops in Kudarkot. The police cane-charged the protestors, who were demanding the arrest of the killers.

Police superintendent, Nageshwar Singh, and district magistrate, SP Mishra, assured the protestors that the police would solve the murders at the earliest and arrest the suspects.

Locals told the police that the priests had been vocal in their opposition to cow slaughter in the region, which may have had something to do with the murder.

Inspector general of police, Kanpur, Alok Singh, who visited the site to pacify the protestors said the claim was being investigated. He claimed that the situation in Kudarkot was under control.

The Shiv temple, about 7 km from Kudarkot, is in the forests and close to a river. In the past, the temple had opposed cow slaughter near the river bed. The rugged terrain offered an advantage to people involved in the cattle trade, locals said.

Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, announced relief of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead priests and Rs 50,000 for the family of the injured. Appealing to the people to maintain calm, Yadav also demanded that the Yogi Adityanath government provide Rs 25 lakh to the kin of the dead.The civil aviation ministry is working on a comprehensive package to make Air India globally competitive before putting it up for sale again, Minister of State for civil aviation Jayant Sinha said in an interview. His comments come after an attempt by the government to sell a majority stake in the airline failed to attract any bidders.

We will have to see how industry conditions develop before we take a decision on how to move forward on disinvestment. In the meanwhile our goal is to strengthen Air India as much as possible, to provide the financial resources and liquidity that it needs to operate properly, Sinha added.

High fuel prices and a falling rupee seem to have ended the profitable run of airlines. On Tuesday SpiceJet Ltd posted a net loss of Rs 38.06 crore in June quarter. Interglobe Aviation, which runs IndiGo, Indiaa largest airline, posted its biggest-ever drop in quarterly profit. Air India, which doesnt declare quarterly results, has other problems as well. Pilots unions are at arms with the management on delayed salaries and not having enough money for spare parts. Sinha said the government would intervene.

The government is committed to ensuring that Air India receives all the necessary financial resources. And has the liquidity to be able to operate as a really competitive global airline. We are working on a comprehensive package to strengthen Air India, he added. The comprehensive package will include financial assistance, organisational improvement and care for employees. We are working on it, as soon as it receives all the necessary approvals, we will share it. We have had many rounds of discussions in the government on this, Sinha said.

In 2012, the government promised to infuse Rs 50,000 crore in Air India till 2032 under yet another turnaround plan. Of this, the airline has so far received Rs 27,195 crore. In late July, the government sought parliamentary approval to make a supplementary grant of ?980 crore  Air India had sought Rs 2,100 crore.

Sinha also said that after the implementation of GST (Goods and Services Tax), the overall the tax burden for the aviation industry has increased and the ministry is working on a supportive policy environment for the entire industry.

Mark D Martin, founder and CEO of Martin Consulting, said: The top management of airlines should be held accountable for this fiasco. Why the international airlines are not facing this problem? Because everyone knew oil prices will go up and they factor in these things. In India, the airlines despite knowing the oil prices will go up, didnt do much.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech on Wednesday that women officers in the armed forces will have an option for a permanent commission, like their male counterparts.

I want to give good news to our brave daughters. Women officers who have been selected through the short service commission in defence forces will get the opportunity for a permanent commission, Modi said in his speech from the Red Fort.

The Prime Minister added that the decision would be implemented through a transparent selection process. It wasnt immediately clear as to what additional streams or avenues would be opened to women officers.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman thanked Modi on Twitter for the announcement.

Captain Shalini Singh (retd), who had served the army from 2002 to 2008, said the move would empower women in uniform and also change the perception of the force. When we are wearing the uniform, there is no difference between men and women. Women discharge their duties like male officers do. Its an excellent move, she added.

Currently, officers serve the military for a period of five years under the short service commission, which can be extended to 10 and then 14 years.

The Centre had told the Supreme Court in April that it was considering granting permanent commission to short service commission women army officers, a move that could bring an end to an eight-year battle in apex court and make the army the last of Indias armed forces to do so. The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy already do this.

The governments position in the court was a climbdown from its earlier one. It appealed in the top court after the Delhi High Court in March 2010 ordered it to give women army officers on short service commission a permanent commission.

It told the Supreme Court in May that the armed forces have embarked on proposing a series of measures to usher a more liberal regime to grant permanent commission to women officers and open new streams of induction for them. In an affidavit filed in the top court, the ministry of defence said it requires six months to formulate modalities and enforce the changes and alterations in the three forces.

Officers serve the military for a period of five years under the short service commission, which can be extended to 10 and then 14 years. They have three options at the end of three years when they choose the permanent commission, opt for a four-year extension or opt out. Permanent commission allows them to serve till the age of retirement.

The army allows permanent commission to women officers in two branches  judge advocate general (JAG) and education. The air force and the navy, too, grant permanent commission to women officers but only in selective streams.Two people were arrested for molesting a 29-year-old woman at Kolshewadi in Kalyan on Monday. The police are on a lookout for the third accused. They said the three accused were drunk.

The police have not disclosed the names of the arrested men as they are yet to arrest the third accused whom they suspect is hiding at his relatives house.

On Monday night, the woman, a political party worker, was going home in an autorickshaw along with an older female friend. The three accused stopped the autorickshaw and tried to get in. The old woman told them it is not a share autorickshaw.

The autorickshaw driver too asked the accused to let the rickshaw go. The accused then forcibly pulled out the women and beat them up. When the autorickshaw driver intervened, he too was beaten up, said a police officer from Thane commissionerate.

When the women screamed for help, the accused fled. Later, the two were arrested after the police gathered information about them.

Offences have been registered against the accused under IPC sections 354 (molestation), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and other relevant provisions.Christian women who attended a meeting on gender violence in churches said institutional response of church authorities to such incidents has been weak. The women were part of the first national convention of Indian Christian Womens Movement (ICWM) in Pune, on Monday.

Discussed at the meet was the churchs response to recent allegations of rape against priests. One case discussed was of the four priests from Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The priests have been accused of blackmailing and sexually abusing a woman who confessed, as a religious duty, to one of the accused about being sexually assaulted by a priest as a child. The four priests have been arrested.

Another case discussed was sexual abuse of a nun by a priest from Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Jalandhar. The bishop, Franco Mulakkal, is being questioned by Kerala police.

We condemn the fact that there is silence on the churchs part, even after these incidents have been reported. There is no leadership and we are not sure if the action is being taken in these cases. There are guidelines laid down under Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), that need to be followed, said Dr Astrid Lobo Gajiwala, regional coordinator (Mumbai), ICWM.

Gajiwala added the group also intends to fight for equal justice for women, children, Dalits, tribals and transgenders, and the whole purpose of having a national convention was to discuss the issues faced by women in society, irrespective of religion.

Spokesperson for the local Catholic archdiocese said since the incidents were reported in different denominations  Latin and Orthodox , method of investigation varies.

The church will investigate the matter and take strict action against the priest because confession is sacred to all Catholics. As far as I know, churches concerned have initiated a probe, said Nigel Nigel Barrett, spokesperson, Archdiocese of Bombay.

The incidents had led to the demand for banning the sacrament of confession. The National Commission for Women recommendation a ban on the custom,saying it leads to blackmailing of women. A petition was filed in Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation seeking a ban as it was encroachment of personal privacy, but the court dismissed the plea. .The demise of Chhattisgarh governor Balramji Dass Tandon, who remained the bold voice of Hindu community in Punjab for decades, has ended the era of leaders who nurtured the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology in the state since pre-Independence period.

A six-time state legislator and three-time cabinet minister in the Punjab government, Tandon, 91, became a minister for the first time in the first non-Congress government  headed by Akali leader Justice Gurnam Singh  in 1969-70.

Staring his political career as an RSS pracharak in his native city of Amritsar in 1946, Tandon got elected to its municipal corporation in 1952 before entering the state legislature on the Jan Sangh ticket from Amritsar Central seat in 1957.

Revered as a value-based politician and an epitome of political grace, Tandon  according to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders  never compromised on ethics and was a tireless votary of communal harmony between Sikhs and Hindus in Punjab, even while keeping the saffron flag flying high during militancy in the state.

Forged SAD-BJP alliance

In 1997, Tandon played a key role in the first ever pre-poll alliance between Parkash Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP. His close associates say that Tandon would often say that only the SAD-BJP alliance could strengthen ties between the two communities that had been strained by terrorism.

After getting elected from Rajpura  having represented Amritsar Central five times between 1957 and 1980  in 1997, be became the No. 2 in Badal government.

Guru for most of the present-day leaders in the state BJP, Tandon would fearlessly speak his mind and never restrained from calling a spade a spade during coordination meetings between the two parties or cabinet meetings.

Even as Badals and his political career nourished together and the two leaders shared close ties, when it came to issues concerning Hindus, Tandon didnt even spare the Akali leader.

He shared a strong connect with party workers and this was his strength. It was because of his closeness with Badal and Advani that the SAD-BJP alliance materialised and the Hindu-Sikh ties came back to normal in Punjab, said former BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia.

Tandon used to criticise radicals openly and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls from terrorism-hit Amritsar seat when the disturbance was at its peak in 1991.

A rich legacy

In June this year, Tandon was in news when he decided not to accept the enhancement in salary of governors and announced that he would withdraw his old salary.

He always wanted to be active in politics or in social fields. A few months after he was appointed the Chhattisgarh governor, I got an opportunity to meet him in Raipur where he shared on a lighter note that the post was a golden cage for him, said former state BJP chief Kamal Sharma, who used to seek guidance from Tandon.

The BJP stalwarts son Sanjay Tandon  chief of the partys Chandigarh unit  now has the tall task of carrying on his legacy.

Blurb: Guru for most of the present-day leaders in the state BJP, Tandon would fearlessly speak his mind and never restrained from calling a spade a spade during coordination meetings with SADA six-member team of the Kerala Police questioned the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, for nearly nine hours in connection with a nuns complaint that he sexually abused her 13 times between 2014 and 2016.

The complainant has alleged that she was assaulted by Mulakkal (54) at different locations, including Jalandhar and Kottayam.

The team led by Vaikom deputy superintendent of police (DSP) K Subhash had reached the bishops house on Monday afternoon to question Mulakkal reached there to join the investigation at 7.45pm.

The police team is in the city for the past four days.

The cops kept questioning him and recording his statement till 4:50am on Tuesday when they left. The team seized his laptop, mobile phone and a register for keeping records of letters.

The bishop cooperated with us. We had prepared a 55-point questionnaire to record his statement. The investigation is on and we have not arrested him as yet, said DSP Subhash.

The team left for Amritsar and returned to the city by evening.

Church officials handed over written statements of other nuns in favour of the bishop.

Church father Micheal Ani said the Kerala police did not give any prior notice to the bishop to join the investigation. They questioned other staff members in the church on Monday afternoon, Ani told the media.

The bishops counsel, Mandeep Sachdev, said that they have not applied for an anticipatory bail.

The statements of five nuns and two fathers have been recorded so far. The four nuns questioned on Saturday were at the Missionaries of Jesus Congregation in Jalandhar, where the complainant was posted as mother general till 2013.

Mulakkal, who was booked in Kottayam on June 29, has refuted the nuns charges, saying she was targeting him for starting a probe against her for her involvement in an illicit relationship with a man.

The nun is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus Congregation based in Punjab which runs two convents in Kerala. She is working at one of the convents at Kuravilanagad in Kottayam.Varun Tejs space film Antariksham 9000 kmph has been in the making since early 2018 and the Tholiprema has been super excited about it. On the occasion of Independence Day, the first look and the title of the film was revealed by the actor on Twitter. He wrote, Bringing you all an out of the world experience. The first look and title of my next film. #Antariksham9000kmph #HappyIndependenceDay.

The space film is directed by Sankalp Reddy and stars Aditi Rao Hydari as the female lead. Aditi also took to Twitter to share the look and wrote, Telugu cinema reaches space unfolding the first look and title of my 2nd #Antariksham.

This first look poster features Varun in his space suit and he seems to be trying to fix some kind of a machinery. The film was shot majorly in Bulgaria and Hyderabad.

Bringing you all an out of the world experience.

The first look and title of my next film. #Antariksham9000kmph #9000kmph#HappyIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/8SKwbJxCie  Varun Tej Konidela (@IAmVarunTej) August 15, 2018

Thank youuuuuuuuuu mohan sir!!!!! @mokris_1772 Come visit us again on set

Ps- with Home made punugulu pl!  https://t.co/d6wNpLqez8  Aditi Rao Hydari (@aditiraohydari) August 15, 2018

Love it!! Good luck guys. https://t.co/kqSeFMFdxI  Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) August 15, 2018

Sankalp previously directed Rana Daggubati starrer Ghazi, which also won a National Award. The buzz around Antariksham is high as this happens to the first Telugu space film. Speaking about it, producer Rajeev Reddy had told Firstpost, After Ghazi, Sankalp has come up with another exciting script. I think the time is over for regular commercial cinema and the need of the hour is to innovate with interesting subjects. Sankalp has great potential and we as a company have been backing different content, so were happy to collaborate with him. When I heard the story, both Sankalp and I were in two minds if Varun would be interested in the project. But when he heard the story, he was adamant to do it. His willingness to embrace the project gave us more confidence.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktopAt least 22 students drowned on Wednesday when a boat carrying more than 40 children sank while crossing the Nile in northern Sudan, state news agency SUNA said. The children were on their way to school.

Civil defence forces were searching the waters for the missing passengers but had not recovered the bodies, the agency added. A female hospital employee also drowned.

The vessel went down around 750 kilometres (470 miles) north of the capital Khartoum. SUNA says the boat sank because of a technical failure.Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and all major political parties on Wednesday condemned a speech by a minor senator who used the term final solution in calling for a revival of a White Australia restrictive immigration policy.

In one of the most divisive speeches seen in parliament since 1996 when far-right politician Pauline Hanson declared incorrectly that Australia was being swamped by Asians, Senator Fraser Anning on Tuesday called for a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

Anning said Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare. Muslims account for less than three percent of Australias population, census data shows.

Amid national outrage Turnbull, who will head to the polls within nine months, quickly condemned Anning.

We reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all, Turnbull told Australias parliament.

Opposition Labor party leader Bill Shorten told parliament on Wednesday: You have to be pretty outrageous to be condemned by everybody in the Australian parliament, but Senator Anning has managed to do just this.

Australians will return to the polls by May 2019, and recent polls show the majority of the electorate back multiculturalism, but far-right politicians are expected to pose a challenge to the mainstream parties.

Turnbull can and must bat this away, said Haydon Manning, a political science professor at Flinders University in South Australia.

Anning, who has been in parliament for less than a year has entered into a lose alliance with several conservative independent lawmakers that has boosted his otherwise inconsequential role in Australias upper house.

Anning split from Hansons One Nation party shortly after being sworn in, though his speech had many of the hallmarks of his former leader who has called for cuts to Asian and Muslim immigration.

The final solution to the immigration problem, of course, is a popular vote, Anning told parliament in his maiden speech.

The Final Solution or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question was a Nazi plan for the genocide or extermination of the Jews during World War Two. Anning has since said he did not know the history of the phrase.

Hanson joined the condemnation, telling the Senate she was appalled by Annings speech.

We are a multi-racial society and I have always advocated you do not have to be white to be Australian, she said.

Under what was commonly called a White Australia policy Australia restricted non-European immigration from 1901 until the late 1960s using various laws.Last week (and maybe every week into an uncertain future) we were forced to confront some unS ocial mobility is at the heart of a new government Green Paper, published yesterday, which pledges to give council tenants the chance to springboard into home ownership.

The papers authors say no tenant should feel stigmatised as a council renter and suggest allowing tenants to buy as little as one per cent of their home each year to begin home ownership.

The plans have been criticised for failing to find extra funding but they come at a time when many London councils have started to look at new ways to provide more homes.

The capital needs to build 200,000 homes to keep up with its burgeoning population, yet last year managed to complete just 27,000, falling far short of Mayor Sadiq Khans target of at least 66,000 a year.

However, plans laid out by 22 of the 32 boroughs are set to give the capital 25,000 new homes over the next five years. That compares with the measly 2,100 homes built by councils over the past seven years.

Ambitious councils have broken away from their traditional role as purely social housing providers to deliver a wider range of properties, either by building homes themselves or creating arms length firms to build and sell homes that feed all profits back into the locality.

The public sector will continue to sell off land to private development corporations for much-needed cash, but a report from the think tank Centre for London has analysed each borough by the pipeline of homes it plans to deliver, either itself or via a subsidiary, and found that the councils are enthusiastic about getting back into housebuilding.

The busiest are named as Newham, Hackney, Croydon, Southwark and Barking & Dagenham.

This resurgence of interest is driven by an increasing awareness of the urgency of Londons housing challenges, as well as a desire to take more control of housing delivery and potentially to generate revenues when finances are lean, says Richard Brown, Centre for Londons director of research.

The number of new homes to be built by councils in the next five years:

Borough New homes by councils Newham 4,000 Hackney 3.000 Croydon 2,500 Southwark 2,100 Barking & Dagenham 2,000 Ealing 1,450 Waltham Forest 1,425 Tower Hamlets 1,300 Camden 1,100 Hounslow 1,100 Lewisham 1,000 Enfield 725 Wandsworth 600 Harrow 520 Barnet 500 Bexley 500 Islington 500 Lambeth 500 Greenwich 250 Havering 109 Sutton 93 Merton 77

Only last month newly elected Haringey council members scrapped a 4 billion property deal with the global developer Lendlease that would have delivered 6,400 homes over 20 years, transforming the Broadwater Farm and Northumberland Park estates. The council members were concerned that they would be surrendering too much control to Lendlease, an industry expert told Homes & Property.

However, property consultant JLLs Adam Challis warns that councillors must enter the challenging world of housebuilding fully conscious of all the risks. In the past, local authorities were let down by private developers in getting schemes built that met the needs of the local people and this has motivated councils to create a new breed of council-led building firms, he says. But there are negatives.

Progress: Croydon's Brick by Brick company is delivering 48 per cent affordable housing

Challis cites the Haringey-Lendlease saga: In pulling away from Lendlease the council has accepted full responsibility for housebuilding in their area and when things get inevitably delayed, and the snagging has to be done, they will have to cope with the complaints from a disappointed public. The ugly and difficult issues will now land on their doorstep.

NEWHAM

Newham council in east London set up its arms length development company in 2014 and since then it has delivered three schemes of affordable rental homes. It has pledged the largest number of homes to be delivered by any council directly at 1,000, with 3,000 by its development firm Red Door Ventures, in the next five years.

Future schemes include affordable rental, shared ownership and private rent. One-and two-bedroom apartments are available at Cheviot House in Commercial Road, Whitechapel.

From 1,250 a month: rental flats at Art Deco former council office Cheviot House

The Art Deco former council office now houses 97 apartments  the cheapest available is a ground-floor, one-bedroom flat for 1,250 per calendar month.

BARKING & DAGENHAM

Be First, the development firm of Barking & Dagenham council, is proposing a 2 million redevelopment of downtrodden Barking town centre into what is being nicknamed a mini Manhattan.

The new-look district will include 6,000 new homes over 10 years, along with shops and an art house cinema.

Big plans: Be First council development firm aims to turn Barking town centre into a "mini Manhattan"

During the next five years Be First will be directly responsible for the construction of 2,000 units, and rents will be discounted on 40 per cent of these homes.

The 60-home Weavers Quarter in Barking has one and two-bedroom apartments to rent starting from 880 per calendar month, which is 20 per cent lower than the market rate. Tenants must sign a one-year introductory agreement but after that can commit to five years.

CROYDON

Brick by Brick was established in 2016 by the London borough of Croydon. Up to this point, Croydon was delivering just 16 per cent affordable housing but this has doubled to 32 per cent including private developer schemes, with Brick by Brick reaching 48 per cent.

There was market failure here, says Colm Lacey, chief executive of Brick by Brick. New homes were not of the right quality or being built at the required rate.

Brick by Brick specialises in building on small sites and Lacey stresses his aim is to deliver stylishly designed schemes that improve the look and perception of Croydon.

It has 43 sites in planning and is investing 30 million into the redevelopment of Fairfield Halls, the towns old arts and conference centre.Appointment

15 August 2018

G6 Hospitality LLC, the parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands in the United States and Canada, today announced Greg Juceam has joined the company as president and chief operating officer. As part of the executive leadership team, he will report directly to CEO Rob Palleschi.

Prior to joining G6 Hospitality, Juceam served as CEO of BRE Hotels and Resorts, a non-listed real estate investment trust focused on the ownership of upscale, extended-stay and select service hotels. During his tenure, he supported business development and drove efforts to identify opportunities in markets that have multiple demand generators and high barriers to entry. Previously, he held senior roles at Interstate Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Bristol Hotels & Resorts.

Juceam currently sits on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. He is an emeritus member of Hilton's All-Suites Owner's Council, Marriott's Owner Advisory Council, and Starwood's Owner Advisory Council.

A graduate of Cornell University, Juceam received a bachelor's degree from the School of Hotel Administration.Opinion Article

15 August 2018

Over the years I've taught a concept I refer to as the One Thing Question. This is a very simple question to use in a survey as a follow-up to the simple survey question, like the Net Promoter Score question (NPS). For those that may not be familiar with the NPS survey question, it is simply this: On a scale of zero to ten, what is the likelihood that you would recommend us to a friend, colleague or family member. This simple question gives you an idea if your organization did well enough for the customer to recommend you. The follow-up question is this:

Advertisements

Is there one thing you can think of that would make doing business with us better?

The idea is that if you have a number of customers suggesting the same "one thing," you need to pay attention. And, if the ideas are coming from the customers giving you high ratings, then the suggestions are giving you the opportunity to improve on greatness.

Photo: Shepard Presentations, LLC.

So, here's a twist on the typical one thing question. Let's assume you are customer focused and your organization is providing a level of customer service that earns consistent high scores. Where can you go from here? In addition to the great service, be easy and convenient to do business with. That's the subject of my new book, The Convenience Revolution: How to Deliver a Customer Service Experience that Disrupts the Competition and Creates Fierce Loyalty. This is the next level of customer service. So, the twist on the one thing question is this:

Is there one thing you can suggest that would make doing business with us easier or more convenient?

Some companies make convenience part of, if not all of, their value proposition. They know it separates them from their competition. Huntington Bank has extended hours for their customers, so they can bank after normal business hours and on weekends. CLEAR provides a solution to the frequent traveler that hates waiting in security lines in the airport. Walmart has strategically placed their stores so that 90% of people in the US are less than 10 minutes from a Walmart. Restaurants that choose to use the NoWait app lets their guests add their names to the waiting list at a busy restaurant and time their arrival so that when they show up they are near the top of the list.

So, what one thing (or more) can you do to be more convenient for your customers? Come up with the answer and you may get more business from your existing customers and steal away customers from your competition.JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.



You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browserOver 70 Percent Female Recipients; Highest Number of Hospitality Students Rewarded to Propel Career Development

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF), the philanthropic arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), today announced $1.3 million was awarded via 420 scholarships this year  the highest amount ever awarded to students seeking a career in the hospitality industry. More than 70 percent of scholarship recipients are women, and more than one-third of the total recipients are minority students.

With students taking on crippling loans to deal with the rising cost of college, the hospitality sector is leading the curve in developing talent and providing career pathways for students who would not otherwise be able to access education, said Rosanna Maietta, AHLEF President. As an industry supporting more than 8 million employees, we are focused on creating lifelong career opportunities for aspiring hospitality students. Were especially excited to empower, promote and encourage a diverse workforce for the industry through these scholarship awards, which are emblematic of our mission to ensure a strong future for the entire lodging sector and build the next generation of hoteliers.

AHLEF administers 9 scholarship programs for students enrolled in hospitality-related degree programs at colleges and universities across the country. The Foundation received and evaluated more than 2,000 applications based on financial need, academics, relevant work experience, extracurricular activities and personal attributes. Scholarships, up to $7,500 are awarded based on the university program and students enrollment status.

Since its founding, AHLEF has distributed more than $14 million in scholarship funds to promising hospitality management students. Scholarship funds are available to incoming freshmen through graduate level for students studying hospitality management. The AHLEF Annual Scholarship Grant Program, the Foundations largest, includes funds provided by the AHLEF General Campaign, AHLEF Hospitality 2000, Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), AHLEF New Century, the National Restaurant Association, Melinda Bush Mentors, John Clifford Memorial, Cecil B. Day Memorial, Handlery Hotels, Conrad N. Hilton Memorial, Creighton Holden Memorial, Hospitality Asset Managers Association, Steve Hymans Extended Stay Scholarship, Richard Kessler, J. Willard Marriott Memorial, Joseph McInerney Scholarship, Curtis C. Nelson and AHLEF's Annual Giving Program.

Additional scholarship programs include The Hyatt Hotels Fund for Minority Lodging Management Students; the Rama Scholarship for the American Dream Program; the American Express Scholarship Program; the Ecolab Scholarship Program; the Karl Mehlmann Scholarship; the Graduate Scholarship Program; the Arthur J. Packard Memorial Scholarship Program; the Incoming Freshman Scholarship, which awards PepsiCo Foundation and ALIS Scholarships; and the Opening Doors to Opportunity Scholarship, which awards Minaz Abji Scholarships.

For more information about AHLEF scholarships and other programs, visit www.ahlef.org or contact Michelle Poinelli, senior vice president, foundation programs, at (202) 289-3181 or mpoinelli@ahlef.org.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceRep. Brooks Tours Indiana Embassy Suites, Discusses Economic Impact of Hotel Industry With Local Leaders

U.S. Rep. Susan W. Brooks (IN-5) yesterday toured the Embassy Suites Noblesville as part of the American Hotel & Lodging Associations (AHLA) Heart of the House hotel tour program to meet with hotel employees in her district and see firsthand the career opportunities in the lodging industry.

Indianas hotel industry plays a vital role in the states economy, generating $6 billion in annual guest spending and $2 billion in tax revenues while supporting $4 billion of labor income. Guests staying at the 106 hotels in the states 5th Congressional District, which includes Marion, Carmel, and parts of Kokomo, spend $652 million each year, contributing to local labor income and economic activity. Click here for more information on how Indiana hoteliers contribute to the economy and local jobs.

The hospitality industry has been responsible for creating over ten thousand jobs in the Fifth District of Indiana alone and is contributing to the continued growth of our states economy, said Congresswoman Brooks. It is important that we are all working together to encourage people to enter the workforce, and I am happy the American Hotel & Lodging Association is prioritizing closing the skills gap through their various career development programs. I am proud of Embassy Suites commitment to embodying true 'Hoosier Hospitality' and their support for the Noblesville community through job creation and lasting career opportunities. I look forward to continuing to work with local stakeholders to ensure the hospitality industry continues to thrive and support Hoosier jobs.

The tour was led by Eric Welch, general manager of Embassy Suites By Hilton Noblesville Indianapolis Conference Center, a 198-suite properly that opened earlier this year. Also accompanying the congresswoman were Patrick Tamm, president of the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association (IRLA); Sarah Stegmeyer, director of communications and advocacy at IRLA; and Chris Burgoyne, vice president of government and political affairs for AHLA.

It was an honor to welcome Congresswoman Brooks to our hotel and introduce her to so many of our exceptional associates who work hard every day to not just service our guests, but to help make their stay an experience to remember, said Welch. Hospitality is the heart of this industry. We pride ourselves on securing the best talent while continuing to support our local community, and we appreciate everything Congresswoman Brooks is doing back in Washington to support us in turn.

AHLA engages with members of Congress on the "Heart of the House" hotel tours to provide an in-depth look at the career opportunities available as well as the economic and community impact of the lodging industry.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceFrom big brand to cult destination

This article originally appeared on Tambourine.

One way great hotels can get even better is to learn from the best.

In this case, were proud to be talking about our client, Nihi Sumba, an island resort that has earned the distinction of being the best hotel in the world according to Travel + Leisure readers. As such, James McBride, founding partner and CEO of Nihi Hotels, has a wealth of knowledge that hotel marketing professionals can leverage to grow their own successes.

From big brand to cult destination

James started his hospitality career in the corporate world with Ritz Carlton. From six hotels in 1988, James helped grow the brand, opening 25 new hotels in locations like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Washington DC.

One of the best things I ever did for my career was joining Ritz Carlton in its infancy, says James. That opportunity doesnt exist anymore with the level of brand saturation that exists today. New companies and brands dont exist at the speed I was fortunate to enjoy. I loved the culture at Ritz Carlton and it was an amazing experience that really made my career, he adds.

James McBride, CEO at Nihi Hotels

After his time at Ritz Carlton, James moved on to run the Carlyle in New York and the Rosewood Resorts in the Caribbean, Caneel Bay, Little Dix Bay, Jumby Bay, and the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe New Mexico.

In 2011, during his tenure as President of YTL Hotels, his soon-to-be business partner Chris Burch called to tell him about a property for sale on the island of Sumba in Indonesia. This 560-acre hotel and its property represented the perfect opportunity to create a unique and exclusive destination beach resort on the edge of the wild southeast Asian jungle.

Chris and I went all in, says James. We knocked down the hotel and rebuilt it in 2012. We became the number one hotel in the world by 2016, and again in 2017, he adds.

Understanding the digital revolution

A brand new, remote hotel with an experience on the extreme end of the luxury scale could easily have failed. But, James attributes the success of Nihi Sumba to an early-adopter approach to the hotel digital marketing revolution. It took everything to get this hotel off the ground, says James. It wasnt just one thing. It was everything. It was digital ads, PR, print, word of mouth, he adds.

The stunning accommodations at Nihi make for great photography and tantalizing viral, social posts

However, social media was undeniably a key, essential piece for Nihi Sumbas success. Weve been on Instagram since 2013. One of our biggest initiatives was a strong Instagram push in the early days of that network. We had Instagram influencers before influencers were common. Just hacking into the power of that network and thoroughly understanding it has been a big part of our success, he says.

The reasoning behind such a strong push with Instagram influencers, says James, is you have to experience this place to understand what its all about. This property is so unique and tribal in nature with an animus culture. As much as you explain that to people, they cant possibly understand. They need to see it, he adds.

Nihi has benefitted from great relationships with social media influencers

But, he adds, you cant forget some of the more traditional hotel and resort marketing channels. Our number one provider is Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, he says, which makes sense, given the higher dollar value, exclusive nature of Nihi Sumba. You have to experiment some to determine what your best distribution channels are, and then double down on those channels, he adds.

Focus on character and exceed expectations

By 2016, the hotel had become an exclusive cult destination.

Sixty percent of our guests are repeat guests. Those that come in July and August have been coming for the past six or seven years. Its expensive to come hereits a $20 thousand dollar tripbut when people try to look for a similar experience anywhere in the world, it doesnt exist. They cant find it, says James.

In this industry, the consolidation of larger hotel brands is creating what James calls vanilla experiences. He says, The acquisition of Starwood by Marriott was incredibly well done. But, the bigger companies just keep getting bigger. This represented an amazing opportunity for Chris and me, and for other independent hotels because people want to discover places with extraordinary character. The world has become vanilla, but people want every flavor of ice cream.

One piece of advice James has for hotel marketers, even if they dont have the amazing product that is Nihi Sumba, is to market truthfully what you do have. Hotel marketing is all about setting proper guest expectations. Theres nothing worse than going to a hotel that promises a beautiful beach, but upon arrival, the beach is small and rocky. If you try to be everything to everyone, youre going to fail. The key to success is to highlight your unique strengths with amazing content, and then deliver on that expectation once the guests arrive, he says.

Want to learn more?

Check out @nihisimba and @jameswmcbride on Instagram.



About Tambourine

Tambourine uses technology and creativity to increase revenue for hotels and destinations worldwide. The firm, now in its 34th year, is located in New York City and Fort Lauderdale. Please visit: www.Tambourine.com

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceIn 2013, Gaupin was inducted into the Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chef of France). He is one of only four chefs in Georgia and the only chef in the Loews Hotels & Co portfolio to have received the honor.

Loews Hotels & Co has announced the promotion of Olivier Gaupin to Corporate Chef. An eight-year veteran of Loews Hotels, Gaupins new role finds him elevating the companys sustainability and sourcing of products, while also focusing on culinary leadership, developing new standards for recruiting, and creating the culinary direction for new and existing hotels. Gaupin will also oversee menu development and execute new food and beverage directives and initiatives.

Gaupin joined Loews Hotels in 2010 as opening Executive Chef of Loews Atlanta Hotel. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his years with the company, including recognition in the pages of Food Arts, Culinary Trend, St. Louis Magazine and Atlanta Magazine.

We are very excited to bring Oliviers culinary expertise to the brand level, said Mark Weiss, Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage of Loews Hotels & Co. Oliviers leadership in the last eight years at Loews Atlanta Hotel and his passion for his role proves to be an asset to the company as we continue to develop the culinary direction brand wide.

Born and raised in Orleans, France, Gaupin graduated from the CFA Charles Peguy School in his hometown. He developed a passion  and a palate  for fine food and wine at an early age and followed in his uncles footsteps to pursue a career in the culinary field. He visited the United States on what was intended to be a three-week vacation, but has now been sharing his culinary talents in the U.S., France and Switzerland for more than 20 years.

In 2013, Gaupin was inducted into the Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chef of France). He is one of only four chefs in Georgia and the only chef in the Loews Hotels & Co portfolio to have received the honor.

Highlights of Gaupins career include serving as chef de partie of the Michelin-rated Hotel Negresco in Nice, France; head chef for the French Minister of Defense in Paris; and chef de partie of the famed Hotel Stuva Colani in St. Mortiz, Switzerland. In the U.S., Gaupin has led the kitchen in some of the countrys most distinguished restaurants and hotels including Provence Restaurant in Washington, DC; Pfister Hotel Milwaukee; The Ritz-Carlton, Altanta; and The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis; as well as WaterSound Beach and Resort, WaterColor Inn and Resort, and Alys Beach Resort, all in Florida.

Beyond his new role as Corporate Chef, Gaupin will continue to oversee culinary operations of Loews Atlanta Hotel, as well as of Saltwood, the propertys small plate-style restaurant featuring a charcuterie-driven menu and craft cocktails.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceThere's been rumors flying around for a minute that Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson were dating. Between the paparazzi and fans, many are convinced that Delevingne and Benson are in a relationship. Neither of them have confirmed anything publicly but a new photo may give fans some sort of insight to their possible relationship status.

Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson were spotted getting cozy on Tuesday at Heathrow Airport in London. In photos published by The Daily Mail, Delevingne and Benson were spotted "passionately kissing" as the publication described it. Additionally, Benson was seen wearing a chain with the letter "C" on it that some are convinced stand for Cara.

The dating rumors between the supermodel and the Pretty Little Liars star began earlier this year. There were a few instances where they showed each other some affection but what really sparked the rumors as when Twitter users claimed they witness Delevingne and Benson making out during a taping of Saturday Night Live. Shortly after, the paparazzi captured photos of the two outside of SNL.

Delevingne has been involved in a few other dating rumors this year. In May, there were speculations that she was dating Paris Jackson, although neither parties confirmed it. It's also been reported that Rita Ora's song "Girls" was about her alleged fling with Delevingne.KITH and Coca-Cola have a third capsule collection releasing this Friday, August 17, which will include a range of apparel and accessories as well as four different versions of the Converse Chuck Taylor 1970 with colorways and designs inspired by the United States, France, Russia, and China. Each colorway includes embroidered Coca-Cola branding in a different language on the denim upper, accompanied by subtle KITH branding on the vulcanized sole.

Today, KITH owner Ronnie Fieg shared some additional images from KITH x Coca-Cola Chapter 3, including multiple tees, hoodies, crewnecks, half-zip pullovers, varsity jackets, and the iconic rugby shirts. The collection will also include women's apparel and bathing suits and other summer accessories.

For Chapter 3 of the KITH x Coca-Cola collaboration, KITH enlisted the help of Victor Cruz, Karrueche, Emily Ratajkowski and Josie Canseco to help model the upcoming collection.

Check out some of the looks in the IG posts embedded below.Nick Cannon has pretty much dabbled in everything throughout his illustrious career. He's starred in several films and television programs, released a few albums, dabbled in radio and much more. However, these days Nick Cannon's seen more often on your television screen than anything else. Nick Cannon recently revealed his plans for an upcoming drama crime series called "The Yay Area" that explores the drug culture in Northern California. To make sure the show is as authentic as possible, he's tapped two Bay Area legends as producers.

Nick Cannon recently revealed that he's tapped E-40 and Too Short for his new drama crime television series called, "The Yay Area." It's a bit of a change for Cannon who's usually seen behind more comedic projects but it looks like he wants to explore the Bay Area culture in-depth. With the assistance of E-40 and Too Short, he said that he'll be able to tap into an authentic side of the Bay Area that hasn't been shown on television.

"I'm so excited to partner with E-40 and Too Short. Two fixtures and icons in the Bay Area movement. They got some stories some amazing tales of, you know, everything from criminal justice to the drug game," He said. "We switchin' it and puttin' it in the same vein as like 'The Sopranos' meets 'The Wire.'"

Cannon explained that the connection between the drug trade, biker gangs, Silicon Valley and even the Black Panther movement in Northern California is something that's yet to be explored on television.

There are several networks interested in picking up "The Yay Area" and Nick Cannon plans on shooting the show this fall.

[Via TMZ]Teyana Taylor embarked on the "Later That Night" tour with Jeremih at the beginning of the month in Tampa Bay, Florida. Unfortunately everything has come to a crashing half ten days in, with Teyana Taylor announcing her intentions to abandon the tour effective immediately, citing Jeremih' "diva" behaviour as reasonable cause.

But make this is not mild complaint, Teyana Taylor has accused Jeremih of cardinal sins greater than the sum of his talent quotient. She described Jeremih as a "lazy, sneaky, jealous, conniving, selish, lame ass n****." Even if you decide to frame it objectively, the accusations seem to be backed by circumstantial evidence; of Jeremih demanding lots of attention from the hired hands, at least 80% of the time according to Teyana.

Teyana compared Jeremih's ego to that of an artist with Michael Jackson levels of talent.

The decision to abandon the tour will undoubtedly upset a lot of fans, by the looks of it the majority were turning up to see her. There's no word whether the announcement will cause a derailment of plans, or whether a refund options will become warranted.

Teyana has spent the past half hour rallying fan support in the form of Retweets. More on this later.Following the focused Chained to the City EP from May, Luca Brasi 3 is set to be the first full-length Kevin Gates project since the Louisiana artist was released from prison this past January. Much like Luca Brasi 2, which came out in 2014 after some highly publicized legal issues, this much-anticipated addition to the series will inevitably serve as the glimpse into the rappers mind that his interviews may sometimes fail to provide. Where 2013s The Luca Brasi Story - and that summers Stranger than Fiction - marked a shifting point in Kevin Gates career, establishing him as a transcendent storyteller, it was the following years Luca Brasi 2, which spawned the viral hit I Dont Get Tired, that set him down the path of superstardom.

However, despite his subsequent commercial success, Kevin Gates has remained a hyper-real songwriter. So much so that it often becomes hard to tell if personas such as Luca Brasi are the alter ego, or if the visage of an unabashedly cruel mercenary is Gates natural state. Gates thrives in this gray area and the Luca Brasi series has become the best outlet for the rapper to freely engage in creative storytelling exercises where each and every story is undoubtedly painted by his own hardships and character flaws.

Throughout the first two installments of the Brasi series, Gates delivered an overwhelming collection of ballads and bangers. We hope that the following list of curated highlights helps newcomers and core fans alike freshen up on their Kevin Gates cannon prior to the forthcoming album.

"Paper Chasers"

Already a regional star, Paper Chasers presents an established talent with a firm grasp on how to write a hit.

"Arms of a Stranger"

Kevin Gates has always been a multi-faceted artist, capable of penning heartfelt passages to balance out his more prideful verses, and Arms of a Stranger proves to be one of his most delicate ballads to date.

"Narco Trafficante" ft. Percy Keith

A menacing drug lord is only one of Kevin Gates personas, but its one that he wears with frightening ease. This bilingual anthem is a prime example of his confident demeanor.

"Hold Ya Head"

"Hold Ya Head," as the title suggests, is a motivational anthem meant to help the naive navigate disloyal partners in the streets as well as the grimy moves of shady industry execs.

"Twilight"

Another tender moment amidst a project full of reckless abandon.

"Around Me"

Sometimes his romantic songs are disarmingly sweet, sometimes theyre gleefully lustful, and Around Me is somehow both at once.

"Counting on Ya"



A lyrical exercise in introspective, confessional storytelling, Counting On Ya is cinematic in its execution but wholly personal in its premise.

"IDGAF"

A relentless, autobiographical stream of consciousness that doubles as a tirade against the fake and a eulogy for those whove passed.

"Hero"

We wish Kevin Gates would work with Nard & B more often - "Hero" is a great testament to their sonic compatibility.

"What's Understood"

Kevin Gates has an uncanny ability to set the scene; within the first four bars of this verse, we're transported to the exact era Gates is recalling.

"IHOP (True Story)"

The best Kevin Gates songs are the ones where all pretenses are dropped, where he reveals too much information too quickly, forcing us to bear witness to his truth, and the acapella closing track to The Luca Brasi Story is an arresting showcase of Gates' power as a storyteller.

"I Don't Get Tired" ft. August Alsina

I Dont Get Tired is a perfect showcase of both Kevin Gates aggressive wordplay and his more subtle melodies, both facets of his artistry that immediately placed him at the front of his class.

"John Gotti"

Despite being undercut by an especially raw first verse, John Gotti is home to one of Gates best hooks to date.

"Perfect Imperfection"

Gates, who often believes himself to be a misunderstood genius, is understandably a huge proponent of self-love.

"Plug Daughter"

This one is an almost comedic account of a high-stakes love affair, probably the only kind that ever piques the interest of a man like Kevin Gates.

"Out the Mud"

One of the biggest hits off of Luca Brasi 2, "Out the Mud" is decidedly more restrained than the explosive "I Don't Get Tired."

"Sit Down"

Anxious and urgent, Sit Down does an extraordinary job at setting the scene, allowing Gates to use his various run-ins with the law as cautionary tales for his misguided partners.

"Talk on Phones"

Before "2 Phones," the how-to-guide on managing your business, there was "Talk on Phones," a how-to-guide on avoiding the law.

"Wassup With It"

Wassup With It mixes sobering reality with fantastic dreams of love and sees Gates searching for hope after the longful nature of his stint in prison.

"In My Feelings"

Before making it official with his fiancee, Dreka, Kevin Gates was perpetually in search of someone who truly understood him - someone he could drop his guard around.

"Pourin the Syrup"

Kevin Gates has always been acutely aware of the power of his pen and presents drug abuse in the same, raw manner as the rest of his vices - with no holds barred, Gates experiences with sipping lean sound less like a harmless pastime and more like the monkey on your back that it truly is.

"Makin' Love"

Although its somewhat anticlimactic when compared to his other closing tracks, Makin Love is a great showcase of Gates continuously expanding vocal range.The cosmic rhetoric of a Space Force seeking "American dominance in space," as President Donald Trump puts it, conjures images of storm troopers, laser guns and X-Wing Fighters - technology straight out of science fiction.

But the Pentagon is already working on technology designed to fight a war in space: rockets that could launch daily; missiles that would fly at five miles per second; satellites the size of shoe boxes; and robots that could fix them in orbit. Such efforts already amount to billions of dollars in government spending each year, much of it shrouded in secrecy under classified military programs.

And as the White House pledges to push for a Space Force as a sixth military branch and the first new service since the Air Force was created in 1947, an insular group of government contractors sees a chance to profit.

Byron Callan, a prominent defense stock analyst with Capital-Alpha Partners, said Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Harris Corporation may be particularly well-positioned to benefit from Trump's space force.

THE 'NEXT BATTLEFIELD': Department of Defense delivers Space Force plans to Congress

The new service could line their pockets for years to come, assuming Congress embraces the idea.

"Because [the Space Force] will be a smaller service with fewer resources, it may be more dependent on industry for technical advice and policy input," said Loren Thompson, a consultant with the nonprofit Lexington Institute, which gets funding from defense contractors. It "would likely be more of a creature of industry than if the Air Force were kept intact."

Throughout the history of human space travel, NASA has tended to get most of the glory. But the Defense Department has been focused on the stars since before Sputnik caused a national panic in 1957 - and led to what is now known as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, the Pentagon's research arm.

Today, DARPA is working on a few programs that could ultimately fit under the mantle of a Space Force. Last year, it selected Boeing for its "Experimental Spaceplane" or XS-1 program, which hopes to develop a spaceplane capable of flying 10 times in 10 days.

Boeing's vehicle, known as the Phantom Express, would be designed to fuel up and go, taking off quickly, like a commercial airliner. That's of particular appeal to the Pentagon, which wants to be able to put satellites into orbit quickly if, for example, officials learn that an adversary is getting ready to launch a missile or deploy a fleet of ships to sea.

And with information-age technologies making their way further into military operations, even the Army's ground forces rely on support from beyond Earth's atmosphere. The Global Positioning System (GPS) that numerous military systems rely on for geo-location is made possible by bus-sized satellites built primarily by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Those satellites are hurled into space by firms like Elon Musk's SpaceX and the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Concerned that adversaries could jam or interfere with those satellites, the U.S. military has worked to make them more resilient. Instead of relying on large and expensive systems, defense officials are planning to launch swarms of smaller satellites into orbit, which they think will be harder to take out. DARPA is developing robots that could fly from satellite to satellite in space, refueling, repair damage, or update the satellites with new capabilities as if it were an iPhone.

The prospect that GPS communications could be knocked out through an attack on U.S. satellites has become so worrisome that the U.S. Navy recently added celestial navigation back into its required coursework for officers. Boeing is working on autonomous drones that can navigate without the help of GPS.

"The U.S. military is dependent on space across the full spectrum of conflict, from counter-terrorism operations in Yemen to a major war with a near-peer adversary like Russia or China," said Todd Harrison, a military analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Other countries have taken note of the advantages space provides to the U.S. military and are developing and proliferating counter-space weapons to negate our advantage in space."

Another top Pentagon priority is developing a hyper-sonic missile, one capable of traveling at five times the speed of sound, or more. In his speech at the Pentagon on his need for a Space Force, Vice President Mike Pence said that both Russia and China are "investing heavily' in the technology and that "China claimed to have made its first successful test of a hyper-sonic vehicle just last week."

On Monday the Air Force announced it is awarding a $480 million contract to Lockheed Martin to develop a hyper-sonic strike weapon, a project that builds on a similar contract worth almost $1 billion awarded in April. Boeing also said it was investing in a British company that is working on hyper-sonic propulsion systems.

For the time being, the federal space market is considered a niche business with tremendous overhead costs, available only to a handful of gigantic companies with the scale to compete.

An internal analysis by Bloomberg Government found that the Defense Department spends about $4 billion a year on space vehicles, launches, services and associated support. Most of that money is spent through contracts with three large companies: the Boeing-Lockheed partnership United Launch Alliance, Lockheed Martin itself, and a California-based nonprofit research center called The Aerospace Corporation. Elon Musk's SpaceX was the fourth-largest recipient of Defense Department space funding, Bloomberg found.

Independent analysts were skeptical that the Space Force would give companies such as Lockheed and Boeing much of a bump, however, unless its creation comes with a significant up-tick in defense spending. The Pentagon is expected to outline its plans in greater detail next year as part of its 2020 budget request, Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan told the Associated Press.

The force could actually become a liability for contractors if the Pentagon's other activities are de-funded to make room for more bureaucratic overhead, they said, or if a future congress decides to cut defense spending.

"From a business perspective I don't think [the Space Force] changes a whole lot," said Rob Levinson, senior defense analyst with Bloomberg Government. "It's a different office they have to go to, but these companies are basically going to be doing the same thing."

Capital-Alpha partners analyst Byron Callan described the Space force as "far from an automatic win" for space companies. "They're all diversified enough that you don't know what else is going to get curtailed -- that they're counting on -- to pay for this," he said.

And the prospect of sapping resources from the Army, Navy and Air Force has military contractors spooked.

"Space should be prioritized. . .but at what cost?" said Wes Hallman, senior vice president for policy at the National Defense Industrial Association. "The challenge with the Space Force is that you worry about creating a few more bureaucratic layers. That won't be good for the war-fighter or for industry."

Trump's comments at a recent press conference suggests Lockheed and Boeing's United Launch Alliance could be in trouble if the White House gets its way: "I don't like when Boeing and Lockheed get together because the pricing only goes up," Trump said, later adding "we're going to have to talk about that, your joining those two companies."

Trump's public admonishments to those companies have seldom translated to policy, however. When he tweeted a month before his inauguration that Boeing's contract to build the Air Force One presidential plane should be cancelled, it wasn't. Months later, when he criticized the price of Lockheed's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and suggested it should be replaced with a competing plane, the government ended up awarding a contract that was roughly in line with what it had already planned.

Geo-political tensions are also creating new risk for space companies. Russian lawmakers are reportedly weighing whether to cut off sales of the RD-180 rocket engine -- which NASA and the Defense Department use on the Atlas V rocket -- in response to U.S. sanctions. A United Launch Alliance spokesman said the company has enough inventory in the U.S. to meet its current mission needs.

Space companies contacted by The Washington Post mainly said they would continue to support the government's work in space regardless of how the new service is structured. In other words, if a new Space Force were to supplant the space-based activities of another service like the Air Force, as some officials fear, the Lockheeds and Boeings of the world would simply follow the money.

"Lockheed Martin has played a central role in both commercial and national security space for decades, and we look forward to contributing to this critical effort through the National Space Council and other means," said Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Maureen Schumann.

Boeing concurred: "We will continue to deliver for our partners in government as they stand up a Space Command and consider the path forward for implementing the Space Force," spokesman Dan Curran said in an email.

Northrop Grumman offered something closer to a full-throated endorsement: "We are encouraged by the increased focus on the Space domain and its importance to our national security," spokesman Tim Paynter said in an email. "Given our deep expertise, legacy and capabilities related to Space, we look forward to supporting the nation's future needs in this critical area."

Northrop took an aggressive step into the space business last year when it bought a Virginia-based company called Orbital ATK, giving it a broad suite of space-based capabilities including bus-sized communications satellites and experimental robotic spacecraft. Florida-based government contractor Harris Corporation edged further into the industry this year through an unspecified classified contract win, chief executive Bill Brown said in a recent earnings call.

Others have pointed out that more than just military might is at stake. With commercial industries like trucking and shipping increasingly reliant on GPS for navigation, securing outer space could have broader implications for the U.S. economy.

"We're pleased that the White House is focusing on America's reliance on space, and on the growing threats from Russia and China," Aerospace Industries Association president and chief executive Eric Fanning said in an email. "As Congress reacts to the Pentagon's report, we need to be careful not to create increased bureaucracy and complexity that might actually slow us down. We also need to recognize that it's not just our military, but every aspect of our economy that relies on security in space."JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News

Southwest Airlines will limit customers to only one dog or cat as an emotional-support animal, changing its policy after a biting incident on a flight.

The carrier follows larger rivals that had altered policies for animals on board as numbers soared for passengers claiming they rely on them. Problems with animals, including a child nipped on a Southwest plane, also have climbed, as have the types of creatures brought on aircraft.Station Houston has passed the startup stage.

The fast-growing hub for technology startups on Tuesday announced Gaby Rowe as its new CEO. Shell be charged with managing Station Houstons aggressive growth of the past two years and, more immediately, defining the organizations role in a much-anticipated innovation district.

Shes somebody who can understand how to develop a strategy and how to get people to implement a strategy, Station Houston co-founder Grace Rodriguez said. And that was something I think we were having a challenge with.

Founding CEOs have a certain skillset. John JR Reale, co-founder and former CEO of Station Houston, is credited with rallying support. He beat down doors and got people to listen. His tenacity and drive placed Station Houston at the center of the citys efforts to attract technology innovators and investors.

If someone had asked me to do what JR had done two years ago, I never would have been able to do it, Rowe said.

Now, her experience will assist with running a large, fast-growing company. In New York City, Rowe expanded her grandfathers 44-student private school to 765 students across multiple campuses. Her focus on technology, such as beta testing the iPad, helped attract private equity.

Rowe, 52, moved to Houston in 2014 as head of school for The Village School. Here, she raised capital to expand facilities and spearhead innovative curriculum updates, such as required coding classes for middle-school students and an entrepreneurship diploma with The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

What I came in there to do was less about the teaching and more about changing the platform of education in Houston, she said, and in the process of that I ended up falling in love with Houston.

Education is a big part of Houstons efforts to nurture high-growth, high-tech companies, said Blair Garrou, managing director of Mercury Fund, an early-stage venture capital firm. Existing entrepreneurs must learn how to scale their businesses. Adult workers need to learn the skills of a future work force. And a talent pipeline needs to be developed in K-12 schools and universities.

These are things that Gaby is passionate about, that shes very good at, that she's spent a large amount of her career around, he said.

He also praised her executive leadership skills and her innovation work in New York City. As a side gig to growing her grandfathers school, Rowe helped create K-12 after-school programs, adult retraining courses and other avenues to build a pipeline of talent for New York Citys Silicon Alley.

Having that experience set in other markets is really critical to understanding new ways that we can improve, Garrou said.

Garrou helped launch Station Houston in March 2016. Garrou is also a board member for Station Houston and Houston Exponential, a nonprofit tasked with marketing and connecting Houstons various innovation organizations.

When Station Houston debuted, Houston ranked No. 39 among U.S. cities as measured by new venture capital deals, startups actively receiving venture capital and the amount of growth venture capital money invested.

Houston has reversed this trend in the last two years. It broke into the top 30 cities during the first half of 2018, said Ed Egan, director of the Rice University Baker Institutes McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

This is a Station Houston effect, Egan said. Were actually seeing deal-flow out of Station Houston driving the numbers.

Thats why he questioned changing CEOs  why make a change when the performance under Reale has been exemplar? His concern is that Station Houston remains a for-profit institution that succeeds or fails based on its ability to make money.

Rowe said she completely agrees with his last point. Her focus will be on raising money from investors who are sophisticated and knowledgeable of high-tech startups.

Shes excited that her hobby  having served on the board of Station Houston and as chair of Houston Exponentials learning committee  is now her full-time job. Her first priority will be on the innovation district. Rice University announced in April that its investing $100 million to transform the former Sears property in Midtown into an innovation center for technology companies.

Rowe said Station Houston is finalizing the details with Rice, but its priorities will be on providing programs and services that help startups grow.

She also plans to build upon Reales foundation with the corporate community to better connect entrepreneurs and large organizations. For the longer term, she said, she will focus on collaborating with startup organizations, investors, universities, the city and other stakeholders.

Rodriguez described Rowe as a great negotiator who is able to find middle ground among people with various opinions.

Russ Capper, executive director of Houston Exponential, praised Rowes resume. He called her a high-energy leader and an ideal choice for the job.

She has just an extraordinary, make-it-happen track record, he said.

For Reale, the change is bittersweet. He said he supports Rowe and will remain on the Station Houston board of directors.

This is something Ive put all of my energy into and Im super passionate about, he said. And I think weve done some great stuff, so Im proud of it. Theres just a lot more work to be done.Texas-based shared office space provider Meridian Business Centers has changed its name to WorkSuites and will be expanding in the Houston market.

A 15,001-square-foot location will open on the third floor of 510 Bering in September.

A 19,629-square-foot WorkSuites will open on the top floor of Sugar Creek Center, 77 Sugar Creek Blvd., Sugar Land, on Oct. 15. The building is owned by Dallas-based Velosis.

RELATED: CustomSpace brings industrial coworking to Texas

Existing offices at 5100 Westheimer across from the Galleria, and 11811 North Freeway at Beltway 8 in north Houston will undergo cosmetic upgrades and get new services and amenities, the company said.

"The Houston office space climate is very dynamic and the variety of flexible workspace options here is growing rapidly," CEO Flip Howard said in an announcement. "We are excited to be expanding and serving more areas of Houston with our updated model of private offices in a professional community centered on productivity."

RELATED: Tired of the office, working from home? Peek inside the coolest coworking spaces in Houston

One more Houston area location is planned in 2019 as well as up to four additional locations in 2019, the company said.

John Pelletier and Greg Burns of ESRP negotiated the new leases for WorkSuites along with Dan Boyles and Michael Mannella of NAI Partners in Houston. Stream Realty Partners represented the building owners.

WorkSuites operates 13 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The new brand results from a change in ownership structure.Exactly how relentlessly clueless is United Airlines?

Not 18 months after the flyer of the friendly skies defended the violent removal of a passenger for not giving up his seat to an airline employee, United had the chance to do right by a flight attendant whose pilot ex-boyfriend stalked her and posted revenge porn on the Internet. But they blew it.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against United last week in San Antonio seeking damages for the attendant, who is identified as Jane Doe to protect her privacy. Here are the facts, according to court records.

RELATED: United Airlines begins 12-step program to recovery

Mark Uhlenbrock, a United captain in command of flight crews, was dating Doe in 2006 and took nude and provocative photos and videos of her. One day, a United gate agent told Doe hed found the photos on a website, and that he thought hed been messaging with her because someone claiming to be her had emailed him more images.

Doe realized that Uhlenbrock was circulating her private photos, which she intended only for him. Uhlenbrock refused to stop posting them so Doe broke up with him.

Over the next decade, Uhlenbrock continued to regularly post sexually explicit photos, videos, and stories about Ms. Doe on the internet, the federal complaint alleges. Ms. Doe came to learn that these images had been viewed by at least two of her United Airlines co-workers and were presumably accessible to tens of thousands of United Airlines personnel and co-workers, along with countless other people in the U.S. and around the world.

Uhlenbrock included Does name, address, employer and home base in San Antonio with the images. He declared she was a new reason to Fly the Friendly Skies. He clearly intended to hurt her reputation at United and damage her ability to continue working in commercial aviation.

Doe filed three state lawsuits between 2009-2010 with judges ordering Uhlenbrock to stop posting the images. Despite paying significant damages, he kept doing it.

In 2011, Doe informed Uniteds In-Flight Base Operations Manager and an In-Flight Supervisor of Uhlenbrocks behavior and the court orders. She produced copies of the posts, including semi-nude images of her in a United uniform. She provided sworn testimony where Uhlenbrock admitted what hed done.

A reasonable person might conclude that Uhlenbrocks behavior, including his contempt for court orders, might call into question his judgment while flying a valuable aircraft with hundreds of people on board. A reasonable manager might have a problem with a supervisor sexually harassing a subordinate while off-duty and damaging the airlines brand by showing her partially unclothed in a United uniform and employing the companys motto with sexual innuendo.

United Airlines managers, though, said that what Uhlenbrock does on his own time is his business. In fact, Uhlenbrocks chief pilot, James Simons, provided a letter of reference in 2012 for Uhlenbrock stating that he did not have any flight related or training issues that have required discipline, counseling, or extra training.

United left it to Doe to figure out how to avoid flying with Uhlenbrock by signing up for flights she believed he didnt want to fly. In 2013, a United attendant showed Doe new posts, from Uhlenbrocks IP address, that included her old images. Doe and her attorney complained again, but with the same result.

Doe went on medical leave in April 2015 and the FBI arrested Uhlenbrock for stalking her a month later. Managers at United questioned him but decided to keep him in the cockpit.

When Uhlenbrock confessed and pleaded guilty, accepting a 41-month prison sentence, United placed him on long-term disability. When he reported to prison, United allowed him to retire with full benefits.

Does United Airlines finally recognize how badly it handled this case? Is the CEO promising to do better in the future? No.

RELATED: United Airlines needs better customer service to thrive

We have reviewed the allegations in the complaint and disagree with (the) Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions description of the situation, United spokesman Charles Hobart told my colleague Patrick Danner in an email. United does not tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace and will vigorously defend against this case.

None of the key facts are in dispute. Uhlenbrock harassed Doe, Doe complained, several judges agreed and United refused to act. Before filing suit, the commission gave United a chance to settle with Doe and commit to behaving better. Instead the airline chooses to fight.

In a post #MeToo world, this should be a slam-dunk case. United needs to issue an apology and reach a settlement or risk another scar on an already bad reputation. The companys employees, and shareholders, deserve better.

Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business and economics.

chris.tomlinson@chron.com | twitter.com/cltomlinsonThe booming Permian Basin just keeps booming.

The Midland oil producer Diamondback Energy said Tuesday that it will pay $8.4 billion to buy a rival company and about 150,000 acres of Permian land, Diamondbacks second big deal in a week and the third $1 billion-plus acquisition in the West Texas shale play in less than a month. And these might only be the beginning of new wave of consolidation in the nations most prolific source of oil.

With most of the best acreage already spoken for, the only option for companies looking to enter or expand in Permian is to buy up other firms. Big Oil companies and several of the bigger independents, such as Diamondback of Midland, are trying to stake out the best and biggest positions in the Permian, which accounts for almost one-third of the nations record crude production.

Theres only so much five-star rock in the U.S. in a jurisdiction that encourages you to drill it, said Ethan Bellamy, an energy analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Houston, referring to the dense shale rock that holds oil and gas. Thats the Permian.

Diamondback, which trades under the stock ticker FANG, is buying the Alabama oil producer Energen Corp. which, like Diamondback, operates exclusively in the Permian. The all-stock deal comes just a week after Diamondback agreed to buy out Houston-based Ajax Resources, another Permian player, for $1.2 billion. The two acquisitions would nearly double Diamondbacks Permian holdings to 390,000 net acres, from 211,000.

The deal-making is part of the industrys drive for efficiency, Bellamy said. Putting together large, contiguous tracks that allow companies to drill long horizontal wells, and several from a single location, is a way to low overall costs per barrel of oil.

Earlier this year, Midland-based Concho Resources paid $8 billion to buy RSP Permian of Dallas. And, in late July, The British oil major BP made agreed to pay $10.5 billion for the Texas assets  including a large Permian position  of BHP Billiton, an Australian mining conglomerate that decided to pull out of the U.S. oil business.

Diamondbacks latest acquisition came after Energen put itself up for sale, under pressure from activist investors such as Keith Meister of Corvex Management and famed corporate raider Carl Icahn, who argued shareholders would benefit from selling at a premium in the red-hot Permian.

Diamondback Chief Executive Travis Stice and his management team and board will run the company, but Energen shareholders will own about 38 percent of the expanded company. Diamondback also is assuming Energens debt load of about $830 million. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

This transaction represents a transformational moment for both Diamondback and Energen shareholders, Stice said.

Although oil production volumes in the Permian are showing signs of flattening because of pipeline shortages, the growth is expected to pick back up again around the middle of next year as pipelines under construction come online. Companies are racing to build out the pipelines that will carry oil from the Permian to port and refining hubs near Houston and Corpus Christi.

Thats all contributing to an oil export surge from the Houston area. About 75 percent of U.S. crude exports come from the Texas Gulf Coast. In addition to port expansion projects, companies such as Houstons Enterprise Products Partners and global commodities trader Trafigura are proposing crude oil exporting terminals off the Texas Gulf Coast to more easily accommodate the largest oil tankers.

jordan.blum@chron.com

twitter.com/jdblum23The US in May quit the 2015 nuclear deal and announced reimposition of sanctions on Tehran.

While some sanctions were implemented from August 6, those affecting Irans petroleum sector will come into force from November 4.

New Delhi: Saudi Arabia replaced Iraq as top oil supplier to India in July after a gap of more than a year, according to data from industry and shipping sources, as a higher intake of Iranian oil ahead of US sanctions altered trade routes.

Many European refiners are winding down purchases of Iranian oil after the US imposed sanctions on Tehran, leading to higher supplies to Asia, mainly India and China.

The US in May quit the 2015 nuclear deal and announced reimposition of sanctions on Tehran.While some sanctions were implemented from August 6, those affecting Irans petroleum sector will come into force from November 4.

Imports of Iranian oil by India, Tehrans top oil client after China, surged to a record 7,68,000 bpd in July due to higher intake by state refiners, tanker arrival data showed.

Indias top refiner wants to continue buying Iranian oil as the OPEC member is offering discounts in freight and extended credit period, Sanjiv Singh, chairman of Indian Oil, said on Monday.

Saudi Arabia and Iraq continued to be the two biggest oil suppliers to India last month although monthly supplies from them declined by 12 per cent and about 23 per cent in July, the data obtained from shipping and trade sources showed. The sources declined to be identified.

On top of incentives offered by Iran on oil sales, higher July official selling prices of oil from Saudi Arabia and Iraq also dented demand for their oil.Robert Glasper -- the Houston native who enjoyed crossover jazz/soul/R&B/hip-hop success with his Grammy-winning "Black Radio" -- was home recently, and he dropped in on 97.9 The Box to chat.

Then things got interesting. More here on Jezebel.

Glasper has in his career rarely wilted at the possibility of controversy. And during this appearance he took aim at Lauryn Hill, the hip-hop/R&B star who released a masterpiece album in "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," more than 20 years ago. She sold millions of copies of the album, and won an arm-full of Grammy Awards. And then she kind of went quiet.

Hill's long break ended several years ago with concert appearances. She did the Free Press Summer Festival in Houston, and has been back at least once since. In fact, she's scheduled for a show at the Smart Financial Centre on Sept. 29.

Glasper being Glasper, he let loose on Hill as a boss, suggesting she treats poorly the musicians who accompany her live.

Glasper spoke from experience, referencing a one-off $500,000 gig where Hill regularly changed up the music that would be played (for what it's worth, her prerogative as the artist with her name on the bill), criticized the band's commitment and then tried to cut the pay of those performing (a less justifiable offense).

He made further accusations that Hill's doesn't like people looking her in the eye, which is odd but reasonable. Glasper also suggested she pinched others' work to create her "Miseducation" album, which is a far more serious accusation.

Hill would hardly be the first band leader to exude eccentricity and volatile creative tendencies. I guess fans can try to learn more from her current touring band when it comes to town next month.A Houston woman received a death threat after making a critical review on Yelp about El Tiempo Cantina, a Mexican restaurant that recently served Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The comment was in response to restaurant owner Roland Laurenzo who posted a photo on Facebook Friday with a caption stating it was an "honor" to serve Sessions. Sessions was in town to discuss immigration with law enforcement officers.

The photo was chastised on social media partly because of the White House's controversial practice of separating children from parents who entered the U.S. illegally. One person who took offense to Laurenzo's post was Jennifer Lenardic who shared her displeasure on Yelp Saturday.

READ MORE: El Tiempo Cantina shuts down social media accounts amid backlash over Jeff Sessions photo

"I won't take my guests to a place that is happy to advertise that they support destruction of families and anti-LGBTQ people," Lenardic wrote.

Lenardic's comment prompted a man on Yelp named Adam to message Jennifer and call her a "sick person who really needs to be (taken) to yard and shot in the head."

Lenardic, a pre-school teacher in Houston, found the comment "very threatening," she told Chron.com Monday.

El Tiempo has since taken down its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts following the backlash over its post. Yelp has added a warning on the top of the restaurant's page and on the review section. Yelp claims it is monitoring El Tiempo's page and possibly removing posts that are "motivated more by the news coverage itself than the reviewer's personal consumer experience with the business."

Fernando Alfonso III covers everything from crime to weird internet trends. Read him on the breaking news site chron.com and the subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | fernando.alfonso@chron.comStanley George Hurley had been out of prison for a little more than three months when he apparently decided the straight and narrow wasn't the life for him.

On Aug. 15, 1959, Hurley and an accomplice entered Powers Pharmacy at 5104 N. Main. Hurley walked up to the pharmacy clerk and calmly told him this was a stickup. He brandished what the Chronicle called "an ancient .38 caliber revolver."

Before the clerk could hand the cash over to Hurley a shot rang out. A bullet struck Hurley's temple, dropping him to the floor, glasses flying off his head.

Using stealth, druggist and pharmacy owner Nolan Powers fired the fatal shot from behind the pharmacy counter. Hurley apparently never saw him.

Hurley's accomplice fled after seeing his body on the floor.

Powers' shot ended Hurley's life of crime. He had been released from prison in Huntsville on May 1 after serving 12 years for an armed robbery in Dallas. The Chronicle noted he had spent 28 of his 49 years behind bars.

Chronicle photos from the scene capture the excitement crime scenes tend to generate in the community. The building that once housed Powers Pharmacy is no longer a pharmacy, but is still standing in the Norhill area.

J.R. Gonzales, a third-generation Houstonian, covers local history with an eye toward the people and events that have mostly been forgotten to time. Follow him through Bayou City History on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 713-362-6163 or john.gonzales@chron.com.

* Keep up with the latest Bayou City History posts.

* Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to Bayou City History stories and to be able to comment.I was preparing for an expedition into tiger territory on the Indonesian island of Sumatra  the first stop in my yearlong journey from Houston to explore big cat conservation  when I heard that Dr. Alan Rabinowitz had died, just before International Cat Day.

It's possible you've never heard of him. But for young conservationists like me, Dr. Rabinowitz was in the same league as titans like Jane Goodall and Theodore Roosevelt.

Dubbed the "Indiana Jones of Wildlife Protection," he dedicated his life to threatened big cat species like jaguars and tigers. His feats are astounding: He helped established more than 17,000 square miles of protected habitat, convinced heads of state to prioritize cat populations and founded Panthera, an international nonprofit dedicated to wildcat conversation.

After studying cougars and jaguars at Rice University, I received a Watson Fellowship to pursue my lifelong passion for big cats around the world. Tigers are my favorite animals (as anyone who saw my childhood stuffed animal collection would know), so diving into the steamy Sumatran jungle was a dream come true.

But, as I read news of Rabinowitz's passing, the deep sorrow I felt shocked me. I had never met him; he had no idea who I was. But as a student starting out in the competitive field of big cat conservation, I had dreamed of working with him one day. If I could impress him with my work, I believed, then I would know I was on the right track to achieving the goal he and I shared: saving our beloved big cats.

Now, you might not be scouring for tigers in leech-infested forests or spotting lions in your backyard. You might not feel the inexplicable, spiritual bond that ties my very existence to that of big cats and drives me to live out of a 70-liter backpack for 365 days. But that does not mean big cats don't matter for you. And it does not mean you can ignore the fact that every single species of big cat is declining because of our actions and inaction. Big cats impact people everywhere, and here's how.

Our environments get messed up without big cats

You know those parts of your car that are crucial for it to function? Big cats are those parts for the ecosystems in which we all live, largely affecting other species in their environments, including humans. If deer-eating cougars still roamed the Eastern United States, they could prevent 155 human deaths and $2.13 billion in costs caused by deer-vehicle collisions every 30 years.

Big cats equal big bucks

Intact ecosystems  those held together by top predators like big cats  provide us with services like crop pollination that amount to about $125 trillion per year, conservatively. When these services deteriorate due to the loss of species like big cats, we all pay for it. Big cats also contribute to national economies. In Tanzania, for example, travel and tourism made up 13.3 percent of the 2016 GDP, as people flocked to see lions, leopards and cheetahs in the country's spectacular reserves.

Big cats are awesome

Obviously, and schools like the University of Houston would agree: Their mascot is a cougar. Cooler still, lions stand proud on the United Kingdom's coat of arms, and jaguars represent gods in Mayan mythology. Losing big cats means losing key cultural icons.

On top of everything, driving big cat species to extinction is just wrong. We are eradicating magnificent living beings, unique biological units, creations of God! In what world is that moral?

I will never get to meet Dr. Rabinowitz or work with him, and neither will scores of other people who admire him. But we can still do one thing with him: Save big cats from extinction. Despite the loss wildcats and people alike suffer from his death, Rabinowitz's legacy will live on in the work we all do to safeguard the natural world.

Carlos Tischler / NurPhoto / Getty Images

So please, donate to organizations like Panthera, elect officials who support the Endangered Species Act and make sure your furniture is not destroying cat habitat. Big cats are by no means the only wildlife that need saving, and conserving them alongside human communities is complicated. But protecting big cats helps protect other species and human interests. We cannot afford to accept challenges as failures.

Dr. Alan Rabinowitz passed away, but his big cats do not have to.

Lucrecia Kaye Aguilar is a graduate of Rice University. You can follow her adventures on her blog, Instagram and Twitter.

Get the Gray Matters newsletter. It's in the same league as titans like Jane Goodall and Theodore Roosevelt.When archaeologists discovered the intact skeletons of 15,000 free and enslaved Africans at a construction site in lower Manhattan in 1991, the federal government  which planned to build an office building on the site  conferred with African-American communities, scholars and activists. Together, they signed an agreement to halt construction, rebury the bodies and establish a national monument on the site.

Officials in Sugar Land, Texas, chose a different path in April 2018 when they found 95 graves beneath the construction site of a new school.

A judge issued approval to exhume the bodies and, on June 10, archaeologists hired by the school district opened up the wooden coffins.

They contained the remains of black prison laborers forced to work on Texas sugar cane plantations from 1878 to 1911. This form of indentured servitude, called convict-leasing, was common across the American South after the Civil War.

School construction has continued during the excavation. The City of Sugar Land, which owns most of the land occupied by the burial ground, quickly decided that the exhumed bodies would be reburied elsewhere.

Protecting Texas' black history

The contrast between these two cases is illustrative.

As an urban planning professor whose scholarship focuses on community development and historic preservation, I can attest that it is not that unusual to find unmarked black cemeteries in the South. After all, enslaved Africans constituted 35 percent of the regions population in 1860, according to census data.

Yet, too often, public discussion about how to handle these sensitive sites occurs only after graves have been disturbed.

My research on Texas black settlements and cemeteries suggests that such discoveries will only increase as its fast-growing cities expand into what was once rural land.

Texas was the last American state to officially end slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Soon, Texas was home to hundreds of freedom colonies, towns founded by landowning African-American families descended from enslaved people.

My Texas Freedom Colonies Project Atlas and Survey has found archival and ethnographic evidence that African-Americans established more than 557 freedom colonies throughout eastern and central Texas between 1865 and 1920. Fort Bend County, where the Sugar Land burial ground was discovered, is itself home to five freedom colonies.

Today, memories and stories, a few homesteads and a cemetery are all that remain of the once-prosperous Texas communities that insulated African-Americans from the racial terror that followed Emancipation and Reconstruction.

These are critical parts of U.S. history. But many freedom colonies cemeteries have already been paved over, bulldozed or hemmed in by development.

What the law requires

In theory, Texas law should protect these heritage sites.

By law, once a cemetery or grave site is found, the property owner must be notified and the finding recorded with the county clerk.

If the cemetery is more than 50 years old and abandoned, the Texas Historical Commission takes jurisdiction over the site. It must consult with the deads next of kin and can require exhumation to be conducted noninvasively, using ground-penetrating radar.

The state does not, however, outline how or where unearthed remains should be reburied, nor require that community members be involved in that decision.

Federal law, which comes into play when a burial site may be eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, is more robust.

In such cases, construction must be halted while officials determine if the newly discovered burial grounds qualify based on the historic significance of the dead, the events surrounding their death, the burial materials or their prehistoric value.

I believe work on the entire school project should have been paused the moment the bodies were discovered. The Sugar Land mass grave has clear historic relevance, both as an endangered place and a remnant of the horrific but little-known chapter of black history that followed Emancipation and Reconstruction.

Sugar Land official complied with Texas law, but they did not recognize the sites national significance as a graveyard of the former Imperial State Prison Farm.

So the National Historic Preservation Act  which requires local officials to consult with the state and other interested parties, including the descendants of prison laborers throughout Texas  was not triggered.

Black history and suburban growth

Texas is among the fastest-growing states in the country. With little to no regulatory constraints, suburban developments  many named after plantation owners  have proliferated in major metro areas.

My ancestors were enslaved and forcibly brought to this area of Texas in the 1830s. Since I was a child, relatives have shared stories of the black bodies buried beneath suburbs in Sugar Land and Missouri City.

Indeed, Sugar Land officials knew that they might discover an old cemetery on the site of the proposed school.

For decades, a local advocate, Reginald Moore, had told local officials that prison laborers were likely buried in the area. As a result, an archaeologist was already on hand when the graveyard was discovered.

Exhumation occurred within days, without family members permission. News helicopters provided the public with aerial views of the bodies in wooden boxes.

Archaeologists determined that the dead had been black men, some as young as 14 years old. Their misshapen bones were a sign of repeated hard labor.

By July, images of handcuffs, chains and other artifacts buried with the bodies were being broadcast internationally.

Marie D. De Jesus, Staff / Houston Chronicle

The Southern convict-leasing system, which some historians consider have called slavery by another name, was laid bare for the world  and relatives of the dead  to see.

Memorializing a difficult history

The sudden media visibility changed the dynamics on the grave site.

In the months since the discovery, Sugar Land has begun consulting with outside groups, including Moore and his Convict Leasing and Labor Project, on the process of reinterment and memorializing the bodies.

Moore wants the remains reburied at the nearby Old Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery, which his group runs. He and others also say a museum should be dedicated to convict leasing.

The Black United Front, a civil rights group, hopes that the remains will be DNA tested so that reparations may be paid to the descendants.

Preserving while growing

When Native American remains are discovered, federal law mandates a very specific and careful set of next steps.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act recognizes the rights of Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations to Native American cultural items, including human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony.

No specific laws recognize the cultural and historic significance of African diaspora sites. That makes it much harder to protect black history.

Too often, African-American heritage sites like Sugar Land are simply paved over.

Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle

Of the 114 previously unmapped Texas freedom colonies my team has so far identified, for example, 21 are in high-risk locations near Texas fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio or Austin metro areas.

State officials now have the opportunity to reach out to freedom colony descendants, historians and experts about appropriate protection of the sites before the inevitable development begins in the area.

Of course, Texas is not the only state facing this problem. And the law doesnt have all the answers.

The United States was built with black labor. As its population inexorably expands, city planners must look beyond the law  to technology, cultural practice, community and history  to reconcile preservation with growth.

Andrea Roberts is an assistant professor at Texas A&M University. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Get the Gray Matters newsletter. In theory, Texas law should protect it.Officials with Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noacks office have confirmed Tuesday a second person has contracted the West Nile Virus in Montgomery County.

Andy Dubois, a spokesman for Noacks office, said in a press release that the unidentified man who is in his 60s is currently hospitalized with a diagnosis of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease.

Our office is working diligently to minimize the risk of contracting a mosquito-borne illness, Noack said in a press release. The Mosquito Abatement Team is coordinating with the Montgomery County Public Health District on this treatment effort.

In early July, Noack announced at a press conference that there had been 38 positive tests for West Nile Virus in mosquitoes captured in Southern Montgomery County, however Dubois said as of Aug. 14, the number of positive tests in mosquitoes had risen to 78. County officials begin testing mosquitoes in early May and continue until the end of October.

Of those 78 positive tests, 51 of those have been in The Woodlands, Dubois noted. Precinct 3 and the surrounding areas have 79 total zones for screening. Forty-two zones have had at least one mosquito test positive. We continue to spray (for mosquitoes) and spraying is targeted at those positive sample (zones).

For more Mosquito Information * Residents are encouraged to check the treatment activity map at Precinct3.org/mosquitoabatement/ or for more information on the mosquito abatement program call (281) 364-4203. See More Collapse

In mid-July, officials with the Montgomery County Public Health District reported the first official, confirmed case of a human contracting the virus in the county.

That person, who was described by health officials as a male in his 40s, was eventually discharged from the hospital after receiving treatments. He was described as the time as in recovery.

Dubois said due to medical privacy laws, health officials do not release the names of those who have been infected with the virus. He also said the location of the individual who has acquired the virus is not released because experts do not know where a person may have been bitten by a mosquito.

After the positive tests in mosquitoes for West Nile virus in June and early July, Montgomery County residents were urged to take extra precaution to avoid being bitten. In the July statistics, a total of 28 of the mosquitoes with the virus were found in The Woodlands.

(This) puts us on track for one of the worst seasons weve had since 2014, Noack said during a July 5 press conference annoucing the results. In 2014, the severity of not only infections within the mosquito population (was high) but we also set a high for the number of individual patients that had West Nile.

In 2014, according to county officials, 31 people contracted the virus in Montgomery County.

Noack and other county health officials have been encouraging county residents for months to take preventative measures against both being bitten by mosquitoes as well as preventing mosquito population growth.

According to information provided by MCPHD to the Villager for previous articles, West Nile virus infection can cause serious disease and is most commonly spread by infected mosquitoes. People typically develop symptoms between 3 and 14 days after they are bitten.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with West Nile Virus will not show any symptoms, but there is no way to know in advance if the person will develop the illness or not.

Milder symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back, officials with the MCPHD reported in a press release. These symptoms can last up to several weeks. Serious symptoms that account for less than one percent of those infected can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures or paralysis. These symptoms can last for several weeks and neurological effects may be permanent.

Noack started a Mosquito Abatement Team earlier this year, the members of which spray property around South Montgomery County to treat for mosquitoes and also trap mosquitoes for disease testing. The workers target various spots within the county.

In prior press releases and at press conferences on the subject, officials offered the following tips to reduce the chance of mosquito bites:

* Use insect repellants that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products and follow their directions for use.

* Weather permitting, wear long sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors.

* Many mosquitoes are most active from dusk to dawn. It is good to consider staying indoors during these hours.

* Empty any standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, birdbaths and any other items holding water on a regular basis.

* Install or repair screen on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside and use air-conditioning if available.

 Some information in this article was derived from a press release. Staff Writers Patricia Dillon and Jennifer Summer also contributed to this report.

jeff.forward@chron.comINDIANAPOLIS - Tia Coleman describes her house as "quiet, very quiet," the sounds and laughter of her three children and her husband gone.

"It's a house now. It's not a home anymore," Coleman said through tears on Tuesday afternoon, nearly a month after she survived a catastrophic duck boat accident that killed everyone in her immediate family while they were on vacation in Missouri. "I just hear silence."

With 10 family members surrounding her, Coleman spoke to reporters in her house here Tuesday, struggling to portray her life now without her husband, Glenn, and her three children, Reece, 9, Evan, 7, and Arya, 1. They - and five other members of the extended Coleman family - were among 17 people who died on July 19, when a violent storm hit Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, the waves and wind overcoming the land-water craft, which capsized and sank with 31 aboard. Most of those who died were summer tourists visiting the Ozarks resort town; the boat's driver also perished.

The Colemans, on a family vacation, lost nine. Coleman and her nephew, Donovan, 13, survived, but she says her day-to-day existence is difficult to comprehend as she attempts to cope.

She said she still wakes up, rolls over and expects to see her husband beside her. She heard the school bus outside one morning and said she almost yelled to her two children, "'Hurry up, you're going to miss the bus.' . . . Then I realized they won't be getting on any more busses."

Though the duck boat operator has said the storm came on suddenly, taking everyone by surprise, Coleman has said that the company knew that a storm was brewing and decided to take the water segment of the tour first to get ahead of it. As the boat - along with a second duck boat on the lake - attempted to go back to shore, it was overcome. Coleman was sucked into the lake as the boat went down, but she escaped from under the boat's canopy and swam to the surface.

Holding a white-and-brown handcrafted pillow with photos of her deceased family members, Coleman said she wants to raise awareness of the dangers duck boats present and to help ensure no other family suffers the pain and loss she is experiencing. She wants to transform her tragedy into citizen action, starting with an online petition that she hopes will convince Congress to ban the use of duck boats, which are popular in many American cities and resort towns.

Coleman hasn't changed a thing in the kids' rooms. She can't bring herself to remove any of the baby's toys or move her day crib, filled with stuffed animals, from beside the living room couch. She sometimes expects to hear Arya yell out "mama."

"This is my new normal. I'm trying to get used to an empty house," she said. "Each day is different. Sometimes I'm OK, and sometimes I'm not."

She cries, a lot. At times, she wants to be alone with her thoughts and memories. She looks at pictures, recalling one of Evan when he got into a jar of Vaseline and was "so shiny." Coleman said she is blessed with a large, loving family that is helping her cope. She also said her strong faith in God helps.

"I'm waiting to see what he has in store for me," she said.

She thanked people nationwide for the many cards, donations and prayers she has received. And she is buoyed by comments from people she doesn't know who say her story has led them to regain their faith and to show more love for their families. "That does make me happy," she said. "As a people and a human race, we need each other."

She knows nothing will bring her family back. But she hopes that bringing about change can make a difference - she wants all unsafe amphibious vehicles to be banned. Her petition says that her family members died because of the "duck boat's deadly design, which the industry knew about for more than 16 years."

Coleman urged support for a bill in Washington, introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., to tighten regulations on duck boats. The bill would force duck boat operators to remove the canopies and install devices that would keep the crafts afloat when they face floodwaters and high winds.

The family also has filed two lawsuits on behalf of the family seeking millions of dollars in damages. The lawsuits blame the duck boat industry for decades of "willful ignorance of safety," pointing to 26 deaths linked to six previous duck boat tragedies, including the 1999 sinking of the Miss Majestic Duck Boat in Arkansas.HONDO - U.S. Rep. Will Hurds drive to hold his swing district could be complicated by the likes of Victor Moreno, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and special ops soldier who has said adios to the Republican Party.

Last election, Moreno used social media to persuade friends to vote for Hurd, whom he still admires. But Trump administration policies along the border and around the world prompted Moreno to switch parties in the spring.

The Republican Party has lost its identity, said Moreno, who showed up last week at a campaign event for Hurds Democratic challenger, Gina Ortiz Jones.

Yeah, Hurd is one of the few Republicans who stood up to Trump. But the majority of his votes support the president, said Moreno, 42.

Hurd, 40, of San Antonio, is among Republican moderates trying to survive a potential Democratic tide fueled by an unpopular and erratic president.

He is a former undercover CIA officer in his second term who cites his bipartisan dealings as a strong reason for his re-election. He made news last month by accusing Trump of getting played by the KGB at the summit with Vladimir Putin. He was among the first in his party to decry the separation of migrant families at the border, labeling it bad policy after touring a detention center in Tornillo.

Jones, 37, a Filipina-American and former Air Force intelligence officer from San Antonio, has mounted a well-funded challenge after crushing Democratic primary opponents. She points to her work on security and trade issues in the Obama administration and says she would bring urgency to health care and other matters vital to Texans. She would be the first openly gay member of Congress elected in Texas.

The 23rd Congressional District in which theyre running is massive, stretching from west San Antonio to the outskirts of El Paso and taking in over 820 miles of border with Mexico. Hurd likes to say it takes ten and a half hours driving 80 mph to traverse its most distant points.

Besides big, the Hispanic-majority district is famous for being fickle. Until 2016, when Hurd won re-election, it had changed hands three times in three elections. Leading handicappers call the Hurd-Jones race a toss-up, or leaning slightly to Hurd.

The race is drawing national attention and cash as a top prize for Democrats, who may be within striking distance of capturing the 23 seats they need to regain control of the House. A GOP-aligned super PAC has an office in San Antonio. Jones was among 10 House candidates who recently split $2.4 million from Democrat Party financiers. Millions of dollars in ads already are booked for the stretch run.

In 2016, Hurds defense against former Rep. Pete Gallego became the most expensive Texas House race ever with at least $20 million spent by candidates, political parties and super PACS.

Rallying campaign staff and volunteers in San Antonio last weekend, Hurd predicted this years total will surpass $25 million.

This is a knife fight. Period. End of story, he said.

Hurd: Running like a good Republican

The biracial Hurd stands out in a caucus notably short on diversity - he is one of just two African Americans in the House GOP - one reason his party has armed him with enviable committee assignments and cash.

Hurd, a computer science major at Texas A&M, is a Capitol Hill leader on cybersecurity and IT issues. He achieved his signature legislative success last year with an overhaul of the federal governments outmoded, $80 billion-a-year computer-purchasing system.

He has been in the thick of Congresss tortured immigration fights, organizing moderates in high-profile efforts to rescue the Trump-rescinded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program protecting young immigrants brought to the United States as children. Those efforts thus far have gone for naught, with DACA kept alive by court injunctions.

Hurd said he believes the DACA issue will be resolved as early as December when election results are known.

Heres what I tell my colleagues: If the Republican Party of Texas doesnt start looking like Texas, there wont be a Republican Party in Texas, he said in an interview.

Jones outraised Hurd almost 2-1 in the most recent quarter  $1.2 million to $684,000  which Hurds campaign attributes to her far-flung support. Hurd was not among six Texas GOP House members who received campaign cash last month from Trumps re-election committee.

When you raise more money from Massachusetts than you do from Texas, that is not a good indication of your broad-based support, Hurd said of Jones.

Her retort: Does it matter if Im taking money from a grandmother in California when Will Hurd takes money from the gun lobby, which, I think, contributes to his lack of moral courage to speak on the need for safer gun laws?

Hurd insists that he knows how to run in a district nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

In this race, there is only one person who has proven the ability to actually do things in a bipartisan way. My opponent has not shown a willingness to deviate from her party. There has been nothing that she has done that shows that she is going to work in Washington, D.C., in a bipartisan way, he said.

Hurds approach includes being attentive to constituents, which he practiced last weekend knocking on doors of undecided voters.

Im the former CIA guy who has represented this district for three-and-a-half years, he said at one west San Antonio doorstep.

Hurd was received warmly wherever he went, but the response from Guadalupe Nettles, 65, underscored the threat with anti-Trump feelings running strong.

If youre a good Republican, then maybe you can convert the rest of them, she said.

Jones: Seeking a series of firsts

Gina Ortiz Jones enters politics with an appealing story: She is the daughter of an immigrant, single mother who became a domestic helper despite a college education. She overcame a modest upbringing to achieve academic successes, serve in the Iraq War and land a job in the Obama administration as a security adviser on global trade.

I know there are not a lot of kids who go from reduced lunch to the executive office of the president, she said in Hondo, plying her message about the need to create and protect opportunities.

Jones told her story in New Orleans last week at a Netroots Nation conference, featuring an array of left-leaning politicians, among them presidential hopefuls. Her GOP detractors assert that Jones liberal leanings are out of step with the predominantly rural district she wants to represent.

I look forward to being the first out-member of Congress from Texas. I look forward to being the first Iraq War veteran to serve in Congress from Texas. I look forward to being the first Filipina-American ever in Congress, she said in New Orleans.

Jones, who had not sought public office before, showed political instincts and easy rapport with people she met last week from Hondo to Eagle Pass.

Shes honest, she has integrity and shes so genuine, said Elizabeth Packer, 61.

Echoed Denise Lynn, 65, Shes out, shes proud and she says what she thinks.

In an interview, Jones said that more people approach her about children with special needs than about her achieving firsts.

I think there are some people who are excited about it and thats great, especially when you look at the direction of the policies in this administration for LGBT, which is very, very concerning, especially as it relates to LGBT members of the military, she said.

She noted that Hurd voted last year for an amendment that was narrowly defeated seeking to end the Pentagons policy of providing gender-reassignment surgeries and other treatment for transgender service members on active duty if deemed medically necessary by doctors.

Its a military readiness issue. If one person on the team is not 100 percent, the unit is not 100 percent and the unit is at risk, she said.

Referring to Hurd, she added: You cant talk to me about national security when youre taking active votes that threaten our national security.

At another point, she said: You ask Will Hurd what time it is and he will find a way to tell you he was in the CIA for nine-and-a-half years.

Jones could benefit from national trends. In recent polling, Democrats held a 6.9 percent advantage when voters were asked which party they supported in congressional races, according to an average tallied by Real Clear Politics.

Female voters could play an especially strong role in November, surveys suggest. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll last month found that separating migrant families is especially troubling to mothers. By a margin of 63-28 percent, mothers with a child under 18 at home disapproved of the Trump administration policy.

David Wasserman, who analyzes House races at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, nonetheless sees the race leaning Republican.

He observed that unlike other House Republicans in Texas who could be in jeopardy in November, Hurd has run a modern campaign. He notes, too, the Texas Democratic Partys difficulty every election turning out Hispanic voters.

Jones understands the challenge, which is why she exhorts audiences at every stop to reach out to families and friends.

We know this is going to be a close one, she told the crowd in Hondo.Rakesh Bharti Mittal said the speech reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth.

Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech as progressive, industry bodies on Wednesday said his nearly 90 minutes address to the nation from historic Red Fort reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth story. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech as progressive, industry bodies on Wednesday said his nearly 90 minutes address to the nation from historic Red Fort reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth story.

In his Independence Day speech, Modi said structural reforms of four years by his government have transformed the Indian economy from being among world's fragile five to an elephant that has started to run. He placed special emphasis on doubling farmers' income and stated that diversification of agriculture is taking place through new sectors such as fisheries and bee-keeping.

In a statement, President of industry chamber CII Rakesh Bharti Mittal said the speech reiterated the growing confidence of the world in the Indian growth story and emphasised that India would continue to lead in different areas, including the fourth industrial revolution.

Industry body Ficci welcomed "firm resolve" of the prime minister to position India among the top economies of the world. "The reforms initiated in the last few years, including RERA, IBC and GST, have started yielding results, and there is no doubt that the continuance of the reform mode will usher in a high growth phase going ahead. This will certainly strengthen India's position in the global economy, and help in reaching to the top," said Ficci President Rashesh Shah.

Shah added that the Indian economy is already witnessing the signs of economic revival, and the industry is ready to capitalise on it and turn it into 8 per cent plus growth phase in coming years. "Prime Minister's confidence in India leading the fourth industrial revolution, which will be knowledge-based, is an opportunity for Indian industry to show its real potential. Ficci dedicates itself to this exercise," he said.

CII said the announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyaan for health under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from September 25 is a milestone for the nation. "With access to quality healthcare for 500 million people, the country will be able to make huge progress as people will feel secure and confident about their lives. This is really the need of the hour," Mittal said.

Founder and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group Prathap C Reddy said the Jan Arogya Abhiyan is a call to arms to the medical fraternity to rise to the occasion and work towards easing the healthcare woes of crores of Indians.

"We welcome the initiative, by which the government takes on the burden, and shares the cost of providing healthcare to those who cannot afford it. It is heartening to see the rapid progress made in a short time since the scheme was announced, and will be welcome relief to millions of poor patients when it is launched next month," he said.

The healthcare scheme is likely to benefit 50 crore people in the country. Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.Ashley and Juan Flores posed for a photo at Ashley's sister's birthday party three years ago. Ashley said her husband was like a brother to her sister, and the three of them hung out frequently./Ashley Flores

Juan Flores, who worked as a welder full-time while attending classes on weekends to become an EMT, reached that goal two years ago, a step toward realizing his lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter.

On Sunday, hours after he died, Flores, 24, was to celebrate fulfilling that dream. Instead, he passed away in the early hours doing what fulfilled himhelping others. On the way to meet his wife and 3 sons, Flores was struck by a car on Interstate 45 near Cypress Station while assisting a stranded driver.

As much as it hurts me that he passed away, he was always excited to help others, and he did that, said his wife, Ashley Flores, in an interview on Tuesday.

She met her husband four years ago at the Igelsia Bautista Nueva Jerusalem church in east Houston. He played the electric guitar in a worship band, and they struck up a conversation after services.

At the time I was going through a lot, and he saved me, Flores said. My husband was my hero before he became everybody elses hero.

Flores, a Houston native, worked at Mateco Truck Equipment while he studied to become an EMT. In 2016, when he achieved that goal, his mother-in-law, Aguayo Saldivar, said he worked two full-time jobs at different emergency rooms while striving toward his biggest dream: becoming a firefighter.

All he did was help others, Saldivar said. He would live paycheck to paycheck because it was hard being the only supporter for his family and pay for his books and school.

"You were my inspiration, a good example of a good father to your kids," Juans sister, Priscilla, stated Monday on Facebook. "You were so brave brother, always putting your life at risk to save other life's.

Juan Flores and the driver he stopped to aid around 3:30 a.m. were outside their vehicles when a white Ford F-150 pickup truck struck the rear of the motorists disabled silver Dodge Charger. A white Honda Civic traveling behind the Ford pickup then swerved to avoid the vehicles and struck the victims.

The driver of the Ford fled while paramedics were tending to Flores and the motorist, who also died. Police have not arrested anyone.

On social media, Flores relatives have urged anyone with information on the driver who fled the scene to call Crime Stoppers.

My nephew left behind a wife and three kids, hit by a suspected drunk driver, Samuel Navarro said Monday on Facebook. All he was trying to do was help a stranded driver. Please, Im asking for the publics help.

Relatives set up a GoFundMe page for the young family, now missing its sole breadwinner. By Tuesday evening, donors had surpassed the $16,000 goal.

Ashley Flores described her husband as a goofball and jokester who always thought about his family. He was easygoing and connected with everybody, his wife said.

Relatives recalled him regularly bringing his sons, who are 9 months, a year and 3 years old, to his favorite spot in Texas City. Fishing made him feel free, his wife said.

He always wanted to be a great father, and he was a great father, Ashley said. I will always tell my kids that.

A memorial has been planned for 5-8 p.m. Friday at the Igelsia Bautista Nueva Jerusalem church at 619 Port St. The family welcomes all who wish to attend.

Ashley said her husband learned in July he had passed his final exam through Lone Star College to become a firefighter, and he wanted to celebrate with his family last Sunday. In the wake of his death, those plans have been rescheduled, not canceled, his wife said.

Right now were just celebrating his life, not his death, she said.Houston ISD and civic leaders celebrated Wednesday after learning that four of the districts longest-struggling campuses met state academic standards this year, staving off potentially major sanctions that have loomed for months over Texas largest public school district.

According to preliminary academic accountability results released by the Texas Education Agency, the four HISD campuses  Mading and Wesley elementary schools, Woodson PK-8 and Worthing High School  all showed enough student growth and sufficiently smaller performance gaps to receive a met standard rating in 2018. If any of those four had failed to meet standard this year, the Texas Education Agency would have been required under a new state law to close campuses or replace HISDs locally elected school board.

We know that we have work to do to build some more trust and support from our communities, but the numbers show HISD is shifting course and turning schools around, HISD interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan told a jubilant crowd Wednesday morning at Worthing High School. Theres a lot of good news happening in HISD. My hope is that the greater community sees that were heading in the right direction and will work with us to get there.

Search Houston-area campus and district ratings Following the new state legislation, the Texas Education Agency released academic accountability ratings Wednesday for the 2018 school year, debuting a new system aimed at better rewarding student progress and performance relative to poverty. For each district and school, 70 percent of the rating is based on the highest scaled score among three categories  student achievement, student progress or relative performance  and 30 percent is based on success in closing performance gaps. Districts are rated on an A-through-F letter grade system this year, while schools are still rated met standard or improvement required before transitioning to an A-through-F system next year. Please note that the letter grade in the "Campus ratings" table was assigned to schools by the Houston Chronicle, not by the TEA. This is an unofficial letter grade based on the overall grade. Scroll to the left or right to view the entire table. Campus ratings District ratings Note: If a district or school scores 59 or lower on three of the four domains, it automatically receives an F or improvement required rating. If a district has any schools rated improvement required, it cannot receive an A grade. Student achievement  Raw performance on standardized tests for all schools, as well as graduation rates and college and career readiness measures for high schools. Student progress  Year-over-year improvement shown by students, regardless of raw scores. Relative performance  Student achievement levels compared to schools with similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Closing the gaps  Achievement and growth performance across various demographic groups. Note: If a district or school scores 59 or lower on three of the four domains, it automatically receives an F or improvement required rating. If a district has any schools rated improvement required, it cannot receive an A grade. Source: Texas Education Agency data | Created by Jordan Rubio/Houston Chronicle

HISD also showed relatively strong results districtwide under the states new accountability system, which assigned districts an A-through-F letter grade for the first time while continuing to label campuses as met standard or improvement required. Academic accountability ratings are based largely on performance and growth on standardized tests in all schools, plus college and career readiness and graduation rates in high schools.

As a district, HISD officially was labeled not rated under a waiver related to Hurricane Harveys devastation, but it would have received a B grade without the exemption.

At the campus level, seven schools were rated improvement required, 15 would have been labeled improvement required but received not rated scores due to Harvey, and 251 schools met standard. HISD had 27 improvement required schools last year.

Although HISD will avoid sanctions this year, the threat of state-imposed punishment likely will loom throughout the 2018-19 school year. Another set of four low-performing HISD schools could trigger the same sanctions next year if they fail to meet academic standards when results are released in August 2019. Those campuses are Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School and Kashmere and Wheatley high schools. District leaders are contemplating whether to surrender control over those campuses to outside organizations in exchange for a two-year sanctions reprieve.

For Wednesday, at least, HISD and community leaders focused on the prior years accomplishments, shedding several months of anguish tied to the superintendents unexpected departure and discord over how to manage the sanctions threat.

In a gathering permeated with joy, relief and tears, about 200 people gathered at historic Worthing High School on the citys south side to herald the accountability results. Lathan, who was elevated from chief academic officer to interim superintendent in March, heaped praise on district staff for producing HISD's smallest crop of improvement required schools since 2012. School board president Rhonda Skillern-Jones declared the district an A-plus for its perseverance through Harvey.

We can have detractors, we can have naysayers, but what matters is the data and the children, Skillern-Jones said. The children did this. The staff did this.

Now Playing: FOX 26 News Reporter Randy Wallace Video: Fox 26 Houston

Worthings first-year principal, Khalilah Campbell-Rhone, rejoiced over shaking the threat of campus closure, which she said had weighed on the school community.

Everybody was under the impression that we would be closed down, that there may be no more Worthing, and thats what we were fighting against, Campbell-Rhone said. To win, the feeling is indescribable.

Lathan credited the districts school turnaround plan, known as Achieve 180, for producing strong academic gains at lower-performing schools. HISD dedicated an additional $15 million this year to roughly 40 campuses, which funded staff salary incentives, professional development services and resources dedicated to students social welfare, among other costs. Many Achieve 180 schools showed strong gains on the states standardized academic tests, often improving at rates exceeding district and state averages.

Houston Chronicle

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, who is closely watching HISDs performance given the potential for state sanctions, lauded the districts results Wednesday while cautioning that some schools still must show improvement. He singled out Kashmere High School, which would have received its ninth consecutive improvement required rating if not for an accountability waiver tied to Harvey.

Houston ISD has made progress, like many school systems across the state. That's clear and that's very good news, Morath said. But there's obviously still a number of schools that need greater support throughout Houston, and I know they're working diligently on that.

With the threat of sanctions lifted for at least one year, HISD leaders will move forward with tackling several looming challenges. Chief among them: who should lead the district after former Superintendent Richard Carranza abruptly left to become chancellor of New York City public schools in March.

HISD trustees opted to delay any nationwide superintendent search until after the release of accountability results, given the possibility of the TEA replacing the school board. Trustee Wanda Adams on Wednesday called for removing Lathans interim tag, with Skillern-Jones saying its a worthy conversation to have.

Other board members, however, have been reluctant to move so swiftly. Trustee Sergio Lira said Wednesday that the accountability results definitely have a strong impact on a potential vote to retain Lathan, but he did not call to keep her in the role permanently.

In the coming weeks, trustees and administrators also will begin navigating whether to surrender control over campuses at risk of triggering sanctions in 2019 to stave off potential punishment. Lathan said district leaders are considering a request for proposals, in which potential partners would submit plans for operating campuses. Only nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, charter school networks and government entities can become partners.

Lathans administration in April recommended giving control over 10 schools to a Houston-based charter school operator, Energized For STEM Academy Inc., but the proposal died amid community backlash and criticism over the charter networks academic and governance history. Vocal community members argued the district should not hand over campuses to private groups, while supporters said they did not want to risk state sanctions.

TEA officials have suggested partnership plans for the 2019-20 school year will need to be finalized by November, with contracts between districts and outside organizations completed in early 2019. The agency, however, has not finalized deadlines. Lathan said she hopes the TEA will extend deadlines into spring 2019, giving HISD more time to find and vet potential partners.

It gives us a chance to truly go through a formalized process so we can cast that net as wide as we can to see whos willing to work with us, Lathan said.Someone important was coming to Domenic Laurenzos restaurant, but he didnt know who. He knew only that the Secret Service planned to arrive at El Tiempo Cantina on Navigation Boulevard in a historically Hispanic community, one of eight locations in a city that embraced his familys cooking almost as fervently as it does its diversity.

But when Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the enforcer of President Donald Trumps crackdown on illegal immigration, walked through the door and posed side-by-side, smiling, for a photo with Laurenzo, he unleashed a backlash against El Tiempo that four days later was unabated and forced the suspension of the restaurants social media accounts.

The photo of the pair, posted to Facebook, drew immediate and unforgiving vitriol. We had the honor to server [sic] Mr. Jeff Sessions, read the caption, captured in screenshots. Patrons demanded a boycott of the Tex-Mex chain, founded by Laurenzo and his father, an immigrant family. Both gave interviews distancing themselves from Sessions policies. Others criticized their response, or came quickly to their defense.

There was a time when a celebrity visit to a restaurant was cause for celebration, and possibly a smiling photo on the wall. But the outcry over Sessions visit to El Tiempo is the latest in a string of incidents nationwide in which senior members of the Trump administration have been heckled or, in the case of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, asked to leave while trying to eat out, and again revealed an America divided and quick to react  another flash point in the debate over whether politics should affect the way we treat others, personally and as patrons.

It used to be that you would take great pride in [hosting] an attorney general of the United States, said Nancy Sims, political analyst at Pierpont Communications. Americas in a great divide about this issue currently, about politics.

Surprised at response

Laurenzo, arguably, is Tex-Mex royalty in Houston. His grandmother, Ninfa Laurenzo, or Mama Ninfa, founded her namesake restaurant, which sits next to the El Tiempo on Navigation, in 1973. He and his father founded El Tiempo in 1998.

Celebrity visitors were not uncommon. But the Secret Service didnt come every day, and Laurenzos 14-year-old daughter begged to be there when they did. When Sessions walked in the door, she shook his hand and took a picture of the famous politician with her dad. A social media manager reportedly posted the photo to Facebook. It immediately set social media abuzz with outrage, much to Laurenzos surprise.

It wasnt until late Monday afternoon that Laurenzo publicly shared his account of the ordeal. Others were still voicing their opinions. A rival restaurant, El Real, put up a marquee message taunting them. People such as Mark Marz, 48, who does metal work for the familys restaurants, took to their own Facebook pages. Theyre good people, he said, and they dont deserve to have all of this backlash on them. He posted a photo of the fajita lunch he ordered that day.

NOW I HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER GREAT MEXICAN RESTAURANT TO REPLACE MY FAVORITE, posted Linda Smith, 70, who said she ate there twice a week.

That afternoon, Laurenzo spoke on air with Michael Berry, a conservative radio host and personal friend. Berry's wife grew up in India and they adopted two sons from Ethiopia, but who himself has offended any number of racial groups. The radio host introduced Laurenzo as from as famous a Houston family as the Joneses.

Once choking back tears, Laurenzo, who supported Trumps campaign, presented himself as someone apolitical, supported by his employees, who wants only to please his customers and was now struggling to explain to his daughter the embattled world she will inherit.

Im proud of my heritage, Laurenzo, who did not respond to requests for comment, told Berry. We just feel that this has all been really unfair, and that we dont deserve it.

Berry, seeing no excuse for the hate-filled remarks directed at the family, addressed his listeners: This is an opportunity for Houston, if not the entire country, to say, 'Enough.'

Touching a nerve

An hour after Laurenzos interview, protesters were gathering on the wide grassy median outside the restaurant Sessions visited. Es un honor ser inmigrante, read one sign. Kids not queso, said another

No matter what he said, the photo had touched a nerve in a heavily Hispanic and solidly blue city, where nearly one third of the residents were born in another country, according to the U.S. census.

The attorney general is charged with enforcing the Trump administrations zero tolerance policy on illegal immigration. This summer, he staunchly defended the policy of separating children from parents when they crossed the border illegally. On Friday, he spoke at the local U.S. attorneys office about reducing gang violence.

"This should be obvious," he told the law enforcement audience. "If we want to reduce violent crime, we should reduce illegal immigrant crime."

Seventeen people gathered on the median as the days heat fell away. The photo was a slap in the face, said organizer Jessica Lorena Rangel, 28. She said she wanted to call out the hypocrisy of benefiting from Hispanics' business while supporting a policy maker she sees as opposing the community's interests.

Rangel demanded an apology from the restaurant owner, shouting through a megaphone at the diners across the street, who drank margaritas and ate enchiladas on the patio as cheery music played. Reporters on the sidewalk in between looked back and forth on the scene, where everyone seemed to be pointing cameras at one another, sometimes smirking, sometimes tossing nasty remarks.

Shiv Srivastava, 33, got on the megaphone: Yall think this is a nuisance right now? the television writer shouted. You know whats a nuisance? You know whats inconvenient? Maybe never seeing your parents again.

The controversy underscored the importance of having a social media policy and living by it, said Mike Androvett, founder of the Androvett marketing company. He suggested that the Laurenzos level with their audience. If somebody screwed up, he said, they need to 'fess up.

Sims, with Pierpont marketing, said we are no longer in the age of framed celebrity photos on the wall. Sessions, after all, ate at another Mexican restaurant, La Mexicana, the same day  and they had largely escaped the fierce response.

Facebook posts consistently spin out of control, she said. They keep me employed.

emily.foxhall@chron.com

twitter.com/emfoxhallA C-5M Super Galaxy is shown in this video landing without its nose gear at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland a few months ago, the first incident of its kind in years.

The C-5 was on a routine training mission over the Alamo City when it came in for a landing on March 15 with a crew of 11 on board.

The flight was a training mission that involved pilots, flight engineers and loadmasters. The crew discovered the nose landing gear wasnt lowering while preparing to land at Lackland. That prompted them to declare an in-flight emergency.

From our premium site: Mysterious cockpit problems continue, but Air Force trainers still fly

No one was injured, but the failure of the planes nose gear came after an Air Force order to ground all C-5 cargo planes so a faulty ball screw assembly could be replaced in all 56 of them. The grounding, ordered Aug. 2, 2017, came after two C-5M cargo planes based at Dover AFB in Delaware had problems with their nose gear.

The ball screw assembly is located in the nose landing gear.

The Air Mobility Command ended the stand-down about a month after crews repaired the planes, the largest in the services inventory.

The stand-down grounded the 433rd Airlift Wings Super Galaxies, which are often seen flying over U.S. 151 and U.S. 90 in southwestern San Antonio.

From our premium site: Pilots report more oxygen system woes, but Air Force says T-6A is safe to fly

The Air Force Reserves 433rd Airlift Wing at Lackland flies eight Super Galaxy cargo planes. Its 356th Airlift Squadron and 733rd Training Squadron routinely do training missions over San Antonio. Another unit on the base, the 68th Airlift Squadron, does local training missions as well but often flies overseas.

The wing said Tuesday the March incident at Lackland remains under investigation with no cause determined yet.

This video first appeared on John Q. Publics Facebook page.

sigc@express-news.netFewer than 1,500 gallons of oil spilled into Galveston Bay in 2017, a report released Wednesday stated  a spot of good news for Texas' largest estuary, which churned with more than 90,500 gallons the previous year.

"Oil spills have been declining since 2003," said Lisa Gonzalez, president and CEO of the nonpartisan research group, Houston Advanced Research Center. "We got through 2017 without a large oil spill in the bay."

But there's still a lot of work to be done to improve the overall health of the Galveston Bay watershed, which again received a "C," or "adequate for now," grade on its annual report card. And the grade "isn't necessarily" a reflection of what occurred during Hurricane Harvey last year, Gonzalez added.

The flow of toxic chemicals from Harvey, however, provides plenty of reason for worry. The Houston Chronicle has reported that 150 million gallons of raw sewage and industrial discharge spilled into communities and waterways as a result of the storm. And about 100 companies, including Valero Energy, ExxonMobil and Arkema, reported spilling chemicals, some of which undoubtedly reached the bay.

This is the fourth year that the bay has been graded by Gonzalez' center and the Galveston Bay Foundation, an environmental advocacy group. And it's the fourth year the watershed has received an "adequate for now" rating.

"Despite the fact that we haven't seen a lot of movement, this really is a long-term effort," said Bob Stokes, the foundation's president. "The goal of the report card is to call attention to Galveston Bay ... and let people understand that we're all connected to Galveston Bay. The things we do in our daily lives ... impact the bay."

More Information Grading the bay The 2018 Galveston Bay Report Card has six categories on which the health of the bay is graded. Human health risks: C Water quality: A Wildlife: D Habitat: D Coastal change: C Pollution events and sources: C Source: Galveston Bay Report Card See More Collapse

The report covers six categories: human health risks, water quality, wildlife, habitat, coastal change and pollution. Only water quality received an "A," or "excellent," grade, despite the gallons of toxic sludge that spewed into the waterways during Harvey.

Some of the information collected for the report card  about birds, water temperature and freshwater inflows, for example  was gathered before Harvey. Other information was gathered after the storm, but it took some time for agencies to resume sampling schedules because of unsafe conditions, the report card states.

"In most cases, the gaps were short and likely still include some impacts of Hurricane Harvey," according to the report card.

One of the problems is the lack of monitoring data, both during and after major storms, she said.

Earlier this year, the Chronicle and the Associated Press published a series on the government's inaction following more than 100 toxic spills on land, in water and in air during and after Harvey, even though documents show that benzene, vinyl chloride, butadiene and other known human carcinogens were among the dozens of tons of industrial chemicals released throughout Houston's petrochemical corridor and surrounding neighborhoods and waterways.

The news organizations found that testing by state and federal regulators of soil and water for contaminants largely was limited to Superfund toxic waste sites.

SILENT SPILLS, Part 1: In Houston and beyond, Harvey's spills leave a toxic legacy

On Galveston Bay's report card, the groups graded water quality by looking primarily at dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorous.

The levels of dissolved oxygen and nitrogen in water samples from rivers, bayous and the bay "were most often at acceptable levels for supporting diverse and healthy aquatic life," the report stated. "The water quality problems that did exist  relating to high levels of phosphorus  typically occur in bayous that receive runoff and wastewater from human activity in residential, industrial, commercial, and agricultural areas."

Other challenges that the bay faces are the decline of the blue crab, which is incredibly important for the commercial fishing economy, and trash along the waterways.

"Although litter and trash are widely identified as serious problems for Galveston Bay and its tributaries, there is no systematic, bay-wide monitoring to reduce this kind of pollution," the report states. "Assessments determining liter introduction pathways and hotspots along bay and bayou shorelines could go a long way to determining best practices to reduce future litter pollution."

Another problem: Dioxin is leaching into sediment in the Houston Ship Channel from the San Jacinto Waste Pits.

The pits were used into the 1960s to store waste that was taken by barge from a nearby paper mill. The site was originally on the riverbank in eastern Harris County, but over time, subsidence, dredging and construction of the Interstate 10 bridge near Channelview altered the path of the river and the site became partially submerged.

The pits became a federal Superfund site in 2008 and were capped in 2011, partly in response to prior reports of leaks and fears of damage from hurricanes.

In October, the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to remove tons of toxins from the waste pits, but the responsible companies at the time said they opposed the plan as too risky for the environment.

Then in April, the EPA reached a long-awaited agreement with the companies to clean up the pits.

The removal is estimated to cost $115 million. Design for the clean-up is expected to take about 29 months, with the cleanup to follow.

More information about the Galveston Bay report card can be found here.

Alex Stuckey covers science and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.Arkema's Crosby facility and another chemical company 30 miles away both shuttered operations when Hurricane Harvey rolled in Aug. 25  but documents indicate their response to the rising waters was different.

In Pasadena, officials with AkzoNobel Polymer Chemistry worked diligently to remove about 122,000 pounds of chemicals from their site, including about 67,000 pounds that were sent about 1,500 miles north to safety in upstate New York.

In Crosby at Arkema, repeated failures of systems led to multiple explosions and fires, releasing toxic chemicals into the air and resulting in a criminal indictment for the company, as well as two of their executives.

Now Playing: John Rull, who lives in Newport, a nearby neighborhood to the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, shot this footage of the explosions at the plant on Sunday, September 3. Video: Houston Chronicle

AkzoNobel's procedure, outlined in about 50 pages of documents and emails recently filed in Harris County's criminal case against Arkema, show the stark contrast between how the two companies handled the disaster.

But Rusty Hardin, Arkema's attorney, said the two aren't comparable.

"The fact that one plant in another section of the city, with perhaps a different flooding situation" historically, shipped out their materials has no bearing, Hardin said. "You don't judge recklessness by what someone else did. It requires you to prove the mindset of the people you are charging."

He added that Arkema didn't move the chemicals, in part, for fear of what might happen in transit in a road was flooded or there was a traffic jam.

"I don't personally think most people in the industry would agree that the safe thing to do is have [the chemicals] out on the highways during a major hurricane," he said.

In removing the chemicals, AkzoNobel was following its 17-page Hurricane Preparedness Plan, which states that the company will remove "as much refrigerated product from the site as possible" during a Category 3 or greater storm, court documents show.

Only at HoustonChronicle.com: Silent Spills--The toxic legacy left by Hurricane Harvey

Preparation for the removal began the day before, on Aug. 24, documents indicate.

In an email sent at 2:39 p.m. Aug. 24, Elaine Sampaio, AkzoNobel's supply chain manager, told several other employees that the company already was implementing phase 3 of its plan, which involved removing the chemicals.

"At this time, while we have a very short time till we find out if we are going to have a hurricane or not, we already know we shall expect flooding and potential loss of power at the site," Sampaio wrote. "Due to this, we have decided to stop production and clear the plants now to be empty by Friday."

WARNED: Arkema officials were warned of flood risks a year before Hurricane Harvey

The chemicals were shipped the next day, Aug. 25, to an AkzoNobel facility in Burt, New York, according to the documents.

By contrast, federal documents show that Arkema wasn't even prepared for a much smaller flood, despite being partially in a flood plain. The company's emergency plan provided little direction to employees on how to handle major floods, and as a result, it couldn't keep combustible organic peroxides cool. Its main power transformers and backup generators were not high enough off the ground. Neither was its backup liquid nitrogen cooling system.

And Arkema's last line of defense failed when water inundated the fuel tanks that power freezer trucks. Over the next week, nine trailers of organic peroxides erupted in flames, sending pillars of fire and thick plumes of black smoke into the air. More than six first-responders were sickened, according to civil suits filed against the company.

Earlier this month, a Harris County grand jury charged Arkema and two executives, CEO Richard Rowe and plant manager Leslie Comardelle, with reckless emission of an air contaminant under the Texas Water Code. The charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison for the individuals and a fine of up to $1 million for the corporation.

Rowe and Comardelle made their initial appearance last week in Harris County District Court, where bail was set at $20,000 each.

Both individuals will continue working for the company despite the charges, and Arkema is paying their legal fees. Even though the company was also indicted, last week's proceedings focused solely on the two executives. The next court hearing is set for Oct. 22.

At the Aug. 6 hearing, Arkema attorney Rusty Hardin called the charges "tremendously unfortunate," adding that the company had a hurricane preparedness plan.

"This is the most outrageous, dumbest, wrong, unfair indictment I've ever encountered in my 43 years of dealing with the criminal justice system," Hardin said, adding that he's "comfortable" that a jury will find the two executives not guilty.

The last time a chemical company faced criminal charges for a major incident in Texas was 2005, when an explosion at BP's Texas City refinery killed 15 workers and injured almost 200. BP paid $50 million in fines for the incident, but no one from the company served prison time.

Hardin said he believes the AkzoNobel documents were filed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office as a "publicity play."

"This was done to generate stories and justify their indictment," he said. "It is that company's conduct that they have cited in the indictment as somehow supporting [Arkema] being reckless. ... It has absolutely nothing to do with what they have to prove to show that [Arkema] was reckless."

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.A few cartons were used as makeshift dustbins which eventually overflowed, forcing school children to throw garbage on the grounds.

Minutes after the event ended, heaps of plastic water bottles could be seen in various enclosures at Red Fort. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: A number of plastic water bottles and banana peels lay scattered on the grounds of the Red Fort after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address, despite the government's emphasis on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Minutes after the event ended, heaps of plastic water bottles could be seen in various enclosures where children and the public were seated, indicating a lack of arrangement for garbage disposal at the 17th-century Mughal monument.

A few cartons were used as makeshift dustbins which eventually overflowed, forcing school children to throw garbage on the grounds.

"Surprisingly, there was no arrangement of dustbins for disposing off water bottles and other trash at such an important event even when the Prime Minister had been stressing on cleanliness and hygiene," said Namita Srivastava, a teacher who accompanied students for the event.

"The entire area looked like a dump yard. I simply fail to understand why they did not make some arrangement for disposal of trash," said another teacher, Rashmi Guha. The students were distributed refreshments, including bananas and wafers, after the programme and in the absence of trash bins, they disposed them off at the spot.

The government had resolved to eliminate single-use plastic from India by 2022 to deal with plastic pollution.

At an event organised to mark World Environment Day, India reaffirmed its commitment to defeat plastic pollution. Around one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute across the globe, according to the United Nations.

India generates about 25,940 tons of plastic and more than 97,000 tons of solid waste per day, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.Regarding Fake grass growing more popular in Houston neighborhoods (Page A1, Tuesday), the fake grass rage is understandable for so many reasons, and it certainly has its appeal. My concern, however, is the already disappearing land in the city to absorb our rains. It is bad enough that we are nearly wall-to-wall concrete as it is.

Faux grass, if it becomes too popular, would add to that burden. With the bond election coming up which addresses Harris County flood control this is a very relevant topic that possibly needs further exploration for its potential harm.

Carole Paul Vesely, Houston

Return to the moon

Regarding One small test, one giant success (Page A1, Tuesday), the progress being made on Orion by the exceptional people at Johnson Space Center is the most critical advancement in manned space flight in years. Orion is helping to make our space program a priority again.

In the early 1960s, the question was, why should America lead the race to the moon? Today, it is, why Mars? President Kennedy answered that question better than any of us: Because America should be first. And because this adventure will bring out the very best of us as a nation.

Tom Kelley, Beaumont

Non-violence?

Regarding Houston death penalty trial brings focus to scourge of honor killings (HoustonChronicle.com, Monday), I have to comment on the quote from Mustafaa Carroll of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. He said that the Quran does not allow killing except in self defense. He must have a different Quran than I do. My Quran 4:89 reads, If they desert you, seize them and slay them wherever you find them. How is deserting someone (or Islam) putting the life of someone else in danger?

J Hoepfl, TomballThe protesters are instead demanding a 16% pay hike over two years along with better benefits and work-life balance to retain teachers and encourage young talent to go into the profession. The union added that 40% fewer people have been joining the education sector in the past eight years.

The NZEI is pressuring the education ministry to allocate more time to teaching and less time to administrative tasks, and to cluster students into smaller classes.

There needs to be better investment in education so every child can reach their potential and we have enough teachers for every class, said Louise Green, lead negotiator for the NZEI, who believes the sector has hit a crisis point.

The rallies reportedly affected 400,000 school children, prompting community centres to mount special activities to accommodate them. Some workplaces allowed parents to come in for the day with their children or to take time off.

The government hopes to resolve the issues at the table, said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.A significant cache of unknown works by Rautavaara (19282016) was discovered in the effects of his first wife upon her death in 2004.

At the beginning of 1957, Einojuhani Rautavaara, a Finnish composer then 28 years old, faced a composition crisis. He kept producing music, but he felt it was not of the standard he had in mind.

A case in point was his First Symphony, finished in summer 1956 and premiered in Helsinki on 22 January 1957. The reviews were not encouraging, and Rautavaaras composition teacher Aarre Merikanto wrote in his diary that he considered the symphony utterly banal.

Einojuhani Rautavaara in 1955.

Rautavaara himself was the first to admit the faults in the symphony and other large-scale works he was attempting at the time. He felt unable to create continuums in his music; rather, his compositions were constructed from short sections.

Discouraged, Rautavaara composed Seven Preludes for piano. They were relatively short, powerful vignettes, for in composing them, he deliberately did not think about their structure.

Around New Year 1957, Rautavaara also wrote a new cycle of four short songs, each lasting approximately one minute. In composing them, he discovered a solution to his crisis.

These songs were, however, never performed during Rautavaaras lifetime.

In summer 2018, two of the songs remain unperformed, but the other two have been premiered. They were given their first performance at the Finnish National Theatre in Helsinki in March, as a part of the Black Box series run by Finlands leading daily, Helsingin Sanomat and featuring eight talks about journalism.

I was one of the Black Box speakers. In addition to my job as a journalist, I am a music researcher focusing on the works of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara and I published a biography of him  Tulisaarna (The Fire Sermon)  in 2014.

My Black Box talk was about the lost compositions of Einojuhani Rautavaara. The two songs premiered on the occasion are parts of a cycle called Hajoaminen (Disintegration) composed by him in the 1950s. They were performed at the National Theatre by mezzo-soprano Essi Luttinen accompanied on the piano by Kirill Kozlovski.

Einojuhani Rautavaara (19282016) may be regarded as the greatest Finnish composer after Jean Sibelius. In the late 1940s he embarked on a career during which his stylistic development passed from neoclassical to 12-tone technique and serialism. His serialist period nevertheless turned out to be a false move, and in the late 1960s he adopted a neoromantic style. As his career proceeded, he sought to create a synthesis of the techniques he had learnt at various stages, and in many of his late works he thus combined a neoromantic world of sound with 12-tone technique.

While I was carrying out my research, I was given access to a significant number of Rautavaaras manuscripts. Among them were works thought to have been lost and ones not previously known. These manuscripts were found among the effects of Rautavaaras first wife, Mariaheidi, after her death in 2004. Their marriage had ended in divorce in 1982, and from then on, they were not on speaking terms.

Einojuhani and Mariaheidi Rautavaara, with their son Markojuhani, in 1961.

After her death, Rautavaaras children gave the manuscripts back to their father. But by then, he was not particularly interested in his older compositions. They probably reminded him too strongly of his unhappy first marriage.

The title page of Hajoaminen by Einojuhani Rautavaara.

Therefore Einojuhani Rautavaara handed over the manuscripts for me to study. One of the new discoveries was the four-song cycle called Hajoaminen (Disintegration) to poems by Lassi Nummi; these he had set to music between December 1956 and January 1957.

Three of the songs were composed in December 1956. At the end of January 1957, he added one more song to the cycle, Elegy. In this he experimented for the first time with the 12-tone technique that would soon become the underlying principle of his work.

In composing Elegy, Rautavaara had not yet studied 12-tone technique, so his application was quite rudimentary. But even when applied fairly simply, it immediately yielded some promising results: Elegy has longer spans than the other songs. Rautavaara later learnt to use this technique with ever greater subtlety, and before long he was experimenting with harmonies based on triads combined with 12-tone technique.

Black Box is a series of talks introduced by Helsingin Sanomat in 2016 in which the newspapers journalists and photographers tell a theatre audience about the background to their articles and how they come to be written. In March 2018, Black Box was awarded Bonniers Grand Prize for Journalism. Translated by Susan SinisaloNamibia: Fisheries not an ATM, says Confederation

by Adam Hartman

August 14,2018 | Source: AllAfrica

The chairman of the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations, Matti Amukwa, says the fishing industry cannot be used as an ATM, cash cow or get-rich-quick scheme because it is a serious sector which requires expert management for the sake of all Namibians.



Amukwa told the media recently at Walvis Bay that the reality is that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) cannot allocate fishing rights to all applicants, although those who are going to be successful in their applications should continue to build on the strong foundations already in place.







"The ministry can only allocate quotas in line with the size of the fish resource. Issuing more rights, and therefore more quotas than the resource can carry, will deplete the resource, and result in reducing catch rates. At the same time, thousands of existing jobs and tax-generating infrastructure are at stake if their access to the resource is denied. Therefore, while the interest by the public is great, it must be understood that not all can be successful," he stated.



Amukwa explained that the fish stocks of Namibia are a national resource, which belongs to the nation.



"It must be understood that the resource is limited, and not every single applicant can be successful, but rather those ready to add value and to invest in the growth of the current industry. Are you going to add value, or become a cost to the national exploitation of our national resources? This is the first question any applicant should ask before entering the process," he advised, adding that Namibia's limited marine resources should not now be put under pressure to resolve all the nation's problems.



The fishing industry provides direct employment to about 16 000 people, and indirect employment to another 22 000. It also earns N$10,5 billion in foreign exchange, and is the economic driver at the harbour towns of Luderitz and Walvis Bay.



Namport CEO Bisey Uirab told The Namibian last Friday that the fishing industry was a pillar in Namibia's economy, and a crucial partner in Namport's operational success at both harbour towns. In fact, around 10% of Namport's billion-dollar revenue is due to the fish trade through the harbours.







Amukwa said the fishing industry has always welcomed new entrants, and will respect the policies and directives of the government "as the national interest must come before the individual interest".



He said the confederation reaffirms its support to the ministry, and calls for a right allocation process where the safeguard of the existing 16 000 jobs is prioritised, and the investments under Namibia's internationally recognised value-adding industry are considered and protected.



"The sound exploitation of our resources is a collective task, and should be done through the principles of true Namibianisation, and the empowering of Namibians who are ready to work and add value to that resource bestowed by government; not for selfish trade and enrichment," he added.



The deadline for applications for new fishing rights was extended by fisheries minister Bernhard Esau from the end of July to 31 August to ensure all applicants had a fair chance by allowing them extra time.



According to Amukwa, the "transparent" approach to the granting of fishing rights is putting the ministry under extreme pressure.



The ministry, in following its Namibianisation policy, has aimed in granting fishing rights to a wide sector of the population such as youth, war veterans, marginalised communities, people with disabilities and women, amongst others.



"We applaud the MFMR for being so transparent and people-centred."

 2018 AllAfrica

Theme(s): Fisheries Resources.Saudi Arabia releases 3 Iranian fishermen

August 14,2018 | Source: PressTV

Saudi Arabia has freed three Iranian fishermen detained by the kingdom's coastguard last year, the director of public relations at Iran's Bushehr Province Fishery Department says.



Ardeshir Yarahmadi told IRNA on Tuesday that the three fishermen were arrested in June 2017 after their boat fishing in the Persian Gulf strayed from their course due to big sea waves.



He added that they were freed this week after serving their sentence in Saudi Arabia.



In a statement issued in June 2017, the Iranian Interior Ministry called on Saudi Arabia to swiftly free the three Iranian fishermen, saying Riyadh had to live up to its legal obligation of returning the fishermen, paying up compensation, and punishing those behind the incident.



Bearing licenses, three Iranian fishing boats had departed from the southern Iranian Bushehr Port, the statement explained, adding that, later during the trip, tumultuous sea conditions pushed them into Saudi waters.



Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia first soured after a deadly human crush during the Hajj rituals in September 2015, when hundreds of Iranian pilgrims among others lost their lives.



Tensions further escalated a few months later following the kingdom's execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.



Riyadh cut off diplomatic ties with Tehran in January 2016 following angry protests in front of its diplomatic premises in the cities of Tehran and Mashhad against the execution.



Ever since breaking its ties with Iran, the kingdom has ramped up its negative rhetoric against the Islamic Republic over its role in the region.



However, Saudi Arabia, in a rare move after Riyadh and Tehran broke off relations two years ago, has reportedly agreed to issue visa to an Iranian diplomat to head the Islamic Republic's interests section in the kingdom.



Following the approval by Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry, the head of the Oman and Yemen Department at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Alibek, had been appointed as the caretaker of the Islamic Republic's interests section in the city of Jeddah, an informed diplomatic source told IRNA on August 5.

 2018 PressTV

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.Besides, the sale of the NGOs assets was also banned and the bank accounts were frozen.

Besides, the sale of the NGOs assets was also banned and the bank accounts were frozen.

New Delhi: The CBI, probing the alleged abuse of minor girls at a state-funded shelter home in Bihars Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, has decided to examine several district-level politicians as part of its investigation into the matter.

According to sources Brajesh Thakur, who is prime accused in the case, enjoyed clout in political circles for his NGO, Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti. The agency is now preparing to examine certain local politicians as part of its investigation into the case. The CBI is preparing a list of local politicians who will be called for examination. It is suspected that Thakur was in constant touch with them before his arrest, sources said.

The Bihar government recently cancelled the registration of Thakurs NGO, which ran the infamous shelter home in Muzaffarpur where more than 35 girls were allegedly raped over a period of time. Besides, the sale of the NGOs assets was also banned and the bank accounts were frozen.

A team of central probe agencies-CBI and Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL)-recently collected certain crucial forensic evidence against the accused from the shelter home in connection with the case. The team also visited the residence of prime accused Thakur, as well as the newspaper office run by him.

The CFSL team has already collected forensic evidence to speed up the probe into the case. The agency sleuths will soon meet family members of the accused to ascertain their role in the crime, sources said.

The CBI officials recently met principal secretary, social welfare department of Bihar government, and sought certain files pertaining to the shelter home run by the NGO owned by the jailed Brajesh Thakur. We are scrutinising financial records of the NGO. The agency will soon ascertain the identity of the suspect public servants, who financially helped the accused. The agency is collecting all relevant documents from the authorities concerned, including social welfare department, in the state, sources said.

D04This is PM Modi's last Independence Day speech before the next Lok Sabha elections which are scheduled for 2019.

New Delhi: India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation from Red Fort in New Delhi. It is PM Modi's fifth and final Independence Day speech before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister had recently sought ideas from people for his Independence Day speech.

Here are LIVE updates of PM Modi's Independence Day speech from Red Fort

08:58 am: Once again, I convey my greetings to the people of India on Independence Day: PM Modi

08:55 am: We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way: PM Modi

08:50 am: Sanitation for All, Skill for All, Health for All, Insurance for All and Internet for All: PM Modi lays down his agenda

08:48 am: To strengthen the democratic units in J&K, we are planning to hold Panchayat and municipality elections soon: PM Modi

08:47 am: For Jammu and Kashmir, Atal ji called for 'Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat'. II also said that all the issues of J&K can only be resolved by embracing people and not by bullets and abuse. Our government is committed for the development of all regions and sections of the state: PM Modi

08:45 am: Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace. From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts. We are working to ensure peace across the nation: PM Modi

08:44 am: I am proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. Since independence, this is the first cabinet where so many women are a part of the cabinet: PM Modi

08:43 am: The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. We are trying to end this practice but there are some people who do not want it to end. I ensure the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them: PM Modi

08:42 am: Women officers commissioned in short service will get an opportunity for a permanent commission like their male counterparts: PM Modi

08:41 am: We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme,no one can take law in their hands: PM Modi

08:39 am: We have ensured environmental clearances are done transparently: PM Modi

08:38 am: In today's India there is no place for nepotism: PM Modi

08:36 am: We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi's streets are free from power brokers. From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard: PM Modi

08:34 am: At present, the country is celebrating the festival of honesty: PM Modi

08:33 am: The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM Modi

08:30 am: There were 6 crore people who were not even born, yet the benefit of government schemes were being taken on their name. This government stopped this: PM Modi

08:28 am: The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare: PM Modi

08:25 am: Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare: PM Modi

08:24 am: Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the WHO has lauded the movement. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom. Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat: PM Modi

08:21 am: As important as economic growth is dignity of the individual. Initiatives such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians: PM Modi

08:17 am: With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing exceptional reforms in the agriculture sector. Our aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022: PM Modi

08:16 am: Indian astronaut, be it son or daughter, will go into space in 'Gaganyaan' by the year 2022: PM Modi

08:15 am: India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. In the year 2022 or if possible before, India will unfurl the tricolour in space: PM Modi

08:13 am: 13 crore youths were given loan, out of which 4 crore received a loan for the first time. This is in itself is a proof of changing India: PM Modi

08:12 am: There was a time when North East India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them, but today we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of the North East: PM Modi

08:11 am: The world earlier viewed India for policy paralysis, delayed reforms but now it sees it as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination: PM Modi

08:10 am: India's voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. We are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us: PM Modi

08:09 am: From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth: PM Modi

08:08 am: When there is determination, where there is a will to do something for the country then a law to fight against benami property is also implemented: PM Modi

08:07 am: The OROP demand was also pending for decades. People of India, our brave Army personnel had faith in us and we were able to take a decision on OROP. We will always take decisions in the interests of our nation: PM Modi

08:06 am: Will always take decisions in interests of our nation: PM Modi

08:05 am: Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year GST became a reality. I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST: PM Modi

08:04 am: While decisions were held back in the past due political and other compulsions, bold decisions like GST are being taken now: PM Modi

08:02 am: There should be coordination between states and the centre to fulfil the aspirations of the people: PM Modi

07:58 am: The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With the blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government: PM Modi

07:56 am: If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being constructed in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete: PM Modi

07:53 am: We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realise the unbelievable strides the nation has taken: PM Modi

07:49 am: The Constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi

07:47 am: Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives: PM Modi

07:45 am: Many parts of the nation witnessed good monsoon but at the same time parts of India have been severely hit by floods. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in these floods, in various parts of India: PM Modi

07:42 am: The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission: PM Modi

07:40 am: We are proudly celebrating Independence Day today as six women officers of the Indian Navy, circumnavigated the globe recently (on INSV Tarini): PM Modi

07:38 am: PM addresses nation on the 72nd Independence Day.

07:35 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the tricolour at Red Fort.

07:30 am: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Red Fort in Delhi.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:26 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:20 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:17 am: Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister J P Nadda and BJP leader LK Advani at the Red Fort.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:15 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation shortly.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:08 am: Visuals of Red Fort on 72nd Independence Day

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)The earth needs to be rid of such 'demons', CM said after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function.

'One thing saddens us is that on one hand we are hiring girls in police (department) for their empowerment, and on the other, demons are taking birth who rape innocent and minor girls,' Chouhan said. (Photo: File)

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the state has become a "role model" in dealing with rape cases of minors and 10 accused in such offences have been awarded the death sentence.

The earth needs to be rid of such "demons", he said after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function in the Motilal Nehru Stadium in Bhopal.

The state had last year approved the provision of capital punishment for those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below.

"One thing saddens us is that on one hand we are hiring girls in police (department) for their empowerment, and on the other, demons are taking birth who rape innocent and minor girls," Chouhan said.

"The demons are a curse on the earth. We have to free this planet of them," he asserted.

He said Madhya Pradesh is the first state to pass a bill for hanging rapists of minor girls.

"Madhya Pradesh has become a role model by awarding death sentence to more than 10 such offenders," he said, adding 50 special courts have been set up in the state to conduct trials in rape cases.

At least 10 rapists of girls aged 12 or below have been awarded the death sentence by various courts in the state since February this year.

A court in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district had sentenced a 23-year-old man to death on February 28 for raping and killing a four-year-old girl.

On Tuesday, a 40-year-old man was sentenced to death by a court in the Sagar district for raping a 10-year-old girl.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for giving wide publicity to cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instil fear in people with a "demonic mindset".

He spoke about fast-track trial of rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where convicts were condemned to death within days, and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes.

Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest 4,882 rape cases out of 38,947 recorded across the country in 2016, as per the National Crime Record Bureau's last report.

The state recorded 2,479 rape cases of minor girls, followed by Maharashtra and UP with 2,310 and 2,115 such cases respectively, the NCRB report said.

Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of rape cases (4,391) in 2015 too, according to the report.

Chouhan said Madhya Pradesh has initiated a slew of measures for women's empowerment.

"After panchayat, provisions have been made for reservation to women in government jobs," he said.

Women are getting 50 per cent reservation in teaching jobs and 30 per cent in various other fields, except the Forest Department, he said.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said 500 additional seats have been created in MBBS courses to overcome the shortage of doctors in the state.

Efforts are on to improve the health services in MP, he said, adding medical colleges will be opened in Datia, Vidisha, Khandwa and Ratlam districts.

Also, sanctions have been granted to open two more medical colleges in the Seoni and the Chhattarpur district, he added.Imperial Valley News Center

Baby Elephant Born on World Elephant Day

Escondido, California - Animal care staff at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are celebrating the birth of a baby elephant, born just before midnight Sunday night, on World Elephant Day to mother Ndlulamitsi, better known as Ndlula. The calf, a male, was born without complications and began nursing shortly after birth.

Mother and baby were in a small area of the yard, separate from the rest of the herd, said Curtis Lehman, animal care supervisor at the Safari Park. This separation, much like what would occur in natural habitats in Africa, allows mom and baby time for bonding.

The baby elephant, named Umzula-zuli, was weighed this morning by animal care staff and tipped the scales at more than 270 poundsmaking him the largest elephant calf ever born at the Safari Park. A newborn calf generally weights 200 to 268 pounds at birth. By late morning, with the baby appearing healthy and well bonded to his mother, animal care staff offered the pair the opportunity to move into a larger area of the habitat with the rest of the herd.

This mornings introduction of Zuli to the other 12 elephants in the herd was one of the most endearing animal scenes I have had the privilege of seeing, said Mindy Albright, lead keeper, San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The other elephants were clearly excited to meet the new babytouching him, trumpeting and smelling him with their trunks.

The average gestation period for African elephants is 649 days, or 22 months; so, Zulis birth had been long anticipated. When the Park opened at 9 a.m., guests at the African elephant overlook were able to see Ndlula and her newborn interacting with the herd. The new baby and his herd may also be seen on the Safari Parks Elephant Cam, at sdzsafaripark.org/elephant-cam.

The Safari Park is now home to 13 elephants4 adults and 9 youngsters. The adults were rescued in 2003 from the Kingdom of Swaziland, where they faced being culled. A lack of space and long periods of drought had created unsuitable habitat for a large elephant population in the small southern African country. At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, elephant studies are underway on nutrition, daily walking distance, growth and development, and bioacoustic communication. Since 2004, San Diego Zoo Global has contributed $30,000 yearly to Swazilands Big Game Parks to fund programs like anti-poaching patrols, improve infrastructure and purchase additional acreage for the Big Game Parks.

Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes on-site wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents. The work of these entities is made accessible to children through the San Diego Zoo Kids network, reaching out through the internet and in childrens hospitals nationwide. The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.Statement by President Donald J. Trump on H.R. 5515

Washington, DC - Statement by President Donald J. Trump on H.R. 5515:

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 5515, an Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. This Act authorizes fiscal year 2019 appropriations for critical Department of Defense (DOD) national security programs, provides vital benefits for military personnel and their families, and includes authorities to facilitate ongoing military operations around the globe. I applaud the Congress for passing this bill to provide the DOD with the resources it needs to support our Armed Forces and keep America safe. I note, however, that the bill includes several provisions that raise constitutional concerns.

Several provisions of the bill, including sections 112, 147, 936, 1017, 1665, and 1689, purport to restrict the Presidents authority to control the personnel and materiel the President believes to be necessary or advisable for the successful conduct of military missions. While I share the objectives of the Congress with respect to maintaining the strength and security of the United States, my Administration will implement these provisions consistent with the Presidents authority as Commander in Chief.

Several other provisions of the bill, including sections 141, 147, 323, 1231, 1242, 1247, 1259, 1264, and 1290, purport to require that the Congress receive a certification or notification before the President directs certain military or diplomatic actions. I reiterate the longstanding understanding of the executive branch that these types of provisions encompass only actions for which such advance certification or notification is feasible and consistent with the Presidents exclusive constitutional authorities as Commander in Chief and as the sole representative of the Nation in foreign affairs.

Sections 1033 and 1035 purport to restrict transfers of detainees held at the United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay. I fully intend to keep open that detention facility and to use it, as necessary or appropriate, for detention operations. Consistent with the statement I issued in signing the National Defense Authorization Act last year, I reiterate the longstanding position of the executive branch that, under certain circumstances, restrictions on the Presidents authority to transfer detainees violates constitutional separation-of-powers principles, including the Presidents constitutional authority as Commander in Chief.

Several provisions of the bill, including sections 1207, 1241, 1257, and 1289, purport to dictate the position of the United States in external military and foreign affairs. My Administration will treat these provisions consistent with the Presidents exclusive constitutional authorities as Commander in Chief and as the sole representative of the Nation in foreign affairs, including the authorities to determine the terms upon which recognition is given to foreign sovereigns, to receive foreign representatives, and to conduct the Nations diplomacy.

Other provisions of the bill present concerns under the Constitutions Appointments Clause and the separation of powers. First, section 739 would deepen existing violations of the Appointments Clause, the Incompatibility Clause, and the separation of powers contained within the statute that established the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. President Reagan signed that legislation on the understanding that these constitutional defects would be remedied (see Statement on Signing the Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Act of 1983, 1 Pub. Papers 782, 782 (May 27, 1983)), but that has not happened. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense should confer about measures that would allow this Foundation to continue its important work in compliance with the Constitution.

Second, section 1051 purports to establish an advisory commission in the executive branch for the purpose of producing reports and recommendations on the national security uses of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Section 1051, however, empowers Members of Congress to appoint 12 of the commissions 15 commissioners. While I welcome the creation of this commission, these legislative branch appointees preclude it, under the separation of powers, from being located in the executive branch. My Administration accordingly will treat the commission as an independent entity, separate from the executive branch.

A number of provisions of the bill, including sections 595, 842, 1031, 1043, 1062, 1212, 1231, 1233, 1236, 1245, 1262, 1265, 1274, 1280, 1281, 1287, 1294, and 1761, purport to mandate or regulate the submission to the Congress or the publication of information protected by executive privilege. My Administration will treat these provisions consistent with the Presidents constitutional authority to withhold information, the disclosure of which could impair national security, foreign relations, law enforcement, or the performance of the Presidents constitutional duties. Additionally, while I share the objective of section 1062 of providing the Congress accurate information, my Administration will interpret the reporting requirement in this provision as requiring only the submission of information that is reasonably available to DOD, not as requiring changes in underlying DOD processes for battle damage assessment and investigation.

A number of other provisions of the bill, including sections 218, 327, 335, 627, 1018, 1065, 1205, 1208, 1261, 1677, and 1793, purport to require executive branch officials under the Presidents supervision to recommend certain legislative measures to the Congress. My Administration will treat those provisions consistent with Article II, section 3 of the Constitution, which provides the President the discretion to recommend to the Congress only such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.

DONALD J. TRUMPCarotid Artery Revascularization: All You Need to Know About Heart Surgery That Rajinikanth UnderwentSometimes, things don't go too smoothly. Getty Images

Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.

Everyone can laugh about these things afterward.

Or can they?

Let's focus for now on the reactions of both the van driver and the pilot at Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, on this fair day, June 27.

The pilot works for Envoy Air -- American Airlines' regional carrier.

The van driver was behind the wheel of an airport operations vehicle.

The pilot was in an Embraer 145, with 57 passengers on board.

The van driver was in a hurry to get to the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Barbecue.

And so they headed for each other at a 90-degree angle, as a video shows.

"I decided that due to the time limitations we would cross the runway in order to make it in time," said the unnamed driver in a subsequent report.

He received clearance from the Ground Controller to cross the runways. The first one, Runway 20, seemed to go fine.

But then, on Runway 14, oh look.

"I looked out the right passenger window to see the landing lights on an E145 coming down the runway," the van driver wrote in a subsequent report.

He then took evasive action -- of a sort.

"I accelerated across the runway and heard the aircraft overhead just as we were leaving the runway surface," he said.

Yes, it looks to the amateur eye that it was close.

The van driver seems to have told the ground controller that he agreed.

He added some sort of explanation in his report: "It is generally my practice to look at both ends of any runway I cross, but I honestly cannot say for sure that I looked both ways or how far down the runway I might have looked."

That's what heading to a company party can do to you.

You stop thinking. You want food and friends. And you don't necessarily look where you're going.

Please, at all times, look where you're going. Especially if you happen to work at an airport.U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has a plan to rewrite the rules for large U.S. businesses--and it's a provocative one.

The Democratic Senator from Massachusetts is introducing a new bill on Wednesday that would require corporate executives "to consider the interests of all major stakeholders in company decisions--not only shareholders," Warren wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. The Accountable Capitalism Act would require companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue--including Facebook, Google, and Amazon--to comply with a federal charter that looks out for workers' interests. Currently, U.S. businesses secure corporation charters from states, not on the federal level.

One of the biggest changes that the bill proposes is for employees to elect at least 40 percent of board directors. The bill also seeks to impose limits on when executives can sell company shares. Directors and officers would have to hold shares for five years before

selling them, or in the case of a company stock buyback, three years. Warren's bill also takes aim at political contributions by requiring approval for all political expenditures from at least 75 percent of shareholders.

Warren says she hopes the bill will address the problem of stagnant wage growth at U.S. companies. She argues that instead of paying workers fairly and reinvesting profits, U.S. businesses have increasingly funneled earnings to shareholders.

"Workers aren't getting what they've earned," Warren writes, adding that her proposal follows the benefit corporation model used by companies including Patagonia and Kickstarter.Visit Fast Forward, Intels new business resource center, for actionable insights for small business success.

There is no shortage of headlines about how the latest tech startup managed to raise millions of dollars in venture capital. But what if you own a bakery, restaurant, or small home-remodeling business that doesnt catch of the eye of VCs? Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) still need money for equipment or to expand operations, just like their bigger or more fast-growth counterparts. Bank loans and credit cards cant be the only options.

Fortunately, theyre not. SMBs can now look to the crowd for cash infusions. Equity crowdfunding--otherwise known as Title III of the JOBS Act, which was signed into law in 2016--allows entrepreneurs to raise up to $1 million from the general public by selling ownership shares in their companies. The law essentially democratizes access to startup investment opportunities and, at the same time, greatly expands the pool of money that entrepreneurs can tap into to grow their businesses.

While crowdfunding has been around for years, equity crowdfunding is different. Unlike backers who give money to a business via a Kickstarter or Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign and receive a reward like a t-shirt or beer mug in return, online equity crowdfunding investors get shares in the company theyre supporting. This fundraising method doesnt necessarily replace venture capital or angel investors, but rather lets ordinary folks have a shot at buying into the next Airbnb or Lyft, or supporting a local business that needs investors to survive.

This form of crowdfunding does have some stipulations. A small business needs to be U.S.-based to start an equity crowdfunding campaign. Companies also need to have an online presence and be available through a crowdfunding portal that has been cleared by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A list of vetted crowdfunding portals is available here.

Why consider equity crowdfunding for your companys capital needs? Reasons include:

Accelerating growth. Eventually, every small business reaches a point when it can no longer operate from cash flow alone. Buying new equipment or expanding into a bigger facility often requires more cash than the business can comfortably spend. Equity crowdfunding is an alternative to bank loans or other debt financing that enables a business owner to raise needed money quickly from outside investors.

Reward early customers. When you started your business, those early clients and customers proved your concept was a valid one. Equity crowdfunding allows you to give these original believers a chance to share in the financial success of your firm in exchange for an investment. However, there is a level of financial disclosure that youll need to make with these new investors in exchange for their money.

Equity crowdfunding is a great opportunity for your customers to be along for the ride, explains David Mandelbrot, CEO of crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. A little over 18 months ago, the company launched its own equity crowdfunding platform called First Democracy and, so far, he says 50 companies have started campaigns on the site. Before raising money this way, be sure youre comfortable with sharing your financials, Mandelbrot says. These new investors will want to know whats going on with the business and are going to ask for this information.

Create brand ambassadors. By inviting loyal customers to participate in an equity crowdfunding campaign, a small business not only raises needed capital, but also galvanizes its user base. Customers who own shares in a company are more likely to recommend that business to others and to frequent it more often. And that kind of brand loyalty is especially important for early-stage companies.

Startup capital. Equity crowdfunding is also an efficient way to raise money from the community where the business is going to operate, says Mandelbrot. If a restaurant or brewery wants to open a second location, its going to need capital to do that, he says. Raising money from investors in the local community not only provides the business with the funding it needs, but also gets the local community behind the success of that business and helps to create more jobs.Ananthasubrama-nian had served as the MD and CEO of PNB from August 2015 to May 2017.

New Delhi: Fresh trouble seems to be brewing for former Allahabad Bank CMD Usha Ananthasubramanian as the CBI has started probing her role in the case pertaining to the Firestar Diamonds International Limited (FDIL), the firm allegedly linked to absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi. This is a separate case pertaining to the alleged fraud in credit facilities extended by PNB, causing a loss of `321 crore to it.

Sources said, The Punjab National Bank had alleged in its complaint that its Brady Road branch in Mumbai extended credit facilities to Firestar group between 2013 and 2017. The bank had also alleged that it came to its notice that credit facilities were not used for the purpose  packing credit, guarantees etc  for which they were given, they added. The head office of bank had declared the accounts of Firestar Diamonds and Firestar International as fraud.

Ms Ananthasubrama-nian had served as the MD and CEO of PNB from August 2015 to May 2017.Growth.

It is something of an American obsession. In many societies, a desire for increased equality or preserving the status quo is deemed at least as important as growth for its own sake. But in the United States, it's pretty rare to hear economic proposals that don't encourage, or depend on, continual growth.

If you have listened to President Trump in recent months, you have heard him crowing about what is "probably the best economy the country's ever had." He backs up this powerful--if exaggerated; growth was higher in the '50s and '60s--claim with the report that the national economy grew at annual pace of more than 4 percent in the second quarter. (The degree of credit Trump deserves for this growth is, of course, hotly debated.)

Inc., too, is obsessed with growth--it is the yardstick by which we measure our annual Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 lists, an in-depth look at the performance of America's top private companies. And the growth we document and celebrate is nothing short of breathtaking. Trump and many Americans may be excited about 4 percent, but no company on the 2018 Inc. 5000 list has grown by less than 50 percent over the past three years. To make the even more exclusive Inc. 500 list this year, a company had to grow by more than 1,000 percent.

From a macroeconomic point of view, these dynamic firms go a long way toward justifying the American obsession with growth. The American economy in the immediate postwar period was dominated by huge conglomerates. But beginning in the 1980s, and especially in the 10 years since the Great Recession, the country's largest firms have been forced to operate lean, and have shed millions of jobs over the years. At this time, some economists (notably David Birch and James Medoff) began focusing on younger, smaller firms they called "gazelles" as the source of much future job growth.

So think of Inc.'s list as the Gazelles' Greatest Hits: The mostly newish and fast-growing businesses on these lists are the true job creators: Only about 12 percent of American companies achieve one-year revenue growth of 25 percent or more. Yet those are the companies that are responsible for half of all jobs created.

At Inc., we nonetheless know that this breakneck growth comes with a vast array of challenges. Some of those challenges are fairly obvious to anyone who's tried to run a business. "Growth eats cash," says Alan Moore, co-founder of XY Planning Network, a Bozeman, Montana-based organization of financial advisers that focuses on Generation X and Y clients, and sits at No.168 on this year's list. "You can outgrow your cash flow if you're not careful."

The toughest challenges that fast-growing businesses face, however, go beyond what a good accountant or adviser can solve. Year after year, respondents to Inc.'s CEO Survey say that finding and retaining talented employees is their number one headache--and this is especially acute in today's economy, in which the official unemployment rate is lower than it's been in decades. (Many other surveys of company leaders find similar results.) A business that is doubling or tripling in size every few months usually needs new staff constantly--and that pace of hiring brings risk. "It's easy to rush a hiring decision, but in the long run, it will hinder your scaling efforts by hiring a B-player," says Jeff Knauss, co-founder of the Digital Hyve, a marketing firm in Syracuse, New York, which is No. 52 on this year's list. (In the June issue of Inc. magazine, we offered a variety of oft-overlooked staffing solutions, among them hiring refugees and the latest high-tech approaches for finding and screening job candidates.)

Another predictable result of a tight labor economy is that the most talented employees can afford to be picky about where they work, which means that workplace culture is more important than ever. Our CEO Survey shows that the people running fast-growing businesses keenly understand how important this is, as well as how difficult it is to preserve when the company is bulking up. Consider Debbie Madden of New York City-based tech consultancy Stride--No. 256 on this year's list--whose staff has increased from four to 48 in three years. Asked to name the biggest danger in growing too fast, Madden puts it simply: "Culture. Culture. Culture."

Not surprisingly, the entrepreneurs who've created these powerhouse companies have also found effective ways to motivate their teams. Sometimes they rely on old-fashioned rewards. "We have a monthly bonus pool for those who've been with the company over one year," says Michael Moran, CEO of Private Label Extensions, a hair extension company in Atlanta and No. 278 on this year's list. Others -- particularly in tech and marketing -- ladle on perks. Brock Berry, of Denver-based ad tech firm Adcellerant (No. 83 on this year's list), says, "We offer a fun work environment with games, work parties, beer on tap, dog-friendly office, two annual events, paid maternity and paternity leave, stock options, gym, flexible hours, family friendly, bicycles in the office, Bose noise-canceling headphones for everyone, and food on site at all times." (Appropriately, Adcellerant has twice made Inc.'s annual Best Workplaces list.) Still others seek to knock their employees' socks off with one big gesture: "We go on a company-wide trip every year (last year we went to Tokyo, the year before we went to New Zealand)," says Eden Chen, co-founder of the El Segundo-based tech firm Fishermen Labs (No. 185).

And what do these masters of growth think about Trump and his claims regarding economic growth? Those who responded to the Inc. CEO Survey did not display a lot of love for the president; many lamented a diminished view of the U.S. in the eyes of the world. Several CEOs, asked to name the Trump administration's biggest accomplishment, said "none" or simply "getting elected." Nonetheless, tax cuts were often cited as a big accomplishment, and a significant number of CEOs respect Trump for his attempts to negotiate with North Korea. A few named job growth as an accomplishment, which is reasonable enough. But at Inc., we believe the credit for job growth should go to the leaders who've made this list.

How the 2018 Inc. 500 Companies Were Selected

Companies on the 2018 Inc. 500 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2014 to 2017. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2017. (Since then, some on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2014 is $100,000; the minimum for 2017 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Note: Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to two decimal places. There were two ties on this year's Inc. 500; the companies with more revenue were placed higher.

EXPLORE MORE Inc. 5000 COMPANIESI read the words on the page, and the Hallelujah chorus seemed to play in the background. The clouds parted, and a ray of sunshine landed on my Apple iPad.

That's right. Someone just gave me permission to eat a big breakfast.

In his fantastic best-seller called 12 Rules for Life, the clinical psychologist and psychology professor Jordan Peterson explains how two things have helped his patients deal with anxiety and stress. "I have had many clients whose anxiety was reduced to subclinical levels merely because they started to sleep on a predictable schedule and eat breakfast," he writes.

In the same chapter, he advises clients to eat a "fat and protein-heavy breakfast as soon as possible after they awaken (no simple carbohydrates, no sugars, as they are digested too rapidly, and produce a blood-sugar spike and rapid dip)." If you can read that and not think of bacon or sausage, I'm not sure you're reading carefully enough.

He goes on to explain that people who have complex and demanding jobs, also known as knowledge workers, need the protein boost. We "hypersecrete insulin" (which sounds painful and depressing) because of those demanding tasks. That extra insulin, he says, will "mop up" our blood sugar since the last time we ate. Sleep is forced fasting, so without the boost from a good breakfast, we become a bit unstable (you might say--hangry).

This is a disturbing pattern for some. What it means is that if you don't eat all night, and then fast in the morning, your body starts messing with your mind.

For me, sleep and breakfast have been the two main factors in staying incredibly productive these past 17 years of writing--to the tune of writing over 12,000 articles.

I've been known to have two eggs and bacon, some toast, and fruit. (Typically, I avoid heavy carbs in the morning in recent years, such as French Toast or pancakes.) It's made a world of difference. My thoughts, after sleeping at least eight hours and eating a full breakfast, start flickering to life.

A side note here that I've been avoiding coffee as well. Instead, right after breakfast or just before, I'll usually bike a few miles. Nothing too strenuous, usually at a somewhat leisurely pace, but enough to wake me up and bask in the sunshine. (I even enjoy biking in the rain, usually by wearing a high-tech rain jacket that keeps me warm and dry.)

Peterson explains that sleep patterns--going to bed at the same time, waking up on cue--are also incredibly important. "The systems that mediate negative emotion are tightly tied to the properly cyclical circadian rhythms," he writes. So true for me. After a few days without good sleep, I suddenly can't process things, can't write as clearly. During conferences like CES in Las Vegas, I'm known to retire way earlier than most and wake up at the same time as always. This has a major impact on my work that day, my interviews, and my writing.

What about you?

Not all of us eat a big breakfast, but reading that it impacts our mental health was a major confirmation for me. Combined with healthy sleep patterns, it all makes sense why it has changed how my day progresses and the quality of my work.Brad Hollister, founder of SwanLeap, the innovative logistics company topping this year's Inc. 500, may not have gotten here had he not abandoned a previous idea for a similar business that venture capital firms clamored to fund. Lyndon French

Two years into the launch of Brad Hollister's startup, an online marketplace for buying and selling freight space in trucks, he faced a choice.

He'd sunk $200,000 of his own money into the company. He'd landed a huge client, and parlayed that win into a term sheet for a $2 million venture capital round. All he had to do was sign on the line.

Instead, Hollister walked away--to start what would turn out to be the fastest-growing private company in America: the Madison, Wisconsin-based SwanLeap, which uses an artificial intelligence platform and custom software to help huge manufacturers, retailers, and other clients save money on shipping, and better manage their supply chains.

In 2013--SwanLeap's first full year--it had revenue of $110,000. In 2015, it crossed the million-dollar mark. By October 2017, the company was tracking to take in at least $70 million that year, and Hollister felt confident enough to approach Inc.'s editor in chief, James Ledbetter, during a cocktail hour at the Inc. 5000 Conference and predict that his company would be No. 1 for 2018. "He said, 'That's what everyone says,'" Hollister recalls.

But Hollister was right. Even if, in October '17, he wildly underestimated how the company would do that year: SwanLeap ended up taking in just shy of $100 million, good for a nosebleed-inducing three-year growth rate of 75,660.8 percent. Forgive him for the imprecision, because SwanLeap has been growing as fast as it can hire software developers, who are a rare species in Hollister's neck of the woods. That's why, over the summer, he had his 12-year-old son helping out with programming. "It's like looking through a kaleidoscope on LSD, man," Hollister says. "I never know which way is up." This year, he thinks, there's a good chance he'll break $500 million.

But first he had to say no to that easy $2 million. That startup, Freight Access, was the culmination of a decade of seemingly random experiences. Having picked up Spanish working in restaurants and Portuguese while visiting a friend in Brazil, he landed a job out of school selling airplane parts in South America, and got introduced to supply-chain logistics. Later, another friend hired him to consult with big FedEx and UPS shippers, where he discovered the clunky spreadsheet-based systems big businesses use to manage their shipping. That led to a gig as a freight broker--buying space from carriers and selling it to shippers at a profit. But lining his firm's pockets when he negotiated discounts rather than passing along all the savings bothered him. "I'm a capitalist," he says, "but I didn't like the betrayal of trust."

His solution: build the eBay of freight, a marketplace where carriers would list their spare space and shippers would bid on it. It looked like the right idea when a manufacturer that spent more than $100 million each year on shipping quickly signed on. But shortly before Hollister and his investors were set to close the funding round, he noticed that his star customer's traffic had dried up. Panicked, he called the company--and was told, "It works great, but we're too busy for it."

"My god. How do I unhear that?" Hollister remembers thinking. A way to make shipping cheaper was useless if it required too much work at giant enterprises where its end users are well-insulated from the bean counters. "If it forces a guy at 4 o'clock on a Friday to have to stay an extra half hour--he's not gonna do that," says Hollister.

Crestfallen, he told his investors to call off the venture round. Eager to get their money back, they urged him to take the funds and figure it out. Hollister didn't relish being on the hook for a business he didn't think would have customers anytime soon. He and his wife had two kids--they now have three--and she was earning a social worker's salary. "I had burned through all my retirement," he recalls, "and we were starting to whittle into her retirement."

Fortunately, Hollister had landed a new consulting client: Jim Rogan, owner of Rogan's Shoes, a chain that then had 34 stores throughout the upper Midwest. Rogan knew he was spending too much with FedEx, but the regional carrier that was 50 percent cheaper had an antiquated software system that took far too long to navigate. Hollister got the job by offering to write software to solve the problem, thus saving Rogan--who's still a customer--six figures a year.

With Rogan's business in hand, Hollister ditched Freight Access. Envisioning a way to optimize freight procurement and give manufacturers real-time visibility into their supply chains, he advertised for a programmer on Craigslist, and heard back from Jason Swanson. Swanson was impressed with Hollister--"He's able to see the angles in so many ways"--and got to work building a platform that integrated directly with shippers' and carriers' systems and used machine learning to make sure every shipment went out for the cheapest possible rate. It automatically reconfigured containers--consolidating multiple pallets into a single truckload, say, to allow for more direct routes--thus dramatically reducing the work of tracking shipments. And it saved companies that spent from $5 million to $100 million annually on freight an average of 26.7 percent on such costs.

Results like that pretty much sell themselves. Which is helpful, because so far Hollister has been too busy building the platform every shipper in the world wants to hire any salespeople.

"We haven't even really started building the company yet," he says.

EXPLORE MORE Inc. 5000 COMPANIESFast-growing private companies are cropping up all over the country, but certain cities stand out as particularly welcoming to entrepreneurs. Here are the 10 cities with the most companies on this year's Inc. 5000, Inc.'s annual tally of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.

10. Denver

More and more new companies are thriving in the foothills of the Rockies. Colorado hosts 137 Inc. 5000 companies this year, 48 of which are in Denver. The outdoorsy city is more affordable than coastal locales for young techies, and boasts a robust startup culture. Topping the list is No. 4, Velocity Global, a $49.2 million global staffing firm that landed on the Inc. 5000 for the first time this year--without ever having accepted a cent of venture capital.

9. Dallas

This former telecommunications hub is home to 64 of this year's fastest-growing companies (not to mention Mark Cuban). A growing number of startup accelerators, along with an influx of VC funding, makes Dallas an attractive destination for entrepreneurs. Real estate firm S2 Capital (No. 702), a three-time Inc. 5000 company that's also been featured on Inc.'s 30 Under 30 and Best Workplaces lists, is based here.

8. Houston

Houston, one of America's most diverse cities, is a major player in the energy sector and home to 72 companies on the Inc. 5000. Leading the pack is Rebellion Photonics (No. 161), which uses high-tech imaging software to identify and measure gas leaks. A local VC is developing a new startup district in the city, featuring co-working spaces, housing, and even an e-sports arena.

7. San Francisco

San Francisco also has 72 Inc. 5000 companies, but ranks higher thanks to its overall three-year revenue growth rate: 206 percent, compared with Houston's 175 percent. The Bay Area has nurtured more unicorns than any other metropolitan area in the U.S.--and that's despite its high cost of living. The average one-bedroom apartment rents for upwards of $3,000 per month. This year's honorees offer everything from genomic testing kits (uBiome, No. 50) to a meditation app (Calm.com, No. 19).

6. Austin

Known for the annual South by Southwest festival, the Texas capital hosts companies big and small, including Dell, Whole Foods, and 82 companies on the 2018 Inc. 5000 list. The University of Texas at Austin offers many resources for aspiring entrepreneurs, and the city's eccentric bent--"Keep Austin Weird" is an unofficial slogan--means creative types are sure to feel at home.

5. San Diego

Named the fourth-best city for startups in a 2017 U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, San Diego excels in biotech and smart city innovation. The University of California, San Diego, is a local talent pipeline ranked among the country's best public universities. You'll find software firms, marketing agencies, and direct-to-consumer retailers among the 86 Inc. 5000 companies in this bustling port city.

4. Atlanta

This Southern tech hot spot is also a logistics hub: UPS and Delta are headquartered here, and Atlanta's airport is the world's busiest. Atlanta prides itself on its diversity, and offers young companies a lower cost of living and a large pool of tech talent. It's home to 105 of this year's fastest-growing businesses; in classic Georgia fashion, 20 of them are located on streets named Peachtree.

3. Chicago

Maintaining its position as the Midwest's premier startup destination, Chicago has 110 companies on this year's Inc. 5000 list, two of which secured spots in the top 10: No. 3, Home Chef, a meal-kit provider; and No. 8, GForce Life Sciences, a staffing firm for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The Windy City has launched success stories like RXBar, a protein bar company that sold for $600 million after just five years in business.

2. Los Angeles

The City of Angels nearly doubled its number of Inc. 5000 companies compared with 2017, leaping from sixth to second place as venture funds continue to surge. Figs (No. 21), which designs and sells scrubs and other medical apparel, is one of the 120 fast-growing L.A.-based companies on this year's list. Its revenue grew by a whopping 9,947 percent from 2014 to 2017.

1. New York

Not to be outdone by the West Coast, New York City once again hosts far and away the most Inc. 5000 companies. Sheet maker Brooklinen (No. 25) and absorbent underwear company Thinx (No. 17) are among the 213 NYC businesses on this year's list. The Big Apple is not only a global business capital with a diverse population and an investment landscape that rivals Silicon Valley's; it's also a haven for innovative startups in every industry, and especially for women founders.

EXPLORE MORE Inc. 5000 COMPANIESDir Antoine Fuqua, 121 mins, starring: Denzel Washington, Ashton Sanders, Pedro Pascal, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman

Within the first few minutes of vigilante thriller sequel The Equalizer 2, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) manages to drink a cup of tea and make philosophical chitchat aboard an Orient Express-like train in Turkey, kill three or four heavies, and retrieve a little girl who has been kidnapped by her estranged father.

Its all in a days work for this most enigmatic of action heroes. McCalls least attractive quality is his sadism. He enjoys breaking the fingers of his adversaries and tells some of them his only disappointment is that he can kill them just the once.

At the same time, he is a Proust-loving, art-appreciating good neighbour type who will clean the graffiti off the communal walls and offer paternal advice to a youngster attracted by the gangster life. He can be very violent indeed but at least he is always polite with it.

Its a struggle to work out the point of the film. In the first Equalizer, Washington was working in a Homebase-like DIY store. Here, perhaps reflecting the harsh reality of the gig economy, he has a freelance job as an app-based taxi driver instead.

Between trips, he uses his vigilante, black op skills to perform random acts of kindness for strangers, whether rape victims or holocaust survivors  and to exact retribution on their behalf. His long-term game plan is an utter mystery. We know he is haunted by the death of his wife.

Behind the wheel, looking through his mirror at his passengers, he has a hint of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver  someone whose disgust at the world is fast mounting.

Washington has made a number of films with director Antoine Fuqua. The best of them (notably Training Day) draw on his ability to make even the sleaziest characters seem charismatic and heroic. He is such a commanding screen presence that audiences tend to root for him and give him the benefit of the doubt, even when he is behaving like a psychopath.

In the Equalizer thrillers, though, Washingtons character is an empty vessel. Who are you, man? the young artist he befriends ask him. Its a question neither he nor the films can answer.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

The plotting is deeply unsatisfactory. A wealthy businessman and his wife are killed in mysterious circumstances in Brussels. McCalls old friend and fixer Susan (Melissa Leo) has gone to investigate, accompanied by his buddy and former partner, Dave (Pedro Pascal.) Further violence follows, some of it extremely close to home.

The film culminates with a prolonged, very portentous final battle in a seaside town in the middle of a hurricane. Some of the supporting actors  Pascal, Bill Pullman  are criminally underused.

Given McCall cares so little about himself anyway, it is hard for us to have much interest in what becomes of him either. Washingtons charm, charisma and machismo can only take the movie so far. As an action spectacle, The Equalizer 2 splutters into gear once or twice.

It has chases and shootouts interspersed with some nicely played scenes between the old vigilante and the young artist he mentors. The film, though, simply cant plug the hollowness at its core.

The Equalizer 2 hits UK cinemas 17 August.Dir Mark Cousins, 112 mins, featuring: Mark Cousins, Beatrice Welles

Mark Cousins begins his intriguing documentary on Orson Welles by writing to Welles, who died more than 30 years ago. In his singsong voice, Cousins tells Welles how the world has changed in the intervening years. Something called the internet has come along, he explains. The addict in you, the adrenalin junkie, would love it.

Weve been swamped with Welles biographies and documentaries in recent years. Welles late film, The Other Side Of The Wind, will receive its premiere at the Venice Film Festival later this month, close to 50 years after he started shooting it.

Thankfully, Cousins comes at the great man from a new angle. As he puts it, it is good to look at a life again through another lens. The thesis of the film is that Welles was, above all, a visual artist. The director has accumulated plenty of evidence to back up this point of view. He has been given access to a treasure trove of Welles drawings, many never seen before.

Cousins makes subtle connections between the filmmakers life and his work. For example, he suggests that Welles ingenuity at filming from below was strongly influenced by the time he spent as an art student in Chicago, the city of the first great skyscrapers.

The time he spent in Chicagos celebrated Art Institute had a direct impact on Citizen Kane. Wherever he went, Cousins claims, Welles continued to sketch and draw. The documentary takes Cousins from Chicago to Ann Arbor (where many of his old possessions are kept) to Ireland, New York and many other locations.

As he follows diligently in Welles footsteps, Cousins throws in snippets of radio archive (for example, from Welles version of War Of The Worlds which convinced many that New York really was being invaded by aliens). He uses clips and stills from Welles own movies as well as contemporary footage and scenes from such films about Welles as Richard Linklaters Me And Orson Welles and Tim Robbins The Cradle Will Rock.

He considers Welles political activism and how his art was changed by the Holocaust. He looks at Welles complicated love life, his romantic ideas of chivalry, and the strange way Father Christmas and Falstaff overlapped in his visual imagination. However, his main preoccupation is always with the drawings and paintings.

Welles daughter, Beatrice, made the documentary possible. She has a chequered reputation with some Welles experts for her protective treatment of her fathers estate but she suggested this project to Cousins  and features in the documentary.

Many of the stories here will already be familiar to anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of Welles. Most viewers, though, wont have seen the drawings showcased here. These include sketches for a film version of Julius Caesar which he never made, tourist-eye pictures of Paris, drawings for his movie version of Kafkas The Trial, and poignant little images he scribbled on the edges of his love letters to Rita Hayworth.

Some of the sketches are little more than doodles but they always hint at what Welles was striving for on screen. The films, Cousins convincingly argues, are versions of the drawings come to life. The directors lightbulb moment is that Welles thought with lines and shapes rather than with words.

The Eyes of Orson Welles hits UK cinemas 17 August.Dir Iain Morris, 98 mins, starring: Joe Thomas, Hammed Animashaun, Hugh Coles, Jemaine Clement, Emma Rigby, Hannah Tointon, Claudia ODoherty

This relentlessly crude but good-natured British comedy from the creators of The In-Betweeners begins with a joke about ejaculation and works downhill from there. Bodily fluids are to the fore. There is bestiality with a goat.

One of the characters has a nipple ripped off. Another mislays a false leg. We encounter druids, tattooists, Elephant Man-like DJs and highly sexed, drug-taking female smurfs. Two of the leading characters compete to see who can eat the hottest curry.

The adolescent smuttiness becomes a little wearing after just about the first five minutes but the film benefits from the very likeable performances of its leads, Joe Thomas and Hammed Animashaun. They play Nick and Shane, best friends from university whove recently graduated.

Nick has had a breakdown following a painfully public split from his girlfriend, the spindly Caitlin (Hannah Tointon). In the hope of getting over the emotional trauma of it all, he joins Shane in a trip to a big, Glastonbury-like music festival.

As in The In-Betweeners, much of the humour hinges on the naivete and ineptitude of the two leads. Theyre always the butt of the joke. Nick, in particular, is made to suffer. He spends much of the film face down in the mud or being urinated on or being chased near naked around the fields by irate car owners, or hiding in the tent as his former girlfriend has sex with a one-legged Lothario.

Joe Thomas is an engaging comic actor who knows just how to combine self-righteous smugness and vulnerability. Animashaun has a nice line in genially bewildered understatement. Theyre joined for much of the film by Claudia ODohertys Amy, a clingy New Age type who attends festivals on her own, hoping to make new friends in the queues for the toilets and to expose them to her elderly relatives revolting organic food recipes.

Some of the plotting seems very random. The filmmakers were shooting at real-life festivals and there is the sense that, like their two leads, they are simply winging it, making their story up as they go along, looking for somewhere to pitch their tent.

In spite of the sniggering, worms eye view of the world, the film has a reassuringly old-fashioned feel. It is yet another of those deliberately parochial stories about lovable losers who spread chaos wherever they go. There is a very British irony and eccentricity here which you dont find in similarly gross-out US comedies from, say, the Farrell brothers.

Strong sex references, crude humour, sex, drug misuse, very strong language, is how the BBFC sums up the ingredients in the film  and that just about covers it. The main insight provided here is that festival-going is a mixture of heaven and hell. You can be deliriously happy and wretchedly miserable in the same muddy field. It all depends on the stimulants, the music, the company, and, of course how the weather holds up.

The Festival hits UK cinemas 17 August.Xavier Beauvois, 135 mins, starring: Nathalie Baye, Laura Smet, Iris Bry, Cyril Descours, Gilbert Bonneau, Olivier Rabourdin

Xavier Beauvois' superb new film The Guardians starts as if it might be an anti-war war movie like All Quiet On The Western Front. Its 1915 and the dead are piling up. Not even their gas masks can save them.

Beauvois, though, quickly whisks up from the battlefield and back to rural France where a mother, Hortense (Nathalie Baye), and her daughter, Solange (Laura Smet), have taken over the running of the family farm while they wait for the menfolk to return.

Beauvois films the countryside in loving fashion. Whether mist-shrouded fields, rows of hay bales that look like yellow sculptures, cobblestoned courtyards or majestic forests, the world he shows looks just as we might imagine it from countless Impressionist paintings. Its beauty doesnt hide its harshness. In almost every outdoor scene, the women are busy with their hands.

Theyre scything the crops or ploughing the fields or chopping wood or fetching water or feeding scraps to the pigs or sowing seeds. Beauvois goes to extreme lengths to show the demanding nature of the womens lives. They are still in a pre-mechanical era, using oxen instead of tractors. As one season follows another, the work is so gruelling that you wonder when and how the human drama will begin.

The women have sons and husbands at the front who make occasional visits home. Teachers in the classroom talk about the monstrous behaviour of the boche, but the war seems very far away.

Slowly, the story comes into focus. Hortense hires a young woman to help with the running of the farm. This is Francine (Iris Bry), a bright, self-reliant product of the local orphanage. On a trip home from the front, Hortenses son, Georges (Cyril Descours), falls in love with her.

This causes jealousy and recrimination. There is already gossip in the tight-knit community about Solange consorting with the brash young American soldiers who moved into the area.

In a film in which nothing much seems to have been happening, seismic changes gradually take place in the characters lives. They deal with upheaval, death, pregnancy and betrayal.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Adding to the growing emotional force of the storytelling is a score from the veteran Oscar-winning composer, Michel Legrand (who, more than 50 years ago, wrote the music for The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg.)

The women, it turns out, are far more astute at running the farm than their absent husbands and brothers had been. Their success provokes envy in their neighbours. Francine is smart and self-reliant but that doesnt stop Hortense from cutting her loose.

From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama. Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean De Florette or Manon Des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters.

Beauvois recreates agricultural life of the period in convincing and extraordinarily detailed fashion. He is helped by a handful of very strong performances both from established stars like Baye as the family matriarch and from newcomers like Iris Bry, whose complex portrait of the independent-minded, resourceful, religious and highly sensitive young farm girl rekindles memories of a youthful Isabelle Huppert.

The Guardians hits UK cinemas 17 August.Whether youre a full-time vegan, lactose intolerant or simply a flexitarian looking to make an easy daily switch, theres a plethora of plant-based milk options to replace the regular cows milk many of us grew up with.

Over the last six years, sales of plant-based milks have doubled worldwide and theres a number of reasons people are making the switch.

Dairy production contributes to climate change due to the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions it produces, so a plant-based milk is a better option for the planet. Its also arguably better for humans, with many health benefits associated with reducing your dairy intake. Finally, its kinder to our cows and helps to reduce animal suffering.

Aside from this, plant milks are delicious. They can come in many different guises and aside from the ubiquitous almond milk, cashew and hazelnut varieties are also popular and widely available in most supermarkets.

Oat, rice, soy and coconut can also be used as the base ingredient, just look out for any added ingredients that you may not recognise. Although most taste great in smoothies and over breakfast cereal, some perform better in hot drinks than others  weve picked out some of our favourites for this below.

Many of these dairy free alternatives have the added benefit of being long life, meaning they dont need to be refrigerated until theyve been opened. So unlike their animal counterpart, youll always be able to keep a stand-by carton in the cupboard.

Check the percentage of nuts used where appropriate, the more used, the more protein you can expect per glass (and the creamier it will be!)

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

M*lkman Pistachio & Sweet Chai M*lk, 500ml: 3.75, Farmdrop

The m*lkman started off delivering his artisan nut m*lks by bicycle, but before long the demand was so great that he teamed up with Farmdrop to utilise their fleet of electric delivery vans.

The product is still handmade in London and bottled in reusable glass  you can even give the empties back to your delivery driver if you like.

It was so delicious that we drank it straight, but it was also excellent over granola and in our smoothies  it certainly didnt hang around long.

This particular flavour is made with a whopping 12 per cent pistachios, a little date & agave for sweetness, a punchy kick of spicy chai and black pepper and a touch of pink salt. Creamy deliciousness.

Buy now

Rude Health Peanut Drink, 1 litre: 2.49, Rude Health

A super versatile little number, not only does this taste great in peanut butter and banana smoothies, its also a brilliant addition to curry recipes.

Made up of 8 per cent nuts which are naturally low in cholesterol, theyre also a great source of Vitamin E and magnesium among others.

It joins the Rude Health line up of dairy free drinks of which there are now 13 in total, all of them following their philosophy that you should understand what all the ingredients are in the bottle. In this case just organic peanuts and water.

Buy now

Rebel Kitchen Whole Dairy Free Organic Mylk, 1 litre : 2.24, Waitrose

This dairy free alternative uses coconut cream as its base, with full-fat, semi-skimmed and skimmed varieties on offer.

You shop them just like the traditional milk aisle, with helpful blue, green and red tops denoting the fat content. We liked the creamier full-fat version in our morning porridge, whilst the skimmed mylk frothed up beautifully for our coffee.

Alongside the coconut cream youll find spring water, a touch of Himalayan salt, brown rice, cashews, and nutritional yeast. All three are 100 per cent organic and suitable for vegans, and taste great in smoothies.

Buy now

Botanic Lab Plant Milk Coffee & Damiana 1 250ml: 2.50, Ocado

Botanic Lab have incorporated functional botanical ingredients with activated cashew milk for a healthy, yet powerful dairy free alternative.

This blend features coconut oil to help stave off hunger pangs and damiana, a Central American herb known for its aphrodisiac and anxiety relieving properties  the perfect thing to balance out the cold-brewed arabica coffee.

A great start to the day, allowing us to wake up without any of the dreaded coffee jitters.

Buy now

The Paleo Foods Co. Unsweetened Almond Drink 1L: 2.99, Waitrose

Boasting one of the highest nut contents we tried in a long life milk (9 per cent), Paleo Foods Co.s almond drink is also one of the thickest and creamiest, with an obvious nutty taste.

For that reason we think it works best over granola or in smoothies. You can expect a decent protein hit with this  each 250ml serving provides 5g of plant protein, ideal if youre hitting the gym.

Aside from nuts, the only other ingredient youll find is spring water. Thats it. Just make sure you give it a real good shake before pouring.

Buy now

Oatly Barista Edition 1L: 1.85, Waitrose

One of the biggest bug bears when it comes to switching to plant milk, is how it can react in hot drinks.

Thankfully Swedish brand Oatly have designed a very clever Barista Edition, designed to froth up just like regular milk, so you dont have to forfeit your beloved lattes any longer.

Its made from Swedish oats (apparently they are the creme de la creme of the oat world!) so you can expect a good dose of fibre (great for your heart and digestion), and protein whilst keeping everything nice and low in saturated fat.

Buy now

Califia Farms Toasted Oats N Almond Almond Milk, 750ml: 2.40, Sainsburys

With a whopping 50 per cent more calcium than cows milk and with no added sugar, Californian brand Califia is already super popular in the US, with it only recently making its way to UK shores.

The sunshine state is famously responsible for producing 80 per cent of the worlds almonds, so it makes sense theyd make a good almond milk too.

They use blanched almonds, rather than roasted, which results in the ultra-creamy texture. The whole range is soy-free, gluten free, kosher and vegan and this flavour has just 30 calories per serving. It didnt curdle in our tea either.

Buy now

Plenish Cashew M*lk, 1L: 2.50, Plenish

Winner of a Great Taste Award 2017, this creamy cashew drink tastes fantastic and is a natural source of plant protein without any of the nasties, making it a great option for post-gym smoothies.

It uses just three organic ingredients  cashews, filtered water and salt  which is better for you, and the environment.

Cashews are a particularly good source of copper, which will protect your cells. Keeping you nice and healthy from the inside out.

Buy now

Innocent Almond Dairy Free 750ml: 1.75, Waitrose

Well known for their super cute smoothie bottles (who doesnt love the knitted hats!), Innocent have turned their hands to dairy free milk alternatives.

Theres an oat drink and a hazelnut version, but almond gets our vote, made of three ingredients  nuts, spring water and a pinch of sea salt.

The brand is committed to sourcing sustainable ingredients and 10 per cent of profits go to their charity which tackles hunger around the world.

Every bottle they make is 100 per cent recyclable so they encourage you to rinse and dispose of it accordingly.

Buy now

The Verdict: Best plant free milks

We were thoroughly won over by the delicious and unique, handmade nut m*lks we tried from the m*lkman.

However if you cant get your hands on this, or want your milk to last a little longer, Rude Health have a really fab range of dairy free drinks which cover all basis.

Stacey Smith is the founder of food & drink website Crummbs

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.A no-deal Brexit could increase the risk of a Europe-wide pandemic, according to the British Medical Association.

The doctors union warned in a new briefing paper shared with The Independent on Thursday that crashing out of the EU without a deal will leave the UK more vulnerable to outbreaks of deadly infectious diseases.

It says that the UKs ability to coordinate responses to emerging threats, such as the current outbreak of measles or seasonal flu, will be seriously undermined, making it harder to stop infections spreading across borders.

With the UK government admitting it is stockpiling medicines in the event of a no-deal scenario, the British Medical Association warns this is proof that the devastating impact of Brexit on the nations health has been neglected.

Loading....

It comes as more than 600,000 people have backed The Independents Final Say campaign  also supported by the BMA  to ensure the public can choose the countrys course on Brexit.

All parties will be weakened if the UKs quits key EU bodies such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in March 2019, the BMA said. Without a deal this will create considerable uncertainty about the UKs ability to coordinate pandemic preparedness: these are risks that should be put to the UK public, it said.

Added to this is the failure to settle payment arrangements for UK citizens needing treatment in the EU which could prevent them accessing care immediately and increase the likelihood of the spread of disease.

BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the pledged deal that would benefit patients, the NHS and its staff in the next eight months appeared to be out of reach.

The BMA believes the public should have a final informed say on the Brexit deal and, to reject the notion of a no deal given all the serious risks that such an outcome carries, he added.

Some will say the BMA is scaremongering by warning of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit, but this is not the case ... As experts in delivering health services and providing care for our patients, we have a duty to set out the consequences of leaving the EU with no future deal in place.

Other issues raised by the BMA include the risk to UK patients if the General Medical Council can no longer access the EUs central reporting systems to check for concerns about staff coming to work in the UK.

This is in addition to widely publicised issues around the reliable access to vital radioactive materials for X-rays and cancer treatment, newly developed drugs and the additional 1bn costs of caring for 190,000 UK pensioners in the EU.

Approximately 10 per cent of the NHS doctors qualified in the EU and the current system recognises these qualifications automatically. This is crucial to the governments plan to attract as many as 3,000 GPs from the continent to fill current shortages in England, but with 45 per cent of EU staff considering leaving it is likely to make matters much worse.

People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

It could also have a heavy toll on the NHS in Northern Ireland. The current system to automatically recognise the qualifications earned in other EU states could mean medical students training in the Republic of Ireland have to jump through extra hoops to work.

Infectious diseases do not respect borders and we need to tackle them together, Niall Dickson, co-chair of the Brexit Health Alliance, said.

We should be under no illusion  if we fail to reach a good agreement on the EU and UKs future relationship, that could be a significant threat to public health. This cannot and should not be ignored.

Recent polling shows support for a Final Say continues to grow, amid unprecedented division in the Theresa Mays cabinet and the loss of senior ministers, including Brexit secretary David Davis.

 Brexit: 'Significant planning' underway to guarantee medical supplies don't run out in event of no deal, says NHS chief

Professor Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England, said: The UK is a world leader in tackling serious cross-border threats to health and has a well-developed health protection system.

In addition, we use and benefit from a range of international information-sharing tools in the area of health security including European Union mechanisms, among others. We believe it is in everyones interests to continue to collaborate closely going forward.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: We want a deal with the EU that is good for the UK and good for the health service. That is why we have continued to work closely with the European Union to ensure there is no disruption to the NHS after we leave.

Alongside that, we are continuing to work with industry in the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit to ensure patients can continue to receive top quality care.The Janata Dal (United) is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi during the inauguration of Civil Service Incentive Scheme at Adhiveshan Bhawan. (Photo: PTI)

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that one nation, one poll was a good idea but not implementable in the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Kumar, who has been advocating simultaneous polls for state Assemblies and Lok Sabha for quite some time, was responding to a query from journalists here on the letter written on the issue to the Law Commission by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah.

Holding simultaneous polls for all state assemblies and the Lok Sabha would not be possible in the next general elections. It is a good idea but the time is not yet ripe for its implementation, he said. The Janata Dal (United) national president has spoken in favour of simultaneous polls a number of times in recent times, claiming that it would reduce the expenditure involved in holding elections and enable elected governments to focus better on development and governance.

The Janata Dal (United) is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Mr Kumar is heading a coalition government with the BJP in Bihar since July last year after disintegration of Grand Alliance ministry comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD),

JD(U) and Congress.A Finnish millionaire has been conned out of $35 million worth of bitcoin by cryptocurrency scammers in Thailand, according to a local report.

22-year-old Aarni Otava Saarimaa lost 5,564.4 bitcoins, according to the Bangkok Post, after inadvertently sending them to fraudsters in the country.

Follow The Independent's Bitcoin Live Blog for the latest news and cryptocurrency market updates.

Mr Saarimaa believed he was investing in a new cryptocurrency called Dragon Coin, as well as a casino.

Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins  the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images

A six-month investigation by Thailand's Crime Suppression Division (CSD) uncovered a group of nine people who used the cryptocurrency to convert the funds into local currency and invest in land.

Among the suspects in the plot is 27-year-old soap actor Jiratpisit 'Boom' Jaravijit, who was arrested by local police while filming in Bangkok, as well as several of his siblings.

Recommended Bitcoin price crash sees suicide hotline shared in Reddit forum

"This case is complicated. We had to carefully examine documents and trace the money trail," CSD deputy commander Pol Col Chakrit Sawasdee told the Bangkok Post.

"For the money laundering charge, we are verifying the amount of money with commercial banks only in the accounts of the siblings and their family and relatives. The money needs to be frozen and brought back to the victims."

The bitcoin scam involved a new cryptocurrency called Dragon Coin (Getty Images)

The CSD said a total of 51 bank accounts have been frozen and several plots of land believed to have been acquired with the stolen money were also seized.

Investigators say that enquiries have been complicated by the use of cryptocurrency, which allows funds to be tracked through the blockchain but is semi-anonymous by design.

"We had to carefully examine documents and trace the money trail," Mr Chakrit said. "It took us almost seven months to get approval for the arrest warrants."

It is not the first time local celebrities have been caught up in cryptocurrency scams, with several Bollywood actors in India implicated in a $300 million scheme earlier this year.When you wake up in the morning to the sound of your alarm after a less than satisfactory nights sleep, it can be all too tempting to press the snooze button and stay in bed for a few extra minutes.

However, doing so can be extremely detrimental for your health, causing both your body and your brain to become confused.

Experts from Sleep Clinic Services explained why you should refrain from pushing the enticing snooze button, as it can lead to extended periods of sleep inertia.

Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess that many people have when they get up in the morning, as explained by Silentnight.

This state usually only lasts for around 15 to 30 minutes as your mind and body gradually become more alert.

Recommended How a lack of sleep can ruin your social life

However, according to research conducted by Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, it can last for up to two to four hours if you wake up during the early sleep cycle or during deep sleep.

When you press the snooze button and go back to sleep, hormones may be released that trick your body into thinking that its about to fall into a deep sleep.

Therefore, if youre then abruptly woken up after a mere 10 minutes, being stirred from a state of deep sleep can make your body and mind feel out of sorts.

Neil Robinson, sleep expert at bed manufacturer Sealy, explains how pressing the snooze button can negatively impact the rest of your day.

The Ten Best Alarm Clocks Show all 10 1 /10 The Ten Best Alarm Clocks The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486410.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486408.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486414.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486407.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486406.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486413.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486409.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486405.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486411.bin The Ten Best Alarm Clocks 486412.bin

Waking up feeling refreshed after a great nights sleep is something we all dream of, he says. However, most of us are making common mistakes that are preventing us from getting top quality rest  making us more likely to wake up heavy headed rather than fresh faced.

Recommended Sleeping more than eight hours per night could lead to an early death

Weve all been guilty of pressing snooze on our alarms to give us those precious 10 more minutes in bed.

However, by dozing off for those extra minutes, were preparing our bodies for another sleep cycle, which is then quickly interrupted  causing us to feel fatigued for the rest of the day that lies ahead.

In September 2017, neuroscientist Professor Matthew Walker unveiled his top tips for ensuring you feel as rested as possible after a nights sleep.

In addition to avoiding the snooze button, he also recommended decaffeinated coffee and steering clear of power naps.

 How does sleep affect mental wellbeing?

In May 2018, a study revealed that the average British person sleeps for approximately six hours and 19 minutes every night.

The poll of 2,000 adults in the UK found that people only manage to achieve eight hours of sleep twice a week  38 per cent of those polled stated theyre never able to manage eight hours of sleep a night.Italys governing populist party wrote off safety fears about the motorway bridge that collapsed on Tuesday killing dozens of people as a childrens fairy story, it has emerged.

The Five Star Movement (M5S), which has been leading the countrys government since earlier this year, has made political capital out of opposing major construction and infrastructure projects, which often draw opposition in Italy because they can be disruptive to local residents.

In 2013 a statement on the partys website described warnings of the imminent collapse of the Morandi Bridge as a favoletta, an Italian word meaning a childrens fantasy tale or fairy story. The bridge collapsed on Tuesday killing at least 39 people and severing the countrys A10 motorway.

Recommended At least 26 dead after Genoa motorway bridge collapse

The statement has since been deleted from the partys website, but a cached version is still visible online. It was drawn up in opposition to the Gronda di Genova, a major infrastructure project to improve the motorways in the city region that included work on the now collapsed bridge.

Some architects and engineers had warned that the bridge, built by Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi in the 1960s, suffered from fatal design flaws; reinforcement work was carried out on it in 2016 in an attempt to shore it up. A complete rebuild was not carried out to avoid disruption, however.

The statement on the M5S website accuses the regional president who backed the reinforcement work of not having read a public inquiry report into the state of the bridge, and says the party asks ourselves what credibility those who support the great works can still have.

Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Show all 50 1 /50 Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Morandi bridge after it collapsed, in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge EPA/European Space Imaging Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers inspect the rubble and wreckages AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Night view of the Morandi bridge collapsed in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Displaced people from their homes EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers work among the rubble AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers inspect the rubble and wreckages AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge EPA/European Space Imaging Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa People living in the buildings in the area have been evacuated EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Excavators dig into the rubble at the site of the highway-bridge-collapse disaster EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A lorry stands on the edge AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct, of which the A10 motorway runs, collapsed in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers at work amid the rubble EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct, of which the A10 motorway runs, collapsed in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue workers at the collapsed Morandi Bridge Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Cars seen among the rubble Vigili Del Fuoco/AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers work among the debris of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The viaduct gave way amid torrential rain EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The viaduct runs over shopping centres, factories, some homes, the Genoa-Milan railway line and the Polcevera river AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Around 10 vehicles are involved in the collapse, rescue sources said EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge ANSA via AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue teams on the site EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers at the site of the collapsed bridge EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Both sides of the highway fell AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The site of a collapsed bridge EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Sergio Battelli/Twitter Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue teams on the site EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Vigili del Fuoco/Twitter

Other infrastructure projects opposed by the M5S include a new high-speed rail line from Turin to the south France, which was also the subject of protests and which has been put under review by the incoming transport ministry and similarly described as a waste of money.

Improvements to the bridge were also included by the M5S on a list of infrastructure projects which could be scrapped subject to a review of the costs and benefits.

Bridges designed by the late civil engineer Mr Morandi tend to be unusual because the planner used reinforced concrete instead of steel cables for the stays of the bridge, and used relatively few cables compared to most other designs.

As of Wednesday around 250 firefighters from around Italy were still searching through the rubble of the bridge for survivors, with concern that the death toll could still rise further.

(Reuters)

Were not giving up hope, fire official Emanuele Giffi told the AFP news agency, vowing to work around the clock until the last victim is secured.

The countrys M5S deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, appeared to suggest contractors could be to blame.

Those responsible for the tragedy in Genoa have a name and a surname, and theyre called Autostrade per lItalia. For years its been said that private management would be better than that of the state, he said on social media on Wednesday.

And so today, we have one of the biggest dealers in Europe telling us that the bridge was safe and there was no worry of it collapsing. Autostrade had to maintain it but didnt. It takes the highest road tolls in Europe and pays low taxes, moreover in Luxembourg.

There has also been speculation about whether the 2016 work was carried out properly, with the widespread suspicion in Italy that some public infrastructure jobs could be compromised by organised crime involvement  though there is currently no evidence that this was the case for the bridge work.

The regional government of Liguria, in which the disaster took place, submitted a request to the national government for the ability to declare a 12-month state of emergency. The countrys prime minister granted the request on Wednesday evening.

Around 400 people have been evacuated from homes and businesses in the surrounding industrial area amid fears that other parts of the bridge could collapse.

Giuseppe Conte, the Italian M5S prime minister, is visiting the area today, while interior minister Matteo Salvini has said anyone found responsible for the disaster will be brought to justice.

The incident, which occurred during a violent and sudden storm, sent around 20 cars and three heavy trucks tumbling as an 80-metre stretch of elevated highway fell away.

The Autostrada 10 runs along the northwestern Italian coast, connecting Genoa with the city of Ventimiglia.

It is a component part of the wider European route E80 which stretches from Portugal to eastern Turkey, notably connecting northern Italy to the south of France.The psychedelic drug DMT produces an effect in the brain similar to that felt by people undergoing near-death experiences, according to a new study.

A powerful hallucinogen, the substance is widely used for ceremonial purposes in South America as part of the brew known as ayahuasca.

Though the drug is illegal in most countries, its connection with spirituality is widely acknowledged and has earned it the nickname the spirit molecule.

Recommended Academics want to speak to people who think they may have seen God

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are psychological events often reported by those who think they are about to die, and can include out of body experiences, feelings of transitioning to another world and inner peace.

As similar feelings are often reported by DMT users, researchers at Imperial College London wanted to investigate how deep the connection between these experiences went.

In a trial of 13 healthy volunteers, doses of either the drug or a placebo were administered intravenously over the course of two sessions.

Their reactions to the drug were then compared with the experiences of 67 people who had previously reported NDEs and completed standardised questionnaires to document what had happened to them.

Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Show all 7 1 /7 Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures A Yage ceremony in La Calera, Colombia. Yage, a mixture of the Ayahuasca hallucinogenic liana and a psychoactive bush, attracts many people in Colombia, who seek to participate in a traditional indigenous ritual of spiritual and physical healing impossible to realize in many countries where these plants are considered drugs. Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures A man laying on a carpet after drinking yage - mixture of the Ayahuasca hallucinogenic liana and a psychoactive bush - during a ritual in La Calera, Colombia. Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures Taking the ayahuasca hallucinogenic drug - in pictures

After their sessions, the DMT users were asked questions such as Did scenes from your past come back to you? and Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light?.

The similarities between the responses of those who had taken DMT and those who had come close to death confirmed the anecdotal evidence from users of the psychedelic drug  that it is indeed able to mimic the effect of an NDE.

Our findings show a striking similarity between the types of experiences people are having when they take DMT and people who have reported a near-death experience, said PhD candidate Chris Timmermann, the first author of the study.

Ex-government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt, who also contributed to the research, said the data suggested the well-recognised life-changing effects of both DMT and NDE might have the same neuroscientific basis.

Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, who leads the Imperial College psychedelic research group and supervised the study, which was conducted as part of the Beckley-Imperial Research Program, said: DMT is a remarkable tool that can enable us to study and thus better understand the psychology and biology of dying.

However, the researchers noted there were some subtle differences between the two experiences, with DMT users more likely to describe entering an unearthly realm rather than the more ominous coming to a point of no return reported by people experiencing NDEs.

The scientists said these distinctions may have been the result of the rigorous screening and preparation that preceded DMT dosing in these experiments.

The results of their study were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

Psychedelic drugs such as DMT and LSD have previously been linked with improvements in mental health, and scientists have suggested illegal drugs have the potential to become the next generation of antidepressants.

While the Imperial scientists said their results added an intriguing dimension to this story, they advised against any self-medication by the general public.

We hope to conduct further studies to measure the changes in brain activity that occur when people have taken the compound, said Mr Timmermann.

This, together with other work, will help us to explore not only the effects on the brain, but whether they might possibly be of medicinal benefit in future.A man accused of launching a terror attack in Westminster may have crashed accidentally while on his way to obtain a visa, friends have claimed.

Police have arrested Salih Khater on suspicion of attempted murder and committing an act of terrorism after he allegedly ploughed his car into cyclists and crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.

But the 29-year-olds friends told The Independent he was a normal guy who was not radicalised and had been planning to visit family in Sudan.

Hes a very good man, a very friendly man, everybody knows him, said one man, who did not want to be named.

His father died six or seven months ago and thats why he was stressed.

In my opinion he was going the wrong way and he didnt know what he was doing and when he saw the police he got scared  hes lucky they didnt shoot him.

Armed police responded to Tuesday mornings crash in seconds, after footage showed a silver Ford Fiesta swerving off Parliament Square and hitting cyclists before ploughing into a security barrier outside the Houses of Parliament.

Police officers leapt out of the vehicles path and three cyclists and pedestrians were injured, including two who needed hospital treatment.

Salih Khater, in a picture posted on Facebook in 2010 (Facebook)

The crash came during parliaments summer recess and ahead of the daily rush of tourists to Westminster, leaving the area relatively deserted.

Investigators said the silver Ford Fiesta had been driven from Birmingham to London late on Monday night and was then driven around the city centre for almost eight hours before the crash.

Sudanese community member Ali Mohamed said he understood Mr Khater had an appointment at the Sudanese embassy on Tuesday, which is less than a mile from where the crash took place.

He was trying to apply for a visa, he added. We really dont know why he got into that incident.

Mr Khaters brother, Abdullah Khater, told the BBC he was a normal person with no fanatical ideas or links to extremist groups.

His family are a state of shock over the incident, he added, saying he had been planning a trip to Sudan.

Nassar Mahmood, a trustee at Birmingham Central Mosque, said Mr Khater did not worship there and enquiries suggested he was not a fervent Muslim.

He had his paperwork with him to go to the Sudanese embassy, and we know that the office opens very early in the morning so probably rather than going very early he went overnight, he added.

He was very humble in terms of his finances and may not have wanted to pay for a hotel.

Mr Mahmood said the terror suspect used his own car and claimed he was not generally the kind of person we see commit these sort of crimes, adding: Weve been cautioning people against apportioning guilt before the police have concluded their investigation.

Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Show all 30 1 /30 Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man Sky News Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers work at the scene EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Damaged bikes near the crash site Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man who crashed a car into the barriers ITV Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity outside the Houses of Parliament after a car crashed into security barriers BBC/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Bicycles lie on the ground at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator arrives at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police and emergency response teams work outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The area is cleared near to the incident PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator works at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police on Victoria Embankment PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers and a search team secure the roads around the Houses of Parliament as forensic teams continue their work around a vehicle Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police forensics officers outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The car crashed into parliament barriers Vincent McAviney/NBC News/Euronews/Twitter/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Fire fighters attend the scene Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A police dog team works behind the cordon REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament olice and emergency services respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police on Westminster Bridge PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police stand in the street after the incident Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers stand at a cordon Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity on Millbank PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters

Counterterror officers have completed searches of Mr Khaters former home above an internet cafe and barber shop in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham, as well as a second property in the city and a flat where he used to live in Nottingham.

Friends said he moved out of Sparkbrook about four months ago, to a nearby flat in Brinklow Tower, Highgate, Birmingham, where residents recognised his photograph.

Police were seen entering the block with evidence bags and boxes on Wednesday afternoon as they continued work to establish a potential motive for the Westminster incident.

Mr Khater, whose social media indicated a liking for Celine Dion and Rihanna, is believed to have arrived in the UK in 2010 as an asylum seeker. He was granted refugee status and later applied successfully for British citizenship.

He studied English at City College from 2010 to 2011, then a diploma in science at Birminghams South and City College from 2014 to 2017, and started an accountancy course at Coventry University.

Salih Khater studied accountancy at Coventry University between September 2017 and May 2018, a spokesperson said. He failed the first year of his course, therefore his enrolment was terminated.

One friend described Mr Khater as a simple man, while some acquaintances said he was slow and thought he may have mental difficulties.

Mr Khater described himself as a shop manager on his Facebook page, where the about section reads: In past Im great but now I say I dont no [sic].

He said he studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology and went to school in Wad Madani, a city southeast of Khartoum.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counterterror policing, said the suspect was not known to MI5 or counterterror police.

Salih Khater most recently lived in Brinklow Tower, Highgate, Birmingham (Lizzie Dearden)

Investigators have still not established a possible motive, and will be looking for any evidence of political or religious affiliations.

Given that it appears to have been a deliberate act, the method used and the iconic location, it is being treated as a terrorist incident and the investigation is being led by officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command, a spokesperson said.

At the time of the arrest, there was nobody else in the vehicle, which has now been removed from the scene and searched. No weapons have been recovered at this stage.

At this early stage, there is no intelligence of further danger to Londoners or the rest of the UK in connection with this incident.

No other arrests have been made in connection with the ongoing investigation.

Police cordons erected amid a large-scale security response to the crash have since been lifted, but uniformed and plain-clothed officers have been deployed in central London under Project Servator.

Officials said they have specialist skills to recognise telltale signs that someone may be in an area for terrorist or other criminal purposes.

The car struck metres from where Khalid Masood launched the first terror attack claimed by Isis in Britain, and the metropolitan commissioner is among the officials suggesting parts of Westminster may be pedestrianised.

In the past 17 months, Westminster has been hit by two attacks and was the planned location of four disrupted plots, making it currently the biggest terror target in Britain.

Isis has issued advice to its followers on how to carry out atrocities using vehicles, knives and other easily obtained items, which have made attack plans faster, and harder to spot for authorities.

The prime ministers spokesperson said 13 Islamist and four far-right plots have been foiled since the first Westminster attack in March 2017  an average of one a month.

A total of 676 terrorism investigations by MI5 and counterterrorism police were underway by the end of June this year, up from around 500 just four months before.The man accused of launching a terror attack in Westminster is Salih Khater, a British citizen who moved to the UK from Sudan, The Independent understands.

A flat where he previously lived in Birmingham was among three properties being searched by police as they investigate the 29-year-old's possible motivations.

He was not cooperating with the investigation overnight and remains in police custody.

Mr Khater describes himself as a shop manager on his Facebook page, where the about section reads: In past I'm great but now I say I don't no [sic].

He said he studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology and went to school in Wad Madani, a city south-east of Khartoum.

Mr Khater's page shows a mixture of connections based mainly in Sudan, Birmingham and Nottingham  the two cities that are now the focus of operations by counterterror police.

Investigators are searching his former flat above a row of shops in Sparkbrook, near where the first Westminster attacker Khalid Masood lived.

The area was the home of several terrorists, including UKs first suicide bomber, its first al-Qaeda plotter, one of one of the financiers of the 9/11 attacks and several extremists who went to fight for Isis.

Salih Khater, in a picture posted on Facebook in 2010 (Facebook)

Police also raided another property in Birmingham and a flat in Nottingham that was said to be rented by several Sudanese men.

No arrests have so far been made in the operations and police are not believed to be hunting for any other suspects over the alleged attack.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counterterror policing, said the suspect was not known to MI5 or counterterror police.

He said his teams current priority was to formally identify the suspect and establish his motivation if we can  he is not currently cooperating.

Mr Basu added: Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident ... no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to the police.

There is no intelligence at this time of further danger to Londoners or the rest of the UK connected to this incident.

Investigators tracked the path of the silver Ford Fiesta used in the attack to find that it was driven around London for almost eight hours before ploughing into cyclists and smashing into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.

Police officers guarding the area had to leap out of the cars path before armed colleagues rushed to detain the driver early on Tuesday morning.

The vehicle had driven from Birmingham late on Monday and arrived in the capital just after midnight, being potted in the central Tottenham Court Road area  a famous shopping and nightlife district  from 1.25am until around 6am.

Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Show all 30 1 /30 Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man Sky News Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers work at the scene EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Damaged bikes near the crash site Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man who crashed a car into the barriers ITV Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity outside the Houses of Parliament after a car crashed into security barriers BBC/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Bicycles lie on the ground at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator arrives at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police and emergency response teams work outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The area is cleared near to the incident PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator works at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police on Victoria Embankment PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers and a search team secure the roads around the Houses of Parliament as forensic teams continue their work around a vehicle Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police forensics officers outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The car crashed into parliament barriers Vincent McAviney/NBC News/Euronews/Twitter/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Fire fighters attend the scene Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A police dog team works behind the cordon REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament olice and emergency services respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police on Westminster Bridge PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police stand in the street after the incident Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers stand at a cordon Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity on Millbank PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters

It was then driven to Westminster and circled around the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall until the crash shortly after 7.30am.

Footage showed the car sharply swerving through several cyclists and pedestrians, over central reservations and down the wrong side of the road at high speed before crashing into security barriers.

It struck during parliaments summer recess and ahead of the daily rush of tourists to the area, leaving it relatively deserted.

Three people suffered non life-threatening injuries in the attack, including a man and woman who needed hospital treatment but have since been discharged.

Theresa May vowed that terrorists would never succeed in dividing Britain, after Donald Trump took to Twitter to blame crazy animals for the attack.

It struck just metres from where Masood stabbed a police officer to death after running down four pedestrians on nearby Westminster Bridge in March 2017, in the first terror attack claimed by Isis in the UK.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the area could be pedestrianised in a bid to ward off vehicle attacks, amid a fresh review of security around the Houses of Parliament.

The car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament (PA)

In the past 17 months, Westminster has been hit by two attacks and was the planned location of four disrupted plots, making it currently the biggest since terror target in Britain.

Ms Dick said: You will notice that the security around parliament both in terms of armed officers and police officers and physical barriers has been further enhanced over the last several months and there is more to come on that in further months.

Whether that area outside should be pedestrianised further, there should be further physical works done, I think is a matter that will be discussed no doubt between parliamentary authorities, us, the intelligence agencies and indeed the local authorities and the mayor.

She said vehicles had become a weapon of choice for terrorists, following a spate of similar attacks across Europe.

Isis has issued advice to its followers non how to carry out atrocities using vehicles, knives and other easily obtained items, which have made attack plans faster and harder to spot for authorities.

At a briefing for journalists in Westminster, the prime ministers spokesman said 13 Islamist and four far-right plots have been foiled since the first Westminster attack in March 2017  an average of one a month.

A total of 676 terrorism investigations by MI5 and counterterrorism police were underway by the end of June this year, up from around 500 just four months before.Social prescriptions, smart beds and digital programmes for diabetes are among the futuristic innovations which could transform the NHS in the near future, it has emerged.

According to a new report, patients will soon be connected to social networks of people living in similar situations to learn to manage their own conditions from others who have gone through the same illness.

Virtual reality could also become commonly used to help paralysed patients to walk by training with brain-controlled robotic systems.

And artificial intelligence that predicts the onset of disease may also be commonplace.

The Future of the NHS report by Pharmacy2U has outlined the innovations that are predicted to drive a healthcare revolution over the next five to ten years.

CEO Mark Livingstone said: Technology has transformed industries from retail to travel, and is now starting to make a significant impact on healthcare.

We are dispensing 500,000 repeat prescription items a month to NHS patient homes for free every month, and over 60 per cent of this is via artificial intelligence.

A healthcare system centred around the patient is the future of the NHS and I envisage a world where every individual will be given the technology to empower themselves to control and adapt their own healthcare requirements.

NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, addresses demonstrators following the march AFP/Getty NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Reuters NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images

The paper predicts that giant vending machine-like robots could represent the future of dispensing repeat medication, and smart beds that track your quality of sleep could also be rolled out in hospitals.

Evidence-based digital programmes that help diabetics to shift their lifestyle rather than taking medication are tipped to take off soon, as well as a widespread adoption of smartwatches that record heart rate.

The report predicts innovation in technology and healthcare may give patients greater levels of control when it comes to their own health.

Companies like Pharmacy2U, which uses artificial intelligence to dispense over 500,000 medicines to patients a month, could begin to play a bigger role in creating preventative healthcare.

Fitbit, which tracks your health and activity, and Elvie which creates smart products to help physical recovery, are also making big technological strides in the industry.

According to the report other rapid technological advances include sensors that monitor your posture, apps that track temperature to provide effective contraception and onesies that monitor newborn babies.

Recommended Government attacked over child mental health plans

The future of smart pharma could see the majority of medicines ordered online and delivered to your home within hours.

With the appropriate level of sign off from a healthcare professional, people could soon receive medical products in the same way we order things like books today, the report concludes.

Ten innovations identified that are helping to drive a healthcare revolution:

Virtual reality that can help paralysed patients to walk by training with brain-controlled robotic systems Artificial intelligence that can predict the onset of disease, like heart attacks by training itself to search and find patterns in patient medical data Wearable sensors that monitor and help improve your posture Apps that track your temperature, cervical fluids and moods to provide effective contraception Smart beds that track your quality of sleep Onesies that monitor your newborns respiration, temperature, pressure and moisture Artificially intelligent giant vending machine-like robots that dispense repeat medicines Smartwatches that capture our heart rate Evidence based digital programmes that help diabetics to shift their lifestyle rather than taking medication Social prescriptions, which connect patients to social networks of people living in similar situations to learn to manage their own conditions from others who have gone through the same illness

South West News ServiceThe streets around the Houses of Parliament could be pedestrianised in a bid prevent terror attacks, Britain's most senior police officer has said.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said authorities would discuss restricting traffic in Westminster in response to vehicles becoming the "weapon of choice".

Her comments came after a driver ploughed a Ford Fiesta into cyclists and pedestrians outside parliament before colliding with a security barrier outside the House of Lords.

Armed police swooped on the scene of the crash, which injured three people, and arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of preparing an act of terror.

Tuesday mornings attack was the sixth targeted at Westminster in the last year and a half.

It came 17 months after terrorist Khalid Masood drove a car at pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four and injuring dozens more, before stabbing to death police constable Keith Palmer outside parliament.

Vehicles were also used in deadly attacks in London Bridge and Finsbury Park in 2017, and have been deployed as murder weapons by terrorists around the world in recent years.

Ms Dick said: Sadly the vehicle appears to, in some ways when you look across Europe and the western world, have become a weapon of choice, method of attack of choice for terrorists, and devastation can be caused by a vehicle as we've seen so many times.

You will notice that the security around parliament both in terms of armed officers and police officers and physical barriers has been further enhanced over the last several months and there is more to come on that in further months.

"Whether that area outside should be pedestrianised further, there should be further physical works done, I think is a matter that will be discussed no doubt between parliamentary authorities, us, the intelligence agencies and indeed the local authorities and the mayor."

(Graphic News (Graphic News)

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone drew up proposals to partially restrict traffic around Parliament Square in 2007 but the plans were scrapped by his successor, Boris Johnson.

Conservative MP Nigel Evans called for the area to be pedestrianised following Tuesdays attack.

And Ms Dick said: "As with anything there is a balance to be drawn. Vehicles are on our streets all the time, we have crowds on our streets as well.

"Terrorists want us to completely change our way of life, they want us to be afraid and they want us to stop doing what we want to do to lead a normal life in the UK.

"We are not going to give in, we are not going to just change our lifestyle, but it is important we take reasonable measures, as I think we have being doing over the last several months, to try and make sure that the most iconic sites, including those in central London, are well protected and should something happen there, that the police are able to respond very quickly with armed officers, which is exactly what we saw yesterday."

The commissioner appealed for anyone with information on Tuesday's "ghastly" crash on Westminster to come forward after police said the suspect in the alleged attack was "not cooperating with questioning.

Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Show all 30 1 /30 Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man Sky News Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Forensic officers work at the scene EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Damaged bikes near the crash site Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police arrest the man who crashed a car into the barriers ITV Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity outside the Houses of Parliament after a car crashed into security barriers BBC/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Bicycles lie on the ground at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator arrives at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police and emergency response teams work outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The area is cleared near to the incident PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensics investigator works at the scene REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police on Victoria Embankment PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers and a search team secure the roads around the Houses of Parliament as forensic teams continue their work around a vehicle Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police forensics officers outside the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Images Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament The car crashed into parliament barriers Vincent McAviney/NBC News/Euronews/Twitter/PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Fire fighters attend the scene Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament A police dog team works behind the cordon REUTERS Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament olice and emergency services respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police on Westminster Bridge PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police respond EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament EPA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Armed police stand in the street after the incident Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police officers stand at a cordon Reuters Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Police activity on Millbank PA Westminster incident: car crashes into barriers outside parliament Reuters

Investigators said he had driven from Birmingham late on Monday and arrived in the capital just after midnight.

The silver Ford Fiesta was spotted in the central Tottenham Court Road area  a famous shopping and nightlife district  from 1.25am until around 6am.

It was then driven to Westminster and circled around the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall until the crash shortly after 7.30am.

Footage showed the car sharply swerving through several cyclists and pedestrians, over central reservations and down the wrong side of the road at high speed before crashing into security barriers.

It struck during parliaments summer recess and ahead of the daily rush of tourists to the area, leaving it relatively deserted.

Three people suffered non life-threatening injuries in the attack, including a man and woman who needed hospital treatment but have since been discharged.

Police are searching two properties in Birmingham and one in Nottingham, as the suspect remains in custody in London.Probably, it was the deafening midnight cheers at Sunderlands referendum count that has since made the citys Nissan workers the poster boys for Brexit self-harm. That, and, perhaps, a vague anti-northern prejudice. Sunderlands overwhelming vote to leave the EU summoned forth ultimatum style letters to the British government from their Japanese automotive overlords to make clear what the hell was going on, specifically re the single market, or face the consequences.

But there is an equally, if not more baffling example to be found much closer to the medias traditional London home. During the height of the EU referendum campaign, scarcely a day went by when some politician or other didnt walk out from under the wing of an aircraft in some blowy hangar somewhere, to warn of the peril faced by the aviation industry in the event of a Leave vote. In the best case scenario, British airlines would move their head offices to continental Europe. Ticket prices would soar. Air travel would get more difficult. Passport queues would turn blue but quadruple in length. In the worst case, flights would be grounded altogether.

But the people of Hayes and Harlington, the west London constituency best understood as the extended baggage carousel for Heathrow airport, took this advice onboard, stowed it in the overhead lockers and went out and voted for Brexit anyway, and by a large margin  40.6 to 59.4 per cent.

Recommended British expats in the EU launch High Court bid to overturn Brexit

But, according to a recent poll, that outlook has changed dramatically. Hayes and Harlington is near the very top of a list of 112 constituencies that have now changed their mind from Leave to Remain. Analysis by Focaldata, published in The Observer, suggests a 12.8 per cent swing.

So why has Hayes and Harlington changed its mind?

Brexit? What a mess, says Adam, a man in his twenties, on his way out of a Sainsburys near the station. Adam works for a catering company that manages the storage and delivery of airline meals to Heathrow. He wont say whether he voted Leave or Remain, or even if he voted at all, but is clearly concerned about the potential impact of Brexit on his employer. Have you seen the money theyre borrowing, Heathrow? Billions, in case it all goes wrong. Billions.

And does he think it is all going to go wrong?

I dont know. People saying the planes are going to stop taking off and all that. I dont think thats going to happen, but you dont know do you. I dont think anyone thinks any of the things they said would happen are going to happen. More money for the NHS and all that. There wont be any more money.

The billions Heathrow is borrowing is not quite as Adam claims. At the end of June, the airport refinanced its debt to make more cash available in the event of a no-deal Brexit and whatever catastrophes that might cause. The UK falling out of various international aviation agreements when it leaves the European Union, and flights having to be grounded as a result is widely considered the most catastrophic and therefore the most unlikely outcome of a no deal Brexit. But, on anecdotal evidence alone, it is enough to make Heathrow workers worried.



Brexit casualties Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit casualties Brexit casualties Andrea Jenkyns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary at the ministry for housing, communities and local government role May 2018 - The Morley and Outwood MP said: We want to see a new relationship with Europe, with a new model not enjoyed by other countries  nothing that leaves us half-in, half-out. And in order to achieve this, we need to leave the customs union. Ms Jenkyns also said she wished to dedicate more of her time to Parliaments influential Exiting the European Union select committee, after a series of unbalanced reports produced by MPs PA Brexit casualties David Davis - Resigned from Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - quit following a major row with May over her plans for post-Brexit relations with the EU. Davis resignation letter said: As you know there have been a significant number of occasions in the last year or so on which I have disagreed with the Number 10 policy line, ranging from accepting the [European] Commissions sequencing of negotiations, through to the language on Northern Ireland in the December Joint Report. At each stage I have accepted collective responsibility because it is part of my task to find workable compromises, and because I considered it was still possible to deliver on the mandate of the referendum, and on our manifesto commitment to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. I am afraid that I think the current trend of policy and tactics is making that look less and less likely. He went on to argue that the general direction of Ms Mays policies would leave the UK in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one. AFP/Getty Brexit casualties Steve Baker - Resigned from Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - Mr Baker, a key Tory figure in the Leave campaign, was David Daviss main lieutenant at Dexeu, and was hailed as courageous and principled by other Brexiteer Tories as he also left. Reuters Brexit casualties Boris Johnson - Resigned from Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Johnson said: "On Friday, I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail and congratulated you on at least reaching a Cabinet decision on the way forward. "As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. "The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat." Reuters Brexit casualties Conor Burns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - A Brexit supporter who worked alongside Boris Johnson stated in his resignation letter: I've decided it's time to have greater freedom. I want to see the referendum result respected. And there are other areas of policy I want to speak more openly on. Rex Brexit casualties Chris Green - Resigned from Department for Transport role July 2018 - The Bolton West MP said: "Parliament overwhelmingly decided to give the decision of whether to leave or remain in the European Union to the British people and they made an unambiguous decision that we ought to leave. "I have always understood the idea in 'Brexit means Brexit' is that the final deal should be clear to me and my constituents - that we have, in no uncertain terms, left the European Union. Twitter Ads info and privacy "The direction the negotiations had been taking have suggested that we would not really leave the EU and the conclusion and statements following the Chequers summit confirmed my fears. "I recognise that delivering Brexit is challenging, however I had hoped at tonight's meeting that there would be some certainty that my fears were unfounded but, instead, they have been confirmed. "I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve as Parliamentary Private Secretary and it is with regret that I offer my resignation with immediate effect." PA Brexit casualties Maria Caulfield - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for women role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. Lewes MP warned that the direction of travel did not fully embrace the opportunities that Brexit can provide. Ms Caulfield said in her letter to the PM: The policy may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party. The direct consequences of that will be prime minister Corbyn. PA Brexit casualties Ben Bradley - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for young people role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. The Mansfield MP said: I admit that I voted to Remain in that ballot. What has swayed me over the last two years to fully back the Brexit vision is the immense opportunities that are available from global trade, and for the ability for Britain to be an outward looking nation in control of our own destiny once again. I fear that this agreement at Chequers damages those opportunities; that being tied to EU regulations, and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements, will be the worst of all worlds if we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to No10. PA Brexit casualties Robert Courts - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. MP Mr Courts said: I have taken a very difficult decision to resign my position as [parliamentary private secretary] to express discontent with the Chequers [plans] in votes tomorrow. I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of Woxon that I support the proposals in their current form. Getty Brexit casualties Scott Mann - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. "I fear elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents. I am not prepared to compromise their wishes to deliver a watered-down Brexit. "The residents of North Cornwall made it very clear that they wish to have control over our fishery, our agricultural policy, our money, our laws and our borders. I will evaluate those principles against the Brexit white paper and ensure that I vote in line with their wishes." Rex

A spokesperson for the airport said: We trust the government to ensure the right steps are taken to ensure planes can take off. Our priority is running a smooth operation.

But that trust is evidently not shared by staff. Almost none of the flight attendants, pilots, retail staff and other Heathrow workers embarking at the airports various underground stations are prepared to break instructions passed down from on high about speaking to the media about Brexit, but one young woman, who says she is a construction engineer, says Who knows whats going to happen? Its not exactly all going to plan is it?

Hard Brexit, soft Brexit, no-deal Brexit or no Brexit at all, Heathrows third runway becomes more likely by the day, but the likelihood of it opening within a decade is limited, and does not factor in to the day to day concerns of the majority of the current workforce.

In the event of a second referendum on the terms of Brexit, itself a growing likelihood, the precise geographical location of anyone who has changed their mind will not matter. But it does heap pressure on local MPs who may no longer be able to claim to be acting on the will of their constituents. And Hayes and Harlingtons MP is in a particularly curious spot. John McDonnell spent decades in parliament walking through the division lobbies with the usual Eurosceptics, became shadow chancellor and campaigned rather lukewarmly for remain. Now he is at the forefront of Labours Brexit policy which is generously described as constructively ambiguous.

His neighbouring constituency, Uxbridge and south Ruislip, represented by Boris Johnson, has also apparently had a change of heart. If Brexit does go wrong, it is hard to see how John McDonnells constituents will express their change of heart on Brexit at the ballot box. They are certainly unlikely to do so by voting Conservative.

One of the reasons I campaigned for Remain was because I was deeply worried about impact on the aviation industry and Heathrow. I have especially consistently and at times vociferously explained that a Tory no-deal Brexit would have massive consequences for Heathrow and the aviation sector overall, Mr McDonnell told The Independent.

I have never thought Brexit would be good for airport workers in my constituency. Thats why I campaigned against it. Although we all respect the referendum result we need a government that will protect jobs and the economy and recognises the real vulnerabilities of the aviation industry. With the way this Government has handled the negotiations on Brexit I am not surprised that airport workers are now also worried about the future of their industry.

It is clear that a general election will not give the people of Hayes and Harlington the opportunity to express their new found doubts about Brexit. Only a second referendum can do that.The chances of the UK securing a Brexit deal before it leaves the European Union in March are only 50:50, Latvias foreign minister has said ahead of talks with Jeremy Hunt.

Edgars Rinkevics said there was a very considerable risk that, with time rapidly running out, Britain could crash out of the bloc without a withdrawal agreement.

He will meet Mr Hunt, the foreign secretary, in the Latvian capital Riga today, with Brexit high on the agenda.

Mr Hunts visit is part of a three day trip that will also take in Denmark and the Netherlands. The talks form part of a concerted effort by UK ministers to convince their European counterparts to support Theresa Mays Chequers plan, which has already been dismissed by the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.

The Independents petition to give the public a Final Say on Britains future relationship with the EU has now been signed by more than 600,000 people.

Asked about the prospects of a Brexit deal, Mr Rinkevics told BBC Today: We are at a very critical point.

I believe that both the EU and UK need to have extra effort to reach some kind of deal by October because I believe it is in the best interests of both the EU and UK.

He added: I think it is only now the British public and British government understand how complex, how difficult this kind of Brexit is, and that it is very difficult to build the future relationship.

Assessing the likelihood of an agreement being reached, he said: Frankly, at this point I would rate it 50:50  50:50 is a very considerable risk.

He also suggested British attempts to win European leaders support for the Chequers proposals, despite opposition from the European Commission, would not work.

He said: From our point of view the EU is united as 27 [countries]. We are also satisfied to see that there is a more detailed position of the British government that constitutes good ground for really trying hard to reach a deal. So having said 50:50, I would say I am remaining optimistic.

People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

Mr Rinkevics said he had full confidence that Mr Barnier is doing his best, and that the EU 27 would not split our position and begin bilateral talks with the UK.

Responding to the comments, Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, said he believed the Chequers plan would form the basis of an agreement with the EU.

He said: None of us want no deal, none of us are working towards that, I think it would be damaging for both this country and the EU.

Weve got to redouble our efforts to make sure we reach the right agreement this autumn, and thats why Theresa May has brought forward the Chequers proposals. They are not easy to sell in this country, as we know they are difficult for Brexiteers to accept.

He added: My view, having thought about this very carefully, is that they do offer us a way to reach an agreement with the EU. I didnt campaign to leave the EU in order to have a different specification of motorcar in France to in the UK  so I can accept having alignment on the technical specifications of manufactured goods, if that is the price we need to pay in order to have a sensible relationship for the future.

Ms May has also repeatedly insisted a Brexit deal based on the Chequers plan is achievable, but Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, said there is only a 40 per cent chance of an agreement.

Asked about the chances of a no-deal Brexit, he told the Sunday Times last week: I have never thought it was much more than 50-50, certainly not much more than 60-40.

He said the EU was concerned about the prospects of Britain crashing out without an agreement, and that this was crucial to securing a good deal for Britain.

He said: I think its essential that no deal looks credible to the EU. If its causing some anxiety in Britain  think what its causing in Brussels.

If our message on no deal is becoming more credible and resonating with those we are negotiating with in Europe, then our negotiating hand is getting stronger every day and we shouldnt do anything to undermine that.On Monday Stalin said he literally pleaded with chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to provide space on the Marina beach.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O. Panneerselvam has appealed to the DMK not to politicise Karunanidhis burial site on the Marina as the issue has been settled.

Dont needlessly politicise this issue. He (DMK chief M. Karunanidhi) has been allotted a place on Marina and hence the issue is over. Raising it after the issue is settled is unwarranted. Therefore, I request that unwanted debate on the matter be not raised, Mr Panneerselvam said.

Speaking to reporters after attending Jamabandhi (community feasting) held at the Sri Marundeshwar temple as part of the Independence Day celebrations, he said, Respecting his stature chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, myself and other Ministers had visited Karunanidhi at his residence and enquired about his health.

They had even visited Karunanidhi at the hospital, Mr Panneerselvam said and dismissed DMK working president M.K. Stalins assertion that he would have been buried beside Thalaivar if he had lost the case in court, as Stalins personal issue.

On Monday Stalin said he literally pleaded with chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to provide space on the Marina beach in front for his fathers burial beside party founder, late C.N. Annadurais memorial.

On Rajinikanths charge that Mr Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues should have attended the DMK leaders funeral, Mr Panneerselvam said it was the actors personal view.British expats living in other EU countries have launched a legal bid to overturn the outcome of the Brexit vote.

The High Court challenge claims the unlawful behaviour of Leave campaigners in the run-up to the 2016 referendum should nullify the result.

It has been launched by the UK in EU Challenge group, made up of Britons living in France, Italy and Spain.

They are seeking a judicial review after the two main pro-Brexit campaigns, Vote Leave and Leave.EU, were fined by the Electoral Commission for breaching electoral laws.

Vote Leave was fined 61,000 and reported to the police after being found to have broken spending rules, while Leave.EU was told to pay 70,000 for also failing to properly declare spending.

UK in EU Challenge said: The rights of the estimated one to two million British nationals who live, work or have other interests in other member states are profoundly affected by Brexit.

In the event of a no deal, they will lose their current legal status.

Even if there is a deal, they risk losing their right to live and work in other EU countries.

The group said the offences committed by the pro-Brexit groups mean the governments invoking of Article 50 should be declared void, and the Brexit process reversed.

Their argument will be heard by a High Court judge, who will decide whether there are grounds for a full review.

People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

The group is being represented by lawyers who were previously involved in the successful Supreme Court bid to force the government to give parliament a vote before triggering Article 50.

Rupert Croft, one of the groups lawyers, said: Our clients contend that the prime ministers decision to trigger Article 50 and start the Brexit process was based on a factual error, namely that the referendum truly represented the will of the people following a lawful, free and fair vote.

Sue Wilson, who lives in Spain and is involved in the legal challenge, said: We hope to demonstrate that you cant win by cheating.

If there is another referendum, there mustnt be a repeat of the illegal activity witnessed last time round.

She added: We have not taken back control  we have been put in the hands of those that care more about their careers and political party than their country.

The UK deserves better, we deserve better, and we wont stop fighting until we succeed.Omar Bongo was so successful at the art of holding on to power that by the end of his life there was no one left in his country with enough authority to pronounce him dead. It took more than 24 hours for the death of the 73-year-old president of Gabon to be confirmed, during which time there were no less than three official denials from the West African nation.

The final word eventually came yesterday afternoon from Gabon's prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong, who confirmed the president had died of a cardiac arrest in a Barcelona hospital. This was just hours after the same official had held a press conference at the clinic to say he had seen his president "alive and well".

Africa's longest serving leader would have probably enjoyed the confusion. It was certainly a tribute to his extraordinary ability to sideline rivals and ensure no competitor, either individually or institutionally, could construct a power base to challenge him.

"President Omar Bongo's greatest legacy is the political stability he was able to achieve and maintain throughout his time in office," said Tara O'Connor, managing director of Africa Risk Consulting. "Unlike neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville and Cote d'Ivoire where the elite's resistance to democracy ultimately provoked civil war, President Bongo met the challenge and later artfully co-opted his opponents into high government office."

Albert Bernard Bongo was born in 1935, the 12th son of a farmer who died when he was seven years old. His official website boasts that "he didn't come into the world on a hospital bed, and he didn't have a cot or a nanny". In 1973, six years after taking over from Gabon's first post-independence leader, he converted to Islam, taking the name El Hadj Omar Bongo. By the time of his death, his name was Omar Bongo Ondimba, after he added a pre-colonial traditional name, reclaimed to underline his African credentials.

There was very little that the man who wore platform shoes to disguise his short stature would not do to get an edge. And this played no small part in the fact that when he died, he was one of the richest men in the world.

Although no clear figure of his net worth has been confirmed, the scale of his plundered riches had begun to emerge thanks to a court case in Gabon's former colonial master, France. Mr Bongo was one of three African leaders accused this year of embezzlement by the French wing of corruption watchdog, Transparency International. Also under investigation are Republic of Congo leader Denis Sassou-Nguesso, a close ally and father-in-law of Mr Bongo, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea. The trio have been accused of looting state coffers. Their extensive portfolio of French properties, worth many multiples of their stated official earnings, have been cited as evidence of corruption.

Throughout his four-decade stint in office which began with the death of his predecessor Leon M'ba in 1967 in a French hospital, former army officer Bongo displayed an acute understanding of the importance of relations with Paris. "Gabon without France is like a car with no driver. France without Gabon is like a car with no fuel," is how the former French air force lieutenant liked to describe the bond.

When French oil giant ELF was looking for a base of operations in the 1970s, Mr Bongo made sure it was Gabon to which they turned first. The Paris trial in 2003 of former Elf chairman Loik Le Floch-Prigent revealed the extent of the corruption and shady dealings in the resultant oil boom where the company was allowed to operate as a "state within a state" in a manner that foreshadowed companies like Royal Dutch Shell in their later dealings with Nigeria. The Gabonese president shrugged off revelations of huge kickback payments to his personal accounts, dismissing them as a "French matter".

Prior to the current suit brought by Transparency International, a police investigation into French real estate owned by the president and his family uncovered 33 properties in Paris and on the Riviera worth an estimated $190m. A decade ago, a US Senate probe into private banking operations at Citibank estimated that the president held $130m in personal accounts and concluded that there could be "no doubt that these financial assets were sourced in the public finances of Gabon".

Through a shrewd disbursement of this vast wealth, collected from oil, the farmer's son maintained friendships with French politicians of every ideological hue that sustained him almost until the end. "He was a great figure of Africa," a "man who had influence", said French Defence Minister Herve Morin when told of his death. The special relationship had become strained, though, under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy whose government is considering dismantling its 1,000-strong army base in Libreville.

The current frostiness was demonstrated by the ailing autocrat's decision to seek treatment last month in Barcelona, rather than a French hospital. Amid rumours that he had cancer, Gabon officials insisted he was having a "routine check-up". Even after his death, the West African country's prime minister insisted that Mr Bongo had died of a "cardiac arrest", making no mention of cancer.

In Libreville one of the favourite jokes was that the quickest way to become a millionaire was to set up an opposition party. The experience of Pierre Mamboundou, leader of the Union for the People of Gabon  who until recently was considered the president's main challenger is proof that it was more than a joke. Mr Mamboundou, the veteran of two bruising and ultimately unsuccessful presidential contests with Mr Bongo, enjoyed a reputation as an uncompromising free speaker prepared to go to jail for the strength of his convictions. Since 2006 he has gone politically quiet and has since revealed that Bongo offered to give him $21.5m for the development of his constituency.

If his case illustrates the carrot used by the farmer's son, then Joseph Rendjambe reveals the stick. The opposition leader died in mysterious circumstances in 1990, the very year the president finally bowed to pressure to scrap the one-party state and bring in multi-party democracy. Only there was no one to lead the opposition. Rendjambe's death sparked riots that rocked Gabon for weeks and presented a rare threat to the regime.

The reality of the Bongo years meant that while Gabon missed the worst of the instability that hit West Africa, it also missed the opportunities to transform itself as a country with the same per capita wealth as Portugal could have done. A small elite were the closest that Gabon came to fostering a middle class and many in the rural areas remained untouched by the oil money. While the country has almost 900 miles of oil pipeline, it has less than 600 miles of paved roads.

The passing of one of Africa's more memorable "Big Men" caused confusion and fear in Libreville, where many shops and businesses have been closed since reports first emerged in French media on Sunday night. For the vast majority of the tiny nation's 1.4 million people, the diminutive farmer's son was the only president they had known, having been in charge for 41 years. "We closed the restaurant since the announcement," said one waiter. "People are scared."A couple whose caravan accident started one of the largest wildfires in California history have been told by local residents told:: It's not your fault.

Authorities have not identified the owners of the mobile home vehicle, but that has not stopped the community affected by the Carr wildfire to send an outpouring of support in Facebook posts, letters, and cards.

The trailer experienced a flat tyre on 23 July near Redding, California, and the steel rim of the wheel scraped against the asphalt, creating the spark which ignited dry brush near the side of the road.

Recommended Firefighter dies battling largest recorded blaze in California history

Redding resident Rachel Pilli read about how the fire started and posted on social media to see if anyone wanted to join her in telling the owners they were not to blame.

"I was thinking if I could send a card, maybe my friends would also send a card to show compassion towards the caravan owners, she told the local CNN affiliate.

She said hundreds of letters poured in and are continuing to arrive.

 Police officers race against time to save animals in a shelter from a wildfire

More than 450 people responded in a Facebook group called Carr Fire Stories, a community for those affected by the wildfire.

The administrator posted this on 13 August in the group: We personally know someone who's mom is a neighbor to the man who's trailer accident led to #CarrFire. Many have been thinking and praying for this man. We learned that his wife is blaming herself for the #CarrFire, because she asked him to take the trailer in the first place. She has been crying day and night on her couch.

Pleading for only positive messages, the post said: This may be one of our finest moments, Redding!

The fire has thus far destroyed 211,019 acres and was 65% contained as of mid-week, but that did not stop commenters from showing forgiveness towards the couple.

Lesli Ritchie wrote: accidents happen. There's no way you could have predicted this and beating yourself up doesn't do any good. I hope you can find peace in these messages and know that people do not blame you.

You cannot blame yourself for this! There was nothing you could have done differently and it is NOT your fault! Do not listen to those looking for someone to blame. Sometimes things happen and they are tragic, but the blame is not on you and never will be. Please feel all the love and support of this community, Elizabeth Rofkhar posted.

Comments poured in from communities in Canada affected by wildfires and even as far away as western New York state.A revered philosophy professor who teaches feminism has been suspended by New York University (NYU) over allegations she sexually harassed one of her male students.

Avital Ronell, lauded as one of the most original, bold and surprising thinkers in modern academia, has been banned from teaching for a year following an 11-month investigation.

Her former student, 34-year-old Nimrod Reitman, accused Ms Ronell, 66, of physical and verbal harassment during his time at the university.

Mr Reitman, who is now a visiting fellow at Harvard, claimed Ms Ronell repeatedly kissed and touched him, slept in his bed with him, demanded he sleep in hers, messaged and called him constantly, and refused to work with him if he failed to reciprocate.

According to The New York Times, who saw excerpts of an NYU report into the case, Ms Ronell sent emails to her student in which she called him my most adored one, sweet cuddly Baby, and cock-er spaniel.

Ms Ronell, who is a lesbian, told the newspaper her behaviour towards Mr Reitman, now a married gay man, did not constitute harassment.

 Students at the University of Bristol raise 1,500 for cleaner so he can go to Jamaica with his wife

Our communications  which Reitman now claims constituted sexual harassment  were between two adults, a gay man and a queer woman, who share an Israeli heritage, as well as a penchant for florid and campy communications arising from our common academic backgrounds and sensibilities.

These communications were repeatedly invited, responded to and encouraged by him over a period of three years.

Despite being cleared of sexual assault, stalking and retaliation, the university upheld the complaint against Ms Ronell of sexual harassment.

World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 Show all 11 1 /11 World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 1 The University of Oxford holds the top spot globally for the second year in a row Getty World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 2 The University of Cambridge jumps to second from fourth place in 2017 thanks to a perceived improvement in teaching quality Andrew Dunn World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 =3 Beaten by Cambridge this year, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) falls to third Canon.vs.nikon World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 =3 Stanford University ties in third place with Caltech King of Hearts World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology - the private research institute in Cambridge, US, retains its position in 5th place Madcoverboy World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 6 Harvard University remains in 6th place for another year Wikipedia World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 7 Princeton University retains 7th place for 2018 Quantockgoblin World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 8 Imperial College London retains its position as 8th best in the world, according to the rankings Vinceesq World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 9 The University of Chicago rises one place this year to ninth Ibrahim Old World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 =10 ETH Zurich  Swiss Federal Institute of Technology falls to joint 10th place Roland zh World University Rankings 2018: The top 10 =10 The University of Pennsylvania makes a surprise entry into the top 10 this year, jumping forward three places WestCoastivieS

The decision by NYU has sparked a complaint from a group of international academics, who published an open letter accusing Mr Reitman of waging a malicious campaign against the professor.

We testify to the grace, the keen wit, and the intellectual commitment of Professor Ronell and ask that she be accorded the dignity rightly deserved by someone of her international standing and reputation, they wrote.Justice is an 8-year-old American quarter horse who used to be named Shadow. And when he was named Shadow, he suffered. At a veterinarians exam last year, he was 300 pounds underweight, his black coat lice-ridden, his skin scabbed and his genitals so frostbitten that they might still require amputation.

The horse had been left outside and underfed by his previous owner, who last summer pleaded guilty to criminal neglect. And now Justice, who today resides with other rescued equines on a quiet wooded farm within view of Oregons Cascade mountains, is suing his former owner for negligence. In a lawsuit filed in his new name in a county court, the horse seeks at least $100,000 (78,00) for veterinary care, as well as damages for pain and suffering, to fund a trust that would stay with him no matter who is his caretaker.

The complaint is the latest bid in a quixotic quest to get courts to recognise animals as plaintiffs, something supporters and critics alike say would be revolutionary. The few previous attempts  including a recent high-profile case over whether a monkey can own a copyright  have failed, with judges ruling in various ways that the nonhumans lacked legal standing to sue. But Justices case, the animal rights lawyers behind it contend, is built on court decisions and statutes that give it a stronger chance, particularly in a state with some of the nations most progressive animal protection laws.

There have been a lot of efforts to try to get animals not only to be protected but to have the right to go to court when their rights are violated, said Matthew Liebman, director of litigation at the Animal Legal Defence Fund, which filed the suit in Justices name. Those havent found the right key to the courthouse door. And were hopeful that this is the key.

These efforts have been made amid broad growth in legal protections and advocacy for animals. Three decades ago, few law schools offered courses in animal law; now, more than 150 do, and some states have created animal law prosecutorial units. All 50 states have enacted felony penalties for animal abuse. Connecticut last year became the first state to allow courts to appoint lawyers or law students as advocates in animal cruelty cases, in part because overburdened prosecutors were dismissing a majority of such cases.

These developments count as progress, animal rights lawyers say, in persuading lawmakers and courts to expand the traditional legal view of animals  as property  to reflect their role in a society in which dogsitting is big business and divorces can involve cat custody battles.

Our legislature acknowledged that people care a lot about animals, and thats something thats evolving and increasing, said Jessica Rubin, a University of Connecticut law professor who serves as an advocate in the states cruelty cases. The law, hopefully, is catching up to where our morals are.

But expanding the protections for animals is quite different from granting them legal standing, which courts have not been willing to do. In 2004, a federal appeals court shot down a suit in the name of the worlds cetaceans, in which president George W Bush and defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld were sued over the US Navys use of sonar.

In 2012, a US District Court dismissed a suit filed on behalf of five SeaWorld orcas, which argued that their captivity was a violation of the 13th Amendments prohibition on slavery. This spring, a federal appeals court ruled that a crested macaque that took its own photo could not sue for copyright protection, saying this monkey  and all animals, since they are not human  lacks statutory standing under the Copyright Act.

East Jerusalem's cherished horses Show all 14 1 /14 East Jerusalem's cherished horses East Jerusalem's cherished horses A Palestinian man pets a horse in the living room of horse trader Fares Salem in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of A-tur Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenager Mohammad Gharabli tends to his horse as it eats from a plastic container in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Two white horses seen head-to-head in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian horse trader Fares Salem (R) sits next to a friend while his horse stands in his living room in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of A-tur Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenager Mohammad Gharabli stands on his horse in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenagers ride their horses during sunset in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Shuafat Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenagers use their mobile phones while sitting with their horses in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenager Dris Subblaban kisses his horse in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenager Dris Subblaban sits on top of his horse under a tree in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian teenager Mahmoud Montasir washes his horse with a hose in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian horse trader Fares Salem stands next to a running horse in a field in East Jerusalem Photography by Reuters/Ammar Awad East Jerusalem's cherished horses A horse looks out of a stable window in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of A-tur Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Horses stand in the living room of Fares Salem, a horse trader, in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of A-tur Reuters East Jerusalem's cherished horses Palestinian horse trader Fares Salem plays with his horse inside the living room of his house in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of A-tur Photography by Reuters/Ammar Awad

In New York courts, a group called the Nonhuman Rights Project has for several years sought writs of habeas corpus for captive chimpanzees, arguing that they are legal persons  a term that can apply to corporations and ships  and have a right to freedom. While judges have occasionally praised the effort, they have ultimately rejected it, saying chimpanzees cannot bear the duties and responsibilities required of legal persons.

Against that backdrop, Mr Liebman says Justices case is more reasonable than the others. It does not involve the constitution or historically weighted concepts such as slavery or a writ of habeas corpus. Its not so, well, silly-sounding as copyright for a monkey.

Instead, he and colleagues say, it is a logical next step. Their argument goes like this: while some state cruelty laws were written to protect animal owners or public morals, Oregons anti-cruelty law makes plain it is intended to protect animals, which it calls sentient beings. Whats more, state courts have ruled that animals can be considered individual victims. And because victims have the right to sue their abusers, the lawsuit says, Justice should be able to sue his former owner.

Justice, of course, has no idea he is suing. Sarah Hanneken, an Animal Legal Defence Fund attorney in Portland, says that Justices ignorance of the lawsuit is irrelevant.

This whole idea of somebody who has been injured by the acts of another and not being able to speak for themselves in court, so having an adult human do it for them, this is not new, Ms Hanneken said. Children are allowed to bring lawsuits, because we recognise that children have interests that laws protect.

According to court filings, Justices former owner, Gwendolyn Vercher, surrendered the horse to a rescue organisation in March 2017 at the urging of a neighbour in Cornelius, west of Portland. In a letter to law enforcement, an equine veterinarian who examined the horse at the time said he was severely emaciated, lethargic and weak. That poor condition probably contributed to a lasting problem  the animals penis had prolapsed, and his inability to retract it led to frostbite, trauma and infection.

Since being rescued, Justice has gained weight and become more social (Washington Post photo by Carolyn Van Houten)

When I got him, he was a lot worse than I anticipated, said Kim Mosiman, executive director of Sound Equine Options, which takes in and finds homes for about 100 horses each year.

Justice, whom Ms Mosiman fondly describes as like a grumpy old man, has gained weight and become more social. On a sun-soaked afternoon at the dusty farm in Estacada, he nibbled grass alongside a retired racehorse named Flick and used his nose to nudge the notebook of a visiting reporter. But the lawsuit says his penis may require partial amputation and that his medical conditions will demand longterm care.

Im trying to find someone who wants to adopt him, Ms Mosiman said. But if they find out theyre going to have to be financially responsible for him, hes never going anywhere.

Some animal law experts warn that Justices lawsuit is extreme, even dangerous. Richard Cupp, a Pepperdine University law professor who has been critical of the chimpanzee personhood cases, and said he thinks the horse case has even more radical implications.

Allowing Justice to sue could mean any animal protected under Oregons anti-cruelty statute  a class that includes thousands of pets, zoo animals and even wildlife  could do the same, he said. (Livestock, lab animals, hunting targets, rodeo animals and invertebrates are exempted.) If this approach were adopted elsewhere, Mr Cupp said, a stampede of animal litigation could overrun courts.

Any case that could lead to billions of animals having the potential to file lawsuits is a shocker in the biggest way, Mr Cupp said. Once you say a horse or dog or cat can personally sue over being abused, its not too big a jump to say, Well, were kind of establishing that theyre legal persons with that. And legal persons cant be eaten.

Mr Cupp emphasised that he supports Oregons progressive animal cruelty laws and rulings. But legislation is a more reasonable way of expanding animal protections, he said. Justices case, for example, could be addressed through a law requiring an abuser to cover an animals future care. This would not be bad for society, Mr Cupp said. We do need to evolve. Were not doing enough to protect animals.

Mr Cupp points to a Connecticut law as one that maintains an important distinction between animals and people. It focuses on the interests of justice, not the animals interests.

Recommended Circus elephant falls into audience in Germany

Geordie Duckler, a Portland animal law attorney who represents Vercher, said he views the horse lawsuit as a publicity stunt, one he does not expect Oregon courts to take very seriously.

Theres a massive chasm between saying a thing is a victim and saying now it must have rights, and the rights are apparently the full panoply of rights, and must include a right to sue, Mr Duckler said. Theres no such thing as a right in a vacuum ... as soon as you have animal rights, then youd better have animal jails and prosecutions against animals.

The slippery-slope arguments are familiar to Ms Mosiman, who calls her group an animal welfare, not animal rights, organisation. When she considered Justices longterm needs, though, she had no qualms about signing him up as a plaintiff, she said.

It was pretty clear cut: if he wasnt starved, this wouldnt have happened, Ms Mosiman said as Justice languidly scratched his neck and head against a towering pine tree. Its about him.

The Washington PostA power company in Puerto Rico has restored electricity to all of its customers 11 months after Hurricane Maria hit.

The announcement, however, may not reflect the status of all homes on the island.

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) announced on Twitter it had restored electricity for the remaining customers, posting a photo of a family located in Ponce who were said to be the last clients needing power.

With this, we completed the restoration of service by Hurricane Maria, the caption translated to English read.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico last September, and it is still not clear how many lives the storm claimed.

Although the official death toll was reported to be 64, officials in Puerto Rico have recently estimated that Maria killed more than 1,400 people.

The hurricane-induced blackout is the worst in Americas history; more than three million people were without electricity after Maria hit.

PREPA engineer Carlos Alvarado told ABC News the families in Ponce were emotional when the power came back.

Juan A Rosado-Reynes, spokesperson for the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who has provided assistance to its federal partners in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Maria, said the move was an important milestone though there was a lot more work left to be done.

But as some residents in Puerto Rico told CNN, the restoration news does not reflect the reality for everyone living on the island.

Jose Saldana Jr who lives in El Yunique National Forest said he and his family have yet to see power restored.

Mr Saldana said it was not true that electricity had been restored to all homes in Puerto Rico.

Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Show all 20 1 /20 Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew chief Kenney shelters under the blade of an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit preparing to take off during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, Puerto Rico, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico An HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit takes off behind Crew Chief Alexander Blake and his fellow soldiers during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Morovis, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew member Bynum stands in tropical rain as a HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit prepares to take off during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot Chris Greenway receives a hug from a woman thanking him for water as he works with the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Verde de Comerio, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A man carries a case of water away from an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter after soldiers working with 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit dropped off relief supplies during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Jayuya, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew chief Alexander Blake from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit loads water into a helicopter during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents wait for soldiers in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade to deliver food and water during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo Reuters Bringing aid to Puerto Rico An HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit lands in a field to avoid lightning during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Manati, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents hold their hands aloft to signal that they need water as UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade fly past during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, near Ciales, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Tropical rain splashes on a runway as HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit wait for weather to clear during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Pilot Eldwin Bocanegra Torres speaks with residents isolated by landslides in the mountains after unloading water and food from a helicopter during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, near Utuado, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents stand in front of wind-damaged trees as they wait for soldiers in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade to deliver food and water during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico The contents of a home are seen from the air during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Utuado, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Thomas looks out of the window of an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit, loaded with relief supplies, during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A message written on the rooftop is seen from the air during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Humacao, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit lands in a field during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in San Sebastian, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Sergeant First Class Eladio Tirado, who is from Puerto Rico, looks for a landing spot for a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Ciales, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Boys carry water away from an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter after soldiers working with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit dropped off relief supplies during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Jayuya, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Sergeant First Class Eladio Tirado from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, who is from Puerto Rico, speaks with residents as he helps during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents peek through a fence at helicopters from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit that had parked in a locked field during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Lares, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson

Geraldo Quinones, a spokesperson for PREPA, told CNN that the company does not have control in El Yunique, adding that there has been a back-and-forth between PREPA and the US Forest Service.

Mr Quinones said the two organisations were confident the problem will be resolved soon.

The Independent has contacted the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration for information on the status of electricity for homes in Puerto Rico.

PREPA and the US Forest Service were also contacted but no response had been received from any of those bodies at the time of publication.The lawyer taking on US president Donald Trump over his alleged affair with an adult film actress has secured the release of a nine-year-old boy from Guatemala at an immigration court.

A judge had initially denied Michael Avenattis request to dismiss the removal case against the boy, whose mother was deported in June.

Mr Avenatti and another lawyer had offered to take the boy from court to the airport and fly him to Guatemala.

Instead, the judge agreed to let the boy voluntarily depart the US in the next 60 days, as part of the ordinary process when an immigrant child who entered the US without legal permission wishes to return.

Mr Avenatti said later on Twitter that following negotiations, authorities had allowed him to take the boy home to his mother in Guatemala.

Images posted by Mr Avenatti later showed the boy, named only as Antony, being reunited with his mother.

Standing outside court after the hearing earlier, Mr Avenatti denied that he was representing the boy as a publicity stunt.

He said: Ive been representing dozens of mothers and children for weeks now, travelling around the country. My record speaks for itself.

Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Show all 8 1 /8 Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Mishawaka, Indiana AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Washington DC AFP/Getty Images Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy New York Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks in Tornillo, Texas alongside the many other US mayors who have called for detained immigrant children to be reunited with their families AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Albuquerque Mayor Tim Kelle leaves a teddy bear as a gift for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti leave sandals as gifts for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy US embassy, Mexico City AFP/Getty Images Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA

In addition to his legal fights on behalf of adult film actress Stormy Daniels, Mr Avenatti has taken up the cases of immigrant families separated under the Trump administrations zero-tolerance policy on border crossings.

He has also started to draw some attention as a potential challenger to Mr Trump in the next presidential election.

Aside from Mr Avenattis notoriety, the Guatemalan boys case falls into the same legal situation as hundreds of children who were taken from their parents, only to have their parents removed without them.

The US government said last week that it counted 365 children in that category, out of 2,500 children who were separated before the Trump administration officially stopped the policy.

Four government departments submitted a plan last week on how it would reunify the families.

Government officials are supposed to track down parents in their countries of origin to confirm they want their children sent back and that there is no reason to stop reunification, then coordinate with those countries to return the children.

However, immigrant children without a parent in the US have their own legal rights, said Jennifer Podkul, director of policy at the legal group Kids in Need of Defence.

They can file claims to try to stay in the US even if their parents are no longer here, she said.

Ms Podkul added: If a child wants to stay and make a claim for protection, we want to make sure ... that the childs voice is always heard.

Associated PressThe judge overseeing a controversial case involving a Muslim compound in New Mexico has been forced to close her courtroom after receiving hundreds of death threats.

Judge Sarah Backus was referred to as an "Islamic terrorist sympathiser" by critics after granting bail to five people accused of training children to carry out school shootings at the makeshift, high-desert compound police raided earlier this month.

Authorities found 11 children in need of food and water inside of the filthy complex, which lacked plumbing and included a shooting range with loaded weapons.

The body of a toddler was also found buried at the site days later.

The five accused have pleased not guilty to the charges against them.

While the accusations were "troubling and unusual, the judge said prosecutors failed to provide evidence of child abuse or threats to society. The five defendants were then granted $20,000 bail each and ordered to comply with specific restrictions, which include wearing GPS ankle bracelets and not being permitted back to the compound.

The ruling sparked outcry online, as people called and threatened violence against Ms Backus. The courthouse was then placed on lock down after threats were made to all staff.

Her decision to grant bail also triggered a response online after being reported by Fox News, with critics slamming the decision and calling the judge "a danger to the community.

 11 children rescued from squalid desert compound in New Mexico

Susana Martinez, the states Republican governor, also rebuked the judge's decision to grant bail for the five defendants.

"The dangerous accused criminals in the Taos compound case should never have been released on bail," she said in a statement.

Prosecutors allegee two teenage children living inside the compound received training from the defendants  described by police as "Muslim extremists"  in conducting mass shootings. T

New Mexico compound search Show all 6 1 /6 New Mexico compound search New Mexico compound search Aerial photo released by Taos County Sheriff's Office shows a rural compound during an unsuccessful search for a missing 3-year-old boy in Amalia, New Mexico AP New Mexico compound search Taos County Solid Waste Department Director Edward Martinez, center, surveys property conditions at a disheveled living compound at Amalia, N.M., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018 AP New Mexico compound search Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, left, sits next to public defense attorney Aleks Kostich at a first appearance in New Mexico state district court in Taos, New Mexico, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, on accusations of child abuse and abducting his son from the boy's mother AP New Mexico compound search Lucas Morton arrives in court to plead not guilty to child abuse charges in state district court in Taos, New Mexico, on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 AP New Mexico compound search Subhannah Wahhaj appears in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, New Mexico, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, alongside public defense attorney Greg Dawkins, left AP New Mexico compound search This Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, photo released by Taos County Sheriff's Office shows a rural compound during an unsuccessful search for a missing 3-year-old boy in Amalia, New Mexico AP

But the judge did not see a specific violent threat to the compounds surrounding communities. Meanwhile, residents are polarised in their thoughts on the incident; while some believe the defendants were training children to conduct shootings, others said they were a religious family simply trying to live off the grid, Reuters reported.

The five defendants are reportedly related to the children found in the compound, and will be provided with weekly visitation after posting bail, officials said.A number of survivors identified in a chilling near 900-page grand jury report documenting decades of alleged sexual abuse in six dioceses of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania, have spoken out in the wake of its release.

In an video captured by ABC, a number of victims spoke out about what is believed to be most detailed report to date documenting sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the US. The report documents abuse in 54 of Pennsylvanias 64 counties and identified more than 1,000 victims. The grand jury report charged that the real number of child abuse victims  likely unidentifiable due to lost records or fear of coming forward  are likely to be in the thousands. It identified more than 300 "predator priests" in Pennsylvania alone.

I was groomed, starting young, said one victim in the video named Shaun.

They targeted me because I was father-less, said another victim identified as Bob.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Jim VanSickle shared his story detailing alleged sexual abuse by a priest named David Poulson in Erie, Pennsylvania. Mr VanSickle said the priest had groomed him and physically and emotionally abused him.

He gave me somebody to be able to confide in, which makes the whole thing so confusing to me, he said.

Mr VanSickle then 16 years old said Mr Poulson, 10 years his senior, tackled him one night in a hotel room during a trip while he was visibly aroused.

For the first time, I felt terror and fear from the fact that it almost seemed like he had eight or nine arms versus the two that Im using to get him off, he said.

Most UK Catholics support abortion and use of contraception Show all 3 1 /3 Most UK Catholics support abortion and use of contraception Most UK Catholics support abortion and use of contraception 456220.bin AFP/Getty Images Most UK Catholics support abortion and use of contraception 456222.bin Reuters Most UK Catholics support abortion and use of contraception 456221.bin Getty Images

Mr Poulson had been charged earlier this year with three felonies related to child sex crimes. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the charges in May, accusing Mr Poulson of sexually abusing two boys between 2002 and 2010  one of the victims 8 years old at the start of Mr Poulsons alleged abuse.

Mr Poulson waived his right to a preliminary hearing in May. He is expected to face trial unless a plea deal is reached. He has yet to enter a plea.

Mr Shapiro has said that the recently released grand jury report details a "widespread systematic cover-up" of the alleged sexual abuse that took place for years within the six dioceses that had been investigated.Christine Hallquist has become the first transgender candidate to win a major political party's nomination for governor.

A former utility executive and engineer from Vermont, Ms Hallquist defeated three other Democrats in Tuesday's Vermont primary.

The 62-year-old former CEO is part of a wave of LGBTQ candidates seeking higher office across the US.

Ms Hallquist spent 12 years as the chief Executive of Vermont Electric Cooperative and made her transition from male to female while running the company.

"I think Vermont is a beacon of hope for the rest of the country," Ms Hallquist said speaking to Reuters after her victory. "This is what I call expanding our moral compass and that is what I think it represents."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a popular Democratic Socialist running for Congress in New York, took to twitter after the results to show her support for Ms Hallquist, calling it an "incredible and groundbreaking victory".

Bernie Sanders, who easily won his own Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night, offered his congratulations and called on Ms Hallquist to "keep making history" by getting elected in November.

Ms Hallquist will face a tough fight against Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who remains more popular with Democrats then members of his own party in the liberal state.

However Ms Hallquist is not the only representative of the LGBTQ wave hitting US politics. Before Vermont's election, four transgender candidates had won primaries in 2018, although all for house and senate seats in state legislatures.

Alexandra Chandler, a former naval intelligence analyst, is running for Congress in Massachusetts. "I'm running for Congress to be a voice for trans kids out there", Ms Chandler said in a recent promotional video.

30 best pictures from New York Pride Show all 30 1 /30 30 best pictures from New York Pride 30 best pictures from New York Pride Peppermint and Sasha Velour attend the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers standing on Seventh Avenue watch the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Parkland, Florida, school shooting survivor Emma Gonzales attends the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as participants make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride New York City Pride 2018 Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Members of the New York City Fire Department cheer as EMT Trudy Bermudez and paramedic Tayreen Bonilla get engaged at the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Lady Gaga and Christian Carino are seen at the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Jonathan Van Ness and over 200 marchers show their pride in every flavor at the NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Billie Jean King attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Queen Bee (C) and her fierce flavor posse give an electrifying performance on SMIRNOFFs Love Wins float for the 2018 NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for SMIRNOFF 30 best pictures from New York Pride Ilana Glazer attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A reveller shows off his hat mirroring President Trump's campaign slogan Make America Great Again at the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A reveller attends the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride An individual mocks Melania Trump's 'I really don't care' jacket, which she wore when visiting a children's shelter on the US-Mexico border Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers take part in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers kiss during the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers take part in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers on the amfAR amazon float as amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Victoria Justice celebrates on the amfAR amazon float as amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon makes her way down 7th Avenue during the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Participants make their way down 7th Avenue during the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Alexander Wang (center) joins Trojan Condoms to celebrate their Protect Your Wang collaboration, supporing LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health programs, at the NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for Trojan 30 best pictures from New York Pride Crowd of parade-goers at amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images

Seventeen have lost primary or general elections and 21 have yet to face voters. For example, transgender lawyer Kim Coco Iwamoto unsuccessfully ran to be Democrats' nominee for Hawaii lieutenant governor.

Ms Hallquist is being supported by The Victory Fund, a political action committee that backs LGBTQ candidates across the country. The committed labelled her a "game changer."

Shortly after the results of the Vermont primary were announced, Ms Hallquist took to Twitter to share her messages for the state.

Among promoting her campaign causes, such as increasing the minimum wage and improving local healthcare, she said: "I will not cower in the face of headwinds from Washington.

"I want to remind everyone, running for Governor is not the greatest challenge I have faced. Tear it up sister!"Overdiagnosis is a critical outcome to consider when making decisions about participating in lung cancer screening or not.

Many U.S. doctors dont discuss the harms of lung cancer screening or the potential for overdiagnosis in conversations with current and former smokers about whether tests are necessary, two new studies suggest.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that doctors engage patients in shared decision making, with thorough discussions about the risk and benefits of screening, before patients get low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans (a form of high-powered X-ray) to look for any abnormalities on their lungs, researchers note in one of the studies in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require proof of shared decision-making before they will pay for the test, the authors add. To gauge whether this actually happening, the study team analyzed recordings of 14 conversations between doctors and patients about starting lung cancer screening. Every one of the physicians recommended screening, and discussion of potential harms was almost entirely absent from these talks.

Conversations were uniformly brief and one-sided, said senior study author Dr. Daniel Reuland of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

While screening may reduce the chance of dying from lung cancer by catching tumors sooner, most people dont benefit because hundreds of patients need to be tested over many years just to prevent one death, Reuland said by email. Most of the time, CT scans detect nodules, or abnormal tissue, that arent cancerous, he added. Unfortunately, figuring out which nodules are cancer is hard and can require invasive procedures which can lead to complications and out-of-pocket costs, even for the people without cancer, Reuland said.

In addition to these false positives, another of the potential harms of screening that doctors are supposed to discuss with patients is overdiagnosis  when screening catches a cancer that is so slow-growing it might never have caused symptoms, or at least not before the person died of some other cause.

However, (these tumors) still usually get treated with chest surgery or other treatments, because figuring out which tumors dont need aggressive treatment is difficult, Reuland added.

On average, doctors in the study devoted only one minute to discussing lung cancer screening, during conversations that lasted an average of 13 minutes, the study found.

For a cancer screening with such unclear net benefit and clear harms, it is particularly important that patients understand this balance before signing up for such a test, said Dr. Rita Redberg, chief editor of JAMA Internal Medicine and author of an accompanying editorial. This matters a lot to patients, as they would have no way of knowing that their chance of benefit from the low dose CT is small and their chance of harm is greater, Redberg, said by email.

A separate study in the same journal examined the risk of overdiagnosis after lung cancer screening. Researchers randomly assigned 4,104 current or former smokers to receive annual screenings or no screenings for five years, then followed patients for an additional five years.

By the end of the follow-up period, 96 people assigned to screening were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 64 of these cases were detected by CT scans. In comparison, 53 people who didnt receive screening were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Researchers estimated that about 67 percent of the cancers detected by screening represented overdiagnosis. This group did start out with a higher risk for lung cancer than the group that didnt receive screening, the authors note.

Overdiagnosis is a critical outcome to consider when making decisions about participating in lung cancer screening or not, said lead study author Dr. Bruno Heleno, who did the work at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and is now at the Nova Medical School in Lisbon, Portugal. Unfortunately, research shows that it is difficult to be certain about the true extent of overdiagnosis when screening with low-dose CT-scans, Heleno said by email.

The USPSTF currently recommends that people aged 55 to 80 with a history of smoking the equivalent of a pack a day for 30 years get screened yearly with a low-dose CT scan.

Ex-smokers might want to think differently about screening than current smokers, said Dr. Mark Ebell, a public health researcher at the University of Georgia and coauthor of an editorial accompanying the overdiagnosis study. I primarily encourage patients from 55 to 70 who are current smokers, since they have the greatest benefit, Ebell said by email. Older patients in good health can also consider screening, although its uncommon to find a current smoker over 70 years that doesnt have other serious medical problems that limit the benefit from screening for lung cancer. Close US Primaries: What are the key races as four US sates vote in primary elections?

Minnesota state Representative Ilhan Omar, the nation's first Somali-American legislator, has won a crowded Democratic primary to replace Representative Keith Ellison in Congress.

Ms Omar's victory Tuesday all but ensures she'll set another historic mark as the first Somali-American in Congress. Minnesota's 5th Congressional District includes Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs that tilt heavily Democratic.

Meanwhile, Senator Tina Smith will face off against Minnesota state Senator Karin Housely after both won their primaries in the race to fill Al Franken's seat in the Senate.

Mr Franken resigned earlier in the year amid allegations stemming from the #MeToo movement, leading to the all-women face-off in November.

Recommended Democrat Senator Al Franken stands down over sexual assault claims

On Monday, Mr Trump endorsed the Republican frontrunner for the House seat in the 8th district, Pete Stauber. Democrat Rick Nolan retired from the position, leaving a tough five-way primary for the party. Mr Stauber has leaned heavily on a pro-Trump message and will hope it helps him breakthrough in November. Mr Stauber will face former state Representative Joe Radinovich

Elsewhere, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's comeback bid fizzled in the Republican primary for his old job, as voters chose County Commissioner Jeff Johnson to face Democratic Representative Tim Walz in the governor's race.

Mr Walz had been considered a top contender in the three-way primary to replace outgoing Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, despite losing his party's nod in early June. And Mr Johnson was a longshot, given Mr Pawlenty's unparalleled name recognition and fundraising from two terms as governor and a brief presidential campaign in 2012.

The stakes are high for both parties. For Democrats, the governor's office could be their only lever of power if they don't take the state House later this year. Republicans see a chance at seizing complete control of state government in the traditionally blue state.

Please wait a moment for the live blog to loadWest Virginias House of Delegates have voted to impeach justices on the states Supreme Court over spending.

All four Supreme Court justices  Justices Margaret Workman, Allen Loughry, Elizabeth Walker and Robin Davis  were impeached over allegations that they abused their authority over excessive spending.

Ms Davis announced her retirement hours after impeachment, which was allowed to retroactively take effect from Monday; the other three justices now face impeachment trials in the state Senate.

Recommended Prosecution rests case against former Trump campaign chairman Manafort

The House Delegate Committee had announced earlier this month it adopted 14 articles of impeachment on various allegations, including corruption, incompetency and neglect of duty.

The accusations included allegations of wasteful spending of taxpayer funds on lavish office renovations allegedly totalling more than $1m , the use of public vehicles for personal use and overpaying senior status judges outside of lawful boundaries, the committee said in a statement.

This committee did not take this effort lightly, said Judiciary Committee Chairman John Shott. After reviewing all the evidence available to us, it became clear that a culture of entitlement and disregard for both the law and taxpayer funds have damaged the reputation of our judicial system  and that all justices had a part in violating the publics trust.

Ms Workman has been accused of excessive spending in the remodelling of her office amounting to $111,000 (80,000), among other accusations. Mr Loughry had allegedly spent approximately $363,000 (300,00) which included the sum of a couch for $31,924 ( 25,000).

Ms Davis expenditures allegedly amounted to approximately $500,000 ( 400,000) for the remodeling of her personal office, and Ms Walker has been accused of spending approximately $131,000 (100,000) on a remodel.

"What we are witnessing is a disaster for the rule of law, the foundation for our state, and indeed our own society, Ms Davis said during a press conference announcing her resignation. For when a legislative body attempts to dismantle a separate branch of government, the immediate effects as well as the precedent it sets for the future can only be deemed disastrous."

Mr Loughry faced eight impeachment articles, and was indicted in June on 23 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, witness tampering and obstruction of justice and lying to federal law enforcement. Mr Loughry has not yet issued a plea for the case, but has denied being involved in the office renovations. Justice Menis Ketchum had previously retired and agreed to plead guilty to a federal wire fraud count. A special election for Mr Ketchum will be held in November.

Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Show all 23 1 /23 Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Pro-life activists pray on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller looks on as Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights speaks to the media outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller wipes a tear as she walks down the steps of the United States Supreme Court with Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activist Morgan Hopkins of Boston, celebrates on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of a ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Pro-choice activist, Alissa Manzoeillo, of Washington, D.C. waits for rulings in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. A ruling is expected in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a Texas case the places restrictions on abortion clinics, as well as rulings in the former Virginia Governor's corruption case and a gun rights case. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images

The deadline to arrange any special election in November is 14 August, otherwise the governor, Republican Governor Jim Justice, can appoint new justices to replace those who have been impeached - with no requirement that they be from the same party as the incumbent. It is unlikely arrangements for any other elections can be made before then.

Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer of Monongalia County said Democrats agreed all along there was enough to recommend Mr Loughry's impeachment. But she said going after the other justices "was a power grab, was a takeover of the court and using the impeachment process to take over another branch of government."

"We're taking away from the people," she said.Leah Vukmir, a Wisconsin state senator and close ally to Governor Scott Walker, defeated a former Marine who cast himself as a political outsider to win the Republican primary for US Senate in the state's primaries

Ms Vukmir, who beat political newcomer Kevin Nicholson, advances to face Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin. Republicans have targeted Ms Baldwin - given Ms Baldwin is one of 10 Democrats defending their seats in states won by Donald Trump in 2016 - and outside groups have already spent millions in television ads attacking her.

Ms Vukmir won the endorsement of the Wisconsin Republican Party and the backing of most prominent GOP officeholders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, on her way to victory. She ran as the proven conservative in the race, pointing to her long voting record in support of Republican priorities.

Both she and Nicholson ran as strong supporters of President Trump. Ms Vukmir overcame the release just two weeks before election of a 2016 tape of her making negative comments about Trump and saying voters would have to hold their noses before casting a ballot for him.

Mr Trump, who narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016 by less than one percentage point, did not endorse in the primary.

Recommended Follow all the latest updates on the Vermont primary

Democrats appeared particularly motivated in Wisconsin, where eight candidates lined up for the chance to take on Scott Walker, a two-term incumbent who has warned his party about the prospect of Democratic gains.

Walker's strong anti-union policies made him a villain to Democrats long before Trump's rise. State schools chief Tony Evers, who has clashed with Mr Walker at times, won the Democratic nomination.

Once a target of Trump criticism, Mr Walker gained the president's endorsement in a tweet Monday night calling him a tremendous Governor who has done incredible things for that Great State. But Mr Trump's persistent attacks on Wisconsin-based motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson put Republican candidates on their heels in recent days, Walker among them.

 Paul Ryan announces he will not seek re-election in 2018 midterms

Randy Bryce, a union ironworker known by the nickname Iron Stache, won Tuesday's Democratic primary in the race to replace Mr Ryan in Wisconsin for a seat he held 20 years before announcing his retirement earlier this year.

Republicans, for their part, pinned their hopes on a former Ryan aide, picking Bryan Steil, an attorney who is from a prominent family in the same hometown as Mr Ryan, in a five-way primary. Mr Steil will face Mr Bryce in November

Bryce called Steil a Ryan clone and branded him Lyin' Bryan in a statement his campaign texted to The Associated Press on Tuesday evening.

He has no idea what people in this district need, said Bryce, who defeated Janesville teacher and school board member Cathy Myers in the Democratic primary.

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.Israel has reopened its only goods crossing to Gaza and expanded the enclaves fishing zones, easing a crippling blockade on the besieged strip as truce talks press ahead.

Consignments of fruit and vegetables, fuel and construction material moved into Gaza on Wednesday morning through Kerem Shalom crossing, a lifeline for Gazas 1.8 million residents. The Israeli army said Avigdor Lieberman, Israels defence minister, had also decided to expand the fishing zones from three to nine nautical miles across most of Gazas coastline.

Israel said it had originally implemented the devastating restrictions in response to Palestinian protesters launching burning kites, which torched swathes of agricultural land, into Israel  causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

Since then, food and medicine have been allowed through, but fuel and cooking gas has been intermittently blocked. All other goods were turned away, piling pressure on the impoverished enclave.

Mr Lieberman warned that the crossing would again be closed if there were further violence and called on Gazans to pressure Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007.

Our message is that you must put pressure on the Hamas leadership, he told Israeli public radio.

It is all in your hands. If calm prevails, you benefit. If the violence resumes, you will lose.

Gazas fisherman said they were desperate for a wider fishing zone after spending nearly a month attempting to fish in just three miles of water.

We are hoping for a big catch at nine miles now, said Khader Baker, 25. There had been almost no fish within three miles. We nearly starved.

Palestinians inspect the damaged building of the Said al-Mishal cultural centre after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza (AP)

Israel and Gaza have been on the cusp of a new war just four years on from the last devastating conflict, as tensions have reached boiling point at the border fences between the two territories.

Since March, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have marched each week towards Israel in protests demanding the right to return to their ancestral lands they were forced or fled from during the 1948 conflict which surrounded the creation of Israel.

At least 169 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during the rallies, and more than 15,000 injured, prompting fierce criticism abroad of the Israeli armys action. One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in July.

Israel has defended its use of force, saying protesters turned violent, including flying burning kites and balloons carrying explosives into Israel, endangering the lives of its citizens in the south.

In response, Israel tightened a decade-long blockade on Gaza, whose desperate population is already struggling to survive with severe power shortages and the highest jobless rate in the world.

The deteriorating humanitarian situation sparked a flare up in cross-border fire, threatening to drag both sides to war.

Egypt and the United Nations have repeatedly intervened. They are trying to broker a comprehensive long-term truce and to ease economic hardship on Gaza.

This week Israeli ministers revealed that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, made a rare and secret visit to Cairo in May to meet Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and to discuss an urgent ceasefire.

There had been almost no fish within three miles. We nearly starved Khader Baker, Gaza fisherman

However, Mr Netanyahu faces pressure from the far right back at home. Education minister Naftali Bennett of the ultraconservative Jewish Home party said on Tuesday that he would oppose a deal based on a temporary calm.

This quiet will give Hamas total immunity so that it can rearm itself with tens of thousands of rockets, Mr Bennett said in a statement.There may be up to 30,000 Isis fighters still active in Iraq and Syria, a new UN report says  despite the caliphate being dismantled last year.

The UN research released on Monday found that between 20,000  30,000 militants, around five times as many as previously thought, remain in mostly desert territory on the border between the two countries.

While many of Isiss top commanders and strategists have been killed, the figure includes fully military trained members and a significant component of many thousands of active foreign terrorist fighters.

It also said the group still has hundreds of millions of dollars in funds.

 Security minister Ben Wallace: two Isis terrorists would 'roam around UK' if government did not share intelligence with US

The report, compiled by a panel of UN-appointed experts, contradicts previous US intelligence that just 6,000 Isis militants are still operating in the two countries. It comes after the Pentagon told the US Congress last week that it had revised estimates up to around 14,000 fighters in Syria and 17,000 in Iraq.

The reports authors warn that the group  which the Iraqi government, as well as Syria and its Russian allies, declared defeated at the end of 2017  will survive as a reduced, covert version of its previous land-holding incarnation.

Isis fighters stunned the world when in 2014 they swept across the Syrian border into Iraq and seized Iraqis second largest city, Mosul, declaring a cross border Islamic caliphate.

Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa atop of military vehicles REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces march past destroyed buildings as they celebrate victory REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces gesture the "V" sign in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces evacuate a civilian from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures A civilian prays after she was rescued by fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters ride atop of military vehicles as they celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis  in pictures A fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrates in Raqqa Reuters

At the height of its powers Isis controlled huge swathes of the two countries and up to 10 million people lived under its brutal rule.

Around 40,000 foreign fighters, among them prominent British recruiters and four executioners known as The Beatles, travelled to Syria to join the project. The flow of foreign fighters home has not been as high as expected, the report said.

In total around 900 British citizens joined various militias fighting in Syria, and about half have since returned to the UK.

In Iraq, a western-backed Iraqi coalition offensive succeeded in driving Isis out of Mosul in July 2017, after nine months of vicious fighting.

Over the border in Syria, US-backed Kurdish-Arab militias seized the so-called caliphates de facto capital of Raqqa last October.

Syrian government and Russian forces declared the group defeated in Syria after they recaptured Deir Ezzor at the end of the year.

 Isis 'Beatles' member El Shafee Elsheikh on group's name: 'I don't think John Lennon would like it much'

The group is now limited to pockets of the Deir Ezzor desert.

Sleeper cells across Syria and Iraq continue to launch devastating attacks on both security forces and civilians. Earlier this month, more than 200 people were killed and 30 women and children taken captive after a huge and highly-coordinated attack on the Druze city and surrounding villages of Sweida, in southwest Syria.

Both Isis and al-Qaeda remain a worldwide threat, the report said, as the underlying drivers of terrorism are all present and perhaps more acute than ever.The Emirati soldiers in Yemens port city of Aden were starting to get jumpy. We had only spent 15 minutes in Dar Saad, one of the citys worst hit districts from the ongoing war, when they thought security had been compromised. This section of the neighbourhood is deeply impoverished and divided. It is also where the Shia Houthi rebel group first entered the city back in March 2015 when they swept control of the country and ousted the recognised Yemeni government, prompting the UAE and Saudi Arabias intervention in Yemen.

We have to go back a different way, groups may have laid land mines or IEDs along the road we originally took while weve been here, said one of the officers quietly. The 15-vehicle armoured convoy swiftly rolled away.

Despite the fact that Aden is now the de facto headquarters of the Gulf coalition and the Yemeni government, the UAE forces are taking no chances. Days after The Independent was there, a roadside bomb targeted the convoy of a coalition-backed provincial leader in the city. Ameen Mahmood, governor of the southwest province of Taiz, was not injured but his bodyguards were.

Recommended Saudis launch investigation into Yemen school bus airstrike

The Gulf coalition and the recognised Yemeni government control the city but face hidden threats from supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and al-Qaedas most lethal franchise, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), that once controlled a western district of the city.

The UAE in particular is concerned their forces will be targets since it has spearheaded the coalitions complex and controversial counter-terror operation in Yemen, which was launched in April 2015 alongside the war against the Houthis, and which has faced some backlash.

Since then, unlike the Saudis, the Emiratis have rolled out a significant military footprint in Yemen, with UAE troops or forces trained by their men, controlling several bases, airfields and ports along the south coast of the Gulfs most impoverished country.

The UAE military leadership say it is their job and their highest priority to crush AQAP, as the only member of the Gulf Coalition Council to have previous counter-terror experience from their time in Afghanistan. They have vehemently denied accusations that their successes have relied on doing deals with AQAP members.

Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Show all 17 1 /17 Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' 11-year-old Marwa uses the red sap of dragon's blood trees to make nail varnish and make up. This specimen of the endemic Socotran tree is more than 1,000 years old. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dragon's blood trees' grow via dichotomous branching, wherein each of the branches divides into two sections. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Detwah lagoon, next to the village of Qalansiyah, used to be a popular spot for camping trips. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Socotras estimated 60,000 inhabitants mainly rely on the islands fish stocks, date-yielding palm trees and goats for food. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Fish, squid and lobster populations are declining thanks to overfishing and the effects of climate change. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Most of Socotra's unique plant life is believed to be derived from subtropical forests dating back 20 million years. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dragon's blood trees are adapted to survive in arid climates but need cool and misty mountainsides. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' In the 1990s, UN biologists documented nearly 700 species on Socotra that are found nowhere else on Earth. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The Socotra Archipelago has been gradually drying out over hundreds of years, threatening the delicate ecosystem's survival. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dozens of rusted Soviet tanks line Socotra's shores, unused relics left over from the Cold War. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The mountains on the island's eastern side are covered in fine white coral sand, blown there during monsoon seasons. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The island's granite and limestone cliffs are covered in a permanent mist. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' A red snapper for dinner, a gift from a fisherman. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Socotra's Hajhir mountain range rises above the main town of Hadibo. Its jagged peaks can be seen from almost every corner of the island. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' In the last 200 years, entire dragon's blood forests have been felled to make way for the growing population. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Two huge typhoons in 2015 killed hundreds of mature dragon's blood trees. Locals worry newly planted trees will not grow quickly enough. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Fishing dhows return to the village of Qalansiyah at sunset. Bethan McKernan

In rare interviews with top UAE commanders in both Abu Dhabi and Yemen, representatives from the Gulf state have vowed to stay put in Yemen until AQAPs central command has been beaten. Even if it means remaining embroiled in the countrys conflict long past the end of the war with the Houthis.

The UAE says that since the Gulf intervention in 2015 it has trained a force of 60,000 Yemeni soldiers, made up of tribesmen, former security forces and militiamen, half of which are leading the counter-terror battle in Yemen.

It says under the military guidance of the UAE, these troops have now reduced AQAPs geographical control to just a string of villages and its fighting force in south Yemen to just 200 men that are doing little else but surviving coalition strikes.

Al-Qaeda is now running and hiding. We have deprived them of their safe havens, finance streams, and recruitment pools. The coalition has been relentless in its pursuit of the group, thanks to the 30,000 Yemeni forces we have trained and equipped to take them on, said a senior UAE military official.

The counter al-Qaeda operation will remain and we will remain in Yemen until AQAP is broken. We will stay until it is done, he added.

Brigadier Ali, a senior Emirati task force commander, echoed that even if the Houthi war ends the UAE will continue to fight the global enemy of al-Qaeda.

We will eventually cleanse Yemen of all terror outfits, he added.

Certainly, before the Emiratis and their Yemeni counterparts started the war against AQAP, the terror group controlled a significant sweep of territory that stretched along the entire southern coastline of Yemen and into the mainland.

The militants had been able to expand their territory by exploiting the chaos after the Houthi takeover of Yemen that ousted recognised Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The group raised its flags above several provincial capitals including Mukalla, Yemens fifth largest city, as well as Zinjibar and Jaar, the capital of Abyan and the provinces second largest city. According to the UAE, AQAP governed cities with a combined population of 850,000, providing a major source of funding and recruits.

 Casualties as Saudi-led coalition air raids hit Yemen's Hodeidah

AQAP has been labelled by the US as one of the most lethal franchises of al-Qaeda. Since it was formed in 2009 it has attacked US, Italian and British embassies, targeted Belgium tourists with suicide bombers, killed more than 90 military recruits in Sanaa and in 2009 bombed a Japanese tanker.

In the same year, AQAP militant Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to take down a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas day by smuggling explosives into his underwear. AQAP also claimed responsibility for the January 2015 attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that killed 12 people.

The Emiratis say thanks to their counter-terror operation, the group is now on the decline: al-Qaeda only holds tiny pockets of isolated land in the central province of Marib, to the south in Bayda and to the east in Wadi Hadramawt. Its capabilities to plan attacks abroad from Yemen have been all but destroyed.

But despite these successes, the UAEs counter-terror operation has come under fire. Some have accused the coalition of not winning militarily but rather striking secret deals with AQAP fighters, paying many of them off, allowing others to leave with looted cash, and recruiting hundreds more into its ranks.

The most controversial battle was the one to free Mukalla, which AQAP held for just over a year until April 2016 when Emirati-trained and led Yemeni forces ousted them.

A recent investigation published by the Associated Press, quoting tribal leaders, military security and government officials in the area, claimed militants were guaranteed a safe route out and allowed to keep weapons and cash looted from the city, up to $100m by some estimates.

Emirati commanders dismissed the accusations as untrue and illogical. They said there had been isolated cases of surrender from small groups but no major reconciliation agreements. They added that allowing fighters to leave with loot would contradict their primary objectives: depriving AQAP of its financial strength.

General Faraj al-Bahsani, governor of Hadramawt, the province where Mukalla is located, pointed to the high death toll on the battlefield as proof they secured his city through a military win.

The accusations are completely untrue. From our side, 360 were killed from Hadramawt in the liberation of the area, there were high casualties, he said from his offices in Mukalla.

It took at least four hours to take one of the military bases on top of the mountain. The fight at the airbase was heavy, he added.

Bahsani also dismissed accusations that the counter-terror forces had absorbed battle-hardened al-Qaeda leadership into Yemeni ranks, saying it would be suicide.

If they were inside or with us I would be the first one to be killed  there would be sleeper cells, he added.

AQAP were presented with a pretty simple choice: either you can fight [the coalition] or you can leave and walk out with your weapons and your money and people" Peter Salisbury, Yemen expert

That said residents of central Mukalla admitted they heard little fighting in the battle to retake the city, which lasted just 24 hours.

We heard a bit of fighting, it was violent in some places, particularly outside the city, said Ahmed, who was kidnapped by al-Qaeda himself during their year-long hold on the city.

We understand there was some kind of mediation to avoid a high civilian death toll. We were pleasantly surprised when al-Qaeda was quickly gone.

Analysts say that deals within Mukalla were made early on in the battle.

AQAP were presented with a pretty simple choice: either you can fight [the coalition] or you can leave and walk out with your weapons and your money and people, said Peter Salisbury, a Yemen expert at Chatham House.

AQAP made a strategic decision  After application of pressure, after drone strikes against their leaders, that it made more sense in their long-term interest not to occupy a physical space where they were a visible target, he added.

Michael Horton, a fellow at the Jamestown Foundation that tracks terrorism, agreed: AQAP understood it was not going to hold Mukalla, AQAP knew weeks ahead and were seen moving heavy equipment out of Mukalla, he told The Independent.

That said its undeniable that AQAP are no longer controlling those huge swathes of territory, he added. Whatever is happening in south Yemen, the war against AQAP is reducing their geographical footprint.

"The coalition used all the people who are against the Houthis  in particular their fiercest ideological rivals the Salafis. But the problem is in Yemen you cant really differentiate between Salafi fighters and AQAP" Relative of an AQAP kidnapping victim

One senior Emirati commander did admit to The Independent that they had absorbed deserting al-Qaeda fighters, the rank-and-file that had been lured to AQAP with promises of money, after a careful programme of investigation, observation and rehabilitation.

The commander said that the programme was successful: ex-fighters sent positive messages back to their former AQAP colleagues, encouraging more to break rank and join the Yemeni forces.

Another senior Emirati army official said that due to the complexity of the situation in Marib, central Yemen, where the coalition has a significant force fighting the Houthis in the hills, the security of their camp bizarrely relied on an unspoken relationship with al-Qaeda.

Although it is their intention to eventually snuff out al-Qaeda in Marib, if coalition forces were to battle the militants in the area right now while trying to fight Houthis, angry AQAP fighters would pose a major threat to their camps.

The same officials also admitted that when they clandestinely went into Aden to first oust the Houthis in the spring of 2015, they found themselves accidentally fighting alongside al-Qaeda, who as battle-hardened Sunni fighters had a common enemy in the Shia Houthis.

In short, the problems lie in how complex al-Qaeda is in Yemen and its ability to be indistinguishable from other groups, which is part of its survival strategy in the Gulf state. It is not an easily separable international terror group but often deeply engrained in society: their leaders have married into major families, become part of influential tribes and bought loyalty.

Its ideology is also virtually indistinct from powerful Salafi groups in Yemen that are fighting within the Gulf coalition against the Houthis.

One Yemeni from a prominent pro-UAE family in the south, whose cousin was kidnapped by al-Qaeda in Mukalla in 2015, said his relative was taken to an AQAP training camp. There he saw fighters belonging to a brigade controlled by powerful Salafi commander Aboul Abbas, that was going afterwards to fight the Houthis with the coalition in Taiz.

There were also people training in that camp reinforcing the [anti-Houthi] front in Aden, he said.

At the beginning of the war the coalition used all the people who are against the Houthis  in particular their fiercest ideological rivals the Salafis. But the problem is that in Yemen you cant really differentiate between Salafi fighters and AQAP, he added.

That all said it is clear that AQAPs presence in Yemen has been severely compromised. The UAE said that the number of attacks by AQAP in Yemen has fallen by over 93 per cent in the past three years. They added that around 1000 core AQAP fighters have been killed since 2015, including most of the groups most-wanted leaders.

Its impossible to independently verify this. But the once boisterous group has remained largely quiet on social media. The number of reported attacks has plummeted.

The Emiratis meanwhile are determined to keep reducing AQAPs footprint in Yemen with their 30,000-strong force of Yemeni soldiers. Having recently cleared the whole of the south-central province of Shabwah, where much of the AQAP leadership hails from, they said Wadi Hadramawt and Marib is next on the cards.

We know that many AQ leaders are holed up in safe havens in Marib, said Brigadier Ali from a heavily armed base in Mukalla.

We are confident that we will deal with them effectively.For many of us, discovering new cuisines is one of the most important and exciting aspects of travelling.

Trying local delicacies, experiencing different traditions and learning new ways to appreciate food and drink is one of the best ways to discover a foreign culture.

But when the world is your oyster, your laksa and your arepa, where do you start?

Lonely Planet has ranked 500 culinary experiences from around the globe to help foodies decide where to travel next.

Coming in top of the Ultimate Eatlist is eating pintxos (Basque tapas) in San Sebastian, Spain.

The guide recommends spending a night hopping from bar to bar tasting as many of the small bites  which originated as small open sandwiches piled high with toppings  as you can.

The list was compiled by top chefs, food writers and Lonely Planets food-obsessed authors, including contributions from the likes of chefs Monica Galetti, Mark Hix and Curtis Stone.

In second place is enjoying rich, creamy laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The experts advise either heading to one of the little hawker centres hidden in the shadows of the capital citys skyscrapers, or venturing to Madras Lane.

Experiencing a sushi masterclass in Tokyo took third place.

Here are the top 20 food experiences from around the world:

Pintxos in San Sebastian Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur Sushi in Tokyo Beef brisket in Texas Som tam in Bangkok Smrrebrd in Copenhagen Crayfish in Kaikoura Bibimbap in Seoul Pizza margherita in Naples Dim sum in Hong Kong Ceviche in Lima Pasteis de nata in Lisbon Oysters in Tasmania Cheese in France Jerk chicken in Jamaica Lamb tagine in Marrakech Chilli crab in Singapore Moules frites in Brussels Peking duck in Beijing Pho along the Hau River in Vietnam

The highest ranked UK food experience was revealed to be eating fish and chips (31st in the list), and the Lonely Planet team recommend enjoying it on a pebble beach in Stonehaven, on the northeastern coast of Scotland.North Korea has frozen all visa applications until 9 September.

Koryo Tours, a travel company that arranges a variety of tours to the Democratic Peoples Republic Korea (DPRK), announced the news on 13 August.

A post on its website said: Koryo Tours were informed on 13 August by our partners in Pyongyang that they had been instructed from above that all tourist visa applications currently underway are to be frozen. This freeze applies to all tourist visas currently being processed. This follows a similar temporary halt to all tour groups visiting Korea with Chinese tour companies.

Recommended Why you should never visit North Korea

Tour operators have not been told the reason behind the temporary halt in processing.

The reason for this freeze has not been given (frustrating we know, our partners are in the dark about it as well), but it is expected that at the end of this month the situation will be clear, applications will be unfrozen, and visas will be issued very quickly after that, says the statement from Koryo Tours.

Regent Holidays, which also runs DPRK packages, confirmed the news. A travel specialist tells The Independent: Its all extremely confused  even our partners in Pyongyang dont seem to have an accurate grasp on whats going on. They keep saying, dont worry, everythings going to work itself out, but they cant or dont feel able to tell us the reason behind whats happening.

All the different operators seem to be being told slightly different things, so were all reading between the lines to determine whats going on.

None of Regent Holidays clients have been affected by the processing pause, because trips are usually planned so far in advance.

Its a long, drawn-out process to get a visa and you need all your bookings in place first, says the travel specialist. We generally get clients visas issued five to seven weeks before travel; the freeze will more likely affect budget Chinese travellers rather than European tourists.

The visa freeze is not politically motivated, according to Uri Tours, which organises DPRK trips.

North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Show all 20 1 /20 North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border People have their picture taken with North Korea in the background, in Tumen, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A North Korean woman is photographed from the Chinese side of the Yalu River near the town of Changbai, China as she walks between houses in the North Korean town of Hyesan. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean souvenirs are displayed for sale on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong in Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A large screen, which faces North Korea, broadcasts propaganda videos on an island on the Yalu River between North Korea and China, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A piece of clothing is used to make a gap in barbed wire near the closed bridge over the Yalu River on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea between towns of Ji'an and Linjiang, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea showed places where it is porous. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A tourist uses binoculars to look across to North Korea from a tower built on the Chinese side of the border between Russia (L), China (C) and North Korea (R) near the town of Hunchun in China. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women participate in a group dance exercise close to the Yalu River which runs between China and North Korea, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A sign reading, "Take the initiative to preserve order along the border," stands in a field at the border between China and North Korea just outside Dandong, Liaoning province, China. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A couple prepare for a wedding photography session on a boat which takes tourists on sightseeing tours from the Chinese side of the Yalu River, close to the shores of North Korea, near Dandong, Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Tourists travel on a boat taking them from the Chinese side of the Yalu River for sightseeing close to the shores of North Korea, near Dandong, Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women walk across a bridge from an island on the Yalu River, dividing North Korea and China, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A North Korean soldier and locals are photographed from the Chinese side of the border north of Dandong, China as they stand on the banks of the Yalu River, north of Sinuiju, North Korea. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean girls are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they collect water from the frozen Yalu River near Linjiang, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A man looks through binoculars towards North Korea on the Broken Bridge over the Yalu River that connects the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in Liaoning Province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean fishermen are seen as a Chinese flag flutters from the Broken Bridge as the sun sets over the Yalu River between the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in Liaoning Province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand in the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women, photographed from the Chinese side of the border, are seen through binoculars fixed on a building on the Chinese side of the border for sightseers to look across to North Korea, as they cross the bridge from Namyang in North Korea towards the town of Tumen in China, Reuters

Large numbers of tourists, journalists and VIP delegations are expected to visit Pyongyang for 9 September festivities marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK, and weve been advised this temporary freeze will provide breathing space to tourism resources such as hotels in preparation for this increased demand, a spokesperson tells The Independent.

Tourists scheduled to visit in August and September who already have issued tourist visas remain unaffected. All tours scheduled after 9 September remain unaffected.

DPRK tour companies have little advice to give to affected tourists until the situation becomes clearer next month.

Koryo Tours says: This situation is an unusual one but it is somewhat characteristic of how things go sometimes in the DPRK  the best advice we can offer to anyone affected by this news is simply to hold on until the end of this month when we expect everything to simply go back to being all arranged and moving forward, but we realise that the lack of certainty until then is not a fun feeling.

All British tourists to the DPRK must be on an approved, guided tour organised by an authorised tour operator in order to get a visa, and independent travel to North Korea is generally not an option.The Genoa bridge disaster which has so far taken 39 lives is a tragedy that could have been avoided. However, while politicians and contractors rush to point the finger of blame at anyone but themselves, it is becoming increasingly clear that the real causes lie in an approach to development that prioritises profit over the needs of people. Not dissimilarly to the Grenfell disaster, the causes of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge lie in decades of spending cuts in conjunction with a system of outsourcing that hands control over infrastructure to private companies and allows profit to be prioritised over citizens safety.

Recommended Genoa bridge collapse death toll rises to 39

Though the bridge had been subject to many repair projects over the years, calls for a wholesale intervention had been bogged down by endless debate producing an impasse that eventually proved fatal. While national and regional governments had made plans for an overhaul of Genoas motorway system, there was debate as to whether such spending was justified, with the private sector and national and regional governments at loggerheads over the level of intervention required and more importantly, who should bear the costs.

It has also come to light that the local 5 Star Movement had also opposed the plans for the renewal of Genoas motorways. The party in the past has sought to ride off the back of various local movements opposing prominent infrastructure projects, such as the high speed TAV train which is set to force villagers in the Susa valley from their homes, and the proposed gas pipeline nicknamed the TAP. These even became central to their political programme. In government, however, it has significantly stepped down its opposition, stating that these projects, along with others, will be subject to a cost-benefit analysis but that their continuation has not been ruled out. In fact, over the last few days the government agreed a series of changes to the TAV plans, prompting the Five Star transport minister to reassure supporters on Twitter that the project has not yet been given the green light.

Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Show all 50 1 /50 Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Morandi bridge after it collapsed, in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge EPA/European Space Imaging Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers inspect the rubble and wreckages AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Night view of the Morandi bridge collapsed in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Displaced people from their homes EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers work among the rubble AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers inspect the rubble and wreckages AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge EPA/European Space Imaging Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa People living in the buildings in the area have been evacuated EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Excavators dig into the rubble at the site of the highway-bridge-collapse disaster EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A lorry stands on the edge AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct, of which the A10 motorway runs, collapsed in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers at work amid the rubble EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct, of which the A10 motorway runs, collapsed in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue workers at the collapsed Morandi Bridge Reuters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Cars seen among the rubble Vigili Del Fuoco/AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa AFP/Getty Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers work among the debris of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The viaduct gave way amid torrential rain EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The viaduct runs over shopping centres, factories, some homes, the Genoa-Milan railway line and the Polcevera river AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Around 10 vehicles are involved in the collapse, rescue sources said EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa A view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge ANSA via AP Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue teams on the site EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescuers at the site of the collapsed bridge EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Both sides of the highway fell AFP/Getty Images Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa The site of a collapsed bridge EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Sergio Battelli/Twitter Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Rescue teams on the site EPA/Italian Firefighters Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa EPA Italian bridge collapses: part of highway gives way in Genoa Vigili del Fuoco/Twitter

The Five Stars approach to development and infrastructure spending has thus been somewhat contradictory. Indeed, whereas much of the opposition to the big new infrastructure projects is on the grounds that they will use up funds desperately needed elsewhere while offering nothing to ordinary Italians, the Five Stars compromises with the League on the issues of the TAV and the TAP would suggest that those who thought that a Five Star government would pose a challenge to a profit-before-people model of development will be disappointed.

Both the League and the Five Star Movement are energetically pointing the finger at Autostrade per lItalia, the private company responsible for Italys motorways, calling for the revocation of its contract and a 150m fine. The transport minister also attacked the company for high toll prices (which are among the highest in Europe) stating that the companys failings are all the more deplorable given the fact that it receives shameful amounts of money from the state and, as it is registered in Luxembourg, pays very little in the way of tax.

However, if the League/Five Star government have been quick to blame Autostrade per lItalia they have so far been less eager to discuss the issue of privatisation more broadly. This fits with their broader record in government so far: despite their radical populist rhetoric they have been slow to implement significant structural change. Indeed, Salvinis attempt to distract from the seriousness of the Genoa disaster by tweeting about the Aquarius migrant boat is emblematic of how the new government has been functioning: while many of the Five Stars key policy proposals that require state spending have been put on the back-burner (including a promise to implement a universal basic income), Salvini has been able to dominate the media spotlight with sensationalist anti-immigrant statements.

However, it is hard to see how failings will be prevented in the future unless the logic of privatisation is challenged. Italy has a history of poor infrastructure, bad urban planning and weak regulation, but privatisation means that when disasters such as the collapse of Morandi Bridge happen, blame can simply be laid with the contractor and the problem of broader reform avoided. Moreover, simply handing the contract for the maintenance of the railways to another company will not change the fact that from 2010 to 2014 Italy had the lowest spending by far on road maintenance of all the major EU economies, including Spain. Another company would simply not be obliged to spend any more to do a better job than Autostrade per LItalia.

While many Italians have used social media to attack the Benetton family, which owns Atlantia, the holding company of Autostrade per lItalia, there is less curiosity over why the maintenance of vital infrastructure was taken out of public control in the first place. A prominent global tycoon like Benetton could provide an easy scapegoat for the right-wing populists but the causes of this disaster are structural and run far deeper. They lie in a chronic lack of state spending on public infrastructure and in a system that takes decisions on planning, investment and regulation out of democratic control to serve private interests. We deserve better.

Elisa Moretti is an activist for Potere al popolo (Power to the people)Heart age is defined as the predicted age of a persons vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk profile.

Adults who sleep too little or too much may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, say researchers who argue that the best way to think of the harmful effect is in terms of excess heart age.

In a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, those who slept seven hours a night had the lowest heart risk on average, calculated as 3.7 years of aging beyond their chronological age. That compared to 4.5 excess heart age years for those who slept six or eight hours and 5.1 excess years for those who got five or fewer hours of sleep nightly.

Prolonged periods of insufficient sleep have negative effects on multiple body systems including the cardiovascular system, lead study author Quanhe Yang told Reuters Health in an email.

Studies have shown significant relationships between sleep duration and heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, said Yang, a senior scientist with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Heart age is defined as the predicted age of a persons vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk profile and was introduced by the Framingham Heart Study in 2008, Yang noted.

The difference between a persons estimated heart age and his or her chronological age is excess heart age. Higher excess heart age indicates a higher risk of developing heart disease, he said.

For example, if a 40-year-old man has a heart age of 44 years based on his cardiovascular risk profile - the personal risk of having a heart disease - then his excess heart age is 4 years.

In effect, his heart is 4 years older than it should be, for a typical man his age. The concept of heart age helps to simplify risk communication.

The CDCs goal with this study was to find a way to effectively communicate the impact of insufficient sleep on heart health, Yang noted. Excess heart age (EHA) represents a simplified way to express a persons risk for having a heart disease.

Yang and colleagues analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 2007 - 2014 on 12,755 participants between the ages of 30 and 74 years with no history of heart disease or stroke.

Based on self-reported average weeknight sleep times, the study team divided people into five groups. About 13 percent averaged five or fewer hours of sleep each night, 24 percent slept six hours, 31 percent slept seven hours, 26 percent slept eight hours and about 5 percent slept nine or more hours per night.

The researchers calculated the participants excess heart age by factoring in age, sex, blood pressure, whether they were being treated for hypertension, smoking history, diabetes and cholesterol to come up with an overall cardiovascular risk profile. Then they translated that risk profile into excess heart age years, according to the report in the journal Sleep Health.

Using excess heart age associated with sleep duration might simplify communication of heart disease risk, Yang said. This could motivate more people, especially younger people, among whom the risk for cardiovascular disease is increasing, to be aware of the importance of sleeping the recommended seven hours per night.

Previously, studies have demonstrated that sleep duration in adults is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a cardiologist with the Devid Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

Sleep duration that is either too short or too long is associated with greater risk, with most studies suggesting that the lowest risk occurs with 7 hours per day of sleep duration, he said in an email.

Shorter sleep duration may contribute to cardiovascular event risk through effects on metabolic and endocrine functions, inflammation, vascular damage, along with circadian misalignment, Fonarow added.

Further studies should evaluate whether extending sleep duration in adults sleeping less than 7 hours per night can improve cardiovascular health, Fonarow said.Concerns have been raised over the number of students studying Stem subjects, despite a rise in candidates sitting higher level maths in the Leaving Certificate.

Engineers Ireland said industry demand still outstrips supply for people with science degrees and that for the first time in a number of years overall the numbers opting for Stem subjects such as applied maths, physics, chemistry and construction studies, had not increased.

More than 57,000 students across the country received their Leaving Certificate Results on Wednesday.

On #LeavingCert results day, 79% of Irish adults believe engineering is a rewarding career choice for young people: https://t.co/r3HIOePNK2  Engineers Ireland (@EngineerIreland) August 15, 2018

Almost one-third of them sat a higher-level mathematics paper.

Although it only represents a slight increase on last year, of those students 92% of them received a H6 or higher.

However, overall, more than 3,700 students failed maths this year.

Most of those who did not secure a pass grade had sat the ordinary-level paper.

Engineers Ireland registrar Damien Owens said: Now, more than ever, we need to encourage students at primary and post-primary levels to equip themselves with an adequate knowledge of Stem, to study engineering at third level and go on to work in the profession.

According to the State Examinations Commission, this years results are generally broadly in line with those obtained in 2017.

Seven students achieved Higher Level Grade Ones in eight subjects this year.

Last year eight students achieved the same grade in the same number of subjects.

I launched the National Parents Council Post Primary Helpline in Croke Park this morning. The free phone number is 1800 265 165 https://t.co/34MqRDXf2i  Richard Bruton (@RichardbrutonTD) August 15, 2018

It is the second year that students are being measured by a new grading system in place, which replaced the old alphabetical system.

More than 2,700 students took the Leaving Certificate Applied programme.

Education Minister Richard Bruton congratulated the class of 2018 and said their results represented the culmination of years of hard work.

The Leaving Certificate is not only an important milestone in your lives, but is also an important moment in the lives of those who have supported you along the way, Mr Bruton said.

For students who may not have done as well as you might have hoped, dont panic, take time to consider all your optionsRichard Bruton, Education Minister

The minister said students now had more opportunities than ever and that there were a number of pathways to further their education.

For students who may not have done as well as you might have hoped, dont panic, take time to consider all your options, he said.

Eva Fullen, 18, from Portobello, Dublin was one of the tens of thousands who anxiously made their way to their school to receive the examination results on Wednesday morning.

The Loreto College St Stephens Green student opened the envelope the minute she got her hands on it.

Im happy out, Ms Fullen said.

Hopefully Ill get one of my courses, Im hoping to do global business in Trinity so well see.

Its just a waiting game now.

The CAO first-round offers for college courses will be released on Monday.

Its a bit strange that its done.itll be interesting to see where everyone ends up, the paths they take, she said.

Ms Fullen, who was accompanied by her parents for support, video-called her sisters living in New York and another sister in Sydney immediately.

Her father Francis Fullen said: Im the father of a very happy girl this morning.

Fellow Loreto College student Aisling Garvey, who was joined by her mother Valerie Shine and her dog Darcy, was too anxious to open the envelope.

Im very excited about them and very nervous, Ms Garvey.

Its the end of an era, its the beginning of collegeif I actually get in there but were hoping for the best, she said.

Its funny to have six years distilled into one morning.were really happy for herMother of Leaving Cert student

Her mother said: Ive actually been on call at Temple St Hospital.

I had to cycle home, get Aisling and bring her inIm half asleep, I have my tea in my backpack.

She added: The results dont define you and with that in mind were going to open the results.

Eve Kavanagh, who would like to study history in UCD, said she was relieved.

(Im) better than I thought Id be, she said.

Joined by her parents Freddie and Eilis, her sister Sophie and brother Christopher on the steps of Loreto College, Ms Kavanagh said she did not want to wait until noon when the results were released online.

Her mother Eilis Kavanagh said: Its funny to have six years distilled into one morning.were really happy for her.

Orla Sherlock, 19, from Clontarf, said she was happy all the stress was over.

I already got my course (Music in NUI Maynooth) so I didnt need to worry about points too much, said Ms Sherlock, who plays the harp and violin.

Unlike most courses, entry to NUI Maynooths music course is based on a theory test and an audition.

She is now excited to be heading to college.

A Leaving Certificate Exam Helpline, run by the National Parents Council post primary has opened to provide advice to students and parents.

It can be contacted at 1800 265 165 and it will remain open until August 22.Ryanair flights have been cancelled because of strike by pilots (Peter Byrne/PA)

German passenger rights company Flightright is taking Ryanair to court over whether it should pay financial compensation to passengers affected by strikes at Europe's largest low-cost carrier.

Ryanair had to cancel around 1 in 6 flights on Friday due to a walk-out by pilots in five European countries, disrupting an estimated 55,000 travellers.

The worst affected country was Germany, where 250 flights affected around 42,000 passengers.

EU rules state that passengers can claim monetary compensation of up to 400 euros for flights within the region for cancelled or delayed flights, unless the reason is extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather.

Strikes have generally fallen under extraordinary circumstances although a ruling by the European Court of Justice in April said that a wildcat strike by staff at German airline TUIfly following a restructuring could not be classed as extraordinary circumstances.

Flightright said it believes Ryanair is therefore obliged to pay monetary compensation to customers and so has filed a complaint with a court in Frankfurt in a bid to clarify the rules around strikes.

Read More

A spokeswoman for the court said she was aware of the Flightright statement, but that she had not yet seen the complaint.

Ryanair said it fully complies with the European legislation on the matter, known as EU261.

"Under EU26 legislation, no compensation is payable when the union is acting unreasonably and totally beyond the airline's control. If this was within our control, there would be no cancellations," a spokesman said.

Passenger rights groups such as Flightright help passengers to claim compensation from airlines under EU261 rules but in exchange for a share of the compensation received.

Many European airlines, including Ryanair, therefore urge passengers to file claims with them directly instead.

"Ryanair deals with each claim on a case-by-case basis and requires our customers to submit flight disruption claims directly to Ryanair. We do this solely to ensure that all Ryanair customers will receive 100pc of their EU261 compensation."The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) internal stress tests found the lender could cope with a 40pc drop by the Turkish lira, sources told Reuters, but the currency has weakened more than that this year.

Finance minister Paschal Donohoe is among the more than 60 governors of the EBRD, appointed by countries that fund the development bank, including Ireland.

The stress test exercise, done in response to the lira's accelerating decline and relayed privately to the development bank's 67 government shareholders at a board meeting last month, concluded it could withstand such a slump, although it would suffer losses.

"It is rather serious, but it would not threaten the bank's financial position," the source said, referring to impact of the lira's crash. "We had some resilience built in."

The impact on the EBRD is in addition to the threat Turkey's economic crisis poses to European banks with business in the country.

Spain's BBVA, Italy's UniCredit, France's BNP Paribas, Dutch bank ING and Britain's HSBC are the most exposed to Turkey and vulnerable to its free-falling currency. But Turkey's trouble are feeding risk aversion among investors, who worry about financial market turmoil spreading to other emerging countries or even Italy, which faces key decisions over its budget and credit ratings after the summer.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the country would boycott electronic products from the US, which has imposed sanctions and raised tariffs against Ankara in a dispute about the detention of a US evangelical pastor.

Turkey has become the EBRD's largest country of operation since it stopped lending in Russia in 2014.

It has a combined 7.3bn of projects, loans and equity stakes there, and has pumped in 3.5bn over the past two years.

The 40pc drop in the Turkish currency was the most extreme of at least three scenarios modelled by the EBRD's economists and risk management department, which is overseen by one of its vice presidents, Betsy Nelson. The view was that such a huge fall would be a once-in-a-century event. However, the currency is now down 45pc this year and it has shed around 35pc from the time the stress test was conducted.

An EBRD spokesman would not comment on the test's findings. He reiterated the bank's recent statement that it remained committed to investing in the Turkish economy.

The issue is crucial because the EBRD has a prized triple-A rating and will not want to use up too much valuable capital or have to tap shareholder governments for additional cash.

One of the sources said the situation was almost certain to be scrutinised again when the bank's directors reconvene in early September.

It often works alongside Turkish banks, all of which have seen their share prices and bonds hammered by the collapse of the lira in recent weeks.

"I think if it (lira) goes into a freefall, we might have an emergency message," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the stress-test.

The picture for the EBRD in Turkey is also being complicated by troubled relations between the United States, the bank's biggest shareholder, and Ankara. (Reuters)Spend on digital advertising has overtaken that of television in the United States for the first time.

Last year, internet advertising revenues in the United States hit $88bn (77bn), an increase of 21pc on the previous year, according to the latest 'Internet Advertising Revenue' report from professional services firm PwC and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

In comparison, television advertising fell 2.6pc year-on-year to $70bn (61.5bn) in 2017.

A main driver of the increase in internet advertising has been a shift to mobile. Spending on advertising delivered to mobile devices totalled $49.9bn in 2017 in the US, a 36pc increase from the prior year, as marketers target larger numbers of consumers through their mobile phones.

"Consumers are increasingly spending a tremendous amount of time with interactive screens and content, from mobile to desktop and audio, and brands are in lockstep with a growing commitment to digital ad buys," said Randall Rothenberg, CEO of the IAB.

"Mobile captured more than half of the total digital ad spend last year and we can expect that share to continue to climb."

Advances in technology are driving the growth in the industry, with greater internet access and speed of connection all cited as factors behind the growth.

From a marketer's perspective, the digital ad industry claims it can apply analytics and artificial intelligence to massive volumes of data and so better target end users.

While advertising delivered on mobile devices now makes up 56.7pc of total internet advertising revenues and is charging ahead in the digital online spend, desktop revenues rose far less quickly - up 5.8pc to $38.1bn, the report found.

Search revenues and video revenues represented the bulk of the internet advertising revenue last year, making up 46pc and 31pc of internet advertising revenue respectively. Looking forward, the report suggests that new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality, virtual reality, and voice-based systems will create new opportunities for growth within the advertising industry. "Continued advances in AI and data and analytics will enable companies to create more personalised experiences than what we see today," David Silverman of PwC said.

The IAB report utilises data and information from companies selling advertising on the internet, public corporate data, survey responses and interviews with industry participants.

Despite the strong performance in digital advertising in the US, in the UK there are signs of a revival in print advertising.

In the first three months of 2018, ad revenue for UK national news brands rose for the first time in seven years, according to the UK's Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report.

The strong start to the year in newspaper advertising follows a good final quarter in 2017, reversing the seven-year downturn in display revenue, according to the report.

The UK numbers also show TV also posted relatively healthy growth of 5pc. Total internet spend rose 10.8pc - with search engine spending accounting for over half of the gain.

"Online ad formats - particularly search and social media - continue to overperform, but traditional media are also proving their worth to advertisers", said James McDonald, WARC's Data Editor.Paddy Cosgrave's Web Summit has rescinded his invitation to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to its main technology conference in Lisbon.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Cosgrave said that he made the new decision "based on advice we have received and the large reaction online overnight".

"Her presence is disrespectful in particular to our host country. It is also disrespectful to some of the many tens of thousands of attendees who join us from around the world," he wrote.

"The issue of hate, freedom of expression and platform technologies is one of the defining questions of 2018. We will redouble our efforts to approach this difficult issue at Web Summit with more care."

He also said that his team welcomes suggestions for more "appropriate" speakers to speak at the event.

The original invitation provoked a backlash as, in a web-posting last night, Mr Cosgrave said Ms Le Pen had been invited, with other "policy-makers, politicians, tech CEOs, regulators and academics" to debate their views at Forum, a subsection of the Web Summit, in November.

"In total there will be more than 1,000 speakers at Web Summit 2018.

"As has always been the case with speakers who express what might be considered offensive viewpoints, they are explicitly not invited to speak on our centre stage, nor on our more than 20 other primary stages.

"They appear instead on our smallest stages at Forum," he said.

"Militant anarchists, leftist trade union leaders, right-wing populists and libertarians" would attend the event, a showcase for the technology industry. Mr Cosgrave defended the invitation to Ms Le Pen, comparing it to a university debating society and on free speech grounds.

"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right within the European Union and a basic cornerstone of any democratic society," he said.

At the time. he added that he would cancel the invitation if requested by the Portuguese government: "Should our hosts in Portugal, the Portuguese government, ask us to cancel Marine Le Pen's invitation, we will of course respect that request and immediately do so."

Last year, Mr Cosgrave was forced to apologise after holding a WebSummit banquet in Lisbon's National Pantheon, a site of tombs for revered national figures.

Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa described the event as "unworthy of the respect due" at the site.

The Web Summit received 1.3m from the Portuguese government to relocate.Elon Musk has continued to drip feed details of his controversial plan to take Tesla private, saying that he's getting advice from Goldman Sachs and private-equity firm Silver Lake.

In a tweet late on Monday California time, the electric-car maker's CEO said he's also lined up legal advisers for the possible transaction. A Tesla spokesman said Musk's tweet refers to his own advisers and attorneys. Tesla board members didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Controversy has swirled around Musk's plan since the moment he announced it in a tweet a week ago, with some investors and lawyers questioning his claim to have secured funding for the move.

Musk's tweet about taking Tesla private hadn't been cleared ahead of time with the company's board, the 'New York Times' reported, and the Securities and Exchange Commission is scrutinising his statements, including: "I'm excited to work with Silver Lake and Goldman Sachs as financial advisers, plus Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Munger, Tolles & Olson as legal advisers, on the proposal to take Tesla private."

On Monday, Musk revealed that Saudi Arabia has long been interested in taking Tesla private, which gave him the confidence last week to tweet that he was considering the blockbuster deal.

He also confirmed the country's Public Investment Fund recently bought an almost 5pc stake.

The posts prolong Musk's piecemeal approach to explaining how he'll pull off a privatisation of his money-losing carmaker at a more than $70bn market capitalisation. He's used social media to sporadically update investors stuck in an information vacuum.

Adding to potential confusion, Reuters reported that Silver Lake is offering its assistance to Musk without compensation. Silver Lake hasn't been hired as a financial adviser in an official capacity and isn't currently discussing participating in the deal as an investor, Reuters said. Goldman Sachs declined to comment, and Silver Lake didn't respond to requests for comment.

(Bloomberg)Speculations are also rife in the political circles that Ashutosh is in talks with the Congress for sometime now.

Speculations are also rife in the political circles that Ashutosh is in talks with the Congress for sometime now.

New Delhi: Journalist-turned-politician Ashutoshs resignation from the AAP has yet again brought to the fore the serious differences that the party leadership had been facing ever since several of its founding members were sidelined by party chief and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Mr Ashutosh was reportedly upset ever since the party leadership decided not to nominate him for the Rajya Sabha membership.

Sources close to the leader said that it was not a sudden decision by Mr Ashutosh. It was a long thought decision, a source said. The 53-year-old leader had taken a sabbatical from the party for the past three months as he was abroad. He had told the party that he needed some time off to write a book, sources said.

Speculations are also rife in the political circles that Ashutosh is in talks with the Congress for sometime now. However, with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal rejecting Mr Ashutoshs resignation, it seems likely that the party leadership is keen on holding talks with him.

Another senior leader, Kumar Vishwas, too was sidelined by the AAP and was not offered a ticket to Rajya Sabha in January. Mr Vishwas, who was angling for an Rajya Sabha slot, had said that it was difficult to survive in the party if one disagreed with Mr Kejriwal. Taking a jibe at Mr Kejriwal on the development, Mr Vishwas congratulated the CM for one more sacrifice.

Mr Vishwas, who has had frequent run-ins with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, was also removed as the as the AAPs in-charge for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, and appointed its national treasurer Deepak Bajpai as his replacement.

Another leader, Ashish Khetan, who had stepped down as the vice-chairman of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) in April this year, is also said to be in talks with the grand old party. Mr Khetan had made public his decision to resign on social media and said that he was going to join the legal profession. He said he submitted his resignation on April 16.

D13A Chinese drug company produced nearly 500,000 substandard vaccines for babies, roughly double an earlier estimate by authorities investigating a safety scandal, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

China's drug regulator in July accused Changsheng Bio-technology Co Ltd of selling 252,600 doses of ineffective DPT vaccines to inoculate children against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.

Xinhua said on Wednesday further investigations found that the company had produced an additional substandard batch of DPT vaccines, raising the total to 499,800 doses.

"Any violations of the law or regulations by (the company) and personnel will be severely punished. Local authorities as well as departments with supervisory responsibilities will also be held accountable for any dereliction of duty found," Xinhua said.

Changsheng did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Xinhua said the investigation team discovered the first batch of 252,600 DPT doses was sold in the coastal province of Shandong.

Less than a tenth of the second batch of 247,200 doses was sold in the eastern province of Anhui, with the remainder sold in Shandong.

Xinhua said about 76pc of the children affected by the first batch had been treated, and plans were in place to treat children inoculated with the second batch of DPT vaccines.

China began spot checks of vaccine makers in a bid to rein in public anger after Changsheng was found to have falsified data for a rabies vaccine and manufactured the ineffective vaccine for Chinese babies.

The government has ordered the arrest of 18 people at the company, which is based in the northeastern Chinese city of Changchun and the shares of its controlling shareholder have been frozen.BT has approached Informa CEO Stephen Carter as a possible replacement for Gavin Patterson and is keen to announce a new CEO by the end of October.

However, Carter was not part of any recruitment process, according to Sky News which cited a friend of the former head of British telecoms regulator Ofcom as saying.

Carter might be persuaded to take the job in the coming months, Sky said, also citing the unnamed friend.

Patterson stepped down as BT CEO in June after almost five years when its chairman said a new leader was needed to overhaul Britain's biggest broadband and mobile provider.

Jan du Plessis, the new BT chairman overseeing the search for a CEO, is keen to announce an appointment by the end of October, Sky reported, citing people close to the company.

BT said in June it expects to have Patterson's replacement in place during in the second half of the year.

Possible candidates include Olaf Swantee, the former CEO of EE, acquired by BT three years ago, and Allison Kirkby, CEO of Swedish telco Tele2 AB, Sky reported. Patterson announced 13,000 job cuts at BT in May in an attempt to curb a host of problems including intense competition, an underperforming IT services unit, a huge pension deficit and criticism of its broadband plans.

But his position was put in jeopardy after the company failed to hit a revenue target and forecast no growth in profit for the next couple of years.

BT shares fell by more than a third during Patterson's tenure.

In June, Plessis said the board backed his strategy but not his ability to see it through. (Reuters)Profits at construction giant Balfour Beatty quadrupled in the six months to 29 June.

The UK-based company, which established a presence in Ireland in 2004, said pre-tax profits grew to 50m from 12m in the six month period as it hailed its "Build to Last" transformation programme.

It came as revenue dipped to 3.2bn from 3.5bn in the period.

"All our businesses are now either achieving industry-standard margins or on track to do so in the second half," Leo Quinn, CEO of Balfour, said.

"The disciplines installed under Build to Last are also enabling us to increase the order book with key infrastructure projects to translate Balfour Beatty's expert capabilities into future profitable growth."

In Ireland the group has worked with a number of high profile customers including the Dublin Airport Authority.

Looking forward, the company said it is well placed to capitalise on the anticipated increasing demand for new and renewed infrastructure in the UK, Ireland, US and Far East.Philadelphia Rose Maria Walsh being crowned the Rose of Tralee in 2014 by Daithi O Se. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Rose of Tralee winner Maria Walsh has defended TV host Maura Derrane after she said it would be a "disaster" for a woman to present the contest.

Derrane said there were "certain jobs" more suited to men and interviewing the Roses in the Dome was one of them.

Walsh, the 2014 winner, admitted she wouldn't mind seeing a female host on stage, but she said she likes the festival's current set-up.

"It might not be politically correct but I love Daithi [O Se] in it, I think he is the heart and soul of Kerry," she said. "I think why fix something that's not broken?"

Kathleen Watkins is the only woman to have presented the televised show, taking to the Dome stage in 1977. "If there is a female that is suitable and loves the job and loves the festival as much as Daithi O Se, then yes, of course I'd love to see a female host," Walsh said.

"But for now I guess I am a bit biased because Daithi was integral to my Rose of Tralee story. And he has a great Kerry accent, what more could you want?"

This year, Walsh is judging the Irish girls in the competition, which culminates in two live shows with 32 of the 57 Roses being interviewed by O Se in Tralee.

The million-dollar question is, of course, what makes a Rose.

According to Walsh, the winner needs to be someone who easily interacts with others, as the job requires the winning Rose to act as an ambassador.

Walsh, who publicly revealed she was gay after winning the contest, said she often gets people asking her for advice, especially around coming out and abstaining from alcohol. "I often feel a little under pressure, as I hope I am giving solid advice," she added.

Video of the DayEric McCormack and David Schwimmer on the set of Will & Grace. PIC: Debra Messing/Instagram

Debra Messing has shared the first image of David Schwimmer on the set of WIll & Grace.

Schwimmer (51), who played Ross Gellar in Friends for a decade until 2004, is set to star in the upcoming second season of the Will & Grace revival.

In the clash of 90s/noughties sitcoms, he will play Grace's (Messing) love interest and the pic shows him standing alongside Eric McCormack, who plays Will, in remarkably similar garb.

The upcoming season is Will & Graces tenth overall and second since it returned last year following a hiatus of more than a decade.

Other guest stars confirmed for the shows upcoming season include comedian Chelsea Handler and Alec Baldwin.

Schwimmer was nominated for an Emmy in 2016 for his portrayal of Robert Kardashian on The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. It was his second nomination following one for Friends.

Will & Grace first aired in 1998 and focuses on the friendship between two best friends; Messings Grace and Eric McCormacks Will.

Eight seasons were broadcast between 1998 and 2006.

Creator Max Mutchnik brought the series back after the cast reunited to air a one-off, pro-Hillary Clinton topical clip during the US presidential elections in November 2016.

Will & Grace season 10 will air in the US in October. Season nine was broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK and RTE Two in Ireland.Short-term property letting website Airbnb is reporting its busiest ever summer period in Ireland.

But critics have responded negatively to the news, claiming the service is worsening the country's already serious housing crisis.

Airbnb said around 640,000 guests were projected to travel in Ireland using its website this summer.

It based the figure on bookings made from June 21 to September 22, contributing 57m to the economy during this time.

"The Irish data, released to coincide with Airbnb's global 10-year anniversary, illustrates the positive role Airbnb is playing in Ireland, helping to champion local neighbourhoods and experiences, and spreading the benefits of tourism far beyond city centres to towns far and wide across the country," a statement said.

According to the website, Dublin and Galway were the two most travelled hotspots in Ireland, followed by Killarney, Cork and Dingle.

Reacting to the figures last night, Senator Kevin Humphreys said Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy must act now to curb the worst excesses of Airbnb. "There are an incredible number of properties across Ireland, especially in major cities like Dublin, which are being used exclusively for short-term Airbnb rentals, while the sacristy of medium to long-term lets for working people has led to the worsening of the housing crisis," the Labour Party politician said.

"The Minister for Housing has had a report on his desk for six months with recommendations on how we can regulate Airbnb and bring more dwellings back into the standard rental market.

"Such regulations have been seen in many European cities such as Berlin."

He said there were "innumerable families and single persons" looking for medium-term rentals, with a high concentration in Dublin.

"While the Government plans for house building are lagging behind its own targets, regulating Airbnb is one thing Minister Murphy could be doing to help renters."

He claimed the high turnover of short-term leases and "transforming of residential roads into street long hotels" was having a detrimental effect on urban communities.

"Regulating Airbnb won't solve the homelessness crisis overnight but it would help bring more medium-term rentals back into the market when they are desperately needed. Minister Murphy has to get serious about tackling the challenges facing renters today who don't have time to wait for the Government to build new homes."

Airbnb last night said it did not want to comment on the Labour senator's statement.

Earlier, Airbnb said a typical home host would earn 2,000 over the summer hosting guests. People from the US topped the list of most guest arrivals in Ireland.Attack involved the use of heavy artillery, 7 militants eliminated, 5 wounded.

Kabul: A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed at least 30 soldiers and police, officials said on Wednesday, as life gradually returned to normal in parts of the eastern city of Ghazni after a massive insurgent attack last week, with sporadic gunbattles still underway in some neighborhoods.

Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, the head of the provincial council in the northern Baghlan province, said the insurgents set fire to the checkpoints after the attack late Tuesday in the Baghlan-I Markazi district. Dilawar Aymaq, a parliamentarian from Baghlan, confirmed the attack, which targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by the so-called local police, militias recruited and paid by the Interior Ministry.

Abdul Hai Nemati, the governor of Baghlan, said at least nine security forces are still missing and four others were wounded in the attack. He said reinforcements have been dispatched to help recapture the checkpoints.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.

The U.S. and NATO have launched airstrikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, which is just 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the capital, Kabul, and has a population of some 270,000 people.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said Wednesday that "life is getting back to normal" after at least 35 civilians were killed in recent days. But he said wounded people are still arriving at the city's only hospital, which has been overwhelmed by the casualties.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in Ghazni, which has killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Zabul province early Wednesday, killing four police, according to the provincial police chief, Mustafa Mayar, who said another three officers were wounded. He said seven attackers were killed and five were wounded during the battle, in which the Taliban used artillery and heavy weapons.

The Taliban have seized several districts across the country in recent years and carry out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan security forces. The assault on Ghazni was widely seen as a show of force ahead of possible peace talks with the United States.AN American, who together with his wife arrived in Dublin last week on their honeymoon in Ireland, appeared in court in the North today charged with attempting to murder three men.

The three men each sustained stabbing injuries in an incident outside a bar at Main Street in the Co. Antrim village of Ballycarry last Saturday night.

In court charged was Nicholas Keith Warner, an electrical engineer from Morrow Lane in Summerville, South Carolina.

He denies attempting to murder the three men and he also denies assaulting a fourth man. The defendant further denies causing an affray but he admits possessing a knife.

The defendant, who sustained a broken leg in the incident, was helped by two police officers as he walked on crutches from a cell van on Main Street, Limavady, into the courthouse for his remand appearance.

His wife Kaylee, a nurse also from South Carolina, sat behind her husband as he sat in the dock during the hearing.

Expand Close Kaylee, wife of Nicholas Keith Warner, from Summerville in the USA. Photo: Trevor McBride / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kaylee, wife of Nicholas Keith Warner, from Summerville in the USA. Photo: Trevor McBride

When asked by the court clerk if he understood the charges, the defendant replied "yes mam".

A detective constable told Deputy District Judge Ted Magill that he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges and he said alcohol was an issue in the case.

Defence solicitor David Jones told the court that bail conditions proposed by the police and by the Public Prosecution Service were acceptable to the defendant.

"He accepts he was the individual who caused the injuries. From the moment of his arrest prior to his interviews he accepted he possessed the knife to defend himself", Mr. Jones said.

"This case will come down to the argument of reasonable force or otherwise and because he is a U.S. citizen I would request that if possible the case could be fast tracked. It is regrettable in that he is here on his honeymoon and his employment as an electrical engineer is now is jeopardy", Mr. Jones added.

The defendant was released on his own bail of 1,000 to appear at Ballymena Magistrate's Court on September 6.

As part of his agreed bail conditions he was ordered to hand over his passport to the P.S.N.I., to observe an 8 p.m. to 11 a.m. curfew and to reside only at a bail address approved by the PSNI.

The defendant, who will also be electronically tagged, was further ordered not to leave Northern Ireland and not to contact any of the injured parties nor any other witnesses in the case.

He must also maintain an absolute ban from both possessing and consuming alcohol and he must agree to carrying out a preliminary breath test if asked to do so by the police.

An additional bail condition is that the defendant must not enter within the 30 m.p.h. zone around the village of Ballycarry.A YOUNG man allegedly attacked an 18-year-old girl by slashing her three times in the face with a Stanley knife, leaving her with "life changing injuries".

Mark Twomey (20) is also accused of punching and kicking the girl to the head and body in what a detective claimed was an "unprovoked attack".

The assault was based on the "unfounded" theory that the young woman was involved in an incident involving a member of Mr Twomey's family, a court was told.

Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Brian Hunt said he believed that Mr Twomey, if released on bail, "presented a danger to people on the street".

Judge Bernadette Owens refused bail, and remanded Mr Twomey in custody for one week, to appear before Cloverhill District Court on August 22.

The accused, who is of no fixed abode but is from the Bluebell area of Dublin, appeared before Dublin District Court charged with robbery, possession of a knife and seriously assaulting a 18-year-old woman.

The attack allegedly took place at Golden Lane, Dublin 2 shortly after 7pm last night.

Gardai objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the evidence.

Gda Hunt said it was alleged that the victim was attacked by a man and woman, not known to her, as she walked along Golden Lane.

The accused was armed with a screwdriver and a Stanley knife, which he had in his waistband of his trousers, the garda said.

Gda Hunt alleged the victim was "violently assaulted", punched a number of times to the face and that Mr Twomey "sliced her three times in the face with a Stanley blade".

The garda alleged that Mr Twomey then took the woman's iPhone 6, worth 500, and fled the scene.

He said the assault lasted 30 to 45 seconds, and gardai and the emergency services were called to the scene following a 999 call.

Gda Hunt said the victim was left with two separate serious injuries, a large deep cut to the arm, which exposed the bone, and a large cut on her face, stretching from her ear to her mouth.

The court heard the woman had surgery last night, was still in hospital and would require plastic surgery on her face, for what was described as a "life changing injury".

In relation to the evidence against Mr Twomey, Gda Hunt alleged the incident was caught on CCTV cameras and was witnessed by two independent witnesses.

Gda Hunt claimed the accused was "caught red-handed", was arrested about 500ms away and made admissions at the scene.

The detective alleged Mr Twomey admitted to him that he targeted the victim because he believed she had been involved in an incident involving a member of his family.

This theory was "unfounded" and "unsubstantiated", the garda said.

Gda Hunt further alleged that Mr Twomey gave him a list of names of other individuals he was willing to attack.

Furthermore, the taking of the phone was a secondary motive for the assault, Gda Hunt alleged.

Defence lawyer Garrett Casey BL said Mr Twomey enjoyed the presumption of innocence and was willing to abide by any bail conditions, including a condition that he live outside of Dublin.

However, Gda Hunt said no bail terms were acceptable to gardai and he believed that Mr Twomey, if realised on bail, "presented a danger to people on the street".

Judge Owens said the allegations were of a serious nature and she refused bail.

Defence solicitor Kelly Breen was assigned on free legal aid.

The judge ordered that Mr Twomey be medically assessed while in custody.

Judge Owens also noted that the accused had concerns about his safety in Cloverhill Prison.Michael Jacob, father of missing Deirdre Jacob speaking to families at the ceremony at Farmleigh yesterday

Bernadette and Michael Jacob appeal for information on their daughter Deirdre who went missing in 1998

RAPIST Larry Murphy is the prime suspect in the case of missing Deirdre Jacob, sources have confirmed.

Gardai yesterday upgraded the disappearance of the young woman to murder following a key breakthrough in the 20-year-old mystery.

Expand Close Deirdre Jacob / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Deirdre Jacob

Officers received vital new credible and corroborated information last month when a person made a statement about the mystery disappearance to gardai in Co Kildare.

The information is deemed so significant that a murder investigation is under way, despite the fact that Deirdres body has not yet been located.

The family of Deirdre Jacob, of Roseberry, Newbridge, Co Kildare, had clung on to hopes that their daughter, who was 18 when she went missing on the afternoon of July 28, 1998, might turn up alive.

Senior officers say they are now looking at a number of persons of interest and new lines of inquiry have been opened up. But informed sources say convicted rapist Murphy is the chief suspect in the case.

Larry Murphy is believed to be based in the UK at the moment  if he was to set foot in Ireland, he would be arrested on sight in relation to this investigation, a senior source said last night.

However, there is nowhere near enough evidence yet to issue a European Arrest Warrant for his extradition and a team of eight gardai are now working full time on this case.

Gardai are expected to call again to witnesses who were interviewed previously, and seek others they believe have information but had not come forward in the past.

Officers will also re-examine CCTV footage at an Irish Permanent building society premises, which showed Deirdre walking up the main street in Newbridge that afternoon.

Gardai are widening their inquiries and these are likely to take them outside the county, and possibly overseas, as they pursue the new lines that have been opened up.

Searches

It is understood that gardai may now conduct searches for Deirdres remains in the near future.

The murder investigation is being led by Chief Supt Brian Sutton, of Naas, and Supt Martin Walker, of Kildare station, where an incident room has been set up.

Anybody with information about the case is being asked to contact Kildare Garda station (045 521222), or phone the confidential line, 1800 666111.

Chief Supt Sutton told Independent.ie yesterday he believed there were people who had information about Deirdres disappearance at the time but chose not to come forward.

He said he was hopeful that they might revisit their thoughts in response to the latest appeal on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance.

Expand Close Parents of missing Kildare woman Deirdre Jacob, Michael and Bernie make a public appeal for information Pic: Mark Condren / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Parents of missing Kildare woman Deirdre Jacob, Michael and Bernie make a public appeal for information Pic: Mark Condren

Chief Supt Sutton added Deirdre was a young woman, starting off her life. She had completed her first year at St Marys University at Twickenham in London where she was training to become a primary school teacher.

While exact details of the new information cannot be revealed for operational reasons, Chief Supt Sutton said it was of such significance the investigation had been upgraded to murder.

The information is substantial and a murder investigation has been launched, he said.

We deal with evidence, not rumour or speculation, and this new development is significant.

Deirdre Jacobs parents Bernadette and Michael said they had hoped that there would have been a better outcome.

No one wants to hear their child has been murdered and it is very difficult to take it in, said Bernadette.

It is a shock when you hear those cold words, said Michael.

Its a real heart-wrencher.

Her parents said Deirdre was a happy-go-lucky girl with a great circle of friends.

Michael appealed for anyone with any extra information to come forward and continue to help gardai.

He said the breakthrough should send a message of hope to all the other families of those who have disappeared.

Members of the Garda serious crime review team, also known as the cold case unit, are assisting in the investigation.

Murphy (52), from Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty in to kidnapping, raping and attempting to murder a woman in the Wicklow mountains in February 2000.

He bundled her into the boot of his car and drove her to a secluded location before raping her, and then drove her to a forest where he raped her again and put a bag over her head and started to strangle her.

Two men, who recognised Murphy, came to the womans aid and she was rescued.

He was arrested the following day.

While in prison for this crime, Murphy was reported to have admitted to a fellow inmate that he had killed Deirdre.

He was released in 2010 after serving 10 years in Arbour Hill prison.Having seen their results, some students may need to rethink their plans, either because they have done better than expected or have fallen short of what they need for their chosen route.

There will also be many students who have not yet decided what to do next.

The good news is there are plenty of opportunities for further study.

CAO available Places

Some CAO courses will have more places available than applicants and so have vacancies. Any such courses will be listed in the available places section of cao.ie, from noon on August 21.

Both CAO applicants and those who have not yet made any application to the CAO may apply. There is a fee of 45 for new applicants.

The list of courses with places available will be updated constantly until all offers have been exhausted, so it is advisable to check back regularly.

Existing CAO applicants will be asked to resubmit their original CAO list, leaving on it any courses they still wish to be considered for and adding in any new 'vacant places' courses for which they wish to apply in order of preference.

PLCs

Further Education colleges offer student courses, generally known as post Leaving Certificate courses (PLCs), in a variety of areas, which may act as either a stepping stone to higher education or prepare them for entry to the world of work. These colleges are generally in the education and training board (ETB) sector.

PLC courses can be an excellent alternative for those considering repeating the Leaving Cert as they allow a student to enter a college environment and specialise in a specific area of interest or talent.

Courses are offered at Level 5 (one year) and Level 6 (two years). Many colleges have been accepting applications and conducting interviews since January, however, most are still taking applications. While many courses are now filled, it is equally likely that all colleges will have places available on some courses.

Applications are made directly to colleges and interested applicants should contact their local colleges for available courses and interview dates.

Apprenticeships and traineeships

An increasing number of apprenticeships (and traineeships, which are generally of shorter duration) are available, and are good options for those who fancy combining paid work experience with study as a means to a qualification.

As well as traditional trades, such as construction and engineering, apprenticeships are now available in other areas such as hospitality (commis chef and chef de partie), finance and computing. Recently, the Logistics Associate Apprenticeship - leading to a Level 6 qualification - was announced. It will be delivered by the DIT School of Management, Aungier Street, with the first intake of students in September.

Another new one, a two-year, Level 6 programme in auctioneering and property services - a collaboration between City of Dublin Education and Training Board and a consortium of industry representatives - has also been announced.

This year it will run in Ballsbridge College of Further Education and Cork College of Commerce. Apprentices will be on salaries of 20,000-22,000. See apprenticeship.ie.

Traineeships are offered by education and training boards (ETBs)

Private Colleges

While the CAO processes applications for private colleges, such as Griffith College, for many courses, there are also courses available through direct entry, in a range of areas including business, acting, social care and computing.

Currently, there are 78 courses and their descriptions listed in the 'direct entry course search' on careersportal.ie. Students can also use the search function in qualifax.ie, selecting 'direct entry course' to limit their search.

Students interested in pursuing study at a private college should contact the individual colleges, many of which will be holding open days in the coming weeks. Courses are available at all levels.

Typically, annual fees are around 5,000 but are tax-deductible at the 20pc rate. With the student contribution at 3,000 in pulic sector colleges, it might be cheaper to enrol in a local private college rather than to move away from home.

UK and Europe

The college application and entry process is very different in the UK. Entry requirements vary and we see different trends in course popularity. This can mean an Irish student receiving an offer for their area of interest, even if they do not qualify for a similar course at home.

Those interested can apply now, even if they have not used UCAS (the UK centralised applications agency) before. A list of available places is released on ucas.com and applicants should deal directly with colleges in which they are interested.

UCAS is currently going through a process known as 'clearing'. This allows those who have not yet entered the system to apply for any places that may be available. Anyone interested in clearing should start this process as soon as possible to have maximum choice.

For those who have already applied via UCAS, a process known as 'adjustment' opens tomorrow. This allows students who have performed better than expected to apply for places that had not been available to them previously.

While Brexit is causing uncertainty, the British government has committed to maintaining the rights of Irish nationals to access higher and further education courses on equal terms to UK nationals, including qualifying for student loans and support.

There are also opportunities to study in Europe - check out websites such as eunicas.ie and studyineurope.eu.Shauna McCabe: I love that I can immediately and actively put into practice what Im learning

Shauna McCabe has found that an "earn and learn" approach to building a career is perfect for her.

Although she did a degree in anthropology and classics, the 23-year-old from Dunsany, Co Meath always liked accountancy.

After university, Shauna worked as a shop manager and also travelled, as far as Beijing, China, where she taught English.

On her return to Ireland, Shauna's cousin alerted her to the accounting technician apprenticeship because "he knew I would be interested".

The Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) Apprenticeship is a work-based learning programme in which apprentices are paid at least 18,000 a year.

The programme is open to both school-leavers and mature students.

This is one of the modern era, white-collar apprenticeships offering new career routes to students who prefer an approach that blends paid, practical work with study, leading to qualifications up to degree level, or even above.

Shauna began her apprenticeship with MBM Chartered Accountants, Clonee, Co Meath and loves the mix of working and learning simultaneously.

"It's the best decision I've ever taken," says Shauna.

During college term, she spends one day a week studying and four days working with the firm. She is spending the summer working five days a week.

"The course is fantastic and I love that I can immediately and actively put into practice what I'm learning," says Shauna.

She loves it so much, Shauna is "even encouraging my younger brother, who has finished his Leaving Certificate, to think about the course as a serious option".

When students complete the two-year apprenticeship, they have a strong, in-demand accountancy Level 6 award, solid work experience and the opportunity, if they wish, to progress to further study in accountancy, business or finance.

There are 180 apprenticeships nationwide on offer through the ATI programme.

This year, the programme is running in partnership with Bray Institute of Further Education, Blackrock Further Education Institute, Colaiste Ide College of Further Education, Cork College of Commerce, Monaghan Institute, Galway Technology Institute, Waterford College of Further Education and Rathmines College of Further Education.Naoise Jo Farrell is on a six-week placement with the Penneys design team in Dublin

Naoise Jo Farrell was always interested in art, but when she finished school a few years ago, she wasn't sure how she could turn her passion into a career.

The Dubliner also had a flair for fashion and, while a student at The High School, Rathgar, a fourth year project even evolved into a little business making customised shorts.

"I was always sketching clothes and people said to me, 'you should do fashion design'," says Naoise (22) ,from Churchtown.

But, even in sixth year, she still didn't know whether she wanted to do fashion design or a broader art degree.

So, she took the wise decision to sign up for the one-year, Level 5, Art, Craft & Design Portfolio Preparation post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) course at Sallynoggin College of Further Education.

"It meant I could keep my options open," says Naoise, who, not long into the course, realised her heart lies in fashion.

With a very successful year in Sallynoggin behind her, Naoise parachuted into second year of the three-year, BA (Hons) in Fashion Design at Griffith College, Dublin.

She graduated this summer, with a first class honours degree, and as Griffith College 'Fashion Student of the Year'. She was also a finalist in both the UCD student design competition 2018 and the Galway Now Irish Fashion Innovation Awards 2018.

The accolades don't end there. Not surprisingly, Naoise landed a two-week internship with Liz Quinn at Avoca this summer and won the prestigious Primark Student Designer award; she is currently on a six-week placement with the Penneys design team in Dublin.

Naoise says womenswear and print are her main areas of interest at the moment and, when her current internship ends, she would like to stay working in Dublin. "I am really interested in promoting Irish design", she says.

Her graduate collection, 'Mine Heritage', was inspired by her grandfather's tales of working in the coal mines of Manchester and his worker number 663 can be found throughout the collection.

"Each piece has artistic elements such as digital print on plush velvet, industrial apron styling or Victorian frill embellishment to create a unique visual mix of heritage in a modern form," says Naoise.

She relished her time at Griffith College, and says the course "really sets you up for the Irish fashion industry", although graduates have gone on to work in fashion houses around the world.

As well as garment construction and design, including digital design, the course has modules in marketing and business. "Every aspect of the industry is covered," she says.FOR many, it will have been amongst the most-stressful mornings of their young lives - the morning they get their Leaving Certificate result.

More than 57,000 students across the country received their Leaving Certificate results today; a breakdown of the data shows that 7,490 students were awarded at least one H1 - a mark of between 90pc and 100pc - while six will be celebrating eight H1s.

But it would be wrong to focus solely on those who got the very top marks. Arguably, the achievement of the many who secured their own personal goals should be applauded as much, if not more.

For Luke Dowdall, from Phibsborough in Dublin, the wait for the result was the most stressful time of my life.

I was very nervous. It was probably the most stressful time of my life. Emotions were just rolling in. There was just so much stress over the past couple of days," he told Independent.ie

There was one disappointment - music, yeah, but its alright. Cant stress over that, he said.

Expand Close Students collect their results at Mount Temple school in Dublin today. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Students collect their results at Mount Temple school in Dublin today. Photo: Mark Condren

A healthy outlook.

While Luke found it hard to deal with the stress of waiting, others simply blocked it out. There was a heatwave to enjoy, after all.

Id been able to forget about it during the summer but in the last few days, just started thinking about it again, said Eoghan Harrington, from Glasnevin and also studying in Belvedere College.

There were a few butterflies going in this morning, but I was just trying to get through the summer without thinking about it."

Most students were happy enough with their results, with some stating that they did better than they expected.

Along with students, the schools brimmed with parents.

Kieran and Susie Kelly, from Castleknock in Dublin came to collect their sons result, who is away in Australia on a gap year.

They were a little bit nervous for Tim.

Expand Close Kathlyn ONeill, 18 from Tara Hill and Shereen Kavanagh, 18, River Chapel, celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College. Photo: Tony Gavin 15/8/2018 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kathlyn ONeill, 18 from Tara Hill and Shereen Kavanagh, 18, River Chapel, celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College. Photo: Tony Gavin 15/8/2018

Its such a big day for students, and you just hope that they will be able to move forward; and the results will help them do that and facilitate that, Ms Kelly said.

He did his best, he worked really hard, gave a great effort. Its all a great relief and its a great day for the students, said Kieran Kelly.

The results today showed a jump in the number of students achieving the highest grades.

Now that the dust has settled for a while, and the results are finally behind them, what would their plans for the day be?

Sleep, said Kevin Quinn, from Ashington in Dublin.

At Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Marino in Dublin it was no different.

From 9am the students started to arrive to receive the brown envelopes with that all-important folded A4 sheet inside.

Lochlann Hackett (18) from Drumcondra had a smile on his face and breathed a sigh of relief.

I want to do Engineering in Trinity and I was worried about my maths results but in the end I did better than I expected, he told Independent.ie.

Lucky Lochlann got two H1s, 4 H2s and a H3. Its enough to get me the course I think, he added.

Pal Eoin Quigley (18) was also delighted with his results. With plans to to Electrical Engineering in the U.K., he was happy with his 4H1s a two H2s.

I think it was a fluke to be honest, said Eoin with modesty. It was better than I expected. We can hit town now! he added.

Hannah Rottke Fitzpatrick (18) from Drumcondra was also happy with the numbers on letters on her results sheet.

Its about 500 points. I was a little nervous and got roughly what I expected so Im delighted she said.

School principal Liam Wegimont was in hand to congratulate those who were happy with their results, and offer a shoulder to those who were disappointed.

The Leaving Cert puts assessment ahead of learning. It assesses a narrow range of skills and knowledge. Recent research from DCU and Trinity has shown it generally prioritises lower-order skills over his higher-order thinking, he said.

While it has its strong points, it is neither fair nor equitable. The high-stakes terminal exam creates unnecessary stress, anguish and anxiety for many, Mr Wegimont explained.

He said the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is now leading a review process involving pilot schools and the views of parents, students, teachers, and school management.

We in Mount Temple are delighted to be part of this process, he added.Some students will be disappointed today and will be worrying about whether their results will deliver a desired college offer, and whether they should repeat the Leaving Cert.

There are many reasons why a student may feel today that they wish to repeat. They may fear they will miss out on their dream course by a small number of points. They may have performed badly in one subject or lacked confidence in their ability to achieve during sixth year and now, surprised by their results, are considering what they might have achieved had they settled down to early revision.

Patience is required - no one can predict what will happen with points and students often receive unexpected offers. In the meantime, there is no harm in gathering information, but avoid pressure to make a decision to repeat, just yet.

Whatever may motivate a young person to reconsider returning to Leaving Cert, it is essential to take some time to consider all options, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.

As I am sure every Leaving Cert parent and student will agree, sixth year is one of the most challenging years of any young person's life and this is not likely to change the second time around.

For many young people, the goal of Leaving Cert is simply to achieve the requirements necessary to gain access to their chosen course and this goal should be kept at the forefront of their mind when making decisions about their options now. If a student has already achieved a place on a course that will get them to their career goal, even if it is not their dream course, moving forward to third level may be the better choice.

If this is not the case,it is worth considering a further education course, which may allow progression to a higher education course relevant to your career goal next year.

There are also apprenticeships and traineeships opening up.

It is often more beneficial for students to move forward in education than returning to a school environment at 18 or 19 years of age, which can be a huge challenge.

Additionally there are options such as CAO 'available places' and UCAS 'clearing'.

When considering whether or not to repeat, it is helpful for students to ask themselves the following questions. What prevented me from gaining the result I wanted last year? Were these circumstances within my control? Will this be different next year or am I likely to fall into old habits?

A candidate can do much better second time round but is equally possible to slide into the same habits and achieve results that are only slightly better, or even lower, than in the first sitting.

Student should also consider their subjects - some will have different course work. For example, in English, the skills that students are required to develop remain fixed, but the texts may change. Other subjects affected by such changes include music and history.

Remember, Leaving Cert points must come from one sitting of the exams, but it is possible to repeat single subjects. Grades achieved in these subjects can be used to meet entry requirements.

Students who decide that repeating is the best option for them must now consider where they might choose to repeat.

They may wish to return to their own school, which is normally at the discretion of the school principal.

It may have the benefit of being familiar and close to home, but, if your school does not have a dedicated repeat class (which most do not) then students may find they have outgrown that environment.

A small number of second-level schools offer a dedicated 'repeat' year, including O'Connell's CBS, Dublin and Colaiste Mhuire, CBS Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

It is worth checking with local education and training boards (ETBs), as many further education colleges offer a 'repeat' year. This allows students to move to a college environment. Students may also consider 'grind' schools, although these are the most expensive option.

Repeating is a difficult decision and should not be entered into lightly. Students should consider contacting a guidance counsellor or the NPCPP Leaving Cert Helpline to discuss their options.Submitted by Gastrofork

Special to the Post

There are a couple of Scuies around in Vancouver.

They have a bar now, pizza by weight and a selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches. I ordered lox pizza and it was pretty good: a light fare that I devoured pretty quickly.

The staff was generally very friendly. It got super busy during the lunch hour. I cant say we had the best service: I got my pizza right away, but my soup came 45 minutes or so later. The sandwich came 30 minutes from their order time. They asked us to pay again for the soup. We couldnt remember if we had paid or not, so we did. After we sat back down, one of the servers informed us we already did so we got a refund.

I would return for some spritz and some easy cafe drinking. I dont know if I can go on lunch again  especially my lunch is usually just an hour long. The food is good though: if you can maybe get there at 11:45, I think thats when you can beat the lunch crowd rush.

Scuie

101 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC

Gastrofork is a Vancouver based food and travel blog. Gastrofork has been featured in Eat In Eat Out Magazine, is one of the top blogs on Urbanspoon and named Top 100 Blogs to Follow in 2013. Read more reviews at gastrofork.caEimear Martin and Catherine Farrell after their Irish Leaving Cert exam at Loreto Secondary School in Bray, Co Wicklow in June Photo: Justin Farrelly

Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM

Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM

Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM

Leaving Cert students are aiming higher and are rewarded today with a jump in the numbers achieving the highest grade in a subject.

As more than 57,000 candidates receive their results, a breakdown of the data shows 7,490 students were awarded at least one H1 - a mark of between 90pc and 100pc - while seven will be celebrating eight H1s.

An ongoing upward trend in the numbers sitting higher level papers is revealed in data from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for the class of 2018.

There was no dramatic swing in the second year of the new grading system.

However, a 1.7pc increase in students achieving at least one H1 grade is noteworthy in a year when overall candidate numbers dipped slightly.

The CAO bonus points for a minimum 40pc in "honours" maths continue to attract students, with more than 31pc of maths candidates taking higher level, but the relatively high numbers under-achieving in the subject will cause disappointment.

At higher level, 7.7pc received below 40pc and, while most are in the 30pc-40pc bracket and will qualify for points under the new CAO scale introduced last year, it is a cause for concern in a subject regarded as critical for future study and life.

Meanwhile, 9.8pc of ordinary level candidates failed to achieve 40pc in maths, a figure that remains high year on year.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Anna Doyle and Ann-Marie Eikrem celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM Rebecca Cavalier, 17, from Camolin who had 590 points in her Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Caelfind Branigan and her mother Cait discuss her Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Sean Delaney, Liam Coleman, Shea Stokes, and Tren Alexander Arnold with their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Roisin Rose gets a kiss from her mother Fiona, after she receives Leaving Cert Results Picture: Caroline Quinn Students receive their Leaving Certificate results at Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin Photo: Mark Condren/INM Anna Doyle and Ann-Marie Eikrem celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Students celebrate receiving their Leaving Cert Results at O'Connell Secondary School, North Richmond Street, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn Kathlyn ONeill, 18 from Tara Hill and Shereen Kavanagh, 18, River Chapel, with their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College. Photo: Tony Gavin 15/8/2018 Jean Salonga, 18 and Chloe Ling, 17, celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Anna Doyle and Ann-Marie Eikrem discuss their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Kathlyn ONeill, Ben Robertson and Rebecca Cavalier, 17 check their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin Chelsea Oikeh and Moyin Mobolaji receiving their Leaving Cert Results at O'Connell Secondary School, North Richmond Street, Dublin Picture: Caroline Quinn / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Anna Doyle and Ann-Marie Eikrem celebrate their Leaving Cert results at Gorey Community College Photo: Tony Gavin

Art students, in particular, will notice an uplift in grades at the top, following the introduction of new assessment arrangements this year.

It has been notoriously difficult for students to achieve at the highest levels in art, but the proportion receiving a H1 is up to 2.9pc, from 1.2pc last year, while H2s are up from 11.4pc to 13.5pc

Education Minister Richard Bruton led the congratulations to students and said they "should all be so proud of the work you have put in and what you have achieved".

This is the first year of assessment in the new subject of politics and society, with 867 students in 41 schools having taken the exam.

It will be available to all schools from September, while computer science and physical education are also being phased in from next month.

The release of the results sparked a hard-hitting statement from the business organisation Ibec, which claimed that the Leaving Cert "is not fit for purpose".

The Ibec statement followed research published by Dublin City University (DCU) this week revealing that the exams were largely memory tests and were not adequately assessing students' intellectual skills.

Ibec senior executive for innovation and education policy Claire McGee said: "In its current form it is doubtful that the Leaving Cert is in tune with the needs of Irish society and its economy." She added that reform was overdue.

"A high-stakes, terminal exam, predominately based on rote learning and information recall, leaves students with little opportunity to think critically, engage analytical skills and develop greater interpersonal skills," she said.

Ms McGee said it was "now time to make the Leaving Cert, and indeed the whole senior cycle and careers service, more relevant for the 21st century".

"To help students transition to future study and into the world of work, we need an education system that encourages a spark for learning, one that creates options for young people and prepares them for the their next phase in life," she said.

Ms McGee said Ibec looked forward to engaging on the review of the Leaving Cert that is currently under way.The unfair treatment of trainee doctors in Irish hospitals is encouraging them to go abroad and adding to the recruitment crisis, the Irish Medical Organisation has warned.

The comments come after inspection reports published today reveal some interns were not being supervised and were being asked to perform duties above their grade.

The Irish Medical Council found allegations of bullying and preferential treatment amongst interns during inspections of the Saolta University Health Care Group and the South/South West Hospital Group.

The type of issues the Medical Council has highlighted is a common experience for young Irish medical graduates, a spokesperson for the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) said after the reports were published.

There are wholly inadequate training supports in place for newly qualified doctors and they are often thrown in at the deep-end in terms of learning how to deal with patients and assess situations.

To add insult to injury, the IMO has received numerous reports about young doctors not being paid for overtime work done, not receiving their rosters in reasonable time and not being given protected training time.

Ireland has approximately 500 Consultant posts lying vacant at present and is facing a shortage of about 1,400 compared to the number of Consultants needed, according to the IMO.

The Irish Medical Council who regulate medical doctors in Ireland found the hospitals to be mostly compliant, but it warned that the same issues were repeatedly being raised

Issues such as allegations of bullying, a lack of respect shown to trainees and lack of protected training time are widely known, and are repeatedly highlighted, said Una ORourke, Director of the Education, Training and Professionalism.

In saying that, many positives were identified during the inspections especially the strong commitment and dedication of the chief and associate academic officers, she added.An Irish anti-tobacco group has urged people to start vaping only as a last resort when trying to quit smoking, following a new study on e-cigarettes.

The study, published by the 'British Medical Journal', revealed e-cigarette vapour destroys protective cells which keep the lungs clear of harmful particles. It showed the vapour impairs the activity of cells known as macrophages, which help remove dust, bacteria and allergens.

Some of the damage highlighted is similar to the effects of tobacco and chronic lung disease. The researchers concluded vaping in itself increases the damage caused by the e-cigarette fluid.

Dr Patrick Doorley, chairman of Ash Ireland, said the report added to reservations about the safety of e-cigarettes.

"We certainly shouldn't dismiss this study," he said. "We have known for quite some time about the concerns of vaping. Our health regulator Hiqa conducted a major study in recent years [which] acknowledged that, while e-cigarettes could help people quit smoking, there were still many reservations.

"The single biggest concern we have at the moment is their long-term safety."

Dr Doorley said e-cigarettes should not be the go-to solution when giving up smoking. "There are options that are safer and have a good long-term track record, like the drug varenicline, along with nicotine replacement therapy."

According to a Euromonitor International report, Ireland is the third-biggest spender on e-cigarette products per capita. Those wishing to quit can contact the National Quitline online at www.quit.ie or call 1800 201203.IT'S a mystery that has haunted Irish society for 20 years. But the decision by gardai to officially upgrade the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob to a murder investigation is a major development that offers the possibility of closure.

Deirdre was last seen walking alone on a country road towards her home, about 1.5km outside Newbridge, at 3pm on the afternoon of July 28, 1998.

Within the next half hour the 18-year-old primary school teacher student vanished without trace, as if she had been swallowed up by the elements.

Deirdre's was the last name added to a group known as Ireland's Missing Women, who number seven in total.

All vanished in the Leinster area between 1993 and 1998, sparking fears they may have fallen foul of a serial killer.

However, gardai definite suspects and motives in three of the cases: Fiona Pender who vanished in 1996, Ciara Breen in 1997 and Fiona Sinnott in 1998, and are satisfied they are unconnected.

Expand Close Deirdre Jacob / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Deirdre Jacob

With regard to the disappearance of American student Annie McCarrick in 1993, it has been reported that a cold case review identified the suspect as a senior member of the Provisional IRA in Dublin.

The disappearance of Eva Brennan (40) four months after Ms McCarrick is perplexingly the only case that has not received the same level of Garda scrutiny or, indeed, featured in public appeals.

The cases of Jo Jo Dullard, who was last seen on November 9, 1995, and Deirdre Jacob remain open.

These disappearances have been the subject of one of the longest-running active investigations in recent history, including a number of cold case reviews by specialised officers.

However it has never been established what happened and whether the two remaining cases are connected to the same killer.

For Deirdre Jacob's parents Michael and Bernie yesterday's announcement has, hopefully, brought closure a little nearer.

Despite its initial classification as a missing person case, gardai always pursued their investigations in the belief Deirdre was abducted and murdered. Jo Jo Dullard is believed to have suffered a similar fate.

The decision to upgrade the Jacob investigation, as revealed by Chief Supt Brian Sutton, is based on new information the gardai received following a cold case review conducted over the past year. Gardai do not make such public disclosures without having strong grounds on which to do so.

Sutton said officers are following a number of new leads and progress is being made. It is the first serious indication Deirdre's disappearance will be solved and the prime suspect will finally be brought to justice.

Upgrading the investigation to a murder probe is the first indication that Deirdre's disappearance will be solved.

The development has refocused the spotlight on Ireland's most feared sexual predator, Larry Murphy aka the 'Beast of Baltinglass'.

Murphy, who has been officially elevated to prime suspect, has been a person of interest in the Jacob investigation for 18 years - and with good reason.

The family man from Co Wicklow first came to attention after the horrific abduction, multiple rape and attempted murder of a young woman he randomly spotted on a street in Carlow town.

At the time Murphy, a carpenter, was working on renovating a house there. His behaviour and methodology displayed all the hallmarks of a serial killer. Shortly after 8pm on February 11, 2000, Murphy pounced on his victim as she walked to her car.

Murphy punched the woman, fracturing her nose, before bundling her into her car and driving to his own vehicle parked out of sight. He forced his victim to strip, tied her hands with her bra and shoved her into his car. He drove 16km north of Carlow town where he gagged and raped his victim.

He then forced her into the boot and drove to the Glen of Imaal, stopping on an isolated track he knew from his hobby as a hunter.

Here Murphy raped his victim twice more and attempted to suffocate her.

Murphy's victim began a frantic effort to escape. As she tried to get out of the car, he slammed the door on her legs.

But fate intervened when local men Ken Jones and Trevor Moody, who were out hunting, saw the commotion and went to investigate.

Murphy sped off, leaving his victim behind.

Fortunately the men recognised Murphy and went to the gardai. The following day he was arrested.

Murphy never offered any explanation and pleaded guilty. He was a model prisoner but never participated in any rehabilitative programmes.

Experts say Murphy's behaviour had all the traits of a serial killer. He stalked his victim before making his move when she was most vulnerable.

He also brought her to the wilderness of the Glen of Imaal, an area he was intimately acquainted with, where the chances of being discovered were practically non-existent.

This is what criminal profilers refer to as a "killing field": a location where the killer feels secure.

When Murphy finished his sentence in 2010, he immediately left the country and began moving between cities in Holland, France and Spain.

Gardai notified their colleagues in Europol, who in turn issued a Euro-wide police alert.Larry Murphy has never spoken of his horrific crime or offered any explanation for his motivation.

Nor has he tried to deny any involvement in Deirdre Jacob's disappearance.

And I should know, because I put those questions to Murphy on a number of occasions over a two-year period when, as part of an investigation for the Irish Independent, I tracked him across Europe.

Having served his full sentence - 10 years of a 15-year term - Murphy left the country and began moving around Europe where, after a period, the police lost track of him.

Then in May 2011, while working as a labourer in Barcelona, his passport was stolen and he was forced back into the open.

He returned to Dublin for a replacement passport and I, along with a news team, tried to interview him. But he smirked and remained silent as he walked to a waiting car.

A few weeks later he left the country on a ferry for Cherbourg and from there travelled to Paris where he bought a ticket to Barcelona. After that he disappeared again.

In the summer of 2012, we managed to track Murphy to an address in Amsterdam where he was living and working for a courier company.

The sexual predator was living anonymously in a residential area where there were no Irish citizens and he rarely socialised.

He appeared to have just one constant companion, a man who he worked and socialised with. At the weekend, they would spend days indoors, emerging only to buy food in a corner shop.

But then our enquiries turned up something sinister about the company Murphy was choosing to keep.

We revealed that Murphy's friend had been identified as a Dublin man convicted of the rape of two women in 2001. During the attack, which security sources described as "absolutely horrific", the friend held the two women at knife point in their apartment and raped them.

Like Murphy, the criminal offered no explanation and pleaded guilty to four counts of rape and was jailed for 10 years. He was the only person Murphy befriended on the inside and when the rapist was released, it was Murphy who helped him get a job in Amsterdam. When we confronted Larry Murphy at the time he seemed shocked to have been found.

But instead of making a comment he sprinted down the street.

Following the publication of our story, Murphy and his friend went their separate ways with Murphy ending up for a period in London.

His friend was subsequently arrested in Belfast on foot of a European arrest warrant issued on behalf of gardai in connection with breaches of the sex offenders register.Presidential hopeful Kevin Sharkey has praised the work of Donald Trump, saying he hasnt killed as many people as previous occupants of the White House.

Amid audible gasps from councillors in Carlow, the artist compared the US President to actor John Wayne.

He swaggered in and was like where are the broads at.

Trump isnt any more likeable or unlikeable than any of the other US presidents. We had Bush and his father. He hasnt killed as many people as the rest of them.

Expand Close Gavin Duffy. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gavin Duffy. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Mr Sharkey said Trump was correct to put America first and if elected to Aras an Uachtarain, he would make no apologies for putting Ireland first.

He said it is better to have an effective boss than a nice boss.

The Donegal man also put forward controversial views on immigration, insisting that its important to keep Ireland predominately white.

Ive spent my entire life being told what racism is and isnt. Everybody hated somebody. In the end I had to look at myself, are you racist? I was sceptical of some communities, he admitted.

At the same time he said his own skin colour should not mark him out from the other candidates in the race to take Michael D Higginss office.

Mr Sharkey said Ireland needs to wake up to the threat of immigration, especially in a post-Brexit era.

Its not racist to have a conversation about immigration without the fear of political correctness taking away our rights, he said.

The artist said that Ireland should always be seen as a welcoming country but added: Kindness can sometimes be rewarded by deception.

Meanwhile, presidential candidate Gavin Duffy has made a thinly veiled attack on Michael D Higgins, saying he will offer more than speeches and tea if elected to Aras an Uachtarain.

Making a pitch for a nomination from Carlow County Council, Mr Duffy promised to be a president for all the people.

He is one of five candidates to address councillors today, including Senator Joan Freeman and artist Kevin Sharkey.

Both Mr Duffy and Ms Freeman indicated that they believe seven years is a long period for anybody to hold the office of president.

They also called for more transparency on how the President spends taxpayers money.

Mr Duffy committed to voluntarily publishing details of Aras an Uachtarain expenditure, regardless of whether the Government changes Freedom of Information laws.

The Presidency is currently exempt from FOI legislation and Mr Higgins has recently found himself engulfed in controversy over reports he stayed a Swiss hotel that charges 3,000-a-night for a suite.

I hope the Oireachtas will amend the law in the necessary way, but the Government does not seem to want to do that.

If I am elected, I will immediately move to put in place a comprehensive voluntary Protocol to give effect to the requirements of the FOI law in respect of the Office of President, so that the people will know exactly how much is being spent on travel, accommodation, transport, catering and so on, Mr Duffy said.

Outlining his view of the Presidents role, he said it is founded on people power.

I see the Presidents soft power as one of advocacy, representation, encouragement and acknowledgment for the people, often for those who feel marginalised, or for people who might feel they have never really had a President for them, and for those many people who want to right a wrong, to mobilise a community, to lead positive change for a better Ireland, he said.

As President I will be among them, not just talking to them, but more importantly listening to them and bringing their ideas and concerns onto the platform of the Presidency. I will be a President who goes beyond speeches and invitations for tea in the Park.

In her contribution Ms Freeman talked about how some people believe her advocacy for mental health issues make her a one trick pony.

Ive been accused of being a one trick pony on several occasions. But the trick is very big.

Each president respects the Ireland of its time. I think its time we looked at mental health. The well-being of our country is absolutely crucial so that if we ever go again through harsh times that we would be resilient, the founder of Pieta House said.

She also made a stinging attack on the Government and HSE over what she described as their inability to manage mental health services in the country.

After 30 years as a psychologist, a campaigner, a CEO and a Senator, I am under no illusion that any Government will invest more in these [mental health] services.

They always say they will, but they never ever do. Its touchy feely, its soft, its not sexy. Thats just the reality, Ms Freeman said.

The type of change I want doesnt come about by fighting existing realities. It comes from creating new ones.

Change is not going to come in one law, one bill or one grant. Change will come when we, as a country, believe we deserve a confident and resilient society. It will come when we understand the value of it and when each one of us plays our part in creating it. I want to lead that change as President, she said.In 1896, there is a folk tale about a Chinese cook with the Canadian Railway climbed the Canmore mountain on a $50 bet. The non-fiction film, produced by Sticks & Stones and CBC, looks at the international controversy surrounding the mountains name during the mid-nineties.

Before then, the mountain was officially known as Chinamans Peak, which stirred up conflicting charges of bigotry and political correctness, garnered international attention.

The hour long production interviews politicians, writers, artists and activists on either side of the conflict. Ha Ling Peak explores how etymology of how names grow and change, conflicting perspectives on who gets to name the natural environment and when those names should change.

This film is so relevant, as people all around the world come to terms with the legacy and power of place names. It shows how a small community of people can be blind to the pain created in the past, but who can also learn and reconcile for a better world. says Sheila Peacock, CBC Executive Producer for Absolutely Vancouver & Alberta.

Ha Ling Peak will premiere on Aug. 18 at 7 pm on CBC Television and online as part of the Absolutely Canadian program, a series that highlights stories created by independent filmmakers from every region in Canada.A 'zero to landfill' policy is being applied to Pope Francis's Mass in the Phoenix Park.

Organisers want pilgrims to avoid bringing any products in non-recycleable packaging to the event.

Around 150,000 green bags will be handed out for waste.

The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) is appealing to Massgoers to "leave no trace".

Jane Mellett, project co-ordinator for 'Care for our Common Home', says that Pope Francis "has issued an invitation to all of us to enter into a conversation about what is happening to our beautiful world, and the threats our planet faces as a result of environmental destruction.

"If everyone joining the WMOF takes responsibility to be an eco-pilgrim on their journey, we can minimise our impact throughout the event, and most importantly at the papal Mass in the Phoenix Park," Ms Mellett said.Car-value expert Gillian Keogh teams up with Motoring Editor Eddie Cunningham to help you make the right choice with your next purchase. Gillian is Editor of a monthly guidebook on the values of used cars produced by the Motor Trade Publishers team. The team supplies a car-valuing service to the motor trade, insurance companies and finance houses.

We have an 03 Corolla. Need to change next year. I came across a 151 Auris 1.4 diesel (20k) 15,000. Seems a good deal but should I buy a diesel? Hybrids are dear for second car. Or do I buy a new petrol and get a scrappage deal. My annual mileage is 12,000km. We have a 161 Verso diesel, so we don't want a double hit.

Gillian & Eddie: Keep the Verso for another while to lessen the hit on it. Your 03 won't make you any money back but you could use it on a scrappage offer. Your annual kms don't warrant a diesel, so while you did come across a good deal, it's probably not where you should be putting your 15k. Petrol or hybrid would be where we'd be going.

How about sticking with an Auris, which is available in both? The new-model 1.2 petrol came out in 152 and you would get a nice Luna spec for your budget.

You would need to stretch to around 16k for the same year in the hybrid. Or you could go back to a 13/14 plate and have a lower cost to change, starting at around 12,500 for the Luxury model.

We have a 15-reg Ford C-MAX Zetec 1,498cc diesel with 21,000km. We're both almost 60, needing the comfort and height of an MPV. We're living in Dublin, retired, with family in Cork and Tipp, so mileage at most will be under 10,000km a year. In the bigger picture of diesel, hybrids and electric, could you please advise, is it wise to change our car now with a view to economy and maintaining value going forward?

Gillian: In your three years of driving, your car is now worth around 50pc of the original price. You have taken most of the hit already, and if the C-Max suits you for size and comfort, then I would say keep for another year anyway.

You probably shouldn't have bought a diesel in the first place but since 08 diesel is all anyone bought. The new norm is buying hybrid but not everyone can afford to for the years that they have been around, so there are still buyers out there who only have a diesel choice and they will still be there next year.

If you are happy to take the hit now and want to change into something new, how about a Seat Arona 1.0 petrol? Great value starting at 17,995 for the S 95 model, which won't cost you too much to come up three years. Ride height and comfort are every bit as good as its rivals and I would have no reservation for its resale value. Other options include C3 Aircross, Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic.

There are hybrid options available for closer to the money that you spent on the C-Max but in bigger body shapes than my suggestions and perhaps not required by you both.

Eddie: The value your car has already lost is money out of your pocket and the next buyer is the one who will benefit most. I think I'd wait a year, probably two. With your really low mileage, depreciation will taper off now and there will still be keen demand for good diesels for a long time. There will also be a lot more hybrids to choose from over the next few years. The latter is critical for you and will play into your strategy of switching from diesel eventually. But if you feel you really need to change then I'd follow Gillian's advice.

I have a 2007 Lexus GS 450h. The mileage is 300,000km. My average is 30,000/year. I want an SUV. My budget is 15,000. I am exempt from VRT and VAT as I am the driver of a disabled passenger. I am thinking about buying new or importing from the UK. I am looking for a big SUV (3.5 to 4-litre). Your suggestions please

Gillian: You really are going against the grain looking for a large-engine vehicle. Sadly, buying new with that budget isn't an option for you. Most large SUVs start at a new price of 40k for a 2.0/2.2 engine. The market for new 3.5/4.0 engines is almost non-existent except for the big boys like Audi, BMW and Land Rover, which will not come anywhere close to your budget. I usually recommend shopping Irish, but you might need to go to the UK for what you want. That way you have more choice used that will allow you to use your exemption on VRT and VAT.

How about looking for an Audi Q7 or BMW X5? Both would be for a 12 plate for your money and, coming from the Lexus, they will offer you a similar level of spec and comfort to what you've been used to.

Eddie: Never thought I'd say this but a BMW X5 import is probably as good as it gets for you considering your requirements.

I really need some help figuring out what car to buy. I recently sold my VW Polo, my first car, and I got 6.5k for it. I commute daily from southside Dublin to northside, so I spend a lot of time on the M50. I am leaning towards something big and high like an SUV - something which will stand its ground on the M50. Ideally automatic. Hoping to get something no older than a 152/161. Budget is coming in at about 20k - am I being realistic? I've really no clue - I'm 25 and female. If I can't get an SUV for that price range, do you have any other suggestions?

Gillian & Eddie: An automatic SUV will fit your budget. But coming from a Polo we suggest you look at smaller SUVs as they might just be what you are after.

The Mazda CX-3 is a nice motor and a 16-reg GT SL would suit your pocket. This is the high-end spec with leather as standard.

Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesels have been around for ages and there are plenty on the market, so model choice is huge. Look for a 1.5 dsl SV and you should get into a 152. If you do want to go larger and automatic, you will need to go back to a 141/142 and we would suggest looking at a Mazda CX-5 2.2 dsl Executive SE as there would be a good few around in auto.

If you don't mind going manual, your options open up to include a Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, both in a 152 and still current models.

I'm looking for advice for a second-hand car. My last car was a 1.3l Mitsubishi Space Star. I had it for 11 years. I will be retiring on a small pension in a few years. At the moment it's public transport to work but I need a car for shopping and weekend trips. I do a 280km motorway round trip two or three times a month. My average yearly mileage is around 12,000- 16,000kms. My budget is 10,000 but I could stretch to 13,000-14,000 for the right car (no trade-in, I'm a cash buyer). Usually there is only me in the car. A petrol Toyota Yaris would seem ideal, but I don't particularly like the car (mostly the gears). A petrol Auris 1.33-litre would be a little larger than I need. I might get a 141 model for my budget. I'm also thinking maybe a Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz or a Skoda Fabia 1.2 litre. The Fabia is supposed to be good on fuel economy but does it have the longevity of a Toyota? My dilemma is, do I push to my maximum budget and buy a car that will last me for 10 years while I'm still earning? My instinct is to go for the 'for ever' car now but I'm worried there will be so many hybrid and electric models around in four to five years that any petrol car I buy now will be outdated by then and resale value will plummet. My salary is low but my pension will definitely be lower. Do I buy an older, cheaper car now with a view to keeping it for five years and looking to change to a small hybrid or electric when I retire?

Gillian & Eddie: This is a dilemma facing many buyers and one worthy of more space than is devoted to it here. But we will return to it soon because a lot of people are asking questions along these lines.

First off, we would suggest buying now with a plan to keep it for around four to five years. Change again then in another four to five years.

In the meantime, you have 10 years to gather savings that will allow you to buy your for ever car for cash near retirement. If you plan to keep your next car for the four to five year period, then go for as new as possible.

The car jumping out at us is the new Nissan Micra 1-litre. Sounds like the right size for you, will still only be a five to six years old when you sell on and only launched last year, so it is fresh. The SV is the spec to look for. It will mean pushing out the budget to your top end of 14k but we think it's worth it.

There will be plenty of choice in hybrids and electrics over the next few years and you can make up your mind then what you want to go to. Your suggestions of Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Skoda Fabia 1.2-litre are all excellent choices too and we have no concern over the longevity of the Fabia. Best of luck.

Help us help you

We love getting your enquiries and try to reply to as many as possible here or via email. The ones dealt with here often represent a cross section of individual questions. You can help us help you with our free, independent, advice by including the following in your queries:

* Budget (including trade-in).

* Annual mileage (in kms).

* Size of car required (number of seats).

* Present car (make, model, year and mileage) if relevant.

ecunningham@independent.iePrince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge view helicopter models H145 and H135 before departing from Hamburg airport on the last day of their official visit to Poland and Germany on July 21, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Dawn O'Porter (L) and husband Chris O'Dowd arrive for the Red Carpet Premiere of EPIX Original Series "Get Shorty" held at Pacfic Design Center on August 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Dawn O'Porter (L) and husband Chris O'Dowd attend the red carpet premiere of EPIX original series "Get Shorty" at Pacfic Design Center on August 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

Dawn O'Porter (L) and husband Chris O'Dowd attend the red carpet premiere of EPIX original series "Get Shorty" at Pacfic Design Center on August 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

Chris O'Dowd and wife Dawn O'Porter make for one stylish pair.

The Irish actor (37) and British writer (38) welcomed a little brother to son Art (two) - Valentine - on July 1 and after a few weeks of baby bliss, O'Dowd is back to business promoting his new tv remake of Get Shorty.

The Roscommon native and his wife of four years looked happier than ever as they walked the red carpet in West Hollywood, with Dawn wearing a semi-sheer sky blue pleated panel dress and Chris opting for a classic two-piece suit, minus the tie.

He recently opened up about parenthood, describing their experience of a home birth the second time around.

Expand Close Dawn O'Porter (L) and husband Chris O'Dowd arrive for the Red Carpet Premiere of EPIX Original Series "Get Shorty" held at Pacfic Design Center on August 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dawn O'Porter (L) and husband Chris O'Dowd arrive for the Red Carpet Premiere of EPIX Original Series "Get Shorty" held at Pacfic Design Center on August 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

"Having your second kid is like you just learned how to play a song on the guitar, and then someone is like, 'OK, now play left-handed! And hold this baby," he told LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.

"We did have it at home. We had a midwife. And my wife was there, which was excellent. And a friend of ours who was like a doula. And we did it on our bed. It was great. And I caught him, which was fun."

The couple decided to wait until the birth to find out the sex of the baby and Chris still showed his comedic chops during the big moment.

"We didn't know if it was going to be a boy or a girl. And Dawn, my wife was like 'So what is it?!' And I said, "It's a baby!''Actor Chris O'Dowd in London with his wife Dawn O'Porter, the writer and broadcaster

Presenter Dawn Porter and fiance Actor Chris O'Dowd attend Fashion Kicks in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, Beechwood Cancer Care Centre Stockport and the Chefs Adopt a School Project at Lancashire County Cricket Club on May 1, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)

Chris O'Dowd (L) and Dawn O'Porter attend the WilliamVintage private dinner in partnership with American Express at Claridge's Hotel on September 21, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

Dawn Porter and Chris O'Dowd attend the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)

Dawn OPorter, who blended her name with that of her husband Chris ODowd

Dawn OPorter shows off her baby bump in the video for husband Chris ODowds ice bucket challenge  dousing Baby OPorter with a glass of ice water

Dawn Porter and Chris O'Dowd attend the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal on May 10, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)

Ireland's 'It' actor, Roscommon man Chris O'Dowd and his now wife, Dawn Porter, wear matching black ensembles for the 2012 ceremony.

Dawn O'Porter attends the launch party for Estee Lauder: Hear Our Storie, Share Yours at The Orangery

Chris O'Dowd and Dawn O'Porter attend the launch party for The Pool, a unique multi-media platform for busy women co-founded by renowned editor and journalist Sam Baker and broadcaster Lauren Laverne, on April 23, 2015 in London, England. www.the-pool.com (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images for The Pool)

Actor Chris O'Dowd and wife Dawn Porter attend "The Sapphires" after party during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival at The Brandt House on September 9, 2012 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Oren/Getty Images for Weinstein)

Dawn O'Porter shared this sweet snap from her wedding to Chris O'Dowd on Instagram

Chris O'Dowd and Dawn Porter attend the Elle Style Awards at The Savoy Hotel on February 11, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)

Broadcaster Dawn O'Porter has revealed she and husband Chris O'Dowd are expecting their second child.

The popoular media personality and the Irish actor have been married for five years and she made the exciting announcement on her Get It On podcast.

"Hope your 2017 is going really well. Mine certainly is. I am starting a new novel this week, Im about to turn 38 and I am pregnant.

"So Ill be investing in a lot of elasticated trousers and dusting off all my old vintage tents, not unlike a lot of people in January," she laughed.

Expand Close Dawn Porter and Chris O'Dowd attend the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dawn Porter and Chris O'Dowd attend the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)

TV presenter Caroline Flack was quick to congratulate the couple on Twitter, saying: "OMG ! Listen to the end... congratulations DAWN AND CHRIS! Another little bun in the oven."

OMG ! Listen to the end... congratulations DAWN AND CHRIS! Another little bun in the oven https://t.co/NNWfrb2t5l  caroline flack (@carolineflack1) January 10, 2017

The couple have a son Art, who will be two next month, and despite both of their high profile jobs, have opted to keep their family life out of the spotlight.

But Dawn hasn't shied away from gushing about motherhood.

"I have to say, I love it. Art's given me a really lovely start," she told Glamour magazine in 2015. "It's hard work and bloody relentless, but he's a really nice baby. I feel very lucky to have a healthy child.

"I was very emotionally ready to be a mum, so by the time he flopped out - well, didn't quite flop out - I was raring to go. He's very cute."

Video of the Day

"When he sleeps I miss him. The relentlessness of this mission would be impossible without that love. Nature really is wonderful," she said.

And she previously expressed her frustrations in the difference in how she and her husband are interviewed.

Expand Close Dawn O'Porter attends the launch party for Estee Lauder: Hear Our Storie, Share Yours at The Orangery / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dawn O'Porter attends the launch party for Estee Lauder: Hear Our Storie, Share Yours at The Orangery

"But sometimes, when I'm promoting my work, I find it really annoying. Chris can promote a movie and just talk about the movie," she said.

"I have to talk about my intentions for children, my child, my relationship - all this stuff before I get asked about my work."(L-R) Olivia Wilde, Jordan Hewson and Jessica Alba speak onstage at the 2014 Global Citizen Festival to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Central Park on September 27, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival)

(L-R) Alison Hewson, honoree Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson attend Glamour Women Of The Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

(L-R) Alison Hewson, honoree Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson attend Glamour Women Of The Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Jordan Hewson and Eve Hewson attend the Edun Spring 2016 fashion show during New York Fashion Week at Spring Studios on September 13, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images)

Eve Hewson and Jordan Hewson attend the Edun show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Skylight Modern on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)

Jordan Hewson (R) and Eve Hewson attend the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 22, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/VF15/Getty Images)

Jordan Hewson, the eldest daughter of Bono and Ali, has long since chosen a life similar to the humanitarian example set by her superstar parents, but has spent the last number of years forging her own path.

Clearly inspired by her father's non-profit organisations and her mother's ethical fashion line Edun, the Columbia University graduate launched her own tech company Speakable in 2016, which promotes social activism. And her work has landed her a coveted spot alongside 33 other international trailblazers who feature in the September Issue of US Vogue.

At 29, her CV, which includes an undergraduate degree in political science and a masters in creative writing from the Ivy League university and a stint as the founding editor of Global Citizen's website, an organisation aiming to eradicate extreme poverty, is certainly impressive, and the world's most popular fashion magazine has taken note.

The magazine describes her as growing up in a "charitable household, with her parents serving as living examples that everyone - not just celebrities - can participate in philanthropy.

"To that end, Hewson created Action Button, an embeddable tool that allows readers to take actions, through tweeting support, signing petitions, or charitable donations, on a wide swath of social and political issues. The tool aims to not only inspire you to take action, it also enables readers to participate in a meaningful way, with just a single click."

Vogue is undergoing something of a make-under, as most Conde Nast titles around the world are, featuring more in-depth human interest stories to cater to women's varied interests, while remaining a steadfast style bible at its core.

Less than two years ago, Speakable launched its first product, an 'action button', which publishers can embed in their articles enticing readers to directly interact with the story, whether it's through tweeting directly at a policymaker mentioned in the story, voting in a poll or donating to a charity. So far, it features on the Huffington Post, Vice and the Guardian.

"It really can be a seamless part of your digital life and experience," she said.

Expand Close Eve Hewson and Jordan Hewson attend the Edun show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Skylight Modern on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Eve Hewson and Jordan Hewson attend the Edun show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Skylight Modern on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)

While she acknowledged her father is a "good resource" in a previous interview, the U2 rocker doesn't hold an official role in her company; instead, she has sought advice from Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington and Uber co-founder Oscar Salazar.A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan has left 30 soldiers and police officers dead.

Officials in Baghlan province said the insurgents set fire to the checkpoints after the attack late on Tuesday in the Baghlan-I Markazi district.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by local police.

In a separate incident, Taliban attacks killed four police officers in southern Zabul province.

Provincial police chief Mustafa Mayar said three officers were also injured when the Taliban attacked security posts in the Zabul capital of Qalat.

Expand Close Afghan security personnel patrol in the city of Ghazni (Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Afghan security personnel patrol in the city of Ghazni (Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP)

He said a gun battle lasted several hours, during which the Taliban used artillery and heavy guns. The attack also left seven rebels dead and five others injured.

Meanwhile, Afghans emerged from their homes and some shops reopened in the eastern city of Ghazni, where the Taliban launched a co-ordinated offensive last Friday, overwhelming the citys defences and capturing several neighbourhoods.

Afghan forces repelled the initial assault and in recent days have struggled to flush the insurgents out of residential areas where they are holed up.

The US and Nato have launched air strikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, which is just 75 miles from the capital Kabul and has a population of 270,000 people.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Wednesday that life is getting back to normal after at least 35 civilians were killed in recent days.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in Ghazni, which has killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces.

Also on Wednesday, six children were killed when they tinkered with an unexploded rocket shell, causing it to blow up.

Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for the governor of the eastern Laghman province, said the victims were girls aged 10-12, who were gathering firewood.

He blamed insurgents, saying the rockets they fire at Afghan security forces often harm civilians.

Afghanistan is littered with unexploded ordnance left by decades of war. It is also plagued by roadside bombs planted by insurgents, which are usually intended for government officials or security forces, but often kill and maim civilians.Admiral has posted a rise in half-year profit as the insurer saw strong growth in customer numbers, despite the Beast from the East hitting its household arm.

The Cardiff-based group, which owns brands including Elephant and Confused.com, booked a 9% rise in pre-tax profit to 211 million in the six months to June 30.

Admirals motor insurance division was behind the rise with profits of 249.5 million, up from 224.2 million.

Turnover grew 14% to 1.66 billion, while customer numbers were also up 14% to 6.23 million.

Boss David Stevens said: The core UK car insurance business continues to grow both in terms of profit and customer numbers.

Early in 2018 we passed the four million mark for cars on cover. The car that hit the milestone was a Peugeot 108; our first 25 years ago was an Isuzu Piazza.

The results mean around 10,000 staff will each get 1,800 in free shares under Admirals employee share scheme.

Admirals UK household division swung to a 1.9 million loss versus a 1.6 million profit the year before as it was impacted by the Beast from the East.

The UK experienced two spells of unusually bad weather in the period which have adversely impacted the results of insurers including Admiral, the firm said.

Admirals international insurance businesses also grew strongly, with customer numbers surpassing the one million mark, 17% higher than a year earlier.

The results come after the firms rival esure announced earlier this week that it will be taken private through a 1.2 billion takeover by Bain Capital.Japan has raised alert levels on a small southern volcanic island, urging its 105 residents to prepare for an evacuation amid growing risks of an eruption.

The Meteorological Agency raised the warning for Kuchinoerabu island from two to four on a scale of five after detecting increased activity at the Shindake volcano.

The volcano had its last major eruption in May 2015, forcing the islands entire population of about 140 at that time to seek safety on nearby Yakushima island for several months.

Expand Close Residents of Kuchinoerabu island arrive at Yaku island in Kagoshima, southern Japan (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Residents of Kuchinoerabu island arrive at Yaku island in Kagoshima, southern Japan (AP)

A total of 105 residents were back on the volcanic island as of August 1, town officials said.

Local authorities told all residents to start preparing for an evacuation in case of another violent eruption, and urged elderly people within the two-mile high-risk zone to leave immediately to a community centre at a safer location on the island.

The agency cautioned against a possibility of getting hit by volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows during an eruption.

Kuchinoerabu is located south of Japans southern main island of Kyushu. It can be reached only by a daily ferry from Yakushima, a bigger island about seven miles to the east.

Japan has about 100 active volcanoes and is frequently jolted by earthquakes.Afghans mourn one of the victims (AP)

At least 48 people have died and 67 others were injured after a suicide bomb struck a Shia area in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The bomber targeted a private building in the Dasht-i Barcha area, where a group of young men and women, all high school graduates, were studying for university entrance exams.

Officials did not say if all the victims were students or whether any of their teachers were also among the casualties.

Expand Close Security personnel arrive at the site of the deadly bombing (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Security personnel arrive at the site of the deadly bombing (AP)

Afghanistans president condemned the atrocity.

A strongly-worded statement by Ashraf Ghani denounced the terrorist bombing and ordered the relevant authorities to investigate how the attack happened.

Mr Ghani says that in this terrorist bombing once again, the terrorists martyred and wounded the innocent.

He added that by targeting educational and cultural centres, terrorists have clearly shown they are against all those Islamic principles (that strive) for both men and women to learn and study.Malta has agreed to let a private rescue ship dock on the island after it was agreed the 141 migrants it is carrying would be sent to five fellow EU nations in a "responsibility-sharing exercise".

The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday. The boat was reported to be about 50km from Malta yesterday afternoon when the deal was announced.

"Malta will be making a concession allowing the vessel to enter its ports, despite having no legal obligation to do so," the Maltese government said.

Malta would serve as a logistical base and all the migrants aboard distributed among France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.

Previously this summer Malta had allowed another private aid group's rescue vessel to dock, also on condition other nations took the migrants, although in that case Malta also agreed to take some.

Malta also noted on Monday it had rescued 114 people at sea, with 60 of them destined to go to other EU nations.

Aquarius had been waiting for safe harbour after appealing to Italy and Malta.

Italy's new populist government is refusing to allow any private rescue ships to dock, saying the country has done more than its share by allowing some 600,000 rescued migrants to disembark in previous years.

Malta said the dilemma over the fate of the migrants saved by Aquarius was resolved following French-Maltese discussions, and the agreement "with the support of the European Commission" to participate in a "responsibility-sharing exercise".

Italy's ruling coalition, which includes an anti-migrant party, has been lobbying for co-operation since it took power in June.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted thanks for Malta's humanitarian gesture and offered France's full solidarity. "There's no alternative to co-operation," Mr Macron said.

Portugal, which will take 30 of those aboard Aquarius, was the first country to say it could take in some of the migrants, after officials in Mediterranean areas of France made impassioned pleas to their government to allow the boat to dock there. Spain has agreed to take 60.

Operating Aquarius are two French aid groups, SOS Mediterranee and Medecins Sans Frontieres, who said that many aboard were weak and malnourished.Armed police at the site after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

A terror suspect arrested after a car crashed into a barrier at the Houses of Parliament in London at high speed is not believed to be known to the security services, police have said.

At least three people were injured when the silver Ford Fiesta hit a group of cyclists and pedestrians waiting for traffic lights to change. Witnesses said the car mounted the pavement on the wrong side of the road at up to 80kph and travelled around 40 metres before hitting a bollard.

Westminster was in lockdown as armed police swarmed the scene yesterday morning.

Witnesses said they thought "it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers".

Scotland Yard said a man in his late 20s was arrested after the incident at around 7.30am. The suspect was taken to a south London police station, where he remains in custody on suspicion of terrorism offences. He is not co-operating with officers.

The Met's counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation. Officers are seeking to formally identify the suspect, but "don't believe this person is known to either MI5 or counter terrorism police".

Expand Close A Sky News screengrab shows a man being detained by police / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A Sky News screengrab shows a man being detained by police

Images showed a man being led away from the vehicle in handcuffs after armed police surrounded the car.

No one else was in the vehicle and police said no weapons had been recovered from the scene.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Neil Basu, the Met's assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism, said police and the intelligence services were working to establish if the suspect was part of a wider terror cell and whether he had received assistance from others in planning the attack.

"It appears to have been a deliberate act, but what the motive was we can't answer at the moment.

Suspect

"We haven't formally identified the suspect, but we don't believe he's known to MI5," Mr Basu said.

He added that the attacker was not being pursued by police before he struck the entrance to the Palace of Westminster and that the blue lights seen behind him in footage of the incident were those of an ambulance coincidentally answering a separate emergency call.

A witness to the incident, Barry Williams, said the car had accelerated towards the barrier after hitting the cyclists.

"I turned round to see a silver car heading towards the cyclists on the wrong side of the road, they were parked waiting for the lights to change," he told the BBC's 'Victoria Derbyshire' programme. "He hit the cyclists then swerved over towards where the safety barrier is.... and accelerated and hit it at quite a high speed.

"I wasn't sure whether he meant to hit the cyclists, they might have just been in the way, but once he did, he accelerated towards the barrier.

"The police were very fast, they vaulted over the safety barrier and headed towards the car."

Donald Trump yesterday urged tough action against the "animals" behind the suspected terror attack.

The US president said yesterday morning in a tweet: "Another terrorist attack in London...These animals are crazy and must be dealt with through toughness and strength!"

Mr Trump's comments follow controversial remarks in the past surrounding terrorism and crime in London.

In July, Mr Trump used a newspaper interview ahead of his visit to Britain to blame Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, for terror attacks in the capital.

"Take a look at the terrorism that is taking place. Look at what is going on in London. I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism," he said.FatFace has achieved strong growth in its high street and online sales (PA)

FatFace has celebrated a lift in sales and earnings despite warning that conditions on the UK high street are unlikely to improve in the near future.

Sales increased by 7.4% to 238.4 million in the 52 weeks to June 2, representing like-for-like growth of 4.9% across the chain.

Online sales, which make up close to 20% of FatFaces revenue, climbed 11.8% year-on-year.

The Hampshire-based business said its womenswear lines had driven the sales growth.

FatFaces earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 5.6% to 30.2 million.

The companys chief executive warned that the UK retail environment had been tough and there was no prospect of an improvement in the near term.

The retailer, which has 216 stores in the UK and 17 internationally, has been expanding in the US with five new stores, and has further growth plans across the pond.

Chief executive Anthony Thompson said: The current retail environment remains difficult and there appears to be no prospect of conditions improving in the short term.

We will continue to be focused on quality, design and price integrity and will seek to continue the positive momentum in todays results in the coming 12 months.

FaceFaces positive update comes at a torrid time for the UK high street.

Several retailers have fallen into administration this year, with Toys R Us and Maplin disappearing from the high street.

A host of household names have also been shutting stores and cutting jobs to save on costs.

On Tuesday, Homebase confirmed it was closing another 42 stores, leading to the loss of up to 1,500 jobs.

Mr Thompson said: The implementation of our longer-term strategy is on course.

Expansion in the US continued and the business there is trading strongly. With the initial market trial concluded, we are now undertaking a measured roll-out programme.An Afghan Army soldier keeps watch at a checkpoint in Ghazni. Photo: Mohammad Ismail

The Taliban overran a base in northern Afghanistan, killing 17 soldiers yesterday.

Afghan forces battled the insurgents for the fifth straight day in the eastern provincial capital of Ghazni, trying to flush them out of the city's outskirts.

There were fears for the fate of the other troops from the base, known as Camp Chinaya, as the Taliban claimed dozens had surrendered while others were captured in battle.

It is believed the attack was a show of strength by the Taliban before possible peace talks. There have been signs that diplomatic efforts to kick-start negotiations are bearing fruit.

Along with the troops killed in the attack in northern Faryab province, in the district of Ghormach, at least 19 soldiers were also wounded, according to defence spokesman Ghafoor Ahmad Jawed.

The Taliban had besieged the base, which housed about 140 Afghan troops, for three days before the massive push late on Monday night, said the local provincial council chief Mohammad Tahir Rahmani.

He said the base fell to the Taliban after the soldiers, who had resisted the three-day onslaught, failed to get any reinforcements and ran out of ammunition, food and water. Rahmani said 43 troops were killed and wounded.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, saying 57 Afghan soldiers had surrendered while 17 others were captured in battle. He claimed eight military Humvees were also seized.

Meanwhile, Afghan security forces pushed back the Taliban from Ghazni city and were trying to flush the insurgents from the city's outskirts.

Attack

The operations came on the fifth day after a massive Taliban attack on Ghazni.

Hundreds of people have fled the fighting in the city, which has so far killed about 100 members of the Afghan security forces and at least 20 civilians.

Nasart Rahimi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said security forces were searching every inch of Ghazni for remaining Taliban fighters.

Military helicopters were supporting the ground forces' operations in Ghazni, said Abdul Karim Arghandiwal, an army media officer in south-eastern Afghanistan.

Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, denied the insurgents had been routed from Ghazni and said sporadic gun battles were still ongoing.

The Taliban's multi-pronged assault on the strategic city, about 120km from the capital of Kabul, began last Friday.

The insurgents overwhelmed the city's defences, pushing deep into Ghazni and captured several parts of it in a major show of force.

The United States has carried out air strikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces in the city of 270,000 people.

The fall of Ghazni would be an important victory for the Taliban, cutting Highway One, a key route linking Kabul to the southern provinces, the insurgents' heartland.

The Taliban also destroyed a telecommunications tower on the city outskirts, cutting off landline and cellphone links to the city.

The fighting brought civilian life in the city to a standstill, and also severely damaged the city's historic neighbourhoods and cultural treasures.

In Kabul, Nilab Mobarez, the secretary general of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, said her organisation was ready to go into Ghazni and help the wounded - both the civilians and the combatants.



Today we leave Limerick for Galway, where we will stay for 2 nights. However, before we reach our final destination for the day we will have to make two important stops. The first one is about 20 minutes away from Limerick and can easily be seen from the motorway. It is the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.We paid the entrance fee and was handed a pamphlet letting us know what we are seeing. I don't know, nor did we asked, if they have a guided tour available. Given the fact that there's barely just the two of us there at that time, I don't know if they would provide a private guided tour. No worries, the pamphlet was very helpful. In fact, I'm using it right now to blog about it. The descriptions here are going to come from the pamphlet they were handing out with every paid entry.The present castle, the last of a series on the same site was built around 1425. During the 16the and 7th century it was an important stronghold of the O'Briens - kings and later earls of Thomond or North Munster. The main block has three floors, each consisting of a single great room or hall. The four towers have six stories each and the castle is entered by a drawbridge to the main guard.For me, there wasn't much to photograph inside the castle. They host a Medieval dinner, I guess similar to the ones you get in Vegas at Excalibur's Tournament of Kings dinner and show (which by the way, I thoroughly enjoyed, just saying), so they want you out at a particular time so they can set up for the dinner.While the castle was incredible given the age, I was more entertained by the reconstruction of the homes and environment of Ireland over a century ago. This is the folk park part. I think back here, we use heritage park to describe this sort of place.Cashen Fisherman's House - a simple two-bedroom home of North Kerry salmon fisherman. Much of the timber would have been salvaged from the sea. The floor is of rammed clay.The blacksmith's forge - the blacksmith made tools for many other craftsworkers and tradesmen.Loop Head House- the house of a fishing-farming family in West Clare. The thatch is roped down to protect against the Atlantic gales.Village Street comprises of houses and shops typical of 19th century urban Irish buildings.Travelers wagon - the horse drawn wagon was the main type of transport used in the past by the Irish ethnic group known as Travellers.The decors are still up when we visited on January 15.It is a very enjoyable tour. As with all our stops here, we never got to see everything that it has to offer. On the way out, the quick look at the Gift Shop turned into a half hour of shopping. They carried the things we wanted to get for us and for our family and friends. SKYWATCH is a weekly gathering of sky lovers and sky watchers. Join us.Six women crew members of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe, who circumnavigated the globe have been awarded the Nao Sena (Gallantry) medal for braving treacherous seas and displaying raw courage.

On Independence Day, President Ram Nath Kovind approved the award for the women crew.

Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi skippered the 194-day mission, which commenced on September 10 last year, traversing through the Indian, the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, along with Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, and Lts P Swathi, Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.

toi





The mission witnessed several gut-wrenching moments like when INSV Tarini negotiated the choppy waters off the Cape Horn, often dubbed 'the graveyard of ships' owing to the dangerous seas conditions in the Pacific Ocean in January, she was overtaken by a cold front with winds gusting up to 130 kilometers per hour.

The turbulent weather caused 10 meter high waves to come crashing down onto the boat, the Navy said in a statement.

"At this juncture the skipper deftly steered the boat keeping it safe by applying the best navigation and seamanship practices suited to the prevailing circumstances and sea conditions," the statement said.

twitter





The storm lasted for one whole day and the boat was maneuvered with exceptional daring and courage to remain afloat.

Lt Cdr Joshi worked undauntedly to save the boat, thus avoiding a situation that could have required the launch of an international rescue effort.

"Successful completion of circumnavigation voyage over 194 days at sea is a testimony of the raw courage, endurance and professionalism displayed by the officer and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi (43077-A) is therefore strongly recommended for the award of Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry)," the Navy said.

Nao Sena Gallantary medals were also announced for marine Lt Cdr Anil Raina and Kunal Saini for anti-insurgency operations.

toi

The president also approved Shaurya Chakra for Capt P Rajkumar for his work during Cyclone Ockhi.

Vayu Sena (Gallantary) medals were announced for Wing Commander (now Group Captain) and Abhishek Sharma Squadron Leader VD Keane.The heavy rains which have been battering Kerala is showing no signs of slowing down, but has actually intensified in the past 24 hours, inundating more parts of the state. Torrential rainfalls have also been reported from southern Kerala in since Tuesday.

The Periyar River, which has been overflowing for weeks due to the heavy rains and the opening of multiple dams have submerged vast swathes of low lying lands in Ernakulam District.

AFP

The Cochin International Airport (CILA) has suspended all flights operating to and from Kochi after the runways got submerged in the flood waters.

The operations which were initially suspended till 2 PM on Wednesday has been extended to Saturday due to flood level in and around Airport.

TWITTER

Flights which had already landed were allowed to take off initially but since it has become impossible to drain the water from the runways, all incoming flights were diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports.

Meanwhile, the situation in Munnar too is getting increasingly worse. The tourist town has been inundated since Tuesday after one of the three rivers, Muthirapuzha began overflowing. It was aggravated after shutters of Mattupetty Dam was opened on Tuesday. Widespread flooding and landslides have been reported from Munnar. One person was dead after a hotel in Munnar collapsed due to the rains.

Taking note of the situation, the district authorities have asked tourists to refrain from visiting the hill station.

Idukki district is the worst affected in the ongoing floods with widespread damage to lives and property.

The more than a century old Mullaperiyar Dam which has been in the center of a legal battle between Kerala and Tamil Nadu was opened on Tuesday night after water level at the reservoir crossed 140 feet. The earthen gravity dam which was built in 1895 has storage limit of 142 feet.

The water released from the dam is flowing to the Idukki Dam which is already opened as it is nearly full to its capacity.

AFP

Kerala government has called it to be the worst natural disaster the state has witnessed in nearly a century.

The rains are expected to continue across the state till Saturday.

The rains are expected to continue across the state till Saturday.After the government announced the prestigious Shaurya Chakra for gallantry on the 72nd Independence Day, mother of rifleman Aurangzeb said that she is happy that her son is being conferred with the gong but sad that he is no longer with the family.

Speaking to reporters here, the mother said, "I am happy and thankful that he (Aurangzeb) is getting the Shaurya Chakra but I am sad that he is no longer there with us. His death has shattered me".

Aurangzeb was abducted from Pulwama by terrorists and later his bullet-ridden body was recovered on June 14 this year. The deceased Army man was proceeding towards his home for the festival of Eid, when he was abducted in broad daylight from a vehicle. After his abduction, the Jammu and Kashmir police had launched a massive manhunt.

Aurangzeb belonged to 44 Rashtriya Rifles, and was posted in Shopian district.

Following Aurangzeb's demise, his family had made an emotional appeal to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to eliminate militancy from the state.What happens when a roasted fly comes along in a Biryani that you've ordered - gag reflex. But what if, even after you complain, the delivery service adds another one?!

Pic for representation

Epic facepalm and of course Hulk-level anger follows! That's exactly what happened to this distraught Delhi customer.

In a bizarre incident, a customer executive recently goofed up while addressing a complaint and made matters worse. A woman from Delhi had a roasted fly in her Biryani and she wrote to the customer care complaining about the unasked for 'extra topping.'

While replying to her complaint, the executive, however, asked the concerned restaurant to add one more roasted fly on her order.Switch the Market flag

Open the menu and switch the

Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice.

for targeted data from your country of choice.Referring to the Royal Commission, Harmer said IAG would be as supportive as possible in the hopes of repairing strained consumer relationships.

This work that the Royal Commission is doing is actually a really good opportunity for a reset of the financial services sectors relationship with consumers, Harmer told media representatives. We think that the outcomes are going to contribute to an improved level of trust between consumers, the Australian populous, and the financial services sector.

Harmer also confirmed that IAG had received a request for information from the Royal Commission just last week and said information had been returned within the deadline.

When asked what the request was in relation to, Harmer said it was fairly general and had been received by a number of other participants in the market.

Its quite general in nature and looking for data by product, by channel and then some claims data as well, he said. Our team was able to meet the deadline the commission had given us and I think our ability to bring all that data together across multiple years, multiple brands, multiple channels, and multiple technology systems is testament not just to the quality of work our team is doing but the investments weve made in our data and our data analytics capability over the last few years.

Unsurprisingly, former chief legal counsel Chris Bertuch was also brought up in conversation  along with suggestions that the timing of his departure may have harmed the firms reputation. However, Harmer was quick to respond.

Im not terribly interested in perception, Im more concerned about what were doing to meet the needs of our customers and to support our staff, he said. We cant always control these circumstances and Chris had been in the role for a number of years () and during that period he decided that he would seek some great opportunities elsewhere. He goes with our blessing, he served us extremely well and I can tell you his departure has not been at all disruptive.

Discussing the sale of the companys Asia assets, Harmer said that when IAG originally entered the market around 10 years ago, it was based on a belief that growth in the mature markets of Australia and New Zealand would be hard to achieve while the Asian markets might present a better growth profile.

Our learnings over that time was that the assets that were importing into those countries could actually improve the insurance businesses that we partnered with - but in fact they werent going to drive the kind of growth profile we were looking for, he explained."As we sought to focus our strategy as an integrated specialist insurer, we thoughtfully chose Safeco for its ability to consistently deliver an experience of excellence to our agents and customers," said Russ Johnston, CEO of QBE North America. "By intensifying our focus, we can leverage our applied expertise to innovate and deliver exceptional end-to-end solutions that not only meet but exceed customer expectations."

"Safeco prides itself on providing innovative and industry-leading solutions to our agency partners. Our book transfer capabilities ensure a great experience for carriers, agents and customers alike," said Gary Fischer, Senior Vice President of Distribution Strategy and Operations Support at Safeco Insurance. "Throughout this process, QBE's dedication to their customers and independent agent partners has made this partnership particularly exciting to all of us as we work to provide a smooth transition."

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Locke Lord LLP acted as legal counsel to QBE.

About QBE North America

QBE North America, an integrated specialist insurer, is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2017 of $4.6 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2017 results can be found at www.qbe.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 31 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The actual terms and coverage for all lines of business are subject to the language of the policies as issued. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbe.com/us, or follow QBE North America on Twitter.Climate impacts greatly contributed to QBEs US$1.2bn loss in 2017, and while the insurer is adjusting its models for pricing extreme weather, it also needs to adjust its investments and underwriting, which are supporting fossil fuel expansions that fuel climate change, said Pablo Brait, Market Forces campaigner. QBEs insurance is a cornerstone of the development of new coal mines, coal-fired power stations, oil rigs, and gas pipelines. As an insurance company, QBE is on the front lines of climate change. Yet, it is failing to protect its own interest and that of its customers and shareholders by supporting the expansion of the coal, oil and gas sectors.

Brait urged QBE to follow AXA, Allianz, Swiss Re, and Zurichs lead in restricting their underwriting of coal and dumping their coal company shares.

If QBE wants to limit the damage climate change is doing to its business and to the world in general, then a simple first step is to divest from fossil fuels and end its underwriting of projects that expand the fossil fuel sector, Brait said.Zurich North America has named Eric Cittadino as strategic business unit leader for diversified programs, specialty auto and aftermarket within the programs unit of alternative markets.

Cittadino moves from his current role with the firm as chief of staff for alternative markets. He replaces David Banks, who will retire at the end of the year. He will begin his new role on September 01 and will be responsible for growing existing programs and securing new programs to establish future success for Zurich NA, reporting directly to Greg Massey, head of programs.Despite pot still being illegal under US federal law, a total of 29 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, have all now legalized it for medicinal purposes, and eight states are allowing it for recreational use. In Canada, legalization of recreational cannabis looms on the horizon, which is spurring on fast development of the industry.

Cannabis is a thriving business, and there is a strong appetite to debunk common misconceptions of the industry, understand the risks and obtain proper and adequate insurance coverage, commented Joshua Smart, practice Leader, HUB Agribusiness & Farm Specialty Practice.

At HUB, were offering a comprehensive insurance solution for businesses in the US and Canada. We have a deep knowledge of the cannabis industry to insure its unique risks, so that our clients can continue to grow and thrive.

HUBs cannabis insurance and risk services will be managed by TJ Frost, US Cannabis Segment leader, and Phaedra Andrusiak, Canada Cannabis Segment leader. They will work with standard and surplus lines carriers to cover the cannabis industry across North America.

Theres a huge misunderstanding in the cannabis industry about insurance coverage, which leaves businesses underinsured or even uninsured, said Frost. Proof of insurance demonstrates operational maturity and is a key step in establishing ongoing financial and banking relationships, which clients need to keep growing their business.

Andrusiak added: The cannabis industry continues to change at an unprecedented rate with the advancements in medical use and the legalization of recreational use, which is opening the door to a fast-growing marketplace, and booming risk factors and operational pressures. HUB is the trusted advisor that has truly taken the time to understand this industry and is committed to providing relevant support and solutions to our clients.The risk of a no-deal Brexit has been increasing and the European Union commission needs to change its attitude if a deal is to be reached, British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday.

Everyone needs to prepare for the possibility of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, Hunt told reporters in Helsinki.

With less than eight months until Britain quits the EU, the government has yet to agree a divorce deal with Brussels and has stepped up planning for the possibility of leaving the bloc without any formal agreement.

I think the risk of a no Brexit deal has been increasing recently  there is absolutely no guarantee that we will get a deal, Hunt said after a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Timo Soini.

But its not what anyone wants and I hope very much that well find a way to avoid that  the British government has been doing everything it can to avoid that outcome, he said.

We do need to see a change in approach by the European Commission.

Both London and Brussels say they want to get a divorce deal at the Oct. 18 EU Council, but diplomats think that target date is too optimistic. EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier rejected key elements of British Prime Minister Theresa Mays new trade proposals last month.

Economists say a failure to agree the terms of the divorce would cause serious harm to the worlds No.5 economy as trade with the EU, Britains largest market, would become subject to tariffs.

Supporters of Brexit say there may be some short-term pain for the economy but that long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are pushing for a rerun of the 2016 referendum.

(Reporting by Anne Kauranen; writing by Jussi Rosendahl; editing by Andrew Heavens and Alison Williams)

Related:

Various Scenarios for Brexit: Deal, No Deal, New Referendum?

Topics Trends Europe Uk BrexitSouth Koreas government will tell owners of some BMW AG cars in the country to keep the vehicles off the roads until the German carmaker completes safety checks to address a defect after reports of nearly 40 cases of fire this year alone.

After announcing a recall of more than 106,000 BMW cars in the country, the transport ministry said about 27,000 of them havent been inspected as of Monday. Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee asked regional officials to bar drivers from operating vehicles that have yet to undergo checks, according to a statement Tuesday.

We will fully cooperate with the governments investigation and finalize safety checks as soon as possible, a BMW spokesman in Seoul said. As for cars subject to a driving ban, we will offer pick up and delivery services of rental cars to our customers.

After videos of the German luxury cars engulfed by flames went viral in the country, the glitch has confounded both the automaker and the government alike. After investigations, the Munich-based company said last week the cause of the fires was a cooler leakage in its exhaust gas recirculation unit sparking a thermal event in driving mode.

Europe Recall

The defect also prompted BMW to do a voluntary recall of 323,700 vehicles in Europe, with about 96,000 of those in Germany. Customers have been notified, a spokesman for BMW at the companys Munich headquarters said. Germanys transport ministry didnt respond to a request for comment.

Starting from Aug. 20, BMW will replace the EGR coolers and modules in the recalled cars covering 42 models, including the popular 520d and 320d produced between 2011 and 2016. Kim Hyo-joon, chairman of BMW Korea, apologized on Aug. 6 for the hazard.

BMW is South Koreas No. 2 imported auto brand after Mercedes-Benz, accounting for 24.5 percent of the segment in the first half of this year. BMW buyers in Korea have filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court against BMW Korea, said Ha Jong-sun, an attorney at Barun Law.

With assistance from Oliver Sachgau.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics GermanyCapsicum Re, the London-based specialist reinsurance broker, announced two new hires to its cyber division. Jasper Goring joins as a cyber broker and Prab Naidu was appointed as wordings director, both with immediate effect. They are based in London reporting into Ian Newman, global head of cyber, and Samantha Thompson, operations director for London property and specialty.

Goring joins from Paragon International Insurance Brokers where he was senior vice president and focused on cyber business in the UK and U.S. Before this, he was a broker at Willis and Lockton.

Naidu brings more than 16 years experience in re/insurance contract wordings. He was most recently wordings manager at BMS Group and held roles at Guy Carpenter, UIB and Heath Lambert before this.

Matt FitzGerald, managing partner of the London property and specialty division at Capsicum Re, said: The cyber sector is progressing at an unparalleled pace; we anticipate it will be as big a sector of the market as property and casualty so it is a key focus area for the business. I am pleased to welcome another two excellent hires to our growing team, reinforcing our position as the largest dedicated cyber reinsurance broking practice in the UK and North America.

Jasper is one of the leading cyber brokers in the London market. His expertise and in-depth understanding of cyber in multiple markets complements and strengthens our knowledge, ensuring we remain effective in placing cyber reinsurance from both our London and New York offices, said Ian Newman, global head of cyber.

Creating innovative and modern wordings is key in ensuring Capsicum Re remains at the forefront of product development so Prabs expertise is a real asset. He is a highly regarded wordings specialist and working alongside our partner, Hogan Lovells, he will construct market leading wordings that ensure our clients are equipped to deal with the cyber risks they face, added Newman.

Source: Capsicum Re

Topics Agencies Cyber Reinsurance LondonStarStone, the global specialty insurer, has launched a casualty consortium targeted at the Australian and New Zealand markets. The consortium is led by StarStones Mark Hunt and has begun underwriting business.

StarStones Lloyds coverholder in Australia  StarStone Underwriting Australia Pty Ltd.  underwrites this facility on behalf of a consortium of Lloyds syndicates. StarStone supports the venture with a 20 percent lead line, with equal shares from its four Lloyds syndicate partners providing the remaining capacity.

The consortium will initially offer A$50 million ($36.3 million) capacity and focus on middle-market casualty risks not usually underwritten in London. StarStone will also provide claims support for the consortium through its established and professional claims network in Australia and New Zealand.

We have identified clear market and broker demand for a solution that combines Lloyds expertise and local knowledge in Australia and New Zealand, said Robin Barham, managing director, StarStone Australia.

StarStone has been building our presence in the region for some time, and, with experts like Mark leading the way, we can harness the strengths of Lloyds to focus on providing exceptional client service, added Barham.

Mark Hunt, casualty underwriter at StarStone Australia, said: The consortium supports a truly tailored and client-centric approach to decision-making in the local market, allowing brokers and customers to transact deals as if they were in the underwriting room at Lloyds in London. I believe the collective expertise of those involved in this consortium will significantly increase the local capabilities and profile of Lloyds within the casualty space.

Hunt has over 34 years experience in the insurance sector, having begun his career as a liability claims adjuster for Syndicate 386 at Lloyds in 1984. Since then, he held a succession of senior roles at various syndicates at Lloyds, before moving to Zurich Australias casualty department in 2011. Following a successful career at Zurich, Hunt joined StarStone Australia in May 2018.

StarStone underwrites property, specialty and casualty risk classes from operations in London, Continental Europe, Australia and the U.S. with six wholly owned insurance platforms, including Lloyds Syndicate 1301. StarStone is owned by Enstar Group Limited, the Trident V funds managed by Stone Point Capital LLC and Dowling Capital Partners I, L.P.

Source: StarStone

Topics Excess Surplus Underwriting New Markets Lloyd's London Casualty AustraliaZurich North America has named Eric Cittadino as leader for Diversified Programs, Specialty Auto and Aftermarket within the Programs unit of Alternative Markets. He replaces David Banks who has decided to retire at the end of the year.

Currently the chief of staff for Alternative Markets, Cittadino will be responsible for growing existing programs and securing new programs. Cittadino will report directly to Greg Massey, head of Programs and be based in Schaumburg, Ill.

Since joining Zurich in 2000, Cittadino has filled several key roles; including serving as regional vice president in Construction for Commercial Markets. He has also worked at ACE Group and St. Paul Insurance.

Topics LeadershipMany Texas cities are denying workers compensation to firefighters with cancer, according to union leaders and state lawmakers.

Over the past six years, more than 90 percent of the 117 workers compensation claims filed by Texas firefighters with cancer have been denied, according to the Texas Department of Insurance.

Cities are ignoring a 2005 state law requiring the government to presume that firefighters cancers are caused by exposure to carcinogens on the job, union officials told the Houston Chronicle .

The sky-high denial rate of cancer is the first problem, said Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association. Firefighters with denied claims often have fewer treatment options and face the risk of financial ruin because of lost income.

All seven of the associations members who filed workers compensation claims since 2016 have been denied, the union said.

Houstons benefits provider didnt respond for comment. But firefighters have said that cities use a memo by the Texas Intergovernmental Risk Pool to dodge the cancer presumptive law. The memo only presumes three types of cancer are caused by firefighting: testicular, prostate and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Its not that were not sympathetic to firefighters. We are, said Counsel David Reagan of the risk pool, which handles workers compensation for more than 2,700 Texas municipalities. But at the same time, we have to follow the law in spending taxpayer money.

Union leaders have said that the memo and the risk pool ignore substantial research linking firefighting to other forms of cancer.

Firefighters are much more likely to win benefits on appeal, with nearly 65 percent of cases winning workers compensation appeals over the past six years. But less than one-fifth of firefighters disputed their denied claims. Firefighters risk being sued by the cities that employ them, and often its too daunting a task to battle in court while battling cancer.

Houston sued Margaret Roberts in 2015 after she appealed and won a workers compensation claim for her blood and bone cancer. The Houston Fire Department veteran of 23 years died in 2017, but the citys lawsuit against her estate is ongoing.

Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows sponsored a bill to allow workers to challenge bad faith claim denials this past session, but it died in the Senate. Burrows plans to try again next January.

I am very, very, disappointed in what Im seeing, Burrows said. I think there is a really strong argument thats whats going on here . that maybe theyre making economic decisions rather than actually contractually living up to their obligations.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Workers' CompensationIndividuals who own self-directed IRAs (which are controlled by the individual investor) can trade in the forex market. Individuals can use this special retirement account, a self-directed IRA, to fund and trade forex.

Forex IRAs can either be self-directed by the individual opening the account or managed by a professional forex manager. An individual may also choose to roll over their 401k into a self-directed IRA, which would then allow them to invest in forex.

Trading Forex in IRAs

Trading forex in IRAs is generally limited because the custodian of the account, such as Vanguard or Fidelity, limit product selection (i.e., mutual funds) to products they offer. This is how the custodian makes money, and so they are able to offer the service of keeping an account with them for free.

However, you can create a self-directed IRA as either a Roth or traditional IRA. There are custodians that allow you to create such IRAs and will charge you a fee for custodial services. But in return, you can invest in many other assets not offered at, say, a Vanguardincluding forex.

The custodian may help set up forex accounts at brokers that offer such a service in the name of the self-directed IRA.

Advantages of Trading Forex in an IRA

What's the advantage? Basically, you're able to day-trade tax-free. That is, you will be able to avoid paying taxes on forex trading gains until retirement. Plus, using forex within a retirement plan also provides diversification to an investor's portfolio. More broadly, a self-directed IRA allows more control over your retirement investments.The eurozone economy grew faster in the second quarter than initially reported, suggesting some of the worries may have been overdone, while the boom in the big economies in eastern Europe, such as Poland, may be easing.

Eurozone expansion was revised up to 0.4% from 0.3%, Eurostat said. Growth in Germany and the Netherlands gathered pace in the three months through June, keeping solid momentum in the overall currency region despite global trade tensions.

While strong domestic demand has shielded the region so far from the worst effects of protectionism, companies are increasingly concerned about business prospects. Theres also turmoil in Turkey and in other emerging markets.

Germanys better-than- expected growth of 0.5% was bolstered by an increase in private and government spending.

Equipment investment and construction gained somewhat, the countrys statistics office said. Eurozone industrial production fell 0.7% in June, according to a separate Eurostat release. The spectre of a trade war still looms large, even after the EU and US pledged not to introduce new levies as long as negotiations to lower trade barriers are ongoing.

The recent agreement in the trade dispute between the EU and the US has led to a considerable rise in expectations for Germany and also, to a lesser degree, for the eurozone, said Achim Wambach, at the ZEW Centre for European Economic Research.

Carmakers including Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW have warned against the fallout of trade tensions, though some other German companies have expressed optimism. Heidelberg Cement confirmed its outlook for 2018, and cargo container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd predicted a better second half and said trade tensions havent yet left a mark on business.

Meanwhile, the boom that began to take hold four years ago in Europes eastern states is fading. Second-quarter growth dipped from a peak at the start of the year in Poland and the Czech Republic, the regions two biggest economies, while Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia managed quicker expansions.

Headwinds include higher borrowing costs, a dearth of workers, and this years slowdown in the eurozone, the main export market. Growth in Polish GDP slowed slightly, to 5.1%, and Czech GDP cooled to 2.3%. Hungarian GDP growth unexpectedly quickened to 4.6%.

BloombergGeoff Percival

Builders merchanting group Grafton is set to widen its funding sources to take in the US by way of a 160m-raising private placing.

The Dublin-based group, which also owns the Woodies DIY chain, will issue unsecured senior notes in the US private placement market next month, with 10 and 12-year maturities at an average annual coupon of 2.5%.

As of the end of last year, Grafton had committed banking facilities of around 528m (592m), with about 315m drawn down, with an average maturity of four years. Investors and analysts welcomed the news.

Graftons share price rose by up to 2.38%.

This placement will diversify the funding sources and extend the maturity profile. Overall, we view the US private placement as a sensible piece of business at an attractive rate, said Goodbody analyst Robert Eason. Grafton is active in Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Earlier this year it said it would not be constrained by geography in its expansion plans and would be open to entering new markets in Europe through acquisition.

However, chief executive ruled out a near-term acquisition move in the US despite its attractiveness saying there was enough to focus on in Europe.

Grafton is due to publish first-half financial results next week.

Last month it said that sales for the first six months of the year jumped by 8.6% to 1.63bn, with its Irish merchanting business increasing 10% and its Woodies business increasing sales by nearly 16%.

Core UK merchanting sales increased nearly 7%.By Lorenzo Totaro

The ECB should keep providing a shield to the government securities of all monetary union members to avoid a dismantling of the euro system, a top politician from Italys ruling coalition said.

"There cannot be a system at the mercy of market movements without any shields by the central bank, Claudio Borghi, the eurosceptic head of the budget committee in Italys lower house, said.

Nowadays, there is a system that has a residual amount of quantitative easing, but with everybody knowing that this is being phased out and will come to an end soon, he said.

Italys 10-year bond yield fell five basis points, to 3.05%, but still stayed close to the highest since the government took power, in June.

The yield spread, with similarly dated German bunds eased seven basis points, to 272. The spread had been below 150 for much of the first half of the year.

The League lawmakers call for the ECB to provide a guarantee to the periphery of the eurozone follows two separate posts on Twitter, in which he noted that the spreads of bonds issued by other nations, such as Spains over Germanys, are also widening.

He added that either the ECB guarantee will come or everything will be dismantled, in a reference to the euro system.

With investors turning against Turkey, the government in Rome is trying to avoid Italy being next in line.

Italy has had contacts with the ECB to discuss the risk of a speculative attack on its debt, a source said earlier in the week.

It is significant that an external event, like Turkey, that has nothing to do with Italy, unleashes such an effect, lawmaker, Mr Borghi said.

All know the fence that protects the prey will soon be lifted and the financial speculation easily sees the peripherys debt as an easy target and is positioning itself ahead of the next developments, he said, in a reference to the phasing-out of the ECBs bond-purchasing programme. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte, deputy prime ministers Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, and finance minister Giovanni Tria, held a conference on Monday to continue their discussions on the 2019 budget.

BloombergLabour councillors calling for Brendan Howlins resignation are not acting as part of an orchestrated heave on behalf of aspirant leaders, party figures say.

Mr Howlin is facing fresh calls from party councillors to resign over his failure to turn Labours fortunes around since taking over in 2016.

Several party insiders said that while they are unhappy at poll ratings of under 10%, now is not the right time for a leadership heave.

They said that if the comments were part of an orchestrated attempt to oust Mr Howlin, then it has been a botched attempt.

One senator said: I find it very hard to see it as orchestrated as it has been so poorly executed. Just five have come out so far and no one from the parliamentary party is involved.

Those who spoke yesterday echoed the sentiments expressed by 16 other councillors who last week argued that such a contest is an unwanted distraction.

But Dublin South-West general election candidate, Cllr Martina Genockey, feels a leadership contest would energise the embattled party ranks.

In her statement, Ms Genockey said: I agree with a lot of the statement released by the 16 councillors last week  we have excellent reps working extremely hard for their constituents and the party, and also in relation to the issues on which they say we should focus.

However, I disagree that now is not the right time for a leadership election. I do not feel that such a contest would hinder the work of the party on these, and other important issues, but in fact give the party the chance to listen to members all over the country about how to get the party back to its best, she said.

I think we need to focus the party on those that need it most and I feel that a significant amount of reps, members and voters  both current and former  either dont feel that is the vision of the party at the moment, or that we are not communicating that vision to the public.

There has been over two years since the last general election and over four since the last leadership contest in the party. I think that a leadership contest would give those involved a chance to lay out their vision for the Labour Party and give a renewed sense of urgency to the rebuild of the party, said Ms Genockey.

Four other Labour councillors  Pamela Kearns and Mick Duff from South Dublin County Council, Laois councillor Noel Tuohy, and Kerry councillor Terry OBrien  called on Mr Howlin to step down earlier this month.By Niall Murray Education Correspondent

Students have continued to take advantage of Leaving Certificate and college entry reforms by moving to higher level exams in even greater numbers this year.

The results issuing to over 57,000 Leaving Certificate students this morning, including 2,709 who did Leaving Certificate Applied, show rises in the proportion of students taking higher level in nearly all the most popular subjects.

But business organisation Ibec said the Leaving Certificate is unfit for purpose and not in tune with the needs of society or the economy.

A high-stakes terminal exam, predominantly based on rote learning and information recall, leaves students with little opportunity to think critically, engage analytical skills, and develop greater interpersonal skills, said Ibec education policy senior executive, Claire McGee.

As work gets under way in schools this month on a major review of senior cycle, she said an education system that encourages a spark for learning is needed to help students transition to future study and the world of work.

Her comments follow findings of a significant study from Dublin City University that Leaving Certificate exams in several subjects are dominated by questions and tasks based mainly around memory and recall.

But reforms already undertaken are behind many of the improved higher level participation rates today, which include a record 31.5% of maths students.

And for the first time, more students of Irish took the higher than the ordinary level exam. Nearly 48% of the 46,750 people doing Irish this year took honours papers, up from 46% a year ago, while 45.9% did ordinary level and 6.2% chose foundation level Irish.

The awarding of college entry Central Applications Office (CAO) points for students with a H7 grade (30% to 40% in a higher level exam) from last year saw a big jump in higher level uptake across a wide range of subjects in 2017.

Although the increases are more moderate this year, the State Examinations Commission data suggests students were encouraged by the gamble paying off for last years Leaving Certificate candidates who secured CAO points by sticking at higher level.

The numbers getting 25 bonus points for a H6 or better  more than 40%  in higher maths are up nearly 500 to over 15,500.

But biology is an exception to the trends, as numbers with a H8 (under 30%) are up from 4.2% to 7.1% of the 26,500 students sitting it at higher level. These almost 1,900 students get no CAO points for this grade.Update 3.13pm: Paul McDermott, who had been reported missing from Dublin, has been located deceased.

Gardai wish to thank the public for their assistance in the matter.

Earlier: 'Serious concerns' for missing Dublin man

Gardai have said they have "serious concerns" for a man missing from his home in Dublin.

Officers are asking for help in finding 53-year-old, Paul McDermott, who is from Castleknock in Dublin 15.

He was last seen yesterday in College Green in Dublin.

He is described as being five foot 11 inches tall, with brown/grey hair and a medium build.

When last seen he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and brown walking shoes.

Officers have said that Paul's family and Gardai have serious concerns for his welfare.

Anyone who has seen Paul or who can help to find him is asked to contact Pearse St Garda Station on 01-6669000, The Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.Agribusiness gems set for Asian export upscaling





RICH rewards for delivering innovative products with therapeutic and digestive health benefits in demand by Asian consumers are whats driving the cherry picking of popular and scalable agribusiness targets such as Capilano Honey.

Prior to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Australian honey faced a 15 per cent tariff on entry into China. Under ChAFTA, the tariff has reduced to 3 per cent, with total tariff elimination expected by January 2019.

Australias biggest honey producer Capilano is this week looking favourably on a $200 million takeover deal by a private equity group specialising in China-focused agricultural exports.

But some analysts say honeys potential to capitalise on booming Chinese middle-class demand is so attractive that a rival bid could soon emerge.

The China-focussed consortium after Capilano is private equity fund Wattle Hill and investment manager Roc Partners.

Wattle Hill was co-founded by Albert Tse, the husband of Jessica Rudd, daughter of former Australian prime minister and Sinophile Kevin Rudd.

The focus will be on delivering innovative products with therapeutic and digestive health benefits in demand by Asian and Chinese consumers, Mr Tse said.

Roc Partners was formed from a buyout of a Macquarie Group private markets business and has involvement in the Australian Wagyu beef and oyster industries.

Michael Lukin, managing partner at Roc Partners, said his firm would raise funds from local super funds to bankroll its section of the bid.

What were seeing is appetite for investment in high quality, high growth potential Australian agribusiness from our Australian superannuation fund clients. And in particular the opportunity to create export channels for these businesses and really leveraging our long-term capital from these sources to help businesses like Capilano grow and develop their own markets and sales capability in places like China, the Middle East and the US, he said.

Also in Australian Food News

Capilano managing director Ben McKee said the business had decent market share in parts of Asia but it was yet to have significant sales in China.

Getting our brand known and our history and our company and the quality of our products, and the therapeutic credentials of some of our products known in China, is going to take some investment. And I think China is a long-term market for us and needs to develop over time, he said.

The move comes not long after Capilano faced backlash from consumers and local beekeepers over its use of Chinese and Argentinian honey in its Allowrie product.

In July, Coles stopped stocking Capilano Honeys controversial Allowrie product.

At the time, Dr McKee confirmed the decision but said the company was working with Coles on a replacement.

Our new Raw range boasts single-origin Australian honeys that have been supplied by our network of Aussie beekeeping families. Available now at Coles!  Posted by Capilano Honey on Tuesday, 7 August 2018

The takeover proposal offers Capilano shareholders either $20.06 a share in cash or a one-for-one share swap in the new owner.

Shares in Capilano had jumped more than 25 per cent to $19.72, a two-year high, in the wake of the proposed deal which is expected to be voted on by shareholders in November.

At the same time elsewhere in the industry theres upside generally for honey as honey-hungry markets like China, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan are attracted to Australias healthy bees and the pristine environments they inhabit.

Training is improving to ensure the ageing industry, where the majority of apiarists are nearing retirement, doesnt collapse on itself because of a lack of workers.

Recruitment is leveraging off a major resurgence in amateur beekeeping interest, while farm gate prices for premium honey such as Western Australias jarrah  with proven antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities  is fetching $30/kg at the farm gate, when its been as low as $3/kg in the past decade.

Honeys export growth has also given rise to Australian DNA technology capable of establishing provenance  important to Asian consumers where food substitution rorts abound.

New technology is also helping develop intelligent hive concepts allowing apiarists to monitor the weight, temperature, security and health of a hive from their mobile phone, saving them time-consuming hive visits.

The federal government meantime has provided $7 million to set up a honey bee products cooperative research centre at the University of WA, and over the next five years the centre will receive an additional $20 million from industry and other universities.

Honey tourism is also emerging as earner as tourists from places like China want to see where and how the produce is made.Eight out of 10 staff working in the neonatal unit of the Rotunda Hospital would feel safe being treated there as a patient and believe that medical errors are handled appropriately in the neonatal ICU.

But while nine in 10 like their job, six in 10 felt it was difficult to speak up if they perceived a problem with patient care and just a fifth felt the levels of staffing in the ICU are sufficient to handle the number of patients.

The findings are contained in a paper published in the most recent edition of the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ), entitled Staff attitudes towards Patient Safety Culture and Working Conditions in an Irish tertiary neonatal unit.

The paper was published as it emerged that the hospital had asked the Government to fund a 40m extension to its existing premises pending a planned 300m relocation to the campus of Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. The hospital highlighted particular concerns around cramped conditions in its neo-natal unit, making it more vulnerable to spread of infection.

The IMJ research, an analysis of the perceptions of 99 staff working in the 39-bed neonatal unit, conducted via questionnaire, found almost eight in 10 agreed that the hospital was a good place to work.

A similar percentage agreed that fatigue impairs performance during emergency situations such as resuscitations and seizures, while 83.6% agreed they were more likely to make errors in tense and hostile situations.

Perceptions of management obtained the lowest scores, with just over half (55.6%) saying they felt hospital administration supported their daily efforts. Less than half of respondents (47.2%) felt the hospital deals constructively with problem personnel.

The majority (71.7%) felt physicians and nurses work together as a well co-ordinated team and 80.3% felt that decision making in the ICU utilises input from all relevant personnel.

Neonatal research officer Liam Dwyer, lead author of the research, said there were several key areas for future improvement and that their questionnaire highlighted two particularly important points: perceived lack of support from hospital management and apprehensions regarding stress recognition and working conditions.

He said a number of methods could be implemented to create a more supportive work environment with regard to staff concerns about safety, including the promotion of a no-blame culture vis-a-vis medical error.

He said effective management is vital for ensuring good morale, collegiality, and teamwork.A violent criminal living abroad is being treated as a suspect for the murder of Deirdre Jacob 20 years ago, it has emerged.

Gardai stressed that they have extensive inquiries yet to carry out, including interviews with people suspected of withholding information as well as possible searches.

Officers will not be able to seek the mans extradition unless there is enough evidence to convince the DPP to initiate charges.

Sources said that only then could gardai seek a European arrest warrant and bring the individual before the courts.

Ms Jacob, an 18-year-old student, disappeared from the entrance to her home, on the outskirts of Newbridge, Co Kildare, on July 28, 1998.

It was announced yesterday that her case, which was a missing persons investigation, had been upgraded to a murder probe.

The suspect has a record of serious sexual violence against women and has been linked to other murders. The Irishman was considered by gardai to have planned his crimes and to be forensically aware.

It is not clear where the man is living, but some sources indicated he was resident in the UK.

Gardai said they now believe Ms Jacob was murdered on or after July 28.

Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton, who is leading the investigation, said that the decision to upgrade the case to a murder inquiry followed a major review of over the last 12 months.

This was conducted by gardai from the Kildare division as well as from the Serious Crime Review Team, the national cold-case unit.

Chief Supt Sutton said the decision did not stem from one bit of information, but was the result of the review and the receipt of new details following the 20th anniversary appeal last month.

We pulled apart the missing person investigation and put it back together and as a result of that there are new lines of inquiry and, apart from that, new information came to light, he said.

There are several lines of inquiry, he said adding: Yes, there are persons of interest that we need to look back at.

He declined to go any further on the persons of interest in case it hindered the investigation.

Persons of interest include suspects for the murder, but also people thought to be withholding information in relation to it, including people who have previously given false or incomplete statements.

Chief Supt Sutton said there were people who gave information at the time who will be asked if they have any further information and interviews will also be carried with people not previously spoken to. He said they may also reexamine CCTV and house to house inquiries.

He said information had to be corroborated and cross-checked.

Some 3,000 inquiries have been conducted so far and 2,500 statement taken.

Chief Supt Sutton said: We may need to conduct searches, but we will check out everything first.

He confirmed inquiries were being conducted domestically and abroad.

But the senior officer cautioned against expectations of early breakthroughs: This investigation is going on 20 years, theres isnt going to be an instant fix.

Ms Jacobs father Michael praised the work of gardai but said that it was heartwrenching to hear Deirdre had been murdered.

He hoped the upgrading of the investigation and the media coverage would encourage those people with information to come forward.

Gardai have previously investigated if one killer may have been behind the disappearances of three of seven women who went missing in Leinster during the 1990s, including Ms Jacob.

Those with information can contact Kildare Garda Station on 045 521222 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111By Ziggi Ivan Santini, Rob Donovan, and Vibeke Jenny Koushede

While we take physical workouts very seriously, there is much less said about the workouts that help us remain mentally agile and healthy. But just as with physical health, there are simple and practical ways that can help everyone to enjoy good mental health.

Our research has led us to a method for promoting mental health and wellbeing within communities, which follows a simple model that can be adopted by anyone.

An earlier study showed that people intuitively know what enhances their mental health, but they dont think about it on a daily basis. Unlike their physical health, people rarely consider what they could or should be doing for their mental health.

At present, the focus in mental health campaigns is on treatment for mental disorders, the removal of stigma from talking about mental health problems, early intervention and the reduction of risk factors which lead to illness.

But the burden of mental illness continues to rise  it is thought that an estimated 50% of people in OECD countries will experience mental illness in their lifetime, so there is a need to raise awareness in communities and to promote simple and practical steps to achieving and maintaining good mental health.

By building on research into what people can do to improve their mental health, we have developed an ABC model that can be easily adopted in everyday life. Known as Act-Belong-Commit, the approach promotes keeping active, building stronger relationships with friends, family and community groups, and committing to hobbies, challenges and meaningful causes. Together they constitute a simple do-it-yourself approach to enhancing mental health.

By encouraging people to follow these principles, as well as collaborating with community groups that offer activities and opportunities for social participation, the method  currently implemented in Australia and Denmark  seeks to bring about long-term benefits to mental health in populations.

Research suggests people intuitively know the activities which enhance their mental health, but dont treat them as routines to repeat like physical exercise. Photo: Shutterstock

Act

Keep alert and engaged by keeping mentally, socially, spiritually and physically active.

Research has credited a lifestyle with plenty of activities outside work as fostering positive emotions and protecting our brains from decline. An active mind and body, particularly in the company of others, can be naturally rewarding and a healthy alternative to worrying, overthinking or engaging in substance use.

Belong

Develop a strong sense of belonging by keeping up friendships, joining groups, and participating in community activities.

Research has shown that our relationships with one another are fundamental to mental health in terms of providing a sense of identity, acting as a source of support, and being an important coping resource for dealing with pain, stress and difficult life events.

Being part of a community offers support networks and opportunities to be involved in social activities. Photo: Shutterstock

Commit

Do things that provide meaning and purpose in life like taking up challenges, supporting a good cause and helping others.

A sense of meaning and purpose is vital to our well-being and has been shown to help extend our lives and maintain a healthy brain. Committing to a hobby, a challenge, a good cause or helping others can all boost feelings of self-worth and protect against feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness.

Participating socially and contributing to the community can preserve brain function, promote thoughts of making a difference and reduce feelings which arent helpful for well-being, such as self-centredness.

Committing to hobby, goal, or a meaningful cause can offer long-term fulfilment. Photo: Shutterstock

To show that these principles promote and protect mental health, we recently completed a series of observational studies on a nationally representative sample of adults in Ireland. People were interviewed at the start of the survey and then re-interviewed two years later.

We categorised the activities of participants into indicators of acting, belonging and committing. Engaging in various social and recreational activities, such as sport, going to films, eating out or travelling for pleasure were indicators of Act. Staying in touch with friends, family and community groups served as an indicator of Belong and the frequency of engaging in social and recreational activities was an indicator of Commit.

The results of these studies together demonstrate that higher levels of all three measures enhance quality of life, life satisfaction, and self-rated mental health, protect people against developing depression, anxiety and brain function decline, and lower the risk of people becoming dependent on alcohol.

Our research has also shown that the approach is helping patients with mental illnesses and is now being used as a tool for recovery by mental health professionals.

The campaign

The Act-Belong-Commit campaign aims to harness resources already present in communities  because the behaviours that promote mental health and well-being are everyday activities that most people are already doing or are readily available. Hence the campaigns focus is on raising awareness of this fact and validating the belief that these behaviours are good for mental health.

In both Australia and Denmark the campaign connects academics who can advise on the ABC method with a diverse range of community groups, including theatres, womens health groups and sport teams.

These partners are provided with training and resources such as self-help guides while advertising and event sponsorship help spread the campaigns message. Particular targets include schools, workplaces and people recovering from mental illness.

In Australia, an annual survey asks people if they have heard of the campaign and, if so, how their beliefs and actions around mental health have changed.

Twice a year, surveys ask partners how the campaign has affected their activities. Similar approaches are being used in Denmark. In this way, the campaign stays in touch with communities to constantly improve its methods.

By encouraging people to follow and prioritise this ABC approach, the campaigns simple messages could resonate in communities worldwide and sustain the mental health and well-being of people well into the future.

This article was written by Ziggi Ivan Santini, Postdoctoral associate, University of Southern Denmark; Rob Donovan, Adjunct professor, University of Western Australia, and Vibeke Jenny Koushede, Senior researcher, University of Southern Denmark and was originally published on The Conversation.

Read the original article here.While success at Edinburgh carries an obvious boon for the Irish artistic community as a whole, such triumph also impacts indirectly on other areas of the nation, writes John Daly.

This is shaping up as another good year for Irish artists at the Edinburgh Festival, with two plays having already garnered important prizes.

Druid Theatre Companys acclaimed production of Waiting For Godot has won a prestigious Herald Angel award, while Iseult Golden and David Horans play, Class, produced by Abbey Theatre, has won a Fringe First for outstanding new writing.

I dont think weve ever come away from Edinburgh without a number of awards, and thankfully this year is no different, says Christine Sisk, director of Culture Ireland.

The toughest thing in Edinburgh is getting the critics in, because there are so many shows on offer. But when a show receives four or five stars from the critics, followed by high-profile awards, that really elevates their status and sets them apart.

Culture Irelands showcase programme creates and supports opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work at strategic international and national arts markets, art form festivals and trade fairs.

The programme is particularly focused on building awareness of new and emerging Irish artists and enhancing Irelands reputation abroad as a leader in creative and cultural practice through partnerships with strategic festivals and promoters.

When were taking work abroad, we always look for it to be presented first in Ireland, not just to be sure of the quality we are sending away, but also for it to have become so honed that it is like an athlete ready for the greatest stage at the Olympics.

Christine Sisk, Director of Culture Ireland

In addition to Druid, Landmark Productions and Ballet Ireland are among the many Irish companies in Edinburgh this year, where audiences at the Fringe and International Book Festivals can immerse themselves in over 150 performances of Irish theatre, ballet and contemporary dance and appearances by Irish writers.

This years delegation of Irish work, the largest ever, is a key part of Culture Ireland GB18, a yearlong initiative promoting Irish arts in Britain.

Since 2005, Culture Ireland has presented the works of more than 80 Irish companies and 120 Irish writers at the key cultural marketplace of Edinburgh Festivals, resulting in several Irish touring their work overseas.

Highlights of the past few years include Fishamble touring both the Olivier-award-winning Silent and Fringe First-winning Underneath around the world; Corn Exchanges production A Girl is a Half-formed Thing being invited to London and New York; and Dublin Oldschool by Emmet Kirwan invited to Londons National Theatre, followed by a movie version of the play.

While success at Edinburgh carries an obvious boon for the Irish artistic community as a whole, such triumph also impacts indirectly on other areas of the nation.

People see these shows in places like Edinburgh, and then want to come and see more by visiting the place they came from, Christine explains.

From a business point of view, we often work with the IDA in presenting the artists because they see it as another way of showcasing Ireland as a high-tech country through the inventive theatrical innovations on display.

"Indeed, the governments Global Ireland Initiative 2025 is proposed to double Irelands international impact, and certainly our artists are at the forefront of that.

With concerns around Brexit as prevalent amongst the artistic community as it is in the business sector, GB18: Promoting Irish Arts in Britain, seems a timely initiative to counter any possible future turbulence.

During the year, significant numbers of Irish artists, performers and creators will continue to present their work at venues and festivals across England, Scotland and Wales.

We looked at where Culture Ireland was supporting artists, and the numbers going to Britain in theatre and music and literature were much reduced compared to 10 years ago.

"Artists were going further afield, to the US and Australia. But England is an important market for Irish theatre and literature especially, and has so much to offer artists.

With a budget of 1m, GB18 offers greater value for money in expositions of our nearest neighbour: Simply put, the funding goes much further due to the UKs geographical proximity. To bring the same work to the US would cost anything up to 5m.

Class act wins hands down at fringe festival

A parent-teacher meeting turns into a territorial war of attrition in Class, the Festival Fringe winner written by Iseult Golden and David Horan.

Directed by the playwrights, one reviewer described this three-hander as a tremendously acted series of fast-cut scenes where there are no answers, but many provocative questions.

David Horan

Seeing the work recognised is amongst the most satisfying rewards of the win at Edinburgh. Above everything, its just great to see the work be recognised, says David.

We think Class is an important play and this award helps make that case. Hopefully, it will result in being seen by even more people as it receives invitations to play throughout the rest of Britain and in America and Australia on the back of this win.

Designed to encourage performers to bring new work to Edinburgh in the spirit of adventure and experiment, the Fringe First Awards are presented weekly throughout the Fringe.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a shop window for international theatre, and the ultimate test of a shows connection to a wider audience, Iseult believes. It not only opens up touring possibilities, the future life of the show and opportunities for the makers, it also lets us know if the conversation we are having is one that the rest of the world is interested in. Happily, in this case, they are.

Representing Ireland, and the associated benefits the plays success will bring in potential areas like tourism, are extra merits to be enjoyed.

We are very aware that this is a new Irish play that comes from our particular culture and tells some of our story, David says.

And yes, we feel pretty proud to be representing Ireland with a piece that people are bonding with so strongly. Its a great feeling to be a part of something that reflects well on our fabulous little Island, even if we are critical of it ourselves, here and there.

Brexit has been a recurring topic of conversation at Edinburgh this year, and the potential difficulties it could present for the artistic community.

On a practical level, absolutely Brexit is a problem, and we wonder how much more difficult taking a play to Edinburgh will be next year as the labour laws change, says Iseult.

Britain has been a place where Irish art can be showcased to the rest of the world. It would be terrible to lose that.

As to their own preferences for must-see shows at the festival, Iseult and David name check What Girls Are Made Of, Ulster American, Everything Not Saved, My Left Nut and Maz & Bricks.

They are all  like Class  being supported by Culture Ireland who play a vital role in promoting Irish art abroad.As he approaches his retirement, Merchants Quay boss Tony Geoghegan talks to Security Correspondent Cormac OKeeffe about a tumultuous three decades

Tony Geoghegan laughs now at the story of an elderly nun and an illicit delivery of needles and syringes.

It was the tail end of 1990 and Dublin was battling with a HIV/Aids and heroin epidemic.

Just a year into his stint in the then-new Merchants Quay Project, Tony and project founder Fr Sean Cassin had

approached the former Eastern Health Board saying they wanted to set up a needle exchange, to halt the spread of HIV through dirty needles.

The health board said no and instead would send their own staff to the charitys offices to do it.

Tony said they wanted to do it themselves. He had previously worked in a needle exchange programme in Brixton, London, when Fr Cassin approached him in 1989 and asked him to come back and join him at the MQP, which had been set up in a room at the Franciscan Friary.

I got in [the needles] through people in Brixton and they started posting supplies and we did it ourselves.

But when they did, they had no idea if they were legally covered. It was very funny, looking back. We got a note that there are parcels here for you in the sorting office in Sheriff St. We thought is this legal, what will happen if we collect these?

We had this elderly nun who was a volunteer with us, so we put her in a taxi and sent her down to collect. It was fine, she came back with a few boxes of syringes and needles.

Within a year, the health board had come on board.

Tony said the late 80s were terrible in terms of HIV and heroin crises.

It was concentrated in the intravenous drug use sector, over 50%, he said. There was no access to drug treatment and no HIV treatment.

But the publics fear of a spread of HIV and Aids into wider society prompted a shift in policy.

He said a group known as Aids Liaison Forum (reflecting drug users and the gay sector) formed and were represented on the States National Aids Strategy Committee.

It recommended an expansion in methadone (a substitute for heroin), resulting in new satellite clinics.

Tony is recollecting his early years at the now-named Merchants Quay Ireland as he prepares to step down from the helm of the drugs and homelessness charity at the end of September, shortly before he turns 66.

Anna Quigley and Tony Geoghegan with President Michael D. Higgins in 2015. Photo: Jim Berkeley

In a stop-start scan of the drugs and homeless area over those three decades, Tony witnessed a lot.

He recalls the mid-1990s, when Dublin and surrounding areas were hit with the second heroin epidemic, which tore through working-class communities, resulting in patrols, marches and evictions of dealers, and users.

Tony said community chants gradually shifted from drugs out to dealers out as communities were conflicted in how to respond, given that many of the users were their own children.

I remember terrible things happening, he said. I remember Josie Dwyer. He came here and I knew him well.

An inoffensive guy. He was not a dealer. He was kicked to death.

That attack, near Dolphin House flat complex, in May 1996, was carried out by individuals who had attended a community meeting.

It was followed a month later with the murder of Veronica Guerin, and a major garda response, including the setting up of the Criminal Assets Bureau. On the drug policy side, two ministerial reports, under Labours Pat Rabbitte, laid the foundations of a new structure.

The Rabbitte reports recognised for the first time that drugs are concentrated in areas of disadvantage and the need to recognise that and invest resources in those communities, Tony said.

There was a major expansion in the local provision of methadone treatment and the creation of a partnership

approach between community and voluntary groups with state agencies  manifested in local drug task forces.

But that partnership approach began to erode during the 2000s, accelerating with austerity.

The partnership approach was very important and services grew, then the foot was taken off the pedal and, with the economic collapse, services and budgets were cut, said Tony.

Power retracted to the centre and decision making went from the local level to the departments. Thats when people started to lose faith.

He said that while the overall situation has improved since the late 80s in terms of the level of services available, he said numbers of users had massively increased and spread nationwide.

Tony said the homeless situation has worsened and that in the 1980s, they dealt mainly with elderly men and bag ladies.

There has been a huge enmeshment between drugs and homelessness, particularly on the emergency side, he said.

There is, rightly, priority for families and children, but within that hierarchical system and lack of capacity is single people and single people with more complex needs are filtered down to the bottom."

They are the people on the street, either using drugs on the street or tapping on the street.

He said they use the Merchants Quay night cafe, where they get a mat and a warm, safe, place.

A sign from the Night Cafe at Merchants Quay Ireland in Dublin. Photo: Nick Bradshaw

We have 50-60 a night, that is almost four years on. In December 2014 [when it was set up] we thought it was going to be a short-term intervention.

He said there needed to be quality emergency accommodation. He said there was a glut at the moment with some 7,000 homeless, housed in hotels and B&Bs and hostels.

They are building all these hotels. I think they should take over a hotel. They did in Finland, I think. Buy one. Use it as emergency accommodation. The amount they have spent housing people in hotels in the last two years, Im sure they could have bought one. At the same time, get public housing building in place.

Dublin City Council spent more than 47m on hotel accommodation for homeless families in 2017.

Tony said drug users who go through residential treatment should be guaranteed social or public housing, and that was done in England and the US.

Thats a huge incentive, it gives people a real start, rather than the current situation here where people that do manage to go through detox and rehab, but who havent already got secure accommodation, end up back in hostels.

Tony wants a major review of the methadone programme. He said there were 10,000 people on it and estimated around half are on it over 10 years.

The Night Cafe at Merchants Quay Ireland in Dublin. Photo: Nick Bradshaw

He questioned the care plans given to them and what efforts are made to help them get off the drug and get their lives back together, with education, skills, training, and other needs.

From a medical view, retention and treatment is a success, he said.

I do recognise that, but I think this is more about economics, instead of investing in people. I would say the same about mental health.

Tony said he had hope with the new national drugs strategy, welcoming its health-led approach.

Its a significant shift, but it still remains to be seen will it be rolled out.

Tony isnt sailing off into the sunset yet. He was recently appointed to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and will remain involved in a number of local drug projects, including RADE arts programme.

I am invested in the area, he said, Im not going to disappear.By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

The evidence in todays Leaving Certificate results is not just of the positive effect of reforms, but also of the negative impact of the high stakes attached to the exams.

When some students historically risked missing out on Central Applications Office (CAO) points for college entry by getting anything under 40% in a higher-level exam, they opted instead to do the ordinary-level papers. This was proven by the wide extent to which most subjects experienced a rise in higher-level participation when new grades and a revised CAO points scale saw those with 30% to 40% awarded CAO points last year for the first time.

Although not as pronounced as in 2017, State Examinations Commission (SEC) data for the performance of Leaving Certificate 2018 students shows that students continue to migrate from ordinary level to higher level in a wide number of the most popular subjects.

They include maths, in which a record 31.5% of students opted for higher level in June, up from 30% a year ago and 27% in 2016. It is nearly double the 16% of maths students who took higher level just eight years ago, before the 2012 introduction of 25 bonus CAO points for those passing the subject began a strong turn-around.

The risk taken by most borderline maths students appears to have paid off, too, with very similar numbers getting a H8 (30% or less) and not securing any CAO points. At 303 students, they are around 20 fewer than a year ago.

The numbers getting bonus points, now available to those with a H6 or higher (at least 40%), are up nearly 500 to 15,540. This represents over 92% of all 16,837 students who took higher level in June.

In what looks to be another first, more students of Irish took the higher exam rather than ordinary level. Nearly 48% of the 46,750 people doing Irish this year took honours papers, up from 46% a year ago, while 45.9% did ordinary level in June and 6.2% chose foundation-level Irish.

The reasons behind this upward trend are likely a combination of the lure of college entry points for getting 30% or more (at least a H7 grade) and the switch in emphasis to the spoken language. The allocation of 40% of total marks in Irish for the oral test, significantly reducing the importance of written papers, has seen higher-level uptake increase from less than a third of those sitting it as recently as 2010.

In biology, numbers with a H8 grade for less than 30% at higher level jumped from 4.2% to 7.1%  nearly 1,900 students of the subject, some 750 more than a year ago. However, H1 grades for 90% or more were secured by 11.3% of the 26,543 students doing higher-level biology  more than double the 2017 figure.

In most other subjects where higher-level uptake has risen, the proportions of students getting H8 grades were similar or less than last year.

Biology was flagged in a recent study from Dublin City University as a subject in which exam tasks are significantly based on memory and recall. This was also true of agricultural science, one of the few subjects to see an increase in participation this year  results issue today to nearly 7,800 students.

Home economics has overtaken history in the popularity stakes, and French is close to being overtaken by geography as schools offer a wider range of language choices, Spanish seeing the biggest expansion in recent years.

CAO points scale

Since 2017, these are the CAO points attached to each Leaving Certificate grade:

H1: 100 points

H2: 88

H3: 77

H4: 66

H5 / O1: 56

H6 /O2: 46

H7 / O3: 37

O4: 28

O5: 20

O6: 12

H8 / O7 / O8: 0

Higher level maths: H6 or higher: 25 bonus points.

LC Vocational Programme Links Modules: Distinction: 66. Merit: 46. Pass: 28.

Foundation level maths: Some colleges give points for F1 (20) and F2 (12).

Find an online points calculator on the CAO website: cao.ieThe evacuation of 422 White Helmet volunteers from Syria seemingly marks the end of a daring five-year humanitarian mission in one of the worlds most war torn countries, writes James Crossland.

Founded and initially trained by a retired British officer and comprised of local recruits, the White Helmets (AKA the Syrian Civil Defence) were formed in 2013.

Their aim was to carry out search and rescue operations for victims of bombings in rebel held areas of Syria.

The White Helmets, who claim to have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people, stand as a beacon of light for much of the international community amid the darkness of the Syrian civil war.

They have becoming the subject of an Oscar-winning Netflix documentary and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2016.

But this rosy picture of humanity at its best has been tainted by the politicisation of the outfits activities and the establishment of a counter-narrative in which the volunteers appear as anything but battlefield angels.

Propaganda and smear campaigns

The White Helmets have been demonised by Russian-backed propaganda outlets as everything from being partial to the rebel cause (despite the groups motto being to save a life is to save all humanity) to collaborating with ISIS, to staging chemical weapons attacks, to simply being an all-purpose front for unofficial Western meddling into Syrian president Bashar Al-Assads affairs.

The latter claim, in particular has been repeated in press outlets sympathetic to the Syrian president, which reference the fact that the White Helmets have been funded primarily by Western governments.

Aside from this smear campaign, the White Helmets have also been the victims of more direct action.

This has included the bombing of several of their hospitals and, most unambiguously, a midnight raid on one of their safe houses in August 2017 in which seven of the volunteers were executed by assassins still unknown.

This might read like chapters of a modern war thriller  indeed, the tale of the White Helmets is scheduled to become a George Clooney-led film.

Wartime humanitarianism

So much of their experience is neither new nor unique. The triumphs, travails and tragedies of the White Helmets are just the latest instalment in the long, brutal story of wartime humanitarianism which stretches back over 150 years.

Similar tales were played out on the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the Balkans Uprisings (1875-1878).

Both involved cases of clearly identified humanitarians being targeted for violence and having their motives questioned.

In these instances, it was not White Helmets, but Red Crosses and Red Crescents that distinguished the volunteers from the fighters.

They were the symbols enshrined by the articles of the Geneva Convention as indicating the neutrality of battlefield medics. But these sacrosanct symbols did not protect the volunteers from suspicion and attack.

Dr Frederic Ferriere. International Committee of the Red Cross.

Red Cross hospitals were routinely shelled throughout the Franco-Prussian War. During the siege of Paris a number of volunteers were shot in the belief that they were using their neutral Red Cross status as a cover for committing acts of espionage.

Like the White Helmets of today, the idea that volunteers could act in the service of all wars victims raised eyebrows.

The Swiss volunteer, Frederic Ferriere was imprisoned on suspicion of being a spy, despite offering his medical services to the enemy Prussians.

The French volunteer nurse, Coralie Cahen, was also forcibly ejected from a camp by Prussian troops when she tried to gain access to starving prisoners of war, testament to how  then as now  humanitarians actions were also politicised.

Cahen was later lauded by the national press as a symbol of French humanitarian spirit triumphing over Germanic barbarism.

Contemporary questions over the White Helmets funding and motive are also nothing new. During the Balkans Uprisings of the 1870s, a British organisation called the Stafford House Committee sent a humanitarian mission to the troubled region.

Although serving under the Red Cross and Red Crescent  and therefore supposedly impartial  Stafford Houses volunteers were characterised in the press as medical mercenaries acting in favour of the Turkish army and taking gold from the Sultan and pro-Turkish backers in Britain.

Coralie Cahen who treated thousands of wounded in 1870. International Committee of the Red Cross.

he grounds for these accusations were far firmer than those currently being thrown at the White Helmets.

But the fact remains that the murky grey area between political agendas and neutral humanitarian action has always existed, along with slur campaigns and violence from those who are threatened by the work of humanitarian volunteers.

In this sense, the White Helmets evacuation from Syria may mark the end of their individual story.

But, if history is any guide, the sobering and sadly familiar aspects of their tale will continue elsewhere in future.

This article was written by James Crossland of Liverpool John Moores University and was originally published on The Conversation.

Read the original article here.Embattled staples seek trust and transparency





THE Australian egg industry is worried about its future, fearing a lack of community trust and industry transparency will leave it out of step with shifting consumer attitudes.

To keep in step with community expectations and secure its future, the industry is spending a small fortune to learn what the community thinks about it, warts and all.

Australian Eggs has commissioned the CSIRO to research community views on the impacts and contributions of the egg industry across areas such as the environment, animal welfare, food security and livelihood.

Its a three-year research program. Views from a sample of 5,000 Australians will be collected in the coming months.

A team of CSIRO analysts will then explore how the relationship between the eggs industry and the Australian public looks now and identify the pathways to deeper levels of trust and acceptance of the industry.

Trust, transparency and accountability

Australian Eggs managing director, Rowan McMonnies says the relationship between agriculture and communities is complex.

The egg industry has recognised the best way to manage this complexity is to increase the quantity and quality of engagement with the public and set a platform of transparency and accountability, he says.

Mr McMonnies says the organisation is prepared for a warts and all report to emerge from the research, the largest consultation program ever undertaken by the industry.

We want to get on the front foot with this because if you dont listen to the public you can very quickly get out of step with community expectations, he says.

The research project, he says, has been developed in the context of a growing appetite among Australians to understand where their food comes from and the methods used in its production.

Eggs are a staple food and we believe that listening to views about our industry is an important part of maintaining community trust, Mr McMonnies says.

Also in Australian Food News

Community trust is critical

Senior Research Scientist with the CSIRO, Dr Kieren Moffat says, community trust is critical to the sustainability of all agricultural industries and we look forward to playing a role in this process. To participate in the survey go here.

Trust and transparency, particularly the lack of it, is a key focus group buzzword ringing out from another food industry group also keen to put its side of the story in growing debates about its impact on environment and animal welfare.

Meat and Livestock Australia last week after much research launched a website, hoping people will come to it, to have their trust restored.

MLA managing director Richard Norton in a tweet said: Transparency builds trust  see how our industry cares about the environment and animal welfare in the production of red meat.

Mr Norton, like egg boss Mr McMonnies, almost word-for-word highlighted the increasing interest consumers have in the provenance of their food and how it is produced. For more on the new MLA website see our story.We sometimes have peculiar, evasive attitudes towards our past; sometimes we remember too much, sometimes maybe we dont remember enough. Sometimes we do both on the same day. Today, the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing, may just be such a day.

We remember the barbarism, the fascist contempt, and immorality, the plain, undisguised evil, of the terrorists. But most of all, those of us old enough, remember a market town, one like so many others on this island, one just like the one in which so many of us were born, with its heart torn out.

We remember Omagh almost, but not quite, mute with grief. That Saturday afternoon massacre left 29 people dead and hundreds injured.

That was the physical impact but, as last weekends commemorations showed, the emotional and psychological pain endures  as it does for all of the Troubles atrocities no matter their scale or origin. How could it not?

That enduring pain may behind our need to forget, to put so many of our pasts horrors in a forget-me-please place.

Processing that carnage hardly leaves room to see beyond the body bags, to round out a response, to round out memories. We may remember the murderers styled themselves as the Real IRA, a continuum of the Provos, but do we dare follow that line to where it takes us today?

That exercise must recognise the joyous reality that political violence is no longer commonplace. It must recognise that  pre-Brexit  Anglo Irish relations are better than ever. However, it would also recognise the festering Stormont void. That exercise would be appalled by the mutually destructive contempt the Stormont parties show each other.

It would be appalled by Sinn Feins holier-than-thou Commons abstentionism, allowing its six deputies to whistle Dixie while Brextremists plot their countrys evisceration.

That the majority in the North voted to remain in the EU has not changed their policy of wait, wait and wait again until one catastrophe or another offers them their Boris Johnson objective  power at any price.

However, but only for people of a certain age, that divine comedy reaches a high point when todays Sinn Fein leadership lectures a rump of their founder organisation  dissident republicans  about abandoning violence for participatory democracy.

That, from a culture that treated the same arguments  thank you, John Hume  with contempt, is very hard to stomach.

That exercise might conclude with a question that has been asked many times: How did we reach this point? Maybe by surrendering the past to the violent nationalist tradition. At this remove from Omagh, and as we prepare to mark significant centenaries, its time for democratic, non-violent Ireland to reclaim its past.

Its time to challenge extremists who year after year polish the memory of terrorists they describe as volunteers.

Its time we had an annual, national event to remember all of those who died in all of the Omaghs, all of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings to underline that the vast majority of Irish people are unequivocally opposed to violence.

As so many of these events begin to fade from living memory and are again hijacked so they might seduce another generation of young idealists, remembering is not only an act of honouring but one essential to the ongoing security of our democracy.

Lets call it John Hume Day to honour a great European, one of the greatest Irishmen of our time, but most of all a man who is a brave, unwavering democrat and pacifist.US President Donald Trump long ago recognised the payback potential in taking extreme positions against civilised

opponents.

Before he was elected, he directed his spewing bile against rival Hilary Clinton. Lock her up, was his chant, echoed with vehemence and, like it or not, ignorance by many of his supporters.

Attacks on the dishonest, fake media were on his stir-it-up playlist too, but they have a new priority now he is secure, for the moment at least, in the White House. He persists with his tirades, despite warnings he is putting journalists lives in jeopardy.

His behaviour falls outside the norms of our permanent negotiation with each other, one that if it is to succeed must remain decent and dignified.

Britains former foreign secretary and shameless Brexit opportunist Boris Johnson played a similar card when he, in a newspaper column, described in deeply offensive terms Muslim women who choose to wear a burqa.

Johnson did this in the full knowledge he would face criticism, but criticism that would be far outweighed by the support he would get from the insular, nasty and nativist wing of the Conservative Party in a looming leadership contest.

Both men reached a crossroads where the road signs pointed to shock-jock demagoguery or the kind of leadership that can create a worthwhile legacy. Sadly, both chose the shock-jock option.

Ireland faces a similar choice on Saturday week, when Pope Francis begins a short visit. We can go the shock-jock path or we can welcome our visitor with dignity and respect.

Despite the impossibly long charge sheet against Irish Catholicism and the Vaticans hidden hands, Pope Francis is the figurehead of the religion a great number of Irish people still hold dear. The welcome  or otherwise  he is afforded will be an expression of how Irish people opposed to Catholicism and its influence in our society respect their neighbours who hold a different, more traditional view.

That relationship is strained, albeit unintentionally, by two democratically-endorsed amendments to our Constitution that fly in the face of Catholic teaching. Those victories should not provoke the kind of triumphalism that leads to the high-octane protests that might be seen at a Trump rally.

Even an organisation as self-contained and opaque as the Vatican is fully aware of the anger its representatives have provoked. It may be tempting to organise large-scale, high-intensity protests, but that would change little other than deepen the division already obvious in this society.

Attractive as the idea of waving a placard at a papal mass might be, sustaining positive, working relationships within this society is far more important and far more challenging.

Lets not follow Trump and Johnsons appalling example.Burma State Counselor Meets Rakhine Investigation Commission to Discuss Work Plan

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds hands with Rosario Manalo, who will chair the government's commission of enquiry on Rakhine State, in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. / Ministry of Foreign Affairs Myanmar / Facebook

YANGON  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with a newly appointed commission charged with investigating alleged rights violations in Rakhine State on Wednesday to discuss the bodys work plan and select a secretary.

The Presidents Office announced the creation of the commission in May, following mounting pressure on the government over its handling of the violence in Rakhine since August 2017, when militant attacks on security posts in the state triggered a military crackdown that has driven some 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh.

The UN has labeled the militarys operations ethnic cleansing, while the EU and US have imposed sanction on military generals for their alleged roles. International rights groups have been urging the UN to refer the generals to the International Criminal Court.

In late July, the Presidents Office named the four people to serve on the commission of enquiry. They include two international experts  Philippine diplomat Rosario Manalo and former Japanese Ambassador to the UN Kenzo Oshima. The two Myanmar members are U Aung Tun Thet, who also serves as chief coordinator of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine, and U Mya Thein, a former chair of Myanmars Constitutional Tribunal.

We are going to start our work very quickly, said U Aung Tun Thet, declining to comment on todays meeting.

Rosario, who will chair the commission, is scheduled to hold a press conference in Naypyitaw on Thursday.

I cant say more at this stage, and we all agreed that only our chairwoman will speak to the media, U Aung Tun Thet said.

According to a brief statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the commission members discussed the bodys terms of reference. State Counselors Office Minister U Kyaw Tin Swe, International Cooperation Minister U Kyaw Tin, national security adviser U Thaung Tun, who also chairs the Myanmar Investment Commission, attended the meeting as well.Burma Students Demand Accountability in Electrocution Cases

The logo of the petition campaign. / Supplied

YANGON  Students from 13 universities in Yangon Region have sent a petition to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy asking for government accountability regarding recent electrocution cases.

The petition signed by 4,500 students during the No Electric Shock Signature Campaign was also presented to the electricity, industry and transportation minister and social affairs minister of the Yangon regional government and regional Parliament.

Students of the University of Medicine-2 held a press conference on Tuesday at the office of the Myanmar Journalists Network, demanding that justice be served for two students who died from electrocution.

Protesters asked that the government reply in 15 days. Weve asked the ministries what they can do about the lack of safety in public areas, said Ko Aung Kaung Maw, a student of the University of Medicine-2, who is also a leader of the signature campaign.

On July 13, a 13-year-old boy died by electrocution after stepping on a fallen wire lying in a pool of water on Thanthumar Road in Yangons South Okkalapa Township. Two weeks later, a student of the University of Medicine-2 met the same fate after he leaned against a wall into which electric current from a neighboring workshop owned by the Ministry of Industry was flowing.

In regard to the death of the boy in South Okkalapa Township, the chief executive officer of the Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation U Thant Sain told The Irrawaddy, The investigation has been completed and the report has been submitted to the [Electricity and Energy] Ministry.

Especially, 400-volt power cables tend to fall down. The rest rarely do. So, we are replacing 400-volt cables in crowded public spaces such as hospitals, schools and markets, he added.

Students from the University of Medicine-2 are still haunted by the tragic death of their friend, said student Ko Aung Khant Paing.

We are extremely worried that an overhead power line may fall at any time, especially when it rains and we cant see clearly on the flooded streets, he said.

Students from the University of Computer Science, University of Foreign Languages, Yangon University, Dagon University and more also signed the petition in addition to students from the medical and nursing universities.

The petition called on the Electricity Ministry to investigate the deaths, provide justice for the two victims, ensure responsibility and accountability, prevent similar incidents in the future, and make regular checks on power lines.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.Burma Weeks of Fighting Between Rival Armed Groups Continues in Northern Shan

People displaced by fighting between ethnic armed groups in July take shelter at a monastery in Namtu Township, Shan State. / The Irrawaddy

Mon State  Fighting continues to rage between rival ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State in a conflict that has displaced hundreds of local residents since last month.

The Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) joined forces with the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) for an offensive against Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) positions in Namtu Township in July. They accuse the RCSS, which is based in the south of the state, of encroaching on their traditional territory.

More than 1,000 ethnic Shan and Palaung have fled their villages since the fighting began.

The Shan National League for Democracy party helped broker talks between the SSPP and RCSS in Taunggyi, the state capital, on Friday and Saturday so that they might hammer out a ceasefire. But neither side has issued a statement on the meeting since. The party could not be reached for comment.

Sao Khun Sai, a political adviser to the RCSS based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, said he heard the meeting went well but did not know the details.

TNLA spokesman Major Tar Aike Kyaw said there have been clashes in Namtu nearly every day since the fighting began last month, about 20 in all thus far.

Tai Freedom, a media outlet of the RCSS, reported fighting on Monday lasting from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Namtu residents said there was fighting today as well. Ko Myo, a member of the No Borders Rescue Group, a non-governmental organization, said he and his colleagues helped evacuate more than 300 people from Panglong Village to escape the days fighting.

They heard fighting outside their village, so they asked us to recuse them. They were afraid to stay in their village, Ko Myo said.

More than 500 of the people who fled their homes last month have yet to return and continue to shelter at local monasteries, he added.

The best thing is to negotiate, Ko Myo said. Because of the constant fighting, people have many problems.

The fighting has interrupted school for local children and made it difficult for farmers to harvest their crops.

Local reporters who have visited the area say much of the fighting has taken place in the villages where fighters are staying.

When the Shan saw the Palaung in a community, they fired artillery into the community where the people stay or they fought each other in the community, said a reporter, who asked to remain anonymous.

The RCSS claims it has the right to operate wherever there are ethnic Shan. The SSPP and TNLA say it belongs in the south of Shan State only. The TNLA claims the RCSS also uses its membership in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the central government as justification for stationing fighters in the north.News Landscaping Projects in Bagan May Ruin Chances of World Heritage Site Status

A section of Japanese lawn grass at Dhammayangyi Pagoda in Bagan. / Ko Myo Swe Than / Facebook

MANDALAY  A lack of transparency in landscaping projects currently underway in Bagan, the archaeological zone in central Myanmar, has raised concerns over the safeguarding of the ancient pagodas and temples.

For the landscaping projects, local authorities are planning to plant a Japanese lawn grass, zoysia japonica, at about 17 prominent pagodas and temples, including Dhammayangyi, Sulamani and Mahabodhi pagodas and Tharabha Gate.

We were told that the project is under the supervision of the Nyaung U district administration office. They said they are doing this for the landscape of Bagan, however, they should think about the long-term impact, said Ko Myo Set San, a leader of the local environmental activist group Save Bagan.

Locals have cited a lack of transparency in these projects, which is raising concern over the impact they may have on the ancient temples and pagodas, especially since the ground inspection by an official UNESCO expert team is scheduled for mid-September, during which they will assess Bagans suitability to be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

They added that there was a series of meetings between local members of the public, local CSOs, government officials and the Department of Archaeology and National Museum for the Bagan region; however, the authorities failed to explain anything about the planting projects.

We made several complaints to the district administration office as well as the department of archaeology, but they have failed to explain this to us or issue any reply, said Ko Myo Set San.

Locals have said that since Bagan is located in a dry zone, the grass will need an irrigation system and that moisture from this will affect the strength of the centuries-old pagodas and temples.

We suspect that the administration office is doing these projects just to ruin Bagans chances of being listed as a World Heritage Site, he said. If they did really care about Bagan, they wouldnt do these projects because they could affect the conservation of the ancient pagodas.

The project at Tharabha Gate is already complete. The ongoing project at Dhammayangyi Pagoda is halfway finished while other temples are still at the tilling stage.

Photos have been spread on social media, drawing criticism in recent days.

Japanese lawn grass is not a native plant of Bagan. The authorities should have known about this and now they need to review the project. What will the UNESCO expert team say when they see this? questioned U Thein Oo, an elder from Bagan, who is involved in a local environment and conservation activist group.

If Bagans nomination to UNESCO fails due to these projects, the authorities must take full responsibility for this, he added.

The Nyaung U district administration office and the Department of Archaeology and National Museum have been out of reach for comment.

When The Irrawaddy previously requested comment on the landscaping project at Tharabha Gate, U Aung Aung Kyaw, director the Bagan sub-office of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum said experts recommendations had been sought on the landscaping project and that they were making efforts to safeguard the ancient monuments.

On the other hand, the national project officer at UNESCOs Myanmar office told The Irrawaddy that the office wants to suggest that local authorities not disturb the original atmosphere.

It is hard to comment on what they are doing, as we do not know the exact plan for these landscaping projects. We understand that the authorities want to do good things for Bagan, however, they need to protect the natural scenery that gives an ancient atmosphere for visitors, said Daw Ohnmar Myo, the national project officer at UNESCOs Myanmar office.

Since some of the natural drainage systems in Bagan have been ruined by development projects in the past, the UNESCO office said the local authorities also need to improve the drainage system in order to safeguard the foundations of the structures.

Every time it rains, the water cant recede easily in many areas in Bagan and this will affect the foundations of the pagodas in the long term. If there is planting near the pagodas and temples, the drainage needs to be improved first, for it will need water, she explained.

Moreover, it is also important to know what kind of plants they will grow there. The plants should be native plants that are suited to the weather of the area and they also need to make sure the projects will not affect the natural scenery of the region.News Scores of Homes Destroyed, Damaged by Storm Surge in Pyapon

Houses destroyed by a tidal surge in Pyapon Township, Irrawaddy Region. / The Irrawaddy

PATHEIN  Nearly 90 houses collapsed and almost 40 others were damaged by a storm surge in several villages in Pyapon Township, Irrawaddy Region on Sunday and Monday.

The tidal surge accompanied by strong winds destroyed 86 houses and damaged 39 others in two days, regional Disaster Management Center director U Than Soe told The Irrawaddy.

Local authorities evacuated 673 residents of the villages to safety. Tides have been higher than normal for the past three months or so. The tides and winds have eroded the bank, causing the houses to collapse. In particular, huts built on the sandbank outside the villages collapsed. There were no casualties or injuries, said lawmaker U Bo Bo Zaw Min of the Irrawaddy Region Parliament.

The Pyapon District Disaster Management Center distributed rice and other emergency relief supplies to those affected. It also gave 100,000 kyats each to families whose thatched houses were destroyed and 200,000 kyats each to families who lost wooden houses with corrugated iron roofs, U Than Soe said.

Disasters have become more severe due to climate change. The government is working as hard as it can, but civil society organizations and members of the public also need to cooperate with officials and be prepared; only then can the impacts be minimized, he said.

Tidal surges have also damaged houses in Kyaikto and Paung townships in Mon State as well as in Thongwa Township in Yangon.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.Wednesday, August 15th, 2018 (8:01 am) - Score 2,581

The hunt for somebody to replace the outgoing CEO of BT Group, Gavin Patterson, appears to have reached fever pitch, with reports on Sky News that the former boss of telecoms regulator Ofcom, Stephen Carter ( ), has been approach to take over the position. But there are other candidates too.

The Scottish businessman and politician would certainly be an interesting pick given his background in the industry. Between 2000 and 2003 Carter was the COO and MD of NTL (better known today as Virgin Media), before joining Ofcom to act as the regulators CEO until 2006 (around the period when Local Loop Unbundling was introduced).

After a brief stint as the CEO of Brunswick Group LLP he later joined the administration of Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2008, where he held various roles and also helped to author the Digital Britain report. This laid the foundations for the infamous 2010 Digital Economy Act, which is perhaps best known for encouraging better national broadband connectivity and attempting to impose some particularly harsh anti-piracy measures against UK ISP users (threats of disconnection etc.).

In April 2010 Carter moved on to become a Director of Alcatel-Lucent, where he held various other roles until leaving in 2013. Since then hes been working as the CEO of information services company Informa. Suffice to say that Carter has a lot of experience in the sector, although hes not the only person being considered to take the helm of BT.

Reports indicate that the former boss of mobile operator EE, Olaf Swantee, is another potential candidate and so is the CEO of Swedish operator Tele2, Alison Kirkby. Meanwhile a separate report on Yahoo! suggests that analysts have also pointed the finger more internally at BTs CFO, Simon Lowth, and the boss of its consumer division, Marc Allera.

A new boss is expected to be appointed sometime during the second half of 2018 and whoever it is will have to contend with a particularly difficult climate, one where Openreach is being called upon to spend billions more on a national roll-out of full fibre (FTTP) broadband and adopt greater independence from BT.

At present the operator has already committed to reach 3 million premises passed with FTTP by the end of 2020 and they appear to be closing in on an agreement with Ofcom, which could enable them to push to 10 million premises by around 2025. We wouldnt be at all surprised if a firm announcement on that ends up surfacing soon after the new CEO has been announced.Food for thought: Uber model breaks new ground





AFTER years of fevered warnings about the Uberisation of general practice, it seems that it has finally arrived on Australian shores.

Dr Sudeer Mahadeo, a GP from Ipswich outside Brisbane, has launched UberDoc to allow patients to find doctors whenever, wherever via a smartphone app.

The app operates on a similar principle to the ride-sharing company Uber.

Patients can send a request for a home visit to nearby doctors, who can then accept or decline the job.

Dr Mahadeo says doctors who sign up with the scheme receive 80 per cent of all billings, including Medicare rebates for home visits, and are free to name their fee for any consult they offer.

Electronic prescribing coming

Patients can also use UberDoc for telehealth and specialist referrals, and Dr Mahadeo says the company plans to offer electronic prescribing as soon as the law is changed to allow it in October 2019.

We are currently seeing about five or six patients a day, so it is not huge at the moment, but it is picking up, he says.

A bigger obstacle than signing up patients may be convincing doctors to join the company, but Dr Mahadeo is hoping that GPs will be attracted to the flexibility offered by the app.

A lot of doctors want a bit of flexibility, especially GPs, he says.

They dont want to work in a practice all the time seeing patients in that pressure-cooker situation.

GPs who are on holidays, or who have a few hours on a Saturday morning, can get on to the app, see a few people around them, do a few referrals, write a few medical certificates, so it actually increases their output.

Also in Australian Food News

More of an IT company

However, Dr Mahadeos plans may be slowed down by the recent advertising crackdown on medical deputising services offering home visits.

Under the new restrictions, services signed up to the Federal Governments Approved Medical Deputising Service program cannot advertise directly to patients for business.

But Dr Mahadeo says the ban does not apply to UberDoc because it is a digital platform.

We are not a medical deputising service and do not fall under that banner, he says.

In fact, we are more of an IT company.

This articles by Geir ORourke was first published on August 9, 2018, in Australian Doctor under the headline Has it finally arrived? The GP Uber consultNearly three-quarters of IT decision-makers are being led up the garden path by the hype over artificial intelligence and machine-learning, and conned into believing that these technologies are the silver bullet to fix the challenges they face from cyber-security issues.

A survey carried out by Slovakian security company ESET showed that the hype over AI and machine-learning was confusing IT teams. ESET claimed that this could actually be putting organisations at great risk of falling victim to cyber crime.

The survey took in 900 IT decision makers  500 from the US, 200 from the UK and 200 from Germany. The research was conducted by OnePoll.

It found that American IT decision-makers were the most likely to be taken in by the claims made for AI and machine-learning, compared to their European counterparts  82% as compared to 67% in the UK and 66% in Germany.

Overall, 79% of respondents said AI and machine-learning would help their organisations detect and respond to threats faster, while 77% said the technologies would help solve a skills shortage.

ESET chief technology officer Juraj Malcho said: It is worrying to see that the hype around AI and machine-learning is causing so many IT decision makers  particularly in the US  to regard the technologies as the silver bullet to cyber security challenges.

"If the past decade has taught us anything, its that some things do not have an easy solution  especially in cyber space where the playing field can shift in a matter of minutes. In todays business environment, it would be unwise to rely solely on one technology to build a robust cyber defence.

However, it is also interesting to see such a gap between the US and European respondents. The concern is that over-hyping this technology may be causing technology leaders in the UK and Germany to tune out. Its crucial that IT decision makers recognise that, while machine-learning is, without a doubt, an important tool in the fight against cyber crime, it must be just one part of an organisations overall cyber security strategy.

The survey found that a majority of respondents - 89% in Germany, 87% in the US and 78% in the UK - had already implemented machine-learning as part of their cyber security strategies.

Additionally, some respondents were confused over the different between AI and machine-learning, with just over half (53%) saying their company understood the difference between the two technologies.

Said Malcho: Sadly, when it comes to AI and machine-learning, the terminology used in some marketing materials can be misleading and IT decision-makers across the world arent sure what to believe. The reality of cyber security is that true AI does not yet exist, while the hype around the novelty of machine-learning is completely misleading, it has been around for a long time.

"As the threat landscape becomes even more complex, we cannot afford to make things more confusing for businesses. There needs to be greater clarity as the hype is muddling the message for those making key decisions on how best to secure their companys networks and data.

He said machine-learning had been used by ESET as part of its weaponry against cyber criminals since 1995  and its simply not enough on its own. By educating themselves of machine-learnings limitations, businesses can take a more strategic approach to building a robust defence.

"Multi-layered solutions, combined with talented and skilled people, will be the only way to stay step ahead of the hackers as the threat landscape continues to evolve.

Graphics: courtesy ESETA crucial part of securing IT infrastructure, applications and services is asking independent white hat hackers to hack it. Hackers will try to break in regardless, so you might as well be part of the process to maximize the benefits. Unfortunately, not every company has the resources to hire a penetration testing team.

Many well-established professional firms will gladly help you perform vulnerability testing or pentesting, The best rightly command top dollar for their services. It can be challenging to find one at the last minute for your emergency project just before go-live. Fortunately, you have an alternative.

Crowdsourcing can help your company get immediate help when you need it at a price you can afford. Crowdsourcing can be likened to an e-Bay auction for talent. You can get the right talent at the right price at the right time.

Crowdsourcing hackers through an intermediary

There are obvious trade-offs with crowdsourcing IT security talent, such has how to vet the people who will hack your environment; determine a fair price and scope; and initiate, track and control the process. If you dont have an established program, what you save in direct monies could be easily offset by your time, involvement and risk. When you dont know the players involved, there is always a risk that they dont have the experience they claim they do, or worse, dont do what youve hired them to do. The biggest fear with outsourcing hackers is that they keep and use what they learned on the job later. After all, they are hackers. Right?

Luckily, many firms act as a trusted intermediary and use their established processes to hook up independent, vetted hackers with your needs. In exchange for payment, they will vet the hackers, make sure they are trustworthy and skilled, provide the overall program and framework, and do all the hard work that you dont have the time for.

I love both the crowdsourcing idea and the companies that are doing it. Three of the biggest and best-known are Synack, Bugcrowd and HackerOne. Each, in different ways, brings hackers and their services together in a relatively open marketplace with companies looking for white hat hacking services. Most of the crowdsourcing security companies offer at least three main services:

Vulnerability disclosure

Penetration testing

Bug bounty programs

Vulnerability disclosure

Vulnerability disclosure involves helping the customer develop and publish a responsible vulnerability disclosure program that define where and how third parties (hackers) can contact the customer or intermediary (the crowdsource vendor) with newly found bugs. It includes responsibilities and expectations for both the customer, the intermediary and the hacker. Many hackers who have performed irresponsible disclosure to the public without giving the vendor a chance to rectify the found bug first did so only because of their frustration from the lack of reasonable response from the company they were trying to report the bug to.

Penetration testing

Penetration testing is often the key money-generating service for crowdsourcing firms. They bring together a skilled set of experienced hackers with the customer at an agreed-upon price for an agreed-upon scope of work.

The vast majority of hackers involved in these firms are doing crowd-sourced pentesting part-time. A minority do it full-time, and some make a decent living doing so. How much a crowd-sourced hacker can earn on each job depends on the types of skills they have, experience, and types of jobs they get selected to be on. Bugcrowd told me it has hackers who donate their time for particular causes (such as securing their countrys government resources) or give the money they receive to charities.

Bug bounties

Getting a bug bounty firm involved can save you tons of time and money. Many times, a hacker-reported bug really isnt a bug at all, isnt a bug impacting security, or isnt easily reproducible. Most bug bounty program vendors will tell you that you need to fix only a minority of the reported bugs, and that they spend most of their time figuring out the real bugs from all the reported issues.

A bug bounty vendor will do the time-consuming up-front work, taking the reports from hackers, verifying real security bugs, triaging to determine criticality, making sure they are readily reproducible, and then creating detailed documentation of the working exploit. Any bug fixer would kill for this part of the process to be done.

No matter how good your internal IT security team is, no matter whether you have an internal or external pentesting team, you need a bug bounty program and responsible vulnerability disclosure program as a key part of your IT security. Ive been with firms that decided, wrongly, they didnt need a bug bounty program. Each, after years of negative lessons learned, started a bug bounty program. They could have saved themselves some pain by starting one earlier.

Every company should consider and deploy all three of these types of programs. Ive known many otherwise good-hearted hackers who grew frustrated, and even resentful, because a company didnt have an easy way to report a bug they found, didnt effectively respond to the outreach, or incorrectly told the hacker that their big find wasnt a big deal. If you make it hard for good people to report serious things, youre just asking for trouble.

If you dont already have these functions as a mature part of your organization, you can only benefit by getting involved with a company, crowdsourcing or not, that can help you to set them up. Most of the companies offer these services as one-time or ad-hoc projects. Some companies offer additional related services such as code review, remediation and staff augmentation. They differentiate themselves with their platform around the hackers and services, pricing models, and how well they can vet the experience, skills, and placement of the involved hackers.

What does crowd-sourced hacking cost?

None of the firms I interviewed wanted to give me hard numbers for a hypothetical scenario, but agreed that crowdsourcing a hacker red team for a few weeks of work might cost in the low thousands to the low tens of thousands of dollars for a relatively small limited engagement. Larger engagements with more people with specialized skills lasting many weeks to a few months could easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. No matter what you might end up paying, its far cheaper than having your own internal team and often cheaper than working with an established firm that does not use crowdsourcing.

At the most recent Black Hat USA 2018 in Las Vegas last week, I interviewed executives at Synack and Bugcrowd.

Synack profile

Synack has the reputation of being a top-tier outsourcing vendor with a focus on larger enterprises. They have a whos who list of top companies and entities as clients and like to focus on the success and quality of their vetting process and programs, as well as a broad range of services. I spoke with Aisling MacRunnels, Synacks chief marketing officer.

When asked if artificial intelligence (AI) would ever replace human hackers in the process of evaluating a companys security, MacRunnels says, No. I think youll see driverless cars long before youll see driverless security. You cant build technology that outwits the human mind. You just cant. A human can see things contextually that you cant easily build into an automated program. We start with a vulnerability assessment scan to find the low hanging fruit and then feed all that it learned to our hackers. The hackers find far more than what the scan alone finds. The scan is a starting point, not an end.

MacRunnels is proud of Synacks hacker vetting program. We have over 1,000 hackers vetted in over 55 countries, but it takes months to become a vetted hacker on our platform. We dont have any average hackers.

On the process side, Synack has a customer portal where they can monitor each step and see every found vulnerability. A customer can skip particular issues that they already know about or even immediately stop a project, MacRunnels says. We send details and screenshots. Customers can directly access the researcher to get their questions answered. Customers who were initially a bit skeptical of the process end up trusting it more and more, trusting our researchers to go farther and do more, as they learn they can trust us, our researchers, and our platform.

MacRunnels believes Synacks pricing modelfixed cost rather than per bugis a differentiator.You know what you are paying for and what you are going to get, she says.

Synack takes care of its vetted researchers, too, according to MacRunnels. We pay them within 24 hours of their finding. We want them to trust us and to know that they are appreciated for what they do. Payment within 24 hours is a rarity in the independent pen testing world. It is huge motivator. Usually it would take a month or longer for me to get paid.

Bugcrowd profile

Bugcrowd is another top-tier IT security crowdsourcing company, focusing on companies of all sizes in more than 50 vertical markets. I spoke with several Bugcrowd employees, including Ashish Gupta, CEO; Justin Beachler, trust and security engineer; and Michelle Dailey, senior director of marketing.

Gupta agreed with the notion that AI wasnt going to take over human hackers anytime soon. You still have a big need for human creativity to not only find issues, but understand the security risk, he says. 

When a hacker finds a bug using Bugcrowds platform, Bugcrowd doesnt take any of the money that the customer pays the researcher. Gupta says, We dont take a bit of the money out of the bug bounty. We make our money for the benefits of the platform.

Beachler adds, You need different types of hackers with different eyes looking for bugs. Many companies have a policy where they must change up their external pentesting teams every few years for just that reason. Crowdsourcing and Bugcrowd makes that really easy to do.

Every one of our programs has professional management built into it, says Dailey. For example, we try to respond to every reported vulnerability within 24 hours. Actually, its around 12 hours or less right now. We do all the work around verifying that the reported vulnerability is really a vulnerability and determining what vulnerability taxonomy rating it should have.

A key part of Bugcrowds process is the open source Vulnerability Taxonomy Rating program, a framework they helped develop of how to rate and classify different types of bugs. The most critical bugs are called P1s, while less severe bugs are classified as P2 to P5. Every bug finding program has criticality ratings, but Bugcrowds open-source framework was developed with input from many customers and researchers to help standardize the ratings. Without an objective standardized framework, a researcher might have greater incentive to report findings as the highest criticality, higher paying P1 bug.

Bugcrowd has established the open-source Bugcrowd University, where penetration testers of all levels of experience can learn more about professional security testing. Bugcrowd also spoke of helping its customers use secure development lifecycle (SDL) training and practices to reduce the number of vulnerabilities to start with. SDL training is badly needed because most universities dont include much, or any, security awareness training, in their developer programs. Its a huge missing gap that Bugcrowd is trying to fill.

Choosing a crowd-sourced penetration testing partner

First, decide on what type of services you need, how often you need them, and how much you have to spend. Decide if crowdsourcing fits within your risk model. If it does, consider a crowdsourcing firm that can manage the process and eliminate much of the risk. Then reach out to one or more of these companies to get more details about each of their offerings, their platforms, fees, and professional management process. Much of the value of each of the organization is in their platforms, processes, and the way they vet and place the hackers that will be performing the services.

You want to be able to trust that youve got professionals doing the job with the upmost professionalism and confidentiality. I think any of the top crowdsourcing companies will give you that above and beyond what you could get by trying to contact some hacker or group of hackers independently.Associate Professor Tamar Mendelson, PhD, an expert in adolescent mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has been appointed as a Bloomberg Professor of American Health. She will also serve, beginning in October, as the director of the Schools Center for Adolescent Health, which works with community partners to improve the health and well-being of urban youth.

Mendelson holds the Dr. Ali & Rose Kawi Professorship in Mental Health in the Bloomberg Schools Department of Mental Health, and has a joint appointment in the Schools Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. She also holds an appointment in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She works to develop strategies to enhance mental health in underserved populations, with a focus on urban youth.

A key focus of her research is promoting positive development and preventing disconnection from school and work in urban youth and adolescents. She has a particular interest in the potential of mindfulness-based interventions for benefitting young people. Mendelson has studied the potential of school-based mindfulness interventions to improve emotion regulation in urban youth who are at high risk for exposure to community violence and other forms of stress and trauma, many of which have been linked to poverty, that can lead to difficulty with cognitive and emotion regulation.

Mendelsons endowed position is supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Launched in 2016 with a gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Initiative aims to tackle five complex and urgent threats to public health in the United States: drug addiction and overdose, environmental challenges, obesity and the food system, risks to adolescent health and violence. As part of the Initiative, Mendelson will lead new educational, research and practice efforts to address youth disconnection in the United States.

Adolescence is a critical period of development, but so many adolescents face profound challenges on the path to adulthood, says Dean Ellen J. MacKenzie, PhD, MSc, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Bloomberg School dean. At the Bloomberg School, we recognize the critical role public health can play in preventing and addressing youth disconnection, and Dr. Mendelson is well equipped to help lead our efforts to advance evidence-based solutions in this area.

Mendelson received her PhD in clinical psychology from Duke University, completed an American Psychological Association-approved internship at the University of California, San Francisco, with specialization in Public Service and Minority Mental Health, and was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The Bloomberg American Health Initiative will support 25 endowed positions over the next five years, deepening the Schools expertise and impact in the Initiatives five focus areas, each vital to American health. Mendelson is the second to be named a Bloomberg Professor of American Health. The first was Daniel Webster, ScD, who was appointed in January 2018.

# # #

Media contacts: Dori Henry at 410-504-3667 or dhenry21@jhu.edu and Barbara Benham at 410-614-6029 or bbenham1@jhu.edu.Ariel Caldwell, MPH 18 (right) with field researchers Jean-Claude Bisimwa (left) and Claude Lunyelunye (center) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

When Ariel Caldwell, MPH 18, came to Baltimore for the MPH program in 2017, she was fresh from a Peace Corps volunteer post in Zambia. She hoped an MPH would prepare her for a career in global health informatics and planned to apply to positions in Africa after graduation.

What she didnt expect: the opportunity to work on the ground floor of project implementation in the Democratic Republic of the Congoas a student.

Through the Federal Work Study program, Caldwell applied for and landed a position with the DRC-based project. She liked that the work was based in a country neighboring Zambia and that the research focused on children.

JHSPH faculty member Christine Marie George, PhD directs this study which focuses on identifying risk factors for enteric infections, environmental enteropathy and impaired growth among young children in the DRC and on developing intervention strategies to reduce exposure to fecal pathogens among this population. Caldwell focused on designing the database to collect data for this complex field trial along with Khaled Hasan, a data manager, and Jamie Perin, PhD, the study biostatistician.

In sub-Saharan Africa, nutritional interventions have been critical in improving childrens health and development. But researchers believe that environmental pathogens may be inhibiting the success of nutritional interventions. For example, crawling babies who come into contact with animal feces might contract diarrheal diseases, causing growth and developmental issues that negate any potential gains from nutritional supplements. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions are necessary not only to further improve children's health but to support nutritional interventions in critical areas like the DRC.

Georges study is enrolling 3,000 participants in Walungu province in the DRC. This study includes observations of child play activities, clinical surveillance and collection of water, soil, food, and surface samples in child play spaces. The study also includes in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with caregivers of young children and key stakeholders in the community about social norms around WASH practices.

In Baltimore, Christine Marie George (left) works with data manager Khaled Hasan (right) and Caldwell to ready the database for implementation in the field.

The database is an important component of our cohort study which is investigating potential intervention approaches that can be used to improve child growth in the DRC, says George.

Hasan, who has worked in research data management for over 15 years, worked closely with Caldwell to guide her through database development. A barcode system, for example, was implemented for bio-specimen tracking, and export tools were incorporated for data analysis. To ensure accuracy during data collection, the interface was built with selection buttons and dropdown lists to minimize entry error.

Tech-savvy Caldwell traveled to the DRC for eight weeks beginning in March 2018 to help load and launch the new database on lightweight laptop computers that would be used in the field. Part of her charge was also to train researchers to use the database and help troubleshoot basic issues.

George is partnering with Food for the Hungry, an organization that has been on the ground in the DRC for 30 years. The research team for this study has 18 field research assistants and four lab technicians who analyzed the stool and environmental samples brought in by field researchers. As part of implementation, Caldwell followed some of the field researchers, primarily Congolese nationals, on their daily data collection to see the database in action and troubleshoot as needed.

Straight away, Caldwell says, she realized one of the biggest challenges for data gathering had nothing to do with the database.

The DRC is super hilly, and when youre trying to reach households each day and theres a torrential rainstorm, it can be really muddy, she says. We sometimes had only one vehicle. Theres a lot of coordination  before the day even starts about who is going where, the priorities, which households and times.

On a single day while reviewing all of the active households in the area, Caldwell says, the team she shadowed visited 18 homes. It was about 10,000 steps but 50 flights of stairs. A good pair of hiking boots, she says, made all the difference.

Caldwell with study coordinator Patrick Mirindi outside a dwelling. (Photo, left)

The study requires administration of a series of surveys to participating households over a six month period. Each field researcher visited four to five of the households per day so another logistical issue involved adjusting to different schedules and routines. These research participants are whole families with their own lives that we need to work around while still trying to get our data, she says.

The participants she met were friendly, open and happy to participate. Some of the survey questions take time, Caldwell says, but people care for their families and want the best for their children. I think that made it a lot easier for people to say, Ok, well do this.

Caldwell found working on this ground floor introduction to a project an incomparable experience. There are so many moving pieces and different partners, Caldwell says. Everything is so detailed and has to be so precise. Learning how to work with everyones needsand with completely different perspectiveswhile on this same journey was just really new to me. It wasnt just get the project done. It was get the project done well.

She also learned that maintaining an open attitude to whatever the day might bringespecially in the DRC which, in March and April, can be extremely hot with fierce afternoon downpours and lightning stormswas key.

You never know what each day is going to bring. I got to go out into the field a lot more than I was expecting as a computer person, and that ended up bringing a richness to the project and helped me to see things about the work I was doing in a different way.

By the end of the trip, Caldwell got to see some of the preliminary dataa thrilling end to her months of work on the new database. George said the cohort study will continue until early next year. All of this, they hope, will lead to successful intervention approaches to improve child growth in the DRC.

Ariel Caldwell, MPH 18, has accepted a PHI-CDC Global Health Fellowship in Zambia, which begins in September. There, shell continue her work with tech-based interventions to help expand the national electronic health record system.

- Lindsay Smith Rogers

RELATED

Internships: The Alternative Gap Year

International Health: Work Anywhere, Study AnywhereSummerville, SC (29483)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High near 65F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.An independent market researcher by trade, Rob Groce serves on the executive committees of the state and county Democratic parties.Reddit Email 45 Shares

By Nermin Allam | 

Earlier this summer, Saudi Arabia lifted the decades-long ban on womens driving. The move is part of a series of reforms that the country has been implementing. In April the kingdom loosened male guardianship laws  under which women need the permission of a male guardian to work, travel or marry. And in 2015, women were granted the right to vote and run for elections. The reforms serve to revamp the image of Saudi Arabia in the international arena.

More recently, however, in a diplomatic spat, Canada has criticized Saudi Arabia for human rights violations. Saudi officials have responded by cutting all economic and diplomatic ties, withdrawing investments and stopping flights. One of the main issues for the Canadians is the arrest by Saudi authorities of two prominent womens rights activists. Tweets by Canadian diplomats called on the kingdom to release the activists. Saudi Arabia arrested several womens rights activists in weeks prior and following the lifting the ban on womens driving.

As a scholar of gender politics in Middle Eastern societies, I argue that all this goes to show that the kingdom is extending limited reforms to women to represent itself as modern but is adamant on not opening space for more voices.

Women, nationalism and modernization

Historically, the status of women has often served as a measure of social progress.

Take for example, the regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser, who served as president of Egypt from 1956, until his death in 1970. Nasser promoted the participation of women in the public sector as a symbol of the success of the regime in modernizing Egypt.

Under Nasser, the state adopted a series of laws to encourage womens participation in the workforce. Between 1961 and 1969, the participation of women in the labor force increased by 31.1 percent.

Paid maternity leave was granted to working mothers during the day and child care was made available. Children and child rearing was no longer the sole responsibility of women, but increasingly that of the state and its institutions as well. There was no discussion, however, of mens responsibility or how to balance work and family.

Scholars, thus, argue that these reforms were not genuine efforts by the regime to alter gender inequalities. Rather, they were important symbols in representing the Egyptian society as modern, socialist and progressive, where men and women were seen to work next to each other.

Also, the reforms did not include meaningful political rights. For example, while women were granted the right to vote in 1956, unlike men, they had to petition the state to include them on the list of registered voters. The regime also moved to suppress independent feminists such as Doria Shafiq, who campaigned for womens suffrage for years.

Using women for politics

It was the same in many Middle Eastern and North African societies. The image of the woman was often constructed based on a political need at a given time and later deconstructed as well.

In Tunisia, for example, Habib Bourguiba, Tunisias nationalist leader and president, and after him President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali presented the image of the unveiled Tunisian women as a symbol of modernization, secularism and democracy.

Following Tunisian independence in 1956, Bourguiba rejected the veil and viewed it as a barrier to his modernizing project. In his Dec. 5, 1957, speech, he described the veil as an odious rag and an obstacle to the countrys path to modernization secluding women from participation in public space.

Bourguibas earlier views on the veil were, however, different. At the height of the nationalist struggle, during the 1930s to the 1950s against French colonial rule in Tunisia, Bourguiba emphasized the significance of the traditional Tunisian veil, the sefsari, as a symbol of national identity. The nationalist leader encouraged women to wear the sefsari as a way to oppose the colonial view. The colonial powers pushed for unveiling women and viewed it as part of the modernizing process.

Crackdown on feminists

Coming back to Saudi Arabia, the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has introduced Vision 2030 an ambitious social and economic reform plan, that he first announced in 2016. His goal is to liberalize the Saudi petro-state and open its centralized oil market to foreign investment. His promise is to bring larger parts of the Saudi population  especially women and youth  into the labor force.

At this juncture, reforms in womens rights demonstrate that the kingdom is en route to modernizing. However, some of the actions of Saudi authorities  such as the arrest of prominent activists that Canada has expressed concerns over  are seemingly at odds with the image the reforms want to project.

The arrests started less than a month before the kingdom was due to lift the ban on womens driving, when the authorities arrested some of the feminists who had campaigned for womens rights to drive. Several pro-government social media groups were alleged to have launched a smear campaign tarnishing the activists reputation and branding them as traitors and agents of foreign embassies.

The list of detained activists included high-profile feminists such as Loujain al-Hathloul  a vocal Saudi activist who since 2014 has been arrested numerous times for defying the ban on women driving.

Following the decision to lift the ban on driving, the authorities approached the women who had been arrested, in addition to others who previously participated in protests against the driving ban and demanded that they completely refrain from commenting on the decision.

Media coverage has made no mention of the role of activists who had long campaigned for womens right to drive. Rather, it praised the crown prince for lifting the ban.

In my view, there are many contradictions that surround these recent reforms. By silencing activists, the crown prince appears to tie the decision to allow Saudi women to drive to burnishing his own legacy. More importantly, by imprisoning high-profile feminists, the monarchy attempts to weaken, if not abolish, the ability of womens groups to organize, advance their rights and be heard.

Nermin Allam, Assistant Professor of Politics, Rutgers University Newark

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

TRT World Now:  Saudi Arabia detains two more women activistsReddit Email 823 Shares

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Ilhan Omar, a refugee and a Somali-heritage Muslim woman who veils, has won the Democratic primary for Minnesotas Fifth District congressional seat, hoping to succeed Keith Ellison. The district, which includes Minneapolis, typically votes heavily Democratic, so she has a good shot at winning the seat.

Somalia is one of five Muslim-majority countries from which immigration is currently banned, though immigration is restricted from Venezuela (a few officials) and North Korea, as well. The actual targets of the ban are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

Under Trump administration policy, in other words, Ilhan Omar would not have been allowed to enter the country as an immigrant. Under Trump, she also would have been highly unlikely to be granted refugee status and asylum in the US. In 2016, the US admitted some 85,000 refugees, about evenly split between Christians and Muslims. Based on the first five months of this year, it is likely that the US will admit only 45,000 refugees in 2018, and that only 17% of them will be Muslim. The open racism and bigotry of this administration is already being enshrined in our immigration statistics. Legal immigration is on track to be cut 12% from Obamas last year in office, and the number of Muslim immigrants has fallen by 33% nearly three times as much as over-all immigration. European immigrants are slightly up, though still dwarfed by Asia and Latin America. It is remarkable that for all his rhetoric, Trump hasnt managed substantially to cut legal immigration, and his own Republican Congress has rebuffed the bills he submitted to abolish certain kinds of immigrant visas.

But African immigration is down, and Muslim immigration is down, and Ilhan Omar is precisely the demographic that Trump (and his horrid mini-me Stephen Miller) have targeted.

Ilhan Omar did not win because she compromised but because she boldly took stances approved by the public, even if the class of cranky rich old white people thinks them utopian or too costly (something they never say about the Pentagon budget or our forever wars).

She is for medicare for all. She endorses abolishing ICE, which was only created in 2004.

Minneapolis is about 64% white, 5 percent Asian, and only 18% African-American, so Ms. Omars victory was in no way based on identity politics. She was largely elected by Protestants, Catholics and agnostics of European heritage.

Some voters interviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune said that they voted for her because they saw in her the vigor and the forcefulness to take on Trump.

Ilhan Omar is humane where Trump is selfish. Ilhan Omar is high-minded where Trump is in the gutter. Ilhan Omar stands for American unity across races and religions. Trump stands for a hierarchy, with white northern European Christians at the top and everyone else a second-class citizen or worse.

Ilhan Omar is the future of America. Trump is the last gasp of the 19th century Know-Nothing bigots.

-

Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

WCCO CBS:  Ilhan Omar Wins DFL Primary In 5th DistrictLAKEWOOD, CO, Aug. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading producer of uranium and vanadium in the United States, is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced acquisition from Excalibur Industries ("Excalibur") of royalties on the Company's 100%-owned Nichols Ranch in situ recovery ("ISR") project in Wyoming ("Nichols Ranch"), along with royalties on several operating, standby, and advanced-stage ISR projects in Wyoming owned and operated by Power Resources, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cameco Corporation (collectively, the "Royalties"). The Company has also provided the State of Wyoming with a notice of its intent to repay and retire its Wyoming Industrial Development Revenue Bond ("Wyoming Debt"), which has a balance of $8.3 million as of the date of this release.

Acquisition of Royalties:

Today, the Company acquired a 6% - 8% sliding-scale gross proceeds production royalty on its Nichols Ranch, Hank and Doughstick properties (Doughstick is a part of the Company's Jane Dough Project expansion area). This royalty also applies to the nearby Niles Ranch, Willow Creek, and Verna Ann properties, which are important pipeline uranium properties also owned by the Company. Acquisition of this royalty is expected to significantly decrease the Company's cost of production at Nichols Ranch. Energy Fuels also acquired the 4% gross proceeds production royalty on Cameco's North Butte/Brown Ranch Project ("North Butte"), the Ruby Ranch Project, and the Greasewood property. North Butte is a fully permitted and operational project that has been operated by Cameco as a satellite to its Smith Ranch-Highland ISR Project since 2013. In November 2017, the Company announced that this transaction was to occur by way of a merger of Excalibur with an Energy Fuels subsidiary. However, the parties subsequently agreed to structure the transaction as a purchase of assets.

At the closing today, the Company delivered to Excalibur 995,619 common shares of Energy Fuels having a total value of $2.90 Million, which were priced at $3.26 per share based on the volume-weighted average price ("VWAP") of Energy Fuels' shares on the NYSE American for the five trading days ending on August 13, 2018, as well as approximately $25,000 cash for all accrued but unpaid royalties owing to Excalibur at the time of the closing. In addition, the Company is holding back another 107,221 common shares having a total value of $0.35 million which, pending the satisfaction of certain conditions, will be released to Excalibur six months following the date of closing. These shares were likewise priced at $3.26 per share based on the VWAP of Energy Fuels' shares on the NYSE American for the five trading days ending on August 13, 2018.

Notice of Repayment of Wyoming Debt:

On August 10, 2018, the Company provided notice to the State of Wyoming that it intends to repay and retire the entire outstanding principal balance of its Wyoming Industrial Development Revenue Bond ("Wyoming Debt") within the next 30  60 days. The Wyoming Debt, which is secured by the Company's Nichols Ranch Project, currently has a principal balance of $8.3 million. As of June 30, 2018, the Company reported approximately $55.25 million of working capital, including cash and cash equivalents of $43.2 million, and the Company previously announced its intent to use a portion of its working capital to repay debt, including the Wyoming Debt. Repayment of this loan will reduce the Company's short- and long-term debt and avoid significant future interest.

Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels stated: "Today, we strengthened our position in Wyoming by adding to our assets and announcing our intent to retire debt. We believe today's acquisition of the Royalties will be extremely accretive for Energy Fuels as uranium prices rise, whether due to global supply and demand fundamentals or through remedies associated with the current U.S. government investigation into uranium imports into the U.S. As Energy Fuels increases production, today's acquisition of the 6% - 8% royalty on Nichols Ranch together with our other Wyoming projects will significantly enhance our operating margins and cash flow profiles. Furthermore, the acquisition of the 4% gross production royalty on Cameco's properties, including North Butte which has an extensive production history and significant in-ground resources, should result in an attractive return on investment for Energy Fuels and our shareholders. Cameco has stated that all of their projects in Wyoming could achieve up to 4 million pounds of production per year within 18  24 months of a production decision. A significant portion of this production would likely come from the Cameco properties on which we now hold a royalty, resulting in a very rapid payback on this royalty in an improved market. Energy Fuels' leverage to increasing uranium prices just became much stronger with today's acquisition of the Royalties.

"In sum this quarter, Energy Fuels is deploying almost $12 million of capital into the State of Wyoming. Furthermore, by lowering the costs at our projects, we are in a position to make future investments in Wyoming sooner than we were before. We are committed to Wyoming and its people, and we look forward to continuing to operate responsibly in the State for many years to come."

About Energy Fuels: Energy Fuels is a leading integrated US-based uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. Its corporate offices are in Denver, Colorado, and all of its assets and employees are in the western United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch Processing Facility in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today and has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Nichols Ranch Processing Facility is an ISR production center with a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. Alta Mesa is an ISR production center currently on care and maintenance. Energy Fuels also has the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolio in the U.S. among producers, and uranium mining projects located in a number of Western U.S. states, including one producing ISR project, mines on standby, and mineral properties in various stages of permitting and development. The Company also produces vanadium as a by-product of its uranium production from certain of its mines on the Colorado Plateau, as market conditions warrant. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU", and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR". Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to: the Company being a leading producer of uranium and vanadium in the U.S.; the Company's intent to repay and retire its Wyoming Debt; any expectation that the acquisition of the Royalties will be accretive, will decrease the Company's cost of production, will enhance the Company's operating margins and cash flow profile, or will result in an attractive return on investment; any expectations about future production from the Cameco properties and the pay-back on the Royalties; any expectations about increases in uranium prices or the Company's leverage to any increases in uranium prices; any expectations about the outcome of the current U.S. government investigation into uranium imports into the U.S.; and any other statements regarding Energy Fuels' future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects; constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Energy Fuels' ability to control or predict. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation factors relating to: the Company being a leading producer of uranium and vanadium in the U.S.; the Company's intent to repay and retire its Wyoming Debt; any expectation that the acquisition of the Royalties will be accretive, will decrease the Company's cost of production, will enhance the Company's operating margins and cash flow profile, or will result in an attractive return on investment; any expectations about future production from the Cameco properties and the pay-back on the Royalties; any expectations about increases in uranium prices or the Company's leverage to any increases in uranium prices; any expectations about the outcome of the current U.S. government investigation into uranium imports into the U.S.; and other risk factors as described in Energy Fuels' most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly financial reports. Energy Fuels assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Energy Fuels' filings with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of the management of Energy Fuels relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof.VANCOUVER, Aug. 15, 2018 /CNW/ - Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") (TSXV: NEV) announced today that it has executed a termination agreement (the "Agreement") with Advantage Lithium Corp. ("Advantage") (TSXV: AAL) to cancel Advantage's option to earn an interest in the Company's water right in the Clayton Valley of Nevada, namely Permit 44411 ("the Water Rights Option").

In consideration for the termination of the Water Rights Option, Nevada Sunrise will issue to Advantage an aggregate of 1,700,000 common shares of Nevada Sunrise (the "Termination Shares"). In addition to statutory and TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") imposed hold periods, the Termination Shares will be subject to hold periods that expire, as follows:

425,000 Termination Shares to be issued upon execution of the Agreement;

425,000 Termination Shares on the date that is 6 months from the signing of the Agreement;

425,000 Termination Shares on the date that is 12 months from the signing of the Agreement;

425,000 Termination Shares on the date that is 18 months from the signing of the Agreement.

During the hold periods described above, Advantage Lithium agrees that it will not sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise trade the Termination Shares without the prior written consent of Nevada Sunrise. Completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the approval of the TSXV. This Agreement will terminate if Nevada Sunrise does not obtain TSXV approval within 60 days of the execution of this Agreement.

About Permit 44411

Nevada Sunrise entered into an option to purchase a 100% interest in Permit 44411 (the "Permit") from an underlying vendor in early 2016 (see Nevada Sunrise news release dated March 16, 2016). The Permit was first certificated by the State of Nevada (the "State") in 1993 and is currently held by Intor Resources Corp. ("Intor"), a wholly-owned Nevada subsidiary of the Company.

In August 2016, in conjunction with a lithium brine property transaction, Advantage earned the right from Nevada Sunrise to option a 100% interest in the Permit, which allowed for withdrawal of up to 1,770 acre/feet of water for mining and milling per year. However, following a motion to forfeit the water rights made by Albemarle Corp., a lithium producer in the Clayton Valley, the State issued a ruling in November 2016 forfeiting the Permit based on Albemarle's allegations of non-use of the water rights for a five-year period (the "Forfeiture"). Nevada Sunrise appealed the Forfeiture by filing a Petition for Judicial Review of the Forfeiture in the Fifth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada (the "Court"). Based upon the legal arguments presented to the Court, the Court has ordered that the matter be remanded back to the State Engineer for a formal administrative hearing to allow for, among other things, the Company to present historical evidence of beneficial use of water from the Permit (the "Hearing"). The terms and conditions of the Court's order remanding the matter to the State Engineer's Hearing have not yet been finalized, and the Company will present arguments to the Court relating to the proposed order at a hearing on August 15, 2018, in Reno, Nevada. Once the Court has finalized and issued its remand order, the State Engineer will set a date for the Hearing.

To date, Nevada Sunrise has paid to the underlying vendor US$362,500 of an agreed purchase price of US$1,300,000, issued 750,000 common shares of an agreed 2,000,000 shares to be issued and issued 2,250,000 share purchase warrants exercisable at CAD$0.50, $0.75, and $1.00 over a 4-year period.

About Nevada Sunrise

Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, that holds interests in gold, cobalt, copper and lithium exploration projects in the State of Nevada, USA.

The Company's two key gold assets include a 100% interest in the Golden Arrow project near Tonopah, currently the subject of a transaction with Emgold Mining Corporation (TSXV: EMR), and a 21% interest in a joint venture at Kinsley Mountain with Liberty Gold Inc. (TSX: LGD) near Wendover, with each of the properties subject to certain production royalties.

In November 2017, Nevada Sunrise announced an option to earn a 100% interest in the historic Lovelock Cobalt Mine property, located approximately 100 miles (150 kilometers) east of Reno. In March 2018, the Company announced options to earn 100% interests in the Treasure Box and Boyer Mine copper properties, located approximately 3.6 miles (5.8 kilometers) southwest of the Lovelock Cobalt Mine.

Nevada Sunrise began acquisitions of Nevada lithium properties in 2015, which includes 100% interests in the Neptune, Jackson Wash and Aquarius projects, a 50% interest in the Gemini project (Eureka Resources Inc. (TSXV: EUK) holds a 50% interest), and a 100% interest in the Atlantis project, currently under option to American Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LI).

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements that address the potential restoration of water rights, future mineral production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size or expansion of a mineralized zone, the timing and results of future resource estimates, or other study, proposed exploration and development of our exploration properties and the estimation of mineral resources. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Nevada Sunrise to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Such factors include, among others, risks related to the potential restoration of water rights, the interpretation and actual results of historical exploration at Nevada Sunrise's exploration properties,, reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties, including access to historical information on exploration properties, current exploration and development activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and accordingly are subject to change after such date. Except as otherwise indicated by Nevada Sunrise, these statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any dispositions, monetizations, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of our operating environment. Nevada Sunrise does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are included in this document, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. The Securities of Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to the account or benefit of any U.S. person.NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX: OSK) ("Osisko") and Beaufield Resources Inc. (TSX-V: BFD) ("Beaufield") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement dated August 14, 2018 (the "Arrangement Agreement") pursuant to which Osisko has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Beaufield (collectively, the "Beaufield Shares" and each whole share, a "Beaufield Share") which it does not already own (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition is expected to be completed by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "Arrangement").

John Burzynski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Osisko, stated: "We are very pleased to announce today's proposed transaction with Beaufield. By joining Osisko in our large scale exploration and development program at Windfall, Beaufield Shareholders have the opportunity to capitalize on the strong premium offered today and to benefit from the future growth of our project."

Ron Stewart, President and Chief Executive Officer of Beaufield, stated: "We are very pleased to be joining forces with Osisko, which continues to demonstrate its leadership and strength in advancing its portfolio of resource projects including the flagship Windfall district. We believe the combination of our projects will provide benefit to the shareholders of both companies and look forward to participating in the future success of Osisko."

Particulars of the Transaction

Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, holders of Beaufield Shares ("Beaufield Shareholders") will be entitled to receive 0.0482 of a common share of Osisko (each whole share, an "Osisko Share") in exchange for each Beaufield Share held immediately prior to the effective time of the Arrangement, representing an implied offer price of $0.082 per Beaufield Share based on Osisko's closing price as of August 14, 2018 and a premium of approximately 54% based on the 20-day volume weighted average price of both companies' common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange, as the case may be, on August 14, 2018 (being the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Arrangement).

The Arrangement will require the approval of Beaufield Shareholders at a special meeting expected to take place in October 2018 (the "Beaufield Meeting"). In order to become effective, the Arrangement must be approved at the Beaufield Meeting by (i) at least 66 percent of the votes cast by Beaufield Shareholders, and (ii) a simple majority of the votes cast by Beaufield Shareholders after excluding any Beaufield Shares held by any "interested party" or "related party" of an "interested party" (as such terms are defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions). Directors and officers of Beaufield and certain Beaufield Shareholders holding approximately 7.5% of the issued and outstanding Beaufield Shares have entered into voting and support agreements with Osisko in support of the Arrangement. The board of directors of Beaufield, on the recommendation of its independent special committee, has unanimously approved the Arrangement and will recommend that Beaufield Shareholders vote FOR the Arrangement.

The Arrangement Agreement includes representations, warranties and covenants typical of a transaction of this nature, including with respect to non-solicitation, a right to match, and a fiduciary-out. In addition, Beaufield has agreed to pay a termination fee to Osisko upon the occurrence of certain events. The Arrangement Agreement, which describes the full particulars of the Arrangement, will be made available on SEDAR under the issuer profile of Beaufield at www.sedar.com.

Full particulars of the Arrangement will also be included in a management information circular of Beaufield describing the matters to be considered at the Beaufield Meeting, which is expected to be mailed to the Beaufield Shareholders in September 2018 and made available on SEDAR under the issuer profile of Beaufield at www.sedar.com.

The distribution of the Osisko Shares in connection with the Arrangement (as defined herein) will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933.

Advisors and Counsel

Eight Capital has acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Beaufield. Eight Capital has provided a fairness opinion to the special committee of the board of directors of Beaufield that, based upon and subject to certain assumptions, limitations and qualifications in the opinion, the consideration being offered by Osisko in respect of the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to Beaufield Shareholders. Lavery, de Billy, L.L.P. is acting as legal counsel to Beaufield.

Maxit Capital LP has acted as the exclusive financial advisor of Osisko. Bennett Jones LLP is acting as legal counsel to Osisko.

About Osisko Mining Inc.

Osisko is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal resource properties in Canada. Osisko holds a 100% in the high-grade Windfall Lake gold deposit located between Val-d'Or and Chibougamau in Quebec and holds a 100% undivided interest in a large area of claims in the surrounding Urban Barry area and nearby Quevillon area (over 3,300 square kilometres), a 100% interest in the Marban project located in the heart of Quebec's prolific Abitibi gold mining district, and properties in the Larder Lake Mining Division in northeast Ontario, including the Jonpol and Garrcon deposits on the Garrison property, the Buffonta past producing mine and the Gold Pike mine property. The Corporation also holds interests and options in a number of additional properties in northern Quebec and Ontario.

For further information about Osisko please contact:

John Burzynski

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (416) 363-8653

About Beaufield Resources Inc.

Beaufield is a mineral exploration company with its exploration activity focused in Quebec and Ontario. Please refer to Beaufield's website at www.beaufield.com to view the Beaufield's properties in Urban, Eleonore-Opinaca, Tortigny, Hemlo and Launay.

For further information about Beaufield please contact:

Ronald Stewart

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (647) 409 0293

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement to Osisko, Beaufield and their respective shareholders; the exchange ratio and value of the Osisko Shares being delivered as arrangement consideration; the timing and receipt (if at all) of the required shareholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals for the Arrangement; the timing and ability (if at all) of Osisko and Beaufield to satisfy the conditions precedent to completing the Arrangement; the anticipated timing to mail the management information circular to the Beaufield Shareholders and hold the Beaufield Meeting; the closing of the Arrangement (if at all); the length of the current market cycle and requirements for an issuer to survive in the current market cycle; future growth potential of Osisko and Beaufield and their respective business; and future mine development plans.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of Osisko and Beaufield, as the case may be, at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Osisko or Beaufield, as the case may be, to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: satisfaction or waiver of all applicable conditions to closing of the Arrangement (including receipt of all necessary shareholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals or consents and the absence of material changes with respect to the parties and their respective businesses, all as more particularly set forth in the Arrangement Agreement); the synergies expected from the Arrangement not being realized; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets and the market price of Osisko Shares and Beaufield Shares; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Beaufield and/or Osisko, as the case may be, believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Beaufield and/or Osisko, as the case may be, cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

Readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Beaufield and Osisko assume no obligation to update the forwardlooking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Pacific Mining Corp (CSE: USGD / FWB: 1QC / OTCPK: USGDF) (APM or the Company) is pleased to announce assays of the remaining 11 holes from the Phase 1 drill program at the Tuscarora Gold Project in Elko Nevada. The property is a 1,818 acre land package containing a series of high-grade vein systems and stockworks, optioned from NOVO Resources in late 2017. American Pacific Mining has drilled a total of 3,143 meters in 16 holes focusing on the South Navajo zone, with highlights from the final results as follows:

APTU18-013: 1.5m at 10.30 g/t Au (drilled in an area approximately 450 meters north of main South Navajo zone)

APTU18-015 : 12.2m at 3.44 g/t Au (including 1.5m at 18.40 g/t Au)

: 12.2m at 3.44 g/t Au (including 1.5m at 18.40 g/t Au) APTU18-015 : 13.7m at 1.74 g/t Au

: 13.7m at 1.74 g/t Au APTU18-016 : 6.1m at 2.06 g/t Au

: 6.1m at 2.06 g/t Au APTU18-016: 9.1m at 5.88 g/t Au (including 3m at 13.42 g/t Au)

Im extremely pleased with these initial drill results. Assays have confirmed the historic results while also displaying a new level of disseminated mineralization on the property and adding considerable strike length to the mineralization. The focus of this project will expand to the other veins and structures that we know exist at Tuscarora, but have yet to be drill-tested, commented Warwick Smith, CEO of American Pacific Mining.

High-grade intervals from this latest round of drilling confirm the heart of the South Navajo zone, with the most positive results coming from holes 13, 15 and 16, commented Eric Saderholm, President of American Pacific Mining. Hole 13 was very significant as it was in an area that had not seen a positive drill result before. This was a wildcat hole that intercepted 1.5 meters of 10.30 g/t Au, extending the known strike length of the Navajo Vein system by approximately 450 meters to the north, opening up a large area for future drill testing. Hole 15 encountered 1.5 meters of 18.40 g/t Au, further confirming the high grades in the South Navajo area. Finally, hole 16 was well-mineralized, hitting a 9.1 meter interval of 5.88 g/t Au at the bottom of the hole from 195 meters. Mr. Saderholm continued: Drilling has proven that the cross-faults and structural intersections are well-mineralized and worthy of further exploration for what is mostly oxidized mineralization.

It should also be noted that the Company has yet to assay any mineralized intervals for silver. This work is in progress and expected to add to the value of the gold intercepts.

The known strike length of the South Navajo vein is estimated to be 1 mile long. A table of short intervals, sorted by grade, for samples returning over 1 g/t Au is also included at the end of this release. Below is a table of highlight intervals from the APM Tuscarora Drill Campaign, Phase 1.

Tuscarora 2018 Drill Highlights (Highlights from Holes 1,2,3,5 and 9 previously reported on June 28, 2018)

Type Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Grade (g/t

Au) Area Core APTU18-001 158.9 177.1 18.2 1.03 South Navajo including 159.9 161.1 1.1 9.22 South Navajo RC APTU18-003 38.1 39.6 1.5 1.22 South Navajo Core 45.7 55.2 9.4 0.47 South Navajo Core 77.7 97.2 19.5 0.40 South Navajo Core 109.5 132.6 23.1 0.21 South Navajo Core APTU18-005 64.0 70.8 6.7 1.58 South Navajo 89.9 91.4 1.5 2.29 South Navajo 128.0 129.5 1.5 1.36 South Navajo RC APTU18-006 118.9 134.1 15.2 0.96 South Navajo 201.2 207.3 6.1 1.24 South Navajo Core APTU18-007 206.4 209.4 3.0 1.80 South Navajo RC APTU18-009 195.1 201.2 6.1 5.01 South Navajo RC APTU18-010 96.0 102.1 6.1 0.66 South Navajo RC APTU18-011 71.6 83.8 12.2 0.50 South Navajo RC APTU18-013 53.3 61.0 7.6 0.76 South Navajo including 59.4 61.0 1.5 1.46 South Navajo 137.2 138.7 1.5 10.30 South Navajo RC APTU18-014 225.6 231.7 6.1 0.64 South Navajo RC APTU18-015 172.2 185.9 13.7 1.74 South Navajo 193.6 205.7 12.2 3.44 South Navajo including 201.2 202.7 1.5 18.40 South Navajo RC APTU18-016 88.4 94.5 6.1 2.06 South Navajo 155.5 163.1 7.6 2.47 South Navajo 195.1 204.2 9.1 5.88 South Navajo including 195.1 198.1 3.0 13.42 South Navajo and 202.7 204.2 1.5 5.52 South Navajo RC APTU18-017 1.5 3.1 1.5 1.87 South Navajo

True widths of vein mineralization are difficult to determine from the Phase 1 drilling. Samples were analyzed via Gravimetric Finish (Au-GRA22), recommended for systems containing significant course gold concentrations.

In the near future a CSAMT program will further delineate priority drill targets on the Tuscarora property (refer to this press release Click Here dated July 18, 2018.)

Please visit Click Here for maps and sections related to this plan map.

Tuscarora Plan Map 2018 Drilling





About Tuscarora

Tuscarora is a high-grade gold project located in a prime precious metals district in Nevada, only 35km northeast of the Carlin trend, 20km southwest of the Jerritt Canyon deposit, and 50km east-northeast of the Midas deposit. The project is a low-sulfidation, epithermal gold property, with previous operators intersecting high-grade intervals that included 3m at 182 g/t Au in quartz-adularia veins at relatively shallow depths. The Tuscarora Mining District is within a major gold producing region of Nevada. Placer gold was discovered in the district in 1867 and production of silver-gold lode deposits began in 1875 (LaPointe, et al., 1991). Total precious metal production between 1867 and 1990 consists of 244,000 ounces of gold and 7,632,000 ounces of silver from quartz veins and quartz stockwork mineralization.

Near the end of the 1900s, mining began in the low silver, high-grade gold, southern part of the district. The Dexter mine, located immediately south of town, had the most production; approximately 40,000 ounces of gold and 100,000 ounces of silver, between 1897 and 1935 (Nolan, 1936 and LaPointe, et al., 1991). After 1905, almost all of the district-production came from the Dexter Pit.

Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC)

Assays grading greater than 1 gram/ton have been resubmitted to ALS Global for Screen Metallic assay verification. In addition, a suite of sample pulps at the minimum of one sample every 100 feet of drilling have been submitted to an independent assay lab for re-assay. A suite of the higher grade pulps from intercepts ranging from 1 g/ton to 18.4 g/ton were also submitted to an independent lab for analysis. All hole collars were surveyed by a licensed Nevada surveyor and tight controls were established on the property for further programs. The surveyed collars are currently being incorporated into the existing database in preparation for a 3D model. All holes were surveyed down-hole by IDS for reverse circulation drill holes or using a down-hole survey tool for the core drilling. Independent lab assays are pending and will be reported when received.

Qualified Person

Technical aspects of this press release have been reviewed and approved by Eric Saderholm, P.Geo., the designated Qualified Person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101.

About Us

American Pacific Mining Corp. is a gold explorer focused on precious metal opportunities in the Western United States. Tuscarora is a high-grade, early stage gold project located in a prime precious metal district in Nevada, only 35km northeast of the Carlin trend, 20km southwest of the Jerritt Canyon deposit, and 50km east-northeast of the Midas deposit. American Pacific is Eyeing a Gold Discovery amidst golds next bull market.

Short Intervals of all Samples Returning over 1 g/t Au, sorted by Grade

APM Drill Sample ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t APTU18-015 665 201.2 202.7 1.5 18.4 APTU18-009 655 198.1 199.6 1.5 16 APTU18-016 650 196.6 198.1 1.5 15.9 APTU18-016 645 195.1 196.6 1.5 10.95 APTU18-013 455 137.2 138.7 1.5 10.3 APTU18-001-528.4 159.9 161.1 1.1 9.22 APTU18-015 575 173.7 175.3 1.5 7.77 APTU18-016 670 202.7 204.2 1.5 5.52 APTU18-016 515 155.4 157.0 1.5 5.49 APTU18-016 295 88.4 89.9 1.5 4.4 APTU18-005 227.5 68.8 69.3 0.5 4.01 APTU18-016 530 160.0 161.5 1.5 3.95 APTU18-015 670 202.7 204.2 1.5 3.21 APTU18-015 600 181.4 182.9 1.5 3.15 APTU18-005 230 69.3 70.1 0.8 2.77 APTU18-009 660 199.6 201.2 1.5 2.77 APTU18-006 425 128.0 129.5 1.5 2.76 APTU18-007 682 206.3 207.9 1.5 2.74 APTU18-016 535 161.5 163.1 1.5 2.49 APTU18-016 655 198.1 199.6 1.5 2.46 APTU18-005 232.2 70.1 70.8 0.7 2.37 APTU18-005 300 89.9 91.4 1.5 2.29 APTU18-006 665 201.2 202.7 1.5 2.25 APTU18-006 675 204.2 205.7 1.5 2 APTU18-017 10 1.5 3.0 1.5 1.87 APTU18-016 310 93.0 94.5 1.5 1.85 APTU18-006 395 118.9 120.4 1.5 1.67 APTU18-015 605 182.9 184.4 1.5 1.63 APTU18-010-320 96.0 97.5 1.5 1.5 APTU18-013 200 59.4 61.0 1.5 1.46 APTU18-005 215 64.0 65.5 1.5 1.45 APTU18-006 400 120.4 121.9 1.5 1.44 APTU18-015 650 196.6 198.1 1.5 1.43 APTU18-001-542 163.7 165.2 1.5 1.4 APTU18-016 305 91.4 93.0 1.5 1.37 APTU18-005 425 128.0 129.5 1.5 1.36 APTU18-003-170 50.3 51.8 1.5 1.27 APTU18-015 645 195.1 196.6 1.5 1.24 APTU18-003-130 38.1 39.6 1.5 1.22 APTU18-006 410 123.4 125.0 1.5 1.2 APTU18-001-514.7 156.6 156.9 0.3 1.17 APTU18-015 655 198.1 199.6 1.5 1.1

On Behalf of the Board of American Pacific Mining Corp.



"Warwick Smith"

CEO & Director



Corporate Office: Suite 910  510 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC, V6C 3A8 Canada

Investor Relations: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 1-866-646-5389

Forward-looking Information

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, statements as to planned exploration activities and the expected timing of the receipt of results. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the mineral resource industry as well as the performance of services by third parties.



Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.



The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Columbus Gold Corp. (CGT: TSX) (CGTFF: OTCQX) (Columbus) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with IAMGOLD Corporation (IMG: TSX) to acquire up to a 70% interest in the Maripa gold project, located in French Guiana, France.

With mine permitting well underway at the Montagne dOr gold deposit, the timing was right for this deal on Maripa, said Robert Giustra, Chairman of Columbus Gold. This low-cost, high-potential acquisition solidifies Columbus Golds position as the leading gold exploration and development company in French Guiana.

Maripa is located in eastern French Guiana, 50 kilometres south of the capital city of Cayenne, and is comprised of up to five contiguous exploration permits (PER) that cover an area of approximately 120 square kilometres. Gold has been mined in the area for over a century; the past producing Changement mine, located within the Maripa project area, recorded gold production of some 40,000 ounces of gold from 1985 to 1996. Past drilling by previous operators between 2002 and 2006 returned the following near-surface drill intercepts:

36 metres of 4.3 g/t gold

10.5 metres of 12.4 g/t gold

34.5 metres of 1.8 g/t gold

25.5 meters of 2.5 g/t gold

21.5 meters of 2.2 g/t gold

Additional drill results can be found in the table below.

Maripa has the potential to host a significant gold deposit, and unlike many other gold projects in the Guiana Shield, it is located in an area of excellent access with national highway RN2 running through most of the project.

A Maripa project Location Map can be found at the following link: Click Here

A Maripa project Claim Map can be found at the following link: Click Here

THE MARIPA PROJECT*

Maripa is situated along the southern border of a regional deformation zone known as the Northern Guiana Trough (NTG), which can be traced across northern French Guiana into neighboring Suriname. The NTG is recognized as a highly favorable geological setting for gold mineralization; IAMGOLDs Rosebel mine (13.1 Moz gold) in Suriname is located on the NTG. The geological setting of Maripa is similar to Rosebel, highlighted by a faulted contact between volcanic assemblages of the Paramaca Formation and younger pull-apart basin sediments of the Upper Detrital Unit (UDU, or the Orapu Formation). The presence of thick sections of UDU sediments in the Maripa area attest to an extensional structural regime favorable to hydrothermal activity and associated gold mineralization.

Past Exploration Work at Maripa

Maripa has been subject to several phases of exploration, beginning with the Bureau Minier Guyanais (BMG), from 1958-59, and ending with IAMGOLD, from 2000 to 2006. Exploration consisted of ground and airborne geophysical surveying, soil and auger grid sampling, geological mapping and rock sampling, trenching, and core drilling. To date, a total of 134 shallow core holes have been drilled (average core length 67 metres), totaling 9,000 metres. Past exploration was successful in delineating several wide zones/shears of gold mineralization along the Paramaca-UDU contact, in the Paramaca volcanics to south of the contact, and within granitic stocks that intrude the Paramaca volcanics. Gold mineralization is associated with quartz and quartz-pyrite veining.

Most of the drilling was conducted by IAMGOLD (106 of the 134 holes) and was focused on five large gold geochemical anomalies, the Changement, Filon Dron, Maripa SudEst, Rhyodacite and Filon Scieur targets. Although first pass drilling of these targets was limited to shallow depths within the oxidized saprolite layer, all five targets returned drill intersections of economic interest with demonstrated potential for expansion and mineral resource delineation. Additionally, several large gold geochemical anomalies remain untested.

Past exploration work conducted at Maripa provides Columbus with an excellent base of geological, geochemical and geophysical data to advance Maripa to the drill definition stage in 2019.

Table: Maripa Exploration Highlights

PER Area

(km2) Exploration Highlights CHANGEMENT 20.6 Changement mine



 40,000 oz gold produced (1985-96)



 63 ddh (4,478 m)



 2 shear zones traced up to 1.5-km strike and up to 10-12 m wide with average grade of 3.9 g/t Au ORAPU 6.7  Up to 0.89 ppm gold in soil at the NW border of the PER



 No drilling MARIPA 24.5 Filon Dron target



Trench results



4.7 g/t Au over 6 m



 10 ddh (878 m)



 Best drilling results



2.5 g/t Au over 25.5 m



4.3 g/t Au over 36 m



 2 km west of Filon Dron quartz boulders over granite intrusive returned with values of 1.0 to 10.6 g/t Au CRIQUE VEOUX

(Pending PER) 47.5  41 ddh (2,457 m) on Filon Scieur and Rhyodacite targets



Filon Scieur target



 Best drilling results



1.4 g/t Au over 10.5 m



1.8 g/t Au over 34.5 m



Ryodacite target



 Best drilling results



3.6 g/t Au over 6 m



4.7 g/t Au over 4.5 m MARIPA SUD-EST

(Pending PER) 19.8 Maripa Sud-Est target



 1.5 km long gold-soil anomaly



 Best trench results



2.6 g/t Au over 14 m



1.2 g/t Au over 26 m



 20 ddh (1,200m)



 Best drilling results



1.5 g/t Au over 16.5 m



0.9 g/t Au over 25.5 m



12.4 g/t Au over 10.5 m



2.1 g/t Au over 12.6 m



2.2 g/t Au over 21.5 m



1.3 g/t Au over 8.2 m

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL AGREEMENT TERMS

Two-stage option to earn up to a 70% interest in the Maripa Project:

 Initial option (the First Option) to acquire a 50% interest by incurring US$5M in expenditures within 5 years of the effective date of the Agreement, with Columbus acting as Operator:



Firm spending commitment of US$200,000 by December 31, 2018;

US$1.5M firm cumulative spending commitment by 2nd anniversary of the Effective Date;

US$2.75M cumulative spending by 3rd anniversary of the Effective Date;

US$4M cumulative spending by 4th anniversary of the Effective Date;

US$5M cumulative spending and the completion of an internal scoping study by the 5th anniversary of the Effective Date.  Election to acquire an additional 20% interest:



Following exercise of the First Option, the parties may form a 50/50 joint-venture (JV), or if IAMGOLD elects not to participate in the 50/50 JV, then Columbus may provide notice to IAMGOLD that it will aim to earn an additional 20% interest by completing a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) in an additional 3 years;

A 70:30 JV will be formed upon completion of a PFS by Columbus. 

If any partys interest in a JV falls below 10% it will convert to a 2% NSR, of which 1% can be purchased by the other party for US$3M.



* The source of the Maripa technical information was obtained from IAMGOLDs filing documents.

Qualified Person

Rock Lefrancois, President & Chief Operating Officer for Columbus Gold and Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the technical content of this news release.

About Columbus Gold

Columbus is a leading gold exploration and development company operating in French Guiana, France. Columbus holds a major interest in the world-class Montagne d'Or gold deposit in French Guiana. A Feasibility Study for Montagne d'Or was completed in May 2017, and the permitting process is currently underway.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Robert F. Giustra

Chairman

For more information contact:

Investor Relations

(604) 634-0970 or

1-888-818-1364

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as seek, expect, anticipate, budget, plan, estimate, continue, forecast, intend, believe, predict, potential, target, may, could, would, might, will and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this and other press releases include but are not limited to statements and information regarding: the potential for Maripa to host a significant gold deposit; advancing Maripa to the drill definition stage in 2019 or at all; the exercise of the First Option or the entering into a joint venture with IAMGOLD; the election for Columbus to earn an additional 20% interest in Maripa; the construction and development plans for the Montagne dOr gold mine, including anticipated costs and timing thereof; the satisfaction of additional requirements to the construction of the Montagne dOr gold mine, including but not limited to, the completion of a public consultation process; and the submission and processing of mine permit applications. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Some of the known risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are described in the sections entitled Risk Factors in the Annual Information Form of Columbus Gold Corp., available on SEDAR under Columbus profile at www.sedar.com. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Columbus undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.Japans prime minister offered a ritual cash donation to a controversial Tokyo war shrine Wednesday but did not visit in person, as the country marks the 73rd anniversary of the end of World War II.

Shinzo Abe sent an aide to Yasukuni Shrine, once again staying away from a site that honours Japans war dead, including convicted war criminals.

Visits by Abe and other senior Japanese politicians have angered China and other Asian neighbours, and the prime ministers decision to stay away comes as he works to improve ties with Beijing.

Yasukuni honours some 2.5 million people, mostly Japanese, who perished in the countrys wars since the late 19th century.

It also enshrines senior military and political figures convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal after World War II, making it a flashpoint for criticism from countries that suffered from Japans colonialism and aggression in the first half of the 20th century, including China and the two Koreas.

Please pray for the souls of the dead. I am sorry that I am not able to pay a visit myself, aide Masahiko Shibayama quoted Abe as telling him.

Abe will speak later Wednesday at a ceremony at a Tokyo stadium marking the anniversary. Emperor Akihito will also give an address, his last commemorating the wars end before he steps down next year.

Abe has been criticised for what some see as a revisionist attitude to Japans wartime record and he has routinely sent ritual offerings to mark the shrines key events, such as the war anniversary and seasonal festivals.

Abe last visited in December 2013 to mark his first year in power, a move that sparked fury in Beijing and Seoul and earned a diplomatic rebuke from close ally the United States.

A group of Japanese lawmakers were expected to make a visit to the shrine, but none of Abes key cabinet members was expected to be among them.Israels military on Wednesday closed its probe into a deadly 2014 assault in Gaza that followed the capture of a soldier despite a rights groups charge of possible war crimes.

A military fact-finding mission into the Black Friday assault in which Amnesty says more than 130 Palestinian civilians died during the 2014 Gaza war showed that a criminal investigation was not warranted, the army said in a statement.

It acknowledged, however, that up to 70 civilians were unintentionally killed as a result of attacks directed at military targets and military operatives.

At least 42 Palestinian militants were also killed, the statement said, citing information gathered by the military advocate general.

The assault in Rafah, southern Gaza, on August 1, 2014 was launched after the kidnapping of Israeli Lieutenant Hadar Goldin shortly after the announcement of a ceasefire.

Two other soldiers were killed in fighting that led to the kidnapping in the Hamas-run enclave, while Goldin himself was later declared dead.

In response, the military implemented the so-called Hannibal Directive  a controversial procedure which allows for an intensive military response to secure the rescue of a captured soldier.

Israel bombed the city of Rafah and the surrounding area near the border with Egypt.

In 2015, Amnesty International said there had been strong evidence of war crimes by Israeli forces as it published a detailed analysis of the assault using eyewitness accounts, satellite imagery, photos and videos.

According to Amnesty, at least 135 civilians were killed in the air and ground assault.

Civilians had begun to return home due to the ceasefire announcement, Amnesty said, alleging massive and prolonged bombardment began without warning while masses of people were on the streets.

Israels statement on Wednesday said the use of force was in accordance with operational considerations and with an effort to mitigate, as much as possible, harm to civilians.

No grounds were found to support the allegation that the objective of the (militarys) actions were to extract revenge following the abduction of Lieutenant Goldin, it said.

The statement said there was no evidence that the Hannibal Directive led to the use of force in a disproportionate or unrestrained manner.

The decades-old directive has since been revoked by the military and replaced with a new one.

More than 2,250 Palestinians were killed, including more than 500 children, in the 2014 war, the third between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since 2008.

Seventy-three people were killed on the Israeli side, including 67 soldiers.Disillusioned and exhausted, Nigerian troops battling a surge in Boko Haram jihadist attacks have reached breaking point, protesting less than six months before presidential polls.

The Nigerian army dismissed it as a misunderstanding, but on Sunday hundreds of soldiers protested in the airport of Maiduguri, the capital of restive northeast Borno state, for several hours, shooting into the air and disrupting flights.

They were furious about a planned redeployment to a battlefront in the remote Lake Chad region after fighting Boko Haram jihadists for years without relief.

We should not have been here for more than a year but this is our fourth year and still they are asking us to move to Marte, one of the protesting soldiers told AFP on condition of anonymity.

We need some rest, we are war-weary and need to see our families.

The protest comes after a wave of bloody assaults on military bases in the northeast, forcing the army to retreat and marking a Boko Haram comeback.

The resurgence of violence has put pressure on Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking a second term in office and maintains that the country is now in a post-conflict stabilisation phase.

Experts say that Nigeria hasnt faced such a serious threat from the jihadists since the peak of the insurgency between 2013 and 2015, when Boko Haram controlled swathes of territory in the countrys northeast.

There has been a military evolution akin to what weve seen in Syria and Iraq, said security analyst Yan St Pierre to AFP.

Boko Harams quality of attack is higher, the level of preparedness is higher.

The Nigerian military is overwhelmed by the catastrophic security situation, said St Pierre, they are relying on old tactics no longer applicable in the northeast.

Desperate to stop the onslaught, Nigerias military chief Yusuf Tukur Buratai said that cowardly soldiers would be punished by death in a July 27 memo seen by AFP.

Soldiers who abandon their positions have the potential to rubbish all the laudable gains made in the operations in the past 3 years against BHT (Boko Haram terrorists).

 Relentless attacks 

The attacks are relentless. In less than a month, dozens of soldiers have died, though in the absence of any official death toll from the military, the number is feared to be much higher.

Boko Haram has traditionally launched attacks during Nigerias rainy season between June and September when roads become water-logged, making it difficult for troops to do patrols.

The more mobile jihadists seize the opportunity to restock their arsenal of weapons from war-torn Libya and Mali through Nigerias porous borders.

Sanda Kime, who is part of the militia force fighting against Boko Haram in Lake Chad, said the latest attacks were because of huge arms supplies secured by the jihadists.

They are now better armed which makes them more daring, said Kime.

The garrison town of Monguno is on high alert after Boko Haram sent out a warning this week that it would attack on August 22 during the Muslim Eid festival, said residents and aid workers.

Similar threats were sent to troops in Askira and Uba towns, security sources said.

On Monday, the United Nations announced the suspension of humanitarian work by its agencies in Monguno from August 19 over security concerns, according to an internal memo seen by AFP.

 Easy hideouts 

Fighters loyal to IS-affiliated Boko Haram factional leader Abu Musab Al-Barnawi are believed to have carried out most of the raids.

The faction is mostly based in the Lake Chad area and in areas south of Maiduguri including Benisheikh and Buni Yadi in nearby Yobe state.

In June, Nigerian fighter jets bombarded Al-Barnawis Tumbun Gini enclave in the Lake Chad area, forcing him to flee southwards to a forest near Benisheikh, 80 kilometres south of Maiduguri, according to sources with deep knowledge about the group.

He moved his operational base to the Benisheikh area from where he planned the attacks on military bases, said a source who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.

Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Harams deceased founder Mohammed Yusuf, has found sanctuary in the Lake Chad region, an area fertile in vegetation and fish that is difficult for security forces to penetrate.

The camps are a reservoir of fighters for the group from where they plan and launch attacks, said Usman Nalado, a fisherman from the town of Baga on the shore of the lake.

To end their attacks troops need to smoke them out.

abu-sf/ecThe Auckland Council did a survey of Waiheke residents on what they thought of the Council and Auckland Transport. Some findings:

Only 7% think Auckland Council listens to the Waiheke community

Only 9% think Auckland Council communicates well with the Waiheke community

Only 8% think Auckland Council makes positive decisions for the Waiheke community

Only 9% are satisfied with the performance of the Auckland Council over the last 12 months

Huge anger on Waiheke about the Council. They will get a chance next year to do something about it.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr



You know the Governemnt has problems when they try to label opposition Mps as racist or sexist just because they are doing their job.

First Shane Jones:

New Zealand First Minister Shane Jones says Maori MPs are taking strong exception to National MP Chris Bishop drawing references to the whanau links between Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha and New Zealand First deputy Fletcher Tabuteau. Jones said National had essentially labelled Tabuteau and leader Winston Peters as somehow not passing the test of parliamentary probity and called on Speaker Trevor Mallard to do something about it. Im not suggesting that Mr Bishop is anti-Maori and quite frankly I dont care if he is, said Jones. But it is an important principle with the number of Maori in the House whether they are urban Maori or broader traditional Maori, that you contemplate that situation because we are not going to put up with it for one day more.

So Shane Jones playing the race card to try and deflect attention. The reality is that Haumata has multiple links to NZ First, and NZ First Ministers should be nowhere near the inquiry into his appointment. Thats not being racist, that is called recognising a conflict of interest.

And then Chris Hipkins:

National leader Simon Bridges was accused of being a chauvinistic pig in todays Question Time for a quip he made during questions to Prime Minister Ardern. The accusation was not from Ardern herself but from another bloke, Education Minister Chris Hipkins, who took umbrage when Bridges suggested that muttering by Grant Robertson was supplying Ardern with the answers. Bridges referred to Robertson as the ventriloquist, a reference to the frequency with which Robertson actually does answer other peoples questions under his breath.

Robertson spends half of question time, whispering answers to other Ministers. Pointing this out isnt sexist.

So this is what happens when you have a Government fixated on identity politics. If you attack Winston youre a racist and if you attack Jacinda youre a sexist.

If you attack Grant youll be called a homophobe no doubt. And if you attack Chippie youll be called a gingaphobe.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr



An interesting interview in April by the Listener with Jordan Peterson.

The gender pay gap was covered in the Channel 4 interview with you in the UK and now governments around the world are addressing it in legislation, as is the Green Party here. You note that womens general higher level of agreeableness accounts for maybe 5% of the variance in the pay gap  there are another perhaps 18 factors, one of which is gender. So if a woman and man are of similar age, ability, ambition, commitment, conscientiousness, intelligence, education, they should be paid the same, right? No, actually if theyre under 30 the woman is paid more, if theyre both single. The question is, what do you mean by the same? Should people be paid for the same job? I suppose they should, but who decides which jobs are the same? This isnt a small problem but an intractable one. The reason we have a free market is because its impossible to calculate which jobs are the same. If you run a restaurant and you have two short-order cooks you can be bloody well sure that the jobs they do are not the same. One might be a complete wastrel and a scoundrel youre barely able to tolerate having on your staff, and the other one does the job of six people.

This is why it is best that employers can pay good staff more than bad staff rather than have paying everyone the same regardless of ability.

But the jobs the same. Whos going to determine what constitutes the same? A giant bureaucracy, which would present a far bigger problem than the original? If people arent happy with what theyre being paid, they have all sorts of options: negotiate for a raise, look for another job, ratchet themselves up the pay hierarchy with careful strategic negotiation. The only reason the pay gap is trumpeted consistently is to buttress the argument that we live in an oppressive patriarchal society. If we do, its the least oppressive and patriarchal society thats ever existed. I think the entire game is corrupt, that of dividing people up into their identity groups and then comparing them.

Can anyone point to a country and era that was less oppressive?

You say equality of opportunity is important, but equality of outcome is not possible. Its vital. Any society that doesnt conduct itself along lines of equality of opportunity denies access to the talents of its individuals.

Equality of outcome is communism. Equality of opportunity is what we should aspire to.

Surely countries such as those in Scandinavia are proving that a free-market system is not better at reducing inequality? Well, theres far less unemployment in the US, especially among young people. America is an unbelievably diverse and complex society and the problems that they face are massive compared to the problems the relatively homogeneous Scandinavian countries face. Scandinavian countries are still free market countries. And it is a valid point that their homogeneity has been a major factor. As this changes, they may also. The Marxist types like to lay inequality at the feet of capitalism and the free market. But there isnt a system of governance that human beings have ever invented, on the left or the right, that fails to produce inequality. Scheidel did an empirical analysis trying to determine whether governments on the right or left produce more inequality. The hypothesis he was testing was that left-wing governments would produce less inequality. He found absolutely no evidence for that. Which is why the focus should be equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr



Kochi, Aug 15: Authorities at the Cochin International Airport or Kochi International Airport have suspended operations till 2:00 pm on Saturday (August 18) as heavy rains continued to lash Kerala on Wednesday. "We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to co-operate," authorities said while announcing suspension of operations at the Cochin International Airport.

All flights at the Cochin International Airport cancelled due to flooding in and around the airport. The Idukki dam floodgates were reopened late on Tuesday as the water level in the Periyar river and its tributaries flowing through Ernakulam and Thrissur districts rose menacingly.

The Met department has forecast more rains till Saturday. Authorities are maintaining a close vigil especially in Idukki district as the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam were also opened at 2.35 a.m. after its water-level crossed 140 feet. People living in and around the dam were evacuated late on Tuesday.

It has been raining heavily in several parts of the state since Tuesday evening. The authorities were forced to open 33 dams across Kerala.Rains which started on August 8 are said to have caused the worst damage to Kerala since 1924. Over 50,000 people are in relief camps and the damages to crops and properties is estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. (With IANS inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 11:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSTM) adorned in the colours of the national flag on eve of Independence Day. On Tuesday, the heritage building lit in saffron, white and green showcasing the tricolour. On August 15 2018, India celebrates 72nd Independence Day which sees various official events including the parade at Red Fort in New Delhi.

Every year for Independence Day and Republic Day, the UNESCO accredited building lights up in tricolour. Ministry of Railways took to Twitter sharing pictures of the building with the caption, "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSTM) Mumbai, on the eve of Independence Day: We are proud of this most beautiful building of the country." Various other railway station buildings also illuminated in the tricolour.

The iconic CSTM building observes various national and international events by illuminating in colours of the particular nation's flag. During the Paris terror attack, the building was illuminated in the colours of the French flag in solidarity with the victims. Independence Day 2018 Special: Typically Indian Things That Make Us Smarter Than The World

Here are the pictures:

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSTM) Mumbai, on the eve of Independence Day : We are proud of this most beautiful building of the country. pic.twitter.com/uysxfJHr8n  Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) August 14, 2018

India received independence from the British colonial rule in 1947. The same day, the country also separated from Pakistan. Tech giant Google has commemorated the day with a special doodle.

In the spirit of 72nd #IndependenceDayIndia, Railway Buildings across the nation have been illuminated in the Tricolour. pic.twitter.com/g5q9hjyfCS  Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 14, 2018

The CSTM building which is an architectural splendour was built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The station's name was changed from Victoria Terminus(VT) to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in March 1996 in honour of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire. It was renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in 2017.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Farmers go to all lengths to protect their crop produce from insects and pesticides. But not all of them are aware of the incoming damage. A new harmful pest has been detected in India and it can devour more than 80 plants including several crops. Called the Fall Armyworm, it can damage the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in not only our country but the entire subcontinent as per a warning of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The pest was noticed in Karnataka's Shivamogga district in the month of May.

The Fall Armyworm has been recorded for creating a havoc in Africa and it was first detected in India recently. This also happens to be the first detection in Asia and the FAO said it is very likely that it will spread across to the southeast Asia and south China. Both the areas are at risk of damage from the pest.

This pest can eat maize along with 80 other crops, including rice, vegetables, groundnuts, sugarcane and cotton. "Fall Armyworm could have a devastating impact on Asia's maize and rice producers - mostly small-scale farmers who depend on their crops for food and to make a living. This is a threat that we cannot ignore," according to Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

Fall Armyworm's detection in Africa was in the year 2016. By 2018 most of the African states were affected by millions of hectares of maize and sorghum. The UN agency is also giving expertise to farmers and regional government to deal with the pest. The pest can apparently fly 100 kilometers at night and can eat down a year-round of crops, given the climate is favourable. The measures suggested in Africa could be implemented in Asia. Hans Dreyer, Director of FAO's Plant Production and Protection Division, said, "This includes recommendations on pesticide management, monitoring and early warning, and a practical guide for farmers and government extension workers on how to best manage the pest." Experts came together in Africa to study the pest and provide knowledge on developing the tools to curb it.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 01:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Photos uploaded by witnesses of cars being set on fire in Sweden (Photo: twitter, Astor99)

Up to 80 vehicles were set afire by masked gangs of young men across four cities in Sweden, in what police are saying could be a co-ordinated attack. No injuries have been reported even as the cars were charred.

CCTV footage shows multiple cars burning across car parks in front of a public hospital and a shopping mall. 'While most fires started within a short period of time, it can not be excluded that there is a connection between the fires, the case will be investigated,' police said.

The attacks happened after 9pm local time in the cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, Falkenberg and Trollhattan. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said: "It looks like very coordinated, almost like a military operation."

Speaking to Swedish Radio, Prime Minister Lofven addressed the attackers, simply asking: "What the hell are you doing?"

The masked young people broke car windows before pouring flammable liquids inside, Swedish media said. Around 80 vehicles had been vandalised in total, Swedish television reported, with three caravans and a truck also targeted. The numbers vary but witnesses say close to 40 youths were also seen throwing stones at police officers.

Dozens of vehicles have been set on fire in western Sweden in what appears to be a series of coordinated arson attacks; people dressed in all black fled the scenes pic.twitter.com/jkpB0Otzd7  BNO News (@BNONews) August 13, 2018

The BBC notes that there seems to be no visible motive for the widespread arson, but the action echoes the damage done during riots in Stockholm over several nights in May 2013.

The 2013 riots sparked a debate about immigration, unemployment and the widening gap between rich and poor in Sweden.

This violence comes just three weeks before Swedish voters go to the polls in a general election. The prime ministers party, the Social Democrats, is facing the worst poll numbers in its history, to the benefit of anti-immigration party the Sweden Democrats.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 06:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).The 1,356-page report from Pennsylvania begins with a plea: We, the members of this grand jury, need you to hear this. The Roman Catholic Churchs darkest secrets start tumbling out not long afterward.

In the Diocese of Allentown, one priest was confronted by his superiors and said: Please help me. I sexually molested a boy.

The diocese indeed helped him by letting the priest serve for several more years after the diocese concluded that the experience will not necessarily be a horrendous trauma for the boy, the report says.

In the Diocese of Erie, according to the report, one priest confessed to orally and anally raping at least 15 boys, who were as young as 7 years old. He was not removed from the priesthood until years later. The bishop ordered the parish to not say why, adding, Nothing else need be noted.

Advertisement

The landmark report into Catholic priest abuse released Tuesday in Pennsylvania  the culmination of a two-year grand jury investigation launched by the states attorney general  is thought to be the most extensive U.S. inquiry into how Catholic priests sexually abused children for at least half a century and were shielded by senior church officials trying to avoid public controversy.

Based on half a million pages of internal church documents, as well as the testimony of dozens of witnesses, the grand jury identified 301 predator priests who abused more than 1,000 children in six of Pennsylvanias eight dioceses, with the real number of victims thought to be in the thousands. (Pennsylvanias Altoona-Johnstown Diocese and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia had already been investigated by other grand juries.)

Weve never seen a report that gives so much detail on so many priests, said Terence McKiernan, founder and president of BishopAccountability.org, a watchdog nonprofit that researches and archives allegations against clergy members.

The bulk of the abuse identified in the Pennsylvania report happened before the early 2000s, when inquiries into sexual abuse by Catholic priests launched a global reckoning outside and inside the church over its handling of problem clergy, which had been marked by evasion and secrecy.

The grand jury report said the strategies used by the Catholic Church to respond to allegations of sexual abuse amounted to a playbook for concealing the truth.

The seven steps in the playbook were: 1) use euphemisms like boundary issues instead of rape; 2) use fellow clergy to conduct investigations; 3) send problem priests to church-run treatment centers; 4) decline to say why abusive priests were removed; 5) provide housing and living expenses for predator clergy; 6) transfer problem priests to new dioceses; and 7) avoid reporting the priests to the police.

The cover up was sophisticated, said Pennsylvania Atty. Gen. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, in a statement. The church protected the institution at all costs.

Despite the number of cases of child abuse identified, the grand jury indicted only two priests  both on suspicion of sexually assaulting children  because the statute of limitations had passed on most of the rest.

Both cases involved allegations from the last decade. One of the priests was accused of ejaculating into the mouth of a 7-year-old. The other is alleged to have assaulted two boys on a monthly basis for years.

For the other abusers, this report is our only recourse, the grand jury wrote, vowing to name their names, and describe what they did  both the sex offenders and those who concealed them.

One name was Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who is currently the archbishop of Washington, D.C. The grand jury detailed how he managed his priests suspected of abuse during the time he was a bishop in Pittsburgh between 1988 and 2006.

There, a priest under Wuerls watch, Ernest Paone, had previously been accused of molesting young boys in another parish in 1962. Initially, Wuerls predecessors responded by shifting Paone to posts in Southern California, where he served in Los Angeles, Diamond Bar and San Diego, and where his duties included teaching seventh- and eighth-graders.

A Pennsylvania district attorney in the 1960s had decided not to press charges against Paone in order to prevent unfavorable publicity, according to a letter the prosecutor sent to the church. (Confronted by the grand jury about his decision, the prosecutor, Robert Masters, cited respect for church leadership and added, I really have no proper answer.)

In 1991, Wuerl, overseeing Paone from Pittsburgh, granted a request by the priest to be reassigned to the Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas in good standing.

Three years later, Wuerls diocese learned more about allegations against Paone dating from the 1960s and notified the dioceses in California and Nevada. But Wuerl did not recall or suspend him.

After scrutiny into the churchs handling of abusive priests began to grow in 2002, the Pittsburgh diocese suspended Paone and notified prosecutors about allegations of inappropriate touching in the early 1960s. Wuerl accepted Paones resignation in 2003.

Approximately 41 years after the Diocese learned that Paone was sexually assaulting children, he was finally retired from active ministry, the grand jury wrote. The clear and present threat that Paone posed to children was hidden and kept secret from parishioners in three states. Wuerls statements had been meaningless without any action.

In a letter to the priests of the Archdiocese of Washington on Monday, Wuerl said he had reviewed portions of the report and warned them that they might find the contents disturbing.

Wuerl acknowledged the churchs failings but defended himself by saying that societal standards for handling sexual assault cases had evolved over time and that he had sought to implement child-protection policies that kept pace with or were ahead of that evolution.

While I expect that this report will be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report also confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the survivors and to prevent future acts of abuse, Wuerl wrote.

The Archdiocese of Washington also launched a website Tuesday called The Wuerl Record to defend the cardinal. In an interview with the Catholic Standard, an archdiocese publication, Kim Viti Fiorentino, the chancellor and general counsel of the Archdiocese of Washington, said that the grand jury report relied on a flawed process.

Many individuals who were accused in the report are deceased, and others were given no opportunity to present any evidence or defend against the allegations made, Fiorentino said.

In a statement responding to the grand jurys report, the leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote that they were grateful for the courage of the people who aided the investigation by sharing their personal stories of abuse and felt shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops in the scandal.

We pledge to maintain transparency and to provide for the permanent removal of offenders from ministry and to maintain safe environments for everyone, the conferences leaders said.

UPDATES:

7:50 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 3:35 p.m.Aug 15, 2018, 8:56am ET

Ford's plan for Michigan Central Station to cost $740 million

Ford plans to rehabilitate the station and invest in the surrounding neighborhood.

Ford's plan to rehabilitate Michigan Central Station into a new corporate campus will cost the company $740 million, it disclosed in a community meeting late Tuesday.

The station is one of five properties in the Corktown neighborhood which have been purchased by Ford for development, and the company plans to ask for at least $250 million in tax relief/incentives to support the rejuvenation, Reuters reports.

Abandoned since 1988, Michigan Central Station will be the crown jewel of the rehabilitation effort. If all goes to plan, Ford will move 5,000 tech jobs into the new campus starting in 2022, when 2,500 existing positions will migrate.

A refurbished Corktown factory is already home to Ford's dedicated electric vehicle and mobility programs.

The station will serve as the focal point for a larger neighborhood project, with open public space, shopping and dining. The first floor of the station will be open to guests and will feature a self-guided tour.Hellertown police say a driver stopped for jumping a curb on Main Street had almost 10 pounds of marijuana in his car.

Monsoor Sultani, who turns 30 on Sunday, and Fawad Anwari, 25, both of Hanover Township, Northampton County, were arrested and each charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Sultani, the driver, was also charged with accidents resulting in damage to unattended property and possession of a Gerber saw blade machete.

Sultani was free after posting $50,000 bail. Anwari was being held Wednesday afternoon in county prison in lieu of 10 percent of $50,000 bail.

At the time of the arrest, Anwari was free on 10 percent of $10,000 bail while awaiting trial in a simple assault case in Northampton County, according to court records.

Hellertown police said an officer on duty Tuesday afternoon saw a dark blue BMW hit a curb along Main Street, drive up onto the sidewalk and then back onto the street.

There was damage to the wheel and fender, and the car stopped on Easton Road on the sidewalk, according to police.

Police said Anwari was at the passenger side of the car, and tried to walk away but was stopped by the officer.

Anwiri smelled like pot, and the odor got stronger as Sultani was seen taking backpacks from the back seat and putting them in a rolling bag, police said.

Police said they found 9.3 pounds of pot in the car and the large bag.

Last December, Anwari pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct, and was sentenced to 90 days in prison. He violated his probation, and was ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence starting in June.

In 2014, he was sentenced to one to 23 months in county prison for delivering marijuana, records show.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.A 42-year-old Pen Argyl woman was struck by a pickup truck Tuesday night in Bethlehem Township and seriously injured, police report.

Kurtis Koehler, 34, of the township, was driving west on Turner Street when he turned into a parking lot for the Red Hawk Wrestling Club on the south side of the road between Ninth and 10th streets, Chief Dan Pancoast said.

There was practice from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the club, its Facebook page says.

The truck at 8:20 p.m. struck pedestrian Nicole Ramsay in the lot, Pancoast said. Ramsay was taken for treatment to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, Pancoast said. A hospital supervisor on Thursday said she had no information on Ramsay's condition.

No one answered the phone Wednesday morning at the club when trying to learn if either person had a connection to the wrestling organization.

A neighbor told the Morning Call that several wrestlers were leaving the building at the time of the incident.

The investigation is continuing and no charges have been filed, Pancoast said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Long known for their investigations and early morning warrant services in the fight against illegal drugs, Easton police are now offering help for people struggling with addiction.

The department is introducing EPAIR, or Easton Police Assisting in Recovery. The partnership with the Lehigh Valley Drug & Alcohol Intake Unit is similar to programs in place at the Bethlehem, Bangor and Colonial Regional police departments.

In introducing the initiative to Easton City Council, city police Lt. Robert Weber said anyone -- regardless of where they live -- who is in need of help with drug addiction can show up at the department. Police will arrange for an assessment provided by the intake unit, which has offices in Easton and Bethlehem. Those in need of help may also call police, Weber said.

An assessor will be available within 30 minutes between 9 a.m. and midnight seven days a week, said Ashley Wright, administrative assistant at the intake unit.

If the situation warrants in-patient treatment and a bed is available at one of the unit's dozens of treatment partners, the assessor will work to get that set up immediately.

Police will remain with the person until the assessment is complete, so he or she is not just left on the street, Weber said.

"There's a very small window and they need help before they go back to drugs," he told council Aug. 8.

The program is focused on highly addictive opioid painkiller and heroin abuse, but is open to those struggling with any substance, Wright said.

"It doesn't matter what their drug is," she said Tuesday inside the Lehigh Valley Drug & Alcohol Intake Unit's fourth-floor suite in the Santander Bank building, 100 N. Third St. in Easton. The Bethlehem office is at 548 N. New St.

Those seeking help who show up with drugs or drug paraphernalia can surrender that to police at the 48 N. Fourth St. department without fear of prosecution, Weber said.

"We cannot arrest ourselves out of this problem," he said, continuing later: "We're trying to make the police less of a stigma for people."

Easton police conduct an investigation into crack cocaine sales Nov. 6, 2017, on North 13th Street. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

This initiative is supported by a Northampton County Drug & Alcohol Division grant. Initial funding came from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.As the scope comes into focus this week of decades of child sex abuse at the hands of hundreds of priests across Pennsylvania, the Diocese of Allentown bishop stresses he did not sit idly by.

Bishop Alfred Schlert, an Easton native ordained in his current role a year ago, is described in the exhaustive grand jury report released Tuesday as having "played an important role in the Diocese of Allentown's handling of child sexual abuse complaints."

Schlert was in that role not as bishop but as monsignor, and is listed as having been vital to the investigations alongside Monsignor Anthony Muntone and Monsignor Gerald Gobitas.

The grand jury report is unflinching in its assessment of the Allentown of Diocese, where 37 offenders were identified going back as far as the 1940s.

"The Grand Jury uncovered evidence of child sexual abuse committed by Roman Catholic priests of the Diocese of Allentown," the report states. "Evidence showed that priests engaged in sexual contact with minors, including grooming and fondling of genitals and/or intimate body parts as well as penetration of the vagina, mouth, or anus.

"The evidence also showed that Diocesan administrators, including the Bishops, had knowledge of this conduct and that priests were regularly placed in ministry after the Diocese was on notice that a complaint of child sexual abuse had been made. This conduct was enabling to offenders and endangered the welfare of children."

Schlert, who is 57 and a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Bethlehem Township, is portrayed in the report as quick to confront priests about complaints of abuse. The report does reference one complaint about abuse that led to an exchange, involving Schlert, of "information meant to discredit the victim with unrelated and irrelevant attacks on her and her family."

That case came to light in 2002, when the victim was emboldened by Boston Globe reporting on church sex abuse and came forward with her stories. By then, the statute of limitations had expired for both criminal and civil penalties, and the priest, Father Francis Fromholzer, was allowed to retire.

In a statement seeking to clarify his role in handling claims of sexual abuse, Schlert opens by saying: "Every Bishop inherits the history of his Diocese. It falls to him to shoulder any failings from the past, to apologize, to ask forgiveness, to promote healing, and to do what he can to prevent recurrence."

He continues to call the grand jury report "a sad and humbling account of the Priesthood used for evil purposes.

"The victims and survivors of clergy sexual abuse have suffered terribly, and it is my sincere hope that the Report is an important step in their healing and recovery," Schlert states.

He notes he did not seek, as others did, to block the report or delay its release "even though I knew it would contain information that reflects negatively on me, on some of our priests and former bishops, and on the Diocese as a whole."

Schlert goes on to outline three points he would like to see clarified:

"Treatment of victims: I have always viewed victims and survivors as sincere, dignified, and extremely courageous for coming forward. I have always treated them with respect, and I always will. For those who suggest otherwise, nothing could be further from the truth.

"Reports to law enforcement: Every priest of the Diocese of Allentown who faced an allegation of abuse was reported to law enforcement. Since I have been Bishop, I have continued to enforce a Zero Tolerance Policy, which calls for immediate removal from ministry, immediate reporting to law enforcement, and acting transparently in cooperation with law enforcement. As an example, I would refer you to a recent allegation against one of our priests. We immediately notified the Northampton County District Attorney's office and immediately removed the priest from ministry.

"Retirement of offending priests: In 2002, imposing retirement on perpetrators was the quickest and best option to get them out of ministry and to protect children. Now, there are more canonical processes to laicize, or 'defrock,' an offending priest which requires Vatican approval."

Schlert closes his statement Wednesday with a pledge to "always treat victims and survivors with respect ... continue to provide victims the counseling and support they need (and) continue to act transparently and quickly in the event of an allegation of abuse."

More coverage of the grand jury report's release:

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Dozens of clergy members from the Diocese of Allentown, including one whose name was redacted, were identified as accused child predators in the grand jury report issued Tuesday.

Church leadership there demonstrated a pattern of failing to take such allegations seriously, according to the report.

"Please help me. I sexually molested a young boy," admitted one accused priest -- Michael S. Lawrence, who died in 2015 -- in a 1982 meeting with Monsignor Anthony Muntone, the diocese's then-second-in-command.

That admission was prompted by an allegation lodged by the father of a 12-year-old boy who reportedly went to Lawrence's room for a tutoring session. The boy told his father there had been "a lot of fondling, so much that he felt pain." Lawrence also allegedly made the victim urine.

The day of his confession, Lawrence was sent to the St. John Vianney Center, a Downingtown behavior health treatment center for priests.

In an internal memo from 1982 that the grand jury reviewed, Muntone wrote that an unnamed doctor at the treatment center told him that the victim and his family should be given "an opportunity to ventilate" and that the doctor didn't expect the experience to "be a horrendous trauma for the boy."

Muntone wrote in that memo that Lawrence would like to be "reassigned to the school with the spring appointments" despite his reported confession.

Less than two years later, Lawrence was again in contact with underaged children as a religious teacher at a high school.

He was finally removed from ministry in 1987 and placed on what the diocese called sick leave. He continued to serve as an active priest until 2002, although he was not given a documented parish assignment.

"I find myself in a very dangerous position," Lawrence wrote, in a 1987 letter reviewed by the grand jury. "The deep sense of frustration and anger have led me to act out sexually in the past and if my present situation continues it becomes a possibility again."

In the letter, Lawrence identified another accused predatory priest, Joseph Rock, and mused that they could be a source of support for each other.

A decade later, in 1998, Muntone wrote another internal memo in which he described the father of the 12-year-old victim as having been "just short of resorting to physical violence" due to his anger over the abuse.

"He was almost irrational and it was very difficult to deal with him," Muntone wrote.

One of the most prominent priests named in the report is former Monsignor Bernard Flanagan, who was dismissed in 2010 following an internal investigation. Flanagan, who also served in the Harrisburg diocese, was accused of abusing a minor while serving at Reading Central Catholic High School.

In 2002, Lawrence formally requested permission to retire "in light of recent events" surrounding the Boston Globe's report on child sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Boston. He also cited a "suggestion of Monsignor Alfred Schlert," who currently serves as the diocese's bishop.

Lawrence's request was granted and he received a pension and health benefits.

The Allentown priest was named in a 2004 lawsuit and, in 2009, the diocese received a report that Lawrence fondled a 13-year-old boy. When confronted with the allegation, Lawrence reportedly contested the age of the victim at the time, arguing that the boy was 16 and not 13 years old. The accused priest also claimed the contact was accidental, indicating "that he often helped the children dress in costumes for parish (theater) productions."

During all of his time with the church, the report concluded, "the Diocese (of Allentown) took no action to warn parents or parishioners of the diocese that a predator was in their midst."

Lawrence died in April 2015.A shooting that left five people injured at Walmart started as an argument in the check-out line and ended when the alleged gunman backed into a police car in Philadelphia, prosecutors say.

Keenan Jones, 30, of Philadelphia, is facing attempted homicide and related charges stemming from the shooting spree at a Walmart store in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County.

He was sent to Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1 million bail.

Jones and his sister were waiting in a check-out line at about 7 p.m. Tuesday, when Jones took her gun, walked toward the back of the line and fired a single round at a man at close range, wounding him, the Montgomery County District Attorney's office said in a news release.

Jones continued firing as he ran out of the store, prosecutors said, wounding four other people. That included a Walmart employee that Jones allegedly aimed at and shot three times.

At a news conference Tuesday night, Cheltenham Township Chief John Frye said one woman was shot three times in the leg, another woman was shot in the leg four times, one man had a single gunshot wound and a fourth had a graze wound.

All five victims' injuries are considered not life-threatening injuries.

Jones and his sister fled in a Gold Pontiac Grand Prix on Cheltenham Avenue. Police said Jones was seen dumping a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, which was later recovered by officers.

The pair drove to Philadelphia. On East Sedgwick Avenue, Jones crashed into the back of an unoccupied police car, and then ran away, police said. He was chased by two Philadelphia officers and arrested after a "violent struggle" where the two officers were injured, the district attorney said.

Jones' sister is cooperating with investigators and does not face criminal charges, philly.com reported.

At a news conference Tuesday night, Frye said there was an altercation at the cash register and "words were exchanged" before Jones pulled the gun from his sister's waistband and began firing.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Diocese of Allentown Bishop Alfred A. Schlert offered an apology to the survivors of abuse in both a video and a letter that the diocese issued Tuesday afternoon after the release of a scathing grand jury report into widespread priest sex abuse.

Watch the entire video below:The grand jury report on sexual abuse by Catholic priests is only the tip of the ice berg. The history of this egregious behavior is a long and disgusting pattern of horrendous crimes and cover-ups.

I am sickened by the Pope's order for one perpetrator to "a lifetime of prayer and penance." He needs to re-think his position on the death penalty.

The victims have been deprived of the life they should have had. In that respect, they were murdered. The punishment must fit the crime.

Ida Young

BethlehemPlease allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.A student who wants to teach the Irish language had been accepted into her course before the Leaving Cert results came out today.

Maicili Delaney, from St Farnans in Prosperous, County Kildare, will begin a post Leaving Cert course at Dunboyne before the end of this year. I was accepted before the results came out, said Maicili.

She plans to teach Irish in the future and will do the Dunboyne course before heading off on another college course.

Maicili, who is from Prosperous, told us: I am not from an Irish speaking family. I just love Irish.

Her pal, Emma OLoughlin, from Allenwood, said she is hoping to study hospitality management at DIT.

Emma said she had been concerned about her pass maths exam but she did well getting 70%.

Another St Farnans student, Zara Joyce, from Hodgestown, Donadea, was happy with her result. Art is her favourite subject.

At first, she said, she was thinking of nursing but changed her mind towards air hostessing. She is on a waiting list for Ryanair at Dublin but might have to go to Germany for training.

Over the summer, Zara worked with her mother, who runs North Kildare Cleaning.

Zara Joyce

Another St Farnans student, Jack OBrien, from Coill Dubh, who appeared to be the first student to arrive at the school this morning, is planning to do a one year e-business course in a PLC.

Jack O'Brien from Coill Dubh

Principal, Eddie Collins, said that eight students sat the Leaving Cert and Leaving Cert Applied exams in June. We were happy with the results. A lot were happy with their points and got the courses they wanted. Young people now know a bit more than we did, he said.

Mr Collins said that that this year they noticed that a lot of students are going for apprenticeships and already had them organised. It was a lovely day for me, he concluded, telling us that around 500 students are enrolled for September coming.Principal Padraig Leyden is very confident that all of his students will be happy with their Leaving Cert results today.

The school had a "surprisingly large crowd of students collect their results this morning." 58 students sat the exams in the school, out of these, 25 sat Higher Level Maths. Mr Leyden said the national failure rate in maths "did not materialise here." He said there is an upward trend in students sitting higher level papers, and they all seem to do quite well.

One Ballinamore student narrowly missed out on all straight As. The student received just on A2 and the rest A1s, the local came away with over 600 points.

"About 95% of students will go on to third level," revealed Mr Leyden. He said not many are looking to apprenticeships, and while some may defer for a year, almost 100% go on to third level.

Ballinamore is expected to be a hot spot for post Leaving Cert results celebrations tonight with the festival half way though. Mr Leyden said he wishes all his students well and hopes they can celebrate "safely."

Ballinamore Community School will welcome 70 new first year students when it re-opens on August 27.Clive Byrne, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) has urged students who may not have received the points they hoped for to consider the "many other pathways to third level and a successful career.

Mr Byrne, offered his congratulations to Leaving Certificate students receiving their exam results today.

In particular, Mr Byrne noted the achievements of those students who achieved eight H1s.

On behalf of all Irish principals, deputy principals and the NAPD, Id like to offer my congratulations to everyone receiving their Leaving Certificate results today. It is great to see 31% of students take higher level Maths, however it is alarming to see that more than 3,700 students in total failed their maths paper," he said.

I also need to highlight that the number of students taking higher-level subjects has reached a new record, a result of the change in the grading system introduced last year. It is now important that everyone in the education system looks at measures to help all students reach their maximum potential and eliminate the failure figures we see for maths every year.

Passing your Leaving Certificate provides an extremely good foundation for further personal and professional development. Even if you havent received the results or points you hoped for, there are many other pathways to third level and a successful career. What matters now is that you continue to apply yourself to whatever it is that you do in life and constantly strive to hone your skills and talents.

As students absorb their results today, there will be some students and parents who may have questions about the results, particularly what they mean for the allocation of college places on Monday next. The NAPD would advise such students and parents to speak with their teacher or school principal today in the first instance. There is also helpful advice on the State Examinations Commission website at www.examinations.ie or they can call the National Parents Council dedicated exam helpline on 1800 265 165, noted Mr Byrne.ORGANISERS of next weeks Pope street party are hoping the buzz surrounding the All-Ireland final will continue to roll on.

To mark the launch of Pope Francis visit to Ireland, the Limerick Diocesan office will kick off the outdoor festivities next Tuesday at St Johns Square, starting at 3.30pm.

The special event will be launched by Olive Foley, the wife of the late Anthony Foley, and founder of the Childrens Grief Centre, Sr Helen Culhane.

St Johns Square will be pedestrianised for the event, which will have food-stalls, face-painting, music and magic shows.

The street feast will be followed by an evening prayer service at St Johns Cathedral, led by Bishop Brendan Leahy and Church of Ireland Bishop of Killaloe, Kenneth Kearon.

Limerick Diocesan World Meeting of Families delegate, Emer Williams said it is going to be a time we are never going to forget in Limerick.

Tens of thousands will head there this weekend for the All-Ireland Final and I can only imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like next week here. Win or lose, therell be a carnival atmosphere in Limerick.

Well keep that going on Tuesday with our Street Party. Theres a fantastic fun afternoon planned for Johns Square. Its all geared towards the family and all, of course, free. Then we move across the St. Johns Cathedral where there will still be a celebratory tone, a spiritual celebration.

Then we head back to Dublin for events at the RDS, Croke Park and the Phoenix Park. Its going to be such a special, special time and I have no doubt that we will all be, and the Church will be, very much enriched at the end of it all, she said.

Limerick Diocese is one of only a handful of dioceses across the country that will have a stand at the RDS international exhibition as it showcases its pastoral activity.

Bishop Leahy will chair a session, entitled Handing on the Faith in the Home Today on Wednesday.

Caherdavin native Noirin Lynch will chair a panel on Wendnesday also, on Christian families from troubled parts of the world.

Larry de Cleir from the Bedford Row Family Project will be on a panel discussing on the Impact of Conflict on Families and Children, as will Christine Hoctor, chaplain in Limerick Prison.

Dr Jesse Rodgers, one of the moderators of the Limerick Diocesan Synod and from the Faculty of Theology in Maynooth, is a participant in a number of workshops. Olive Foley will speak on a panel, which will also include rugby legend Ronan OGara, on Celebrating Family and Sport.THE BISHOP of Limerick has said that everyone in the Church bears the shame of its dark history.

Delivering his homily at the Feast of the Assumption of Mary at the Mass Rock, Killeedy this Wednesday morning, Bishop Brendan Leahy said that next weeks visit by Pope Francis marks a crossroads moment for the church to acknowledge our past, good and bad.

He said that the Church needs to prepare for the papal visit with a desire to want to repair the Church by seeking forgiveness for the sins of the past.

He added that there is a need to pray for those who have been wounded by the Church and a need to keep listening and to learn from them how to clarify and repair our Church.

In his special address, the Bishop said there is a need to acknowledge the dark aspects of the Churchs history that have come to light in recent decades.

A clericalism that ended up confusing power and ministry, the sexual abuse of minors by clergy and religious that did untold life-long damage to victims, the violent and repressive treatment by church representatives of young people sent to the States reformatory institutions, the dark experience of vulnerable women in places meant to be residences of refuge.

Sadly, as has been highlighted, cover-up, wilful or otherwise, and mismanagement compounded the damage, adding to our shame, he said.

Bishop Leahy added this Wednesday morning: We know that not every bishop or priest or sister or brother or lay person engaged in church circles was bad. And we know that not everyone was good. Those of us of a certain age, however, know many, many who were very kind, caring and helpful. But to acknowledge with gratitude the good can never eclipse recognition of sin, criminality and evil.

In some way, everyone in the church bears the shame of these darks aspects of our history. Few of us can throw stones as if we ourselves were not somehow associated.

The group think that says to be Catholic is out of date seems sometimes overwhelming, he said, adding that it would be a shame to lose the memory of Christian heritage.

The Church of tomorrow will be very different. To be Catholic isnt simply about Mass on Sunday or certain moral rules or pious practices.

Unfortunately, too often, and perhaps we ourselves are partly to blame, our Catholic faith has been reduced to this caricature. Catholic faith is something much more alive and dynamic.

Addressing younger people, Bishop Leahy said that their difficulty with finding a connection with the Church isnt their fault.

We need young people to help Church-attending members to find the way forward on how to reconnect youth cultures and Church. Might this visit of Pope Francis be a moment when young people might look again at what the Church really has to offer? We need you because you are part of our access to what God is saying to the Church today. We need you to help us find the ways towards the future that God has marked out for us all.

Ahead of next weeks visit by Pope Francis, the Limerick Diocese will host a major street party to celebrate the launch of the World Meeting of Families in Ireland.

Organisers of the street party are hoping the buzz surrounding the All-Ireland final will continue to roll on.

To mark the launch of Pope Francis visit to Ireland, the Limerick Diocesan office will kick off the outdoor festivities next Tuesday at St Johns Square, starting at 3.30pm.

The special event will be launched by Olive Foley, the wife of the late Anthony Foley, and founder of the Childrens Grief Centre, Sr Helen Culhane.

St Johns Square will be pedestrianised for the event, which will have food-stalls, face-painting, music and magic shows.

The street feast will be followed by an evening prayer service at St Johns Cathedral, led by Bishop Brendan Leahy and Church of Ireland Bishop of Killaloe, Kenneth Kearon.

Limerick Diocesan World Meeting of Families delegate, Emer Williams said it is going to be a time we are never going to forget in Limerick.

Tens of thousands will head there this weekend for the All-Ireland Final and I can only imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like next week here. Win or lose, therell be a carnival atmosphere in Limerick.

Well keep that going on Tuesday with our Street Party. Theres a fantastic fun afternoon planned for Johns Square. Its all geared towards the family and all, of course, free. Then we move across the St. Johns Cathedral where there will still be a celebratory tone, a spiritual celebration, she said.

The Limerick Diocese is one of only a handful of dioceses across the country that will have a stand at the RDS international exhibition as it showcases its pastoral activity.

Bishop Leahy will chair a session, entitled Handing on the Faith in the Home Today on Wednesday. Caherdavin native Noirin Lynch will chair a panel on Wendnesday also, on Christian families from troubled parts of the world.BUSINESSWOMAN Dee Ryan this Wednesday has begun her role as chief executive of the Limerick Chamber.

Ms Ryan, who hails from Castleconnell, said she is looking forward to chart a course for the Chamber which will help bring an even more pro-business environment in the city, the county and region.

As revealed first by the Limerick Leader, she takes over the role from Dr James Ring.

I probably couldnt have picked a better week to start as the city is on a high in the build up to the All-Ireland final on Sunday. We can take inspiration from John Kiely and his regime that we can achieve anything we want in business here if we put our minds to it, she said.

Ms Ryan likened Limericks success on the field to improved fortunes in the city  and added its due to all stakeholders working together.

From my perspective, Im determined that we continue to play that pivotal role; having our own plan, helping to form the narrative and pushing for changes needed to make sure our members have the best possible operating environment so that they and the region can thrive, she added.

Ms Ryan, who previously ran Spark Marketing and worked for the Bothar charity, said she is looking forward to developing a new strategic plan for the Chamber, and enhancing its offering to best support members needs.

We will continue to keep the foot on lobbying for key infrastructure, doing what we can to ensure the delivery as quickly as possible of projects like the M20 and Northern Distributor Road, which are critical to the ongoing development of Limerick and the region, she pledged.IRISH Rail has said it expects all services to and from Limerick and Cork to Dublin on Sunday for the All-Ireland hurling final to sell-out.

A spokesperson said all train services out Limerick, Limerick Junction and Charleville to Dublin are sold out this Sunday up to 11.25am.

There is some availability on the 12.25hrs train from Limerick, 100 booked to date on this train, however with an arrival time in Dublin of 14.33hrs it will need to be a quick transfer to Croke Park for the start of the match, said the spokesperson.

In the region of 2,600 Limerick supporters will be travelling by train to Dublin on Sunday morning.

Return services are sold out with the exception of the 19.10 and 19.30 services, which have limited availability.

The spokesperson added that it is likely these will be sold out by Thursday morning, leaving all services from Limerick and Cork to Dublin in the morning and returning in the evening on Sunday sold out.THE HURLEY. To those who are not from these parts, or the minority who roll their eyes at the sound of the Sunday Game theme tune, it is just a stick.

But for the sea of Limerick fans watching this weekends grand finale from Hill 16, on the Gaelic Grounds big screen, in the pub or from their living room, the hurley is a symbol of all things Irish.

Its the ash that Cu Chulainn heroically swung in order to drive a sliotar down a beasts throat (the rules have changed a lot since), and its the ash that the boys in green with which they will be arming themselves to bring home the Liam MacCarthy Cup this weekend.

But what goes into the craft of creating the caman that has been around for over 3,000 years? Folklore is one thing, but luckily DJ Daly, who runs his famous workshop in Pallaskenry, was able to explain for us in physical terms with a demonstration.

His hurleys are held by our prospective champions Kyle Hayes, Shane Dowling, Seamus Hickey, just to name a few.

With no time to lose, DJ saunters straight to the rear of his workshopa modest warehouse, laden with tools and a handful of machinesand selects a plank of wood.

He grabs a hurley, around 35 inches, places it on top of the block, whips out a pen and traces around the object. That is the science of his measurement and this first task is called marking. I know the answer but I ask anyway: What type of wood are you using?

Its ashits all ash, he replies, and its only the root of the tree that can be used. That is where the strength is, and it is flexible also. It is the strongest part of the tree for hurling.

Theres an important element of physics to consider when choosing this type of wood for the 70-minute clash of the ash.

You dont get the vibration when they clash. You dont get the vibration into your hands like other hardwoods. As you can see, there is a spring in the hurley, but also by using the root of the tree, it is the strongest part. They shouldnt break that easy, although sometimes they do.

After the desired shape of the hurley is marked, its time to take the ash to the bandsaw to cut the right design.

After cutting, DJ brings the rather rigidly-shaped plank to a bandsaw across the workshop for the next stagechipping.

This is where DJ removes the corners and chips at both sides of the hurley to make it less blocky.

Here comes the satisfying partsanding.

Turning a dial on the sander machine, DJ waits for a conveyor belt of sandpaper to spin at a fast enough speed that would cause a rather unpleasant friction burn, to put it mildly.

We take it to the sander, where we smooth it, sand it down and you feel it yourself to make sure that it is okay. Then we take it to the other side of the sander to smooth it off.

And now its time to give it to the ol stamp of approval and wrap the neck of the hurley with some tape.

It is now ready for the field.

All n all, from selecting the plank of wood to taping up the final product, this process took around five minutes of DJs time.

Making hurleys runs in the Daly blood. His father started the business in the early 1940s when he had eight children to rear. It was the means of putting food on the table for the clan. Even DJs sisters were quite adept at carrying out the family craft.

I left it for a while and then I came back. It was in the blood. I built this place in 1982. I make a lot of these hurleys now on a copying lathe, but sometimes we have to do it specially for some players, he explains.

And his hurleys have been seen on television for big games, including many an All-Ireland final.

You dont like to see them break, and if theres a camera on them, it is not a good ad!

DJs main business is the flag business, and he is licensed by Croke Park to produce the official flags for all the counties. He pays the royalties to Croke Park and part of that money then goes to training for the county teams, he says.THIS WEEKEND we celebrate the historic All-Ireland clash between Limerick and Galway in a jam-packed, 48-page supplement on the grand finale.

For just 2.50, this weekends edition of the Limerick Leader will feature a myriad of insightful analyses, high profile interviews and features surrounding Limericks first All-Ireland final in 11 years.

Following a sensational victory against Cork, Limerick will take on Galway this Sunday afternoon at Croke Park.

The boys in green will also be vying for their first Liam MacCarthy Cup in 45 years, when they beat Kilkenny in 1973.

Highlights of the souvenir supplement include extensive profile insights into the 36 players and the 20-strong management team; interviews with manager John Kiely and captain Declan Hannon from Adare. We also exclusively interview Limerick referee Johnny Murphy, who will ref the curtain-opening minor final on August 19 at Croke Park.

We will also look back on the glory days of when Limerick took home the MacCarthy Cup in 1918, 1940 and 1973.

Pick up the weekend paper this Thursday morning.Ten Hot Wheels cars will zoom onto U.S. stamps

Apr 27, 2021, 2 PM

The 2006 Bone Shaker intimidates with a skull for a grille. For the 40th anniversary in 2008, Hot Wheels introduced the HW40 with a jet turbine engine.

The Deora II from 2000 pays tribute to the 1968 Deora included in the first Hot Wheels line, and the toothy Sharkruiser from 1987 chews up its competition with a V8 engine.

The 10 stamps will be issued in panes of 20. The 2018 Mach Speeder has a twin turbo V6 hybrid engine, and the 1969 Twin Mill car features dual big-block engines.

Two of the 10 different Hot Wheels forever stamps planned by the United States Postal Service. These stamps show the Purple Passion model from 1990, and the Rocket-Bye-Baby car from 1971.

The 10 stamps celebrate 50 years of Hot Wheels toys and collectibles. The Rigor Motor from 1994 evokes the spirit of Halloween, while the Rodger Dodger from 1974 has a giant engine and flames along the sides.

By Michael Baadke

Ten new stamps from the United States Postal Service will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels, the die-cast toy car line from Mattel.

The stamp designs were revealed Aug. 15, but no issue date was announced.

The nondenominated (50) forever stamps each show one of 10 bold toy car designs on the distinctive orange Hot Wheels racetrack.

The designs show photographs taken by Len Rizzi of actual Hot Wheels cars, and also feature colorful typography spelling out the catchy name of each vehicle.

According to the Postal Service, The iconic Hot Wheels logo appears in the top right corner of the pane. The back of the pane displays the Hot Wheels 50th anniversary logo.

The stamps are being issued in a diagonal arrangement in panes of 20.

Connect with Linns Stamp News:

Sign up for our newsletter

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

The Postal Service also provided descriptions of each vehicle.

The aptly named Purple Passion (1990), a super sleek metallic purple and green model. The car remains a favorite of collectors.

Equipped with a roof-mounted rocket, the Rocket-Bye-Baby (1971) is one of the most aggressive racers in Hot Wheels history.

Perfect for Halloween, the spooky Rigor Motor (1994) is a coffin-shaped hot rod that is powered by a huge engine adorned with two skulls.

A spectacularly powerful version of a classic muscle car, the Rodger Dodger (1974) has a giant engine bursting out of its hood.

With a twin turbo V6 hybrid engine and wide front air intakes built to look like a predatory fish, the Mach Speeder (2018) is a true 21st-century racer.

The Twin Mill (1969) is one of the most iconic Hot Wheels cars of all-time. The speed machine features dual big-block engines.

The distinctive Bone Shaker (2006) is a hot rod with a fierce-looking skull for a grille. The car has a massive short-block engine made to rattle your bones.

The HW40 (2008), a car introduced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hot Wheels, features a jet turbine engine. The space-age vehicle features a futuristic glass hood.

The original surfboard-toting Deora (1968) was included in the first Hot Wheels line. The souped up Deora II, showcased on the stamp, came out in 2000.

The Sharkruiser (1987) is a carnivore on wheels. The completely unique design features fins, a tail, a sharp-toothed grille, and a roaring V8 engine.

The USPS creative team of Greg Breeding (designer and typographer) and William J. Gicker (art director) worked on this stamp project.Aug 15, 2018, 8 AM

The high-denomination El Salvador 1894 Discoveries of Columbus stamps (Scott 101-103) are a good buy in original gum condition and very fine grade in the $5-to-$12 price range.

Tip of the Week  By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

If you love colorful, engraved, usually affordable classic stamps, El Salvador could be for you.

Long a favorite of Christopher Columbus topical collectors, the classic stamps of El Salvador appeal to the eye and the budget.

El Salvador, along with Ecuador, Honduras and Nicaragua, was one of the countries serviced by stamp speculator Nicholas F. Seebeck (1857-99). But many classic Salvadoran stamps issued both before and after Seebeck are equally colorful and compelling.

In January 1894, El Salvador issued a set of 13 stamps (Scott 91-103) produced by Seebecks Hamilton Bank Note Co. The top three denominations (Scott 101-103) are Columbus topicals. The 2019 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue values these three stamps at $3.30 total in unused original gum condition. They are not valued in used condition.

Connect with Linns Stamp News:

Sign up for our Newsletter

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

The Scott Standard catalog notes: Nos. 101-103 for the discoveries by Columbus. Experts are not positive that these were postally used.

Because they were issued beyond postal need and because of Seebecks ability to produce more of these stamps at will, many contemporary collectors spurned them.

These high-denomination stamps are not hard to find (although finding them in grades of very fine or better is more difficult) and will never appreciate greatly in value, but there is no denying their appeal. A set in original gum condition and very fine grade is a good buy in the $5-to- $10 price range.A painting called "The Host," by contemporary artist Ben Taylor, is based on Taylor's experience with a parasitic worm that he found in his eye.

The eerie painting depicts an image few of us would want to see in the mirror, let alone casting a shadow across our own field of vision: a pale, segmented worm slithering across an unblinking eyeball.

Called "The Host," by contemporary artist Ben Taylor, the striking painting is based on Taylor's personal experience with a parasitic worm called Loa loa, which he discovered crawling through his eye one day in 2015. Adding to this strange tale, Taylor says he thinks the parasite influenced his artwork, even before he was aware of his infection.

"Now that I look back, I realize how strange and interesting it was to have my artwork subconsciously guided" by worms, Taylor wrote on his website. "It has made me wonder who the artist is, really?" ['Eye' Can't Look: 9 Eyeball Injuries That Will Make You Squirm]

For about two years before his diagnosis, Taylor, who lives in England, experienced a slew of mysterious symptoms, including high white blood cell counts, lumps that would appear and disappear, itchy skin patches, joint aches, severe eye pain and sensitivity to light. Taylor said he felt "a sense that amongst the millions of microscopic beings that form 'me,' that there was something gatecrashing the party." But tests for parasites came back negative.

During this period of deteriorating health, Taylor began work on an abstract painting that consisted of intricate, worm-like patterns inside a round circle. But at the time he painted it in 2014, Taylor was not satisfied with the result. "I had no idea what compelled me to paint it, or what it was trying to say," Taylor wrote, and he shelved the work in his studio.

Months later, Taylor felt a persistent pain in his eye, and when he looked in the mirror, he saw something wriggling under the surface of his eyeball.

He went to the hospital, where an eye surgeon removed a worm 1.4 inches (3.5 centimeters) long from his eye.

Taylor was diagnosed with loiasis, an infection caused by the Loa loa worm, also known as the African eye worm. People get Loa loa if they are bitten by infected deerflies that are found in certain parts of West and Central Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Taylor, who says he has spent "a lifetime living and travelling in far-flung lands," visited Gabon in Central Africa in 2013, when he likely became infected with the worm.

After his loiasis diagnosis, Taylor underwent a week of intensive treatment, and doctors also diagnosed him with two additional parasites: hookworm and Strongyloides, a type of roundworm.

Shortly after his treatment, Taylor came across the painting he had started in 2014 and realized what it looked like. "I was immediately aware that what I had painted looked like an eye made out of intricate worm-like patterns," Taylor said. He began a "second phase" of his painting, adding eyelashes, the sclera (the white part of the eye) and the slithering white worms.

Taylor told The Washington Post that worm-like patterns were not typically his style, but oddly, he started experimenting with them as his then-mysterious symptoms progressed. "I definitely believe that the worms had a hand in that painting," he said.

Taylor's painting is featured on the cover of the August issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, which is published by the CDC. The managing editor of the journal, Byron Breedlove, came across the painting while looking for an image that would fit the issue's theme for this month: Parasitic and Tropical Diseases.

"You're sort of startled by this almost 3-D thread that runs around the eye. It's very arresting to look at," Breedlove told The Washington Post. "I realized this would make a very striking image for a cover art  You can't help but look at it  It's looking back at you."

Original article on Live Science.There's a sort of radio wave that bangs its way around Earth, knocking around electrons in the plasma fields of loose ions surrounding our planet and sending strange tones to radio detectors. It's called a "whistler." And now, scientists have observed bursts like this in more detail than ever before.

Whistlers, typically created during certain lightning strikes, usually travel along Earth's magnetic-field lines. Humans first detected them more than a century ago, thanks to their ability to make a "whistling" sound (really more like a ghostly recording of laser blasts in a "Star Wars" movie) when picked up by a radio receiver. Yesterday (Aug. 14), researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles reported that they've produced whistlers in a plasma  a very electrically active, difficult-to-control, gas-like state of matter  in their laboratory, and observed their shapes.

When scientists studied whistlers in the past, they typically relied on data from a handful of widely spaced radio receivers distributed all over the planet. That sort of data is useful but is also incomplete. It tells researchers only so much about how the waves form, how they're shaped and how different kinds of ambient magnetic fields in the atmosphere influence them. (Detections of whistlers near Jupiter back in 1979 were also the first evidence scientists had that the giant planet has lightning storms like those on Earth.) [Electric Earth: Stunning Images of Lightning]

In this smaller-scale study, the researchers were able to control both the magnetic-field lines of the plasma and the whistlers themselves, which they created with a magnetic device.

"Our laboratory experiments reveal three-dimensional wave properties in ways that simply cannot be obtained from observations in space," Reiner Stenzel, a co-author of the paper and a professor at UCLA, said in a statement. "This enabled us to study continuous waves, as well as the growth and decay of waves, with amazing detail. This produced unexpected discoveries of wave reflections and of [other strange whistler behaviors]."

The researchers showed that whistlers don't necessarily bounce and reflect inside magnetic fields the way physicists might expect, often following the lines of magnetic fields rather than bouncing off magnetic obstacles. Whistlers, the researchers found, are less subject to influence from outside sources of magnetic energy than researchers expected, and they can penetrate magnetic regions that theories suggest should be unbreachable for the wave fronts.

That means scientists now know more about how to shape a whistler than ever before. And that turns out to be a very big deal: Back in 2014, a team of Italian researchers proposed that whistler waves could be used as the driving force of a plasma thruster to drive a craft through space, thanks to their ability to push on matter. A plasma thruster of this sort would, in theory, require very little fuel mass to push a spacecraft along at high speeds.

But if a machine like that is going to work, the researchers wrote, scientists will first need studies like this to understand whistlers well enough to use them.

Originally published on Live Science.Wreckage from the USS Abner Read, which was cleaved by a Japanese landmine explosion in August, 1943. Scientists have rediscovered the boat's missing stern.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 8:15 p.m. E.T.

A World War II shipwreck that was lost for 75 years has been discovered in the waters off the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

Sonar and video revealed the stern of the USS Abner Read, which was torn off the destroyer on Aug. 18, 1943, about 290 feet (88 meters) below the surface of the Bering Sea, near the island of Kiska, Alaska.

"There was no doubt," expedition leader Eric Terrill, an oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and co-founder of Project Recover, a joint public-private partnership that was part of the search effort, said in a statement. "We could clearly see the broken stern, the gun and rudder control, all consistent with the historical documents." [20 Most Mysterious Shipwrecks Ever]

The USS Abner Read was patrolling the waters off Kiska, Alaska  which along with the island of Attu was one of only two scraps of U.S. territory to have been occupied by the Japanese during the war  around 1:50 a.m. local time when an enormous explosion, probably from a Japanese mine, blasted the destroyer. Though the Abner Read's stern was cleaved, the ship's crew managed to keep water from reaching the main area of the ship, and two Navy ships hauled the destroyer back to safety.

An image of the destroyer U.S.S. Abner Read taken in 1943. (Image credit: Naval History & Heritage Command)

"This was catastrophic damage that by all rights should have sunk the entire ship," Sam Cox, curator of the Navy and director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, said in the statement.

However, the ship was fixed and went on to wage several more battles against the Japanese in the Pacific, before ultimately being sunk in November 1944.

However, the ship's stern was never recovered.

To find it, a team of scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego and the University of Delaware began combing the ocean floor using multi-beam sonar. When they found a likely target, they sent down a remotely-operated submarine to capture video of the object. The video confirmed that the stern belonged to the USS Abner Read.

Shipwrecks like the Abner Read are protected from divers who may damage or disturb the site under the Sunken Military Craft Act of 2004.

Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct the headline. The USS Abner Read was not a battleship, it was a destroyer, as described in the article.

Originally published on Live Science.Several dozen people fell ill from suspected drug overdoses at New Haven Green park on Aug. 15, 2018. Above, a police officer speaks to a man walking on the green.

This article was origially published on Aug. 15 and updated on Aug. 17.

A "mass overdose" took place in a Connecticut park this week, according to news reports.

More than 70 people in New Haven, Conneticut were transported to the hospital on Wednesday (Aug. 15) after showing signs of a drug overdose, according to the Washington Post. Most of those overdoses took place at the New Haven Green park near Yale University.

Overdoses continued to occur on Thursday, bringing the total to more than 100 overdoses, according to the New Haven Register. However, that higher number includes some people who received treatment for an overdose at the hospital, but then returned to the New Haven Green and overdosed again, the New Haven Register reported.

Initially, officials suspected that the overdoses were caused by synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or spice, that were possibly contaminated with other drugs such as opioids. On Friday (Aug. 17), officials confirmed that synthetic cannabinoids were indeed behind the overdoses. But they weren't contaminated with other drugs. Instead, the K2 contained a chemical called fubinaca, which has been described as an ""ultrapotent" synthetic cannabinoid, according to NBC Connecticut.

Officials arrested three men in connection with the overdoses, according to the New Haven Register.

So far, no deaths have been reported.

Those who fell ill were often found in groups of four to six, and varied in age and demographic, according to ABC News. Their symptoms included vomiting, hallucinations, high blood pressure, shallow breathing and unconsciousness, ABC News reported.

Officials described a hectic scene as emergency crews worked to respond to all of the overdose reports.

"This was a particularly odd, rare occasion where [there was] call after call for man down, obviously with symptoms of some kind of overdose, and at the time of getting that patient packaged and transported to the hospital, we'd see another immediately fall down, right there," Lt. Ernest Jones, an EMT for the New Haven Fire Department, told the New Haven Register on Wednesday. "At that point, we'd go help that patient, and while helping that patient, another person went down. So it became a domino effect."

Original article on Live Science.We hear the expression "Representation matters" all the time, and it's still worth repeating. As a Korean American, I grew up yearning to see actors that looked like me. On the rare occasions I saw an Asian celebrity, I adored them unflaggingly. Still, I can count those figures on one hand: champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, the yellow Power Ranger, Lucy Liu in the 2000 movie version of "Charlie's Angels." I twirled, wrestled and jumped around fighting crime as if I were these characters, relishing my small moments of recognition. Even now, the desire to be considered an integral, natural part of American society pulses in me, and I delightedly point out Asian actors whenever they appear onscreen, even if they're only in a 30-second commercial.

When I heard that Hollywood was going to make Kevin Kwan's novel "Crazy Rich Asians" into a movie, I was so ecstatic I nearly cried. That may sound overly dramatic, but it's important to consider what this movie means to the more than 17 million Asian Americans living in the United States. As a major feature film with Asian Americans in leading roles, "Crazy Rich Asians" is important. We hope that this movie will be our "Black Panther," announcing to Hollywood that we are here, we belong and we are ready for more. To celebrate, I've come up with a list of six books that should be adapted for the screen next.

---

"What We Were Promised," by Lucy Tan

This recently published debut novel is set in glittering modern Shanghai, where the Zhen family lives in a luxury hotel-and-apartment complex. Wei, Lina and their daughter are Chinese-born, Western-educated and full of complex drama. When Wei's long-lost brother returns after years on the run, questions about family, loyalty and past love threaten to tear the family apart. Woven into this narrative is the Zhens' housekeeper, whose friendship with the family's driver provides a stark contrast to their wealthy bosses' lives. Dramatic and deeply moving, this would be perfect Oscar material.

---

"The Windfall," by Diksha Basu

Kwan describes this novel as a "sharply observed satire" and "a delicious, addictive treat." In this comedy of manners, Basu brings us to modern India, where Mr. and Mrs. Jha's newfound money propels them from a cramped housing complex in East Delhi to the rich side of town. What follows is a hilarious and charming story about social status, pride and reputation as Mr. Jha becomes increasingly involved in a competitive display of wealth with his neighbors. "The Windfall" would make a movie with just the right balance of humor and heart.

---

"The Gangster We Are All Looking For," by Le Thi Diem Thuy

This fragmented, lyrical novel is told from the perspective of a nameless young Vietnamese girl whose family immigrates to California after the Vietnam War. Shifting in time and place, the young narrator sees the world through a lens of trauma. As she waits for her mother to join the rest of the family in San Diego and watches her former gangster father fall into drunken rages, the narrator also grieves for a drowned brother. Impressionistic and brooding, the drama would make a haunting short film.

---

"Pachinko," by Min Jin Lee

This best-seller is a sprawling, nearly 500-page novel about four generations of a Korean family living in Japan. The novel gripped me until the very end, and an equally epic eight-part prestige TV series would do the material justice. "Pachinko" begins in Korea with strong-willed Sunja, who falls in love with an older man. When she becomes pregnant, a Christian minister offers to take her as his wife to Japan. Their decision to forge a new life in a country that does not consider them citizens sparks a beautiful story about family, love and survival. Luckily for us viewers, Apple recently secured the rights to "Pachinko," so a television series may well be in our future.

---

"Bury What We Cannot Take," by Kirstin Chen

In 1950s communist China, 9-year-old San San and her older brother, Ah Liam, experience a terrible chain of events after their grandmother destroys a framed portrait of Chairman Mao. The family must flee their home, but when San San and Ah Liam's mother tries to secure visas to Hong Kong, she is told that she must leave one of her children behind to prove that the family will return. How do you choose between your two children? This question drives the rest of the narrative to its poignant end.

---

"Snow Hunters," by Paul Yoon

This slim, beautiful story follows Yohan, a North Korean refugee who flees his country at the end of the Korean War, settling in a coastal town in Brazil. Yohan is alone and lonely, traumatized by a war that has made him a stranger in a strange land. But he creates a new life, befriending the Japanese tailor who hires him, two vagabond children and a kindly church groundskeeper. "Snow Hunters" would make an elegiac and tender indie film, full of languorous shots and precise, spare dialogue.

---

Kim is the author of the recently released novel "If You Leave Me."Cleveland lost one of its best pitchers Tuesday when it placed right-hander Trevor Bauer on the 10-day disabled list with a small stress fracture in his right leg.

Cleveland is in complete control in the AL Central, leading second-place Minnesota by 12 games. But any lingering issue with Bauer could hurt its chances of advancing in the playoffs.

Bauer was struck by Jose Abreus liner in the seventh inning of Saturday nights 3-1 win over the White Sox in Chicago. He returned to Cleveland after experiencing soreness and swelling, and an MRI exam revealed the injury.

Bauer, 27, is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts. This is his first career DL stint.

Left-hander Tyler Olson was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take Bauers roster spot.

Madson to DL: The Nationals placed reliever Ryan Madson on the 10-day disabled list with a back injury.

Madson surrendered David Botes game-ending grand slam in Sunday nights 4-3 loss to the Cubs. The Nationals said Monday that the former As right-hander was dealing with back issues, but the plan was for him to pitch through it.

Madson, 37, is 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA and four saves in 48 games this season.

The Nationals also promoted right-hander Trevor Gott and left-hander Tim Collins from Triple-A Syracuse before Tuesdays game at St. Louis. Lefty Sammy Solis was sent down, and right-hander Erick Fedde was moved from the 10-day to the 60-day DL.

Briefly: Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre was out of the lineup a day after the active career hits leader aggravated the left hamstring injury that already has put him on the disabled list twice this season. Manager Jeff Banister said Beltre would get a couple of days down time before getting another evaluation. ... The Cubs expect Yu Darvish to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, assuming he experiences no setbacks after pitching a simulated game Tuesday. ... The Brewers acquired once-promising pitching prospect Jake Thompson from the Phillies for cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Thompson, 24, is 7-8 with a 4.87 ERA in 18 starts and 30 appearances since debuting with Philadelphia in 2016. He was drafted in the second round by Detroit in 2012. ... The Rays acquired minor-league pitcher Shane Baz from Pittsburgh as the player to be named in the July 31 trade that sent Chris Archer to the Pirates. Baz, 19, was selected 12th overall in the 2017 amateur draft. He was 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA for Bristol in the rookie-level Appalachian League this season.A Baytown man was shot Wednesday from a moving vehicle as he took an early-morning walk through the Pinehurst neighborhood, police said.

The man, 84, was walking with another man just after 6 a.m. on Pinehurst Drive, just off Texas 146, according to Baytown police.More than 20 vehicles were burglarized July 30 at Huntington Woods Apartments, 701 S. Friendswood Drive, police said.

A witness reported a tall, skinny black male breaking into a vehicle at 3:58 a.m., according to the report. The suspect then jumped the fence and fled on foot toward South Friendswood Drive, police said. Officers were unable to locate the suspect.

Most of the vehicles had broken windows but little to nothing of value stolen, police said. A laptop stolen from one vehicle reportedly was found near another burglarized vehicle.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Friendswood Police Department, 281-996-3300.

Plainclothes officers nab suspected bank juggers

Two Houston men face charges for unlawful use of a criminal instrument after plainclothes officers followed their vehicle to three banks July 27, police said.

The officers first noticed the men, 47 and 29, appearing to observe customers at Chase Bank, 255 W. Parkwood Ave., from a vehicle with dark tinted windows that matched the description of one involved in a July 26 motor vehicle burglary, according to the report. The suspects then drove to Wells Fargo Bank, 830 S. Friendswood Drive, and Chase Bank, 611 S. Friendswood Drive, police said. They reportedly continued driving when they realized they were being followed.

A marked police unit stopped the suspect vehicle for speeding in the 300 block of South Friendswood Drive. The 47-year-old driver did not have a drivers license, police said. During a search, the officer reportedly found window punchestools commonly used during vehicle burglaries. Bond for each suspect was set at $1,000.

Burglary

A vehicle was burglarized July 24 in the parking lot of Kroger, 3135 FM 528, police said. The victim reportedly left Chase Bank and entered Kroger at about 3:45 p.m. He returned at 4:47 p.m. to find the drivers-side window smashed and the center console open, according to the report. The only item missing was a receipt from his bank transaction, police said.

A laptop was stolen July 26 from a truck parked at Taco Bell, 209 E. Parkwood Ave., police said. The victim, a bank employee, reportedly spent about 45 minutes inside the restaurant and came outside at 12:19 p.m. to find the front drivers-side window smashed. Video surveillance shows a small black or navy blue SUV with silver railings or silver striping along the sides following the victim, according to the report. The suspect vehicle backed into a parking space next to the victims vehicle, police said.

Assault

Police took a Friendswood man, 28, into custody for assault, family violence after he allegedly attacked his brother July 24 in the 500 block of North Heather Lane. The victim reported ongoing assaults to the police July 25, presenting a video of the July 24 assault as evidence, police said.

A Friendswood man, 20, was charged with assault, family violence after reportedly kicking a 16-year-old girl in the stomach and mouth during a disturbance July 28 at a residence in the 16500 block of Barcelona Drive, police said.

Theft

After receiving an alert about a stolen license plate, an officer stopped a motorist July 25 in the 6200 block of West Main Street. The driver recently had renewed his registration sticker and had no idea the rear license plate did not belong to him, police said. The front plate also did not belong with the vehicle but had not been reported stolen, according to the report. Police removed both plates and released the motorist.

A pair of earrings were stolen from a residence in the 16900 block of Creek Line Drive, according to a July 25 police report. A camera in the residence captured the theft on video, and a family member was accused, police said.

Police charged a 19-year-old Friensdwood man with felony theft after he allegedly stole a red Honda dirt bike, according to a report filed July 27 in the 300 block of Tall Timbers. Shortly after the victim filed the report, the suspect showed up at the victims home, police said. An officer took the suspect into custody, but the motorcyclea Honda CRF250R with no license platewas not recovered. Bond was set at $5,000.

Thirty oxycodone pills were stolen July 24 at Friendship Haven, 1500 Sunset Drive, according to a July 27 police report.

Money was stolen from a safe July 28 at Wing Stop, 3141 FM 528, police said.

Fraud

A Friendswood woman discovered 14 fraudulent accounts while trying to fix her credit, according to a July 24 police report.

A Friendswood woman was scammed out of more than $10,000 after she hired an online company to fix her computer, according to a July 27 police report. The company allegedly charged $500 for the repair, but the next day a representative contacted her to say they could not complete the services and would refund the money. The victim provided her online bank login information, leading to the unauthorized transfer of funds from her account, police said. She reportedly received another call the same day from someone saying they had accidentally deposited $11,000 into her account and needed her to send them $10,000 in gift cards. She purchased 21 gift cards at Best Buy and Walmart and provided the scammers with the card information over the phone, police said.

Criminal mischief

A glass storm door on a residences front entrance was damaged between July 21 and July 24 in the 1000 block of Lost River Drive, police said.

The words Chevy is better were spray-painted on the side of a Ford truck between 10 p.m. July 26 and 12:45 a.m. July 27 in the 1900 block of Rolling Stone Drive, police said.

A resident of Salem Square Apartments, 110 Clearview Ave., found his vehicle vandalized July 2, according to a July 27 police report. Someone had scratched the paint on the passenger side, and the rear passenger tire was flat, police said. The victim reportedly replaced the tire only to find it punctured again July 18.

Narcotics

Police charged a Texas City man, 46, with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for an insurance violation July 23 in the 400 block of East Parkwood Avenue. The officer found an e-cigarette cartridge containing THC cannabis oil during a vehicle search, according to the report.

Police charged a Pearland man, 24, and Houston woman, 23, with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for failure to use a turn signal July 24 in the 3300 block of FM 528. A vehicle search yielded marijuana and cocaine, police said.

A Nassau Bay woman, 29, was charged with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop July 24 in the 2000 block of FM 528, police said. She had three outstanding Friendswood warrants and was concealing marijuana, Soma and hydrocodone in her clothing, according to the report.

Police charged a La Porte man, 30, with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop July 27 in the 2500 block of West Parkwood Avenue. A vehicle search yielded marijuana shake on the floorboard, according to the report.

A Friendswood woman, 35, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and falsification of drug test results after a traffic stop for a license plate violation July 27 in the 700 block of West Parkwood Avenue, police said. A police narcotic K-9 provided a positive alert for the presence of drugs inside the vehicle, and a search yielded synthetic urine and a vape pen containing THC wax, according to the report. Bond was set at $3,000.

Police charged a Friendswood woman, 33, with possession of a controlled substance after finding a vehicle in a ditch July 27 in the 1100 block of Greenbriar Drive. The woman reportedly had driven the vehicle into a telephone box, police said. During a search, the officer reportedly found several prescription bottles in the womans purse as well as prescription medication that did not match the bottles. The search also yielded two syringes of propofol, according to the report. Bond was set at $2,000.

Two Houston men, 18 and 21, were charged with marijuana possession after a traffic stop for a defective brake light July 29 in the 200 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. The officer reportedly found marijuna under the front passenger seat as well as 200 bags, a scale and a pack of rolling papers during a vehicle search.

Driving while intoxicated

Police charged an Alvin woman, 36, with DWI after a traffic stop for an insurance violation July 26 in the 3300 block of FM 528. She failed a field sobriety test and refused a breath or blood test, according to the report. Bond was set at $1,500.

A Pearland woman, 48, was charged with DWI after a witness reported her staggering out of her car July 28 at Walgreens, 104 E. Parkwood Ave., police said. Before officers arrived, the woman reportedly drove a silver Honda Civic north on South Friendswood Drive. During a traffic stop, she failed a field sobriety test and agreed to take a breath test, according to the report. Bond was set at $1,500.

A 22-year-old El Lago man was charged with DWI after a traffic stop for driving erratically July 29 in the 3000 block of FM 528, police said. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test and refused a blood or breath test. A search yielded rolling papers, cigarillos and several prescription bottles, according to the report.

Hit and run

Police charged an Iowa Colony man, 36, with failure to stop and give information after a hit-and-run incident July 29 in the 5200 block of Shady Oaks Lane. A witness told police the male driver of a Honda Pilot crashed into a truck before fleeing on foot toward Pennystone Way. The suspect allegedly hit three parked vehicles and a trailer. Officers found him in a vehicle with a family member a short while later in the 5100 block of Tashkent Drive and took him into custody, according to the report.

Public intoxication

Police charged a Friendswood woman, 43, with public intoxication after officers conducted a welfare check July 28 at Enclave Apartments, 5000 Watkins Way. The woman reportedly engaged in an argument with her daughter and left before police arrived. Officers found her at a nearby apartment complex, according to the report.

Traffic

Police charged a West Columbia man, 50, with driving while license invalid after a traffic stop for expired registration July 23 in the 800 block of West Parkwood Avenue.

A 37-year-old Pasadena woman was charged with driving while license invalid after a routine license plate check led to a traffic stop July 26 in the 100 block of West Edgewood Drive.Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be forgiven for wondering why he alone among traditional allies in the Middle East has been singled out for U.S. sanctions on human-rights grounds.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has embraced those in the region whose priorities meshed with key U.S. policies, such as confronting Iran and Sunni Islamist groups. The authoritarian rulers of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, are among those who tick that box.

Erdogan, though, is moving in the opposite direction.

Despite being a NATO member, Turkey agreed to buy Russia's S-400 missile defense system over U.S. objections and allowed officials from the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas to live on Turkish soil. In Syria, Erdogan's military attacked Kurdish groups seen by the Americans as the most effective fighting force against Islamic State militants. And the president has moved closer to Tehran.

Months before the current U.S.-Turkey dispute pushed the Turkish economy toward a financial meltdown, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo signaled that bilateral ties strained for years were under increasing pressure, when he told lawmakers in May that "the trend is wrong to be sure."

Turkey's detention of an American evangelical pastor first arrested in 2016 on charges he had links to those behind a failed coup sparked the latest and most serious dispute between the two allies. But it didn't appear publicly as an issue for the first 15 months of Trump's presidency. And the feud belies the Trump administration's lower focus on human-rights issues among its Middle East allies.

The president has lavished praise on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, ignoring a clampdown on dissent in the kingdom and limiting criticism of the country's war in Yemen, which independent observers say has led to widespread civilian deaths.

Under Trump, the U.S. also released military aid to Egypt that was suspended over human-rights concerns, in a nod to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, a former general who led the ouster of his democratically-elected Islamist predecessor. (The U.S. boosted Netanyahu by moving its embassy to Jerusalem, over the fierce objections of Palestinians.)

Both of the U.S. allies, along with Israel, have been at odds with Erdogan over his support for Islamist groups and his overtures toward Iran and Qatar, which has been under a Saudi-led boycott for more than a year. The approaches paid off on Wednesday as Qatar announced $15 billion in investment in Turkey.

Nowhere does Erdogan's shifting foreign policy strategy conflict with U.S. objectives more than his increasingly close embrace of both Iran and Russia.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday that Ankara won't implement U.S. sanctions reimposed on Iran after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord. Analysts say the two countries are finding more common ground in standing against the U.S.

Turkey and Iran are "increasingly in the same camp," said Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "If Iran can keep Turkey's oil purchases at the same levels to compensate whatever losses they have from other markets, that would be important from the Iranian perspective."

That would also undermine one of Trump's top foreign policy priorities, with the administration planning fresh sanctions on the Islamic Republic's oil sales starting in early November.

"The U.S. attempt to economically isolate Iran and pressure the country into negotiating a new nuclear deal is and will continue to be a priority of the U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East," said Allison Wood, a London-based analyst at Control Risks. "However, this is one of several issues that have resulted in volatile Turkey-U.S. relations over the past year."

Erdogan's embrace of Russia hasn't helped either. The decision to buy the Russian missile defense system prompted outrage among U.S. lawmakers, who passed a ban on delivering next-generation F-35 jets to the NATO ally until the Pentagon produces a report on the U.S.-Turkey relationship.

Despite the heightened U.S. pressure, Erdogan has remained defiant, saying it is the U.S. which is pushing him to reach out to American adversaries. He vowed to lead a boycott of U.S. electronics, singling out Apple Inc.'s iPhone as a target, and on Wednesday Turkey slapped additional taxes on a range of American-made imports.

But it's clear that Trump has more leverage.

His surprise announcement that he'd double tariffs on Turkey for its refusal to release the American pastor, Andrew Brunson, sent the lira -- already on the slide for months as investors fretted over the independence of monetary policy-making -- into a tailspin, turning a geopolitical standoff into a currency crisis with global ramifications.

"Ankara completely overplayed its hand. The president has no guard rails," said Aaron Stein, senior resident fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council, and author of "Turkey's New Foreign Policy."

The U.S. has also accused Turkey's state-owned Halkbank of helping Iran evade sanctions and has convicted one of the bank's executives. And under both Trump and his predecessor, Barack Obama, Washington has repeatedly rejected Turkey's request to deport a Pennsylvania-based cleric Erdogan says was the mastermind of the 2016 attempted coup.

Neither leader will likely back down as they take "into account domestic audiences when calculating their reaction to the other side," said Wood of Control Risks. Put another way, all politics is local.

"For Trump, fighting for the release of an evangelical priest plays to a crucial voter base in the November mid-term elections; for Erdogan, his reaction similarly reflects a desire to demonstrate to voters his power in Turkey's relationship with the U.S."

- - -

Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs, Ladane Nasseri, Benjamin Harvey, Onur Ant and David Wainer contributed.WASHINGTON - A super PAC backed by House Republican leaders has gone on the attack against Randy Bryce, a Democrat with an arrest record competing for the Wisconsin congressional seat being vacated by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R.

A new minute-long radio ad produced by the Congressional Leadership Fund highlights - in dramatic fashion - Bryce's arrests in the 1990s related to drunken driving and possession of marijuana. The ad opens with re-created radio traffic between a police officer and dispatcher.

"Squad Car 5-8-0. We have reports of a swerving vehicle. Do you read?" the dispatcher says.

The officer responds: "This is Squad Car 5-8-0. We're on the scene. We have a drunk driver in custody. ... His name is Randy Bryce. Repeat offender."

Bryce, an iron worker and Army veteran who secured the Democratic nomination on Tuesday night, has portrayed his arrests as a learning experience. He was also arrested more recently while protesting Republican policies in Wisconsin.

Cathy Myers, a grass-roots activist and local school board member, sought to make an issue of Bryce's record - there have been nine arrests in total - during the Democratic primary, but Bryce easily prevailed on Tuesday.

After launching his campaign in June 2017, Bryce became a favorite of progressives because of his support for unions and liberal causes, including a $15 per hour minimum wage and abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

"I'm not perfect, but I know the struggles working people go through," Bryce said in a statement after his arrests became an issue in the race. "I understand the mistakes that any of us can make. I've certainly learned from mine."

The super PAC ad takes a less charitable view.

"Nine arrests?" a narrator says. "Randy Bryce has no business making the laws. He's spent his life breaking the law."

In the November general election, Bryce will face Bryan Steil, a lawyer endorsed by Ryan.

In Tuesday's primary, Steil defeated a self-described "pro-white" nationalist candidate, Paul Nehlen, who was banned from Twitter after sending a racist message targeting American actress Meghan Markle before her marriage to Britain's Prince Harry. Nehlen received more than 6,500 votes, or about 11 percent of the GOP turnout.

---

The Washington Post's Michael Scherer contributed to this report.Illinois farmers and manufacturers continue to hold out hope for an agreement to continue trade between the U.S. and Mexico and avoid tariffs.

President Donald Trump announced on Twitter on Friday that a deal with Mexico is coming along nicely.

He added: Autoworkers and farmers must be taken care of or there will be no deal.

Next to corn, Illinois exports a lot of pork south of the border.

Hog producer Scott Behrmann from Albers said a deal will be a relief.

I understand [Trump] is doing what he needed to do, Behrmann said. But he also has to understand on our point that we cant survive for very long the way its going.

Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert said the prospects of a deal with Mexico are welcome because Mexico imports a lot of Illinois pork, corn and even cheese.

Illinois manufacturing industry is excited about the hints of a trade deal between Illinois and Mexico.

Illinois Manufacturers Associations Mark Denzler said the association is looking for freer and fairer trade.

Last year we exported about $56 billion worth of goods from Illinois, 93 percent were manufactured products, Denzler said. So manufacturers need trade to be successful.

Guebert said Illinois-made heavy equipment is a major player in the agriculture community.

John Deere in Moline and Caterpillar in Peoria, two worldwide players in the export market, Guebert said. We need to get them up and going as well. Its jobs, jobs, jobs.

Trump also said in his tweet that Canada must wait. But Guebert said there needs to be a deal to the north as well.

Id like to get Canada done sooner than later, especially when it comes to ag products, Guebert said. Those are our two closest trading partners and why shouldnt we be there?

Guebert said the Canadian officials hes talked with are open to importing more Illinois agriculture like dairy, but Trump has blasted the tariffs that Canada imposes on dairy.

Denzler said its important for the U.S. to deal with a number of trade agreements.

Canada is very important, Denzler said. They are our neighbor to the north. Theyre our largest trade partner whereby Mexico is our second largest trade partner.

Gov. Bruce Rauner said tariff wars hurt Illinois farmers and manufacturers. He said hes encouraged and hopes the White House get deals in place as promptly as they can.After drawing criticism for inaction, Twitter followed in the footsteps of its technology industry counterparts late Tuesday and suspended the far-right conspiratorial commentator Alex Jones, the company said.

Twitter said that Jones, whose Infowars shows have been banned by Facebook, Youtube, Spotify, Apple and others in recent weeks, had posted a new show which violated the company's rules prohibiting violent threats.Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott, despite a backlash from his base over gun restrictions he supported, won his party's primary to seek a second term and will face a former utility executive who on Tuesday became the first transgender candidate to win a major political party's nomination for governor.

Scott defeated a challenge from Springfield businessman Keith Stern. He will face Christine Hallquist, who won the Democratic primary to run in November, when she would become the nation's first transgender governor if elected.

Hallquist has said she wants Vermont residents to elect her governor not because of her transgender status but because of her plans to help state residents get higher-paying jobs, provide health care for their families and better educate their children.

Scott, first elected in 2016, was facing a rebellion from his base due to his support for gun restrictions that angered many members of Vermont's avid hunting community.

Hallquist defeated environmental activist James Ehlers; dance festival organizer Brenda Siegel; and 14-year-old Ethan Sonneborn, on the ballot because a quirk in state law doesn't require candidates to be of voting age.

Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders won Vermont's Democratic Senate primary but was expected to turn down the nomination, as he did in his previous campaigns, and support other Democratic candidates.

Other primary results include:

Connecticut: Ned Lamont won the Democratic nomination for governor, defeating Bridgeport mayor and ex-convict Joe Ganim. Late Tuesday it was unclear who Lamont will face in November; votes were still being counted in the Republican primary.

Also in Connecticut, a former National Teacher of the Year won the Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty. If Jahana Hayes wins the general election in November, she will be the first black woman to win a Connecticut congressional seat.

Wisconsin: State schools chief Tony Evers has won the Democratic primary for governor and will face Republican Gov. Scott Walker in November.

Evers emerged from a field of eight candidates in Tuesday's primary.

The 66-year-old Evers has been the state's education chief since 2009.

Also in Wisconsin, a former aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan has won the Wisconsin Republican primary race to replace him. Bryan Steil far outraised his opponents and secured the backing of prominent donors and Republicans, including Ryan. He will face either Randy Bryce or Cathy Myers in November.

Minnesota: State Rep. Ilhan Omar, the nation's first Somali-American legislator, has won a crowded Democratic primary to replace Rep. Keith Ellison in Congress. Her victory all but ensures she'll set another historic mark as the first Somali-American in Congress.

Ellison triggered a scramble for the seat when he filed a last-minute run for state attorney general.

Minnesota state Sen. Karin Housley easily won the state's Republican primary in a race to finish the last two years of Al Franken's Senate term.

Sen. Tina Smith, appointed to replace Franken in January, won Tuesday's Democratic primary for the seat.Voters in South San Antonio Independent School District opposed a tax hike Tuesday evening, setting the district up for a spate of cuts to close a multimillion-dollar budget deficit.

Unofficial vote totals showed 57 percent of South San residents who voted in the tax ratification election opposed raising the local tax rate by 13 cents for every $100 of property value. Around 43 percent of the 1,853 people who cast ballots were in support of the measure.

The TRE would have raised around $6.3 million in revenue for South San, which has been struggling with declining revenue as student enrollment falls. The district, which is set to approve its budget next week  two days after the start of classes  is now faced with finding other ways to close a $6.4 million budget shortfall.

When the final election results were posted, Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra addressed supporters of the TRE who had gathered at a local restaurant, a group that included board President Angelina Osteguin and several other trustees.

We didnt pull it off, Saavedra said after reading out the vote counts. The community has spoken. We have to respect that.

The trustees all declined to comment on the results.

Under the proposed tax increase, the maintenance and operations portion of South Sans tax rate would have risen from $1.04 to $1.17 per $100 of property value, with the overall rate increasing to $1.58 per $100. It would have amounted to an increase of about $5.42 per month on a $75,000 home, according to the district.

Saavedra attributed the failure of the TRE to a segment of strong opposition formed early on that he said spread misinformation about the state of South Sans finances and the districts actions leading up to the election.

He said the election results would likely affect South Sans efforts to hire his successor. Earlier this year, Saavedra announced he would not seek an extension to his contract and would return to teaching at Texas A&M University. A successor is expected to be hired during the upcoming school year

We move forward, Saavedra said. It means there will be a tighter budget and less opportunity for a new superintendent to introduce new programs.

This year, as student enrollment continued to fall, South San eliminated 44 employee positions, including 22 teachers, reducing expenses by about $3 million.

As part of additional budget cuts in light of the TREs failure, Saavedra said he expected the district would have to cut about 30 more positions and set priorities for other reductions.

While a majority of the school board supported calling a TRE, longtime trustee Connie Prado opposed the measure.

Last month, she told the Express-News the timing for a TRE was poor. She also said the districts finances were in good shape. Her husband made contributions to a political action committee formed to oppose the TRE, according to filings with the Texas Ethics Commission.

Saavedra and several trustees donated to a PAC in support of the TRE.

In a written statement after the final results were posted, Prado said the South San community had spoken loud and clear, despite an election that she said had included biased media, huge special interest money and questionable tactics by the school district leadership.

It is time to heal and for the school district leadership to listen to those who make everything possible  our parents and taxpayers. School leadership must stop their arrogance and begin the process of inclusiveness, the statement said.

Despite the anticipated budget cuts, Saavedra said the district would move forward with the opening of specialized academies at its three middle school campuses and a retooled health science program at the high school when classes begin Monday.

Lauren Caruba covers several school districts, charter schools and private universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCarubaA Harris County inmate jailed on a theft charge died after hanging herself in a common area of the jail late Tuesday, marking the facility's second suicide in less than a month.

Debora Ann Lyons - who was being held on $1,500 bail - was found hanging from a bedsheet attached to a door on the fourth floor of the 1200 Baker building at about 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

After jailers found her, she was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital, where she died a day later.

Citing an ongoing investigation, authorities declined to specify whether anyone else was in the area Tuesday evening, would not explain whether she was regularly checked on, and did not clarify whether she was known to have a mental health history.

"It's a tragedy anytime anyone loses their life in this way," said Jay Jenkins, a project attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. "The fact that this is happening is another indication that we need to rethink the wisdom of holding 10,000 people in our jail downtown, particularly those who are still legally innocent."

The 58-year-old had been arrested on July 21 on a felony theft charge, after she allegedly stole clothes and an airbed - items totaling under $2,500, according to court records. She had a long history of theft charges, some of which previously netted state jail time and made her eligible to be treated as a habitual offender, with the potential for higher penalties.

Following her latest arrest, Lyons was initially denied a personal release bond, which could have seen her go free even if she lacked the money to pay bail. She wasn't present for her first court appearance due to "medical" reasons, but online court records indicate she was later approved for a PR bond the day of her death.

Her lawyer did not immediately offer comment.

MORE: Harris County jail inmate in solitary confinement found dead in apparent suicide

The apparent suicide is now under investigation by the Texas Rangers, as well as the sheriff's office internal affairs division and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

For advocates, the latest death raises troubling questions.

"How this could have happened in a common area where there are presumably a lot of other people around, both inmates and staff?" asked Michele Deitch, an attorney and criminal justice consultant who teaches at UT-Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. "How could anyone not have noticed that happening?"

Three weeks before Lyons' death, Navy veteran Eldon Lee Jackson killed himself in solitary confinement in the same jail building.

The 61-year-old was locked up in April, when he tried lighting his house on fire as he slashed his own throat. In violation of a protective order, he repeatedly called his wife, harassing her from the jail, sometimes up to 20 times a day.

But when the judge signed an order banning him from phone use, the jail chose to enforce it by placing him in solitary confinement.

The next day, he killed himself by forming the gauze used to treat his burns into a handmade noose. His death, which is still under investigation by the Texas Rangers, marked the jail's first suicide of 2018.

Last year, the death of a 32-year-old county inmate sparked protests after authorities deemed it a suicide, a claim his family and supporters repeatedly questioned.

Only at HoustonChronicle.com: Calls for training, better cell checks follow Harris County Jail suicides

Vincent Young, a father of nine, was found dead in an infirmary cell in February 2017 when guards making their rounds spotted his body hanging by a bed sheet, the sheriff's office said at the time.

He hadn't been checked on for more than an hour by the time officers found him. The jail fired the deputy who skipped checks.

That death came even as the jail was working to drive down its suicide numbers, which were already below the national average per 10,000 inmates, according to federal data. Since 2009, the jail has seen 15 suicides.The efforts to help save the Battleship Texas, located just yards away from the San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, are hitting the road.

Fundraisers are scheduled for Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas craft breweries in the coming weeks with the proceeds going to fund The Battleship Texas Foundation's ongoing efforts to preserve the ship.

LIVING HISTORY: Spending a night aboard the Battleship Texas, the last of her kind

Bruce Bramlett, executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation, said the current need is get her out of the water, build a dry dock, and develop a plan to put new steel on her to keep around for decades to come. About $70 million has already been invested in keeping her around but more is needed. It would cost another $30 million to scrap her.

On Saturday, Aug. 18, the East Austin brewery Friends and Allies Brewing will host a fundraising bash. Brewery co-founders Devon Ponds and Ben Sabin are both Houston natives and have vivid memories of touring the ship as kids, according to Austin360.

The party moves to San Antonio and the Alamo Beer Company on Sept 22., and the last event is scheduled for Oct. 13 at Revolver Brewing, located in Granbury southwest of Fort Worth and Dallas.

A DATE WITH DESTINY: The Battleship Texas played a big, booming part at D-Day

Last month a Saturday afternoon fundraiser at the Karbach Brewing Company raised $9,000 toward the historic warship's preservation. A petition signature is the only price of admission to the event, with shirts, hats, and other collectibles for sale on site.

In addition to monetary donations over 1,200 petition signatures were collected at Karbach to deliver to Governor Greg Abbott and Texas lawmakers to show them that Texans are invested in preserving the Texas.

DOWN SOUTH: La Porte shares photos from its early days

Bramlett told Chron.com in July that events like this remind Texans of how important the ship is.

The Battleship Texas was the most complex machine of its time when it was commissioned as a naval warship in 1914. It would serve in both world wars and is the last remaining big-gun battleship of its dreadnought class, sidestepping the scrapyard since it was given to the state of Texas in 1948, entering its new life at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site as a museum ship.

Ship supporters can also sign the petition online if they can't make it to brewery party.

Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.comDallas-area police arrested a 28-year-old babysitter on Monday, accusing her of criminally negligent homicide after the overdose death of a 2-month-old baby.

Adonna Townsend was tasked with caring for Emma Nicole Cox-Jenkins, an infant girl, during a weekend back in May, reports KXAS-TV.We are hearing reunification stories from the front lines. Accounts from families, journalists, activists, political leaders and clinicians tell of the enormous distress that refugee children and parents have endured.

A Honduran father reunited with his 3-year-old son after three months said: He just kept looking at me, crying. He wouldnt talk to me. The boy wont let anyone except his father hold him. It has been difficult to gain his trust as it was before. His son felt that he was abandoned.

A mother reunited with her two sons, ages 7 and 11, after a month, said the boys dont leave her side. They keep asking their mother to hold them for fear that immigration officers will take them away again

Versions of these stories will be enacted by countless refugee families who fell under the zero tolerance and family separation policies that ripped children from their parents at the border. As more reports come out, we will truly know the scale of damage wrought by a policy as inexplicable as it was heartless. These families are facing a mental health crisis.

Not only young children will show the ill effects of separation and detention. Children of all ages have suffered in different ways depending on age, health and the conditions of separation and detention. But younger children will not grasp why this happened to them as well as older children. Their young minds cannot comprehend immigration policy and enforcement. Theyll ask, What did I do? or Why did my mommy or daddy leave me?

It is self-centered thinking; its what young children do. All children, younger and older, will show behavioral and emotional reactions: bedwetting, nightmares and night terrors, clinging, mistrust, nervousness, defiance, opposition, depression, somatic complaints, separation anxiety, fears of new people and places  just about every known symptom of post-traumatic stress, depression and disrupted attachments.

Now that the damage is done, we bear the responsibility of fixing the damaged family bonds and the psychological traumas of children and parents. As two experienced mental health researchers and practitioners, we know how these children and parents will appear in our schools and clinics. Fortunately, competent contemporary mental health practices can help repair these broken lives.

The process starts with screening children and parents to identify those most harmed and most in need. Screening helps answer these questions: Who are the ones most troubled? Who are the ones showing the most disturbance? Which ones had a health or mental health problem now exacerbated by separation? Good clinical screening with valid instruments and skilled clinical observations will certainly help us make these distinctions.

Screening should be followed by a full assessment, in which multiple clinicians collect and evaluate more details to make sure nothing is missed. Together, members of this team will recommend the treatment.

These are the next steps that our nation must take to undo the damage that has been done. Theres much that state leaders and Congress can do. States can work with nonprofits that can provide the mental health services that will initiate this healing process. But they must be cautious: The same organizations that imprisoned children and parents cannot screen, assess and provide treatment. Congress can move swiftly to release funds so that they reach every town, every social service agency in our country.

None of this can be done or done well until families are together and children securely in their parents arms. We owe it to them, and we owe it now. We must earn their trust.

Octavio N. Martinez Jr. is a psychiatrist and executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin. Luis H. Zayas is a clinical social worker and dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin.There is no day that goes by that I am not in pain.

They were the harrowing words uttered by Longford man Michael Brennan this week as he told of the around the clock pain he continues to endure while waiting for a hip operation.

The former county councillor agonising tale of woe comes as health service waiting lists threatened to breach the 1m barrier for the first time.

ALSO READ: GPs brand manipulation of waiting lists a disgrace

So frustrated by the crisis which has engulfed health service waiting figures, the latest of which last week revealed almost one million patients were awaiting appointments, the 79-year-old has decided to avoid those delays by travelling to Belfast to avail of the Cross Border Healthcare Directive (CBD).

I wasnt on the waiting list here, said the former local politician, as he shuffled into the Leaders offices this week with the aid of a walking stick.

My local doctor Paddy Breslin, at the beginning he looked for Tullamore but we decided then to get me into Belfast. Im not the only one who has been up there with the same complaint.

Having served as an elected member of Longford County Council for over a decade during the 70s, the one time Independent representative can also lay claim to being a former chairman on the local authority.

In more recent times, the Longford native has endured somewhat of a more sedate lifestyle, hindered by the increasing physical distress he now encounters on an almost constant basis when walking and even lying in bed at night.

I am nearly 80, added the pensioner.

I am suffering two to three years and its worse its getting.

I am grand for a while when I am sitting but when I get up I am hardly able to walk.

In a bid to fast-track his operation, Mr Brennan is now awaiting the green light from medics across the border after having a recent initial consultation under the Cross Border initiative.

Its expected around 30,000 people will take up the directive this year highlighting the growing public angst against hospital waiting list figures.

The scheme, which began in Ireland in 2014, was implemented under legislation prepared by the European Commission, allows patients, who have a referral letter from their GP, to travel to another EU country to access healthcare that they would be entitled to in their own country.

Under the programme, patients pay for treatment themselves upfront and later claim it back from the HSE. Any treatment available in an Irish hospital or funded by the HSE is covered - from hip operations to cataracts and oncology treatment.

Ill have to wait, I know that, said Mr Brennan, in an almost resigned manner.

I will just have to wait for the call. I had to pay nearly 15,000 and I know I will get it back but I still had to go and put it down, its no joke.

As for his thoughts on the present health system this side of the Irish border, the retired public representative gave a candid and overwhelmingly scathing appraisal.

Its the lies that is being told to people is just outrageous. Its not on.

There is no day that goes by that I am not in pain. I can go nowhere without that. The whole thing (health service) is outrageous if you ask me.

Its a mickey mouse outfit, the whole thing. It wouldnt be tolerated in any other country and its the bare faced lies that are being told which really gets me.Longford has been revealed as the least popular county for overseas tourists in a Failte Ireland report.

However, in the wake of the launch of the Ireland's Hidden Heartlands tourism brand and marketing campaign, and with the exciting 233m Center Parcs Longford Forest holiday village set to open in 2019, tourism chiefs nationally and locally, will be hoping that Longford becomes a significantly more popular destination for overseas tourists in the near future.

Also read: Uncovering Longford's hidden gems

The figures show that 24,000 overseas visitors (a decrease of 1,000 on the previous year) came to Longford as part of their trip in 2017, generating 10 million for the local economy.

130,000 homegrown trips were made to counties Longford and Roscommon in the same period, generating estimated revenue of 18 million for the economy of both counties.

The Midlands (Longford, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath) was the least visited region in the country in 2017 with just 218,000 overseas tourists (spending 85 million), down from 226,000 the year before.



There were 422,000 Irish residents trips to the Midlands in 2017 generating 71 million and 15,000 Northern Ireland resident trips generating 4 million.

Dublin still enjoys the largest share of the tourism pot with 5.9 million overseas visited making their way to the capital, spending a whopping 2 billion.

Galway, Cork and Kerry enjoy over one million overseas visitors a year, while counties like Clare also performed very well in the figures which were produced using a Failte Ireland survey of 10,000 overseas travellers and data provided by the Central Statistics Office and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

See the Failte Ireland county-by-county breakdown of domestic and international tourism figures for 2017 for yourself HEREA total of 574 students, 284 female and 290 male, will receive their Leaving Cert results in Longford today (Wednesday).

While most will return to their local schools to receive the results in person, an online facility will also be available from noon.

Nationally, almost 57,150 candidates will receive results this morning and a breakdown of the data shows 7,490 students were awarded at least one H1 - a mark of between 90pc and 100pc - while six will be celebrating eight H1s.

A new grading system with eight, rather than fourteen, score bands came into effect in 2017. Whereas before students were graded using a numbered ABC system, going forward Leaving Cert exams will be graded on a 1-8 scale.

The old familiar grading system  A1, B2, C3  is replaced with grades from H1 to H8 (for higher-level subjects) and from O1 to O8 (for ordinary level subjects).

Also read: The 10 types of people you'll meet on Leaving Cert results day

This year sees the first examination in the Leaving Certificate subject Politics and Society, with 867 candidates in 41 schools receiving their results this morning.

A helpline facility will be operating from August 15 to provide information and advice to students and parents at results time.

The helpline, which will be operated by the National Parents Council, is available on 1800 265 165.

The viewing of scripts will take place in schools on Friday August 31 and Saturday September 1.

To appeal a result, Leaving Certificate candidates should use the Online Appeal Application Service on www.examinations.ie.

This service, which allows candidates access to making and paying for an appeal, will be available from 12 midday on Monday August 20 until 5pm on Monday September 3.

Also read: Exam Helpline to support more than 60,000 Leaving Certificate studentsMusic, Movies & Entertainment, School & Education, Local News, Arts & Culture, Seasonal & Current Events

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 15 2018

While most 13-year-olds are just beginning to learn about WWII in their history classes at school, Matthew McGaughan is living it.

Old Bethpage, NY - August 15, 2018 - Across the United States, museums use living historians to interpret and present a unique chapter in history. However, the Museum of American Armor at Across the United States, museums use living historians to interpret and present a unique chapter in history. However, the Museum of American Armor at Old Bethpage Village Restoration may be the only one depending on a 13-year-old to set the scene of France  1944.

While most 13-year-olds are just beginning to learn about WWII in their history classes at school, Matthew McGaughan is living it. This Saturday, August 18, it will be up to young Matthew to guide the weary G.I.s (including his father Jim) through the backroads of the French countryside on their way to liberate Normandy in his pivotal role as a young but earnest member of the French Resistance. In period civilian clothes sewed by his mom Kim, and using hand gestures and a smattering of French (very smattering), Matthew warns the American soldiers that the Boche are just down the road setting up an ambush.

Civilians embedded in an American armor column travel inside the county preserve wearing helmets and tanker jackets until the patrol comes to a screeching halt as Matthew appears to warn of the hidden danger. Before long, blanks are fired, propane cannons roar and the civilians get a better understanding of what great grandfathers did as 18-year-old boys some 70 plus years ago. While Sherman tanks rumble past and prisoners are interrogated by G.I. reenactors, it is Matthews role upon which the story turns.Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 15 2018

Defendant Admitted to Stealing Over $10,000 from Medicaid.

Queens, NY - August 15, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood today announced the guilty plea of Alex Adderly, also known as Uruhu Adderley, 45 of Manhattan, for defrauding Medicaid by soliciting and bribing Medicaid recipients in order to persuade them to undergo a battery of unnecessary and improperly administered medical tests at a Queens clinic. Adderly pleaded guilty before the Honorable Toko Serita in Queen County Criminal Court to Health Care Fraud in the Fourth Degree, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, and Prohibited Practices for Persons Acting in Concert with a Medical Assistance Provider, all class E felonies.

My office will not allow criminals to use Medicaid as personal bank accounts and disregard the wellbeing of our most vulnerable New Yorkers, said Attorney General Underwood. We will continue to hold fraudsters accountable.

Following complaints, undercover agents observed Adderly recruiting Medicaid recipients outside of a soup kitchen in Manhattan on multiple dates in 2016 and 2017. On each occasion, Adderly approached the undercover agents and offered them cash if they underwent a physical and had active health insurance coverage through Medicaid. On each date, the undercover agents observed Adderly recruit over a dozen other patients in the same manner.

Adderly arranged for each recruited patient to be transported from Manhattan to a purported medical clinic in Queens. Adderly told each recruited patient that in order to receive the promised cash bribe, they must report certain specified ailments to the clinic staff regardless of the truth of those statements. Upon entering the clinic, each patient was given a form with a list of tests they were required to complete before receiving the promised cash bribe. These tests, including alleged cardiologic and neurologic tests, were identical for each patient and bore no relationship to the medical history or needs of each individual patient. Upon completing the tests, Adderly paid each patient in cash. Notably, none of the patients were scheduled for follow-up appointments and none of the undercover agents were contacted regarding the results of their tests.

Adderly caused over $10,000 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to be billed to Medicaid through patients visits to the purported Queens clinic.

Upon sentencing on August 29th, Adderly will serve 1 1/2 to 3 years in state prison.

If you suspect exploitation of Medicaid beneficiaries, call the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at 800-771-7755 or file a complaint online

Throughout the investigation, the Attorney Generals Office worked closely with various city and federal agencies. The Attorney General would like to thank the New York City Human Resources Administration and the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

The investigation was conducted by Investigator David Ryan and Supervising Investigator Michael Cassado with the assistance of Deputy Chief Investigator Kenneth Morgan. Senior Auditor Investigator Kizzy-Ann Waldropt conducted the financial analysis, with the assistance of Regional Chief Auditor Thomasina Smith. Medical Analyst Wynsum Thompson provided expertise on the various medical tests allegedly performed at the clinic.Nature & Weather, Local News, Health & Wellness, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 15 2018

Proposed Repeal of Clean Water Rule Disregards Clean Water Acts Objective, Lacks Factual and Legal Foundation, and Ignores and Contradicts Previous Findings.

New York, NY - August 15, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood, leading a coalition of 12 Attorneys General, today called on the Trump Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to abandon their proposal to dismantle the Clean Water Rule, a fundamental clean water regulation adopted in 2015. In Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood, leading a coalition of 12 Attorneys General, today called on the Trump Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to abandon their proposal to dismantle the Clean Water Rule, a fundamental clean water regulation adopted in 2015. In detailed comments submitted to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Assistant Secretary for the Army for Civil Works R.D. James, the coalition contends that the repeal of the rule  and reestablishment of the dated, problematic regulations that the rule replaced  would be arbitrary and capricious and not in accordance with law. The coalition calls on EPA and ACOE to proceed no further with the repeal.

Todays comments follow a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the New York Attorney General following the Trump administrations suspension of the Clean Water Rule.

New Yorkers health, environment, and economy depend on clean water, Attorney General Underwood said. Yet the Trump EPA continues to turn its back on the science and law, threatening New Yorks decades-long fight to ensure our residents access to safe, healthy water. We will continue to fight back against this reckless rollback of Clean Water Act protections, and the Trump administrations continued assault on our nations core public health and environmental protections.

Joining Attorney General Underwood in the comments are the Attorneys General of California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

The Trump Administration proposed rule seeks to repeal the Clean Water Rule, adopted by the Agencies in 2015 to clarify what types of waters are covered by  and thereby are afforded protection under  the Clean Water Act. The 2015 Rule rests on a massive factual record. It was developed through an extensive multi-year public outreach process that elicited over one million public comments, and was based on over 1,200 peer-reviewed scientific studies demonstrating how waters are connected by networks of tributaries, intermittent streams, and wetlands. In the 2015 Rule, the EPA and ACOE also relied on EPAs Science Advisory Boards independent review of the Rules scientific underpinnings.

In their comments, the coalition provides evidence that the proposed repeal rule fails to consider important issues, lacks factual and legal support, and ignores and directly contradicts the Agencies previous findings and conclusions without a reasoned basis. The coalition also argues that, in proposing to repeal the Clean Water Rule, the EPA and ACOE have failed to assess the impact that repeal would have on the Clean Water Acts objective to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nations waters.

The comments are intended to supplement comments submitted by the Attorneys General of New York, California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia in September 2017 in opposition to the Trump Administrations proposal to repeal the 2015 Rule.Local News, Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: August 15 2018

Reports: Faye Doomchin, 66, stabbed a 60 year-old woman to death in her home after having lunch with her.

Faye Doomchin, 66, had been introduced to a 60 year-old female visitor from England through a mutual acquaintance from Queens while having lunch on Monday, August 13, according to reports . After lunch, officials say, the victim and the male acquaintance went to Doomchins North Road residence to play the piano and enjoy coffee and cake; at approximately 3:50 p.m. , Doomchin allegedly said that she suddenly felt aggressive and, armed with what police described as a large kitchen knife, she proceeded to stab the British woman once in the chest.

Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Department informed the media during a press conference that the attack came out of nowhere and that the motivation for it is currently unknown.

"Sometime while sitting in the living room, they were talking and the woman made statements that she did not like the woman from England and she claimed she needed to rid the house of evil and she appeared from the kitchen with a kitchen knife, walked right over to her and stabbed her in the chest," Fitzpatrick said. There was no premeditation to that. There were no incidents prior to that. Were still looking to find out what may have precipitated this as the investigation continues.

The victim was rushed to a local area hospital where she was pronounced deceased by the medical staff. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim, who was reportedly was in the United States visiting a mutual friend of Doomchin who also resided on Long Island.

This was not Doomchins first instance of violence. According to reports , she was arrested in 1999 for second-degree assault when she used an 8-inch knife to stab a woman in the back twice; the victim survived the attack, and Doomchin and was found not responsible after she pleaded not guilty by reason of mental defect.

Doomchin currently lives in her North Road residence with her husband and 22 year-old adopted daughter. She is currently being held without bail, and a judge has ordered her to undergo a medical examination.Local News, Crime, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 15 2018

Officers stimulated the baby, inducing breathing, and wrapped the infant in a blanket providing warmth.

Roosevelt, NY - August 15, 2018 - The First Precinct reports the details of a Police assisted child birth that occurred on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at 8:15 pm in The First Precinct reports the details of a Police assisted child birth that occurred on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at 8:15 pm in Roosevelt

According to officers, a 911 call was dispatched to First Precinct officers who responded to a Rose Avenue residence for a female in labor. Upon arrival Police Officers, Anthony Montesano and Joseph Russo, observed that the expectant mother had just given birth to a baby girl. Nassau County Police stimulated the baby inducing breathing and wrapped the infant in a blanket providing warmth.

Shortly after, a Nassau County Police Department ambulance and medic arrived, as well as the Roosevelt Fire Department , to aid with further medical attention for both mother and infant.Food City is closing its Brainerd location as of Sept. 4.

The storeis at 4011 Brainerd Road.

Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, said, As one can imagine, this was a very difficult decision for our company to say the least. One that was reached only after great consideration.

For some time, we looked for a replacement store in the vicinity, but were not able to find a suitable replacement. We are offering all of our associates positions at Food City locations in the surrounding area.

As we continue to update and open new stores in the greater Chattanooga market, we will continue to look for locations to serve the community, including the Brainerd area.A 38-year-old Mount Clemens man has been charged for leaving the scene of a vehicle-pedestrian crash that killed a Clinton Township man.

Brandon Ratliff was formally charged Aug. 6 with failure to stop at a scene of an accident resulting in serious impairment or death in 41B District Court in Clinton Township for the incident that killed Joseph Canty, 34. The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Canty was struck by a white or cream-colored 2011 Cadillac Escalade shortly after midnight July 2 in the roadway on southbound Gratiot Avenue 150 feet south of Wellington Crescent, police said.

Clinton Township Police Officer Josh Lundin was searching for the vehicle in the Mount Clemens area because video of the incident showed the vehicle turn around in a business parking lot on Gratriot and head north, according to township police Cpt. Rich Maierle said.

Lundin spotted the Escalade the next day by parking at a Mount Clemens apartment-building parking lot, Maierle said. The vehicles passenger side mirror, which was found at the scene, was missing.

The vehicle was registered to Ratliffs mother, but Detective Steve Rupkus through diligent investigation discovered evidence that determined Ratliff was driving that night, Maierle said.

Canty was staying at a nearby motel.

Ratliffs attorney, Nicholas Somberg, declined to comment.

Ratliff was released on a $20,000 personal bond. He is scheduled to face a probable cause conference next Monday in front of Judge Carrie Fuca in district court.On Monday 13 August, just as Pakistans new parliament were taking oath after the recent elections, fourteen workers died in a coal mine near Quetta. The miners were trapped by a gas explosion inside the mine on Sunday.



The Newspaper Dawn reported that:

Bodies of 10 of the 14 labourers trapped in a coal mine in Quetta's Sanjadi area have been recovered so far following a gas explosion last night  rescue teams told DawnNewsTV on Monday.

In addition to this, five rescue workers who had gone to recover the trapped miners also went missing earlier in the day, two of whom have been found dead, Quetta Commissioner Hashim Ghilzai told DawnNewsTV.

Rescue teams are trying to recover four other coal miners and three rescue workers who are still believed to be trapped in the mine, Ghilzai said. The excavation operation has been underway since yesterday.

Following the blast, the Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority had said that the rescue teams were trying to retrieve the trapped miners, but had remained coy about the chances of their survival.

The miners belong to Shangla, Swat and Dir areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Poor working conditions inside coal mines in Balochistan claim the lives of miners on an almost daily basis in Harnai, Sowrange, Dukki, Mach and other parts of the province, but often go unreported.

Coal mining is considered much more hazardous than hard rock mining due to flat-lying rock strata, generally incompetent rock, leakage or explosion of poisonous gases and coal dust, collapsing of mine stopes or general mechanical errors from improper use and malfunctioning of mining equipment.

According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, between 100 and 200 labourers die on average in coal mine accidents every year.



Just a few months ago in May, twenty-three coal miners died and thirteen were injured in the same area when two mines collapsed. Twenty-one of those who died belonged to the same family of Shangla, near Swat in Pukhtoonkhwa.

In Balochistan, around one hundred thousand coal miners work in four hundred mines in inhuman conditions. Starting work at five in the morning, the working day lasts between sixteen and eighteen hours and the average wage is $10 per week. Workers tend to be between thirteen and thirty years old. They stop work after the age of thirty, not due to retirement or the fact that they have received a pension, but because they contract fatal diseases preventing them from continuing. Indeed, many workers die before even reaching the age of thirty from various illnesses caused by their work, with tuberculosis being the most common. Others die soon after quitting their jobs.

Whilst there are laws for health and safety standards for coal miners, no one pays any attention to them. Workers are never provided with safety gear and not allowed to form unions  there is not a single union for these workers in the whole region. In fact, forming a union has become an unofficial crime in all sectors of Pakistan and any activity in this direction is crushed by the industrialists with the help of the police, judiciary and labour department.

Many mines are operating illegally and are not even registered. Only twelve-thousand miners are registered in the Mines Department in Balochistan while all others are unregistered. These miners are forced to work in precarious conditions to earn their living. It is usually young teenagers who are sent to work in the difficult, narrow parts of the mines because those who are older than twenty often contract lung diseases making them unfit to work there. The miners families have been working here for generations; when a father dies, his son will take his place. High unemployment and falling living standards have meant that these people are forced to continue to sacrifice their lives at the altar of the blood-thirsty mine owners and the government employees bribed to allow it all to continue.

The most common accidents are methane explosions or the collapse of mines. Moreover, since no rescue teams or medical facilities are available to cope with these accidents, fellow miners usually attempt to rescue their colleagues themselves, which only results in more deaths and injuries. These accidents could easily be avoided if technology was properly used and safety standards were followed, but the mine owners choose to use primitive methods because, for them, the life of a coal miner is the cheapest commodity on the market.

There are laws supposedly requiring owners to pay compensation to the families of workers killed whilst working, but this compensation is rarely paid. Owners often blame the workers themselves. They claim that, if workers die, it is their own fault.

These coal miners are not alone. Workers in other sectors in Pakistan face similar conditions and are brutally exploited by the capitalists and the ruling elite. Governments and various departments are merely tools in the hands of these brutal exploiters who spill the blood of workers like water. No political party has condemned this brutality, and no MP in the new Assembly has spoken against this horrible exploitation. In fact, the new government has planned to privatise two hundred more public-sector departments in its first one-hundred days. This will only mean even more attacks on working-class people already living in monstrous conditions.

Long live the working class! Workers of the world, unite!

The only way forward for the working class is to fight against these attacks. Red Workers Front has condemned this brutality and has announced its complete support for the coal miners of Balochistan. They have appealed to other trade unions to come forward against this brutality and organise protests for the rights of coal miners. A protest was held in May in Quetta on the call of the Pakistan Workers Confederation to protest against the killings of coal miners, but it is important to widen these protests and agitate on a much bigger scale. Only the unity of working class can stop this barbarism and rescue the workers from this bloodthirsty capitalism.









Five years after opening a brewery at their serene monastery in the hills of Spencer, the Trappist monks are working on opening a tasting room.

"Yes, we're working on a tasting room. We have a few legal hoops to negotiate first, so be patient," the brewery posted on its Facebook page this morning.

The monks of St. Joseph's Abbey have a long tradition making and selling jams, jellies and preserves stemming back to the 1950s to support the monastery. But in 2014, the monks decided to branch out into a new industry that could provide for the monastery through the 21st Century -- beer.

One of only 12 Trappist breweries in the world and the only one outside of Europe, Spencer Brewery has been successful. The brewery recently announced it has partnered with Mariner Beverages to bring their beers to Maine starting in September.

But currently, if you want to get in to see the operation, you've got to mark your calendar and be patient. The brewery has held once-a-year open house events to allow the public in. The most recent one in June attracted 6,000 visitors in one day, according to the Boston Business Journal.

That could all change now that Spencer Brewery has announced it is exploring opening a tasting room to allow the public to sip its libations at the brewery itself.

"We need to respond to this, find a way to do a tasting room at the monastery, so what we do once a year we could do weekend by weekend on a smaller scale to grow this connection with the brand," Father Isaac Keeley, director of Spencer Brewery told Boston Business Journal. "That's the core of the idea."

The brewery has plans to continue to grow. The brewery has the capacity to produce 10,000 barrels of beer a year. It produced 4,000 barrels in 2016 and 4,500 barrels last year. About 40 percent of the brewery's beer was exported to Europe.

But there is a hurdle the monks must clear to build a tasting room. Although Father Isaac Keeley, director of Spencer Brewery, told Boston Business Journal the monastery likely has the funds to construct the tasting room, the problem is where to put it. The brewery is located well inside the monastery in order to be officially recognized as a Trappist brewery. Accommodating the public there would be problematic.

Keeley told the Journal the monks have explored putting the tasting room down by the gift shop near Route 31, but it is unclear whether having a tasting room that far away from the brewery operation can still fall under the same license.

In 2016, Nashoba Valley Winery faced a legal challenge at its winery and restaurant when after 16 years, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission told the winery that its license that covered selling its wines on the "premises" did not include its restaurant since it was in a different building. The news attracted media attention and the winery got the support of Gov. Charlie Baker, who backed a legislative fix that allowed the winery to continue to both manufacture and sell its wine at the winery.

For the Spencer Brewery, Keeley said the brand is connected to the story of the monks. And getting people closer to that is a key strategy.

"(The taproom) is our understanding of what it will take to grow the brand," he said.

Keeley previously told MassLive that the brewery blends well with life at the monastery.

"It's compatible with monastic life. There is a quiet and contemplative side," said Keeley. "We see this as our industry for this century."SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will allow MGM Springfield to periodically change images on its parking garage sign that faces Interstate 91 traffic, but the panel unanimously rejected a request to allow animations.

At a meeting Tuesday in Boston, the commission voted 5-0 to deny the use of animations, but agreed to reconsider the issue in 90 days, spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said. Commissioners raised concerns about public safety and distracted driving as reasons for rejecting animations, she said.

"MGM is permitted to rotate static images every eight seconds, but is not permitted to include animated images," Driscoll said.

The screen is directly below the MGM Springfield marquee sign atop the seven-story parking garage on East Columbus Avenue. It will promote the casino and its programs along with downtown attractions, MGM officials said. It will not be for third-party commercial advertising.

The sign was lit up last week with the message "We're ready to roar." The $960 million resort casino opens Aug. 24 in the downtown-South End area.

The commission began considering the sign in March. MGM Springfield said at the time that its consultant, VHB of Watertown, evaluated multiple studies of dynamic signs and driver distraction and concluded "there is no statistically significant correlation between on-site outdoor electronic signs and driver safety or crashes."

Roughly 100,000 vehicles travel on Interstate 91 through Springfield daily, officials said.

"I do have real concern here about this (animated video) from a public safety standpoint," Gaming Commission member Gayle Cameron said prior to the vote.

Commission member Eileen O'Brien said to risk driver distraction is "not a prudent choice."

Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer, said he was disappointed by the commission's decision.

"The idea is how do you collect data and see if is safe unless it's up and being tested and tracked," Kennedy said.

Cameron said that everyone is looking for a good opening for the casino and having a couple of crashes in those months would not help.Some 107 people from 21 states were reported to have measles between Jan. 1 and July 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Massachusetts was not among the states.

The release of figures that indicates the number has more than doubled over the last four months comes with the approach of the new school year with state laws varying on vaccination requirements.

Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease that can be serious for young children. The disease is considered eliminated in the U.S. thanks to a vaccine developed in part by Boston researchers decades ago but outbreaks continue here with approximately 118 cases last year.

Infected travelers continue to bring the disease into the country and the majority of people who contract it are said by the CDC to be unvaccinated.

Immunization against the disease is one of the school immunization requirements in Massachusetts.

An airborne disease, the CDC estimates that if one person has measles, 90 percent of the people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected.



Immunization with the combination vaccine MMR recommended by the CDC protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.

States reporting cases of measles to date include Connecticut and New York as well as Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and the District of Columbia.

The median number of measles cases reported per year from 2009 - 2014 in the U.S. was 130, according to the CDC.

During this time span, some 1,264 measles cases were reported.

The majority - some 74 percent - of U.S.-resident case-patients were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. Twenty-two percent or 275 were importations.

From 2001 through 2008, 557 measles cases were reported in the United States, according to the CDC, with the median number of measles cases reported per year 56.

The MMR vaccine is given to children in two doses. The first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose before entering school at 4 through 6 years of age.

The similar MMRV vaccine protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox).

From January 2 to March 30, 34 people from 11 states were reported as having measles, according to the CDC.

In the decade before the live measles vaccine was licensed in 1963, an average of 549,000 measles cases and 495 measles deaths were reported annually in the United States, according to the CDC.

In 2014, the United States experienced a record number of measles cases, with 667 cases from 27 states reported to CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The CDC said this is the greatest number of cases since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000.

The 23 outbreaks in the U.S. that year included an outbreak of 383 cases that primarily occurred among unvaccinated Amish communities in Ohio.

Many of the cases in the U.S. in 2014 were also associated with cases brought in from the Philippines, which experienced a large measles outbreak that year, according to the CDC.

Measles has been a nationally notifiable disease in the United States since 1912.

In the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years of age, according to the CDC, and an estimated 3 to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year.

Also, each year back then, among reported cases, an estimated 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 suffered encephalitis (swelling of the brain) from measles.ALBANY, New York - A 55-year-old Chicopee man was arrested Friday in New York on charges that he traveled across state lines to have sex with a minor, according to the FBI.

The Albany branch of the FBI filed a criminal complaint against Joseph A. Defilippi, charging that he had knowingly agreed to meet with a minor for the purpose of sex.

The minor in this case turned out to be an undercover FBI investigator posing online as a 13-year-old boy named Dylan. The complaint charges that between Feb. 28 and Aug. 10, Defilippi exchanged several emails with Dylan, including several in which he expressed interest in having sex with him.

According to the FBI affidavit, the undercover agent first encountered Defilippi responding to a personal ad that Defilippi had posted on Craigslist. It was titled "older man seeks younger M4M (Western Mass.)"

Defilippe was arrested Friday at a park in Menands, New York, a village just north of Albany, where they had agreed to meet for sex.

At his arraignment Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart in Albany, Defilippi denied the charges. He was ordered held without the right to bail pending further hearings.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.HOLYOKE -- Residents filled the Planning Board's meeting room at City Hall Annex on Tuesday night, voicing concern or support at a public hearing on a zone change proposed for the former John J. Lynch Middle School property.

The Colvest Group, of Springfield, proposes to raze the school and replace it with a retail complex.

In May, the City Council approved Colvest's plan to buy the school property for $250,000. The zone change transforms the parcel from a residential single-family to a highway business designation.

In 2014, Frontier Development, a Florida developer, offered $750,000 for the site. Frontier submitted plans for a 25,000 square-foot retail space. The sale was contingent on the zone change.

The deal fell through two years later and Frontier withdrew its zoning petition, which triggered a new round of request for proposals.

At the time, The Republican reported the City Council had little interest in Frontier's idea for constructing a CVS Pharmacy, as two such pharmacies already existed in Holyoke.

Colvest's project, a retail component and a bank with a drive-thru window, is estimated at $7 million to $8 million.

Planning Board Chairman Christian LaChapelle read emails submitted by residents into the record. Several of the emails opposed Colvest's plan, with respondents citing environmental problems, lack of a coherent, long-term zoning scheme and the impact a "strip mall' will have on residential properties.

The building's historical significance and architectural elements placed high on the list for respondents.

Resident Martha Robinson wrote that the proposed project, located off Interstate 91, will not present Holyoke in a positive light to drivers who exit the highway. She asked the board to consider the negative impact a retail space would have on the neighborhood.

Bill Radner, the owner of American Rug, said he looks daily at Lynch School. He said the school is filled with asbestos and other toxic material. "It sits there like an eyesore," he said.

He said the adjacent properties are zoned for businesses. His business opened in 1956, three years after Lynch School opened.

If the latest proposal falls through, he said the building will be considered "tainted," not attractive to developers. He also spoke about the commercial tax rate, which he considered high.

"We got to get business into Holyoke," Radner said.

Helene Florio, the president of the Holyoke Taxpayers Association, supported Radner's conclusion. However, she agreed to not allowing CVS on the property. "We have to pay the bills," she said about increasing the city's tax base.

City Councilor Michael Sullivan spoke about the dangers of asbestos, which has been found in classrooms and in the basement at Lynch School. He said the city has an "abundance" of historical structures that need attention.

Diane Thurston said she lives in the Lynch School neighborhood. She said a retail space will increase traffic and make the area "unattractive" and "undesirable." She considered Route 5 an entry point for visitors to Holyoke.

She doesn't think the project will attract shoppers, saying drivers would continue down I-91 to the Holyoke Mall.

Michael Moriarty said the zoning issue has devalued and "undermined" the parcel for years. A former School Committee member, he said the parcel's zoning designation should have been a business highway.

He said the city needs additional tax revenue to support operations and programs.

The board continued the public hearing until Aug. 28.CHESTERFIELD - A man who was attempting to rescue his dog in the Westfield River was swept underwater prompting a massive search and rescue effort Tuesday.

The man was eventually found uninjured on the edge of the river far downstream. His dog was also able to paddle out of the river without assistance, police said.

A caller reported the 35-year-old man had jumped into the river at about 1:45 p.m. at the Indian Hollow Campground, on Indian Hollow Road, to rescue his dog, police said.

During the attempt, the man was swept underwater and pulled downstream by the current, police said.

The Chesterfield Police and Fire departments, Huntington Police and Fire departments and Massachusetts State Police conducted a search of the area and they found the man well downstream in Huntington, police said.

The victim was examined out by Hilltown Ambulance staff and was reunited with his family, police said.

Police warned residents that currents in rivers are very strong right now and they should be careful where they swim.

"Use this as a reminder to be very cautious around all rivers and streams as they are all running high and fast after all this rain," police said.Note: updated at 2 p.m. Wednesday to include statement from Mass. EOPSS

SPRINGFIELD -- Breathalyzer results could be tossed out as evidence in thousands of drunken driving prosecutions as part of an agreement between all of the state's district attorneys and the defense lawyers in a long-running case challenging the reliability of the testing devices.

Each of the state's 11 district attorneys have agreed not to use breath test results in drunken driving prosecutions for arrests before Aug. 31, 2017. The only exceptions are cases involving death or serious injury, or anyone facing charges for a fifth offense or higher.

The move is part of an agreement between the DAs and lawyers Thomas Workman of Taunton and Joseph Bernard of Springfield, who are challenging the validity of breath tests as evidence in drunken driving cases.

Questions about the reliability of results from any Draeger 9510 breath test machine, used by more than 400 state and local law enforcement agencies statewide, have already led to a 2017 court order excluding the results in more than 19,000 drunken driving cases between June 1, 2012 and Sept. 14, 2014.

The new agreement expands that window for excluding breath test results by nearly another three years. It was submitted to the judge in the case, Concord District Court Justice Robert Brennan, on Tuesday, and he must still decide to accept it.

Brennan ruled Feb. 17, 2017 that while the Draeger 9510 machines are reliable, the state's protocols for calibrating them were careless. He ruled test results from within that window could still be used, but only on a case-by-case basis when prosecutors could demonstrate the tests were done on a certified machine that had been properly calibrated.

The agreement results from a controversy that arose last year when it was determined the state Office of Alcohol Testing, the agency within the State Crime Lab that oversees breath testing technology, failed to submit to the court some 400 documents detailing problems with calibration of the devices. The head of the lab at that time has since been fired.

"We learned the state withheld evidence," Workman said. "That's a very bad thing to do in court."

Workman said the 2017 order covered 19,000 cases. The DAs agreeing to expand the exclusion window by nearly three years means the number of affected cases will increase to around 36,000.

And if the judge agrees to the defense attorneys' request to extend the window further, the number of cases could expand to well over 40,000, Workman said.

Through the end of 2017, the number of drunken driving cases involving a breath test totaled more than 39,000.

He and Bernard are requesting that Brennan not allow the use of breath tests as evidence until the Office of Alcohol Testing applies for and obtains a national accreditation. They say the office is the only part of the state crime lab that is not accredited.

"To correct the deficiencies that exist, the (Office of Alcohol Testing) must become accredited," Bernard said.

The agreement calls for the office to apply for accreditation by next August.

Brennan has yet to make a decision on the matter, and a hearing is scheduled next week.

The breath test controversy comes on the heels of scandals in the state crime lab involving chemists Anne Dookhan and Sonja Farak, who in unrelated cases were found to have tainted or tampered with thousands of drug samples at their respective labs. Their conduct resulted the dismissal of nearly 29,000 drug cases.

Excluding breath test results does not mean the state has to dismiss the charges in related drunken driving cases. Prosecutors can still introduce other evidence such as results of a failed field sobriety test, or the officer's observations that a driver had trouble standing, had glassy eyes or smelled of alcohol.

Bernard said problems with the testing and with the crime lab are unacceptable.

"Our justice system and public deserve more," he said, adding that defendants in drunken driving cases can go to jail, lose their jobs and lose their right to drive.

"The Office of Alcohol Testing is directly responsible for insuring that breath tests provide accurate and precise results," he said. "To be trusted by the public, the evidence used in the justice system has to be correct. If not, then the trial is not fair."

Workman said that until the office is accredited, questions will hang over all breath test results introduced at trial. Until the problems arose, any test showing a blood-alcohol reading of .08 percent -- the legal definition of intoxication in Massachusetts -- was a legal slam dunk for prosecutors.

"The public and juries wants to believe the machines," he said. "But what do you do when the machine is wrong or has not been calibrated correctly?"

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security on Wednesday issued a statement on the matter. It also sent a letter to each district attorney.

"The integrity and accuracy of breath test instruments in use across the Commonwealth at this time has never been determined to be an issue in this case and we stand behind these instruments' ability to accurately determine the breath alcohol level of drivers charged with operating under the influence, " it said.

"The Office of Alcohol Testing has been working diligently to improve transparency by increasing the availability and accuracy of documents and data in its possession."

Law Enforcement continues to use the breath tests in cases of suspected drunken driving, and the Office of Alcohol Testing continues to certify them. "We maintain full confidence in the integrity and scientific reliability of these instruments as well as the Office of Alcohol Testing's ability to certify them," the statement read.

Update on the Office of Alcohol Testing uploaded by Patrick Johnson on Scribd

A statement by Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello said prosecutors have agreed to allow the court to determine the period of time in which "breath test results are not automatically admissible" in OUI prosecutions.

"This is a mutual effort to resolve the litigation that has delayed the criminal trials of numerous OUI defendants throughout the commonwealth," he said.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni could not be reached for comment.

Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan declined comment. His office referred questions to the Suffolk District Attorney's Office, which is more involved in the case.

Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Vincent DeMore told WBUR in Boston on Tuesday that the proposed agreement requires the Office of Alcohol Testing to become accredited and should resolve concerns about the accuracy of testing equipment.

"I think far from it being a situation that should shake the confidence of the public, it should be an area where we should have greater confidence in the reliability of the instrument," he said.

Massachusetts District Attorneys agreement to suspend use of breathalyzer results in prosecutions uploaded by Patrick Johnson on ScribdLAWRENCE - A suspected gang member accused of firing multiple shots into a city home was arrested Tuesday on drug, firearms and other charges after being at large for five days.

Wilmer Roque, 22, of Methuen, was charged with armed assault with intent to murder, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon for the Lawrence shooting. He also faces drug and firearms charges after troopers allegedly found heroin, cocaine and a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm handgun in his possession during the Tuesday arrest, Massachusetts State Police said.

Rogue is accused of firing multiple bullets into a home on Aug. 8. Children were inside the house but no one was injured. He and a second suspect sped away on motorcycles when officers arrived, police said.

The second man, Jeremy Flores, was arrested the next day by Lawrence and State police, but Roque, who is believed to be a member of the Trinitario gang, remained at large, police said.

Tuesday morning troopers spotted Roque at a service station while he was pumping gas into a moped, which police later determined was stolen. He tried to flee but troopers, with the help from Lawrence Police and federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents, quickly apprehended him, police said.

Police said they found heroin and cocaine in Roque's possession after the arrest. They obtained a search warrant for the moped and found the gun inside.

Roque is also the subject of an Essex Superior Court warrant for trafficking cocaine and Lawrence and State police continue to investigate to see if Roque is connected to multiple other shootings that happened in the city over the weekend, police said.

"This past weekend, Roque was spotted in and around Lawrence riding what looked like the same dirt bike used in the Aug. 8 shooting into the house. Roque was observed operating erratically and at times against traffic, putting the lives of the public in danger, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed. He again fled from Lawrence patrol cruisers when they tried to stop him," police said.SPRINGFIELD - The Fire Department is searching Five Mile Pond for a man who is believed to have jumped in the water and did not resurface.

The Fire Department was called at 6:11 p.m. Tuesday to assist police to search for a person in the water, said Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi.

Police scanners show eight cars are in the area of 1020 Boston Road. Spokesman Ryan Walsh did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Fire Department has launched one boat in the water, he said.

This is a breaking story. Masslive will update as more information is available.SPRINGFIELD -- A 32-year-old city man has been sentenced to 14 years in state prison after pleading guilty in his latest gun case.

Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara last week adopted the agreed-upon recommendation by prosecution and defense and sentenced Darrell Byrd.

Byrd pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm without a license and possession of a large capacity feeding device from a 2016 arrest.

Byrd has 660 days credit on his sentence for days spent in jail awaiting trial.

He had at one point posted $10,000 bail and was released with a GPS monitoring device. His original bail of $50,000 had been reduced by a judge.

But a warrant was issued for his arrest April 9 when a probation officer reported Byrd had cut off his GPS and turned off his cellphone.

He was arrested two days later, but it was too late for the person who posted the $10,000 bail. After a hearing, Hampden Superior Court Judge David Ricciardone ordered the bail forfeited and not returned to the surety.

A new bail amount of $500,000 was set when Byrd, represented by Dale E. Bass, was arrested on the warrant in April.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Schmidt listed some of Byrd's past firearms convictions.

They include a 2009 gun conviction on which he was sentenced to five to seven years in state prison and gun cases in 2005 and 2004.

In the current case, city police stopped Byrd, who they said was driving at a high rate of speed from a shooting on James Street in the Six Corners neighborhood.

Byrd was not charged in relation to the shooting, which left Bobby Owens of Springfield dead.

After pulling Byrd over, police discovered a .40-caliber handgun in Byrd's waistband.SPRINGFIELD -- A prosecutor said Wednesday Jose Alvelo "is certainly no stranger to the court, no stranger to violence."

Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran asked Hampden Superior Court Judge David Ricciardone to sentence the 37-year-old Alvelo to six to nine years in state prison for a brutal attack on his ex-girlfriend Feb. 18, 2017, in Springfield.

A jury last month found Alvelo guilty of strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and assault and battery on a family or household member.

During a sentencing hearing Wednesday, Ricciardone went along with the prosecution's recommendation, which also included three years probation after the prison sentence.

One condition of probation is that Alvelo have no direct or indirect contact with the woman.

As he was led out of the courtroom after sentencing, a handcuffed Alvelo turned toward the woman and called her a derogatory name in Spanish, shocking people sitting in the courtroom. Doran asked to put that comment on the record.

Ricciardone said since probation doesn't begin until after the prison sentence, Alvelo cannot be charged with violating probation.

But, he said, because the woman has an active restraining order against Alvelo forbidding contact, the prosecution could decide to charge him for violation of that restraining order.

"Of all the places a restraining order should be sacrosanct is in the courtroom," Ricciardone said.

The judge said Alvelo has at least three prior convictions for violent crimes, and a host of other convictions.

According to testimony from the woman, Alvelo punched her several times, knocking her to the ground and choking her. He had a knife pointed at her and told her to sit up. When the woman did not sit up he kicked her multiple times, breaking her ribs and collapsing her lung.

"She needed a chest tube in her lung to re-inflate it and breathing therapy," Doran said.

The jury acquitted Alvelo of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to rape, and breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony.

Defense lawyer Edmund St. John IV asked for a sentence totaling five years in a jail, not a state prison.

St. John said one reason Alvelo wanted to go to jail rather than state prison is that, although he was acquitted of assault to rape, he was concerned in state prison he would be treated as a person convicted of assault to rape.SPRINGFIELD - A suspected shoplifter is believed to have jumped into Five Mile Pond to escape police, sparking a two-hour search of the water by the Fire Department Tuesday.

Firefighters launched a boat near 1020 Boston Road and spent about two hours searching the water after police reported a male may have jumped into the pond to elude officers and was not seen again. The person was not found despite the search, said Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi.

Police were initially called to Walmart, 1105 Boston Road, at 5:45 p.m., for complaints of two males cutting open packages with a knife in what was believed to be an attempt to shoplift, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman.

Police arrested one juvenile outside the store and chased the second suspect, who fled, he said.

"The suspect ran towards a marshy area of Five Mile Pond," he said.

Police asked for assistance from the Fire Department. The Massachusetts State Police Airwing also searched overhead with a helicopter and an ambulance was also parked at the scene, he said.

"At no point was this a rescue effort. It was a search effort," Walsh said.

After about two hours the search was called off, Leger said.

The second suspect was identified and police will apply for a criminal complaint against him unless he turns himself in. The name of the male arrested was not released because of his age, Walsh said.A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by controversial anti-gay pastor and Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Lively that protested the language used by the judge in a civil suit that ultimately ended in Lively's favor.

Lively, president of Abiding Truth Ministries of Springfield, appealed the 2017 ruling because he was offended by some of the language used by U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor. Specifically, Lively protested Posner describing his views as "ludicrous," "abhorrent," "pathetic" and examples of "crackpot bigotry."

Ponsor dismissed the lawsuit against Lively, filed in 2012, by the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of the Ugandan group "Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). The suit charged Lively with crimes against humanity for his anti-gay preaching in Uganda that resulted in the persecution of gay people, and in some cases imprisonment, injury and death.

Posner dismissed the case in part because the suit lacked jurisdiction to proceed in the United States. And then he unloaded on Lively, peppering his decision with descriptions of his views that he found to be offensive, abhorrent and pathetic.

The ruling, issued Friday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit justices Jeffrey R. Howard, Bruce M. Selya, and David S. Barron, essentially says taking offense at a judge's language, descriptions and personal opinions is not a sound basis for an appeal -- especially if the ruling is ultimately in the plaintiff's favor.

"In his most loudly bruited claim of error, Lively beseeches us to purge certain unflattering statements from the court's dispositive opinion," the ruling notes.

But none of the offending statements "have any bearing on the analytical foundations" of Posner's ruling or impact the final outcome, the ruling notes.

"Generally speaking, only a party aggrieved by a final order or judgement may avail himself of the statutory right to appeal," the ruling notes. "As a practical matter, this means that we typically review appeals by parties who lost in the lower court."

Court of Appeals ruling in the case of Scott Lively vs SMUG by Patrick Johnson on ScribdBOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a law to improve the way doctors diagnose and care for Alzheimer's patients.

According to advocates for the bill, less than half of patients who have Alzheimer's are properly diagnosed today, and of those, fewer than half are properly informed of their diagnosis.

Sen. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover, one of the sponsors of the bill, said her mother suffered with Alzheimer's at the end of her life.

"Navigating her diagnosis and care taught me just how difficult it can be even for the most informed families," L'Italien said.

The bill would require all doctors, physician's assistants and nurses who serve adults to complete a one-time training on the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with Alzheimer's as part of their continuing medical education. Protective service caseworkers who work with elders would also be trained on how to recognize Alzheimer's.

Hospitals would be required to develop a plan for recognizing and treating patients with Alzheimer's.

Doctors would be required to tell a patient's family about a diagnosis and give the family information about understanding the diagnosis, creating care plans, and accessing medical and non-medical treatment. This would be done within the framework of medical privacy laws.

Daniel Zotos, director of public policy and advocacy for the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter, said in a statement that Alzheimer's is "the single largest unaddressed public health threat in the 21st century," and the new law will make Massachusetts a national leader in care.

More than 130,000 people in Massachusetts have dementia, according to state officials.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said in a statement that the bill "brings the diseases of Alzheimer's and dementia to the forefront and will promote early detection and diagnosis, reduce risk, prevent avoidable hospitalizations, support caregivers and mitigate health disparities."

Baker signed the bill last Thursday and held a ceremonial bill signing on Wednesday.

"Raising awareness about Alzheimer's and dementia is key to supporting the Massachusetts families who are impacted by this horrible disease," Baker said in a statement. "This legislation will enhance efforts to train front line caregivers on recognizing and treating dementia more effectively, and work with families of loved ones to prepare and manage the effects of Alzheimer's."WELLESLEY -- Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain headlined a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Geoff Diehl on Tuesday evening, delivering a fiery speech supporting President Donald Trump and denouncing the Democratic Party.

Cain said Democrats, who he equated with socialists, "want to destroy our country." He accused liberals of "Trump derangement syndrome," which he referred to as "a mental disorder."

"We are in the fight of our life for this nation," Cain said.

Cain called Diehl a friend who is "results-oriented."

Diehl is facing Beth Lindstrom and John Kingston in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. The winner will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Cain was an unlikely - and unsuccessful - candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. He was the CEO of Godfather's Pizza for a decade and spent time as chairman of a branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

His claim to fame as a presidential candidate was his 9-9-9 tax plan, which would replace the current tax system with a simpler 9 percent income tax, sales tax and corporate tax.

In December 2011, Cain suspended his presidential campaign amid allegations that he sexually harassed multiple women when he chaired the National Restaurant Association. According to news reports, two accusers received settlements from the association. Cain denied the allegations.

Cain referred to the allegations obliquely in his speech when he called politics "a blood sport." Cain said when he topped the polls, "They paid people to lie."

Diehl said in an interview that those accusations were only allegations, which were never proven. "I believe in due process," Diehl said. "That was a period of time ago, certainly if things had been proven out, we'd have a different situation."

Diehl, who was President Donald Trump's Massachusetts campaign chairman, has brought several national Republican figures to Massachusetts to campaign for him. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Maine Gov. Paul LePage both headlined fundraisers for Diehl.

Diehl said Cain knows what it is like to run nationally, and he and Cain are both businessmen who support Trump and believe in policies that will grow jobs and support veterans.

Diehl said the national figures "all looked at this race and said this is a race that is not only important but also winnable."

Cain said the race against Warren will be an "uphill battle," but he said, "I love uphill battles."

Much of Cain's speech focused on the national landscape, praising Trump as the "most pro-black president we've had," and emphasizing the growth in the national economy under Trump. Mirroring language often used by the president, Cain criticized the media as the "megaphone" of the resistance to Trump.

Both he and Diehl criticized comments that Warren recently made calling the justice system "racist." Diehl called Warren's statement "an indictment on the individuals who make up that system."

Cain also criticized Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, a liberal Democrat, for saying he will not drink Sam Adams beer after the founder of Sam Adams met with Trump and praised the federal tax overhaul. "I'm going to drink two beers instead of one," Cain quipped.

The fundraiser was hosted by conservative radio show host Howie Carr and his wife Kathy Carr at their home in Wellesley.

Howie Carr introduced Diehl and Cain by referring to Warren using Indian war whoops, an allusion to controversy over whether Warren falsely claimed Native American ancestry to get ahead.Speaking over each other while proclaiming their respective progressive bona fides, Massachusetts elections chief Bill Galvin and challenger Josh Zakim scrapped in the first of two major debates.

"Every major progressive change that has occurred in Massachusetts election laws has come about because of me," said Galvin, who was first elected to the job of secretary of state in 1994.

Appearing with Zakim on WGBH's "Greater Boston" show, Galvin noted that an automatic voter registration bill was signed into law by the governor earlier this month. "That would not have happened without my advocacy," Galvin said.

Zakim, a Boston city councilor, is facing Galvin in the Sept. 4 Democratic Party primary. The winner will face GOP candidate Anthony Amore.

"For Bill to say he has been a proponent of every progressive electoral reform is absolutely false," Zakim fired back. "He led the charge in the state Legislature against mail-in voter registration claiming it would lead to fraud and illegal voting."

Galvin said before there was a central voter registry, which he later built when he was elected secretary of state, a mail-in system couldn't exist.

With "Greater Boston" host Jim Braude moderating, Galvin and Zakim also battled over the issue of same-day voter registration. Zakim called Galvin a "recent convert" to the policy, while Galvin said he has long backed putting same-day registration into state laws.

"I have never seen you at a hearing, ever, for same-day or for anything else," Galvin told Zakim.

"Well, I haven't seen you at our City Council discussions on the same topic," Zakim broke in.

"Because the City Council has nothing to do with making law," Galvin said. "I know it's a fantasy down there that you do but you don't."

Zakim said Galvin had just insulted everyone on the Boston City Council and city councils across the state.

"Well, it's the facts," Galvin said.

Galvin then criticized Zakim for not voting in the Democratic primaries in 2004 and 2006. "You're attacking me, saying I'm responsible for lower turnout in primaries and you don't vote."

Zakim acknowledged that he was in college in Philadelphia in 2004 and did not vote in Pennsylvania. "I didn't think you did," Galvin told him.

Zakim sought to highlight Galvin's ties to an information technology consultant, M. Jay Herod, who was arrested in April for a role in a "pump and dump" penny stock scam. Herod worked for Galvin for nine years, according to the State House News Service.

Galvin said Herod was the employee of a "contractor" in the registry of deeds division. According to the News Service, Herod was fired after his arrest but Galvin did not admit that Herod was a state employee until this week.

"This was happening, literally, under your nose," Zakim noted.

The job of secretary of state also includes oversight of the Massachusetts state archives and securities.

At another point during the debate, Galvin slapped the table repeatedly and called for Zakim to reject outside money from third-party "special interests" in the race.

"I think it's a distraction from the behavior that Bill has done over the years of using hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds on campaign-style TV ads," Zakim said.

"One thing has nothing to do with the other," Galvin said during their exchange. "This is about special interests, corporate money--"

"Bill, you're using this as a distraction from your use of taxpayer money--" Zakim said.

"No, I'm not. The distraction is what you're trying to do, this is a simple question," Galvin said, slapping the table. "Just say yes and we won't have any corporate money here in Massachusetts."

Galvin slapped the table again. "Say yes."

"Well, Bill, I said, if you were willing to return the taxpayer money you used to fund your campaign," Zakim started.

"No, no, no. Say yes and we won't have any corporate money in Massachusetts," Galvin said, slapping the table a third time.

"If you don't say yes, then you're saying we are going to have corporate money," Galvin added, slapping the table a fourth time.

Their next face-off is set for Aug. 24 at the UMass Club. The debate is sponsored by WBUR, the Boston Globe and UMass Boston.

Amore, the Gardner museum security director running as a Republican for secretary of state, issued a statement after WGBH's debate concluded.

"When it comes to securing our elections, Secretary Galvin's answers are stuck in the last century and show his complacency, and Mr. Zakim's suggestions expose his inexperience," Amore said in the statement.

"As a security professional, I understand what it takes to safeguard our elections from hacking and interference in what I see as the next great threat to our democracy," Amore added. "I am also the only candidate in this race who has and will stand up for the rights of citizens and oppose proposals to allow noncitizen voting."

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.SPRINGFIELD-- Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Wednesday lauded the announcement that firefighters from the Department of Conservation and Recreation and local communities will head to Montana to help combat wildfires raging in the northwest United States.

Polito, in an interview at Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi's annual picnic, said she felt it was Massachusetts' duty to step up and help other states during their times of need.

"That's what you do for your neighbors in the country," she said. "They helped us when we were suffering from storms and coastal damage and other states also helped us during those calls of emergency. We just have to do our part."

DCR officials announced Wednesday that Massachusetts would send a crew of 20 firefighters to Montana to "provide their expertise and assistance with the combating of fires recently ignited within the region."

The crew will include a dozen DCR firefighters and four municipal firefighters, officials said. They will join crews from White Mountain National Forest, the National Park Service and the Mid-Atlantic states at a mobilization center in Manchester, New Hampshire before departing for Montana.

The crew will initially be stationed at the Northern Rockies Coordination Center in Great Falls, Montana for assignment to one of nearly two dozen fires burning in the region. It will engage in direct fire suppression efforts, according to state officials.

DCR Commissioner Leo Roy said the state is "incredibly proud" of the state and local firefighters who are heading out west.

"These are extremely well-trained and dedicated firefighters whose skills are much needed and whose help is enormously appreciated," he said in a statement.

Gov. Charlie Baker added that "Massachusetts has a long, proud history of national and international cooperation in battling wildfires."

"On behalf of the entire commonwealth, our thoughts and prayers are with those who are impacted by these fires and for the safe travel and return of our firefighters," he said in a statement.

DCR noted that its Bureau of Forest Fire Control has been sending crews to help fight fires across the country since 1985. It sent a crew in July to assist with lightning-caused fires in Quebec, Canada.

Firefighters heading to Montana include: Keith Robbins, of Westhampton; Greg Whittier, of Deerfield; Jeffery Bleanger, of Greenfield; and James Hyatt, of Windsor, among others.TURNERS FALLS -- For the second night in a row, four Democratic contenders in the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester Senate District fielded questions before prospective voters in Franklin County.

And once again, the candidates agreed on nearly every issue, but revealed differences in style and substance.

Tuesday's forum at the Shea Theater was sponsored by a coalition of non-profit organizations, and questions focused on poverty and hunger. The candidates said progressive taxation and new sources of revenue are needed to strengthen the social safety net and pay for other programs.

"Massachusetts does not have a spending problem, it has a revenue problem," said Jo Comerford, former director of the National Priorities Project.

Running are Comerford, Central Hamsphire Veterans Agent Steven Connor, Northampton City Council president Ryan O'Donnell, and Chelsea Kline, a women's rights activist and administrator at Bay Path University. Kline's is the only name that will appear on the ballot, and the rest are waging write-in campaigns. Whoever wins the Sept. 4 primary will likely head to Beacon Hill, because there is no Republican in the race.

Each said they would push for stronger programs, food security, living wage legislation, affordable housing, public transportation, sustainable agriculture, tax reform, and racial justice.

"I am optimistic and determined," said Kline. "We must keep people from falling through the cracks."



Each agreed they would "keep children out of the school lunch debt issue," and said that students should be fed in school with no "shaming," even if their parents fall behind in lunch payments. Stories were told of poor children being given "cheese sandwiches" while their peers enjoyed a hot lunch.

"That's the kind of stigma that sticks with children," said O'Donnell. "Massachusetts is not a poor state, but we've made poor choices. We're happy to give corporations tax breaks, but we find it difficult to feed our children."

The candidates were asked what should be done to fight homelessness.

Connor said when he was hired in 2004 as veterans' agent for 11 Hampshire County communities, former Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins asked him to address the issue of homeless veterans.

"I have been in housing court every week, helping veterans and their family members who are facing eviction," said Connor. "I believe in a 'housing first' model. First, you have to get people safe and secure. You can't expect people to function well if they are living outside."

Support was expressed for the Healthy Incentives Program, or HIP, that lets food stamp recipients buy fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.

"With HIP, everyone wins, and every boat is lifted," said Comerford. She said the program benefits low-income families, sends kids to school with full bellies, and helps farmers earn extra money.

Kline said issues of poverty, hunger, and homelessness involve intersecting issues, including transportation, good jobs, and educational access. She said new sources of revenue are needed, and suggested looking at a tax on sugary drinks.

O'Donnell spoke up for better transparency on Beacon Hill, and said there is too much money in politics. He chastised the state Legislature for failing to act on a number of issues before the two-year legislative session ended. "It's toward the end of the session when special interests and lobbyists can go in and sabotage the process," he said.



Comerford said that economic development involves "two sides of a coin." On one side are workers, who benefit from training, housing, food, and health care. On the other are employees, who need a trained workforce, physical infrastructure, and other incentives to locate in Western Massachusetts.

A question on racial justice drew impassioned responses. Kline, who has championed the topic, said she is "horrified that people are locked up simply for being black or brown." She spoke for "actively unmasking the toxic thread of racism that flow through everything we do."

Connor said he knows a black man who spent the night in jail after being pulled over for an expired registration sticker, whereas when he was pulled over for the same problem, he was simply allowed to fix the problem. He later said that when shopping at local food co-ops, he's been dismayed at "how white" everyone is.

The event was enlivened by three rounds of a "game show" where candidates spun a wheel to select a topic on which they could speak extemporaneously.

O'Donnell won the topic of "Charlie Baker." He quipped that even though the popular Republican governor is tall, that that he would not vote for him. "It took a lawsuit to force Charlie Baker to enforce the Global Warming Solutions Act," said O'Donnell.

Connor's spin landed on "Theme Song." He said when he returned from military service as a young man, that he was angry, and identified with "Working for the Clampdown" by The Clash. "I don't want to work for the clampdown. I want to work for you," said Connor.

Comerford drew the topic "favorite summer meal." She spoke of a basil and mozzarella pasta dish prepared by her wife Anne, a public school teacher, and said their two children love the dish as well. "I was reminded of the privilege I have, with a loving spouse who helps care for our family," she said.

Kline's spin yielded "First Choice Committee Assignment." She said that she would like to serve on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, "because budgets are moral documents." She said she would also choose the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities.

The event was sponsored by The Food Bank of Western Mass, Franklin County Resource Network Public Policy Task Force, and League of Women Voters of Franklin County.by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 14, 2018

SEMrush on Tuesday announced a partnership with Yext that enabled the company to build a new directory tool for marketers.

The integration creates a Listing Management Tool, part of the SEMrush marketing suite. It lets SEMrush clients leverage the engine within the Yext Knowledge Network to control business brand data on popular digital services like Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor, Facebook and Alexa.

It enables business owners to go into the Listing Management Tool and change or alter the name, address, phone number and other data within the database file.

The addition expands SEMrushs marketing suite filled with tools for a variety of marketing tactics such as search engine optimization and social media marketing. All of the tools are geared to reduce the amount of time marketers spend on administrative work.

In July, Yext announced the integration of local business listings directly into Amazon Alexa. Consumers using Alexa to search with their voice will receive the most up-to-date information on businesses such as location, contact information, hours of operation, and more. Some 30% of all searches will be done without a screen by 2020, according to Gartner.

advertisement advertisement

Not only has Yext attracted partners throughout the years, but it also attracted capital of about $117 million from firms such as Sutter Hill Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, and WGI Investments before going public. Its market capitalization is said to be more than $1.1 billion.

The company also has attracted top talent throughout the years such as Duane Forrester, vice president of Insights at Yext, and former vice president at consulting agency Bruce Clay, and head of the webmaster program at Microsoft Bing.by Ray Schultz , August 14, 2018

Email delivery has improved worldwide. But one in six commercial emails is still failing to reach its target, according to the 2018 Deliverability Benchmark Report, a global study from Return Path.

Some 85% of email now reaches the inbox, versus 80% in 2017 and 79% in 2016. The improvement is largely due to gains in North America and Europe, Return Path reports. But the U.S. is below average.

U.S. marketers achieved only an 83% inbox placement rate in this study. But that is an increase of 6% over the prior year. Canadian marketers had an 89% rate, down from 90% in 2017.

Were thrilled to see inbox placement rates on the rise, but marketers need to realize that even 15 percent of email missing the inbox is too much, states said Tom Sather, senior director of research at Return Path.

He adds, with every email that fails to reach its intended recipient, brands lose the opportunity to connect with customers and ultimately make a sale.

advertisement advertisement

European marketers saw a 3% hike in inbox placement  to 86%. The overall rate saw an increase from high rates in Belgium (91%), Greece (93%), Ireland (92%), Norway (93%) and Portugal (93%).

Inbox placement in Mexico hit 88%, but the overall rate for Latin America was 77%.

Most countries in the Asia-Pacific region exceeded the global average, including Australia (89%), Hong Kong (88%), Japan (89%), New Zealand (90%) and Singapore (90%).

China, however, had a below-average rate57%. And that lowered the regional rate to 78%.

Sectors with strong account-based consumer relations did best. These included banking & finance (96%), distribution & manufacturing (96%), and travel (94%).by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 15, 2018

The Trump administration plans to ask an appellate court to reject Facebook's challenge to a federal law that limits companies' ability to send robo-texts to consumers.

The Department of Justice announced its plans this week in papers filed with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is currently considering whether to revive Montana resident Noah Duguid's lawsuit against Facebook. Duguid alleged in a 2014 complaint that Facebook repeatedly sent him unwanted text messages. Duguid, who apparently had been assigned a recycled phone number by his carrier, said that Facebook repeatedly sent him messages stating that his account had been accessed -- although he never had an account with the social networking service.

He argues that Facebook's messages violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits companies from using autodialers to send texts to consumers without their consent.

advertisement advertisement

U.S. District Court Judge Jon Tigar in the Northern District of California dismissed Duguid's complaint, ruling that his allegations, even if true, would not support the conclusion that Facebook used an automated dialer to send the messages.

Duguid recently asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive the case. Facebook is opposing that request. The company makes several arguments, including that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act unconstitutionally restricts the company's free speech rights.

Specifically, the social networking service contends that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act violates the First Amendment because the law exempts robo-texts aimed at collecting debts owed to the government. The company argues that, with the exemption, the law effectively regulates speech based on its content -- in this case, whether the subject matter involves a debt to the government.

"Under the statute, a private debt collector is barred from making an unconsented autodialed call to a cell phone to discuss a student loan owed to a private bank," Facebook writes in papers filed last week. "But he is permitted to make an identical call if he changes the topic of the conversation and instead discusses collection of a government-backed student loan."

The Trump administration says in its new papers that it will defend the law's constitutionality. The government is seeking an Oct. 9 deadline to file its arguments.by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, August 15, 2018

The beer business continues to go to pot, in more ways than one.

As overall beer sales continue to decline in the United States, major beer companies efforts to hedge their bets by investing in the future of cannabis-infused beverages and other products are picking up steam.

This morning, Corona parent company Constellation Brands  which last October invested $200 million to acquire a 10% stake in Ontario, Canada-based Canopy Growth Corp., the worlds largest publicly traded cannabis company  is investing another $3.9 million in Canopy.

That investment  one of the largest to date by a corporation  will raise Constellations share in Canopy to 38%, and secure four of Canopys seven board seats for Constellation.

Constellations Corona and Modelo are actually among the rare brands bucking the downward trend in U.S. beer sales. But Constellation, along with two other brewers, is among those looking to get in early and establish a competitive advantage in the legal marijuana market.

advertisement advertisement

Euromonitor International estimates that pot sales will reach $10.2 billion in the United States and $7.5 billion in Canada this year, reports The Wall Street Journal.

This morning, during a call with analysts, Constellation CEO Rob Sands described cannabis-infused beverages and food as potentially one of the most significant global growth opportunities of this decade.

"Over the past year, we've come to better understand the cannabis market, the tremendous growth opportunity it presents, and Canopy's market-leading capabilities in this space," Sands elaborated in a statement. "We look forward to supporting Canopy as they extend their recognized global leadership position in the medical and recreational cannabis space."

Canopy, which currently markets medical marijuana, will begin selling recreational pot in Canada in October, when the country legalizes such use. It will work with Constellation to offer pot-infused, non-alcoholic beverages and a full suite of other infused products, Sands reported. Canada is expected to legalize consumable marijuana-infused products next year.

Canopy is also focused on international opportunities. Some 30 other countries are now mulling the legalization of medical marijuana, according to the Journal. During the analysts call, Canopy CEO Bruce Linton said the company has targeted $1 billion worth of companies worldwide for acquisition, and is already on its ninth such acquisition.

Of course, U.S. opportunities are also expanding rapidly. Nine states and Washington, D.C. have legalized marijuana for recreational use for those over 21, and medical marijuana is legal in another 30 states.

Constellations expanded partnership with Canopy gives it the right to make additional investment over the next three years to up its stake to 50%.

Rival brewers Molson Coors and Heinken, which are among those feeling significant pressure from declining U.S. sales of their core beer products, have also recently taken the leap into cannabis ventures.

Molson Coors announced last August that it was forming a joint venture with another Canadian cannabis company, The Hydropthecary Corp.also to develop non-alcoholic, pot-infused beverages for sale in Canada.

Heineken just last month launched a cannabis-infused sparkling water in California, under its Lagunitas brand.

Actually, its possible that marijuana legalization could further dampen domestic beer sales, already suffering from younger generations preference for wine and spirits.

As the Journal points out, the evidence thus far is contradictory: a study by the Bernstein research firm showed an under-1% increase in beer sales in the four U.S. states where pot has been legal for more than three years, while a Cowen survey found 30% of North American pot consumers saying that theyve significantly reduced their alcohol consumption.

But the brewers apparently are betting that the payoffs from sales of legal pot and cannabis-infused beverages and food will, in the coming years, more than make up for any losses from a possible acceleration of beers downward trend.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 15, 2018

In a 6-2 ruling issued late last week, Mississippi's Supreme Court rejected Google's request to immediately appeal a trial judge's decision allowing the lawsuit to proceed. The ruling means that Google must face claims that it violated a Mississippi consumer protection law by allegedly collecting data from students who used the company's education apps.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by Hood in January 2017, when he accused Google of violating its privacy promises by allegedly gathering students' data. The complaint alleges that Google "tracks, records, uses, and saves the online activity of Mississippi's children, all for the purpose of processing student data to build a profile, which in turn aids its advertising business."

advertisement advertisement

Hood argues that Google runs afoul of the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act by "failing to disclose its secret acts of data mining."

His complaint asserts that Google unfairly secured contracts with Mississippi's public schools, and wrongly gained an advantage over competitors who "offered similar services without data mining."

He also alleges that Google is violating a promise the company made in January 2015, when it signed the student privacy pledge. That pledge, developed by the industry-funded think tank Future of Privacy Forum, prohibits "school service providers" from collecting data from students except for authorized educational purposes, or as permitted by parents and students; the pledge also requires companies to destroy students' personal data after it's no longer needed for authorized purposes.

Google contended that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the company is not located in Lowndes County and doesn't have its principal place of business in that county. The company argued that the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act mandates that any lawsuits must be brought in the county where a defendant either "resides" or has a principal place of business.

A trial judge rejected that request. Google then asked Mississippi's Supreme Court to grant the company permission to appeal the ruling, and to stay the case pending appeal. A three-judge appellate panel denied that request, following which Google asked the entire court to reconsider.

"Mississippi law expressly requires the Attorney General to bring cases seeking injunctive relief under the MCPA where the defendant resides or has its principal place of business, and does not permit the Attorney General to force any corporation (foreign or domestic) to litigate such a case in any other venue," Google argued to the Mississippi Supreme Court. "Statutes mean what they say."

Hood's office countered that Google's interpretation would effectively immunize the company from enforcement actions in the state.

"Such a result would mean the Mississippi Legislature created a right without a remedy," Hood's office argued in its written brief.

The Mississippi Supreme Court did not give a reason for its decision, writing only that Google's motion "is not well-taken and should be denied."An intriguing deep dive into elephant genetics helps explain why they are less susceptible to cancer than humans. The answer comes in the form of a reanimated zombie gene.

Share on Pinterest Elephants may hold clues to cancer prevention.

Around 17 percent of people die from cancer, but the disease is not a problem restricted to humans; it affects a wide range of species.

From cats and dogs to fish and Tasmanian devils  even duck-billed dinosaurs seem to have been afflicted.

Interestingly, under 5 percent of elephants in captivity die from cancer. This is surprising because they live for an average of 70 years and have roughly 100 times as many cells.

Living a long life and having more cells can make cancer more likely to appear. This is due to the fact that each time a cell divides, its DNA is copied, which increases the possibility of errors. As these errors mount up over a long life, cancer is more likely to develop.

The more cells you have, the more opportunities that cancer has. For instance, taller people have a slightly higher cancer risk than shorter people, and the overall number of cells in their body may be part of the reason why.

So, within a species, the number of cells correlates with a greater cancer risk, but between species, this correlation does not appear. This is referred to as Petos paradox, named after the cancer epidemiologist Richard Peto who first described this conundrum in the 1970s.

Understanding just what makes larger species more resilient to cancer is both interesting and important; if we can understand how elephant cells outfox tumors, perhaps we can use that knowledge to help reduce humanitys odds of cancer.Cannabis use is a topic of fervent debate among researchers. As the drug is being legalized in an increasing number of countries, and as its medicinal properties have come into sharp focus, the experts ask to what extent it and its medicinal derivatives are helpful, and to what extent harmful. Share on Pinterest A new study warns that long-term cannabis use may harm the brain. Some use cannabis for recreational purposes, whereas others use cannabis-based drugs or essential oils to relieve chronic pain or treat epilepsy. Recently, scientists at two academic institutions  Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal and the University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom  have conducted a study into long-term use of cannabis and its potential dangers. The scientists findings  published in the Journal of Neurochemistry  indicate that there is one important danger: regular cannabis use could impair a persons memory. Going forward, as cannabis compounds are increasingly legalized and marketed for therapeutic use, we should consider what the downsides of cannabis use may be and how to address them, says study author Ana Sebastiao.

Pitting potential harms against benefits In the new study, Sebastiao and colleagues focused on one cannabinoid-like compound called WIN 55,212-2 and observed its effects on the brain. The researchers worked with a mouse model and found that, after long-term exposure to this drug, the rodents displayed significant memory impairments. They were actually unable to distinguish between an object that they should have been familiar with and an object newly introduced to them. By using brain imaging techniques, the researchers also saw that this drug affects brain regions that are involved in processes of learning, storing, and accessing memories. Chronic exposure to this substance, explain Sebastiao and team, further affects the brain, impairing the communication between brain regions that drive learning and memory. Importantly, notes Sebastiao, our work clearly shows that prolonged cannabinoid intake, when not used for medical reasons, does have a negative impact in brain function and memory. It is important to understand that the same medicine may re-establish an equilibrium under certain diseased conditions, such as in epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, but could cause marked imbalances in healthy individuals. Ana Sebastiao As for all medicines, cannabinoid-based therapies have not only beneficial disease-related actions, but also negative side effects, she adds.The urea cycle is the main way that the human body disposes of nitrogen waste. New research suggests that disruptions in this process may be an early sign of cancer. Share on Pinterest Blood measurements of urea and the presence of pyrimidine in urine may soon help diagnose cancer. A new study, now published in the journal Cell, suggests that the way in which the human body processes nitrogen may be key to finding new ways of detecting and destroying cancer. Nitrogen is a gas that is vital for all organisms. Both plants and animals need it in order to make proteins. When our body processes nitrogen, it generates a substance called urea as waste; the body later eliminates this substance through urine. This metabolizing process is called the urea cycle, and it takes place in the liver. New research suggests that dysregulations in the urea cycle could be a marker of cancer. The new study was led by Dr. Ayelet Erez, from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.

Studying urea dysregulations and tumors Dr. Erez and colleagues altered the genetic expression of urea cycle enzymes in the colon cancer tumors of rodents and compared their urea levels with those of control mice. The mice whose urea cycle had been interfered with had lower blood levels of urea and higher levels of a substance called pyrimidine in their urine. The scientists also examined the medical records of 100 children who had been diagnosed with cancer at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. We found that on the day of their admission to the hospital, explains the lead researcher, children with cancer had significantly decreased urea levels in their blood, compared with documented levels of urea in healthy children of the same age. Finally, the researchers also analyzed large genomic sets in search of DNA mutations that could indicate disruptions in the urea cycle. They found mutations in DNA, RNA, and proteins, which indicates an excess of pyrimidine. This is produced through the synthesis of nitrogen and can, in turn, promote the growth of cancer cells. Overall, the findings suggest that dysfunctions in the urea cycle may be a good indicator of cancer. Standard laboratory tests check for high levels of urea in blood, but we are now showing that low levels can also signal a problem, says Dr. Erez. Cancerous cells dont waste anything, they make use of as much nitrogen as possible instead of disposing of it in the form of urea, as do normal cells.There is a common belief that you should never reheat rice. However, this is not true. It is possible to reheat rice, but people must take precautions to ensure it is safe to eat. Rice is more problematic than some other leftover foods as it may contain bacteria called Bacillus cereus, which survive some cooking processes . This bacterium is often the cause of food poisoning from reheated or cooked rice. Food poisoning usually causes diarrhea and vomiting and can cause severe complications in people with other health issues. If people do not follow food safety guidelines correctly, the bacteria may grow on leftover rice and make people sick. However, handling food correctly can prevent illness.

How to prepare, store, and reheat rice safely Share on Pinterest If a person follows food safety guidelines, they can reheat rice without risk. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) outline the safest ways to cook, store, and reheat food, including rice, properly. Each of the following steps will ensure that reheated rice has a low risk of making people sick: 1. Wash hands well Always wash hands thoroughly before preparing and cooking food. Keep utensils that have touched raw animal products separate. 2. Cook the rice properly When cooking rice, make sure that it reaches a high temperature. Keep it out of the danger zone  between 40F and 140F  where bacteria grow rapidly. Serve rice immediately after cooking. 3. Cool the leftovers quickly To further reduce bacteria growth, cool food quickly by: Dividing the food into shallow food containers and sealing them with a lid.

Placing hot food directly into the fridge or freezer. Risottos or paellas will freeze better than plain rice.

Do not leave rice or any hot food sitting out for more than 1 hour. 4. Store leftovers properly The USDA recommend only storing leftovers for set periods: Dispose of fridge leftovers after 3 to 4 days.

Dispose of freezer leftovers after 3 to 4 months. Store foods at a safe temperature. According to the USDA, room temperature is 90F, which is the ideal temperature for bacteria to grow. Bacteria grow rapidly between 40F and 140F. Store foods at 40F and below. Make sure the fridge is at this temperature or lower.

Throw away any leftovers kept at room temperature for over 2 hours. 5. Reheating When reheating rice, make sure it is piping hot throughout. To microwave leftover rice: Open the storage container and remove the lid. For each cup of rice, add 12 tablespoons of water. Place the lid lightly back on top to allow the rice to re-steam.

Place in the microwave and heat for 34 minutes, or until piping hot throughout.

Make sure the internal temperature of the rice is at 165F or higher. If unsure, use a food thermometer.

Serve immediately. To stir-fry leftover rice: Place the rice in a wok or saute pan with your choice of oil.

Turn the stove to medium heat, stirring the rice continuously. Make sure to break up the clumps of rice.

Stir continuously to cover the rice evenly in oil.

Use a thermometer to make sure internal temperature is at least 165F.

Serve immediately when piping hot. To steam leftover rice: Place the rice in a saucepan with 12 tablespoons of butter or oil.

Add 12 tablespoons of water for each cup of rice and bring to a simmer. Keep the lid on the saucepan.

Stir occasionally. Once the water has boiled off, check that the internal temperature is above 165F.

Serve immediately if piping hot. It is safe to eat the rice cold as long as it has been cooled and stored correctly. Do not leave reheated rice sitting on the counter. Following these steps will reduce the risk of food poisoning. Do not reheat the rice more than once as this further increase the risk of food poisoning.

Early symptoms of food poisoning Share on Pinterest Abdominal pain can be a symptom of food poisoning. Food poisoning symptoms typically include : diarrhea

vomiting

abdominal pain

fever

chills The symptoms will come on quickly and should only last a short time. According to one report, there may be up to 84,000 cases of food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus each year in the U.S. Most people will recover quickly with no complications. Speak to a doctor if: symptoms persist longer than 48 hours

symptoms worsen

new symptoms appearA new combination drug may have the potential to revolutionize hypertension treatment worldwide, after a clinical trial has declared it safe to use and very effective.

Share on Pinterest A recent clinical trial has confirmed that a new pill can treat hypertension more effectively than traditional therapy.

In a recent clinical trial led by researchers from the George Institute for Global Health  with branches in the United Kingdom, Australia, and India  they tested the effectiveness and safety of using an innovative drug for the treatment of high blood pressure, or hypertension.

This drug, nicknamed the triple pill by the investigators, combines low doses of three existing drugs for blood pressure.

Namely, these are: telmisartan (20 milligrams), amlodipine (2.5 milligrams), and chlorthalidone (12.5 milligrams).

According to World Health Organization (WHO) data from 2008, about 40 perecent of adults aged over 25 had raised blood pressure worldwide. The WHO also estimate that hypertension is responsible for 7.5 million of all deaths across the globe.

That is because this condition is a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke, making it a priority to have effective treatments in place for the regulation of blood pressure.

Normally, people with hypertension start taking one blood pressure drug at low doses, only to have to return to their doctors time and again. They then get prescriptions for increasingly higher doses and more hypertension drugs.

According to study co-author Dr. Ruth Webster, Patients are brought back [to the doctors office] at frequent intervals to see if they are meeting their targets with multiple visits required to tailor their treatments and dosage.

The problem with this approach, she adds, is that it is not only time inefficient, its costly. We also know that many doctors and patients find it too complicated and often dont stick to the process.

So, Dr. Webster and colleagues tested a method that, they hoped, would be more efficient, would not have additional side effects, and would remove some of the inconveniences related to a traditional treatment.

This is how they came up with the triple pill, which combines fixed low doses of three already existent drugs commonly used to treat hypertension.'What do you want to be when you grow up?' a ninth grade English paper once asked me. It was a 20-mark essay, and I had 20 minutes to earn them. I rolled up my sleeves, and pulled out my cursive best.

The thing is, I wanted to be a great many things.

 Unsplash/Joel Bengs

I wanted to be a chef, I wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be a painter, I wanted to be an astronaut, and for two weeks after I turned 11, I even wanted to be a National Geographic correspondent, if only because my older sister said that she wanted to be one. My essay  and the time allotted to write it - might have come to an end at this point, but my story didn't. From the age of six to sixteen, I raced through changes. My styles, my sexual leanings and my haircuts changed, and so did my dreams.

Only, what did I never dream of being?

Myself.

All my years of adolescence, I had struggled to find myself, even though I struggled comfortably  I was so used to push my problems under a hypothetical carpet, and pretend they didn't exist, that I never realized the lies I was hoarding up  little white lies, they wouldn't hurt anyone, would they? It was an easy, lazy life.

I used this complacency as a security blanket, and wound it around myself whenever thoughts of the future terrified me. What would coming out (as a gay man) be like? Would it be a cakewalk or a walk down the plank? Would I have to talk about my feelings? Would I have someone to talk about my feelings to (a fair question, because I grew up thinking that you were only allowed to talk about your feelings at expensive therapy sessions, sappy book clubs or when watching romantic tearjerkers)?

 Unsplash/Steve Halama

Growing up was always a mark of independence  no more school, no more staying at home, no more rules, no more restrictions, no more getting worried over your mother's eighteen missed calls (well, almost)  it seemed like a technicolour dream, being so free-spirited. But honestly, I didn't know what I would do with all the freedom. Independence (or the mere thought of it) petrified me. What would I do being free?

Would I finally have to be myself?

People are terrified to be themselves, especially when bravery is an option, and not an obligation I've been called manipulative, selfish, a coward, a sore loser. Why would I want to be myself then? I'd rather be someone nicer and more admirable; I'd rather be someone else.

And that's exactly what I did.

Some enjoy the peace that comes with accepting who you are, but most of us waltz on the fence in the middle. Take sexuality, for instance. We can stir ourselves to walk free and fabulous, but we'd rather stay safe and sound in the cage of heteronormativity. I made myself feel at home in the cage till I was twenty-one.

The thing about independence is that it doesn't come gift-wrapped and express delivered to your front doorstep. It needs to be earned, or fought for.

 Pexels

Coming to terms with your sexuality and stepping out of the closet isn't easy  especially when in a country like India, where minds can be as narrow as Bandra's bylanes, even if you are an upper-class well-educated man (and sometimes, especially if you an upper-class, well educated man). Everyday life is a battle. As countless films and American television shows have told us, you don't just wake up one morning and walk out into the sunlit world. To reach the closet door, you need to push through your woolens, those 'buy-one-get-one-free' shirts you bought on an impulse but will never wear, and the odd tangle of smelly socks, greying underwear and smutty novels you don't want your mother to find. It will be tough, especially if you've been hoarding  and holding back - all your life.

And even when you do, it's a never-ending process  those closet doors that everyone talks about? They are revolving. Week after week, you will find yourself coming out to friends, family, acquaintances, and (occasionally) drunken strangers at the bar. Perhaps, one day it will not be the big deal that it is today, and you won't have to worry whether your words are followed by a kiss to the cheek or a punch to the mouth. Every new acceptance is a fresh slice of independence, and you'll wolf it all down without worrying about empty calories or complex carbs.

It will be liberating, the way you feel after you've survived a last-minute clearance sale. Only this is the clearance sale of regrets.

Fortunately, my personal coming out story reeks of acceptance and Hallmark cards  it happened at the dinner table, one Friday evening back in early 2015, over cups of chamomile and desiccated coconut biscuits. I sat my parents down, and told them everything in a diligently rehearsed 17-minute monologue.

 Unsplash/Dan Gold

In 18 minutes, it was done.

Questions were asked, hugs were exchanged, a tear was shed (that would be me). My mum went for a walk with her friends, and my dad continued solving the crossword puzzle. They accepted it with a simple shrug (and lots of love and support over the next couple of years, but this is the not a story about that). My sexuality was just another fact.

What about the war of words I had been expecting? The emotional bloodshed? The years of torment at the hands of society? They never came, even though the history books said that they would. Times are changing, and somewhere over pop culture references and more inclusive media representations, my parents and peers had changed as well. The history books had it wrong.

What they did get right was this - freedom felt liberating.

 Reuters

The freedom to stay single. The freedom to be a sexual deviant. The freedom to wear a skirt (if you are a man) or a jersey (if you are a woman). The freedom to wear both. The freedom to wear neither. The freedom to never find your way back home. The freedom to stay in for the night, with Netflix and a bottle of wine (that would be me again).

What do we do with the freedom then? Do we let it consume us? Terrify us into never seeking it out?

We do neither. We simply unwind and enjoy it with a cup of tea.

Preferably chamomile.CASEVILLE  If you like boat rides, maritime history and a good meal, embark on Charity Islands 1857 Island Lighthouse Dining Adventure Cruise.

Capt. Tom Carriveaus passenger boat departs from Caseville every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from late May to mid October for a six-hour tour of Saginaw Bay and the historic Charity Island.

After about an hour-long boat ride, youll take a brief walk through the islands forest to the lightkeepers house and lighthouse.

On a nearby deck, owner Bob Wiltse presents the history of the island.

That is followed by a dinner, where you have a choice of lake perch or beef tips served with sauteed fresh vegetables and baby red potatoes poached in dill broth.

Wine tasting is also an option on the island.

The islands rich history starts with Native Americans and French explorers. It became a state-owned island when Michigan became a state in 1837.

On Aug. 20, 1857, the Charity Island Lighthouse went into service.

Just 15 days before he was assassinated, President Abraham Lincoln signed an order making Charity Island federal property.

Wiltse also supplies anecdotes of the early lighthouse keepers on the island.

In 1857, Scottish immigrant Colin Graham, his wife and 12 children, were the first to oversee the island from the light keepers home.

William L. Pierce, who helped rescue the crew and passengers of the steamer Onconto on Dec. 4, 1885, would serve as assistant light keeper for five seasons.

In recent years, one of Pierces descendants visited the island to explore her roots.

The island is now 95 percent owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, with Wiltse and his wife, Karen, owning the rest.

They first purchased the entire island from a Saginaw investment group in 1992, and worked for years to obtain permits to build a marina on the island.

Wiltses original plan was to develop the island for real estate.

He then learned that the island contained rare plant and animal species, and it was not conducive to development.

The federal government purchased the majority of the island in 1997 to maintain a wildlife refuge.

In 2003, the Wiltses rebuilt the lightkeeper home. They started offering cruises in 2005.

Their current plans are to rebuild the lighthouse, which tourists may climb at their own risk.

Wiltse told the Tribune he expects to have it restored in two years.

My goal in the next 24 months is to have it in the same condition it was in on Aug. 20, 1857, he said.

All of us are going to leave something behind when were gone, he added.  Im going to leave something behind Im proud of.

Carriveau noted its more than a business for him to transport people to the island and back.

People come on board as strangers and they leave my boat as friends, he told the Tribune.

Carriveau also offers boat rides throughout the Lake Huron shoreline  whether its to spread a loved ones ashes, conduct a family reunion or host a wedding or party.

Weddings on both the boat and the island are popular, he said.

Friday and Saturday evening cruises offer a beautiful view of the sunset on Saginaw Bay. Sunday cruises are in the afternoon.

For reservations, call Carriveau at 989-550-1234.SEBEWAING  Officials this week said there is no need to be alarmed after some mosquitos tested positive for West Nile Virus in the Sebewaing area.

Seven residents attended an informational gathering Monday at the Sebewaing Township Hall to listen to a presentation APM Mosquito Control about the matter.

Last week, APM officials collected samples of Culex species mosquitoes that were carrying West Nile Virus in traps set in Sebewaing Village.

There were six mosquitos in the traps that tested positive for West Nile. When they were retested, only two tested positive. The test is being done again, said APM Mosquito Control General Manager Chuck Mullins. We started doing additional spraying in those areas where the virus was detected.

There are several mosquito traps in the village and in the township that are monitored for the number of mosquitos found and tested for diseases.

Finding confirmations of the West Nile Virus is not unusual. The virus has been in the United States since 1999, and in Michigan since 2002.

The virus was detected in Sebewaing because the village and township are the only municipalities in Huron County that has a mosquito suppression program, which is the first year for the program.

I havent seen (where) any of the mosquito spraying has done any good any where, said Ken Adams, who spends time in the county park in Sebewaing. Mosquitos are bad in the park ... Saginaw has had a mosquito program for 10 years, and I havent seen much difference.

Some in the audience said they didnt agree with Adams assessment of the program.

And, mosquito programs are suppression efforts not elimiation.

The point of APMs announcement of the virus and the informational meeting was a heads-up for residents.

There is no need to be alarmed. This is just for people to be aware and to take precautions, said Mullins, noting the virus is spread by female mosquitoes.

While there are 60 species of mosquitoes in the state, only six bite people. The female mosquito  generally the Culex species  feed on blood before they lay eggs. If they fed on an infected bird before they bite a human or other mammal, they can transmit the virus.

Besides humans, infected mosquitos can spread the virus to horses, cows and dogs, Mullins noted.

Residents are asked to call APM mosquito control at 877-276-4714 or 810-766-9423 about additional suppression efforts or to report dead crows or blue jays.

The birds should be dead less than 24 hours and in good condition. If a dead bird is found, dont touch the body with bare hands. Use gloves or scoop the bird with a plastic shopping bag. Homeowners may dispose of other dead bird species either in an outside garbage can or by burying the bird.

Basically, any mammal can be infected, said Mullins. Most infected with (West Nile Virus) do not have symptoms, and if they do, it takes about 10 days for symptoms to show.

About one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The primary breeding ground for mosquitos is stagnate water found in some ditches, ponds, pools, buckets, flower pots, tires and gutters. Eliminating water in those areas will be control breeding.

According to Mullins, the best protection against the virus is prevention: Using repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites, and staying inside during peak mosquito hours in the early morning and evening.

Wearing dark clothes attracts mosquitos, and spraying on a mixture of water and (Avon moisturizer) Skin-so-Soft is a good repellent he said.

An additional challenge in the Sebewaing area for APM is phragmites and dealing with mosquitoes in them. Phragmites is perennial that grows in dense strands up to 18 feet tall. Because of the denseness of phragmites, they promote mosquito reproduction in a different breeding cycle and is difficult for typical suppression methods to reach.

Mullins said he is in the process of researching phragmites/mosquito control.HARTFORD  Every year its something: the budget, test scores, the latest school reform push.

The focus at this years Back to School forum hosted by Commissioner of Education Dianna Wentzell centered on feelings.

Not exactly a therapy session  but more than 100 school superintendents from around the state spent a good chunk of their Back to School on Wednesday being reminded of things that are going right and learning how to tap into their emotional intelligence.

Many school districts in the region open the last week of August.

The pat on the back came from Wentzell, who reminded school leaders of the steady rise of graduation rates, a narrowed achievement gap on some measures and reduction of exclusionary discipline across the state.

The graduation rates in 2017 hit 87.9, according to the states data.

It is important to spend at least as much time focusing on what went well as much on what we need to change, Wentzell said. We need to make sure we keep doing the things that are working.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stopped by Prince Technical High School where the morning session was held to remind superintendents of his investment in public education over the past years, particularly in the area of infrastructure. Next year there will be a new governor, and likely a much different state Board of Education since the terms are up for six of 11 members.

The governor gets to appoint members to the board.

Malloy touted his recent veto of a bill supported by teachers, that would changed the process for removing a disruptive child from the classroom.

It was a piece of legislation that was a direct attack, frankly, on your responsibilities, Malloy said as superintendents applauded.

Malloy said it is no coincidence that a decrease in criminal behavior in the state follows a decrease in school suspensions. He worries the trend will reverse if the bill, which is supported by the states teachers unions, became law.

I encourage you to be well organized, Malloy added. It is coming back.

The governor also urged superintendents to stay the course when it comes to preparing students for high tech, advanced manufacturing jobs that continue to go unfilled.

While Malloy spent his first term in office on education reform efforts, his current term has included fiscal woes that last year included a mid-year budget rescission that caused chaos and layoffs in many school districts.

Malloy said he had to prioritize and so too should local leaders.

I cant think of things more important at local level than the educational system, Malloy said. Local leaders have to be held accountable for the decisions they make about education.

Even though Bridgeport schools have made budget cuts four years in a row, Malloy maintains the district, of late, is seeing better results, not worse.

The advice on feelings came from Marc Brackett, a Yale University professor who is well known in districts like Bridgeport and Trumbull for training principals and teachers on how to help students defuse stress, boredom, and other emotions that interfere with learning.

Emotions matter, Brackett told them. Unhealthy school climates equal greater burnout, stress, absenteeism .... increased body mass.

He encouraged the school leaders to make Connecticut the first emotionally intelligent state in the nation.A new guide from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tackles a little-known aspect of the opioid crisis  its effect on pets.

As we look at tackling the opioid crisis, its important that we take a close look at all the access points where these powerful medications can be obtained, said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, in a statement released Wednesday. We must also ensure that all health care professionals understand their role and responsibility in prescribing these products, and lend our support in appropriately managing them. One such important care group is veterinarians who may prescribe them to manage pain in animals.

According to Gottlieb, opioids not only carries service potential risks for animals, they can also be used and abused by the humans who own these animals.

While opioids are just one part of the veterinarians medical arsenal for treating pain in animals, its important to understand the role veterinarians, who stock and administer these drugs, play in combatting the abuse and misuse of pain medications, Gottlieb said.

He said the only FDA-approved opioid for use in animals (Recuvyra, a fentanyl product) is not currently marketed by the manufacturer. Carfentanil, which is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, is no longer FDA-approved for use in animals after Wildlife Laboratories withdrew the application for Wildnil this past spring.

The result is a lack of products that are FDA-approved specifically for use in animals, leaving veterinarians to prescribe products originally approved for use in humans when they determine a need for opioid pain medications for pets, Gottliebs statement read.

The new guide offers multiple recommendations for veterinarians when it comes to opioids and animals  including following state regulations on prescribing. For instance, Connecticut is one of 15 states that require veterinarians to report when they dispense opioids and other controlled substances to patients. It also urges vets to follow federal prescription guidelines, to consider alternatives to opioids and to take other measures to reduce the risk of harm or abuse.

Working together, I believe that we can make progress in preventing new cases of addiction while ensuring appropriate and rational prescribing of opioids for human and animal patients with medical need, Gottliebs statement reads.MIDDLETOWN  Republican voters have chosen Middletown Police School Resource Officer Anthony Gennaro by an estimated 66 percent of the vote to face off against the city treasurer in Novembers election in the citys 100th Assembly District, according to unofficial tallies.

Gennaro garnered 411 votes to Republican Planning and Zoning Commissioner Tyrell Browns 211, with one district  Spencer Elementary School  yet to report the outcome.

Theyre over here partying already, said Gennaro, 41, just before 9 p.m. from Fiore 2 Restaurant on Main Street, where his team was compiling results. Im a cop, so I never feel confident until Im done. This is unbelievable.

I congratulate my neighbor for the hard work he put in, and thank the support of my volunteers. I hope everyone can find a way to pull this together. We are in serious trouble [in Hartford]  we need to get the right people in, Brown said at 9:15 p.m. from Madison.

He planned to call Gennaro to concede shortly.

Gennaro will compete against Democratic city Treasurer Quentin Phipps on Election Day for the House seat now occupied by Democratic state Rep. Matt Lesser of Middletown, who has served the district since 2008.

Lesser is vying for the Democratic nomination for state Senate in the 9th District. He prevailed over state Rep. Tony Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill, according to preliminary results.

Brown, a financial planner whose party chose him 3 to 1 over Gennaro, began Tuesday like any other day  he grabbed a coffee and went to work. He voted mid-afternoon and visited the polls early evening.

Im taking a very unconventional approach to this primary. One, Im not going to get nasty with anyone: I dont think its really called for. Obviously, I do want to win, but I dont think its really necessary to get nasty.

The thing I am most excited about is I am the endorsed candidate. When people go into the polls, lets say they dont know Tony or myself, theyll see me at the top. A lot of people vote like that  they just go on down the line, Brown said earlier in the day.

As an outsider, as the underdog in this election, I am totally ... astonished, amazed, humbled, overwhelmed at the support we got. I think that says a lot. I grew up here, I have a lot of friends and family here, and this is home, Gennaro said mid-day Tuesday.

Being a lifelong city resident has been paying dividends in this election, he added.

Everybody I talked to, everybody that supported me, there was a connection one way or the other. When youre running something like this, especially as a new person, when you see that, it shows how much more important it is to get [to Hartford] and start making things better for everybody because Im so invested here, Gennaro said.

Gennaro acknowledged that juggling a campaign with a young family  three children and a wife  as well as a full-time job investigating serious abuse cases and juvenile crime, has been a challenge.

For me, win or lose, this has been a totally different experience. I have a totally different outlook on politics. Ive done things the way I always thought politicians should be doing things, Gennaro said.

Despite being lifelong Democrat, Gennaro said he doesnt view the world through the lens of politics.

Im open to anybody. Thats just how I am, and I hope that I can work with everybody, and come to conclusions that make sense, and that are the the right thing to do for everybody, Gennaro said.

Nothing worthwhile is every easy, so Im ready to put that work in.

According to Republican Registrar of Voters David Bauer, there are 26,068 registered voters in Middletown: 11,658 Democrats, 4,133 Republicans, 9,804 Unaffiliated and 473 minor party members, such as Working Families, the Green Party and Libertarians.

There are presently 2,500 inactive voters in Middletown.

Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day

@hearstmediact.com or Twitter @cassandrasdis.NEW HAVEN, Conn.  As many as 71 people overdosed in the city in 24 hours  many on the Green Wednesday  as emergency crews raced to save lives and one man was arrested as a person of interest in the case, police said Wednesday.

The man, whom investigators identified only as a person believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses, was found in possession of drugs, police said. The man was out on parole when he was arrested Wednesday and is known to police, Police Chief Anthony Campbell said.

More than 70 people had overdosed since Tuesday evening from what is believed to be the synthetic cannabinoid K2, which may or may not have been laced with fentanyl, officials said. Dozens of overdoses were reported on the Green Wednesday, Fire Chief John Alston said. As of Wednesday afternoon 34 people had been taken to the hospital citywide and five refused treatment, he said.

Three of the overdoses occurred on the Green Tuesday night, and police had been stationed there since then, according to City Office of Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana.

Fontana said 71 people overdosed between 8 a.m. and 9:28 p.m. Wednesday, but he expected the number to keep going up as night went on.

The majority happened on the Green but there also had been seven between Fair Haven and Westville, he said.

Dr. Kathryn Hawk, an Emergency Department physician at Yale New Haven Hospital, said Wednesday evening that the DEA confirmed the presence of K2 mixed with fentanyl, a powerful opioid.

But Fontana said that the DEA office in New York confirmed that what was in a joint taken from one victim was smoking was K2, a potent, synthetic cannabinoid, and was not laced with any opioid.

Late Wednesday, a release from the office of Mayor Toni N. Harp said there were as many as 46 confirmed overdoses in the city  a number that has since been surpassed. Today New Haven was on the front lines of a coast-to-coast struggle to combat the public health menace of illicit distribution and use of what appear to be tainted street drugs... Harp said in the release. Im extremely grateful for the timely and effective work of first responders who helped revive, transport, and save these victims.

Police, fire crews and other emergency crews spent hours working to treat victims at the scene and transport them to nearby hospitals.

We are asking people to not come down to the Green to purchase what is K2. Clearly there is a bad batch, Campbell said.

He said officers and firefighters will be on Upper and Lower Green to deter people from trying to purchase and sell.

We really need to get to the heart of where this is coming from and whos distributing and make arrests, he said.

We have a guy laid out in the alleyway, unresponsive, eyes wide open. Hes out cold, an unidentified bystander shouted as emergency personnel were giving an update to the press at 11 a.m. on the Green.

Fontana said the patients were taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and the YNHH St. Raphael Campus. There had been no reported deaths, he said.

Alston said at shift change, just after 8 a.m., the dispatch center received multiple calls reporting that people on the Green were experiencing overdose symptoms, including that some were passed out on the ground, or vomiting or reporting being nauseated.

Alston said multiple Fire Department units responded, and after about the sixth one we knew we were going to have multi-casualty incident and we were also concerned about our people on the Green responding to the same types of calls within the short amount of time.

Jose Diaz said he and a friend called 911 after they saw a man experiencing overdose-like symptoms. All I know is that he was sitting on the chair first, then on the ground, back on the chair and then back on the ground, shaking like crazy.

YNNH Center for EMS Medical Director Sandy Bogucki said American Medical Response crews were having to run, and then resuscitate and then having to transport faster than they might normally to turn around and get the cars back out, he said.

Alston added even as the ambulances were trying to return to service, EMTs were passing victims on the ground.

Lt. Ernest Jones, an EMT for the New Haven Fire Department, described the experience as unlike any normal day.

This was a particularly odd, rare occasion where (there was) call after call for man down, obviously with symptoms of some kind of overdose, and at the time of getting that patient packaged and transported to the hospital, wed see another immediately fall down, right there, Jones said. At that point, wed go help that patient, and while helping that patient, another person went down. So it became a domino effect.

Jones said since the Green is so big, they had to sweep every inch to make sure they didnt miss anyone. In his five years of being with the department, hes never seen anything like it.

Based on the information available at the scene, Alston said the drug was suspected to be K2, or spice, a synthetic cannabinoid  weve heard some reports of people smoking things, Alston said  but its impossible to say with certainty and if all victims received the same substance.

Bogucki said K2 frequently is laced with other drugs.

We heard from people on the Green this morning that it could potentially be laced with PCP and some of the reactions of the patients in the emergency department would suggest it was an opioid involved, as well, she said.

She said patients who didnt respond to naloxone (an overdose reversal drug) administered on the Green showed some improvement after receiving higher doses over a period of time at the hospitals.

The Rev. Luk De Volder, rector of Trinity Church on the Green, said there were ambulances on the Green Tuesday night as well.

We have far fewer sleeping on the Green but the drug use is terrible, he said. We find white powder here on the Green of people who used cocaine.

Ioanna Gutas said she was on her way to the U.S. Courthouse to protest the bombing of a bus full of Yemeni children in Saada, Yemen, when she saw the Green surrounded by emergency vehicles with lights flashing.

I had no idea. I thought somebody had fainted or something like that, but then I hear overdoses, Gutas said, putting her hands to her face in horror. There were over 20 overdoses. Here, on the Upper Green. ... Wow, thats really. I have to take a deep breath.

Gutas said in her 50 years of living in the city, shes never seen or heard anything like this.

Abiance Scott said when she got off the bus and saw a massive presence of emergency crews, her first thought was that someone had called in a bomb threat. After seeing numerous paramedics and EMTs, she said she realized something else, potentially multiple overdoses, as that had happened before.

The Police Department is aware of a high number of patients that were treated since last night. ... The majority of cases are centered on the New Haven Green. Thus far, (a large number of) patients have been transported to area hospitals for overdose related illnesses, police spokesman Officer David Hartman said in a release early Wednesday.

One patient was non-responsive to Naloxone  a drug used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergency situations, and is very sick, according to Fontana, Hartman said in the release.

Alder Richard Furlow, D-27, said, Well, this is terrifying; its terrifying, but this is not exclusive to New Haven.

This is an urban problem, and its nationwide, he said.

In January, authorities issued a public health alert after five reported overdoses from an unknown drug resulted in at least one fatality in the city over a one-hour span.

Alston said at that time that based on information from people at the scene, the drug was suspected to be K2.MIDDLETOWN  Democratic state Rep. Matt Lesser of Middletown squared off Tuesday against fellow state Rep. Antonio Tony Guerrera of Rocky Hill in a see-saw struggle that resulted in Lesser claiming the Democratic nomination for the 9th District state Senate seat in November.

Just after 9 p.m., Lesser said he won Middletown, Cromwell and Newington  three out of five towns. The 9th also includes Rocky Hill and Wethersfield.

We won this race decisively, Lesser said, estimating he was up by 900 votes over his opponent.

Guerrera called Lesser at 9:20 p.m. to offer his very gracious concession, Lesser said.

The Connecticut Working Families Party congratulates Matt Lesser in his tremendous victory tonight. Matt has always been a strong ally for the movement, and his win tonight is a victory for progressive values, affirming that voters in the district were ready for a referendum on corporate Democrats like current state Sen. Paul Doyle, Lindsay Farrell, state director, Connecticut Working Families Party, said by email.

This was the first chance voters have had in over a decade to replace Paul Doyle with another Democrat, and they chose the clear progressive in the race, Farrell added.

We are proud of the clean, issues-first campaign that Matt ran. We knew we could count on voters to see through the misinformation of his opponent, and we persisted by running a campaign of values. We look forward to the general election, and to having Matt as a much needed champion for working people in the State Senate.

Lesser will now challenge the winner of the Republican primary, which pitted 19-year-old UConn student Tyler Flanigan of Wethersfield against Ed Charamut, 60, the Rocky Hill Town Council minority leader who owns an insurance agency in Rocky Hill.

Results of the Republican primary were not available by press time.

Charamut was hopeful for a win Tuesday night, after one Rocky Hill voting district  West Hill School  was reporting results. Unofficial numbers showed he garnered 230 votes to Flanigans 114.

Flanigan was unable to be reached for comment.

Charamut was out in three of the districts towns Tuesday. People were steady all day long  in singles and pairs  a light, steady crowd. I feel like we put in the good work and Im confident.

He was less able to predict which way voters would swing in Middletown. I think there are a lot of absentee ballots that could play a part (in the final outcome), Charamut said.

This primary race pitted two incumbent state representatives with very different styles.

The state Senate seat became open when incumbent Paul Doyle announced in March he would campaign for the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Doyle had held the seat since 2007. Prior to that, he was the state representative for the 28th District.

Guerrera, a former Rocky Hill mayor, has served in the General Assembly representing the 29th district since 2001. The 29th district encompasses Rocky Hill and portions of both Newington and Wethersfield.

Lesser has represented the 100th District in the state House of Representatives since 2009, a total of five terms.

The 100th district includes portions of Middletown, Durham and Middlefield.

Doyle, who has held the seat since 2007, is one of three Democrats seeking the partys nomination for attorney general.

The republicans had a choice between youth and experience in their race.

Flanigan first got involved in politics at age 14. Now, five years later, he is balancing running for the state Senate seat while he continues his studies at UConn.

Reached via text as he campaigned Tuesday morning in Cromwell, Flanigan said, Voter feedback has been great. My dedicated team of volunteers and I have been getting out all day, and directly talking to voters. The community is absolutely behind us.

While Charamut has been involved in local affairs, he only stepped into the ring as political candidate in 2017 when he won a seat on the council. He brings the perspective of a small-business owner to the race, and advocates a restraint on spending by the General Assembly.

Editors note: This story has been updated to correct the towns in the 9th District, which do not include Portland.

jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com.EAST HAMPTON  Town Clerk Sandra Wieleba is leaving to become the new town clerk in Rocky Hill.

Wieleba, who has led the department for the past nearly 14 years, submitted her formal letter of resignation to Town Manager Michael Maniscalco Friday. Her last day will be Sept. 7 and she begins work in Rocky Hill Sept. 10.

The job change marks a switch both for Wieleba and Rocky Hill. During the past couple of years, Rocky Hills assessor performed the functions of the town clerk, Town Manager John Mehr said Wednesday .

Now, weve decided to once again have a full-time clerk in the town clerks office, he said.

Wieleba, an East Hartford native, has lived in Wethersfield for the past 30-plus years, which will mean a considerable shortening of her daily commute, she said Tuesday.

I started my career as a paralegal, and then there was this (assistant clerks) job in Wethersfield, and I applied for it, she said, explaining the path that brought her to East Hampton.

The assistant clerks position turned out to be a near-perfect fit for her. I loved the work, I loved seeing people, I loved the variety, she said.

And then the job in East Hampton became available, so she took that.

Wieleba holds two masters degrees: in management and another through the Town Clerks Association.

Since becoming town clerk, I have been able to back up all the minutes, and as well as complete the codification of all the ordinances. That was my very first project  one that still makes her especially proud.

As she prepares to move on to Rocky Hill, Wieleba said, What am I looking forward to? Doing a good job, like I did here.

Gesturing at her assistant Bernice Bartlett, Wieleba said, Im leaving it in very good hands. Everythings backed up and preserved.

She is looking forward to her new place of employment.

I am very excited about working in Rocky Hill. The staff has been phenomenal, she said.

Mehr said the town advertised the position in professional journals and received a dozen or so applications. He chose Wieleba because she has the years of experience as town clerk and she is used to overseeing the office.

He agreed with Wielebas assessment that the current office staff members are phenomenal.

We wish her all the best of luck in the world, and Im sure she will do well in her new position, Maniscalco said, adding the town has posted the vacancy on its website as well as opening it internally as required by the union.

The town has also used Twitter to share the job opening, and advertised it in professional journals. The salary is in the range of $61,080 to $70, 858, Maniscalco said. Because it is a union position, the salary is not negotiable, he said.

The deadline for submitting applications for the position is Aug. 31. Those with questions are asked to contact Human Resources Director Lisa Seymour at 860-267-4468.

Reporter Jeff Mill covers East Hampton, Cromwell and Portland for the Middletown Press. Contact him at jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com.MIDDLEFIELD  In honor of Tom ODells many years of environmental service in the Lower Connecticut River Valley, The Rockfall Foundation has named its Distinguished Service Award in his memory.

ODells many contributions to the natural world were recognized by the foundation in 2016 with the Distinguished Service Award. With his recent passing, Rockfall is honoring his legacy with the renaming of this annual award, according to a press release.

The nomination period for the 2018 environmental awards runs through late September.

ODell served more than a decade as chair of The Rockfall Foundations Awards Committee and Youth Scholarship Award, as well as over 40 years as chair for both the Westbrook Conservation Commission and the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, the release said.

His legacy includes the conservation of nearly 2,000 acres in Westbrook, including the Menuketesuck Greenway, as well as Westbrooks Barrier Islands, designated as the Tom Odell Wildlife Conservation Area. He was also a founding member of Connecticut Association of Conservation Commissions and Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions, according to the foundation.

The Rockfall Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2018 awards, which recognize individuals, organizations and businesses for environmental efforts that contribute to the quality of life in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. Awardees will be recognized at the annual meeting and grants celebration Nov. 1.

The Tom ODell Distinguished Service Award is given for outstanding ongoing or long-term accomplishments. Certificates of appreciation are given to recognize significant programs or projects.

Areas recognized include:

Preservation work to protect ecosystems, species, and other irreplaceable elements of the regions natural heritage.

Conservation work to minimize the use of finite natural resources and negative impacts on ecosystems and communities.

Restoration work to re-establish the healthy functions of an ecosystem or parts of ecosystems.

Education work to foster a stronger awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability issues.

Nomination forms, which must be received by Sept. 20, may be emailed to amanda@rockfallfoundation.org or mailed to The Rockfall Foundation, deKoven House Community Center, 27 Washington St., Middletown, CT 06457. Paperwork can be downloaded at rockfallfoundation.org call 860-347-0340 for a copy.Three Defense Department contractors -- all with special operations backgrounds -- were awarded the Pentagon's highest civilian honor Tuesday for their actions in going into combat mode to support U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

At a Pentagon ceremony, Army Lt. Gen. Darsie Rogers, deputy director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), presented the civilian Medal for Valor to retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Anthony "Tony" Dunne, retired Army Master Sgt. William Timothy "Tim" Nix, and retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Brandon "Ray" Seabolt.

All three showed themselves to be "the epitome of what it means to be a true hero," Rogers said at the presentation in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, where the names of the nation's Medal of Honor recipients are emblazoned on the walls.

The three were working under contract to DTRA as counter-IED (improvised explosive devices) specialists or "irregular warfare analysts."

Dunne, 45, of Webber Falls, Oklahoma, and Seabolt, 53, of Skiatook, Oklahoma were employed by CACI-The Wexford Group. Nix, 63, of Coos Bay, Oregon, worked for General Dynamics.

"The bold and decisive actions of these men under fire are admirable," said Vayl Oxford, director of DTRA. "The courage, determined spirit and devotion to duty is what makes us all so proud to recognize them."

At any given time, DTRA has 170 to 200 contract employees embedded with U.S. units in the Mideast and Africa, Oxford said.

On Aug. 7, 2015, Dunne and Nix were at Camp Integrity just north of Kabul when a powerful vehicle-borne improvised explosive device blew a hole in a main gate and knocked down the guard tower, Nix said.

The enemy, believed to be the Taliban, followed up the blast by attempting to rush through the gate. Army Master Sgt. Andrew McKenna, who would be awarded the Silver Star posthumously, called out, "Hey, man, we gotta plug the hole," Dunne and Nix said.

Their citation said Dunne and Nix "assisted in clearing a breach, which in turn fixed the enemy and further prevented insurgency forces from entering their compound. Together they assisted in securing the area external to the compound, securing the compound itself and denying the enemy the ability to conduct a follow-on attack."

Seabolt was with U.S. units in southwestern Helmand province near the hotly contested Sangin district on Dec. 17, 2015, when they entered an Afghan compound. They immediately came under direct semi-automatic and automatic fire.

Seabolt gave a textbook "economy of force" response, Rogers said, adding that economy of force for Seabolt meant "one well-armed man who shoots straight."

"They definitely had surprise on us, but we rebounded," Seabolt said. The citation said "Seabolt's bravery instilled courage among the entire force, resulting in effective fires on the target, softening the objective and allowing the recovery force to approach with little resistance."

The Office of the Secretary of Defense created the Medal for Valor after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks to recognize government employees and private civilians "who perform an act of heroism or sacrifice with voluntary risk to their personal safety in the face of danger."

There have been 14 previous recipients. The first was volunteer firefighter Eric Jones for his actions in fighting the blaze at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The last previous recipient was Anthony Sadler for his actions in helping to stop a terrorist on a Brussels-Paris train on Aug. 21, 2015.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the contractors' employment information.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related Video:The scope and intensity of the California wildfires can create their own violent wind and weather systems and at times hamper firefighting efforts, California National Guard officials said Wednesday.

"They're strong enough to actually pull us down to the ground" if his bucket-carrying helicopter gets too close, Army National Guard Sgt. Julian Ross, a helicopter pilot, said of the downdrafts triggered by fires that have ravaged wide swaths of the state.

"There are some dangers," he said, including poor visibility in the towering plumes of smoke coursing up from the forest floor.

The phenomenon has been called a "firenado" or "fire whirl," where intense rising heat combines with turbulent winds to create whirling eddies of air and smoke.

Air National Guard Staff Sgt. James Brown, of the 149th Intelligence Squadron, said the smoke and winds generated by the fires also have occasionally interfered with operations of the Guard's MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, which has provided vital reconnaissance for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

The fires have also affected operations of fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules using Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) to drop water and retardants on the fires, Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, deputy adjutant general of the California Military Department, said in a video briefing from California to the Pentagon.

About 2,000 California National Guard personnel have been mobilized thus far for the fires that began in early July; 969 are currently serving for a period of about 30 days, Beevers said.

The National Guard personnel were joined earlier this week by about 200 active-duty soldiers from the 14th Engineer Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

The JBLM soldiers are engaged in clearing brush and digging trenches in an effort to contain a fire north of San Francisco, known as the Mendocino Complex fire, considered to be the largest in state history.

"We don't anticipate calling up additional soldiers and airmen" for the current spate of fires, Beevers said, but noted that the wildfire season began earlier than usual this year.

"It's usually later in the summer or early fall," he said, but "for the last four or five years, the fires have been getting bigger and burning more erratically."

To combat the fires, the California National Guard is providing nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, one UH-72 Lakota helicopter, a C-12 Huron, one MQ-9 Reaper, one RC-26 Metroliner, one HH-60 Pave Hawk Rescue/Medical Evacuation Aircraft, and four MAFFS.

The California National Guard is also providing more than 100 vehicles and military police to aid in traffic control.

In Oregon, about 400 National Guard personnel were activated July 20 to aid firefighting efforts in that state.

The Oregon National Guard is providing two Chinooks, one HH-60 and one Lakota for air support, 17 Light Medium Tactical Vehicles, 27 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, five dump trucks, eight vans for transportation support, three Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks for logistical support, and personnel to provide traffic assistance.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.MOLOKAI, Hawaii -- The first day of a no-cost health clinic provided by members of the U.S. military at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center started simply enough. The warmth of a bright sun was cooled by a warm breeze that meandered through the clinic. Community members slowly filtered in to the building to be seen by providers while others sat by waiting to be seen. All seemed like a quiet summer Sunday afternoon until a woman, who came to the clinic for a vision screening, began to say that something felt wrong. In fact, something was very wrong. The woman was having a cardiac episode, and she needed immediate medical assistance.

On August 12, service members participating in the Tropic Care Maui County 2018 Innovative Readiness Training mission reacted quickly and saved the woman's life.

"This elderly lady came in for a vision screening," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Sutton, a clinical nurse assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing. "Her past medical history was conducive with cardiovascular disease. As she was sitting there, she started clutching her chest. We ask her what's wrong, and she says, 'it feels like someone is stepping on my chest.' And we know that's one of the classic signs of a cardiac condition going on. We asked Col. Bray to come out, and he started assessing her."

While she was being assessed, the woman looked ashen despite her typically tanned appearance.

"She didn't look too good, to be honest," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryan Mathieson, a nurse practitioner assigned to the 181st Intelligence Wing. "Her face was as gray as her hair."

Suddenly, the service members assigned to the Molokai clinic for the Tropic Care mission found themselves in the midst of a real-world, medical incident.

"It was a surprise visit," said U.S. Air Force Col. William Bray, the commander of the 181st Medical Group of the 181st Intelligence Wing. "So we had to do what we could with what we had."

Bray assessed the situation and determined the woman was having a cardiac episode. Bray was able to make that determination thanks to the actions of U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryan Mathieson and 2nd Lt. Brandon Wilmer.

"They both have experience in the emergency room," said Bray. "Maj. Mathieson is the one who stepped up and gave her aspirin. His training kicked in. Both Maj. Mathieson and 2nd Lt. Wilmer were key because they are critically trained in the ER. Their natural instinct is to just roll."

Mathieson and Wilmer's actions played a critical role in helping the woman, who appeared to need immediate medical intervention.

"It happened just like that," said Sutton. "They were calm and cool, and they just reacted. Everyone's training kicked in, and they did their job perfectly. And the outcome was really good."

The service members' response to the incident did not stop at the clinic. U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Loh, a nurse whose mother grew up on Molokai, went with the woman to the hospital.

"It just wasn't right to put them in a car and tell them to drive to the hospital," said Sutton. "So we sent Cmdr. Loh along with her in the event they needed to stop the car and administer CPR."

Loh's presence was instrumental in facilitating the woman's transfer to Molokai General Hospital.

"The woman and her daughter, who was accompanying the woman, identified with Cmdr. Loh from a cultural aspect," said Sutton. "They were very comfortable with him. It seemed natural for him to gain that trust and build the interpersonal relationship, which made them agreeable to going to the hospital for the level of care she needed after she initially refused to go."

Had the service members not reacted the way they did, the outcome could have been dire.

"She was having angina, which happens where the coronary arteries are squeezing and cause chest pain," said Sutton. "She may have dropped over had she not been taken to the hospital."

Thankfully, the woman received the care she needed.

"The daughter followed up, and the woman was released," said Bray. "She's doing well presently. We're always happy when the outcome is positive."

Despite the incident, the service members downplayed their role in taking care of the woman.

Medical professionals see people experiencing chest pain all the time in the ER, said 2nd Lt. Brandon Wilmer, a clinical nurse assigned to the 181st Intelligence Wing. It did not seem like anything out of the ordinary when it happened.

Service members were able to save a woman's life despite limited resources at the temporary medical clinic, which had only been set up the day prior.

"We definitely put the 'I' in Innovative Readiness Training," said Sutton. "We used the resources that we had quickly, efficiently, and effectively to get her to the additional level of care she needed."

The service members, by relying on their military and civilian training, worked as a team to quickly access the situation and ensure the woman received the proper level of care. What started as a normal day became urgent in a moment, and the service members did what they know best: administer medical care to save a life.WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump has objected to a series of provisions in the newly passed 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, including limits on the reduction of troops in South Korea and recognizing Crimea as a Russian province.

The defense legislation, which Trump signed into law Monday, sets new restrictions to keep the administration from decreasing troops in South Korea to less than 22,000. It also prohibits U.S. funds from helping legitimize Russia's control of Crimea.

Both provisions, among several others in the NDAA, reflect congressional concerns about the president and drew objections from the White House.

"There is a whole lot of things they do in [the NDAA] to try to limit President Trump from taking certain actions," said Scott Anderson, a governance studies fellow at the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

The Korea and Crimea provisions are among several within the NDAA that attempt to limit the president's powers, Anderson said. Late Monday, several hours after Trump signed the NDAA at Fort Drum in upstate New York, the White House issued a list of objections about the law.

Such signing statements are a common practice for presidents to issue during negotiations and subsequent passage of major legislation such as H.R. 5515, also known as the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, named for the ailing Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee from Arizona. Often, presidents will object to provisions that appear to infringe on their powers.

"They are saying 'these provisions we don't like because we think they intrude on our constitutional authorities," Anderson said. "It's really them maintaining and articulating that there are major constitutional concerns."

Among the list of 2019 NDAA concerns, the Trump administration also complained of restrictions to lower benchmarks for deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, the use of the military base at Guantanamo Bay and executive branch authority over a new National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.

The NDAA also withholds funds for certain U.S. efforts in Iraq and Syria unless the administration issues a long overdue report detailing its strategy in both countries, which drew a Trump objection.

"It's the power of the purse strings," Anderson said of the NDAA demands for the strategy reports, which were also requested in the 2018 NDAA but have yet to be filed.

The NDAA also requires certification that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are bringing the Yemen conflict to an end, and if not, stops U.S. in-flight refueling services for the pro-government coalition. It also drew White House concerns.

In several cases, the Trump statement detailed how he would interpret the provisions to preserve his constitutional authorities. The statement said the president retains the power to reduce the levels of deployed ICBMs, reiterated the continued operation of Guantanamo Bay to hold prisoners and moves the new artificial intelligence commission under the purview of the legislative branch.

Trump's statement also suggests reports or certifications will only be issued in cases that are feasible such as the Iraq and Syria strategy plans and the certification for the end of the Yemen conflict.

Trump also said he still retains the authority to reduce troop levels in Korea in emergency scenarios. A hypothetical case could include the deployment of Korea-based troops to another country in response to a new crisis, Anderson said.

Trump would comply with this provision "so long as it's feasible and it doesn't interfere with my constitutional authority as commander in chief," Anderson said. He wouldn't comply if "suddenly, there was an unexpected land war in China and the president was then involved" and had to deploy the Korea troops there.Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but...Twenty days after its missed relaunch date, the Pentagon's military spouse scholarship portal is back online.

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) scholarship program, managed through the Defense Department's Military OneSource website, gives eligible spouses up to $4,000 in tuition assistance for certain types of courses.

To use the program, spouses must complete an online application process. But the site encountered a major server problem during an update outage originally scheduled to run from July 19 to July 27.

Those "serious issues" with its host servers forced the site to stay dark for much longer than originally planned, officials said.

"The department has been aggressively working to restore the MyCAA application and, while progress is being made, the timeline for completion will depend on the resolution of several technical issues encountered during system restoration," Jessica Maxwell, a Defense Department spokesperson, told Military.com in an email Aug. 6. "Unfortunately, military spouses have been unable to access the MyCAA website since the system went down."

Officials had developed a workaround by phone for spouses needing to access MyCAA information or resources.

The site was restored Aug. 15 on its new URL, MyCAA.militaryonesource.mil.

Some users may receive a "security certificate" or "privacy" notice when attempting to access the site -- a warning that is not uncommon on Defense Department websites. Those users should ignore the message and proceed to the site.

See more about how MyCAA works and what's currently covered.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.Holly and Tracy talk about their experiences with haunted houses, then discuss watching "The Exorcist," and the dynamics in play in Roland Doe's story.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comWYOMING - Nearly six months after being closed to the public, a new and improved Ferrand Park is set to reopen later this month.

Sporting new and expanded playground equipment such as swings, a custom powerscape playground structure and a dragonfly seesaw, along with universally accessible walkways, improved turf conditions and a new picnic shelter, the park will officially reopen to the public with a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25.

Mayor Jack Poll, along with members of City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission, will be in attendance to help celebrate the renovations.

"The city of Wyoming and Parks and Recreation Commission are pleased to celebrate the grand opening of Ferrand Park," Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of Community Services, said. "We pride ourselves on excellent facilities and know that the improved accessibility of Ferrand will be a great asset to the families of our community."

Located at 4715 Byron Center Ave. SW, Ferrand is a small neighborhood park with a shady oak canopy that doubles as a storm water collection area during large rains. A deed restriction prohibits the removal of trees within the park unless they are dead or deemed unsafe.

Improvements to the park, which were approved in February, cost approximately $419,750. Funding came from the Capital Projects Revolving Fund and the Parks and Recreation operational millage.GAINES TOWNSHIP - Having sent a letter of non-conformance and receiving no word from Living Water Ministry Network, a nonprofit that has been operating a pair of halfway houses in a residential neighborhood over the past year and a half, Supervisor Robert DeWard said the township is considering moving ahead with a lawsuit.

Before things come to that, however, DeWard said Township Attorney Cliff Bloom has suggested sending a follow-up letter to give the ministry one more chance to comply with an order to vacate the homes it has been using to house recently paroled criminal sexual offenders. The houses are located at 53 Brownell St. SE and 144 Brownell St. SE.

Bloom had previously declared Living Water's use of the homes for that purpose as "inappropriate" and at odds with the township's zoning ordinance.

"We (gave) the ministry an ultimatum basically saying you need to be out of here because our attorney said they're operating illegally, in non-conformance with our zoning ordinance," DeWard said at a Township Board meeting on Aug. 13. "We gave them a date to be out and we never got a response to it."

The nonprofit was supposed to vacate the houses by Friday, Aug. 10, according to the letter.

DeWard said he had recently heard reports that Living Water had moved more items, including furniture, into one of the homes on Brownell.

Angela Musselman, one of the Brownell residents who initially raised concerns over the presence of the halfway homes at a board meeting in June, confirmed that Living Water seemed to be disregarding the township's notice to vacate the premises.

"After they received the notice to vacate, my understanding of the timeline is that they brought a whole trailer full of chairs and other furniture into 144 Brownell," Musselman told trustees. "So it seems to us, as the neighbors, that they're completely ignoring you -- and that's not OK with us.

"I just want to remind us all that Living Water started this a year and a half ago by deceiving the township and placing transient sexual offenders directly released from prison next to children," she said. "It's already cost the township thousands of dollars in legal fees and it's created distress among the neighbors.

"They may be trying to paint themselves as victims, trying to gain sympathies, but for us this is a safety issue, and also a zoning issue."

Living Water representatives did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

DeWard said it will be unfortunate if the township has to resort to filing a lawsuit against Living Water, as both Gaines and the nonprofit will be forced to pay a series of legal fees.

"We have to follow the proper protocols for this type of thing," DeWard said. "Our attorney has asked for the opportunity to send a letter ... to give the ministry one last chance to comply before filing a lawsuit.

"This makes good sense, because if we can get compliance this way, then it will save the taxpayers a lot of money."Editor's note: The city has clarified the costs on the project are now up to about $361,000.



ANN ARBOR, MI - The price tag almost kept it from happening and it was the subject of debate by the Ann Arbor City Council in recent years, but the Lansdowne bridge is now a reality.

A roughly $361,000 footbridge over Malletts Creek in the Lansdowne neighborhood -- a project funded by the city -- opened this spring and residents have been enjoying it all summer.

As the setting sun cast a sparkling glow on the water below on Tuesday evening, Aug. 14, several neighbors made their regular walks across the bridge to take in the scenery.

"I really like it," said Mershon Drive resident Mary Kagan, while on her nightly walk with her 7-year-old labrador retriever, Chloe.

"It's fun because we live on the other side and now we can walk here and get across and get to the other part of the subdivision. It's a really nice, long walk," Kagan said. "I try to do 20,000 steps every day. It's helping me do that."

Neighbors say the new bridge -- a replacement of a bridge that used to be there a decade ago -- adds scenic variety to their walks and that's something they had been missing.

The bridge crosses the creek between Delaware Drive and Morehead Court just east of Seventh Street.

Rows of homes back up to the creek on both sides, and the bridge is accessible by sidewalk approaches that cut between homes.

"In the morning sometimes if I come over here, there are herons and egrets on the water, really pretty, and occasionally I'll see a turtle kind of going in and out, swimming in the water, so that's really fun," Kagan said. "I'm just really glad they completed the bridge. It's been many, many years, because when we first moved here in '85, it was here, and then it came down and then we really missed it."

Northbrook Drive resident Scott Roberts went for a walk across the bridge just before sunset Tuesday evening, pushing his 3-year-old son and 9-month-old daughter in a double stroller.

"He likes to look at the ducks, and we saw some cranes yesterday, so he likes to go across the bridge," Roberts said.

The city closed the previous city-owned crossing over the flowing creek a decade ago due to safety concerns related to structural deficiencies, and then removed it entirely, leaving the neighborhood without a bridge for the last several years.

Neighbors complained in recent years that it was an eyesore and dangerous with the sidewalk approaches on either side leading to barricades. They said children still would try to cross the creek on the rocks and concrete and they didn't think it was safe.

City officials at multiple times over the last several years signaled intentions to replace the bridge after the adjacent homeowners association, known as Lans Basin Inc., took responsibility for repairing the weirs that served as a foundation for the old bridge.

After the neighbors did their part, which they claim cost about $100,000, the City Council tried to backtrack two years ago.

The council voted 7-4 in favor of a $450,000 earmark for the project in May 2015, with Mayor Christopher Taylor and three of his allies -- Julie Grand, Kirk Westphal and Chuck Warpehoski -- opposed.

The makeup of the council changed in the 2015 election. With two new allies in Zachary Ackerman and Chip Smith, Taylor and most of his allies voted against funding a new bridge in April 2016, once again balking at the cost. By a 6-5 vote, the council voted down a $37,549 contract for the engineering design work.

The six against moving forward with the project at the time were Taylor, Smith, Ackerman, Grand, Westphal and Warpehoski.

Some of them noted the Lansdowne bridge project ranked low on the city's list of capital priorities.

Council members in favor of the bridge argued the city had an obligation to the neighborhood and they believed the bridge could be built for less than $450,000.

The council eventually voted 10-1 in favor of the long-debated project in May 2017, with only Council Member Kirk Westphal, D-2nd Ward, opposed. The council approved spending roughly $293,000 on a design-build contract with Grand Haven-based Anlaan Corp.

According to project cost information shared previously, the city also spent nearly $7,000 on consulting fees and nearly $58,000 on internal city costs, for a total cost of about $358,000.

That's now up to $361,195 due to additional staff expenses associated with closing out the project, said City Engineer Nick Hutchinson.

He said there was a $376,500 overall budget, so the project came in about $15,000 under budget.

Some of the previously cited costs, including attorney's office staff time and appraisal expenses, were for resolving an easement issue that temporarily stopped work on the project last fall.YPSILANTI TWP., MI - Four adults and multiple pets were displaced from their Ypsilanti Township home Tuesday afternoon when a fire destroyed the front of the structure.

The fire started shortly after noon on Aug. 14, on the front porch of the home in the 1100 block of Davis Street, Ypsilanti Township Fire Department officials said.

The fire quickly spread to the roof of the home and into the living room before crews arrived at the scene and snuffed the blaze out in about 10 minutes, officials said.

Two of the residents were home at the time of the fire and managed to get out of the house safely with the five cats and a dog, officials said.

No injuries were reported, though a sixth cat is still unaccounted for, homeowner Linda Lyson said Wednesday.

The front of the house was severely damaged in the fire making the home uninhabitable in its current state, officials said.

The displaced residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Fire crews were at the home for about four hours clearing debris and working to determine what started the fire. The cause of the fire still being investigated.

The Ypsilanti Fire Department and Superior Township Fire assisted at the scene.ANN ARBOR - Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred early Wednesday morning at BTB Burrito on State Street.

The suspect entered an unlocked rear door around 3:15 a.m. August 15, brandished a silver handgun and robbed the late-night burrito joint, according to the University if Michigan's Public Safety Division.

Ann Arbor Police described the suspect as a 5-foot-9, heavy-set white male, approximately 30 years old. The suspect was last seen wearing dark blue work pants, a dark hoodie and red bandanna around his face.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ann Arbor Police Department Tip Line at (734) 794-6939 or send an email to tips@a2gov.org.BAY CITY, MI - The city of Bay City will hold a public information meeting focusing on the future of two city-operated drawbridges.

The meeting will be held at Bay City City Hall in room 317 at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30.

According to a news release, the city has contracted with OHM Advisors to conduct a study to determine the feasibility and impacts for different alternatives for operations of the Independence and Liberty bridges.

Bay City received a $16,000 grant from the East Michigan Council of Governments toward the costs of the study.

The study will look into costs of repairing and maintaining the bridges in their current form, as well as explore options to limit use or remove a bridge, the news release states.

The Independence Bridge opened to traffic in 1973 and serves 24,000 vehicles daily, according to the study. The Liberty Bridge, constructed in 1986, serves approximately 17,000 per day.

Other areas the study will go into include impacts to traffic patterns and operations, economic impacts to local businesses, social impacts and environmental concerns.

At the public meeting, OHM and city staff will present the study and information with the public having a chance to ask questions and give input as well.

City Manager Dana Muscott said in the news release the personal involvement from businesses and residents is a critical component to the results of the study.

The findings and recommendations of the study will be presented at a commission meeting in November.

To view the study, click here.BAY CITY, MI -- Michigan Sugar Co. is ready to begin its annual beet harvesting and processing and is hiring workers to help through mid-March.

Trucks carrying beets will begin traveling Monday, Aug. 20, to the company's factories in Bay City and Caro. The company's locations in Croswell and Sebewaing will begin receiving and slicing beets on Monday, Aug. 27.

Motorists are reminded to watch out for trucks traveling between farm fields and the factories and piling stations during the harvest.

Once all of the factories are up and running, Michigan Sugar anticipates slicing an average 21,500 tons of sugar beets per day. The company expects this year's slicing campaign to last 201 days, ending in mid-March.

For additional information about available jobs and to apply, visit www.michigansugar.com and click on the "Careers" link.

Applications also are available at the security stations located outside the following locations:

Bay City factory, 2600 S. Euclid Avenue

Caro factory, 819 Peninsular Street

Croswell factory, 159 S. Howard Street

Sebewaing factory, 763 N. Beck Street

Carrollton warehouse, 341 Sugar Street

Applications also are available at the company's piling stations in Albee, Blumfield, Deckerville, Ruth, Sandusky, Verona and Wheeler, which is near Breckenridge.

Executive Vice President James Ruhlman said pre-harvest samples taken on Aug. 9 showed the 2018 crop grew on average 4.5 tons per acre during the previous two weeks.

"Plant health continues to be strong, root structure is robust and stands are spectacular," he said.Note: This report was updated on Thursday, Aug. 16 to include comments from DTE Energy and Planning Commission member Terry Miller.

MONITOR TWP., MI - Many residents of Bay County's Monitor Township turned out Tuesday, Aug. 14, to voice opposition to wind turbines being built in the area and how the township's planning commission has handled the process.

After hearing the complaints, the planning commission voted unanimously to create a committee to look at the issue of wind turbines in the township. The committee will consist of nine members: three commission members, three residents who are for the wind turbines and three who are against them.

DTE Energy wants to bring renewable wind energy to the township near Saginaw Bay like it tried previously in nearby Beaver and Williams townships. The project has met with opposition from citizens, who cite a number of issues such as noise problems and potential harm to wildlife.

On June 25, the Monitor Board of Trustees voted to have a moratorium on wind turbine development to allow the planning commission to take more time to review a revised ordinance.

Brandon Krause, register of deeds for Bay County, attended the Tuesday meeting as a resident and said that many people are upset about the way the process has been handled.

"What everybody is upset about is definitely that the way this was handled," he said. "It's very important that we are getting our voices heard, that's number one."

Mark Suchy, a farmland owner in the township, said he does not have a problem with the turbines themselves but that there were no avenues for public input.

"We are not saying we object to the wind turbines," Suchy said. "DTE Energy took the whole board out on a bus trip to Wheeler, Michigan, and showed them the wind turbines - wined and dined them - anyway, and they came back and threw in some guidelines and came up with ordinances and guidelines without any public input."

Another attendee of the event, Mark Wahl, said some residents also have concerns about the wind turbines having a detrimental effect on their quality of life.

"There's a lot of research out on sound, noise, quality of life, the lights flickering (off the turbines)," Wahl said, adding that some of the issues he cares about are the complications the height of the turbines can create for hospital helicopters or planes.

Another topic some residents had concerns with is planning commission member Terry Miller, who is a vice chair on the Michigan Environmental Council. He was questioned by Krause and others if he would remove or recuse himself from a vote.

Krause also alleged that he spoke at a Beaver Township meeting as an elected official that the turbines were coming to Monitor Township even before there was a vote on it.

Miller said that he thinks the discourse on wind energy has been disappointing because opponents are using fear tactics to scare others into being against it. One tactic is a flyer that purports to show the adverse size and effects of windmills.

Miller added that he was being accused of being biased because some township residents were at a Beaver Township meeting where he said he was on the planning commission and said that wind turbines were coming to Monitor Township. They said he acted in an official capacity as a commissioner and not as a private resident, which he denies.

"There is not a great deal of civility that is there, I think that's (the opposition's) motive of operation, to silence," he said. "The other side is not willing to listen and the trustees are running very scared, they've been threatened with recall."

Planning Commission Chairman Jim Bellor said there is a hearing Aug. 27 at Monitor Township Hall to determine if Miller's positions represent a conflict of interest.

"They are saying it's a conflict of interest because he sits on two other boards that represent wind and energy," Bellor said.

Across the state there are currently 20 wind farms in rural committees in the Thumb and in Sanilac, Saginaw, Bay, Huron Tuscola, Gratiot and Isabella counties.

In a statement sent to MLive on Aug. 16, DTE Energy said it is in the evaluation stage of a potential wind energy project in Bay County and is currently talking to landowners, elected and appointed officials and members of the community.

The statement also said in addition to payments to land owners for acquiring easements, wind projects bring economic benefits such as job creation and a new source of tax revenue.

Those who are interested in being a part of the upcoming Wind Energy Fact-Finding Advisory Committee in Monitor Township are asked to visit online or call (989)-684-7203 for more information.HENDERSON, TEXAS - Police in an East Texas community are looking for a northern Michigan teen who has been missing for months.

Sgt. David Roberts of the Rusk County Sheriff's Office told MLive that law enforcement in Michigan had contacted his agency and asked them to check out a residence where 15-year-old Kaitlyn Leonard, of Sterling, might be staying with a male.

"We've been out to this one house multiple times, but every time we've been there, she's not been there," Roberts said. "None of the neighbors recognize pictures of her."

Roberts said he did not know what information police in Michigan had received that led them to believe Kaitlyn might be in Texas. The Arenac County Sheriff's Office declined to speak on the matter.

Roberts added his agency may encourage their area CrimeStoppers to share images of Kaitlyn, hoping the offer of a cash reward may lead someone to revealing her location, if she is in fact in the area.

Kaitlyn, a student at Standish-Sterling High School, left her Sterling home the night of May 20. She took a packed backpack with her, but left her cellphone behind.

Police previously said they believe Kaitlyn crawled through a window and ran away rather than having been abducted, but they've declined to say more.

Each day since Kaitlyn's disappearance, her mother, Kristi Leonard, posts on Facebook that she still hasn't been found or heard from.

She previously spoke with MLive and described her daughter as artistic and a lover of animals.

"She's a very beautiful, bright, artistic person," Kristi Leonard has said. "She enjoys drawing and painting. She is also a very gifted tap dancer. She has a heart of gold and loves her cats, Scarlettee and Si, along with any animal. She is really such a sweet girl willing to help whenever and wherever she was needed."

Kaitlyn is 5-feet-5-inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. She has burgundy hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone who knows of Kaitlyn's whereabouts is urged to call the Arenac County Sheriff's Department at 989-846-3002 or the Center for Search & Investigations for Missing Children at 512-887-3519, reference case number 18-4884.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted via the website www.findkaitlynleonard.com.If Aaron T. Salter of Detroit ever made a birthday wish, this was surely it.

On Wednesday, Aug. 15, Salter's 36th birthday, Wayne County Circuit Judge Annette J. Berry vacated his life sentence for a January 2004 first-degree murder conviction and ordered he be released from the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe immediately.

After serving nearly 15 years in prison, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's Office now says there was not adequate proof Salter and an accomplice committed an ambush-style triple shooting that killed 36-year-old Willie Thomas, critically injured a 21-year-old man and seriously injured another 24-year-old man on Aug. 6, 2003.

A jury, however, found Salter guilty based largely on a "mistaken" eyewitness ID provided by the 24-year-old victim, who said in post-conviction interviews he was "never certain Mr. Salter was the shooter," according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

The investigating Detroit police officer remembers the case against Salter being "very weak," according to Worthy, but never informed prosecutors of the opinion at the time of the trial.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office said the case, as well as Salter's alibi, was reviewed by the Conviction Integrity Unit, which Worthy created and hired attorney Valerie Newman to head earlier this year.

The judge, who vacated the conviction against Salter twice before, in 2011 and 2017, rejected his motions for relief from judgement.

The case gained new traction in 2013 when a prisoner contacted the Federal Defender's Office and claimed to have "personal knowledge of the shooting," Worthy's office said.

Salter is expected to be released from prison today, Aug. 15.

Full Wayne County Prosecutor's Office press release:FLINT, MI -- A company that has replaced more than 3,000 water service lines for the city is willing to work without hydro excavation equipment but wants to be paid for the extra time it's taking to do its job.

Goyette Mechanical has formally requested additional pay for past and future service line work from the city because of the time it's taking to work without hydro excavation equipment.

The issue is separate from an ongoing debate between the city and the state over the safety of using the same type of hydro excavation equipment to identify what material service lines are made of.

The company estimates its service line replacement costs have increased about 8 percent -- to about $4,600 -- and its exploratory excavation costs have risen almost 9 percent -- to about $1,800 -- because of the prohibition.

Mayor Karen Weaver stopped that practice in June, and a Goyette official said service line replacement contractors were also told not to use the equipment for locating other buried utility lines that same month.

The city and state of Michigan have been debating the decision not to use hydro excavation to identify what service lines are made of since that time.

The mayor has said hydro excavation resulted in some lead and galvanized pipe having been missed and instead has required contractors dig a minimum of 4 feet on both sides of the curb stop, exposing much more of the service line.

"The mayor is correct that canceling the hydrovac contract was done to protect the health and safety of Flint residents," Joe Parks, project manager for Goyette, said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal.

"Unfortunately for us and the other replacement contractors, the mayor's ban on the use of hydrovac extended to our work. This is a bad decision ... We are spending significantly more on labor at every address," Parks said.

A spokeswoman for the city did not respond to requests for comment from The Journal.

Parks said Goyette has provided the city with a record of the additional costs the prohibition has amounted to -- an estimated $100,000 as of this week -- but has received no response.

In a July 9 memorandum to Director of Public Works Rob Bincsik and Chief Financial Officer Hughey Newsome, Goyette said it intends to resume use of hydro excavation, which its contract allows for, unless it's paid more to do the more time-consuming traditional digging.

Goyette is one of five service line contractors working in Flint. It has a $5.6 million contract to replace service lines for the city.

The Journal could not reach other contractors for additional comment.

Martha Brown, founder of Martha Brown Custom Builders of Burt, which was awarded the line identification hydro excavation contract, said she's been told she's off that job until further notice.

"They did tell me they had no problem with my work," Brown said. "They said at this point, they couldn't take a chance" that lead or galvanized lines could be missed and left in the ground.

The city's contract with Brown specifies using hydrovac equipment to bore two, 18-inch diameter holes to the service line to determine its composition, but Flint officials have said it's too easy to miss lines that may have been spliced with such limited visibility.

Crews are removing service lines here because of the potential that they were damaged by corrosive water during the Flint water crisis.

Despite Weaver's concerns about hydro excavation, state officials have said there is no measurable public health benefit to using traditional excavation to check those lines -- only added cost.

The state estimates the additional cost of using traditional excavation all across the city will cost taxpayers an additional roughly $14.6 million.

That estimate does not include any changes to payments to service line contractors like Goyette, which the company says shouldn't have to bear additional costs.

Last week, Weaver visited service line replacement crews on the job, vowing to continue to use only traditional excavation tools like backhoes and shovels.

In addition to missing lead and galvanized lines that have been spliced with other material, city officials have said they risk breaking utility lines with high-pressure water and vacuum.

"We're going to ... take our time and do it right," the mayor said during a Facebook broadcast. "I think people's lives are worth it."

Parks said he's received no explanation for not allowing hydrovac equipment for work that doesn't involve line identification.

Brown said she's been forced to lay off employees who planned to work on Flint service lines through the fall.

She said she could have changed the process of hydro excavating to expose as much of service lines as the mayor desired.

"All these people are out of work," she said of people she hired to work in Flint. "They had no place to go ... I'm very disappointed (but) I hope this is worked out."GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The Grand Rapids Art Museum is offering free admission to low-income families beginning this week.

Museum officials announced Monday SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card recipients will be able to get in free as part of the national Museum for All initiative, a national access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Association of Children's Museums.

The program is designed to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits, according to a news release from the GRAM.

GRAM's regular admission prices are $10 for adults, $6 for youth ages 6-17 and free for children ages 5 and younger.

The program started this week in Grand Rapids and grants visitors of the art museum who are receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits can enter the GRAM for free, for up to four people.

Guest will have to present their EBT card, also known as the Michigan Bridge Card. There are similar free and reduced admission available at more than 250 museums across the country.

Bridge Cards are debit-style cards that qualified low-income Michigan residents use to purchase food items through the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (called SNAP). The cards are part of an electronic benefits transfer system and are therefore sometimes referred to as EBT cards. In 2004, they replaced foods stamps, which were coupons torn from a booklet and handed to grocers.

GRAM is one of three institutions in West Michigan participating in Museums of All, joining the Grand Rapids Children's Museums and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts.

"...Access to the arts is critical for the vibrancy of our community," said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. "This program furthers the museum's initiative of offering inclusive and accessible experiences for visitors year-round."

More than 100 years old, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture.Michael Scott McNeal

WARNING: The booking photo of Michael McNeal is graphic in nature.

OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- A 55-year-old man is now charged with open murder for allegedly killing his wife in what police say was a murder-attempted suicide in late July.

Michael Scott McNeal was arraigned Wednesday, Aug. 15 in Holland District Court and is held in the Ottawa County Jail without bond.

Ottawa County sheriff's deputies responded responded at 3:45 a.m. July 24 to the 15000 block of Barry Street in Port Sheldon Township on a report of a shooting.

They found 53-year-old Sherilee Suzanne McNeal dead and her husband seriously wounded.

Police believed the husband shot himself in the face.

McNeal had been in the hospital until this week.LANSING, MI -- Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday endorsed Michigan Democratic candidate for governor Gretchen Whitmer.

"Michigan's middle-class families need a governor who knows how to get things done, and that's why I'm endorsing Gretchen," said Biden, who served as Vice President from 2009-2017 under former President Barack Obama.

"Gretchen has spent her whole life getting real results for the middle class, whether it was raising the minimum wage, or working to expand Medicaid. Gretchen's got a real plan to fix the roads in Michigan and get our kids the skills they need to compete for good-paying jobs. That's exactly the kind of leadership Michigan needs in the governor's office right now, and it's why I'm so proud to be in Gretchen's corner," Biden said in a statement.

Biden is expected to campaign with Whitmer in Southeast Michigan leading up to the Nov. 6 general election.

"It's such an honor to have Vice President Biden's support," Whitmer said in a statement.

"From his work on the auto rescue to passing the Affordable Care Act, Vice President Biden has always had the backs of Michigan's middle-class families. Thanks to Obamacare and the work we did in Lansing to expand Medicaid, more than 680,000 Michiganders now have access to health care. There's still so much more important work to do, and I'm committed to building a better Michigan for all of us by finally fixing the damn roads, cleaning up our drinking water, and getting rid of the Snyder Retirement Tax once and for all. It's time to get it done."

Whitmer won the Democratic primary for governor in the Aug. 7 election.

She will face off against Republican Bill Schuette, Libertarian Bill Gelineau and possibly other third-party parties candidates in the general election.

Michigan's gubernatorial race has drawn attention from a series of national political figures.

Whitmer won the Democratic primary over Abdul El-Sayed, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.

Schuette, meanwhile, has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, something he said was "huge" in the state's primary election.

The general election takes place on Nov. 6.If all goes well, and as expected, Hamilton County Chancellor Jeff Atherton will tell a group representing the Democratic Party not to ever again clutter his office or his courtroom with such a childish amount of political poppycock as will be brought on display tomorrow. The Democrats want to block Robin Smith, a longtime Republican stalwart, from becoming our next State Representative in District 28 and Chancellor Atherton should ceremoniously pull the plug from this soap opera in the early minutes.

And what a soap opera it has been since veteran legislator Gerald McCormick had a change of plans and resigned as House Majority leader. His wife Kim was awarded a job with the State Board of Regents and Gerald figured it would be more fun working with an engineering firm in Nashville rather than continue the political jangle.

But the decision came after the deadline to run in the 2018 election and the Dems immediately claimed the candidate, David Jones, should run unopposed. Election Administrator Kerry Steelman said McCormick's withdrawal fit the guidelines for reopening qualifications. Ron Harr tested the water for a run but when Robin Smith stepped forward, her name was accepted by the commission  kinda.

With chairman Mike Walden unable to attend, secretary Jerry Summers asked the next meeting be slightly delayed due to an early and brief medical commitment. But when Summers showed up around 8:30 a.m., the others on the commissioners had not only approved Robin Smith but had already vamoosed.

During the Aug. 4 primary Robin got an easy win but not so with the Democrats pick. Last spring Jean-Marie Lawrence petitioned and qualified to run in District 26 but, because she is wheelchair bound, Lawrence had made the decision to move to more comfortable surroundings outside of the district. By law, Lawrence is not required to have a physical residence in D-26 until the day she is sworn into office.

But, wait: this is the best: With no signs, political promises, media appearances or, heaven forbid, a debate, she beat the shocked Jones and equally embarrassed Democrat machine by about 300 votes  1,971 to 1,668. Now is this beginning to sound like a soap opera?

Heres what Election Commissioner Mike Walden said so succinctly: "This cake is baked. 2,760 people have already voted in House District 26 in early voting. This was on July 26. We have got to stop these people from Nashville from filing these ridiculous lawsuits. It's much ado about nothing, adding, frivolous lawsuits by Nashville lawyers" are costing local taxpayers money.

I cant imagine a judge who would invalidate the commission's action, Walden said, speaking for everyone with any shred of common sense in Southeastern Tennessee. The whole scheme is a sham and it is a brutal reflection of the statesmanship and the ethical character the Democrats have frittered away in recent election cycles. This begs a blistering admonition from Judge Atherton when the right time presents itself.

About a month ago Robin commented on the court challenged, The party that told Americans they 'go high' never misses a chance to take the low road." She said. While I am saddened for voters in District 26 and taxpayers of our county, Democrats have removed all doubt in this state: they have no winning policies and no winning principles guiding their elections. Their desperation is obvious and will be futile.

"Claiming any action is justified as 'resistance,' when what it really means is win at any cost the Tennessee Democrat Party knows that I legally qualified for the election and the Hamilton County Election Commission approved the ballot. This frivolous lawsuit will cost Hamilton County taxpayers money as the Election Commission fights in court to uphold their correct decision.

"Whether its intimidation and threats against public officials or attempting to deny candidates access to the ballot and deny you the opportunity to vote, she said, its the leadership of the democrat party who always show their true colors

* * *

* -- "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."  Plato

* -- No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar. -- Abraham Lincoln

* -- There's no substitute for guts. -- Paul "Bear" Bryant

* -- Listen to me, mister. You're my knight in shining armor. Don't you forget it. You're going to get back on that horse, and I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight, and away we're gonna go, go, go!  from the movie, On Golden Pond.

* -- Every man dies. Not every man really lives. from the movie, Baveheart.

Royexum@aol.comMichigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is asking a federal judge to reconsider his decision to allow straight-ticket voting on the November 2018 ballot, according to an emergency court motion filed Tuesday.

The motion asks U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain to issue an immediate stay pending appeal of Drain's Aug. 9 injunction on a 2016 Michigan law that removes the straight-party voting option.

The motion asks for a decision by Friday, Aug. 17, citing the need to set the November ballot.

The motion, which was filed by Attorney General Bill Schuette, argues that the state is likely to prevail on appeal and voters will not be harmed if the straight-ticket option is not available.

Drain's order "contains manifest errors and must be stayed to ensure that Michigan runs a fair and orderly election," the motion says. "There is irreparable harm to Defendant when a duly enacted law is facially challenged and subsequently permanently enjoined."

"In contrast, there is no harm to Plaintiffs or any Michigan voter - regardless of race - because the law prohibits no one from casting their vote however s/he wishes while the status quo of the duly enacted P.A. 268 is maintained," the motion says.

Straight-party voting has been an option in Michigan since 1891. Instead of filling out the entire ballot, a voter has the option to fill out one party's bubble, thus voting for the party's candidates in all the races.

Eliminating the option has gone to Michigan voters twice, in 1964 and 2001. Both time, residents voted to retain the option.

In 2015, the Michigan Legislature passed a bill that would eliminate the option. Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bill into law in January 2016.

The law never took effect.

The Michigan A. Philip Randolph Institute filed suit against the secretary of state claiming that it violated the Voting Rights Act by unfairly targeting the black community.

In July 2016, Drain issued an injunction to allow straight-ticket voting in the 2016 election.

Earlier this month, Drain permanently blocked the law, saying it "unduly burdens the right to vote, reflects racial discriminatory intent harbored by the Michigan Legislature, and disparately impacts African-Americans' opportunity to vote in concert with social and historical conditions of discrimination."

Eleven other states have eliminated straight-ticket voting in recent years.GRAND RAPIDS -- After months of criticizing primary opponent Lt. Gov. Brian Calley for abandoning President Donald Trump, Republican candidate for governor Bill Schuette picked another Republican who did so as his lieutenant governor.

Trump endorsed Schuette early in the cycle, something Schuette has touted in public appearances.

But October of 2016 was a fraught time in Republican circles. The Washington Post had unearthed old tapes from a a 2005 Access Hollywood taping where Trump, in a lewd comment, referred to grabbing women inappropriately.

Lisa Posthumus Lyons, a lawmaker at the time and currently Kent County Clerk, posted publicly on Facebook about her disapproval, accusing the president of demeaning women.

"Demeaning women and disrespecting others is unacceptable behavior. I am raising four kids to stand up for others, to love their neighbor, to exemplify respect and integrity. I do not tolerate anything less from my kids, and I will not tolerate anything less from someone who wants to be President of the United States," she wrote in 2016.

She wrote that she had remained quiet until then out of respect to voters who had chosen Trump as the nominee, "But it is clear that Donald Trump has not earned my respect or my vote."

Asked whether she supported Trump now on Wednesday, Posthumus Lyons said she did.

"I support President Trump and the policies that are coming out of his administration. You cannot argue with the results that we're seeing, from tax cuts to American hard-working families to rule of law judges that are taking the bench throughout the nation," Posthumus Lyons said in a media scrum after her candidacy was unveiled.

Asked if Lyons' 2016 position was akin to the one he'd been so critical of Calley for, Schuette did not answer the question, instead saying there was a contrast between Republicans and Democrats going into the 2018 election.

Schuette himself initially supported a different presidential candidate, Jeb Bush, for the 2016 nomination. But when he got on board with Trump he stuck by them, even after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

It's a fact he brought up often in the primary cycle as a shot against Brian Calley, who unendorsed Trump after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

"Brian, you deserted Trump. And the president knows who was with him and who was not," Schuette said during a May 9 Republican primary debate.

On the campaign trail he's highlighted Trump's accomplishments and touted Trump's endorsement as being "huge."JACKSON, MI - If he is compliant with the terms of his probation, a former Jackson Area Career Center teacher will not spend further time in jail for inappropriately texting a student.

Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Kevin Laverty, 36, on Wednesday, Aug. 15, to two years probation and 270 days in jail, with a day of credited time. The jail term, however, is suspended, meaning he will not have to serve it if he does as ordered.

Laverty pleaded guilty as charged in June to two felonies, using a computer to commit a crime and promoting, distributing or financing "child sexually abusive" activity or material. He did not wish to see the case go to trial, his lawyer Kenneth Hotchkiss said.

Wednesday, the married father of two apologized to the victim, the community, the court and, especially, his family.

"He is embarrassed to be here. He is ashamed. He is humiliated," Hotchkiss said.

Laverty texted with a student, then 17, for several months in late 2016. The messages appeared to have started innocently, but soon turned improper, Jackson County Undersheriff Chris Kuhl earlier said.

Hotchkiss said a couple photos, graphic enough to rise to the level of sexually explicit, were provided to Laverty. The two never had a physical relationship, and though she was a student at the career center, Laverty never was her instructor.

Laverty taught about six years in the health technician program and was immediately suspended when administrators from the Jackson County Intermediate School District and Career Center learned of his interactions with the student, the district reported in a statement. A day later, on Feb. 17, he resigned.

Hotchkiss said Laverty fully cooperated with police, assisting in the investigation, and has no prior criminal record.

The lawyer said he spent hours with Laverty and has seldom found someone so remorseful. He called Laverty's actions a lapse of judgement, and expressed confidence Laverty would abide by every condition of his supervision.

"He struggled with this, as anybody would. He had never been in the system. He got caught up in this, and still is almost in shock," shocked that he allowed himself to do this or put himself in this position, Hotchkiss said after the sentencing.

Assistant Prosecutor Katie Hawkins did not make any presentation, and no victim stepped forward to address the judge.

McBain noted Laverty has a master's degree, and the charges already have significantly impacted his life.

By Michigan law, he will have to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

When approached outside the courtroom, Laverty declined extensive comment.

"I'm just embarrassed about the whole situation," he said.

Hotchkiss said Laverty found other full-time employment outside the teaching field.The possibility of a shipment of spent nuclear fuel on Michigan highways to Port Huron and into Canada has members of a nuclear watchdog group concerned and asking questions.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission received a request for approval of a highway shipment route for spent nuclear fuel from LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station to Port Huron and Michigan's port of exit.

A July 13 letter from the NRC indicates the agency received the application, dated May 13, 2018, and the NRC has a goal to complete the review within 45 days, by late August.

LaSalle County Generating Station, near Chicago, has two nuclear reactors that produce 2,320 megawatts of energy, or enough to power 2.3 million homes, according to Exelon Generation, the company that operates the plant.

The company said the proposed shipment is for nine fuel rods, weighing around five pounds each, that will be shipped to a testing facility in Canada after reaching Port Huron.

Beyond Nuclear, an advocacy group working to push for a future free of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, found the letter posted online on July 23, among hundreds of documents on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's online library.

The group, along with other advocates, criticized the possible shipping route.

"We have serious concerns about shipping high-level radioactive waste from Exelon's LaSalle reactors to a port city," said David Kraft, director of the Chicago-based Nuclear Energy Information Service. "Except in cases of extreme emergency, we believe that irradiated fuel should only be moved once for permanent isolation."

Kay Cumbow of Great Lakes Environmental Alliance in Port Huron said a spill, release or fire in the area or near waterways that flow into the St. Clair River could potentially ruin one of the largest fresh water deltas in the world, the St. Clair Flats.

Exelon Generation said the proposed shipment would not impact public safety.

"A routine posting on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website has given a group of nuclear critics an opportunity to spread fear and misinformation to the public with no context," Exelon Generation Nuclear Communications Senior Manager Linsey Wisniewski said.

"Exelon Generation is participating in an innovative industry initiative to help explore a safer and more efficient nuclear fuel," she said. "Nine fuel rods, weighing around five pounds each, will be packed into a 24-ton, collision-absorbing and heavily-shielded shipping cask and shipped to a testing facility in Canada. This safe and secure shipment will be regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and transportation agencies and will not impact public safety in any way."

Beyond Nuclear believes the application's wording suggests a possible water route to the destination, according to a news release from the advocacy organization.

Michael Keegan, spokesperson for Don't Waste Michigan and Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes, in Monroe, Michigan, said, "Why risk sending deadly radioactive wastes through our communities and Great Lakes watersheds?"

For security reasons, the NRC could not share the details of the application, Spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng said. There are stringent and effective requirements in place to ensure the safe and secure transportation of nuclear material, she said.

"When we talk about spent fuel shipments, we are referencing occasional shipments of small segments of nuclear fuel rods going from a nuclear facility to a national lab or another analytic facility for scientific analysis," Mitlyng said "Since there is currently no permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel, large shipments of casks containing nuclear fuel do not occur."

The NRC works with the U.S. Department of Transportation to oversee the transportation of radioactive materials.

DOT regulates shippers of hazardous materials, including radioactive material, and oversees vehicle safety, routing, shipping papers, emergency response and shipper training. The DOT regulations limit how much radioactivity can be transported in each package.

NRC regulates users of radioactive material; approves the design, fabrication, use and maintenance of shipping containers for the most hazardous radioactive materials, including spent nuclear fuel segments, and the physical protection of such material. Before a package can be used to transport spent fuel segments, the NRC must issue an approval certificate. The NRC requires radioactive materials shipments to comply with DOT's safety regulations for transporting hazardous materials, she said.

The greater the potential risk posed by the contents, the more stringent DOT's packaging requirements are. NRC regulations for the safety of transport packages for large quantities of radioactive materials, including spent nuclear fuel, are outlined in NRC regulations, which state each licensee shall provide advance notification to the governor of a State, or the governor's designee, of the shipment of licensed material, she said.

If any nuclear material is to be moved internationally - for example, to Canada - there are international treaties in place with requirements for the safety and security of materials in transit. In addition, if such shipments were to take place, they would require coordination between states, tribes, federal entities such as the US Coast Guard, as well the international counterparts, Mitlyng said.PORTAGE, MI -- Portage is moving forward with plans for a new senior/community center, and has approved spending $75,000 for a campaign meant to attract at least $1.5 million in donations to help fund the project.

After some discussion on wording of the motion, the council voted unanimously during its Aug. 14 meeting to take action based on a recommendation by Portage City Manager Laurence Shaffer, awarding a $75,000 contract to Hopkins Fundraising Consulting for professional campaign development toward the construction of a new senior/community center facility.

Before the board passed the motion, Councilmember Claudette Reid made an amendment to add the word "community," because the facility may also be used for community functions.

"I think if we are going forward with fundraising we need to be as open about what we are fundraising for as possible," Reid said.

A new facility would replace the current facility at 320 Library Lane, which was built in 1981.

Moving to the proposed new facility would increase the usable space from 7,300 square feet to 24,400 square feet, Shaffer said, referencing a design by Byce and Associates.

The cost for a new building is estimated to be $5.5 million, Shaffer's report to the council states.

Senior Center Manager Kim Phillips said space is the biggest issue in the current building.

"It's too small for the amount of people we're trying to serve," she said, and she is unable to schedule some of the programs they would like to because of that. A new wave of seniors coming in seems to have higher expectations for what the center offers, she said, and it needs more space to offer those things.

The nonprofit board of the Friends of the Portage Senior Center and the city's Senior Citizens Advisory Board both recommended a new facility, in part based on the cost difference between a renovation and a new facility, Shaffer said.

Bill Wieringa, chair of the advisory board, said the facility is getting older and demand is much higher than it has been in the past, and the facility needs more room.

"We'd like to do a lot more," he said.

An April 2018 document entitled, "a case for support," that includes an introduction signed by Shaffer and Mayor Patricia Randall, states the current senior center lacks the amenities today's seniors desire.

The plan describes a new center at 203 East Centre Avenue that would feature a multi-purpose room with a stage, a courtyard with fireplace, a fitness and activity space, a health clinic, a computer lounge, a coffee shop and more.

The document includes a floor plan and a rendering of what the building would look like.

"The best value for the city is to build a new center," Shaffer said about the project. He mentioned millage requests to fund a new center in the past have failed.

"If a millage is not possible, is it possible to raise funds sufficiently from the private sector that would ultimately substitute taxpayer dollars with donor dollars?" he said.

In January 2018, the city contracted with Hopkins Fundraising Consulting to perform a funding feasibility study to determine if sufficient funding for construction of a new senior center might be raised through a private fundraising campaign, Shaffer wrote in his recommendation submitted to the council.

The fundraising firm held 25 interviews with community leaders, corporate leaders and philanthropists to estimate the level of support that might be garnered, and made a recommendation about the plan.

The firm estimated $1.5 million would be available from them to support the senior center, Shaffer said, and he noted that some major businesses and philanthropists of the area have not been approached yet. Shaffer declined to say who the potential donors are.

The firm and its founder, Keith Hopkins, recommended moving quickly, Shaffer said.

"He has established a pretty modest goal of $1.5 million that he believes we can raise. I personally believe the number could be much greater than that," Shaffer said. The city would take more money if there are others willing to donate, he said, and would also like to include small and medium donations.

Shaffer said the total number of senior citizens in Portage is increasing and it's important to provide the highest quality facilities and programs to as many of them as possible.

He said the council has not approved a motion to approve construction of the center, and that the funding questions have to be answered first.

Councilmember Claudette Reid she realizes there is a need, and that the current senior center is "busting at the scenes."

Mayor Randall expressed her support for moving the project forward.

"It started with a campaign pledge, that this was something I wanted to do," she said.

"I do feel there is a sense of urgency to move this forward," Randall said, noting there are other projects in the community that will be tapping into the same donor pool.

She said some of the potential donors have asked if the city is married to the name "Portage Senior Center."

"Again and again, we say we are not," Randall said.

"We can come up with any variety of names. We are offering naming rights to not only the building but to some of the rooms inside the building," she said.

She also noted advice from the firm to move quickly.

"He has verbal pledges and he needs to solidify this interest to see if its still there and if we lapse and go back and forth on different items it will hurt our chances with at least these 25," she said.

The donors will dictate what the building will be called and how it will be purposed, the mayor said, indicating their input could shape the facility and its intended use.

Before voting, the board had discussions about the process and the next steps.

"I have to say this is probably one of the more risky expenditures we've been presented since my time on council," Richard Ford said, though he decided to vote in favor of the motion, noting support from the two boards and community members.

Portage resident and senior center member Arthur Miller asked the council to back construction of a new building in a letter the city received July 23.

"Space is essential for the success of the center and that space is lacking in the current facility," the letter reads, in part. "It is too small and does not have the amenities to meet the needs of the new generation of older adults who have different expectations than today's seniors."MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - A former employee of a senior living center who stole jewelry from a resident - including a ring from her finger - has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Jimmy Don Clark, 28, pleaded guilty to embezzlement from a vulnerable adult between $1,000 and $20,000. That's a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Actual sentences are based on state guidelines that take into consideration such factors as past criminal convictions.

In this case, Muskegon Circuit Judge Annette Smedley sentenced Clark to 30 days in prison with work release for 40 hours per week and six months of probation. He was given credit for one day already served.

The court has addresses for Clark in Grand Haven and Muskegon.

The victim was a resident of Robbinswood Northcrest Assisted Living Center, 2650 Ruddiman, in North Muskegon where Clark was employed.

It was alleged that Clark stole three rings from the woman, including her wedding ring off her finger.

The victim's family made a complaint to the facility, which did its own investigation before contacting police.MUSKEGON, MI - With three tattoos on her left arm and one on each ankle, Miss Michigan 2018 Emily Sioma might be the first Miss Michigan to display the permanent body art during her reign.

"I love all my tattoos," said Sioma, 24, of Grass Lake, during a recent visit to the MLive/Muskegon Chronicle office.

But she did promise not to add to the collection while holding the Miss Michigan title.

Sioma was named Miss Michigan 2018 on the Frauenthal Center stage in downtown Muskegon on June 16. She will compete for Miss America crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September.

"I've been told I'm going to be the edgy Miss Michigan," Sioma said, during a previous interview. "But it's come at a good time. We're rebranding our organization and maybe it's time to rebrand what it looks like to be Miss Michigan -- that there's not one type of girl that's supposed to be on this stage, but it's any girl that embodies what it means to be Miss America."

So far, there has been a lot of curiosity about her tattoos, but no negative comments that she knows of.

"I think there's this cultural shift that my tattoos, my nose rings, my sense of style, hair color don't impact my ability to be successful in this organization or at least there isn't as much of a stigma around all of these more physical attributes or these superficial things that I choose to do positively or negatively affecting me," Sioma said. "I appreciate that there's that change."

She makes sure each one has a special meaning or memory attached.

Her first tattoo is of a sweet pea blossom accompanied by the word "nostrovia" on her left forearm.

"I got it for my grandmother who passed away a few years ago," Sioma said. "She was the fun Polish grandma who would be in the back of the room at parties drinking, and you'd hear 'cheers, nostrovia.' It also means 'to good health.' That was the one Polish word that she taught to me. ... It was an amazing memory that I had of her."

Also on her left forearm, is the symbol of Venus with a worker bee inside. Worker bees are all females and are the only ones that have stingers.

"It's kind of a metaphor for me," Sioma said. "For a long time, we haven't given bees the respect that they deserve for all of the work that they do to keep us alive and to keep the world turning. And that's how I view women.

"For a long time, women haven't been given the respect and the validation that they deserve," she continued. "I wanted to really remind myself of the power that I have and the fact that I do deserve respect and I do deserve the validation (and) that because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm less, doesn't mean I'm better, it just means that I am deserving of the respect that everyone deserves."

A third tattoo is on her left tricep. It's a partial quote by the 17th century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky from his book "Notes from Underground." It says, "Twice two makes five is sometimes a very charming thing too."

"It talks a little bit about two plus two is four," Sioma said of the book. "It's really easy to understand, and if you look at it as a metaphor for life, sometimes not understanding that two plus two is five -- the confusion, the frustration, the anger that comes from not getting it -- is what makes life so charming, is what makes everything so much fun."

The tattoo is symbolic of the quote's meaning because she accidentally got it upside down.

"I was like, 'Ya know what, I don't understand it, I don't get it, but that's what makes it so charming. That's what makes it a little more fun,'" she said.

The last two tattoos are matching leaves on the back of each ankle. They were done using the hand poke method, which means the artist used one needle and a pool of ink to make the tattoo one dot at a time.

"It really hurt," Sioma said. "I am someone that's totally fine with the pain of tattoos, but this, I was about ready to get off the table and walk out."

But she didn't because she was in Berlin, Germany, and didn't want to leave with half a tattoo.

All five tattoos were on display during the Miss Michigan pageant and will be again during the Miss America competition.

But as she promised, there aren't any new ones in the works. After the year is up, she may add to the collection.

"There might even be something that really inspires me during my year as Miss Michigan to maybe turn it into a tattoo," Sioma said.Nitin Sandesara, an absconding director of a Gujarat-based pharma company which is being probed in a Rs 5,000 crore fraud case, has been arrested in Dubai, officials said. Officials said Sandesara was arrested by Dubai police based on a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Indian court.

"The legal process post the arrest is taking place in Dubai. We are waiting for details. Indian agencies will try to get him deported," a senior official said.

Reportedly, Indian probe agencies had information on Nitin Sandesara being in Dubai, following which the authorities alerted the officials in United Arab Emirates.

The company and its directors are being probed. CBI has booked Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech, its directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant Hathi, former director Andhra Bank Anup Garg and some unidentified persons in connection with the alleged bank fraud case.

It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which had turned into non-performing assets.

As per the FIR, the total pending dues of the group of companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. The ED has taken the FIR into cognisance.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested few people in this case including Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan, former Andhra Bank director Anup Garg and Sterling Biotech Ltd director Rajbhhushan Dixit.

Multiple prosecution complaints or charge sheets have also been filed by it before a special court here.

It had also attached assets worth over Rs 4,700 crore of the pharmaceutical firm in June this year.Canara Bank | Bank reported higher profit at Rs 444.1 crore in Q2FY21 against Rs 364.9 crore, net interest income jumped to Rs 6,296 crore from Rs 3,129 crore YoY.

Canara Bank plans to hire a social media agency as part of its brand promotion and to reach customers in a better way. The bank is looking for a social media service provider who can assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence as per the prevailing market trend and requirements of the bank, Canara Bank said in a notice.

Currently, the bank's marketing and retail resources wing uses manual methods for managing its social media accounts.

"The bank intends to engage a service provider who can provide social media services and assist in creating and managing a strong social media presence," the bank said detailing the scope of work.

It said the promotion of its products, services, events and campaigns through social media will be in accordance with its overall marketing plan.

The agency will have to manage the bank's account on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram as also the blogs. Canara Bank is already present on twitter and YouTube, as per links available on the bank's website.

The interested parties can submit their bids by August 31, 2018.Finshots.in compiled a list of the largest loss-incurring companies in India. The website amassed data for all listed companies using reported figures for the last 12 months. For unlisted companies such as Air India, the figures are as per the latest available annual financials. Here is a list of 10 companies that incur the highest loss. (Image: Reuters)

When it comes to sales and offers, companies consider Independence Day as one of the best periods to attract consumers towards their products through lucrative deals. And this year too firms put their best foot forward in order to woo shoppers.

From air to online, many companies have a lot to offer to their customers on August 15.

Airlines have come up with discount offers on domestic and international flight tickets. Jet Airways has announced up to 30 per cent discount on international flight tickets and 10 per cent discount on domestic flight tickets under it's 'Freedom Sale' offer.

Air India is offering attractive discount on flight tickets across airline's network. Domestic carrier GoAir also extended its 'Go Gr8 Festival Sale' offer till August 15, 2018.

E-commerce offers

Flipkart, Tata CliQ and PayTm Mall are offering discounts and offers across varied product range to celebrate the special occasion.

TaTa CliQ under its Cliqtronium sale is providing discount and deals on popular smartphone brands including Apple, Vivo etc.

Meanwhile, PayTm is also offering good deals on leading brands like Samsung, Apple, Honor and more.

In addition, the Chinese brand, Xiaomi is also hosting Independence Day Sale 2018 on its official site.

Jabong began its Fashion Freedom Sale from August 11 which will continue till August 15 wherein 60 to 80 per cent of discount is offered. Moreover, a 10 per cent cashback for up to Rs 500 on ICICI debit and credit cards is available on the products.

The Paytm Mall began its Freedom Cashback Sale on August 8 which will end on August 15. Some of the cashback deals available are-

- Up to Rs 10,000 cashback on iPhones and other smartphones

- Up to Rs 20,000 cashback on laptops and mobile phone accessories

- Up to 60 per cent discount on MRP of TVs, ACs and other home appliances

Snapdeal via its Deals of India sale, from August 10 to August 15, is offering discounts up to 80 per cent, along with 20 per cent instant cashback.

Myntras Right to Fashion Sale has discounts available for almost all products including western wear, ethnic wear, footwear category, earphones and headphones. The offer will end on August 15.

Whether its air travel or online shopping, this August 15 consumers have many options to spend their money in the best possible way without burning a hole in their pockets.Prime Minister Narendra Modis last Independence Speech in his current tenure was marked by policy announcements, a recounting of the governments achievements and an emotional pitch promising what India could achieve should his party come to power again next year.

The PM made a reference to steps that the government had taken to curb corruption and black money, a key plank on which Modi had ridden to power in 2014, but crucially missing was demonetisation: a gambit that BJP supporters have in the past dubbed a bold policy move and a political masterstroke.

On November 8, 2016, PM Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would no longer be recognised as legal tender, a decision aimed at flushing out unaccounted-for wealth.

But the suddenness of the decision and the secrecy with which preparations had to be undertaken meant the government and the Reserve Bank of India were seen as being unprepared to address the cash crunch that followed the move in which nearly Rs 15 lakh crore, or 86 percent of the economys cash, was rendered unusable.

Surveys held soon after demonetisation indicated public support for the move remained high. That it was generally believed that the inconvenience of standing in long ATM queues, and the overall economic hardships associated with the cash ban, was worth the benefits that would accrue in the fight against black money.

The BJP also swept to power in Uttar Pradesh  Indias most populous state  in assembly polls that were held four months after demonetisation, and the note ban was seen as working in the partys favour.

But even as cash levels started returning to normal and India appeared to have ridden out the economic impact of demonetisation  GDP fell by about 2 percentage points  it appeared that public support for the move started waning.

Demonetisation, along with the rollout of GST, had started being seen as decisions that hurt small traders, traditionally a core voter base of the BJP.

In Modis home state of Gujarat, where the party scored an underwhelming victory, both reforms were seen as a negative, with one opinion poll saying more than half of respondents were dissatisfied with them.

During the last one year, public support for demonetisation appears to have fallen, with 65 percent of those surveyed in a poll supporting the move, as opposed to 80 percent a year earlier.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told CNN-News18 that the PM may not have referred to demonetisation by name, but he made several references to black money, whose structure he claimed had "been uprooted by demonetisation".

While Modis speech did not directly touch upon demonetisation, it made a reference to GST  the other move that is also seen by some small traders with a sense of dissatisfaction.

Even there, Modi thanked them, alluding to the hardships that they may have faced in adopting the single-tax system.Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said his government created 31.5 lakh employment and self-employment opportunities and eradicated corruption during his three and a half year rule.

Unfurling the Tricolour at the Morahbadi ground here on the 72nd Independence Day, Das said one lakh more job opportunities in the private sector would be provided by the next National Youth Day.

Calling upon people to get rid of communalism, casteism, illiteracy, poverty and unemployment, Das said his government has zero tolerance on corruption and more than 300 people were arrested in corruption cases during the last three and a half years.

The chief minister said when he took over charge on December 28, 2014, Jharkhand was noted for corruption, but now the state is talked for development. "Today the image of Jharkhand has changed and its every citizen proudly says he or she is Jharkhand-vasi," he said.

Stating that Jharkhand is number one in the country in health sector reforms, Das said 57 lakh of the 67 lakh families will get free health services. Jharkhand is second in the country in growth rate, fourth in Ease of Doing Business and the state got the best performing state award in cleanliness drive, he said.

He said the Centre is assisting in the development of Jharkhand and cited example as to how the state got Rs 4064 crore in 2013-14 in central grant while it was increased to 82 per cent in 2014-15 and it reached to Rs 13,414 crore in 2017-18.

The chief minister said every household of the state would get electricity by December this year while it would become an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state by October 2.

Das said Jharkhand is the first state where women are able to purchase land worth up to Rs 50 lakh with just Re 1 as registration fee and so far 55,000 women have become owners of houses availing the benefit. He said 33 percent reservation has been given to women in recruitment for the police department. The state has created "Jharkhand State Emergency Grain Cell" at various levels, he said.

Under Prime Minister Housing Scheme (Rural), more than 5 lakh dwellings have been approved and construction of over 2.13 lakh dwellings have been completed, Das said.

The chief minister hoped that development and cooperation of people would lead to the end of left wing extremism in the state.On the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, for the first time, is organising Khadi exhibitions in as many as 10 Indian High Commissions/Embassies.

From the coarse, plain cloth that was eons ago a statement of patriotism and later a must-have for netas, to now designers' raw material for runway apparels, khadi has come a long way.

Khadi's journey from its eventful birth as the fabric favoured by revolutionaries to designer boutiques has been an exciting one. On this Independence Day, we chart out how it has evolved and gone from a common man's fabric to niche closets.

Khadi's latest avatar is in bright colours and gossamer fine. While designers sing hosannas about the versatility of the fabric, wearers swear by its practicality and comfort.

It is not only the perfect answer to India's hot and humid summers but also provides adequate protection against winter chill. Leading designers and upmarket clothes brands like Raymonds and Anokhi have given a modern and contemporary look to the traditional handspun fabric.

With stylish cuts and innovative colours, khadi has now come to define the trendy ethnic look. Its appeal to fashion sensibilities apart, khadis role in helping impoverished farmers is another aspect in the story of the traditional Indian fabric.

The hand-spun and hand-woven natural fabric (better known as Khadi) is associated with India from the time immemorial, i.e. right from the evolution of civilization here," said VK Saxena, chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

"During the pre-Independence time, the movement of Khadi manufacturing gained momentum under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi -aimed to discourage the Indians from wearing of foreign fabrics. After independence, Khadi was reduced to a formal uniform for the political class, and along with its wearers, Khadi, too, lost its symbolic force, he added.

In Gandhis days, Khadi was a weapon of the Swadeshi, against the imported cloth. Gandhi promoted Khadi because the hand-spun cotton cloth was at the centre of his vision for Indias self-reliant economy.

In the interiors of the country, where there are no job opportunities other than the rain-dependent agriculture, Khadi-spinning and similar economic activities can give people a means of livelihood. In the past 4 years, for instance, employment at KVIC has gone up by at least 25 percent taking the total employee count to about 15 lakhs at present.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also in the past given a clarion call of making this signature fabric a mode to attain economic transformation in the nation.

What else can be a better medium to showcase nationalism? A major boost to this sector will have a huge trickle-down effect directly benefiting millions of weavers engaged in making it. It makes economic sense to consume locally made products be it food, clothes or any other consumer items. And, that is the area  on which our PM is focused upon  to have economic sustenance with a great sense of nationalism, Saxena added.

Makeover

When noted fashion designer Ritu Beri was appointed the advisor of KVIC in 2016, many well-known designers started associating themselves with India's signature fabric.

When the government decided to give a push to this sector, we started looking for its multi-dimensional growth. Khadi Fashion shows were held here in New Delhi at Australian as well as Indonesian Embassies, in which leading Indian designers displayed their Khadi collections, added Saxena.

The makeover has not just been restricted to the urban areas. Last year, the tribal women of Omkareshwar in Narmada village were seen confidently walking the ramp in Khadi. Interestingly, in 2017, KVIC had given 45 charkhas to tribal women at Omkareshwar to start Khadi activities in Madhya Pradesh.

Product Basket

Known for selling desi khaddar, Khadi is now about being organic. It is hand-spun and hand-woven natural fabric and the only fabric that has zero-carbon footprint.

But that certainly does not make it boring. There's never dearth of varieties such as 100 to 500-count muslin, printed cotton fabric, cotton boutique fabric, denim, check fabric, topestry, thick coarse cotton  alias khaddar  delicate dupian silk, matka, moonga and katiya silk, tasar and polywool.

Business Growth

From Independence in 1947 to 2014, the growth rate in this sector remained in single digits with the highest pace recorded at 8 percent in the span of 65-odd years.

But the recent push for Khadi from the Prime Minister Modi has increased its demand in multiples. He first appealed the masses to adopt Khadi with the catch-line Khadi for Fashion, which multiplied its craze among youth. And, then he talked about Khadi for Economic Transformation  which paved the way to make rocketing growth for Khadi.

In FY17-18, the sale of Khadi grew 25 percent to Rs 2,509 crore compared to Rs 2,007 crore in FY16-17. As it turns out, the total average Khadi sales, which was Rs 914.07 crore during the year 2004 to 2014, jumped to Rs 1,828.30 crore in three years after that, i.e. between 2015 and 2018, with over 100 percent increase.

Similarly, as many as 375 new Khadi institutions were established after 2015, whereas the number of new Khadi institutions established in 10 years period between 2004 and 2014 was only 110. Interestingly, average export of Khadi and village industries products was mere Rs 87.77 crores in the 10 years span between 2004 and 2014.

From 2015 to February 2018, average export of Khadi and village industries products went to Rs 2,014.75 crore with a huge growth of 133.28 percent.

Corporate Tie-ups

To increase the sales, the KVIC has adopted many innovative schemes such as conversion with textile majors like Raymonds, Aditya Birla Fashion Retail, Arvind Mills, etc., agreement with large retail houses such as Globus, Big Bazaar, Cotton Bazaar, etc. for establishing Khadi Korners within their showrooms in malls, launching franchisee schemes, launching of gift coupons, etc.

Way Ahead

We are planning to make Khadi a global fabric and for that we are leaving no stone unturned. For the first time, in recent times, Khadi has started appearing on the global platform, added Saxena.

KVIC has already dispatched the first lot of Khadi products to places like Bahrain, Tehran, London, Singapore, Jordan, Perth, Ottawa, Portugal, Jeddah and Rome.

Alongside, the regular promotions in the country, on October 2 this year, Khadi exhibitions would be organized in as many as 50 countries.We are celebrating Independence Day today. But has this Independence Day brought real independence for the homebuyers from the pain and sufferings? Can we affirm that the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) has facilitated complete freedom for the homebuyers, from the tension and worries which they were facing for years due to their life savings getting stuck in several delayed projects?

We are now into the third year since RERA was passed by the Parliament in March 2016 and second year since RERA came into force from May 2017. Though, it was a journey well begun, there were roadblocks created in implementation of RERA since the beginning. States diluted the RERA rules led by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. This was later followed by Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, etc.

In complete defiance of the order of Bombay High Court in December 2017 (which upheld the constitutional validity of RERA), Maharashtra is yet to revise its state rules. Web portals in most states are only partially ready thus not serving much purpose.

Though RERA clearly provided for setting up authorities (Real Estate Regulatory Authorities and Real Estate Appellate Tribunals) within one year i.e. by April 30, 2017, many states are still continuing with interim authorities. Rajasthan High Court, in its recent order, has stayed the order passed by Rajasthan RERA as the same had been passed by the interim authorities, the ground on which it was challenged in the writ petition. In many cases, despite receiving favourable orders from RERA, it is reported that homebuyers are facing issues in its execution.

While homebuyers were grappling with aforementioned issues, another more serious and dangerous issue cropped up which has the potential to render RERA completely redundant. West Bengal has enacted its own state legislation by the name of West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act, 2017 (WBHIRA) and has thus refused to implement RERA in West Bengal. If West Bengal is successful in implementing WBHIRA, it may open the floodgates for other states to follow suit rendering RERA completely redundant.

WBHIRA was passed in July 2017 and it is really sad and unfortunate that ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has done nothing to nip the issue in the bud. The matter was raised by Forum For People's Collective Efforts (FPCE) in the Central Advisory Council (CAC) (constituted to ensure RERAs timely and effective implementation) in its meeting held on May 14. A sub-committee was formed which would have visited Kolkata to persuade West Bengal government to withdraw WBHIRA and implement RERA. Later, the proposed sub-committee was not notified.

Despite RERA coming into force almost a year ago, real estate is undergoing changes but at a very slow pace. Developers have definitely become more transparent in their dealings and are also more considerate towards dispute resolution at initial stages for fear of being dragged to RERA. Justice delivery time has been significantly reduced and homebuyers are getting orders within three-four months from RERA that too without engaging lawyers in many cases. Even after appeals to RERA tribunal and to respective high courts, the matter is not getting prolonged beyond 12 months. This is a real big achievement of RERA in my opinion which was not possible in any other judicial platform earlier.

With regard to ongoing cases, there is a demand from buyers of Unitech Ltd for forensic audit of the company and takeover of Unitech Ltd by the government, in our opinion, both the demands should be accepted forthwith. In the Jaypee matter, it is again a long and agonising wait for 90 days. I strongly feel that homebuyers should be made primary secured creditors to ensure that interest of homebuyers are protected even in case of liquidation.

Having raised this pertinent issue, we must remember, that we got Independence after several years of struggle. Similarly, for any new law to become fully functional and impactful, will also be a time taking process.

(The author is president, Forum For People's Collective Efforts and member, Central Advisory Council, RERA, ministry of housing and urban affairs, government of India)Ramesh Menon

'Too many governments, too much governance'. Sadly, thats the challenge the landowning community is saddled with in Delhi. Governments as well as its agencies are working at cross purposes, thereby inflicting debilitating blows on the potential development and investment opportunity of more than USD 100 billion, over the next decade.

Take a look at this:

2007: Delhi Master Plan 2021 notified.

2013: Land Pooling Policy notified.

2014: India votes new government to power.

2015: Multiple misplaced reviews and changes initiated.

2018: We are still where we were

It indeed was a paradigm shift when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) announced the model for land pooling as the preferred model for the next level of urbanisation of Delhi. It was expected to unlock more than 50,000 hectares of land. Data establishes that almost 60 percent of the total land is still with the farmers or traditional land owning community. The balance 40 percent is estimated to be a Non performing capital of institutions and high net worth individuals to the tune of USD 6 billion.

This Independence Day is unlikely to bring any cheer to the landowners of Delhi owing to the apathy and lack of understanding of local issues by the policy makers. Hence, every proposed change or amendment would only rob the Delhi Master Plan 2021 of its credibility as the largest and most profitable investment opportunity in real estate for the coming couple of decades.

And heres the dichotomy. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which prepared the master plan and zonal plans, has virtually outsourced its strategic policy making responsibility to the NIUA. NIUA seems to be revisiting the policy in totality, which probably may not be in the best interests of the landowners. On the other hand, the Delhi government has announced the chakbandi (consolidation) of some villages, which may have to be excluded from the pooling process, till it is complete in all respects. The DDA, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), MCD, electricity department, etc. seem to downgrading the plans more as a ruse to hide their in built inefficiencies.

Inefficiencies dont liberate the truth, namely, Delhi NCT has to be developed to accommodate a population of 25 million people over the next decade. The total requirement of housing units would be in excess of 1.5 million dwelling units. The proposal of the authorities to reduce the FAR (from 400 to 200) would make it extremely unviable for the institutional investors to commit funds to this opportunity.

It is my sense that the policy makers, specially those representing the political arm of governance, are not seized of the extent of damage their flip-flop is causing; not just to the landowners, but also the economy of Delhi. What worries more is that the landowners would exit somehow, someday, but it may be by way of plotting the land into unauthorised settlements, which would be counter productive to the stated intent.

Do we seek a Capital of India which is home to more than 5000 unauthorised colonies? Would we want half the population to dwell in these shanties, than a planned city? Liberation would mean differently to different segments, but governments should only endeavour to trigger economic activity and enhance quality of life.

(The author is an opinion leader on the subject of urbanisation of Delhi. He is the founder director of Certes Realty Ltd, and an Independent director on the board of SPA Capital Ltd.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his fifth Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, in an address lasting close to 80 minutes. Here are the key takeaways:

Economy in 2018 vs 2013

With national elections set to be held in under a year, Modi talked about the state of the economy, comparing it especially with 2013, when the economy was going through a tough phase and was labelled by analysts as one of the fragile five economies.

India is now the worlds sixth largest economy, he pointed out.

Before 2014, various world agencies used to say that the Indian economy is risky. But today, the same institutions say that the reforms are making fundamentals risk-free, the PM said. Previously, India would mean policy paralysis but now, India has become a destination of multi-trillion dollar investment.

If we look at the number of toilets being made in 2013, it would have taken a long time to complete coverage. If we moved at that pace for providing electricity to every village, it would have taken a long time, he said. It would have taken 100 years to provide LPG to the poor women of the country.

The number of direct tax assessees in the country rose from 35 million to 67.5 million while number of indirect tax assessees increased from 7 million to about 11 million.

Gaganyaan

The PM said that in 2022, on Indias 75th year of Independence, India has decided to send a son or daughter into space.

We will launch Gaganyaan, which will be led by Indian scientists. We will become the 4th country in the world to take people to space.

Ayushman Bharat

The PM talked about the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya programme, also referred to as the Ayushman Bharat, in which 10 crore families, or 50 crore people, will be given health insurance of Rs 5 lakh.

The technology is being tested and the programme will be launched on September 25, he said.

Farmers

Modi spent a long time talking about initiatives the government has taken to lift farmers income. The demand for higher minimum support prices (MSP) was pending for years. With the blessings of farmers, the decision of MSP was taken by our farmers, the PM said.

The PM reiterated the governments target that it wants to double farmers income by 2022. With Beej se Bazaar Tak, we are bringing exceptional reforms in the agriculture sector.

Armed forces

The PM referred to the demand of one-rank-one-pension (OROP) raised by the armed forces, on which governments dilly-dallied for years. We are able to take a decision on OROP. He also talked about the surgical strike that India carried out against Pakistan in 2016.

Indias image in the world

PM said that Indias image in the world got a lift after the NDA came to power. Indias respect has increased in the world. The Indian passport has become more powerful.

He added that Indians overseas know that if they are in any trouble, the Indian government will help them.

Women

The PM announced that women who had been selected through the Short Service Commission in the defence forces will be given a chance to take up a permanent commission.

Modi also talked about womens safety, saying his government would deal strictly with perpetrators of crimes against women, and said rapists have been given death sentences after swift trials. Such news such should be publicized by everyone to create fear in the minds of perpetrators of violence against women.

The PM also touched upon the Triple Talaq Bill, the NDA governments bill which aims to outlaw the practice of instant talaq. Triple talaq has caused great injustice to Muslim women. We are striving to end this. I promise Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them, he said.

North East

The PM spent a lot of time talking about the North East, saying his government had prioritised development in the seven sisters.

Today, we are developing highways, roadways, waterways, info-ways in the North East at a rapid pace, the PM said. There was a time when North East India used to feel that Delhi is very far from them. But today, we have brought Delhi to the doorstep of North East.

He added that incidents of violence had come down in the North East and several regions had seen the removal of AFSPA.

Final pitch

Towards the end, the PM made a strong emotional pitch for works his government had carried out and said he was desperate to continue serving the country.

I am impatient, restless and anxious to make a new India. I am restless because several nations had moved ahead of India in development. I am impatient because I want to take India ahead.India and China, the most populous nations in the world, are key to making the United Nations relevant to everyone, President-elect of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has said.

Garces visited the two countries this month as she prepares to assume the role of President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in September.

The 193 member UN body had in June overwhelmingly elected Garces as its next president, making her only the fourth woman to lead the General Assembly in its 73 year history.

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, veteran Indian diplomat and sister of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first woman to be elected President of the General Assembly in as early as 1953.

"Home to more than a third of the world's population, China and India are key to making the United Nations relevant to all people," Garces tweeted.

"The insights I gained during my visit to these countries will be invaluable as I prepare for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly," Garces added.

In India, the President-elect met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, besides holding discussions with members of prominent think tanks and civil society.

Garces said she had a "successful" meeting with Modi in New Delhi where the two leaders agreed on the importance of improving the efficiency of the UN.

"Successful meeting with the PM of India Narendra Modi on my arrival to Delhi. I shared my priorities. We agreed on the importance of implementing commitments and improving the efficiency of the UN," she had tweeted.

Garces also expressed gratitude for India's support to her office. "We will continue working together," she added.

Garces shared her priorities for the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly and the two leaders discussed the need for a stronger UN action on major global challenges including terrorism, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

In her meeting with Swaraj, the top UN official discussed revitalization of the UN, including reform of the Security Council, strengthening global counter terrorism legal framework and other global issues.

In China, she had met Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.Domestic carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, and some international airlines today announced cancellation and diversion of flights in and out of Kochi after suspension of operations at the Kochi airport till Saturday afternoon following incessant rains.

The airlines said penalties on change in date or cancellation on all confirmed tickets have been waived off. The announcements were made on their respective Twitter handles.

Air India informed the diversion of international flights to cities such as Mumbai, Coimbatore and Trivandrum from Jeddhar, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

It said that flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Trivandrum and Bengaluru have been held up at the respective places.

"In view of suspension of operations at Kochi Airport, penalties on no-show, date/flight change or cancellations on all confirmed tickets to and from Cochin are waived off." it tweeted.

Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a rising trend, a spokesperson for the airport said. "We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate," the spokesperson said.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm. It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday.

Full service carrier Vistara said its affected flights included those operating between Delhi and Kochi; Kochi and Chennai and they would remain cancelled till August 18.

"We are exploring supplementary flights, if required, on or after August 18 once the airport reopens to support our customers who may be stranded in Kochi.

"We are also exploring the feasibility of operating our Kochi flights from alternate airports such as Trivendrum or Calicut until the Kochi airport reopens," the airlines said in a statement.

IndiGo also announced that all its flights to and from Kochi have been cancelled till August 16 due to runway unavailability owing to flood situation.

SpiceJet also informed the cancellations of its flight to and from Kochi for today. Etihad Airways also tweeted today saying all its inbound and outbound flights to Kochi have been cancelled.

Jazeera Airways said its flights on the Kuwait Kochi sector have been cancelled. Kochi is a major hub for passengers flying to Gulf countries.The flood situation in Kerala further worsened today with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives today. Officials said a red alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts of the state.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

The toll in rain-related incidents since August 8 mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported today, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said. Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation. More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief across the state, he said. A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains.

The prime minister has assured all help, it said. The prime minister has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters. Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water.

Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams.

Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem. As the situation became grave, the state government sought the help of more teams of army personnel, National Disaster Response Force and Army Engineering.

The chief minister also met Governor P Sathasivam and informed him of the situation.

Major tourist centres including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar, which were expecting huge influx of visitors in the wake of Onam festival season, have closed.

The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area.

As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek centre's permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four long distance trains, railway sources said adding a few passenger trains have been partially hit.

There were also speed restrictions on trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thrissur section while rail traffic on the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended.

An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition maximum number of lifeboats from Tamil Nadu.

The chief secretary was asked to contact neighbouring states for emergency assistance.

As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, Vijayan asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority.

A group of military engineering personnel are expected to arrive in Thiruvanathapuram from Pune by IAF aircraft for rescue operations.

Periyar, Chalakudy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

The tourist town of Munnar is virtually inundated after shutters of the Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Mattuppetty dams were opened.

With the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touching the maximum of 142 feet, Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami requesting him to bring down the level to 139 feet in view of the dam's safety. Vijayan pointed out that the catchment areas of the the reservoir were receiving heavy rain. Rajnath Singh informed Vijayan that based on the state's request, the Union Home secretary spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary on release of more water from the dam to bring down the level to 139 feet. The dam, located in Idukki district of Kerala, is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu.

Water was released from the dam by 1:30 am this morning as the water level touched 142 feet and people staying in some villages have been relocated.

"There is no need for any anxiety with regard to Mullaperiyar dam, where the water level has touched 142 feet, the maximum as allowed by the Supreme Court, as the discharge is equivalent to the inflow," Vijayan told reporters.

Aluva and Paravoor in Ernakulam district, on the banks of the Periyar, are facing flood threat.

Peermade in Idukki recorded the highest rainfall of 27 cm today while Idukki town received 23 cm, Munnar 22 cm and Karipur in Malappuram 21 cm.

Rains also did not spare Thiruvanathapuram city with low lying areas being inundated, prompting residents to shift to relief camps.

Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran and his wife were among the many people shifted from a high end residential area after rain water gushed into their house.

Officials said an underground parking area of a private hospital was also inundated.BJP leader Ram Madhav

Ahead of the 21st round of India-China boundary talks, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said today that a dispute over a "large segment" of the border with China has been resolved, barring the Western sector, and the negotiations were moving in the positive direction.

India and China have so far held 20 rounds of Special Representative-level talks to resolve the dispute over the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. The next round of talks are due to be held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the coming weeks.

"The talks are moving in the positive direction," BJP General Secretary Madhav, who is currently visiting China, told the Indian media here.

"It is not true. Most of the time those who are engaged in talks don't disclose day-to-day progress. They want to achieve certain milestone then only they will disclose," he added, refuting the perception that the border talks have not made much headway.

"As far as I know, issues with large segments of our border have been resolved. There are few areas where negotiations are still going on," he said.

Asked whether the understanding he referred to also applied to section of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of South Tibet, Madhav said, "I cannot say anything on those things. But mostly the Western sector is where major issue are there. Some areas are yet to be delimited. That I think will continue in 21st round. It is inherited problem for us."

He also sounded positive about achieving a political consensus with the opposition parties if any agreement is reached between two countries. He played down differences over a report on Doklam prepared by the Standing Committee Parliament on External Affairs headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

"Until now we had bipartisan consensus on issues like border talks. As we move closer to elections in India every issue becomes a political issue," he said, in an apparent reference to the committee's report.

"The report you are mentioning, that was not the spirit in which we used to handle the issue but having said it, there will be bipartisan consensus on these (border) negotiations," he said, adding that it is not a problem initiated by the BJP.

"We are continuing (the talks) and taking them forward," he said.

He also said the border talks mechanism is working.

"As far as I know, the mechanism is working. We had so many rounds of talks without any complaints from either side. Things are moving, generally in the positive direction. I don't know of any other plans," he said.

On Doklam, he insisted that the status quo prevailed at the standoff site which is being maintained by all three parties- China, India and Bhutan.

The 73-day standoff last year began when Chinese troops tried to construct a road close to India's border. Indian troops objected to the road in the territory claimed by Bhutan as it came close to the Indian highway. The standoff ended in late August after both sides agreed to disengage.

There is "no change in the status quo. What existed earlier, exists today," Madhav said.

India's main issue in the area is with respect to the tri-junction because it has been agreed earlier that it should not be moved, he said.

Referring to reports of build up by the Chinese troops in areas close to the standoff site, he said, "what a country does on its side is its prerogative. How can we comment on it? Right now, status quo is being maintained there".

"When Doklam happened the policy adopted by our government was proactive diplomacy together with strong positioning (on the ground). This combination has helped in achieving good results on Doklam issue," he said.

"Our position with regard to border and trade deficit with China is clear and strong position. To address these issue, proactive diplomacy is the best way," he added.

"As far as the government position is concerned, the status quo which we wanted to be maintained there when Doklam dispute happened is being maintained by all the three sides," he added.

On the ballooning trade deficit which touched last year about $51 billion in over $84 billion bilateral trade, Madhav said, "definitely there is conscious efforts (being made) by both the governments to bridge the gap".

"I am sure in the coming days we will be able to improve the situation. Today it is $51 billion. Even if we bring down by $20 or 30 billion it is a major achievement," he said.

On the first informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, he said, "the Wuhan spirit is a new phrase between the two countries. Not formal but strongly informal relationship between the two countries. Both the countries should continue the spirit."

He said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi now enjoy personal bond and relationship. "That helps. Understanding between the leaders is always helpful in overcoming differences," he said.

"Other neighbours are telling they are very happy that the two countries are having good ties at summit level," the BJP leader said.

On China stepping up ties with India's neighbours, Madhav said India has very good relations with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"Maldives is a persisting problem for a couple of years. (We're) Trying to sort it out," he added.

He said both India and China should step up people-to-people contacts. Madhav said the ties between the BJP and the ruling Communist Party of China are improving and such relationship helps to sort out difficult issues between the two countries.Finding Sea Lions and Bald Eagles in N. Oregon Coast's Tillamook County

Published 08/15/2018 at 5:11 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Oceanside, Oregon)  Two creatures in particular can get the heart pumping with excitement on the Oregon coast: sea lions and bald eagles. (Above: sea lions at Oceanside's Three Arch Rocks).

Sea lions are, of course, a huge thing in Newport and down around Florence. Bald eagles can be found just about anywhere, but especially it seems in the Seaside area and around various parts of Tillamook County. Whether its just anecdotal evidence and a greater number of cameras or actually a slightly larger population is hard to tell, but Rockaway Beach and Neskowin seem to be the center of the action for our national bird a little more often than not.

Where and how to see these great and awesome beasts? Heres a few clues, and some interesting history.

According to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), around the Oceanside area, stellar sea lions have a really large roost, but you may need the help of optics to see them. Once you do, however, the sight is addicting.

Steller sea lions are usually present in good numbers at the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife directly in front of Oceanside. Those big rocks host more than just spectacular photo opportunities. This larger cousin to the common California sea lion is federally listed as endangered along the Pacific Coast, but is locally abundant in some areas of the Oregon coast. Although more numerous on the southern Oregon coast, this population is the one stronghold of these sea lions on the north coast.

Three Arch Rocks are an official national wildlife refuge, which you can partially thank President Theodore Roosevelt for.

It all started late in the 19th century when Roosevelt spent a little time here, falling in love with the place. Then, early in the 20th century two conservationists, William L. Finley and Herman Bohlman, started photographing the area back in 1901.

They noticed hunters used to go to the rocks for target practice, killing sea lions and birds with startling regularity. Seabird eggs were also stolen in intense numbers.

The pair brought their observations to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, and in 1907 Roosevelt declared the sea stacks a national wildlife refuge. Now, over 250,000 seabirds nest there throughout the year, and boats are not allowed within 500 feet of it from May through September.

The middle rock actually has an impressive hole in the middle, but this can only be seen by going a few miles north to the cliffs of Cape Meares. (Below, bald eagle photos courtesy Patti Berry of Rockaway Beach).





Bald eagles are spotted in all sorts of places along the Oregon coast, from Cannon Beach and Seaside down to Brookings on the California border. Cape Meares, near Oceanside, is known for some spectacular sights as they try and attack nests of other birds along the cliffs.

Newport's Range Bayer runs various birding events along the central coast and addressed what time of year is better than others for spotting bald eagles.

Anytime during the year is equally good, Bayer said. We have a lot of resident adult bald eagles year-round along the Oregon coast.

Bayer offered some tips for increasing your chances of spotting bald eagles. He said bays along the coast will help, like Alsea Bay at Waldport, Siletz Bay at Lincoln City, Netarts Bay at Oceanside, Florence's Siuslaw Bay, etc.

Heading out on an outgoing and tide is good, Bayer said. You'll find them perched on pilings or logs. Looking up at the treelines of bays will help if you're trying to find adults.

Bayer said they're looking for fish and sometimes other birds. Lodgings in Three Capes - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours







More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permittedIndia today gifted 30 ambulances and six buses to Nepalese hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions on the occasion of its 72nd Independence Day.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over keys of the vehicles to the representatives of the respective organisations at a function in the premises of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu today.

A function was organised in Kathmandu to mark the Independence Day. Puri hoisted the Indian national flag and read out the message of President of India that highlighted the achievements of India in various fields in the past even decades.

On the occasion, Puri also felicitated widows and wards of deceased soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces by distributing cheques worth 53.5 million Nepalese rupees.

Books were also gifted to 68 schools and libraries across Nepal, the Indian Embassy said in a statement.

Hundreds of people, including members of the diplomatic community, Indian community in Nepal, friends of India, media persons and students attended the celebration.India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, which could make it the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China.

In his last Independence Day speech before a general election early next year, Modi also said the government would launch a medical insurance scheme for the poor from Sept. 25.

"It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare," Modi said in an address from the ramparts of the Mughal-era Red Fort in Delhi in India's 72nd year of independence.The Centre rushed four more NDRF teams to Kerala today to assist the local administration in the relief-and-rescue operations for those affected by the incessant rains in the southern state.

"In view of the unprecedented rains and the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) red alert for several districts, four more teams of the NDRF are being airlifted from Pune to Kerala to strengthen the response," a spokesperson of the force said.

Till now, 14 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the affected areas of Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta districts, he added.

One NDRF team consists of about 45 personnel.

The NDRF spokesperson said the federal disaster response force evacuated 53 people in Kozhikode, 60 in Pathanamthitta, 115 in Ernakulam, 47 in Thrissur and 24 in Alappuzha today.

"The force is also assisting the state authorities in distributing the relief material," he added.

So far, the NDRF teams had rescued seven people and evacuated 685 others in the southern state, the spokesperson said.

The rain fury continued unabated today in Kerala, where 47 people have died so far. A red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts of the southern state.The Cochin International Airport today suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water gushed the airport area following unabated rains and the opening of dam shutters in the Periyar river.

Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan called an urgent meeting at the Secretariat and decided to seek permission from the Centre to allow small aircrafts to land at the naval airport in Kochi.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday afternoon.

A spokesperson of the airport said, "Kochi Airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm as the inflow of water is still on a rising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water."

An official statement said the state government would soon approach the Civil Aviation Ministry asking whether small flights to Kochi could be allowed to land at the naval airport.

It would also request the ministry to utilise the other two airports in the state - Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram - instead of reverting the flights to Mumbai and other places, the statement said.

The chief minister asked officials to make necessary arrangements to take passengers, who may be landing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, to their respective places by state-run buses.

Earlier today, passengers faced problems due to suspension of operations as they had already reached the airport to catch flights. They complained of not getting assistance from any authorities.

Rains in the state have claimed 47 lives, officials said, adding a red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a permanent commission for women in the armed forces and vowed to launch Indias first manned space mission by 2022, in his Independence Day speech on Wednesday, punctuating an achievements' catalogue with distinct electoral phraseology.

He also announced that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan (PRAJAA), billed as the worlds largest state-funded health insurance programme benefitting 500 million people, would be launched on September 25, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

By 2022, when India completes 75 years of independence, India will send a son or daughter to space with the national flag in hand. With this, India will become the fourth nation to send a human to space, Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his last Independence Day speech in the current term.

Women officers commissioned in short service (SSC) will get opportunity for permanent commission like men, he said.

Also read: State of economy, insurance for poor and Indian in space: Highlights from PMs I-Day speech

He also reached out to Kashmiris, hinting at fresh local body elections in the strife-torn state, as he underlined the broad contours of creating a New India by 2022 that was free of corruption and cronyism.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed us the way for Jammu and Kashmir: Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat. We want to go ahead on that road. Not by bullets and abuse, we want to embrace the patriotic people of Kashmir the Prime Minister said.

Whether it is of Ladakh or Jammu or Kashmir Valley, there should be balanced and equal development. All expectations of the people there should be fulfilled, infrastructure should be strengthened and we should walk with everyone. We dont want to move in the path of guns and abuse, he said.

Modi said Jammu and Kashmir, which is under Governors Rule, will hold panchayat and local body elections.

The state has been under Governors rule after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended its alliance with the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on June 19.

The Prime Minister slammed the opposition for stalling the Triple Talaq Bill. The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. The Triple Talaq has ruined the lives of many women and many are still living in fear," Modi said, as he sought to reach out to Muslim women ahead of next years Lok Sabha polls.

Modi said that his government tried to bring the Bill in Parliament in the just-concluded monsoon session "but there are some people who do not want it to be passed".

"I assure Muslim sisters and daughters that their rights will be protected and the government will not leave any effort to protect them. I promise and assure that I shall fulfill your aspirations," Modi added

On PRAJAA, often referred to as Modi-care, the Prime Minister said that it is high time we ensure that the poor of the country get access to good quality and affordable healthcare.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in the budget for 2018-19, announced the launch of NHPS to cover over 100 million poor and vulnerable families, approximately covering 500 million beneficiaries. It will provide coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Modi also gave a stirring account of the NDA governments achievements over the last four years, pointing to India edging past France to become the worlds sixth largest economy.

According to latest World Bank data, Indias GDP stood at USD 2.597 trillion (Rs 178 lakh crore) in 2017 at current prices in market exchange rates, ahead of France whose GDP stood at USD 2.582 trillion (Rs 177 lakh crore) in 2017. India is likely to overtake United Kingdom (GDP USD 2.622 trillion) as the fifth largest economy by 2022.

We are celebrating this Independence Day when every Indian anywhere in the world is proud that India is the sixth biggest economy in the world today, Modi said. India used to be counted in the 'Fragile Five' in the world. But today, India is a multi-trillion dollar investment. Everything has changed.

India has also leapfrogged into the 100th rank in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business rankings, jumping 30 notches from 2016, which the Prime Minister said was an endorsement of the string of reforms that his government has taken over the four years.

The report also recognizes India as one of the top 10 improvers in this years assessment, having implemented reforms in 8 out of 10 Doing Business indicators.

Businesses used to talk about red tape, now they talk about red carpet. They used to talk about policy paralysis, today they talk about reform, perform, transform, he said.

The governments unrelenting focus on clamping down the parallel economy has started yielding results, he said.

More than 60 million (6 crore) non-existent beneficiaries have been struck off from the governments welfare rolls, helping save subsidy and welfare bills by Rs 90,000 crore, he said.

The number of individual tax assessees have nearly doubled from 35 million (3.5 crore) to about 67.5 million (6.75 crore), and just within a year of GSTs rollout, the number of indirect tax assessees have gone up from 7 million to more 11 million, he said.

Nearly 3 lakh shell companies that existed only on paper and suspected to be used to funnel unaccounted wealth have been shuttered, he said. Bhai-bhatijebad bandh ho gaya hain (Cronyism and power broking has disappeared), Modi said.

The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed, he said.

The Prime Minister gave an unequivocal message that government will come down heavily on crime against women.

We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh, a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme and no one can take law into their hands, he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address, hailed the all-women Indian Navy team that successfully circumnavigated the globe on board the INSV Tarini.

The "daughters of our country" returned home after spreading the hues of the tricolour across the oceans of the world, the prime minister said from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The six-member crew, on board the INSV Tarini, spent 194 days at sea as part of a mission that began on September 10 last year.

"My dear fellow Indians, we are today celebrating Independence Day at a time when our daughters from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have sailed the seven seas and returned home after splashing the oceans with the hues of the tricolour," Modi said.

Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi skippered the mission, traversing through the Indian, the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, along with Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal and Lt P Swathi, Lt Vijaya Devi, Lt B Aishwarya and Lt Payal Gupta.

The 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' was flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman near the Panaji coast.

President Ram Nath Kovind has approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) Medal for the six women crew members of the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe, braving treacherous seas and displaying "raw courage".

The mission witnessed several gut-wrenching moments like when the INSV Tarini negotiated the choppy waters off the Cape Horn, often dubbed as 'the graveyard of ships' owing to the dangerous seas conditions in the Pacific Ocean in January, she was overtaken by a cold front with winds gusting up to 130 kilometres per hour.

The turbulent weather caused 10 metre-high waves to come crashing down onto the boat, the Navy had said in a statement.

The expedition was covered in five legs, with stopovers at 4 ports -- Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).

INSV Tarini is a 55-ft sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and inducted in the Indian Navy last year.

In his speech, Modi also lauded the triumph of young tribals from India, who have successfully scaled Mount Everest.An Indian astronaut, be it a man or a woman, will go on a space odyssey by 2022 on board 'Gaganyaan', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day address in New Delhi.

He said when India celebrates the 75th year of Independence in 2022, "and if possible even before, an Indian son or daughter" will undertake a manned space mission on board 'Gaganyaan' "carrying the national flag".

"By 2022, we are dedicated to send people of the country to space. We will launch Gaganyan which will be made by Indian scientists and then, we will become the 4th country in the world to take people to space," PM Modi said.

Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in October 2008 and operated until August 2009.

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan, is a space probe orbiting Mars since September 24, 2014. It is India's first interplanetary mission.Viju Cherian

There is a set pattern to the Independence Day pageantry at the Red Fort with the prime ministers speech being the only element in it that changes  this is also what makes it the centrepiece of the ceremony.

This years Independence Day speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was gripping in parts and touched on many focus areas of the government. It, however, did not live up to the high bar set by the prime minister. Modi spoke for almost half-an-hour more than he did in 2017, but todays I-Day speech lacked punch and had shades of an election campaign.

The focus on women was a highlight of Modis speech. He spoke about Team India, Swachch Bharat, LPG connections, etc.  all topics that he has stressed in previous I-Day speeches. Modi spent considerable time talking about Indias economy and how economists now see it in positive light. In all, Modi largely chose to look back at what has been achieved, rather than focus on what can be achieved.

In highlighting the achievements of the government, the speech not only sounded more like the reading of a report card, but it also felt redundant in the age of 24X7 news media and the ubiquitous social media. Given that it is his last I-Day speech before the general elections, the constant references to where India was in 2013 and where it is today gave it the feel of a campaign pitch. Both showed how intelligently Modi has used the platform.

There were also three big announcements in his speech. Frist, that by 2022 the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would send an Indian to space. Second, that there would be a permanent commission for women in the armed forces. Third, he said that the Ayushman Bharat Yojana will be rolled out on September 25, the birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay. The announcement on the Ayushman Bharat Yojana does not come as a surprise as it was discussed during the Budget session and some are of the view that it is an enhancement of existing schemes such as the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.

The five I-Day speeches by Modi in themselves tell a story. To an extent, it reflects the political mood and charts the course of the government.

His first I-Day speech in 2014 is by far the most impressive of the five speeches. It marked the much-awaited debut of Modi at the ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi placed himself as a common man, as the outsider in Delhis political circles and it was then that he said he was the Pradhan Sewak. Schemes such as Make in India, Digital India, Jan Dhan Yojna were announced, and so was the plan to replace the Planning Commission.

The following year, in 2015, he stressed on ending corruption and empowering the common man. He said that the poison of casteism should be fought with the nectar of development. Analysts, however, felt that this speech did not live up to expectations. The OROP protests, lack of jobs and crisis in the farm sector cast their shadows.

In 2016, Modi was aggressive in his speech and the highlight was his reference to terror and Pakistan. In his 98-minute speech  the longest by any prime minister  Modi talked about the Peshawar school attack and condemned Pakistans attitude towards terror. His reference to Balochistan, Gilgit, and PoK, or about the Chabahar port showed Modis confidence in talking about hitherto uncomfortable topics.

The 2017 I-Day speech was the shortest (57 minutes) and mentioned demonetisation and the GST as major achievements. Modi spoke of building a new India by 2022, vowed to act tough against terror, and praised Indias surgical strikes along the LOC.

When seen in this background, todays 82-minute speech was a bit of a dampener.Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Modi spelt out pro-farm measures taken during four years of his government, the cornerstone being the bold move to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of crops at least 1.5 times of the cost of production.

"The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. We decided that farmers should get 1.5 times more price than their cost of production and implemented the decision," he said.

The Prime Minister said doubts were cast when he set the target of doubling farm income by 2022 but decisions like increase in price for crops have ensured that the government is on track of meeting the target.

Noting that in the changing times, farmers too are facing global markets and the government is working on an agriculture export policy in this regard. He, however, did not give details of the policy on the anvil.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry had in March had come out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling the agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain.

While the BJP had promised in 2014 to give farmers a price of 1.5 times of cost, an announcement to give effect to the promise was made in the government's fifth and final annual Budget presented on February 1 this year.

Last month, the government announced the minimum support price of kharif crops and hiked the MSP for paddy by a record Rs 200 per quintal. The MSPs of other kharif (summer-sown) crops were also raised sharply to help fulfil its poll promise to give farmers 50 per cent more rate than their cost of production.

"The country is producing record foodgrains. Our granaries are full," Modi said while highlighting the achievements in the farm sector. Farmers are adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinklers, he said, adding that the government is reviving 99 stuck irrigation projects.

"With a 'Beej se Bazar Tak' (helping farmers in getting seeds as well as accessing market) approach, we are bringing a remarkable change in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmers' income by 2022. Today, our entire focus is on bringing transformation and modernising the agriculture sector," Modi said.

He said some people had doubt about achieving the goal of doubling farmers' income but the resolve of the government was firm. "Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi, patthar par lakeer kheechane wale hain (decisions taken by us are cast in stone and not on butter)".

The Prime Minister said the government is promoting value addition to boost the income of farmers. In his about 90-minute speech, Modi spoke about the new avenues farmers are engaging in, like blue revolution and bee-keeping, as also solar farming.

India, he said, is currently the second largest fish producer in the world and will soon occupy the top position. Referring to sugarcane farmers, he said the ethanol production has trebled.

The government recently announced Rs 8,500 crore package for the sugar sector, including soft loans for setting ethanol manufacturing capacity.New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day, in New Delhi on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)(PTI8_15_2018_000092B)

The Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken "the truth" in the last Independence Day address of his term instead of making a "hollow" speech and urged him to accept party chief Rahul Gandhi's challenge of a debate on issues such as corruption, mob lynching and Chinese incursions.

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was "policy paralysis" under the UPA.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the prime minister in his address did not utter a single word that was "meaningful" to the common person.

Surjewala claimed that people were now tired of the "fake achche din" promised by the BJP and were waiting for "sachche din (days of truth) when he departs as the prime minister of the country.

In 2013, Modi had created a Red Fort-like replica in Chhattisgarh and from there he had challenged then prime minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, falling rupee and failing economy, rampant unemployment as also discrimination vis-a-vis farmers and India's women, Surjewala said.

"We ask you Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, five years after you have taken over as prime minister, are you ready for a debate on these very issues with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"Will you debate on the issue of corruption and Rafale and Vyapam and other corruption scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort on corruption," he told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Gandhi had dared the prime minister to a debate on the Rafale deal and claimed that he will not be able to answer his questions on the issue "even for a second".

Surjewala also asked if Modi was ready to have a debate with the Congress president on issues such as the state of India's farmers, "mob lynching that is happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders" and "insecurity" of women.

"You (prime minister) did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incident that happened in the country," Surjewal claimed, referring to the shelter home case of Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and the rape case in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao involving a BJP MLA.

"Will you today debate on the failing economy and falling rupee, for the rupee has hit a new low that is 70 and the trade deficit has gone over USD 18 billion. Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and has been engulfing India from all sides," the Congress spokesperson alleged.

He also urged the prime minister to debate on Pakistan sponsored terrorism and "rampant unemployment" in the country.

The last speech of Modi's tenure as prime minister has proved to be "hollow" because neither he made a mention of corruption in the Rafale deal nor did he say a word about the Vyapam or the PDS scams.

"He also did not talk about incursions by China in Doklam and other places. He also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country, on the conspiracy of making brothers fight and how people are killing each other, on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food," he said.

"We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, and if not 'mann ki baat', he could have at least done 'kaam ki baat'," Surjewala said, taking a swipe at Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' Radio programme.

The Congress leader also said there was a need to fight a second struggle for independence from discrimination, independence from unemployment, independence from poverty, independence from lack of opportunities and from empty rhetoric and promises.

Asked about the remarks of Modi that India's stature rose on the world stage in the last four years, he said the prime minister should not undermine India's contribution in the last 70 years.

India was always a power and it did not happen in the last four years, he said, adding that the prime minister's statement of this nature was "myopic, parochial and uncalled for" on a day like the Independence Day.

"He (Modi) makes promises to break them. His and his party's path has been one of spreading hate and divisiveness," Surjewala said.Here is the latest jail booking report from Hamilton County:

AGUILAR, ANGULEEN B

268 MARKET STREET DAYTON, 37321

Age at Arrest: 23 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

---

ANDERSON, ERICA LASCHELL

2800 CURTIS STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37406

Age at Arrest: 39 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT

---

BEARD, HENRY DEWAYNE

1500 E 12TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37406

Age at Arrest: 34 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

THEFT OF PROPERTY OVER 2500

ROBBERY

---

BOWERS, WILLIAM TYLER

489 CAMBELL RD CALHOUN, 30701

Age at Arrest: 20 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

DRINKING UNDER AGE/SELL ALCOHOL TO MINOR

---

BRAZZELL, EDWARD ALLEN

1148 HWY 68 DECATUR, 37322

Age at Arrest: 49 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

---

BYRD, LEKELL QUINTEZ

3206 GLEASON DR EAST RIDGE, 37412

Age at Arrest: 28 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DRIVING ON REVOKED)

---

CATE, JONATHAN

4116 TENNESSEE AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37409

Age at Arrest: 30 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT

---

CHASTAIN, ALFRED RILEY

4809 14TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407

Age at Arrest: 34 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

THEFT OF PROPERTY

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

---

COTTRELL, MARVIN

959 GATEWAY AVE APT 1421 CHATTANOOGA, 37402

Age at Arrest: 64 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

---

CRONNON, ROBERT BRADLEY

HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37411

Age at Arrest: 27 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

---

DANIELS, FRANCIS LORENIA

161 SIGNAL HILLS DR CHATTANOOGA, 374051829

Age at Arrest: 45 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

---

DANIELS, JEREMY EVONNE

HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37403

Age at Arrest: 31 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION

EVADING ARREST

---

DAVIS, ALVIN DONNELL

2917 12TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407

Age at Arrest: 36 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

CHILD SUPPORT NONPAYMENT

CHILD SUPPORT NONPAYMENT

CHILD SUPPORT NONPAYMENT

CHILD SUPPORT NONPAYMENT

---

DIXIE, DENNIS NMN

5216 CENTRAL AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374102013

Age at Arrest: 33 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

---

DOTSON, TAMMI CHERYL

2000 EUGENIA AVE NW CLEVELAND, 37311

Age at Arrest: 58 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FAILURE TO APPEAR)

---

DOUGLAS, KAMERON BRIANNA

294 N DUNLAP ST MEMPHIS, 38105

Age at Arrest: 20 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT

---

ELLIS, GARY MICHAEL

800 RUNYAN DR CHATTANOOGA, 37405

Age at Arrest: 38 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

---

ELLISON, NATASHA LEANN

6788S MCDONALD RD MCDONALD, 37353

Age at Arrest: 29 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

---

ELMORE, EVAN ALEXANDER

6807 HICKORY LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37421

Age at Arrest: 23 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

THEFT OF PROPERTY OVER $10,000

VANDALISM OVER $1,000

BURGLARY OF BUSINESS

THEFT OF PROPERTY

---

FINE, JACK WARREN

221 DELMONT STREET APT 147 CHATTANOOGA, 37405

Age at Arrest: 20 years old

Arresting Agency: Alcoholic BEV Comm

FALSE IDENTIFICATION (USE OF)

---

FLERL, AMANDA LEANN

907 WESLEY DRIVE HIXSON, 37343

Age at Arrest: 34 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

---

FOWLER, JAMES MATTHEW

171 DALBROWN ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37415

Age at Arrest: 30 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED S

---

FRANKLIN, ALONZO DEWAYNE

2127 WHEELER AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37406

Age at Arrest: 26 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

---

FRANKLIN, CODY ALLEN

250 BENSON DRIVE GADSDEN, 35904

Age at Arrest: 30 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

FUGITIVE (ETOWAH COUNTY, ALABAMA)

---

GADDIS, ERNEST EDWARD

198 NAWAKA AVE ROSSVILLE,

Age at Arrest: 34 years old

Arresting Agency: East Ridge

DRIVING ON SUSPENDED DRIVERS LICENSE

---

GANN, KEVIN EUGENE

11156 FRITTS RD SODDY DAISY, 37379

Age at Arrest: 40 years old

Arresting Agency:

VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION

---

GARRETT, KATIE JEAN

2240 EAST 26TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37407

Age at Arrest: 26 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

FAILURE TO APPEAR

---

GIL, SHANNON AURITA

5516 CHANCE TRAIL CHATTANOOGA, 37343

Age at Arrest: 38 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

---

GONZALEZ, MICHAEL

319 SMOKETREE CIR RINGGOLD, 30736

Age at Arrest: 32 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN SCHEDULE II

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

STOP SIGN VIOLATION

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE

---

HARRISON, DEISMAN CARLMEL

916 SYLVAN AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411

Age at Arrest: 31 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

---

HAWKINS, PATRICIA SUE

608 SHANNON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411

Age at Arrest: 56 years old

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County

CHILD SUPPORT NON PAYMENT

CHILD SUPPORT NON PAYMENT

---

HENDERSON, ASHLEY BROOKE

700 BEAUTIFUL PLACE APT 100 CHATTANOOGA, 37405

Age at Arrest: 27 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

LEAVING CHILD UNATTENDED IN MOTOR VEHICLE

---

HILL, CHRISTOPHER ANTONIO

2016 EMMA KATE DR CHATTANOOGA, 37406

Age at Arrest: 30 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

EVADING ARREST

RECKLESS DRIVING

LIGHT LAW VIOLATION

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING

AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING

AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE

---

JACKSON, VERNON ANDREW

72 WILLIAMS LN ROSSVILLE, 30741

Age at Arrest: 31 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL.

OR MANUFACTURING)---JONES, SHONESE220 CULVER ST APT 33 RED BANK, 37415Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankDRIVING ON SUSPENDED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYLIGHT LAW VIOLATION---LEFFEW, BRANDON EUGENE12540 POSSEY HOLLOW ROAD SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 20 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgePUBLIC INTOXICATION---LOFTIN, JOHN MICHAEL1000 STONE CREST CIR CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDISORDERLY CONDUCT---MCCURRY, BAXTER ALAN936 MTN CREEK RD APT D41 CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountySPEEDINGRECKLESS DRIVINGDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYOPEN CONTAINER LAW---MCPETERS, MELISSA LYNNE426 SEQUOYAH DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 48 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---MOSES, DONTA MAURICE35 NORTHSIDE DRIVE APT 11D ATLANTA, 30313Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeRESISTING STOP FRISK HALT ARREST---NICHOLS, ANGELINA9185 INTEGRA PRESERVE CRT APT 110 OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTY---PESCE, JESSICA MARY9321 LAWFORD WAY OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSESPEEDINGDRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CAREIMPROPER PASSING (MUST PASS SAFELY)---PRESTON, DANIEL JAMES105 MARYLAND ST CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYREGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLE---RHODES, BRANDON TAYLOR3223 5TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIOLATION OF PROBATION AGGRAVATED BURGLARY)---RUSSELL, EBONY CHARMAINE5343 GREENBRIAR ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37412Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---SILLEMON, ROMMEL EDWARD1216 E 35TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING ON SUSPENDED LICENSESIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA---SMITH, KENETRA DENISE1107 EAST 13TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37408Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: Collegedale PoliceBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---STABILE, JUDITH SUZANN8906 DALTON LANE SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 70 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---STALYON, MEREDITH ANN3629 THRUSHWOOD DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyTHEFT OF PROPERTY---STEELE, ERIC LEE3728 W ABERCROMBIE CIR CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeBURGLARY OF AN AUTOSIMPLE POSSESSIONPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIATHEFT OF PROPERTY UNDER $1000.00---SWEETON, BRADY ALEXANDER3908 BIRMINGHAM DR HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgePOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE SCHED IISIMPLE POSSESSION OR CASUAL EXCHANGE---TAPP, CHAD EDWIN9105 VILLAGEWOOD DRIVE HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Collegedale PoliceBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---TRICE, GREGORY ALAN1909 LONG ST CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIATRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS VIOLATIONFAILURE TO RENDER AIDLEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLEDRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CARE---WEAVER, JAMES ANDREW118 PINE STREET SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyHARASSMENTSTALKING---WEST, JUSTIN LEE1830 WORLEY CHAPEL RD TRENTON, 30752Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE)VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF---WILLIAMS, GEORGE ERWIN247 JERNIGAN ST CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 62 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC ASSAULT)---WILLIAMS, RAYMOND ALFONSO5523 MILLER DR CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest: 46 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaLIGHT LAW VIOLATIONCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYREGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLEDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE---YOUNG, JOHN DANIEL932 PINEVILLE RD CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

Here are the mug shots:

AGUILAR, ANGULEEN B

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 06/30/1995

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE ANDERSON, ERICA LASCHELL

Age at Arrest: 39

Date of Birth: 04/07/1979

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT BEARD, HENRY DEWAYNE

Age at Arrest: 34

Date of Birth: 04/14/1984

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

THEFT OF PROPERTY OVER 2500

ROBBERY BOWERS, WILLIAM TYLER

Age at Arrest: 20

Date of Birth: 07/30/1998

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

DRINKING UNDER AGE/SELL ALCOHOL TO MINOR BRAZZELL, EDWARD ALLEN

Age at Arrest: 49

Date of Birth: 06/19/1969

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE BYRD, LEKELL QUINTEZ

Age at Arrest: 28

Date of Birth: 08/14/1990

Arresting Agency: Hamilton County



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DRIVING ON REVOKED) CATE, JONATHAN

Age at Arrest: 30

Date of Birth: 05/19/1988

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHASTAIN, ALFRED RILEY

Age at Arrest: 34

Date of Birth: 01/24/1984

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT COTTRELL, MARVIN

Age at Arrest: 64

Date of Birth: 07/19/1954

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CRONNON, ROBERT BRADLEY

Age at Arrest: 27

Date of Birth: 10/13/1990

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga



Last Date of Arrest: 08/14/2018

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULTIndia has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law, the US said today while greeting the country on its Independence Day.

In his message on behalf of the US government on the occasion of India's 72st Independence Day, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.

"On this Indian Independence Day, we congratulate India a unique civilization, fellow democracy, and a friend on taking its rightful place as a leading global power and continuing our shared efforts to sustain the rules based order," he said.

Since gaining its independence, India has "set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity, and the rule of law values shared by the United States", Pompeo said.

"As members of the oldest and largest democracies, the people of the US and India have always enjoyed strong bonds of friendship. We are grateful for the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and the growing number of young people strengthening ties between our countries as exchange students," he said.

Pompeo said that the values shared by the people of the two countries "contribute to inspiring collaboration in health, energy, environment, science, and high technology that will fuel the jobs and prosperity of the future".Pakistan's jailed former prime minister today appeared before an accountability court hearing two graft cases against him and his family.

The 68 year old PML-N leader appeared before the Islamabad based court for hearing in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Hill Metal Establishment cases. The accountability court Judge Arshad Malik adjourned the hearing on August 13 and summoned the investigation officer of the cases for today.

Sharif, along with his daughter Maryam, 44 and his son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, 54, are already serving jail terms of 10-years, seven years and one year respectively in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, after an accountability court convicted them on July 6 over the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London.

Strict security measures were in place to avoid any disturbance due to presence of dozens of workers and leaders of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

Sharif was brought to the court in a black vehicle instead of a traditional armoured vehicle to dodge the PML-N workers who surrounded the armoured vehicle and chanted slogans.

TV footage showed that some charged supporters also climbed up on the roof of the vehicle. But they soon got down after they were informed that Sharif had already been taken to the court from a different gate by using a different car.

Sharif's younger brother and president of PML-N, Shehbaz Sharif was also present and met Sharif. He later told media that former premier was in high spirits.

"He has congratulated the entire nation on the Independence Day and we hope that he will soon out of the jail," he said.

The pending corruption cases against Sharif and his two sons were transferred by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 7 on application of Sharif to another accountability court headed by judge Malik.

Three corruption cases were filed against Sharif and family last year following a decision by Supreme Court on July 28 of the same year.

The formal trial of the Sharif family started on September 14 and was to be completed in six months but later the deadline was extended at least thrice.

Apart from Sharif, his two sons Hassan and Hussian are also co-accused on all three corruption cases.

The court has already declared the two sons as absconders due to their persistent failure to appear before the court. They have been blacklisted by the authorities, barring them from travelling on their Pakistani passports.

The ownership of the four London flats by the Sharif family surfaced in the Panama Papers in April 2016, indicating that the posh properties were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's children.

The Panama Papers cases were launched on September 8, 2016 following the Supreme Court verdict of July 28 that disqualified Sharif as prime minister and ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to probe cases against him.Answer: Lockheed Martin (Image: Reuters)

Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a US Air Force contract worth up to $2.9 billion for three missile warning satellites, the Air Force said on Tuesday.

Lockheed's Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellites will provide improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats than the current system, the Air Force said.

"As we develop these new systems, speed matters," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told the Air Force's internal news service. "We are focused on providing a missile warning capability survivable in a contested environment by the mid-2020s."

Last year, North Korea conducted a dozen missile tests, including the launch of a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could hit the US mainland, and tested a purported hydrogen bomb.

The Air Force said the "undefinitized contract" allows the government to meet urgent needs by authorizing Lockheed Martin to begin work before reaching a final settlement on contract terms.Panmunjom: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in over the military demarcation line at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. AP/PTI(AP4_27_2018_000037B)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said today his visit to Pyongyang next month will be a "bold step" towards formally ending the decades old war with the nuclear armed North.

The two Koreas agreed earlier this week to hold a third meeting between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in September as a rapid diplomatic thaw builds on the peninsula following their first summit in April.

Moon's trip to the North Korean capital will be the first visit by a South Korean head of state to Pyongyang since 2007.

The leaders will "take a bold step towards declaring an end to the war and a peace treaty", Moon said at a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.

The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two neighbours technically still in a state of conflict. The signatories to the armistice included the US led United Nations Command that fought alongside the South's troops as well as China and North Korea.

Declaring an end to the war was one of the agreements at the groundbreaking April summit, but little progress has been made with the United States and North Korea at loggerheads over Pyongyang's denuclearisation.

The US State Department said Tuesday that while Washington supports "a peace regime", its prime goal was ending North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

"Our main focus is on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," State Department spokeswomen Heather Nauert told reporters. China welcomed the September summit Wednesday, saying it believed the talks "will help promote the denuclearisation of the peninsula".

Moon brokered the historic summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore in June where the two leaders signed a vague agreement on denuclearisation.

"Deeply-rooted distrust" must be removed for each side to carry out the agreements, Moon said, but added the two Koreas must lead the current diplomacy on the peninsula. "An improvement in inter-Korean ties is not a collateral benefit to better relations between the US and the North," he said.

The dovish South Korean leader offered his vision for economic cooperation with the North once the peninsula is denuclearised, stressing that true liberation will only be achieved by ending the division.

"We must overcome division for our survival and prosperity," Moon said.

"Even if political reunification is still far away, for the South and the North to establish peace, freely travel back and forth and to form a joint economic community will be true liberation for us," he added.

The rapid rapprochement between the two neighbours began this year ahead of the Winter Olympics in the South and cross border exchanges have significantly increased since then, with planned reunions for war-separated families for the first time in three years.

However, international sanctions against the North for its nuclear and missile programmes have kept economic cooperation between the two Koreas from taking off.

Although Trump touted his summit with Kim as a historic breakthrough, the North has since criticised Washington for its "gangster-like" demands of complete, verifiable and irreversible disarmament.

The US has urged the international community to maintain tough sanctions on the isolated regime.Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "at an early date", the North's state media reported today, amid a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula.

Putin invited Kim and the South's President Moon Jae-in in June to an economic forum in Vladivostok next month although it is not known whether the North Korean leader responded to the invitation.

In a message to Kim on the North's National Liberation Day marking the end of Japanese rule over Korea at the end of the Second World War Putin reiterated his intention for a summit.

"I affirm that I am ready to meet you at an early date to discuss urgent issues of bilateral relations and important matters of the region," Putin said in a message carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

The message did not offer a specific date for the meeting. Putin expressed hopes to further develop "reciprocal cooperation including the realisation of the tripartite project" that would also involve South Korea.

Kim also sent a message to Putin, KCNA reported, noting the "valuable tradition" of their joint wartime struggle against Japan was the "strong roots" of their bilateral relations.

The message gave no response to Putin's invitation, although KCNA did not make it clear if Kim's message came before or after the letter from Moscow.

The rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean Peninsula since the Winter Olympics has seen Kim meet with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in twice, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.Vara calendaristica este aproape de final, dar traseul Caravanei TIFF continua si ajunge si la Galati. Astfel, in perioada 24 - 26 august 2018 Caravana TIFF revine in Galati pentru 3 seri de cinema in aer liber. Iubitorii de film sunt asteptati de la ora 21:30 in parcarea Casei de Cultura a Sindicatelor Galati pentru a urmari 3 dintre cele mai apreciate lansari cinematografice ale anului. Intrarea este libera.

Prima seara de proiectii le propune galatenilor intalnirea cu Romania Neimblanzita (regia Tom Barton Humphreys), documentarul care prezinta frumusetea salbatica a Romaniei intr-o maniera complexa si autentica. Realizat in colaborare cu britanicii de la Off the Fence si narat de Victor Rebengiuc, filmul este o productie inedita, filmata pe parcursul unui an intreg. Cei peste 20 de cameramani implicati in filmarea documentarului au parcurs mii de kilometri pentru a surprinde lupta vietatilor pentru supravietuire.

Sambata, 25 august, de la ora 21:30, aflam ca Banii sunt bani/ Moneys Money. Thriller-ul regizat de Gela Babluani, regizorul premiat in 2006 la Sundance pentru 13 Tzameti, urmareste aventura unui jaf care schimba vietile a trei tineri infractori.

Weekend-ul cinefil din Galati se incheie duminica, 26 august 2018, cu un cocktail pop condimentat cu umor negru si melodrama - Charleston. Filmul, care s-a bucurat de o premiera mondiala in competitia oficiala de la Locarno, este debutul in lungmetraj al regizorului Andrei Cretulescu. Spectatorii vor urmari in aer liber povestea unui triunghi amoros care ii aduce pe marele ecran, in rol principal, pe trei dintre cei mai iubiti actori ai momentului: Serban Pavlu, Radu Iacoban si Ana Ularu.

Evenimentul se va desfasura dupa urmatorul program:

Loc de desfasurare: Parcarea Casei de Cultura, ora 21:30

Vineri, 24 august 2018

Romania Neimblanzita

Regia: Tom Barton-Humphreys | Romania, 90

Cu: Victor Rebengiuc

In inima Europei exista o viata naturala fabuloasa: o explozie a salbaticiei, care reprezinta caminul a nenumarate vietati. Muntii infiniti, padurile stravechi, apele nesfarsite, toate acestea gazduiesc creaturi de referinta pentru batranul continent.

Sunt tinuturi ale frumusetii si salbaticiei unde destinele sunt dictate de anotimpuri. Creaturi parca desprinse din legenda traiesc in libertate, aici animalele se lupta pentru supravietuire. Iar Romania neimblanzita va dezvalui toate aceste povesti incredibile.

Sambata, 25 august 2018

Banii sunt bani

Regia: Gela Babluani | Franta, 90'

Cu: Benoit Magimel, Olivier Rabourdin, Vincent Rottiers

Disperati sa scape de problemele financiare, trei tineri fara viitor vor sa dea lovitura furand o valiza de bani a unui tip instarit din Le Harvre. Ce nu stiu ei este ca tocmai au jefuit un politician corupt si ca banii din valiza provin din afaceri criminale. Si curand vor vedea ca ceea ce parea o catapulta spre o viata mai buna se poate usor transforma intr-un adevarat dezastru.

Duminica, 26 august 2018

Charleston

Regia: Andrei Cretulescu | Romania-Franta, 119'

Cu: Serban Pavlu, Radu Iacoban, Ana Ularu

La doua saptamani dupa moartea sotiei sale, Ioana, Alexandru isi sarbatoreste cea de-a 42-a aniversare singur, inecandu-si amarul in alcool, cand deodata cineva suna la usa. Tanarul vizitator, Sebastian, ii marturiseste ca a fost iubitul Ioanei in ultimele cinci luni si vine cu o propunere neasteptata.Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive.

To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research.

Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process.RBC Global Asset Management Inc. has announced Michael Kitt as its new head of real estate equity investments, with a focus on spearheading the development of new pooled solutions for Canadian commercial properties.

These solutions are intended initially for the domestic institutional investor market, with an eye towards eventual expansion of both vehicle type and targeted client groups over time, the firm said in its announcement.

Kitt was formerly the chief financial officer and executive vice-president of finance and strategy for Oxford Properties. Kitt was also previously affiliated with Cadillac Fairview Corp. and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.A united front of advocates has released an open letter calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to fulfill his previously stated commitment to housing.

The letter  penned by Amnesty International Canada and signed by over 170 organizations and individuals at an Ottawa press conference earlier this week  urged the PM to include the right to housing as a mandatory component of the National Housing Strategy.

Canadas housing and homelessness crisis is the result of a failure to protect human rights. If were serious about fixing this crisis, then Canada must live up to our international human rights commitments and have a legislated right to housing as the foundation of our National Housing Strategy, according to Tim Richter, president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.Hinojosa is a managing partner at Tribe Financial, and while she might see fewer women helming major brokerages and finance companies, she does not believe the pace of change has become static.

Ive taken on this role in the industry because of my passion, and I dont look at myself as just being a woman in the industry, she said. I look at myself as being someone with experience and passion, and with ideas to help improve and move it forward. As a woman, I dont go in thinking Im the only woman in the room providing my opinion; I look at it as Im a valuable resource with experience whos giving my opinion. As a woman, if you take the gender out of the equation and dont go in with the mindset that youre the only woman in the room, you can overcome so many more psychological obstacles that may prevent you, or hold you back, from moving on in your career.

One agent of change in the industry is Kyra Wong, a district vice president at Manulife Bank, who started the Magical Unicorn Project which endeavours to assist women overcome adversity and an emotional glass ceiling, or what Wong calls a self-limiting belief system.

The Magical Unicorn Project also shines a bright light on men who do their part to help engender evolved attitudes and who help women unlock their full potential.

Ive had significant adversity in my life, Wong told Mortgagebrokernews.ca. I lost my parents at a young age and grew up with pretty much no support system, aside from one younger sister I had in my life. So I really had to navigate all of lifes challenges by myself and had a number of setbacks along the way, but I always chose to accept adversity and use it as an opportunity to advance, and grow, and become better, so when I speak about these things, they come from a place of experience.The television ad was financed by a group that backed Republican Mick Cornett, Stitts GOP rival, according to the report.

Founding the company in 2000, Stitt had been CEO until August. Stephen Curry was named the companys new CEO, with Stitt taking the role of chairman.

In response to the ad, Stitt said at a news conference that the Gateway was "a hugely successful company." Still also said that the regulatory issues mentioned in the ad related to minor infraction and that the company has a low default rate.

"I'm proud of our company," he said. "We have nothing to apologize about.

"It's just when somebody gets down, I guess this is what the politicians do. They know they can't win on their regular record. ... I just ask for Mick Cornett to run a clean campaign."To Jennie Lou Leeder, letting people know their votes matter is key to her candidacy for Texas 11th Congressional District. The Llano Democrat hopes to get the word out that she wants to be their voice in Washington, D.C.

Its a numbers game, Leeder told the Reporter-Telegram. Its connecting with those voters who are disenfranchised, who dont believe their vote counts.

Leeder met with Midlanders on Tuesday at the Dairy Queen on South Big Spring Street. The event was one of several at the restaurants locations across the district, which includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Llano, Brownwood and Granbury.

We have made our Dairy Queen stops at different hours in different communities, Leeder said. Really, its all about 29 counties, 32 stops and meeting as many people as we can.

The candidate hopes to unseat Midland Republican Mike Conaway in November. Since he was elected in 2004, he has garnered an average of 86.33 percent of the general election vote, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram story.

Leeder said some consider District 11 as the reddest one but pointed out that voter turnout is usually low in midterm elections. She has visited Midland-Odessa multiple times and said volunteers in this area have spread the word about her candidacy.

This will be won by meet-and-greets, Leeder said. It will be won by knocking on the doors.

Margaret Hiett Williams, chair of the Midland County Democratic Party, said she has received inquiries expressing interest in learning about Leeder. She said Tuesdays event was an opportunity for the candidate to speak to residents in the district.

She gets to meet the people in the town, Williams said. One other thing that shes done, shes gotten out and walked from house to house.

When traveling across the district, Leeder said residents have expressed the need for accessible health care and concerns about infrastructure. As a former teacher from a family of farmers, she said she values education and understands current issues that farmers face. If she becomes a congresswoman, she wants to continue listening to Texans.

If elected on Nov. 6, I will do my best to represent what our district wants, not what special interest and the top 1 percent want, she said.

Leeder said her campaign is not accepting money from political action committees. Her campaign website reports that she outraised Conaway in donations from individual contributors in the second quarter.Patrick Payton has resigned his position at Stonegate Fellowship.

It is sad news anytime you hear of a pastor deciding to move on  whether it is for another position in another city or because, in Paytons case, to begin a multi-month season of transition. Our God-fearing community needs its most capable leaders providing spiritual direction during these turbulent times. I heard Payton tell the Stonegate congregation often that the fellowships mission, on Sundays in particular, was not about him. However, my gut tells me there are members of the church who wont be thrilled about his resignation. A Payton sermon was an experience. My expectation is that many Midlanders can say the same about their worship leaders at churches across Midland.

RELATED: Payton resigns as Stonegate senior pastor

To me, Payton always has been more than a pastor of a church. He successfully crossed the line into a community leader. The first time I heard Payton preach was online and he correctly took Midlanders  including those at Stonegate  to task for not being better stewards of their community. As a Midlander, I always appreciated the message directed toward efforts aimed at community-building.

The record will show that the last Payton sermon I heard in person was on Friday at Midland ISDs convocation  the educator pep rally. It was classic Payton. There were the moments of humor to warm up the audience and gain its attention, followed by a healthy dose of criticism for those critical of the district. Lastly, he provided welcomed comments for educators  teachers in particular  about the challenges that await them and the role they play in a better Midland. He was as inspiring as he was captivating. People on the Stonegate campuses in Midland and Odessa likely would tell you that is what they received on a regular basis.

Still, our community needs more of that. This newspaper has stressed how Midland needs its leaders to step forward and lead a changing electorate through challenging times. Payton is on that short list of leaders I believe are capable of selling this community on real transformation. One only needs to look as far as the 2012 MISD bond election  the largest bond in the history of this community -- to know Paytons leadership transcends the worship areas.

I dont have the inside scoop on what is next for Payton, who vows to stay in Midland once his period of transition is completed. Could there be a political bid in his future? Maybe a run for Congress down the road? Who knows? Personally, I would hate to see his talents wasted in the swamp that is Washington. We need his type closer to home, making the most meaningful impact on the lives of people in Midland and the Permian Basin. Midland will be a better place if he continues to use that gift of speaking to hundreds and thousands of people.

Sunday was a sad day at Stonegate. Still, congratulations to Payton for his role in the development of Stonegate. It was a ride that lasted nearly two decades, and Midland is better for it.'Tap your Africa Source Code' is the theme of the Fak'ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival this year and will focus on bringing important African visions and futures, by tapping into the sources of African tradition and culture alongside technology, creativity and innovation.

Meet our Fak'ugesi Digital Africa Residents for 2018! These creative digital artists will dive deep into the algorithms, patterns and fractals of their indigenous cultures in response to the 2018 Fakugesi Festival theme #AfroSourceCode Supported by Pro Helvetia pic.twitter.com/EtBp3DGYWV  Fak'ugesi Festival (@fakugesi) August 9, 2018

In 2018, the Fakugesi Festival calls on you to explore the algorithms, patterns and fractals of Africa in digital art, music, games, VR, digital makers or the way you braid your hair. The festival, held in September in Johannesburg, explores how local culture can move and change the future of technology: What would you call a vernacular algorithm? What is algorithm in IsiZulu?This years Fakugesi Residency artists include: Nkhensani Mkhari (Johannesburg), Joshua Chiundiza (Harare), Yara Mekawei (Cairo), Abhiyan Humane (New Delhi), Anoop Saxena (New Delhi), and Mathilde Buenerd (Geneva).This is the fifth and most expansive artists residency and this year includes artists from Cairo, New Delhi and Geneva, together with an artist from South Africa and another from Zimbabwe, supporting regional connection and networks in the digital arts. The residency is currently underway, taking place from 8 August to 9 September 2018.Tegan Bristow, Fakugesi Festival director, says that this extended Residency is an exciting one: This year we will see creative technologists dive deep into the algorithms, patterns and fractals of their indigenous cultures. Each will endeavour to respond to the 2018 Fakugesi Festival theme, in which we explore the role that vernacular and traditional cultures have in digital culture and practices.Bristow says the Residency will receive ongoing (since 2016) support from Pro Helvetia and the ANT Fund via the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC): We are excited to be collaborating with Pro Helvetia again and to be extending the Residency with them. The 2018 inclusion of North Africa, South Asia and Switzerland, alongside our annual SADC focus is part of a 2018 programme by Pro Helvetia to celebrate the anniversaries of their offices, in Cairo (30 years), Johannesburg (20 years) and New Delhi (10 years).The head of Pro Helvetias Johannesburg office, Joseph Gaylard, outlines the motive force behind Pro Helvetias investment: The residency brings a new generation of aspirant practitioners from these cities together with more experienced artists from India, Switzerland and Johannesburg, in order to plant new furrows of transnational connection and collaboration in the digital arts field beyond its traditional home in the Anglo-American-European world. We do so in the belief that this alternate geography will be an important source of new thinking and practice at the intersection of culture, art and technology in the coming years.The Residents will be hosted by the brand new Tshimologong Maker Space and the Wits School of Arts Point of Order Gallery. There will also be a final exhibition that will open on 4 September 2018 at Point of Order Gallery.The Residency will incorporate a special project by Swiss artist, Marc Lee, which focuses on language diversity in online media. Lee will act as mentor for the residents.Fakugesi, which means Switch it on or add power in urban Zulu, is focused on making young adults aware of digital innovation. It is an opportunity for young adults, with or without formal education, to learn or engage with tomorrows technology.Acquiring communication skills will probably occupy an increasingly important position in the medical curriculum of Stellenbosch University (SU).

Dr Elize Archer. Photo: Damien Schumann

Caring and sharing

Role modelling and norms

Thanks to an SU teaching fellowship, Dr Elize Archer of the Centre of Health Professions Education (CHPE) at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) will look at ways of incorporating this into the curriculum over the next three years.At the end of 2016, Archer obtained the first doctorate for the CHPE, which was founded in 2006. Furthermore, she was one of only 14 doctoral graduates worldwide who was chosen to present her findings at the annual conference of the Association for Medical Education in Europe in Helsinki, Finland. This event is attended by representatives from approximately 90 countries.For her doctorate, Archer focused on ways in which patient-centredness is learnt in a medical curriculum."Holistic care has always been important to me," says Archer, who comes from a nursing background. She was previously involved in intensive-care training in the private sector, and subsequently she helped to structure the medical curriculum of the Simulation and Clinical Skills Unit at the FMHS. The greater her involvement became in health professions education internationally, the more she became interested in the concept of patient-centredness  hence the topic of her doctoral study.According to her, literature has shown that the communication skills of medical students often decline as they proceed with their training. Some of them become cynical over time, suffer from burnout or gradually lose empathy. Even though much has been published internationally on this issue, no similar local study has specifically focused on medical studies.In her investigative study, Archer involved 60 sixth-year medical students in focus groups of six to eight, as well as a few specialists. "I really dont want to suggest for one moment that medicine is the only scapegoat when it comes to cynicism and poor communication skills," she emphasises. "It's a disease found in all medical professions."For the purposes of her study, Archer divided patient-centredness into two components, namely caring and sharing. According to her, caring doesnt only mean that a doctor is listening, but also that patients feel they are heard. Sharing points to a shared responsibility. The patient must be informed, must understand what the condition and/or the treatment involves, and must take ownership of it. It is actually a paradigm shift in many situations, says Archer, and it requires certain skills on the part of the doctor to conduct this conversation. But in the end, my study showed that our medical students are not well equipped for this.Many factors play a role, including personality, selection criteria, and a complex clinical setting which is not really conducive to patient-centredness. What do you do when, for instance, you realise you have to spend time with a patient, but as a result you are making things worse for the 60 still waiting in the corridor?Furthermore, some students study medicine for the wrong reasons, Archer says frankly. During the past couple of years many students have told me that they like understanding the human body, that they want to figure out what is wrong with someone, but that they are not interested in hearing about the patients daily problems.Ironically enough, research shows that the more empathy shown by someone, the more likely that person is to suffer from burnout. That is why some medical students cut themselves off, and in the process may appear emotionally blunted. But this isnt fair to the patient or to the medical student, Archer emphasises. That is why I and a few other role players are currently investigating whether we can teach them concrete skills, including self-awareness. You have to be able to look after yourself in order to care for others.This component does, in fact, receive attention from the first year of study, but becomes neglected in later years when clinical training increases.Another important aspect is role modelling and norms. The seniors dont realise what an incredibly important role they play in this, says Archer. That is why a curriculum that is adapted to empower students should go hand-in-hand with staff development. The lecturers must be made aware of their role, and they need to consciously set an example.Using simulated patients is one way in which the challenge of assessing communication skills is dealt with internationally. It involves the training of paid volunteers to play the role of a specific patient, for example a diabetic. Based on students interaction with these patients, the volunteers themselves, or the lecturers who are observing, can provide feedback to the students.Even though communication is mostly regarded as a soft skill, Archer regards its inclusion in the curriculum as non-negotiable. The public not only requires more knowledge and skills from doctors, but also the right attitude.ELSAH  Open to the public in the James K. Schmidt Gallery, the exhibition of the work of former Principia College art professor, the late Glenn Felch, tells a story of love.

He and his wife, Judith, were both art professors for more than 40 years at the college where they met as students. Glenn died a couple of years ago, after the couple retired and moved to Maine, but Judith has curated the exhibit, entitled Glenn Felch: Lessons of Love. The exhibit is on display through Saturday, Sept. 15, and will remind everyone of his talent, love and passion for his art, his students and his family, his wife said.

Felch will chronicle her husbands life in art, beginning with childhood lessons from a famous animator to his passion for historic preservation. Her lecture and PowerPoint presentation will bring to life the content and substance of the exhibit at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in Principias Wanamaker Hall.

Creative thinking is a part of both our identities, so we were drawn together by our time in the art studio and from going on an art trip abroad together, Felch recalled. But, we were always compatible on many levels of life choices, like dedication to church, community, family, et cetera.

We had our own studios and pursued our own muse, but always talked to each other about work and went on drawing outings together.

The couple restored a home in Alton, where they lived for many years, while raising their two children, and moved to Maine in 2008.

More Information If you go: What: Glenn Felch: Lessons of Love exhibit and gallery talk When: On display through Saturday, Sept. 15; the late artist's wife, Judith Felch, who curated the exhibit, will give a talk beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in Principia's Wannamaker Hall. Where: James K. Schmidt Gallery at Principia College, Elsah Info: The gallery is open to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. See More Collapse

Felch continues to pursue her art and works as a full-time artist, focusing on landscape drawing and painting.

I paint in the winter and do on-location drawings on the Maine coast in the summer, said Felch, who shows her work in the Deer Isle Artists Association in Deer Isle, Maine.

She spent seven months curating the work for Glenns exhibit, organizing, choosing and packing things for the trip from Maine to Illinois.

I pulled from Glenns writings, newspaper articles and interviews, and scanned his artworks for the talk, Felch said. I also borrowed art from (Riverbend) area owners of his work for the show.

Many of his paintings contain little tidbits that are almost hidden  such as a burning cigarette in one, an Elmers Glue bottle in another  that make the work all the more intriguing. Felch said her husband would usually unpack these images in his didactic panels that went with a particular show of a particular work.

Sometimes, these details could be guessed by the viewer, like tape and Elmers glue, to help hold an old building together, she explained. Sometimes, one might need to know the history, like the burning cigarette.

In that case, the cigarette represents what is believed to be the cause of a fire in the building depicted in the painting.

While in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, Glenn was assigned to paint images of surroundings (and people) in Thailand, and his wife said there is a rather generous section of her talk that deals with his two-year army experience and the work he produced during that time.

Principias Danne Rhaesa, an assistant professor of studio art, who has taught there for 11 years, had both of the Felches as teachers when she came to Principia from Kansas, as a student pursuing international studies and literature.

They were both great. Glenn was energetic, yet had a calming, spiritual presence, and was really in touch with his students, Rhaesa said. Glenns mentoring helped me realized that I wanted to be an art major. He had a way of drawing out your talent  not wanting you to do it his way, but rather how to find your own way.

The exhibit also includes several pieces from his barns and Jersey County scenes series, focusing on rural life that normally hang in Illinois Jersey County Courthouse. Rhaesa believes his Alton area church series, also represented in the exhibit, was one of his most significant bodies of work, she said.

Glenns work has an aesthetic rightness in a narrative and poetic style  almost surrealism, said Penny Schmidt, whose father was the late artist and former Principia professor James K. Schmidt, for whom the gallery is named. There always seems to be a sense of meaning or message that goes beyond the metaphorical.

In November, Felch plans to launch a website to serve as an online gallery of her husbands work. Visit www.judithfelch.com for more information on her work.

Glenn Felch: Lessons of Love will be on display in the James K. Schmidt Gallery through Saturday,Sept. 15. Judith Felchs talk will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in Wannamaker Hall on Principias campus. The gallery is open to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Reach writer Vicki Bennington at vbennington@sbcglobal.net and Twitter @vicben1.ALTON  SNIP Alliance is seeking volunteers to help capture community cats in Alton for neutering or spaying, then return them to the trap sites in August and September.

The dates are Aug. 16 and 17; and Sept. 19, 20 and 21.

Glen Carbon-based SNIP (Spay/Neuter Illinos Pets) received a grant to aid in the Metro-East Humane Societys TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program for 250 community cats in Alton.

SNIP now needs volunteers to help with this process.

Trap-neuter-return is a humane, non-lethal alternative to the trap-and-kill method of controlling cat populations, a SNIP press release says.

Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is a management technique in which homeless, free-roaming (community) cats are humanely trapped, evaluated and sterilized by a licensed veterinarian, vaccinated against rabies, microchipped and then returned to their original habitat, it says. Each cat is marked with an ear tip during surgery, which is a universal symbol indicating they have been altered.

Volunteers work closely with SNIP to trap cats in targeted areas, which only are within the city of Alton.

After attending a comprehensive, but short, training course, volunteers will partner with a seasoned trapper and go to the targeted area with the necessary supplies.

Trapping usually takes place one to three times a month and requires a four hour commitment during at least one evening. Volunteers who trap the cats will assist in feeding them while they await surgery and/or assist in returning the cats to their trap location after surgery.

People who are interested in volunteering may email: volunteer@snipalliance.org, or call Sandy Eaves at (618)410-6804.

More Information SNIP (Spay/Neuter Illinois Pets) Alliance seeking cat trappers When: August 16, and 17; and Sept. 19, 20, and 21. Where: Targeted locations in Alton Contact: Sandy Eaves, (618) 410-6804; or: volunteer@snipalliance.org See More Collapse

The public also may use the above e-mail or phone number to report known cat colonies in Alton. All callers remain anonymous, however, they must give a specific address of the colony.BETHALTO - Danny M. Smith, 54, of the 600 block of Valley Drive, East Alton, was charged Monday with methamphetamine trafficking and unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

He allegedly brought more than five grams of the drug into Illinois from Missouri. He was also accused of possession with intent to deliver more than five grams of the drug. Bail was set at $85,000.

ALTON - Van S. Redden, 59, of the 3200 block of Charlotte Court, Alton, was charged Monday with two counts of threatening a public official.

He allegedly told two police officers on Monday that he was going to follow them home and kill them. Bail was set at $50,000.

EAST ALTON - Paul E. Lara, 45, of the 100 block of Wood River Avenue, was charged Monday with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

He allegedly possessed less than 15 grams of heroin on Saturday. Bail was set at $15,000.

WOOD RIVER - Melynda G. Rusk, 38, of the 1900 block of Park Avenue, Alton, was charged Tuesday with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

She allegedly possessed less than 15 grams of fentanyl on April 24. Bail was set at $15,000.

WOOD RIVER - Stephen J. Turnbeaugh, 33, who is listed as homeless, was charged Tuesday with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

He allegedly possessed less than 15 grams of fentanyl on April 24. Bail was set at $15,000.

ALTON - James D. McNatt, 59, of the 19000 block of Dabbs North Road, Jerseyville, was charged Tuesday with unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

He allegedly possessed less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000.

ALTON - Joseph L. Gettings, 51, of the 100 block of Beach Lane, Batchtown, was charged Tuesday with unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

He allegedly possessed, with intent to deliver, less than five grams of the drug on July 25. Bail was set at $85,000.

ALTON - Daniel A. Perez, 28, of the 500 block of Sinclair Avenue, South Roxana, was charged Tuesday with felony theft.

He allegedly took more than $10,000 cash from a woman on July 24. Bail was set at $85,000.Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Christopher C. Stevens, 31, of 2538 Shawnee Drive, Springfield, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:51 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, improper signaling, driving while license is revoked or suspended, possession of drug paraphernalia and violating an order of protection.

 Herbie E. Tamulis, 51, of 339 Pine St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:16 p.m. Tuesday on charges of aggravated fleeing or eluding a police officer, leaving the scene of an accident, driving while license is revoked or suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and disregarding a stop sign.

 Troy L. Cota, 49, of 637 Brandywine Lane was booked into the Morgan County Jail at 4:43 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of interference with a public utility.

South Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Justin E. Lowery, 36, of 849 N. Prairie St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9:28 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a peace officer.

 Keith M. McComas, 39, of 1701 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:16 p.m. Tuesday on a theft charge.



Pike County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Erin I. McLaughlin, 40, of Baylis was arrested at 1:34 p.m. Thursday on a petition to revoke probation.

 Marty W. Gibson, 61, of Stoutsville, Missouri, was arrested at 10:01 p.m. Thursday on charges of having no taillights and driving while license is suspended or revoked.

 Denise M. Owsley, 51, of Quincy was arrested at 6:38 p.m. Aug. 8 on a possession of a controlled substance charge.

 Tracey L. Pine, 26, of Griggsville was arrested at 4:47 p.m. Aug. 6 on a domestic battery charge.

 LeLand L. Main, 62, of Pittsfield was arrested at 8:17 a.m. Aug. 6 on an aggravated battery charge and on an unspecified Pike County warrant.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer, Nick Draper and Samantha McDaniel-OgletreeThis company article has been removed.Connecting citizens enables the public sector to communicate effectively with the population, pre-empting certain events and making sure citizens are notified of critical information. But the opportunity goes further than just being able to send and receive information.

Paige dos Santos is digital lead at SAP Africa

Connecting citizens for sustainable cities

The building blocks of connected cities

Connected governments before connected citizens. With many government departments making moves towards enabling connected citizens, pockets of excellence are emerging. The true value lies in being able to connect data from multiple government departments in order to generate deep insights and identify areas where value can be created, and costs saved. Integration with multiple backend systems remains a reality. Making this less complex is a priority.





Citizens need to trust before they are willing to connect. In 2018, SAP asked a group of representatives from more than 45 countries what they wanted from their future cities. The results painted an interesting picture: Many millennials wanted more efficient public transport systems, but at the same time, they were unwilling to engage with services that invaded their privacy.



Trust and transparency is imperative to effective citizen engagement. Customer identity and access management platforms enable citizens to see exactly how their data is being used and manage their preferences instantaneously.



According to a 2016 report by Accenture Interactive, 70% of individuals will opt into allowing data use - provided they know how it is being used.





Unlocking citizen potential through a focus on design. Citizen engagement can be a powerful tool in creating positive change in societies. Engaging citizens to drive positive behavioural change requires more than just an omnichannel communications plan. It requires a focus on the psychology of what makes communities tick. Utilising behavioural design techniques in campaign design can lead to higher levels of impact in shorter periods of time.



An example of this is a water shortage crisis that took place in Columbia. Initially, a state of public emergency was declared, and the government launched a traditional communication programme warning inhabitant of the coming crisis.

A much deeper understanding of human behaviour is needed

As the general population spends more and more time on smartphones, this captive audience provides the perfect vehicle to shape and drive a better tomorrow for our country. Through the utilisation of behaviour design techniques, we can better understand how citizens make decisions, shaped by social bonds, choice framing and circumstance.This insight can be used to reward positive citizen behaviours, creating more impactful policies, and stimulating community upliftment. By creating a single point of connection with citizens and providing value to their daily lives, the public sector can initiate a process of stimulating positive behavioural changes in line with broader policies.In addition to this, the ability to understand how citizens move through the various systems, both digitally and physically, offers a myriad of cost-saving opportunities. Information collected can be used to create easy-to-use self-serve options.As reported by the Economist, a digital transaction is typically 20 times cheaper than one by phone, and 50 times cheaper than a face-to-face transaction. Streamlined digital interfaces also save citizens considerable time and effort.In Boston, just moving paper forms online is estimated to have saved citizens almost 10,000 hours. In a South African context, where many citizens spend long hours queueing for a variety of public services, often taking unpaid leave from work, the impact is even more notable.In a global effort to improve the lives of billions of people around the world, leaders adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015.Purpose-driven businesses pledge their resources to make a positive global impact. Leveraging technology and data to improve the citizen experience directly contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11, 'Sustainable Cities and Communities' , which aims to make cities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.The vast and rich data pools that can be collected across multiple channels can reveal many insights regarding societal needs and opportunities. The public sectors response to meeting the needs unearthed by such data sets will understandably be limited to the resources available to build or deploy suitable solutions.These constraints provide an opportunity to create platforms for API-enabled entrepreneurship. By providing entrepreneurs with secure API access to anonymised data sets, social enterprises can be incubated, providing for the needs of citizens and cities.However, bringing these benefits to life is not as simple as implementing one or two systems and solving the data access barrier. To take advantage of the considerable benefits of enabling truly connected citizens, we need to get the fundamental building blocks right.This only increased water consumption and hoarding. A change in strategy saw the government sending out volunteers to explain the best water conservation measure, publicising daily water consumption figures and naming those who were cooperating with the effort, as well as those who were not. The result was reductions in water usage that persisted long after the crisis was resolved.To reap the benefits of a connected citizen strategy, we need to start implementing cohesive technology strategies and combining these with a deep understanding of human behaviour in a South African context.Such an approach paves the way for a connected future where we can effectively measure the impact and value trade-offs of policy decisions. A future where our leadership has the transparency required to make investment decisions that propel our country forward. And every citizen feels empowered to make a meaningful impact in their community, no matter how large or small.Private and public-sector organisations with all their multifarious complexities; societies, from the family to the nation; economies, from the subsistence farmer to the giant multinational - all are inherently human undertakings fuelled by desires and ideas and made possible through collaboration, conversations and amazing technologies.Allow females to help shape technology  ...City Property unveiled its 30m Ndzundza/Nzunza portrait alongside the North City House building on the corner of Melle and Jorissen Streets in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on Women's Day. The portrait serves as a tribute to the women of the vibrant city.

Blending history and landscape

Technicality and materials

City Property commissioned the portrait as part of its commitment to the rejuvenation and urban renewal of the Johannesburg city centre.When we started the upgrade of the building, the building was covered with old mosaic style tiles. We investigated possible options including cladding, texture, and a public art piece. We wanted something that is proudly South African and speaks to the energy that encompasses Jozi, says Jeffrey Wapnick, City Property MD.The architects approached renowned artist Hannelie Coetzee and her concept was tied back to the original mosaic on the building. We loved the modern spin on it while still embracing the history about the Ndebele people. We have always used public art to start conversations about inner city rejuvenation. Weve done numerous pieces in Tshwane but this impressive mural is our first major public art contribution to the city of Johannesburg. Our substantial investment through the upgrade of this property and the mural on the facade speaks to our confidence in the area and the city, continues Wapnick.The 170mrelief sculpture covers 65% of one wing of the commercial building and was created out of more than 2,000 plates, specialised tile adhesive, mesh, nails, and anchors. During her research, Coetzee discovered that the Ndzundza Ndebele lived in the Highveld from the 1630s until the late 1600s. Like the spirit of Johannesburg today, they embraced a cultural inclusivity which often welcomed other ethnicities. Traces of this lifestyle were discovered on pottery that dated from the 17th century and through oral history research.Coetzee also studied Tshilidzi Mavhungas architectural graduate thesis focusing on hair salons in the city which brought to her attention how older traditional hairstyles are serving as inspiration for current, trendy hairstyles. Mavhunga shortlisted the trendiest hairstyle Instagrammers for Coetzee to consider. Theportrait celebrates how hairstyles from different cultures are being rewoven and expressed in new and current ways.I had an idea of blending the historical elements of the Ndzundza with the city landscape, says Coetzee.The use of the monochromatic blue and turquoise crockery plates, saucers and bowls make the mural more abstract. Accented elements are in yellow and white crockery. I sourced it from various potteries and ceramic factories. What makes it also quite unique is that the majority of the experts and artisans were mostly women  from the mosaic artists and assistants to the project manager and the electrical engineer. We thought it would be very appropriate to do the unveiling on Womens Day as we celebrate the power, diversity, and excellence of women, she adds.Wapnick explained the complex planning process that was necessary to make sure the iconic artwork rose to its prominence on the side of the building.We were thrilled to work with Hannelie again. As a photographer, she understands depth, pixels, and composition, which is seen in her other work as well. We have worked with her in the past at the 012central precinct with public art pieces such asand. We appreciate her creative process, her in-depth research and how she uses a piece of the research to produce a thought-provoking piece. This is what makes her such a remarkable and unique visual language artist.The successful installation was an easy task; the conceptual design took about three months and installation 10 weeks.The massive mural was laid out on a vacant floor at the building and the team had the challenge of working on a vertical sculpture in a confined space. Although pottery pieces were sourced, they had to manufacture the smaller pieces themselves from shards from the same pottery. Coetzee drew the outline of the woman on a grid, each piece with a unique code to fit onto the adhesive sheets. The grid pattern had to be attached in sections of not more than 500mm x 800mm at a time because of its weight.A team of more than 50 technical advisors collaborated to engineer the artwork on the facade. The relevant input from extensive projects team had to be considered. Besides the scale and weight of the art piece, the team had to consider how it would be affixed to the building, natural elements such as sun and hail, waterproofing, methodology, longevity and future maintenance.As some saucers and bowls are faced down to facilitate specific tones, it had to be drilled into the wall, filled with adhesive and sealed afterwards. Screws, nuts, and bolts also had to be treated for rust and the team also had to consider how they would have to deal with the expansion joints of the building. Tile adhesive company TAL prepared 2.6 tonnes of bespoke charcoal adhesive with grout and water resistance properties. Customised bags were produced to ensure the team could work on the mural in sections without the adhesive hardening, resulting in limited waste.Calaveras Transit Route Map View Photos

San Andreas, CA  As back-to-school time and the Labor Day weekend holiday near, a local public transit line prepares to debut improved service plans aiming for an all-ages audience.

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4, an adjusted schedule and an introduction to reduced fares for youth ages 12 and under and veterans will go into affect, officials say. They add that all the transit routes have been tweaked with minor changes designed to improve connectivity between routes and neighboring services.

Specifically, the Red Line schedule changes reflect adjustments to better align with Columbia College, Tuolumne County Transit and between the routes. The modified Brown and Purple combined lines will work more effectively with Amador Transit as well as provide a direct Sacramento bus connection at Sutter Hill Transit Center. The Blue Line will feature additional trips and timing adjustments to better coordinate with the Red Line.

The improved Saturday Hopper will provide more trips and stop on the hour in Angels Camp and eliminate Valley Springs stops. The new timing of the Copper and Green lines will reflect streamlined adjustments and the latter line will also offer a run that provides direct access to the Food Bank in San Andreas.

To view a routing map and the various line schedules, click into the image box slideshow. Calaveras Transit offers public transportation in Calaveras County and to Jackson and Columbia College Monday through Friday except for most county holidays. The Saturday Hopper travels cross-county, including stops in San Andreas, Angels Camp and Arnold.

Route deviations up to three-quarters of a mile from the regular fixed route and discounted fares are available for those age 65-plus and eligible disabled passengers. For more information, click here.Tom McClintock and Ryan Zinke hear update on Ferguson Fire View Photos

On Sunday, August 12, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and United States Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman toured Californa neighborhoods and DOI assets destroyed by the Carr fire.

Zinke was Wednesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

Before arriving in California, Zinke was in Colorado at the Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference, where he addressed the numerous wildfires burning in the western half of the United States.

Zinke and Burman toured the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, which is jointly owned by the National Park Service and USBR. Much of Whiskeytown was severely damaged, however maintenance crews are working to restore power and sewage to the site for people to again access the lake.

Secretary Zinke also went to a small community west of Redding where several DOI employees lost their homes. The Secretary drove and walked the neighborhood, stopping to talk with families.

On Monday, Secretary Zinke was joined by United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for a series of briefings and meetings with local officials and firefighters.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.I am glad that Jeff Styles presented the details of the event on his website.

Just because the government alleges a crime does not mean guilty. A criminal charge is an allegation by government. Sure, that allegation can be very serious, but the charge is still an unproven allegation until a court of law and Lady Justice has her review of the proof.

A person gets booked on the allegation of government and media publishes, so it all must be true. Right? Wrong, that is why we have defense attorneys. The government is no truth angel in so many regards.

Jeff is a public figure with a huge personality, and we are still a small town. Contrary to popular belief, being an unknown is much better in these situations. I think there is a huge price for being well known like Jeff.

The children and family of public figures are faced with this situation so often. The public figure equation is first order here.

This community has adored Jeff Styles for so long. I cannot remember when I first heard Jeff on the radio, but I have always enjoyed Jeffs sense of justice. Jeff has always been about fairness and fact on the radio.

I read his website with some friends several times trying to sort out the details. We compared our thoughts. There are many questionable aspects to this event.

Jeff wrote on his website that he has enemies. That made me sad that he would allow any thought of enemies to consume even one minute of his time.

You (Jeff) have enemies? Good. That means youve have stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill

Yes, Jeff may have enemies, because he has indeed stood up for the people in this community. Arrogance of power, an elected official, or developer mad, so what.

I hope Jeff remembers that his fans and admirers are Yuge in numbers, and his enemies are a big nothing burger.

Jeff, your fans know you will get through this, and justice will prevail.

April Eidson

* * *

Folks always said you was one in a million, and this article proves it. Youre one in a million that believes that load of manure on his website. Perhaps its from a lack of tactical experience? Heres some common sense questions to ask, and put yourself in Jeffs shoes, which seem to be bigger than needed.

Youve got a tactical Tomahawk, and two loaded firearms. Youre in an event with a man you see brandish a weapon. You choose to react confrontationally. Which weapon do you grab to neutralize the threat posed by a man with a gun? Do you grab the tomahawk or one of the two loaded firearms? (Its a trick question dont fall for it.) Now I can assure you, no sane person on the face of the planet grabs the tactical tomahawk. I mean, its like the ultimate pun to take a knife to a gunfight, see Indiana Jones...

Lets pose the question a little differently. Lets say youre a narcissistic radio host that likes controlling people. You get into a road incident for miles and miles. Youre at a red light, do you pick up the phone and dial 911 or do you get out to intimidate a driver that you dont know is armed? If you dont know theyre armed, a tactical tomahawk should be very intimidating to someone as you approach a car with it.







Heres the facts, at some point in time everyone else isnt to blame. At a certain point, even the biggest narcissist must accept responsibility for their actions. What hes doing is compounding the issue, and I must say its beautiful. He might have gotten away with a slap on the wrist if hed said, you know what shame on me, I screwed up. And guess what, for my monumental screw up I took a bullet for it. Most would agree, even with his former narcotics arrest, hed likely have gotten probation and maybe anger management class. But now guess what, he gets to relieve himself in the tall weeds with the big dogs. His case is headed to the grand jury. The grand jury is less likely to buy oceanfront property in Arizona as you clearly are.





On a serious note:

Theres no oceanfront property in Arizona either.





James Berry

* * *

Well April, this is where we differ in opinions. For me it's not a matter of what I believe but what the facts are. There's always three sides to the story - yours, mine and the truth. I think we need to wait for all the facts rather than take sides simply because we like someone.

I'm an old lady but I still remember my Dad's advice to me 60 years ago. "If someone is following you or trying to do you harm, never stop, go straight to the nearest police department. I've done that a few times in my life and it's amazing how quickly you lose that person when the PD comes into view.

I have to agree with what I read that the judge said, that he was amazed Jeff hadn't been killed. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong technique. I wish Jeff well, I hope he heals and he's back to enjoy all of his heart stopping hobbies. There's a lesson here for everyone, becoming a ninja is a lot harder than what we think.

Sue White

* * *

I dont like Jeff styles, but I believe in justice.



Jeff could have handled things much differently by calling 911 during the "pursuit" but when I think about how I would react in that situation, I wouldn't call 911 either as a man defending myself. I would probably react the same. I am so glad that Jeff is finally able to express himself after weeks of suppression by radio and TV.



Look at the attacker, 14 driving violations including DUI, public intoxication, and theft. He was carrying a loaded handgun with no carry permit, then shot someone and fled to "a secure location" 18 minutes later. Jeff Styles called 911 only two minutes after the incident.

I believe Jeff Styles and I will stand up for justice and strongly recommend that everyone listen to Jeff's side of the story on his website JeffStylesAmerica.com



Jeremy Rardin

* * *

While not wishing to express an opinion on the guilt or innocence of Jeff Styles, I think his attorney would have preferred that he not say anything about it in the public domain since the case has been bound over to the Hamilton County Grand Jury.

Mr. Styles should not be discussing his case in the public domain at this time. He can issue all the proclamations he wishes after the case has been adjudicated.

Donald Klasing

* * *

Jeff, you got caught up in a road rage incident and the moment you exited your vehicle and approached a driver with a dangerous weapon in your hand, you were doomed.



Now its all a conspiracy and you're a victim.



Whats next? Let me guess, you were driving an older white Ford Bronco.



Please stop.

Michael Burns

* * *

Hey Jeff,

jails and institutions are full with people who are proven to have low or no impulse control. That is a fact. I also know that Tennessee Criminal code does not have have any statutes that have a line that goes something like, this law applies to all except Prentice Hicks. I wish they did.



I pulled in front of this guy one time in heavy traffic to go past slower folks, this guy tailgates me, I pull into right lane, he goes right behind me, still tailgating, so I move onto the shoulder so he can go on. He doesnt . He, a State Trooper in a marked cruiser, turns on his blue lights. I get out of my truck, angry with his driving style, I tell him such, I ask, Why did you stop me?  He says, When you cut in front of me, I couldnt help but see your registration was expired. A year later I find from another trooper his dad and his brother both have died recently from cancer. So I havent walked in his shoes. And I renew my registration most times on time.



Your lawyer, if you have one, should be telling you to take your rant site down. He should be counseling you to be completely honest with whoever queries you about what transpired prior to your obvious unlawful act. And about your unlawful act. One guy I know says, The problem is not the problem. The problem is how I respond to the problem. Plainly said, it does not matter that you interacted with a psychopath who set you off. It matters that you interacted. Period.



God talks to us many times in our lives. If we listen, we can hear what is said. You have just one mouth. You have two ears. Use them also. Maybe you will get community service instead of the workhouse. Your problem is not some fruitcake you met on the road, it is that you didnt deescalate, call the law, pull over, stop, slow down, or call a friend to calm you down.



From the slow lane, Prentice Hicks



Grid takes branding to new heights

As part of Absa's recent rebrand, I interviewed Grid Worldwide's chief experience officer Yatish Narsi to find out how they came up with the idea to conduct a drone show to showcase the vision for the brand, South Africa and the African continent as a whole.





On the night of the official rebrand, 300 software-controlled drones operated in a synchronised mass formation directed by a single pilot. The aerial ballet performed by the drones was AI driven and co-ordinated. It took four practice shows across two late nights for the Grid Worldwide and Intel teams to calibrate the drones for the grand show.



Absa embraces Africa with new brand

Narsi says this was not just a logo reveal, but a statement of intent. Absa has clearly outlined growth as key to its strategy. It has also tied itself to the African continent. We often joke about an idea of Wakanda for real. There is no reason why we cant be a world-class continent, not just a charity case, and to have a business such as Absa driving that intent is very encouraging and inspiring for anyone who chooses to call Africa home.



The idea to conduct a drone show was a random, crazy, left-field thought. The actual thought of using drones was inspired by a journey through the full rebrand process. We knew that the ambition for the new Absa needed more than just traditional marketing initiatives to land. We also knew the importance of inspiring with the launch, not just creating awareness.



At the same time, they wanted to thrill their audience. We designed the whole soundscape and all those experiences became the mnemonic around the whole relaunch and the television ad. In the past it would have just been a new jingle. We decided to do this ridiculously epic thing.



Here, Narsi shares more of the thinking behind this bold stint and why he believes it has set new benchmark for branding in SA



So, how did you come up with the idea? So, how did you come up with the idea? On the night of the official rebrand, 300 software-controlled drones operated in a synchronised mass formation directed by a single pilot. The aerial ballet performed by the drones was AI driven and co-ordinated. It took four practice shows across two late nights for the Grid Worldwide and Intel teams to calibrate the drones for the grand show.Narsi says this was not just a logo reveal, but a statement of intent. Absa has clearly outlined growth as key to its strategy. It has also tied itself to the African continent. We often joke about an idea of Wakanda for real. There is no reason why we cant be a world-class continent, not just a charity case, and to have a business such as Absa driving that intent is very encouraging and inspiring for anyone who chooses to call Africa home.The idea to conduct a drone show was a random, crazy, left-field thought. The actual thought of using drones was inspired by a journey through the full rebrand process. We knew that the ambition for the new Absa needed more than just traditional marketing initiatives to land. We also knew the importance of inspiring with the launch, not just creating awareness.At the same time, they wanted to thrill their audience. We designed the whole soundscape and all those experiences became the mnemonic around the whole relaunch and the television ad. In the past it would have just been a new jingle. We decided to do this ridiculously epic thing.Here, Narsi shares more of the thinking behind this bold stint and why he believes it has set new benchmark for branding in SA

Why was this relevant to Absas brand relaunch? Why was this relevant to Absas brand relaunch?

Do you think this has set a new benchmark for branding in SA? Do you think this has set a new benchmark for branding in SA?

Branding is no longer just about logos, typography, colour and photography. Its about instilling purpose in an organisation, because we believe brands with purpose will win in the 21st century.

How do you feel about being part of this activation? How do you feel about being part of this activation?

How did it work? How did it work?

Comment on your work with Intel on this. Comment on your work with Intel on this.

And the client: How would you describe your agency-client relationship with Absa? And the client: How would you describe your agency-client relationship with Absa?

What was the response? What was the response?

Final thoughts on Absa's new brand design? Final thoughts on Absa's new brand design?

Jessica Tennant's articles About Jessica Tennant Jess is Senior Editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com. She is also a contributing writer. Jess is Senior Editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com. She is also a contributing writer. moc.ytinummoczib@swengnitekram

The idea was pitched as a random thought at the end of another presentation. We came up with the idea and decided to throw it in as a crazy, left field thought. A week later we got a call asking how possible that crazy idea was. Absa had been looking for a big-impact concept to mark and celebrate the start of the next chapter in its history as it separates from Barclays.There were key criteria we needed to attend to. How could we represent the future forward ambitions of the brand? How could we help inspire 42,000 employees? How could we showcase our vision of Africa or Africanacity?The Absa story has been more about a purpose and vision for Absa and less about a brand relaunch. This meant whatever idea we settled on had to land the new thinking and vision for the business. Launching 300 drones above Johannesburg gave us an opportunity to push technology and innovation for a brand that had lost of some of its innovative reputation but is now determined to regain that position. It also gave us an opportunity to create some iconic imagery for the city that makes it feel as iconic as a Dubai, New York or London, and why shouldnt it?We believe it does.This was not a TV ad or an activation but a 4 minute experience that inspired 42,000 employees to think about themselves differently. Your experience of a brand is increasingly becoming the new battleground. It is about how a brand makes you feel, how it inspires, entertains and informs you.Tremendously proud of both the client and everyone in the agency for having the balls to make this happen!The technical hurdles were vast. We built an airfield in a day, diverted traffic from OR Tambo and Randburg airport and closed six city blocks with minimal disruption to traffic flow. We scored an original soundtrack, crafted a greeting via an animation, and all this in two months from idea to execution.Intel was amazing. We collaborated on every little detail and they were willing to make the technology fit the idea and not the other way around. This was key to the success of the event, so much so that Intel commented on how emotional and powerful this show was versus any other they had previously been a part of.Fantastic. Firstly, for anyone to back an idea that had this many potential pitfalls, was so risky from logistics to permits to permissions, and timelines is unprecedented. They were brave enough to not only support but enable at every turn. They were very hands-on and a great creative partner.The Absa staff were incredibly inspired. On the night we had people chanting Absa!, we had exco members in tears and the public in awe. We couldnt have asked for anything more. Our intention was always to inspire and raise the bar on what was possible, not just for Absa but for Africa.For us a brand really comes to life when it engages customers; its in how your experience it. If you take the sum total of the new Absa experience I think we are all extremely proud of this start. There are many challenges ahead and a lot to still be done but the brand has the potential to truly become a brand, not only a bank, that Africa can be proud of.Hale County Commissioners on Monday voted to increase the amount per diem granted to employees for overnight work trips.

The court approved an increase to the amount from $35 to $51 with a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Benny Cantwell, district 4, voted against the increase and Commissioner Kenny Kernell, district 3, was not present.

None of the commissioners could recall the last time the rate was changed but mentioned costs of food have increased since then. This amount is separate from the mileage reimbursement rates.

"Thirty-five (dollars) aren't going to get you much," said Commissioner Harold King, precinct 1, prior to the vote.

The increase takes effect immediately, the court voted. With the change, employees traveling more than 150 miles will receive the full $51 and employees going on non-overnight trips will receive $20 for expenses.

The commissioners also approved a $6,000 line-item transfer purchase for fire protection for the fire department, and a budget amendment from $71,820.16 to $70,569.25 after unanimously approving minutes from five meetings, special session meetings and hearings  many of which happened in late July.

Following those approvals, Hale County Judge Bill Coleman presented a contract with Allison, Bass and Magee, an Austin-based law firm, to provide legal assistance with redistricting the precincts after the 2020 census.

"It seems strange talking about this so early," Coleman said.

It's too early to say whether adjustments to the precincts will have to be made, he said, but the possibility is very likely. The law firm has a fixed service fee of $20,000, he told the court. The firm is allowing the amount to be paid out in increments with the initial payment due in October 2020 and the final payment due in October 2022.

The court granted Coleman approval to sign the contract on behalf of the county before moving on to the next agenda item: considering a contract with the Lubbock County Medical Examiner's Office.

Coleman described the contract as a kind of safety net for Hale County should its current autopsy provider become overwhelmed with calls. And should a person expire at University Medical Center from an incident that happens in Hale County, he said, the contract would enable Hale County to retain its authority.

"We need this contract," Coleman told the court.

The court approved the contract and later also approved bids on two tax forfeited properties at 2101 Galveston St. and 508 E. 12th St.

The commissioners were also scheduled to consider a contract from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service that would bind the court to provide services the commissioners said are already provided. The discussion was tabled.

Roland Nash, tax assessor-collector for the county, was granted permission by the commissioners to seek bids to repair the air conditioning unit in the Tax Office.

The unit gave out a few weeks ago, Nash said, and the companies that came to repair it said it wouldn't last much longer. The commissioners issued an official approval of the $2,799.57 spent to fix the unit and said he could move forward with getting bids.

Sheriff David Cochran also presented a few personnel matters to the board regarding salaries and hire of a new doctor for the Hale County Jail. The doctor has been working off and on for the past month but has yet to sign a contract. Cochran said he was scheduled to meet with the doctor and get the contract signed on Tuesday.

The court also officially authorized the Nov. 6 election, approved a resolution to host a joint election with Petersburg ISD, and approved the purchase of new voting equipment.

The cost of the equipment, which includes technical support services, is $478,968, which will be paid out over two different budget years, Coleman said.

The commissioners also granted approval to sign a contract for a new phone system in the Adult Probation Office and a bid for $4,200 from Dunlap Painting to paint trim on the Justice Center before adjourning.It's been a few years since the Plainview High School Power House of the Plains Marching Band has done it but on Saturday, students took to the streets for a March-A-Thon to raise money for next summer's trip to New York.

The march both started and ended on Smythe Street right outside the band hall.

Led by Band Director Anthony Gonzales, the band followed a route that was approximately eight miles long. They were able to stop for water along the way and were even able to stop to snack on watermelon. In addition, the Plainview Fire Department was on hand to help cool the kids down after the long march.

"The March-a-thon is a fun way for these kids to raise money for their trip to New York next year," said Stephanie Borrego, a band parent. "They raise money by asking people in the community to sponsor them in the march."

Borrego's daughter, Brianna Salazar, plays the flute in the band. Borrego went on to say "my daughter had a great time and so did the other students. It was nice to see the community come out and watch as the band marched past their homes. People came out to take pictures and video of the band and they cheered them on, which I think makes the event even more special. A memorable part was when the band stopped to play for Mrs. Ryan. We have such a great tradition and legacy in Plainview with the Powerhouse of the Plains Marching Band and I know many people are proud to be a part of this legacy."

Brenda Garcia, another band parent, stated: "I thought it was a nice touch that the band stopped in front of Dr. Sanchez's home to play some songs for him and his family. I thought it was especially touching that the band also stopped in front of the of home of O.T. and Pat Ryan. That particular stop was emotional for me having been a band member for my four years in high school. My daughter Corrin, who is part of the color guard, and the rest of the students know his name and that he was the former band director, but that doesn't even begin to describe who he was. I was honored to be in his band and I am glad that these kids honor his memory by stopping at his home and playing the Alma Mater and the Fight Song. This March-a-thon brought back a lot of memories from my old high school band days."

According to Garcia, the high school band has not done this particular fundraiser in a few years. "I am excited that the seniors get the chance to experience this their senior year and I am glad I get the opportunity to be a band parent this year. I am truly excited."

The band was escorted by members of the Plainview Police Department. Several parents, Band Boosters, staff and others walked alongside the students to help in whatever was needed.

The march-a-thon was sponsored by local businesses which include Gebo's, United Supermarket, Amigo's Supermarket and Walmart Distribution Center.Just as Jimmy Dean never forgot his hometown, Plainview will never forget Jimmy Dean.

Many guests from Plainview and the surrounding area honored his memory and contributions to Plainview at his 90th Birthday Bash last Friday. The event featured a birthday cake, free museum tours at the Jimmy Dean Museum and a concert later in the evening.

Dean was born in Olton on Aug. 10, 1928, but he grew up in the outskirts of Plainview. He was a successful musician with country music hits like "Big Bad John," as well as a TV host, actor, and entrepreneur, who founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company in 1969. He passed away on June 13, 2010.

Despite his success, Dean still remembered Plainview. Even people who do not live in Plainview, like Clarecia Jackson of Amarillo, remember him for his talent, hard work and loyalty to his hometown.

"Jimmy Dean was one of those people who had to work for what he had, and he was very successful even though he didn't have very much in the beginning of his life," Jackson said. "He was very generous to the university. He didn't forget his roots."

Dr. Bobby Hall, president of Wayland Baptist University, is grateful for the contributions Dean and his family made to the university.

"We are particularly thankful to the family of Jimmy Dean for the gifts in the forms of this museum, Jimmy Dean Hall...scholarships," Hall said. "The Dean family has been very supportive of Wayland for years."

Mayor Wendell Dunlap appreciates what the museum has done not only for Wayland but also for the community of Plainview.

"When you try to put a value on a facility such as this, what it's worth in a community, it's impossible to do," Dunlap said. "Tell your friends. Let people know. Let's make sure this isn't the best-kept secret."

The Jimmy Dean Museum certainly surprised Kesley Gittens of Barbados. She knew about Dean's company, but not about who he was or his contributions to Plainview until she came to Wayland.

"I knew about the Jimmy Dean sausages, but I didn't know it had any relation to the dorm. When I found out, I was like oh, that's really cool," Gittens said. "I went to visit the museum...this museum is pretty good. It's good that Plainview has somebody to call their own."

Gerald Chambers has more personal memories of Dean.

"I worked for him for 14-and-a-half years. I built the plant, and I killed the first hog, and I worked there until I killed my last hog," Chambers said. "It was one of the best jobs I ever had in my life."

Although Chambers didn't see Dean very often, he specifically remembers that he was a big joke teller. Chambers once offered to take Dean to California for a haul, but Dean declined, saying that was too far in the truck.

"Jimmy was one of the swellest men I guess I ever met," Chambers said. "I never worked for a better man than Jimmy."

Now Plainview is honoring Dean's memory in return for his contributions.

"Part of the reason we wanted to do this birthday bash on Jimmy's 90th birthday was to celebrate and recognize all that he's done for Plainview, for Wayland and for this entire area," Hall said.

Plainview residents and members of the surrounding communities did truly celebrate Jimmy's legacy as they learned about his life, gathered around the cake and sang happy birthday.

Hall hopes this will be the first of many events honoring the life and memory of one who made such a lasting impact in Plainview.

"We hope that this is the inaugural event...that will really grow into something large for our community and that will bring visitors to Plainview from far and wide to celebrate this remarkable career, not just in music but in business, and a guy that, until the day he died, was very loyal to his hometown," Hall said. "Jimmy Dean has a special place in our hearts."Every time Chuck Paar makes the over 500-mile round trip from his home in Mt. Jewett, Pennsylvania, to Buffalo and Syracuse, New York, his 18-wheel tractor trailer carries 25 tons of sand or cement and burns about $265 of diesel in one day. Thats up from as little as $166 for the same route two years ago, and the increased cost of fuel is squeezing already thin industry profit margins.

Its about to get worse.

In 16 months, new standards will descend on a corner of the global oil market that may disrupt fuel supplies crucial to transportation industries like trucking, airlines, railroads and ships. While the goal of the change is to reduce sulfur emissions, which cause acid rain, the rules could boost diesel prices by 20 percent to 30 percent, according to the International Energy Agency. That means Paar could be shelling out more than $344 on fuel for each New York trip.

TESLA: Musk's oil conspiracy against Tesla ends with Saudi billions

We bleed diesel, said Paar, 62, whose brothers, wife and son are all truckers. Diesel accounts for around 20 percent of the operating costs at his company, Sandman Services. His four trucks log a combined 28,000 road miles a month, but get just six miles per gallon, compared with 30 mpg for many new passenger cars.

While truckers can negotiate a fuel surcharge on their customers, those dont take effect until weeks after pump prices rise, Paar said, so its uncommon to recoup the full cost. I cant afford to eat a chunk like that.

The last time diesel prices shot up as much as the IEA is predicting was mid-2008, according to data from AAA. At that time, crude oil hit a record high of $145 a barrel. This time, the culprit isnt the raw material, which is around $70, but new rules from the International Maritime Organization. The group is requiring the worlds ocean-going vessels to cut the sulfur content in fuel to 0.5 percent from 3.5 percent.

The IEA estimates 3 million barrels a day of high-sulfur bunker fuel is used by the global shipping industry, which handles about 90 percent of the worlds trade. Some ships may keep using the fuel after 2020 by installing scrubbers to clean up emissions, or just ignore the rule and take the chance on heavy fines. A few may switch to new ships that run on liquefied natural gas.

But those options may be too expensive, so the IEA expects many ship owners to upgrade the fuel they use. That would spark a rush on existing supplies of middle distillates like diesel and jet fuel. When the standards kick in at the start of 2020, global demand for diesel could jump by about 1 million barrels a day, to 29.7 million, the IEA estimates. Thats more than the combined gains of the past four years.

REFINING: U.S. refineries process record amounts of crude

The consensus is that it will be expensive as hell," said John Butler, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council. It will dwarf anything weve seen as an external cost on the industry."

Refiners in some parts of the world may struggle to add enough extra supply, at least initially. Without expensive upgrades, it would be difficult for refineries to drastically change the mix of products they create from each barrel of crude. That poses a potentially big problem for industries that need diesel, though few are doing much to prepare and many small operators dont even know its coming.

Everybody missed this in our industry, said Glen Kedzie, vice president of energy and environmental affairs for the American Trucking Association. The organization began alerting trucking company owners a few months ago, and found that most had never heard of IMO and didnt know about the risk to fuel markets. No one knows about this, Kedzie said.

Among the truckers, airlines and railroads that are aware, many hope they can simply pass along the increased cost in the form of fuel surcharges or higher ticket prices. However, smaller operators may have less flexibility to charge customers more or the financial resources to withstand a prolonged increase in fuel costs, Kedzie said.

Theyll be wondering why all of a sudden their fuel prices went skyrocketing, said Paar, who is a member of Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. They will very likely be the ones who sell or go out of business.

Trucking companies already are getting squeezed by higher labor costs, reflecting a shortage of drivers. The average hourly wage was $24.14 in June, up 23 percent since June 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

PER GALLON: Gasoline prices fall; more declines could be coming

For the airline industry, where fuel is expected to account for a quarter of operating expenses this year, companies are more likely to pass along the costs to passengers and adjust flight plans or plane loads, according to Macquarie Group Ltd., which conducted a survey of 27 airlines about the impact of the IMO regulations.

"Its not like overnight youre going to see a huge jump in fares," said Susan Donofrio, a Macquarie analyst. It may take three to six months after fuel costs rise, she said. While all nine of the U.S.-based airlines in the survey have IMO on their radar, according to the survey, the majority of respondents remain committed to their existing hedging strategies, or else arent sure how theyll respond.

Delta Air Lines Inc. saw second-quarter fuel costs jump by a third, and the company said its looking to increase fares this year to offset that pressure. In addition, Delta has spent "a lot of time" working on IMO, Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said at a conference in June.

IMO Standards

The IMO said when it announced the new emission standards in October 2016 that it would work to develop consistent guidelines for implementation to prevent market disruption. A working group assembled July 9-13, which is scheduled to submit draft guidance to a new committee in October for consideration and approval.

IMO members framed the regulation based on health and environmental grounds, Lee Adamson, head of public information services for IMO, said in an email. The effect, if any, on oil prices is not within IMOs remit and we cannot comment on it.

Some are less concerned about the IMOs impact and more worried about global supply and demand disruptions.

If oil prices start to erode in 2020, this will not be a big deal," said Michelle Foss, chief energy economist at the Bureau of Economic Geology at University of Texas in Austin.

But, at least one economist, Philip Verleger at PK Verleger LLC, said the impact of the IMO rules could be even more far-reaching than just transportation industries, especially if the rush boosts demand for crude and sends oil up to between $85 and $100 a barrel.

Its actions like this that cause big recessions, said Verleger, who has been studying energy markets since 1971. Its not like its regulating one industry, its a whole series of industries.

--With assistance from Mary Schlangenstein, Justin Bachman and Robert Tuttle.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.As Americas baby boomers are hitting 65 at a rate of 10,000 a day, and healthier lifestyles are keeping them in their homes longer, demand is escalating for a little talked-about  yet critical  health-care-related job: Transporting people to and from nonemergency medical appointments.

Its going to become a massive phenomena, said Ken Dychtwald, founder and chief executive of Age Wave, a consulting firm specializing in age-related issues. This is an unmet need thats going to be in the tens of millions of people.

Its no longer enough to call a taxi or regular car service and hope that frail seniors can get in and out  or through the entrance of a doctors office on their own as the driver speeds off. For people requiring oxygen tanks and wheelchairs, its an even bigger challenge. Long waiting periods are often required to arrange for specially equipped vehicles. Those needing transportation and specialized drivers covered by their insurance often have to wade through another labyrinth of red tape.

Many older people require sensitive, skilled or specially certified drivers who know how to deal with someone whos frail, uses a wheelchair or has mild cognitive problems. Its more than pick up and drop off, Dychtwald said.

As many as 30 percent of all patients skip doctor appointments, citing transportation as a key reason, according to a report by SCI Solutions, a health care technology firm.

The no-shows cost the health care industry $150 billion in lost revenue annually, as unused time slots cost a doctor an average of $200, the report said.

Those missed appointments could cost the patient and health care system even more in the long term if a mild illness  left unchecked  turns into a chronic or debilitating one. It could be the difference between catching a disease early on or too late, Jamie Gier, chief marketing officer at SCI Solutions, wrote in a commentary.

Dychtwald calls the need transport care and said it isnt limited to older people. Recovering drug addicts and cancer, dialysis, physical therapy and low-income patients are among those needing to travel to regular medical appointments.

With people living and working longer, and advances in health care, its a need thats not going to go away, said Tom Ailor, president of TenderCare of Virginia, a nonemergency medical transportation company.

Several technology startups, RoundTrip, Circulation Inc. and Kaizen Health have set up shop over the past two years to address this need. Each created an online portal that complies with federal regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, and makes it easy to find, book and track customized rides for patients. Each company partners with health care facilities and transportation companies, which matches skilled drivers with patients needs. It even handles the insurance end.

Mark Switaj, who founded RoundTrip in early 2017, saw the transport care problem firsthand while working as an emergency medical technician and at other health-care-related jobs in the mid-Atlantic region for 15 years. He saw what he called a clunky, layered system that was inefficient and unreliable for doctors and patients.

I saw patients giving up  simply not going to their doctor anymore because they felt the ride was really a burden to them, he said.

So, Switaj used his health care experience and business skills learned from Boston College and Georgetown University to create RoundTrip, which is based in Philadelphia. Now, a patient or social worker can log onto the RoundTrip portal and book a ride. The patient receives phone calls or texts, with real-time updates on the status of the ride, which can cost up to 40 percent less than a taxi voucher, be booked in about a minute and be tracked from start to finish, Switaj said. He said the no-show rate for medical facilities using his portal was less than 4 percent.

RoundTrip has 15 health care partners, many of which operate in dozens of locations, and 200 transportation organizations in its network in more than 23 states.

Circulation, based in Boston, has grown rapidly since it started in 2016. It partners with 95 health care providers (many of which have dozens of locations) in 45 states, up from three facilities in three states in 2016. John Brownstein, a professor at Harvard Medical School and chief innovation officer at Boston Childrens Hospital, came up with the idea for Circulation after the success of Uber Health, another program he created in 2014.

We put nurses into Uber vehicles and delivered flu shots to where people were, he said, and people signed up in droves  even those who had never had flu shots before. So, he decided to create a similar program that would make it easier for people to get transportation to nonemergency medical appointments.

Plans are underway to expand Circulation into transporting prescriptions, medical equipment, laboratory collections and other health-related products, Brownstein said.

Bill Lubenow, 78, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, used to spend an hour driving to the train station, taking the train to Philadelphia and then walking to the hospital for his hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions four times a week as part of his post-cancer therapy. Then his daughter, Anne, who lives in Chicago, started booking his transportation through RoundTrip, which allowed her to track the ride to make sure her father got there and back safely.

She was concerned about me traveling alone, he said, adding that the trip now takes him only about 20 minutes. Its faster, more convenient and less stressful.

Karen Frazier, 66, of Yorba Linda, Calif., broke her elbow in May and was unable to drive. But coordinating transportation to and from her physical therapy sessions, about 8 miles from her suburban Los Angeles home, was challenging.

In the suburbs, there is no public transportation whatsoever, she said. When you dont have access to public transportation and your spouse is working and your children are no longer home, its a little difficult to get to your appointments.

She now books through RoundTrip. Im very very pleased with how this platform works, she said.

Transport care can also help drug-trial participants and recovering drug addicts make it to their medical appointments.

Jenna, 27, of the Cleveland area (who asked that her last name be withheld) has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction problems since she was 12. She enrolled in rehabilitation programs several times for cocaine and heroin addiction since 2012, but relapsed each time. She attributed part of the relapse problem to missing post-rehab meetings to fix the underlying cause of her addiction. She admitted it was tough motivating herself to arrange transportation to the meetings.

This time, she says, its different. The St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, where she attends outpatient sessions, signed up with Circulation, which gives her free transportation to and from her sessions and drops her off at her new job after the meetings.

It definitely benefited multiple aspects of my life and has been a huge asset to me rebuilding my life and getting back on my feet, Jenna said. She said she has been sober for four months.

Experts see strong growth opportunities for transport care over the next decade.

About 52.5 million people are over the age of 65  roughly 16 percent of the total population, according to the Pew Research Center. The number is expected to climb to 73.1 million, or 21 percent of the population, by 2030, according to Pew.

About 21 percent of those over 65 dont drive, many for health reasons, according to Jana Lynott, senior strategic policy adviser with the AARP Public Policy Institute.

And many of those do not have children or spouses to drive them to medical appointments. About 20 percent of baby boomers do not have children, up from 8 percent in the previous generation, Dychtwald noted. And about 19 million people 65 or older are single, either because they never married, are divorced or outlived their spouse.

With the population aging, we absolutely see a lot of growth in need, said Jennifer Hartt, director of investments in health and digital health for Ben Franklin Technology Partners and an early investor in RoundTrip.

Lynott said she would ultimately like to see all travel and health care companies access the same portal to streamline services across the country, similar to the system in Denmark. However, she speculates this might be a tough sell as companies hang onto their proprietary software portals.

Everything in transportation is changing right now, and its changing in big ways and quite rapidly, Lynott said. There is an unmet demand today, and its only going to get bigger.With thumping music, slick video and a showing of city leadership, a team of San Antonio 20-somethings who founded Cityflag on Wednesday debuted the citys new 311SA mobile public service app.

The free app, available on both android and iOS devices, allows users to within seconds report and submit photos of problems such as potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping and stray animals. Reports are geolocated with flag icons, and participants can see the issues be addressed and resolved by changes in the flag colors.MEXICO CITY  Mexico's president-elect announced an even more ambitious proposal for a train on the Yucatan peninsula Monday that would link nearly all the region's main tourist draws and cost double or more than the previously announced figure.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had campaigned on building the tourist train from the beach resort city of Cancun down through Tulum and to the Mayan ruins of Palenque, 520 miles (830 kilometers) to the southwest.

The new plan adds a western spur that could stop in the cities of Campeche, Merida and Valladolid  the latter near the famed ruins of Chichen Itza  and ultimately complete the circuit in Cancun.

Lopez Obrador said the Mayan train would cost between $6 billion and $8 billion, compared with the previous figure of $3.2 billion. He said it would be financed over six years through both public and private investment, including tourism taxes that currently net about $370 million a year.

What was to be 560 miles (900 kilometers) of track would rise to about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers), and would be completed in four years at the latest, he said. Most of the route lies on land already owned by the federal government.

This will greatly stimulate tourism and will create jobs in the southeast, which is the most neglected region of the country, Lopez Obrador said.

The announcement amounted to a doubling down on a campaign proposal that had left some scratching their heads, and perhaps improving its viability by extending it along a well-traveled tourist route.

The region is dotted by low jungle, wildlife reserves, pre-Hispanic archaeological sites, wetlands and underground rivers that can suddenly cave in.

Even the initial proposal would have taken years to build, and soaked up scarce money, to reach ruin sites like Calakmul, which now gets only about 35,000 visitors a year  the number better-known sites like Chichen Itza have in a week.

The new plan would bring Chichen Itza into play, as well as Campeche and Merida, two gorgeous if sweltering cities known for their picturesque colonial buildings.

For fans of Lopez Obrador's initial plan, it's all about getting people off the beaten track  the heavily travelled tourism route of Cancun-Riviera Maya-Chichen Itza-Xcaret visited by millions of tourists every year.

Tourists today prefer other types of tourism projects that are more in contact with nature.  They are showing less interest in the coast, said Vicente Ferreyra, a Cancun-based consultant whose Sustentur company specializes in sustainable tourism. They are turning more toward the jungle, and there is an opportunity to diversify for markets that don't just want sun and sand.

So, imagine if you could hop on a train at the Cancun airport and step off two hours later in one of the communities at the edge of the Sian Ka'an nature reserve, south of Tulum, where the coast turns into lagoons and mangroves.

Villages like Muyil are offering tours such as floating down fresh-water canals dug by the Mayas, visiting local pre-Hispanic ruins, seeing local craftsmen and sampling regional foods.

Few doubt that the first stretch of proposed train on the Caribbean coast  from Cancun through the Riviera Maya to Tulum  would be heavily used. Almost 7 million international tourists visit this stretch of coast every year, many of them arriving at the Cancun airport and then taking buses or cars down the coast.

While resorts have been popping up south of Cancun since the 1990s, most hotel workers still live in Cancun, which was founded in 1974. So huge numbers of tourism workers could also use the train to get to their jobs, a trip that can currently take them an hour and a half or more.

But it's not clear whether the train would have stops at Playa del Carmen or other busy resorts that would be destinations for the tourists and workers. The initial plan shows it making its only Maya Riviera stop in Tulum before heading farther south.

It is the second, southern stretch from Tulum to the unpicturesque Maya town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, just southwest of the Sian Ka'an environmental reserve, then on to Bacalar, the state capital of Chetumal, Calakmul and Palenque that raises more questions. Some see it as an expensive folly. There is little developed tourism infrastructure until one gets around the Bacalar fresh-water lagoon. And the route from there west is practically undeveloped.

The biggest doubt about the southern leg is regarding the profitability of the project, based on tourism flows, said Francisco Madrid Flores, director of the Tourism and Gastronomy Department at Mexico's Anahuac University. In southern Campeche, where Calakmul is, there are practically no hotel rooms.

That's not to say that Mayan communities there don't have something to offer tourists beyond sites such as Calakmul, a sprawling ancient Maya city-state almost completely covered in low jungle. Five communities in the low jungle around Calakmul already offer hiking, biking, bird watching, cave tours, kayaking and craft workshops.

Historically, the largely Mayan southern half of the Yucatan has been locked out of the tourism boom that has enriched the northeast  around Cancun  that now is largely populated by non-indigenous Mexicans. But in part that is due to the logic of who has the white-sand beaches and turquoise waters loved by tourists. The south has them, too, but only on the Costa Maya, a narrow peninsula running from Mahahual to Xcalak, an area the train apparently wouldn't go to, although cruise ships do.

In 2012, current President Enrique Pena Nieto announced that he would build a rapid-train link connecting the Riviera Maya with Merida, passing by Valladolid and Chichen Itza. The $1.5 billion project would have connected already developed tourist destinations on a heavily traveled, well-known route.

It was cancelled in 2015 due to a lack of funds, but the idea now would appear to be revived with Monday's announcement by Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1.

Based on the sheer numbers of inhabitants, it would seem to me to make more sense to run it in the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula to Merida, Ferreyra said.Federal securities regulators have served Tesla with a subpoena, according to a person familiar with the investigation, increasing pressure on the electric car company as it deals with the fallout from several recent actions by its chief executive, Elon Musk.

The subpoena, from the Securities and Exchange Commission, comes days after regulators began inquiring about an Aug. 7 Twitter post by Musk, in which he said he was considering converting Tesla to a private company. In the post, he said that the financing for such a transaction, which would probably run into the tens of billions of dollars, had been secured.

Tesla shares, a popular target for so-called short sellers who bet on certain stocks losing value, soared about 11 percent on the day Musk posted the message.

It has become clear since then that neither Musk nor Tesla had actually lined up the necessary financing aside from having preliminary conversations with some investors.

The Twitter post by Musk, who has considered taking Tesla private in the past, was something of a flip remark, said several people familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly about the episode.

The serving of a subpoena, which typically requires the approval of top SEC officials, indicates that an inquiry has advanced to a more formal, serious stage. It can take years for an investigation to yield any action, and some investigations do not result in any action.

Teslas board of directors has been scrambling to contain any potential damage caused by Musks Aug. 7 tweet. Some board members have urged Musk to stop using Twitter, and the boards independent directors recently hired the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to represent it as the SEC investigation progresses.

A subset of independent directors, who have formed a committee to consider any formal proposal to take Tesla private, have hired another law firm, Latham & Watkins.

And on Wednesday, Tesla hired Goldman Sachs to work on a possible going-private transaction, according to a client note reviewed by The New York Times.

News of the SEC subpoena was first reported by Fox Business Network. Shares of Tesla were down more than 3 percent in trading on Wednesday.

Representatives of Tesla and the SEC declined to comment.

The scope of the commissions investigation, which is being led by the San Francisco office, is unclear. Even before Musks message on Aug. 7, the SEC had been inquiring about issues at Tesla.

About a week earlier, Martin Tripp, a former Tesla employee who has filed a whistleblower complaint against the company, was interviewed by commission officials over the phone, his lawyer, Stuart Meissner, said.

Tripp, who was an engineer at a Tesla battery plant in Nevada, said he had seen problems with some of the batteries installed in the companys cars. He has accused Tesla of misleading investors about some production figures.

Tesla has sued Tripp, accusing him of trying to steal trade secrets. Tripp has said the company and Musk have wrongly portrayed him as a saboteur.

Over the past few months, there has been a war of words between the parties. But the dispute between Musk and Tripp has receded into the background amid the furor over Musks tweet about taking the company private.Wells Fargo Bank has countersued USAA over its allegations that the San Francisco-based bank infringed on patents the San Antonio financial service company holds on technology that allows users to deposit checks using mobile devices.

In its lawsuit filed Tuesday, Wells Fargo wants a federal court in Marshall in East Texas to rule that Wells Fargo doesnt infringe on any of the USAAs asserted patents. The suit also asks that the patents in question be declared invalid.

In addition, Wells Fargo seeks a permanent injunction restraining USAA and its officials from charging or threatening that Wells Fargo has infringed on those patents.

Finally, Wells Fargo is asking for unspecified attorneys fees and costs incurred from defending itself against USAAs lawsuit.

USAA spokesman Roger Wildermuth declined to comment. Wells Fargo spokeswoman Tymika Morrison said the company does not comment on litigation.

RELATED: City considers waiving $1.2 million fee for USAA parking lot.

USAA sued Wells Fargo in June, seeking unspecified financial damages.

Its the first lawsuit USAA filed since it warned last year that it would be reaching out to banks and credit unions to pay their fair share by licensing the companys patented technology that allows customers to deposit checks remotely using mobile devices.

Wells Fargo is one of the biggest adopters of remote deposit capture, Nathan McKinley, USAAs head of Corporate Development, told the San Antonio Express-News after it filed its suit. We believe they are leveraging the technology to improve their bottom line, and they failed to take a license.

Wells Fargo denies most of the allegations raised by USAA in its lawsuit, including that USAAs technology allowed customers to deposit checks anytime, anywhere by taking photographs with a mobile phones digital camera.

Wells Fargo contends that taking and processing check images using a digital camera or mobile device was well-understood, routine, and conventional prior to USAAs asserted patents.

Marshall, where USAA filed suit, is known as a popular venue for patent lawsuits, according to a Bloomberg article last year.

Marshall became notorious in patent circles by the early 2000s for its rocket docket, rules designed to move patent cases along quickly, Bloomberg reported.Yosemite Valley reopened Tuesday, three weeks after the deadly Ferguson Fire forced the closure of the popular summertime tourist attraction.

Yosemite Valley Lodge, the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, Half Dome Village and Housekeeping Camp came back to life just a day after the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. But even as businesses turned on their lights and people returned to work, 839 firefighters continued to battle the blaze that has killed two firefighters and destroyed 10 structures.

The fire had burned 96,606 acres by Tuesday night and was 87 percent contained.

Its one of 11 large wildfires burning in California that has more than 12,500 firefighters working. So far, the fires have burned some 740,000 acres and damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Heres a look at some of the other major fires in California:

 The Mendocino Complex: The blaze, made up of the Ranch and River fires, burned 354,910 acres as of Tuesday night in Mendocino, Lake and Colusa counties.

The 305,990-acre Ranch Fire was 64 percent contained Tuesday evening, while the River Fire was fully contained at 48,920 acres on Monday.

Fire crews on the Mendocino Complex were mourning the loss of Utah firefighter, Matthew Burchett, 42, who was killed after arriving Aug. 2 with five other firefighters from the Draper City Fire Department.

We have different engine crews and different fire crews working doing structure defense that are in the threatened areas, said Christian Linnemann, a Cal Fire spokesman. The morale is affecting everybody, especially with the death on the line Monday.

Burchett was the sixth firefighter to die battling wildfires in California this year, making 2018 the deadliest fire season for firefighters in the past decade. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances that led to Burchetts death.

Since Monday, one more residence was destroyed in the blaze, bringing the total to 147 homes. A total of 1,025 structures remained under threat.

The inferno is expected to be fully contained Sept. 1.

 The Carr Fire: The conflagration had consumed 211,019 acres and was 65 percent contained by Tuesday night.

A mandatory evacuation order was lifted Tuesday afternoon for the Rainbow Lake area.

By Tuesday evening, 4,101 personnel were working to control containment lines while facing challenges posed by dense timber, dry vegetation and windy conditions.

The states sixth-most destructive fire has killed eight people, including three firefighters and a great-grandmother and her two great-grandchildren, in addition to destroying 1,599 structures.

 The Holy Fire: This fire in Orange and Riverside counties was 59 percent contained and had burned 22,986 acres by Tuesday night.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavaniSan Francisco police are searching for a suspect who stabbed a person Wednesday morning on or near a Muni bus along Market Street, officials said.

The suspect stabbed the victim around 7:50 a.m. at Market and 11th streets and fled the scene, police said.Lulu's Bakery & Cafe's colossal cinnamon roll and chicken fried steak made a California competitive eater dread seeing anything resembling the southern comfort food for a while.

Erik Lamkin, a popular San Diego-based foodie who has competed against Joey Chestnut in pie-eating competitions, traveled to San Antonio to take on Lulu's "Texas Ranger," a 21-ounce chicken fried steak challenge which comes with two large sides and two dinner rolls. He apparently still had room for dessert  Lamkin also ordered the 3-pound cinnamon roll.An 18-year-old man was shot late Tuesday while attempting to rob a pair of cable repairmen in north Houston, police said.

The attempted robbery happened just before midnight, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department. Two cable repairmen were working on a cable box in the Northline neighborhood, near Fulton and Veenstra.A driver had to be pulled from his vehicle early Wednesday after he crashed it into a fire truck, according to an official with the Houston Fire Department.

The crash happened about 3 a.m. in northeast Houston, near Little York and Maple Leaf.Missing man located

STILLWATER  A missing 84-year-old from Stillwater was located at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in New Milford, Pa., according to the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office.

Joseph Mehan's family members became concerned for him after they were unable to contact him and did not find him at home, deputies said.

The sheriff's office did not immediately respond when asked for more details, such as how Mehan traveled over the state line to New Milford, south of Binghamton on Interstate 81.

Earlier Tuesday, a sheriff's office missing adult alert said Mehan was last seen driving a green Toyota.

The sheriff's office was assisted by the New York State Police, the state Missing Persons Clearinghouse and the Pennsylvania State Police.

 Staff report

Woman faces fraud charge

QUEENSBURY  A Glens Falls woman was arrested Tuesday after she was accused of fraudulently collecting more than $6,000 from the Warren County Department of Social Services, the Warren County Sheriff's Office said.

Kacey Marie Euber, 29, of Broad Street, was charged with welfare fraud, grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing.

Euber allegedly filed false information by not reporting her unemployment benefits and income from Taco Bell. She allegedly obtained $6,257.51 from the Department of Social Services to which she was not entitled.

 Staff report

Police: Dad endangered baby

ALBANY  A 40-year-old father has been charged with endangering his infant child following an incident on Third Street.

Police gave this account:

Around 8:15 p.m. Monday, city police and firefighters responded to a caller's report of a man "passed out" in the back of an abandoned home on the 600 block of Third Street with a baby in a stroller beside him. The emergency responders located Andrew Dominski, conscious but groggy, sitting on the home's back steps under the influence of an unknown drug with his 1-year-old child sitting in the stroller.

The baby was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital for an evaluation and later turned over to a guardian.

Dominski, who declined to receive medical attention, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, arraigned in City Court and taken to the Albany County jail.

 Staff reportMIDDLETOWN  Dr. Justin Goralnik, a pulmonologist, recently joined Middlesex Hospital.

Goralnik earned his medical degree from St. Georges University School of Medicine in True Blue Point, Grenada. He also has a masters degree in biomolecular science from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, and completed his internal medicine residency and pulmonary/critical care fellowship at UConn, according to a news release.

He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal and pulmonary medicine, and has trained medical residents on critical care procedures and cardiopulmonary and vascular ultrasounds.

Goralnik has an interest in lung cancer, and he is skilled in both flexible bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound for the evaluation of airway disease and biopsy of lung nodules, according to the hospital.

For information, call 860-358-6878.WASHINGTON - Michelle Nicoll Gutierrez has traveled frequently from her home in Mexico to visit her aging mother and stepfather in Maryland, never overstaying her tourist visa and always returning home to her husband and their travel agency and rental-property business.

But U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents denied her entry earlier this month at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, revoking her visa and barring her from the United States for five years.

In a statement, agents said they determined Nicoll Gutierrez, who was traveling with her U.S.-born toddler, was an "intending immigrant" -- a term used to describe visitors likely to overstay their visas and try to remain in the United States illegally. They also cited her use of legally available government health benefits in 2016, when she visited Maryland while pregnant and experienced complications, as one reason for her exclusion.

RELATED: See what the U.S-Mexico border really looks like

"I'm not the kind of person to steal or take advantage," Nicoll Gutierrez, 42, said in a phone interview from Michoacan, Mexico. "I've always been law-abiding, and it was never my intent to stay. I don't want to be labeled a violator."

It is common for foreign visitors to be turned away by if border officials believe they plan to stay. But tougher enforcement and proposals for broader and more restrictive measures for legal immigration are heightening the barriers for noncitizens, immigration lawyers say, particularly those from specific countries and including those who have followed all the rules.

Separate from the "intending immigrant" issue, Nicoll Gutierrez's case appears to reflect a Trump administration proposal to disqualify people seeking legal residency or a temporary visa if they or any member of their household, including U.S.-born children, have received Medicaid or other noncash public benefits.

Nicoll Gutierrez "was found to have used government assistance during a previous stay to pay for the expenses associated with having a child in the U.S.," Customs and Border Patrol said in a statement. "She was found to be an intended immigrant and returned to Mexico on the next available flight."

The American Immigration Lawyers Association says it has seen a spike in visa application denials citing public-charge grounds at the U.S. Consulate in Juarez, Mexico, since April, when the State Department amended its foreign affairs manual to instruct consular officers to consider a wide range of personal attributes and use of public benefits when deciding whether to issue visas.

"It's a big deal. What's being proposed basically turns things on its head regarding what constitutes being inadmissible," said Kathleen Walker, an immigration lawyer in El Paso, Texas. "Do we want to send a message discouraging families from seeking medical attention, from feeding their children or seeking immunizations because it might affect legal status? Is that how low we've gone?"

Nicoll Gutierrez obtained a 10-year tourist visa in 2010 and used it multiple times to visit her family in Derwood, about 20 miles northwest of Washington.

Her mother, Laura Atchley, became an American citizen after marrying John Atchley, a retired Foreign Service officer, in 2008.

RELATED: There's already a border wall; this is what life around it looks like

The couple thought about sponsoring Nicoll Gutierrez for legal residency a few years ago but decided against it when lawyers told them the wait time for processing applications for Mexican nationals is more than 20 years.

"We'll be dead by then," John Atchley said.

Nicoll Gutierrez was about five months pregnant when she visited in fall 2016. She planned to return home within a month.

But she became ill and was diagnosed with pre-gestational diabetes, requiring expensive treatment. Doctors said she should not travel.

Nicoll Gutierrez and her mother say they were planning to use savings to pay out-of-pocket for the medical care. But an immigrant group directed them to Maryland Health Connection, the state's health insurance marketplace, where they learned from a navigator that with her valid tourist visa, Nicoll Gutierrez was eligible for Medicaid and CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Her son was born in Washington that December, making him an American citizen. They returned home before the end of the six months her visa allows her to stay.

Maryland officials said they cannot discuss individual cases because of privacy laws. But they confirmed Nicoll Gutierrez's visa category would qualify her for coverage in accordance with the eligibility standards set by Medicaid regulation and the Affordable Care Act.

When Nicoll Gutierrez tried to reenter the United States with her son on Aug. 4, agents peppered her with questions about her income, husband and record.

Transcripts of the interrogation, provided to The Washington Post by John Atchley, showed agents focused heavily on the details of the 2016 visit and her use of government health insurance. Agents then revoked her visa.

RELATED: Hundreds of jobs open up on the border

"I was shocked," Nicoll Gutierrez said. "I've made multiple trips, and it was never my intention to stay. My life is in Mexico, but my family is in Maryland. I don't understand why this happened."

Her mother, who had traveled with them from Mexico, waited for hours while Nicoll Gutierrez was questioned, missing the flight that was supposed to take them all to Reagan National Airport in Washington. After receiving a text message from her daughter, she found a CBP supervisor's office inside the airport where she could learn what was happening.

The next morning, the two women embraced at the airport before boarding separate flights to their respective homes.

"They tear your life into pieces, and your freedom to visit your family, all based on a belief. An incorrect belief," Laura Atchley said. She noted that a lot can happen in five years, the amount of time Nicoll Guiterrez is prohibited from visiting. And in Mexico, it's extremely difficult to obtain a new tourist visa.Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist who became one of the richest men in world history through his company, Carnegie Steel. He sold Carnegie Steel to J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $480 million -- according to Time, that number equated to more than 2 percent of the American GDP. He was worth the equivalent of $309 billion today, and he spent the last several years of his life donating the majority of that money to universities, libraries and other public causes.

Carnegie wrote The Gospel of Wealth in 1889, when he still ran Carnegie Steel, advising others on how best to follow his lead. His words have been edited here to Entrepreneur.com's modern style, which will make for an easier read. However, it's no substitute for the real thing, which you can read here. Or, you can listen to Carnegie read it himself below.

The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie

The greatest problem we face today is the proper administration of wealth, so that the rich and poor can live harmoniously.

The conditions of human life have been revolutionized within the past few hundred years. There used to be little difference between a chief and his people. Today, a millionaire in America lives in a palace, while a laborer can only afford a cottage.

This change is highly beneficial -- in fact, it's essential. It is much better that some people enjoy the best literature, art and refinement, than that no one enjoys it. Inequality is better than universal squalor, because without wealth there can be no patrons or philanthropists.

The "good old times" were not good old times, and a relapse to old conditions would be disastrous to both the servant and the master. It would sweep away civilization.

The "good old times" were not good old times. Neither master nor servant was as well situated then as today. A relapse to old conditions would be disastrous to both -- not the least so to him who serves -- and would sweep away civilization with it. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

But, whether we consider the change good or bad, it's here. We can't change it, so we must accept it and make the best of it: It is a waste of time to criticize the inevitable.

Related: 5 Inspiring Quotes From 19th Century Entrepreneurs

How we have arrived at the present conditions

It is easy to see how the change has come. It's especially visible in the manufacturing industry. In the past, items were manufactured in homes or small shops, which were part of the household. The master and apprentices worked and lived together, and therefore enjoyed the same lifestyle. Then, when these apprentices rose to be masters, there was little or no change in their mode of life, and they educated others in the same way. There was substantial social and political equality for manufacturers -- though they had little or no political voice at the time.

That way of manufacturing led to crude items sold at high prices. Today, we can sell commodities of excellent qualities at much lower prices -- prices that even the preceding generation would have deemed incredible.

Civilization has benefited through this, and now the poor enjoy what the rich could not before afford. Things we once considered luxuries are now necessities. The laborer now has more comforts than the landlord had a few generations ago. The farmer has more luxuries than the landlord had, with better clothes and a better house. The landlord today has access to better books, art and theatre, than the king could then obtain.

We pay a great price for these benefits: Employers and employees have become strangers to one another.

Thousands of operatives work in factories, mines and banks, and the employer knows little or nothing of each one. On the other end, the employer is little better than a myth to his employees.

They are divided, and they do not interact regularly. Rigid castes are formed, and, as usual, mutual ignorance breeds mutual distrust. Each caste feels little for the other, and they blame every misfortune on each other.

All intercourse between them is at an end. Rigid castes are formed, and, as usual, mutual ignorance breeds mutual distrust. Each caste is without sympathy for the other and ready to credit anything disparaging in regard to it. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

Because the employer faces competition from other businesses, labor rates are often very strict. Thus, there is natural friction between the employer and the employed, between capital and labor, between rich and poor. Human society loses homogeneity -- loses a sense of equality.

And so the price for competition is also great, just as its advantages are great. We owe our wonderful material development to the law of competition, which in turn improves conditions for everyone.

This competition may sometimes be hard for an individual, but it is here and there are no substitutes for it.

Related: 20 Leadership Quotes From the World's Most Influential Leaders

Image credit: ullstein bild Dtl. | Getty Images

Why individualism is better than communism

More importantly, it is best for humanity, because it insures survival of the fittest. We must accept and welcome great inequality of environment and business into the hands of a few -- that the competition between these few is essential for progress.

It follows that there should be great scope for merchants and manufacturers of special ability to conduct their businesses at a great scale. We can see that the necessary talent for organization and management is rare, because it invariably leads to enormous rewards -- regardless of where it comes from or under what conditions.

When seeking a partner, experienced businessmen always evaluate the person, not their monetary value. A talented person will soon create capital, but without special talent, the money will fly away.

The experienced in affairs always rate the MAN whose services can be obtained as a partner as not only the first consideration, but such as to render the question of his capital scarcely worth considering, for such men soon create capital; while, without the special talent required, capital soon takes wings. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

These talented people are like simple interest for firms or corporations, bringing in more money than they spend. Those without talent will do the opposite.

There is no middle ground. If a business does not earn at least interest, it will soon become bankrupt. It must either go forward or fall behind: to stand still is impossible. It's essential that a successful business should be profitable in addition to the interest.

If talented people constantly earn profit, then under a free economy, they will soon earn more revenue than they can fairly spend on themselves. This is as beneficial for civilization as competition or the evolution of manufacturing.

Some will argue against this, but civilization is better with this principal than with any other that has been tried. Perhaps a new solution will arise, but it hasn't yet.

The socialist or anarchist who seeks to overturn present conditions attacks the foundation of civilization itself, because civilization started when capable, industrious workers said to the lazy, "If you do not sow, you will not reap." This separated the drones from the bees and ended primitive communism.

Civilization is dependant upon the sacred nature of property -- that a laborer has the right to a hundred dollars in the bank, just as the millionaire has the right to millions. To anyone who would argue for communism: We have tried that. All of the progress that has come since that trial resulted from its displacement -- from the accumulation of wealth by those who have the ability and energy to produce it.

Even if we agree that it would be nobler to labor for others -- just as Swedenborg said that the angels labor for each other in Heaven -- it is not evolution. It's revolution. That is to say, we would need to change human nature itself, and that takes eons.

It is not practical in our day and age.

Our duty is to now and what comes next for our generation, because we cannot uproot the universal tree of humanity. We can only bend it a little in a favorable direction, and the laws of individualism, private property, accumulation of wealth, and competition are the soil in which society so far has produced the best fruit.

These laws might be imperfect to the idealist, or unjust, but they are like the talented people who move civilization forward. They are the best and most valuable thing that humanity has yet accomplished.

Related: Embracing Failure: Lessons From History's Most Successful Entrepreneurs

How can we make individualism more equitable?

Our current condition of affairs is in the best interest of civilization, but it still gives wealth to only the few. What is the proper mode of administering wealth from there?

I believe I have the solution.

Understand that I speak of fortunes, not moderate sums saved by many years of effort. That is competence -- returns required for the comfortable maintenance and education of families -- and it should be everyone's aim.

It is not wealth.

There are three ways to dispose of surplus wealth:

It can be left to the families of the deceased, passed from generation to generation. It can be bequeathed for public purposes. It can be administered by its possessor.

Most wealth tends to be applied in either the first or second way, but let's consider each in turn.

Image credit: Anwar Hussein | Getty Images

1. Leave the wealth to the families of the deceased.

The first method is the most unfair. In monarchies, estates and wealth are left to the first son so the vanity of the parent can be gratified by the thought that his name and title will continue unimpaired. But history teaches us that this is futile -- the successors eventually become impoverished through their mistakes or the decrease in value of their land. Even in Great Britain, where the strict law of entail can prevent heirs from selling an estate, it is not enough to maintain status. The land rapidly passes into the hands of a stranger.

In republican countries, the division of property among the children is fairer, but it still begs the question: Why should people leave great fortunes to their children? If it is from affection, is it not misguided?

Generally speaking, it is not good for children to be so burdened. It is not beneficial for the state, either.

Beyond providing for a spouse and children some very moderate allowances, it is without question that leaving great sums often do more harm than good.

Beyond providing for the wife and daughters moderate sources of income, and very moderate allowances indeed, if any, for the sons, men may well hesitate, for it is no longer questionable that great suns bequeathed oftener work more for the injury than for the good of the recipients. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

Wise people will soon conclude that such bequests are an improper use of wealth.

Some parents will fail to educate their children in a way that allows them to earn a livelihood, and these children shouldn't be cast into poverty. But, both they and those who choose to work for public ends without consideration for monetary gains, should be provided for with moderation.

There are instances of millionaires' children who were unspoiled by wealth, and they performed great services in the community. Such people are the salt of the earth, valuable as they are rare.

Thoughtful people should consider the rule, not the exception, when looking at the enormous amounts of wealth that are regularly passed on. They should say, "I would leave my child a curse before a dollar," and admit that enormous legacies are inspired not by the children's welfare, but by family pride.

Related: How Billionaire Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates Settle Disagreements

Image credit: Victor Fraile Rodriguez | Getty Images

2. Leave the excess wealth for public uses after death.

The second method of disposing excess wealth -- leaving it for public uses -- only works if people are content to wait until they are dead before they allow their wealth to do good in the world. The history of such legacies does not inspire much hope.

Often, whatever goal the giver had is never attained, or else it is thwarted. These failed gifts then become nothing more than monuments to mistakes.

Doing good for the community through these gifts requires as much talent as it took to acquire the wealth in the first place. Besides, no one should be praised for doing something inevitable, nor should they be thanked by the community for only leaving wealth behind at death. In fact, these people would often leave nothing behind if they could take their vast sums with them.

Men who leave vast sums in this way may fairly be thought men who would not have left it at all, had they been able to take it with them. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

These people will not be remembered gracefully, because there is no grace in their gifts. It's no wonder, really, that these bequests so often lack others' blessing.

The growing momentum for taxing large estates left at death more and more heavily is a positive indication of a good change in public opinion. Pennsylvania now takes, with some exceptions, 10 percent of the property left by its citizens. The budget presented in the British Parliament recently proposes to increase death taxes -- and most importantly, the new tax is a graduated one.

Of all forms of taxation, this seems the wisest. Men who continue hoarding great sums all their lives, when it should be used for the good of the community, should be made to feel that the community and the state cannot be deprived of its proper share. By taxing estates heavily at death, the state marks its condemnation of the selfish millionaire's unworthy life.

Nations should go much further in this direction. In fact, it's difficult to set limits on just how much of a rich person's estate should go to the state at death. By all means, these taxes should be graduated, beginning at nothing upon moderate sums to dependents, and increasing rapidly as the amounts swell, until it is like Shylock's fortune in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: "... The other half / Comes to the privy coffer of the state."

This policy would incentivize the rich to administer wealth during their lives, which is what society should be aiming for because it is the most fruitful method for the people. However, it would not sap the root of enterprise or make people less ambitious to accumulate wealth. In fact, for those who do wish to leave great fortunes and be talked about after their death, it will attract even more attention because it is a somewhat nobler ambition to have enormous wealth paid to the state from their fortunes.

Related: A $150 Billion Net Worth Makes Jeff Bezos the Richest Person on Earth and 24 Other Crazy Things We've Learned About the Amazon Founder

Image credit: Jeff Greenberg | Getty Images

3. Spend the money for public good during life.

There is only one other way of using a great fortune, and within it is the true antidote for the temporary, unequal distribution of wealth. We have the reconciliation of the rich and the poor -- a reign of harmony. It is another ideal, different from the communist one in that it requires only evolution, not the overthrow of our civilization.

This ideal is founded upon our present individualism, and we can put it in practice by degrees starting today. Through it, we can live in an ideal state, where the surplus wealth of the few will become -- in the best sense -- the property of the many, because it will be administered for the common good. This wealth can be made a potent force for our collective elevation while passing through only a few hands, rather than given in small sums to the people themselves.

... the surplus wealth of the few will become, in the best sense the property of the many, because administered for the common good, and this wealth, passing through the hands of the few, can be made a much more potent force for the elevation of our race than if it had been distributed in small sums to the people themselves. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

Even the poorest can be made to see this and agree that the fortunes gathered by some of their fellow citizens, while being used for the masses' benefit, are more valuable through public use than if the money was scattered among them over the course of many years in trifling amounts.

Take the results that flow from the Cooper Institute (a small institute in Manhattan that offered free classes for its admitted students), for instance, which helps the best portion of New Yorkers who do not possess means. Now, compare these results with what good might have come if Mr. Cooper had instead distributed an equal to sum to the masses during his lifetime. Through this comparison, we can form some estimate of the possibilities for civilization under the present law of the accumulation of wealth.

Much of the wealth would have been wasted on nice dinners or excess if it were given to everyone in small quantities. Even if people used their portion in the best way possible and improved their homes, this would not be as helpful as the benefits from the Cooper Institute for generations.

Let the advocate of violent or radical change ponder well this thought.

Another example is Mr. Tilden's bequest of $5 million for a free library in New York City, even though it would have been much better if Mr. Tilden had devoted the last years of his own life to the proper administration of this gift. Then, there could have been no legal contest or cause of delay to interfere with his aims. But, let's assume that Mr. Tilden's millions finally become the means of giving to this city a noble public library, where the treasures of the world contained in books will be open to all forever, without money and without price.

Considering the good such a library would do for everyone who congregates in and around Manhattan Island, would its permanent benefit be less than if the $5 million circulated in small sums to the hands of the masses? Even the strongest advocate of communism might doubt this, and most would have no doubt about which is better.

The options we have in this life are poor and restricted. Our horizon is narrow and our best work is imperfect. But, the rich should be thankful for one important gift: They have the power to make great donations that will have a lasting, positive benefit on their fellows. Through this, the rich can dignify their own lives.

It is the highest form of life.

Related: 10 Memorable Quotes From the "World's Greatest Showman" P.T. Barnum

The rich man's duty

Tolstoy tells us to imitate the life of Christ, but by recognizing the changed conditions of this age, we can instead adopt ways of expressing his spirit in more suitable ways. We can still labor for the good of our fellows, which was the essence of his life and teaching, but we labor in a different manner.

This, then, is the rich man's duty:

Set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance. Provide moderately for the legitimate wants of his dependents. Consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he should administer in a way that, to his judgment, will produce the best results for the community.

By doing these things, the rich offer more than just money -- they can also offer their superior wisdom, experience and ability to administer, doing for others better than they would or could do for themselves.

There are still difficult questions to answer. What are moderate sums to leave family members? What is modest living? What is the test of extravagance?

There must be different standards for different conditions. It is as impossible to name exact amounts or actions as it is to define good manners, good taste or the rules of propriety. Nevertheless, these are truths, well-known although undefinable. Public sentiment is quick to know and to feel what offends these, and the same holds true for wealth.

Public sentiment is quick to know and to feel what offends these. So in the case of wealth. The rule in regard to good taste in the dress of men or women applies here. Whatever makes one conspicuous offends the canon. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

The rule in regard to good taste for fashion applies here. Whatever makes a person stand out often offends, and if any family is known chiefly for display and extravagance, we have no difficulty in making judgments. Likewise for the use or abuse of surplus wealth, or to generous cooperation for the public good, or to hoarding until the end.

The verdict rests with the best and most enlightened public sentiment. The community will judge, and its judgments will not often be wrong.

Related: 9 Inspirational Quotes From Billionaire Entrepreneur Bill Gates

How the money should be spent

The best use of surplus wealth has already been outlined, and those who would administer wisely must be careful. One of the serious obstacles to improvement is indiscriminate charity -- it would be better to throw money into the sea than to spend it on encouraging the slothful, drunken and unworthy.

Of every $1,000 spent in "charity" today, it is probable that $950 is spent unwisely. In fact, that money often produces the evils it proposes to mitigate or cure.

A well-known writer of philosophic books admitted the other day that he gave a quarter to a man who approached him as he was going to visit a friend. The writer knew nothing of the beggar's habits, or the way he would use the money, but he had every reason to believe it would be spent improperly. This man said he believed in Social Darwinism, but the quarter proved him to be a thoughtless donor. He only gratified his own feelings, and this was probably one of the most selfish and very worst actions of his life, for in all respects he is a most worthy man.

In giving charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves -- to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve can do so. The charity should be given to those who desire help that will allow them to rise -- but only to help them, and rarely ever to do it all. Neither the individual nor the race is improved by alms-giving.

Those who are worthy of assistance seldom require it. The really valuable people never do, except in cases of accident or sudden change. Everyone can think of someone who could genuinely benefit from temporary assistance, and these people should not be overlooked. But, the amount a benefactor can wisely give to individuals is limited by the lack of knowledge surrounding each person's circumstances.

Every one has, of course, cases of individuals brought to his own knowledge where temporary assistance can do genuine good, and these he will not overlook. But, the amount which can be wisely given by the individual for individuals is necessarily limited by his lack of knowledge of the circumstances connected with each. -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

A true reformer is as careful and anxious not to aid the unworthy as he is to aid the worthy -- and perhaps even more so, for in alms-giving, more injury is done by rewarding vice than by relieving virtue.

The rich should follow the examples of Peter Cooper, Enoch Pratt of Baltimore, Mr. Pratt of Brooklyn, Sen. Stanford and others, who know that the best means of benefiting the community is to place within its reach the ladders upon which the aspiring can rise. For example, parks and means of recreation, which help the body and mind; works of art, which give pleasure and improve the public taste; and public institutions of various kinds, which improve the general condition of the people. In this manner, returning surplus wealth to the masses is best calculated to do them lasting good.

Image credit: Jerry Cooke | Getty Images

The keys to proper administration of wealth

This is how we solve the problem of rich and poor. The laws of accumulation and distribution will be left free. Individualism will continue, but the millionaires will be only trustees for the poor, intrusted for a time with a great part of the increased wealth of the community. They will administer it to the community far better than it could or would have done itself.

The best minds will see that there is no better way of disposing surplus wealth than by using it year by year for the general good. This day already dawns.

Some may die while sharing in great business enterprises, from which their capital cannot be or has not been withdrawn, and it will be left chiefly at death for public uses. But those who die and leave behind many millions of available wealth, which they should have administered during life, will pass away "unswept, unhonored and unsung," regardless of what he does with what he cannot take with him.

The public verdict for these people will be: "The man who dies rich, dies disgraced."

This is, in my opinion, the true gospel concerning wealth. By following it obediently, we will someday solve the problem of the rich and poor, and we will bring "peace on earth, good will toward men."

Such, in my opinion, is the true Gospel concerning Wealth, obedience to which is destined some day to solve the problem of the Rich and the Poor, and to bring "Peace on earth, among men Good-Will." -- From the 1889 version of "The Gospel of Wealth"

Related:

'The Gospel of Wealth' by Andrew Carnegie

A Modernized Version of Andrew Carnegie's 'The Gospel of Wealth'

11 Great Quotes on Money From Andrew Carnegie's 'The Gospel of Wealth'



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedDuring a hastily announced news briefing Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that, as threatened, President Donald Trump was exercising his authority to strip national security clearance from former CIA Director John Brennan. Citing Brennan's purported "erratic conduct and behavior," Sanders read a statement from Trump explaining the decision.

Then she went further, listing nine other people who might also face some form of punishment from the White House, though no decisions had yet been made to do so.

"Security clearances for those who still have them may be revoked," Sanders said, reading from the statement, "and those who have already lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated."

The 10 people mentioned in Sanders' comments were either prominent critics of Trump's administration or involved to some degree in the development of the investigation into Russian election interference, which continues to pester the president. Below, the 10 identified individuals and why they probably made Trump's list.

- - -

John Brennan, former director of the CIA

Brennan served in George W. Bush's administration before serving as Barack Obama's homeland security adviser and then CIA director. Since Trump took office, Brennan has been a frequent critic of the president. After Trump's July summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Brennan called the meeting "treasonous."

More directly, though, he has also provided testimony supporting two ideas that Trump has taken great pains to reject: that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and that there were "contacts and interactions between Russian officials and U.S. persons involved in the Trump campaign." That latter testimony came in May 2017, before many of those contacts (involving campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, among others) were publicly known.

James Clapper, former director of national intelligence

Clapper served in three administrations: George H.W. Bush's, as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; George W. Bush's; and Obama's, as DNI.

He, too, has been a critic of Trump's.

"We have elected someone as president of the United States whose first instincts are to twist and distort truth to his advantage, to generate financial benefit to himself and his family, and, in doing so, to demean the values this country has stood for," Clapper wrote in a book published this year.

He has also, at times, offered near-real-time rebuttals to rhetoric coming from Trump and his allies. Last month, he confirmed to CNN that the Trump team had almost immediately worked to downplay Russia's role in 2016 shortly after Trump was briefed on the interference efforts in January 2017.

"What struck me and others as quite unusual was before we left the room, they started writing a press release about our encounter and were trying to say that the Russian meddling - the Russian interference had no impact on the election," Clapper said. "We didn't say that."

James Comey, former FBI director

Comey is the former head of the FBI whom Trump fired in May 2017. After being fired, Comey offered testimony suggesting that Trump had asked him to end an investigation into former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and had, on another occasion, asked for Comey's loyalty. Contemporaneous memos written by Comey were released publicly in April.

Comey's security clearance was rescinded upon his firing.

Michael Hayden, former director of the National Security Agency and former CIA director

Hayden was the director of the National Security Agency under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, becoming CIA director during Bush's second term.

His criticisms of Trump mirror Clapper's in many ways. He, too, has written a book, titled, "The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies." He has compared Trump's policies to those of Nazi Germany on Twitter, has blamed leaks from the government on frustration inside the administration and has criticized Trump's style as president.

"Here is a president who does not seem to prepare in detail, is a bit disdainful, even contemptuous, of the normal processes of government, the institutions of government in order to get him ready, who kind of flies by the seat of his pants, is spontaneous in these conversations," he told CNN in May.

"Here is a president," he added, "who seems to go into these encounters with, frankly, an unjustified self-confidence in the ability of his person to make these things come out right."

When the White House first floated rescinding his security clearance, Hayden noted that it wouldn't affect his work.

Andrew McCabe, former deputy FBI director

McCabe served as Comey's second-in-command at the FBI. When Comey was fired, McCabe assumed the role of director until Christopher Wray was confirmed as Comey's permanent replacement.

Trump's frustration with McCabe isn't a function of McCabe's books or television appearances. Instead, Trump sees McCabe as part of the internal FBI effort that resulted in the investigation into possible links between the president's campaign and Russian interference efforts. Trump began assailing McCabe during the campaign, implying that the FBI official had helped exonerate Hillary Clinton of wrongdoing in the investigation into her email server because McCabe's wife had gotten campaign money from a Clinton ally. (That money was not unique to McCabe's wife as a Democratic candidate, and his role in overseeing the Clinton investigation came well after his wife had lost her race.)

Once Trump took office, McCabe, like other administration officials, offered public testimony about the Russian interference effort. His testimony before the House Intelligence Committee was viewed as corroborating Comey's version of some of his interactions with Trump.

In March, McCabe was fired from his position at the FBI shortly before he could retire, costing him many of his retirement benefits. That firing followed a report from the Justice Department's inspector general criticizing McCabe's authorization of two FBI agents to talk to reporters about the Clinton email investigation.

Bruce Ohr, former associate deputy attorney general

Ohr is a current Justice Department official whose involvement in the Russia investigation is, as The Post reported in February, circuitous.

His wife, Nellie, did work for Fusion GPS, the investigation firm that hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele to look into possible links between Trump's campaign and Russia. Ohr and Steele had several conversations over the course of the campaign as Steele was compiling the dossier of reports that became a centerpiece of questions about possible collusion efforts.

Like McCabe and others on this list, Ohr is identified in a memo produced by staffers for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., earlier this year that was meant to raise questions about a warrant obtained by the FBI to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. That memo alleges that Steele told Ohr at some point in 2016 that he "was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president."

Ohr is a recent addition to Trump's Twitter invective against the Russia investigation.

Lisa Page, former FBI attorney, and Peter Strzok, former FBI agent

Page is a former attorney with the FBI who was in a romantic relationship with an agent named Peter Strzok.

Strzok led the investigation into Clinton's email server and launched the investigation into possible coordination between Trump's campaign and Russian interference once the government learned that Papadopoulos, the campaign adviser, had been told in advance that the Russians had stolen emails from the Clinton campaign. Strzok served on special counsel Robert Mueller's team until July 2017, when text messages between he and Page came to Mueller's attention.

Those text messages have formed a central part of Trump allies' frustration over the Russia investigation. At one point, the pair discuss an "insurance policy," interpreted by Trump allies as suggesting that the pair were working to have leverage over Trump. At another point, Strzok says that they will "stop" Trump from becoming president, which obviously didn't happen. (The "insurance policy" text was apparently, instead, a reference to the ongoing investigation into possible collusion.)

Encompassing so many threads of frustration for Trump and given the text messages between the pair, they've become a frequent target of his ire.

Susan Rice, former national security adviser

Rice served as Obama's national security adviser during his second term.

She has regularly defended the Obama administration in the media and been critical of Trump. On ABC News earlier this year, she indicated that Trump's decision-making on foreign policy issues was suspect.

"I don't know what his motivations are," Rice said. "I think that's a legitimate question."

It was a decision she made as national security adviser that has earned her the most contempt, though. When Trump declared without evidence early last year that Obama had tapped his phone lines at Trump Tower, Nunes told the media that he'd been shown evidence that the Obama administration had collected intelligence on Trump campaign officials whose identities were "unmasked" at the request of an administration official. (Normally, the identities of Americans caught up in foreign surveillance efforts are kept hidden to respect certain prohibitions against surveilling American citizens.) That official, it was soon reported, was Rice.

Rice admitted unmasking the identities of the individuals, arguing that it was necessary to assess the provided intelligence.

Sally Yates, former deputy attorney general

Yates served as the second-in-command at the Justice Department under Obama and led the department before Attorney General Jeff Sessions was confirmed. That meant that she was in charge when Trump signed his first travel ban. Yates refused to defend the ban, and Trump fired her.

Since then, she, too, has been a critic of Trump's. After his meeting with Putin, she criticized Trump on Twitter.

"Our President today not only chose a tyrant over his own Intel community, he chose Russia's interests over the country he is sworn to protect," she wrote. "All Americans should raise their voices. Let the world know what we stand for."

Yates was also involved in the firing of Flynn. It was she who informed White House Counsel Don McGahn that Flynn had given untrue information to Vice President Mike Pence, the identified cause of Flynn's firing. The same day that Yates was asked by McGahn to provide more information from Flynn's interview with the FBI, Trump invited Comey to dinner, where, Comey says, Trump asked that he give the president his loyalty.

Yates was also involved in renewing the warrants to surveil Page.

- - -

Ten individuals, all of whom have been the targets of Trump's frustration. After Sanders finished reading her statement about them, ABC News's Jonathan Karl quickly seized on that obvious point.

"Is he going after his political opponents with this?" Karl asked.

"No," Sanders replied. "If there were others that weren't, that we deemed necessary, we would look at those, as well."DARIEN  For the third year Darien Boy Scouts and Connecticut Yankee Council have successfully held their summer STEM Camp at the Andrew Shaw Memorial Scout Cabin.

Patrick Gentile, camp leader and Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust Board Member, said the camp is assisted by STEM Venture Crew #353, the new Scout Venture Crew that he founded in 2016.

(A Venture Crew is) a boy scout unit that is co-educational, Gentile said. (Ours is) probably the only unit in the United States that is dedicated to STEM curriculum research development and teaching.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

The unit is open to high school boys and girls and they can stay until theyre 20 years old, said Gentile. Today there are 20 dedicated high school students that do research and develop curriculum, he said.

Our high school students work alongside our STEM-certified teachers, he said. We have three teachers that teach mathematics, computer coding, robotics technology and engineering.

The engineering class is taught by the high school students, said Gentile. Classes go on throughout the day with mathematics and robotics technology being held in the morning. The students are given lunch breaks and then take the last two classes in the afternoon.

We realized there was a big need throughout the communities, he said. Throughout Darien and inner-city communities around Fairfield county that really needed hands-on STEM teaching.

This program focuses on youth teaching youth in a hands-on experiential learning environment, Gentile said. The rising first- to fifth-graders get an opportunity to learn by doing.

When youth leads youth its a real strong exponential power, he said. Younger kids really look up to the older kids. When they see older kids in action, it really engages them.

Two years ago, high school students from the STEM Venture Crew #353 did a presentation to the Darien foundation and won a grant for $30,000. This helped to supply all the equipment the camp uses to this day.

This year we were fortunate enough to get a little bit of money from First County bank, Gentile said. Fairfield Community Foundation has been an amazing resource as well.

The funding helped to give full scholarships to 12 of the 27 children attending the camp.

Maximus Racanelli, a Venturer for crew #353 and member of Boy Scout Troop #53, said he got involved because he enjoyed the program.

As a den chief, I also needed to get some hours helping out kids, he said. The kids like to learn and theyre very engaged. I really enjoy teaching people.

Julia Pfrommer, a volunteer from Darien High School, said she got involved because of her personal passion for STEM.

I like sharing my passion with other people, she said.

Pfrommer and Racanelli assist teachers in the classroom. Racanelli said there are usually two groups with around 14 kids between each. Pfrommer said she enjoyed volunteering.

I really like kids, Pfrommer said. Overall they really want to learn and that makes it great.

Gentile said starting kids at an early age can help them stay interested in the field later in life.

The great thing about this program is its co-educational. We try to make sure that everybody has access, he said. The key is to have access to new technology and at least have access to figuring out what type of career paths they might like at an early age.

dj.simmons@hearst

mediact.com, 203-842-2568Scenes from a highway bridge collapsing in Genoa, Italy, on Tuesday are shocking and terrifying: Rain was pouring down as part of the bridge gave way, sending cars flying 150 feet below and killing dozens of people. Emergency workers were left shifting through the rubble in search of survivors.

As the Post's Chico Harlan and Avi Selk reported on Tuesday, "video shows eyewitnesses screaming just after a section of the bridge gave way. One truck was stopped a few feet from the edge of the chasm - the edge of the bridge sheared cleanly off."

Infrastructure problems have repeatedly caused bridges - both new and old - to collapse around the world. Below are the stories behind a handful of dangerous bridge failures.

- - -

Miami

In March 2018, six people died in Miami after a pedestrian bridge collapsed on top of a number of vehicles on the street below. The Post wrote in March that cars were stopped at a red light when the more than 950-ton bridge fell on top of them. The bridge was supposed to make crossing a busy road safer for students at Florida International University.

- - -

India

In August 2016, as at least two buses crossed over the colonial-era bridge connecting the Indian towns of Mahad and Poladpur, the structure gave out and collapsed into the Savitri river. The Indian Express reported at the time that search efforts were made more difficult because there was persistent heavy rain. Around 30 people were reportedly feared dead or missing. The Hindustan Times reported that in 2000, another bridge was built parallel to the one that eventually collapsed. But traffic flowed on both of them, with one bridge designated for those bound to Mumbai and the other for those heading to Goa. After the collapse, the government quickly began construction on a new, three-lane bridge.

- - -

Colombia

In January 2018, a large bridge that was intended to help ease travel between the city of Villavicencio and the capital of Bogota collapsed while it was under construction. At least 10 workers died, and the New York Times reported that they fell about 900 feet - the bridge was about 1,500 feet long, and sat over a gorge.

- - -

Kenya

The Chinese-built Sigiri Bridge in Kenya cost millions of dollars and was celebrated by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who tweeted that it "will significantly reduce deaths and make it easier for the residents to access markets, schools and hospitals." Two weeks later it collapsed.

Quartz Africa reported that at least 27 workers were injured when part of it crashed down last year. It was not yet completed at the time, but the bridge was intended to improve safety for those trying to cross the river below, where a boat had previously capsized and killed its passengers.

- - -

Kansas City

In 1981, 114 people died when a walkway at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, collapsed onto a crowded group of people dancing in a contest below. The Post reported on the deadly incident at the time, saying that around 100 people were watching from a second-floor walkway in the lobby, which was just below a fourth-floor walkway, when the top one "suddenly buckled into the center, crashing down onto the second floor walkway and smashing it onto the dance floor."

On top of the initial collapse, "the falling debris severed a number of water pipes which began to gush water onto the chaotic scene on the lobby floor," the Post wrote.WASHINGTON - Omarosa Manigault Newman's new book comes with an explosive title. ("Unhinged.") It has a healthy frisson of tension followed by a climactic reveal. (She taped her colleagues! In the White House Situation Room!) And it has just enough cliffhangers to keep viewers coming back for more. (She may or may not have heard a recording of President Donald Trump using the n-word.)

To Trump, this should come as no surprise.

After all, Manigault Newman perfected her flair for the sensational, her cult of personality and her savvy use of media while apprenticing for the master himself: Donald Trump.

The Omarosa of popular imagination is in large part Trump's creation, and that creation is wreaking havoc on the White House. Manigault Newman's controversial allegations, some of which are not verified, have rattled the president and thrust his aides into damage-control mode.

The Trump campaign said Tuesday it was seeking to force the former staffer into binding arbitration under the terms of a 2016 confidentiality agreement that the campaign claimed her book violated. Manigault Newman, who held a senior staff position in the White House until being fired in December 2017, said she did not believe she had violated the contract.

"It's interesting that he's trying to silence me. So what is he trying to hide? What is he afraid of?" she said in an interview with MSNBC's Katy Tur. "I think he should be afraid of being exposed as the misogynist, the bigot and the racist that he is."

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders struggled to defend Trump on Tuesday against charges of racism. Pressed about whether she could guarantee that there is not a recording of Trump uttering the "n-word," as Manigault Newman asserts, Sanders said, "I can't guarantee anything," though she said she had "never" heard Trump use the racist slur.

The image of the White House press secretary unable to unequivocally state that the president has never uttered the most unacceptable racial slur felt like it could have been a reality television cliffhanger.

In a way, it was. Trump discovered Manigault Newman during Season One of his NBC reality show, "The Apprentice," as a fully formed antiheroine. He quickly realized her particular brand of mischief-making narcissism was a ratings bonanza. And she returned for two spinoffs, as well as a short-lived dating show collaboration.

"Omarosa always promises and delivers high drama," Trump tweeted in 2013. "Honest Omarosa: she won't backstab - she'll come at you from the front."

Trump, who at the time was trying to make the move from tabloid curiosity to full-blown celebrity, was mesmerized by how well audiences responded to Manigault Newman as a captivating character, according to Trump biographer Timothy O'Brien, who says he had several conversations with Trump about Manigault Newman. In her, Trump saw a reflection of himself.

In a Bloomberg column calling them "kindred spirits," O'Brien wrote, "The future president was fascinated by her. He was fascinated by her self-absorption and nastiness, fascinated by her fleeting star power and fascinated by the fact that she was publicly recognizable by her first name alone, sort of like Prince or Madonna."

Manigault Newman followed Trump into politics. On the 2016 campaign, she was one of Trump's most steadfast defenders against accusations of racism and sexism - the very charges she is now leveling against him. Then in the White House, she reprised her role as villain, feuding with West Wing staff and allegedly shirking her duties before being dismissed by chief of staff John Kelly.

And now, like in the "Jurassic Park" film series - in which the dinosaurs turn on the scientists who created them - Manigault Newman has unleashed Trump's own tricks and tactics on him.

"She's doing Trump as well or better than he is," said Michael Steele, a former Republican National Committee chairman. "This is his mini-me. He created Omarosa. He gave her license and invited her into the sacred space of the Oval Office . . . Now, after having created this monster that's coming back on him, what's he going to do?"

The answer, for now at least, is tweet.

The president has hurled one insult after another at his onetime protegee. Over the past few days, Trump has tweeted that Manigault Newman is a "dog," a "lowlife," "wacky," "deranged," "vicious" and "not smart."

This is a departure from the praise the two have lavished on each other over the years. During a 2016 campaign stop in Detroit, Trump called Manigault Newman "a very nice person."

"But I don't want to say that because I'll destroy her image by saying that," Trump said, referring to her "Apprentice" caricature. "But she's actually a very, very fine person and a pastor."

With Manigault Newman hopscotching television studios to promote her book, Trump's advisers had hoped he would refrain from engaging her to avoid drawing attention to her allegations and help boost sales. At her Tuesday briefing, Sanders would not utter her former colleague's name, referring to Manigault Newman only as "this individual."

But Trump has shown no such restraint. Longtime Trump observers say it is a measure of his rage and sense of betrayal that he called Manigault Newman "that dog." The president, who has an aversion to dogs and other pets, considers canine comparisons to be among his most devastating put-downs.

"I think he sort of thought of Omarosa as his invention, as in, 'I made you and therefore you owe me forever,'" said Tony Schwartz, co-author with Trump of the 1987 book "The Art of the Deal." "The fact that she turned out to be as nefarious and vicious as Trump infuriates him."

Some who have appeared most effective countering Trump are those who employ his tactics, such as Michael Avenatti, attorney for adult-film star Stormy Daniels, and Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer now under federal investigation. They are relentless and omnipresent. They create drama, hold news cycles hostage and dribble out tantalizing nuggets.

In the case of Cohen as well as Manigault Newman, they have secret audio recordings, too.

"She's using the same tactics she learned on 'The Apprentice' from Donald Trump and [producer] Mark Burnett, like using hidden microphones that people don't know you have to trap them into saying something that might be in your interest and not theirs, and be as inflammatory as possible with whatever footage you get," said Jennifer Pozner, author of "Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV."

As Manigault Newman said in her Monday interview with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle and Ali Velshi, "The president talked often, as you'll see in 'Unhinged,' about how important it was to tape your enemies, and to make sure you had information on your enemies."

A central irony is that while Trump in real life often intimates he has secret recordings, he rarely, if ever, publicly produces them. While some in his orbit believe he has actually recorded conversations, others believe his threats to deploy them are mere bluster and intimidation. But some of his associates have, in fact, done as he claimed.

"If you threaten people long enough with the notion that you're going to tape them, they themselves are going to start taping you, because they believe at some point you're going to throw them under the bus and they're taking out an insurance policy," said O'Brien, who also is executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion.

"It's like he signaled to everyone on his team that, 'You should be just as craven and just as calculating as I am,'" O'Brien added, "and they took that to heart."Andrew Carnegie sold his steel company, Carnegie Steel, to J.P. Morgan for $480 million in 1901. According to the Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie's personal peak wealth was about $380 million, or around $309 billion by today's standard.

For context, Money ran a piece in January about the 10 richest Americans. The top three people on that list -- Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett -- had $290 billion combined.

Carnegie wasn't always wealthy -- or even American. His parents, Will and Margaret Carnegie, sold their belongings in Scotland to come to America when Andrew was 13-years-old. They settled in a suburb of Pittsburgh, living in just two rooms above a weaving shop. Carnegie's relatives ran the shop, and Will eventually took over, but the business failed.

So Carnegie started working as a bobbin boy in a cotton mill. He worked long hours and earned $1.20  a week.

The following year, Carnegie worked as a messenger for a telegraph company, and he taught himself to use the equipment. He used those skills to land a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad, a job that would help shape his future. It helped him learn about the railroad industry so that he could identify smart investments -- even if he did not yet have the wealth to make those investments.

Related: A $150 Billion Net Worth Makes Jeff Bezos the Richest Person on Earth and 24 Other Crazy Things We've Learned About the Amazon Founder

When Thomas A. Scott, Carnegie's boss at the Pennsylvania Railroad, told him that the Adams Express Company intended to sell 10 shares, Carnegie's mother was willing to mortgage their house to get the $500 he needed.

After that, Theodore Woodruff approached Carnegie with the idea of sleeping train cars and offered him a share in the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company. In order to invest, Carnegie had to secure another bank loan.

The gamble paid off -- two years after investing, Carnegie began to see returns of $5,000 annually. That was more than three times his salary from his job at the Pennsylvania Railroad.

During the Civil War, Pittsburgh became an important place of production for gunboats, cannons and more. Carnegie invested in an oil well that yielded more than $1 million in cash dividends, and he also worked to create a steel rolling mill.

After the war, Carnegie focused his efforts on ironworks, including the Keystone Bridge Works and Union Ironworks. He used his connections to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company management to secure contracts and build tracks across the state.

As his wealth grew, Carnegie began to develop the principles of giving that would define his later career. When he was 33, Carnegie wrote a letter to himself, urging himself to live modestly and charitably.

Related: 5 Inspiring Quotes From 19th Century Entrepreneurs

Andrew Carnegie's letter to himself

December 1868

St Nicholas Hotel, N York

Thirty-three and an income of $50,000 per annum.

BY THIS two years I can so arrange all my business as to secure at least 50,000 per annum. Beyond this never earn -- make no effort to increase fortune, but spend the surplus each year for benevolent purposes. Cast aside business forever except for others. Settle in Oxford and get a thorough education, making the acquaintance of literary men this will take three years active work -- pay especial attention to speaking in public.

Settle then in London & purchase a controlling interest in some newspaper or live review & give the general management of it attention, taking a part in public matters especially those connected with education & improvement of the poorer classes.

Man must have an idol -- the amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry. No idol more debasing than the worship of money. Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately therefore should I be careful to choose that life which will be the most elevating in its character. To continue much longer overwhelmed by business cares and with most of my thoughts wholly upon the way to make more money in the shortest time, must degrade me beyond hope of permanent recovery. I will resign business at 35, but during the ensuing two years, I wish to spend the afternoons in securing instruction, and in reading systematically.

Carnegie did not retire by the age of 35, as he had planned. Instead, he continued to grow his influence within the steel industry over the course of three decades. He opened his first steel plant in 1875, bought a rival steel company, the Homestead Steel Works, in 1883, and formed the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892.

Using technological advances including the Bessemer process and vertical integration, Carnegie built the largest steel empire in American history. When he eventually sold his company to John Pierpont Morgan, it was the largest deal in American history -- $480 million, of which Carnegie's share was worth more than $225 million.

He was paid in J.P. Morgan's first-mortgage gold bonds, and he needed to build a vault just to protect them.

Related: 20 Leadership Quotes From the World's Most Influential Leaders

Carnegie's philanthropy

Carnegie was 66 when he sold his company in 1901, retiring 31 years after he had predicted. However, he did spend the rest of his career in philanthropic pursuits. In his most famous piece of writing, The Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie said that "The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced," and he spent the rest of his life doing his best to live by that.

From 1901 until his death in 1919, Carnegie distributed $350 million to schools, libraries, colleges and other public works, primarily across the English-speaking world. He believed that the best way to spend what he called "excess wealth" was to put it to long-lasting causes for world peace, art and education.

Doubtless, this was inspired by his own childhood, when he attended the Free School in his native Dunfermline, Scotland, which had been given to the town by Adam Rolland, or by his time with Colonel James Anderson, an American who opened his library to local working boys when Carnegie was young.

Yet despite his efforts, Carnegie still died rich. In his will, Carnegie gave $30 million, the bulk of his remaining fortune, to the Carnegie Corporation, which he hoped would help establish international laws and foster world peace.

Doubtless, this was inspired by his own childhood, when he attended the Free School in his native Dunfermline, Scotland, which had been given to the town by Adam Rolland, or else by his time with Colonel James Anderson, an American who opened his library to local working boys when Carnegie was young.

Yet despite his efforts, Carnegie still died rich. In his will, Carnegie gave $30 million, the bulk of his remaining fortune, to the Carnegie Corporation, which he hoped would help establish international laws and foster world peace.

Related:

'The Gospel of Wealth' by Andrew Carnegie

A Modernized Version of Andrew Carnegie's 'The Gospel of Wealth'

11 Great Quotes on Money From Andrew Carnegie's 'The Gospel of Wealth'



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedJust 30 miles northwest of Detroit is the headquarters of a multimillion-dollar candy company called Zollipops. Its housed in a plain-looking warehouse, containing little more than boxes and boxes of sugar-free lollipops, hard candy and taffy thats sold online and in more than 7,500 stores, and is overseen by a team of six full-time employees and several independent contractors. But down a hall, fluorescent lights make way for the real magic of the place: a corner office decorated with sparkling pink dance trophies, paintings of smiling suns and construction-paper family trees -- the handiwork of the companys founder and CEO, 13-year-old Alina Morse.

Related: 11 Successful Kid Entrepreneurs Keeping Their Eyes on the Prize

During the school year, Alina splits her time among dance, homework and running Zollipops, but in the summer, shes able to come into the office more often. So less than a week after her last day of seventh grade, on a Tuesday morning in June, Alina and her father, Tom, are here approving printouts of their upcoming advertisements in Krogers September catalog. I think we can change the coloration here to be more flattering to her complexion, she says, pointing to the face of her younger sister, Lola. Also, lets position the Zollipops in a lunch bag along with a few other healthy items like carrots, snap peas, maybe strawberries, so people understand that theyre good for you. Her father suggests that it might be wise to incorporate Krogers own brand of products into the ad. He pauses, trying to remember the brands name. Simple Truth! Alina chimes in immediately. And I agree; its good for our relationship with Kroger to use their products.

Whether shes conscious of it or not, this is Alinas charm, and clearly her sales genius. Its why shes invited onto the likes of CNN, NPR and Fox Business and can win over the buyers of national retailers like Walmart and Jewel Osco -- not just because of her products (which are tasty!), but because she uses her age to her advantage. Shes a perfectly calibrated contrast, the kid entrepreneur who occupies both roles and speaks both languages. Sometimes my friends will tell me they saw me on television, but other than that, Im just like everyone else, she says. Thats how I want to be.

Its a powerful trick. And after six years in the candy business, it comes naturally.

The idea for the lollipops, her companys first product, came to Alina back in 2012, when she was just seven years old. As the nationally publicized story goes, on her way out of the bank with her father, she was offered a lollipop. Tom warned her that the lollipop would rot her teeth, and so Alina began wondering how to make a tooth-friendly version. Two years of online research, at least a hundred attempts at concocting lollipops in their home oven, stove, microwave and numerous plant trials later -- where they tested their oven-melted concoctions on commercial production equipment -- and Alina and her father secured their first meeting, and ultimately their first retail placement, with Whole Foods. They loved our product. They loved the idea, and they loved our mission, Alina says. (The sugar-free confections use a combination of natural sweeteners like xylitol and erythritol, which studies, including some in the International Journal of Dentistry, have found to reduce plaque and oral bacteria.)

Related: 8 Entrepreneurial Skills You Should Teach Your Kids (Infographic)

Soon after landing in Whole Foods, Zollipops began shipping on Amazon, which makes up around a quarter of the companys annual sales. (This summer, it was the best-selling sugar-free hard candy on Amazon and the number-two lollipop in general, topping brands like Dum-Dums and Blow Pops.) By 2015, at age nine, Alina was on The Steve Harvey Show, telling the host, I hope every kid in America has a clean mouth, a healthy smile and a Zollipop in their hands. The next year, she landed Kroger. We were on the bottom shelf, but it was still really exciting because Kroger is the biggest grocer. And recently, we were brought up to the second-to-last shelf, she says with a laugh.

Image Credit: David Yellen

As the company has grown, with retail sales projected at between $5 million and $6 million this year, Alinas parents have joined Zollipops -- in a sense, becoming her employees. Her mom, Sue, who used to work in sales, now serves as the official stylist and schedule organizer. And Tom, who spent several years as a consultant with Deloitte and still does consulting, is Alinas manager. As theyve watched her develop as an entrepreneur, theyve come to see her youth as an unexpected advantage. Yes, sure, it gets her on television. But even more important, it makes her fearless.

Uninhibited. Thats how I would describe her, says Sue. Alina hasnt had five or 10 jobs where you had to follow this rule or that rule or do things in a certain way. Tom agrees. Having worked for major brands, he sees the way his daughter benefits from inexperience. Kids ask really good questions, he says. They dont have the same kind of baggage adults do, so they dont see limitations.

Alina admits that not everything came naturally. When I started going on television, my answers were really scripted because I was so young, but as Ive gotten older and learned more about the business, Ive become more spontaneous. (And it took a few years for her to appreciate just how powerful a marketing tool her TV appearances were.) But in building a business, she always felt liberated. I really didnt see the risk, because I felt like I had nothing to lose, she says.

Related: How to Support Your Entrepreneurial Kids

Nowadays, Alina and Tom do most of their pitching at sales conferences and trade shows. They attend four to six a year, and depending on her schedule, Alina may present the product herself or have a broker present on her behalf. And back at the office on that June day, thats what daughter and dad turned manager are prepping for. On the schedule is a Skype session with a team of brokers helping to place Zollipops in retailers across Canada, and then Alina and Tom are off to the airport for a quick trip to New York, where theyll be pitching Zollipops to Wakefern and ShopRite stores.

Following that, Alina reminds her dad, theres one last item: She needs to be back in time for a friends birthday party on Saturday. After all, she has a work-life balance to keep.

Related:



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedFederal Emergency Management Agency Administrator William "Brock" Long said Tuesday he is directing senior leaders to determine how the agency "allowed harassment to go unaddressed" for years, leaving employees to deal with abusive bosses, retaliation and other prohibited workplace behavior.

Long said in a statement to The Washington Post he wants FEMA "to set the standard for how allegations of harassment should be handled across the federal government." He made the comments after days of public silence following his unusual outing of misconduct allegations against former personnel chief Corey Coleman that are still under investigation. Coleman resigned in June while the internal probe was underway, and his attorneys have denied the allegations and criticized FEMA's investigation as "unreliable and faulty."

Former administrator W. Craig Fugate, who ran the disaster relief agency for eight years during the Obama administration, said in an interview he was unaware of complaints about Coleman's sexual relationships with subordinates, behavior that current agency leaders flagged as part of what they say was a long pattern of mismanagement and favoritism.

Coleman's lawyers, Jonathan Jeffress and Emily Voshell of Kaiser Dillon, said the agency is trying to "demonize" Coleman and declined to comment on his personal relationships during his tenure.

But Fugate said that FEMA, which has 20,000 permanent and temporary employees and is an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, "does not have the capability" to properly resolve workplace complaints because of a complicated and decentralized system for reporting issues. Most complaints were reported to supervisors and sent to Coleman's human resources shop for review, including those about his conduct, officials said.

"I don't know what was filed, who filed it and where it went," Fugate said of complaints against Coleman. "If I knew or even suspected anything Corey is alleged to have done, we would have dealt with it."

Buoyed by the #MeToo movement and President Donald Trump's push to crack down on employee misconduct in federal agencies, Long two weeks ago launched an internal campaign he calls "Not on My Watch" to clean up a backlog of employee complaints and to identify harassing or offensive behavior within the workforce. Long and his senior staff have talked with FEMA employees in conference calls and town-hall meetings, including one attended last week by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

FEMA said the allegations against Coleman - detailed by Long and other officials in a July 30 interview with The Washington Post - have been turned over to the inspector general for Homeland Security. FEMA leaders declined to answer specific questions from The Post about Coleman and the broader sexual misconduct investigation while it is still underway. The agency also declined to make Long available for an interview, refused to provide a copy of the full preliminary report on the Coleman investigation and told employees not to speak with reporters. Coleman's attorneys called for the release of the full report.

FEMA has long ranked low among federal agencies on employee surveys of morale and for handling employee complaints of discrimination, harassment or other grievances in a timely manner. FEMA took 495 days on average to investigate discrimination claims (which include sexual harassment issues) in 2016, the last year for which the agency made data public under federal law. The law says the agency must investigate in 180 days.

Long in his statement said he has taken steps to "begin implementing meaningful change within the agency." And he stressed that he is "more committed than ever to eradicating harassment at FEMA."

Allegations of mismanagement and slow hiring by Coleman's department of roughly 300 employees began surfacing at FEMA as early as 2014, but Long said it was a direct complaint last year from a woman who said Coleman sexually harassed her that launched the current investigation. In the July interview, Long described a "toxic" workplace culture in the personnel office and suggested that the inquiry would examine the conduct of other senior leaders.

The investigation, which began in January and involved nearly 100 witness statements, has so far alleged that Coleman engaged in improper hiring practices, abusive conduct, retaliation and sexual relationships with subordinates, according to agency officials. A redacted document summarizing the findings stated that Coleman had sex with two subordinates, including one who said she was denied a promotion when she refused his advances and another who held a specially created position paid for by a fund reserved for disaster relief. Coleman's attorneys said the report contains "any number of easily disproved falsehoods."

FEMA has declined to offer details of Coleman's alleged misuse of disaster money to fund a job for a sexual partner. Long said in the July interview that some of Coleman's conduct could be criminal but offered no specifics.

Coleman's management style, which some current and former FEMA employees described as bullying and retaliatory, also brought complaints.

"It wasn't just sex harassment," said one former employee. "Corey had everything funneling through him. . . . There were no checks and balances."

Joseph Nimmich, who was deputy administrator from 2014 to 2017, called Coleman a "micromanager" who was "extremely controlling in terms of his decision-making."

Kent Davis, a retired Navy rear admiral who was deputy superintendent of FEMA's training center for weapons of mass destruction in Anniston, Alabama, said he complained to FEMA in 2014 about contracting improprieties, a lack of diversity in hiring and promotions, and a slow hiring process that was causing operational problems.

"We started having massive personnel issues," Davis said. "All of our hiring actions had to go through Coleman's office. It was taking a year or more to get people hired they were so inefficient."

After hearing nothing, he said, he raised the issues again in 2015 with local Anniston officials and federal lawmakers.

Davis said Coleman and another senior FEMA official, Kathleen McDonald Fox, flew to Anniston, berated him and told him he was under administrative review for improperly complaining to members of Congress. Davis quit the job and is now back at the Defense Department.

"He was clearly ticked off at me about the personnel issues," Davis said of Coleman.

Coleman's attorneys said he disputes Davis's account and denies any wrongdoing in handling the issue.

Despite complaints, however, Coleman won promotions and agency visibility. In 2013, he was elevated from deputy to chief personnel officer and had a $177,150 salary, according to online records. He traveled around the country during disasters, met with FEMA contractors and ramped up the agency's temporary hiring during emergencies. He presented an award and gave remarks in January 2014 at a FEMA gathering honoring outgoing Deputy Administrator Richard Serino. Serino could not be reached for comment.

Coleman hired as many as 100 temporary employees over two years that are now under review at the agency. Officials have said many of the employees were unqualified and were friends of Coleman's.

The inspector general's office said it received complaints in 2016 and 2017 that Coleman was favoring certain job candidates and hiring unqualified workers. The office said it referred the complaints back to FEMA to investigate.

But it is unclear what happened to the referral, which Fugate said he did not recall.

Fox, now the assistant administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate, acknowledged to her staff the day after Coleman's case was made public that his mismanagement of personnel issues had been widely known within the agency, according to two employees who watched her speak in a July 31 conference.

She told employees officials felt powerless to address the problems, the listeners said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Alice Crites, Arelis Hernandez, Julie Tate and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.NEW HAVEN  A small group of protesters gathered on the steps of the federal courthouse on Church Street Wednesday morning, infuriated that possibly as many as 40 Yemeni children were killed in a Saudi airstrike on a school bus in the northern city of Dahyan on Aug. 9.

Stanley Heller, executive director of the Middle East Crisis Committee, which held the protest, said fragments of U.S.-made Mark 82 bombs were found at the site.

The United Nations said there were more than 60 casualties, with dozens severely wounded, in the attack. Al-Masirah reported at least 51 people, including 40 children, were killed and 79 others, including 56 children, were wounded in the airstrike, citing the Yemeni Health Ministry in the capital, Sanaa, which is under rebel control, according to The Associated Press.

A Saudi-led coalition has waged war with Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis, led by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi and backed by Iran. The Aug. 9 attack was reportedly in retaliation for a missile fired into Saudi Arabia that killed at least one person.

Yemen has become the nation with the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 22.2 million people in need of assistance. The nation, situated on the southern end of the Saudi peninsula, has been embroiled in civil war for three years.

I dont hold any torch for the Houthis; theyre anti-Semitic, Heller said Wednesday. We dont support any side in Yemen. The civil war was bad news all around. But putting the Saudis in turned up the violence 1,000 percent. Theres at least 10,000 people killed by bombs and the shells and another 10,000 [that] UNICEF said perished because of lack of clean water and lack of access to their usual medicines.

According to the United Nations, there have been more than 1 million cases of cholera and more than 2,000 deaths since an epidemic broke out in September 2016.

Heller said the United States has supplied the Saudis with arms that the Arab kingdom is using against Yemen. We sold immense amounts of weapons to Saudi Arabia, he said. We helped coordinate their air force, do  inflight refueling of their bombers and we help in targeting so we are full partners in this terrible attack.

He said Americans are largely unaware of the Yemeni crisis. Its certainly not been covered nearly enough, Heller said. I would say tens of thousands have died and people generally dont have a clue about this. Theyre hearing about squabbles and tweets by personalities and not hearing about important matters that sometimes end up biting us in the bottom.

That was pretty shocking that they actually bombed, they targeted that bus, knowing there were kids in there, said Julia Berger of New Haven, one of the protesters. Im a mother and grandmother. I think its horrible. There have been enough things going on in Yemen that made you want to cry, but this was so shocking that you had to respond some way.

Its the poorest country over there and its being bullied by Saudi Arabia with our help.

Francis Braunlich of Hamden said the problem is the United States support for regimes that supply our oil needs. We have this national stance that were trying to increase democracy throughout the world, and yet were also forming alliances with some of the most repressive forces anywhere, he said. Im very tired of the fact that were so complicit with repression as long as the repression helps us get more oil.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council called for a credible and transparent investigation into the bombing. Its statement expressed grave concern at the latest attacks and all other recent attacks. The Houthi rebels, who practice a form of Shia Islam (Saudi Arabia is primarily Sunni) said they welcomed the investigation.

According to an Associated Press investigation, the Saudi-led coalition has cut secret deals with al-Qaida fighters, paying some to cities and towns seized by the militants and letting others retreat with weapons, equipment and looted cash. Hundreds more have been recruited to join the coalition, the AP reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382.In Waterbury, Connecticut, where she taught high school history, Jahana Hayes always told her students to never become resigned to the challenging conditions they were raised in. Hayes, who was raised amid drug addiction and became a mother before she graduated high school, understood firsthand her students' struggles with poverty and broken homes. "I built my teaching career by telling my students you don't get to complain here," said Hayes, who in 2016 was named National Teacher of the Year. "If you see a problem in your community, you go and fix it."

Earlier this year, when Rep. Elizabeth Esty resigned after it came to light that she had mishandled harassment allegations, Hayes decided to take her own advice. Prodded by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Hayes decided to run for Esty's seat. Tuesday, she defied expectations, besting veteran politician Mary Glassman, a former First Selectman in Simsbury. Hayes won with 62 percent of the vote. The victory brought her one step closer to becoming Connecticut's first black Democratic member of Congress and the first black Congresswoman from any New England state. She will face Manny Santos, the former mayor of Meriden and winner of the Republican nomination, in November.Primaries in four states Tuesday - Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Vermont - set up competitive governors, Senate and House races across the country this November. But even before then, these primaries identified some clear winners and losers that reinforced trends we've been seeing all year. Here they are:

---

Winners

--Trump: At least in Republican primary politics, Tuesday once again proved he's the king. Republican politicians on the ballot Tuesday who dissed him in 2016 raced to undo that, and those who didn't do it convincingly enough lost their primaries. In Minnesota's competitive governor's race, Republican voters nominated a relative outsider, Jeff Johnson, over a former governor, Tim Pawlenty, as Pawlenty struggled to get out from under the fact he called Trump "unhinged and unfit" during the campaign. (Johnson has his own past problems with Trump, which we'll get to in the loser section.) "The Republican Party has shifted," Pawlenty said as he lost. "It is the era of Trump, and I'm just not a Trump-like politician."

Trump's riskiest endorsement yet, in last week's GOP Kansas governor's primary, paid off Tuesday, too. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded an ultra-close race to Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped lead Trump's voter fraud commission.

--Diversity: For the first time, voters of a major party nominated an openly transgender woman for governor. Christine Hallquist won the Democratic nomination for governor in Vermont (though she'll have to work hard to actually make that race against Gov. Phil Scott, R, competitive). In Connecticut, Democrat Jahana Hayes won her primary for Congress and is set to become the first black woman to represent New England in the House. In Minnesota, Democrat Ilhan Omar is one of two candidates who won primaries in the past two weeks vying to become the first Muslim woman elected to Congress.

--Candidates with arrest records and alleged #MeToo perpetrators: Once again, 2018 is proving that politicians can be accused of -- or admit -- behaving badly and win elections. The felon on the ballot Tuesday, a Connecticut mayor running for governor, didn't win. But in Wisconsin, an admitted drunk driver did. Democrat Randy Bryce, an iron worker who has raised millions to try to take the seat of retiring House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R, in November, won his primary. In Minnesota, Rep. Keith Ellison, D, won his nomination for attorney general while denying accusations that he abused a former girlfriend.

--Connecticut Republicans: It sounds counterintuitive to say a governor's race in Connecticut would be among the most competitive races in the country this November. But that is exactly what appears to be shaping up after Tuesday. Both Democrats and Republicans nominated the candidates they wanted for this open seat (Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski, both wealthy businessmen). Outgoing Democratic Gov. Dan Malloy is one of the most unpopular politicians in America, so Republicans feel like they have a real shot to seize this governor's mansion.

---

Losers

--Republican consistency on Trump: Any Republican on the ballot Tuesday who didn't particularly like Trump in 2016 (or now) needed to pivot quickly. In Wisconsin, state Sen. Leah Vukmir did just that as she won her primary to challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. She called him "offensive to everyone" during the campaign but endorsed him after he won the primary.

And the night's big winner, Johnson in Minnesota's GOP governor's primary, had attacked Trump as a "jackass" during the campaign. But he successfully argued that, like Vukmir, he came around to supporting the president.

Gov. Scott Walker, R, who didn't have a competitive primary Tuesday but will have a competitive reelection in November, has twisted himself into a pretzel on whether he supports Trump's tariff policy, which has ensnared Wisconsin's Harley-Davidson.

--Republicans' chances in governor's races in Minnesota and Kansas: The Trumpier candidate won in each of these races, but that's not necessarily a good thing for Republicans' chances in November.

In Kansas, Washington Republicans aren't happy that Kobach won. They feel that his inflammatory politics gives Democrats a leg up to take that governor's mansion. They're even less thrilled with Minnesota's results. The Republican Governors Association had reserved $3 million to $4 million in ads for the general election, but that could be in jeopardy now that a lesser-known candidate, Johnson, is the nominee.

--People who don't want white nationalists running for Congress: He lost, by a lot, but in the Republican primary to replace Ryan in Wisconsin, self-described "pro-white" nationalist candidate Paul Nehlen got 11 percent of Republican turnout on Tuesday. That's about 6,500 votes for a guy who was banned from Twitter for racist posts.

--Billionaires: In Wisconsin's Republican Senate primary, both candidates were boosted by billionaires willing to throw millions at the race. In the end, someone had to win (Vukmir). The loser was Kevin Nicholson, a former Democrat who paradoxically was boosted by one of the most conservative billionaires active in U.S. politics, Richard Uihlein. Some $8 million in spending for Nicholson's failed election can be tied back Uihlein.He had one foot in law enforcement and the other in gangs, pretending to be a member of the Texas Mexican Mafia.

Balcones Heights Police Officer Julian Pesinas double life was headed for disaster.

As federal and state authorities closed in on the drug-dealing cop, real members of the Texas Mexican Mafia got there first, killing Pesina in May 2014 outside Notorious Ink, the tattoo and piercing parlor he co-owned.

Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez closed the final chapter in the wild tale with the sentencing of the last two Texas Mexican Mafia members charged in Pesinas murder.

Jesse Jay Santibanez and Alfredo Freddy Low Cardona each were sentenced to two life terms, one for the charge of murder in aid of racketeering and one for discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering.

The terms, which carry no parole, were mandatory.

Santibanez. 30, and Cardona, 37, were found guilty Nov. 6. They were convicted in part on testimony from Jerry Spooks Idrogo, 38, who already had pleaded guilty in Pesinas murder.

Idrogo, 38, a former Texas Mexican Mafia sergeant, had faced life in prison for passing down orders to kill Pesina, 29, and for killing another gang member, Billy Padilla, whom he shot Aug. 26, 2013, in front of Padillas elementary-age son, so he could rise in the gang.

But in November when Idrogo cooperated with federal authorities and testified against Santibanez and Cardona as the triggermen in the Pesina slaying, he was granted a sentence of 20 years after prosecutors asked for leniency.

Another gang member, Ruben Menace Reyes, pleaded guilty in July 2016 to similar charges that included the death of Pesina and four others. Hes serving five life sentences, the U.S. attorneys office noted.

Testimony at the trial of Santibanez and Cardona established that Pesina, a Balcones Heights police officer since 2009, had passed himself off as a made member of the Texas Mexican Mafia.

He was selling drugs and paying the dime, which is a 10 percent street tax, to the gang, while he kept his career as a law enforcement officer secret.

Once gang members learned Pesina was a cop, Idrogo called Pesina to arrange for a pickup of the dime outside Notorious on Hillcrest Drive.

Before the men met, Idrogo dropped off Santibanez and Cardona near the building May 4, 2014. When Pesina approached the car and paid Idrogo, Santibanez and Cardona shot and killed the man.

Evidence presented during the trials showed Santibanez and Cardona killed Pesina on Reyes order.

Jay shot him with the shotgun first and Freddy Low shot him with the 9mm afterwards, Idrogo testified in November.

Afterward, the men went to an apartment Cardona shared with his then-girlfriend.

Once there, the trio changed clothes, Idrogo broke his cellphone and threw it away, then they went to Reyes home to tell him the job was complete.

They then gave the guns to Reyes so they could be destroyed, and put the bag of clothes they wore in Reyes Suburban, Idrogo testified. Reyes then ordered the men to not be seen together for a while.

Before he was sentenced Wednesday, Santibanez, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, apologized to the judge, the court and his family for putting them through this ordeal.

I am innocent of these charges, he said through tears as he read his statement to the court. The government has punished me for exercising my right to a fair trial, I am being punished for this and other murders.

He also asked Judge Rodriguez to show mercy on his behalf.

There was no physical evidence, no DNA, just government witnesses, Santibanez said.

Cardona, who also has maintained his innocence, did not speak to the court.

Attorneys representing Stantibanez and Cardona called the lengthy prison terms a raw deal because the federal statute requires a life sentence in these types of offenses.

My words and your sentencing discretion both are powerless, useless, futile, Tom McHugh, who represented Santibanez, told the court before the sentencing. The defendant confronts a mandatory sentence. You and I are dinosaurs, we are obsolete. Nothing we can say or do will make a difference. Today, it is the government who determines the defendants sentence.

John Convery, attorney for Cardona, agreed.

Theres no doubt there was a killing. Were not being insensitive, he said. But the real baddest of the bad guys got a deal, and the judges hands are tied because of the statutory sentencing requirements.

On a conviction for these type of offenses, the prison term is a life sentence, and there is no parole at the federal level.

At the time of his death, Pesina was under criminal investigation in a case that was investigated by the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, San Antonio police and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Elizabeth Zavala is a courts and crime reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863A San Antonio man is accused of fatally shooting his wife in the face, admitting the crime to his brother, then calling paramedics for a cardiac arrest.

Richard Mark Robeau, 68, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder.

Medics to the couple's home in the 8700 block of London Heights Tuesday afternoon for a sudden death or cardiac arrest call, according to Robeau's arrest affidavit.

The medics pronounced Barbara Robeau, 76, dead but called police after finding a bullet in the living room and seeing blood on her face.

Barbara Robeau appeared to have a gunshot wound to her face, the affidavit says.

RELATED: Police ID screaming man who allegedly caused evacuation of NW Side movie theater

When police responded, Richard Robeau told them he was in his office when he heard a bang. He told police he walked out of the room, picked up the gun and put it back in his holster, according to the affidavit.

He also told police he then called his brother before calling 911.

The brother told police Richard Robeau called him and said "I just shot and killed Barbara. I can't believe I did this."

Richard Robeau also allegedly told his brother that his wife wouldn't leave him alone.

He said his wife threatened to call police and say he assaulted her. Richard Robeau then told his brother, "I just grabbed the gun and shot her," according to the affidavit.

When confronted by police about the shooting, Richard Robeau denied killing his wife.

Richard Robeau was taken into custody on a $150,000 bond. His mugshot was not available Wednesday, jail officials said.A Northside ISD police officer was arrested Tuesday after he threatened a woman with a handgun, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.

Leo Martinez, 48, faces a charge of terroristic threat. He was booked into the Bexar County Jail early Wednesday on a $5,000 bond and has since bailed out of jail, according to online records.Police have identified the man they said purchased a ticket, walked into a theater at the Huebner Oaks Regal Cinema on the Northwest Side and started screaming, causing a mass panic among the other moviegoers and a total evacuation of the building.

Jeffrey Blaine Jost, 55, entered the theater in the 11000 block of Interstate 10 around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday and began his performance, authorities said.

RELATED: Camp Bullis on lockdown as police search for possibly armed car burglary suspect

Multiple people told police Jost had a gun and had possibly started shooting, according to a preliminary police report. Officers rushed to the scene as people scrambled out of the theater.

Two officers approached Jost as a third provided cover. They didn't see a weapon on Jost, so they overpowered him and put him in handcuffs, police said.

Police evacuated the entire theater to conduct a thorough search of the entire building, according to the report. No weapon was found.

Paramedics tended to Jost at the scene and then took him to University Hospital for further treatment, according to the report.

Jost was booked into the Bexar County Jail Wednesday morning on charges of resisting arrest, attempted harassment of a public servant and terroristic threat. His bond was set at $115,000

Police said patrons whose screenings were interrupted were eventually either let back in or refunded their ticket purchase.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdownsThe man who police say fled from officers and ended up on Camp Bullis, triggering a lockdown of the facility Tuesday, remains at large, authorities said.

After an hours-long search for the suspect, military officials lifted the lockdown around 6 p.m. Tuesday but said Wednesday morning they continue to look for the man.

San Antonio police kicked off the search for him Tuesday morning around 9 a.m., when an officer encountered the man looking through a stolen Ford pickup truck on Shady Lane near the Dominion, officials said.

RELATED: Police ID screaming man who allegedly caused evacuation of NW Side movie theater

The suspect fled on foot from police and jumped down onto a Leon Creek embankment, where he was able to escape through the wooded area.

San Antonio Police Officer Carlos Ortiz said Tuesday the area has thick brush and bamboo that made it difficult for police to keep an eye on his movements.

Around 10 a.m., police believe the suspect breached a fence at Camp Bullis, a military training range run by Joint Base San Antonio. The breach set off a lockdown while military police continued the search for him.

San Antonio police confirmed their officers haven't encountered him yet as of Wednesday morning.

The suspect has reddish blonde hair, a scruffy beard and is about 6 feet tall. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, officials said. If anyone sees him they are asked to contact San Antonio police.A state district judge Wednesday afternoon denied a request from a political action committee seeking to prevent the City Council from calling a November charter amendment election at its Thursday meeting.

The two sides presented their arguments Wednesday morning before Judge Cathleen Stryker in the 224th District Court. She ruled a few hours later against the Secure San Antonios Future political action committee on a request for a temporary restraining order prohibiting the City Council from performing its duties to call the election on the amendments proposed by the firefighters union.

PAC attorney Mikal Watts argued that the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association had illegally spent union dues and failed to disclose that spending, poisoning the signatures its consultant had obtained.

Houston attorney Cris Feldman, representing the firefighters union, said after the judges ruling that his clients expect to see the council call the election Thursday.

Were very pleased that the judge found that Local 624 did not violate the Texas Election Code, Feldman said.

Strykers order, however, does not grant the unions request to deny permanent injunctive relief. Parties in a lawsuit draft orders for the judge to sign, including language of what theyre seeking in court.

In this case, Stryker signed the document drafted by Feldman, which had sought to deny the application for both a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief. But throughout the one-page document, Stryker struck through injunctive relief, leaving the door open for further proceedings on the matter.

Today the judge simply ruled to deny the TRO, San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia said. The lawsuit filed by the PAC is still active, and the case has not been decided on the merits.

The city was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, although its not accused of having done anything wrong. Segovia and other city officials, however, were seated behind the plaintiffs counsel at Wednesdays hearing  a visual representation of the distaste between fire union representatives and city officials.

Chris Steele, president of the fire union, did not attend the hearing, though he was reportedly in a room nearby.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

Josh Baugh is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaughEven as the words have become more caustic, they are becoming more commonplace  just part of the fabric of a routine Trump rally. More disturbingly, however, of everyday conversation.

We are, of course, talking about the anti-press rhetoric unleashed by the president. It is simply a debasement of one of the linchpins of the republic: the free press guaranteed by the Constitution the president is sworn to uphold.

But this has repercussions far beyond the national stage. An assault on journalism at that level is an attack on journalism everywhere, including here. The rhetoric has all the earmarks of incitement, not just to violence  though disturbingly that  but to something just as pernicious to a democracy. That is disregard for truthful, accurate and public-watchdog journalism.

No elected official  President Trump on down  should expect Americans to accept as irrefutable truth whatever comes out of their mouths. This has all the earmarks of enabling a creeping public acceptance for unaccountable, facts-adverse governance.

RELATED: Truth is truth even if labeled 'fake news'

You know the words: Fake news. The press is the enemy of the people.

But here is substantively what journalism is really about  reporting precisely and accurately what our public servants say and do. And then holding those statements and actions up to fact-checking.

Such reporting is as consequential at the local level as it is at the national level. But, the poison introduced at the national level cant help but seep downward  why Trumps statements matter in San Antonio.

A fire kills five in San Marcos. This newspaper reports on the regulations and conditions that enabled the blaze. A developer fells far more trees than a community is comfortable with, and changes are afoot to prevent any repeat. The military treats sexual assault victims horrendously; this newspapers Twice Betrayed series revealed it. Methane escaping into the atmosphere from our oil fields, contributing to global warming; again, revealed by another Express-News series. The widow of the Sutherland Springs shooter speaks  exclusively to the Express-News. This Editorial Board puts a spotlight on elements that make our local justice system less than equal and leaders listen  and act. The Alamo reported as deficient in a series of editorials  now a master plan is in the works.

Its called journalism  the kind of journalism that dictates we be in those public meetings you cannot attend, read those tiresome reports that you dont have and ask all those questions you would if you could of your elected and other public officials.

One problem, of course, is that there actually is fake news. Ask Facebook. But the meaning has been perverted to include all reporting simply deemed inconvenient. Fake news is really about those social media postings and sites that purport to be real news but are really the products of trolls and others  Russian and otherwise  whose sole purpose is to divide and confuse us, sans facts, with as much invective and incitement as possible.

Hate liberals? You will be enticed with misinformation that will validate all your feelings toward them. Hate conservatives? You will be lured with misinformation that will confirm all your suspicions about them. Blacks, whites, immigrants, Latinos generally, Christians, Muslims, rich and poor are all part of our American fabric, but to the trolls they represent divisions that will be mined for all they are worth to sow derision and finger-pointing. Us and them.

What they are seeking to inflict is truth, judged only through the lenses of whatever tribe you belong to  all other tribes truths to be disregarded. And members of every other tribe are potentially then, not fellow American travelers, but antagonists coming for whatever you deem yours.

RELATED: Trump Tower meeting totally troubling

Journalisms job is to differentiate ourselves from all that  by holding public officials and others accountable with facts and reporting that undergo all the rigors of the journalistic process.

Journalists make mistakes. And then they are corrected  not simply repeated until they are accepted as truth.

The term, fake news, has become ubiquitous, just now part of the lexicon. And this, you can be sure, is by design.

Its true that a free  skeptical  press is necessary for a democratic republic and well run communities. But, the flip side of the same coin is an informed citizenry able to discern the differences between fact and fiction  more important, interested in discerning and knowing these differences from a variety of sources. This is every bit as important at the local level as it is at the national.

Both  a skeptical press and an informed citizenry  are the enemies of those who want us to believe that all news disagreeable to your candidate, or your tribe, is fake news.

But the real fake news is the assertion that journalism done well is fake simply because uncomfortable truths are revealed.I just heard that the Republicans have approved Donald Trumps military parade. I guess now therell have to be a Space Force float. And, of course, someone will have to compose a Space Force anthem for the newly formed Space Force band to play.

And all this for millions and change!

Carl Lloyd

Done that

Re. Liberty and equality, Your Turn, Monday:

Steve Ingram wrote a rather long letter with many great Lincoln quotes. He ended by saying, We must go to the polls and vote with the might that the vote gives us so that, as Lincoln said, this nation has a rebirth of freedom.

Steve, we already did that on Nov. 8, 2016! Please dont screw up all the good things that are happening by voting in a bunch of socialists.

Fred Martin, Fair Oaks Ranch

Press hypocrisy

Re: Trump attacks on press a dangerous game, Other Views, Sunday:

I found very irksome Josh Brodeskys column in which he criticized President Donald Trump and others for daring to criticize the press. Since the the Hearst Corp. bought the Express-News in the 1990s the the paper has viciously criticized conservatives, Republicans and for the pst two years Donald Trump. Yet nobody, according to Brodesky, is supposed to criticize the press. That is utter hypocrisy!

I was especially annoyed at his statement that the press seeks truth. The paper has had a very leftist slant for years. Every year this slant has become more pronounced. I dont object to the editorials. After all, editorials are supposed to be an expression of the editors, who are obviously extremely liberal. It is the presentation of the news that bothers me. The news is slanted with extreme twisting of the facts to favor liberals, and ignore stories and facts favorable to conservatives. In fact, many items in the news section are disguised liberal editorials. This is hardly seeking the truth.

I have kept track of the letters to the editor for years. The ratio of liberal to conservative letters is 3-1.

In summation, I find that the Express-News is not interested in the truth. On the contrary, it seems mainly interested criticizing conservatives and advancing the liberal cause.

Thus I find Mr. Brodeskys column most disingenuous.

Richard McDonnell

Union plan good

As I read the full page advertisement on Page A9 on Sunday, I got to thinking that there is a lot of truth to these amendments that the fire union is suggesting.

Over the past few years the city manager and the council have given away the house to developers and special interest groups by giving them outrageous tax abatements. One needs to look at The Pearl Brewery. You cant even see it from any angle because of apartment buildings that seem to be half-empty and ordinary people cannot afford to rent.

Our leaders say these amendments will hurt the city, but they have not produced a shred of evidence to support that claim. I, for one, plan to vote for these three propositions.

Pablo Garcia, U.S. Navy, retiredSan Antonios housing market grew even hotter amid Julys sweltering temperatures, demonstrating the strength of the local economy but posing a threat to aspiring middle-class homeowners.

Local population and job growth continued to drive up sales last month: 3,275 homes were sold in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area, an increase of 11 percent over July 2017, according to data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors.

Yet home prices also soared, a trend that is of increasing concern to Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other local officials. The median price of a home rose 5 percent, to $229,800, a rate of increase typical for the local market since it emerged from the housing crisis in 2012.

RELATED: George Strait's mansion in The Dominion is selling for $10 million

Over longer spans of time, those single-digit price increases add up: In July 2012, the median local price was $164,700, nearly 40 percent lower than last month.

The supply of homes on the market remains tight as construction firms struggle to build homes in the moderate price range that local residents can afford  a problem that plagues major cities across the U.S.

The rising costs of land, labor and regulatory fees are causing local prices to swell, said Jack Inselmann, an economist with Metrostudy who analyzes the local market. Tariffs on lumber from Canada put in place by the Trump administration have also contributed to price growth, he said.

To read the full story, see Wednesdays Business section or click here to visit our subscriber website, ExpressNews.com.

Richard Webner is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rwebner@express-news.net | Twitter: @RWebnerThe Bulawayo community has blamed President Emmerson Mnangagwas government for the renewal of Zimbabwe sanctions by the United State of America (USA).

United States (US) President Donald Trump last week signed into law sanctions against Zimbabwe, after Mnangagwas government failed to fully embrace USs electoral reform demands as outlined by that countrys Bill.

When Mnangagwa rose to power last November through a military-backed soft coup, many peoples hopes were raised, especially on economic revival.

Political analyst Dumisani Nkomo said it was evident that the economy was going to suffer from the effects of the sanctions but was quick to blame Mnangagwas government for the resultant situation.

Its a worrying development as it will have consequences on us, Nkomo said.

It is as a result of irresponsible actions by the junta. Talk of the shooting of innocent people and crackdown on opponents. While we must take collective responsibility for failing to move forward but the buck stops with the regime, he said.

Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said the government must take responsibility for the unfortunate sanction renewal against Zimbabwe.

The military government in Zimbabwe must stop whining about sanctions and be responsible for their actions, Maphosa said.

They deserve it especially looking at their record of rights violations since the November coup. They must simply reform and observe human rights for them to gain moral ground to complain about sanctions, which are actually meant to whip them into line.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) executive director Michael Ndiweni said the move spelt doom to the vending community.

Its a very sad development particularly for informal traders and vendors who are in trade for subsistence, we were hoping that jobs will be available someday, Ndiweni said.

It effectively means no investment will come to Bulawayo to re-open the industries. It spells doom for many people who are surviving on hand to mouth through trading.

Ndiweni further noted that potential investors will be influenced by the US not to invest in the country.

For me those who called them committed a crime against humanity. I believe there are better ways to resolve our problems than calling for deadly sanctions, he said.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (Bupra) coordinator Roderick Fayayo said Bulawayo was desperately in need of investment.

Right now Bulawayo needs investors for its industries to re-open. I am not sure if they are going to come with these sanctions.

Also remember that the dilapidation of Bulawayo industries is a direct result of the sanctions imposed on the people of Bulawayo since 1980.

When other areas where being built and developed, Bulawayo was being destroyed. So, before we talk about the sanctions imposed by other countries the Zimbabwean government must first remove the sanctions it put on Matabeleland first, Fayayo said.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsOmananyi Yunusa, a lecturer in the Department of Geology, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state, has been sacked by the management over his involvement in the sexual harassment of a female student of the institution, Premium Times reports.

Lydia Legbo, the deputy director, information and publications of the university, in an interview said the dismissal of Yunusa, followed the outcome of investigation into alleged sexual assault on a female student in the department who took a course taught by the lecturer.

Legbo said: Yes, he was dismissed for sexual harassment after investigations proved beyond reasonable doubt.

READ ALSO: Why I visited Obasanjo in his home - Saraki

The dismissal was approved during the University Councils 131st meeting presided by the Vice Chancellor, Abdullahi Bala, after the investigative panel found Yunusa guilty of inappropriate relationship with the student.

Yusuf Abideen, a student of the institution, said: The news was kept away from media to avoid distraction. In fact, most other departments were not aware. We all saw the resolution,

A colleague of the victim, who does not want his name on print for fear of victimisation, said Yunusas dismissal will bring peace to the department.

My class governor is a lady but she feels very reluctant when we want to have things to do with Mr Yunusa. It got to a time, we felt like impeaching her only to realise that she was avoiding the lecturer because of harassment, the student said.

However, the University Vice Chancellor, said the dismissal of the lecturer will serve as lesson to others to ensure total elimination of sexual harassment in the university community.

Legit.ng previously reported that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, reportedly announced the sacking of Professor Richard Akindele for allegedly demanding sex from Monica Osagie to upgrade her mark.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, the vice chancellor of the university, announced the sack at a press conference in Ife on Wednesday, June 20, The Punch reports.

He said the Governing Council sacked the lecturer having found him guilty of all the charges against him.

Why do single ladies prefer to date married men? (Nigerian Street Interview) | on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- Senate President Saraki has reacted to a report that he planned to declare Akpabio's seat vacant

- Saraki urged members of the public to ignore the report saying the leadership of the National Assembly is focused on making the country better

- The defection of the senator from the PDP to the APC was earlier considered illegal

The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, August 14, declared that there is no plan to declare the seat of a senator, Godswill Akpabio, or that of any other defecting lawmaker vacant.

Premium Times reports that Saraki who made this known through his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that the rumour to declare any seat vacant was false.

According to him, All that is mere talk. People are making claims when we dont even know when theyll reconvene.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

Speaking further on the reports of plans to declare Akpabios seat vacant, Olaniyonu said, Theres a lot to be done and we dont even have time for all that one.

These people should focus on other things and leave Saraki alone. They have turned the man into a superstar overnight.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

He called on the public to ignore such reports saying the leadership of the National Assembly is focused on making the country better.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio from the PDP to the APC was considered illegal which may be lead to his seat being declared as vacant.

A senator from the north central who is an all of Senate president Bukola Saraki claimed there was no crisis in the PDP making Akpabios defection illegal.

He said: On resumption any moment from now, the APC senators would call for realignment so that those who defected would move to the seats reserved for members of their political party.

It is in the course of doing so that the Senate President will wield the big stick against Akpabio and others by asking them to justify their reasons for defection.

The activities of the Senate as an institution are guided by rules and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.''

The only constitutional window for defection from one political party to another is if there is a faction or division in the party on whose platform a senator is elected.

The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng- Civil society organisations have alleged plans by politicans to drag the Nigerian Army into pollitics

- According to the organisations, some paid agents of unpatriotic politicians towards dragging the Nigeria military into the murky waters of politics

- The groups said these politicians aim to heat up the polity and cause untold distractions in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria

The coalition of civil society organisations on good governance have raised the alarm over what it descried as grand plot by some paid agents of unpatriotic politicians towards dragging the Nigeria military into the murky waters of politics.

The organisations said these politicians aim to heat up the polity and cause untold distractions in the ongoing Boko Haram war in northeast Nigeria

The CSO alleged that some elements of planning to tarnish the hard-earned image and reputation of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

READ ALSO: As pressure mounts on Saraki to step down, see full list of APC senators as of August 14, 2018

In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 13, by the national convener of the organisation, Gabriel Donko, the CSOs said there are plans to thwart the progress made in fighting terrorism and return Nigeria to its previous peaceful state.

Donko said: This makes us wonder how much blood they are willing to get on their conscience and that is assuming this is a concept they are familiar with."

The point when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria begins to act on the tantrums of these kind of inconsequential urchins then the end has come. Thankfully, nothing on record suggests that the ill-advised clamour would be treated higher than the nonsense that it is.

These characters are indeed men of low moral standing in the society, whose stock in trade revolves around propaganda, blackmail, and extortion. We had it on good authority that the demands for the sack of the COAS was the direct outcome of a refusal to pay Dr. Ahmed and his co-travellers money in 10 digits as was being demanded.

READ ALSO: Saraki speaks on reason for visiting Obasanjo days after meeting Babangida

The Coalition of CSOs on Good Governance in Nigeria wishes to use this medium to inform the general public of the nefarious activities of Dr. Idris Ahmed and, his group of marauding elements which from all purpose and intents do not wish for the war against Boko Haram insurgents to come to an end for their selfish reasons.

Since their meal tickets are tied to the continued existence of Boko Haram, we strongly suggest that they earnestly seek out new food sources as the Boko Haram channel is one that has now been guaranteed to run dry in the coming months owning to the superlative manner in which the Nigerian Army under General Buratai has dealt the terrorists repeated devastating blows.

And for the purpose of clarity, the Nigeria Army under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has catapulted professionalism to the point where its institutional ethos and mission has seen significant improvement in the last three years.

Discerning Nigerians and indeed any right thinking person on earth will at some point pitch media reports against the reality on ground, save for the few bad eggs whose activities cannot be excused from being influenced by subversive interests, the unbiased observer will find an Army that has been improved in hardware and welfare for its personnel.

On the issue of massive corruption as enumerated by Dr. Idris Ahmed, it is more of an act of ignorance and mischief because the anti-corruption war introduced within the army has seen all officers declaring their assets and also the introduction of a transparent procurement process," added.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Army had reacted to the recent riot by some troops in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

The Army explained that some soldiers who participated in the riot had erroneously assumed that a review of troops deployments would negatively affect them.

In a statement signed by Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the deputy director public relations, theatre command Operation Lafiya Dole, the Army said calm was restored after the troops were addressed by theatre commander, Major General Abba Dikko.

Soldier shares battleground experience, dedicates song to colleagues - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Adams Oshiomhole says Bukola Saraki has never thought of national interests in his activities at the Senate

- Oshiomhole accuses Saraki of scuttling the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari

- The national chairman of APC alleges that Saraki is behind the late passage of the 2018 budget

The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has accused the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, of leading the legislative chamber against national interest.

Oshiomhole said this in an interview published by The Guardian where he explained how Saraki allegedly dragged the government of President Muhammadu Buhari backward.

Among other things, Oshiomhole claimed that Saraki carried out all his activities with consideration for himself alone rather than the nation as he had often claimed.

READ ALSO: Breaking: No guns, money, PVCs were found in sacked Dauras house - DSS reveals

Breaking his allegations down, Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo state, said Saraki betrayed the APC by working with the opposition to ensure the emergence of Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy.

Haven gone into this unholy alliance with the opposition and mortgaged the right of the ruling party, he proceeded to appoint opposition senators to head strategic committees whose activities can affect either for good or for bad, the workings of the government and relationship between the government and the legislature.

"So, like any other, the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians expected that it would do everything possible this year to make up for lost time in terms of budget implementation and addressing critical infrastructures without which sustainable development is impossible.

The Senate under Saraki chose instead to delay the budget up to the end of the first half of the year, to coincide with the period of the raining season such that those aspects of infrastructure such as roads, for example, cannot really be constructed during raining season.

These were not errors of the head on the part of Senator Sarakis leadership. They were clearly designed to frustrate the capacity of President Buharis government to address physical infrastructural deficit without which the ordinary man in the street cannot feel the impact of governance.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

"Again, I want to plead that I am not about to reveal anything, Oshiomhole said alleging that the budget was practically re-written for the executive by the time Buhari received it.

He alleged that Sarakis defection is illegal adding that the Senate president had a list of 36 defecting senators with him, but for the intervention and assurances from the APC just days before it would happen.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, reportedly withdre plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nigeria Latest News: Why Yemi Osinbajo Terminated The Appointment Of Lawal Daura | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Murder charges filed against Moshood Salvador, the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP have been dismissed by Ikeja High Court

- Salvador was remanded in the Kirikiri Prisons alongside 10 others on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful killing

- Justice Obafemi Adamson dismissed the charge after entertaining submissions from counsels in a counter suit challenging the charge filed by Salvador

An Ikeja High Court has dismissed the murder charge filed against Moshood Salvador, the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Salvador was remanded in the Kirikiri Prisons following his arraignment at a Yaba Chief Magistrates Court alongside 10 others on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful killing on July 25.

During Tuesdays proceedings, on August 14, the vacation judge, Justice Obafemi Adamson, dismissed the charge after entertaining submissions from counsels in a counter suit challenging the charge filed by Salvador against the state.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

Justice Adamson in the ruling said that in view of the advice from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, which exonerated the PDP chairman from the murder charge, Salvador should be released from the Kirikiri Prison.

Earlier, Olaitan Soetan, an Assistant Director from the DPP had informed the court that there was a new development regarding Salvadors prayers in the counter suit.

Lawal Pedro (SAN), Salvadors defence counsel, also told the court: The matter has been overtaken by circumstances.

He urged the court to still grant all prayers sought.

Salvador and the 10 other defendants were charged over alleged murder of Adeniyi Aborishade, the PDP Chairman of the Apapa local government area.

Aborishade was allegedly murdered on July 21, during the PDPs visitation meeting that held at Igbosuku Village, Eti-Osa LGA.

The offences contravene sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos state police commissioner, Imohimi Edgal, called on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with evidence on the mystery surrounding the death of the Apapa local government PDP chapter chairman, Borishade Adeniyi, to bring it before him to aid investigation by detectives.

The commissioner's request was disclosed to newsmen by the spokesman of the command, Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

He said the attention of the command has been drawn to the claim by the PDP in the state that it has evidence as regards the circumstances surrounding the murder of Adeniyi at Igbosuku village, Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos on Saturday, July 21, during a political meeting.

Lagos CP Tells Lagosians What to Do to Erring SARS Officers on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- The chairman of the Senate committee on media and public affairs, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, has said that a huge number of the country's population lives in hunger

- Abdullahi said that this is majorly caused by lack of jobs, increase in food prices, climate changes, civic conflicts, among other things

- However, he praised President Muhammadu Buhari for establishing the national food security council to address the challenges in the sector

Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, the chairman Senate committee on media and public affairs, has said that about 3.7 million persons in 16 out of the 36 states and FCT are currently faced with food insecurity.

Abdullahi made this known on Tuesday, August 14, in Abuja at the second conference of the Feed the future Nigeria agricultural policy project organised by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: Breaking: You must arrest INEC chairman Yakubu - Court orders IGP Ibrahim

He remarked that several factors drove the nations challenging food and nutrition outlook. The senator said it includes civic conflicts, climate change, and large scale of displacement, others are high food prices, poverty and high population amongst others.

Abdullahi commended President Muhammadu Buhari for establishing the national food security council to address the challenges in the sector.

He said to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security, there is need to maintain and strengthen the multi-sectoral approach to food security and nutritional policy.

We need to examine the intricacies of livelihoods issues of our citizens to design workable policy frameworks. We also need to discuss the role of governance in achieving food security, creating space for interaction between different actors linked by common discourse, he said.

Abdullahi disclosed that the eight Senate has passed several bills that would support the nations food and nutrition security efforts.

He observed that the issue of food security and nutrition is an urgent and continuous theme that must be daily emergency for any government. Food security and nutrition must be tagged urgent because people, population and environmental dynamics will continue to make it so.

It must be continuous because survival is a continuous issue and so long as humanity exist the subject remains stuck with us, he said.

He said the move has become imperative because food security has been identified as a huge problem in Nigeria, as the country ranked 84th out of 119 countries on the global hunger index. Abdullahi said Nigeria came in just below the Republic of Congo.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

The three day conference is being attended by 100 experts from various sectors of agriculture to work on collaborative research for agricultural policy in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a non-governmental organisation called Lagos Food Bank got more than it bargained for recently, after a huge crowd turned up for their free food programme in Lagos state, leading to a stampede.

Nigeria News 2018: Is Nigeria Truly the Poorest Country in The World? Omisore Speaks | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Mandisa Chamane Khawula thought she exhausted every possibility of living a good life and she nearly gave up hope, until she met Mike Hall-Jones

- Her hero worked in the motor industry and owned a Pietermaritzburg based Isuzu and Opel dealer

- He gave her a good job, money for transport and a brand new wardrobe and today, she is a successful woman who just needed someone to see her potential

Khawula hit rock bottom several years-ago, she had no cash, lived in horrible condition, she was blacklisted and she could not land a job.

The beautiful South African woman, who had only two shirts at the time, nearly gave up but her life took an unexpected turn when she met Mike Hall-Jones.

The kind man, who works in the motor industry, saw potential in Khawula and knew she only needed a chance - so, he gave her one. He went out to buy her new clothes, gave her a job and money to ensure she gets to work each day.

READ ALSO: BBNaija's Bambam flaunts hot legs as she steps out with the vice president's daughter in Lagos

Khawule and Hall-Jones. Photo credit: Mandisa Chamane Khawula

READ ALSO: 37 corps members survive ghastly auto crash along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, 19 terribly injured

And, to top it all, he made sure her name was no longer black listed- the rest was up to Khawula. GoodThingsGuy reported Khawula said she'll never forget the day Hall-Jones told her that her life was about to chance forever.

Legit.ng learned the grateful woman thanked her hero, who gave her a fighting chance in life and for being more than a boss.

"Thank you for not just being my boss but being a father I never had. May our Lord Jesus Christ keep on blessing you and your family," she said.

However, Hall-Jones did not stop there, he went on to help her get her drivers license and a proper education that would help her succeed in the corporate world.

The proud mentor added he's certain she would go on to do far greater things than he ever did.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App

Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid

Top 3 Money-Saving Tricks: Spend Less On Family Holidays | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitA former governor of Kano state and current senator, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has visited Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers as reports indicate that the former is eyeing the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of 2019.

Kwankwaso, who recently left the APC and joined the PDP, visited Wike late Monday, August 14. Both leaders held a meeting with Kwankwaso declaring that Wike deserved to be reelected in 2019.

Legit.ng, however, understands that Kwankwaso was in the state on a condolence visit on Governor Wike over the death of the attorney general of Rivers state, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN).

READ ALSO: Breaking: No guns, money, PVCs were found in sacked Dauras house - DSS reveals

Lucky Igbinedion with Nyesom Wike at the meeting. Credit: Rivers state press

We pray God to give us long life and health to see you completing a second term so that you can revolutionise the entire state.

After these four years, if you have another four years , only God knows the height the state will attain, he said while commending Wike for leading the state towards a positive direction.

Kwankwaso was accompanied by a former governor of Edo state, Lucky Igbinedion, and a former presidential economic adviser, Magnus Kpakol.

The political leaders just before the meeting. Credit: Rivers state press

They all met behind closed doors with Governor Wike.

Speaking, Wike said that the death of the attorney general of Rivers state was a great loss to the state and the PDP.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

He said under Aguma, the state government never had crisis on legal issues.

Some of those in the delegation. Credit: Rivers state press

Wike expressed happiness that Senator Kwankwaso was back to the PDP, noting that Kwankwaso will be valuable in the victory of PDP in 2019.

We are working together under one umbrella, believing God will help us as 2019 approaches, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that supporters of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwasos political group, Kwankwansiyya Movement in Nasarawa state, on Wednesday, August 8, joined their leader by dumping the APC for the PDP.

The supporters of Kwankwaso stormed the state secretariat of the PDP and declared their defection from the APC with symbolic burning of brooms.

Top Nigeria Corruption Scandals: Joshua Dariye, Olisa Metuh and Sambo Dasuki | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- Former BBNaija contestant Cee-C posted beautiful pictures of herself on social media.

- This is coming after the acid threat she received from a troll, she is obviously not bothered by it.

- The controversial reality star seems to be handling fame well.

Former Big Brother Nigeria contestants are obviously enjoying the fame the show has brought them. Some of them have maintained relevance after the show for one reason or the other.

Cee-C Nwadiora was perhaps one of the most controversial contestants in the just concluded BBNaija show. To many, she was the real Double Wahala, just like the theme of the show. It also came as a surprise to many that she came out second at the end of the show.

Unperturbed, Cee-C seems to be handling the limelight well. The curvy star took to her Instagram page to share photos of herself in nice outfits.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria

She was pictured sporting a flowery navy blue chiffon shirt paired with a mustard coloured skirt. She also posted a photo of herself in a see through top paired with fitted blue jeans.

READ ALSO: American man shares his candid opinion about Nigeria as he advises citizens

Legit.ng recently reported the news about Cee-C being threatened by a faceless troll. She posted the threat mail she got from a troll on social media. The troll threatened to scar her face with acid because he or she feels she pays people to attack Alex and Tobi whom she presumably had a feud with while in the BBNaija house.

BBNaija 2018: Princess Interview for Star Chat - "Cee-C is Bitter"| Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitA woman from Russia has confessed to killing her 18-year-old daughter because she claimed the teenager argued too much.

Tatiana Degirmendzhy 49, reportedly attacked her daughter Yulia while she was asleep with an axe in their home in the city of Chaykovsky in Russia's Perm Krai region.

The mother reportedly hit her sleeping daughter several times with the axe, severing an artery in the teenager's neck in the process.

Yulia Degirmendzhy the 18-year-old who was murdered by her own mother for being too argumentative (Image courtesy Daily Mail)

Local media reports the mother fled the scene, going to a railway station and catching the first train leaving the town. Police then searched the crime scene and discovered that Tatianas passport had disappeared and the mother was declared wanted.

She was found within 24 hours trying to board a train in the city of Izhevsk 36 miles from Chaykovsky. The victim was discovered several hours later by her older brother Sertan Degirmendzhy, 22, who had returned home from a walk.

Tatiana Degirmendzhy 49, reportedly attacked her daughter Yulia while she was asleep with an axe (Image courtesy Daily Mail)

The young man found his sister lying motionless in her room, with blood all over the bed and walls. He reportedly discovered the blood-covered axe lying on the floor near the bed, and immediately called emergency services Daily Mail reports.

According to police, the mother has confessed to murdering her daughter saying If I had had seven daughters like her [Yulia], I would have killed them all.

Yulia was found by her older brother Sertan Degirmendzhy (Image courtesy Daily Mail)

A police spokesperson commenting on the matter said: 'The investigation found that during the last three months the suspect and the victim had been constantly in domestic conflicts. The suspect said she committed the murder on the basis of personal dislike.

Tatiana faces 15 years in prison if found guilty. This is coming after a Nigerian woman named Bose Ogedengbe was arrested by police for brutalising a 13-year-old girl.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria

Mom's Blog: How to Talk to Your Child | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitThe presidency has lashed out at a Nigerian newspaper, Daily Independent for claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari is under pressure from foreign nations to drop his presidential ambition for 2019.

In a statement by Femi Adesina on Tuesday, August 14, he said the entire report was false.

He insisted that the president is held in high esteem by foreign nations and that his work is well appreciated.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Acting President Osinbajo orders immediate overhaul of SARS

Read the statement below:

It is necessary to respond to a tendentious story published today as cover choice by Daily Independent Newspaper.

Under the headline, 'Pressure mounts on Buhari not to seek re-election,' the fiction parading as news claims that foreign powers, including the European Union, United States of America, United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia, are putting pressure on President Buhari not to seek re-election, due to some concocted reasons.

We thought fake news was the sole preserve of the social media in this season. Alas, a traditional medium has caught the bug. Obviously, the author of the story just got a brain wave, or got procured by anti-democratic elements, and then penned the mischief.

If there are quarters in which President Buhari is held in very high esteem, and the work he is doing for Nigeria highly lauded, it is in the countries mentioned. Some of them are equally bastions of democracy, and will not interfere in the democratic affairs of a sovereign country. The newspaper should simply tell its story to the marines.

President Buhari is not a flippant or frivolous individual. He gave deep thought to the prospect, before announcing his bid for a second term in office. It is only those who fear that their goose would be cooked, if they meet with him at the polls, that are trying to dissuade him from running by all means, including sponsored newspaper stories.

By saying it got feelers that President Buhari may opt out of the 2019 presidential election, Daily Independent embarrassed itself, and all those who love good journalism. The newspaper can surely do better

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng had reported that the presidency on Monday, August 13, said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, would still remain the running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

The senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The presidential spokesman said the victories recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the legislative elections held in three states over the weekend were indications that victory is certain for the Buhari/Osinbajo presidential ticket in 2019.

President Buhari on 2019 Presidential Election: Will You Vote For Him? | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitArla Foods in Nigeria, makers of the well-known Dano range of dairy products, have been officially presented with a certificate for achieving the world record of the Longest Drinks Pouring Relay by the Guinness World Records organization. This record was achieved in a massive event that held on the 1st of June this year at the Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Lagos.

In setting the record, Arla Foods organized the winning relay event with 650 people using Dano UHT milk to achieve this feat.

The event, which drew both government and non-governmental nutrition stakeholders, also featured a notable collection of celebrities featuring OC Ukeje, Omawumi, Lamide Akintobi, Eyinna Nwigwe, Mai Atafo, Lala Akindoju, Chuey Chu and Gbemi O.

Speaking at the official presentation of the certificate, Arla Foods Marketing Manager, Ifunanya Obiakor, lauded the efforts of the team who worked tirelessly to achieve the record event. She described the record achievement as a testament to the fact that anything the mind conceives can be achieved despite contrary circumstances. According to her, The success of the project is largely attributed to a resilient & focused team that was undeterred by contrary circumstances. We believe this award speaks to the fact that the human mind can achieve whatever it conceives; all that is required is the inner strength to follow through with the vision despite hard times. This is what the Arla Dano brand aims to represent in Nigeria - to always strive to inspire & empower the Nigerian consumers.

Category Manager for the Milk Powder category, Nathaniel Adewusi, further highlighted the significance of the world record and how it resonates with the brands current priorities This record is a milestone for us as a brand that is always trying to connect more with our consumers. The record-breaking event was successfully executed in the face of multiple challenges and we see this as a pointer to the importance of resilience and inner strength in achieving goals.

"We know our consumers face similar challenges in the course of their day, so we want to be the brand that gives them the inspiration to push forward even when things seem difficult. We want them to draw strength from within to break barriers and achieve the impossible in their day to day lives He added.

With the current record, Arla Foods becomes the first dairy brand to successfully execute a Guinness World Record event in Nigeria. Managing Director, Mads Burmester, reemphasized the companys commitment to provide quality nutrition to Nigerian consumers, adding that the Dano brand will continue to inspire consumers.

[Sponsored]

Source: Legit- Alhaji Lai Mohammed says fake news phenomenon is assuming more vicious dimension as the 2019 general elections approaches

- He reiterated the resolve of the federal government to push the campaign against the menace without coercion or media censorship

- Mohammed said that the purveyors of fake news had found it as a tool of choice to set the country on fire and de-market the administration of Buhari

The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says as the 2019 general elections approaches, fake news phenomenon is assuming more vicious dimension.

The minister said this on Tuesday, August 14, when he paid advocacy visit to the Abuja office of The Blueprint Newspaper, to drum support for the National Campaign Against Fake News launched on July 11.

He, however reiterated the resolve of the federal government to push the campaign against the menace without coercion or media censorship.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

Fake news is a global phenomenon. Zambia government recently approved a bill to regulate social media.

In Nigeria, we have resolved that we will rather appeal to the sense of responsibility of the media.

We will not censor or coerce, but will appeal to the good sense and patriotism of the media to self regulate because if we dont, it poses danger to national security, peaceful co-existence and democracy, he said.

Mohammed said that the purveyors of fake news had found it as a tool of choice to set the country on fire and de-market the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Specifically, he said fake news was used to aggravate the recent invasion of the National Assembly (NASS) by the DSS operatives.

What happened at NASS was aggravated by fake news because the world was made to believe that the APC Senators were allowed into the NASS to impeach the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

They painted the picture that the PDP senators were denied access into NASS.

As a matter of fact, a serving Senator went on air on this fake allegation that the APC Senators were already in the Chamber.

But for that timely intervention and decisive action by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, this government would have attracted international opprobrium.

It is sad that from all the commentary I have heard, nobody has identified fake news as being a trigger of this and nobody is reconstructing the story, he said.

The minister added that the report that N21 billion, weapons and ermanent Voter Cards were found in the house of sacked director-general of the DSS, Lawal Daura was also fake and ridiculous.

Th minister said the news was ridiculous because it was unimaginable, how N21 billion in cash could be stored in a safe with 200 assorted rifles, guns and ammunition.

He said it was unfortunate that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could act upon such fake and ridiculous report to call for the impeachment of the president.

The minister solicited the support of Blueprint and other media outfits in the campaign against fake news.

The chairman of the newspaper, Alhaji Mohammed Idris thanked the minister for the visit and assured him of the support of the medium.

He, however, noted that politicians had a lot of role to play to stem the tide of fake news because of the dangers it portend for the country.

The publisher also underscored the need to mainstream the media to redirect its focus and be timelier in disseminating authentic news.

Legit.ng had reported that the Department of State Services (DSS), on Monday, August 13, denied the claim that N21 billion and some Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were found in the house of its sacked Director General, Lawal Daura.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

According to the DSS, the video from which the story making the round concerning the alleged discovery emanated is fake.

Top Nigeria Corruption Scandals: Joshua Dariye, Olisa Metuh and Sambo Dasuki | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News- Senator Gershom Bassey said Senator Akpabio has not defected to the APC

- He insisted that he still remains a member of the PDP

- The senator condemned the DSS siege on the National Assembly

Senator Gershom Bassey who is the lawmaker representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State has said that Senator Godswill Akpabio remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party ({PDP).

The Nation reports that Bassey spoke on Tuesday, August 14 said the defection of Akpabuio to the All Progressives Congress was not done yet since his letter has not been read on the floor of the house.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

He said: He has not defected on the floor of the Senate. His defection is outside the Senate. For now he has not carpet crossed in the Senate. So he has done nothing illegal or wrong for now. In the Senate he is still in the PDP. We have not seen his letter. He letter has not been read on the floor and his seat is still in the PDP fold. So as far as we know he is still a PDP man. Until he tells us in the chambers then we would cross that bridge.

He also said there was no official notice about the reported reconvening of the Senate.

He said: The news media may have gotten ahead of itself in announcing and reconvening because there was no official notice to that effect. Normally when the National Assembly reconvenes it is the clerk of the NASS that sends out the notice. That is the rightful person. I am sure there was no such information from his office.

"So I think that the media having listened to a press conference by I think by one of the House of Reps men. But if you listen carefully to that press conference he didnt say anything definite but I think the media just took it that it was definite. There was no plan and there has never been any plan to reconvene. What they did after the meeting of the leadership last week was that they were going to consider it. There was no commitment towards any particular date for reconvening, he said.

I have condemned the invasion of the NASS. It is absolutely unacceptable. It is a coup against our democracy and that is the way we see it. I have called for a comprehensive independent enquiry into the incident. We have to get to the root of it. It is not enough to fire the DSS boss. I have seen the DSS man as a highly professional person. Anytime he has come to the NASS he has always been extremely professional in his presentations. So I dont think that man would just wake up on his own and act like that. Someone must have given him instructions. So we need to get to the bottom of it. Or he was misled, one of the two, but we have to get to the bottom of it.

Meanwhile, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, August 14, declared that there is no plan to declare the seat of a senator, Godswill Akpabio, or that of any other defecting lawmaker vacant.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Premium Times reports that Saraki who made this known through his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that the rumour to declare any seat vacant was false.

According to him, All that is mere talk. People are making claims when we dont even know when theyll reconvene.

The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit- FG says it has no hand in the call for the impeachment of Bukola Saraki

- AlhajI Lai Mohammed who disclosed this said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)s demand for Sarakis resignation was legitimate

- He argued that not more than 12 members of APC Senators were in the Senate chamber when Saraki emerged as president

The federal government says it has no hand in the call for resignation or impeachment of the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, because it is purely party affairs.

The minister of Information and Culture, AlhajI Lai Mohammed made governments position known on Tuesday, August 14, when he paid advocacy visit to the Abuja office of Blueprints Newspaper.

He said that the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC)s demand for Sarakis resignation was legitimate.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

The minister, however, said that the federal government was surprised by the failure of the National Assembly to reconvene on Tuesday, August 14, for consideration of INEC supplementary budget for 2019 elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the minister was at the media house to drum support for the recently launched National Campaign Against Fake News.

Fielding questions from the management of the newspaper, he said that sudden change of decision by the National Assembly to reconvene came by surprise but the Executive was reaching out to resolve the impasse.

We were surprised that it is being postponed, but I want to assure Nigerians that as we speak, the executive is reaching out to the legislators to resolve this.

This is not about playing politics, elections must hold, no alternative to holding the 2019 general election.

We appeal to the sense of patriotism of our National Assembly members to put differences with the Executive behind them, real or perceived ones.

They should also put party differences behind them and do their patriotic duties.

We believed that the impasse will be resolved very soon in the interest of the nation.

The seed of discord we are witnessing in the National Assembly today was sowed when Sen. Bukola Saraki installed himself as Senate president against the wish of the party.

As a matter of fact, not more than 12 members of APC Senators were in the Senate Chamber when Saraki emerged as President of the Senate because bulk of them were at the International Conference Centre waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The practice all over the world is that the party with majority will determine the leadership of the assembly, he said.

Mohammed said the example of 1979 when opposition emerged speaker of the House of Representatives was a different scenario.

The 1979 being used as justification was not correct because the NPN was unable to have majority in the House and therefore merged with NPP.

The NPN and the NPP sat together and agreed that while NPN takes control of the Senate the NPP will take control of leadership of the House of Representatives, he said.

Mohammed said the matter was made worse when Sen. Ike Ekweremadu of PDP emerged as deputy Senate president and the decamping of Saraki to PDP.

By making PDP as deputy Senate president, the APC is done for. This is a danger and time bomb waiting to happen.

It is legitimate for the party to say, if you leave my party upon which you ride to become Senate president it is only right for Saraki to leave the party, he said.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng had reported that the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said that as the 2019 general elections approaches, fake news phenomenon assumed more vicious dimension.

The minister said this on Tuesday, August 14, when he paid advocacy visit to the Abuja office of The Blueprint Newspaper, to drum support for the National Campaign Against Fake News launched on July 11.

Top Nigeria Corruption Scandals: Joshua Dariye, Olisa Metuh and Sambo Dasuki | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ngCourtesy Catherine Lunt(SALT LAKE CITY) -- This 6-year-old girl has put our shopping game to shame.



Katelyn Lunt, a first-grader from Utah, recently ordered $350 worth of Barbies and a toy pony from her mother's Amazon account and now her mom is using it as a teachable moment.



"Our family came home and the truck pulls up and all of these boxes are being pulled out of the truck," mom Catherine Lunt told "Good Morning America."



She had no idea about her daughter's online splurge.



Lunt said that Katelyn was told she could order one Barbie as a prize for doing extra chores. Turns out, Katelyn had bought much more than that.



While checking on another order, Lunt saw a few items had been ordered that she didn't recognize and was able to cancel them. Two pages of items however, had already shipped.



The family decided that they should donate the toys to kids at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.



Amazon did not immediately respond to ABC's request for comment on the Lunts' story.



But Katelyn is not the first child to spend lavlishly on the service.



Last year, 6-year-old Brooke Neitzel of Dallas, Texas, used her parents' Echo to buy a $160 dollhouse and four pounds of cookies.



"I just asked her if she could order a dollhouse and some cookies," Brooke told "GMA" at the time. "She said, 'Do you want this?' and I said yes."



Brooke's parents also turned the incident into a learning experience by donating the dollhouse to a local childrens hospital.



In regards to Brooke's story, Amazon told ABC News in a statement in 2017, "You must ask Alexa to order a product and then confirm the purchase with a yes response to purchase via voice. If you asked Alexa to order something on accident, simply say no when asked to confirm. You can also manage your shopping settings in the Alexa app, such as turning off voice purchasing or requiring a confirmation code before every order."



The company did not indicate whether it is taking steps to make it harder for children to access the Echo without an adults permission.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.The familiar and unfamiliar, and the uplifting and somber, were all highlighted Wednesday morning during a nine-block African-American historical tour that took more than two hours and covered about 200 years of history.

Put on by the National Park Partners as part of a grant received to put together a tour map, the event drew a larger-than-expected crowd of nearly 80 to hear about such little-mentioned places in black history as Tadetown and Camp Contraband.

The attendance was incredible, said Tricia Mims, executive director of National Park Partners, adding that they might have had even more if it had been on a weekend.

It was really incredible the stories that came out about the hidden treasures.

One such little-known fact was mentioned at the first stop outside the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park ranger Chris Barr explained how the current M.L. King Boulevard area became a haven for the black community.

He said that a white missionary named E.O. Tade had purchased some land around the Fort Wood area as a place for the numerous freed blacks to live, and they could secure loans for businesses and homes there.

That turned it into a big, thriving African-American community, he said.

Andy Mims, who alternated with Mr. Barr in speaking to the tour group of black and white attendees, told how this area that was centered on what was formerly known as Ninth Street became a thriving black cultural and business center.

You had everything a community needed and more, he said, mentioning the theaters, hotels and barbershops. There was hustle and bustle with people spending money. Try to imagine what the place looked like.

At the second stop at Miller Plaza overlooking the former Union Depot rail yards to the south and west, Mr. Barr talked about the more somber history before that, when even some local Cherokees had slaves.

And because Chattanooga was such a railroad hub, many slaves being traded from the upper South to the lower South likely passed through the station. And Mr. Barr said there was even a holding pen where they were kept while waiting to switch trains.

He read an old newspaper article pointing out that 600-800 slaves likely passed through Chattanooga on rail every week on their way to new destinations in the years before the Civil War.

There was a lot of wealth in broken people passing through here, said Mr. Barr.

Pointing westward down M.L. King Boulevard, Mr. Mims mentioned that in the early 20th century, the Westside of downtown Chattanooga uniquely had a cross-cultural mix of people all in one area. Prominent whites lived on Cameron Hill, while blacks lived in the shantytown-like Blue Goose Hollow. Those from such areas as the Middle East also lived nearby, he said.

That was unique to see in a Southern town so long ago, he said of the eclectic mix.

He added that some of the businesses closer to Market Street that also catered to blacks in the early 20th century were run by Jewish merchants.

Mr. Mims also mentioned the nearby Rogers Theatre, which, he said, some local blacks tried to integrate during the sit-in days, but tear gas ended up being used by local law enforcement officials.

At the third stop, the former Carnegie Library at Georgia Avenue and East Eighth Street, Mr. Mims pointed to the nice door along Georgia Avenue and said that during the Jim Crow days of segregation, that was the entrance for black patrons. White patrons entered through the nicer and larger door on the East Eighth Street side, he said.

After the group reached the fourth stop on the northeast corner of the Hamilton County Courthouse lawn, Mr. Barr discussed the life of former freed slave William Lewis and how he made the iron shackles for the Andrews Raiders. They were housed at the nearby Swaims Jail.

He pointed out that Mr. Lewis historical marker on Market Street mentions his nickname of Uncle Bill, but that such a moniker was consider derogatory at the time. As a result, he asked if it is appropriate to have on the marker today.

Little subtleties of racism still exist, he said.

The Rev. John L. Edwards, who was on the tour wearing a Vietnam veteran hat, chimed in that an invitation to noted national black figure Booker T. Washingtons wedding was found in Mr. Lewis belongings. He thinks his wife may have been related.

Mr. Mims discussed the life of black newspaper publisher Randolph Miller here, saying he was interested in running a gypsy taxi line years ago during a local streetcar boycott he helped start. It was similar to the later bus boycotts in Montgomery, Ala.

The tour group then got a break from the heat -- and an architectural treat -- by getting to go inside the historic and air-conditioned Bethlehem-Wiley United Methodist Church across Lookout Street from the Unum headquarters building.

Built in 1887 after the previous one was burned down by suspected arson, the church was one of several that developed after the Civil War in Chattanooga and became black spiritual havens, the tour guides said. The churches also became centers of planning during the civil rights days.

One church member pointed out that Bethlehem-Wiley  which also featured colorful stained-glass windows and uniquely curved old wooden pews  was an early black church to get a large pipe organ in 1901.

Officials said it does not work well now, and some modern band equipment like drums are used.

The church was also where actor Samuel L. Jackson attended as a child and performed on the stage in a downstairs room, the member said. His mother also attended the church for a number of years.

The Rev. Willie D. Kitchens, the pastor, also welcomed the group and played a tape of an acoustical-style song he recorded about the life of Ed Johnson.

Mr. Johnson was the focus of the sixth and final stop at the Walnut Street Bridge. He had been convicted in the rape of a white woman  wrongly, most believe  and was lynched on the bridge in 1906 after he was given a stay of execution.

The incident had taken place 13 years after another black man named Alfred Blount was lynched there.

Mr. Barr believed that part of the reason that the lynchings occurred on the bridge was that another thriving black community for freedmen had developed after the Civil War on the present North Shore in a place called Camp Contraband.

He believes the Walnut Street Bridge was built in part in 1891 to help the blacks from that area walk easily to the various mill and factory jobs they had across the river, and the lynchings would be a daily reminder to them.

It sends the message to everyone coming to work to know your place, Mr. Barr said.

Eric Atkins, who has been among those pushing for an Ed Johnson memorial on the south end of the bridge, also offered remarks and said that such a marker could help bring about reconciliation.

We cant have any healing without truth telling, he said. We want our children to know we are better today than we were.

Mr. Barr had ended his comments before Mr. Atkins by encouraging people to learn the past stories and those of today. The challenge for you is to share your stories, he said.

* * * * *

To listen to National Park Partners executive director Tricia Mims discuss the tour and its significance, listen here.- Adams Oshiomhole has said that the Senate president would be impeached by APC lawmakers in the Senate

- He said Bukola Saraki would be democratically and legally impeached

- According to Oshiomhole, a lawmaker of the minority party cannot lead the Senate

The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the Senate president would be legally impeached.

Oshiomhole said the ruling party has resolved to explore every legal means to ensure the impeachment of Bukola Saraki.

Speaking at the meeting with lawmakers of the National Assembly, the national chairman of the ruling party said Saraki would be impeached and replaced with a loyal party member.

Punch reports that Oshiomhole also promised legislators loyal to the party that the APC under his leadership would reward loyalty.

READ ALSO: Why President Buhari deserves another term - Tinubu

He said the APC's reward system would be one that would ensure that those who stood with the party in trying times did not regret it.

Oshiomhole said: High turnover of legislators is not a value to be celebrated. What we should celebrate is experience which cannot be read in books, but can only be acquired on the job.

I want to reassure you that we will do everything possible to change the old narrative of heavy turnover every four years and the politics of you have done enough will change over time for the good of Nigeria and for the sustenance of democracy," Oshiomhole said.

READ ALSO: NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Wednesday, August 15

He also informed the APC lawmakers that it was an aberration to allow an individual who is a member of a minority party to preside over members of the party in the majority.

Democracy teaches us that the minority have the right to have their say but the majority must have their way.

So, if we have 56 senators and they have 49 senators, I insist that 49 senators cannot preside over the affairs of a house in which the APC has 56 senators. And I ask them to tell us anywhere in the world where the minority rules over the majority," Oshiomhole said.

Often times, we take flights to Washington and other places to understudy the American presidential system of government.

Once you lose the majority, without further ado, you step down. Let me restate that we cannot be subjected to minority rule in the Nigerian Senate and, therefore, whether it is convenient for Distinguished Senator Saraki or not, the truth is whether by morality or by law or by convention, Senator Saraki can only avoid impeachment by toeing the path of honour, step down so that the APC can take over the leadership of the House.

I want to repeat, Senator Saraki as President of the Senate will be lawfully and democratically impeached. It will not be illegally done. It will be done according to law and tradition," the APC national chairman added.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Kwara state chapter of the APC had urged Saraki to resign his position as the Senate president.

The APC said since the office of the Senate president is exclusively reserved for the party with majority members in the Senate, Saraki must be relieved of his duty.

The chairman of the Kwara state chapter of the APC, Bashir Bolarinwa said the Senate president should toe the path of honour and stop heating up the polity unduly.

Who is responsible for the siege on the National Assembly - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper- The presidency believes that irrespective of some criticisms, Buhari will win the 2019 presidential election

- Femi Adesina cites some of the successes of the administration to boost the presidency's belief

- Adesina says President Buhari will win the 2019 election with a wide margin

The Nigerian presidency, on Tuesday, August 14, declared that Muhammadu Buhari will contest the 2019 presidential election and win even in the face of the campaign of calumny by a vocal minority pushing its agenda against the countrys leader.

The position was made by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, who also cited landmark infrastructural developments across the country completed by President Buhari.

Adesina further cited the recent election victories by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as evidence of his potentials ahead of the 2019 election.

READ ALSO: APC senators as of August 14, 2018 (full list)

Vanguard reports that Adesina spoke in Lagos at a session with media men declaring that President Buhari would win with a wide margin.

No matter the level of hatred and fake news, what will happen in 2019 will happen. And what is that thing that will happen?

President Buhari will win the election by a very wide margin compared to 2015.

Those speaking against the president are a vocal minority, but they have voice and when they speak, there is a cacophony and you will think that it is Nigerians that are speaking.

If it is just for the rail projects alone, some people say they will vote for Buhari.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Others say that if it is just for the honour done to Chief MKO Abiola, they will vote for Buhari, while there are those who say that if it is that people can now sleep with their eyes closed in the north east, they will vote for the president.

Different people have different reasons why they will vote for President Buhari," he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday said that he was confident President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 elections.

Tinubu made the statement in Lagos while addressing party members at a stakeholders meeting of the state chapter.

Nigeria News 2018: Obasanjo vs Buhari - The Of Election 2019 | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News- A Libyan salon operator, Asia Rita, has been arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for alleged human trafficking

- Rita, who was paraded by the NIS on Monday, August 13, was found trying to traffick about seven victims in Katsina

- Also, the NIS has arrested a man, Mohammed Kabir, for allegedly being in possession of high grade cannabis on his way to cross the Nigerian border to Niger Republic

The Katsina state command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has nabbed a Libyan-based salon operator, Asia Rita, for alleged human trafficking, Punch reports.

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole

Rita (44 years), who is also a mother of three children was paraded by the NIS on Monday, August 13, alongside seven suspected victims of the same crime.

She and her victims were reportedly intercepted by NIS some personnel at the Jibia Magama control post on their way to Libya where Rita runs a salon and food joint.

Olusola Ajisafe, the state comptroller of the Katsina command, speaking with newsmen on the development, said three of the rescued victims were from Oyo state, two from Lagos, while the others were from Bayelsa and Ogun states respectively. He put their ages between 11 and 44.

Ajisafe further revealed that despite the fact that the rescued victims were not from the same state, they all obtained their travelling documents in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

He said: It may interest you to know that the suspected trafficker, Mrs Asia Rita, is in possession of residence visa of the State of Libya, and her passport indicated that she is a frequent traveller.

It may also interest you, gentlemen of the press, to know that from July 17, 2018 till date, the command has intercepted two suspected traffickers and rescued 18 suspected victims of human trafficking.

He went on to say that Rita and the victims would be handed over to the NIS headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.

On her part, Rita said that she was in Nigeria to take her children, adding that she had been living in Libya for nine years and denying any knowledge of the victims. She said: I stay in Libya where I operate a salon and sell food. At a point, I was working in a hospital in Libya.

Meanwhile, the NIS has also arrested one Mohammed Kabir for allegedly being in possession of high grade cannabis.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Kabir, on his way to cross the Nigerian border to Niger Republic via an illegal route, was arrested by NIS operatives who were on a routine patrol along Babbar Ruga in Katsina state.

Ajisafe stated that the suspect would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had declared that no fewer than 41 people had been convicted for various forms of human trafficking across the country between 2017 and 2018.

The director-general of the agency, Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this after a road walk to sensitise people against human trafficking in Abuja.

Okah-Donli explained that 359 people had so far been convicted for different offences of human trafficking since 15 years of establishment of NAPTIP.

Suspected hard substatnce traffickers reject police accusations | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News- Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has commended the chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, after the latter received an international award

- Onnoghen was conferred with the 2018 ISRCL in Montreal, Canada

- Osinbajo says his commitment to the development of Nigeria's judicial system has been recognised

Chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has been congratulated by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on his conferment with the 2018 Michael Hill Prize by the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law (ISRCL) in Montreal, Canada.

Premium Times reports that the chief justice was conferred with the prize at the 31st conference of the ISRCL.

Legit.ng gathers that ISRCL is an international non-governmental association of judges, legislators, lawyers, academics, governmental officials, police and corrections professionals.

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole

According to the acting president, the chief Onnoghen was awarded because his commitment to the development of the country's judicial system was recognised.

Osinbajo said: It is heart-warming to see Your Lordships hardwork and commitment to deepening reforms for a more effective administration of justice system in the country has received international attention and commendation from such a prestigious association.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to immediately overhaul the management and activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new media, Bashir Ahmad, made it known in a tweet on Tuesday, August 14.

He said: "Acting president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, orders immediate overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)."

Osinbajo said that based on the persistent complaints and reports on the activities of SARS that border on allegations of human rights violations, there should be overhaul of the management and activities of SARS to ensure that any unit that would emerge from the process should be intelligence-driven.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo delivers a speech on the Biafra war - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- The chairman of the APC in Bauchi south, Murtala Dan Maliki, says the outcome of the Bauchi by-election shows that the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, has lost touch with his constituency

- He says the APC won in Dass and Tafawa Balewa, two of the three local government areas represented by the speaker in the by-election

- Dogara reportedly withdraws plans to defect to PDP

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi south, Murtala Dan Maliki, has said the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has lost touch with his constituency.

Maliki, speaking on the outcome of the recently concluded by-election said the outcome of the Bauchi south senatorial district by-election showed that Dogara would have suffered defeat if the poll was the general elections to elect members of the National Assembly, Daily Trust reports.

READ ALSO: Massive shakeup looms at SSS as Buhari decides acting DGs fate

The APC chieftain said the party won in Dass and Tafawa Balewa, two of the three local government areas represented by the speaker in the by-election.

Maliki stated that though Dogara had not officially announced his defection to the PDP, he alleged that the speaker worked for the opposition party in the by-election.

He was in Bogoro for the election and the PDP won there. The APC won in the other two local governments in his constituency. If he is still with the APC, the party would have won in Bogoro," the APC chieftain said.

In fact, not only in Bogoro, even in Tafawa Balewa, the PDP won in places dominated by his loyalists.

However, what I believe is thaty he has left the APC, but people in his constituency are still with the party and they will vote for it anytime, and I want yto tell you that if it were general elections and he stands against the APC, he will be defeated."

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile the speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, has reportedly withdrawn plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to The Punch, Dogara was advised not to make the move due to the numerical disadvantage of the PDP in the House.

It was also reported that Dogara has plans to return as speaker in 2019 and to do so, he must be a member of the party that wins the most seat. The APC still controls the majority today with about 186 members as against PDPs 162.

A source close the Speaker reportedly said: In 2019, no one is sure how things will pan out." Dogara has less problems to contend with as a speaker today because he is still with the APC.

Nigeria Latest News: Why Yemi Osinbajo Terminated The Appointment Of Lawal Daura | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- The presidency says Muhammadu Buhari has not extended his 10-day vacation

- The presidency also reveal that the fake information is coming from what happened in 2017

- It says the statement is not related to the current vacation embarked upon by the president

The Nigerian presidency has denied a widely published report indicating that President Muhammadu Buhari would be extending his 10-day working leave which he is currently observing in London.

The presidency, through its various Twitter handles, insisted that the piece of information was fake and drawn from past events.

"This story from Feb 2017 is currently being mischievously circulated on social media platforms,to create the impression that its related to the Presidents current vacation.

READ ALSO: We are adopting direct primaries ahead of 2019 elections - Tinubu reveals

Kindly take note of the date. 2017. The president has NOT extended his ongoing 10-Working-Days vacation," the presidency said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari wrote a letter to the Senate seeking a ten day leave between Monday, January 23 to Monday, February 6 2017.

The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, January 19, read a letter from the president during the plenary session where Buhari said the vacation would be a working leave.

Legit.ng also reported when President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in London for a 10-day working holiday.

It quoted Channels TV as saying that the president left Abuja for London in the early hours of Friday, August 3.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

It was gathered that while the president is away, the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, would be in acting capacity as the president.

The presidency, on Thursday, August 2, also dismissed the claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that President Muhammadu Buhari is embarking on a 10-day leave in order to open the stage for the impeachment of Senate president Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Nigeria Latest News: Is the NASS Leadership Still Capable of Leading Nigeria? | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper- Hackers reportedly broke into a commercial banks database and siphoned millions of naira from customers accounts

- The cyber-attack allegedly happened between 1am and 3am on Tuesday, August 14

- A senior staff of the bank, however, assured all the affected customers not to panic as their money will be retrieved

There was pandemonium on Tuesday, August 14, at two branches of a commercial bank in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, when many customers reportedly besieged the bank over withdrawals running into millions of naira made from their accounts at midnight.

As early as 8am, many customers of the bank have crowded the two branches of the bank located along Bank Road in Umuahia, with lamentations over debit alerts, amounting to millions of naira which they received between 1am and 3am, Vanguard reports.

The customers stated that the unusual withdrawal occurred very early in the morning of Tuesday, August 14, while they were asleep. They expressed shock that they woke up to see that the money in their accounts has been withdrawn.

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole boasts

A senior staff of one of the affected branches who spoke on anonymity blamed the incident on international hackers.

Nnenna Ukachi could not control her tears as she stated that she came all the way from Bende local government area of the state to withdraw the sum of N250,000 to complete payment to transfer a sick daughter to the Universty of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu, only to find that her account has been emptied.

The woman lamented that the money was sent by a good Nigerian who read about the plight of her only child and decided to help.

She said: My life is finished, what will I do? That money is my only hope from God and now, the bank is telling me a story I cant understand. What should I do?.

Onwuchekwa Chinatu, an Umuahia-based legal practitioner told Vanguard that he raced all the way from Ikwuano this morning when he noticed the strange withdrawal alerts that occurred in his account.

He said that thousands of naira meant for workers salary deposited in the bank have been withdrawn and the entire account emptied.

Another customer of the bank and a civil servant said that the money in his account was a loan he collected from the bank where his salary is domiciled.

Another senior staff of the bank confirmed the incident as a handiwork of international hackers. He confirmed that the incident had been reported in two of their branches in Umuahia and blamed it on the activities of criminal international hackers who infiltrated into the bank systems.

He assured the customers that the monies were not lost as it remained in what he called Lean Account, meaning that the funds are still in the bank and the affected accounts have been blocked.

He said: We have contacted our headquarters and we assure customers not to panic as their money is not lost.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng previously reported that a 28-year-old suspect, identified as James Nwagalezi, was on Thursday, June 7, arraigned before a Lagos magistrate court for reportedly conspiring with Okoli Nmesoma, who was facing trial, in hacking into the app of a bank and stealing N207 million.

The police filed a four-count charge against Nwagalezi revolving around felony, unlawfully hacking into bank account and theft.

Inspector Jimoh Joseph, the police prosecutor, told the court that the defendant and others still at large carried out the crime on Friday, April 27 at Igboelerin, Okokomaiko, Ojo, Lagos.

Lagos Police Commissioner parades suspected criminals (Nigeria News) | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- South-south leader, Chief Edwin Clark, reacts to a twisted version of a personal letter he wrote to Senate president, Bukola Saraki in 2013

- The elder statesman and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, said he stands by the Senate president, in his current travails

- Clark clarified the letter he wrote five years ago to the Senate president, adding that the letter circulating on social media, was aimed at misleading the public

Elder statesman and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, on Tuesday, August 14, said he stands by the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in his current travails, Vanguard reports.

Legit.ng gathered that the south-south leader has also denied writing an open letter to the Senate president, Saraki, saying that the letter which is trending on the social media is the handiwork of mischief makers.

The Ijaw leader who in a statement signed on Wednesday, August 15, observed that the issue which prompted the letter had been adequately addressed.

READ ALSO: Massive shakeup looms at SSS as Buhari decides acting DGs fate

He stated that he is proud of Saraki for protecting the legacies of his late father, Olusola Saraki.

Senator Clark, who was reacting to a twisted version of a personal letter he wrote Senator Saraki in 2013, on the social media, said: Today, I have a duty to stand by my son, Dr. Bukola Saraki and also defend him from any act of persecution aimed at destroying his illustrious political career and his fathers rich legacy.

My attention has been drawn to a letter (albeit altered) on the above subject matter currently being circulated in the social media, with the intent to misinform and mislead the reading public.

The said letter which I wrote over five years ago was written out of despair and anger at the time to reach Saraki, who was then the Governor of Kwara State, in order to mediate in a misunderstanding between my very close friend, his father, late Dr. Olusola Saraki, his daughter, Senator Gbemi Saraki on one side, and his son, Dr. Bukola Saraki himself.

The circumstances that led to my writing the letter had been settled long ago. Today, Bukola Saraki is my son with whom I enjoy a good relationship. It is, therefore, surprising that the letter written over five years ago was altered in the said social media publication to suit the whims and caprices of the authors.

Let me reinstate that the late Dr Olusola Saraki, father of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was my very good friend and colleague, in the Senate of the Second Republic, where he was Senate leader. Thereafter, both of us were leaders of our respective geopolitical zones. While he was leader of the Northern Union, NU, I was leader of the South-South Peoples Assembly, SSPA.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng previously reported that the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the Senate president would be legally impeached.

Oshiomhole said the ruling party has resolved to explore every legal means to ensure the impeachment of Bukola Saraki.

Speaking at the meeting with lawmakers of the National Assembly, the national chairman of the ruling party said Saraki would be impeached and replaced with a loyal party member.

Who is responsible for the siege on the National Assembly - on Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitOn Tuesday, August 14, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) approved the registration of 23 new political parties ahead of the forthcoming 2019 general election.

The electoral body also said that 91 other political parties were expected to participate in the 2019 election.

Speaking on newly registered parties the national commissioner and member, voter education and publicity committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission received 144 applications from political associations seeking registration as political parties.

He however said that only the 23 parties met the requirements of INEC.

READ ALSO: Tension hits SSS as Buhari decides acting DGs fate

Below is a list of the 23 approved parties:

1. Advanced Alliance Party

2. Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party,

3. African Action Congress

4. Alliance for a United Nigeria

5. Alliance of Social Democrats

6. Alliance National Party

7. Allied Peoples Movement

8. Alternative Party of Nigeria.

9.Change Nigeria Party

10. Congress Of Patriots

11. Liberation Movement

12. Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy

13. Nigeria Community Movement Party

14. Nigeria For Democracy

15. Peoples Coalition Party

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole boasts

16. Reform and Advancement Party

17. Save Nigeria Congress

18. United Patriots.

19. United Peoples Congress

20. We The People Nigeria

21. Yes Electorates Solidarity

22. Youth Party

23. Zenith Labour Party

The commission further noted that this would be the last round of registration of parties until after the general elections on February 16, 2019.

"This suspension is in line with Section 78 (1) of the Electoral Act, which requires all applications for registration as a political party to be concluded latest six months to a general election," INEC said.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that INEC had extended the voters' registration exercise by two weeks.

The electoral body also registered 23 new political parties on Tuesday, August 14. This brings the countries number of political parties to 91.

Top Nigeria Corruption Scandals: Joshua Dariye, Olisa Metuh and Sambo Dasuki | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- The deputy speaker of Kaduna state House of Assembly, John Kwaturu, accuses the APC of impunity and bad leadership

- He says he made the decision to resign as deputy speaker after consultation with his political associates and supporters

- APC chairman says Dogara has lost touch with his constituency

The deputy speaker of the Kaduna state House of Assembly, John Kwaturu, has resigned from his position days after he defected from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Kwaturu alleged on Tuesday, August 14, that impunity, bad leadership and division that existed in the party prompted him to resign.

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole

The lawmaker, who represents Kachia constituency, however said he made the decision to resign as deputy speaker after consultation with his political associates and supporters.

The politician stated that he thanked the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and members of the Kaduna state House of Assembly for the opportunity and support they gave him throughout the three years he served as deputy speaker.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi south, Murtala Dan Maliki, has said the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has lost touch with his constituency.

Maliki, speaking on the outcome of the recently concluded by-election said the outcome of the Bauchi south senatorial district by-election showed that Dogara would have suffered defeat if the poll was the general elections to elect members of the National Assembly.

The APC chieftain said the APC won in Dass and Tafawa Balewa, two of the three local government areas represented by the speaker in the by-election.

News Nigeria Today: Will Senators, Lawmakers Defection from APC Change Power in 2019? | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitThe newspaper review for Wednesday, August 15, leads with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo's directive to police IG on the overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria police, otherwise known as SARS among other stories.

Vanguard reports that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday directed the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to commence investigations into allegations of abuses by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria police, otherwise known as SARS.

He also ordered the police boss to overhaul the squad with immediate effect, to make it strictly intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery, kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.

Osinbajos directive to the police boss came following the outcry against the special police squad by members of the public nationwide.

This order came as the Methodist Church of Nigeria called on the federal government to overhaul the nations security apparatus to curb the wanton destruction of lives and properties in different regions of the country.

Vanguard newspaper for Wednesday, August 15. Photo credit: Snapshot from Legit.ng.

The Punch reports that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the recent letter of criticism he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the ex-President had no right to dictate who the people should vote for in the 2019 presidential election.

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole

The former Lagos State governor, who said Obasanjo did his terms in office without being disturbed, urged him to face his poultry business in his Ota farm.

Tinubu said if Obasanjo had laid a good foundation for the country when he was President, like he (Tinubu) did in Lagos State, Nigeria would not be in the mess that it was in.

Tinubu spoke at the Lagos APC secretariat in Ogba on Tuesday during the partys stakeholders meeting.

Punch newspaper for Wednesday, August 15. Photo credit: Snapshot from Legit.ng.

This Day the presidency on Tuesday, August 14, said the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 was vetoed by President Muhammadu Buhari because it contained some constitutional infractions.

This Day reported exclusively on Tuesday that the president had vetoed the second bill proposing alterations to the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

The bill was passed on June 3, 2018 and transmitted to the president on June 27, 2018.

The special assistant to the president on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, explained in Abuja that Buhari vetoed the bill due to drafting inconsistencies.

He said the reason for the presidents rejection of the bill was contained in the communication from the executive to the legislature and that he was not in a position to give further explanations.

Im not in a position to talk about it, he said.

Punch newspaper for Wednesday, August 15. Photo credit: Snapshot from Legit.ng.

The Nation reports that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

This followed complaints and reports on the activities of SARS, which bordered on allegations of human rights violations.

There have been outcries on alleged infractions and atrocities by SARS operatives, such that Nigerians on social media began a campaign, #ENDSARS, to scrap the unit.

Despite the outcries, the police maintained that SARS was living up to its responsibilities, a few bad eggs notwithstanding.

The Nation newspaper for Wednesday, August 15. Photo credit: Snapshot from Legit.ng.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

The Guardian reports that the plot to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki thickened yesterday as federal lawmakers on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) resolved to forcibly reconvene the National Assembly and carry out the plan.

During a meeting with APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers, the legislators from both chambers of the assembly vowed they would deploy their numerical strength to achieve the goal in the interest of the country.

The Guardian newspaper for Wednesday, August 15. Photo credit: Snapshot from Legit.ng.

#ENDSARS of #REFORMSARS? Nigerians blow hot - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit- An inmate at Awka Prisons in Anambra state enrolled for a free Masters degree programme at NOUN

- He said he had obtained a first degree and post-graduate diploma before he was jailed

- The VC of NOUN urged other inmates to take advantage of the free education provided by the university to better their lots

An inmate currently serving a life sentence at Awka Prisons in Anambra state, Jude Onwuzulike, has reportedly enrolled for a Masters degree programme in Information Technology at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Onwuzulike, who has four children, matriculated on Monday, August 13, during the seventh matriculation ceremony of the institution held at the Awka Prisons.

Speaking at the matriculation arena, Onwuzulike said he believed that one day, his education and knowledge would be of help to him, The Punch reports.

Jude Onwuzulike (middle) flanked by NOUN and Awka Prisons officials. Credit: The Punch

READ ALSO: Saraki will be lawfully and democratically impeached - Oshiomhole boasts

He said he had earlier obtained a first degree and post-graduate diploma from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, respectively, before his ordeal.

He said: My first degree was in Accounting in 2005 while the second was in Mathematics. When I came here, I did a post-graduate diploma in Information Technology and now, Im doing a Masters degree in the same discipline.

Onwuzulike said he enrolled for Information Technology due to the unsatisfactory manner the case that led to his imprisonment was investigated.

I noticed some lapses in the way the case that brought me here was investigated, which someone needs to correct. So, this course Im studying will assist me to carry out forensic investigations in similar circumstances, he added.

Describing the prison as not ideal for learning, Onwuzulike said it would only take someone who remained focused in life to maximise the opportunity.

He added: Here, you see all kinds of people; the uneducated, those who lack parental upbringing and those who were brought up in the motor park. They will be distracting you, including asking you to switch off the lights for them to sleep and stuffs like that.

Speaking, the vice chancellor of NOUN, Prof Abdalla Adamu, who was represented by Dr Scholastica Ezeribe, expressed delight in Onwuzulikes zeal.

Adamu said though the universitys matriculation took place on June 23, the management had to fix a special day for the inmate in view of the peculiarity of his case.

Adamu urged other inmates to take advantage of the free education provided by NOUN to better their lots.

He said: The VC is so passionate about the programme that he graciously offered it to inmates free of charge in order to encourage them and to give them hope.

On his part, the prison superintendent, Ezenam Andrew, said the programme was one of the reformative packages to make the inmates useful and productive so as not to be threats to the society after their time in prison.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng previously reported that no fewer than thirteen male inmates of the Ibara Prison in Ogun state on Friday, June 29 matriculated at the National Open University of Nigeria for six degree programmes.

The inmates dressed in academic gowns, took the oath of good behaviour before the director of the Abeokuta Study Centre of NOUN, Prof. Olatunde Salau; controller of prisons, Ogun state command, Abolade Benson; and the officer-in-charge, Ibara Prison, Sunday Kolawole.

Ex-prisoner turns advocate for release of former inmates - On Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitOlori Memumat Adeyemi and Olori Badirat Adeyemi, the young wives of Alaafin of Oya, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, have arrived in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.

The queens who recently delivered twins a few days apart, arrived in Medina with their two set of twins who were dressed in style. Legit.ng had reported that the two sets of twins who were born in February were named on the same day.

Princess Iradat Adetoun and Princess Hamidat Adedayo are the twing girls Olori Memunat gave birth to, while Prince Mubarak Adedamola and Prince Hammed Adeleye are the twin boys Olori Badirat gave birth.

In the photos shared from Saudi Arabia on Olori Memunat's page, the twin girls were seen dressed in white Arabic attires, while the twin boys were decked up in denim shirt and black pants.

READ ALSO: Cute new photos of Alaafin of Oyos two sets of twins as they clock three months

The royal princes were also spotted dressed like the little Alhajis they are. See photos below:

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News

PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group

Muslims around the world are preparing for the upcoming Sallah day celebration which is set to take place on Wednesday, August 22.

Hajj is and annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca which is known as the holy city to Muslims. It is a mandatory religious rite that Muslims who are physically and financially capable must carry out atleast once in their lifetime.

My Husband Ran Away When He Heard I Had Quadruplets on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested an unruly driver, identified as Abuchi Okpara

- Okpara, who worked for one King Solomon Chariots Transportation as a driver, knocked down one of the agency's operative and fled to Ghana to escape arrest

- He was on Monday, August 13, charged before an Igando magistrate court where he was ordered to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), on Tuesday, August 14 said that Johnson Ogbonnaya, the general manager of King Solomon Chariots Transportation, has handed over to law enforcement personnel a driver of his firm, Abuchi Okpara, who fled to Ghana after allegedly knocking down one of the agency's officials.

Okpara allegedly knocked down Obafemi Ogunmeru, a LASTMA officer, on Tuesday, August 7, 2017, at the Igando area of Alimosho in his attempt to evade arrest after violating traffic laws, Premium Times reports.

READ ALSO: Kwankwaso belongs to Kano and Kano belongs to him - Women leader

Okpara was reportedly driving a Nigeria-Ghna commercial vehicle with registration number KJA 633 XT when he dropped passengers at an undesignated spot at Igando.

His failure to obey Ogunmerus directive and desperate maneuvering to evade apprehension led to his Toyota Sienna vehicle knocking him down.

LASTMA revealed that the intervention of nearby police operatives was unable to prevent the driver from escaping from the scene of the incident after which he allegedly fled to Ghana.

The agency said:The victim was rushed to lgando General Hospital for initial treatment, before being transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for comprehensive medical care,

However, the commitment of police officers of the Igando Police Station and subsequent support of Ogbonnaya eventually led to the drivers arrest.

Ogbonnaya personally travelled to Ghana to apprehend the suspect, brought him to Nigeria and handed him over to LASTMA and police to face the full wrath of the law.

Meanwhile, the driver was charged before an Igando Magistrate Court where he was ordered to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison.

Olawale Musa, LASTMAs general manager, speaking on the development, decried the attack on Ogunmeru in strong terms, adding that the trend was of deep concern to the state government.

Musa warned any aggrieved individual to take advantage of the various complaint channels set up by the agency to forward their grievances for immediate action instead of taking laws into their hands.

He said that LASTMA officials remained committed to discharging their duty and responsibility to the good people of the state, just as he urged vehicle owners to take a cue from the action of Ogbonnaya by cooperating with the agency and ensuring that violators of laws on their payroll were not allowed to without being punished.

Musa further said:We like to commend Ogbonnaya for this rare display of patriotism and exemplary behaviour and urge others to take a cue from him because this can only encourage traffic officials to continue discharging their duty effectively.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

We also like to commend the Igando Station Police Officers. What we have noticed is that LASTMA officials are increasingly becoming hesitant in responding to accident victims due to the fear of being attacked and our message to the public is that attack on our personnel can be counterproductive to the victims of such accidents since they usually serve as first responders at most scenes of accidents.

So, it is in our collective interest to stop the menace of offenders attacking traffic officials, while government will also not relent in intensifying efforts to continually address same.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a 20-year-old driver and resident of Jakande estate, Lekki, Phase 1, Lagos, had been arrested for allegedly beating up an official of LASTMA.

The driver, who was identified as, Benjamin Archibong, was reported to have obstructed the LASTMA official, Olumide Omomoyesan, while enforcing traffic rules in Ajah, area in broad daylight, which caused a serious scene in the area.

Traffic in Lagos: Only Nigerians Will Understand | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- The Nigerian Navy says it established the Admiralty University of Nigeria for the purpose of reducing the pressure travelling abroad imposes on foreign exchange

- It also says the university's establishment is for the purpose of expanding the frontiers of knowledge for the growth and development of humanity

- According to the navy, the university will take off in October 2018, but admission of students into the inaugural class is already ongoing

The Nigerian Navy has said that Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) was established for the purpose of reducing the high rate of foreign trainings for its personnel and those of its sister services.

Vanguard reports that the navy, which stated this on Tuesday, August 14, explained that the establishment of the institution was aimed at reducing the pressure travelling abroad imposed on foreign exchange.

Legit.ng gathers that the explanation was given by the chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, at a briefing held at the naval headquarters in Abuja, to herald the take-off of the university.

Vice Admiral Ete-Ibas said the Nigerian Navy-owned institution will seek to spearhead the application of knowledge to solve real challenges of our time.

READ ALSO: Osun decides: APC urges security agencies to probe PDP for allegedly cloning PVCs

The chief of Naval staff, which was represented by Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, said the university would take off in October 2018, and would start academic activities with degree programmes in three faculties.

According to him, the university was conceived to expand the frontiers of knowledge for the growth and development of humanity, meet the training needs of the Nigerian Navy along with those of their sister services with reduced travel abroad for training and the pressure it imposed on foreign exchange."

He said: Admission of students into the inaugural class is already ongoing and the university opens in October 2018, with degree programmes in three faculties - Arts and Social Sciences, Management Sciences and Science, offering degree programmes in emerging fields such as Forensic Science, Cyber Security and Software Engineering.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, decorated 16 newly-promoted rear admirals.

Ete-Ibas urged them to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation. Ete-Ibas, who decorated the senior officers at the naval headquarters, said there was no better time to serve the nation than now that the country was facing security challenges.

What does Nigeria need right now? (Nigerian Street Interview) | on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- The speaker of the Benue state House of Assembly, Titus Uba, says the Assembly under his leadership is ready to lift the suspension of eight members in another faction

- He says the crisis in the House is a struggle to save the soul of Benue, and not necessarily politically motivated

- Lawyers insist Saraki can only be impeach by 73 senators

The speaker of the Benue state House of Assembly, Titus Uba, has insisted that the 22 lawmakers in the House will not work against the state even if given financial inducement to do so.

Uba who made the statement in the interview, noted that the Assembly under his leadership is ready to lift the suspension of eight members in another faction, if they show remorse, The Guardian reports.

He urged the suspended lawmakers to retract their negative comments and declare their readiness to work with the rest lawmakers to develop the state.

READ ALSO: Akpabio was threatened to join APC - Lamido

He said the crisis in the House was a struggle to save the soul of Benue, and not necessarily politically motivated.

Uba said: To the best of my knowledge, this type of thing has never happened in this country, where a speaker would be impeached and those in majority still give speakership to the minority.

This has now clearly shown that power in this state has become a struggle, we are not looking at acronyms, or sentiments.

"But, we are looking at how we can come together to save the soul of Benue State.

The speaker insisted 22 lawmakers were working together in unity, in interest of the state, irrespective of political affiliations.

The 22 members on my side are intact, and nothing on this earth is going to shake us."

He said the suspended lawmakers were still members of the assembly and would be welcomed if they so desire.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

We are also still in talking terms with the other eight members, and some of them are already making advances to come back and join us, instead of taking us to the other side.

But if you paint something black and you want to brighten it, you must use white paint to clean it," Uba stated.

Meanwhile, some lawyers in the country have explained that Senate president, Bukola Saraki, can only be impeached by two-third of all the 109 senators, and not just a simple two-thirds of those present at a sitting.

The legal practitioners told Daily Sun that the constitutionally recommended number of senators required to impeach Saraki is 73 senators.

Human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), insisted that only 73 senators and not 24 lawmaker can remove the Senate president.

Benue Elders Speak on Herdsmen Attacks | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Two Nigerian cyber criminals, Olayinka Olaniyi and Damilola Solomon Ibiwoye, have been sentenced to prison in Georgia, USA

- Both fraudsters were found guilty of charges bordering on cyber fraud and impersonation

- The charges also involved the act of hacking the websites of universities and stealing more than $6 million

The department of justice in the northern district of Georgia in USA on Thursday, August 9, found a Nigerian, Olayinka Olaniyi, guilty of charges bordering on cyber fraud and impersonation.

In the same vein, the jury in the state sentenced another Nigerian, Damilola Solomon Ibiwoye, on Wednesday, January 31, who pleaded guilty to similar charges.

According to the court's ruling made public on Monday, August 13, Ibiwoye was sentenced to three years and three months in prison, www.justice.gov reports.

READ ALSO: Teacher in court for allegedly defrauding students of N151,000 WASCE fees

Read the court's full judgement below:

"Olayinka Olaniyi, a citizen of Nigeria, was convicted by a federal jury on August 9, 2018, after a three-day trial, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, computer fraud and aggravated identity theft. Co-defendant, Damilola Solomon Ibiwoye, pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced on January 31, 2018.

These defendants used trickery to lure and exploit their unsuspecting victims, but they will now face the consequences of their scheme in federal prison, said U.S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak.

We are grateful for the collaborative work by our national and international law enforcement partners in this case, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute cyber criminals who hide behind the anonymity of the internet to commit these types of crimes.

The FBI is determined to arrest criminals who believe they can hide out on the internet, protected by geographic boundaries, and prey on the American people and our institutions, said J. C. Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Division. This case clearly shows the benefits of global cooperation between the United States and international law enforcement.

We were proud to support our federal partners in bringing down this criminal enterprise, said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. We will remain vigilant in investigating and prosecuting all who attempt to defraud honest, hard-working Georgians.

"According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: Olaniyi and Ibiwoye were behind several phishing scams that targeted colleges and universities in the United States, including the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the University of Virginia.

"While both are Nigerian citizens, they committed their crimes while living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and were extradited to the United States to face these charges.

"A phishing scam is the act of sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from legitimate enterprises for the purpose of tricking the recipients into providing personal information, including usernames and passwords. Olaniyi and Ibiwoye directed phishing emails to college and university employees.

"Once they had possession of employee logins and passwords, they were able to steal payroll deposits by changing the bank account into which the payroll was deposited. Also, while logged into the university system through the stolen logins and passwords, these defendants were able to gain access to employee W2 forms, which they used to file fraudulent tax returns. The attempted theft was over $6 million.

"The stolen funds were routed into U.S. bank accounts, and the evidence showed that access to these bank accounts was acquired through the use of romance scams, where fraudsters pose on dating sites and apps as potential partners to gain the trust of their victim.

"At some point, the fraudster will make a request to deposit money into their victims account and claim to need all of the account information, including their account number, routing number, passwords, and answers to security questions. In this case, all of that information was then used to funnel the proceeds of theft through those accounts and out of the country.

"Olayinka Olaniyi, 34, of Nigeria is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

"Damilola Solomon Ibiwoye, 29, of Nigeria was sentenced to three years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on January 31, 2018.

"This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Brown, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Pfister prosecuted the case."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that out of the 30 suspected armed robbers arrested in three separate operations carried out by the Pokuase district police in Ghana, five of them are females while the other 25 are Nigerians with age range between 18 and 34. The police in the country confirmed this as reported by Graphic Online.

Those arrested were between the ages of 18 and 34, and the police found suspected narcotics, a suspected stolen car, as well as items believed to be used for their robbery operations, the report said, adding that one of the intelligence-led operations took place around 8:30am recently with the police besieging suspected criminal hideouts within their jurisdiction and apprehending the suspicious persons.

BUSTED: Professional Hacker Nabbed Over Fraudulent Purchase of N28 million Porshe | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Nigeria- A teacher in Alagbado area of Lagos reportedly defrauded four students of their WASCE fees totaling N151,000

- He was subsequently charged to court and slammed with a five-count bordering on stealing and obtaining money under false pretence

- The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum

A teacher, Olakunle Oladeji, 33, who allegedly defrauded four students of their West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) fees totaling N151, 000, was on Wednesday, August 15, arraigned in an Ikeja magistrates court, Lagos.

The accused, who resides at No. 38, Ewupe Road, Sango Alagbado, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a five-count bordering on stealing and obtaining money under false pretence.

The prosecutor, Inspector Abiola Adewale, said Oladeji committed the offences sometime in March 25, 2017 and April 25, 2017, at Rapid Bright Tutorial Centre at No. 18, Arigbanla St., Alagbado, Lagos.

READ ALSO: Alaafin of Oyo's set of twins and their mother arrive in Saudi Arabia in style (photos)

He said the accused, who presented himself as a West African Examination Council official collected N151, 000 from the four students on the pretext of assisting them to register for WASCE.

Oladeji fraudulently collected various sums from four students on the pretext that he would register them for the examination and converted the money to personal use, the prosecutor told the court.

Adewale said that the accused collected the money from Mubarak Lawal, Sheun Adegboye, Blessing Oderinde and Damilola Yusuf, and had failed to refund the money after deliberately swindling them.

The offences contravened sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 314 prescribes 15 years jail term for obtaining money under false pretence.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Salawu adjourned the case till October 9, for mention.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng previously reported that Omananyi Yunusa, a lecturer in the Department of Geology, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state, was sacked by the management over his involvement in the sexual harassment of a female student of the institution.

Lydia Legbo, the deputy director, information and publications of the university, in an interview said the dismissal of Yunusa followed the outcome of an investigation into the alleged sexual assault on a female student in the department who took a course taught by the lecturer.

The dismissal was approved during the University Councils 131st meeting presided by the vice chancellor, Abdullahi Bala, after the investigative panel found Yunusa guilty of inappropriate relationship with the student.

Who should be held responsible for exam malpractice? Student, teacher or parents? - On Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Mallam Abdullahi Babayo, has called on herdsmen to stop using minors as cattle rearers

- Babayo in an interview this would radically reduce clashes with farmers

- The Fulani leader called on farmers to respect designated cattle tracks and avoid farming on them

The Ardo of Chanchaga, Mallam Abdullahi Babayo, has called on herdsmen to stop using minors as cattle rearers to avert clashes with farmers.

Babayo who is also Sarkin Fulani Chanchaga and Shaku Kingdom in Minna made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Wednesday.

He said that once herdsmen stop engaging minors in the service of cattle rearing, it would radically reduce clashes with farmers.

READ ALSO: Defection: Kaduna House of Assembly declares ex-deputy speakers seat vacant

It is outrageous for an underage boy to lead herd of cattle, in an emergency such a boy will be stranded.

It endangers not only the boy and the society but even the cattle as cattle rustlers take advantage of the young lad to rustle his cow and cause mayhem.

A farmer can be very upset seeing an underage boy with a herd of cow.

There is this sign of relief and confidence farmers enjoy when they see cattlemen leading cattle to graze, they feel their crop is safe, he said.

The Fulani leader also called on farmers to respect designated cattle tracks and avoid farming on them, so as to enhance harmony and peaceful coexistence between them and herders.

The farmers rely on their crops while the herders also depend on their cattle for livelihood and so they must learn to respect each others concern for good neighborliness, he stressed.

Babayo them to resolve all misunderstandings legally instead of resorting to violence.

All sides should sheath their swords and coexist peacefully for the progress of the state and the country at large, he added.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Legit.ng previously reported that about three personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nasarawa police command have been murdered in an ambush in Mararaba Udege community by suspected herdsmen.

Added to this, eight farmers were reportedly killed with many houses burnt down in Aisa and Aguma areas of the state on Sunday, June 3, Punch reports. Read more:

Nigerian Herdsmen vs Nigerian Farmers | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- House of Representatives asks the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, to defend N6bn requested for feeding of policemen during the 2019 general elections

- INEC adopts new method to check vote buying

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is demanding the sum of N6bn to feed policemen during the 2019 general elections.

The demand was made in the budget for the general elections presented to the House of Representatives by the commission on Wednesday, August 15, The Punch reports.

READ ALSO: Alaafin of Oyos twins rock Arabic attires as they arrive Saudi Arabia (photos)

Surprised by the figure, the lawmakers have asked the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, to defend the amount requested.

Members of the House of Representatives' committee on electoral matters are meeting with the commission to discuss the budget for the 2019 general elections.

The punch reports that INEC s chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, is in attendance at the meeting which was chaired by Aisha Dukku.

Meanwhile, polling booths are henceforth to be position in a way to make it difficult for people to see how voters cast their votes during elections, a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), announced in Awka on Monday, August 13.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Nkwachukwu Orji, the REC in charge of Anambra, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the measure was to make it impossible for anyone to know who a voter voted for.

The measure comes against the backdrop of massive vote-buying reported in recent elections in the country, including the governorship election in Ekiti, which analysts said, was characterised by vote-buying.

Ekiti State REC Reveals How INEC Will Stop Rigging In Forthcoming Election | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Nigeria- The family of a Nigerian professor allegedly killed in Namibia has demanded for justice

- Professor Cyril Ogbokor was said to have committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest

- But the family says the professor couldn't have shot himself, adding that he was never a violent person

The family of a 56-year-old associate professor, Cyril Ogbokor, has cried out for justice following the alleged murder of the Nigerian national in Namibia.

Sahara Reporters reports that the deceased was an associate professor, department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, faculty of Management, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).

Legit.ng gathers that the Namibian Police Force had claimed that Ogbokor committed suicide by shooting himself with his 7.65 mm pistol in the chest on Sunday, August 5, 2018.

The incident was said to have happened at his apartment in Pinnacle Court in Orban street, Klein Windhoek.

Rejecting the police claim, a family member simply identified as Roy, said: "With reliable information at our disposal, we, the Ogbokor family, are convinced that our brother and breadwinner, was brutally murdered in cold blood and we are demanding justice.

READ ALSO: Admiralty University to take off in October 2018 - Nigerian Navy Read

"There was no iota of truth in the report. We smelt a conspiracy in the report just in the bid to cover up what actually happened to our brother. As we talk, till this moment, our brother's wife, Mrs Gladys Ogbokor, has not deemed it fit to formally inform the family about the alleged suicide of her husband as being claimed.

"On August 5, 2018, at approximately 15:20hrs, we received a call from the eldest daughter of Professor Cyril Ayetuoma Ogbokor in Namibia, stating that her father, who is our elder brother had died. When we asked if it was a joke, she said it was true. We then asked what happened and how did he died. She stated that our brother shot himself in the bathroom. We then asked what his reasons were.

"She told us that her father sent a WhatsApp message to her mum, who was in church that he could no longer bear the back pain and that the mother should look after the children. The daughter also stated that it was when her mum came back from church that they found him lying on the floor in the bathroom with his mobile phone in his hand. On further questioning, she told us that she never heard the sound of a gunshot, as she was asleep having finished a night shift.

"After several days of the murder of our brother, Mrs Gladys Ogbokor, who is the wife of our late professor brother reluctantly told one of our brothers that her husband complained of not feeling well in the early hours of that fateful day, and that she made breakfast for him before leaving for church with her two other children, while the eldest was at home. Until this day, the head of the Ogbokor family has not been informed formally of this dastardly act."

According to the family member, the professor couldn't have shot himself because he was never a violent person.

He said: "It is not possible for our son, Professor Ogbokor, to shoot himself as he has never been a violent person. Suicide by gunshot is never aimed at the chest but at the head. If he allegedly committed suicide, why was his mobile phone found in his hand? Did the police do a measurement of the actual shot to the chest?

"If there was no suicide note as stated by the police, where did the police get their finding to conclude that our son actually committed suicide? Was there any autopsy carried out before the report of the Namibian Police Force? What was the duration of the Namibian police investigation on this case before jumping into conclusion? The world has the right to know, as the Namibian Police report was published less than 24hrs after the crime was committed.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Union in South Africa called for the arrests and prosecution of killers of Nigerians in that country.

The president of the union, Adetola Olubajo, blamed the incessant killings of Nigerians in South Africa on lack of prosecution of offenders by the authorities.

Nigerians protest against Xenophobia - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- As the 2019 general elections draw nearer, Senate president, Bukola Saraki is considering throwing a shot at the presidency

- Saraki told Bloomberg that he's considering running for the highest political office in the country

- He will be running against the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, if he wins the PDP's primary ticket

Senate president, Bukola Saraki, is said to be considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections.

According to Bloomberg, Saraki said in an interview at his residence in Abuja: "I am consulting and actively considering it. I believe I can make the change.

The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory.

"We have the opportunity with the right kind of presidential candidate and president to provide the leadership for the party. The party has a good opportunity to lead the country in the right direction.

Legit.ng notes that the Senate president said if he decided to run, he would run on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to him, he would have to win the PDP's primary ticket in October 2018, to run against the incumbent president.

READ ALSO: Osun decides: APC urges security agencies to probe PDP for allegedly cloning PVCs

Speaking on the siege laid to the National Assembly by security operatives on Monday, August 7, Saraki said: If a government can go and lock up an arm of government - and its never happened in our history - we should all be very concerned. We should not be surprised that they would use security agencies for elections.

Recall that Senator Saraki officially defected to the opposition party on Tuesday, July 31. He made the announcement on his official Twitter page.

Before then, there were speculations that Saraki may soon leave the APC following the defection of 13 lawmakers elected on the platform of the party to the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress.

Below is Bloomberg's headline:

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Senate president Bukola Saraki urged President Muhammadu Buhari as a matter of urgency to probe the siege laid to the National Assembly on Tuesday, August 7 by the operatives of the Department of State Services.

Saraki in a tweet on Tuesday, August 14, said that the serious questions about the siege laid to the National Assembly could only be answered through a thorough and neutral investigation.

Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Nigeria- Nigerians have reacted to Senate president Bukola Saraki's plan to contest against President Buhari in 2019

- Saraki told Bloomberg that he's considering running for the highest political office in the country

- He would be running against the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, if he wins the PDP's primary ticket

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the Senate president Bukola Saraki's plan to run against President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 general elections.

Legit.ng reported that Saraki, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to his former party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told Bloomberg that he was considering running against President Buhari in 2019.

It was gathered that while some Nigerians could not hide their grievances over Saraki's intention to run against President Buhari in 2019, others believe it is his constitutional rights to contest for any post in Nigeria, including that of president.

READ ALSO: The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015 - 9 things Saraki said as he considers running against Buhari 2019

In his comment, a Facebook user, Nofiu Adio Olalekan, who said he knew from the outset that Saraki would run against Buhari in 2019, added that the Senate president could not stop the president re-election next year.

He said: "I Knew this from outset, that is why he used to look Baba Buhari anyhow on many occasion, either u like it or not Buhari till 2023."

Another Facebook user, Omolola Gbenga, said: "Saraki is the best for the job, but for PDP to win they should give it to Hausa man from either northwest or northeast because they would not vote for Saraki. But Saraki is the best candidate for president."

Ikolo Ola, another Facebook user, challenged Saraki to mention any change he made in his Kwara state as the governor for eight years and the Senate president for three years.

"The change you couldn't make in your 8 yrs as Kwara governor in the state 3yrs as a Senete president. My advice: people pushing you are automatically leading you to your early grave wake up", he said.

Tunji Davies said: "That will be very interesting as all of them will know their electoral values against Buhari. I am loving it as many overrated politicians will know their real worth next year at the polls.

Prince Cool Adewodu remarked: "That is finally end of road for Saraki and PDP, parties of satanic looters group

In his reaction, Moses Ejah, said: "Uncle Saraki....wait wait I say wait.We know you are smart but you contest against Buhari you will fail and lose your Senate seat... we like you in Senate till Baba finishes another 4yrs."

Kenechukwu Victor said: "Obviously he has the support of north central, south-south and south-east. The southern parts of northwest likes him, southern part of northeast likes him. Na only west dey stubborn."

Owolabi Muyiwa Alexander reacted: "Trouble is on the way, if it happen to be. Can this guy tell us what he has done and done perfectly for his years in PDP before crossing to APC. Buhari might not be too good but this guy I don't trust him."

In his comment, another Facebook user, Adesuyi Oluwaseun Opeyemi, said: "I am not interested in the 2019 elections because, I am very sure Buhari will win, only if he contests. I am only interested in PDP primaries and how PDP would be shared or scattered after the primaries, by those selfish gangs.

"I am watching out for these teams: Obasanjo Vs Atiku, Obasanjo Vs Fayose, Atiku Vs Saraki, Saraki Vs Tambuwa and others. There will always be part 2."

Louis Chieke said: "If PDP gives Saraki presidential ticket, believe me, their will be more defection from APC to PDP."

In his tweet, Mr A @abumunara described Saraki's plan to contest against Buhari as infantite. He tweeted: "Infantile running. President of Kwara central."

Senate president, Bukola Saraki, is said to be considering to run against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections.

According to Bloomberg, Saraki said in an interview at his residence in Abuja: "I am consulting and actively considering it. I believe I can make the change.

The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory."

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- A man in Zimbabwe snuck into a hospitals female ward to make love to his wife who was admitted there

- The man had previously argued with the hospital nurses in the middle of the night; insisting that they allow him see his wife

- The woman later disclosed that she could not refuse to have sex with her husband because she could have been beaten in the presence of patients

A prominent restaurant owner in Zimbabwe is currently being investigated, after forcing his way into a female ward at Masvingo Provincial Hospital at 3am, to have sexual relations with his wife who was admitted at the facility.

The man carried out the act in the presence of ten other patients who were also admitted in the ward, Punch reports.

READ ALSO: 2 years after getting private jet as birthday gift from church, pastor impregnates member

Legit.ng learnt that prior to forcing his way into the ward, the man had argued with the hospital nurses in the middle of the night; insisting that they allow him see his wife.

The incident was confirmed by the hospitals medical director, Amedeus Shamu, who further disclosed that investigations had been opened into the matter.

He said: It was around 3am that patients who were disturbed by the noise coming from the ecstatic couple reported to the nurses that there was sex in the ward. The nurses summoned a security guard who got the man out of the ward.

Upon investigation, the wife subsequently informed nurses that her husband had an abusive nature, and that he may have beaten her up if she turned down his sexual overtures.

She reportedly told nurses: I could not refuse to have sex with him because I could have been beaten in the presence of patients, because he is very violent.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian woman identified as Caro Aku was abandoned by her husband after she fell seriously ill.

The woman who graduated with a degree in mathematics and computer science became ill after her appendix ruptured, leading to serious damage in her body.

How long can you last in bed? - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit- Governor Ahmed asked that the salary of workers be paid

- This is to allow them celebrate the Eid il Kabir festival

- Workers are expected to start receiving payment from Thursday

Ahead of the Eld-el-Kabir celebration, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has directed the Ministry of Finance to commence the immediate payment of August salary to workers.

The Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Ilorin, said arrangements have been concluded and a facility secured to ensure workers begin to receive salaries from Thursday.

READ ALSO: Man sneaks into hospital ward, makes love to ailing wife

He said the governors directive was to ensure that the workers have an enjoyable Sallah celebration.

Banu said the governors directive was coming at a time the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee had yet to meet.

According to him, this testifies to the governments commitment to the welfare of the people.

Banu said local government councils and SUBEB were also expected to pay their workers on Thursday, August 16.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng had reported that Kebbi state governor, Abubakar Bagudu and his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal have approved the immediate payment of August salaries to states and local government workers due to celebration of Eid-Kabir festival.

This is contained in a statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Abubakar Muazu Dakingari.

Leadership reports that the head of civil service of Kebbi state, Abubakar Udu Idris, disclosed that the payment is to enable civil servants celebrate the Eid-Kabir festival with their families.

Eid-el-Kabir: Why the ram killed must not exceed three days in your house - On Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit- Kingsley Moghalu, a presidential aspirant, says politicians in the country are clowns

- He questioned how people who didnt go to school can be ruling people who are educationally sound; and said it is time for something new

- Moghalu also opined that to fix the Nigerian economy, one must understand intellectually, what causes poverty and what builds the wealth of a nation

Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Young Progressive Party, has described Nigerian politicians as clowns who do not have the interest of citizens at heart.

He made the comment on Wednesday, August 15, during a book reading event organised by the management of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: Student group backs Buhari, Osinbajo for second term

Legit.ng gathers that Moghalu stated that politicians are busy crossing from one party to the other because of their own interests, instead of designing manifestos to impact positively on ordinary Nigerians.

He also condemned the recent invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said: Most politicians in Nigeria dont have respect for the rule of law. The impunity of the DSS to invade the National Assembly is unacceptable. If some of the agencies of the government cant respect the rule of law, how do you expect the president to respect the rule of law?

It is time for all of us as citizens of this nation to get involved in politics. Politicians keep on entertaining us with carpet crossing.

Every week, there is one defection or the other; people still spend time to defend politicians. We need to go to the polling booths in 2019 to vote them out.

Nigerias politics is not based on policies or intellectual understanding of the system but on sentiments, ethnicity and religion. We are either APC or PDP.

How can people who didnt go to school be ruling people who are educationally sound? The only reason this is happening is because we have continued to let it happen. It is time for something new, different and bold.

A leader must be ready to take calculated risks because humans like certainty. We like what we are used to. We know that our politicians are up to no good; but we still try to adapt with the situation.

That way, we will continue to perpetuate a cycle of poverty because we dont have leaders who can take the society forward.

The reason for my coming into politics is because I am just one citizen and I am tired of this mess we are in. You cannot build if you are a divider. We must look beyond ethnic division.

I am a Nigerian running to be a Nigerian president, and I have a vision for which we can fix this country. We lack leaders with vision who can rise to build a great nation.

To fix the Nigerian economy, you must understand intellectually, what causes poverty and what builds the wealth of a nation.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Kingsley Moghalu declared that he would create a new Nigeria if he wins the 2019 presidential election.

The former deputy CBN governor said he would launch a new Nigeria, starting from May 29, adding that nothing is working presently in the country.

Who is Nigeria's smartest politician? - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit- Ambassador James Barka insists he remains a member of the APC

- He admitted that he was visited by Adamawa PDP members

- The former acting governor said he was in support of President Buhari

Ambassador James Barka, former acting governor of Adamawa, has denied the recent reports of his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Barka, who is also a serving member of the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI), made this clarification while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Saraki to run against Buhari in 2019 - Bloomberg

Barka said that he did not defect from the APC and he was not contemplating doing so as he blamed some media organisations and social media for the Fake News and misinformation.

He said that he remained committed to working under the APC-led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his change agenda.

I am staying in APC because I believe in the transformation agenda of President Buhari and for me to contemplate to leave APC, I must be an insane person.

Some members of the PDP led by the Adamawa State Chairman paid me a courtesy call to seek my return to my former party, the PDP.

I categorically told them that I was a bonafide member of the APC and I am not contemplating leaving the APC.

I have gone across to my followers, sent them text messages and on social media that I am still a member of the APC and as such all my followers should remain.

The President has done excellent and I cannot see why I should defect to a party that showed so much impunity to me and my followers in 2014.

I am committed to APC and I will remain in APC, Barka said.

Barka, however, noted that his decision to remain in the APC was not because he was currently serving as a member of the PCNI.

He said that in 2014, he resigned his appointment as an Ambassador because he was leaving the PDP and so, he was not remaining in the APC for fear of dismissal.

Barka reiterated that he was still a member of the APC because he believes in the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, which has built infrastructure and provided the basic amenities for Nigerians.

He said that the present administration has recorded a lot of dividends of democracy and Nigerians would continue to see more dividends of democracy under the present government

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app.

Meanwhile, the presidency has lashed out at a Nigerian newspaper, Daily Independent for claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari is under pressure from foreign nations to drop his presidential ambition for 2019.

In a statement by Femi Adesina on Tuesday, August 14, he said the entire report was false.

He insisted that the president is held in high esteem by foreign nations and that his work is well appreciated.

President Buhari on 2019 Presidential Election: Will You Vote For Him? | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper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

A South Boston anti-busing protest in the 1970s (source)

As a new Democratic insurgency has risen over the last year, unions have clung tightly to the old guard.

 Aida Chavez & Ryan Grim, The Intercept

The modern progressive movement is far and away a very good friend of labor. The labor movement, on the other hand, seems far less a friend of progressives.

This varies from union to union, of course, and also within unions. There are many pro-progressive unions and union members. National Nurses United, for example, strongly supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary, and unions with many pro-Sanders members endorsed Clinton because their leaders unilaterally chose to do so.

Yet it seems that in the aggregate, organized labor has an anti-progressive tilt. Thats not the news though, just an observation. The news is that, for the first time in a while, progressives are noticing this fact, wondering in public what it might mean, and quietly asking each other what they should do about it.

My own comment: sure took a while. This problem has been obvious for quite a long time. But lets stick to the facts for today, look at the questions and leave the answers for later.

First, Aida Chavez and Ryan Grim raise an interesting question at The Intercept (see headline below). Note that not only is the underlying story  the union behavior  interesting, but also that this question is being asked at all:

Carpenters, Steamfitters, and Other Trade Unions Coalesced Around Notorious Ferguson Prosecutor. Why? St. Louis County, Missouri, labor unions spent heavily in an effort to re-elect prosecutor Bob McCulloch, who was ousted on Tuesday by criminal justice reformer Wesley Bell, campaign finance reports reveal. Its common for police unions to support prosecutors, but the labor groups who backed McCulloch came from the trade union movement: steamfitters, carpenters, electrical workers, and others with no obvious connection to the criminal justice system. Their support came in the form of both endorsements and campaign funds. The unions pumped in at least $25,000 of the $237,000 McCulloch raised during the campaign, arguing that his longtime support of organized labor deserved loyalty.

Its not just the racist Bob McCulloch whom many unions support; this is an emerging pattern (emphasis added):

As a new Democratic insurgency has risen over the last year, unions have clung tightly to the old guard. In New York, they sided with Rep. Joe Crowley over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and with Gov. Andrew Cuomo over Cynthia Nixon, even walking out of the Working Families Party on his orders. (In Missouri, the WFP supported Bell.) And the union backing is not limited to incumbents. Unions were firmly behind Gretchen Whitmer, who defeated Abdul El-Sayed in Michigans gubernatorial primary, for instance, and with Brad Ashford, a conservative Democrat who lost to insurgent Kara Eastman in an Omaha, Nebraska, congressional primary.

Next, lets turn to the climate front. Among retweets of progressives like Robert Reich by the United Mine Workers Twitter account, we find this response to progressive critics of the DNCs recent all of the above strategy of taking money from fossil fuel companies:

Your message to coal miners, refinery workers, O&G production workers, fossil fuel utility workers & families is we hate your industry so its OK to refuse industry $$. Cant then say say oh, YOUR money is OK. But we still hate your industry.  United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) August 11, 2018

Lets break this down. The DNC wants to keep feeding at the fossil fuel company trough. Progressives object to that and campaign to stop it. The UMW objects to progressive pushback and says to progressives, in effect:

You hate the industry we love.

You dont want industry money.

So you shouldnt want our money either.

As a statement of we just dont like you, this seems pretty clear, and not that far from a conversation that goes like this:

Spare some change? Im on your side.

But we dont like you.

Let me explain why you should.

I guess you werent listening. We dont like you.

Of course I was listening. Spare some change?

The three unions most opposed to oil and gas pipeline protests are the Operating Engineers (heavy equipment operators), Pipefitters and Laborers (LiUNA), whose president interestingly called those protestors thugs.

Its true that not all unions take these stands, and one could argue in defense of those that do that theyre just protecting jobs. But is that really all thats going on? Or is it also true that, when it comes to progressives and their values, theyre just opposed on principle?

Ill close with two more thoughts. As Chavez and Grim point out, police unions naturally support prosecutors and the criminal justice system. But is there not also a racial component to their support for obvious racists like like Bob McCullogh? If so, what values do these unions and those like them represent  true criminal justice, or something else? After all, actual justice would look like  justice.

Second, as noted above, the leadership of most large unions supported Hillary Clinton against Bernie Sanders despite Sanders lifelong and consistent support for workers and unions. As Elizabeth Bruenig asked in 2015, So why are the very unions that give Sanders money hesitant to lend him their endorsements?

Again that question, which brings us back to the question posed at the beginning: Why would unions that have nothing to do with criminal justice support a vengeful racist prosecutor like Bob McCulloch? Corrupt Joe Crowley? Powerful, corrupt Andrew Cuomo? Blue Dog Brad Ashford? And so many similar others?

These arent answers, only questions, but questions in need of asking.

As you ponder them consider both aspects of this issue. The problem isnt simply why so many unions oppose progressives. Its also, what should progressives, in their unbending support for unions, do about it? After all, if a progressive transformation of the nation is not just desirable but critical to our survival, how should those working forthat transformation deal with those working against it?

More pointedly, should anti-progressive unions be treated as allies, simply because theyre unions?

One more thing to watch as national problems grow worse, the need for solutions grows urgent, and progressives, or at least a few of them, take a brand new look at an old and seemingly unsolvable dilemma.Limerick senior hurling manager John Kiely is having a most unusual build up to an All-Ireland final with attending ballet shows and handing out results to Leaving Certificate students on his itinerary.

This morning John Keily, who has guided a young and talented group of players to an All-Ireland hurling final showdown with Galway on Sunday , met another group of ambitious young men at one of the most important stages of their lives.

John, the principal of the Abbey Secondary School in Tipperary Town, sat down with each Leaving Certificate student at the school to advise them on the next step in their lives.

While most students listened intently one student, Donnacha Looby a Limerick supporter f rom Pallasgreen, availed of the opportunity to put in a cheeky request for an All-Ireland ticket.

The week has been a busy one for John , "the day job" at the Abbey has to be looked after as does his family life with his daughter Ruth performing in the Children of Eden show at the Excel theatre all week.

"I am very proud of her,it's all ballet and dancing in our house this week and not about All-Irelands" said the Limerick manager who will be attending the Excel with his wife Louise and his other daughter Aoife.

First on the agenda was the handing out of the results and his passion for the job meant he was never going to miss such an important moment for young men he has seen work so hard to achieve thier goals.

"We are absolutely thrilled with the results,its great to see the lads when they realise they have enough points to get the course they wanted and that all their hard work has paid off" he said.

"It is a very important moment in their lives, everything is geared towads this moment for the last six years and it is important to come in and spend time with them and advise them on whats coming next for them.All the teachers are as full of ambition for them as they are of themselves.There is a great sense of satisfaction to see them move on with the next phase of their lives" said the Abbey principal.

Referring to the young Limerick team he has guided to the All-Ireland final he sees similarities with the journey taken ths year by his players and by his students.

"It is just like the students,the players have worked very hard, there is a great spirit and comeradarie among them.We have grown as a group because we have had to dig deep in a number of games that had been slipping away from us.We refused to allow that happen and kept fighting, we are enjoying our time together and there is a great sense of togetherness " said the Limerick manager.

In a busy week after fulfiling his role as school principal by handing out the Leaving results and proudly watching his daughter perform at the Excel John Kiely will have to turn his attentions to turning over the All-Ireland champions on Sunday.

"At the end of the day no Limerick person is satisfied by just getting to a final,it is really important that we can go out and put in a top performance to give ourselves a chance of winning on the day" said the manager.(Natural News) He supported avowed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential bid, the Occupy movement, and is a noted Left-wing professor emeritus from Harvard University and MIT.

He once called POTUS Donald Trump an ignorant, thin-skinned megalomaniac who is a greater evil than Hillary Clinton. He hated the Reagan administration, the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, and seemed to blame the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

But one area where Prof. Noam Chomsky has been consistent is his critique of the corporate (and now Big Tech) media and his solid defense of free speech. So given two facts alone, it should come as no surprise that he is the only committed Leftist/socialist who came to the defense of Infowars founder Alex Jones as his content and podcasts have been systematically banned from one social/tech/e-commerce platform after another by speech Nazis.

As Infowars Paul Joseph Watson reported:

This week, Apple, Facebook, YouTube, Spotify and numerous other Silicon Valley giants censored Infowars, with Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg personally taking the decision to do so in the case of Apple and Facebook.

Chomsky, who is internationally renowned as an authority on free speech issues, was asked by inventor and encryption expert Louis Buff Parry what his position was on Infowars being shut down by Big Tech.

What Ive seen of what he does is outrageous, but unlike many civil libertarians here and especially in other countries, I dont think that the right way to deal with hate speech and crazed fabrications is to ban them; rather, to confront them, and to seek and confront the reasons why anyone pays a moments attention to them, Chomsky responded from his official MIT email account.

Chomsky is a dying breed of liberal

He noted further that the real story about marginalization of opinion and information is, as always, radically different and undiscussed.

Chomsky was clear that hes not a fan of Jones, saying that he believed the interview he did with Jones in May 2001 was ridiculous. However, Parry too also strongly defended Infowars in the email exchange.

Free speech and multinational cabals must be checked, particularly when their monopoly corporate decisions lead to the reduction of our free speech rights, Parry noted. He then explained that he became intimately familiar with the First Amendment right during his days at the University of California-Berkeley in the 1960s, asserting further, Multinational corporations with no duty or loyalty to anyone have set out to collectively undermine the free speech rights of us all. He added: Who do these hidden rulers of the world think they are to form this kind of cabal? (Related: Boston Globe calls for coordinated media collusion to destroy Trump havent they already been doing that for three years?)

As NewsTarget has reported, the modern-day free speech movement began at Berkeley, but the same kind of Left-wing progressives who launched it then are responsible for censoring and banning speech and content today  sometimes on the campus of Berkeley.

Watson notes that Chomsky is one of a rapidly-dying breed of American liberal  one who supports freedom of speech and the First Amendment for all voices, no matter what. Hes been a consistent defender of free speech, noting, If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom of speech for views you dont like  the fundamental purpose for why our founders recognized it as a universal basic human right.

The plutocratic corporate elite led by Apple and Google have mainstream media in such lock-step control that in over two days not one publication has covered the incredibly newsworthy point that Professor Noam Chomsky has come out in defense of Infowars right to exist and pointed out the obvious danger of monopolies engaged in coordinated censorship of speech, Jones noted, adding that its thanks to the DrudgeReport.com breaking the blockade of news and information that more Americans are now aware of Chomskys support.

The Alt-Left wants to have it both ways: Free speech when their views are being promoted while reserving the right to censor views they disagree with.

Thats called tyranny.

Read more about Left-wing censorship at Censorship.news.

Sources include:

NewsTarget.com

InfoWars.com

TheNationalSentinel.comThe Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.



You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us!





Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous.

Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo.

Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter for

Borderland Beat?



We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email!





WARNING:

Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised.





COMMENTS:

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately.



(Natural News) Based on research that was presented at the American College of Cardiologys 67th Annual Scientific Session, individuals who have both Type 2 diabetes and heart failure, and take an aspirin daily, seem to have a lower risk of dying or being hospitalized for heart failure.

But surprisingly enough, the data showed that the intake of aspirin can also increase the risk of nonfatal heart attack or stroke.

The study was the first of its kind to examine aspirin as a preventive measure for patients with both diabetes and heart failure. Aspirin is a blood thinner and it is often recommended for individuals who have previously had a heart attack or stroke.

However, guidelines are vague when it comes to the use of aspirin as a preventive measure for patients who are at risk for cardiovascular disease but dont have a history of heart attack or stroke.

The results of earlier studies in individuals who have never experienced these kinds of health events had conflicting evidence concerning aspirins potential benefits in the general population. Meanwhile, several studies imply that the daily intake of aspirin could be harmful in patients with heart failure. (Related: Aspirin: The Good and The Bad.)

At least 27 million people in the U.S. have Type 2 diabetes while around 6.5 million adults in the country have heart failure, a condition where the heart is too weak to pump blood that the body needs to function. Both conditions are linked to higher risk for cardiac events, like heart attack and stroke. This study highlights the potential risks and benefits of aspirin for people with both conditions.

Dr. Charbel Abi Khalil, assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar and the studys lead author, explained that the paradoxical nature of the results surprised them. He added that this finding could be due to the patients age, stating that those who were 70 years old and older were more predisposed to more cardiac events.

The study authors used the health records of over 12,000 patients aged 55 and above who had Type 2 diabetes and heart failure but no record of atrial fibrillation, heart attack, peripheral artery disease, or stroke. The data came from a U.K. database known as The Health Improvement Network (THIN). At least half of the participants were prescribed daily aspirin and half were not.

Aspirin inhibits the bloods ability to clot by reducing the activity of platelets, which aggregate when clots form. Both diabetes and heart failure cause changes in the blood that makes clot formation more likely, and this is why these conditions are linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Dr. Abi Khalil said that diabetes and heart failure are connected to increased blood clotting activity. Since aspirin lowers platelet aggregation, it is believed that the drug can lower the chance of harmful blood clots forming, especially those that may cause heart attacks and strokes.

Dr. Abi Khalil warned patients to consult healthcare professionals first before they take aspirin.

The study was limited since it referenced the retrospective analysis of health records instead of a randomized controlled trial. Further research is required to help to confirm the findings, further elucidate the risks and benefits of aspirin use in this patient population, and potentially inform specific guidelines for treatment of patients with diabetes and heart failure.

Natural foods and nutrients that also act as blood thinners

If you have diabetes or heart failure, consider these natural blood thinners:

Cayenne peppers  Cayenne peppers may have a potent blood-thinning effect because they are rich in salicylates, the major ingredient in aspirin and other pain-relievers. They can also lower blood pressure and increase circulation.

 Cayenne peppers may have a potent blood-thinning effect because they are rich in salicylates, the major ingredient in aspirin and other pain-relievers. They can also lower blood pressure and increase circulation. Cinnamon  Cinnamon and cassia (its close cousin), both contain coumarin, a chemical that is an effective anticoagulant. Coumarin consumed with cinnamon and cassia may help lower blood pressure and relieve inflammation due to arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

 Cinnamon and cassia (its close cousin), both contain coumarin, a chemical that is an effective anticoagulant. Coumarin consumed with cinnamon and cassia may help lower blood pressure and relieve inflammation due to arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Turmeric  Curcumin, the main curative ingredient of turmeric, works on platelets to prevent blood from clotting.

 Curcumin, the main curative ingredient of turmeric, works on platelets to prevent blood from clotting. Vitamin E  Vitamin E is a mild anticoagulant.

You can read more articles about natural ways to prevent heart disease and other blood thinners at Heart.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Healthline.com(Natural News) Researchers are now looking to the mint plant as a possible alternative treatment for multidrug-resistant bacteria, according to a study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. A collaboration of researchers from INTA College, the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, and the Federal University of Ceara in Brazil found that the essential oil of the Mexican mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) contains antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity, after multiple tests on antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Species of Plectranthus, including P. amboinicus, has been studied due to its pharmacological properties in order to validate its popular use, the researchers noted in their report. However, studies about the action of this oil and its major component against planktonic and biofilm of drug-resistant S. aureus from food are still incipient.

For the study, the team evaluated the antibiotic and anti-biofilm properties of the essential oil of Mexican mint (PAEO) using drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (also known as staph) isolated from milk and shrimp. Interestingly enough, humans share a peculiar relationship with S. aureus: Its known to be a major human pathogen, but its often found on the skin of most individuals  including those who are healthy. In this setup, staph infections are highly unlikely. However, when it enters the bloodstream (either from a wound or ingestion), it can cause multiple infections  some of which are severe and life-threatening.

One such strain, known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is particularly difficult to treat because it is resistant to many antibiotics. In the U.S., at least one in three people carry staph in their nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, only two in 100 people with staph actually develop MRSA.

The findings revealed that the main component of PAEO is carvacrol, a phenolic compound also found in other aromatic plants. Earlier studies have already identified carvacrol and thymol as potential alternatives against antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Based on the assays, researchers found that all S. aureus strains were sensitive to both PAEO and carvacrol. This suggests that the antimicrobial properties of PAEO are linked to its high carvacrol content. Compared to PAEO, carvacrol isolates had a higher biological action against S. aureus over baseline essential oils. In terms of biofilm activity, both PAEO and carvacrol were able to reduce cell viability of S. aureus biofilm after exposure.

The research team concluded that the Mexican mint contained potential antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity on both standard S. aureus strains and those that are antibiotic-resistant.

Considering that P. amboinicus is a plant used in popular medicine practices in Brazil, more studies on the in vivo antibacterial and toxicity are recommended, they wrote.

Other health benefits that you can get from Mexican mint

P. amboinicus goes by different names, depending on its location: Aside from Mexican mint, its also called Spanish thyme, country borage, and other colloquial names. While the study focuses on its antibacterial activity, the plant is well known for its multiple health benefits. Here are just some of the benefits that Mexican mint provides.

It provides relief from symptoms of arthritis and osteoporosis.

It helps the digestive tract, especially in dealing with irritable bowel syndrome.

It inhibits the development of certain forms of cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer.

It supports the healthy development of the immune system.

It reduces stress and anxiety.

It regulates body temperature during a fever.

It functions as a diuretic to maintain kidney health.

It prevents macular degeneration and relieves eye stress.

A caveat, however, on using Mexican mint: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult with your healthcare professional before using the herb due to its potent mix of chemicals and compounds. (Related: Ancient herbal mint remedy is effective, safe pain reliever, new study finds.)

Learn more about the antibacterial properties of essential oils by following EssentialOils.news today.

Sources include:

Science.news

BMCComplementAlternMed.BioMedCentral.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

Journals.LWW.com

OrganicFacts.net(Natural News) Chinas new social credit score has earned plenty of scorn, but it seems similar practices are already being adopted here in the United States. According to recent reports, an American college student was just denied admission to a premiere university for the simple fact that he followed Alex Jones, founder of InfoWars, on Twitter. Jones, whose website is currently under attack, has been the subject of left-wing ire for quite some time and was unceremoniously ousted from a litany of social networks, including Facebook, Apple, Google and other smaller networks like Spotify and Stitch.

Now that the left-wing is feeling emboldened by the banning of Alex Jones and InfoWars, it seems who you follow on social media is more important to college admissions than the actual merit of their students.

Bradely Shear, of Shear on Social Media Law, Life & Tech, writes that he recently had a 17-year-old client that was discriminated against by an affluent university over following Alex Jones on Twitter.

My client, a teenager expected to talk about his stellar grades, top test scores, amazing extracurricular activities and volunteer work, but the interviewer focused on who he was connecting with online. My client had never liked or re-tweeted any of Mr. Jones content. His alleged transgression was that he followed Mr. Jones on Twitter. That was it, Shear writes.

This blatant political discrimination prompted the teens parents to seek legal counsel. According to Shear, the college did not want to receive any negative backlash for the actions of a member on the admissions committee and the issue was resolved quickly. But, that may not always be the case.

Is the Left offended enough yet?

Recall this: Last year, 10 would-be Harvard students had their admission revoked because they were part of a Facebook messaging group called Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teens. The group shared memes, some of which were deemed offensive by Harvard officials. Ten students ended up losing their spots at the Ivy league school because they were sharing memes online with their friends.

The inanity of ousting students over memes cannot be stated enough. Memes are meant in jest. They are pictures with funny words on them. As the definition of a meme describes, an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media. Harvard rescinded these applicants admission not because of their academic merits but simply because of their sense of humor, and perhaps their political leanings.

All of this just smacks of Chinas latest authoritarian advancement, the social credit score system. Under the social credit system, Chinese citizens can find themselves banned from traveling, unable to buy property or even unable to send their children to private school  all because theyve been blacklisted under the governments social credit system.

This is where we are headed if the always-offended Left continues to grow.

The notion that being offended by someones sense of politics or humor is enough to warrant barring someone from a university is simply unacceptable. The new moral high ground of the left-wing is to simply be offended by everything conservatives say and do, and then impede their rights in the name of protecting the public.

The new war on hate speech has given leftists carte blanche to censor and ostracize anyone who challenges their authoritarian narrative. Even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself has admitted before Congress that he cannot define hate speech. But yet, the term hate speech is being used by the Left as a tool to take down conservatives across the board.

InfoWars and Alex Jones are under attack right now because of some phony crime that Big Tech cant even describe. Where does it end? See more coverage of the thought police at ThoughtPolice.news.



Sources for this article include:

EducationViews.org

ShearSocialMedia.com(Natural News) A shocking new report has revealed that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, personally made the decision to ban Alex Jones. While its true that when the average user gets banned, there may not be any humans involved at all, it turns out the attack on InfoWars started at the top of the social media network.

As The New York Times reported, Zuckerberg got personally involved in the case of Alex Jones because of how volatile the situation had become.

The Times reports:

His evaluation of Infowars took the form of a series of technical policy questions. They included whether the mass-reporting of Infowars posts constituted coordinated brigading, a tactic common in online harassment campaigns. Executives also debated whether Mr. Jones should receive a strike for each post containing hate speech (which would lead to removing his pages as well as the individual posts) or a single, collective strike (which would remove the posts, but leave his pages up).

According to the Times, an insider at Facebook revealed further that Zuckerberg was the first person to think about banning Jones  and that he discussed his next steps with Apple CEO Tim Cook before taking further action.

Apple ultimately beat Facebook to the censorship punch, prompting the Zuck to decide that Jones posts and pages would all be removed from the network. Not to be outdone, it seems the censorship zealots are already trying to up the ante. Liberal politicians are already demanding that more conservatives be censored  and not just on Facebook, but across the entire internet.

Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, recently called on Big Tech to do more than just take down InfoWars.

Infowars is the tip of a giant iceberg of hate and lies that uses sites like Facebook and YouTube to tear our nation apart. These companies must do more than take down one website. The survival of our democracy depends on it, Murphy declared over Twitter.

Most liberty-loving Americans would say that preserving our First Amendment right is whats integral to the survival of democracy in the United States  not blatant censorship of conservative viewpoints. Coloring censorship as a means to preserve freedom is about as Orwellian as you can get. The Ministry of Truth was the ministry of propaganda, after all.

Mark Zuckerberg and other Big Tech leaders may have crowned themselves as arbiters of truth, but their purpose is no different: They are eliminating divergent thought, one step at a time.

First it was the war on fake news, now the tech industry is banning conservatives under the guise of protecting the masses from alleged hate speech. Under the hate speech paradigm, virtually any opinions or thoughts that go against the left-wing grain can be targeted. Ultimately, Silicon Valley giants have given themselves the power to silence anyone, for any reason, at any time.

Mike Adams, founder of Natural News and Brighteon.com, recently called out Big Tech. Its clear that this censorship effort was a coordinated, criminal racketeering effort. Number one is that the Department of Justice should now arrest the CEOs of all of these companies: Google, YouTube, Facebook, Spotify, all those who censored InfoWars. They should be arrested right now and charged with RICO Act violations. They are running a criminal racket, an online racket with the purpose of silencing all voices with which they disagree, Adams declared.

See the rest of Adams statement below, and check out more banned content at Brighteon.com  a video-sharing network where freedom of speech still exists.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

Breitbart.comPlastic pollution is more than just accumulating waste in our lands and oceans, after all. A new study reveals that plastic releases greenhouse gases as it breaks down, adding effect to global warming and climate change.

New Discovery On Plastic And Environment

As plastic breaks down into microplastics, it releases various chemicals into the air. This study published in PLOS One finds that degradation of common plastic such as polyethylene  used often to make shopping bags  produces two greenhouse gases: methane and ethylene.

Methane does not last in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide (which is a more common greenhouse gas) does, but it is reported to be about 84 times more potent than carbon in absorbing heat.

Sarah-Jeanne Royer, lead of the research team in University of Hawaii, explains that emissions from plastic are intensified by exposure to sun.

"Aided by solar radiation, the plastic will degrade and become microplastic, and the more the plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, the more it will produce greenhouse gases," Royer told the Canadian Press.

Plastic Pollution And Greenhouse Effect: What Do They Do?

Plastics are polymers  long chains of repeating molecules connected together.

Plastics are widely used for being durable, low cost, and easy to manufacture. They can be found in water bottles, car parts, prosthetic limbs, and everyday products.

This timeline by the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education estimates that the average water bottle marine debris takes at least 100 years to biodegrade.

While this study is the first to document the greenhouse contribution of plastic when it degrades, the role of plastic in gas emissions has been known to us for a while. It starts from the production of plastic itself.

Plastic Manufacturing's Greater Role In Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency finds the link of plastic production to climate change in the use of fossil fuels. For instance, petroleum products are used as raw materials in manufacturing plastic while energy from oil or natural gas powers the production.

To extract these fossil fuels, they have to be drilled from Earth  releasing carbon monoxide, possibly leaking methane and many other toxic emissions.

With the increasing amount of plastic manufacturing, the World Economic Forum estimates that plastic industries use 6 to 8 percent of the global oil production. The number is expected to rise by 2050 to 20 percent.

Holding Big Producers Accountable

Nina Jensen, CEO of Rev Ocean, listed increased accountability to producers, greater research efforts to find alternative materials, and international agreements as essential steps to solving the problem on plastic.

"Instead, alternatives to non-degradable plastics must be developed, and the industries responsible for the major plastic wastes must be targeted with specific industry agreements and producer liability arrangements." she wrote.A young boy from North Carolina almost lost his life after a mosquito bite caused seizures and swelling in his brain.

After the ordeal, his mother, LoriAnne Surrett, is urging parents to use bug spray on their children after her son's terrifying brush with La Crosse encephalitis.

Mosquito Bite Leads To Severe Infection

In a Facebook post, Surrett explains that Noah, 6, began complaining of a headache on Saturday, Aug. 4. He took children's pain medication and then went on to spend the night at his grandmother's house.

The next day, Surrett's mother-in-law called, telling her that the child still had a headache. Later, Noah was rushed to the hospital after "not acting right."

By the time Surrett and her husband got to Noah, a paramedic had already arrived as well. At this point, the child was limp, his lips had turned blue, and his temperature was 102.3 degrees.

Noah had two seizures before getting to the hospital where he was immediately admitted to the pediatric ICU.

After several tests including a spinal tap, doctors diagnosed the 6-year-old with La Crosse encephalitis, which is a virus that is transmitted through mosquito bites.

Noah spent most of his time in the following days sleeping, while his medical team gave him an extensive cocktail of medication for the virus, seizures, and pain.

On Thursday, Aug. 9, Surrett posted another social media update announcing that her little boy is finally awake and responsive.

"He talked about snakes, the fire he saw on the tv, and how he wanted to go home," she wrote on Facebook. "He slept about 3 hours and hes up again and almost back asleep ... prayers are working he still has a ways to go but after five days not hearing that sweet little voice, I swear it was the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

About La Crosse Encephalitis

CDC says that La Crosse encephalitis virus is more common in in the upper Midwestern, mid-Atlantic, and southeastern states than other regions.

There are no immediate symptoms, but the first ones to crop up include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and tiredness.

As in the case of Noah, severe cases of the disease can cause seizures as well as coma and paralysis. Most of the severe cases occur in individuals below the age of 16.

While rare, long-term disease or death is possible from La Crosse encephalitis.

The best way to avoid infection is to prevent mosquito bites. Bug spray is a must, but other techniques such as wearing long clothing and even staying indoors can be a good idea during mosquito season.The Oakland-based contractor whose worker was struck and killed by a steel beam in the Twin Peaks Tunnel seismic retrofit project told San Francisco transit officials late last year that the firm had not been cited for serious and willful worker safety violations.

But an NBC Bay Area investigation found that the company, Shimmick Construction, had been tied to 11 prior accidents, and nearly 50 worker safety violations in the last decade  including serious citations related to one incident that dates to 2011 originally classified as willful. The company challenged the willful allegations and the final decision appears to remove the willful designation.

The companys safety track record is being examined in light of the accident, last Friday, that claimed the life of 51-year-old Patrick Ricketts of Williams (Colusa County), a signal technician on the Twin Peaks project.

According to city officials, a steel beam fell and pinned Ricketts, killing him. The company had been facing an Aug. 25 deadline to complete the retrofit of the 100-year-old tunnel. On Tuesday night, it was not clear if that deadline was still in effect.

The death of Ricketts is the second fatality involving Shimmick and its joint partners in the last decade, according to NBC Bay Areas review of Cal/OSHA records.

Those records show that since 2008, Shimmick Construction and its partners have been involved in eleven other accidents and a total of 47 worker safety violations.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesman Paul Rose said in order to pre-qualify companies to bid on projects such as the Twin Peaks Tunnel, the SFMTA uses an industry-wide standard that takes into account their workers' compensation claims as well as safety record.

"Shimmick represented they met those requirements," Rose said.

In documents obtained by NBC Bay Area, Shimmick checked "NO" when asked "In the past ten years, has the Potential Bidder (or if a joint venture partnership, has any member of the partnership) been cited for any serious and willful safety violations by Cal-OSHA?"

Shimmick spokesman John Gallagher on Tuesday declined to comment on Cal/OSHA violations, but provided the following statement:

"The safety of our employees and the public is core to everything we do. We are all deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy and we are working with all relevant agencies as they continue to investigate the matter.

Records show that the company was cited for serious worker safety violations stemming from the November 2016 death of a forklift operator at a pump station construction site in Moorpark in Ventura County.

Cal/OSHA found that the Shimmick Construction Co. worker was not wearing a seatbelt and had the door open when he lost control of the forklift while driving down a dirt slope. The rig overturned into a trench and he was pinned between the forklift and the dirt wall.

OSHA issued six violations, including three serious allegations. The citations carry a total fine of $48,400, but the action is still under appeal.

The company was previously cited for serious and willful violations stemming from incidents that date to 2011. Records show that the company and its joint venture partner, Obayashi Corp. -- was cited 14 times stemming from workers having twice struck a 2 diameter exposed gas line with a back hoe at a water treatment plant job site in Yorba Linda (Orange County).

The state worker safety investigation of the first incident in March 2011 was underway when, the following month, a second back hoe operator hit the same gas line, with the same foreman in charge.

That foreman was ultimately found to have been aware of the actual location of the active gas line and in spite of that awareness instructed the backhoe operator to dig a trench near the unprotected line, according to a 2015 OSHA appeals board ruling.

There was also no spotter to assure that such a line would not be struck.

Although no one was injured, the company was originally sanctioned for a serious willful violations for the dig-in incident and for not assuring that the walls of a trench were properly shored against cave-ins despite recent rains.

The company appealed that decision and eventually was fined $197,000. Although the original citation mentions the alleged serious and willful nature of two of the violations, the final determination, while upholding the gravity of the allegations, appear to classify the conduct as serious but not willful.

A willful allegation requires the accused to have knowingly and intentionally violate a regulation. But the conduct cited by the appeals boards final ruling amounted to a pattern that was willful in nature, even though the final classification is simply willful.

Here, there was more than an isolated violation. Employers program was not effective and was not implemented, the OSHA appeals board ruling on the case concluded in 2015.The arrest of a registered sex offender on suspicion of kidnapping and child molestation in San Diego over the weekend has raised questions about the sex offender tracking system.

Officials who track sex offenders in San Diego County say they knew he was living on the same street as a school and a park but say the man was compliant under the law.

Francisco "Frankie" Diaz, the man arrested in the kidnapping of a girl from her family's Oak Park home Saturday, had prior charges, including misdemeanor charges of molestation involving juveniles.

He served four years in state prison for false imprisonment and possession of a controlled substance beginning in 2007.

When the 46-year-old sex offender was released from custody, he was required to register on the Megan's Law website, which he did. But when NBC 7 looked on the site's neighborhood map, Diaz did not show up at his Oak Park address on Maple Street.

Attorney Marc Carlos told NBC 7 that is not unusual.

The more serious ones are listed by address but there are a large number of people who are registered sex offenders who don't necessarily have to do that by law, Carlos said.

There are three categories or levels of reporting for sex offenders on the Megans Law website by full address, zip code and no post at all.

On August 14, there were 43,808 offenders who were required to post their information and an address, 12,071 who had to post their information and only a zip code and 16,575 who did not need to post at all, according to the website, which updates the numbers regularly.

Based on Diazs criminal record he was required to give only his zip code.

The San Diego County SAFE Task Force tracks offenders. They told NBC 7 they were aware of Diaz, that he lived across the street from Oak Park Elementary School and that he was compliant prior to his arrest on Saturday.

Diaz is accused of kidnapping a 3-year-old child from an open window in the girl's bedroom and taking her to his home two doors away, San Diego police said.

He was held without bail and scheduled for arraignment Wednesday on allegations of kidnapping, threat to cause death, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor and sodomy with a minor.

Apparently this individual had complied with all aspects of the laws that were applicable to him, Carlos said.

Also, NBC 7 checked with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Division of Adult Parole Operations and Board of Parole Hearings with the state, and they said Diaz has completed his parole in 2012 and is no longer under their supervision.

The public needs to know this particular system this Megans law the law system to use has been vetted by the legislature by the district attorneys Association everybody really to come up with a system that works for the most part, said Carlos.What to Know President Donald Trump's star is once again in pieces after it was smashed overnight near Hollywood and Highland by a man with a pickax

The destroyed star, presented for his 'Apprentice' role in 2007, became a target for vandals during then-candidate Trump's campaign in 2016

Walk of Fame star recipients are selected by a committee that considers hundreds of applications each year, then purchased

The vandalism suspect who smashed President Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pieces with a pickax pleaded not guilty Wednesday and detailed why he felt compelled to destroy the sidewalk monument.



Austin Clay, 24, of Glendale was charged with a felony count of vandalism in connection with the July 25 case. Officers were called around 3:30 a.m. to the star's location on Hollywood Boulevard near Highland Avenue, where they found a small pile of rubble in place of the star that Trump received in January 2007 for his role in the NBC show "The Apprentice."

Outside of court Wednesday, Clay said he felt compelled to smash the star because of Trump's rhetoric.

"When I look at the lineage of presidents, I don't think anything about his rhetoric is presidential," Clay said. "There was urgency behind my actions. I feel like I've been called to do what I did."

He was asked if he'd do it again.

"I think that somebody else is going to do it," Clay said. "I did my job, so to speak."

Clay reported the crime and turned himself in to Beverly Hills police after leaving the pickax at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His attorneys explained Wednesday that Clay doesn't dispute smashing the star.

"There's been no dispute about the act," said attorney David Pourshalimi. "We dispute whether or not his actions were criminal."

As daylight arrived on the morning of the pickax destruction, Walk of Fame visitors stopped to take pictures of the smashed star and have a closer look. Some visitors kept pieces as souvenirs.

The Walk of Fame is administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which issued a statement.

"The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an institution celebrating the positive contributions of the inductees," said Leron Gubler, President-CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. "When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark. Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property."

This is at least the second time Trump's star has been vandalized in the last two years.

In October 2016, a man dressed as a construction worker smashed the star with a pickax and sledgehammer. James Otis pleaded no contest to felony vandalism in February 2017 and was sentenced to three years probation, 20 days of community service and agreed to pay $4,400 for the damage.

Also in 2016, the star was defaced by spray paint and even surrounded by an artist's 6-inch high wall, a miniature representation of then-candidate Trump's border wall proposal.

Walk of Fame star recipients are selected by a committee that considers hundreds of applications each year. The stars are purchased for $30,000, rather than gifted.There is a mini housing boom going on in East Palo Alto, which, according to Zillow, will soon boast an average home price of $1 million. Even the small homes here are suddenly going for big money.

Real estate agents like Holly Barr said you can thank, or blame, the nearby tech boom.

"Yeah, people are getting out of here, spreading to where they can get a little more space and yet still work for the tech industry to get their nice income," Barr said.

East Palo Alto in the 1980s was known as America's murder capital. Now there is a $2,000 a month French immersion school in the area.

East Palo Alto is not the only local place joining the "million median" club. Zillow also said Daly City, Alameda, Newark and Morgan Hill are also about to hit a median housing price of a million bucks. Those in the city now said they are lucky they got in when they did.

And here's another stat to put things in perspective: Zillow says of the 200 communities in the county where homes average a million dollars each, a third are here in the Bay Area.The business community has reiterated its call to authorities to provide incentives in order to improve the countrys competitiveness and productivity, to help spur the countrys exports.



The Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) Chief Executive Officer, Mmantlha Sankoloba has prepared a dossier to help government identify gaps on local export capacity. The report has already been shared with government for consideration.

It is well-known that developing export capacity is a critical driver of firm level competitiveness and productivity, said Sankoloba, adding that thriving exports also have a ripple effect on sustained poverty reduction and job creation.



It equally worries the Association to see a lot of youth roaming the streets, we have so much potential in manufacturing and we need a strategy to retain the investors.

She said a lot of effort should be channeled on export development (goods and services) to create deep and durable markets and diversification of the economy to facilitate inclusive growth.



Export capacity development activities that focus on sectors and markets where smaller producers as well as the poor are better represented can have real sustainable pro-poor trade impacts. Within the smaller landlocked countries, such as Botswana, exports led growth is a key priority to drive productivity, Sankoloba said.



Though calls to improve the countrys exports revenue is now sounding like an old record, Sankoloba said government, trade support institutions and private sector should support competitiveness with a coherent strategy. There is no pivotal point, where we meet and everyone is doing their own things, which, unfortunately is detrimental to trade, said the BEMA CEO.



Sankoloba wants government to improve advocacy on key issues such as competition, standards, tax and inclusiveness of the benefits from trade and transport facilitation and private sector development.

Over the years Botswana has performed badly on AGOA, a trade programme that give preferential trade quotas for the country to export into the US.



BEMA argues that in order for local exporters to maximise utilisation of AGOA, authorities should improve the ease of doing business, provide export incentives and an inducement or reward to the exporters. Botswanas exports efforts are crippled by high costs of transportation and logistics, lack of skilled manpower and the inability to import the required manpower due to difficulties faced in obtaining work and residence permits and lack of any incentives or funding for upgrading of equipment and replacements to meet quality standards set by overseas buyers and companies.



The Association also notes the non availability of training facilities locally for providing specialized skills required to operate, and maintain state of the art equipment, lack of access to land to expand existing manufacturing facilities.

On the other hand, other AGOA eligible countries such as Lesotho have competitive advantage over Botswana as they have incentives.



Sankoloba said the country has lost a few manufacturers to its peers in the region due to lack of incentives.

We need incentives, it has not been easy for them (manufacturers and exporters) but they stick around. Its about time government listen to the private sector, calling for authorities to start implementing short-term initiatives.The body of a firefighter who died battling the Mendocino Complex fires was escorted from Ukiah to the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport by an honor guard Wednesday afternoon so his remains can be returned to Utah.

Battallion Chief Matthew Burchett of the Draper City Fire Department died Monday after suffering injuries while working near the unincorporated community of Pillsbury.

Abbeville Police Department/AP

Burchett was transported by helicopter to Ukiah Valley Medical Center but ultimately died of his injuries. He was 42, and had 20 years experience as a firefighter.

"As you can imagine, our hearts are heavy as we digest this tragic news," Draper City Mayor Troy Walker said in a statement Tuesday. "Last night, we lost one of our Draper firefighters, a true hero."

California Gov. Jerry Brown also issued a statement about Burchett's death.

"Firefighters from across the nation, and world, have selflessly battled California's massive wildfires and sadly today we mourn the loss of one of those heroes," Brown said.

"Our hearts ache for his wife and young son, family members, loved ones, colleagues with the Draper City Fire Department and the entire state of Utah," Brown said.

A procession for a firefighter killed while battling the Mendocino County fire was held Wednesday.

Flags in Sacramento will be flown at half-staff in Burchett's honor, Brown said.

The funeral procession started at 2:30 p.m. at Eversole Mortuary in Ukiah, then headed to southbound U.S. Highway 101 via North State Street and Lake Mendocino Drive before exiting at Airport Boulevard for the Sonoma County Airport.

Fire officials have asked that the privacy of Burchett's family be respected.

A fundraiser for his family has been set up by the Utah Firefighters Emerald Society. Anyone looking to donate can find it online at http://www.utahfes.org.

[NATL-BAY] PHOTOS: California's Largest Wildfire on RecordOfficials with International Bird Rescue said staff members are treating more hungry and exhausted young Common Murres at the rescue's Fairfield wildlife hospital this summer.

More than 100 murres have been admitted to intensive care at the San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center in Fairfield.

The birds are starving and many chicks have contaminated feathers from oil and bilge in the water along the Northern California Coast from Monterey Bay north to Marin County, spokesman Russ Curtis said.

The recent increase in the arrival of murres is among the 2,500 water birds treated at International Bird Rescue's centers in Fairfield and Los Angeles.

Murres are starving because altered climate and changing ocean environments cause fish stocks to move farther from the birds' feeding grounds. People see the birds on the beach and they bring them to International Bird Rescue, Curtis said.

"We feed and wash them and give supportive care, but we can't stop the shortage of fish," Curtis said.

"We usually get some murres in May, but it picked up in July when we got 60 to 70 in a week or two. It's not slowing down," Curtis said.

The young murres that are dehydrated are fed a mash then capelin and other small fish, Curtis said.

Murres are dark, two-toned birds that are sometimes confused with penguins. They can fly in the air three weeks after birth and "fly" under water by using their wings to propel themselves.

Murres breed on rocky cliffs along northern coastal waters up to the Bering Sea, and a large breeding colony is located on the Farallon Islands, 30 miles from San Francisco.

The young murres leave their nest with their fathers to learn how to forage for fish. They are superb divers as adults and can dive as deep as 200 feet below the ocean surface.

In addition to constant feeding, International Bird Rescue provides warm water pools, washes, medications and vitamin supplements.

"We give the birds a second chance," Curtis said.

International Bird Rescue relies on public donations, some state grants and corporate sponsors for funding. An anonymous donor recently gave $50,000, and donations can match that amount at givinggrid.com/emurregency.An increasing number of immigrants from Mexico are signing their United States-born children up for dual citizenship in fear of deportation.

"Some of them are afraid if they have to go back to Mexico," said Carlos Escudero from San Jose's Mexican Consulate. "They want to be on the safe side with their documents."

Last year, the number of applicants for dual citizenship doubled at San Joses Mexican consulate, to almost 1,500, compared to 2016. This year, the numbers are keeping pace.

The list of those looking for dual citizenship includes residents with green cars who fear of potential changes to U.S. rules for legal immigrants.

The consulate said dual citizenship would allow the American-born children immigrants to go to school in Mexico, as Mexicans, not as foreigners. This means they would not have to pay international fees, and they would qualify for the countrys universal healthcare, perks that are not provided to non-citizens in Mexico.

"Im very proud to be Mexican, and I want my daughter to be Mexican too, like me," said Karina Romero, who was at the consulate to sign up her daughter Gimena, who was born in the U.S., for dual citizenship.

Though the Romeros are doing it mostly for cultural pride, the consulate said the fear is real, even for legal immigrants who are increasingly unsure about their status in this county.It has a funny name, but its targeting a serious problem. San Francisco is rolling out the "Poop Patrol."

Next month, two city crews will begin patrolling and cleaning the parts of San Francisco that generate the most complaints about human and pet waste on sidewalks. The Department of Public Works says its going to concentrate on the area between Van Ness Avenue and the bay, with particular attention to Polk Street and the Tenderloin area.

The development comes after a NBC Bay Area investigation detailed an alarming amount of trash, drug needles and feces scattered across the city. The report centered around a 153-block survey of downtown San Francisco, revealing trash on every block, 100 needles and more than 300 piles of feces along the 20-mile stretch of streets and sidewalks. The report spotlighted a preschool teacher who said part of her duties was teaching young children how to avoid the contamination.

San Francisco already spends millions of dollars cleaning up the streets but Public Works is still flooded with complaints  about 65 a day.



Polk and Pine and the surrounding alleyways, especially, have been the focus of thousands of complaints.

Mayor London Breed is dedicating $1 million to what is being dubbed the Poop Patrol: Five employees and a supervisor whose job will be to get ahead of the complaints by scouting out problem areas, installing pit stop toilets and cleaning up waste.

"Ive had to do deal with it myself in front of my home, and its not a pleasant feeling," Breed said. "I want to change San Francisco for the better. I want to clean up the city."

Mohammed Nuru, the head of Public Works, says the two trucks and six employees represent a shift from reacting to complaints to being more proactive.

Residents say human waste is a big problem.

"I even see people pooping next to my car when Im in the car parking," resident Dawa Sherpa said.

Resident Rose Smith added: "They run into places like public places, and people tell them, 'Well we dont have a restroom for you,' and then they just dump on the street."

Mayor Breed told NBC Bay Area last month in her first one-on-one interview since taking office that she has encouraged homeless advocacy groups to talk to their clients about cutting down on the problem.



Supervisor Hillary Ronen has said that part of the root of the problem is that the city has been too focused on permanent housing for the homeless and neglected to provide enough temporary shelter, which can provide the homeless with a respite from the streets.

San Francisco spent $65 million on street cleaning last year and plans to add nearly $13 million in additional spending over the next two years. Nuru has estimated that half of his street cleaning budget has gone toward cleaning up feces and needles from homeless encampments and sidewalks.

A single pile of human waste, Nuru has said, takes at least 30 minutes for one of his staffers to clean.

Asked if $1 million is enough money to make a difference, Nuru said it's a start.

"Hey, this is our city, and we have to do whatever it is going to take to make sure our city is clean and safe for people to walk and is a city that everyone loves," he said.Uber is still struggling to make money while the ride-hailing service's CEO deals with the headaches left behind by his predecessor.

The second-quarter results released Wednesday show Uber's pioneering service continues to reel in more passengers and revenue, despite a variety of debacles that have tarnished its reputation and spurred some disillusioned riders to defect to its main U.S. rival, Lyft.

That has further complicated one of Uber's biggest challenges  proving it can mature into a profitable business nearly a decade into its existence.

That's something that CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has predicted Uber will eventually do, but for now it makes more sense to aggressively spend money on marketing, promotions and expanding into other areas of transportation, such as its recent investment in scooter-rental startup Lime.

Uber fared better from April through June than it did a year ago. After paying its drivers, covering promotions, and various other items, Uber recorded net revenue of $2.8 billion, a 63 percent jump from a year ago. The increase stemmed largely from fewer incentives offered to drivers and fewer discounts given to passengers.

The San Francisco company lost $891 million in the quarter, narrowing from a loss of $1.06 billion at the same time last year.

Gross bookings on the ride-hailing service brought in $12 billion, up 41 percent from a year ago. Excluding operations that have been sold during the past year, gross bookings surged 49 percent. Those numbers are encouraging because it shows Uber is still attracting riders in droves, despite tougher competition from Lyft.

"We had another great quarter, continuing to grow at an impressive rate for a business of our scale," Khosrowshahi said in a statement. "Going forward, we're deliberately investing in the future of our platform."

The second-quarter loss marked a return to form for Uber after it posted a profit of nearly $2.5 billion during the first three months of the year. That anomaly was generated by a windfall from Uber's sale of operations in Southeast Asia and Russia.

Uber has consistently lost money since its inception, including a $4.5 billion setback last year.

The losses stem from Uber's efforts to introduce and then hook consumers on the concept of being able to summon a ride on a smartphone app and then have drivers working as independent contractors pick them up within a few minutes. As an enticement, Uber historically has offered prices below the cost of providing its service, after paying for the drivers and other expenses.

Uber's early investors are betting heavily that the company eventually will be able to come up with a money-making formula. They have valued Uber at $62 billion in privately negotiated investments, an assessment that will be put to the test if the company follows through on its current plan to sell its stock in an initial public offering next year.

To prepare for the IPO, Uber has been trying to prune its losses and minimize the damages from revelations about a corporate culture that cultivated or allowed a pattern of sexual harassment , a yearlong cover-up of a major computer break-in and the use of duplicitous software to dupe government regulators.

Uber's efforts to develop self-driving cars also have been bogged down during the past year amid allegations that it stole technology from a Google spinoff and a fatal collision involving one of its robotic cars that ran over a pedestrian in Arizona. And on Tuesday, New York City's mayor signed a bill that would impose a yearlong cap on new licenses for ride-hailing apps and also allow the city to set a minimum wage for drivers. New York is the largest American market for Uber.The Superintendent of Plainfield Schools is searching for a new school for more than 300 fourth-grade and fifth-grade students after a fire damaged a school late Tuesday night.



Firefighters said they were called to The Plainfield Memorial School on Canterbury Road shortly before midnight after getting a report of an activated fire alarm.

When firefighters arrived, they determined there was an active fire in the building and additional fire departments, including Moosup, Central Village, Atwood Hose, Danielson and South Killingly were called in to help fight it.

The fire was located in several administrative rooms on the second floor of the school, firefighters said. It took about an hour to get the fire under control. A significant amount of smoke was also ventilated from the building.

"The heat was so intense in the location of where it was that it burned through one of the water mains so most of the damage we're seeing is water on the second level and the first level in the rear midsection of the building. And that seeps across the cafeterias, into some of the classrooms. It'll be a lot of recovery including a 20-foot hole in the ceiling," said Plainfield Schools Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro.

DiPietro guesses there's between $500,000 to $1 million worth of damage to around 12 to 15 rooms including the cafeteria and library at the school. He said the insurance company will need to come assess the damage.

DiPietro believes it the building will not reopen until Christmas, as the school is recovered and cleaned up enough to allow students to be safe inside again. One of his main concerns is mold and smoke inhalation.

The first step is patching the roof, which takes six to eight weeks. The next two to four months will involve cleaning the water and soot and clearing the building of contaminants that the busted water pipe carried.

"Three hundred and fifty, 360 students need a place to be housed where they can be safe and educated," he said. School is still scheduled to begin on August 29.

The school system is working to find a building that can accommodate students for the start of the new school year. DiPietro said the students cannot be put into the neighboring Plainfield Central School because it cannot hold that many kids.

We would like a facility that large that could handle approximately 18 classrooms. There arent a lot immediate, and it has to be within a reasonable distance," DiPietro said.



Staff and students will be notified through the school messenger system that sends out calls. There will also be a number for parents to call to have questions answered. Officials still aim to have all kids starting school on Aug. 29.

The Plainfield Fire Marshal's Office and the Plainfield Police are working with Connecticut State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit to determine the cause and origin of the fire.Clear the Shelters is a great time to find a new family pet. Just like humans, some pets have a history and that history also means they could be a perfect fit for your family.

King, a 1-year-old pit bull mix, at the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington, is the king of tricks and eating treats.

He is a big goof! He will do just about anything for a cookie, Becca Meyer, the behavior coordinator at the CT Humane Society, said.

King faced a big battle already. He had major hip surgery and has slowly been rehabilitating with walks, but is almost 100 percent.

We just look for someone to be patient with him while he heals up, said Meyer.

While King might have a medical history, it doesnt mean he or other animals with medical issues cant have a perfect home.

Moses, an 11-year-old cat, is also looking for a home.

Come on in and adopt him, Theresa Geary, the director of operations at the Connecticut Humane Society.

Moses is social. He loves people, laying on desks during meetings and playing with toys.

However, he will need a new family ready to take care of his diabetes.

He is a wonderful cat, a little bit older gentleman. And we have spent the last several months regulating his diabetes and now he is in a stable place on special food and on medication, said Geary.

We see what an amazing companion he could make somebody. And the medical part, we will go over all of that with his future family, Susan Wollschlager, the marketing and communications director for the CT Humane Society, said.

Just like people, pets pasts shape them.

These animals have so much love to give people. And I think when they have gone through something like that, that's a little more challenging, they seem even more grateful when you bring them into your family and adopt them. They seem to blossom, Wollschlager said.

On Aug. 18, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut are teaming up with the Connecticut Humane Society and dozens of animal organizations.

Many shelters will offer reduced fees for adoption. Hundreds of pets will be available for adoption. Last year in Connecticut, more than 1,100 pets found their forever homes during Clear the Shelters.What to Know New Haven first responders have been called to at least 76 overdoses on K2 in 24 hours.

Some victims were in life-threatening condition, but there have been no reported fatalities.

Police have arrested three people, but so far have not confirmed if any of them were responsible for distributing the drugs.

Emergency crews in New Haven responded to at least 76 overdoses on the synthetic drug K2 between Tuesday night and Wednesday and another five incidents early Thursday morning that appeared to be similar.

Emergency crews responded to the New Haven Green, a park near Yale University, Tuesday night for three suspected ODs.

More cases came to light Wednesday morning when around 18 people collapsed on the New Haven Green in a span of three-and-a-half hours, authorities said.

As of 10 p.m. Wednesday, first responders had been called to close to 76 suspected overdoses, the majority of which occurred on or around the Green. Of those, 72 people were transported to the hospital, and four patients refused to be taken, officials said.

New Haven officials said Thursday morning that they responded to another three incidents between midnight and 11 a.m.

Some of the people who got sick were taken to the hospital two or three times, according to Rick Fontana, the director of emergency operations for New Haven.

WARNING: Some may find this video disturbing. New Haven officials say as many as 46 people have overdosed in the Elm City in 24 hours. Our crew was there when first responders reacted to some of these calls. Note that the footage has been edited to avoid showing the victims faces.

Fire officials said the first calls Wednesday morning began coming in around 7:30 a.m. and at 9:30 a.m. the situation began escalating.

They found people of a variety of ages suffering from overdose symptoms. Some were unconscious while others were vomiting, nauseated or lethargic.

Naloxone was administered at the scene but it was not effective.

Yale-New Haven Hospital said it has received multiple patients. Fire officials said some patients were released from the hospital only to overdose again and require a second transport to the hospital.

Higher doses of naloxone given at the hospital have been helping, officials said during a news conference Wednesday morning.

The DEA has been notified.

Some of the patients were in life-threatening condition, but officials said there have been no fatalities.

City officials said initial test results from the DEA found the substance to be pure K2, a synthetic drug promoted as similar to marijuana, but there are still more samples to be tested. There were no additives in the first tested samples, city officials said.

Local officials had suspected the K2 might have been laced with an opiate or fentanyl.

Toxicology screenings showed that some of the more critical patients did have fentanyl in their system, according to officials who said the patients could have taken it before using the K2.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns it is potentially much more powerful and dangerous, and can even be life-threatening.

Some of the people on the Green told emergency crews that the drug could have been laced with PCP.

Police said they have arrested a local man on a violation of probation warrant who is believed connected to at least some of the overdoses. The investigation is ongoing and the man, who had drugs on him at the time of his arrest, has yet to be charged in any of the overdose cases.

Police made two other arrests Wednesday, but so far have not confirmed if those people are connected to distributing the drugs.

New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said during a news conference that the opiate problem extends far beyond New Haven.

"People are self-medicating for several different reasons and every agency  police, fire, medical, hospitals  all are strained at this time. This is a problem that's not going away," Alston said.

Mayor Toni Harp released a statement praising first responders for their work as the investigation continues.

Im extremely grateful for the timely and effective work of first responders who helped revive, transport, and save these victims," the statement read.

Gov. Dannel Malloy called the massive number of overdoses in New Haven deeply troubling.

Todays emergency is deeply troubling and illustrative of the very real and serious threat that illicit street drugs pose to health of individuals. The substance behind these overdoses is highly dangerous and must be avoided, he said in a statement.

I have spoken with Mayor Harp and assured her that the state remains committed and ready to assist their response efforts wherever needed, Malloy said in a statement.

Officials from the state Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services are providing assistance, including delivering 50 doses of naloxone to the City of New Haven to replenish the supply first responders used over 24 hours.

The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is also working with health professionals to assist the emergency responders. Malloy said psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, medical and homeless outreach staff also assisted in triage, administering naloxone, and sending people to the hospital.

Hamden has issued a public health advisory because of the overdoses in New Haven County, and the mayors office is warning that using any street drugs can and might result in death or serious medical complications.

The city also shared signs of an overdose, citing the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, for the information.

Symptoms include:If you've been to Love Field Airport recently you've probably noticed the traffic backups.

Airport officials have noticed too, and now they're considering a second entrance -- this one on the north side.

Plans are in the early stages, but there are three roadways under consideration: Shorecrest Drive, Northwest Highway and Lemmon Avenue.

Michelle Standerfer breathed a sigh of relief after she made it to the airport in time despite a crash on the Dallas North Tollway.

"It was backed up pretty far and so it took about 20 to 30 extra minutes to get here," she said.

Her niece flying Southwest Airlines is about the only thing that brings her to the airport nowadays.

"I would rather fly into DFW because it's easier to get to and get in and out," she said.

Airport officials at Love Field said congestion at the southern entrance, the sole entry point, along Mockingbird and Herb Kelleher Way is getting worse.

"In the morning A.M. peak and the evening peak you can wait five or six cycles of a red light to get through the intersection," said Mark Duebner, director of aviation at the airport.

Duebner said Love Field is expected to nearly double its number of passengers -- and more flights will be added in January.

Officials are beginning to formulate a plan to add a north entrance.

"About half of our traffic comes from the south and the other half comes from the north, so it kind of makes sense to look at it," Duebner said.

If officials choose Northwest Highway, they may build a bridge over Bachman Lake Park.

"We certainly know that Bachman is a very beloved park and we want to minimize any impact that we have, but the fact is we are a very busy airport right in the middle of a residential area," Duebner said.

Duebner updated a Dallas City Council committee on Monday as to its Dallas Love Field Master Plan.

He said safety and emergency management would be improved and there would a reduction of approximately 1,400 to 1,700 tons of greenhouse gases with the addition of a second entry.

Officials will do more traffic modeling to gauge the impact to moving traffic from the south side of the airport to the north side.

The plan would eventually need city council approval.

Duebner said officials didnt yet know how much a second entrance would cost, but said the funding would come from the airport's capital budget and applicable transportation funding.The city of Fort Worth is suing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton after he ordered the city to release reports on officers use of force.

The unusual case started when an investigative reporter for NBC station KXAN in Austin filed an open records request in April seeking police documents on complaints involving use of force incidents since January 2015.

The city declined to produce the records and appealed to the Attorney Generals office, which issued an opinion in July saying the information should be made public.

The city then filed a lawsuit against Paxtons office in Travis County District Court last month challenging the decision.

"It should not be secret," said Bob Ray Sanders, co-chair of the city's Task Force on Race and Culture, which was formed following complaints about excessive force. "When you have a license to kill, and you are working for the public, and the public complains about it, the public has a right to know.."

City attorneys claim releasing the records would violate state law in cases in which officers were investigated but not disciplined. Such records are kept in whats known as a G file and not generally released as part of officers personnel files.

Deputy City Attorney Gerald Pruitt said the law is clear.

"It provides for confidentiality of these records," he said. "If there's a complaint and they don't result in discipline, we have to maintain secrecy, essentially, of these files."

The city is confident in its case, Pruitt said.

"We don't sue the AG very often," he said. "We almost always win these cases."

Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, argued such records should be made public.

When use of force is used, its important for the public to have the information to hold public officials accountable, she said. In some cases, it may be justified. In other cases, not. But if use of force reports are not released, theres no way for citizens to know.

The KXAN reporter who filed the records request, Jody Barr, did not return a call seeking comment.

DV.load("https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4757471-Original-Petition-for-Decl-Judgment-amp-Req-for.js", { responsive: true, container: "#DV-viewer-4757471-Original-Petition-for-Decl-Judgment-amp-Req-for" }); Original Petition for Decl Judgment & Req for Prot Order 8 3 18 (PDF)Botswana National Front (BNF) Veterans Association has accused the partys Central Committee of snubbing them.



The association Chairman Patrick Kgoadi said their report was not discussed during the Rakops conference. He said they had hoped that the Central Committee would have called them to a meeting through Secretary General Moeti Mohwasa where the report would be discussed. Kgoadi stated that the veterans have sought a meeting with the Central Committee since April 2018.



The veterans seek advice and clarification on central committees failure to hold meetings. The Executive Committee which runs the affairs of the Central Committee between scheduled meetings of the Central Committee and the Central Committee which runs the BNF between Congresses and Conferences has been failing to meet. As the veterans we demand explanation, said Kgoadi.



He indicated that in the build-up to the conference, BNF President Advocate Duma Boko wrote letters dated 17th May 2018 to the Regions for them to submit reports, a duty he said falls under secretary generals office. He questioned if this means Mohwasa is failing his office and if so has the party leadership reprimanded him.



On the issue regarding the Treasurer Generals office, funds to finance the Rakops 2018 Conference and buses have been reported to be paid for by the President. Is there a change of policy of the BNF that all activities would be financed by the President in his personal capacity or by the BNF?



How much has been expended. Has the Central Committee sanctioned such activity of funding BNF activities? asked Kgoadi adding that they want answers from the leadership.

The veterans are this weekend meeting in Kanye to mobilise members. Kgoadi revealed that they are mobilising members in all the regions. He said hey want BNF veterans to be part of the veterans association.

He indicated that at the meeting they would also discuss status of the BNF and the developments in the UDC. BNF veterans have been calling on the BNF to leave the UDC and start talks with other political movements and unions.

The veteran association was formed through a resolution during a BNF Conference in Mahalapye in 2001. It was recognized as one of the partys organs in Mahalapye recently. The association is the only BNF structure that has called on the party to leave UDC.



BNF Information and Publicity Secretary Justin Hunyepa said there is no may the Central Committee would refuse to meet an auxiliary body of the party. He said the issues that the veterans want discussed with the central committee could have been discussed during the partys last month conference in Rakops.



Veterans as an auxiliary body just like Youth League and Womens League were at the conference. They were participating in the three commissions where issues were discussed.

They could have raised those issues during the commission for discussions, said Hunyepa advising the veterans to follow-up with the partys secretary general if they have any other outstanding issues.

Hunyepa said being the elders of the party the veterans are supposed to know the procedure within the BNF.The trial of a former Balch Springs Police officer charged with murder will begin Thursday.

Roy Oliver is accused of unlawfully shooting and killing 15-year-old Jordan Edwards last year while responding to a call.

During a pre-trial hearing Tuesday, a judge denied a motion from Oliver's defense team asking for the trial to be pushed back.

The case has received widespread attention as national conversations about policing, race and use of force tactics continue.

On April 29, 2017, Oliver and other Balch Springs police officers went to investigate a complaint of underage drinking at a house party.

Investigators said when the officers arrived on scene they heard gunshots, which they later determined were unrelated, and spotted a black Chevrolet Impala leaving the area.

A short time later, Oliver fired his rifle at the Impala, which Edwards, his two brothers, and two other teens were riding in. One of the bullets struck Edwards in the head, killing him.

According to Oliver, he and another officer repeatedly told the driver of the Impala to stop, but the driver ignored him. He claims the other officer in the vehicle then moved his weapon toward the rear passenger side window, causing him to "fear for his life" and fire.

Both he and his attorneys maintain that his actions that night were reasonable and lawful. Body camera footage of the incident shows Oliver firing his rifle as the car drives away from him and the other officer.

Oliver's defense team filed several pre-trial motions, which they argued before a judge Tuesday morning.

Among them: recusing the Dallas County District Attorney's Office from the case. A judge denied that motion, just as he denied delaying the trial and moving it out of Dallas County.

The defense came away with one victory, however, when the judge ruled a previous incident involving Oliver could not be presented as evidence in his trial.

Less than two weeks before the shooting, Oliver was involved in a minor crash while he was off-duty. The women in the vehicle that hit him said he became enraged and pointed a gun at them.

Prosecutors had hoped to use that incident to establish a pattern of abuse.The Dallas City Council Wednesday approved a Nov. 6 special election to fill the District 4 seat vacated by former City Councilman Dwaine Caraway who admitted taking bribes.

It comes as several Dallas Council Members call for a review of ethics policies to avoid similar situations in the future.

"We want to have the trust of the people of the city of Dallas and certainly thats been damaged in view of what happened," said Councilman Scott Griggs.

Caraway stepped down last week when he pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and agreed to be a government witness in an ongoing FBI investigation.

The investigation rose from NBC 5 Investigates reports on the bus agency Dallas County Schools.

Caraway said he took $450,000 in bribes from a vendor who needed city support for the DCS bus stop-arm camera program.

Griggs wants more Dallas financial disclosure and lobbyist records posted online instead of only on paper in the City Secretary's office.

And Griggs asked for additional money in the new Dallas budget for a top to bottom review of ethics policies, perhaps by a former FBI agent who has experience in corruption cases.

"Put in a system of regulations that has more transparency and accountability," Griggs said.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and some other Council Members supported the ethics review.

"Everytime we bring up ethics, I vote yes to them," Rawlings said.

Potential candidates for the District 4 seat were lining up Wednesday.



Former Council Member Carolyn King Arnold attended the meeting where the special election was approved and said she will file to run again.

Arnold served between Caraways terms on the City Council and was beaten by Caraway last year when Caraway fought to return to his old seat after leaving due to term limits in 2015.

"I think Im the best person because Im qualified. I had to two years of experience. I know the community. I know the people and I know what their needs are," Arnold said. "My goal was always to serve this city. We want to make it a better city."

Brandon Vance who waged an unsuccessful Congressional campaign in 2016 said he will also run in the special City Council election.

"Honestly I believe its a calling. Not everyone is built to run for office, not everyone is built to serve," Vance said. "I look at it as an opportunity for the district to move forward, to say how do we write the next chapter."

Several other people took candidate information packets from the City Secretary Wednesday and filing forms are also available online.

Candidates must file a petition with signatures from 25 registered voters in the district or pay a filing fee by August 23rd.

A run-off election will be held December 11th if necessary.

The Plano City Councilman who came under fire over a controversial post he shared on Facebook in February will not face a recall election, a judge ruled Tuesday.

State District Judge Mark Rusch ruled the number of signatures on a petition ordering the recall election of city councilman Tom Harrison fell short of the necessary threshold, reversing the city secretary's report at an April council meeting.

The hearing came after the city discovered two different versions of the Plano City Charter, with just one word changing the number of votes needed to force a recall election.

In the charters, both approved in 1961 and stamped with the city's seal, the number of signatures required to force a recall is set at 30 percent of the number of people who voted.

The difference is, one of the charters says the 30 percent must be based on the "last" city election's voter turnout, while the other does not contain the word "last."

The city secretary based the initial ruling on 30 percent of the voters who cast ballots when Harrison was elected in 2015. Organizers collected about 4,400 signatures on the recall petition.



Tuesday's ruling means the number of signatures needed should have been based on the city's "last" election in 2017. As a result, about 8,100 signatures were actually needed for a recall election.

Therefore, the group One Plano Our Plano did not gather the number of signatures necessary.



"We have sent a message to Mr. Harrison, [and] any other elected official that we are going to stand up if they actually speak and they just try to divide us," Ann Bacchus said.

The post that sparked outrage came in February, when Harrison shared a short video with the words, "Share if you think Trump should ban Islam in American schools."



A spokesperson for Harrison said the councilman is ready to put the ordeal behind him.



"Since this thing began the second week of February we've had to put up with an awful lot of name calling and an awful lot of controversy. This wasn't good for the city. We all want to pull together at this point," said spokesperson Alan Samara.

There will not be another chance for a recall election.



Harrison is up for re-election in May and still has a few more months to decide if he will run.Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke brought their Senate campaigns to North Texas Tuesday, looking for support in a key battleground area that could determine the outcome of the November election.

Cruz, the incumbent Republican, was at The Pantry in McKinney and Babe's Chicken House in Arlington, holding classic retail meet and greets, urging conservatives to support his re-election bid and stem the predicted blue wave that propel Democrats and his rival.

O'Rourke was hosting big town hall meetings in Richardson and DeSoto, areas that offer him opportunities to woo persuadable voters, while mining the traditional Democratic base. His morning town hall in Richardson drew an estimated crowd of 2,500, with attendees spilling into overflow rooms.

Read the full story from our media partners at The Dallas Morning News by clicking here.

What to Know Christopher Bathum, the self-described drug rehab mogul, was convicted earlier this year of sexual assault

Bathum could face up to 65 years in prison

He also faces allegations that he and a former employee used rehab clinics to bilk insurance companies out of more than $150 million

A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Wednesday delayed the sexual assault sentencing of self-described "rehab mogul" Christopher Bathum.

Bathum, 65, asked last week to put off sentencing for at least 30 days to allow his attorney to investigate whether a short video clip had been improperly withheld by prosecutors during the trial.

The judge postponed sentencing until November, and has yet to decide if a defense investigator should be appointed to examine the claim. Jurors convicted Bathum in February of sexually assaulting seven women while operating a chain of luxury rehab clinics known as, "Community Recovery Los Angeles."

He faces up to 65 years in prison. One of the victims, who was a key prosecution witness in the trial, is seen on the video clip the defense claimed in a court filing  was never turned-over by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office during pretrial discovery.

"Counsel has lost trust in the veracity and good faith of the Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles County District Attorney's office," defense attorney Carlo A. Spiga wrote in a motion filed last week.

The District Attorney's Office declined to comment to the NBC 4 I-Team Friday afternoon.

Bathum is also charged in a separate fraud case that alleges he and a former employee used the rehab clinics to bilk insurance companies out of more than $150 million. It is one of the largest insurance fraud case in California history.

Bathum's former accomplice, Kirsten Wallace, was sentenced to 11 years in state prison following a plea agreement, in which she admitted to multiple counts of money laundering, theft of personal property, identity theft, and insurance fraud.

The video at the center of the legal filing was recorded on a cellphone by Cliff Brodsky, an investor in Bathm's business who claims he was ripped off by the rehab mogul. Brodsky made a short video with a woman who claims she was drugged and raped by Bathum long before the criminal charges were filed, and said he made the recording on a whim to try to draw attention to the case.

"Will you please tell the camera, tell the world that you were raped by Chris Bathum, tell them what you told ME!," he explains he said on the recording, as he encouraged the woman to go public with her accusations.

"Because she was all spun and she couldn't think what to say, so she said I was drugged and raped by Chris Bathum," Brodsky said in an interview with NBC4 Friday.

The woman then repeats the phrase suggested by Brodsky while on camera.As flames and destruction grip the state, firefighters and their families are dealing with stress and emotional pain on a scale never seen before, veteran firefighters say.

To help crews cope, departments are ramping up emotional assistance resources and urging fire crews to acknowledge the psychological pain their jobs can cause.

At Cal Fire headquarters in El Cajon, flags fly at half-staff, as a tribute to six firefighters and equipment operators that have died in the line-of-duty in just the last four weeks.

Cal Fire Capt. Isaac Sanchez and his colleagues have placed a thin strip of black fabric on their badges in another recognition of the sacrifice made by colleagues.

Sanchez said his badge usually had the fabric shroud for about a week --- from the date of the firefighters death to his or her memorial service.

But we've been wearing them continuously since (heavy equipment operator Braden) Varney was killed up at the Ferguson fire, Sanchez said.

Since Varneys July 14 death near Yosemite, at least five more firefighters and five civilians have died in fire-related incidents, Sanchez confirmed.

The emotional toll of that loss and the physical exertion of the non-stop fire season are taking a toll on even the most seasoned fire crews.

It used to be that wed have one or two disasters that we would respond to over an entire year, Sanchez explained. Now we're going from disaster to disaster. Some folks are on their fourth or fifth fire, where you know, real lives are being impacted, property is being impacted, and it's having a very serious effect on the community."

Sanchez said the non-stop wildfires, which have burned more than 700,000 acres, definitely take a physical and emotional toll on fire crews.

"It's not just the fatalities. Its the non-stop work. Its the constantly being assigned, and jumping from fire to fire. Its the wear-and-tear on the family back home, and the consistent destruction that we're seeing," he said.

Sanchez says good training, emotional support from colleagues, counseling for families, and work schedules that allow time to rest and recuperate, help firefighters cope with this seasons intense workload.

Theres also a "critical incident stress management" program that gets professional mental health professionals to the crews quickly, for support and counseling.

Battalion Chief David Picone of San Diego Fire-Rescue says open discussion about mental health helps his crews resist the urge to downplay on-the-job trauma.

"They're starting to become more aware that talking about (feelings) is actually OK. That, you know, theres nothing wrong with it," Picone said.

Picone told NBC 7 his department has bulked up resources for mental health emergencies, more than tripling the number of chaplains assigned to battalions and adding more peer counselors and trained mental health professionals.

San Diego Fire-Rescue also encourages veteran firefighters, lifeguards and paramedics to set an example for recruits.

"When we have an issue and we've been on the job for a while, (its important for us) for us to be able to say, 'Hey, it's OK to talk. It's OK to (admit) that 'I'm not OK."Take a look at four stories we're covering Wednesday, including a garage sale for the ages coming up this weekend.

Holy Memorabilia, Batman

Memorabilia by the box load will be part of a long-awaited sale of items from the personal collection of 1966 Batmobile creator George Barris. The Barris Kustom Garage Sale is coming up this weekend at the custom car-maker's North Hollywood shop. Here's a sample of what you'll find.

Trump Star Smasher Pleads Not Guilty

The vandalism suspect who smashed President Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pieces with a pickax pleaded not guilty Wednesday and detailed why he felt compelled to destroy the sidewalk monument. Click here for the story and video from court.

Austin Clay, charged with vandalism in the destruction of President Donald Trump's Walk of Fame star, talks about what compelled him to take a pickax to the star on Hollywood Boulevard. Clay spoke Wednesday Aug. 15, 2018 after pleading not guilty to vandalism.

Thirty More Women Sue USC Over Former Gynecologist

A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday accuses former University of Southern California campus gynecologist George Tyndall of sexually assaulting 30 women, bringing the growing number of civil cases filed by former patients to more than 300. Read about the latest lawsuit.

Rivals Will Be Rivals

A benches clearing scuffle erupted at Dodger Stadium during the rivalry game Tuesday night after a face-to-face confrontation in the seventh inning at home plate. See photos from the seventh inning scrap.

[LA GALLERY] Photos: Benches Clear in Dodgers, Giants Seventh Inning ScrapWhat to Know Los Angeles' subway will become the first mass transit system in the U.S. to install body scanners

The deployment of the portable scanners will happen in the coming months

The machines scan for metallic and non-metallic objects on a person's body

Los Angeles' subway will become the first mass transit system in the U.S. to install body scanners that screen passengers for weapons and explosives, officials said Tuesday.

The deployment of the portable scanners, which project waves to do full-body screenings of passengers walking through a station without slowing them down, will happen in the coming months, said Alex Wiggins, who runs the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's law enforcement division.

The machines scan for metallic and non-metallic objects on a person's body, can detect suspicious items from 30 feet (9 meters) away and have the capability of scanning more than 2,000 passengers per hour.

"We're dealing with persistent threats to our transportation systems in our country," said Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske. "Our job is to ensure security in the transportation systems so that a terrorist incident does not happen on our watch."

On Tuesday, Pekoske and other officials demonstrated the new machines, which are being purchased from Thruvision, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

"We're looking specifically for weapons that have the ability to cause a mass-casualty event," Wiggins said. "We're looking for explosive vests, we're looking for assault rifles. We're not necessarily looking for smaller weapons that don't have the ability to inflict mass casualties."

In addition to the Thruvision scanners, the agency is also planning to purchase other body scanners -- which resemble white television cameras on tripods -- that have the ability to move around and hone in on specific people and angles, Wiggins said.

"We really want to be effective and we need the ability to have a fixed field of view, but we also need to be able to move that field of view as necessary," Wiggins said. "Deploying these technologies together gives us that accuracy and minimizes any delays."

Wiggins would not say how many of the machines were being purchased, but said they would be rolled out in subway stations in the "coming months."

Employees and police officers first have to be trained on how to use the equipment. Signs will be posted at stations warning passengers they are subject to body scanner screening. The screening process is voluntary, Wiggins said, but customers who choose not be screened won't be able to ride on the subway.

But some passengers saw the screening as an added layer of security.

"I guess it is a good, precautionary thing," Andrea Kirsh said, a 22-year-old student from Corvallis, Oregon, who was traveling through Los Angeles' Union Station on Tuesday. "It makes me feel safe. As a civilian I think we often don't know what to look for or what we would be looking for."

Passengers who rode down an escalator to ride the Metro Red Line at Union Station in Los Angeles on Tuesday were screened as Pekoske and other officials looked on. But after the news conference and media demonstration, officials packed up the equipment and carted it off.

The TSA tested body scanners in New York's Penn Station in February and has also conducted tests at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and at a New Jersey Transit station during the 2014 Super Bowl. In December, a Bangladeshi immigrant injured himself by setting off a crude pipe bomb strapped to his chest in a subway passageway near Times Square in New York City.

Metro has previously tested several different types of body scanners, including airport-style screening systems where passengers walk through a scanner. The pilot program was meant to evaluate the accuracy and capacity of the portable machines. About 150,000 passengers ride on Metro's Red Line daily and the subway system counted more than 112 million rides last year, officials said.

A day after the six-month anniversary of the Parkland school shooting, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are heading back to class  and to heightened security measures, including controlled access card readers and new camera systems.

All the students wore lanyards with IDs around their necks as they walked past a heavy police presence Wednesday morning. Volunteers greeted them with German shepherds, and a helicopter hovered overhead as a throng of media watched from across the street.

Samantha Deitsch, 15, said she's grateful for the changes, but "there's literally no place that I am every day that I feel 100 percent safe and the thought doesn't go through my head that someone could come in with a gun."

Anijah Avera, 16, said she mostly doesn't think about the shooting except for "a little bit this morning... we have better security now so I feel a little more at ease."

Three school resource officers, three security specialists and a dozen campus monitors were set to be on patrol. They'll be keeping watch at new fences and gates at the beginning and end of the school day, to ensure that only staff and students wearing ID badges are allowed to enter.

Visitors will have only one way in, and they'll be screened through a video intercom system. The district had planned to add metal detectors but reversed course amid concerns over privacy and the impracticality of trying to clear thousands of students before each day's morning bell.

All classroom doors have new hardware that automatically locks when doors are pulled shut. Witnesses said teacher Scott Beigel and student Joaquin Oliver were fatally shot as they ushered students inside to safety, in part because the old hardware required relocking from the outside.

Many reminders have been removed from the campus, such as posters and memorials. But the freshman building still stands as a solemn reminder of the bloodshed, surrounded by a permanent new fence as prosecutors continue to use the crime scene for their legal case. The classes it once held have been diverted to nearly three dozen new portable classrooms.

Aria Siccone, 15, was there during the Valentine's Day rampage. She watched one of her classmates pounding on the classroom door, trying to flee the shooter, and remains haunted by his terror-stricken face moments before he was gunned down. The gunshots started shortly after he knocked, and they couldn't let him in. When a SWAT team later led her out of the building, she saw bodies in the hallway.

"I am happy to be able to see all of my friends, but I have been very anxious about returning to school," she said. "I'm scared of being at any school, not only Douglas, because I feel unsafe no matter how much security we have."

Deitsch, who spent her summer meeting with state lawmakers to advocate for gun safety, texted with her friends Tuesday night about first-day jitters and what their teachers would be like. She got a new backpack. She's grateful she'll be sharing a lunch period with some of them. But her friend Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed, won't be with them.

"The stress, the nerves, all that normal stuff is still there," she said. "It's like normal teenager stuff and at the same time it's not normal teenager stuff."

School Superintendent Robert Runcie said the school now has two wellness centers, along with a team of counselors, social workers and therapy dogs brought back at the students' request. "It feels like it happened yesterday, so there's a lot of emotion going on. It's still a challenging time for students and faculty."

Marcos Aguirre, 16, said he tries not to think about that day, and is trying to move forward.

"I like this school. I'm happy to be back," he said.

Security measures across all Broward County schools have been enhanced in the wake of the Parkland shooting. A new state law, for example, mandates that every school in Florida have at least one armed guard or school resource officer on every campus. To comply with that law, the Broward Sheriffs Office is training former cops and military vets to patrol school grounds.

Security and safety enhancements also include 10,000 upgraded real-time surveillance cameras, a $5 million expansion of mental health services and the ID badges for students, staff and visitors.

Six months after the mass shooting, Parkland also has a new police captain.

"Everybody just wants to get back to the way things were or as close to that," said police Capt. Chris Mulligan. "And our job is to get out to the community and just try and reassure them as much as possible that what we are working for as well."What to Know Nearly 40 people are dead in the Genoa bridge collapse and rescue workers were still searching the rubble Wednesday

Evacuations continued over fears that a part of the Morandi Bridge which is still standing could still come crashing down

A prosecutor said the investigation into the collapse was focused on human causes around possible inadequate maintenance or a design flaw

As more bodies were pulled Wednesday from a mountain of jagged concrete and twisted steel left by a highway bridge collapse that killed 38, prosecutors focused on possible design flaws and past maintenance of the heavily used span, and politicians squabbled over blame.

Motorists, meanwhile, recounted miraculous escapes and the horror of seeing others plunge over the edge.

As a second night descended on the site where part of the Morandi Bridge plunged some 45 meters (150 feet), Interior Minister Matteo Salvini declined to say how many people might still be buried in the debris where about 1,000 rescue workers searched for victims.

The Genoa prefecture had earlier reported 39 people had died, but revised that number to 38 early Thursday.

The collapse occurred about midday Tuesday, the eve of Italy's biggest summer holiday, when traffic was particularly busy on the 51-year-old span that links two highways  one leading to France, the other to Milan  from this northwestern port city.

Salvini declined to say how many people are still missing, and he added that trying to locate them was particularly difficult, due to the holiday.

"It's not easy to distinguish between who doesn't respond because they are on the other side of the world and turned off their phone to relax" on vacation, and "who's not responding because they are under the rubble," he said.

He said he hoped the death toll would not rise.

"Miracles are still possible," Salvini said.

Authorities urged the quick removal of tons of debris from a dry river bed so that the rubble doesn't create a makeshift dam if heavy rains fall in the flood-prone city on the Mediterranean.

Debris also must be cleared from railroad tracks, a vital link especially now that Genoa is largely cut in half by the loss of such a key artery, Premier Giuseppe Conte said.

Authorities worried about the stability of remaining large sections of the bridge, prompting a wider evacuation order and forcing about 630 people from nearby apartments, some practically in the shadow of the elevated highway. Firefighters went inside some of the vacated apartments briefly to retrieve documents and, in at least one home, pet cats.

Building a new bridge could require razing the evacuated buildings, said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli.

After leading an emergency Cabinet meeting in Genoa, Conte said there were 39 confirmed dead and 16 injured, including nine in serious condition. Three children were among those killed, Salvini said.

The dead included four French citizens traveling to a music festival and two Albanians.

Genoa Prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters the investigation into the collapse was focused on human causes, specifically any possible design flaws in the bridge's construction or any inadequate maintenance.

He said he didn't know who might be responsible, but added: "It wasn't an accident."

Asked if authorities had any warning that the bridge could be dangerous, Cozzi indicated that no serious safety concerns had reached his office before the collapse.

Otherwise, "none of us would have driven over that highway 20 times a month, as we do," he said.

A 20 million-euro ($22.7 million) project to upgrade the bridge's safety had already been approved, with public bids to be submitted by September. According to business daily Il Sole, improvement work would have involved two weight-bearing columns that support the bridge  including one that collapsed Tuesday.

The bridge, considered innovative when it opened in 1967 for its use of concrete around its cables, was long due for an upgrade, especially since it was more heavily trafficked than its designers had envisioned.

One expert, Antonio Brencich at the University of Genoa, had previously called the bridge "a failure of engineering." Other engineers, noting its age, said corrosion and decades of wear-and-tear from weather also could have been factors in the collapse.

Italian politicians pointed fingers at possible culprits.

Conte said the government wouldn't wait until the investigation was completed to revoke the concession of a private company, Autostrade Per L'Italia, that operates many of the nation's toll highways. The next company would be held to "more stringent" rules for maintenance.

Residents near the bridge told RAI state TV they would hear maintenance work being done almost nightly.

Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, of the anti-business 5-Star Movement, alleged Autostraade's holding company took profits "instead of investing money for maintenance."

Toninelli, the transportation and infrastructure minister and another populist 5-Star leader, said his ministry had started procedures so Autostrade could be fined up to 150 million euros ($170 million).

Still-dazed and shaken survivors recounted their close brush with death when the collapse of the 80-meter (260-foot) section of the span sent more than 30 cars and three trucks tumbling.

A French lawyer who was in a car with her husband and 3-year-old son said they were just coming onto the bridge when "we saw the pylon go completely to the right, and we realized what was happening."

The woman, who was identified only as Leonine, told broadcaster Francetvinfo that they tried to make a U-turn but were blocked by traffic.

"We saw a man running and making a sign to everyone to leave," she said. "We opened our doors, took our son out of his car seat," and then ran to a nearby tunnel.

One of the widely circulated images of the disaster was a green truck poised on the edge of the span.

A truck driver identified only as Idris who was behind that vehicle said it was saved only because of a motorist who tried to pass it moments earlier. The driver of the green truck apparently had to hit his brakes because of the passing car and was able to stop in time, he added.

"That truck driver is the luckiest in the world," Idris told Sky TG24. "He should have fallen in. ... He braked right where the bridge was broken."

The passing car plunged into the chasm, he added.

Idris also credited police for hustling 150-200 people off the bridge to the tunnel, then risking their own lives by going back onto the span to bring some of the vehicles to safety.President of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Dumelang Saleshando has warned lawyers who are members of his party against being involved in any of former President Ian Khamas legal battle.



Khama is currently suing government for refusing to employ his long ally former Director of Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) Isaac Kgosi as his private secretary. Masisi fired Kgosi from his plum post a few days after he took over as head of state.

Khama submitted the names of Kgosi after his then private secretary Brigadier George Tlhalerwa retired from the public service.

Saleshando told the lawyers in a position paper that, if approached by Khama, any attorney who also serves in the BCP structures or has been confirmed as candidate for 2019 general election, should bear in mind that there is need to balance the professional duties with the interest of the organisation they freely and voluntarily chose to associate with. Retired President Khama presided over a corrupt government that had minimal regard for civil liberties.

Representing a person who embodies all that which we oppose will rightfully earn us the label of hypocrites. Taking instructions from those who championed looting of public resources diminishes our moral authority to make any promise for a better Botswana.

I therefore expect comrades who may be approached by retired president Khama, or any other prominent member of Botswana Democratic leadership, past or present to be guided by their conscience and stand firm in promotion of the values we collectively promote, said the BCP leader.



Saleshando explained that this is not to suggest that representing BDP members is prohibited, but representing those who are the face of the ills the BCP have sought to defeat should not be entertained.

The priority of the BCP, according to Saleshando, is to ensure that all those who are alleged to have aided the spiraling corruption that has come to define the country should have their day in court.



It should worry Batswana that President Masisi says he knows nothing about the Isaac Kgosi docket. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions as well as Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime are also allegedly claiming ignorance on the whereabouts of the docket. It must be noted that in a majority of high profile corruption cases, there has been no conviction at the courts. The BCP will seek the input of its lawyers on the Kgosi issue and work on ensuring that the missing docket is located and acted upon accordingly, he stated.



According to Saleshando chickens have now come home to roost for the BDP government. He said that in Khama the BDP has built a monster that knows no rules and respects no institution. Saleshando pointed out that President Masisi deferred key leadership tasks, such as Vision 2036 to the retired president, giving him the impression that they are co-presidents.



The BDP must be allowed the opportunity to reap what it has sown, he said. Saleshando posited that the mantra that Masisi o baakanya lehatshe when he was in full support of all the Khama policies should not lead to innocent citizens exonerating him from the mess that the country finds itself.What to Know Leonel Vinas was taken into custody at JFK Airport on Monday after he posted the threats to his social media account

The Freeport resident was taken into custody at JFK Airport on Monday after posting the threats to his social media account

Police didn't say exactly what Vinas wrote or when he posted the threats

A Long Island man has been arrested for allegedly posting a threat against law enforcement officers on Instagram, authorities said.

Leonel Vinas, 26, of Freeport, was taken into custody at JFK Airport after he posted the threats to his social media account, police said.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Vinas said he was "p-ssed at so many things and so many people," according to a criminal complaint.

"So here's a message, I am going to the Dominican Republic. The first cop that stops me, is either getting shot, or getting hi-jack," he wrote.

"So if you motherf---ers dont want fire, get out of my f---ing way. The devil dont have more soldiers for me, he needs to come himself. F--- you USA INC.," he went on to say, according to the complaint.

An off-duty Freeport detective was scrolling through Instagram when he saw the post, and police launched an investigation, Freeport Chief of Police Miguel Bermudez said.

He didn't have any weapons on him when he was arrested, Bermudez noted.

Vinas has been charged with making a terroristic threat, and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday, according to police.

His attorney information wasnt immediately available.What to Know The Jenkinson's Aquarium gift shop worker who asked a group of black girls to leave has been fired

The worker claimed it was because they weren't with a chaperone, saying "they're not welcome in here"

"This incident does not reflect the core values of the boardwalk," Jenkinson's said in a statement

A worker at the Jenkinson's Aquarium gift shop on the Jersey Shore has been fired after she was captured on cellphone video telling a group of black girls they were not welcome in the shop.

A spokesman for Jenkinson's in Point Pleasant said Tuesday after investigating the Aug. 10 incident, the employee has been fired.

"This incident does not reflect the core values of the boardwalk. In our 90-year history, Jenkinsons has always been and will continue to be the place where people from all races, religions, ages, genders, and cultures are welcome," said spokesman Toby Wolf.

Wolf also said Jenkinson's will be conducting diversity training for its employees "in the very near future."

The firing of the unidentified employee comes after Attiyya Barrett, who helps runs a program called Princess to Queenz, told News 4 New York seven girls from the program went into the gift shop at Jenkinsons Aquarium on Friday and were told by an employee that they couldnt be there without a chaperone.

When the girls came back with a 32-year-old chaperone, the employee allegedly asked them to leave because the chaperone looked like one of them, Barrett said.

In a now-viral video taken by Barrett, the employee says she didnt think [the person the kids came back with] was a chaperone.

Theyre not welcome in here, the employee says on camera.

The girls who were asked to leave the shop ranged in age from 7 to 14, Barrett said.

THE CONSTRAINT I had to exhibit in front of them leaves a horrible taste in my mouth, Barrett wrote in a Facebook post. I had to explain to 40 girls that they are still valuable and that [their] green dollars still spends even if racist folks try to hurt them!

She won. TODAY! But FYI our black dollars arent welcome in the Jenkinsons Aquarium Gift Shop! Barrett added in her post.

Barrett said she and her group left contact information with the aquariums manager. Later, the director and marketing director of the aquarium called her and apologized, she said.

Jenkinsons Pavilion first suspended the employee, then fired her after they investigated.What to Know Rapper Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance at a store near Bryant Park as part of a promotional appearance Wednesday

The appearance set off a fan frenzy as hundreds of people mobbed the area around the midtown park

The Queens rapper released her latest album, "Queen," last week and has announced a tour; she's also performing at the VMAs next Monday

Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance at a store near Bryant Park, drawing a huge crowd in midtown at the height of the evening rush Wednesday.

The rapper from Queens was taking over the Sprint store at Bryant Park to promote a ticket giveaway for her upcoming tour, according to a person familiar with the arrangement.

She tweeted a video to her 20 million followers shortly after 3 p.m. confirming she was on her way to a Sprint store, and although she doesn't specify the location, the source said it was at Bryant Park.

Fans started lining up late Wednesday afternoon, and by the time she appeared shortly after 6 p.m., hundreds were gathered.

Last month, the mere rumor of a Minaj sighting in Times Square set off a stampede. The woman in question turned out to be YouTube star Queen Naija.

Minaj is expected to perform at the MTA Video Music Awards at Radio City Hall Monday, marking her debut performance after the release of her album "Queen."What to Know Authorities were able to catch the father suspected of throwing his baby into the East River, thanks to NYPD's overseas detectives

James Currie was captured in Thailand, and it was NYPD detectives based in Singapore and Abu Dhabi who were able to track him

The NYPD has detectives stationed in more than a dozen countries overseas, parts of the liaison program started after 9/11

When a father was accused of dumping his 8-month-old child into the East River earlier this month, NYPD detectives based overseas were the ones who helped track him to Thailand.

NYPD Intelligence Sgt. Edward Lee is based in Singapore and meets regularly with his counterparts with the Royal Thai Police. With a couple of calls, Thai authorities were notified to be on the lookout, and they were standing at the ready to deny the suspect entry to their country as soon as his plane landed.

Two hours later, Lee was sitting in an airport interrogation room helping to question suspect James Currie.

Lee told News 4's I-Team in an exclusive interview, "We have the ability and the capability to bring someone to justice no matter where they may flee throughout the world."

Police said Currie fled New York after his sons body was found floating near the Brooklyn Bridge. A search for him across the city for him turned up nothing -- and then detectives learned he was already in the air en route to Abu Dhabi.

In addition to alerting Homeland Security Investigations Agents and U-S Customs officers, the NYPD reached out to its liason officer based in Abu Dhabi. Det. Andrew Kamarchevakul alerted his counterparts, and local authorities raced to meet the plane at the gate.

"They knew the severity of the case and they wanted to help out," said Kamarchevakul. But Currie had quickly changed flights and was now en route to India with a final stop planned for Thailand. NYPD intelligence commanders put Kamarchevakul on the next flight to Bangkok, asking Lee to request Thai police to be at the ready.

"Its 1, 2 in the morning," Kamarchevakul said. "So guys are getting up. We have to act quickly or he is going to get into the country. And it's going to be much more difficult to find him."

Bangkok is a city of about 10 million people.

Lee said the Thai police agreed to cooperate so readily because of the close working relationship forged through the liason program.

"We have a great working relationship," said Lee, who has been embedded in various police departments across Asia over the last three years. "I was able to reach out to them and have them deny entry until I arrived."

The NYPD liason program was originally started after 9/11, meant to improve terror threat information between police departments across the globe. The NYPD has detectives stationed in more than a dozen overseas countries from Britain to Israel to Australia.

Deputy Commissioner John Miller said increasingly, liason officers are being used to help catch international fugitives accused of major New York crimes.

You can run fast, you can run far, and any law enforcement agency can figure out how to chase you, Miller said. What we want to be positioned as is, rather than chasing you, we are waiting for you when you get there.

On the same day Currie was caught in Thailand, an NYPD detective based in the Dominican Republic was hiking through mountains and fields with Dominican authorities, tracking down two key witnesses needed for a major trial being held in the Bronx.

Miller said having detectives working alongside foreign counterparts, speaking the language, meeting regularly, makes a big difference.

"Theres a big difference when its a routine contact from a known player that you deal with all the time than some call from an agency far away. It cuts through language barriers, trust barriers and makes things happen much more quickly."

In the Currie case, Miller points out he was tracked across the globe to Thailand and returned to New York for trial in just a matter of days.

The funding for the detectives' travel overseas is provided by the not-for-profit New York City Police Foundation.What to Know Saudia Shuler allegedly collected nearly $37,000 in government benefits by claiming she was disabled while continuing to work

In 2017, Shuler made headlines for spending $25,000 on a camel, three tons of sand and exotic cars to celebrate her son's prom

"She is obviously upset because there are allegations contained in the indictment that are absolutely untrue," her lawyer said

A North Philadelphia restaurateur who gained local fame last year for spending $25,000 on her son's prom, including camels, has been charged with defrauding the Social Security Administration.

Saudia Shuler was indicted for allegedly collecting nearly $37,000 in government benefits by claiming she was disabled yet continuing to work, according to the U.S. attorney for Eastern Pennsylvania.

"The defendant applied for benefits from the Social Security Administration, claiming she was disabled and unable to work. After Social Security approved benefits, the defendant continued working, including the operation of her own restaurant," a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said in an email Tuesday. "This work and income was never reported to Social Security, in violation of program rules."

If she is found guilty, Shuler faces a maximum sentence of 140 years in prison.

The fraud charges come in the aftermath of a momentous year for Shuler, 44, who twice made headlines for lavish spending.

In the spring of 2017, Shuler spent $25,000 on a camel, three tons of sand and exotic cars for a massive event in her neighborhood celebrating her sons prom.

It was dubbed "Dubai to Philly."



Months later, at Christmastime, the North Philly restaurant owner held another big party in her neighborhood. It featured hundreds of gifts and two reindeer.

I know what hard time is, Saudia Shuler told the crowd of hundreds who gathered along North 22nd Street. Because I come from hard times.

The event was held at Country Cookin', the restaurant Shuler owns. She put her role as a business owner aside for the night and became "Saudia Claus," handing out hundreds of gifts to excited children.

We gave them 140 bikes, she said. We gave out over 50 scooters. We gave out 'Batman' cars, like the remote-controlled cars you put your feet on and then drive.



Shuler told NBC10 that she used the chances to celebrate her good fortunes after dealing with tragedies, including the murder of her son's father and multiple health scares over the past decade.

I had a stroke. I had seizures. I had cancer, she said. All within the last three years.

At the time, Shuler said shed received donations from all over the country to help pay for the outsize events.

After reading his client's indictment, Philadelphia-based attorney Tariq El-Shabazz, said, "I didn't see the meat yet, I've just seen the bones." He added that Shuler is still waiting to see what evidence the U.S. attorney's office will present.

"She is obviously upset because there are allegations contained in the indictment that are absolutely untrue," El-Shabazz said.

Other allegations are being turned around to look different than reality, he said.

She faces six counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds and two counts of Social Security fraud.What to Know Former tax attorney Julius Reich has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing his wife to death while she was in the shower

The Scarsdale man faced up to 25 years in state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges in his wife's death

He and his wife were going through a divorce when he went into the bathroom of their home and stabbed his wife 22 times

A Scarsdale man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing his prominent pediatrician wife 22 times while she was in the shower, killing her.

Former tax attorney Julius Reich faced up to 25 years in state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges in the death of his 58-year-old wife Robin Goldman, a pediatrician who worked for a childrens hospital in New York City.

Reich initially pleaded not guilty two months after the January 2016 murder, but ultimately took a plea deal. His three adult children wanted to avoid the trauma of a trial, the Westchester County District Attorneys office said.

The children are in complete agreement with the plea of manslaughter in the first degree, as such a disposition would make their 64-year-old father accountable for his actions, the DAs office said.

They are relieved their father finally accepted responsibility for his actions and his plea will help them move forward and bring finality to a horrific situation, it added.

Reich and Goldman were going through a divorce when Reich, who had been living part-time at an apartment in Manhattan, went into the upstairs bathroom at their Scarsdale home and stabbed Goldman 22 times while she was showering, the DAs office said.

After the attack, Reich left the bathroom and called 911 sometime later, according to the DAs office. Police found Goldmans body in the bathroom and arrested Reich at the scene.

Goldmans death marked the first murder in Scarsdale in almost 40 years.Child's play or a sign of a serious security problem in one of the nation's swing states?

That's the question confronting Florida election officials who are pushing back against reports that an 11-year-old hacked a replica of the state's election website.

Multiple media outlets over the weekend reported that children at a hacking conference in Las Vegas were able to easily hack into a version of the website that reports election results to the public. An 11-year-old boy got into Florida's site within 10 minutes, while an 11-year-old girl did it in 15 minutes, according to the organizers of the event called DEFCON Voting Machine Hacking Village.

State officials contend there's no way that the replica used by hackers is an actual representation of the state's website.

"This was a mock site with likely very few, if any, security measures in place," said Sarah Revell, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Ken Detzner. "It is not a real-life scenario and it offers a wholly inaccurate representation of the security of Florida's elections websites, online databases and voting systems that does not take into account the state-of-the-art security measures the Florida Department of State has in place to prevent any possible hacking attempts from being successful."

Florida's election website that displays results is not connected to the actual local election systems responsible for tabulating votes. Instead, on election night supervisors upload unofficial results to state officials through a completely different network.

Still if someone was able to manipulate the website it could create confusion and sow doubts about the actual results once they were announced. Investigators in May found evidence of a cyberattack on a Tennessee county's elections website from a computer in Ukraine, which likely caused the site to crash just as it was reporting vote totals during a primary.

Nico Sell, one of the organizers of the event, told PBS Newshour on Sunday that the replicas used at the conference were accurate representations.

"The site may be a replica but the vulnerabilities that these kids were exploiting were not replicas, they're the real thing," the television network quoted her. "I think the general public does not understand how large a threat this is, and how serious a situation that we're in right now with our democracy."

Mark Earley, the elections supervisor in Leon County who is a cybersecurity liaison between state and local officials, questioned how outsiders could obtain the security protocols used by Florida if they weren't already behind the system's firewalls. He said that all this "hacking noise" and "misinformation plays into the hands of the folks who are trying to undermine democracy."

Jeff Kosseff, a lawyer and assistant professor at the United States Naval Academy Cyber Studies Department, said states are struggling with election security threats. He said they should work with outsiders in order to see if there are flaws in their systems.

"All states should look at this as a wake-up call," Kosseff said. "What were the shortcomings identified and how they can fix it. I don't think it should be an adversarial."

The reports of hacking into Florida's website that reports election results coincide with a dust-up between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott over possible Russian meddling in other parts of the state's election system.

Nelson last week said Russians were able to get inside the election systems of "certain counties" and "now have free rein to move about." He added that "the threat is real and elections officials  at all levels  need to address the vulnerabilities."

The senator has not provided any more details, saying that additional information is classified. Scott has demanded that Nelson provide proof of his claims. Last Friday two Republicans who are on the Senate intelligence community declined to confirm or deny Nelson's statements.

Russian hackers targeted at least 21 states, including Florida, ahead of the 2016 election and breached the voter registration system in at least one, Illinois, investigators say. An indictment released last month said Russian operatives sent over 100 fake emails to elections offices and personnel in Florida as part of the hacking effort. State officials have never acknowledged how many counties were targeted by the Russians.The nation's largest legal marijuana market is struggling.

Illicit sales continue to thrive. A shaky supply chain has customers looking at barren shelves in some shops. There are testing problems. And a proposal to allow home marijuana deliveries in cities that have banned pot sales could lead to a courtroom fight.

A Los Angeles hearing Tuesday provided a window into the state's emerging cannabis economy, in which early enthusiasm for broad legal sales has been followed by anxiety and frustration across a swath of the industry.

The state's top marijuana regulator, Lori Ajax, said after the hearing that the state remains in a challenging transition period as it attempts to transform what was once a largely illegal market into a multibillion-dollar, regulated economy.

"Unfortunately, there is confusion out there," Ajax said.

California kicked off broad legal sales on Jan. 1, and since then temporary rules have governed sales, growing and manufacturing of everything from pot-spiked munchies to infused lotions and balms. The state is now considering changes to those rules, though it's likely to take months before any revisions go into effect.

At the hearing, dozens of marijuana business owners, industry lawyers, activists and consumers each got 90 seconds to tell Ajax what needed to be done to create a more orderly, fair and, hopefully, prosperous marketplace.

Over two hours, she heard complaints about big business threatening mom-and-pop shops, a shortage of licenses and various suggestions for revamping testing rules that are intended to ensure the quality of products that reach store shelves.

Others complained about shifting rules for packaging.

A string of speakers focused on a proposed change in state rules that the League of California Cities says would allow unchecked home marijuana deliveries in places that have banned local pot sales.

To its critics, the change would create an unruly world of shady sales, but supporters say too many Californians are cut off from legal pot, even in a state where voters overwhelmingly approved it.

The fledgling legal system has created a patchwork of local laws, with some cities and counties embracing legal cannabis while others have limited sales or outlawed all commercial pot activity. That's created so-called pot deserts, where sales are forbidden.

Mina Layba, from the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, said the proposal would conflict with a local law that bans deliveries. If approved, she said it would undercut licensed shops.

"Who then gets the benefit of taxes from deliveries?" she asked.

The state Bureau of Cannabis Control has said it is merely clarifying what has always been the case: that a licensed pot delivery can be made to "any jurisdiction within the state."

But others said the sickly and frail can't travel to make a cannabis purchase, making home delivery essential, especially in places that don't offer legal shops nearby.

"The patients are citizens too. They have rights and they have needs," said Sarah Armstrong of Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group.Utah firefighter Matthew Burchett said goodbye to his wife and 6-year-old son in early August and volunteered to head to California along with 37 other firefighters from the state to help battle blazes that have been ravaging homes in the coastal state.

On Monday night, Burchett, 42, died after he was injured while fighting the largest recorded blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. California officials have declined to provide details about what led to Burchett's death.

In Utah, city and fire officials in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper where Burchett lived and worked mourned his death on Tuesday. A large American flag flew at half-mast outside the town hall, and smaller American flags were put up lining the sidewalk.

Draper Mayor Troy Walker said at a news conference that Burchett was a veteran firefighter with extensive experience working on wildfires. He said he didn't have details about the events that led to Burchett's death.

"These men are American heroes. They literally stand in the fire to help other people," Walker said. "I don't know how you get better than that. I know he was proud to do it. I know all of them are."

He was one of five Draper firefighters who went to California, Walker said.

Burchett had just started with the Draper Fire Department in May after 20 years with another Salt Lake City area fire department. He was a battalion chief who was hired to oversee the city's wildland firefighting efforts, colleague Bart Vawdrey said.

Burchett was a good man with a dry wit who was very professional and a "master of his craft," said Vawdrey, a fellow battalion chief in Draper.

"It's tough anytime you lose a brother," Vawdrey said. "We get into this profession to help people, and Matt jumped at the chance to go assist in California."

Firefighters from all over the country have been helping California battle a series of deadly and devastating wildfires in recent weeks that have spread through drought-parched forests and rural communities.

Six firefighters have died in those wildfires.

Funeral services are pending for Burchett.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said in a statement that he's heartbroken over Burchett's death and offered his prayers for Burchett's wife and son.

"When he left with his fellow firefighters to battle the wildfires in California we were so proud of his service  now his heroism leaves us both proud and devastated," Herbert said. "He gave everything to defend the lives of others."

The Mendocino Complex fires, twin wildfires that are being fought as one, are together the largest wildfire in California's history.

The Ranch Fire has charred over 300,000 acres and is 68 percent contained. Cal Fire on Monday said the River Fire is now 100 percent contained and has burned nearly 49,000 acres.

Six firefighters have now died in connection with a wave of massive wildfires that struck Northern California in the past weeks.

The deadliest wildfire, the Carr Fire, has left a total of eight people dead, including three firefighters.

Two firefighters have died fighting a fire near Yosemite National Park.A San Diego Fire-Rescue captain sentenced to nearly half a year in custody for felony domestic violence is no longer employed with the city of San Diego, NBC7 confirmed Tuesday.



Steven Michaels is serving 180 days in custody for injuring his girlfriend by throwing her against a wall in July 2017.



Several firefighters, a psychiatrist and the victim appeared in court at Michaels February sentencing pleading with the judge for a lighter sentence that would not end the respected supervisors 30-year firefighting career.



The victim testified on Michaels' behalf saying that they were in a mutual combat fight over his cell phone while they were both drunk.



The city confirmed Tuesday that Michaels' last day on the citys payroll was March 4, just a few days after the Feb. 28 sentencing.

NBC 7 asked the city in March about Michaels employment status but did not receive a response then.



What I am guilty of is, I was a bad person. I was a bad boyfriend, Michaels said in court in February. I dont want to let her down and I dont ever want to let my brothers and sisters from the fire department down.



Judge Timothy Walsh said if he had reduced Michaels charge to a misdemeanor, which would have allowed Michaels to continue working and keep his pension, it would send the wrong message to the community.



Walsh criticized the defense for framing their argument as if it was the judge taking away the fire captains 30-year career. Walsh said Michaels was the one to take away his own career.



Michaels told the court his family depends on his salary.



The City of San Diegos San Diego Fire Department follows Civil Service Rule XI.



That rule states an employee convicted of a crime faces suspension or removal, under various circumstances.

Those circumstances include:

The employee has been offensive in his or her conduct toward fellow employees, wards of the City, or the public.

The employee has been guilty of any conduct unbecoming an officer or employee of the City.

The employee has been convicted of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude.

The veteran fire captain was arrested on two prior occasions for domestic violence in 2006 and 2015.



Those incidents became an issue in the trial of a man who stabbed two SDFD firefighters in the East Village in June 2015.



The defendant in that case, Ryan Allen Jones, claimed Michaels temper started the altercation when he shoved Jones away from a patient receiving medical care.

Surveillance and body camera video shows one of the firefighters, Ben Vernon, backing away from Jones with his hands up as Jones pulls out a knife and stabs him. Michaels and other firefighters raced to Vernons aide and another firefighter was stabbed trying to save his partner.

Both Vernon and Alex Wallbrett recovered from their injuries. Jones was convicted to more than 20 years in prison.

During Jones trial, Michaels testified that in 2006 he punched his wife who was seven months pregnant at the time. No disciplinary action was taken against Michaels and no charges were filed.

"We took no action because his behavior posed no threat to other employees or to the public," then-SDFD spokesperson Lee Swanson said.

City pay data shows Michaels was promoted from fire engineer to fire captain after the first arrest.

Neither Michaels nor his defense attorney responded to a request for comment for this update.

Defense Attorney Gretchen Von Helm told the court in February her client took the charges very seriously and he had participated in a recovery program.



She said he was doing ongoing therapy to cope with issues he developed while on the job, including PTSD.



Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Tshekedi Khama has taken the war to his party - Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) - over the candidature of Moemedi Dijeng at his c onstituency.



Khama will be defending his seat to represent the BDP in Serowe West in the 2019 general election against Dijeng and former Member of Parliament for Gaborone North and cabinet member Keletso Rakhudu. Khama has engaged his lawyers- The Law Practice CJ Mazhinye, to challenge in court as a matter of urgency the way vetting was carried out, during which process, Dijeng was approved.



This comes after Khama had put forward demands under time frames for Dijeng to be disqualified. In a letter dated July 20th 2018 Khama gave BDP Central Committee three days to disqualify Dijeng. Failure by the party to act on the matter Khama said he would be left with no choice but to demand for the holding of Extra-ordinary meeting of the National Council within Seven (7) days of receipt of the letter.



Should this fail Khama posited that he would move an urgent application with the High Court to review Dijengs approval and interdict holding of primaries in the constituency. He advises the party through his lawyers to act on the matter to avoid litigation.

The letter, addressed to the party chairman Slumber Tsogwane who is also Vice President, states that, it is the impropriety of the manner in which the approval of prospective candidates recommended by the Branch Committee in Serowe West Constituency was carried out by yourselves that has precipitated the delivery of this communication.



Khama argues that Dijeng was once found to have contravened the BDP Code of Conduct. He stated in the letter that Dijengs candidacy has been approved despite the fact that the Disciplinary Committee of the very same Central Committee had on the 12th of June 2018, found the said Dijeng guilty of contravening Clause 16 of the partys Code of Conduct for candidates in primary election stemming from a complaint raised by the Central Region Committee; and despite the fact that the central committee knew or ought to have known of this ruling not only because, in terms of the partys procedures, all findings of the disciplinary committee are forwarded to it but also that our client made the Central Committee aware of such a finding prior to the vetting process by handing copies of said Disciplinary Committee finding to both the party Secretary General and Chairperson.



The lawyer indicates that it needs to be pointed out further, that of the many complaints raised by the Central Region Committee before the Disciplinary Committee was also the fact that the Serowe West Branch had been captured and working in cahoots with said Dijeng given the circumstances surrounding the incidents leading to the complaint filed.



According to the minister, the Central Committee cannot exercise its powers or and functions beyond that which is prescribed by the governing law of the party. In doing so, Khama said it would be acting without legal authority and any decision taken that lacks legal authority is illegal and is of no force and effect.



Luckily, the immediate aforegoing position also presents the Central Committee with the perfect opportunity to make the correct decision given that the one purportedly made is an absolute invalidity and to be ignored. In the premises, you are accordingly requested to adhere to the dictates of the partys regulations and disqualify Moemedi Dijeng from standing as a candidate.



Should you be unwilling, or believe yourselves unable to do as requested, we have instructions to demand that you convene an extra-ordinary meeting of the National Council within seven (7) days of your receipt of this letter, in order for said Council to review your resolution to approve Dijeng as a candidate. The said Council being empowered to review the Central Committee resolution as per the party Constitution, reads the letter.

Khamas lawyers have argued that the decision to approve Dijeng is ultra-vires and invalid when tested against the fabric of the partyOceanside police launched a homicide investigation Tuesday after a woman returned from work to find her husband dead inside their home.

The 77-year-old man had suffered trauma to his upper body inside the home on North Tremont Street, Oceanside police said.

The man's wife returned home from her work at a local nursing home and called the police just before 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Oceanside Police Detectives from the Crimes of Violence Unit are currently investigating the incident, officials said.

Friends of the victim gathered Tuesday evening at Surfside Tap Room where the victim was known. Read more on that story here.

Anyone with information may call Detective Ellgard at (760) 435-4748.A proposed wind project is up against a squall of opposition in Boulevard where county planners are processing the first large-scale wind renewable energy project to be built on private land in San Diego.

The San Diego County Planning Commission denied Friday a strongly-worded appeal from the Boulevard Community Planning Group, which opposed construction of temporary meteorological towers to measure wind, ahead of the project.

Three temporary masts will be erected to gauge the potential of renewable energy wind turbine projects, according to a staff report recommending the approval of the temporary MET facility, in preparation for the Torrey Wind energy project.

The Aug. 1 appeal from the Boulevard Planning Group says they object to the weasel worded findings of county staff to turn their rural community into a renewable energy sacrifice zone.

New York-based renewable energy company Terra-Gen, which has an office in San Diego as well, wants to build a 126-megawatt project on a 2,000-acre private ranch in northern Boulevard.



If approved, the project would erect 30 wind turbines, up to a maximum of 586-feet tall at the north end of Ribbonwood Road on a private property formerly known as Big Country Ranch.

Its the height, said Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group, when asked about the biggest objections from the community.

These are taller (its like 586 feet) so its taller than the tallest building in downtown San Diego," Tisdale said. "In our rural community, its taller - almost a hundred feet taller - than the existing turbines that are on federal lands next door.

The tallest building in downtown San Diego is One American Plaza at 500 feet, according to city staff.

Tisdale added the project would require millions of gallons of groundwater, a scarcity in Boulevard.

Also the bigger the turbine, the more noise and vibrations are produced, and there are adverse health effects for people who are sensitive to that. It creates a fight-or-flight instinct reaction and stress-related illnesses, she said.

Tisdale said a draft study into the health impacts of the turbines has not yet been released by the county.

The project the county approved Friday only includes three temporary towers to stand up to 197-feet to measure meteorological occurrences such as wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, rain, snow or sun exposure to determine whether it is feasible to develop a renewable energy wind turbine project, according to the staff report. The merits of the actual wind farm will be evaluated separately at a different public meeting, the staff report said.

The county plans to release a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report on Thursday for a 30-day public review.



The temporary towers will be built on a 600-acre property near Mountain Empire on county maintained land. It will include two sonic detection and ranging (SoDAR) units to measure wind velocity.What to Know A state judge cleared the way for the release of four of the defendants Monday

Defendant Jany Leveille, the mother of six children at the compound, was taken into custody by ICE Tuesday

Leveille, 35, is a native of Haiti

A judge's decision to allow the release of an extended family accused of child abuse at a ramshackle desert compound in New Mexico prompted a political uproar Tuesday by prominent Republican lawmakers.

The controversy was stoked even further when court officials condemned threats of violence made against the judge who issued the ruling and evacuated several administrative court offices as a precaution.

State District Court Judge Sarah Backus on Monday cleared the way for the release of four defendants, despite assertions by prosecutors that the group was training children to use firearms for an anti-government mission and should remain in jail pending trial.

The father of a severely disabled boy who was kidnapped in Georgia will not be released because an arrest warrant has been issued for him in that state.

Another defendant, Jany Leveille, was taken into custody by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Tuesday, Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe announced. The 35-year-old native of Haiti is the mother of six children taken into state custody during the compound raid.

Eleven children were taken into custody at the squalid compound near the Colorado border during an Aug. 3 raid by authorities who returned three days later and recovered the body of a small boy.

Backus, an elected Democrat, said her decision to grant release to house arrest, with conditions such as wearing ankle monitors, was tied to recent reforms of the state's pre-trial detention system that set a high bar for incriminating evidence needed to hold suspects without bail.

Backus said Monday the state failed to provide evidence backing up key allegations in the case.

"The state alleges that there was a big plan afoot but the state hasn't shown to my satisfaction and by clear and convincing evidence what that plan was," Backus told the courtroom, noting that none of the defendants has a criminal record.

Initiated by a statewide vote in 2016, New Mexico's bail reforms are modeled after similar changes made in New Jersey and under consideration in California that reduce the role of money as a means of ensuring court appearances or making release impossible for potentially dangerous suspects.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, a former district attorney, said Tuesday she "strongly disagreed" with the judge's decision and renewed her criticism of rules for pre-trial detention that are determined in part by the state Supreme Court.

"You have a person who is training kids to shoot up schools, they have a compound that is like a third-world country," State Republican Party Chairman Ryan Cangiolosi said. "There's a child's body on the compound  I believe that allowing them to be released is absurd."

Medical examiners have yet to determine conclusively whether the body found at the compound outside Amalia was that of Abdul-ghani  the missing son of compound resident Siraj Ibn Wahhaj. Other relatives have said or told authorities that the remains are those of Abdul-ghani.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj provided some of the children with firearms training, including tactical skills such as speed-loading guns and firing while in motion. Along with rifles, handguns and ammunition, authorities say they found books on being effective in combat and building untraceable assault-style rifles.

Backus, however, said prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats or plan against the community.

She also pressed prosecutors for evidence to support allegations that the children were starving at the compound.

Administrative court officials say Backus was the target of threats via social media, email and telephone. One caller to the district court in Taos made a death threat, said Barry Massey, a spokesman for the Administrative Office off the Courts.

Agency Director Artie Pepin stressed that the judge's responsibility is to make decisions based on evidence and "not popular sentiment that may develop from incomplete or misleading information."

Suspect Siraj Ibn Wahhaj will remain in jail pending a warrant for his arrest in Georgia issued over accusations that he abducted his son, Abdul-ghani, from the boy's mother in December and fled to New Mexico.

Three other defendants  Lucas Morton, Subhannah Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj  had yet to be released on Tuesday.

Attorneys for those four defendants say volunteers have come forward to provide a suitable place for them to live as legal proceedings move forward.

Backus set bail at $20,000 with no up-front deposit  just a threat of a fine if defendants break condition of their release.

Court testimony Monday by n FBI agent shed light on the fate of the boy whose body was found.

Agent Travis Taylor said a 15-year-old resident of the compound described attempts to cast demonic spirits the child through a ritual that involved reading passages from the Quran while Siraj Ibn Wahhaj held a hand on the boy's forehead,

The boy apparently died after one of the sessions, Taylor said.Nebraska carried out its first execution in more than two decades on Tuesday with a drug combination never tried before, including the first use of the powerful opioid fentanyl in a lethal injection.

Carey Dean Moore, 60, was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. Moore had been sentenced to death for killing two cab drivers in Omaha in 1979. He was the first inmate to be lethally injected in Nebraska, which last carried out an execution in 1997, using the electric chair.

Witnesses said there appeared to be no complications in the execution process, which also was the first time a state used four drugs in combination. Moore remained mostly still throughout the execution but breathed heavily and gradually turned red and then purple as the drugs were administered.

Media witnesses including The Associated Press saw Moore take short, gasping breaths that became deeper and more labored. His chest heaved several times before it went still. His eyelids briefly cracked open.

At one point while on the gurney, Moore turned his head and mouthed several words to his family, including "I love you." No members of the victims' families witnessed the execution.

The Department of Correctional Services said the first lethal injection drug was administered at 10:24 a.m. The prison warden lowered a curtain over the media's viewing window at 10:39 a.m. and raised it again about 14 minutes later.

Dawn-Renee Smith, the department's chief of staff, said the curtain was lowered after the execution team notified Department Director Scott Frakes that the last drug had been injected. Smith said Frakes and Acting Warden Robert Madsen waited in the execution room for five minutes to ensure the drugs had taken effect before summoning the county coroner from another part of the prison to confirm Moore's death.

Moore was declared dead at 10:47 a.m. The viewing curtain was lifted again about six minutes later to reveal Moore's body and remained open for 40 seconds.

In his final written statement, Moore admitted: "I am guilty." But he said there are others on Nebraska's death row who he believes are innocent and he said they should be released.

"How might you feel if your loved one was innocent and on death row?" Moore asked.

The execution drew only about a dozen death penalty supporters and protesters who stood in the rain outside the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. More than 150 people gathered outside the Nebraska Capitol later in the day to protest the execution.

The light turnout stood in contrast to the 1994 execution of Harold Lamont Otey, when more than 1,000 people created a raucous, party-like atmosphere. Otey was executed shortly after midnight in the electric chair, and some in the crowd sang the song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" after it was announced. Following Otey's punishment, executions were changed to a morning schedule.

Moore's execution comes a little more than three years after Nebraska lawmakers abolished the death penalty, only to have it reinstated the following year through a citizen ballot drive partially financed by Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts. The governor, a wealthy former businessman, has said he was fulfilling the wishes of voters in the conservative state.

The Nebraska drug protocol called for an initial IV dose of diazepam, commonly known as Valium, to render the inmate unconscious, followed by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, then cisatracurium besylate to induce paralysis and stop the inmate from breathing and potassium chloride to stop the heart.

Diazepam and cisatracurium also had never been used in executions before.

According to prosecutors, Moore was 21 when he fatally shot Reuel Van Ness during a robbery with his younger brother, and used the money to buy drugs and pornography. Moore fatally shot Maynard Helgeland by himself five days later, saying he wanted to prove he could take a man's life by himself. Moore was arrested a week later. He was charged and convicted of first-degree murder, while his 14-year-old brother was convicted of second-degree murder.

In his statement, Moore also apologized to his brother for dragging him into the robbery and murder.

"I should (have) led him in the right way to go instead of bringing him down, way down," Moore said.

Moore had faced execution dates set by the Nebraska Supreme Court seven times since he was convicted, but each was delayed because of legal challenges and questions over whether previous lethal injection drugs were purchased legally. For some relatives of Moore's victims, that was far too long  and they hope his name and crimes will finally vanish from headlines.

"We're sick of hearing about Carey Dean Moore," Steve Helgeland, one of Maynard Helgeland's three children, said ahead of the execution.

Helgeland said the numerous delays in executing Moore had left him ambivalent.

"There was a point in my life when I probably would have pulled the switch myself, but 39 years has a way of dissipating your anger," he said.

A Germany-based drugmaker tried to halt the execution last week, filing a lawsuit that alleged the state had illegally procured at least one of the company's drugs. The company, Fresenius Kabi, argued that allowing the execution to go forward would harm its reputation and business relationships.

But a federal judge sided with state attorneys, who argued that the public's interest in carrying out a lawful execution outweighed the company's concerns. The judge also noted that Moore had stopped fighting the state's efforts to execute him.

A federal appeals court upheld that ruling Monday, and Fresenius Kabi decided not to appeal.What to Know Kobach will face Democrat Laura Kelly in the race for governor in November

Kobach had the support of President Donald Trump

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded Tuesday evening in the state's Republican gubernatorial primary, saying he would endorse Secretary of State Kris Kobach a week after their neck-and-neck finish threatened to send the race to a recount.

Colyer accepted defeat after a review of some provisional ballots from most Kansas counties failed to find enough votes for him to overcome a deficit of 110 votes at the time of poll closing in the Aug. 7 primary, out of more than 311,000 votes initially counted.

Kobach will face Democrat Laura Kelly, and is likely to face independent candidate Greg Orman, in the November general election in the decidedly conservative state.

The disputed race was intense and prompted a lengthy county-by-county review of provisional ballots. The aftermath of the primary included both candidates challenging each other's legal interpretations, sending observers to monitor the vote count and raising the specter of lawsuits.

It included a fight over how to count unaffiliated voters who were simply given a provisional ballot by poll workers without first having them fill out a party-affiliation statement. Colyer's campaign had representatives in all 105 counties when provisional ballots are reviewed.

Colyer also questioned whether Kobach  as secretary of state the top election official in Kansas  was advising counties not to count some mail-in ballots, including those with missing or unreadable postmarks.

Kobach removed himself from election-related duties on Aug. 10 until the primary outcome was resolved, but Colyer argued that Kobach still had a conflict of interest because his top deputy took over Kobach's responsibilities.

Kobach rejected Colyer's criticisms, saying his "unrestrained rhetoric has the potential to undermine the public's confidence in the election process."

Kobach, 52, has a national conservative following thanks to his strong stance against illegal immigration and his fervent defense of voter ID laws. He was vice chairman of the Trump administration's election-fraud commission, though the commission eventually found no evidence to support Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 presidential election.

Kobach's voter ID efforts also took a hit in June when a federal judge found the Kansas voter ID law he championed was unconstitutional.

Colyer, by contrast, is far more low-key. He is a 58-year-old plastic surgeon from suburban Kansas City. He served as lieutenant governor for seven years and took over as governor in January when Sam Brownback resigned to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

He helped craft state health care legislation as a lawmaker before his election as lieutenant governor in 2010. As lieutenant governor, he supervised a 2013 initiative that privatized Kansas' Medicaid health coverage for the needy.

Provisional ballots are cast when questions about a voter's eligibility cannot be easily resolved. The problem could involve a name not showing up on the voter rolls or a voter's address not matching a photo ID in states where that is required.

National data from the Election Assistance Commission shows that the most common reason for rejection was that a voter was not registered in the state. Other reasons include provisional ballots being cast in the wrong county or wrong precinct and problems with a voter's identification or signature.

Colyer ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2002 before being elected to the Kansas House in 2006, then to the state Senate in 2008.

He has for three decades traveled abroad for medical relief missions, working and training local doctors in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Iraq and other countries.

Before becoming governor, Colyer was a loyal No. 2 to Brownback, even when budget problems that followed the governor's aggressive income tax cuts caused his approval levels to plummet. Lawmakers in 2017 rolled back most of those cuts.

Colyer skirted legal trouble after making three $500,000 loans to Brownback's and his own re-election campaign in 2013 and 2014. Two of the loans were paid back within days. Democrats speculated they might have been timed to inflate campaign-finance reports. They came as the Republican governor faced the prospect of losing to a well-financed Democratic challenger, Paul Davis. Brownback eventually won by a 50 percent to 46.1 percent margin.

Brownback's office said the loans were in compliance with Kansas law and ethics regulations. A grand jury investigation ended with no criminal charges.What to Know Christine Hallquist was one of four Democrats seeking the gubernatorial nomination in Vermont.

Hallquist is the first transgender gubernatorial candidate to win a nomination from a major party.

Hallquist will face Republican incumbent Gov. Phil Scott in November.

A former Vermont utility executive on Tuesday became the first transgender candidate to be nominated for governor, and she'll face the Republican incumbent, who survived a bitter backlash from his base over gun restrictions he supported.

GOP Gov. Phil Scott defeated a challenge from Springfield businessman Keith Stern in his quest to win a second term. He will face Christine Hallquist, who won the Democratic primary to run for the state's highest office in November, when she would become the nation's first transgender governor if elected.

Scott said he expected the race to be closer than it was.

"I know there are some who are still upset with me who may not welcome tonight's result but there's so much more that unites us than sets us apart," Scott said. "And no one agrees with their friends all the time, but as our success shows we can make a lot of good progress when we have clear priorities and we pull in the same direction."

Hallquist said her campaign would focus on improving the state's economy, yet she acknowledged the symbolism of being an openly transgender candidate.

"The whole world is looking at this as a historic moment for a transgender candidate, but that's not what Vermont looked at," Hallquist said. "Vermonters looked at, 'What's Christine and her team going to do for Vermont?'"

"Look to Vermont," she said. "We continue to demonstrate leadership in civil rights and how to honor and work with each other. We can be a beacon for the rest of the world."

Scott, first elected in 2016, faced a rebellion from his base due to his support for a series of gun restrictions that, while mild by national standards, angered many members of Vermont's avid hunting community. The restrictions, which Scott signed into law in April, came after the arrest of a teenager on charges he was plotting a school shooting.

They included raising the age to buy firearms from 18 to 21, restricting the size of gun magazines and requiring background checks for most private gun sales.

Scott will seek re-election in November by continuing his pledge to make the state more affordable, not raise taxes or fees, foster a better environment for businesses and attract newcomers to the state.

Hallquist defeated environmental activist James Ehlers; dance festival organizer Brenda Siegel; and 14-year-old student Ethan Sonneborn, on the ballot because a quirk in state law doesn't require candidates to be of voting age.

Democratic state Sen. John Rodgers, from Vermont's remote and conservative Northeast Kingdom, failed in his bid for a grassroots write-in campaign, largely motivated by his displeasure with firearms restrictions.D.C. just got a new sister.

Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a sister city agreement between D.C. and San Salvador on Monday during a visit to El Salvador.

Bowser met with San Salvador Mayor Ernesto Muyshondt to sign the agreement, which established a cooperative relationship between the two capital cities to further economic and youth development, public safety and more.

Salvadorans have played an important role in building the diverse, inclusive and thriving Washington, D.C., that we live in today, Bowser said at the event at Plaza Barrios. I am proud that San Salvador will be the first sister city agreement I am entering into as mayor and will work hard to ensure we can build safer, stronger communities together.

D.C. is home to a large Salvadoran population, including many Salvadoran business owners, families, leaders and artists. In 2014, Salvadorans made up the largest group of D.C.'s Hispanic population, at more than 32 percent.

The agreement is aimed at furthering commercial and cultural ties between the two cities, according to a press release from D.C. It confirms that the cities will share information on energy conservation practices and trade and investment opportunities to connect small and large companies with partners and consumers.

It will also promote program development to share cultural experiences, direct youth toward positive growth and more.

During her visit, Bowser attended a signing of a memorandum of understanding between Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in Columbia Heights and ITCA-Fepade in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, to promote these ideals.

When we heard that our mayor was coming here and bringing a delegation, it was a no-brainer, Carlos Rosario Principal Allison Kokkoros said.



Carlos Rosaio's student population is more than 30 percent made up of Salvadoran students. The agreement entered the two schools into a formal relationship for educational and exchange opportunities in their culinary programs for faculty and staff.

Bowser also met with Carlos Casteneda, El Salvador's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss issues such as the Temporary Protected Status Program, which temporarily provides legal status to migrants living in the U.S. who can't return to their home country because of dangerous circumstances.

She and Muyshondt also announced the grand opening of a new library in San Salvador that a D.C.-based company donated funds to build.

San Salvador joined the list of 14 other sister cities with D.C., including Rome, Italy; Dakar, Senegal and Bangkok, Thailand.In less than three months, two toddlers fell to their deaths from the same apartment building in Fairfax County, Virginia.

On Monday, a 2-year-old boy fell from a balcony of the Skyline Towers Apartments. In May, a 3-year-old boy fell out of a window of the same building. On Tuesday, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

The 2-year-old fell off a 24th-floor balcony of the building in the 5600 block of Seminary Road. First responders tried to save the child, but he was pronounced dead. A maintenance man said he heard a man screaming hysterically.

An adult inside the apartment was taking care of another child at the time of the fall, Fairfax County police said in an update Tuesday.

Police did not immediately release the child's name. Initially, police believed he fell out of a window.

On May 30, 3-year-old Syed Noor Zaidi died after falling from the 26th floor of the apartment tower. The screen on a window gave out, his family says.

His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday against the building owner and property manager, arguing they were negligent and "actually knew or should have known by the use of ordinary care" that the windows were dangerous.

In 2015, a toddler fell from the fifth floor of an apartment and survived.

"It is simply dangerous to children, and I hope that no other children have to die before Skyland Towers does something to make its property safe," said Kim Brooks-Rodney, the Zaidi family's lawyer.

The family is suing for $100 million.

A spokesman for Equity Residential, which owns the building, released a statement saying the company was cooperating with the investigation into the death Monday.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very difficult time," the statement said.

Residents told News4 that the rails on the balconies are wide enough apart that a child can squeeze through them.

"In between them, any 2-year-old can put their head through the gap," one resident said. "My wife wants me to move and buy a house."

Many residents are concerned about the locks on the window screens, a resident told News4 on Monday.



Linda Watkins, a spokesperson for the organization Safe Kids Worldwide, previously told News4 that window screens are meant to keep bugs out but are not sturdy enough to keep children inside. Watkins said parents should keep furniture away from windows.

"A lot of times, we will have furniture of some sort, or even the crib, pushed up against a window, and toddlers can climb up on that and get to the windows and push those screens out," she said.

Families can install window stops or guards, and if a window opens from the top and bottom, they should only open the top.

An investigation into the child's death Monday is ongoing.Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) factional wars have started to tear the party apart ahead of 2019 general elections, Botswana Guardian can reveal.



The party is divided in two with some supporting former president Ian Khama while others are fighting in the corner of President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The fight between the two factions has resulted in Bulela-Ditswe which was scheduled for this weekend being suspended indefinitely.



The BDP postponed the primaries on allegations of hacking of the partys system. However, insiders have revealed that this is just an excuse by those in support of Masisi as they want to re-strategise following a tip-off that the Khama-led team is also targeting candidates who are sympathetic to Masisi. The regrouping is also for the Masisi team to consolidate power to be able to contain the situation even post primary elections.

The Masisi camp has also been targeting some of the candidates who were deemed to be anti-Masisi administration. Mostly those on the Masisi hit list are those who were not supporting him last year when he contested the partys chairmanship. Intelligence from both factions is said to be high with each trying to infiltrate the other.

The dismissal of the hacking according to insiders is on the basis that verification of voters rolls has been ongoing for the past three months with the involvement of Electoral Board and Political Education and Elections Committee (PEEC) deployees across the country. The entrance of Khama in the factional turf follows the perceived frustrations and humiliations the former president has repeatedly suffered lately at the hands of Masisi.

Indications are that Khama had thought Masisi would be eating from his palm but after assuming the presidency of the party and that of the country, Masisi started cracking the whip on Khamas administration. Masisi has since asserted his control and Khama, like any other citizen or BDP member, has to dance to his tunes. This is said to have angered Khama who has since launched a war on Masisi and his team. Khama is said to be consolidating power especially in the central district which is BDPs biggest Region.

Khama has the advantage of being Bangwato Paramount chief to gain access in the region where he addresses Kgotla meetings and does walkabouts. The Khama factor is said to be causing BDP Central Committee, some ministers and Members of Parliament who want to survive Bulela-Ditswe, a serious headache. Some have allegedly called for the former president to be put on a tight leash before things spiral out of control.

Some Members of Parliament and cabinet ministers are said to have expressed concern over Khamas latest conduct. It is alleged that this has made them to influence the postponement of the elections. Khama has already visited constituencies held by some key members of the party and Central Committee such as party chairman and Vice President Slumber Tsogwane who faces a tight competition in Boteti West and Deputy Secretary General and Minister of Defence Justice and Security Shaw Kgathi who is also facing an uphill battle in his constituency.

While the factional turf is getting nasty, it is said to have also hit Tsholetsa House where the voters roll and membership cards are made. Information gathered by this publication revealed that the party office does not make corrections to the voters rolls which were corrected by local structures, when they reach Tsholetsa House. In the same fashion some voters have been blacklisted from the voters rolls even staunch BDP members.

The secretariat, together with some Political Education and Elections Committee (PEEC) members, have been accused of conniving to blacklist some voters. Some voters have been removed from the voters roll of a certain ward and moved to another ward which they do not reside in. BDP Secretary General Mpho Balopi has admitted that there has been a problem regarding the voters rolls. He has however maintained that there is no animosity between Khama and Masisi.

He said that just like other former presidents, Khama contributes to the party in any way possible. He said comments that are being made would not derail the BDP Central Committee from delivering credible elections. He said as a party that has been in power for more than 50 years and has been delivering credible elections, they would not risk this time around to deliver compromised primary elections in the 40 constituencies. According to Balopi, Khama has a right to his opinion on how he sees things but as BDP they are prepared to win the 2019 general election with a convincing margin.



Balopi indicated that a meeting with the over 1000 candidates, central committee members, branch and regional leadership scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) in Palapye is expected to address all the issues including the issues of the primaries. He said expectation is that at the meeting the issue of hacking would have been handled and a new date of election communicated.What to Know The U.S. intends to do more to help stem the flow of guns into Mexico

Mexican cartels are constantly trying to adapt to law enforcement strategies

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials unveiled some additional strategies in combating Mexican drug cartels Wednesday in Chicago alongside members of the Mexican government, military and federal police, who said one priority was to capture the leader of the increasingly powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

A joint news conference with the officials side by side was a display of bilateral cooperation amid ongoing tensions over President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, including over his vow to build a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexican border.

The new plans include putting greater emphasis on attacking cartels' financial infrastructure and calling for a new enforcement group based in Chicago that will concentrate on international investigations of cartels. But they don't include major departures from how both countries have gone after cartels for years.

The targeting of cartel drug lords will remain a core component of bids to disrupt the powerful syndicates, for instance. The biggest trophy in the long-standing kingpin strategy was Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, extradited to New York in 2017 to face U.S. trafficking charges.

Among the cartels cutting into Sinaloa's drug-market share is the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho." The cartel once shot down a Mexican military helicopter with a rocket launcher.

Last year, a DEA drug-threat report called CJNG "one of the most powerful and fastest growing (cartels) in Mexico and the United States." It said the cartel's primary product is methamphetamine, with main U.S. distribution hubs in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta.

At Wednesday's news conference, Felipe De Jesus Munoz Vazquez, a Mexico's deputy attorney general, said "one priority is the capture of the head of the CJNG." Also Wednesday, officials in Mexico announced a 30 million peso ($1.6 million) reward for the capture of Cervantes.

Matthew G. Donahue, director for the DEA's North and Central American Region, told the AP Tuesday that the U.S. wants to rely more on changes in the Mexican legal system in recent years designed to make evidence gathering and prosecutions more efficient.

"That's what we're really trying to push  the cooperation that we currently have with Mexico to be a little more efficient, a little bit more aggressive," Donahue said.

In turn, he said the U.S. intends to do more to help stem the flow of guns into Mexico that contributes to deadly violence in the country. Donahue said around 31,000 people were killed in Mexico last year, a record for a single year.

Some cartel experts say they don't believe tensions on the presidential level between the two nations have undermined cooperation in the fight against traffickers on the law-enforcement level.

"At the working level, there is a history of working together," said Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical analysis for Texas-based intelligence firm Stratfor. "It is not impacted by the political rhetoric."

A 2018 report by the University of San Diego's Justice in Mexico said Guzman's takedown "dramatically reshaped the landscape of Mexican organized crime," including by clearing the way for the rise of CJNG. It added the cartel's 52-year-old leader "has a reputation as a ruthless killer." He migrated to the U.S. in the 1980s and was deported back to Mexico after a trafficking conviction.

The same report urged policymakers not to rely as much on a strategy of going after kingpins and extraditing them to the U.S., saying it often had a "hydra-effect," in which a new series of drug lords emerge and without reducing the overall menace of cartels.

But the DEA gave no indication either it or the Mexicans were inclined to depart from that strategy. Donahue said in his Tuesday interview that the U.S. and Mexico will "always go after the top dog" in a cartel, though he also said law enforcement would "always go after the entire organization."

Mexican cartels are constantly trying to adapt to law enforcement strategies, said a report last year by Latin American affairs analyst June Beittel for the Congressional Research Service, a research arm of Congress.

Large hierarchical cartels "led by hard-to-capture cartel kingpins," it said, are being "replaced by flatter, more nimble organizations that tend to be loosely networked." The report said cartels are also diversifying their criminal operations to include kidnapping, prostitution, extortion and even software piracy.

Among the other Mexican officials in Chicago were Mexico's acting attorney general, Alberto Elias Beltran, and Mexico's chief director for the Criminal Investigations Agency, Omar Hamid Garcia Harfuch.A federal judge was arrested at his Miami-Dade home Tuesday after he allegedly pointed a gun at the mother of his son and tried to run away from officers.

Judge Timothy Robert Maher, 51, was arrested later Tuesday on charges including aggravated assault with a firearm, child abuse causing no great bodily harm and resisting an officer without violence, according to an arrest report.

Maher denied the accusations when he appeared in court Wednesday, calling them "horrifically embarrassing." He told the judge he didn't have a gun on him on Tuesday, as the woman alleged.

According to the report, the mother of Maher's child, who shares joint custody with him, arrived to pick up the boy at Maher's home Tuesday. Maher and the woman had lived together for nearly four years but broke up in April, the report said.

The woman said she texted Maher when she arrived at his home and he walked out of the house carrying their son in his left arm and had a holstered pistol on his right hip, the report said.

As Maher approached her, she said he shined a flashlight toward her face and told her, "I'm going to show you what pain is about," as their son was crying, the report said.

Maher handed over the child but kept shining the flashlight at her, according to the report, and she called 911 and started to drive away. While on the phone with the 911 operator, she saw Maher walk out of his home with a "long barrel gun" and saw a "red laser" pointed toward her car, and as she drove away she saw Maher pointing the gun at her, the report said.

When officers arrived, Maher wouldn't answer the door but an officer saw him inside his home trying to hide behind a wall, the report said. Officers set up a perimeter around the home and made contact with Maher over the phone and convinced him to come outside after about an hour, the report said.

Maher stayed on his porch and an officer was able to grab his arm but Maher allegedly pulled away and tried to run back into the home. The officer was able to bring him to the ground and took him into custody, the report said.

Maher was booked into jail and appeared before Miami-Dade Judge Renatha Francis Wednesday morning, where he vehemently denied the charges.

"Your honor, just like you, I am a judge, I'm a federal judge, I've been a judge for over 10 years, before that I spent 15 years as a United States attorney and senior trial counsel to the Treasury Department," Maher said.

Maher said he has been dealing with issues with his son's mother for the past three months.

"The accusations that were made against me are entirely false and fictitious. The mother of my child has called the police to my house on not less than five occasions prior to last night, each time making more incendiary and more fantastic allegations against me," Maher said. "I did not have a gun on me last night, I did not point a gun at anyone, I was handing my son over to his mother."

Maher said the woman has called the Department of Children and Families to his home to perform a search and even alleged he was not the boy's father.

"This is horrifically embarrassing to me, it is career-threatening," he told the judge.

Francis ordered Maher held on $13,000 bond and ordered him to stay away from his child.What to Know A huge section of the Morandi Bridge fell at midday over an industrial zone, sending tons of twisted steel and concrete onto warehouses

Hundreds of firefighters and emergency officials were searching for survivors in the rubble

One man who was standing under the bridge in front of his truck when the span collapsed called it "a miracle" that he survived

A 51-year-old highway bridge in the Italian port city of Genoa collapsed in a driving rain Tuesday, killing at least 39 people and injuring 15 others as it sent dozens of vehicles tumbling into a heap of concrete and twisted steel.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte called it "an immense tragedy ... inconceivable in a modern system like ours, a modern country."

The disaster, on a major interchange connecting Genoa and other northern cities with beaches in eastern Liguria into France, focused attention on Italy's aging infrastructure, particularly its concrete bridges and viaducts built in the postwar boom of the 1950s and 1960s.

What caused the Morandi Bridge to fall remained unknown, and prosecutors said they were opening an investigation but had not identified any targets. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said the collapse was "unacceptable" and that if negligence played a role "whoever made a mistake must pay."

Early speculation focused on the structural weakness of the span.

Witnesses reported hearing a roar as the 45-meter (nearly 150-foot) bridge collapsed in a torrential rain during midday traffic on the eve of a major holiday that sees most Italians abandoning cities for beaches and mountains.

One unidentified woman who was standing below told RAI state TV that it crumbled as if it were a mound of baking flour. Video of the collapse, showing a misty scene of crumbled concrete, captured a man screaming: "Oh, God! Oh, God!"

Civil Protection authorities said at least 30 cars and three heavy vehicles were on the 80-meter (260-foot) section of the span that collapsed in the industrial area of warehouses.

There was an immense gap where the bridge used to be, and one heart-stopping image showed a green truck halted on the rain-slickened roadway just short of the edge.

A man who was standing under the bridge in front of his truck at the time of the collapse called it "a miracle" that he survived. The middle-aged man, who did not give his name, said the shockwave sent him flying over 10 meters (33 feet) into a wall, injuring his right shoulder and hip.

"I was in front of the truck and flew away, like everything else. Yes, I think it's a miracle. I don't know what to say. I'm out of words," he said, walking away from the site.

More than 300 rescue workers and canine crews were on the scene. They used heavy equipment and dogs to search for survivors in the rubble. At least four people were pulled alive from vehicles under the bridge, ANSA reported.

"Operations are ongoing to extract people imprisoned below parts of the bridge and twisted metal," said Angelo Borrelli, the head of Italy's civil protection agency.

Officials evacuated several hundred people living along the raised highway that traverses the city as a precaution.

The effort would continue into the night.

"It is a bit like working on an earthquake," said firefighters spokesman Luca Cari. "The main difficulty is removing the rubble and safeguarding the rescue teams."

There was confusion over the death toll throughout the day, with different officials giving conflicting numbers.

After visiting the scene, Conte told RAI state TV the tragedy was "a serious wound for Genoa, Liguria and Italy."

The Italian CNR civil engineering society said that structures dating from when the Morandi Bridge was built had surpassed their lifespan. It called for a "Marshall Plan" to repair or replace tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s. Updating and reinforcing the bridges would be more expensive than destroying and rebuilding them with technology that could last a century.

They cited previous accidents: a bridge that fell in April 2017 in the northern province of Cuneo, crushing a carabinieri police car after the officers and driver had barely managed to get away in time; and an overpass that in the northern city of Lecco that collapsed under exceptional weight, crushing a car and killing the driver.

The design of the bridge has been criticized in the past. Antonio Brencich, a professor specializing in reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, called the span "a failure of engineering" in an interview in 2016.

"That bridge is wrong. Sooner or later it will have to be replaced. I do not know when. But there will be a time when the cost of maintenance will be higher than a replacement," he told Italian media Primocanale.

Other engineers said corrosion or weather conditions could have contributed.

"As this reinforced and pre-stressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years, it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor," said Ian Firth, former president of The Institution of Structural Engineers, a London-based international network. He called the bridge "an unusual design."

Mehdi Kashani, an associate professor in structural mechanics at the University of Southampton in the U.K., said maintenance issues and pressure from "dynamic loads," such as traffic and wind, could have resulted in "fatigue damage in bridge components."

Borrelli said highway engineers were checking other parts of the bridge and that some areas were evacuated as a precaution.

"You can see there are very big portions of the bridge (that collapsed). We need to remove all of the rubble to ascertain that all of the people have been reached," he said.

The transport minister, Toninelli, said the company that has the concession to operate that section of highway said its maintenance on the bridge was up to date and no work was being done at the time of the collapse. But he added that they were about to launch a 20 million euro ($22.7 million) bidding process for significant safety work on the bridge.

"There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed  almost all  during the 1960s," he said.

It was the second deadly disaster on an Italian highway in as many weeks.

On Aug. 6, a tanker truck carrying a highly flammable gas exploded after rear-ending a stopped truck and getting hit from behind near the northern city of Bologna. The accident killed one person, injured dozens and blew apart a section of a raised eight-lane highway.Authorities say a worker has died after falling into a vat of oil at a facility near Walt Disney World.

Lt. Emanuel Curry of the Orange County Sheriff's Office told the Orlando Sentinel the 61-year-old man slipped and fell into the vat early Wednesday while emptying oil and grease from a tractor-trailer.

Local news outlets reported the facility is part of a district created to provide municipal services to the Disney theme park.

Deputies said witnesses couldn't pull the man from the oil. He became overwhelmed by fumes and slipped further down.

The Reedy Creek Fire Department recovered the man's body. His name wasn't immediately released.

In a statement to WKMG-TV, Disney said the victim worked for Harvest Power, a Massachusetts-based company that converts food waste and yard waste into biofuel, compost, mulch and fertilizer.

Last month, a Disney World employee was killed in an industrial accident near the near the Pop Century Resort in Orlando.What to Know The suspect, Keenan Jones, allegedly opened fire inside the Cedarbrook Plaza Walmart store Tuesday night then led officers on a chase.

Jones also allegedly fought responding Philly officers after fleeing the scene with a woman and crashing into a police car.

All of eight victims of the shooting and fight suffered non-life threatening injuries, police said. Two suspects were taken into custody.

An argument inside a crowded suburban Philadelphia Walmart escalated into a shooting, crash and fight with responding officers that left five people shot and others wounded in the "chaos" of gunfire.

The alleged gunman was identified Wednesday as Keenan Jones of Philadelphia. He faces one count of attempted murder, 13 counts of aggravated assault, 19 counts of reckless endangerment and related gun charges. He was held on $1 million bail.

The shooting began shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday inside the Walmart at Cedarbrook Plaza Shopping Center on South Easton Road in Wyncote. An argument near the checkout line allegedly pre-empted the shooting, police said.

"Words were exchanged" and the suspect pulled a gun from his female companion's waistband and fired "at least 10 shots," Cheltenham Township Chief of Police John Frye said.



Jones, 30, and the woman are brother and sister, the Montgomery County District Attorney's office said. She has not been identified or charged.

Photos: 'Chaos' of Gunfire and Police Pursuit During Suburban Philadelphia Walmart Shooting

Two women in their 40s and a man in his 40s were wounded in the legs and another person had a graze wound to the leg. A fifth person later went to a hospital with unspecified injuries caused by gunfire. In addition, a pregnant woman was taken to the hospital after a fall, police said.

None of the injuries are life-threatening, officials said. Two of the victims are Walmart employees, the company said.

"The surveillance depicts Jones standing in the check-out line and then starting to walk towards the back of the line when he pulls out a black semi-automatic handgun and fires a single round at a male who is standing only feet away, striking him," the criminal complaint filed Wednesday read. "Jones then begins to run through the front end of the store and is seen firing additional rounds indiscriminately."

The complaint described the scene captured on the surveillance video as "chaos" and "pandemonium," which led to a pregnant woman falling to the ground. She was hurt, the complaint said.

Customers and employees inside the store ducked for cover as bullets flew near the checkout line.

"It was rough just seeing everybody running for cover," a woman who said she was next to the gunman, told NBC10. "People were terrified. They were jumping over the register."



Jones and his sister fled the Walmart in a Pontiac Grand Prix, police said.

"He kept straight coming down," according to a witness, who said she was nearly struck by the vehicle. "He didn't stop."

Keenan Jones, the man accused of opening fire inside a Cheltenham Township Walmart store Tuesday, apologized while appearing before a judge Wednesday.

After allegedly tossing the gun out of the car, Jones and his sister crashed into the back of an empty police vehicle at Forrest Avenue and East Sedgwick Street in neighboring Philadelphia, according to investigators.

"The officers just got done taking a theft report and saw the vehicle crash into a police vehicle, thinking it was just an auto accident," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.



The two tried to flee the scene after the crash, but were taken into custody by responding officers, police said. A witness told NBC10 that Jones resisted arrest and it took several officers to apprehend him and place him inside a police vehicle.

Shooting inside a Walmart in Cheltenham ends at Sedgwick and Williams in Philadelphia. Witness: Suspects car rams into a parked Police SUV and then two people take-off. Police catch-up to them. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/B0067jhjEl  Denise Nakano (@DeniseNakanoTV) August 14, 2018

While inside the vehicle, Jones allegedly tried to kick out the window. He also managed to bring his cuffed hands in front of him and attack officers, according to police. Police then used a Taser to subdue him.



Police said Jones appeared to be either high on narcotics, intoxicated or both. Both he and his sister were taken to the hospital.

Getty Images

Two officers also suffered minor injuries during the fight with Jones, police said.

Frye called the shooting a "very dangerous situation," given that it was a "very crowded Walmart, a lot of shots were low, the floor is hard ... there's a risk of ricochet." Reports from the hospital, he said, indicate that the suspected shooter was "definitely on some type of drugs."



Jones's weapon was recovered on the 8300 block of Cheltenham Avenue, according to investigators.

In court Wednesday morning, Jones apologized and said "I don't know what the hell I did," reported NBC10's Drew Smith. Jones also claimed he hadn't slept in five days.

Keenan Jones apologized in court, claims I dont know what the hell I did and that he hadnt slept in 5 days. Hes charged with shooting 5 people at a Walmart. Held on $1 million cash bail @NBCPhiladelphia https://t.co/vivmsRMnKo  Drew Smith (@drewsmithtv) August 15, 2018

A total of 22 police departments from Montgomery County and Philadelphia responded to the Walmart. A SWAT team went inside to clear the building. Investigators remained inside the store overnight. By Wednesday morning, workers were back in the store which reopened later during the day.



"We are relieved that an arrest has been made and thankful that injuries sustained by two of our associates and a customer are non-life threatening," Walmart spokesperson Casey Stahli said. "Local authorities acted quickly and did an outstanding job. Our focus remains on supporting our associates and continuing to assist law enforcement."Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has won Vermont's Democratic Senate primary but is expected to turn down the nomination and support the state's Democratic candidates, as is his practice.

In Tuesday's balloting, Sanders defeated little-known candidate Folasade Adeluola, who says she believes Vermont needs a full-time senator.

Sanders is thought to be considering a presidential run in 2020. He already is on Vermont's November ballot as an independent.

Under Vermont law he cannot appear on the November ballot as both a Democrat and an independent.

In his U.S. Senate races, in 2012 and 2006 he declined the nomination but accepted the formal endorsement of the state's Democratic Party.

Four little-known candidates were seeking the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.An undocumented Massachusetts father will soon be deported after living in the United States for decades.

For 27 years, Rigoberto Mendez has called America his home. Since arriving in 1991, he has fallen in love, gotten married and had two children.

He can't contain his smile when he talks about his oldest son, Roberto Felipe, who will start at the University of Massachusetts Boston in September on a full scholarship.

But where there are ups, there are downs.

As the lone source of income in the house, Mendez works seven days a week and cares for his wife who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

"I'm asking for a second chance," said Mendez. "To be here with my kids and have a normal life like everybody does."

On Wednesday, Mendez walked out of a nondescript building in Burlington holding a plane ticket.

It's his one-way trip back to the country he escaped from when he was 18.

He had to prove to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent that he was leaving before Sept. 15, his deportation date.

When Mendez thinks about what life for him will be like back in Guatemala, he uses one word, "disaster".

This battle has lasted a decade. In 2009, he was given an "Order of Removal" for his illegal status in the country. Mendez was taken into custody, released, and awarded renewals to stay on one-year terms.

His most recent request was denied  another story of immigration heartbreak that is being tied to the politics of the highest office in the country.

"Why are you doing this to me," asked Mendez. "I have two American citizen kids. I have a sick wife. I haven't done anything bad."

Outside of their apartment in Newton, Felipe said it was "unfair" that his father has to leave when people who have done far worse are allowed to stay.

"I'd be the sole provider for my family so I'd have to stop studying and I'd have to stop going to school, unfortunately," said Felipe.

There is hope. Word of Mendez's story has gotten to Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren.

According to Mendez's attorney, both have requested ICE to reconsider their decision.

"I hope we don't come to the end in me leaving the country," said Mendez. "I believe in God. I know God makes a big difference. He can make big changes. God knows what's better for me."

Mendez said he hopes his caseworker will reconsider their decision to deport.What to Know A newly-released report into six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses states that thousands of young victims were abused over many decades.

A grand jury worked on the investigation against the "predator priests" for two years.

The Archdiocese of Boston, who faced its own share of alleged sex abuse cover-ups, refused to comment on the report.

Shocking reports coming out of Pennsylvania detailing decades of sexual abuse by hundreds of Roman Catholic Church priests have hit close to home.

The Archdiocese of Boston, who faced its own share of sexual abuse cover-ups, refused to comment on the scathing grand jury report that was released Tuesday. The disturbing report, which details allegations against roughly 300 priests, comes after two years of investigation by the jury.

"Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg," attorney Mitchell Garabedian said, "There are many, many more victims out there."

Garabedian is representing abuse victims in Boston. The story is all too familiar in the city, where a 2002 report from the Boston Globe revealed the Catholic Church protected former priest John J. Geoghan after he allegedly sexually abused children for three decades.

The Pennsylvania grand jury emphasized the Globes investigation and stated the importance of it could not be overstated. The Boston and Pennsylvania cases could reveal connections, according to Garabedian.

"Its the same blueprint," he said. "Sexual abuse, cover-up, play upon a spiritual guilt."

Mike Rezendes of the Boston Globes Spotlight Team, which uncovered the 2002 Boston cover-ups, said on the 'Today' show that he believes sexual abuse survivors think Pope Franics is not doing enough.

"This issue has the potential to mar Francis legacy forever," he said. "He has not come to grips with this issue. Sixteen years after the Boston Globe Spotlight Team report, the Vatican has done very, very little. A blue ribbon commission has been appointed, there have been promises to hold bishops accountable but really, in a very subsistent way, nothing has been done."

"I think the time is long past as far as the survivors are concerned for the Vatican to take some action."

More than two dozen current clergy members in Pennsylvania called the report "inaccurate" and are taking steps to keep names included in the report hidden.

"With each of those names, its important to say comes a story, comes a list of people who were abused as children, comes communities disrupted," said Terry Mckiernan, of bishopaccountability.org.

The Archdiocese of Boston referred NBC10 Boston back to the Pennsylvania archdiocese in lieu of a statement.

You can read the report here (warning: explicit and disturbing content).What to Know Massachusetts State Police have relieved four more troopers of duty in the ongoing overtime pay scandal.

A total of 46 troopers are now under investigation in connection to the overtime scandal.

The latest cases stem from traffic enforcement shifts the four were assigned to work when they were members of the former Troop E.

Four Massachusetts State Police troopers who were relieved of duty earlier this week have now been suspended without pay in the department's ongoing overtime pay scandal.

Duty status hearings were held Wednesday at state police headquarters for the four department members, a state police spokesman said. As a result, all four were suspended without pay while internal and external investigations are conducted.

The agency said Monday that its ongoing audit identified discrepancies between overtime pay earned and actual hours worked for the four department members in question.

Internal affairs cases have been opened for the four troopers and the information has been referred to state and federal prosecutors for potential prosecution.



A total of 46 troopers are now under investigation in connection to the overtime scandal and several are facing criminal charges as part of a wide-ranging federal investigation.

The latest cases stem from traffic enforcement shifts the four were assigned to work when they were members of the former state police Troop E, which was responsible for patrolling the Massachusetts Turnpike and the tunnels.

The audit of overtime traffic enforcement shifts is continuing amid other reforms, including the installation of GPS systems in cruisers, regular audits of the 50 highest earners and a pilot program for body cameras expected to be in place by early next year.

According to a Boston Globe report published Monday, state police internal affairs investigators saw warning signs of the overtime pay scandal years ago, yet the agency failed to act.

Investigators in 2014 were looking for evidence that two troopers were secretly escorting funeral processions and taking cash under the table, but during that probe they found that troopers had routinely filed for more than 30 hours a week in overtime and paid details they either didn't work or didn't complete, according to internal files reviewed by the newspaper. Those details never made it into the investigators' final report.

A state police spokesman said he was "unaware of any systemic response" to potential overtime discrepancies pinpointed in agency audits.

The trainer facing charges in the death of a dog that belonged to former New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo says she didn't cause the death and she cried "for what seemed like hours" when she found the pet dead.

Amelia Ferreira, 41, of Cranston, Rhode Island, told the Sun Chronicle in an email Tuesday that she was a "coward for not being honest" and "allowed fear to cloud my judgment and made decisions that hurt other people."

The 5-year-old English bulldog, called Knox, had been missing since June and was found dead in a trash bag inside Ferreira's home on Aug. 5.

"I don't know why Knox died and it eats at me every day that his family is still left not knowing what caused his death," Ferreira said in her email. "I didn't make the right decisions but what I am 100 percent sure of is that I absolutely did not hurt Knox nor did I do anything to him that caused his death."

She said she found Knox dead in his crate when she went to feed him. She said she sat on the floor holding the dog in her lap for hours. "I was scared to death and had no clue what to do."

The results of a necropsy were inconclusive but revealed no signs of trauma. Ferreira is charged in Rhode Island and Massachusetts with obstruction.

Last month, Mayo told WJAR he hired Ferreira through Off Leash K9 Training in Providence. Ferreira picked up Knox on May 24. When Knox was due to be returned several weeks later, the trainer told Mayo she had lost the dog while out walking with another dog in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

Police searched the Joe's Rock conservation area off 1500 West St., but were unable to locate Knox. They did, however, find his electronic collar out in the open on the trail.

According to police, Ferreira later changed her story, saying Knox was last seen in his crate at her Cranston home and then disappeared.

The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began an investigation and seized five Maltese dogs from Ferreira's home. The dogs were living in the basement, matted and dirty, according to the agency.

"When it is all said and done, we look at Knox as a hero," Mayo said. "He saved some other dogs, that is the glass-half-full way of looking at it."The last vestiges of the Khama dynasty that has spanned over 50 years are suddenly self-destructing in a public spectacle that defies logic and denigrates all the values that founding president Sir Seretse Khama espoused. Immediate past president Ian Khama is not only suing President Mokgweetsi Masisis government for refusing his choice of private secretary in the person of former director of the notorious spy agency, DISS, Isaac Kgosi, but his younger brother, Minister and MP for Serowe West, Tshekedi Khama is also suing the party (BDP) at whose pleasure he serves. Perhaps this sordid turn of events is best summed up by BCP presidents quip that chickens have now come home to roost for the BDP government because in Khama- he posits an epigram- the BDP has built a monster that knows no rules and respects no institution, and must therefore, be allowed the opportunity to reap what it has sown as factional wars begin to tear the party apart ahead of the 2019 general election.When it comes to the invasive green crab, some scientists in Maine have a suggestion: If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em.

"Our goal is to strengthen and diversify fisheries opportunities in the Gulf of Maine, and we think green crabs could be one of those opportunities," said Dr. Marissa McMahan, Senior Fisheries Specialist at Manomet.

McMahan has been working with students from the University of Southern Maine to study green crabs, and determine how viable a commercial fishery might be. So far, she's optimistic.

"It's an incredibly lucrative fishery," she said, adding that some fishermen have sold to local restaurants for $3 for each small crab or about $20 per pound.

"There's so much flavor there," said Ali Waks-Adams, Executive Chef at the Brunswick Inn. She has been experimenting with green crabs, making crab dip, crab bouillabaisse, crab broth, even making popcorn tempura green crabs.

"They're feisty, they're hilarious, and they have adorable little faces," she laughed. "It doesn't mean we can't eat them."

Waks-Adams describes the taste as more flavorful than a Chesapeake crab.

Removing green crabs and making money off of them could be a win-win for fishermen and the environment. The invasive species has destroyed clam beds and caused coastal erosion throughout New England. Scientists from the University of New England have been tracking an even more aggressive form of green crab migrating to Maine waters, which could do more damage.

"This invasive species has thus far only had negative impacts on our Eco-system," said McMahan. "If we can find a way to benefit from them, we really think it's a worthwhile task."

Fishermen say they are abundant and easy to trap. The only catch: it's a process to separate the soft shell crabs.

"The stumbling block is production," said fisherman Jonathan Taggart. "We can sell everything we produce. It's convincing fishermen to spend their time and money learning this very special art."

Taggart was the first to approach Manomet with the idea for fishing green crabs in New England. He was on a recent trip to Venice enjoying a meal of soft shell crabs and wondered why Maine couldn't produce a similar product.

He convinced a soft shell crab fisherman from Italy to travel to Maine and teach Manomet researchers how to effectively catch and process the product. Now those researchers are trying to get it down to a science.

"We're still working on the economics," said McMahan. "We're working on figuring out the time and the resources it takes to produce those grabs."

Their goal is to get more fishermen and chefs seeing green  in more ways than one.Peter Welch, Vermont's lone representative in the U.S. House, on Tuesday won the Democratic nomination to seek re-election in November, when he'll face perennial candidate H. Brooke Paige.

In Tuesday's balloting, Welch defeated challengers Dan Freilich and Benjamin Mitchell. Paige beat Anya Tynio for the Republican nomination.

Since Welch was first elected to the House in 2006, he has consistently been one of Vermont's most popular politicians, easily winning re-election every two years.

Welch, traditionally one of the most liberal members of Congress, says Vermont residents must fight the disastrous policies of President Donald Trump.

Welch is working to pass a comprehensive climate bill, cut prescription drug prices, raise the national hourly minimum wage and expand quality affordable health care by passing Medicare for All.

The 71-year-old Welch was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He went to law school at the University of California, Berkeley. He settled in Vermont in the 1970s, first working as a public defender before founding a law office. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1980 but took a break from electoral politics in the 1990s. He was re-elected to the Senate in 2002.

Welch was elected to the U.S. House in 2006 after Bernie Sanders left the chamber to run for the U.S. Senate seat he now holds.

He argues the state needs to "find a pathway back to the values of self-determination and community for all."

In addition to the GOP nomination for the U.S. House he won Tuesday, Paige was in a too-close-to-call race for the Republican Senate nomination to run for the seat held by independent Sanders.

Paige also ran unopposed Tuesday for the Republican nomination for four statewide offices, secretary of state, auditor of accounts, attorney general and state treasurer.

Paige said he ran for multiple offices in the primary to protest how over the last several elections the Vermont Republican Party has failed to nominate candidates for many offices, which he said was an embarrassment for the GOP.The Tennessee Public Utility Commission will hold a public hearing on a petition for a general rate increase by Chattanooga Gas Company. The company has requested an increase of approximately $6.2 million, which would equate to an average increase of 19.5 percent across all Chattanooga Gas customers.



The Tennessee Public Utility Commission will hear testimony from witnesses on the companys petition and will determine whether the companys rate request should be approved.

The hearing will be held Monday at 9 a.m. CDT in the Hearing Room G.201 on the ground floor of the Andrew Jackson State Office Building at 500 Deaderick St. in Nashville.

Chattanooga Gas Company filed a petition on Feb. 15 for a general rate increase with the Tennessee Public Utility Commission. Chattanooga Gas Company has requested the rate increase to allay the cost of service to the company including additional proposed investments in its natural gas systems. The public is invited to attend Mondays hearing.

The petition is filed under Docket #18-00017.

KENT  With a week to go before they would perform in front of a live audience in the Housatonic River, Paula Josa-Jones and her team of dancers spent Saturday afternoon letting local filmmakers in on the final steps of their rehearsals.

Paula always talks about the river being an additional dancer, Dillon Paul told the a camera set up on the porch of Josa-Jones house as her fellow dancers rehearsed inside. I feel like the river is the most powerful dancer in the group.

Paul is one of four dancers and an actress that will join Josa-Jones, the director, in the River Body Project, a dance performance in the Housatonic River accompanied by spoken word to highlight the human and community connection to the body of water.

The project will be chronicled in a documentary film by a team of student filmmakers and their teacher from the Marvelwood School film studies programs first summer edition of the Video Exploration Program, a collaboration between the school and the Upper Housatonic National Heritage Area, which is part of the National Park Service.

On Saturday, two of Marvelwoods students joined teacher Ben Willis to do a final round of interviews with the dancers and film the last of their rehearsals on the nearby riverbanks.

Willis said the collaboration between the River Project and the film program happened mostly by happy coincidence. Josa-Jones had contacted the Upper Housatonic National Heritages director about her performance, who then reached out to a teacher at Marvelwood, who contacted him, he said.

We had the program and the question was, What are we going to do for the project?  Willis said. I think it was that day that I got an email (about Josa-Jones project). It really was fortuitous.

He said the program is meant to help students learn how to make films while getting them out of the classroom. The River Project documentary students are one of two groups making films for the program this summer.

The two students helping Willis film Saturday, Cole and Max Branson, agreed that the project has helped them develop new skills as filmmakers, since both of them had never filmed dancers before.

(We typically) film stationary objects, but for this, its a choreographed dance, said Max, who just graduated from the school. We had a learning experience. As the dancers were figuring out their dance, we were figuring out our moves as well.

Branson said the team ultimately decided on setting up multiple camera angles to capture every aspect of the dance at once.

Cole Branson, a sophomore, said he signed up for the project to continue expanding his filmmaking experience. He has been in the film studies program since his freshman year, he said.

It sounded really cool being able to go out into nature, he said. It was a new experience.

Other students helping with the documentary include Oliver Sanchez and Maggie Everett.

The dance has been in the works for about two years, Josa-Jones said. She came up with the idea after attending a fundraiser for the Housatonic Valley Association and being moved by how passionately the director talked about the river.

I said, I cant make a big donation, but I can create a dance project that takes place in the water,  Josa-Jones said. People need to know that if you are living within this watershed, you are that watershed.

She said the dance is meant to convey how connected the community around the river is to the water body. Studies show that within 16 days of living on a watershed, she said, the 70 percent of a persons body made up of fluids is from that watershed.

That watershed is in you, Josa-Jones said. For me that makes the dance emotional, personal and essential for us to protect and interact with the river.

Josa-Jones and her team will debut the performance next weekend with two performances on the Housatonic off of North Kent Road and again the weekend after with two performances on the Shepaug River, a tributary of the river.

aquinn@newstimes.comNEW MILFORD  The finance board will consider appropriating up to $6.5 million to expand and renovate the library, which has been decades in the making.

The Town Council supported the project Monday night to rounds of applause from the more than 100 people who filled the meeting room and the dozens of overflow supporters who lined the hallway outside.

The support is part of a state public library construction grant application the town will now submit. The town is requesting $1 million for the project, the maximum request allowed. There is a total $9 million available for the year.

The council also unanimously approved sending a supplemental appropriation request for up to $6.5 million to the finance board, which would cover the towns portion of the project.

The library is expected to cost $8.5 million. The librarys board of trustees has already committed $1 million for the project and officials hope to use another $1 million from the Waste Management Fund for the project. Residents will still have to approve funding for the project before it can advance.

The council already approved the overall design

of the project, though certain line items and features are still being worked out, including the type of heating, ventilation and cooling

system.

Councilman Tom Esposito said he supports the project, but said the heating system should be energy efficient and modern, which he said the proposed boiler is not. He suggested a variable refrigerant flow, or VRF, system, which he said would be cheaper to operate, could be regulated for each room and would be quieter than a traditional heating, ventilation and cooling system.

If you want a modern library, you need modern equipment, he said.

The votes followed pleas from about 15 residents to support the expansion. They said the library is a vital part of the community but there isnt enough space there now for programs and materials. They said renovating the building will be a benefit to the community, as well as help attract businesses.

To keep the library vibrant in the new century, we have to spend some money on it, said David Elmore, a member of the modernization committee.

The project will expand the library from 15,000 to 22,000 square feet. It will add a new facade and entrance to the 1977 addition, to help it fit better into the downtown aesthetic. The plans will also make the library compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and add much-needed meeting space.

The remodel includes using existing space as well as constructing new space, adding a second floor with an outdoor terrace to the existing 1977 addition.

Under the plans, the childrens library would move to the 1977 section and the Goodwin House, freeing up the old library for an adult reading room. The childrens section would share a program room with the young adult section, which doesnt have its own space at the library now.

The mezzanine level would be used for more stacks and house the library staff. There will be a self-serve cafe on the first floor.

This is the third attempt to renovate the library, which has not been updated in more than 40 years.

In 2003 and 2008, plans for the library failed largely due to cost estimates and the recession. The 2008 proposal was $21 million.

Officials are more optimistic this time, especially with the state funding.

Library Director Sally Tornow said only one library in the state has not renovated since New Milfords last project in the 1970s, which gives it a good chance of getting the $1 million grant.

Everything has been renovated since we renovated, she said.

Councilman Peter Mulled said the town has been saying no to too many projects for too long. He said the town was in a better financial position to bond the project as well.

Its going to cost a few bucks, thats OK, he said. Its time to make this town really nice.NEW MILFORD  One of the towns top cops is at the center of an internal police investigation and has been placed on administrative leave.

Mayor Peter Bass confirmed on Wednesday that Lt. Larry Ash has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which stemmed from a complaint received by the police department.

Bass declined to comment on the nature of the complaint or the investigation other than to say the information that led to the investigation was received through the departments tip line.

State Police said they are assisting in the investigation,

Bass declined to say if the investigation is criminal in nature. Unfortunately, and I mean unfortunately, I cant comment on that while the investigation is pending, he said.

Ash has been a police officer for 31 years following in the footsteps of his father, Robert, a decorated, 17-year detective. Larry Ash is the departments spokesman and media liaison.

The investigation comes as Bass is reorganizing the department to make it more community friendly, he said.

The mayor last month confirmed Chief Shawn Boynes contract was not renewed as part of the reorganization effort. Boyne remains with the department until his contract expires in October.

Right now, we are assessing candidates for the chiefs position and Ive brought in some (law enforcement) people to help facilitate that, he said. Im looking to have a more community-focused and community-centered based operation where its more hands on.

He declined to elaborate on the reorganization.

Town Council members are apparently in the dark about the investigation and Bass vision for the department.

The mayor hasnt told the Town Council what directions he wants to take the department, Council Peter Mullen said. Mullen said he was surprised earlier this week to learn of the Ash investigation.

Mullen said he hopes to discuss the issue at next weeks council meeting.

Im not too concerned at this point, but Id like to have more information about why the chief is leaving and now our second in command isnt there, he said.

Despite the effect on the departments leadership team  only Lt. Jeffery Covello, who joined the department two years ago, is unscathed  Bass said he has the utmost confidence in the departments ability to protect the public.

We have a very dedicated staff with a lot of experience and I feel very confident they will continue to perform well while we look to reorganize the department, he said.

Boyne and Ash could not be reached for comment.

dperrefort@newstimes.comOn a superficial glance, they look like a couple of Connecticut shoreline CEOs separated mostly by where they stand on the political spectrum.

Ned Lamont favors investment in cities, green energy, people and transportation infrastructure. Hes blunt about the possible need to raise even more revenue, either through highways tolls, fees or the income tax  preferably, in his view, for wealthy folks like him.

Bob Stefanowski wants to see the state tighten its fiscal belt so tightly that he can eliminate the estate tax, eliminate the corporate earnings tax and, mostly, eliminate the $9 billion-plus personal income tax. His promises run so deep he looks like the long-awaited savior of a battered state.

Both of them talk in soaring terms about restoring Connecticuts glory by fixing what we all agree is a broken economy.

But the differences are far deeper than ideology, and they say something about how we as residents, taxpayers and voters see our way out of a 25-year economic collapse, a slowly shifting sand dune under our feet thats eroding with the wind.

Stefanowski, like President Donald Trump, depends on low information in the electorate, sweeping generalities shaped by anger and publicly expressed alienation not only by voters by by himself.

How else could he have beaten back four other accomplished Republicans, two with government experience and two without, while basically refusing to answer why he went 16 years until 2017 not voting even in a presidential election; and why he spent nine months as a Democrat, not decades ago but until last summer, the month he decided to run for governor?

The potent force of low information and alienation allows Stefanowski to say he can eliminate the sources of 60 percent of Connecticuts tax revenue  and amass enough support to win the nomination. Obviously he cant cut taxes that deeply.

I have a plan, I have a focus that will put Connecticuts working families first, Stefanowski said Tuesday in his victory speech. For the first time in decades, Connecticut will actually have a real CEO.

Thats true whether the November winner turns out to be Stefanowski, of Madison, a former financial executive at General Electric and UBS who later ran a payday lending firm in London; or Lamont, of Greenwich, who founded and sold a cable TV business; or R. Nelson Oz Griebel, the former regional bank and chamber of commerce CEO from Simsbury running as an independent candidate who submitted signatures to petition onto the ballot.

Lamont, who inherited much of his wealth, has no such luxury of alienation and low information when it comes to winning votes. Hes less detailed about his economic plan than, say, the vanquished Republicans Steve Obsitnik and David Stemerman; but his monentum depends on a roll-up-the-sleeves will to take action in the thick of it.

While Stefanowski was enrolling as a Republican and heading for the polls late last year, after deciding to run for governor, Lamont was recruiting his old business school friend, Indra Nooyi, the PepsiCo CEO, to help bring the CEO of Infosys to Connecticut for a commitment to add 1,000 jobs in Hartford  nonideological action on the ground.

Lamont was also sidling up to public employee unions, which will help him on the ground but not in the war of rhetoric in this age of union backlash.

Both candidates need to fnd a way to win the middle, where the vast majority of Connecticut voters live. Cut taxes and invest in the state at a time when were basically broke, in other words.

Youve got to do both, thats the reality, said Edina Ostreicher, an Orange Democrat and a dean at the University of Bridgeport, as she left the polls Tuesday. I dont hear anybody really with that message.The outbreak of the deadly Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread outside the province of North Kivu according to a statement made by the countrys health ministry yesterday. With this the viral infection has reached an active conflict zone and this may mean that it could spread wider now.

Congo has been fighting an Ebola outbreak for the past few months. In the northwest of the country the outbreak was declared a week before. In the present outbreak at North Kivu, 41 people have already succumbed to the disease. These two outbreaks separated by around 2,500 kilometers are not linked said the ministry.

Ebola viruses in blood of a patient with Ebola hemorrhagic fever , 3D illustration. Viruses are seen as small orange thread-like structures between blood cells. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock

As a response to this latest development, the ministry has sent out experts to Ituri province at the borders of North Kivu. In that province a man had died earlier after having contracted the disease from the town of Mangina in North Kivu. Mangina is being considered as the epicentre of the outbreak. Yesterday five new cases were confirmed at both the provinces. The total number of cases as of now is 30 confirmed Ebola and 27 possible cases of Ebola according to the statement made by the ministry.

This latest outbreak is in the middle of a war zone where several rebel groups are engaged in combat over the mineral deposits of the region and ethnic rights etc. This region is also near Ugandan and Rwandan borders where trade activities are thick. North Kivu is also one of the most densely populated regions of Congo with around 8 million population. This makes the region high risk and possibility of spread of the infection far and wide high.

WHO spearheading efforts to contain Ebola in the DRC Play

According to World Health Organizations director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who visited the region last week, All of those participating in the response must be able to move freely and safely in conflict areas to do the work that is needed to bring the outbreak under control. As a response Jessica Ilunga, spokeswoman for Congos health ministry has assured that safeguards have been placed to protect the health officials who are dealing with this crisis. This is the first time that an outbreak of Ebola has occurred in a combat zone and experts fear its outcome.

In this region, the health officials are also beginning the use of experimental mAb114 Ebola-treatment drug on patients at a center in Mangina. This latest monoclonal antibody based experimental drug has been developed in the U.S. by the National Institutes of Health. The drug was approved for human use earlier in July during the Ebola outbreak in the northwest Congo. Due to lack of patients it could not be used at the time. During that time an experimental Ebola vaccine developed by Merck & Co. Was administered to over 3,300 individuals who were in contact with the Ebola cases. The outbreak saw a death of 33 individuals. The vaccine is being used now at north Kivu as well with thousands being actively vaccinated against the infection.

Ms. Ilunga said that the country is much better prepared this time.Analyzing the incidents between residents in dementia in long-term care homes may hold the key to reducing future fatalities among this vulnerable population, according to new research from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Gathered from media accounts and death review records, the exploratory study by Eilon Caspi, PhD, is the first to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of elders as a result of resident-to-resident incidents in dementia in the United States and Canada.

Despite growing concerns about the projected growth in the number of people with dementia and the expected rise in resident-to-resident incidents, the phenomenon is not currently being tracked by the two largest federally mandated clinical and oversight systems in nursing homes in the U.S.

"The fact that we are not capturing and tracking this phenomenon represents a major missed opportunity for learning and prevention of these incidents," says Caspi, the study's author and a research associate at the School of Nursing. "We need to develop a data-driven national action plan to reduce these incidents and ensure that frail and vulnerable residents will remain safe in the last years of their lives. Delivery of evidence-based staff training programs to improve understanding, prevention, and de-escalation of these episodes is urgently needed."

Among Caspi's findings:

- Nearly half (44 percent) of all fatalities were the results of physical contact classified as push-fall. "Many of the injuries consisted of hip fractures or head or brain injuries and on average it was slightly more than two weeks from the incident to their passing, which speaks volumes to the frailty and vulnerability of this population." - While men and women equally died as a result of these incidents, three-quarters of exhibitors were men. "The most common exhibitor-target dyad was man to man (approximately 50 percent) followed by man to woman (24 percent) and woman to woman (21 percent). Woman to man accounted for only 4 percent of the dyads. While more research is needed to examine the role of gender in injurious and fatal episodes, the preliminary findings may have implications for more targeted interventions." - More than half (59 percent) of all incidents took place inside bedrooms and 43 percent involved roommates. "The bedroom is the last frontier of privacy for people in dementia. Policies, procedures, and practices related to roommate assignment and monitoring need to be thoughtful and revisited regularly and we need to explore all avenues for reducing to the minimum possible the use of shared bedrooms or at a minimum increasing roommates' sense of privacy and security. In addition, stronger measures to prevent residents' unwanted entries into other residents' bedrooms (including the use of assistive technology) could reduce these incidents." - Evenings (44 percent) were the most common time for incidents to occur, with 38 percent of all incidents occurring on weekends. 62 percent were reportedly not witnessed by staff. "While incidents occur at virtually all times, evenings and weekends appear to be especially vulnerable time periods. Taking proactive, anticipatory, preventative measures and increasing staffing levels, the active presence of managers, and meaningful engagement during the evenings and weekends could reduce the incidence."

Caspi points out that his findings are not meant to suggest that residents with dementia are inherently "aggressive," "abusive," "violent," or "dangerous." He cautions that adopting this view could run the risk of stigmatizing an already stigmatized population.

Labeling a person with dementia using these terms assumes that these behavioral expressions are intentionally initiated to harm another person when the majority of individuals in mid-to-late stages of dementia do not initiate these expressions without a distressing situational trigger. Caspi says they often engage in these episodes when their human needs and situational frustrations are not met in a timely manner by dedicated but understaffed, undertrained, and undersupervised direct care staff members.It's the diagnosis those 65 and older often fear, but what are the chances you will be unhappy if you develop some cognitive impairment in the years ahead?

A new study, authored by Anthony Bardo and Scott Lynch, tackles that very question by examining "cognitive life expectancy." What exactly does that term mean? Bardo, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kentucky, describes "cognitive life expectancy" as how long older adults live with good versus declining brain health.

"There is a great deal of stigma and fear surrounding declining cognitive ability that sometimes comes with age -; especially among those nearing the second half of their adult lives. Yet, findings from my recent study show that cognitive impairment does not equate to unhappiness."

How did Bardo reach that conclusion? He analyzed data that included 53,000 observations from more than 15,000 people age 65 and older who participated in the Health and Retirement Study between 1998 and 2014. The study incorporated tests that examined seniors' ability to recall words, among other tasks.

Then, the question becomes, how do you measure happiness? "Happiness was based on a question that asks whether a respondent was happy all/most of the time or some/none of the time in the past week," Bardo explained. "This is a simple, yet valid and reliable measure that is commonly used to assess how one feels about her/his overall quality of life."

Bardo will bring his expertise to the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences this fall. He received a doctoral degree from Miami University in 2015. Most recently, Bardo was a postdoctoral scholar at Duke University.

His research, which relies on facts and figures, is also extremely personal. Bardo's grandmother suffered a major stroke in 2007. At the same time, he was searching for graduate programs. "Despite her ill-health, and having to move to a nursing home, she was still a happy person. This apparent anomaly drove me to seek a better understanding for how perceived quality of life and health are shaped across the life course."

The findings from Bardo's most recent study proves that his grandmother is not an anomaly. In fact, he discovered that the majority of cognitively impaired years are happy ones, not unhappy ones.

According to the study, 65-year-old white females can expect four years out of nineteen total years of remaining life to be lived with some cognitive impairment. Results show that, of those four cognitively impaired years, 3.4 years are expected to be lived happy, and 0.6 years are expected to be lived unhappy.

"Our findings show that happiness and cognitive impairment do coexist. Despite some stark racial/ethnic differences, happy years of life were shown to substantially exceed the number of years one can expect to live with some cognitive impairment, on average."

Bardo said the main take away from his study, which is currently under review for publication, is that, "Even when cognitive impairment does occur, older adults can expect a large proportion of those remaining years to be happy ones. Ideally, these findings will contribute toward reducing some of the stigma and fear surrounding cognitive impairment in later life."Breastfeeding can have its challenges early on. There's learning the appropriate feeding positions and techniques, knowing when and how often to feed the baby, and so many other intangibles.

Getting off to a good start is key to successful long-term breastfeeding. Here are five things moms should do right from the time the baby is delivered:

Have your baby placed skin-to-skin on your chest immediately following birth.

Remember, the first feeding sets the tone for the next several feedings. Keeping your baby skin-to-skin until after the first feeding is important. Ask that your baby be placed on your tummy after delivery. Skin-to-skin contact, beyond feeding purposes, has other advantages. For one, it's a way for both mom and dad to bond with the new baby. It also helps the baby stay warm and comfortable, latch on better and feed longer, and cry less, among other things.

"Skin-to-skin has a lot of benefits, including stabilizing all of the baby's vital signs, including their heart rate, their respiratory rate, their blood sugar, their blood pressure, their temperature, all of those things," says Melissa L. Droddy, a Carroll Hospital lactation specialist. "Laying babies skin-to-skin after delivery is really just kind of letting them acclimate to this real world. And then once they get themselves together, usually they start kind of wiggling around and looking for the breast and trying to eat, usually after an hour or so. Sometimes, it's quicker than that, sometimes it takes longer."

If you give birth by cesarean section, you can hold your baby on your chest or cheek-to-cheek, or your partner can hold the baby skin-to-skin until you are able to breastfeed.

If possible, start the first feeding right after birth, as this is when newborns are alert and very eager to be fed. Ask the nurses if it's possible to delay routine newborn treatment until after the initial feeding. "The baby is usually really alert for the first two to three hours," Droddy says. "After that, the baby gets really sleepy."

After that first feeding, you can breastfeed your baby when he or she seems hungry or on demand. Just keep in mind that newborns need 8 to 12 feedings each day. Why so often? "Breast milk is a natural laxative, so basically what's going in comes right out," Droddy says.

Room-in with your baby and keep your baby with you all night.

If possible, keep the baby with you during your hospital stay so you can begin to learn his or her feeding cues (such as rooting and hand-to-mouth activity) and readily start feeding. This way, your baby won't miss any important on-demand feedings.

Also, research has shown that moms don't sleep much better with the baby away in the nursery than they would with the baby in the room. At times during your hospital stay, the baby may have to be taken for required tests or procedures. But under normal circumstances, your baby should not be away from you more than two hours a day, if at all.

Avoid supplementary feedings.

Offer your breast often. Avoid formula unless medically indicated and prescribed by the doctor. If you have to use formula, nurses can show you alternative ways to feed your baby so you can avoid bottle nipples during the first few weeks (the fast flow and different feel of a bottle nipple can potentially confuse babies and make subsequent feedings difficult). In addition, if supplementation is indicated, mothers should start pumping to protect and increase their milk supply.

Avoid the use of pacifiers and limit swaddling.

Remember, any time your baby seems hungry, offer the breast and continue skin-to-skin holding. It's ok to allow the baby to suck on his or her hands (any self-inflicted scratches on the baby's face as a result should heal fast).

Your doctor may recommend the use of a pacifier at some point, but likely not until breastfeeding is well established. As for swaddling, research has shown that babies who are regularly swaddled do not wake up as often for feedings. Babies should be swaddled loosely to allow them to get their hands to their mouth to show feeding cues.

Frequent feedings over the first few weeks helps assure an abundant milk supply.

Ask for help.

Reach out to a lactation consultant if you feel the breastfeeding sessions aren't going well or if you're concerned about breast soreness. Droddy says you should also call your doctor if the baby:

Is not eating at least 8 times within a 24-hour period

Is jaundiced (yellowing of the eyes or skin)

Often needs to be awakened for breastfeeding (newborns should have no more than one 4- to 5-hour break per day, including at night)

Has not returned to birth weight in 10 to 14 days

Has sudden stool pattern changes

Visit LifeBridge Health's community page for more information about upcoming breastfeeding support group meetings. You can also check Sinai Hospital's breastfeeding and lactation page as well as Carroll Hospital's website for additional information on breastfeeding resources.

Source: http://www.lifebridgehealth.org/When Tracy Deis decided in 2016 to transition from a full-time job to part-time contract work, the loss of her employer's health insurance was not a major worry because she knew she could get coverage through the marketplace set up by the Affordable Care Act.

But price was a big concern.

"The ACA made it possible to make the switch in my life," said Deis, 48, who lives in Minneapolis. But she quickly added, "I was really worried about the cost."

Her anxiety was understandable. In Minnesota, the average cost of insurance in the state-run exchange soared 57 percent in 2017, after a 40 percent rise in 2016.

Amid a public outcry, the legislature last year took several steps to stabilize its individual insurance marketplace.

Among those moves, lawmakers launched a "reinsurance" program. The program helps pay the costs insurers incur for people with high medical bills. In turn, the companies  knowing that these "outlier" expenses will be covered  can lower premiums. Alaska had launched a similar program in 2016.

The Alaska and Minnesota models have now become touchstones for other states eager to prevent startling premium increases in the individual insurance marketplace.

Critically, much of the money comes from the federal government. A provision in the ACA allows states to experiment with their marketplaces as long as they honor ACA requirements and don't cost the federal government more money. (Federal reinsurance funding for high-cost patients reduces premium subsidies, which are fully paid by the federal government.)

Notably, even as the Trump administration has blocked other provisions of the ACA and pushed Congress to repeal the law, it has encouraged states to establish reinsurance programs and seek federal funding.

In Alaska, lawmakers used only state funds to cut an anticipated 43 percent premium increase to 7 percent in 2017. As the program continued in 2018 with $58 million in federal funds, the lone insurer in the state, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield, lowered premiums by an average 22.4 percent. And on Aug. 2, Premera announced it had asked the state if it could reduce premiums by an average 3.9 percent in 2019.

Alaska's program, unlike other states', covers all the costs for people with 33 high-cost conditions. In 2017, about half of all expenses for enrollees in the exchange were for people with one or more of those conditions.

"We have unique issues here," said Jim Grazko, president of Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska. "Without the reinsurance program, things would be untenable in the individual market."

The federal Department of Health and Human Services approved Minnesota's waiver request for a 2018 reinsurance program, with $131 million in funding. The program covers medical bills between $50,000 and $250,000 for marketplace customers.

It worked. Premium rates declined by 13 percent in 2018 compared with 2017 and are projected to drop again in 2019 by 5 to 8 percent, according to Eileen Smith, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Council of Health Plans.

That was good news for Deis. Her monthly premium this year is $317, down from $355 in 2017. She's in a plan that includes the doctors she wanted and is happy with her coverage, although it has a deductible of $7,050.

"I wouldn't mind if my premiums came down again for 2019," she said. "Every little bit helps."

Pushing Premiums Down

Oregon also launched a federally approved reinsurance program in 2018. And last month, the Trump administration notified Wisconsin and Maine that their requests for reinsurance program funding had been approved.

Four other states  Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland and New Jersey  are seeking federal approval for reinsurance programs enacted this year. All hope to have plans in place for 2019.

Eric Cioppa, Maine's insurance commissioner, estimates his state's reinsurance program will reduce premiums in 2019 by an average 9 percent compared to what they would have been without the program.

"Reinsurance is possibly the best proven mechanism to restrain premium increases and keep health insurance affordable," said Trish Riley, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy in Portland, Maine. "The biggest plus is that it's a tool with support across the political spectrum."

That includes some deep conservatives, such as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican and longtime critic of Obamacare. He strongly supports the reinsurance program and touts it on the campaign trail as he seeks a third term.

Wisconsin's program establishes a $200 million fund  $166 million of it federal money  to pay about 50 percent of the costs for individuals with medical expenses between $50,000 and $200,000.

The state's insurance department estimates the program will yield premiums in 2019 that will be 11 percent lower on average than they would have been without reinsurance. Premiums rose 44 percent in 2018, leading 25,000 people to drop coverage.

For Amy Brooks, of Madison, Wis., the initiative is especially timely. Brooks, 48, who pays $150 a month for subsidized coverage in an ACA plan because her job didn't come with insurance, was diagnosed in April with a benign brain tumor that required surgery.

She lost her job after the diagnosis and said having insurance coverage "takes a gigantic weight off my shoulder. I would have gone bankrupt.  Anything that keeps the costs down is a huge help because I could need this coverage for some time."

No Panacea

Insurance analysts say that state-based reinsurance programs are a potent mechanism to lower premiums, but not a panacea.

The programs don't address underlying medical costs, for example. And if money for the programs is not sustained  or increased  over time, reinsurance can yield a one-time decline in premiums over a year or two.

"That initial decrease is meaningful, to be sure," said Matthew Fiedler, a health policy researcher at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. "But other steps are needed to help stabilize the exchanges." That could include more money for reinsurance as time goes on, he said.

The every-state-for-itself approach also frustrates insurers and consumer advocates.

"A sustained federal approach would be much preferable and what we'd like to see," said Kris Haltmeyer, vice president for legislative and regulatory policy at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which represents 36 Blues plans nationwide.

After Republicans in Congress failed to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017, Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) launched a bipartisan effort to stabilize the ACA marketplaces. A prominent part of their plan was a $30 billion reinsurance pool  $10 billion a year.

The effort failed in March amid discord over an unrelated abortion measure in the bill.GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn moreMarvel's new Iron Fist probably is a Chinese hero that's been waiting in the wings for years

Marvel may have revealed the new Iron Fist the moment it announced Danny Rand's retirementNew Delhi : With the East European nation of Moldova deciding to open an embassy in India next year, the two countries reviewed bilateral cooperation across various sectors during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Tudor Ullanovschi here on Tuesday.

In a tweet following the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two sides "reviewed the present state of our bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, infrastructure, health and pharma, IT, agriculture and food processing, education, culture, films and tourism".

Ullanovschi is the first Moldovan Foreign Minister to visit India after his country gained independence in 1991, in the wake of the dissolution of the USSR.

India established diplomatic ties with Moldova in 1992. As of now, the Indian Embassy in Romania has concurrent responsibility for Moldova.

In an interview with IANS ahead of his meeting with Sushma Swaraj, Ullanovschi said that his country wants to invite Indian investors in sectors like textiles, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and information technology.

India-Moldova bilateral trade stands at around 30 million euros (approximately $34 million) as of now.

He also said that India and Moldova support each other in various international fora.

According to Ullanovschi, Moldova supports India's bid for permanent membership a reformed UN Security Council (UNSC) as the world organisation needed change from the time it was formed in the 20th century.

India is a part of the Group of Four, that also includes Japan, Germany and Brazil, seeking permanent membership in the UNSC.Kathmandu : Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said on Tuesday that his government is weighing setting up new industries to alleviate poverty, end under-development and generate employment.

Oli made the remarks at a meeting with the business persons representing the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said South Asia should become prosperous by eliminating poverty, backwardness and under-development, Xinhua news agency reported.

Oli, who is also the Chairman of ruling Communist Party of Nepal, said this was a right time for people from all walks of social life to work together for the country's development.

"Now, I believe that we have enough capable workforces in the country which can contribute a lot for the country's socio-economic development," he said.Sorry!

This content is not available in your regionSTRATFORD  The street where Joanne Pascarelli is said to live is a quiet one. Her house is near the end of Delaware Drive, a fairly sleepy dead-end.

So it came as shock to some neighbors to learn that Pascarelli, 61, and her sister, Marie Wilson, 67, of Wilton, turned themselves in to police over the weekend on charges that they stole $478,588 from New Canaan schools cafeteria registers from 2012 to 2017. Both women face charges of larceny and defrauding a public community.

The home listed as Pascarellis residence in the arrest report is a modest, single-family ranch with an overgrown front lawn. At least one neighbor, who didnt want her name used, was familiar with the story of Pascarellis arrest and was surprised to learn they lived on the same road.

Its very quiet, the woman said Tuesday. Its a dead end. Nothing ever happens here.

More News Lunch ladies charged in half-million dollar scam

According to police documents, the Board of Education received a $500,000 reimbursement from its insurance company, but wished to continue forward with the criminal case against the two women.

The story of Wilsons and Pascarellis arrests has made a splash nationwide, and more information has come to light about the women and their workplaces.

And this was not the first time Wilson attracted unwanted attention on the job.

In February 2014, she was a defendant in a lawsuit that claimed she had assaulted and inflicted emotional distress on another food services employee.

Antonia Torcasio, who filed the complaint, alleged that Wilson and another cafeteria staff member screamed at her and was told she would be transferred out of the school.

After a year and a half of proceedings, in September 2015, the jury unanimously sided with Wilson and against Torcasio.

Wilson resigned from New Canaan public schools last December. Despite the charges against her, Mark Sherman, attorney for Wilson, said his client is innocent.

(Wilson) maintains that she didnt personally profit from any of the missing money, Sherman said in a call Tuesday. She served the town for many years without incident.

Sherman would not comment on the defense of Pascarelli and her lawyer, Mark Carta.

Its completely regular practice for even family members to have different lawyers, Sherman said. Ethically, lawyers are not permitted to represent two defendants in a case like this even if theyre related.

Carta has declined to comment on the charges brought against Pascarelli.

Both women are fee, having each posted $50,000 bond. Wilson has a court date of Aug. 21, while Pascarelli is due in court three days later.

humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.comREDDING  A former school board chairwoman pleaded guilty Wednesday to allegations she repeatedly left a young child with a convicted sex offender and took pornographic photographs and videos of the child that she delivered to the man.

Assistant States Attorney Sharmese Hodge said the actions by former Board of Education chairwoman Sara Sobel began more than six years ago while she was in a relationship with Stephen Overby, who she described in court documents as a close personal friend.

It was around this time that she began offering this child to Overby to strengthen their own bond and for his depraved abuse, Hodge said in court Wednesday.

Not only did Sobel know that Overby was abusing the child, but she also took photographs and videos described as child erotica. Text messages authored by Sobel that accompanied the photos elevated the images to child pornography, the prosecutor said.

They even had a discussion about whether the images could be considered child pornography, Hodge said. She knew that he was using the videos for his own sexual gratification and what he intended to do to the minor.

Sobel pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor and guilty under the Alford Doctrine to promoting a minor in an obscene performance.

A plea under the doctrine means the defendant questions some of the facts of the case but admits there is enough evidence for a conviction.

Sobel and her husband, Jon, were originally charged last spring with risk of injury to a minor. Authorities said they failed to comply with a state investigation into sexual assault allegations against Overby, who began living with the family two years ago.

But the couples case took a more serious turn in summer 2017, when prosecutors levied several additional felony charges against Sobel, including conspiracy to commit first-degree sexual assault. The charges were based on a nine-page investigative report that has yet to be made public.

At the time, Hodge told the court, the details are now very different  180 degrees different  than when police first began investigating this case.

The behavior began around 2012, Hodge said, the same time that Sobel was elected to serve on the Board of Education.

She was later named chairwoman of the board in 2015 before being elected to the Region 9 Board of Education. She also served as the treasurer of the Democratic Town Committee.

When Sobel is sentenced Oct. 24 in Danbury Superior Court she faces a 30-year prison term suspended after 10 years and will have the right to argue for a reduced sentence.

Overby pleaded guilty in February to several charges including first-degree sexual assault of a minor under the age of 13, in a deal that called for a 30-year prison sentence, suspended after 18 years.

Overby was arrested in 1995 on allegations that he sexually abused his own daughter and later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in the case.

He was ordered to register on the states sex offender registry but failed to do so, court officials have said.

Sobel resigned from the Region 9 Board of Education and from the town Democratic committee in September on the same day she asked court officials to seal certain documents in the case and to close the courtroom for a hearing on a motion for a protective order. The motions were ultimately dropped.

The charges against Jon Sobel remain pending. The Sobels are now divorced.

dperrefort@newstimes.comMarko Geber | Getty Images

For nearly 25 years, Club Z! has had the privilege of providing high-quality educational programs to students in all grade levels, from pre-K through adult.Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com

Editors Note: In this series, The Way We Work, Entrepreneur Associate Editor Lydia Belanger examines how people foster productivity, focus, collaboration, creativity and culture in the workplace.

Several trends are converging, making it more important than ever for business leaders to establish policies to make their workplaces safer and more hospitable.

One is the proliferation of social media and online review sites, which make it easier for job candidates to have a clearer sense of what its like to work at a company as early as the recruitment stage. Another is generational, in the fact that people ages 18 to 35, on average, are less likely to silently endure mistreatment, bullying or harassment.

Theyre so vocal, and they're willing to walk, says Rachel Bitte, chief people officer at recruiting software company Jobvite.

The #MeToo movement is the ultimate manifestation of this shift, but the data bear it out as well. Jobvite recently partnered with Zogby Analytics to conduct an extensive survey about harassment and bullying at work. Overall, 9 percent of American workers reported having experienced sexual harassment at work in the past two years, while 67 percent of that group reported the incidents to their HR departments.

Related: When It Comes to Harassment, Workplace Silence Doesn't Mean Everything Is OK

Companies have work to do to foster cultures in which sexual harassment doesnt happen to begin with. But, if and when an incident occurs, employees should know they have recourse, that theres a policy and a process for handling the situation.

Bitte outlines these three elements as define, educate and address. Its important to have all of this information accessible and transparent not only for current employees, but job candidates as well, she says.

As the Jobvite report highlights, 27 percent of job seekers would not know how to report a case of sexual harassment to their current or most recent employer. That said, 63 percent consider it important to know about the sexual harassment policy of a company they are considering joining, according to the report. They seek out this method in multiple ways, the most common being doing online research, following by asking the hiring manager outright.

Bitte, who previously worked as an HR manager and recruiter at Apple and the HR director at Intuit, shares what companies, employees and job seekers alike should keep in mind when clarifying their standards for workplace conduct, in light of the data.

Fifteen percent of workers say their companies have changed their policies or made statements regarding sexual harassment recently.

What influences employees: Of the other 85 percent -- those whose companies havent acknowledged recent movements (i.e. #MeToo) -- 13 percent say this silence on the issue makes them more likely to leave their company. Thats 11 percent of the overall workforce who feels this way. While thats nowhere near the majority, it still amounts to a significant number of people who consider it an issue.

What influences companies: Everybody's going to make that call based upon their own culture and based upon what they think is most appropriate, Bitte says of companies changing policies and making statements about sexual harassment.

For example, a The Way We Work column from earlier this year explored how two sexual health companies, Dame Products and Unbound, have responded internally to the #MeToo movement. Unbound now has a policy that employees should refrain from discussing personal sexual experiences at work, while Dame hasnt made any changes amid #MeToo.

What influences job seekers: Bitte emphasizes that when companies take a stand, its most effective when messaging is both internal and external, given that company culture is such an integral part of what she calls marketing recruitment of new hires -- a trend that shes seen emerge over this decade.

Early on, a lot of folks in the recruiting space were trying to take what was the company PR and just tweak it for candidates, Bitte says. What they found was, because those candidates become your employees, there needs to be a level of transparency and authenticity. She expands on how to offer that to candidates below.

Forty-eight percent of job seekers would be discouraged from applying to a company if they heard about a sexual harassment incident that occurred there.

How companies can educate: Employers need to be ready if and when job seekers ask about incidents that may have happened within the company.

Internally, define what constitutes appropriate behavior and a safe workplace for your company, she says, perhaps through an employee handbook, and externally, on your company website, for example. Define how you deal with behavior that doesnt align as well. Also consider, Bitte says, that people are different learners. Some people are audio learners, some people are visual learners, and so, do you have videos, do you have things written down?

You have to not only make the materials available, but facilitate trainings, Bitte says. Externally, use as many channels as possible -- Instagram, LinkedIn, your company website, career sites your company appears on.

How candidates can learn: Bitte advises candidates to request an interview with a peer (within the same level or department theyd be joining), and to consider it a red flag if a company wont arrange a meeting. This can give a candidate a clearer sense of the role (not to mention give the company a more candid or broader view of the candidate and the employee a say in the decision-making process). Beyond these benefits, it can also help the candidate understand what the culture is like.

Related: These Female Entrepreneurs Created a Fake Male Co-Founder to Work Around Sexism. How Well It Worked Is Incredibly Eye Opening.

In peer interviews, Bitte advises candidates to ask open-ended questions, given that the interviewer likely wont come right out and say, the boss is a chauvinist or its a total boys' club or worse.

Instead of saying, Do you like it here or not?, Bitte says, ask open-ended questions, such as, 'What brought you here? Why have you stayed? What are the things that maybe would drive you to not stay?'

In terms of addressing incidences, 74 percent of people who have dealt with a harassment issue at work say their company took appropriate action.

How companies can prepare: Its important to have trusted channels, as Bitte describes -- options for confidential reporting that prevent retaliation by the perpetrator. They should also think about balancing an employees reluctance to identify whos been harassing them with the duty to confirm it, in cases where the perpetrator has demonstrated a pattern of behavior that needs addressing.

Employees don't know the context of everything, Bitte says, but they are the eyes and ears of what's going on, too.

All members of HR departments should be equipped to help address or elevate any case that comes forward, either within the organization or through a review site such as Glassdoor.

When companies can take a step back: HR departments also dont always have to directly mediate cases, she says. Employees may approach HR for advice on how to deal harassment or bullying themselves, such as what to say in conversation with the person theyre in conflict with.

Of course, what constitutes harassment or bullying will never be clear cut, Bitte says. Part of the Jobvite survey broke down harassment by category and asked survey respondents to rate the appropriateness level of each. They rated getting a touch on the shoulder most benign and viewing inappropriate material/images on a work computer least.

It's OK that it isn't perfectly defined, because humans are not all black and white in our way of thinking about behavior, Bitte says. Just try to raise awareness, and say, If you don't like it, or you're not comfortable or it doesn't fit your definition of a safe workplace, just bring it forward.

Related:

What Employees, Employers and Job Hunters Should Look for When It Comes to Workplace Harassment Policies

What This Company Has Learned From Making It Mandatory for Employees to Take 4 Weeks of Vacation Per Year

Here's What Companies Are Doing Wrong When Hiring -- and 4 Ways to Fix It



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedA day doesn't go by that I don't think about how I could have done a better job of running my business, which until my partners and I sold it, was an American restaurant called Molly's Lone Star, located in the French town of La Rochelle.

Related: Want to Be More Like Amazon? Start By Making Your Startup More Data-Driven.

So, every time I walk into a restaurant, which is almost every day, I look at how other people are running their business. I look at how the waiters do their side work, how the traffic flow of clean and dirty dishes is organized, and I peer at the latest point-of-sale technology. I daydream about how much easier our work would have been, and how much more profitable we could have become.

Labor is by far the hardest thing to manage in a restaurant -- you constantly have to think about having enough people during rushes, scheduling time off for your full time staff, making sure your employees are presenting your restaurant in the right light, and making sure your best staff aren't poached by a competitor.

It may sound simple, but you can't really do all that effectively without a crystal ball -- or basic artificial intelligence (AI). How do we do on Sundays? How about Sundays at the end of a long weekend? Sundays during the summer versus the fall? If it's rainy but unseasonably warm?

Who's making good tips? Who has too many hours? Who can we find to fill in for a line cook who's about to go on vacation?

These are the kinds of issues for which there were no easy answers back in the late 1990s. You can keep the most accurate records possible, but at least where our management team was concerned, there were simply too many variables to hold in our minds at one time.

Related: 5 Reasons Machine Learning Is the Future of Marketing

AI wasn't available to us then -- and to the extent that it existed, it was too expensive. Massively, ridiculously, unapproachably expensive.

That was actually the case for most technology, especially specialized software. Today, though, a company our size could have easily afforded cloud software. And today, cloud software is becoming more sophisticated and easy to use than even the most expensive software of the past, all while remaining more accessible to small businesses like ours than ever before.

Probably the biggest stumbling block to implementing AI is the fear it seems to generate -- not only because it's the 50th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which introduced the world to HAL 9000, the milky-voiced AI imbued with enough self-awareness to turn malevolent at the expense of its human users.

Serious academics like Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee have written about the lurking danger of "technological unemployment," and even people who should know better (I'm looking at you, Elon Musk) have warned about the looming robot apocalypse. The MIT economists write that "as digital technologies race ahead, they have the potential to leave many workers behind."

But, it turns out that quite the opposite is happening. AI is making many jobs more enjoyable and fulfilling -- especially the types of jobs Brynjolfsson and McAfee warned were most at risk. The evidence for this is mounting as we speak.

Related: Top 10 Best Chatbot Platform Tools to Build Chatbots for Your Business

AI is a job creator.

According to a recent study of the impact of automation in the U.K. by Deloitte, automation could create four times more jobs that it eliminates -- at a higher rate of pay, no less. "AI often means that employees can spend more time on complex tasks for which they are uniquely suited, like interacting with customers or brainstorming innovative new campaigns," notes VentureBeat in its report on the study.

"Automation will displace many jobs over the next 10 to 15 years, but many others will be created and even more will change," notes McKinsey in a recent story. The McKinsey Global Institute also recently estimated that between 20 million and 50 million jobs will be created by 2030 thanks to automation.

Jobs -- even restaurant jobs -- are also likely to become more interesting, as the more tedious and repetitive tasks are the ones most likely to be automated. That will leave people to perform the parts of those jobs that are more variegated and thus inherently more interesting.

Alexandra Guajardo, the morning shift leader at a Dunkin' Donuts shop in Corona, Calif., is more likely to stick with her employer longer now that it has automated parts of her job, she told the Wall Street Journal. "I don't have to constantly be worried about other smaller tasks that were tedious ... I can focus on other things that need my attention in the restaurant," she said.

Indeed, it turns out that most employees -- the very people economists and other prognosticators worry about -- are more than on board with AI; they're bullish on it. Asked to pick three from a list of eight potential impacts on their jobs, employees said AI will improve operational efficiencies (59 percent), enable faster decision-making (50 percent), significantly reduce cost (45 percent), enable better customer experiences (40 percent) and improve the employee experience (37 percent), according to a recent survey by HR advisory and research firm Future Workplace, and Oracle, my employer.

Ninety-three percent also said they would trust orders coming from a robot, probably because they're already used to taking orders from Siri and other home digital AI gizmos. As employees, "they see the potential of AI," notes Dan Schwabel, research director at Future Workplace.

Related: Artificial Intelligence Is Likely to Make a Career in Finance, Medicine or Law a Lot Less Lucrative

Love the one you're with.

To be sure, there is a cautionary note underlying the sanguine surveys from McKinsey and Deloitte: Some jobs will be automated out of existence, and people will have to "reskill." Depending on your perspective, the term "reskill" sounds like something either a bloodless technocrat or a timid human resources professional would say.

But, yucky jargon aside, anyone old enough to be reading this has seen this before. Remember secretarial pools, pink notes with phone messages written by the office receptionist while you were out to lunch and word processors -- not the machines; actual people whose job it was to turn executive scribbles into legible type?

No one misses those jobs, and those of us who worried about the job prospects for the people doing them were unfairly underestimating their ability to adapt. It turns out there were more satisfying, more highly paid jobs for those people to do.

One thing I'm certain of: If I ever open another restaurant, I'll make use of inexpensive AI and cloud technologies to help me make better decisions.

Related:

Artificial Intelligence Can Help Leaders Make Better Decisions Faster

Deep Learning and 'Hyper-Personalization' are the Future of Marketing Automation

Why I Wish Artificial Intelligence Was Around When I Started My Business



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedDemocratic-endorsed candidate William Tong, 45, of Stamford, has won his primary race for attorney general.

The Associated Press called the race about 10 p.m. with 54 percent of the districts reporting in and Tong with 58.5 percent of the vote over Chris Matteis 28.8 percent and Paul Doyles 15 percent.

Im so grateful to my family and my parents and the people of this state who helped us make history tonight. I am the first Asian American to ever be nominated for constitutional office, Tong said. Its really an honor ... to try to break through this ceiling and run through this wall. Im grateful to everybody for their help.

He had praise for the men who ran against him..

I think that Paul Doyle and Chris Mattei ran tremendous campaigns and they are worthy competitors and they both have a lot to offer to our state, he said. Now he plans taking on (GOP primary winner) Sue Hatfield and (President) Donald Trump.

He credited his win, in part, to his background as an immigrant.

People understood that right now when so many people in Connecticut feel like they have a target of their backs, as a son of immigrants and a son of this state, who has struggled to get here, they know that I feel their fight and have lived their fight really personally.

We have an existential fight between me and Sue Hatfield to protect the families of our state, he added. I think its very clear if you are a woman or an immigrant or a Connecticut taxpayer, Sue Hatfield and Donald Trump have declared war on you and your families.

Mattei, 40, is a former federal prosecutor; Doyle, 55, is a state senator from Wethersfield who chaired the legislatures Judiciary Committee with Tong.

In the Republican primary, party-endorsed candidate Sue Hatfield, 46, a former state prosecutor and registered nurse, handily beat John Shaban, 54, a Greenwich attorney and former Redding state representative. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 9 p.m. with 22.5 percent of the vote in and Hatfield leading 79.7 percent to 20 percent.

Were feeling great. Its really been a product of my supporters, my team, Hatfield said. People have come out that really want somebody different. They want somebody who is not a career politician.

Voters from all over the state, including friends and family, converged on Pub 45, state rep. Kevin Skulczyck s establishment in Jewett City. and offered wonderful support.

Were putting our head back down and looking to November, Hatfield said.

Primary for Attorney General Democrat William Tong - 58 percent Chris Mattei - 27.5 percent Paul Doyle - 14.7 percent Republican Sue Hatfield - 80 percent John Shaban - 20 percent Primary for Treasurer Democrat Shawn Wooden - 57 percent Dita Bhargava - 43 percent Republican Thad Gray - 55.6 percent Art Linares - 44 percent Republican primary for Comptroller Kurt Miller - 53 percent Mark Greenberg - 47 percent Source: Unofficial results from the Associated Press See More Collapse

Shawn Wooden, 49, the Democratic-endorsed candidate for treasurer, was the apparent winner of his race against rival Dita Bhargava, 46.

Bhargava conceded the race about 10:45 p.m.

"We fought hard during this campaign to put our ideas front and center. While I am certainly disappointed with tonights results, Im proud of the campaign we ran and even prouder that we advanced the issues that we care about, she said.

"Ive met so many people on the campaign trail, heard so many stories that make me know without a shadow of a doubt that the people of Connecticut know whats right and what our state needs -- and thats new Democratic leadership that will stand strong in the Age of Trump.

Wooden and Bhargava ran bruising campaigns, each rife with accusations that their opponent prioritized Wall Street over Main Street. Wooden is a Day Pitney attorney who assists public pension fund with investments. Bhargava is a former investment manager at Bear Stearns, Citigroup, Credit Suisse and others.

"I dont know whats next for me, but I know that I leave this campaign energized and ready to continue my work in serving my community, Bhargava said. It's the belief that when we all contribute to improving the lives of our neighbors, we make stronger communities that drove our campaign. And it's the same idea I'm going to carry with me in the months and years ahead."

Republican-endorsed candidate Thad Gray, 58, former Chief Investment Officer at Abbott Capital Management, appeared to have edged out his opponent Art Linares, 29, a state senator from Westbrook.

With 71 percent of the vote counted, he was leading 55 percent to 44 percent at 10:50 p.m.

In the GOP race for comptroller, endorsed candidate Kurt Miller, 48, appeared to beat out Mark Greenberg, 64, despite Greenbergs flush, self-funded campaign. Miller, with 52 percent of the vote and 74 percent of precincts reporting, is the first selectman of Seymour; Greenberg, who had 47 percent of the vote, is a Connecticut and New York real estate mogul who previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House.A Republican Texas congressman whose campaign has raised less money than his Democratic challenger says his opponent gathered a disturbing share of her receipts from that chilly faraway state where they park the car in Harvard Yard.

An Aug. 8, 2018, San Antonio Express-News rundown of the race between Rep. Will Hurd of Helotes and Democratic nominee Gina Ortiz Jones quotes Hurd saying of Jones: "When you raise more money from Massachusetts than you do from Texas, that is not a good indication of your broad-based support." Generally, the story also says, Jones, of San Antonio, outraised Hurd almost 2-1 in the second quarter of 2018, gathering $1.2 million to Hurds $684,000.

Was Hurd right that Jones has raised more money from Massachusetts--about a 30-hour drive from the San Antonio-and-west 23rd Congressional District of Texas--than from Texas? We wondered.

Hurd aide cites second-quarter figures

To our inquiry, Connor Pfeiffer of Hurds campaign said by email that he downloaded campaign finance reports from the Federal Election Commission and then winnowed second-quarter donations to Jones campaign from individuals and PACs in the two states--which showed, Pfeiffer said, that Jones got nearly $730,000 from backers in the Bay State and nearly $367,000 from Texas donors.

More than $500,000 via ActBlue?

Off the bat, we noticed that Hurds analysis counts donations made by individuals to the Jones campaign via the ActBlue PAC, based in Somerville, Mass., as originating in Massachusetts. Pfeiffer said: "I counted the money Jones received from ActBlue as receipts from the state of Massachusetts because ActBlue is a PAC in Massachusetts."

However, ActBlue doesnt make candidate donations. Rather, Democratic aspirants and groups use the PACs online tools to manage donations from all over the country. The PAC says on its website that it "acts as a conduit federally and in most states, which means we provide the infrastructure for campaigns and organizations to fundraise online, but we dont fundraise on behalf of anyone."

By Pfeiffers accounting, donations made to Joness campaign via ActBlue amounted to more than $581,000 of what Hurd considers Massachusetts donations. Not counting that money reduces Joness Massachusetts haul to such an extent that the result appears to be, by Hurd's accounting, more than $200,000 less than what Hurd says Jones raised in Texas.

Longer view

And that result, we recognized, considers only the latest three months of donations reported by Jones to the FEC.

For a longer view, we inquired into how much Jones has reaped in contributions reported throughout her campaign by asking the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign finance issues.

A center analyst, Douglas Weber, replied that by its sort of itemized donations by individuals reported by Jones to the FEC, her campaign through June 2018 had raised $193,879 from Massachusetts residents and $353,293 from Texas residents. "We generally do not count PAC contributions," Weber said by email, "as many PACs are based in the D.C. area regardless of the organization."

Weber, asked about Hurds camp folding in donations conveyed through the ActBlue PAC, commented: "They shouldn't include anything from ActBlue. ActBlue is a conduit--the address may be in Massachusetts but that's not where the contributions came from."

Separately, Judith Ingram, an FEC press officer, responding to our inquiry by checking Joness filed reports for donations fielded in each state. Ingram emailed us spreadsheets showing Jones getting $339,599 from more than 800 Texas donors and drawing $117,950 from more than 120 Massachusetts donors--with PACs not included in her tallies.

With help from Ingram, we sifted the Ingram-presented donations to Jones to find that through June 2018, $36,150 of her donations from Massachusett residents flowed through the ActBlue PAC along with $167,593 of her contributions from Texans. Put another way, it looked to us like hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to Jones that Hurd attributed to Massachusetts residents came, via ActBlue, from people not living in Texas or Massachusetts.

Pfeiffer, Hurd's spokesman, indicated by email that Hurd stands by what he said. Pfeiffer wrote: "Based on the congressman's quote, the relevant question here is whether more money is flowing to Jones from Massachusetts than Texas. Jones is receiving a large amount of money from ActBlue, which is based in Massachusetts. What type of PAC ActBlue is does not change where they are based or the proximate source of the money flowing to Jones' campaign," Pfeiffer said.

Our ruling

Hurd said Jones has raised "more money from Massachusetts than" from Texas.

To the contrary, records show Jones raising more in campaign funds from Texans than Massachusetts residents. The congressmans analysis erroneously rests on counting donations ferried to Jones from donors all over the country through the Massachusetts-based ActBlue PAC as contributions made solely by people living in Massachusetts.

We find Hurd's statement incorrect and ridiculous. Pants on Fire!

PANTS ON FIRE  The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim. Click here for more on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check.

See Figure 1 on PolitiFact.comKELOWNA, BC, Aug. 15, 2018 /CNW/ - GTEC Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: GTEC) (OTC: GGTTF) ("GTEC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Lawrence Law has been appointed as GTEC's Global Marketing & Branding Director. Mr. Law was previously employed at Diageo plc ("Diageo"), the world's largest alcoholic beverages company.

At Diageo, Mr. Law was Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker's Blue Label and Super Premium Portfolio. He was accountable for building a premium brand strategy, revenue performance and growth of Johnnie Walker's Luxury Portfolio globally. During his 10-year tenure at Diageo, he spearheaded multiple pioneering marketing and product innovations including Johnnie Walker's Luxury Retail Experiences, Digital Product Personalisation and the Casks of Distinction Single Malts Program.

Lawrence brings a vast amount of advisory experience working with clients from all sectors including banking, automotive, technology and luxury sectors, where he built a broad range of deep marketing skills across multi categories and business functions. The future adult-use market can pivot into many different directions including opportunities and partnerships in the pharmaceutical, alcohol, and tobacco space. Lawrence's wide range of sector experience, especially in a highly regulated and competitive market, will be vital in shaping GTEC's branding strategy.

"I'm very excited to be part of this new game changing category and even more excited to be part of GTEC's ambition and purpose," said Lawrence Law.

"We are very pleased to have Lawrence join our team," said Norton Singhavon, Chairman and CEO of GTEC. "With GTEC's focus on premium quality craft cannabis, we are confident that he will play a key role in the future development of our premium retail brands and products."

About GTEC

GTEC was founded in 2017 to capitalize on opportunities in the nascent and rapidly growing legal cannabis industry. GTEC is a public corporation listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and based in Kelowna, British Columbia. GTEC is focused on growing premium quality craft cannabis in purpose-built indoor facilities. GTEC currently holds a 100% interest in GreenTec Bio-Pharmaceuticals Corp., Alberta Craft Cannabis Inc. Grey Bruce Farms Inc., Falcon Ridge Naturals Ltd., Tumbleweed Farms Corp., Zenalytic Laboratories Ltd., and Spectre Labs Inc.

To view more about the company or to request our most recent corporate presentation, please visit our website at www.gtec.co

On behalf of the board,

Norton Singhavon

Founder, Chairman & CEO

778-760-8288

[email protected]

Michael Blady

Co-Founder & Vice President

604-720-3474

[email protected]

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.

The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals, where applicable and the state of the capital markets. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company 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 required by law.

SOURCE GreenTec Holdings

For further information: GTEC Holdings Ltd., 1-800-351-6358, [email protected]SYRACUSE, NY -- For the first time in 56 years, Ed "Bud" Burns today took a sip of Congress Beer.

"It's a little more bitter than I remember," said Burns, a longtime Syracuse resident who sported a Haberle Congress Brewing Co. T-shirt. "But it's good."

Burns was among the crowd of revelers at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown (Hotel Syracuse) today for the official return of the once iconic Congress Beer to the city's taps. From 1892 to 1962, Congress was the most popular "hometown" beer in Syracuse, brewed by the Haberle brewery at the corner of Butternut and North McBride streets.

The modern re-launch is spearheaded by the Onondaga Historical Association, which acquired the trademark rights to sell Congress Beer merchandise several years ago. Last year, it secured the rights to brew a beer under the Congress Beer name as a way to raise money for its operations.

Long-time Syracuse resident Ed "Bud" Burns enjoys a glass of Congress Beer for the first time in 56 years at the brew's relaunch part at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018.

A team of two black Percheron draft horses from ToggView Farm in Fabius symbolically delivered the beer to the crowd gathered at the Marriott for the beer's release party. On board the beer wagon were Kevin Williams and Rockney Roberts, the owners and brewers at Willow Rock Brewing Co, in Syracuse.

The OHA tapped Willow Rock to recreate Congress, using a set of notes on the recipe and procedures donated to the association by the last Haberle brewmaster when the brewery closed in 1962.

It was Williams' and Roberts' challenge to recreate a beer that they could proudly produce in a modern craft brewery but that would also honor the tradition of a light colored, light-bodied "pre craft beer" lager.

The beer they came up with is a relatively low alcohol beer, at 4.8 percent, that they describe as "approachable," "easy drinking," "light-bodied and crisp" and an "everyday" beer.

Congress was the last of the "old school" pre-craft era beers made in Syracuse. For much of the 20th century, it was Syracuse's equivalent to regional lagers like Genesee of Rochester, Iroquois or Simon Pure of Buffalo and Utica Club of Utica. Genny and Utica Club survived, most, like Congress, didn't.

Bud Burns was was among the few at the party who could actually remember when Congress was still around.

"You either drank Congress or Schultz and Dooley," said Burns, referring to Utica Club beer made by the F.X. Matt Brewing Co, in Utica. Matt used a pair of talking beer steins, named Schultz and Dooley, to advertise its beer in the mid-20th century. "I liked Congress."

After the launch, the new Congress Beer will be available at the hotel, then at the Willow Rock brewery, 115 Game Road in Syracuse. It will be showcased at the New York State Fair, and eventually find its way to bars and restaurants around Central New York. It's draft only, for now, and will likely sell for about $5 a pint.

Roberts and Williams have been working for more than six months to perfect the recipe. Willow Rock is in the midst of a major expansion that will quintuple the size of their brewhouse, so they supervised the brewing of Congress's first batch at another New York state brewery.

After their expansion is complete this fall, Congress production will shift to Willow Rock. Distribution will be handled by anoher small Syracuse company, the Party Source, a bottle shop on Erie Boulevard East.

On Monday, meanwhile, members of Haberle family, which once owned the brewery, announced plans to launch their own new version of Congress. They contend their version will be more "authentic" because it is made by the family. Like the OHA, they are seeking a Syracuse area craft brewer to make the beer, which could debut in 2019.

Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.An Upstate New York woman dubbed the "kayak killer" will receive some of her dead fiance's life insurance, according to multiple reports.

Angelika Graswald was convicted last year of killing Vincent Viafore, her husband-to-be, by pulling the plug on his kayak during a paddle on the Hudson River in 2015. Graswald, a Latvian national, was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to criminally negligent homicide in the Poughkeepsie man's death.

The Hudson Valley Post reports prosecutors believed her motive was to collect on Viafore's $491,000 life insurance policy, of which she was entitled to 45 percent. His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Graswald to stop her from collecting the money.

CBS reports Graswald returned to court on Monday seeking the money from his life insurance policy. Attorneys said she and Viafore's family reached a settlement entitling her to at least a portion of the death benefits, but would not say how much.

"There is a financial settlement, the amount of which is confidential," Graswald's lawyer, Anthony Piscionere, said.

Viafore's mother previously pledged to stop Graswald from getting any of the payout because she "caused his death," but apparently softened her stance.

"It's time to let this family move on," Allan Rappleyea, the attorney for the Viafore family, added.

Graswald admitted she pulled the plug from her fiance's kayak in the Hudson River and watched him drown, allegedly moving his paddle away from him. Fox News reports she then reported him missing; his body was found a month later.

She was released in December 2017, just one month after being sentenced to four years due to nearly three years of time already served behind bars.

Piscionere said she was still entitled to Viafore's death benefits despite pleading guilty to criminally negligent homicide.

"The criminal plea did not disqualify our client from taking these funds. They still had to prove that she recklessly or intentionally committed this murder, and I think that was going to be a very high bar for them to meet," Piscionere told CBS.Components arrived in early 2018 for the UK Dragonfire combat laser. QinetiQ will start building the weapons laser source in the purpose-built clean room. Over the following months, the laser source will undergo a process of evaluation and adjustment before being integrated with Leonardos beam director.

Full-power tests inside the lab are being performed during the summer of 2018. The laser will be transported to MOD Shoeburyness for long-range outdoor trials later in 2018.Its not easy being rich in Connecticut.

According to a study by the financial website SmartAsset.com, Connecticut ranks as the 10th most costly state to be rich, based on the accumulated total of income, property and estate taxes of high-wealth residents.

Washington ranked as the costliest state to be rich, followed by Vermont, Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Neighboring states Rhode Island (6th) and New York (9th) were also in the top 10. Wyoming, Nevada, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama were the least costly states to be rich.

Im surprised (Connecticut) is not number one, Ed Tomasko of Financial Strategies Investment Advisor Services in Bethel, said. Im surprised there are nine ahead of us.

Tomasko pointed out that Connecticut has a lot of taxes not accounted for in the study.

When you add it all up, its a heavily taxed state, he said.

The ranking was based on the income, property and estate taxes paid by someone with a household income of $465,626 (the threshold to be in the top 1 percent), a home value of $2,328,130, and an estate worth $15 million.

In Connecticut, a resident meeting that criteria would pay $177,850 in income taxes, $48,012 in property taxes and $2,484,799 in estate taxes for a total of $2,710,662. A Washington resident would pay a total of $3,899,929  skewed high due to the states top marginal estate tax rate of 20 percent.

Our study shows that preserving wealth is more difficult in Connecticut than in many other states nationwide, Ross Urken, senior editor at SmartAsset, said. Along with facing high property taxes, wealthy households in Connecticut must pay income and estate taxes on both the state and federal level. That is why Connecticut ranks as the tenth-most expensive state to be rich with an estimated income, property and estate tax burden of $2.71 million, according to our model.

Connecticut likely would have placed higher if not for a top marginal estate tax rate of 12 percent, a relatively low rate. A new state law, however, taxes estates worth more than $2.6 million, a lower exemption than many other states.

Tomasko said he advises clients on an individual basis on how to manage their taxes. Factors such as medical condition, income, lifestyle and desire to be close to family determine what steps a client could take, he said.

Many states, Tomasko said, allow money paid for long-term care such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities to be written off as medical expenses. Connecticut, which he said has some of the most expensive long-term care costs in the country, does not allow the write off.

In many cases, you may want to look at other states, such as Florida, which allows the write off and does not have a personal income tax, he said.

SmartAsset wrote in its study that getting expert financial advice and investing with taxes in mind as ways to alleviate ones tax burden. Investing in an IRA or 401(k) can lower income tax, the website wrote.

The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338.MILFORD  Denied her partys endorsement by one vote, Pam Staneski bounced back to handily defeat Anthony Giannattasio for the Republican nomination in the 14th Senate district.

Staneski, a two-term Republican incumbent representing the 119th District in the state House, now faces James Maroney, the Democratic nominee, in the race for what could be a pivotal seat for control of the currently 18-18 split state Senate.

That seat was left vacant when longtime Democratic State Rep. Gayle Slossberg announced her retirement earlier this year.

For Staneski, this amounts to a rubber match with Maroney. The pair split previous elections for the 119th House seat.

Im telling James he has a reprieve tonight, Staneski said, following her victory Tuesday. Starting (Wednesday) I am going to be his worst enemy for the next three months.

On Tuesday, Staneskis army of supporters overcame Giannattasios group of family and friends in capturing 12 of the 16 voting districts, with one unreported late in the night.

Giannattasio is the minority leader on Milfords Board of Aldermen, where he served for the past 14 years. His biggest wins Tuesday came in West Haven.

The 14th senate district encompasses all of Milford and Orange and parts of West Haven and Woodbridge.

Im proud of the campaign we ran and I think we put pressure on her, Giannattasio said as his workers consoled him in his Bridgeport Avenue Devon headquarters.

It was a grass roots effort, but we couldnt compete with the PAC money and all the extra help she had. Im OK with the result. She won fair and square.

Giannattasio said he would support her in November. Staneski said she welcomed that, as well as any help from Giannattasios supporters.

Both candidates worked the polling place hard all day Tuesday. Staneski, dressed in a Republican red dress and matching shoes, and Giannattasio, in a dark suit and tie, greeted voters as they entered sometimes deserted polls in the afternoon.

Giannattasio approached every prospective voters and told them about running his own business  Milford Barrel in New Haven  and how he needed their support to change things in Hartford.

Staneski, often in the center of a group of supporters, also approached prospective voters.

Im Pam Staneski the Republican candidate on line 4B, she told some. If you are voting Democratic today, Ill be on the ballot in November.Aili McKeen beat Joshua Balter in Tuesdays Democratic state Senate primary in the 34th District and will face off in the Nov. 6 election against longtime Senate Republican leader Len Fasano.

With all but three precincts and absentee ballots counted, unofficial numbers had McKeen leading by nearly 2,000 votes.

The 34th District includes residents from Wallingford, Durham, East Haven and North Haven. McKeen was the partys endorsed candidate.

After the victory, McKeen said shes excited to be able to challenge a longtime senator like Fasano, R-North Haven.

A woman has never held this seat before. We are one step closer to breaking that glass ceiling, McKeen said. When women win, we all win.

Asked whether she thought it would be tough to beat Fasano, McKeen said she couldnt know since Fasano has only faced one challenge in seven elections. Its uncharted territory, she said.

Balter did not return calls for comment by press time.

Balter, an East Haven resident, attorney and U.S. Navy veteran, and McKeen, a native of Wallingford who has been a Girl Scout leader and advocate in Hartford, were both seeking to challenge Fasano, the Senate Republican president pro tempore.

Balter and McKeen have expressed similar positions on a series of issues, including support for increasing use of renewable energy, strong unions, legalizing recreational marijuana and improving state infrastructure.

They indicated state water should be considered a public trust; that a state ban on fracking should be established; tat there should be some tolling on state highways.

While both expressed support during the campaign for banning single-use plastic, such as straws and grocery bags, in the long-term, Balter said he would phase in such a policy, while McKeen said she would be more direct.

Both support the creation of affordable housing, but Balter said it should be specifically controlled at the state level, while McKeen said towns should receive guidance.

The most contentious exchange of a recent debate came toward the end, when the two candidates were asked to explicitly describe their differences.

Both noted their differing stances on raising the minimum wage to $15  Balter said he would establish a sliding scale, allowing small businesses to pay a lower rate, while McKeen said this would hurt such companies by increasing turnover and that she supported a blanket increase.

Balter mentioned their differing backgrounds when it comes to gun rights laws.

But Balter noted that McKeen had been a member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a Connecticut organization that, according to its website, advocates for the right to keep and bear arms, until she withdrew from the organization during the campaign.

Balter said he was for gun control because of public safety.

McKeen has argued she would serve as a counter-example to the old boys up in the Capitol, improving diversity and fighting to improve the function of government. While she was not an attorney, she said this was an asset, not a detriment.

pamela.mcloughlin@hearstmediact.comHARTFORD  It is a miracle the Santi Rodriguez is alive.

Now the 14-year-old, who has suffered from a rare genetic disease that is currently under control, is looking for a second miracle.

His father, Julian Rodriguez, who came here 18 years ago from Colombia seeking asylum, has been granted multiple stays to remain in the country to support his son and wife, both of whom are part of a National Institutes of Health study on the serious autoimmune disease that affected their son.

In June however, the elder Rodriguez, who lives in New London, was told by Immigration and Custom Enforcement to buy a one-way ticket to Colombia by Sept. 12.

Attorney Glenn Formica, who was joined by several elected and hospital officials at a press conference at Connecticuts Children Medical Center Tuesday, said he has filed a national interest waiver, which is a special petition that allows an immigrant to stay in this country, if it is in the national interest.

In the meantime, until the petition is acted on, Formica is asking ICE to continue granting his client a stay to remain here, something that Rodriguez has gotten for the past nine years.

Santi was born with chronic granulomatous disease, a serious autoimmune ailment that was transmitted through a defective gene carried by his mother. The rare malady only affects males.

James Shmerling, head of the hospital, said integral to the Santis care team for more than a decade is the family ... They are critically important to everything we do.

Dr. Juan Salazar, the pediatrician in chief at Connecticuts Children Medical Center, said this is a story of hope, a story of success and a story that will lead to great outcomes for this family.

He said he came up with the diagnosis of CGD  which affects only one child in 200,000  when Santi was 6 years old. While some children with CGD reach adulthood, it is universally fatal, he said.

It effects white cells that fight infection. Children with CGD will develop serious infections and Santi did over his short life, bouts that put him in the hospital eight to 10 times a year.

Lucky for the teen, who is a rising sophomore at St. Bernard School in Uncasville, there was an experimental trial being offered by the NIH that involved stem cell transplantation.

Salazar said a colleague of his, Dr. Harry Malech at the NIH, invited Santi to participate in the trial  an opportunity his parents accepted despite the risks of further suppressing their childs immune system so the new cells could take.

The therapy was successful starting six years ago and all of the teens complications have mostly subsided, while the infections have also gone away, according to Salazar.

You can imagine the stress this would have put on any parent. The good news is that Santi currently does not require immunosuppressant therapy, which is unusual, the doctor said.

He said in his opinion that is a miracle, but it is important that he continues to report to the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center every two to three months, or sooner, if needed, and to the NIH every six months.

His care needs to be done in the United States. It cannot be done elsewhere. It is something that has contributed to the overall healthcare of children, Salazar said, as the speakers put forward their arguments to keep Julian Rodriguez, the familys main breadwinner, here.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said this story is like countless others he has seen, where children are separated from their parents.

He said the new deportation policy in the U.S. is to send away people who have been here for decades, worked hard and pay their taxes as they are raising their families.

Blumemthal said it makes him ashamed and embarrassed as a citizen, as a parent and as a public official.

He praised Formica and other lawyers who defend these clients with little compensation.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-4, said Santis diagnosis could have easily been missed except for the great clinicians at the hospital.

Having Santis dad leave the country is not required by law, Courtney said, pointing to the ICE decision for the past nine years that allowed him to stay.

He said the handling of immigration cases is now subject to a radically different approach. Courtney said the governments policy should be to leave kids alone as the country looks for consensus.

We are in this moment where the contradictions just scream out. We have one arm of government providing absolute cutting edge 21st century medical care and technology. It is America at its best. And then we have another arm of government that is actually disrupting the delivery of that type of really ground-breaking research that will benefit many kids in the future, Courtney said.

Santi also stepped up to the microphone.

Please dont let my family be split apart. I dont know what I would be doing here without my dad. He has helped me so much through by life. He has always been there to support me ... and I really need him for the things that I am going to go through as I grow up, Santi said.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577.MIDDLETOWN  Democratic state Rep. Matt Lesser of Middletown squared off Tuesday against fellow state Rep. Antonio Tony Guerrera of Rocky Hill in a see-saw struggle that resulted in Lesser claiming the Democratic nomination for the 9th District state Senate seat in November.

Just after 9 p.m., Lesser said he won Middletown, Cromwell and Newington  three out of five towns.

We won this race decisively, Lesser said, estimating he was up by 900 votes over his opponent.

Guerrera called Lesser at 9:20 p.m. to offer his very gracious concession, Lesser said.

Lesser will now challenge the winner of the Republican primary, which pitted 19-year-old UConn student Tyler Flanigan of Wethersfield against Ed Charamut, 60, the Rocky Hill Town Council minority leader who owns an insurance agency in Rocky Hill.

Results of the Republican primary were not available by press time.

Charamut was hopeful for a win Tuesday night, after one Rocky Hill voting district  West Hill School  was reporting results. Unofficial numbers showed he garnered 230 votes to Flanigans 114.

Flanigan was unable to be reached for comment.

Charamut was out in three of the districts towns Tuesday. People were steady all day long  in singles and pairs  a light, steady crowd. I feel like we put in the good work and Im confident.

He was less able to predict which way voters would swing in Middletown and Portland. I think there are a lot of absentee ballots that could play a part (in the final outcome), Charamut said.

There hasnt been a Republican in the 9th District Senate seat since 1976, when Elmer A. Mortensen of Newington won the election.

This primary race pitted two incumbent state representatives with very different styles.

The state Senate seat became open when incumbent Paul Doyle announced in March he would campaign for the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Doyle had held the seat since 2007. Prior to that, he was the state representative for the 28th District.

Guerrera, a former Rocky Hill mayor, has served in the General Assembly representing the 29th district since 2001. The 29th district encompasses Rocky Hill and portions of both Newington and Wethersfield.

Lesser has represented the 100th District in the state House of Representatives since 2009, a total of five terms.

The 100th district includes portions of Middletown, Durham and Middlefield.

Doyle, who has held the seat since 2007, is one of three Democrats seeking the partys nomination for attorney general.

The republicans had a choice between youth and experience in their race.

Flanigan first got involved in politics at age 14. Now, five years later, he is balancing running for the state Senate seat while he continues his studies at UConn.

Reached via text as he campaigned Tuesday morning in Cromwell, Flanigan said, Voter feedback has been great. My dedicated team of volunteers and I have been getting out all day, and directly talking to voters. The community is absolutely behind us.

While Charamut has been involved in local affairs, he only stepped into the ring as political candidate in 2017 when he won a seat on the council. He brings the perspective of a small-business owner to the race, and advocates a restraint on spending by the General Assembly.

jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com.Angelo Orlando and Kelly Becker's recent walk down the aisle at Price Chopper ended in an "I do." Or at least a, "Yes, I will."

The Capital Region couple got engaged in the frozen food aisle at Price Chopper up in Malta  complete with a custom pint of Ben & Jerry's "Marry Me Mint" ice cream.

Once Orlando decided he was going to propose, he researched unique proposal ideas.

"I knew Kelly's taste was very simple. She wouldn't want something over the top," Orlando said. "To her, having her siblings there so we could all celebrate together was one of the most important pieces." (You'll see/hear them in the background on the video above.)

The proposal took months to prepare and involved Orlando working with Ben & Jerry's to design the custom pint (the flavor name had to be 12 letters or fewer) and with Kelly's siblings to assure she'd go to the store that evening.

While everything leading up to that Friday night proposal went smoothly, recalls Orlando, Becker almost foiled the plan.

"Kelly was totally in the dark, but she didn't feel like going to the market. She asked us all to go while she would stay home," Orlando said. "[Becker's sister] managed to persuade her into coming. ... Once we got there it was easy."

Becker's family kept the fiancee-to-be busy in the store while Becker's sister, Jen, and Orlando went to the ice cream aisle to "plant" the pint.

"I was hoping to actually get her to look in the cooler and see the pint on her own, but she didn't want ice cream," Orlando said. He then stayed by the freezer, keeping an eye on his custom creation and texted Becker's friend who led her to the frozen food section.

The store staff did not know about the proposal in advance and didn't find out about the engagement until Orlando contacted them after it happened, said Maureen Murphy, manager of consumer trends, nutrition and lifestyles with Price Chopper/Market 32.

"This is the first time that I've heard of someone getting engaged in the stores," Murphy said, adding the idea was cute and fun.

It seems, Price Chopper may play a role  however small  in their wedding which is tentatively planned for October 13, 2019.

"We'll do some gesture to help them celebrate," Murphy said.

Read more and comment on Kristi's blog.Democratic-endorsed candidate William Tong, 45, of Stamford, has won his primary race for attorney general.

The Associated Press called the race about 10 p.m. with 54 percent of the districts reporting in and Tong with 58.5 percent of the vote over Chris Matteis 28.8 percent and Paul Doyles 15 percent.

Im so grateful to my family and my parents and the people of this state who helped us make history tonight. I am the first Asian American to ever be nominated for constitutional office, Tong said. Its really an honor ... to try to break through this ceiling and run through this wall. Im grateful to everybody for their help.

He had praise for the men who ran against him..

I think that Paul Doyle and Chris Mattei ran tremendous campaigns and they are worthy competitors and they both have a lot to offer to our state, he said. Now he plans taking on (GOP primary winner) Sue Hatfield and (President) Donald Trump.

He credited his win, in part, to his background as an immigrant.

People understood that right now when so many people in Connecticut feel like they have a target of their backs, as a son of immigrants and a son of this state, who has struggled to get here, they know that I feel their fight and have lived their fight really personally.

We have an existential fight between me and Sue Hatfield to protect the families of our state, he added. I think its very clear if you are a woman or an immigrant or a Connecticut taxpayer, Sue Hatfield and Donald Trump have declared war on you and your families.

Mattei, 40, is a former federal prosecutor; Doyle, 55, is a state senator from Wethersfield who chaired the legislatures Judiciary Committee with Tong.

In the Republican primary, party-endorsed candidate Sue Hatfield, 46, a former state prosecutor and registered nurse, handily beat John Shaban, 54, a Greenwich attorney and former Redding state representative. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 9 p.m. with 22.5 percent of the vote in and Hatfield leading 79.7 percent to 20 percent.

Primary for Attorney General Democrat William Tong - 58 percent Chris Mattei - 27.5 percent Paul Doyle - 14.7 percent Republican Sue Hatfield - 80 percent John Shaban - 20 percent Primary for Treasurer Democrat Shawn Wooden - 57 percent Dita Bhargava - 43 percent Republican Thad Gray - 55.6 percent Art Linares - 44 percent Republican primary for Comptroller Kurt Miller - 53 percent Mark Greenberg - 47 percent Source: Unofficial results from the Associated Press See More Collapse

Were feeling great. Its really been a product of my supporters, my team, Hatfield said. People have come out that really want somebody different. They want somebody who is not a career politician.

Voters from all over the state, including friends and family, converged on Pub 45, state rep. Kevin Skulczyck s establishment in Jewett City. and offered wonderful support.

Were putting our head back down and looking to November, Hatfield said.

Shawn Wooden, 49, the Democratic-endorsed candidate for treasurer, was the apparent winner of his race against rival Dita Bhargava, 46.

Bhargava conceded the race about 10:45 p.m.

"We fought hard during this campaign to put our ideas front and center. While I am certainly disappointed with tonights results, Im proud of the campaign we ran and even prouder that we advanced the issues that we care about, she said.

"Ive met so many people on the campaign trail, heard so many stories that make me know without a shadow of a doubt that the people of Connecticut know whats right and what our state needs -- and thats new Democratic leadership that will stand strong in the Age of Trump.

Wooden and Bhargava ran bruising campaigns, each rife with accusations that their opponent prioritized Wall Street over Main Street. Wooden is a Day Pitney attorney who assists public pension fund with investments. Bhargava is a former investment manager at Bear Stearns, Citigroup, Credit Suisse and others.

"I dont know whats next for me, but I know that I leave this campaign energized and ready to continue my work in serving my community, Bhargava said. It's the belief that when we all contribute to improving the lives of our neighbors, we make stronger communities that drove our campaign. And it's the same idea I'm going to carry with me in the months and years ahead."

Republican-endorsed candidate Thad Gray, 58, former Chief Investment Officer at Abbott Capital Management, appeared to have edged out his opponent Art Linares, 29, a state senator from Westbrook.

With 71 percent of the vote counted, he was leading 55 percent to 44 percent at 10:50 p.m.

In the GOP race for comptroller, endorsed candidate Kurt Miller, 48, appeared to beat out Mark Greenberg, 64, despite Greenbergs flush, self-funded campaign. Miller, with 52 percent of the vote and 74 percent of precincts reporting, is the first selectman of Seymour; Greenberg, who had 47 percent of the vote, is a Connecticut and New York real estate mogul who previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House.ANSONIA  David Papcin, the 20-year-old chairman of Ansonias Republican Town Committee, beat incumbent Nancy Valentine, the Republican registrar of voters and former mayor, during Tuesdays primary to run in November, but couldnt legally celebrate his win with a glass of Champagne.

Papcin won his place on the November ballot in a 371-303 vote. Valentine has served as registrar for the last eight years. Her term expires in December, and she said she has no plans to run as a petitioning candidate.

Papcin listened to the results roll in at City Hall. His father David Papcin Sr., came in with a bottle of Champagne, but the not-yet-legal Papcin Jr. had to forgo a celebratory drink. Instead, Papcin called his mother on his cell phone, and the screeches of sheer delight coming from Sharon Papcin were infectious.

You won, you won, you won! Sharon Papcin said to her son.

Papcin, an Ansonia native, is entering his third year at Quinnipiac Universitys School of Nursing. His first order of business, following Tuesdays victory, was to get some much-needed rest.

I feel like Im finally going to get a good nights sleep now, he said. Its been a lot of work, and I hope to look to Nancy for guidance.

Papcin attributed his win to focusing on issues like how to address low voter turnout and create more of a buzz around the registrars office, which he said is often overlooked, to the voters.

Last November, we only had 28 percent of voters turn out, and we have to improve on that, Papcin said. Id like to see the office hours increased and put in a full-time effort to this office, and make the registrars office a hub where people can learn and get educated.

Papcin, who was endorsed by Mayor David Cassetti and who was the GOPs choice over Valentine at the nominating caucus in May by a vote of 27-2, didnt view his win over Valentine as a split in the party.

I want us to be unified and have no infighting, Papcin said. I want to make sure I can look to Nancy so I can be prepared when I take office, and I want to make sure we have a positive relationship.

Valentine wished Papcin best of luck. She became the citys first female mayor in 1995, serving two terms.

Papcin, at age 18, became Ansonias youngest appointed member of the Board of Apportionment and Taxation. At 19, he became the youngest Republican town chairman and now at 20, he faces the possibility of becoming the youngest elected city official.

Additionally, Papcin heads the Naugatuck Valley Young Republicans and has worked for Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti and David Stemerman on their gubernatorial runs.

The registrar is a part-time position that pays about $14,000 a year.

Corporation Counsel John Marini said Papcins win suggests the GOP party is healthier and stronger than ever, and hes excited to see new blood take the reins of the registrars office.

All of us have a lot of respect for Nancy, and this is a changing of the guard from one generation to the next, said Marini. This is a real unifying moment and a wonderful occasion. At the end of the day, were all united to make Ansonia better.

jean.sos@snet.netA 58-year-old New Jersey man stole more than $22,000 in pension money intended for the children of a police officer who died in 2012, authorities said.

Mark Johnson (Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office)

Mark Johnson, of Egg Harbor Township, took six pension checks and deposited them into accounts in his name the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

Johnson was living in the same home as the daughters of a retired Hamilton police sergeant who died in 2012, but officials didn't explain his relationship to them. The officer retired from the police department in 2004.

Johnson is charged with two counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of property received and four counts apiece of forgery and uttering.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office couldn't immediately be reached for additional information.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.An 18-year-old Georgia man accused of making gun and bomb threats against Paramus Catholic High School in May turned himself in last week, authorities said.

Marquise J. Smith (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)

Marquise J. Smith, of Winterville, surrendered Aug. 8 after being charged with creating a false public alarm and terroristic threats, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Monday.

Smith used voice-disguising technology when he phoned in two threats to Paramus Catholic High School on May 10, officials said. The school was evacuated and swept before the threats were deemed bogus.

Smith was charged July 3 but didn't turn himself in for more than a month. He was released after appearing in Superior Court in Hackensack last week.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.A New Jersey business does not have to waive its requirement for mandatory drug testing for a worker who uses medical marijuana, a federal court has ruled.

Daniel Cotto Jr. of Bridgeton had sued Ardagh Glass citing the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination after the company wouldn't allow him to return to his job unless he submitted to breathalyzer and urine screenings.

Ardagh asked that Cotto's suit be dismissed, an action which was granted by Judge Robert B. Kugler sitting in U.S. District Court in Camden.

"New Jersey law does not require private employers to waive drug tests for users of medical marijuana," Kugler wrote.

The judge also noted "unless expressly provided for by statue, most courts have concluded that the decriminalization of medical marijuana does not shield employees from adverse employment actions."

Cotto said in his suit he had worked for Ardagh in Bridgeton as a forklift operator since February 2011.

When he was hired, he told officials there he was taking Percocet, Gabapentin and using medical marijuana -- all prescribed by a doctor -- to treat pain from a 2007 injury he had suffered, Cotto's suit said.

There was no indication in court documents whether Cotto was required to submit to a drug test at that time.

In early November 2016, according to his suit, he injured himself by hitting his head on the roof of a forklift while working at Ardagh.

He says after a doctor's visit he was told by an Ardagh representative he couldn't return unless he passed a drug test.

Cotto claimed he was told by a company human resources official his medical marijuana use was a "problem."

In August 2017, Cotto was "formally" terminated, his suit says. Cotto filed suit in Superior Court in Cumberland County in September 2017, but the case was later transferred to federal court in Camden at Ardagh's request.

Kugler said in his ruling that Cotto was not claiming that Ardagh was discriminating against him based on his disability, but "discriminated against him by refusing to accommodate his use of medical marijuana by waiving a drug test."

The judge wrote "(Cotto) claims that the decriminalization of medical marijuana under the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act together with the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination compels his employer to provide an accommodation for him, which the court infers can only mean a request that his employer waive the requirement that (Cotto) pass a drug test."

Ardagh argued the state's medical marijuana act "does not mandate employer acceptance -- or, more particularly, to waive a drug test -- of an employee's use of a substance that is illegal under federal law."

While New Jersey's medical marijuana act protects those prescribed the drug from legal penalties, Kugler quoted the law which says it does not "require ... an employer to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace."

Kugler says he believes other courts would also reach the conclusion that the Law Against Discrimination "does not require an employer to accommodate an employee's use of medical marijuana with a drug test waiver."

"Ardagh Glass is within its rights to refuse to waive a drug test for federally-prohibited narcotics," Kugler wrote.

Kugler also noted New Jersey is an "at-will" employment state meaning "an employer may fire an employee for good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all."

Attorneys for Cotto and Ardagh didn't immediately return email requests for comment.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsJERSEY CITY The sickly cat left at Liberty Humane Society by a man who smashed the shelter's glass door this week has been euthanized, an official with the organization said.

Staff at Liberty Humane Society were rattled when a mysterious man shattered their glass front door Monday afternoon with a rock and threw a box containing the animal at a staff member before running off.

"It's a really bizarre situation," Liberty Humane Society Executive Director Irene Borngraeber said. "The cat was obviously very ill."

A shelter staff member rushed the animal to a veterinarian who diagnosed it with liver failure, Borngraeber said. The cat was euthanized following the veterinarian's examination.

"There [was] no hope for recovery," Borngraeber said, adding that the animal was "severely underweight" and likely suffered from a disease.

The man who allegedly smashed the front glass door of Liberty Humane Society on Monday.

"We're not suspecting [the man] injured the cat. Based on the medical history, we believe that the cat was suffering from an illness for a very long time," she said.

According to Borngraeber, the veterinarian advised that euthanizing the cat was the only humane option at that point.

Borngraeber said that staff members locked the door upon the man's arrival to the shelter when they observed that his mental status seemed compromised. The shelter staff now hopes to determine if the cat belonged to the man and whether the man has interactions with other animals, Borngraeber said.

"We need to make sure that there are no other animals that are suffering."

Borngraeber added that she's hoping police will make a positive identification of the man and arrest him. A spokeswoman for Jersey City said no arrest had been made as of Wednesday morning.

"...Potentially that would enable the man to receive some mental health counseling or other potential assistance."

Moving forward, the shelter is working on upgrading its surveillance system and installing a metal roll-down gate.

"We don't want to be a prison... but I think we have to just because of the eventuality of situations like this," Borngraeber said.

Liberty Humane Society is accepting donations online or in-person to help support repair costs.If Jersey City ever needs a room in the Philippines, now it has a place to go.

During a ceremony Tuesday outside City Hall, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Ronnel Rivera, the mayor of General Santos City on the Philippine island of Mindanao, signed a "sister cities" agreement.

The agreement, mostly symbolic, calls for the two cities to pursue cultural, educational and business exchanges, as well as "cross visits of government officials, employees, and public and private organizations to learn about effective governance and efficient public service."

Jersey City has the largest Filipino population in the state.

Similar to Jersey City, General Santos City has seen a population explosion, but on a larger scale. The city had a population of 411,000 in the year 2000, but now boasts 594,000 residents. Jersey City has roughly 270,000 residents, up 23,000 from 2010.

General Santos City's most famous boxer is all-time great Manny Pacquaio, while Jersey City could counter with its own world champion, Arturo Gatti.

The sister cities event was arranged by Jersey City City Council President Rolando Lavarro, the son of Filipino immigrants. Lavarro, who attended the ceremony and was responsible for much of the communication with General Santos, called it a unique way to honor the role of Filipinos in Jersey City.

Some highlights of the meeting included the singing of the United States and Philippines national anthems, a performance by Kinding Sindaw cultural organization and a ceremony reception where a feast of Filipino cuisine was laid out.JERSEY CITY -- Applause rang out Wednesday morning when the City Council voted to approve the renaming of the Greenville branch of the city library in honor of Jersey Journal columnist Earl Morgan, who died in June at the age of 75 after decades advocating for residents and chronicling the times.

"It's a wonderful day," Morgan's wife, Barbara, said inside the council chamber where the ordinance was approved to officially name the Earl Morgan Branch Library. "Earl wasn't' big on things like this, but I'm glad that they're doing it."

Prior to passage of the ordinance, former Jersey Journal Editor Judy Locorriere said it was appropriate to name a place of learning after Morgan.

"We all know how strongly he believed in truth and justice for all," she said.

Locorriere called Morgan an advocate for youth in "his beloved city," credited him with being a mentor to young reporters at the newspaper, and said he was among those who made "Jersey City great over the years."

Locorriere said she started at The Jersey Journal on the same day as Morgan but she "never felt like his boss because I was always learning from him."

Morgan's friend of more than 50 years, Daoud-David Williams was among the more than a dozen people who lauded Morgan at the hearing. He called Morgan an "astute, tenacious and dedicated practitioner of the First Amendment."

"We commend you for honoring the life of this one-of-a-kind person," Williams told the council members. "We love you Earl Morgan. May your memory and work live on in the city you loved and eloquently wrote about."

Fellow Astor Place resident Mario Moni said Morgan was one of his mentors and praised him as being someone who told the truth no matter who he was writing about. To illustrate the point, Moni, a member of the NAACP, said Morgan wrote a column about the organization once and "threw us under the bus and drove the bus on us.''

A lifelong Jersey City resident, Morgan attended Lincoln High School, where he was a talented fencer. He was a civil rights activist  one of his roles was spokesman for the United Black Front of Jersey City in the 1970s  and longtime community activist before writing at the now-closed Hudson Dispatch before coming to The Jersey Journal.

Morgan covered government corruption, the rise of charter schools, and the struggles of residents fighting crime and poverty. His career spanned the terms of at least seven Jersey City mayors.

Jersey Journal Editor Margaret Schmidt, who attended the hearing, said afterward that "we at the paper have always been so proud to call Earl a colleague and friend and are deeply touched by the outpouring of support for the naming of the Greenville branch in his honor and memory."

"I was especially buoyed at today's meeting by Council President Lavarro's promise when he cast his vote to follow up on the Croson disparity study and fight for the residents of the south side of the city," Schmidt added.

Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley called it fitting to name the library after Morgan not only because he was a journalist, but also because it is home to the Afro-American Historical Society Museum. Morgan, she said, "fought for so many of the concerns of the residents of Greenville."

"This place, this town, this atmosphere, is his home and I say 'is' because he is still here," Morgan's son, Kyle, said. "I am so happy and honored that you are even considering putting his name on the library.

"If anybody deserves to have a library, that kind of place named after him, it is my dad."JERSEY CITY -- At least six families were displaced by a three-alarm Jersey City Heights fire that sent three firefighters to the hospital Wednesday afternoon in a battle against the flames hampered by the maze of wires crisscrossing utility poles at the site.

No residents of the Lincoln Street building were injured, officials said.

Firefighters arriving at the three-story building, between Kennedy Boulevard and Milton Avenue, just after 2 p.m. were unable to use the aerial ladder of a fire truck due to the tangle of wires above. Instead, they were forced to use ground ladders to reach the second-floor windows, Jersey City Fire Chief Steven McGill said from the scene.

A 50-foot ladder had to be brought to the scene to allow firefighters to reach the third-floor windows, McGill said.

Fighting the fire was also hindered because firefighters were not able to get onto the roof to ventilate the building by cutting holes in the roofing, McGill said.

The fire was placed under control at 3:19 p.m. but not before the rear of the building on the second and third floors suffered heavy fire damage and flames burned through the roof, McGill said, adding that the first floor sustained water damage.

Anita Valentin, a resident of the second floor, sat on a front stoop across from the building rocking her cat Hunter, whom she held in her arms wrapped in a blanket while firefighters fought the fire.

"I was watching TV and I smelled smoke and my nephew came in and said come out, there's a fire," said Valentin. "I'm shaken up. I have six more cats in there. They said they are alright but I just want to get back in there."

Carlos Quinones, who lives in the front apartment on the third floor with his mother, arrived home from work to find his building ablaze.

"I'm at a loss for words," Quinones said. "They said our cat ran out. I still don't know if our apartment was damaged."

Utilities to the building have been cut and residents will not be able to return Wednesday night, although they will be allowed to gather belongings if safety allows. The Red Cross was responding to help those displaced by the fire, McGill said.

The chief said the fire appears to have started at the rear of the building on the second or third floor but the cause remains under investigation.

A battalion chief, captain and firefighter had difficulty breathing and were taken to the Jersey City Medical Center for treatment, McGill said.

The chief said firefighters fought the flames aggressively from inside the building and were about to be pulled out due to the danger when they began to get the upper hand on the fire.

Lincoln Street was closed at Kennedy Boulevard and Milton Avenue while firefighters were at the scene. The chief said there were at least six apartments in the building.The Open Door NJNY, a volunteer-run organization that offers free English as a Second Language classes for immigrants, is experiencing some closed doors -- and now it is searching for a new home.

The non-profit group, with offices in West New York and Manhattan, was founded by Cuban immigrants Luis and Maggie Iza and seeks to help people new to the country by offering ESL lessons as well as high school equivalency test prep and computer literacy.

After eight years of holding evening classes for adults at Memorial High School in West New York, Open Door officials were told on June 5 that the school would no longer offer the space -- which was free to the non-profit group.

"Due to recent security threats around the country and world, please be advised that the West New York School District will no longer be permitting outside volunteer associations and community groups, with the exception of departments or agencies of the municipal government, in its facilities," Robert Sanchez, the assistant superintendent of West New York schools, said in an email to Open Door founder Luis Iza.

West New York school district officials could not be reached for comment.

Iza said he understands the school's reasoning, but still felt a solution could be reached. He also said that the school's relationship with Open Door has been positive, but since receiving the email, the school has been unresponsive to his requests for a meeting.

"I think reasonable people, when they put their heads together, should be able to find some sort of compromise," said Iza.

Iza said that Nazareth Baptist Church in West New York has offered its space for the classes, but the church comes with limitations. Open Door was serving slightly more than 200 people in West New York, but the church capacity is between 100 and 120 people, Iza said.

Even so, Open Door will make due at the church when classes resume next month. Iza said the organization still wants to find a space large enough to hold all of the organization's students.

Iza said Open Door has attempted to contact Hudson County Community College for a space, but he hasn't heard back yet. He understands that there are not many options for free space in Hudson County.

"We're so packed in, we're so overcrowded. There's very little resources for the working poor."

Anyone with an available space for The Open Door NJNY can email the organization at info@theopendoornjny.org or call them at 973-780-3818.A homeless outreach organization serving youth in Jersey City and Asbury Park is in the running to receive a grant from State Farm next month -- and your vote can make it happen.

Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ), a nonprofit focused on aiding youth homelessness, could win $25,000. CHNJ is based in Newark, but the grant would be used to purchase vans to assist in the outreach to homeless and at-risk youth in Jersey City and Asbury Park, according to the grant entry description.

"Every day our outreach teams head to the streets connecting with kids with nowhere to call home," said Jim White, executive director of Covenant House New Jersey. "Most are scared, abused and hungry. We do everything we can to get them to safety, either in one of our nine programs, or through other local resources."

White added that CHNJ is grateful to State Farm for the opportunity to get more kids on the path to better lives.

Some 200 causes are up for the grant through State Farm Neighborhood Assist, a crowd-sourced philanthropic program, according to a statement from State Farm.

"The Neighborhood Assist program inspires people to play an active role in bringing grants directly to their community to meet their local needs" said Ed Woods, director of human resources at State Farm.

Grant entrants have from Aug. 15 to Aug. 24 to collect votes from the public. U.S. residents 18 and over with a valid email address may vote online. The winners are the top 40 causes with the most votes, which will be announced Sept. 25.

In addition to CHNJ, Urban League of Union County Young Professionals of Elizabeth, Anshe Emeth Community Development Corporation of New Brunswick, New Jersey Community Development Corporation of Paterson are the New Jersey finalists for the grant.Though his birth mother desperately wants him back, "Baby J" will be raised by his adoptive parents, a New Jersey appellate court ruled last week in a heart-wrenching adoption case that has left two families in turmoil for months.

Gloria Roman, a 20-year-old receptionist from Union County, went to court last year to try to get back her newborn son after she said the adoption agency misled her and failed to inform her about alternatives to adoption, as required by New Jersey law.

A family court judge agreed and ordered the baby's adoptive parents, who had raised him since birth, to return the boy to his birth mother last year. But the adoptive family appealed the judge's ruling, allowing them to keep the child while the case worked its way through the courts.

Last week, the three-judge appellate panel agreed in a unanimous decision to overturn the lower court's ruling and allow the now 13-month-old boy, called "Baby J" in court papers, to remain with his adoptive parents.

The judges acknowledged whatever decision they made in the complex adoption case would be devastating for one side or the other.

"Few cases have so much potential for calamity," the judges wrote in their ruling. "The adopting parents could lose their only child, the child they have nurtured since birth, and in consequence suffer a lifetime of emotional pain and heartbreak . . . The child could be abruptly removed from the only parents and only home it has ever known, placed in the hands of a virtual stranger, and in consequence suffer permanent emotional damage."

But the judges also said allowing "Baby J" to stay with his adoptive parents would be crushing for his birth mother.

"The birth mother could see her decision to surrender her child upheld, have her parental rights terminated, and in consequence suffer a lifetime of regret and sorrow," the 49-page court decision said.

Plans for an appeal

Roman's new lawyers, Paul Townsend and Jennifer Cornelius, said the birth mother is not done fighting for her son. She plans to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court, though there is no guarantee the court will consider the case.

"The appellate court's decision is a travesty of justice. In failing to affirm the lower court's ruling, the appellate division has focused not on whether the child should be with his natural mother, but on the feelings and emotions of the adoptive couple," Roman's attorneys said in a statement.

The court decision sends the message that New Jersey adoption agencies can skirt rules about giving birth parents information about alternatives to adoption, the attorneys said.

"This decision does not protect Baby J, but rips a child from his natural parent who, in a time of crisis, made an uninformed decision and desperately wants her child back. The procedures and the rules were put in place to avoid such a decision as this," Roman's attorneys said. "A child should be with its natural mother."

In an interview earlier this year, Roman said she had no ill-will toward her son's adoptive parents and she thought were doing a good job raising the baby. They regularly send her photos and updates on his progress.

But she said she believed the adoption agency talked her into signing away her parental rights to her newborn when she was a scared teenager, recently evicted from her house and conflicted on whether she could provide a good life for her baby.

The agency never told her there were other options, including putting her son in foster care or receiving government assistance, she said.

"It was me trying to fight for my son because I felt like I was taken advantage of," Roman said.

The adoption agency, A Loving Choice, based in Shrewsbury, said they were happy with the appellate court decision, which found the agency did discuss some alternatives to adoption with Roman and did not violate state law.

"A Loving Choice Adoption Associates is very pleased with the ruling of the appellate court. We will not be commenting further and wish to stress the importance of honoring the privacy of the adoptive family," the agency said in a statement.

The baby's adoptive parents, who live outside New Jersey, were not identified. They were referred to by the pseudonyms "Stephen and Stephanie" in the court decision.

In a statement released through their attorney, Matheu Nunn, they asked that their name and their baby's name be kept secret.

"We understood the difficult odds we faced seeking a reversal of a trial court judge, so needless to say we are overjoyed that the three judges from the appeals court considered, and ultimately went with, Mr. Nunn's legal argument. We look forward to a lifetime of happiness with our son and we hope that our experience has given hope to any other family going through a difficult adoption journey," the couple said.

An extremely rare case

In New Jersey, the law says a birth parent must wait at least 72 hours after a baby's birth to sign the "surrender" documents to give up a baby for adoption.

Unlike many other states, there is no grace period for a birth mother to change her mind. The surrender is irrevocable unless the birth mother goes to court and proves the papers were signed due to fraud, duress or misrepresentation, according to the law.

Cases like Roman's, where a birth mother goes to court to get her newborn back, are extremely rare, adoption advocates say.

In Roman's case, she got pregnant when she was 19, working part time and living with her mother. They were having financial problems and were recently evicted from their house, Roman said. The baby's father did not want to be involved.

Roman was living with a sister and hiding her pregnancy from her family when she began considering adoption. In her court testimony, Roman said she met several times with an adoption agency counselor, but they never discussed foster care, government assistance or other ways she could keep her baby despite her financial problems.

She gave birth, turned the baby over to his adoptive parents and checked herself out of the hospital the same day without telling her family where she had been. It wasn't until a month after he son's birth that she told her stunned mother and sister about the baby and began looking for legal help to get him back.

In court testimony, the adoption agency counselor said she did discuss alternatives to adoption with Roman, including how the teenager could get a friend to watch the baby while she worked if she chose to keep the child.

However, the counselor also testified she destroyed the handwritten notes she took while speaking to Roman, something she had never done in any other case.

The appellate court judges ruled Roman understood she was giving up parental rights to her baby when she signed the papers.

"Moreover, the record indisputably established that Loving Choice offered (Roman) counseling," the judges wrote in their decision.

Roman -- who now has a full-time job, a house in Roselle Park and plans to return to Kean University to earn her bachelor's degree -- has a Go Fund Me page to raise money to help pay her legal bills as she appeals her case to the state Supreme Court.

As of Monday, the page had raised nearly $6,000 toward a $90,000 goal.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporteron Facebook.Federal health officials are continuing to monitor New Jersey and 20 others states in an ongoing measles outbreak that has infected more than 100 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Of the 107 nationwide cases, which occurred between January and July 14, three were confirmed in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. The N.J. cases were linked to international travelers.

While the state Department of Health is not currently investigating any new cases federal health officials are still continuing to monitor New Jersey and the other states.

Those other states included are Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

The state Department of Health announced in May that people may have been exposed to measles Bergen and Warren counties and Newark International Airport. The department again issued another warning in a separate incident in late June that people have been exposed in areas in Burlington and Camden counties.

For more information on what to do if you've been exposed to measles click here.

For more information about measles, contact your health care provider, or visit the New Jersey Department of Health's website at www.state.nj.us/health.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us. nj.com/tipsAn Ocean County man admitted distributing child pornography on the social media app Kik in a federal court Wednesday, the U.S. District Attorney's Office announced.

On Kik, he went by the user name "candicesloan1995," but the man behind the screen was actually 44-year-old David Nelson, of Toms River, an FBI investigation found.

He pleaded guilty to a child pornography distribution crime in federal court in Trenton, and admitted he sent at least 26 images of child pornography to another Kik user over a span of three days in October 2017.

The FBI investigation also found that he was the administrator of multiple chat rooms where child pornography was shared and discussed.

Authorities tracked down Nelson in April after arresting a man who allegedly offered to broadcast the sexual abuse of his 4-year-old daughter over Kik Messenger to an undercover officer. That investigation originated in Louisville, Kentucky.

The child pornography charge carries a minimum of five years in prison and $250,000 fine.

Nelson's sentencing is scheduled in November.

Gianluca D'Elia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. Find NJ.com on Facebook.The Record had an interesting article on the cause of the recent flooding in the northeast part of our state.

It seems the area was a lake in prehistoric times. It has a nasty habit of returning to its former status when there is excessive rain.

The article reports that the Army Corps of Engineers has been working on the problem since 1936 but has been unable to come up with any solution that won't cost a whole lot of money.

I know where they might find millions of dollars that could be used for such a reason: Don't waste it at the Shore buying up property rights along the oceanfront.

That point was driven home by a recent decision by a couple of mediators in the case of the State of New Jersey vs. the Bay Head Improvement Association.

The BHIA is a non-profit citizens group that provides lifeguards and cleanup on the beaches. Most of those beaches belong to private homeowners but the BHIA itself owns a few oceanfront lots as well as some small stretches of sand.

At issue was the amount of compensation the state should pay that association in return for condemning the land for that Army Corps sand replenishment project set to reach the town next month.

The two-member panel of mediators decided the state should pay the BHIA $2,311,700 in compensation. The state is appealing that decision, but it gave great encouragement to the owners of 73 other oceanfront lots the state is acquiring.

If this precedent holds up, the ultimate tab for the state could exceed $70 million, said Peter Wegener, who is the attorney for the BHIA.

The alternative would have been to let well enough alone. The BHIA land in question has not a single building on it. Its only use is for sunbathing, swimming, surfing and fishing and it is open for those pursuits 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

Once the state acquires it, the land will be used for the same purpose - but minus the lifeguards and beach cleanup the BHIA now provides. The same goes for the beaches in front of the other 73 lots at issue in court.

Wegener told me the BHIA and the homeowners would have gladly granted permission for the Army Corps to pump sand all the way to Spain if they so desired. But they did not want to sign easements that give the state control of the land in perpetuity, So exactly why is the state using tax dollars to acquire the property rights?

Neither the state Department of Environmental Protection nor the state's law firm wanted to comment on that. So let me offer an explanation:

Much of this stems from the "confrontational tone" of a certain former governor who recently bought a beach house in Bay Head.

In a press conference the first year he was governor, Chris Christie answered a question from my colleague Tom Moran about his "confrontational tone." The answer was pretty funny and it went viral on YouTube. A star was born, and confrontation became his go-to gimmick.

That gimmick worked fine when employed against other politicians. But Christie got into a nasty habit of getting confrontational with mere residents.

He took on the Bay Head homeowners for refusing to sign away the rights to their beaches. He even told residents of nearby Ortley Beach that they should go knock on doors in Bay Head and tell homeowners to do the governor's bidding.

This didn't sit well with the homeowners. Unlike in other towns protected only by sand dunes, most of the Bay Head homes were protected by a 16-foot-high rock sea wall built after a particularly bad storm back in 1963.

There was a gap in that wall at the north end of town. But the homeowners set up a charity to fund an extension of the rock wall.

Now guess who bought a house protected by that sea wall and those dunes? Chris Christie, that's who. The ex-Guv's new crib is protected by the sea wall and dunes on one of the same BHIA-owned lots at issue in that condemnation case.

There's a lesson in that about how private people can help solve public problems, but I fear it comes too late for the state. Instead of fighting with homeowners, Christie might have engineered a compromise that avoided all this litigation. But as it now stands, every one of those 73 lots will be subject to a possible jury trial establishing how much the state owes the landowners.

That could add up to a lot of dough better spent elsewhere.

One place I'd suggest is in the aforementioned former lake bed.

(Below: The Christie video that went viral.)Gov. Phil Murphy used a powerful tool in his gubernatorial arsenal this week to exert his authority over a South Jersey board that has close ties to state Senate President Stephen Sweeney.

Murphy vetoed meeting minutes of the South Jersey Port Corporation, a move that effectively rebuffs any action the board took during its most recent meeting last month. New Jersey's governor has the authority to veto minutes of any of the state's hundreds of boards and authorities.

The agency -- the first to have its minutes vetoed by the governor since he took office a little more than six months ago -- operates marine shipping terminals across seven counties.

The South Jersey Port Corporation is mostly comprised of allies of Sweeney, with whom Murphy, a fellow Democrat, continues to lock horns even though both men say in public that they get along fine.

But the governor insisted Wednesday it wasn't a power move against Sweeney.

"The letter we submitted speaks for itself," Murphy said at a public event in Ewing. "It has nothing to do with the Senate president. Period. Full stop."

"We have a say and we had raised our hands and said, 'You know what, we don't like the procedure, the process that you are pursuing here, and you should know that.' And we gave them ample opportunity to change that process," Murphy said.

He added: "They chose not to and we had told them right up front that if that's the path you take then, 'You've got to do what you've got to do. We've got to do what we've got to do.'"

Murphy's move was first reported by the website Politico New Jersey, which, citing anonymous sources familiar with the issue, said Murphy was mostly irked by agency's decision to renew a contract with its general counsel, Raymond Zane.

Zane is a Sweeney ally despite the nasty campaign between the two when Sweeney, D-Gloucester, ousted Zane from his state Senate seat in 2001.

"I never thought it had anything to do with me and I appreciate the governor clarifying that," Sweeney told NJ Advance Media following Murphy's comments.

Murphy told the group's acting executive director he vetoed the meeting minutes because, among other things, the members showed "absolutely no evidence that the corporation conducted a fair and objective procurement process" when they voted on "various professional services contracts."

The Politico report cited the governor's grievance with the board's decision to reappoint Zane as general counsel as the driving force behind Murphy's veto.

Murphy's comments came at a bill-signing ceremony in North Brunswick, where he gave final approval to a bill that establishes a state innovation commission.

The measure gave the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology a $1 million budget to help spur entrepreneurship in the state.

The 17-member panel is the successor to a commission established under former Republican Gov. Tom Kean. But the commission has been non-operational since 2010, Murphy said.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump got off to a rocky start because he was not fully prepared to take over the government, and one reason was the ouster of former Gov. Chris Christie as head of his transition team, according to the president's former campaign manager.

"One of the biggest mistakes this administration has made is that they weren't ready to go on Day 1," Corey Lewandowski said Wednesday at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

"The transition period, that eight-week or 10-week period of time from Election Day to the day Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States was a missed opportunity," he said.

After Trump was elected president, Christie was dumped as chairman of the transition team and was replaced by Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Two of Christie's top advisers also were pushed aside.

"Immediately following the success of the election, they took all the work that Governor Christie had done and sidelined it and started all over," Lewandowski told NJ Advance Media after the breakfast.

"It's very difficult to build a government with 4,152 presidential appointments and all the other things that go with that in such a short window," Lewandowski said. "I think the work he put into the transition was overlooked and that was a mistake."

Christie declined to comment.

Lewandowski left as Trump campaign manager in June 2016. He currently advises Vice President Mike Pence's leadership political action committee.

After being deposed as chairman, Christie became a vice chairman of the transition team, along with then-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., now U.S. attorney general; Ben Carson, now secretary of housing and urban development; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.; retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Christie said in December that "a significant" reason for being removed as the transition head was his objection to hiring Flynn, who was named Trump's national security adviser.

"Suffice to say that I had serious misgivings, which I think have been confirmed by the fact that he pled guilty to a felony in federal court," Christie told reporters in Trenton at the time

Flynn resigned within a month of his appointment after misleading Pence about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. He later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow.

Christie also said it was "a big mistake" for the Trump aides to reject his transition recommendations by tossing his work into a trash bin.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on FacebookRandall Toler was 25 and a diabetic when he was accused of shoplifting and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish jail April 18, 2015.

Two days later, after telling guards he felt sick, he was taken to the jail's medical unit. There he remained, unseen, until a doctor found him lying dead on the floor.

Toler is one of 25 people who died while in the jail's custody between 2012 and 2016, according to a report released Wednesday (Aug. 15) by the nonprofit group Promise of Justice Initiative, which advocates for changes in the criminal justice system.

"Randall's death was completely preventable," the report says. "He would be alive today had he received routine - and constitutionally guaranteed - medical care."

Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokeswoman for East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux directed questions to city/parish leaders, saying the sheriff's office is not responsible for employing or supervising medical staff. City officials were not available for immediate comment.

The report accuses parish jail officials of ignoring "abysmal conditions" that have made the jail one of the nation's deadliest - the 25 deaths equaling a rate 2.5 times the national average, according to federal data cited in the report.

Among the report's findings:

Detainees with pre-existing medical conditions were not given medication.

Such failures amount to constitutional rights violations "by effectively imposing the death penalty on detainees," writes the report's authors, Shanita Farris, an attorney with the initiative, and Andrea Armstrong, a Loyola University New Orleans law professor and the initiative's founding board member.

Rayborn Hicks countered with questions about the statistics used in the report, saying they fail to account for a fluctuating jail population that -- when factored -- lowers the mortality rate.

"The majority of deaths that occur at EBRPP, however, have been a result of poor health and pre-existing conditions prior to entering the prison," she said, adding: "A large portion of our prison population suffers from drug addiction and the effects of prolonged drug use."

The report says jail conditions were especially dangerous for minorities, the poor and people with mental illnesses. Of the 25 men who died while in jail custody during the four years highlighted in the report, 20 had not been convicted at the time of their deaths. All but eight were minorities.

Some, like Toler, had been behind bars only days. Others were held longer: U.S. Navy veteran Paul Cleveland, 72, was in the parish jail for nearly two months before his death from cardiac disease in November 2014.

"These men died neglected by medical staff, confined in unsafe conditions and denied psychiatric help," the report says.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

In Toler's case, he was given insulin upon being booked in the jail, the report says. At 1:30 p.m. on the day he died, he told jail staff he felt ill and had to throw up. It took three hours before Toler was brought to the jail's medical unit, the report says, where he was not seen by a doctor until 7 p.m., when he was found lying dead on the floor.

"He suffered and died in pain," the report says.

Toler's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the parish jail, which was eventually settled.

As the report notes, the jail's deteriorating conditions have been publicly discussed by parish leaders over the years. In 2016, an analysis commissioned by the parish determined the jail's medical operations were underfunded and did not meet national standards, the report says.

The same analysis found a lack of any mental health programs or services in the jail, a void the report says contributed to the deaths of detainees like Antwoin Harden and others.

Harden, 28, was homeless when he was arrested in 2014 on allegations he refused to leave a hotel lobby. He suffered from mental illness, the report says, and refused medication for sickle cell disease during the 16 days he spent in jail. The report's authors say they found no evidence Harden was evaluated by doctors or that jail staff attempted to treat his mental illness or medical condition, which eventually caused a fatal blood clot in his lungs.

"Antwoin's sickle cell condition was manageable with medication, but the absence of treatment for over two weeks created severe health problems and was ultimately fatal," the report says.

A story earlier this year from Reuters about deaths at the jail quoted warden Dennis Grimes as saying the facility's medical staff were overwhelmed.

"They need some relief - and there are no mental health hospitals out there," Grimes told the news outlet, referring to hospital closures under former Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Baton Rouge voters have twice rejected tax proposals, in 2015 and again the following year, that would have funded a new jail and a new mental health center.

The new report also takes aim at Louisiana's criminal justice system. It notes that detainees in jails across the state are often held for extended lengths of time, without trial, simply because they are unable to afford bail. The state's underfunded public defender's offices means those detainees are often given inadequate legal counsel, the document says. As an example, the report points to the public defender's office in Baton Rouge, where, despite caseloads in the thousands, the office in fiscal year 2016 laid off all of its investigate staff - leaving a chief investigator and one assistant.

"Our criminal justice system is broken here in Louisiana, and one of the damaging effects of a dysfunctional system is the preventable deaths of community members," Farris said in a press release accompanying the report.

---

Jonathan Bullington is a lead investigative reporter. He can be reached at jbullington@nola.com or 504.784.0409. Send a secure text message through WhatsApp using his phone number 504.784.0409.New Orleans police are seeking to identify a man and woman accused of twice burglarizing a construction site at John McDonogh High School in Treme.

The burglaries occurred May 15 and May 20, NOPD said in a news release issued Tuesday (Aug. 14). Police said a man and woman entered "an unsecured construction site" at the school, in the 2400 block of Esplanade Avenue, and stole "various hand tools."

Surveillance images of the woman show distinctive tattoos, including a skull on her inner, lower right arm; a decorative mirror on the upper, outside right arm' and a partial tattoo sleeve of birds on her left arm, NOPD said. Images of the man are less clear but show tattoos on his lower arms.

Anyone with information about the burglaries or the identity and whereabouts of the pictured man and woman are asked to contact Detective Calvin Rogoff or a 1st District Detective at 504-658-6010 or provide a tip anonymously to Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.A federal judge has denied a request by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and Louisiana Department of Corrections to toss out a lawsuit filed last year by a man who claimed he was unconstitutionally detained for 27 days after being sentenced to time already served.

Rodney Grant sued Sheriff Marlin Gusman, Department of Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc and others associated with both departments last year, accusing them of violating his 14th Amendment rights by keeping him in jail long after he was entitled to be released.

The defendants responded by asking U.S. District Judge Nannette Brown to dismiss the lawsuit.

The sheriff's office said in its filing Grant failed to show it violated a clearly established constitutional right, or that its conduct was "objectively unreasonable in light of any clearly established law." The Department of Corrections said Grant didn't show it violated any federal or state laws.

In a ruling issued Tuesday (Aug. 14), Brown disagreed.

She said Grant's claims "make it plausible" that the sheriff's office and LeBlanc "engaged in a policy of unconstitutionally over-detaining persons and that policy was the driving force behind the alleged violation of plaintiff's constitutional right."

Blake Arcuri, an attorney for the sheriff's office, said, "Laura Rodrigue and I are preparing to litigate the remaining claims as we speak."

A spokesperson for Attorney General Jeff Landry's office, which is representing LeBlanc, had no comment on the pending litigation.

According to his lawsuit, Grant was arrested on an expired, 15-year-old simple burglary warrant on June 27, 2016, while trying to get a driver's license.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

He pleaded guilty three days later, and Criminal District Judge Camille Buras gave him a one-year sentence with credit for the seven years he served at Dixon Correctional Institute for a different crime.

Grant said in his lawsuit, filed by attorney William Most, that because he'd completed his sentence, he should have been allowed to walk free that day or the next. Buras even contacted the sheriff's office and requested they expedite Grant's release.

Grant was held at the Orleans Parish Prison for a week and a half, according to his lawsuit. Grant's lawsuit said he was then transferred to the custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections and sent to the privately run Madison Parish Correctional Center in Tallulah.

Grant's friend, Alfred Marshall, told Buras on July 15, 2016, Grant was still in custody. Buras called Gusman and Warden Chris Stinson, according to Grant's lawsuit, then she vacated Grant's sentence July 18.

Grant said in his lawsuit Buras emailed two Department of Corrections employees on July 25 inquiring as to why he still had not been released.

The Department of Corrections released Grant on July 27, 2016, and gave him a bus ticket back to New Orleans.

Grant's case is set to go to trial before a jury April 1, 2019.

Most, his attorney, said, "Mr. Grant is fighting to hold the Sheriff and the DOC accountable for imprisoning hundreds or thousands of people past the end of their court-ordered sentences. Judge Brown's decision ensures that Mr. Grant will have his day in court."Louisiana State Police have settled a lawsuit with a young man from Indiana who claimed troopers violated his civil rights when arresting him in the French Quarter in October 2015.

Lyle Dotson, who is black, was a high school senior on an architecture tour with his college professor father when an undercover narcotics officer with State Police arrested him, prompting an overnight stay in the Orleans Justice Center jail.

One of Dotson's attorneys, Jim Craig from the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center, did not disclose the amount of the settlement but said in a statement Dotson "plans to use the settlement to pay for his college education."

Court records show the lawsuit was dismissed as a result of the settlement on Friday (Aug. 10).

"The department stands by the Troopers who were involved in this incident as did the jury who heard the facts and found that Dotson sustained no damages as a result of his encounter with the Troopers," Col. Kevin Reeves, state police superintendent, said in a written statement Tuesday evening. "The decision to settle this claim was a business decision to terminate continued costs associated with litigation. It is in no way an admission of liability and the settlement amount is bound by a confidentiality agreement."

Dotson said in his lawsuit the troopers arrested and detained him on Oct. 7, 2015, on Toulouse Street near Bourbon Street, and accused him of following an undercover narcotics officer.

A trooper used his personal cellphone to take pictures of Dotson while he was handcuffed, according to the lawsuit. Dotson objected to the photograph, and the trooper said Dotson kicked him, according to the lawsuit. Dotson was booked in the Orleans Parish jail on a charge of battery on a police officer, and was held in jail for 36 hours, according to his lawsuit. Those charges ultimately were dismissed and the case was expunged.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Dotson took his civil case against the troopers to trial on Jan. 24, 2018. After a four-day trial, the jury found McCartney violated Dotson's rights by continuing to detain him after reasonable suspicion for the stop had ended. They ruled in favor of the three other troopers.

However, U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan in June granted Dotson a new trial against all four troopers, finding lawyers for the defendants unlawfully declined to pick a potential juror based on his race. In her ruling, Morgan said the trooper's lawyers strike of the potential black juror "evinced purposeful racial discrimination."

As part of the settlement, Dotson agreed neither he nor his attorneys would disclose the amount of the settlements, said Emily Washington, one of Dotson's attorneys from the MacArthur Justice Center.

According to a news release from the MacArthur Justice Center, Dotson testified at trial about the reason why he filed the lawsuit: "I have nothing against these officers. I just feel like, in my heart, that I'm doing the right thing."

"Lyle demonstrated his integrity, courage, and strength of character in his willingness to come back to New Orleans to challenge the oppressive State Police tactics in court," Craig said. "The Troopers' testimony proved that the State Police routinely disregard the protections of the Constitution in their policing in New Orleans."

Dotson was with a group of Ball State University students and professors when he was detained. His father Olon Dotson, an associate professor of architecture at the school, led the trip.

Staff writer Heather Nolan contributed to this report.A man has been arrested and booked with vehicular homicide in a June crash on I-10 East in St. John the Baptist Parish that killed a 59-year-old Baton Rouge man.

Ivan Johnson was booked in Livingston Parish Wednesday with charges including vehicular homicide, vehicular negligent injuring, obstruction of justice, driving while intoxicated (first offense), reckless operation of a motor vehicle and speeding, according to Louisiana State Police.

The crash on June 10 occurred shortly before 9 p.m. on I-10 east at mile post 207, near LaPlace. Anthony Lewis, 59, died at the scene.

Lewis was in a 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche with Johnson and one other man when the truck, which was traveling east on I-10 at a high rate of speed, ran off the road and flipped several times, police said. Lewis was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected during the crash.

The other two men were hospitalized with moderate injuries, police said.

Police said they were investigating the exact seating position of the truck's occupants, and with the help of DNA evidence determined that Johnson was the driver at the time of the crash. Statements given by Johnson did not match evidence at the scene, according to investigators. They also said that Johnson was determined to be over the legal driving limit for blood alcohol content.A New Orleans man pleaded guilty to cocaine distribution using Amtrak Wednesday (August 15), according to the office of United States District Attorny Duane Evans.

On June 25, 2017, Detective Raymond Delvalle of the Amtrak Rail Police reviewed train records for patterns consistent with drug trafficking. He noticed Jayvonne Johnson, 49, traveling from Houston to New Orleans on a one way ticket. One way tickets are commonly used in trafficking cases and Houston is a known source city for illegal drugs, court records reveal.

Detective Delvalle discovered that Johnson had previously taken three other one way trips from Los Angeles, another known source city, to New Orleans in April and May 2017. Johnson had also previously been convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, the records continue.

Later that night, officials intercepted Johnson when he arrived in New Orleans carrying a duffel bag and pillow. When officials asked to search Johnson's bags, he consented, but appeared extremely nervous. He fled mid-search with the pillow in tow. Officials apprehended him as he was attempted to climb beneath a rail car, according to court records.

Officials seized 2.86-pound brick of a substance containing cocaine from within the pillow case.

Johnson faces a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment, followed by at least four years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $5,000,000.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier will sentence Johnson on November 1, 2018.Southern University at New Orleans is experimenting with changes in its admissions process that would open up admission to students with lower ACT scores, and would provide those students with extra support.

Potential students applying to SUNO must have a minimum ACT score of 16 in Math and 15 in English, according to a university news release Aug. 10. Freshman requirements for admission into SUNO include a 2.0 grade-point average.

Previously, an ACT Math score of 19 and an ACT English score of 18 were needed to be eligible to attend SUNO.

Students who meet the new requirements can be enrolled in an entry-level, college-level English or Mathematics course, SUNO stated. Students will also have to participate in extra one-to-three-hour co-requisite support services per week that will be provided by SUNO. These services could include expanded office hours, a corresponding remedial section, expanded course hours or mandatory math and writing labs, SUNO stated.

The pilot admissions policy was adopted by the Board of Regents, the state governing body for Louisiana's public higher education system, in August 2010. Its purpose is to not only encourage high school students to prepare for college, but to also increase retention and graduation rates of students. In a statement, SUNO vice chancellor of Academic Affairs David Adegboye said the Regents policy is "highly welcomed by SUNO."

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"Prospective students who are unable to achieve a minimum ACT score of 19 in Math or 18 in English are granted access to higher education in a caring, supportive way that should enable the students to succeed while the enrollment of the institution is boosted," Adegboye stated.

The Board of Regents will monitor the success of students enrolled under the pilot by focusing on English and Math course grades, semester GPA, enrollment persistence and graduation, SUNO stated. Entering and returning classes in the 2018-19 to 2020-21 school years will be reviewed, and an update and recommendation regarding the impact and continuation of the pilot policy is expected to be released in Spring 2020.

SUNO's fall registration began Tuesday and will continue through Friday (Aug. 17) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the SUNO Conference Center. SUNO stated late registration is Aug. 20-24.

. . . . . . .

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.Gov. John Bel Edwards' office announced a new plan Monday (August 13) to raise awareness of threats to coastal resilience and the state's 50-year master plan to protect the coast.

The new Interagency Coastal Storm Surge-Based Flood Risk and Resilience Awareness Campaign plans to use "Story Maps" to better inform the public about the state's Comprehensive Coastal Master Plan and explain how storm-surge flooding and coastal erosion might impact transportation infrastructure and healthcare and education facilities.

"Sharing and coordinating the Master Plan's knowledge among state agencies and citizens is necessary so that we can truly understand and advocate as a state for its implementation," Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement released Monday.

In Edwards' words, the plan aims to "reduce tropical storm surge flood impact, restore our bountiful natural resources, build land to protect our nation's critical energy infrastructure, and secure Louisiana's coast now and for future generations."

Threats to these goals come largely from the impacts of a warming climate, which is increasing storm severity and causing sea levels to rise as global ice caps melt. Warmer temperatures, along with increased globalization and travel, have also allowed for the introduction of invasive species in the area, such as the scale insect decimating the sturdy, native roseau cane that has lined and helped to protect Louisiana's waterfront from previous storm impacts. Activities of the oil and gas industry have also damaged wetlands and the protective services they provide.

The new partnership for awareness includes the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the Louisiana state departments of Education, Health and Transportation and Development. These groups worked with the Louisiana State University Economics & Policy Research Group and LSU Graphic Design Student Office to create story maps using data from the 2017 Coastal Master Plan. The story maps illustrate and explain the forces behind Louisiana's vanishing coast and how collaborative action may be able to save what remains and prevent further community interruptions.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"Without the implementation of Master Plan projects, flooding could impact approximately 17 to 21 percent of public schools in coastal Louisiana, and in turn, as many as 67,000 to 88,800 children," La. Superintendent of Education John White said in a press statement released Monday.

The new education story map also outlines past consequences, including that up to 30,000 PreK-12 students missed school in 2005 and 2006 due to facility flooding after Hurricane Katrina.

Hospital and transportation infrastructure are also at risk. The state's master plan, as outlined in the healthcare story map, aims to prevent projected flooding impacts to healthcare facilities by 82 percent and the number of Medicaid providers affected by 65 percent. The transportation story map displays images of tangled fishing boats, submerged highways and collapsed bridges resulting from increasingly severe storms and sea level rise. These damages cost the state millions in reconstruction and interrupt both emergency and everyday services.

The state partnership asserts that these impacts can be minimized if more Louisianans are aware and in support of the coastal master plan.

"Living in a coastal state, we all know the risks of storms and storm surges to not only our natural resources, but also to our state's infrastructure," said DOTD Sec. Shawn Wilson in a statement to the press. "We welcome the opportunity to work with our fellow agencies on this important campaign."

Joan Meiners is a PhD candidate in Ecology at the University of Florida and a AAAS Mass Media Fellow working as an environmental reporter with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Reach her at jmeiners@nola.com. Follow her on Twitter at@beecycles.Health officials have reported 107 cases of the measles across 21 states including Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The majority of these cases were among patients who had not been vaccinated.

Earlier this year two cases of measles were reported in New Orleans. The cases were not connected. In both instances the patients appeared to have contracted the virus while traveling abroad, according to health officials.

According to the CDC, measles is still common in many parts of the world and travelers infected with the virus continue to bring it into the U.S.

The worst breakout of the virus in recent years took place in 2014, when the CDC reported 667 cases across 27 states, the highest number recorded since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in the year 2000.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can spread rapidly among people who aren't vaccinated. In more extreme cases the illness can lead to hospitalization and even death. Symptoms typically take between 10 to 21 days to develop. These can include high fever, cough, runny nose, followed by a rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.

The best protection against the measles is to have had two doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine). Two doses are about 97 percent effective against the measles, according to the Department of Health.

Maria Clark writes about immigration, health, doctors, patients and health care in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 .The main ingredient in a popular weed killer, made in St. Charles Parish, has been found in certain breakfast cereals, granola bars and other food products, CBS News reports.

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group tested 45 products and found glyphosate, the active compound in Monsant's Roundup, in all but two of them. In 31 of the samples, the glyphosate levels exceeded levels some scientists say are safe for children.

Researchers also tested 16 organic food products and found glyphosate in five of them, although none with levels above that it considers a safe benchmark.

Among the products the Environmental Working Group found to contain glyphosate were Cheerios, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Cheerios, Great Value Instant Oats, and Back to Nature Classic Granola.

Click here for a list of products the EWG tested

In response to the EWG study, General Mills and the Quaker Oats Co. maintain the glyphosate levels found in their foods are within levels the Environmental Protection Agency has deemed safe for consumption.

Efforts are ongoing to limit the use of glyphosate in food crops. The World Health Organization considers it a "probable carcinogen," while California lists it as a chemical "known to cause cancer."

"It is especially disappointing because these two multi-billion dollar companies can take the simple step of telling their oat farmers to stop using glyphosate as a harvest-time desiccant on their crops. That simple step will reduce or eliminate the contamination and ensure the safety of American families that consume their products," Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement.

Monsanto, part of the German conglomerate Bayer, makes Roundup ingredients at its plant just outside Luling in St. Charles Parish. The company plans to challenge a California jury's recent $289 million to a man whose cancer was linked to glyphosate.

Read the complete CBS News report.At 21, Katie Stubblefield became the youngest person in the U.S. to receive a face transplant. The historic surgery, which was performed last year at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, took 31 hours, 11 surgeons, other specialists and virtual reality to complete.

This month Stubblefield, a suicide survivor, shared her story of the months of recovery, leading up to the face transplant surgery, in the September cover story of National Geographic magazine.

"The Story of a Face" shows the journey of how Stubblefield survived the self-inflicted gunshot injury at 18, which took most of her face. CNN reported that in the days leading up to the suicide attempt in March 2014, Stubblefield faced several emotional hurdles: Her mother had just lost her job, and Stubblefield was having relationship troubles and health problems. The damage to her face was so severe that she had to undergo 22 reconstructive surgeries before receiving the transplant three years and 40 days after her injury.

Full and partial face transplant are medical procedures that involve replacing all or parts of a patient's face with donated tissue. Susan Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of National Geographic magazine, told CNN that only 40 people in the world have ever had a face transplant and that Stubblefield is believed to be the 39th person.

Her surgery was funded by the Department of Defense, as part of an initiative to study treatments for soldiers with wounds similar to hers.

Stubblefield is taking immunosuppressive drugs to reduce the risk of transplant rejection, which she will have to continue taking for the rest of her life.

"I'm definitely taking many, many daily steps," Stubblefield told CNN about her journey. "Life is precious, and life is beautiful."

Click here to read "The Story of a Face" in National Geographic.

Maria Clark writes about immigration, health, doctors, patients and health care in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 .If you live in Old Metairie and hear a loud explosion Wednesday night (Aug. 15) between 9 and 10, don't be worried. It's just movie magic.

"BH Purge Louisiana 1, LLC will be filming a simulated explosion in Old Metairie in the 100 block of Carrollton Avenue between Dahlia Street and Grenadine Street for the upcoming television series 'The Purge,''' Jefferson Parish stated in a news release.

"The Purge'' is an upcoming 10-episode TV series based on the horror film franchise of the same name, set in an America in which a fictional 28th Amendment makes all crime legal for one night every year. The series also has been filming in Algiers Point.

During filming in Old Metairie, there will be intermittent traffic control in the 100 block of Carrollton Avenue on Wednesday.

On Thursday (Aug. 16), "there will be a full road closure of Carrollton Avenue between Dahlia Street and Grenadine Street" from 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

Filming is conducted under the supervision of Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Jefferson Parish Fire Department with the knowledge and cooperation of the Office of Film Jefferson.Robert Levis, a well-known Slidell resident whose business interests included an auto dealership and the Fremaux Town Center retail development, died Aug. 6. He was 69.

Mr. Levis was in Costa Rica on a sailing and snorkeling trip with his family when he died unexpectedly, according to his death notice compiled by Honaker Funeral Home in Slidell.

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer, a friend, called Mr. Levis a "visionary.''

"He had the vision, ability and wherewithal to make significant changes in the community,'' Cromer said. "Right now, there's a void in our community with the loss of Robert Levis.''

In a 2014 story in The Slidell Independent newspaper, Mr. Levis recounted how he came to Slidell to work for car dealer Bill Garrett after graduating from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1971. Mr. Levis said Garrett taught him the value of hard work and of investing in real estate.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Decades later, a large plot of land Mr. Levis had worked to acquire from numerous owners would become the site of the Fremaux Town Center off Interstate 10 at the Fremaux interchange.

According to Honaker's death notice, Mr. Levis enjoyed fishing, hunting, traveling and spending time with his family and his loyal dog, "Brees.''

Mr. Levis is survived by his wife, Debe Garrett Levis; two daughters, Cher Levis Hunt and Amber Levis Scardino; two brothers, Elton Levis and Gary Levis; a sister, Brenda Levis Salvadore; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 18) at Honaker Funeral Home, 1751 Gause Blvd. West, Slidell. Visitation at the funeral home will be from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Friday and again on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Slidell.Magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell basically acknowledged that the way he had set bail left poor people stranded in jail in New Orleans. After a lawsuit was filed in June 2017 alleging his bail practices were unconstitutional, Judge Cantrell said he changed his whole approach.

He revised the protocol he follows on setting bail and did away with the minimum dollar amount he had been using, he told U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon. Judge Cantrell says he considers more than a dozen factors to set bail, including the defendant's income and ability to pay and the seriousness of the crime. Defendants who can't afford bail also can have a hearing to argue their case for a lower amount or alternative to bail.

Judge Cantrell was hoping that would be enough. But Judge Fallon ruled last week that the magistrate had violated the constitutional rights of defendants and had a conflict of interest because Criminal District Court gets operating revenue from bonds posted by defendants.

Judge Fallon pointed out in his ruling that the magistrate's "changes were made only after this litigation was commenced and Judge Cantrell's affidavit is not binding on his future procedures."

Those are important points. Bail is not meant to be used as a punishment. Detaining people before trial should be based on whether they are a risk to flee or a danger to the community, not simply because they are poor.

Defendants need to be able to trust that the changes Judge Cantrell made will stick and that he will be open to lower amounts or alternatives to bail.

Before the lawsuit, the magistrate "told public defenders that he would hold them in contempt when they have attempted to argue for lower bond amounts or RORs for their clients," Judge Fallon's ruling said.

In one example, a public defender asked for $1,000 bail based on his client's job status and lack of risk factors. But Judge Cantrell set bail at $5,000 without asking about the woman's ability to pay and told her lawyer that he never set bail below $2,500.

That amount seems arbitrary.

Judge Cantrell also reprimanded a public defender for asking for release on recognizance or $1,000 bond for his client, who was a college student with a low-paying job. Judge Cantrell again set $5,000 bail without inquiring into whether the person could pay.

He also initially agreed to release a woman on her own recognizance, but then set bail at $2,500 because she was homeless, according to the ruling.

"This evidence suggests that Judge Cantrell regularly sets bail without considering the defendant's ability pay or qualification for alternative conditions of release and that these practices regularly result in pretrial detention based on inability to pay bail," Judge Fallon said in the ruling.

The revenue from commercial surety bonds going to Criminal District Court is a significant issue as well. About $1 million flows into the Judicial Expense Fund every year for use by the court. That amounts to 20 to 25 percent of the expense fund and 10 percent of the court's overall budget.

Although he didn't create that situation, Judge Cantrell's role in managing the fund and setting bail for defendants is an obvious conflict. The magistrate's argument that the money could easily be replaced by asking for more state or city money didn't work, either. Judge Fallon's response was classic: "The Court approaches this claim with some incredulity."

It would be better if Criminal District Court didn't depend on revenue from bonds to balance its budget. The Legislature ought to find a different source for the money.

But unless that happens, the conflict will continue to exist. That is why it is so important for bail to be set fairly and for the court to take a defendant's ability to pay into consideration.

No one should sit in jail merely because they are poor.At the start of a first-degree murder trial I covered as a reporter, the defendant's attorney explained to the 12-person jury that the person on trial was indeed guilty. He told the jury that just as the state had charged, the defendant, his client, had kidnapped, robbed, raped and then murdered the victim. So, if the defense attorney was admitting his client's guilt, then what was the point of his being there? Because, he explained to jurors, the state was looking to take everything his client had - indeed, take his very life.

If they were going to execute him, then the lawyer was there to make sure that they did everything right, that they didn't take any short cuts on the way to taking his client to the death chamber. And he wanted the jurors to hold the state to that high standard.

There's an analogy there for the opportunity voters of Louisiana have now to require unanimous jury verdicts for non-capital crimes in Louisiana. We have an opportunity to force the state to do things right; we have an opportunity to hold Louisiana to a minimum standard adopted by 48 of the other 49 states in the country. We have an opportunity to make sure that when Louisiana is trying to send a person to prison - even send a person to prison for life - that it doesn't get to take a major short cut along the way.

And that's what the law allowing non-unanimous verdicts is: a major short cut. It's a way for the state to more expeditiously send people to prison. A government should be made to clear a high bar to revoke a person's freedom, and we should be suspicious of any and every government that deliberately lowers that bar to make it easier to take away a person's freedom. We should be especially suspicious when the government makes it easier to send a person to prison permanently.

Every other state in the country requires a unanimous guilty verdict to permanently send a person to prison (and every other state but Oregon requires a unanimous guilty verdict to convict a person of any felony). Though Louisiana requires that a 12-person jury be empaneled for crimes that necessitate a sentence of hard labor, it allows two people on that panel to dissent. That means that people charged with second-degree murder in Louisiana can be imprisoned for life over the objections of two jurors who remain unconvinced of the defendants' guilt.

The law's been that way since 1898, and this November a proposed constitutional amendment gives voters the opportunity to change it. Sen. J.P. Morrell, a Democrat from New Orleans, authored the bill that will give Louisiana voters a say in this matter, but it's an idea that has received lots of bipartisan support. That's because holding prosecutors to the highest standards isn't a Democratic or Republican issue; nor is it a liberal or a conservative one. It's an American ideal. No matter where a person falls on the political spectrum, there's a good chance that person believes the state ought to be made to work reasonably hard to put a person in prison.

Granted, that belief wasn't always so common. Thomas Aiello, an associate professor of history at Valdosta State University in Georgia, published a book in 2015 called "Jim Crow's Last Stand: Nonunanimous Criminal Jury Verdicts in Louisiana." The first law in Louisiana allowing non-unanimous verdicts was passed in 1880, Aiello writes, three years after the end of Reconstruction and 15 years after black people had been freed from slavery. There was a new privatized convict-leasing system in the state, and relaxing the rules so that non-unanimous verdicts could stand was a way to feed those recently emancipated people into the penal system.

The 1880 law allowed 9-3 verdicts to stand. The change that made 10-2 verdicts acceptable is only marginally less problematic. Morrell has described the Jim-Crow-era rule as "the vestigial tail of some prehistoric creature that we need to just chop off." And here's hoping that Louisiana voters do chop it off, not just because of the law's racist origins but also because a government that has the power to take away a person's freedom ought to be made to do a thorough job proving that person's guilt.

Again, this isn't a partisan issue. Morrell is one of the Louisiana Legislature's most liberal members, but the constitutional amendment to change the law is being supported by the Republican Party of Louisiana, by the Louisiana Family Forum and by Americans For Prosperity-Louisiana. The odd man out is Louisiana's Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, whose spokesman has said that Landry likes the status quo because prosecutors can more efficiently send defendants to prison.

And that is the exact reason Louisiana voters should seize upon this opportunity to change the law.

It shouldn't be easy to imprison a person. The least our prosecutors could do is work as hard as other prosecutors around the country.

Jarvis DeBerry is deputy opinions editor for NOLA.COM | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at jdeberry@nola.comor at twitter.com/jarvisdeberry.The exercise is as old as the Republic, but the first thing you need to understand about redistricting is that hot-water cornbread is as ubiquitous in north Louisiana as etouffee is in the south, says Rick Gallot, the Ruston Democratic representatChurch of the King wants to convert the old Hollywood Cinemas building in Kenner into a 1,100-seat worship auditorium and auxiliary rooms for its fast-growing non-denominational congregation, a church leader said Tuesday (Aug. 14). It's the latest proposal for a site that was supposed to be transformed into a 265-unit apartment complex.

The nine-screen cinema, which closed in 2013, is at 1401 W. Esplanade Ave. on the west side of The Esplanade shopping mall. It's been an eyesore of late, and Kenner officials are pressing for it to be demolished or renovated.

They plan to hold a public meeting on the church proposal Wednesday. It's scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Muss Bertolino Playground gymnasium, 600 W. Esplanade Ave.

"I want the church, and let's find another spot for the apartments," said City Councilman George Branigan, whose district includes the property.

Church of the King was founded in 1999 by Steve Robinson, a Tulane University graduate who studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and his wife, Jennifer. The first service, in Mandeville, drew 19 people.

It has since:

built a $40 million, 2,650-seat sanctuary complex north of Mandeville

All told, Church of the King says it now counts more than 7,000 worshippers across 10 services each weekend.

"God has just super-blessed our church," executive pastor Randy Craighead said. "We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus in whatever community we're in."

With contemporary worship music and a practical take on the Gospel, Church of the King appeals to people from other Christian backgrounds as well as those with no faith tradition, Craighead said. Many who attend services at the Metairie location live in west Metairie and Kenner, which is what led church leaders to consider a new campus farther west.

The church signed a purchase agreement Saturday for the Hollywood Cinemas building, Craighead said. It hopes to close on the deal by the end of 2018 and start renovations in January.

That would mark a new direction for the property. In 2015, the City Council approved construction of The Gateway at Esplanade, with 265 apartments in three buildings across more than 8 gated acres. Last year, Clay Cos. of Baton Rouge bought the property, still with plans to demolish the movie house and build the apartments, but nothing happened.

"They kept telling us different things," said a frustrated Branigan, the City Council member. "We're looking at a complete eyesore."

Branigan said he was prepared to sign off on razing the building at public expense, before learning that Church of the King was interested in keeping it. Clay Cos. owner Lacy Howe did not return a call for comment Tuesday.

Another reason for preferring the church, Branigan said, is that The Gateway at Esplanade plans called for three- and four-story apartment buildings. Some upper units would have overlooked single-family houses in the adjacent Cannes Brulee subdivision, a prospect that did not sit well with residents there.

. . . . . . .

Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and education, Louisiana interests in Congress and other odds and ends for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach.As we reach the midway point of the 2018 New Orleans Saints training camp, more or less, we present our favorite camp photos by David Grunfeld and Michael DeMocker, the staff photographers who cover the team during camp, through the regular season, and hopefully, beyond.

We've got three more preseason games to go before the regular season starts. Friday (Aug. 17), the Saints host the Cardinals. On Aug. 25, the Chargers host the Saints, and on Aug. 30, the Saints host the Rams.

The regular season begins Sept. 9, when the Saints host the Buccaneers.Colin Demarest is the government and Savannah River Site reporter with the Aiken Standard. Follow him on Twitter: @demarest_colinAlthough ZTE can sell its products to the civilian consumers all over the US, a recent bill that was signed by Donal Trump bans the government use of any device made by the Chinese brand due to security issues. Even more, this bill also forbids the use of Huawei hardware for the same reason.

4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker

Huawei is doing great nowadays, but ZTE has been having a rough time lately. However, after paying a huge fine, it looked like the three-letter Chinese brand was finally sailing calm waters once again as well. Now, we hear that both have just been hit by a new decision of the US government, although its impact might not be that serious after all.

US President Donal Trump has recently signed a defense policy bill that bans the government use of any telecommunications device from Huawei and ZTE or their subsidiaries due to security concerns. Sadly, there are no details to talk about at this time. Fortunately for Huawei and ZTE, this bill has no impact on the ability of these two companies to sell their products to the average Joe (or the average Jane, of course, we do not discriminate).

Huawei has already come up with an official statement: "Huawei supports the US governments goals for better security, but this random addition to the NDAA is ineffective, misguided, and unconstitutional. It does nothing to identify real security risks or improve supply chain security, and will only serve to stifle innovation while increasing internet costs for US consumers and businesses. We believe that the American people deserve equal access to the best possible connections and smart device options, and will keep working to make this happen."Sony has dethroned Canon as the leading US retailer of full-frame cameras. The milestone will be celebrated with a new "Be Alpha" campaign, which will focus on connecting creatives across North America via social media and pop-up events. It will be interesting to see how Canon and Nikon, the two biggest names in the camera world, will react to the shift.

4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker

How, oh the mighty have fallen.

Canon is no longer the biggest name in full-frame cameras. Sony announced today that they have overtaken Canon as the leading manufacturer of full-frame interchangeable lens cameras in the US.

Sony attributed this success to the wildly popular 7 III and 7R III full-frame mirrorless cameras, both of which have been selling like hotcakes. (For those not familiar with the term, a full-frame camera has a sensor the same size as a single frame of traditional film, 36 mm x 24 mm. Full-frame sensors are typically reserved for higher-tier and professional-grade cameras. The more common APS-C sized sensors, seen in beginner and mid-level cameras, are about 2.5 times smaller than full-frame, measuring 22 mm x 15 mm.)

Sony also announced they have been the leader in mirrorless cameras for the past six years. Mirrorless cameras lack the reflexive lens used in traditional SLR and DSLR cameras and can thus be smaller and quieter than their non-mirrorless counterparts. Sonys cameras have exploded in popularity over the past few years, and the company has invested heavily in mirrorless technology. Conversely, Canon and Nikon (the two juggernauts of the DSLR world) have treated their mirrorless camera lines as afterthoughts, instead choosing to focus on the traditional DSLR.

To celebrate the milestone, Sony is launching a new Be Alpha campaign. The campaign, named after their Alpha mirrorless camera brand, aims to connect creatives across the world with community events scheduled around the United States over the next year. The movement will focus heavily on social media influence and spotlighting specific creatives, particularly women. More information on the campaign can be found at https://alphauniverse.com/BeAlpha/.

Itll be interesting to see how Canon and Nikon react to Sonys triumph in the near future. Nikon has teased higher-grade mirrorless cameras recently, and it looks like the company will renew its focus on the technology. Canon, on the other hand, seems content with its market strategy at the present. Hopefully, its not too late for the once-king of cameras to react and reclaim its throne.Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

A steady rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. High near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.

Viewed of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.In a novel decision that could pave the way for other lawsuits, a judge on Tuesday ruled that Harvey Weinstein can be sued for violating a federal sex-trafficking statute by a young actress who claims he coerced her to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for a false promise of a movie role.

The judge said the inducement to have sex with the Hollywood producer could fall under the sex-trafficking law, which makes it a crime to entice and force a person to commit a commercial sex act in return for something of value.

Kadian Noble, a British actress, accused Mr. Weinstein in a November lawsuit of sexually assaulting her after he lured her to his hotel room in Cannes, France, in 2014. Mr. Weinstein had promised the actress that they would review her movie reel, but he molested her and forced her to watch him masturbate in the bathroom, she said. Her lawyers argued the incident was legally the same as forced prostitution.

Mr. Weinsteins lawyers sought to have the suit thrown out. They argued that because nothing of value changed hands, the incident did not fit the definition of sex trafficking. They also contended the suit would unfairly expand the federal sex trafficking statute to all sexual activity occurring between adults in which one party holds a superior position of power and influence.HUNTER, N.Y.  Ezra Kennedy had been hiking with his cousins and friends when he ventured up to a ledge between the tiers of Kaaterskill Falls. The 17-year-old was trying to get a photo, said his mother, Donna Kennedy.

I think he just went out a little too far and it didnt appear to be slippery, Ms. Kennedy of Westfield, N.J. said. But it was.

Ezra fell to his death, one of two visitors who lost their lives at the waterfall in 2016.

Nor were they alone: There have been at least eight fatal accidents here since 1992. Six of them have occurred in the past decade. The soaring popularity of this oasis in the Catskill Mountains, lifted by internet fame, has accelerated the problem.

In response, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been implementing new safety features over the past four years.Three years after racial protests consumed Yales campus and propelled a national conversation about free speech, Nicholas A. Christakis, a professor at the heart of the controversy, has been awarded the universitys highest faculty honor, the Sterling Professorship.

The appointment is the latest turn in Yales continued reckoning with the fallout of the protests, which were ignited in 2015, in part, by an email from Professor Christakiss wife, Erika Christakis, but quickly spread to what students said was a broader culture of racism. As the protests gained national attention, they came to define Professor Christakiss reputation in certain circles, making him arguably just as well-known for his confrontation with students in a college courtyard as for his groundbreaking sociological research.

In the confrontation, videos of which went viral, Professor Christakis defended his wifes email, in which she questioned guidance that the school had sent to students about wearing what might be seen as culturally inappropriate Halloween costumes. In it she asked, Is there no room anymore for a child or young person to be a little bit obnoxious  a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive?

In the years since, Professor Christakis has been both hero and pariah on Yales campus, seen alternately as a fierce warrior of free expression or an unapologetic defender of ignorance. And Yale, suddenly a lightning rod for conservative and progressive critics alike, has repeatedly found itself forced to reaffirm its commitment to both ideological and racial diversity.Jabbar Collins spent 16 years in New York prisons for a murder he didnt commit. He was released in 2010, after key witnesses recanted their testimony and a federal judge found that the prosecutor, Michael Vecchione, had withheld critical evidence during the trial. The judge called the behavior of the district attorneys office shameful.

Mr. Collins eventually received $13 million in settlements for the years of his life that were wrongfully taken away. That money was shelled out by New Yorks taxpayers, who might reasonably have asked what was being done to punish those responsible for this injustice, and to ensure it didnt happen again. The answer was nothing. Mr. Vecchione, a veteran Brooklyn prosecutor, retired with benefits in 2013. He never faced any public sanctions for his misconduct in the Collins case, nor for his questionable actions in several other cases over the years.

Its a painfully familiar story in New York, which trails only Texas in the number of overturned convictions of innocent people, some of whom spent decades behind bars.

The problem is obvious: Prosecutors dont like to admit it, but even though most are honest and law-abiding, misconduct in prosecutorial ranks remains all too common. A review of 250 exonerations in New York since 1989 found that one- third involved prosecutorial misconduct, like tampering with key evidence, withholding evidence from the defendant or coercing a witness to give false testimony.[Read more about Republican governors in Democratic states.]

Mr. Scotts popularity fell, however, especially among conservatives, after he signed gun control measures this year. Still, a poll in July by public media organizations in the state found two-thirds of Vermonters supported the law, and nearly half of Democrats had a favorable opinion of Mr. Scott. Only 18 percent of Democratic respondents in the same poll said they had a favorable opinion of Ms. Hallquist, and 55 percent did not yet know who she was.

That may change now that Ms. Hallquist is the nominee, and she is likely to draw national attention  and fund-raising dollars  because of the historic potential of her candidacy. Shell raise more money and her message will get out there more, said Eric Davis, an emeritus professor at Vermonts Middlebury College. Even if she doesnt get elected governor, the greatest contribution of her campaign could be to raise awareness about the issues transgender people face.

Before she ran for governor, Ms. Hallquist spent 12 years as the chief executive of the Vermont Electric Cooperative, an in-state power utility that she helped to bring back from near ruin. Her transition from male to female took place in 2015, while she was at the helm of the company, and was the subject of a documentary film made by her son.

As a candidate, she made it part of her stump speech, drawing knowing laughs from her female supporters at a fund-raiser this summer as she talked about what it was like to experience life as a woman for the first time.

I remember the first time after transitioning, a stranger walking by told me to smile  Im like, Who the heck are you to tell me to smile? Ms. Hallquist said. What my transition has taught me is just how far we have to go.Mr. Kobach, who has spent years building a national profile, is a brash, outspoken ally of the president whose campaign rhetoric sometimes sounds like Mr. Trumps and who has long excited the partys base. Mr. Colyer, more measured in his speech and not known as well outside Kansas, was seen by many national Republicans as a safer general election candidate with more appeal to moderate voters.

Though Republicans are dominant in Kansas politics, Democrats are energized and could benefit from the other sides prolonged primary squabble. State Senator Laura Kelly, the Democratic nominee, and Greg Orman, a businessman running as an independent, will face Mr. Kobach in November.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Ms. Kelly compared Mr. Kobach to Sam Brownback, the former Kansas governor whose conservative tax-cutting policies led to revenue shortfalls and significant budget cuts. Mr. Brownback, who was deeply unpopular by the end of his tenure, resigned early this year to become an ambassador.

With Kris Kobach as governor, Kansans get all of the failed policies of Sam Brownback plus Kobachs unique brand of hyper-partisanship and self-promotion, Ms. Kelly said.

Though Mr. Kobach and Mr. Colyer had each acknowledged their race was too close to call after the initial count ended with a 191-vote margin, the days that followed brought increasing acrimony. Despite platitudes about party unity, the tone grew harsher after one rural county discovered a tabulation error that added 100 votes to Mr. Colyers tally.

In recent days, Mr. Colyer warned that many political independents had been given faulty information at the polls and that their ballots may be improperly discarded. He also started a voting integrity hotline and accused Mr. Kobach, in his role as secretary of state, of providing bad advice to county election officials.The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago has discharged millions of gallons of warm water into the citys iconic river without a permit, putting fish and other aquatic life there at risk, the Illinois attorney general contended in a lawsuit filed this week.

In the suit, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County on Monday, the attorney general, Lisa Madigan, alleged that even though Trump Towers National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit expired on Aug. 31, 2017, it has continued to release almost 20 million gallons of water it uses for cooling into the river each day.

Additionally, the lawsuit said Trump Tower has failed to submit the results of studies that are meant to show the effect of the buildings water intake system on the Chicago River and its fish; such results should have been sent to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2013, according to the attorney generals office.

Like many buildings  including several others along the Chicago River  Trump Tower uses a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Such systems draw in water from a source like the river, use it to cool the facility and then release the hotter wastewater back into its source.QUITO, Ecuador  A bus apparently lost its brakes, hit another vehicle at high speed and rolled over four times, killing at least 24 people and injuring 22 while smashing into several houses along a highway near Ecuadors capital early Tuesday, officials said.

The Colombian-registered bus was traveling to Quito when it hit a smaller vehicle in an area known as dead mans curve at about 3 a.m., authorities said.

Residents described hearing a thundering noise.

Michelle Manay said she woke up and ran outside to see the carnage. There were some people alive, and others who werent, she said.

Col. Wilson Pavon, the head of Ecuadors transit police, said most of the passengers were Colombians, but some Venezuelans were also aboard. Three people traveling in the other vehicle also died.SYDNEY, Australia  An Australian lawmaker invoked a Nazi euphemism for genocide on Tuesday, calling for a final solution to the immigration problem during a speech in Parliament in which he proposed a national plebiscite on banning all Muslims from entering the country.

We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominately reflect the historic European-Christian composition of society and embrace our language, culture and values as a people, said Senator Fraser Anning, a member of Katters Australian Party, a small, conservative political party.

The final solution to the immigration problem, of course, Mr. Anning said in his first speech since his election, is a popular vote.

On Wednesday, leaders from across the political spectrum condemned Mr. Annings remarks. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, of Australias conservative Liberal Party, called them a shocking insult to the millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, and he used the moment to appeal to the countrys Muslim population.A senior American intelligence official and a senior European counterterrorism official separately expressed concern that Turkey would withhold information about suspected Islamic State fighters and intelligence operations to root out extremists in Syria.

Additionally, they said, Turkey might obscure missions that its security forces are conducting to prevent foreign fighters from entering Syria. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

The Americans have other reasons to worry about Turkeys reliability as a battlefield partner.

Seth G. Jones, who leads the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said Turkey had provided assistance to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group that has evolved from Jabhat al-Nusra, a Qaeda affiliate in northern Syria.

Mr. Jones said Turkey was using those jihadist groups to fight Kurdish forces in Syria. At least some of the Turkish support has been sent to extremists around Idlib, one of the last opposition strongholds that is now coming under fire from the Syrian government.

A major concern is that while Turkey has taken some steps to root out cells of ISIS fighters, the Erdogan government has supported some other jihadist groups, Mr. Jones said.I do not understand why they put it here, Ms. Bobot said. They could have hidden it.

The urinal looks a little like a rectangular metal trash can, except that plants can grow out of the bright red top because of the fertilizing effect of the urine, which mixes with the straw inside the can. A small section that protrudes from the side shields men as they take aim.

Kevhoney Fautra, who described herself as a blogger, snapped a selfie with it for her followers. She said the idea of getting men to urinate into a box full of straw rather than on the street was a good one. The execution, well, not so much.

Its much better than those smells everywhere, Ms. Fautra said. But its not well done, its aggressive. The red color makes it stand out too much.

Some in the neighborhood agree with Ms. Fautra and have asked for the urinal to be removed.

But the local mayor, Ariel Weil (each Paris district has its own mayor in addition to one who serves the city as a whole), said that while some fine tuning of the location might be needed since the urinal is visible from the Seine, it is not going to be removed.

I have complaints all the time about people who urinate on the bridges, on the walls, he said. Street urination is a real problem.Could schisma resolve some of Henrys uncertainty about what happened to him as a child? Can it at least get rid of the incessant ringing in his ears? Before Henrys had much of a chance to consider the possibilities, hes already let these two strangers talk him into stepping into the back of van thats been tricked out with his dads elaborate sonic baffles. Thats when things start to get wacky.

After two straight Castle Rock episodes that accelerated the storys pace and amplified the horror, Filter retreats back to the enervating mystery zone where the series began. The shocks are few and far-between, and theres an at-times frustrating overreliance on vague teases about whats actually happening in this cursed town. Its only when this episode focuses on Henry  which, to be fair, it does more than half of the time  that it achieves some genuinely poignant moments, related to the characters feelings of displacement.

Even before Henry meets Odin and Willy, hes anxious and angsty. He invited his teenage son Wendell to stay with him and Grandma Ruth but when Wendell arrives, he gets under Henrys skin with his questions about who his real parents were, and with his snide comment about the hockey poster on his boyhood bedroom wall. (Hey, Grant Fuhr is the greatest black hockey player of all time, his dad mutters, somewhat defensively.)

Later, Henry meets up with Molly to ask what she remembers about his frequent jaunts into the woods with his father, and she tells him something surprising that she picked up from their psychic/empathic connection: Henry hated those trips, and hated the Reverend. Thats why she pulled Matthew Deaver off life support back in 1991: because she felt Henry in her mind, urging her to do it.

All of these negative emotions and revelations are floating through Henrys head when he meets Odin and Willy, making him especially susceptible to to their line of patter about how the world is noise, which needs to be filtered out. The sequence with these three out in the forest has some of the same mesmerizing pull on the viewer, too. Its about a 10-minute stretch of the episode, with no cutting back to other scenes at other locations; and it recalls some of the surreal mysticism of Twin Peaks, even before Henry gets locked into the van and begins hallucinating.DEVILS MILE

The Rich, Gritty History of the Bowery

By Alice Sparberg Alexiou

Illustrated. 290 pp. St. Martins Press. $28.99.

The Bowery is a street that has lost its character and been reincarnated  again and again.

While today it sprouts luminous towers with multimillion-dollar condos, it would not take an archaeologist to find traces of its time as the definitive boulevard of broken dreams, lined with flophouses and evangelizing missions that catered to boozed-up Bowery bums. There are also remnants of the 19th century, when the street was the citys raffish entertainment hub that, for better or worse, produced early blackface minstrel shows, vaudeville variety acts and the sometimes schmaltzy offerings of the first Yiddish theaters. Cognoscenti might even uncover vestiges of its time as a pastoral lane, one of New Amsterdams main roads, lined with farms  bouwerie is Dutch for farm  including an estate belonging to Peter Stuyvesant, who is buried in the graveyard of St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery.

While until the last decade or two the Bowery was a street you surely didnt want to end up on, there were periods when it represented the height of gentility and the peak of showbiz stardom, and in Devils Mile Alice Sparberg Alexiou guides us through this checkered history with gusto. I particularly admire the books shrewd narrative approach: The street is used to recount much of the history of New York, a strategy that could be adapted to Broadway and positively to 4th Street. The writer, though, sometimes overplays this hand, with the history of the city meandering for pages beyond any relevance to the street.(Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.)

Good morning.

Heres what you need to know:

Upsets and firsts in primaries

 Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota lost a bid to reclaim the Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday, demonstrating President Trumps grip on his party. Mr. Pawlenty had called Mr. Trump unsound, uninformed, unhinged and unfit to be president in the weeks before the 2016 election, criticism that Mr. Pawlenty later tried to play down.

Heres our article on the primaries in four states, as well as four takeaways and the full results.

Democrats delivered groundbreaking victories for a transgender woman in Vermont, a Muslim woman in Minnesota and an African-American woman in Connecticut. Also victorious on Tuesday: Senator Bernie Sanders.

 And theres finally a result in last weeks Republican primary for governor of Kansas. Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded to Secretary of State Kris Kobach, whose aggressive approach has prompted concerns among some Republicans that he would be too polarizing in the November election.Mr. Debritto said the poets earliest written reference to the motto is in a letter from 1963: You dont try. Thats very important, he said in explaining the creative process.

Its like a bug high on the wall. You wait for it to come to you. When it gets close enough you reach out, slap out and kill it. Or if you like its looks you make a pet out of it.

Robb Todd wrote todays Back Story.

_____

Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. You can also receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights.

And our Australia bureau chief offers a weekly letter adding analysis and conversations with readers.

Browse our full range of Times newsletters here.

What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com.This includes mercury in the tooth fillings at the dentists office and phthalates in vinyl couch cushions. Toilet paper, flip-flops, dumbbells and frozen oysters have been cited for noncompliance. There are Prop 65 warning signs at Disneyland.

Consumer activists praise the law as a public health service. It has helped push companies to remove or reduce chemicals like 4-Methylimidazole from soft drinks and formaldehyde from cosmetics.

Many more Prop 65 cases result in settlements than go to trial.

Much of the laws most powerful work is entirely invisible, forcing major companies around the country to be more conscientious about how they formulate their products, said Claudia Polsky, a law professor at University of California, Berkeley who worked for years on the Prop 65 enforcement team at the California attorney generals office.

But in a state often accused by business groups of overregulating, many critics of Prop 65 say that the law is especially harsh. They said it incentivizes bounty hunter lawyers to recruit plaintiffs in pursuit of hefty settlement payouts.

The law has created a cottage industry of lawyers roaming around looking for violators, said Nathan A. Schachtman, a product liability defense lawyer and a Columbia Law School lecturer. J. Jeffrey Campbell, a former chief executive of Burger King  a repeat Prop 65 defendant  has called it a legal mugging.

The number of cases has ballooned. Last year, nearly 700 Prop 65 cases were settled and $25.8 million paid out  nearly four times the number of settlements from a decade earlier and more than double the dollar amount. The number of plaintiffs has increased fourfold, with one group, Ecological Alliance, involved in 72 settlements last year alone.

But recent court rulings suggest new resistance to cancer warnings.

Last month, a judge in California appellate court ruled that General Mills, Kellogg and Post Foods would not have to put warnings on 59 cereals cited in acrylamide complaints. Prop 65, the judge found, is pre-empted by federal policy that aims to increase Americans consumption of whole grains.Now, Silver Lake is working with Elon Musk, Teslas founder and chief executive, as he scrambles to take the electric carmaker private, The New York Times reported, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter. The firm is not being paid for its role; instead, it hopes to participate in whatever deal comes together, something that seems far from certain at this point.

Mr. Musk may hope that Silver Lakes past experience will help him achieve his goal. But while Teslas potential take-private shares some parallels with Dells, there are also important differences.

The similarities

Criticism from public shareholders. Dell faced countless questions ahead of its buyout. Its fortunes had darkened: Once the largest PC maker in the world, it had fallen behind Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo by 2013. Earnings were falling, margins were shrinking and its turnaround efforts had yet to gain traction. Telsa, too, has faced questions about its performance, though the primary question isnt about a turnaround, but rather whether the company can ever fulfill the lofty expectations of Mr. Musk and its shareholders.

A founder with a substantial stake. At the time of Dells leveraged buyout, Mr. Dell owned about 16 percent of the company. Mr. Musk owns about 20 percent of Tesla.

The differences

Financial performance. Dells profits might have stagnated, but it still generated plenty of cash with which to support a debt-heavy buyout ($15 billion, for the record). Tesla has yet to turn an annual profit, meaning the company cant rely on debt to fund the transaction, a point that even Mr. Musk concedes. So if Mr. Musk is to succeed in taking Tesla private, which will likely require tens of billions of dollars, he will need plenty of equity partners. Silver Lake realistically could commit a few billion but is unlikely to be able to contribute much more. (Its biggest proposed equity check for a single deal to date was $2.5 billion, to back Broadcoms since-failed bid for Qualcomm.)And politicians have been reluctant to confront the influential coal industry, which employs some 32,000 workers and has been the backbone of the countrys industrial base.

So, the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel did what politicians often do when faced with a thorny policy challenge: They kicked the issue to a commission, with representatives from government, industry groups, labor unions and environmental organizations. The task force is supposed to negotiate a date by which coal in Germany should be phased out. It will also propose a plan to aid workers who will be hurt by the transition.

Germany has set a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and another 15 percent by 2030. Many analysts think the country will miss those targets unless most coal plants either shut down or start capturing and burying their emissions by 2030.

In theory, thats doable. Britain, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, recently enacted a carbon tax and has replaced almost all of its coal use with renewables and natural gas. (It has also kept its nuclear plants running, something German voters wont allow.)

But Britains transition hasnt been painless. South Wales, a former mining region, now struggles with high poverty and unemployment. Germanys task force is trying to avoid that fate for its lignite communities.

Faced with a choice between cutting emissions rapidly or avoiding social disruption, the commission may opt for the latter, some analysts say. I would be surprised if they agreed to an end date before the 2040s, said Rebecca Bertram, an energy expert with the Heinrich Boll Foundation in Germany.

The commissions final report is due in December, when the worlds nations will meet for a fresh round of climate talks in Poland, another European country that relies heavily on coal. What Germany decides could have ripple effects around the world.Separated only by a few wooden barriers, Melissa Lyttle could almost touch the dirt. The bulls, some weighing close to a ton, were not much farther away. Surrounded by matadors donning 18th-century uniforms and bota bags of liquor, she heard only Portuguese among the bullfighters in a ring full of testosterone and beer.

I had never experienced anything that was so primal and so raw before, Ms. Lyttle said.

This bullfight, which takes place in California, a state famous for defending animal rights, is supposedly bloodless. Every year in the Central Valley from May to October, Portuguese-Americans bring bullfighters from overseas and put on huge festivals. Though bullfighting in California is illegal, religious events or festivals, according to the states penal code, are exempt. Ms. Lyttle, who moved to California only a few years ago, found the idea that her new state permitted some bullfights ironic.It has not always been this way. When a victory over Joseph Crowley, the 10-term congressman she challenged in the Democratic primary seemed so improbable, he did not rush to join her on stage and argue about housing policy. The two candidates debated twice; on two other occasions Mr. Crowley said he could not attend because of scheduling conflicts, and on one of those he sent a surrogate, Annabel Palma, a former City Councilwoman, which left the impression that the girls ought to just work things out among themselves.

Feminisms grand resurgence this past year  striking in the results of the Democratic primary in Minnesotas Fifth Congressional District on Tuesday in which Ilhan Omar, a young Somali immigrant, won in a six-way race that had three male candidates cumulatively receiving less than 9 percent of the vote  seems to have had little effect on heightening the sensitivities of male politicians to the optics of dismissing their female opponents. When women in politics are not facing the tediousness of having men explain things to them, they are often up against the indignities of their apathy.

Debates in particular have long wielded a special power to trigger male condescension. During the first with a female candidate to be televised nationally  the 1984 vice-presidential debate between George H.W. Bush and Geraldine Ferraro  Americans bore witness to Mr. Bush patronizing a prominent congresswoman, who served as the secretary of the House Democratic Caucus, on the subject of foreign policy. (Let me help you with the difference, Mrs. Ferraro, he said, between Iran and the embassy in Lebanon.)

Before Donald Trump stalked Hillary Clinton on stage, commandeering the frame in one of the 2016 presidential debates, Barack Obama had derided her as likable enough, in a primary debate eight years earlier.

Not showing up at all amounts to another expression of entitlement, and when men are the ones not showing up, the implications easily become gendered. In 2014, Zephyr Teachout, a law professor challenging Andrew M. Cuomo in the Democratic primary for governor in New York, hoped to stand next to him and talk about corruption in Albany, Wall Street influence, money in politics, education funding  but he refused, saying, at one point, that he had participated in many debates over the course of his career and that he found some to be a disservice to democracy. Later, in the general election, Mr. Cuomo debated his Republican opponent, Rob Astorino, and two other men running on alternate party lines.Prosecutors called him the operational kingpin of a highly organized, structured and ongoing narcotics network that smuggled heroin from France and distributed it mostly through black and Hispanic dealers on the East Coast.

Mr. Sperling had a well-deserved reputation for violence.

In 1977, he was indicted on charges of hiring three fellow inmates at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta to murder Mr. Papa, whom he suspected of turning police informant. Mr. Sperling was acquitted in the conspiracy, but two other defendants were convicted of fatally stabbing Mr. Papa in the back and chest at least eight times in a prison courtyard.

Mr. Papa had been convicted of choreographing the audacious theft by rogue police officers of tens of millions of dollars worth of drugs from the New York Police Departments evidence room in Lower Manhattan in the early 1970s and replacing it with bags of flour and cornstarch. The crimes kick-started a consequential corruption investigation of the police.

Much of the heroin had been seized in 1962 in the Bronx from the car in which it had been shipped from the French port city Marseille. The successful investigation in the case inspired the Oscar-winning 1971 movie The French Connection.

Mr. Sperling was also suspected in the death of Louis J. Mileto, whom police identified as a courier for the Sperling heroin ring. Mr. Miletos frozen, headless and limbless torso was found in 1972 in the trunk of a gutted car in the Hudson Valley. He was identified by his teeth, which were found in his stomach. Investigators said he had swallowed them during a vicious beating.Moshe Mizrahi, an Israeli director whose Madame Rosa, one of several movies he made in France, won the Academy Award for best foreign-language film in 1978, died on Aug. 3 at a hospital in Tel Aviv. He was 86.

His son, Daniel, said the cause was pneumonia.

Mr. Mizrahi, who was born to a Jewish family in Egypt that emigrated to Palestine when he was a teenager, did not begin directing feature films until 1970. But he started impressively: Two films that he shot in Israel  I Love You Rosa (1972) and The House on Chelouche Street (1973)  were nominated for Oscars for best foreign-language film. (Neither won.)

So when Mr. Mizrahi asked Simone Signoret, the French star known for her smoldering sexuality, to star in Madame Rosa as an aging former prostitute and Holocaust survivor  a frumpy character with frizzy hair who wears unappealing makeup and dresses  she put aside her resistance to the part because she admired his work.

I tried to persuade him to do something else, Ms. Signoret told The New York Times in 1978, recalling Mr. Mizrahis approach to her. I tried to buy him, but he bought me. Citing his upbringing in Egypt and Palestine (and later Israel), she added: Hes immersed in the two cultures, Arab and Jews. Theyre his two loves. I surrendered.The minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs, Alan Tudge, was less subtle. He traveled to London in July to report on the challenges facing Australian multiculturalism. Our ship is slightly veering toward a European separatist multicultural model, he claimed, and we want to pull it back to be firmly on the Australian integrated path.

When Mr. Tudge vowed a muscular ongoing promotion of our values, I thought about my family. My parents are well positioned for the kind of integration that this Australian government seems to envision: They are skilled professionals; they speak English. Like many migrants who have lived under authoritarian rule, they believe in the West, its civilization and its values.

Despite this, my parents rely on a small, insular, Korean-speaking immigrant community in nearly every aspect of their lives. As we began settling down in Sydney, relationships forged only of distant connections brought us temporary housing, home-cooked meals and more advice on navigating public school districts than we could manage. When my parents opened their business, their immigrant neighbors came with lucky bamboo in clay pots and became their first clients.

Those who are most concerned about ethnic segregation tend to conceive of minority communities in almost entirely negative terms  as groups built around the rejection of the values, lifestyles and networks of the majority culture. As a result, they overlook all of the good things that ethnic communities provide. The benefits of belonging to migrant communities are, in a vast majority of cases, unrelated to criminal intent or religious fervor. They arise from essentially human needs: economic opportunity, knowledge networks and relief from the stresses of migrant life.

The governments recent push on integration at once insists on the strength of Australian multiculturalism and warns of its vulnerability. Australia has arguably been the most successful country in the world, Mr. Tudge claimed of our multicultural model but said we must now defend against those who not only reject our values but want to use violence to destroy them.Israel is no stranger to criticism. Both within our country and outside of it, there is no shortage of opportunity to debate and disagree. Recently, even many outsiders who claim to love Israel have taken to criticizing it. In these very pages, Ronald Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, wrote recently about his concerns about what is happening to Israel, apparently reflecting the worries of others in the Jewish diaspora when he suggests that Israel is somehow too Jewish or that its democracy is under threat.

So let me be clear: We Israelis are proud of who we are. We are proud of our Jewish traditions and identity, and we are proud of the equality and freedoms for all our people.

As minister of education and a previous minister of the economy, I can attest to our efforts to ensure equality in education, academia and employment for Israels Arab communities. The Ministry of Education has found a year-on-year increases in Arab students graduating from high school, with around 63 percent of all Arab students completing their studies  just a few points below the national average of 68 percent. These figures are expected to rise even further over the next five years. We have seen an increase in employment for Arab women.

But at the same time, there is no denying that Israel is a Jewish state. This is why last month our government passed the Nation State Law, which reaffirms the centrality of the Jewish identity and nature of the state of Israel. This law now sits proudly alongside Israels other Basic Laws (which carry quasi-constitutional power) that reinforce the freedom of expression and equality for all citizens of Israel. Our self-identification as a Jewish homeland will never change. It is a central tenet of Zionism.To the Editor:

Re Tensions Mount Between Ankara and Washington (front page, Aug. 11):

Let me get this straight. Last year President Recep Tayyip Erdogan looked on while his thuggish bodyguards assaulted American citizens peacefully protesting in Washington, and President Trump did nothing. This year, Mr. Erdogan ordered the Turkish military into northern Syria to attack and drive out the Kurds, our staunch allies in the struggle against ISIS, while warning that American troops stationed with the Kurds risked receiving an Ottoman slap if they interfered, and Mr. Trump did nothing.

However, now that a single American evangelical minister in Turkey is charged with espionage, Mr. Trump imposes strong sanctions and tweets, Our relations with Turkey are not good at this time ! How could they have possibly been considered good previously? Once again, the president blatantly panders to his fundamentalist base.

Dennis Middlebrooks

Brooklyn

To the Editor:

It is inevitable that Turkey and the United States will be at loggerheads, not because they have major disagreements over policies, but because they have two egocentric leaders who feel that whatever they do is right and who cannot take any criticism.

Inevitably the two will have a difference of opinion over a relatively small matter. Since they cannot be seen as weak, they will escalate the disagreement. The same will ultimately happen with Russia and China. All are led by strongmen who have an ego that is bound to conflict over some matter with President Trumps ego.Lastly, you can also put your number on the Do Not Call list and report unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission, which will ask for a bunch of information about the nature of the call and add it to its database.

None of these steps guarantee that the calls will stop, however. Scammers are getting smart, and they may just call from another number  but this process will help the F.T.C., Google and the cellphone carriers combat the problem in the long run.

Filter Spam Calls in Bulk

By reporting the call or text, youve done your part to fight the scourge of telemarketers and spammers. But if youre still getting truckloads of spam calls, you can take your call-blocking to the next level.

Android users can enable Googles built-in spam filtering from the Phone app. Tap the three dots in the corner and choose Settings, then head to Caller ID & Spam. Enable the option to filter suspected spam calls. From then on, instead of merely warning you that a call might be spam, Google will prevent that call from ringing your phone entirely.

The iPhone doesnt have an option to filter these calls, but both Android and iPhone users can filter spammers and scammers at the carrier level, too. All four of the major carriers in the United States have apps and services to help you do so:

Verizon users can download the Caller Name ID app, subscribe to the service for $2.99 per month and enable the spam filter option from within the app.

AT&T customers can enable the AT&T Call Protect feature, which will automatically block fraudulent calls and warn you of suspected scammers. A companion app lets you track those calls and provides other features. They offer a Plus version of the service for $3.99 per month that offers reverse-number searches and enhanced caller ID.

T-Mobile users will, by default, be notified of suspected scammers when they call. But you can also activate an optional account feature called Scam Block which prevents those scammers from getting through to your number at all.

Sprint provides a $2.99 per month service called Premium Caller ID that tries to identify numbers that arent in your address book, warning you if it suspects a spam call. It cannot automatically block incoming calls, however.

There are also plenty of third-party apps that contain massive databases of spam numbers and lots of options for blocking them. Hiya (free) and Robokiller ($2.49 per month) are two of the most popular. In fact, some of the carrier services mentioned above even partner with Hiya and Robokiller to use their databases.

The main difference is in how they block calls: Third-party apps can stop your phone from ringing, but your carrier can block the call earlier in the chain, sending the spammers a busy signal that will hopefully make them think your number is disconnected. Unfortunately, carrier services arent always available on prepaid plans, so third-party apps may be some peoples only choice.

Lastly, if all that sounds like too much hassle, you have one more option. Its much easier, though far more intense: Just turn on Do Not Disturb for anyone not in your contacts list.

On Android , head to Settings, then Sound, then Do Not Disturb Preferences and then Priority Only Allows. Here, you can select From Contacts Only for calls and messages. Then, drag the notification shade down from the top of the phone to see your Quick Settings, and turn on Do Not Disturb, set to Priority Only. Any calls from people not in your contacts will go straight to voice mail. (If you have a Samsung phone, this option is a little simpler: Open the Phone app and head to Call Settings, then Block Number and Block Unknown Callers.)

On the iPhone, you can do this by heading to Settings, then Do Not Disturb, then Allow Calls From and choosing All Contacts. Then, back in the Do Not Disturb page, toggle on Do Not Disturb.

This option guarantees that your phone wont ring for any spammers or scammers, which makes it incredibly appealing. Of course, some legitimate calls will get blocked as well, if you dont have the callers number in your address book  but voice mail will always be there to catch those people, and you can call them back promptly.

Unfortunately, with so many potential spam numbers, Do Not Disturb is the only catchall option  number spoofing makes blocking them one by one all but impossible. Spam-blocking services have massive databases that are constantly being updated, and that can do a decent job. The F.T.C. has also sponsored multiple initiatives to intelligently predict and prevent robocalls, which should provide hope for the future  but none of these are a silver bullet just yet. The curse of spam calls wont be ending soon, but for now, you can at least fight back a little with these tricks.Memphis Milano, the Italian-born design movement of the 1980s, was the antithesis of minimalism. It was an orgy of loud colors, clashing patterns and big shapes, with little to tie it together. Its an aesthetic thats as confusing as it is unabashed, and perhaps thats why its striking such a chord in these confusing times.

The design world has been playing with the trend for a few years, but fashion is starting to get behind it, too. Nordstrom has dedicated a portion of its Seattle store to a pop-up that will celebrate (and sell) some of the movements signature pieces, starting Aug. 17 and running through October. You can also shop for some of the items online at Nordstrom.com, or pick up some of the snazzy items below.Just over a year after Travis Kalanick was ousted as chief executive of Uber, the ride-hailing company released new financial results that showed continued growth and narrowing losses as it advances toward an initial public offering.

On Wednesday, Uber posted a loss of $891 million for the second quarter, compared with a loss of more than $1 billion during the same period a year earlier. The company took in $12.01 billion in gross bookings in the quarter  or the amount of passenger fares and food delivery fees  up 41 percent from a year ago. After paying out fees to drivers, revenue was $2.7 billion. When Uber turned a profit last quarter because it offloaded businesses in Russia and Southeast Asia, it cautioned that that bump would not last because it planned to reinvest the money.

Uber is not required to disclose earnings because it is privately held, but it has made a habit of publicly releasing its numbers. Investors are closely scrutinizing Ubers financials because the company is one of the worlds most highly valued private firms, at $62 billion, and is preparing to go public by the end of 2019. Its I.P.O. is expected to be one of the biggest ever for a tech company.Ms. Silverman keeps a tight grip on her story, mostly rooting it in the particulars of character. Pretty Mbane (Samira Wiley, of The Handmaids Tale) is a flirty, boyish lesbian who has courted danger by turning her home into a safe house for victims of sexual violence. Her ex-girlfriend, Noxolo (Alfie Fuller, of Is God Is), is a promising soccer player who has left South Africa to play for England. When Pretty disappears, having gone into hiding or worse, Noxolo returns to look for her. In the process she realizes she must face her countrys problems instead of running away from them.

The longing for homeland, however imperfect, is a common enough trait. Every child here is born with a magnet instead of a heart, Pretty says. Ms. Silverman, who grew up in a bunch of different countries and says in a program note that she has a complicated relationship with the United States, handles that material beautifully, not only with Noxolo but with another South African emigre, a London bar owner named Marcel (Phillip James Brannon). Nothing would ever make Marcel, who is gay, return to the country that spat him out half dead.

Still, approaching a story about black lives, let alone black-on-black violence, is tricky for a white playwright. Perhaps thats why Ms. Silverman throws that hoary device, a journalist desperate for a new angle, into the mix. Having come, like many reporters, to write about the new South Africa during the 2010 World Cup games, Gregory (Michael Braun) happens upon Noxolos story through his guide, Sicolo (Atandwa Kani), who, as luck would have it, is her brother. Stumbling around in a world he cant quite grasp, Gregory mostly comes off as a projection of Ms. Silvermans doubts about writing this play.

She neednt have worried. Though it has problems  as the noose around the characters tightens, some of the action seems awfully contrived  Dangerous House is passionately engaged in the struggle to understand the responsibility we bear for terrible things going on around us.For 15 years, Shelly Fitzgerald has worked as a guidance counselor and administrator at Roncalli High School, a Catholic school in Indianapolis.

Last week, it took a 17-minute meeting for school leaders to tell her that her job was at risk. The reason, she said, was that she is married to a woman.

I was stunned, said Ms. Fitzgerald, 45, in an interview. They showed me they had a copy of my marriage certificate, and let me know how it was going to play out.

Ms. Fitzgerald and her partner had been together for nearly 18 years when they decided to marry in 2015. They have a daughter who is now 12, and they have created a life together that included dinner parties and weddings with friends and alumni from Roncalli.Los Angeless transit agency will become the first in the nation to deploy a network of body scanners to screen passengers, an effort to thwart terrorist attacks in rail and subway stations as the federal government seeks to expand security screenings beyond airports.

For more than a year, the Transportation Security Administration has partnered with large transit systems nationwide, from San Francisco to New York, to help test and vet scanners that can detect hidden explosives and weapons on people in a crowd of passengers.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it would be the first to fully commit to them across its system, saying they will be used starting this year to screen riders without revealing their anatomy and without forcing them to line up or stop walking.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, billions were spent to tighten airport security. Passengers were subjected to extensive screenings, biometric scans, ID checks and limitations on what can be taken on flights. But the same protections have not been extended to transit hubs, where the only check is typically for a ticket.These are the things that are truly under attack, he said one day last week, drawing applause from 50 or so labor organizers gathered for an annual conference in the university town of Orono. The unraveling of the New Deal is just going to continue unless we stand up to them and stop it.

For at least the past 20 years, whenever a party has won control of the House, it has done so with some kind of unifying message or pitch. In 1994, Republicans ran and won on their Contract With America, a 10-point legislative plan. In 2006, Democrats flipped the House with a legislative platform they called Six for 06.

Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and architect of Contract With America, said the goal was to get insurance or real estate agents entering politics for the first time to memorize 10 winning issues that they could bring to drive-time radio  and every single issue, the average driver is going to go, Well, I agree with that.

Mr. Gingrich argued that Democrats have no compelling message, other than that they hate Trump.

In fact, many Democrats  including Mr. Allred, Ms. Torres Small and Mr. Golden, all running in districts currently held by Republicans  rarely mention the president by name.

They do not need to, Mr. Lujan said: Hes going to do all the talking about Donald Trump for us.

Democrats in the House tasked with cobbling together a unifying agenda after the 2016 elections say they studied Contract With America and similar plans in detail. But in the end, they settled on a narrow do no harm strategy rather than a granular point-by-point agenda punctuated with a high-profile unveiling at the Capitol. Midterm elections are almost always referendums on the president, regardless of the opposing partys message.

The Democratic platform, For the People, outlines a relatively anodyne agenda  lowering health care and prescription drug costs, increasing worker pay, cleaning up corruption  that Democrats say unites all of their candidates. (Their anticorruption theme got a lift last week when Representative Chris Collins, Republican of New York, was indicted on charges of insider trading.)Id like to begin by reading a statement from the president. Ive decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency. At this point in my administration, any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Mr. Brennan are now outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior. President Trump has taken away John Brennans security clearance and says hes considering doing the same to other former national security officials. Thats even though two of the officials, including the former F.B.I. director James Comey, no longer have clearances. So why did he single out the group? One clue may be what theyve said about him. I think he has demonstrated time and time again that he lies to the American people, and that he is not fulfilling the responsibilities of the office of the presidency. The United States used to be the defender of our European allies and to push back against the Russians. The fact now that Mr. Trump is aligning himself with Mr. Putin is a concern. He is giving aid and comfort to the enemy, and it needs to stop. Oh, I have no confidence in a guy like Brennan. And I think hes a total lowlife. When the president tries to use the Department of Justice as kind of a private investigatory body, thats, uh, not good for the country. Our institutions are under assault internally. Internally from the president? Exactly. Are you questioning his fitness? Yes, I do. I have no confidence in Clapper. You know, Clapper wrote me a beautiful letter when I first went to office, and it was really nice. And then all of a sudden, hes gone haywire. He has a habit of telling lies. Sometimes big. Sometimes casual. And then insisting that the people around him repeat them and believe them. And that is  that stains any human. Is Donald Trump unfit to be president? Yes. I think hes morally unfit to be president. I think that James Comey was unfair to the people of this country. I think what he did was a disgrace. I think he goes down as the worst F.B.I. director in history, by far. Theres nobody close. And I think I did the country a tremendous favor by firing him.Ms. Hayess victory is particularly significant, given the current dynamics of the Democratic Party.

She won handily over an opponent who was a longtime member of the Connecticut Democratic establishment, buoyed by a progressive platform that included an embrace of Medicare-for-all, explicit support for racial justice and a pledge to not vote for the current minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, for speaker of the House should the Democrats take back control.

She continued a trend in which progressives have experienced their biggest wins in safe Democratic districts. While progressives running in statewide races like Abdul El-Sayed have not been successful (he lost last week in Michigan), Ms. Hayes is in the mold of victorious progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York City activist who beat longtime Representative Joseph Crowley in a June primary.

In both of these cases  as with Ms. Omar and Ms. Hayes  Democratic voters have shown themselves more likely to opt for progressive candidates in districts that will be reliably blue come November.PITTSBURGH  John Cabon stood quietly and crossed himself before a statue of the Virgin Mary outside St. Pauls, the mother church of the Pittsburgh Diocese.

I keep the faith said Mr. Cabon, 64, on the way to noon Mass. His sister, he said, had left the faith when explosive revelations of sexual abuse rocked the Roman Catholic Church in 2002. He had refused. You dont really believe everything, you know.

But inside the church, there was no escaping the abuse scandal, which has entered a new chapter after monstrous revelations were released in a grand jury report on Tuesday, describing the abuse of more than 1,000 young people at the hands of hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania.

The priest at St Pauls spoke of horrendous and evil acts, moral failure by church leaders, and the grief, sadness, feelings of betrayal, even anger that followed. One woman wept silently in her pew.GUSAU, Nigeria  Tijani Idris heard the roar and rushed inside his home, peeking through the window to spot fighter jets crisscrossing the sky above his forest village.

They were Nigerian Air Force jets, scrambled to battle yet another major security threat in one of Africas most populous nations: groups of armed gangs that have made the northwestern corner of the country their haven.

This year alone in the state of Zamfara, hundreds have died in mass murders and more than 21,000 people have been forced from their homes. In total, officials say at least 2,000 people have died from violence in the area since 2011.

Earlier this month, the president responded with force, sending 1,000 troops and jets to fight the gangs.If you walk through Havana, youll usually see groups of people huddled around certain plazas, parks and side streets with their cellphones held up to their faces. These people are online.

In order to post a picture to Facebook, send an email or read the news, Cubans must buy an internet access card for about a dollar from Etecsa, the state-run telecommunications company, and then find a public hot spot  but that all seems set to change.

On Tuesday, the Cuban government tested wireless internet directly on mobile phones nationwide for nine hours. The internet was free for the duration of the test, but Etecsa plans to sell mobile phone plans that include internet service.

Etecsa customers were not alerted about the trial, according to Yoani Sanchez, director of the local news site 14ymedio.com. They found out through word of mouth and social media.MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan  Taliban insurgents overran an Afghan Army base and a police checkpoint in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 39 soldiers and police officers, officials said, and a suicide bomber in the capital killed at least 48 people in a classroom.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters carried out the predawn attacks on two units of Afghan forces in the Baghlan-e-Markazi District of Baghlan Province, according to a police official who was at the scene and who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

The official said the fighting lasted five hours, and resulted in the deaths of 30 soldiers and nine local police officers. Two other soldiers were also wounded in the battle, he said.

It was the second major attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan in recent days; on Monday, the Taliban killed or captured an entire company of 106 soldiers in the Ghormach District of Faryab Province in the north of the country.On the second day, when he went out again, Mr. Ahmad said, he found much of the city under Taliban control.

There wasnt any police in the city. The Taliban burned down the buildings. I saw the Taliban on the streets and talked to them for more than an hour. They said that they dont want to target civilians. We talked a lot; I asked them why they were burning buildings and check posts. They said they dont need fancy buildings  they even hold their courts in the desert. They kept asking me to show them the houses of government officials.

On Tuesday, as the fate of the city remained uncertain, the couple and their children left for Kabul.

I didnt go out of the house at all during the four days of fighting, Ms. Frozan said. On the way to Kabul, the Taliban stopped the car. In the vehicles where there were women, they wouldnt check. But they would question the men.

Safiullah, 35, a shopkeeper

When the fighting started the whole city lost power and there wasnt enough food and water. We didnt stock food because we didnt know the Taliban would attack the city.

My daughter is only 2, and the fighting affected her a lot. Since Friday she has been crying, and now she is sick. We had to leave because of her.That appeared to be a subtle but contentious shift in South Koreas role in the diplomacy around the Norths nuclear weapons. The South and the United States have both said that their relations with the North will develop at roughly the same pace.

But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said there will be no sanctions relief on North Korea until denuclearization is complete. American officials also have said the signing of a peace treaty with North Korea to replace the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War  a basic demand of Mr. Kims  will not happen before the North denuclearizes.

When Mr. Kim met with President Trump in Singapore two months ago, the leaders adopted a broad, vague agreement on improving bilateral relations, building what they called a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearizing it.

But talks between Washington and Pyongyang are deadlocked over differences about how denuclearization should proceed. Meanwhile, the Koreas have been laying the groundwork for improving their relationship on multiple fronts.

Next week, North and South Korea plan to hold another of the periodic reunions of families that were separated during the Korean War of 1950-53. Next month, Mr. Moon is expected to visit North Korea for his third summit meeting with Mr.Kim.

Mr. Moon has bet his political fortunes on resolving the standoff over the Norths nuclear weapons. In his first two meetings with Mr. Kim in April and in May, he came away with an agreement to ease military tensions on the border and boost economic cooperation. Both sides have since conducted field studies on linking their rail networks.WASHINGTON  The Trump administration announced new sanctions on Wednesday against three organizations and an individual accused of facilitating illicit shipments to North Korea, keeping pressure on the government of Kim Jong-un amid ongoing negotiations over the dismantling of his nuclear program.

The companies targeted by the Treasury Department are based in China, Singapore and Russia. The shipments, which violate sanctions imposed by the United States and the United Nations, include exports of alcohol, tobacco and cigarette products, as well as refined oil products.

Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports, and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams to the DPRK, Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said in a statement, using initials for North Koreas official name.

The tactics that these entities based in China, Singapore, and Russia are using to attempt to evade sanctions are prohibited under U.S. law, and all facets of the shipping industry have a responsibility to abide by them or expose themselves to serious risks, Mr. Mnuchin said.BERLIN  When a neighborhood group on a walk through an overgrown patch of land in central Berlin came across a 20-meter stretch of concrete sprayed with graffiti and covered with vines, nobody was sure what to make of it.

We started debating and someone suggested that maybe it was part of the Berlin Wall, said Ephraim Gothe, a city councilor for urban development in the Mitte district of Berlin, who was leading the group on a tour in early June.

He alerted the authorities, leading to confirmation that the group had discovered an original piece of the walls outer defense perimeter, which prevented East Germans from approaching the principal barrier, near the Chausseestrasse border crossing.

The 65-foot piece of the wall went unnoticed for nearly three decades, largely obscured by the construction of the new seat of Germanys Federal Intelligence Service, the B.N.D., said Gesine Beutin, a spokeswoman for the Berlin Wall Foundation.GENOA, Italy  All day Wednesday outside the austere building that houses Genoas morgue, parents, children, friends and colleagues of possible victims of a collapsed bridge entered, dreading what they might find.

William Ben Lou Lou, 42, owner of a French moving company, arrived in the morning, a day after the citys Morandi Bridge collapsed, leaving at least 39 people dead. His daughter, scrutinizing images on social media, spotted the wreckage of one of his trucks in the rubble. Two of his workers, both Romanians, had been in the truck, moving furniture from France to Italy, but he did not know if they had survived.

I tried to call them, he said, but I couldnt reach them.

An hour later, Mr. Lou Lou had a partial answer. He identified the body of one worker, a man with a wife and three children. Then he went with the police to the hospital, in hopes that the other man was alive. They say my other worker may be in intensive care, he said.I think theyre using Hungary like theyre using other countries in Europe with nationalist leaderships  to divide the European Union, said Jiri Pehe, the chief of cabinet to the Czech president, Vaclav Havel, in the 1990s. It is nice that theyre putting up this facade in Washington on their opening with Hungary, saying that this is an effort towards keeping Hungary in the Atlantic alliance  but this certainly doesnt contribute to Hungary becoming more Euro-Atlantic.

It legitimizes Russian influence in Hungary, added Mr. Pehe, who is now the director of New York Universitys campus in Prague.

With a program to build what he calls an illiberal democracy, Mr. Orban is the most influential populist leader in Europe. He has cultivated ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, called for a countercultural revolution inside the European Union, and anointed himself as the protector of Europes Christian identity. His critics argue that he has undermined the countrys checks and balances, gerrymandered the electoral map and placed the judiciary under the management of one of his oldest friends.

This record is why Mr. Orban struggled for influence in Washington during the Obama years, despite making a real effort. His government donated millions of dollars to dozens of American research groups, cultural foundations, scholarship funds and lobbyists, much of it funneled through the Hungarian Initiatives Foundation, which is registered as a company in Delaware but owned, according to Hungarian law, by Mr. Orbans office.

The Hungarian government has endowed the foundation with $15 million, according to official records. Small donations were made to American foreign policy think tanks, including two payments totaling $20,000 to the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington-based group led at the time by A. Wess Mitchell, whom Mr. Trump has since appointed as assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia.Their parents and defense lawyers accuse the government of fabricating a case so the girls would run afoul of the anti-extremism law. The girls, both animal lovers, had gone on the Telegram messaging service to meet friends, especially boyfriends, the parents and defense lawyers said in an extensive record of the case compiled by Mediazona, an online news service.

Last fall, they let an older man join their chat room, and he gradually steered the group into politics, renting an office, buying a printer and drafting an anti-government manifesto. The older man then gave 10 pages of testimony against members of the New Greatness group, but he has never been thoroughly identified in court documents.

Defense lawyers and the families think the mysterious witness was an agent of the FSB, the successor agency of the K.G.B.

In the hours before the march, officials appealed to the court to move the girls to house arrest, according to Russian news reports, but many marchers dismissed the move as a ploy to get them to stay at home.

It is an unconscionable case against children, and that is why people are reacting, Yulia Pavlikova, Annas mother, told reporters at the march. I really hope that they heard us, they saw us and some kind of action has begun. Children should not be in prison, especially when they are not guilty.

Ms. Pavlikova and Ms. Duboviks mother had earlier made a tape appealing to President Vladimir V. Putin to intercede in the case, wondering aloud if the security services really had nothing better to do than to arrest adolescents.

Asked Tuesday about the spread of extremism cases, Dmitri S. Peskov, the spokesman for Mr. Putin, said that some such cases fell beyond the bonds of reason.GOTEBORG, Sweden  The Swedish authorities on Wednesday were investigating the burning of more than 100 vehicles on the nations west coast, in what they said was a coordinated arson attack by groups of young men.

The attack began shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, when several cars were reported to be on fire in the main square of Vastra Frolunda, a suburb of Goteborg, Swedens second-largest city.

By the time those blazes were over, 33 cars had been lit on fire and about 50 cars had been damaged, Thomas Fuxborg, a spokesman for the Swedish Police, said in a phone interview.

A few minutes after the fires broke out in Vastra Frolunda, there were reports of cars on fire in Hjallbo, a district in northeast Goteborg. Fires were also reported in Kronogarden, a district of Trollhattan, about 45 miles north of Goteborg, the police said.ISTANBUL  Turkey won a measure of international support in its increasingly tense standoff with the United States on Wednesday when Qatar offered a relatively small but symbolically important financial lifeline.

Qatar pledged to invest $15 billion in Turkey after a lunch in Ankara, Turkeys capital, between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, representatives of both governments said.

The sum is a small fraction of what Turkey would need to shore up its faltering economy or pay its dollar debts, which have become increasing unsustainable after a sharp decline in the Turkish lira.

But the promise of investment was trumpeted by the Turkish news media as a victory for Mr. Erdogan on the same day that Turkey rejected a second legal appeal to release the American pastor Andrew Brunson. Turkey also sharply raised tariffs on American goods on Wednesday, as it pushed back against pressure from the United States.BRUSSELS  From the start of the torturous negotiations over Brexit, as Britains exit from the European Union is known, the talks have followed an all too familiar dynamic.

The Europeans set the agenda; the British push for concessions or special deals, while trying to work out among themselves what they really want. The Europeans say no, sticking to a pretty hard line.

But now, with 85 percent of a deal completed, and the toughest issues remaining, European officials say they are increasingly worried that Prime Minister Theresa Mays government is so divided and fragile that it could collapse, scuttling a deal and inflicting damage on the Continental economy.

So the Europeans are now exploring ways to finesse their position, three senior European officials say, to sign a withdrawal agreement by the end of the year so it can be ratified by the end of March, when Brexit occurs regardless.Egyptian officials and the United Nations envoy in the region are now trying to broker a broader arrangement for a long-term truce that would allow significant investment in development projects in Gaza.

But Israels defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said on Wednesday that any long-term deal with Gaza must include an arrangement for the return of the remains of Lieutenant Goldin and another soldier, Sgt. Oron Shaul, who was also killed during the 2014 war, as well as at least two Israeli citizens who are believed to be alive and held by Hamas in Gaza.

This was not the militarys first inquiry exonerating itself for events in Gaza in 2014. Adalah, a group that advocates for Arab minority rights in Israel, has appealed to Israels attorney general to open a criminal investigation and reject the militarys closure of a case involving a drone attack that killed four Palestinian boys on a Gaza beach during the war.

But many have considered the events of that day in Rafah as one of the weightiest cases, not least because of the high number of casualties. At least 135 Palestinians were said to have been killed at the time, after Israeli forces unleashed a barrage of artillery, tank and airstrikes meant to prevent the militants from taking Lieutenant Goldin, who was dragged into a tunnel on the edge of Rafah.

The Israeli military said its troops killed at least 42 Palestinian military operatives in the course of the fighting, and that up to 70 civilians were unintentionally killed as a result of attacks directed at military targets and military operatives.

After the Hamas ambush that killed Lieutenant Goldin, along with two other soldiers, in the first hour of a 72-hour truce, Israeli commanders invoked the Hannibal procedure, a contentious directive that allowed for the use of maximum force to prevent captors from getting away with abducted soldiers  even at the risk of endangering the lives of the Israeli hostages. The directive has since been revoked.

In the first three hours, Israel fired more than 1,000 artillery shells in Rafah and dropped more than 40 bombs. Primary targets included intersections of the main road running through the area and locations that Israel suspected hid shafts leading to the tunnel.Ten tons of letters and packages, which Israel had long prevented from reaching Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, have finally been delivered. Some of the pieces are eight years old.

The mail, held in Jordan, began being released to the Palestinian Authority on Monday, according to a statement from Palestinian officials. Some of it was badly damaged after the yearslong delay.

Israel controls all goods coming in and out of the Palestinian territories, and the Israeli Postal Service sorts mail destined for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Goods are regularly blocked from entering the areas, more strictly for Gaza, on what Israel describes as security grounds.DAHYAN, Yemen  The boys crammed into the bus, their thin bodies packed three to a seat, with latecomers jammed in the aisle. They fidgeted with excitement about the days field trip, talking so loudly that a tall boy struggling to get their attention put his hands over his ears and yelled.

Hours later, most of them were dead.

During a stop for snacks in the poor village of Dahyan in northern Yemen, an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition of Arab nations hit nearby, blasting the bus into a jagged mass of twisted metal and scattering its human cargo  wounded, bleeding and dead  in the street below, according to witnesses and parents.

My leg is bent, cried a young boy covered in blood, examining his damaged limb. A jet hit us, he said in a video taken at the scene after the airstrike.

Yemeni health officials said 54 people were killed, 44 of them children, and many more were wounded.In 1787, the year the Constitution was born, Thomas Jefferson famously wrote to a friend, Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

Thats how he felt before he became president, anyway. Twenty years later, after enduring the oversight of the press from inside the White House, he was less sure of its value. Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper, he wrote. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle.

Jeffersons discomfort was, and remains, understandable. Reporting the news in an open society is an enterprise laced with conflict. His discomfort also illustrates the need for the right he helped enshrine. As the founders believed from their own experience, a well-informed public is best equipped to root out corruption and, over the long haul, promote liberty and justice.

Public discussion is a political duty, the Supreme Court said in 1964. That discussion must be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and may well include vehement, caustic and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.

In 2018, some of the most damaging attacks are coming from government officials. Criticizing the news media  for underplaying or overplaying stories, for getting something wrong  is entirely right. News reporters and editors are human, and make mistakes. Correcting them is core to our job. But insisting that truths you dont like are fake news is dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy. And calling journalists the enemy of the people is dangerous, period.

These attacks on the press are particularly threatening to journalists in nations with a less secure rule of law and to smaller publications in the United States, already buffeted by the industrys economic crisis. And yet the journalists at those papers continue to do the hard work of asking questions and telling the stories that you otherwise wouldnt hear. Consider The San Luis Obispo Tribune, which wrote about the death of a jail inmate who was restrained for 46 hours. The account forced the county to change how it treats mentally ill prisoners.

Answering a call last week from The Boston Globe, The Times is joining hundreds of newspapers, from large metro-area dailies to small local weeklies, to remind readers of the value of Americas free press. These editorials, some of which weve excerpted, together affirm a fundamental American institution.SELAMAT DATANG DI MESINSLOT. SITUS JUDI CASINO DAN SLOT TERBAIK DI iNDONESIA - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: Global Gaming pada 2021-02-26 dari 10:00 AM sampai 2031-02-26 10:00 AM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, Global Gaming permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan. - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: Asia Gaming pada 2021-04-07 dari 1:00 PM sampai 2021-04-08 11:00 PM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, Asia Gaming permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan. - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: S128 Cockfight pada 2021-02-26 dari 12:00 PM sampai 2031-02-26 12:00 PM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, S128 Cockfight permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan.Mention juice and many Ugandans think no further than passion fruit or orange juice. Blame it on the juicing pioneers in the country, but as ice cream parlours can attest, once Ugandans are so used to some flavours/tastes going against the norm will raise a few eyebrows.

For many a Ugandan, ice cream can only come in pink for strawberry and cream for vanilla. Similarly for juice, if it is cocktail juice, then it must be passion fruit, oranges, tangerine and perhaps lemon or watermelon.

Yet the fact is that any fruit or vegetable can make juice; you can offer your family a different taste.

Recently, Makerere Universitys Dr Stella Nyanzi posted on social media how her children were adamant to have lunch despite all the motherly pleading but with better plating of the same food, they needed no second invitation.

Similarly, the same passion fruit, orange juice can become a little bit boring. But even without a blender, some fruits such as mangoes, tomatoes, pineapples and papaya can be squeezed with a clean kitchen towel for their flavours to give your juice a better taste.

Of course a blender or juicer will make the process easier, as anything from broccoli, ginger, carrots, cabbages, berries, guava, apple, name it, can be added unto the juice to give it a more appealing look, flavour and taste but, above all, enjoy the extra healthy nutrients that come from the respective fruits or vegetables.

However, exercise caution when trying out the different blends, as you dont want your juice to taste like some unbearable herbal medical concoction.

Also, not all fruits play well together. Think about acidity and sweetness when picking the fruits to mix/combine.

Every fruit has its own nutrient composition; so, it may be of help if you do some bit of research before exploring.

fkisakye@observer.ugTwo individuals are claiming rights over the Lango cultural institution in a rivalry threatening to tear the body apart.

Yosam Odur Ebii and Dr Michael Odongo Okune separately claim to be the legitimate elected paramount chief (won nyaci) of Lango. Each has a cabinet headed by a prime minister, Dr Richard Nam and Luciano Opio Omara, respectively.

Whereas Uganda government still recognises Odur as the gazetted paramount chief of Lango, those supporting Odongo are wondering why the central government is delaying the recognition of Odongo, following a ruling by the High Court in Odongos favour.

Peter Ocen Akalo, the member of parliament for Kole South, told The Observer the dispute has now turned into a political battle, with neither side interested in peaceful resolution. Akalo says more than 100 clan leaders out of 155 elected Odongo Okune.

The incumbent doesnt want to leave. The two camps even signed the Karuma agreement saying that Odur stays on for two years, but the two years passed long ago and he doesnt want to hand over, Akalo said.

Akalo is perplexed that there are two constitutions of the Lango cultural institution registered with the government; one says the paramount chief hands over office, while another says the chief dies in power.

As Lango parliamentary group, we even called the two to a reconciliation meeting at Lira Municipal Hall but none of them appeared. Now everything is in jeopardy! he added.

The Observer has also learnt that a mediation offer made by Kwot Lango Forum, an association of the Lango diaspora community, in June 2017 also failed to bear fruit.

Odongo was elected on February 10, 2017 and took the leadership oath on May 12, 2017, after which he was sued in the High court at Lira. An injunction was placed against his coronation. On April 12 this year, court dismissed the case with costs to the petitioner. It also upheld Odongo as the elected king of Lango.

Molly Kia, NRM womens chairperson for Dokolo district, was dismissive of the whole issue. I am not in any way interested in those paramount chiefs who mean nothing to the people. Me, I am interested in the affairs of my fathers clan and of the clan I am married in.

Simon Adoo, a magistrate in Lira and a clan leader, told The Observer that what exists now are two separate institutions: Lango Cultural Foundation of Odur and Lango Cultural Institution (aka Te Kwaro Lango) of Odongo.

He said although the Foundation was dissolved in 2012, it was later resuscitated.

As a lawyer, I was not surprised that court dismissed the case with costs. But where will the Foundation get the Shs 700 million bill of costs to pay to Te Kwaro Lango? As minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, we have been meeting these people. We want them to exit gracefully. We prefer dialogue, but they are insistent against that!

Adoo accused the Foundation leaders of wasting a lot of money in many court cases they could have honourably avoided by vacating the office of paramount chief. He says when any clan leader disagrees with them, they split up that clan, which is causing a lot of disunity in society.

Adoo said Odongos team appreciates the work done by Yosam Odur but his time has passed. They credit him for reviving the cultural institution, but they blame him and his council for failing to implement the resolutions of the Lango Conference of 2012.

jmusinguzi@observer.ugA conference called to discuss issues affecting Tororo district and its Jopadhola community over the weekend resolved to make the meeting an annual event largely to spur development.

Speaking during the inaugural conference held on August 11 at Makerere University main hall, Jerome George Osuna, chairman of the Jopadhola Community Association, underlined the theme Positioning the Jopadhola for the 21st century and beyond.

We want to see the outcome of this conference as an annual event where we can sit and discuss matters affecting Tororo and we will keep engaging with different stakeholders to come up with resolutions that can lift our region, Osuna said.

Osinde Owori (speaking), deputy prime minister, Tieng Adhola cultural institution

The gathered Jopadhhola, who turned up in in big numbers, discussed education as a tool of change, health care, culture as heritage and as a true resource history of Padhola (the land of Jopadhola people) and Tororo as an industrial city for social economic development.

Despite its rich mineral and other wealth, Tororo remains one of the poorest and worst-performing districts in education and health.

In a speech read for him by Osinde Owor, second deputy premier of the Tieng Adhola, Moses Stephen Kwar Adhola urged his people to find avenues through which they can develop and improve Padhola through unity and peace.

I earnestly urge all of you Nyikway Adhola and well-wishers interested in strong and viable growth of Padhola to set your heart on the achievement of these goals, the speech read in part.

Owor appealed to the group leaders to stick to their objectives because the name they have chosen of Jopadhola Community is considered to be open ended.

Tororo municipality MP Yeri Ofwono said, Many of those developing districts have regular meetings, educating their voters on development issues but here in Tororo, it is survival of the fittest. Our main objectives in parliament are to see development but how do we bring the national cake home, is the question.

We should stop dividing our people along tribal lines; this cannot take us anywhere. The time we spend on dividing our people, if it was spent on promoting district activities, we would be far. So, my fellow MPs, we must come together for the betterment of Padhola, he said.

alfredodcho@gmail.comUganda Police Force has resumed feeding low- ranking personnel two years after it stopped.

Police stopped the feeding programme in 2016 with the exception of Field Force Police personnel, citing lack of funds.

However, police management resolved early this year to reintroduce the facilitation both in the field and at duty stations. The standing orders provide for feeding of police officers below the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police.

IGP Okoth Ochola (R) with his deputy Muzeyi Sabiiti

Officers at the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police and above receive feeding and housing allowances on top of their salaries. The feeding allowance is Shs 15,000 per day.

Low-ranking officers are entitled to breakfast and lunch. The lunch comprises posho and beans and on special occasions rice and beef.

Those on special duty get breakfast, lunch and supper as well as water and dry rations, including biscuits, baked beans and beef.

Deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said in an interview that all officers on duty are already receiving meals.Kaberamaido police are investigating circumstances under which a suspect at Abalang police post reportedly shot and killed himself.

The deceased, Michael Enyanu, was a resident of Abiligalin village in Anyara sub-county in Kaberamaido district.

Enyanu was picked up on Sunday for alleged theft of a bicycle. Michael Odongo, the East Kyoga regional police spokesperson, said that on Monday the handcuffed suspect picked a gun belonging to a police officer attached to Abalang police and shot himself.

There is no clear information yet and I am rushing to the ground in Kaberamaido now to establish the facts. However, scanty information is that the suspect was earlier arrested for having stolen a bicycle in his locality and was detained at the newly established Abalang police post and it happens that one of the police officers sleeps in the same unipot only partitioned with a papyrus mat. Odongo said.

The suspect accessed the gun and shot himself in the head when the police officer had moved out of the house.

Jimmy Segawa Ebil, the Kaberamaido resident district commissioner, said they have detained all three police officers attached to Abalang police post, including OC Peter Ogwal at Kaberamaido Central police station.

We have arrested these officers to help us with investigations into this shocking incident because we are all wondering how a handcuffed suspect can shoot himself, Ebil said.

David Emodo, the former district chairperson and resident of Anyara sub-county, says prior to his arrest, the suspect had settled his problem with the complainants on Sunday. The community was surprised to see police officers arresting him on Monday, Emodo said.Unicef is an acronym for United Nations Childrens Fund, the conventional official short form since 1953 for what was originally United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund.

Formed in the postwar year of 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries devastated by World War II, Unicefs mandate was in 1950 expanded to handle the long-term needs of children and women in all developing countries. Consequently, it handles humanitarian and developmental assistance. It is now a permanent member of the UN family of development agencies.

Unicef has a working presence in 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children and young peoples lives, defending their rights, and to helping them achieve their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

Henrietta H. Fore, executive director, Unicef

To be able to sustain ongoing work and emergency initiatives to reach even the hardest-to-reach areas in the world, Unicef, headquartered in New York, USA, and headed by Henrietta H Fore as executive director, runs more than 150 country offices coordinated by seven regional offices that also provide technical assistance.

Unicef also has 36 National Committees for Unicef, mainly in developed countries, which carry out their mission through programs developed with host governments.

Each national committee is established as an independent local non-governmental organization, and it raises funds from the public sector through various campaigns and projects.

Unicef depends entirely on the voluntary contributions of governments and private donors like businesses, civil society, foundations and over six million individuals. Governments contribute two-thirds of the organizations annual budget.

The organization, which won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1965, commands immense global clout to influence decision-makers and its many grassroots partners to turn around innovative ideas into reality.

KEY PRINCIPLES

In addressing children and young peoples problems brought about by poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination, Unicef pays key attention to eight areas of concern:

First is child survival, whose tagline is Every child has the right to survive and thrive. Child protection and inclusion goes by the tagline Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and inclusive environment.

So, Unicef works with partners around the world to promote policies that increase access to services which protect all childre. Third is education, with tagline Every child has the right to learn.

Emergencies mitigation goes by tagline Reaching every child in emergencies. Gender is another of Unicefs key concerns, running under tagline Every girl has the right to fulfill her potential.

Innovation for children is taglined Innovating to drive results for every child. Seventh is Supply and logistics, under tagline Delivering solutions to reach every child at risk. Lastly, is Research and analysis, with tagline Using data to drive results.

jmusinguzi@observer.ugLast week, Inspector General of Police John Martins Okoth-Ochola reshuffled at least 15 senior traffic officers in the Kampala Metropolitan Area in a stern response to complaints of extortion and grand corruption brought against some of them.

The affected officers, according to people with direct knowledge of the scandal, were accused by boda boda riders of running an extortionist ring under the guise of instilling some order among the cyclists.

The reshuffle, a quick response to escalating tensions between the officers and boda boda riders, was a strong sign of the lengths to which the IGP is willing to go to fight corruption.

Many of the accused officers were transferred to far-flung districts in the countryside away from the lucrative capital city and the central Wakiso district.

Its commendable that some of the implicated officers have been placed under investigation for suspected graft.

Months into office, this new police administration is demonstrating a welcome resolve to break with the past and rebuild the forces image sullied by years of corruption and brutality.

Many changes have been made and the force appears to be on a determined march towards becoming its old professional self again.

But the turnaround will not be complete without a change in mindsets from bottom up. Lower-ranking officers must be persuaded to explore their entrepreneurial ability to supplement their poor salary instead of taking the easier route of corruption.

Almost every noble police operation has drawn public complaints of abusive policing; from drink driving crackdowns to boda boda purges, to mention but a few. Victim after victim has complained about a pattern of extortionist tendencies by some policemen.

In some instances, police officials have been accused of deliberately ignoring laid down policing guidelines. Suspected drunk drivers are locked up without their alcohol levels being tested to establish their culpability.

Almost as suddenly, drivers penalized under the express penalty scheme, are not allowed the 28 mandatory days in which to pay up as the guidelines stipulate.

Now, police officers demand on-the-spot payment at the nearest bank. All these measures are largely tailored to coerce victims into looking at bribery as an easier option.

To fight corruption, the police administration needs to be more pro-active. Its not enough to transfer the 15 errant officers from Kampala. They must be monitored wherever they are because they can easily revert to their old ways.

To encourage policemen and women to denounce corruption the new leadership should work to improve their welfare, salaries and training. Nonetheless, so far so good.The digital revolution has been disrupting business and daily life across the globe, and the pace of adoption is accelerating in Uganda.

Executives across industries are executing digital transformations as part of their corporate strategies. The National Medical Stores (NMS) has not been left behind in this digital revolution.

By applying digital technology, NMS has significantly increased visibility into its supply chain operations and makes better and faster decisions. Digitization has allowed NMS to fully integrate her supply chains and improve operational processes, making them more adaptive, responsive and transparent.

At NMS, we are hopeful that the digital revolution will make us more transparent and accountable to the Ugandan taxpayer.

For now, all MPs, DHOs, and other interested stakeholders at the ministry of Health (MOH), district or the regional referral hospitals, among others, receive SMS messages whenever NMS delivers medicine to their respective districts or health facilities.

All this is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability. We request those who receive these SMS messages to become our ambassadors.

We are also hoping that this will put to rest the blame game where NMS has been a victim of regular misrepresentation by some sections of the media and amongst the public over non-delivery or late delivery to health facilities. Yet our role as NMS is procurement, storage and distribution to the government health facilities.

NMSs new electronic system is also enhancing efficiency and speed of the distribution. Previously, NMS was using a paper-based format (Logistics Management Information System), which was always dotted with delays.

But with the digitized system, all deliveries to NMS premises by our suppliers are entered into our warehouse data base and the process of picking and packing medicine is all digitalized, thus eliminating proliferation either at the center or in the process of delivery to the districts and health centres because all our vehicles are electronically monitored and the routes are planned.

This does not only safeguard the medicines but it also brings about efficiency because the monitoring of our trucks ensures that they are only used for the right purpose.

Our fuel is also monitored and for every kilometer travelled by our vehicle, the odometer is matched and reported electronically.

Our system has evolved from the use of traditional transportation vans to a fleet of ultra-modern trucks that include those that are refrigerated, which are used to transport vaccines and other cold chain items.

The method has a tracking system which monitors the transportation of drug consignments from the NMS headquarters in Entebbe to various destinations countrywide.

From our various digital noticeboards within NMS premises, anyone is able to view where the delivery truck has reached at a particular day and time; the ones which have arrived at their destinations, etc. thus minimizing cases of fraud or loss.

At NMS, IT is no longer a boardroom matter to the extent that our delivery team must send photographs to the central delivery platform on WhatsApp NMS Group.

All this is part of a cleverly-managed process that involves surveillance at every turn, and negates any temptation for manipulation. While that is happening, our system automatically generates messages as we delivery medicine, and it will report the person who has received the medicine, the place, time, contact number for each delivery made.

From within NMS offices, we have built the capacity that enabled us to be in any part of Uganda irrespective of any road network within 12 hours and this literally means we can respond to any kind of emergency from near and afar and that we emphasize that NMS is passionate about your life.

On top of this, NMS has a Smart Care product which enables the public health facilities and the general public to give and receive feedback on the medicines and medical supplies received in real time.

Prior to the development of NMS Smart Care, public health facilities had to fill up paper-based forms and send them by courier to NMS whenever they had issues with supplies delivered by NMS.

In addition, NMS has a delivery schedule that it follows and every health facility that NMS supplies medicines has it.

NMS has six cycles and delivers medicines and other supplies at least once every two months to every government health facility. To implement this exercise successfully, NMS has also partitioned all the countrys districts into five zones and each zone has an order deadline and delivery end date.

On the preventive aspect, we are appealing to every Ugandan to ensure that they have responsibility to play before they demand their rights.

The writer is the public relations officer, National Medical Stores (NMS).I was appalled by a statement allegedly written by the president signed as Sabalwanyi, in which he claimed that judges in Uganda spend more time on form or procedure and not substance and reminded them that they are not in charge of the country.

This was the presidents reaction to the age-limit judgement, recently passed by the constitutional court siting in Mbale, in which among others held that the 7-year term extension for Members of Parliament was unconstitutional but upheld the age-limit removal.

The president referred to the petition as the un democratic age limit nonsense. He further stated that the NRM will make more constitutional reforms judges or no judges.

The statement tantamounts to an attack on the judiciary which is one of the three arms of government.

It is even more shocking for the president to react this way after the Justices ruled in his favour as a person by removing the only cap that the constitution was left with to avoid life presidency after the removal of presidential term limits in 2005.

But even if the judgement wasnt in accordance with his desires, the statement the president issued undermined the separation of powers envisioned by our Constitution.

Separation of powers

Government is made up of three major arms: the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. All these are provided for by the 1995 constitution as amended, in Chapters; six, seven and eight respectively.

The doctrine of separation of powers urges that state power should be divided amongst the three arms of government and that these should operate independently but can complement each other.

Each of these arms have their roles well laid out. In Uganda, the Constitution is supreme and not Parliament as stated under Article 2 of the 1995 Constitution.

In the Supreme court case of Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere and Another V Attorney General, Constitutional Appeal No. 1 of 2000, Justice Kanyeihamba JSC ( as he then was), stated that Unlike the unwritten British Constitution which operates under a sovereign Parliament, in Uganda its not the Parliament but the Constitution that is Supreme.

This means Parliaments role to make or amend law can be a subject of litigation. The Learned Chief Justice John D. Richard of the Federal Court of Canada, in an article entitled The Role of the Judiciary in Canada stated our declaration that the constitution is the supreme law of Canada has altered one of the fundamental principles of our Parliamentary democracy.

It has conferred upon the courts the responsibility to decide whether legislation is consistent with or offends against the Constitution.

The supervisory jurisdiction of the court is now grounded in the rule of law in the constitution and the charter This authority, though only persuasive, shades light on the supervisory role of the Courts in a democracy where the constitution is supreme.

It therefore follows that the Constitutional court by entertaining a petition challenging the manner in which the constitution had been amended was acting within its supervisory jurisdiction but not interfering with Parliamentary work.

It is against the tenets of Rule of Law, for the president to refer to the petition as age-limit nonsense or undemocratic.

Judicial independence

Article 126 of the Constitution states that judicial power is derived from the people and shall be exercised by the courts established under the constitution.

Courts act as arbiters over all disputes that may arise and by so doing maintain harmony, ensure rule of law and protect the peoples rights.

In the case of Okello Okello Livingstone V Attorney General and Another, Constitutional Petition No. 4 of 2005 b it was stated We must make it categorically clear that the doctrine of separation of powers does not bar this Court from investigating the contravention by the Legislature or the Executive in instances of clear excesses or abuse of their powers.

This implies that the courts provide a system of checks and balances on the powers of the Executive as well as that of the Legislature.

Independence of the Judiciary is provided for under Article 128 (1) which states that in the exercise of judicial power the courts shall be independent and shall not be subjected to the control or direction of any person or authority.

All organs and agencies of the state including the presidency are required by law to accord the courts support and ensure their effectiveness. No one is above the law not even the President.

Although the 1995 Constitution grants Immunity to a sitting president against being liable to proceedings in court, the same constitution requires that the president carries out his duties within the confines of the law.

Article 99(1-5) of the constitution states that the executive authority of Uganda is vested in the President who shall exercise it in accordance with constitution and laws of Uganda.

In order to uphold the Rule of Law the President should have instructed the Attorney General to appeal the decision to the supreme court

awabwezi@gmail.com

The author is a lawyerHenry Barlows poem, Building the Nation, narrates an encounter involving two public servants  a driver, and his senior colleague, a permanent secretary.

While they drove home after a function of attending to matters of state, both were yawning. While the yawns of the PS were caused by a sumptuous meal of cold Bell beer, fried chicken, ice-cream and coffee  the menus of all important functions  the yawns of his driver were caused by hunger.

As their conversation focused on the sacrifices both were making, it was clear that  despite their different ways  both had become afflicted by an ugly yawning disease, which was dangerous to their health. Barlow satirises that both men had ulcers  although the PS actually had dyspepsia.

Barlows hard-boiled cynicism in this poem succinctly captures the absurd relationship Ugandans share with their, ironically, democratically elected members of parliament.

Whilst the wananchi toil under the weight of taxes to build their nation, the members of Parliament suffer to spend the proceeds for their personal gain.

Of course, this is one of Mr Musevenis major crimes  and his collaborators. But every time we focus on the president, we tend to downgrade the agency of those acting in lower positions of authority  especially those masquerading as the opposition.

At Parliament avenue, behind those high sandy-looking walls, are a bunch of shady smartly dressed wonks cobbling an existence by cutting deals and gambling the country away.

It is a market square of sorts where the forces of demand and supply define their work. How much? What is in it for me? They ask. And with good advertising and branding, the wananchi cannot see through the horrors of these dullards.

They call their space the august Houseafter Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, and themselves, honourables. What nonsense!

During the amendment of the age-limit clause in the constitution, it became explicitly clear that even those who opposed the amendmentspecifically through debating and voting against the amendmentactually served the interests of the amendment.

Look, they had the better option of walking out, which would have enabled an ugly 100 percent pro-amendment vote.

This uncontested victory is akin to running and winning an own race, and delegitimizes the entire thing. But they didnt choose it. They then insulted our and their integrity further by pursuing a court process, which only underscores Musevenis democratic credentials.

In truth, while the wananchi mourn the amendment for its ugliness, the (opposition) MPs are also doing the same, but out of dyspepsia.

We are witnessing the limits of the anti-colonialist longing of building nations through electoral and parliamentary democracies.

These models have failed. Among other weaknesses of the modern state and electoral democracies in agrarian societies is that more organisation (of peasants and illiterates such as parliament) translates into easier manipulation and control.

My sense is that there is need to redefine parliament to realise its true functioning. My proposition is that there is need to take parliament away from Parliament avenue to the streets of Kampala and other major towns. Peasants are stronger and more coherent un-organised.

The genius of Bobi Wine [also Kizza Besigye] and recently-elected MP Asuman Basalirwa has never been their ability to deliberate on matters of state from inside the so-called august House, but on the streets of Kampala, in the courtrooms, radios and television.

Music, street campaigns have been a cause for restraint to the excesses of the merchants in government. Sadly, on the other hand, parliament  often with high drama and fanfare  has often simply endorsed these excesses.

See, this country vividly recalls how single-handedly and unorganisedly Asuman Basalirwa challenged the kingdom of Busoga over a job offer to their king from the president.

Bobi Wines rebel music has mobilised the country on matters such as HIV/AIDS, dictatorship, cronyism and several other excesses.

As we continue to appreciate the already-established activists joining parliament, we have to fall in love with their unorganising credentials.

The opposition might destroy each other but the ongoing unorganisation in the opposition is good for the country as it denies the executive the ability to control and manipulate it. Building the nation in different ways.

The author is a PhD fellow at Makerere Institute of Social Research.It aint as bad as you think. This is the first of General Colin Powells famous Thirteen Rules of Leadership.

There is always the morning after when things will look better than they seemed the previous night. When facing a turbulent time in life, sometimes it helps to let the night pass.

Someone who just arrived here and listening in on matters Ugandan opposition will think the roof has collapsed on the main opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

The party has fired a few blanks recently. In the recent by-elections across the country, FDC emerged quite beaten, the highlight being the race for Bugiri municipality MP. The needless war of words on social media ended with a heavy egg on the face of a coterie of FDC activists whose loquaciousness betrays a lack of foresight.

Then came the storm over a leadership reshuffle in parliament, contemporaneous with Kassiano Wadri, a founder-member, running as an independent against the partys official candidate in the Arua municipality parliamentary by-election.

Whichever way one looks at it, whether as a case of imprudence in sacking Winnie Kiiza as leader of opposition or the reaction by her and others sacked, it looks very bad that a political party falls short on managing the little power that comes with being the majority opposition party in parliament.

But the behaviour and conduct of opposition parties cannot be divorced from the overall nature of the political system in place.

What we have in Uganda today is essentially an authoritarian regime that uses institutions of democratic government, like parliament, as instruments of rule. Parliament, the judiciary, political parties, elections, etc. provide the facade that masks a regime whose leading architects and beneficiaries are focussed on employing all manner of tactics to remain in power.

One such tactic is to sow discord among opposition parties, encourage and sponsor politics of blackmail that ultimately seeks to portray everyone as not credible, as materially compromised. As a senior NRM MP told me at parliament last month, Musevenis most potent and highly dependable weapon today is not coercion and the military; it is money.

Because he is willing to throw money at individuals and groups that remotely threaten his increasingly tenuous hold on power, the impression created is that everyone has been financially compromised.

The upshot is to dampen any trust in alternative political leadership and to propagate the cynical view that all politicians are crooks out to pursue personal, selfish interests.

The ultimate beneficiary of this environment where broad strokes are used to paint a cynical image of all political actors is Mr Museveni, who then ironically stands on a higher political (not necessarily moral) pedestal because he is able to manipulate everyone around.

We have an environment polluted by salacious allegations about night deals and schemes involving opposition figures. True or false, it serves the overall strategy.

There is undoubtedly truth in the allegations of financial inducements thrown at opposition leaders for the simple reason that Mr Museveni is a very vulnerable ruler willing to pay his way to clinging to power.

But the mistake many are making including, unfortunately, respected and otherwise sober-minded people like former leader of opposition, Philip Wafula Oguttu, is to fall in the trap of singing along that everyone has been compromised except one individual  Kizza Besigye.

By embracing this narrative, people like Oguttu have inadvertently set up Besigye against a broad spectrum of other actors both in his party and in other opposition groups as well as sections of the ruling group that otherwise wish to see change.

Yet, as night follows day, there is no way one individual, however much popular support he commands, can defeat an entrenched military authoritarian and patronage-powered regime without the active role of not just other opposition groups but also progressive factions within the regime.

A critical part of the struggle has to include reaching out and winning over the goodwill of those inside the regime and drawing on the resources of all who are keen on change.

Propagating salacious stories of so and so went to State House for money falls perfectly in the grand scheme of the regime. Blackmailing and smearing whoever says anything remotely critical of FDC or Besigye is a very good way of serving Musevenis mission of destroying any organised and credible opposition against his rule.

There is opposition disharmony today, but there is always the morning after. The economic squeeze that many Ugandans face even as the rulers loot state resources, the mass unemployment and youth hopelessness, the regimes criminal conduct in dealing with intrepid and credible opponents, are all issues that will not go away overnight just because FDC is facing a seeming conflagration.

The struggle to free Uganda from Musevenis misrule is not any one individuals project, and nor is it the exclusive business of one party.

It is a shared agenda for which all concerned Ugandans have played varied roles in the past and will do so in the future. To press on with this agenda does not need forming a new political party; there are way too many today.

moses.khisa@gmail.com

The author is an assistant professor of political science at North Carolina State University.A video of a deformed-looking male goat has been doing the round online for over a month, with many referring to the animal as a goat monster. It turns out hes actually just a Damascus Goat.

Its true that the male in this viral video has some exaggerated facial features  disproportionately giant head, freakishly long neck, vaulted skull and weird underbite  but to be fair, the whole of the Damascus breed of goat looks like it should only exist in sci-fi or horror films. Not saying we should judge an animal by its looks alone  in fact Damascus goats are in many ways superior to most of the common-looking breeds  but theres no arguing the fact that these guys look like they ran face first into a wall at full speed.

Photo: video screengrab

Damascus goats have been bred in Syria and other Near East countries for millennia, but many of us Westerners only learned about their existence a few months ago, when an Egyptian man called Ahmed Ramadan posted a video of a bizarre looking male goat on Facebook. People were so freaked out about its appearance that they started sharing it and referring to the animal as a Goat Monster.

While the specimen in question was most likely the result of extreme animal breeding to emphasize some of the breeds physical traits, a simple Google search of Damascus goat reveals that most specimens have a very peculiar look about them. They have a blunt snout and raised nasal bridge, their ears look like cartilaginous tubes growing out of their skull and their eyes are located way up on the side of their head.



Interestingly, Damascus goats have a very normal looking snout when they are young, apparently to make it easier for them to suckle from their mothers, and only grow into their bizarre look over time. However, they are born with these extremely long ears, which are most often cut into shorter, tubular nubs.



Believe it or not, Damascus goats are valued by many for their looks, among other things. Like the Goat Monster in this viral video, some specimens are bred to sport these extreme facial features, which can apparently earn their owners more money. Believe it or not, a Damascus goat won the title of Most Beautiful Goat at the Mazayen al-Maaz competition in Riyadh, in 2008.

A post shared by Kamila (@kilagor666) on Nov 12, 2017 at 3:34am PST

As I said, there is more to Damascus goats than meets the eye. Although not as common as other more normal-looking breeds of goats, these animals are highly valued for the genetically superior quality of their milk, which apparently helps the young grow at a faster rate than other breeds, tasty meat and breeding prowess (2 to 4 kids per birth). Standing about 78 centimeters (31 inches) at the shoulder, Damascus goats are larger than most other goat breeds and yield more milk.



World News Australia once reported that the finest Damascus goats can sell for up to 250,000 Saudi Riyals ($ 67,000).



Sources: Lazer Horse, NewsweekA Chinese restaurant in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, has gone viral for selling the new worlds most expensive beef noodle soup, priced at a whopping 13,800 yuan ($2,014).

The outrageously expensive Haozhonghao Beef Noodle Soup sold at the Niu Gengtian restaurant in Shijiazhuang has been getting a lot of attention on Chinese social media after a photo of the menu showing its price went viral online. Considering that a bowl of the now second most expensive beef noodle soup sold by Taiwans Niu Ba Ba restaurant costs only $329, its easy to see why this 13,800 yuan ($2,014) soup has become the talk of the town.

Photo: Hebnews.cn

So what makes Haozhonghao soup so expensive? Well, its tough to say, really. Local media visited the restaurant and asked the manager, surnamed Yan, the same question, but didnt get much information. The man said that the delicacy is prepared using 12 very expensive ingredients  four from the sky, four from land and four from sea  but didnt go into details about them. He also mentioned that it takes 12 chefs to prepare the soup, and that an order must be placed a month in advance, so all the needed ingredients can be procured.

Haozhonghao soup was added to the restaurants menu six months ago, and Yan said that he has sold four bowls of it since then to financially well-off business owners. In response to accusations that he is scamming his customers, the manager said that the cost of the ingredients and of the cooking process is so high that he doesnt really make any money selling the soup.

Photo: Twoeggz.com

At first, most people who saw the photo of the menu and the 13,800 yuan price thought that it was a joke or a simple typo, but Sin Chew Daily and other media outlets that visited the restaurant later confirmed that the price was real.

In light of these revelations, Chinese netizens joked that the beef noodle soup was more expensive than a cow, while others accused management of using it as a gimmick to promote the restaurant. Some even notified the Xiaxi District Pricing Bureau of Shijiazhuang City about the outrageously priced soup, but officials there put out a statement that as long as the price is clearly stated to customers, there is nothing illegal about it, so the bureau has no right to intervene.



So if youve got $2,000 to burn on a soup, head on over to Shijiazhuang. Just remember that you have to order it a month in advance, so better plan in advance.An English army captain recently smashed his way out of a barracks toilet after being stripped naked and locked in there by soldiers during a drunken prank. He is now being investigated and will most likely have to pay for the damages.

The incident took place last last week, in the barracks of an Army bomb disposal unit, at Carver Barracks in Essex, England. The unnamed captain and his soldiers started drinking last Tuesday, right after he attended a formal ceremony to mark the reformation of 49 Field Squadron. Army sources who preferred to remain anonymous claims that at one point, the captain fell asleep, and the soldiers stripped him naked and locked him in a disabled toilet, as a prank.

Photo: Daily Mail

After about six hours, the captain woke up and demanded that the soldiers let him out, but they just laughed and told him that they would only open the door if he gave them a pay raise.

When he woke up he started banging on the door, screaming at the blokes to let him out. They replied theyd only let him out if he gave them a pay rise, a source told the Daily Mail. Then he went on the rampage, demolishing the toilet and repeatedly smashing the rail against one of the walls. He made a big enough dent that he could then hack away at the plaster and climb out. The blokes found it hilarious. Hes in trouble rather than them because he should never have got drunk in their rooms.

As you can see in the pictures, the man managed to do some serious damage to the wall, so the incident had to be reported to military police the next morning. He left behind a huge pile of wall debris, as well as pieces of the broken toilet and metal rail scattered on the floor. Its actually quite impressive, if you think about it, a drunk, naked man locked in a tiny room with no tools, tearing through a wall.

Photo: Daily Mail

Hopefully, hell eventually see the funny side. At least it was an impressive display of initiative, how he used the tools at his disposal to complete a difficult task, while heavily intoxicated, the source said.

British media reports that as long as he pays for the damage he did to the toilet, the army captain is not expected to face any serious charges and should be able to keep his post.

We are aware of an incident at Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Essex. It is being investigated by the Royal Military Police, the Army said in a statement.A cafe in Venice, Italy has been slammed as a tourist trap after recently charging a man 43 ($50) for two espressos and two small bottles of water.

Venices St. Marks Square is known for its notoriously pricey cafes and restaurants, but one such establishment has been getting a lot of negative attention online after a bill of 43 for two espressos and two small bottles of water went viral online. Juan Carlos Bustamente, a 62-year-old Chilean political consultant currently living in Italy, posted the receipt from Caffe Lavena on his Facebook page and it quickly went viral, with many commenters expressing their outrage about the insanely high prices.

Photo: ChrisSampson87/Wikimedia Commons

I dont know how you feel about it, but 43 euros for two coffees and two bottles of water is outrageous! Bustamante wrote on his Facebook page, and most people seem to agree with him. Posted about a week ago, the the 62-year-olds photo of the receipt has been shared nearly 10,000 times on Facebook alone and has received over 1,800 comments, mostly from outraged people.

Bustamantes Facebook post eventually received worldwide media attention, which prompted a reaction from Caffe Laverna. A spokesperson recently told reporters that prices are very clearly stated in the menus, but tourists just dont pay attention to them and then end up complaining when they get the bill.

People get annoyed when the bill arrives because they do not listen when we hand them the menu even though it states clearly enough that prices are higher to sit outside. They just wave us away and if we insist they get irritated. the spokesperson said. If they just want a coffee they can have it at the bar for 1.25 euros. If they want to sit outside and enjoy the music of the orchestra, look at the bell tower and the Basilica of St Marks, then they are paying for an entirely different experience.

This explanation didnt seem to appease the outraged masses, many of whom took to TripAdvisor reviews to recount their own negative experiences at Caffe Laverna.

We naively didnt look at the menu before ordering water and coffee for a family of five. 78 (69)!!! Including 11 (9) per latte and 9 (8) for a glass of milk for a three year old. Avoid at all costs, one tourist wrote.

Positives: the view, the music, the Aperol spritz. Negatives: the price which suggests the plates are made of gold and the food would be Michelin star (spoiler: its not), another person poster on TripAdvisor.

The Telegraph recently reported that Caffe Laverna has had to deal with complaints about its outrageous prices for years. For example, in 2013, after a group of patrons took to Facebook to express their outrage about their 95 ($109) receipt for four espresso coffees laced with liqueurs. Then-manager Massimo Milanese offered a very similar explanation:

The prices are there for everyone to see, there really is no doubt. It is for customers to decide whether they want to have a coffee standing up at the bar, or to sit down in the piazza. The cafe was established in 1750 so we are one of the most historic in Venice. It was patronised by Richard Wagner and many other famous people. Its part of the citys history.

But while Caffe Laverna may be in the spotlight right now, its certainly not the only cafe in Venice to charge outrageous prices for what the call the experience. With an increasing number of complaints from tourist regarding this practice, the citys mayor promised to investigate and step in if necessary.

If this disgraceful episode is confirmed, well do all we can to punish those responsible. We are for justice  always, mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in response to the case of four Japanese tourists who had allegedly been charged 100 for a plate of fried fish, four steaks and a bottle of wine at an unnamed restaurant close to St Marks Square.11 years ago, UK resident Amethyst Realm gave up on relationships with men in order to have sex with ghosts. Now she claims to have started a pretty serious relationship with an incorporeal being; she even hopes that there is a way for the pair to start a family together.

Amethyst is a 30-year-old spiritual guidance counselor who claims that over the last decade, she has had 20 different sexual encounters with ghostly apparitions. During a recent trip to Australia, she claims to have met her new long-term lover. Amethyst claims that the spirit returned with her to the UK. 6 months after their first meeting, the relationship is still going strong. While she is not able to see her ghostly lover, she says she is able to communicate with it and also engage in intercourse. While she is not able to say for certain if the ghost is male or female, she believes that the connection between the two is genuine.

Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay

One day, I was walking through the bush, enjoying nature, I suddenly felt this incredible energy. I knew a new lover had arrived, the young woman said. Its pretty serious, in fact we have been thinking about having a ghost baby. I know that sounds crazy but Ive been looking into it and I dont think its totally out of the question.

Amethyst believes that it is possible for some women to be impregnated by ghosts, but because the human body and mind are not able to properly process the experience, the pregnancy will not go to term. In fact, she believes that phantom pregnancies can be explained as ghost babies that are trapped in human bodies. Still, she remains optimistic that she can find some way around these limitations: I just havent worked it out yet.

The spiritual guidance counselor claims she has always been able to communicate with ghosts; however, her first experience with paranormal sex was unexpected. She describes how she felt a presence in a home she moved into with her fiance 10 years ago. When her fiance went away on a trip, she decided to try and take things further.

It was kind of like a weight, I felt a pressure on my thighs. At the same time physical breath, and stroking, she described the experience.

After this occurrence, Amethyst believes that the ghost revealed itself to her fiance.



I think it was in love with me too and it wanted me to end the relationship, she recalls.

For Amethyst, her encounters with various spirits are always unique: You can always feel the difference, its the same with different humans, they have different energies.

Christopher French, a professor of psychology, believes he can provide a rational explanation for the experiences Amethyst has had: Sleep paralysis is common  20 to 40 per cent of people say theyve experienced it  and is the state between sleep and wakefulness when you realise you cant move. In a smaller percentage of the population, you get associated symptoms that can be very scary. One thats commonly reported is a sense of a presence  something or someone in the room with you.

You can also get hallucinations where you see dark shadows or monstrous figures, you can get auditory hallucinations  you hear voices, footsteps  and also tactile hallucinations. You can feel as if youre being held, you might feel as if someone is breathing on the back of your neck, you can feel as if youre being dragged out of the bed, French added.

So are Amethysts experiences simply sleep paralysis? She certainly doesnt think so, and will continue to explore the possibility of having a child with her ghostly lover.A solid majority of American voters disagrees with president Trump's contention that the media are the enemy of the people, according to a poll released Aug. 14 by Quinnipiac University National Poll.

Sixty-five percent of respondents call the media an important part of democracy, while 26 percent consider the press the enemy of the poll.

Trump's attack on the media has gained some traction among Republican voters as a bare majority (51 percent) consider the press the enemy.

Thirty-six percent of the GOP group says the media are a key part of democracy.

Quinnipiac found that less than half of voters (44 percent) express concern that Trump's anti-media rhetoric could result in violence against media people.

There was a sharp split among Democrats and Republicans on the violence issue (76 percent to 14 percent).

Voters aren't buying into Trump's claim that special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a "witch hunt."

More than half (51 percent) of voters agree that Mueller is conducting a fair investigation into possible coordination between the Trump presidential campaign and the Russian government.

A third of respondents dont think Mueller is conducting a fair probe.

Emily K. Graham

FleishmanHillard has appointed Emily K. Graham, senior vice president and partner, to co-lead of its financial and professional services sector in the Americas. Graham joined the agency in 2017 to lead financial services market growth in New York. Before joining FleishmanHillard, she was group vice president, corporate communications at MWWPR and a public relations manager at Burson-Marsteller, leading efforts for such clients as U.S. Trust, Accenture, Southwest Airlines, Deloitte and Morgan Stanley. In her new role, Graham will partner with sector co-lead Tom Laughran, senior vice president and partner in the Chicago office, to further build and expand relationships with clients and prospects in financial services and professional services.



Shaun Beaumont

Manifest New York has added Shaun Beaumont and David Watsky to its team. Beaumont, who is joining the firm as vice president of brand, was previously creative director at integrated creative commnications agency ilk. He was also an early collaborator in the creation of Manifest London, the sister agency of Manifest New York. He will be tasked with scaling up the agencys branding capabilities, as well as being responsible for the continued roll-out of its BrandManifesto process. Watsky, who will be MNYs account director, comes to the agency from DKC, where he worked on such accounts as Champagne Bollinger and Grubhub. He has also worked for EVINS Communications. At MNY, Watskys remit includes helping bridge the gap between Manifests offices in London, Stockholm and New York.



Alyssa Schmid

NYC & Company has brought on Alyssa Schmid as director, communicationsdomestic and promoted Britt Hijkoop to director, communicationsinternational. Schmid joins NYC & Company from Lou Hammond Group, where she worked for more than six years, most recently as a vice president. In that role, she supervised multiple travel and lifestyle accounts. Prior to Lou Hammond, she held positions at CityBuzz and Quinn. Hijkoop has been with NYC & Company since 2012, most recently as senior manager, international PR. She works with NYC & Companys network of 16 international press representatives serving more than 25 global markets, assists in the execution of international press conferences and activations, and contributes to the organizations travel, lifestyle and influencer media relations efforts globally.



Dan Beltramo

AirPR, which provides analytics, insights and measurement solutions for the PR industry, has named Dan Beltramo CEO. Beltramo comes to AirPR from Nielsen, where he served as executive vice president, product leadershipmarketing effectiveness. Before that, he was co-founder and CEO of crowd-sourced market research platform Vizu. He also serves on the board of directors of cloud-based personalized video programming system IRIS.TV and market research platform Discuss.io. In his new role, Beltramo will apply his expertise in the TV ad space to PR analytics. AirPR has made several other additions to its executive team over the past several months, including Sean ONeal, who has come on as president after serving as president of Adaptly; former Dell executive Judy Luk-Smit, who is now AirPR vice president of product; former Oracle Data Cloud executive Rogier de Haas, who serves as vp, sales; and former Adobe marketing analyst Doug Miller, who is managing the firms customer success program.TURNER has added Resorts World Bimini and Hilton Miami Downtown to its roster of hospitality clients. Home to the largest marina in the Bahamas, Resorts World Bimini is only 50 nautical miles from South Florida and is one of the only pet-friendly resorts on the island of Bimini. The resort offers over 10,000 feet of flexible indoor & outdoor meeting space and has 10 restaurants, bars and cafes. Hilton Miami Downtown is situated in Miamis Performing Arts District. The property recently underwent a $45 million-dollar extensive renovation project and has 527 guest rooms and suites, as well as a rooftop pool deck and 45,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. TURNER has offices in New York, Chicago, Miami and Denver, and will soon be opening a new location in Los Angeles.

Lou Hammond Group has added Blade and Bow, Grand Luxury Group, Flightgiftcard and Hotelgift to its client roster. LHG will work on public relations, digital marketing and positioning for each client. Blade and Bow is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Grand Luxury Group includes 350 properties in 50 countries, offering clients an array of upscale services and benefits. Flightgiftcard and Hotelgift are two cards from Locada B.V. that give recipients flexibility when they book flights and hotel stays. LHG has also expanded its association with the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens to provide creative, advertising and social media services. The agency will also be working on projects for Natural World Safaris, which offers wildlife and natural world tours, and Leo Trippi, a luxury ski specialist offering access to luxury chalets and apartments globally.

William Mills Agency has entered into a partnership with Validis, a data sharing and standardization technology used by three of the big four accounting firms and 80 percent of the Tier 1 banks in the U.K. WMA will work with Validis on the companys continued expansion, particularly within the U.S. The companys technology provides a way for lenders to acquire a small business borrowers financial data by connecting them directly to the borrowers accounting application. The Validis board is headed by Don Robert, former CEO of Experian; Lindsey McMurray, founder of Pollen Street Capital; and Joe Schull, who serves as head of Europe for private equity firm Warburg Pincus and is chairman of Warburg Pincus International LLC. . Both of our teams possess years of experience and deep ties to the financial industry, said Valdis CEO Joel Curry. This was a key factor in our decision to partner with them.Virgin Hyperloop One, the high-speed transit venture co-owned by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, has retained government affairs and strategic communications firm Atlas Crossing for representation before Congress on transportation issues.

The Virgin Hyperloop One transportation system utilizes a futuristic technology concept first proposed by Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk, wherein pods propelled by magnets and a linear electric motor can shuttle passengers or freight through steel tubes over vast distances in environments free of air resistance, at speeds in excess of 600 miles per hour.

A prototype for the system, which has received $295 million in funding to date, is currently being tested in the Nevada desert.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the first Hyperloop route would be built in India, connecting the cities of Mumbai and Pune by 2024.

Another proposed stateside Hyperloop line, which was recently named project finalist in a years-long competition to host the technology, suggests creating a multi-city route that would connect Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh, allowing riders to potentially travel between Columbus and Chicago in 30 minutes.

Atlas will work to educate Capitol Hill policymakers on the technology, according to lobbying registration documents filed with Congress in August.

The account will be managed by Atlas Crossing founder and CEO Sean Joyce, who was previously chief of staff to Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and former legislative director and communications director to Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA).The Restaurants Association of Ireland has called on the government to retain the lower 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector in order to save thousands of jobs.

A recent report published by the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) has revealed that 1,247 new jobs in the Accommodation and Food Services sector have been created in County Offaly since the introduction of the reduced VAT rate of 9% in July 2011.

This report identifies the direct and indirect employment associated with the introduction of the reduced VAT rate of 9%.

Between Q2 2011 and Q1 2018, the number of people working in the Accommodation & Food Services sector nationally increased by 54,400, taking total employment from 117,300 to 171,700 on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The sector also accounted for 7.7% of total employment in the economy in the first quarter of 2018.

At a national level, the increase in indirect employment as a result of the job creation in the Accommodation & Food Services sector is estimated at 25,024. The increase in direct and indirect employment is estimated at 79,424.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland today is urging Government to retain the 9% VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality industry as they believe it has improved the competitiveness of the sector, while "ensuring the viability of many small businesses that have been going through challenging times." The RAI is asking Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe T.D, not to return the VAT rate to 13.5%.

"In Q1 2018, it is estimated that 2,815 workers were employed directly in the Accommodation and Food Services sector in County Offaly. The total gross annual wage paid to those workers was 65 million. The total net annual wage paid to those workers was 57.8 million. The payroll taxes accruing to the Exchequer from this employment was 14.4 million.Indirect employment as a result of direct employment in the sector is estimated at 1,295," a statement read.

"Total employment in the Accommodation and Food Services sector in County Offaly increased by 854 between Q2 2011 and Q1 2018. The total gross annual wage paid to those extra workers is 19.8 million. The total net annual wage paid to those extra workers is 17.6 million. The payroll taxes accruing to the Exchequer from this extra employment is 4.4 million. Indirect employment as a result of the change in direct employment in the sector is estimated at 393."

Speaking about the success of the reduced VAT rate in recent years, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said: In terms of creating new jobs in the hospitality sector, the introduction of the 9% VAT rate in July 2011 has been a major driver of local employment growth."

"In Q1 2018 alone, 171,700 workers were employed directly in the Accommodation and Food Services sector and the total gross annual wage paid to those workers was 3.98 billion. Total employment in the Accommodation and Food Services sector has increased by 54,400 people between Q2 2011 and Q1 2018. The impact the reduced VAT rate has had on this growth cannot be underestimated.

There has been strong growth in the number of overseas trips to Ireland since the 9% VAT rate was introduced in July 2011. Between 2011 and 2017 there has been an increase of 52.7% in the number of overseas visitors to Ireland. This growth is due to a number of factors, but the impact that the reduced VAT rate has had on the competitiveness of the Irish tourism product is significant. This increase in visitor numbers, resulted in an increase of 1.97 billion in overseas tourist expenditure.

The 2018 report recognises tourism as Irelands most important indigenous sector, providing considerable employment across Ireland. In the context of a country where there is a strong imperative to boost employment and economic activity, the ongoing health of the sector is of vital importance.

The RAI believe that the lower VAT rate is an important component of the tourism sector and the introduction of an increased VAT rate would only serve to undermine the competitiveness of the industry and the viability of many small businesses across Ireland.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you have a story for us, sports news, an event happening in your area, or if you want to submit pictures or videos, contact the Waterford Live team via email to news@waterfordlive.ie, or through our Facebook.AAP backs Mamata, says opposition unity is need of the hour

AAP used my surname in 2014 election despite my protest: Ashutosh

Ashutosh ends AAP innings, cites personal reason for resignation

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh quit the party today. He cited personal reasons for his decision.

AAP will not join opposition alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha polls: Kejriwal

Announcing his resignation in a tweet, the leader said: "Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end.I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason.Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout.Thanks."

Congress snubs AAP; to contest all seven seats in Delhi

The 53 year old had left journalism in 2014 to join AAP. It may be recalled that there was a rift within the party over the Delhi's three Rajya Sabha seats earlier this year.

Kejriwal had nominated Sushil Gupta, Narayan Das Gupta and Sanjay Singh for the party's Rajya Sabha seats, upsetting several aspirants.Revealed: This is what the Chinese are doing at Doklam

To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

Chinese transgression in Ladakh: Activity not unusual say sources

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: A year after the Doklam standoff, there has now been Chinese activity reported in Ladakh.

A group of Chinese Army personnel intruded around 300 metres into the Demchok area in eastern Ladakh and pitched four tents in the area last month, official sources said.

They said the Chinese troops came to the Indian side of the border in the garb of nomads and pitched the tents.

The sources said transgression took place in the first week of July and days later, four out of the five tents were removed by the Chinese troops after the Indian side officially took up the matter with their local commander.

A source told OneIndia that this is not unusual activity. However all such incidents will be taken up at the appropriate level and sorted. The source however added that the incident is not being taken lightly and would be raised with the authorities concerned.

The number of transgressions by the Chinese Army into the Indian territory rose to 426 in 2017 from the 273 in 2016, according to official figures.

The latest incident of intrusion came nearly a year after Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28 last year.

Revealed: This is what the Chinese are doing at Doklam

Brigadier level talks

There has been some amount of activity reported at the Demchok sector by the Chinese. Troops of the People's Liberation Army had recently pitched five tents in the Demchok sector of eastern Ladakh.

While four tents were removed after brigadier level talks, one still remains. The PLA soldiers, according to sources had come into Indian territory in the first week of July. They had posed as nomads with cattle and entered Indian territory, despite India conducting banner drills and telling them to go back.

While four tents were taken down, the Chinese however complained that the Ladakh administration was attempting to construct a road in the Nerlong area.

The Brigadier level talks would continue to ensure that such transgressions do not take place. Sources said that India keeps a close watch on the situation and would ensure that matters do not escalate.

Chinese soldiers intruded India posing as nomads in July

Engaging Bhutan in Doklam:

Meanwhile a parliamentary panel has suggested that India must encourage Bhutan to increase deployment of soldiers around the Northern Doklam area in the Sikkim sector to check Chinese activity.

The Parliamentary Panel on External Affairs, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, felt that increasing the number of soldiers in North Doklam was important for safeguarding India's strategic interests in the region. The draft report, circulated among the panel's members on August 6, did not clarify whether the committee was favouring increasing the deployment of Indian troops in the region.Congress MLA writes to PM Modi to do away with Mahatma Gandhi's portrait from Rs 2000 notes

India has over 5,000 years of history, can't consider Gandhi as father of nation: Savarkar's grandson

Civil Disobedience - How Gandhiji turned the national movement into a mass movement

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The Civil Disobedience Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, in the year 1930 was an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism. It had a more visible impact than the non-cooperation movement ten years earlier.

Why Gandhi started Civil disobedience movement?

In March 1930, Gandhiji wrote in the newspaper, Young India, that he might suspend his civil disobedience or law-breaking movement if the government accepted his eleven-point demands. But Lord Irwin's government did not respond. So, Gandhiji started the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The Launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement

On the historic day of 12th March 1930, Gandhi inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi Salt March, where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British Government.

Followed by an entourage of seventy nine ashramites, Gandhi embarked on his march from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

On 6th April 1930, Gandhi with the accompaniment of seventy nine satyagrahis, violated the Salt Law by picking up a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore. They manually made salt on the shores of Dandi.

A mass approach

Dandi Salt March had an immense impact on the entire nation. Each and every corner of the country was gripped in a unique fervor of nationalism. Soon this act of violation of the Salt Laws assumed an all India character.

The Dandi March aroused great enthusiasm among the people. Everywhere the people began to break the law by selling banned political pamphlets, by showing defiance of section 144 and by with holding rents. Gandhiji called upon the women to begin spinning. In response to his call women took to spinning they also started picketing at the door of Government offices and foreign-goods shops. This participation of the women was a new thing in the freedom struggle.

The movement was very tense in Bengal and the north-west. Sarojini Naidu came to the forefront during this movement. In the north-west the most famous leader was Abdul Gaffar Khan, knick-named as "Frontier Gandhi".

Significance

 The movement marked an important state in the progress of the freedom struggle.

 The movement received global attention.

 Imports from Britain had fallen considerably.

 The participation of the Muslims was significant.

 Even middle and upper class Muslim women were active.

The Civil Disobedience Movement was not successful. But it prepared the people of India for great sacrifice. It was a good training for the people. Unlike the Non-cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement increased the popularity of the Congress.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 7:55 [IST]From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while delivering his fifth Independence Day address said that in order to fulfil the dreams of Indians, Baba Saheb Ambedkar gave us the Constitution which has been a guide for our country and taking forward the people.

While referring to the monsoons, he said that the nation had witnessed good rains, but at the same time parts of India had been affected by flooding. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to this.

Don't let contentious issues distract us: President Kovind's I-day message to nation

Modi who is delivering his last Independence Day speech before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was sporting a white attire with a saffron turban.

He went on to speak about the productive Monsoon session of Parliament. He said that the session was devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission. Dalits, women and other weak sections of the society have been empowered.

He said 125 crores Indians did not just stop at forming the government in 2014, instead, they continuously strive to make the country better. This is the strength of India. Referring to Aurobindo, Modi said Our country is not just an imagination but a huge power which brings us together.

Civil Disobedience - How Gandhiji turned the national movement into a mass movement

Speaking about the government's work of four years, he said that if we would have at the 2013 speed, it would have taken a century to make India open defecation free or electrifying every part of the country or even providing LPG gas connections to every women in rural and urban areas. Had we worked at the 2013 speed (UPA regime), an entire generation would have taken a century to connect with optical fibre, Modi also said.

We are proud of what we have achieved, but we also need to look where we have come from. That is when we will realise the unbelievable strides that the nation has taken, Modi further said.

It is the same land, same sky, same sea, government offices, but in the pat four India has moved ahead with new zeal and hence today twice as many highways have been constructed. A record number of crops have been produced and a record number of mobile phones have been manufactured, Modi said.

OROP:

Talking about Digital India, Modi said that the government is working with the aim of becoming a digital country. We are combining spiritual, sciences to bring in developments in various sectors. Our forces are working tirelessly across the country in every part of the country helping the common people. The same forces are also capable of successfully conducting surgical strikes when called into actions.

Modi further added that the veterans of the Armed Forces were demanding One Rank One Pension. However no body was listening to them. When we came to power, we took the decision to provide them OROP. We have the acumen to take bold decisions, Modi further added.India takes pride in having largest vaccination programme in the world: PM Modi

From 2014 to 2021: A look at Narendra Modi's Independence Day Turban tradition

Google marks Indias 72nd Independence Day with colourful doodle

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 15: Google Doodle, the search giant on Wednesday marked the 72nd anniversary of India's Independence with a colourful and artistic doodle inspired by the nation's truck art.

[Independence Day 2018: With a clarion call for social justice, Modi sounds 2019 poll bugle]

The doodle features a couple of peacocks crossing their beaks in an intimate gesture, flanked on both sides by a Bengal tiger and an Asian elephant. Other elements in the doodle comprise a pool of water studded with lilies, a sun rising in the backdrop and a riot of colourful flowers.

[From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch]

Independence Day is annually celebrated as a national holiday on August 15 to commemorate India's independence from the United Kingdom on that very date in 1947.

[Modi bats for women empowerment, speaks of triple talaq says rapists won't be spared]

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Prasar Bharati has partnered with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the Independence Day programme live online.PM Modi to hold meeting with Pope in Vatican today

Meeting between PM Modi, Pope scheduled for 20 minutes goes on for an hour

Here is what Modi wore during his Independence Day address

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today continued his tradition of wearing turbans at the Independence Day celebrations and sported a saffron turban during his address at the Red Fort.

Modi had worn an orange and green coloured Jodhpuri bandhej safa for his maiden Independence day speech as Prime Minister in 2014.

From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch

He continued the tradition by wearing a turban with red and green stripes with a long safa in 2015 while he wore a red-pink-yellow coloured Rajasthani safa in 2016.

Last year, the Prime Minister had chosen an off-white and yellow-red turban with a long trail.

Modi bats for women empowerment, speaks of triple talaq says rapists won't be spared

The country celebrated its 72nd Independence Day today where Modi addressed the people of India from the ramparts of Red Fort.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 9:34 [IST]How did these Rohingya Muslims in Hyderabad raise Rs lakh to obtain a voter ID

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Hyderabad, Aug 15: All it took was a power bill for these Rohingya Muslims to obtain Indian identification cards. Four Rohingyas were arrested in Hyderabad with Indian identification cards. Another person who helped them obtain these cards too has been taken into custody.

At the time of the arrest, the police also recovered UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards as refugees.

Trafficking, terror and now hawala: India sits on a ticking time bomb of 40,000 Rohingya Muslims

The police arrested the four persons from Balapur. Those arrested have been identified as Mohammed Elias, 31, his wife Yasmeen Aira Begum, 25, Noor Rashid 26, and Murshid Alam, 22, of Akran district of Myanmar.

The police say that these persons came to India five years back and settled down at the Wadi-e-Omar area as refugees. They had been working as construction workers in the city along with several others.

Rohingya Muslims living dangerously close to Army installations in Hyderabad under scanner

With the government getting strict with the refugees living illegally, these persons approached Mohammad Bin Omer and Ahsan Zia Ansari. Both had assured the Rohingyas of help in return for some money.

During the investigations, it was found that the duo had taken Rs 1 lakh from the Rohingyas to prepare the documents. Omer first arranged for a voter identification card, by producing an electricity bill. While doing so, he had told the authorities that these persons were living as tenants in his house. He then went on to arrange for an Aadhaar card with the help of the voter ID.

Hyderabad police officials say that this is a huge racket and they are now unearthing how many more such cases are there in the city. While probing the case, the police realised that the touts were able to arrange for valid identification cards with ease. However the police were tipped off about this case, following which a raid was conducted.

JMB terrorists arrested in Delhi were trying to activate Rohingya module

In Hyderabad there is a huge settlement of Rohingya Muslims. Intelligence Bureau officials tell Oneindia that the Rohingyas have been able to live illegally with ease, thanks to local help and also the touts who are present in large numbers.

What is more interesting is that these Rohingyas who had fled the country in distress managed to arrange for Rs 1 lakh to pay off the tout. The investigation would also focus on this aspect and try to find out if someone is funding them as well to obtain fake documents.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 8:35 [IST]Independence Day 2018: With a clarion call for social justice, Modi sounds 2019 poll bugle

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 15: India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day, today. On August 15, 1947, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the Tricolour for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi to mark India's freedom from the British rule. Since then, Prime Minister's speech from the Red Fort has remained a hallmark of Independence Day celebrations.

PM Modi today touched upon a wide range of topics in his speech. He said codemned the incidents of rapes across the country and stressed on the importance of women empowerment. He said that on Kashmir, the government would follow former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's approach. Modi announced some schemes and highlighted the achievements of his government since 2014.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's speech:

Newest First Oldest First On this Independence Day my best wishes to all Indians. As we celebrate our independence as a nation, let us remember all those brave men and women, our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices and dedication helped us win our independence.



Jai Hind. #HappyIndependenceDay  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 15, 2018 Rahul Gandhi wishes nation on Independence Day. Modi meets children at Red Fort. Children enthusiastically rush forward to meet and shake hands with the PM. Children are excited, a healthy jostling can be seen among children to meet the PM. Just before stepping into the car, PM Modi waves at the crowd and cheers erupt among those who have gathered at Red Fort to listen to the PM. Modi waves at kids who in turn wave PM back. Patriotic songs are being played at Red Fort, as PM Modi descends from the podium. "We won't stop, won't bend and we won't get tired. We will write our own destiny, this is new India. we want to touch the sky and create a new India," Prime Minister ends his speech with 'Jai Hind'. PM Modi's poetic lines during the speech.. We will neither stop, nor will we bog down; On the path of progress, we will constantly move forward. I am glad that AFSPA has been revoked in Tripura and Meghalaya, along with several districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Maoists shed blood and then run and hide in the forests. Left Wing Extremism used to affect 126 districts, but now it is limited to just 90, says Narendra Modi. Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts, says Modi. We want peace, not bullets in Kashmir, says Modi. Modi vows to follow Atal Bihari Vajpayees path to resolve Kashmir issue. Recalls famous "Insaaniyat, Jamooriyat and Kashmiriyat" quote. He says the government will work towards ensuring peace in kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. I want to tell my Muslim sisters, Triple Talaq is a social evil. We brought in a law to weed out triple talaq menace, but some have opposed it. I assure my Muslim sisters that we will get it passed, says PM. Law order is strong speedy trials are ensuring speedy justice. A trial was completed in Madhya Pradesh in a swift manner, perpetrators have been sent to the gallows, says Modi. Rapes are painful. We have to free the nation from this menace. We have to ensure that such demonic acts are punished, says Modi. Women are contributing to every aspect of nation's development, women are there from Parliament to Pnachayat, says Modi. We should be proud that there are 3 women judges in Supreme Court. Its a matter of pride, says Modi. The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare, says PM. I call on honest people, to take part in nation's development...I will not spare the corrupt. Power brokers have vanished from the streets of Delhi, says Modi. I want to tell honest tax payers, that it is their money that is being used for welfare schemes. An honest tax payer should feel that when he is eating food, three more poor families are eating because of tax payed by him, says Modi. Several schemes have been launched in the past, but they never reached people. There were middle men involved to usurp the benefit meant for the poor. There were obstacles which prevented benefits of the government schemes from reaching the poor. We removed this, he says. PM Modi announces Aayushman Bharat Scheme to empower the poor. Empowering the poor and eradicating the poverty should be our aim. No poor wants to pass on poverty as legacy to next generation, says Modi. PM Modi announces Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna. Poor will be able to get quality health care, no one should be deprived of quality health care, he says. Mahatma Gandhi stressed a lot on cleanliness, We must ensure that nation is clean, this would be our biggest gift to Bapu on his 150th birth anniversary, Modi says. Some made fun of me when i spoke about Swacch Bharat Mission during my first address. Now, WHO has said that improved sanitation levels have saved almost 3 lakh lives, says Modi. Farmers are making progress, they are thinking about solar farming now, says Modi. Recalling Mahatama Gandhi, Modi said Bapu stressed on Khadi and Khadi exports have been higher than ever before. We are progressing in a planned way in the field of agriculture, we are make rapid strides, we have framed policies to truly benefit the farmers, he says. India is heading international solar alliance, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while lauding India's success to launch Mangalyaan. He applauds India's scientists. PM Modi announces manned mission to space in 2022. I make this announcement today, before 2022, an Indian will be in space. One of us will carry tricolour to the space that too on a Indian mission, says Modi. The crux of Modis speech would be about the empowerment of the poor. Modi is likely to speak about opportunity and empowerment of the poor in a big way. He is likely to target the opposition on vote bank politics and also speak about how it did not benefit the needy one bit. Modis speech to be live-streamed on YouTube When we provide better weapons for soldiers, develop supply-chains for defence equipment in our country itself, and offer welfare facilities to the soldiers, we create India of the dreams of our freedom fighters, Kovind also said. In his televised address to the nation, President Ramnath Kovind, recalled Mahatma Gandhi's "most noble mantra" on the power of ahinsa (non-violence) being far greater than the power of hinsa (violence), remarks that come against the backdrop of incidents of lynching and mob violence in some parts of the country. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Prasar Bharati has partnered with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the Independence Day programme live online. Former Prime Ministers, Manmohan Singh, H D Deve Gowda are at the Red Fort where the PM will hoist the Tricolour. Union Minister J P Nadda, and senior BJP leader, L K Advani too are present. Independence Day greetings to the people of India. Jai Hind! #IndependenceDayIndia



         !  !  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018 Prime Minister Modi greets the nation on the occasion of Indias 72nd Independence Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Red Ford Fort has been put on heavy security cover. There are 70,000 Delhi Police personnel guarding the national capital and close to 10,000 cops have been deployed at the Fort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly. PM Modi unfurls the national flag at Red Fort. PM Modi wishes the nation on Independence Day. "Country has reached heights, there is optimism around," he says. "We are celebrating Independence Day at a time when women have done us proud, women have scaled the Everest, they have gone acrosse the world and made Tricolour proud," Modi says. "Bills were passed in Parliament that would empower the backward, several other important were passed," Modi says. We re celebrating Independence day at a time when therte is optimism about economy. India is now 6th largest economy in the world, says Modi. For the tricolour to fly high, our armed forces are to to credited. I bow to our forces who have kept the country safe, he says. There were good rains across the country, it is good for farmers. But there is also suffering due to floods. I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to floods, says Modi. PM Modi recalls a quote by Subramanian Bharti. When 125 crore people make up their minds, then everything is possible.. In 2014, people did not form government, they decided to make the nation, says Modi. The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission, says Modi. Country has progressed rapidly since 2014. Weather constructing toilets, providing electricity to villages or providing LPG connections, there has been significant progress, says Modi. In a veiled attack on UPA government, Modi said that had the pace of electrification of villages been the same as it was in 2013, then it would have taken decades more. "If laying of fibre optics had been done at the same pace at it was till 2013, it would have taken many decades more" he says. Resolve of the government is important. We were committed to wipe out hoarding of balck money. We brought in laws, we brought in economic offenders act... We have acted against benami properties, says PM. We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realize the unbelievable strides the nation has taken, says PM. There were times when people used to see Indian economy as risky, now the same people see it a positive way. We have climbed up the rankings in ease of doing business, he says. There used to be policy paralysis, we used to seen as one of the fragile five. Now, India has become a destination for investment, Modi says. Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year GST became a reality.I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST, he says. We used to get only negative news from the North East, now even remotest villages of the North East have been electrified, Modi says. People of North East used to feel that Delhi was far away, now we have brought Delhi closer to North East, he says. Not only big cities, but even tier 2 and tier 3 cities have become part of development. E way and i way have reached smaller times, he says.India was a sleeping elephant: Today it is reform, perform and transform says Modi

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi made a strong pitch to woo the farmers. He spoke about the Minimum Support Price introduced by his government.

In addition to this, he also spoke about the insolvency and bankruptcy code. On MSP, Modi said, "after years of files circulating from one office to other, we came and put in place MSP for farmers." He said that development has taken place at a rapid pace since the past 4 years.

From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch

"We got in the insolvency and Bankruptcy code. No one had the courage, but we did it. Why was Benami property act not brought into place? We had the courage to bring it into practice. "

"From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are all set for record economic growth," he further said.

The world always believed that India means policy paralysis or delayed reforms, but now it has changed to reform, perform and transform. We were counted among fragile five, but now we are a multi-trillion dollar investment destination."

India was a sleeping elephant which has started walking and running, Modi said while lauding India's emergence as an investment destination. "We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realise the unbelievable strides the nation has taken," he further said.

In 2019, BJP to win 227 seats, Congress 78, regional parties 238: Survey

While applauding India's scientists, Modi said that India is heading the international solar alliance.

He also said that his government had bridged the gap between North East and the rest of India. North East has developed into a hub of change in past four years. We have taken Delhi to the doors of North East, he also said.

Modi said that today the image of India has improved at global platforms and the world is listening to Indian concerns. For many years we had waited for a place in these global platforms. Today India is a source of hope for countries talking about mitigating global warming and climate change effects. The power of the Indian passport has increased across the world, Modi also said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 8:21 [IST]For safekeeping: Congress alliance candidates flown to Jaipur ahead of May 2 counting

Curfew announced in Jaipur from 6 pm to 5 am

Indian reunites with family after spending 36 years in Pakistan prison

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Jaipur, Aug 15: An emotional moment for Jaipur-based family as their family member, who was thought to be dead, reunited with them after 36 years.

Jaipur resident Gajanand Sharma who had disappeared from his village Fatehram Ka Tibba in 1982 was sentenced for two months but remained locked up for 36 years in Pakistan prison. He was released on August 13. He with family members celebrated his release.

Pak envoy bats for 'betterment of ties', terms Modi calling Imran Khan a 'positive development'

His family was clueless about Gajanand's whereabouts who disappeared from Jaipur. They had given up after years of search finally got the good news in April this year when Pakistan dispatched some documents to verify Gajanand's information and details.

According to a report by news agency PTI, Gajanand was sentenced to two months. Gajanand was imprisoned at Central Jail Lahore.

Independence Day celebrated in Pakistan

Sehdev Sharma, a Punjab based activist, who came to receive Gajanand at Attari-Wagah border said; "This is a gift for our entire nation from the central govt on Independence Day".

Gajanand Sharma at Attari-Wagah border Sharmas family came to know in May that he was lodged in a prison in Lahore after Jaipur (Rural) police received a request for verification of his nationality. Sharma's wife Makhni Devi garlanded him Prisoner Gajanand (R) being released by Pakistan after completing his sentence of 36 years, crosses Wagah border, ahead of Independence Day, in Attari on Monday, Aug 13, 2018. Pakistan today released 30 Indian prisoners, including 27 fishermen, from jail as a goodwill gesture ahead of their Independence Day. PTI file photo Gajanand Sharma with family Gajanand Sharma with family members celebrates his release after completing his sentence of 36 years at Pakistan, in Jaipur on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2018. Pakistan releases 30 Indian Indian prisoners at Pakistan cross Wagah border as they return after their release, ahead of Independence Day, in Attari on Monday, Aug 13, 2018. Pakistan sent back 29 prisoners including Gajanand who is being released after completing his sentence of 36 years.Mission can be rescheduled again: Jitendra Singh after GSLV fails to inject EOS-03 satellite in orbit

ISRO ready for Gaganyaan 2022, says its a duty to meet target set by PM Modi

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 15: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing from the ramparts of Red Fort that India would send a manned mission to space by 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s chairman K Sivan on Wednesday said the work on the project is underway and that many new technologies are being developed to achieve it.

An Indian astronaut, be it a man or a woman, will go on a space odyssey by 2022 on board 'Gaganyaan', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day address today.

"The Prime Minister has given target of 2022 and it's our duty to meet it. We are already on the job and we have completed many technologies like crew module and escape systems. The project has been underway, now we need to prioritise and achieve the target," Sivan told ANI.

India can potentially be the fourth country to send a man to space, after erstwhile USSR, the US, and China. Denmark also has a manned space flight scheduled for 2022.

[Independence Day 2018: With a clarion call for social justice, Modi sounds 2019 poll bugle]

In 2007, India tested its first re-entry technology where a 550 kg satellite was sent into the orbit and brought back to earth safely in 12 days. This shows India's capability in heat-resistant materials that are essential for re-entry technology.

"We need to enhance technology to achieve this, deadline looks tough but we certainly have the capability to do it. A big rocket and astronaut training are two main challenges," Tushar Jadhav, a Scientist with the Pratham Satellite team told news agency ANI.

[Why Modi mentioned Neelakurinji flowers in his Independence Day speech?]

Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in October 2008 and operated until August 2009.

[Modi bats for women empowerment, speaks of triple talaq says rapists won't be spared]

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan, is a space probe orbiting Mars since September 24, 2014.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 13:36 [IST]Parents up in arms after Greenwood High school offers online classes through recorded sessions

Schools in Karnataka for Class 1-5 re-open: Here are the rules

Puneeth Rajkumar follows in his father's footsteps, donates his eyes

12 hours before death, Puneeth Rajkumar had great time with celebs at Gurukirans birthday party [Viral video]

Karnataka rains: Rail, bus services partially cancelled, 5 districts on high alert

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Bengaluru, Aug 15: With heavy rains expected in many parts of the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy on Wednesday directed collectors of various districts to be on their toes to combat any untoward situation.

Out of 30 districts, as many as five districts namely, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Shivamogga have been kept on high alert, reports ANI.

The Chief Minister also urged the concerned officials in the said districts to review the situation in their vicinities and update the authorities in case of emergency.

Torrential rains, which lashed the state on August 14 caused landslides and disrupted the normal life in the state.

"All premium bus services from Bengaluru towards Mangaluru, Dharmasthala (in Dakshina Kannada district) and Kundapura (in Udupi district) have been cancelled due to landslides," the state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had said in a statement.

Trains including Karwar-Yeshwanthpur Express, Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Junction Express, were partially cancelled and few other trains diverted, the South Western Railway said in a statement.

Indian Metrological Department (IMD) has also predicted high-alert of heavy rainfall in the region in coming days.

"Due to the southwest monsoon being rigorous over the coastal and south interior districts, exceptionally heavy to very heavy rainfall was received in the region," the Bengaluru division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its weather advisory.

In the neighbouring state of Kerala, 67 people lost their lives and around 17,000 people were displaced after their homes were washed away in the flash

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 20:58 [IST]Despite summons, Alibaba CEO Jack Ma fails to appear at Gurugram court

Man poses as Dawood Ibrahim, demands RS 1 crore from BSP MLA

India

oi-Madhuri

Lucknow, Aug 15: A man posing as underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and threatening BSP MLA demanding Rs 1 crore was today arrested in Gurgaon, police said.

Rahul Kumar Gaur was arrested by a police team in the morning at Maruti parking in Sector 22, Gurgaon, a police spokesman said here.

BSP MLA from Rasra assembly seat in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh Uma Shankar Singh had, on August 9, filed a complaint at Gomti Nagar police station alleging that he received a mail from the man, introducing himself as Dawood Ibrahim, asking him to pay Rs 1 crore.

Another Dawood property auctioned off, this time for Rs 3.51 crore

"On August 8, I received a mail which read 'last warning, jeena yaa marna (dead or alive) Rs 1 crore'," he had said.

"It also said 'Uma Shankar, you are serving the people of Ballia. If you want to continue this, then give Rs 1 crore, else one bullet is enough for you. And we can kill you at any point of time'," the legislator had said.

How India beat Pakistan in Thailand to secure Dawood's aide Munna Jhingada

The man had also attached a photograph of the underworld don with the mail, Singh said.

Police said they found Guar a drunkard, who owed about Rs 10 lakh to his friends.

To pay the money he tried to extort Rs 1 crore from the MLA, they said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 7:42 [IST]Modi announces Jan Aarogya Abhiyan, to roll out on September 25

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: The much awaited announcement regarding the ambitious health scheme was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his Independence Day address, Modi said that the PM Jan Aarogya Abhiyan will be started along with the Ayushman Bharat programme. This will help 50 crore individuals get Rs 5 lakh per year as health insurance.

From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch

He said that this would be rolled out from September 25 on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's birthday. From today onwards, till the next 6 weeks, the technology for Jan Aarogya Abihyan will be tested, Modi also said.

"The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare," Modi also said.

India was a sleeping elephant: Today it is reform, perform and transform says Modi

Due to the Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the World Health Organisation has lauded the movement. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable health care, Modi also said.Meeting between PM Modi, Pope scheduled for 20 minutes goes on for an hour

Modi bats for women empowerment, speaks of triple talaq says rapists wont be spared

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon a host of issues during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort. He spoke about triple talaq and also rapes in the country.

Modi also particularly made a strong pitch about women rights and empowerment, while touching upon issues such as triple talaq. Here are some of the highlights.

Modi announces Jan Aarogya Abhiyan, to roll out on September 25

We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by fast track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. The law cannot be taken into one's hands and the rule of law is supreme, Modi also said. In Madhya Pradesh, within 5 days the rapists were given death penalty. Similarly, rapists were ordered to be hanged within days. Rapists will be brought swiftly to justice.

I assure Muslim sisters and daughters that their rights will be protected and the government will not leave any effort to protect them. We are committed to the bill against Triple Talaq.

From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch

We have busted six crore fake beneficiaries of government subsidy and saved Rs 90,000 Crore.

Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts.

I am proud of the fact that three women judges in Supreme Court are delivering justice. Since independence, this is the first cabinet where so many women are a part of the cabinet.

This is the first cabinet where a large number of women are present. Today women have entered security forces through the Permanent Commission for Women. Women will now be able to strengthen India along with their male counterparts. However, there are some hurdles in women empowerment. Legal framework is working to help women.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 8:59 [IST]Madhya Pradesh to hold quiz on Ramayana: Check what winners will get

MP a 'role model' in dealing with rape cases of minors: CM

India

pti-PTI

Bhopal, Aug 15: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the state has become a "role model" in dealing with rape cases of minors and 10 accused in such offences have been awarded the death sentence.

The earth needs to be rid of such "demons", he said after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function in the Motilal Nehru Stadium here.

The state had last year approved the provision of capital punishment for those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below.

"One thing saddens us is that on one hand we are hiring girls in police (department) for their empowerment, and on the other, demons are taking birth who rape innocent and minor girls," Chouhan said.

"The demons are a curse on the earth. We have to free this planet of them," he asserted.

He said MP is the first state to pass a bill for hanging rapists of minor girls.

"Madhya Pradesh has become a role model by awarding death sentence to more than 10 such offenders," he said, adding 50 special courts have been set up in the state to conduct trials in rape cases.

At least 10 rapists of girls aged 12 or below have been awarded the death sentence by various courts in the state since February this year.

A court in MP's Shahdol district had sentenced a 23-year-old man to death on February 28 for raping and killing a four-year-old girl.

Yesterday, a 40-year-old man was sentenced to death by a court in the Sagar district for raping a 10-year-old girl.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for giving wide publicity to cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with a "demonic mindset".

He spoke about fast-track trial of rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where convicts were condemned to death within days, and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes.

Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest 4,882 rape cases out of 38,947 recorded across the country in 2016, as per the National Crime Record Bureau's last report.

The state recorded 2,479 rape cases of minor girls, followed by Maharashtra and UP with 2,310 and 2,115 such cases respectively, the NCRB report said.

MP recorded the highest number of rape cases (4,391) in 2015 too, according to the report.

Chouhan said Madhya Pradesh has initiated a slew of measures for women's empowerment.

"After panchayat, provisions have been made for reservation to women in government jobs," he said.

Women are getting 50 per cent reservation in teaching jobs and 30 per cent in various other fields, except the Forest Department, he said.

Chouhan also said 500 additional seats have been created in MBBS courses to overcome the shortage of doctors in the state.

Efforts are on to improve the health services in MP, he said, adding medical colleges will be opened in Datia, Vidisha, Khandwa and Ratlam districts.

Also, sanctions have been granted to open two more medical colleges in the Seoni and the Chhattarpur district, he added.

PTIDNA of those who burst firecrackers in India on Pakistans win cannot be Indian: Anil Vij

Shoaib Akhtar takes mic off, walks out of TV show after being asked to leave by the PTV host

Pak envoy bats for 'betterment of ties', terms Modi calling Imran Khan a 'positive development'

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 15: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Imran Khan after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s win in elections as a "positive development", Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood hoped that South Asia would be known for cooperation and not confrontation.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling PTI chairman Imran Khan after the results of the general elections is another positive development. And it is hoped that such positive developments will lead to the betterment of ties between the two countries," Mahmood reportedly said during an event at the Pakistan High Commission on Tuesday to mark the country's 72nd independence day.

He said that Pakistan had made "impressive strides" in fight against the menace of terrorism, adding that Islamabad wants "peaceful relations" with all the neighbouring countries, including India.

[Modi congratulates Imran Khan, expresses hope that democracy will take deeper roots in Pakistan]

On July 30, Prime Minister Modi, in a telephone conversation, congratulated Imran Khan on his party emerging as the single largest party in Pakistan elections. PM Modi, during his conversation with Imran Khan, expressed hope that democracy will take deeper roots in Pakistan.

[Imran Khan's swearing in: Sidhu will be branded a 'traitor', says Swamy]

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement on July 28, said that India desired a "prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours". The statement had also added that New Delhi hoped the newly elected government would work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia, one that is free of terrorism and violence.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 11:59 [IST]PM speech 'hollow', should have spoken 'truth': Congress

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 15: The Congress on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken "the truth" in the last Independence Day address of his term instead of making a "hollow" speech and urged him to accept party chief Rahul Gandhi's challenge of a debate on issues such as corruption, mob lynching and Chinese incursions.

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was "policy paralysis" under the UPA.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister in his address did not utter a single word that was "meaningful" to the common man.

Surjewala claimed that people were now tired of the "fake achche din" promised by the BJP and were waiting for "sachche din (days of truth) when he departs as the Prime Minister of the country.

In 2013, Modi had created a Red Fort-like replica in Chhattisgarh and from there he had challenged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, falling rupee and failing economy, rampant unemployment as also discrimination vis-a-vis farmers and India's women, Surjewala said.

"We ask you Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, five years after you have taken over as Prime Minister, are you ready for a debate on these very issues with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"Will you debate on the issue of corruption and Rafale and Vyapam and other corruption scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort on corruption," he told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Gandhi had dared the Prime Minister to a debate on the Rafale deal and claimed that he will not be able to answer his questions on the issue "even for a second".

Surjewala also asked if Modi was ready to have a debate with the Congress president on issues such as the state of India's farmers, "mob lynching that is happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders" and "insecurity" of women.

"You (Prime Minister) did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incident that happened in the country," Surjewal claimed, referring to the shelter home case of Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and the rape case in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao involving a BJP MLA.

"Will you today debate on the failing economy and falling rupee, for the rupee has hit a new low that is 70 and the trade deficit has gone over USD 18 billion. Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and has been engulfing India from all sides," the Congress spokesperson alleged.

He also urged the prime minister to debate on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and "rampant unemployment" in the country.

The last speech of Modi's tenure as Prime Minister has proved to be "hollow" because neither he made a mention of corruption in the Rafale deal nor did he say a word about the Vyapam or the PDS scams.

"He also did not talk about incursions by China in Doklam and other places. He also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country, on the conspiracy of making brothers fight and how people are killing each other, on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food," he said.

"We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, and if not 'mann ki baat', he could have at least done 'kaam ki baat'," Surjewala said, taking a swipe at Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' Radio programme.

The Congress leader also said there was a need to fight a second struggle for independence-independence from discrimination, independence from unemployment, independence from poverty, independence from lack of opportunities and from empty rhetoric and promises.

Asked about the remarks of Modi that India's stature rose on the world stage in the last four years, he said the prime minister should not undermine India's contribution in the last 70 years.

India was always a power and it did not happen in the last four years, he said, adding that the prime minister's statement of this nature was "myopic, parochial and uncalled for" on a day like the Independence Day.

"He (Modi) makes promises to break them. His and his party's path has been one of spreading hate and divisiveness," Surjewala said.

PTIDont let contentious issues distract us: President Kovinds I-day message to nation

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, Aug 14: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday asserted that contentious issues and extraneous debates should not be allowed to distract us at a "pivotal moment" when the country is at the cusp of achieving many long-awaited goals.

In his televised address to the nation on the eve of India's 72nd Independence Day, Kovind recalled Mahatma Gandhi's "most noble mantra" on the power of ahinsa (non-violence) being far greater than the power of hinsa (violence), remarks that come against the backdrop of incidents of lynching and mob violence in some parts of the country.

Touching upon a range of issues, the president also said women were entitled to a life of their choice and security to fulfil their potential, amid concerns over their privacy and safety.

President Ram Nath Kovind addresses Nation on Eve of India's 72nd Independence Day: Full Text

Emphasising that Independence Day is always special, Kovind said this year there is an unusual significance attached to it as in a few weeks, on October 2, India will begin the commemoration of the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. "Mahatma Gandhi Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is the embodiment of India," the president said.

Modi's Independence Day speech: Emphasis on poor to be prime focus

Highlights from President Kovind's speech on eve of Independence Day

Newest First Oldest First President Kovind said Independence Day is always special, but this year there is an unusual significance attached to it as in a few weeks, on October 2, India will begin the commemoration of the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. "Mahatma Gandhi Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is the embodiment of India," the president said. "We are at a juncture in our history that is very different from any period we have so far experienced. We are at the cusp of achieving many of our long-awaited goals. Universal access to electricity, the elimination of open defecation, the elimination of homelessness, the very elimination of extreme poverty is achievable and attainable. We are at a pivotal moment. Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us," Kovind said. The citizens who wait in a queue for their turn and respect the rights of those standing in front of them, create the India of the dreams of freedom fighters. This is a very small effort. Let us make it a part of our lives: President Ram Nath Kovind. India belongs to the people of India, not just to the Government. Together we can help every citizen in our country. Together we can conserve our forests and natural heritage, we can safeguard our monuments for future generations: President Ram Nath Kovind. When we provide better weapons for soldiers, develop supply-chains for defence equipment in our country itself, and offer welfare facilities to the soldiers, we create India of the dreams of our freedom fighters, says President. We are lucky that we have had the mantle of great patriots. They have assigned us a free India. they have also entrusted some of the things we will accomplish together. We have to do all we do to develop the country: Kovnd. After three decades, we will celebrate 100 years of our Independence. We will have to work harder, and faster, to be leaders globally, says Kovind. We have to give new dimensions to independence. We have to make such efforts which will give new avenues to the nation and countrymen: President Kovind This day is also the day to take a pledge to conclude the remaining work in nation-building. Our talented youth will definitely fulfil it, says the President. Our national flag is a representation of our nation. Independence of India was a result of the sacrifice of freedom fighters and ancestors: President Ram Nath Kovind Kovind recalled Mahatma Gandhi's 'most noble mantra' on the power of 'ahinsa'(non-violence) being far greater than the power of 'hinsa' (violence). Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us, says President Ram Nath Kovind Women have a special significance in our society. They should have the freedom to choose their path, whether they want to use their skills in the development of house, in the workforce, or in educational institutions: President Ram Nath Kovind. President Ram Nath Kovind begins addressing the nation on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day. He pays tribute to martyrs. President Ram Nath Kovind begins addressing the nation on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day. He pays tribute to martyrs. Women have a special significance in our society. They should have the freedom to choose their path, whether they want to use their skills in the development of house, in the workforce, or in educational institutions: President Ram Nath Kovind. Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us, says President Ram Nath Kovind Kovind recalled Mahatma Gandhi's 'most noble mantra' on the power of 'ahinsa'(non-violence) being far greater than the power of 'hinsa' (violence). Our national flag is a representation of our nation. Independence of India was a result of the sacrifice of freedom fighters and ancestors: President Ram Nath Kovind This day is also the day to take a pledge to conclude the remaining work in nation-building. Our talented youth will definitely fulfil it, says the President. We have to give new dimensions to independence. We have to make such efforts which will give new avenues to the nation and countrymen: President Kovind After three decades, we will celebrate 100 years of our Independence. We will have to work harder, and faster, to be leaders globally, says Kovind. We are lucky that we have had the mantle of great patriots. They have assigned us a free India. they have also entrusted some of the things we will accomplish together. We have to do all we do to develop the country: Kovnd. When we provide better weapons for soldiers, develop supply-chains for defence equipment in our country itself, and offer welfare facilities to the soldiers, we create India of the dreams of our freedom fighters, says President. India belongs to the people of India, not just to the Government. Together we can help every citizen in our country. Together we can conserve our forests and natural heritage, we can safeguard our monuments for future generations: President Ram Nath Kovind. The citizens who wait in a queue for their turn and respect the rights of those standing in front of them, create the India of the dreams of freedom fighters. This is a very small effort. Let us make it a part of our lives: President Ram Nath Kovind. "We are at a juncture in our history that is very different from any period we have so far experienced. We are at the cusp of achieving many of our long-awaited goals. Universal access to electricity, the elimination of open defecation, the elimination of homelessness, the very elimination of extreme poverty is achievable and attainable. We are at a pivotal moment. Let contentious issues and extraneous debates not distract us," Kovind said. President Kovind said Independence Day is always special, but this year there is an unusual significance attached to it as in a few weeks, on October 2, India will begin the commemoration of the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. "Mahatma Gandhi Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is the embodiment of India," the president said.SC fumes, asks what action has been taken on child sex abuse

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 15: The Supreme Court expressed concern over sexual abuse of children living in shelter homes across the country and asked the Centre what action was being taken in the cases of 1,575 minor victims.

A bench headed by Madan B Lokur referred to the data placed before it by the Centre and observed that 1,575 children, including 286 boys, have been sexually or physically abused in the shelter homes in different parts of the country.

We can't take over legislative functions, says SC

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that also comprised Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, that the government has informed the states about the abuse of 1,575 children last year itself.

"1,575 boys and girls are victims of sexual and physical abuse. What have you done about it? Which are the shelter homes where they are kept? What action the states have taken on this," the bench asked the ASG.

The ASG told the bench that she would get instruction on this issue and get back to the court. Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Bihar government, told the bench that they have no objection if the social audit report of shelter homes in the state prepared by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was made public.

SC notice on court monitored probe into suicide of ministry official

The bench directed the Bihar government to make the report public. The Bihar government also told the court that three organisations, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, were already looking into the psycho-social aspect of the girls who were allegedly raped and sexually abused at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur.

An anguished Supreme Court had on August 7 said that women and girls were getting raped "left, right and centre" across the country, as it cited the National Crime Records Bureau data on four such incidents being reported per day on an average and had stressed that action has to be taken stop such crimes.

It had termed as "horrific" the case of alleged sexual abuse of girls in an NGO-run shelter home at Muzaffarpur and pulled up the state government for funding such an institution without verifying its credentials. On August 2, the bench had said that investigation in the Muzaffarpur case be conducted with the assistance of professional counsellors or qualified child psychologists appointed in consultation with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Bangalore, TISS and AIIMS, Delhi.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 7:34 [IST]Independence Day: What mattered most to Ashfaqulla Khan was to see Mother India free

TV debates are disgusting, media has failed to recognise problems: Freedom fighter Doreswamy

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

By Chennabasaveshwar

Bengaluru, Aug 15: On the occasion of Independence Day OneIndia spoke to centenarian freedom fighter HS Doreswamy. Doreswamy who served 14 months in Bengaluru Central Jail during the freedom movement. He spoke about movement, globalisation, present political scenario and state of media.

OneIndia: What is your take on increasing number of movements in the country? Does it show a failure of democracy or a healthy state of affairs?

Doreswamy: Movements aiming for employment and welfare of poverty are welcome. We should judge the pros and cons of movements galvanizing support in the name of religion and other parochial intentions, we should kill such movements. I believe changes cannot be brought without movements. This is the way to bring the government on its knee.

OneIndia: People are on street to get what they want or don't want from the government. Is there a disconnect between the elected and those who elect?

Doreswamy: This is the result of candidates we elect to form the government. I keep telling people that you inquire a lot about each others family before the wedding of children. But you take it very lightly while electing a leader. People fall prey to caste, money and or liquor. Everybody knows BJP, Congress or Deve Gowda's party. But, still, people vote for such candidates.

Everyone knows candidates corrupt and criminal background. But still they vote for such people. People are happy changing governments in every election. In today's scenario, there is no alternative even if an honest man contests independently.

Looking back at India's freedom struggle with centenarian H S Doreswamy

OneIndia: What is the solution to the problem?

Doreswamy: We should abolish the party system because political parties are busy in pulling down each others government. That is their top priority. Self-interest is secondary and people welfare is their last concern. We have BJP, Congress and JDS candidates. I ask where are people's candidates.

Of course, people are voting for them. But we elect candidates selected from Delhi or Bangalore. Instead of that, we should have voters' council from Panchayat to Parliament. Also, experts should how to implement. People should be empowered to directly elect their representatives.

Let people decide the candidates at different levels. If political parties work with integrity we have no problem.

OneIndia: Is globalisation of forces weakening democracy?

Doreswamy: Foreign companies want our market. Private entities always want profits. They have Intellectual Property Rights over indigenous resources. The saddest part is we have accepted the MNCs. Big retail shops push the street corner stores to the brink. We are destroying ourselves.

Hence, Mahatma Gandhi had called for the Swadeshi Movement. One East India company ruled India for 150 years. In Independent India, we are offering red carpet welcome for hundreds of companies. These companies don't work for our welfare. The government gives land, water resources and tax exemption. They are not understanding the concept of nationalism.

Who was Durga Bhabhi? The woman who helped Bhagat Singh escape from Lahore to Calcutta

OneIndia: Why did you stay away from power politics?

Doreswamy: First of all, I am not interested in politics, elections. Also, I don't have money power and backing caste. When I was President of Journalist Association then chief minister K. Hanumanthiah offered to nominate me to Legislative Council, but on one condition.

He told me, I should not raise your voice against the government. I told him I may not speak in the assembly, but at least can I whisper in his ears the mistakes of the government. He didn't agree. I did not beg for any position. I was in Congress till Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister. Then, I realized Congress has no future.

OneIndia: What is your observation about media?

Doreswamy: During freedom movement, poor people ran newspapers with the aim to gain Independence. TT Sharma sold his wife jewellery to start 'Vishwa Karnataka' paper. People used to send money to run the paper.

Today, the media has failed to recognise real problems. TV debates are disgusting. Nobody understands who is saying what? Debates are not educative. Programmes are filled with crime stories. The media industry is in the clutches of rich people. I can't differentiate between news and advertisements. News has become ads, ads have become news.

Media has become so lenient towards political parties we can easily identify which channel is airing which political parties stand.Now Ayushman Bharat Card will be free: Find out how to get the card and insurance of Rs 5 lakh

PM Modi launches Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission: What we know about the scheme, so far?

What is Ayushman Bharat or Modicare

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the world's largest government-funded healthcare programme, Ayushman Bharat, will be rolled out on September 25, on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

During his Independence Day address, Modi said that the PM Jan Aarogya Abhiyan will be started along with the Ayushman Bharat programme. This will help 50 crore individuals get Rs 5 lakh per year as health insurance, he also said.

From today onwards, till the next 6 weeks, the technology for Jan Aarogya Abihyan will be tested, Modi also said.

Modi announces Jan Aarogya Abhiyan, to roll out on September 25

"The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare," Modi also said.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme will target poor, deprived rural families and identified occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, and will cover around 50 crore people. The scheme will initially be launched on a pilot basis in some states.

Popularly referred to as "Modicare", it aims to provide coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

Chhattisgarh: PM Modi launches 'Ayushman Bharat', credits Ambedkar for India's growth

Ten major states are yet to sign up for the ambitious scheme. They include Odisha, Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa.

The Prime Minister had inaugurated the first 'health and wellness centre' under Ayushman Bharat in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh in April, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti. An allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for the project was made by the Centre. The Centre is yet to release its share of funds to the states.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 12:40 [IST]Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai has said that China will continue to open its doors to the global community.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai. [Photo: VCG]

"We cannot develop ourselves behind closed doors... We have to open our door even wider and seek cooperation with others, particularly with countries like the United States," Cui said at the welcome banquet held by Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin on Monday.

Cui said China-U.S. relations are not zero sum game, but rather will continue to be mutually beneficial. He said Beijing and Washington should deal with trade issues in an effective way.

Addressing Kentucky officials and businesses, Cui said he has full confidence in bilateral cooperation at the provincial, municipal and county levels, adding that the Chinese people came to know the state after the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened in Beijing over three decades ago.

Over the past decades, the Chinese people have learned that the state has much more to offer, including Bourbon, race horses, farm products and manufactured goods, prompting the Chinese public and business leaders to develop strong relations with Kentucky, Cui said.

For his part, Bevin said his administration is working to cut red tape for businesses who wish to invest here, highlighting the elaborate transportation web his state boasts.

Bevin admitted that certain trade policies Washington has pursued created uncertainties for bilateral business ties, but pledged to work at a state level to assure foreign investors.Why Modi mentioned Neelakurinji flowers in his Independence Day speech?

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 15: As Narendra Modi began his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort, the Prime Minister made a reference to Neelakurinji flower in the Neelagiris which bloom once every 12 years.

Modi began his speech by wishing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day and said that there is a wave of optimism across the nation. He said that economy is growing and India is making swift progress on the path of development.

The Prime Minister tried to liken this optimism and progress with the blooming of Neelakurinji flower. In a way, Modi meant that the nation is witnessing positive changes after a long time. In a metaphoric sense, the Prime Minister tried to convey that the wave of development sweeping the nation was like the blooming of Neelakurinji flower, considered a rare event. It was to summarise that work done by his government since 2014 has yeilded results.

"This year, the Neelakurinji flower in Nilgiri hills is blooming in full colours," Modi said soon after saying that the nation was heading in positive direction.

[India no longer part of fragile five says Modi during Independence Day address]

Another notable fact is that, this year's blooming of Neelakurinji is only the sixth time it has done since the Independence in 1947. The noted years of Neelakurunji's blooming since 1947 are - 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018.

[Will restore peace in Kashmir through Vajpayee's vision: Modi]

Kurinji grows at an altitude of 1300 to 2400 metres. The plant is usually 30 to 60 cm high. They can, however, grow well beyond 180 cm under congenial conditions. While the plant grows in the Eastern Ghats as well, Munnar in Kerala records the highest number of neelakurinji plants across India.

[PM resumes trend of delivering long I-Day speeches]

Lakhs come to the Neelgiri Hills to witness the blooming of this rare flower.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 10:49 [IST]Don't trouble Hanuman too much or your Lanka will be on fire, Raj Babbar warns BJP

Yogi Adityanath's saffron robe reflects his politics, says Raj Babbar

India

pti-PTI

Basti (UP), Aug 14: Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Raj Babbar accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of engaging in communal polarisation and alleged that his saffron robe reflected his politics.

"The attire he is wearing is his politics. You (people) see his attire and vote for him (BJP). He has nothing to do with the society. His only work is to divide poor as Hindus and Muslims and take their votes. The people are losing faith in the attire he is wearing," Raj Babbar told reporters here.

Adityanath always dons saffron attire. Raj Babbar was here to inspect a bridge which collapsed last week. He alleged that poor quality material was being used in the construction of the bridge.

"The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister used to say that in their regimes there are no scams. When you don't probe discrepancies, how will scam come to the fore. In Varanasi bridge collapse also, the probe report is not made public," he said.

PTISher Bahadur Deuba to take oath as new Prime Minister of Nepal today

Our friendship with India and China remains of 'paramount importance': Nepal at UN

Nepal: Indian pilgrim beheaded by rear blade of helicopter

International

oi-Madhuri

Kathmandu, Aug 15: A 42-year-old Indian Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim was beheaded by the rear blade of a helicopter at a remote helipad in Nepal's Hilsa region, according to a media report.

The deceased, identified as Nagendra Kumar Kartik Mehta, a resident of Mumbai, was en route to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, My Republica reported.

According to assistant chief district officer, Mahesh Kumar Pokharel, the helicopter was on the ground at the time.

Utarakhand: 4 including pilot injured after IAF chopper crash lands near Kedarnath temple

The pilgrim was supposed to move away from the chopper after getting off but accidentally he moved towards the rear part and was hit by the spinning tail rotor, according to the police.

The body will be taken to Simikot for a post-mortem and to hand over to the next to kin.

The rear part of the helicopter was damaged.

Helicopter with ONGC employees crashes miles off Mumbai coast, 4 dead

Nepal's Simikot and Hilsa are connected to the rest of the world only by small aircraft or helicopters and there is no other way to travel in and out of these places.

The pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibetan region of China is considered holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Every year, hundreds of Indians undertake the 'yatra' which involves trekking under inhospitable conditions.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 10:43 [IST]Slots Village Casino Now Has the Seal of Approval

Published August 15, 2018 by Mike P

August 2018 is a memorable month for Slots Village Casino, as the brand has just been given the Online Casino Reports Seal of Approval.

It can now be officially confirmed that Slots Village Casino has been granted the Online Casino Reports (OCR) Seal of Approval. Fundamentally, this is a system designed to give players trust and peace of mind when signing up for casinos and other gambling sites that have obtained the OCR Seal of Approval.

In the case of Slots Village, for example, the casino site was reviewed at a score of at least four stars. Ultimately, this was based on Slots Village being graded for a variety of criteria, including the likes of the sign-up procedure, compatibility of devices, processing speeds, software quality, casino security, payment selection, and user support.

Following its review, Slots Village then had to complete a period of 12 months online and eight months with OCR. At the same time, OCR continued to monitor to the brand, so as to ensure that its reputation was being kept clean. Any complaints that were raised at OCR or any other gambling portal had to be resolved or else a promises of resolution granted.

Slots Village Introduction

Having adhered to the above criteria, Slots Village was awarded the OCR Seal of Approval as of August 2018. Those joining the casino will be afforded instant access by Windows, Android, or iOS, all while getting to deposit with secure payment methods, such as VISA, MasterCard, and INSTADEBIT.

Slots Village has also committed to obtaining diverse software partners, with some of the better known providers including the likes of Microgaming, BetSoft, Habanero, Parlay, Pragmatic Play, Rival, and Visionary iGaming.

Table games have been installed to Slots Village, but the focus is very much on progressive jackpots and video slots. So much so, in fact, that Slots Village has been granted access to release Hot as Hades, Titans of the Sun, Greedy Goblins, Panther Queen, and Quest for the Minotaur under a Costa Rican licence.Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Mercer, a global consulting leader, acquired the investment consulting business of Pavilion Financial Group as well as the defined contribution consulting and outsourced CIO businesses of Summit Strategies Group.

Mercer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, have signed a definitive agreement to acquire Summit Strategies Group, a leading investment consultant headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Founded in 1995 to provide high valueadded investment consulting services to institutional clients, Summit's experienced team of results?driven investment professionals provide focused and customized attention to its clients.

With approximately $160bn under advisement as of December 31, 2017, Summit has been ranked as a Greenwich Quality Leader in 2015 and 2016 by Greenwich Associates. Summit's services include traditional consulting (for defined benefit pension plans, health care systems, endowments and foundations), defined contribution services and outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) support.

Mercer and the wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies also have signed a definitive agreement to acquire the investment consulting, alternatives consulting and wealth management operations of Pavilion Financial Corporation.

Pavilion, a diversified, global investment services firm with approximately 300 employees, is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada with offices across North America, in London and i......................

To view our full article Click hereWould you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

Ilhan Omar is the second person this year to win a Democratic Party nomination for Congress in a Democratic Party district with a platform advocating peace in a way not seen inside the Beltway. The first was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York City, whose advocacy for peace I wrote about. Ilhan Omar has just won the nomination from Minnesota's Fifth District.

I am making zero predictions as to whether having peace on a campaign website will, in the case of Ocasio-Cortez or the case of Ilhan Omar, translate into serious advocacy and action for peace in office. I'm well aware that our choices for Congress are usually either lifelong mediocrities or promising candidates who immediately become dedicated mediocrities. Omar's predecessor in that seat, after all, is Keith Ellison, who wanted to impeach George W. Bush until the very moment he was elected and became Captain Humanitarian Wars. I'm also aware that any good cause in Congress would require a couple of hundred Congress members, not two.

But the evidence is overwhelming that you are more likely to get decent behavior out of someone who campaigned on it than someone who did not. Almost nobody now in or running for Congress has ever campaigned on the sort of platform put forward by Ocasio-Cortez or Omar. The two of them ought to hear our support and encouragement, our preferences for where they put emphasis. And other candidates ought to see that support every time they raise their eyes from their donor call lists.

Here's Ilhan Omar's platform:

Promote Peace & Prosperity We must end the state of continuous war, as these wars have made us less safe. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed, entire countries have been destabilized, and we are currently in the midst of an extreme global migration crisis. Meanwhile at home, there have been increasingly cuts to spending on healthcare, infrastructure, education, and housing. We must scale back U.S. military activities, and reinvest our expansive military budget back into our communities. Once this happens, we can begin to repair the harm done, repair America's broken image, and invest in diplomatic relationships.

She points out that the wars are counterproductive on their own terms, endangering rather than protecting. Servants of the weapons dealers do not do that, no matter how they vote on legislation. She begins with the central evil, the mass killing, and she gets the numbers right. And she cites the wars as a cause of the refugee crisis. That's all almost unheard of, even in the peace movement completely outside of electoral campaigning, where the habit is to focus on financial cost or harm to U.S. troops. She notes the financial tradeoffs as well. I wish she didn't say the money all needed to go to U.S. domestic spending. I don't think she'll see the sense in saying that once she finds out how much money it really is.

We spend by far the most on our military budget, and more than the next seven countries on the list of top spenders combined

In 2017, the United States spent over $700 billion dollars--well over half the country's discretionary budget

The Pentagon has spent $400 billion dollars on the F-35 fighter jet program, and will eventually spend over 1 trillion dollars in costs and maintenance

American intervention in democratically-elected governments has contributed to the migration crisis

The executive branch has escalated U.S. involvement in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, with no authorization from Congress

That's as close to accurate on the money as I've seen from any candidate. She also names a particular war, that on Yemen. The focus on Congressional "authorization" rather than immorality or illegality is disappointing from someone from the hometown of Frank Kellogg of the Kellogg-Briand Pact. But it's a start. Now read this:

Vision and Policy Priorities End funding for perpetual war and military aggression

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

To refer initially only to my own country, the U.S. slid into a nuclear "weapons" option and system that is extremely and needlessly hazardous in several ways. However, the situation is redeemable. As Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "The release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking." But sometimes we can expand our way of thinking, even a way that has foolishly persisted since the 1940s.

How is this way of thinking hazardous? In several ways, but in part one we focus on one way, in part two on another. The danger of accidental war is heightened by the option of "launch of warning" and by the practice of bullying other powers with the bomb. Why? Because some warnings are false, and because, as Barbara Tuchman showed in The Guns of August, some wars start not by informed consent, but by an unintentional but unstoppable process.

These are two separate problems: the reliance on weapons many of which would be lost if not fired in response to an actual attack, and the dynamic of a nuclear "war" starting in an uncontrollable dynamic of threats and counter-threats among principals and allies. Let us look at each problem in turn.

We often try to understand new things in terms of what we've known. Thus, a computer screen is called a "desktop," and nuclear devices that can destroy most of a city in a flash are called "weapons." The digital desktop may be a harmless metaphor; the attempt to regard nuclear devices as weapons is not. Even when the discontinuity is actually extreme, his metaphoric habit persists.

To gauge how extreme, consider the London blitz of 1940-41. If Hitler had possessed even a primitive atomic bomb such as later destroyed Hiroshima, the blitz would have lasted one night and done enormously more damage. And it is often forgotten that hydrogen bombs can cause vastly more destruction than what was done in 1945.

As a thought-experiment, consider a single fictional device that could contaminate the whole globe with fatal radioactivity. Would we be right to call that a "weapon"? In Stanley Kubrick's movie, "Dr. Strangelove," the other side had built (but not yet announced) such a device. It was called a "doomsday machine." Actually, the thousands of nuclear devices that could be "delivered" in an "exchange," taken together, constitute such a doomsday machine, even without the amplification of the "nuclear winter" discovered by scientists in 1983.

The first point: though deployed by the military, nuclear devices are not weapons. In effect, they are a doomsday machine. The fact that we have survived this long is no comfort: one mistake would be fatal. At least one Secretary of Defense and one National Security Adviser have said publicly, when asked why we haven't suffered a nuclear exchange, "luck."

What is the second point? That the inability to protect land-based missiles in silos from nuclear blasts led to a dangerous option (or de facto policy) called "launch on warning." If the other side can disable enough of these missiles before our launch, we'd fail to "prevail." A problem has been that some of the warnings have been false, the falsity so far discovered in time. We don't know how many warnings have been false, but the documented cases are terrifying. For a detailed account see Eric Schlosser's's book.

Third point: the perceived need to launch land-based missiles before they are disabled by an attack means that a decision must be made by one person, the President, under his authority as "commander in chief" of our military. Say the perceived attack happens at night. This individual would have about 20 minutes, or even less in case of a "decapitation strike" directed against leaders (as from an enemy sub in the western Atlantic), to decide the fate of hundreds of millions of humans. He (or she) could "launch on warning under the rubric of "use 'em or lose 'em.""

The record of known errors is terrifying, yet we still keep "launch on warning" as an option. You have only to read Schlosser's New Yorker article (or, in my own case, have coffee in 1986 with an aide who was at Premier Khrushchev's elbow during the Cuban missile crisis).

Fourth point: you don't have to imagine a U.S. President who is impulsive or vengeful to see the folly of launch on warning. Many of the near-accidents occurred under leaders we have regarded as mentally stable, whatever our political views. Given our deployment of sitting-duck missiles, what is a President to do?

Could the U.S. take the lead by announcing that we will never launch on warning having rearranged our retaliatory forces so that they are invulnerable (as on subs) and thus don't ever need to be suddenly launched? If so, we could move toward a treaty providing verification that vulnerable weapons were, on more sides than one, being eliminated.Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

In a recent tweet, US Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) warned that "Infowars is the tip of a giant iceberg of hate and lies that uses sites like Facebook and YouTube to tear our nation apart. " His solution: "These companies must do more than take down one website. The survival of our democracy depends on it."

Yes, odd as it might seem, Senator Murphy believes that the future of America can only be secured by suppressing information and discussion he doesn't like. That seems to be going around. David McCabe of Axios reports on a leaked policy paper from the office of US Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). Two of its most dangerous proposals:

"[N]ew federal funding for media literacy programs that could help consumers sort through the information on online platforms. " In other words, well-financed government propaganda to make sure we hear what Mark Warner wants us to hear (and think what he wants us to think about what we hear elsewhere).

"[R]equiring web platforms to label bot accounts or do more to identify authentic accounts, with the threat of sanction by the Federal Trade Commission if they fail to do so." America's long tradition of anonymous and pseudonymous political speech -- not least among it the Revolution-era pamphlets of Thomas Paine -- shouldn't be subject to the veto of Mark Warner or Chris Murphy.

Then, a good laugh: "The size and reach of these platforms demand that we ensure proper oversight, transparency and effective management of technologies that in large measure undergird our social lives, our economy, and our politics."

Since when has government ever produced proper oversight, transparency, or effective management of anything? And what could possibly go wrong with eviscerating the First Amendment to give these jokers "oversight" or "management" powers over technologies that undergird our politics? What's really going on here?

Political blogger Michael Krieger answers that question with a simple headline: "Censorship Is What Happens When Powerful People Get Scared." The American political establishment has spent the last decade quaking in its boots over the next potential disclosure from WikiLeaks, Edward Snowden, or whistleblowers yet unknown. This isn't about "our democracy." It's about "their power."

The US government's use of putatively "private sector" social media outlets as proxy censors has been going on for some time, but the Russiagate scandal lent it new momentum. And it's not just some alleged lunatic fringe that they're after. Recent victims of Twitter's ban policy include non-interventionist foreign policy analysts like Scott Horton (editorial director of Antiwar.com), former Foreign Service Officer Peter Van Buren, and Ron Paul Institute director Daniel McAdams.

We don't need "more government oversight" of social media. What we need is for it to be recognized, and treated, as a criminal abuse of power (and a violation of US Code Title 18 241 -- "conspiracy against rights") for government officials or employees to attempt to "oversee" or "manage" social media's content standards.

Let me reconfigure Chris Murphy's authoritarian statement to name the stakes: The survival of our freedom depends on it.The present popular acceptance of madness in the political realm is a disaster waiting to happen. One hundred million Americans are driven into poverty caused by the Wall Street system. Yet, every crisis the political system conjures up conceals the crisis of Wall St.'s central-control command of the economy. The fact that the Republican and Democratic leadership would rather unwind the work that Presidents Trump and Putin accomplished at the Helsinki Summit and launch another round of sanctions, that are hostile acts toward Russia is damnable, reckless, brinkmanship. The avoidance of war and realization of the redevelopment of North America is too crucial to the national security to be left to these political animals. America can still be the nation the world needs, leading and cooperating with other nations onto the higher order of civilization our humanity demands, but we are not there yet; it's not even a recognizable endeavor in this two-party political system.

You have to ask, why undo the President's political platform? Bad enough we have Israel's Netanyahu, after securing the protection of Israel from both the American and Russian presidents, is still leading us around to affect his special, historical ambition, which is the annihilation of Iranian people, is the US Congress now under the control of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the once imprisoned, villainous oligarch out for revenge against Putin? No matter, this is not how and where you drive US foreign policy. The Russiagate operation was hatched in the bowels of the British HQGC and yet with all the explosive, unnerving revelations, that members of the intelligence community and our 'allies', Republicans and Democrats, invested assets and resources to oust the President from the Oval Office, Special Counsel Mueller is allowed to destroy lives, exploiting the fear of imprisonment, getting people to give disreputable testimony; its investigative, prosecutorial, court operation is taken from the Stalinist era. SC Mueller has set up some bad precedents that the present law profession and the courts seem to be powerless before. The Wall St.-owned two-party political system simply will not allow a functioning United States government. This cannot be in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The crimes, the financial warfare offensive Wall St. conducted and still conducts against the American people deserve exposure and rectification immediately. It's how we can make our banking, financial and economic system stronger and responsive to the national security priorities, like full employment, as it was in the FDR era. The 2008 financial meltdown and the pillage of America to save the TBTF banker-speculators' must be exposed. Wall St. and the 1% must be taxed. The debt carried by the population of the Main St. economy has to be reorganized, and disposed of. The American people pays twice, three times for everything he/she buys. It starts with low wages. The debt-based system is stupid, the results are obvious, we're not going to be prosperous in the debt system. Pensions have to be protected, not cannibalized by the parasitical investor class. All forms of looting must be exposed and terminated at once. Labor needs a raise $, workers are not being paid but are exposed to all sorts of credit schemes to make up for the gaps in their standard of living. Main St. carries too much debt and pays too much for insurance, all these costs drags down the economy. Students are not even contributing to the economy yet are debtors to the economy, their usurious debt grows as they study. The debt system is a failure. What good is a political system that does not recognize that and only works to throw more gas on the fire?

It's time to think out of the box to get out of the box we're in. America needs new leadership, new people in the US Treasury and new people in the US Federal Reserve Bank, No lawyers, no bankers, who tell us the Fed is a Private Bank; have them arrested. Scientists, chemists, engineers, contractors, developers, mothers, and union leaders would be a good choice for identifying the national priorities. The reorganization of the Fed, the US Treasury, and Wall St. cannot be delayed. Funding the science-driven platform known as the redevelopment of North America will increase the value of the economy by 30-fold. Transition the Fed into a Public Bank that will fund the 50 states, industry, and infrastructure, in support of the Great America project. We're wasting time. Contact your political representatives. Contact the President.Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

The Trump administration is pushing hard on its scheme to create a Space Force. Last week Vice President Pence, chairman of a newly reconstituted National Space Council, in a speech at the Pentagon declared: "The time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield."

Pence claimed--falsely: "Our adversaries have transformed space into a warfighting domain already and the United States will not shrink from the challenge."

Trump, who in June announced he was "directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces," following Pence's address Thursday promptly tweeted: "Space Force all the way!"

At the same time, signaling that the Space Force drive will be used politically, the Trump campaign organization sent out an email asking supporters to choose between six Space Force logos that were depicted. "President Trump wants a Space Force--a groundbreaking endeavor for the future of America and the final frontier," wrote Brad Parscale, campaign manager of "Donald J. Trump for President, 2020." "To celebrate President Trump's huge announcement, our campaign will be selling a new line of gear." He asked backers pick "your favorite logo."

"This is a crucial moment where the public must stand and say 'hell no!" said Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, on his blog. "Star Wars" isn't "affordable, is an insane idea, and would very likely lead to WW III--the final war," said Gagnon.

The Global Network (www.space4peace.org ), based in Maine and founded in 1992, decided at its annual meeting, in June in Oxford, United Kingdom, to have the Space Force scheme be the target of its "International Week of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space."

It will be held between October 6 and 13 with protests and other actions against the Space Force plan happening throughout the United States and internationally. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Chapter, is the co-sponsor.

"How in the world can our bankrupt nation afford to pay for Star Wars which the aerospace industry has long claimed would be the largest industrial project in human history?" said Gagnon. "The only way is to completely destroy social progress--cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and what little is left of the welfare program. Are you going to stand for that?"

@BruceBourgoine @RepPoliquin @golden4congress Or a space force. $8 billion to get started?! No way should this eve https://t.co/vpwJAwgUov at https://t.co/vpwJAwgUov  Lorena (@Lorenalouisefor) August 15, 2018

The poster the Global Network is using for the week is headed "No Space Force" and features a dour Trump in a Darth Vader helmet. Under this are "Space for Peace" and this explanation: "Trump has announced plans for a Space Force--a separate military service which would ensure US 'control and domination' of space on behalf of corporate interests. China, Russia and other space-faring nations would be its targets. Under aerospace industry pressure this proposal would necessitate massive amounts of taxpayer dollars. We call it Pyramids to the Heavens. Congress will have final approval of Trump's proposal. The U.N.'s Outer Space Treaty and Moon Treaties declare that space must be preserved for all of humanity. Help us defeat plans to weaponize space. Work to protect social progress on Earth rather than a new arms race in space. #No Space Force."

If Donald Trump gets his way and there is a U.S. Space Force, the heavens would become a war zone, there would indeed be an "arms race in space," and inevitably war in space.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis introducing Pence at his Pentagon appearance, said a Space Force is needed because space "is becoming a contested-war-fighting domain." In reality, like Pence's declaration--"Our adversaries have transformed space into a warfighting domain already"--it isn't true.

That's in part because of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 which designates space as a global commons to be used for peaceful purposes--of which Russia and China and the U.S.are parties. Indeed, the U.S. along with the U.K. and the Soviet Union, worked together in assembling the treaty.

As Craig Eisendrath, who had been a U.S. State Department officer involved in its creation noted in the 2001 TV documentary I wrote and narrate, "Star Wars Returns," the Soviet Union had launched the first space satellite, Sputnik, in 1957 and "we sought to de-weaponize space before it got weaponized"to keep war out of space." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bdMzE3N5iw

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966, it entered into force in 1967. It has been ratified or signed by 123 nations. It provides that nations "undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in space in any other manner."

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).Progressive Content Not Found

Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing.



To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here.Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.



Copyrighted Image? DMCA



Fascism is a disease, a delusion, a toxic worldview. It's encouraged and manipulated by propaganda. Its characteristics are numerous and to various degrees widespread and long-lasting. At what point their combination in sufficiently extreme degree rises to the level of fascism, as opposed to moderately fascistic tendencies I'm happy to leave to others to decide.

Fascism is not a tendency born into subhuman monsters who threaten the purity of our anti-fascist homeland, as one might suspect when reading posters like "The only good fascist is a dead fascist" at anti-fascist rallies.

Fascism is not easily eliminated and not best eliminated by simply any random opposition to it, even opposition that much resembles it. Eliminating fascism and how best to do it is a reasonable topic of discussion which necessarily involves opposing some tactics as less effective than others. This means that it is possible to oppose an anti-fascist act without being a fascist -- although not without getting called a fascist.

Jason Stanley's new book How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them analyzes the elements of fascism in a very valuable way, even if I disagree with some bits of it as a result of the most anti-fascist behavior there is: independent thinking.

Fascism, Stanley tells us, using numerous recent and historical examples, creates a mythic past. Yet if I consider the view of U.S. high school history books found in Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen or Founding Myths by Ray Raphael or other similar books, the fascism of U.S. schools has long extended to much more than pledging allegiance to a flag, and the struggle to teach the truth about the past can be called an anti-fascist struggle.

Fascism, Stanley writes, demands patriarchal families, in large part as a metaphor and training for an authoritarian government. Blind obedience to authority and belief in something larger than yourself are traits shared by religion and fascism, though Stanley does not characterize fascism as religion. Again, this tendency has been around for centuries.

Fascism is Orwellianism, says Stanley. That is, it markets corruption as anti-corruption, irrationality as reason, and suppression as freedom of speech. Its version of anti-corruption is total trust in the most corrupt figures around. Its idea of reason is barbaric bigotry announced as arrived at by reason and evidence and inevitable obvious natural laws. Its conception of free speech is armed rallies. These behaviors are extreme versions of common mainstream practices, but here it's easier I think to figure out where the fascist line is crossed.

Fascism is anti-intellectualism, anti-education. It substitutes unreality for intelligent observation and deliberation.

Fascism favors hierarchy, racism, and union busting (because in unions people join together across race or other lines, as well as because they make more money).

Fascism adopts a passionate stance of victimhood. "You will not replace us!" they shout at marches in Charlottesville.

Fascism demands so-called law and order, that is: racially biased official abuse and violence. Stanley discusses the rise of U.S. mass incarceration under the regimes of various U.S. presidents from both of the two major parties. Nobody would call everyone involved a fascist, but the fascist tendency is clearly just that: part of what makes up full-blown fascism.

Fascism fears sex and rape and the mixing of the races. Trump called Mexican immigrants rapists and wanted innocent black kids in New York murdered for alleged rape not for any sensible reasons, but perfectly in line with this element of fascist propaganda as Stanley describes it.

Stanley's examples of each of the patterns above come from, among other places, Germany, Italy, and more recently Poland, Hungary, India, Turkey, Russia, Myanmar, and the United States -- never Ukraine, I notice, but one sentence on Israel surprisingly made the cut!

Stanley makes a strong case that when Trump says he wants to make America great again, the answer to when was it great is the 1930s. Trump's model may be Charles Lindbergh, a fan of "America First" and of fascism.

Running through Stanley's analysis is the idea that fascism divides "us" from "them." I would add that central to fascism is belief in the power of violence. Of course, both of these tendencies are extremely widespread beyond that constellation of horrors that we take to make up fascism.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

Despite being led by one of the most erratic and least popular presidents in modern history, the Trumpian Republican Party dominates U.S. politics.

One of the main reasons for this awful state of affairs is that the opposition party -- which calls itself "Democratic" -- is led by vacillating, corporate-oriented politicians who seem to have one firm principle: that the party's progressive base must be repeatedly insulted, repressed and denied a major role in democratic decision-making.

The latest slap in the face to the Democratic Party's base came Friday when the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee -- behind closed doors -- reversed its ban on accepting political donations from fossil fuel companies. That ban had lasted a mere two months before the ridiculous flip-flop.



one of the graphics the DNC has used

(Image by DNC) Details DMCA



Did "Democratic" Party leaders democratically survey the party's base before toadying to oil, gas and coal company donors? Did the leadership consult environmental groups who so loyally support Democrats in election after election?

No and no.

In the face of an energized activist base crying out for a party that will put forward bold social/economic and environmental proposals, the Democratic leadership dithers and grovels for donations from the Republican-allied fossil fuel industry that threatens our planet's future.

A co-founder of the climate action group 350.org concluded: "This sort of spineless corporate pandering is why Democrats keep losing."

Even in the face of a horrific menace like Trump, efforts to defeat the right at the polls are undermined by a Democratic leadership lacking in vision, values, and commitment to democracy.

Which is why an alliance of progressive activists will be setting up informational picket lines when the full Democratic National Committee begins its three-day meeting in Chicago on August 23. The alliance, led by groups such as RootsAction.org and Progressive Democrats of America, is supporting vital reforms to democratize the party.

One reform to be debated in Chicago -- one that activists believe is winnable -- harks back to the calamitous Democratic loss to Trump in 2016. The reform would restrict the undemocratic voting power of "superdelegates": party insiders who have exerted an outsized influence in choosing the presidential nominee. (By the end of 2015, before a single Democratic voter had participated in any state primary or caucus, Hillary Clinton was the prohibitive favorite for the nomination thanks to her support from most of the 712 Democratic superdelegates.)

Besides the superdelegate problem, activists also want Democratic Party finances to be more transparent -- more urgent now that the DNC has done a backflip on fossil fuel donations.

It's bad enough that our country's governing party denies climate science while believing Exxon and Chevron are persons.

It makes matters much worse when the opposition party's leadership wants donations from Mr. Exxon and Ms. Chevron while tacitly denying that climate science demands drastic action -- way far beyond the wishes of those donors.

This country needs a serious opposition party that can defeat both corporate power and the GOP. Only democratic participation by the grassroots will make possible that kind of a winning party.

Jeff Cohen co-founded RootsAction.org, which is coordinating an informational picket at the Chicago DNC meeting. He was an editor of "Autopsy: The Democratic Party in Crisis."Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

(This is a reprint from NewsBred).



Hindus lose lives and narrative

(Image by pixabay.com) Details DMCA



Every Independence Day fills me with sadness and anger. For the day next is August 16, albeit of 1946, when the Muslim League government of the day in undivided Bengal provoked violence against Hindus, described by the then TIME magazine as the "worst communal riots of the century."

History remembers the day as the 'Direct Action Day" or the "The Week of Long Knives." On July 29, 1946, Muslim League leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah had made a call for "Direct Action"--a call to all Muslims in the country--to mark its rejection of the constituent assembly and to demonstrate to British and Congress that a separate nation called Pakistan alone could offer them security.

Were Muslims unsafe in Congress-dominated India ? Mahatma Gandhi would've called it the "greatest irony." All his life he was accused of Muslim appeasement, from Khilafat movement to Malabar riots and later to funding Pakistan with Rs 55 crores which was the last straw for a Hindu protagonist, Nathuram Godse. All these killings after Direct Action Day, Noakhali, and Punjab partition still had Gandhi reaching out to Pakistan even as their infiltrators were carving out Kashmir illegally--looting, killing and raping with impunity.

Had Muslims been unsafe in India , the call for Pakistan would've come much before than it finally did in 1940. Had Muslims been unsafe, overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims would've thought little of Muslim League till 1945. If Muslim security alone was uppermost in Jinnah's mind, he ought to have worried about millions of Muslims he was leaving behind in vivisected India .

So, that's Exhibit A: Jinnah's call for Direct Action Day had little basis but for his own personal agenda. He found a ready ally in Britain who were stung by Congress' non-cooperation during World War II and wanted to teach them a lesson. Britain also wanted to retain a foothold in the Indian sub-continent, access to critical Arabian Sea and to stem the advance of Russia and its Communism to Middle East where oil was beginning to be the new big lolly.

The next set of facts are undisputed too: That (a) the then-Bengal Chief Ministe Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, "king of goondas", made an inflammatory speech in Calcutta while calling for a bandh on the day; (b) police and other security services were given off for the day; (c) Muslim League mouthpiece The Star of India called upon Muslims to remember the jihad, the Battle of Badr, when a handful of Muslims overpowered the heathens, (d) Pirs and Mullahs were urged to mobilize Muslims on the prayers of Friday the 16th.

From this stage on, the dubious academia takes over the history that reaches us. Ramachandra Guha admits that although "the violence was started by the (Muslim) League, the main sufferers were Muslims." The Quint quotes a writer and a BBC programme to show how Hindus were enacting violence; Scroll mentions that 75% victims were Muslims; The Wire asserts that Suhrawardy is "mis-remembered as a Hindu-hating communal leader for he wanted a united Bengal (who are we to tell them that's because Suhrawardy didn't want to lose Calcutta, the nub of Bengal's economy).

What's their source of claiming that more Muslims lost their lives? Some bloggers and historians. What's the source of these bloggers and historians? Again some other bloggers and historians. That's how the left-liberal grow the tree of agenda.

Now what's the official position?

(a) No official position only a widely varying figures of between 4,000-10,000 killed, mostly a guesswork; (b) In August 1946, the government of Bengal appointed an enquiry commission presided by the Supreme Justice of India, Sir Patrick Spens. Although the commission interrogated many witnesses, its conclusions were never published!

EXHIBIT B: Why the report wasn't published? You would never see a select academia/historians mentioning or questioning it. You would never find this bloc telling you about "evil" Governor Frederick Burrows and his complicity in Direct-Action Day; you would never find this cabal tell you that during the days of the partition, the sentiments of British officers, be it police or army or bureaucracy, were overwhelmingly pro-Pakistan because of the non-cooperation of Congress during World War II. Or the role of such British officers in helping infiltrators in Kashmir in 1947-48.

You pay enough attention and you would get the pattern in modern day: it's never Hindu right-wingers who are killed in Kerala but violence is from both sides; it's never BJP leaders who are massacred and thrown into gutters in West Bengal but losses are on both sides. You would get the pattern when the proposed Citizenship Bill for Hindus who are emptied from Pakistan , Afghanistan and Bangladesh is opposed tooth and nail by these official raconteurs. Why the brilliant account of Hindus' suffering in Bengal by Tathagata Roy "My People, Uprooted" is kept hidden from your attention. For anyone but Hindus is the creed.

Even though they all concur that Muslims initiated the riots at the call of Suhrawardy; that police was pulled in; yet somehow more Muslims died on a data which is non-existent!!! (and dare you disbelieve them).

So I will follow August 16 this year with both trepidation and sadness. Trepidation is to watch out for fresh "painted" accounts by the unscrupulous. Sadness, for if a debate, seminar or remembrance of the day is observed, it would somehow be BJP who would be plastered as communal! Meanwhile, you and I would keep sitting on our haunches--and watch our next generation brain-washed and swamped with guilt. The continuing horrors on millions of Hindus in east of our land is neither heard nor told.

So first you lose lives; then you lose the memory of these lives and instead of outrage are left with guilt. That's how brilliantly a narrative is controlled.Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.



Belated Birthday - Im1happy by RufusShinra4179 on DeviantArt800 -- 600 - 2423k - gif

(Image by deviantart.com) Details DMCA



We are living through a difficult and rare moment in human history when various meta-narratives compete for our allegiance - our future is at stake. Fromm wrote about the human need for larger "frameworks" or lenses through which we understand our journey: who we are, where we are and where we are going.

Cultural theorist and activist Duane Elgin proposes that we are in the gap "between stories," and need to be able articulate convincing narratives that can guide us toward life-enhancing futures. For these to take hold they must be believable and compelling.

It is all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day dramatic details of what is happening around us. Yet, as important as it is to be aware of and engage in activism - protesting the wrongs that are being perpetrated in our name - we also need to envision a much larger picture of some of the alternate options we can embrace if we are to turn the American-dream-turned nightmare into the potential positive promise that can still be.

No doubt we humans are facing profound challenges; just so we need equally positive narratives ("stories") to transform conflict into cooperation.

Elgin suggests (and I agree) that our biggest challenges are not merely devising solutions to the coming end of cheap oil, climate change or the population/refugee crisis - as critical as these are (and can be expected to intensify); instead the challenges involve bringing images and metaphors of our journey and plausible positive futures. These can be considered "stories of great transitions" that present emotionally compelling larger contexts which can re-frame and inspire our higher potentials. These can then be taken up by media makers, educators, and businesses as alternatives to the grim future that appears ahead, should our current approaches continue as usual -- offering only more of the same.

Four possible narratives:

1) Humanity is growing up --

Over Millenia the human species has continued to learn, transform, and mature. From our "childhood" as early hunter-gatherers we are now entering late adolescence with the potential for forming a planetary civilization -- despite powerful movements resisting this growth. Our current era can be thought of as a rite of passage into global adulthood and human community. We will be seeking a renewed relationship with other human beings, species and the universe to which we belong.

2) Humanity is on a Heroic Journey -

revealing the story common to all such endeavors -- a process of separation, initiation and return. We, as a species, can expect the rigors that classically accompany initiation (in which we will face the consequences of that separation) coupled with a lengthy journey of return. It can be hoped that our initiation will bring sobering and realistic wisdom -- and a vastly increased capacity for joy in connection with all others and the cosmos.

3) A Global Brain Awakens --

We increasingly live in a world with a capacity for virtually instantaneous communication. Our collective consciousness as a species (despite appearances) is gaining a capacity for increased intelligence and discernment. The "global brain" is a metaphor for the worldwide network of people connected by communication technologies. At the same time, largely unacknowledged as yet in both public and private discourse, we are growing into a "holonic awareness" in which we increasingly intuit that we are -- each of us -- connected parts of a Whole -- whatever name we give to it.

4) Integrating Indigenous Wisdom -

This involves the distinction between "older" (more mature) and "younger" cultures, such as our own. Indigenous wisdom is infused with a feeling of communion with the land and a natural sense of participation in the life force in all that we do.

Younger cultures tend to view themselves as apart from the Earth -- with dominion over it -- and a view that sees the resources of Earth as things to be exploited and then discarded. Nature is not regarded as mother, father, or sibling. Rather, it is essentially seen an enemy to be conquered and subdued; it is still highly unusual for people to question this embedded assumption. This is a form of arrogance for which we are and will increasingly be paying.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).The Bell Team Announces Expansion to Massachusetts

www.bellteamboston.com

www.bellteamboston.com

Rhonda and Trey Bell, owners of The Bell Team, announce the recent launch of their new real estate expansion team, The Bell Team Boston. Lead by local real estate expert, Kristin Weiner, this Massachusetts expansion team will officially open its doors on August 1, 2018. Kristin has an extensive background in management and leadership and began her journey with The Bell Team years ago in the Metro Atlanta area of North Georgia. She brings quite a bit of experience to The Bell Team Boston including her ability to achieve a high level of execution, customer service, and results. Ready to serve the communities in and around Needham and Newton, this new team will represent homebuyers and sellers alike for their real estate needs.Bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate in this region of the Northeast, The Bell Team Boston is comprised of the Lead Agent, Kristin Weiner, an Inside Sales Agent, Laura Hong, and an administrative support staff of four. See more about The Bell Team Boston atSince real estate isnt the same everywhere, homebuyers and sellers can trust a realty team who communicates effectively and timely with up-to-date information. The Bell Team Boston will help clients find their next home, sell their house, consult on effective home selling tactics, and more. Moreover, regardless of whether the client is a buyer or seller, they will always negotiate diligently to get their clients the best deal possible. Diving a bit deeper into how The Bell Team Boston executes their business, Trey Bell shares, We employ a proven strategic marketing plan and use the best real estate technology in existence today. We also give clients a personal touch because at the end of the day, they are our priority.About The Bell Team BostonA real estate expansion team under The Bell Team  Keller Williams, The Bell Team Boston services homebuyers and sellers in the Needham area of Massachusetts. Clients turn to The Bell Team Boston for their real estate expertise combined with exceptional customer service. Residents looking to sell their home, purchase one, or both can also visit The Bell Team Bostons website atThe Bell Team Boston1340 Centre St, Ste 202Newton, MA 02459Lisa Cutterlisa@ringthebellteam.comAlmond Oil (Sweet) Consumption Market forecasts 2023

https://www.getmarketresearch.com/report/578506/2018-2023-global-sweet-almond-oil-consumption-market-report/

https://www.getmarketresearch.com/report/578506/2018-2023-global-sweet-almond-oil-consumption-market-report/

https://www.getmarketresearch.com/custom-research/

Over the next five years, Our Research team projects that Sweet Almond Oil will register a -0.4% CAGR in terms of revenue, reach US$ 150 million by 2023, from US$ 160 million in 2017.The United States is the world's largest producer of sweet almond oil. Every year, 60%-75% sweet almond oil of United States manufacturer exports to Europe and Asia Pacific. In Europe, especially France and Germany, is the world's largest consumption region of sweet almond oil, which hold 58% global sales market share.The world's major consumption regions are the France, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. Cosmetic companies are the world's major downstream customers. Despite the presence of competition problems, due to the global recovery trend is clear, investors are still optimistic about this area. Consumption in China and many developing countries is very small, and there still have great potential in these markets.To view full report follow this link:Segmentation by product type:Nonpareil Almond OilCalifornia Almond OilMission Almond OilOthersSegmentation by application:CosmeticsFoodOthersThe key manufacturers covered in this report:CaloyNOW FoodsLa TourangellePlimonNatural Oils InternationalAlqvimiaMountain OceanProvital GroupAAK Natural OilsESIOlioforaK. K. EnterpriseFor free sample report follow this link:List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Sweet Almond OilTable Product Specifications of Sweet Almond OilFigure Sweet Almond Oil Report Years ConsideredFigure Market Research MethodologyFigure Global Sweet Almond Oil Consumption Growth Rate 2013-2023 (MT)Figure Global Sweet Almond Oil Value Growth Rate 2013-2023 ($ Millions)Table Sweet Almond Oil Consumption CAGR by Region 2013-2023 ($ Millions)Figure Product Picture of Nonpareil Almond OilTable Major Players of Nonpareil Almond OilFigure Product Picture of California Almond OilTable Major Players of California Almond OilFigure Product Picture of Mission Almond OilTable Major Players of Mission Almond OilFigure Product Picture of OthersTable Major Players of OthersTable Global Consumption Sales by Type (2013-2018)Table Global Sweet Almond Oil Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)Figure Global Sweet Almond Oil Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)Table Global Sweet Almond Oil Revenue by Type (2013-2018) ($ million)Table Global Sweet Almond Oil Value Market Share by Type (2013-2018) ($ Millions)Figure Global Sweet Almond Oil Value Market Share by Type (2013-2018)Table Global Sweet Almond Oil Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)Figure Sweet Almond Oil Consumed in Cosmetics.........moreTo customize this report follow this link:Get Market Research one of the leading Market Research providers, is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required for 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.Contact:Karan PatelManager - Partner Relations & International MarketingGet Market ResearchKonrad-Zuse-Platz 2,Munich, 81829Germany.+49 1520 1053 196U.S.: +1 281 393 8181karan@getmarketresearch.comiLobby Corp. Wins Startup of The Year presented at The 2018 Stevie Awards

Stevie Startup of The Year Award

www.goilobby.com

TORONTO, ON  14 August 2018  iLobby Corp. was named a winner of a Stevie Award in the Startup of the Year  Business Products Industries category at the 15th Annual International Business Awards.This years Stevie Award winners in the IBAs are the most distinguished group of winners weve had yet, said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. We raised the minimum average score from the judges required to qualify as a Stevie winner, so 2018 winners should be especially proud of their achievements.The International Business Awards are the worlds premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small  are eligible to submit nominations. The 2018 IBAs received entries from 74 nations and territories. The winners were determined by the average scores of more than 270 executives worldwide who participated on 12 juries.iLobby does provide a unique service to businesses, automating the visitor check-in process. It is definitely the wave of the future for more and more businesses that are looking for an easy alternative to check people in once they come on premises, commented the IBA judges of iLobby. Security and management processes can be very time consuming and costly. iLobby seems to provide a robust solution to address some of these pain points. Clearly a phenomenal business on the up.This Stevie Award is the second major recognition for iLobby this year, after its triumphant win at the 2018 Startup Canada Ontario Regional Awards  a prestigious award that recognizes excellence within Canadian entrepreneurship.Ariel Mashiyev, CEO of iLobby Corp., is pleased with the win of this Stevie Award and remarked, Our team works extremely hard to provide products that exceed our clients expectations and truly elevate the way they do business. We are honored to be a Stevie Award winner and congratulate all of our fellow nominees and recipients.Year after year, iLobby has been optimizing its platform and focusing on research and development of advanced features. Understanding customer demands, iLobby has quickly evolved into offering a much more form-fitted solution towards enterprises on a global scale. The new strategy has had considerable success resulting in tremendous increase in revenue and company expansion to new markets.Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for crowned, the awards will be presented to winners at a gala awards banquet at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel in London, England on Saturday, October 20th, 2018.iLobby Corp. provides an innovative tablet-based visitor management system for a variety of industries. The automated and robust platform not only enhances security but also reduces administrative costs and makes keeping track of contractors, vendors and guests simple. For additional information, product and service details, please visit3605 Weston Road Toronto ON M9L1V7Bulk Container Packaging Market 2024: Key Players BLT Flexitank Industrial Co. Ltd., Shandong Anthente New Materials Technology, Braid Logistics, KriCon, Buscherhoff Spezialverpackung,

Bulk Container Packaging Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1127

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/bulk-container-packaging-market

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1127

www.gminsights.com

The escalating commercialization of Bulk Container Packaging Market is influenced by a wide range of factors, increasing exports of comestible oil from South East Asia being a major one. As the transportation industry is continuously seeking for cost effective and efficient commodity trade, bulk container packaging is becoming the most preferred choice across utility domains.Indonesia and Malaysia are two main countries where the trend is notably increasing day by day. For instance, in 2007, Indonesia exported palm oil estimated almost around 14 million tons, which in 2013, rose to near about 20 million tons. Another factor which is favoring increasing penetration of the market is technological interventions in terms of packing innovation. As per a report by Global Market Insights, Inc., bulk container packaging market is poised to chart a double-digit growth rate of 10% CAGR over 2016-2024, with a target revenue of more than USD 6 billion by 2024.Request sample copy of this report @Global economy has always been one single common ground influencing the overall packaging market trends. The various products encompassing the bulk container packaging market including flexitanks, bulk container liners, and FIBC are mostly manufactured from petrochemical derivatives, which leads to the industry witnessing a relevant cost structure. Flexitanks have emerged as one of the prominent products that are widely being adopted for the export of wines, fruit juices, and edible oils. Some of the value-added characteristics of the product that allows its massive consumption include low weight, cost effectiveness, high payloads, eco-friendliness, and low contamination risks. With the growing regulatory norms subject to the environmental concerns, flexitanks bulk container packaging market is expected to witness the highest growth in the years ahead.Flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) is another major product segment substantially contributing to the overall bulk container packaging industry share. These products are widely incorporated in industrial applications such as transporting building materials, detergents, polymers, non-hazardous chemicals etc. Holding the maximum bulk container packaging industry share in 2015, FIBC market is likely to witness substantial growth in the coming years.Food and beverage sector contributed a major chunk toward bulk container packaging market share, covering almost 30% of the overall application landscape in 2015. The demand for food has witnessed a massive increase from the ever-increasing population base which has already crossed the seven billion mark. In addition, increasing consumer spending over beverages such as tea, coffee, wine, juice, have also considerably fueled the application growth.Browse complete summary of this report@Bulk container packaging industry size from chemical applications will also chalk a profitable growth curve in the years ahead at a projected CAGR of 10% over 2016-2024. Easy availability of raw materials, supportive government policies, and increasing investments by the chemical manufacturers are some of the factors that have significantly augmented chemical trade across APAC belt. This, in turn, is expected to provide a significant push to bulk container packaging market growth over the coming seven years. Overall, with China at the growth front, Asia Pacific market will witness maximum gains with an annual growth rate of 11% over 2016-2024.North America bulk container packaging market will also witness commendable gains over the coming years, driven by the growing demand for export of agricultural products including oilseeds, corn, grain, and soya bean. Estimates depict that North America dominated the overall bulk container packaging industry share in 2015, with major contributions from the U.S.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Worldwide, bulk container packaging market is undergoing a transformation, with the spreading consumer awareness about the importance of sustainable and biodegradable packaging. The industry is highly consolidated with the major players sharing almost 50% of the global business space. Some of the prominent bulk container packaging industry participants include Braid Logistics, SIA Flexitanks, BLT Flexitank Industrial, and MY Flexitank (MYF).About Global Market InsightsGlobal 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:Advanced Polymer Composites Market 2024:Key Players Kemrock Industries and Exports Limited, Solvay S.A., Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd., Toray Industries Inc., TPI Composites Inc., Koninklijke Ten Cate N.V

Advanced Polymer Composites Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1175

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/advanced-polymer-composites-market

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1175

www.gminsights.com

Advanced Polymer Composites Market graph will display an upward swing, driven by its extensive use in the aviation sector subject to exceptional product features such as abrasion resistance and robustness. Polymer composites are used to manufacture aircraft components, owing to which they find applications in commercial and passenger aviation sectors.They are also used to manufacture wind blades that are utilized in wind energy production. In fact, overall power generating capacity of wind blades, which was 3,00,000 MW, is likely to hit 7,50,000 MW by 2024. The escalating usage of composites to manufacture wind blades and the mounting wind energy requirement will further boost the growth of advanced polymer composites market. According to Global Market Insights, Inc., Advanced Polymer Composites Industry revenue will probably surpass USD 16 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 7% over 2016-2024.Request sample copy of this report @Taking into consideration the regional trends, North America advanced polymer composites industry, which collected a revenue of USD 3 billion in 2015, is anticipated to positively influence the business space. Massive demand for automobiles plus the growing preference for power generation via wind blades will drive the industry growth. Flourishing aerospace sector in the U.S. will contribute massively towards the regional revenue.Asia Pacific advanced polymer composites market share is predicted to expand strikingly, during the period of 2016 to 2024. Rise in the aircraft sales and growing number of construction activities are expected to raise the industry revenue. India and China are likely to make hefty contributionstowards the regional share.Advanced polymer composites also find extensive applications in boat building, auto parts, tanks & pipes, conductors, and aviation parts. Advanced polymer composites industry share from the auto parts sector is slated to grow at an annual rate of 7% over 2016-2024. Increase in automobile production and subsequent sales will push the growth.Advanced polymer composites market size in aviation parts sector, which accumulated a revenue of USD 3.5 billion in 2015, will witness a significant surge in the years ahead. High product preference across the aerospace industry will profit the business.Browse complete summary of this report@Fibers and resins are the major industry products. Fiber based advanced polymer composites industry, which dominated the product landscape in 2015, is expected to grow substantially over the years to come. The growth can be attributed to its extensive application across the marine, aerospace and automotive sectors.Resins based advanced polymer composites market, which was estimated at USD 3 billion in 2015, will observe a notable growth in future. These products find wide applications in boat building, metal bonding, aviation parts, and carbon & electrical materials.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Market participants will try to establish their global presence through hefty R& D investments, new product launches, and strategic alliances. Cytec Industries Incorporated, Kemrock Industries and Exports Limited, BASF SE, SGL Carbon SE, Arkema S.A, 3B-Fibreglass sprl, Toray Industries Incorporation, Koninklijke Ten Cate NV, Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited, Owens Corning Company, Cristex Limited, Solvay S.A, TPI Composites Incorporation, and Hexcel Corporation are the major players of advanced polymer composites industry.About Global Market InsightsGlobal 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:Medical Gas Equipment Market 2018 Centers on top most vendors like The Linde Group, Allied Health Care, Air Liquide India Holding Pvt Ltd, Powerex, Medical Gas Solutions Ltd, Ohio Medical, Praxair, BeaconMedaes

Medical Gas Equipment Market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/medical-gas-equipment-market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC11350

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/check-discount/HC11350

A research study titled, Medical Gas Equipment Market by product - global industry analysis and forecast to 2022 published by crystal market research.Competitive InsightsSome of the major players in the market are The Linde Group, Allied Health Care, Air Liquide India Holding Pvt Ltd, Powerex, Medical Gas Solutions Ltd, Ohio Medical, Praxair, BeaconMedaes, Matheson Tri-Gas and Air Products & Chemicals.In 2013 the global market was dominated by Air Liquide. The existence of a broad product portfolio, lucrative adoption of development methodologies, for example, ALMA  2015 and sales development accomplished by means of putting resources into rising Latin American, Eastern European and Asian economies and tapping on the accessible development openings are a few elements representing its market position.Industry Trend AnalysisThe Medical Gas Equipment Market was worth USD 2.90 billion in the year 2012 and is expected to reach approximately USD 6.20 billion by 2022, while registering itself at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.89% during the forecast period. Growing rates of respiratory issue combined with the advent of positive United States Food and Drug Administration directions is relied upon to drive medical gas equipment market request throughout the following years. Developing worldwide base of aged populace and expanding commonness of way of life propensities, for example, smoking and absence of physical activity are activating occurrence rates of respiratory issue. World Health Organization (WHO) distributed estimates recommend that the worldwide base of populace of the age group- 65 years or more is required to ascend from 7 percent of every 2000 to 16 percent out of 2050. Besides, developing interest for healthcare and point of care markets and the resulting presentation of medical devices that are portable are anticipated to support market demand. The global medical gas equipment market is anticipated to witness significant development in the following years.Research Report Description with Detailed TOC of Medical Gas Equipment Market @:Regional OutlookMajor regional sections of medicinal gas equipment incorporate Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and RoW. North America ruled the general therapeutic gas equipment market on the basis of income share in 2013. The existence of advanced healthcare framework, high volume of minimally invasive medical and execution of the United States Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act are a few elements ascribing to its substantial share. In 2013 Europe was the second most profit generating district of the medicinal gas equipment market. The existence of affiliations, for example, the European Industrial Gasses Association and Medical Gas Association combined with modern healthcare foundation in developed Western European nations are a few variables anticipated that would drive regional development.Market Segmentation- Medical Gas Equipment MarketBy Product:ManifoldsFlowmetersCylinders and AccessoriesOutletsMasksVacuum Systems/PumpsAlarm SystemsMedical Air CompressorsHose Assemblies and ValvesRegulatorsBy RegionNorth AmericaU.SCanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia-PacificJapanChinaAustraliaIndiaSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldBrazilSouth AfricaSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesOthersRequest to access sample report here:Product Outlook and Trend AnalysisFundamental market products incorporate alarm systems, flow meters, masks, hose assemblies & valves, cylinders, manifolds, vacuum system, regulators, medical air compressors and outlets. Medical gas vacuum systems ruled the medical gas equipment market on the basis of revenue in 2013 attributable to expanding utilization rates and higher costs related. Also, masks are distinguished as the most appealing section of the medical gas equipment market. Low costs of manufacturing related with these items combined with high utilization rates are two variables ascribing to its appeal. Regulators and medicinal gas outlets are additionally anticipated that would witness huge development over the estimate time frame.Major Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Introduction1.1. Report Description1.2. Research Methodology1.2.1. Secondary Research1.2.2. Primary ResearchChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Key HighlightsChapter 3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Market Definition3.1.2. Market Segmentation3.2. Market Dynamics3.2.1. Drivers3.2.1.1. Increasing Geriatric Population3.2.1.2. Growing Demand for Point of Care Diagnostics and Home Healthcare3.2.1.3. Favorable regulatory Policies3.2.2. Restraints3.2.2.1. Shortage of Helium3.2.3. Opportunities3.2.3.1. Emerging Economies to Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities....CONTINUED FOR TOCTo Avail Discount, Please click On the Link @About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Offers One Stop Solution For Market Research, Business Intelligence, And Consulting Services To Help Clients Make More Informed Decisions. It Provides Both Syndicated As Well As Customized Research Studies For Its Customers Spread Across The Globe. The Company Offers Market Intelligence Reports Across A Broad Range Of Industries Including Healthcare, Chemicals & Materials, Technology, Automotive, And Energy.Contact Us:Judy S,304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: Sales@Crystalmarketresearch.ComFuture of Automotive Alternator Market with CAGR Analysis 2018  2023 and Major Key Players  Denso, Hitachi, Lucas Electrical, Mitsubishi, Remy, Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo S.A.

Automotive Alternator Market

https://www.marketprognosis.com/sample-request/15886

https://www.marketprognosis.com/buyReport/15886

https://www.marketprognosis.com/enquiry/15886

https://www.marketprognosis.com

Marketprognosis.com Publish a New Market Research Report On Global Automotive Alternator Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023) which contains global key players survey information and forecast to 2023.Overview of the Global Automotive Alternator Market:The report spread across 92 pages is an overview of the Global Automotive Alternator Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023). These report study based on the Automotive Alternator Market. It is a complete overview of the market, covering various aspects prevailing market landscape. It accumulates comprehensive information and research methodologies.Get a Sample Copy of this Report @The Global Automotive Alternator Market is poised to register a GAGR of around 5.8% during the forecast period. The rise in vehicle production in the Asia-Pacific region and the recovering automotive manufacturing industry in US are anticipated to drive the automotive alternator market over the forecast period.A vehicle has some electrical and electronic components powered by the coordinated arrangement of the battery and alternator. There are two types of alternators that are normally available in the market i.e., three-phase and single-phase. The type of alternators that are used in the car depends on the make of the vehicle. Luxury cars have high-output alternators as they have electrical systems that demand high amount of electricity, such as luxurious audio and video systems.The automotive alternator market is driven by the increasing global demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Asia is estimated to have the highest market share in alternator market in 2017 and is expected to continue at the same pace till the end of 2023 and much beyond. Countries, such as India, China, and South Korea have emerged as the major automotive manufacturing hubs, sourcing components to western automakers. Asia is an opportunistic region for commercial vehicle manufacturers. The automobile industry in India is developing and is expected to be the fastest growing market in the production of automotive by 2020. With the South Asian market providing the low cost of labor, its set to become the major automobile hub in the near future. The European automobile industry has invested about USD 46.3 billion in research and development activities. With the modernization of car-related appliances, there has been a rise in attaching electronic devices in vehicles and increasing requirement of power in cars, which has led to an increase in the demand for alternators.Purchase this report online with 92 Pages, Top Key Players Analysis and List of Tables & Figure @Major Key Players:1 Control Power Technology2 Denso Corporation3 Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.4 Hitachi Automotive5 Lucas Electrical6 Mitsubishi Corporation7 Remy International8 Robert Bosch GmbH9 Valeo S.A.Any Query? Ask to our Expert @This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be?2 What are the key market trends?3 What is driving this market?4 What are the challenges to market growth?5 Who are the key vendors in this market space?6 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?7 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Automotive Alternator Market.Table of Contents:1 Introduction2 Research Methodology3 Executive Summary4 Market Overview and Technological Trends5 Market Dynamics6 Global Automotive Alternator Market Segmentation, by Vehicle Type7 Global Automotive Alternator Market Segmentation, by Type8 Global Automotive Alternator Market Segmentation, by Geography9 Competitive Landscape10 Company Profile11 Future Outlook of the MarketAbout us:We at Market Prognosis believe in giving a crystal clear view of market dynamics for achieving success in todays complex and competitive marketplace through our quantitative & qualitative research methods.We help our clients identify the best market insights and analysis required for their business thus enabling them to take strategic and intelligent decision.We believe in delivering actionable insights for your business growth and success.Contact us:ProgMark Pvt. Ltd.Thane  421501India.sales@marketprognosis.com+1 973 241 5193The provisional toll of a bridge collapse in Italy's northwest city of Genoa rose to 26, local authorities said late on Tuesday.

Rescuers inspect the rubble and wreckages by the Morandi motorway bridge after a section collapsed earlier in Genoa on August 14, 2018. [Photo: AFP/Andrea Leoni]

"Official victims rise to 26, including 23 on the spot (of collapse), 1 person under surgery, and 2 pulled out from rubble," the region of Liguria (of which Genoa is capital city) said on Twitter.

Some 15 people were also registered, of which nine were considered as "red codes", meaning they were in critical health conditions, the government added.

All of the bodies were sent to the San Martino hospital, and at least 19 of them were identified, according to the regional authorities.

The region would officially call a state of emergency due to the major incident on Wednesday, and mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci said two days of mourning would be declared on Aug. 15-16.

Meanwhile, rescuers were expected to continue their search activities all through the night, according to civil protection agency and firefighters.

The incident concerned a major motorway viaduct called "Morandi Bridge" connecting the western part of Genoa to the east.

The collapse involved some 100 of the bridge, and occurred shortly before noon on Tuesday, while some 30 cars and 5 heavy trucks were passing through it. Several people were feared to be still trapped in their vehicles crashed under the concrete rubble of the huge structure.

The bridge was built between 1963 and 1967, and was 1,182 meters long. The portion that caved in was about 50 meters high.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte met with local authorities and rescuers at Genoa's prefecture on Tuesday evening, while ministers of Interior and Infrastructures were expected to visit the city on Wednesday.Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics Market - Future Growth Prospects for Major Leaders

Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics Market

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/monocrystalline-transparent-ceramics-market

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2056

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

Global Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics Market was valued at $106 million in 2015 and is expected to garner $327 million by 2022, registering a CAGR of 18.1% during the forecast period 2014 - 2022. Monocrystalline transparent ceramics are used as an alternative to traditional glass, owing to its added mechanical stability without compromising transparency. It is a single crystal of ceramic material made to eliminate voids to enhance its uniformity, which directly affects its transparency.The global monocrystalline transparent ceramics market is segmented based on material, application, and geography. Based on material, it is divided into sapphire (Al2O3), yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), aluminum oxynitride [(AlN)x(Al2O3)1-x)], and yttria (Y2O3). According to application, it is categorized into optics & optoelectronics, aerospace, defense & security, healthcare, and others (sensors & instrumentation and energy). Geographically, it is classified into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Top Investment PocketSapphire is the most lucrative investment option for new entrants in the monocrystalline transparent ceramics industry. Monocrystalline transparent ceramics made of sapphire are analyzed and are manufactured easily. However, the cost incurred in the manufacturing is high, owing to processing temperature and complex machineries. Its excellent hardness, transmission, and scratch-resistant characteristics are the reasons for its excess production and wide-spread use in various applications. It is used to manufacture windows for missiles & domes, and also in transparent armor and electronics & semiconductor industries.Access Full Summary at :Segment ReviewOptics & optoelectronics application is expected to be the leading segment in terms of revenue in 2015 for monocrystalline transparent ceramics market. Optoelectronics use sapphire as a base or substrate material to make various equipment such as photodiodes, phototransistors, lasers, laser diodes, LEDs, and optical fiber communications. R&D activities for variable usage in lasers tumor control, labelling, packaging, fault detection & inspection, and cutting & grinding, which are expected to drive the market during the forecast period.LAMEA ReviewBrazil is an active market for monocrystalline transparent ceramics in the LAMEA region. According to the Brazilian Association of General Aviation (ABAG), Brazil has the second largest executive aircraft fleet, and the third largest helicopter fleet globally, thereby increasing the demand for transparent ceramics materials in the region. The market in Latin America is driven by abundance of raw materials, development of ports to ease out transportation, and increase in number of educated population.Key players in monocrystalline transparent ceramics industry profiled in the report include Brightcrystals Technology Inc., Ceramtec ETEC, Ceranova Corporation, CILAS, Coorstek Inc., II-VI Incorporated, Konoshima Chemicals Co., Ltd., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Schott AG, and Surmet Corporation.Other key players (not profiled in report) in the value chain are General Electric, IBD Deisenroth Engineering, Koito Manufacturing, Philips, and Innovacera.Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics Market Key Benefits: This report provides an extensive analysis of the current trends, future estimations, and dynamics from 2014 to 2022 of the global monocrystalline transparent ceramics industry, which assist to identify the prevailing opportunities. Extensive market analysis predicts the applications that are currently used and the variants that are expected to gain prominence. Detailed analysis is conducted by following product benchmarking, positioning, and monitoring the top competitors within the global market. Key players are profiled and their strategies are analyzed thoroughly, which portrays the competitive market outlook.Do Purchase Enquiry :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.Shriram Dighe5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb:Hookah Market Is Booming Worldwide | Al Fakher Hookahs, Starbuzz Hookahs, FUMARI

Hookah Market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/291404-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-hookah-market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/291404-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-hookah-market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=291404

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/291404-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-hookah-market

https://www.linkedin.com/company/13388569/

https://www.facebook.com/htfmarketintelligence/

https://twitter.com/htfmarketreport

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NidhiBhawsar-SEO_Expert?rel=author

HTF MI recently introduced Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2023. The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence and some of the key players from the complete study are Al Fakher Hookahs, Starbuzz Hookahs, FUMARI, Mya Hookah, Evolution Hookahs, Anahi Hookahs, Regal Hookahs, Tianbao Glass & Ed Hardy Hookah etc.Request Sample of Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 @:A hookah is a smoking device with a single or multi-stemmed instrument for vaporizing and smoking flavored tobacco, called shisha, whose vapor or smoke is passed through a water basinoften glass-basedbefore inhalation. There are two kinds of hookahs: the traditional ones that you see in hookah bars and newer hookah pens (e-hookahs). Health risks of smoking hookah include exposure to toxic chemicals that are not filtered out by the water and risk of infectious disease when hookahs are shared.This report studies the Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.Browse 100+ market data Tables and Figures spread through Pages and in-depth TOC on " Hookah Market by Type (2 Hose, 3 Hose & Other), by End-Users/Application (Group Use & Personal Use), Organization Size, Industry, and Region - Forecast to 2023". Early buyers will receive 10% customization on comprehensive study.In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Enquire for customization in Report @Competitive Analysis:The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Al Fakher Hookahs, Starbuzz Hookahs, FUMARI, Mya Hookah, Evolution Hookahs, Anahi Hookahs, Regal Hookahs, Tianbao Glass & Ed Hardy Hookah includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc.Market Segments:The Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Market has been divided into type, application, and region.On The Basis Of Type: 2 Hose, 3 Hose & Other.On The Basis Of Application: Group Use & Personal UseOn The Basis Of Region, this report is segmented into following key geographies, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share, growth rate of Hookah in these regions, from 2013 to 2023 (forecast), covering North America (U.S. & Canada) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & Rest of Latin America) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Europe (The U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden & RoE) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of Asia) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Middle East & Africa (GCC, South Africa, North Africa, RoMEA) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Rest of World {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Opportunity Analysis}Buy Single User License of Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 @Have a look at some extracts from Table of ContentIntroduction about Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) HookahGlobal (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017Hookah Market by Application/End UsersGlobal (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications(2013-2023) table defined for each application/end-users like [Group Use & Personal Use]Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2023)Hookah Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and ApplicationHookah (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Hookah Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataAdditionally Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors list is being provided for each listed manufacturersMarket Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018) table for each product type which include 2 Hose, 3 Hose & OtherHookah Manufacturing Cost AnalysisHookah Key Raw Materials AnalysisHookah Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain AnalysisMarket Forecast (2018-2023)........and more in complete table of ContentsBrowse for Full Report at:Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.About Author: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 :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us atEmoji Games launch new free marketing solution

All-in-one marketing service for interactive ads now offered 100% free

http://bit.ly/2MdCuQj

https://brandedminigames.com/

All-in-one marketing service for interactive ads now offered 100% freeLuzern, Switzerland, London, UK: We are proud to announce the launch of our new all-in-one marketing solution, Branded Mini-Games with Casual eSports, which provides the same great tailored playable ad service as before, but for FREE.Playable ads have been steadily increasing in popularity due to their 300% rate of user interactions when compared to their static ad counterparts. They offer a great way for users to interact with a brand which is both fun and rewarding. Not only do we offer this service for free but the package also includes a tailored social media promotional strategy for the campaign.The playable ad format injects fun and gamification into previously dull static ad types, complete with real world tangible prizes for the users to furthermore incentivise interactions.By looking at the success of our games used in previous campaigns with our old paid model, there is a strong indication that this new service will be very well received.We are very excited about the potential this new initiative has to inject some fun and social buzz into brand ads.The service includes:-Free bespoke branded HTML5 game, made to client specifications-Free campaign planning and monitoring (Client only pays for actual promotion on their chosen PPC platform - i.e. Cost of running the ad on Facebook)-Free cross platform marketing campaign, used to further promote knowledge of the campaign, both during and after lifespan of campaign.(*Only cost to the client is that of the PPC charge for the social media advertising.)For more information click here:About usBranded Mini-Games offers branded games development, HTML5 mobile games, mobile marketing games, mobile web games and playable ads to help brands to increase user interaction, clicks and conversions. We are proud to have worked with many international companies and brands, such as Samsung, KFC, Basler Insurance, BMW, and many more, since 2012. The Emoji Games company is based in Luzern, Switzerland and also has offices in London, UK & Seoul, South Korea.United KingdomRoom 4, Ground Floor, Siddley House,50 Canbury Road, Kingston Upon Thames,KT2 6LXNFC Systems Market 2018 Latest Technology Trends and Growth with Top Key Players- Broadcom, INSIDE SECURE, MediaTek, NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics, Sony, Qualcomm, Smartrac, STMicroelectronics

NFC Systems

https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/1031782

https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/1031782

The report gives the clear picture of current NFC Systems Market scenario and the predicted future of the industry. The report focuses on the basis of market drivers, restraints, growth, trends and forecast for the period of 2018-2025. In addition, the report also maps the market performance by value chain analysis which will help in better product differentiation along with the analysis of each segment in terms of opportunity, market attractiveness index and growth rate.The report NFC Systems Market by Key players highlights the essential market dynamics of NFC Systems Market sector. The efficiency of this segment has been studied deeply along with the noteworthy challenges and forthcoming growth opportunities and prospective. The report focuses in decision making abilities and supports to make effective counter strategies in order to achieve competitive advantage. Current market scenario of the segment and forecasts of the market situation have also been bounded in this market report.QY Research groups can be relied upon for the most updated and in depth information of the title Global NFC Systems Market this is estimated by experts to develop at the most elevated CAGR amid the estimate time frame 2018-2025.Get your Sample Report Copy @This report focuses on the global top players, covered Broadcom INSIDE SECURE MediaTek NXP Semiconductors Renesas Electronics Sony Qualcomm Smartrac STMicroelectronics SanDiskMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split into NFC Readers NFC Chips NFC TagsMarket segment by Application, split into Retail Industry Automotive Industry Transportation Industry OthersThe study objectives of this report are: To study and forecast the market size of NFC Systems in global market. To analyze the global key players, SWOT analysis, value and global market share for top players. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, end use and region. To analyze and compare the market status and forecast between China and major regions, namely, United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Rest of World. To analyze the global key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.Get the best Discount in the market here @This market is segmented by Types and Applications. It provides a profound study of the leading players in the market and the prevailing regions in the business, thereby benefiting new entries in the business by proving the most updated insights of the market.At QY Research Groups we render the most authentic and elaborate information for the utmost benefit of our clients.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 world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact Us:Call: +1-888-236-2744Email: sales@qyresearchgroups.comRoom B1510, Shiji Kemao Building,No.66 Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing,100190, China.Big Data Infrastructure: Market 2018 Segmented by Manufacturers (Dell, IBM, NetApp, Cisco, Intel, Oracle) and Forecasts to 2025

Qy Research Groups

https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/1011347

https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/checkout/1011347

https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/1011347

An exclusive Big Data Infrastructure market research report created through broad primary research (inputs from industry experts, companies, and stakeholders) and secondary research, the report aims to present the analysis of Global Big Data Infrastructure Market By Type, By Application, By Region - North America, Europe, South America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with major drivers, challenges and opportunities in the global Big Data Infrastructure market. Additionally, the report also highlights market entry strategies for various companies across the globe.Big Data Infrastructure Market Players: Dell IBM NetApp Cisco Intel Oracle ...Get Sample Copy of This Report Now @ORPURCHASE the Full Report please click on the Link @Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Storage Server NetworkingMarket segment by Application, split into Social Networking Websites Financial Services Sector Healthcare SectorMajor regions are as follows: United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaWorldwide Big Data Infrastructure Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Big Data Infrastructure industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Big Data Infrastructure market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Big Data Infrastructure market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Big Data Infrastructure players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Also, key Big Data Infrastructure market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Reason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Big Data Infrastructure market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.To Check Avail Discount @Contact Us:Call: +1-888-236-2744Email: sales@qyresearchgroups.comAbout 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 world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Room B1510, Shiji Kemao Building,No.66 Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing,100190, China.Generator Sets Market Scope, Demand Forecasts and Company Profiles of Kirloskar, Caterpillar, Honda, Generac, Kohler, Cummins, John Deere, Ingersoll Rand, Yanmar in a Report Released at MarketStudyReport.com

Generator Sets Market, Global Generator Sets Market Size, Generator Sets Industry, Generator Sets Market Trends

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/797209/

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/797209/

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/generator-sets-market

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/

Scope of Generator Sets market for the coming 5 to 7 years has been studied in this 2018 research report that also offers forecasts, influential growth factors and profiles of companies like Kirloskar, Caterpillar, Honda, Generac, Kohler, Cummins, John Deere, Ingersoll Rand, Yanmar and others.Generator Sets Market is predicted to reach over USD 35 billion by 2024. Inadequate power supply coupled with rising demand for consistent and continuous power will positively influence the generator sets market. The industry landscape is extensively driven owing to growing population and urbanization worldwide. Escalating frequency and intensity of weather-related calamities resulting in continued outages will further propel the product adoption.Request a sample of this premium report atThe U.S. generator sets market, in 2017, was valued over USD 4 billion. Ageing electrical infrastructure coupled with worsening grid resiliency to natural disasters will enhance the industry growth. For instance, in 2017, Hurricane Irma knocked out electricity to approximately two-thirds of the power consumers of Florida. Furthermore, the insufficiency of the power grids to sustain rising demand load will further positively influence a wide-scale distribution of these units.Increasing acceptance of power backup equipment to mitigate system interruptions, and loss of in-process data across information centers will enhance the generator sets market growth worldwide. Installation of power backup equipment has become dominant in the data center with the escalating outages cost. For instance, the Delta Airlines data center, in 2016, suffered a loss of more than USD 150 million resulting from outage occurring owing to electrical grid failure.Gas generator sets market is set to gain over 9% by 2024. Rising implications for energy safety, concerns over conventional fuel consumption, coupled with increasing focus toward cleaner fuels will sway the business growth.Europe generator sets market is expected to expand over 6% by 2024. Increasing infrastructural investments coupled with improving commercial & construction activities will offer a stimulus to the industry expansion. In addition, the ongoing growth of IT infrastructure is further enhancing the significant demand across the region. For instance, recently Amazon in Frankfurt constructed a new data center to comply with strict German data protection laws.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at>1000 kVA gensets Market will continue to expand on account of high-power requirement rising from industrial facilities. Growing dependability on backup power solutions with automatic & quick start-up and optimal reliability will further increase the use of these units. Robust industrialization, infrastructural development, and flourishing construction activities will further positively impact the business landscape.Nigeria generator sets market is anticipated to grow over 13% by 2024. These products constitute over three-fourth of the nation?s primary power supply across businesses, public institutions, and households.Eminent industry participants in generator sets market includes Kirloskar, Caterpillar, Briggs & Stratton, Honda, Generac, Kohler, Cummins, Ingersoll Rand, Yanmar, Atlas Copco, Manlift Group, John Deere, Mitsubishi amongst others.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Methodology & Scope1.1 Methodology1.2 Market definitions1.3 Market estimation and forecast parameters1.4 Data Sources1.4.1 Primary1.4.2 Secondary1.4.2.1 Paid sources1.4.2.2 Public sourcesChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Generator sets market 360 degree synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1 Business trends2.1.2 Current trends2.1.3 Fuel trends2.1.4 Power rating trends2.1.5 Application trends2.1.6 End-use trends2.1.7 Region trendsChapter 3 Generator Sets Industry Insights3.1 Industry segmentation3.2 Industry landscape, 2013 - 2024 (USD Million)3.3 Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1 Vendor Matrix3.4 Regulatory landscape3.4.1 Europe3.4.2 U.S.3.4.3 India3.4.4 China3.4.5 South Africa3.5 Innovation & sustainability3.5.1 Kohler SDMO3.5.2 Endress Elektrogertebau GmbH3.5.3 Caterpillar3.5.4 Briggs & Stratton3.5.5 Cummins Power Generation, Inc3.6 Qualitative analysis of the key components of a generator set3.6.1 Engine3.6.2 Alternator3.6.3 The Fuel System3.6.4 The Cooling & Exhaust System3.6.5 Voltage regulator3.6.6 The Lubrication System3.6.7 The Control Panel3.6.8 Base Frame3.6.9 Battery Charger3.7 Price trend analysis3.8 Industry impact forces3.8.1 Growth drivers3.8.1.1 North America & Europe3.8.1.1.1 Increasing intensity & frequency of weather related disasters3.8.1.1.2 Escalating demand for data centers & rising costs of power outages3.8.1.2 Asia Pacific & Latin America3.8.1.2.1 Rapid industrialization & infrastructure development3.8.1.2.2 Burgeoning telecom infrastructure3.8.1.3 Africa3.8.1.3.1 Unreliable grid infrastructure coupled with rapid population growth3.8.1 Industry pitfalls & challenges3.8.1.1 High capital, installation & maintenance costs3.8.1.2 Shifting trends toward renewable power generation3.9 Growth potential analysis3.10 Porter's Analysis3.11 Competitive landscape, 20173.11.1 Strategy dashboard3.11.1.1 Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited3.11.1.1.1 Overseas Expansion3.11.1.1.2 New Product Launches3.11.1.2 Cummins3.11.1.3 Kohler3.11.1.3.1 Acquisitions3.11.1.3.2 New Product launches3.11.1.4 Generac3.11.1.4.1 Acquisitions3.11.1.5 Briggs & Stratton3.11.2 Mergers and acquisitions landscape3.12 PESTEL analysisFor more information on this report, Please visit at:About Us: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.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market is Expected to be Around 2.3 billion by 2025: Key Players Withings SA, Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Welch AllynInc., A&D Medical Inc., Spacelabs Healthcare Inc.

https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/sample/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55041

https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/enquiry/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55041

https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/buy/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55041/

https://www.qurateresearch.com/

Industry Trend AnalysisThe blood pressure monitoring devices market is expected to be around $2.3billion by 2025.Increasing prevalence of heart related disorders and rapidly increasing geriatric population are major factors responsible for the growth of global market. As per the report published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in November 2016, nearly 75 million adults had high blood pressure in America.Moreover, advancements in technology such as BP monitoring systems based on mobile and new technologies related to automation in blood pressure monitoring will further enhance growth of the market. However, high cost, lack of awareness and low accuracy rate of the devices can impact the growth of market.Product Outlook and Trend AnalysisSphygmomanometer segment accounted for the major share of the global market in 2016. This major share is attributed to factorssuch as its digitalization, extensive applications and related benefits.Digital sphygmomanometer segment is anticipated to witness a robust growth during the forecast period due to factors such asease of use, low costand high accuracy.Get Sample Copy of This Report@Regional Outlook and Trend AnalysisNorth America accounted for the major share of the overall market in 2014. This major share can be attributed to factors such as increase in patient awareness regarding blood pressure monitoring products, increasing prevalence of hypertension and advanced healthcare facilities.Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a rapid pace throughout the forecast period due to factors such asincreasing patient awareness towards preventive healthcare, rising prevalence of hypertension andpresence of unmet medical needs in the region.Competitive AnalysisProduct innovation and development is a key strategy followed by the major players in blood pressure monitoring devices market. For instance, in January 2014, GE Healthcare unveiled its new blood pressure cuff for the forearm called GE Critikon Radial-Cuf which addresses the issue of inaccurate reading for people with upper arm circumference of more than 40 centimeters. Some of the key players in the global blood pressure monitoring devices market are Withings SA, Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Welch AllynInc., A&D Medical Inc., Spacelabs Healthcare Inc., SunTech Medical, Inc., American Diagnostics Corporation, Briggs Healthcare,GF Health Products, Inc.Market OpportunitiesTechnological advancements such as mobile based blood pressure monitoring systems and increasing demand for personalized and portable monitoring systems are the key opportunities that the competing players will focus on over the next few years. With rising geriatric population susceptible to high blood pressure and growing awareness about preventive healthcare worldwide, the market has tremendous growth opportunities over the forecast period.Enquiry about Report@Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market SegmentationBy Product: Sphygmomanometerso Digital Sphygmomanometerso Aneroid Sphygmomanometerso Mercury Sphygmomanometers Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitors Automatic Blood Pressure Monitors Blood Pressure Transducers Blood Pressure Instrument Accessorieso Blood Pressure Cuffs Disposable Reusableo Bladders, Bulbs andValvesBy Region: North Americao U.So Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao Turkeyo United Arab Emirateso OthersBuy This Report@Some of the key questions answered by the report are: What was the market size in 2016 and forecast from 2017 to 2025? What will be the industry market growth from 2017 to 2025? What are the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and industry trends and their impact on the market forecast? What are the major segments leading the market growth and why? Which are the leading players in the market and what are the major strategies adopted by them to sustain the market competition?About Us:Qurate Business Intelligence delivers unique market research solutions to its customers and help them to get equipped with refined information and market insights derived from reports. We are committed to providing best business services and easy processes to get the same. Qurate Business Intelligence considers themselves as strategic partners of their customers and always shows the keen level of interest to deliver quality.Runwal Platinum,Ramnagar Colony, Bavdhan,Pune, Maharashtra, India-411021IN +919881074592info@qurateresearch.comGlobal 5G Infrastructure Market | Key Companies Analysis: Qualcomm (US), Intel (US), Ericsson (SE), Samsung (KR), NEC (JP), Mediatek (TW), Cisco (US), Cavium (US), Qorvo (US), Huawei (CN)| Forecast 2018  2023

Global 5G Infrastructure Market 2018-2023

https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/602853

https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/602853

https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/602853

www.orianresearch.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/

Latest research report on Global 5G Infrastructure Industry 2018 research report now available at a high quality database of orianresearch.com with market size, share, growth, trend, demand, outlook, classification revenue details, competitive scenario, industry analysis, markets forecast, manufacturers, type, application and global 5G Infrastructure industry overview5th generation wireless systems, abbreviated 5G, are improved wireless network technologies deploying in 2018 and later. The primary technologies include: Millimeter wave bands (26, 28, 38, and 60 GHz) offer performance as high as 20 gigabits per second; Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output - 64-256 antennas) offers performance "up to ten times current 4G networks;" "Low-band 5G" and "Mid-band 5G" use frequencies from 600 MHz to 6 GHz, especially 3.5-4.2 GHz.Get Sample Copy of this Report @This report studies the 5G Infrastructure market status and outlook of Global and major regions, from angles of players, countries, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global market, and splits the 5G Infrastructure market by product type and applications/end industries.The Wireless Infrastructure market is currently in a phase of transition as mobile operators seek to address increasing mobile traffic demands amidst economic uncertainties. This paradigm shift is bringing new challenges and opportunities to 5G infrastructure vendors.The growth of the 5G infrastructure market in North America is likely to be propelled by the growing demand for 5G-enabled consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, AR and VR devices, and tablets. Faster connectivity is the most critical requirement for these devices.In North America, the industry segment adopted the high-level automation with the implementation of advanced technologies such as machine-to-machine communication (M2M), Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics. For these technologies, high-speed data transfer rate is required to carry out the assigned tasks. In such cases, 5G-enabled data network will serve the purpose. However, companies face major technological design challenges such as power dissipation in massive multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) and inter-cell interference.Complete report 5G Infrastructure Industry spreads across 129 pages profiling 10 companies and supported with tables and figures, Enquire more @Top Key Companies Analyzed in Global 5G Infrastructure Market are Qualcomm (US)Intel (US)Ericsson (SE)Samsung (KR)NEC (JP)Mediatek (TW)Cisco (US)Cavium (US)Market Segment by Type, covers:FemtocellPico CellMicro CellMacro CellMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into:Smart HomeAutonomous DrivingSmart CitiesIndustrial IoTSmart FarmingHealthcare and Mission Critical ApplicationsLogistics and ShippingSecurity and SurveilanceGet Direct Copy of this Report @The global 5G Infrastructure market is valued at xx million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million USD by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2023.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of 5G Infrastructure.Europe also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of xx%.There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the Global 5G Infrastructure Market -1 5G Infrastructure Market Overview2 Manufacturers Profiles3 Global 5G Infrastructure Market Competition, By Players4 Global 5G Infrastructure Market Size By Regions5 North America 5G Infrastructure Revenue By Countries6 Europe 5G Infrastructure Revenue By Countries7 Asia-Pacific 5G Infrastructure Revenue By Countries8 South America 5G Infrastructure Revenue By Countries9 Middle East And Africa Revenue 5G Infrastructure By Countries10 Global 5G Infrastructure Market Segment By Type11 Global 5G Infrastructure Market Segment By Application12 Global 5G Infrastructure Market Size Forecast (2018-2023)13 Research Findings And Conclusion14 AppendixAbout UsOrian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.Contact Us:Ruwin MendezVice President  Global Sales & Partner RelationsOrian Research ConsultantsUS: +1 (832) 380-8827 | UK: +44 0161-818-8027Email: info@orianresearch.comWebsite:Follow Us on LinkedIn:Internet of Everything (IoE) Market worth $3,352 Million by 2022

Internet of Everything (IoE) Market - AMR

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2151

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2151

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/2151

www.alliedmarketresearch.com

Internet of Everything (IoE) Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, projects that the global market was valued at $1,205 million in 2014, and is expected to reach at $3,352 million by 2022. The hardware segment is expected to dominate the global market from 2016 to 2022. The Internet of Everything (IoE) industry in North America accounted for 36% share of the global market in 2014, while the Asia-Pacific market is expected to witness significant growth rate during the forecast period.Request Sample@Internet of Everything (IoE) is a pioneering technological innovation that refers to the network of embedded computing devices, people, data, and things, which are interconnected distinctively in existing internet infrastructure. Enterprises are embracing Internet of Everything (IoE) to improve efficiency and save cost, such as capital expenditure, energy, and labor. Internet of Everything (IoE) market growth is attributed to evolution of business models across end-user industries; rise in inclination of industries, such as manufacturing, mining, and others toward process automation; and increase in government initiatives to adopt Internet of Everything (IoE) technologies.Furthermore, increase in adoption of cloud-based Internet of Everything (IoE) solutions, rapid proliferation of M2M (Machine-to-Machine) connections, and high adoption of smart sensors & devices offer high growth potential for the Internet of Everything (IoE) market in the near future. However, increase in data security, privacy concerns, and lack of speed connectivity in the developing and the under-developed regions hamper the growth of Internet of Everything (IoE) industry.Purchase Inquiry@The hardware segment dominated the global Internet of Everything (IoE) industry in 2014, with around 75% share. However, software segment is expected to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period. It is further analyzed across five types including IT security, data management software, software analytics, communication & collaboration software, and other software. IT security software segment dominated the global Internet of Everything (IoE) market in terms of revenue, while the communication & collaboration software segment is anticipated to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period.Dominating Market Players Profiled in this Study:Amazon Web Services Inc.AT&T Inc.Cisco Systems Inc.IBM CorporationHewlett Packard Enterprise Development LPMicrosoft CorporationGoogle Inc.Bosch Software Innovations GmbHFujitsuSAP SE.The manufacturing and government segments collectively accounted for around 42% share of the total Internet of Everything (IoE) market revenue in 2014, while the healthcare segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of 15.2% during the forecast period. The government Internet of Everything (IoE) market size is expected to grow at the second highest CAGR of 15.1% during the forecast period, owing to the introduction of various supportive activities for adopting Internet of Everything (IoE)-based solutions and strategic implementation of Internet of Everything (IoE) among various projects, such as smart cities, connected vehicles, and others.Key Findings of the Internet of Everything (IoE) Market:The hardware segment dominated the overall Internet of Everything (IoE) market, in terms of revenue, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% during the forecast period.The IT security software segment dominated the global Internet of Everything (IoE) market size in 2014, while the communication & collaboration software segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2022.The government segment, which includes defense as well, generated the highest revenue in 2014, and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 15.1%.The healthcare segment is estimated to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period, followed by government sector.In 2014, North America was the dominant region; however, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR, with China market being the major contributor.Connect to Analyst@Inclination of industries toward process automation and improved operational competency drives growth in the Internet of Everything (IoE) market. Furthermore, rise in adoption of Internet of Everything (IoE)-based solutions among end users, high internet penetration, and decline in prices of smart sensors and Internet of Everything (IoE)-based devices are anticipated to offer huge market potential for the key industry players in the near future. However, lack of high-speed data connectivity among the developing and the underdeveloped countries and increase in cyberattacks negatively impact the growth of Internet of Everything (IoE) market.About Us:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:Shriram Dighe5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220,United States.Int'l: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285Fax:+1-800-792-5285help@alliedmarketresearch.comWebsite:Securosys makes headway: Growth financing with ICO, Deutsche Borse Venture Network and team reinforcement with Geraldine Critchley

Securosys makes headway

https://ito.securosys.ch

https://medium.com/securosys

www.securosys.ch

With the advent of blockchain technology and crypto currencies and facilities, Securosys has updated its products to meet the strong demand from large companies in these new markets. Since then, Securosys has been a pioneer in helping its customers and partners secure blockchains and crypto assets. To finance its global growth, Securosys decided to increase its capital through an Initial Token Offering (ITO), which has now also been published in the Deutsche Borse Venture Network.In 2018 Securosys decided to increase its capital through an Initial Token Offering (ITO). These security tokens carry dividend rights and enable investors to either convert tokens into company shares or trade Securosys tokens via stock exchange trading or on a regulated secondary market for cryptocurrencies and tokens. A concept that is also interesting for traditional investors.The Deutsche Borse Venture Network is also pleased to include Securosys as the first investment opportunity in the new area of security tokens.To continue its global expansion, Securosys brings on board Geraldine Critchley, an experienced hardware and software marketer, to achieve market leadership in the B2B hardware security and services industry. Geraldine Critchley will report directly to CEO Robert Rogenmoser as Director Marketing to position the Securosys brand in international markets. Geraldine Critchley brings a wealth of experience from international projects, including at Mettler Toledo AG and Crealogix Digital Banking. As a B2B marketing strategist and manager with an international focus, she brings together experience in IT hardware security and new digital business models for financial service providers. She has worked with numerous international bank clients on digital transformation projects.Securosys SASecurosys SA is a market leader in cyber security and encryption based in Zurich, Switzerland. Since its foundation in 2014, Securosys has secured the Swiss financial markets on behalf of the Swiss National Bank and protects transactions worth over 100 billion euros daily. The company serves more than half of the Tier 1 banks worldwide with the help of hardware security modules built and developed in Switzerland. Securosys is profitable and achieved sales of CHF 4.7 million with an EBIT-DA of CHF 1.1 million in 2017.Further information can be requested directly from Securosys SA by e-mail to info@securosys.ch or by telephone on +41 44 552 31 00.More information about the ICO:Website:Blog:"Let's do an ICO" is a series of blogs by Robert Rogenmoser, CEO of Securosys SA. In this series he tells the background to his company's decision for an ICO, a new way of financing, including the steps they had to take and the problems they overcame.DBVN (German Stock Exchange Venture Network)The Deutsche Borse Venture Network connects high-growth companies with international investors. The network supports a targeted matching according to specific interests and financial needs. Companies gain easy access to capital. Investors benefit from investment opportunities in promising companiesMr. Robert Rogenmoser, CEOSecurosys SAForrlibuckstrasse 70CH-8005 ZurichT +41 44 552 31 00info@securosys.chApplication Container Market 2018 : CA Technologies, Docker Inc., Google, Inc., IBM Corporation, Joyent, Inc., Mesosphere, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Rancher Labs, Inc., and Red Hat, Inc

https://www.researchbeam.com/application-container-market/request-sample

https://www.researchbeam.com/application-container-market/purchase-enquiry

https://www.researchbeam.com/application-container-market

Application Container Market by Deployment Model (On-premise and Cloud), Organization Size (Small- & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Large Enterprises), Industry Vertical (IT & Telecom, Government, Healthcare, BFSI, Retail, Education, Others) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018-2025Containers are being used for operating systems or as an application packaging mechanism. Application containerization is an operating system level virtualization method, which is used to deploy and run distributed applications without launching an entire virtual machine for each app. Application containers are designed to package multiple isolated applications, which run on a single host and access the same OS kernel.Rise in popularity of application container technology over virtual machines, upsurge in adoption of cloud-based computing system in organizations, rise in trend of Internet of Things (IoT) among end users drive the growth of the market. However, security risks associated with the application container technology is expected to impede the market growth. Conversely, emergence of database as a service (DBaaS) and increase in investment in application container technology by SMEs are expected to present major opportunities for market expansion in the near future.Get Sample Copy Of this Report @The global application container market is segmented on the basis of deployment model, organization size, industry vertical, and region. Based on deployment model, the market is divided into on-premise and cloud. By organization size, it is bifurcated into small- & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises. Depending on industry vertical, it is fragmented into telecom & IT, government, healthcare, BFSI, retail, education and others. Region wise, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.The report provides the profiles of key players, namely Amazon Web Services, Inc., CA Technologies, Docker Inc., Google, Inc., IBM Corporation, Joyent, Inc., Mesosphere, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Rancher Labs, Inc., and Red Hat, Inc.KEY BENEFITS The study provides an in-depth analysis of the global application container market and current & future trends to elucidate the imminent investment pockets. Information about key drivers, restrains, and opportunities and their impact analysis on the market size is provided. Porters Five Forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers and suppliers operating in the industry. The quantitative analysis of the global application container market from 2016 to 2023 is provided to determine the market potential.KEY MARKET SEGMENTSBY DEPLOYMENT MODEL On-premise Cloud BasedBY ORGANIZATION SIZE Small- & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Large EnterprisesGet a discount on this research report:BY INDUSTRY VERTICAL IT & Telecom Government Healthcare BFSI Retail Education OthersKEY MARKET PLAYERS Amazon Web Services, Inc. CA Technologies Docker Inc. Google, Inc. IBM Corporation Joyent, Inc. Mesosphere, Inc. Microsoft Corporation. Rancher Labs, Inc. Red Hat, Inc.Read More:About Us:Research Beam is a high end and wide online market for market research reports that contain detailed and rational market research. Research Beam is a one stop report destination that offers clients well drafted and accurately analyzed report with insightful data.We have a large database of quality and precise market research reports that will be very beneficial for your organization. Reports that we sell our authentic in nature and from reputed publishers, hence it can definitely help you with your growth opportunities. Research Beam will always make sure to bring most ethical and high quality reports. We value your relationship with us and look forward for a long term relation.Global Head Quarters5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United States+1 (800) 910-6452help@researchbeam.comNew Advances in Pain Management Drug Market Screening and Confirmation

Pain Management Drugs Market

http://bit.ly/2KVkN32

www.alliedmarketresearch.com

Pain is a complex medical condition, which not only affects the physical but also mental well-being of an individual. It is caused due to trauma or tissue damage, and its intensity varies from person to person. Based on the cause of pain, the treatment provided can be a simple or complex. Pain can be managed with the help of a variety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies.Download Updated Edition Available for this Report @The availability of sophisticated treatment options and advancement in technology have increased life the expectancy rates globally, which has resulted in an increase in the geriatric population. As the elderly people are highly prone to suffer from pain owing to various reasons, rise in elderly population is a major factor contributing towards the growth of the global pain management market. As per the statistics provided by the UN Population Division, the total proportion of people above 60 years has increased from 12% in 1950 to 22% in 2011, and is projected to reach 32% by 2050. Moreover, increase in R&D investment and rise in outsourcing of pharmaceuticals are expected to fuel the market growth in developing regions such as Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. However, availability of alternative therapies and patent expiration of prescription drugs for treatment of pain hamper the growth of the market.The opioids segment is was the largest contributor towards the market growth in 2016, due to high efficiency of opioids to relieve pain in major chronic conditions. Anesthetics is anticipated to possess the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Postoperative pain and chronic back pain were among the largest contributors in 2016, owing to increase in the number of surgeries globally and rise in prevalence of chronic diseases that lead to back pain. Furthermore, cancer pain is expected to grow at the highest rate throughout the forecast period, owing to rise in prevalence of cancer worldwide.North America is expected to generate the highest revenue during forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest rate during 20172023, due to increase in government initiatives to improve the healthcare infrastructure and improved regulatory framework.The key companies profiled in the report include Novartis AG, Eli Lilly & Company, Abbott Laboratories, Endo Health Solutions, Inc., Purdue Pharma L.P., Pfizer, Inc., F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd., Merck & Co. Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and GlaxoSmithKline Plc.Other prominent players in the value chain include Allergen Inc., Bayer AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, Sorrento Therapeutics, WEX Pharmaceuticals, and Zynerba Pharmaceuticals.About UsAllied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact:Shriram Dighe5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb:The Dallas Meditation Center will be hosting a grand celebration in their new facilities Saturday, September 29, 2018 showcasing all the different services, classes, and activities the center offers. Our new address is 810 W. Arapaho Rd. #98, Richardson, TX 75080 RICHARDSON, Texas  The Dallas Meditation Center is holding a Free Fall Festival thats open to the public on Saturday, September 29th, 2018. All are invited and welcome Eastside commuters biking home on Southeast Ankeny Street will have a new spot to stop for happy hour Calvados spritzes this fall.

Normandie, an "eclectic, seafood-heavy" restaurant from a trio of Veritable Quandary vets, plans to open in October in the former home of Rue, a contemporary French restaurant that never found an audience, Eater PDX reports.

Named for the French region though not necessarily serving its cuisine, Normandie promises oysters on the half-shell, charred octopus with peaches and an ever-evolving bar menu from co-owners Judson Winquist, Amanda Cannon Winquist and chef Heather Kintler.

Look for Normandie to open this fall at 1005 S.E. Ankeny St.

Read more:

A New Restaurant Inspired by the Coast heads to SE Portland (Eater PDX)

For Portland restaurants, January 2 was Black Tuesday (The Oregonian)

-- Michael RussellSalt & Straw has issued a voluntary recall for pints of its Chocolate Gooey Brownie flavor after learning that the chocolate used might contain peanuts, founder and CEO Kim Malek told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

On Monday, a Salt & Straw employee noticed a light-colored chip amid the chocolate being used to make brownies for the ice cream. According to Malek, Salt & Straw contacted purveyor Pitch Dark Chocolate, which said they had made a product containing peanuts on the same line as their chocolate chips. Salt & Straw independently confirmed the offending chip was a peanut.

Salt & Straw has pulled its Chocolate Gooey Brownie ice cream from its scoop shops in Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle, and is offering full refunds to anyone who bought pints of the flavor from their stores or online. At this point, Malek said the company is not aware of any allergic reactions being caused by the ice cream.

"We just wanted to pull the product and make sure that our customers know that we're doing this in case there's any pints floating around in the hands of parents who have kids who are allergic to peanuts," she said. "We have high standards when it comes to safety, and we want to make sure that everything coming out of our shops is safe and that people feel good about it."

-- Michael RussellRicardo LeBlanc-Esparza

An award-winning former Hillsboro principal accused of a bizarre scheme to enrich himself was duped and lied about by an ex-felon, whose trumped up claims could not be substantiated, investigators found.

Ricardo LeBlanc-Esparza resigned as principal of Hillsboro's McKinney Elementary School in spring 2014 after a man with a criminal record accused the educator of allowing him to lead an anti-bullying assembly at the school to get a financial payoff. After officials checked into those allegations, however, LeBlanc-Esparza remains in good standing with Oregon's educator licensing agency. He was never charged with a crime.

Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission investigated the allegations, raised by convicted felon Alejo John Moreno, that the principal agreed to give Moreno a platform to lead anti-bullying lessons and school district funding to run a summer school program in exchange for an under-the-table payment and help for a legal marijuana growing operation that leased land in rural Washington owned by the principal.

The licensing agency concluded its investigation in 2015 and informed LeBlanc-Esparza that it had dropped the matter because it found "insufficient cause to charge you with misconduct."

Hillsboro school district officials said in 2014 that they worked with the Hillsboro Police Department and the Benton County Sheriff's Office but were unable to verify any of Moreno's claims.

Moreno did not respond to a voice mail message Tuesday seeking comment.

The only evidence to support any of Moreno's many strange claims, some of which involved the recreational marijuana company that he falsely claimed to have helped, was a video of LeBlanc-Esparza introducing Moreno as the speaker at an anti-bullying assembly at McKinney.

LeBlanc-Esparza acknowledged this month that he was foolish to have let Moreno into his school to give a presentation without vetting his credentials. The school district did not offer a way to conduct an instant background check, he said, but he could have learned of Moreno's checkered past simply by checking his name on the internet.

"Now I Google everybody," said the veteran educator, who has since moved to Colorado.

LeBlanc-Esparza said he knew in 2014 that he had done nothing wrong. But he resigned shortly after Moreno raised the allegations against him and got TV air time for his accusations because "at the time, I didn't feel like I was going to be supported," LeBlanc-Esparza said this month.

He said this week that he hopes to make a positive contribution as an educator again. He was named a principal of the year three times over his 30-plus-year career in education. At the time of his resignation, Hillsboro school district's assistant superintendent called him "a stellar educator who has done remarkable work."

Trent Danowski, deputy director of Oregon's educator licensing agency, confirmed the letter and its finding there was no evidence to support misconduct claims against LeBlanc-Esparza were genuine.

-- Betsy HammondBy Knute Buehler

Under Gov. Kate Brown, homelessness in Oregon is getting worse. This past week, a new report revealed Oregon now ranks first nationwide in homelessness for children. Homelessness has become a statewide crisis that needs leadership from a governor - a new governor -- to solve. I will lead where Kate Brown has failed.

Touring homeless services across the state, I've learned that this is a complex problem with many causes. It can be about economics -- with housing and other living costs rising faster than wages. It can be a physical or mental health condition beyond their control. It can be addiction impairing the decision-making necessary for a life of personal responsibility. Or for some, it can be that living and camping on the streets is a lifestyle choice, or an act of rebellion.

No matter the circumstances, as governor, I will lead with compassion and a little tough love to solve homelessness for every Oregonian experiencing it and every Oregonian impacted by it. I will balance the generosity and compassion of Oregonians with their expectations for cleaner, safer streets in neighborhoods and business districts.

My goal is to end unsheltered homelessness in Oregon in five years. Here are my seven proposals to accomplish this big important goal.

Leadership from a governor.

Community-based Medicaid for mental health.

Replace camps with shelter beds.

Stronger tools for safer streets.

Workplace housing rental assistance

Fast-track 20,000 housing units.

Job training for economic independence.

We can solve homelessness if we bring the best ideas of Republicans, Democrats and Independents together to address it. As governor, I will not be constrained by partisanship, precedent, ideology, or orthodoxy in seeking creative solutions that extend compassion, expect responsibility, creates opportunity and seeks independence for Oregonians in need.

-- Knute Buehler, a Bend surgeon and state lawmaker, is the Republican candidate for governor.By A. Naomi Paik, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(THE CONVERSATION) There's a phrase being thrown around a lot these days: "Abolish ICE." It's a hashtag, it's used in political speeches and demonstrations, and it appears all over Facebook.

What does it mean and where did it come from?

ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency that enforces immigration laws within the U.S.

The calls to abolish ICE are not new. Advocates for immigrants' rights, many of them immigrants, have demanded ICE be dismantled since at least 2003. They see it as a repressive agency that violates civil rights and targets working-class immigrants of color.

Some advocates argue that ICE be replaced by a less draconian enforcement agency. However, radical activists argue that ICE must be completely eliminated and believe it's a realistic goal.

As my scholarship on immigration and imprisonment emphasizes, people directly affected by immigration policies have critical insights into their injustices, like indefinite detention, and how to resolve them.

Why end ICE?

ICE regularly separates families and disrupts communities. Its agents raidimmigrant workplaces and homes and remove deportable immigrants.

ICE's defenders argue that its agents are just enforcing the law. Immigrant organizers highlight how U.S. laws and policies have increasingly criminalized migrants.

Being undocumented is a civil, not a criminal, violation. However, undocumented persons are arrested and detained. Even documented immigrants who commit minor crimes, like shoplifting, are punished through detention and deportation.

For these reasons, immigrant rights activists want Congress to defund the agency and pass legislation to dismantle it. This includes members of the national advocacy organization Mijente and the Chicago-based Organized Communities Against Deportation.

Abolition movements

Many organizers link the treatment of immigrants as criminals to the government's treatment of other communities.

As they see it, immigrants, people of color, working class people and others suffer under policies like the war on drugs, waged between policing agencies and working class communities of color. The war on drugs massively invested in militarized policing and increased punishments for drug-related crimes.

Another example is broken windows policing, whose zero tolerance approach has made minor infractions, like loitering, into punishable crimes.

Such policies disrupt communities left behind by private and public abandonment and contribute to the highest incarceration rate in the world. Many activists and scholars, like Alex Vitale, identify the problem not as excessive policing, but policing itself. To them, policing fundamentally works to manage social inequality by suppressing workers and people of color.

That is why abolish ICE echoes the chant, "Abolish the Police" at, for example, Black Lives Matter protests.

Leaders of Mijente describe the call to abolish ICE "an abolitionist call to action." It is "a call to dismantle government agencies that exist solely to bring terror, harm, and violence to communities of color."

In this way, abolishing ICE shares its vision with the current movement advocating prison abolition. Abolitionists seek to replace policing and prisons with a new society that relies on neither police nor prisons to ensure community health and safety.

Their efforts include, for example, stopping new prisons from being built. They also work to release people who they argue don't belong in prison, and decriminalize behaviors that they say unfairly land people in prison, like unauthorized street vending.

The bigger picture

This wider abolition movement is not solely about dismantling what advocates believe to be harmful institutions and rectifying the social conditions that feed them, like income inequality. As activist Angela Davis argues, the goal is "not even primarily about abolition as a negative process of tearing down, but it is also about building up, about creating new institutions."

Abolition advocates want resources redirected from policing and prisons to community-centered institutions like health care, housing and education.

Is this vision feasible?

Many abolitionists, like Mariame Kaba, refuse to limit their vision to what is feasible. They instead believe that social change first requires a bold vision. Along the way, constant organizing builds mass consciousness and works to reduce, for example, state violence.

The fact that local governments are canceling deals with ICE to detain migrants suggests to them that eliminating a relatively young agency is a winnable goal.

In calling to end the agency, advocates highlight what they say are ICE's racist origins and abuses of power. Immigrant organizers like Tania Unzueta point to ICE's origins in a post-9/11 panic motivated, in part, by anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiment. This shift flagged immigration as a national security problem and immigrants as threats to the nation.

At the same time, the call to abolish ICE goes beyond the agency itself. It requires a thorough rethinking of immigration law and policy. It is at this point that skeptics and detractors question the movement.

This abolitionist vision requires the repeal of laws and policies that treat migration as a crime. For example, the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act hardened punishments for immigration infractions. It increased the number and criminal penalties for immigration-related offenses and created expedited deportations that have few due process rights.

In 2005, the Department of Homeland Security launched "Operation Streamline," which moved the prosecution of unauthorized crossings of the southern border from civil courts to mass trials in criminal courts. Critics argue this deprives migrants of due process.

Abolishing ICE, advocates say, also requires ending immigrant detention entirely. This includes detaining immigrants in military camps, local jails, federal prisons and for-profit immigrant detention centers. It means transforming U.S. Customs and Border Protection from a policing agency into "a humanitarian force that rescues migrants," as Mijente's policy platform states.

"Abolish ICE" is no mere campaign slogan. It is a goal focused on dismantling a single young agency. I believe that, in its historical context, "Abolish ICE" is part of a larger vision to build a new a social order committed to the liberation of all.

-- A. Naomi Paik, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)By Amanda Sams Bradshaw, University of Florida

(THE CONVERSATION) During pregnancy, expectant parents spend countless hours sifting through online resources to make the "right" medical choices for their baby. In addition to decorating a nursery and playing baby shower games, pregnant women often are glued to their smartphones, seeking advice from friends and strangers.

A pregnant woman's Facebook news feed provides one window into motherhood, and the connections, articles and advice delivered by a Facebook news feed offer suggestions - both wanted and unwanted.

Despite expressing skepticism of the accuracy of digital resources and a pervasive fear of "fake news," pregnant women "Google it up" to gain information and health advice. Mothers-to-be have been found to rely on social media more frequently and with greater intensity at the transition to parenthood.

However, the internet has been dubbed a "postmodern Pandora's box." Misinformation and rumors abound on many health topics, but particularly in regards to childhood vaccinations. False claims and widely perpetuated myths, such as the discredited assertion that vaccinations cause autism, have been declared a threat to modern society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,community immunity requires that a certain percentage of the population be vaccinated to maintain coverage against dangerous diseases for all.

I study health communication, and I have analyzed some of these trends. I see problems when expectant parents accept medical myths. I also see opportunities to change the narrative to an accurate one.

Persistent falsehoods

Although overall vaccination rates in the United States remain high, social networks sometimes support grassroots mobilization of mothers against childhood vaccines. This allows personal narratives to take root and be shared more.

My recent study, not yet published, found that more than 30,000 members in the largest closed anti-vaccination Facebook group influence first-time, pregnant and new mothers in their decision-making process for their own children. In some instances, I found that a mother's expressed concern would transition from fear of protecting her child from measles to a more intense fear of more than 200 alleged side effects.

Another recent study analyzed 2.6 million Facebook users' interactions over more than seven years, identifying distinct, opposing pro- and anti-vaccination narratives. Users self-select the content they wish to view based on their own belief systems, ignoring all other content. Researchers found that posts from anti-vaccination advocates received more user comments. And anti-vaccination groups are growing more rapidly in comparison to pro-vaccination groups.

Similarly, another study identified that the majority of YouTube videos about infant vaccination showed babies in pain and distress. Videos that disapprove of vaccinations received the most likes, views and shares. In contrast, pro-vaccination YouTube videos received far fewer likes, shares and views.

Put simply, anti-vax videos are increasingly playing up the risks of vaccination, which mainly include redness and swelling where the shot is given and, in very rare cases, other side effects. These anti-vax videos consistently downplay the benefit of protection from life-threatening diseases.

A large study in New York state identified one in four students following an alternate, nonscientifically based vaccination schedule. An alternate schedule may include selectively vaccinating or delaying certain vaccines. Essentially, parents of these children are following their own schedule, or a schedule found in a book or magazine, but not the CDC recommended schedule. Students in private schools, or those who come from more affluent families with parents who have received higher levels of education, are more likely to opt out.

Physicians such as Robert Sears provide advice contrary to consensus by the medical community and use digital channels, including propaganda videos, to raise concerns about the safety of vaccinations. The Medical Board of California recently placed Sears on probationfor allegedly writing inappropriate medical exemptions for vaccinations.

Causing a cluster

Parental refusal to vaccinate typically increases in geographic clusters, and when that happens, outbreaks of once-eliminated diseases, such as measles, occur. In 11 states, the number of kids not being vaccinated for nonmedical reasons has exceeded any point in the past five years. Infants, the elderly and immuno-compromised individuals are particularly vulnerable.

While women get a lot of information on birth plans and breastfeeding during standard prenatal care, my qualitative research suggests that they do not get much information about childhood vaccinations. In interviews and focus groups with more than 20 expectant mothers, some in their third trimester, all reported that providers had not initiated dialogue about childhood vaccinations. For first-time mothers, they reported our conversation was the first they had formally discussed this particular issue. Yet the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccination be administered within the first 24 hours of life.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives do not recommend that practitioners broach the subject of childhood vaccinations during pregnancy, focusing instead on maternal vaccinations during pregnancy and referring any childhood vaccination dialogue to the child's pediatrician.

But what might happen if this changed? Could this be a solution? I strongly believe it could.

A full-term medical press

Even though 90 percent of expectant mothers report making childhood vaccination decisions before the birth of the baby, a full one-third of expectant mothers expressed feeling uninformed, with first-time mothers identifying as more vaccine hesitant.

As one expectant mother in her third trimester in Gainesville, Florida recently said in an interview with me:

"I think that there's extreme lack of communication. I think that childhood vaccination information should be relayed. That way you have the information you need before something happens, and then it's too late to make an informed decision."

In a survey, 98 percent of OB-GYNs revealed they believe childhood vaccinations to be important, but less than half believed they could influence expectant mothers.

In an interview, a midwife in Gainesville stated childhood vaccination discussions are not in her "standard scope of practice," explaining that beyond a basic handout, she typically refers questioning mothers-to-be to a pediatrician.

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends finding a pediatrician during the third trimester of pregnancy, a 2018 survey showed that only 5 to 39 percent of first-time parents actually attend a prenatal visit with their baby's chosen pediatrician. Urban poor pregnant women and pregnant women in rural areas are less likely to attend a prenatal pediatric visit.

In the absence of comprehensive information about childhood vaccinations, Dr. Google may take over.

I believe the following things would help to get the truth out:

A more active physician voice on social networking sites, connecting patients with evidence-based sources as opposed to anti-vaccination propaganda.

Standard policy by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommending childhood vaccination discussions to occur during the third trimester of pregnancy, particularly surrounding the first vaccine.

Standard policy by National Association of Certified Professional Midwives to include more information about childhood vaccinations during prenatal care.

Increased efforts to orchestrate prenatal pediatrician's visits to connect mothers-to-be with their child's future doctor to discuss vaccination, with a special emphasis on connecting first-time mothers with a pediatrician during the third trimester.

-- Amanda Sams Bradshaw, University of Florida

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)Updated Wednesday, Aug. 15

Seven Washington relatives, including five children, killed Monday in a head-on crash in eastern Oregon were heading to Las Vegas for an end-of-summer trip, according to another family member.

Jessie Tate told The Oregonian/OregonLive during an interview Tuesday night that his sister, Erika Boquet, 29, of Tacoma left Lacey, Washington, early Monday morning with her children, Isabella Boquet, 11, Elisabeth Boquet, 8, and Tytis Boquet, 6, and another relative and that family member's two children. A 1999 Toyota 4Runner crashed into their 2016 Toyota 4Runner about 10 a.m. on Oregon 78 near milepost 30 southeast of Burns, Oregon State Police said.

Eight people died in the crash: The seven in the newer SUV and the lone person in the other SUV.

Tate declined to identify the other adult traveling with the Boquets, saying that person's immediate family wanted to wait until police notified the public of their identities. The Oregon State Police on Wednesday publicly identified the other three people in the newer SUV as Kyla Marie Brown, 28, of Olympia, Arianna Marie Brown, 10, and Xavier King Johnson, 2.

The driver of the other SUV was identified as Mark Robert Rundell, 48, of Prairie City.

The scene of the crash outside Burns on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (Oregon State Police via AP)

"It's a tragedy I wouldn't wish on anyone else," said Tate, 30, of Spanaway, Washington. He said the family has created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs.

Tate said his family is devastated by the unexpected deaths. He said he first learned of the crash from relatives who contacted him on social media. He then called his father, who told him who was involved.

Tate said his sister was devoted to volunteer work through a Tacoma-based nonprofit she created called Last Stop. The group, he said, provides resources to low-income families.

The group hosted an Easter egg hunt earlier this year, Tate said, and Boquet hoped to have a backpack drive before the school year began. She aimed to one day build a park in Tacoma.

"She was outgoing, personable, made friends everywhere she went, and her kids took after her," Tate said. "They all just cared about everyone around them."

Oregon State Police, who are investigating, said the driver traveling alone veered into opposing traffic on the two-lane highway while heading west and collided with the SUV carrying the family.

The collision is among the deadliest state crashes in recent years.

Five people were killed in a two-car crash near Salem in October. One driver involved was later charged with manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and other charges in the collision that killed a mother, her three children and her niece.

In 2012, nine passengers on a charter bus were killed and another 38 people on board injured when their bus slid on ice while traveling on an Interstate 84 mountain pass near Pendleton, crashed through a guardrail and plunged 200 feet into a ravine.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey

This report has been updated to include the identities of everyone involved in the crash.An Ohio man found alive Wednesday on Mount St. Helens after six days lost in the wilderness sustained himself on berries and bees as he tried to find his way, his parents said.

Matthew Matheny, 40, of Warren, Ohio, set off for a hike on the famous southwest Washington mountain last Thursday. Authorities had launched a search and rescue operation that ended successfully when Matheny was airlifted to a Vancouver hospital Wednesday.

He was being treated mostly for dehydration and likely would stay overnight, parents Linda and Carney Matheny said during a press conference outside PeaceHeath Southwest Medical Center. A hospital spokesman said earlier that Matheny was in satisfactory condition, which means his vital signs were good and that he was awake and alert.

Matheny was scraped up, his parents said, including his feet, which were unprotected after the sandals he was wearing broke during the ordeal. His mother said she was going to "wring his neck" for his choice of hiking footwear.

Matheny was in Washington state visiting friends and decided to spend Thursday afternoon hiking while his friends were at work, the Mathenys said. He drove a friend's Subaru Outback to the mountain and later couldn't find his way back to the car. His friends reported him missing when he did not return, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said.

Search for missing Ohio man at Mount St. Helens 7 Gallery: Search for missing Ohio man at Mount St. Helens

On Saturday, a Skamania County sheriff's deputy found the Subaru unoccupied at the start of the Blue Lake trail, which is in Cowlitz County. The trail is located off Forest Road 81 and near Mount St. Helens.

Matheny was found about three miles away from the Subaru by a Skamania County-based rescue crew on the flanks of the mountain Wednesday morning. He hadn't seen another person since Thursday and was without water for days, his mother said, but the fluids from the berries may have been enough to keep him going.

Bees chased after Matheny as he moved about on the mountain, his father said, so Matheny killed and ate some.

"He knew it was a tough situation," said Linda Matheny, who arrived in Washington with her husband on Sunday. "But everyone who has encountered him have told us it's remarkable the condition he's in."

About 30 search-and-rescue personnel, assisted by helicopters, tracking dogs and a drone operated by the sheriff's office had been searching for Matheny daily, The Daily News of Longview reported. Matheny's friends and family also have been at the search scene.

Searchers on Tuesday decided to focus on a 1-square-mile area based on cellphone signals and a computer model that sought to predict Matheny's movements.

Charlie Rosenzweig, chief criminal deputy for Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, called it "extremely unusual" that someone would survive such an ordeal, the newspaper reported.

According to the Washington Trails Association, Blue Lake Trail is a short walk through meadows and tall fir trees to Blue Lake. Beyond the lake hikers can access other trails and ridges, leading to views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams.

The parents described their son as a former Boy Scout who is interested in fitness and nutrition with a sense of humor and a knack for getting himself into humorous situations. They would recall some of the things he'd said or done to keep their moods light while the search was ongoing, but at times the laughter would turn to tears due to the uncertainty of the search's outcome, Linda Matheny said.

She said when they were called at their northeast Ohio home by authorities on Saturday and told the vehicle their son drove had been found, they waited by the phone for hours hoping the next update would be that he was found. It didn't come.

"By Sunday morning, we thought, 'We're getting on a plane,'" the mother said.

They flew to Portland that night, drove north to Washington, stayed in the area and went to the mountain on Monday.

The parents said they're ecstatic their son has been found and also in a bit of shock. They thanked all the emergency responders, volunteers and his friends who aided in helping find their son.

"We could not believe when we walked in here, he's sitting up in bed, getting fluids, talking to us," Linda Matheny said outside the hospital Wednesday. "We got Matt back."

 Everton Bailey Jr. and Jim Ryan

The Associated Press and Rebecca Woolington of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this reportThe man suspected of fatally stabbing two people aboard a Portland MAX train in a racially motivated 2017 attack is accused of assaulting a black inmate behind bars, court records show.

Jeremy Christian faces a fourth-degree assault charge after a July 29 incident in which he "intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause[d] physical harm" to Aundre Dupree Mills inside the Multnomah County jail, court documents allege.

The criminal complaint, filed July 30, provides no additional details about the alleged incident. Christian was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court the same day, records show.

Mills, 26, has been in custody since May 22 on a probation violation in connection with a September 2017 arrest on suspicion of harassment and attempt to commit a Class C felony, according to jail and court records.

Lawyers for both men did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.

Christian faces multiple criminal charges stemming from the May 2017 attack, including aggravated murder, and is scheduled for trial in June.

Police and witnesses say he plunged a knife into the throats of three Good Samaritans aboard a MAX train after they tried to intervene as Christian spewed anti-Muslim threats at two black teenage girls, one of them wearing a hijab.

Two of the men, Ricky Best and Taliesin Namkai-Meche, died from their wounds. The third, Micah Fletcher, barely survived.

Weeks before the brutal attack, Christian was seen at a right-wing rally in Portland making racist comments and delivering a Nazi salute.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaughThe Muslim teen targeted by Jeremy Christian in the moments before police and witnesses say he fatally stabbed two men aboard a MAX train in Portland no longer feels free from harm in the city where she grew up, the girl said in her first interview since the brutal slaying.

"Everywhere I go, I fear for my safety," Walia Mohamed said, according to a book excerpt published this week on the Literary Hub website.

Mohamed and the friend with her on the train, Destinee Mangum, spoke with author Arjun Singh Sethi for an upcoming volume titled "American Hate: Survivors Speak Out."

Mangum has spoken previously about the May 2017 attack, which stunned Portlanders and people across the nation.

In their joint interview, the girls, who are both black, recalled how they endured a torrent of racial abuse and hate speech from Christian after he boarded the eastbound Green Line at the Lloyd Center.

"As soon as he got on the train, he started yelling at us," Mohamed said. "'Muslims should die.' 'Go back to Saudi Arabia.'"

"It's like our faces were a trigger," she continued. "I felt like he was attacking me because I was wearing a hijab."

As Christian continued his racist rant, three Good Samaritans confronted him.

Witnesses say Christian then plunged a knife into the throats of Ricky Best, Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Micah Fletcher when the train pulled into the Hollywood Transit Center.

"When he started stabbing, we ran as fast as we could," Mohamed said.

Best and Namkai-Meche died that day. Fletcher barely survived.

Mohamed said the national attention following the attack forced her to keep a low profile.

"I hid because I didn't want the cameras on me," she said. "I had already been through so much. I just wanted my old life back."

Mangum said she has received death threats in the months since and that she and Mohamed have struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mohamed, a Somali immigrant, said she has stopped wearing her hijab.

"I'm still Muslim, but I just don't follow certain traditions because I feel unsafe," she said. "I feel like I'm going to get attacked again."

Christian faces murder charges and remains lodged in the Multnomah County jail.

His trial is scheduled for June 2019.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaughA prominent Portland criminal defense lawyer was sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation, three months of home detention on weekends and 500 hours of community service for failing to pay employment taxes.

Gary B. Bertoni, 67, also must pay $181,898.21 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

The sentence fell far short of a year and a half in prison that a prosecutor urged.

Stuart A. Wexler, a tax division attorney with the U.S Department of Justice, argued that Bertoni took the money for personal enrichment and has displayed a pattern for more than 15 years of misusing client money and "seeing what he can get away with,'' as evidenced by state bar disciplinary actions.

Bertoni should be held to a higher standard because he's an officer of the court, Wexler said.

Without sending Bertoni to prison, "his pattern of behavior will continue at the expense of his clients and at the expense of the government,'' Wexler said. "What has come before has not worked at all.''

Defense lawyer Kevin M. Sali said Bertoni struggled to keep himself, his employees and his family afloat after a downturn in his business and poor investments. He disputed Wexler's characterizations of Bertoni's state bar problems and argued no evidence existed of any "extravagant living'' in the Bertoni household.

Bertoni, wearing a blue suit, his hands clasped behind him, stood and addressed U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon.

"I was going to say I made a lot of bad decisions, but I think it boils down to I just made the wrong choices,'' he said.

He said he closed his business "to stop the bleeding'' and is sorry to everyone he's affected.

"The pain, the humiliation, the shame that I brought down on my home, my wife, is certainly something that I struggle with and deal with that's probably more damning,'' he said. "I let so many people down because of these choices. ... I thought foolishly I could take care of it, fix it, it would all work out.''

Bertoni admitted that between the second tax quarter of 2009 and third quarter of 2011, he failed to pay taxes withheld from the wages of employees at his law firm, Bertoni & Associates. He also failed to fund employees' health insurance plan for a period of time, Wexler said.

Prosecutors alleged that Bertoni used the thousands of dollars that he failed to pay to the IRS for his personal benefit.

Bertoni bought a home in Arizona in 2003 and still owned it in 2012, with $275,000 of equity in that property, Wexler said.

He could have used the equity to cover his unpaid employment taxes, the prosecutor said. Between 2009 and 2011, Bertoni paid $63,000 alone in maintenance fees for that property, about a quarter of his tax obligation, Wexler said.

In the same time period, from 2009 to 2011, Bertoni withdrew about $470,000 from the firm, Wexler said.

His actions reverberated within the community. He has routinely failed to uphold his responsibilities,'' Wexler said.

Sali said Bertoni "wasn't thinking'' and was "trying to keep things afloat'' by a "series of economic upheavals in his firm.''

Bertoni pleaded guilty to 10 counts of willful failure to pay taxes, each count a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and a $25,000 fine. As part of the plea deal, the government agreed to dismiss a felony indictment filed against Bertoni and not file additional charges.

The plea deal doesn't affect any civil liability Bertoni may still face from the IRS, according to the agreement.

The judge said a restriction on Bertoni's liberty was warranted. He said Bertoni must remain at home on weekends from 9 p.m. Fridays to 5 a.m. Mondays over the next 90 days. The exceptions are for medical emergencies and religious services.

Bertoni also was ordered to complete at least 100 hours of community service a year for the next five years. The judge pre-approved service to a community food bank or a homeless shelter.

"I came close to ordering a period of incarceration,'' Simon said. If Bertoni doesn't follow his probation conditions, the judge said he won't hesitate to put him behind bars.

Cynthia Statham, a former officer manager who worked for Bertoni for 10 years until she left in 2008, attended the sentencing and said afterward she wasn't happy with the outcome.

"This is absolutely BS,'' she said. "He's only sorry he got caught.''

Bertoni continues to practice law while he appeals a February 2017 sanction  a one-year license suspension  delivered by a disciplinary board's trial panel for not preserving client property and failing to keep clients informed. The panel cited Bertoni's "extraordinary repetition of negligence.'' After Bertoni appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court, the state bar, in its response, defended its action and argued for a harsher penalty, a two-year suspension, citing Bertoni's failure to communicate adequately with imprisoned clients, properly handle their money or refund unearned fees.

Two other complaints involving Bertoni are pending review or under investigation by the bar.

In 2012, the trial panel suspended Bertoni's license for 150 days for mismanaging client money.

In 2011, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Bertoni for allegedly falsifying business records to cover his use of client money, saying the statute of limitations had expired.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonianA 46-year-old woman who donned a ski mask and wielded a fake gun when she robbed a Southeast Portland bookstore has filed a $49,000 lawsuit against her doctor and pharmacist, claiming they gave her a dangerous mix of prescription drugs that caused her to spiral out of control.

The lawsuit filed by Hilary Leah Bishop is virtually unheard of in criminal justice and medical circles: Convicted felons rarely if ever sue their medical providers for the crimes theyve committed.

Bishop is serving a three-year prison sentence at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville for robbing Wallace Books on Southeast Milwaukie Avenue in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood on Aug. 15, 2016. She also was convicted of robbing Clogs-N-More on Hawthorne Boulevard the previous day.

Police said Bishop also was a suspect in a robbery at Palio Dessert and Espresso House on Southeast Ladd Avenue a week earlier. She wasn't convicted of that crime, but a plea deal forbade her from having any contact with that business.

At the time of the heists, Bishop was a divorced mother of a 14-year-old daughter who shared custody with her ex-husband. In the past she worked as a licensed practical nurse and a licensed massage therapist. She told authorities that she'd been diagnosed with depression.

Bishops lawsuit claims her naturopathic doctor, Vanessa Esteves, and an unidentified pharmacist for Safeway prescribed and dispensed to her the mind-altering combination of drugs a few days before police say she frightened employees at the shoe store and bookstore and made off with the cash.

A message seeking comment from Esteves and the Pearl District clinic where she works, Oregon Integrated Health, wasnt returned. Jill McGinnis, a Safeway spokeswoman, declined comment.

Bishop also is suing Tiffany McClean, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who worked at the same clinic as Esteves. McClean couldnt be reached for comment.

According to Bishops lawsuit, she was prescribed a long list of drugs, including duloxetine and tramadol. The pair can lead to a rare but serious drug interaction, causing hallucinations, confusion and other symptoms, according to the website drugs.com. Bishop claims she experienced a "euphoria" and a "dissociative state."

An August 2016 piece by Oregonian columnist Steve Duin said that Bishop's friends were shocked by her robberies. Bishop's ex-husband, Dewey Mahood, described the book-loving Bishop as the "most peaceful, animal-loving vegetarian" and "very anti-gun."

Mahood also said his ex used to live four blocks from Clogs-N-More and it was her favorite store.

A probable cause affidavit said Bishop was arrested after she bungled the Wallace Books hold-up by wearing all black and removing her ski mask as she exited the store in full view of a parole and probation officer who happened to be in the area. He immediately became suspicious and followed her to her Mitsubishi Mirage and jotted down the license plate.

Police who were on the lookout pulled her over half an hour later.

Court records show Bishop had been convicted once in a 2006 impaired driving incident. She was allowed to enter a treatment program and a judge dismissed the charge of driving while under the influence of intoxicants. But a misdemeanor reckless driving charge stuck. She had no other criminal history.

Lake Oswego attorney Jose Cienfuegos filed Bishops lawsuit Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. In addition to $49,000 for her pain and suffering stemming from her prison sentence, Bishop also is seeking a yet-to-be determined amount in lost wages.

Read the lawsuit here.

-- Aimee GreenOregon tech's investment surge continued Wednesday with a $33 million infusion for an online security company that moved its headquarters to Portland last winter.

Twistlock developed its security technology for a field of automated software deployment known as DevOps. It's designed to bring the same speed to online security that DevOps has brought to software deployment.

Founded three years ago and formerly based in San Francisco, Twistlock's operations are now split among its Portland headquarters and offices in Israel and in New York, where chief executive Ben Bernstein works. The company's Portland offices are on the North Park Blocks, in the former headquarters of another Portland software automation company, Puppet.

"Our growth is focused here," said Josh Thorngren, Twistlock's marketing vice president and one of several Puppet alumni working at the startup. "Portland has this great background in DevOps and security."

Twistlock employs 80 companywide, including 30 in Portland. Thorngren said local employment could double in the next year as Twistlock begins spending its new capital to expand the business.

Privately held Twistlock has now raised $63 million altogether, making it one of Portland's best-funded young tech companies. San Francisco wealth management and investment firm Iconiq Capital led Wednesday's round, joined by prior Twistlock investors.

Oregon's startup scene is rebounding from a few years of sluggish activity with a series of major investments.

This summer alone, Puppet raised $42 million, Beaverton startup RFPIO raised $25 million, Portland startup Bumped raised $14.1 million, Portland real estate crowdfunding site CrowdStreet raised $8 million, and Portland-based Jama Software sold an unspecified stake in the company for $200 million.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699Are Midland County voters willing to shell out more money for school resource officers? Thats the question they will face on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

In a special meeting of the Midland County Board on Tuesday, commissioners approved placing 0.4 mill (40 cents per $1,000 of taxable value) on the Nov. 6 ballot to fund seven school resource officers. If approved, the millage would raise $1,343,531 in the first year. The funds would cover start-up costs along with one SRO each for Dow, Midland, Bullock Creek, Coleman and Meridian high schools along with one SRO each for Jefferson and Northeast middle schools. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Mike Sharrow stated that the existing SROs at Dow and Midland high schools are funded by the City of Midland.

I have been a commissioner for 10 years and Im pretty certain that Ive never supported a new millage, Board Chairman Mark Bone said. We have done due diligence. There have been a lot of meetings that people are not aware of. Its not like we just said, Lets go out for a millage. But, the kids are just too important. I cant let something go wrong on our watch.

The vote was 6-1, with Commissioner Jeanette Snyder dissenting. The concept has unanimous support, but the question has always been, How to pay for the SROs?

There is no pot of money out there, Bone said.

Commissioner Scott Noesen considers the issue a legitimate new concern for the kids across the nation. Unfortunately, this is a real, real issue. I think this is the least problematic solution.

To place the millage on the Nov. 6 ballot, certified language had to be delivered to the Midland County Clerk by the end of business on Tuesday.

Before Tuesdays board meeting, Snyder had talked with a multitude of constituents from her district, which includes Edenville, Geneva, Jerome and Warren townships.

They all agree they want to be more creative how we do this, Snyder said. Ive heard, yes, we want this. No, we dont want the additional taxes. Ive heard, yes we want it no matter the cost. I will say that is the minority.

Snyder also checked with other school districts that employ SROs.

Ive been out talking to people and other school districts like Harrison, Bay City and Clare, she said. I like the idea of the schools funding it and the sheriff including it in his budget.

Commissioners Steve Glaser and Gay Terwillegar also agreed that partial funding should come from each school system.

As a neighbor of Bullock Creek Superintendent Shawn Hale, Glaser stated that neither the county nor school districts have extra funds to pay for SROs.

We can make serious cuts and look at what we are doing. That certainly is a possibility. The same would have to be done by the school districts. Im with Commissioner Snyder that the schools have to have a stake in this, Glaser said. If the voters reject this, then we need to go back and see how we do this.

Terwillegar wanted a four-pronged approach with the county, the sheriff, the schools and area foundations all contributing to funding.

I really feel strongly that we need to see some input from the schools, but so far we havent seen that, she said. But, at this point, Im going to vote for it.

During public comment on the issue, Village of Sanford Councilman Carl Hamann shared that the populace is already being overburdened with taxes and that, ...sooner or later there is going to be a revolt in the community because we keep pushing a financial burden onto the property owners.

The question is now up to the voters to decide how to pay for SROs.With demand expected to rise in STEM-related jobs across Michigan, Saginaw Valley State University and regional partners are continuing a collaboration aimed at developing and growing the next generation of leaders in the sciences.

This week, SVSU is hosting a program  now in its second year  that will train 66 Bay, Midland and Saginaw county middle and high school students as chief science officers.

Modeled after a similar program that has proven successful in Arizona, middle and high school students are elected by their peers to be a chief science officer and then are empowered at the workshops to influence a wide range of STEM opportunities in their schools and communities. The goal is to have students take an active role in increasing student interest in the STEM fields, ultimately creating a diverse pipeline of STEM leaders.

Its so impactful to have students become a voice for STEM in our region, said Adrianne Cole, director of STEM at SVSU. When we gather people around the table to talk about how we are engaging students in STEM, too often there arent students at that table. We want to put them at that table.

The two-day session continues today and includes workshops, team-building exercises and fun activities led by STEM industry professionals from SVSU, The Dow Chemical Co., Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance, Hemlock Semiconductor and MidMichigan Health.

The students will lead individual presentations based on their experience at the program from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today in SVSUs Gilbertson Hall, rooms GS 221 and GS 222. The public is invited to the free and open session. The presentations will include demonstrations showcasing how the students plan to engage their peers in STEM-related activities.

Last year, 50 students participated in the program. Of the 66 involved in this years initiative, 22 are returnees from that inaugural class.

SVSU received a $40,000 grant from The Dow Chemical Co. Foundation to start the community-minded pilot program last year. The foundation donated another $40,000 to fund this years initiative.The Trump administration's immigration policies are being questioned once again. On Thursday, Aug. 9, First Lady Melania Trump's parents became United States citizens using the same process of "chain migration" the president has railed against since taking office. Politico recently published an essay written by Stephen Miller's uncle in which he calls his nephew an "immigration hypocrite." Miller is the architect of the administration's most hard-line policies. Are members of the Trump administration "immigration hypocrites?

PERSPECTIVES

Stephen Miller's uncle, Dr. David S. Glosser, a retired neuropsychologist, wrote a scathing essay denouncing his nephew's anti-immigration policies. In the essay, which appeared on Politico, Glosser argues that Miller benefited from the exact same immigration laws that he is currently trying to undermine. Miller's ancestors came to the U.S. in the early 1900s, fleeing the anti-Jewish sentiment sweeping their country.

The president continues to tweet about his displeasure with current immigration policies.

We must have Border Security, get rid of Chain, Lottery, Catch & Release Sanctuary Cities - go to Merit based Immigration. Protect ICE and Law Enforcement and, of course, keep building, but much faster, THE WALL!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2018

Supporters of the administration's policies say it's not hypocritical to use the current rules and provisions while advocating for change. Per The Washington Post:

Even members of the president's own political party are shocked at what they consider the blatant double-standards to which the Trump administration adheres. Ana Navarro, a Republican political strategist and commentator, took to Twitter to share her disgust with the policies.

For some God-forsaken reason, I am on a Trump-Pence email list. These disgusting, two-faced, hypocrites are blasting-out an e-mail railing against chain migration. Yes. The very same vehicle Melanias parents used this week to become US citizens. They have no damn shame. pic.twitter.com/YhzlQab0v3  Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) August 12, 2018

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.For many victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Roman Catholic clergy, the Pennsylvania grand jury report shining a light on decades of abusive acts through six church dioceses Tuesday was the great equalizer.

For most of their lives, these victims said, they were left to suffer in silence or isolation; disparate voices pitted against an institution that had all the resources in place to execute the perfect cover-up.

On Tuesday, they found their voices lifted up in a different, but necessary, kind of congregational response - 887 pages of searing detail about assaults that took place in church facilities and other places over the course of two generations.

And how, in many cases, they stayed in secret church files, with no public sanctions for the abusers.

"I think it was a victory, a major victory, to get our voices out there and have our stories told," said abuse survivor James VanSickle. "I also believe that this is the first step in a few more steps that we have to take."

VanSickle, a 55-year-old from Bradford, was abused as a teen by Father David Poulson in the Diocese of Erie, one of two priests to face criminal charges in the just-concluded grand jury investigation.

It's validation, victims said, in the sense that it might help family members, friends, business partners and others make greater sense of problems that these men and women have had to encounter.

Or at least gain a simple understanding of why they couldn't just move on.

"We've been speaking out for decades about this," noted Shaun Dougherty, a 48-year-old Johnstown resident who said he was an unnamed victim in the OAG's 2016 report on the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.

"We're finally being listened to and it feels amazing."

The report, which focused on Roman Catholic dioceses covering most of Pennsylvania, identified more than 1,000 of these victims according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

(The grand jury, Shapiro was quick to add, believes the true number of victims is much higher given the low rate of reporting of sexual assaults, and uncertainties that old church records have truly captured all credible allegations.)

That's a parish full of people in itself.

Over the decades they have dealt with the issues raised by their abuses in their own ways, and on their own terms.

For Robert Corby, 83, of Bethlehem, who has said he was assaulted by a parish priest in the 1940s, it was a lifetime of not being able to show affection to his wife or kids.

For Dougherty, of Johnstown, it was being repulsed by the thought of having children.

Some committed suicide.

But in what was something like a mass for the traumatized, on Tuesday their stories spilled out in the most public of forums.

It wasn't easy.

In fact, at times Tuesday, the pain of the public re-telling of these stories was evident in the tears of some of the 17 survivors, friends or family members who flanked Shapiro during his public presentation.

That was especially true for members of Enhaut's Fortney family, in which five of eight sisters testified to having been abused at the hands of Father Augustine "Gus" Giella while he served as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Swatara Township.

The abuse of the girls started shortly after Giella arrived at the parish in 1982, according to the report, and continued into his retirement until discovery of a partially nude photo of one of the girls at Giella's residence triggered the disclosure of her abuse in 1992.

That date, the report noted, was five years after a separate allegation about Giella reached Diocese of Harrisburg leaders and was apparently not acted upon.

Giella was charged in August 1992 by Ocean County, N.J. prosecutors, where he lived, with one count of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count of possession of child pornography.

He died before his case could go to trial.

A member of the Fortney family - which eventually did reach a civll settlement of nearly $1 million with the diocese - sobbed openly as Shapiro highlighted the Giella case.

Later Tuesday, the family requested privacy as its members digested the full report.

Victims who were speaking publicly Tuesday made clear they viewed the grand jury's work as more start than finish.

It did accomplish the goal of outing the worst of the perpetrators, and assigning accountability to them for their actions.

But it cannot be the only thing, several said, drawing attention to Shapiro's calls for lifting Pennsylvania's statute of limitations on pursuing criminal prosecutions in cases of child sexual abuse.

They also want a new, two-year window opened for victims who have already missed deadlines for civil suits to bring new actions against their abusers.

Those legal and financial hammers are needed for the church - and other powerful institutions whose leaders might be more tempted by avoiding scandal than doing the right thing - to change their ways, the victims say.

"If you steal from the church they'll prosecute you. If you rape... they'll transfer you to a whole new flock of people to do it again," Dougherty said. "So, there has to be a financial price to this."

Victims were asked why the extra time is important.

"Look at us," said VanSickle, standing with two middle-aged compatriots. By his own accounting, he noted, it took him 36 years to tell anyone about his abuse, which started when he was 16.

"There are 15, 14, 10-year-old kids that do not feel safe enough to come forward right now. We won't hear their voice for another 20 or 30 years."

"This is the murder of a soul," added James Faluszczak, a child victim who, despite his own abuse, was ordained and served the church as a priest until about four years ago.

"Our ability to recognize our spirituality is hobbled by these men, and it takes time for us to be able to find our voice and we need that opportunity."

Aside from changes in the law, victims speaking Tuesday said they hoped Shapiro's team's work would be studied and replicated by law enforcement agencies in other states.

"We cannot trust the Catholic church to investigate itself," Faluszczak said. "They've never been transparent."

And in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, where the veil of secrecy has now been pulled back, victims appealed to the church's leaders to now share the rest of the story.

They should make public the assignment histories of the perpetrators, Faluszczak said, when and where the credible allegations of abuse occurred, and how many victims they had.

"They should do that," he said, "because they are human, aside from the fact that they profess to be Christian. This is what it means to be a human being and to treat people fairly and humanely."

Some of the dioceses, including Harrisburg, have released names of priests who faced credible accusations of abuse, as well as the years of their postings in its constituent churches.

There was a clear sense of vindication or validation shared by some.

"We're surrounded by cameras," Dougherty noted. "Look at this. We've wanted this for decades. But they always held you guys back.

"Somebody in the hierarchy in the church has always kept one of your bosses from sending you out; has always kept one of your shareholders from letting you pull out your microphone.

"Well, they're out. So don't put 'em away now guys."

Most victims shied away from the word closure, however.

That's something they still work on one-by-one, several said, by being there to help other survivors, working for changes in the law, or raising awareness against sexual abuse.

"I think that all of us will have a hole in our soul for the rest of our lives," VanSickle said. "Complete healing is impossible."

"You don't get over it," said Corby, the 83-year-old retired electrician who only started to talk about his abuse after the disclosures of sexual abuse in Boston in the early 2000s and now gets regular therapy, paid for by the Diocese of Philadelphia.

"You live with it every day."

But Corby also said his testimony to the grand jury was one of the proudest moments of his life, because he believes the publicity surrounding the report could help save others.

"If I could keep one other child from being molested," Corby told PennLive by telephone Tuesday, "that would be my goal."The release the day before of a scathing grand jury report about clergy sexual abuse and the Catholic Church's cover-up in six dioceses across Pennsylvania cast a dark cloud over the observation of the church's feast day of Assumption of the Mary at St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg on Wednesday.

During the well-attended noontime mass, The Rev. Joshua Brommer, the cathedral's rector and pastor, said the grand jury's findings about the complicit church's failure to protect children from predatory priests made it "hard to celebrate" this day in the church year, which Catholics recognize as the day God lifted the Virgin Mary to heaven with both body and soul.

"When the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania has angered, scandalized, disappointed, and hurt so many people in some ways we might even be asking ourselves right now, why am I here?" he said during his homily.

He went on to say that they need to remember "the truth that God is always faithful to his promise even when humanity fails us."

The scandal that rocked the church was touched briefly masses held Wednesday at some Catholic churches in the Harrisburg diocese, but ignored at others.

At Good Shepherd Catholic Church near Camp Hill, the abuse was briefly mentioned at two points during the morning service, with the priest asking the congregation to reflect on the victims and pray for them, and also pray that the victims will forgive.

But at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament church in Harrisburg, where just over a dozen people attended the morning service on the 2100 block of North Third Street, the grand jury report naming 300 priests and clergy members accused of sexually abusing children in six Catholic dioceses across Pennsylvania was not mentioned.

The Rev. Joseph Quang Van Tran spoke of the feast day, and about the celebration of the "earthly and heavenly" merging into one.

Most leaving that Mass, back into the morning sun and the green of the trees lining the streets, did not wish to talk about the report, either.

But Mary Jane Corl, who had been a parishioner there for years, shared that while reports of clergy sex abuse are nothing new, each time this news breaks, especially news like yesterday's from her own backyard, her heart sinks. But she said it also makes her cling to her faith.

"It actually makes me want to be more diligent, to pray more, to try to fast more," she said as she left Mass. She hopes "that we can draw together, become closer and also support our priests as much as we can."

She knows people whom, over the years, have fallen away from the Catholic faith.

"It's saddening, and it shakes a little bit," she said. "But the goal is to keep striving and to keep working on my faith and encourage others around me."

Back at St. Patrick, Brommer shared during his homily that people choose sin over holiness when they fail to remember who they are and who they are called to be and instead place institutions, reputation, money, self-interest and earthly power before the Lord and protection of others.

He called on the parishioners to place their trust in God alone.

Later, during a prayer, a petition was made for "the present trial presented by clergy sexual abuse bring about the fruit of purification through prayer and penance."

Staff writers Steve Marroni and David Wenner contributed to this story.Parts of northeastern Pennsylvania was still underwater Tuesday thanks to heavy rainfall.

Waterways in central Pennsylvania, on the other hand, shouldn't see any major flooding into the weekend.

The Susquehanna River in Harrisburg was at 11.54 feet as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, putting the river into the action stage.

At 11 feet, recreational use of City Island begins to be curtailed, and river interests are encouraged to monitor conditions, according to National Weather Service.

The river is expected to swell to 14.7 feet as of 8 a.m. Thursday, and then gradually recede. At 13 feet, the recreation area of City Island is evacuated.

The river upstream in Wilkes-Barre was at 28.56 feet as of 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, considered moderate flooding for the area, and then gradually recede into the weekend. That is just shy of hitting the major flooding stage at 30 feet.

The river is expected to reach 29 feet by 2 p.m. Tuesday before receding - at that level, Route 11 in Shickshinny is closed, and River Road in Port Blanchard and West Pittston begins to flood.

Swatara Creek at Middletown will teeter between the action and minor flooding stage through Friday before receding.

The creek was at 9.56 feet as of 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, just over the action stage of 10 feet.

The creek is expected to climb to 11.1 feet by 8 a.m. Thursday. At 11 feet, minor overbank flooding begins near the Vine Street Bridge downstream to the Susquehanna River.

Elsewhere in central Pennsylvania:

Swatara Creek at Harper Tavern was at 5.87 feet as of 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, and is expected to gradually recede into the weekend.

Swatara Creek near Hershey is at 4.81 feet as of 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, and is expected to gradually recede into the weekend.

Yellow Breeches Creak near Camp Hill was at 2 feet as of 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Conodoguinet Creek near Hogestown was at 3.11 feet as of 8;30 a.m. Wednesday.

Though Wednesday is expected to be dry for most of the state, more rain is in the forecast this weekend and into next week.

You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below.

Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.In 1967, Father Gregory Flohr of the Diocese of Greensburg began to sexually molest a 10-year-old boy. The first time he molested the boy, he told him, "God loved all His children."

What began as fondling escalated to oral sex. In the fall of 1969, Flohr took the boy into the confessional at Immaculate Conception Church and tied him up with a rope into a "praying position." The boy screamed. To silence him, the priest forced his penis into the boy's mouth.

Angry that the boy refused the priest, Flohr raped the boy with a crucifix.

The story of Flohr's victim illustrates the devastation that is the latest chapter of the long-running clergy sex abuse of children in the Catholic Church in this country.

Its troubling narrative is one of hundreds of harrowing accounts detailed in the findings of the 40th Statewide Grand Jury released Tuesday by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The 900-plus page report delivers a blistering rebuke of Catholic officials for their failure to protect children from predatory priests.

"Predators in every diocese weaponized the Catholic faith and used it as a tool of their abuse," Shapiro said during a press conference attended by victims of clergy sex abuse, their parents, senior members of the Criminal Division of the Office of Attorney General, and dozens of journalists.

Investigators, who scrutinized half a million pages of church documents and heard the testimonies of victims before the grand jury panel, identified 301 members of the clergy by name as having allegedly committed criminal or morally reprehensible conduct against victims, the vast majority of them children at the time.

More than 1,000 victims who were sexually molested as children were identified during the investigation, according to the report. Most of the victims were boys, but girls also were counted among the victims.

"Some were teens; many were prepubescent. Some were manipulated with alcohol or pornography. Some were made to masturbate their assailants, or groped by them. Some were raped orally, some vaginally, some anally. But all of them were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institutions above all," the grand jurors wrote in their report.

Shapiro said the abuse scarred every diocese. "The coverup was sophisticated," he said.

Between 2005 and 2007, the Diocese of Greensburg reimbursed Flohr's victim for 107 therapy sessions, eight hospitalizations and four medication bills: in total, paying out $51,163.

Flohr died in 2004.

Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who has represented hundreds of victims in the Archdiocese of Boston, called the report groundbreaking.

"The Pennsylvania grand jury report lays out the standard blueprint of dishonest, immorality, criminality and cover up by the Catholic Church," he said. "The secrecy of the sexual abuse, the confidentiality and the discouraging of victims to report all fit within the pattern of evil."

A globally significant report

Thomas Doyle, a Dominican priest, canon lawyer and renowned victims advocate, echoed those sentiments, calling it, behind the investigation by the Royal Commission in Australia, one of the world's most insightful reports on clergy sex abuse.

"It probably is the most comprehensive, the most sweeping that has been done in this country and probably one of the two most sweeping done in the world," Doyle said. "They took on six dioceses in a state - which is the equivalent to a medium small country in Europe and they did a thorough and fearless job investigating each one of those dioceses."

Doyle praised on Shapiro, the victims, the investigators and grand jurors.

"They did not back down or give any softer treatment to anyone," he said. "Everyone got equal treatment and that was thorough."

Despite its magnitude and scope, the blistering report presents a legacy of priests abusing children with impunity. Indeed, the investigation so far has yielded few indictments or arrests. Shapiro excoriated church officials for waging a cover-up of abuse that in the end allowed the church to dodge the law.

"As a consequence of the cover-up, almost every instance of abuse we found is too old to be prosecuted," Shapiro said.

Shapiro noted the handful of legal actions taken to date: the conviction of one priest and the arrest of another. The attorney general lamented a complicit church and weak state laws for the likelihood that many victims will not attain justice.

"Priests were raping little boys and girls and men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing, they hid it for decades," Shapiro said.

At times the victims, and some of their parents, who joined Shapiro on the stage of the Capitol Media Center, broke out in sobs as the attorney general outlined themes that have reverberated across the worldwide clergy sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.

Hiding the abuse

Bishops, monsignors and other senior church officials for decades knew about the abusive priests, but routinely covered it up to avoid scandal, criminal charges against priests, and monetary damages to the dioceses.

Predatory priests were routinely shuttled to other parishes - while parishioners were left unaware of sexual predators in their midst.

The details of the abuse are almost all gut-wrenching. For instance, the report details the abuse at the hands of a group of at least four priests in the Diocese of Pittsburgh who groomed and abused young boys. They used whips, violence and sadism in sexually assaulting their young victims.

"One boy, not yet 18, was forced to stand on a bed in a rectory, strip naked, and pose as Christ on the Cross for the priests," the grand jurors wrote. "They took photos of their victim, adding them to a collection of child pornography which they produced and shared on church grounds."

State investigators crafted the report based on the examination of half-a-million church documents. Abuse complaints were kept locked up in "secret archives" kept by the dioceses. Only bishops have keys to secret archives, which are sanctioned by Canon Law, the church's legal tenets.

Investigators submitted some of the documents to behavioral analysis by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Analysts from the bureau's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime found that church officials routinely used well-known strategies used to conceal crime, including: the use of euphemisms; investigating allegations of abuse with in-house personnel; sending priests for evaluations at church-run treatment centers; and telling parishioners that a priest had been placed on "sick leave" instead of the truth that he had been removed.

Analysts also found the diocesan officials failed to report predators to police. In some instances, law enforcement deferred to church officials.

Church officials overwhelmingly handled child sexual abuse like a personnel "in house" matter instead of a crime.

In one case, for instance, officials in the Diocese of Allentown concluded that the molestation of a boy by a priest "will not necessarily be a horrendous trauma" for the victim, and that the family should just be given "an opportunity to ventilate." The priest remained in unrestricted ministry for several more years despite his own confession to the abuse.

In the Diocese of Greensburg, a priest who impregnated a 17-year-old girl forged a marriage certificate, then months later, divorced the girl. The priest remained in ministry "thanks for the diocese's efforts to find a 'benevolent bishop' in another state willing to take him on."

In the Diocese of Harrisburg, five sisters from one family were abused by one priest. "In addition to sex acts, the priest collected samples of the girls' urine, pubic hair, and menstrual blood," the report reads.

The diocese remained unwilling to err on the side of children, even in the face of multiple reports of abuse.

The findings released Tuesday mirror those of other investigations into the clergy sex abuse scandal, including the 2016 report out of the Diocese of Altoona Johnstown and the 2005 and 2011 investigation into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Those reports included accusations of abuse against a little more than 100 priests.

The impact of the report

The nearly 900-page report, which until Tuesday remained under a court seal pending challenges from several dozen petitioners, almost all of them clergy, is extraordinary in its scope and breadth, its findings encompassing a statewide investigation, not just a singular diocese.

Arguably more compelling, however, is its potential to usher in a new chapter in the long-running clergy sex abuse case in this country.

"My impression is that this will have definite short-term and long-term effects because of the breadth of the findings," said Doyle, the Dominican priest and canon lawyer. "(Shapiro) has exposed the habitual culture of constant lying by officials in the Catholic Church in the state of Pennsylvania. This report is not just one diocese. It's every single one. It is a sweeping report and it will have a profound impact."

Across the report, accounts of oral and anal rape and sexual fondling of children by priests and persons associated with the church are juxtaposed against references to bishops having knowledge of the allegations and, in some cases, the abuse.

Bishop Donald Trautman, head of the Diocese of Erie for 22 years, received some of the harshest criticism.

The report noted that he long failed to take significant action against three priests including Chester Gawronski, who was accused of fondling multiple boys over a period of many years, telling them he was conducting a "cancer check." Trautman has insisted there was no cover-up of sexual abuse.

The grand jury also details the institutional failure out of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Under the watch of then-Bishop William Keeler, a priest by the name of Augustine Giella was permitted to remain in ministry even as he sexually molested five girls from one family, the grand jury found. Shapiro highlighted the Giella case in his press conference Tuesday.

"Giella's abuse had a lasting effect on the sisters," the report notes. "The sisters testified to the challenges they have faced in overcoming Giella's sexual abuse. The emotional, psychological and interpersonal damage to the sisters is incalculable."

Investigators concluded that Giella could have been stopped had officials from the diocese acted on a complaint in the 1980s. Keeler left the diocese in 1989 to become Archbishop of Baltimore; he died in 2017.

Giella continued his reign of abuse on children under the newly installed Bishop Nicholas Datillo. The priest eventually died awaiting trial.

"His criminal actions, and the criminal inaction of Keeler, resulted in continued victimization and trauma for the family of girls..." the report states.

'Waited a long time'

For many victims, the grand jury testimony represented the first time they revealed information about their abuse.

For others, it was another chance to be heard and to lend support to fellow victims.

"It doesn't ever go away. It has an effect on you for the rest of your life...I've waited a long time for this," said Shaun Dougherty, who was abused as a child by his priest in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. That diocese was the subject of a similarly blistering grand jury report in 2016.

Up to now, few priests have been charged or tried as a result of investigations into the abuse of children in dioceses across the state, including the grand jury reports out of Altoona-Johnstown and Philadelphia.

As with previous grand juries into clergy sex abuse, the report released Tuesday recommends broad reform to state child sex crime laws, including the establishment of a window of time that would allow victims who have timed out of the legal system to file civil suits.

In general, the grand jurors recommend: the elimination of criminal statute of limitations for child sex crimes; the creation of a civil window so that older victims can sue for damages; the reform of penalties for failure to report child abuse; and the reform of civil confidentiality agreements between victims and the church.

Shapiro delivered a sharp rebuke to sitting bishops, calling on them to go beyond words and safeguards and immediately support all the recommendations.

"Stand up today, right now and announce support for these common sense reform," Shapiro said sharply. "That will determine if things have changed."

In the Catholic Church, bishops have full autonomy over their dioceses and report directly to the pope.

Prior to the release of today's report, authorities had charged two priests as a result of grand jury investigations.

In May Father David Poulson of the Diocese of Erie was arrested and charged with three felonies related to the sexual abuse of minors over the years. In July Greensburg Diocese priest the Rev. John Sweeney, 75, pleaded guilty to sexually molesting a 10-year-old boy.

Across the six dioceses on Tuesday, the sitting bishops responded with messages of remorse and regret.

"As your Bishop, I am deeply saddened by these incidents. I sincerely apologize for the past sins and crimes committed by some members of the clergy," Allentown Bishop Alfred A. Schlert said in a written statement. "I apologize to the survivors of abuse and their loved ones. For the times when those in the Church did not live up to Christ's call to holiness, and did not do what needed to be done, I apologize."

Harrisburg Bishop Ronald Gainer expressed similar sentiments:

"In my own name, and in the name of the Diocesan Church of Harrisburg, I express our profound sorrow and apologize to the survivors of child sex abuse, the Catholic faithful and the general public for the abuses that took place and for those Church officials who failed to protect children," he said, also in a written statement.

Gainer earlier this month ordered the removal of all the names of his predecessors dating to 1947 from diocesan properties.

"We will continue to make amends for the sins of our past, and offer prayers and support to all victims of these actions. We are committed to continuing and enhancing the positive changes made, to ensure these types of atrocities never occur again. Since the turn of the century, the Church has instituted policies that take clear and decisive action to prevent future abuse."

Bishops in general have stressed that new rigorous safeguard have created a safe environment for children across the Catholic community.

Shapiro stressed that the investigation is ongoing and urged victims or anyone who knew of child sex crimes to contact a new hotline established for victims to report abuse by clergy: 888-538-8541.Razawn Moore told a Dauphin County jury Wednesday that he fatally shot a man outside a Harrisburg bar in November 2015 because he was sure the guy was going to kill him.

Twame Evans had attacked him from behind without provocation, Moore testified. He said he fired when he saw Evans wielding a knife.

"I thought, 'It was me or this guy.' I chose to live," Moore said.

Moore, 28, took the witness stand on the second day of his trial for the slaying of the 24-year-old Evans outside OD's Place in the 1500 block of Market Street.

Moore's defense team, led by attorney Justin McShane, is arguing that Moore shot Evans in self-defense.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Johnny Baer is pressing for a first-degree murder conviction and a life prison sentence. The case went to trial after a plea deal fell through on Monday. Evans' family wouldn't sign off on that offer.

Under questioning by defense attorney Jason Jefferis, Moore said he was at the bar celebrating his mother's birthday when he got involved in an argument between a man and a woman. Moore said he shoved the woman at one point, then started walking away.

"I kind of just got fed up with all the arguing," he said. "I didn't come out for this."

"I got halfway up the block and some huge guy started choking me from behind," Moore continued. He said he didn't know who it was at first. He said he didn't really know the 6-foot, 300-pound Evans, but knew Evans "was the kind of guy you don't mess around with."

Moore said he broke the choke hold, turned to face Evans and saw Evans had a knife. "I was scared, scared for my life," he said.

He already had his 9 mm pistol out and fired without aiming, he said. The shot struck Evans in the face, killing him on the spot, police said.

"I wouldn't change anything I did that night," Moore said. "I realized it was me or that person."

On cross-examination, Baer pressed Moore for details of how the incident unfolded. For instance, he asked Moore how Evans supposedly drew the knife.

"I don't know. It happened real quick," Moore replied. "I don't know where the knife came from. It was just there." He said he didn't recall which hand Evans used to wield the knife, but said Evans held it above his shoulder and was poised for a downward slashing motion.

Moore said he simply fired the unlicensed pistol he pulled from his own pocket upward. "He was a big dude, hovering over me, coming down on me," he said.

After leaving the shooting scene, Moore said he ditched the gun and his clothes. U.S. marshals arrested him in Florida in February 2016.Bishop Donald Trautman, head of the Diocese of Erie for 22 years, received some of the harshest criticism as a result of the Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual abuse by priests.



Meanwhile, his successor and the current bishop in Erie, Bishop Lawrence Persico, was portrayed in a much better light, with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro crediting him for being the only bishop to testify in person before the grand jury. Shapiro further credited Persico for "signaling a new way forward for the church ... He wanted to do the right thing."



Trautman headed the diocese from 1990 to 2012. The grand jury report states that he long failed to take significant action against three priests including Chester Gawronski. The report said Gawronski fondled multiple boys over a period of many years, telling them he was conducting a "cancer check."

Eventually, Trautman wrote to church officials in Rome asking for Gawronski to be removed from the priesthood, stating "Gawronski identified, pursued, groomed, and then abused his victims. The classic use of manipulations of the parents, siblings, and friends of the victims in order to get to those victims or cultivate other potential victims is consistently evident throughout."



However, the grand jury said the action came long after Trautman was aware of the history of abuse, and was critical that the acknowledgment of the abuse came in a "private letter to Rome rather than a public cknowledgement to Gawronski's victims or the public."



Similarly, the grand jury report stated that Trautman wrote to Rome in 2006 seeking to have a priest, William Presley, removed from the priesthood. Trautman's letter stated in part, "Presley is a violent man....He managed to work his will and way by fear, intimidation, charm and deception, all the classic signs of a hardcore predator. How he managed to escape for so many years defies reason and understanding."



However, the grand jury said Trautman had long been aware of offenses committed by Presley, who eventually moved to the Harrisburg and Lancaster areas.



The grand jury report stated that the failings of the diocese, including Trautman and his predecessor, "left Presley cloaked in the authority and respect of the priesthood. Moreover, the lack of transparency and candor with respect to the concerns surrounding Presley only aided seamless insertion into another Catholic community."



Trautman, now bishop emeritus, issued a long rebuttal and a statement in which he denied the grand jury's allegations and said some of the accounts concerning him are factually wrong.



He said in part, "From the day I took office as Bishop of the Diocese of Erie, I did my best to correct the sin of sex abuse. I personally met with and counseled abuse victims. I removed sixteen offenders from active ministry, including priests that preyed on young Seminarians."



He further said, "I stand on my record. Unfortunately, the grand jury Report does not fully or accurately discuss my record as Bishop for twenty-two years in dealing with clergy abuse."



Persico, meanwhile, issued a statement in which he thanked survivors who testified to the grand jury, telling them "You have suffered in darkness for a very long time."



He said, "I humbly offer my sincere apology to each victim who has been violated by anyone affiliated with the Catholic Church. I hope that you can accept it. I know that apologizing is only one step in a very long and complex process of healing."



Persico also referred to new policies intended to stop such abuse, and pledged the diocese "will not shroud abusers in secrecy."



"As the leader of the Catholic Church in northwest Pennsylvania, I invite the faithful to join me in turning to God in this moment of darkness. Prayer must be one aspect of our response to the grand jury report," he said.

The grand jury report listed 41 Erie Diocese priests as being offenders. Statewide, about 300 priests in six dioceses were named.A succession of Harrisburg bishops endangered the welfare of generations of children by failing to adequately respond to repeated allegations of predatory priests, according to the grand jury report released Tuesday.

One of the most troubling cases outlined in the report was that of Joseph M. Pease, who served in various parishes from 1961 until his retirement in 2003.

In 1995, a 36-year-old man came forward alleging that Pease sexually abused him when he was between 13 and 15 years old.

"Have you ever [ejaculated] yet?" the man says Pease asked him, before fondling the boy and placing the boy's hand inside the priest's pants. Pease also took the victim and other boys onto a boat he owned with another priest, Francis Bach, who would also later be accused of sexual abuse. On the boat, Pease performed oral sex on the boy.

Pease told diocese officials investigating the allegation that there was "horse play" but "nothing sexual occurred."

Later, as the the internal investigation progressed, Pease admitted that he was drinking heavily at the time of the allegations. When asked if sexual behavior could have happened during that time, "Pease replied, 'I don't know,' with nervous laughter," according to diocesan records.

Then-Bishop Nicholas Dattilo, who had a retirement home named in his honor after his 2004 death, was included on a number of memos about Pease. According to the grand jury report, Dattilo in 1996 sent a letter reminding Pease "that it was 'inappropriate' for minors to be in any place other than the public areas of the rectory."

Pease continued to serve in active ministry -- at Divine Redeemer in Mount Carmel -- until he retired in 2003, after additional allegations arose following the Boston Globe investigation of clergy sex abuse and cover-ups in the Diocese of Boston.

Police officials told The Patriot-News in 2003 that Pease had been investigated but the allegations were too old to prosecute.

In 2014, after Pease was suspended from ministry, Bishop Ronald Gainer, the current head of the Harrisburg diocese, wrote a letter about Pease's case to the Congregation for Doctrine of Faith at the Vatican.

He noted that Pease had admitted to multiple inappropriate sexual contacts. Gainer cited three reports from three other victims who came forward after Pease was removed from active ministry.

Gainer told the Vatican he believed the scandal caused by Pease's wrongdoing "has been sufficiently repaired" by ending his career in the priesthood, even though Pease was not formally laicized.

The bishop advised against any church trial or stripping Pease of his priesthood. Instead, Gainer asked that Pease "be permitted to live out his remaining years in prayer and penance without adding further anxiety or suffering to his situation, and without risking public knowledge of his crimes."

"The grand jury disagrees," the panel's report states. "While removing Pease from ministry was a start, he was clearly unfit to carry the title of priest."

"Moreover, public knowledge of Pease's crime is exactly what was required in service to the public and Pease's victims," the jury wrote.

Earlier this month, Gainer held a news conference in which he apologized for the suffering of abuse victims, released the names of more than 70 clergy accused of sexual abuse of children and ordered the names of any bishop who has served since 1947 removed from any places of honor in the diocese.

In a written statement, Gainer spokesman Mike Barley said the bishop instructed his staff and advisors in 2014 to resolve the status of all clergy accused of child sex abuse. Pease, while suspended from ministry, was still associated with the diocese under church law.

"To forcibly end that association would have required a canonical trial, which unfortunately was not a viable option against Joseph Pease in 2014 given his diminished mental capacity," he said. "As such, Bishop Gainer, in a form letter meant solely to resolve his canonical status, recommended Joseph Pease live out his days in prayer and penance. The form letter is regrettably not written well and does not accurately represent the action that was taken."

From the outset, the grand jury report read, "a thoughtful consideration of these facts, and a real concern for the welfare of children, should have resulted in a report to law enforcement, notice to Pease' s past parishes, and a meaningful investigation into the existence of additional potential victims."

Instead, Pease and other accused pedophiles were directed to treatment facilities that the grand jury concluded "laundered accused priests, provided plausible deniability to the bishops and permitted hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry."

William Presley, a priest accused of sexual abuse while serving in the Diocese of Erie, retired to Lancaster, within the Harrisburg diocese, in 2000.

According to the grand jury report, then-Harrisburg Bishop Kevin Rhoades wrote in 2006 that former Bishop Nicholas Dattilo "was personally aware of this matter and that more information regarding the violent behavior of Presley had come to light since Presley moved to the Diocese of Harrisburg."

Rhoades, who left Harrisburg for Fort Wayne, Ind., in 2010, also wrote that, "were this information to become known, especially in the light of his offers of public assistance at Mass in several parishes, great public scandal would arise within this diocese."

During his time as bishop in Harrisburg from 1983 through 1989, William Keeler was notified of allegations that Augustine Giella, who served a parish in Enhaut, sexually abused five of eight daughters from the same family. The diocese was also notified of a complaint of Giella watching a girl as she used the bathroom at Bishop McDevitt High School in 1987.

The grand jury reviewed an undated memo addressed to Keeler regarding Giella that read: "I spoke with Father Coyne on the pastoral concerns: A.) Approaching Fr. Giella B.) welfare of the student C.) satisfying the ire of the teacher. I said we would consult you on these matters."

Giella was not removed from any of his positions. Instead, he voluntarily retired in 1988.

"His criminal actions, and the criminal inaction of Keeler, resulted in continued victimization and trauma for the family of girls described earlier," the grand jury report read. "The trauma was so fresh that the youngest sister, the one who finally reported Giella' s criminal conduct, suffered a panic attack while in the Grand Jury suite after seeing an older gentlemen who bore some resemblance to Giella."

Giella was subsequently arrested in 1992, according to the report, after the family reported the incident to police and New Jersey police executed a search warrant at the priest's home. Officers found young girl's panties, plastic containers containing pubic hairs identified by initials, vials of urine and numerous photos of girls in sexually explicit positions.

The priest died while awaiting trial.

Afterward, the family eventually settled civil litigation with the diocese for nearly $1 million. A key document in the case reviewed by the grand jury, however, appears not to have been disclosed during litigation.

Staff writer Matt Miller contributed to this report.

This article was updated to include comment from a spokesperson for Bishop Ronald Gainer and information about a 2003 police inquiry into Pease.

Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook.

Read the 'TAPPED OUT' special investigation on drinking water in Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is urging state lawmakers to adopt reforms in the wake of the scathing grand jury report on clergy child sex abuse.

DePasquale has called for lawmakers to end the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse. Under state law, victims must come forward to pursue criminal charges by the age of 50.

The law prevents some who have been abused from coming forward, critics say. Advocates say it takes decades for some to speak out about their abuse.

"Today I am calling on every single member of the General Assembly to immediately end the statute of limitations that I have supported since my days as a legislator," DePasquale said in a statement. "It is long past time to enact this change and the reforms introduced by Rep. Mark Rozzi so that childhood and adult victims of sexual abuse can finally have a chance to see the monsters who abused them brought to justice in a court of law."

Rozzi, a Berks County Democrat, has sought to end the statute of limitations for years. Rozzi was sexually abused by a priest when he was a boy and he said the grand jury report should offer lawmakers all the incentive they need to change the law.

The long-awaited grand jury report found that 301 predator priests sexually abused more than 1,000 victims over a period of several decades. Church leaders, including bishops, shielded abusers and covered up crimes, allowing more children to be exploited and denied justice, Shapiro said.

DePasquale said his heart goes out to those who were abused. But he also marveled at their courage in coming forward to speak about their experiences before the grand jury.

"I also applaud the victims who came forward to share their stories with the grand jury and provide support for other victims suffering in silence," DePasquale said.

In addition to calling for eliminating the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, the grand jury recommended these other steps:A Pittsburgh Diocese priest accused of sexual abuse in the 1980s defended his actions by saying he was in an "alcoholic stupor," and later requested his own parish to prevent him from "acting out," according to a grand jury report released Tuesday.

Two children reported sexual abuse by Joseph D. Karabin in 1985, about 11 years into his career, and the "latest incident," Karabin told Bishop Anthony Bosco in 1985, was caused by stress he was under from not having his own pastorate.

Handwritten notes by Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua on Bosco's memos dashed the idea of freeing Karabin from his restricted duties.

"I do not feel Father Karabin should be given another immediate assignment after leaving his present one," Bevilacqua wrote. "There should be some sign to him that what he did was very grave."

Another priest noted in a memo that Karabin had asked if the "incident was reported. Does he have a record? Can legal action be taken-- for how long."

The incident was not reported to police or authorities even though child protection workers met with Diocese officials in 1998 and reminded them that they were mandated reporters of suspected abuse. Child protection workers also told church officials that they could not conduct their own internal investigations.

But that appears to be how Karabin's case, and many others, were handled, according to the grand jury report.

According to Diocese records, the center where priests were sent for treatment, St. Luke Institute in Maryland, advised in 1985 that Karabin was not a pedophile, but had a homosexual interest in boys 15-18 and that the "two incidents of acting out" were partially due to alcohol.

His initial treatment after the first sexual abuse allegation advise Karabin that he was not an alcoholic, which "confused him and gave him permission to drink," the report said. Furthermore, it was noted that because the center informed him he was not a homosexual, "this gave him permission to act out sexually."

Six years later, as Karabin continued treatment for alcoholism, a third victim reported to the Diocese that Karabin had undressed him, fondled him and tried to have anal sex with him when he was 13 or 14 years old. Officials then met with Karabin who said he "made a sexual pass," but didn't remember touching the boy although that "isn't to say he didn't," according to the report.

Despite the three reports of abuse, Karabin kept pushing for his own parish.

In 2002, Karabin was appointed as chaplain at a retirement home, a month after the Boston Globe published a series on the Catholic Church's practice of reassigning priests suspected of child sexual abuse. After a few days, however, Wuerl withdrew Karabin's appointment and his faculties and notified Karabin he was "no longer a priest in good standing."

Karabin still earned his full salary for two more years until his sustenance payments were reduced in 2004 to $750 per month while he maintained his benefits of health insurance, room, board and residence.

Two years later, Karabin asked to move out of residence to live with his sister and he asked that the $475 per month to house him be added to his sustenance payments.

Karabin died in 2016 at the age of 68.

Karabin's situation served as a focal point in the grand jury report because the phrase "circle of secrecy," was jotted on a 1993 letter from the priest when he first requested to return to ministry.

The Attorney General's report attributed that notation to former Bishop now Cardinal Donald Wuerl, which Wuerl later vigorously denied through a press release titled, "Correcting What the PA Attorney General Would Not."

Wuerl confirmed it was not his handwriting and that the phrase wasn't used in the way Josh Shapiro's report referred to it. Despite repeated attempts to get the information corrected before the report was released to the public, Shapiro's office "declined to correct the error in the record, despite having knowledge of this inaccuracy from two sources," according to Ed McFadden, spokesman for Wuerl.

The report cited seven factors, including refusing to make police reports and professional and financial support of offenders with credible allegations, as a constellation of factors known as the "circle of secrecy.

"We didn't come up with that phrase on our own," the report said. "We got it from Bishop Wuerl of Pittsburgh, now Cardinal of Washington D.C. in one of the documents we reviewed; these were his own words for the church's child sex abuse cover-up."

But those statements are simply wrong, according to McFadden. He said the report created a "wholly inaccurate perception" that Wuerl was attempting to cover up allegations of abuse.

Instead, the Diocese wrote in a response to the grand jury report that the phrase was written by the Secretary for Clergy at the time referring to the fact that Karabin would have to come clean publicly about his alcoholism and sexual misconduct before he could return to ministry.

Even though Karabin agreed to the disclosures, he was not returned to parish ministry, the Diocese noted.

The grand jury report noted that Karabin again tried to get a parish in 1997, after which church officials met with him and relayed that "Bishop Wuerl feels that it is best that he remain at Braddock Hopsital and that Joe keep a low profile."

A few months later, church officials hinted in a memo at another potential allegation that surfaced while Karabin was hospitalized.

"There is nothing in our file relating to the more recent allegation you spoke of made by a college youth who met Father Karabin at Braddock Hospital," Father Ruggiero wrote to Bishop David Zubik.An investigating grand jury found Tuesday that dozens of priests at the Diocese of Scranton sexually abused children over decades.

Their 1,300-page report, based on half-a-million pages of internal church documents and testimony gathered over two years, investigated allegations of sexual abuse across six of Pennsylvania's eight Catholic diocese.



At the Diocese of Scranton, that alleged abuse included grooming, genital fondling, and vaginal, oral and anal penetration.

Here's a summary of the grand jury's key findings concerning the diocese:

59 OFFENDERS

The grand jury identified 59 offenders at the Diocese of Scranton. All but six were named in the report:

1) Philip A. Altavilla

2) Girard F. Angelo

3) Mark G. Balczeniuk

4) [REDACTED]

5) Joseph P. Bonner

6) Martin M. Boylan

7) Robert J. Braque

8) Francis T. Brennan

9) Joseph W. Bucolo

10) Gerald J. Burns

11) Robert N. Caparelli

12) Anthony P. Conmy

13) J. Peter Crynes

14) Raymond L. Deviney

15) [REDACTED]

16) Donald J. Dorsey

17) [REDACTED]

18) John M. Duggan

19) John J. Dzurko

20) James F. Farry

21) James F. Fedor

22) Ralph N. Ferraldo

23) Angelus Ferrara

24) Austin E. Flanagan

25) Joseph D. Flannery

26) Martin J. Fleming

27) Robert J. Gibson

28) Joseph G. Gilgallon

29) Joseph A. Griffin

30) Joseph T. Hammond

31) P. Lawrence Homer

32) Mark A. Honart

33) Joseph F. Houston

34) [REDACTED]

35) [REDACTED]

36) Francis G. Kulig

37) Albert M. Libertore, Jr.

38) John A. Madaj

39) [REDACTED]

40) James M. McAuliffe

41) Neil McLaughlin

42) Joseph F. Meighan

43) Russell E. Motsay

44) James F. Nolan

45) W. Jeffrey Paulish

46) John A. Pender

47) Mark T. Rossetti

48) Edward J. Shoback

49) Thomas P. Shoback

50) Thomas D. Skotek

51) John J. Tamalis

52) Virgil B. Thetherow

53) Robert M. Timchak

54) Lawrence P. Weniger

55) Joseph B. Wilson

56) Christopher R. Clay

57) Eric S. Ensey

58) Carlos Urrutigoity

59) Benedict J. Van der Putten

SYSTEMIC COVER UP

The grand jury found that diocesan administrators, including the bishops, had knowledge of this conduct yet regularly placed the priests in ministry.

It also found the diocese had discussions with lawyers regarding the sexual conduct of priests with children and made settlements with the victims:

These settlements contained confidentiality agreements forbidding victims from speaking out about their abuse under threat of some penalty, such as legal action to recover previously paid settlement monies. Finally, the Grand Jury received evidence that several Diocesan administrators, including the bishops, often dissuaded victims from reporting to police or, conducted their own deficient, biased investigation without reporting crimes against children to the proper authorities.

KEY CASES OF ABUSE:

Here is a few of the anecdotes of abuse shared by victims:

A victim of Joseph P. Bonner reported Bonner assaulted him while his family stayed the night in the rectory. The victim was sleeping on a pull-out bed near Bonner's bedroom. The victim said he awoke to discover Bonner lying in bed with him stroking his penis. When the victim asked Bonner what he was doing, Bonner replied, "I am sorry . . . I shouldn't have done that; Go back to bed."

A victim of Reverend Martin M. Boylan reported he was assaulted by Boylan at a summer camp when he was 8 years old. The victim said Boylan inserted his penis into the victim's rectum and touched many of his body parts, including his private parts.

Two boys reported to a priest that Reverend Austin E. Flanagan fondled them at a summer camp. When confronted, Flanagan stated, "I thought they were asleep and also I had a lot to drink." Flanagan acknowledged that several other instances had occurred in the past.

A victim of Reverend James F. Nolan reported Nolan groped him when he was a 15-year old altar boy. The male stated that Nolan had touched his genitals on the outside of his clothing.

A victim of Reverend Edward J. Shoback reported that when he was 12 Shoback invited him to watch a movie. Shoback removed the victim's clothing and performed oral sex on him.

A victim of Reverend John J. Tamalis reported that Tamalis gave him alcohol when he was 13 and performed oral sex on him.

A father of a victim reported Reverend Francis G. Kulig molested his 12-year old son. It was alleged that there was mutual masturbation, oral sex and anal sex.

A victim of Reverend Anthony P. Conmy reported Conmy molested her in a wooden area as a 10-year old. Conmy restrained her and forced her to take off her clothes. He took her hand and made her touch him before he performed oral sex on her.

A victim of Reverend Francis T. Brennan reported Brennan took him to a drive-in movie and put his hands inside the victim's pants.

A victim of Reverend Angelus Ferrara reported he was sexually abused by Ferrara at a retreat house when he was 14. Ferrara had the boy massage his genitals.

FULL DETAILS OF ABUSE

Here's more information about those allegations and others.

These details are largely verbatim excerpts from the report but PennLive omitted details in some cases for brevity.

You can read the full grand jury report here.

Reverend Philip A. Altavilla

Born: 1966, Ordained: 1992, Status: Resigned in 2014

On April 3, 2014, the Diocese of Scranton was notified by law enforcement that Father Philip A. Altavilla had been arrested for indecent assault, criminal attempt - indecent assault and corruption of minors in connection with a sexual assault on a female that occurred on December 15, 1998 when she was 13 -years -old. The victim reported that on that occasion she had been an altar server assisting Altavilla with midnight mass. Afterwards, Altavilla provided alcohol to her and gave her a ride home. During the ride to her house, Altavilla pulled into a parking lot and parked the vehicle. He then swung her legs across his lap, touched her feet and worked his hands up her thigh towards her vagina. The victim told him to stop and he did. During the course of the investigation, Altavilla admitted to having fetishes with feet, legs, pantyhose, strangulation and chloroform.

Prior to trial it was determined the statute of limitations had expired for the charges that were filed against Altavilla in connection with the assault on the victim. The case was dismissed but as observed in the June 3, 2015 letter, "not for lack of merit."

Reverend Girard F. Angelo

Born: 1927, Ordained: 1955, Status: Died in 2009

In September, 2002, Bishop James C Timlin received a letter from an adult male who wanted to report to the Diocese of Scranton that he had been sexually abused by Father Girard F. Angelo when he was 14 -years -old. This occurred during the time period when Angelo was assigned to Mater Delorosa in the early 1960s. The first victim noted that he did not wish to sue, nor make a spectacle of himself or those involved. Timlin contacted the male and advised that the allegations would be brought to the attention of the Lycoming County District Attorney's Office even though the statute of limitations appeared to have expired. Timlin interviewed Angelo who denied that any sexual abuse had occurred. Timlin advised the male that any compensation that he felt was due to him would be the responsibility of Angelo. The Bishop then suggested that the male contact Angelo about the allegations and provided him with Angelo's contact information. The male did not contact Angelo.

The statute of limitations period had expired under Pennsylvania law.

Reverend Mark G. Balczeniuk

Born: 1957, Ordained: 1983, Status: Dispensation from the clerical state

On March 30, 2010, Father Mark G. Balczeniuk contacted the Reverend Richard J. Loch, Episcopal Vicar for Priests, and arranged a meeting with him. Balczeniuk stated that on the previous Friday he had spent the night at the home of a family with whom he had a close relationship. He admitted that while he was at their home, he kissed and hugged the family's son, whom he estimated to be in his twenties. Balczeniuk described the boy as having mental difficulties and being a little slow. He explained that he was reporting this conduct because he was informed by the Reverend Mark A. Honhardt that the boy's father was very upset and was going to report the incident to the Diocese of Scranton. On March 30, 2010, the father did report the incident to the Diocese. He stated that Balczeniuk had kissed his 18 -year -old stepson on the mouth, embraced him, and rubbed his back underneath his shirt. That same day, Loch notified Balczeniuk that his conduct warranted immediate and aggressive action. Loch advised Balczeniuk that he could not continue to function as a priest and that he would be sent to the St. John Vianney Center as soon as possible. On April 1, 2010, the Diocese notified the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office of the allegation.

On June 11, 2010, Earley also sent a letter to the Wyoming County District Attorney's Office wherein he stated that Balczeniuk had made certain statements to Loch on June 7, 2010. The letter stated, "when he was a seminarian he was assigned as a counsel at Camp St. Andrew in Wyoming County. The priest stated that he touched the genitals of some of the young boys who attended the camp. This self -disclosed behavior is supposed to have taken place in the mid - 1970s." On March 24, 2011, Balczeniuk notified Pope Benedict XVI of his request to be dismissed from the clerical state. Dispensation from the clerical state was approved on October 7, 2011.

Reverend Joseph P. Bonner

Born: 1926, Ordained: 1953, Status: Died in 2007

On May 13, 2002, the Diocese of Scranton was notified by an attorney via letter correspondence that his client had been sexually molested by Father Joseph P. Bonner in 1975. The attorney explained that the victim and his family had been visiting from Arizona that year and were invited to visit with Bonner in the rectory. They spent the night there. The victim's two aunts and his cousin were provided with accommodations on the third floor while the victim was given a pull-out bed that was located directly across from Bonner's bedroom on the second floor. After the victim fell asleep, he awoke to discover Bonner lying in bed with him, stroking his [the victim's] penis. The letter stated that when the client asked Bonner what he was doing, Bonner replied, "I am sorry . . . I shouldn't have done that; Go back to bed."

On January 27, 2003, a settlement was reached and the victim received $25,000. It was agreed that the settlement did not constitute an admission by Bonner and that the parties could not release the contents of the settlement agreement to the public.

On November 29, 2004, the Diocese received a report from a 47 -year -old male who advised that he had been sexually abused by Bonner when he was 14 to 16 years old. He stated that he was not interested in pursuing a lawsuit against Bonner or the Diocese. The Diocese sent a letter to the Lycoming County District Attorney's Office, advising of the allegation. On December 6, 2004, the Diocese agreed to assume financial responsibility for 20 psychiatric sessions for the victim.

Reverend Martin M. Boylan

Born: 1947, Ordained: 1980, Status: Took leave of absence in 2016

In April, 1993, while Father Martin M. Boylan was serving as a chaplain at Marywood College, a male graduate student alleged that Boylan sexually harassed him and propositioned him for sex. The Diocese of Scranton sent Boylan for a comprehensive psychological evaluation at the Anodos Center in Downingtown, and, after the evaluation was completed, it was determined that Boylan would take leave from the ministry and undergo two to three years of outpatient psychotherapy. After completing the therapy, Boylan underwent evaluations in 1994, 1997, and 2004. According to a note in the file, the evaluations did not raise any serious concerns that would prevent Boylan from exercising public ministry.

On March 31, 2016, the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Florida notified the Diocese that an 18 -year -old male had reported that he was touched inappropriately by Boylan when he was eight -years -old. On April 1, 2016, this victim contacted the Diocese and advised that the assault occurred at a summer event at St. Vincent's Camp in Honesdale. The victim reported that Boylan inserted his penis into the victim's rectum and touched many of his body parts, including his private parts. A report was immediately made to ChildLine.

Boylan was subsequently interviewed by the Diocese and denied the allegation. He stated that he had no recollection of the victim. Boylan was informed that his faculties to exercise public ministry were immediately suspended and that he would need to vacate the rectory. He was encouraged to undergo residential treatment at St. John Vianney Center to which he agreed.

On April 6, 2016, the Diocese received a call from an anonymous male who advised that he was a student at Marywood University in 1983. The caller reported that Boylan had approached him with sexually suggestive overtures. The male reported this to the Marywood Administration. Although a contract was agreed to between Marywood University and Boylan - - which included Boylan' s departure from the University - - and this eased the tension between Boylan and the male student, the male advised that he was upset to learn that Boylan was still practicing as a priest.

On May 25, 2016, the Diocese received a call from a former parishioner who advised of an incident of sexual abuse by Boylan that occurred in 1984. The caller advised that he did not intend to file charges and wished to remain anonymous. On August 23, 2017, the Pennsylvania State Police closed the investigation into this allegation of sexual abuse because of the victim's refusal to testify. A statement was subsequently released by the Diocese which stated, "While civil authorities have made this determination, the ecclesiastical process in Father Boylan' s case continues. Father Boylan' s status as a priest removed from ministry with his faculties to exercise priestly ministry suspended continues to remain unchanged."

Reverend Robert J. Brague

Born: 1941, Ordained: 1970, Status: Died in 1997

On March 24, 1988, Bishop James C. Timlin received an anonymous letter from a parishioner advising that rumors were circulating about Brague and a high school female. On June 16, 1988, that same anonymous parishioner sent a second letter to Timlin, advising that the relationship between Brague and the teenage female was still continuing. The parishioner stated that it was assumed that Timlin had disregarded the previous letter and further suggested that TimIan did not have very much control over his priests. On August 29, 1988, Timlin received a letter from the sister of the high school female. She advised that Brague had had sexual relations with her sister at age 17 who became pregnant. She further advised that Brague had had at least two other affairs.

Reverend Francis T. Brennan

Born: 1928, Ordained: 1954, Status: Died in 1974

On August 4, 2010, the Diocese received a telephone call from a 65 -year -old male who reported that he was sexually abused by Father Francis T. Brennan when he was 15 or 16 -years - old. He reported that Brennan took him to a drive-in movie and put his hands inside the victim's pants. The Diocese offered to arrange for counseling for the victim. That same day, an e-mail communication was sent from Chancellor James Earley to Bishop Joseph Bambera wherein he advised that in 2005, the Diocese had been sued by Richard Serbin, Esquire who was representing a client who stated that he had been abused by Brennan in 1966 when he was an altar boy. The Court rejected the case, however, concluding that the victim had waited too long to sue the diocese. A post -it note was attached to a print-out of this e-mail communication which stated "bad abuse case. perpetrator. [Victim] sued us . . . we won."

Reverend Joseph Bucolo

Born: 1923, Ordained: 1954, Status: Removed from ministry in 2002

On January 4, 1971, Bishop J. Carroll McCormick was notified that the parents of a 10 - year -old boy had reported that during the previous summer, Father Joseph Bucolo took their son on a two day vacation to the New Jersey shore area. They advised that during this trip, Bucolo committed acts with their son that were "unbecoming a catholic priest." It was recommended that Bucolo be transferred immediately to another parish within the Diocese of Scranton. It was also recommended that Bucolo see his personal physician.

On September 1, 2010, a 64 -year -old male reported to the Diocese that he was sexually abused by Bucolo when he was an eight -year -old altar boy. On September 7, 2010, the victim met with the Victim Assistance Coordinator and agreed to meet with Bucolo face to face. On September 8, 2010, the Diocese notified the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office of this allegation. On September 20, 2010, the victim attended a meeting where he confronted Bucolo. Bucolo told the victim that he did wrong and asked for forgiveness. On December 9, 2010, the victim and Bucolo entered into a settlement agreement and release of all claims for the agreed upon amount of $20,000.00.

Monsignor Gerald J. Burns

Born: 1924, Ordained: 1950, Status: Retired in 1994 and died in 1999

On January 11, 1994, Bishop James C. Timlin received a letter from a woman who advised that her husband was sexually molested for years by Monsignor Gerald J. Burns during the time when he was an altar server at St. John's in the 1950's. On January 17, 1994, Timlin spoke to Burns and he denied any wrongdoing. Timlin suggested that it would be best for him to retire. Burns agreed. Timlin accepted the resignation effective January 24, 1994 On January 21, 1994, Timlin sent a letter to the victim and his wife apologizing for the pain and hurt that the victim had experienced. He advised that Burns had resigned and would never be assigned to another parish again. Timlin pledged to help both of them.

Reverend Anthony P. Conmy

Born: 1927, Ordained: 1953, Status: Unclear

On April 7, 2008, a 49 -year -old female reported to the Diocese of Scranton that she was sexually assaulted by Conmy when she was 10 -years -old. She explained that she and a friend had stopped at the rectory to talk to Conmy and thereafter got into a car with him. He dropped off her friend at her home. Conmy then drove to a wooded area where he molested her. He grabbed her wrist tightly and put his hand over her mouth as she struggled. He also put his knee in her stomach in order to hold her down. When he removed his hand from her mouth, she begged him not to kill her. Conmy told her that he would not kill her if she would lie quietly. He then took her off her clothes and touched her. He took her hand and made her touch him. Next, he performed oral sex on her.

Monsignor J. Peter Crynes

Born: 1941, Ordained: 1967, Status: Resigned in 2006

On March 2, 2006, the Diocese received a letter from a law firm stating they represented a female that was sexually abused by Father J. Peter Crynes from 1974 until 1977. The abuse began when she was 17 years old and Crynes kissed her at a retreat. Over the course of the next three years, the abuse included fondling, fellatio and intercourse. At the suggestion of another priest during the victim's sophomore year at college, she confronted Crynes. When she did so, he laughed at her and told her that he wanted to continue even once she was married.

The Diocese was made aware of another allegation of sexual abuse against Crynes on March 7, 2006. A female reported that when she was 15 years of age, she suffered from anorexia and her parents sent her to Crynes for counseling and direction. She stated that for two years the counseling was fine but then she rebelled at her situation at home. Her parents called Crynes to intervene. Crynes picked her up from a hotel and took her to Fatima Center for evaluation and counseling. The first night there, Crynes came into her room, sat on her bed, lifted her nightgown up and rubbed her thigh. A few days later, he stopped by to see her and asked her to rub his shoulders. He pulled her around and sat her on his lap where she felt his erection. Later that month, Crynes kissed her, putting his tongue in her mouth.

On June 6, 2006, a woman and her husband met with Kopacz and the woman revealed that she was sexually abused by Crynes in 1970 and 1971 during her junior and senior years in high school. She stated that it began with her going for rides to various points around the area with Crynes after school. Crynes would park the car and pull her onto himself to hold and kiss her. He kept it at the level of holding, touching and kissing, and told her they would only progress to the level at which she was comfortable. He also told her that Jesus would say this behavior was okay as a sign of their special friendship. Stated noted that she had written a letter to Crynes in April, 2002 wherein she told him how she agonized over the years because of what he did to her and how it ruined her life. She demanded an apology from him. That same month, she received a letter from him. He asked her to please accept his deepest and most heartfelt apology. He then asked her to forgive him for the pain and trauma she experienced.

On June 13, 2006, an adult female was interviewed by the Diocese. She was born in October, 1957. Throughout the course of her senior year, she and other friends attended events on a monthly basis (sometimes more than that) that were sponsored by the Diocese. Crynes was at these events. She reported that the abuse involved hugging and kissing and, on one of those occasions, he put his tongue in her mouth. She relayed that there was one occasion during the Sacrament of Confession where Father Crynes hugged her and told her that God loved her very much. He stated that he loved her and she was very special to God and very special to him. He then put his mouth on her mouth with his tongue going in and out of her mouth like a snake. He pulled her close to him and she could feel he had an erection. He continued to kiss her and was moaning during it.

On January 15, 2016, a law firm notified the Diocese that they represented a 59 -year -old woman who reported that she was repeatedly sexually molested by Crynes from approximately 1972 to 1973 when she was 16 to 17 years of age. She met him through an encounter program sponsored by the Diocese.

Reverend Raymond L. Deviney

Born: 1932, Ordained: 1959, Status: Unclear

On October 8, 1994, an adult female informed Bishop James C. Timlin that she was sexually abused by Father Raymond L. Deviney when she was a teenager in high school. She stated that he repeatedly acted sexually inappropriately with her, placing his hand on her thigh and asking her if she trusted him as he moved his hand further up her leg. She further reported that when she approached Deviney and confided in him after losing a baby and her husband, he took advantage of her and violated her.

Reverend Donald J. Dorsey

Born: 1929, Ordained: 1955, Status: Died in 2007

On February 3, 1959 and February 6, 1959, the Diocese of Scranton received two complaints about Father Donald J. Dorsey. One complaint indicated that Dorsey was with a high school girl. The other complaint indicated that Dorsey was creating scandal by spending time with - - and being too close with - - females in the town. On February 13, 1959, Bishop Hannon directed Dorsey to report to hospice and that his faculties were to be withdrawn. He further directed that Dorsey was forbidden to enter any house in Ashley, or in the territory of St. Leo's parish, and that he was forbidden to meet at any place under any circumstances - - or to communicate in any way with - - any person of the female sex whose domicile or quasi -domicile was at this time, or at any time within the territory of Ashley or within the territory of St. Leo's parish.

Reverend John M. Duggan

Born: Unknown, Ordained: Unknown: Status: Unclear

Father John M. Duggan was assigned to the Jesuit community in Scranton in the 1970s. In the late 1980s, he was approved by the Diocese of Scranton to assist pastors in the area. Then, in 1988, Bishop James C. Timlin appointed Duggan to be the Assistant Pastor at St. Paul. In 1993, Duggan was sent for a psychological evaluation and admitted to sexually abusing young children in his early priesthood. He denied that any of the abuse occurred within the Diocese. Upon his release, Timlin reinstated Duggan. However, Duggan was restricted to supervised ministry and was required to meet regularly with his aftercare counseling team. On December 11, 1996, an adult male reported to Timlin that he was sexually abused by Duggan in the 1970s when he was a teenager engaged in spiritual counseling at the Jesuit house in Scranton. Timlin thereafter imposed a ban on Duggan' s parish work and restricted him to convent and prison ministry. In 1999, the same male reported that he believed Duggan was participating in unsupervised ministry. The Diocesan Review Board recommended to Timlin that the only ministries that would be open to Duggan were the celebration of mass and the administration of sacraments in correctional facilities, nursing homes and convents. In May, 2002, the male contacted the Diocese and requested assurances that Duggan posed no threat to young people. Timlin then suggested to the Maryland Provincial that it would not be a good idea for Duggan to return to Scranton. The Provincial notified Timlin that Duggan had been removed from the Jesuit Community in Scranton. The victim reported his sexual abuse to the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office but the statute of limitations had expired. Paperwork was located wherein it indicated that the Jesuit Community provided free tuition to the victim's children and transferred Duggan from the Jesuit Community in Scranton.

Reverend John J. Dzurko

Born: 1904, Ordained: 1932, Status: Died in 1991

On November 28, 2005, the Diocese of Scanton received a complaint from a 48 -year -old female who stated that she was sexually molested by Father John J. Dzurko in 1957 when she was 11 years of age. The Diocese believed the victim to credible and deserved to receive assistance in healing from her childhood trauma. The Diocese subsequently paid the cost of art therapy for the victim. 831

Reverend James F. Farry

Born: 1921, Ordained: 1946, Status: Died in 1990

In January 1953, Father James F. Farry suffered an aneurism and was unable to perform full time duties during his recovery. On January 1, 1954, Farry was assigned to St. Michael's School for Boys. On May 29. 1960, Farry was notified by Bishop Hannan that his relations with the guests of St. Michael's had made it intolerable for him to continue to live there. Additionally, Hannan stated that since he would not be able to meet the responsibilities of the ministry in any available post which needed priestly service, Farry was invited to take up residence at the Cure of Ars Hospice. On August 21, 2006, the Diocese received a report that resident at St. Michael's from 1953 to 1954 stated that he was sexually abused by a Father Collins. The victim later revealed that it was Farry. The Diocese filed a report of the abuse with the District Attorney's Office of Wyoming County. The Diocese agreed to assume responsibility for the co -payments associated with the victim's psychological counseling services.

Reverend James F. Fedor

Born: 1947, Ordained: 1973, Status: Indefinite leave of absence since 1991

From 1981 to 1986, Father James F. Fedor sought counseling on his own for issues/concerns relating to his desire to have contact with young girls. From 1986 to 1987, Fedor received psychological treatment/evaluation. On July 7, 1991, Fedor was granted an indefinite leave of absence by Bishop James C. Timlin and he was laicized on May 3, 1994. On November 1, 2012, the Diocese of Scranton received an anonymous letter from an adult female. She claimed that Fedor abused her in 1978 when she was 10 -years -old. She stated that he engaged in grooming behavior which led to sexual abuse for a period of two years. On November 15, 2012, a letter was sent to the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office about the allegation. 833

Reverend Ralph N. Ferraldo

Born: 1943, Ordained: 1970, Status: Indefinite leave of status in 1988, died in 1997

On December 3, 1974, Chancellor James C. Timlin received a telephone call from a female who stated that her 16 -year -old son had been touched by Father Ralph N. Ferraldo in an immoral manner She further reported that Ferraldo had done this to other altar boys and to an orderly at a local hospital. The female did not want to provide her name. When questioned by Timlin and Bishop J. Carroll McCormick, Ferraldo denied the allegations. He did admit that he had older boys visit his room in the rectory, but nothing wrong had occurred. He was asked not to do that anymore. Ferraldo thereafter asked for a transfer out of Nanticoke if things were being said about him. He was informed that it was their understanding that the talk was not widespread and it would be an admission of guilt for him to be moved.

On May 14, 2002, the Archdiocese of New York notified the Diocese of Scranton that a male had reported that he was sexually abused by Ferraldo in 1982-1983 when he was 16 or 17 years of age. On June 6, 2002, Father Kopacz, Vicar for Priests, wrote that he had spoken with the victim and advised him that Ferraldo was removed from the ministry in the late 1980s and that he died in the early 1990s. The victim informed Kopacz that he did not report the sexual misconduct in order to expose Ferraldo, to embarrass the Church, or, to bring suit against the Church. Instead, he revealed the abuse for the sake of reconciliation.

Reverend Angelus Ferrara

Born: Unknown, Ordained: 1990, Status: Sentenced to state prison in 2011

On September 20, 2000, Bishop James C Timlin received a request from Father Angelus Ferrara to establish the Society of the Annunciation of the Lord, which would serve as a retreat for priests and lay persons. The facilities were also to include the Mary Mother of God Monastery. Ferrara wanted to settle this religious community and monastery in the eastern part of Pennsylvania; however, he needed the sponsorship of a Diocesan Bishop in order to do so. Upon receiving the approval from Rome, Timlin notified Ferrara that he was willing to receive him into the Diocese of Scranton for the purpose of establishing the new religious community as of January 1, 2001. The Society of the Annunciation of the Lord was not to become a separate parish, however, so as to take people away from their local churches and be viewed as a competitor. The community settled in Warren Center. On November 26, 2003, Ferrara asked for the transfer of canonical sponsorship from the Diocese to the Eparchy of Newton for Melkite Greek Catholics in the USA. On January 10, 2011, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities received a report from the mother of a 14 -year -old boy who revealed that he was sexually abused by Ferrara at the retreat house. It was reported that Ferrara had the boy massage his male parts. Ferrara admitted that this conduct occurred. On March 28, 2011, Ferrara was terminated from his monastic venture. He was criminally charged and pled guilty. He was sentenced to state prison.

Reverend Austin E. Flanagan

Born: 1941, Ordained: 1966, Status: Removed from active ministry in 2002

On September 11, 1980, Bishop J. Carroll McCormick received a letter from a parishioner who advised that the parishioners were disgusted with Father Austin E. Flanagan. The letter stated that Flanagan would not let anyone in the rectory and that he was sleeping in sleeping bags with young boys. On June 27, 1990, Bishop James C. Timlin received a letter from Dr. Richard D. Malone, Associate Medical Director, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in Harrison, New York concerning Flanagan. The letter was sent upon the request of, and with the permission of, Flanagan himself. Flanagan related that approximately one month prior to his admission to St. Vincent's Hospital, he had been questioned about fondling two boys at a summer camp two years earlier. The boys had reported it to another priest who, in turn, reported it to Timlin Flanagan told Malone that he did not deny what happened. However, he stated, "I thought they were asleep and also I had a lot to drink." Flanagan acknowledge that several other similar instances in the past had occurred. There was no information in the files concerning the identity of the two boys. On July 3, 2002, Flanagan was removed from active ministry. In June, 2005, the Diocese was contacted by a 34 -year -old male who claimed that he was sodomized by Flanagan in the rectory at St. Mary's in 1973 when he was 11 -years -old. Flanagan was questioned by Father Kopacz and denied any wrongdoing. On June 27, 2005, the Diocese of Scranton reported the allegation to the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The letter included a list that contained the names of all priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of minors had been made. Flanagan' s name was on the list and several victims were identified.

Reverend Joseph D. Flannery

Born: 1928, Ordained: 1953, Status: Died in 2005

In 1964, 1965 and 1966, the Diocese of Scranton received letters about Father Joseph D. Flannery' s affairs with women, his dating a young girl and getting her pregnant, and, being seen on vacation in Atlantic City with this female. The letters were received from a member of the clergy, a parishioner and the mother of the young girl. Nothing was found in the file reflecting an investigation or questioning of the priest. The matter was not referred to the District Attorney's Office. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The letter included a list that contained the names of all priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of minors had been made. Flannery was included on that list. 839

Reverend Martin J. Fleming

Born: 1869, Ordained: 1898, Status: Died in 1950

On April 14, 2006, the Diocese of Venice, Florida notified the Diocese of Scranton that a female victim had reported that she was sexually abused by Father Martin F. Fleming in 1940 when she was six -years -old. The victim reported that she underwent counseling over the years. On June 30, 2006, the victim met with Bishop Dougherty and other members of the Diocese. She noted that she was in heart failure and "wants to put all of her ducks in a row." She stated that she desired to be counted as a victim of a priest from the Diocese of Scranton. She advised that this deepest secret came back again and again to trouble her spirit and cause her emotional distress. Dougherty called the abuse an abomination, expressing his deep sorrow for the wounding of her child self. The victim was strongly encouraged to consult with a woman therapist or trusted female friend. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The letter included a list that contained the names of all priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of minors had been made. Fleming was included on that list.

Reverend Robert J. Gibson

Born: 1932, Ordained: 1958, Status: Died in 2012

On January 5, 1995, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by an attorney representing a man who claimed to have been sexually abused by Father Robert J. Gibson in 1975 when the victim was 14 years old. Gibson admitted to the sexual misconduct. A civil action was filed against the Diocese and a $30,000 settlement was reached.

In the spring of 1997, a complaint was received from a mother who accused Gibson of "grooming behavior" involving her son. Gibson was re -admitted to St. John Vianney Hospital for further assessment. On September 16, 1997, the decision was made that Gibson could no longer exercise priestly ministry or reside in a Diocesan facility. He remained under supervision until he was able to be placed in a residential treatment facility.

On February 26, 1998, the Diocese received information that Gibson was involved in sexual misconduct with his nephew, who was a minor at the time.

On April 5, 2002, the Diocese received a letter from an adult male who accused Gibson of sexual misconduct and providing pornographic material to him when he was a minor. A copy of the letter were shared with law enforcement. On October 5, 2005, the Diocese was contacted by an adult male who reported that Gibson sexually assaulted him when he was a minor. The victim sought financial compensation. Gibson admitted to the allegations and arranged to pay the victim $700 a month until his own death.

On July 16, 2007, an adult male reported to the Diocese that he was sexually abused by Gibson frrom 1973 through 1974. The Monroe County District Attorney's Office was notified of the allegations. The Diocese offered to arrange for counseling for the victim and to arrange for the victim to meet with the Bishop. The victim declined. Gibson was questioned about the allegations but had no memory of the allegations. Gibson was diagnosed with dementia.

Monsignor Joseph G. Gilgallon

Born: 1934, Ordained: 1959, Status: Died in 1991

On January 31, 2006, the Diocese of Scranton was notified that a 40 -year -old adult male who was undergoing counseling had alleged that he was sexually abused by Monsignor Joseph G. Gilgallon on December 31, 1986. Although the Diocese could not locate any paperwork that the incident had been reported by the victim, the Diocese spoke with other priests in service during that time period and confirmed that the abuse took place in the rectory. Counseling was continued for the victim. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The letter included a list that contained the names of all priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of minors had been made. Gilgallon was included in that list.

Reverend Joseph A. Griffin

Born: 1901, Ordained: 1927, Status: Died in 1988

In September, 2009, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by a 42 -year -old male who reported that he was sexually abused by Father Joseph A. Griffin in 1967 when he was nine years old. This occurred when Griffin took the victim and other boys on boat trips to Seneca Lake, NY and to a summer cottage at Lake Henry in the Poconos. The caller stated that Griffin touched him, rubbed his backside and slept with his arm around him. The victim stated that he did not wish to pursue any action against the Diocese; rather, he just wanted the Diocese to be aware of what had occurred. The victim contacted the Diocese again in 2011, just wanting to talk about what had happened to him.

Reverend P. Lawrence Homer

Born: 1933, Ordained: 1959, Status: Died in 2015

On January 15, 1967, Father Post was advised that Father P. Lawrence Homer had a 14 - year -old female in his locked office for the duration of an entire class period. It was reported that he engaged in a sexual conversation with her wherein he asked her about her "sex hair" and the development of her breasts and nipples. He told her that while she was only 14 years old, she had the body of an 18 -year -old. Post was also made aware of a second victim that Homer brought into his office. This victim was also approximately 14 years old. It was reported that she was in his locked office for more than one hour. During that time period, he asked her sexual questions about herself and told her that one day he would have her come to his office and he would undress her. He also took her into the examination room next to the health office where he unbuttoned the front of her blouse, french -kissed her and stated that she "would be nice to marry even though it meant leaving the Priesthood." Homer was subsequently transferred to another parish. On January 24, 1988, a female notified the Diocese that she was sexually molested by Homer in 1964 when she was 14 years old. She advised that Homer had fondled her breasts under her blouse.

The Diocese received multiple complaints from adult female victims over the years who alleged that they were sexually involved with Homer during a fragile time in their lives. One incident involved a nun whom Homer touched, hugged and kissed. Homer was sent for evaluation and treatment on two separate occasions. Information contained within the Diocesan files was very vague, however. None of the incidents were reported to law enforcement. He was removed from ministry in July 2002.

Reverend Mark A. Honart

Born: 1946, Ordained: 1980, Status: Assigned to leave of absence in 2011

On February 2, 2011, the Diocese of Scranton was notified by the Diocese of Kansas City that there was an allegation that Father Mark A. Honart had sexually abused a young boy in 1985-1986 when he was in the fourth grade at Holy Cross. The Diocese of Scranton withdrew Honart's faculties and notified local law enforcement. Arrangements were made to relay the incident to law enforcement in Kansas City. In 2015, the Diocese of Kansas City -St. Joseph reached a settlement with the victim in the civil lawsuit. On February 3, 2011, Honart was assigned to a leave of absence for health reasons.

Reverend Joseph F. Houston

Born: 1937, Ordained: 1964, Status: Removed from ministry in 2002

On June 29, 1971, Father George Jeffrey reported to Bishop J. Carroll McCormick that Father Joseph F. Houston and a minor female were observed going into a motel room late at night on multiple occasions. They had also been seen together in public on a regular basis. On May 4, 2002, Bishop James C. Timlin received a letter from this female victim, advising that Houston had taken advantage of her from the age of 14 to the age of 17. She asked that the incident not be brought to the attention of law enforcement. On May 11, 2002, Houston sent a letter to her, apologizing for the pain that he caused her by his inexcusable behavior. On June 28, 2002, Houston was removed from his priestly duties by the Diocese. On July 06, 2004, Pope John Paul II granted Houston dispensation. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The letter included a list that contained the names of all priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of minors had been made. Houston's name was on the list along with the name of the victim.

Reverend Francis G. Kulig

Born: 1948, Ordained: 1974, Status: Removed from ministry in 2002

On November 4, 1986, a concerned father wrote a letter to the Diocese of Scranton wherein he alleged that his son was sexually molested by Father Francis G. Kulig beginning in 1979 when the boy was 12 years old. The abuse continued until Kulig was transferred on October 2, 1985. It was alleged that there was mutual masturbation, oral sex and anal sex. When he was interviewed, Kulig admitted to having a relationship with the victim. He stated that mutual masturbation was the only activity that occurred. On December 30, 1986, Bishop Timlin acknowledged that Kulig would receive treatment. He underwent treatment from February 17, 1987 through August 14, 1987. At the request of Timlin, Kulig submitted his resignation from St. Mary of the Lake. Following his treatment, Kulig was assigned to the Mercy Center Convent. Upon learning of this assignment, the victim's father began writing Timlin, expressing his concerns that Kulig was still a priest. A sum of $10,000 was ultimately paid to the family. Effective July 3, 2002, Kulig had his faculties removed. He was prohibited from wearing clerical garb and presenting himself as a priest. He was further prohibited from celebrating mass or the sacraments as a priest.

Reverend Albert M. Libertore, Jr.

Born: 1964, Ordained: 1989, 2004: Faculties removed

On November 27, 1996, Father Joseph Bambera sent a memorandum to Bishop James C. Timlin expressing his concern about a close relationship between Father Albert M. Liberatore, Jr. and a young adult male. He wrote that he perceived it to be a potentially problematic situation. He stated that Liberatore knew the young male was not old enough to drink in Pennsylvania so therefore he took him to New York to consume alcohol. They spent the night there. Timlin wrote on the memorandum, "Confidential - no action taken." In March, 1997, a note was written that contained a summary of concerns about Liberatore. One concern was about inappropriate behavior by Liberatore in February, 1997 when 20 young men from Bishop Hoban High School toured St. Pius X Seminary. As they walked by a room with the door ajar, Liberatore was observed lying on the bed being given a back rub by a seminarian. Timlin noted on the summary, "Strictly Confidential, spoke to Father Liberatore about all of this. Matter was resolved." On December 16, 2002, Timlin received a letter from The American College in Louvain, Belgium. It was reported that while Liberatore was visiting there, a seminarian observed Liberatore taking a young man in his teens or early twenties into his bedroom. Liberatore was visibly inebriated.

On December 30, 2002, Bishop Dougherty and Timlin met with Liberatore. He admitted to the activity described in the letter but assured them that the person was out of college. It was agreed that Liberatore would go for an evaluation in January, 2003. On January 3, 2004, the Diocese received a complaint that Liberatore had sexually abused two young men. The allegations were determined to be credible and they were reported to law enforcement. On July 15, 2004, Liberatore was arrested by the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office. He was charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and furnishing alcohol to a minor in connection with the sexual abuse of an altar boy between May, 1999 and May, 2004. Liberatore was also arrested by the New York City Police for a felony for a sexual assault on the same minor. Liberatore pled guilty in both cases. A civil action was also filed regarding this abuse and a settlement was reached in the amount of $3 million.

Reverend John A. Madaj

Born: 1914, Ordained: 1939, Status: Died in 1998

In December, 1952, Father McHugh received two anonymous letters alleging that Father John A. Madaj was having an affair with his housekeeper. Nothing was found in the file to indicate that any action was taken on the part of the Diocese. On March 12, 1990, the Diocese received a letter from the parents of a 19 -year -old male, alleging that Madaj had sexually molested their son when he was nine or 10 years of age. When Bishop James C. Timlin confronted Madaj, Madaj denied the allegation Timlin then contacted the parents of the victim and informed them of Madaj's denial. Timlin recommended that their son speak to a counselor. He also suggested that they meet with Madaj.

Reverend James M. McAuliffe

Born: 1914, Ordained: 1942, Status: Died in 1989

On June 24, 2010, an advertisement was placed in a Scranton newspaper, inquiring as to whether anyone had served as an altar boy at a certain parish and was sexually abused by Father James M. McAuliffe. If so, they were asked to contact the listed telephone number. As a result of this advertisement, the Diocese placed an announcement in the bulletins that were circulated to all of the parishes to which McAuliffe had been assigned. The announcement requested victims of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy to come forward. Several victims responded. Financial assistance was offered in connection with counseling for them and law enforcement was notified. These incidents of reported sexual abuse occurred between September 18, 1954 and April 3, 1963. On August 23, 2010, one of the victim met with Bishop Joseph Bambera. He expressed concern that his report of the abuse was made in 1963 but McAuliffe continued to serve as a priest. Bambera confirmed that this incident was in fact documented in McAuliffe' s file. In March 1963, the victim had informed his father that he was sexually abused and sodomized by McAuliffe. This was reported to the Diocese and McAuliffe was removed almost immediately. He was sent to Kentucky to spend time in a rehabilitation facility. Bishop Hannon was notified by the psychiatrist in charge that McAuliffe was cured of his problems and was ready to be reassigned. Hannon refused to follow that advice, however, and noted in the file that no altar boy should ever be put in danger of being hurt again by this priest. McAuliffe went to live with his sister in Scranton. 856

Hannon then traveled to Rome to participate in the Second Vatican Council. He passed away during the end of the Council. Thereafter, McAuliffe managed to return to ministry. Although the Diocese is now aware that McAuliffe re -offended on other young boys, there was no information in his file until the recent reports in response to the newspaper advertisement. On March 20, 1963, it was announced McAuliffe was assigned to St. Christopher's effective April 5, 1963. On April 3, 1963, Hannon rescinded this assignment, stating that an unforeseen physical indisposition had intervened to prevent McAuliffe from accepting the appointment. Monsignor Joseph A. Madden wrote in 1963 that McAuliffe was in need of some psychiatric attention. He also wrote to the parents of the victim that to report this was the best thing that could have been done for the interest of the Catholic Church; specifically, that Almighty God had seized this opportunity to make McAuliffe a better priest following his experience of being apprehended. Madden also made the following remark to the father of the victim, "after all your son was over the age of reason."

Reverend Neil McLaughlin

Born: Unknown, Ordained: 1959, Status: Unclear

Father Neil McLaughlin was a Jesuit priest from the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. The Province had a Jesuit Community within the Diocese of Scranton. When Bishop Martino was installed as the Bishop of Scranton, he directed that a comprehensive review of all allegations of sexual misconduct involving clerics of the Diocese be conducted. A concern about McLaughlin was discovered. Jesuit priests are not governed by the Diocesan Bishop in the area where they are serving; instead, they are governed by their Provincial leader. As a result of the Dallas Charter in 2002, the Society of Jesus notified the Diocese of Scranton of an allegation made against McLaughlin by his niece. While in therapy, the niece had recovered a memory that in 1959, McLaughlin hugged her in a sexual manner at his ordination. McLaughlin was sent for an evaluation and was diagnosed as a latent pedophile. The Society recently sent McLaughlin for another evaluation and that the physician felt that there was an error in the first evaluation and that McLaughlin was not a threat to children. On January 30, 2006, the Diocese received notification from the Society of Jesus that it was recommended that McLaughlin continue ministry but that it be restricted to ministry that did not involve children.

On January 11, 2007, McLaughlin was assigned to the Jesuit Provincial Community in Baltimore, MD. McLaughlin was notified by the Diocese of Scranton that his faculties were withdrawn. In December, 2008, an adult female reported to the Society of Jesus that Father McLaughlin touched her in a sexual and inappropriate manner in 1963, when she was 10 years old. The allegation was reported to the local police department in Maryland.

Reverend Joseph F. Meighan

Born: 1943, Ordained: 1968, Status: Removed from ministry in 2002

In 1970, at least four boys were interviewed by the Diocese of Scranton and reported that Father Joseph F. Meighan had disrobed and fondled them. Meighan was transferred and ordered to report for psychological evaluation and treatment. In 1990, a mother observed Meighan in the process of disrobing her 17 -year -old son in the parlor of the rectory. Meighan thereafter resigned as pastor at St. Therese and was again sent for psychological evaluation and treatment. After he was released, he was assigned to Holy Family Residence. He was then transferred to Mercy Center. The father of one of the victims protested this assignment, however, because it was too close to the area where his son had been molested. Meighan was then immediately assigned to St. Mary's Villa Nursing Home until his removal from ministry. At least 3 more complaints were made in 2003, 2007 and 2008.

Reverend Russell E. Motsay

Born: 1946, Ordained: 1972, Status: Removed from priestly ministry in 2015

On March 16, 2012, the Diocese of Scranton received an e-mail communication from a sender only known as "Jeff' he wrote that he needed to speak with the "Bishop only" concerning sexual abuse by a clergy member. A reply was sent to "Jeff' wherein he was encouraged to contact law enforcement immediately regarding the allegation. After receiving no response, a copy of the e-mail correspondence was given to the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office. The victim was ultimately located and the case was turned over to the Wayne County District Attorney's Office. The Pennsylvania State Police interviewed the victim who reported that he was touched and fondled by Father Russell E. Motsay. He explained that he would stay overnight at the rectory and sleep in the same bed as Motsay. They would only be dressed in their underwear and Motsay would massage the victim, rubbing his inner thighs and fondling him. He reported that Motsay was sexually aroused during these incidents. The Pennsylvania State Police subsequently identified four additional victims who experienced similar abuse. Because the statute of limitations had expired, however, no criminal action could be taken. Motsay was interviewed and admitted to the allegations. On September 15, 2015, he was permanently removed from priestly ministry.

Reverend James F. Nolan

Born: 1897, Ordained: 1929, Status: Died in 1957

On November 7, 2003, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by a 75 -year -old male who reported that he was groped by Father James F. Nolan when he was a 15 years old altar boy. The male stated that Nolan had touched his genitals on the outside of his clothing. The victim was advised that Nolan had died. The victim declined an offer to speak with the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese and stated that he believed that he could now put the matter behind him. This matter was not reported to law enforcement. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The District Attorneys were notified by Bishop Joseph Bambera that in in an effort to further the Church's ongoing commitment to transparency as it continues to address the sad reality of child sexual abuse, he was submitting for their information a confidential comprehensive list of all priests in the Diocese of Scranton against whom accusations of sexual abuse of children had been made. Nolan' s name was contained on the list.

Reverend W. Jeffrey Paulish

Born: 1956, Ordained: 1988, Status: Leave of absence in 2013

On September 20, 2013, the Diocese of Scranton was notified by the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office that Father W. Jeffrey Paulish was in custody. Campus security officers at the University of Scranton had caught Paulish having sex with a 15 -year -old boy. Paulish ultimately pled guilty to the charge of corruption of a minor and was sentenced to eight to 23 months in prison. The Diocese instructed the pastors of any churches to which Paulish had been assigned to advise their congregations that law enforcement had found Paulish engaged in an inappropriate act with a minor. The pastors were further instructed to encourage anyone who may have been involved in, or may be aware of, any abusive situation involving Paulish to contact the District Attorney's Office or local law enforcement.

Reverend John A. Pender

Born: 1936, Ordained: 1962, Status: Died in 2009

Father John A. Pender was instructed to submit himself for psychiatric study by Bishop J. Carroll McCormick in October, 1968. Although Pender agreed to go to an institution for priests and nuns, he never reported for the treatment. Years later, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by the Diocese of Jefferson City and advised that Pender was practicing in their Diocese. On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney's Offices within the Diocese. The District Attorneys were notified by Bishop Joseph Bambera that in in an effort to further the Church's ongoing commitment to transparency as it continues to address the sad reality of child sexual abuse, he was submitting for their information a confidential comprehensive list of all priests in the Diocese of Scranton against whom accusations of sexual abuse of children had been made. Pender' s name was on the list, noting that an allegation from a "John Doe" was made in 2014. 866

Reverend Mark T. Rossetti

Born: 1959, Ordained: 1985, Status: Resigned in 1995

On November 1, 1995, the Diocese of Scranton was made aware of an incident between Father Mark T. Rossetti and a 13 -year -old boy that occurred when the boy was in eighth grade. It involving hugging, french -kissing and inappropriate conversations about how far they should go. The incident was immediately reported to the police. Rossetti was removed from ministry and sent for psychological evaluation and rehabilitation. On November 21, 1995, the victim and his family signed a waiver of prosecution to end the investigation. On October 17, 1997, Bishop James C. Timlin sent a letter to the Archbishop of New York. Although the Review Board for the Diocese of Scranton had reacted negatively to giving Rossetti an assignment in Scranton, it was Timlin' s personal opinion that Rossetti was not a risk and that he should be allowed to perform some priestly work. In his letter, Timlin stated that he would be deeply grateful if the Archbishop could allow Rossetti to work in New York, at least temporarily. The Archdiocese of New York released Rossetti back to the Diocese of Scranton in 2002. On November 11, 2014, Bishop Martino notified Rossetti that he was disturbed to find that his case had not yet been handled so as to comply with the requirements of the Code of Canon Law. He noted, "Bishop Timlin, I believe, felt that he had looked into the matter but was unable to decide on the truthfulness of the claims made by you and [the victim]." Rossetti was withdrawn from the sacred ministry. He was laicized in 2007.

Reverend Edward J. Shoback

Born: 1942, Ordained: 1967, Status: Dismissed from the clerical state in 2009

On June 27, 2002, the Diocese of Scranton met with a male in his thirties who stated that he had been sexually molested by Father Edward J. Shoback 25 years earlier. The male was in theological formation and the Diocese of Raleigh terminated its relationship with him. Additionally, the St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore dismissed him. The male stated that his troubles in the seminary were due to the sexual abuse. The male stated that he did not want to pursue the matter with Shoback because he liked him. He stated that he had put the matter behind him following several years of therapy and did not want to see Shoback defrocked. When confronted, Shoback denied the allegation. On July 19, 2004, an adult male contacted the Diocese to report that he was sexually abused by Shoback in 1981 at the age of 12. The incident occurred when Shoback invited him to watch a movie. Shoback removed the victim's clothing and performed oral sex on him at that time. The victim stated that he was certain that Shoback had sexually abused other boys. Three days later, a second male contacted the Diocese after speaking with the victim. He reported that Shoback had touched his genitals on the outside of his clothing. A third adult male then contacted the Diocese on July 26, 2014, and reported that Shoback introduced him to wine/liquor and pornography. The male reported sexual abuse by Shoback involving genital contact. When confronted, Shoback admitted to the allegations made by the first victim. He was removed from ministry.

As a result of the 2002 Charter, the Diocese was required to place a notice in the church bulletins that were distributed to congregations to which Shoback had been assigned. The notice requested that anyone who may have been sexually abused by Shoback to come forward. As a result of the notice, three additional victims came forward. The statute of limitations had expired, however, in connection with their cases. The Diocese offered to assist with counseling services. Complaints received in 2007 and 2009 were referred to the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office.

Reverend Thomas P. Shoback

Born: 1951, Ordained: 1977, Status: Removed from ministry 2014

On May 20, 2006, the Diocese of Scranton received a report that an 11 -year -old boy was sexually assaulted by Father Thomas P. Shoback when the victim was an altar boy. The allegation was reported to the Tioga County District Attorney's Office and was investigated by the Diocese. When questioned about the allegation, Shoback denied that anything inappropriate had occurred. The victim provided the name of another former altar boy who was also a victim. This second male was interviewed and denied that anything had occurred. No criminal charges were filed. Shoback was sent for an evaluation. On November 14, 2011, the male who had denied that anything had occurred when he was interviewed in 2006 revealed that he was sexually abused by Shoback when he was llyears old and serving as an altar boy. The Diocese filed a report with the Tioga County District Attorney's Office and also filed a report with ChildLine. Criminal charges for child sexual abuse were filed against Shoback for assaults that occurred between 1991 and 1997. In April, 2013, Shoback was found guilty. He was sentenced to five to ten years in state prison. On November 14, 2014, Shoback was removed from ministry.

Reverend John J. Tamalis

Born: 1944, Ordained: 1971, Status: Dispensation from clerical state in 2007

On February 28, 1997, a 33 -year -old male reported to the Diocese of Scranton that he had been sexually abused by Father John J. Tamalis in 1976 when he was 13 years of age. He stated that Tamalis furnished alcohol to him and performed oral sex on him. On March 10, 1997, Tamalis was sent for an evaluation wherein he admitted that he probably abused nine boys/young men. The Vicar for Priests was advised by professional staff that there was likely far more than nine victims. Additional victims subsequently came forward to the Diocese to report that they were sexually abused by Tamalis. However, the statute of limitations had expired. The Diocese offered to assist with counselling services for the victims. On December 21, 2007, Tamalis was dispensed from his obligations to the priesthood by Pope Benedict XVI.

Reverend Virgil B. Thetherow

Born 1964, Ordained: 2002, Status: Dispensation from clerical state in 2015

On July 1, 1998 Father Virgil B. Tetherow was a professed member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in New York and known as Brother Gabriel Francis Tetherow. He communicated with Bishop James C Timlin about setting up a religious community within the Diocese of Scranton. Timlin agreed and on February 1, 2001 the establishment of the Servants Minor of St. Francis was approved. Timlin assisted Tetherow with his ordination at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Denton, Nebraska. Upon his ordination, Tetherow was incardinated within the Diocese of Scranton. After his ordination, Tetherow was never given an assignment in the Diocese, but was allowed to reside within the Diocese. In January, 2005, it was brought to the attention of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police that child pornography was found on a computer at a rectory within the Diocese. The police interviewed Tetherow and he admitted to downloading the child pornography. Tetherow was arrested and removed from ministry on March 24, 2005. He pled guilty to criminal charges and received a probationary sentence. Complaints began to come in from the Diocese of Harrisburg that Tetherow had opened a church in York County after his faculties had been removed. Tetherow was thereafter dismissed from the clerical state by the Holy Father on January 23, 2015.

Reverend Robert M. Timchak

Born: 1965, Ordained: 1992, Status: Dispensation from clerical state in 2014

On December 9, 2008, the Diocese of Scranton received an anonymous letter alleging that Father Robert M. Timchak was viewing / downloading child pornography. The Diocese turned over the material that was received to the Pike County District Attorney's Office. At the conclusion of a police investigation, Timchak was charged with possessing /downloading child pornography. He pled guilty and was sentenced to state prison. On January 24, 2014, Pope Francis granted dispensation to Timchak.

Reverend Lawrence P. Weniger

Born: 1910, Ordained: 1934, Status: Died in 1972

On February 26, 2002, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by an adult male who stated that he was sexually abused by Father Lawrence P. Weniger in the 1960s when he served as an altar boy. No further information was contained in the file. On June 3, 2002, the Diocese was contacted by another adult male who stated that he was sexually abused by Weniger in the 1960's. The male stated that he was seeking information and inquired about compensation for his painful memories. Bishop James C. Timlin wrote a note stating that he had a good conversation with the male Timlin wrote that he answered his questions and expressed how sorry he was. The note indicated that the male felt that compensation was sufficient for him. On December 27, 2011, the Diocese was contacted by Catholic Social Services who reported that an adult male had revealed that he had been sexually molested by Weniger in the 1960's. The male was offered assistance with counseling and the allegation was reported to law enforcement.

Reverend Joseph B. Wilson

Born: 1925, Ordained: 1994, Status: Removed from ministry in 2002

In 1994, Father Joseph B. Wilson was known as Brother Raphael Wilson, a member of the Order of Holy Cross Province. He approached Bishop James C Timlin and requested to be accepted into the Diocese of Scranton. He was approved by the Admissions Committee. After several months of confirming his records, Wilson was ordained as a priest at 69 years of age. Handwritten notes in the file reflected that in July, 2002, the Diocese became aware that while Wilson was a Religious Brother at Holy Cross, there were allegations made that he had sexually abused two boys. Wilson admitted to abusing one of the boys and he was sent for evaluation and treatment. A confidential settlement in the amount of $250,000 was reached with the victim.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional key cases of abuse.Is Razawn "RaRa" Moore a deliberate, unjustified killer or a victim who fired a fatal shot in valid self-defense when he was attacked outside a Harrisburg bar?

A Dauphin County jury will begin deliberating Thursday to decide which definition to apply to the 28-year-old city man. Their decision could send Moore home, or condemn him to prison for the rest of his life.

At issue is what happened outside OD's Place in the 1500 block of Market Street around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015.

Moore testified Wednesday that he shot and killed 24-year-old Twame Evans, a much larger man, after Evans grabbed him in a choke-hold and moved to stab him with a knife.

Defense attorney Justin McShane insisted in his closing argument to the jury that the situation justified Moore's use of deadly force. "This was combat," McShane said. "If this isn't a self-defense case in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I don't know what is."

No, it's not, Chief Deputy District Attorney Johnny Baer countered. He insisted the evidence, including eyewitness testimony, shows Moore gunned down Evans needlessly during what was supposed to be a fist fight. There is no evidence Evans had a knife or any other weapon, the prosecutor said.

"Can you imagine if the law sanctioned killing for every bar fight in this country?" Baer asked.

Baer is seeking a first-degree murder conviction and a life prison sentence. McShane urged the jury to issue a complete acquittal.

The defense attorney used the words of Detective Richard Iachini, the lead investigator, to try to make that point. He cited a statement Iachini made under questioning that "one punch from a 300-pound man could cause serious bodily injury."

At 6 feet, 300 pounds, Evans dwarfed Moore, McShane said. Witnesses said Evans went after Moore because Moore pushed Evans' sister.

McShane said there is no question Moore had good reason to fear for his life when Evans assaulted him. "He believed he was going to die. He believed that that was it, lights out," he said.

And in that "nasty, nitty-gritty world" of the street, Moore knew he had to kill or be killed, McShane said. So, he said, the verdict in this case should be "not guilty, not guilty, not guilty, not guilty."

Baer told the jurors that, at McShane's request, Judge Scott A. Evans would be instructing them not only on the elements of first-degree murder, but also on lesser charges of third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.

The prosecutor stressed that the muzzle of Moore's 9mm pistol, which he lacked a license to carry, was an inch or so from Twame Evans' face when Moore pulled the trigger.

"There's no credible evidence that there was a knife attack," he added. Even Moore's girlfriend testified that she saw punching and shoving, but didn't see Twame Evans with a weapon, Baer noted.

"Punches, shoving, scuffling. That cannot possibly justify taking a life," he said.

The fact that Moore ditched his gun and clothing after the shooting, then fled to Florida - where U.S. marshals apprehended him three months later - also undermines Moore's self-defense claim, the prosecutor argued.

"Does that sound to you like someone who believed they were in the right?" Baer asked.The only question of any relevance confronting Pennsylvania lawmakers when they return to Harrisburg next month is not whether they should act on the reform recommendations included in a grand jury report detailing decades of child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, but how quickly they should do so.

The Republican-controlled General Assembly has just a handful of days devoted to voting sessions scheduled before the November midterm election.

But, as was the case with the Jerry Sandusky abuse scandal at Penn State seven years ago, when lawmakers were spurred to reform, they must move swiftly within that window,and send a clear message to the survivors of horrific abuse that they have heard their pleas for justice and will not leave them unheeded.

And that means getting this work done before the lights blink out on the 2017-18 legislative session in mid-November.

The problem, as ever, is that there are significant obstacles standing in the way of that goal.

They include a profound difference of opinion between the House and Senate on the best way to move forward; entrenched opposition from the Catholic church and their allies in the insurance industry to one proposed remedy; and arriving at a compromise that will garner both enough votes for passage and a gubernatorial signature.

Let's start with the basics:

The voluminous report released by Attorney General Josh Shapiro's office calls for four key reforms to existing state law. They include:

Eliminating the statute of limitations for the sexual abuse of children. Current law now permits victims to come forward to pursue criminal charges until they're 50 years old.

Creating a "civil window" so that older victims can sue for damages in civil court. Current law gives victims 12 years, from age 18, to sue for damages. But victims aged 30 and older fall under a different law, and only get two years. The window would offer an additional two years to those older victims.

Clarifying the penalties for the continuing failure to report child abuse by amending current law requiring someone to report abuse "while the person knows, or has reasonable cause to believe," the abuser is likely to commit additional acts of child abuse.

Specifying that civil confidentiality agreements do not include communications with law enforcement.

To be clear, these reforms would not only benefit the victims of clerical abuse but the victims of all abuse, from the classroom to the staff room - no matter where it is committed.

While victims of clerical abuse have recently taken the spotlight, thousands of other survivors of childhood abuse also live among us and are entitled to redress.

Now the politics and the complications:

House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, indicated Tuesday that he plans to hold a vote this fall on a previously approved Senate bill making reforms to the existing statute of limitations law.

Debate over that bill, however, has been complicated by Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Berks County Democrat and a clergy abuse survivor. Rozzi has spent months unsuccessfully pushing for approval of a so-called "real deal" amendment that would give adults who were abused as children an additional two years to seek justice in civil actions.

That's the same language that was included on the grand jury's recommendation list, Rozzi confirmed Tuesday.

Senior Senate Republicans, including Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, the sponsor of the reform bill, say Rozzi's language unconstitutionally expands the right to sue in civil matters.

Rozzi, joined by some abuse survivors, says the more important issue is getting the maximum justice for survivors. They're willing to roll the dice and let the courts decide - if it comes to it - whether the language passes constitutional muster or not.

That's a tremendous, if understandable, gamble. After years of waiting, abuse survivors are obviously entitled to compensation for their suffering. But they risk a pyrrhic victory if the courts ultimately decide against them.

In a statement, Reed alluded to that ongoing debate, saying that "while there are discussions about various amendments to the bill, ultimately, it will be up to the 203 members of the House to decide what will be approved and sent back to the Senate."

Scarnati, in a statement of his own, was unambiguous in his opposition. He believes his proposal is a "constitutionally sound bill that takes a crucial step forward to help protect victims of child sexual abuse."

The bottom line:

There's an old saying in Harrisburg that, when it comes to important legislation, advocates cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. And while lawmakers must strive for as close to perfection as they can in this generational test of their leadership, they also have to come up with a bill that will satisfy varied constituencies and interests.

And that means compromise from all concerned.

Dropping the criminal statute of limitations in new cases of abuse might be the easiest hurdle to cross, since it does not seem to face any significant opposition.

The issue of civil liability is a trickier one. As much as they may wish for an expanded look-back, survivors may have to be content with the existing constitutional boundaries.

Lawmakers, the executive branch, the church, and advocates, however, could come together and work for the creation of a restitution fund, similar to the one Penn State University created in the wake of the Sandusky scandal, to provide compensation for survivors.

That would address both the constitutional concerns raised by Scarnati and satisfy the very real need for justice for survivors. It would also represent a tangible gesture by the church that is taking the maximum steps to repent for the wrongs that have occurred over decades.

In its report, the grand jury observed that, while it could "not charge most of the culprits," what it could do was to "tell our fellow citizens what happened, and try to get something done about it."

This fall, there is no more important task lawmakers face than addressing the grand jury's recommendations.House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County said the stories of the survivors of clergy sex abuse in six Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania disclosed in a statewide grand jury report released on Tuesday are "heartbreaking."

Dermody also called on state lawmakers to heed the legislative recommendations made by the grand jury in calling for the elimination of a criminal statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases as well as a two-year window for past abuse victims to file civil suits, among others.

Here is Dermody's full statement:

"The hundreds of brave survivors who told their heartbreaking stories deserve our deepest thanks, and they also deserve justice. I believe the grand jury's report and recommendations will help an untold number of people who suffered sexual abuse when they were children and who continue even now to suffer because of it.

"I'm grateful that Attorney General Josh Shapiro fought hard to find the truth and to make sure the sad facts in this report were shared with the public.

"The residents of western Pennsylvania who served on the grand jury have done something extraordinary. They heard the words of many brave survivors of childhood sexual abuse and they gave us a path to follow to find justice and protect all children. Lawmakers should pay heed to the report and take the necessary steps."Learning that a statewide grand jury looking into clergy sex abuse suggests their child victims likely numbered in the thousands, a state lawmaker said that alone should be enough to prompt state lawmakers to change the law to tip the scales of justice in abuse victims' favor.

In fact, Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, a clergy sex abuse survivor himself, said the grand jury's legislative recommendations to accomplish that should be the first order of business for the House when it returns from summer break on Sept. 12.

Those recommendations includes lifting the criminal statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases and creating a two-year "civil window" for past child sex abuse victims to file civil lawsuits. The grand jury also called for clarifying the penalties for failure to report child abuse and that the silence bought by non-disclosure agreements does not apply to making a police report about an alleged crime.

"There's no compromise here. Let's make no mistake. There's no compromise in these recommendations. We need to pass them exactly how they're recommended," said Rozzi, who was raped by a Catholic priest at 13 years old and is now one of the leading advocates for child sex abuse survivors in the Legislature.

Pointing the finger of blame at the Catholic Church bishops who the grand jury accused of covering up the abuse claims for years, Rozzi said it's time for them to be held accountable for their actions so "victims can start to heal and move forward."

"They put the church's reputation and assets before they did protecting their own children. That to me is so egregious," he said. "How any legislator would sit back and take a look at this and think we don't have to make changes to the law. To me that is playing politics."

House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana County, who supported a statute of limitations bill that included the retroactivity window the grand jury is recommended, issued a statement Tuesday saying the House will consider legislation addressing this topic this fall

Currently, Senate-passed legislation to change the statute of limitations is sitting in the House awaiting action.

The bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, would give child victims until age 50 to bring civil lawsuits against abusers or those employers who were allegedly negligent in failing to stop them. Currently, that window closes when victims reach age 30.

Further, it would lift all time limits on criminal prosecutions for future acts of child sexual abuse, as well as civil lawsuits brought against the abusers or anyone who knew of the abuse and failed to act on it.

What it would not do, however, is provide the grand jury's recommended two-year retroactive window for past victims to file civil suits. Rozzi vowed to not let legislation pass that doesn't include that window.

"We are steadfast in that," he said. "We are on the right of history with that. It's just a matter of getting it done."

Gov. Tom Wolf has indicated previously that he would sign legislation that includes the retroactivity provision if it reaches his desk. However, the statement he issued on Tuesday following the grand jury report's release failed to mention that.

At the time the Senate passed his bill, Scarnati said the statute of limitations applies equally to plaintiffs, prosecutors and victims and making it apply retroactively violates a person's rights to defend themselves in court.

But Rozzi said on Tuesday he believes that Scarnati and others who oppose that provision will come around once they read the grand jury report.

"It's time we do the right thing here in Pennsylvania," he said "Let's show Pennsylvania residents that we actually can as a body protect our children past, present, and future."

He also made it clear that the child sex abuse is not just a Catholic clergy problem.

"This is a problem that goes across all institutions: your families, your teachers, your brothers, your sisters," he said. "We need to hold all perpetrators accountable."

Other highlights of Rozzi's remarks following Attorney General Josh Shapiro's Tuesday news conference on the grand jury's findings include:'Springer Mountain' will have you asking about the food you eat385 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

If you care about the environment, education, gun control or any progressive values, Rick Scott has been a disaster as governor of Florida. And now this right-wing former CEO accused of Medicare fraud wants to go to Washington in the U.S. Senate so he can promote even more of Donald Trumps disastrous agenda.

#Florida Gov Rick Scott expected to announce that he's running for US Senate against incumbent Democrat @SenBillNelson.???? While CEO of HCA hospitals, Rick Scott oversaw the LARGEST #Medicare fraud in US history, paying a record $1.7 billion fine????https://t.co/CuoX3qMSFS  Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) April 8, 2018

Scott has allowed the Koch Brothers and other big corporate interests to destroy Floridas water quality, but recently has started pretending to care about nature and the environment.

Scott became notorious when he banned the term climate change from Florida state government. As the Miami Herald reported in 2015:

The state of Florida is the region most susceptible to the effects of global warming in this country, according to scientists. Sea-level rise alone threatens 30 percent of the states beaches over the next 85 years. But you would not know that by talking to officials at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the state agency on the front lines of studying and planning for these changes.

DEP officials have been ordered not to use the term climate change or global warming in any official communications, emails, or reports, according to former DEP employees, consultants, volunteers and records obtained by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. The policy has affected reports, educational efforts and public policy in a department with about 3,200 employees and $1.4 billion budget.

Scott and Trump also recently orchestrated a charade when Trumps administration announced offshore drilling (which would despoil Floridas beaches) then pretended to exclude Florida from the proposal as a way to make Scott look like an environmentalist.

Bill Nelson, Gov. Scotts Democratic probable opponent in the Florida Senate race, is a strong environmentalist and recognized the charade from the beginning.

I have spent my entire life fighting to keep oil rigs away from our coasts. But now, suddenly, Secretary Zinke announces plans to drill off Floridas coast and four days later agrees to take Florida off the table? I dont believe it, Nelson said in a statement. This is a political stunt orchestrated by the Trump administration to help Rick Scott, who has wanted to drill off Floridas coast his entire career. We shouldnt be playing politics with the future of Florida.

In a 2014 op-ed, the Tampa Bay Times called Scotts environmental record in Florida a disaster:

Scott has bulldozed a record of environmental protection that his Republican and Democratic predecessors spent decades building. He weakened the enforcement of environmental laws and cut support for clean water, conservation and other programs. He simultaneously made it easier for the biggest polluters and private industries to degrade the states natural resources. While the first-term Republican attempts to transform himself into an environmentalist during his re-election campaign, his record reflects a callous disregard for the states natural resources and no understanding of how deeply Floridians care about their states beauty and treasures.

Rick Scott has been a disaster for Florida as governor and would be a disaster for the country as a U.S. Senator. He is beloved by Donald Trump and will support every part of his misguided agenda. People who care about our country can only hope that Scott will go down in defeat and be drowned in the coming Blue Wave of 2018.1.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Ayenat Mersie

CHICAGO (Reuters)  Illinois attorney general announced a lawsuit on Tuesday against Trump Tower in Chicago, alleging the violation of environmental laws and a threat to fish in the Chicago River.

The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan in Cook County Circuit Court said the Trump International Hotel & Tower releases millions of gallons of water into the river each day in order to cool various systems in the building.

It also says the 92-story residential tower and hotel has failed to conduct federally mandated studies on the impact of the waters release into the river, and that the waters release poses a threat to aquatic life.

Trump Tower continues to take millions of gallons of water from the Chicago River every day without a permit and without any regard to how it may be impacting the rivers ecosystem, Madigan, a Democrat who has held the post since 2003, said in a news release.

The Trump Organizations properties worldwide have come under increasing scrutiny since Republican Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016. Trump resigned from the company, and appointed his sons Don and Eric to run his business in January 2017.

We are disappointed that the Illinois Attorney General would choose to file this suit considering such items are generally handled at the administrative level, a representative for the Trump Organization said in an email. One can only conclude that this decision was motivated by politics.

The Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club and Friends of the Chicago River said in June they intended to sue the Chicago Trump Tower over alleged violation of the U.S. Clean Water Act.

Sierra Club and Friends of the Chicago River representatives said they would work with the attorney generals office.

(Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Jonathan Oatis)124 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters)  A federal appeals court on Tuesday revived a lawsuit by border policy activists challenging the constitutionality of a U.S. government policy requiring advance permission to take photos or shoot film at ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California, ruled 3-0 that a lower court judge acted too hastily in dismissing Ray Askins and Christian Ramirezs First Amendment claims against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection officials.

It faulted the judge for deciding in a conclusory fashion that the case should be dismissed because of the governments extremely compelling interest in border security and general interest in protecting U.S. territorial sovereignty.

While reasonable restrictions on speech might be justified, it is the governments burden to prove that these specific restrictions are the least restrictive means available to further its compelling interest, Circuit Judge Jay Bybee wrote for the appeals court.

They cannot do so through general assertions of national security, particularly where plaintiffs have alleged that CBP is restricting First Amendment activities in traditional public fora such as streets and sidewalks, he added.

Andy Reuss, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice, declined to comment.

Mitra Ebadolahi, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said the decision lets her clients proceed with discovery.

According to Tuesdays decision, Askins had taken three or four photos of a vehicle inspection area when CBP officials briefly handcuffed him and confiscated his camera, deleting all but one of the photos.

The decision said Ramirez had taken about 10 photos of male border officials inspecting and patting down female travelers, before his camera was confiscated and the photos deleted. Both cameras were returned.

Bybee said further factual development is required before the (lower court judge) can determine what restrictions, if any, the government may impose in these public, outdoors areas.

The case is Askins et al v U.S. Department of Homeland Security et al, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 16-55719.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Toni Reinhold)1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Sarah Sanders blamed Obama for not creating jobs for African-Americans when she was asked about Trumps N-word tape.

Video:

Transcript as provided to PoliticusUSA by the White House:

Q Can you stand at the podium and guarantee the American people will never hear Donald Trump utter the N-word on a recording in any context?

MS. SANDERS: I cant guarantee anything, but I can tell you that the President addressed this question directly. I can tell you that Ive never heard it. I can also tell you that if myself or the people that are in this building  serving this country every single day, doing our very best to help people all across this country, and make it better  if at any point we felt that the President was who some of his critics claim him to be, we certainly wouldnt be here.

This is a President who is fighting for all Americans; who is putting policies in place that help all Americans, particularly African Americans. Just look at the economy alone. This President, since he took office, in the year and a half that hes been here, has created 700,000 new jobs for African Americans. Thats 700,000 African Americans that are working now that werent working when this President took place.

When President Obama left, after eight years in office  eight years in office, he had only created 800  or 195,000 jobs for African Americans. President Trump in his first year and a half has already tripled what President Obama did in eight years. Not only did he do that for African Americans but for Hispanics; 1.7 million more Hispanics are working now. This is a President who cares about all Americans, who is committed to helping them, and is putting policies in place that actually do that.

Sanders managed to defend her racist boss with a fake statistic that is indicative of this administrations racism.

In reality, Trump has added 700,000 jobs for black workers but Obama added 3,000,000.

Furthermore, Trump inherited good economy from Obama, and the rate of job growth hasnt increased significantly under Trump.

Why is the Trump administration so hung up on black jobs? Obama didnt run around touting the number of white people he pulled out of the Great Recession. Sarah Sanders turned a question about Trump using the N-word on tape into an attack on Obama.

Her answer was a bit of racist sleight of hand that revealed how deeply racism is embedded in the Trump administration, not only as a political strategy, but as a matter of daily belief.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.195 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  White House national security adviser John Bolton will meet Russian officials in Geneva next week as a follow-up to the summit meeting that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in Helsinki last month, the White House said.

Bolton, as part of his trip, will also visit Israel and Ukraine for meetings with officials in those countries, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

Trump has defended himself against criticism that he was too cozy with Putin in their talks in the capital of Finland and a subsequent joint news conference. The Trump administration in the aftermath of the summit imposed more sanctions on Moscow.

Trump has invited Putin to visit the United States in 2019.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Right after Sarah Sanders told her massive whopper of a lie about the Obama jobs for African Americans, she casually lied again  this time she claimed it was common for employees to sign NDAs, including in government, particularly anyone with a security clearance.

From Tuesdays briefing:

Q And then, have you signed an NDA? MS. SANDERS: Im not going to get into the back-and-forth on who has signed an NDA here at the White House. I can tell you that its common in a lot of places for employees to sign NDAs, including in government, particularly anyone with a security clearance.

This is not true. An NDA is first of all not binding when it was done by a private company for a federal employee, but also, NDAs are not required nor should they be in a democratic government. They were not used by Obama, or Bush 43, or Clinton. So that would be a NO they are not common.

For the umpteenth time: Obama did not require NDAs. Apparently, neither did Bush 43 or Clinton. Obviously, you can't disclose classified info or confidential business info. But that's much different than a blanket prohibition on ever talking about what you did, saw or heard. https://t.co/6fvHW6E4Sn  Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) August 14, 2018

No ndas in Clinton administration  Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) August 14, 2018

Although @PressSec says NDAs were the norm in previous administrations, former admin officials say that's not true. @ChrisLu44 tells NBC that no one in the Obama admin signed non-disclosure agreements. @AriFleischer tells WaPo that Bush aides didn't sign such agreements either  Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) August 14, 2018

Two days ago when Kellyanne Conway was spinning her alternative facts about NDAs, Chris Lu tried to set the record straight. There are restrictions on classified information, he explained. But a president is supposed to care about transparency and the First Amendment, and so no, there are not NDAs:

Contrast: except for restrictions on disclosing classified information, the Obama White House did not use nondisclosure agreements. Because we worked for a president who believed in transparency and the First Amendment. https://t.co/0eQEO19U5I  Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) August 12, 2018

These lies are non-stop for a reason. The Trump administration is conspiring to keep the American public in the dark about their activities, so telling the public that NDAs are common is necessary. Common means occurring, found, or done often; prevalent.

How can NDAs be common when they were not done in the last 8 years under Obama, the last 8 years under Bush, and the last 8 years before that under Clinton? What is this common to which she refers?

Here is Norm Eisen on CNN explaining that Trumps NDA are not normal and unconstitutional:

They are not common. They are not acceptable in a democracy that depends on sunlight. Only a dictator demands silence. Trump could try behaving in a way that would not require NDAs of his federal employees, but of course, behaving like a decent person isnt an option  but silencing federal employees who are accountable to the people, not him, is.898 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Russian hacking of U.S. elections is becoming a big issue in the U.S. Senate race in Florida between incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and Republican Governor Rick Scott.

One week ago we reported Nelsons claims that

Russian operatives have penetrated Floridas election systems ahead of the 2018 elections. They have already penetrated certain counties in the state and they now have free rein to move about.

When Nelson was asked to provide more details, including the source of his information, he responded by saying Thats classified.

Since then, he has come under attack from Rick Scott and other Republicans in Florida for making the claims of Russian hacking without providing evidence. Many political commentators and observers expressed opinions that Nelsons comments would hurt him in his tight Senate race with Scott.

But now it has become clear that no matter how much Scott and his surrogates attack him Nelson will not back down. He still maintains that Russian operatives have penetrated some of Floridas election systems and could impact this years crucial election.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, under fire from Floridas Republican governor, isnt backing down from comments that Russian operatives have penetrated some of his states election systems ahead of this years crucial election.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, under fire from Florida's Republican governor, isn't backing down from comments that Russian operatives have penetrated some of his state's election systems ahead of this year's crucial election. https://t.co/OM8WIyBnMt  Sherry (@SherryKumar4) August 15, 2018

During recent campaign stops in northern Florida the three-term Democratic senator expressed his opinions very clearly. He asserted that Floridas state and local officials must do a better job and they need to look upon Russian meddling as a serious threat. He also said that county election supervisors must assess the vulnerabilities of their election systems and ask for help if they need it. According to reports from U.S. intelligence agencies Russian hackers targeted at least 21 states, including Florida, during the last election and may have impacted the results in favor of Republicans.

It would be foolish to think that the Russians are not continuing to do what they did in Florida in 2016, Nelson said during his campaign stops. It is unfortunate that some Florida officials are trying to use this for partisan purposes.

He is right that Scott is trying to use Nelsons warnings against him. Instead of responding by taking the threat seriously the governor is mocking Nelson and downplaying the risk. Scott is a big supporter of Donald Trump who is well known for denying that Russian hacking really happened, even though he received evidence that it did from all U.S. intelligence agencies.

Scott has called on U.S. officials to rebut Nelsons claims, and last week the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying the agency had not seen any new compromises by Russian actors of election infrastructure.

In addition, U.S. Senator Richard Burr, head of the Senate intelligence committee, and Senator Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican who sits on the committee, have declined to either confirm or deny Nelsons statements.

Nelson has not released classified information but clearly he has been told there is a problem that needs to be taken care of by the Republicans in charge of Floridas election systems. When he was asked about Russian meddling he said that both he and Rubio were asked by the Senate intelligence committee to write officials in Florida in early July and warn them.

Nelson also has strongly maintained that foreign nations are easily able to infiltrate American election systems, and he believes that the threat of American retaliation is the only way to stop more aggressive election interference by hostile nations.

You take a sophisticated nation state like Russia or China, they can get into anything, Nelson said.

All the details of the 2016 Russian election hacking have not been made public, but last month an indictment was released saying that Russian intelligence agents had sent more than 100 fake emails to elections offices and personnel in Florida. State officials have never acknowledged how many counties were targeted by the Russians and Nelson believes they need to release more information.

Like Donald Trump, Rick Scott is denying the threat of Russian hacking of U.S. elections in 2018. Bill Nelson is correct to talk about the issue and try to get Florida officials to do the jobs they are paid to do, which is protect the integrity of election systems.1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

The Russians successfully attacked a Democrat who was running against Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) who is the most pro-Putin and pro-Russia member of Congress.

Rolling Stone reported:



The target of these attacks, Dr. Hans Keirstead, a stem-cell scientist and the CEO of a biomedical research company, finished third in Californias nonpartisan top-two primary on June 5th, falling 125 votes short of advancing to the general election in one of the narrowest margins of any congressional primary this year. He has since endorsed Harley Rouda, the Democrat who finished in second place and will face Rohrabacher in the November election.

..

The hacks on Keirstead began in August 2017 with a spear-phishing attempt  a fake email intended to deceive the recipient into typing in his or her password or other confidential information  sent to Keirsteads work email address. The phishing attempt was successful  Keirstead thought it was a legitimate Microsoft Office message and entered his password before quickly realizing the message was fake and having his company take measures to secure their email system. (Keirstead had used his work account for campaign purposes, emails show.) This was similar to the phishing attack on Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta that later resulted in the release of thousands of Podestas personal emails.

Those attacks were followed up by an attack on the campaigns website and host, and an attack that tried to gain control of the campaigns Twitter account. All of this follows a familiar pattern. Sen. Claire McCaskills campaign was attacked by Russians using spear-phishing methods to try to gain access to emails. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) said that foreign actors had used the same spear-phishing methods to attack him and his children.

While Trump tweets about hoaxes and witch hunts, the Russians continue to attack the US electoral process and American democracy. Putin is going to help his pals in the Republican Party. The good news is that the Russians are using similar tactics to 2016, so every Democratic candidate should know what to look for. Trump and the Republican Party arent going to stop Putin, so it is up to every single candidate and voter combat Russian election interference.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Former deputy CIA Director John McLaughlin said that Trumps revoking of John Brennans security clearance is a signal that he is trying to move the country toward authoritarianism.

Video:

McLaughlin said on MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi:

This is ridiculous. I can think of few things the president has done that more directly indicate a kind of authoritarian attitude in his governing style. To pull clearances from someone is something that you see happen when leaders of countries that are trying to move them in that direction try to silence their enemies, along with other things they do. And clearly, nothing that John Brennan has said or that the other intelligence people on this list have said has anything to do with classified information.

The reason you pull someones clearances, the unique reason really, is if they have abused or in some ways released in an unauthorized way classified information. These people havent done that. They have only spoken out using their first amendment rights to state their personal opinions. Looking at abuse of classified information, the president might look in the mirror. You recall what he did when he released inappropriately classified information its said from an Israeli report when he talked to the Russians.

So I think its just across the board a foolish thing to do and I believe Katy Tur was probably correct in saying this is nothing more than a distraction at this point. The other point Id make to you is that in my understanding and having been involved in these cases, typically there is some sort of a hearing before this is done. Typically there is an appeal process. And often these cases can escalate to a federal court. I doubt anyone in the white house has thought through any of that, because as usual, they rolled the ball down the lanes, broken up the pins without any idea of how theyre going to set them back up again.

Trump is trying to silence his critics

Dont fall for any of the bogus excuses offered by the White House. Trump revoked Brennans security clearance to change the subject from Omarosas tapes, and get back at his critics. Trump is obsessed with looking strong. Omarosa has made him look weak, so it is natural that a stunt like rovoking Brennans security clearance would be so appealing to him.

McLaughlins larger point that Trumps move today reflects his authoritarian tendencies should be taken very seriously. Republicans in Congress are not going to function as a co-equal branch of government. As long as they hold the majority in the House and Senate, Trump will be unchecked and running wild. A Democratic Congress is the key to restoring democracy.

Trump wants to rule like an authoritarian strongman, and only a Democratic Congress has the will to stop him.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.Russias Foreign Ministry lashed out at the U.S. and Britain on Monday, August 13 following the announcement of new U.S. sanctions in connection with the Salisbury poisoning case.

The ministrys official statement accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, pointing out that Russia eliminated its chemical weapon stockpile in 2017 while the U.S. has yet to fully dispose of its own stockpile. While this is partially true, the statement leaves out several important facts.

First, the direct comparison between Russian and the U.S. is not correct. Experts say the chemical weapons destruction in the U.S. is a complete process while in Russia the destruction can mean just the first stage, leaving behind massive amounts of highly toxic waste. We will return to this later on in the piece.

In the past, both Russia and the U.S. have missed their deadlines for destroying their chemical weapons stockpiles. While Russia claimed that it fully disposed of its declared stockpile by October 2017, the original deadline set by the Chemical Weapons Convention was 2007, which was then postponed to 2012.

It is important to note that by January 1, 2012, the U.S. had eliminated nearly 90 percent of its chemical weapons stockpile, with the remainder in two locations - Pueblo, Colorado, and Blue Grass, Kentucky. According to official estimates, the U.S. stockpile will be fully destroyed by 2023.

There are several reasons why destruction of the U.S. stockpile has taken considerably longer. To find out why, Polygraph.info contacted Paul F. Walker, Director for Environmental Sustainability at Green Cross International, who has personally inspected chemical weapons stockpiles and disposal processes in both Russia and the U.S.

I think everyone believed and trusted the Russian declaration (of their chemical weapons stockpiles) which was made back in 1997 which was 40,000 tons give or take, Walker said.

There were seven very large stockpiles and Ive been to every one of them. We worked with the Russians and the U.S. contractors and the global partnership to help the Russians move forward as quickly as possible, he added.

According to Walker, most of these chemical weapons were stored in bulk, meaning in large storage tanks rather than weaponized inside the shelf of artillery ordnance or rockets. This is critical because it is far easier to neutralize and dispose of chemical weapons in bulk. Another key factor Walker mentioned was that the Russians agreed with the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) on the criteria for determining how the chemical weapons were destroyed.

All the stockpiles had to go through a two-stage process of destruction, he said.

They drain the weapons from the storage tanks and then mix it with hot water and sodium hydroxide and this neutralizes the live agent, Walker continued. And that meets OPCW needs for destroying the live agent. But it produces several tons of highly toxic chemical. So they have to go through a second stage process, which can be different things. It one case it can be incineration.

Walker explained that Russia and the OPCW agreed that they only needed to complete the first stage on their stockpiles to consider them destroyed.

If you define the destruction process as only first-stage, then theyve completed the process. Theyve destroyed the whole stockpile. But if you define it as needing a second-stage process, then they far and away havent finished the process yet. In reality they still have a long way to go to finish the process -- clean up the toxic waste theyve left, he explained.

To give one example, Walker noted vast quantities of arsenic that have been left behind after the Russians neutralized a large stockpile of Lewisite, a WWI-era gas.

In the U.S., the process has been extremely difficult due to the fact that most of Americas chemical weapons stockpiles consist of the weaponized kind. Worse still, these artillery shells and rockets are not easily disassembled like Russias models.

Most of those weapons have explosives and rocket propellants in them and it makes access much more dangerous for the workers, Walker explained.

Because of the complexity of the weapons and the danger involved, its taken a lot longer just for the construction of the buildings -- they need to have armored walls. There are explosions all the time in these demil facilities, every month. Its much more expensive, Walker stated.

Walker also pointed out that there were major political battles over the issue of incineration and transportation of chemical weapons to proposed facilities which also prolonged the process.

The Russian Foreign Ministrys connection of Salisbury with chemical weapons disposal also raises another question:If Russia really destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile, where did the Novichok used in the attempted assassination of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal come from?

According to Walker, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) allows signatory countries to keep small samples for research purposes.

When you look at Salisbury its pretty clear to most of us that it was Novichok and it was and assassination attempt, he said.

This whole incident in Salisbury which is kind of a bald-faced violation of the CWC really means that they had ongoing research, which is allowed under the CWC, but only with declared agents, Walker told Polygraph.info. Small samples, test tube sized dimensions are allowed. But youve got to declare everything youre doing at those labs and what you have, otherwise its in violation of the CWC.

Polygraph.info also sought comment from the U.S. State Department, which claimed that the Salisbury poisoning suggests Russia has not been fully transparent regarding its chemical weapons arsenal.

The use of a Russia-produced chemical weapon in Salisbury provides evidence that Russia has not declared all its chemical weapons production facilities, its chemical weapons development facilities, and its chemical weapons stockpiles, its statement said.

The statement also noted that the U.S. contributed both technical and financial support, the latter totaling over $1 billion, to Russias efforts to dispose of its declared chemical stockpile.Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.Get the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.The detective had investigated 100 homicides in his career, but this was a first.

Two years ago, Jahmal Green, a 17-year-old murder suspect who had eluded capture for a month, rode handcuffed in the detective's car. He was accused of shooting 43-year-old Eric Brantley in the head as the North Charleston bartender lay on the ground. Authorities called it an execution.

Facing a charge that could imprison him for 30 years to life, Green seemed unconcerned.

"He appeared almost proud," Detective Charlie Benton said in court last week. "He was just rapping about shooting someone in the head and being most wanted.

"He was rapping the whole time."

While the investigators would later declare the "shocking" display a confession, the trail that led them to Green and his conviction was less obvious. If not for investigative diligence, high-tech cameras and a "very lucky" break, authorities said they might have never solved the killing that reverberated through Charleston's food and beverage community.

Testimony from 26 witnesses, evidence shown at Greens trial last week and court records offer insight into the crime and the behavior of a teenager behind it.

'About to rob him'

Late on April 19, 2016, Green joined another 17-year-old, De'Andre Murphy, and 16-year-old Cory Gethers at Vegas Ultra Lounge on Ashley Phosphate Road. Too young to get into the club, they hung out in the parking lot.

They ran into some friends: Victoria Deas and London Maybank, both 20.

As the day became April 20, they planned to participate in "National Weed Day," as Maybank called it  a celebration of marijuana smoking.

"Who got gas 4/20," Deas posted on Facebook, asking if anyone had the drug.

The five climbed into Deas' white Dodge Durango and set out. They listened to music. They smoked what marijuana they had.

At some point, Green grew upset at the route Deas had taken.

"Nobody gonna talk to me like that," Deas said, deciding to take the boys home.

But on the way, they saw a man walking through the Park Circle neighborhood's restaurant and bar district where a craft bakery, an Irish pub and a theater company sit steps from impoverished areas beset with violent crime.

"Slow down," Green said.

None of them knew the man. It was 3:30 a.m.

"I'm about to rob him," Green said, according to Deas.

Authorities said Gethers handed a gun to one of the 17-year-olds  an allegation he denied  but he refused to go with them.

Deas backed her Durango into a parking spot. Green and Murphy got out, the police said.

The others stayed, Deas said, minding their own business.

Figures in the dark

Brantley and fellow bartender David Godley were wrapping up a busy shift at The Sparrow on East Montague. The bar had hosted a band competition, and they had each made $300.

A surveillance camera showed Brantley and Godley talking. They smoked cigarettes.

Brantley was as animated as ever, his arms waving as he spoke. Many people knew him through his various pursuits of fixing motorcycles, playing music or serving drinks. He had a charming brashness.

"He was curt and to the point and did it in a way that made people really like him," Godley would say later.

Brantley donned his blue motorcycle helmet and his glasses. He slung a messenger bag over a shoulder. Godley handed him his cell phone. They shut off the lights and walked out.

As Godley drove away, Brantley took a short walk to his motorcycle. He jabbed the key into the Honda's ignition and decided to smoke another cigarette.

Two figures emerged from the shadows.

'He was executed'

Brantley sat on his motorcycle as the teens confronted him. Investigators and prosecutors later pieced together a narrative of the encounter through forensic evidence.

Both teens had guns, Assistant Solicitor Ted Corvey said later.

Murphy pointed a .38-caliber revolver, the prosecutor said.

Brantley's gloved hands reached for the gun, but it went off. The bullet tore through his midsection and lodged in his back  a devastating but survivable wound.

He fell to his back as Green's 6-foot-5 frame towered above him. Green started shooting. Some bullets missed, but three hit Brantleys arm.

Green fired a final shot through Brantley's helmet.

"He was executed," Corvey said, "because he made the decision that he was going to fight back."

Six .40-caliber shell casings littered the pavement as the suspects ran.

'A bad feeling'

From inside the Durango, the other three heard the gunfire.

"What the?" Gethers said.

The women were scared, they said. Maybank ducked.

Green and Murphy jumped inside, they said.

"Go!" one said.

Everyone was quiet as Deas drove off. But the women could tell something was wrong.

Murphy spoke when they reached Green's apartment, Deas said.

"He grabbed me. ... He wouldn't let me go," Murphy said, adding that he had seen a hole in the man's head, according to the account.

Deas had "a bad feeling" that someone had been killed, but she didnt call the police. In her community, she said, bad things happen to people who call the police.

Deas drove back to Park Circle, checking for police activity. She saw nothing.

But the bad feeling remained.

'Very lucky' find

Firefighters at a station close to the scene heard the gunfire.

But they had heard a lot of "crazy things" at night, and if they called the police for everything, officers "would be there constantly," firefighter Robert Howlett said.

Howlett went back to sleep, thinking the shots were fireworks.

Hours passed until someone knocked at the station's door, saying a man was asleep behind The Sparrow. Howlett saw the shell casings and the blood; he knew the man wasn't sleeping.

Brantley's front pockets were inside-out. The police figured he had been robbed. His phone was missing, but he still had $373 in his wallet  a sign that his killers were in a hurry.

Detectives went from business to business in Park Circle gathering security footage. One video showed a white Dodge Durango driving through the area. It was missing a piece of plastic trim from the passenger side.

Benton, one of the detectives involved, started that night compiling a list of Durango SUVs registered in Charleston County.

He spent hours running license plate numbers through a database of images captured by automated license plate readers throughout North Charleston. The devices capture plate numbers, times and locations for later use by law enforcement.

Benton got "very lucky," he said, and came across a license plate image that also captured the vehicle's passenger side. The Durango was missing plastic trim from the same spot as the Durango in the surveillance video.

Deas was the registered owner.

'Got a good one'

The police were waiting outside as Deas left work April 21.

She lied at first, insisting she had never stopped in Park Circle that morning.

Her story changed when she saw the video of shadowy figures emerging from her parked Durango not far from the shooting site.

"I still didn't want to be called a snitch," Deas said.

She and Maybank were charged with being accessories after murder. Five days after the killing, officers with a murder warrant captured Murphy in a North Charleston house. A gun stashed in a closet there couldn't be tied to the crime.

Green was arrested a month later when he was accused of theft in Charleston. He initially gave Charleston Officer Ryan Marotta a fake name and age. But he revealed his identity while being booked at a juvenile jail.

"You got a good one with me," Green said, according to Marotta. "You're going to get a medal. ... I'm Jahmal Green."

To the officer, Green was bragging.

His demeanor persisted. He rapped as North Charleston detectives Benton and Jerry Jellico drove him to City Hall for questioning. Jellico told him to be quiet.

In the interview room, he moved his body to the beat of his raps, though his hands were restrained behind him. A video camera captured him rapping about "racks," likely street slang for money obtained in a robbery, Benton said.

When the investigators showed him a photo of Brantley, Green tossed the picture on the floor, court records stated. He made a "pop" sound and contorted his hand into the shape of a gun.

'Get me at trial'

Hours later, Green cursed at Brantley's mother during a bond hearing.

As he waited for trial behind bars, he got into more trouble.

That May, jail deputies refused to give him a mop to clean his cell. "Imma kill all y'all," Green said.

Later that year, deputies said he joined a group that punched and kicked a fellow inmate in the jail recreation yard.

As his trial neared, Green's desperation became apparent through letters that a state handwriting expert later linked to him. He wrote to Deas, hoping she wouldn't take the witness stand.

"Why testify on me?" he said. "What i did wrong besides try an help you the whole time? ... (But) everythings gonna work out."

Green later got word of her plans to testify.

"That (expletive) needa die," he wrote to a friend. "Her daughter needa die. Everybody she loves needa die. ... She can die in her sleep any day and we ... go home."

Considering a guilty plea, he ruminated over how many years he was willing to spend in prison.

"Anything more than 15 or 20," he wrote, "they gotta get me at trial."

'Painful victory'

Early last week, Green walked from a holding area that leads to a downtown courtroom, and he smirked. But his expression faded as he stepped into the room where 12 jurors would decide his fate.

For four days, his face remained blank.

The jurors learned nothing about his background, which is typical for criminal trials. They didn't hear that, as a toddler in 2001, Green lost his father, who was shot three times in the head. They didn't hear that Green was known as a gun-toting gang member with no fear of consequences. They didn't hear that he had been accused of bludgeoning a man with a brick as a 16-year-old.

The jurors saw no fingerprints, DNA or other evidence that tied Green directly to the crime.

But they heard the testimony of Deas, Maybank and Gethers, all of whom still face an accessory charge. And they saw portions of Green's raps in the interview room.

"If you were arrested for murder," lead prosecutor Corvey asked the jurors, "would you act like this?"

Defense attorney Greg Voigt wanted the case tossed out after the government's 26 witnesses had testified.

I dont know what the point is," Voigt said, "that he's not a nice person?"

But Judge Markley Dennis said the circumstantial evidence was significant.

After deliberating for more than an hour Thursday, the jurors reached a verdict: guilty of murder. Seeing less evidence of armed robbery, they acquitted Green of that charge.

Green's mother sobbed and left the courtroom.

Loved ones grasped the hands of Brantley's mother, Suzanne Sentner. One pumped his right fist.

Sentner soon hugged a detective.

"You did it," she said.

Her son, Adam Sentner, said later that it was "a painful victory because it doesn't bring my brother back."

Their ordeal is not over. Murphy still awaits trial. And because of new rules requiring a more thorough penalty phase for people facing life in prison for crimes committed when they were under 18, the judge will decide Green's punishment at a later date. He's now 20.

The sentencing process usually delves into the circumstances that led a young criminal down the wrong path and whether it will ever be possible for that path to change.David Slade is a senior Post and Courier reporter. His work has been honored nationally by Society of Professional Journalists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Scripps foundation and others. Reach him at 843-937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.comNew app could connect Charleston area drivers to cheaper parking and cut down on traffic but zoning rules mean its reach and use could be limited.Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category.Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.COLUMBIA  The two candidates for South Carolina governor have formally submitted the names of their running mates to election officials, kicking off the state's first-ever race in which the governor and lieutenant governor will run on a joint ticket.

The change, first approved by voters in a 2012 ballot referendum, also means that the winners will work much more in tandem than the state's top two elected officials have in years past, moving to a similar model to that of a president and vice-president.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster tapped Travelers Rest businesswoman Pamela Evette as his running mate last fall, adding a political newcomer to the ticket to balance out McMaster's extensive background as a political insider.

State Rep. James Smith, a combat veteran and 22-year legislator from Columbia, named fellow state Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell of Lancaster as his lieutenant governor pick in May.

While the running mates can help politically to balance the tickets, the candidates also have begun to think about how they will use a cooperative lieutenant governor to advance their policy goals if they win.

Smith, 50, outlined four primary roles he sees Norrell playing as his lieutenant governor: Offering input on policy; working as a legislative liaison to advance their agenda in the Statehouse; finding and recruiting potential appointees; and helping oversight of cabinet state agencies.

As a lifelong Lancaster resident, Norrell, 45, would help to recruit prospects for government appointments from rural areas of the state that are sometimes overlooked, Smith said.

There is tremendous untapped talent in South Carolina, and we dont take full advantage of that fact, he said. She will help find and recruit a diverse pool of appointees from across our state, and help me get them in place right away.

On the campaign trail, Evette has highlighted her business experience as a key asset.

With a son at Greenville Technical College, Evette also has spoken about the importance of technical schools to train the state's workforce.

McMaster campaign spokeswoman Caroline Anderegg said Evette would help to "extend the reach of the governor's office" and work closely with local governments and state agencies if she and McMaster were elected.

"An outsider with a background in accounting, Pamela will bring a much-needed set of fresh eyes and perspective on how to best serve South Carolina's taxpayers," Anderegg said.

Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email

Sign Up!

After S.C. GOP chairman Drew McKissick certified McMaster, 71, and Evette, 50, as the party's nominees Wednesday morning, the governor said he would work with his running mate as a "cooperative team" if elected.

"We'll be full partners, that's the idea behind this," McMaster said. "The challenges and opportunities that we have, and the successes, will be handled by us jointly for the people of this state."

The two gubernatorial candidates have taken different approaches to using their running mates on the campaign trail.

Smith and Norrell often travel the state together, seeking to demonstrate that they are a package deal and would work closely together as a team if elected.

McMaster and Evette, by contrast, have regularly campaigned in separate parts of the state, particularly during the GOP primary, allowing them to cover double the ground and freeing up McMaster to remain focused on his day job as governor.

The McMaster campaign has effectively used Evette as their top surrogate, advocating on the governor's behalf at events he cannot attend himself because of his duties as governor.

That type of role could continue if she were to become lieutenant governor, venturing out of Columbia to tout McMaster's efforts to the public and returning with feedback.

Experts say the political impact either running mate will have during the campaign may be limited.

"At the end of the day, I think people vote for who their governor is going to be based on who's at the top of the ticket," said College of Charleston political science professor Gibbs Knotts, citing polls from presidential races that show voters tend to focus solely on the main candidate.

But once they are elected, the new structure could give the governor's office a valuable asset to advance their ideas in a state that gives much of the policy-making authority to the Legislature.

"In South Carolina, they've really been completely separate," Knotts said of past governors and lieutenant governors. "It may now be one more weapon in the future governor's arsenal to be able to tag team with the lieutenant governor and make their case to the public, who can then put pressure on the Legislature."Of course, she knew the stories, about her mothers Polish heritage and job at AT&T. But she never captured them on camera  to preserve her voice, mannerisms and tales for future generations.

Today, Pattis mother, Irene Skurla, lives at The Village at Mapleshade, an assisted living center in Plano. Shes 85 years old with short white hair and purple glasses.

Her days are a routine of meals, activities and TV on a couch. But thanks to an app created in Dallas, on some afternoons, Irene will tell a story.

The app is called OneDay. Its a prompted question-and-answer app  with topics such as childhood, wartime and romantic experiences  that records a video, which is then shared with family members via text or email.

"Lets talk about your ancestors today," said Lynn Brink, the Vibrant Life Director at Mapleshade, who sat across from Irene on a recent Tuesday afternoon with the app open on her iPad.

She asked the first question that popped up on the screen, and pressed record.

"Where did your ancestors originate?"

Irene smiled and began, talking about a mother from Poland and a father from New York City, in a way only Irene could tell it, a five-minute story that would be captured and emailed to Patti and other loved ones.

Its exactly what the creator of OneDay intended.

GONE FOREVER

As a teenager, Clint Lee spent after-school days and holidays helping seniors.

His parents owned assisted living homes in McKinney. Hed dress up like the Easter Bunny, buy groceries or mow the front lawn. But many days, hed just sit and listen, to stories about war, life back in the day or the ones that got away.

He realized then that these uncaptured stories were important. But it didnt hit him personally until he was 23. Thats when his grandfather died, and he and his father, John Boaz, realized they had little video or audio to remember him by.

"We had lost his voice," Lee said. "The way he would say things."

So the University of North Texas graduate set out to find a solution for other families. Six years ago, he created and co-founded a technology company with his father called OneDay with a goal to preserve stories. Since then, there have been multiple incarnations of the company, but last January, OneDay rebranded to focus solely on older generations.

The app is exclusively licensed to senior living communities. Today, OneDay is in 1,000 locations across the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. For now, individuals cant buy the app.

"The senior citizen population is growing every day, and their stories are disappearing at an alarming rate," Lee, 32, said. "Weve got to have a sense of urgency, because once these stories are gone, theyre gone forever."

The app, which is compatible with iOS platforms and will soon be on Android, is easy to use. Senior living facility members simply need to select a topic, ask the questions that pop up on screen and press record. When finished, an automated video is created, with high quality audio and music.

The video is sent via a private link by text or email to relatives and loved ones. Family members can also view the residents videos on their personal OneDay life story page, and even submit questions or topics of their own.

The app costs $150 to $250 per month depending on the size of the senior living community. Lee said there are plans for expansion to different markets, as well as possible consumer use in the near future.

"The meaning behind OneDay is we tell your story, one day at a time, for your kids to one day have," Lee said.

"I feel like if I knew my grandpa and great-grandpas story, and the ins and outs of them as men and what made them great husbands and what their struggles were, I would have a better connection to them. Overall, Id be a better man. A better husband. A better father.

"These stories are so rich and experienced that we can all learn from them."

PRICELESS

Irene sat on the couch across from Brink with a microphone hooked to the lapel of her shirt. She stared at the iPad as it recorded a story about her heritage. Her story started with her mother, who arrived at Ellis Island in the lower deck of a ship from Poland.

"She was 15 years old," Irene said, as Brink nodded along. "She landed in New York City. She worked for the Ziegfeld Follies."

Mapleshade has been using the app for seven months now. Every week, Brink tries to find a different resident to record. She finds it improves the relationships she has with the seniors, as shes able to get to know them on a more personal level.

Some videos have already proved priceless. In June, a resident died, and the family featured a OneDay video on the online obituary.

Irene, whos been at Mapleshade almost a year, continued on. She talked about her father working in real estate and his time during the Great Depression. After a handful of questions, Brink pressed create video.

"Thats it!" she said.

The video was emailed to Patti. The following day, she clicked the link as she sat in her office.

There was her mother, miles away at Mapleshade, talking about her ancestry. She looked happy. She was laughing. She was relaxed.

Patti couldnt help but smile along. Of course, shed heard the story about her grandmother many, many times, from Poland to Ellis Island to Ziegfeld Follies.

But now, it was preserved forever.A peace assembly was held Wednesday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

Representatives from countries, including China, Japan, the United States and Thailand, attended the event held in the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, mourning the 300,000 people who were killed in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.

Japanese invaders slaughtered about 300,000 Chinese during a six-week rampage after they captured the city, which was then China's capital, on Dec. 13, 1937.

Members of an anti-war NGO based in Japan's Kobe laid wreaths and paid tribute to the victims in silence. It was the 22nd time the group had attended the peace assembly in Nanjing.

"We choose to come to China to mark the event because Chinese people were the victims of the war and they deserve tribute and remembrance," said Miyauchi Yoko, head of the group.

"Ordinary people suffer the most in times of war," said a student from Thailand. "Everyone should make contributions to world peace."

Ge Daorong, a survivor of the massacre, was only 10 years old when Nanjing fell to the Japanese invaders.

During the massacre, he and his close family took refuge in a safety zone and survived the onslaught, but his three uncles did not.

"We look back at sad episodes of history in order to cherish today's peace," Ge said at a forum held after the assembly.

In northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, nearly 100 teenagers from China and Russia took part in a historical reenactment to mark the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender.

The activity was held at Shengshan Stronghold, a war relic that has now been turned into a base for patriotic education of young people from China and Russia.

"Both China and Russia suffered great losses during WWII," said Yulia Ablova, an education official in the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk and representative of the Russian youth delegation. "We need to remember the history and cherish the peace."

In the southwestern city of Chengdu, 1,207 hand prints of World War II Chinese veterans were donated Tuesday to the Jianchuan Museum Cluster, the largest private museum complex in China, to commemorate the anniversary.

The hand prints were from surviving soldiers in Hunan Province who fought during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945).

During the ceremony on Tuesday, Fan Jianchuan, curator of the Chengdu based museum, said that the veteran hand prints installation was expanding. More than 4,800 red hand prints have been imprinted on tempered glass slabs arranged in a V-shape to symbolize victory.

"Seventy-three years ago, these hands held broadswords and spears, threw hand grenades and buried landmines to safeguard our country and rescue our people," Fan said. "They should be remembered."



The interesting races in Minnesotas primary yesterday took place on the DFL (Democratic) side. I commented on all of them and anticipated the results yesterday morning before the polls opened in Primary day in Minnesota. John provided his observations on the results after the polls closed in the adjacent post. I find what is happening here in Minnesota illustrative of national themes. I want to add 12 observations in the cold light of the morning after.

 In Minnesota we have a single primary ballot that includes Democratic and Republican columns. The voter is to confine his choices to Column A or Column B. He is not to take one from each column. Doing so would spoil the ballot. Democrats didnt have any trouble keeping it straight yesterday.

 Democratic turnout was impressive for a primary. In the 2010 primary that featuring a marquee contest for the gubernatorial endorsement the DFL candidates split about 435,000 votes. (Check my arithmetic here.) Yesterday the DFL gubernatorial candidates split about 580,000 votes. (Check my arithmetic here.)

 In Amy Klobuchars essentially uncontested bid to wear the DFL label in her contest for reelection, Klobuchar all by herself attracted 554,000 votes.

 Appointed Senate incumbent Tina Smith crushed Professor Richard Richard Painter in the other DFL Senate race. Until this year Painter has held himself on CNN and MSNBC out as a Republican critic of President Trump. His defeat represents a double loss. He lost (or should lose) the cable gig as a Republican Trump critic too.

 Keith Ellison challenged the endorsed DFL candidate for attorney general  gay millennial Matt Pelikan. Ellison is a hustler and a demagogue who is monumentally unfit for the office of attorney general in particular. He is a big fan of cop killers, as I show this morning in the long Weekly Standard column Can Keith Ellison turn lawman? This is a vastly underreported story with respect to which word should get out one way or another. Please pass it on.

 John is happy Ellison won the DFL primary. I am not. John thinks Ellison is a weaker candidate for attorney general than his DFL rivals. I dont think so. And I dont think it is worth the substantial risk that Ellison will win the election. No Republican has won an election for attorney general in Minnesota since 1966. Ellison has to be figured the heavy favorite to win this race.

 The late-breaking charges of domestic abuse involving Ellison didnt really have a chance to sink in before the primary. Maybe they will play a larger role in the election, but I wouldnt count on it. Warning: Dont make Ellison mad in the meantime!

 Republicans gave the nod to endorsed candidate Doug Wardlow for attorney general. Doug is a good and serious candidate.

 Gay millennial Erin Maye Quade went down to defeat as the running mate of endorsed DFL gubernatorial candidate Erin Murphy. It was a bad day for Erins and for gay millennials on the DFL ballot, although the Murphy-Maye Quade ticket placed second rather than (as I thought it would) third.

 In the competitive three-way race to succeed Keith Ellison in the Fifth District, Ilhan Omar cruised to victory with 48 percent of the vote. The Fifth District is one-party territory. As a practical matter, the primary was the election in the Fifth District. Star Tribune editor Rene Sanchez does not seem to understand this salient fact. It is a shame that the Star Tribune performed so pitifully in covering the candidates in this primary race. The reporters and editors really ought to be ashamed of the newspapers performance. To say the least, they have served their readers poorly.

 The Fifth District race also bears on my point about DFL turnout. The last competitive primary in the district took place in 2006. Ellison won the 2006 primary with 29,000 votes (41 percent). Omar won the primary yesterday with 65,000 votes (48 percent). The Star Tribune performed pitifully in that race too.

 DFL turnout dwarfed Republican turnout. The Democrats had all the interesting races, but one has to figure that Republicans have an uphill battle in the races that should be competitive here in November.Minnesota is the eye of the hurricane this year, with two Senate seats at stake, at least four competitive House elections, and the governorship up for grabs. As much as any other state, it is a barometer for our current politics. Minnesotas primary election was today, and the results are interesting.

1) Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson defeated former Governor Tim Pawlenty for the GOP governor nomination. This is the one that we Minnesota Republicans were watching most closely. Pawlenty is by far the most talented politician among Minnesota Republicans, but those who paid attention could see his defeat coming a mile away.

Pawlenty has never been very popular with the states Republican activists, so he skipped the caucus process and the states GOP convention entirely. Johnson got the partys endorsement by default. Pawlentys strategy was basically to ignore Johnson and the endorsement process, and to run a general election campaign starting in the Summer, on the assumption that he could easily brush Johnson aside.

This was fundamentally stupid. Johnson was the Republican nominee four years ago, and he came within 6 points of a sitting governor. He was also, of course, the endorsed candidate. Ignoring him made no sense.

Worse, Pawlenty was out of touch with todays Republicans. He has spent the last six years in Washington, making a lot of money lobbying for the banking industry. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but those who swim in Washingtons water tend to go soft, sadly.

Further, Pawlentys campaign was unfocused. He likes to think of himself as a futurist, talking about possible technological breakthroughs that might impact public policy issues. Fine. Meanwhile, Johnson was talking about bread and butter conservative issues: lower taxes, reduced spending, cutting government waste, less regulation, making Minnesota competitive.

Johnsons campaign was based largely on work done by my activist policy organization, Center of the American Experiment. Jeff spent two hours with me before he launched his campaign, doing a deep dive into state policy issues. He adopted our themes and repeated, over and over, our data. Guess what: conservative policy prescriptions are popular, especially among Republicans.

If only Minnesotas donor class had voted, Pawlenty would have won going away. But for those who were in closer touch with the grass roots, it was clear that Pawlentys campaign was foundering. It is too bad: if Tim had simply run as a conservative, and paid proper attention to the grass roots, he probably would have won. Instead, Jeff Johnson won the primary easily, 53%-44% with 86% of precincts reporting.

2) The Democrats nominated Tim Walz for Governor, unfortunately. Walz represented Minnesotas 1st District in Congress for several terms, and resigned effective at the end of the current term to run for governor. That was likely because his margins had been diminishing and he probably would have lost his seat in November, but give him credit for getting out in time. He was running against Erin Murphy, a goofy Twin Cities leftist, and Lori Swanson, the states current Attorney General who was marred by political scandal.

I hadnt seen much of Walz in action and didnt know why he was successful in a traditionally Republican district until I interviewed him a few weeks ago while serving as a guest host on Minnesotas premier AM radio station. Now I get it: Walz is highly skilledalmost a genius, reallyat talking like a moderate while voting as a leftist.

Walz voted with Nancy Pelosi whenever called upon to do so, throughout his years in Congress. As governor, he will not be a moderate, either. He is a left-wing Democratthe only kind that exists, reallyand will govern as such. But he is extraordinarily skillful at passing himself off as a moderate. Therefore, he will, in all probability, defeat Jeff Johnson in November. But dont get me wrong: I will do anything I can to support Jeff.

3) Keith Ellison overcame the multiple domestic abuse allegations against him to win the DFL nomination for Attorney General easily, 50% to 19% for his nearest competitor, at last count. This is good, I think. (But I should note that Scott disagrees.) The domestic abuse scandals emerged too late to significantly impact DFL votes, given that most DFLers are on board with Ellisons far-left ideology and frankly dont care much about abusing women.

But the general election will be a different matter. I doubt whether a candidate as extreme as Ellison, who has had essentially no contact with Minnesotans outside his urban district, can win a statewide race. We will soon know.

4) Karin Housley, my favorite candidate this cycle, won the GOP nomination for the Senate seat now held by a nonentity appointed to replace Al Franken, Tina Smith. But by a weirdly narrow margin: 62% to 35% over a complete goofball, whose last name was Anderson. Anyone named Anderson or Johnson can run for office in Minnesota, even as a recidivist felon (which this particular Anderson is not, but another Anderson on the ballot is), and get that sort of percentage. It discourages those of us who believe in democracy.

5) Richard Painter, the bogus ethics czar whom Scott has written about on this site a number of times, is lost to the dustbin of history. He won only 14% of the DFL vote in the Senate primary against Tina Smith, who garnered 76%. Dickie, we hardly knew ye.

6) This is most important: Democratic turnout swamped Republican turnout. In the governors race on the DFL side, 547,664 votes were cast. In the Republican primary, only 296,213 votes were cast. That is a stunning disparity. Tim Pawlenty, who won two terms as Minnesotas governor, would have finished fourth on the DFL side. To put it mildly, this does not bode well in an increasingly important swing state.Jack Phillips is the Christian cake baker from Colorado who had to go all the way to the Supreme Court to avoid being punished after declining to bake a wedding cake for a couple celebrating their gay marriage. To have baked the cake would have violated his strongly held religious beliefs.

The Colorado Civil Rights Commission didnt care. It found him in violation of the law.

The Supreme Court overturned this outcome, but only on the limited grounds that the agency had displayed open animosity towards Phillips religious beliefs. Had the Commission been less candid, Phillips might have lost the case.

Now, Phillips is back in the dock. He was asked, apparently on the same day the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case arising from his refusal to bake a cake for the gay wedding, to bake one celebrating the birthday and the transitioning from male to female of the potential customer. The cake was supposed to include a blue exterior and a pink interior to reflect the persons transgender identity.

Phillips declined to create the cake, given his religious conviction that gender is immutable.

The request was part of a pattern of harassment of Phillips. Reportedly, his bakery has received requests for cakes featuring marijuana use, sexually explicit messages, and Satanic symbols. One solicitation submitted by email asked the cake shop to create a three-tiered white cake depicting Satan licking a functional nine inch dildo.

Extremist gay rights activists certainly are charming.

Phillips, of course, refused all of these requests. His refusal to bake the transgender-celebrating birthday cake resulted in another complaint to the hostile Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

It has now ruled against Phillips. The decision is here.

Unlike Phillips specialty baking, the agencys analysis is cookie-cutter. It does not engage Phillips religious liberty claim, perhaps out of fear that to do so would once again expose its raw hostility to his religious views. The words religion, religious, and belief[s] do not appear in the opinion.

The Colorado Commission cites the Supreme Courts decision in the wedding cake case in support of its ruling against Phillips. The Colorado opinion states:

As asserted by the Supreme Court, it is unexceptional that Colorado law can protect gay persons, just as it protects other classes of persons, in acquiring whatever products and services they chose on the same terms and conditions. . .offered to other members of the public. Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Division, 584 U.S. __ (2018).

Justice Kennedys attempt at nuance in cases raising situations like this is lost on the Commission. This should surprise no one. Live and let live doesnt resonate with fanatics.

Phillips company has sued the Colorado Commission. Once again, Phillips may have to go all the way to Supreme Court in search of relief.

This time, Justice Kennedy, who dodged the underlying issue the first time Phillips was before the Court, will be gone  replaced, we hope, by Brett Kavanaugh. Thus, Phillips has reason to hope that his right to operate his cake shop in ways consistent with his deeply held religious beliefs will be vindicated.

He can also hope for protection from further harassment by gay rights extremists who arent really interested in having him bake them a cake  one they could get from other vendors  but rather in oppressing a religious man by forcing him to assist in the celebration of that which his religious conscience doesnt permit him to celebrate.This weeks edition of the Power Line Show is a couple days late getting posted up because Im traveling a lot and behind on everything. As previously mentioned, over the weekend I traveled back to Grove City College in Pennsylvaniawhere I met some loyal Power Line readers!to participate in a conference of the National Association of Scholars. (Do join NAS, by the way, even if you arent an academic. Their journal, Academic Questions, is really good and actually readable!)

While there I was able to spend a few minutes talking with Warren Treadgold, who is a professor of Byzantine Studies at St. Louis University, and author of a terrific new book just out from our friends at Encounter Books, The University We Need: Reforming American Higher Education. The book is really fresh and original, and not just a variation of the too familiar critiques of political correctness and administrative bloat and incompetence. The book concludes with a radical suggestion: the time has come for some serious people to found a new elite university (we havent had a new premier university founded since Stanford back in the 1890s) that will operate on a different governance model than universities today, and hence offer competition to the existing rotting ivy walls. We also spend a few minutes talking about his fascinating but often overlooked field, Byzantine Studies. He really comes alive in the last few minutes of our brief chat, as youll hear. I learned about Procopiuss Secret History for the first time, and now its on my reading to-do list.

As usual, you can listen to the show in the window below, or download it from our hosts at Ricochet. Do please consider subscribing to Power Line in iTunes (and leaving a 5-star review, please!), or by RSS feed. For all Ricochet podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in iTunes or by RSS feed.PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 09:07:03

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN) (OTCBB: ABNAF) (Frankfurt: E2L2) (the "Company") announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 13,333,333 units at a price of $0.30 each to raise gross proceeds of up to $4,000,000. Each unit will consist of one common share and one warrant (each, a "Warrant") exercisable to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.45 each for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance. The lead order is for $2,000,000 from Eric Sprott who will subscribe for 6,666,667 million Units. Additionally, Palisade Global Investments will subscribe for 2,750,000 million Units and Venture Ad Network will subscribe for 600,000 Units.

Forrest Kerr Project, Golden Triangle, British Columbia location map:

https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4287/fk-003.jpg

Jim Pettit, Aben's Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Aben Resources is very pleased to welcome Eric Sprott as a large strategic shareholder of the Company. Mr. Sprott is one of the world's premiere precious metals investors and a respected leader in the investment community. His participation in this financing speaks to the high-grade discovery and future potential of Aben Resources' Forest Kerr Project in the Golden Triangle region of British Columbia. The Company plans to expand its current drill program on the back of the results from the first drill hole in the program at the newly discovered North Boundary Zone which intersected four separate high-grade intervals including 62.4 g/t Au over 6.0m within 38.7 g/t Au over 10.0m from 114.0-124.0m. With drilling ongoing, Aben is awaiting assay results from an additional seven drill holes, all of which were drilled at the North Boundary Zone and will provide updates as results become available."

The Company intends to utilize the proceeds from the private placements to expand its 2018 exploration and drilling program at its Forrest Kerr Gold Project located in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia and for general working capital purposes. The private placement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, and all securities are subject to a four-month-and-one-day hold period. Finder fees may be payable in connection with the private placement, all in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Aben Resources:

Aben Resources is a Canadian gold exploration company developing projects in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

For further information on Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN), visit our Company's web site at www.abenresources.com.

ABEN RESOURCES LTD.

"Jim Pettit"

____________________________

JAMES G. PETTIT

President & CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Don Myers

Aben Resources Ltd.

Director, Corporate Communications

Telephone: 604-687-3376

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: info@abenresources.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 release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 13:01:25

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 397 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for American Manganese Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Surrey, British Columbia (FSCWire) - American Manganese Inc. (TSX Venture:AMY). has issued a press release with the following headline:American Manganese Inc. to Present at The MoneyShow San Francisco, CA - August 23 - 25, 2018To view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on American Manganese Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/American Manganese Inc.Source: American Manganese Inc. (TSX Venture: AMY, OTC Pink: AMYZF, FWB: 2AM, WKN: A0YJSR, ISIN: CA02735A1057)Date: August 15, 2018Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of American Manganese Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 06:08:20

Press Information





Published by

ACN Newswire

+65 6304 8926

e-mail

https://www.acnnewswire.com/







# 711 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

SINGAPORE, Aug 14, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Singapore's Duty Free International Limited ("DFI") (SGX:5SO) announced on 8 August 2018 that it has invested in Brand Connect Holding Pte. Ltd. ("BCH" or "Brand Connect") to create the ultimate distribution & brand building agency that can meet the needs of global alcohol beverage brand owners across all of Southeast Asia.Justin Frizelle, founder and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of BCH Group said: "Southeast Asia is the 3rd largest region in world in terms of population and 5th in GDP. Obviously, this represents tremendous opportunities for alcohol beverage producers. But Southeast Asia is also one of the most complex regions for producers to navigate. Many have struggled to achieve success in the region. Each of the 10 countries that make up the region have their own unique set of regulations, different consumer cultures and totally different industry structures. We created Brand Connect so that brand owners can simplify the management of these markets by working with a single partner who understands these markets and has the infrastructure to reach all consumers in the region. The Brand Connect model aims to provide the services that brand owners need to succeed in the region including access to travel duty free, regional hub supply operations, importation to multiple markets, direct in-market distribution and professional brand building and marketing support." DFI's strong financial standing and financial backing to the venture will allow Brand Connect Group, founded in 2014, to complete the development of direct importation and brand management organizations in all SE Asian countries. Brand Connect Group currently has operations in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. DFI's investment will allow the completion of investment plans in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar."Brand Connect Group was exactly the type of investment that we were looking for in our expansion plans," said Lee Sze Siang, Executive Director of DFI. "We believe strongly in the growth of the region's alcohol beverage industry and we were looking for opportunities to expand outside the travel duty free sector and participate in the domestic duty paid markets as well as providing other services that brand owners require in the region. In Brand Connect, we saw the vision, drive and strength of a management team under Justin and his partner Patrick Looram who are well on their way to accomplishing the ambitious goal of providing a one-stop solution for brand owners in this high growth region." Justin Frizelle is the CEO of the Brand Connect Group and Patrick Looram Chief Operating Officer. They will continue to manage the business on a day to day basis and each sits on the Board of BCH along with appointed DFI representatives.About DFIDuty Free International Limited, with an operating history of 35 years, is the largest multi-channel duty free and duty paid retailing group in Malaysia. The Company through its "ZON" brand of retail shops serves both Malaysian and international customers across all major entry and exit points in Peninsular Malaysia including operations at international and domestic airports, seaports, border towns, duty free islands and other tourist destinations. DFI is traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX:5SO)About BCH or Brand ConnectBCH Group or Brand Connect Group consists of Drink Hub Asia Pte Ltd and Brand Connect Asia Pacific Pte Ltd ("BCAP") which operates subsidiaries across the SE Asia Region. Founded in 2014 by Justin Frizelle a seasoned spirits executive with over 25yrs in the region with Diageo Plc and Bacardi and Patrick Looram an advertising and marketing specialist who sold his SE Asian firm Edge Asia to WPP in 2015, the group offers supply hub solutions in Singapore to serve surrounding markets where BCAP distributes, markets and builds brands in each Southeast Asia country. BCH's current portfolio has more than 30 international brands including: Proximo (Jose Cuervo), Russian Standard, Heaven Hill, Zamora, Beluga, Fever Tree, Four Pillars Gin, Fratelli Branca, Michter's Bourbon, Ocho Tequila, G'Vine Gin, Diplomatico Rum, Giffard Liqueurs and Syrups, Massenez, Flor De Cana Rum, Glenfarclas Single Malt Scotch, Nusa Cana Rum, Abelha Cachaca, the Bitter Truth and more.Press enquiries:Brand Connect HoldingMr. Patrick Looram, COODFIMr. Lee Sze Siang, Executive Directordfi@ listedcommpany.comPR-Inside.com: 2018-08-14 22:30:40

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 382 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Gamehost Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Red Deer, Alberta (FSCWire) - Gamehost Inc. (TSX:GH). has issued a press release with the following headline:Gamehost Announces Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results and August DividendTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Gamehost Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Gamehost Inc.Source: Gamehost Inc. (TSX: GH, OTC Pink: GHIFF, WKN: A1H5MC, ISIN: CA36468B1040)Date: August 14, 2018Time: 4:30 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Gamehost Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 17:22:02

New York, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Open Society Foundations are pleased to announce the appointment of Ayisha Osori as executive director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), effective September 4.



Osori is a lawyer, development consultant, and communications strategist with 18 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. She has worked with the World Bank, the United Nations Childrens Fund, the National Democratic Institute, and the Department of International Development on a wide range of issues, such as projects on good governance, gender equality, womens economic and political empowerment, and ending violence against women. A longtime advocate for womens rights in Nigeria, she serves on the board of directors of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund.











# 557 Words



I cant wait to get started, said Osori. OSIWA has been at the forefront of civil societys work across West Africa, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help lead its efforts to promote democratic practice, economic advancement, equality, justice, and human rights; and to work with some of the smartest and most committed people in the region and the world.A regular commentator on radio and television in the region, Osori wrote a regular column on legal and social issues for such leading Nigerian news outlets as This Day and The Citizen. She is the author of the 2017 book Love Does Not Win Elections, which is about her experiences as a candidate of Nigerias Peoples Democratic Party in a primary contest for a seat in the countrys National Assembly. She has also written a series of childrens textbooks on social studies used in Nigerias primary schools.A graduate of the University of Lagos and Harvard Law School, Osori is licensed to practice law in Nigeria and New York State. An Eisenhower Fellow, she also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvards John F. Kennedy School of Government.Osori begins her new role with a deep knowledge of OSIWA, having served as board chair for the past three years. With Osoris appointment as executive director, Senegalese scholar, author, and OSIWA board member Felwine Sarr takes over as board chair. Board member Mariama Anthony-Williams, an accountant and public financial management advisor from Sierre Leone, becomes vice chair.We are honored to have the leadership of the next chapter of OSIWAs work in Ayisha Osoris capable hands, said Patrick Gaspard, president of the Open Society Foundations. She has already built an impressive legacy of work on a wide variety of issues of concern to Open Society in the region, and she always puts the advancement of womens rights at the fore. I look forward to partnering with her to advance our work and our values throughout West Africa.OSIWA works in 10 countries throughout the region: Benin, Cote DIvoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Senegal. Among other areas of concern, OSIWA has helped to develop civil societys capacity, improve transparency and public service delivery, and promote good governance. For more on the foundations mission and accomplishments, visit www.osiwa.org.PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 13:40:22

Press Information





Published by

ACN Newswire

+65 6304 8926

e-mail

https://www.acnnewswire.com/







# 596 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

Farmers will need to know how rising temperatures in Thailand will affect their rice crops.Selangor, Malaysia, Aug 13, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The seeds of Thailand's well-known jasmine rice have low tolerance for high temperatures, according to research published in the Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science. This can have implications for rice cultivation as weather heats up in response to global warming.Researchers at Thailand's Khon kaen University exposed three different types of rice seeds to varying temperatures for one and two weeks to investigate their heat tolerance.Rice seeds are typically sown just before the rainy season in Thailand, which exposes them to temperatures that can reach 41 degrees Celsius. Previous research has shown that rice yields are reduced by 10% for every 1 degree Celsius rise in daily temperature. High temperatures lead to the release of oxygen-containing chemicals, called reactive oxygen species, from seed cells, causing protein degradation, DNA damage, and cell membrane damage. This affects seed germination and the physiology of seedlings.The researchers exposed rice seeds in petri dishes for one or two weeks to varying temperatures and then placed them on germination paper in a plastic box under controlled humidity and normal light. After two weeks, the germinated seedlings were studied.Jasmine rice seeds exposed to 40 degrees Celsius heat for one week gave rise to the highest percentage of abnormal seedlings. Riceberry rice seeds, which produce the most popular kind of Thai brown rice, demonstrated the highest percentage of normal seedlings after exposure to 40 degrees Celsius heat for one week. Dular seeds, an Indian variety, produced the highest percentage of normal seedlings after exposure to 40 degrees Celsius heat for two weeks.The team found that the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide was higher in abnormal seedlings exposed to 40 degrees Celsius for one week than it was in abnormal seedlings exposed to 35 degrees Celsius for one week. Electrolytes leaked more from the cells of normal and abnormal seedlings exposed to 25 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius than they did from seedlings exposed to 35 degrees Celsius. Malondialdehyde levels, which rise when cell membranes become less stable, were higher in the abnormal seedlings of all three rice cultivars than they were in normal seedlings.Overall, Riceberry and Dular seeds had a higher potential for heat tolerance than jasmine rice seeds. The results provide crucial information for consideration in breeding programmes for heat-tolerant rice cultivars, the researchers conclude.For more information, contact:Borriboon, W., Khon kaen University, Email: wantida@ kkumail.com About Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS)Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS) is published by Universiti Putra Malaysia in English and is open to authors around the world regardless of nationality. The journal is published four times a year in February, May, August and November. Other Pertanika series include Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST), and Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH).JTAS aims to provide a forum for high quality research related to tropical agricultural research. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include: agricultural biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, ecology, fisheries, forestry, food sciences, entomology, genetics, microbiology, pathology and management, physiology, plant and animal sciences, production of plants and animals of economic importance, and veterinary medicine. The journal publishes original academic articles dealing with research on issues of worldwide relevance.For more information about the journal, contact:Chief Executive Editor (UPM Journals)Pertanika Journal, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (R&I), Tower II. UPM-MTDC, Putra Science Park, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan MALAYSIA, Tel: +603 8947 1616, Email: executive_editor.pertanika@upm.my Press release distributed by ResearchSEA for Pertanika Journal.PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 06:13:40

Press Information





Published by

ACN Newswire

+65 6304 8926

e-mail

https://www.acnnewswire.com/







# 742 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

SINGAPORE, Aug 14, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - PropNex announced the official launch of PropNex Realty (Vietnam) Company Limited, at its recent 2nd Quarterly Convention, witnessed by close to 4,000-strong audience of salespersons, guests and Guest-of-Honour, President of the Republic of Singapore, Halimah Yacob, at The Star Performing Arts Centre. Presently, PropNex Vietnam has its own 2,637 sq ft office at 5th Floor, Twins Tower, 85 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with over 80 salespersons. Recently, some Vietnamese salespersons had the opportunity to develop their skills through PropNex's signature programs such as the PropNex Signature Salespersons' Bootcamp and Built to Last program conducted in Singapore.PropNex currently has overseas operations in Indonesia with 800 salespersons across 18 offices, and 100 salespersons in Malaysia. Today, PropNex Singapore has over 7,454 salespersons. (as at 13 August, according to CEA)Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PropNex Limited, Mr Ismail Gafoor shared that the desire of venturing into Vietnam was ignited by the attractiveness of the country as one of the growing capitals of Asia. "With its growing economy and positive forecast of the real estate market, we believe that Vietnam is an important place for PropNex to establish our brand." Mr Ismail highlighted how finding the right partners is crucial to the success of the franchise. "We wanted the right people with the right core values to keep the PropNex brand at number one in terms of professionalism and results for real estate clients. Indeed, our Vietnam franchise partners, Aidan Wee, Vo Dinh Khanh Duy (Tino) and John Lee displayed the right qualities and we trust them to grow the PropNex brand to the next level." Mr Ismail added.Executive Director of PropNex Vietnam, Mr Aidan Wee, who has been directly involved with Vietnam's real estate investment and management since 2008 highlighted why he chose to expand using the PropNex brand. He shared, "We chose to pursue PropNex due to its strong brand name as the largest listed real estate agency in Singapore. Alongside its reputation for professionalism and trusted service, PropNex's emphasis on the professional and personal development of all its salespersons and employees resonates very well with us. With the extensive experience, unconditional support and comprehensive programs developed by PropNex Singapore, we will be able to touch the lives of our Vietnamese salespersons by allowing them to grow and excel in their real estate careers and be champion producers back in Vietnam." PropNex looks forward to expand its brand to more countries internationally, with its sights set in more countries in South East Asia.PropNex delivered a strong financial showing for the six months ended 30 June 2018 On 8 August, PropNex also announced its maiden set of financial results subsequent to its listing on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange. PropNex delivered a strong financial showing for the six months ended 30 June 2018 ("1H 2018"), recording a 67.4% growth in revenue to $224.4 million, compared to $134.0 million in the previous corresponding period ("1H 2017"). The increase in revenue was largely driven by increased activity for the Group's agency services and project marketing services.PropNex has been mandated for another 20 upcoming New Project Launches with approximately 10,800 units for 2H2018/2019. Within the next 5 months, PropNex is expected to launch 15 projects, totaling 5,462 units, which will present more opportunities for PropNex's salespersons. In the first seven months, PropNex had led in the sales performance for 12 out of 15 of the project launches, having closed the most number of units ahead of the other joint marketing agencies.About PropNex LimitedPropNex Limited is Singapore's largest listed group with over 7,000 sales professionals. As an integrated real estate services group, PropNex's key business segments include real estate brokerage, training, property management and real estate consultancy.The Group has an established presence in Singapore's residential market, even as it continues to expand its suite of real estate services in Singapore and grow operations regionally. PropNex already has presence in Indonesia, Malaysia and is expected to be operating in Vietnam by 3Q 2018.With a strong commitment to service excellence and quality, PropNex is the proud recipient of numerous accolades and is a recognized leader in real estate agency services. For more information, please visit www.propnex.com For media enquiries, please contact:Carolyn GohDirectorCorporate Communications and MarketingPropNex Limited (SGX Mainboard Listed Company)DID: +65 6829 6748 / 98287834 | Main: +65 6820 8000 | Fax: +65 6829 6600 www.PropNex.com Fazilla NordinCorporate Communications ManagerPropNex Realty (A subsidiary of PropNex Limited)DID: +65 6829 6746 / 91885760 | Main: +65 6820 8000 | Fax: +65 6829 6600 www.PropNex.comPR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 08:00:20

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 393 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited (TSX Venture:XOP). has issued a press release with the following headline:Q2 2018 ResultsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Canadian Overseas Petroleum LimitedSource: Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited (TSX Venture: XOP, LSE: COPL, WKN: A1C29E, ISIN: CA13643D1078)Date: August 15, 2018Time: 2:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-14 23:15:18

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 390 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Renaissance Gold Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---White Rock, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Renaissance Gold Inc. (TSX Venture:REN). has issued a press release with the following headline:Renaissance Gold Grants Stock OptionsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Renaissance Gold Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Renaissance Gold Inc.Source: Renaissance Gold Inc. (TSX Venture: REN, OTC Bulletin Board: RNSGF, FWB: 4RG, WKN: A1C7Z0, ISIN: CA75971J1057)Date: August 14, 2018Time: 5:15 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Renaissance Gold Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-15 00:30:57

Press Information





Published by

ACN Newswire

+65 6304 8926

e-mail

https://www.acnnewswire.com/







# 570 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

NEW YORK, NY, Aug 14, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Watts Miners, one of the latest players to enter the global crypto space, has made a groundbreaking impact on the market in almost no time. Equipped with extraordinarily high hash rate powers, these mining rigs have already received excellent feedback from numerous beginners as well as seasoned crypto miners.Watts Miners ( www.wminers.com) is pleased to reveal that their recently launched mining rigs are now receiving encouraging feedback from the global crypto community. The New York based company offers three extremely powerful miners with hash rate powers that are unprecedented in this thriving industry. Within just a month in the market, these products have received recommendations not only from the experienced miners, but also the beginners looking to try out crypto mining for the first time.The mining rigs from Watts Miners were designed with the goal of ensuring ease of use and prompt return on investment for the users. Many of the users have mentioned in their reviews that these miners have helped them break-even in less than one month. This capability of Watts Miners can be attributed to the high hash rate powers of their three miners.- Bitcoin Mining: 120 TH/s for Watts Mini, 250 TH/s for Watts Miner, and 1000 TH/s for Watts Rack- Litecoin Mining: 30 GH/s for Watts Mini, 50 GH/s for Watts Miner, and 200 GH/s for Watts Rack- Ethereum Mining: 4 GH/s for Watts Mini, 7 GH/s for Watts Miner, and 28 GH/s for Watts Rack- Dash Mining: 1.1 TH/s for Watts Mini, 1.7 TH/s for Watts Miner, and 6.8 TH/s for Watts Rack- Monero Mining: 200 KH/s for Watts Mini, 300 KH/s for Watts Miner, and 1200 KH/s for Watts RackThe mining rigs from Watts Miners have low power consumption, low noise level, and effective cooling systems, making them excellent choices for crypto mining in residential areas. To increase the profitability of the customers, the company covers the entire delivery and custom fees. As a result of its growing popularity in the crypto community, the company managed to record a sales volume in excess of $80 million in July."We are pleased to find out that our products have been used with great results by thousands of individuals that had no idea about mining before using our miners. This is certainly a great news for the industry and we look forward to playing an active role helping the crypto community grow," said Watts Miners Chief Financial Officer Nancy Lopez.Watts Miners is currently running an attractive sales promotion, offering one additional mining rig to all customers purchasing any three of their products. This is a limited period offer that will continue until August 25.To find out more about the mining rigs from Watts Miners, please visit https://wminers.com About Watts Miners:Watts Miners is a manufacturer of high-quality cryptocurrency miners that deliver extremely high hash power without consuming a lot of power. Their team comprises of several top level professionals from renowned organizations such as Samsung, Microsoft, IBM, and many others. Headquartered in New York, the company currently has manufacturing facilities in USA, Germany, China and Russia.Contact:Watts Miners Inc.Nancy LopezMobile: +929-220-9148nancy@ wminers.com This press release was issued through EmailWire.com - a global newswire with press release distribution services. For more information, go to http://www.emailwire.comPresident Yoweri Museveni of Uganda on Wednesday said he was not hurt in a Monday attack on his convoy in the northwestern Ugandan district of Arua.

Museveni in a statement said opposition supporters threw stones at one of his cars, where he put some luggage, breaking the rear glass window.

There was no harm on the old man with a hat, he said. Museveni normally wears a hat.

It is a big shame to have such confused people who want to use violence to intimidate Ugandans.

Nobody has a right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or action, he added.

Museveni said the attack could have resulted in several deaths if his security detail had resorted to using live ammunition.

He said during the scuffle one of the attackers who has since been identified as Yasin Kawuma was shot dead.

Museveni blamed this on the weak crowd management by the police and what he called the criminal behavior

of some opposition leaders.

Police on Tuesday said security agencies had arrested three lawmakers and scores of opposition supporters in relation to the stoning of the convoy.

Emilian Kayima, Ugandas police spokesperson in a statement said independent lawmakers Robert Kyagulanyi,

Gerald Karuhanga, opposition legislator Paul Mwiru and scores of their supporters are being held for obstructing and violently attacking the presidents motorcade.

Others arrested include Michael Mabikke, former opposition legislator and Kassiano Wandri, an independent

leaning opposition parliamentary candidate for Arua municipality by-elections slated for Wednesday.

At least two journalists had also been arrested and released on police bond on Tuesday afternoon.

The supporters of Wadri on Monday reportedly pelted stones at Musevenis convoy after he left Arua Boma

Grounds where he had held the last campaign rally for his ruling party candidate, Nusura Tiperu at Prisons Cell at around 6.30 p.m., local time.

(Xinhua/NAN)A Libyan court has sentenced 45 people to death by firing squad for killing protesters during the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, according to the ministry of justice.

They were convicted of opening fire on anti-Gaddafi protesters in the capital Tripoli, in August 2011.

Another 54 were sentenced to five years in prison and 22 others were acquitted.

Protests erupted in February 2011 before turning into an armed conflict, which saw the toppling and killing of Gaddafi in October 2011.

(NAN)Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and all major political parties on Wednesday condemned a speech by a senator who used the term final solution in calling for a revival of a White Australia restrictive immigration policy.

In one of the most divisive speeches seen in parliament since 1996 when far-right politician Pauline Hanson declared incorrectly that Australia was being swamped by Asians, Fraser Anning on Tuesday called for a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

Anning said Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare.

Muslims account for less than three per cent of Australias population, census data shows.

Amid national outrage Turnbull, who will head to the polls within nine months, quickly condemned Anning.

We reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Sen. Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all, Turnbull told Australias parliament.

Opposition Labor party leader Bill Shorten told parliament on Wednesday: You have to be pretty outrageous

to be condemned by everybody in the Australian parliament, but Sen. Anning has managed to do just this.

Australians will return to the polls by May 2019, and recent polls show the majority of the electorate back

multiculturalism, but far-right politicians are expected to pose a challenge to the mainstream parties.

Turnbull can and must bat this away, said Haydon Manning, a political science professor at Flinders University in South Australia.

Anning, who has been in parliament for less than a year has entered into a lose alliance with several conservative independent lawmakers that has boosted his otherwise inconsequential role in Australias upper house.

Anning split from Hansons One Nation party shortly after being sworn in, though his speech had many of the hallmarks of his former leader who has called for cuts to Asian and Muslim immigration.

The final solution to the immigration problem, of course, is a popular vote, Anning told parliament in his maiden speech.

The Final Solution or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question was a Nazi plan for the genocide or extermination of the Jews during World War II.

Anning has since said he did not know the history of the phrase.

Hanson joined the condemnation, telling the Senate she was appalled by Annings speech.

We are a multi-racial society and I have always advocated you do not have to be white to be Australian, she said.

Under what was commonly called a White Australia policy Australia restricted non-European immigration from 1901 until the late 1960s using various laws. (Reuters/NAN)Emperor Akihito, in his last appearance as reigning monarch at an annual ceremony marking Japans World War II surrender, expressed deep remorse on Wednesday over the conflict.

Early in the day, Akihito sent a ritual offering to Tokyos controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead but

did not visit out of apparent consideration for ties with South Korea and China.

Past visits by Japanese leaders to the shrine have outraged China and South Korea because it honours 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal, along with war dead.

Chinas relations with Japan have long been haunted by what Beijing sees as Tokyos failure to atone for its occupation of parts of China before and during World War Two, although ties have thawed recently.

Japan occupied Korea from 1910-1945 and bitter memories rankle.

A silver-haired Akihito, 84, who will abdicate next year, spoke at the memorial for war dead after a moment of silence.

Thinking of the peaceful times that have extended for many years after the war, reflecting on our past and with a feeling of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated, said Akihito, who was accompanied by a kimono-clad Empress Michiko.

Akihito has carved out a role as a symbol of peace, democracy and reconciliation during his three decades on the throne, visiting wartime battlefields to pray for the dead of all nationalities.

His remarks on Wednesday echoed those he first spoke on the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, which were seen by many liberals and moderate conservatives as a subtle rebuke to Abe, who has said future generations should not have to keep apologising for the conflict.

I will humbly face the past and resolutely uphold this promise, the prime minister said on Wednesday.

In Beijing, the foreign ministry said, The Yasukuni Shrine enshrines Class A war criminals who were directly responsible for the war of aggression.

We firmly oppose the wrong practices of the Japanese side, the ministry said in a statement.

(Reuters/NAN)Officials said a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in front of an educational center in a mainly Shiite area in the west of the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least 25 people.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which came after several weeks of relative calm in Kabul but previous attacks on Shiite targets in the area have been claimed by Islamic State.

The Taliban, who have been intensifying their attacks against military and government centres in recent weeks, issued a statement denying involvement.

The public health ministry said 35 wounded had been brought to city hospitals, in addition to the 25 killed, adding to the mounting list of civilian casualties this year.

The attack occurred as the government was facing heavy pressure over a Taliban attack on the central city of Ghazni that led to five days of intense fighting during which hundreds of civilians and members of the security forces were killed.

The attack on Ghazni, one of the biggest seen for years in Afghanistan, fueled criticism that President Ashraf Ghanis Western-backed government was incapable of protecting the country.

With parliamentary elections due on October 20, the government had been bracing for more attacks in Kabul and other cities, even while hopes of peace talks with the Taliban had been fueled by a three day truce during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June. (Reuters/NAN)The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Abuja chapter, says it will commence an indefinite strike on August 25.

The union made this known in a statement jointly signed by its president, Michael Olarewaju and secretary, Roland Aigbovo, on Wednesday in Abuja.

It said the impending strike follows the failure of FCT Administration to repay obnoxious tax deduction from July salaries of staff, among other demands.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the association had earlier condemned the tax deduction of N78, 000 from each of its members July salaries.

It said the current deduction was against the initial N36, 000 deductions imposed on the doctors.

The union noted that it had on Aug. 1, 2018 issued a-21day ultimatum effective from Aug. 3 to FCT administration, calling on the Minister, Muhammad Bello, to address the issue.

They listed other demands to include payment of first 28 days allowance of members effective from 2011, as calculated without further delay.

Other demands, according to them, include appropriate placement and payment of arrears to members who were successful in the 2016 promotion exercise.

We totally reject the obnoxious and double taxation imposed on our members by FCTA management, which negates all scientific reasoning and Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the union said.

The appropriate tax should be done using the Joint Tax Board/Personal Income Tax Act template (PITA) and all excess deduction paid back.

We will be compelled to proceed on an indefinite strike for failure of the FCT administration to meet our demands on or before the expiration of the ultimatum which is Aug. 24, they said.

Mr Olarewaju said, Based on our investigations at the Health and Human Resources Service Secretariat, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and FCT Inland Revenue Services (FCTIRS).

It was revealed that the obnoxious tax didnt follow the PITA template or other conventional means of taxation.

We have earlier written the FCT Minister on the myriad of problems faced daily by our members regarding conditions of work and services delivery in FCTA.

This is largely due to poor remuneration in comparison with our contemporaries in other health institutions and Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) both in the territory and other parts of the federation.

It is pertinent to say that a motivated workforce always give rise to an on improved work done and with regard to job satisfaction our members are in pathetic state, he decried.

(NAN)The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained on Tuesday by the Nigerian Police over a report.

The police, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe asking him to disclose his source for a story.

Apart from Mr Ogundipe, this newspapers Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and manhandled by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja.

The story authored by Mr Ogundipe, also published by other media, revealed a letter written by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on last weeks siege to the National Assembly by security officials.

We call for the immediate and unconditional release of Samuel Ogundipe and an end to all forms of impunity against the media, the NUJ said in a statement by its National President, Abdulwaheed Odusile, Tuesday Night.

The NUJ is horrified by the constant harassment and molestation of journalists by the police and other agents of the State and requests that such should abate forthwith.

It should be noted that confidentiality of sources is necessary for good journalism to flourish and journalists should not be coerced into revealing such sources.

In its reaction, the Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to order the immediate release of Mr Ogundipe, a security correspondent with PREMIUM TIMES.

The Coalition would want to stress that the law is clear on the illegality of the Police Force and other institutions of government to demand source disclosure from a journalist.



Critical reporting is a statutory duty for journalists who on account of Section 22 of the 1999 constitution are enjoined to hold government accountable.



The coalition said it was aware of the The Freedom of Information Act, 2011 a federal law which protects confidentiality of sources and the Court of Appeal decision in Tony Momoh vs National Assembly which criminalises the demand of journalists sources by the Police or any other institution of government.



The Coalition stresses that as the Inspector General should respect the rule of law and the Constitution to uphold the mandate of the Police Force as an institution that fiercely fights for the protection of basic human rights of its citizens, whistleblowers and press freedom in Nigeria



As a Coalition, we frown at any abuse of the law to jeopardize the safety of journalists in Nigeria. Too many journalists are imprisoned for the wrong reasons. Too many journalists are harassed for speaking out against certain government policies.



The Coalition will not hesitate to take legal action against the Inspector General if Mr. Samuel Ogundipe is not released and allowed to join his colleagues and family.



In his reaction to the arrest, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said PREMIUM TIMES should not fail to institute an action in court against the Nigerian Police Force, regardless of whether Mr Ogundipe is subsequently released or kept in prison through Tuesday night.

Femi Falana (SAN)

Whether Samuel is released tonight or arraigned in court tomorrow by the police, PT should take advantage of this unlawful demand of the police to challenge criminal libel and other obnoxious anti press laws in the statute book.

While declaring seditious publications illegal and unconstitutional in 1983 in Arthur Nwankwo v The State; the Court of Appeal held that any public officer who feels defamed or embarrassed by any publication should sue for libel and not use the machinery of the State to harass his political opponents. The court proceeded to urge Nigerians to resist any attempt to use any of the laws imported into the country by the erstwhile colonial rulers to repress us, Mr Falana said.

In a similar reaction, the Centre Coordinator, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka, said the police or any security operatives have no right to demand the source of a story from a journalist.

Its very wrong. The police have absolutely no right to demand the source of a reporters story. If the reporter reveals his source, how will he get another story? This is an attack on the media and it is totally unacceptable. We are practicing a democracy and such a development goes against the principle of democracy. This is yet another media attack by this government and it is totally not acceptable, Mrs Alaka said.

In his reaction, the Chief Executive officer, Connected Development and founder of Follow the Money, Hamza Lawal, described the action of the security operatives as undemocratic and unfortunate.

This is undemocratic, a deliberate attempt to undermine Nigerias democracy. It is quite sad and unfortunate that Nigerias highest law enforcement agency is being used for intimidating, rather than protecting the Nigerian people.

Mr Lawal called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to call the police to order.

I also call on the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other world leaders to help protect our fragile democracy.

An attack on the Nigerian press is an attack on all Nigerians. This is totally unacceptable. We will not be intimidated, as we resolve to continue protecting Nigerias democracy.

This is a show of shame by the Nigerian Police Force. We demand professionalism from the police and other security agencies, Mr Lawal said.

Using the hashtag #FreesSameulOgundipe on twitter, Nigerians have continued to demand the unconditional release of Mr Ogundipe.

In its reaction, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) asked the police to operate using internationally accepted best practices while carrying out its operations. It called for the unconditional release of Mr Ogundipe and other illegally detained suspects.

NANS calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Ogundipe arrested by the IGP monitoring unit and SARS and the unfreezing of his accounts and also the release of other illegally detained persons.

We do not support the continued harassment, illegal arrest and detention of members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, students and Nigerians at large by security agents especially SARS, Bamidele Danielson, NANS President said in a statement Tuesday night.The Nigerian Police have made a first public statement on the arrest and detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe.

Rather than explain the unjust detention of the journalist amidst global calls for his release, however, the police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said he is not aware of the details of the arrest.

Mr Moshood, who spoke when asked by a presenter on AIT programme, Kakaaki, however, said no Nigerian is beyond being arrested by the police when an investigation is being carried out.

I am not aware of the details of the matter. But what I can say is that any Nigerian, whether a journalist or any member of the public can be invited by an investigating officer to come around so that he or she can clear themselves of any allegations against them. Since you are telling me now, I will find out exactly what is happening, Mr Moshood said.

Mr Moshoods claim of ignorance perhaps typifies the hypocrisy and incompetence within the Nigerian police. Not only have local and international rights organisations demanded Mr Ogundipes release, the hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe on Twitter has trended since Tuesday with many tweeting at the police. Despite these, the police spokesperson claimed he was not aware of the arrest.

The police, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Tuesday arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe, who covers the security sector for PREMIUM TIMES.

Apart from Mr Ogundipe, this newspapers editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and manhandled by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja.

Ms Adedigba was later released after over three hours of detention.

Messrs Mojeed and Ogundipe were driven from the SARS headquarters in Abuja to the IGP Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters where Mr Ogundipe was made to write a statement.

At the Force headquarters, a deputy commissioner of police, Sani Ahmadu, was heard directing lawyers to rush to court to obtain a warrant to detain Mr Ogundipe.

Mr Mojeed, thereafter, asked Mr Ahmadu if he was aware that asking a journalist to reveal his source of a story, is an embarrassment to Nigeria as global journalism standards dissuades such.

I dont care if I embarrass Nigeria or not. I have the right to keep him here and I will keep him until he reveals his source, was the response the DCP gave.

Officials at the police headquarters told PREMIUM TIMES that the directive to detain the journalist came directly from the Inspector General of Police who is said to be angry at this newspapers critical reporting of his activities.

Many Nigerians, activists, lawyers and groups have called for the unconditional and immediate release of the reporter who is still in detention.The detained Premium Times reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, was again quizzed Wednesday morning by the police over the source of a report he wrote leading to his arrest by police operatives on Tuesday.

A source at the headquarter of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) where Mr Ogundipe is being detained said the journalist was locked up in the same cell with hardened suspects overnight. He was quizzed by a deputy commissioner of police, Sani Ahmadu, between 8.30 and 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to the source, Mr Ahmadu, who initially tried compelling the reporter to disclose his source later softpedalled by requesting that he indicate if his source is a member of the police or the presidency, both of whom had access to the documents mentioned in the report he wrote.

However, Mr Ogundipe was said to have declined narrowing down the source of the document. He reportedly said he would not divulge the source or the location citing ethical and professional considerations.

Mr Ahmadu was said to have then insisted that Mr Ogundipe either yields to the police demands or remains in police custody.

It is not yet clear if Mr Ogundipe was subjected to torture at the SARS facility which is notorious for the brutalising suspects in its custody.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday ordered for the review of the operations of the unit which has been accused of gross human rights abuses in recent months leading to call for its scrap by Nigerians.

The police, through SARS. on Tuesday arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe, who covers the security sector for PREMIUM TIMES.

Apart from Mr Ogundipe, this newspapers editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and manhandled by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja.

Ms Adedigba was later released after over three hours of detention.

Messrs Mojeed and Ogundipe were driven from the SARS headquarters in Abuja to the IGP Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters where Mr Ogundipe was made to write a statement.

At the Force headquarters, Mr Ahmadu, was heard directing lawyers to rush to court to obtain a warrant to detain Mr Ogundipe.

Mr Mojeed, thereafter, asked Mr Ahmadu if he was aware that asking a journalist to reveal his source of a story, is an embarrassment to Nigeria as global journalism standards dissuades such.

I dont care if I embarrass Nigeria or not. I have the right to keep him here and I will keep him until he reveals his source, was the response the DCP gave.

Officials at the police headquarters told PREMIUM TIMES that the directive to detain the journalist came directly from the Inspector General of Police who is said to be angry at this newspapers critical reporting of his activities.

Local and international rights groups, activists, lawyers and other Nigerians have called for the unconditional and immediate release of the reporter who is still in detention.The Nigerian police secretly commenced the trial of PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, on Wednesday, while denying him access to his lawyers.

The police arraigned Mr Ogundipe at a Magistrate Court in Kubwa on Wednesday afternoon.

He was charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document.

Earlier on Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES staff and the companys lawyer visited the detention facility of the Special Anti-robbery Squad, SARS, in Abuja where Mr Ogundipe is being detained.

At about 10:00 a.m., the lawyer and the staff were allowed to see Mr Ogundipe. They were also briefed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police handling the supposed investigation, Sani Ahmadu.

Mr Ahmadu and other police officers present asked this newspapers lawyer and other staff present to leave the SARS facility and return at 4:00 p.m. Earlier, the police commissioner had interrogated Mr Ogundipe and repeatedly asked him to name his source for a story as a condition to be released.

Despite the protest by the lawyer, Mr Ahmadu said no action would be taken until the 4:00 p.m. he asked the lawyer to return.

Like most actions of the police since the targeted attack at PREMIUM TIMES began on Saturday, that turned out to be a ruse and deceit.

At about 4:00 p.m., PREMIUM TIMES Editor-In-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, received a call from the court.

Mr Ogundipe had been secretly taken to the Kubwa magistrate court where he was tried. Even though he repeatedly told the police that he would, as legally allowed, need to contact his lawyers or his employer before going to court, the police refused.

When the charge was brought before the magistrate, there was no mention that Mr Ogundipe works as a journalist. The police carefully avoided mentioning that, only telling the magistrate he was being charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document.

The magistrate then gave an order that he be detained for five more days, till August 20. It was the magistrate who ordered that he be allowed to make a call while within the court premises.

It was the phone of a court official that Mr Ogundipe used to contact his editor-in-chief.

They brought me to a magistrate court in Kubwa where they arraigned me. The magistrate said they should detain me for five days.

They accused me of criminal trespass. They said I stole secret documents. The magistrate does not know the details, because they did not include in the charge that I am a journalist. I was not allowed to contact my lawyers.

They also did not allow me to call anyone until the magistrate ordered them to let me make one call. I am currently using the registrars phone to make this call and they are collecting it, Mr Ogundipe said just before the call ended.

Mr Ogundipe said the police accused him of violating sections 352, 288 and 319 of the penal code.

A review of the sections however indicate that they are not related to the charges but are about sexual assault and attempted murder.

Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES has condemned the secret arraignment of its staff, and repeated its demand for Mr Ogundipes immediate release.

Each day, the police continue to behave in ways that embarrass this country,said Editor-in-Chief Musikilu Mojeed. But it remains a mystery that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, a professor of law and supposed rule of law exponent, has so far failed to call IGP Ibrahim Idris to order.

PREMIUM TIMES has a constitutional duty to inform the Nigerian people and hold public officials to account. It will neither be intimidated nor cowed by the filthy antics of the police or the administration.

They can continue to abuse powers as much as they like. But nothing lasts forever. They are in power today. But they will be powerless someday. What this shows is that public office holders hardly learn anything. They certainly have failed to learn from the experiences of the officials of the immediate past government.

HOW IT BEGAN

Mr Ogundipes ordeal began on Tuesday. However, since Saturday, the police had been harassing his colleague, Azeezat Adedigba, threatening her on phone. When she eventually asked that she be formally invited if the police had any case against her, the police sent an invitation letter on Monday.

See the police letter containing totally fabricated allegations against a Premium Times reporter.

This office is investigating a case of criminal conspiracy, cybercrime, attempted kidnapping and fraudulent act that your name and phone number featured.

You are kindly requested to interview the undersigned officer on 14th August 2018 by 1000hrs for fact findings, the letter signed by an assistant commissioner of police, Sanusi Muhammed, reads.

Those allegations turned to be totally fabricated when Ms Adedigba arrived the SARS office as directed.

As early as 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, the reporter, in the company of Mr Mojeed and another staffer was at the SARS headquarters, Guzape, but was told the investigating officer, Emmanuel Onyeneho, was not available.

An armed operative (ostensibly on directives), who attended to the trio, subsequently confiscated Ms Adedigbas phone and detained her, after physically manhandling PREMIUM TIMES editor-in-chief, who attempted to intervene.

After she was led in, the editor and the staffer had to wait for over four hours before Mr Onyeneho eventually sauntered in.

Subsequently, the official, who declined giving details on the reason for the invitation, requested that Ms Adedigba dial a number, he provided, with her phone. The dialled number turned out to be that of Mr Ogundipe. The official requested that Mr Mojeed ask the reporter, to come down, a request he immediately obliged.

Immediately, Mr Ogundipe came in, Ms Adedigba was allowed to go while Messrs Mojeed and Ogundipe were detained. There was no further mention of the fabricated allegations against Ms Adedigba.

Mr Mojeed was later released on Tuesday while Mr Ogundipe is still being detained.

REASONS, CONDEMNATIONS

The police want Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source for a story published by PREMIUM TIMES and other news media.

The story revealed a preliminary report written by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on last weeks siege to the National Assembly by security officials.

In the preliminary report on the controversial incident prepared for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, Mr Idris said Mr Daura was working for some politicians for selfish interest, but did not name the accomplices.

He said Mr Daura did not consult with other security agencies before ordering the siege, and questioned the validity of a security report that allegedly anticipated a violence at the parliament.

Mr Daura was sacked by Mr Osinbajo on Tuesday afternoon. He was immediately handed over to the police for further interrogation, but was later released.

Mr Ogundipes arrest and detention has been condemned by local and international rights groups and most Nigerians.

However, the federal government and Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress have kept mum about it amidst worry among Nigerians that the country was gradually sliding back into a dictatorship and era of media repression.

The Nigerian police must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Samuel Ogundipe, who has been in unlawful police detention since yesterday, Amnesty International said in its statement on Wednesday.

Reports that police detained Samuel Ogundipe with the intention of forcing him to reveal his sources are extremely disturbing and illustrate the level of harassment and intimidation that Nigerian journalists face. The duty of journalists is not to please the authorities  it is to share information in the interest of the public, and forcing journalists to reveal their sources is illegal, it added.

I stand for Samuel Ogundipe and I call for his unconditional release. Free press is the fortress and the Bastion of democracy, a Nigerian senator, Shehu Sani, said.The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has given reasons to justify the increase in the 2019 election budget.

He said this on Wednesday during the budget presentation of the 2019 general election at a meeting the Senate Committee on INEC in Abuja.

He listed increase in number of political parties, increase on voters population and registered voters, high cost of logistics, exchange rates, increase in number of constituencies as reasons for the increase.

INEC had in 2015 requested for N120 billion for the general election and is now requesting for N189.2 billion to conduct the 2019 polls.

The proposed budget for 2019 election budget has an increase of about N69 billion compared to the 2015 election budget.

Explaining the reasons behind the increase, the INEC boss stated that the commission has registered 91 political parties as against 44 in 2015.

He said the increase in number will affect the size and cost of ballot papers which will be printed with multiple columns.

Also associated with political parties, is monitoring of party primaries, congresses and conventions. There is also the processing of nominations. We have 12,558 constituencies which means INEC has to process about 141,778 nominations.

Mr Yakubu also gave increase in price of petroleum products and high exchange rate as reasons for the increase.

We also have more electoral constituencies. Right now, we have about 68 more constituencies and there is also increase in the number of registered voters.

Well need to open more voting points, engage more ad-hoc staff, supervisors and returning officers, he said, stating that as at August 11, the commission has registered 12.1 million voters.

Members of the committee deliberated on whether to grant INECs request or that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Even though Mr Buhari, in his letter to the Senate, requested that N189.2 billion be released to INEC, he had asked that N143.5 billion be released now and N45.6 billion be released in 2019.

However, the commission, in its presentation today, demanded for the entire sum.

While responding to questions from members of the committee, Mr Yakubu said the major problem the commission encountered is the conduct of political primaries by parties.

He said crises that happen during party primaries and other elections incure additional costs for the commission.

When asked if the commission will need another budget for 2019 after the N189 billion has been released, Mr Yakubus response was positive.

INEC will present a regular budget for 2019 because we need to pay our staff and there will be more elections to conduct, he said.

The lawmakers lamented the high number of political parties and asked that the law and process involved in registering political parties be strict.

In his response, the INEC boss explained that the commission ensures that each party registered meets the requirements provided by the law.

Breakdown Of Proposed Budget:

Total proposed amount for the election is N189.2 billion.

Electoral operational cost  N134.4 billion: Procurement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, payment of allowances, logistics, voters registration, printing of voters card.

Election technology cost  N27.5 billion: IT related procurement, upgrading and replacement of equipment.

Election admin cost  N22.6 billion: Payment of insurance of properties, insurance of officials involved in the electoral process including ad hoc staff, procurement of items, stationaries among others.

Contingency  N4.6 billion (2.5% of the entire budget for unforeseen costs).The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is actively considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.

In an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, Mr Saraki said he is still making consultations on the ambition.

I am consulting and actively considering it, Mr Saraki said I believe I can make the change.

Early indications of Mr Sarakis ambition emerged in March when media mogul, Dele Momodu, disclosed that he will join the 2019 presidential race. But Mr Saraki denied claiming the report was false.

The report is false. If it is true that he is contesting, you would have seen the report it (sic) in major dailies since last week Saturday when the news broke out on social media. But as you can see, there is nothing like that, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the senate presidents media aide said then.

But Mr Saraki told Bloomberg that if he decides to run, it would be under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, the main opposition group.

The lawmaker defected to the PDP last month after a series of meetings with APC leaders who wanted to keep him in the ruling party.

He has also expressed dissatisfaction at the lock down of the National Assembly by SSS operatives on August 7.

He expressed fears over the use of security forces for the 2019 elections.

If a government can go and lock up an arm of government  and its never happened in our history  we should all be very concerned. We should not be surprised that they would use security agencies for elections, he said.

Since his defection to the PDP, the APC has asked Mr Saraki to resign as senate president or be removed from office. Mr Saraki has, however, said he would not resign. He said he enjoys the support of majority of senators to retain his position.A former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the arrest and detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe.

He made the condemnation via his official Twitter handle on Wednesday as he called for press freedom.

The arrest and detention of @PremiumTimesngs reporter by @PoliceNG for his refusal to disclose his source to a story raises serious concerns about the preservation of the confidentiality of sources.

I call for the protection of press freedom as guaranteed by our constitution, he tweeted.

The arrest and detention of @PremiumTimesngs reporter by @PoliceNG for his refusal to disclose his source to a story raises serious concerns about the preservation of the confidentiality of sources. I call for the protection of press freedom as guaranteed by our constitution.  Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) August 15, 2018

Many Nigerians have condemned Mr Ogundipes detention and also called for his immediate release.

Not only have local and international rights organisations demanded Mr Ogundipes release, the hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe on Twitter has trended since Tuesday with many tweeting at the police. Despite these, the police spokesperson claimed he was not aware of the arrest.

Earlier, the police made a first public statement on the arrest and detention of Mr Ogundipe.

The police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, feigned ignorance as he said he is not aware of the details of the arrest. He also said no Nigerian is beyond being arrested by the police when an investigation is being carried out.

The police, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Tuesday arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe, who covers the security sector for PREMIUM TIMES.

Apart from Mr Ogundipe, this newspapers editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and manhandled by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja.

Ms Adedigba was later released after over three hours of detention.

Messrs Mojeed and Ogundipe were driven from the SARS headquarters in Abuja to the IGP Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters where Mr Ogundipe was made to write a statement.

At the Force headquarters, a deputy commissioner of police, Sani Ahmadu, was heard directing lawyers to rush to court to obtain a warrant to detain Mr Ogundipe.

Mr Mojeed, thereafter, asked Mr Ahmadu if he was aware that asking a journalist to reveal his source of a story is an embarrassment to Nigeria as global journalism standards dissuades such.

I dont care if I embarrass Nigeria or not. I have the right to keep him here and I will keep him until he reveals his source, the DCP said.

Officials at the police headquarters told PREMIUM TIMES that the directive to detain the journalist came directly from the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who is said to be angry at this newspapers critical reporting of his activities.

Many Nigerians, activists, lawyers and groups have called for the unconditional and immediate release of the reporter who is still in detention.The senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has joined other Nigerians and international originations in condemning the arrest and detention of PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti also joined the call for the release of Mr Ogundipe.

Mr Sani, who called for the unconditional release of Mr Ogundipe on Twitter on Wednesday, said free press is the fortress and the bastion of democracy.

I stand for Samuel Ogundipe and I call for his unconditional release. Free press is the fortress and the Bastion of democracy, Mr Sani said.

I stand for Samuel Ogundipe and I call for his unconditional https://t.co/HpHqJWz5sv press is the fortress and the Bastion of democracy.@PremiumTimesng @AmnestyNigeria  Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) August 15, 2018

Mr Fayose, outgoing governor of Ekiti State, also condemned the detention.

The arrest and detention of Samuel Ogundipe of @PremiumTimesng by the police must be condemned by all lovers of freedom of speech and of the press. I join other well meaning Nigerians to call for his immediate release. #FreeSamuelOgundipe, Mr Fayose wrote on his verified Twitter handle.

Mr Ogundipe was arrested and detained on Tuesday by police officers who insist that he must disclose the source of a story he wrote.

Mr. Ogundipes arrest has elicited much condemnation from Nigerians and international organisations, while hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe has also been trending on Twitter since Mr Ogundipe was detained.

Samuel Ogundipe

However, officials at the police headquarters told PREMIUM TIMES that the directive to detain the journalist came directly from the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who is said to be angry at this newspapers critical reporting of his activities.The leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared a three-day national fasting and prayers to be observed in all Churches in Nigeria.

The association says the fasting and prayers to be held between August 27 and 29, is for divine protection and spiritual healing of the nation and its democracy.

CAN president, Samson Ayokunle, made the announcement in a statement signed by Adebayo Oladeji, his special assistant, media and communications, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Ayokunle said the programme became necessary following the unfolding political drama in the country which had become an embarrassment and constituted a threat to the nascent democracy.

The president directed all bloc chairmen, zonal chairmen, states and local chairmen, and all church leaders to mobilise their members nationwide for the programme.

He said the programme would enable Christians to seek for the face of God concerning the social and political state of the nation and for a peaceful conduct of 2019 general elections.

He said they should remember Leah Sharibu and other remaining Chibok girls in the captivity of Boko haram.

The president said Christians should pray for the victory of the Church over the forces of darkness.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that CAN had earlier declared July 9 and July 11, 2018 for national unity.

(NAN)The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and 49 senior officers on Wednesday at the Army Headquarters, Abuja took a language proficiency test in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages.

The army spokesperson, Texas Chukwu, a brigadier general, said the test was part of the armys effort to ensure that all personnel are proficient in the use of the three major Nigerian languages.

Mr Chukwu said the test came after eight months of intensive lecture organised by the army headquarters for the senior officers.

He said the belief in the army was that understanding those languages would aid troops during internal security operations across the country.

This will also enhance mutual cooperation between the army and the general public.

Mr Chukwu said the senior officers that participated in the test included Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, Directors, among others.

He quoted Buratai, a lieutenant general, as commending the officers for their conduct throughout the period of the test.

The army chief said the result of the test will be announced soon and urged them to prepare for another exam next week.

Mr Buratai, upon assumption of office in 2015, enjoined all personnel to learn the three major Nigerian languages as part of a deliberate effort to improve communication skill among troops.

(NAN)The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has appealed to the members of the party in the House of Representatives and the Senate to reconvene the parliament by all legal means.

The National Assembly, which is currently on its usual break, has been asked to reconvene by the government and the ruling party to address pending issues of national interest.

Last week, it was announced the parliament will reconvene on Tuesday. However, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, in a joint statement on Tuesday said the parliament would not resume yet. Mr Saraki recently defected to the opposition PDP while Mr Dogara is still officially a member of the APC, although he is also expected to defect.

Mr Oshiomhole made his appeal during a meeting between the partys National Working Committee (NWC) and its federal lawmakers.

While commending its members in the National Assembly for their commitment in carrying out the promises of the party, he said if this is not done the country might face government shut down as the government cannot spend what is not approved.

He urged the party members to do everything they can lawfully to get the National Assembly reconvened so that these national issues would be deliberated upon and appropriate decisions reached.

He added that they should do whatever is needed to prevent a possible government shutdown.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Yusuf Lasun, also speaking at the opening of the meeting, expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the National Assembly failed to reconvene on Tuesday.

I am not particularly happy that we could not hold our plenary today and possibly tomorrow because we decided few days back that we are going to sit and consider those items that are very important and may likely hamper the functioning of INEC and possibly part of the programme of which without the implementation of the capital budget for 2018 will have been be difficult.

The House Leader, Femi Gbajiabiamila, who was also present at the meeting, said members must find a way to reconvene the Senate and address the necessary issues having made the sacrifice to stay back.

We have to find a way to reconvene the House because as it is, we are heading to a constitutional crisis that might lead to inevitable government shutdown because (of) two things that need to be done, the funding of the election and the funding of the budget.

I am not happy. (I am) using this opportunity to appeal to the presiding officers to allow us reconvene for this singular purpose. Its just a one day exercise so we can all go on our holiday.

A lot of members here today were supposed to be in Saudi today. We had to actually go to the hajj commission and had their flights delayed. Today was the last day but they made them delay the last flight till Thursday in the hope that we will convene today and tomorrow and pass what is necessary.

Speaking on the majority the party has in the House, he said the APC has a clear majority with about 40 members above the main opposition PDP which it said it will use to pursue the agenda of the party. Mr Gbajabiamila said he also believes there are lawmakers of the PDP who would support the cause of the APC.A civic group has sued the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the exemption certificate being used by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported how Mrs Adeosun avoided the mandatory youth service upon graduation from the university and instead procured a forged exemption certificate contrary to Nigerian laws.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had earlier made a freedom of information request to the NYSC seeking details of the certificate paraded by Mrs Adeosun.

The civic group has now sued the NYSC when the latter refused to honour the FOI demand.

Read a full statement by SERAP on the suit below.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Sule Kazaure, and the NYSC over failure to publish specific documents and information on Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosuns application for NYSC exemption, and seeking to compel them to explain if Adeosun obtained any Exemption Certificate from the NYSC.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1369/18 filed Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, SERAP is seeking an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing and/or compelling General Kazaure and the NYSC to urgently provide specific documents and information on Mrs Kemi Adeosuns application to the NYSC for Exemption and to publish widely including on a dedicated and on the NYSC website, any such information.

The suit followed SERAPs Freedom of Information request dated August 2 to Mr Kazaure, giving him seven days to provide information on specific details and documents on the Exemption Certificate applied for and obtained by Mrs Adeosun; clarify whether the NYSC actually granted her the Exemption Certificate and if it did, the circumstances and the provisions of the NYSC Act under which the Exemption Certificate was granted.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its counsel, Bamisope Adeyanju, read in part: Suspicions of obtaining unauthorised certificate involving a senior member of the government if not urgently and satisfactorily addressed would weaken public trust in the governments oft-expressed commitment to transparency and accountability.

By the combined provisions of section 104(1) of the Evidence Act, 2011 and sections 14(2)(b) 14(3) and 19(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, the NYSC, being the public institution in charge of issuing exemption certificates from the compulsory NYSC Programme, and having publicly declared that Mrs. Adeosun applied for exemption, has a duty to provide SERAP with details and documents containing the application for exemption and the exemption certificate itself, if it was granted.

Mandamus lies to secure the performance of a public duty in the performance which SERAP has a sufficient legal interest. SERAP has shown that it has demanded the performance of the duty by the NYSC in this case, and that performance has been refused by the Director-General of the NYSC obliged to discharge it.

The right of access to information should be subject to a narrow, carefully tailored system of exceptions. Exceptions should apply only where there is a risk of substantial harm to the protected interest and where that harm is greater than the overriding public interest in having access to the information.

SERAP requested the NYSC to provide the information within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of the letter. But since the receipt of the letter by the NYSC and up till the filing of this suit, the NYSC has failed, refused and/or neglected to respond to or grant SERAPs request.

This matter is of utmost national importance and public interest, because it borders on allegations of circumvention of the law, brought against a high public officer of Nigeria, who has sworn on oath to uphold the laws of the nation; including the NYSC Act. The grant of this application will help reveal the truth about the authenticity of the Exemption Certificate granted to Mrs Adeosun.

By the combined provisions of Sections 1; 2; 3(4); 4; 7(1)&(5); 9; 14(2)(b)&3; 19(2); and 20 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, the right of access to information is guaranteed and there is a statutory obligation on the NYSC being a public institution, to proactively keep, organize and maintain all information or records about their operations, personnel, activities and other relevant or related information or records in a manner that facilitates public access to such information or record.

The NYSC has no reason whatsoever not to comply with the demands by SERAP. There is compelling public interest in the disclosure of the information sought by SERAP, which concerns whether a high-ranking Minister had circumvented or disobeyed the law. The public interest in this case outweighs any private interest that the NYSC may be protecting. By the provision of Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act, SERAP is entitled to apply to this Court for a review of the action of the NYSC.

Unless the reliefs sought by SERAP are granted, the NYSC will not provide SERAP with the documents and information requested and will continue to be in breach of the Freedom of Information Act.

SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on the Exemption allegedly applied for by Mrs Adeosun.

The suit is seeking the following reliefs:

A declaration that the failure of the respondents to provide the applicant with specific documents and information on Mrs Kemi Adeosuns application to it for NYSC Exemption is unlawful and amounts to a breach of the Respondents responsibility/obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

An order of mandamus directing and/or compelling the respondents to urgently provide the applicant with specific documents and information on Mrs Kemi Adeosuns application to it for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Exemption and to publish widely including on a dedicated and on the NYSC website, any such information.

A declaration that the failure of the respondents to provide the applicant with specific documents and information on the following:

i. the procedure under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to apply for NYSC Exemption;

ii. ii. whether an authorised official of the NYSC actually issued an Exemption Certificate to Mrs. Kemi Adeosun;

iii. if NYSC did issue the NYSC Exemption Certificate, the circumstances and the provisions of the NYSC Act under which the Exemption Certificate was granted; and to publish widely including on a dedicated website and on the NYSC website, any such information, is unlawful and amounts to a breach of the Respondents obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

An order of mandamus directing and/or compelling the respondents to urgently provide the applicant with specific documents and information on the following:

i. the procedure under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to apply for NYSC Exemption;

ii. whether an authorised official of the NYSC actually issued an Exemption Certificate to Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; if NYSC did issue the NYSC Exemption Certificate, the circumstances and the provisions of the NYSC Act under which the Exemption Certificate was granted; and to publish widely including on a dedicated website and on the NYSC website, any such information.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.The Presidency has described reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his ongoing 10-day vacation in London as fake.

The official twitter handle of the presidency @NGRPresident, late Tuesday night, dismissed the report, saying it is an old story which was first circulated during the presidents vacation in Feb. 2017.

The presidency enjoined Nigerians to ignore the fake news, saying Mr Buhari had not extended his vacation.

It stated: This story from Feb. 2017 is currently being mischievously circulated on social media platforms, to create the impression that its related to the presidents current vacation.

Kindly take note of the date, 2017. The President has not extended his ongoing 10-working-day vacation.

The news alert, on social media, read: Breaking: Buhari extends vacation, writes National Assembly.

Mr Buhari began his latest holiday on August 3.

That means the president should complete his vacation on Friday, August 17. Under public service rules, only official work days are counted for holidays.

In his absence, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has acted as president.

Mr Osinbajo received praise for two key decisions during Mr Buharis absence.

Last week, he fired the director general of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura, for ordering a siege on the National Assembly.

Then, on Tuesday, he ordered the immediate  overhaul of the notorious police anti-robbery unit, SARS.

The decisions, which Mr Buhari did not take despite public demands, have led some Nigerians to jokingly urge he extends his vacation in London.

(NAN)International rights group, Amnesty International, has demanded the immediate release of PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained by police on Tuesday.

Mr Ogundipe was arrested and held by the police anti-robbery squad for refusing to disclose the source of a story published on PREMIUM TIMES.

The story contained a report by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to the acting President Yemi Osinbajo on the siege on the National Assembly by the State Security Service.

Mr Ogundipe has been held by for about 24 hours without trial.

The Nigerian police must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Samuel Ogundipe, who has been in unlawful police detention since yesterday, the Amnesty said in its statement. 

Reports that police detained Samuel Ogundipe with the intention of forcing him to reveal his sources are extremely disturbing and illustrate the level of harassment and intimidation that Nigerian journalists face. The duty of journalists is not to please the authorities  it is to share information in the interest of the public, and forcing journalists to reveal their sources is illegal, it added.

The group described the situation as a furtherance of governments clampdown on PREMIUM TIMES and warned the police to focus on maintaining law and order in line with their constitutional responsibility.

In a similar development, the Media Rights Agenda demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Ogundipe, describing his arrest as an abuse of the constitution.

The statement signed by the associations programme director, Ayode Longe, warned the government to desist from intimidation of the press in the months ahead of the 2019 general election.

We are dismayed by this increasing resort by the Buhari Administration to tactics of intimidation and harassment of media practitioners in breach of the provisions of the Constitution and other laws. We are seriously concerned that such acts appear to be on the upswing as the 2019 elections draw nearer and urge the Government to retrace its steps in order not to permanently damage public confidence in democratic governance.

Mr. Ogundipe was reportedly invited by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police to its headquarters in Abuja on August 14, 2018 and arrested when he honoured the invitation. He was then transferred to the IGP Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters, where he is currently being detained. The Police are reported to have frozen the reporters personal bank account without any warrant from any court, just like his arrest and detention.

If you have any actionable case against Mr. Ogundipe or any other journalist, you should follow the due process of the Law; you should go to court and obtain a warrant if you have any evidence of criminal conduct by the journalist that necessitates his arrest and detention and the freezing of his bank account, rather than arresting and clamping him into detention in a manner reminiscent of the dictatorial practices that characterized the first coming of President Muhammadu Buhari as a military Head of State.

Democratic governance presupposes respect for the rule of law, Mr. Longe stressed: it is disheartening that the Police went outside their mandate to freeze Mr. Ogundipes bank account in order to financially suffocate him and force information from him, contrary to the laws of the land. We find this action to be unjustifiable and unbecoming of any democratic institution.

In its reaction, the Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF), conveners of the inter-sectoral campaign against corruption in Nigeria  CORRUPTION NOT IN MY COUNTRY  said they are alarmed and outraged over the arrest and detention of Mr. Samuel Ogundipe on the orders of the Nigeria Police.

This rising attack is not just appalling, it signals a disturbing and gory descent back into the abyss of the better forgotten and horrifying days of Decree 4, where the muzzling of press freedom characterised the regime of former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari.

It is a sad irony indeed that the same General Buhari, a beneficiary of freedom of expression under democracy through which he became a civilian president has returned to running a repressive government through a security apparatus that is becoming increasingly rascally, the group said in a statement by its Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi.

It said the detention of Mr Ogundipe is regrettable, reckless, unlawful and makes a huge mockery of a government that has just announced a planned policy reform of the same police institution.

It is equally laughable that a supposed law enforcement institution which is expected to be informed and versed in the doctrinal tenets of the media profession regarding confidentiality is demanding and pressurizing Samuel Ogundipe, a reporter to divulge the source of information over a story published by the newspaper, and several newspapers on a correspondence between the Inspector General of Police and the Vice President. We expected the police to know better, pick a learning from Samuels bold exposure and therefore, fine tune its internal processes for better outputs in subsequent outings.

May we nudge the ears of this government that the continued detention of Samuel Ogundipe and other uncompromising pen-pushers indicate that the planned reform of SARS is sheer political campaign gimmick to hoodwink the Nigerian electorates into returning this government to power in 2019.

Also, one of Nigerias political parties, Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) condemned Mr Ogundipes detention.

The harassment, arrest and illegal detention of Premium Times journalists and editors by men of the Nigerian police over a story they did concerning the invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS constitutes an assault on free press and stands condemned in the eyes of all Nigerians who cherish the ideals of liberty, the party said in a statement by its interim national chairman, Abiodun Bamigboye, and its National Secretary, Chinedu Bosah.

The party also condemned the arrest and detention of a journalist and Publisher of Weekly Source Magazine, Jones Abiri, for over two years in clear violation of his democratic rights.

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) hereby joins Nigerians to condemn the assault and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Premium Times journalist, Samuel Ogundipe and the Publisher of Weekly Source Magazine, Jones Abiri, the party said.

The opposition party then made five demands in its statement. It called for an Immediate and unconditional release of Samuel Ogundipe and Jones Abiri, public apology to Premium Times and appropriate compensation to Samuel Ogundipe, Jones Abiri, Musikilu Mojeed and Azeezat Adedigba for their illegal arrest, harassment and detention, recognition of the right of the media and media practitioners to perform their duties without intimidation and harassment, disbandment of SARS and a reform of the police to efficiently fight crimes and prevent violations of democratic rights, improvement in the pay and working conditions of rank and file police men and women as well as recognition of their rights to join a union.

In its reaction, the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, demanded Mr Ogundipes immediate release.

We are also adding our voice to the immediate release of detained @PremiumTimesng Reporter, Samuel Ogundipe by the @PoliceNG now. Its not a crime to be active in ones line of duties, the journalism training institute wrote on its Twitter page.The Nigeria Police are yet to take definite action three months after PREMIUM TIMES reported how two of their officers were caught on camera extorting motorists along Ijebu Ode-Ibadan Road in Ogun State.

The two officers, whose badge identified them as Oyewole Afolabi and Eniola Olaiya, were caught by PREMIUM TIMES collecting bribe from a bus driver who was conveying passengers to Ibadan from Ajah, Lagos State, on May 13.

The officers were arbitrarily imposing demands on motorists whose vehicle licence or insurance papers were outdated or missing. Where all vehicle and driving credentials were intact, they found other ways of harassing and extorting road users.

When PREMIUM TIMES forwarded multimedia evidence of the officers misconduct to Abayomi Shogunle, head of police complaints unit in Abuja, he promised to examine the images and issued a tracking number (PCRRU915475).

However, three months after the complaint was made and a tracking number issued, the police are yet to take any definite action.

When the reporter contacted the complaint unit on May 17, an officer who spoke with our correspondent said it was under investigation.

This very incident is still under investigation. We are still investigating it. You can call us tomorrow. Thank you.

On May 23, when the reporter called the complaint unit again to track the case, he was informed by the officer who answered the call that the unit engineer was working on the system and promised to get back. He failed to do so.

He said: Our engineer is working on our system and thats why we delayed you. We are going to call you back. We are going to get back to you soon.

When contacted again on June 11, he was informed that the last efforts made on the complaint were carried out on May 19.

Our detective unit has been informed to look into the matter but I did not see their comment to know if they have looked into the matter or not, an officer said. The last comment on the system was on the 19th of May. I will advise that you call for further update so that I will contact our detectives.

On August 2, the reporter was informed that the case had been transferred to IGP X-Squad.

The case has been been transferred to IGP X-SQUAD. You need to go IGP X-Squad for update. We dont have any update anymore.

When the IGP X-SQUAD was contacted, our reporter was asked to send a text message which he did that same day.

However, when the IGP X-SQUAD was contacted again earlier on Wednesday to know the update on the matter, a text message was requested for again.

Yes, actually signal was sent to our office at headquarters to do something about it. But send text message again.

Meanwhile, all efforts to get the head of police complaint unit in Abuja, Mr Shogunle, were unsuccessful as he refused to answer several calls made to him. He also did not respond to a text message.The traditional Quranic school system in northern Nigeria needs reforms and integration to allow for those who pass through it to fit into modern society, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, has said.

Mr Ribadu, who spoke Wednesday at an event to unveil Premium Times Books, an arm of PREMIUM TIMES, described the system as a useful one that is fast losing relevance.

The books presented at the event were Sect and Social Disorder and Creed and Grievance edited by Abdul Raufu Mustapha, and Quranic Schools in Northern Nigeria, written by Hannah Hoechner.

He said some of the practices and experiences the almajiri schools pupils go through border on human rights abuse.

Mr Ribadu said children from the almajiri schools easily fall victims in the event of violent conflicts, citing such conflicts in Kaduna, Zangon Kataf, among others.

I worked on many of those crises and conflicts as a member of the investigation team and tribunal, I was in Zango Kataf, I was in Tafawa Balewa, I was in Kaduna religious crisis, he said.

During the Kaduna religious disturbance of 2000, we visited where they buried the victims along Birnin Gwari road, they opened the graves for us, what I saw is still haunting me. There were bodies, all of them young boys boys over 100 buried in mass graves and no identity, not a single one of them had a name and they were all buried, I got interested in this.

I said let me see and get it touch with those who are responsible for it. They were victims of the crisis that took place in Kaduna because of the Sharia riots. They said they did not have their identity or Mallam responsible for them? They said no. Did anyone come to complain that they have lost a child? he said.

In his remarks, the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Mathew Kukah, called for tolerance of differences, lamenting that brushing critical issues aside was not the panacea to resolving conflicts in society.

He said northern Nigerians should work towards coming to terms with issues around ethno-religious differences between them, which will help in ending violent conflicts.

The bishop also attributed the recurring conflicts to inability of persons in authority to resolve the burning issues for lasting peace.The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has airlifted 34,978 pilgrims in 90 flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this years Hajj exercise.

This was revealed Wednesday by the commissions Command Control Unit.

The unit records and disseminates each airlift from various international Airports in Nigeria.

The airlift of pilgrims, which is being carried out by two local airlines, Max and Medview, and a Saudi Arabian owned Flynas Air, is expected to end this Friday.

Apart from the pilgrims being airlifted from the 36 states, Abuja and the Armed Forces, about 20,000 pilgrims travelling through various private tour operators are also being airlifted by various international airlines.

The Hajj 2018 proper is expected to commence on Sunday with the movement of the nearly two million pilgrims from their various accommodations in Makkah to the tent city of Muna.

The pilgrims are also expected to proceed to the plains of Arafat on Monday where they will spend the whole day in supplication and prayers.

From Arafat, pilgrims are conveyed in buses to Muzdalifa, an open space between Arafat and Muna where they will spend the night.

The two million pilgrims are then expected to proceed to Jamarat, for the first symbolic stoning of the devil ritual.

However, NAHCONs logistics chief, Aliyu Tanko, said the stoning ritual will be done based on turn by turn arrangements.

Mr Tanko who undertook a tour of Muna and inspected the facilities put in place for Nigerian Pilgrims told reporters that all pilgrims are expected to return to their tents from Muzdalifa and await their turn after which specific guides will lead them along specified routes to the Jamarat.

A stampede in Muna in 2015 led to the death of several pilgrims, some from Nigeria. Since the incident, Saudi Arabian authorities adopted the turn by turn arrangement in order to forestall a repeat of the unfortunate incident.Last week, members of the Borno State Livestock Traders Association and the National Association of Butchers (NASB) threatened to shut down sales of livestock in the state in protest against the ban on their business by the Nigerian military.

About five months ago, after the formation of Operation Last Hold, another fighting component of the ongoing counterinsurgency operation in northeast Nigeria, the theatre command in Maiduguri ordered the ban on importation and sales of livestock in Maiduguri Cattle Market.

The reason given was that most cows and sheep sold at the market belonged to Boko Haram fighters.

The military said Boko Haram usually used local vendors to flock in stolen cows for sale in markets around Borno and Yobe states in exchange for cash or food items that are usually taken back to them in their hideouts.

Only cows sourced within the communities around Maiduguri are allowed for sale at the Maiduguri cattle market, which is one of the largest in the country.

The military also directed even the locally sourced cows can only be sold with its permission.

To ensure the ban does not have too much negative consequences, the Borno state government set up a committee for the cattle market to also ensure no stolen or Boko Haram rustled cows are sold.

Part of the committees job is to ensure that any cow brought into the market is held for at least three days before it is put up for sale. This process, the committee said, will enable the market confirm the cows were not stolen.

For five months running we have not seen a single cow or sheep that has been stolen or brought in on behalf of Boko Haram, despite the claims of the military, said Sayina Buba, who heads the government committee on Maiduguri cattle markets.

The ban on importation has crippled the business of animal husbandry, butchery and sales of beef in Borno State. The local traders said they have been forced out of business as many of them, especially those who benefit from the value chain effects of the livestock sales, find it difficult to make ends meet.

The traders have become more worried when they noticed that other cattle markets in Kukareta, Gaidam and Potiskum all in Yobe State, which had been issued similar ban, are now allowed to import cows even from outside Nigeria.

Currently, according to Mr. Buba, there are thousands of cows in Chad and Niger denied entry into the Maiduguri market by the military.

It was for that reason that the livestock traders moved to embark on a peaceful protest by shutting down the markets until the military lifts the ban on importation of cows and other livestock into the market.

Muhammad Klia, the chairman of the Borno Livestock Traders Association, said, the decision of the army to ban transporters from bringing in cows into Borno State is unfair, and not well thought out because one does not cut off his or her leg because one of the toes has become jaundiced.

It is an unfair decision because this is what our livelihoods depend on and now there is rising demands of animals in the state, he added.

They said there are people coming into the market with cows stolen by Boko Haram and we stood with the government committee to ensure every cow is screened before sales. And for over five months now, no single cow that was marked stolen was sold here.

We have our Civilian JTF, Police, Vigilante and even the military and other security operatives attached to provide civic protection in the market. If there is any form of nefarious activities as acclaimed by the military, they will be the first to know, he said

So we decided to embark on protest by closing down the market last week, but the government intervened and calmed us down. But we may have to go on with the protest in due course especially now that the Sallah period is around the corner and there is no animal to be sold.

Idris Muhammad, one of the members of the aggrieved group and an international livestock trader, told journalists that his business has since been liquidated due to the inability to transport his cattle and rams from Chad to Borno State.

Mr. Muhammed explained that the period of Eid el-Kabir (Sallah) they transport more than 200, 000 cattle and sheep. But with the ban, most of them are left in debts as they could not import after ordering for rams ahead the festive seasons.

Shakarama Ali, who bears the title Sarkin Kasuwa (Chief of Cattle Market), urged the state government and the military to consider the plight of ordinary law abiding people, stressing that a blanket treatment such as ban on importation and sales of cows from outside the borders only paints everyone as Boko Haram members

I am appealing to them to reconsider their decision for the benefit of all citizens, he said.

The other side of the ban is that, it even gives the Boko Haram chance to take the supposed stolen cows to other states where they could be sold; rather than bringing it here where we have a committee that scrutinizes cows for three days before allowing them to be put up for sales.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Sayina Buba, who chairs the government market committee, said the military must understand that the means of livelihood of traders in livestock industry is being threatened.

What is key here is that thousands of livestock dealers, as well as their value chain employees in Borno State are out of Job.

The military told us that they are suspecting that some cows are being rustled by Boko Haram. But we told them that whoever comes with a cattle in this market it has to spend three days until it satisfied all investigation before being issued a clearance letter by the committee.

The chairman insisted that the claims of the military about Boko Haram sending in stolen cows are not verifiable.

The so-called ban on cows to prevent Boko Haram was supposed to checkmate all forms of nefarious activities in the cattle market, he said.

But the military must not punish the people because of baseless and perceived rumors. They should justify their claims by fishing out those involved in cow rustling, said Mr. Buba.

We in Borno State that used to pride ourselves as having the largest markets with the best stocks, are now going to get our cattle from Konduga, Jere and the metropolis. Most cattle you see in this market were those from the neighboring villages not more than 15 kilometers away.

The Chadian marketers told those that they had over 160,000 cows in the Gamboru-Ngala border for the Sallah but due to the ban, they could not bring their animals to the state, he said.

He lamented that the prices of animals in the state has since tripled due to the inability of traders to bring in their animals into the state.

He pleaded with the military to reconsider the ban on importation of livestock, just like they have apparently done to sister markets in Yobe state, because of the El-Kabir, where animals would be on high demands in the state.

Reacting to the issue, Onyema Nwachukwu, a Deputy Director Army Public Relations (DDAPR), denied the claims that the militarys action was deliberately stifling businesses in the state.

What we did was to shut down some illegal cattle markets where Boko Haram were selling rustled livestock, because funds made from the sales of these cattle were going back to empower Boko Haram, said Mr. Onyema, a colonel of the Nigerian Army.

These illegal markets were shut down, not because we want to stop anybody from doing business, rather we are the ones promoting socio-economic development in the country.

If anybody is telling you that we are shutting down their businesses that person is wrong. It should be the other way round, it is because we are here that they are able to do business, he said.

Regardless, the excuses given by the military justifying the ban on livestock importation, people like Baabba Abdullahi, whose entire livelihood lies on helping to load and offload livestock from trucks at the Maiduguri Cattle Market, said they were out of business and the effect is telling negatively on their families.

For the past eight years, my work here in this market is to help offload and load cows and sheep in trucks, and I am paid daily for that service, he said.

In the past, I used to earn between N4, 000 and N3, 500 every day and from that I make savings for my childrens education and we feed ourselves with the rest. But today I consider it a lucky day if I go home with N300 because there are no animals to offload.

On whether he would be able to slaughter animal during the coming Sallah celebration, the 36-year-old labourer said I dare not dream about slaughtering even a goat this year, because I can barely feed my family.The Osun government says it will provide free train ride for its indigenes from Lagos to Osogbo during the Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Ismaila Jaiyeoba-Alagbada, the Commissioner for Industries, Commerce and Cooperatives, made this known in a statement in Osogbo on Wednesday.

According to him, the train first trip is expected to leave the Iddo Terminus of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Lagos, on August 19 for Osogbo.

Mr Jayeoba-Alagbada further explained that the second trip would leave Lagos for Osogbo on August 20

The commissioner said the train would leave Osogbo for Lagos after the celebration on August 26.

Mr Jayeoba-Alagbada said the free train service was in continuation of the good gesture of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola-led administration since 2011.

The Aregbesola administration had been doing this in the last eight years to facilitate easy movement during festivities.

We, therefore, urge the people to make the best use of the opportunities the free train offers to come home and enjoy the celebration with relations.

It is also another opportunity for the citizens of Osun, who are resident outside the state, to come home to appreciate the massive transformation that has taken place in the state, Mr Jayeoba-Alagbada said.

(NAN)A landlord, Taoreed Adegbite who resides in Oko-Odo in Somoye Rounder axis of Abeokuta has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly leading a gang of six armed robbers to rob his co-landlord, Wale Okeyingbo.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi while parading the robbery ring leader alongside one of his colleagues, Taiwo Raheem at the headquarters of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, in Abeokuta, said the gang committed the crime at about 3 am on Wednesday.

He said Mr Adegbite organised the robbery operation and led others to the house of his neighbour, which is about three poles to his own residence, and at gunpoint stole the victims car.

Mr Oyeyemi said following a distress call by residents of the community, the Lafenwa Divisional Police raced to the scene, and the robbers on sighting the police fled with the stolen vehicle, but the police gave the gang a chase.

The spokesman added further that, the police engaged the fleeing robbers in a gun battle at Oke-Ata area of the town, and gunned down two of them. He did not explain the whereabouts of the remaining two gang members.

He however said in the course of investigation, it was discovered that, the leader of the robbery gang was a landlord in the community, adding that the suspects had confessed to the crime

This is uncommon story, a landlord who is a neigbour of the victim, who is also a landlord in the community was discovered to have led the robbery gang to the house of the victim, and robbed his house and took away his car at gun point, Mr Oyeyemi said.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists, the victim, Mr Okeyingbo said he could not believe his eyes and ears when he learnt that his co-landlord was behind the robbery operations.

He said, after he saw the robbers scaling his fence, he asked them what they wanted and when they requested for his car keys, he handed them over through the window.

The victim recalled that the bandits also came with keg of petrol which they poured in the car tank and then drove it off.

The suspected gang leader and his partner while speaking with journalists also confessed to the crime.

Meanwhile, in a related developmemt, a 23-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly stealing his cousins car in Ondo State. The car was later recovered in Ogun State.No fewer that 108 police officers have been disciplined by the Lagos State Police Command between January and July.

The states commissioner of police, Edgal Imohimi, stated this on Wednesday in Ikeja at the launch of a forum to improve accountability of the police in the state.

According to Mr Imohimi, the sanctioned officers included eight dismissed for various criminal offences, six demoted, and 54 officers who faced serious disciplinary actions.

Three other officers were remanded, four were given extra fatigues and 28 were given warnings.

Mr Imohimi, however, said five officers accused of various infractions were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence

The gathering, Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability was the brainchild of Network for Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) and had representatives from government agencies, community-based and non-governmental organisations present.

It was organised to create public enlightenment on police complaints systems and on citizens human rights and responsibilities in their relations with the police.

Okechukwu Nwanguma, the National Coordinator of NOPRIN, said the aim of the meeting was to provide a platform for regular engagement and interaction with the police.

The platform is to stand as a liaison between the police and the communities, and this is with a view to deepening partnership between the police and the communities they serve to improve public safety and security, he added.

He said the meeting would further promote accountability among police officers.

Not only will erring officers be punished, the good ones will also receive incentives and reward for exceptional good conduct, Mr Nwanguma said.

Commenting on measures taken by his command to improve accountability among police officers, the police chief said accountability is important for building trust between the police and citizens.

Lagos State Commissioner of police, Edgal Imohimi Commissioner of police, Edgal Imohimi

He said because the number of personnel available to the police is insufficient to provide adequate security, the police need the help of the community for a more effective policing.

The entire police strength in Lagos which is 28,000 including specialists is not sufficient for the over 23 million population in Lagos State, which is why the Lagos State Police ensure partnership and the participation of people in the community. Also, to win back the trust and confidence of Lagosians, the police take accountability serious as erring officers are disciplined, he said.

He said due to some of the measures he has put in place since his appointment as the state police chief, members of the public were beginning to trust the police again.

A representative of National Human Right Commission (NHRC), Nneka Anigbo, said the meeting was commendable and enjoys the support of the agency.

She said accountability among police officers and the respect for the rights of the citizens are at the core of the aim of the NHRC.The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried what it called the frequent delays in the delivery of the state light rail project.

The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Taofik Gani, expressed the concern in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.

The PDP was reacting to a statement by the state government that the first phase of the project (Blue Line), which commenced in 2008, could only be delivered in 2022.

The state government had initially promised 2011 and then 2018 as delivery dates for the 27km light rail project running between Marina, Mile 2 and Okokomaiko.

Kolawole Ojelabi, Director of the Lagos Area Metropolitan Authority (LAMATA) had on Sunday said the shift in date followed a comprehensive review of all the aspects of the project by the state government.

He explained that the foreign consultants engaged to do the technical and due diligence on the project said detailed work would not finish on it before 2022.

The PDP, however, said the project had almost become a drain pipe consuming the states resources endlessly.

According to Mr Gani, the amount of money spent did not reflect the level of work done so far on the project.

Mr Gani said it was surprising that Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past governor of the state, now the Minister of Works, could not support the projects delivery.

This project was estimated to end within two years, now it is to end in 2022, that is 12 years after due delivery date.

All monies purportedly spent on the project did not reflect in the work done.

So many property owners in the axis are still crying for compensation even as government claim total payment of compensation. It is a lie.

We demand a probe of this project and indeed many other projects suffering the same fate as the rail project, he said.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.



DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) is gratified and truly honored to receive the United Nations- ECOSOC Consultative Status approved in its session held on July 24, 2018. This recognition is important to the work of AHRC. The Consultative Status will enable AHRC to actively engage with the ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies. This honor will advance the mission on human rights within the nonprofit 501(C)(3) status of AHRC.

The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations. The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic, social, and related work of 15 UN specialized agencies, their functional commissions and five regional commissions. ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the United Nations system.

The United Nations ECOSOC consultative status granted to the American Human Rights Council (AHRC) will enable AHRC to attend international conferences and events, submit written and oral testimony at the UN, organize side events at UN gatherings, and allow access to all UN sites in the world.

"Congratulations to our friends at AHRC. This ECOSOC status at the UN seeks to promote and protect human rights within the UN framework by allowing AHRC to advocate local, nationally, and internationally," said Dr. Kay McGowan.

"AHRC extends its sincere appreciation to the team members who worked diligently through this process, especially to attorney London Bell for her leading efforts during her service with AHRC," said Dr. Ihsan Alkhatib, associate professor of political science at Murray State University and AHRC advisory board member.

"The mission of the AHRC is human rights; we take all steps needed to advance our mission and our getting the United Nations NGO ECOSOC consultative status will help us greatly in making a difference on a global stage," said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. "As we promised our friends and supporters, although we are a Michigan-based organization, our aim is national and international," added Hamad. "This UN-affiliated status is a point of pride for us and we thank our friends, supporters and donors that have enabled us to further our mission and we promise them to continue to make them proud of AHRC and its work," concluded Hamad.

Media Contact:

Imad Hamad

[email protected]

313-790-8453

www.ahrcusa.org

SOURCE American Human Rights Council

Related Links

http://www.ahrcusa.org

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AVIO Consulting, a technology consulting company, offers application programming interface (API) consulting, utilizing MuleSoft and Oracle technologies.

APIs are a software intermediary that allows multiple applications to talk to each other. AVIO provides clients the resources to create an application programming interface strategy and consults on how APIs can better promote business objectives.

AVIO also provides API security expertise so that information is secure and well managed. Utilizing API gateways, AVIO manages APIs so that a company's information is protected end-to-end, ensuring sensitive data is secured.

When consulting clients, AVIO provides council on the appropriate amount of resources required to create a meaningful API. AVIO works with clients to build out only what is needed and to achieve the immediate business objectives while also enabling reuse to ensure long term value.

AVIO's goal is to empower clients to become more responsive to changing markets through strategy, implementation, and managed service offerings. While securing a company's data and information, clients and approved outside users, are able to easily access their information, reliably. AVIO implements digital strategies specific to each client scenario designed to meet a variety of business objectives, and to improve performance.

Additionally, AVIO's strategy takes advantage of its extensive knowledge to optimize a company's performance and bottom line. AVIO's process background, which focuses on big-picture business objectives, provides a well-rounded engagement, more than simply integrating tasks.

About AVIO Consulting

Since 2007, AVIO Consulting has focused on enabling clients to transform their business. AVIO's singular focus on digital transformation has enabled AVIO to build an unmatched level of expertise. AVIO's client-first approach and deep technical knowledge have resulted in AVIO being recognized as one of the most respected names in digital consulting. AVIO's reputation is built upon their legacy of assisting clients in defining a vision, delivering innovative projects, and enabling business growth. AVIO's projects have spanned the globe as a result of their reputation for delivering success. Visit www.avioconsulting.com for more information.

Media Contact

Kelly Hardwick

TruePoint Communications

[email protected]

972-388-5526

SOURCE AVIO Consulting

Related Links

http://www.avioconsulting.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Axoni, a leading provider of enterprise blockchain technology, announced today the completion of a $32 million Series B financing round led by Goldman Sachs and Nyca Partners, bringing Axoni's total funding to date above $55 million. The financing round also included participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Citi, Coatue Management, Digital Currency Group, F-Prime Capital, Franklin Templeton Investments, J.P. Morgan, NEX Group, Wells Fargo, and Y Combinator.

Since its founding in 2013, Axoni has established itself as a leader in blockchain technology through successful partnerships with top investment banks, asset managers, and market infrastructure companies. Axoni's AxCore technology has been deployed across a variety of markets ranging from complex derivatives to high-volume foreign exchange. Notably, it has earned the role as the industry's choice to re-platform the system underpinning the legal records, lifecycle events, and cash flow calculations for the $11 trillion credit derivatives market.

Axoni will use the latest round of financing to enhance its data synchronization technology, expand its suite of infrastructure products to support mission-critical deployments of AxCore, and broaden the network of enterprises leveraging distributed ledgers. It will also advance development of AxLang, the world's first Ethereum-compatible smart contracting language to enable formal verification.

"Our strategic partners have been critical to our success so far; we are delighted to strengthen and expand those relationships with this financing as we continue to deploy Axoni's technology," said Greg Schvey, CEO of Axoni.

"Axoni has established itself as a market leader in enterprise blockchain, delivering solutions that can be used at scale across financial markets. We are pleased to work with them as they execute their strategy," said Ashwin Gupta, Managing Director of Goldman Sachs.

"We believe Axoni has clearly become the leading enterprise blockchain company, and has executed in an impressive way on each of its major projects, all with top tier partners," said Hans Morris, Managing Partner of Nyca Partners.

"We are pleased to be part of Axoni's journey since co-leading their Series A financing back in December 2016, and we are excited to see their progress made to date," said C. Thomas Richardson, head of Market Structure and Electronic Trading Services at Wells Fargo Securities. "The adoption of distributed ledger protocols in capital markets resembles the early days of adopting TCP/IP for distributed enterprise applications. We continue to be impressed with Axoni's ability to facilitate such adoption by identifying use cases that could benefit from blockchain technology."

"We are excited to see how far Axoni have come since we first began working with them in 2016. Through our ongoing collaboration, they have proven the ability of their technology to perform at the scale of the FX markets, and we look forward to further expanding our work with them  including with new asset classes  in the near future," said Andres Choussy, CEO, Traiana. NEX co-led Axoni's Series A in December 2016. The investment was made by NEX Group's fintech investment business, NEX Opportunities.

About Axoni

Axoni is a New York-based technology firm that specializes in distributed ledger infrastructure whose clients include many of the world's largest financial institutions and capital markets infrastructure companies. Founded in 2013 by a team of distributed ledger technology experts, the company offers blockchain infrastructure, distributed application development, and workflow automation tools.

SOURCE Axoni

Related Links

https://axoni.com

Next generation Cloud collaboration technology will transform how construction firms collaborate, synchronize and share data with all their project partners

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - CMiC, recognized innovator of the most complete ERP and field operations software for construction, announced the release of Collaborate, the first true Cloud platform that enables seamless sharing of project documents, communications and cost information between general contractors, their partners and their network of subcontractors.

Collaborate is a breakthrough service that will change how industry players currently work together to deliver projects that involve a variety of partnering firms. The Collaborate platform includes two distinct Cloud services: Project Gateway and Project Management Exchange (PM Exchange).

Project Gateway aggregates projects led by general contractors and makes them accessible to all stakeholders. Through the Project Gateway portal, collaborators may view all active projects on a dashboard with a single point of accesseffectively eliminating the need for multiple re-authentications between project navigations. Unlike the traditional username/password model, Collaborate's email driven authentication process alleviates the burden on project owners to manage and maintain each individual collaborator.

PM Exchange enables the flawless exchange of project administration objects across systems and construction firm venture partners. This is accomplished by mapping the flow of data associated with those objects, such as RFIs and submittals, bi-directionally between systems. The current state of construction data exchanges is based on PDF documents getting shuttled back and forth via email. PM Exchange enables people to work in the system of their choice, with real-time data synchronization to other systems, as required.

Oliver Ritchie, vice president of technology and innovation at CMiC, describes the power of Collaborate's design: "CMiC Project Gateway is the only place you need to go for all of your project information. Driven by a single login, we simplified the sheer volume of data being exchanged so everyone is collaborating on the same, single live data set, accelerating communications to make decisions more efficient, relevant and timely. Project collaborators only have to remember one thingCMiC Project Gatewaythe access point to all the project data you need."

Ritchie continued, "Project Gateway provides seamless visibility of project information between GCs and their subcontractors. But construction firms also need a better way to move data back and forth across different systems and between project partnersthis is where PM Exchange comes in. A common language with dynamic translations for key values allows different systems to understand each other, essentially creating a CMiC 'translator.' PM Exchange is going to redefine how all players in the industry collaborate to deliver projects faster, with less risk and at lower costs."

About CMiC

CMiC is the leading provider of complete, unified and advanced enterprise and field solutions for construction and capital projects firms. CMiC's powerful software transforms how firms optimize productivity, minimize risk and drive growth by planning and managing all financials, projects, resources, and content assetsfrom a single database platform. For more information, please visit www.cmicglobal.com.

SOURCE Computer Methods International Corp. (CMiC)Expands Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Canopy Growth's Global Expansion Plans in Rapidly-Growing Medical and Recreational Cannabis Markets

VICTOR, NY and SMITHS FALLS, ON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) (NYSE: STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, and Canopy Growth Corporation (Canopy Growth) (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), a leading diversified cannabis company (together, the "Companies"), today announced a significant expansion of their strategic partnership to position Canopy Growth as the global leader in cannabis production, branding, intellectual property and retailing.

Constellation Brands will increase its ownership interest in Canopy Growth by acquiring 104.5 million shares directly from Canopy Growth, thereby achieving approximately 38 percent ownership when assuming exercise of the existing Constellation warrants. Constellation Brands is acquiring the new shares at a price of C$48.60 per share, which is a 37.9 percent premium to Canopy's 5-day volume weighted average price of the common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("VWAP"), and a 51.2 percent premium to the closing price on August 14, 2018. Constellation will also receive additional warrants of Canopy that, if exercised, would provide for at least an additional $4.5 billion CAD to Canopy Growth.

As a result of the new shares Constellation is acquiring, Canopy Growth will immediately upon closing have proceeds of approximately $5 billion CAD [$4 billion USD] to bolster its leadership position in the global cannabis industry. This investment, the largest to date in the cannabis space, will provide funds which Canopy Growth will deploy to strategically build and/or acquire key assets needed to establish global scale in the nearly 30 countries pursuing a federally permissible medical cannabis program, while also rapidly laying the global foundation needed for new recreational cannabis markets. Canopy Growth's Canadian platform does not require additional cannabis cultivation assets, and management views other jurisdictions, including the United States, as strategic priorities requiring significant capital.

"Through this investment, we are selecting Canopy Growth as our exclusive global cannabis partner," said Rob Sands, Chief Executive Officer, Constellation Brands. "Over the past year, we've come to better understand the cannabis market, the tremendous growth opportunity it presents, and Canopy's market-leading capabilities in this space. We look forward to supporting Canopy as they extend their recognized global leadership position in the medical and recreational cannabis space."

Canopy Growth will benefit from Constellation's deep understanding of consumer trends and shifting preferences, and proven ability to translate those insights into distinct brand positionings that build strong connections with consumers and foster brand loyalty. Constellation's disciplined approach and capabilities in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, finance, large-scale production, marketing and sales as a leading Fortune 500 company, combined with Canopy's entrepreneurial approach and best-in-class knowledge and expertise within the emerging cannabis sector create a powerful combination that will ensure Canopy Growth is set up for sustainable, long-term success as the company and sector evolve.

Founded in 2013, Canopy Growth has cemented itself as the industry leader in Canada's legal cannabis market. Through its subsidiaries Tweed and Spectrum Cannabis, Canopy Growth has established a global presence in 11 countries which is driven by product innovation, a robust intellectual property portfolio, and clinical research programs targeting both human and animal health. In Canada, Canopy Growth has established sophisticated operations to support recreational sales by raising capital and making the strategic investments required to maintain and accelerate its market leadership position at a critical time in the company's evolution. Substantial capital is required to fully capitalize on Canopy Growth's market-leading position in Canada and establish similar leading positions in markets around the globe.

"Our business can now make the strategic investments required to accelerate our market position globally," said Bruce Linton, Chairman and Co-CEO, Canopy Growth. "Constellation's concentration of global cannabis activities exclusively through Canopy, coupled with the investment and its expert capabilities in brand-building, marketing, consumer insights and M&A will be a huge benefit as we look to expand our portfolio in Canada, the United States and emerging cannabis markets around the globe. We view this investment in our business as an endorsement of our execution since forming our initial strategic relationship in October 2017."

As part of the proposed transaction, Constellation will nominate four directors to Canopy Growth's seven-member Board of Directors, Chaired by Founder Bruce Linton. Canopy Growth will remain a proudly Canadian publicly-traded company headquartered in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada and will continue to be led by its existing management team, who will continue to manage all international cannabis operations.

As part of its investment, Constellation is receiving 139.7 million new warrants which are exercisable over the next 3 years. Of those, 88.5 million are exercisable at a price per share of C$50.40, a 43.0 percent premium to Canopy's VWAP, and 51.3 million are exercisable at the VWAP at the time of exercise. If Constellation were to exercise all existing and new warrants, its ownership would exceed 50 percent.

Canopy Growth's future plans include pursuing various product formats in all cannabis channels. Both companies have no plans to sell cannabis products in any market unless it is permissible to do so at all applicable government levels. Canopy Growth remains committed to not entering the U.S. market in any manner that would contravene U.S. federal laws.

Constellation expects to account for its investment under the equity accounting method. As such, the transaction is expected to be accretive to the company's full year diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2021. In addition, Constellation Brands remains committed to its investment grade rating and therefore, has no plans to engage in mergers, acquisitions or share repurchase activity until the company returns to its 3.5x leverage target, which is expected to occur within 18-24 months of deal closing.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including Canopy shareholder approval and applicable Canadian government and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of October 2018. Goldman Sachs advised Constellation Brands and Bank of America Merrill Lynch is providing committed financing for this transaction. Greenhill & Co. Canada Ltd. acted as exclusive financial advisor to Canopy Growth. Kingsdale Advisors is acting as strategic shareholder communications advisor and proxy solicitation agent to Canopy Growth.

Canopy Growth shareholders should contact Kingsdale Advisors at 1-877-657-5857.

Or collect outside North America at 1-416-867-2272 or by email at [email protected].

Canopy Growth Chairman and Co-CEO Bruce Linton and Constellation Brands CEO Rob Sands will provide further commentary on this expanded partnership at the beginning of Canopy Growth's earnings call to be held today at 8am Eastern Time.

Webcast Information:

A live audio webcast will be available at:

https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1800764/F7B6A3CFF26AED5C28B555A658CF1105

Calling Information:

Toll Free Dial-In Number: 1-888-231-8191

International Dial-In Number (647) 427-7450

Conference ID: 4984819

Replay Information:

A replay of the call will be accessible by telephone until 11:59 PM ET on November 13, 2018.

Toll Free Dial-in Number: 1-855-859-2056

Replay Password: 4984819

About Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a Fortune 500 company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, Italy and Canada. Constellation is the No. 3 beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported brands such as Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra and Pacifico. The company's beer portfolio also includes Ballast Point, one of the most awarded craft brewers in the U.S., and Funky Buddha Brewery. In addition, Constellation is the world leader in premium wine, selling great brands that people love, including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Mark West, Black Box, Ruffino and The Prisoner. The company's premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey.

Based in Victor, N.Y., the company believes that industry leadership involves a commitment to brand building, our trade partners, the environment, our investors and to consumers around the world who choose our products when celebrating big moments or enjoying quiet ones. Founded in 1945, Constellation has grown to become a significant player in the beverage alcohol industry with more than 100 brands in its portfolio; about 40 wineries, breweries and distilleries; and approximately 10,000 talented employees. We express our company vision: to elevate life with every glass raised. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @cbrands and visit www.cbrands.com.

About Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) is a world-leading diversified cannabis company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and capsule forms. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Canopy Growth operates numerous state-of-the-art production facilities with over half a million square feet of GMP-certified indoor and greenhouse production capacity, all to an unparalleled level of quality assurance procedures and testing. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names in Canada and abroad, with interests and operations spanning four continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, providing consistent access to high quality cannabis products, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words "expect," "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements may relate to business strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management, as well as information concerning expected actions of third parties. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur or will occur on the timetable contemplated hereby. Examples of such statements include but are not limited to the timing and completion of the proposed transaction, shareholder approval, and applicable government and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction, anticipated use of proceeds, exercise by Constellation Brands of any warrants, expected accounting method, future expansion efforts, the leadership of Canopy Growth in the cannabis industry, the impact of the transaction on Canopy Growth's market position, the composition of Canopy Growth's management team, the location of Canopy Growth's headquarters, future operational and production capacity and requirements, the impact of any enhanced infrastructure and production capabilities, future success and anticipated available product selection. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and neither Constellation Brands nor Canopy Growth undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to risks and uncertainties associated with ordinary business operations, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including completion of the announced transaction; the accuracy of all projections; the exact elements of Constellation Brands' permanent financing will depend upon market conditions; Constellation's ability to achieve expected and target debt leverage ratios and the timeframe in which the debt leverage ratio will be achieved will depend upon actual financial performance; circumstances may warrant that Canopy Growth use the proceeds from the transaction for different purposes than stated above; the expected benefits of the transaction may not materialize in the manner or timeframe expected, or at all; and other factors and uncertainties disclosed from time-to-time in Constellation Brands, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2018 or in Canopy Growth's filings with the Canadian Securities Administration or with the United States Securities Exchange Commission, including its annual information form dated June 28, 2018, which could cause actual future performance to differ from current expectations.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation

Related Links

http://canopygrowth.com/

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Corporate Whistleblower Center, "We are urging a company owner or executive to call us anytime at 866-714-6466 if they can prove a Chinese owned company or a US owned company in collaboration with a Chinese company are cheating on US Anti-Dumping rules. The rewards for this type of information could be significant. Even better a US company gets to expose and humiliate a competitor as a cheater.

Chinese Flag

"We are also certain Chinese companies are shipping products to Canada and or Mexico where the compliant middleman companies in these countries stamp the product Made in Canada and or Made in Mexico and courtesy of NAFTA the bad guys drive the Chinese made product into the United States with no questions asked.

"If you are a business owner or executive in the US and you have information about Chinese violating US Anti-Dumping Rules please call us anytime at 866-714-6466. There may be significant rewards for this type of information and just as importantly you might be able shine the light on a competitor for their disgraceful actions." http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com

The Types of Chinese made Products Might be Subject to US Anti-Dumping Rules:

Furniture

Steel

Wood/Forest Products

Chemicals

Auto Parts

Tires

Building Products

Electrical Components

Plumbing Pipe/Tubes

Food Products

The Corporate Whistleblower Center is urging US business owners or executives to fight back if US companies are collaborating with Chinese manufacturers to flood the US with typically poorly made imitations or off label products. Why fund China's wealthy when by doing so it hurts US workers and the overall US economy? Why have US tariffs or Anti-Dumping Rules if these rules are not being enforced by anyone and business owners or executives say nothing? http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com

Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center: Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake. Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a reward. Do not try to force a company or individual to come to come clean about their involvement in a scheme to avoid hefty tariffs on products that are subject to US Anti-Dumping Laws or Regulations. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it's sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information.

"There is so much money in exposing companies ripping off the US government or cheating on imports, the enterprise could be a Fortune 500 Company." http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com

The Corporate Whistleblower Center is the premier advocate for whistleblowers in the United States. Unlike any group in the US, they can assist a potential whistleblower with packaging their information and they will provide the whistleblower with access to some of the most accomplished whistleblower attorneys in the nation. For more information, a potential whistleblower can contact the Corporate Whistleblower Center at 866-714-6466 or visit http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com

Media contact:

Thomas Martin

[email protected]

866-714-6466

SOURCE Corporate Whistleblower Center

Related Links

http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com

"As a leader in this industry that has been on the forefront of developing name brands, expanding across the United States and raising capital, I look forward to sharing my perspective with the audience," Charlie Bachtell said. "This is the premier gathering of entrepreneurs and investors in the cannabis industry today and I'm honored to be participating in this conference."

Cresco Labs is one of the fastest-growing companies in the cannabis industry today, making Bachtell a highly sought-after speaker at industry insider events. Most recently, Bachtell has been tapped to speak at the University of Chicago's Booth Entrepreneurial Roundtable and the Cannacord Annual Growth Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. He will be following up this successful series of capital events with the Benzinga Conference on the 16th of August in Toronto.

Bachtell will be participating in a panel discussion about the most potentially lucrative opportunities in cannabis that are outside the realm of the actual cannabis plant and cannabinoid production.

"Cresco Labs has a suite of branded products because we see an iconic brand with name recognition and national footprint as the upside in this business as commoditization takes place," Bachtell said. "Coca Cola doesn't argue when the price of sugar goes downwhen cannabis becomes just an ingredient, this industry will be like that."

Cresco Labs recently announced a multi-state expansion which will give them the largest geographic footprint of any US based cannabis company. Their brands (Cresco, Remedi, Reserve and Mindy's Edibles, an infused edible line with James Beard Award-Winning Chef Mindy Segal) provide a full suite of products including flower, edibles, vape pens/cartridges, and multiple forms of extracts catering to all consumers, from the novice to connoisseur and medically-minded to recreational user.

Cresco Labs is currently seeking additional investment to continue their aggressive expansion strategy. For more information, please visit www.crescolabs.com.

SOURCE Cresco Labs

Related Links

https://www.crescolabs.com

GREENVILLE, S.C., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Duke Energy Foundation recently awarded nearly $300,000 in grants to 11 South Carolina organizations that impact communities served by Duke Energy through nonprofit capacity-building efforts, expanding access to arts and culture, and other strategic community initiatives.

"Nonprofit organizations are often the first line of defense in communities across our state," said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, South Carolina state president for Duke Energy. "These organizations must have well-trained professionals leading those efforts. That is why we support capacity-building initiatives that strengthen the nonprofit community and help nonprofits fulfill their missions."

At Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., the Non-Profit Leadership Institute (NPLI) brings together nonprofit professionals from across the Pee Dee region to develop and enhance their skills over the course of several months. The Duke Energy Foundation is funding scholarships to attend NPLI and to create a workshop on grant writing.

"We're appreciative of Duke Energy's continued partnership with Francis Marion University and its support for our Non-Profit Leadership Institute," said Francis Marion University President Fred Carter. "The NPLI is one of our most successful regional outreach initiatives. Better educated nonprofit leaders make the Pee Dee a better place to live and work, and it wouldn't happen without the sponsorship of community partners such as Duke Energy."

Together SC supports and strengthens the state's nonprofit community. They are receiving funding that will allow 40 nonprofit leaders from across Duke Energy's service area to attend  many for the first time  the SC Nonprofit Summit, the only statewide gathering of more than 600 community-focused nonprofit leaders.

"When for-profit companies and nonprofits work together, our impact is amplified across the state," said Madeleine McGee, president of Together SC. "The significance of investing in the people who make good things happen isn't always appreciated. We wish more corporate funders followed Duke Energy's philosophy."

In addition to capacity-building grants, the Duke Energy Foundation also awarded funds to organizations that help enhance community vitality through programs and inititatives that impact communities in a number of ways, including through arts education, youth leadership programs and emergency response training.

Those grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Chapman Cultural Center : To provide arts education to all Spartanburg County schools, to include 25 Title 1 schools.

: To provide arts education to all schools, to include 25 Title 1 schools. Chester County Historical Society : To offer hands-on history education to 3 rd and 8 th grade students and translate that into creative works of art and literature.

: To offer hands-on history education to 3 and 8 grade students and translate that into creative works of art and literature. City of Sumter : To provide access to the arts through 10 productions as part of the Youth Education Scholarship (Y.E.S.) Program at the Sumter Opera House.

: To provide access to the arts through 10 productions as part of the Youth Education Scholarship (Y.E.S.) Program at the Opera House. Greenwood Community Theatre : To support community youth outreach through the arts and fund The Penguin Project for children with special needs.

: To support community youth outreach through the arts and fund The Penguin Project for children with special needs. Greenville Symphony : The Duke Energy EdReach Program introduces youngsters to simple music theory and the instruments and musicians that comprise a symphony orchestra.

: The Duke Energy EdReach Program introduces youngsters to simple music theory and the instruments and musicians that comprise a symphony orchestra. Peace Center for the Performing Arts : To provide access to the arts for nearly 26,000 students through the Peace Passport Field Trip Series.

: To provide access to the arts for nearly 26,000 students through the Peace Passport Field Trip Series. American Red Cross : To recruit and train volunteers across the state for many roles in disaster response efforts.

: To recruit and train volunteers across the state for many roles in disaster response efforts. Urban League of the Upstate: To support leadership development after-school programs for high school students in Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

The Foundation annually funds more than $33 million to communities throughout Duke Energy's seven-state service area. In 2017, the company donated more than $2 million to nonprofit organizations in South Carolina.

About Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of communities where its customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $33 million annually in charitable gifts.

The Foundation's education focus spans kindergarten to career  particularly science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)  as well as early childhood literacy and workforce development. The Foundation also supports environmental projects and community impact initiatives, including arts and culture.

Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their communities as volunteers and leaders with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on its legacy of community service. For more information, visit duke-energy.com/foundation.

The Duke Energy Foundation is part of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK).

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts. The company is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing its energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding its natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves.

A Fortune 125 company, Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2018 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2018 "America's Best Employers" list.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Ryan Mosier

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) is proud to recognize the 80 high school graduates from the class of 2018 who completed the ECMC Scholars Program. The students attended one of eight high schools in Oregon and earned up to $6,000 each in scholarships.

For the past two years, these students have participated in the rigorous two-year mentoring program designed to help them build social and study skills. Unlike a traditional academic scholarship, these students were selected to participate in the program based on their potential...not solely on their academic merit or test scores. Working in partnership with their school and the ECMC Scholars team, they've spent their junior and senior years actively preparing for college.

"ECMC created the Scholars Program to provide a pathway to postsecondary education for students who are motivated to continue their education beyond high school," said Paula Craw, ECMC vice president of student success and outreach. "By providing them with wraparound services in high school and support throughout college, we work to prepare students to reach their goals and achieve their dreams."

The scholarship funds can be used for enrollment in a degree or certificate program at an accredited college, university or career and technical education center. Students who earned the scholarships are planning to attend a variety of colleges in the fall, including Willamette University, University of Oregon, Eastern Oregon University and Mount Hood Community College.

"These students have shown great potential and drive throughout the program," said Sabrina Berg, ECMC Scholars Program manager. "I am proud of the progress they have made and am looking forward to supporting them throughout their educational journey."

Since 2008, ECMC has awarded $5 million to 837 ECMC Scholars students in Oregon alone. Over the past 13 years, ECMC has awarded $16.3 million in scholarships to 2,720 students in Virginia, Oregon and Connecticut. ECMC has committed to supporting an additional 440 students through the class of 2020 with the potential to award up to $2.64 million.

About ECMC

Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) is a nonprofit corporation with a mission to help students succeed. ECMC works to lower student loan default rates; sponsors college access and success initiatives, and financial literacy programs; and provides resources to support student loan borrowers to successfully repay their loans. Visit www.ecmc.org for more information.

SOURCE ECMC

Related Links

http://www.ecmc.org

Since its founding in 1999, ExakTime has been innovating game-changing workforce management solutions for construction and field services companies of all sizes. Now serving over 7,000 customers and 250,000 users daily, ExakTime equips businesses with a GPS-enabled app for field-based time and activity tracking and compliance verification, plus cloud-based software and direct syncing with accounting and payroll programs.

As a part of the overall platform strategy, PSG has created Arcoro Inc. Arcoro is the proven human capital management (HCM) software and services provider for high consequence industries and features the cornerstone companies of ExakTime and BirdDogHR, an integrated talent management solution for small and mid-size companies in construction and beyond.

"ExakTime has consistently maintained industry leadership in time and attendance management for over twenty years," says PSG Managing Director Gopi Vaddi. "There is no better testament to their deep commitment to customer-centric product innovation, and to the human capital software marketplace. ExakTime is a perfect addition to Arcoro's cloud-based HCM suite. We are excited to partner with the ExakTime team."

The natural synergy between the Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings of ExakTime and BirdDogHR provides the highest-level customer experience to businesses seeking to streamline employee management operations, from the first touchpoint with new candidates to compliance sign-off and payroll processing. With over 8,000 customers in high consequence industries including construction, manufacturing, energy, home health care and manufacturing, ExakTime and BirdDogHR offer established solutions for maximizing workforce performance and efficiencies, building ROI and limiting the risk associated with human capital management.

Both companies will maintain their company names and brands but will now be known as part of the Arcoro family of human capital management solutions.

"ExakTime is very proud to be joining the group of businesses under the Arcoro Inc. umbrella," said John O'Hara, president and CEO of ExakTime. "This will strengthen ExakTime's stance in the market and ability to expand our offerings while also providing our customers with the best range of tools for all their human capital management needs. We are excited for the opportunity to be one of the cornerstone solutions in Arcoro's proven suite of products."

McGill Restoration, a building restoration business based in Omaha, Nebraska, utilizes both ExakTime's and BirdDogHR's services for their human capital management. "We're happy that ExakTime and BirdDogHR are now part of the Arcoro group, because they work really well together," says Blake Berke, CFO at McGill Restoration. "We rely heavily on both solutions to streamline our recruiting, hiring, employee tracking and payroll processes." Manager of Human Resources Kim Roberts adds, "When I hire someone through BDHR I immediately onboard them into ExakTime. They go hand in hand. It's a smooth process. Having the web-based reporting and custom reports from both systems at my fingertips is also invaluable."

About ExakTime

Founded in 1999, ExakTime is the 20-year leader in time and attendance tracking for construction and field services and the #1-selling system in North America. ExakTime's cloud-based wireless, mobile, and rugged timekeeping solutions are easy to implement and use for any size company. Accurate digital time tracking and convenient payroll syncing streamlines operations, saving businesses time and money and ensuring they remain compliant. Easy access from any location and powerful reporting provide the insights businesses need to effectively manage their growing workforces. ExakTime is used daily by more than a quarter million workers from dozens of industries in more than 20 countries. For more information, visit http://www.exaktime.com.

About BirdDogHR

BirdDogHR offers comprehensive talent management software and managed services  everything you need to guide the entire employee lifecycle. The cloud-based talent management system is straightforward and easy to use, so you can safely focus on implementing strategy  not learning new software or worrying it won't keep up with changing regulations. Managed services operate as an extension of your HR department and deliver the expertise and focus you need. Organizations can see ROI in effective growth management, bottom line results and compliance peace of mind. BirdDogHR specializes in high-consequence and government contracting industries because they have unique needs. Companies from other industries can use the BirdDogHR talent management solution  and they do  but the solution is built with the most rigorous compliance needs in mind. To learn more, visit birddoghr.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About Arcoro Inc.

Arcoro combines proven Human Capital Management software solutions designed to help high compliance and high consequence companies improve efficiencies, limit risk, and build high-performing teams. With over 8,000 customers and 360,000 daily users in 20 countries around the world, the easy-to-use, cloud-based HR software and services are designed to give organizations the competitive edge needed to scale and grow effectively and efficiently. Visit us online at www.arcoro.com.

About Providence Strategic Growth

Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. ("PSG") is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C ("Providence"). Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence is a premier, global asset management firm with $50 billion in capital under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 150 companies and is the leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Delhi. For more information on PSG, visit provequity.com/private-equity/psg and for more information on Providence Equity, please visit provequity.com.

SOURCE ExakTime

Related Links

http://www.exaktime.com

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its steady growth of global practices and sectors, FleishmanHillard today appointed Emily K. Graham, senior vice president and partner, to co-lead of the financial and professional services sector in the Americas. Graham joined the agency in 2017 to lead financial services market growth in New York.

In her new role, Graham will partner with sector co-lead Tom Laughran, senior vice president and partner in the Chicago office, to further build and expand relationships with clients and prospects in financial services and professional services, including banking, fintech, investment management and insurance, as well as clients that provide audit, tax, consulting, legal, architecture and other services.

"Since joining FleishmanHillard, Emily has brought tremendous value to our clients in the financial and professional services sector, helping them use marketing and corporate communications as drivers of differentiation and growth. This industry is not only one of our largest categories, but among the most important to the growth and success of the economies in which we operate. So, it deserves the best talent we can provide," said Janise Murphy, FleishmanHillard chief practice officer. "In addition, Emily has deep experience developing executive positioning programs for the C-suite, with a specialty in counseling leaders who represent or wish to generate more diverse and inclusive workforces."

Collaborating with other global regional leads, Graham will drive the sector's prospecting strategy to grow its portfolio, talent and spark continuous innovation within the agency's financial services offerings, marketing and thought leadership.

"This is an incredibly dynamic time in business and society. Each day FH people, clients and potential energize me. Ten years after the Great Recession, the financial and professional services industries have rebounded with a resounding desire to connect authentically with their stakeholders across all channels," Graham said. "Storytelling, reputation building and taking a position are no longer foreign. Along with trust and transparency, these are table stakes against mounting societal, business and consumer expectations. I'm eager to continue the work we've started to drive the sector to even greater heights."

Graham served as a trusted counselor to banking and financial industry clients at the peak of the Great Recession, guiding them through communications challenges related to regulatory uncertainty, public scrutiny and restoring trust in the capital markets. She has also steered communications strategy for organizations and C-suites going through unprecedented business change, work that has been industry leading and award winning. Graham has a strong background in developing and implementing integrated communications strategies for public and private financial institutions, along with significant expertise advising C-suite leaders, global consumer conglomerates, professional services firms, venture capital funds, investment banks, securities firms, diversified financial services organizations, and accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting firms.

Before joining FleishmanHillard in 2017, Graham held senior positions at MWWPR and Burson-Marsteller where she led communications efforts for several blue chip clients including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, U.S. Trust, Accenture, Southwest Airlines, Deloitte and Morgan Stanley.

About FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named Agency of the Year at the 2017 North American Excellence Awards; 2017 ICCO Network of the Year for the Americas and EMEA; PRWeek's Best Places to Work 2017; PR News' Best Places to Work in PR 2016-2017; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality for 2018; PR Awards Asia 2017 Greater China Agency of the Year; and NAFE's "Top 50 Companies for Executive Women" for 2010-2018. The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, and has more than 80 offices in 30 countries, plus affiliates in 43 countries.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE FleishmanHillard

Related Links

http://www.fleishmanhillard.com

DUBLIN, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) Market by Product Type (PB, PM), Insulation Material (EPS, MW), Component (Adhesive, Insulation Board, Base Coat, Reinforcement, Finish coat), End-Use Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) market size will grow from USD 60.68 billion in 2018 to USD 108.11 billion by 2023, at a projected CAGR of 12.24%.



The EIFS market is expected to witness high growth as a result of the growing demand for thermal insulation in residential and non-residential construction and owing to the stringent regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.



The segmentation for this report is based on product type, insulation material, component, end-use industry, and region. On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into PB (polymer-based) and PM (polymer-modified), wherein the PB segment is projected to be a faster-growing product type in the EIFS market. PB provides high thermal insulation and is cost effective. It typically consists of closed expanded polystyrene (EPS) and can be either adhesively or mechanically attached to the sheathing. PB EIFS can incorporate additional layers of base coat & reinforcing mesh to achieve higher impact resistance.



EIFS has witnessed extensive traction for the non-residential construction industry. It is used in both residential and non-residential construction, and its utility includes providing thermal insulation and water resistance. The non-residential segment is projected to have a larger share and dominate the EIFS market from 2018 to 2023. The residential construction industry is the next application to play a key role in changing the EIFS landscape and grow at the second-highest rate during the forecast period. The non-residential construction industry, for a long time, has been the major contributor to the rising demand for EIFS.



Europe is projected to have the largest market share and dominate the EIFS market. This region offers potential growth opportunities, as countries such as Italy and Poland are projected to be emerging markets for thermal insulation products such as EIFS. The growth of the EIFS market in this region is propelled by factors such as the growth of both residential and non-residential construction and increasing demand for thermal insulation. Also, the growing population and economic development are other factors driving the EIFS market. However, the availability of green insulation materials is restraining the growth of the market.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights

4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the EIFS Market

4.2 EIFS Market, By Insulation Material

4.3 EIFS Market, By Type

4.4 EIFS Market, By End-Use Industry

4.5 EIFS Market, By Country & Type

4.6 EIFS Market: Geographic Snapshot



5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Stringent Regulations to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emission

5.2.1.2 Reduction in Energy Consumption and Its Related Cost

5.2.1.3 Presence of Stringent Building Energy Codes

5.2.1.4 Rebates and Tax Credits

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 Availability of Green Insulation Material

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Policies & Regulations

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Lack of Awareness

5.3 Macroeconomic Indicators

5.3.1 Introduction

5.3.2 Trends and Forecast of GDP

5.3.3 Contribution of the Construction Industry in GDP, By Country



6 EIFS Market, By Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 PB (Polymer-Based)

6.3 PM (Polymer-Modified)



7 EIFS Market, By Insulation Material

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)

7.3 Mineral Wool

7.4 Others



8 EIFS Market, By Component

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Adhesive

8.3 Insulation Board

8.4 Base Coat

8.5 Reinforcement

8.6 Finish Coat



9 EIFS Market, By End-Use Industry

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Residential

9.3 Non-Residential

9.3.1 Industrial Buildings

9.3.2 Commercial Buildings

9.3.3 Other Non-Residential Buildings



10 Regional Analysis



11 Competitive Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Market Ranking of Key Players

11.3 Competitive Scenario

11.3.1 New Product Launches

11.3.2 Expansion & Investments

11.3.3 Mergers & Acquisitions

11.3.4 Agreement, Contracts, and Partnerships



12 Company Profiles

12.1 BASF

12.2 Saint-Gobain

12.3 Wacker Chemie AG

12.4 STO SE & Co KGaA

12.5 Owens Corning

12.6 Dryvit Systems Inc

12.7 Master Wall Inc

12.8 Parex Usa, Inc.

12.9 SFS Group Ag.

12.10 Rmax

12.11 Additional Companies

12.11.1 Durabond Products Ltd

12.11.2 Durock Alfacing International Limited

12.11.3 Adex Systems Inc.

12.11.4 Omega Products International

12.11.5 Terraco Group



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7w5jzp/global_exterior?w=5



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

http://www.researchandmarkets.com

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Environmental Services LLC and Zinc Nacional have decided to partner to build a state-of-the-art Waelz Kiln facility in the Midwestern United States.

The joint venture company, "Waelz Sustainable Products LLC" (WSP), will service the metals sector by providing a sustainable solution for the growing steel industry. Waelz Kiln technology is a proven process for reclaiming valuable Zinc Oxide from recycled steel dust, a byproduct of the electric arc furnaces operated in steel mills. Zinc Oxide is a widely used ingredient in numerous products such as metallic zinc, rubber, ceramics, lubricants, ointments and more.

"WSP combines the experience and know-how of Zinc Nacional as a pioneer in Waelz Kiln technology  a proven method for producing high-value zinc products  along with the environmental expertise, stewardship and innovation of Heritage Environmental Services," said Eduardo Alverde, CEO of Zinc Nacional.

Three states have been selected for siting the WSP plant and negotiations are in the final stages. It is projected that the facility will break ground in late 2018 and commissioned during the first half of 2020. WSP plans to hire up to 60 employees during the initial phase of production and an additional 30 employees after expansions are complete.

"We are thrilled to partner with Zinc Nacional to provide an alternative outlet to our steel customers in the midwestern U.S.," said Jeff Laborsky, CEO of Heritage Environmental Services. "WSP uses a proven technology to solve an unmet market demand for more competition and we're confident WSP will deliver with innovative technology and superior customer service while enhancing the partners' continued commitment to sustainable development."

Zinc Nacional is a privately-held, family-owned business based in Monterrey, Mexico with more than 60 years of experience in zinc compound production. Zinc Nacional operates Waelz Kiln technology in the U.S., Mexico, South Korea and Turkey.

Heritage Environmental Services is a privately-held, family-owned business headquartered in Indianapolis with more than 1,600 employees across North and Central America. Heritage Environmental Services provides a full suite of tailored solutions  from emergency response, waste disposal, and sustainability services to on-site support and technical solutions  to thousands of customers in hundreds of industries and verticals. Throughout its 48-year history, Heritage Environmental Services has prioritized the safety of its employees while pursuing its purpose of protecting human health and the environment.

SOURCE Heritage Environmental Services

Related Links

https://www.heritage-enviro.com/

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IT Revolution (http://itrevolution.com), the industry leader for advancing DevOps, today announced the third round of speakers for the DevOps Enterprise Summit Las Vegas 2018 (https://events.itrevolution.com/us/). The conference takes place from October 22-24, 2018 at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. IT Revolution and founding partner, Electric Cloud, will host an immersive learning program for identifying and amplifying top DevOps transformation practices with business and technology leaders from large, complex organizations.

To receive a $300 discount on the full ticket price, register with discount code "DEVOPS300" at: (https://events.itrevolution.com/us/register/). Discount ticket pricing is limited to the first 200 registrants. Attendees are encouraged to register as soon as possible as the event is expected to sell out early.

The third round of speakers for DevOps Enterprise Summit Las Vegas 2018 includes:

Chad Avery , DevOps Program Manager, American Express

, DevOps Program Manager, American Express Dan Barker , Chief Architect, National Association of Insurance Commissioners

, Chief Architect, National Association of Insurance Commissioners Aimee Bechtle , Senior Manager Advanced Engineering, Capital One

, Senior Manager Advanced Engineering, Capital One Jill Campbell , Principal Group Program Manager, Windows Engineering, Microsoft

, Principal Group Program Manager, Windows Engineering, Microsoft Aimee Cardwell , VP Consumer Product Development, American Express

, VP Consumer Product Development, American Express Christophe De Boeck , Technical Delivery Manager Core and Lending, Kiwibank

, Technical Delivery Manager Core and Lending, Kiwibank Dominica DeGrandis , Director, Digital Transformation, Tasktop

, Director, Digital Transformation, Tasktop Rob England , Managing Director, Teal Unicorn

, Managing Director, Teal Unicorn Laura Fay , VP Research, XaaS Product Management, TSIA

, VP Research, XaaS Product Management, TSIA Bryan Finster , Staff Software Engineer, Walmart

, Staff Software Engineer, Walmart Dana Finster, Sr. Software Engineer, Walmart

Software Engineer, Walmart Jim Grafmeyer , Director, IT Architecture, Nationwide

, Director, IT Architecture, Nationwide Abbie Gray , Product Manager in Credit Card Channels Product & Platform, Capital One

, Product Manager in Credit Card Channels Product & Platform, Capital One Sam Guckenheimer , Product Owner, Microsoft

, Product Owner, Microsoft Chris Hill , Head of Systems Engineering, Infotainment, Jaguar Land Rover

, Head of Systems Engineering, Infotainment, Jaguar Land Rover Shannon Leitz , DevSecOps Leader, Intuit

, DevSecOps Leader, Intuit Dr. Christina Maslach, Professor of Psychology, Emerita, University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Steve Mayner , SAFe Fellow and Principal Consultant, Scaled Agile

, SAFe Fellow and Principal Consultant, Scaled Agile Kenneth McLeish , Global Head of Equity Technology, JP Morgan Chase Asset Management

, Global Head of Equity Technology, JP Morgan Chase Asset Management Danny Myers , Head of Equities Production Management, JP Morgan Chase Asset Management

, Head of Equities Production Management, JP Morgan Chase Asset Management Shaun Norris , Global Head, Cloud Infrastructure Services, Standard Chartered Bank

, Global Head, Cloud Infrastructure Services, Standard Chartered Bank John Rzeszotarski , SVP, Director of Continuous Delivery and Feedback, KeyBank

, SVP, Director of Continuous Delivery and Feedback, KeyBank Dylan Smith , DevOps Architect, Microsoft

, DevOps Architect, Microsoft Jared Speno , Senior Technical Consultant, Nationwide

, Senior Technical Consultant, Nationwide Dr. Cherry Vu , CEO, Teal Unicorn

, CEO, Teal Unicorn James Wickett , Head of Research, Signal Sciences

, Head of Research, Signal Sciences Keanen Wold , Manager, DevOps Transformation, Delta Airlines

, Manager, DevOps Transformation, Delta Airlines Robin Yeman, Lockheed Martin Fellow, Lockheed Martin

"The 2018 DevOps Enterprise Summit Las Vegas program includes some of the most exciting technology transformation stories from large enterprise organizations that we've seen to date," said Gene Kim, founder of IT Revolution and co-author of The Phoenix Project, The DevOps Handbook and Accelerate. "Technology leaders will get tremendous value from these sessions, as well as learning from domain experts in all the fields we draw upon to help our organizations win."

Book your room at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas now for a special reduced rate. The room block is limited, so make your reservation early at: (https://bit.ly/2BbjlKs).

To get a preview of what's to come at the DevOps Enterprise Summit, watch a special edition of Electric Cloud's Continuous Discussions (#c9d9) video podcast on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. PDT. Gene Kim, Cornelia Davis, Damon Edwards, Mik Kersten, and Tom Limoncelli will hold a discussion on "Next Gen Operations and Infrastructure" ahead of the event. Learn more at: (http://electric-cloud.com/c9d9-devops-podcast/).

About the DevOps Enterprise Summit

The DevOps Enterprise Summit is a conference for technology and business leaders who are transforming how large, complex organizations deliver and operate software to help their organizations win in the marketplace.

Entering its fifth year in the USA, its goal is to accelerate DevOps adoption and increase the likelihood of those initiatives succeeding, enabling the cultural norms, technical practices and architectures that help organizations achieve the highest levels of performance.

The event features experience report and subject matter expert talks from technology and business leaders at top global brands that leverage DevOps to thrive within today's software-driven economy. Through keynotes, breakout sessions, collaborative workshops and space to interact within an expo hall, attendees gain insights into the evolving technical and architectural practices and the methods needed to lead widespread change efforts in large organizations.

Share This: #DevOps Enterprise Summit #LasVegas 2018 announces 3rd round of speakers! Register now to connect with #tech leaders from: @Nationwide @AmericanExpress @Microsoft @Walmart @JLR_News @keybank @Delta @LockheedMartin and more!https://events.itrevolution.com/us/register/ @DOES_USA #DOES18

About IT Revolution

IT Revolution assembles technology leaders and practitioners through publishing, events, and research. Our goal is to elevate the state of technology work, quantify the economic and human costs associated with suboptimal IT performance, and to improve the lives of technology professionals.

Contact:

Jeremy Douglas

Catapult PR-IR

303-581-7760, ext. 16

[email protected]

SOURCE IT Revolution

Related Links

https://itrevolution.com

TSX: JAG

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX: JAG) today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 ("Q2 2018"). All figures are in US dollars, unless otherwise expressed. Detailed financial results for Q2 2018 are available on www.sedar.com and on the Company's website www.jaguarmining.com.

Q2 2018 vs. Q2 2017 Financial Highlights

Strong operating cost performance drives 139% increase in gross profit to $6.1 million on lower revenue of $22.9 million .





on lower revenue of . Consolidated cash operating costs ("COC") improved 16% to $717 per ounce of gold sold.





per ounce of gold sold. Consolidated all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") increased 1% to $1,277 per ounce of gold sold reflecting strong investment in Turmalina Gold Mine ("Turmalina").





per ounce of gold sold reflecting strong investment in ("Turmalina"). Consolidated gold production of 18,819 ounces, compared to 19,769 ounces in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 average feed grade was 3.77 g/t compared to 3.18 g/t for the comparative period.





Strong operating cash flow of $4.5 million , significantly higher compared to $0.2 million for the comparative period.





, significantly higher compared to for the comparative period. Sustaining capital expenditures of $7 million in Q2 2018, up 52% from $4.6 million in Q2 2017, investing in key primary development and new mining equipment.





in Q2 2018, up 52% from in Q2 2017, investing in key primary development and new mining equipment. Adjusted EBITDA of $5.3 million , up 43% from $3.7 million from comparative period.





, up 43% from from comparative period. Cash balance of $9.2 million as of June 30, 2018 , including $1 million financing repayments, reducing total bank debt to approximately $12.3 million at quarter end.





as of , including financing repayments, reducing total bank debt to approximately at quarter end. Company revises 2018 production guidance to 80,000  85,000 ounces. Pilar continues to perform well and is on track to meet its production guidance. Turmalina production is expected to be below guidance, as management continues to address the operational issues through the remainder of 2018.

Q2 2018 FINANCIAL & OPERATING SUMMARY







Financial and Operational Highlights



($ thousands, except where indicated) For the three months ended

June 30, For the six months ended

June 30,

2018 2017 2018 2017 Financial Data







Revenue $ 22,888 $ 23,352 $ 48,116 $ 52,544 Operating costs 12,356 15,990 27,755 37,498 Depreciation 4,407 4,796 9,293 11,372 Gross profit 6,125 2,566 11,068 3,674 Net (loss) (1,334) (3,323) (3,115) (11,200)

Per share ("EPS") (0.00) (0.01) (0.01) (0.04) EBITDA1 4,262 3,709 8,417 4,452

Adjusted EBITDA1,2 5,303 3,712 10,876 7,923

Adjusted EBITDA per share1 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.03 Cash operating costs (per ounce sold)1 717 857 761 895 All-in sustaining costs (per ounce sold)1 1,277 1,262 1,283 1,296 Average realized gold price (per ounce)1 1,328 1,266 1,319 1,237 Cash generated from operating activities 4,460 216 9,438 2,071 Adjusted operating cash flow1 6,910 4,391 12,223 8,553 Free cash flow1 (2,501) (4,361) (4,191) (8,538) Free cash flow (per ounce sold)1 (145) (236) (115) (201) Sustaining capital expenditures1 6,961 4,577 13,629 10,609 Non-sustaining capital expenditures1 592 1,390 1,600 2,263 Total capital expenditures 7,553 5,967 15,229 12,872 1 Average realized gold price, sustaining and non-sustaining capital expenditures, cash operating costs and all-in sustaining costs, adjusted operating cash flow, free cash flow, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA per share, and gross profit (excluding depreciation) are non-IFRS financial performance measures with no standard definition under IFRS. Refer to the Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures section of the MD&A.

2 Adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash items such as impairment and write downs. For more details refer to the Non-IFRS Performance Measures section of the MD&A.

For the three months ended

June 30, For the six months ended

June 30,

2018 2017 2018 2017 Operating Data







Gold produced (ounces) 18,819 19,769 37,684 42,061 Gold sold (ounces) 17,230 18,453 36,467 42,487 Primary development (metres) 1,277 824 2,347 1,734 Secondary development (metres) 578 989 1,025 2,370 Definition, infill, and exploration drilling (metres) 8,763 11,069 18,204 22,933

Cash Position, Working Capital and Foreign Exchange

As at June 30, 2018 , the Company had a cash position of $9.2 million , compared to $18.6 million as at December 31, 2017 . The June 30 , cash balance excludes the $2 million of cash deposit with Auramet. The lower cash balance compared to the end of 2017 reflects $15.22 million in total Capital Expenditures and lower gold sales that declined 14% in the first six months ended June 30, 2018 .





, the Company had a cash position of , compared to as at . The , cash balance excludes the of cash deposit with Auramet. The lower cash balance compared to the end of 2017 reflects in total Capital Expenditures and lower gold sales that declined 14% in the first six months ended . Working capital was $4 million as at June 30, 2018 , compared to $14.1 million as at December 31, 2017 . Working capital reduction is mainly due to the replacement of the Sprott Resource Lending facility with Auramet Facility, as the latter is classified as short term.

Financial Summary Highlights

Revenue for Q2 2018 decreased 2% to $22.9 million (17,230 ounces), compared with $23.4 million (18,453 ounces) in Q2 2017, due to a 7% decrease in ounces sold, offset by 5% higher average gold realized price of $1,328 in Q2 2018 compared with $1,266 in Q2 2017.





(17,230 ounces), compared with (18,453 ounces) in Q2 2017, due to a 7% decrease in ounces sold, offset by 5% higher average gold realized price of in Q2 2018 compared with in Q2 2017. Gross profit for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 , was $6.1 million and $11.1 million , respectively, compared to $2.6 million and $3.7 million for Q2 2017 and YTD 2017, mainly attributed to reduction in cash operating costs.





, was and , respectively, compared to and for Q2 2017 and YTD 2017, mainly attributed to reduction in cash operating costs. Adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2018 was $5.3 million compared to $3.7 million for Q2 2017, while adjusted EBITDA for the first half of 2018 was $10.9 million compared to $7.9 million in the first half of 2017.

Cash Operating Costs, Capital Expenditures and All-In-Sustaining Costs ("AISC")

Cash operating costs decreased 16% to $717 per ounce of gold sold for Q2 2018, compared to $857 per ounce sold during Q2 2017, primarily due to operational excellence measures and the 12% weakening of the Brazilian Real. AISC increased 1% to $1,277 per ounce of gold sold in Q2 2018, compared to $1,262 per ounce sold during Q2 2017.





per ounce of gold sold for Q2 2018, compared to per ounce sold during Q2 2017, primarily due to operational excellence measures and the 12% weakening of the Brazilian Real. AISC increased 1% to per ounce of gold sold in Q2 2018, compared to per ounce sold during Q2 2017. In Q2 2018, sustaining capital increased 52% to $7 million focused on primary development and exploration drilling, compared to $4.6 million in Q2 2017. Operating cash flow was $4.5 million for Q2 2018, compared to $0.2 million in Q2 2017, mainly due to the decrease in cash costs of 16%, or $140 dollars per ounce.

2018 Revised Guidance

Company revises 2018 production guidance to 80,000  85,000 ounces. Pilar continues to perform well and is on track to meet its production guidance.





Turmalina production is expected to be below guidance, as management continues to address the operational issues through the remainder of 2018.

Management Change

The Company also announces that Rodney Lamond is leaving his position as CEO and director of Jaguar. Benjamin Guenther has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. Mr. Guenther was appointed to the Board of Jaguar Mining in November 2017 and is the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Board. He is a mining engineer with a wide range of management and executive experience and over 40 years in the mining industry. Mr. Guenther held Senior Management Positions with AngloGold Ashanti in his past career including a long association with mining in Brazil. Mr. Guenther graduated from the Colorado School of Mines. The Company plans to start a search for the permanent position of the CEO.

"On behalf of the entire team, we would like to extend our thanks to Rodney for his commitment to Jaguar Mining over the past few years. We wish Rodney great success in his future endeavours" said Jaguar Mining Chairman Dick Falconer.

Qualified Persons

Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc (Hons) (Economic Geology - UCT), Senior Expert Advisor Geology and Exploration to the Jaguar Mining Management Committee, who is also an employee of Jaguar Mining Inc., and is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

About Jaguar Mining Inc.

Jaguar Mining Inc. is a Canadian-listed junior gold mining, development, and exploration company operating in Brazil with three gold mining complexes and a large land package with significant upside exploration potential from mineral claims covering an area of approximately 64,000 hectares. The Company's principal operating assets are located in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Mining Complex (Pilar and Roca Grande Mines, and Caete Plant). The Company also owns the Paciencia Gold Mine Complex, which has been on care and maintenance since 2012. The Roca Grande Mine has been on temporary care and maintenance since April 2018. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com.

The Iron Quadrangle

The Iron Quadrangle has been an area of mineral exploration dating back to the 16th century. The discovery in 16991701 of gold contaminated with iron and platinum-group metals in the southeastern corner of the Iron Quadrangle gave rise to the name of the town Ouro Preto (Black Gold). The Iron Quadrangle contains world-class multi-million-ounce gold deposits such as Morro Velho, Cuiaba and Sao Bento. Jaguar holds the second largest gold land position in the Iron Quadrangle with just over 25,000 hectares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking information made in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements below and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking information contained in forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "are expected," "is forecast," "is targeted," "approximately," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "believe" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might," or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be considered to be or include forward-looking information. This news release contains forward-looking information regarding, among other things, expected sales, production statistics, ore grades, tonnes milled, recovery rates, cash operating costs, definition/delineation drilling, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, development and mining activities, currency fluctuations, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, restarting suspended or disrupted operations, continuous improvement initiatives, and resolution of pending litigation. The Company has made numerous assumptions with respect to forward-looking information contained herein, including, among other things, assumptions about the estimated timeline for the development of its mineral properties; the supply and demand for, and the level and volatility of the price of, gold; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which the reserve and resource estimates are based; the receipt of necessary permits; market competition; ongoing relations with employees and impacted communities; political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any potential power rationing, tailings facility regulation, exploration and mine operating licenses and permits being obtained and renewed and/or there being adverse amendments to mining or other laws in Brazil and any changes to general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including among others: the risk of Jaguar not meeting the forecast plans regarding its operations and financial performance; uncertainties with respect to the price of gold, labour disruptions, mechanical failures, increase in costs, environmental compliance and change in environmental legislation and regulation, weather delays and increased costs or production delays due to natural disasters, power disruptions, procurement and delivery of parts and supplies to the operations; uncertainties inherent to capital markets in general (including the sometimes volatile valuation of securities and an uncertain ability to raise new capital) and other risks inherent to the gold exploration, development and production industry, which, if incorrect, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described herein. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development, mining and production, including environmental hazards, tailings dam failures, industrial accidents and workplace safety problems, unusual or unexpected geological formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding, chemical spills, procurement fraud and gold bullion thefts and losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking information made in this news release, see the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis, as well as other public disclosure documents that can be accessed under the issuer profile of "Jaguar Mining Inc." on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's reasonable expectations as at the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Non-IFRS Measures

This news release provides certain financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Readers are cautioned to review the below stated footnotes where the Company expanded on its use of non-IFRS measures.

Cash operating costs and cash operating cost per ounce are non-IFRS measures. In the gold mining industry, cash operating costs and cash operating costs per ounce are common performance measures but do not have any standardized meaning. Cash operating costs are derived from amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and include mine-site operating costs such as mining, processing and administration, as well as royalty expenses, but exclude depreciation, depletion, share-based payment expenses, and reclamation costs. Cash operating costs per ounce are based on ounces produced and are calculated by dividing cash operating costs by commercial gold ounces produced; US$ cash operating costs per ounce produced are derived from the cash operating costs per ounce produced translated using the average Brazilian Central Bank R$/US$ exchange rate. The Company discloses cash operating costs and cash operating costs per ounce, as it believes those measures provide valuable assistance to investors and analysts in evaluating the Company's operational performance and ability to generate cash flow. The most directly comparable measure prepared in accordance with IFRS is total production costs. A reconciliation of cash operating costs per ounce to total production costs for the most recent reporting period, the quarter ended June 30, 2018 , is set out in the Company's second quarter 2018 Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.



All-in sustaining cost is a non-IFRS measure. This measure is intended to assist readers in evaluating the total costs of producing gold from current operations. While there is no standardized meaning across the industry for this measure, except for non-cash items the Company's definition conforms to the all-in sustaining cost definition as set out by the World Gold Council in its guidance note dated June 27, 2013 . The Company defines all-in sustaining cost as the sum of production costs, sustaining capital (capital required to maintain current operations at existing levels), corporate general and administrative expenses, and in-mine exploration expenses. All-in sustaining cost excludes growth capital, reclamation cost accretion related to current operations, interest and other financing costs, and taxes. A reconciliation of all-in sustaining cost to total production costs for the most recent reporting period, the quarter ended June 30, 2018 , is set out in the Company's second quarter 2018 MD&A filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE Jaguar Mining Inc.

Related Links

http://www.jaguarmining.com

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As a leading authorized bullion dealer in North America, JM Bullion strives to provide customers with exceptional variety in gold and silver bullion products. JM Bullion is proud to offer numismatists the opportunity to purchase two exciting new coins issued on behalf of the Isle of Man. The new 2018 Silver Angel and 2018 Silver Noble are currently available for purchase from JM Bullion.

The 2018 Silver Angel

On the reverse side of the brand-new 2018 1 oz Isle of Man Silver Angel Coin is a design inspired by England's first mass-produced gold coin. The reverse includes the image of St. Michael, also known as the Archangel Michael, wearing a chest plate and wielding a shield as he strikes down a lion. This design was inspired by the Gold Angel coins introduced in 1465 by King Edward IV.

The 2018 Silver Noble

The reverse face of the all-new 2018 1 oz Isle of Man Silver Noble Coin reaches further back into the history of the British Isles to deliver a twist on the Gold Noble. The Gold Noble was available from 1344 until 1464 when King Edward IV introduced the Gold Angel. Gold Nobles depicted the sovereign monarch on the obverse, often in a boat. The new Isle of Man Silver Noble depicts a Viking longship on its reverse in a nod to the centuries of Norse control over the Isle of Man.

Common Details

These brand-new Isle of Man Silver Coins both feature .999 pure silver content and have a limited individual mintage of only 15,000 coins. The obverse side of each coin features a right-profile bust of Queen Elizabeth II created by Jody Clark, the man responsible for the fifth-generation effigy of Her Majesty currently in use on Royal Mint of England coinage. Both coins are proof specimens with frosted design elements and mirrored backgrounds.

Watch for the 2-Coin Set!

JM Bullion is happy to offer a 2-coin set alongside the individual coins as well. For both the 2018 Silver Angel and 2018 Silver Noble coins, you'll find a 2-coin set available. Included in these sets are the standard proof coins, as well as a reverse proof coin with mirrored design elements and frosted background fields.

You can find these coins available for individual purchase right now from JM Bullion, as well as the beautiful 2-coin sets which boast extremely low mintage figures of just 500 per design.

JM Bullion is a leading online retailer of precious metals. Their customer support center and Headquarters are in Dallas, Texas. JM Bullion believes everyone should plan for their future, and they ensure anyone, regardless of budget, has the opportunity to physically own investments proven to retain value throughout generations. Start safeguarding tomorrow today. Visit www.jmbullion.com.

Contact:

469-729-8917

[email protected]

SOURCE JM Bullion

Related Links

https://www.jmbullion.com

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP has launched an investigation into whether the board members of KMG Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE: KMG) ("KMG") breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Cabot Microelectronics Corporation ("Cabot").

On August 15, 2018, KMG announced that it had signed a definitive merger agreement with Cabot. Under the terms of the agreement, KMG shareholders will get $55.65 in cash for each share held and 0.2 of a share of Cabot common stock, implying a per share value of $79.50. However, shareholders will be subject to the future price fluctuation of Cabot's stock price.

The investigation concerns whether the KMG board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the acquisition and whether the board obtained the best price possible for KMG shares of common stock. Nationally recognized Johnson Fistel is investigating whether the proposed deal represents adequate consideration, especially given one Wall Street analyst has an $85.00 price target on the stock.

If you are a shareholder of KMG and believe the proposed buyout price is too low or you're interested in learning more about the investigation or your legal rights and remedies, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ( [email protected] ) at 619-814-4471. If emailing, please include a phone number.

Additionally, you can [click here to join this action].There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Johnson Fistel, LLP:

Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson Fistel, LLP

Jim Baker, 619-814-4471

[email protected]

[click here to join this action]

SOURCE Johnson Fistel, LLP

Related Links

http://www.johnsonfistel.com

"By setting specific goals for the year such as getting involved in school activities, being more organized with school work, making new friends and so forth, students can create a new positive course for the year," said Camille Williams, MA, NCC, LCPC, eating disorder program coordinator at Timberline Knolls. "They can be proud of themselves each day for their accomplishments and see their self-worth revealed as the year unfolds."

Williams offers these suggestions for the new school year:

Think about what you want accomplish during the year. How can you enjoy school more?

Give compliments to yourself and others; this will help you focus on the positive rather than feel down about the negative or be judgmental about others by noticing their flaws.

Noticing strengths in others can help you notice more strengths in yourself thus giving your confidence and self-esteem a boost.

Focus on what you appreciate about your friends or classmates. For example, when they do something nice for you or when they're being funny and make you laugh at lunch time.

When you express appreciation for others, you will help their self-worth and they will also probably also express appreciation for you in return. It can feel a lot better to focus on the positives rather than the negatives; it helps our relationships with others and ourselves.

If an individual is being bullied at school, it's very important to reach out to a teacher or school counselor to help intervene. This can be a frightening thing to do, but it will ultimately help you to have the support you need.

Keep a journal so you can look back on what you have accomplished. It is easy to be down on ourselves or see the mistakes we've made. It's essential to take time to recognize how hard we are working and how worthy we are each day.

Williams offers more information on navigating self-worth in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB7T1nEHOR8&t=14s

"It's important to focus on the positives in others and in ourselves. This helps reduce comparisons," adds Williams. "Find something to be proud of each day, this will help you to see your worth and know you are important and making progress."

About Timberline Knolls:

Timberline Knolls is a leading private residential treatment center for women and adolescent girls (ages 12  65+) with eating disorders, substance abuse, trauma, mood and co-occurring disorders. Located in suburban Chicago, residents receive excellent clinical care from a highly trained professional staff on a picturesque 43-acre wooded campus. An adult partial hospitalization program is also available on campus for step down as well as in Orland Park, Ill., for women to direct admit. For more information on Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, call us at 877.257.9611. We are also on Facebook  Timberline Knolls, LinkedIn  Timberline Knolls and Twitter - @TimberlineToday.

SOURCE Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center

Related Links

http://www.timberlineknolls.com

The Lennox Feel The Love program invites individuals and local organizations in participating areas to nominate families or individuals in their communities to receive heating equipment at no cost, including installation. Recipients are chosen based on a variety of criteria, including physical, mental, or social disabilities; financial challenges; job loss; military service; and community service. Nominations are accepted through the Feel The Love website now through September 5.

On Saturday, October 6, all participating Lennox dealers will install new, high-efficiency Lennox gas furnaces for the selected candidates at no cost, and the dealers and their employees donate their labor and installation materials.

"Feel The Love is all about creating connections with the communities in which Lennox and its dealers live and work, to lend a helping hand by bringing comfort to deserving families," said Stephanie Bond, retail marketing director at Lennox Industries. "We're proud of the incredible partnerships between Lennox and its dealers, as well as community organizations throughout North America, and we're excited to continue to grow the program to serve even more individuals and families in need in the years to come."

Feel The Love began as the Heat U.P. program, launched in 2009 as a pilot community initiative in four markets across the U.S., including Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. In 2018, the program will expand to communities across twenty states and five provinces in Canada, with the goal to continue to expand efforts to even more communities throughout North America.

For more information about the Feel The Love program, visit www.FeelTheLove.com/history.

About Lennox Industries

Lennox Industries is a leading provider of customized home heating, cooling and indoor air quality products that are designed to deliver customized comfort, efficiency and functionality, with the most innovative and reliable features available. Lennox has been honored four times by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy as an ENERGY STAR Manufacturing Partner of the Year for its outstanding contribution to developing and promoting energy-efficient products. For more information about Lennox home comfort products, visit http://www.lennox.com, call 1-800-9-LENNOX, or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

SOURCE Lennox Industries

Related Links

http://www.lennox.com

'Granddaddy of Lay Apostolates' Celebrates 50 Years

HOPEDALE, Ohio, Aug. 14, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- After half a century of grassroots Church renewal, Catholics United for the Faith will celebrate its 50th anniversary with the Uniting the Faithful Conference. The weekend event will run from October 5th to the 7th and be hosted on the grounds of the Apostolate for Family Consecration (AFC) in Bloomingdale, Ohio.

The conference will feature talks on the practical aspects of the three Visible Bonds of Unity within the Church presented by current CUF President Philip Gray, President Emeritus and author James Likoudis, Father Abbot Philip Anderson of Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey, and Theologian Douglas Bushman of the Augustine Institute. "We want to focus on how to develop and maintain bonds of unity within the Catholic Church in this fractious age of error. The weekend itself will provide an example of how we should structure our spiritual lives so we don't fail in Faith, Hope or Charity," Gray says.

Mass will be offered daily with an Extraordinary form Mass celebrated by Abbot Anderson on Saturday. With both a Eucharistic and Marian Procession, Exposition and Adoration, opportunities for Confession and the veneration of two very unique images of Our Lady, Gray explains "Our goal is to offer a retreat experience in a conference setting."

The conference site may be unconventional, but Gray says this is intentional. The AFC's chapels house the Blessed Sacrament and provide a "Catholic" environment not available at other conference sites. "With so many wonderful lay apostolates out there, CUF is excited to foster unity within the Church by collaborating with them," Gray says.

Though the conference is intended to celebrate the apostolate's first 50 years of activity and serve as a springboard for 50 more, Gray says the event is open to all those who take their baptismal promises seriously and want to live their faith.

Catholics United in the Faith is a lay apostolate founded in 1968 to support, defend, and advance the teaching efforts of the Church. The Uniting the Faithful Conference is October 5-7, 2018, at the Apostolate for Family Consecration in Bloomingdale, Ohio. To learn more and to register for CUF's 50th anniversary conference, visit cuf.org or call (740) 283-2484.MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A lawsuit was filed today against Hy-Vee, Inc. on behalf of Margaret Reiner, Tyler Rogers, and Kami Rogers who were all infected with Salmonella after eating Hy-Vee Pasta Salad. The three plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark, the food safety law firm, and Jardine, Logan, and O'Brien, a well-respected local firm. Case No. 0:18-cv-02379.

"Hy-Vee has always been a leader in food safety," said Bill Marler, managing partner at Marler Clark. "We hope through the lawsuit to understand how this event happened and the do what we can to make sure something like this never happens again," added Marler.

On July 5, 2018, Ms. Reiner's daughter, Kami Rogers, purchased pasta salad from a Hy-Vee store located at 1475 W. Service Drive, Winona, Minnesota. Ms. Reiner consumed the product the same day. Six days later, she began experiencing symptoms of diarrhea, body aches, and headaches. On July 19, her symptoms became so severe that she sought medical attention at Olmsted Medical Center where she tested positive for Salmonella. She remains under professional care.

Tyler Rogers consumed the same Hy-Vee Pasta Salad that his grandmother, Ms. Reiner, ate. He began experiencing symptoms on July 11, forcing him to miss three days of work. He continues to recover from his symptoms.

Kami Rogers consumed the Hy-Vee Pasta Salad on July 5th, 6th, and 7th. She began experiencing symptoms on July 8th and four days later sought medical attention. Ms. Rogers consulted with her physicians regarding her symptoms through August 1, during which time she tested positive for Salmonella.

On July 17, the CDC announced a recall of Hy-Vee Spring Pasta Salad for possible Salmonella contamination. To date, there are 79 cases across 9 states. 18 people have been hospitalized.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation's leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants. The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you're interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

SOURCE Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm

Related Links

http://marlerclark.com

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new partnership with India's S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research will give the University of Maryland its first dual degree graduate program with an institution outside the Maryland system. Participants will earn a Master of Quantitative Finance from Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business and a Global Management Program Certificate from S.P. Jain, a leading business school in Mumbai.

Both institutions are members of the Global Business School Network, a nonprofit alliance that connects public, private and social sector organizations with more than 70 business schools on six continents.

"The partnership will broaden Maryland's outreach in India and provide a template for other dual degree programs," says Rebecca Bellinger, executive director at the Smith School's Center for Global Business. "This is the first of what we hope will be several partnership programs with prestigious institutions abroad."

The Center for Global Business worked closely with Smith finance professor Nagpurnanand R. Prabhala to bring the partnership to Maryland. "He's well connected in India," Bellinger says. "He saw an opportunity to do something special and became a champion of the partnership."

Besides growing the Maryland brand in India, the partnership will benefit existing Smith students by expanding their access to global perspectives. "This partnership is exactly what the Center for Global Business is about," Bellinger says. "It will help internationalize our programs and enhance the learning environment in the classroom."

Starting in fall 2018, participants in the dual degree program will earn 12 graduate credits at S.P. Jain and then transfer to Maryland Smith for 24 additional credits over two semesters. As a STEM-eligible program, the Master of Quantitative Finance will allow international graduates to apply for an additional two years of practical training, which will give them more time to live and work in the United States.

"Dual degree students will go through the same application process as at-large students in our quantitative finance program, and they will get the same credential," Bellinger says.

S.P. Jain's Global Management Program, launched in 2010, is designed to stand alone or stack with degree programs around the world. Besides Maryland Smith, other S.P. Jain partners include Brandeis International Business School in Massachusetts, EBS Business School in Germany, IESEG School of Management in France and Nyenrode Business Universiteit in the Netherlands.

For more information, contact Maryland Smith's Center for Global Business at [email protected].

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty masters, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Contact: Greg Muraski at [email protected] or 301-405-5283

SOURCE University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of BusinessThe system donated to the University is Matthews' VIAjet L-Series L25, a high-resolution thermal inkjet printhead that is ideal for marking on primary packaging, a significant portion of the Food Science Program, along with a MPERIA Lite controller. The MPERIA Lite is Matthews' most compact controller, which can manage multiple print technologies all from one single interface. The MPERIA marking and coding automation platform centralizes control of primary, secondary and tertiary marking. In addition to donating a system, Matthews Marking experts are scheduled to present industry solutions for marking and coding packaged goods to the program's group on August 29 th , 2018.

For more information, contact Jennifer Adams at Matthews Marking Systems at 971.224.1616, [email protected] or visit matthewsmarking.com.

ABOUT MATTHEWS MARKING SYSTEMS

Matthews Marking Systems is a global supplier of printing solutions for product identification, branding, and traceability, designed to help our customers increase productivity, reduce waste and improve overall efficiency. We offer robust and reliable systems of unmatched quality for marking needs across packaging and industrial applications, including a full line of high-resolution inkjet, laser, and drop-on-demand valve jet technologies, high-performance inks, and integrated solutions for marking and coding automation. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and with subsidiaries in Sweden, Germany and China, we serve customers worldwide through an extensive sales, service and distribution network. With over 160 years of marking and coding experience, Matthews Marking Systems has established a global reputation as a premier innovator and manufacturer in the marking and coding industry.

ABOUT MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

Matthews International Corporation is a global provider of brand solutions, memorialization products and industrial automation solutions. The SGK Brand Solutions segment is a leader in the delivery of brand development, activation and deployment services that help build our clients' brands and consumers' desire for them. The Memorialization segment is a leading provider of memorialization products (memorials, caskets and cremation equipment) to cemetery and funeral home customers that help families move from grief to remembrance. The Industrial segment designs, manufactures and distributes marking, coding and industrial automation technologies and solutions. We have more than 10,000 dedicated employees in more than 25 countries on six continents that are committed to delivering the highest quality products and services.

SOURCE Matthews Marking SystemsPALM BEACH, Florida, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

MarketNewsUpdates.com News Commentary

The multi-billion dollar North American Cannabis industry continues to experience high growth as marijuana remains a booming business behind increased legalization and positive social and economic trends surrounding a variety of cannabis-based products. Canada is especially enjoying the current market conditions, with a number of US based companies move to the Canadian Stock Exchange in light of a more favorable legal environment. Nonetheless, cannabis business as a whole in North America is rapidly growing, prompting leaders to re-invest into long term assets in order to expand operations to meet immediate and future market demand and growth. Additionally, the industry is experiencing high activity in the areas of mergers and acquisitions as leaders aim to keep hold of their stakes in the market. Active cannabis stocks in the markets today include: CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE:CROP) (OTC:CRXPF), Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB) (OTC:ACBFF), Aphria Inc. (TSX:APH) (OTC:APHQF), The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX-V:FIRE) (OTC:SPRWF).



CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE:CROP) (OTCPK:CRXPF)) BREAKING NEWS: CROP Infrastructure announces it has received confirmation that its San Bernardino dispensary application has passed stage one of the application review process. As previously announced on July 5th 2018, CROP has agreed to finance the purchase of real estate on the granting of a California dispensary license. The proposed dispensaries will operate under the brand, "Emerald Heights".

Furthermore, the Company is pleased to announce it has increased its ownership from 30% to 49% for its "Emerald Triangle" cannabis production facility tenanted by "Hempire" in Humboldt California. This 30,000 square foot production facility sits on approximately nine acres and consists of a 10,000 square foot medicinal cannabis greenhouse facility and an additional 20,000 square feet of recreational licensed canopy.

As previously announced on August 9th 2018, harvesting at the Humboldt operation recently began at the first of five 2,000 square foot greenhouses and is expected to continue at a rate of one greenhouse per week. As each greenhouse is harvested new starter plants will populate the canopy space. Once the 10,000 square feet of plants have been taken down, the additional 20,000 square feet of canopy will then be harvested.

CROP Infrastructure Director & CEO Michael Yorke states: "This is an exciting time for CROP as our tenant begins its first harvest in California which makes this an ideal time to increase our ownership in the project from 30% to 49%. Our Humboldt facility is located in one of the most important cannabis jurisdictions in the US and potentially the world known as the Emerald Triangle. With the advancement of our dispensary application we are now moving towards assisting tenants in becoming fully vertically integrated in the State of California." Read this full announcement and more news for CROP Infrastructure at: http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/crop.html



Additional cannabis industry related developments from around the markets:

Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB.TO) (OTCQX:ACBFF) on Tuesday announced that its acquisition of Anandia Laboratories Inc. ("Anandia") is now complete. The previously announced arrangement, under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act ( British Columbia ), means that among other things, Aurora has now acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Anandia in an all-share transaction (the "Transaction") .Anandia is a world-leading cannabis-focused science company, specialized in genomics, metabolite profiling, plant breeding, disease characterization, and cultivar certification, as well as providing testing services to producers and patient-cultivators. Dr. Jonathan Page , co-founder of Anandia, is a globally renowned cannabis scientist, whose 37 peer-reviewed publications include key studies on cannabinoid and terpene biosynthesis. He previously led the Canadian team of scientists who were first to publish the cannabis genome sequence. As a result, Anandia now holds intellectual property with significant commercial value that can be applied towards highly specialized and customized cultivar and product development. Dr. Page is also an accomplished inventor with 8 issued patents or patent applications, and a frequent lecturer on cannabis science at international conferences.

Aphria Inc. (TSX:APH.TO) (OTCQB:APHQF) and Perennial Inc. recently announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture (the "JV") to collaborate on the development of new products, brands and product categories that will drive the evolution of the Canadian adult-use cannabis market. It is expected that a definitive agreement formalizing the joint venture will be finalized within the coming weeks. The JV will be powered by Aphria's best-in-class cannabis production and Perennial's industry-leading expertise in strategic brand development. The two companies share a cultural commitment to relentless innovation. This proposed collaboration will focus on developing industry-leading product innovations and brands that cater to the needs and wants of targeted adult-use consumer segments. As the cannabis industry expands into new and highly-anticipated product categories, Perennial and Aphria believe that a committed, consumer-centric approach will enable the JV to remain on the leading edge of the cannabis industry.

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED.TO) recently announced it issued $2,500,000 in common shares of Canopy Growth in connection with the expansion of an existing commercial arrangement at a price per share equal to the 5-day volume weighted-average price of the Company's common shares on the TSX ending on [August 10, 2018]. The Company also recently announced the acquisition of all remaining outstanding shares of its Chilean in-market entity, Spectrum Cannabis Chile SpA ("Spectrum Cannabis Chile"). This transaction brings Spectrum Cannabis Chile fully under the Canopy Growth umbrella and directly supports the Company's plans for development within the LATAM region which is home to more than 600 million people.

The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX-V:FIRE.V) (OTCPK:SPRWF) Pure Global Cannabis Inc. (TSX-V:PURE.V) (OTCPK:PRCNF) a vertically-integrated, growth-oriented life sciences cannabis company, recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, PureSinse Inc, has agreed to purchase from The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. ("Supreme") (FIRE.V) an additional 210kg of medical cannabis for resale. PURE's President & CEO Malay Panchal stated: "We are very pleased to secure a significant volume of additional product that meets our standards of quality from our great partner, Supreme. With this order, our company will have ample cannabis inventory to go to market within the next few months, in addition to enabling us to launch several clinical studies in specific therapeutic areas." PureSinse is one of the first Licensed Producers to receive a cultivation license prior to building out growing systems. Instead, the company focused its initial efforts and resources on R&D, and establishing sales, IT, and operational systems.

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU has been compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued above by CROP Infrastructure Corp. by a non affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Media Contact :

[email protected]

+1(561)325-8757



SOURCE MarketNewsUpdates.comNEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Lyons Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQX: LYBC), the financial holding company for The Lyons National Bank, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Lyons Bancorp upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Lyons Bancorp began trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "LYBC." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com .

"We are pleased to welcome Lyons Bancorp, Inc. to the OTCQX Best Market," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services, OTC Markets Group. "Tracing the history of The Lyons National Bank to 1852, LNB has an established history of serving its community. Lyons Bancorp joins the growing number of community and regional banks that choose to trade on our OTCQX Best Market. We look forward to continuing to support the company's growth."

"Having achieved and exceeded two critically important financial benchmarks, reaching $1 billion in assets and $100 million in market capitalization, we look to improve the liquidity of our shares and further enhance their value to our shareholders," said Lyons Bancorp Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Robert A. Schick. "The OTCQX Market will help us in this endeavor as it will give visibility to investors interested in a growth-oriented and financially strong community bank."

Lyons Bancorp was sponsored for OTCQX by Boenning & Scattergood, Inc., a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership.

About Lyons Bancorp, Inc.

The Lyons National Bank is a community bank located in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York with offices in Lyons, Clyde, Macedon, Newark, Ontario, and Wolcott in Wayne County; Jordan in Onondaga County; Geneva and Canandaigua in Ontario County; Penn Yan in Yates County; Waterloo in Seneca County; and Perinton in Monroe County; and Auburn in Cayuga County. The Lyons National Bank has one subsidiary, Lyons Realty Associates Corp.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and PA State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams joined Philadelphia-based developers AJR Endeavor, LLC in the first Osage Pine Community Progress Report and Tour, at 6212 Pine Street, here, in the neighborhood wherein 36 homes were damaged and improperly rebuilt as part of the City's response to the 1985 MOVE incident, in West Philadelphia.

AJR Endeavors was selected to complete the rehab project by the city's Redevelopment Authority in April 2017 and the company had committed to completing the restoration of the damaged properties within 33 months.

Today's tour included three properties; the first, wherein an opening presentation was made by elected officials and the developers; a second, where visitors had an opportunity to see and hear about the structural integrity of the rehabbed homes as they visited one that was still in the process of completion; and a final unit that was completed and fully furnished so that visitors might gain an appreciation for what the units would look like, once the properties would be occupied by their new owners.

To date, the developers have completed the rehabilitation of four of the 36 homes and reported today that they are on schedule for meeting the overall project completion date and that their work is being accomplished within budget.

Indeed, according to AJR principal Rodney Ross, two of the four completed homes have already been sold at price levels in the area of $240,000, a price range consistent with the commitments made to the city and to the Osage Pine community, at the project's initiation, for home sales prices in a range of $175,000 to $200,000 per unit.

The 36 homes will also range in size from 2000 to 2300 square feet, and will each include four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, said AJR principal James Robertson. The developers are also making a special effort to ensure that the facades of each of the homes, in the 6200 blocks of Pine Street and Osage Avenue, would have a consistent street-facing appearance, whether they had been directly damaged, or not.

Given the long-term damage and resulting depressed real estate values suffered by the original Osage Pine neighbors and by those in adjacent communities, over the past 30 years, the City's Redevelopment Authority plans to make special efforts to provide enhanced opportunities to purchase the finished, modern homes to families from the Osage Pine community, and within a two-city-block radius of the impacted neighborhood.

As part of the Community Progress Report, AJR principal Anthony Fullard said that the developers felt a special responsibility to ensure that the rehabbed homes would be high-quality and durable. That being the case, he explained, all work on the project was done in keeping with a construction engineering assessment of the damages that were incurred, and the specific work required to appropriately repair each impacted property, by structural engineers Orndorf & Associates, Inc. The Orndorf Report was submitted to AJR Endeavors, in July 2017, and was done with input from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Councilwoman Blackwell, in whose Councilmanic District, the Osage Pine Community is located, was very pleased to hear the Progress Report, especially after having fought for so long, from her Council Offices to ensure that steps would be taken by the City to restore the dignity and value to the venerable West Philadelphia neighborhood.

"I heard quite a few things that encouraged me," said Councilwoman Blackwell, "especially the information about the rigid construction engineering guidelines. What the Osage Pine Community certainly doesn't want to endure, again, after so many years, is another case of poor-quality workmanship on homes in their neighborhood. Given what we've heard and seen today, that's something we won't have to be concerned about with these beautifully rehabilitated homes."

Also commenting favorably on the quality of the work in the rehabilitated homes was Senator Anthony Williams, whose senatorial district includes Osage Pine.

"Even though it has taken an unacceptably long time to bring stability back to this neighborhood," said Senator Williams, "it appears that we're finally going to wind up with homes and a neighborhood that families can, once again, be proud of."

CONTACT: A. Bruce Crawley

Tel: 215-751-0140

[email protected]

SOURCE AJR EndeavorsNEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- QBE North America, an integrated specialist insurer, has entered into an agreement with Safeco Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Company, with respect to QBE's personal insurance independent agency policies in 47 states. The agreement is effective August 15, 2018.

The personal insurance independent agency book of business, which is sold through more than 900 independent agents and brokers nationwide, consists of two primary lines of business: personal auto and personal property insurance. The agreement further strengthens Safeco's position in the personal insurance market and provides an opportunity to expand its distribution network. At the same time, it enables QBE North America to focus on the businesses where it excels and can offer distinctive value to the market, including its specialty, core commercial, program, crop, Westwood and reinsurance businesses.

"As we sought to focus our strategy as an integrated specialist insurer, we thoughtfully chose Safeco for its ability to consistently deliver an experience of excellence to our agents and customers," said Russ Johnston, CEO of QBE North America. "By intensifying our focus, we can leverage our applied expertise to innovate and deliver exceptional end-to-end solutions that not only meet but exceed customer expectations."

"Safeco prides itself on providing innovative and industry-leading solutions to our agency partners. Our book transfer capabilities ensure a great experience for carriers, agents and customers alike," said Gary Fischer, Senior Vice President of Distribution Strategy and Operations Support at Safeco Insurance. "Throughout this process, QBE's dedication to their customers and independent agent partners has made this partnership particularly exciting to all of us as we work to provide a smooth transition."

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Locke Lord LLP acted as legal counsel to QBE.

About QBE North America

QBE North America, an integrated specialist insurer, is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2017 of $4.6 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2017 results can be found at www.qbe.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 31 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The actual terms and coverage for all lines of business are subject to the language of the policies as issued. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbe.com/us, or follow QBE North America on Twitter.

About Safeco Insurance

In business since 1923 and based in Boston, Mass., Safeco Insurance sells personal automobile, homeowners and specialty products through a network of more than 10,000 independent insurance agencies throughout the United States. Safeco is a Liberty Mutual Insurance company.

In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, Mass., Liberty Mutual Insurance is a leading global insurer with operations in 30 countries around the world. Liberty Mutual is the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2017 direct written premium data as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The Company also ranks 68th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2017 revenue. As of December 31, 2017, it had $39.4 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

For more information about Safeco Insurance, go to www.Safeco.com.

SOURCE QBE North America

Related Links

https://www.qbe.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- REAL SIMPLE today announced that it is launching the first-ever REAL SIMPLE Home at an apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Launching on September 26, the apartment will showcase DIY organizing strategies, modern design ideas, and innovative products from home organizers, interior designers, and REAL SIMPLE editors.

Each room in the apartment will be curated by a notable interior designer and a team of home organizers, including: designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, who are debuting their exclusive new furniture collection for Living Spaces which will be featured in the home; designer and television personality Sabrina Soto; Donna Garlough, Style Director for Joss & Main; designer Shea McGee from Studio McGee; Jenny Komenda from Little Green Notebook; Robin Henry of Robin Henry Studio; Ariel Okin, Premier Designer at Homepolish; Jessica McCarthy, Creative Director at Decorist; Stephanie Sisco, REAL SIMPLE's Home Editor; and home organizers from NEAT Method. The 2018 REAL SIMPLE Home will feature design and organizational tips from The REAL SIMPLE Method to Organizing Every Room (Oxmoor House, $26.99), available now wherever books are sold, which embodies the brand's ethos of providing design and organizing solutions that are sustainable and aim to keep the home more organized, functional, and livable.

"At REAL SIMPLE, we strive to bring women sustainable solutions to make their lives easier," said Leslie Yazel, Editor-in-Chief of REAL SIMPLE. "We're thrilled to launch the first-ever idea home that brings to life the REAL SIMPLE Method, which combines making spaces beautiful and functional, without sacrificing one for the other."

Aligned with the REAL SIMPLE Method, each roombathroom, kitchen, master bedroom, laundry room, and more will demonstrate how to implement a lasting structure for maximum organization and beautiful design. The brand will also launch the REAL SIMPLE Home app on September 21 that will allow users to click to buy products that are featured in the home.

"An idea home is a natural brand extension for REAL SIMPLE, a leader in home and organizing content," said Daren Mazzucca, Publisher of REAL SIMPLE. "The REAL SIMPLE Home will showcase the best products, methods and tips for an organized space, and we're excited to give our sponsors access to this new program through the apartment and app."

There are currently seven sponsors to date whose products will be included within the idea home: Arm & Hammer, Garnier, Glade, Lutron, Minted, Mrs. Meyers, and Sherwin-Williams, with additional support from Circa Lighting, Garnet Hill, Homepolish, Joss & Main, Living Spaces, and The Shade Store.

As part of this launch, REAL SIMPLE is partnering with Win, the largest provider of shelter and permanent supportive housing for NYC's homeless families, to raise awareness for the organization.

The REAL SIMPLE Home will be featured in the October issue of REAL SIMPLE, on newsstands September 21, and on REALSIMPLE.com. Follow REAL SIMPLE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

ABOUT REAL SIMPLE

The REAL SIMPLE brand (www.REALSIMPLE.com) makes life easier and more meaningful for today's busy woman, providing inspiring ideas and practical solutions to help her simplify her life. Throughout its 18-year history, REAL SIMPLE has been a leader in understanding the modern woman, creating a positive, supportive community in which women can connect and share their ideas. Through print and digital, REAL SIMPLE reaches an audience of nearly 21 million every month. REAL SIMPLE is part of Meredith Corporation, a leading content company that engages over 175 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including 80 percent of Millennial women.

ABOUT MEREDITH

Meredith has been committed to service journalism for more than 115 years. Today, Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms  including broadcast television, print, digital, mobile and video  to provide consumers with content they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners. Meredith's National Media Group reaches 175 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including 80 percent of U.S. Millennial women. Meredith's Local Media Group includes 17 television stations reaching more than 11 percent of U.S. households.

SOURCE REAL SIMPLE

Related Links

http://www.REALSIMPLE.com

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) has received a two-year contract renewal from Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Company (SATORP) for its subsidiary in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jacobs Zamel and Turbag Consulting Engineers (Jacobs ZATE), to provide general engineering services at SATORP's facilities in Jubail Industrial City 2 on the Arabian Gulf coast.

Jacobs continues to provide a range of services, from basic engineering to Front End Engineering Design (FEED), detailed design, procurement through to construction management, commissioning support and handover of small to medium sized capital investments to sustain the operations of the SATORP Jubail II refinery. The services are led by a dedicated team from Jacobs ZATE in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

"SATORP's continued trust in our proven capabilities as a world-class engineering and construction management company is a testament of our commitment as a valued partner in the region," said Jacobs Energy, Chemicals and Resources Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA David Zelinski. "This contract renewal reaffirms our strong relationship with SATORP and our long-standing position in the Kingdom."

Jacobs has operated in Saudi Arabia for more than 40 years, developing strong partnerships with the Kingdom's industrial leaders including, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden). Examples of the company's work in the Middle East include BP Khazzan Oman Gas Field, Sinnovate Smart Technology Hub, Zuluf Gas/Oil Separation Plant FEED, King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport, Sadara Chemical Company, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Ma'aden Wa'ad Al-Shamal Phosphate Company and numerous infrastructure projects with the Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON).

Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With $15 billion in fiscal 2017 revenue when combined with full-year CH2M revenues and a talent force of more than 77,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government and infrastructure sectors. For more information, visit www.jacobs.com, and connect with Jacobs on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. For a description of some of the factors which may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements please refer to our Form 10-K for the year ended September 29, 2017, and in particular the discussions contained under Items 1 - Business, 1A - Risk Factors, 3 - Legal Proceedings, and 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements made herein.

For press/media inquiries:

Kerrie Sparks

214.583.8433

SOURCE Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.jacobs.com

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Felder Homes added to its growing cache of industry accolades within the past month by receiving top honors from the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) and the Greater San Antonio Builders Association (GSABA). The awards mark the 14th time the Austin homebuilder has been honored by statewide home-building associations, and the third time in 2018.

Scott Felder Homes was recently honored as:

2018 Volume Builder Grand Award, Mid-Volume, Texas Association of Builders

2018 Grand Award  Volume Builder of the Year, Greater San Antonio Builders Association

Scott Felder Homes also won the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin Grand MAX's "Volume Builder of the Year" in April 2018.

"We continue to be incredibly grateful and humbled to be recognized by our industry peers," said Steve Krasoff, CEO/President of Scott Felder Homes. "I can't say enough about the dedication and hard work by our employees, which has led to the creation of quality developments, and continuous acknowledgement by the homebuilding industry."

Texas Association of Home Builders

TAB presented its awards at the 2018 Star Awards, Aug. 9 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX. In addition to being honored with the Volume Builder Grand Award, Scott Felder Homes received the following tributes.

Employees

Kevin Scawthorn , On-Site Sales Professional of the Year

, On-Site Sales Professional of the Year Brian McLarty , Construction Manager of the Year

Design

Trinity Plan , Pecan Park: Best Product Design Under $300K

, Pecan Park: Best Product Design Under Sweetwater Plan, Caliterra: Best Product Design $450K - $500K

- Lindale Plan , Greatwood: Best Product Design $500K - $650K

, Greatwood: Best Product Design - Cypress Plan, Abrantes: Best Product Design $650K - $850K

- Caporina Plan, Grove at Vintage Oaks: Best Interior Merchandising $500K - $650K

Promotion

Best Radio Commercial

Volume Builder - Best Sales Brochure

Greater San Antonio Builders Association

GSABA presented its awards at the Summit Awards, July 28, 2018 at the Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade. In addition to receiving "Builder of the Year" honors, Scott Felder Homes was honored with the following.

Employees

Corinne Wall , Online Sales Professional of the Year

Design

Grove at Vintage Oaks Model Home: Best Master Suite, Best Product Design, Best Specialty Room

Homestead Model Home: Best Interior Merchandising, Best Product Design, Best Kitchen

Promotion

Best Radio Ad

Best Sales Brochure

Continuous Recognition

The 2018 GSABA and TAB awards were the 13th and 14th, respectively, presented to Scott Felder Homes. Previous awards presented to the homebuilder have included:

Volume Builder of the Year, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018; Home Builders Association of Greater Austin

Volume Builder of the Year, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016; Texas Association of Builders

Grand Award  Volume Builder, 2015; Greater San Antonio Builders Association

Production Builder of the Year, 2014; Austin Business Journal

About Scott Felder Homes

Headquartered in Austin, Scott Felder Homes is one of the premier home builders of Central Texas, with a reputation for integrity, diversity, outstanding customer service and attention to detail. Communities are in Austin, Bastrop, Boerne, San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos. Model homes are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.scottfelderhomes.com or www.facebook.com/ScottFelderHomes .

SOURCE Scott Felder Homes

Related Links

http://www.scottfelderhomes.com

HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of seventeen cents per share of common stock. The quarterly cash dividend announced today is payable on September 28, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 14, 2018. While the Company intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends for the foreseeable future, all subsequent dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, are subject to final determination by the Board of Directors each quarter after its review of the Company's financial performance.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements have been made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "anticipate," or "predict," that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, many important factors could cause our actual results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by, or on behalf of us. There can be no assurance that future dividends will be declared. The actual declaration of future dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, is subject to final determination by our Board of Directors each quarter after its review of our financial performance. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, among others, restrictions on the payment of dividends under existing or future credit agreements or other financing arrangements; changes in tax laws relating to corporate dividends; a determination by the Board of Directors that the declaration of a dividend is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; an increase in our cash needs or a decrease in available cash; or a deterioration in our financial condition or results. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties, see our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Copies of this document as well as other SEC filings can be obtained from our website at http://www.sci-corp.com. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by us, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of deathcare products and services. At June 30, 2018, we owned and operated 1,486 funeral homes and 480 cemeteries (of which 285 are combination locations) in 44 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through our businesses, we market the Dignity Memorial brand, which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service, and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com . For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com.

For additional information contact:









Investors:

Debbie Young - Director / Investor Relations

(713) 525-9088

Media:

Jay Andrew - Managing Director / Corporate Communications

(713) 525-5235



















SOURCE Service Corporation International

Related Links

http://www.sci-corp.com

ROCK HILL, S.C., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Helpers, one of the nation's premier providers of personalized in-home senior care, announced the ten-year anniversary of the South Carolina locations in Fort Mill, Rock Hill and Lancaster, South Carolina, owned and operated by Seth Zamek. Zamek and his team have served senior citizens and their families throughout York, Lancaster, Chester and Kershaw counties since April 2008. In the last decade Zamek has brought over 100 jobs to South Carolina and plans to hire 20 more staffers over the next year. Senior Helpers' professionally trained care specialists help local seniors continue to enjoy the comfort of their own home (or wherever they call home) despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges.

"Ten years ago, my wife, Jennie, and I started our Senior Helpers location because we wanted to make a difference in the community, especially after the personal experience of having cared for Jennie's parents. Through a personal approach and quality services, we offer specialized care programs for Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's disease for the community," said Zamek. "Our team is proud to have helped more than one thousand seniors throughout South Carolina age gracefully and from the comfort of their own home throughout the last decade, and look forward to providing personalized in-home senior care for local residents for many more years."

Incoming Chair of the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association, Zamek has Master's degrees in Business and Health Care Administration, and 20 years of experience working in hospital administration prior to joining Senior Helpers. As an advocate for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, Zamek has sponsored and participated in The Walk to End Alzheimer's, a community event, for the past nine consecutive years, and was recognized by the South Carolina House of Representatives for his contributions to the community.

"We're pleased to celebrate Seth Zamek and a decade of truly changing lives and helping improve the senior care industry," said Peter Ross, CEO, Senior Helpers. "He epitomizes Senior Helpers' values, seen through his passion and dedication to maintaining the highest level of personalized service for families throughout the counties he serves in South Carolina. Zamek has been critical to our continued success here, and will surely be a resource to residents for years to come."

Senior Helpers of Rock Hill is located at 1317 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732. For more information, please visit https://www.seniorhelpers.com/rockhill-sc/. For inquiries, please contact Seth Zamek at (803) 329-4357 or [email protected]. Zamek is always hiring qualified and caring caregivers for his Senior Helpers locations. For more information on career opportunities, contact Ros Mitchell at (803) 329-4357 or [email protected].

About Senior Helpers

Senior Helpers is a premier provider of in-home senior services ranging from specialized care for those with diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, to personal and companion care to help individuals looking for a little assistance with daily activities. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has 311 franchised businesses that have cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to "provide care and comfort at a moment's notice."

Senior Helpers was recently ranked in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 Ranking, and appointed to the Healthcare Leadership Councilan exclusive alliance of leading healthcare companies from all health sectors committed to advancing the American healthcare system. Learn more by visiting http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

Contact: Megan O'Neal

Havas Formula

(619) 234-0345

[email protected]

SOURCE Senior Helpers

Related Links

https://www.seniorhelpers.com

LONDON, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Visiongain has calculated that the global Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market will see a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $4,627.8 mn in 2018. Read on to discover the potential business opportunities available.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5399269



Small Scale LNG is used to supply small or isolated demand centers not connected to pipeline infrastructure, small scale LNG infrastructure is now increasingly deployed to cater to the growing demand for LNG as a transport fuel.



Natural gas can be transported from gas production centers to consumption centers in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through ships and pipelines. Natural gas can be transported in ships and trucks to locations that are not connected to pipelines. Transportation of LNG takes place between exporting terminal (liquefaction plant) to importing terminal (regasification plant).



Small scale liquefaction and regasification infrastructure are ideally placed to assist with the development of stranded assets, the supply of remote residential and commercial demand centers but also the provision of LNG as a fuel.



LNG adoption is rapidly increasing due to the fact that natural gas is a competitive and environment-friendly option when compared to other fossil fuel sources. Small-scale LNG import terminals are primarily designed to serve the fuel requirements of a particular industry such as power generation and/or functions as a hub for ship and truck fueling. The risks associated with the development of large LNG facilities are significantly high when compared to small-scale terminals.



Small-scale LNG import terminals are the most economical option for such nations which have just started adopting LNG as a fuel in their respective industries. Several small nations are importing or planning to import LNG in small quantities specifically to cater to the feeling requirements of the power generation industry.



Several nations such as the Dominican Republic have just started importing LNG in small quantities to fulfil some of their industrial requirements. Such countries do not prefer importing large shipments of LNG as the demand for natural gas is still in the nascent stages in these nations.



The global market for small scale LNG is driven by high levels of spending in established and emerging markets. An important share of future capital expenditure will be driven by the greater deployment of LNG as a fuel, and growing investment in small scale LNG carriers.



Visiongain's global Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)) Market report can keep you informed and up to date with the developments in the market, across six different nations: China, Indonesia, Japan, U.S, Europe and Rest of the World



With reference to this report, it details the key investments trend in the global market, subdivided by regions, capital expenditure and equipment. Through extensive secondary research and interviews with industry experts, visiongain has identified a series of market trends that will impact the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market over the forecast timeframe.



The report will answer questions such as:

 How is the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market evolving?

 What is driving and restraining the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market dynamics?

 How will each technology in Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG segment grow over the forecast period and how much sales will these submarkets account for in 2028?

 How will market shares of each the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) submarket develop from 2018-2028?

 Which individual technologies will prevail and how will these shifts be responded to?

 Which Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) submarket will be the main driver of the overall market from 2018-2028?

 How will political and regulatory factors influence regional the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market and submarkets?

 Will leading national the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market broadly follow macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual country sectors outperform the rest of the economy?

 How will market shares of the national markets change by 2027 and which nation will lead the market in 2028?

 Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

 How will the sector evolve as alliances form during the period between 2018 and 2028?



Five Reasons Why You Must Order and Read This Report Today:



1) The study analyses the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) 2018-2028 Market in terms of :

- CAPEX ($ mn)

- Capacity MTPA)



2) The report provides Forecasts for the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market by Type, for the period 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



3) The report also Forecasts and Analyses the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market by Geography from 2018-2028



China Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



U.S Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



Europe Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



Indonesia Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



Japan Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



Rest of the World Small Scale LNG Market Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Regasification Forecast 2018-2028

- Small Scale Liquefaction Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Satellite Stations Forecast 2018-2028

- LNG Bunkering Facilities for Vessels Forecast 2018-2028

- Fueling Forecast 2018-2028



4) The report lists Extensive Details and Analysis of Global Projects in the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market including:

- Region

- Country

- Project Name

- Terminal Type

- Type

- Terminal Operator

- Project Throughput (Tons/Annum)

- Current Status

- Commissioning Date



5) The report provides Detailed Profiles of The Leading Companies Operating within the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Market:

- Gasnor Shell

- Skangas

- Gazprom

- Wartsila

- Prometheus Energy Company

- PETRONAS

- EcoElectrica Inc.

- Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

- ENN Energy Holdings Limited

- Kunlun Energy Company Limited



This independent 200-page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 106 tables and figures examining the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market space, the report gives you a direct, detailed breakdown of the market. PLUS, Capital expenditure and Capacity by type and geography, as well as in-depth analysis of leading companies in the Small Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market from 2018-2028 that will keep your knowledge that one step ahead of your rivals.



This report is essential reading for you or anyone in the Energy sector. Purchasing this report today will help you to recognise those important market opportunities and understand the possibilities there. I look forward to receiving your order.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5399269



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Contracting Group (www.summit-contracting.com), a Multifamily General Contractor with offices in Jacksonville, FL and Atlanta, GA, has started construction on San Mateo Crossing. This is a Market Rate development in Kissimmee, FL located near the new Tupperware SunRail Station, and will consist of 240 units in 5 buildings, with 240,758 total square footage. Luxury amenities include a clubhouse, garages, swimming pool, and dog park.

Construction is planned to be complete in Fall of 2019. The owner is San Mateo Crossing, LLC, the developer is Eastwind Development, LLC and the architect is Forum Architecture & Interior Design, Inc.

Contact Summit for more information on the project at 904-268-5515; visit our website for project updates and more information on the company www.Summit-Contracting.com.

About Summit Contracting Group, Inc.:

Summit has built more than 350 multifamily projects nationwide. Molded by industry experience, inspired by a competitive spirit, and focused on a team approach Summit's projects represent over 100,000 completed multifamily units. With an experienced management team combined with strong subcontractor relationships, Summit has been able to provide their clients with successful projects throughout the nation. More information on the company's notable achievements, services provided, key leadership, or history is available at www.Summit-Contracting.com or by following the company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

CONTACT: Marketing Department, 904-268-5515, www.Summit-Contracting.com

SOURCE Summit Contracting Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.Summit-Contracting.com

SHELTON, Conn., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Back to school season is here and parents are flooding stores to stock up on school supplies for a successful year ahead. Households spend approximately $510 on back to school purchases, according to a 2018 survey conducted by Deloitte, but this year, purchasing those classroom essentials can be more meaningful than ever, thanks to a new program by BIC USA Inc.

To help make a difference this back to school season, BIC has donated $100,000 to crowdfunding website DonorsChoose.org through the launch of BIC Bucks for Teachers. As part of the program, consumers can partner with BIC to contribute to local teachers on DonorsChoose.org.

When consumers purchase $10 or more of BIC stationery products, they can apply for a $10 BIC Bucks donation code at BICBucksForTeachers.com. After securing the donation code, shoppers can identify a project they are passionate about on DonorsChoose.org and make a contribution with their $10 BIC Bucks donation code.

"With BIC Bucks for Teachers, our presence in the classroom goes beyond our products," said Janel Lewis, Director, Stationery Marketing for BIC USA Inc. "Teachers play such an influential role in students' lives, so this program allows BIC and our customers the opportunity to give back and make an impact in the lives of teachers, classrooms and students."

DonorsChoose.org provides a space for public school teachers in the United States to request funding for necessary classroom materials to elevate students' learning.

"Teachers work hard every year to give their students everything they need to succeed, and we're so grateful to have BIC's support for teachers this back to school season," said Katie Bisbee, Chief Marketing Officer at DonorsChoose.org. "By inviting their customers to select classroom project requests to support, BIC and DonorsChoose.org can build a community of support for public school teachers and students around the country."

How It Works

Those who purchase $10 or more of BIC stationery products (before taxes, fees and coupons) through September 15 can apply for a $10 BIC Bucks donation code that can be donated to a classroom project of their choice at www.DonorsChoose.org/BICBucksforTeachers.Upon purchase, consumers need to upload a photo of the receipt to www.BICBucksforTeachers.com and complete the form by September 30. Donation codes will be sent via email within three days to be used on www.DonorsChoose.org/BICBucksforTeachers. All donation codes must be used by October 31. Limit one (1) $10 donation code per participant/family/organization. While supplies last. For more information on the BIC Bucks for Teachers program and code availability, please visit www.BICBucksforTeachers.com.

About BIC Consumer Products USA

BIC Consumer Products USA (US.BICWorld.com) is a leading manufacturer of stationery products, lighters and shavers. Since its founding more than 60 years ago, BIC has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products that are accessible to all. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands in the world today, delivering "More for your moneyAlways! "

About DonorsChoose.org

Founded in 2000 by a Bronx history teacher, DonorsChoose.org has raised more than $700 million for America's classrooms. Teachers come to the nonprofit's website to request the materials and experiences they need most for their classrooms, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. More than 3 million people and partners have funded over a million projects on the site, reaching 28 million students and making DonorsChoose.org the leading platform for supporting U.S. public schools. DonorsChoose.org is the only crowdfunding platform that vets each request, delivers materials directly to schools, and captures the impact of every funded project with photos, thank yous, and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent. In 2014, DonorsChoose.org made the top 10 of Fast Company's list of the World's Most Innovative Companies, the first time a charity has received such recognition.

Terms & Conditions of the Promotion:

From 6/15/18 to 9/15/18 purchase $10 or more of BIC Stationery products (before taxes, fees or coupons) on one receipt. Complete the registration form at www.BICBucksforTeachers.com to apply for a $10 donation code to fund a classroom project of your choice on DonorsChoose.org/BICBucksforTeachers. Receipt must be uploaded by 11:59:59 PM ET on 9/30/18 or while supplies last. Limit of one (1) $10 donation code per participant/family/organization. Donation codes must be redeemed on www.DonorsChoose.org/BICBucksforTeachers by 10/31/18. U.S & D.C. only, 18+. Void where prohibited, restricted or taxed. See here for full details and code availability.

Contact: Erin Wronka

Hunter Public Relations

(212) 679-6600 x 242

[email protected]

SOURCE BIC Consumer Products USATORONTO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tequity's client, Figur8 Cloud Solutions, a Salesforce Platinum Partner, has been acquired in a strategic transaction by Israeli based cloud solutions firm, AllCloud. Tequity acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Figur8. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This is Tequity's fifth Salesforce partner transaction.

Tequity's Client Figur8 Cloud Solutions Has Been Acquired by AllCloud

The acquisition marks AllCloud's entrance into the North American cloud solutions provider market. AllCloud has also raised $7 million in new funding, bringing total investment in the four-year old company to more than $15 million.

Cloud solutions provider pioneer, Eran Gil, has been appointed to CEO, bringing nearly 20 years' experience in technology and sales to AllCloud and a proven ability to build a professional services organization from the ground up. Prior to AllCloud, Gil was co-founder of Cloud Sherpas, the global cloud solutions provider acquired in 2015 by Accenture.

AllCloud offers a wide variety of solutions and services to large and mid-market companies spanning the entire digital transformation lifecycle, ranging from cloud architecture and implementation services to application integration and infrastructure management. The firm maintains high-level collaborations with AWS, Google Cloud, and Salesforce, in order to help customers choose the cloud platform that is best for them. AllCloud's team of 200 business consulting and cloud services experts support customers across industries from offices in Israel, Munich, Berlin and Bucharest, and now, through the acquisition of Figur8, from offices in San Francisco, New York, Toronto and Vancouver as well.

AllCloud's decision to acquire Figur8 was based on its strong foothold and rapid growth into the North American market. Figur8 co-Founders Ojay Malonzo and Richard Lockson worked at Salesforce for many years before starting Figur8. Since 2012, their strong leadership team and focus on long-term customer success has led to hundreds of Salesforce implementations. From technology to financial services, Figur8 has empowered customers in multiple industries to innovate on the Salesforce platform. Malonzo and Lockson will remain with AllCloud as SVP Sales North America and SVP Delivery North America, respectively.

"There is a large and growing appetite among the world's largest companies for comprehensive digital transformation, and these organizations desperately need the business and technical support and implementation and change management expertise of experienced partners," says Gil. "The acquisition of Figur8 provides us the ability to better support our customers' digital transformation efforts on a global scale. The new capital provides us the flexibility to grow organically or, if we prefer, through more acquisitions. With a seasoned management team and plenty of resources, AllCloud is in a very strong position to serve our customers wherever and however they need us."

Salesforce and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.

About AllCloud

AllCloud is a global cloud solutions provider specializing in cloud enablement, from cloud infrastructure to CRM and ERP cloud applications. For the past 4 years the company has been an AWS Premier Consulting Partner and Managed Service Provider (MSP) Partner, and a Salesforce Platinum Partner and holds partnerships with Google Cloud Platform and Oracle-NetSuite. The company is an industry leader in migrating and deploying companies of all sizes, start-ups to enterprise and public sector, to the cloud. AllCloud is headquartered in Israel with offices in Munich and Berlin, and delivery centres in Israel, Romania and Germany. www.allcloud.io

About Figur8

Figur8 delivers strategic consulting, implementation, and Salesforce development and integration services across a wide variety of industries and Salesforce specializations, including Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Pardot, CPQ, Einstein AI, and Lightning Migration. The company has offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York, and Vancouver. www.figur8.com

About Tequity Inc.

Tequity provides exit, merger, and carve-out advisory services exclusively to mid-market Software, IT Services, and Information Technology companies across North America and around the globe. We assist CEO's and shareholders to find the right strategic buyers and achieve optimal outcomes in a transaction. As business operations and growth specialists who have built companies, raised capital, and successfully exited, we bring real life experience to any M&A discussion. www.tequityinc.com

Contact:

Diane Horton, CBI, CM&AA

VP Corporate Development

416.483.9400 x103

[email protected]

SOURCE Tequity Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tequityinc.com

LONDON, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Visiongain has calculated that the global Lithium-Ion Battery Market will see a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $34,292 mn in 2018. Read on to discover the potential business opportunities available.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5399271



Lithium-Ion batteries are secondary batteries as they are rechargeable with longer lifecycle, enhanced storage and efficiency compared to conventional batteries. These advantages have led to increased battery demand subject to numerous applications including energy storage systems, automobiles, household electricity and consumer electronics products.



Lithium-Ion batteries are widely used in various industrial applications including power tools, telecommunications, healthcare and military equipment. The usage of nickel cadmium in power tools and equipment has been replaced with Lithium-Ion batteries due to its ability to reduce exposure to high temperatures.



Fluctuating crude oil prices and rising political instability has led to increased demand for alternative energy sources. The global automotive market is rapidly shifting towards the new generation vehicles such as HEVs, PHEVs and EVs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on crude oil. Lithium-Ion battery is the most appropriate technology for the electric vehicles due to its high energy efficiency, long shelf life and reasonable cost.



The Lithium-Ion batteries also have a potential to enhance the efficiency of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy. The usage of Li-ion batteries can help store excess electricity during non-peak hours which can be made available during non-production hours. This can increase the technology application in industrial and residential services enabling alleviation of peak-time electricity charges



The growth in the Lithium-Ion battery market is due to rapid industrialization and urbanization as well as increasing demand for consumer electronics and renewable energy adoption.



Visiongain's global Lithium-Ion Battery Market report can keep you informed and up to date with the developments in the market, across seven different regions: North America, Europe, Middle East/Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America.



With reference to this report, it details the key investments trend in the global market, subdivided by regions, capital expenditure and equipment. Through extensive secondary research and interviews with industry experts, visiongain has identified a series of market trends that will impact the Lithium-Ion Battery Market over the forecast timeframe.



The report will answer questions such as:

- How is the Lithium-Ion Battery market evolving?

- What is driving and restraining Lithium-Ion Battery market dynamics?

- How will each Lithium-Ion Battery submarket segment grow over the forecast period and how much sales will these submarkets account for in 2028?

- How will market shares of each Lithium-Ion Battery submarket develop from 2018-2028?

- Which individual technologies will prevail and how will these shifts be responded to?

- Which Lithium-Ion Battery submarket will be the main driver of the overall market from 2018-2028?

- How will political and regulatory factors influence regional Lithium-Ion Battery markets and submarkets?

- Will leading national Lithium-Ion Battery market broadly follow macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual country sectors outperform the rest of the economy?

- How will market shares of the national markets change by 2028 and which nation will lead the market in 2028?

- Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

- How will the sector evolve as alliances form during the period between 2018 and 2028?



Five Reasons Why You Must Order and Read This Report Today:



1) The report provides forecasts for the Lithium-Ion Battery Market by Application, for the period 2018-2028

- Industrial submarket 2018-2028

- Automotive submarket 2018-2028

- Consumer submarket 2018-2028

- Renewable & Grid Energy Storage submarket 2018-2028



2) The report also forecasts and analyses the Lithium-Ion Battery market by Region from 2018-2028



North America

- United States CAPEX 2018-2028

- Canada CAPEX 2018-2028



Asia Pacific

- China CAPEX 2018-2028

- Japan CAPEX 2018-2028

- South Korea CAPEX 2018-2028

- India CAPEX 2018-2028

- Australia CAPEX 2018-2028

- Rest of Asia Pacific CAPEX 2018-2028



Europe

- UK CAPEX 2018-2028

- Italy CAPEX 2018-2028

- Spain CAPEX 2018-2028

- Germany CAPEX 2018-2028

- France CAPEX 2018-2028

- Rest of Europe CAPEX 2018-2028



Middle East/Africa

- Saudi Arabia CAPEX 2018-2028

- UAE CAPEX 2018-2028

- South Africa CAPEX 2018-2028

- Turkey CAPEX 2018-2028

- Rest of the Middle East and Africa CAPEX 2018-2028



South America

- Argentina CAPEX 2018-2028

- Brazil CAPEX 2018-2028

- Mexico CAPEX 2018-2028

- Rest of Latin America CAPEX 2018-2028



3) The report reveals the Drivers and Restraints in the Lithium-Ion Battery Market



4) The report includes SWOT Analysis affecting the Lithium-Ion Battery Market



5) The report provides detailed profiles of the leading companies operating within the Lithium-Ion Battery Market:

- Panasonic Corporation

- Toshiba Corporation

- Johnson Controls

- Samsung SDI Co. Ltd

- LG Chem Ltd

- BYD Co. Ltd

- GS Yuasa Corporation

- Hitachi Ltd

- Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC)

- Electrovaya Inc.

- Philips

- Tesla

- A123 Systems, LLC

- Duracell Inc.

- Saft Batteries



This independent 195-page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 172 tables and figures examining the Lithium-Ion Battery market space, the report gives you a direct, detailed breakdown of the market. PLUS, Capital expenditure by application and region, as well as in-depth analysis of leading companies in the Lithium-Ion Battery market from 2018-2028 that will keep your knowledge that one step ahead of your rivals.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5399271



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Total Expert, a leading enterprise software company and digital transformation partner for some of the nation's largest banks and mortgage lenders, has earned a spot on the 2018 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing U.S. companies. With a compounded annual growth rate of 284 percent since 2015, Total Expert is 337th on the Inc. 500 list and the fastest growing software company in Minnesota.

By combining marketing, sales and compliance in a single platform, the Total Expert Marketing Operating System (MOS) empowers relationship managers to personalize and automate their marketing and communications, being more efficient with their time and money. The MOS empowers producers to deliver the right message at the right time to the right person, seamlessly turning leads into customers  and customers into customers for life.

"Making the Inc. 500 list and being recognized among the best and brightest companies in the country is a great honor," said Joe Welu, founder and chief executive officer at Total Expert. "It's also a testament to the commitment our team has had to helping our customers win every day in an environment where the pace of innovation is accelerating and margins are compressing. We are fiercely committed to hiring the best talent in Minnesota and doing our best work for our customers  and we're clearly accomplishing that."

Total Expert has grown not just in revenue, but in size and reputation as well. The company currently has 149 employees as of the end of July, a 230 percent increase from January 1, 2017. Earlier this summer, Total Expert was named a 2018 Top Workplace by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.

Do you want to grow your career with the fastest-growing software company in Minnesota? We're hiring. We have a dynamic workplace with free snacks, collaborative workspaces, ping pong tournaments, discounted lunch options and the best people in Minnesota. Learn more and apply today: totalexpert.com/careers.

ABOUT TOTAL EXPERT, INC.

Total Expert is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that provides the first modern, web-based, enterprise-level marketing and sales software solution built specifically for mortgage and financial services. Eight of the top 15 mortgage lenders in the country use Total Expert. Total Expert ensures that marketing, compliance, and sales are aligned in a single system of record, and provides tools including marketing, co-marketing and CRM. Every marketing asset ever created, downloaded, or deployed is tracked with on-demand audit level reporting. The highly flexible, profile-based architecture provides precise permission controls and hierarchy settings for endless custom reporting and analytics options based on the unique preferences of the organization. For more information, visit totalexpert.com.

Press Contact:

Henry Drennan

Strategic Vantage

(615) 497-8358

[email protected]

SOURCE Total Expert

Related Links

http://www.totalexpert.com

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tri Global Energy (TGE), a leading U.S. originator and developer of utility-scale wind energy projects, today announced that U.S. Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-TX 19th District) is the 2018 recipient of the Tri Global Energy Wind Leadership Award, recognizing commitment to wind development and to the people who rely on wind farms to support their families and communities.

The award presentation was held at TGE's Dallas headquarters during American Wind Week on August 11, 2018.

"I am honored to receive this award," said Congressman Arrington. "West Texas is the food, fuel and fiber capital of our nation. I'm proud that our region leads the nation in both renewable and fossil energy production. Harnessing the power of wind in West Texas has not only provided good jobs for rural America and helped power our state's economy, but it has broadened and diversified our energy production, which will support our nation's energy independence for future generations."

"We are so proud to recognize Jodey's leadership in Texas wind energy," said John Billingsley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tri Global Energy. "His efforts have helped Texas to retain its top ranking in wind energy development in the nation and globally. He understands the positive impact of wind energy in Texas."

Texas topped the nation in electricity-generation capacity from wind, with nearly three times the installed capacity of second-ranked Oklahoma, according to the American Wind Energy Association, the national association for the U.S. wind industry. In Texas, electricity generation capacity from wind surpassed generation capacity from coal in December 2017, making it No. 2 behind natural gas. Nationally, wind-based capacity has more than doubled since 2010.

About Tri Global Energy Tri Global Energy (TGE) is a leading developer of wind energy in the U.S. The company is based in Dallas. Founded in 2009, TGE's goal is to develop clean energy at an affordable cost through the development of wind projects. The company pioneered a proprietary way to generate local economic benefits through the development of renewable energy projects by partnering with landowners, communities and industry-leading investors. For more information, visit http://www.triglobalenergy.com.

SOURCE Tri Global Energy

Related Links

http://www.Triglobalenergy.com

The closing of the transaction is subject to confirmatory due diligence, entering into definitive agreements, respective board approvals and other conditions customary for transactions of this nature. Upon the first closing, UrtheCast will take ownership of Geosys' software for accessing, processing, cataloguing and retrieving of images. Land O'Lakes, through its WinField United crop inputs and insights business, will retain ownership of all intellectual property connected to its R7  Tool and farm-gate applications.

Beth Ford, President and CEO of Land O'Lakes, said, "At Land O'Lakes, we are constantly looking for the best ways to provide long-term support to our member-owners and our customers. This transaction will enhance our proprietary R7 Tool's ability to identify the right places for farmers to make incremental in-season input investments to drive yields and profitability  in real time."

Donald Osborne, CEO of UrtheCast, commented, "This important acquisition would bring together the best-in-class imagery capabilities of UrtheCast with the proven geoanalytics power and deep agribusiness industry relationships of Geosys. By unifying these companies, UrtheCast will be well positioned as the leader in fully integrated geoanalytics solutions for the agribusiness industry. The expanded capabilities allows UrtheCast to bring unprecedented capabilities to customers across a global value chain that spans from retailers to insurance companies, banks, and commodity trading houses. By enabling us to realize an immediate expansion of our capability set, customer footprint and revenue stream, the addition of Geosys will strengthen our business while moving UrtheCast another step closer to the launch of the groundbreaking UrtheDaily constellation."

Upon the first closing, UrtheCast will continue to provide Land O'Lakes with all the services currently provided by Geosys but with an expanded utilization of data once the UrtheDaily constellation is fully operational. Services would be provided by UrtheCast pursuant to a 13-year agreement with total potential fees payable to UrtheCast over the term of the agreement in excess of US $100 million.

The first closing is expected to occur by November 6, 2018, and full completion of the transaction is expected to occur in approximately 24 months.

About Geosys

Geosys is the first global digital agriculture company founded by agronomists. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Geosys provides clients with data, analysis and insights needed to make more informed decisions. Services range from worldwide risk management and monitoring agricultural commodities, to input sales and precision farming support by using the latest research in agronomics, information technologies and remote sensing. Geosys also develops highly customized business solutions for large, multinational agricultural companies. Acquired by Land O'Lakes in 2013 as an independent business, Geosys is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in France, Switzerland, Australia, and Brazil. For more information, visit www.geosys.com.

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2017 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 216 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 97 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including LAND O LAKES Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Land O'Lakes SUSTAINTM. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota.

SOURCE Land O'Lakes, Inc.

www.landolakesinc.com

About UrtheCast

UrtheCast Corp. is a Vancouver-based company that serves the rapidly growing and evolving geospatial and geo-analytics markets with a wide range of information-rich products and services. The Company currently owns and operates two Earth Observation (EO) satellites, Deimos-1 and Deimos-2. Together with its exclusive partnerships, spanning an additional 20 satellites, UrtheCast processes and distributes imagery data and value-added products on a global scale to partners and customers in multiple markets. UrtheCast is also launching UrtheDaily, a satellite constellation that will be the most advanced change detection system in the world, designed to capture daily, scientific grade, high-quality, medium resolution optical imagery of the Earth's entire landmass (excluding Antarctica). UrtheCast is also developing OptiSAR, a constellation of SAR satellites which together with UrtheDaily, will form the world's first fully-integrated optical and SAR constellation. Common shares of UrtheCast trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ticker "UR".

For more information, visit UrtheCast's website at www.urthecast.com.

Forward Looking Information

This release contains certain information which, as presented, constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that relate to future events and often addresses expected future business and financial performance, containing words such as "anticipate", "plan", "explore" and "expect", statements that an action or event "may", "should" or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions and includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: UrtheCast's expected completion of the transaction on the terms set out in this press release, the definitive documentation related thereto, or at all; UrtheCast's expectations with respect to its ability to pay the aggregate purchase price; and UrtheCast's expectations with respect to the revenue to be generated by the service agreement. Such statements reflect UrtheCast's current views with respect to future events. Such statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by UrtheCast as at the date of this press release, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause UrtheCast's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others: UrtheCast's inability to enter into definitive documentation, including the service agreement, or satisfy any of the other conditions to the completion of the transaction; UrtheCast's inability to complete the first or second closing; UrtheCast's inability to fund the purchase price; UrtheCast's inability to generate the expected revenue from the service agreement; UrtheCast's inability to raise proceeds from a subordinated debt or equity offering, achieve the required leverage and contracted revenue ratios or otherwise satisfy the first drawdown conditions or the final drawdown conditions under the credit agreement described in its May 23, 2018 press release in a timely manner or at all; as well as those factors and assumptions discussed in UrtheCast's annual information form dated April 2, 2018, which is available under UrtheCast's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. UrtheCast cautions readers that such factors and uncertainties are not exhaustive and that should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying estimates or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements may vary significantly from those expected. There can be no assurance that the actual strategies, results, performance, events or activities anticipated by the Company will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company.

UrtheCast undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by Canadian securities laws. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

SOURCE UrtheCast Corp.

Related Links

www.urthecast.com

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wpromote, the nation's largest independent digital marketing agency, today announced mid-year company growth, including the hire of vice president of paid media and the launch of its inaugural Challenger Summit conference.

"Our unique approach to client service, innovation in digital marketing and expansive list of top tier clients is turning heads in the marketing industry. I am honored and humbled to be celebrating our 10th year on the Inc. 5000 list," said Michael Mothner, CEO and founder, of Wpromote. "As we continue to grow, we will look for creative ways to add value for our clients and our new roster of talent and groundbreaking Challenger Summit will help us do just that."

Wpromote has tripled its workforce in the last five years, growing to over 350 employees as of July 2018. The strategic hire of Tom Hammel as vice president of paid media empowers Wpromote to offer clients a fully-integrated, profit-driven advertising service that goes beyond revenue and ROI to accelerate bottom-line growth for clients. Hammel comes from Google, where he pioneered new ways to integrate margin data and customer lifetime value modeling into AdWords. This strategy helped brands balance existing budgets and bids to optimal profitability, while also allowing them to identify and predict which customer segments they could target to take new market share profitably. He's now joined Wpromote to integrate profit automation technology across paid media services.

Wpromote's client roster is also growing, with the addition of 75 new accounts in 2018 alone. Notable new clients join from across the retail, hospitality and fintech industries. Clients such as Frontier Airlines, Home Depot, The Honest Company and Benefit Cosmetics look to Wpromote for services to help their brands compete.

"We've enjoyed working with Wpromote because they've proved to us that thinking like a 'challenger' isn't just a tagline, but rather their working style. Through our partnership, they have constantly brought new revenue-driving ideas and continue to push us to be better. The data, learnings and insights we receive are invaluable and have drastically increased our cross-channel performance. We are very happy with our decision to partner with Wpromote and can't wait to see where they take our business," said Christina Sokol, Marketing Manager for Frontier Airlines.

Next month, Wpromote will host its inaugural Challenger Summit- a marketing conference geared toward chief marketing officers, vice presidents and private equity leaders that will disrupt the traditional event model and give a true insider's look at what works and what doesn't in marketing. In partnership with Google and Facebook, Wpromote will offer marketers the chance to mingle, share and learn with keynote speakers and break-out panels with experts.

The Inc. 5000 list evaluates the fastest-growing private companies in America and Wpromote is honored to be on the list. 2007 was the first year Wpromote made the Inc. 5000, at the time garnering over six million dollars in revenue and number 62 on the list. Now, ten years later, Wpromote has continued to rise the ranks with over 40 million in revenue, as it earns a spot on the honor roll of companies able to secure this repeatedly over five and ten years.

About Wpromote:

Wpromote is an award-winning, rapidly expanding digital marketing firm with eight offices across the United States, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas. Named one of the Best Places to Work in the US by AdAge two years running, Wpromote and its 350 employees have helped hundreds of clientsfrom startups to Fortune 500 companiesgrow their businesses online with end-to-end digital solutions. Wpromote helps major brands Think Like a Challenger including Marriott, Bayer HealthCare, Verizon, CIT Bank, Z Gallerie, Coffee Bean, Shutterstock, J.D. Power, and Forever 21. Wpromote utilizes integrated search, mobile, and social marketing tactics to challenge its clients' top competitors. For more information, visit http://www.Wpromote.com.

Contact: Whitney Wells

BAM Communications

[email protected]

C: 541-530-1677

SOURCE Wpromote

Related Links

http://www.wpromote.com

CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Osteopathic Association supports a review of the classification of cannabis to facilitate advancement in clinical, public health, patient safety and health policy research, according to a resolution approved by the AOA House of Delegates.

The resolution also encourages the National Institutes of Health to support development of clinical research studies. The federal agency funded approximately $140 million in grants for cannabinoid research in fiscal year 2017i, significantly less than the allocation for similar research of opiates and benzodiazepines. In fiscal year 2018, the NIH nearly doubled funding for research on opioid misuse/addiction and pain to $1.1 billionii, yet the restrictions on cannabis medical research remain.

Thirty states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to legalize medical cannabis usage when recommended by a physician. Despite this, as a Schedule I controlled substance, cannabis use in clinical trials requires special licensure, approval from the FDA, DEA and NIDA, obstacles other pharmaceuticals do not undergo.

"As a growing number of states change laws to facilitate the use of medical cannabis, it is important that we have a strong foundation of research that can support evidence-based policies," said AOA President William S. Mayo, DO. "Given the proven efficacy at treating certain symptoms, reclassification could reduce barriers and increase our understanding of how to safely and effectively use cannabinoid drugs for our patients, many of whom do not respond to other treatments."

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's publication, The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids, states there is "conclusive or substantial evidence that cannabis or cannabinoids are effective for treatment for chronic pain in adults, antiemetic in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and improving patient-reported multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms."

The Controlled Substance Act of 1970 defines a Schedule I substance as having no currently accepted medical use in treatment, yet under the FDA Compassionate Investigational new Drug Program, federally regulated medical cannabis is distributed to patients with "serious diseases and health issues for their lifetime."

"This new policy is a recognition of an evolving landscape and the need to support evidence-based policies that serve the needs of our patients," said Dr. Mayo.

The resolution passed at the AOA's Annual House of Delegates Meeting in Chicago in July.

About the AOA

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 137,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools.

To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit www.DoctorsThatDo.org.

About the AOA House of Delegates

The AOA's House of Delegates, comprised of more than 500 delegates representing osteopathic state medical associations, specialty societies, interns, residents and students from throughout the country, meets annually in July to set organizational policies for the American Osteopathic Association and elect its officers.

SOURCE American Osteopathic AssociationAshford University was born in 1918 when the Sisters of St. Franciswho had already established the Mt. St. Clare Academy postsecondary women's boarding school in Clintonadded collegiate work and became Mt. St. Clare College. Mt. St. Clare College would go through many transformations before becoming the university it's recognized as today. In 2002 the college became The Franciscan Universitythe name under which it would issue its first master's degreebefore giving way to The Franciscan University of the Prairies in 2004. In 2005 the Sisters of St. Francis sold the university to Bridgepoint Education and Ashford University was established.

"Ashford University has a rich history of serving the Clinton region educationally and through community service," said Ashford University President Dr. Craig Swenson. "With the opening of the Ashford Online Center in 2007, now known as the Ashford University Clinton Campus, we have been able to bring the Sisters' legacy of inclusivity and academic rigor to virtually anyone with an internet connection."

Today the university serves local, national, and even international students through its modern Ashford University Clinton Campus. And in 2017, Ashford opened a Student Veteran Center to provide additional access and support to the region's military population. The center offers computers, printers, internet access, as well as military publications and veterans' services information, to military and veteran students.

About Ashford University

Where heritage meets innovation  that's Ashford University. At Ashford, students discover relevant degree programs, innovative technology, and cherished tradition. Ashford offers associates, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online, allowing students to balance life by providing the flexibility to do school work anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, www.twitter.com/AshfordU, or call Lauren Coartney at 858.513.9240 x11636.

Contact: Lauren Coartney

858.513.9240 x11636  [email protected]

SOURCE Ashford University

Related Links

http://www.ashford.edu

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Founding partner Craig McClellan has been helping injured victims and their families throughout Southern California focusing on complex, high stakes litigation in personal injury, product liability, and businesses cases where owners or shareholders have been harmed. He has successfully obtained more than 120 verdicts and settlements of more than $1 million each, including a verdict of more than $15 million in a wrongful death case in 2015, the largest net verdict for a single family in San Diego history.

We are proud to announce that Craig has been named the 2019 'Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs' Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America. This is the fourth time he has been named Lawyer of the Year  he first earned this honor in 2010 for Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs, and then again in 2014 for Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs.

Along with his various accolades, McClellan has served on the Board of Directors for the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Consumer Attorneys of California, and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He is also the only San Diego Lawyer to be selected as member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 of the nation's top plaintiff lawyers.

The McClellan Law Firm is a personal injury law firm based out of San Diego, CA that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for clients across Southern California for more than 25 years, and continues to fight for the rights of injured victims and their families. To contact The McClellan Law Firm, call us at (619) 215-1488, or visit our website at http://www.mcclellanlaw.com/.

SOURCE The McClellan Law FirmDALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer, co-founders of the Dallas-based litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC, have been selected for recognition in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Mr. Bailey is being recognized for his appellate work, and Mr. Brauer is included among the leading commercial litigation attorneys in the country. A widely respected litigation boutique, Bailey Brauer and its lawyers have earned multiple honors from BTI Consulting Group, the National Law Journal, Texas Super Lawyers and D Magazine in addition to The Best Lawyers in America.

"As a firm, we have always focused on providing clients with comprehensive legal solutions," said Mr. Brauer. "Earning recognition for both our appellate and litigation expertise is a sign that we have been successful at representing clients in all phases of trial work and appeals."

Mr. Bailey, one of The National Trial Lawyers' Top 100 Texas Civil Plaintiff Lawyers, is known for his trial and appellate experience in complex tort and other commercial cases in federal and state appeals courts. In 2017, he was the only Texas-based lawyer selected to the National Law Journal's Elite Boutique Trailblazers honoring legal innovators who are changing the boutique law landscape.

Mr. Brauer, recognized as a leading commercial litigator by various publications, represents companies and high net worth individuals involved in high-stakes business litigation. His practice spans various industries and he has successfully represented clients in both state and federal courts across the country.

The profession's oldest U.S. peer-review guide, The Best Lawyers in America is also among the most respected. Selection is based on confidential evaluations by attorneys in the same practice area and from the same geographic region. For the full listing, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

About Bailey Brauer PLLC

Bailey Brauer PLLC is nationally recognized for its trial and appellate work and provides battle-tested, sophisticated courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation matters. Led by veteran trial and appellate lawyers Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer, the firm focuses on complex commercial litigation, agribusiness, appeals, and class actions. Learn more about the firm at: http://baileybrauer.com/.

Media Contact:

Rhonda Reddick

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Bailey Brauer PLLC

Related Links

http://www.baileybrauer.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Benefits administration company, Clarity Benefit Solutions, explains why technology is key for brokers during open enrollment.

For brokers, open enrollment represents the busiest time of year. In order to maximize this time period, brokers should embrace technology during this all-important time to streamline the enrollment process, boost enrollment numbers, and enhance the broker/client relationship.

The proper decision-support tools allow employees the ability to access benefit information easier and facilitate more informed decisions when it comes to what benefits to select. These tools will provide them the proper information to help them select a plan that coincides with their current health needs, medical history, and anticipated medical treatment. Technology tools can also provide employees with the ability to more easily compare plans to make the benefit selection process simpler. And, thanks to recent benefits in mobile technology, it is possible for employees to select benefits, view plan information, and check balances in a single app on their smartphone.

Technology also allows brokers to follow up automatically to inquiries they receive regarding benefits. It is easy to set up a web form to collect basic information such as name, contact info, and questions. Automated email systems provide brokers with the resources they need to reach out to both prospects and clients more oftenand earlierin the process.

Voluntary benefits are also an important part of the open enrollment process. Technology allows brokers to present this information in an engaging manner in a variety of methods, such as social media platforms, websites, and webinars. It may take several exposures to this information to elicit a response from employees.

Finally, technology makes sense to streamline the follow-up process. Set up reminders to reach out to clients to answer their questions, provide them with additional information, or to start the enrollment process. Follow-through is critical over the course of the entire year, not just during the open enrollment process, and technology plays a key role in the entire procedure.

About Clarity Benefit Solutions: Clarity Benefit Solutions provides technology that makes the health insurance plan selection process fast, easy, and straightforward. For over two decades, we have provided clients with industry-leading technology, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Our offering is designed to save time and lower the costs of managing benefits while also promoting employee self-service and automated ACA compliance.

SOURCE Clarity Benefit SolutionsARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Law is dedicated to delivering a platform optimized to integrate with legal professionals' workflows to make them more efficient and effective. A key component of Bloomberg Law's presence at the 2018 International Legal Technology Association Conference is demonstrating that commitment through a panel about improving lawyers' access to data and resources. Bloomberg Law will also be showcasing its market-leading artificial intelligence and analytics tools, including new product enhancements like Enforcement Analytics and Tracking, Global Patents search, and the Litigation Intelligence Center at ILTACON in National Harbor, Maryland, from Aug. 19-23. Visit booth 411 for more information.

"Our participation at ILTACON this year demonstrates Bloomberg Law's leadership in two distinct areas: optimizing the practice and business of law through technological innovations and navigating complex emerging technologies like blockchain," said Joe Breda, president of Bloomberg Law. "We look forward to sharing our expertise as well as our new tools and product enhancements that increase efficiencies for our customers."

Bloomberg Law President Joe Breda is joining Meredith L. Williams-Range, chief knowledge & value officer at Shearman & Sterling, and Glenn LaForce, vice president of knowledge management for Aderant, on a panel titled "Leveraging Technology to Harness Data and Drive Efficiency in Your Firm." The discussion will center around enabling efficient access to research data and other relevant information within your firm to stay competitive and drive business.

Additionally, Bloomberg Law Reporter Michaela Ross will present with Glynna Christian, co-head of Orrick's Global Technology Transactions practice, and Teresa Walker, chief operating officer at Waller Lansden, on the basics you need to know to evaluate blockchain as a technology platform for you and your firm or department.

About Bloomberg Law

Bloomberg Law helps legal professionals provide world-class counsel with access to actionable legal intelligence in a business context. Bloomberg Law delivers a unique combination of practical guidance, comprehensive primary and secondary source material, trusted content from Bloomberg BNA, news, time-saving practice tools, market data and business intelligence. For more information, visit www.bna.com/bloomberglaw.

SOURCE Bloomberg LawDevine's first task? Crash a 30th birthday party in South Carolina last month to surprise the bejesus out of Tyler Tills, a diehard Devine fan, while igniting an unforgettable night inspired by the brand's latest campaign. Tills was celebrating with a group of his closest buddies before Adam showed up with a DJ and a shotski (google "shotski" and prepare for envy). Cameras rolled as Tills opened the door to find his favorite comedian ready to party. Devine posted the clip on his Instagram feed earlier this week and the full video can be viewed here.

"I've been living like a Captain for many years," said Adam Devine. "I'm glad my love for the brand has evolved from demanding everyone call me 'The Captain' at parties to now being the Chief Party Officer for the Captain himself. I look forward to throwing many parties together in the future and spreading the Captain Morgan lifestyle."

Additionally, Devine is the co-star of the brand's latest advertising efforts  the evolution of the "Live Like A Captain" campaign that premiered last summer. In the new iteration, Devine swings by the Captain's house party, bringing the fun with him. The spot will begin running online tomorrow, on National Rum Day, before making its television debut in October with other digital content being released periodically.

"Captain Morgan needed a Chief Party Officer who can not only dominate a game of corn hole, but is the first to order a ride home for the group," said Captain Morgan Vice President, Linda Bethea. "There is no doubt that Adam brings an unprecedented level of energy and fun with him wherever he goes."

Whether you're enjoying a cocktail on National Rum Day or taking a shot of the new Captain Morgan Apple Smash at your next house party, make sure you do so responsibly (and with a shotski if you can find one). And don't miss a second of Captain's adventures with Adam! Follow Captain Morgan on Instagram and Facebook at @CaptainMorganUSA and on Twitter @CaptainMorganUS.

About Captain Morgan

Captain Morgan, the original party spirit, is the number one selling spiced rum and the third largest spirits brand in the U.S. As the ultimate champion of fun, Captain Morgan invites 21+ revelers to join his crew and live #LikeACaptain. The Captain Morgan portfolio includes CAPTAIN MORGAN Original Spiced Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Cannon Blast, CAPTAIN MORGAN LocoNut, CAPTAIN MORGAN Apple Smash, CAPTAIN MORGAN Black Spiced Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN White Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Pineapple Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Coconut Rum and CAPTAIN MORGAN Grapefruit Rum. For more information, visit www.captainmorgan.com.

With great celebration comes great responsibility. When raising a glass, always do so in moderation  Captain's orders!

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

SOURCE Captain MorganLONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargomatic, Inc. ("Cargomatic"), a leading technology platform that connects shippers and carriers, today announced the closing of a $35 million Series B financing round. The financing is led by funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing, along with Canaan, Genesee & Wyoming, Xplorer Capital and Muse Family Enterprises. The investment will support Cargomatic's forthcoming geographic expansion efforts and plans to hire key employees to support its next phase of growth.

Founded in 2013 and based in Long Beach, California, Cargomatic is a highly automated, touchless technology-enabled transportation provider focusing on the fragmented short-haul and drayage trucking markets. Through its mobile application, Cargomatic connects shippers, receivers and carriers and eliminates the volume of calls, emails and faxes traditionally needed to book a transaction. Cargomatic enables customers to track information in real-time, quickly access or list untapped trucking capacity within the market, improve service levels  including pick up time and delivery rates  and effectively manage outsourced vendors within one platform.

"Local trucking is a $70 billion industry in the U.S., and small-fleet trucking companies handle 80 percent of deliveries in metropolitan markets. Cargomatic is revolutionizing the current trucking transportation logistics space by addressing its largest pain points through a unique combination of deep mobile and enterprise technology and the robust logistics support necessary for managing the intricacies of short-haul trucking," said Richard Gerstein, CEO of Cargomatic. "We are pleased to have the support of Warburg Pincus, whose extensive experience in logistics and technology-based logistics businesses will be pivotal as we embark on Cargomatic's next chapter, and work to bring our solutions to more customers around the world."

"Now more than ever, the use of technology is critical for the logistics industry to increase efficiency, reduce costs and create more coordinated, streamlined operations," said Alex Berzofsky and Vishnu Menon, Managing Directors, Warburg Pincus. "Cargomatic's unique and effective technology platform is a key differentiator, as it standardizes driver onboarding and is quickly deployable into new markets."

Parag Gupta, Vice President, Warburg Pincus, added, "We see meaningful opportunity to continue delivering value for customers and expanding the platform to new cities. Rich and the experienced Cargomatic leaders are have a strong focus on culture and team rooted in integrity, and we look forward to partnering with them in this new phase of the business."

Cargomatic currently operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Florida, Seattle, Dallas, Houston and New York, and has thousands of trading partners using its platform, including shippers, manufacturers, retailers and third-party logistics providers.

About Cargomatic

Headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., Cargomatic is a technology-based transportation company and marketplace focused on first and last mile transportation. For more information, visit www.cargomatic.com

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $45 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 165 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. The firm has been an active investor in logistics businesses with current and former investments including BlueGrace Logistics, MercuryGate, Coyote Logistics, New Breed Logistics, Ecom Express, Rivigo, and ZTO Express.

Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 17 private equity funds which have invested more than $68 billion in over 825 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com.

Media Contact

Mary Armstrong

Warburg Pincus

+1 212 878-9207

SOURCE Warburg Pincus

Related Links

http://www.warburgpincus.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CeriFi, a Leeds Equity Partners portfolio company, today announced the acquisition of Pass Perfect, the leading provider of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") license exam training to the financial services industry. Founded in 1988, Pass Perfect partners with leading financial institutions to ensure employees are effectively trained for and in compliance with FINRA licensure, rules and regulations. Pass Perfect represents the fourth acquisition for CeriFi, a leading provider of financial education, training and certification solutions to the financial services industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Ed Fleur, President of Pass Perfect, said, "I am very excited to partner with Leeds Equity and join CeriFi. Our goal has always been to provide the best quality content and learning outcomes in the industry. Leeds Equity and CeriFi offer us the financial and strategic support to continue to innovate and grow in an evolving market."

"After several years of discussions, we are excited to partner with Ed and the Pass Perfect team," said Jacques Galante, Managing Director of Leeds Equity Partners. "The acquisition of Pass Perfect represents a further step in Leeds Equity's strategy of building the premier education, training and certification provider focused exclusively on the financial services industry."

Eric Geveda, Principal of Leeds Equity Partners, said, "Pass Perfect broadens CeriFi's training and certification solutions, thereby enhancing its position as the best in class provider of lifelong learning for financial services professionals. We intend to continue to expand CeriFi's product offering to more holistically address the needs of financial institutions through organic and acquisition initiatives."

Polsinelli served as legal counsel to Leeds Equity Partners. Morrison Cohen served as legal counsel to Pass Perfect.

About Leeds Equity Partners:

Leeds Equity Partners, LLC, is a New York-based private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in the education, training, information services and software sectors (the "Knowledge Industries"). Since 1993, Leeds Equity has provided more than $1.5 billion of private equity capital to a broad spectrum of companies across the Knowledge Industries. Leeds Equity seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long term value for its portfolio companies. CeriFi is one of five investments in Leeds Equity Partners most recent private equity fund, Leeds Equity Partners VI, L.P.

For additional information on Leeds Equity Partners, see http://www.leedsequity.com/

About CeriFi:

CeriFi, formed in 2017, is a diversified education, training and certification provider serving professionals across the financial services market. To-date, CeriFi has made four acquisitions, including Dalton Education, Money Education, Keir Financial Education and Pass Perfect.

About Pass Perfect:

Pass Perfect is a leading provider of FINRA licensing exam training to the financial services industry. Founded in 1988, Pass Perfect has successfully trained over 1 million securities professionals with its proprietary FINRA exam preparation solutions. Pass Perfect offers a comprehensive solution offering that is differentiated based upon its superior quality of content and unique interactive learning technology.

For additional information on Pass Perfect, see https://www.passperfect.com/

About Dalton Education:

Dalton Education is a leading provider of Certified Financial Planner ("CFP") education and exam preparation solutions. Dalton Education's CFP education course is a 9-month course that satisfies the requirements to sit for the CFP exam and its exam preparation course is a 2-month course that prepares students to take the CFP exam. Dalton Education provides its high-quality CFP education in partnership with leading university partners.

For additional information on Dalton Education, see https://dalton-education.com/

About Money Education:

Money Education publishes digital textbooks and several reference workbooks for tax and financial planning with titles such as "Fundamentals of Financial Planning," "Insurance Planning" and "Income Tax Planning".

For additional information on Money Education, see https://www.money-education.com/

About Keir Financial Education:

Keir is a leading provider of training solutions for professionals looking to pass financial and insurance certification exams. Founded in 1968, Keir's textbooks and review courses prepare financial services professionals for the CFP, FINRA and several property and casualty examinations.

For additional information on Keir Financial Education, see https://www.keirsuccess.com/

For More Information:

Jeffrey T. Leeds

Tel. 212-835-2000

Fax: 212-835-2020

www.leedsequity.com

SOURCE Leeds Equity Partners, LLC

Related Links

http://www.leedsequity.com

HAIKOU CITY, China, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- China Pharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT: CPHI) ("China Pharma," the "Company" or "We"), an NYSE American listed corporation with a fully-integrated specialty pharmaceuticals subsidiary based in China, today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2018.

Second Quarter Highlights

Revenue increased8.8% to $3.2million in the second quarter 2018 from $3.0million in the same period of 2017;

in the second quarter 2018 from in the same period of 2017; Gross profit was$0.6 million for each of the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Gross margin was 18.3% in the second quarter of 2018, compared to 22.2% in the same period of 2017;

and 2017, respectively. Gross margin was 18.3% in the second quarter of 2018, compared to 22.2% in the same period of 2017; Loss from operations was $0.9million in the second quarter of 2018 compared to $2.1 million in the same period of 2017, a decrease of $1.2 million ;

in the second quarter of 2018 compared to in the same period of 2017, a decrease of ; Net loss was $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared to $2.3 million in the same period of 2017. Loss per common share was $(0.02) per basic and diluted share in the second quarter of 2018 compared to$(0.05) per basic and diluted share in the same period of 2017.

In a statement from Ms. Zhilin Li, China Pharma's Chairman and CEO, "It is the Company's top priority to actively and steadily increase sales and it is encouraging to see increasing revenue in this quarter. Management will continue to vigorously promote sales through active participation in recent provincial market openings to receive new drug tender offers and through further penetration into the market."Ms. Li continued, "The ongoing generic drug consistency evaluations and reform of China's drug production registration and review policies will continue to have a significant impact on the current performance and future development of Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers, including us, and may gradually change business patterns of the industry. We will continue to actively adapt to state policy guidance and further evaluate market conditions for our current existing products, pipeline products, and competition in the market in order to optimize our development strategy."

Second Quarter Results

Revenue increased by 8.8% to $3.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, as compared to $3.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017. This increase was mainly due to market volatility.

Gross profit was $0.6 million for each of the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Our gross profit margin in the three months ended June 30, 2018 was 18.3% compared to 22.2% in the same period last year. This decrease was primarily due to an increase in sales of lower margin products during this period compared to the sales performance in the same period last year.

Our selling expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2018 were $0.7 million, a decrease of $0.1 million, compared to $0.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017. Selling expenses accounted for 22.5% of the total revenue in the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to 27.5% in the same period last year.

Our general and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2018 were $0.4 million, which represented a decrease of $0.3 million compared to $0.6 million in the same period last year. General and administrative expenses accounted for 11.1% and 21.0% of our total revenues in three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Net Loss for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was $1.0 million, compared to net loss of $2.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Six Months Results

Revenue increased by 9.5% to $6.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, as compared to $6.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017. This increase was mainly due to market volatility.

Gross profit for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $1.6 million, compared to $1.4 million in the same period in 2017. The gross profit margin in the six months ended June 30, 2018 was 24.1% compared to 22.0% in the same period in 2017. The increase was mainly due to the increase in sales of higher margin products in the first half of 2018.

Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $1.3 million, compared to net loss of $3.3 million in the same period 2017. The decrease in net loss was mainly the result of increase in revenue and decreased expenses in the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Financial Condition

As of June 30, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $1.9 million compared to $2.0 million as of December 31, 2017. Working capital increased to $3.4 million as of June 30, 2018 from $3.1 million as of December 31, 2017; and the current ratio was both 1.3 times at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

Our net accounts receivable balance was $2.4 million as of June 30, 2018, compared to $2.3 million as of December 31, 2017.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call at 8:30am E.T. on August 15, 2018, to discuss the financial results of the second quarter 2018. Listeners may access the call by dialing 1-866-519-4004 for domestic callers or 65-671-350-90 for international callers, Conference ID # 6869537. A recording of the call will be accessible through August 23, 2018 by dialing 1-855-452-5696 or 61-281-990-299 for international callers, Conference ID #6869537.

About China Pharma Holdings, Inc.

China Pharma Holdings, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a diversified portfolio of products focused on conditions with a high incidence and high mortality rates in China, including cardiovascular, CNS, infectious, and digestive diseases. The Company's cost-effective, high-margin business model is driven by market demand and supported by new GMP-certified product lines covering the major dosage forms. In addition, the Company has a broad and expanding nationwide distribution network across all major cities and provinces in China. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hainan Helpson Medical & Biotechnology Co., Ltd., is located in Haikou City, Hainan Province. For more information about China Pharma Holdings, Inc., please visit www.chinapharmaholdings.com. The Company routinely posts important information on its website.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements set forth above that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, such factors as the achievability of financial guidance, success of new product development, unanticipated changes in product demand, increased competition, downturns in the Chinese economy, uncompetitive levels of research and development, and other information detailed from time to time in the Company's filings and future filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company's expectations except as required by applicable law or regulation.

Contact:

China Pharma Holdings, Inc.

Ms. Diana Na Huang

Phone: +86-898-6681-1730 (China)

Email: [email protected]

- FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW -

CHINA PHARMA HOLDINGS, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS















June 30,

December 31,



2018

2017 ASSETS

(Unaudited)

(Audited) Current Assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 1,935,527

$ 2,030,214 Restricted cash

1,626,352

709,796 Banker's acceptances

19,612

39,867 Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful







accounts of $18,238,248 and $18,209,734, respectively

2,367,188

2,293,120 Other receivables, less allowance for doubtful







accounts of $40,069 and $40,010, respectively

188,177

162,981 Advances to suppliers

341,200

461,307 Inventory

6,377,507

6,407,155 Prepaid expenses

221,132

185,647 Total Current Assets

13,076,695

12,290,087









Advances for purchases of intangible assets

23,319,133

23,722,954 Property, plant and equipment, net

21,584,492

23,541,003 Intangible assets, net

327,759

398,856 TOTAL ASSETS

$ 58,308,079

$ 59,952,900









LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY







Current Liabilities:







Trade accounts payable

$ 1,152,539

$ 1,141,138 Accrued expenses

195,046

276,368 Other payables

2,682,230

2,858,701 Advances from customers

586,282

581,132 Other payables - related parties

1,354,567

1,354,567 Current portion of construction loan facility

2,115,107

2,305,430 Bankers' acceptance notes payable

1,626,352

709,796 Total Current Liabilities

9,712,123

9,227,132 Non-current Liabilities:







Construction loan facility

6,798,559

6,916,291 Deferred tax liability

772,331

738,175 Total Liabilities

17,283,013

16,881,598 Stockholders' Equity:







Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized;







no shares issued or outstanding

-

- Common stock, $0.001 par value; 95,000,000 shares authorized;







43,579,557 shares and 43,579,557 shares outstanding, respectively

43,580

43,580 Additional paid-in capital

23,590,204

23,590,204 Retained earnings

4,178,280

5,479,809 Accumulated other comprehensive income

13,213,002

13,957,709 Total Stockholders' Equity

41,025,066

43,071,302 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

$ 58,308,079

$ 59,952,900

CHINA PHARMA HOLDINGS, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (Unaudited)





















For the Three Months

For the Six Months



Ended June 30,

Ended June 30,



2018

2017

2018

2017 Revenue

$ 3,173,711

$ 2,917,180

$ 6,789,395

$ 6,202,383 Cost of revenue

2,594,230

2,268,823

5,156,214

4,836,173

















Gross profit

579,481

648,357

1,633,181

1,366,210

















Operating expenses:















Selling expenses

716,220

803,434

1,394,550

1,521,071 General and administrative expenses

353,143

611,951

845,153

1,028,677 Research and development expenses

23,674

21,450

45,887

47,510 Bad debt expense

350,847

364,989

352,681

725,052 Impairment of long term assets

-

977,980

-

977,980 Total operating expenses

1,443,884

2,779,804

2,638,271

4,300,290

















Loss from operations

(864,403)

(2,131,447)

(1,005,090)

(2,934,080)

















Other income (expense):















Interest income

9,524

16,316

11,818

21,349 Interest expense

(130,580)

(142,205)

(259,682)

(281,169) Net other expense

(121,056)

(125,889)

(247,864)

(259,820)

















Loss before income taxes

(985,459)

(2,257,336)

(1,252,954)

(3,193,900) Income tax expense

(22,590)

(30,574)

(48,575)

(60,908) Net loss

(1,008,049)

(2,287,910)

(1,301,529)

(3,254,808) Other comprehensive income (loss) - foreign















currency translation adjustment

(2,418,783)

1,008,890

(744,707)

1,488,482 Comprehensive loss

$ (3,426,832)

$ (1,279,020)

$ (2,046,236)

$ (1,766,326) Loss per share:















Basic and diluted

$ (0.02)

$ (0.05)

$ (0.03)

$ (0.07) Weighted average shares outstanding

43,579,557

43,579,557

43,579,557

43,579,557

CHINA PHARMA HOLDINGS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)



For the Six Months



Ended June 30,



2018

2017 Cash Flows from Operating Activities:







Net loss

$ (1,301,529)

$ (3,254,808) Depreciation and amortization

1,714,328

1,628,380 Bad debt expense

352,681

725,052 Deferred income taxes

48,575

60,908 Inventory write off

148,565

- Impairment of long term assets

-

977,980 Changes in assets and liabilities:







Trade accounts and other receivables

(767,978)

(6,262) Advances to suppliers

113,520

(9,933) Inventory

57,850

439,865 Trade accounts payable

35,235

(974,197) Accrued taxes payable

(94,416)

(144,739) Other payables and accrued expenses

(157,893)

(87,949) Advances from customers

15,639

(173,692) Prepaid expenses

(40,178)

45,817 Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

124,399

(773,578)









Cash Flows from Investing Activities:







Purchases of property, plant and equipment

(29,982)

(51,808) Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

(29,982)

(51,808)









Cash Flows from Financing Activity:







Payments of construction term loan

(157,071)

(145,750) Net Cash Used in Financing Activity

(157,071)

(145,750)









Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash

(32,033)

50,900 Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

(94,687)

(920,236) Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

2,030,214

2,665,802 Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

$ 1,935,527

$ 1,745,566









Supplemental Cash Flow Information:







Cash paid for income taxes

$ -

$ - Cash paid for interest

$ 125,716

$ 410,509









Supplemental Noncash Investing and Financing Activities:







Issuance of banker's acceptances

$ 965,468

$ 1,435,381 Accounts receivable collected with banker's acceptances

268,630

227,274 Inventory purchased with banker's acceptances

288,982

210,787

SOURCE China Pharma Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.chinapharmaholdings.com

--Net Revenue Up 51%, Adjusted EPS Loss Reduced by Half--

--Lender Funding Remained Resilient--

--Reorganization Reduced OPEX Run Rate by 11% or $4.2 million--

--Breakeven on Loan Volumes Less Than Half the 2017 Rate--

--$20 Million Share Repurchase--

SHANGHAI, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- China Rapid Finance Limited ("China Rapid Finance" or the "Company") (NYSE: XRF), operator of one of China's largest consumer lending marketplaces, today reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018.

Dr. Zane Wang, Chief Executive Officer, Founder and Chairman of the Company, commented: "During the past several months, the P2P industry in China has been experiencing changes driven by regulators' intention to encourage industry consolidation and to establish a healthy environment for long term growth. While the changes have challenged the industry, once market stability is restored we believe the resulting environment will ultimately position the industry's leading companies, including China Rapid Finance, with greater long-term profitable growth potential. This regulatory process has created an opportunity for China Rapid Finance to demonstrate the high priority that we have always placed on regulatory compliance. It has also highlighted the benefits of our robust model. We have stepped up our level of product innovation, seeking to identify unmet needs of the consumer in China and offering attractive products that extend beyond facilitating basic loans. We are seeing early indications that our efforts are effective. New products designed around membership privileges, referral programs, and special service offerings for our best customers are proving to be popular, generating higher profitability and credit quality, and reinforcing customer loyalty. By focusing on our customer relationships, we can continue to offer new products, privileges and services to meet the lifetime needs of our best customers."

"Importantly, our funding remained resilient in Q2 despite changing market conditions. Our wealth management staff is in direct communication with our lender community on a regular basis. We are keeping them informed of our risk management approach and the results we are achieving, which is critical to earning their confidence. Our lender count remains unchanged at around 18,000, a strong signal that investors recognize the credibility of our marketplace. Our active customer relationship management and progress on institutional funding contributed to an overall net positive fund inflow for the second quarter. As important, some institutional investors that exited in the first quarter are now returning to our marketplace and actively exploring new investment opportunities."

Dr. Wang continued, "During the quarter we continued our proactive efforts to structure XRF as a more nimble and streamlined organization. The actions taken in the first half improved our breakeven point to a loan volume rate that is less than half our 2017 level. As market stability returns, we are confident that we can operate profitably and grow rapidly by serving our best customers with innovative new products that satisfy their lifetime credit needs."

Dr. Wang concluded, "We are encouraged by regulators' most recent positive messages delivered to the industry. First, in early August, regulatory authorities issued guidelines for evaluating P2P platforms and reaffirmed their intentions to bolster the healthy development of the P2P industry by encouraging compliant companies to continue operations and apply for registration. Second, regulatory authorities are developing and consolidating a nationwide credit reporting system. Recognized P2P lending platforms, including China Rapid Finance, have now been requested to report consumer credit data and to contribute to the national credit reporting system alongside the banks and other financial institutions. We believe this is a very positive development. China Rapid Finance was very pleased to respond by submitting our first batch of delinquent borrower data in early August. Our data was among the first to be listed on a recent notice by the regulatory authorities. We are committed to actively participate and support this national credit system, and believe this credit reporting can provide additional motivation for borrowers to build positive credit history."

Operating Highlights

Please note that all figures refer to the second quarter of 2018, unless stated otherwise.

The Company noted the following progress during the quarter:

Streamlined operations and lowered operating expenses through aggressive cost cutting: In the second quarter, the Company reduced headcount by 15% and closed more than 20 offline Data Verification Center offices. XRF also started the migration of Lifestyle Loans to on-line fulfillment. These actions reduced operating expense run rate by $4.2 million , and lowered the Company's breakeven point to a loan volume that is below half the 2017 level. The one-time cost related to these actions was $1.4 million in Q2.

In the second quarter, the Company reduced headcount by 15% and closed more than 20 offline Data Verification Center offices. XRF also started the migration of Lifestyle Loans to on-line fulfillment. These actions reduced operating expense run rate by , and lowered the Company's breakeven point to a loan volume that is below half the 2017 level. The one-time cost related to these actions was in Q2. Product innovations : XRF upgraded its lending services for its core market of emerging middle-class mobile active consumers. The Company launched new Lifestyle Lite Loans and upgraded the traditional Lifestyle Loans. With upgraded product offerings, customer satisfaction improved due to a more flexible combination of duration and line of credit. Furthermore, the reorganization to segment-led business units is resulting in better customer service.

: XRF upgraded its lending services for its core market of emerging middle-class mobile active consumers. The Company launched new Lifestyle Lite Loans and upgraded the traditional Lifestyle Loans. With upgraded product offerings, customer satisfaction improved due to a more flexible combination of duration and line of credit. Furthermore, the reorganization to segment-led business units is resulting in better customer service. New borrowers added were 73 thousand, a sequential quarterly increase of 135%. As planned, new borrower acquisition was down substantially from the 760 thousand added in the prior year period. The new borrower growth demonstrated the Company's commitment to operating conservatively while also proactively focusing on its most established long-term borrowers. Notably, new loan product innovations started to attract high-quality new borrowers with favorable credit behaviors, including high credit scores, low default rate and healthy credit demand.

added were 73 thousand, a sequential quarterly increase of 135%. As planned, new borrower acquisition was down substantially from the 760 thousand added in the prior year period. The new borrower growth demonstrated the Company's commitment to operating conservatively while also proactively focusing on its most established long-term borrowers. Notably, new loan product innovations started to attract high-quality new borrowers with favorable credit behaviors, including high credit scores, low default rate and healthy credit demand. Number of loans facilitated totaled 1.7 million, down 66% from the prior year period, due to a decrease in consumption loans resulting from the lower new borrower additions. The Company emphasized larger loans with longer maturities to existing customers, resulting in less loan turnover.

totaled 1.7 million, down 66% from the prior year period, due to a decrease in consumption loans resulting from the lower new borrower additions. The Company emphasized larger loans with longer maturities to existing customers, resulting in less loan turnover. Total loan volume of $408 million was down 43% from the prior year period. The Company intentionally drove a change in product mix, resulting in consumption loan volume down 55% year-on-year to $289 million , and lifestyle loan volume up 42% year-on-year to $118 million .

of was down 43% from the prior year period. The Company intentionally drove a change in product mix, resulting in consumption loan volume down 55% year-on-year to , and lifestyle loan volume up 42% year-on-year to . Average loan size for all loans was $234 , up 65% year-on-year to its highest level since the beginning of 2017, a result of nearly all new loans going to more seasoned borrowers.

for all loans was , up 65% year-on-year to its highest level since the beginning of 2017, a result of nearly all new loans going to more seasoned borrowers. Cumulative loan volume per borrower continued to grow. All cohort groups increased their cumulative loan volume per borrower, with no signs of slowing. Notably, even the most seasoned cohort (39 months on the platform) continued to grow at a steady pace. The stability of growth demonstrates the value of established long-term relationships with borrowers, further confirming our customer loyalty.

continued to grow. All cohort groups increased their cumulative loan volume per borrower, with no signs of slowing. Notably, even the most seasoned cohort (39 months on the platform) continued to grow at a steady pace. The stability of growth demonstrates the value of established long-term relationships with borrowers, further confirming our customer loyalty. Annualized loss rate of consumption loans as of June 30, 2018 was 4.9%.



For the Three Months Ended



June 30,

2017

March 31,

2018

June 30,

2018

YoY Number of loans facilitated ('000)













Consumption loans............... 5,083

2,507

1,731

-66% Lifestyle loans........................ 8

6

11

38% Total......................................... 5,091

2,513

1,742

-66% Number of new borrowers ('000)













Consumption loans................ 753

26

64

-92% Lifestyle loans......................... 7

5

9

29% Total......................................... 760

31

73

-90%















Repeat borrower rate[1] ............. 72%

76%

75%

4%















Loan volume (in US$ millions)













Consumption loans............... 637.5

417.4

289.2

-55% Lifestyle loans........................ 83.2

73.1

118.3

42% Total......................................... 720.7

490.5

407.5

-43%





















Chief Financial Officer Kerry Shen noted: "The proactive business unit reorganization we undertook in the first half is having the intended impact. Our revenue and gross billings grew meaningfully despite reduced loan volume and new borrower acquisitions. We also took over $4 million out of our operating expense run rate, and can now achieve breakeven on far lower loan volumes than we generated last year."

"We also overhauled our product lineup in order to achieve three objectives. First, the overhaul enabled compliance with all applicable regulations. Second, we shortened our path toward profitability by eliminating loan products with lengthy payback periods. Third, we introduced a customer loyalty program for our best customers. The product overhaul increased our take rate, reduced churn, and increased the product portfolio's profitability. The successful launch of our loyalty program is a clear demonstration of our aspiration to build quality customer relationships, not just one-time borrowers, so our revenue growth doesn't depend solely on the growth of loan volume or replacing existing borrowers with new borrowers. This overhaul is a significant factor in reducing our breakeven point to less than half of the loan volume of 2017."

Kerry continued, "We are encouraged by the support of our lender community, which is a function of our long operating history and low delinquency rates. With tangible and visible progress this quarter, we are confident that we are well-positioned to operate effectively in the current regulatory and funding environment."

Financial Highlights

Please note that all figures refer to the second quarter of 2018, unless stated otherwise.

Gross Billings and Revenue

Total gross billings on transaction and service fees2 were $35.1 million , up 43% from $24.5 million in the second quarter of 2017.

- Gross billings from Consumption loans were $9.4 million, down 29% from $13.2 million in the prior year period mainly because of a 55% decrease in consumption loan volume. Consumption loans' fee rate increased modestly, reflecting a change in the mix of loan types originated.

- Gross billings from Lifestyle loans were $25.7 million, up 127% from $11.3 million in the prior year period. The pricing model of Lifestyle loans was changed, with risk-based fees being charged to borrowers and passed on to investors. The Lifestyle loan portfolio was upgraded by replacing "off-the-rack" types of loans with a series of new Lifestyle loan products offering more loan sizes, durations and fee structures. The new broader portfolio is tailored to meet the needs of borrowers' diversified lifestyle-event. These efforts have started to show favorable results as evidenced by the reacceleration in loan volume growth and improved monetization.

Net revenue was $23.0 million , up 51% year-on-year, despite a decrease in total loan volume of 43% year-on-year. The robust growth of net revenue demonstrates the effectiveness and strong execution of the Company's strategy, which consists of: 1) new product design and an upgraded product portfolio that tailors services to borrowers and yields better economics; and 2) a focus on high-quality repeat borrowers, who are known to generate favorable returns based on earlier investments. The strategy is proving to be effective, based on net revenue as a percentage of total loan volume ("net revenue take rate") more than doubling to 5.6% in this quarter from 2.1% a year ago.

Operating Expenses

Servicing expenses were $2.9 million , down 18% year-on-year from $3.5 million in the second quarter of 2017, due mainly to improved efficiency in customer and loan collection services. Reorganizational costs accounted for $0.1 million of servicing expense in Q2.

were , down 18% year-on-year from in the second quarter of 2017, due mainly to improved efficiency in customer and loan collection services. Reorganizational costs accounted for of servicing expense in Q2. Sales and marketing expenses were unchanged at $10.0 million , an increase of 5% from the second quarter of 2017. This was primarily due to increased promotional expenses related to the Lifestyle loan and Wealth Management unit, offset by lower new borrower acquisition payments to channel partners. Reorganizational costs accounted for $0.3 million of sales and marketing expense in Q2.

were unchanged at , an increase of 5% from the second quarter of 2017. This was primarily due to increased promotional expenses related to the Lifestyle loan and Wealth Management unit, offset by lower new borrower acquisition payments to channel partners. Reorganizational costs accounted for of sales and marketing expense in Q2. General and administrative expenses were $16.5 million , up 24% year-on-year from $13.3 million in the second quarter of 2017. The increase in G&A was mainly due to reorganizational costs of $1.0 million , as well as $0.9 million of increased costs associated with third-party collection services.

were , up 24% year-on-year from in the second quarter of 2017. The increase in G&A was mainly due to reorganizational costs of , as well as of increased costs associated with third-party collection services. Product development expenses3 were $4.2 million , up 67% year-on-year from $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2017. The increase was due principally to increased investment in technology for loan matching and data analysis, as well as improvements to the transaction processing and servicing platform.

The Company emphasizes that second quarter operating expenses reflects some legacy spending that was eliminated by the first half reorganization. The Company reduced its operating expense run rate by $4.2 million from the rate reported for the first quarter.

Net Income

GAAP net loss was $10.6 million , narrowed by 22% from a net loss of $13.5 million in the second quarter of 2017. The improvements came despite the near-term impact from increased expenses associated with the reorganization.

was , narrowed by 22% from a net loss of in the second quarter of 2017. The improvements came despite the near-term impact from increased expenses associated with the reorganization. Non-GAAP adjusted loss before income tax expense was $8.7 million , as compared to $12.7 million in the second quarter of 2017. Compared to GAAP results, this loss excludes share-based compensation and reorganization costs.

was , as compared to in the second quarter of 2017. Compared to GAAP results, this loss excludes share-based compensation and reorganization costs. GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders was $10.6 million , as compared to a net loss of $96.4 million in the prior year period.

was , as compared to a net loss of in the prior year period. GAAP EPS was ($0.16) per share, as compared to ($1.93) per share in the prior year period.

was per share, as compared to per share in the prior year period. Adjusted EPS was ($0.13) per share, as compared to ($0.26) per share in the prior year period. The decreased net loss per share was mainly due to improved monetization that drove robust growth of gross billings and net revenue, and improved efficiency that reduced operating expenses.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

As of June 30, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $58.8 million and restricted cash of $2.7 million. Operating cash flow was negative $12.4 million, which compares to negative $16.2 million in the prior year period. The improvement in operating cash flow was mainly due to reduced net loss. The Company believes that its cash resources are more than adequate to fund operations and growth initiatives.

Outlook and Share Repurchase Program

This outlook is based on information available as of the date of this press release, and is subject to change. The outlook depends in part on a stable regulatory environment and continued access to funding.

As our Q2 results reveal, the Company has made measurable progress on its path toward profitability. We expect to achieve forward-progress towards generating profitability in due course, barring any unforeseen changes to the regulatory or funding environment.

The Company believes the current market price of its ADRs does not reflect the promising outlook for its business. Accordingly, the Company is initiating a $20 million share repurchase program.

Commenting on the share repurchase, Dr. Wang said, "With this share repurchase authorization, our board is making a strong statement about our confidence in the future of XRF. We have more than enough cash to fund our current operations and expect to be operating profitably in the near future. The board and management team firmly believe that the Company's current stock market valuation reflects neither the untapped value of our established customer relationships and the business we have built, nor our prospects for future growth. Repurchasing shares now represents a rational use of cash for the benefit of all shareholders, and fits within our capital allocation strategy, which we believe is prudent and consistent with our commitment to build shareholder value."

The approved share repurchase may be effected on the open market at prevailing market prices, depending on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, share price, trading volume and general market conditions, along with the Company's working capital requirements, general business conditions and other factors, as well as subject to applicable rules and regulations, including requirements of Rule 10b5-1 and/or Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company's board of directors will review the share repurchase program periodically, and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size. The Company plans to fund the purchases out of its existing cash balance or future cash provided by operating activities.

Conference Call:

The Company will hold a conference call on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 p.m. China Standard Time) to discuss its financial results.

Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

International: +1 (412) 902-4272 United States Toll Free: +1 (888) 346-8982 China Toll Free: +86 4001-201203 Hong Kong Local Toll: +852 301-84992 Conference ID: China Rapid Finance call

A replay will be accessible through August 22, 2018 by dialing the following numbers:

United States: +1 (877) 344-7529 International: +1 (412) 317-0088 Replay Access Code: 10122643

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available through the Company's investor relations website at http://chinarapidfinance.investorroom.com.

About China Rapid Finance

China Rapid Finance operates a leading online consumer finance marketplace in China, facilitating millions of loans annually. The Company deploys machine learning and proprietary decisioning technology to facilitate affordable digital credit for one of the world's largest untapped consumer credit markets: China's 500 million emerging middle-class mobile active consumers. China Rapid Finance operates a pure play marketplace, and does not take credit risk. The Company utilizes its proprietary, mobile-first technology to efficiently select creditworthy consumers for its platform. China Rapid Finance facilitates smaller, shorter-term initial loans to these qualified consumers and then enables larger, longer-term loans for repeat borrowers who demonstrate positive credit behavior. This differentiated strategy positions the platform to attract and retain high quality consumers who generate significant customer lifetime value. China Rapid Finance was founded by Dr. Zane Wang, who has decades of consumer credit experience in the U.S. and China, and is governed by a global board of directors. For more information, please visit http://ChinaRapidFinance.InvestorRoom.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We use non-GAAP adjusted profit/(loss) before income tax expense, a non-GAAP financial measure, in evaluating our operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. We believe that this measurement helps identify underlying trends in our business by excluding the impact of share-based compensation expenses and discretionary payments. We believe that it also provides useful information about our operating results, enhances the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects and allows for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by our management in its financial and operational decision-making.

Non-GAAP adjusted profit/(loss) before income tax expense is not defined under U.S. GAAP and is not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as an analytical tool, and when assessing our operating performance, cash flows or our liquidity, investors should not consider it in isolation, or as a substitute for net profit/(loss) or other consolidated statements of comprehensive profit/(loss) prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company encourages investors and others to review our financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

For more information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please see the table captioned "Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this announcement.

Statement Regarding Unaudited Condensed Financial Information

The unaudited financial information set forth below is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Adjustments to the consolidated financial statements may be identified when audit work has been performed for the Company's year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited condensed financial information.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement, China Rapid Finance's financial outlook as well as China Rapid Finance's strategic and operational plans contain forward-looking statements. China Rapid Finance may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about China Rapid Finance's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: unexpected difficulties in China Rapid Finance's pursuit of its goals and strategies; the unexpected developments, including slow growth, in the consumer lending market; reduced demand for, and market acceptance of, China Rapid Finance's products and services; difficulties keeping and strengthening relationships with borrowers or investors; difficulties of expanding data and channel partnerships, potentially costly servicing activities; competition in the consumer lending market; PRC governmental regulations and policies; and general economic and business conditions in the regions where China Rapid Finance provides products and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in China Rapid Finance's reports filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this announcement and in the attachments is as of the date of this announcement, and China Rapid Finance undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

1 Repeat borrower rate is defined as the total number of customers who borrowed more than once divided by the total number of borrowers on our marketplace. Both numbers are calculated since inception. 2 Gross billings on transaction and service fees is defined as transaction and service fees billed to customers and value-added service fees, inclusive of related value-added taxes, before deduction of customer acquisition incentives ("CAI"). 3 Product development expenses include expenses incurred to facilitate the loan matching business, to gather historical data and borrowing behaviors, as well as to maintain, monitor and manage our transaction and service platform. We recognize website, software and mobile applications development costs in accordance with ASC 350-50 "Website development costs" and ASC 350-40 "Software  internal use software," respectively.

Investor Relations Contacts:

In China:

China Rapid Finance

Sean Zhang

Tel: +86 (21) 6032-5999

Email: [email protected]



Or

The Blueshirt Group

Gary T. Dvorchak, CFA

Tel: +86 (138) 1079-1480

Email: [email protected]

In the US:

The Blueshirt Group

Ralph Fong

Tel: +1 (415) 489-2195

Email: [email protected]

CHINA RAPID FINANCE LIMITED UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (US$ in thousands, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted)



For the Three Months Ended

June 30,

2017

March 31,

2018

June 30,

2018

USD

USD

USD Revenue:









Transaction and service fees (net of

customer acquisition incentive)............................................... 14,691

16,329

22,728 Other revenue..................................................................................................................................... 462

351

347













15,153

16,680

23,075 Reversal/(Provision) for loan losses .................................................................................................. 10

8

(115) Discretionary payments -

(9,052)

- Tax related surcharges....................................................................................................................... (1)

(3)

-











Net revenue 15,162

7,633

22,960











Operating expense:









Servicing expenses............................................................................................................................. (3,476)

(3,193)

(2,856) Sales and marketing expenses........................................................................................................... (9,522)

(10,491)

(10,015) General and administrative expenses................................................................................................ (13,266)

(19,896)

(16,484) Product development expenses (2,537)

(4,188)

(4,239)











Total operating expenses........................................................................................................................... (28,801)

(37,768)

(33,594)











Other income (expense):









Other income (expense), net.............................................................................................................. 149

291

116











Loss before income tax expense.............................................................................................................. (13,490)

(29,844)

(10,518) Income tax expense............................................................................................................................ (28)

(345)

(34)











Net loss......................................................................................................................................................... (13,518)

(30,189)

(10,552) Accretion on Series A convertible

redeemable preferred shares to

redemption value...................... (24)

-

- Accretion on Series B convertible

redeemable preferred shares to

redemption value...................... (135)

-

- Accretion on Series C convertible

redeemable preferred shares to

redemption value...................... (653)

-

- Deemed dividend to Series C convertible

redeemable preferred shares upon Initial

Public Offering (82,034)

-

- Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders....................................................................................... (96,364)

(30,189)

(10,552)











Net loss......................................................................................................................................................... (13,518)

(30,189)

(10,552) Foreign currency translation adjustment, net

of nil tax....................................................................... (99)

288

(39)











Comprehensive loss................................................................................................................................... (13,617)

(29,901)

(10,591)











Weighted average number of ordinary shares

used in computing net loss per share









Basic.................................................................................................................................................... 50,013,189

65,131,066

65,356,887 Diluted.................................................................................................................................................. 50,013,189

65,131,066

65,356,887 Loss per share attributable to ordinary

shareholders









Basic.................................................................................................................................................... (1.93)

(0.46)

(0.16) Diluted.................................................................................................................................................. (1.93)

(0.46)

(0.16)

CHINA RAPID FINANCE LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (US$ in thousands, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted)



As of



June 30,

2017

March 31,

2018

June 30,

2018

USD

USD

USD Assets









Cash and cash equivalents........................................................................................................... 74,517

71,661

58,809 Restricted cash............................................................................................................................. 17,372

2,913

2,708 Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses US$103 thousand, US$89 thousand and

US$206 thousand as of March 31, 2017, March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, respectively. 467

605

1,917 Safeguard Program receivable...................................................................................................... 5,168

16,987

13,841 Receivables, prepayments and other assets............................................................................... 15,095

16,801

20,978 Property equipment and software, net.......................................................................................... 5,066

6,029

5,551











Total assets............................................................................................................................................. 117,685

114,996

103,804











LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' (DEFICIT)/EQUITY









Liabilities:









Safeguard Program payable.......................................................................................................... 16,139

17,310

14,057 Accrued liabilities........................................................................................................................... 32,314

49,414

54,464 Income tax payable....................................................................................................................... 1,935

2,087

1,981 Deferred revenue.......................................................................................................................... 1,159

10,910

8,220









- Total liabilities........................................................................................................................................ 51,547

79,721

78,722











Shareholders' equity:









Ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized; 64,705,172 shares and

65,356,887 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2017 and March 31, 2018

respectively; 65,436,297 shares issued, and 65,398,387 shares outstanding as of June 30,

2018) 6

6

6 Additional paid-in capital 280,612

282,435

282,833 Accumulated other comprehensive income.................................................................................. (1,062)

(455)

(494) Accumulated deficit........................................................................................................................ (213,418)

(246,711)

(257,263) Less: (nil as of June 30, 2017 and March 31, 2018; 37,910 shares as of June 30, 2018) -

-

-











Total shareholders' equity.................................................................................................................... 66,138

35,275

25,082











Total liabilities and shareholders' equity............................................................................................ 117,685

114,996

103,804













CHINA RAPID FINANCE LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW DATA (US$ in thousands, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted)



For the Three Months Ended















June 30,

2017

March 31,

2018

June 30,

2018

USD

USD

USD Net cash used in operating activities................................................... (16,163)

(22,910)

(12,391) Net cash used in investing activities.................................................... (350)

(332)

(333) Net cash provided by financing activities............................................ 67,292

-

- Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash

equivalents....... (786)

22

(128) Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash

equivalents...................... 49,993

(23,220)

(12,852) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period.............................. 24,524

94,881

71,661 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period....................................... 74,517

71,661

58,809

CHINA RAPID FINANCE LIMITED UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (US$ in thousands, except share data and per share data, or as otherwise noted)



For the Three Months Ended



June 30,

2017

March 31,

2018

June 30,

2018

USD

USD

USD Loss before income tax expense......................................................... (13,490)

(29,844)

(10,518)











Add: share-based compensation expense.............................................. 810

964

398 Add: provision for discretionary payments............................................... -

9,052

- Add: impact from new revenue standard................................................. -

4,490

- Add: reorganization costs -

-

1,386 Non-GAAP adjusted loss before income tax expense (12,680)

(15,338)

(8,734)

SOURCE China Rapid FinanceThe NECC, offering 28,000 sqm of exceptional display area and renowned for its prime location, will accommodate more exhibitors while attracting more professional buyers. The show will benefit from generous investment from the government to enhance facilities at the NECC before it hosts the very first China Export Expo, taking place there very soon. The NECC is located in close proximity to the railway station, international airport, and the metroline, which is only 20 minutes away from the city center.

Why CIBS2019?

Last year CIBS welcomed more than 600 exhibitors. Over 20 new products were launched by big brands, including Honda, Suzuki, Beneteau, Jenneau, and JetSet, who chose CIBS as the platform to unveil their latest innovations to 35,061 visitors from over 70 countries (a 15% increase on visitors in 2017).

CIBS offers exhibitors an unrivaled opportunity for sales. More than 29% of the visitors to CIBS2018 were looking for new suppliers, with a high proportion looking to source new products. Many of our biggest brands enjoyed huge sales success at CIBS2018, closing deals on many high value product orders. Our new location offers exhibitors even more opportunity for sales at CIBS2019. Exhibitors can book a spot at www.boatshowchina.com/en-us/exhibitors-products/spacebooking-form.

In addition we will feature our usual show-stopping features, including:

The Superyacht Showcase and Leisure Carnival

Exhibitor Search Tool

Educational program and forums featuring industry experts

and forums featuring industry experts ASIAN MARINE & BOA T ING AWARDS (AMBA)

ING AWARDS (AMBA) Sailing for kids charity regatta

CIBS 2019 will also run alongside the Lifestyle show.

John Pfeifer: "It is unbelievable how much the show has developed, how big and how professional it has become, how the boating industry is growing in China."

Tan Qi: "CIBS is like an old friend to Garmin. As we value the China market very much, CIBS is the best platform for Garmin to showcase our latest technology and products."

Thibaut: "CIBS is obviously the longest standing boat show in China, we participated in this show since the very first day. It is playing a very important role to grow the boating industry in China."

Booking a spot:

CIBS2019 (24th edition) will have not one, but two independent halls: one for the Boat/Yacht exhibition and one for equipment. This year's price is the best we have offered, but the new location and dates mean the event is hugely popular and spaces are limited. Well-known brands such as Garmin, Honda, Suzuki, Brunger, Parsun, Troqeedo and many others have already reserved their stands in great locations.

Bookings can be made below with exclusive discounts and early bird pricing if the booking is made before the end of September: www.boatshowchina.com/en-us/exhibitors-products/spacebooking-form.

SOURCE China (Shanghai) International Boat ShowThe second leg of Soul2Soul: The World Tour kicks off May 31st in Richmond, Virginia and first features Caitlyn Smith as the opening act, then Devin Dawson, Brothers Osborne, NEEDTOBREATHE, Seth Ennis, Midland, Margo Price, and more.

"Tim McGraw and Faith Hill put on an amazing show and it is truly my honor to join the tour team," said Clay Hutson.

Well-respected in the world of live performances, Hutson has worked with the likes of Kid Rock, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, and Guns 'n' Roses. For over 20 years he has helped musicians put on live performances, excelling with sound engineering, stage management, and tour production.

In Hutson's early days he worked as a sound engineer and toured as part of the Billy Graham sound team. Later, it was Hutson's love of rock 'n' roll that drove him to follow his heart and focus on the music industry. He went on to travel throughout Europe, Australia, and North America, helping some of the world's greatest musicians put on the most entertaining live shows in front of sold-out audiences.

"I like to be known as the hardest working guy in the room," said Hutson. "I find that artists truly appreciate the efforts that are put into their stage shows, which, in turn, allows for the reputation of the business to continue to grow with each successful endeavor."

For information or to purchase tickets for Soul2Soul: The World Tour, please visit http://soul2soultour.com/. For more information about Clay Hutson and the production services he offers, please visit https://clayhutson.com/.

About Clay Hutson

Clay Hutson is a sound engineer, a stage manager, and a tour producer based out of Nashville, TN. He is someone who helps put on live performances and makes sure that everything works out well in front of the crowd. He is an ambitious individual who has a passion for music and everything related to it.

Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and @clayhutson1

SOURCE Clay Hutson

Related Links

https://clayhutson.com

PUNE, India, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new research report "Cognitive Data Management Market by Component (Solutions (Data Integration & Migration, Data Governance & Quality) Services), Deployment Type, Enterprise Size, Business Function, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is expected to grow from USD 569.9 million in 2018 to USD 1,473.9 million by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.9% during the forecast period.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg )



Browse 64 market data tables with 47 figures spread through 152 pages and an in-depth TOC on "Cognitive Data Management Market"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cognitive-data-management-market-174582873.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The rising use of IoT-based devices, resulting in upshifting the amount of digital data, followed by growing adoption of the cognitive computing technology and advanced analytics are expected to drive the growth of the Cognitive Data Management Market.

Among solutions, the data governance and quality segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The data governance and quality segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth rate is mainly due to the rising number of compliances with regard to the enterprise data. Furthermore, the cohesiveness between different business entities improves the overall efficiency and effectiveness of organizations as a whole.

Ask For PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=174582873

In verticals, the manufacturing vertical is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period

The manufacturing vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, as industries are transforming greatly toward smart automation, resulting in the generation of a large amount of digital data. This factor is expected to have increased the adoption of data management tools among manufacturers. The variety and volume of data would considerably increase, due to the evolution of digital and smart technologies across the manufacturing vertical.

Under regions, North America is expected to have the largest market size during the forecast period.

North America is expected to hold the largest market share in the Cognitive Data Management Market. There are various factors expected to contribute to the growth of the Cognitive Data Management Market across the region. These factors include the growing investments in cognitive technologies by various players and government support toward the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), increasing advancements in infrastructure, rising digital transformation, and increasing IT budgets.

The key players in the Cognitive Data Management Market include Attivio (US), CognitiveScale (US), Cognizant (US), DATUM (US), Expert System (Italy), HPE (US), IBM (US), Immuta (US), Informatica (US), Infosys (India), Kingland Systems (US), Microsoft (US), Oracle (US), Pingar (New Zealand), Reltio (US), Saksoft (India), Salesforce (US), SAP (Germany), SAS (US), SnapLogic (US), SparkCognition (US), StrongBox Data Solutions (Canada), Talend (US), Veritas (US), and Wipro (India).

Know more about Cognitive Data Management Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cognitive-data-management-market-174582873.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Shelly Singh

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/cognitive-data-management-market.asp

Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarketsCOSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly half of airline loyalty program members do not understand how to earn or redeem their points/miles, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study,SM released today. Despite this high incidence of confusion, understanding how to redeem and earn rewards are among the most powerful drivers of customer satisfaction with airline loyalty programs.

J.D. Power 2018 Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study

"Airlines have worked hard over the past several years to demonstrate the value of their loyalty programs, particularly to general members," said Michael Taylor, Travel Practice Lead at J.D. Power. While those efforts are paying off in the form of improved overall satisfaction scores, airlines have a huge opportunity to improve when it comes to customers' ease of understanding the rewards program. JetBlue does very well in this area, though, across the industry, it's only happening about half the time."

Following are some key findings of the 2018 study:

Confusing program details negatively affect satisfaction: Airline loyalty program member satisfaction climbs 123 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when members understand how to redeem points and 131 points when they understand how to earn points. Yet, half of general loyalty program members say they do not completely understand how their program works and, among status members, 30% say they do not completely understand their program.

Airline loyalty program member satisfaction climbs 123 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when members understand how to redeem points and 131 points when they understand how to earn points. Yet, half of general loyalty program members say they do not completely understand how their program works and, among status members, 30% say they do not completely understand their program. General member satisfaction improving faster than status member satisfaction: Both general and status membership satisfaction levels have improved year over year, but general member satisfaction is improving faster, driven by improvements in the earning and redeeming rewards and program benefits factors.

Both general and status membership satisfaction levels have improved year over year, but general member satisfaction is improving faster, driven by improvements in the earning and redeeming rewards and program benefits factors. Say my name: Overall satisfaction scores increase 120 points among status members and 78 points among general members when their name is used by airline staff or when their preferences are recognized.

Overall satisfaction scores increase 120 points among status members and 78 points among general members when their name is used by airline staff or when their preferences are recognized. Increased mobile app use associated with higher satisfaction: Nearly half (46%) of loyalty program members say they have the program's mobile app on their phone or tablet, but less than half of those say they use it. Among members who have the app, satisfaction is significantly higher when they use the app frequently.

Nearly half (46%) of loyalty program members say they have the program's mobile app on their phone or tablet, but less than half of those say they use it. Among members who have the app, satisfaction is significantly higher when they use the app frequently. A nation of points hoarders: Nearly three-fourths (74%) of airline loyalty program members prefer to save their points/miles to redeem larger rewards, while 13% prefer to redeem their points for quick discounts.

The 2018 Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study measures member satisfaction with airline rewards and loyalty programs based on four factors (in order of importance): earning and redeeming rewards; program benefits; account management; and member communication. Results are based on 3,025 responses from rewards program members and was fielded in May-June 2018.

Study Rankings

JetBlue Airways TrueBlue ranks highest in overall member satisfaction with a score of 812, performing well in earning and redeeming rewards; program benefits; and member communication. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards (798) ranks second and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (791) ranks third.

To learn more about the Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study, visit

http://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-airline-loyalty-program-satisfaction-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2018132.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has offices serving North/South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. J.D. Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer.

Media Relations Contacts

Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]

John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

SOURCE J.D. Power

Related Links

http://www.jdpower.com

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Michael Lyons, co-founder of the Texas-based trial firm Deans & Lyons, has earned selection to the 2019 listing of The Best Lawyers in America for his commercial litigation work.

"Throughout my career, my singular focus has been on achieving the best result possible for my clients," said Mr. Lyons. "Being supported by my peers for Best Lawyers in America confirms that commitment."

A tenacious trial lawyer representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil litigation, Mr. Lyons is known for his aggressive, efficient use of innovative strategies designed around the unique facts of each case. Individuals, small businesses and Fortune 1000 corporations rely on his representation in matters involving wrongful death, personal injury, products liability and complex "bet-the-company" business litigation.

No stranger to high-profile litigation, Mr. Lyons is a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums. He also has earned recognition as a Lifetime Achievement member of America's Top 100 Attorneys for Texas and in 2017 was named among America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators for North Texas.

In addition to his selection to the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America guide, Mr. Lyons has consistently earned recognition on the Texas Super Lawyers list. In addition, he has been recognized multiple times on D Magazine's Best Lawyers in Dallas list for both personal injury and business litigation.

The Best Lawyers in America is the oldest and one of the most respected legal guides in the nation. Selection is based on the results of peer-review surveys relying on confidential evaluations by lawyers within a specific practice area. For more information, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

Deans & Lyons, LLP, has offices in Dallas and Houston and maintains a reputation as one of the state's premier trial boutique firms. Its lawyers routinely handle high-stakes litigation of all kinds, including matters involving personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, business disputes, professional liability, real estate, securities, and construction. To learn more, visit http://www.deanslyons.com.

Media Contact:

Rhonda Reddick

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Deans & Lyons, LLP

Related Links

http://www.deanslyons.com

Looking to streamline their two systems, Euclid sought out Datix's experienced ERP and CRM consultants to integrate Salesforce and Epicor. Chris Stettler, CIO of Euclid, was familiar with Datix's experience:

"Datix was the clear choice for integrating our CRM and ERP systems. As an Epicor Platinum Partner and certified Salesforce partner, the firm has the unique set of skills in both platforms that would guarantee a successful outcome. Their knowledge and robust Unity platform went above and beyond our expectations."

Datix was able to identify Euclid's pain points and provide a sophisticated and scalable solution. Unity syncs customer and prescription data from Salesforce automatically into Epicor, where users can utilize this information to efficiently and accurately manufacture customized contact lenses to satisfy individualized customer needs.

Datix's Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, Candice Evertowski, was thrilled to provide a solution that enables Euclid to continue its mission of improving the lives of patients globally by providing the best technology and highest quality solutions for myopia management:

"Euclid is a company that I hold near and dear to my heart. Their drive to improve processes and keep up with demand is driven by the desire to help children and adults worldwide that are affected by myopia (nearsightedness). They are the world's leading prescribed product for managing myopia, giving people the freedom to have clear vision without glasses, daytime contact lenses or surgery."

Paul Arthur, Datix's VP of Consulting, describes how his team went the extra mile to equip Euclid with a scalable solution:

"Euclid now has a centralized data source to eliminate communication breakdowns in their global enterprise. As the company expands, our multi-currency, multi-company solution is scalable to meet their growing needs."

Datix CEO Matt Schuval is excited by his company's impressive work on the custom integration:

"Besides creating a custom-built map, our consultants loaded nearly 700,000 of Euclid's ERP records from the past seven years into Salesforce within just a week. It's this commitment to excellence and quick turnaround time that really set us apart from other consulting firms."

However, Datix's work with Euclid is not finished, as Executive VP of Software Development TJ McDowell explains:

"Though we've accomplished a lot for Euclid already, there's always room for improvement. We're in the process of reducing the number of API calls from 18-24 per order to four. This change will dramatically speed up their operations."

Euclid's glowing review of Datix's Unity integration helps support that the consulting firm's claims of providing innovative solutions for small to midsize manufacturers and value-added distributors aren't just talk. In their 20 years of business, Datix has honed their skills for creating seamless integrations tailored to fit each client's specific needs. The Midwest firm continues to improve their services so they can remain the ultimate one-stop shop for leading software solutions.

About Euclid Systems Corporation

Euclid Systems Corporation is the world leader of Myopia Management and manufacturer of advanced Orthokeratology lens products. Euclid is the exclusive designer of the premium Emerald Ortho-K contact lens for overnight wear to reshape the cornea and wake up to clear vision. Multiple clinical studies worldwide by prestigious independent researchers have proven the effectiveness of Orthokeratology, and specifically the Emerald lens, on slowing the progression of myopia. The Emerald Ortho-K procedure has a unique, empirically fit lens design with no trial lenses required. With headquarters in Virginia, USA, and offices in Shanghai and Beijing, China, Euclid is leading the efforts in myopia management across the globe.

Manufactured in the U.S., Euclid's Emerald lens design has received FDA approval in the U.S., CE mark for Europe, as well as regulatory approvals from numerous countries around the world.

About Datix

Datix is a premier software services company based in St. Louis. During our 20 years in operation, we have worked with clients in a wide range of industries. Our unique approach to optimizing business processes through software can be applied to almost any industry, from discrete manufacturing to product distribution. Besides being an Epicor Platinum Partner, we are also a certified partner with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce CRM as well as a Magento expert. Datix specializes in Business Process Management and Enterprise Application Solutions, including customizable integration options. Unity is Datix's pre-built integration solution for ERP, CRM and eCommerce enterprise software, available to connect your solution seamlessly without any of the normal errors or bugs that can come with integration.

Datix also provides a wide range of ERP, CRM and eCommerce support services, business consulting and software development to clients around the globe. Contact Datix today to learn more about our enterprise software solutions.

Epicor, Vantage, and the Epicor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

Datix Media Contact: Candice Evertowski

Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer

314.962.3466 x 1004

[email protected]

http://www.datixinc.com

SOURCE Datix

Related Links

http://www.euclidsys.com

David has served as an exemplary leader since he began his career with Terumo BCT, then called COBE BCT, in May 1999. He guided the company through multiple changes in ownership, including Gambro BCT and CaridianBCT and when the company joined Terumo Corporation in 2011. "David is an established leader in the global blood management and transfusion medicine industry and will leave behind an enduring legacy of leadership, impact and influence. Under his leadership, the company grew revenue almost sixfold, nearing $1 billion, and introduced multiple innovative products that have fundamentally changed and improved blood transfusion and cellular therapies. I would like to thank David for his contributions over many years and wish him every success in the future," said Shinjiro Sato, President and CEO of Terumo Corporation, Terumo BCT's parent company.

David Perez said: "It has been an honor and a privilege to lead Terumo BCT and to serve on Terumo's Board of Directors. I have a deep emotional connection to the company, to our associates and customers, and to the patients we ultimately serve. When I retire, I will have been leading the company for almost 20 years and I am truly thankful for the incredible experiences that have shaped my life and will forever be part of who I am. I have complete confidence in Antoinette and her ability to build on our success and take the company to the next level by diversifying and expanding into growth areas."

Antoinette Gawin joined Terumo BCT in 2016 and has made significant contributions to the company through her strong focus on the voice of the customer. Prior to Terumo BCT, Antoinette served in leadership roles at Baxter overseeing global market access, commercial excellence and strategy. For 22 years prior to that, Antoinette worked in leadership positions at several GE subsidiaries, including GE Healthcare Technologies, GE Industrial and Power Systems, GE Information Services and GE Corporate. Living in Switzerland, London and the U.S. during her tenure at GE, she led global organizations and served in a broad range of influential roles, including chief marketing officer, chief executive officer and general manager.

Shinjiro Sato said: "I am very pleased to announce Antoinette's appointment after a very comprehensive selection process. David and I share the belief that Antoinette is the right person to lead Terumo BCT into the future. She is an outstanding leader with highly valuable experience and a strong track record of delivering growth and driving performance in healthcare."

Antoinette Gawin said: "I joined the Terumo BCT community to help shape healthcare. The solutions and clinical expertise we bring to the frontiers of medicine truly can unlock the potential of blood and cells to advance therapies. I am honored to be selected as David's successor. I'm looking forward to working with David and other leaders over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover and continue to develop plans for 2019 and beyond."

About Terumo BCT

Terumo BCT, a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy technologies, is the only company with the unique combination of apheresis collections, manual and automated whole blood processing, and pathogen reduction technologies. We believe in the potential of blood to do even more for patients than it does today. This belief inspires our innovation and strengthens our collaboration with customers.

About Terumo Corporation

Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation is one of the world's leading medical device manufacturers, with over $5 billion in sales and operations in more than 160 nations. Founded in 1921, the company develops, manufactures and distributes world-class medical devices, including products for use in cardiothoracic surgery, interventional procedures and transfusion medicine; the company also manufactures a broad array of syringe and hypodermic needle products for hospital and physician-office use. Terumo contributes to society by providing valued products and services to the healthcare market and by responding to the needs of health care providers and the people they serve. Terumo Corporation's shares are listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (No. 4543, Reuters symbol <4543.T>, or Bloomberg 4543: JP) and are a component of the Nikkei 225, Japan's leading stock index.

Media Contact

Terumo BCT

Bradley Hein

+1.303.542.5396

[email protected]

SOURCE Terumo BCT

Related Links

http://terumobct.com

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Digium, Inc., the Asterisk Company, today announced the keynote presenters for the AstriCon Open Source User Conference and Exhibition to be held October 9 - 11, 2018, at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Keynote speakers include Deb Bryant, senior director of open source and standards at Red Hat, and Simon Woodhead, founder and CEO of Simwood, Inc.

Celebrating its 15th year, AstriCon remains the longest-running conference devoted to Asterisk, the most widely used open source communications platform in the world. AstriCon brings together the world's open source enthusiasts  from code developers and Asterisk integrators to service providers and enterprise IT professionals  who all share an interest in Asterisk.

Woodhead will present "Default Distrust - Why we must prioritize privacy!" on Wednesday, October 10th at 9.00am. This keynote will address why privacy seems to be very low on solution providers' priority lists. Woodhead will discuss how security exists for selfish ends and why the privacy of users is often overlooked. He will also explore why privacy is often freely sacrificed with the popular mindset of "we have nothing to hide."

Woodhead's early career was in finance as a fund manager, within what became Deutsche Bank and Barclays Wealth. Simon had the discretion to manage over 40m+ of funds before age 21, becoming the youngest qualified member of the Securities Institute. Simwood was founded in 1996 (as eSMS: the world's first global gateway between the Internet and mobile phones) and Woodhead left finance in 1999 to focus on it and a number of other startups, eventually exiting all of them except Simwood by 2005.

As CEO and architect, Woodhead shaped the current business of Simwood to be the wholesale voice and mobile operator it is today. In 2016 he was elected a director of the London Internet Exchange (LINX), the world's largest member-owned peering exchange operator. LINX operates peering exchanges across the UK and in North Virginia, USA. In that role, he speaks widely at industry events, often around the company's extensive research on voice fraud and infrastructure.

Bryant's presentation, "Open Source in Telecom: What a Difference a Decade Makes," will take place on Thursday, October 11th at 9.00am. Following the huge impact made by Asterisk, traditional telecoms find themselves evaluating the case for open source, which has now arguably become the norm for much infrastructure. This keynote will address how businesses will employ modern practices at scale, such as DevOps, and how they will manage continuous improvement and integration (CI/CD). Bryant's presentation will answer the question of how security will be addressed with the significant changes in operation and increased exposure to public networks. She will also look forward to exploring some of the implications for the industry with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Bryant is the senior director of open source and standards at Red Hat, where she leads a team of global stewards responsible for supporting the success of the company's strategic upstream communities. Bryant is an acknowledged international expert in the adoption and use of open source software and open development models as well as open source community health. Her personal interests include the ethical use of artificial intelligence and machine learning as well as industry accountability for use of personal information.

The AstriCon conference contains multiple tracks with more than 50 sessions, offering attendees a variety of options during the three-day event. Topics include network function virtualization, voice biometrics, deployment with applications like Kubernetes, machine learning, artificial intelligence, scaling and hardening SIP infrastructure, security, and case studies for a number of different Asterisk deployments - including a very large one at CERN. Sessions also include a focus on other related open source projects, such as Kamailio, FreeSWITCH, Homer, CGRates, and OpenSIPS.

"AstriCon is an Asterisk Community family reunion, a technology update, and an opportunity to exchange best practices in the realm of deploying, configuring, and troubleshooting sophisticated communications solutions," said David Duffett, worldwide community director for the Asterisk project. "This year we are delighted to have both Red Hat and Simwood represented in our keynote speeches. The topics of open source in telecoms and privacy are two very pertinent subjects for the AstriCon audience, and we are looking forward to the expertise Deb Bryant and Simon Woodhead have to share. The Asterisk Community delivers the vast majority of content for AstriCon, and, once again, we have a stellar line up of world-class presenters."

AstriCon 2018 is presented by Digium as well as Platinum Sponsor Telynyx; and by Gold Sponsors Grandstream, Sangoma, VTech|SNOM, and Bicom Systems. Additional sponsors include Simwood, Inc., Lumenvox, Jenne, Teledynamics, Voyant, TelcoBridges, NETXUSA, Khomp, Yealink, and OrecX. Dangerous Demos is presented by Cloudonix.

About Digium

Digium, Inc. provides Asterisk software, telephony hardware, and on-premises and hosted Switchvox business phone systems that deliver enterprise-class Unified Communications (UC) and UC as a Service (UCaaS) solutions at an affordable price. Digium is the creator, primary developer and sponsor of the Asterisk project; the world's most widely used open source communications software. Asterisk turns an ordinary computer into a feature-rich communications server. A community of more than 80,000 developers and users worldwide uses Asterisk to create VoIP communication solutions in more than 170 countries. Since 1999, Digium has empowered developers to create innovative communications solutions based on open standards and open source software, providing an alternative to proprietary phone systems. Digium Switchvox Cloud and other cloud-based products and services are offered through Digium Cloud Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Digium, Inc. Digium's business communications products are sold through a worldwide network of reseller partners. More information is available at www.digium.com and www.asterisk.org.

The Digium logo, Digium, Asterisk, Asterisk SCF, Switchvox, Asterisk Business Edition, AsteriskNOW, Asterisk Appliance and the Asterisk logo are trademarks of Digium, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Digium

Related Links

https://www.digium.com

STOCKHOLM, Aug 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux today announced it is investing in Sweden-based Karma, a leading startup that helps restaurants and supermarkets reduce food waste by selling unsold food to consumers. The investment is part of a wider USD 12 million round with other investors. Electrolux and Karma are also initiating a strategic partnership to explore common solutions in reducing food waste.

The new partnership with Karma will explore new innovative solutions within the future of food and help to scale up the fight against food waste. The partnership will combine Electrolux expertise within appliances and food preservation with Karma's digital platform and expertise within sharing economy.

"We are committed to drive a positive change and we know that the best way to do this is by working together with others who share our ambition. Electrolux is continuously exploring solutions that drives a better and more sustainable living and we're excited to support Karma", said Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of Electrolux.

Reducing food waste is an important target in Electrolux sustainability framework with the goal to inspire better food consumption among consumers and professionals.

For more info about Electrolux sustainability framework, please visit: https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/category/sustainability/

"As a world leader in appliances, Electrolux is working closely with Karma to help alleviate the global problem of food waste. We're impressed with Karma's innovative digital business model particularly as everyone wins: both the food seller and buyer but importantly also the environment", said Marty Carroll, Vice President Digital Marketing at Electrolux.

The USD 12 million round announced today was led by the Swedish investment firm Kinnevik. It also includes Bessemer, a U.S. venture capital firm, as well as other existing investors in Karma including the global venture capital firm e.ventures.

About Karma

Karma is a marketplace that allows restaurants and grocery stores to reduce food waste by selling unsold food at a discount direct to consumers, who pick up the food on location. Since its launch in November 2016, Karma has expanded to help over 1500 restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, cafes and bakeries reduce food waste by selling their surplus to 350000 Karma users. Karma will use the new funding to continue to develop their product range, especially within supermarkets, and to expand to new markets, starting with Europe. For more info about Karma, please visit: www.karma.life

CONTACT:

For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46-8-657-65-07.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/electrolux/r/electrolux-invests-in-and-partners-with-food-waste-startup-karma,c2592322

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE ElectroluxCHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight hundred Chicago families in need will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo and Feed the Children. The event kicks off at 11:00 a.m. CDT at St. Sabina Church, 1210 West 78th Place, Chicago, Il.

This is the seventh year PepsiCo and Feed the Children have partnered to help feed families in Chicago, where more than 25 percent of the population lives below the poverty line1. This distribution event is part of a larger initiative between the two organizations to help feed communities in cities throughout the United States.

The receiving families have been identified and preselected by St. Sabina Church through the St. Sabina/Catholic Charities Social Services Agency, a Chicago-based not-for-profit church outreach organization.

"We are eager to serve the Chicago community and are grateful for the opportunity to not only donate, but also meet these families, volunteer and spend a day giving back," said Pam Jackson, sales senior director, Heartland region, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "At PepsiCo, we believe in engaging our colleagues in community projects and initiatives that make a positive difference in places where we live and work."

"We recognize hunger can't be fought alone, but by working together, we can provide food and essentials to millions of children and families who live in poverty," said Travis Arnold, president and CEO of Feed the Children. "Hope for a better future is made possible thanks to our many volunteers, donors and partners."

Each qualifying recipient at today's event will be given:

One 25-pound box of nonperishable food items

One 15-pound box of personal-care items

One box of AVON products

Variety of Frito-Lay products

PepsiCo beverages

Life Original Cereal

Quaker Oatmeal

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Fresh produce and shelf-stable foods from Jewel Osco

Volunteers from PepsiCo, Jewel Osco, St. Sabina Church and Feed the Children will be onsite serving families and assisting with distribution during today's event.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose  our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About Feed the Children

Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to defeat hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster response. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania).

In fiscal year 2017, Feed the Children distributed 79.8 million pounds of food and essentials to children and families in the U.S. Internationally, it provided nutritious food or other benefits to 1,080,000 children, empowered 291,000 parents to make better decisions for their children, and positively impacted more than 1,200 communities and schools in 10 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

About Jewel Osco

Jewel-Osco was founded in 1899 and is owned by New Albertsons, Inc. The grocery and drug retailer has 187 locations encompassing Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Iowa, and employs 31,000 associates. For more information log onto www.JewelOsco.com and follow on social media at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, Instragam.com/JewelOsco, Pinterest.com/JewelOscopr and YouTube.com/JewelOsco

1 http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Chicago-Illinois.html

SOURCE PepsiCo

Related Links

http://www.pepsico.com

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, FMB Development announced that it will break ground on a new 28-unit mixed-used property at 11436 W. Hatteras Street in the heart of North Hollywood, contributing to the evolving neighborhood's desirability and growth. Featuring FMB Development's signature, modern design, the new five-story property will include luxury residences and 450 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

"FMB Development's new property on Hatteras Street will contribute to the vibrant North Hollywood area  a treasured enclave of arts and culture," FMB Development CEO Ilan Kenig said. "This project is designed to reflect the rich culture and elegance of North Hollywood, while offering neighbors sought-after retail and residents the signature comfort and luxury of FMB properties."

Each residential floor features seven two-bedroom apartments, with exquisitely crafted architectural features. The 1,904 square- foot roof deck serves as a shared oasis and the perfect space to reconnect with friends, family, and neighbors.

FMB is partnering with Build 4 You on the project. "We are proud to be partnering with FMB Development on another successful project in North Hollywood," said Yossi Perez, President of Build 4 You.

This new property will be only a 15- minute walk to Metro Red Line, providing access to other iconic neighborhoods like Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Downtown LA. Future residents will be just a few minutes walk from the center of the NoHo Arts district, known for its live theater and music, as well as a robust nightlife scene and delectable restaurants.

About FMB Development: FMB Development (FMBD) is one of Southern California's most dynamic, community-oriented, and thoughtful developers of luxury residential real estate, focusing on prime locations spanning from Venice to Downtown Los Angeles. The company works in partnership with local communities to create luxury properties  ranging from single-family homes to multi-unit residential buildings to mixed-use developments  which contribute to vibrant neighborhoods and showcase the latest in contemporary design, unique artistic elements, and the highest quality materials and finishes. FMBD is a part of The FMB Group  a full-service network of real estate companies, which includes brokerage and financing services. Learn more at fmbdevelopment.com.

SOURCE FMB Development

Related Links

http://www.fmbdevelopment.com

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share on F.N.B. Corporation's common stock. The dividend is payable on September 15, 2018, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 4, 2018.

About F.N.B. Corporation

F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in eight states. FNB holds a significant retail deposit market share in attractive markets including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; and Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina. The Company has total assets of $32 billion, and more than 400 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Company also operates Regency Finance Company, which has more than 75 consumer finance offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. On June 7, 2018, FNB announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell Regency Finance Company, with a closing expected prior to the end of 2018.

FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB's wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.

The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FNB" and is included in Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks Sub-Industry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.

SOURCE F.N.B. Corporation

Related Links

http://www.fnbcorporation.com

MIAMI, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneinno, one of these pioneers focused on underwater equipment and the creator of the Titan underwater drone, announced they will be launching their newest underwater device on Indiegogo - the Trident underwater scooter.

Originally, a beach goer might just bring their towel and swimming clothes to the beach along with a shovel and bucket. Since then, however, technology has erupted in sophistication and now whole new experiences can be found under the water. The Trident allows scuba divers to reach depths of up to 164ft and has two different speed settings. Even less confident swimmers will be able to glide through the water effortlessly using the Trident.

Geneinno would still like to caution weaker swimmers from going out past their limits using these types of devices. While the technology may seem very innovative, swimmers should be aware of the risks and dangers involved. The Trident is fully charged after 1.5 hours, allowing for approximately one hour of constant use. An indicator will let users know when their battery is starting to get low. The Trident may look like an exciting new toy to children, but thanks to the child lock feature, their tiny fingers are prevented from powering up the device.

Features:

Safely go to a depth of 164ft Two speeds settings (3.6km/h and 7km/h) making it suitable for beginners at a touch Running time of around 60 mins Offers an extension support for GoPro so you can record everything underwater. Share the best recordings with friends and family. Safety child lock to prevent idle hands from misusing the device. 12kg of thrust with a power of 180/480w

Interested consumers can register for campaign notifications on the Trident Indiegogo Campaign Page. The price on Indiegogo will be 50% off. The Trident isn't just for use at the beach. It can also be used in swimming pools, scuba diving, and water parks.

The Trident is set to launch on Indiegogo in September in limited quantities at a discounted price.

SOURCE GeneinnoNEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Givz, the only technology platform that facilitates "Giving Made Smart" by aggregating all 1.6 million registered U.S. charities in one place, today announced a "Featured Partnership" with Purple Heart Homes, a leading military veterans charity that provides safe and accessible housing for service connected disabled veterans. Building on monthly growth in user adoption and donations Givz is revolutionizing the way that donors and recipients connect.

"We founded Givz because we see an opportunity to help all people of any income level regardless of previous charitable participation to quickly and easily find the charity of their choice, and make a donation from home or on the go using the secure, mobile Givz iOS and Android apps or website," said Andrew Forman, CEO of Givz. "We also help the recipient by amplifying their cause and providing a seamless way for people to donate."

Givz empowers "frictionless giving" with one signup, one profile, and one password, and users can search among all 1.6 million registered U.S. charities by name or EIN. They can immediately make secure donations that are also automatically organized as receipts for tax time. "Featured Partnerships" are a new way for a select number of charities to work with Givz to further increase visibility and interest in their cause among the Givz universe of users.

"I cannot express enough how impactful the Givz organization can be at supporting our mission of providing safe and accessible housing for Service Connected Disabled Veterans. Thank you for providing an invaluable resource to nonprofits and donors across the United States," said John Gallina, Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director of Purple Heart Homes.

About Givz

Givz is the leading digital platform for making online donations to over 1.6 million registered U.S. charities from one, secure place. Givz eliminates donation friction by making it the easiest, fastest, smartest and most fun way to donate on the website or mobile apps, keeping Americans of all ages, locations, and passions involved, organized, and "in the know" so that they can make donations in the moment or on the go.

About Purple Heart Homes

Purple Heart Homes is a 501(c)3 public charity that was founded in 2008 by John Gallina and Dale Beatty, two combat wounded Veterans. After being injured in Iraq in 2004, they returned to their community and received a warm welcome and grateful appreciation for their service. They began to question why all Veterans didn't get the same levels of support and assistance from society.

Connect with Givz via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or at Givz.com

Contacts

Givz Partnerships:

Andrew Forman

CEO Givz

(201) 694-9113

[email protected]

Givz Media:

Bob Friedland

Kaplow Communications

(212) 221-1713

Purple Heart Homes:

Melanie Balousek

Communications Specialist

(980) 223-5031

[email protected]

SOURCE Givz

Related Links

http://Givz.com

COLUMBIA, Md., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global performance improvement solutions provider GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX) announced the election of three new directors, Tamar Elkeles, Jacques Manardo and Mimi Strouse, to serve on its Board. Dr. Elkeles, Mr. Manardo and Ms. Strouse were elected by the Company's stockholders, along with incumbents Marshall Geller, Scott Greenberg, Steven Koonin, Richard Pfenniger, Jr. and Samuel Robinson, at the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. In addition, the Board of Directors appointed Scott Greenberg as Chairman of the Board and Samuel Robinson as Lead Independent Director.

Mr. Greenberg stated, "I am extremely excited about our new Board, electing a Lead Independent Director and becoming Chairman of the Board. As we continue to focus on GP's expansion through acquisitions and organic growth, we will benefit significantly from three outstanding individuals who will bring differentiated insight to our Board deliberations. Tamar, Jacques and Mimi bring vast and relevant experience in the learning and organization development, global business services and financial industries. I believe they will make significant contributions to the Company. These new Board appointments, combined with the changes in our leadership team during the last year, further position GP Strategies for future success."

Samuel Robinson stated, "I am excited to be elected Lead Director and am looking forward to supporting our Board, Management Team and Shareholders in the execution of the Company's growth strategy."

About the Director Nominees

Tamar Elkeles, Ph.D. is the Chief Talent Executive for Atlantic Bridge Capital, a global venture capital fund focused on technology investments. Previously she was the Chief People Officer for Quixey, a Silicon Valley mobile technology start-up and before that had a 24 year tenure as a senior human resources executive at Qualcomm, including 17 years as Qualcomm's Chief Learning Officer. She currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Forbes School of Business & Technology at Ashland University, CTDO Next and the Editorial Board for Chief Learning Officer (CLO), a multimedia publication for the enterprise learning market. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and The Conference Board's Executive Council on Talent and Organizational Development. Dr. Elkeles is the author of three books focused on the CLO's role: The Chief Learning Officer, Measuring the Success of Learning Through Technology and The Chief Talent Officer. She also serves as a strategic advisor to several startup companies in the education technology sector.

Jacques Manardo is a former CEO and Managing Partner of Deloitte Europe. After 33 years in the audit and consulting profession, Mr. Manardo retired in 2001 from Deloitte, where he was the founding partner of the French practice, the CEO for Europe and global managing partner for services to the firm's top 300 clients. In 2001, he became an angel investor, director and advisor, and has since conducted special consulting assignments on mergers and acquisitions and other complex transactions. Mr. Manardo is currently a board member of a private investment fund, Yam Invest, in Amsterdam, and a trustee of the French Institute-Alliance Francaise, Chair of the Finance Committee in New York City. He was a member of the Board of the Banking and Insurance Fortis Group from 2004 until 2009, was a senior advisor to HIG, a Miami based hedge fund from 2006 to 2012, and previously served on the boards of several other commercial and non-profit entities.

Mimi Strouse most recently served as a Senior Advisor at Accretive, LLC, a private equity firm, from 2010 to 2016. Prior to this, she served as Managing Director at Warburg Pincus LLC from 2002 to 2008 and was responsible for leading investments in the business process outsourcing, financial technology and post-secondary education markets. Previously, she was a Principal at General Atlantic Partners LLC from 1996 to 2002, and also worked as a financial analyst in the mergers and acquisitions division of Credit Suisse First Boston. She is currently a Director of Everspring Partners, Inc. and serves as a Trustee of Strada Education Network, a public charity focused exclusively on education. Ms. Strouse previously served on the Boards of WNS Global Services, Bridgeport Education, Fortent, Yodlee, Skillsoft, MLM, Rebus (Suber Acquisition Ltd), Lifecare.com and SmartTime Software.

The GP Strategies Board created the position of Lead Independent Director to complement Mr. Greenberg in his new role as Chairman, and asked Samuel Robinson to become the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director will preside at meetings in executive session of the non-management Directors; recommend the frequency of and schedule meetings of the non-management Directors in executive session; consult with the Chairman of the Board and with the chairs of committees of the Board regarding topics for reports and discussion at meetings, dates and times of meetings; provide input on agendas for all Board meetings; and be available for direct communication and consultation with significant shareholders.

Samuel Robinson, who joined the Board in 2016, is President of Sagard Holdings (Sagard Capital) (who owns approximately 22% of GP Strategies common shares) and a Vice President of Power Corporation of Canada ("Power"). He joined Sagard and Power in 2016 after an 18-year career at Goldman Sachs, where he served in a variety of positions, including Chief Administrative Officer and head of strategy for the global Investment Banking Division, Chief Operating Officer for the firm's emerging markets businesses, Asia Regional Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff to the firm's President. Earlier, he trained as a financial institutions investment banker, worked in venture capital and was involved for many years in corporate strategy and investor relations.

About GP Strategies

GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX) is a global performance improvement solutions provider of training, digital learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services. GP Strategies' solutions improve the effectiveness of organizations by delivering innovative and superior training, consulting and business improvement services, customized to meet the specific needs of its clients. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing, process and energy industries, and other commercial and government customers. Additional information may be found at www.gpstrategies.com.

 2018 GP Strategies Corporation. All rights reserved. GP Strategies and the GP Strategies logo design are trademarks of GP Strategies Corporation.

SOURCE GP Strategies Corporation

Related Links

http://www.gpstrategies.com

AUSTIN, Minn., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) announced today that Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, and Jim Sheehan, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will present at 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, during the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference in Boston, Mass. The company invites interested parties to listen to the presentation live via the Internet.

To access the webcast:

Log on to http://www.hormelfoods.com.

Go to the Investors page and click on News & Events, then Events & Presentations, which will bring you to the webcast link.

If you are unable to listen to the live webcast, an archived version will be available at the above mentioned website for 180 days following the presentation.

About Hormel Foods  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormelfoods.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexport, the leading freight forwarder and logistics platform for growing brands, today has been ranked No. 8 on Inc. Magazine's 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment.

"We've been on an incredible trajectory since we started in 2013, and we're honored to be recognized by Inc. for our hard work, passion, and growth. It's a testament to the value of the work we do with our clients, and to the global need we're fulfilling within the logistics and freight forwarding industry," said CEO and founder, Ryan Petersen.

Flexport has experienced phenomenal growth across revenue, team headcount, and global footprint. In the past year alone, Flexport has grown to almost 1,000 employees, was named to the 2018 Inc. Best Places to Work List, and opened new offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Hamburg, Los Angeles, and New York, bringing it to a total of nine offices around the globe. To support this growth, the executive team made key hires including Paige DeLacey as Chief People Officer, and David Robinson as VP of Design. Additionally, Flexport expanded its services by leasing a 747-400 freighter to facilitate air freight shipments between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, as well as the opening of a 24,000 square foot warehouse in Hong Kong, 45,000 square foot warehouse in Shenzhen, and a 140,000 square foot cross port in Los Angeles.

About Flexport:

Flexport is a full-service ocean and air freight forwarder using modern software to fix the user experience in global trade. Logistics teams use Flexport to track shipments in real time, request and book quotes, analyze reports, and communicate directly with suppliers and their dedicated Flexport account team. Founded in 2013, Flexport is backed by leading investors including SF Express, DST Global, Founders Fund, and Felicis Ventures. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with global offices in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Chicago, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York, and Shenzhen. To learn more, visit flexport.com

About Inc. Media:

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

SOURCE Flexport

Related Links

http://flexport.com

EL PASO, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Interstate Capital, a leading factoring company, is releasing a series of guides for business owners and decision makers to help them increase cash flow. As the lifeblood of all businesses, cash flow not only makes it possible for organizations to manage daily operations, it's also fundamental to a company's growth, making its management critical.

Interstate Capital, a leading factoring company, is releasing a series of guides for business owners and decision makers to help them increase cash flow.

Keeping cash flowing into the business, however, remains a challenge for many companies. Interstate Capital is helping businesses by providing more of the tools they need to thrive with factoring services and helpful guides. The latest installment "8 Essential Invoicing Practices that Improve Cash Flow" is available now on www.InterstateCapital.com.

"Invoicing practices set the tone for the relationship," explains Sarah Williams, VP of business development at Interstate Capital. "A straightforward billing plan with easy-to-understand terms gives customers confidence that they know what to expect from your organization."

A strong invoicing strategy can help organizations win new business and clarify terms, which creates a good foundation for a mutually beneficial long-term relationship.

The problem many businesses face is that their invoicing practices are in direct conflict with the things that could bring cash in quicker and ensure profitability. Nearly all businesses report late payments and close to half of all B2B invoices are paid after their scheduled due date, per Atradius research.

To remedy this, Interstate Capital recommends things like automation, prompt follow-ups when payments become delinquent, early payment rewards and late-payment penalties, among other things. Factoring, a process involving selling invoices to a third-party vendor, makes it possible for businesses to receive payment within days of service and establishes positive billing practices that benefit both the business and the clients it serves.

Businesses interested in pursuing factoring services can get an instant factoring rate quote at www.InterstateCapital.com/Instant-Online-Rate-Quote.

About Interstate Capital:

Interstate Capital purchases nearly $1 billion in invoices annually. Established in 1993, the company has successfully funded more than 10,000 growing companies throughout the United States and Canada, speeding up cash flow and improving profitability. Interstate Capital is a division of Triumph Business Capital.

Interstate Capital is presently accepting applications from B2B providers. Those who would like to speed up their client payments are urged to visit www.InterstateCapital.com for a free quote today or call 800-422-0766.

Press Contact:

Eric Baca

Phone: 469-312-7166

[email protected]

SOURCE Interstate Capital

Related Links

http://www.InterstateCapital.com

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor from Sacramento, Calif., has developed the SOAP TOWEL, an improved wash cloth that allows a person to effectively lather his/her body without the constant worry of dropping the soap or re-lathering. A prototype is available.

"I was inspired to develop my invention to help a family member who is handicapped. My invention will allow compromised individuals to bath effectively and without the aid of others," said the inventor. The SOAP TOWEL increases the effective use of a bar of soap. It prevents a bather from running out of soap. In addition, it allows 100 percent of a bar soap to be used. This wash cloth also eliminates having to discard the small pieces of soap. It will appeal to consumers of all ages, especially elderly and disabled individuals.

The original design was submitted to the Sacramento office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 17-SOG-201, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

Related Links

http://www.inventhelp.com

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Oblong Industries, Inc., the pioneer of interactive spatial computing technology for the new era of collaborative work, is pleased to announce that accomplished serial entrepreneur Jim Marggraff has joined its board of directors. The addition coincides with the successful extension of Oblong's Mezzanine product family for content-rich teamwork, and the announcement of deeper software integrations with popular enterprise collaboration platforms such as Cisco Webex Teams, IBM Watson Workspace, and Slack.

Jim Marggraff is an accomplished technologist, entrepreneur, and advocate for human excellence. His interests lie in evoking the best of humanity with AI, which is clear in his current roles advising Rival Theory, the world's first AI relationship network, and Foresight AI, empowering mobile robots with data and intelligence. Jim's contribution to Oblong builds upon several decades of corporate leadership as a founder/co-founder of StrataCom (acquired by Cisco in 1996 for $4B), Eyefluence (acquired by Google in 2016), and Livescribe (the world's first smart pen). Jim is also noted for his work at Leapfrog, where he invented the renowned LeapPad Learning System with $1B+ in sales and impact on more than 100M children and adults globally. Jim is a celebrated member of his community, active Rotarian, E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year (Northern California, 2011), MIT Top 150 Inventor, author of "How to Raise a Founder with Heart" (Sept. 2018), prolific inventor with dozens of patents issued, and an advisor to academic institutions and non-profit foundations.

Says Oblong Industries founder and CEO John Underkoffler, "We're honored to have such an accomplished visionary join our board. He shares with us a deep interest in expanding human capability and collective cognition through advanced human-machine interface, as well as an unshakeable dedication to user-focused product excellence. We look forward to working with Jim to expand our impact globally."

Foundry Group managing director Brad Feld, an Oblong board member since the company's first financing, adds, "Jim's pursuit of technologies which maximize how human brains can be more effective in working together will be a tremendous asset for us."

Jim Marggraff posits, "Oblong is at the precipice of explosive growth. The Company comprises a highly innovative team of experienced designers and technologists, with international sales, marketing, and operations expertise, led by a world leader in the future of human collaboration. At a time when collaboration is a buzzword, and continuous innovation is table-stakes for all enterprises, nothing compares to the simplicity and ease of use of the platform Oblong has built with Mezzanine. Given my career focus on technologies that advance communication, cognition, and collaboration, I share a commitment with this team to enhance human potential through improved collective intelligence augmented with collaborative thought-environments. I see great things happening with Oblong and their partners."

Oblong's collaboration products and custom solutions have been deployed on every continent except Antarctica. Customers choosing Oblong's products for their meeting rooms, briefing centers, and global teaming spaces range from IBM to Accenture, NASA to Network Rail, Lendlease to Lockheed Martin. To learn more, visit oblong.com.

About Oblong Industries

Oblong Industries' innovative technologies change the way people work, create, and communicate. With roots in more than two decades of research at the MIT Media Lab, Oblong's flagship product Mezzanine is an immersive visual collaboration solution that defines the next era of computing: simultaneous multi-user, multi-screen, multi-device, multi-location immersive visual collaboration. Mezzanine's groundbreaking Infopresence capabilities multiply the effectiveness of distributed organizations and catalyze new, more effective, more collaborative workflows. Oblong is headquartered in Los Angeles and supplies Mezzanine systems to Fortune 500 enterprise customers and reseller partners.

Learn more at www.oblong.com, and connect via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

SOURCE Oblong Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.oblong.com

HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) to provide centrifuge-based training for all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircrew including the world famous flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels.

KBRwyle will conduct centrifuge-based flight environment training for approximately 600 students annually from the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, as well as the Chief of Naval Air Training, Naval Strike Air Warfare Center, and the Chief of Naval Air Forces and U.S. Marine Corps.

KBRwyle instructors will teach students about the physiological effects of acceleration and countermeasures used in a high-G environment. Students will receive classroom instruction as well as realistic, hands-on training in the company-operated centrifuge that generates acceleration forces equivalent to those experienced during flight.

KBRwyle will provide all personnel, resources, facilities, and maintenance for this training, and will support routine Navy inspections to ensure the safety of its operations.

This work will be primarily performed at KBRwyle's office in San Antonio, Texas. The period of performance for this single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract is five years.

"KBRwyle's training is critical in preparing aircrew for the extreme G-forces they'll encounter during flight," said Byron Bright, President, KBR Government Services U.S. "KBRwyle has been the exclusive provider of centrifuge-based acceleration training for all Navy and Marine Corps aircrew for the past five years, and we are proud to continue this work."

KBRwyle won the previous contract for this work in 2013, and continues to be the premier provider of high-G flight training to the Navy. It also conducts similar training for U.S. Air Force fighter pilots and combat systems officers.

KBRwyle is an industry-leader in human performance and extreme aviation testing for the Department of Defense and NASA. It operates multiple specialized test facilities dedicated to research, development, test and evaluation of critically important human performance issues and life support equipment.

Estimated revenue associated with this contract award 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 approximately 34,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 75 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, 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 and gasification

Hydrocarbons Services, 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); program management and consulting services

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 U.S. 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

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The serious threats to American security are not the preoccupations of today's headline news. To find the real scoop on the crises and opportunities for Americans, there is no better place to start than the annual meeting of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, convening this year in Las Vegas, August 24-26.

Have you been taught that nuclear war is the end of the world and thus there is no point in thinking about it? You can meet Toshiharu Kano, who was in his mother's womb half a mile from Ground Zero at Hiroshima. Is radiation lethal at any dose, or is uninformed fear blocking medical breakthroughs that use low-dose radiation? Jerry Cuttler will discuss treatment of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.

Do you believe that Robert Mueller is delving into the clear and present Russian threat? Heart surgeon Donald W. Miller will speak about the day American military superiority ended.

Is chemical warfare an issue only in Syria? Learn about toxidrome syndromes from exposure to biological and chemical warfare agents from Steven Hatfill, M.D.

On American soil, what about school shootings and militant Islam? Judicial Watch Director of Investigations and Research, Chris Farrell, will speak about these issues and the southern U.S. border.

Does the threat of catastrophic human-caused climate change make everything else irrelevant? Willie Soon will talk about the "blue sun" in climate history, and Joe Bastardi, who is renowned for his forecasting ability, will discuss how past knowns predict future weather unknowns.

What about "clean, renewable" energy as a "common sense" insurance policy against climate apocalypse? Wind and solar have devastating environmental impacts, to be discussed by physics professor Howard Hayden. The fuel cell "Bloomdoggle" in Delaware is the subject for David Legates, and Joe Leimkuehler of LLOG will provide an update on deep-water drilling.

Are vaccines safe enough to mandate for all, or do they too have unintended consequences? Andrew Wakefield will discuss "The Sixth Extinction: vaccine immunity, escape mutants, & virgin soil populations." Arthur Robinson will discuss the role of vaccine adjuvants. (If elected to represent Oregon District 4, Dr. Robinson will be the second scientist in the U.S. Congress.)

Other subjects include agricultural miracles and misconceptions (Steve Goreham), how bogus science enriches activists (Paul Driessen), the Saturn Apollo rocket (Gordon Claycomb), and the potentially revolutionary implications of research on the fourth phase of water (banquet speaker Gerald Pollack).

Press passes are available.

Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster.

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]

SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense

Related Links

http://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org

CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitality Group, a global health tech company, announced a partnership with Shapa, a Silicon Valley firm focused on chronic disease management and prevention. Chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease account for nearly 75 percent of the nation's annual $2 trillion health costs and are largely preventable with effective health management.

Both organizations share a common purpose of making people healthier, and through this partnership Vitality will make available to its members Shapa's recently launched health management solution that includes a smart scale without numbers and member interventions.

"For more than 20 years, Vitality has taken a shared-value insurance approach to health improvement by creating interventions that change people's behaviors," said Adrian Gore, CEO of Discovery, Vitality's parent company. "At the same time, the powerful insights of behavioral science have been brought to life by the work of leading academic, entrepreneur and author Dan Ariely. This partnership enables both parties to benefit from incorporating a disruptive model in personal health engagement into the overall Vitality health and wellness program."

Shapa's platform will be integrated into Vitality's solution, a US program that includes strategic partners across the broader health ecosystem to connect employees to meaningful resources that improve their health.

"Shapa brings our behavioral science insights that help people successfully manage their health and lose weight without demotivation to the Vitality platform," said Dan Ariely, social scientist, Duke University professor and Shapa co-founder. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Vitality to combine our knowledge and understanding of human behavior with Vitality's clinical and incentive knowledge to bring a new set of solutions centered on consumer behavior change to the US healthcare market."

Through artificial intelligence and machine learning, over time Shapa improves the missions it recommends for each individual, providing an individually tailored approach to health.

"Vitality is constantly seeking ways to connect the right science, the right incentives, and the right technology in a dynamic way that genuinely creates behavior change for our clients and plays a more integrated role in our member's day to day health," said Tal Gilbert, CEO, Vitality Group USA. "We are in their pockets (smart phones), on their wrists (Apple Watch), even meeting them at the grocery checkout (healthy food). Shapa's device is a logical extension to that connectivity, as are the various disease prevention programs that they run."

Shapa co-founder and CEO Nati Lavi said, "Together, Vitality and Shapa are fundamentally changing and improving population health. We're thrilled that Vitality recognizes Shapa's vision and the capabilities of our platform to provide superior added value to their offering."

As part of the Vitality program, employees receive personalized and dynamic health recommendations and resources specific to their needs in a way that meets them where they are while also providing employers the opportunity to amplify their own benefits and program offerings. These offerings are supported by Vitality's proven expertise in behavioral science and incentive strategies to help employees overcome common decision errors. Available through Vitality's dynamic digital platforms, Vitality connects members to the right resources at the right time for them.

The Shapa device and membership will be available for Vitality members on the Vitality mall.

About Shapa

Shapa is based in Silicon Valley and was co-founded by Nati Lavi and social scientist and Duke University professor Dan Ariely as an innovative approach to chronic disease management and prevention. Shapa's mission is to help people achieve their health goals by bringing to life Ariely's cutting edge insights using human-compatible design, big data, artificial intelligence, and mobile technology. Starting with a scale, Shapa helps individuals change their behavior to prevent disease. To learn more and join the Shapa community visit www.shapa.me.

About Vitality Group

Guided by a core purpose of making people healthier, Vitality is the leader in improving health to unlock outcomes that matter. By blending smart tech, data, incentives, and behavioral science, we inspire healthy changes in individuals and organizations. Vitality brings a global perspective through successful partnerships with the smartest insurers and most forward-thinking employers around the world. More than 8 million people in 18 countries engage in the Vitality program. For more information, please visit www.vitalitygroup.com.

SOURCE Vitality Group

Related Links

https://www.vitalitygroup.com

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mill Creek Residential, a leading multifamily investor and operator specializing in premier apartment communities across the U.S., today announced the start of preleasing at Modera Sedici, a luxury apartment community located on the esteemed grounds of the former Italian Embassy.

Situated along venerable 16th Street in the nation's capital, the community features 134 apartment homes, including 22 with customized individual floor plans in the redeveloped original Italian Embassy building. The additional 112 residences are located in a newly constructed nine-story high-rise with two levels of below-grade parking that is connected to the historic structure. The original Neo-Renaissance architecture was maintained in the redevelopment of the embassy building, which was originally designed in 1925 by Grand Central Station architects Whitney Warren and Charles Wetmore.

"The Italian Embassy building simply embodies history, and it was our mission to preserve its charismatic qualities in the redevelopment," said Sean Caldwell, senior managing director of the Mid-Atlantic region for Mill Creek Residential. "Modera Sedici is a truly one-of-a-kind community, and we cannot wait to welcome our initial resident base and provide a high-level living experience in one of the most captivating areas of the city."

Boasting a European cosmopolitan aesthetic interior design, Modera Sedici features restored parquet, a grand piano, original travertine and modern marble. The community also includes the Soggiorno  a grand ballroom with preserved crown moulding and parquet floors, and the Biblioteca  a curated resident lounge with fireplaces and stunning millwork.

From its location at 2700 16th Street NW, Modera Sedici residents will be interconnected to three of the city's most-desirable neighborhoods  Adams Morgan, the U Street Corridor, and Columbia Heights.

"While the surrounding area features many of D.C.'s finest boutique shopping, nightlife and dining options, Modera Sedici will offer residents a quieter respite than the typical downtown location," said Joe Muffler, vice president of development for Mill Creek Residential.

The commuter-friendly site provides prime access to K Street in downtown, the Capital Beltway and Silver Spring, the Maryland-based business hub on the northern edge of the Metro Area. 16th Street is one of the city's only north-south thoroughfares and borders Modera Sedici to the east. Fuller Street borders the community to the south and Mozart Street to the west.

Modera Sedici consists of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes with two-story townhome-style layouts available. Additional community amenities include the Vista  a rooftop terrace with city views, the Palestra  a club-quality fitness center with elite equipment imported from Italy, a historic piazza with public and private seating areas, 24-hour concierge service and the Terraza  a programmed green space with water features, covered seating and grills.

Apartment interiors include several extravagant touches, including upscale GE or Bosch appliance packages that include in-home washers and dryers, Kohler and Moen fixtures, classic-tiled kitchen backsplashes, Kaindl wood plank-style flooring in French Walnut or Orchard Walnut, genuine Italian marble counters in the historic kitchens and baths, elegant recessed lighting and spa-inspired bathrooms with illuminated mirrors, mosaic tile floors, showers, tubs and floating vanities.

Modera Sedici is the seventh development community by Mill Creek in the Washington, D.C. area.

About Mill Creek Residential

Mill Creek Residential Trust LLC is a national multifamily company focused on the development, acquisition and operation of apartment communities in targeted markets nationwide. The company proactively pursues development, acquisition and construction opportunities through its seasoned team of real estate professionals in 14 offices across the United States. Mill Creek is building its portfolio in many of the nation's most desirable apartment markets in Seattle, Portland, the San Francisco Bay area, Southern California, Denver, Dallas, Austin, Houston, South Florida, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York, and Boston. As of March 31, 2017, the company's portfolio comprises of 72 communities representing over 19,400 apartment homes that are operating and/or under construction. For more information, please visit www.MillCreekPlaces.com.

About Rockwood Capital

Rockwood Capital, LLC (Rockwood) is a real estate investment management firm founded in 1995 that provides equity capital combined with real estate operating expertise for the repositioning, recapitalization, development and redevelopment of residential, office, research and development, retail and hotel space in key markets throughout the United States. Rockwood and its principals have invested on behalf of their clients approximately $28.1 billion of real estate through ten value-add vehicles and ten separate accounts. Today, Rockwood is a 75-person organization with offices in New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Los Angeles, CA that manages a portfolio of approximately $3.3 billion of net equity value in approximately $6.6 billion of gross real estate value as of 3/31/2018. Rockwood's investors include public and private pension funds, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, fund of funds, high net worth individuals and family offices.

Media Contact

Samantha Chalmers

LinnellTaylor Marketing

(303) 682-5001

[email protected]

SOURCE Mill Creek Residential

Related Links

http://www.millcreekplaces.com

HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NCI Building Systems, Inc. (NYSE: NCS) announced today that it will release financial results for its fiscal 2018 third quarter ended July 29, 2018, after the market closes on Tuesday, August 28, 2018. In conjunction with the earnings release, supplemental operational and financial information will be posted on NCI's website in the Quarterly Earnings & Transcripts section of the Investor Relations page at www.ncibuildingsystems.com. The Company has also scheduled a conference call to discuss its results on Wednesday, August 29, starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. CT).

By Phone: Dial 1-877-407-0672 or 1-412-902-0003 at least 10 minutes before the call. A telephone replay will be available through September 12, 2018 by dialing 1-877-660-6853 or 201-612-7415 using the access code 13681318#.



By Webcast: Visit the Event Calendar, Calls & Webcast section of the Investor Relations page of NCI's website. Please log on at least 10 minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software. A replay will be available shortly after the call and will be accessible for approximately 90 days.

About NCI Building Systems

NCI, headquartered in Houston, TX, is one of North America's largest integrated manufacturers of metal products for the commercial building industry, selling products such as metal wall and roof systems, insulated metal panels, roll-up doors, trim, accessories and engineered commercial buildings. NCI has approximately 5,300 employees across 38 manufacturing locations throughout North America. For more information, visit www.ncibuildingsystems.com.

Contact:

K. Darcey Matthews

Vice President, Investor Relations

281-897-7785

SOURCE NCI Building Systems, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ncibuildingsystems.com

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Inc. 5000 named the NV Real Estate Academy (NVREA) to its exclusive list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. NVREA has received national acclaim for its real estate investing training and experienced a 259% revenue growth between 2014 and 2017.

"We are honored to be recognized alongside some of the most successful corporations out there by Inc.," said Nick Vertucci, founder and CEO of NVREA. "I am beyond thankful for my entire team for putting in the hard work and helping grow this company and making the daily operations seamless."

NVREA originated from Vertucci's career turn-around when he visited a real estate training after losing his million-dollar computer system business. At his lowest point, he gained a new mentor, a new outlook on life, and paired his new mentality with the training he received from a real estate seminar to pick himself back up and build another successful career. Now he travels around the country to speak to students who are going through similar trials to encourage and equip them with the education and tools necessary to become lucrative investors. This spring, Vertucci released his first book, "Seven Figure Decisions: Having the Balls To Succeed"  a personal account about his rollercoaster story.

"This recognition goes to show that it pays to not give up," said Vertucci. "This business was the outcome of a lot of hard work, grit, and endurance. I am proud of the progress we have made over the years and I am proud of my students for holding fast to their training and becoming outstanding business men and women personally and professionally."

Vertucci's academy is now one of the fastest-growing companies in the country and joins the ranks of some of the largest corporations in the world such as Microsoft, Oracle, and Zappos.com. The program teaches the pillars of buying and holding properties for long-term cash flow, wholesaling and flipping contracts, commercial investments, asset protection, leveraging 401k's and IRA's to fund investments, and many other topics.

To learn more about NVREA, visit: nvrealestateacademy.com. Vertucci's book, "Seven Figure Decisions" is available on Amazon and Kindle.

About NVREA

The Nick Vertucci Real Estate Academy was founded in 2014. Since the first class, NVREA has become the most sought-after educational programs and is helping students across the nation achieve their goals through real estate investing. To learn more about NVREA, visit www.nvrealestateacademy.com. To find an NVREA class near you, call 1-800-328-6418.

About Nick Vertucci

Nick Vertucci is an expert real estate investor and founder & CEO of The Nick Vertucci Companies in Irvine, California. After building his own successful real estate business, Nick founded the Nick Vertucci Real Estate Academy (NVREA), that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and education necessary to be lucrative real estate investors. With extensive knowledge and expertise in property investment, Nick helped develop a professionally managed, "Turn-Key" investment system to assist other investors in purchasing, rehabbing and renting bank-owned properties. Find NVREA on Facebook, and for more on Nick's other real estate projects, visit his CrunchBase page.

Contact:

Jenny Passmore

jenny [at] statuslabs [dot] com

SOURCE NV Real Estate Academy (NVREA)

Related Links

http://nvrealestateacademy.com

PHOENIX, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its inception, Offerpad has consistently been the only iBuyer to offer customers the option to move at no additional expense. It's one of the many benefits that comes with choosing the direct home buyer over the traditional real estate process. And now that feature has become more streamlined through a partnership with Bellhops Moving.

Bellhops Moving Partners with Offerpad

Among the thousands of moving companies in the United States, Offerpad chose to align with Bellhops because of its innovative business model and customer-focused strategy. The two companies began working together in Atlanta and Charlotte, and based on that successful collaboration decided to expand their partnership to include all current Offerpad markets.

"This partnership aligns two industry leaders that will support customers during one of the most stressful periods in their lives," said Offerpad's CEO, Brian Bair. "Offerpad and Bellhops are both customer-centric companies that combine technology and people to provide a service above the status quo. Our customers trust us with the largest financial asset in their name, and we don't take that lightlywhich is why we only partner with companies that have a proven track record and support our core values."

Due to its one-of-a-kind labor platform, which not only streamlines the move-day process but also ensures customers are matched with the most-qualified movers and drivers in their area, Bellhops has become the fastest-growing company in the $18B moving industry. The company recently announced its expansion in Tampa and Orlando, which creates a full alignment with Offerpad's footprint.

"We are laser-focused on refining the experience of moving with technology and talented people," said Bellhops' CEO, Luke Marklin. "This partnership with Offerpad is an extension of our mission to provide more people a stress-free journey to their new home."

Offerpad has revolutionized the way people buy and sell their homes. The process is simple: Customers visit Offerpad.com to request an offer on their property, which they then receive within 24 hours. Upon the acceptance of its offer, the company manages home renovations, the inspection process, and the paperworkall while providing customers a comfortable level of control. It even allows them to select their closing date and extends the option of a free move within a 50-mile radius. Customers who take advantage of the free move are then paired with a reputable third-party moving company in their area. Offerpad's new partnership with Bellhops will now streamline the process for the seller, as both companies will work in parallel to provide the best experience from the moment a customer requests a purchase offer to the day they move into their new home.

To request an offer or learn more about Offerpad's free-move feature, visit www.offerpad.com.

ABOUT OFFERPAD

Offerpad is revolutionizing the real estate industry by providing an innovative and convenient way to sell or buy a home. Founded in 2015 by a leadership team with decades of real estate experience that collectively has purchased, renovated and rented or sold more than 100,000 homes, Offerpad is a privately held company, headquartered in Arizona, with markets in Atlanta, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa.

ABOUT BELLHOPS

Bellhops combines technology with a team of talented workers to arrange friendly, low-stress moving services in more than 25 cities throughout the United States. It began in 2011 as a simple solution for college students looking for help moving in and out of their dorms. After early success, the company expanded its services to include customers of all ages, with homes of varying sizes. To meet this demand, it developed the nation's first tech-enabled platform, which not only streamlines the move-day process but also ensures customers are matched with the most-qualified movers and drivers in their area.

Offerpad Contact

Cortney Read, Director of Communications

[email protected]



Bellhops Contact

Kyle Miller, Head of Brand & Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Offerpad

Related Links

http://www.offerpad.com

HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The PaySphere Payroll & HR team is proud to announce our ranking in Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000, an exclusive listing of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.

To qualify for this ranking, companies must have been funded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They had to be privately held, for-profit, U.S.-based, and independent. In addition, companies must have brought in revenue of more than $2 million for the previous calendar year.

The list represents the most comprehensive look at America's independent entrepreneurs. PaySphere, at the 2106th spot, joins prominent brands including Peloton, Brooklinen, and PopSockets, all featured on this year's list.

"To have our growth and success recognized by Inc. Magazine is a huge honor," said PaySphere Founder and CEO Matt Umholtz. "This recognition is more evidence that our process works. We have great people and a great company, and our growth shows that we've successfully blended those two components, leading to great results for our clients."

PaySphere provides a human capital management (HCM) solution suite designed to attract and retain top-quality talent for a diverse workforce, with the tools to not only make work easier and more productive, but also to deliver a great employee experience.

From employee engagement, leadership success, and talent development, to flexible performance management and labor law compliance, PaySphere's HCM solution helps manage people to today's emerging HCM trends, all while staying competitive and fueling organizational growth. PaySphere deploys HR technology solutions designed to attract and retain top talent, engage the workforce, and manage employee lifecycles from onboard to offboard.

"Our special sauce is really simple, yet rarely done: we listen, we learn, and we really dive deep to find out how we can positively impact a business' success," Umholtz said.

To learn more about the value of PaySphere's tools, click here. To learn more about Inc. 5000 and view the complete 2018 Inc. 5000 ranking, click here.

SOURCE PaySphere

Related Links

http://www.payspherepayroll.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Quttera, the global cybersecurity software and services company, today announced the launch and immediate availability of its Web Application Firewall (WAF). The new firewall is provided as a managed service that protects from application layer attacks, including all OWASP top 10, zero-day threats and much more. The existing and new customers of ThreatSign - Website Anti-Malware platform can enable the firewall effective immediately to monitor the incoming traffic and block the cyber attacks automatically.

About Quttera

The new WAF is based on Quttera's unique threat detection technology powering the traffic filtering rules with automated updates from the threat intelligence database. The information in the threat intelligence database is coming from Quttera's online scanners, which are continually crawling the web and scanning millions of domains/URLs for malware monthly. WAF rules created by Quttera in response to new threats are automatically distributed to company's network ensuring immediate update of the protection delivered to entire customer community.

"The addition of the next-generation web application firewall to the cybersecurity toolset developed by Quttera is a significant step towards our objective of building all-in-one anti-malware tools that take malware detection and prevention to another level," said Michael Novofastovsky Quttera CTO and co-founder. "From early results, we can see that WAF rules created in response to new/unknown threats gathered by Quttera scanners are responsible for the detection of the majority of the attacks. Quttera's WAF is another successful usage of our unique detection technology to enhance the traditional OWASP and customized rules approach and to better fit the new generation of web applications."

Website application firewall added to the ThreatSign -Website Anti-Malware platform, introduced new capabilities to the rich set of services which now include among the others:

OWASP Top 10

Virtual Patching

Security Misconfiguration discovery

Shell Code detection

XML External Entities detection

Vulnerability Exploit detection

Brute Force protection

Bots (any kind of agent filtering) blocking

GEO location blocking

Preventing upload of malicious files

XSS blocking

Injection protection

Generic Attack protection

Additional information about Quttera and ThreatSign can be found at https://quttera.com

Media Contact:

Michael Novofastovsky

Phone: +1 (323) 540-5642

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

quttera.jpg

Quttera

About Quttera

waf.jpg

WAF

Quttera Web Application Firewall

Related Links

Quttera

Quttera Web Application Firewall

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPhj16hzj8g

SOURCE Quttera

Related Links

https://quttera.com

CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based R.J. O'Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, today announced that Stephen A. Brodsky  long-time exchange, trading and capital markets executive  has just joined the firm as Chief Strategy Officer. Brodsky, also Senior Managing Director, reports to Chairman and CEO Gerald Corcoran in the newly created role.

Brodsky served most recently as CEO of equity options trading firm Spot Trading, and he held several leadership roles at the Chicago Stock Exchange (CHX). His background also includes private equity and investment banking.

Corcoran said: "Steve has made his mark with a diverse career and extensive markets, strategy, finance and leadership experience. It's rare to find someone with such a powerful combination of hands-on markets and trading experience and capital markets as well as strategic expertise. We're fortunate to be able to harness his background, skills and talent on behalf of RJO, as he leads our strategic growth initiatives across all areas of the firm."

Brodsky said: "I had the opportunity to work with Gerry and RJO in my early days of investment banking and have always appreciated how the firm treats its clients, seizes opportunities and weathers industry events. I'm truly excited to embark on this next stage of my career and to have an impact on the organization going forward as we identify new areas of potential pursuit, analyze the evolving competitive landscape and meet ever-new challenges that face the futures industry."

For the past five years, Brodsky served as CEO of Spot Trading. He joined the firm in November 2010 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), responsible for leading its efforts in strategic financial planning and managing its relationships with capital providers, exchanges and clearing firms.

Brodsky was a managing director at Vernon & Park Capital, a private equity firm focusing on investments in exchange and financial markets, from 2008 to 2010.

Brodsky joined CHX in 2003 as Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and later became CFO. He was instrumental in the CHX demutualization and subsequent successful capital-raising initiative, after which he became President and CFO of the newly formed parent company, CHX Holdings Inc.

He began his career as an associate in the corporate finance department at John Nuveen & Co., Inc. He later joined Mesirow Financial as a Vice President in the investment banking department.

Brodsky is a member of the National Association of Investment Professionals. He serves on the boards of directors of Chicago Shakespeare Theater and ChicagoNEXT, an initiative of World Business Chicago. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Brodsky earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University and a Juris Doctor and MBA from Northwestern University.

About R.J. O'Brien & Associates

Founded in 1914, R.J. O'Brien & Associates is the largest independent futures brokerage firm in the United States, serving institutional, commercial and individual clients globally, in addition to a network of 400 introducing brokers (IBs). Clearing more than 80,000 client accounts, RJO services the industry's most expansive global network of IBs, a vast array of middle market firms and many of the world's largest financial, industrial and agricultural institutions. The firm offers state-of-the-art electronic trading and 24-hour trade execution on every major futures exchange worldwide.

SOURCE R.J. O'Brien & Associates

Related Links

https://www.rjobrien.com

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentry Data Systems, Inc., a leader in 340B compliance and advanced healthcare analytics solutions, recently announced the promotion of Kim Jacques to Chief Information Officer. During Kim's tenure with Sentry, she has provided innovative leadership and solutions to meet the needs of our customers. In this role, Kim is responsible for Sentry's entire data infrastructure, technical client support and overseeing and executing innovative IT improvements that enable Sentry to continue on its current growth trajectory and offer state-of-the-art products and services to its customers.

Kim is an industry leader with more than 35 years in the IT field. Prior to her role at Sentry, she held several senior executive positions, including chief information officer at American Capital, a private equity firm, and Lombard International. In addition, she was previously IT director for Capital One and worked on major consumer databases and data management at Neilson Media. Kim is a respected thought leader in the industry and has been published in technology magazines Sync and In$urance CIO Outlook. She also has a passion for inspiring women to pursue IT careers and speaks frequently on this topic at high schools and universities.

According to Travis Leonardi, CEO of Sentry Data Systems, "Our data is the foundation of the company and we are committed to assuring the highest data integrity for our customers. Jacques' expertise in IT infrastructure, security and support processes and her commitment to innovation are significant competitive advantages that will help further solidify our position as an innovative force in healthcare analytics."

Jacques says, "My passion is thinking about how to use technology to increase efficiency and speed, and reduce cost. I was inspired by Sentry's commitment to leverage innovative technologies, including their Patient Data Intelligence Platform and Comparative Rapid Cycle Analytics solutions, to help their customers achieve business objectives. I've worked for a lot of large companies optimizing their data, and Sentry's data infrastructure is very impressive. I'm excited to roll up my sleeves with the team to help the company continue to grow."

About Sentry Data Systems, Inc.

Sentry Data Systems, Inc. is a pioneer in providing technology solutions that help healthcare providers address their three biggest challenges: reducing total cost of care, managing compliance and producing better quality. Thousands of hospitals and care locations across the country rely on Sentry's integrated platform for their solutions, which provide decision support for millions of unique patients and have helped hospital systems and IDNs realize billions of dollars in documented savings.

Media Contact

Beth Sagvold, Creative Director

[email protected]

800.411.4566 x2507

SOURCE Sentry Data Systems

Related Links

https://www.sentryds.com

HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Aug. 15, 2018 Ashley Minga filed a lawsuit on behalf of her 19-year-old daughter Hayley Farr, who was murdered in the North Houston suburb of Shenandoah, Texas in November 2016. Farr was trafficked for two years at the America's Best Value Inn & Suites along the I-45 corridor where she was ultimately murdered by gunshot in a hotel room by her pimp.

The lawsuit is the first filed in Montgomery County, Texas targeting business and hotel owners who knowingly profit from human trafficking, and is part of a succession of civil court cases filed by Minga's trial attorney, Ross Bussard, of the Bussard Law Firm, who pioneered the first human trafficking lawsuit in Texas in 2017.

Bussard and his firm operate under a new Texas law authorized by the 2009 Texas legislature where businesses that knowingly benefit from the trafficking of another person can be held civilly liable.

Bussard says, "Defendants were aware of the human trafficking at the hotel yet still rent rooms to known pimps to conduct the illegal activities. Defendants tolerated these illegal activities, and purposefully turned a "blind eye," because by doing so they have acquired a steady stream of income from renting rooms to those conducting these activities."

"Hayley was taken from us too soon and if I can help prevent another mother from losing her daughter to human trafficking, I'm going to do it," said Minga. "Hotel owners need to be held accountable for turning a blind eye to a victim's suffering and allowing this type of activity to take place. I am bringing forth this suit to do just that  to show that it is unacceptable to ignore this any longer."

The trial date has not yet been set by the Court, but Plaintiff has asked that a twelve person Montgomery County jury get to decide the case. Specified damages then requested will likely be in excess of 1 million dollars.

About Bussard Law:

Bussard Law is the first firm in Texas to specialize in representing human trafficking victims and victim's families who have suffered harm at the hands of other hotels and businesses that have knowingly profited from their suffering. As victims and their families face challenges, Bussard Law makes every effort to provide dedicated, agro representation in order to pursue justice.

SOURCE Bussard Law Firm

Related Links

http://www.bussardlawfirm.com

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors, LLC, Managing Director David S. Gilreath, CFP, acknowledged the market's return to greater volatility in 2018 after a fairly smooth ascent during 2017. Gilreath believes the resulting fear and angst of today's investor gives advisors the opportunity to help clients leverage volatility through options strategies for additional incremental returns.

In a recent article for wealthmanagement.com, Gilreath explains the primary obstacle. Because typical views regarding the investment market are based upon rising values, the approach for options strategies may seem counterintuitive. Additionally, public perception of options as high-risk investments may have been fueled by publicity of over-leveraged funds and derivatives' debacles during the 2008 financial crisis and others earlier in 2018.

Gilreath recommends developing a strong options strategies approach and educating clients to distinguish it from those previously notorious situations. He suggests that advisors:

Emphasize volatility as a natural part of the market, with a potential benefit to accept and exploit it while managing risk

Volatility options strategies may offer limited return with limited risk when used to produce side income

Give examples demonstrating excessive risk and the perils of high leverage

Make sure your clients read informational materials that you recommend, rather than leaving them to find their own sources online

Advisors who use a detailed education plan to explain the benefits and risks of option strategies may be able to help their clients regard volatility as an opportunity for diversification and income.

Gilreath, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Sheaff Brock, is a 30-plus year veteran in the financial industry. As a founding principal of Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors, David Gilreath shares responsibility for setting investment policy, asset allocation, and security selection for the company's managed accounts. He has contributed to the investment column of the Indianapolis Business Journal, the financial markets column for ABCNews.com, and the Investor Toolkit on CNBC.com.

Gilreath is based in the Sheaff Brock corporate office in Indianapolis, Indiana.

About Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors, LLC:

Sheaff Brock is an SEC-registered, fee-only independent investment firm focusing on innovative investment strategies that strive to enhance the portfolios of both growth- and income-oriented investors. The firm manages $1.04 billion in assets nationwide as of 12/31/2017. Sheaff Brock principal David Gilreath is a contributor of investment news to ABCNews.com, CNBC.com, and Investopedia.com. Please visit sheaffbrock.com for more information.

SOURCE Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors, LLC

Related Links

https://sheaffbrock.com

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart Cannabis Corp. (OTC: SCNA) has begun installation of greenhouse equipment at a property permitted to grow cannabis in Yolo County. The contract with CompassLeaf LLC is being fulfilled by SCNA subsidiary, Next Generation Farming, and the deposit has been received.

The project involves installation and retrofitting of eight, 30'x96' (23,040 sq.ft.) pre-existing greenhouse frames and fully equipping them with an entire suite of equipment necessary for a successful cannabis cultivation site. "We were dissatisfied with the bare greenhouse structures installed by another company and their slow construction progress so we reached out to Next Generation Farming. They immediately responded with solutions to help us get our facilities up and running. Within three weeks, we've experienced a dramatic transformation in the structures, complemented by professionalism and a high level of expertise throughout the process. We are thrilled that we can finally accelerate and improve this project with Next Generation's help," stated Kyu Kim, Co-Founder and CFO of CompassLeaf LLC.

This installation is on track to be completed by the end of September. Additional details will be made public at that time.

Smart Cannabis (OTC PINK: SCNA) is a public equity corporation advancing the agriculture and cannabis industries and growing through acquisition, strategic alliances, and proprietary intellectual property. The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Next Generation Farming Inc., provides turnkey, automated, commercial greenhouses systems that efficiently improve yields and decrease water consumption for cultivators of organic food and cannabis crops. The company websites are http://smartcannabis.com https://sapinvestments.com https://smartcannabis.com/nextgenfarming

Disclaimer: The Company relies upon the Safe Harbor Laws of 1933, 1934 and 1995 for all public news releases. The company may make forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are estimates that reflect the company's best judgment based upon current information. All investments involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all such factors. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the company include, but are not limited to, government regulation; managing and maintaining growth; the effect of adverse publicity; litigation; competition; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the company's public announcements.

Contact:

Smart Cannabis Corp.

John Taylor, President

[email protected]

(424) 732-7646

SOURCE Smart Cannabis Corp.

Related Links

http://smartcannabis.com

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announced several Leadership changes.

Southwest Airlines welcomes Tammy Amirault onboard as Managing Director, TechnologyEnterprise Management and Analytics to succeed Sherry Staber, Southwest's Vice President, TechnologyEnterprise Management & Technical Operations who announced her plans to retire. Amirault joins Southwest from IMPRIVA, a San Francisco-based strategic business and IT consulting firm, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President.

Southwest's Senior Vice President General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Mark Shaw has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, and Corporate Secretary. Under Shaw's leadership, Southwest's Vice President Governmental Affairs Jason Van Eaton has been promoted to Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs and Real Estate. Van Eaton's broader role oversees Airport Affairs and Corporate Facilities, in addition to Governmental Affairs.

Championing the Real Estate Team, Southwest's Vice President Airport Affairs Bob Montgomery will assume a new role as Senior Advisor. Southwest's Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis Paul Cullen is assuming a new role of Vice President Real Estate. Now reporting to Cullen, Southwest's Senior Director Airport Affairs Steve Sisneros has been promoted to Managing Director Airport Affairs alongside Southwest's Managing Director Corporate Facilities John Zuzu.

Leading the award-winning Rapid Rewards program and its popular Chase Visa card, Southwest's Senior Director Loyalty, Partnerships, and Products Jonathan Clarkson has been promoted to Managing Director Marketing. Additionally, Southwest's Vice President Corporate Strategy Reid Grandle assumes the broader role of Vice President Strategy & Planning, responsible for the Company's Strategic and Financial Planning, along with its focus on Innovation, Data Science, and Continuous Improvement. Southwest's Managing Director Corporate Sales Dave Harvey has been promoted to Vice President Corporate Sales. His Team promotes the ease and reliability of traveling on Southwest Airlines for business. And Southwest's Managing Director Network Planning Adam Decaire has been promoted to Vice President Network Planning, overseeing the connectivity of its more than 4,000 flights a day to 99 destinations in the US and 10 additional countries.

For biographies and headshots, visit swamedia.com/executives

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 48th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 57,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 120 million passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 99 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals.

Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft.

With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 45 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2017 Southwest Airlines One Report can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest Airlines or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than the last two decades, Stann Givens has received an exceptional rating in this process that is based entirely on peer-review. The 'Best Lawyers' rating published by Woodward/White strives to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

A board certified family law attorney, Stann Givens' excellent professional reputation in the Tampa area spans more than 40 years and has resulted in many accolades. He has been named a Super Lawyer since 2006, and was honored by the Family Law Inn of Tampa, an organization promoting ethics and professionalism, when the group permanently renamed itself The Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn in 2015.

The firm's awards include: "Best Law Firm" by U.S. News, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, National Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers & Top 40 Under 40, National Black Trial Lawyers Top 100, Top 100 High Stakes Litigators, Expertise's Best Personal Injury Lawyers, Lawyers of Distinction, Family Law, Tampa AV Preeminent on Martindale-Hubbell, "Best Lawyers in America" since 1998 - Woodward/White lawyer rating, and "Legal Elite" by Florida Trend magazine.

Givens Givens Sparks is a trial law firm representing individuals and their families in state and federal cases ranging from complex high net-worth divorce cases and personal injury/wrongful death actions, to commercial insurance litigation. With more than 135 years of combined professional experience, the Givens Givens Sparks team of lawyers is dedicated to the advocacy and protection of their clients and their families. To learn more about Givens Givens Sparks, visit www.givenssparks.com

SOURCE Givens Givens Sparks

Related Links

https://www.givenssparks.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozens of Teamsters from locals throughout Northern California, as well as port drivers from L.A./Long Beach, took part in a lobby day in Sacramento this week to push back on corporate efforts to overturn the state Supreme Court's landmark Dynamex decision.

The California Chamber of Commerce and companies including Uber, Lyft, Instacart and Postmates, among others, have launched an intense lobbying effort against the Supreme Court of California's April decision in the case of Dynamex Operations West, Inc. vs. Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

The decision simplified the test for determining whether a worker is classified as an employee for minimum wage and overtime protections. The ruling provides clarity and makes it harder for employers to misclassify their employees as independent contractors.

"This is an effort by the Chamber and tech companies to try to get the governor and legislature to take unprecedented action to overturn a California Supreme Court ruling," said Doug Bloch, Political Director for Teamsters Joint Council 7. "These are wealthy, global corporations that want political help to get out of paying their employees a livable wage."

Bloch was joined at the state legislature by Teamster freight and port drivers who met with dozens of legislators to show their support for the Dynamex ruling. Since 2011, more than $46 million has been awarded to port truck drivers in California in cases where they were misclassified as independent contractors.

"We've been in this fight for over 30 years. The independent contractor model rose out of the ashes of the deregulated trucking industry, allowing companies to undercut good employers by avoiding Social Security, workers' compensation, payroll taxes, minimum wage and more. Now many tech companies have taken on this model and they are terrified of a law that will require them to take care of their workers. But they are not above the law," Bloch said.

Teamsters from Locals 70, 150, 315, 350, 431, 439, 853, 856, 2010, 2785, District Council 2, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen participated in the lobby day which was organized by the California Labor Federation and the California Building and Construction Trades Council. Teamsters were joined by other organizations including the Fight for $15, Gig Workers Rising, Justice for Port Drivers, the Maintenance and Cooperation Trust Fund, Silicon Valley Rising, and Working Partnerships USA.

Teamsters Joint Council 7 represents 100,000 working men and women in 22 local unions in Northern California, the Central Valley and Northern Nevada.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Doug Bloch, (510) 333-1179

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 7

Related Links

http://www.teamster.org

NEW YORK, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global viral vector manufacturing market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20.0%.

The viral vector manufacturing market is expected to reach USD 815.8 million by 2023 from an estimated USD 327.8 million in 2018, at a CAGR of 20.0%. The growth of this market is expected to be driven by rising prevalence of target diseases and disorders, the availability of funding for gene therapy development, effectiveness of viral vectors in gene therapy delivery, and ongoing research into viral vector-based gene & cell therapies. On the other hand, the high cost of gene therapies and short shelf-life of viral vectors are likely to restrain the growth of this market to a certain extent.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05484960



The genetic disorders segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

By disease, the viral vector manufacturing market is segmented into cancer, genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and other diseases. During the forecast period, the genetic disorders segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR owing to the accelerated research activities on various genetic disorders such as hemophilia A and B, sickle cell anemia, and Huntington's disease.



The pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to hold the largest share of the market

Based on end user, the global viral vector manufacturing market is segmented into pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies and research institutes.The pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market in 2018.



The successful launch of viral vector gene therapies and a robust pipeline of such therapies are the key factors contributing to the growth of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies segment during the forecast period.



North America is expected to dominate the viral vector manufacturing market in 2018

In 2018, North America is expected to account for the largest share of 64.8% of the global viral vector manufacturing market. Factors such as a large number of regenerative medicine companies (including gene and cell therapy companies), increasing research activities, rising prevalence of target diseases, and availability of funding are supporting the growth of the viral vector manufacturing market in North America.



Break of primary participants was as mentioned below:

 By Company Type  Tier 140%, Tier 230% and Tier 330%

 By Designation  C-level20%, Director Level40%, Others40%

 By Region  North America50%, Europe20%, Asia Pacific20%, RoW10%



The major players in the global viral vector manufacturing market are Lonza (Switzerland), Merck (Germany), Oxford BioMedica (UK), CGT Catapult (UK), Cobra Biologics (UK), uniQure (Netherlands), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (US), and Spark Therapeutics (US).



Research Coverage:

The report analyzes the viral vector manufacturing market and aims at estimating the market size and future growth potential of this market based on various aspects such as type, disease, application, end user, and region. The report also includes the competitive analysis of the key players in this market along with their company profiles, product offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.



Reasons to Buy the Report

The report will help established firms as well as new entrants/smaller firms gauge the pulse of the market, which in turn, would help them garner a greater share of the market. Firms purchasing the report could use one or a combination of the below-mentioned strategies to strengthen their position in the market.



This report provides insights on the following pointers:

 Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on product portfolios offered by key players in the global viral vector manufacturing market. The report analyzes the global viral vector manufacturing market by type, disease, application, end user, and region

 Product Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming trends and product launches in the global viral vector manufacturing market

 Market Development: Comprehensive information about the lucrative emerging markets by type, disease, application, and end user

 Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, growing geographies, recent developments, and investments in the market

 Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares and growth strategies of leading players in the global market



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05484960



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.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today approved the change of control of the Category 1 Slot Machine License for Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie County.

Under the agreement approved by the Board at its public meeting, the license, held since 2014 by Eldorado Resorts, Inc. will be transferred to Churchill Downs, Inc., a publicly traded company based in Louisville, KY.

Churchill Downs, Inc., as the new slot machine license holder, will pay the Commonwealth a change of control fee of $3.75 million.

A PowerPoint presentation provided by representatives of Churchill Downs, Inc. is available on the Board's web site as part of the August 15, 2018 information under the Meetings tab on the PGCB's web site, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov.

The next meeting of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is scheduled for Wednesday, September 12, 2018 in the PGCB's Public Hearing Room located on the second floor of Strawberry Square in Harrisburg.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board :

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state's casino industry, along with oversight of new gaming initiatives created through amendments to the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act recently approved by the signing of Act 42 of 2017.

The Commonwealth's casino industry currently consists of 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along with the two smaller resort casinos. These facilities collectively employ 17,000 people and annually generate approximately $1.4 billion in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play. The largest portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners.

Additional information about both the PGCB's gaming regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania's gaming industry can be found at gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.

CONTACTS: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey

(717) 346-8321

SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control BoardHARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved fines today totaling $160,000 against two casinos for various violations.

The fines were the result of Board approvals at its public meeting of consent agreements between the PGCB's Office of Enforcement Counsel and:

Washington Trotting Association, Inc. , operator of the Meadows Casino in Washington County , an $80,000 fine for allowing unauthorized employees to issue complementary services; and,

, operator of the Meadows Casino in , an fine for allowing unauthorized employees to issue complementary services; and, Valley Forge Convention Center Partners, L.P., operator of the Valley Forge Casino Resort in Montgomery County , two fines, one of $50,000 for failure to prevent fraudulent transactions by one of its employees, and a second of $30,000 for table game violations.

DETAILS

Washington Trotting Association, Inc.'s fine stemmed from the issuance of over $830,000 worth of complimentary services from 2009 to 2017 by employees who were not authorized to do so. Each licensed facility is required to have within their Board-approved internal controls a matrix of employees who are authorized to award complimentary services and a specific amount that may be authorized.

Valley Forge Convention Center Partners, L.P.'s larger fine was the result of the casino's failure to safeguard its assets and revenues, failure to maintain accurate and reliable financial records, ensure access, record and compare its assets, conduct regular audits, and ensure that audit functions and responsibilities were segregated. These issues materialized through a scheme perpetrated by a casino employee to fraudulently collect work-related reimbursements, an action that led to criminal charges being filed against that employee.

The second fine levied against Valley Forge Convention Center Partners, L.P. was the result of the casino not being compliant with its Board-approved rules and guidelines for the play of Spanish 21 blackjack.

The next meeting of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 12, 2018 in the PGCB's Public Hearing Room located on the second floor of the Strawberry Square Complex in Harrisburg.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board :

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state's casino industry, along with oversight of new gaming initiatives created through amendments to the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act recently approved by the signing of Act 42 of 2017.

The Commonwealth's casino industry currently consists of 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along with the two smaller resort casinos. These facilities collectively employ 17,000 people and annually generate approximately $1.4 billion in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play. The largest portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners.

Additional information about both the PGCB's gaming regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania's gaming industry can be found at gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.

CONTACTS: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey

(717) 346-8321

SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Related Links

http://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov

SINGAPORE and SENDAI, Japan, Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ION, the largest global provider of trading, analytics and risk management solutions for capital markets, commodities and treasury management, today announced that Tohoku Electric Power Company (Tohoku), a top-tier power generating utility in Japan, has implemented Openlink's platform for energy trading and risk management (ETRM) on the cloud.

With total power generation assets amounting to 18,210 megawatts(as of March 2017), Tohoku is a major presence and pioneer in the country's recently liberalized and highly competitive energy market. Legal unbundling of transmission and distribution is expected in April 2020.

Tohoku crafted an ambitious plan to set up a new subsidiary trading company that could take advantage of emerging, cross-commodity trading opportunities in power, fuel, and other complex derivatives. To support their strategy, Tohoku required a robust, enterprise cloud-based ETRM solution, backed by best-in-class services and support.

Kaoru Hijikata, Executive Officer at Tohoku, said, "Tohoku is prepared to lead the Japanese energy market during a time of great change as we rapidly expand our portfolio to better serve customers. With Openlink's cloud-based ETRM platform, we achieve greater business agility as we grow, with the ability to quickly add new price models, users, and trading desks. In addition, we significantly enhance our risk management and operational controls by viewing all risks, positions and scenarios in real-time."

ABeam Consulting provided project management services and business process expertise.

"We are very pleased to engage in the project to implement Openlink Cloud for Tohoku," said Makoto Iida, ABeam's project lead. "Our teams worked closely together to meet Tohoku's requirements and lead the project to a successful implementation with great efficiency."

Rich Grossi, CEO of Openlink and member of the ION Commodities executive board, said, "Tohoku serves as a model for the modern utility company in Japanbringing new offerings to customers with efficiency and scale, and driving excellence in trading and risk management to sharpen its competitive edge. We are proud to support Tohoku during a time of transition and growth, drawing on the strength of our Openlink Cloud ETRM platform and the depth of our Asia Pacific-based account management and professional services organizations."

About Openlink

Openlink (www.openlink.com), a division of ION, provides award-winning solutions for trading, treasury and risk management to serve energy companies, commodity-intensive corporations, and financial services institutionson-premises and via the Openlink Cloud.

SOURCE Openlink

Related Links

http://www.openlink.com

PUNE, India, August 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report "Trocars Market by Product (Disposable, Reusable, Reposable), Tip (Bladeless Trocars, Bladed Trocars, Blunt Trocars, Optical), Application (General Surgery, Urology, Pediatric, Gynecological Surgery), End User (Hospitals) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to reach USD 762.3 million by 2023 from USD 538.5 million in 2018, at a CAGR of 7.2%.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg )



Browse 63 market data Tables and 32 Figures spread through 108 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Trocars Market"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/trocars-market-1897838.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The major factors driving the growth of this market are the increasing prevalence of appendicitis and growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries.

Disposable trocars are expected to account for the largest market share in 2018

By product, the Trocars Market is classified into disposable trocars, reposable trocars, reusable trocars, and accessories. The disposable trocars segment is estimated to command the largest market share in 2018. Their cost-effectiveness, user-friendliness, and safety have resulted in their greater adoption, as compared to reusable trocars.

Bladeless trocars segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Trocars Market in 2018

By tip, Trocars Market segment segmented into bladeless trocars, optical trocars, blunt trocars, and bladed trocars. In 2018, the disposable trocars segment is estimated to account for largest market share. This is mainly due to the ease of use of bladeless tip trocars, which minimize trauma to the abdominal wall and vessels. Moreover, the ergonomic design of these trocars offers high stability.

The general surgery segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The application segment is further segmented into general surgery, gynecological surgery, pediatric surgery, urological surgery, and other surgeries. The general surgery segment is estimated to register the highest growth during the forecast period. The key factors driven by the growth of this segment is the rising prevalence of obesity, hernia, and appendicitis.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1897838

North America is estimated to command the largest share of the market in 2018

Based on region, the Trocars Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). In 2018, North America is expected to account for the largest share of the global Trocars Market. The large share can primarily be attributed to the increasing prevalence & incidence of cancer, hernia, and appendicitis. The strong presence of major market players in this region ensures easy access to trocars.

Key players in the Trocars Market include Medtronic (Ireland), Ethicon (US), B. Braun (Germany), Applied Medical (US), Cooper Companies (US), Teleflex (US), ConMed (US), LaproSurge (UK), Purple Surgical (UK), and GENICON (US).

Know more about the Trocars Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/trocars-market-1897838.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Shelly Singh

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/trocars-market.asp

Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarketsADDISON, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- VapeWild, a Dallas-based vapor manufacturer, retailer and distributor, ranked 1906 on the 2018 Inc. Magazine 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

Founded in 1979, Inc. Magazine is dedicated to owners and managers nationwide. The Inc. 5000 designation has previously been awarded to companies such as Microsoft, Oracle and Zappos.com.

VapeWild's slogan is 'serious about vaping and not much else'. This stays true to the company's character - VapeWild places a heavy focus on customer experience, from its in-house customer service team to complementary artwork and bonus e-liquid in orders. In the office, employees are encouraged to be creative and take advantage of their various talents to develop innovative ideas.

VapeWild co-founder and CEO Steve Turner credits VapeWild's success to the company's fast growing customer base and employees. "We are very fortunate to be in this position. It all boils down to people. The people we serve, our customers, and the people that make this happen every day, our employees. We have the best customers in the industry and our employees do the impossible every day supporting them."

In the past year, VapeWild has seen exponential growth. This year, the company launched its franchise store division, with fifteen stores acquired in the United States and the United Kingdom and plans to have 500 within three years. 7Eleven convenience stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area also offer a customized VapeWild selection. VapeWild also expanded its headquarters and is consistently recruiting top talent to add to the team as growth continues.

Co-founder and owner Eric Turner looks to the future of the company with anticipation.

"I am extremely proud of our team for the exponential growth that we have sustained over the last four years. VapeWild is poised to continue this growth through our expanding e-commerce platforms, brick-and-mortar franchise stores and convenience store footprint."

Steve Turner agrees. "We have thousands of new customers register on our site every week, it's a true testament to our fanbase and employees. It is amazing and humbling to watch the growth and the daily effort by the VapeWild team."

SOURCE VapeWildSUGAR LAND, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Williams Companies Incorporated (Tulsa, Oklahoma) continues its expansions of the Transcontinental (Transco) natural gas pipeline system, as the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has given the green light to a proposed expansion in New Jersey. Industrial Info is tracking $2.75 billion in Williams projects.



The Rivervale South to Market project involves uprating a section of pipeline and constructing a loop in New Jersey.

For details, view the entire article by subscribing to Industrial Info's Premium Industry News, or browse other breaking industrial news stories at www.industrialinfo.com.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. To contact an office in your area, visit the www.industrialinfo.com "Contact Us" page.

Brian Ford

(713) 980-9393

SOURCE Industrial Info Resources, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.industrialinfo.com

Mumbai, Aug 15 : Actress Niyati Fatnani says she feels shy and awkward when it comes to shooting romantic scenes.

In an upcoming episode of "Nazar", Niyati will be seen opposite her co-actor Harsh Rajput (who plays the character of Ansh Rathore) in a romantic scene in the show.

"I am quite shy and awkward when it comes to such things. This is my first romantic scene with Harsh and even though I am very comfortable with him, I did feel nervous before shooting it," Niyati said in a statement.

"But I am a very committed actor and did not want to let my inhibitions come in the way of shooting the sequence. So I spoke to the director and Harsh before the shoot and discussed my nervousness, after which I went with the flow and gave the show."Washington, Aug 15 : White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Tuesday that she could not "guarantee" that US President Donald Trump had never used the word "nigger" to refer to blacks, after the accusation of an African American former adviser who said that she has tapes proving that he said it.

Sanders noted at her daily press briefing that Trump has specifically denied using the term on Twitter adding that "I can certainly say I've never heard him use that term or anything similar".

Sanders said, however, that she "can't guarantee" that the President had never used the pejorative term since she had not been at every working meeting he had ever held in the White House, Efe reported.

The White House spokesman was responding to the accusations of Omarosa Manigault-Newman, the former Trump advisor on African American issues, who said that she has audiotapes on which the president uses the term "nigger", considered taboo in the US because of its demeaning and heavily racist tone, not to mention its links with slavery.

Sanders said that Manigault-Newman's comments were regrettable and charged her with a lack of "integrity" for - by her own admission - having secretly taped conversations with the president and other top administration officials.

Trump, meanwhile, in a Twitter message on Tuesday morning responding to Manigault-Newman's remarks, said: "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!"

Referring to the harshness of those insults, Sanders said that the president was expressing "his frustration" with the ex-adviser.

After in 2004 participating as a contestant in "The Apprentice" and other television reality shows hosted by Trump on NBC, Manigault-Newman became one of the mogul's confidants, and one he did not hesitate to hire for his White House team when he became president in January 2017.

Manigault-Newman held the post of communications director in the White House public liaison office until last December, when she resigned for reasons that were never clarified.

This week, however, the ex-adviser will publish her tell-all memoir "Unhinged" in which she discusses her time on the inside of the Trump administration.: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, in Delhi on Aug 15, 2018. (Photo: IANS/PIB). Image Source: IANS/PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, in Delhi on Aug 15, 2018. Image Source: IANS/PIB

New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to freedom fighters and the armed forces for protecting the national flag.

"On behalf of the people of India, I bow to all those great women and men who sacrificed themselves for the nation during the freedom movement," the Prime MInister said in his Independence Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Red Fort here.

"I salute the Army personnel and other forces who sacrifice their lives to protect India's national flag," Modi said.

He paid tribute to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. "Next year on Baisakhi, it will be 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I bow to them who fought for independence and sacrificed their lives."

The Prime Minister said his thoughts also lay with the families of those who have lost their lives due to floods in various parts of India.New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government had the courage to take "bold decisions", like MSP for farmers and GST, putting India on a new trajectory unlike the previous regime which he alleged suffered from indecisiveness.

He said India's status in the world had increased manifold since 2014 when a BJP-led NDA came to power "because we have an acumen to take bold decisions".

Institutions and economic scientists across the world used to refer India as a "risky economy but today the same institutions and the same individuals are saying with confidence that reforms have given India a new momentum and strong fundamentals", Modi said in his address to the nation from the Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day.

This is the Prime Minister's fifth and the last Independence Day speech before the general elections next year.

Modi said the country was earlier counted among the fragile five economies in the world. "But today India is considered a multi-trillion dollar destination" for investment.

"They say the sleeping elephant has woken up and started walking. For the next three decades, India is going to guide and speed up the world economy."

Targeting the Congress-led UPA but without naming it, Modi said if his government had worked with the speed followed in 2013, it would have taken a century in making India open defecation free or electrifying every part or even providing LPG connection to every woman.

"The demand for higher MSP (minimum support price for farmers) was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. The decision was taken by our government to provide the MSP of 1.5 times of production cost."

He said the armed forces veterans were demanding one rank, one pension but no one listened to them before the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power.

He talked about the Goods and Services Tax (GST), saying it had given new confidence to small and big traders who "wholeheartedly embraced" the new tax regime despite facing "initial problems".

"It is the same land, same sky, sea, government offices and the country. But in the last four years, India has moved with a new zeal and therefore today India is constructing twice the highways and producing record crops."Washington, Aug 15 : The US said that it will not intervene in the ongoing diplomatic row between Canada and Saudi Arabia.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes "this is an issue for the Canadians and... for the Saudis to resolve themselves," reports Xinhua news agency.

"The US does not have to get involved or interfere in every issue that's out there before countries... It's not necessary for the US to have to step in between two countries that have the ability to pick up the phone and handle these issues among themselves."

She however, said that Washington firmly supported the right to free speech.

"Every time one of these issues comes up, we remain concerned about the detention of activists in Saudi Arabia, and we urge the government of Saudi Arabia and all governments to ensure that due process is done, and that it's handled in a transparent and fair manner," she added.

Last week, Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador, froze new trade and investment in Canada and withdrew thousands of Riyadh-funded students from Canada.

It also announced the suspension of Saudi Arabian airlines flights to and from Toronto.

The measures were taken to show the Kingdom's displeasure at Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and other officials criticising the detention of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia and urging for their immediate release.

Riyadh called it an intervention in its internal affairs.

As the dispute escalated, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that the country will always stand up for human rights.

In response, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir ruled out the possibility of mediation and warned of more measures against Canada.

Saudi Arabia is Canada's 19th largest trading partner and the source of some 10 per cent of Canadian crude oil imports.New Delhi, Aug 15 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday reminded people on the occasion of Independence Day that no religion teaches animosity.

As he and his deputy greeted the people on the occasion, Manish Sisodia told them to aspire for freedom from the shackles of caste, religion and narrow outlook.

Sharing a couplet from Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal's patriotic song "Sare Jahan Se Accha", Kejriwal wished that there be all around development in the country and peace should prevail.

"Religion does not teach us animosity... We are of Hind, our homeland is Hindustan," he tweeted.

Sisodia said only political freedom does not make a country free.

"Let's remind ourselves on the occasion that a free country is not made up of only political freedom. Freedom from the struggles over caste and religion, and narrow outlook towards women ensures that a country is truly free," he said.Islamabad, Aug 15 : At least three people were killed and over 45 injured in different incidents of aerial firing and firework displays during Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan on Tuesday, the media reported on Wednesday.

In Karachi, a 22-year-old man was killed after being struck by a firecracker in Nazimabad area and another person died in the city due to aerial firing, Xinhua news agency reported.

The third victim was killed in Rawalpindi, also due to aerial firing.

The practice of celebrating Independence Day with aerial gunfire and firework displays is common in Pakistan.Washington, Aug 15 : Dana White, the Pentagon's chief spokeswoman, is currently under probe for allegedly retaliating against staff members who complained against her for asking them to do her personal work.

White has been under investigation by the Defence Department Office of Inspector General for several weeks after multiple complaints were filed against her, informed sources told CNN on Tuesday.

She is alleged to have misused support staff, asking them, among other things, to fetch her laundry and medicines and work on her mortgage paperwork.

Staffers also charged that she inappropriately transferred personnel after they filed complaints about her.

White has not been found to have violated of any federal regulation or policy at this point.

As many as half a dozen defence personnel have been interviewed so far, the sources said.

White became spokeswoman in April 2017 and reports directly to Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Pentagon ethics standards state that "a DoD (Department of Defence) official may not direct or request subordinates to use official time to perform any activities other than official activities".

White previously served as a foreign policy adviser to Senator John McCain of Arizona, worked on the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee and as a director of communications for the Renault-Nissan Alliance in France.Lucknow, Aug 15 : The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture, stocking, sale and transport of all plastic and thermocol items, an official said.

The ban on disposable cups, plates, spoons, forks and glasses was rolled out on the 72nd Independence Day.

This is the second phase of the initiative that was started in July by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the official told IANS.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the ban on polythene bags of less than 50 microns on July 15.

The state will roll out the third and final phase on the Gandhi Jayanti day on October 2 by imposing a total ban on non-bio-degradable polythene.

Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Manoj Kumar Singh said the government has directed all municipal corporations, district officials and concerned departments to enforce the ban.

There will be special inspections to ensure compliance.

For the first time, the polythene ban has been effective on ground as the government empowered various departments to seize and penalise offenders, rather than leaving it to municipal corporations.

Under the new rule, people found with 100 grams of polythene would be fined Rs 1,000 and those with five kilogram will have to cough up Rs 25,000.Mumbai, Aug 15 : As the nation celebrates its 72nd Independence Day, Bollywood celebrities too shared their wishes to mark the occasion. From Amitabh Bachchan to Ranveer Singh, from Nimrat Kaur to Madhur Bhandarkar -- all took to social media to express their pride in being an Indian, and wished their friends and fans a Happy Independence Day on Wednesday.

Here's what the Bollywood celebrities tweeted:

Amitabh Bachchan: We are independent and congratulations on our Independence Day.

Anupam Kher: Happy Independence Day my fellow Indians! I have just started to learn piano and the first tune I wanted to learn was our national anthem. Here is my very amateurish attempt but with 100 per cent dedication to the spirit of our motherland. Jai Hind. Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

Ranveer Singh: Our young nation is the very future of the world! Happy Independence Day.

Akshay Kumar: Freedom is never free. Let us salute all those who fought for our freedom and to those who fight for us day and night at the borders to keep us safe. Let us not take their sacrifices for granted and always work towards a better India. Happy Independence Day.

Yami Gautam: This Independence Day, let's tak' a moment to think about those who tirelessly fight to ensure that we truly get to feel safe and secure. Tag the brave hearts you know who protect us, and together let's thank them! Happy Independence Day.

Nimrat Kaur: Remembering all those who gave up their present for the today we live. Here's embracing o'r 72nd year of independence with the hope that our freedom is celebrated with the responsibility and the promise of a tomorrow which we will be proud of. Jai Hind. Happy Independence Day.

Suniel Shetty: Let unity empower the strength of the nation. Happy Independence Day.

Alisha Chinai: Happy Independence Day.

Aayush Sharma: Proud to be an Indian. Happy Independence Day to one and all.

Rakul Preet Singh: Happy Independence Day! Let's understand 'he real meaning of freedom and not misuse it!

Madhur Bhandarkar: Happy Independence Day. May the Indian tri-colour always fly high.Chennai, Aug 15 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Wednesday said the state leads in attracting industrial investments.

Unfurling the national flag at Fort St. George, the state Secretariat here, to mark the 72nd Independence Day, Palaniswami said the state would host the second Global Investors Meet next year.

Listing the achievements of the government in the fields of industry, agriculture and education, he added that it was due to the sacrifices of many freedom fighters that India secured its independence.

He said the contributions of Tamil Nadu in the fight for freedom - armed or non-violent - were immense.

Palanswami recalled the Sepoy mutiny against the East India Company at Vellore on July 10, 1806, owing to similar causes that triggered the 1857 revolt at Meerut.New Delhi, Aug 15 : Ignoring security protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stepped out of his car to meet school children after delivering his Independence Day address to the nation from the Red Fort here.

Just like every year, hundreds of school children in the tricolour attire had been invited for the Independence Day celebrations at the Mughal-era monument. A number of them surrounded the Prime Minister's car, prompting Modi to step out to meet them.

Modi shook hands with some of the students and waved at others. He was also seen talking to a few of them.Mumbai, Aug 15 : Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he is honoured to be a part of "The President's Bodyguard", a documentary on one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army.

The documentary, produced by National Geographic, is directed by Robin Roy. It tells the story of the President's Bodyguard, the oldest surviving mounted unit and one of the senior most regiments of the Indian Army.

The regiment, which has a 245-year-old legacy, is made up of almost 200 soldiers and represents supreme and selfless service.

"I am honoured to have been a part of a story and a legacy of over 245 years that truly deserves to be heard," Big B tweeted on Tuesday night.

"A story that deserves to be heard by the whole nation... The president has seen it already. Will you?" he added.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday watched a special screening of the documentary at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.New Delhi, Aug 15 : We have seen Huawei's sub-brand Honor bringing out some dependable smartphones such as Honor View 10. And now, the company is betting big on its gaming phone Honor Play to make its mark in the sub-Rs 25,000 segment in India.

The device houses the proprietary flagship Kirin 970 chipset with "Neural Processing Unit" (NPU) which specialises in the acceleration of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms.

The smartphone maker, however, has marketed Honor Play as a performance-centric device in India, which comes with a flagship processor and powerful internals at a relatively lower price than its rivals.

We reviewed the 4GB RAM+64GB internal storage variant (that costs Rs 19,000) and here is what we think of it.

Vertically-stacked dual cameras at the back, metal unibody design with subtle antenna bands running on the top and bottom and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, the smartphone is nothing different from other devices from Honor when it comes to design.

At 7.5-mm, the smartphone is sleek and thanks to the metal design, the device could handle a few bumps and falls.

The volume rockers and power keys are housed at the right side of the device.

At the bottom, you will find the 3.5-mm standard headphone jack, a USB-Type C charging port and a single speaker grill.

The overall build quality of the smartphone was solid and reassuring. The front is dominated by a 6.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2340x1080 flanked by metal edges.

The screen has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 with enough brightness to view under direct sunlight. Those who dislike the notch can simply turn it off via the display settings.

Once the feature is turned off, you will be able to see a black band across the notched area that houses the notification icons.

The display is adequately bright for using it outdoors but we found it being prone to reflections owing to the reflective nature of the panel. This is where Honor Play really showed its muscles.

Huawei's home-grown Kirin 970 chipset essentially competes with the last year's flagship processors but thanks to its dedicated NPU feature, the smartphone delivered fluid performance and gaming as well.

In terms of camera performance, the Honor Play is a mid-range device with a dual rear camera set-up of 16MP+2MP. The rear shooter churned out decent images in daylight with adequate details.

Another high point of the Honor Play is the massive 3750mAh battery which, on moderate usage, lasted over a day.

What does not work?

The camera performance in low-light conditions and at night was not impressive. We found noise and loss of detail in photos.

Images shot with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) feature enabled also looked over-saturated in comparison to the images which were taken when AI was turned off.

Conclusion: The experience of gaming, after all, is settling in smaller devices so we would recommend the smartphone to those who are looking for a serious gaming phone on a budget.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in )New Delhi, Aug 15 : In a virtual election speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday projected himself as an impatient agent of change against the backdrop of "docile and inefficient" governance during the Congress-led UPA rule and promised housing, power, water, sanitation and healthcare for all in his mission to take the country to new heights.

He also announced that the ambitious Prime Minister's Jan Aarogya Abhiyan (PMJAA), dubbed "Modicare", for health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh each to 10 crore families will be launched on September 25 on the 102nd birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor.

Making his last Independence Day address to the nation ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi said there was "senseless" criticism against him but asserted he was impatient and restless to take the country ahead of many others which had overtaken India.

And breaking his silence in the context of recent cases of rape and sexual exploitation in welfare homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Modi said there was a need to attack such a mindset by putting the fear of the law that had been made stringent. He said law was supreme and no one could take it into their hands.

Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Modi repeated the lines from his last year's August 15 speech that the Kashmir problem can be resolved only by embracing its people, not with bullets or abuses. He recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's line `Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat' (eclectic Kahmiri culture, democracy and humaneness) and said this was the only way forward.

Reaffirming his mantra of "sabka saath, sabka vikas" (take everyone along, development for all), the Prime Minister said there would be no discrimination against any section and there would be no nepotism and favouritism.

"I want to reiterate my pledges - housing for all, power for all, cooking (gas) for all, water for all, sanitation for all, skills for all, insurance for all, connectivity for all. We want to go ahead with these programmes.

"People make senseless criticism against me. But whatever may be said, I want to publicly acknowledge that I am restless because several countries have marched ahead and I want to take the country ahead of them. I am impatient because children are still suffering from malnutrition. I am eager to provide quality of life and ease of living to country men. I am impatient to provide health cover to each of the poor so that they can fight against diseases. I am eager because we have to lead knowledge-based fourth industrial revolution," he said.

Modi turned poetic before winding up his nearly 80-minute speech, saying that the country's fortunes were being transformed.

"We have to make a new dawn and create a new India. We want to move ahead with the dream of reaching the crescendo of development."

Attacking the Congress but not by name, he said if comparison was made of the speed of governance in the last four years, people would be surprised.

"If toilets were built at the speed of 2013, several decades would have gone to reach the present stage. Rural electrification would have taken two decades. Taking LPG connection to poor women would have taken 100 years. Generations would have gone to take optical fibre to its present levels. There are a lot of expectations, a lot of needs. The country is feeling a change in the last four years. There is new awareness, new enthusiasm."

He said four times more rural houses had been built, there was a record number of mobile manufacturers, record number of aeroplanes had been procured and record number of tractors sold.

"The demand for higher MSP (minimum support price) for farmers was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. The decision was taken by our government to provide the MSP of 1.5 times of production cost."

Modi said the Army, which reaches out to people in case of natural calamities, also conducts surgical strikes to give a befitting replies to its enemies, an apparent reference to the surgical strike conducted on terror launch pads across Line of Control in 2016.

In a strong election pitch, Modi reached out to Dalits, poor, youth, farmers, women, fishermen, security forces, middle class and upper middle class by referring to the work done by his government and his endeavour to improve their lives.

Modi also attacked the opposition over the non-passage of triple talaq bill in the just-concluded monsoon session of Parliament and promised to do justice to Muslim women by getting it passed early.

Alleging that the previous governments had allowed a climate of corruption to thrive, the Prime Minister said his government had eliminated power brokers from Delhi and plugged loopholes in various schemes like Public Distribution System that had led to savings of Rs 90,000 crore. "The corrupt will not be forgiven."

The measures initiated by the government had also led to near doubling of direct tax assesses from nearly four crore to 6.75 crore and indirect tax assesses from 75 lakh to 1.16 crore on account of introduction of GST apart from barring over three lakh suspicious companies in the anti-black money drive.

He announced that India would launch a manned mission in space by 2022 -- it could be a man or woman -- and a satellite dedicated to help fishermen.

The Prime Minister said India was earlier seen among the fragile five nations because of policy paralysis but now it had turned itself into a "land of reform, perform and transform".

"We are all set for record economic growth. India's voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. We are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us."Chandigarh, Aug 15 : Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V.P. Singh Badnore on Wednesday flagged off a rally to generate awareness against drugs and paid homage to the martyrs as he launched the Independence Day celebrations in the state here.

Badnore flagged off the bike rally of the Riders for Awareness and Welfare Club from the Raj Bhavan as they pledged to make Punjab a Drug-Free State.

He visited the War Memorial and later proceeded to the Independence Day celebrations venue here to hoist the national flag. He took the salute from various contingents of the police and NCC cadets.

Addressing a gathering, Badnore remembered the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki hoisted the flag at Yamunanagar.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh unfurled the tricolour at a state-level function in Ludhiana town, while Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unfurled the flag in Hisar town.Islamabad, Aug 15 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif celebrated the nation's Independence Day in the Rawalpindi Central Jail on Tuesday with other inmates, the media reported on Wednesday.

"Three cakes weighing 10 pounds each were brought to the jail and the former premier paid for them," Dawn news quoted a jail official official as saying.

At the request of some inmates, Sharif cut a cake and made a brief speech, he added.

Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Muhammad Safdar were present at the event.

Maryam informed women inmates about the progress the country made during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

According to the official, the jail inmates took interest when the former Prime Minister told them about events leading to his government's decision about conducting nuclear tests in 1998.

He said Sharif had also spoken about his family's struggle after the independence of the country.

Meanwhile, Sharif exprAessed the resolve to initiate a programme for providing higher education to prisoners in jails across the country, according to a senior PML-N leader.

"In this regard, the Islamic International University's help will be required," he told Dawn.

There was a plan to provide postgraduate education to interested prisoners and classes for it would be organised inside jails, he added.

Sharif, Maryam and Safdar are serving prison sentence of 10 years, seven years and one year, respectively after being convicted in the Avenfield case involving the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London.Bengaluru, Aug 15 : Torrential rains measured at 35 cm lashed Karnataka's coastal and south interior districts, forcing suspension of train and bus services and disrupting normal life, officials said on Wednesday.

"Due to the southwest monsoon being rigorous over the coastal and south interior districts, exceptionally heavy to very heavy rainfall was received in the region," the Bengaluru division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its weather advisory.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the coastal district of Udupi received the maximum rainfall over the past 24 hours recording rains as high as 35.7 cm.

Other coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada received a maximum of 33.8 cm, while Uttara Kannada experienced 33.6 cm, and south interior districts Kodagu 28.8 cm, Chikkamagaluru 25.1 cm, Hassan 24.5 cm and Shivamogga 33.6 cm.

Districts in the northern part of the state have also received light to moderate rainfall.

Due to the heavy rains, landslides were reported since Monday in several parts of the state, particularly on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, leading to several state-run buses and trains suspending their services from Tuesday night.

Landslides were reported in Sakleshpur sub-district in the Western Ghats mountains in Hassan district, obstructing vehicular movement from Bengaluru to Mangaluru.

"All premium bus services from Bengaluru towards Mangaluru, Dharmasthala (in Dakshina Kannada district) and Kundapura (in Udupi district) have been cancelled due to landslides," the state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had said in a statement.

Trains including Karwar-Yeshwanthpur Express, Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Junction Express, were partially cancelled and few other trains diverted, the South Western Railway said in a statement.

The state capital, which has been receiving only light to moderate rains, remained cloudy on Wednesday morning as the Chief Minister delivered his Independence Day address from the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds in the city centre.

With the Arabian Sea being rough with winds along the coast, the IMD has asked the fishermen not to venture into the waters.

"Due to strong winds along the Karnataka coast, sea condition is likely to be rough in the southwest and central Arabian sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea," an advisory from the IMD added.

Heavy rains are likely to continue for the next two days.Islamabad, Aug 15 : Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday appeared before an accountability court here as it resumed hearings of two remaining corruption references against him and his family.

Accountability court II Judge Arshad Malik was hearing the corruption cases pertaining to Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment as well as Flagship Investment.

The judge also summoned Panamagate Joint Investigation Team head and prosecution's key witness Wajid Zia and investigation officer of the cases at the hearing, Geo News reported.

Both the cases were heard simultaneously during the last hearing on August 13 and Zia was cross-examined in the Al-Azizia reference. However, he was yet to record his statement in the Flagship Investment reference.

Pakistan's anti-corruption body NAB had filed three cases -- Avenfield, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, and offshore companies, including Flagship Investment Limited -- against Sharifs on the Supreme Court's directives in the July 2017 Panamagate verdict. The trial commenced in September that year.

The three-time Premier and his sons Hasan and Hussain were accused in all the three graft references whereas his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.

Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Safdar are already serving prison sentence of 10 years, seven years and one year, respectively after being convicted in the Avenfield case involving the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London.New Delhi : Film: "Geetha Govindam"; Language: Telugu; Director: Parasuram; Cast: Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna; Rating: ****(4 stars)Some movie experiences take us on a romantic joyride while offering us an insight into human nature but without hammering the "message" in like a rough Thai massage.

"Geetha Govindam" is a surprisingly low-key libido-teaser. It whips up a frothy fun ambience through a chance encounter between a virginal college lecturer and a rather stiff upper-lipped Miss Hoity-toity.

That the two roles are played by Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna is a dash of destiny doing its devilish bit to add spice to this honeyed, though never over-sweetened confection of love during times of wedding festivities and carnal urges.

Besides the very likeable leading man, what I really like about "Geetha Govinda" is its feisty take on gender equations that are played out in this film in a spirit of pukish irony.

Think. The guileless guy Vijay Govinda (Deverakonda) and the uppity girl Geetha (Rashmika Mandanna) get close during a bus journey to a wedding that will change their destiny. But that's later.

Back in the bus, the buck and the 'bak-bak' never stops. The pair creates some interesting moments of travel intimacy. She makes him stand guard outside a shady loo. He gets down to eat while she snoozes in the bus... All this while, Vijay, a stranger to female attention, whisper-shares with his friends on the phone about his growing closeness to the stranger.

And then all hell breaks loose. A moment of monstrous miscommunication and the haplessness, virgin-man is exposed to be a lecher and predator, which he is not.

The rest of the film maps their stormy liaison, his insistence on being her puppy dog and slave-on-demand, just so that she doesn't blurt out their shared secrecy in public.

Rashmika Mandanna very effectively brings out the manipulation of gender conflicts by the woman who is often known to grab the upperhand (and a lot of other parts) with all her might. Geetha knows she has Govinda by his throat.

She doesn't squeeze. But she uses Vijay's vulnerable state to her own advantage.

The scenes where she drags him by his collar (in a manner of speaking) through shopping sprees and early morning appointments, are done with a refreshing absence of malice.

The film, provocative as it is in the matter of gender conflict, never forgets to be sweet-tempered and supple, endearing and yet underlined by a layer of simmering discontent at the sheer unfairness of it all.

While playing out this beguiling and charming courtship game, director Parasuran draws out the tenets of the sprawling joint family. This is the world of Sooraj Barjatya tinged with a touch of tender eroticism and defined by a bustling state of constant anxiety about the mating game.

And who better equipped to project the exacerbated anxieties of sexual discontent than Vijay Deverakonda? Doing a fulsome 360-degreee about turn from his role as the self-consumed destructive alcoholic junkie in "Arjun Reddy", Deverekonda is absolutely at home playing a man bewildered by the circumstances that suddenly appear to control his life and libido.

Deverekonda brings a refreshing candour to the romance. Simultaneously flustered and in-control, he is the urban nomad looking for a place to pitch his heated tent.

After watching him go through the motions of manipulated courtship in this film, I am more than convinced Vijay Deverekonda is not just the next superstar of Telugu cinema but also one of the most engaging new-age actors of Indian cinema.

The actor gets able support from his leading lady Rashmika Mandanna who gives him the rom-com equivalent of a coitus interruptus.

The film is shot in a temperament of scenic aptitude, never allowing the urge to manipulate the landscape to make the film look prettier than it should.

The songs, specially the one where Mandanna walks behind Deverekonda emulating him, don't stop the narrative from moving forward.

The choppy relationship is never complemented by a lurching narrative. Smooth and sinuous, "Geetha Govindam" is a winsome exploration of the mating game, done with just the right dose of sweet and spine.Chennai, Aug 15 : For the first time, India's space agency is planning to put an Indian astronaut for seven days in space at a cost less than Rs 10,000 crore as part of its manned mission by 2022, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said on Wednesday.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the Indian Space Research Organisation the target to be achieved in the next four years, Sivan told IANS: "Our plan is to have a human being in space for seven days and not less than that.

"He will be in a spacecraft, 300-400 km above earth," Sivan said, as he explained that the rocket to be used for the manned mission would be a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III).

He said the first unmanned flight as part of a manned space mission will happen two years from now.

"There will be two unmanned space missions before the actual manned space mission," Sivan added.

In his Independence Day address to the nation, Modi said: "In space technology, we have dreamt something; our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission.

"We will put an Indian in space by 2022 or earlier," Modi said.

Asked about the first animal flight before the actual manned mission, Sivan said those things have to be discussed.

Queried about the target date set by Modi and the steps to be taken by ISRO, Sivan said: "We will have to get a formal approval for the project. The manned mission project cost will be less than Rs 10,000 crore.

"We are in the process of developing some of the technologies and already have some. Our idea is to develop everything within India," he added.

According to him, ISRO has already tested the crew module and crew escape systems.

The space agency on July 5 carried out a successful maiden pad abort test at its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for the safe escape of the crew in an emergency.

"The technology is very essential for our manned missions in the future," Sivan had said at an event on July 7.

The critical technology is designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort.

"We are in the process of developing the life support system for the astronaut, space suit and other things. ISRO is doing this with the support of industries," Sivan had said.

The ISRO Chairman had then said that the space agency was "not close" to a human spaceflight yet.

"We are not close to that. We need to work a lot towards achieving the dream of putting a man in space."

According to him, the selection of astronaut to fly the spacecraft would be done by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the spaceflight training would be given overseas.

Sivan said ISRO has to set up necessary infrastructural facilities like the control centres for the proposed manned mission.

He said Modi's announcement was a big kickstart and as a whole the nation's science and technology sector would benefit.

So far, only the US, Russia and China have launched human space flights.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)Bengaluru, Aug 15 : Patriotic fervour, gaiety and the spirit of freedom marked the 72nd Independence Day celebrations across Karnataka on Wednesday.

In the state capital, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy unfurled the tricolour at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade ground in the city centre under a cloudy sky.

Kumaraswamy joined about 8,000 people, including women and children, when the national anthem was played by a military band at the sprawling venue.

An Army helicopter showered rose petals around the podium where the Chief Minister and many VIPs were seated.

After receiving salute and inspecting the guard of honour, Kumaraswamy went around the rectangular ground in an open jeep and greeted the battalions of armed forces, state reserved police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Bharat Scouts and Guides.

The Chief Minister delivered his speech in Kannada for about 30 minutes.

Forty contingents of state police forces, Home Guards, Fire Force NCC, Scouts and Guides and about 1,200 boys and girls from city schools joined the armed forces in the march parade around the ground, passing before the Chief Minister and other dignitaries.

About 2,500 students re-enacted select historic events of the freedom struggle, including non-violent protests and clashes with colonial police.

Some 100 young artistes staged cultural programmes, including folk dances and songs, depicting the war of independence.

Through song, dance and short plays, the youths relived the life of freedom fighters including Sangoli Rayanna and Kittur Rani Chennamma of Karnataka who fought against the British Army in the 19th century.

Martial arts and daring feats and acrobatics on motorcycles by the military as well as the police teams kept the crowds spellbound.

Later, Kumaraswamy presented gallantry medals and awards to police officers and distributed prizes to the participating organisations.

Governor Vajubhai Vala hoisted the national flag at the Raj Bhavan here.

According to reports from districts, the national flag was hoisted by the cabinet ministers and deputy commissioners.

Events were also held in hundreds of schools and colleges across the state.Suva, Aug 15 : The Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Vishvas Sapkal said on Wednesday that the Indian government is holding talks with the Fiji Navy on the possibility of providing broader security support to the island country.

According to Fijivillage website, Sapkal said they were working on with the Fiji Navy as part of a partnership to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Indian naval ship Sahyadri, which was on a visit to the island nation, entered the Port of Suva earlier this week. The ship was visiting Fiji after participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise in Hawaii, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the visit, the Indian naval ship personnel had interaction with their Fijian counterparts and the ship had an "Open Day" for the general public on Tuesday.

A medical camp was also organized in collaboration with the Fijian government where doctors from both the countries jointly held free health screening on Wednesday.

Officers from the Indian ship, the Fiji military forces and Indian High Commission also participated in mangrove and sandalwood planting activities.

Sahyadri is the third and latest ship among the Shivalik Class of indigenously built stealth frigates and forms a part of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy.New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reached out to honest taxpayers saying it is their taxes that fund the government programmes for the poor and "these good deeds will earn them 'punya'".

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 72nd Republic Day, Modi said the country was witnessing "a festival of honesty".

He said the number of direct tax payers had nearly doubled and the number of those paying indirect tax had gone up from 70 lakh to 1.16 crore in one year of GST implementation.

The salaried middle class was among those considered honest tax payers and Modi's mention of them in the Independence Day address is being seen as a ploy to reach out to them ahead of the Assembly polls later in 2018 and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The middle class in India is estimated to be over 300 million.

Bowing to the honest tax payer, Modi credited them for the government's programmes and added: "I want to touch their heart. The programmes that are run, the credit for it goes to the tax payer, not to the government."

He said when an honest tax payer sits to eat, three poor families also get food due to the taxes paid by him and he earns "punya".'To Drain the Swamp,' Pastor Issues Urgent Call for 40 Days of Covenant

Turning to God to Remove Corruption



Contact: Steven Andrew, 877 537-8734



SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- What will help President Trump drain the swamp? Steven Andrew said through much prayer he found the answer. Today he issued an urgent call for "40 days of covenant to save the USA and drain the swamp," from August 15th to September 23rd. Andrew is leading Christians nation-wide to reaffirm the USA serves the Lord to "restore justice, because God chooses our leaders based on our obedience." Andrew is pastor of USA Christian Church and leads One Million Americans on the Lord's Side.



As an example of the corruption is the FBI, DOJ, DNC and others "Colluding with a foreign spy to falsely accuse President Trump of collusion, as they tried to overthrow the USA and President Trump."



Participants get a free brochure to use at home and in churches.



The brochure mentions other injustices, including "Covering up and obstructing justice on Hillary's crimes" and "Committing treason by selling 20% of the USA's uranium to Russia and giving billions of dollars through a corrupt payout to Iran."



Andrew said the Biblical basis of the swamp is "they that hate you shall reign over you," from Leviticus 26:14-17, and "bad leaders are God's judgment for our national sins and those who oppose the USA being a Christian nation."



The covenant points to agree with that "drain the swamp" are:

The USA serves the Lord, not false gods.

Americans seek God with all our heart and soul.

The USA obeys the Holy Bible.

Americans have no king but King Jesus.

Americans make disciples of the USA.

The USA turns away from everything against Jesus Christ.

Americans restore the Cross and receive forgiveness for the USA's sins.

He asks pastors to plan at least one sermon on this topic during the 40 days. Members of One Million Americans on the Lord's Side receive special email updates that will also be posted at USA Christian Church.



About Steven Andrew

Steven Andrew is pastor of USA Christian Church, leads One Million Americans on the Lord's side and is the author of the books of hope, "Save America" and "Jesus Makes America Great." He has reached over 80 million people with the Gospel. To save the nation and millions of lives, he is leading the nation to reaffirm covenant that the USA serves the Lord. Andrew ministers to raise up three godly generations.

Beijing, Aug 15 : India plans to launch an "Understanding India" programme in China to "demystify" the country and create a better understanding of it.

Despite being immediate neighbours, India and China lack people-to-people contact and cultural exchange.

Indian Council of Cultural Relations President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was in Beijing to attend the World Congress of Philosophy, said that by watching Bollywood and reading websites one can know India only superficially.

"India cannot be understood by simply reading books and visiting websites. India is an experience," Sahasrabuddhe said.

"In most big countries like China, we are trying to have some kind of 'Understanding India' programme which will be a structural programme."

The Rajya Sabha MP said that India was a "riddle" to the people outside because of its diversity and coexistence of masses despite the economic disparity in the country.

"We would like to demystify the idea of India through this programme," Sahasrabuddhe added.

He also said the Indian cultural centres across the world that don't have any name will be named after Indian monk Swami Vivekananda.

The cultural centre at the Indian Embassy in Beijing was named after the spiritual leader on Tuesday.

"We respect everybody. There are Nehru centres; there are Mahatma Gandhi centres; there are Tagore centres but there are centres that did not have any names... so we thought it was fit to name all those under Swami Vivekananda because he symbolizes Indian culture in a multiple ways. He is an inspirational hero," said Sahasrabuddhe.

There are 37 Indian cultural centres in the world.Kolkata, Aug 15 : As many as 17 suspected Bangladeshi pirates were arrested after a boat chase at Sunderbans in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday late night and the trawler was seized, police said on Wednesday.

"During intensified patrolling on the Matla river in Sunderbans, ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, a suspected boat was spotted by our team and on seeing the police boat, the accused started fleeing," said a police officer.

The cops chased the boat and intercepted it. "We arrested 17 suspects from the boat around 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday and seized the trawler," said the officer over phone.

Preliminary interrogation revealed the men were from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the officer said.

The police officer suspected Bangladeshi nationals might have some "terror links" and the investigations are going on to find out if they had any plan to rob fishing trawlers in Sunderbans.

The accused were produced before the court, he added.New Delhi/Jammu, Aug 15 : The Indian Army and China's People Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday held two special meetings of border personnel at Nathu La in the Sikkim sector and Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir to boost mutual trust and promote peace.

Both the meetings happened on the Indian sides to commemorate the 72nd Independence Day of India. The PLA delegations, comprising several officers and soldiers, attended the celebration following an invitation.

In Sikkim, the Defence Ministry said: "The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility."

The two forces had held a similar meeting to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the foundation of PLA on August 1.

"Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations," said a statement from the Ministry.

Beside interactions between the armies, programmes portraying the cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides on the occasion, said the statement.

Situated at 4,310 metres above sea level, Nathu La -- a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district -- connects the Indian state of Sikkim with Tibet.

Indian troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of North Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal.

Another Indian Army delegation led by Brigadier V.K. Purohit and Colonel Anil Kumar Sharma met a Chinese delegation headed by Senior Colonel Wang Jun Xian and Lt Col Li Ming Ju at Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD meeting points in Eastern Ladakh, said the Army's Northern Command spokesperson.

"The ceremonial was marked by saluting the national flag of India by both the delegation members. Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The two sides exchanged greetings and vote of thanks and reflected the mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at functional level at the border," he said.

"The delegations parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)," said the official.

He added that both sides also sought to build on the mutual feeling to uphold the treaties and agreements signed between the governments of the two sides to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC.

The three back-to-back meetings between the two armies in the span of a fortnight follow an informal summit in Wuhan in China between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India and China fought a war in 1962 and claim each other's territory. The two armies were also locked in a dragging military stand-off last year on the border.Jammu, Aug 15 : An Indian Army soldier was injured on Wednesday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district where an infiltration bid was foiled.

Defence Ministry sources said alert troopers noticed suspicious movement on the LoC in the Nowshera sector around 5.15 a.m.

"A group of heavily armed intruders was challenged after which firing exchanges started between the troopers and the intruders. One soldier sustained injuries during the operation," informed sources said.

The injured soldier has been admitted to hospital.

"The infiltration attempt was supported by Pakistan Army that gave cover fire to the infiltrating terrorists," the sources said.

The infiltration attempt on Wednesday occurred a day after Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged sweets on the LoC and the international border to felicitate each other on the Independence Day of the two countries.Kolkata, Aug 15 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the people of the country and its institutions must strive to remain "independent" in the true sense of the word.

Banerjee unfurled the tricolour and attended a colourful parade at the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road), as West Bengal joined the nation in celebrating the 72nd Independence Day.

In a midnight tweet on the occasion, Banerjee called for cherishing the "idea of India" for which the freedom fighters had laid down their lives.

"Our country must reach the glorious heights that the founding fathers of our Constitution envisioned," she tweeted greeting "all brothers and sisters".

Her ministers, senior bureaucrats and police officers, armed forces officers and members of the diplomatic corps also took part in the main function in the city.

She also conferred the Chief Minister's medal to police officers.

Various wings of the police and NCC cadets participated in the parade, as a helicopter showered petals, and folk dance troupes from across the state depicted diverse cultures.

In a first, police personnel from Odisha took part in the parade.

Riding their blue-white and pink-black scooters, the newly formed special all-women patrolling team from the Kolkata Police earned applause on their maiden presence in the parade.

Constituted in 2018, the team christened "winners" have been primarily trained to assist their male counterparts in helping women complaining of molestation or eve-teasing.

Various state government departments also brought out colourful tableaux highlighting their achievements, some of the government schemes and Bengal's rich cultural heritage.

After the Trinamool came to power in 2011, Banerjee started the ritual of the Independence Day parade at the Indira Gandhi Sarani.

Earlier, Banerjee was present at the customary midnight Independence Day celebration organised by her party Trinamool Congress at South Kolkata's Hazra Crossing.

Governor K.N. Tripathi joined a traditional prayer meeting at the Gandhighat in Barrackkpore in 24 Parganas North district. He offered flowers at the base of the Gandhi Memorial column on the bank of the Hooghly river.

Amid rendition of Ramdhun and spinning of the charkha, patriotic compositions were sung by a choir on the occasion.

Tripathi also paid floral tributes exactly at noon at the base of Mahatma Gandhi's statue on Mayo Road in the heart of Kolkata.

The state government organised a sit and draw competition for school children at the Kolkata Information Centre, where a photography exhibition "Bengal is our pride" will be inaugurated in the evening.

The tricolour was hoisted and unfurled in all the districts of the state by the authorities.

Independence Day was also celebrated in schools and colleges, hospitals and other government and non-government institutions across the state.

Patriotic songs reverberated in the air while people exchanged greetings and wishes on the occasion.Kohima, Aug 15 : Thousands of people across Nagaland on Wednesday celebrated the nation's 72nd Independence Day amidst tight security, as Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio called for lasting peace to bolster the state's economy.

Rio unfurled the tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza and took the salute from marching contingents including paramilitary forces, Nagaland Police, National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides besides school students.

Noting that a lot needs to be done at the infrastructural level in the state, Rio said: "We need to build roads and maintain them, create employment opportunities for our youth to enable them to live their dreams and reach their potential.

"We are proud of our history and cultural heritage. We need lasting peace in our land as a conducive environment for investors that allows them to do business without compromising on our history, customs and culture.

"This will help create jobs and bolster our economy into the league of developed states. This is an achievable goal and today with the booming Indian economy we have a great opportunity to be an equal and proud partner in the Indian growth story.

"Let us join hands and work towards transforming Nagaland by inculcating consistency in work ethics for the overall development and progress of Nagaland in every aspect," the Chief Minister added.

On the state's insurgency issue, Rio said the ruling People's Democratic Alliance government is committed to play the role of an active facilitator in the ongoing political negotiations between the Centre and the Naga insurgent groups.

"Several measures that include setting up of a Political Affairs Committee, conducting consultative meets with tribal Hohos and civil society groups and calling on the representatives of the Indian government regularly in order to create a conducive atmosphere for an early solution of the vexed Naga insurgency issues," he said.

"In our meeting with the tribal Hohos .. it was unanimously resolved to urge all Naga political groups including NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang) to renew the ceasefire with Indian government and to join the peace talks in order to realise a solution that is inclusive."

Moreover, he said a significant resolution was a request to the Honourable Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to reconstitute the erstwhile Joint Legislators Forum for pursuing an early solution of the Naga political issue.

On the integration of all contiguous Naga inhabited areas, the Chief Minister said: "This is legitimate and democratic right of the people consistently. We appeal to our neighbouring states (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur) to appreciate the history and democratic rights of the Nagas under a spirit of mutual respect so that we can live together as good neighbours under an environment of harmonious coexistence and brotherhood."

He also appealed to the negotiating parties, specially the Centre to expedite the peace process and respond to the voice of the people by bringing a political solution at the earliest.

"On our (state government) part, we reiterate our commitment to pave the way for an alternative arrangement that may arise from the political agreement.

"We urge all sections of Naga society to come together under a spirit of unity and oneness, so that together we strengthen the peace process and create an environment that is congenial for successful conclusion of the ongoing negotiations," Rio added.Kathmandu, Aug 15 : Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Wednesday stressed on the need for revitalizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to advance prosperity in the region.

Addressing an event in the capital, Gyawali expressed the hope that the Saarc can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the South Asia region.

"A peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia is in our interest. As a common platform, Saarc can play a pivotal role in advancing prosperity in the region. What we need to do is to revitalize Saarc. We must make it an organization that delivers tangible outcome," he was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Without deeper integration we cannot enjoy the fruits of regional cooperation," Gyawali said.

The Saarc member states should focus on core areas of trade, investment, tourism, and connectivity to achieve tangible results, the Nepali Foreign Minister said.

"Nepal always remains proactive in realizing the objectives enshrined in the Saarc Charter and as the current chair has been working closely with member states in the spirit of solidarity, cooperation and partnership," Gyawali said amidst the presence of diplomats from South Asian countries.

Saarc is a regional body established in 1985 in South Asia and comprises of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal is currently the chair of the bloc.

Nepali Foreign Minister's remark has come at a time when the Saarc member states are failing to forge consensus on holding of the 19th summit since its cancellation in 2016 amid border tensions between India and Pakistan.Manila, Aug 15 : Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to temper its behaviour in the disputed areas of South China Sea.

In a speech delivered on Tuesday night at the presidential palace, Duterte, who has sought improved ties with Beijing since taking office two years ago, called on China to respect countries' right of passage through waters Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

He said that it was "wrong" that China claims these disputed waters as its territories since they are "considered a part of international sea" and "the right of innocent passage is guaranteed", according to the official transcript of a speech provided on Wednesday.

"You cannot create an island. It's man-made and you say that the air above these artificial islands is yours," Duterte was cited as saying by Efe news.

Despite a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) two years ago which attributed the rights in the area to Manila, Beijing went on to occupy the territories and build large artificial islands with military facilities.

"They have to rethink that, because that would be a flashpoint someday and even, you know, warning others," he said.

In recent weeks, the Philippines media has published videos and recordings of radio transmissions in which the Chinese Coast Guards, in a threatening tone, asked foreign boats to leave the disputed waters.

The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei claim all or parts of the Spratly Islands, but Beijing has built artificial islands on the reefs to de facto appropriate them.

This is the first time that Duterte has openly condemned the Chinese military presence in the disputed Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

During his two years in office, he chose not to explicitly claim Manila's rights over them, by virtue of the favourable ruling of the PCA, in exchange for Chinese investment.Lucknow, Aug 15 : Killing of two Hindu seers in Auraiyya of Uttar Pradesh has triggered protests and tension in the district, and two policemen have been put under suspension for dereliction of duty, an official said on Wednesday.

Those suspended are Inspector In-charge of Bidhoona Police Station Akhilesh Mishra and Constable Islam.

The two seers were hacked to death in the Bhayanaknath temple in Kudarkot area of Bidhoona on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday and another was injured after which angry people took to the streets and staged demonstrations on highways.

The twin murders came to light in the morning after which senior police and district officials, including District Magistrate (DM) Shrikant Mishra and Superintendent of Police (SP) Nageshwar Singh rushed to the crime scene to pacify the irate mob.

Forces from several police stations were also rushed to the spot after which the crowds went wild and there was a skirmish between people and the police.

Crowds allege that the two deceased were murdered after they informed the police about cows being taken for slaughtering by some local persons of a community.

A senior official told IANS that a probe has been ordered and the guilty will be brought to book at the earliest. While the two seers -- Lajja Ram and Halkeram -- were killed, another one -- Ram Sharan has been critically wounded.

All the three were found tied to their cots and their bodies attacked with some sharp weapons. Tongue of one of the deceased had also been slit.

A senior police official informed that the situation was tense but under control for now. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.Agartala, Aug 15 : The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission here on Wednesday observed the country's "National Mourning Day", to mark the 43rd death anniversary of the first Bangladesh President "Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A day-long programme was organised by the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission to mark the day. Messages of the Bangladesh President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were read out.

Bangladesh's Assistant High Commissioner Shakhawat Hossain said that on this day in 1975 Rahman was brutally assassinated by a group of army officers.

"Bangabandhu's wife, sons, and daughters-in-law were also killed in the massacre, one of the most heinous carnage in world history. Sixteen others, all close to Sheikh Mujib, were shot dead at his Dhanmondi residence," Hossain said.

Bangabandhu's daughters -- Sheikh Hasina, incumbent Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and Sheikh Rehana survived as they were abroad at the time of the killings, he stated.DOYLESTOWN >> Jarrod Eisenhauer, a detective with the Bucks County District Attorneys Office, has been honored by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the hard work of the Bucks County Detectives in taking down a large-scale drug trafficking ring that sold dangerous drugs in Bucks County and surrounding areas. Eisenhauer was among those honored at the Law Enforcement Partner Agent Awards...San Francisco, Aug 15 : Dating app Tinder's co-founders and former employees are suing parent companies Match Group and IAC for $2 billion in damages for allegedly manipulating financial information in order to reduce the platform's valuation and taking away employees' stock options.

"Through deception, bullying and outright lies, IAC/Match stole billions of dollars from the Tinder employees, who include founders Sean Rad, Justin Mateen and Jonathan Badeen, and three current senior executives," said a statement issued by the co-founders late on Tuesday.

The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court, added there were written contracts between IAC and the employees for Tinder to be valued on dates in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 when they would be given the chance to exercise stock options and sell them to IAC or Match Group.

"IAC/Match manufactured a fake Tinder valuation of $3 billion -- the very same valuation they had assigned to Tinder two years earlier, despite its revenues having grown 600 per cent and user base grown 50 per cent.

"Only hours later, IAC/Match secretly merged Tinder out of corporate existence and into Match Group -- diluting Tinder into a stagnant holding company," the statement added.

Tinder is one of Match Group's biggest and most profitable brands, which includes features such as "Tinder Gold" and other in-app purchases that led the platform to be the top-grossing iOS app in September 2017, according to The Verge.Chandigarh, Aug 15 : Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V.P. Singh Badnore on Wednesday flagged off a rally to generate awareness against drugs and announced a new housing scheme for Chandigarh.

Badnore flagged off the bike rally of the Riders for Awareness and Welfare Club from the Raj Bhavan as they pledged to make Punjab a drug-free state.

He visited the War Memorial and later proceeded to the Independence Day celebrations venue to hoist the national flag. He took the salute from various contingents of the police and NCC cadets.

Addressing a gathering, Badnore remembered the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

He highlighted the achievements the city made in the past one year in education, health, infrastructure and digital payment system.

The Administrator said the Chandigarh Housing Board would launch a new housing scheme by the year-end.

A proposal for developing a habitat project at city's Information Technology Park for residential and commercial developments is under consideration.

Cultural programmes were not held following death of Chhattisgarh Governor and former Punjab deputy chief minister Balramji Dass Tandon on Tuesday.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki hoisted the flag at Yamunanagar.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh unfurled the tricolour at a state-level function in Ludhiana town, while Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unfurled the flag in Hisar.Kohima, Aug 15 : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday appealed to the Centre and Naga groups involved in the ongoing parleys to expedite the peace process and arrive at a political solution to the insurgency problem at the earliest.

He said that the ruling People's Democratic Alliance government was committed to play the role of an "active facilitator" in the ongoing negotiations between the two groups.

"In our meeting with the tribal Hohos... it was unanimously resolved to urge all Naga political groups, including NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang) to renew the ceasefire with the Indian government and join the peace talks to realise an inclusive solution," the Chief Minister said after unfurling the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza here to mark the 72nd Independence Day of the country.

He said that several measures were taken to create a conducive atmosphere to ensure the end of Naga insurgency, include setting up of a Political Affairs Committee and holding of consultations with tribal Hohos and civil society groups.

Rio said that he urged all sections of the Naga society to come together to strengthen the peace process and create a congenial environment for the successful conclusion of the ongoing negotiations.

"On our (state government) part, we reiterate our commitment to pave the way for an alternative arrangement that may arise from the political agreement."

On amalgamation of all contiguous Naga areas, the Chief Minister appealed to the neighbouring states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur to appreciate the history and democratic rights of the Nagas in this respect to facilitate harmonious coexistence and brotherhood.

The Chief Minister said that a lot needs to be done in Nagaland vis-a-vis the infrastructure.

"We need to build roads and maintain them, create employment opportunities for our youths to enable them to live their dreams and reach their potential."

He said that lasting peace was needed in Nagaland as a conducive environment for investors that allows them to do business without compromising on Naga history, customs and culture.

"This will help create jobs and bolster our economy. This is an achievable goal and we have a great opportunity to be an equal and proud partner in the Indian growth story."

Thousands of people across Nagaland celebrated the 72nd Independence Day amidst tight security as Rio unfurled the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza here and took the salute from marching contingents of paramilitary forces, Nagaland Police, National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, besides school children.Canberra, Aug 15 : The Australian Senate on Wednesday appointed its first female Muslim member, Mehreen Faruqi, even as the country was caught up in a bitter row over racism.

Pakistan-born Faruqi, the Greens Party MP for New South Wales, was appointed to fill a vacant seat. Her joining coincided with the row sparked by Senator Fraser Anning by seeking immigration restrictions based on race.

Anning advocated a return to a White Australia policy and called for a migration ban on Muslims in his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday. He called for a "final solution" (the phrase that refers to a plan hatched by the Nazis to annihilate the Jews) to the immigration "problem".

Faruqi, who will be sworn in next week, was among the prominent critics of Anning's use of the Holocaust-associated term. She said that Anning had "spat in the face of millions of Australians, spewing hate and racism".

"I'm a Muslim migrant, I'm about to be a Senator and there's not a damn thing Fraser Anning can do about it," she wrote in a piece for website Junkee on Wednesday.

Faruqi migrated from Pakistan to Australia in 1992 with her young family. Her election to the state Parliament in 2013 made her the first Muslim woman to attain any political office in Australia.

She told the BBC she would use her new role as senator to fight for a "positive future for Australia where we are stronger for our diversity".

She said that overt displays of racism were not isolated incidents. "I could stand on Bondi Beach, serving sausage sangers in an Akubra, draped in an Australian flag with a southern cross tattoo and, for some, I still wouldn't be Australian enough," she wrote in the Junkee article.

Faruqi said she was excited to bring "much needed diversity" to Canberra and hoped her presence would encourage non-white Australians.Itanagar, Aug 15 : Recalling years of economic struggle post-statehood in 1987, with lingering memories of war with China in 1962, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday stressed the state's hydropower potential to transform it into a progressive state of the country.

Greeting people of the frontier state on the 72nd Independence Day, Khandu said: "Even though our state has a huge potential especially in development of natural resources, we are behind other states."

"We suffered a lot during 1962 India-China war and the memories of that are still alive. We were given full statehood in 1987, 40 years after independence," Khandu said, adding that was the major reason for the state's economic troubles.

"Had our state's hydropower potential been realised 40 years back, we would have been one of the largest producers of electricity in the country by now," said the Chief Minister after unfurling the Tricolour.

"We are now moving ahead at a very fast pace and I am sure that in the next five years, our state will transform into one of the most progressive states of the country," Khandu said.

Noting that his government's philosophy is inspired by 'Antyodaya', an all-inclusive growth where the government reaches out to the last man, Khandu said that during the last one year, the state has witnessed faster change, greater transparency and unprecedented development in all sectors.

"Our government has worked with the spirit of 'Team Arunachal' where we have tried to involve everyone. Transparency, integrity and honesty have been the sole mantra in our journey," the Chief Minister said.

Wishing to make Arunachal Pradesh a tourist destination, the Chief Minister said, "Arunachal sits in the lap of nature, I want to make the state the wellness destination. I want to bring the best health facilities to Arunachal Pradesh."Kabul, Aug 15 : At least 25 people were killed in a suicide bombing inside an education academy here on Wednesday, officials said.

The bombing took place at 4.10 p.m. while students were attending classes at the Mawoud academy in Dasht-e-Barchi.

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed the death toll and said 35 people were wounded in the blast, TOLO News reported.

Public Health Ministry spokesperson Wahidullah Majroh said that the victims were being transferred to hospitals and at least 18 ambulances were at the scene.

Security forces cordoned off the area. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.New Delhi, Aug 15 : Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Wednesday said it was easy to criticise, attack and destroy a system but instead an endeavour should be made to transform and reform it by transcending personal ambitions or grievances.

"To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy (but) very difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend one's personal ambitions or grievances", the Chief Justice said.

"There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution," but "I and you (lawyer community) together will refuse to succumb," Misra said in an apparent reference to discordant voices coming from within the top judiciary and outside.

He called for the "constructive steps to be taken with a positive mindset of reforms, no matter how small they are and a concrete reform must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and compassion. It has to be productive, instead of being counter-productive."

Mishra said this while speaking at the Independence Day function organised in the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Referring to the mention of "polity of identity" in Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's speech at the event, Chief Justice Misra said: "I must say I am happy the Law Minister of India has expressed concern about the identity of the citizens. I only like to add that this identity has to be founded on the identity of humanness which is fundamentally, constitutionally legitimate."

"How far we expand this idea only the future will tell. And why I say so all of you are absolutely aware."

Misra also disagreed with Prasad that people, wherever they go in India, should visit the family members of the freedom fighters in recognition of their contribution to the freedom struggle and praise them.

"I do not deny that each citizen during that period, in his own or her own way fought for the freedom of country. The Law Minister says that when we go to some place in India we must visit them (the families) and praise them (freedom fighters). I disagree. People who fought for the country did not fight for their praise. They did not even bother about you. They fought because they fought for the country", Chief Justice Misra told the gathering comprising of sitting and former judges of the apex court, senior lawyers including Fali Nariman and Soli Sorabjee and others.

To fight for one's own country, own civilisation and all the rights, the Chief Justice said is possibly a tribute to them.

Prasad called for striking a healthy balance between the three organs of the state saying that the governance of the country must be left to the elected representatives as governance and accountability go together.

The Law Minister while recalling the trauma of partition, said that despite large-scale destruction and dislocations, India chose not to be theocratic with the State having no religion or faith.

This he described as a "general larger blueprint of India".

Referring to the different phases of development over the last seven decades, the Law Minister said initially it was a "polity of want, then came polity of identity and now we have polity of aspiration and hope".

Speaking on the occasion, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal pointed to the overcrowding of the court rooms and corridors. He called for joint efforts by the top court, the Law Ministry and the Supreme Court Bar Association to address the problem.

Making a distinction on how differently independence means to the state and the people, Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh said "Independence is a state of mind and not a conferment of a status."

He said what was important was how people can serve their country.Washington, Aug 15 : Former energy executive Christine Hallquist has won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Vermont, moving a step closer to becoming the first ever transgender governor of a US state.

Hallquist, 62, defeated three other candidates, including 14-year-old school boy Ethan Sonneborn, to win the Democratic Party nomination on Tuesday. She will now face the incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott in the general election in November, the US media reported.

"Tonight we made history," Hallquist told supporters during her victory speech. "I'm so honoured to be part of this historical moment."

Hallquist told CNN on Wednesday that she didn't necessarily run to make history, but as a reaction to the election of Donald Trump to the White House.

"The reason I'm here is because of what happened in 2016," she said. "In physics we say for every action there's an opposite and opposing reaction. Well, I'm definitely a reaction to 2016."

The development was a breakthrough of both substantial and symbolic importance for LGBTQ Americans -- and particularly the trans community, which has long been shut out of the highest levels of elected office.

Three years after Oregon's Kate Brown became the nation's first openly bisexual governor, Democrats have now nominated what would become the nation's first openly gay (Lupe Valdez in Texas and Jared Polis in Colorado) and transgender (Hallquist in Vermont) governors if they win in November.

Hallquist was one of more than 400 LGBTQ candidates running in this cycle.

There were also a record number of female candidates in elections for governor and for the House of Representatives.

In 2018, 43 transgender candidates ran for political office at all levels in the US. But Hallquist was the first transgender person to win a major party nomination for state governor.

Also, Ilhan Omar -- a refugee from Somalia who came to the US as a teenager -- won her Democratic primary in Minnesota's fifth district. The victory puts her in a strong position to become one of the first female Muslim members of Congress in November.

Omar will likely join Rashida Tlaib, who won a Democratic primary in Michigan last week. Both were expected to easily win their general elections in safe Democratic districts.London, Aug 15 : A man arrested on suspicion of terror offences after a car crashed outside the UK Houses of Parliament was named as Salih Khater, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, the media reported.

On Tuesday morning, the 29-year-old drove a Ford Fiesta into pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. Three people were injured in the incident.

Khater came to the UK as a refugee and was granted asylum, the BBC reported. His brother, Abdullah Khater, described him as a "normal person" with no fanatical ideas and no links to any religious group.

Abdullah Khater also said his family, originally from Darfur in Sudan, was in "a state of shock" over the incident.

The suspect was not believed to have been known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, but was understood to have been known to the local police.

He did not co-operate with officers after his arrest, Scotland Yard said. The investigation team's priority "continues to be to understand the motivation behind this incident", a spokesman added.

Police concluded searches of two properties in Birmingham and one in Nottingham. They were also searching a third address in Birmingham.

Khater was believed to have lived in a first-floor flat above a parade of shops in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham until four months ago, when he moved to the city's Highgate area.

Neighbours called him a quiet man who frequently visited an Internet cafe and a nearby shisha lounge, both on Stratford Road.

Local resident Ahmed Abdi described him as a man who "never spoke to anybody", and added: "I recognised his picture from the news and I was shocked."New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narednra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on phone and took stock of the flood situation in the state, besides assuring him of providing "any assistance needed".

"Had a detailed discussion with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the unfortunate flood situation in the state. Centre stands firmly with the people of Kerala and is ready to provide any assistance needed," Modi tweeted.

In Kerala, large areas have been inundated by floodwaters, claiming 58 lives since August 8, due to heavy rain and landslides. Incessant rains battered the state again on Wednesday resulting in 19 more deaths and further destruction, forcing the authorities to issue a red alert across the southern state.Mumbai, Aug 15 : Fulfilling a long-cherished dream, Indian adventurist Shital Rane-Mahajan on Wednesday dived from over 5,000 feet in Finland with a Tricolour to mark India's 72nd Independence Day.

The Tricolour, measuring 10 feet by six feet, was handed over to Shital by Indian Ambassador to Finland, (Ms) Vani Rao after the I-Day celebrations by the Indian community settled in Helsinki.

"From Helsinki, we drove down to the Utti Skydiving Centre, around 100 km away, for the skyjump, which was absolutely smooth and successful," an elated Shital told IANS on phone from Finland.

The 36-year-old, a mother of two, said that the weather was perfect for the adventure and that she jumped off an aircraft from 5,000 feet and landed at the designated spot, with the huge flag fluttering all through the descent.

"It all happened within 100 seconds. I stepped out of the aircraft, opened my parachute and then the flag bag tied to my waist, unfurled the Tricolour and continued with my dive," Shital said.

Awaiting below on terra firma was her anxious husband Vaibhav and her nine-year-old twin sons Vrushabh and Vaishnav, besides a large number of onlookers who cheered her.

Though Shital -- a 2011 Padma Shri awardee -- has performed several demo skydives in India with different flags depending on the sponsors, this was her first-ever with an Indian flag.

Prior to her, renowned Indian adventure sportswomen Rachel Thomas and Archana Sardana have performed similar skydives on various occasions with the Tricolour, making Shital the third civilian to do so.

"Now, my ambition is to skydive with the Tricolour in India, especially since civilian skydiving of certain categories has been banned in the country since 2002," she said.

In February, Shital hit the headlines when she skydived from 13,000 feet over Pattaya, Thailand, sporting a colourful 'Nav-wari Sari' (traditional Maharashtrian nine-yard sari).

Hailing from Pune, Shital has around 18 national and six international skydiving records and has completed more than 705 skyjumps around the world, bagging national and international honours.

She shot to global fame on April 18, 2004, when she made her maiden jump -- without practice -- on the North Pole from a Russian MI-8 helicopter hovering 2,400 feet above the ground in minus 37 degrees temperature, making her the first woman in the world to accomplish the feat.

On December 15, 2006, she made the world's first accelerated freefall parachute jump at the South Pole in Antarctica, from a Twin Otter aircraft, coming down from a height of 11,600 feet.

This made her the first and the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat at both the Poles at the age of 23.

On April 19, 2008, Rane-Mahajan tied the knot with Finland-based software engineer Vaibhav Rane.

The couple got married in a hot air balloon, with a priest performing the nuptial ceremonies and parents in tow, around 750 feet above Pune city.

Vaibhav is also an avid skydiver with 57 jumps to his credit. They became the first Indian civilian couple to skydive together in November 2011.

However, she is still keen on pursuing her dream of skydiving over Mt Everest, despite two unsuccessful attempts in 2010.

At present, Shital is on a real high -- with dives on all seven continents -- in around 10 years, on Antarctica, Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America.

Last year, she became the first Indian woman to be nominated by the Aero Club of India for the prestigious FAI Sabiha Gokcen Medal for skydiving in all seven continents.

Settled in Finland since marriage, Shital has set her target this year on a 'family skydive' with her husband and two minor sons.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday visited the All India Institute of Medial Sciences (AIIMS) to enquire about the health condition of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

AIIMS authorities said that the Prime Minister visited the hospital around 7.18 p.m and was with Vajpayee for about 15 minutes.

They said that Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani also visited AIIMS around 6.30 p.m to enquire about the health condition of the 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart whose condition is stable.

Vajpayee, a diabetic patient, is undergoing treatment at AIIMS since June 11. He was admitted to the hospital for what doctors had described as a routine check-up.

The 1924 born leader is under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and currently the Director of AIIMS. Guleria has served as personal physician to Vajpayee for over three decades.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP National President Amit Shah had also visited the medical institute on Saturday.Lucknow, Aug 15 : Two seers were found murdered and another seriously injured in a temple in Auraiyya district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, triggering protests, arson and tension in the area.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a grim view of the killings at the Bhayanaknath temple in Kudarkot area of Bidhoona and directed Director General of Police O.P. Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar to ensure that the culprits were caught within 48 hours.

The Chief Minister also announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families and Rs one lakh to the critically wounded.

Unidentified assailants had fatally attacked Lajja Ram and Halkeram as well as Ram Sharan, who was critically injured, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The three were found tied to cots. Their bodies bore attacks with sharp-edged weapons.

Tension brewed in Auraiyya district as angry groups of people took to the streets, staged demonstrations on the highways, vandalised property and torched vehicles when the twin murders came to light on Wednesday morning.

Police was rushed to control the situation as the crowds went berserk. There were skirmishes between the protesters and the police.

Authorities ordered the suspension of Inspector incharge of Bidhoona, Akhilesh Mishra, and Constable Islam for dereliction of duty. District Magistrate Shrikant Mishra and Superintendent of Police Nageshwar Singh rushed to the spot to pacify the irate mob.

The protesters claimed that the murders were committed after a complaint to the police about cow slaughter by certain area residents.

A senior official told IANS that a probe has been ordered and that the situation was tense but under control.Jaipur, Aug 15 : Congress MP Vivek Tankha on Wednesday said that the party had moved the Supreme Court to seek a probe into duplication of names of lakhs of voters on the voter lists in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

"We have moved the court... the case is expected to come up for hearing this week, the Congress Legal Cell incharge told the media here.

He claimed that duplication of names of around one crore voters were found in Madhya Pradesh and a complaint was made to the Election Commission. Of these, names of 27 lakh voters have since been removed.

"We were surprised to see duplication of names of over 42 lakh voters in Rajasthan later. Hence, we will urged the apex court for a thorough investigation in this matter," the Congress leader said added.

Rajasthan's Congress unit chief Sachin Pilot pointed out that duplication of voters names increased the chances of bogus voting. "It will be a mockery of democracy if the voter lists are not accurate. Hence, we have submitted a memorandum to the CEC to demand unbiased probe," he said.

On April 14, a delegation of Rajasthan Congress complained to the the Election Commission against what they called 40-45 lakh bogus votes on the electoral lists in the desert state.

The delegation that met Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat in Delhi included state unit President Sachin Pilot, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, C.P. Joshi, Rameshwar Dudi and Rajasthan party affairs incharge Avinash Pandey.

Pilot had said that 40-45 lakh of the total 4.75 crore voters in Rajasthan were fake and that the matter needed to be investigated thoroughly.Kolkata, Aug 15 : A statue of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in West Bengal's West Burdwan district was said to have been painted saffron on Wednesday but the original colour was restored later.

"The statue at the Nehru Stadium at Kulti was found painted in saffron this morning by unidentified miscreants. Later, officials of the Steel Authority of India repainted it in original colour," area people said.

Area's Trinamool Congress leaders blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the incident but it denied any involvement.Lucknow, Aug 15 : Uttar Pradesh surpassed its own target of planting 9 crore saplings in a single day when by end of Wednesday, 9.26 crore saplings were planted, an official said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, soon after the record was breached, congratulated officials over the feat.

Briefing reporters on the success, Minister of Forests and Environment, Dara Singh Chauhan said at the last count, 9.26 crore saplings had been planted across the state and the number was likely to go up when a final headcount will be done within a day.

Adityanath planted saplings at Kusmahi forest in Gorakhpur while Governor Ram Naik planted a sapling at the Gomti riverfront in the state capital.

To encourage the mass plantation drive, the state government had also launched a "Selfie with Green UP", a campaign which was an instant hit, with many social organisations, schools and even bureaucrats clicking selfie pictures with plants.

MPs, legislators, women, youth, public representatives and NCC cadets also participated in the plantation drive that went on through out the day, officials told IANS.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) S.K. Upadhyaya said that the last date of the 'selfie with green UP' campaign would go on till August 20, after which the best selfies would be selected and awarded at district level.Khartoum, Aug 16 : At least 22 students drowned on Wednesday morning when a boat sank on the Nile River in Sudan, state news agency SUNA reported.

A woman also died in the drowning accident that took place at al-Buhaira area, SUNA added.

The boat was carrying more than 40 students when it sank.

The civil defence forces were sent to the area to search for the bodies of the victims, which have not been recovered.

The incident resulted from an engine malfunction, SUNA said.Kennedy Wilson has promoted Mary Ricks to President of the company and named Peter Collins President of Kennedy Wilson Europe. As new president, Ricks will oversee the companys European operations as well as responsibility to help grow the investment portfolio. Additionally, she will have responsibility for raising global fee-bearing capital

[]Robul, Universale International Realitaten and CA Immo has complete the biggest office investment deal in the last years in the Bulgarian capital. Lion's Head Investments, a joint-venture between Old Mutual & AG Capital, has acquired the Megapark business centre, which is with 45,000 sqm one of the largest office buildings

Photos: Robul/Minev



[]Ray White's top pub broker and its No.1 sales agent globally, Andrew Jolliffe, has quit selling under the Ray White Hotels brand after almost eights years.

He is now working under the HTL moniker.

The new boutique brokerage firm HTL stands for Hotels, Tourism and Leisure Property.

The Shout website says it ends "months of speculation."

The hotel and pub broker has teamed up with former CBRE national pubs director Daniel Dragicevich in the new brokerage outfit.

The pair, who have been co-agents on numberous pub deals, have already sold Sydney's Vauxhall Inn to Moelis-owned Redcape for more than $40 million and sold Redcape's Belrose Hotel for more than $20 million over the smooth transition.

The Australian Financial Review excitedly reported "Jolliffe has almost single-handedly decimated the Ray White sales team."

He has Ray White Hotels agents Glenn Price, Mark Bullock, Grant Bailey, Blake Edwards and Xavier Plunkett at HTL along with Vikki Bush and Rebecca Buckman.

The move was however cast in a positive light by Ray White when announcing its 2017-2018 award winners last Sunday night with 2,500 attendees from across the entire group.

Andrew Jolliffe was the groups top performer for gross settled fees.

"Mr Jolliffe has since repositioned his business to HTL, in partnership with the White family and Daniel Dragicevich and together they have enjoyed a tremendous start," the Ray White press release advised.

HTL Property was registered in May as a business name with ASIC. Its office addresses are the same as Ray White offices.

In ASIC documents, Ray White Hotels (NSW) Pty Ltd and Ray White Hotels Pty Ltd are listed as its HTL's business name holders in the joint venture.

The new HTL website's legal and privacy links lead directly to formal Ray White websites. Ditto the HTL google +, Twitter and linkedin all connect to Ray White social media outlets.

The former raywhitehotels.com.au website leads directly to HTL.

Andrew Jolliffe was awarded the major individual honours at the annual Ray White Commercial awards for the fourth consecutive year.

Jolliffe quit selling as Ray White Hotels saying he had the "great satisfaction of enjoying top billing for the third year" at Ray White, which was "only surpassed by the unqualified affection I hold for the family owned company that has provided me with such a phenomenal launching pad".Sunnyside, a 46-hectare property at Main Ridge, on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula has been sold at private auction for $10,175,000.

It was sold by Wilson & Hemphill Pty Ltd through Rob Curtain at Peninsula Sotheby's International Realty.

It was the home of Hemphill's Apple Juices for 100 years with views of rolling hills, Western Port Bay and out to Philip Island.

Around $8 million had been tipped for the 46 hectares with two 1920s houses.

It was a telephone auction that went for over five hours with three bidders.

Two wanted it for lifestyle purposes and the other to expand their current winery business.

The Australian Financial Review reported records show the buyer was Vodafone Australia founder Philip Cornish.

The telecommunications investor Philip Cornish recently sold his Toorak home to Kogan.com founder and chief executive Ruslan Kogan.The property guru Andrew Winter took less than he'd sought for his building block on Brisbanes outskirts which quickly went under contract last month.

The vacant 1100sq m Ipswich market holding (pictured above) that cost $285,000 in late-2016, came with a price guide of $375,000 to $400,000 through Ray White agent Lisa Gill.

CoreLogic advise it fetched $350,000 for the longtime host of Selling Houses Australia, who also presents the Love It Or List It Australia series,

The official site value was $197,500 although the parcel has development approval for five, three-bedroom townhouses.

Winter and his wife Caroline have recently bought a $485,000 Paradise Waters, Gold Coast, investment house and a Portside Wharf apartment in Brisbanes Hamilton that cost $255,000.

Just a year ago the Winters bought a $1.9 million Gold Coast home and, in between a busy filming schedule, they renovated the riverfront Tuscan-inspired five-bedroom house.EXPERT OBSERVER

Despite the high rates of apartment construction, strong population growth continues to absorb the rental stock.



The total number of rental vacancies in Australia has declined over the past year from 75,733 to 72,748, according to the latest figures from SQM Research.



This represents a decline from in the national vacancy rate from 2.4 per cent to 2.2 per cent - while construction is now set to slow.

SQM reported that Brisbane continues to experience a sustained 2018 decline in vacancy rates from 3.6 per cent in December to 2.9 per cent by July.



And this will likely continue as apartment construction falls away and migration from interstate picks up.

Perth is also now through the worst with vacancy rates trending down (from 5.2 per cent to 4 per cent over the past year) and the oversupply of rentals easing a bit, after several years of rental price declines.



Meanwhile Adelaide tightened again into just 1.3 per cent - getting pretty tight down there now! - and Canberra...well, Canberra is heading for zero at this rate.



Sydney indigestion

In Sydney number of vacancies was down from 19,572 to 19,114 in the month - a tight rental market would be represented by more like 12,000 vacancies or fewer - but year-on-year the vacancy rate is considerably higher at 2.8 per cent.

Click here to enlarge

Sydney tends to be a much busier place in summer these days, so this trend will be one to watch with interest.GSW SSH/Telnet Client for Android One of the most exciting features we added are the current, safe SSH algorithms. Now, it is the most cryptographically secure, commercially supported SSH Client for Android, on par only with the GSW SSH Clients for Windows Past News Releases RSS Georgia SoftWorks Recaps 2018 Year...

Georgia SoftWorks Announces Telnet...

GSW ConnectBot for Android...

Georgia SoftWorks, developer of the GSW Telnet Server and SSH Server for Windows, announces the launch of their latest product, the GSW ConnectBot, a Telnet/SSH Client for Android. The GSW ConnectBot is the most cryptographically secure, commercially supported Telnet/SSH Client for Android on the market.

The new GSW ConnectBot from Georgia SoftWorks is a simple to use but powerful commercial grade SSH Client for Android. The GW ConnectBot is based on the original ConnectBot, the most popular and proven Telnet/SSH Client for Android.

We were impressed with the original ConnectBot, yet it was missing features that decades of experience had shown were required in commercial and industrial environments. The original ConnectBot is open source, and GSW decided to make it commercial grade, said Johnny Douglas of GSW. We kept the familiar user interface while adding industrial features and robustness. One of the most exciting features we added are the current, safe SSH algorithms. Now, it is the most cryptographically secure, commercially supported SSH Client for Android, on par only with the GSW SSH Clients for Windows.

The GSW Connectbot launches with a variety of features. The ability to run multiple SSH sessions at the same time, persisted sessions when a user temporarily switches to another Android app, compatibility with a wide variety of hosts and the allowance for an administrator to preconfigure host shortcuts all come standard in the GSW Connectbot. Other standard features include compatibility with display of data and frames, configurable answerback, configurable screen size, Stay Connected features, Application Lockout for production environments and Configuration/Settings Lockout for production environments. It also uses safe SSH algorithms for 2018 to ensure the strongest SSH security and encryption available for Android.

The GSW Connectbot shines because we watch current literature and discussions of cryptography to keep our software constantly updated. This ensures that our customers arent using a cryptographic algorithm that has recently found vulnerability or weakness, said Douglas.

Georgia SoftWorks is a software development company located in Dawsonville, Georgia USA who has gained worldwide recognition for their development of the GSW Telnet Server for Windows and SSH Server for Windows. The GSW Telnet and SSH Server for Windows are industrial quality software designed for superior operation in the most demanding mobile RF Terminal environments. GSW has end-users and resellers in every continent (except Antarctica). Their software is used in a variety of industries, including government, automobile manufacturing, schools, oil companies, airlines, pharmaceutical, medical, food and beverage and more.

About Georgia SoftWorks:

Established in 1991, Georgia SoftWorks is a privately held software development company recognized for creating high performance data communications, system and telecommunications applications. Georgia SoftWorks has obtained a worldwide presence with its industrial SSH/Telnet Server for Microsoft Windows. GSW's long-term commitment to SSH/Telnet has led to the pioneering of major features such as Session Shadowing, Session Monitoring, Graceful Termination, Automatic Logon, Logon Scripting and more recently Team Services technology which allows mobile device users to transfer, swap, share and recover mobile device sessions. GSW has also provided the very first SSH Server to provide Digital Certificate Authentication with an Internet Information Server (IIS) like certificate-to-user account mapping. This includes One-to-one and Many-to-one mapping methods and also supports certificate trust lists (CTL).AerNos CES Video Shoot CES is highlighting the successes of innovators of all sizes that use the show to build their brands worldwide, and the AerNos story is the perfect example. - Karen Chupka, EVP CES

AerNos, Inc., an innovator in nano gas sensors, announced today that the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which owns and operates CES, is featuring the companys CES success story in a campaign aimed at attracting startups to exhibit at CES 2019. As The Global Stage for Innovation, with more than 4,400 exhibiting companies and 182,000 industry professionals from around the world, CES has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50+ years. AerNos took advantage of this unique gathering place of world business leaders, pioneering thinkers and media, to announce its inaugural nano gas sensor products AerBand Research, AerCity and AerHome.

AerNoss game changing technology gained significant media interest at CES, leading Good Morning Americas CES 2018 coverage with a live demo from the Sands exhibition floor. The company attracted business prospects from around the world, garnering over 1,000 visitors to its booth and over 300 qualified leads. AerNos was ranked #3 out of all 4,400 exhibiting companies based on visits to its listing on the CES website, and ranked #1 for nanotechnology, #3 for Smart Cities, #2 for Smart Homes, #3 for sensors and #1 for wearables.

CES collaborated with AerNos to develop the case study and video, launching the campaign in July 2018. In addition to social media pushes by CES on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, the video and case study currently appear on the CES.tech homepage and on a standalone AerNos Case Study page.

CES is highlighting the successes of innovators of all sizes that use the show to build their brands worldwide, and the AerNos story is the perfect example of why CES is the best place for startups to launch products and introduce innovations at the global level of CES, said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, CES. We are thrilled that AerNos chose to unveil its revolutionizing technology at CES 2018 and was met with such resounding success. Its been rewarding to have the opportunity to work with the AerNos team to highlight their story so that other startups can see firsthand what is possible at CES.

We are thrilled that CES selected AerNos and our CES 2018 success story for their campaign highlighting the benefits of CES to startups and global companies, said AerNos Founder and CEO Sundip R. Doshi. We intentionally selected CES as the best venue to launch our first products because we were announcing game-changing technology that would be of interest to major companies worldwide, and CES is where global business leaders go to look for game-changing innovation.

With its business rapidly accelerating, AerNos is planning for an even larger presence at CES 2019. The company will announce new products and partnerships and conduct product demos in a booth five times larger than 2018.

Read the full write up on CESs AerNos Case Study page. Watch the video on CESs YouTube channel.

About AerNos

AerNos, Inc. develops application-specific nano gas sensors based on its breakthrough and proprietary AerCNT Technology to detect harmful gases in the environment. AerNos nano gas sensors are designed to be easily integrated into consumer and commercial product lines, such as standalone monitoring devices, non-stationary devices (e.g., drones, industrial robots, construction equipment), modes of transportation, wearables, smartphones, and IoT. AerBand, AerCity, AerHome, and AerNos are trademarks of AerNos, Inc. For more information, please visit http://www.AerNos.com. You may also contact us at media@AerNos.com.A coastal walk to raise money for Cancer Research UK has a 10,000 target.

The 20-mile hike from Scarborough Castle to Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, will take place on 21-23 September.

It was organised by Howarth Timber & Building Supplies, to raise money for its charity partner for this year, Cancer Research UK, which supports cancer patients and their families.

Staff and customers have been encouraged to take part - all that is required is the commitment to raise 250.

There are a total of 40 places on the trip, with just two left, so if all the places are filled Howarth Timber is on track to achieve its 10,000 target.

The builders merchant has undertaken several walking challenges over the years to raise money for charity, including climbing mountains Ben Nevis and Snowdon.

Marketing Manager Gavin Knowles said: Were proud to have been able to run another fundraising event for Cancer Research UK.

These annual walking events have become the highlight of Howarths fundraising calendar, and they have previously been very successful.

The costs of the event are shared between the participants and the company, so every penny donated will go towards finding a cure for cancer sooner."By acquiring Med-Caire's CPAP resupply line of business, Aeroflow is advancing its mission of improving its patients quality of life by expanding the geographic area in which they are served, said Andrew Amoth, Corporate Development Manager, Aeroflow Healthcare.

Aeroflow Healthcare, a leading durable medical equipment provider and Inc. 5000 fastest growing company, today announced the acquisition of Med-Caire Inc.s continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) resupply program. This business line is designed to seamlessly replace more patients CPAP supplies to support and maintain a high quality of life when relying upon much-needed medical equipment.

CPAP supplies must be replaced regularly, as they deteriorate and ultimately break down over time, and can collect dust, bacteria, and other irritants. To address this challenge, Aeroflow seeks to comprehensively serve more patients with treatment compliance in the form of adhering to customized resupply schedules.

Following this acquisition, patients throughout Connecticut, North Carolina, and South Carolina will now have access to Aeroflows high-quality resupply program to receive clean, advanced CPAP equipment that meets compliance standards. Further, Med-Caire Inc. now has the resources available to refocus its business objectives and assist patients in other medical and geographic areas.

"By acquiring Med-Caire's CPAP resupply line of business, Aeroflow is advancing its mission of improving its patients quality of life by expanding the geographic area in which they are served, said Andrew Amoth, Corporate Development Manager, Aeroflow Healthcare. We are also pleased that the acquisition of this business line provides capital for Med-Caire to re-prioritize and grow its other lines of business that fit into the companys corporate growth strategy in Connecticut.

Aeroflow will continue seeking opportunities to expand via mergers and acquisitions to ultimately provide more patients with top-notch care. This strategy also benefits the companies and their business lines which Aeroflow acquires, in that it will provide more small businesses with the resources necessary to meet their existing patients needs.

About Aeroflow Healthcare

Aeroflow Healthcare was founded Asheville, NC in 2001 as a home oxygen provider, and has since grown to become one of the leading durable medical equipment providers nationwide. For three consecutive years, Aeroflow has been ranked on Inc. Magazines List of 5000 Fastest Growing Companies. In 2017, Aeroflow was also awarded the HME Excellence Award for Best Home Medical Equipment Provider and has been recognized as a business offering top-notch benefits to employees with the Great Place to Work Award. Aeroflow is an accredited Medicare and Medicaid provider and accepts most commercial insurance. To learn more about Aeroflow Healthcare and getting medical equipment through insurance, visit Aeroflowinc.com.Andrew Friedman addresses attendees at the AJF Financial Peace Boat Ecoship Reception. If youre not making good investments for your clients, then youre not making them money. Theres a new triple bottom line; its called people, planet and profits. Make moneyall the money you wantbut dont do harm. -- Andrew Friedman

American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (AP) affiliated investment professional, and president and founder of AJF Financial Services, Inc., Andrew J. Friedman recently spoke at a forum on sustainable development at the inaugural Peace Boat Partnership Expo, which took place on July 12, 2018, in Manhattan, N.Y. The expowhich highlights the importance of partnerships for transformation toward sustainable and resilient societiesfeatured a comprehensive agenda, including speakers from the United Nations (UN), the Hague Appeal for Peace and NASA, as well as subject matter experts within the spheres of government, technology and financial services. Friedman organized and led a series of insightful presentations during the AJF Financial Peace Boat Ecoship Reception that hinged on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

Peace Boat, an international non-profit organization that promotes peace, human rights, and equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment, has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN. Peace Boats mission is guided by the UN SDGs, which align with Friedmans investment philosophy. The 17 SDGs are the most comprehensive guideline for how human beings should treat each other. It covers all of the human and global issues we face, states Friedman, who strives to effect change through and promote awareness of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) based on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. AJF Financial Services operates within the SRI framework, which is grounded in the premise that all business decisions are made to encompass all stakeholders (i.e. employees, shareholders, communities, members of the supply chain, environment) and that operating in this manner is a long-term value proposition. Uncovering deficiencies in areas of ESG can alert investors to uncommon risks that have the potential to impact investment performance over the long term.

Friedmans association with Nobel Peace Prize-winning Peace Boat stems back to a Sustainable Responsible Impact Investing Conference he attended in November 2017. It was there that he developed a symbiotic relationship with Peace Boat Founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya, as well as with former NASA Astronaut and Chairman of Constellation Col. Ron J. Garan; Constellation is an organization formed by Garan and fellow astronauts Leland Melvin, Anousheh Ansari and Nicole Stott to inspire positive action in students, decision-makers and the general public with the profound perspective shift experienced in space. Both Tatsuya and Garan spoke during the AJF Financial Peace Boat Ecoship Reception, where Friedman also introduced attendees to two asset managersCalvert and Domini Impact Investments, LLCwho have subscribed to SRI methodology and spoke to the importance of advocacy and shareholder engagement, as well as the integration of systems-level thinking in terms of investing.

Friedman, who has more than 35 years of experience within the financial services industry and serves as one of APs subject matter experts on SRI, firmly believes that investors have the unique opportunity to hold companies accountable to ESG criteria. There are so many issues in this world that are created as a result of bad decision making at the corporate level, he attests. If we approach investments the way we always have, by looking only at profit and loss, then were missing the opportunity to make corrections. If we see that a companys public image doesnt match up to how it conducts business and we dont say something, then were responsible. Friedman actively educates his client base to effect change through shareholder advocacy and has done so through reviewing proxies, engaging in letter-writing campaigns, contacting CEOs and supporting/objecting to legislation. Having done so, hes seen positive results that should encourage those investment professionals who are reticent to promote impact investing to their clients. No one is saying that sustainability isnt about making money, Friedman contests. Everyone should know whether a company is meeting industry standards. If youre not making good investments for your clients, then youre not making them money. Theres a new triple bottom line; its called people, planet and profits. Make moneyall the money you wantbut dont do harm.

AP Vice President of Asset Management Clifford T. Walsh concurs. Creating business value and building a better world do not have to be conflicting goals. We firmly believe that doing business ethically and responsibly is a competitive advantage. As a company, AP firmly believes in sustainability and supports corporate social responsibility through many initiatives, including fundraising for and participating in local, national and global initiatives such as World T.E.A.M., The Center for Discovery, Long Island Honor Flight, The Butterfly Effect Project and Thame Sherpa Heritage Fund. The firm also launched its own Nine Points Investment Management (NPIM) Impact Portfolios, which reside within APs registered investment advisor (RIA) American Portfolios Advisors, Inc. (APA) Nine Points Advisory Services Platform. The NPIM Impact Portfolios use ETFs and mutual funds in combination. At present time, there are five Impact Portfolios available on the Nine Points Advisory Services Platform, including: NPIM Impact Income, NPIM Impact Income & Growth, NPIM Impact Growth & Income, NPIM Impact Growth and NPIM Impact Aggressive Growth.

About American Portfolios

Headquartered in Holbrook, N.Y., American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) is a full-service, independent broker/dealer and member firm of FINRA and SIPC, offering a complete range of financial services, including personal financial and retirement planning, securities trading, mutual funds, access to investment research, long-term care planning, insurance products and tax-free investing. Fee-based asset management is offered through its sister subsidiary, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., (APA), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Both entities, along with technology entity American Portfolios Advisory Solutions, LLC, collectively reside under the legal entity American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. (APH). Full-service securities brokerage is available through a clearing firm relationship with Pershing, LLC, a BNY Mellon firm, the securities of which are held on a fully disclosed basis. The company currently serves 811 independent investment professionals located in 376 branch locations throughout the nation. It was named Broker-Dealer of the Year* (Division III) by Investment Advisor magazine in 2015, 2016 and 2017, as well as one of the top 10 Best Companies to Work for in the state of New York for 2016, 2017 and 2018 by the New York State Society for Human Resources Management (NYS-SHRM) and the Best Companies Group (BCG).

*Based on a poll of registered representatives conducted by Investment Advisor magazine. Broker/dealers rated highest by their representatives are awarded Broker/Dealer (B/D) of the Year.

About Andrew J. Friedman

Andrew J. Friedman has been providing comprehensive estate, insurance and wealth management strategies for high net worth clients since 1982. He is a Certified Sustainable Investment Professional, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) since 1997 and a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). He was a member of the advisory board for American Portfolios and is on the board of directors for the Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation. Friedman graduated from the University of Wisconsin and has received numerous industry awards and non-profit acknowledgements throughout his career. He earned his certification as a Sustainable Investment Professional from Concordia University, is a member of The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF) and a Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory.Twelve Ball Janik LLP attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America list. Best Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected peerreview publications in the legal profession. Ball Janik LLP congratulates the following attorneys in their respective practice areas:



Gregory H. Baum (Real Estate Law)

Dwain M. Clifford (Litigation  Construction)

Stephen T. Janik (Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation  Land Use and Zoning; Litigation  Real Estate; Real Estate Law)

Phillip E. Joseph (Community Association Law; Litigation  Construction; Real Estate Law)

Kevin S. Mapes (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law)

James T. McDermott (Insurance Law; Litigation  Construction; Litigation  Insurance; Litigation  Securities)

Jack L. Orchard (Land Use and Zoning Law)

Angela M. Otto (Construction Law; Litigation  Construction)

James C. Prichard (Construction Law)

Adele J. Ridenour (Litigation  Construction)

Christopher M. Walters (Construction Law; Real Estate Law)

Robert W. Wilkinson (Litigation  Construction)

About Ball Janik LLP

Ball Janik LLP is a Pacific Northwest law firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with an office in Orlando, Florida. For over thirty years, Ball Janik LLP has been providing outstanding legal services in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor rights, commercial litigation, construction and design, construction litigation, employment, real estate and land use, insurance recovery for policyholders, and securities litigation.

Ball Janik LLP represents large and small businesses; state, municipal and local governments; associations; schools and universities; and individuals. Ball Janik LLP provides clients an aggressive, skilled, team approach to solve problems and achieve results. Ball Janik LLP has been recognized by Chambers USA, U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Corporate International. Ball Janik LLPs success and integrity have repeatedly made it one of Oregons Most Admired Professional Firms, according to the Portland Business Journals survey results of CEOs throughout the region.

About Best Lawyers

Since it was first published in 1983, the Best Lawyers in America list has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America list is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. Over 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.

Lawyers on the Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.We think that being a caregiver helps build character. And we believe that seniors have a lot of life lessons they can pass on to young people.

Bay Alarm Medical (https://www.BayAlarmMedical.com), a leading supplier of medical alert systems for seniors, today announced its 2018-2019 Seniors Helping Seniors Scholarship essay contest. The company will be offering three private scholarships to students who devote their time to helping the elderly.

This will be our fourth scholarship essay contest, says Alan Wu, Director of Sales and Marketing for Bay Alarm Medical. Each year were impressed by the number nd quality of essays we receive..

Bay Alarm Medical will award scholarships of $2,500, $2,000 and $1,000 to the three students who submit the best essay describing how working with seniors has shaped their lives.

Participating students must be involved in volunteer work with the elderly or act as a caregiver for an elderly relative living in their home.

We want to encourage more young people to act as caregivers says Wu. We think that being a caregiver helps build character. And we believe that seniors have a lot of life lessons they can pass on to young people.

Essays must be submitted by October 31, 2018. Scholarship winners will be notified by November 30, 2018.

Students must meet eligibility requirements to qualify for a scholarship. They must be a graduating high school senior or currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a U.S.-based college or university for the 2018-2019 school year.

To learn more about the Bay Alarm Medical 2018-2019 Scholarship Program, visit https://www.bayalarmmedical.com/scholarship/.

About Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical is an arm of Bay Alarm, one of the nation's oldest alarm monitoring companies. The company offers landline, cellular and mobile GPS medical alert systems together with 24/7 monitoring by professionally training emergency operators who contact family members, friends, neighbors and, if necessary, local 911 emergency services.

For more information, visit the company's website at https://www.bayalarmmedical.com or call 877-522-9633.BidNet Direct to Showcase Purchasing Solution at the 2018 NIGP Forum Were looking forward to seeing many of our customers who will be present at the Expo this year, and invite all Forum attendees from any local government organization to come visit our booth and learn more about our extensive platform!

BidNet Direct will be exhibiting at the 2018 NIGP Forum, taking place August 19-22 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN. During the Forum, BidNet Direct will be in booth 826 showcasing the capabilities of their e-sourcing solution, http://www.BidNetDirect.com/buyers.

BidNet Direct encourages purchasing professionals from all government agencies to stop by booth no. 826 to see how they can streamline their purchasing processes. Best known as a no cost bid and vendor management provider, BidNet Direct launched additional e-sourcing modules last year, including:



Approval Workflow  Bid publication & distribution, amendments, award results & more can be integrated within a configurable workflow.

Bid Evaluation  Evaluation form editor & templates to collectively manage bid responses online.

Contract Lifecycle Management  Store and archive all contract documents, customizable worklists, notifications, version control, and more. Advanced CLM features are also available.

Vendor Performance Management  Custom scorecards include support for your performance program, the ability to create deficiencies and infractions and average vendor scores.

Vendor Pre-Qualification  Agency - specific pre-qualification program can contain multiple forms for specific vendor qualification, SBE/DBE and more.

In addition to highlighting the time saving features of BidNet Directs full e-sourcing solution and modules, team members will also be presenting during the educational sessions. Kim Cullen, Director of Marketing, will explore how to market the purchasing department and key projects to internal stakeholders and the taxpayer community at large, and more during her session titled Procurement Marketing 101: Best Practices to Promote Procurement Projects, at 11:00am ET on August 21st. Ellen Nasrallah, Senior Business Development Executive, will also be presenting on August 21st, with her workshop  The Final Score: Deep-Dive into RFP Scoring & Methodology  taking place at 3:00pm ET and focusing on how local government agencies evaluate and score their RFPs.

Were looking forward to seeing many of our customers who will be present at the Expo this year, and invite all Forum attendees from any local government organization to come visit our booth and learn more about our extensive platform! says Ellen Nasrallah.

The 71st annual NIGP Forum will be held at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee and will take place over four days. Attendees benefit from extensive networking, several keynote speakers, educational sessions, product expos, and much more. The team at BidNet Direct looks forward to another great NIGP Forum in Nashville, where they will be able to showcase the platform to purchasing professionals looking to streamline their purchasing process.

About BidNet Direct:

BidNet Directs regional purchasing groups are available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. With years of input from procurement professionals, BidNet specifically developed the bid system to fill the need for a robust bid and supplier management solution for local government agencies. BidNet runs 30 regional purchasing groups used by over 1,300 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyersBlue Prairie Group (BPG), a Chicago-based institutional retirement and investment consulting firm, is pleased to announce the addition of industry veteran Neal Smith to its network of retirement consultants.

Mr. Smith will join the Chicago office of Blue Prairie Group and will initially support BPGs current clients as he grows his own book of business. Neal previously served as Regional Vice President of Client Relations for Voya Financial Partners where he advised clients on best practices regarding investments, ERISA compliance and fiduciary oversight.

On joining Blue Prairie Group, Mr. Smith said, "I am both honored and excited about the opportunity to work with a firm of Blue Prairie Groups caliber. Its reputation as a leader in the retirement plan consulting industry is second-to-none, and I look forward to helping its clients and their employees retire on their own terms."

Ty Parrish, Blue Prairie Groups Managing Partner, said, Neal is passionate about improving the success of retirement plan participants which aligns well with our culture at Blue Prairie Group. We are absolutely thrilled he chosen to join Blue Prairie Group and we are excited to help Neal grow his business in Chicago.

About Blue Prairie Group

Blue Prairie Group is an independent, fee-based Registered Investment Advisory firm providing unbiased and objective financial consulting through three practice areas: ERISA Retirement, Wealth Management and Foundations & Endowments. We act as fiduciaries to all of our clients portfolios and are remunerated solely by our clients. BPG passionately advocates low cost investments, full fee transparency, and offers a broad service suite to institutions, plan participants and individuals. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, BPG has established itself as one of the leading investment and fee-based advisory firms in the country with satellite offices in Atlanta, Tampa, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Salem, Oregon and San Francisco.

For more information, please contact Ty Parrish at 312-376-8440 or go to http://www.blueprairiegroup.com.Brett Roth At Ball Janik LLP, client communication is at the heart of our practice. We are here to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and help you successfully navigate the road to recovery.

Brett Roth has joined Ball Janik LLPs Orlando office as an associate attorney in the Construction Defect and Insurance Recovery practice groups. Mr. Roths practice is focused on prosecuting construction-defect claims and insurance recovery matters for property owners and policyholders. Prior to joining Ball Janik, Mr. Roth represented insurance companies, as well as contractors and subcontractors, in construction defect claims, first-party property damage claims, and insurance-coverage disputes throughout Florida. Mr. Roth also has extensive experience in defending personal injury, wrongful death, and bad-faith litigation.

Coming from a family that is heavily involved in construction and development throughout Florida, Mr. Roth has a unique insight to the construction industry. Together with his prior experience in defending construction defect and insurance coverage disputes, Mr. Roths background affords him the ability and competitive advantage to maximize returns for our clients.

About Ball Janik LLP

Ball Janik LLP is a full-service law firm with offices in Orlando, Florida and Portland, Oregon. For over thirty years, Ball Janik LLP has provided outstanding legal services in the areas of construction defect, insurance recovery for policyholders, bankruptcy and creditor rights, commercial litigation, construction and design, construction litigation, employment, real estate and land use, and securities litigation.

Ball Janik LLP represents a variety of clients ranging from large and small businesses; state, municipal and local governments; associations; schools and universities; and individuals. Ball Janik LLP provides clients an aggressive, skilled, team approach to solve problems and achieve results. Ball Janik LLP has been recognized by Chambers USA, U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Corporate International. Ball Janik LLPs success and integrity have repeatedly made it one of Oregons Most Admired Professional Firms, according to the Portland Business Journals survey results of CEOs throughout the region.BullGuard is a market leader in consumer cybersecurity. We make it simple to protect everything in your digital life  from your data, to your identity and your smart home. Winning a 2018 Stevies International Business Award for BullGuard Premium Protection is a testament to the hard work our team continuously puts in to deliver a cybersecurity product that not only protects consumers online, but is also equally easy for them to use," said Paul Lipman, CEO of BullGuard

Multi-award winning consumer cybersecurity company, BullGuard (https://www.bullguard.com) today announced, BullGuard Premium Protection was named the winner of a Silver Stevie Award in the Best New Product or Service of the Year - Consumer Services category in the 15th Annual Stevie International Business Awards. The Stevie International Business Awards are the worlds premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small  are eligible to submit nominations. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for crowned, the awards will be presented to winners at a gala awards banquet at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel in London on October 20, 2018. Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

This years Stevie Award winners in the IBAs are the most distinguished group of winners weve had yet, said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. We raised the minimum average score from the judges required to qualify as a Stevie winner, so 2018 winners should be especially proud of their achievements. We look forward to presenting their Stevies to them in London on October 20, and to telling their stories over the coming year through Stevie Awards media.

The 2018 IBAs received entries from 74 nations and territories. More than 3,900 nominations from organizations of all sizes and virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others. The average scores of more than 270 executives worldwide who participated on 12 juries determined Stevie Award winners.

Some of the BullGuard Premium Protection features recognized by the judges include:



Identity Protection: In a world were identity theft is rapidly spinning out of control it provides robust identity protection. It scans the web for the personal information users choose to register and if any of these details are detected the user is immediately alerted and given advice on what steps to take.

Securing smart home devices: BullGuard Premium Protections Home Network Scanner proactively scans the home network 24/7, including every device on it including smart devices such as thermostats, baby monitor. If a vulnerability is discovered an alert is issued, allowing a user to take remedial steps.

Next-generation anti-malware: An award-winning triple layer anti-malware engine protects users from a wide range of attacks. Independent testing labs, AV-Comparatives and AV Test, recently both awarded BullGuard Premium Protection with 100 percent protection scores. Protection doesnt get any better.

Record breaking benchmarks: BullGuard Premium Protection also includes additional compelling features including a super-tough firewall and a Game Booster, which aside from protecting online gamers, is also proven to speed up game play.

Winning a 2018 Stevies International Business Award for BullGuard Premium Protection is a testament to the hard work our team continuously puts in to deliver a cybersecurity product that not only protects consumers online, but is also equally easy for them to use, said Paul Lipman, CEO of BullGuard. Were pleased to have been recognized by the jury for this prestigious award.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

About BullGuard

BullGuard is a market leader in consumer cybersecurity. We make it simple to protect everything in your digital life  from your data, to your identity and your smart home. The BullGuard product portfolio extends to PCs, Macs, and Android tablet and smartphone protection, and includes internet security, comprehensive mobile security and 24/7 identity protection. BullGuard released the worlds first IoT vulnerability scanner and leads the consumer cybersecurity industry in providing continuous innovation.

Dojo by BullGuard is an award-winning intelligent cyber defense system and service that provides the highest level of protection to consumers across all of their connected devices and smart homes. Dojo is the cornerstone of a smart home, ensuring a connected world where every consumer in every home, is smart, safe and protected.

Privately held, BullGuard is based in Bucharest, London, Silicon Valley and Herzliya, Israel. Follow us on Twitter @BullGuard and @DojoSafe, like us on Facebook at BullGuard and Dojo or learn more at https://www.bullguard.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

###Fundica, a leading funding identification and connection platform for Canadian businesses, is pleased to announce that the City of Toronto has adopted the Fundica Funding API to help entrepreneurs in Toronto efficiently identify the best funding programs for their specific situations and needs.

Entrepreneurs can access Fundicas resources on StartUp Here Toronto, a platform focused on connecting all of the resources available for Torontos entrepreneurs in one place. Whether an entrepreneur is looking for funding, training, the next tech meetup, or what incubator programs to apply to, StartUp Here Toronto brings all of it together for local companies.

The City of Toronto, also a partner of the 2018 Fundica Roadshow, is using the Fundica Funding API to provide Toronto entrepreneurs with easy and up-to-date access to relevant grants, tax credits, and other government incentives.

We are excited to have the largest city in Canada adopt our Funding API, said Fundica President Mike Lee. Toronto is working hard to improve access to funding for entrepreneurs, and were glad that our intelligent funding discovery, tracking, and matching technology will be able to accelerate this process.

Adopting Fundicas Funding API was a clear way to ease access to a range of funding, and we look forward to doing even more with Fundica to help entrepreneurs in Toronto grow their businesses, said Chris Rickett, Manager of Entrepreneurship Services with the City of Toronto.

To learn more about Fundicas Funding API and to test it for free, visit Fundica or StartUp Here Toronto.

About Fundica:

Fundica, Canada's leading traditional funding identification and connection platform, matches entrepreneurs, private investors, public funders, and advisors. Through its award-winning crowdsourcing/crawler technology, Fundica provides an up-to-date, comprehensive, and intuitive platform. Additionally, Fundica manages the Fundica Roadshow, an annual cross-Canada initiative.

About the City of Toronto

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency city services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/TorontoComms, on Instagram at instagram.com/cityofto, or on Facebook at facebook.com/cityofto.

For more information:

Fundica:

Bronwyn Carere

Community Manager

(438) 869-6022

bronwyn@fundica.com

City of Toronto:

Nina Gesa

Economic Development Officer

Entrepreneurship Services

Economic Development & Culture

Toronto City Hall

100 Queen Street West

East Tower, 9th Floor

Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

W: 416-392-3386

C: 416-206-4145

Nina.Gesa@toronto.caClickDimensions, the preferred marketing automation platform for Microsoft Dynamics 365 users around the globe, today announced that the company has been named to the Inc. 5000 for the fourth year in a row. The prestigious annual list from Inc. magazine honors the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. ClickDimensions ranked 2,366 on this years list, with a three-year growth rate of 183 percent. ClickDimensions also ranked 246 out of 443 software companies nationwide, and 16th among software companies in Georgia.

We are incredibly honored that ClickDimensions has been named to the Inc. 5000 for four years straight, an achievement that only an elite group of businesses can boast, said Mike Dickerson, CEO at ClickDimensions. By exclusively serving the needs of marketers who use Microsoft Dynamics 365, we have realized tremendous growth while having the privilege of helping Microsoft Dynamics users and partners around the globe achieve their business goals and attain next-level success with our powerful marketing technology.

This latest Inc. 5000 ranking comes at a time of record global growth and expansion for ClickDimensions. The company recently opened two new international offices in APAC and EMEA, and expanded hosting capabilities to include Canada in order to better serve the regulatory needs of Canadian businesses.

Not only have the companies on the 2018 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2018 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 538.2 percent, and a median rate of 171.8 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $206.1 billion in 2017, accounting for 664,095 jobs over the past three years.

If your company is on the Inc. 5000, its unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice, said Inc. Editor-in-Chief James Ledbetter. The lines of business may come and go, or come and stay. What doesnt change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives.

Natively built inside Microsoft Dynamics 365, ClickDimensions allows its users to find, nurture, convert and engage their ideal customers for greater marketing, sales and customer experience success. You can see ClickDimensions and the full list of this years Inc. 5000 honorees online at Inc.com.

About Inc. Media and the Inc. 5000

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 18,000,000 today. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About ClickDimensions

ClickDimensions was founded in 2010 to help Microsoft Dynamics users worldwide bridge the gap between sales and marketing for bigger business wins. The ClickDimensions marketing automation solution brings together essential marketing tools like email marketing, campaign automation, web intelligence, surveys, web forms and landing pages, social marketing and more to help organizations attract more leads, close more sales and more effectively engage customers  all from directly within Microsoft Dynamics 365. For more information, visit http://www.clickdimensions.com, follow @ClickDimensions on Twitter or email press@clickdimensions.com.Cognitiv, the first company to develop neural network technology for marketers, today announced that its NeuralMind platform has been selected as a finalist in the Best Mobile Marketing Platform category for the Digiday Technology Awards. The Digiday Technology Awards, formerly the Digiday Signal Awards, recognize the technology platforms that are bringing efficiency, effectiveness and creativity to the media and marketing processes for brands, agencies and publishers.

It is exciting to be recognized with top honors by Digiday," said Jeremy Fain, CEO and co-founder of Cognitiv. Acknowledgment of our technology platform is a testament to its power as the most accurate and efficient way to identify, price, and convert a companys new customers.

Cognitiv provides marketers with the first self-learning, fully automated, custom buying algorithms. NeuralMind combines a marketer's own data with deep learning to buy media programmatically or build custom audiences. A marketer's first-party data is pumped into Cognitiv's NeuralMind platform, combined with 2nd and 3rd party data assets, and deep neural networks are automatically created, trained, and executed based on a marketer's desired outcome. Any measurable KPI, such as conversions, test-drive signups, purchases, website visits, and even store visits, can be turned into algorithms that more effectively find new customers or drive incremental sales from existing customers.

Cognitiv's NeuralMind system ensures that the neural networks are constantly learning and adapting, so the neural network algorithms get more effective over time. Cognitivs capabilities include custom look alike modeling, full bidding into RTB marketplaces, offline CRM scoring, mobile application revenue optimization, and keyword optimization.

This years Digiday award winners will be announced on Facebook Live on Sept. 5 at 2 p.m. EST.

About Cognitiv

Cognitiv is the technology powering IBM Watson Advertising products and is the first neural network technology that unearths patterns of consumer behavior so marketers can accurately pinpoint consumers who want to buy or further engage with their products. Cognitiv solves a formerly unsolvable problem for marketers: How to use Big Data to precisely buy ads that target the right consumers, at the right time, in the right place. It is the only solution that delivers automated, custom, self-learning algorithms to brands and the results have been seen to be up to 20X more efficient. Cognitiv was founded in 2015 and has offices in NY and Bellevue."The SanctionCheck team's commitment to reducing our risk in our exclusion process is ongoing and second to none. They are always there to answer questions and provide the guidance we need" said Robert Asante of Drexel University.

ComplianceLine, the industry leading ethics and compliance solutions provider, today announced an important upgrade to its SanctionCheck exclusion screening service for institutional healthcare and education providers and vendors. The upgrade, SanctionCheck 5.0, is designed to enable clients to access sanction databases for government-mandated exclusion screening faster and with better accuracy and efficiency.

This upgrade gives SanctionCheck clients a one-stop platform for all their exclusion search, confirmation, reporting, and auditing needs, said Giovanni Gallo, who has been Co-CEO of ComplianceLine along with brother Nick Gallo since 2016. ComplianceLine services have always set industry standards and we believe this newest upgrade to SanctionCheck rewards our world class clients with the automation, streamlined workflows, and powerful features that will support them as guardians of safety, revenue, and reputation.

"The SanctionCheck team's commitment to reducing our risk in our exclusion process is ongoing and second to none. They are always there to answer questions and provide the guidance we need, and them taking this process off our plate has both reduced our risk and freed us up to focus on our business," said Robert Asante, Executive Director and Interim Chief Privacy Officer of Drexel University.

Giovanni Gallo, also the companys Chief Development Officer, said SanctionCheck 5.0, like all ComplianceLine products, was created to streamline compliance team efforts and insure regulatory compliance. ComplianceLine offers its clients the industrys best tools in assisting in the identification of unethical, illegal and questionable behavior through ComplianceLine transparency, risk, and sanction screening services.

Sanction Check 5.0 is the latest evolution of our exclusion screening service and we are getting a lot of great feedback from clients about the upgrade, Co-CEO and Chief Servant, Nick Gallo continued. As companies across the country continue to figure out the best way to manage this process, we present a seamless solution to improve confidence in their risk management workflow.

The Gallo brothers come to the Ethics and Compliance sector as sons of a Cuban refugee who fled Castro and came to America to begin a new life. Nick and Giovanni were founders and principals at One Praetorian, a Chicago based entrepreneurial investment firm, prior to joining ComplianceLine to lead the next stage of growth.

About SanctionCheck

SanctionCheck 5.0 scans a clients vendors and employees and identifies potential sanctions and exclusions, as reimbursement risk remains among the top concerns for compliance professions,

Other enhancements to SC5 include:



SC5s new algorithm both excludes more unwanted results while flagging potentials with greater accuracy

Upgraded user interface with more intuitive user platform and easier navigation

Clients can now more securely upload sensitive HR and vendor data directly into the system

Improved reporting and audit trail capabilities

All backed up with a $5,000,000 ActionCheck Guarantee

About ComplianceLine

For over 20 years ComplianceLine has been the premier provider of ethics and compliance solutions by putting clients first and prioritizing their needs through selfless service. ComplianceLines continuous improvement culture and pursuit of quality over short term profit affords clients the industrys best tools in assisting the identification of unethical, illegal and questionable behavior. The ComplianceLine team provides helpline and sanction screening services in 50,000 locations worldwide through highly trained, tenured, and caring compliance-minded professionals focused on improving the lives of our clients through excellent service. ComplianceLine clients include many of the largest healthcare and higher education organizations in the world.

http://www.complianceline.com

Contact: David Thoreau PR Manager (dcthoreau(at)aol.com)The skilled labor shortage is one that the entire world can no longer simply ignore simply from an economic standpoint. It will quickly impact the bottomline of the construction industry and we are facing a real turning point here and now.

Constructech will address the skilled labor shortage, and present a solution, at its Technology Day 2018 event, being held on Thursday, August 23, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago  Arlington Heights, Ill.

One of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry today is the skilled labor shortage, which has come as a result of a culture shift that has been happening for more than 30 years. Today, a majority of construction companies say it will either become increasingly more difficult or remain a plight to recruit or hire qualified workers in 2018.

The skilled labor shortage is one that the entire world can no longer simply ignore simply from an economic standpoint. It will quickly impact the bottomline of the construction industry and we are facing a real turning point here and now, explains Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Constructech magazine, and president of Specialty Publishing Media. The only way to solve it is to come together as an industry and identify solutions that can help, which is exactly what we plan to do at Technology Day.

The topic of the skilled labor shortage will be addressed throughout the full-day event, with one key session that will bring a group of contractors together to explore the challenges and opportunities for leveraging new and emerging technologies to help address the construction worker crisis in America.

The panel, moderated by Smedley, will include:



Dan Bayer, director of construction innovation, Miron Construction Co., Inc.

Chuck Freiheit, COO, F.H. Paschen

Morgan Traynor, director of project controls, Ryan Companies

Jeff Niesen, president of operations, The Boldt Co.

There are plenty of opportunities the construction industry can begin to stand behind when it comes to resolving this shortage, says Traynor. These opportunities need to be discovered, defined, and deployed to gain traction and start to fill these huge gaps in demand. There does not seem to be enough momentum in the industry to drive this change and we are seeing a flood of outside influences changing the landscape of the architecture, engineering, and construction industry as we know it.

For a complete overview of Constructechs Technology Day 2018 event, agenda, and registration information, or to learn more about this years sponsor InEight, visit https://constructech.com/tech-day/

To learn more about the agenda, visit https://constructech.com/tech-day/agenda/

About Constructech Magazine

Constructech has connected hundreds of thousands of construction professionals for 20 years. Constructechs audience is comprised of construction professionals who specify products, systems, and tools in residential, commercial, and industrial building marketplaces. For more information about Constructech, visit http://constructech.com

About Constructech Technology Day

Constructech Technology Day is a one-day conference that dives into discussions on the use of technology in the construction industry. The conference is open to project managers, CEOs, students, CTOs, IT directors, professors, and more. Technology Day provides attendees with the opportunity to identify ways to effectively use technology to be most efficient in the office and at the jobsite. constructech.com/tech-day/We are honored to be recognized for a third year in the Inc. 5000

Conversica, the leader in conversational AI for business, has ranked 1,928 on Inc. magazines 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The companys accelerating revenue growth over consecutive three-year periods puts the company in an exclusive group of private companies appearing three times on the list and at higher and higher rankings.

This is just the most recent nod the company has receivedConversica is also a Gartner Cool Vendor, was named to the San Francisco Business Times Fast 100 list of the Bay Areas 100 fastest-growing private companies, is a Red Herring Global 100 award winner, and was named to CB Insights 2018 AI 100.

"We are honored to be recognized for a third year in the Inc. 5000, said Alex Terry, CEO of Conversica. Of the tens of thousands of companies that have applied to the Inc. 5000 over the years, only one in four has made the list three times, and just a select few have moved up each year, demonstrating accelerating growth. This recognition is a strong endorsement of the success our customers are having with our products and of the team that builds them."

Conversica automates routine business conversations using virtual assistants powered by artificial intelligence. The companys flagship AI Sales Assistant engages leads in a human conversation to qualify more of them for sales, freeing humans to spend more time closing business.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known companies gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000, and Conversicas profile is at http://www.inc.com/profile/conversica.

If your company is on the Inc. 5000, its unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice, says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. The lines of business may come and go or come and stay. What doesnt change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives.

Methodology

The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2017. Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About Conversica

Conversica is the leader in conversational AI for business and the only provider of AI-driven lead engagement software for marketing and sales organizations. The flagship Conversica AI Sales Assistant helps companies find and secure customers more quickly and efficiently by automatically contacting, engaging, qualifying and following up with leads via natural, two-way conversations. Used by more than 1,000 companies worldwide, Conversicas sales assistants are built on a proven AI platform integrating natural language processing (NLP), natural language generation (NLG), and machine learning (ML) capabilities and engage prospects over multiple communication channels and in multiple languages. Recognized by Gartner as a Cool Vendor, Conversica is a portfolio company of Providence Equity, Kennet Partners and Toba Capital and is headquartered in Foster City, Calif.

To learn more, visit conversica.com and follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.CoreStack products are now added to the United States General Services Administration (GSA) Schedulea high honor. This means that our solutions are approved for use at any state or federal government institution said Ez Natarajan, founder and CEO of CoreStack.

CoreStack, the next-gen cloud governance platform for enterprises, today announced their partnership with Karthik Consulting LLC, an IT consulting firm specializing in addressing the unique technology challenges of both the private sector and the federal government. Through this partnership, CoreStacks products will be featured in Karthik Consultings General Services Administration (GSA) IT 70 Schedule contract# 47QTCA18D00DJ (GS-35F- 450HA).

Karthik Consulting, LLC currently provides services to the public sector through the following multi-year contractual vehicles: GSA 8(a) Streamlined Technology Application Resource for Services (STARS) II, Electronic Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accelerated and Simplified Tasks (eFAST) and Department of Navy, Seaport-e Contract.

CoreStack products are now added to the United States General Services Administration (GSA) Schedulea high honor. This means that our solutions are approved for use at any state or federal government institution, said Ez Natarajan, founder and CEO of CoreStack. With the GSA schedule program, CoreStack can streamline not only the procurement process but assist government agencies through our multi-cloud governance platform to govern and manage the 4Cs of cloud- Cloud Operations, Consumption, Compliance and Cost and retain the flexibility to innovate today and tomorrow.

This partnership allows the public-sector market to easily find CoreStacks products and facilitates sales engagement with less than 2 weeks procurement time. Direct awards are available for contracts under $4M.

The GSA is an independent agency of the U.S. government whose purpose is to help manage and support basic functions of federal agencies. The GSA Schedule is a government-wide acquisition contract with a pre-negotiated list of products, prices and delivery terms, available for use by a wide variety of federal, state and local government customers and other approved entities. With CoreStacks GSA Schedule Contract in place, any government agency can now purchase CoreStack products using this GSA contract.

Federal, State, and local agencies can obtain information about CoreStacks product on the GSA Advantage website. CoreStack services are offered under Special Item Number (SIN) (SIN) 132-40 Cloud Computing Services, Special Item Number 132-51 Information Technology Professional Services, and Special Item Number 132-45D High Adaptive Cybersecurity Services. The contract award is effective 06/06/2018 through 06/05/2023.

About CoreStack

CoreStack is a SaaS-based cloud solutions company that empowers enterprises to effectively govern their Cloud Resources and accelerate innovation through frictionless consumption of cloud services and tools across providers. Founded in 2016, CoreStack is built on the philosophy of leveraging Cloud-as-Code approach to unlock the complete potential of the multi-cloud environment. CoreStack Enterprise platform provides a solution to accelerate cloud adaption, optimize consumption and enforce governance for businesses to maximize business agility and deliver predictable outcomes. For more information, visit https://www.corestack.io.RollKall, a platform for managing and scheduling off-duty security officers, closed a $1.5 million Seed round investment led by Founder Equity Fund and The Athos Group.

Founder Equity Fund, a venture studio with offices in Chicago and Dallas, looks for opportunities where it can leverage its team to provide, not just capital, but the expertise to help its portfolio companies grow and thrive. The groups unique investment methodology places them alongside founders and their investors, to reduce risk throughout the investment period.

The Athos Group, formerly Innovative Surveillance Solutions, is a security management firm dedicated to providing off-duty security services to retail, restaurant, oil & gas, and corporate entities across the nation.

RollKall was founded in 2013, to connect off-duty officers to freelance security jobs and quickly grew to include thousands of officers from over 900 law enforcement departments across the United States. The platform is the fastest growing off-duty management platform for security providers, independent coordinators, and law enforcement agencies.

The investment will help RollKall expand its partner ecosystem, implement a new payment platform called RKPay, and fast-track strategic acquisitions.

Whereas Uber is a closed ecosystem requiring drivers to work through Uber to find riders, RollKall is an open platform. This allows multiple parties to use the platform to find off-duty officers.

Many law enforcement officers work as independent contractors but are governed by the policies of their respective law enforcement department. The RollKall platform allows them to work for multiple entities while ensuring compliance with their respective agencies and allowing full reporting back to the agency.

For law enforcement agencies that do not allow their officers to provide security or traffic control outside of the department, RollKall provides a platform that the departments manage directly.

We realized that there was a tremendous opportunity to change the off-duty industry and bring clarity to a highly fragmented market Ben Poch, the CEO of RollKall, said. By working with departments closely we are also sensitive to the budgetary constraints that they face and the reality that every dollar matters. As part of our commitment to our agencies, we offer the platform free of charge to them. Where some would see this as a possible revenue opportunity lost, we view it as an investment in them.EkoStinger Inks Big Deal with VanGuard Trailer SouthEast

EkoStinger has signed an agreement with South Carolina based Vanguard Trailer, SouthEast, A Diamond Group Company to supply trailer aerodynamic devices for their trailers. We sell thousands of stock trailers every year and our customers need aerodynamic devices on their trailers that work and are durable, EkoStingers product fits that criteria, said Jay Malave, President of Vanguard Trailer, SouthEast. Malave went on to say; "when you are selling as many trailers as we sell, you need a product that works for the majority of your customers, this is the product that makes the most sense. This is a great partnership and we are grateful to have been selected as a preferred vendor, said Steve Smith, Executive Vice President of EkoStinger. Smith went on to say, We are focused on manufacturing quality, competitively priced aero products while delivering the highest level of customer service."

About EkoStinger:

EkoStinger is a manufacturer of aerodynamic devices for over the road trailers. EkoStingers most popular system is their patented sliding Stinger and mist reducing mud flaps that produce 6% fuel savings at highway speeds. This system is CARB Compliant and GHG 2 Bin 3 verified. For more information see http://www.ekostinger.com For Media Inquiries, contact: Steve Smith, Executive Vice President, ssmith(at)ekostinger(dot)com.

About Vanguard Trailer, SouthEast:

Vanguard Trailer, SouthEast is one of the countrys largest Vanguard dealers supplying over the road dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers and intermodal chassis to the trucking industry. For more information see http://www.VanguardTrailerSE.com For Media Inquiries, contact: Carlton W. Miller, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Carlton(at)VanguardTrailerSE(dot)com.

For more information about this story or to obtain contact information for interview purposes:

Contact Steve Smith, Executive Vice President of EkoStinger

Phone 219.308.6866 or Email: ssmith(at)ekostinger(dot)comEva Garland Consulting (EGC), a firm focused on supporting scientific innovation, has been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of Americas 5000 fastest-growing private companies. Founded in 2013, EGC has assisted clients worldwide in securing and managing hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding to support scientific development.

I could not be more proud of our teams accomplishments," said CEO Eva Garland, Ph.D. To be recognized on the INC 5000 list demonstrates the extraordinary dedication of our employees to providing the highest quality service to our clients. I am particularly proud of the comprehensive scientific and accounting support that our team is able to provide to enable entrepreneurs to more effectively advance development of their scientific innovations.

EGCs rapid growth can be attributed to the companys focus on helping scientists and entrepreneurs overcome barriers to technology development. According to Andy Schwab, President of First Flight Venture Center, The EGC team has been instrumental in helping our companies obtain grant funding in our innovative LiftOff program to achieve their product development milestones. Without the EGC teams expertise and strategic help setting up this unique program many early stage companies would not be able to support the research needed to successfully advance their technologies.

The 2018 Inc. 5000 list is one of the most competitive in the lists history. EGCs ranking places the company in the top fraction of a percentage of all companies in the nation.

About Eva Garland Consulting:

Eva Garland Consulting was founded by Dr. Eva Garland to help small businesses and entrepreneurs advance development of their innovative technologies. The firm specializes in developing non-dilutive funding strategies, grant proposal preparation, grants management services, and accounting. For more information, visit http://www.evagarland.com.Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is the first hospital in the Tampa Bay area and only the second in Florida to offer the Globus ExcelsiusGPS surgical robotic guidance system through its neurospine program. The system is the first and only robotic platform for spine surgery that combines surgical navigation and robotic guidance; and improves accuracy and patient care for precise minimally invasive spine surgeries by using robotics and navigation. The system provides real time imaging to physicians for increased safety and accuracy; more precise positioning of screws during surgery, less exposure to radiation; and potentially shorter surgery and recovery time for patients.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is committed to delivering the best care to every patient, every time, said Denyse Bales-Chubb, President and CEO, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. We are continuously adding expert physicians, state-of-the-art services, and innovative technology to meet the growing health care needs of our community.

The Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel neurospine program launched in October 2017 in response to a growing need from the community and a desire for patients to have a long-term solution for spinal pain. The program is led by neurosurgeons, Dr. Amir Ahmadian and Dr. Armen Deukmedjian, of NeuSpine Institute. Dr. Amir Ahmadian recently performed the bay areas first spine surgery using the system.

At NeuSpine, we believe in employing the newest techniques and are dedicated to technological advancements in neurospine surgery, which is why were excited to utilize the first ExcelsiusGPS robot in the Tampa Bay Area for our patients, noted Dr. Deukmedjian. Its a revolutionary tool that will help improve surgical accuracy, reduce anesthesia time and hospital stays, as well as allow us to make smaller incisions to allow for improved healing  providing an overall elevation in patient care. Combined with our training in minimally invasive surgery, this is a true game changer in spine surgery.

About Florida Hospital, West Florida Division of Adventist Health System

The West Florida Division of Adventist Health System is a 1,840 bed health care system comprised of 10 acute-care hospitals including Florida Hospital Carrollwood, Florida Hospital Dade City, Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Lake Placid, Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Sebring, Florida Hospital North Pinellas, Florida Hospital Ocala, Florida Hospital Tampa, Florida Hospital Wauchula, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, as well as three freestanding offsite emergency rooms including Florida Hospital TimberRidge ER, Florida Hospital Central Pasco ER and Florida Hospital Palm Harbor ER. Additionally, it has one post-acute care facility, Florida Hospital at Connerton Long Term Acute Care, over 50 multi-specialty Florida Hospital Physician Group practices, 15 Florida Hospital Express Care at Walgreens clinics and six Florida Hospital Centra Care urgent care centers.

About Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel

From state-of-the-art equipment to the most intricate building details, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel was designed from the ground up to maximize healing, patient care and wellness. This full-service community hospital has 145 private patient rooms and features expert staff, specialty design and state-of-the art technology built for better patient care. Since opening in October of 2012, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel has been recognized as a leader in patient satisfaction, quality and safety. The hospital offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient health services, including surgery, imaging and rehabilitation services and emergency services for adults and children. The hospital features a 50,000-sq. ft. community Health & Wellness Center and a wide range of community offerings such as health and wellness presentations, screenings and events. Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel recently completed a massive expansion which involved 111, 993 square feet of new construction and 10,834 square feet of renovation. In the expansion, the hospital increased its number of emergency rooms, inpatient rooms, and surgical suites, added a second Heart Catheterization Lab, and recovery/observation rooms as well as shelled space for future growth.. For more information, please visit http://www.FHWesleyChapel.org

About NeuSpine Institute

NeuSpine Institute is a leader in comprehensive spine and neck care. Founded by neurosurgeons, Dr. Amir Ahmadian and Dr. Armen Deukmedjian they share a unique approach to spine care, where surgery is always a last resort. Fellowship trained in minimally invasive surgery, they specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of simple to complex spinal conditions providing patients with a personalized treatment plan based on their specific needs and pathology.The company's new headquarters at 1830 Colonial Village Lane, Lancaster Eliminating regulatory uncertainty and paperwork lets executive teams focus on more central tasks such as driving profitability and growth.

Harbor Compliance has earned a place among the nations elite private companies, ranking 370 on the 2018 Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies.

Weve experienced 1,341% three-year growth, thanks to an extraordinary level of commitment and hard work from our employees and the enthusiastic response of our clients, said Harbor Compliance CEO and co-founder Mike Montali. Its tremendously gratifying to see all of that dedication and effort recognized with this award.

Montali founded Harbor Compliance in 2012 along with CIO Megan Danz to help businesses and nonprofits overcome regulatory hurdles that can make starting and running an organization challenging. To that end, Harbor Compliance developed cloud-based software that allows companies to achieve and maintain total compliance with minimal effort.

Our software grew out of our work with thousands of nonprofit and business leaders who were understandably frustrated by the government paperwork required to accomplish their business goals, said Danz. We developed a unique combination of expert service and software to eliminate mundane paperwork, provide automated tracking of all filings, and facilitate compliance at every phase of an organizations lifecycle.

Our recent release of industry-leading software that combines corporate entity management and business licensing under a single interface is continuing to drive growth to new heights this year, Danz added. Combining these critical functions, along with registered agent service, into one software program drives immense value for our clients.

As entrepreneurs and business leaders ourselves, we understand the challenges executives face in the drive to harness opportunities in the marketplace, provide a rewarding work environment for employees, and deliver extraordinary experiences for clients, said Montali. Eliminating regulatory uncertainty and paperwork lets executive teams focus on more central tasks such as driving profitability and growth.

Harbor Compliance provides businesses and nonprofits with full lifecycle compliance solutions, from corporate formation to nationwide licensing and entity management. Through a unique combination of expert support and software, the company helps organizations of all sizes overcome regulatory hurdles that can waste staff hours, impede growth, and pose financial risk.

Business leaders and nonprofit directors are encouraged to get in touch or call 1-888-995-5895 with questions about any aspect of regulatory compliance.

About Harbor Compliance

Founded by a team of government licensing specialists and technology trailblazers, Harbor Compliance is a leading provider of compliance solutions for companies of all types and sizes. The companys mission is to help businesses and nonprofits enjoy the advantages and peace of mind that come from total compliance. Since 2012, Harbor Compliance has helped more than 12,000 businesses and nonprofit organizations apply for, secure, and maintain licensing across all industries and activities. The companys headquarters are located at 1830 Colonial Village Lane, Lancaster, PA. To learn more, visit harborcompliance.com or call 1-888-995-5895.The Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) is pleased to welcome City Manager Anthony J. Snipes, of Missouri City, Texas, onto its Board of Directors. Mr. Snipes serves the Board as a representative of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

Mr. Snipes presently serves as City Manager of Missouri City, TX, a commercially thriving community that is recognized as one of Americas best places to live. As City Manager, he has managed the creation of the Citys first 501(c)(3), the Missouri City Parks Foundation; launched the design of an expanded City Hall complex to feature a veterans memorial and other specialized landmarks; and managed the completion of the Citys largest debt refunding by eliminating nearly $79.7 million of debt. Prior to his appointment in Missouri City, Mr. Snipes was a municipal executive for Dayton, Ohio; Austin, Texas; and Fort Worth, Texas.

Mr. Snipes has earned many achievements and accolades over his more than 20-year career, including strategic initiatives in public/private partnerships and organizational development, said Ashok Goswami, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of IBTS. We are delighted to welcome him onto our Board of Directors and look forward to his guidance as we continue to grow our organization.

His focus as a Board Member will be on setting the overall direction for the organization, maintaining its commitment as a nonprofit, and ensuring that the organizations public purpose is met. He is excited to help IBTS explore new growth opportunities in resilience, community finance, and infrastructure, all of which are of high priority to communities across the country and are of particular interest to ICMA members.

I am incredibly honored to join other national public partners as a part of the IBTS Board, and I look forward to providing valuable insight and guidance from a municipal perspective that will help the Institute improve services and outreach to public partners such as the Show Me City, City Manager Snipes said.

Mr. Snipes appointment to the IBTS Board of Directors was ratified during the August Board meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. He is joined on the Board by representatives of four other state and local governmental associations, including the Council of State Governments (CSG), National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC), and National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center).

About IBTS

IBTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping communities through quality services that reduce risk, enhance public safety, and improve quality of life. IBTS is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia with branch offices across the country. IBTSs work is guided by a Board of Directors made up of government officials appointed by five of the most highly respected, grassroots, state and local governmental associations, including the Council of State Governments (CSG), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), and National League of Cities (NLC).Inc. magazine ranked IronArch Technology Number 4,581 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment - its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

IronArch is a consulting firm focused on the federal government. The companys organic growth strategy is to take on meaningful and challenging projects that make employees feel engaged in the work and customer mission. The company provides cloud engineering, data center consolidation, network modernization, high performance computing, and financial mangement support to a variety of government customers including organizations across the Department of Defense.

As a growing company, it is exciting to see our hard work recognized as we earn a place on this respected list, said Joe Punaro, President of IronArch. We have an incredible team with a technical expertise that is combined with a passion for our customers missions. I am proud of the culture weve cultivated as it is integral to our growth strategy and success.

The 2018 Inc. 5000 was unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About IronArch

A Best Place to Work three years running, IronArch Technology is a federal consulting firm with the people, processes, and infrastructure to help clients accelerate change and transform their organizations. A Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), we are routinely called upon by clients to assist them with cloud engineering, data center consolidation, network modernization, high performance computing, and financial management challenges. Learn more at http://www.ironarchtechnology.com.

Contact:

Piper Conrad

piper.conrad@gmail.com

571-499-3718

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 to 2017. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2017. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2014 is $100,000; the minimum for 2017 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media:

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

For more information contact:

Inc. Media

Drew Kerr

212-849-8250

drew@four-corners.comJoseph Cuyler, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, with a hidden gift for writing and who has done time in prison for a young life of crime in the back blocks of Park Heights, has completed his new book Park Heights Passions: Da Introduction; Volume 1: a gripping story depicting the kind of life the author has intimate knowledge of.

Author Cuyler writes with the energy of a true-life high-stakes thriller: Cuy snapped out his nod and began to plan for the days events. Mr. Gains called a few minutes ago about the ransom money, and Cuy needed time to get his thoughts together. He thought to himself if Jackie would make it out this situation with her life or if they would kill them both. Cuys mind was racing a hundred miles per hour. He didnt know what to think of the matter; he just knew he had to do somethingfast.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Joseph Cuylers new book is a narrative largely informed from firsthand experience. Cuyler takes the reader deep into the crime-filled streets of Baltimore, where life and death intermingle.

Readers who wish to experience this daring work can purchase Park Heights Passions: Da Introduction; Volume 1 at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.Lexalytics is committed to its customers with European operations. These new enhancements improve both compliance options related to GDPR, and expand insights brands can gain from a vibrant member of the EU, said Jeff Catlin, CEO of Lexalytics.

Lexalytics, the leader in words-first machine learning and artificial intelligence, announced today it has expanded options for customers working in the European Union. Enterprise companies using Lexalytics cloud-based Semantria API, Semantria for Excel, and Semantria Storage and Visualization products can now easily choose to process their data in Australia, the European Union or the United States. In addition, Lexalytics has added Romanian to the list of languages it can analyze natively. Lexalytics now supports an industry-leading 25 languages.

Lexalytics is committed to its customers with European operations, and were constantly working to make our products easier to use and more effective for them, said Jeff Catlin, CEO of Lexalytics. These new enhancements improve both compliance options related to GDPR, and expand the insights brands can gain from a vibrant member of the EU.

With the recent implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, companies that operate in the region are looking for quicker and easier ways to ensure compliance with the law. The region selection capability now available gives these companies a one-click option to choose where they have their text data processed, improving transparency.

Lexalytics is further helping its customers that operate in Europe by adding Romanian to its native language support. Now, global brands can gain insights into conversations that the more than 20 million speakers of Romanian are having about their products and services.

Availability

Both the region selection capability and Romanian language support are now available on the Lexalytics Intelligence Platform. For more information, please email sales(at)lexalytics(dot)com.

About Lexalytics

Processing billions of words every day across more than 20 languages, Lexalytics is the industry leader in translating text into profitable decisions for social media monitoring, reputation management and voice of the customer programs. In addition, the Lexalytics Intelligence Platform leverages leading-edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing to allow enterprises across all industries to quickly, easily and cost-effectively create custom analytics solutions to address their unique data problems. Based in Boston, MA, Lexalytics has offices in the US and Canada. For more information, please visit http://www.lexalytics.com, email sales(at)lexalytics(dot)com or call

1-617-249-1049. Follow Lexalytics on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.Louisiana Red Hot Records is pleased to announce the release of the soundtrack from the multi-award-winning documentary One Note At a Time. The feature film focuses on musicians who return to New Orleans after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina to keep the music alive and the New Orleans Musicians Clinic that keeps them alive.

Some of these world renowned and legendary artists are Grammy winners Dr. John and the Soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas, Damion and Charmaine Neville, British jazz drummer Barry Martyn, jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, Al Carnival Time Johnson, Walter Payton, Jr., The Cliff Hines Quintet, Ben Jaffe of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and poet Shelton Shakespear Alexander, to mention a few. The soundtrack score was written by British composer Ray Russell.

One Note At a Time was directed by British film maker Renee Edwards, whose father is a Crescent City resident. Filmed over the course of four years it also includes interviews with New Orleans Musicians Clinic & Assistance Foundation co-founders Johann Bultman and President and Director Bethany Bultman.

Live recordings from Snug Harbor, filmed during a Health Initiative Benefit for the Musicians Clinic on August 7, 2011 include Damion Neville and the Charmaine Neville Bands version of Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Dr. John performing Roscoes Song, an improv tribute to Herman Roscoe Ernst, his drummer who had passed away earlier that year and Down the Road. Poet Shelton Shakespear Alexanders Second Lining, was written expressly for the film. This Little Light of Mine, the finale for that show, features Dr. John, Gaynielle Neville, Cyril Neville, Amasi Miller, Shannon Powell, Jesse Boyd, Paul Pattan and Donald Harrison, Jr.

Additional tracks include the Hot 8 Brass Bands Let Me Do My Thing, Higher by Felice Guimont, Slip Away by Chip Wilson and Jesse Moore, Ray Nagin by the To Be Continued Brass Band, Bud Towers Please Dont Take Me Home, written for the Musicians Clinic benefit, and Ms. Pearl singing Summertime, live in the French Quarter. Down By the Riverside is sung by Barry Martyn and Carnival Time is an early version of Al Carnival Time Johnsons classic hit. Additional tracks include the Cliff Hines Quintets Tehran and Blue Monk by Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra. Award-winning British composer Ray Russells tracks from the motion picture score include From The Heart and the One Note At a Time theme song.

Since its first screening at the New Orleans Film Festival One Note At a Time has gone on to win a Gold Award at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Review Independent Film Awards, opened the Santa Barbara Jazz Redux festival in California, screened at Sync Up Cinema as part of New Orleans Jazz Fest and won Best Feature Documentary at the Studio City (California) International Film Festival. United Kingdom accolades include Best Feature Documentary at the Nottingham International Film Festival, screening at the Guild of British Film and Television Editors Festival and winning Best Feature Documentary, Best Score and Film of the Festival at the Oxford International Film Festival.

One Note At a Time is being released to coincide with Munro Films United Kingdom theatrical release, starting on August 24 in select cities. Some of these cities include Chichester, Manchester and London. The digital film release is slated for September 3, 2018. Plans are under way for a world wide release later this year.

Record pre-sales for One Note At a Time begin on August 17 with the release date set for August 31, 2018. UPC number is 608691950323, catalogue number is LRHR 9503.

Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana Red Hot Records is the home for the next generation for Louisiana legends. For over twenty years, the label that launched and supported the careers of Hunter Hayes, Trombone Shorty, Dumpstaphunk, New Orleans Suspects and Cyril Neville has specialized in providing the world with a richly varied catalog of more than 200 albums by a brilliant array of Pelican State blues, jazz, rock, R&B, Cajun and zydeco artists. Louisiana Red Hot Records continues to represent the best of the past and future of music made in and inspired by the profound and incomparable Louisiana musical heritage.

For more information on the soundtrack album, please log on to http://www.louisianaredhotrecords.com and for more information on the UK and Ireland film release please visit http://www.onenoteatatime.com.As the annual National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and Business Opportunity Exchange draws near, Enterprise Publishing Inc./MBE magazine has rolled out its popular MBEs Who Rock contest.

Our contest is back for its 4th year! We look forward to awarding a new group of outstanding MBEs, says Barbara Oliver, Enterprise Publishings president. Winners receive the benefit of recognition as outstanding leaders in their business and community to an audience of their peers and major corporations.

Nominations received by September 1, 2018, will be considered for the award. The winners will be revealed at a reception on Saturday, October 13, 2018 prior to the NMSDC Annual Conference & Business Opportunity Exchange taking place in Austin, Texas, from October 14-17, 2018. RSVP now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mbe-magazines-2018-mbes-who-rock-registration-48172027832.

If you are interested in nominating an inspiring minority business leader who has contributed to their community and made great achievements in their business or industry, please let us know by emailing us at boliver@mbemag.com or visiting http://www.mbemag.com/images/Nominee_Form.pdf. All nominations should be in by the EOD on September 1st.

About Enterprise Publishing Inc.: Enterprise Publishing Inc. (EPI) is a media services company that serves the supplier diversity communities in the U.S. and Canada. Our mission is to Inform, Educate and Inspire.

About MBE magazine: Published bi-monthly by EPI, MBE is an award-winning, 30+ year-old resource publication promoting the success of minority- and women- owned businesses and diversity programs. The quarterly publication serves as an invaluable resource guide for any entity driving diversity and inclusion initiatives and MWBEs. We are the premier publication for highlighting diverse initiatives and successes.

Contact Information:

Barbara Oliver

MBE magazine

http://www.mbemag.com

(310) 294-3780Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD "This recognition reflects the determination, skills and talents of everyone at Mercy Medical Center, who work hard to fulfill the mission of The Sisters of Mercy every day, said Thomas R. Mullen, President and CEO of Mercy Medical Center.

Mercy Medical Center has been ranked a Best Hospital for 2018-19 by U.S. News & World Report. Mercy was rated nationally in Orthopedics for the third consecutive year. Mercy was the only community hospital in Maryland to achieve a national ranking in Orthopedics.

Mercy was also named a high performing hospital in three procedure/condition categories measured by U.S. News and World Report, specifically Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement, and Heart Failure.

We are pleased to be honored once more as a Best Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, indicative of another successful fiscal year of achievements at Mercy. This recognition reflects the determination, skills and talents of everyone at Mercy Medical Center, who work hard to fulfill the mission of The Sisters of Mercy every day, said Thomas R. Mullen, President and CEO of Mercy Medical Center.

In addition to this national honor, Mercy was recently ranked as one of the top midsize employers in the United States by Forbes magazine for the second straight year.

For the 2018-19 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. In the 16 specialty areas, 158 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals as high performing across multiple areas of care.

For nearly 30 years, U.S. News has strived to make hospital quality more transparent to healthcare consumers nationwide, said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News. By providing the most comprehensive data available, we give patients and their physicians information to support their search for the best care across a range of specialties.

The U.S. News Best Hospitals methodologies in most areas of care are based largely or entirely on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and readmission rates, volume, patient experience, patient safety and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators.

Best Hospitals was produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.

Founded in 1874 by The Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a university-affiliated Catholic hospital with a national reputation for womens health and orthopedics. Mercy is home to the acclaimed Weinberg Center for Womens Health & Medicine and the $400+ million, 20-story Mary Catherine Bunting Center. For more information about Mercy, visit http://www.mdmercy.com, MDMercyMedia on FACEBOOK and TWITTER, or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy.Michelle M. Quinn, Esq. "As one of the principals of HKQ Law I am honored to be named Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year. Outstanding dedication, compassion, education and research, and preparation by support staff, as well as the entire HKQ Law team has helped me obtain this honor." Michelle M. Quinn, Esq.

Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn PC is pleased to announce that Michelle M. Quinn, Esq. has been named Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice in the NEPA Region of the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. Attorney Quinn has also been named in the following categories: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs.

The following HKQ lawyers have been named to the 2019 Best Lawyers List:

Richard M. Goldberg: Employment Law  Management; Labor Law  Union

Terrence J. Herron: Corporate Law

The entire Litigation Team:

Joseph A. Quinn, Jr.: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Michelle M. Quinn: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year, NEPA Region

Donald C. Ligorio: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs; Workers Compensation Law  Claimants

Brian Q. McDonnell: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs; Workers Compensation Law  Claimants

Kevin C. Quinn: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Michael A. Lombardo, III: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Nicole M. Santo: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

A Principal in HKQ Law, and a member of its Executive Committee, Attorney Michelle M. Quinn has an extensive history of handling complex cases. She is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, whose membership is restricted to lawyers who have served as lead counsel in obtaining a seven-figure settlement or verdict.

Attorney Quinn is the past president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association and served on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association of Justice for many years. She is past chairwoman of the New Lawyers Section and the Long-Range Planning Committee of PAJ. She also previously served as co-chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Committee on Multi-Jurisdictional Practice.

Attorney Quinn received the Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association's first annual Lawrence W. Roth Award "in recognition of her outstanding commitment to NEPTLA, her compassion for clients and exemplary character." She has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. She has also been included in Woodward-White's edition of "The Best Lawyers in America," and has been named by the American Society of Legal Advocates as a Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in the state of Pennsylvania for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Attorney Quinn currently acts as spokeswoman for HKQ Kids, a child advocacy organization created by Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn to promote education and awareness about safety issues affecting children.

As one of the principals of Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, I am honored to be named Allentown Metro Lawyer of the Year. Outstanding dedication, compassion, education and research, and preparation by support staff, as well as the entire HKQ Law team has helped me obtain this honor. We all work toward one goal - results for our clients, says Attorney Michelle M. Quinn.

Since 1987, attorneys at Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn have been named to the Best Lawyers in America list. Lawyers on the Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers of the basis of professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. For more than a third of a century, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard of excellence in the legal profession, says CEO Steven Naifeh.We are extremely proud to acknowledge the accomplishments of these exceptional legal professionals, says President Phil Greer.

Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 65 countries.

About Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, PC

Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn is considered one of the top civil litigation and commercial law firms in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The firms Personal Injury Team has won some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the region's history and was recently recognized for one of the top 20 Verdicts in Pennsylvania.

The Personal Injury Team, led by Attorney Joseph A. Quinn focuses on a wide array of personal injury claims and civil litigation, including medical malpractice, auto and truck accidents, aviation accidents, unsafe vehicles, dangerous or defective products, workplace injuries (worker's compensation), construction site accidents, claim denials by insurance companies, dangerous drugs, defective children's products, nursing home abuse and neglect, and falls due to unsafe conditions (slip and fall).

Attorney Joseph A. Quinn is one of only 100 attorneys in the United States (and one of only three in Pennsylvania)

honored with membership in the Inner Circle of Trial Advocates, and one of only 500 attorneys worldwide chosen to be a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has been a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer every year since the program began and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America every year since the publication was established in 1987. Best Lawyers also named him top personal injury attorney for Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. In addition, Best Lawyers, in conjunction with U.S. News & World Report, has designated HKQ a Tier 1 Best Law Firm for personal injury and medical malpractice litigation in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.

Since the inception of the firm, the Commercial / Corporate Team led by Attorney Allan Kluger has provided comprehensive, integrated legal services to many of Northeastern and Eastern Pennsylvania's largest corporations, businesses, banks, non-profits and institutions, handling matters involving labor and employment, wills, trusts and estate planning, estate administration, elder law, commercial transactions, residential and commercial real estate, zoning, land use and development, telecommunications, mediations and arbitrations, commercial litigation, title insurance, business planning and business succession, corporate/business structuring, employment discrimination law for employers, banking, creditors rights, finance, lender liability defense, covenants not to compete, construction law, mergers and acquisitions and other business matters.Our company continues to win by investing not only in our groundbreaking technology platform and services, but also in our employees professional development and fulfillment."

MomentFeed, the leader in mobile customer experience management for multi-location brands, today announced it has been ranked No. 1,420 out of the 5,000 companies that made the 37th annual Inc. 5000 list. MomentFeed was recognized as one of this years standouts, thanks to the companys strong leadership team, entrepreneurial spirit, and shared values that create an innovative and successful work environment.

Since 1982, the Inc. 5000 has honored the extraordinary journeys of the fastest-growing private enterprises in America, ranking companies by revenue growth over a three-year period. For the last three years, MomentFeed has significantly beefed up its list of customers as it continues to build one of the most robust and highly integrated partner networks of any mobile marketing company todaywith the likes of Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Yelp, Trip Advisor, Apple Maps, Bing, Snap, Waze and many more.

We are honored to be recognized as part of the Inc. 5000 ranking as it validates our strategic commitment from day one to ensuring customer, partner, and employee satisfaction with our technology, people, and brand, said Robert Blatt, MomentFeeds CEO. Our company continues to win by investing not only in our groundbreaking technology platform and services, but also in our employees professional development and fulfillment. I want to personally thank everyone at MomentFeed for this achievement as they are some of the best and brightest in the industry, and continue to be the rocket fuel that powers the company towards hyper-growth over the next three years.

As an Inc. 5000 honoree, MomentFeed now shares a pedigree with innovative companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Box, Patagonia, Yelp, GrubHub, and many more. If your company is on the Inc. 5000, its unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice, says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. The lines of business may come and go, or come and stay. What doesnt change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives.

The Inc. 5000 ranking comes on the heels of other recent 2018 awards and accolades that highlight MomentFeeds growth and culture. The company was recently honored by the Comparably 2018 Awards in categories including Best Leadership, Best Managers and Best Companies for Professional Development for small-and mid-sized companies. In addition, and as part of the companys longtime emphasis on building an inclusive workplace, Blatt was individually recognized by Comparably as one of the Best CEOs for Women in the small-and mid-sized companies category. The company was also selected as Company of the Year for 2018 in the Digital Marketing category by CIOReview.

MomentFeed also leads the solutions market with its Mobile Customer Experience (MCX) platform, which helps each of a brands individual store locations become more discoverable, get more customers through the door, and drive revenueall in a single place. The MCX platform consists of several synergistic products, including Visibility Manager, Location Finder, Social Media Manager, Paid Media Manager, Reputation Manager and Connect to integrate with enterprise systems and bring insights to life with 3rd-party data.

About MomentFeed

MomentFeed's mobile customer experience management software enables multi-location brands to make their nearest location the best choice for every mobile customer. The Mobile Customer Experience (MCX) management platform helps organizations manage consumer engagement at the store or field level, creating a mobile customer experience that is more authentic, relevant and engaging for local consumers and directly drives in-store foot traffic across multiple channels, providing marketing attribution for each channel.

With an integrated management and reporting system that spans multiple channels including mobile search, social media, digital advertising and customer care, the MCX platform helps continuously and predictably capture more in-store sales for retailers, restaurant chains, banks, auto dealers, insurance companies and other franchised and corporate-owned multi-location businesses. MomentFeed was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. For more information visit http://www.momentfeed.com.Being listed in Best Lawyers is considered a prestigious achievement in the legal profession based on the high level of regard and positive feedback other leading attorneys have for the recipients.

Best Lawyers in Americathe oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal industryhas again awarded two prominent local attorneys in their latest edition.

For the 15th consecutive year, James E. Morris of Morris & Morris Attorneys has received particularly high ratings by his peers in the specialty area of Mediation. Deborah M. Field of Morris & Morris Attorneys was also honored for her work in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation for the fifth consecutive year.

Being listed in Best Lawyers is considered a prestigious achievement in the legal profession based on the high level of regard and positive feedback other leading attorneys have for the recipients," Field explained. "Im pleased to have been recognized and remain committed to providing the personal attention and excellence our clients have valued for the three generations Morris & Morris has served the Rochester community,  Field added.

About Morris & Morris Attorneys

Morris & Morris Attorneys has served and supported the Rochester, N.Y. community as a family-based law firm for three generations and have provided 75 years of proven results to clients. Morris & Morris Attorneys are highly-accredited and focus on personal injury cases including, but not limited to, automobile, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, construction and pedestrian accidents. For more information, visit: http://www.morrisandmorrisattorneys.com.Noke, a smart-security solutions provider, earns a spot on Inc. Magazines 2018 Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing private companies in America.

This prestigious recognition comes just four years after co-founders David Gengler and Cameron Gibbs set out to create a line of smart locks to provide consumers and companies with a better security management and asset tracking solution. Now they are part of an elite group of Inc. 5000 companies including brands such as Intuit, Microsoft, Zappos, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, Timberland, Clif Bar, Pandora, Patagonia, Bitly, Vizio and Oracle, to name a few.

Being included in this list is an honor, and we are proud of the growth of our team and offering, said Noke Co-Founder and CEO, David Gengler.

Noke designs, manufactures, and sells commercial-grade smart locks and customizable software that helps businesses simplify security. Noke products are used by companies in a wide range of industries for a smarter, more secure way to manage access.

The company has added 100% more jobs over the last 12 months and recently doubled its office space at its Lehi, Utah headquarters.

Weve seen sizable growth at Noke year after year since the company was created, said Noke Co-Founder and COO, Cameron Gibbs. We expect that trend to continue well into the future and we have our eye on next years Inc 5000 list.

To qualify for the award, companies had to be privately owned, established in the first quarter of 2015 or earlier, experienced a two-year growth in sales of more than 50 percent, and garnered revenue between $1 million and $300 million in 2017.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 17-19 in San Antonio, Texas. Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, including Mailchimp's Ben Chestnut, Panera's Ron Shaich, Brene Brown, and others.

###

About Noke: Noke Inc. designs and manufactures the Noke line of smart-locks, providing a reliable, safe, and cost-effective way for businesses to eliminate the pain points of key management. Noke gives companies a valuable security product to add to their collection of IoT devices as a means to secure and monetize ships, trucks, buildings, utility cabinets, warehouses, and more. For more information visit http://www.noke.com.Dr. Amarik Singh Offers Dental Implants in Lombard, IL Dr. Singh has placed over 15,000 dental implants and has been called the Midwests preferred choice for periodontal treatments.

Highly recognized Chicago area periodontist, Dr. Amarik Singh of Periodontal Implant Associates, welcomes new patients experiencing missing teeth in Lombard, IL, and surrounding areas. As a renowned periodontist, Dr. Singh specializes in placing single and full-arch dental implants solutions that help his patients avoid the difficulties of tooth loss, improve their health and return to their daily lives.

The American College of Prosthodontics estimates roughly 120 million adults are without at least one natural tooth. This puts them at risk of incurring a host of related problems, including bone loss, a higher likelihood of losing more teeth, gum disease and its systemic health conditions, and having a lowered confidence in social and professional situations.

Dental implants are a permanent solution to missing teeth in Lombard, IL, because they act exactly as natural teeth would. Comprised of a post, abutment and custom dental crown, dental implants are placed directly into the jaw bone to restore both function and aesthetics. Plus, they can be surgically placed in-house by Dr. Singh, who has placed over 15,000 dental implants and has been called the Midwests preferred choice for periodontal treatments.

Those with more than one missing tooth are also invited to contact Dr. Singh to talk about full arch dental implants solutions. Dr. Singh offers the revolutionary All-on-4 full arch replacement option that replaces a full arch of missing teeth in only one day using just four to six dental implants.

Consultations with Dr. Singh are available through his cutting-edge practice, Periodontal Implant Associates. Adults may call the office with or without a referral at 630-424-9404 and set up a time to meet with Dr. Singh to discuss dental implants as a long-term solution to tooth loss and missing teeth in Lombard, IL.

About the Periodontist

Periodontal Implant Associates is a periodontal practice offering personalized dental care for patients in Oak Brook, IL and the Chicago area. After graduating from Northwestern University Dental School, Dr. Amarik Singh went on to obtain his Specialty Certificate in Periodontics and earn his Masters from Northwestern University. Dr. Singh is deeply committed to continuing education and prides himself on remaining on the cutting-edge of the newest techniques and technology in dentistry. Dr. Singh has placed over 15,000 dental implants using minimally invasive techniques and is part of an elite group of dental professionals at the forefront of the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST), a revolutionary new approach to repairing gum recession. To learn more about the periodontal services available at Periodontal Implant Associates, please visit http://www.pidentists.com or call 630-424-9404.If you are not evaluating the cloud, you are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to save money...

Applied Cloud Systems (ACS), a Pittsburgh-based Microsoft Partner that focuses on cloud-computing was featured in the August 2018 issue of the CIO Review for their deep expertise in the Microsoft cloud and their exponential growth as a start-up organization. The cover of the issue features Microsofts CEO Satya Nadella -https://magazine.cioreview.com/magazines/August2018/Microsoft/

Microsoft is currently winning the cloud wars as the #1 provider of cloud services. In 2016, James (Jim) Hughes Co-Founder and CTO of ACS, and Brian Dupper CEO of ACS (former Microsoft employee) got together to discuss a gap in the Pittsburgh market for both cloud services and highly skilled talent with a deep expertise in the Microsoft cloud.

ACS opened its doors in April of 2016 and had two employees and two customers. By August 2018, the company has migrated out of Jims basement to an office located in a Pittsburgh suburb  Carnegie, and now has a workforce of 30 employees and over 35 customers.

Revenues have grown 600% and the company has opened another office in Rochester, NY. There are plans to expand the companys geographic reach into Ohio, Michigan, and the Carolinas.

Microsoft has been an amazing Partner to us and has opened so many doors for us. We would not be where we are without their support and partnership. - Brian Dupper, CEO.

When asked what advice Jim would provide to CIOs, he has this to say Regardless if you go with Microsofts platform or not, if you are not evaluating the cloud, you are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to save money, improve speed to delivery, and provide scale and agility into your organization. At the same time, migrating to the cloud will develop your IT workforce to build the skills they need to succeed in the future. - Jim Hughes, CTO.

ACSs next venture is a non-profit organization in Pittsburgh which they plan to start up in 2019. The non-profit will provide free technical education on the entire Microsoft cloud platform to underprivileged men, women, and youth who are residing in Pittsburgh.

Visit ACS @https://appliedcloudsystems.com/The automotive industry, as well as the car buying journey, is quick to evolve, and PureCars is here to help dealers keep up."

Inc. magazine revealed today that PureCars is No. 1,220 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

We are proud to be included on Inc.s fastest growing company list for the fifth time, said Sam Mylrea, CEO of PureCars. The automotive industry, as well as the car buying journey, is quick to evolve, and PureCars is here to help dealers keep up. Our proprietary tech stack empowers dealers to navigate this rapidly changing landscape by letting them know where and how they should be spending their ad budgets so they can efficiently target todays car shoppers and move inventory off the lot.

To meet the demands of its growing clientele, PureCars has hired more than 75 employees in the past year. Additionally, it has recently expanded its efforts to the Canadian market, bringing over a decade of experience to its Canadian customers.

If your company is on the Inc. 5000, its unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice, says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. The lines of business may come and go, or come and stay. What doesnt change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held October 17 to 19, 2018, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort, in San Antonio, Texas. As always, speakers include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

To learn more about PureCars, please visit purecars.com.

About PureCars

Since 2007, PureCars has provided dealers with the tools and resources needed to thrive in a digital-first world. Its suite of solutions combine marketing automation with business intelligence to optimize digital campaigns and maximize growth through sales. More than 3,000 dealers partner with PureCars on their digital strategies between the US and Canada. To learn more about the company and its solutions visit http://www.purecars.com.

Methodology

The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2017. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2014 is $100,000; the minimum for 2017 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates the remarkable achievements of these companies. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.Its one thing to talk about the value of SD-WAN, but its another to have been through the deployment of thousands of sites and truly see the benefits to an organization.

QOS Networks today announced that the company has been invited to present at this years VMworld 2018 U.S. event in Las Vegas, NV. QOS has been at the forefront in the SD-WAN market, having delivered successful network deployments to enterprise customers from the early days of SD-WAN. QOS will share the stage with the VeloCloud team, now part of VMware, to present real-world customer scenarios, experiences and the lessons learned in deploying VMware NSX SD-WAN by VeloCloud to a variety of enterprises, and the benefits realized by the customers.

Details of the QOS Networks presentation are as follows:

VMworld, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas - Wednesday, Aug. 29, at 10 am PDT where QOS Networks CEO, Frank Cittadino, alongside Tim Van Herck, director of technical product management, VMware, will cover the ins and outs of deploying a WAN solution that navigates the integration with the network edge and the branch in the session titled Deep Dive: Agile Deployments of Hybrid WAN with Real-World Examples.

It is thrilling to share the stage with VMware and the VeloCloud SD-WAN team to share practical applications of SD-WAN and how we are working together to simplify and automate complex networks, said Frank Cittadino, CEO of QOS Networks. Its one thing to talk about the value of SD-WAN, but its another to have been through the deployment of thousands of sites and truly see the benefits to an organization. As a VMware partner, QOS focuses heavily on working with enterprises which have highly disparate systems. QOS has a purpose-built NOC that is centered around the deployment and management of SD-WAN in enterprises.

Frank Cittadino will also be onstage for an interview during the General Session on Aug. 26 from 4 pm - 5 pm while VMware executives discuss vision and strategy and how their growing partner ecosystem creates opportunities for partners across all routes to market.

About QOS Networks

QOS Networks is the pioneer services organization behind delivering SD-WAN solutions to enterprises across the globe. QOS Networks thrives on the customer experience of fanatical support with the markets first SD-WAN specific Network Operations Center (NOC). Expertly designing, rapidly implementing, and acutely managing simple to complex network environments has placed QOS Networks as the preferred partner for VARs, Service Providers, and VMwares VeloCloud. For more information on QOS Networks, visit us at http://www.qosnet.com.

###

VMware and NSX SD-WAN are registered trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.Delaware County full-service law firm Raffaele Puppio is pleased to announce that partners Michael A. Raffaele and J. Patrick Hickey have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, one of the legal professions oldest and most respected peer-review publications. Raffaele was recognized for his prowess in family law, while Hickey was recognized in the practice area of workers compensation on behalf of claimants.

Raffaele is managing partner of Raffaele Puppio, one of the largest full-service law firms in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He focuses his practice on family law, including divorce, equitable distribution, child custody and child support, alimony and spousal support. A lifelong resident of Delaware County, Raffaele graduated from St. Josephs Preparatory School before going on to earn degrees from Lehigh University and the Temple University School of Law.

Patrick heads the firms litigation department, his practices including personal injury, automobile liability, workers compensation, and criminal defense. Along with his membership to the Pennsylvania, American, and Delaware County Bar Associations as well as the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers association, he has served as an adjunct professor at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. He graduated from Boston College in 1988 and went on to receive his degree at Dickinson School of Law.

Since it was first published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America has become widely regarded as a respected reference guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on detailed peer-review evaluations, and lawyers are neither required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed. The standalone Best Lawyers magazine will be distributed in more than 30 leading publications around the country, including The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. A digital edition also will be available.

About Raffaele Puppio  Raffaele Puppio is one of the largest and most established full-service law firms in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Attorneys within the firm are known for their legal prowess among the bench and bar in Delaware County, having decades of experience representing school districts, municipalities, businesses and individual clients, helping to solve legal problems while avoiding future legal issues. The attorneys provide sound legal counsel in the areas of education law, government and municipal services, family law, general litigation, personal injury, commercial real estate and business transactions, elder law, estate administration and planning, and criminal law.Sagitec expands its presence We are excited to bring our continuously evolving, framework solutions to this market. The Sagitec Framework is a part of the overall platform and our commitment to the platform is for long-term," said Bala Venkat, Senior Partner, Sagitec.

In a move aimed at further strengthening its presence across key markets in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, Sagitec Solutions recently inaugurated its first office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This office will also serve as its MEA headquarters dedicated to the companys operations in the MEA region.

Sagitec has been serving customers in the USA for the last 14 years and has expanded to multiple global locations since 2004. It is a multinational global technology solutions company delivering dynamic IT solutions to leading public and private organizations. Sagitec is a leader in the Pension, Unemployment Insurance, and Healthcare industries and has enterprise solutions in areas catering to other industries as well.

The opening of the Dubai branch is in line with the strategy to drive growth in emerging markets to build closer and deeper associations with customers in providing more customer-centric solutions.

Located in the center of town in Dubai, beside the tallest tower in the world - Burj Khalifa, the new office signals Sagitecs continued geographical expansion, commitment to the region, and its plans to further strengthen relationships with local partners and industry stakeholders including the government sector.

We are excited to bring our continuously evolving, framework solutions to this market," said Bala Venkat, Senior Partner, Sagitec. The Sagitec Framework is a part of the overall platform and our commitment to the platform is evident in the steady stream of investment and resources devoted to enhancing it. Sagitecs platform is second to none in the industry and is the catalyst that allows Sagitec to continuously deliver dynamic IT solutions for companies of all sizes.

Dubai plays an important role as a commercial hub for GCC member countries, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and is attracting the attention of businesses around the world. By establishing a branch in Dubai, Sagitec will be able to better respond to the increasing opportunities in growth areas such as Pension solutions, Unemployment Insurance administration, and Healthcare management.

Sagitec partners with clients to create innovative solutions that solve unique business problems and adapt to complex, frequently changing environments. Sagitec empowers its customers to provide best-in-class service to their members and convert their vision into action for them.

About Sagitec

Sagitec Solutions, LLC, designs and delivers tailor-made pension, provident fund, unemployment insurance, and healthcare and life sciences software solutions to clients of all sizes. Understanding that a dynamic world requires dynamic technology, Sagitec offers solutions that are highly configurable and extensible by nature. With deep industry experience in software implementation and systems integration, project management, knowledge management, predictive analytics and chatbots, cloud services, consulting, hosting and software support, Sagitec is a partner clients can trust to deliver mission-critical IT projects. With over 25 clients across the world, Sagitec was named Microsofts 2016 State and Local Solutions Partner of the Year, because of our software solutions and our Azure Government hosting capabilities. Sagitec was also recently honored to be named by CIO Review magazine as one of the 20 Most Promising Azure Solution Providers  2017. For more information, visit: http://www.sagitec.comStrike Social Since only one-third of companies make the list more than once, the fact that we're ranked so high the second time shows that we're retaining our clients and consistently delivering value with our suite of products built using data science and artificial intelligence.

Strike Social, a leading global digital advertising firm, ranks No. 165 on Inc. Magazines annual list of 500 fastest-growing private companies. With a revenue growth of 2,483.6 percent in the past 5 years, this is the second year in a row the company has achieved recognition on the Inc. 500.

Since 1982, the Inc. 500 recognizes Americas fastest-growing private companies. Strike Social is a past honoree for the Inc. 500, ranking No. 17 overall and No. 1 in all Illinois sectors last year. Of the tens of thousands of companies who apply, only one in three make the list twice.

Its an honor to be listed in the Inc. 500 for the second time, said Patrick McKenna, Strike Socials Chairman and Co-Founder. Since only one-third of companies make the list more than once, the fact that we're ranked so high the second time shows that we're retaining our clients and consistently delivering value with our suite of products built using data science and artificial intelligence.

Since its start in 2013, Strike Social has expanded into a global workforce in 16 major markets with headquarters in Chicago and offices in Krakow and Manila. The company manages thousands of social media campaigns every day for more than 500 major brands. Its team of media buyers, engineers and data scientists are able to accomplish round the clock paid media management and campaign success with the help of AI.

Strike Social continues to develop platforms and tools for media buyers and brands to achieve the best in social media advertising.

For more information about Strike Social, visit strikesocial.com.

About Strike Social

Strike Social built artificial intelligence to drive the best outcomes in social advertising. Strike Social's media-buying software and services are used by over 500 agencies and brands such as Beats, Xbox, Honda, Mattel, Lionsgate and Trunk Club to achieve better performance at a global scale. Strike Social is present in 16 major markets with centers of excellence in Chicago, Krakow and Manila. Strike Social was also named the No. 17 fastest-growing private company in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine. Learn more at strikesocial.com.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates the remarkable achievements of these companies. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

Inc. Methodology

The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2017. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2014 is $100,000; the minimum for 2017 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.Tethon Corporation (Tethon3D) announces the award of a grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to pursue the design and production of a ceramic/metal 3D printer. The project A Novel DLP 3D Printer Optimized for Ceramics and Metals begins immediately. This 3D printer will be the first commercially available desktop DLP printer designed specifically for ceramic and metal additive manufacturing.

This Academic R&D grant supports Tethon 3D in partnership with the University of Nebraska. Tethon 3D will collaborate with engineers Bai Cui, PhD and Prahalada Rao, PhD from the University of Nebraskas Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering. Dr. Cui is an expert in ceramic materials for additive manufacturing and Dr. Rao is an expert in 3D printing hardware.

While there are more than a dozen SLA and DLP 3D printers that work well and are compatible with our UV curable ceramic and metal materials, they are all designed for plastic polymers, says Tethon 3D CEO Karen Linder. By optimizing a DLP printer for ceramics and metals and formulating our materials specifically for this enhanced printer, the industry can produce stronger and higher resolution ceramic and metal 3D printed parts with the convenience and lower expenses of desktop DLP technology.

The Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering is excited for this opportunity to work with Tethon 3D on developing 3D printing technology, says Jeffrey E. Shield, Chair of the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering and Robert W. Brightfelt Professor of Engineering at the University of Nebraska. Profs. Rao and Cui have the complementary expertise to contribute to this project in a number of ways, and Tethon 3D is a recognized leader in developing outstanding technology. It will be a great opportunity for our faculty and students to interact with such an outstanding company.

The Academic Research and Development Program supports partnerships between Nebraska entrepreneurs and academic institutions, and continues to produce incredible results in terms of putting our companies on the leading-edge of innovation and enhancing their industry competitiveness, said Nebraska DED Director Dave Rippe. We congratulate Tethon 3D and the University of Nebraska on their new venture, and look forward to their success.

Tethon 3D will continue to provide solutions and support for its customers using various SLA, DLP and binder jetting hardware. The launch of this collaborative project creates a new hardware division for the Company. Our printer will create new opportunities for designers to develop complex ceramic and metal components and will enable higher volume manufacturing of 3D printed ceramics and metals. said Linder. We are passionate about creating new markets, fabricating designs that were previously impossible and disrupting existing manufacturing approaches.

About Tethon 3D

Tethon 3D is the world leader in ceramic materials for additive manufacturing. The company manufactures all its products in the United States and distributes globally. Tethon 3D manufactures resins and powders for SLA, DLP and powder binder jetting 3D printing. Additionally, the company provides service in custom powder and resin formulation.

Tethon 3D holds several patents and other intellectual property related to ceramic 3D printing materials, 3D printing processes and 3D printer hardware. For more information on Tethon 3D, visit http://www.tethon3d.com.

Except for statements of historical fact, all statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding future plans, objectives and payments are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties.

SOURCE Tethon Corporation Inc.

For further information: Karen Linder, President & CEO, Email: karen(at)tethon3d.comThe McClain Group, Madison & Company Properties We decided to offer the complimentary Client Care App as a way to help our clients and support our community. - Larina McClain

Realtors Larina McClain and Kelly VanHee, who comprise The McClain Group at Madison & Company Properties, recently launched an exclusive complimentary Client Care app for clients to access their preferred network of vendors. Clients can navigate to http://www.larinamcclain.com/resources or go to the app store and type in client care mcclain group to download the app for iPhone or Android.

We decided to offer the complimentary Client Care App as a way to help our clients and support our community, said Larina.

Over the years, the firm has compiled a comprehensive, in-house list of preferred vendors who provide home purchasing, home services, home repairs and personal services. We are very resourceful; not just in real estate transactions, but in helping people with every aspect of home ownership, because of the great relationships weve built with vendors and providers over the last 15 years, noted Kelly.

Added Larina, We already have a Client Care program, in which we have featured local vendors. People kept asking how they could find a full list of them, so we created the Client Care App.

Social Survey, an online review-sharing website, quoted Matt R. in a review posted in June 2018, as saying, Larina is the best! Her and her team are awesome to work with. Id highly recommend them to others and will definitely use them in the future. Jolene T. stated, Larina McClain was very knowledgeable and always willing to go above and beyond. She helped me purchase two houses and was very pleased with how well the closings went. I would recommend McClain Group to all my family and friends.

About The McClain Group, Madison & Company Properties

Larina McClain is the managing partner of Madisons Cherry Creek office and broker associate at Madison & Company Properties, one of Denvers highest grossing real estate firms. Along with her counterpart Kelly VanHee, they focus primarily on the luxury market of Denver. The McClain Group is a recipient of 5280s 5-Star award for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 based off of customer service and satisfaction, Platinum Excellence Award winner for 2016 and 2017 and top producers at Madison. For more information, please call (720) 275-9663, or visit http://www.mcclaingroup.co.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. The information and content in this article are not in conjunction with the views of the NALA. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.Mzungu1, Isla Dogs (detail), 2016, Allan DeSouza

The Mary and Carter Thacher Gallery at the University of San Francisco (USF) opens its 20th exhibition season with Allan deSouza: Through the Black Country on view from September 4-November 4, 2018. Opening events will take place on Tuesday, September 4, 3-6 p.m., featuring a conversation between artist Allan deSouza and Professor John Zarobell (3-4 p.m., Maraschi Room) followed by a reception in the Thacher Gallery. Additional programs available on the website.

Using maps, photographs, diary entries, and a recreated base camp, this inventive, layered work by artist Allan deSouza reenacts and upends iconic colonial narratives of discovery in Africa.

Through the Black Country, or, The Sources of the Thames Around the Great Shires of Lower England and Down the Severn River to the Atlantic Ocean recounts the expedition of Hafeed Sidi Mubarak Mumbai, a fictional explorer searching for the source of the River Thames. Mumbai is the imagined great grandson of historic figure Sidi Mubarak Bombay, a formerly enslaved African who, upon gaining his freedom in India, lead numerous British expeditions across Africa. Mumbais expedition begins in May 2016. His travels send him through the refugee camp known as The Jungle in Calais, France and continue into England during the Brexit vote. The exhibition was curated in collaboration with the artist by Allyson Purpura, senior curator and curator of Global African Art, Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois.

About Allan deSouza

Allan deSouza is a multi-media artist whose photography, installation, text and performance works restage historical evidence through counter-strategies of fiction, erasure, and (mis)translation. His work has been exhibited extensively in the U.S. and internationally, including SF Camerawork (US), Pompidou Centre (France) and the Gwangju Biennale (Korea). In addition to his art practice, deSouza is chair of the Department of Art Practice at the University of California, Berkeley. His writings have been published in various journals, anthologies, and catalogues. His book, How Art Can Be Thought, is available from Duke University Press in October 2018.

About the Thacher Gallery

Celebrating its 20th year, the Thacher Gallery is a public art gallery in the University of San Franciscos Gleeson Library where creativity, scholarship, and community converge. The gallery is free and open to the public daily 12-6pm. Located at 2130 Fulton Street. Phone: (415) 422-5178. Website: https://www.usfca.edu/thacher-gallery

About the University of San Francisco

The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the worlds most innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Franciscos first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a students passion for social justice and a desire to Change the World From Here. For more information, visit https://www.usfca.eduVirtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (the Company or Virtual Crypto) (OTCQB: VRCP), a developer of innovative software and hardware for the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies via point-of-sales systems, ATMs, tablets, PCs and mobile devices, today announced that it has signed an Exclusive Distribution Agreement with a third-party company Virtual Crypto SA Ltd. (the Distributor), to begin selling the Company's products in the Southern African Region (the Distribution Agreement).

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor has committed to acquire the Companys hardware and software solutions and to pay ongoing royalties and support fees in the six figure minimum multi-year agreement.

The Company recently completed development of its fourth crypto solution for the B2B and B2C marketplace and has pilot deployments and business deals in Israel, despite launching in January 2018. The Distribution Agreement is another step forward for Virtual Cryptos penetration of the global markets. Territories in the Distribution Agreement cover sixteen Southern African countries, including South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.

Alon Dayan, CEO of Virtual Crypto commented, Cryptocurrency is increasingly popular in the Southern African Region, which is a strong emerging market. Cryptocurrency provides investors and businesses with an opportunity to diversify their portfolio. In addition, Virtual Cryptos solutions offer businesses and consumers a secure payment alternative with real-time availability and broad accessibility.

Prior to Virtual Crypto launching in the Southern Africa Region, using cryptocurrency for day-to-day transactions has been burdensome and effectively impractical due to lack of appropriate and accessible technologies available within developing countries. The principal barrier Virtual Crypto overcomes is the typical delay in completing cryptocurrency transactions. Virtual Cryptos proprietary technology works through those challenges, offering seamless transactions and high-level secure consumer experience by scanning multiple exchanges within seconds.

Dayan explained, We felt that by creating a solution that was both platform and cryptocurrency agnostic, the masses can employ the advantages of utilizing cryptocurrency for all of their needs. While weve already demonstrated success in our solutions in other markets, we believe the advantages will be even greater in locations, such as the developing countries within Southern Africa, where local economies experience volatility.

While many companies within the crypto industry do not trade on traditional exchanges, Virtual Crypto is quoted on the OTCQB as opposed to less regulated alternatives. Trading on the OTCQB is consistent with Virtual Cryptos objective of being a stable business in an exciting industry, offering growth potential, while built for the long run. By being immersed in the crypto field, Virtual Crypto is able to leverage significant momentum and success, as the Distribution Agreement suggests, yet allows for a continued positive trajectory.

The Distribution Agreement was signed earlier than anticipated. Dayan continued, We have no interest in pursuing quick wins that do not benefit our customers and our shareholders. We believe that our technology and solutions offer real value and sustainable success for years to come. This agreement, and the timing of this deal, further validates our teams shared vision. We look forward to announcing additional news as our technology and our business pipeline advance as we expand - extending to other emerging markets and fully developed economic regions around the globe.

For more information about the Company, please send an email to info@virtual-crypto.com.

About Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc.

Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) (Virtual Crypto) is a technology company dedicated to making cryptocurrency accessible to the public on a global basis. Virtual Crypto specifically develops payment solutions for businesses and consumers, which combine Application Programming Interfaces and Mobile Applications for implementation via ATMs, PCs, tablets and other mobile devices.

The companys proprietary algorithmic technology trading platform and NetoBit product line, instantaneously confirms the purchase or sale of cryptocurrency, as opposed to industry transaction processing norms, which can take 10 minutes up to 24 hours. All trades and exchanges are insured up to $3,000 per trade.

Virtual Cryptos NetoBit ATM and retail point-of-sale, NetoBit Pay, incorporate advanced technologies tailored to the needs of primary market players, users, investors, and business owners. Virtual Cryptos platform bridges the three main functions of the cryptocurrency sector  exchanges, wallets and payments  to the world of fiat exchanges, granting access to immediate cash exchanges between consumers and businesses worldwide.

For more information, please email info@virtual-crypto.com

About Virtual Crypto SA Ltd.

Virtual Crypto SA Ltd. is dedicated to providing cryptocurrencies payment and crypto-fiat trade solutions to the Southern Africa through secure, insured and friendly to use products. The company distributes cryptocurrency products to Southern Africa's main street.

Serial Entrepreneur, Avigdor Ashtar, started the initiative of providing access to cryptocurrency payments after being approached by businesses interested in financial services that lower operational costs, while safeguarding business income flow. Recognizing that blockchain technology, and specifically cryptocurrency, provides the solution to local businesses with those needs, Mr. Ashtar, was introduced to Virtual Cryptos solutions and initiated a proposal to distribute BTMs, POS, Mobile app & software to local Southern African markets. Under the license from Virtual Crypto, the company Virtual Crypto SA was established, dedicated to providing businesses with access to cryptocurrency products.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as may, might, will, will likely result, should, estimate, plan, project, forecast, intend, expect, anticipate, believe, seek, continue, target or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including, but not limited to, those described in the Companys 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on April 17, 2018, and the other risks and factors set forth in the Companys filings and submissions with the SEC. In addition, the Company operates in a relatively new industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements, except as may be required by law.

Contact:

Alon Dayan, CEO Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc.

Tel: +972 54-487-7959

contact@virtual-crypto.comMembers of Vizor Software with representatives of the General Tax Administration, Angola. Angola is Vizors first project with an African AEOI jurisdiction.

Today, Vizor Software announced the contract award by the General Tax Administration, Ministry of Finance, Government of Angola (AGT) for the Vizor AEOI solution to effectively implement the countrys FATCA obligations.

The Vizor solution will be used to gather FATCA returns from financial institutions (FIs) and facilitate the production of an extract for transmission to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The most notable feature of the solution is an online portal easily accessible by Angolan FIs to register and report the required account data.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires Tax Authorities in countries with a signed Model 1 Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the US, to report information to the IRS.

Signed in Luanda, Angola on November 30th, 2015, the US-Angola IGA sees FATCA requirements brought into domestic law, under the jurisdiction of the AGT, Ministry of Finance. Angolan Financial Institutions are thus required to undertake certain due diligence and verification procedures to identify accounts held by US persons and report information on these accounts to the AGT who will, in turn, report the information to the IRS.

Feature Highlights of the Vizor AEOI solution:



Financial Institution self-registration and account creation.

Extensive validation of FATCA data, including validation against XML schema, validation against account information, GIIN validation, and many additional business rules such as those specified in the FATCA XML version 2.0 User Guide published by the IRS.

Configuration options for running in fully automated mode; little or no manual interaction with the system is required by the Tax Authority.

Management reports for monitoring, tracking and reviewing information within the system.

Support for the FATCA data schema as it changes over time.

Automated exchange of information with the IRS.

To learn more about Vizor AEOI and how this out-of-the-box solution can simplify FATCA, CRS and BEPS information exchange for Tax Authorities, please visit the Vizor website

For more information on the Ministry of Finance, Government of Angola visit: http://www.agt.minfin.gov.ao

About Vizor

Vizor Software is the global leader in cross-border information exchange solutions for Tax Authorities with over 14 jurisdictions having already implemented our solution to facilitate either CRS and FATCA exchanges or both. With our expertise in AEOI standards, we ensure Tax Authorities can meet all their international commitments for CRS, FATCA and information sharing requirements under the BEPS package. Our proven software platform can be implemented in as little as five weeks and is continuously upgraded to ensure compliance with any future changes to the standards. The extensive validation of all submitted data greatly reduces the administrative burden and risk for the Competent Authority. You can learn more at vizorsoftware.com or by following Vizor on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.We expect this collaboration to emphasize the power of communications by giving rural telcos a platform to tell their stories.

On Jan. 1, 2019, WordSouth will launch the Regional Telco Magazines third region, shining a spotlight on rural broadband success stories in the Southwest.

The expansion comes as a growing number of rural telecommunications companies recognize the magazine as the preeminent tool within the industry for informing, educating and engaging their members and customers.

WordSouth has produced award-winning custom publications for telcos and electric providers for more than 20 years. The Regional Telco Magazine launched in 2013 with 10 magazines and a circulation of about 100,000. It now publishes editions for 19 companies in seven states with a circulation of 275,000. Through the project, telcos educate customers about their services, inform customers about news in the telecommunications industry, and engage their communities.

In 2017, the RTM launched its second region, which marked the RTMs entry into the North Central Region as identified by NTCAThe Rural Broadband Association. The forthcoming Southwestern magazine, which will also mirror the NTCA regions, encompasses Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico and Arizona.

The initial publishing partners in the region will be Peoples Telephone Cooperative in Quitman, Texas, and Hill Country Telephone in Ingram, Texas. WordSouth has produced a magazine for Peoples since 2014 and launched a magazine for Hill Country in 2017.

Peoples Telephone and Hill Country are ideal partners for us to collaborate with, says WordSouth Director of Marketing and Business Development Andy Johns. We expect this collaboration to emphasize the power of communications by giving rural telcos a platform to tell their stories.

More information can be found here: wordsouth.com/magazine/

####

About WordSouth:

WordSouth is a content marketing company that works with electric utilities and telecommunications companies that serve rural and small-town America. WordSouth is comprised of a team of professionals with many years of communications experience. As a creative services firm, WordSouth works to earn trust from their clients as a true communications partner and help clients tell their stories.If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move.The US Mission made this known in a statement released on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, via its website.

Until further notice, all consular appointments at the in Abuja have temporarily ceased for both visa and for American Citizen Services.

Scheduled visa and ACS applicants for Abuja will be contacted for rescheduling.

American citizens in northern Nigeria with emergency services needs should continue to contact the after-hours emergency number for Abuja at 09461-4000 and press 0 to go to the operator to request assistance.

The Consulate advised American citizens in northern Nigeria with urgent travel needs before Tuesday to re-schedule their travel through Lagos.The wife of Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was arrested by Nairobi City County government officers for erecting a storey building without the requisite approvals.

The other suspects include owners of Jamii Bora building on Koinange Street in the capital's central business district and Delta Hotel.

They were taken to cells at City Hall where they spent some hours before Governor Mike Sonko, a close ally of Mr Waititu, intervened and ordered her release.

She was released after posting a Sh80, 000 cash bail.

Aisha Jumwa

The vocal Member of Parliament for Malindi knows too well how a police cell looks and feels like.

IN June 2016, Hon. Aisha Jumwa was arrested and spent four days in police custody over hate speech incitement remarks.

At the Muthaiga police station, she lamented after being released, saying.

Though there was water and we could clean ourselves, no human being should be subjected to such treatment. The situation was inhumane and is not even fit for criminals. We were not allowed to change our clothes. Imagine a woman staying in the same clothes for four days. Visits by relatives and friends were denied,"

She promised to go back to Muthaiga police station.

"Most of our relatives came but they were not allowed to see us. Only my son and CORD co-principals were allowed to see us once. I will go back to Muthaiga and pay for the refurbishment of the floor of the cell where I spent three days, so that the next guests can stay in a dignified place,

Florence Mutua

Busia Woman Representative, Florence Mutua spent four days in police custody together with her Kilifi counterpart then, Aisha Jumwa in 2016 for hate speech charges.

It was a nightmare and inhumane. We were rushed to court under unclear allegations. That was the beginning of four agonising days in the cells. We arrived at the Muthaiga Police Station at 9pm. It was dark and scary. We did not know where we were being taken our cell was next to mens cell which was packed with many petty offenders like touts and drunkards. In as much as the station has kept some hygiene standard, it needs a coat of paint and the toilets need thorough cleaning, she said upon her release.

Margaret wanjiru

On April 2017, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru was arrested after she allegedly stormed the City Park polling station and destroyed ballot papers.

The former Starehe MP was charged with causing malicious damage to property and creating disturbance before a Nairobi Magistrate Court and as a result, spent five days behind bars.Speaking at the event, the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Ghana, Noel Kojo-Ganson, said, the service was in consonance of MTNs digital inclusion agenda and commitment to rewarding customers.

We are here today, for the launch of MTN Shortz and the MTN Shortz Challenge. MTN Shortz platform is also expected to be revenue generating source for content developers, he said.

"To boost content injection on the MTN Shortz platform and create the opportunity for content developers to monetize their creation, MTN is inviting content creators, animators, game developers, newspaper houses, movie producers, TV stations, radio stations, bloggers, and social media experts to submit very innovative contents on MTN Shortz platform to participate in the MTN Shortz Challenge." he added.

READ MORE: Top 10 Ghanaian songs of April 2018

The challenge requires content creators to register at mtn.com.gh/shortz and afterwards choose whichever category their content falls under and submit their content.

Kojo-Ganson disclosed that MTN had dedicated a total of GHC 50,000 in cash prizes towards rewarding content that promotes African culture and values, while also educating and informing the audience with essential life knowledge.

Kojo-Ganson said, we have enlisted the services of seasoned individuals who would help us reward the best out of the lot and at the end of the competition, which is the 5th of September 2018, a grand event would be held and the overall best content from all five categories wins the grandest cash prizes.Tatiana Degirmendzhy from Russia reportedly launched the attack on the deceased only identified as Yulia, while she was asleep in their home in Chaykovsky.

It would have been expected of any reasonable person to be remorseful about such a heinous crime, but surprisingly, Tatiana said: If I had had seven daughters like her [Yulia], I would have killed them all.

READ MORE: Kenyan man charged with sodomising his mother

Regarding events that preceded the barbaric murder of Yulia, a police spokesperson is quoted as saying both the deceased and her suspected criminal mother were not on good terms.

The investigation found that during the last three months the suspect and the victim had been constantly in domestic conflicts, the officer said.The Kiambu county female representative, Gathoni Wamuchomba went public with claims that the report of an investigation aimed at ascertaining how a quantity of sugar imported into the East African country contained mercury was prematurely thrown out of the house.

The investigation was to unravel the truth or otherwise behind the public health security threat the development posed to innocent citizens, but Gathoni Wamuchomba said her colleagues were compromised and indeed threw out the investigative report.

She is quoted as saying: It is not propaganda. The MPs received the money in toilets in Parliament. I was in Parliament when the money was being dished out and I saw where the MPs were collecting it from. And I am saying this because of the energies I saw, the movements I saw and the talking I heard.

She clarified that she did not receive the bribes, saying: They were telling us that the money is not our mothers and that we were being too arrogant.

Gathonis allegations follow an earlier claim by Naivasha legislator, Jayne Kihara that the peoples representatives had sold their consciences and kicked against the damning report.

Meanwhile, some other lawmakers are reported to have petitioned the speaker of parliament to order a reintroduction of the said report for a better scrutiny.The woman identified only as Ezinne is said to be notorious for maltreating maidservants and the current maid has been suffering the same fate.

However, unable to bear the sight of another inhumane treatment being meted out to the little girl, the residents reportedly came together to shame the pastors wife by arresting, parading her amidst booing, and finally handing her over to the police.

Photos of the little girl making the rounds online show that she had been malnourished and physically assaulted.It is reported that Harriet Nassali had threatened several times to kill Siraje Kavuma whenever they had arguments, and truly, she accomplished her long desired mission over the weekend at Lwesubo Buwambo village.

Sources are reported as saying the deceased had given 27 million Ugandan Shillings to the suspect to buy a plot of land, but she utilised the money for a different purpose.

Kampala Metropolitan Area police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire is quoted as having said: They had an argument over a piece of land prompting Nassali to pick a machete and cut Kavumas head, killing him instantly.The institute cited happenings on the international oil and fuel markets, coupled with persistent depreciation of the local currency has set the stage for a potential fuel price hikes in the country.

"Ghanaians have enjoyed relative stability in prices of fuel at the pumps.

"Consequently, Gasoline and Gasoil continue to be sold averagely at GH4.85 and GH4.83 respectively. Over the period, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have continuously complained of depressed margins," it said in a statement.

READ MORE: OMCs confirm increase in fuel prices

Read the full statement by the Institute for Energy Security:

Local Fuel Market Performance

Over the past three Pricing-windows, Ghanaians have enjoyed relative stability in prices of fuel at the pumps. Consequently, Gasoline and Gasoil continue to be sold averagely at GH4.85 and GH4.83 respectively. Over the period, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have continuously complained of depressed margins. As we do every window, IES Market scan still shows the lowest priced fuel at the pump relative to other OMCs can be sourced from Lucky Oil, Zen Petroleum, Alinco Oil, Frimps Oil, Benab Oil, and Pacific Oil.

World Oil Market Prices

Despite the United States full enforcement of sanctions against Iran which seek to get Iran oil exports to zero, and Saudi Arabias cutting of oil production by some 200,000bpd to forestall falling prices, Brent crude spot price on the international has fallen slightly from the previous trading price of $74 per barrel to a current price of $72.81 per barrel. But on average terms, Brent crude is currently selling at $73.43 per barrel compared to $73.62 per barrel for the previous Pricing-window. Prices of finished products on the international market based on Standard and Poors Platts assessment, however recorded increments for both Gasoil and Gasoline. Gasoil and Gasoline prices recorded upward surges of 1.28% and 3.04% respectively. In trading price terms, Gasoline inched upwards from its previous $713.86 per metric tonne to $735.55, while Gasoil moved from $643.89 per metric tonne to $652.11 per metric tonne.

Local Forex and Fuel Stock

An analysis of the trading currencys relationship with the Cedi shows the local currency depreciated by 0.62% against the U.S. Dollar, from GH4.80 to GH4.83 according to IES Economic Desk. Across the various terminals in the country, 8000mt of Butane, 60200mt of Gasoil, 37000mt of Gasoline, and 9700mt of Jet fuel were discharged to add on to the countrys stock of fuel; as supplied by Glencore, Sahara, Vitol, BP, and Trafigura to various Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs).

PROJECTIONS FOR AUGUST 2018 SECOND PRICING-WINDOWThe two banks have agreed to consolidate their operations into one entity in order to meet the Bank of Ghanas new minimum capital demand of GH400 million by December this year.

Sahel Sahara bank earlier entered into a merger deal with the GN and Premium banks, but has now opted out to rather merge with Omni Bank.

The Graphic Online reports that the Central Bank has already approved the consolidation of the two banks, with a formal announcement expected later this month.

When successfully consummated, the deal could create a larger bank with almost 1,000 employees on its payroll and 46 branches, servicing customers in seven regions nationwide.

The total assets of the new bank are also expected to be in excess of GH1.3 billion, while stated capital would be around GH213 million.

However, the amount would still be way below the Bank of Ghanas new minimum capital of GH400 million.

Meanwhile, a retired Deputy Governor of the BoG, Emmanuel Asiedu-Mante, believes it is not right to approve the merger of the two banks when they cannot meet the minimum capital.

Why will two banks merge and still not meet the minimum capital?

If they cannot meet, then they must as well go their separate ways because the idea is to make a stronger bank out of the two. But if you are going to merge and still not meet some key requirements, then there is absolutely no justification for a merger, Mr. Asiedu-Mante is quoted as saying by the Graphic Online.The deal raised questions about the propriety of the contract.

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will continue to debate the controversial power plant, AMERI deal.

The NPP in 2015 alleged that former President John Mahama and his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, have a hand in the murky $510 million dollar AMERI Power deal believed to have been inflated.

The party cited ten reasons why there must be an "immediate, open, public, bipartisan and parliamentary enquiry into the $593 million agreement."

Despite the protest against the re-negotiation of the AMERI deal by the government, the NPP government has approved the new deal pending parliamentary approval but it has made a U-turn with the renegotiated deal.

AMERI, since the contract was signed in 2015, has fulfilled its obligations and operated strictly within the terms of the contract, however, it is rather the government of Ghana that has violated the terms of the contract by denying full payment to Ameri for the past months.

Here are things to know about the AMERI power deal:

1. The agreement is in the form of Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) valid for 5 years.

2. Ghana will provide gas to run the turbines and the Volta River Authority will pay for the cost.

3. The AMERI deal, which involved the installation of 10 General Electric TM 2500 aero-derivative 10 gas turbines at the cost of over $510 million at the Aboadze Power enclave, near Takoradi in the Western Region.

4. The levelised tariff for AMERI is the lowest (USc11.46kWh) compared to the tariffs for seven (7) comparable plants.This is according to the Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC), Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah.

She warned that Ghana could be headed for hardship if necessary measures are not instituted to curb the increasing population growth.

Speaking at a forum organised by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) to discuss Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), Dr. Appiah said the country must begin to manage the growing population in relation to its resources.

According to her, the population of every country has direct consequences on every policy of the said country.

She explained that, for there to be improved standards of living, Ghana must take critical steps to curb its growing population.

Also speaking at the forum was the Executive Director of PPAG, Abena Acheampong, who described the uncontrolled growth of Ghanas population as worrisome.

According to her, a huge population does not guarantee quality life, and urged those advocating for population growth to rethink their positions.

People are moving from one place to another because the conditions there is not good. And then they come in here and it is no better, she said.

Mrs. Acheampong added that Ghana needs to start investing in the quality of life rather than expanding.

Meanwhile, the National Population Council has previously proposed that childbirth should be restricted to just three (3) to ensure quality in human resource of the country.

This proposal was, however, met by strong opposition from the majority of Ghanaians who disagreed with the position of the Population Council.On Monday, August 13, a group, said to be affiliated to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the 'Kandahar Boys' attacked the hospital, accused Dr Kolbilla of adopting a habit of issuing threats to staff.

The vigilante group accused the CEO of being incompetent and misused hospital funds.

READ MORE: NPP communicator suspended over Kandahar attacks

They alleged that they were instrumental in his appointment as the CEO but has ignored them.

Staff of the facility have threatened to lay down their tools over the recent attack.

Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Dr Ken Osei Mensah said staff of the health post are unhappy at the development and want swift action taken against the youth.

READ ALSO: Kandahar Boys of NPP chase out CEO of Tamale Hospital

"Staff of the hospital are agitating and have threatened to lay down their tools, but the CEO intervened and asked them to rescind their decision because of the effect it will have on patient," he said.

Speaking to the decision by the nurses to strike on Accra-based Class FM, Dr Justice Yankson said "GMA has been duly notified and were abreast with that decision and I must say the GMA fully endorses that decision taken by our colleagues in Tamale.

"It is their security and if you work under unsafe conditions, our labour act even dictates that you need to walk out of danger, so, under these circumstances that they are under attack and feel unsafe based on the barbaric act of people who just because of politics will want to do what they are doing, then the GMA will not countenance such activity from anybody.The move was geared towards limiting illegal mining operations, popularly known as galamsey, which were polluting water bodies and destroying lands across the country.

However, government has now announced that a Road Map for the lifting of the ban on small-scale mining will be out on Thursday.

A statement signed by the Deputy Information Minister, Nana Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, said the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining has completed the roadmap.

According to her, the committee, led by Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, will outdoor the roadmap towards the lifting of the ban on Thursday.

This will bring an end to the one-year ban on small scale mining, whiles also regulating the activities of Small Scale Miners and guiding their operations in the country.Doctors, laboratory scientists, nurses and midwives of the hospital have all refused to render their services due to the recent attack by Kandahar Boys on the Chief Executive Officer.

The youth, who attacked the hospital, accused the CEO of adopting a habit of issuing threats to staff, engaging in procurement breaches and neglecting the purchase of key hospital consumables such as examination gloves, needles and syringes, among others.

They accused the CEO of adopting a habit of issuing threats to staff, engaging in procurement breaches and neglecting the purchase of key hospital consumables such as examination gloves, needles and syringes, among others.

But the nurses and midwives, in a press statement on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, said: We are by this release registering our utmost disgust in respect of the recent happenings at the Tamale Teaching Hospital regarding the invasion, manhandling and locking of the office of the CEO of the hospital.

We are particularly worried that this is not the first time such a thing is happening in TTH. Past CEOs like Dr Nsia Asare, Dr Tapang, Dr Kenneth Sagoe, Dr Prosper Akanbong and now Dr David Kolbilla, have all suffered this violent act from lawless groups of people within Tamale without any repercussions."We, as nurses and midwives of the hospital, condemn these acts of lawlessness that have bedevilled the institution over the past years. Many nurses, midwives and other staff, have faced brutalities over the years at the hospital at the hands of these lawless groups".He said if government brings such a policy, his church will back it fully.

We want the country to develop and your Excellency for Assemblies of God all our pastors pay tax on our income. Our pastors that are engaged in businesses like schools, hospitals, transport and everything we pay our tax, so there is nothing new that is coming, we are not scared, he said.

Reverend Manso said this at the churchs 29Biennial General Assembly meeting in Kumasi.

Speaking at the 2018 Synod of the Global Evangelical Church in Accra, Akufo-Addo said the path of modern Christianity appears to justify calls for the Church to be taxed.

He said the Church, which was known for its charity and projects in education, health, and other social interventions is shifting into the sphere of prosperity.The President has been touring the stronghold of his party (New Patriotic Party) to touch base with the grassroots supporters of the NPP and commission some projects as well.

However, the recent one to the Ashanti Region was deemed as very crucial owing to the significance of the region to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.

Though most of Nana Addo's activities in the region dominated the news, we took a look at what really transpired in Oseikrom.

Akufo-Addo joined Otumfuo Osei Tutu and Asanteman for their annual Akwasidae celebrations. He touched on the state of the bad roads in the region.

I was left with a bankrupt economy, but with hard work and discipline, we have been able to find money. So, this year, GH500 million has been devoted to the roads in Ashanti. This comprehensive plan for roads, i.e. the Kumasi Roads Facelift Project, has already been approved by Cabinet, and will result in the facelift of Kumasi roads, as well as the development of roads in Ashanti.

The NPP government has been under criticism since it assumed power for neglecting development in the Ashanti Region, its stronghold.

However, Nana Addo said: "Kumasi is going to be at the heart, and will be a central hub of the whole railway infrastructure of our country. This will ensure easy access from Kumasi to Nyinahini, and to all the key natural resource areas in Asanteman.

The much touted "One District, One Factory" also took off with immediate effect in the Ashanti Region with the commissioning of the Spring and Bolts Limited.

The company, which is engaged in the manufacture of U-bolts, leaf springs, trailer suspension parts, bolts and nuts, can import machinery and equipment duty-free, will, amongst others, not pay duty on raw materials imported for production, and will enjoy a tax holiday for five years.

As a show of support to this initiative, some local banks have pledged about GH2.5 billion, whilst some leading financial institutions from the UK, US and China have pledged over $700 million in credit lines to be accessed by Business Promoters. The Ministry of Trade and Industry is facilitating the engagement and negotiations between Business Promoters and these financial institutions, the President said.

Akufo-Addo, also reiterated the commitment of his government to ensuring that the double-track school calendar, which will be implemented in September 2018 for some Senior High Schools in the country, is a success.

We are going to make sure it is a success. So, I am pleading with you, please ignore the Pharisees who are singing the impossible tune, and stick with me. It will be a success", he said.

With the Ashanti Region being one of the forest belts of the country, employment in afforestation is a big deal to indigenes there.

Nana Addo said his government has employed some twenty thousand (20,000) young men and women across the country to help manage the countrys forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

That is why, today, we are deploying an army of twenty thousand young men and women who are going to help restore our degraded forests. The Programme, which has an initial two-year life span, will be extended based on satisfactory results, he said.

It is my hope that, in the next ten years, God willing, Ghana will be green again, as all trees, which are being planted today, will be nurtured to grow and increase the forest cover, and help us also to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, he added.

Akufo-Addo ended the tour on a thanksgiving note. He called for the Church and Government to collaborate in the collective agenda of uplifting the moral, political, spiritual and economic life of the Ghanaian people, and, thereby, help accelerate the pace of development in the country.Alhaji Alhassan, is suspended by the Northern Regional Communication Directorate of the NPP for directly involved in the Tamale Teaching Hospital raid on Monday, where they chased Dr Daniel Kolbilla, out of his office.

The party in a statement said Alhaji Alhassan's behaviour has brought the name of the party into disrepute and has, therefore, referred him to the Disciplinary Committee of the communication team for further investigation.

READ MORE: Nana Addo condemns unlawful seizure by NPP supporters

On Monday, August 13, the vigilante group accused the CEO of being incompetent and misused hospital funds.

They alleged that they were instrumental in his appointment as the CEO but has ignored them.

Dr. Kolbila took over as CEO of the Hospital on June 19, 2017, from Dr Prosper Akanbong who was also chased out from office by the vigilante group.

However, staff of the facility have threatened to lay down their tools over the recent attack.

Dr Ken Osei Mensah, Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, said staff of the health post are unhappy at the development and want swift action taken against the youth.

READ ALSO: Kandahar Boys of NPP chase out CEO of Tamale HospitalInternational vessels, local dhows and the local community have been warned of grave danger lurking in Lamus deep waters ready to strike.

Kenya Maritime Authority has issued a warning to the public to be on the watch out for a floating pontoon which detached from Mtangawanda Jetty in Lamu East five days ago and is yet to be recovered.

The KMA wishes to bring to the attention of Lamu archipelago water transport service providers and users, the fishing community and the public that the Mtangawanda Jetty pontoon which detached from its piles in the evening of August 10 has not yet been located. The search is still on. We, therefore, request all to notify our offices of its location when it is sighted. We further continue to urge all vessels operating in the area and along the coastal waters to be wary of the danger to safe navigation posed by the pontoon. We look forward to your continued cooperation, said KMA Director-General George Macgoye.

Until recovered, the detached pontoon poses grave danger to vessels and local dhows as it can easily damage them causing them to sink and with it valuable goods and worse loss of lives.

The authority has roped in the assistance of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor contractors tug boat, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Maritime Police, and Rural Border Patrol Unit in the search for the detached pontoon.

With assistance from the Lamu port contractor's tug boat, KPA, the Maritime Police and Rural Border Patrol Unit the search for the pontoon is in progress. We shall advise further on the success of the search efforts and subsequent retrieval of the pontoon,

It is the first time a pontoon has detached itself from a jetty in Lamu where 99 per cent of movement and transport by Lamu residents is done at sea.

However, even as the search continues, Lamu sailors, fishermen and the public have accused the government of laxity in renovating the Mtangawanda Jetty which has been neglected for years.

I am trying to imagine if these jetties were in some other part of Kenya, the government would have ensured they are up to date but because this is Lamu, a county that has never really mattered, we have to reach a point where a pontoon not only detaches but also disappears at sea, said Khaldun Vae,an elder from Kizingitini,Lamu East.

The locals claim the situation is proof enough that the government continues to marginalise the region in terms of infrastructural development.

I dont think its right for the government to leave our jetty in such a condition. It is posing danger to users. We are sad that a pontoon is left until it detaches from a jetty that serves hundreds of locals daily. We need urgent intervention on this, Mr. Vae added.

Also read: 11 interesting places to visit in Lamu Archipelago that will blow you away

As a result, boat operators and travellers in Mtangawanda have been forced to shut down a section of the jetty hampering their businesses.

Last month the government announced it would be pumping Sh130 million ($13 billion) for the renovation and restoration of four key jetties in the county which are currently structurally unsound.East Africas biggest port recorded an additional increase in revenue of Sh20 billion in just one month alone.

Before major changes were initiated at the port of Mombasa to ensure efficiency which included the suspension of Kenya Ports Authority's first female managing director, Ms. Catherine Mturi Wairi and appointment of Daniel Manduku as the acting managing director, the port netted about Sh30 billion monthly in revenue.

In June however, the port recorded a total of Sh50 billion in revenue sourced from cargo clearance.

In July alone, the total revenue generated from cargo clearance at the port was Sh50 billion, up from Sh30 billion. On average, KPAs monthly revenue stands at Sh30 billion, said Dr. Manduku.

In its port performance programmes released last week during a stakeholders round-table and cocktail on Vision 2030 at English Point Marina in Mombasa, delivery board chairman James Mwangi said the facility had recorded tremendous growth in container traffic and cargo volumes.

In 2012, the port handled 900,000 TEUs and by the end of 2017 it had handled 1.2 million TEUs, an increase of about 32 per cent. Cargo volume in deadweight tonnes also increased from 21 million in 2012 to 30 million in the same period, said Dr Mwangi.

In a bid to improved cargo clearance which was threatening to grind operations at the East Africas biggest port, and which is thought to be one of the reasons which informed the decisions to suspend Ms. Wairi, KPA management unveiled a smart gate at Nairobi inland deport located at Embakasi that cuts cargo truck time from 15minutes to 30seconds.

This development is in line with a raft measures being implemented by the Authority and our 2018-2022 strategic plan to enhance port efficiency and reduce pilferage of containers...., Dr. Manduku said at the time.

Meanwhile, KPA has set itself an ambitious target of handling 800,000 more Twenty Foot Equipment units (TEUs) from the current 1.2 million TEUs it handled last year.

The increase in volume of cargo at port will result in a rise in revenue from Sh50 billion netted in last month to about Sh100 billion monthly.

In 2017, the port handled 30 million deadweight tones of cargo, up from 21 million in 2012.

Dr. Manduku is however upbeat that the volume will hit 45 million tones in the next four years to achieve the Sh100 billion revenue.

Some of the huge infrastructural projects KPA is undertaking include the ongoing construction of Lamu port, with Shimoni and Kisumu ports on the awaiting list.Patience Oniha, the Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), made this known at a media briefing session in Abuja, on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.

She said the rise in total debt stock was recorded after the government issued a $2.5 billion Eurobond in February 2018.

Further analysis by DMO:

- The nation's debt stock decreased by 1.44% from N22.7 trillion recorded in March 2018 to N22.38 trillion in June 2018. the Debt office read.

- The decrease largely due to a 3.38% decline in Nigeria's domestic debt stock between March and June 2018.

- Marginal increases of 0.07% in the external debt stock and 2.75% in the domestic debt of states.

A major highlight in the public debt figure revealed that there was the consistent decrease in the government's domestic borrowing from N12.589 trillion in December 2017 to N12.577 trillion in March 2017 and N12.151 Trillion in June 2018.

The debt management office noted that the debt figures showed that the implementation of the debt management strategy whose overall objective is to ensure that Nigerias debt is sustainable, is already yielding positive results.

Nigeria government to take more external loans

The Nigerian government is planning to obtain more external debt to execute some of the projects in the 2018 Appropriation Act.

Zainab Ahmed, the country's Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, said the external debt is important to cushion the effect of the huge deficit in the 2018 budget.

The borrowing is one component of the funding, which is the major one for now and if we are not able to realise the two borrowing as projected in the budget, it will affect the performance of the budget, she told Dailytrust newspaper.

In April, Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria's finance minister, said the country's public debt level is under control and sustainable.

She said the government will keep monitoring and analysing its debt levels at every stage so that they dont fall into the trap that most African States had fallen into.Two Kenyan Counties are locked in a fierce fight over a town named after a British national and is the burial site of a saint.

Situated along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway, Mackinnon Road town is administratively in Kwale but both Kwale and Taita Taveta counties are claiming its ownership.

Taita Taveta leaders have claimed that the town was illegally transferred to Kwale in the late 1960s and during last years campaigns many Taita Taveta leaders pledged to liberate Mackinnon Road from occupation, but Kwale leaders have vowed to stay put and not give up the town.

Last week on Friday, Taita Taveta Governor, Granton Samboja stormed Mbele Primary School in the area which Kwale County had issued the titled to, sparking the latest spat and tension between the two counties.

We have learnt with great shock and disbelief about the Taita Taveta County leaderships attempt to invade Mackinnon Road town and ward in Kwale County. This is a violation of Kwale residents rights and freedoms, Kwale Communications Director Daniel Nyassy said.

Junior officers from Kwale watched as Samboja rolled into the dusty town in a large convoy, accompanied by most leaders from Taita Taveta. Only two policemen were at hand as a crowd cheered the governor and his entourage.

There is no way the town can be taken away as we watch. The town is in the county and we will do everything possible to reclaim it, vowed Samboja amid cheers.

The governor followed through his threat and this week deployed revenue collectors to Mackinnon Road town further heightening the row.

Most of the residents in Mackinnon Road town came from Taita and Duruma tribe.

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya on his hand has dismissed the threat by his Taita Taveta counterpart, to invade and occupy the town this week and take over revenue collection from Kwale.

We have learnt, with great shock and disbelief, about the Taita Taveta County leaderships attempt to invade Mackinnon Road and ward in Kwale County, declaring it part of Taita Taveta County. This is a violation of Kwale residents rights and freedoms, said a statement by Mr. Mvuryas spokesman, Daniel Nyassy, yesterday.

So while the two counties are busy fighting over the ownership of the town, lets go on a discovery journey about how the town came to be and more importantly earned its name, - hopefully by the time we are done they would have resolved their dispute.

While at this dusty town, you will see an entry for Mackinnon-Sclater Road.

This is a piece of an old 1,000km oxcart road from Mombasa to Busia on the border with Uganda which was started in 1890 by the Imperial British East Africa Company IBEAC.

The part of it called Mackinnon Road, up to Kibwezi, was built by an Australian called George Wilson, and it was named after Sir William Mackinnon, the founder of IBEAC.

And that is how the town came to be and earned its name.

Mackinnon Road train station is also found within the town, lies along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway near Mariakani town, the most outstanding landmark here is however, the Mackinnon Road Mosque.

The mosque was built in honor and as a result of the tomb of Seyyid Baghali, who was a foreman at the time of building the railway fabled for his tremendous strength and according to many, charmed lifestyle.

Legend has it that Baghali was a saint whose family tree traced back to the Holy Prophet, a fact that he tried to conceal from the public to no avail. For when he got tired of carrying stones, his laden karai (vessel) would float above his head to the consternation of many.

However, conflicting accounts record that Baghali was a man endowed with tremendous strength and would balance several Karais on his head, a feat that was hitherto unseen before.

After he died he was buried in the town but by 1940s, when the grave was still covered in bushes, travellers would stop there and ask for boons and generally attribute their safety during their journey to the holy man buried at the tomb.

The news spread, a legend started and a reputation of the place grew.

Baghali is also said to have been able to understand and speak the language of animals, on one occasion, when the working party was around the area of Mackinnon, a huge python appeared and it was ready to strike at anyone who dared to approach it.

Some of the labourers and one of the Englishmen got ready with their lathis (sticks) and gun to shoot it but Baghali begged them not to harm the python.

He then faced the snake and pleaded with it to leave, the snake stood for a while, poised to attack, but shortly after, it gradually backed down and slithered away.

It is said he also kept the man-eating lions of Tsavo at bay and as a result the labourers in his camp remained safe.Saraki, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on the last day of July 2018, said he may contest under the party for the 2019 presidential race.

He told Bloomberg on Tuesday that he is still consulting and actively considering it to run under the main opposition party.

I believe I can make the change, the embattled National Assembly leader said.

The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory, he said.

Saraki said while negotiating with the PDP, a number of agreements were signed.

"...We listed a number of items during the discussions with the PDP, and there is a written agreement to that. We trust that we can hold them to that.

Here are some of the agreements the Senate President listed:

1. How to sustain and improve the fight against corruption.

2. State autonomy - the issue of providing more powers to the states.

3. Inclusion and having a more nationalistic approach on governmental issues.

4. Improve the environment that will ensure investments.

5. Ensure strong security apparatus.

He said the party (PDP) will be strong on security.The investment indicates a gradual shift in focus from voice services to data services, something more indicative of where the telecommunications market is headed. This was echoed by the companys Chief Financial Officer, Adekunle Awobodu, during a private press briefing after the loan signing ceremony.

Awobodu said that despite much of the world having already moved to more data-focused telecommunications services, Nigeria is still in the nascent stages of the journey. The trend is clear, however. Fewer people now make voice calls and are more focused on data applications such as social networking and Internet-based mobile services. For the country to fully move into this era, massive capital investment is required. This is the logic behind MTN Nigerias move.

The N200 billion fund will be poured into expanding MTNs data network and improving its fibre infrastructure. The N200 billion is provided in Naira by the following banks:

The loan is structured with a two-year moratorium and a repayment plan of five years.

The loan, Ferdi Moolman, CEO, MTN Nigeria says, will make it possible for people to connect to each other and the world, find and share information and ideas, create and access new digital services and reimagine old services. This partnership puts in place infrastructure that empowers commerce, industry and the provision of public services.

In May 2018, Ralph Mupita, MTN Chief Financial Officer, said the debt will help the tech giant to fund local investment and replace existing debt in Nigeria shifting its focus from dollar-denominated debt to debt in local currencies.

The Johannesburg-based company posted an increase in its subscriber base in Nigeria by 5.6% to hit 55.2 million, the highest in Africa.

The group's financial report also indicated that its Nigerian subsidiary performed ahead other markets and above expectations with double-digit growth.The institution, Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) according to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas will begin operation in October 2018.

Like other conventional universities, ADUN will have programs for sciences, social sciences and management students.

Here are seven things you'll like to know about the Nigerian Navy owned university as explained byEte-Ibas.

7 things to know about ADUN

1. The university will have its main campus in Ibusa, Delta state, as well as additional campuses in Lagos, Sapele, and Calaba, but the permanent campus of would be along the Ibusa Ugwashi-Uku Express Way, near Asaba, Delta state.

2. The institution was established out of a public-private partnership between the Nigerian Navy through its investment arm  Navy Holdings and Hellenic Education, an international educational organisation

3. Faculties of medicine, engineering, law and pharmacy are planned to start operation in 2019.

ALSO READ: List of State Universities in Nigeria

4. Lectures will be delivered through flipped classroom technology, giving students access to lectures, notes, books and teaching materials online.

5 Lecturers of the university would be professors, who are already working in states and Federal Universities in the country.

6. The university will provide an opportunity for students to be trained in cybersecurity, forensic science among other coursesSafaree in a series of tweets on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, gave details of her Nicki Minaj allegedly almost killed him.

"Remember the night you cut me and I almost died the police and ambulance had to take me out the crib on a stretcher and I had to lie and tell them I was trying to kill myself so they wouldn't take you to jail. When things like that start happening more Than once it's time to dip," he tweeted

It didn't take long before Nicki Minaj responded to Safaree's tweet as she took him to the cleaners and her fans were having a time of their lives.

"U stole my card & told me you thought it was an account with free money that I didnt know about. On God., God will strike you down & more for lying. Ha! Stop saying u packed & left! On Jesus, u came to my house CRYING BEGGING to go w|me to Europe to the EMAs. I said NO DUMMY," she tweeted.

It didn't end there, she also went on to reveal that Safaree wanted to get back with her after their relationship ended. She tweeted of how he begged for her to have him back and how he got a fake hair fixed on his head.

"Sherika & I had a bet that soon as you knew meek was bout to come home your crawl back & ya did! came to my house CRYING. JOYCE WAS THERE! My whole glam was there! Left who?!?! You gettin aired out on #QueenRadio too on Thursday! Apologize & STFU," she added.

These series of tweets from the former lovebirds shows that the old wounds from their failed relationship have begun to reopen again.

Nicki Minaj breaks down while talking about ex in new interview

Back in 2014, during an interview with radio personality, Angie Martinez, on New York radio, Power 105.1, Nicki Minaj broke down in tears while talking about Safaree. When asked how she was dealing with being single again, the Young Money rapper said; You know what's funny, I've never been single for the 15 years of my life; I don't even know if I'm single now either which is weird too.

Nicki Minaj and Safaree Samuels separated in late October over alleged infidelity on his part. In the interview with Angie Martinez, Nicki had nothing but sweet word for ex.According to a report by Punch Newspaper, Omale, who is a driver with Uber, was arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.

Omale, it was reported, is charged for allegedly assaulting the sex worker, whose name was given as Precious Mustapha.

The 28-year-old sex worker alleged that Omale refused to pay her the sum of N6, 000 as her service fee.

She had also alleged that she charged the driver after they met at the Afrika Shrine, Ikeja and agreed at the sum for her services.

ALSO READ: Sex worker takes fight to Lekki home of client

Corroborating the sex worker's claims, the prosecutor, Sergeant Lucky Ihiehie told the the court that Omale committed the offence on July 29, 2018 at Ogudu area of Lagos state.

How Driver had sex with sex worker and later assaulted her

The prosecutor had narrated how the driver had sex with the sex worker but resulted to assaulting her when he couldn't pay the agreed service fee.

Sergeant Ihiehie said Omale allegedly assaulted Precious after sleeping with her.

He said an argument ensued when Omale claimed he did not have cash on him to pay the sex worker.

"An argument ensued when Omale claimed he did not have cash on him to pay her. He suggested using his ATM card to withdraw for her and they got in his car, but Omale drove with the sex worker round Ikeja and Ogudu axis without stopping at any bank to use his ATM card," Sergeant Ihiehie explained.

Continuing, he said, "The prosecution said Omale also deceived the complainant by driving her to his friends house under the pretext of collecting money from him to pay her. But the friend drove them out of his house.

When it became clear to the accused that there was no place where he could get money, he used an object to hit Precious Mustapha on the head and started beating her.This has prompted Vincent Ibe, a cleaner at a pharmaceutical company to steal cartons of drugs in order to raise money.

Ibe who works at the Chris Ejik Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited reportedly made arrangement to cart away the company goods on Saturday, August 11, 2018.

His plan did not actually play out like he thought it would.

A security personnel at the pharmaceutical company discovered cartons of drugs he hid in a dumpsite forcing a confession.

Vincent Ibe has been handed over to law enforcement officers in Lagos' Alausa division.

While I was patrolling the companys premises, I challenged Ibe because he was not supposed to be at the place I met him at that time. He claimed that he was arranging some cartons.

Later, I went on another patrol to the companys dump. There, I saw a sack kept under a big tank.

"When I opened the sack, I discovered drugs belonging to the company. I left the sack there and instructed other security men to lock the gate.

I rounded up those that were around and took them to where I found the sack. They denied owning the sack.

After a vigorous interrogation, Ibe opened up and confessed that he was the person that stole the drugs and kept them there, Gabriel the security personnel who unraveled the plan told Punch News.

ALSO READ: Student who visits different campuses to steal has been caught

Goods with no buyer

When Vincent Ibe stole some cartons of drugs, he had no decided about who the buyer will be.

He considered securing the items the first line of action while he ponders on how to sell them off.

Getting forgiveness seems his most desired wish as he begs a court for mercy.

I was engaged into the service of the company as a cleaner in January 2017.

"On Saturday, August 11, 2018, I was caught with the companys products. I stole those products from the company to raise money to settle the hospital bill of my wife who gave birth to a baby boy through a surgical operation on July 14, 2018.

When I was stealing the drugs, I actually did not have anybody in mind to sell them to.

"My intention was to look for somebody that I will sell the product to. I know what I did was wrong. I am begging that they should help me and temper justice with mercy," the suspect who has been arraigned at the Ogba Magistrates Court told Punch News.On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, the suspect reportedly ran over the traffic management agent Ogunmeru Obafemi who tried to caution him for letting off passengers at an undesignated spot in Igando, Lagos.

Johnson Ogbonnaya, the General Manager at King Solomon Chariots Transportation company makes a trip to Ghana to bring back Abuchi Okpara who has been remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons.

The offender was driving a Ghana-bound Nigeria commercial vehicle with the number plate, KJA 633 XT; he dropped passengers at an undesignated spot at Igando.

The drivers failure to obey Ogunmerus directive and desperate manoeuvring to evade arrest led to Okpara running his vehicle over the traffic official, reads a statement by a LASTMA spokesperson Mahmud Hassan.

In a Punch News report, he confirms that the affected agent received treatment at the Igando General Hospital before he was transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

It appears frequent reports of attack against LASTMA officers is a big concern for the government. Punch noted this in the report published today.

ALSO READ:LASTMA officer lucky to escape death after clashing with Danfo driver

Road commuters rescue 3 LASTMA officials after awful accident

Three officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), were rescued by road commuters following an accident that occurred on Monday, January 15, 2018, in Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to Pulse TV presenter, MC Makopolo, who was part of a group of people who helped remove a blood-stained traffic management officer from a vehicle, the incident happened while the agents were pursuing a motorist who was driving in a red vehicle.

Unfortunately, the latter managed to evade the LASTMA reps which through some dangerous maneuvering caused them to land in a ditch.

A video shared by MC Macopolo on Instagram showed one of the accident victims being pulled out from their official vehicle which was compressed based on the impact of the fall.

The incident which occurred along the Carter bridge section leading to the Third Mainland Bridge, saw a lot of people gathered while the rescuers attempted to save the lives of the officers involved. The presenter lamented about the poor state of emergency management in Nigeria in his post.

"LASTMA officials, pursuing a red car falls into a ditch!

"I have never been in this situation before. But Saving two lives today make me feel so proud of my self, @ceeclassic and everyone who came to help. But we don't have anything like an emergency rescue team in Nigeria sadly," the sympathizer expressed.

The rescuers had a tough time removing one of the LASTMA officers who was dragged out of the space deprived wreckage.She is receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital says a report on IG.

The victim was reportedly hit by the driver today in Igbo Efon located along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

According to reports, the man suspected of running her over has been apprehended.

ALSO READ: Policeman kills female corps member a day before ending service

Family accuses hospital of negligence over death of corps member

The family of a female corps member Angela Igwetu has accused the Garki General Hospital, Abuja of negligence which led to her death.

The deceased needed an urgent care after she was shot by a policeman Benjamin Peters, hours before a passing out parade for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

According to Punch News, Igwetu's family has faulted a statement released by Garki General Hospital in the aftermath of her death.

Her sister Chinenye who lamented on Twitter after learning about her passing insists that an autopsy carried out at the National Hospital, Abuja contradicts the statement explaining the cause of death and efforts made by the Garki General Hospital in a bid to revive her.

The autopsy was carried out at a national hospital and the report is totally different from what the hospital said.

I am not a doctor, but according to the doctors that carried out the autopsy, she was not properly examined.

The report shows that she would have been saved if proper medical attention had been given to her. Even if she was attended to, it is definitely after a lot of delay.

Based on the autopsy, the bullet was not supposed to kill her. In fact, all her organs were intact. Even her lung that was brushed by the bullet was not shattered.

"It was the blood that was clotting from the bullet injury that killed her.

The pipes that they inserted into her at the hospital broke her rib as well. They brought her in by 3am and she died at 6am.The latter was killed in January 2018 after a meeting with Koh's supporters who brought along knives which enabled violence.

A report by People News confirmed that the former Louis Vuitton brand ambassador murdered the late model.

Uzoka met Koh and his company with only a dumbbell but the meeting turned wide in a report by The Independent News UK.

It gathered that the deceased was killed outside his home in Shepherd's Bush.

The parties planned to meet to hash out their differences following claims that George Koh slept with Uzoka's girlfriend Ruby Campbell.

It turned out to be a devastating event for Uzoka who died after the meeting.

ALSO READ: Third man charged with the murder of young model

George Koh says he killed Nigerian model in self-defense

A fight over a woman has led to the death of a London model Harry Uzoka who was reportedly killed by a rival who claimed it was self-defense.

The deceased reportedly died on the pavement outside his home in Shepherd's Bush located in West London.

George Koh was confirmed to be the killer according to a report by the BBC.

The brawl which started on Instagram resulted in an arranged fight.

It was gathered that the warring factions attended the hostile meeting with dangerous weapons such as knives and machetes.

Noticing that they were outnumbered, Harry Uzoka's group decided to make a run for it but he didn't make it far.

"I feared that he would kill me or cause me serious injury.

"I was on the floor when he fell on to me. I maintain that my actions were reasonable given the circumstances," the alleged killer George Koh explained to a court that he acted in self defence.In a report by iHarare News, the unusual incident occurred in the Masvingo Provincial Hospital in Masvingo province of Zimbabwe.

It was also reported that the culprit, a prominent restaurant owner, had argued his way with the nurses into the female ward on the pretence of seeing his sick wife.

The man reportedly went on to have sex with his wife on her sick bed in the female ward, which also had 10 other patients - all female.

Confirming the incident, the Medical Director of the hospital, Amadeus Shamu, said the other female patients, who were disturbed by the moans of the couple called the attention of the nurses who in turn invited a security guard that got the man out of the ward.

ALSO READ: Crazy couple enjoy quick sex while waiting for order in eatery

It was around 3am that patients who were disturbed by the noise coming from the ecstatic couple reported to the nurses that there was sex in the ward. The nurses summoned a security guard who got the man out of the ward, Shamu said.

I couldn't refuse my husband sex because he could beat me - Wife

Wife of the restaurant owner, who is at the centre of the scandal, has said she couldn't refuse the sexual demand from her husband despite being sick and on an hospital bed.

iHarare also reported that investigation revealed that the wife had told the nurses that her husband might beat her on her sick bed had she refused his advances.

I could not refuse to have sex with him because I could have been beaten in the presence of patients because he is very violent,She has found difficulty in sleeping since the boat mishap which occurred on Saturday, July 28, 2018. Constant nightmares has ensured that she is stuck in a moment of near tragedy.

Ndukwe is among three survivors who spoke to Punch News concerning the dangerous feeling of nearly drowning.

I was in shock for a week and whenever I sleep, I always see myself in the dream inside the water. It has not been easy for me after that incident.

I was the only person that complained about the absence of life jackets in the boat, but the driver still did not provide any. It was the only boat available. We heard a strange sound in the engine as we were moving.

The driver turned the boat without slowing down and the boat capsized. When I sighted a boat coming, I swam towards it. The marine police saw that we were not putting on any life jacket, but they still allowed us to move on, says Ndukwe in a conversation with Punch on Monday.

Joseph Blackson, a diesel supplier was the hero on the day of the boat accident. He however gave up the ghost after rescuing 13 passengers.

ALSO READ: Man who got drunk at the opening of funeral home dies swimming

Man dies from exhaustion after rescuing 13 in boat accident

A diesel supplier Joseph Blackson has been reported dead after rescuing 13 people in a boat accident in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The incident occurred on Saturday, July 30, 2018 in Degema where residents are hailing the deceased a hero.

Blackson who is 36 years old and a father of two was in the process of saving the 14th person when he died.

He is known to be selfless and with a desire to help people, Punch News gathered in a report.

"He (Blackson) used to manage a family filling station at Rumuola (before it was demolished).

"Until his death, he was a contractor, supplying diesel in Trans Amadi to companies there.

He didnt use life jacket like others. He gave up the ghost in the process of rescuing them,"Benibo, a close friend of the deceased told Punch.Nigeria's Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo might as well have become Nigerias President because his approval ratings have just skyrocketed  not bad for the 2019 elections.

After a couple of years of online protests, the Federal Government finally made a long overdue announcement that the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police Force will be overhauled.

The operatives of SARS have been alleged to extort, illegally detain and physically assault Nigerians especially millennials.

ALSO READ: Nigerians react to overhauling of SARS

SARS stole our freedom

At the height of SARS fascist powers, you couldn't carry a laptop without a receipt. Men and women with dreadlocks were perceived to be criminals by these security operatives who brandish their AK-47s with little or no care. If you have tattoos, SARS operatives are likely to arrest you on the charge of being a cultist.

It doesn't stop here. A 20-something Nigerian driving a good car is likely to be harassed by SARS. Around 2009, if a Yahoo Messenger application pops up during cursory search through your phone, the cargo bed of a Hilux van will be your apartment.

We caved to their anarchist rule for fear of being robbed of our freedom of movement. Our freedom to express in multiple ways were stolen, all to generate sufficient reasons for collecting bribe.

Most people chose to pay bribes when faced with the unsavoury prospects of a Nigerian jail cell and its many inhumane conditions.

While the many scourges of cultism, Internet fraud and hooliganism were also infamously rife during the height of SARS run, the problems were being exploited for financial gains.

With SARS gone, could we finally be free?

On the face of it, we are getting our freedom back. We can now wear what we want, dress a little more liberally without fears of being threatened with the four corners of a jail cell.

It also means men can use studs, use jewelries and women can dress like modern women, but the reality is that while the constraints might not be as tense, the default setting of our society to judge in appearance will forever create constraints.

In our current tide, even grooming your beard or for women, cutting your hair and changing the shade might attract swift rebuke from Generation Xers  our parents.

Some of the extreme fashion choices might be better used, but they might never be the reality of our generation for fear of being judged.

Nonetheless, we can definitely drive our cars, carry our laptops, and chat with our foreign pen pals without being deemed an Internet fraudster.

Girls can also experiment with their looks without being treated with condescension or being abused.

One thing this writer is actually happy about is that he can wear short shorts and sleeveless tops in Mainland, Lagos.

ALSO READ: Why does our culture judge on appearance?

Will we ever be free from judgement?

The truth is, probably not. We can however hope for better days and the moment our society evolves into full liberalism, not just wokeness.

Of course, one problem remains whether the SARS nightmare is actually over as it could all be political propaganda to improve approval ratings for Buhari-Osinbajo for the 2019 general elections. The system might only birth the same SARS demon under a new name.

The Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police Force, Ibrahim Idris, only announced a restructuringof SARS, not outright cancellation of their operations under a new Commissioner of Police to head the new body, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) nationwide. In the end, it all seems like face-value.

After all, all the toxic people who made up SARS have not been fired. SARS isn't just a name, it is the people behind it.Looking for quality but affordable innerwear in Nigeria?

You can now find LuLu Lingerie's new panties pack collection at any Shoprite outlet across Nigeria at friendly .

LuLu Lingerie has firmly positioned itself as the leader in the intimate apparel industry in Nigeria with its recent partnership with Shoprite across its 19 outlets in the country. This is in addition to the official LuLu Lingerie stores across Nigeria making it even more available and accessible to Nigerians in search of quality underwear in any range of sizes and styles.

Speaking on the recent partnership, Founder, Oluchi Orlandi says:

The partnership with Shoprite - currently Nigerias biggest retail chain, comes as a response to the increasing demand for our products, and a need to improve accessibility. We are excited to have more people experience the brand and our amazing product selections.

With similar strategic partnerships and additional store openings planned for the future, LuLu Lingerie is set to become a major player in the Nigerian apparel market.

Lulu Lingerie is now Nigerias first innerwear destination with a focus to accommodate the full spectrum of body styles and shapes.

Purchase the panties pack collection at any Shoprite outlet or Lulu Lingerie stores at The Palms Mall Lekki Lagos, Novare Mall Sangotedo Lagos, Jabi Lake Mall Abuja and Palms Polo Park Mall Enugu, at prices that range between N4500 and N6500. LuLu Lingerie offers complimentary bra fittings and product education for each brand displayed in the store.

About LuLu Lingerie Limited

Lulu Lingerie Limited is a wholesale distributor of underwear, sleepwear and other forms of intimate apparel. International supermodel, Oluchi Orlandi, launched the franchise in Nigeria in 2016, with the aim to bring undergarments tailored to fit and adorn the bodies of West African men and women.You need not worry about the profit you make from this business because the demand for eggs is always high. And if you are one of the few people who supply eggs to shops in Nigeria, who says you won't smile to the bank earlier than you expect?

You'll be shocked at the amount of money you'll make in six months. However, before you venture into the business, here are some tips you'll have to put into consideration.

How to start egg supply business

Now this is were your money will work for you. You'll need a vehicle to run this business, but apart from this, you may not need more than N80,000 to start the business.

With N80,000, you can buy over a hundred crates of eggs. So imagine buying a crate of egg for N650 or less from farm and you sell each crate for N700, calculate how much you'll make from over 100 crates.

If you do it twice a week, you might be going home with a profit of N15,000 to N20,000 every week.

What then do you need to make this money? You really don't need much apart from the vehicle which takes almost 90% of your capital, every other tools won't cost you N20,000.

1. Get your own vehicle

Rather than having a point of sale where buyers come to buy the eggs, it is more profitable if you make it mobile by taking it to the doorsteps of customers who buy it in large quantities. Some of the farmers who sell eggs take it to the shops and stalls of their customers in the market.

2. Identify your target market

There is no point in producing any product or service if you can't identify or locate your target market.

ALSO READ: 20 businesses you can start with 20k

As for egg business, it is important you identify a highly populated marketplace. Find egg merchants and introduce your business to them. Once you know where and whom to distribute your eggs to, you will only need to start supplying them as soon as possible.

3. Get other working tools

Apart from a having a van or any other vehicle you can use to distribute the eggs, crates are the major tools you'll need for this business.The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, faulted the claim through the Deputy Director, Media and Public Affairs, Mr James Odaudu, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Sirika said that even if Ethiopian Airlines had tendered an offer to be partner, it is preposterous and misleading for Ethiopian Airlines boss to make such a statement.

According to him, discussions are ongoing with prospective partners and investors ranging from development finance institutions, airlines and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

And these discussions are not limited to the establishment of a national carrier.

There are other components of the Aviation Roadmap for which investors are being sought.

These include the Establishment of an MRO centre, cargo terminals, Concession of airports, establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company etc.

I dont know about ET or any other prospective investors being favourites or frontrunners to establish and manage Nigeria Air.

The Public and prospective partners and investors are hereby assured that the processes for the establishment of the national carrier, and indeed other projects in the roadmap have been guided, and would continue to be guided by the national policy on Public Private Partnership (PPP) and its elements of transparency, accountability and the overall public interest, he said.

Ethiopian Airlines boss last week said his airline is the frontrunner to set up and manage a new national carrier for Nigeria.Ogundipe was arrested and detained on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja.

According to Premium Times, some officers at the police headquarters said the reporter was arrested on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.

Ogundipe was arrested because of a story he did on the report Idris submitted to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo after the invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Premium Times reports that the reporters bank account has been blocked because he refused to reveal the source who told him about the IGs report.

Fayose calls on Nigerians

The Ekiti state Governor, in a post on Twitter, also called on Nigerians to call for Ogundipes immediate release.

He said The arrest and detention of Samuel Ogundipe of @PremiumTimesng by the police must be condemned by all lovers of freedom of speech and of the press. I join other well meaning Nigerians to call for his immediate release. #FreeSamuelOgundipe

ALSO READ: What overhauling SARS means for Nigerian millennialsThe Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the FEC meeting presided over by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the project included roads captured as Umana-Ndiagu, Agba, Ebenebe, Amansea, Awka, Anambra which spurred into Umumba in Enugu State.

The contract was awarded in 2012 and they were spurs off the Enugu-Onitsha Highway to six different communities, Ebenebe, Agba, Umana-Ndiagu, Nkpodu, Ekeagu and Ugwuoba.

Because of lack of appropriate budgeting and funding all of these projects could not be completed.

There were failures in the implementation as we inherited it; there was also the need to provide for erosion control measures and drains.

That has led to the revision of the existing contract awarded in 2012 from N10.3 billion to 15.734billion, he said.

Fashola said that it was the revision to enable the contract to be completed that was presented and approved by the council.According to Daily Post, the former President also said that anything evil cannot last for long.

He said We must appreciate goodness even when threatened with persecution because evil doesnt last for long. A leader must be prepared to face a lot of challenges at some point in life, which is what leadership often entails.

Also, speaking at the celebration, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha hailed Jonathan, describing as a reference point for leadership in Africa.

ALSO READ:Goodluck Jonathan takes shot at President Buhari on Facebook

There have been calls for former President Goodluck Jonathan to be investigated for alleged corruption.Tinubu gave the commendation while addressing party members at the state secretariat of the party.

He said the response of Osinbajo in sacking the Director-General of the Department State Security Service(DSS) helped to douse the tension created by the blockade .

The APC chieftain described the blockade as a threat to democracy, saying Osinbajo saved the country an embarrassment with his intervention.

We thank the Vice -President for the wonderful job he has been doing in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

We particularly thanked him in the way he intervened on the National Assembly blockade.

Vice President Osinbajo saved the country from embarrassment.We thank him, we will continue to support him, he said.

Tinubu said the APC was committed to the tenets of democracy and would continue to promote democratic values.

The party chieftain urged party members to be committed to the party and work for its progress.

He said APC was not divided in the state and that whoever was involved in acts to divide it would fail.

Tinubu urged members to work in unison for the greater interests of the party.

He said the party would embark on aggressive registration of new members in the chapter.

The chieftain added that prospective members would be issued membership cards after registration .

Tinubu said it was important that new and existing members have their cards as they would be able to elect their candidates in the primaries.

He said with the direct primary system the party is adopting , it is members that would determine their candidates.

What we are doing with the direct primary is to give power to the people.

But for you to choose your candidates in the primaries, you need to have your membership cards.

All those of you just joining us, it is important you register to be our members officially. If you dont have our cards ,we cant call you our members, he said.

He said people without membership cards or PVC would not be allowed to contest in primaries or represent the party in any capacity.

Tinubu urged council chairmen and party leaders to mobilise members to collect their PVC in their areas as that would help APC in 2019.

The party chieftain warned party members and aspirants against violence in the upcoming primaries.

He said any aspirant engaged in violence would be disqualified.

Tinubu expressed confidence that APC would win the upcoming Osun election, saying the people were for the party.I'm sorry to be the wet blanket this once. My sincere apologies.

Osinbajo ordered the Inspector General of Police to overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.

Nothing good can emerge from SARS as presently constituted. The rot and monster that is SARS wont change simply because of a presidential directive or a change of name. Like elsewhere in the police and in the nations other institutions, the rot in SARS will require more than cosmetic surgery or overhaul to fix.

I like that IGP Ibrahim Idris quickly responded to the presidential directive by tinkering with the SARS chain of command. For instance, what we know as SARS will now be called FSARS (Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad) and the operations of FSARS will be overseen by a Commissioner of Police who will act as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide.

According to the police high command, FSARS operatives will undergo psychological and medical evaluation, their uniforms will be redesigned; complete with identity tags, and officers have been barred from stop and search operations.

It all sounds really nice doesnt it?

My worry is how far the police high command, the committee of Senior Police officers, Technical Consultants, Human Rights/Civil Society organizations (CSOs) will go to review the activities of FSARS on a periodic, permanent basis.

My worry borders on whether the police high command will be transparent enough with members of the public on the entire overhaul implementation process. Im worried that when members of the public dial the numbers issued to report brutality and extortion at the hands of FSARS officers, they will be given short shrift, told off, or their complaints wont be taken on board, or the phones wont be picked or that the phone lines wont even connect.

Im afraid that FSARS wont be any different from SARS and that laptop wielding young men would still be randomly stopped, frisked, asked to unlock their phones and laptops and asked to part with some money right on the streets where no one is watching.

Im not so confident that the SARS operatives who have been wired to beat up and extort, will change simply because of a presidential directive. Im afraid that the police IGP who famously disobeyed President Buhari at the peak of the herdsmen crisis in Benue, wont consider this latest directive from his bosses worth his time because he is the head of an institution that is so corrupt, uncouth and unruly. I am afraid that this whole "overhaul" and the euphoria it berthed, will amount to very little at the end of the day if the basics aren't dealt with.

Beyond the presidential directive and the IGPs public statement about carrying them out, what SARS requires is a whole value re-orientation. SARS is what it has become because the police force is intrinsically corrupt and has been wired to extort motorists and ask for bribe at every opportunity.

SARS is what it has become because the institution from whence it emanated, is just as unruly and shameless. To overhaul or end SARS, the police force as presently constituted has to be overhauled as well. To overhaul SARS, police officers have to be paid well and on time. To end SARS, the federal government has to be serious about sacking police officers who are caught soliciting bribes or brutalising innocent folks on street corners.

A conversation on reforming SARS without reforming the police force as we know it, would be an exercise in futility. SARS or FSARS is a microcosm of the police force in particular and the Nigerian society in general. The brutal officers at SARS didnt fall from the sky. They came from amongst us. They have been trained to be poor ambassadors of the unkempt uniform they wear.Ogundipe was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kubwa on Wednesday August 15, 2018, without giving him access to his lawyer.

The reporter was charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document, according to Premium Times.

The report said the dailys Editor-In-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed was at Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) detention facility on Wednesday morning around 10:00 am with lawyers.

They were briefed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the case, Sani Ahmadu, who told them to leave, and return by 4:00pm.

Premium Times reports that by 4:00 pm, Mojeed received a call from Ogundipe who told him that he has been taken to court and secretly tried despite his plea to allow him see his lawyer.

The daily also reported that the police, in the charge which it presented before the magistrate, did not add that the accused person is a journalist.

Ogundipe said the magistrate ordered the police to hold him till August 20, 2018, and allowed him to make a phone call.

He also said that the police accused him of violating section 352, 288 and 319 of the penal code.

However, Premium Times said A review of the sections however indicate that they are not related to the charges but are about sexual assault and attempted murder.

Narrating his ordeal, the reporter said They brought me to a magistrate court in Kubwa where they arraigned me. The magistrate said they should detain me for five days.

They accused me of criminal trespass. They said I stole secret documents. The magistrate does not know the details, because they did not include in the charge that I am a journalist. I was not allowed to contact my lawyers.

They also did not allow me to call anyone until the magistrate ordered them to let me make one call. I am currently using the registrars phone to make this call and they are collecting it.

It is our duty

In his reaction, Premium Times Editor-In-Chief, said the his organisation has a duty to inform Nigerians.

He said Each day, the police continue to behave in ways that embarrass this country. PREMIUM TIMES has a constitutional duty to inform the Nigerian people and hold public officials to account. It will neither be intimidated nor cowed by the filthy antics of the police.

Ogundipe was arrested and detained by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.

According to Premium Times, he was arrested because he published the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris report on the National Assembly siege which he presented to Acting President Osinbajo.

The police also blocked the reporters bank account after he was arrested and reportedly forced to give up how he got the report.

Fayose reacts

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state hascondemned Samuel Ogundipes arrest.The Commissioner of Police in Akwa-Ibom, CP Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, made the disclosure on Tuesday at Eket Security Summit against Crimes and Cultism in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

The conference was organised by the local government in conjunction with the State Police Command.

We have lost over 30 police officers within one month in the country.

Police officers are sacrificing their lives daily, but it is unfortunately that we focus our mirror on the few bad elements that dent the image of the police force, Ogunjemilusi said.

He, however, said that over 60 suspected cultists were arrested recently in the area during violent clash between two rival cult groups.

It is an offence for anybody to ask you to commit yourself or belong to any secret society before giving you an employment, he said.

According to him, anyone caught engaging in cultism will be dealt within the confines of the law.

Ogunjemilusi noted that there were leverage for those youths who want to denounce cultism and reconcile themselves to the society in order to become law abiding citizens.

He outlined tips on how the people could protect their property and their loved ones.

We need vehicles to improve our response capability in the state, he said.

Also, Mr Frank Archibong, the Chairman of Eket Local Government Area, said that the council would not tolerate cultism in the area.

We can no longer tolerate or fold our hands and allow the criminal minded elements in our midst to soil and tarnish an integrity which we have built over the years for ourselves and community, Archibong said.The Party said this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government should have heeded wise counsel from the PDP to allow competent hands to manage the nations economy.

He said that had government not continued to allow official cover for corruption, the nation would not have been in the current economic situation.

He alleged that since the current administration assumed office and took control of the once robust economy, Nigeria, it had not been able to articulate any germane policy to sustain, let alone, grow the economy.

Ologbondiyan said that the party had rather resorted to borrowing.

He said that there was no way the country would not accumulate debts when government had continued to cover up corrupt practices under its watch.

Ologbondiyan inclucited the alleged stealing of N9 trillion through underhand oil contracts in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as well as the alleged illegal lifting of crude oil worth N1.1 trillion by 18 unregistered companies.

Moreover, the Presidency has refused to explain the whereabouts of trillions of naira unremitted oil revenue, resulting in the deadlock at the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

If these monies were properly accounted for and utilised, Nigeria will not be in this dire economic situation which has brought hunger and starvation on Nigerians and rendered millions of compatriots jobless.

Ologbondiyan recalled various red flags by international agencies, including Transparency International and the World Bank on the poor management of the nations economy.

He alleged that since President Buhari intensified his re-election bid, there had been fall in investment inflow, further depreciation of the naira and a dangerous slide in the capital market.In a statement signed by the party's Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, the party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to take note of the opposition party's recent statement where it accused the APC of rigging elections.

In the statement, the PDP vowed to henceforth "contend with APC, head to head, means to means, scheme to scheme, shenanigan for shenanigan, in all ramifications and magnitude, to discomfit them in all coming elections in the country."

The PDP further called on all its presidential aspirants state governors, officials at state and zonal chapters, national and state assembly members and all other elected leaders at all levels to move all their political machinery into Osun State to provide all necessary support for the election.

In its Wednesday statement, the APC expressed shock at the PDP's 'worrisome' statement which the party said indicates the opposition party's rigging plans.

The APC urged INEC to commence an urgent probe into the activities of the PDP which it also accused of cloning permanent voter's cards (PVC) for use in the Osun election.

The statement read, "The People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday vowed to deploy all 'means, schemes, shenanigans in all ramification and magnitude' to rig all coming election, starting from the Osun State Governorship election. The party also 'directed all its presidential aspirants to move all their political machinery into Osun state within this period'.

"When the All Progressives Congress (APC) learnt of the shocking disclosures, we initially doubted its veracity and dismissed it as one of the fake news in circulation, until further checks backed by media reports confirmed the statement was indeed issued by the PDP National Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan.

"The PDP's statement on Tuesday is particularly worrisome because it coincided with the situation field report we received of the PDP cloning Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) for use in the Osun governorship election.

"The PDP's now public rigging plans is a red flag that require urgent probe by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies. We also call on well-meaning Nigerians and civil society organisations to speak out and resist the PDP's retrogressive plan which threatens our democracy."

Rigging is a thing of the past, APC tells PDP

The APC also told the PDP that Nigeria's democracy has matured past the point where crude election rigging methods can be allowed to truncate it.

The party expressed confidence that the people of Osun State will resist anybody's attempt to subvert the will of the people.

The party said, "Perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded that our democracy is maturing and its crude election rigging methods such as ballot box snatching (recently displayed during last weekend by-election in Kogi state), announcement of concocted election results and other anomalies are no longer acceptable in our elections.

"We are confident that the good people of Osun will resist the PDP's deployment to takeover Osun State by force. The people's will; the people's vote is supreme. It must be respected and defended. That is democratic, progressive and the right thing.

"We conclude by reminding the PDP of new realities as succinctly captured by President Muhammadu Buhari, '...the old Nigeria is slowly but surely disappearing and a new era is rising...'. Unlike undemocratic practices under past administrations, elections under the APC administration are increasingly freer and fairer -- a very significant feat in our march for lasting and representative democracy."Iyah had announced his resignation from APC in a letter read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa.

According to the letter, Iyah said he was leaving the APC due to untold hostility during the period of his membership of the party.

He explained that the hostility snowballed into his suspension in June 2018 and all efforts to get the suspension lifted were futile and claimed he was not given a fair hearing.

The decision to declare his seat vacant was sequel to a letter sent to the House by the State Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Jibril Imam, backed by a motion moved by Bala Abba (Borgu, APC) and seconded by Mohammed Haruna (Bida II, APC).

Abba noted that constitutionally, a member could only leave his party if there was a division, adding that the reason given by the lawmaker for his resignation from the APC was not tenable.

The only ground on which a member can leave his party is if there is a division within that party.

And since there is no division in the APC and he is leaving, his seat should be declared vacant, he added.

The House thereafter unanimously resolved to declare the members seat vacant through a voice vote.

When contacted, the embattled lawmaker said he would take legal action to challenge the decision of the House.

He said there was division at the national and the local government levels of his party, adding that those were enough reasons for him to leave.

Iyah wondered how the House could take such action when he has not formally written to it but had only notified them of his resignation.

According to him, the letter read on the floor was the one he wrote to his party at the Local Government, which was copied to the House without his knowledge.In a report by Punch Newspaper, the Governor's aides are Special Adviser on Tertiary Education, Godswill Ziriki and the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Adolphus Ofongo.

The political thugs reportedly invaded the stakeholders' meeting on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, and disrupted the gathering after threatening the two aides.

The PDP stakeholders meeting

According to the report, the political meeting was organised by the state's ruling party for candidates aspiring to represent Southern Ijaw Local Government Area at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly aspirants.

Convened by the Acting Chairman of the local government area, Kia Nigeria, the meeting had reportedly commenced one hour before the political thugs emerged to threaten the governor's aides in the presence and disrupt the entire process.

ALSO READ: Dickson urges PDP leaders to focus on 2019

The meeting, it was also reported, was convened to interact with over 14 state aspirants eyeing the seat of Constituency 3 at the state's Assembly.

In furtherance, some of the stakeholders at the meeting reportedly claimed the thugs targeted the two governor's aides.

The meeting, it was reported, held at the Latik Hotel on INEC Road, Yenagoa.

Suspected culprit

Punch reported that an incumbent member of the state's House of Assembly was responsible for the thugs' actions.The lawmaker disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, August 15, 2018.

"I am consulting and actively considering it. I believe I can make the change," he said.

Only weeks after he dumped the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) for the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), Saraki said the APC has failed to learn from its victory at the polls in 2015.

"The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory," he said.

He further disclosed that before he returned to the PDP, after dumping the party in the run up to the 2015 elections, an agreement was signed on a number of issues which focused on improving the country.

He said, "We talked about how to sustain and improve the fight against corruption; the issue of providing more powers to the states; inclusion and having a more nationalistic approach on things we do; to continue to improve the environment that will ensure investments.

"We listed a number of items during the discussions with the PDP, and there is a written agreement to that. We trust that we can hold them to that."

He said the PDP is best-positioned to give Nigerians the right kind of leadership that'll lead the country in the right direction.

"We would ensure that the party is strong on security. The APC too have not done well on the issue of security. We have the opportunity with the right kind of presidential candidate and president to provide the leadership for the party. The party has a good opportunity to lead the country in the right direction," he said.

He added, "The fundamentals of whatever we are going to develop is going to be based on sound democracy, credible elections, freedom of choice of Nigerians. If we don't have that as a foundation, then everything else cannot happen."

Saraki vs Buhari, APC

Ever since his defection from the APC to the PDP last month, Saraki has been involved in a war of words with the leadership of the party led by national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who has relentlessly called for his resignation as the leader of the Senate.Compiled by a previous government, the 2004 report marked Bosnian Serbs' first official acknowledgement of the scale of the massacre, in which some 8,000 Muslims were killed in the worst atrocity on European soil since World War II.

He has refused to describe the mass killing by Bosnian Serb forces as a genocide, despite two international courts ruling it as such.

Dodik said the report, which contained the names of 7,806 victims, "is not relevant, is very selective, untrue, unproved, biased, distorts facts, creating a fake picture about the events in and around Srebrenica," according to Bosnia's Fena news agency.

Dodik, who is running to be a member of Bosnia's central tripartite presidency in the October 7 elections, also called for "an international commission" to make "the final report on Srebrenica".

Bosnian Serbs have long downplayed the scale of the Srebrenica massacre, which saw Bosnian Serb forces summarily execute thousands of Muslim men and boys over several days.

Dodik previously called for the report to be revised when he was prime minister of RS in 2010, claiming it was made "under pressure" from the international community.

Bosnia's Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic condemned Dodik's latest request on Tuesday as a "pre-election move" aimed at diverting public attention away from other issues.

"No one, not a single institution in Bosnia could detract from the rulings of international courts," Zvizdic was quoted as saying by Fena.

In response to the RS parliament's debate on the report, the European Union's delegation in Bosnia released a statement saying it "rejects any attempts to deny the genocide in Srebrenica."

"We also condemn the use of inflammatory ethno-political rhetoric and actions," it said.

The Srebrenica massacre is the only episode of Bosnia's 1992-1995 war to have been ruled as genocide by both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the UN war crimes tribunal.

The war claimed some 100,000 lives and left the Balkan country split into two semi-autonomous entities: the Serbs' Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation. Each has its own government, president and parliament.Brussels launched so-called infringement proceedings against Warsaw on July 2 over the changes introduced by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), which critics say put the judicial system under government control and are a threat to Polish democracy.

The European Commission said that after carrying out a "thorough analysis" of Warsaw's response, it had now decided to begin the second step of legal action against Poland.

"The response of the Polish authorities does not alleviate the Commission's legal concerns," it said in a statement.

"The Polish authorities now have one month to take the necessary measures to comply with this Reasoned Opinion. If the Polish authorities do not take appropriate measures, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU."

Poland could face huge fines if the EU's top court rules against it.

The controversial retirement law came into effect last month and lowers the pension age of judges from 70 to 65.

It affects 27 of the Supreme Court's sitting 73 judges including chief justice Malgorzata Gersdorf, who has refused to step down, slamming the measure as a "purge" that breaches her constitutionally guaranteed six-year term ending in 2020.

'Defend our position'

In December Brussels triggered unprecedented Article 7 proceedings against Poland over "systemic threats" to the rule of law, which could eventually see Warsaw's EU voting rights suspended.

The Polish government accused the EU of acting "politically" and vowed to fight any court case.

"We expected that our arguments would not convince the Commission -- not because they are weak but because the Commission is acting in a political way and not as an institution charged with protecting respect for European law and treaties," deputy justice minister Lukasz Piebiak was quoted as saying by the PAP news agency.

"I believe we will defend our position until the end. If this case is taken before the European Court of Justice we will fight it with our arguments," Piebiak added.

"We certainly don't see any reason to abandon court reforms that are under way, and we are convinced that they will continue to be put into effect, because that is what the Polish people want."But the lawyer of the two teens said the investigation against the group constituted entrapment.

"I'm shocked by the fact that the authorities want to get their dirty hands even on children," 48-year-old Ilya Kuzmina told AFP at the "mothers march" that took place in heavy rain in the centre of the Russian capital.

The young women face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.

The demonstrators are also asking that Pavlikova and Dubovik at least be placed under house arrest rather than in provisional detention, where they have been held for the last five months.

The health of the teenagers has declined during their time in detention, according to their lawyers and relatives.

Pavlikova has been suffering from panic attacks and a loss of hearing, while Dubovik is reported to have a tumour..

Lawyer Maxim Pashkov told AFP the security services had themselves pushed for the creation of the allegedly extremist group.

The aim of the organisation had been to "restore Russia to its former glory" and offered financing for firearms training, he said.

"The allegation is based on the testimony of three infiltrating security service agents, who have been out of contact since the group was arrested," Pashkov said.

Those arrested, aged between 17 and 30 at the time, had simply been idly complaining about the state of the country, he added.

An increasing number of Russians, some of whom are teenagers, are being prosecuted because of posts on social media -- in some cases even "likes" or reposts -- branded extremist by authorities.Mesalands marks American Wind Week with event

An open house and ribbon cutting were held for Grady project.

August 15, 2018

Steve Hansen Andy Swapp of the Mesalands wind energy faculty shakes hands with Owen Condit of Albuquerque after Owen turned a generator crank to demonstrate how electricity is made.RFID Frequency Bands & Spectrum RFID systems working in set bands within the radio spectrum which are designated licence-free spectrum. The application often governs the type of band used.

RFID Tutorial Includes:

RFID basics Coupling techniques Tags & smart labels Readers, writers & printers RFID antennas Frequency bands & spectrum Security Standards

RFID system operate within specific bands within the radio spectrum. These bands are normally licence free bands enabling any system to use them.

Although licence free spectrum can be crowded in some areas, the short range nature of RFID means that these frequencies are normally very appropriate for RFID applications.

The particular band used for an RFID system is set during its design and it is not a user selectable item, although some bands may be selected according to the country in which it is used to conform to the licence free spectrum availability. This is normally factory set according to known area of sale. Typically band differences are only relatively small and do not affect the performance, and they only affect the UHF spectrum.

The frequency used by the RFID system determines many of the characteristics about the way in which it will operate. As a result, determining the correct RFID frequency band is an important early decision in the development process.

RFID frequency band / spectrum allocations

There four main RFID frequency bands within the radio spectrum that are used around the globe. These bands are placed widely different areas within the radio spectrum and this enables RFID to choose frequencies that will enable the right system parameters to be obtained.

RFID Frequency Band / Spectrum Allocations RFID Frequency

Band Frequency Band

Description Typical Range Typical RFID Applications 125-134.2 kHz and 140-148.5 kHz Low frequency Up to ~ 1/2 metre These frequencies can be used globally without a license. Often used for vehicle identification. Sometimes referred to as LowFID. 6.765 - 6.795 MHz Medium frequency Inductive coupling is used on these RFID frequencies. 13.553 - 13.567 MHz High Frequency

HF

Often called 13.56 MHz Up to ~ 1 metre These RFID frequencies are typically used for electronic ticketing, contactless payment, access control, garment tracking, etc 26.957 - 27.283 MHz Medium frequency Up to ~ 1 metre Inductive coupling only, and used for special applications. 433 MHz UHF These RFID frequencies are used with backscatter coupling, for applications such as remote car keys in Europe 858 - 930 MHz Ultra High Frequency

UHF 1 to 10 metres These RFID frequencies cannot be accessed globally and there are significant restrictions on their use. When they are used, it is often used for asset management, container tracking, baggage tracking, work in progress tracking, etc. and often in conjunction with Wi-Fi systems.

For further information on its use see the paragraph below. 2.400 - 2.483 GHz SHF Backscatter coupling, but only available in USA / Canada 2.446 - 2.454GHz SHF 3 metres upwards These RFID frequencies are used for long range tracking and with active tags, RFID and AVI (Automatic Vehicle Identification). Backscatter coupling is generally used. 5.725 - 5.875 GHz SHF Backscatter coupling. Not widely used for RFID.

858 - 930 MHz UHF RFID Frequencies

As the UHF RFID frequencies are not a global allocation, these frequencies cannot be used internationally. Where access is allowed, it may be found that there are different restrictions in different countries.

UHF RFID Frequency Band Details Country Comments North America Here the UHF RFID band can be used unlicensed within the limits of 915 MHz  15MHz (i.e. 902 - 928 MHz). There are restrictions on transmission power. Europe (less exclusions) Within this region, the RFID frequencies (and other low-power radio applications) specified ETSI recommendations EN 300 220 and EN 302 208, and ERO recommendation 70 03. These allow RFID operation within the band 865-868 MHz, but with some involved restrictions. RFID readers must to monitor a channel before transmitting - "Listen Before Talk". France The North American standard is not accepted within France as it interferes with frequencies allocated to the military. China and Japan There are no licence free RFID bands or frequencies. However it is possible to request a licence for UHF RFID which is granted in a site basis. Australia & New Zealand Within this area the RFID band exists between 918-926 MHz as these frequencies are unlicensed, but there are restrictions on the transmission power.

As the allocated bands for RFID, particularly in the UHF portion of the spectrum may be different in different areas of the globe, it is necessary to include provision for this in the design. Fortunately the difference in the frequency bands is relatively small and can often be accommodated without major change to the RF design.

The variety of frequency bands available for RFID provides developers with a good choice. The difference in the properties along with the ways in which they can be used means that a variety of different coupling methods can be used.

Wireless & Wired Connectivity Topics:

Mobile Communications basics 2G GSM 3G UMTS 4G LTE 5G WiFi IEEE 802.15.4 DECT cordless phones NFC- Near Field Communication Networking fundamentals What is the Cloud Ethernet Serial data USB SigFox LoRa VoIP SDN NFV SD-WAN

Return to Wireless & Wired ConnectivityIf your household was disrupted by the teacher's strike, get ready for more.

Tens of thousands of teachers rallied all over the country on Wednesday in their first full-day strike for 24 years.

The Government's adamant the offer they've made is fair. However teachers are unwilling to compromise, and are threatening a two-day strike if they don't get what they want from the Government.

The union wants a 16 percent pay rise, but it also wants more support teaching those with learning difficulties and smaller class sizes.

"As an across the board increase, I think that would be unaffordable," says Education Minister Chris Hipkins told RadioLIVE Drive.

The Government is committed to going back to the negotiating table, but says the offer as it stands is fair. That offer would boost the top-scale salary to just over $80,000, and an entry salary to just over $55,000.

Teachers are refusing to back down, and a vote to escalate their protest to a future two-day strike was met with thunderous support.

They hope the threat of the strike will force the Government to make more of an effort to meet their demands.

"We're frustrated, we've had a gutsful - I've poured my heart out [for] 18 years in the profession," one teacher told Newshub.

"I haven't done it for money, I've done it for the love and passion of the kids I've taught... I've got nothing left - we're sucked dry people, we're sucked dry."

Listen to the full interview with Chris Hipkins above.

Drive with Ryan Bridge and Paula Penfold, filling in for Lisa Owen, 3pm - 6pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone.

RadioLIVE/Newshub.More funds will be available for communities following a rise in proceeds from gaming machines.

New figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs show that Gaming Machine Proceeds (GMP) in the April-June 2018 quarter increased by 3.1 percent, a total of $6,846,240, compared to the same quarter in 2017.

On average over 90 percent of net proceeds go back to local community groups and organisations, most of which would struggle to survive without this funding, the Gaming Machine Association of New Zealand (GMANZ) says.

But there is concern about the ongoing reduction in pokie machines in pubs and gaming venues, and what that could mean for funding community groups in the future.

There are also renewed calls for the Government to ban pokies and phase out all existing machines.

Northland GP Dr Lance O'Sullivan told TV3's The Hui the gambling machines prey on the most vulnerable.

"If New Zealand's keen to address child abuse, you've got to address the drivers of child abuse  its child poverty, and these machines are contributing to that."

The Problem Gambling Foundation says in wealthier areas there is one machine for every 475 people, but in poorer areas it's one machine for every 75.

We recognise that there is an issue with some people having an addiction to gambling, GMANZ spokesperson Bruce Robertson told RadioLIVEs Wendyl Nissen.

But he says no other form of gambling makes such a significant contribution to community good.

The majority of people in the community, doing a lot of good work, really need the funding from the pokies to fund their activities; whether its schools, sporting activities, Hospices, rescue helicopters, and the rest of it.

In fact, mostly we actually get very positive feedback.

Listen to the full interview with Bruce Robertson above.

The Long Lunch with Wendyl Nissen, 12pm - 3pm on RadioLIVE and streaming live to the rova app on Android and iPhone.

RadioLIVE.On Aug. 15, 1914, one of the worlds greatest engineering marvels was completed in the Panama Canal Zone under the guidance of the United States. This massive canal connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and cemented Americas place at the table of major world players.

The Isthmus of Panama, where the Canal was built, is a tiny sliver of land connecting the Americas. The French were the first to try and build a canal through the isthmus, from 1881-94 (and at the height of its worldwide imperium), but their project failed miserably. The problem wasnt engineering prowess or finances (the French were led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the engineer who built the Suez Canal), it was climate. De Lesseps and his team built a much longer canal in Egypt but did so under pristine Mediterranean conditions. When confronted with tropical jungles, the French effort faltered. To make matters worse for de Lesseps and his team, instead of dealing with the British government (as they did in their Suez endeavor), which was well adept at international cooperation and had a hefty financial incentive to complete a canal, the French had to deal with a Colombian government that was almost brand new and had virtually no international experience whatsoever.

The Colombians were so bad for the Panama Canal project that, in 1903, after years of international political machinations from Washington and Paris, Panama declared independence from Colombia and was promptly protected by the United States navy. The Americans and the new country of Panama signed a treaty creating the Panama Canal Zone and giving the U.S. government a green light to build the canal.

The political ramifications for Washington essentially stealing a province from Colombia were huge. The United States had just seized a number of overseas territories from Spain in 1898, and the imperial project was frowned upon by numerous factions for various reasons. The U.S. foray into imperialism led to governance issues in the Caribbean, where Washington found itself supporting anti-democratic autocrats, and confronting outright ethical problems in the Philippines, where the United States Army was ruthlessly putting down a revolt against its rule. So acquiring a canal zone in a country that was baited into leaving another country was scandalous, especially since Colombias reluctance to cooperate with France and the U.S. was viewed as democratic (the Colombian Senate refused to ratify several canal-related treaties with France and the U.S.), and the two Western powers were supposedly the torchbearers of democracy. To make matters worse, many elites in Panama, after agreeing to secede in exchange for protection from Colombia, felt betrayed by the terms of the Panama Canal Zone, which granted the United States sole control over the zone in perpetuity.

Theodore Roosevelt, an ardent imperialist (and hero of the Spanish-American War), was president at the time and issued the following statement regarding criticisms of his seizure of the Isthmus: "I took the Isthmus, started the canal and then left Congress not to debate the canal, but to debate me." And thats exactly what happened.

The canal itself was completed 10 years later, and without too many problems. Woodrow Wilson was president in 1914, and sent the telegraph that triggered the final explosion to complete the Panama Canal. Worldwide commerce didnt boom, however, due to World War I, and previously prosperous port cities throughout Chile and Argentina declined quickly and mercilessly. The United States handed over control of the canal to Panama in 1999, and the country promptly turned it over to the control of private interests, headed by a consortium based out of Hong Kong. After 96 years of being governed by an imperial power, the politics of the Panama Canal finally reflect its feats in engineering: a cosmopolitan ideal that benefits all of mankind through our creative ingenuity.Last week, Kansas Republicans went to the polls to cast their ballots in the states gubernatorial primary. Once the votes were tallied, it became clear that the race was incredibly tight and too close to call. Almost a week after the election late mail-in ballots had been counted, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has President Trumps endorsement, held a small lead on incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer, and a recount looked likely. Tuesday night, Colyer conceded to Kobach, forgoing a recount. The numbers are just not there unless we were to go to extraordinary measures, said Colyer.

Here are five facts on Kansas Republican Primary and the recount process:

1. State law in Kansas does not require an automatic recount, no matter how close the race, so one of the gubernatorial candidates would have to request a recount after the mail-in and provisional ballots are tallied and the results become official. According to Fox 4 News, the local Kansas City Fox affiliate, once a recount is requested, the state allots five days to add up the ballots; this protocol will be followed whether the recount is for the whole state or just certain counties. Unless the outcome of the election changes, the candidate who asks for the recount will foot the bill.

2. The recount is done on a county level, with the entire process overseen by the secretary of states office. Since Kris Kobach is Kansass acting secretary of state, many called for him to recuse himself should there have been a recount.

3. Provisional ballots are given when an election worker is concerned that a voter is ineligible to vote in a specific location (or in general). After the initial tally, there were close to 9,000 outstanding provisional ballots from 105 counties to be reviewed. Of these ballots, it was estimated that two-thirds were cast for the Republican primary, according to The Associated Press.

4. States have different rules for recounts; the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) notes that 43 states and Washington, D.C. allow for a losing candidate, a voter, a group of voters, or other concerned parties to petition for a recount. However, in a handful of states, the vote totals for the top two candidates must fall within a certain range in order for a recount to take place. And an automatic recount can be triggered by a certain election margin, depending on a county or states specific laws. The automatic recount is then paid for by the local or state government, not a candidate.

5. Recounts are relatively rare. According to FiveThirtyEight, between 2000 and 2015 there were just 27 recounts following 4,687 statewide general elections. Of these 27 recounts, only three changed the outcome of the election. There have been a handful of modern-day examples of recounts changing the outcome of an election. In 2008, Al Franken (D-MN) beat incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) in a recount by 312 votes. And in the 2004 Washington gubernatorial election, Democratic Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire beat Dino Rossi, a former Republican state senator, by just 129 votes.

No Labels is an organization of Democrats, Republicans, and independents working to bring American leaders together to solve problems.

*EDITORS NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect Governor Colyers concession Tuesday evening.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Republicans may have to nominate U.S. Rep. Chris Collins for another political office in order to strip his name from the November ballot after the three-term conservative lawmaker dropped his re-election bid following insider trading charges.

The odd move may be necessitated by New York state election law, which sharply defines how a candidates name can legally be erased from the ballot. Death is one. Disqualification for not being a U.S. citizen or at least 25 years old is another. A third, and the only possibility likely to apply to Collins, would allow him to remove his name if he accepts a nomination for another office, such as county clerk or district attorney.

Republican leaders from the eight counties in Collins western New York district will soon meet to discuss the partys next steps following Collins announcement that he would get out of the race. He was charged last week with illegally using inside information about a biotech company to help his son avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in loses when one of the companys drugs failed in a medical trial. Collins has pleaded not guilty and vowed to fight the charges.

Several Republicans have either announced campaigns or been mentioned as possible contenders for Collins seat, which represents the area between Rochester and Buffalo. They include state Assemblyman Ray Walter; Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw; state Sen. Robert Ortt; real estate developer Carl Paladino, who made a failed bid for governor in 2010; and David Bellavia, a local radio show host who lost to Collins in the 2012 primary.

Local party leaders will pick Collins replacement for the ballot.

Nobody wanted to be in this position. Its an absolute shame that this happened, but it is what it is, Walter told The Associated Press on Monday. Its a conservative Republican district ... luckily we have a whole bunch of candidates.

New Yorks 27th Congressional District is considered the most right-leaning in New York state. Voters in the district backed President Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton by nearly 25 percentage points in 2016, when Collins beat his Democratic challenger by more than 2-to-1. As one of Trumps most loyal allies in Congress, Collins was considered a strong favorite.

Support for Trump is already emerging as a big factor in the race.

Paladino, who worked on Trumps campaign, said his ties to the president would help the area. Paladino was a member of Buffalos school board until last year, when he was removed after writing that he wanted to see former President Barack Obama dead of mad cow disease and former first lady Michelle Obama living with a gorilla in Africa.

Voters understand my friendship with and respect for the president and how that will benefit the district and all of western New York, Paladino said in his campaign announcement Monday.

With momentum expected to favor Democrats across the nation this November, Republicans say they cant afford to lose the 27th.

I cannot stand by and let this critical Congressional seat fall into the hands of a radical left-wing candidate who will be a vote to impeach President Trump, Mychajliw said in a statement announcing his candidacy, which came out hours after Collins announced his decision not to run.

At first, Collins planned to stay on the ballot while he fought the charges, but he announced a change of heart on Saturday, saying in a statement that he would suspend his campaign. He said he was doing so in the best interests of the constituents of NY-27, the Republican Party and President Trumps agenda.

Collins will serve out the remainder of his term. He said he would continue to fight the meritless charges.

The winner of the GOP primary faces Democrat Nate McMurray, a local town supervisor who has said his campaign saw a dramatic uptick in contributions and interest following Collins arrest. McMurray has called on Collins to resign his seat immediately. While many Democratic challengers are running on their opposition to Trump, McMurray is taking a different tack in this Trump-friendly district.

My message is not going to change no matter who they throw in to the race, the candidate said on WBEN radio Saturday. Its about jobs, jobs, jobs.WASHINGTON -- An Arab diplomat recently chided an American audience for speculating about what "the new Middle East" may look like. Open your eyes, he said: The new Middle East is already here.

And, personally, I fear its baseline expectation is that American power and values won't matter in the way they once did.

The diplomat was Yousef al-Otaiba, the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, and he was speaking at a public gathering last month of the Aspen Security Forum. He explained to an audience of policymakers and journalists the consequences of disengagement: "One very senior [U.S.] official looked at me once and said there's no constituency in the U.S. for us doing more in the Middle East. When we hear that, it means we need to do things on our own."

What does "doing things on our own" look like for Middle East nations? Well, it means closer relations with Russia and China, for starters. Otaiba noted that on the very day (July 19) he was giving his Aspen talk, President Xi Jinping had arrived in Abu Dhabi. And why not? China is the UAE's largest trading partner.

Otaiba gave another example of the traditional regional order, transformed. He remarked that this year, "the prime minister of Israel [Benjamin Netanyahu] is [visiting] Moscow more frequently than he visits Washington." Otaiba noted that if he had made such an observation 10 years ago, "you would have thought I was absolutely crazy." (By my count, Netanyahu has this year made three Moscow trips but just one to Washington.)

A country that has dreamed, during the Obama and Trump presidencies, of being less entangled in the problems of the Middle East may finally be getting its wish. America is less involved, and inevitably, it is less influential.

Maybe I'm a foreign-policy dinosaur. But I still want a modernizing Middle East that shares America's values, and I regret our loss of influence -- and even more, the way that decent people and ideas suffer when the umbrella of American hegemony is withdrawn or discarded. Since Otaiba's remarks, I've seen new examples of bad decisions when leaders decide that Uncle Sam doesn't matter.

Topping the list of this summer's dumbest Middle East mistakes is Saudi Arabia's move to punish Canada for criticizing human-rights policies in the kingdom. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, looked hypocritical and harshly repressive for allowing Saudi women to drive and simultaneously cracking down on female activists.

MBS may not realize it, but the human-rights squeeze also makes him look weak under fire: It causes Western analysts to review their assessments about the possible spread of dissent against MBS within the Saudi royal family, business community, clergy and military. Sorry, your highness, but confident leaders don't expel Canadian ambassadors.

I'm still rooting for MBS to succeed in reforming culture, religion and society in the biggest, most important Sunni Arab economy. But it's harder for him to do the right thing in a post-American Middle East, where the role models are authoritarian leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi -- and the current avatar of American power is Donald Trump.

Even Trump seems to be having trouble managing MBS. The Saudis reportedly raised oil production in June to help pressure Iran; but in July, the Saudis reversed 40 percent of the increase, according to the Financial Times. Maybe MBS' deal with Putin to manage oil prices through a so-called "OPEC Plus" matters more than any promise to Trump.

The summer's second lesson in post-American folly is Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a leader who seems convinced he can intimidate anyone. The trigger for this latest crisis is Erdogan's refusal to release the detained U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson apparently unless he's exchanged for a convicted Turkish felon in an American prison.

Erdogan seems ready to abandon the NATO alliance itself, rather than compromise. He apparently thinks (like so many other leaders in the region) that if he riles America, he can make alternative deals with Russia or China. (You have to credit Trump for being as intractable in this feud as Erdogan.)

But guess what? Even in a world where America's military and diplomatic power seems to be in retreat, there's an element of the American-led order that's as strong as ever -- our dominance of the global economy. Erdogan may think he can bluff his way through the Brunson crisis, but Turkish banks, construction companies and bondholders know better.

In the still-global economy, going it alone really isn't an option, folks. This summer, as ever, we sink or swim together.

(c) 2018, Washington Post Writers GroupPart 2 in a series

Donald Trump has taken a lot of grief for his tweeting habit from critics who view his use of the social media platform as decidedly unpresidential. Hes receiving only gratitude, however, from Republican candidates hes endorsed on Twitter  candidates whove ridden Trumps endorsement to decisive primary victories.

With over 50 million followers on Twitter, the presidents outreach spans a far greater cross-section of voters than the standard political database -- though not all of his followers are Republicans or even politically engaged. He has endorsed 44 campaigns so far and many say theyve seen a tangible difference after a getting that seal of approval on Twitter. His input elevates the candidates national profile, increases donations, and can even help change the outcome of some races.

In last months Republican gubernatorial primary runoff in Georgia, Trumps surprise endorsement may have been the key to tipping the tight contest in the favor of Secretary of State Brian Kemp. He entered the July runoff as the underdog and ended up winning by a double-digit margin.

"The president's endorsement was like pouring gasoline on a fire, Kemp told RCP. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle had been widely considered the favorite throughout the race and had the support of Georgias GOP establishment, including term-limited Gov. Nathan Deal. Cagle won the first round of voting in May by 13 points but did not top 50 percent, forcing the runoff; he ended up losing to Kemp in July in a landslide after the president weighed in.

Trump pointed to Kemps record on immigration and crime as the reason for his endorsement. Brian Kemp is running for Governor of the great state of Georgia. The Primary is on Tuesday. Brian is tough on crime, strong on the border and illegal immigration. He loves our Military and our Vets and protects our Second Amendment. I give him my full and total endorsement, Trump tweeted on July 18  less than a week before the runoff. Kemps campaign said there was an immediate increase in the candidates social media and website traffic after the announcement. Vice President Mike Pences rally for Kemp  which took place after the endorsement  attracted some 2,000 people.

But more was going on in Georgia than Trumps tweets or Pences stump speeches. Just two weeks before the runoff, Cagle was recorded by a former opponent making disparaging comments about voters  he sneered that they didnt care about the issues but rather about who had the biggest gun, who had the biggest truck, and who could be the craziest.

Nonetheless, it seems clear that a Trump endorsement can change the dynamic of some midterm races. Another competitive primary contest in Michigan turned in favor of the presidents preferred candidate after he gained Trumps backing. At the start of the summer, U.S. Senate candidate John James (pictured) trailed Sandy Pensler. But James began making headway around mid-July when the president endorsed him. The only poll taken entirely after the endorsement shows a seven-point jump for James from the previous poll, according to RCPs collective polling on the race. He won the Aug. 7 primary by nearly 10 percentage points.

Various campaigns on the House, Senate and gubernatorial levels report a noticeable uptick in social media engagement and online activity after a tweet from the president. A mere 280-character post has the power to boost name recognition for lesser-known candidates and focus media attention on races that hadnt received much notice. Often, the campaigns report, it leads to immediate increases in online contributions.

Rep. Matt Gaetzs campaign in Florida saw a sizable jump in website traffic after Trump tweeted about him in July. Campaign spokesman Peter Holland said there was a 48 percent increase in website visits in the month following the endorsement as well as a 10 percent bump in daily Facebook engagement. Most importantly, Holland said, the campaign saw a 25 percent increase in individual donations online.

The campaign of Republican Pete Stauber, running in Minnesotas 8th Congressional District, said the presidents interest in the race generated national attention and a massive boost in name identification for the little-known county commissioner.

After the first time the president tweeted about us, our Twitter numbers nearly doubled, said Caroline Tarwid, press secretary for the campaign. The race is considered one of the top flip opportunities for Republicans after Rep. Rick Nolan, a Democrat, decided to retire. The district went for Trump overwhelmingly in the 2016 election. Both Trump and Pence traveled to the district to campaign and fundraise for Stauber, who coasted to victory Tuesday and will face Joe Radinovich in November.

While candidates say Twitter endorsements are helpful, a tweet coupled with a rally remains the coveted combination. The two together attract the most attention across platforms and help turn enthusiasm into tangible results. A spokesman for Rep. Lou Barlettas Senate campaign said that a recent rally in Pennsylvania did wonders for donations. In the 24 hours following the presidents rally for Lou in Wilkes-Barre, the campaign saw over $50,000 in unsolicited, online, small-dollar donations, said Matt Beynon. This is above the fundraising reception the president took part in and other email solicitations that were made surrounding the event.

Although the Republican National Committee stays out of primary races, the president has shown he has no such compunction. RNC officials are well aware of his ability to jump-start local GOP campaigns, and say they are working with Trumps own re-election team on finding the best way to harness the presidents ability to turn his online followers into rally participants who then go to the polls. No one can turn out our voters like President Trump, but it only works if he is in the right place and in front of the right people, said Chris Carr, political director for Trumps re-election campaign. You need really good data to figure that out, and the RNC data is the best in the business.

When primary races wrap up next month, the dynamic will likely change, as futile presidential endorsements in Alabama and Pennsylvania special elections demonstrated. But for now, Trumps tweeted support remains highly valued, and highly sought-after.Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real EstateCAMEROUN :: In Cameroon, new school brings new hope for Baka children

East Cameroon is home to around 26,000 Baka. Living in and around the regions dense forests, the Baka face several challenges related to deep-rooted and historic marginalization, which are further exacerbated due to inadequate or lack of access to services such as healthcare and education.

Present in Cameroon for more than the past two decades, in 2013, WWF decided to launch a Baka education project to support Baka children keen to go to school upon the request of community members and representatives. The project provides scholarships to 500 Baka children to cover fees as well as expenses related to books and other academic materials.

This year, on 9 August, marked globally as International Day of Worlds Indigenous Peoples, WWF also donated a two-classroom building to support the education of Baka and Bantu children in the village of Assoumndele II in eastern Cameroon.

We cannot talk of conservation without considering the living conditions of the custodians of the forest. The Baka face challenges particularly linked to education owing to the specificities of their lifestyle, says Gilles Etoga Manager of WWF Jengi TRIDOM Program in East Cameroon. We think building a school structure in their milieu will help meet their needs and encourage Baka parents to send their children to school, he adds.

The classrooms, equipped with 30 benches each, cost FCFA 17 million (apprix. USD 34,000) and were funded by WWF-Sweden. They replace an old dilapidated structure built with mud and thatch that hosted the school in 2011 but collapsed in January 2015. Since then, close to 70 Baka and Bantu pupils have been learning their lessons while squatting in a small hut offered by the village chief.

We are very happy with this gift. Our children will go to school, so that they can become government officers like others, states Dindo Daniel, a Baka parent and member of the school PTA. We will not have to seek help from our Bantu brothers to write or read our letters and other important messages every time, adds Dindo.

While appreciating WWFs gesture, Baka chief of Assoumndele II, Samson Mengwaba, called on government to send teachers to the newly built school.

The Baka are one of the many indigenous communities living in Cameroon. Historically marginalized, the community faces several challenges in an ever-changing Cameroon and WWF is working with key partners such as Plan International Cameroon, local civil society organizations, Cameroons ministries of Basic and Secondary Education and Social Affairs, to help address these issues through conservation efforts.

A joint WWF-Plan Cameroon project launched in 2017 will continue to focus on improving the schooling conditions of Baka in ten villages across the region.HOME > Castaways 'Castaways' recap: Angel Alvarenga quits, Kenzi Whittington returns to Robbie Gibbons' camp

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/15/2018



, the new survival-themed reality series, featured Angel Alvarenga quitting the show and Kenzi Whittington reuniting with Robbie Gibbons during Tuesday night's episode on ABC.



ADVERTISEMENT In Tuesday night's broadcast, Angel, a 20-year-old from Chatsworth, CA, decided to quit the show.



is designed to test the human need for companionship, according to ABC, as 12 diverse strangers are shipwrecked on a string of deserted islands in the South Pacific without knowledge of when they will be rescued.



Among washed-up luggage, scattered resources, and abandoned structures, the castaways are lost and alone, and they must fend for themselves -- or attempt to find companionship.



Throughout each cast member's journey on the show, documentary-style footage flashes back in order to share with viewers his or her story and the struggles left behind at home.



The only way the castaways can leave the remote islands is by persevering long enough for the rescue team to arrive or by simply quitting the show.



The castaways remaining on the show are Terry Allen, a 62-year-old from Agoura, CA; Eric Brown, a 31-year-old from Glendale, CA; Sawyer Brown, a 30-year-old from Willseyville, NY; Tim Burke, a 50-year-old from Plant City, FL; Robbie, a 42-year-old from Birmingham, AL; Reshanna Hearvy, a 24-year-old from New York, NY; Matt Jaskol, a 32-year-old from Las Vegas, NV; Krichelle Kerbow, a 25-year-old from Haiku, HI; Richard Rogers, a 35-year-old from Sequim, WA; Kenzi, a 24-year-old from Nashville, TN; and Tracee Wnetrzak, a 41-year-old from Quartz Hill, CA.



The new episode began on Day 3 at 3:12PM, with Robbie talking about how he was so hungry. When living in Alabama, a fast food restaurant was only six minutes from his house, but on the island, Robbie put a lot of effort into just opening a coconut and trying to eat it.



Meanwhile, Krichelle didn't have a knife to do anything, but she wanted to prove the stereotype wrong that women depend on men and need them to survive and thrive. Krichelle has an issue with this stereotype because she was raised in a family with six brothers who would tease and playfully torment her.



"I can do this; I got this. I don't need anybody's help. I don't need to be dependent on any other person except for myself," Krichelle explained.



Tim then walked right up to Krichelle's camp. She actually felt a little bummed out upon seeing Tim because she was looking forward to spending some time alone out there.



As for Sawyer, he felt helpless as he walked up and down the beach looking for items to use. On his way back to camp, he ran into Angel, and they decided to take off together and look for more people. Sawyer assumed the more people they could find, the better their chances would be of survival.



Angel then revealed that when he was 15 years old, he left his mother and brothers behind in Honduras, which can be a violent place. His older brother sadly got shot while riding a motorcycle, and Angel felt guilty he couldn't be there to help his brother through the incident.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

The two guys then stumbled upon a shelter that had rice, matches and fish. They called it "a gold mine."



Meanwhile, Tim and Krichelle walked into a shelter where the person had found a machete and food. Krichelle could tell Tim was in the Army by the way he was handling tools and resources, and she worried Tim was going to view her as a blonde girl with no skills for this type of journey.



Eric was then shown finding a canoe. He admitted loneliness was a bit more than he had imagined it would be. Things were getting so bad for Eric, in fact, that he was naming inanimate objects and talking to them. Eric's machete, for instance, was named Jerome.



Eric revealed he loved his wife dearly and didn't agree with those who accused them of jumping into marriage too soon and making a mistake. They apparently tied the knot without telling their loved ones, but it was unclear why Eric or his wife's family didn't approve of their union.



Around this same time, Sawyer caught a crab to eat, but Angel wasn't very interested in eating much. Sawyer was getting the vibe Angel was not ready for an experience like this at the young age of 21. Sawyer didn't think Angel had time to build up strength for this type of adventure, and he was right, because Angel confessed to cameras he felt "trapped."



On Day 4 at 11:38AM, Robbie couldn't sleep. He was upset Kenzi had left him, and Robbie assumed Kenzi had abandoned him because she thought he was lazy -- and she can't stand lazy people. Robbie thought his pace of building the shelter was probably too slow for Kenzi.



Robbie was struggling with abandonment issues even before Kenzi because of his family situation. Robbie is adopted and heard his father had abused drugs. Robbie was therefore left wondering whether there was a part of him that was bad, and instead of drinking or doing drugs, he turned to food.



Robbie wanted to meet his biological father just to see him physically and ask questions.



ADVERTISEMENT



Tim told Krichelle he has four children and a wife of 29 years back home. He told Krichelle the secret to a successful marriage is not giving 50/50 -- it's giving 100/100 all the time.



On Day 4 at 3:30PM, Robbie felt he could do this all by himself but he would need someone to keep him company because of the way people are wired.



Robbie then got the attention of a man on an island across the way. It was Richard. Robbie asked Richard to swim over, and Richard was ready for a change in scenery given his island was small and he had used up all of his resources: empty water bottles, coconuts and a bag he had found on the beach. The bag that helped him to survive happened to be Kenzi's.



Just as Richard began building a raft so he could float over to Robbie, he noticed two other guys nearby.



On Day 4 at 4:37PM, Angel and Sawyer were walking through the water and found Richard working on his raft.



Angel and Sawyer decided to take Richard's advice about the tide and swim over to him. The tide unfortunately turned, however, and so the swim quickly became difficult for the pair of guys, especially for Angel, who nearly drowned. But with Richard's assistance, they made it to shore.



Angel, Sawyer and Richard acknowledged they wouldn't be able to make it over to Robbie after all.



This is when Angel realized he wasn't cut out for this adventure and decided to quit. Not only were the conditions too tough for him, but he also said his brother in Honduras needed to be his priority.



Angel and Sawyer therefore took off together, and Richard said they were "cut from the same cloth," except Sawyer was taller and more muscular. The duo agreed to fend for themselves rather than try to swim out to that mystery guy on an island across the way.



"I do feel guilty, but this other guy is a long ways away," Richard said in a confessional, referencing Robbie.



"There was nothing that was drawing us towards him anymore. It was just to go back, stabilize ourselves. Again, you deal with a little guilt, but that guilt is not going to injure me or affect me."



The episode concluded with Robbie napping in his shelter alone and Kenzie returning with a bunch of items she had found.



ADVERTISEMENT



"I don't know what to say. I really can't believe that you came back," Robbie told Kenzi, who brought him some peanuts.



"My intentions initially were just to get anything valuable I found on the beach that we could use," Kenzi said.



"But it led me far away. It led me to not coming back. I'm not going to lie; I thought about staying... I had shelter, I had fire, I had food. I had water. I had everything I needed to survive on my own, but I didn't have Robbie."

About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS , the new survival-themed reality series, featured Angel Alvarenga quitting the show and Kenzi Whittington reuniting with Robbie Gibbons during Tuesday night's episode on ABC.In Tuesday night's broadcast, Angel, a 20-year-old from Chatsworth, CA, decided to quit the show.is designed to test the human need for companionship, according to ABC, as 12 diverse strangers are shipwrecked on a string of deserted islands in the South Pacific without knowledge of when they will be rescued.Among washed-up luggage, scattered resources, and abandoned structures, the castaways are lost and alone, and they must fend for themselves -- or attempt to find companionship.Throughout each cast member's journey on the show, documentary-style footage flashes back in order to share with viewers his or her story and the struggles left behind at home.The only way the castaways can leave the remote islands is by persevering long enough for the rescue team to arrive or by simply quitting the show.The castaways remaining on the show are Terry Allen, a 62-year-old from Agoura, CA; Eric Brown, a 31-year-old from Glendale, CA; Sawyer Brown, a 30-year-old from Willseyville, NY; Tim Burke, a 50-year-old from Plant City, FL; Robbie, a 42-year-old from Birmingham, AL; Reshanna Hearvy, a 24-year-old from New York, NY; Matt Jaskol, a 32-year-old from Las Vegas, NV; Krichelle Kerbow, a 25-year-old from Haiku, HI; Richard Rogers, a 35-year-old from Sequim, WA; Kenzi, a 24-year-old from Nashville, TN; and Tracee Wnetrzak, a 41-year-old from Quartz Hill, CA.The new episode began on Day 3 at 3:12PM, with Robbie talking about how he was so hungry. When living in Alabama, a fast food restaurant was only six minutes from his house, but on the island, Robbie put a lot of effort into just opening a coconut and trying to eat it.Meanwhile, Krichelle didn't have a knife to do anything, but she wanted to prove the stereotype wrong that women depend on men and need them to survive and thrive. Krichelle has an issue with this stereotype because she was raised in a family with six brothers who would tease and playfully torment her."I can do this; I got this. I don't need anybody's help. I don't need to be dependent on any other person except for myself," Krichelle explained.Tim then walked right up to Krichelle's camp. She actually felt a little bummed out upon seeing Tim because she was looking forward to spending some time alone out there.As for Sawyer, he felt helpless as he walked up and down the beach looking for items to use. On his way back to camp, he ran into Angel, and they decided to take off together and look for more people. Sawyer assumed the more people they could find, the better their chances would be of survival.Angel then revealed that when he was 15 years old, he left his mother and brothers behind in Honduras, which can be a violent place. His older brother sadly got shot while riding a motorcycle, and Angel felt guilty he couldn't be there to help his brother through the incident.The two guys then stumbled upon a shelter that had rice, matches and fish. They called it "a gold mine."Meanwhile, Tim and Krichelle walked into a shelter where the person had found a machete and food. Krichelle could tell Tim was in the Army by the way he was handling tools and resources, and she worried Tim was going to view her as a blonde girl with no skills for this type of journey.Eric was then shown finding a canoe. He admitted loneliness was a bit more than he had imagined it would be. Things were getting so bad for Eric, in fact, that he was naming inanimate objects and talking to them. Eric's machete, for instance, was named Jerome.Eric revealed he loved his wife dearly and didn't agree with those who accused them of jumping into marriage too soon and making a mistake. They apparently tied the knot without telling their loved ones, but it was unclear why Eric or his wife's family didn't approve of their union.Around this same time, Sawyer caught a crab to eat, but Angel wasn't very interested in eating much. Sawyer was getting the vibe Angel was not ready for an experience like this at the young age of 21. Sawyer didn't think Angel had time to build up strength for this type of adventure, and he was right, because Angel confessed to cameras he felt "trapped."On Day 4 at 11:38AM, Robbie couldn't sleep. He was upset Kenzi had left him, and Robbie assumed Kenzi had abandoned him because she thought he was lazy -- and she can't stand lazy people. Robbie thought his pace of building the shelter was probably too slow for Kenzi.Robbie was struggling with abandonment issues even before Kenzi because of his family situation. Robbie is adopted and heard his father had abused drugs. Robbie was therefore left wondering whether there was a part of him that was bad, and instead of drinking or doing drugs, he turned to food.Robbie wanted to meet his biological father just to see him physically and ask questions.Krichelle revealed her childhood wasn't normal. Her dad smuggled weed across the Mexican border by the tons and when he was about to get caught, their family moved to Hawaii and lived where no one could find them. They were a blended family. Even Krichelle's stepdad lived under the same roof as her biological father.Tim told Krichelle he has four children and a wife of 29 years back home. He told Krichelle the secret to a successful marriage is not giving 50/50 -- it's giving 100/100 all the time.On Day 4 at 3:30PM, Robbie felt he could do this all by himself but he would need someone to keep him company because of the way people are wired.Robbie then got the attention of a man on an island across the way. It was Richard. Robbie asked Richard to swim over, and Richard was ready for a change in scenery given his island was small and he had used up all of his resources: empty water bottles, coconuts and a bag he had found on the beach. The bag that helped him to survive happened to be Kenzi's.Just as Richard began building a raft so he could float over to Robbie, he noticed two other guys nearby.On Day 4 at 4:37PM, Angel and Sawyer were walking through the water and found Richard working on his raft.Angel and Sawyer decided to take Richard's advice about the tide and swim over to him. The tide unfortunately turned, however, and so the swim quickly became difficult for the pair of guys, especially for Angel, who nearly drowned. But with Richard's assistance, they made it to shore.Angel, Sawyer and Richard acknowledged they wouldn't be able to make it over to Robbie after all.This is when Angel realized he wasn't cut out for this adventure and decided to quit. Not only were the conditions too tough for him, but he also said his brother in Honduras needed to be his priority.Angel and Sawyer therefore took off together, and Richard said they were "cut from the same cloth," except Sawyer was taller and more muscular. The duo agreed to fend for themselves rather than try to swim out to that mystery guy on an island across the way."I do feel guilty, but this other guy is a long ways away," Richard said in a confessional, referencing Robbie."There was nothing that was drawing us towards him anymore. It was just to go back, stabilize ourselves. Again, you deal with a little guilt, but that guilt is not going to injure me or affect me."The episode concluded with Robbie napping in his shelter alone and Kenzie returning with a bunch of items she had found.Robbie told Kenzi he had eaten a fish she had caught for them, and she was glad to hear he was doing well. Robbie was so happy to see Kenzi considering he thought she had abandoned him for good."I don't know what to say. I really can't believe that you came back," Robbie told Kenzi, who brought him some peanuts."My intentions initially were just to get anything valuable I found on the beach that we could use," Kenzi said."But it led me far away. It led me to not coming back. I'm not going to lie; I thought about staying... I had shelter, I had fire, I had food. I had water. I had everything I needed to survive on my own, but I didn't have Robbie." CASTAWAYS MORE CASTAWAYS NEWS << PRIOR STORY

'Bachelor in Paradise' recap: Jordan Kimball finds love with Jenna Cooper, Chris Randone betrays Tia Booth NEXT STORY >>

'Married at First Sight's Brandi Broughton and Quinton Strother get engaged two years after Season 4 casting fell through

Tenspeed TV/ABC Get more Reality TV World! Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or add our RSS feed.













ADVERTISEMENT

































ADVERTISEMENT



















































Page generated Sat Oct 30, 2021 6:25 am in 0.93874883651733 seconds



Coco Austin posted a photo from a family outing on Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 39-year-old television personality shared a picture with husband Ice-T and 2-year-old daughter Chanel from their trip to an exotic car show Sunday in Jericho, N.Y.

The snapshot shows Austin posing with Ice-T and Chanel in front of a red Bentley. Austin and Chanel wear matching red and white dresses.

"Can I take a moment to tell you how much I just love my little family! (@ExoticsRally Car Show at One North Mediterranean Soul)," Austin captioned the post.

The former Ice Loves Coco star also shared a photo of Ice-T with Chanel.

"Always on cloud 9 when I'm around these too! #daddyloves you," she wrote.

Austin and Ice-T welcomed Chanel in November 2015.

Austin said in an Instagram comment in May that she still breastfeeds her daughter, although it's "more for comfort now."

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

"I follow some mother impowering pages here on Instagram and I love the inspiring pics they post showing the tenderness and love between a mother and child with or without nursing moments.. I love that I can be a part of that," the star wrote.

"@babychanelnicole has made me a more sensitive person now that I'm older," she added.,



We're sorry, this article is not currently availableBy Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/13/2021



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

Which couples are still together and which MAFS couples have broken up and divorced? And where are they now?

has followed 44 different couples who got married at first sight during it's first twelve seasons -- so which couples are still together, who has broken up and divorced, and where are they all now?Each season of -- which debuted in the United States seven years ago and is based on a Danish series -- features couples (previously three couples, but four couples on Seasons 8 and 9, and five couples beginning with Season 10) being matched together by relationship experts and agree to marry when they first meet.Complete strangers become husband and wife in a matter of minutes, and the couples' lives are then documented by TV cameras over the course of the next four to eight weeks (eight weeks, in the case of 's most recent seasons).The couples typically enjoy their first night together in a hotel after exchanging vows -- with some couples deciding to consummate their marriage immediately -- and then embark on a honeymoon, move in together, and simply attempt to deal with the struggles of daily life as man and wife.At the end of the extreme marriage experiment, each couple must decide whether they'd like to stay married or get a divorce on "Decision Day."has experienced very mixed results over the years. While a significant number of couples decide to stay together and continue their new marriage at the end of their season, the real world seems to hit them hard after the cameras leave, resulting in the couple splitting up only months later.Do cast members see a different side of their spouses once cameras are gone, or do the romances naturally fizzle over time?Some couples are still together to this day and are extremely happy. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from Season 1, for example, have had two children.Several other couples have also had children -- including Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd , and Deonna McNeill and Greg Okotie However, there are also relationships that ended badly. Jessica Castro from Season 2, for instance, accused Ryan De Nino of alleged death threats, and she went on to file a restraining order and lawsuit against him.Some couples have also never even made it to "Decision Day" and ended their marriage prematurely, including Season 4 couple Heather Seidel and Derek Schwartz as well as Season 6 couple Molly Duff and Jonathan Francetic Are the remaining couples now lovers, friends or enemies?! What about early season couples like Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion, Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, Vanessa Nelson and Tres Russell, Sonia Granados and Nick Pendergrast, and Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson?And how about more recent season couples like Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon Jaclyn Schwartzberg and Ryan Buckley Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana , and Tristan Thompson and Mia Bally Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth , and AJ Vollmoeller and Stephanie Sersen Click thelink below to see photos of each couple and find out!

BEGIN GALLERY >>

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.A lot goes on around Athens and UGA campus and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From Panhellenic sorority recruitment ending to the approAt 21 years old, you might be about to graduate college or try your first drink. But for Josie Dunne, shes going on tour.The administrative building of Government Bilingual High school, GBHS Ndop, in Ngoketundjia division, North West region, has been razed by wild flames whose origin remains unknown.

Residents woke up Monday August 13, 2018 to discover the devastating arson attack orchestrated in the night, which has left the only Bilingual High School on the area in ruins.

The administrative building was totally destroyed. It is not clear whether the attackers had a particular objective or who carried out the attack. But Pro-independence fighters have always been blamed by the government and Amnesty International for orchestrating such attacks, while the fighters have blamed the military for the acts.

They claim that most schools are heavily guarded by soldiers, wondering how such attacks could be carried out without the knowledge of the men in uniform.No party has claimed responsibility, as police open investigations.

Ghost Town Intensifies In Buea

The town of legendary hospitality, Buea is gradually becoming used to the ghost town imposed by pro-independence fighters as a form of civil disobedience towards the government of Cameroon in the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

Despite repeated calls by the towns Mayor Patrick Ekema Esunge for locals to go about their activities every Monday, the town this August 13, 2018 witnessed another widely respected ghost town.

All shops were shut down, no Taxi in circulation while the Mile 17 motor park was dead silent.Though not opened, the Buea branch of Eco Bank Cameroon was visited by some unknown persons who used tones to break the board of the bank.

The ghost town Monday was also extended to Limbe, Kumbo, Kumba and other major towns in the two English speaking regions.KENT  The suspect in a December homicide was trying to defend himself when he shot and killed another man with a shotgun, authorities said Tuesday.

Several members of my staff, including myself, reviewed the investigation and concluded that it appeared to be a lawful exercise of self-defense, States Attorney David Shepack said.

Andre Edness, 32, the father of five children, was killed Dec. 1 when he was shot in the chest at a home on Kent Cornwall Road.

State Police investigated the homicide for more than six months before closing the case without making any arrests.

Hunter Chatfield called 911 shortly after the homicide and admitted he had shot Edness on recordings that were obtained Tuesday by Hearst Connecticut Media.

I was in fear for my life, a frantic Chatfield told police. On the tape he can be heard screaming that Edness broke into my bedroom door with a knife. He was going to (expletive) kill me. I killed him. I shot him. Hes (expletive) dead. It was self defense. He was going to stab me.

Sara Edness, the victims wife, was home at the time of the shooting and also called police.

My husband was shot, Edness said hysterically as young children screamed in the background. Oh my God. My husband was shot. Hes dead. I think hes dead.

Sara Edness and the couples five children had moved to the home from Massachusetts to Kent several months before while her husband was recuperating from a serious car accident.

Andre Edness joined the family shortly before the shooting and was also staying in the home, according to David Moraghan, an attorney representing Chatfield.

Moraghan said Andre Edness had asked Chatfield for a ride to the liquor store and began threatening his client when he refused. Edness then grabbed a knife and threatened to kill Chatfield, who ran to his bedroom for safety.

He warned him multiple times not to enter the room, Moraghan said. Edness kicked in the door and my client defended himself.

More Information "I was in fear for my life," said Hunter Chatfield. "My roommates wife's husband broke into my bedroom door with a knife he was going to (expletive) kill me. I killed him. I shot him. He's (expletive) dead. It was self defense. He was going to stab me" See More Collapse

Moraghan said an imprint from Edness foot was left on the door after he kicked it down.

dperrefort@newstimes.comKATU-TV(VANCOUVER, Wash.) -- Prosecutors in Washington will consider charging an 18-year-old woman who pushed her teenage friend off a bridge, sending her plummeting 60 feet to the river below and leaving her with multiple injuries, officials said Tuesday.



Clark County Major Crimes unit investigators wrapped up their probe of the incident that occurred earlier this month at the Moulton Falls Bridge near Vancouver, Washington, and are turning over their findings to prosecutors, said Brent Waddell, a spokesman for the Clark County Sheriff's Office.



"The case will be forwarded to the Clark County Prosecutor's Office for appropriate charging," Waddell said in a statement.



Waddell said the suspected pusher, Taylor Smith, has been cooperating with investigators.



Smith allegedly pushed 16-year-old Jordan Holgerson off the bridge on August 7, officials said.



Surveillance camera footage shows the girl was standing on a bridge ledge and was pushed off by another girl standing behind her.



Holgerson initially wanted to jump off the bridge after she saw a friend do it, she told ABC affiliate station KATU-TV in Portland. But Smith allegedly pushed her from behind before she was ready to leap, officials said.



Holgerson hit the water with a belly flop, leaving her with several broken ribs, a bruised esophagus and an injured trachea.



"I went to the top of the bridge and my other -- my friend ... she came up to the bridge with me," Holgerson told Portland. "And so, she was counting down, but I didn't think anything of it. And I was like, 'No, don't count down, like, I won't go if you count down. I'm not ready.' And then, she pushed me."



Holgerson said she didn't feel any pain but adrenaline hit her after she was pushed into the water.



"And then an EMT that was off-duty helped me onto the rocks and just a whole bunch of people surrounding me were helping me, calming me down," Holgerson said.



"In the air I was trying to push myself forward, so I could be like straight up and down that make my head hit first but that definitely did not work," she told KATU during the interview at a hospital.



She said she's just grateful to be alive.



"I am happy to be OK," she said.



Smith did not return ABC News' request for comment.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Malacanang and the House of Representatives are finally on the same page insofar as the 2019 budget scheme is concerned.

This came after a rift between the two sides over the administration's push to have a primarily cash-based budget next year, replacing the traditional obligation-based setup.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya said an understanding was reached among him, President Rodrigo Duterte and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo after a meeting Tuesday night.

In a statement, Andaya said the reconciled hybrid budget system will be signed into law by December 30, 2018.

This hybrid budget system, which consolidates the cash-based budget sought for by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) with the obligation-based budget sought by lawmakers, will not completely scrap the current setup where projects can be funded beyond one year.

"If you look at the proposal of the Executive, it is not strictly cash-based. It is moving towards cash-based budget," Andaya said, explaining that what the DBM submitted was a step towards a fully cash-based system.

"Yung one year na window to implement projects, these are post enactment. But yung pag formulate, it was still done in an obligation-based system so in that sense hybrid talaga siya," the former Budget Secretary added.

[Translation:The one-year window to implement projects, these are post-enactment. The budget was formulated based on an obligation-based system so in that sense it's hybrid.]

Andaya said the President would also talk to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to strike a compromise with lawmakers to avoid a re-enacted budget.

Budget cuts proposed by the administration may also be realigned by the House during its deliberations, which could resume now that the issue is resolved. This includes a budget to implement the recently signed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

"There are also suggestions that there will be supplemental budgets to be submitted because the DBM already admitted that budget for full implementation of BOL is not in the present budget now," Andaya said.

Lawmakers will meet with the officials of the Budget Department and other agencies on their respective proposals and budget cuts.

The administration has proposed a P3.757-trillion budget for 2019.

CNN Philippines' AC Nicholls contributed to this report.A couple, all nurses have been killed by members for Cameroons defense forces in Tad, Nyen near Mbengwi in Momo Division in the North West region, Saturday.

The couple, both heading health units in Kob and Nja Etu were returning from work on board their motor bike when military stopped them on the way.

Njong Patrick and Azah Nancy had their eyes blindfolded before receiving several bullets at close range according to witness account.Their corpses were only discovered later abandoned under plantains beside the bush. The deceased couple leaves behind five children.

Surrounding residents have confirmed that they were shot by military who accused them of treating Ambazonia fighters. Health personnel have become targets on either side, but the military has carried out genocidal exercises on many. In Batibo, the health unit is deserted after soldiers stormed the place beating Doctors, Nurses and patients. The latter later ran for safety abandoning the hospital.

The killing of these health personnel is just one of the dangerous military activities in the area recently. Shootings and burning of houses in Mbenwgi has become the order of the day. Close to 10 villages have been affected so far and many have been left stranded.

The Acha Tugi hospital, one of the biggest in Momo Division has been deserted. Tugi has been a battle ground for das now between Ambazonia fighters and Security forces. Bridges linking the area to other localities in town have been destroyed and a military attempt to rebuild the bridges has led to serious gun battle.

Meantime, the Divisional Officer for Misaje Subdivision, Oscar Bame has joined his ancestors. He died Sunday morning at the Banso Baptist hospital after a brief illness.| BY Ricki Green |

Chair of the Australian Film, Television & Radio School, Russel Howcroft, has today called for the establishment of a federal Creativity Commission to drive economic growth and ensure Australia is not left behind.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Howcroft  who is also chief creative officer at PwC  said that Australia needs a federally supported body dedicated to creative capacity building to combat what he describes as the countrys creative deficit.

Says Howcroft: Creativity is our greatest potential area of growth but not enough of us have understood how vital new ideas, strong IP and creative-thinking skills will be in the future. Today Australia is the worlds 13th largest economy and a member of the G20. But were going backwards.

Howcroft pointed to PwCs 2050 report, which predicted that by 2030 Australia will be only the 29th biggest economy, roughly swapping positions with Bangladesh.

Says Howcroft: We will be out of the G20 and most other global elite clubs. Being a global leader in creativity can arrest the slide. Creativity should be the driver of our future growth and competitiveness. We can no longer just rely on our natural attributes. We have to go up the value chain. We must use our human assets.

Howcroft outlined four primary functions for a Creative Commission:

To support the growth of the creative economy. To build creative capacities and ideas to help inform policy, initiatives and industry. To recognise the interests of the community and how we can use creativity to facilitate better outcomes for the nation. To support the development of creative and internationally competitive Australian businesses.

In 2016, the CSIRO predicted 44% of Australian jobs were under threat by the new industrial revolution. International predictive data on work released by the UKs NESTA recently revealed creative jobs are likely to see a growth rate of 87% by 2030, contrasted with a sharp decline across more traditional industries.

However, in education, last year, the UN ranked Australia 39th of 41 affluent nations in providing quality education.

Says Howcroft: Our focus on the STEM subjects  science, technology, engineering and math  rather than STEAM (which include the Arts) is limiting us, particularly when we know other countries are doing STEM way better than us.

Employment in the creative sector is growing almost twice the rate of employment across all sectors. Other sectors are increasingly relying on workers with creative skills for their own growth and innovation. Creative jobs are jobs of the future.

Howcroft defined creativity as using new and imaginative ideas to create something: We need to imagine and create lateral connections between industries, new approaches to R&D, focus on building talent and developing IP and finding ways to commercialise it. We should be always stretching, challenging ourselves, thinking bigger, and extending our ideas in every possible direction.

We have the opportunity to be as visionary and courageous, and bipartisan, as they were in establishing AFTRS back in 1973. If we dont, we may rapidly face another cultural drought and a rapid decline in our economic growth. 

The full speech is available here.

Today the school is launching AFTRS White Papers from our Applied Innovation Research arm focussing on emerging fields where technology and storytelling intersect. They are AFTRS White Papers for VR Noir and Precipice, a binaural podcast, and are available at the following links:

White paper #1  VR Noir  https://www.aftrs.edu.au/about/research-and-innovation/vr-noir/Members of the Shanghai National Party campaign for independence for Shanghai on a street in New York, May 5, 2018.

Overseas activists have set up a party to campaign for independence for Shanghai, in a move likely to be anathema to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

The founders of the Shanghai National Party, many of whom live in New York state, say they want to campaign for "independence and autonomy" for the city, which currently takes its orders direct from central government in Beijing.

The party's Twitter account announced it had held its founding committee meeting in New York on Aug. 12, with 18 people present.

According to an article in Communist Party newspaper the People's Daily, the party was set up to "completely subvert the concept of China."

The party says it doesn't recognize the unification of China in 256 BC, and supports self-rule by the people of Shanghai, as well as wholesale Westernization, the paper said.

Party leader and artist He Anquan, who was present at the inaugural meeting, said the group had taken its inspiration from the Hong Kong independence movement that sprang out of the failed 2014 Occupy Central movement for fully democratic elections.

"There have also been calls for independence in Taiwan, and in Tibet and Xinjiang," He told RFA. "So I think I can call for independence for Shanghai."

"I think independence for Shanghai is achievable; we can turn it into a completely Western city, because it grew out of the era of foreign [colonial] concessions," he said.

He said he believes in "total Westernization" for China, a concept which involves stripping out the elements of Chinese traditional culture from a democratic system with the rule of law.

"I believe that it is difficult to achieve democracy and the rule of law on the basis of Chinese traditional culture, because traditional Chinese culture is really inferior," he said.



Just isnt realistic

Shanghai-based dissident Ren Naijun said the move has sent ripples through dissident circles in China, sparking considering debate and controversy.

Ren said people's energies would be better deployed in trying to make China more democratic, however.

"Why shouldn't they be doing this? Because independence for Shanghai just isn't realistic," Ren said. "They should be working for a democratic China."

"I neither support nor oppose independence for Shanghai; I just think we should be working towards something achievable," he said.

The move came amid an ongoing row over plans by the Hong Kong government to ban the Hong Kong National Party (HKNP), which advocates independence for the city, and amid strident criticism of the city's Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) for giving a platform to HKNP leader Chan Ho-tin, also known as Andy Chan.

Zhang Xiaoming, a high-ranking Chinese official in charge of Hong Kong affairs, said on Wednesday that the FCC had broken the law by allowing Chan to speak.

China's foreign ministry had earlier issued a statement saying that the club had "seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people."

According the FCC had not simply been "unfriendly" to China, but had "aided separatism," Zhang said, and had ignored repeated calls to cancel the event.

The city's chief executive Carrie Lam said her administration was opposed to any media organization providing independence advocates with a platform to promote their views.

Chan told the FCC on Tuesday: "Sadly, we are a nation that is quickly being annexed and destroyed by China. The cry for Hong Kong independence is therefore a cry against colonial invasion."

However, he rejected the use of violence to achieve his party's aims.

Hong Kong was promised the continuation of its existing freedoms of speech, association and publication under the terms of a treaty handing the city back to China in 1997.

But the bid to ban the HKNP is the latest in a string of attacks on free speech and Beijing-backed controls on the city's once-vibrant political life.

Chan called on the U.S. to debate using certain sanctions under the United StatesHong Kong Policy Act, which accepts the city's trading standards for imported goods, provided it remains relatively autonomous, and requires its autonomy to be monitored by Washington.

"Just think how much influence the U.S. has with China," he said. "It could broaden the trade war to include Hong Kong, because a lot of Chinese nationals have their capital here."

"The U.S. could strike an economic blow against China it if really wanted to," he said. "The Hong Kong Policy Act shouldn't just be ignored."



End of traditional freedoms

Moves by the Hong Kong government to ban the HKNP, which advocates independent status for the city, have been widely criticized as representing the end of traditional freedoms of speech and association.

Hong Kong police have gathered more than 700 documents as "evidence" supporting their call to ban the HKNP, citing many public speeches and comments made by Chan.

Critics have hit out at the government for criminalizing speech in the city, which was promised the continuation of its existing way of life for 50 years, under the terms of the 1997 handover to China.

The Hong Kong government shelved its initial bid to bring in subversion and sedition laws following a mass street protest of around half a million people in 2003, but the Chinese Communist Party has said it expects the administration to introduce a new bill to Hong Kongs Legislative Council (LegCo).

Under the United Nations-endorsed Johannesburg Principles governing national security and human rights law, restrictions to freedom of speech on the grounds of national security aren't legitimate if they seek to "entrench a particular ideology," rather than to stave off a violent threat of a military or internal nature.

Reported by Wong Siu-san, Sing Man and Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Chen Pan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.The head of China's Buddhist Association resigned from his position on Wednesday amid an investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted and harassed female followers, official media reported.



Shi Xuecheng, abbot of Beijing's Longquan Temple, tendered his resignation during a meeting of the association, which is backed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, just days after the authorities launched an investigation into the allegations.



"The association did not state the reasons for Master Xuecheng's resignation, but it came after he was accused of sexually harassing several nuns in early August, including sending illicit messages to them and forcing them to have sexual relations with him," Xinhua news agency reported.



The allegations, which included allegations of sexual assault as well as text-based harassment, formed part of a report written by monks Shi Xianjia and Shi Xianqi, also of Longquan Temple, it said.



Xuecheng had previously dismissed the accusations as "fabrication," but China's State Bureau for Religious Affairs announced it would investigate his conduct after the report became public.



According to Hong Kong's Singtao Daily newspaper, Xuecheng is currently being held under residential surveillance in the southeastern city of Fuzhou, and has been slapped with a travel ban pending the inquiry.



The initial whistleblowing report began circulating online earlier this month, and accused Xuecheng of sending sexual text messages to nuns and female disciples.



An employee who answered the phone at the Longquan Temple on Wednesday declined to comment.



"All official news related to this will be published through official channels, so you can check our website and Master Xuecheng's account on Weibo," the employee said.



He declined to comment on Xuecheng's whereabouts.



Repeated calls to the Chinese Buddhist Association and the State Bureau of Religious Affairs rang unanswered during office hours on Wednesday.



'A systemic problem'



Jiangsu-based feminist Wang Xiaoli said merely resigning from the association was insufficient punishment, if the sexual assault claims are upheld.



"If he were sent to jail or executed, we could perhaps speak of a deterrent effect, but he is now out of the picture, and the authorities are partly turning a blind eye to this," Wang told RFA.



"Even monks are sexually assaulting women now; we have monks assaulting nuns ... and the authorities are waiting for it to blow over, and then they'll do nothing; they won't arrest him," she said.



Buddhist monk Guoshi told RFA on Wednesday that Xuecheng's resignation comes amid growing concerns over moral decay.



"This is also a systemic problem, a question of the way things are done, with everyone trying to chase accomplishments and profit," he said. "They want to be officials; they want to make money."



"These are not the kinds of things monks should be doing, and it will affect their practice [of Buddhism]," he said. "It doesn't matter who the monk is. Once he starts doing this sort of thing, then he will do anything; it will be hard for him to stay within the precepts. It's hard enough to do that anyway."



Buddhist monks and nuns are required to refrain from harming living things, taking what is not freely given, sexual misconduct, lies or gossip, and using intoxicating substances.



Rights attorney Wu Kuiming said that many Buddhist temples in China seem to be more concerned with making money than following such precepts, however.



"In the last 10 or 20 years, I have learned that a lot of these temples have been taken over by certain people, who are only interested in making money," Wu told RFA.



"He is the head of a large Buddhist organization, and the reports indicate that this sort of thing is very common, that this is the kind of people they are," he said.



String of assaults



China has seen a string of sexual assault and harassment allegations against prominent figures in public life in recent months, in a society that has long been plagued by reports of "straight-guy cancer," online slang for male entitlement and sexist behavior.



More than 20 women came forward earlier this month with allegations of sexual misconduct and even rape, after Lei Chuang, founder of the prominent charity Yi You, confessed on social media to an accusation of sexual assault. Lei has since left the organization.



A recent survey of more than 400 female Chinese journalists found that more than 80 percent of them had been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, according to Sophina Huang of the Anti-Sexual Harassment (ATSH) campaign group.



Huang, herself a former journalist for a state-run news agency and a Guangzhou newspaper, said she was inspired by the global #MeToo hashtag campaign encouraging victims of sexual abuse and harassment to publicize the issue.



Some 250 million Chinese are officially Buddhists, and those numbers are believed to be growing as young people increasingly seek a spiritual or religious path under the atheist ruling Chinese Communist Party.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Yang Fan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.The head of Chinas Hunan Province Chamber of Commerce in Laos was murdered over the weekend during an invasion of his home in the Lao capital Vientiane, authorities said Wednesday, adding that the preliminary results of an investigation into the case suggest robbery was the motive.



Xaysana Yotsavath, also known by his Chinese name Li Zhao Peng, was found in bed on Aug. 12 at his home in Vientianes Sikhottabong district with multiple stab wounds to the back and significant trauma to his head, a police officer told RFAs Lao Service, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the ongoing probe.



He was murdered in the bedroom and his valuable items were taken, the officer said of the 42-year-old Lao citizen of Chinese origin.



[The murder motive] might be robbery and the police are investigating a potential group of perpetrators.



CCTV camera footage taken on Aug. 12 from outside of Xaysanas home appears to show two individuals leaving the area carrying several heavy bags, but police have been unable to identify the suspects.



Leaked photos from the crime scene also suggest that his home had been rifled through, with a safe and briefcase lying open, in addition to a bed covered in bloodied sheets.



Xaysana was a successful businessman who presided over a construction company, an electrical installation firm and a charitable foundation. The member of the Laos-China Friendship Association also owned the Dihao Hotel and karaoke club in downtown Vientiane, sources said.



Xaysanas younger brother told RFA that the businessman was killed around 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 12, and that when he arrived at Xaysanas home after being notified by police, his brothers body had already been moved to the hospital.



Somebody killed him and the police have yet to arrest anyone, he said.



If the police had been able to identify the suspects [from the CCTV video], they would have been arrested.



Another family member said all that is known about the perpetrators is what the CCTV footage showed.



Two suspects walked into the house and killed him and [walked out] with bags of money, the family member said.



The reason for his murder remains unknownwhether it is related to a personal conflict or a robbery. We dont know anything about his business activities.



Xaysanas family has offered a reward of U.S. $200,000 to anyone who can provide police with evidence leading to the arrest of his murderers.



The official Vientiane Times cited a statement from the Chinese embassy in the capital, saying officials there were aware of Xaysanas murder.



Growing Chinese influence



Chinese investment has ramped up in Laos in recent years, and with it have come several murders of high-profile ethnic Chinese businessmen and women.



In October last year, Su Wang Tien, the 60-year-old Taiwanese operator of the Sikhay Plaza shopping mall in Sikhottabong district, was shot to death by assailants on a motorcycle in an incident that is believed to have stemmed from a business dispute.



Police have said they believe his assassins are foreign nationals, and no arrests have been made in the case.



And in July 2016, Lee-Yen Tin, the 45-year-old Chinese manager of the Sang Chieng Chinese trade center in Sikhottabong, was shot to death during an attempted robbery as she and her husband walked along a road in Vientiane.



A witness said a man and a woman pulled up on a motorbike, confronted the couple with a gun, and demanded her handbag. When she refused, the woman on the bike shot her in the back, killing her instantly.



Thousands of ethnic Chinese live in the vicinity of the Sang Chieng Chinese trade center and regularly conduct business at the market.



Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh and Lane Xang. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi passes through Pakokku township in central Myanmar's Magway region, where she gave a public speech on the country's peace process, Aug. 9, 2018.

The chairman of the ruling National League for Democracy party in central Myanmars Magway region said on Wednesday that he issued a notice instructing regional bodies to take legal action against people who use Facebook to severely defame State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi or the regional and national governments.

People from some townships in Magway region have been defaming the state counselor in various ways, said Thein Zaw, head of the regions NLD. Thats why I have issued a letter with my signature within the party, instructing members to work accordingly and to take action against them, though not against everyone who defames her.

We respect and value freedom of expression and understand rights in a democracy, he said. Thats why we will not sue everyone who defames her. But we think there is too much defamation, and some of those [who are responsible] should be sued.

Whenever the Central Executive Committee (CEC) members of the NLD determine that someone has written something on social media or has undertaken another action that defames the state counselor or the government, they will discuss the matter with lawyers to decide whether the violation is serious enough for the party to press charges, Thein Zaw said.

Then the party CECs of relevant townships will proceed according to the regional CECs instructions, he said.

Notices issued by NLD's regional and township CECs should be confidential and not leaked to the public, Thein Zaw said, noting that his letter was publicly disseminated though he released it as an internal order.

We will work on it according to the rule of law by talking with lawyers, because I issued these instructions to have the rule of law, he said.

Aung San Suu Kyi visited Magway on Aug. 9 where she delivered a public address on the countrys peace process in Pakokku township and later traveled to Mandalay and Sagaing regions, also in central Myanmar. It is not clear whether there were any comments posted online during her visit that could be construed as defamatory.

Nyan Win, A CEC member of the central NLD, said party headquarters had nothing to do with the letter issued by Thein Zaw.

We saw this letter today, and it said to take action against those who defamed Daw [honorific] Aung San Suu Kyi and the government, according to law, he told RFAs Myanmar Service.

This letter hasnt hurt anybody, and I dont think it is a problem, but I dont know why people are interested in it that much, he said.

Worse than a dictatorship

Kyaw Min Swe, executive director of the Myanmar Journalism Institute, said the notice issued by Thein Zaw restricts freedom of expression.

It's like a restriction on freedom of expression, and people may believe that the government is a body that cant be criticized, he said, noting that people have said that the so-called democratic NLD government is worse than a dictatorship in this regard.

Even the government of [former president] Thein Sein, which was half-civilian and half-military, never issued these kinds of instructions, he said.

It is a shame to see this kind of letter under democratic standards, he said.

Tharlon Zaung Htet, editor-in-chief of Khit Thit (New Era) magazine and a member of Myanmars Committee for the Protection of Journalists, said the letter presents a challenge for the media.

When people have their freedom of expression restricted, media are restricted in their freedom of the press at the same time, he said.

The party that campaigned and struggled for democracy has restricted democratic rights, and it is like they are acting as dictators now that they have power, he said.

Though the NLD government under the de facto leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi is the first fully civilian administration in Myanmar in nearly half a century, officials have increasingly sued their critics and the media for defamation in what many view as backpedaling on freedom of expression and press freedom after decades of stifling military rule.

Government officials, military officers, and high-ranking monks have specifically invoked Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law to attack journalists who criticize them or their actions.

Free-speech advocates have called for the repeal of the section, which prohibits the use of telecom networks to defame people. Violators are subject to a maximum of two years in prison.

In July 2016, a court in Magway charged a planning official from Salin township over Facebook posts in which he referred to Aung San Suu Kyi as the wife of a kalar  a derogatory term used in Myanmar to slander foreigners  after a member of the regions NLD filed defamation charges against him.

The term was used by a former military junta that ruled the country to insult the then opposition leader who was married to British academic Michael Aris.

In October of that year, an NLD member pressed charges against two villagers near Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw for allegedly insulting Aung San Suu Kyi, reportedly calling her a "hag" who deserved to be murdered.

Reported by Zaw Tun, Kyaw Thu, and Zarni Htun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.Authorities in a Tibetan-populated county of western Chinas Sichuan province have refused state benefits to a needy family found in possession of a photo of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Tibetan sources say.



Married couple Tsering and Lhamo, residents of Tsosang village in Lithang countys Shungpa township, had moved to the area several years before to find work, a Tibetan source in Nepal told RFA, citing contacts in Lithang.



Since then, they have been working as day laborers to make ends meet, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Declared eligible for government subsidies in a township-wide poverty alleviation program launched in mid-June, the couple suddenly found themselves disqualified after a surprise visit to their home by Chinese officials, the source said.



The officials came unannounced, and they saw a photo of the Dalai Lama on display in the couples house, the source said, adding that when the couple went to pick up their benefits the next day, they were told their subsidy was cut off.



The officials called them separatist sympathizers for keeping the picture on display, he said.



Separatism is a charge often leveled against Tibetans calling for greater cultural or religious rights in their historic homeland, now ruled by China.



Police in Lithang now make frequent visits to Tibetan homes to search for photos of the exiled spiritual leader, RFAs source, a Lithang native himself, said.



These abrupt entries into their homes have caused great anxiety and become a problem in the daily lives of ordinary Tibetans, he said.



Previously, the Dalai Lamas birthday was celebrated together with other annual religious observances in Lithang monastery, but this year in mid-June the monks were all sent away on a three-weeks vacation, he said.



Thus, they were deprived of their annual debate session, and they couldnt celebrate the Dalai Lamas birthday.



The Dalai Lama, who turned 83 on July 6 this year, fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese rule, and displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lamas photo or public celebrations of his birthday have been harshly punished in the past.



Reported by Dawa Dolma for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.The Taliban says it has withdrawn from a security agreement with the International Committee of the Red Crescent (ICRC) that guarantees safety for the international organization's workers across Afghanistan.

In a statement on August 15, the Taliban accused the ICRC of failing to meet its obligations to help Taliban prisoners who are on hunger strike in Kabul's main prison.

ICRC spokeswoman Andrea Catta Preta said the group was in contact with the militants and was hoping to find a solution so its humanitarian work in the country could continue.

Taliban militants held at Kabul's Pole-e Charkhi prison, the largest prison in Afghanistan, have been on hunger strike to demand better prison conditions.

In its statement, the Taliban claimed many have fallen into comas, and that the ICRC did not provide them with any medical or legal support.

The militant group said it would restore the security agreement only after the ICRC takes steps "to correct their actions.

The ICRC has been active in Afghanistan since 1980.

The organization currently has about 1,600 staffers in the country who monitor detention conditions and provide medical aid to communities in need.

The ICRC scaled down its presence in Afghanistan in 2017 after seven employees were shot dead in the northern province of Jawzjan.

There was no claim of responsibility for that attack.

Based on reporting by dpa and the BBCA suicide bomber has targeted students preparing for university exams in a predominantly Shi'ite neighborhood in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least 48 people and wounding 67 others, official say.

Most of the victims were young men and women -- high-school graduates -- studying together at a private education center in the Dasht-e Barcha area.

"The wounded have been transferred to nearby hospitals, where they are receiving medical assistance," Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on August 15.

"The casualty figures are not yet complete, so it's possible that there will be some changes in the final casualty toll," he added.

Police said the suicide bomber walked into the building while teaching was under way and detonated his bomb belt.

One eyewitness recounted to the Associated Press news agency that he saw parts of human bodies all over student desks and benches in the classroom, the scene of the attack.

Dawlat Hossain, father of 18-year-old student Fareba, said he was on his way to meet his daughter and started running when he heard the explosion.

"There was blood everywhere, all over the room, so scary and horrible," he said.

After finding out that his daughter was safe, Hussain helped move the wounded to hospitals.

Hossain said Fareba, who had left her class just a few minutes before the bombing, was still inside the compound when the blast occurred.

Fareba was traumatized that so many of her friends were killed, but Hossain said she was lucky to be alive.

The Taliban denied involvement in the attack, which came after several weeks of relative calm in Kabul.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, but Jawad Ghawari, a member of the city's Shi'ite clerical council, blamed the extremist Islamic State group, which has carried out similar attacks in the past, hitting Shi'ite mosques, schools, and cultural centers.

Ghawari said there were at least 13 attacks on the Shi'ite community in the past two years in Kabul alone.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying: "By targeting educational and cultural centers, terrorists have clearly shown they are against all those Islamic principles [that strive] for both men and women to learn and study.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemned the attack, saying in a tweet there was "no justification whatsoever for targeting civilians, at any time, under any circumstances."

The head of the UN children's agency, UNICEF, denounced the attack, saying it was "deplorable" that children continue to be hardest hit in the growing violence across Afghanistan.

"Children are not, and must never be the target of violence," UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and RFE/RL's Radio Free AfghanistanThe Kremlin says preparations are under way for a meeting next week between a Russian official and White House national-security adviser John Bolton.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on August 15 that "contacts are indeed planned and being prepared" for a meeting in Geneva between Bolton and a Russian envoy. He did not elaborate.

Peskov's comment comes a day after the White House said Bolton would meet with "his Russian counterpart" in Geneva in order to follow up on the July summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House said the two would discuss a "range of important national security issues."

Although the White House did not name the Russian official, Bolton's counterpart is widely considered to be Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Putin's Security Council.

The Security Council of Russia is a consultative body for Putin's policies on national security affairs.

After Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, Patrushev was placed on the European Union's sanctions list. The United States imposed sanctions on Patrushev in April 2018.

Following their July 16 summit in Helsinki, Trump and Putin said they had taken the "first steps" toward mending badly strained ties between the United States and Russia.

However, critics of Trump described the summit as playing directly into Putin's hands.

A new round of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia was announced on August 8, prompting an angry reaction from Moscow and a threat to retaliate.

Relations between Washington and Moscow have been badly frayed by tensions over issues the annexation of Crimea, Russia's role in the wars in eastern Ukraine and Syria, and Russia's alleged public-opinion-manipulation campaign in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

With reporting by Reuters and TASS| BY Ricki Green |

One of Australias leading planners, Michael Hyde, has joined Cummins&Partners as head of brand strategy, following an incredible run of new business success driven by the agencys full service offering across creative and media.

Hyde is a highly respected and experienced integrated strategic thinker, having worked across creative and media over his 18 years in the industry. He was most recently planning director at Y&R Melbourne and prior to that headed up strategy at Carat following 6 years at Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne. Over his career, Hyde has won multiple effectiveness and creative awards for clients ranging from Fourn Twenty to Schweppes to Public Transport Victoria, Defence Force Recruiting and many more in between.

Says Hyde: The stars aligned around an opportunity to join an independent agency that has both media and creative in its DNA and is enjoying massive momentum at the moment. Im looking forward to being able to make a contribution to the agency, its culture and clients success.

Furthermore, I can pretty much walk to work.BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- Lawmakers in Bosnia-Herzegovina's predominantly Serbian entity have voted to annul a report on the 1995 Srebrenica massacre that acknowledged Bosnian Serb forces violated humanitarian law by killing thousands of Muslim Bosniaks.

The National Assembly in Republika Srpska on August 14 rejected the 2004 report that was compiled by a previous Republika Srpska government and a special commission. Lawmakers maintained that report was biased.

The assembly in Banja Luka also called for the entity's current government to revoke the report and form a new, international investigatory commission.

It said such a commission was needed to objectively and impartially determine the suffering of all peoples in the Srebrenica area during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

The move was criticized by Bosniak lawmakers and politicians as an attempt to "rewrite history."

The special session of the assembly on August 14 was initiated by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who was in the opposition when the 2004 report was put together.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to boost his campaign ahead of general elections in October.

Some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Bosnian Serb forces who overran the town of Srebrenica in July 1995, as the 40-month Bosnian war drew to its end. It was the worst mass killing in Europe since the end of World War II.

In 2007, the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that the killings constituted genocide.

Dodik, who is now Republika Srpska's president, disputed that on August 14, telling the lawmakers, "The Srebrenica crime is a staged tragedy with an aim to satanize the Serbs."

He claimed that the 2004 report contained "false data," alleging that the number of people executed was manipulated.

"Many of the buried were killed in fighting and on that list [of buried victims] there are people still alive," he said.

Fahrudin Radoncic, leader of Bosnia's Union for a Better Future (SBB), said that "denying the genocide which happened in Srebrenica is a totally unacceptable moral and political act and another attempt by Milorad Dodik to insult the victims and rewrite history."

Sadik Ahmetovic, a lawmaker in Bosnia's state parliament, called on the international community's Office of the High Representative, Bosnia's representatives to the Council of Europe, and Bosnia's presidency to react to the decision by the Republika Srpska assembly.

"It is your duty and obligation to do everything in your power to do something for Srebrenica now, when genocide enters its final phase: complete denial," Ahmetovic said.

The UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which is also based in The Hague, has sentenced Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic and his military commander Ratko Mladic over the Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities committed by Bosnian Serb forces during the war.

With reporting by AP, dpa, and Balkan InsightNATO forces and troops from partner countries have concluded over two weeks of combat training in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Attack helicopters and dozens of tanks were called into action for exercises at the Vazani Military Base near the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on August 15. Some 1,300 Georgian troops have been joined by over 2,000 others from 12 countries -- including more than 1,000 U.S. forces -- for the "Noble Partner" drills, which began on August 1.The leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hizballah militia claims his group is stronger than ever despite U.S. sanctions and expects to "very soon" celebrate victory in the long war in Syria, where its fighters have battled alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

In a televised speech in Beirut on August 14, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said "the resistance in Lebanon today, in its possession of weapons and equipment and capabilities and members and cadres and ability and expertise and experience, and also of faith and determination and courage and will, is stronger than at any time since its launch in the region."

Iran has backed Hizballah financially and militarily since the militant group was established in 1982.

Nasrallah claimed U.S. efforts to ratchet up sanctions this year against his group and Iran were not working and will not lead to a popular revolt against the Islamist leaders in Tehran -- something U.S. President Donald Trump has appeared to encourage in Twitter posts.

"They are building dreams...that Iran will head toward chaos and the regime will fall. This is illusion, this is imagination and has nothing to do with reality," Nasrallah said.

"Iran has been facing sanctions since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979," he said. "[Trump] is strengthening the sanctions, but they have been there since 1979 and Iran stayed and will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the victory of its revolution."

Iranian and Hizballah forces have accompanied Syrian troops in fighting across the country that in the last year has seen the government regain control over most of Syria's territory after seven years of war that has left more than 400,000 people dead and millions more without homes.

As Assad has reasserted his control over territory once held by rebels, including reclaiming Syria's border with Israel in the last month, Tel Aviv has repeatedly warned that it will not allow Iran and Hizballah to maintain a permanent presence in the neighboring country.

Israel's air force has conducted numerous deadly raids this year on facilities in Syria used by Hizballah and Iranian forces.

"Let no one threaten us with wars," Nasrallah said. "If anyone wants to launch a war, they are welcome to do so. We are ready for it and we will win," he said.

Israel launched a 33-day war against Hizballah in 2006, with battles taking place across Lebanon.

The two sides have maintained an uneasy cease-fire since then, despite raids by Israeli fighter jets from time to time claiming to have stopped weapons transfers from Syria to Hizballah.

Israel has claimed Iran is not only supplying weapons to Hizballah but has plans to build weapons factories in Syria and Lebanon as it consolidates and augments its presence in the region.

Fears that Iran may be building up such forces near its borders have prompted Israeli leaders to demand that all Iranian forces must leave Syria as part of any settlement ending the civil war there.

With reporting by AP, dpa, and ReutersA prominent human rights lawyer in Iran, Nasrin Sotoudeh, is facing accusations of espionage on top of charges already leveled against her, Sotoudeh's lawyer says.

"First it was only accusations of spreading antiestablishment propaganda, but now it is espionage," Sotoudeh's lawyer Payam Derafshan told the government's official IRNA news agency.

Derfashan said authorities have not provided any evidence to back the charge.

"There is no evidence in her file for the charge of spying, no report by the Intelligence Ministry to explain how she is a spy," Derafshan told the AFP news agency.

Sotoudeh, who earlier in 2018 represented several women detained for publicly protesting the compulsory hijab, was arrested in June.

She says she was told that she will serve a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in absentia.

Sotoudeh -- the co-winner of the European Parliament's 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought -- has denied all charges against her.

As outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment, Sotoudeh previously has spent several years in prison on security charges, including acting against Iran's national security.

She has defended journalists, rights activists, and juveniles.

Based on reporting by AFP and IRNAUkraine says one of its soldiers has been killed and three wounded as a result of clashes with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The Defense Ministry in Kyiv said on August 15 that separatist fighters violated a cease-fire 46 times during the previous 24 hours by firing artillery, machine guns, grenade launchers, and mortars.

The Russia-backed separatists said Ukrainian government forces violated the cease-fire 15 times, using the same type of weapons.

Since April 2014, more than 10,300 people have been killed in fighting between Kyiv's forces and the separatists who control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Cease-fire deals announced as part of the Minsk accords -- September 2014 and February 2015 pacts aimed at resolving the conflict -- have failed to hold.

A new cease-fire agreement was reached in late 2017 and was meant to go into effect on December 23. But both sides have accused the other of repeated violations since then.

With reporting by Interfax and TASSBISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are working on a possible land swap near the border between the two Central Asian states, some parts of which have not been formally delineated since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Burkanbek Ashyrov, head of the Barak village in Kyrgyzstans Barak exclave, told RFE/RL on August 15 that an agreement had been reached to exchange the exclave for land around the village of Birleshken in Uzbekistan's Andijon region.

The Barak exclave is comprised of 230 hectares of land that is completely surrounded by Uzbek territory. It is under the rural Ak-Tash administration of the Kara-Suu district of Kyrgyzstan's southern Osh region.

The land around the Uzbek village of Birleshken is adjacent to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.

According to Ashyrov, the exchange process could take up to two years.

Kyrgyz authorities launched a program in 2013 to resettle the Barak exclave's population in other parts of Kyrgyzstan. About 20 Kyrgyz families remain in the exclave.

About 85 percent of the 1,400-kilometer-long Kyrgyz-Uzbek border has been delineated.

Remaining border sections with an undefined status include the areas around Barak and Uzbekistan's exclaves of Sokh and Shahimardan, which are completely surrounded by Kyrgyz territory.

Tensions in those areas have led to clashes between local residents and border guards of the former Soviet republics.BUCHAREST -- Scores of Romanians on August 14 gathered for a fifth night in a row outside the government building in Bucharest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila's cabinet and calling for those responsible for the violent repression of an August 10 protest to be held accountable.

More than 400 protesters required medical assistance after riot police used water cannon and tear gas against an estimated 100,000 mostly peaceful protesters on August 10, indiscriminately beating up demonstrators in a display of violence unseen in Romania since the early 1990s.

Some groups of protesters on August 10 threw bottles and pavement slabs at the police, but most of the demonstrators were peaceful expatriates who came home to protest against corruption, poverty, and the ruling Social Democratic Party's (PSD) repeated attacks on the judiciary.

EU- and NATO-member Romania ranks as one of the 28-member bloc's most corrupt states and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring.

While the crowds have dwindled gradually since August 10, vocal protesters continued to gather outside the government building every night despite the sweltering heat.

Many of those present in the square on August 14 held antigovernment and anticorruption signs, and repeatedly chanted "Resign, resign," and PSD -- the red plague."

The mixed crowds included families with young children, young people and elderly alike.

Unlike the previous evenings, the riot police were nowhere to be seen, while regular police surrounded the sprawling Victoria Square mostly to direct traffic and allow people to join the core of protesters standing on the platform outside the entrance to government headquarters.

Earlier on August 14, more than 100 Romanians and rights groups filed criminal complaints against riot police, prosecutors said.

Dozens of video recordings circulating on social media show police beating journalists and nonviolent protesters holding their hands up.

Prosecutors said they were investigating the riot police -- the Jandarmerie -- as well as Interior Minister Carmen Dan and Speranta Cliseru, the Bucharest prefect who authorized the use of force, on suspicion of abusive behavior, abuse of office, and negligence.



Among the victims of violence on August 10 were a cameraman from Austrian public television as well as some Israeli tourists who were not attending the protest and were taken out of a taxi by riot police and beaten.

Riot police have said the use of force was justified and that their intervention was gradual and proportionate. The interior minister said she had nothing to blame herself for.

The violence was criticized by center-right President Klaus Iohannis, rights groups, and the European Commission.



On August 14, Amnesty International voiced grave concerns about the "allegations of disproportionate and indiscriminate use of chemical irritants...which may contravene Romania's obligations under international law."

There have been several large protests since the Social Democrats took power in early 2017 and began decriminalizing several corruption offenses in what some say is a campaign to save PSD leader Liviu Dragnea from going to jail after he was condemned for abuse of office. His sentence is not definitive.

The changes to the Criminal Code were criticized by the European Commission and the U.S. State Department. The amendments have been challenged in the Constitutional Court.

"The protesters have criticized the reversal of progress in the fields of judicial reform and the fight against corruption," a commission spokesperson said on August 14.

"Peaceful protests ended in violence. Violence can never be a solution in politics."

Alina joined her friend from Bucharest, Madalina, at the rally after watching in horror how the August 10 protest turned violent and how hundreds of protesters, most of them peaceful, were beaten by the riot police.

"We want to stay. That's why we're coming here, because we want to stay in Romania. I'm 22 going on 23 soon, and I wouldn't want to leave my country. I don't want to run away. If I left I would feel as if I renounced a battle which all of us have started now. I would not want to do that, to let them win."

Madalina agrees. "Yes, I back the same cause. I want to stay here. But we are furious that no matter how many people take to the streets, they simply ignore us. We need a leader, but not some politician, because we do not have clean politicians. A personality who would galvanize the masses, the protest, who would give us all a voice. I still nurture some hope. And I do hope that my hope will not be in vain."

Romania toppled communism in December 1989 in a bloody revolt in which more than 1,000 people were killed.

In 1990, a long-running protest in downtown Bucharest against the postcommunist government led by Ion Iliescu, a former close associate of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, was put down by thousands of violent miners who had been brought into the capital by Iliescu "to restore order."

Following the miners' attack, tens of thousands of disappointed Romanians left the country in a first wave of postcommunist emigration.The Russian military says that its forces in Syria have made plans to help UN peacekeepers fully restore patrols along the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"The Russian flag is the guarantor of peace and security on that land," Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko told reporters on a trip to the area organized by the Russian Defense Ministry on August 14.

He said that Russian and Israeli officials had maintained regular communications following talks at the Kremlin last month between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and suggested that his troops were carrying out an agreement to help ensure Israeli's security worked out between the two leaders with support from the White House.

"Operations by Russian military police help ensure the security of Israel," Kuralenko said.

The presence of Russian military police alongside United Nations peacekeepers on the Syrian-Israeli border reflects Moscow's growing clout in the region as well as its deepening role in mediating decades-old disputes between longtime foes there.

As Russia has helped its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, regain control over territory once held by rebels in the last year, it has stationed military police in all the recaptured areas including the border with Israel, where Assad's forces last month ousted most remaining rebel fighters.

Kuralenko said that Russian military police had set up four checkpoints on the edge of the demilitarized zone between Syria and the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria during a 1960s war, and plan to add another four.

"The Russian military police work in close interaction with the UN," he said, adding that the military had set up a hotline with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and held regular meetings to coordinate their actions.

He said that a top priority for the Russian military police was to help clear mines left by militants. He said Russian forces had inspected the demilitarized zone and adjacent areas to help the UN force map safe routes.

"We are offering all possible assistance to the UN mission to allow it to resume its operations in the demilitarized zone in full," Kuralenko said, adding that the Russian military police will leave once the UN mission fully takes charge.

Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Ayoub, meanwhile, met with Major General Francis Vib-Sanziri, the commander of the UN force, to discuss the situation in the Golan Heights, state news agency SANA said on August 14.

SANA said the officials discussed coordination between the Syrian government and the UN command on the deployment of peacekeepers along the cease-fire line.

The two sides also discussed an agreement for reopening the Quneitra gate, which would allow Syrians living in the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights to cross into Syria, it said.

The UN peacekeepers first deployed in the area in 1974 under a deal to separate Syrian and Israeli forces after Israel seized the Golan Heights during its 1967 war with Syria. But the peacekeepers were driven away by Al-Qaeda-linked militants who took control of the area in 2014.

Kuralenko said most UN facilities in the area were heavily damaged during fighting between Al-Qaeda and Syrian government forces during Syria's seven-year civil war, which has left more than 400,000 dead and millions more homeless.

"The main problem is a large number of explosive objects left," Kuralenko said. "We see our mission not only in clearing mines, but also in training local personnel. We are helping train Syrian military engineers so that they can do the job themselves."

In seeking to carry out a mandate to help ensure Israel's security -- which Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have said came out of their summit last month in Helsinki -- Moscow is mediating not only between Israel and Syria but between the Jewish state and its archenemy, Iran, which maintains a significant military presence in Syria.

By deploying its forces along the Syrian-Israeli frontier, Moscow has sought to assuage Israeli concerns about the Iranian presence in Syria.

Israel has repeatedly said it will not allow Iran or its ally, the Lebanese Hizballah militia, to establish a permanent presence in postwar Syria. But Moscow, while maintaining friendly ties with both Israel and Iran, has warned Israel that it would be unrealistic to expect Iran to fully withdraw from Syria.

In a bid to accommodate Israel's demands, Moscow announced two weeks ago that it struck a deal with Tehran to keep Iran-allied fighters 85 kilometers from the Golan Heights.

With reporting by AP and InterfaxThe U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump have moved to block funding for an international military surveillance treaty, prompting a sharp reaction from Russian officials.

U.S. lawmakers, accusing Russia of not complying with the Open Skies Treaty, included a provision to suspend funding for carrying out the treaty in a $717 billion national-defense bill that Trump signed into law on August 13.

That prompted some Russian officials on August 14 to accuse the United States of breaking the treaty, which since 2002 has allowed 34 signatory states to send unarmed observation flights over one another's territory. Some Russian legislators even charged that Washington is secretly trying to build up its weapons programs.

Under the new U.S. law, funding may be restored only after the Trump administration certifies that Russia is in "complete compliance with [its] obligations" under the treaty.

Washington has accused Moscow of violating the treaty by recently cutting the number of air bases the United States is allowed to observe and setting a limit on the number of observational flights permitted over Russia's Kaliningrad exclave in Eastern Europe.

Located between Poland and Lithuania, there have many reports of increased military activity in Kaliningrad, with satellite images even suggesting a build-up of nuclear facilities there.

Poland, Lithuania, and other NATO members have expressed concern about Russia's intentions, especially following its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine in their battle against government forces.

The move to pressure Russia over its compliance with the treaty comes a week after the United States announced new sanctions against Russia, citing its alleged use of a chemical weapon to poison a former Russian spy in England.

Russian officials reacted quickly to the latest punitive move out of Washington, with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling Russian media that Moscow "regrets" the U.S. decision.

"This is an attempt to hide everything the Americans will be preparing in the course of a new arms race," Vladimir Dzhabarov, the deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council's International Relations Committee, told The Moscow Times.

Retired Russian Lieutenant General Yevgeny Buzhinsky told RT that the move was the latest evidence of "anti-Russian hysteria" in Washington.

"They could do anything on the back of this anti-Russian hysteria. They could shoot themselves in the foot or head," he said.

Despite charges from some Russian officials that the United States is essentially suspending participation in the treaty, a U.S. State Department spokesman said late on August 14 that the United States remained "committed" to carrying out the accord.

Last year, the State Department described the Open Skies Treaty as "designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them."

Besides requiring certification that Russia is complying with the treaty, the new defense bill also requires the administration to report on the annual cost of "countermeasures to mitigate potential abuses of observation flights" by Russia over Europe and the United States.

A Russian reconnaissance mission garnered headlines in the United States a year ago when an aircraft flew over Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Dayton, Ohio, near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with some U.S. politicians charging that the mission was intended to "troll" Trump at a time of high international tensions.

However, Pentagon officials have insisted that such aerial observations are perfectly routine and have been going on for years, with Russia estimated to have conducted more than 165 such missions since the treaty went into effect.

"They usually come in, and they list out what locations they want to fly over," a Pentagon official told Politico after the August 2017 incident. "We put together the flight plan and with a few exceptions -- safety-wise or weather-wise -- they are allowed to fly over pretty much the entire territory."

With reporting by Newsweek, Express Co., and ReutersThe leader of Russia's opposition Levy Front (Left Front) movement, Sergei Udaltsov, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail over protests in July against the government's proposal to raise the retirement age.

Udaltsovs wife, Anastasia Udaltsova, tweeted the news about the conviction of her husband on August 14 after a court in Moscow found him guilty of "repetitive violations of public gathering regulations."

According to Udaltsova, her husband was sentenced for "public destruction of portraits of people resembling leaders of the nation," which the court defined as a violation of the regulations.

Tens of thousands of Russians rallied across the country on July 28 against the proposal.

Udaltsov was one of the organizers of rallies in Moscow, where thousands protested against the proposed reforms.

Legislation now under consideration by lawmakers would raise the retirement age from 60 to 65 for men by 2028 and from 55 to 63 for women by 2034.

Russian officials have warned for years that the pension age needs to be raised to take into account the country's demographics, labor force, and projected budgets.

President Vladimir Putin's public-approval ratings have slipped noticeably since the plan was announced in June, sparking outrage across Russia.

Udaltsov, a prominent Russian opposition activist, was released from prison in August 2017 after serving 4 1/2-year prison sentence he received over a May 2012 protest against Putin and the Russian government.

In that case, Udaltsov was convicted of organizing "mass disorder" after the 2012 protest broke into violence. Demonstrators and police blame each other for the violence.| BY Lynchy |

CB Exclusive  Campaign Brief can reveal that Host/Havas chief creative officer Darren Spiller is departing the agency after 18 months. Spiller was the agencys first chief creative officer.

Spiller joined DDB Melbourne in 2012 as ECD, replacing Grant Rutherford, and was promoted to CCO in February 2015, a move which saw a major creative restructure for the agency. During his time at DDB Melbourne, the agency enjoyed a creative resurgence, developing high-profile work for Westpac, Devondale and RSL amongst others.

Prior to joining DDB Melbourne, Spiller held the role of CCO at Fallon USA, moving to Minneapolis in June 2009. Before Fallon, he was regional creative director of Publicis Mojo Australia and New Zealand.

Says Spiller: We are approaching the first birthday for Host/Havas and by any measure, its been an excellent 12 months. It was always my intention to help deliver the successful integration of Host and Havas Sydney before stepping aside to allow others to take it forward. The agency is in the shape of its life, so now feels like the right time for that to happen. The ECDs are incredibly talented and more than capable of taking the reins, and I wish them all the very best.

Host/Havas confirmed that Spillers role will not be replaced with his duties being shared amongst the agencys executive creative directors, Seamus Higgins, Ant Melder and Jon Austin.

Says Laura Aldington, CEO, Host/Havas: I have been lucky enough to call Daz both a great friend and a great colleague over the years. It has been a genuine pleasure to partner with him again in the creation of Host/Havas and I am grateful for everything he has done to set us up for success. He leaves us in very safe hands with a formidably talented line up of creative leaders, and Im excited about where theyll take us next.

Says Anthony Freedman, chairman, Havas Group: I would like to thank Darren for his passion, commitment and creativity and wish him every success in whatever adventures lie ahead.Russian investigators have asked a Moscow court to transfer to house arrest a pair of Russian teenagers detained on charges of "involvement in a terrorist community that had been set up by an undercover Federal Security Service (FSB) agent.

Attorney Maksim Pashkov on August 15 announced the move by the investigator in the case against the two members of the so-called "New Greatness" movement -- Anna Pavlikova and Maria Dubovik.

Pashkov is a lawyer for Pavlikova and Dubovik, who are both currently in pretial detention.

Pashkov said the court is expected to consider the transfer request on August 16.

On August 9, the Dorogomilov District Court in Moscow rejected a motion by the lawyers of the 18-year-old Pavlikova for her transfer to house arrest.

The lawyers said Pavlikova has a medical condition and must stay home for treatment.

The 19-year-old Dubovik has said she also has health issues -- including a tumor, problems with her digestive system, and a thyroid condition.

'Mothers' March'

Russian rights activists have also called for their transfer to house arrest due to their health problems.

But Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service refused to transfer them, saying they might flee the country or "impose pressure" on witnesses in the high-profile case.

Moscow residents protesting their detention while awaiting a trial have used Facebook to organize what they call a "Mothers' March" in Moscow on the evening of August 15.

The Moscow mayor's office on August 15 called upon the organizers not to stage the protest, saying it had not been sanctioned by city authorities and, therefore, "may pose a threat to public safety."

Two organizers of the protest, actress Yana Troyanova and journalist Anna Narinskaya, say police also visited them on August 15 to warn of possible consequences for staging a public protest that has not been approved by authorities.

Dubovik and Pavlikova, along with eight other members of New Greatness, were arrested in March. A total of six are in being held in pretrial detention while four are under house arrest.

Those charged in the case say they had turned their online chat criticizing the government into a political movement after the move was proposed by one of their members.

Later, it was revealed that the man who proposed the idea, wrote the movement's charter, and rented premises for the movement's gatherings was a special agent of the FSB.

With reporting by Novaya Gazeta.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov are due to meet on August 15 for what the Kremlin describes as talks on an "entire range of bilateral relations," including a "possible energy dialogue."

The talks in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi come after Putin and Berdymukhammedov signed a "strategic partnership" agreement in Ashgabat in October 2017.

Ties between Russia and Turkmenistan have been strained by disputes over the issue of natural-gas supplies.

Russia has suspended gas purchases from Turkmenistan for years while the Central Asian former Soviet republic supplied China with its fuel.

Turkmenistan casts itself as a neutral country and is not a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union or the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which include other former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

The Sochi meeting follows an August 12 summit in Kazakhstan's port city of Aqtau where Putin, Berdymukhammedov, and the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan signed a new convention on the legal status of the resource-rich Caspian Sea -- a matter disputed by the five littoral states for more than 20 years.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASSDUSHANBE -- When Gulshehra Shodmonova's wayward son used to phone home, saying he was in Russia, Kazakhstan, or even Dubai, she worried that the young man who'd turned his back on a promising education was courting trouble. He might land himself in jail, she said, for stealing to feed himself. She never imagined he would one day be arrested as the alleged cell leader of a terrorist group that carried out the deadliest attack on Western tourists in Central Asian history. But on those rare occasions when Hussein Abdusamadov told her he was in Dushanbe, she said, consenting only to meetings on the crowded streets of the capital, his mother would beg him for answers about his suspicious and secretive behavior. "'Hussein, you're my son. I'd like to sit and talk with you over a cup of tea or a meal,'" she recalled pleading. "'You're behaving this way. What am I supposed to do? Tell me where you're staying so I can visit you.'" He always refused, she said.

Authorities meanwhile had their own reasons for trying to track down Abdusamadov, a graduate of an elite Presidential Lyceum boarding school and student-council president at a state university before he walked away from it all more than a decade ago. Since his purported return from Russia three months ago, neighbors said police had questioned relatives and knocked on doors in Abdusamadov's old Dushanbe neighborhood looking for him. Although five officers had been tasked with apprehending Abdusamadov, now 33 and a "person of interest" over possible links to extremist groups, a source close to the ongoing investigation into the recent attack told RFE/RL that the search was routinely limited to a previous residence. Authorities did not regard Abdusamadov as a "particularly dangerous" individual even as recently as a few weeks ago, the same source said, and had no inkling of any terrorist aspirations. But the lone survivor among five suspects accused of running down a group of American, Dutch, Swiss, and French cyclists near Central Asia's scenic Pamir Highway on July 29, Abdusamadov's battered visage became the public face of terrorism after Tajik police released images of him in custody and the corpses of the other four.

The tragedy sent shock waves well beyond the victims' home countries and a post-Soviet region whose autocratic regimes have long warned of creeping extremism. But it was a particularly painful setback for impoverished Tajikistan, which has been among the biggest per capita sources of jihadist recruits to Middle East conflicts in places like Syria and Iraq. RFE/RL's Tajik Service interviews with relatives, acquaintances, former neighbors, and a source close to the ongoing investigation paint a picture of a young man falling under the malign influence of a neighborhood cleric before setting out on a path that ultimately led him to kill in the name of the world's most notorious militant group, Islamic State (IS).

IS has claimed responsibility for the attack on the foreigners, and a video shows Abdusamadov and the four other suspects pledging loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But Tajik officials have publicly dismissed the IS connection as a ruse and blamed the attack on a banned Islamic political party that spent years in awkward cohabitation with the government until an official crackdown three years ago sent many of its leaders into exile or hiding to avoid arrest or persecution. Road To Radicalization? Abdusamadov was born Hussein Nakhudov, a surname, meaning "pea" in Tajik, that family members said he later shed out of embarrassment. He spent his early childhood in the village of Selga, in Khatlon Province, near the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic's border with Afghanistan. His father died in 1988 when he was 3 years old. By the early 1990s, as the newly independent Tajikistan descended into civil war, he and his mother and two brothers had resettled in Dushanbe, which had more than half a million residents. From the age of 10, Abdusamadov attended what was known as the Presidential Lyceum, a prestigious boarding school with long-standing ties to the government and high education standards. After graduation, in 2002, he enrolled in the international relations program at the Tajik State University of Commerce, where he was elected head of the student council.

According to Shodmonova, around that time she noticed Hussein and another son in the company of a local religious man named Nosirhoja Ubaidov, also known as Qori Nosir. She blamed Qori Nosir -- who authorities would subsequently allege was a recruiter and agent for radical Islamists -- for influencing her son and convincing him to drop out of university in 2004. "After he finished his third year at the university, my son told me, 'I want to have a gap year or change the focus of my studies. I'll go to Russia for work,'" Shodmonova told RFE/RL's Tajik Service on August 3, in between extended sessions of questioning by Tajik police and security. But she said it soon became apparent that Abdusamadov was not working in Russia. "One day he would call me [saying he was calling] from Russia, another time from Dubai, then from Kazakhstan," Shodmonova said. She told RFE/RL that when she confronted her son about his employment situation, he insisted that he needed to travel. He would stonewall when she asked where she could visit him, even locally during his periodic visits to Dushanbe. "He would say, 'Well, it's not possible. There are a lot of guys there. I'll just call you and we'll meet up someplace,'" she told RFE/RL. "He'd call me and we would meet up on the city streets. We'd talk. Each time I met him, I warned him that I knew he wasn't working." Shodmonova said she initially had no idea that her son might be involved with extremists. Instead, she said, she was worried he would turn to crime simply to feed himself; but he reassured her he would never do such a thing.

Then, in April, Shodmonova was summoned to the Interior Ministry and told that authorities were seeking her son in connection with information they had received about his activities abroad, she said. She saw her son one time after that, she said, and tried to convince him to turn himself in voluntarily. But she said he refused, saying authorities would simply arrest him. "He left and I never saw him again. But he would call me and ask how I am," Shodmonova said. "He would call from pay phones and from random people's mobile phones." Heartbroken, she acknowledged being "disappointed" with her son "for being so weak that he fell under such influence and allowed [others] to change his ideas." She told RFE/RL that one month before the attack on the cyclists, she had agreed with law enforcement officers to try and persuade him to give her his address, which she would pass along to police to aid in his arrest. 'Ordered And Approved' Although Tajik authorities identified Abdusamadov as the alleged cell leader behind the July 29 killings of the Westerners, the source close to the investigation told RFE/RL that evidence suggested the 45-year-old Qori Nosir had instructed Abdusamadov to carry out a terrorist attack. Then, apparently by chance, Abdusamadov and the other attackers drove by the cyclists in their remote region of southern Tajikistan -- a potential "soft target" of the kind that the men were hoping for -- according to the source. Qori Nosir approved the plan to attack the foreigners when Abdusamadov contacted him about the idea on July 28 via the WhatsApp messaging application, the Tajik source alleged. Qori Nosir reportedly said the attack would guarantee attention from international media. The group stalked the cyclists for a day before ramming a car into them and attacking them with knives and an ax, the investigative source said. Four of the tourists -- two Americans, a Swiss, and a Dutchman -- were killed and three others were injured.

Of the five men named as attackers, only Abdusamadov is still alive. He was reportedly arrested early on July 30. Officials said the other four were killed when police or security forces tried to apprehend them. An image released by the Interior Ministry showing Abdusamadov with apparent facial injuries has fueled questions about his treatment in custody. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other watchdogs have long complained of cases of "torture and ill treatment in pretrial custody and prisons" in Tajikistan. Some of the most acute criticism of extrajudicial and other abuse has involved the prosecution and alleged treatment of members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), which fought alongside nationalist and other groups against communist-led government forces during the country's 1992-97 civil war but won government posts under a June 1997 peace accord. It remained Central Asia's lone Islamic political party until its dwindling parliamentary presence finally petered out in Tajikistan's 2015 elections, due in part to official pressure on IRPT candidates and supporters. The IRPT was subsequently blamed for extremism and its activities in Tajikistan were outlawed, although its leaders have consistently denied wrongdoing or ties to radical elements, and the prosecution and harassment of its members continues. IS Links Downplayed Government officials have blamed IRPT elements for the July 29 killings, ignoring or downplaying possible IS links. Tajik authorities have cited a confession by Abdusamadov in which he purportedly acknowledged receiving "ideological and military-sabotage training" in 2014-15 in Iran, where he "joined the IRPT extremist group" and met with Qori Nosir, the local cleric whose association with Abdusamadov was also cited by Abdusamadov's mother. The party's leadership, the IRPT Supreme Council, denied what it said were "baseless and irrational allegations" that it was involved, calling the accusations "shameless and illogical slander." "Unfortunately, the Tajik authorities, as always, have tried to use this human and national tragedy for political purpose and against...peaceful opponents," it said. Qori Nosir's whereabouts are unknown. Tajikistan's government has described him as "a member of the IRPT since 1992" who has been on the country's wanted list since 2015. But Tajik authorities have presented no specific evidence of Qori Nosir's purported travels, or links, to Iran; neither have they offered firm proof of his membership in IRPT. The IRPT has issued a statement saying Qori Nosir was never a member. Qori Nosir's nephew, Ahliddin Ubaidov, told RFE/RL's Tajik Service in early August that his uncle left Dushanbe for Moscow in 2010, after he was contacted by authorities for questioning about his religious studies in an Iranian madrasah. "He used to call us from Russia until 2013, then he disappeared," the nephew said. "In 2014, authorities in the Farkhor District summoned us and said they had information that he had gone to the Middle East wars. He never contacted us." "In 2017, authorities told us Qori Nosir had probably been killed," Ubaidov added. "But after the [July 29] attack on the foreign tourists, they summoned us to Dushanbe and said he is alive and was behind the attack." The Other Suspects Two of the four dead suspects, Asomiddin Majidov and Zafarjon Safarov, were 19-year-old relatives of Abdusamadov from the village of Selga. The source close to the investigation said both traveled to Russia in late February after failing university entrance exams in 2017. According to Tajik authorities, they had returned to Tajikistan two days before the attack on the cyclists.KAZAN, Russia -- A Tatar activist says he has been detained for questioning by Russian police as part of an investigation into suspected financial fraud.

Nail Nabiullin told RFE/RL by telephone that he was detained on August 15 in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Tatarstan region, and brought to a police station.

There, Nabiullin said he was told that a person resembling him had taken out a loan of 30,800 rubles ($460) in 2017 from a local bank and failed to pay it back.

Police officers showed Nabiullin a photo of the suspect, who the activist said did not look like him at all.

"Police did not fill out any protocol regarding my detainment. They asked me to confess to something I did not do, promising that they would close the case If I do so. I rejected the proposal and I am waiting for my lawyer," Nabiullin told RFE/RL while still in police custody.

Nabiullin is an active member of Tatarstan's Azatlyq (Liberty) Union of the Tatar Youth.

In March 2017, he received a suspended two-year prison sentence after a court in Kazan found him guilty of falsely accusing a local man, Sergei Zhuravlyov, of assaulting him.

Nabiullin said the case against him was retaliation by local authorities for his attempts to preserve the Tatar language and culture among Tatar youth.A Turkish court has issued a ruling for the release from prison of Taner Kilic, the local head of Amnesty International, in one of several cases that have raised concerns about Turkeys human rights record.

"Great news: The Istanbul court has ruled for the release of Amnesty Turkey Honorary Chair Taner Kilic," Amnesty researcher Andrew Gardner said on Twitter after the August 15 decision. "Expecting his release by this evening. Celebrations will start then."

Kilic has been jailed in Turkey's western city of Izmir for more than a year on charges of supporting Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric that Ankara blames for Turkeys failed July 2016 coup.

Gulen denies Turkey's allegations that he ordered his followers in Turkey to stage the attempted coup.

Earlier on August 15, a Turkish court rejected an appeal for the release from house arrest of U.S. Evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson and for his travel ban to be lifted.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpaThe U.S. State Department has welcomed the decision by an Azerbaijani court to release opposition politician Ilqar Mammadov after more than five years in prison.

Mammadovs "conviction and imprisonment for over five years raised serious concerns about the rule of law in Azerbaijan," spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement on August 15.

Mammadov, the leader of the opposition Republican Alternative (REAL) party, was released from prison on August 13 after serving more than five years of his seven-year term.

The State Department called on the government of Azerbaijan to drop the charges against Mammadov, "in keeping with its international obligations and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights."

It also urged Baku to release "all other individuals who have been imprisoned for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

A court of appeals in the northern city of Saki ruled on August 13 that Mammadov's remaining prison term must be suspended.

The court also ruled that Mammadov has a two-year probation period during which he will not be allowed to leave the country.

Mammadov called the ruling "not a complete victory," saying that he and his lawyers had demanded "a full acquittal."

'Welcome Step'

On August 14, the European Union said the appeals courts decision to release Mammadov was a "welcome step."

"The European Union has been following Mammadovs case very closely together with the Council of Europe," said a statement by Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Mammadov was arrested in February 2013 and charged with helping organize riots in the town of Ismayilli, northwest of Baku. He was sentenced to 7 years in jail in March 2014.

The opposition leader has insisted that the case against him was politically motivated.

In April, the Republican Alternative opposition movement announced it was now a political party, but said it would not seek formal registration by the state.

Rights groups and Western governments have for years urged Azerbaijani authorities to release Mammadov and other political prisoners in the oil-rich South Caucasus country, and criticized the former Soviet republic's government for persistent clampdowns targeting independent journalists and rights defenders.

President Ilham Aliyev, who has ruled the Caucasus nation of almost 10 million people with an iron fist since shortly before his father's death in 2003, has shrugged off the criticism.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Azerbaijani ServiceA Lee County School Board candidate was arrested Friday after a homeowner reported he entered her property without permission and then shoved a relative who asked him to leave.

Louis Navarra, 73, of Cape Coral, was charged with burglary  with assault or battery.

Police answering the disturbance call were told Navarra apparently had driven by the residence in the1000 block of El Dorado Boulevard, North, in the Cape, saw a party was going on and entered the home, the Cape Coral Police Department arrest report states. Navarra was told he was not invited, was not welcome and was asked to leave. Navarra did so but reportedly came back about an hour later and entered through the unlocked front door.

A verbal altercation between Navarra and party-goers then ensued, the report states, adding that when a relative of the homeowner approached Navarra and asked him to leave, he responded with a slur and then shoved the woman out of his way, the report states.

Navarra eventually left the property and went to a friends house, where a CCPD officer subsequently spoke with him and then placed him under arrest.

He was transported to Lee County Jail where he posted a $30,000 bail.

Navarra declined comment Tuesday, delivering a prepared statement directing questions related to the arrest to his attorney.

What ever happened to innocent till proven guilty? This is the USA. I have retained Mr. Bob Coleman as my attorney. Please address all questions to him. I will not be tried by the press, his release states.

He did address his candidacy for School Board.

I am continuing my campaign for District 4 School Board race Aug. 28th, Navarra said in the written statement to The Breeze.

Coleman could not be immediately reached for comment late Tuesday afternoon.

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cjCape Coral Democratic Club will host a debate between Florida CD19 Democratic candidates, Todd Truax and David Holden this Saturday, Aug. 18, at 12:30 p.m. at the clubs headquarters at 1216 S.W. 4th Street, Cape Coral. The public is invited.Family, friends of Roberto Gonzalez demand justice after 19 months

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  Family and friends of Roberto Gonzalez, the man left paralyzed after a physical altercation with a neighbor, are demanding justice.

Friends and family demonstrated outside the transition house of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City Tuesday after waiting 19 months since the incident.

In January of 2017, neighbors Galan Gutierrez and Maria Fernanda Salcedo became involved in an altercation with Gonzalez in their residential neighborhood of La Joya after the wife of Gonzalez requested Fernanda Salcedo keep her dog tied and in her own home.

The request came after the dog had repeatedly entered the Gonzalez home. In response to the request, Galan Gutierrez began a physical altercation with Roberto Gonzalez, beating him so severely that he was left paralyzed.

The entire event was captured on surveillance video.

In the 19 months since the incident, Galan Gutierrez has hidden behind legalities that have enabled him to remain free.

Tuesday, Roberto Gonzalez traveled by ambulance to Mexico City with is wife and family supporters who are demanding that the president-elect step in and ensure justice by the Attorney General of Quintana Roo, Miguel Angel Pech Cen.

We are going to request the new government review this case and request a review of the New Accusatory Penal System, of corruption and impunity since the aggressors have not made any damage reparations. They remain free and continue to enjoy their privileges, said family member Alma Andrade.Mexican Caribbean sees sargassum barriers placed from Cancun to Chetumal

Cancun, Q.R.  After a delay, the first sargassum barriers have been placed in the sea which will eventually run from Cancun to Chetumal.

The Secretary of Ecology and Environment of Quintana Roo, Alfredo Arellano Guillermo, says the government has begun working with the Chetumal company Goimar Logistics and Services with seaweed barrier placements in the sea.

The project consists of the installation of a system of containment barriers that will be placed along 27 kilometers of the state coast from Cancun, head of the municipality of Benito Juarez in the north, to Chetumal Bay, head of the municipality of Othon Pompeyo Blanco to the south, he said.

According to the development company, the containment line integrates tools used for the containment of oil spills and have been developed for the management of sargassum. The barrier is non-polluting and resistant to waves and is supported with seabed anchoring.

Photo: Goimar Logistics and Services

Once in place, the barriers will redirect the collected sargassum away from the coast. The company says the barriers are a technique for the control of natural and artificial marine contingencies. They are composed of a flotation system and polyvinyl coated canvas barrier with additives for ultraviolet ray resistance.

Photo: Goimar Logistics and Services

Once completely installed, 27 kilometers of barriers will float along the coast which will prevent a large majority of the seaweed from reaching the beaches. This project is the first one coordinated by a state government which in part, has resulted after numerous tourist complaints about the seaweed along the Yucatan coast.

The installation of the barrier system will include the municipalities of Othon P. Blanco, Benito Juarez, Solidaridad, Puerto Morelos and Tulum.Officials from the National Fund for Tourism Promotion tour Cancun, Cozumel

Cancun, Q.R.  The marketing director of the National Fund for Tourism Promotion made a visit to Cancun and Cozumel to follow up on marketing strategies including development land and lots for sale.

Martin Merino Westphal, accompanied by the regional delegate in Quintana Roo, Juan Emmanuel Gonzalez Castelan, toured Playa Langosta, Kilometro Cero Park, Plaza La Isla and the area of Lomas de Vista Hermosa.

Merino Westphal said that 15 lots are for sale in Lomas de Vista Hermosa at the entrance of Cancun, next to Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard, where the fund has a land reserve of 8.5 hectares. He commented that the sale of 15 lots with a privileged location in the project Lomas de Vista Hermosa with Tajamar, would detonate the downtown area.

The visit served to review the different investment opportunities we have and to see the properties that are already being developed for boutique apartments explained regional delegate Gonzalez Castelan.

In Cozumel they visited Marina Fonatur where 25 lots are being promoted for sale. They also toured developing projects.

The delegate said that several owners of lots are in the process of approving construction projects, and estimated that for the month of November, they expect to begin investments, which would motivate more entrepreneurs to focus on the island, creating more benefits for the destination.PepsiCo Mexico announces reduction of salt, sugar in products

Mexico City, Mexico  PepsiCo Mexico says they have reduced the amount of salt in its snacks sold in Mexico by about 24 percent as part of its plan to reduce added sugars and sodium in the companys foods and beverage portfolio.

In an interview with Forbes, Paula Santilli, president of PepsiCo Alimentos Mexico explained, In snacks we have reduced sodium by almost 24 percent, which is easy to say and seems a very simple thing, but it is not so easy.

We have changed all the oils of the Cheetos brand and today, the level of saturated fats is almost nonexistent. She also said that some of their brands have been reinforced with vitamins and minerals, while others, such as their Quaker products, have seen the addition of whole grains.

PepsiCo is working very hard to adapt our formulation in the product portfolio, in new ingredients that begin to appear and in the new preferences of consumers, said the executive.

As part of its agenda for 2025, the company decreased the added sugars and sodium in its beverages and food during 2017. She says they have also increased the volume of the beverage portfolio with 100 calories or less by 43 percent.

Santilli said the company had a plan to invest $5 billion USD in Mexico between 2014-2019, explaining that this amount has already been exceeded.

We have exceeded that goal. We have invested in our plants, which are totally changed in the distribution center and in the routes with hybrid trucks. We have invested more than $5 billion USD and we will continue investing, she added.Peter Bentley and Rebecca Shaw of The Little Haven with and Alan Stanley of UK Steel Enterprise.

A FORMER post office in Parkgate is starting a new life as pub.

The Little Haven, Rotherhams latest micro-bar, has been opened by business owner and entrepreneur Rebecca Shaw.

She said the litle alehouse, fitted out in part thanks to a 500 grant from UK Steel Enterprise was a back to basics bar with no background music.

I hope to create a niche environment where customers can enjoy a catch up with friends, a chilled evening playing board games or a chance to win at our weekly quiz night, she said.

Having grown up in South Yorkshire, I'm proud to be representing the area and supporting the local economy by serving beers brewed in the region including a number from Rotherhams Chantry Brewery, as well as only stocking bar snacks produced by local businesses.Judge Roger Thomas

A MAN who shone a laser pen at a police helicopter has avoided a jail term.

Joshua Jones (21), of Houghton Road, Thurnscoe, was due to stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court today (Wednesday) for one count of endangering an aircraft or any person therein.

He had previously denied shining a laser pen at a police helicopter from his home on Sunday, January 15 last year.

But Jones changed his plea to guilty today on the day his trial was due to begin.

Judge Roger Thomas sentenced him to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge.

L-R Gary Swift and David Critchlow

TWO fat old men will tackle one of the worlds most scenic pilgrimages to raise money for Rotherham Hospital.

Gary Swift and David Critchlow, both 62, will walk the 125km Camino Portuguese  or Portuguese Way  from Valenca in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain nezt month (September).

The pair are taking the challenge in memory of Garys wife Diane (54), who suffered a massive stroke shortly after her 50th birthday.

This left her paralysed down her left side and blind in her left eye  she died four years later, in 2015, at Rotherham Hospital.

The pals expect their gruelling walk to take at least two weeks, with the route crossing beaches and forests, Roman roads, medieval bridges, traditional towns and historic cities.

Gary, of Kiveton Park, said: Diane was outgoing, with a real zest for life.

She loved the outdoors  in addition being a Beaver Scout leader for 15 years, she was also a talented artist.

Through all the pain and struggles, Diane never lost hope or her sense of humour. But unfortunately she never recovered.

He added: I wanted to do something special to raise money in her memory and I think this challenge fits the bill perfectly.

Diane would have been really enthusiastic about this challenge and would have loved to do it herself.

Gary and David are seeking sponsorship for the trek, which they have christened Two Fat Old Men Walking.

Proceeds will be donated to the Rotherham Hospital and Community Charitys Purple Butterfly Appeal.

This raises money to build purpose-built rooms at the hospital, which offer privacy and dignity to patients nearing the end of their lives.

The hospital has three such rooms, which cost around 75,000 each to build.

Each is outfited with specialist equipment and home comforts, providing peaceful, private accommodation for patients and their relatives.

Diane did not have the benefit of a Purple Butterfly Room, but Gary would like others in their situation to do so.

He said: It would have been wonderful to have somewhere private and away from the busy ward to say our goodbyes.

I hope that by fundraising in Dianes memory we will raise the profile of the appeal and money to help build a fourth room.

The friends are stepping up to the challenge by walking several times a week and are learning Spanish, to help them travel the rural route more easily.

David, of Stocksbridge, said: We hope the name will grab peoples attention and make them smile.

Weve lost more than eight stone between us since we started walking and feel fitter and healthier. We absolutely cant wait to go now.

We think the biggest challenges will be dealing with the hot weather, finding places to stay and trying out our new language skills.

Barry Mellor, chair of the charitable funds committee, also said: The charity is incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated and ambitious fundraisers like Gary and David.

The Camino Portuguese sounds like a wonderful challenge to honour Garys late wife and I hope as many people as possible sponsor them to help spur them on.

To sponsor Gary and David visit https://bit.ly/2n6RfWX.

For more information about the charity, contact Suzanne Rutter on 01709 426821 or at charity@rothgen.nhs.uk.Murdered Craig Preston

A POLICE watchdog investigation into allegations of misconduct by a detective who dealt with a man days before he was murdered is still ongoing two years after his death.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced in June, 2017, that it had resumed enquiries around a detective constable and the officers response to apparent threats made against Craig Preston during August 2016.

The misconduct investigation began in December, 2016, following a complaint into the conduct of the unnamed officer.

The investigation was suspended to avoid prejudicing criminal proceedings but was resumed upon the conviction of Mr Prestons five killers in May last year.

Huddersfield couple Shiraz Bashir (42) and Leonie Mason (24), along with three youths, were found guilty of killing Mr Preston, of Wath.

Mr Preston  also known as Craig Nelson  was attacked in a lay-by on Town Lane, Rockingham, and his body was found near to Woodhead Tunnels in August 21, 2016.

The IOPC received a referral from South Yorkshire Police in December 2016 regarding police contact with, and concerning, Mr Preston before his death.

A spokeswoman said a year ago that the investigation was nearing its final stages and repeated that claim last week.

She said the outcome was imminent and the results could be published within a month  but could not confirm when it would conclude.Image credit: GJEPC

The 35th edition of the India International Jewellery Show IIJS organised by GJEPC concluded in Mumbai yesterday with a note of positivity and cheer for the entire trade. IIJS, a premium annual event received all-around support with over 40,000 visitors from over 800 cities across 80 countries attending and previewing exhibitions of over 1300 exhibitors; and registering a healthy $1205 mn order book. The Prelude to IIJS was an excellent opportunity for buyers to get an overview of the new and innovative designs and trends from the exhibitors of IIJS 2018.Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation in his message at the inauguration of IIJS praised the GJEPCs role in promoting the sector and said, With each successive year, IIJS reflects the progressive evolution of the Indian gems and jewellery industry towards greater heights. Indias gems and jewellery industry is an integral and significant part of our economy and contributes considerably towards the countrys GDP and also has huge employment potential. It has one of the most skilled and dynamic workforces. Over the last three decades, this prestigious jewellery show has become a perfect platform to showcase and offer the best of Indias expertise and craftsmanship in all segments of the gems and jewellery sector.Chairman-GJEPC Pramod Agrawal, who was behind several milestones during the five-day event including the MoU with the Shenzhen Rough Diamond Exchange, applauded Shri Suresh Prabhus role and personal attention as the nodal Minister took tireless efforts to help the sector facing several issues. He said, We have so much unrealised potential of our artisans and workers and alongside it, there is so much demand for Gems and Jewellery sector that can be tapped by us. Our partnerships with new economies and geographies like China will unleash a varied and increased demand for resources and talent. With IIJS this year we have yet again been able to showcase to the world our ability and preparedness for continuing to be number one gem and jewellery sourcing destination in the world.Gem and jewellery export is a $41 billion industry, contributing 7% to Indias GDP. It also plays a bigger role in generating employment, with 5 million people currently employed in the sector.The GJEPC has the Government grant to set up 13 CFCs across all major clusters in India, of which three are already set up in Amreli, Visnagar and Palanpur in the state of Gujarat. In the near future, you will see CFCs in Junagadh, Rajkot, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Jaipur, Delhi and Hyderabad. The Councils vision is to add another 2 million-strong workforce to the sector and take gem and jewellery exports to $60 billion in the next few years, Agarwal added.Colin Shah, Vice Chairman, GJEPC said, This year the total volume of business generated in this event has crossed a good 20% which is over 8K crore worth order book. This has come at a time when the industry needed it the most due to prevailing headwinds that the trade has seen over the past 12 months.The first step would be to physically reconnect road and rail connections with North Korea by the end of the year. Moon also proposed the creation of an East Asian Railroad Community, which would connect the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia and would turn into an energy and economic bloc that would include the United States. We must overcome division for our survival and prosperity, Moon said.

He also observed that the European Union first began as a coal and steel community and said that improved economic ties would help push the peace process forward. Moon estimated that cross-border economic cooperation would generate at least $150 billion over the next 30 years. He visits Pyongyang next month for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It will be the third time the two leaders meet in a series of diplomatic engagements. In Tuesdays speech, Moon called on the United States and North Korea to cooperate to move the peace process forward. I hope that the implementation of the complete denuclearization of North Korea and corresponding comprehensive measures by the United States will be pursued quickly, he said.Everybody ran, and then the alarm came on. Fight with responding officers left eight people injured, a pregnant woman. Two suspects, brother and sister, fled the Walmart in a Pontiac Grand Prix. The vehicle crashed into a police vehicle, just an auto accident. Both suspects tried to flee the scene after the crash but were taken into custody by responding officers, police said. The man managed to bring his cuffed hands in front of him and attacked officers in their car. Police then shot him with a stun gun.

Police say the man appeared to be either high on narcotics, intoxicated, or both. Two officers suffered minor injuries during the fight with the suspect. They were taken to Roxborough Memorial Hospital for treatment. The suspects weapon was recovered. Cheltenham Township Police Chief John Frye said at a news conference that none of those struck sustained life-threatening injuries. Multiple police agencies were on scene investigating. Officials did not specify what charges the suspect might face over the incident. A total of eight EMS agencies and 22 police departments, including Philadelphia Police and the Montgomery County SWAT team, assisted with the incident.Saluting CM of Punjab on Independence Day

LUDHIANA/CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 15: Calling for Nashe Ton Azadi (Freedom from Drugs), Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday launched Tu Mera Buddy programme to take the war against drugs to schools and colleges to mark the 72nd Independence Day.

The Chief Minister, who unfurled the tricolour here, also launched the second phase of Loan Waiver Scheme for farmers against loans taken from commercial banks, besides rolling out the Bhai Ghanayia Sehat Sewa Yojana.

Advertisement

CM of Punjab with others

In his speech after inspecting the parade and taking salute from the march past, the Chief Minister called upon the people of Punjab to take a pledge on this momentous occasion to wipe out the menace of drugs from the state to secure the healthy future of the coming generations.

Lauding the encouraging results of Special Task Force to check drug abuse in Punjab, the Chief Minister said that after the great success of Drug Abuse Prevention Officers programme, Tu Mera Buddy would further take the anti drugs campaign to the grassroots level with the healthy participation of students, who would spread awareness about the ill-effects of drug abuse across the state.

Advertisement

CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh with others

The project will involve principals, teachers, students and their parents. It is based on mutual interest and positive construction for a healthy and productive school environment. The buddy project will be led by class teachers and will be supervised by the principals and district education officers (DEOs).

The Chief Minister reiterated his governments zero tolerance against drugs and warned that those involved in exploiting and ruining the youth would not be spared at any cost. Nearly 20,000 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, involving about 22,000 drug peddlers and distributors, while the State is working to ensure forfeiture of illegally acquired property of drug traders and to secure death penalty for them, said the Chief Minister.

Advertisement

Rally on Independence Day

Expressing satisfaction over the positive results of 118 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) Clinics started in the State for regular treatment of addicts, the Chief Minister said that another 80 OOAT Clinics would be set up by September this year. He said that 26000 addicts have been treated so far in these clinics and the OPD footfall has been more than 5.3 Lakh.

Unveiling the Bhai Ghanhya Sehat Sewa Scheme, the Chief Minister handed over cards to some of the beneficiaries of the scheme, aimed at providing cashless healthcare facilities and treatment to members of the Cooperative societies and their families across the state. Every beneficiary is entitled to cashless treatment up to Rs. 2 lakh on family floater basis in any approved hospital, and on reimbursement basis in any government hospital in Punjab.

Advertisement

Honoring CM of Punjab

Launching the second phase of the Debt Waiver Scheme, the Chief Minister handed over Waiver certificates to 10 farmers to extend to them the benefit of outstanding loan waiver of commercial banks up to Rs 2 lakh. The debt waiver scheme would cover crop loan disbursed to farmers in the state by scheduled commercial banks, cooperative credit institutions, including urban cooperative banks and regional rural banks, collectively called as the 'lending institutions'.

The Chief Minister said that these farmers were expected to be provided total relief of Rs 1000 crore.Handing over keys and allotment letters of flats constructed under BSUP scheme to 10 beneficiaries out of 750 under Punjab Shehri Awas Yojana, Captain Amarinder Singh said the new housing scheme would provide free home facilities to eligible candidates from SC/ST/BC communities in urban areas in the state. The flats have been constructed at Vishwakarma Colony, Khokha Market.

CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh

In order to manage the crop residue, the Chief Minister kickstarted a scheme to provide subsidised agri machinery, which would be helpful to curb the trend of stubble burning. The machines included Hydraulic Reversible Mould Board Plough, with a subsidy of Rs. 70,000 on total cost of Rs 1,40,000, and Paddy Straw Mulcher with 50 percent subsidy of Rs 78,400. Under super straw management system, Happy Seeders would also be provided to farmers on subsidy of Rs. 75,600 on total cost of Rs. 1,51,200.

The Chief Minister handed over these machines to three farmers of Ludhiana. The agriculture department has placed an order of 500 such machines, which would be provided to farmers in the next two months for the management of crop residue, he added.

Reiterating his resolve for revival of industry, the Chief Minister said that his Government was making all possible efforts to revive the State's economy.

CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh

He said that the number of micro industrial units set up in 2017-18 had gone up to 18172 from 8571 in 2016-17, showing an increase of 112 percent. Likewise, the number of small units set up in the State has gone up by 25 percent in the year 2017-18 while the employment generated by the manufacturing and service sector in the State has gone up to 28 percent i.e.

from 1,00,022 in 2016 to 1,28,818 in 2017. Punjab has signed 305 MoUs during the last 16 months for investment of Rs 50,650 crore with an employment potential of about 1 Lakh, said the Chief Minister.With a promise to further increase employability for the states youth, Captain Amarinder Singh said that under his Governments flagship Ghar Ghar Rozgar program nearly 2 lakh jobs had been provided to the youth and the government aimed to create about 3.00 lakh jobs during the year 2018-19.

He also said that the promise to give Smart Phones to eligible youth was in the final stages of implementation.Prominent amongst those present on the occasion were Member Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu, Advisor to CM Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, MLAs Surinder Dabar, Kuldip Singh Vaid, Sanjay Talwar, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, DGP Suresh Arora and Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Viswajeet Khanna.An undergraduate researcher has developed a method to screen frogs for an infectious disease that has been linked to mass die-offs of frogs around the world. Thanks to her method, scientists will be able to track the disease and try to figure out why it is triggering the deaths.

Emily Karwacki, who recently earned her biology degree from the University of Central Florida, didn't set out to track the deadly pathogen Perkinsea, but after landing a research spot in Assistant Professor Anna Savage's lab, she was set with the task of trying to test for the disease. Frogs, which are indicators of environmental changes, have been dying off in mass quantities. They are also an important part of the food chain. Without frogs, many other species would die, Savage said.

Scientists have narrowed down what's most affecting frogs to three pathogens, including Perkinsea.

"Not a lot of people have studied Perkinsea because it has only recently been identified," Karwacki said. "It's different from other diseases because of the way it attacks the host."

The pathogen enters the frog through the skin or may be ingested through its mouth. Scientists know it goes straight to the liver, embedding itself, before moving onto the rest of the tissue. It spreads and then the frog dies.

Karwacki, along with Savage and doctoral student Matt Atkinson, suspected that Perkinsea was killing frogs in Central Florida, but the researchers needed a way to test for it first. Karwacki was tasked with creating the molecular test. The method is called qPCR, but because Perkinsea was newly discovered, there wasn't enough genetic data to make a specific test. Karwacki had to create what's called a primer pair, and match it with a DNA sequence of Perkinsea, to get the qPCR test to work.

"The test amplifies the DNA so you know if your pathogen is there or not," Emily said. "I had to align a bunch of DNA sequences from our samples with others from around the word to create my primer set. It was four or five months before we had both the primers and the probe to create a successful test."

Karwacki was the first to do this for Perkinsea and her work was recently published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.

Using Karwacki's qPCR assay, the team of researchers found that 25 percent of the frogs they sampled tested positive for the pathogen. They sampled three sites in Florida: Gold Head Branch State Park in Keystone Heights, the UCF Arboretum in Orlando, and the Archbold Biological Station in Venus. The area they found with the most prevalent infection was Gold Head Branch, which is the farthest north. Archbold, the farthest south, had no infection at all. "There are only three papers on this disease that identify it specifically," Karwacki said. "It has greatly been affecting amphibians in the southeastern United States and should be studied more. It's most likely at least a co-factor in these extinction events we are seeing."

Karwacki's method will now allow researchers all over the world to test for the disease. After graduating this summer, she is working on a new study, swabbing frog tissue samples at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. She's swabbed more than 900 samples, and has found that Perkinsea dates back to 1922. This proves the disease has been in frog populations before, and scientists are trying to figure out why it's only now killing off large numbers of frogs. "Now with my qPCR, people can test areas where they are trying to release frogs to rebound populations," Karwacki said. "Scientists can test water and soil to see if Perkinsea is there so we don't send frogs out to die."

Karwacki is entering the nonprofit business management master's program at UCF before pursuing graduate school. She will continue her work as a research associate in Savage's lab.Chronic, frequent tobacco smokers have a decreased number of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, the "pot receptor," when compared with non-smokers, reports a study in Biological Psychiatry.

The study, the result of a collaboration of researchers affiliated with the National Institutes of Health, Maryland, supports that CB1 receptors play a role in smoking. The findings add to the group's previous studies that report the same finding in people who abuse cannabis or alcohol, suggesting that reduction of CB1 receptors is a common feature of addiction.

Of the 46 men who participated in the study all were considered healthy -- 18 of the participants were frequent cigarette smokers and 28 did not smoke. The researchers measured the number of receptors by using a brain imaging technique to detect a drug that binds to CB1 receptors.

The analysis indicated a nearly 20 percent reduction in CB1 receptors in the brains of smokers compared to non-smokers. The reduced receptor number was present throughout the brain (in all 18 regions examined in the study), with some regions more affected than others. The reduction in receptors was not exacerbated by more cigarettes smoked per day, or by starting before the age of 18.

"We think that the reduction of CB1 receptors may be unhealthy because these receptors are involved in many normal brain functions, such as memory and coping with stress," said Jussi Hirvonen, MD, PhD, of NIH and University of Turku, Finland. Dr. Hirvonen was co-first author of the study, along with Paolo Zanotti-Fregonara, MD, PhD, of NIH and Houston Methodist Research Institute, Texas.

A drug that blocks CB1 receptors, called rimonabant, has been tested in clinical trials for smoking cessation. Although the drug seemed to help people quit smoking, it caused problematic psychiatric side effects. "While rimonabant was associated with unacceptable risk for mood symptoms and suicidal ideation, other addiction treatments targeting cannabinoid signaling should be explored," said John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.

The findings have important and immediate implications for research examining the role of the brain's cannabinoid system in the cause of neuropsychiatric disorders. Because smoking is so common in people with neuropsychiatric disorders, clinical studies will have to carefully consider smoking habits in patients that could interfere with cannabinoid receptor measurements.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is once again under public scrutiny over allegations of widespread corruption in the organization.

This came after the conviction of an army officer for misusing government funds, and the dismissal of several military hospital personnel due to questionable medical supply deals.

However, AFP Spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said the allegations were isolated incidents.

"These do not reflect the vast majority of our commanders and officers in the AFP... Your Armed Forces is keen about ensuring that we are, we will, and we shall continue to be worthy of the trust of the Filipino people and the Filipino nation," said Arevalo.

In July, a military court sentenced army Lt. Col. Hector Marana for misusing more than P15 million of the Philippine Military Academy's (PMA) funds.

Marana was PMA treasurer for six years, serving until 2012.

AFP Spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said Marana "left without proper turnover of financial and property accountabilities."

He added it was also uncovered that the dismissed officer lent the money to different private individuals.

Marana, a member of PMA Class '94, was charged before the military court for violating the Articles of War, including conduct unbecoming of an officer.

He was convicted after four years of trial and appealed the decision, but it was denied.

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte, as commander in chief, approved the sentence.

The punishments include imprisonment of up to 10 years, and the forfeiture of benefits. Marana will be made to return the stolen money.

Furious President Duterte ordered the relief of more than 20 officers and personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Services Command over allegations of irregularities at the V. Luna Hospital, the military's main medical facility.

BGen. Edwin Leo Torrelavega, spoke out on Tuesday as well, and insisted he was innocent.

He expressed his frustration over how his three decades of dedicated military service as medical doctor could now end up in shame.

"Sad to say, ito pala magiging... This is the product of what I have done," he said

The two cases, however, bring back to the spotlight corruption inside the military which the AFP has been struggling to address.

From shady defense deals, the smuggling of firearms and ammunition, to the so-called "pabaon system" for retiring officers, the AFP said it continues to institute reforms to weed out corrupt practices in the organization.With the clock ticking down on the legislative session, some of the states biggest special interests are spending millions of dollars to influence the debate over how much wildfire liability PG&E and other investor-owned utilities should face, given the new normal of hotter, dryer summers.

At issue is whether utilities should continue to be held liable for damages caused by wildfires linked to their power lines  even if the companies did nothing wrong.

On one side, there is Pacific Gas and Electric, their employees and Gov. Jerry Brown, who is fearful that keeping the current rules might undermine the states power grid, leaving our energy sector in a state of weakness. Estimates have put PG&Es potential liability from last years wildfires as high as $15 billion.

On the other side are fire victims, the states trial lawyers, insurance companies, and a number of cities and counties that want to hold the utilities responsible for most of the financial liability.

Everyone is focused on making their cases in the loudest possible way, said state Sen. Jerry Hill of San Mateo, a longtime critic of PG&Es safety practices and record.

In the public arena, BRITE (Building Resilient Infrastructure for Tomorrows Economy), a PG&E-backed collection of labor and green energy suppliers, is spending close to $2 million on a targeted TV ad campaign aimed mostly at convincing Sacramento decisionmakers that they need to ease up on utility liability.

Climate change isnt something that you read about in the headlines, San Francisco Firefighters Union President Tom OConnor says in one ad. Its a real-life threat with real live consequences.

Matier & Ross / Courtesy BRITE/YouTube

Opponents of changing the liability laws have countered with vocal demonstrations outside the state Capitol. Both sides are working behind the scenes as well.

Politico reports that PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have spent a combined $6 million on lobbying the Legislature so far this session.

PG&E also paid $400,000 to the San Francisco political consulting group SCN Strategies, whose clients include Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

SCN Partner Dan Newman declined to discuss the firms role in the liability debate other than to say it was part of the team helping communities harmed by all the fires.

Another San Francisco firm, Storefront Political Media, headed by Eric Jaye  who most recently ran former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas bid for governor  was paid $108,000 between Jan. 1 and June 30 to help shape the BRITE ads. Jaye is a longtime consultant to PG&E.

Lobbyist and Santa Rosa Press Democrat investor Darius Andersons Platinum Partners  a longtime consultant to PG&E  has been paid $30,000 since the first of the year.

Just last week, the Press Democrat ran an editorial supporting the governors call to loosen the liability standard, formally known as inverse condemnation, to allow a more equitable apportionment of costs between utilities and insurers. In other words, the liability shouldnt fall solely on the utilities unless theyve been found negligent or guilty of a criminal violation.

Publisher Steve Falk says Anderson has had no involvement in the papers editorials.

We have made that line absolutely clear in the sand  and not a single investor (in the Press Democrat) or Darius has stepped over that line once, Falk said.

On the other side are advocates of keeping the utilities financially responsible. Records on file with the secretary of state show a group of trial lawyers that represents fire victims put together $564,000  including $50,000 from Burlingame trial lawyers Joe Cotchett and Frank Pitre  to finance a campaign called Up From Ashes.

Patrick McCallum, the Sacramento lobbyist heading the group whose own house burned down, said about $120,000 of that money was going toward lobbying lawmakers, with the rest going into print, online and radio advertising aimed at holding PG&E accountable  for its alleged negligence in the recent fires.

Some of the behind-the-scenes relationships among the players have set off their own sparks.

For example, following last Octobers North Bay fires, Anderson helped put together a public-private recovery group called Rebuild North Bay whose board included both a PG&E senior vice president and Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki  wife of trial-lawyer lobbyist McCallum.

But Sakaki was eventually asked by Rebuild North Bay staff to step down, obstensibly because of her already heavy workload, though some Sakaki loyalists believe it was because her husband was taking on PG&E in Sacramento. In any event, Sakaki was replaced by Sonoma States chief financial officer.

Some of the relationships have little to do directly with utility liability.

For example, San Francisco firefighters President OConnor said he agreed to do the BRITE commercial in part to support the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and in part because PG&E has contributed $50,000 a year to the unions Christmas toy drive.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

They have been very good to the kids over the years, OConnor said.

And some of the relationships are classic example of good old-fashioned Sacramento politics.

Take Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Santa Rosa, whose district was hit heavily by the North Bay wildfires.

Dodd has been presiding as co-chair over the Senate-Assembly conference committee debating a series of wildfire-related bills  including one he authored that would require the electric utilities to upgrade their equipment in fire-prone areas, but also allow them to pass on the costs to ratepayers.

With the hearing room packed last Tuesday, Dodd vowed to keep the proceedings moving, limiting the speakers to five minutes each and insisting, Were going to be done here at 5.

It turns out he had previously scheduled a 5:30 p.m. re-election fundraiser at Downtown & Vine  a wine bar across the street from the Capitol, where the suggested contribution was $1,500 to $4,400.

Matier & Ross / Courtesy Consumer Watchdog

The party was attended by some of the very same lobbyists on both sides of the fight, who just minutes before had been at the hearing.

Were told that Dodd had calendared the gathering months ago and that he hasnt accepted any campaign contributions from PG&E since the fires, nor did any utilities contribute to that particular event.

The senator has been committed to raising the accountability standards for PG&E all year long, and that continues to be his focus, Dodd spokesman Paul Payne said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email matierandross@ sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandrossThe Port of Oakland, one of the busiest West Coast ports and a hub for trade with China, is seeing exports fall as the trade war escalates.

In July, exports fell 7.3 percent year over year  their fifth monthly drop in a row.

Theres been some decline over the last few months, said Michael Zampa, a spokesman for the port, which supports more than 73,000 jobs in the Bay Area and is the third-busiest U.S. port on the West Coast by container volume.

Its still too early to tell if the primary reason for the drop is tariffs, he said. Chinas restrictions on recycled paper, which is used to package retail goods, has also been dampening exports, Zampa said.

Last week, the Trump administration added tariffs on $16 billion in Chinese imports that will go into effect next Thursday. The products affected mostly include manufacturing materials like oils and plastics. The tariffs are on top of $34 billion in Chinese goods already subject to U.S. tariffs since July, which sparked equivalent Chinese tariffs on American goods.

The Port of Oaklands imports jumped in June by 8.7 percent year over year to a record-high volume, which the port attributed in part to Asian companies trying to beat the tariffs. Imports were down slightly in July by less than 1 percent year over year. Some ships arriving from Asia fully loaded have gone back empty.

Smaller Bay Area ports are also experiencing or anticipating pain from trade tensions.

Richard Aschieris, director of the Port of Stockton, said that last year four or five ships carrying steel would typically arrive each month. But only one ship is scheduled to dock in August, putting 50 to 70 people out of work, he said. In March, the U.S. imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports worldwide, though it later exempted some countries.

We live in an economically disadvantaged area, and we are trying every which way we can to create jobs and economic improvement for people that live in the Central Valley, Aschieris said. We have fewer people working because we dont have those ships coming in.

Aschieris said that, earlier this year, Union Pacific, a railroad company, was trying to bring in steel from Japan. The tariff raised the cost of a shipment by $5 million, so it sat in San Francisco Bay for nearly a month until the partners came to an agreement on who would pay what portion of the extra sum.

Jim Matzorkis, executive director of the Port of Richmond, said exports havent declined, but companies are worried.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Theres concern over what the impacts will be, he said. I think it takes a couple of months to really get a feel for the impacts.

Meghan Horrigan, spokeswoman for the Port of Redwood City, said it was too premature to report any impacts of the tariffs on its business.

The Port of Los Angeles, the nations largest port, has gotten a boost from the tariffs  at least so far. On Wednesday, the port reported record-high shipping activity in July, as Chinese exporters rushed shipments in ahead of the enactment of sanctions.

The Port of Oakland, for its part, expects a clearer picture of the effects of tariffs this month, as the peak shipping season begins.

August will be a bellwether, Zampa said.

Roland Li and Wendy Lee are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf @thewendyleeOn the top floor of downtown Berkeleys tallest building, a space that commands sweeping views from the hills to the b ay hums with entrepreneurial activity. In one wing, startup executives meet one-on-one with advisers from UC Berkeley. Around dozens of workbenches, programmers hunch over their computers while small teams of two to five people confer about topics ranging from robotics to biotech to space.

This is UC Berkeley SkyDeck, the universitys accelerator and incubator for fledgling companies, many of them born in its classrooms and labs. Now SkyDeck is itself accelerating its own growth by creating a venture fund, accepting a broader and more global range of entrepreneurs, tripling its adviser group and doubling its office size.

SkyDeck started in 2012 as a work space with some mentorship. It evolved to provide both a startup accelerator (an intensive six-month program for 22 companies with formal workshops and assigned mentors that culminates in a Demo Day for investors) and an incubator (free work space and access to events and mentors for 80 companies).

SkyDeck went through several generations before we hit on the right formula, said Randy Katz, UC Berkeley vice chancellor for research, who chairs SkyDecks board of directors. For the modern university, in addition to our mission of teaching and doing research, its important to have economic impact and get ideas from our labs out into the marketplace.

For the first time, SkyDeck is investing in the companies in its accelerator, providing each with $100,000 for a 5 percent stake.

The money comes from a $24 million venture fund raised from the likes of Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, Sierra Ventures and Canvas Ventures. Any profits, when the startups are sold or go public, will be split 50-50 with UC Berkeley. The fund has an option to invest in future funding rounds raised by the accelerator and incubator companies  up to 10 percent of each round.

Were creating opportunities for disruptive startups and world-changing technologies, while becoming an institution that will help support UC Berkeley, said SkyDeck executive director Caroline Winnett, a serial entrepreneur who joined SkyDeck in 2014 and launched its accelerator.

Although eight SkyDeck graduates have been acquired, including Zephyrus Biosciences, Chirp Microsystems and Building Robotics, their success brought no financial windfall to UC Berkeley since SkyDeck had no equity in them.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Still, SkyDecks 200 alumni companies have a good track record, with more than 90 percent still alive and about $830 million raised, Winnett said

SkyDeck is increasing its focus on international startups, which dont have to have a UC Berkeley connection. Half of the current accelerator cohort hails from overseas. An outside partner is buying a 13-bedroom house and turning it into dorm space for the global founders while they go through the six-month accelerator.

The U.S. startups have affiliations with UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Lab or UCSF. Starting in the next session, SkyDeck will accept companies with any University of California campus affiliation.

Entrance is more competitive than at UC Berkeley itself. While the university admits 15 percent of candidates, SkyDeck had 600 applications for 22 slots, a 3.7 percent rate.

Theyre not here for the $100,000; theyre here for credibility and resources, said Chon Tang, founding partner of the SkyDeck Fund. Still, the funding made everything bigger and more.

Its the cross-pollination with other startups and the access to UC Berkeleys vast resources, especially the professors and alumni who act as SkyDeck advisers, that draws many.

When we started in the U.K., it was hard to engage with leaders in the field, said Maciej Szpakowski, who came from Poland along with colleagues from Argentina to work on Researchably, which provides targeted health care information. In the first week here, we had 20 conversations with advisers.

Its not easy as outsiders to seek network connections, said Santiago Tempone of Argentina, whose startup Skyloom is working on a spaceborne infrastructure for big data communications. You cant do it if you just parachute in from somewhere else. SkyDeck inserts us in the Valley ecosystem.

I didnt realize how fast things could move until I got here, said Simba Khadder, CEO of Triton, which allows media companies to tailor content for each user. Everyone knows everyone in the huge Berkeley network.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

SkyDecks $1.8 million annual budget, which includes its real estate leases and five full-time staff, comes from sponsorships and donations. It does not take any campus money. It recently added the buildings third floor as extra space for its graduates and some of the incubator companies.

Accelerators to nurture early-stage companies are increasingly part of many universities offerings.

Stanfords StartX incubator, for instance, operates as a nonprofit and accepts Stanford-related companies ranging from brand new to mature. Those enterprises have the option to take capital from a separate Stanford-StartX Fund and most do so, with over $130 million deployed since 2013, according to StartXs website.

While Stanford, birthplace of companies from Hewlett-Packard to Google and beyond, is most closely associated in the publics eyes with Silicon Valley, UC Berkeley is just behind it, according to data from Pitchbook, which analyzes venture-backed companies.

Pitchbooks report, which looks at entire universities and not just their accelerators/incubators, shows that since 2006 Stanford had enrolled 1,127 startup founders and 957 companies that raised $22.63 billion. Berkeleys numbers were 1,089 founders and 961 companies with $17 billion raised. MIT and Harvard were third and fourth in the 2017 ranking of universities producing VC-backed entrepreneurs.

Stanford and UC Berkeley are located in the heart of the venture capital industry, the report said. Having Silicon Valley just a few steps away provides founders easy access to investors, and more investors means more opportunities to receive funding.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaidWelcome to Tech Chronicle. Im Owen Thomas, the San Francisco Chronicles business editor, and Ive been writing about tech more or less since I landed in this city 23 years ago. In a weekly column  exclusive to this newsletter and SFChronicle.com  Ill be sharing my observations about the industry that drives the Bay Area and occasionally taking you behind the scenes of our coverage.

Want to get the latest on Silicon Valley in your inbox? Subscribe to Tech Chronicle .

Fear and loathing in Silicon Valley

Theres more fear in tech than Ive seen in decades, and its different than what I saw in the dot-com bust or the Great Recession. When company valuations are starting to hit the trillion-dollar mark, youd think that tech leaders would breathe a sigh of relief and run a victory lap or two. But no. They seem worried.

What has them on the run? The Washington politicians who grilled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg? European Union regulator Margrethe Vestager, who gave Google a $5 billion thrashing?

I have a different theory. The call, as they say in horror films, is coming from inside the building. Tech workers have been harangued for decades about how theyre changing the world. Now theyre starting with their own workplaces.

Tom Brenner / New York Times

Look at how Facebook employees are questioning the companys complicity in facilitating an attack on American democracy; Google and Salesforce workers protests of their companies provision of cloud services to the military and Customs and Border Patrol; and unrest at Uber over a top executives insensitive comments. At other workplaces, that might get people fired. In Silicon Valley, where the best brains can walk out the door and get a better-paying job before they reach their car, these incidents can prompt boardroom fretting over employee retention rates.

At the turn of the millennium, employees flocked to FCompany.com to post their complaints. The culture of complaint had a brief flourishing on the Secret app from 2014 to 2015; after that shut down, dissent moved to spots like Hacker News and an app called Blind. Where theres a whine, theres a way. Former Google engineer James Damore, whose just-asking-questions memo about how his female colleagues might be biologically unsuited for engineering work, is the rare example of someone actually getting fired for mouthing off.

You might be picking up something here: Silicon Valley is different in many ways from the rest of the world. If I had to pick one characteristic that distinguishes the business culture here, its this: Workers are more mobile than anywhere else. The average employee tenure at most big tech companies is two years or less, according to a recent study by Paysa. The nationwide average is more than twice that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When Apple, Google and other big companies tried to slow employees roll with no-poaching agreements, the courts shot them down.

Thats a feature, not a bug, according to AnnaLee Saxenian, the dean of UC Berkeleys School of Information who has written several books about Silicon Valley. The ability  the willingness  of workers to flit from startup to big company to startup is a key advantage that cant be copy-and-pasted onto the map by setting up a research park and naming it after a chip ingredient. Ive spent a lot of time going around the world to silicon whatevers, Saxenian told me.

The valleys gain can be an individual companys loss. A flood of key employees moving to a new company  Googles top brass freaked out over defections to Facebook in 2007, for example  can indicate whos on the rise. Venture capitalists watch these movements closely, sometimes writing multimillion-dollar checks purely on the strength of a teams resumes.

So if Silicon Valley seems singularly self-involved, the omphaloskeptic impulse has a basis in our twisted reality. Those lofty valuations depend on employees perceptions of their employers to an unparalleled extent. And if workers are organizing to demand not just better stock packages but better behavior from their bosses, I see little wrong with that.

Quote of the week

I understood from him that no other decision makers were needed and that they were eager to proceed.  Tesla CEO Elon Musk, on how a conversation with the managing director of Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund led him to declare on Twitter that he had funding secured to take the electric car maker private

He has expressed support for proceeding subject to financial and other due diligence and their internal review process for obtaining approvals.  Musk, on a conversation with the same fund director a week later

Coming up

Natasha Mascarenhas wraps up the second season of our Startups of the Week podcast with Alex Wilhelm of Crunchbase News. Sometimes they let me and Ramona the Love Terrier make a guest appearance. Make sure you subscribe.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

What Im listening to

Kara Swishers Recode Decode interview with former Googler Sarah Cooper, author of the forthcoming book How to Be Successful Without Hurting Mens Feelings. Dont miss guest co-host Dick Costolo, the former CEO of Twitter and erstwhile standup comic.

What Im reading

Roland Lis look at how one South of Market block is being transformed by the Transbay building boom. ( San Francisco Chronicle )

Former Facebooker Bobby Goodlattes family feud. ( Bloomberg )

North Face moves to Denver. Will the last non-tech company turn out the lights? ( San Francisco Chronicle )

How Instagram copying Snapchat came back to bite Facebook. ( Stratechery )

Explosive allegations in Tinder lawsuit. ( Business Insider )

Tech Chronicle is a thrice-weekly newsletter from Owen Thomas, The Chronicles business editor, and the rest of the tech team. Follow along on Twitter: @techchronicle and Instagram: @techchronicleThe staff developing CalSavers, a controversial state-run retirement program for private-sector workers in California, will recommend that Ascensus administer the plan and State Street Global Advisors manage the investments.

These firms were selected from 13 that submitted proposals. The board overseeing the program will vote on the staffs recommendations at a meeting on Thursday, paving the way for a pilot program to start near years end.

Ascensus is administering the only two state-run retirement programs for private-sector workers that have started  in Oregon and Illinois. State Street, the worlds third-largest money manager, is also managing Oregons investments and some in Illinois, said Katie Selenski, CalSavers executive director.

Under the CalSavers plan, companies that have at least five workers in California and dont offer a retirement plan would have to enroll them in a payroll-deduction individual retirement account, although workers could opt out. Employers would have very little involvement and could not offer a matching contribution. Employees contributions would be deposited into a Roth IRA unless they chose a regular IRA.

The California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Investment Board directed the CalSavers staff in May to solicit proposals from companies interested in running the program, managing the investments or both. No company offered to do both jobs, but 13 submitted proposals for one or the other.

More for you Taxpayer group sues to block state-run CalSavers retirement plan

Participants must cover, through annual fees, the cost of the program, but the state is advancing funds to get it started.

In its proposal, Ascensus said its administrative fee, if it runs the call center, would start at 0.75 percent of assets per year, falling gradually as the plan grows larger, eventually to 0.15 percent after assets top $35 billion. A feasibility study projected it would reach $35 billion in the seventh year. Under that call-center scenario, the state would levy an additional annual fee of up to 0.05 percent of assets.

State Street would offer four investment options: a money market fund, bond index fund, global stock index fund and target date fund. Its management fee on those funds would range from 0.025 percent of assets on the bond fund to 0.12 percent of assets on the money market fund.

The first $1,000 of each employees assets would go automatically into the money market fund, unless the worker chose a different option.

Add it up, and in the first year an employee who stayed in the money market fund would pay almost 1 percent in annual fees.

In the Illinois Secure Choice plan, now in pilot, total fees are fixed at 0.75 percent, but dont decline as the program grows, Selenski said. In the OregonSaves plan, fees total around 1 percent of assets.

When we get to scale, we expect our fees to be among the most competitive in the (IRA) industry, she added.

The Legislature first authorized CalSavers (previously called Secure Choice) in 2012, but it has faced several obstacles. Under President Trump, the U.S. Department of Labor overturned an Obama-era rule that would have given state-run retirement programs for private-sector workers legal protection if they followed specified rules.

California forged ahead with its plan after getting an opinion from a law firm that, it says, put it on sound legal footing.

On May 31, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association filed a lawsuit seeking to block CalSavers.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The law is pretty clear that it is illegal, said Laura Murray, the associations senior staff attorney. Its a high-risk program that is not good for Californias private employees.

CalSavers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on July 25. The Jarvis group has until Aug. 30 to respond to that motion and then CalSavers will have until Sept. 13 to reply.

Then we expect the judge to make a decision, although its not clear when, Murray said.

Selenski said, We are launching this program. We remain undeterred.

She said the plan could begin enrolling employers in a pilot program in November, with pilot employee contributions starting in January and a full rollout starting in July. But that is subject to change.

CalSavers will shepherd-in the largest expansion of retirement security since the passage of Social Security in the 1930s, State Treasurer John Chiang, who is also chair of the Secure Choice board, said in an email. Well take on the retirement security crisis by providing 7.5 million Californians with a safe and portable way to save for a dignified retirement, while providing employees with some of the lowest fees in the nation compared with similar programs.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpenderBattling the largest wildfire in California history has left crews with one option: remove the fuel by starting fires.

The Mendocino Complex, made up of the Ranch and River fires, grew nearly 10,000 acres by Wednesday to 363,845 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

The blaze was 64 percent contained compared to 68 percent contained the previous day.

A fire as large as this, removing the fuel is the best way to do it, said Capt. Cary Wright, a spokesman with Cal Fire.

Because the Mendocino Complex is so large, water and retardant only helps slow the blaze down, he added.

I dont know if theres enough aircraft in the country that can just continually drop retardant and water to put this fire out, Wright said.

The River Fire, the smaller of the two conflagrations, was fully contained Tuesday at 48,920 acres.

But the Ranch Fire continues to be fueled by dry vegetation and hot weather as it threatens communities surrounding the Mendocino National Forest, Cal Fire said. The Ranch Fire alone has burned 314,925 acres.

On Wednesday, firefighters focused their attack on the northwest and northeast edges of the blaze to prevent it from getting it closer to Lake Pillsbury, Cal Fire said. Ground crews started firing operations to burn the fuel even farther away from the blaze to prevent growth, while bulldozer operators worked throughout the day to remove any potential vegetation that the fire could burn by building containment lines.

Crews also worked to protect the 1,025 structures threatened by the flames. So far, 265 structures have been destroyed.

The first fatality in the fire occurred Monday, when 42-year-old Matthew Burchett of Utah was killed while battling the flames on the front lines.

Burchett was the sixth firefighter to die battling wildfires in California this year, making 2018 the deadliest fire season for firefighters in the past decade. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances that led to his death.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Meanwhile, the Carr Fire in Shasta County remained relatively calm overnight and barely grew more than 19 acres overnight, Cal Fire said.

The blaze has consumed 211,038 acres and was 67 percent contained.

Firefighters focused their efforts Wednesday on strengthening containment despite the same challenges that have plagued crews throughout the state: gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.

Similarly, the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite Valley remained calm the day after Yosemite National Park reopened to visitors.

The blaze has burned 96,810 acres  just 204 acres more than the previous day  and was 87 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Though Yosemite Valley, Wawona and Mariposa Grove were reopened, Glacier Point was still closed due to the blaze. The fire is expected to be contained Aug. 22.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavaniThe area in the Mission District where a woman was shot in the head while sitting on a stoop is gentrifying with multimillion dollar homes, yet burdened by frequent drug use, growing homelessness and crime, said residents who live in and around the building where gunshots rang out Tuesday morning.

The 33-year-old victim, who was not identified and has life-threatening injuries, was shot around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday while on the stone stoop of a two-story brown home with orange doors on 23rd and Hampshire streets, said police and neighbors. No suspect was identified or arrested in the shooting.

Officials said the woman does not live at the home and does not have a connection to its residents. Neighbors didnt know the womans name, but said she typically frequents the stone stoop during odd hours of the late night and early morning.

Investigators were working to determine a motive and circumstances of the shooting. Police did not know if the woman was targeted.

Chad Hajjar, 39, who lives next door to the home where the woman was shot, came home Tuesday afternoon to detectives pulling caution tape from the scene and scanning between nearby cars for evidence after paramedics took the woman to the hospital.

All I know is that the lady hangs out here on the stoop, typically at odd hours, Hajjar said.

After the shooting, a passerby called 911, saying the woman was hit with an unknown object, police said. Paramedics later discovered the woman was shot.

She was being treated just a block away from where she was shot  at San Francisco General Hospital.

Being part of the Mission community, you always hear about some kind of gunshots, Hajjar said. This neighborhood has always had a certain notoriety because of the (economic) disparities between residents and some individuals who pass through en route to recycling centers or the nearby methadone clinic.

He had been planning on installing security cameras on his building leading up to the shooting.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Leslie Golkin, 45, was walking her dog Bernardo with her 13-year-old daughter when she learned of the shooting Wednesday afternoon.

Though she said she was concerned about the shooting, she wasnt surprised.

When her family first moved to Hampshire Street in 2014, there were four shootings in the first four weeks of her family settling into their new home, she said.

Golkin said she doesnt let her 13 and 14-year-old daughters walk in the neighborhood alone after noon because of criminal activity, such as the shooting.

Its a stressful place to live, Golkin said.

Evan Sernoffsky and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com; lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky @LaurenPorFavorIn the Roman Catholic calendar, today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. This separates us from our Eastern Orthodox friends who believed in dormition. Im no theologian, so heres the gist: The Orthodox believe that Mary went to sleep for three days, and the Roman Catholics made the assumption that she went directly to heaven.

In South Ozone Park, the feast was celebrated with the priests and altar boys of St. Anthony of Padua Church carrying a statue of the Blessed Mother around the neighborhood, up and down Rockaway Boulevard, and the parishioners taping money to her, sort of like Pin the tail on the Virgin.

During the long, hot summer, it was our reminder that the days were getting shorter, and we would soon return to school. For me it meant getting back to normal.

But in 1970, the Feast of the Assumption fell on a Saturday, which I greatly resented, because it meant back-to-back liturgies, Saturday and Sunday. Moreover, we were on summer vacation in Yaphank, so we had to trek all the way to St. Frances Cabrini Church in Coram.

That spring Pop and Nurse Vivian moved the family to Woodhaven, almost directly under the elevated J train. It was a distance of less than 5 miles, certainly not the same as sending a son to boarding school in Texas, but for me it was trauma. And Aug. 15 meant that I would not be returning to St. Anthony of Padua, but rather, Nurse Vivian enrolled me in PS 60.

The teacher was this kind lady named Mrs. Roth. I caught up quickly in math and history (there being much less of it in those days), but the other sixth-graders had already had two years of French, and Mrs. Roth decided to give me an art project instead, for her French Fair in April.

She handed me a cerulean blue thread, and while the other students learned merci and de rien, I sat in the back, my needle going in and out of this huge canvas. A little jealous of the other boys  who I imagined at cafes, wearing berets and eating quiche  I persevered, not really knowing what I was sewing as fall turned to winter turned to spring and I had learned no French, but then, two weeks before the pageant, I realized that a thousand stitches later, all along I had been sewing the sky over Notre-Dame.

Two years ago, my fairy godsister sent Brian and me to Paris for our honeymoon, long after the honey had worn off the moon. Just before the trip, my co-worker Ali, who was actually descended from a French count, said, You better learn some phrases. The French dont expect you to speak their language well, but they expect you to try. She showed me Duolingo, and for 20 days, I crammed bons mots into my head.

When I got to la cite des lumieres, though my French impressed no one, I made sure sure that we ordered du vin with our croque monsieur. Never did get the beret, and never once saw quiche on the menu, but I did have caviar and Champagne.

But I didnt give up when I got home. Past tense. Subjunctive tense. Drives Brian crazy. Je practice every day. Now, mind you, theres no one in the entire outer, outer, outer, outer, outer Excelsior to whom I can parlez le francais, but for me its getting back to normal.

We made a lot of assumptions when Brian and I fostered children. We assumed our lives would be predictable. But parenting means moving from one crisis to the next with as much calm as we can muster.

And in the meantime, I hang onto my two vices: French and needlepoint. All through the long afternoons at the therapists office, or waiting for the high school principal to yell at me one more time, I turn to mon nouveau language app, and even those long afternoons in the hospital, practiced my conjunctions. In all this, Aidan recognizes only one phrase. I call him mon petit loup, my little wolf.

Made a lot of adjustments trying to cycle down from this summers disasters: I sit in Zanes seat at the dinner table so our trios hands can reach for grace. I huddle with Aidan under the blankets while watching TV, just as Zane used to do. But still I know that things are not normal. While others smoke, I conjugate.

Thats what life is like. We dont pin dollars on virgins anymore. But when we stop making assumptions, we stitch one day into the next, and we dont know what were doing, and all at once weve got un coin du ciel , a corner of the sky.

Kevin Fisher-Paulsons column appears Wednesdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.comThe public has a right to photograph law enforcement officers working in public places, a federal appeals court in San Francisco said Tuesday in reinstating a lawsuit by environmental and civil rights advocates whose photos at U.S. ports of entry in Southern California were confiscated and destroyed by the Border Patrol.

The case involved events in 2010 and 2012 and a government policy requiring advance permission from the Border Patrol to photograph people or activities at ports of entry. The patrol applied that policy to photos taken from public areas  in this case, from a nearby street and a pedestrian bridge.

A federal judge in San Diego dismissed the advocates legal challenge, saying the photography restriction was justified by the need to protect border security and United States territorial sovereignty. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said those broad justifications might not apply to constitutionally protected activities, like photography, in areas traditionally open to the public.

The First Amendment protects the right to photograph and record matters of public interest, Judge Jay Bybee, one of the courts most conservative members, said in a 3-0 ruling reinstating the suit. This includes the right to record law enforcement officers engaged in the exercise of their official duties in public places.

Bybee rejected government lawyers comparison of ports of entry to courthouses and jails, where photography is often restricted for reasons of security and privacy. He said more evidence was needed on the scope of the policy before determining its legality, but noted that streets and sidewalks have long been defined as a traditional public forum open to the free exercise of expressive activities.

The ruling reaffirms that the First Amendment applies to all law enforcement, including the Border Patrol, and that calling something, quote-unquote, the border doesnt remove it from constitutional protection, said Mitra Ebadolahi, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing the photographers in the case.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and seven media organizations filed arguments supporting the lawsuit. Caitlin Vogus, a lawyer for the committee, said a ruling supporting the right to photograph at the border was timely because immigration is a huge story. If the Border Patrol objects to photography of some of its activities, she said, it can shield them from public view.

One plaintiff, Ray Askins, is an environmental advocate in Imperial County who went to the Calexico port of entry in April 2012 to photograph vehicles idling in inspection areas for a talk he was planning on the health impacts of border crossings. He said he took pictures of an inspection area from a public street 50 to 100 feet away before Border Patrol officers stopped him, threatened to smash his camera, handcuffed and searched him, and held him in custody for about a half hour while they deleted most of the photos.

The other plaintiff, Christian Ramirez, who works on human rights issues, said he was on a pedestrian bridge at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego County in June 2010 when he saw male Border Patrol officers at a security checkpoint searching and patting down only female travelers. He said he took about 10 photos from his cell phone before he and his wife were approached by security officers, followed by a group of Border Patrol officers who took his phone and deleted the pictures.

Since then, Ramirez said, the government has put up signs on the pedestrian bridge, a transit plaza and a footpath to the border  public areas within view of Border Patrol inspection zones  banning all photography.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelkoSteven G. de Polo / Getty Image

San Francisco police were investigating a shooting Tuesday night in the Mission District that left one man with life-threatening injuries.

San Francisco police officers responded to a report of a shooting at 15th and Shotwell Streets around 7:30 p.m. where they found an injured man, officials said late Tuesday. San Francisco Fire Department paramedics rushed the man to San Francisco General Hospital, said SFFD Rescue Captain Marc Pearson.When the Boston Globe called on the nations newspaper editorial boards to come together against President Trumps dirty war on the free press, regular readers of The San Francisco Chronicle no doubt assumed we would be among the first in line.

After all, in our unsigned editorials and in my Sunday column, this newspapers criticism of Trumps efforts to delegitimize, threaten and neuter independent journalism has been clear, emphatic and repeated since the early days of his presidential campaign.

But our editorial board will not be joining the estimated 300 newspapers which have signed on to the Globes pitch for a coordinated editorial campaign in Thursdays editions.

Its not that we take issue with the argument that Trumps assault on the truth generally, and his efforts to diminish the free press specifically, pose a serious threat to American democracy. I wholeheartedly agree with Marjorie Pritchard, the Globes deputy editorial page editor, that such unprecedented attacks on press freedom by the president of the United States are alarming.

Here is our boards thinking:

Clear, emphatic and repeated: Trumps attack on the free press These are excerpts from just a few examples of our commentary on the issue: Chronicle editorials March 3, 2016: "The even broader threat from Trump's ascension is the contempt he is spreading for the American values of pluralism, democracy and adherence to the rule of law. This is a candidate who has advocated a clearly defined war crime (killing relatives of suspected terrorists), showed reckless disregard for lessons of history (citing the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as a precedent, rather than an abject injustice) and scoffed at the Constitution in talking about blocking Muslims from entering the U.S., denying citizenship to immigrant children born on U.S. soil, and 'opening up' libel laws to allow politicians to sue their critics." Oct. 17, 2017: "President Trump's expressed contempt for a free press seems right out of an authoritarian playbook, where delegitimizing and ultimately silencing government watchdogs and critical commentators is a cornerstone of retaining power. 'It is frankly disgusting that the press is able to write whatever it wants to write,' he said Wednesday. The framers of the U.S. Constitution would vigorously disagree. They drafted the First Amendment to declare in unambiguous terms that freedom of the press shall not be abridged." June 30, 2018: "Another troubling aspect (of the Capital Gazette shooting) is the anti-media animus spewed by President Trump. He issued a cardboard statement about 'thoughts and prayers' for the victims, and later amended it. 'Journalists like all Americans should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their job,' he said. If only he meant that. His words followed stump speeches in South Carolina and Minnesota where he denounced reporters in attendance as "fakers" and "very dishonest." It's a familiar trope, but it sends a continual message: The media aren't worth anything." John Diaz columns June 19, 2016: "As would any self-respecting despot, Trump has equated critical scrutiny in the news media with acts of sedition. He is doing his level best to chill American journalism even as he exploits its willingness to report - and often cover live on cable news - his latest outrageous comment. As a candidate, his weapons of retribution are limited ... a President Trump would have far more sophisticated retaliatory tools at his disposal." Oct. 22, 2017: "He recently suggested that network news has become 'so partisan, distorted and fake' that the networks' licenses should be challenged and revoked 'if appropriate.' As a candidate, Trump suggested that the nation's libel laws should be expanded to make it easier for public figures to sue news organizations. He also darkly hinted that he would go after Amazon's sales-tax status as retribution against founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post. As president, he pressed the FBI director to jail reporters who publish classified information." July 29, 2018: "Trump's actions are not only Orwellian, they are trademark authoritarian. I just returned from a three-week fellowship to Asia (with the East-West Center) in which I had a chance to speak with a variety of journalists from nations where media suppression is extreme. While the intensity of government efforts to delegitimize if not outright ban independent reporting is far greater than in the United States - shutdowns of outlets and jailing and even killing of journalists - the rhetoric and rationalizations of the tyrants in charge are strikingly similar to Trump's. Those regimes know their very survival depends on operating without the eyes and ears of the press upon them. In trying to undermine news coverage, President Trump is trying to enjoy the same luxury." See More Collapse

One of our most essential values is independence. The Globes argument is that having a united front on the issue  with voices from Boise to Boston taking a stand for the First Amendment, each in a newspapers own words  makes a powerful statement. However, I would counter that answering a call to join the crowd, no matter how worthy the cause, is not the same as an institution deciding on its own to raise a matter.

Our decision might have been different had we not weighed in so often on Trumps myriad moves to undermine journalism: from calling us enemies of the American people to invoking the term fake news against real news to denying access to reporters who dare do their jobs to slapping tariffs on newsprint to requesting the prosecution of reporters who reveal classified information to threatening punitive actions against the business interest of owners of CNN and the Washington Post.

The list goes on.

Its worth pausing to note the role of the editorial board. At The Chronicle, as with most American newspapers, the position on the unsigned pieces on the editorial page reflect the consensus of a board that includes the publisher and the editors and writers in the opinion department. That operation is kept separate from the news side, where editors and reporters make their judgments without regard to the newspapers editorial positions. This includes the endorsements we make in elections.

I am well aware that this separation of church and state  as we call it  is well understood and enforced within the building, but is not universally known or accepted by Americans, especially on the far left and right, who might be skeptical of mainstream media.

This brings me to my other concern of the Globe-led campaign: It plays into Trumps narrative that the media are aligned against him. I can just anticipate his Thursday morning tweets accusing the FAKE NEWS MEDIA of COLLUSION! and BIAS! He surely will attempt to cite this day of editorials to discredit critical and factual news stories in the future, even though no one involved in those pieces had anything to do with this campaign.

Yes, those of us in the journalism profession do have a bias that the health of our democracy depends on vigorous reporting that can keep the people in power accountable. That is no less essential whether an elected official is Republican or Democrat, hostile or friendly to the press.

Our editorial page will continue to speak out against this presidents war on the free press. Our silence on Thursday is testament to our commitment to do it in our own way, on our own timetable.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChronIts fallen off the national radar screen, but police reform remains a critical issue to cities and communities across California. So theres been a tremendous amount of interest in the outcome of two bills that have hearings in the state Legislature this week.

SB1421, authored by state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), would open police personnel records to the public in certain serious cases of police use-of-force incidents, on-the-job sexual assault, and dishonesty.

Those are serious cases that deserve some amount of community transparency.

Police reform activists have rightly pointed out that its important for the public to have trust in the officers who are policing them, and that its difficult to have that trust when information about their records is kept under wraps.

Skinner has also pointed out that Californias existing confidentiality records for law enforcement are among the most secretive in the country.

Transparency and accountability should be bedrock values for law enforcement, but police groups have defeated bills similar to SB1421 in the past.

Police groups say that shielding disciplinary records from the public is a necessary measure to protect officer safety.

This argument overlooks two important facts. The first is that the majority of officers have excellent records and little to fear from public scrutiny. The second fact is that the overall law enforcement community is safer when the public has confidence in its activities.

SB1421 is currently awaiting its hearing in the state Assemblys Appropriations Committee.

Also awaiting a hearing this week is AB931. This bill failed to pass last year and was resurrected after the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento.

In its current incarnation, AB931 would require police officers who used deadly force to show it was necessary, and that they had first exhausted all other less-lethal alternatives and de-escalation tactics that were appropriate to the situation. AB931 is controversial, and critics have wondered if its appropriate for such restrictions to be set at the state level (as opposed to, say, a local police commission).

But the bills many proponents are a reflection of the fact that too many community members dont trust law enforcement to protect them  and that increased transparency and accountability are long overdue.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.2 1 of 2 Max Whittaker/CALmatters / Max Whittaker/CALmatters Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Kathleen Ronayne / Associated Press Show More Show Less



A former state assemblyman who resigned after a Sacramento lobbyist accused him of cornering her in a bathroom and masturbating in front of her in January 2016 has filed a defamation lawsuit against his accuser.

Former Assemblyman Matt Dababneh, D-Encino (Los Angeles County), said the lobbyist, Pamela Lopez, fabricated accusations that he had approached her in a hotel suite bathroom in Las Vegas during a party and tried to get her to touch his genitals.In a fight to win San Franciscos wealthiest supervisorial district this November, two challengers to the District Two incumbent are portraying themselves as City Hall outsiders frustrated with the status quo.

We cant keep electing the same leaders and expect different results, candidate and BART Board Director Nick Josefowitz said at a Tuesday night debate, as the other challenger, Schuyler Hudak, a media startup founder, nodded along.

Josefowitz and Hudak are running to unseat Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who was appointed to the seat by former Supervisor Mark Farrell during his brief tenure as mayor this year. Stefani was an aide to Farrell when he represented the district and also to former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier. She was county clerk when appointed supervisor.

Even though much of District Two  the Marina, Pacific Heights and part of Russian Hill  is home to expensive real estate and retail corridors like Union Street and seems isolated from the problems found in other parts of the city, issues facing the candidates echo those found elsewhere: rampant homelessness, filthy streets, lack of services for the mentally ill, property crime and oppressive traffic congestion.

During the debate, which was moderated by KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos at Fort Mason, Stefani accentuated her 17 years living in the district. She said her deep relationships with merchants and the political knowledge shes gained as a legislative aide, and now a member of the supervisors Budget and Finance Committee, give her an advantage over her competitors.

For the last seven months, Ive been working relentlessly to face the issues of the district, she said, adding that car break-ins in the area have fallen as the police presence has increased on her watch.

But Hudak and Josefowitz blamed the citys current problems on a lack of innovation and leadership at City Hall. In particular, they criticized the $11.1 billion budget, saying that amount of money should be enough to provide a reliable public transit system, better options for the homeless and mentally ill people, and cleaner streets.

You would think that the streets would be paved in gold for that amount, Hudak said.

They both said that their private-sector experience  Josefowitz founded a clean-energy company  would help them more responsibly control the citys money and be more sensitive to small businesses that want to operate in the city.

Hudak, in particular, said she would have an aide dedicated solely to making sure we are not so hostile to businesses in the city, by streamlining the permitting process.

All three candidates said they would support locating a homeless Navigation Center in their district, although no specific sites were mentioned.

But they differed on their support of Proposition 10, the state ballot measure that would repeal the Costa-Hawkins law, which limits rent control to buildings constructed before 1985 and allows local governments to reject it altogether. Josefowitz and Stefani said they wouldnt support the measure, while Hudak said she would.

Hudak, who lags behind her competitors in both money raised and name recognition, is a Bay Area native who worked for Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom on public education policy while he was San Franciscos mayor, and was a statewide field director for Gov. Jerry Browns 2010 campaign. She also is on the board of San Francisco General Hospital and the board of the Marina Community Association.

Her endorsements include Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma and Supervisor Norman Yee.

Josefowitz is a founder of RenGen Energy. His political career began a few years ago when he unseated longtime BART Board Director James Fang. He secured early endorsements from state Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblyman David Chiu, both former supervisors.

Near the end of the debate, Stefani took a jab at Josefowitz, saying it was disingenuous to ask voters to trust him to run for supervisor when BART is such a mess. He defended himself by saying he has helped increased the presence of police and mental health workers at various stations around the city.

A fourth candidate in the race, Republican John Dennis, wasnt present at the debate. His campaign consultant, Clint Griess, said Dennis was not invited to the debate, but that he spoke with attendees as they left the event Tuesday night.

After the debate, when asked how she felt about Josefowitzs and Hudaks criticisms on the current state of City Hall, Stefani said change takes time and she is dedicated to the long haul.

I expected it, she said of her opponents criticisms. This is politics  its the only play they have.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadaniWhen both East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell and billionaire San Francisco activist Tom Steyer turned up at the Iowa State Fair this month, it became official: One in every five Californians is thinking about running for president in 2020.

That means it is time to take a waaay too early look at the field of Golden State Democrats sniffing a run for the White House. We asked several political consultants, Republicans and Democrats, to break down their strengths and weaknesses. We granted the operatives anonymity so they could speak freely  and not lose business should any of these candidates actually run.

One thing the political pros all emphasized: Nobody knows who the heck these would-be commanders-in-chief are, yet. Not even Kamala Harris, senator from the nations largest state, who is at the top of every pundits short list of likely candidates. In a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll of potential 2020 candidates taken in June, Harris was the choice of only 2 percent of the respondents.

And Harris was at the top of potential California candidates. Why? Because the pollsters didnt even ask about any others. So with that in mind, lets break down the sniffers:

Kamala Harris, senator

Telling signs: Raised $5 million for other Senate candidates; invested in her online and social media outreach and national fundraising operation. And the flat-out giveaway: Her memoir is due out in January.

Strengths: She has a lot of charisma, is smart and is well-known to Democratic activists, said a Democratic operative. And shes telegenic. The former San Francisco district attorney and state attorney general has been a prosecutor, so shes tough. With a seat on the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees, she will get tons of media attention, particularly during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh.

Weaknesses: Shes a liberal California senator, said a Democratic operative. Democrats elsewhere may love that in their hearts, but in their heads they may say, Give me a Midwestern governor.

Theres an authenticity problem, said a Republican. I could see eating a corn dog in Iowa with (Los Angeles Mayor Eric) Garcetti. But not her.

Is she running? 99 percent, said a GOP operative.

Eric Garcetti, L.A. mayor

Telling signs: Campaigned for the mayor of Manchester, N.H., and headlined a fundraiser for the South Carolina Democratic Party fundraiser. New Hampshire and South Carolina are early primary states.

Strengths: Leads a city thats more populous than 23 states and can claim outsider status because the city isnt Washington. Mayors are deal-makers, said a Republican, and he can talk about passing that bond, a $120 billion transportation measure that L.A. County voters approved in 2016.

Plus, said a Democrat, he has this hipster, cool-kid thing going. Plays jazz piano.

Weaknesses: The first attack ad on Garcetti writes itself: The camera pans the 50,000 people living on the streets of his city. If youre going to run as a big-city mayor who gets things done, L.A. is a city that has a lot of problems, said a Democrat.

Is he running? Oh, come on, said a Democrat. No L.A. mayor raises money for South Carolina Democrats out of the kindness of their heart.

Tom Steyer, activist

Telling signs: The former hedge-fund manager is spending $120 million to turn out Democrats for midterm elections. He stars in commercials calling for President Trumps impeachment.

Strengths: His wallet, said a Republican. He could hire field staff in all the early states. And the idea of impeaching Trump is popular with the Democratic base that votes in primaries.

Weaknesses: Three words: Hedge-fund billionaire, said a Democrat. Democrats will never support a rich guy.

Despite spending millions of dollars on TV ads that feature him, hes got no name recognition. Those ads have never explained who Tom Steyer is, another Democrat said.

Is he running? Hes not, said a Democrat. Hes teased but hes backed away twice (to run for California governor and senator). He just likes the teasing part.

Adam Schiff, congressman

Telling signs: The Burbank congressman has made hundreds of appearances on cable news shows as the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Strengths: Hes a down-to-earth, serious counterweight to Donald Trump, said a Democrat. Hes got a nerdy appeal.

Seems authentic, said a Republican.

Weaknesses: If your portal into the race is MSNBC appearances, thats only going to take you so far, said a Democrat. Hes kind of one-dimensional  although that one dimension is great.

A Republican said Schiff may be on TV a lot, but hes still Joe Blow congressman from L.A. Hes not black or Latino or super-liberal. So whats his constituency in the early states?

Is he running? Nah, said a Republican. If Democrats retake the House, then he leads the Intelligence Committee. And those hearings are going to be amazing. Its a bad look if he keeps taking off to Iowa.

Eric Swalwell, congressman

Telling signs: The Dublin Democrat has made 10 trips to Iowa and is a cable TV news regular.

Strengths: With all those TV appearances, he can go to Iowa as this good-looking former prosecutor who was born in Iowa, said a Democrat. He has a forcefulness and clarity about the state of the country thats appealing now.

Weaknesses: I had to Google him, said a Republican.

Is he running? Nah. Hes building the brand and the network for something else, said a Democrat.

Like a cabinet post, said another Democrat. Hes so young (37), he could run in 12 years and not be old for a president.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoliEquity investors are flocking to health care in the wake of escalating geopolitical tensions and a waning appetite for technology stocks.

The Standard & Poors 500 Health Care Index is the best-performing sector so far this quarter, with a 7.8 percent gain, outperforming a 4.5 percent rise in the broader S&P index.

Pharmaceutical and biotech stocks are among the biggest outperformers as they rebound from earlier concerns about failed clinical trials and scrutiny on drug pricing in Washington. The momentum has accelerated as investors seek havens from a potential trade war.

It was time for the group to catch up a little, Andrew Hilgenbrink, who helps manage more than $1 billion in health care assets at Highland Capital Management, said in a telephone interview. Tariffs are kind of a nonevent for the health care space. Furthermore, valuations have become very attractive in large-cap pharma and biotech.

Because health care stocks continue to trade at a discount to the overall market, Hilgenbrink said, theres still additional room to go in the recent rally. HCA Healthcare, Iqvia Holdings, Eli Lilly & Co. and San Franciscos Nektar Therapeutics, are the sectors best performers in the third quarter.

Drugmakers including Johnson & Johnson say that U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports havent hurt their results yet, beyond the effect of a stronger dollar. That concurs with an analysis from Evercore ISI that U.S. medicines wont see much impact from tariffs, because raw bulk materials imported from China are mainly antibiotics.

The three largest exchange-traded funds tracking health care took in more than $1 billion in July. The $8 billion Vanguard Health Care ETF, known by its ticker VHT, added $47 million last week, its highest weekly inflows in more than a year.

Bill Smead, who oversees about $2.2 billion at Smead Capital Management, said in a phone interview that this is the beginning of reallocation of assets from the most popular sectors, including tech.

Despite a rocky July, tech is still the best-performing sector this year, as it was in 2017. And health care investors have reason to remain cautious about the recent gains. The next test for the sector is expected to come with the midterm elections, which are less than three months away. President Trump will need the new Congress backing to advance his plans to lower medical costs.

The threat to control drug prices is not going away, Ying Huang, a biotech analyst with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said in a telephone interview. With more clarity in Washington, he said, We might see generalists coming back to the sector.

Tatiana Darie is a Bloomberg writer. Email: tdarie1@bloomberg.netThis story appeared on KCRA.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) 

FBI agents searched a Sacramento apartment unit Wednesday, where a suspected ISIS member was living and was wanted in connection with a killing in Iraq, according to court documents.

Omar Abdulsattar Ameen was arrested Wednesday and is being held without bail in Sacramento County Jail.

FBI agents began showing up about 8 a.m. at the Eastern Villa Apartments on Eastern Avenue, and agents cleared the scene at about 1:30 p.m.

FBI agents, along with Sacramento County sheriff's deputies and Metro Fire personnel, were seen going in and out of apartment No. 26 and searched several vehicles at the complex.

Agents were wearing jackets with the words "Joint Terrorism Task Force" in yellow letters on the back.

An arrest warrant was issued for Ameen on May 16 by the Baghdad Federal Al-Karkh Appellate Court after he was charged with premeditated murder, court documents show.

Click here to view the criminal complaint.

Click here to view other court documents.

ISIS entered the Rawah District of Al-Anbar Province in Iraq and seized control of the district on June 21, 2014, preventing citizens from entering or exiting the district.

The following day, a four-vehicle ISIS convoy carrying several people, including Ameen, stopped at a family's home and opened fire, documents said.

Ameen fired his weapon at the man of the home while the victim was on the ground, hitting him in the chest, according to court records.

More for you Terror plot on SF's Pier 39 lands Modesto man 15 years in prison

Soon after, a post appeared on social media celebrating the killing: "[Today] is the day to eliminate some rotten heads. Now in Rawah, the criminal Ihsan [Adbulhafiz] has been eliminated at the hands of Mujahidin."

The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating Ameen since 2016 for suspected violations, including fraud and misuse of visa, permits and other documents.

In accordance with a 1934 treaty, Iraq has requested Ameen be extradited.

According to court documents, Ameen has been a member of Al Quaeda and then ISIS since 2004. He was not known to have renounced membership in either group.

Ameen has reportedly undertaken numerous acts of violence on behalf of the terrorist organizations -- everything from murder to planting IEDs, records show.

The FBI talked to Ameen, his father, brother and cousins, and they said he was a member of ISIS. They said it is common knowledge that Ameen was a main local figure in ISIS and was said to be one of five native Rawah families that helped found Al Quaeda in the region, according to the documents.

In his immigration application, Ameen said he was a trader in vegetables and was a truck driver in Iraq.

U.S. forces detained Ameen's brother in 2005 during a vehicle stop in Rawah.

No additional details were given.Portland-based ice cream brand Salt & Straw has voluntarily recalled batches of brownie ice cream from all of its shops  including two in San Francisco  after it was found to contain "undeclared peanuts."

Pints of the brand's "Chocolate Gooey Brownie" ice cream were pulled from stores, along with the tubs of ice cream served by the scoop in every shop, two San francisco shop managers confirmed by phone to SFGATE.

A Salt & Straw employee first spotted a "light-colored chip" in the chocolate used to make brownies, an ingredient in the ice cream, which was confirmed to be a peanut, the Oregonian reported.

Pitch Dark Chocolate, which serves as a chocolate supplier for Salt & Straw, found that its chocolate chips could have had "possible cross-contact with a peanut allergen" the ice cream company said in a press release Tuesday. The contamination appeared to have happened after Pitch Dark processed a different product containing peanuts, before processing Salt & Straw's chocolate chips on the same line, Salt & Straw founder and CEO Kim Malek told the Oregonian.

Salt & Straw affirmed that the product is safe to eat for those who do not have a peanut allergy or sensitivity, but were offering in-store refunds to those who want them.

Stores in California, Oregon and Washington  as well as purchases made through the Salt & Straw site  are among the products affected, but the brand stressed that the brownie flavor was the only one impacted by the undeclared peanuts.

No customers have reported any issues or illnesses due to the peanuts so far, the company said.

Ice cream pints carrying the plant code 41-404 and lot codes 18201, 18203, 18212, 18213, 18214, 18219, 18221, 18223; or, plant code 06-1626F and lot codes 18217, 18219, 18221 may be affected. Photos of the ice cream pints affected by the recall are in the slideshow above.

To read more about the recall, head to the Salt & Straw site here.A BART commute is often full of surprises, some more pleasant than others.

One rider, 28-year-old Berkeley resident Sean Herron, has seen his share of weird stuff on the train. But on a Wednesday morning ride to work, he was treated to a special sight when a man boarded with an enormous Great Dane at 19th Street Station in Oakland. The train was crowded. Space was tight.

RELATED: This guy brought WHAT on BART?!

But unlike the all-too-ubiquitous riders who turn a blind eye and refuse to take off their space-clogging backpacks on a packed train, the big pup did the considerate thing as the train started to fill up at the West Oakland stop: He stood on two legs like a furry, considerate, droopy-faced man, resting his front paws on his person.

I was riding BART today when a man and his extremely large Great Dane stepped aboard the train. It was a bit busy, so he told the dog to stand up and the dog flat out STOOD ON TWO LEGS AND RODE THE TRAIN THROUGH THE TRANSBAY TUBE. pic.twitter.com/MuSlN0IeSK  Sean Herron (@seanherron) August 15, 2018

"The train was getting crowded as people were going through West Oakland and the dog was having trouble finding a place to sit," Herron recalled. "The owner said, 'Stand up'  he was standing against the door  and the dog was leaning his paws against him."

His fellow riders bonded over the surreal sight, he said, and the tone on the crowded train was transformed. The dog, meanwhile, seemed impressively calm and content.

"The entire train was taking pictures and laughing about it," said Herron. "It turned an unhappy commute into a positive experience."

Herron's tweet describing the spectacle has since been liked thousands of times.

ALSO: Is this a BART hack, or just a bad idea?

Many on Twitter chimed in with replies praising the dog's good manners and conscientious train-riding.

"Better behaved than most riders on my train," wrote user @stealthgirl21.

"I would give up my seat for this good dog," tweeted @philsbat.

Because the internet is the internet, there were others who noted that dogs are not technically allowed outside of carriers on BART, and others who expressed concern for the effect of standing on the dog's hips.

Others were sympathetic to the grind.

"Commuting is ruff!" wrote @nachohelmet.

For Herron, it was an improvement over the usual BART ride.

"It was definitely not the weirdest thing I've seen on BART, but it was definitely the best thing I've seen on BART," he said. "I hope to see the dog again."

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on TwitterWho would have predicted that residents of San Francisco  a city home to the martini, Pisco punch, California common, and arguably, the Irish coffee  spent more money on alcohol than any other city over the last twenty years or so? Well, us probably.

American households spent an average of $484 per year on alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, liquor and other malt beverages, according to two decades-worth of statistics culled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey by the Delphi Behavioral Health Group. But San Francisco locals spent well over that, with an average of $1,131 per year between 1996 and 2016.

That's obviously a lot of booze, and the cash used on it eats into a greater percentage of our paychecks than in other cities  1.5 percent of our annual salary, rather than the 0.9 percent average nationwide.

RELATED: Five things you need to know about Radhaus, Fort Mason's colossal new beer hall

Now, there are factors at play in those figures which suggest San Franciscans aren't necessarily buying alcohol in greater quantities than other Americans. Namely, because of a high cost of living in the Bay Area, things are just generally more expensive here, right down to the price of a well drink at a dive bar.

As Matthew Insco at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, locals might just be splurging on more expensive alcoholic offerings, like craft liquor and pricey wine.

"(Something) to keep in mind  these figures show how much households spend, not necessarily how much they consume," says Insco. "For example, one area could drink less but spend more by buying more expensive types of alcohol."

RELATED: 'On the cutting edge of charcoal': An edible charcoal festival is coming to San Francisco

That's an unsurprising point considering the 2016 findings from the Napa Valley Visitor Industry Economic Impact and Visitor Profile, which found that over 40 percent of their day-tripping, wine-tasting guests come from San Francisco.

After San Francisco, the cities with the highest average annual alcohol expenditures are scattered; Minneapolis is next, with residents spending an average of 1.1 percent of their income on $852 worth of alcohol. There's also San Diego, where locals use an almost identical 1.1 percent of their average incomes on $850 worth of booze.

Scroll the above gallery to see the other cities spending the most on alcohol.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

Skate Kitchen is a narrative feature about young female skateboarders in Manhattan. Its directed by Crystal Moselle, the documentarian who made The Wolfpack, and the new film has some documentary-like qualities. The women in it are skateboarders, and theyre part of a real-life group called Skate Kitchen. And the locations where they all hang out? Those are real, too. The only things not real are the names and the story.

The good thing that might have come from this is a drama with the immediacy of a documentary, but thats not what happens here. Instead, we get the vague, free-floating, fly-on-the-wall feeling of a documentary, while knowing the conversations and the circumstances arent real. Theres no extra information to make sense of or contextualize the filming of these women in the first place. Its just one meaningless scene followed by another.3 1 of 3 Charles Krupa / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mark Vancleave / TNS Show More Show Less 3 of 3





HARTLAND, Wis.  Democrats delivered groundbreaking victories in Tuesdays primaries for a transgender female candidate in Vermont, a Muslim woman in Minnesota and an African American woman in Connecticut, while party members in Wisconsin nominated a top state education official to challenge Gov. Scott Walker, one of the most vulnerable high-profile Republicans of the midterm cycle.

Tony Evers, the Wisconsin schools superintendent who was the best known and best-funded candidate, prevailed in a crowded field of seven other entrants, according to the Associated Press. But the November election is likely to be a referendum on the polarizing Republican incumbent, who is seeking a third term.The Sanibel Sea School has successfully raised funds to equip each of the organizations vehicles and boats with life-saving automated external defibrillators, or AEDs.

The overarching vision of the campaign was to make Sanibel a safer place by having life-saving gear readily available in multiple locations each day. Using the crowdfunding platform Mightycause, 82 donors contributed a total of $12,325 exceeding the $11,000 goal.

It was our education teams idea to launch this project, Development Director Chrissy Basturk said. Each educator is first-aid certified, and while they carry well-stocked first-aid kits at all times, they were concerned about not having the best life-saving technology available to them.

Nearly 500,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year, educator Emmett Horvath. If an AED is readily available, it can mean the difference between life and death for a victim. I hope we never have to use one, but for me, the cost and effort is well worth it to have the ability to save a life if necessary.

Sanibel Sea Schools vehicles are often parked in busy areas around Sanibel, and each vehicle and vessel will be clearly marked to indicate to the public that an AED is accessible on board.

The community support we have received for this initiative has been nothing short of amazing, Basturk said.

She added that she believes that it was easy for people to see the value in making the islands safer for visitors and residents of all ages.

The donation amounts ranged from $5 to $1,000, which really illustrates how much we can accomplish when we come together to reach a goal, Basturk said. On behalf of Sanibel Sea School, I want to express our deep gratitude to each person who helped.

The Sanibel Sea School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the oceans future, one person at a time. For more information about the organization, visit sanibelseaschool.org.

The Sanibel Sea School is at 455 Periwinkle Way.San Francisco police were investigating a shooting Tuesday night in the Mission District that left one man with life-threatening injuries.

San Francisco police officers responded to a report of a shooting at 15th and Shotwell Streets around 7:30 p.m. where they found an injured man, officials said late Tuesday. San Francisco Fire Department paramedics rushed the man to San Francisco General Hospital, said SFFD Rescue Captain Marc Pearson.Early voting for the Primary Election will begin on Aug. 18 and continue through Aug. 25.

The early voting sites will be open daily, including Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voters may use any one of the 10 following sites:

 Bonita Springs  Elections Office, Bonita Commons #105, 25987 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs,

 Cape Coral  Elections Office, 1039 S.E. Ninth Ave., Cape Coral

 Cape Coral-Lee County Library, 921 S.W. 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

 East County Regional Library, 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres

 Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero

 Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First Street, Fort Myers

 Lee County Elections Center, 13180 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers

 North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers

 Northwest Regional Library, 519 Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral

 Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 S. Homestead Road, Lehigh Acres

The Primary Election will take place on Aug. 28.

Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle encourages voters to familiarize themselves with the content of their ballot. To view ones customized sample ballot, visit online at lee.electionsfl.org/Admin/Check-my-Registration-Status. The customized sample ballot will contain only the contests that will appear on ones specific ballot. Prepare to vote ahead of time  mark the sample ballot and bring it when voting.

In order to vote in-person at an early voting site or at ones polling place on Election Day, voters are required to provide an acceptable form of picture and signature identification. If ones picture ID does not include a signature, one may provide any form of signature identification. Signature ID does not have to be current.

Acceptable picture identifications include:

 Florida drivers license

 Florida identification card (issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

 United States passport

 Debit or credit card

 Military identification

 Student identification

 Retirement center identification

 Public assistance identification

 Veteran health ID (issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

 Florida concealed weapon license (issued pursuant to s. 790.06 FS)

 Government employee IDAn environmental research and advocacy group has found traces of a controversial herbicide in Cheerios, Quaker Oats and other breakfast foods that it says could increase cancer risk for children.

The report comes amid long-standing debate about the safety of the chemical glyphosate, which federal regulators maintain is not likely to cause cancer.

In its report, released Wednesday, the Environmental Working Group said that it tested 45 samples of breakfast foods made from oats grown in fields sprayed with herbicides. Then, using a strict standard the group developed, it found elevated levels of glyphosate in 31 of them.

There are levels above what we could consider safe in very popular breakfast foods, said Alexis Temkin, the groups toxicologist who helped with the analysis in the report.

The findings by the group, which has opposed the use of pesticides that may end up in food, were reported widely. But the question of whether glyphosate is safe is not so simple.

In fact, it is central to a raging international debate about the chemical that has spawned thousands of lawsuits, allegations of faulty research supporting and opposing the chemical and a vigorous defense of the herbicide from Monsanto, the company that helped develop it 40 years ago and helped turn it into the most popular weedkiller in the world.

Scott Partridge, a vice president at Monsanto, said in an interview Wednesday that hundreds of studies had validated the safety of glyphosate and that it doesnt cause cancer. He called the Environmental Working Group an activist group.

They have an agenda, he said. They are fear mongering. They distort science.

Central to critiques of the glyphosate, which prevents plants from photosynthesizing, is a 2015 decision by the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer to declare glyphosate a probable carcinogen.

That spurred a federal case in the United States over such claims and prompted California to declare it a chemical that is known to cause cancer.

Last week, a California jury found that Monsanto had failed to warn a school groundskeeper of the cancer risks posed by its weedkiller, Roundup, of which glyphosate is an active ingredient. The mans lawyers said he developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma after using the weedkiller as part of his job as a pest control manager for a California county school system.

Monsanto was ordered to pay $289 million in damages. The company says it is facing more than 5,200 similar lawsuits.

Some research points to other potential health effects of glyphosate. In a study published last year in Scientific Reports, a journal from the publishers of Nature, rats that consumed very low doses of glyphosate each day showed early signs of fatty liver disease within three months, which worsened over time.

But many regulators and researchers say glyphosate is safe.

The classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer has been disputed by U.S. and European regulators. And a recent major study, published by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, observed no associations between glyphosate use and overall cancer risk.

In December 2017, the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft human health risk assessment that said glyphosate was most likely not carcinogenic to humans.

The EPA is currently reviewing public comments on that assessment as part of a standard review, and will decide whether the agency needs any mitigation measures by 2019, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates domestic and imported food to make sure it does not exceed levels set by the EPA, said that based on 2016 samples, it had not found any violations of EPA standards with glyphosate. More recent samples are still under review, an agency spokeswoman said.

Both Quaker Oats and General Mills, which makes Cheerios, said that their products were safe and met federal standards.

While our products comply with all safety and regulatory requirements, we are happy to be part of the discussion and are interested in collaborating with industry peers, regulators and other interested parties on glyphosate, a Quaker spokesman said Wednesday.

A General Mills spokeswoman said, Our products are safe and without question they meet regulatory safety levels.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  The nation's top diplomat said that both the Philippines and China should set aside their territorial claims during the conduct of the proposed joint exploration of the South China Sea.

"All parties have to set aside for the meantime their claims on territory and sovereign rights to have joint exploration," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in an ambush interview Wednesday.

Cayetano said that the joint exploration of contested territories in the South China Sea would not push through if both nations would continue to fight over it, likening the agreement to a ceasefire between warring parties.

"Let's stop fighting, let's start drilling," Cayetano said.

The foreign affairs chief added that he is positive that China, having first suggested the joint exploration, would be willing to accept these terms.

"China has been consistent in its stand regarding joint development exploration, and there are other countries around the world who has entered into this. This is accepted in international law," Cayetano said.

Back in March, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out two areas for a possible joint exploration with China  Service Contracts (SC) 57 and Service Contract 72.

Roque added that this does not mean that the Philippines will accept China's claim of sovereignty over the region.

READ: PH eyeing 'joint exploration' in 2 S. China Sea areas  Palace

Critics have disputed this suggestion, as SC 57 does not fall under the disputed territory between the Philippines and China, as it lies outside the latter's nine-dash line claim.

On the other hand, SC 72 refers to the agreement on the Reed Bank off Palawan in 2010.Do you think the anti-Joe Biden meme, Lets go Brandon, that has inspired songs, t-shirts, chants and more, is too disrespectful to the President of the United States?

Yes

No

No opinion View ResultsSAN JOSE (BCN)



A man who was stabbed in San Jose last month and died in the hospital on Aug. 2 has been identified as 46-year-old Abel Guerra, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.



The assault happened in the 1100 block of Topaz Avenue and police responded to the scene at 10:49 p.m. on July 28 to find Guerra with at least one stab wound.



He was taken to a hospital where he later died. Police have not released any updates regarding an arrest or suspect information in the case.



Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to call Sgt. Bert Milliken at (408) 277-5283.



793-1900



San Jose police spokeswoman Officer Gina Tepoorten gina.tepoorten@sanjoseca.gov



San Jose police spokesman Sgt. Enrique Garcia enrique.garcia@sanjoseca.gov









Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Santa Clara County prosecutors are warning residents of a blackmail scheme that aims to collect money in the form of Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that is difficult to track.



Some county residents have received letters that claim the recipient is hiding something from their families, and must pay the sender to avoid having their secret revealed.



The allegations may be vague, and could include statements such as, "I'm going to cut to the chase. I know about the secret you are keeping from your wife and everyone else."



Prosecutors said the messages target people with guilty consciences, or innocent individuals that do not want embarrassing allegations made public.



The scammers will cast a wide net, but likely do not know anything about the victim, according to prosecutors, and the best course of action is to ignore the letters and contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (877) 876-2455.



Prosecutors said the threats will likely not stop even if payments are made, and scammers may demand additional large amounts of money.



Victims of the scam can also contact police or the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Consumer Mediation Services at (408) 792-2880.









Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



San Francisco city officials this morning celebrated the completion of the Masonic Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project, a series of improvements aimed at making the busy transportation corridor safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.



Mayor London Breed, among other officials, attended the unveiling at the new public plaza at Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue, which was a major facet of the project.



"For years, Masonic Avenue has been the site of too many traffic-related injuries and fatalities," the mayor said in a statement. "I am committed to investing in public transportation safety upgrades like this one so that everyone can feel comfortable choosing to walk, ride a bike, or take transit in San Francisco."



Supervisor Vallie Brown, who also attended the unveiling, said, "The city has come together to make a better Masonic Avenue for all San Franciscans. I appreciate the patience of neighbors during this important work and look forward to working with the community to continue improving our corridors."



Construction on the $26 million improvement project began two years. The idea for the project, however, was hatched at least decade ago, when a community petition signed by more than 500 people led to the Board of Supervisors passing a resolution to improve safety on the corridor.



The petition was in response to several traffic collisions along Masonic, between Fell Street and Geary Boulevard, where the improvements have been made.



Roadway repaving, however, extends to Haight Street in the southern direction and to the adjacent street, Presidio Avenue, in the northern direction.



Upgrades consist of, among others, improved pedestrian access to transit, new bus bulb-outs and cycle tracks, water and sewer upgrades, new trees, new lighting in the medians and new pedestrian-scale lighting on the sidewalks.



Sidewalks have also been widened for increased foot traffic.



"We have transformed Masonic Avenue from an outdated, mini-freeway that divided neighborhoods, into a beautiful, welcoming street that knits communities together," Ed Reiskin, director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said in a statement.



Reiskin added, "The SFMTA's sweeping safety improvements to Masonic Avenue include new, separated bikeways and safer pedestrian crossings in support of Vision Zero, the city's goal to eliminate traffic fatalities."



In addition, a public plaza has been created on the southwest corner of Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue.



The new plaza will feature an art installation by artist Scott Oliver. The piece, titled Points of Departure, consists of three signposts with multiple colored arrows pointing in various directions. Each arrow has a place name and a distance to the place.



The place names were gathered from a survey, conducted by Oliver, of people he encountered in the area.



According to the mayor's office, between 2009 and 2014, there were 113 traffic collisions on Masonic Avenue between Fell Street and Geary Boulevard. Of those collisions, 14 involved pedestrians, while 24 involved bicyclists. Two people died.



More information about the project can be found at www.sfpublicworks.org/masonic.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.OAKLAND (BCN)



An Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled today that prosecutors produced sufficient evidence to have two reputed gang members stand trial on five counts of murder for five fatal shootings in a 45-day span in Oakland in the summer of 2008.



Judge Vernon Nakahara issued his ruling at the end of a month-long preliminary hearing for Dijon Holifield, 27, and Delonzo Logwood, 28, that included testimony by a former associate who pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter for one of the shootings and is now serving a 31-year state prison term.



Oakland police Acting Capt. Tony Jones, testifying as a gang expert, said during the hearing that Holifield and Logwood are members of the Ghost Town gang and a subset of that gang known as the P-Team.



Jones said the Ghost Town gang committed murders and robberies and did drug deals and said many of the shootings in 2008 resulted from disputes with rival gangs.



Holifield is charged with four counts of murder and Logwood is charged with three counts of murder.



Both defendants are charged with the special circumstance of committing multiple murders and Holifield is also charged with the special circumstance of committing a murder during an attempted robbery and the special circumstance of committing a murder during a carjacking.



Logwood is charged with an additional special circumstance for allegedly killing Ford for financial gain.



Holifield and Logwood also both face allegations that they committed the crimes to promote their gang.



Defense lawyers for Holifield and Logwood challenged the credibility of their reputed former gang associate because prosecutors have promised to shorten his state prison sentence in return for his testimony against Holifield and Logwood.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.The Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $212 million in disaster recovery grants for housing and economic revitalization and infrastructure improvements in California.



More than $99 million in grants must go to Sonoma County, the 94558 zip code in the city of Napa and other areas that were most impacted by wildfires, according to Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, and Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael.



The other fire-ravaged areas include Ventura County and parts of Santa Barbara, Clearlake, Redwood Valley and Maysville.



The $99.34 million was previously awarded through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief program to provide long-term recovery from the 2017 wildfires, but HUD today issued guidance that counties and zip codes in Huffman's and Thompson's districts must receive the funding for unmet needs.



"I am so proud this funding will be provided to help those who need it most recover and rebuild," Thompson said in a statement. "This work continues and I will keep fighting for every possible penny to help our district rebuild and be even stronger."



In a statement, Huffman said, "I'm glad to see that this much needed federal support is on its way. We will continue to work with local, state and federal partners to ensure that our districts have every resource needed during the long path to recovery."





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.BCN34)



EMERYVILLE (BCN)



Emeryville police said the threat from a possible explosive device was eliminated following its discovery this afternoon in a storage room in a garage.



Someone reported the item to police at 2:10 p.m. after it was discovered at 6401 Shellmound St.



Police said a maintenance worker found the item, which was cylindrical and about 10 inches long.



Police officers looked at the item and were unable to say that it was not an explosive, so police asked for help from BART, which deployed explosive detection dogs, and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office bomb squad.



The bomb squad used a controlled explosive to eliminate the threat from the item.



Police said they are asking for help from the public to find out what happened in the area before the item was discovered. Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department's criminal investigations section at (510) 596-3700.



All roads in the area that were closed are open again. Police said the entire complex where the item was found was searched and nothing else suspicious was found.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Oakland police have released the name of an officer who remains in critical condition after he crashed a police SUV into a car and big-rig while responding to a call early Monday morning.



Police released the officer's name Tuesday.



Officer Jordan Wingate, 22, responded at 2:49 a.m. to a suspicious persons report near Seventh Street and Middle Harbor Road near the Port of Oakland.



As the SUV traveled east in the 1900 block of Middle Harbor Road, it collided with a car and a parked big-rig.



The collision occurred outside the west gate of the port's Oakland International Container Terminal.



Police said Wingate had to be cut from the SUV by firefighters. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and had surgery Monday.







The San Francisco Department of Public Works has announced it will assemble a new team, known as the Poop Patrol, which will be focused on cleaning up human and animal waste throughout the city.



The announcement was made Tuesday.



The team, which will be made up of six people - a supervisor and five workers, is part of a pilot program set to start sometime in September, according to public works department spokeswoman Rachel Gordon.



Reports of waste are normally handled largely through service requests, meaning residents will call 311 to make a report and DPW crews come to clean it up.



The new team, however, will take a more proactive approach, scouring hot spots in the city, looking for waste to clean up.







Emeryville police said the threat from a possible explosive device has been eliminated following its discovery in a storage room in a garage.



Someone reported the item to police at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday after it was discovered at 6401 Shellmound St.



Police said a maintenance worker found the item, which was cylindrical and about 10 inches long.



Police officers looked at the item and were unable to say that it was not an explosive, so police asked for help from BART, which deployed explosive detection dogs, and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office bomb squad.



The bomb squad used a controlled explosive to eliminate the threat from the item.







A Berkeley man has been charged with murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for allegedly striking and killing a pedestrian on Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland early Sunday morning.



Prosecutors charged Maury Butler, 56, Tuesday.



According to the California Highway Patrol, Butler, who was driving a white Lexus, struck a driver who had gotten out of his vehicle after a two-car collision on northbound Highway 880 just south of 66th Avenue at about 2:25 a.m. on Sunday.



CHP officials said Butler was pulled over after striking the victim, later identified as 19-year-old Jesaun Benson-Garrett of Oakland, and was found to be driving under the influence.



Officer Herman Baza said the collision was Butler's fourth arrest for DUI and he was driving with a suspended license.







A Scotts Valley man has received a six-year sentence in Santa Cruz County Superior Court on Friday for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for a crash that resulted in the death of a 27-year-old woman in 2017, prosecutors said.



Tuesday, prosecutors announced the sentence for Kristofor Benson, 39.



Benson was driving with Hannah Milkowski from Benson's Scotts Valley home to the beach at about 9:30 a.m. on June 4, 2017, when he lost control at an unsafe speed and struck a utility pole, prosecutors said.



Benson had both drugs and alcohol in his system and his blood-alcohol content was almost three times the legal limit, according to the district attorney's office.



He refused medical assistance, drove from Scotts Valley south down state Highway 17 and state Highway 1 to get Milkowski medical help, according to prosecutors.



Benson then crashed the car a second time at the Soquel Drive off-ramp on Highway 1. Milkowski was not wearing a seatbelt and died from her injuries.







San Francisco city officials celebrated the completion of the Masonic Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project, a series of improvements aimed at making the busy transportation corridor safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.



Tuesday, Mayor London Breed, among other officials, attended the unveiling at the new public plaza at Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue, which was a major facet of the project.



"For years, Masonic Avenue has been the site of too many traffic-related injuries and fatalities," the mayor said in a statement. "I am committed to investing in public transportation safety upgrades like this one so that everyone can feel comfortable choosing to walk, ride a bike, or take transit in San Francisco."



Construction on the $26 million improvement project began two years. The idea for the project, however, was hatched at least decade ago, when a community petition signed by more than 500 people led to the Board of Supervisors passing a resolution to improve safety on the corridor.







A young Parma wallaby has made its first appearance in its mother's pouch at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose, zoo officials announced.



The announcement was made Tuesday.



The baby was jelly-bean sized and likely born in February, but zoo Manager Kevin Hertell said wallaby joeys don't usually peek out of the pouch until several months after their birth.



Hertell said the newcomer will be hopping around the park in about a month. So far, it has showed its head, feet and tail, and will eventually grow to become 7 to 12 pounds and about 20 inches tall.



Wallabies belong to the same genus as the Red Kangaroo but only grow to about one-tenth of the kangaroo's size. The San Jose zoo currently has two adult Parma wallabies, in addition to the joey, and has been a home to the animal for 24 years.

























Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno is still keen on pushing for a cash-based national budget for 2019, but said his agency is preparing for a reenacted budget.

The proposed 2019 National Expenditure Program, which amounts to P3.757 trillion, is the first cash-based budget of the government if it hurdles Congress.

In a cash-based set-up, agencies are required to spend their entire budget within a year. This is different from the previous obligation-based system that allowed spending to be extended to two years.

The House of Representatives suspended deliberations on the proposal, with lawmakers saying the cash-based system would lead to huge fund cuts.

But Diokno said the Constitution does not allow Congress to simply return a proposed bill to the Executive without proper deliberations.

"It has never been done before. The Constitution says the president will submit its budget to Congress. It does not say cash or obligation," he said. "And then the role of Congress now is to review and approve, review or reject and review and amend. It does not say return."

Diokno said the next option is a reenacted budget, which the Budget Department is preparing for.

A reenacted budget means that the current budget will be carried over to next year.

"So we're just preparing for that eventually. We're not saying it's going to happen, but like boy scouts, we're prepared," he said.

Diokno said he met with Senate Finance Committee Chair Loren Legarda and House Appropriations Committee Chair Karlo Nograles yesterday. Both leaders, he added, are seeking a larger budget because the current one may be "too tight for an election year."

"Maybe during election year, maybe I'm speculating. They want more projects in their districts. That's natural right, if you're a congressman. You want to impress upon your constituents, maybe you need more projects," he said

Lacson reacts

Meanwhile, Senator Ping Lacson lambasted representatives opposing the new budget system, saying they are all just after lump sum discretionary funds or the Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF).

"They're so open. Sinasabi nila they are protesting the budget cuts especially sa mga projects nila sa districts. The point is, di ba nag-rule na ang SC November 2013 na unconstitutional ang PDAF? So when you talk of projects in their districts, anong ibig sabihin noon?," Lacson told reporters.

"At least they should be discreet with their reasons pero masyadong open," he added.

Lacson said the whole country would suffer if the current budget gets reenacted.

"And if it will be the cause magkaroon tayo ng reenacted budget, huwag naman sana dahil ang magsa-suffer pag ree-nacted ang budget ang buong Pilipinas. Hindi yung distrito, hindi yung probinsya," he added.

He said senators are "unanimous" in supporting the cash-based budget proposal "if only to avert the possibility of a reenacted budget."

"We have made our position in a caucus yesterday, all-senators caucus, that we are supporting a cash-based over a reenacted budget. I don't know where it will go from here pero yan ang position ng Senate," Lacson said

But while the Senate is "encouraged" to continue their deliberations, Lacson said doing so is "pointless."

"It's pointless kasi mag-committee hearing at best magiging parang oversight hearing yan. We will ask for documents tapos 2018, 2017 budgets, pero we cannot recommend to the plenary, irerekomenda ba namin [na] i-consider sa plenary, say for example the budget of DPWH, di namin pwede gawin because we cannot debate it in the plenary kung wala ang House version sa budget," he explained.

"I hope it will come to pass, itong standoff na nangyari. Somehow somewhere dapat sana may resolution. And this should be resolved between Malacanang and the [House]. Malacanang should step in," Lacson added.

CNN Philippines senior correspondents Ina Andolong and Cecille Lardizabal contributed to this report.Want a tattoo that's a tad more surprising than roses, barbed wire, or fairies? Look no further than your own cherished abode! If the latest photos on Instagram are to be believed, the hippest new way to express your love of home is to get it permanently emblazoned on your body.

Curious about what's behind this trend, we asked some people to show off their ink and share the stories behind them. Prepare for house love on a whole new level.

'I am ... reminded of what I've left behind'

Alex Escaja-Heiss of South Burlington, VT, is leaving for college soon, and his family home is also being sold. So he decided to commemorate this transition by having a shop, Quatre Tattoo, render his home based off an old photo.

I have called this place my home for 18 years," he says. "This tattoo captures not only my personal history, but a pivotal time of change that we all experiencegrowing up and leaving childhood behind."

Even the tattoo's placementon the back of his shoulderwas chosen to further symbolize the idea that his past is literally behind him.

"It's not a tattoo I see every day," he says. "I appreciate this because when I do notice it, I am instantly reminded of what I've left behind, and where I am now.

'When I'm there, I feel safe'

In the backyard of his grandfather's house on his 80th birthday, Daniel Urquizo of Merced, CA, decided on this tattoo.

I thought how this house contained so many memories and means so much to me," Urquizo says. "When I'm there, I feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. The tattoo gives me a sense of comfort and sanity, because on the other side of the tracks, where I now live, every day isnt a good day."

Urquizos tattoo, which spans his lower back, was inked by his cousin Bobby Salinas at Restless Valley Ink.

"If someone were to point anywhere on this tattoo, there would be a story to it, Urquizo says.

A Montreal house 'to take with me wherever I go'

When Nikki Chamberlain moved from New Zealand to Montreal on a work visa, she fell in love with the place, including its iconic architecture.

"The houses here were the first reason I fell in love with this city," she says of the statuesque, two-story townhouses with their spiral staircases out front.

So now that her work visa is near its end, she brought pictures of these houses to tattoo artist Mirabolle and asked for a rendering on her calf.

"What better tattoo than of a typical Montreal house?" asks Chamberlain. "Im proud to have one of my own to take with me wherever I go."

'The house is ... my life and who I am'

Jaycie Morin of Oregon City, OR, who suffered abuse as a child, decided to get a tattoo to remind her that she could triumph over adversity. With the help of tattoo artist Risa Stevens at Aardvark Tattoo Co., she settled on a depiction of a whimsical cottage"like Hansel and Gretel. A cozy, welcoming, and accepting place," Morin says.

Yet it's the foundation under this house that has special meaning.

Each stone represents a negative thing that happened to me, but they are building the foundation under the house," Morin explains. The house is a representation of my life and who I am: me, starting from scratch, starting my life."

'I am my home'

Izzy Ioffreda of New York City moved around a lot as a child, and even now, in her 20s, she finds it challenging to put down roots. This is why she recently decided to get this tattooinked by artist Hanna Stebbinsas a reminder that home is wherever she is right now.

I wanted a reminder of this time in my life when I am growing, changing, becoming independent, and having amazing experiences," she says. When I chose to get this tattoo, I really wanted a reminder that I am my home ... and I need to treat [myself] like it.

Hadn't had enough yet? Feast your eyes on more house tattoos above.

The post House Tattoos: The Latest Craze That Takes Home Love to a Whole New Level appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.Two buoys off the coast of San Diego last week recorded what researchers believe could be the highest temperature ever measured in California waters.

A sea-surface temperature of 81.3 degrees was logged Thursday by both the Torrey Pines buoy (7.3 miles offshore) and the neighboring Scripps Nearshore buoy (.7 miles from the coast). The buoys are two of 25 managed by Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California.

RELATED: Frigid Northern California ocean waters colder than Alaska

"We've been measuring water temperature with our wave buoys since the 1990s, and this is the warmest we've seen in those two-plus decades," says James Behrens, the principal engineer for Scripps Coastal Data Information Program, who helps check the buoys for quality control.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, calls the reading "extraordinary, and Miguel Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in San Diego called it "remarkable."

ALSO, Treasured 2,000-year-old tree threatened by California wildfire

While likely record-breaking, these readings aren't entirely surprising as the Pacific Ocean off Southern California has felt like bathwater in recent weeks.

"It's the warmest I can remember," says South Bay resident Matt Sorensen, who swam at Pacific Beach in July.

The warm waters are tied to a high-pressure weather system that's hunkered over Southern California, squashing the marine layer and creating hot, still conditions. Temperatures on the coast have been above 80 degrees most days in August and above 90 only a few miles inland.

"The waters are getting a lot more sunshine than they usually do in July and August," says Miller. "This hot summer sun has been able to cook the top foot or two of ocean water and there hasn't been strong onshore flow that lead to more upwelling and mixes up the deeper cold stuff at the bottom of the ocean with the warmer water on top."

The Scripps buoys aren't the only source of water temperature data in California, but the other monitoring systems only offer further proof the 81.3 readings broke a record.

Scripps researchers have been taking daily measurements by hand at the Ellen Brown Scripps Memorial Pier in San Diego since 1916. On Aug. 1, a reading of 78.6 degrees Fahrenheit (25.9 degrees Celsius) was recorded, surpassing a previous high set during an unusually warm period in July 1931.

NOAA also operates a series of its own buoys off the California Coast, but they are unlikely to have ever recorded a temperature above 78 degrees because they are farther off the coastline than the Scripps buoys.

"Our buoys tend to be deployed 40 to 60 miles off the coast in deeper water," says Kathleen O'Neil, deputy director of NOAA's. "This water tends to be cooler than the water closer to shore."

The warm ocean temperatures are keeping conditions warm and humid at night in some locations around San Diego. Nearly every night in the second week of August broke daily records for warmest overnight conditions.

"Similar records are being broken all up and down the coast from the Mexican border up through Los Angeles County," says Swain. "These extremely warm and muggy overnight conditions have been exacerbating the human health impacts of what has already been an extraordinarily hot summer in Southern California."

Interestingly, water temperatures off the immediate coast of the Bay Area have been quite chilly this summer  as low as about 50 degrees at times.

"That has kept a lid on extreme heat near the immediate coastline up north, which is in extreme contrast with what's going on in the south." explains Swain.

The cold water near the Bay Area is not unusual as a coastal breeze usually kicks up in the summer, leading to strong upwelling that pulls up the cold water from the deeper ocean.The owners of a Maine hot dog restaurant say they have been cursed at, threatened and treated hostilely after they switched their menu from crinkle-cut French fries to straight-cut.

Leslie Parsons said in a Facebook post last week that she knew that some customers would not appreciate the restaurant's decision to go with the alternate potato cut, but she was not prepared for the extent of the rancor of "some pretty disturbing and hostile customers."

"I just want to say I will absolutely not tolerate being sworn at, threatened physical harm to myself, my husband and children. It is unacceptable here at Bolley's and should NEVER be tolerated anywhere," Parsons wrote.

The crinkle cut had been the traditional deep-fried potato of the Waterville restaurant, but Parsons said shaping it required a cutter with "ridiculously pricey and flimsy blades." After spending "thousands" on blades, she eighty-sixed the crinkle.

But Bolley's did not touch the recipe.

"(The potatoes) are still fresh cut daily. We still use the best potato in Maine. It is still a very expensive French fry and our process minus the crinkle cut is still the same," Parsons said in the post.

Ah, but the new fry lacks ridges. No nooks and crannies to collect pockets of salt. The texture is ... different. Anathema to crinkle-cut purists!

"Still shouldn't have changed it. You put price over your customers. That would send me to another place for sure," wrote one commenter.

Another posted: "Im sorry to say, the last time I was in, and found out ... the FFs had been demoted to a Cheaper style, and the prices had increased to a bit too much in my eyes for dogs n fries...I didnt come away satisfied."

But the vast majority of commenters rallied to Parsons' side and condemned "ridiculous" customers for rude and abusive behavior over the shape of a French fry.

Some even said they preferred the straight-cut.

Bolley's Facebook page still showed the crinkle-cut fries in its cover photo, prompting one commenter to write, "Might want to change this picture now, just sayin'."MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan  Taliban insurgents overran an Afghan army base and a police checkpoint in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 39 soldiers and police officers, officials said, and a suicide bomber in the capital killed at least 48 people in a classroom.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters carried out the predawn attacks on two units of Afghan forces in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district of Baghlan province, according to a police official who was at the scene and who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

The official said the fighting lasted five hours and resulted in the deaths of 30 soldiers and nine local police officers. Two other soldiers were also wounded in the battle, he said.

It was the second major attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan in recent days; on Monday, the Taliban killed or captured an entire company of 106 soldiers in the Ghormach district of Faryab province in the north of the country.

Separately on Wednesday, a suicide bomber detonated explosives hidden in his vest inside a classroom at a university preparatory course in Kabul, the capital, according to Hashmat Stanikzai, the spokesman for Kabul Police Department.

Wahidullah Majrooh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said that at least 48 people had died in the attack and that 67 others had been wounded. The attack took place in a Shiite neighborhood in western Kabul.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the suicide bombing, but schools, mosques and a voter registration center in the same neighborhood have been bombed by the Islamic State. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said in a WhatsApp message that his group had not been involved in the Kabul attack.

President Ashraf Ghani declared Wednesday that the battle for Ghazni city in eastern Afghanistan, which has been besieged by Taliban insurgents since Friday, was nearly over, with Afghan forces controlling all but one neighborhood.

The United States and NATO launched air strikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, just 75 miles from the Afghan capital with a population of some 270,000 people.

Najim Rahim and Fahim Abed are New York Times writers.Nicola Marfisi / Associated Press

GENOA, Italy  Italian prosecutors focused their investigation into the Genoa highway bridge collapse on possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance, as the death toll rose Wednesday to 39 people and Italian politicians looked for someone to blame.

Fears mounted that another part of the Morandi Bridge, which was carved in two by the collapse of its midsection during a violent storm Tuesday, could also come crashing down. That prompted authorities on Wednesday to widen an evacuation zone around the bridge, forcing some 630 people out of apartments in nearby buildings.TOKYO  For his last time, Japans Emperor Akihito addressed a memorial service Wednesday marking the end of World War II. Once again, he expressed deep remorse for the war.

It was in keeping with what by all appearances has become a mission for Akihito over his 30-year reign: to make amends for a war fought in the name of his father, Hirohito. The 84-year-old monarch is set to abdicate next spring.

Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated, Akihito said in a two-minute speech on the 73rd anniversary of Japans surrender.

As emperor, he has made unprecedented visits to the Philippines and other Pacific islands conquered by Japan early in World War II and devastated in fierce fighting as the U.S.-led allies took them back. Though Akihito has avoided a direct apology, he has subtly stepped up his expressions of regret in recent years in carefully scripted statements on the war.

His words have taken on greater importance as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought to move Japan beyond its troubled past since coming to power in December 2012. Opponents of Abes policies have grabbed onto the emperors statements as a counterbalance to the prime ministers push to revise Japans war-renouncing constitution and build up its military.

Akihitos World War II-related trips and pronouncements form part of a broader effort to bring the royal family closer to the public. In so doing, he has won over pacifists, leftists and other critics of the emperor system in a way his father was never able to do.

Hirohito, who was worshiped as a living god until the end of the war, remains a controversial figure even today, with historians still debating his responsibility for the war.

During his fathers reign, Akihito himself was almost hit by a Molotov cocktail on a 1975 visit to Japans southern Okinawa island, where tens of thousands of civilians died in intense fighting near the end of World War II.

He has since visited the island 10 times. Okinawans warmly welcomed him and his wife Michiko earlier this year.

Akihito was 11 years old when he heard his fathers voice announcing Japans surrender on the radio on Aug. 15, 1945. During the subsequent U.S. occupation of Japan, he was tutored in English by Elizabeth Vining, a Quaker, an experience that experts say gave Akihito his pacifist and democratic outlook.

His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, has largely echoed his fathers pacifist stance, but it is unclear if the first postwar-generation emperor will be able to strike a similar chord with todays younger Japanese.

Mari Yamaguchi is an Associated Press writer.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y -- More than 100 board members, dignitaries and politicos were on hand Tuesday afternoon as Staten Island Borough President James Oddo joined Richmond University Medical Center President and CEO Daniel J. Messina at the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the hospital's new cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center.

Located on the ground floor of the building behind the main hospital known as the Residents' Building, the new center will provide patients with a dedicated place to access the latest programs, equipment, and medical personnel to assist in their recovery.

Establishing a dedicated cardiopulmonary rehab center is essential to RUMC's continuing mission to reduce morbidity and disability from cardiac and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation and aggressive disease management.

"A little over a year ago we announced that thanks to the support of the Borough President, Richmond University Medical Center would be opening a new center dedicated to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation," Messina said.

"Staten Island has the highest rates of heart disease in New York City. For far too long residents here were forced to leave Staten Island to find treatment, some having no choice but to seek treatment in New Jersey. With the support from Borough President Oddo, the days of long trips for people to reach a facility to receive treatment are part of the past. For that, I say thank you Mr. Borough President."

In his remarks, Borough President James Oddo recalled the long process that ended in Tuesday's ribbon cutting. The BP thanked the staff and administration of RUMC for its dedication and commitment to seeing the center finally open its doors. He also wished all of the patients who will lead healthier and more productive lives through therapy at the new center continue success on their road to recovery.

Oddo was joined at the ribbon cutting by hospital administration, staffers, community members, and his colleagues in government including New York State Assembly Members Nicole Malliotakis, Ron Castorina, and Matt Titone, as well as New York City Council Member Debi Rose.

Also joining the celebration was RUMC Board of Trustees Chair, Kathryn K. Rooney and member Allan Weissglass.

The new center will be led by Dr. Richard Grodman, who has been associated with the hospital for over 35 years and previously served as RUMC's Director of Cardiology.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's that time of year again: When hundreds of Staten Islanders get ready to get hungry for history and Sandy Ground "Secret Sauce."

The Sandy Ground Festival celebrates African-American history, art, music and food at the borough's annual, unofficial "meat and greet" from 1-6 p.m Saturday, Aug. 18, in Rossville.

To Sylvia Moody D'Alessandro, Sandy Historical Society executive director and descendant of original settlers, the festival is a fun excuse to get out of the house.

"It's a nice day to come out and spend time with family and friends," said D'Alessandro. "People will get to see a bit of Staten Island history they might not have known."

Quick history lesson: Capt. John Jackson's Sandy Ground settlement was a haven from persecution in an era when they were few and far between -- even in the abolitionist North.

More than 185 years later, it remains a historic monument to America's fight for a truly equal union. The enduring festival it spawned is an unabashed, grassroots celebration of black culture and freedom.

FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

Making their festival return, the classic R&B-meets-Big-Band swing of David Brown & the Versatiles and the percussive Trinidadian-calypso-cum-classical beats of the Pantonics Steel Band will provide live music at Sandy Ground.

Of course, there will be food. Dinner dishes range between $12-$15 (admission is free), and sides include everything from collard greens and dirty rice to potato salad and string beans.

Pro-tip: Enjoy the outdoor and indoor activities but don't try to figure out what's in the Sandy Ground "Secret Sauce." It been a barbecue mystery for 10-plus years.

CRAFTS WITH A MEANING

Throughout the all-day event, there will be tours of the Sandy Ground Museum as well as arts and crafts for children.

The craft of the day will honor abolitionists of Sandy Ground's past by creating door knob hangers with their faces on it, opening the mind of the youth decorating them.

"We tell them, this is a door knob and you can't open a door without one," D'Alessandro said. "So, these people represent those who have opened the door for many African Americans throughout history. We wouldn't be here without them."

The Sandy Ground Historical Museum is located at 1538 Woodrow Road in Rossville. More information: Call 718-317-5796STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD has asked for the public's help to identify a body found more than a week ago in the water in the vicinity of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Police responded to a 911 call of a body floating in the water in the vicinity of the span off the shores of Brooklyn on Aug. 6 at about 10:27 a.m., according to an NYPD statement.

Members of the NYPD Harbor Patrol found an unconscious and unresponsive man in the water. They removed the body to the Kingsborough College Dock where EMS pronounced the victim dead. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing.

Police described the victim as a white male, age 35 to 45, with brown hair wearing black Leo Poldo boxer briefs and a black leather bracelet with an iron cross in the middle.

Police supplied a photo of the bracelet and a sketch of the victim to the media.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.Shira Stoll, a Multimedia Specialist for the Advance/SILive.com, is the filmmaker behind the "Where Life Leads You" documentary and the Staten Island Holocaust Survivor series.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When the door opened, I saw Goldie, one of Staten Island's Holocaust survivors, standing in a pink-and-black suit with an intricately designed black fashion hat.

She had the biggest smile on her face.

"How was your day today?" I asked.

"Today was wonderful. I went to the JCC," she replied. "I'm a lifetime member."

As I was setting up in preparation for our interview, Goldie waited patiently, and kept a smile on her face the whole time.

Then we started. "So where were you from?"

And for the next hour and a half, she told me her heartbreaking story.

She lost her parents and siblings in Auschwitz. She was transferred to another concentration camp, Stutthof. And then there was her shocking account of her liberation, which she was so brave to tell.

"And that's my life story," she said in conclusion.

I asked to see some photos of her grandchildren. Her face lit up. "All my grandchildren call me every Friday," she said. "Friday I'm very busy."

She showed me a huge photo of her entire family, with all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

And that compelling interview, which took place in January of this year, was not the last time I was in Goldie's company.

I presented her video testimony when she was honored in April at Young Israel of Staten Island, a synagogue in Willowbrook. Goldie and I also participated in a Q&A session together with Advance Executive Editor Brian Laline during the 2018 Woman of Achievement luncheon in April. And I met her again in June at the annual Cafe Europa event -- a celebration of Staten Island's Holocaust survivors -- at the Jewish Community Center on Manor Road.

Perhaps the most enthralling aspect of Goldie is her riveting, vibrant personality. And I will never forget the adorable love story she continues to embrace with her late husband, Heshy.

We invite you to watch Goldies story in the above video.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The National Action Network (NAN) hosted an "Occupy the Streets" event against violence Tuesday night in New Brighton.

About 10 people associated with the Al Sharpton-founded civil rights non-profit gathered near the corner of Jersey Street and Benzinger Avenue around 9 p.m. to spend the night in two tents.

"We're out her to help people," Cynthia Davis, president of NAN's Staten Island chapter, said. "If we can help one person, it would have been worth it."

The group set up at the same corner where a man was shot in the foot Thursday night. Police arrested 17-year-old Prestine Agyeman of Clinton Avenue in the incident, and accused him of shooting a 21-year-old man in the leg.

Authorities charged Agyeman with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, according to a criminal complaint.

On July 10, a bullet struck Frances E. Williams , 67, near the intersection of Jersey and Pauw Streets -- just blocks from Tuesday night's demonstration.

Known affectionately on Jersey Street as "Ms. Franny," the New Brighton resident was caught in the crossfire amid what law enforcement sources described as a gang-related feud that boiled over at multiple locations across the North Shore.

She died Aug. 2 at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, according to an obituary posted by the Stradford Funeral Home.In the waning days of the legislative session in June, the New York Senate and Assembly passed a bill that would create a commission to investigate misconduct by prosecutors throughout the state. Comprising primarily political appointees, it would have the power to remove prosecutors, including duly-elected district attorneys, should it conclude that they engaged in professional misconduct.



This is not just a bad bill; it's terrible one. Besides being unnecessary and, in all probability, unconstitutional, it has the very real potential to create chaos in the criminal justice system. Which is why Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon is absolutely right in joining colleagues around the state in strongly opposing its enactment.



Assemblyman Nick Perry, a Brooklyn Democrat, initially introduced the bill in 2014, claiming to be acting at the request of advocates for the wrongfully accused. He repeated that theme as members of his body voted on the measure in June, declaring, "This is something that we need to do in this state and I stand here today on behalf of the wrongfully convicted."



Any wrongful conviction, even for a minor offense, is a tragedy. And, of course, it gets even worse in proportion to the severity of the charge and the sentence imposed. Having defended people accused of virtually every crime in the state's Penal Law, I've addressed the issue of wrongful convictions many times in this column. I've also offered various suggestions for reducing the instances of these miscarriages of justice. At the same time, however, common sense cautions that in any system populated by human beings, some errors are inevitable.



State bar report



While Perry and state Sen John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, who spearheaded the bill in the Senate, see egregious prosecutorial misconduct as a major factor in wrongful convictions, the evidence says otherwise. On June 13, 2008, a New York Bar Association Task Force on Wrongful Convictions began the process of reviewing 53 cases in which such injustices had occurred. In its final report released on April 4, 2009, the members concluded that "six root causes were readily identified as primary factors responsible for the wrongful convictions." Significantly, none of them involved the type of willful or gross misconduct that the proposed commission would be empowered to act upon.



Instead, the task force identified the major culprits as: one or more general errors made by a police officer, prosecutor or judge; the misidentification of the accused by the victim or other eyewitness; errors in the handling or preservation of key forensic evidence; false confessions by the accused, instances that almost invariably follow interrogation by the police, not prosecutors; false testimony by jailhouse informants; and errors by the defendants' own attorneys.



In addition to lacking a reasonable basis for its creation, the proposed commission is unnecessary because prosecutors, like all attorneys, are already subject to disciplinary action by the state's four Appellate Divisions if they violate the Rules of Professional Conduct. Contrary to what some may believe, the judiciary takes complaints against lawyers very seriously.



Systemic chaos



The bill is also deeply flawed in the ease with which complaints against prosecutors could be made, and without any consequence to those making frivolous or false accusations. Bear in mind that, for the most part, the complainants will be criminal defendants. It takes little insight to realize that most will say or do anything to impede their prosecution, including leveling accusations against prosecutors right in the middle of the judicial process. That, in turn, would lead to motions for mistrials, changes of venue, or both, on the grounds that the targeted prosecutors now have personal stakes in the outcome. The result? Systemic chaos.



In a statement to the New York Law Journal, McMahon called the bill not only a mistake but "quite likely unconstitutional." He's right there too. The legislation appears to contravene a provision in the state Constitution that prescribes a mechanism for the removal of a district attorney by the governor. The courts may well deem the legislature constitutionally constrained from delegating that right to any other person or entity.



The legislation has visceral appeal to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's political base and, this being an election year, he's undoubtedly under pressure to sign it into law. At the same time, it has no redeeming value and would cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Cuomo should veto it -- for the good of everybody.

Email Daniel Leddy at column@danielleddylaw.com. Follow him on Twitter @LegalHotShots.To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!Investors have savaged Insurance Australia Group after it revealed higher tax liabilities and softer investment results had outstripped some encouraging results from its consumer division in the past year.

The insurance giant's shares fell as much as 7.65 per cent in early trade after it announced its net profit had fallen from $929 million last year to $923 million. The stock recovered slightly to be 5.76 per cent down at 11am.

IAG managing director Peter Harmer said he suspected the fall was linked to the outlook for the 2019 financial year based on questioning from investors earlier in the day.

IAG chief executive Peter Harmer Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

"Based on the questions that we had today, our sense is was our guidance for [financial year 2019] has been slightly softer," he said.Investors in Tencent Holdings , once the hottest stock in Asia, are trying to figure out where the bottom is.

The Chinese internet giant, best known for its popular games and ubiquitous messaging services, has shed more than $US150 billion ($207 billion) in market value since a January peak, the biggest wipeout of shareholder wealth worldwide. About $US15 billion evaporated on Tuesday after regulators told the Shenzhen-based company to remove Monster Hunter: World from its PC downloads service just days after the action title's debut.

The removal of Monster Hunter: World from its PC download service just days after its release wiped billions off Tencent's share price.

The hit comes as game revenue growth slows and trade tensions between the US and China punish wide swaths of the market. But what has investors most concerned is the regulatory setbacks in a country where the government can make - or break - fortunes. Besides Monster Hunter, the company hasn't won approvals to make money from the marquee mobile game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and to introduce the desktop version in China. Investors will be looking for answers when the company reports earnings on Wednesday.

"There's a lot of negativity priced in already," Mark Po, a Hong Kong-based analyst at China Galaxy International Financial Holdings, said. "The only key thing that investors will be looking at is the growth of online games."Coles has defended the way it handled the removal of throw-away plastic bags at its checkouts, saying it only backflipped on the issue several times because it wanted to help customers struggling with the transition.

Coles will give its 'Better Bags' away for free until August 29.

The supermarket and its major competitor Woolworths removed free single-use bags for its checkouts at the start of July, but after complaints from some customers Coles decided to give its 15 reusable bags for free until further notice.

That prompted vocal criticism from environmental groups, after which Coles said it would start charging for bags from August 29.

Commenting on the saga on Wednesday, Rob Scott, managing director of the Wesfarmers retail conglomerate which owns Coles, said it had only been responding to customers' needs.There's a business trend on the horizon that Zendesk chief executive Mikkel Svane says is putting businesses of all sorts in a vulnerable position - and his own company isn't exempt.

The move to subscription and on-demand models mean businesses now must make sure customer needs are met the minute they need assistance. If they don't, it's incredibly easy for consumers to just drop the service.

Mikkel Svane, chief executive of Zendesk. Credit:Justin McManus

"So many are dependent on return business - and we [at Zendesk] are a subscription system. Most businesses are gravitating towards that kind of relationship, where it's all about return business," he says.

This presents a big challenge for entrepreneurs, he believes, because if their services fail to hit the basic markers of responsiveness, transparency, and trust, customers simply walk away.A church approved to deliver scripture lessons in NSW schools has been forced to remove material, which teaches children homosexuality is a sin and sinners deserve death, from its website by the NSW Department of Education, after questions were raised by the Herald.

Two other approved scripture providers either do not have a working website or do not have the curriculum they use in government primary and high schools available on their websites as required, and were contacted by the department on Wednesday.

The controversial material includes passages that state: "Homosexuality (and every other kind of sexual sin) is flourishing in our day." Credit:David Stewart

The controversial material, which was listed on the Fellowship Baptist Church of Blacktown's website, included passages and teaching instructions that stated: "Homosexuality (and every other kind of sexual sin) is flourishing in our day, but many excuse their sin as a 'chosen lifestyle'. Godless lifestyles have become popular and socially acceptable."

The material was found in the Firm Foundations' children's edition books, which are "specifically designed" for year 3 and year 4 students but "lessons may be adapted for a variety of ages", according to the publisher's descriptions.Debates raged over whether or not Ian Fleming wrote some of his books in Jamaica - and, if so, did that really matter given Elba's father is from Sierra Leone and his mother from Ghana? Should Tom Cruise now be cast in the Black Panther sequel, people demanded to know?

Either way, the retweets came in their thousands: jubilant, virulent and often plain moronic thoughts on race, new dawns, cultural appropriation, artistic integrity, Martin Luther King, the importance of British identity, bigoted extremists (from both the left and right), the British Empire and Hollywood misogyny (how could Scarlett Johansson be overlooked for the role again?).

"My name's Elba, Idris Elba." Twenty-seven characters were all it took to send the Twittersphere into meltdown on Sunday. After four years' conjecture that Elba was to be the first black Bond, was this confirmation? Or was it - the time on the tweet reads 1.02am, after all - just a titillating "dweet" (drunk tweet, natch)?

Yes. Making Elba the world's eighth Bond may be a politically correct choice, but it would also be the correct choice. He's an extraordinary actor - with just the right menace-to-vulnerability ratio and who can rock a Tom Ford suit better than any catwalk model. Women and men crush on him (a crucial 007 requirement that's absent from most actors' CVs), and I, for one, want to hear that silky voice stipulating "shaken, not stirred". He even managed to make a sea lion in Finding Dory sound sexy. So if his tweet does turn out to be a teaser to his formal anointment, then I wouldn't just say Barbara Broccoli had made the right choice - but that Elba could end up being the best Bond in more than 30 years.

Loading

I shouldn't like the guy as much as I do. When I sat down with him in a New York hotel years ago, he made me wait 90 minutes (something on-the-up actors tend to do when they're still at the pistol fingers in the bathroom mirror stage) before sauntering in with a bottle of Bud in his hand. The great acting I knew about, from his portrayal of Stringer Bell in The Wire, but, within minutes, Elba had won me over with the voice, the smile and the flirtiness. And if I hadn't been going out with my husband at the time, I would've agreed to have dinner with him when he asked me. That's the closest I'll ever get to being a Bond girl.

Perhaps the most charming thing about him was his lack of pomposity about everything from his first role in Crimewatch ("playing a guy who chopped his girlfriend up and put her in the freezer... shot at the actual crime scene) to what he called "the elephant in the room". "There are only so many roles for black actors in England. People get all excited," he went on, adopting a hysterical voice. "That's racist, they say. It's not racist. If you go to Africa and you're white, you're probably not going to get that much work either."

With Daniel Craig back next year in the 25th Bond film (his last) - believed to be based on Raymond Benson's Never Dream of Dying - Elba's spy stint may still be a way off. But, to swing back to the haters for a moment: he's not too old at 45, it wouldn't be "PC gone f------ mad", and the movie wouldn't have to involve Bond being subjected to a series of microaggresions that would include "being pulled over in his Aston Martin" and ID'd by racist cops.Canberra writer and academic Anne McGrath, author of Illicit Love, will be in conversation with journalist Aarti Betigeri on August 25 at 9.30am in the Senate Chamber, Museum of Australian Democracy. McGrath's book tackles the once taboo subject of interracial sex and marriage in the US and Australia between the 18th and early 20th centuries and the transgenerational impact of these relationships. Some created empowerment, others disempowerment but they were controversial. "They disturb the boundaries," she says. From the beginning, she says, such relationships were governed by Indigenous law rather than British or American law. With relationships between Native Americans and whites she focused particularly on the Cherekoee, whose society was matriarchal.

"It caused great controversy - marriage was important strategically to create powerful networks." In Australia, she says, the Indigenous people wanted to bring newcomers under their law, and marriage was one way to try to do that. The gender relations involved varied widely, McGrath says. In Australia, "A lot of white men had a white wife and an Indigenous wife: there was a lot of polygamy and two sets of families and often men wouldn't acknowledge their Aboriginal families." In some cases the men provided some sort of financial support for their Aboriginal families and sent their children to school.

McGrath spent a lot of time looking through archives and historical accounts in the US and Australia in writing the book. This is McGrath's second Canberra Writers Festival and she's impressed by the line-up of talent. "This one looks terribly exciting, there are a lot of recognisable names," she says. "I did notice a lot of female authors and a lot of politics. It's going to be interesting because it's with interesting people." McGrath is an academic historian and says, "It's fantastic when you realise you've got an audience out there who read your work."

Another book with a historical setting and a focus on gender relationships is the novel Book of Colours by another Canberran, Robin Cadwallader, author of The Anchoress. She will be in conversation about the new book with Angus Trumble on Sunday, August 26 at 9.30am in the Visions Theatre, National Library of Australia. "It's set in 14th-century London and is the story of the creation of an illuminated manuscript, the Book of Hours. Robyn Cadwallader has hidden many stories away inside her latest novel, Book of Colours. "This was a book of prayers created for women of the gentry for their devotions." One of the female illustrators in the atelier, Gemma, is writing a book of her own, The Art of Illumination, a guidebook for other illustrators. Because women weren't recognised by the artisan guilds of the period, she isn't recognised by master illustrator John or her other male colleagues.

"She's frustrated by that so one way of dealing with it is to write down what she knows." Another timeline deals with Matilda, the woman for whom the book was made, and her reading of the book, an expensive status symbol ordered by her husband. There are other characters and incidents including war and famine. Among the issues Cadwallader is concerned with in Book of Colours are "the place of art and beauty in a world that's struggling for survival" and the status of women in the society of the time. Cadwallader says she began researching the book in London in 2013 and the process of its creation took three years.

She says the writing scene in Canberra is "very strong" and is looking forward to the festival where there will some writers she knows and the opportunity to meets others. "It's lovely to have something that's local; it's terrific to have our own festival." She says she is looking forward to the session on poetry but adds, "I'm probably not going to see Barnaby Joyce." Author Alison Booth is looking forward to the festival. Alison Booth's novel A Perfect Marriage is set in the modern day and, she says, "is the story of an intelligent woman who has made a mistake in her life and finds it difficult to extricate herself".

Although the novel deals with such subjects as domestic violence - both physical and mental abuse - and toxic masculinity, Booth says, "I'm very keen for people to understand that there is hope. You can go through a devastating situation and come out with hope for the future despite being scarred." The writer, broadcaster and former barrister Afua Hirsch is making her first Australian appearance at the Canberra Writers Festival. Hirsch was born in Norway and has British, Ghanan and Jewish heritage. Her family moved from Norway to Britain when she was an infant. She wrote her book Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging based on her own experience, which she says has resonated with many people. British writer and commentator Afua Hirsch "I grew up constantly being asked where I was from, even though I'm British," she says. This led her, like many others, to question her identity and wonder what "Britishness" meant.

Hirsch will be appearing at two events: On the Brink (Friday, August 24, 11.30am, National Press Club) with Gwynne Dyer and Greg Sheridan, moderated by Chris Uhlmann; and Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging in coversation with Hugh Rimonton (Saturday, August 25, 2.30pm, National Library of Australia Theatre). Brit(ish) , inspired by her book, will focus on ideas such as race, identity and history which she says have relevance in this country as well as her own. "I haven't been to Australia before but I am aware of the situation in Australia," she says. In both countries, Afua says, such longstanding notions as "who is civilised" are "all based on the idea of excluding people of colour". She doesn't think this can be changed until people are willing and able to recognise and address how the legacy of the past affects the situation in both countries today.

Many white British and Australians, she says, cling to the notion of regarding people of other races and cultures as "otherness" even as the societies become increasingly multiracial and multicultural. And many don't want to change: "they prefer it and enjoy the privilege of it. "I'm not calling for any identity politics or narrow nationalism. I'm saying it's a question of people versus identities and a question of whether you see it or not." As well as this, she sees a lack of nuance in dealing with the past and would like to see more analysis and acknowledgment of the complexities of history. She says, "The British are obsessed with celebrating history - winning the war, being on the right side of history." Afua cites Darknest Hour, the recent film about Winston Churchill, as one example of the oversimplification of history with its "idea that Britain stood alone on the brink of war.

"The British had an empire: there were soldiers from India, Africa, Australia and Canada," she says, also noting that the reach of the empire gave them access to a huge amount of the world's resources. On the Brink will cover some similar issues on a broader scale as the discussion will be about where the world is heading. Afua notes the rise of the far right and populism in Europe and the US as factors threatening the use of facts, evidence and nuance in thinking about what's happening. There's plenty of all three Writers Festival themes - power, politics and passion - in what she says and plenty more to discover at the festival. The Canberra Writers Festival is on from August 23 to 26. canberrawritersfestival.com.au.

Author Matthew Reilly. Credit:Katherine Griffiths Festival picks Girls' Night In with Annabel Crabb, Nikki Gemmell, Bridie Jabour and Jean Kittson. Sunday, August 26, 6pm, Llewellyn Hall. One on One Matthew Reilly In Conversation with Emma Alberici, Sunday, August 26, 1pm, Llewellyn Hall.

Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (And Work), Gwynne Dyer In Conversation with Richard Fidler, August 25, 1pm, University House, ANU. The Other Wife: Michael Robotham in conversation with Laura Tchilinguirian, Saturday August 25, 11am, University House, ANU. The Great Book Swap is on Saturday. Credit:Indigenous Literacy Foundation The Great Book Swap Saturday 9.30am-3.30pm, Gandel Atrium, National Museum of Australia. Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging, Afua Hirsch in conversation with Hugh Riminton Saturday August 25, 2.30pm National Library of Australia.Timelight. Julian Bliss and NZTrio. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. Tuesday, August 28 at 8pm. canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700.

British clarinettist Julian Bliss seems uncomfortable with being described as a prodigy. But it's a label that's hard to avoid when discussing the 29-year-old musician.

Clarinet player Julian Bliss Credit:Ben Wright

Bliss began lessons at the age of four, using a special clarinet made for children. He had first televised performance at the age of five and was invited to play at Buckingham Palace when he was six. In 1997 he enrolled at the Purcell School for Young Musician. He then went to the US, where he earned a postgraduate artist's diploma at Indiana University by the age of 12, though it was granted when he completed high school. And his success continued unabated: the award-winning musician has had an international career as a concert and chamber music recital performerr and recording artist.

He's in Australia with New Zealand piano trio NZTrio - currently Ashley Brown (cellist and founding member), Stephen De Pledge (pianist) and Wilma Smith (violinist) - to perform Twilight, a program of chamber music featuring what Bliss calls "probably one of the most powerful pieces of chamber music ever written," French composer Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time.A Canberra man who claimed he had a bomb during an "amateurish" botched bank robbery has been spared a stint behind bars.

A drunk Jacob Gotte, 32, went to the St George Bank in Kippax in October last year with a backpack, a note, and a plan.

He placed the stolen backpack on the counter and handed the bank teller a note, which demanded cash and claimed the bag contained a bomb.

But the teller foiled the heist when she instead pressed the panic button, forcing Gotte to flee empty handed.

The police bomb squad evacuated the area before declaring there was no threat to public safety.Drugs have been found hidden in a soft drink can and whipped cream bottle during a Gold Coast house raid overnight, according to police.

Police said officers searched a house on Buckingham Road in Maudsland about 6.30pm on Tuesday.

The soft drink can and whipped cream bottle found by police. Credit:Queensland Police Service

It will be alleged they found liquid ecstasy, methamphetamine and cannabis with some of the drugs found in a Coca-Cola can and a Reddi-wip bottle.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with possession of a dangerous drug, possession of a drug utensil, obtaining a restricted drug and possessing property suspected of been used in the commission of a drug offence. He will be dealt with through the Youth Justice system.Milo Yiannopoulous will once again tour Australia despite his failure to pay a $50,000 bill handed to him by police in Victoria after they were forced to subdue riots outside his Melbourne show.

The alt-right British provocateur has announced that he will be touring with fellow conservative American Ann Coulter in a show titled Ann and Milo Live, which is scheduled to begin in late November.

Milo Yiannopoulos Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The tour will travel across the country and feature "special guests" in each city, with tickets and more details to be released next week.

The former Breitbart News writer, who has been linked to neo-Nazis, was the subject of a push to deny him a visa last year before he visited Australia for his Troll Academy tour.A major bus strike in Victoria threatening to cruel the commute of tens of thousands of people on Thursday has been called off after an 11th hour intervention by the Andrews government.

A breakthrough in negotiations between the Transport Workers Union and bus operators Transdev and CDC Victoria has been brokered by the government three months out from an election.

Crisis averted: a major bus strike planned for Thursday has been called off. Credit:Daniel Pockett

The action would have shut down a total of 120 bus routes, and one third of the metropolitan bus network, with more than 1000 drivers at Transdev and CDC set to walk off the job.

The operators have offered a generous 4 per cent annual increase over three years  matching the union's demand.The father-of-four children murdered in Margaret River earlier this year hasn't been able to look at their photos since they died at the hands of his former father-in-law.

Aaron Cockman caught his first flight in 16 years to come to Canberra this week to convince politicians of the potentially devastating consequences of Australia's approach to family separation.

Aaron Cockman, the father of four children that were murdered in Margaret River, meets with Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"The whole situation just snowballed out of control as soon as the lawyers got involved," Mr Cockman told reporters on Wednesday.

"If the lawyers weren't involved at all, things would have been so different."Liliana Calin has worked with some of the most traumatised and underprivileged children in Western Australia but is now facing deportation to Romania pending an application for permanent residency.

Ms Calin came to Australia on a 457 visa in December 2011 and settled in the mining town of Port Hedland, working in disability and aged care, then as a residential carer at the WA Department for Child Protection.

Liliana. Credit:Facebook

She worked predominantly with Aboriginal children, many of whom were victims of sexual and physical abuse and had fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Former colleague Katie Priest said Ms Calin was dedicated to Australia and helping her community.When they found him, Detective Sergeant Blanchard was face down on the ground, his Glock pistol lying underneath him. He could not be revived and later died in hospital. "As policing is a particularly stressful occupation, one of the functions of this inquest will be to raise awareness of the efforts being made by Western Australian Police to provide health and welfare support to its members and their families," Ms Ellson told the court. Steve Keady was with Detective Sergeant Blanchard on the day he died. He was the first witness called to give evidence at the inquest.

The pair were close friends, colleagues, and co-supervisors at the Gang Crime Squad. Detective Sergeant Keady said apart from being a little bit quiet on the drive to Kalgoorlie, his colleague seemed in "good spirits". Detective Sergeant Keady told the court he'd suggested to his colleague he take a few days off before travelling to Kalgoorlie because had had seemed unwell and was not attending the gym like he usually did. But he said Detective Sergeant Blanchard was determined to stay at work and see the Kalgoorlie operation through. "He didn't want to take time off," Detective Sergeant Keady said.

"He just seemed really dedicated to this job we were running. He was very dedicated to his work." Detective Sergeant Keady said there had been a "massive change" for the better within WA Police with regards to mental health in the 20-plus years since he'd been in the job. But he added: "I think there is still a stigma there. I think people still think that." Detective Sergeant Keady told the inquest that in his opinion, some officers did not use the health and welfare services within WA Police because they held a belief that it was not confidential and the information they disclosed during those meetings may be given to senior management. "That is the general theme...why people don't go to health and welfare," he said.

But he said that if an officer reported to a health and welfare worker that they had suicidal thoughts for instance, health and welfare had an obligation to disclose that to senior management. As previously reported by WAtoday a June police union article highlighted feedback from WA officers indicating they were "afraid" to deal with the Health and Safety Division at WA Police on matters impacting their mental health because it would be reported internally and could "adversely" affect their career development. Detective Sergeant Blanchard's wife Justine toldWAtoday last month she was hopeful the inquest could lead to some positive changes as well as more mental health awareness for police officers. "Hopefully, we can find out what was going on beforehand and create more awareness and encourage officers to seek help when they need it," she said. "Hopefully, something good comes from it."An adviser to Queensland senator Fraser Anning quit just hours after the Katter's Australian Party senator called for a "final solution" on immigration in his maiden speech.

In a post on LinkedIn, Richard Mcgilvray condemned Senator Annings speech and said he had no knowledge of the senator's plans to call his idea for a plebiscite on immigration "the final solution to the immigration problem".

Fraser Anning's advisor Richard Mcgilvray has resigned over Senator Anning's 'final solution' maiden speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"As many of you may have seen, last night Senator Anning gave his First Speech," Mr Mcgilvray wrote.

"I do not condone Senator Anning's speech. His reference to 'the Final Solution' was not something I had seen, heard of, or discussed prior to his remarks last night and as a consequence, within hours of Senator Anning's speech, I resigned my position effective immediately.Television host Andrew Denton is preparing to lobby Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to secure a lower house vote to pave the way for assisted dying to be legalised across Australia.

With a Senate vote on a private member's bill that would allow the ACT and Northern Territory to make their own euthanasia laws expected to go down to the wire on Wednesday night, Mr Turnbull has come under increasing pressure to stop the legislation reaching the lower house.

If the bill introduced by Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm passes in the Senate, Denton and his co-director of advocacy group Go Gentle Australia Brian Owler will write to Mr Turnbull demanding he allow it to be debated in the lower house.

Brian Owler Credit:Janie Barrett

Professor Owler, a former president of the Australian Medical Association, said it would be "disappointing" if Mr Turnbull succumbed to pressure from his conservative colleagues, given the widespread community support for euthanasia law reform.FACT: The government of the day decides on the number of people allowed to enter Australia in different visa categories. The program can be altered as the government believes is appropriate, taking into consideration the country's economic needs and capacity to absorb people from different countries. Of the people migrating to Australia, 68 per cent are skilled migrants and 32 per cent are from family visa streams. (Source: Department of Home Affairs website).

Senator Fraser Anning made a number of claims in his maiden speech and in subsequent media interviews. Fairfax Media has tested them against the available evidence.

FACT: The 457 visa was abolished by the Turnbull government in 2017. The visa which replaced it - the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa - is restricted to areas where there are critical skills shortages. Mandatory labour market testing must be done before the visas can be applied for. There are also training obligations in place to ensure employers train workers in the areas of skills shortages. (Source: press release from Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, 18 April 2017).

CLAIM: The "vast majority" of Australians want Muslim immigration cut.

FACT: According to a regular, large-scale survey of attitudes to migration run by Monash University, about 80 per cent of Australians support a non-discriminatory immigration program. In 2017, just 15.8 per cent of respondents said it should be possible to reject migrants based on their race or ethnicity. Although the survey found negative sentiment toward Muslims was "relatively high", the figure did not exceed 25 per cent. (Source: Scanlon Foundation's Mapping Social Cohesion study).

Protesters against an anti-Muslim rally in Melbourne. Credit:Craig Sillitoe

CLAIM: "Muslims in NSW and Victoria are three times more likely than other groups to be convicted of crimes."Fraser Anning, who attracted precisely 19 votes for his tilt at the Senate in 2016, has achieved vastly more than he ought to have any right to claim.

Hes caused no less than the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to reach across the parliamentary divide and to shake hands in unconditional condemnation of his calls for a final solution on immigration and a return to White Australia.

Most extraordinarily, Anning has sparked a re-run of one of the more momentous motions to be put before the Australian Parliament in the past 30 years.

Labor MP Ed Husic and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shake hands on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Back in 1988, after then opposition leader John Howard publicly propounded that too many Asians were being allowed to emigrate to Australia, prime minister Bob Hawke struck back with a three-part parliamentary repudiation.A private member's bill that would have cleared the way for assisted suicide to be legalised across Australia has been defeated.

The bill, introduced by Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm, was defeated by 36 to 34 votes after two days of impassioned debate in the Senate.

Loading

It was knocked down after Liberal senator Anne Ruston and Nationals senator Steve Martin were persuaded to vote against the bill, after initially leaning in favour of it.

I cannot in good conscience offer my support to this bill which will provide the territories the ability to legislate in the area of voluntary euthanasia, certainly without ensuring that appropriate safeguards were in place, Senator Martin told the Senate on Wednesday.A federal Queensland Labor MP believes Fraser Anning needs a reality check when it comes to the input of Muslims in the state.

Queensland Senator Anning has been widely criticised for his first speech on Tuesday night when he linked Muslim communities to terrorism and said many languished on welfare.

Moreton MP Graham Perrett said that comment was simply incorrect and Mr Anning should see for himself how Muslims were contributing across Queensland.

"Maybe he should come along to the southside of Brisbane and have a yarn to some of the communities or maybe go and have a yarn to some of the Muslim doctors in the bush that are taking up roles that couldn't be filled but for overseas- trained doctors," Mr Perrett told the ABC on Wednesday.If Senator Anning is, however, as ignorant as he claims to be, it is worth reminding him that the final solution is the name of the policy agreed at a meeting of Nazi officials at the German resort of Wannsee in 1942 to murder all the Jews of Europe.

Senator Anning denies he used the words final solution with intent and he is no doubt not advocating another Holocaust.

Senator Anning, who came to parliament last year for One Nation then defected to Bob Katters Australia Party, crossed the line most clearly with his proposal for a final solution to the immigration problem, by which he meant a vote on reintroducing the White Australia Policy.

While race and religion have a long and complicated history in Australian politics, Senator Fraser Anning's maiden speech was so clumsily racist that all politicians could unite in condemning it. Unfortunately the debate is far from over.

It is a terrible phrase whose significance Senator Anning would do well to understand. The meeting at Wannsee is not just about the Jews but the source of a profound truth of modern Australian identity.

Since then, and in the following decades, a majority of Australians have come to reject any politics that is not based on the belief in a shared and equal humanity rather than the hatred of Nazism. The horror of Wannsee flowed into the abolition of the White Australia Policy and the constitutional recognition of Australias indigenous people and anti-discrimination laws and all the other institutions which Senator Anning attacked in his speech.

Yet while Senator Annings Holocaust language has provoked round condemnation, even from his former party leader Pauline Hanson, the issues stirred up by his speech remain alive in the context of the coming election. His deranged and factually incorrect attacks on Muslims as terrorist, welfare bludgers or his nightmare of a Judeo-Christian heritage swamped by foreigners, are popular in some sections of the media and among many MPs.

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull rightly on Wednesday defended Australias non-discriminatory immigration policy but many in his party have echoed Senator Anning by criticising Australian Muslims or whipping up community tensions by expressing disproportionate concern for a small number of crimes committed by African youth in Melbourne.

The Herald goes a little further than simply condemning the clearly racist ideas in Senator Annings speech. It calls on all politicians to celebrate Australian ethnic and religious diversity. It sees this multicultural society, for all its compromises, as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. Senator Anning described this viewpoint as cultural Marxism. The Herald sees it as the basis of Australian identity of a fair go.Price caps could be imposed on default electricity deals under Turnbull government plans to force big energy retailers to help retail customers, as Coalition MPs demand tougher action on household costs.

The new measures are being put on the agenda after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull assured government MPs that he was looking favourably on formal options to use new laws or regulations to drive down prices.

The new rules are being considered alongside the National Energy Guarantee and a federal bill to reduce carbon emissions by 26 per cent by 2030 in the electricity sector, adding to the governments pitch to voters at the next election.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Liberal and Nationals MPs are stepping up their calls for new price regulation after hearing from Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims in a series of meetings that endorsed the energy guarantee.Children as young as 12 will soon be able to play paintball against adults, as the NSW government moves to lower the age limit for the popular combat game.

New laws passed by NSW Parliament on Wednesday night will remove the regulation of paintball from the Firearm's Act and lower the age of play from 16 to 12.

Children as young as 12 will soon be able to play paintball against adults.

While children under 18 will require parental permission, the regulatory overhaul has sparked concerns they could be pitted against adults in a "highly competitive" environment, which could lead to injury.

Kay Lockhart, a spokeswoman for the injury prevention group KidsafeNSW, said other activities such as trampoline parks showed that when adults and children mix "there was always a greater amount of injury and the type of injury is more serious."Medical assistance was required in one out of five of reported incidents.

Figures released in Parliament by Education Minister Sue Ellery reveal 945 reports of kicks, pushing and shoving, elbowing, grabbing to punch, biting or headbutting  or intimidation and physical threats.

Almost a thousand incidents of assault or physical threatening behaviour against public school staff  including teachers  have been reported since the beginning of the school year.

The number of reported incidents are slightly lower than at the same time last year.

Ms Ellery told parliament she had asked the Department of Education to undertake a review of existing policies and procedures and propose measures to prevent and respond to incidents of violence and aggression.

She said the changes would be implemented as soon as possible, but did not specify a timeframe.

The review of how the department managed violent students was prompted by a series of events throughout last year and the beginning of this year.

"I am shocked and appalled by some of the violence we have seen in our schools this year and something has to change  we need to get tougher," Ms Ellery said in July.One Saturday afternoon early last year I decided to conduct some research into sound bars. The first thing I did was punch "JB Hifi" into the Google machine. I clicked the first link under the Google ad section that always appears above actual search results because it read: "JB Hifi Electronics." Instantly I was taken to a site that looked exactly like the normal JB Hifi site, yellow and black everywhere with the usual products for sale. Before I could click anywhere a very professional looking text box appeared, asking me whether I would like to do a consumer habits survey to go into the draw for a chance to win a $500 voucher.

Alarm bells rang but they were muffled. I thought to myself;' "I clicked an ad on Google and the site behind this text box is definitely the JB Hifi site. Retail is struggling so it makes sense they might want to know more about their customers' spending habits." Without much more thought I clicked the link. I have been questioning my intelligence ever since. I filled in my name, phone number and email and completed a few questions until I got to the end of the survey. This is where I got real dumb. At the end of the survey there was no mention of how I would hear if I won the voucher; so I filled in the survey four more times. Ill accept any and all online vitriol for this.

I finally decided to abandon the survey and click through to the site. This is when it dawned on me that Id been had. The site wasnt a site at all but rather a very high-resolution screenshot of the actual JB Hifi website. My heart sank and within minutes I started getting my first text messages and emails. My details were on a scammer list and there was nothing I could do about it. By the end of the week my email spam folder was chockers with offers of Ukrainian brides and penis-enhancement medication.

Id received on average three calls a day from random numbers across the country and 10 text messages from people purporting to represent all manner of Australian businesses and government agencies. The offending text messages from 'Australia Post' Credit:Hamish Hastie I began blocking them systematically but 18 months later Im still receiving the odd call here and there as my spam inbox grows ever larger. My beloved email and personal phone number, which Ive had since age 16, are dirty now and no matter how much I scrub them theyll never get clean. The biggest shock of all, and what prompted this article, came last week when I received three text messages from Australia Post offering me to, lo and behold, fill in a survey.

Im hyper-aware of phishing communications and usually dismiss them without half a sniff but these texts arrived in the same message thread on my iPhone as actual Australia Post notifications. If scammers can now appear alongside an organisations legitimate communications channel, then the record $340 million that Australians lost in 2017 from scams is going to keep blowing out. Once your details are on the list there is nothing you can do about it, short of getting a new email address and phone number. An ACCC spokesman told me once a scammer has your information people will often notice a spike in scam emails and messages because their information is often sold to other scammers. "Due to the fly-by-night nature of many scammers, it is extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to track them down and take action against them," he said.

"This is further complicated by the fact that most scammers are based overseas." The spokesman said scammers were able to appear as Australia Post in my text messages through a tactic called 'spoofing', but offered no insight into how this was done. "Its difficult to say in many instances how scammers may impersonate a number," he said. "Scammers will often 'spoof' phone numbers to add credibility to their scam. "Spoofing a phone number allows them to look like theyre a particular sender when theyre not."

An Australia Post spokeswoman said they were aware of the survey scam and advised customers to delete the messages. "We will never ask customers to send an email containing any personal or financial information including any form of ID, passwords, credit card details or account information," she said. I havent lost any money from my mistake and would never put my financial details on a site that Im not buying ill-fitting clothing from, but this phishing attempt caught me hook, line and sinker. Its a cliche but prevention is the best cure so rather than laugh or sigh at someone struggling to sort dodgy from non-dodgy communications like I used to we should all help each other. ACCC Scamwatch tips to avoid phishing scams:The WA Liberal party will vote against the state government's new tax on foreign buyers of residential property.

Shadow Treasurer Dean Nalder said the 7 per cent surcharge would add to the tax burden on the property market and weigh down house prices.

But the government insisted the tax, which would not apply to big developers or commercial property investors, would have a minimal impact on the local market.

"A record number of WA homeowners currently have negative equity in their homes and the McGowan Government wants to impose a tax that has been proven in the Eastern States to put the brakes on the housing market and force housing prices down," Mr Nalder said.Kabul: A suicide blast in a mainly Shiite area of Kabul killed at least 48 people on Wednesday, the latest in a wave of attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians, soldiers and policemen over recent days.

The explosion, targeting an educational centre in the west of the Afghan capital, tore through a large tent set up as a classroom in the courtyard, killing dozens of teenagers studying for a university entrance examination. The blast, which shattered weeks of relative calm in Kabul, also wounded at least 67, including both male and female students.

"Most of the boys at the educational centre have been killed," said Sayed Ali, who witnessed the blast. "It was horrific and many of the students were torn to pieces."

Doctors at city hospitals, where people had gathered to try to find relatives who had been studying at the centre, said many of the victims were severely burnt.Ankara: Turkey is increasing tariffs on imports of certain American products, escalating a feud with the United States that has helped trigger a currency crisis.

In a decision announced in the Official Gazette, Ankara said it was imposing extra tariffs on imports of products including rice, vehicles, alcohol, coal and cosmetics.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a citizen by the hand while speaking on his iPhone in 2015. He is now calling for a boycott of American products, including the iPhone. Credit:AP

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter that the tariffs were increased "within the framework of the principle of reciprocity in retaliation for the conscious economic attacks by the United States."

The decision came a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would boycott US electronic goods, singling out iPhones. He suggested Turks would buy local or Korean phones instead, although it was unclear how he intended to enforce the boycott.PHILIPSBURG:--- The Finance Committee of Parliament will meet on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

The Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for 2.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be present.

The agenda point is:

1. Discussion on the request by MAHO Group/SUNWING on a financial package mixture of a soft loan with tax and other incentives (IS/478/2017-2018 dated April 20, 2018)

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 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org , www.pearlfmradio.com and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 50F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.The first space-based Orion mission was in 2014. The spacecraft passed all major objectives. It orbited Earth twice and re-entered the atmosphere at 20,000 mph (32,000 km/h).

Lockheed Martin is an American aerospace company that is building the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle for NASA. The company has over 100 years of aerospace experience, from the earliest transcontinental flights to the latest planetary probes.

Lockheed Martin was formed in 1995 after a merger of Lockheed Corp. and Martin Marietta, which both had decades of aerospace experience behind them. (Martin Marietta was formed in 1961 in a merger of Glenn L. Martin Co. and American Marietta Corp.) The companies' aircraft have set records and achieved milestones in aviation and space exploration:

In 1928, the first nonstop transcontinental flight was completed in a Lockheed Vega, a four-passenger wooden monoplane.

In 1930, Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, set a transcontinental speed record in a Lockheed Sirius.

In 1932, Amelia Earhart made her solo transatlantic flight in a Lockheed Vega.

In 1937, Earhart flew a Lockheed Model 10 Electra in her ill-fated around-the-world flight.

In 1955, the company's top-secret U2 reconnaissance aircraft made its first flight.

In 1957, the first Vanguard rocket, built by the Martin company, was launched.

In 1974, Lockheed's SR-71 Blackbird spy plane sets a speed record  3 hours 45 minutes from London to Los Angeles.

Lockheed Corp.'s projects also included the Hubble Space Telescope, the Apollo launch escape system and the Corona surveillance satellite series. Martin Marietta was known for spacecraft such as the Viking Mars landers and the Magellan Venus spacecraft.

In aerospace, some of Lockheed Martin's major projects today include the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter plane, the C-130 Hercules military transport, the P3-Orion maritime patrol aircraft, and the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter (with Boeing), according to Encyclopedia Britannica. In space, Lockheed Martin is known for the Titan IV and Atlas launch vehicles and the Trident II submarine-based missile. Lockheed is also part of the joint venture International Launch Services, along with Russian companies Energia and Khrunichev. ILS markets Atlas and Proton launch services around the world.

In recent years, Lockheed built the external tank for the space shuttle and was part of the former joint Lockheed-Boeing company United Space Alliance, which operated and managed the shuttle fleet. Lockheed has also built several Mars spacecraft, including Mars Phoenix, which explored the Red Planet's south pole, and Mars InSight, which is targeted for a Mars landing in November 2018.. The company also constructed the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which serves as a communications relay for the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers.

In 2017, Lockheed Martin unveiled details for a Mars Base Camp project that would allow astronauts to perform 1,000-day missions. The architecture includes a Mars Ascent/Descent Vehicle that would travel from a space station to head to Mars, before returning to the space station again. The crew quarters is expected to be based on the Orion spacecraft's design. Closer to home, Lockheed Martin is one of several companies participating in early contracts for the Deep Space Gateway, a proposed NASA space station that would orbit the moon.

The Orion space capsule is seen as it rolls down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade honoring President Barack Obaama, Monday Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington. (Image credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Orion contract awarded

The company faced stiff competition for the lucrative Orion contract when it was announced in 2004. Lockheed went toe-to-toe with Northrop Grumman and Boeing before winning the contract. It was valued at up to $8.15 billion when it was awarded in August 2006.

NASA's Orion deep-space capsule is slated to be the go-to spacecraft for missions to an asteroid and beyond. See how NASA's Orion spacecraft will work in this Space.com infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com contributor)

At the time, a spokeswoman said the employees were "humbled and excited" about winning the contract. "Work already is under way and we are fully focused on the vital tasks that lie ahead to meet NASA's requirements for the program," said Joanne Maguire, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, in an Aug. 31, 2006 news release.

But Orion's future fell into doubt in 2010, after President Obama cancelled the planned Constellation program. By that point, NASA had already spent $5 billion on the development. NASA hinted the spacecraft could be repurposed in April 2011. One month later, the agency unveiled a new plan to develop a Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle based on the Orion spacecraft designs.

"We made this choice based on the progress that's been made to date," Doug Cooke, associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C., said to reporters on May 24, 2011. "It made the most sense to stick with it (the Orion design)." [Infographic: Orion Explained: NASA's Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle]

In November 2012, engineers discovered cracks in the spacecraft after performing a test that subjected the spacecraft to high pressure. But NASA's Rachel Kraft told Space.com that the hardware would only need a repair, not a remanufacture.

A flexible craft

Orion's resemblance to the Apollo command module is only skin-deep. Orion can carry up to six astronauts instead of Apollo's maximum of three. Further, its heat shield is constructed of newer substances, and its computer systems, of course, include 2010s technology  a leap forward to what was available to NASA in the 1960s.

The first space-based test of Orion took place Dec. 5, 2014. The spacecraft passed all major objectives. It orbited Earth twice and re-entered the atmosphere at a velocity not seen since the Apollo moon era of the 1960s and 1970s.

The flight was called the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1. Riding aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket, Orion rocketed to orbit to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) above Earth  about 15 times the altitude of the International Space Station.

That high altitude led to a high-speed re-entry of 20,000 mph (32,000 km/h). This was supposed to demonstrate the strength of the heat shield when bringing back astronauts from destinations such as an asteroid or the moon.

"We are going to get about 84 percent of a lunar entry velocity, which is really going to stress the heat shield, which is exactly what we're trying to do," said Mark Geyer, NASA's Orion program manager, in 2012.

In the long term, Orion will launch aboard NASA's Space Launch System, which is a heavy-lift rocket still being developed. The two systems are scheduled for their first flight test together in 2019 or 2020, when SLS will propel Orion into space for an uncrewed flight around the moon. (Riding along with Orion will be 13 CubeSats to explore deep space.) Human flights are expected in the 2020s.

Additional resourcesHAWTHORNE, Calif.  SpaceX's new astronaut taxi is a chic and sleek flying machine.

The company recently invited journalists to its headquarters here in Southern California to get an up-close look at the Crew Dragon capsule, which will ferry NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), potentially serving a variety of other customers in the future as well.

Crew Dragon is scheduled to launch for the first time this November, on an uncrewed test flight to the ISS. If all goes well with that mission, astronauts will ride the spaceship for the first time in April 2019, on another ISS trial flight. The six operational crew-carrying flights SpaceX has contracted with NASA will start sometime after that, once the space agency has finished certifying the vehicle. [In Photos: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at SpaceX's Crew Dragon Spaceship]

Here's a little photo walk-through of what I saw at the Aug. 13 media event.

A model of SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft, as seen during a media day at the companys headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on Aug. 13, 2018. In the background is the first SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket first stage ever to successfully land during an orbital mission. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

Comfy seats, lots of legroom

You've probably seen photos of astronauts crammed cheek to jowl inside Russia's three-person Soyuz spacecraft, which has been the only ride to and from the ISS since NASA retired its space shuttle fleet in July 2011.

Crew Dragon  which will launch atop SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets and come back to Earth in parachute-aided ocean splashdowns  is much more spacious. The spaceship can accommodate seven passengers, though a maximum of four will fly on the contracted NASA missions. So, the mock-ups we saw sported four seats, each of which featured plenty of legroom. (Of course, there won't be quite as much room on operational flights, when some cargo will be packed into Crew Dragon's interior.) And the ceiling was nice and high; the risk of head bumps seems pretty low.

Crew Dragon seats are comfortable and have lots of leg room. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

Dragon riders' spacesuits won't impinge much on the capsule's spaciousness, either; the white-and-gray SpaceX suit is far from bulky, as you can see.

The spacesuit that Crew Dragon astronauts will wear. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

The model capsule depicted above was designed primarily to give the public a feel for Crew Dragon, so it's not an exact representation of the spaceship that will ferry folks to orbit. Indeed, a crew-training simulator that SpaceX let us view (but not enter) probably provides a more faithful look at the capsule's interior:

Inside the Crew Dragon simulator, which is outfitted with four seats. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

Touch-screen controls

Crew Dragon is an autonomous vehicle, and the first backup will be mission controllers here on Earth. So, the craft's commanders and pilots won't do much active flying during missions to and from the ISS, if all goes according to plan.

But when astronauts do take the "wheel," the experience will be more akin to operating an iPad than flying a space shuttle or fighter jet. Crew Dragon's controls and flight information are arrayed on three large touch screens facing the commander and pilot, as you can see in these photos of the vehicle's cockpit simulator. (And yes, the touch screens are compatible with the gloves on the SpaceX suit.)

Crew Dragon astronauts get acquainted with the capsules touch-screen control system using this cockpit simulator. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

A lever in the center of the display activates Crew Dragon's escape system, which is designed to get astronauts to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or any other phase of the trip to orbit.

Crew Dragon astronauts wont do much active flying, if all goes according to plan; the capsule is designed to be fully autonomous, and the first backup is mission control on Earth. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

That escape system is powered by eight SuperDraco engines, which are built into the wall of the capsule. A SuperDraco engine chamber, which SpaceX manufactures using 3D printing, was on display at the media day as well:

A SuperDraco engine chamber, which SpaceX makes using 3D printers. SuperDraco engines power Crew Dragon's escape system, which is designed to get astronauts out of harms way during an emergency during launch or any other phase of the trip to orbit. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

The real deal

The Aug. 13 event included an interview opportunity with the astronauts NASA has selected to fly the first crewed missions of the capsule: Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover. Behnken and Hurley are on the April 2019 test flight, and Hopkins and Glover will take the initial operational mission, whenever that occurs.

SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell also participated in the event, as did former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, SpaceX's senior advisor for human spaceflight, and SpaceX Director of Crew Mission Management Benji Reed.

The Q&A took place in front of the clean room containing the Crew Dragon that will carry Behnken and Hurley to and from orbit next year. The bones of this vehicle are very much in place, as you can see, though a fair amount of finishing work still lies ahead.

The Crew Dragon capsule that will make the vehicles first crewed flight  currently scheduled for April 2019  under construction in a clean room at SpaceX headquarters. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

All four astronauts are former test pilots, and all said they couldn't wait to take Crew Dragon for a spin.

"For any tester out there, the opportunity to be early on in the development and testing of a program is a dream come true," Hopkins said.

SpaceX personnel and NASA astronauts stand in front of the in-work Crew Dragon on Aug. 13, 2018. From left to right: SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell; astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who will fly the first crewed test mission of the capsule; astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover, who will fly the first operational Crew Dragon mission; former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, SpaceXs senior advisor for human spaceflight; and SpaceX director of crew mission management Benji Reed. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Space.com)

The Crew Dragon that will perform the uncrewed test mission to the ISS this fall, by the way, is already being prepped for flight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Aerospace giant Boeing is also developing an astronaut taxi under a NASA commercial-crew contract. Boeing's capsule, the CST-100 Starliner, is scheduled to make its initial uncrewed test flight in late 2018 or early 2019 and carry astronauts for the first time in mid-2019.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.U.S. President Donald Trump stands after signing the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 at Fort Drum, New York, on Aug. 13, 2018.

President Donald Trump is serious about building a military Space Force.

On Monday (Aug. 13), just before signing a sweeping $717 billion defense-authorization act to fund the U.S. military over the next year, Trump took time to argue for the necessity of his proposed U.S. Space Force.

Trump signed tthe John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act in front of a crowd of soldiers, officers and dignitaries at Fort Drum, New York.

Every year, the House and Senate pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes the defense policies that will receive funding, to be set at a later date by the appropriations committees. As required by the Constitution, Congress has to provide for the "common defense," and as Trump excitedly discussed at the signing ceremony, the U.S. common defense may soon include a space-oriented, sixth military branch.

"In order to maintain America's military supremacy, we must always be on the cutting edge. That is why we are also proudly reasserting America's legacy of leadership in space," Trump said at the signing ceremony.

See more

"Our foreign competitors and adversaries have already begun weaponizing space, developing new technologies to disrupt vital communications [and] blind satellites," Trump said. "We'll be catching [up to] them very shortly. They want to jam transmissions, which threaten our battlefield operations and so many other things. We will be so far ahead of them in a very short period of time, your head will spin."

Trump pointed to China, specifically, as a threat to the U.S. space. Vice President Mike Pence also mentioned China, in addition to Russia, as the major threats to U.S. space when he revealed a detailed plan for a Space Force last week.

"China even launched a new military division to oversee its war-fighting programs in space, just like the air, the land, the sea  space has become a war-fighting domain," Trump said at the signing today.

The president also reasserted the need for "American dominance in space," echoing words he used in June when directing the Department of Defense to form the Space Force.

"It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space  we must have American dominance in space," Trump said. "And that is why, just a few days ago, the vice president outlined my administration's plan to create a sixth branch of the United States military, called the United States Space Force."

According to the Space Force plan unveiled by Pence last week, the Trump administration is targeting a 2020 rollout for the new military branch, if it is ultimately approved and funded by Congress.The colorful stars of Omega Centauri are too tightly packed to hold on to habitable planets, a new study suggests.

Omega Centauri may be the brightest among the dense collections of stars known as globular clusters, but it probably doesn't contain many habitable worlds, a new study suggests.

Researchers hunting for potentially habitable exoplanets in Omega Centauri found that the close proximity of neighboring stars would make it difficult for the cluster to host worlds capable of holding on to liquid water.

Globular clusters are large, compact, spherical collections of stars orbiting the Milky Way. Omega Centauri, which contains an estimated 10 million stars, lies only about 16,000 light-years from Earth, making it a relatively close target for observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. [10 Exoplanets That Could Host Alien Life]

"Despite the large number of stars concentrated in Omega Centauri's core, the prevalence of exoplanets remains somewhat unknown," lead researcher Stephen Kane, an exoplanet expert at the University of California, Riverside, said in a statement. "However, since this type of compact star cluster exists across the universe, it is an intriguing place to look for habitability."

Kane and Sarah Deveny, a graduate student at San Francisco State University, used Hubble to home in on 350,000 stars in Omega Centauri whose temperature and age suggest they could potentially host life-bearing planets.

For each star, the duo calculated the habitable zone, the just-right region around a star that's neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water, a key ingredient for life as we know it. Most of the stars in Omega Centauri are red dwarfs, small but long-lived stars whose habitable zones are much closer in than the one surrounding our own larger sun.

"The core of Omega Centauri could potentially be populated with a plethora of compact planetary systems that harbor habitable-zone planets close to a host star," Kane said. He pointed out that the system TRAPPIST-1, a miniature version of our own solar system around a red dwarf, is viewed as "one of the most promising places to look for alien life."

Previous studies had suggested that a globular cluster might be the first place where intelligent life is identified in the galaxy. That's because the roughly 150 clusters around the Milky Way are about 10 billion years old, with stars roughly the same age, giving life plenty of time to emerge and evolve.

Unfortunately, the large but cozy environment of Omega Centauri works against hopes for habitability. Even compact planetary systems would struggle to exist in the core of the cluster, where stars lie an average of 0.16 light-years apart, the new study suggests.

Earth's sun, by contrast, sits a comfortable 4.22 light-years from its nearest neighbor, the red dwarf Proxima Centauri. The crowded nature of the cluster's core means a star would encounter a neighbor about once every 1 million years, during which time the interloper's gravity could easily strip away planets.

"The rate at which stars gravitationally interact with each other would be too high to harbor stable habitable planets," Deveny said in the same statement.

That's a bad sign for clusters where similar or higher encounter rates could lead to the same conclusion, she said. But in clumps where stars are spread farther apart, exoplanets could still manage to survive.

"Studying globular clusters with lower encounter rates might lead to a higher probability of finding stable habitable planets," Deveny said.

The study has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. You can read it for free at the online preprint site arXiv.org.

Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd, Facebook, or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.These simulated views of exoplanet WASP-121b (an ultrahot Jupiter) show what the planet might look like to the human eye from five different vantage points, illuminated to different degrees by its parent star. The orange color in this simulated image is from the planet's own heat. The computer model was based on observations of WASP-121b made using the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes.

Water and liquid rubies may exist under the nightside clouds of distant Jupiter-like exoplanets, but they melt in the heat of the planets' scorchingly hot bright sides, according to NASA.

People experience the effects of a turning planet every day: When the city of Istanbul in Turkey faces the sun, the city of Honolulu in Hawaii is in darkness; when a metropolis like New York is warming up during the day, another like Beijing is cooling down at night. And roughly every 12 hours, the experiences reverse.

Now imagine visiting a "hot Jupiter," a gas giant planet about the size of its solar-system namesake that does not turn; a planet that shows the same side of itself to a star and that orbits it very closely. [Pac-Man' and 'Mario Kart': How to Understand Planet Formation]

Imagining this scenario will have to suffice; even if a rocketship could take a voyager to one of the subjects of a recent study, an "ultrahot" Jupiter planet called WASP-103b, the traveler would be surrounded by sweltering dayside temperatures of about 4,800 degrees Fahrenheit (2,700 degrees Celsius), according to a June 2018 paper led by researcher Laura Kreidberg from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This work is one of four recent studies included in an Aug. 9 NASA statement about ultrahot Jupiters.

"The daysides of these worlds are furnaces that look more like a stellar atmosphere than a planetary atmosphere," Vivien Parmentier, an astrophysicist at Aix Marseille University in France and lead author of one of the new studies included in the space agency's statement.. "In this way, ultrahot Jupiters stretch out what we think planets should look like."

An artist's illustration of the hot Jupiter exoplanet CoRoT 2b. (Image credit: T. Pyle (IPAC)/NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The ultrahot Jupiters don't reflect a lot of light from their stars, according to NASA, but their bright sides' inferno-like temperatures are hot enough to glow, allowing researchers to observe them with instruments like the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes. But, the nightsides of ultrahot Jupiters are trickier for them to probe because they are not hot enough to be visible. So the scientists combined observations of ultrahot Jupiters with computer simulations to develop a new theoretical understanding of what's happening in the hemispheres of their atmospheres.

According to Parmentier's findings, water comes apart and recombines. Water molecules are thought to exist in those atmospheres because, according to the statement, they are present in similar but cooler gas giant planets. Research also shows that molecules like aluminum oxide (the basis for rubies) separate on the star-facing side of ultrahot Jupiters, and recombine on the much-cooler nightside. This might be the case for water, too.

More studies will be necessary to better grasp the duality of these ultrahot worlds, and according to the space agency, the next-generation James Webb Space Telescope might assist the research into ultrahot Jupiters.

The new study led by Parmentier was published Aug. 7 in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. In addition to this work and the study led by Kreidberg, two more studies contributed to the NASA release: They were led by Megan Mansfield and Jacob Arcangeli, and were published in The Astronomical Journal and The Astrophysical Journal Letters, respectfully.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.Artist's impression of the star KELT-9 and its planet KELT-9b, the hottest known exoplanet (Image credit: MPIA)

For the first time ever, astronomers have found iron and titanium in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. The exoplanet, named KELT-9b, is the hottest alien world ever discovered. The planet is so scorching, it's even hotter than most stars.

This sweltering exoplanet, located about 620 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, is what astronomers call an "ultrahot Jupiter." KELT-9b is a giant gas world like Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. But it's way bigger  it has three times the mass and twice the diameter of Jupiter  and it orbits extremely close to its hot parent star, KELT-9.

"Ultrahot Jupiter" is an unofficial term for a hot Jupiter exoplanet with temperatures exceeding 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,700 degrees Celsius). They "are so hot that they have some resemblance to being stars even though they're planets," Kevin Heng, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern in Switzerland who participated in the study, told Space.com. KELT-9b can reach temperatures of up to 7,800 degrees F (4,300 degrees C). [Gallery: The Strangest Alien Planets]

An artist's impression of the exoplanet KELT-9b, which orbits so close to its host star that the star's disk appears 70 times larger than our sun in the sky. (Image credit: Denis Bajram/Nature)

This record-breaking heat enabled astronomers to detect iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere. While researchers have long suspected that these elements are present on some exoplanets  iron is one of the most abundant elements in the universe  it's difficult to detect them in cooler environments because the atoms are mostly "trapped in other molecules," Heng said. However, KELT-9b is so hot that the clouds don't condense in its atmosphere, allowing individual atoms of iron and other metals to fly solo.

Titanium has been spotted in an exoplanet's atmosphere before  but not in its atomic form. In September 2017, astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope announced that they had found titanium dioxide (molecules consisting of one titanium atom and two oxygen atoms) in the atmosphere of an exoplanet named Kepler-13A.

Astronomers can detect different elements by looking at the spectrum of light coming from an object in space. Because the exoplanet doesn't emit its own light, Heng and his team of researchers looked at telescope data collected during a solar transit, when the exoplanet passed directly in front of its star as seen from Earth.

Conveniently, the data already existed before Heng and his co-authors decided to tackle this study. After his colleagues at the University of Geneva used that spectral data to look for hydrogen in KELT-9b's atmosphere, "they actually kept the data in the drawer because there was no reason to search for iron or titanium," Heng said. "Then, a few months ago, we did a theoretical study, which predicted that iron and titanium would be there, and that motivated the search."

Using the year-old data from the Galileo National Telescope in La Palma, Spain, the researchers started hunting for metals in the spectrum of light that shone through KELT-9b's atmosphere over a 4-hour-long transit. This data was collected using a spectrograph instrument called HARPS, the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.

"Different atoms or molecules have a fingerprint when you split the light into a spectrum," Heng said. "Given enough resolution, given good enough data, every molecule has a unique fingerprint." Finding the fingerprints of iron and titanium  elements that Heng and his team already suspected would exist in KELT-9b's atmosphere  would require "a combination of high-performance computing know-how, a careful curation of the spectroscopic databases and meticulous attention to detail," Heng wrote in a blog post on Nature.com.

Heng's team sought the help of Simon Grimm, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern "who is (among other things) an expert in the computation of the opacities of atoms and molecules," Heng wrote in the blog post. "These opacities are not trivial to compute, because one needs to evaluate the strengths and shapes of millions to billions of spectral lines."

Previous studies that looked at hydrogen in the atmosphere of KELT-9b were able to see a strong hydrogen absorption line in the spectrum without doing a more complicated cross-correlation analysis like Heng and his team had to do to find iron and titanium. Astronomers who collected data to look for hydrogen "lacked the theoretical motivation to conduct a serious search for metals such as iron," Heng wrote.

Another study, published July 2 in the journal Nature Astronomy, showed that hydrogen is actually "boiling off" from the atmosphere of KELT-9b and being sucked into the planet's parent star. "It is possible that heavy metal elements are also escaping because the dramatic hydrogen escape can 'drag' heavy elements to very high [in the] atmosphere," Fei Yan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the lead author of the study, told Space.com in an email.

While the iron and titanium in KELT-9b's atmosphere was a huge discovery, Heng told Space.com that "the technique itself is really exciting" as well. "This is the same technique that we will use to detect signatures of biology, or biosignatures," Heng said. "On Earth, we think it's oxygen and a few other obscure molecules, but we don't know what biosignatures are in general. If you knew what they were  you could use exactly the same technique to detect these molecules in cooler, smaller planets."

It is unlikely that astronomers will find any signs of life on this hellish planet, but Heng and his team have found some other interesting elements in the spectra from KELT-9b. "I don't want to reveal too much, but we have found other metals," he said. "We are also trying to get Hubble Space Telescope time to search for water as well." The goal is to eventually have "a complete chemical inventory of the planet," he said. Hubble will also be able to provide some insight into the weather on KELT-9b. "There should be violent storms on this planet," he said.

The research was published today (Aug. 15) in the journal Nature.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.Earth is surrounded by a host of asteroids, some of which may temporarily become "minimoons."

Earth has a habit of picking up, and later discarding, small companions called "minimoons," and these tiny objects could help scientists solve the mysteries of asteroids.

That's the conclusion of a recent paper, which looked at these minimoons as potential science targets for research over the next couple of decades. Scientists have spotted only one minimoon to date, but they think there are many more that are simply too small for instruments to have identified  some just 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) in diameter.

"Minimoons can provide interesting science and technology testbeds in near-Earth space," lead study author Robert Jedicke, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, said in a statement released by the publisher of the new research. "The challenge lies in finding these small objects, despite their close proximity."

But that could change soon, thanks to an instrument already being built. Called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), it's designed to excel at tracking temporary events in the sky. "The LSST is the dream instrument for discovering tiny, fast-moving asteroids, and we expect it will regularly discover temporarily captured objects within the next five years," Jedicke said.

So he and his colleagues wanted to start brainstorming what to do with this wealth of observations. In particular, the team suggested that the minimoons could be more accessible targets for spacecraft missions attempting to identify what asteroids are made of.

"We don't know whether small asteroids are monolithic blocks of rock, fragile sand piles, or something in between," co-author Mikael Granvik, a planetary scientist at the Lulea University of Technology, in Sweden, and the University of Helsinki, said in the statement. "Minimoons are perfect targets for bringing back significant chunks of asteroid material, shielded by a spacecraft, which could then be studied in detail back on Earth."

The research was described in a paper published May 24 in the journal Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.Artist's illustration of one satellite inspecting another. On Aug. 14, 2018, a US diplomat said that a Russian satellite described as a "space apparatus inspector" has been behaving very oddly on orbit, raising the possibility that it may be a space weapon of some sort.

A Russian satellite that launched to Earth orbit last October has been behaving oddly, raising the possibility that the craft could be some sort of space weapon, a U.S. diplomat warned.

Russia has described the satellite in question as a "space apparatus inspector," Yleem Poblete, assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance at the U.S. State Department, said at a conference on disarmament in Geneva yesterday (Aug. 14).

"But its behavior on orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before from on-orbit inspection or space situational-awareness capabilities, including other Russian inspection-satellite activities. We are concerned with what appears to be very abnormal behavior by a declared 'space apparatus inspector,''' Poblete said. [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Concepts]

"We don't know for certain what it is, and there is no way to verify it," she added. "But Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development  particularly when considered in concert with statements by Russias Space Force commander, who highlighted that 'assimilate[ing] new prototypes of weapons [into] Space Forces' military units' is a 'main task facing the Aerospace Forces space troops.'"

In addition, Poblete said, the Russian Ministry of Defence has repeatedly affirmed over the past decade that it's developing anti-satellite capabilities. And a Russian Air Force official said in February 2017 "that Russia is developing new missiles with the express intent of destroying satellites," Poblete added in her 1,800-word speech, which you can read in full at the State Department's website.

Poblete's words fit the official line that has been coming out of Washington for the past few years. U.S. military officials and high-ranking politicians have repeatedly stressed that the nation's space dominance is under threat and that the country needs to be ready for a war that extends into the final frontier.

Indeed, such reasoning has led President Donald Trump's administration to push for the creation of a new military branch called the Space Force.

"The space environment has fundamentally changed in the last generation," Vice President Mike Pence said last week during the official rollout of the Space Force plan. "What was once peaceful and uncontested is now crowded and adversarial. Today, other nations are seeking to disrupt our space-based systems and challenge American supremacy in space as never before."

Pence and others generally point to Russia and China as the adversaries that the U.S. needs to monitor, citing these nations' anti-satellite aims and activities. China, for example, destroyed one of its own defunct satellites on orbit during a 2007 test, generating thousands of pieces of space junk that still litter Earth orbit.

Russian and Chinese officials have repeatedly denied any malign intent. For example, Alexander Deyneko, a senior Russian diplomat in Geneva, told Reuters that Poblete's speech yesterday contained "the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.STAMFORD  An organization that helps local immigrants has been accused of mistreating its undocumented day laborers, according to a complaint filed this week.

Carlos Amaya has filed a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, claiming he was fired from Building One Community after he spoke up about a staff members alleged treatment of day laborers.

Im not looking for any monetary compensation, said Amaya, a Chilean immigrant who worked as a facilities coordinator at the center for about three months. Im behind justice, Im behind respect for these guys.

Building One Community Executive Director Catalina Horak denied the accusations, saying the organizations stated mission is to help immigrants and day laborers.

We have always treated everyone who comes to B1C, including all day laborers, fairly and with respect, Horak said in an emailed statement. We remain committed to delivering compassionate service to make all immigrants feel welcome.

Amaya began speaking up about the conditions soon after he started working at Building One Community in January, according to the complaint. He claims he was fired in March in retaliation for accusing an office manager of verbally abusing and humiliating undocumented immigrants, the complaint said.

Some guys told me they were afraid of (the office manager), Amaya said. I thought it was respect...but it was fear.

Amaya claims the office manager denied computer access to visitors, offered spoiled food to workers and accused a visitor who fell asleep on the couch of being drunk, according to the complaint. In February, Amaya said the office manager allegedly yelled at a diabetic man for sitting down because his blood sugar dipped when he was supposed to be working.

Amaya said he spoke with Horak, immigration legal services director Adriana Podesta, finance and human resources director Alison Quinn and family and school services director Lorely Peche, but his concerns were dismissed and he was reprimanded for speaking out, according to the complaint. He was fired shortly after for allegedly taking the office managers notebook, according to the complaint.

Horak declined to discuss Amayas job performance while he was employed at the center, but said all of the complaints he made were investigated. Horak also said some of the accusations made in the complaint were never brought to her attention.

We were very surprised, she said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. This was completely unsubstantiated. Our mission is to help day workers. It wouldnt make any sense for us...to be serving them spoiled food. Really, its appalling.

Amaya said he filed the complaint to protect the day laborers.

These guys, they can do nothing, Amaya said. They have no rights of any sorts.

Philip Berns, a Stamford immigration attorney, said he was concerned about the accusations.

I have heard rumors over the years of an environment that made many day laborers feel unwelcome, Berns said of Building One Community. The community center was originally envisioned as a community center that was to include a lively day-laborer marketplace...but over the years, more day laborers continue to go to the traditional location at the corner of South State and Grove streets rather than the center, saying, in addition to not feeling welcome, that the center does not attract enough employers to make it worth their while to go.

But clients of Building One Community on Wednesday said they strongly disagree with the characterization of the center in the CHRO report.

Tony McFadden who has been visiting Building One Community for two years, said hes always been welcome at the center, whether its to use the computers or get food  including on Thanksgiving. He also said that Horak visited him in the hospital after he was injured in a hit-and-run accident.

Theyre wonderful, McFadden said. Theyve been so supportive of me. These people are fantastic.

Michael Brooks, whos been visiting Building One Community for two years, added the center welcomes many people of all status.

Theyre not discriminatory, he said. Everybody here gets along.

erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayataSTAMFORD  A Dinosaur Bar-B-Que employee has been accused of dealing drugs out of his car in the South End restaurants parking lot.

Capt. Richard Conklin said officers in the Narcotics and Organized Crime squad began watching the Canal Street property about 9 a.m. Tuesday after they heard a restaurant employee was dealing drugs.

Conklin said officers saw an employee make several trips to his car parked behind the restaurant where he made exchanges with other people.

Conklin said officers stopped the man, Albert Robinson, 57, of Stueben Street, around 5 p.m. Tuesday and found 312 glassine folds of heroin, 213 bags of crack cocaine and 18 grams of powder cocaine in five bags inside his car.

Conklin said they also found 93 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and $2,502 in cash.

This man had a virtual supermarket of various different drugs in that white Subaru and he would walk back and forth to that car and was very active on the cellphone, Conklin said. This was a very substantial dealer arrested by NOC, who utilized a lot of patience as this situation came into focus.

Robinson, who has no criminal record in Connecticut, was charged with operating a drug factory, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of less than a quarter pound of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to sell. He was held in lieu of a $75,000 court appearance bond.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.comSTAMFORD  It was early on primary day when Terry Adams realized he was up against more than just his Democratic opponent.

The two-term incumbent watched as waves of volunteers emerged from their cars at each polling location in blue shirts with the name of his challenger  David Michel  for the 146th state House of Representatives seat.

Adams knew he was about to be swept up by a growing movement known as Reform Stamford, a fledgling Democratic faction with a large presence on the city Board of Representatives.

Adams, 59, an eight-term member of the Board of Representatives and civic leader in the South End neighborhood where he has lived for four decades, knew he was doomed.

Michel had more than a dozen volunteers Tuesday spread across each of the 146th districts four polling places.

Adams, meanwhile, had no campaign manager and volunteers who didnt show up.

Michel has long been tied to the reform faction, which has pulled power from the Democratic establishment after several reformers were elected last November. Michels campaign manager was outspoken reformer Nina Sherwood, who alone has made waves on the 40-member city board.

They ran a good race, Adams said Wednesday. To me, it wasnt David Michel, it was a Reform Stamford race. I dont think David could have won alone ... but I cant fault anyone but myself.

Unofficial results show Adams captured only 31 percent of the vote, compared to the 65 percent he rode to victory in the 2016 primary.

Adams said Michel switched parties to join a winning team, becoming a Democrat in 2016 after being a member of the Green Party. However, Michel did not switch soon enough and was not allowed to challenge Adams in the 2016 Democratic primary.

He could never win as a green, so he was smart enough to switch to the winning team  and then he had Reform Stamford, Adams said.

Michel refutes he was ever truly a member of the Green Party. He was a placeholder candidate for the party in 2014, he said, but (has) been a Democrat my entire American life.

Voter registration records show Michel, a native of France, was a registered Democrat before he switched to the Green Party in September 2013.

The Democratic primary for the seat  which represents the South End, downtown and Shippan  is often closely watched. Democrats have long defeated Republicans for the seat in November. Michel will face Republican Dan Pannone in the general election.

Michel, who was endorsed by the Democratic party over Adams earlier this year, said he is proud to be called a reformer, touting the title on campaign literature.

The 44-year-old eyewear distributor is known in Stamford for organizing frequent beach cleanups, and has made a name for himself as an environmental activist.

On Tuesday, he left polling places to help manage a small oil spill off Rasley Road in Shippan. Michel said he called the fire department and U.S. Coast Guard to put pillows around the spill to prevent more of the oil from flowing into the Long Island Sound.

Stamford primary results Democratic House 146 Candidate Votes Vote % David Michel 1,063 68.49% Terry B Adams 489 31.51% Republican House 147 Candidate Votes Vote % Anzelmo Graziosi 616 69.76% Marcy Minnick 267 30.24% Source: Unofficial results, Connecticut Secretary of State See More Collapse

Getting involved, he said, is what I like to do, although his various efforts left him weary, with fewer than three hours of sleep Monday night.

He described his campaign as a true grassroots effort, one that knocked on more than 10,000 doors in the urban district and handed out 1,300 carnations to prospective voters.

The flowers were also handed out last fall by Democrats running under the Reform Stamford banner.

This is the peoples campaign, Michel said as supporters gathered for a celebratory drink at Murphy's Townhouse Cafe Tuesday evening.

Look, theyre all here, he said.

barry.lytton@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2263; @bglyttonMany people are saying that higher education is a zone of political correctness, intolerant to conservative points of view. I would respond that this is a GOP talking point in the War on College that has a small grain of truth and a healthy dollop of misperception. There is no denying, however, that this is a claim that universities need to rebut.

The latest front in this intellectual skirmish revolves around how universities should engage former Trump officials. It is quite common for public policy schools and other stand-alone university units to bring in former U.S. officials on key matters of public policy. Furthermore, most academics would agree that the populist worldview is underrepresented on campus. One way to import that worldview is to bring in former Trump administration officials - and there are a lot of them - so that they can offer an alternative perspective.

The problem, however, is that many of these former Trump officials are not exactly beacons of open-mindedness and intellectual exchange. What would it be like, for example, to have "Doctor" Sebastian Gorka on campus?

Actual campus efforts to bring in former Trump officials have been racked with controversy. Harvard's Institute of Politics invited Corey Lewandowski and Sean Spicer to campus last fall, and that did not go well at all.

The latest controversy involves the University of Virginia's Miller Center, which announced that Marc Short, President Trump's legislative affairs director, would be on campus for to a $48,000 year-long fellowship in the center's Presidential Studies Program. Miller Center director William Antholis explained in an open letter, "Marc will help us think through how to capture the Trump presidency through our signature Presidential Oral History Program. . . . His contributions will help keep Miller Center scholars at the cutting edge of their research field."

This decision has also triggered considerable blowback in Charlottesville. Two distinguished historians, Melvyn Leffler and William Hitchcock, resigned from the Miller Center. The Washington Post's Susan Svrluga reported:

"Leffler and Hitchcock wrote in their resignation letter that they would welcome Short to speak at the center. But granting him a senior fellowship position - one they learned of through a news release - runs "counter to the Center's fundamental values of nonpartisanship, transparency, openness, a passion for truth and objectivity, and civility," they wrote. The appointment comes almost a year after white supremacists marched at the school and in the city of Charlottesville, resulting in violent clashes with counterprotesters that the president blamed on "both sides," events that seared the community.

" 'Democracy today in the United States is in peril,' they wrote. 'We must not normalize or rationalize hateful, cruel and demeaning behavior. When we see things to be wrong, we must speak out and take a stand.' "

Harvard's Dani Rodrik argued in Monday's Boston Globe that this is exactly the right approach to take toward bringing former Trump officials onto campus:

"There is the danger of normalizing and legitimizing what can only be described as an odious presidency. Trump violates on a daily basis the norms on which liberal democracy rests. He undermines freedom of the media and independence of the judiciary, upholds racism and sectarianism, and promotes prejudice. He blithely utters one falsehood after another.

"Those who serve with him are necessarily tainted by the experience. Trump's close associates and political appointees are his enablers - regardless of their personal merits and how much they try to disassociate themselves from Trump's utterances. Qualities like intelligence, effectiveness, integrity, and collegiality - words used by Miller Center Director William J. Antholis to justify Short's appointment - have little to commend them when they are deployed to advance an illiberal political agenda. . ..

"Clear rules of engagement are necessary. The most important principle to uphold is the distinction between hearing someone and honoring someone. Trump's immediate circle and senior appointees should be welcome for discussion and debate. They should be treated in a civil manner when they show up. But they should not be accorded the degree of respect or deference that their seniority and government positions would normally merit. We do not, after all, have a normal administration that can be served honorably.

"This means no honorific titles (fellow, senior fellow), no named lectures, no keynote speeches headlining conferences or events. While individual faculty members and student groups should be free to invite Trump appointees to speak on campus, as a rule such invitations should not be issued by senior university officers. And lectures and presentations should always provide an opportunity for vigorous questioning and debate."

Let's stipulate that the Trump administration is the most illiberal we have seen in the postwar era and should be handled with care. There are still two possible types of errors one can commit in trying to craft this kind of policy. One mistake would be excessive tolerance of Trump officials being on campus - such as, say, the Lewandowski appointment or Hillsdale College offering former NSC staffer Michael Anton a prestigious sinecure. The other error is excessive militancy and excluding Trump-affiliated individuals beyond one-shot engagements. As someone who believes that the whole point of getting an education is to have one's core beliefs poked, prodded, and challenged, I am far more sensitive to the latter error than the former one.

Rodrik's criteria seem elegant, but they stack the deck too far in one direction. It would, for example, block Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who by all accounts has behaved admirably in office under difficult circumstances, from returning to the Hoover Institution after his service. It would also block someone like former secretary of state Rex Tillerson from taking an appointment at a university. He might be the most incompetent secretary of state in modern history, but he also took care to distance himself from Trump during the Charlottesville fiasco. Going down a few levels, I don't see why Nadia Schadlow, the National Security Council staffer who coordinated the 2017 National Security Strategy, should be blackballed by academia.

Rodrik's brush is way too broad. In a messy world, we always search for simple and elegant solutions, but that approach will not work here. Rodrik is right to point out that this president is anomalous in many dimensions. The atypical nature of the administration requires more idiosyncratic procedures.

Short's case is a tough one. By all accounts he has not articulated racist or other objectionable beliefs. He did serve in the Trump White House in a senior position, however. Rewarding him with this honorific sticks in the craw.

At the same time, the point of free speech on campus is to allow for controversial individuals to make their case. It is also, by the way, so that these individuals can be exposed to contrary points of view as well. Assuming that Short himself is not a bigot, it seems that having him on campus makes more sense than excluding him.

Would I feel the same way about, say, Stephen Miller? No, no I would not. Some lines must be drawn. But I prefer to draw those lines as narrowly as possible. So let Short come to Charlottesville. Expose him to vigorous questioning and debate. And find out what makes people like him tick - the better to avoid the next demagogue who seeks the Oval Office.T he boss of Admiral Group on Wednesday cheered a strong-first half but warned that customers could face hikes in their car insurance costs.

David Stevens told the Standard: The period of falling prices we have seen over the last 12 months, thanks to fewer whiplash claims, is coming to an end. Modest prices rises are expected.

The chief executive blamed rising costs for some imported repair products used by mechanics and more expensive technology being used for fixing vehicles.

Stevens comments came as Admiral said profits jumped in its motor business in the six months to June. It passed the four million mark for UK cars on cover.

The firm also celebrated a strong performance in Italy.

That helped offset difficulties in its UK household division, which swung to a 1.9 million loss from a 1.6 million profit. Customers were hit by the Beast from the East, with bad weather leading to floods and frozen pipes.

Group pretax profits rose 9% to 211 million and customer numbers rose 14% to 6.23 million.I magine if EastEnders hard nut Phil Mitchell was told his beloved garage the Arches was getting a new landlord and could be facing rent hikes. His response might be: you wanna watch your mouth.

If the soaps writers want inspiration for a Walford story like that, they need only look at what is happening in real London now.

For the past 10 months traders based in railway arches have been on tenterhooks about their future following a contentious plan by Network Rail to sell its 1.5 billion commercial property portfolio.The sale includes more than 4400 converted arches, over half of which are in London.

This Friday is the deadline for second-round bids, and buyout behemoths are expected to battle hard for what one property expert dubs a goldmine.

The race is between Hong Kong-based investor CK Asset Holdings, Guy Hands Terra Firma, ex-Sunderland AFC owner Ellis Shorts Kildare Partners and a consortium ofproperty giants Blackstone and Telereal Trillium. Funds managed by Goldman Sachs and Wellcome Trust have pulled out, as the Evening Standard revealed last month.

The auction (or plot, if BBC producers are reading) run by Rothschild has not been without drama. Firms that occupy some of the properties, including hairdressers, breweries and gyms, have voiced concerns about mega rent rises under both the existing and new ownership. Meanwhile, some critics are worried the arches will lose their independent retail charm and be replaced by High Street chains.

That has prompted politicians to question the merits of a disposal, and led to other methods being proposed to replace an outright sale. It could be a long ride between now and Friday as investors weigh up whether the potential political fallout from a deal is worth it and as Network Rail attempts to soothe tenant fears.

The state-owned firm which runs the UK rail network thinks its estate is non-core. As Network Rail Propertys managing director David Biggs puts it: Our role is to run, improve and grow the railway. Managing commercial properties isnt essential to that and selling the estate will allow us to focus more on what were ultimately here to do.

The portfolio is being sold on a 150-year lease. By retaining the freehold Network Rail can continue to have ultimate control for future safety, access and maintenance requirements.

Proceeds from the sale will be put towards a railway upgrade plan and reducing Network Rails debt pile. Under the sale plans, all current leases will transfer to a new owner, with notice and rent review periods unchanged, he says.

He adds: Its right that we sell to a new owner who we believe will have more freedom and creativity to invest in and develop the estate.

He calls the estate thriving, which is something Colin Hargreaves, a director at Gryphon Property Partners, agrees with when looking at London Bridge.

Hargreaves says: Once damp, cheap space, the railway arches there have become a goldmine for tenants and their landlord. With the advent of an upgraded station, the Shard and Borough Market, the arches now form an integral and profitable part of this fashionable South bank destination.

Mark Fisher, at property agent Union Street Partners, says investors have been impressed by rising footfall. Artwork, cleaning and new lighting has created a more pleasant walk through the viaducts, he points out.

As the popularity of the arches has grown, so too have rents. The Underdog Gallery at the Crucifix Lane Arch near London Bridge has seen rents quadruple since 2014.

The gallery is one of hundreds of traders represented by campaign group Guardians of the Arches, which is no big fan of Network Rail but wants to stop the impending outright sale to one buyer.

New Economics Foundation, a think-tank supporting the organisation, claims the average firm in an arch contributes about 160,000 to the nations economic output each year.

They have written to transport minister Jo Johnson to demand safeguards for tenant interests.

Their proposals include pausing the sale to allow local councils to make offers. Its an idea Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville supports, as he thinks local authorities will prioritise encouraging start-ups rather than upping rents to boost income.

Other ideas include ensuring any new owner will not set rent rises exceeding 20% over a three-year period.

The Department for Transport says it will respond to the proposals in due course, but Johnson has started making noises that suggest he wants small firms protected. A spokesman says: It is important to note that all existing leases will transfer to the new owner, all current arrangements and minimum protections will remain unchanged, and the sale will support local businesses because of the greater investment a new owner will bring.

Will Brett of the New Economics Foundation responds: Whoever owns the arches in the future, they will need to listen to this large, united and powerful group of tenants.

Network Rail hopes a sale will be concluded by the end of the year. It should expect a noisy journey getting there, with plenty of drama Phil Mitchell would relish.

ON OFFER

The bidders are vying for an estate which comprises 5500 properties across England and Wales.

Of those, 4455 are converted railway arches. More than half are in London.

TENANT PAINS

Sammy Forway has been running his contemporary gallery and events space The Underdog at the Crucifix Lane Arch, London Bridge, since 2011.

The entrepreneur says the rent has quadrupled since 2014 and he is worried about hikes. That has deterred him from investing more in the site.

He warns: Its not good economics to price out potential business in the hope that the big boys will pay over the odds for space that small viable businesses can no longer afford.

It actually erodes the character and works against the commercial potential of an area when there are empty spaces that no one can afford.T error has many faces. As Gerry Adams once remarked of the IRAs strategy, it intermittently takes the form of something spectacular.

But there is a separate strand of terrorism that might be called routinised horror. In these attacks, the strategic objective is both (of course) to spread fear but also to deaden, by a process of iteration, our collective shock response. The perpetrators  or, more accurately, those that inspire them  seek to manipulate public opinion so that fierce unity is slowly, imperceptibly, replaced by an unspoken desire to see the whole thing go away.

Yesterdays incident in Westminster may yet fit into this category. Mercifully, nobody was killed when 29-year-old Salih Khater allegedly drove a Ford Fiesta into pedestrians and cyclists outside Parliament, injuring at least three people, before hitting a security barrier. Although Khater was not known to MI5, the police are treating this as a terrorist incident.

Matthew d'Ancona

Yesterday there was  understandably  palpable relief that the attack had not resulted in fatalities, unlike Khalid Masoods murderous final journey over Westminster Bridge last March in which four pedestrians were killed and police officer Keith Palmer was stabbed to death; or the London Bridge horror last June, in which eight people died.

Instead  and quite correctly  there was praise for the first responders who arrived at the scene so quickly and performed so admirably. Social media filled, as it so quickly does, with thoughts and prayers.

You can be sure that, in due course, the Right will find a way of blaming the incident on immigration while the Left will talk sanctimoniously about Western foreign policy as the root cause. Londoners will be urged to stay vigilant but to go about their business. And then, to put it crudely, the whole thing will be more or less forgotten.

There is undoubted merit in what is rather clumsily referred to as the Blitz spirit. Since the July 2005 attacks, this city has shown time and again that it will not be thrown off course by such incidents. The slogan keep calm and carry on has entered the realms of kitsch but it retains much of its original power. Better to respond with ingrained stoicism than a citywide cringe.

The risk is that stoicism morphs into amnesia. We forget too quickly and fail to draw the necessary lessons from these ugly incidents. The pathetic individuals who are usually responsible for these attacks are too readily dismissed as impressionable loners, rogue figures who seized upon the grotesque injunctions of Islamism to carve an infamous niche for themselves in history. All of which is often true. What is missing from this narrative are the connections  digital, personal, financial, ideological  that give the threat of Islamist terrorism a coherence that is as elusive as it is deadly.

The fact that counter-terrorism officers have foiled 13 Islamist plots in the past 18 months (and four by far-Right extremists) is both impressive and chilling. As Downing Street disclosed yesterday, the number of live cases of suspected terrorist conspiracies rose from more than 500 in March to 676 by the end of June. It has become lazily orthodox to claim that fundamentalist terrorism is now in decline, and, more perniciously, to suggest that the Wests gradual retreat from liberal interventionism since the Iraq War has diminished the threat. The data suggests quite otherwise.

"Almost 17 years after 9/11, the West has still not settled on a strategy to counter the new asymmetric warfare"

As Andrew Parker, the director-general of MI5, warned in October, there has been a dramatic upshift in Islamist activity, which he described as multi-dimensional, evolving rapidly and operating at a scale and pace weve not seen before. As one Westminster figure familiar with such operations says: The vast majority of these cases are never publicised because they involve ongoing investigations. The gap between public awareness of the threat and its true level is a real concern.

A geopolitical analogy is provided by the general misapprehension that Islamic State is in more or less irreversible decline. True, its ambitions to found a proto-caliphate have been thwarted for now, and it has suffered serious setbacks in the field. But new studies by the Pentagon and United Nations suggest that up to 30,000 Islamic State fighters remain active in Iraq and Syria  10 times as many as previously thought by the US military.

No less significant is the enduring success of Islamist ideology as a deadly software that can be downloaded  literally  on a tablet or smartphone. Terrorist cells are still formed around radical mosques and so-called community centres and bookshops. But the connectivity of the digital era means orders can be embedded in algorithms. It is the opposite of the truth to describe Islamist terror as a medieval phenomenon: it is the pathological face of hyper-modernity.

Almost 17 years after the September 11 attacks, the West has still not settled on a stable strategy to counter the new asymmetric warfare. At the very least, those who fight terrorism should be given the powers they need  and Parliament, for instance, should pass the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill with as few self-indulgent references to Magna Carta as possible.S wanning around the world sipping on G&Ts sounds like the stuff of dreams  let alone an actual job. Now a London bar group are making it a reality for one lucky gin-lover.

To celebrate the launch of their new site, the Mr Fogg's team are offering someone the chance to travel around the globe with a friend tasting gins and collecting botanicals. The traveller will then bring back their findings to serve at the new Society of Exploration bar, which is opening this autumn in Charing Cross.

The chosen individual will be taken on an Around the World in 80 Days style tour along with a friend of their choosing. The tour will take in Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, Lisbon and many other stops.

The two lucky travellers will follow the legendary route of Jules Vernes fictional explorer Phileas Fogg, for whom the bars are named. They will also be gifted with an atlas, journal, luggage tags and a hip flask to take with them, courtesy of Aspinal of London.

Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London, in pictures 1 /4 Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London, in pictures Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London - In pictures Electric Earl at The Gibson Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London - In pictures Star of the Program at Mr Fogg's Gin Parlour Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London - In pictures West Winds Sabre at Gintonica Quirky gin and tonics you have to try in London - In pictures Flora G&T at Gymkhana

For the project, the Mr Fogg's team and owners Inception Group have teamed up with adventurer Levison Wood  who once attempted to walk the entire length of the Nile.

The candidate will be required to document their journey through social posts, digital videos and photographs. So naturally, being active on social media and having good photography skills is a must. A valid passport and a passion for gin are also essential.S ummer is coming to an end, Londoners are desperately trying to clasp on to what little sunshine we have left and sales of glitter cosmetics have apparently shot up 321 per cent, which can only mean one thing  carnival season is here.

This year celebrates the 59th Notting Hill Carnival and will see the return of revellers dancing in the street to soca music and pavements lined with Caribbean-inspired food stalls.

The carnival is a hallmark of London culture and today is renowned as the largest street party in Europe, attracting two million visitors each year and hosting more than 70 masquerade floats. By the end of the weekend, Londons economy will be 93million better off, 15,000 costumes will have shimmied during the parade and a hangover-inducing 25,000 bottles of rum will have been polished off. It is a weekend of impressive numbers: only Rio is bigger.

Whether you're a seasoned carnival-goer or are out partying for the first time, here's everything you need to know about Notting Hill Carnival 2018.

In pictures: Notting Hill Carnival 2017 1 /22 In pictures: Notting Hill Carnival 2017 Dancers try to keep cool in the heat at Notting Hill Carnival Getty Images for RedBull Crowds flocked to the west London event Rex Features Dancers covered themselves in paint Getty Images Performers donning colourful outfits made their way through the streets Rex Features Revellers enjoying the sunshine at this year's Notting Hill Carnival Getty Images for RedBull Thousands of people joined in the celebrations at the 51st event Rex Features People of all ages dressed in colourful outfits took to the streets Rex Features Dancers donned colourful outfits Rex Features Dancers donned colourful outfits AFP/Getty Images Revellers take part in the traditional 'J'ouvert' opening ceremony Getty Images Dancers perform at the Family Day parade PA Sadiq Khan and MP Emma Dent Coad at the opening ceremony AFP/Getty Images Paint-covered revellers prepare for carnival Getty Images Performers enjoy the opening parade Getty Images Doves were released to honour Grenfell Tower victims PA Sadiq Khan took part in the dove release PA Firefighters joined crowds in a minute's silence for Grenfell victims on the street party's second day BBC Performers prepare to take part in the parade on the Monday PA Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day AFP/Getty Images A carnival performer poses in the sun AFP/Getty Images A performer poses on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival AFP/Getty Images A woman dances on day two of the Notting Hill Carnival in London Reuters

When is Carnival?

Notting Hill Carnival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, on Sunday 26 and Monday August 27.

The all-important parade begins bright and early at 9.30am on both days.

Due to a strict noise curfew the sound systems will stop blasting at 7.30pm, but there are many after parties in the area keeping the party going. You can find a list of them here.

The floats, trucks and parade bands would have cleared the streets by 8.30pm.

Notting Hill Carnival highlights - Monday

What can I expect?

There's something for everyone.

Sunday is Family Day, which is a more relaxed day to prepare for the hard-core partying. Between 9am and 7pm, there's a parade for children and family-friendly sounds from the World Music stage at Powis Square.

Monday is when the real party begins, with more than 60 bands and 37 sound systems taking over the streets. On both Sunday and Monday there will be a 72 second silence held in tribute to the Grenfell victims.

The full details are below:

Saturday August 25

Though the main events run on Sunday 26 and Monday 27, things do begin a little earlier, on Saturday evening. Head down to Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park on Bosworth Road, where, from 6pm until 11pm, theyll be hosting Panorama. It's family friendly, open-air evening and the UK's largest steelband competition. Tickets cost 5 and can be bought here.

Sunday August 26 (Family Day)

The next morning, the early risers of Notting Hill will lead Jouvert from 6am. Its the first parade of the carnival, with steel bands, riddim bands and African drummers. It begins and ends at Canal way in Ladbroke Grove, coming to a halt around 9am. Sunday is known as the family day, and the highlight is the Childrens Parade, bright with costumes, as well as the Sound Systems and steel bands of its bigger sister on Monday. Things begin at 9am and run until around 8.30pm. Over in Powis Square, the World Music Stage boasts calypso and soca performances from the Association of British Calypsonians.

Monday August 27

For the main carnival experience, head over on Monday, which features the main parade and grand finale. Food stands will be sizzling, Sound Systems will be blaring, dancers will be dancing and their costumes will be dazzling. In total, there will be 60 bands strutting their stuff.

Where is Carnival?

Despite previous talks of the carnival moving to Hyde Park, Notting Hill Carnival will be returning to its prime location of W10, covering Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park.

The parade, which is 3.5 miles long, will cover Westbourne Park, Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill. The route map below has the details.

Loading....

Food and drink

With more than 300 food stalls, you wont go hungry. The perception of carnival food being all jerk chicken isnt exactly true, but isnt exactly untrue either: five tons of the stuff were shifted last year. Still, if you can, wander around  youll find curried goat, rice and peas, fried plantain, spicy Jamaican patties and Caribbean dumplings.

Drinks wise, Red Stripe is naturally the go-to and after that, rum. Guinness Punch is a must-try: despite the obvious Irish heritage, its stuff of carnival legend: Guiness packed full of spice, and sometimes milk, and sometimes rum. Coconut water is hard to beat for refreshment, and theres a certain novelty to carrying around a coconut with a straw in it.

Notting Hill Carnival over the years - In pictures 1 /40 Notting Hill Carnival over the years - In pictures 1972 Charlie Gillett/Redferns 1975 Richard Braine/PYMCA/Rex 1976 Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1977 Associated Newspaper 1977 Daily Mail 1978 Frank Barratt/Getty Images 1978 Bill Johnson/Associated Newspapers 1978 Frank Barratt/Evening Standard 1980 Stuart Nicol/Evening Standard 1980 Evening Standard 1980 Evening Standard 1983 Peter Anderson/PYMCA/Rex 1984 John Minihan/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1994 Steve Eason/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1994 Steve Eason/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1995 Steve Eason/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2003 Scott Barbour/Getty Images 2004 Graeme Robertson/Getty Images 2005 Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images 2005 Chris Jackson/Getty Images 2006 Miles Willis/Getty Images 2006 Miles Willis/Getty Images 2006 Miles Willis/Getty Images 2006 Chris Jackson/Getty Images 2007 Chris Jackson/Getty Images 2009 Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images 2011 Oli Scarff/Getty Images 2012 Oli Scarff/Getty Images 2015 Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images 2015 Daniel C Sims/Getty Images 2017 Getty Images 2017 Getty Images 2017 Getty Images for RedBull 2017 Getty Images for RedBull 2017 AFP/Getty Images 2018 Getty Images for Redbull 2018 Getty Images 2018 Reuters 2019 Getty Images 2019 Reuters

What to bring

Remember, it's a carnival: come to have a good time and you most likely will. Still, it gets busy and sweaty, so being at least a little prepared helps.

Take a bottle of water to stay hydrated: lots of shops shut-up, and those which dont sell out.

Pack napkins, hand sanitizer, or both: sticky hands makes for a sour afternoon.

A jumper, or a hoody: once the sun is done, it can get icy. An alcohol jacket only goes so far.

Getting There

Roads

From around noon on Saturday 25 August:

Kensal Road together with adjoining roads will be closed.

Roads will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so on Saturday night.

From Saturday 25 August at 7am until Tuesday 28 August:

Extensive road closures will extend north from Notting Hill Gate to Harrow Road, and from Latimer Road, St. Mark's Road and Clarendon Road in the east to Porchester Road, and Queensway in the west.

Roads will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so early Tuesday morning.

Tube

Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park tube stations will be extremely busy during carnival. Where possible, avoid peak times and use alternative stations.

Bus

Some bus routes running through West London will be disrupted, so make sure you check the TfL website before you travel.S ummer can make fools of us all. Its too easy to go to work dressed for a beach holiday or stay up too late on a week night drinking rose, and theres the rub: sunshine has narrowed the drinks menu. So keep your prosecco and Aperol spritz this summer  mines a red wine. Just serve it cold.

Gamay is a French red, which is at its best chilled. At Carte Blanche near London Fields there are two, Le Grappin serves it in bagnums  stock up for the Green Man festival in Wales this weekend  and its a bestseller at Salon in Brixton.

Its a rebels drink. When it was first grown in Burgundy in 1395 the Duke of Burgundy dismissed it as bad and disloyal just because it was different. If he had been more open-minded hed have seen it is a juicy wine, aromatic and with hints of ripe strawberry and cherry, but not heavy and with none of the sweetness of many traditional summer wines and fizzes.

Gamay is a banging grape that is flexible with food, says Andy Taylor, founder of Carte Blanche. He serves two: elegant Mas De LEscarida Sople E Joios to soothe and robust Fuzz to shake you out of a hangover.

It can stand up to heat so its killer with our hot chicken bun or Nashville fried oyster, he says. At the Wilderness festival in Oxfordshire, anyone fancy a chilled red? resonated around the fields, says Mark Gurney, director of Salon. We pretty much replaced our blood with the stuff. We pour Le Grappins 2017 Gamay Bagnum by the glass. For those with a wilder palate we steer towards the more feral northern Rhone gamay of Herve Souhauts 2016 La Souteronnes. To cool down try gamay in rose form by Remi Sedes, who makes the rich and structured 2017 Samplemousse in the Loire.

Berber & Q has La Volcanique, 2017, from Cotes de Forez, the southernmost Loire vineyard, where volcanic soils impart an earthy fragrance which goes well with the fruity expression of the gamay grape.

Jan Kontezki, wine director of Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square

Jan Kontezki, wine director of Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, enjoys gamays with fish and salad. Theyre light but spicier and meatier than Rhone Valley wines.T oday India celebrates 72 years since it became independent from the British Empire.

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, welcomed the historic day with a lengthy speech on his country's progress in health care and space travel, announcing he wants to fly the Indian flag from space in 2022.

As 1.2 billion people mark the national holiday, we take a look at the story behind India's independence.

How long was India under British rule?

British colonisation of India began in the second half of the 18th century when the English East India Company took control of Bengal and, eventually, other parts of India.

The British Crown established rule in India in 1858, ending a century of control by The East India Company.

India proved to be hugely profitable for the British because it was rich in jewels, spices and textiles.

The country also became the backbone of Britain's military power, with Indian troops playing a key role in helping control the Empire.

How did India gain independence from the British Empire?

After over 200 years under British control, India regained its independence in 1947.

Years prior, movements towards reform were already being made by the Indian National Congress, particularly after the increased poverty and famine that accompanied British imperialism.

When World War II began in 1939, Britain needed India's manpower. To secure India's support, Britain was willing to hand over its political power in exchange for cooperation, but the Indian political parties rejected such proposals.

This led the Indian National Congress to commence the "Quit India" movement, which led to the imprisonment of the entire party's leadership, including Gandhi.

Further unrest followed after the war and Lord Louis Mountbatten was given until 1948 to grant independence.

This date was brought forward and in 1947 and on August 15 of that year, the Indian Independence Bill took effect.

After the signing of the Independence Bill, it was agreed India would be divided into two separate states, Pakistan (with a Muslim majority) and India (with a Hindu majority).

The partition caused the displacement of 14 million people and incited widespread violence, creating a historically tense relationship between the two states.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort in New Delhi, India to mark 72 years of independence. / EPA

How is Indian Independence Day celebrated?

As well as a host of religious celebrations, there will be pageants, parades and flag-flying across India.

Many people will also be dressed in the nation's colours of orange, green and white.W ith results day just around the corner, many students across the country will be gearing up to go to university in the next couple of months.

But the expense of university can be overwhelming, especially considering the cost of course fees, rent and food when youre a student without a steady income.

So if youre still undecided on where you want to go to university, and money plays a big factor, then youll be pleased to know that NatWest has just released the results of their Student Living Index survey.

This survey has ranked university towns in the UK based on their affordability and considered the cost of rent, the cost of alcohol, takeaways, socialising and gym memberships. To find the results, NatWest asked 3,419 students across 35 university cities in the UK how much they spend on essentials and extras.

They concluded that Hull in Yorkshire proved to be the cheapest town to go to university in  with takeaways an average of 7.70 - followed by Cardiff and Leicester, the latter offering up 2 pints. Durham proved to be the cheapest for bills with a monthly average of 21.40 while Brighton won the title of cheapest night out at 34.20.

Unsurprisingly, London didnt make the top 20  as it is famously one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in  but Prince William and Kate Middletons former alma matter, St Andrews, came in at no. 19.

You can see the full list of cheap university towns below:

Hull Cardiff Leicester Brighton Portsmouth Aberystwyth Sheffield Canterbury Oxford Plymouth Aberdeen Norwich Southampton Nottingham Durham Reading Leeds Bristol St. Andrews PooleMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  The government should focus on developing a stronger regulation on the country's telecommunications (telco) industry instead of looking for a new major player, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

Citing a media report, Dominguez on Wednesday said the regulation on the local telco industry "is not up to par."

"Either it's the law or the regulators, okay. So maybe, as I said in the past, maybe that is one of the issues we have to address first--the effectivity of the regulation. Because even if we have a third telco and the regulation is ineffective, what's the point? So again, we have to go down to the basic issues on the industry," he said in a media forum.

Having a third telco player is just a "means to an end," Dominguez said.

"The question is not the third telco. The question is, when are we going to improve? Third telco is one way of improving it. The other way is to have a better regulatory environment and I think that is the priority rather than a third telco," he said.

"Maybe you need a new law, I don't know. I think you need to have a total review of that. The question is, are we totally fixated on the means or the end?" he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the search for a company that will compete with incumbents Globe Telecom, Inc. and PLDT, Inc. amid public clamour on slow internet services.

In April, Duterte formed an oversight committee that would facilitate the entry of a new player. The committee is composed of different agencies, including the Department of Finance and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Just recently, DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio said the committee may announce the next major player by December.

CNN Philippines' Robert Vergara and Frances Espeso contributed to this report.Photo: Contributed

UPDATE:

The captain of the boat has contacted Castanet to clear up some of the details.

According to boat captain Mike McLellan, he was testing a new set of injectors on his Formula One tunnel boat at the time of the crash. His racing season ended two weeks ago.

He was driving around 80 kmh when a section of the hull failed, causing his vessel to hook sharply in the water and partially sink.

"We're trained to get out in a particular way and I was just waiting for the cockpit to fill up because I knew it was going to and that just made it easy," he said.

"I undid my harness and waited for the cockpit to fill up with water and just floated there. The rescue guys were there in 30 seconds."

There were some private vessels out in the water at the same time, but McLellan said he was being spotted by his team on a commercial diving boat who got him a rope and brought him to shore.

He did not swim to shore as was previously reported.

McLellan said he is one of three Canadians racing these boats at his level in North America.

The racing season finished up two weeks ago in Seattle at an invitation-only race for the 15 fastest racers on the continent. He placed ninth in that event.

He said the boat has a top end speed of over 220 kmh, but at the time of the incident was going around 80 kmh.

The captain of a high performance speed boat is safe after flipping his vessel on Okanagan Lake Friday evening.

Around 7:30 p.m. Friday emergency crews were called for a marine rescue, a boat had apparently flipped on Okanagan Lake near City Park.

Shortly afterwards the captain of the boat apparently swam to shore while civilian boaters attempted to tow his boat to shore. He was the only person on board.

The man sustained no injuries according to Sgt Brad Swecera with the Kelowna RCMP. His boat, however did not fare so well and has been loaded onto a trailer at the Kelowna yacht club.

The captain apparently races the boat and has training and safety gear on board many vessels do not. According to RCMP he was in an enclosed cabin and used a breathing apparatus to escape the capsized vessel.

Kelowna RCMP said there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing and that the man was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he was questioned.

Swecera said they may forward their report to Transport Canada as a normal procedure in a marine accident.A woman has been stabbed to death in a home on a quiet residential road in south-west London.

Emergency services, including an air ambulance, were called to Grayshott Road in Battersea shortly after 12.30pm on Wednesday.

Nearby residents described hearing sirens everywhere as police cars and ambulances descended on the scene.

The woman, whose age is not yet known, was found with a stab injury.

Police guard the scene of the stabbing in Battersea / Owen Sheppard

Paramedics battled for over an hour to save her but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.41pm.

Scotland Yard said a 40-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

A spokeswoman added: Her next of kin have not yet been informed.

Formal identification awaits and a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.A British tourist has been stabbed to death in New York by a woman she had just met who said she wanted to rid her house of evil, according to police.

Faye Doomchin allegedly knifed the woman, 60, in her home on Long Island just hours after they'd been introduced by a mutual male friend. After lunch together on Monday all three went to Doomchins house for coffee and cake and to play a piano in the living room.

Det Lt Stephen Fitzpatrick said that Doomchin suddenly said she needed to rid the house of evil. He said: She then appeared from the kitchen with a kitchen knife, walked right over to her and stabbed her in the chest.

The victim, who has not been named, was declared dead in hospital. She was from England and had been in the US on a three-week holiday.

Doomchin wore a white jumpsuit and did not answer questions as she was taken from a police station to court yesterday. Her lawyer entered a not-guilty plea to murder, and said she was a long-standing member of the community. She was remanded in custody until her next hearing.

Attorney Robert Gottlieb told Long Island newspaper Newsday that his client has suffered from mental illness in the past. He said: There are no words to describe how tragic this case is. We are undertaking our own investigation to determine what happened and why.

Det Lt Fitzpatrick said last night that there was nothing that explained Doomchins actions and she had never met the victim before Monday lunchtime. They just met that day, had lunch and this incident happened.

They came over to socialise, play on the piano and have cake and coffee and then this incident occurred.

Det Lt Fitzpatrick said that they were in the living room and Doomchin said something to the effect that she did not like the woman from England and made the remark about ridding the house of evil. He said she had had an aggressive feeling and went into the kitchen from where she emerged with the knife and stabbed the victim.

Doomchin lives at the two-storey corner house with her husband and 22-year-old daughter. Neighbours said they rarely saw the family.

Doomchins rabbi in the village of Great Neck, Joseph Geisinsky, said that she had stopped attending services two years ago for health reasons. He described her as a very kind person, a very giving person who cooked for other worshippers and held social events at her home.T he fact that Westminster suspect Salih Khater was apparently unknown to counter-terrorism police and MI5 before crashing his car into barriers outside Parliament yesterday will, if an extremist motive is confirmed, unsettle security officials.

In most recent attacks it has emerged soon afterwards that those involved were known radicals already subject to scrutiny by our spies and police. That, of course, often leads to criticism about missed opportunities.

But the security agencies are, perhaps paradoxically, largely reassured when they have previous knowledge of an attacker because it means their intelligence-gathering methods are working well  even if decisions on which subjects of interest to prioritise remain difficult to get right every time.

By contrast, yesterdays incident  yet to be officially declared as a terrorist attack after inconclusive searches of Khaters home overnight  could turn out to be another example of the problem of clean skin attackers striking after only a short period of radicalisation.

A man was arrested at the scene / Sky News

Such cases are far harder to prevent because there is little opportunity for security agencies to spot signs of a potential attack through online activity, contacts with other extremists or purchases of potential weapons.

New legislation, to strengthen penalties for propaganda offences which lead to radicalisation, is passing through Parliament.

Parliament Crash - In pictures 1 /23 Parliament Crash - In pictures A Man detained (circled) by Police on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Sky News Forensic officerS attend the scene near the Houses of Parliament, Westminster in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Alex Lentati Police activity on Millbank, London after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Good Morning Britain Neil Basu Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism makes a statement paul grover Police recover the silver Ford Fiesta involved PA Sky News PA Good Morning Britain A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament, Westminster in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA BBC News BBC News PA Reuters Sky News PA PA Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police on Westminster Bridge, central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Armed police stand in the street after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster REUTERS Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police forensics officers work at the scene outside the Houses of Parliament in central London AFP/Getty Images Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside Parliament PAL ondoners hurled vile slurs at police who were working at the scene of yesterday's terror attack, it has been claimed.

Scotland Yard officers were labelled "jobsworth", "Nazi scum" and "fa[s]cist", according to claims made by police working in the aftermath of the attack at Parliament.

A Treasury official was even among those who abused police officers, it is claimed.

According to a Met officer, the man tried to barge his way through a cordon stating he was "very important" and "need[ed] to get through".

The police officer wrote anonymously on Twitter: "On #Westminster cordons today.... amazing that the tourists, were the ones who were polite and understanding.... the local office workers were the rude ones!

"Been called a jobsworth Nazi scum and a facist (sic). All because the road was closed. #PoliceFamily," he added.

He followed up to say the person who called him a "bloody fa[s]cist]" had told him: "I work at the Treasury in a very important role, Im not just a member of the public. I need to get through."

Cyclists were strewn across the road in the wake of the crash / BBC News

Tweets by the man from previous weeks show images from police weapons seizures and references to "#officerproblems". The Met told the Standard they could not comment as the Twitter account does not belong to them.

The claims came as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick praised police officers for their quick response to the "ghastly" crash at the Houses of Parliament at about 7.40am on Tuesday.

Witnesses told how emergency services arrived almost instantly after more than a dozen cyclists were hit in a chilling echo of Khalid Masood's rampage that killed five people at Westminster 17 months ago.

This morning, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan gave credit to the police, saying London is "one of the safest global cities in the world".

Police recover the silver Ford Fiesta involved / PA

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think what it shows is that the planning, the practice, the preparation, that the police, the security services, the emergency services do, should give us some confidence that we are one of the safest global cities in the world.

"I say that realising that terrorists are trying to cause damage, trying to kill people in not just London and Manchester, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Boston, New York, Istanbul and elsewhere around the world.

Salid Khater, who lives in Birmingham, has been arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terror

"We've got to carry on evolving and finding new ways to keep ourselves (safe), just like the terrorists and bad guys are finding new ways to cause us damage."

Londoners yesterday told of their horror as the silver Ford Fiesta veered into a column of cyclists, who tried to leap to safety to the left and right.

Kirsty Moseley, of Brixton, south London, was a passenger in the first car behind the "wall" of up to 12 cyclists hit at what she estimated was 25mph.

"He went straight through them. People were thrown everywhere," the 31-year-old said.

Westminster Bridge Terror Attack: One Year On 1 /20 Westminster Bridge Terror Attack: One Year On 6 people including the killer died in the attack Jeremy Selwyn Theresa May laying a wreath at Parliament Square Jeremy Selwyn Message from Theresa May on her floral tribute at Parliament Square Jeremy Selwyn #Londonunited one year on from the Westminster attack Nigel Howard People paid tribute to the victims who were killed in the Westminster terror attack last year Jeremy Selwyn Emergency services workers lay flowers and pay their respects at Parliament Square in Westminster on the anniversary of the Westminster Bridge attack in London Reuters Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, poses with the #LondonUnited memorial at City Hall, marking the anniversaries of the four terror attacks in London Reuters A message is beamed onto a map at the #LondonUnited memorial at City Hall, marking the anniversaries of the four terror attacks in London Reuters A desolate Westminster bridge where the attack took place Jeremy Selwyn Londoners left messages and tributes for the victims Jeremy Selwyn Londoners leave messages and tributes for the victims Jeremy Selwyn People lay flowers for the victims Jeremy Selwyn Police walk past truibute at Westminster today Jeremy Selwyn The attack occurred on Westminster bridge near the houses of Parliament Jeremy Selwyn Woman and child look out over the River Thames on Westminster bridge Jeremy Selwyn Man carries memorial flowers across Westminster bridge Jeremy Selwyn Theresa May laying a wreath at Parliament Square Jeremy Selwyn Theresa May stands by her floral tribute at Parliament Square Jeremy Selwyn Londoners leave messages and tributes for the victims Jeremy Selwyn Londoners leave messages and tributes for the victims Jeremy Selwyn

"(He had) two hands on the steering wheel and he did not look back over his shoulder to look at the damage he'd created - he was just looking deadpan straight in front of him," she added.

Geoffrey Woodman, from Battersea, south-west London, had stopped at the traffic lights by Parliament Square on his cycle to work when the car swerved into cyclists and towards the security barriers.

"I was getting off the bike and put my foot down, then there was a sound like tyres screeching," he said.

"This car turned round to the left and swerved into the wrong lane of traffic and into the bank where all the cyclists wait."

29-year-old Salid Khater has been arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terror.P olice are hunting an attacker who stabbed a man in a park in Sidcup.

The victim, a male in his 20s, was airlifted to an east London hospital after the stabbing in King George's Recreation Ground at 7.10pm on Tuesday.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, according to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police.

There have been no arrests in connection with the knife attack, which took place near a children's playground.

The man was airlifted to hospital from King George's Recreation Ground / Google

A spokesperson said: "Police were called on Tuesday, 14 August at 19:10 hours to reports of a stabbing in King Georges Field, Sidcup.

"The emergency services attended.D etectives have been given more time to quiz the Westminster terror attack suspect Salih Khater.

Khater, 29, was arrested after allegedly ploughing into cyclists and pedestrians in a Ford Fiesta before crashing into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.

The British national, originally from Sudan, had been held on a terrorism charge but was later further arrested for attempted murder, police revealed on Wednesday.

Khater remains in custody. Scotland Yard said it was granted a warrant to detain him until Monday.

Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside Parliament / PA

The suspects brother Abdullah Khater told the BBC he was a "normal person" and that their family, who are originally from Darfur, were in a "state of shock".

The Metropolitan Police's counter-terror head Neil Basu said on Tuesday Khater was not co-operating, while the priority of the investigation team continues to be to understand the motivation.

Mr Basu said the force is treating it as a terrorist incident because of its apparently deliberate nature, the method used and the "iconic" location.

The force said officers have concluded searches at two addresses in Birmingham and one in Nottingham, and continue to search a third in Birmingham.

Suspect: Salih Khater

Among those to express their shock at Khater's arrest was Anwar Mukhta, who said he has known the suspect for eight years.

He told ITV News the current narrative will be revealed to be a "lie", adding: "It is an accident, it's nothing to do with terrorists, it's nothing to do with any organisation that tried to make an attack to any Government department."

Residents who knew Khater have described him as a quiet man who frequently visited the Bunna Internet Cafe on Stratford Road in Birmingham.

One customer, who would only give his name as Adam, said he had been served coffee by Khater and that he was a polite and apparently humble man.

Parliament Crash - In pictures 1 /23 Parliament Crash - In pictures A Man detained (circled) by Police on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Sky News Forensic officerS attend the scene near the Houses of Parliament, Westminster in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Alex Lentati Police activity on Millbank, London after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament Good Morning Britain Neil Basu Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism makes a statement paul grover Police recover the silver Ford Fiesta involved PA Sky News PA Good Morning Britain A forensic officer attends the scene near the Houses of Parliament, Westminster in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA BBC News BBC News PA Reuters Sky News PA PA Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police on Westminster Bridge, central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Armed police stand in the street after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster REUTERS Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police activity on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament PA Police forensics officers work at the scene outside the Houses of Parliament in central London AFP/Getty Images Forensic officers by the car that crashed into security barriers outside Parliament PA

"I am still in shock. I've known him for about a year and he is a very, very good man," he said.

"I can't see him doing anything stupid. He was polite, humble and he kept himself to himself.

The whole community is upset. I can't see it not being an accident - I couldn't see him hurting a fly, never mind a human being."

Ahmed Abdi, originally from Somalia, said Khater was regularly at the cafe, and was a "very quiet" man who "never spoke" and drove a small, old white car.

Police investigation: Forensics officers work near the car that crashed into security barriers outside Parliament / AP

The 43-year-old, who recognised his image on the news, said he knew the man as Salih and had known him for around a year-and-a-half.

A police search is thought to have taken place about a mile from the cafe, at a tower block in the Highgate area, where a plainclothes officer prevented reporters from entering the 10th-floor landing.

Khater was previously an accountancy student at Coventry University, a spokesman said, confirming he attended between September last year and May.

He added that Khater failed the first year of his course and his enrolment was terminated.

The Facebook page for a man called Salih Khater says he lives in Birmingham, works as a shop manager, and has studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology.

It has subsequently been disabled and is no longer publicly available on the social network.

Birmingham Central Mosque said members of the local community believed Khater may have travelled to London for an appointment to obtain a visa to travel to Sudan.S queezing in and out of Londons tight parking spaces can be infuriating, especially if you return to find your car has been clipped.

Now the boroughs where drivers have the highest chance of being in a prang have been revealed.

Such accidents include hitting a bollard or barrier, or shunting another drivers car while it is stationary.

Manoeuvring into spaces in Richmond and Kingston proved the most precarious, with the neighbouring boroughs accounting for nearly a fifth of Londons total prangs, or 9.75 per cent each.

Accidents in Bromley made up 9.14 per cent of the capitals bumps and scrapes, while the Square Mile was third, with 9 per cent, and Greenwich fourth, at 8.7 per cent. Male and female drivers were about evenly matched for their number of minor crash claims.

The boroughs with the highest rates of incidents =1 Richmond 9.75% =1 Kingston 9.75% 2 Bromley 9.14% 3 City of London 9.09% 4 Greenwich 8.7% 5 Havering 8.6%

Pensioners made up the largest age group for such claims, at 15 per cent, and drivers aged between 17 and 24 accounted for 7 per cent of the total. Although drivers in Westminster were most likely to get a parking ticket, they were least likely to get bumped by another car, according to the data.

The central London borough accounted for just 4.7 per cent of all claims, followed by 5.2 per cent in Barking and Dagenham and 5.4 per cent in Camden.

The figures come from motoring insurer Admiral, which last year paid out a record 123 million on 151 million of policies bought by customers.

Payouts were up from 106 million the previous year, with Admiral blaming much of the rise on thousands of low-speed crashes in London.

Sabine Williams, Admirals head of motor product, said: Parking prangs are common car insurance claims and account for one in 10 cases we deal with.

Parking is a set manoeuvre on the driving test so all drivers should know how to park correctly, and safely.A young Londoner today said he was glad he was stabbed as it had given him the opportunity to warn others of the dangers of knife crime.

Amani Simpson was stabbed seven times when he intervened in a friends dispute over stolen goods that quickly escalated out of control and saw him confronted by a 20-strong gang.

Now a motivational speaker and community worker, he is aiming to crowdfund 15,000 to support making a short film telling his story as he seeks to divert teenagers away from crime.

Im so glad I got stabbed, Mr Simpson, 28, from Enfield, said. It has been such a big blessing in disguise to me. Its allowed me to go on a personal journey of development I wouldnt have otherwise.

The attack happened in July 2011 in Enfield. I had the choice to go home or stay and get involved, the former Enfield Grammar School pupil said of the incident. I decided to do the latter. I probably got stabbed and slashed 20 to 30 times but I was wearing a Puffa jacket and only seven got through. When I saw the jacket, it was ripped to shreds.

He suffered wounds to the head, leg and arms. He was taken by ambulance to the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, but was able to be discharged the following day.

Everywhere I got stabbed I could have died, he said. Me being here is a miracle. He says he has no idea who carried out the attack.

He said: I had a conversation with myself, How have I got here? Getting kicked out of school, arguing with my parents. I made a pact with God: if you give me another chance, I will do something more positive.

The film dramatises Mr Simpsons journey to hospital in the ambulance. He will be played by actor Jovian Wade, and the film will also feature former Met police superintendent Leroy Logan, Dr Gayle Hann, a consultant paediatrician at North Middlesex hospital, and actor Duayne Boa. Filming is due to start next week in north London.

The film will be used in the anti-knife crime presentations Mr Simpson gives in schools. Only after each screening will he reveal to his audience that the story is his own. They wont know its me, he said.

He believes key factors in the surge in knife crime are poverty and a lack of funding for community institutions.Q uestions over Jeremy Corbyns wreath-laying trip to Tunisia intensified today after he admitted staying at a five-star hotel.

The Labour leader checked into Le Palace for two days while he attended a conference on the political situation in Palestine.

His flights, accommodation and meals were paid for by the Tunisian government which he did not declare in the register of MPs financial interests.

Labour claimed the 660 threshold for declaring the 2014 trip would not have been breached. Critics said it seemed inconceivable that such luxury would have cost so little.

Le Palace, overlooking the Gulf of Tunis in the Mediterranean Sea, describes itself as the jewel of Tunisias business hotels. It has 239 rooms and 44 suites, with its restaurants and bar designed to combine business and relaxation in the greatest tradition of luxury and elegance.

Hospitality: suites at Le Palace hotel cost up to 1,000 a night. Labour say Mr Corbyns room was much cheaper than that

It boasts three pools, including one of sea water for freshness enjoyment, a spa and fitness centre.

Top-end suites cost up to 1,000 a night, although Labour said Mr Corbyns room was much cheaper.

The Evening Standard attempted to book a bargain package using budget travel sites on the internet today, but failed to find any prices as low as 660.

A return trip to Tunis, setting off next week and coming back a week later to take into account Mr Corbyns apparent holiday, came in at 548 on SkyScanner, a website that searches dozens of airlines for the best deals.

A suite at the five-star Le Palace hotel / HOTEL LE PALACE

To obtain this price Mr Corbyn would have suffered the discomfort of a 2.15am return flight to Stansted and he would have had to leave from Gatwick and make two changes of plane on the way out, taking 17 hours.

Travel website Trivago found a room at Le Palace for two nights from tomorrow for just 139, including breakfast. The total came to 687 and did not include lunches, dinners and airport transfers.

A Labour Party source would not give details of Mr Corbyns flight times but insisted it was possible to put together a similar package on the internet for under 660, including meals.

Critics also claim that tourist prices in the north African country have fallen since the terror attack on a Tunisian beach in 2015.

Mr Corbyn today insisted he had not broken any rules.

Asked why he did not declare the trip he said: It was a perfectly public trip and I made that clear at the time. It was under the threshold that was required to declare.

Asked why he did not declare hospitality paid for by the Tunisian Government he said: I didnt declare it because it was under the required level to be declared but I made the trip absolutely public.

I made public the fact I was proud to go there in order to promote a Palestinian peace process and indeed it was an all party parliamentary delegation that attended, there were liberal democrat and conservative Parliamentarians there as well and many people from other parts of Europe.

Conservative deputy chairman James Cleverly scoffed at the partys claim. It seems inconceivable that a multi-day trip like this could come in below the declaration threshold, he said. All MPs have a duty to disclose hospitality like this. If Mr Corbyn made an error, I think he should have the courage to say so.

The row over the price of the trip will increase the pressure for a full investigation into whether Mr Corbyn broke parliamentary rules.

Two formal complaints have been made to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards since this newspaper revealed yesterday that he was facing an investigation.

The row started with allegations that he laid a floral tribute for Palestinian terrorists linked to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre  an allegation the Labour Party vehemently denies.

Today Labours biggest Jewish organisation backed an investigation by the commissioner.J eremy Hunt today warned European Union leaders they would be making a very, very big mistake if they allow Britain to leave the bloc without a deal.

The Foreign Secretary spoke out as his Latvian counterpart put the chances of an agreement this autumn at fifty-fifty and called for extra effort by both sides.

Asked how the markets would react if there was a failure to avoid a chaotic exit in March 2019, Mr Hunt said there would be a significant short-term impact including a sharp fall in sterling. But he said the UK economy was strong enough to ride it out and he was more worried about the wide political implications of a failure to reach agreements on issues from trade to security between the EU and the UK.

Of course, there is this risk of a no-deal, he said. But I think there are a growing number of countries that recognise that would be a very, very big mistake not just for the United Kingdom, but for the EU as well.

Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest 1 /12 Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest Demonstrators head towards Parliament Square. REUTERS Signs include 'I love EU' REUTERS The pro-EU march began in Hyde Park Corner. Si Carrington 'NHS? Brexit Wrexit' Oliver Day The march took protesters through the streets of London. Oliver Day One protester brought along a papier mache Queen, in reference to the blue and yellow hat she wore at the State Opening of Parliament. Peter Bailey 'Exit Brexit' Jonathan Hawley The September sun shone as activists marched through the streets. Martin Tod Roads were blocked during the protest. Maggie Jones The campaigners set off shortly after 11am from Hyde Park Corner. Maggie Jones The rally saw the activists march through the streets of central London. Johann Ketel EU colours of blue and yellow were seen throughout the march. Judi Conner

Mr Hunt was in Riga on the second day of a tour of four EU states in the northern region of the bloc where Britain hopes to find allies for Theresa Mays Chequers plans in detail.

He predicted a choppy and difficult period as the talks came to a climax in coming months but stressed that an agreement would mean Britain remaining the EUs best friend after it leaves the union. Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said earlier that the chances of no deal were very considerable, telling the BBC Today programme: I think we are at a very critical point. Frankly at this point I would rate it 50-50.

Mr Rinkevics said the British people were only now beginning to comprehend how complex, how difficult Brexit was, and insisted the EUs 27 states would stand united in talks.

Asked if EU negotiator Michel Barnier should make compromises, he expressed full confidence in him and said: Are we going to split our positions at the level of 27 and start bilateral negotiations with the UK? No.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the Chequers deal was hard for Brexiteers to swallow but backed it. At Westminster, Eurosceptic opponents of the plans intend to bring out a rival white paper calling for a Brexit on World Trade Organisation terms.Vernon Jubilee Hospital is receiving some worldwide attention after a recent video was posted to YouTube.



In the three-minute video, a woman, who is lying in a hospital bed, hilariously praises the work her doctor did on her injured left foot. Unfortunately for her, it was her right foot that was injured.

Thanks in large part to the medication the woman was on at the time, the video has since gone viral.

"The Joke is on America," the woman says with a laugh. "Make America great again? Make Canada great, always! ... Vernon was the right choice."L abours biggest Jewish organisation today demanded Jeremy Corbyn be completely transparent about his controversial trip to Tunisia after it emerged he faces a possible parliamentary inquiry.

Two complaints have been made to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, over the Labour leaders visit to Tunis in 2014 where he appeared to have taken part in a wreath-laying ceremony for Palestinian terrorists linked to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.

The complaints relate to him not declaring the trip on the Register of Members Interests.

Ivor Caplin, chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, has backed an investigation by the commissioner after complaints by Tory MP Andrew Bridgen and the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism group.

Mr Caplin, a former MP and defence minister in Tony Blairs government, said: We need complete transparency around this trip by Mr Corbyn.

Jeremy Corbyn could face probe over wreath laying controversy

That doesnt seem to be forthcoming at the moment. Its a matter for the Standards Commissioner to have an investigation having received the complaints and to make available to the public their views on this visit.

Labour has said that the Tunisian government paid for his trip but as the cost was below 660 it did not need to be declared. However it emerged today that he had stayed at the five-star Le Palace, a luxury hotel overlooking the Mediterranean that now costs up to 1,000 a night.

Conservative peer Lord Mohamed Sheikh went on the same trip and declared it, including a three-night hotel stay, in the Lords register. Lords must report such a visit paid for by a third party if it costs more than 500.

The trip was to a conference and the wreath-laying was a separate event that Lord Sheikh did not attend.

Corbyn explains role in Palestinian wreath laying

Today cabinet minister Chris Grayling said there were questions over whether Mr Corbyn was fit to lead the Labour Party and that there had been a changing story on the trip from Labour.

Mr Caplin said: It would be best if Mr Corbyn made an apology, and reveal all details about this trip so that everyone absolutely knows the truth.A mother held in Dubai after drinking a glass of wine on a flight from London has spoken out about her inhumane treatment and fears she would be raped during her time in prison.

Dr Ellie Holman claims she was spat at and had her hair pulled while she was held in prison for three days.

The 44-year-old also said she feared she would be raped after she was taken into custody with her four-year-old daughter.

She told Mail Online: Nothing had prepared me for what happened, but my survival instinct kicked in and for my daughter's sake I had to be strong.

It is like an out-of-body experience. I still can't believe that I spent three days in jail. I have never been in trouble in my life and yet here I was sharing a cell block with 30 other women.

Mother jailed for 'drinking glass of wine' in Dubai has now returned to UK

It is unreal. I feel like I will wake up from a bad nightmare.

Dr Holman was arrested following an eight-hour Emirates Airline flight to Dubai on July 13 and was finally allowed to returned home on Sunday.

The last four weeks have been hell for me and my family, she said.A 12th century statue of the Buddha has been returned to India, 57 years after it was stolen.

The Buddha was one of 14 statues stolen from a museum in Nalanda, eastern India in 1961. It later surfaced at a London trade fair.

Police in London handed over the bronze statue with silver inlay during a ceremony on Wednesday marking India's Independence Day.

Officers were called after representatives from the association for Research into Crimes Against Art and the India Pride Project noticed the statue at a trade fair.

Upon learning the item had been stolen, the dealer and owner agreed to return it.

It was officially handed over on Wednesday to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK during a ceremony to mark Independence Day.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes says the case is "a true example of cooperation between law enforcement, the trade and scholars."

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: "As we celebrate India's Independence Day, I am proud to highlight the latest example of the UK's cultural diplomacy in action.

"Thanks to the work of the Metropolitan Polices Arts and Antiques Unit, we are one of the first countries to recover one of the fourteen elusive Buddha statues stolen from Nalanda nearly sixty years ago.F oreign money suppliers are running out of Turkeys collapsed currency amid an unprecedented rush to book holidays in the crisis-hit country.

The Post Office and Thomas Cook today revealed they have been running low on the Turkish lira, which has seen its value against the pound plunge in recent weeks - fuelling a massive rise in demand for holidays among its Mediterannean resorts.

Post Office Travel Money apologised to holidaymakers who have struggled to get hold of lira from some of its branches.

In the past week it has seen demand almost triple compared with the same period in 2017.

What Turkey's economic crisis means for holidaymakers

A spokesman for the firm said: A small number of branches may be running low on stock due to the unprecedented demand.

We expect to replenish stocks over the next 24-36 hours to those branches with limited stock and apologise if any customers have experienced delays when purchasing currency.

Turkeys currency crisis was triggered by concerns over President Recep Tayyip Erdogans economic policies / REUTERS

Thomas Cook Money - which is supplied by Travelex - has also been running low on lira.

Managing director Anth Mooney said: Were advising customers to put money on a pre-paid card which locks in the unprecedented rates now to spend on holiday later.

UK holidaymakers changing 100 yesterday could get 880 lira, up from 680 lira on August 9 and nearly double the amount you could buy a year ago.

Turkeys currency crisis was triggered by concerns over President Recep Tayyip Erdogans economic policies and a diplomatic dispute with the United States.

Washington has doubled steel and aluminium tariffs on the country, as President Donald Trump tries to secure the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson who is being tried in Turkey on spying and and terrorism-related charges.

Amidst the dispute, Turkey accused the United States of waging an economic war as part of a plot to harm the country.

And today Turkey escalated the feud further by announcing it will double tariffs on imports of certain US products including rice, vehicles, alcohol, coal and cosmetics.

It came a day after President Erdogan said Turkey would boycott American electronic goods, singling out the iPhone.V ue Cinemas has paid a nominal fee to an evangelical group for cancelling their screening of a gay cure film.

The company said that it stands by its decision to block the screening as it was a direct contradiction to its values.

In February it was revealed that the Core Issues Trust was due to hold a screening of its film which advocated gay cure therapy at the Vue cinema in Piccadilly Circus in London.

But, after Pink News reported on the screening, Vue Cinemas cancelled the event at the last minute.

The Core Issues Trust took legal action against the cinema following the decision claiming that the company had breached its contract.

This week Vue Cinemas agreed to settle the law suit with a nominal amount and admitted to breaching its contract with the Core Issues Trust.

A spokesperson for Vue Cinemas said: Vue firmly stands by its decision to cancel the screening of Voices of the Silenced which was in direct conflict to our values.

The claim made relates simply to a technical breach of contract because of the late cancellation of the screen booking and was for a nominal amount.

This has nothing to do with freedom of expression laws.

Dr Mike Davidson, who produced the documentary, and represents the Core Issues Trust, said: "I am delighted that freedom of expression has won today. We worked hard to create Voices of the Silenced because we believe that it contains a very important, highly-relevant message - people can change.

"This population have been failed by Mental Health Services because they are denied professional counselling respectful of their world view.

"Vue Cinemas has recognised that it was wrong to block us from showing the film. I hope that in future they won't fold under pressure from LGBT activists who want to suppress the voices of those who want to move away from same-sex attraction and behaviour."D iversity triumphed in America as the Democrats secured a ground-breaking primaries victory with an African American Woman, a transgender woman and a Muslim woman all nominated.

Vermont Democrats have nominated the nations first transgender candidate for governor, one of many firsts from Tuesdays primary elections.

Christine Hallquist has made history as the first transgender candidate picked by a major US political party to run for governor.

The 62-year-old said: Im proud to be the person to help the nation widen its moral compass.

Christine Hallquist on election night / REUTERS

Elsewhere in America, Minnesota Democrats backed Ilhan Omar, who would be the first Somali-American Muslim member of congress.

And in Connecticut, the party nominated a candidate who could become the first black woman from the state to serve in congress.

All but 10 states in America picked their candidates for November's general election.

Nationwide, a record number of women are running this year for governor and congress.

Ilhan Omar celebrating her victory / AP

The full political battlefield is not set yet, but it looks as though the Democrats are working to take back control of the Republican Congress and governors offices across the country.

Four states held primaries on Tuesday, in Vermont, Connecticut, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In Minnesota, Republican County Commissioner Jeff Johnson defeated Tim Pawlenty, who once called Trump "unhinged and unfit" and was hoping to regain his old post.

Tim Pawlenty and wife, Mary, in the background / AP

In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker, endorsed just this week by US President Donald Trump, won the right to seek a third term.

Vermont Democrats also nominated Senator Bernie Sanders, who hasn't ruled out a second presidential run in 2020, for a third term in the Senate.

The 76-year-old democratic socialist won the Democratic nomination, but he is expected to turn it down and run as an independent.I TV News at Ten reporter Tom Bradby has been heavily criticised for his unsympathetic reporting of the Genoa Bridge tragedy.

Newsreader Mr Bradby sent viewers into a rage with his introduction to the story of the disastar in which at least 39 people died.

Mr Bradby said: How often have all of us driven over a motorway bridge? Has it ever crossed your mind that it might actually fall down beneath you?

Well today in Genoa, one did with devastating consequences.

Mr Bradby has been branded lurid, with one user on social media even suggesting the broadcaster should lose his job.

Investigators were today carrying out work to establish how the massive structure came crashing down / EPA

Nigel Campbell said: Shocked and appalled by the crass way in which #itvnews reported the Genoa bridge collapse this evening. Just awful tabloid unsympathetic and lurid treatment of a tragic event.

Estella Joyce said: Tom Bradbys opening comments on the Genoa bridge collapse sounded more like an advert for a personal injury claim. Truly nauseating. He should be sacked #itvnews.

Dan Patrick Joe also said: Im not one to sign a petition but can someone start one to get @tombradby off @itvnews because that intro to the motorway disaster in Italy was disgusting.

Ofcom have been approached by the Standard to ask if the news broadcast received any complaints from members of the public about the delivery.

Tuesdays bridge collapse has been called an immense tragedy by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

A view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa / AP

At least 39 people were killed and many more injured when the bridge came crashing down.G erman lifeguards have urged parents to take their eyes off their smartphones in the wake of a surge in child drownings this year.

In the first seven months of 2018, 279 people drowned in German waters - 37 more than the previous year, according to the German Lifeguard Association (DLRG).

The drownings included more than 20 children under the age of 15 and have captured the attention of the German media.

DLRG spokesman Achim Wiese told the Guardian that there was a link to parents too busy on their phones to pay attention to their children.

"Too few parents and grandparents are heeding the advice: when your children and grandchildren are in the water, put your smartphone away," he said.

Peter Harzheim of the German federation of swimming pool supervisors told German media that in the past, parents and grandparents spent more time with their kids in the pool but were now behaving "neglectfully".

"Increasing numbers of parents are fixated by their smartphones and are not looking left or right, let alone paying attention to their children," he said.

Experts also said a lack of swimming lessons has played a part in a spike in drownings during the heatwave.Photo: CTV

Travellers through Vancouver International Airport in late July and early August may have been exposed to measles.

An infectious individual travelled through the airport twice in recent weeks according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

The first possible exposure occurred the morning of July 30, when the person flew in from Tokyo on Air Canada flight 0004 about 9:25 a.m. The person remained at the airport until 2:45 p.m., when they boarded Air Canada Jazz flight 8125 to Portland.

The same traveller visited YVR Aug. 6, arriving on Alaska Airlines flight 2536 from Oregon, then left Vancouver on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, headed to Alaska.

"Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread," the BCCDC said Tuesday. "Passengers, crew and travellers who may have come into contact with measles are asked to check their immunization status."

The majority of travellers who came into contact with the infected person are expected to be immune, but children under 12 months old and those not up to date with immunizations may be at risk.

Anyone who thinks they may have contracted the disease but are not showing symptoms can call 811 to speak to a nurse.

 with files from CTV VancouverA 21-year-old man drowned at a French beach after digging a large hole and then getting stuck in it when the tide came in.

He was unable to pull himself out of the hole as the water swamped him at Barbatre beach on the island of Noirmoutier on Sunday.

Emergency services descended on the beach after the man became trapped at around 5.30pm but could not rescue him in time.

A family member also tried in vain to pull him to safety, according to reports in the French press.

The local prosecutors office, which released details of the death, said the man decided to dig quite a deep hole to stand in.

The incident took place on a popular holiday island in the Bay of Biscay, on the French Atlantic coast.N ew Zealand has passed a law banning non-resident foreigners from purchasing existing properties.

The move has been a year in the making, and was one of the Labour government's key election pledges in a bid to fight rising property prices.

The new law means that non-residents can no longer buy any existing homes on the island.

But the law may be seen as a step down from initial promises, as non-residents will still be able to purchase six out of ever 10 new-build apartments.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had run her 2017 campaign on a promise to curb house price growth and homeless.

New Zealand's Labour Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, led her election on a promise to curb immigration and rising house prices. Her government today enacted a ban on foreigners purchasing existing homes. / Getty Images

A market bubble was driven in part by mostly Chinese and Australian buyers - but Aussies are exempt from the ban.

Associate Finance Minister David Parker said: "This is a significant milestone and demonstrates this government's commitment to making the dream of home ownership a reality for more New Zealanders."

The ban is followed by further plans to reduce immigration and create jobs for New Zealanders, but was criticised by the International monetary Fund, who warned it could harm foreign direct investment.

The market shift has been called a crisis, with prices in the capital, Wellington, rising by 18.1 per cent in the year to June 2017.

Homelessness is a particularly emotional issue in the major cities - in the run up to the September 23 election, New Zealanders said in a survey their dominant topics were poverty house prices, affordability and stock shortages

Homeless men beg for money in Aukland / Getty Images

But while Statistics New Zealand said a great deal of non-residents were moving into certain areas, with high concentrations in downtown Auckland and Wellington - overall foreign purchasing stood at only three per cent in June.T hirsty thieves have stolen almost 850,000 worth of Red Bull energy drinks in a bizarre heist in Belgium.

More than 300 pallets packed full of the drinks were taken from an industrial estate in Menen, on the French border, on Sunday.

The thieves reportedly managed to carry out the theft over the course of 12 hours, making return trips and stealing 11 truckloads of the product.

Belgian police told AFP news agency they were using CCTV to identify the suspects, and would not rule out that they had inside help.

About 950,000 euros (845,000) worth of the product was stolen, according to reports.

The drinks were taken from a warehouse of a partner of Jet Import nv, one of the largest distributors of Red Bull, Desperados and Fever-Tree products.

"It is remarkable that such a thing, despite good safety measures, could happen, Stefaan Bettens, CEO of Jet Import, told local media.U S Defence secretary Jim Mattis says a Space Force is necessary to protect American satellites from attack weapons by China and Russia.

Speaking in Brazil, Mr Mattis said the US has no plans to put weapons in space but emphasised the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy.

He recalled China's use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, and suggested it was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.

Mr Mattis said: "We understand the message that China was sending - that they could take out a satellite in space. Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability."

President Donald Trump announced plans to set up a US Space Force / REUTERS

He added that the US cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.

"We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We don't intend to militarise space.

"However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary," he said.

He did not say this meant the U.S. would respond to a satellite attack by attacking the aggressor's satellites or with any other use of force. But that scenario is one that worries many who have warned that space could become the next global battlefield.

The U.S. military has worked on anti-satellite weaponry in the past but has no deployed weapon dedicated to that mission today.

Asked later to elaborate on how the U.S. would respond to an attack on a satellite, Mr Mattis said he preferred to maintain ambiguity.

"I don't tell adversaries in advance what we will do or what we will not do," he said.

"We will not stand idly by if someone tried to deny us the use of space."

Mattis' point about countering the space capabilities of other nations was reinforced Tuesday by the State Department's top arms control official, Yleem Poblete, speaking in Geneva at the U.N. Conference on Disarmament.

Mr Mattis said that the US could not ignore any potential threats to satellites / AFP/Getty Images

She said that despite Russian claims it wants to prevent an arms race in outer space, Moscow is developing new anti-satellite missiles and has given its forces a mobile laser system.

She also voiced suspicion about Russia's deployment last October of a satellite whose behaviour she said was inconsistent with its supposed purpose of conducting in-orbit space inspections.

"Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," Ms Poblete said. Russia denies any hostile intent.

The timing of Mattis's visit to Brazil, so soon after Pence announced the Space Force plan last Thursday, was coincidental. Mattis's trip, which includes follow-on stops in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, had been in planning for many months.

In a speech prior to fielding questions from the war college students, Mattis made a detailed pitch for closer U.S.-Brazilian security relations. He noted that Brazil was an ally during World War II; later he visited a monument in Rio to Brazil's role in the conflict.

He emphasised U.S. interest in partnering with Brazil in space research, an area in which China has shown growing influence in South America. The Chinese operate a space centre in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Brazil's Alcantara space centre is located near the equator, making it advantageous for space launches. The closer a launch is to the equator, the more velocity the rocket gets from the Earth's rotation.C harlie Brake has come under fire after he was reportedly seen flirting with girls on a night out without girlfriend Ellie Brown.

Brake, 23, was said to have had a great time with a lot of girls at the same event fellow Love Islander Frankie Foster was pictured cheating on Samira Mighty.

A source, who was allegedly at the Maidstone nightclub, told The Sun: Charlie was flirting with a lot of girls on Saturday night  but unlike Frankie he didnt get caught.

He looked like he was having a great time, a lot of women were interested in speaking to him and like most men Charlie loved the attention.

Split rumours: Charlie Brake and Ellie Brown have been hit with multiple break up rumours / SplashNews

They continued: The only issue is that Charlie is in a relationship with Ellie and she may not have felt comfortable seeing him surrounded by so many other girls.

A representative for Brake declined to comment.

The allegations come days after Brown reportedly accused him of trying to chat up a girl on a flight home from Monaco where they had been partying on a yacht with Brakes family.

Ellie had a go at him, a source told The Sun. They got back to his flat and they had another argument. He went out for some drinks and he came back and chucked all her clothes out the window.

Love Island's Ellie Brown and Charlie Brake enjoy date night

The couple who met on Love Island earlier this year have been hit by rocky romance rumours and spoke out after viewers noted the frosty atmosphere between them at the ITV2 reunion show where they had an explosive row.

Brown, 20, said: Basically Charlie got too drunk and Ellie was sober, she told ITN.

He wasnt just in trouble with me, well put it that way. I was fuming with him, ITV was fuming with him. He got too drunk before Aftersun, which is not good when youre going on live TV. He was in trouble.D avid and Victoria Beckham proved the romance in their relationship is very much alive after nearly two decades of married life.

The celeb power couple enjoyed a romantic evening together while holidaying in Bali with their children this week.

Victoria, 44, shared a picture of their bed at a luxury retreat which was scattered with red petals spelling out their initials.

She captioned the shot: Good night kisses x.

Loved up: Victoria and David Beckham enjoyed a date night / Instagram/ Victoria Beckham

The couple are no strangers to enjoying date nights free from their children Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 15, Cruz, 13, and Harper, seven.

They recently celebrated their anniversary with a trip to Paris where they toasted nine years together with a bottle of pricey Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1990.

Harper Beckham goes diving in LA

The famous couple are believed to be staying at the Nihi resort on the private island of Pulau Sumba and have made sure to keep fans up-to-date with their holiday.

Theyve enjoyed cookery classes and a Spice World film night with Victoria telling fans Harper is addicted and wants a black Gucci dress.

The Beckham Family on holiday in Bali 1 /9 The Beckham Family on holiday in Bali

They were reportedly caught up in the Indonesian earthquake earlier this month, staying just 60 miles from the epicentre, according to reports.

A source told The Sun: They certainly felt the earthquake. The children, especially, were a little bit shaken but they are all fine. Their thoughts are obviously with the victims.L ove Island star Georgia Steel has sparked speculation that she has split from boyfriend Sam Bird with a cryptic Instagram post.

The 20-year-old loyal babe shared a selfie on her Instagram page on Tuesday night, shortly after she went for drinks with Bird, with a caption about everything happening for a reason.

Alongside her pic, Steel wrote: Im a good believer in everything happens for a reason, and what is meant to be will be. Feeling so lucky and blessed.

Goodnight and hold tight for the future.

The drama student was immediately flooded with comments from concerned fans, wondering if her and Bird had split up.

But Bird soon appeared to allay any fears of a split on Wednesday, posting a video of him and his girlfriend preparing for a road trip.

Official: Sam Bird and Georgia Steel met on Love Island / ITV

Speaking the camera, Bird told his followers he was driving from York to Essex and soon pointed the camera at Steel.

Standard Online has contacted representatives for Steel and Bird for comment.

After being split apart by their fellow islanders, the young couple chose to dump themselves from Love Island last month.D isney has come under fire from fans who have accused the company of whitewashing Princess Tiana in the upcoming Wreck-It Ralph sequel.

The character was the first black Disney princess, originally starring in The Princess and the Frog.

Tiana, along with her 13 fellow princesses including Cinderella and Mulan, feature in a teaser image for the upcoming film where they are shown meeting racer Vanellope.

But fans were quick to take aim at the colour of Tianas skin and features claiming she has a narrower nose and appears lighter than in The Princess and the Frog and the first trailer for Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.

Some extremely confused fans accused Disney of turning her into a racially ambiguous woman and questioned whether it was too hard to create her in the same vein as the original cartoon.

One tweeted: Yall dont understand how important Princess Tiana is to Black girls. We finally had a Disney princess that looked like us, and now, she doesnt. They gave her Eurocentric features and turned her into a racially ambiguous woman. Its a no from me, dawg.

Changing appearance: Princess Tiana with Sleeping Beauty in the first Wreck-It Ralph 2 trailer / Disney

Another posted: So, um...is this supposed to be Princess Tiana in Wreck it Ralph 2?

A third was so furious they digitally altered the character themselves, writing: I was very excited for this film and I still am. But I cannot look away from this. So I fixed it. #RalphBreaksTheInternet #PrincessTiana #WreckItRalph.

Its the second bout of criticism the company has faced in recent weeks after Jack Whitehalls casting as Disneys first major gay character in Jungle Cruise.

The Fresh Meat comic, 30, said he was honoured to be taking on the role, but the decision was panned online by those who felt the role should have gone to a gay actor.

Wreck-It Ralph 2 Trailer

One critic tweeted: Really @Disney #JungleCruise? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink.

Another posted: Straight people playing gay camp characters is offensive. Period.

A third asked: Did we... run out of gay people?P aul Hollywood is set to travel across America for a brand-new cooking show, Paul Goes To Hollywood, next year.

The Great British Bake Off judge will travel America on a Harley Davidson all the way to Hollywood, stopping along the way to sample foods in locations featured in iconic movies.

Hollywoods 3000-mile trip, which will air on UKTVs Good Food, will take him to New York to try out Lennys Pizzeria, featured in Saturday Night Fever, and Los Angeles to dine at Bobs Big Boy Diner from Pulp Fiction.

As well as sampling delights, Hollywood will be whipping up some treats of his own  learning from the natives in New Orleans and New Mexico.

On-screen: Paul Hollywood will star in a new cookery show / Yui Mok/PA Wire

And, of course, it wouldnt be a road trip without Hollywood being joined by some famous friends.

The five-part series will be produced by Denham Productions and aired on UKTVs subscription cookery channel next year.

Kirsty Hanson, commissioning editor at UKTV, commented: We are thrilled to be working with Paul Hollywood on this perfect combination of the nations love of travel, film and baking.

GBBO: Paul Hollywood judges alongside Prue Leith on the baking show / Channel 4

This series is packed full of adventure and fun and will make an excellent show for both film fans and foodies.

Hollywood will soon be back on screens for the new series of The Great British Bake Off, the second in its new home.

The 52-year-old judges the amateur bakers alongside Prue Leith, who took over from Mary Berry when the show switched from BBC to Channel 4.Photo: Richard Cannings

South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings is hitting the ol dusty trail again, crossing the riding for the third year on a bicycle.

Ride the Riding will bring Cannings across the region on various rail trails and highways, with stops for meetings with constituents along the way.

Trails like the KVR are important tourist attractions and key economic drivers for small communities throughout the riding.

I enjoy riding these rail trails myself, and one of the reasons for this cycle trip is to highlight their importance to the riding, Cannings said.

Residents are invited along for the journey, or at one of the many coffee and meal breaks where they can share their concerns and suggestions. The ride starts Aug. 28 in Naramata, with stops in Penticton, OK Falls and Oliver the same day. The ride will continue until it ends in the Kootenays on Sept. 2. A full itinerary can be found below.

This ride has been such a success and Im really looking forward to hitting the trails again. Everyone is invited to join in on the ride and I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.F orget the headlines: bitcoin isnt dead, and Luno is the start-up proving this.

After the relatively obscure cryptocurrency hit highs of nearly $20,000 last December, everyone and their dog was talking about bitcoin and knew someone who had become a bitcoin millionaire.

But, when it came crashing back down to the mid-$5,000s, people were ready to write it off as a mere internet experiment.

The reality is far from this. The London-based cryptocurrency wallet start-up Luno has announced it now reaches two million global customers, who are looking for a safe and easy way to buy, store and trade digital currencies like bitcoin and ethereum.

Lunos co-founder and CEO, Marcus Swanepoel, tells the Standard: Theres a lot of potential for bitcoin and ethereum, and a lot of noise around them and what they can do.

But, we have to be careful in terms of crypto and what we put on our platform and promote to customers, because we want to keep people safe.

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin or ethereum, are digital currencies.



Encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of the currency and verify the transfer of funds, which are independent from a central bank. Fiat currency, like UK pounds or US dollars, which are backed by a central, are the opposite of cryptocurrency.

Swanepoel initially started out in finance, working in investment banking until he made the decision to move to Silicon Valley in 2013 and launch a tech start-up. Ive been building computers since I was young and writing software. It was a way of getting back to my original passion, he says.

The move five years ago coincided with the moment topics such as fintech, bitcoin and blockchain were really starting to take off in the Valley. With Swanepoels background in finance, it looked like a perfect way to merge his passion for technology. After meeting a fellow South African, ex-Google software engineer Timothy Stranex, the idea for Luno was born.

Id seen all the inefficiencies with the financial system, across everything from transactions to compliance. We saw this new technology [of blockchain and bitcoin] that would make it easier to move money around.

Despite the regular headlines declaring bitcoin officially dead, Swanepoel thinks were only at the tip of the iceberg for what the cryptocurrency could do. Appetite in the technology, however, appears depends on where you are in the world.

London is meant to be the financial capital of the world but crypto and blockchain are not that big here, he explains. But if you got to New York, Shanghai, San Francisco, people are out of their minds. You get a completely different experience; a [huge] amount of institutional interest looking into to getting this right.

What is Bitcoin? Everything you need to know about the cryptocurrency

For interest to change globally in the technology, companies in the crypto space need to deal with two major topics: education and security. One of Lunos major focuses is on educating people about cryptocurrency so they can feel empowered to make investments in the space.

Because this digital currency isnt just for tech bros, he says. Interest in Lunos products comes from all over; whether that is from the women his wife meets in yoga classes to investors keen to cash in on the blockchains capabilities.

Security goes hand-in-hand with education; Luno has to make sure that customers understand and feel comfortable that their money is secure when they purchase cryptocurrency through the wallet. Thats why the start-up has bank-grade security, storing most of its crypto in offline, cold vaults.

This is where the private keys of the cryptocurrency are downloaded and stored in an offline environment, away from the internet, to ensure the coins are safe from hackers.

One of the biggest ironies of bitcoin is its meant to be an online currency, but most it is stored offline, says Swanepoel. We make sure the physical access controls and procedures are multi-step, so one person cant go into the vault and get the crypto out, you need multiple keys for multiple vaults.

It sounds complicated, but these steps are necessary for people to have confidence in Lunos capabilities. Swanepoel says that for Luno to grow further, it is going to continue to improve user experience and education around these types of concerns.Photo: Contributed

The case of Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard, who faces three sexual assault-related charges, will be returning to a Toronto court this morning.

Hoggard, 34, was arrested last month and charged with one count of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm.

Police say the charges relate to three separate incidents involving a woman and a girl under the age of 16 that allegedly occurred in the Toronto area in 2016.

Hoggard's lawyer Ian Smith says the musician will not appear in court.

Court documents say Hoggard is accused of touching the girl in April and September 2016, and that he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in November 2016.

Hoggard, who is from Vancouver, has previously denied ever engaging in non-consensual sexual behaviour, but has said he behaved in a way that objectifies women.Photo: NASA

Air quality across much of B.C. is worse than in one of the world's most notoriously polluted cities.

As wildfire smoke blankets the province, the air we're breathing is more dangerous to your health than in Beijing, China.

Air quality advisories remain in place for the entire Okanagan as well as Metro Vancouver.

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is the main concern, and air quality has continued to be rated at a 10+ or high risk across much of Southern B.C..

"You can definitely feel it in your nose and in your lungs," construction worker Nathan Joe told CTV on Tuesday in North Vancouver.

PM2.5 refers to particles 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter that can make it into your lungs.

A healthy level is considered 25 or below, but on Wednesday morning, Kelowna's rating was 155. Beijing's was 59.

The poor air quality is most likely to affect the elderly, young or those with chronic health conditions.

"We're all inhaling these things, and so we all have to sort of monitor how we're feeling and know ourselves and work with our doctors to figure out what's best for us when the air quality gets like this," says Dr. Mark Lysyshyn of Vancouver Coastal Health.

 with files from CTV VancouverCountries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia ZimbabwePhoto: The Canadian Press

Alcohol giant Constellation Brands will invest $5 billion in Canopy Growth Corp.  the largest strategic investment in the cannabis space to date  which the marijuana producer says will help it scale up and fend off competition from established players in big pharma and booze who are hungrily eyeing the pot industry.

Canopy chief executive Bruce Linton called the infusion of capital "rocket fuel" for the Smiths Falls, Ont.-based licensed producer, enabling it to extend its global reach as more markets legalize cannabis around the world.

Canada will this fall become the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for recreational use, sparking a flurry of activity in the homegrown sector. But in the coming years, Canopy's competition will be the likes of "big pharma," and "packaged beverage," rather than Canadian cannabis companies, Linton told analysts on a conference call Wednesday.

"This about accelerating and getting way further out there before those other big names are in," Linton said. "Getting our products, staking our claims, having the leverage that we have now and moving up."

As part of the deal, the global producer of beer, wine and spirits will make Canopy its exclusive global cannabis partner.

Constellation Brands will own 38 per cent of Canopy under the deal, in which it will acquire 104.5 million Canopy shares at a price of $48.60 per share. Canopy shares were up as high as 30 per cent at $41.82 in morning trading on Wednesday but settled back at $40.11 in late morning trading.

The investment follows a deal last year that saw the Corona-beer maker acquire a nearly 10 per cent stake in Canopy for $245 million and included collaboration on the development of cannabis-based drinks.

Its chief executive Rob Sands called the deal a "powerful partnership" as markets for cannabis are "opening up much more rapidly than appreciated."

"This is an extremely exciting time to be part of what could potentially be one of the most significant global growth opportunities for the next decade," Sands told an investor conference call Wednesday.

The Constellation deal comes as other alcohol companies have also started honing in on the cannabis industry. Earlier this month, Molson Coors Canada entered into a joint venture with the Hydropothecary Corp. to develop non-alcoholic cannabis-infused products. As well, Heineken-owned Lagunitas Brewing Co. recently introduced a cannabis-infused hoppy sparkling water in California.

Constellation's investment on Wednesday is by far the largest strategic investment seen in the space to date, said Russell Stanley, an analyst with Echelon Wealth Partners in a research note.

"Cannabis is quickly becoming a truly global business... We view the Canopy/Constellation news as further proof that a global market opportunity awaits, with Canadian-listed companies well positioned to participate given their head start and superior access to capital," he said.

Linton said Wednesday the money would largely be used to position the licensed producer for international expansion opportunities as cannabis becomes legal in new regions. Priority markets include the United States, Europe and Latin America, he added.

"As we look around the world, we're going to be expanding production, we're going to be doing more research, we're going to develop more intellectual property... And we're going to be way more global," he told analysts on a conference call.

Canopy's target acquisition list exceeds $1 billion for international assets and non-cultivation assets in Canada, Linton said. The licensed medical marijuana producer doesn't intend to acquire any cultivation assets at home, as it is easier to build their own, but would be eyeing domestic assets such as bottling lines, he added.Minister of National Defence, Mihai Fifor, on Wednesday sent a message to the marines, on the Romanian Navy Day, telling them that their duties are essential in defending the Eastern flank of NATO and the EU.

Moreover, Minister Fifor reminded that 2018 - the year of the Great Union Centennial - will be a landmark for the Romanian Navy due to the new acquisitions planned and modernization meant to strengthen the capacity for immediate response of the Navy and to strengthen Romania's position in the Black Sea.

Moreover, the Minister of Defence underscored that there are also many exercises and missions conducted in the Black Sea together with the partners in the North-Atlantic Alliance this year.One Romanian citizen was identified among the persons who were killed by the motorway bridge, part of the Morandi viaduct of the A10 motorway, which collapsed in Genoa, informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), also adding that, considering the gravity of the incident, the complex rescue operations to extract survivors from the rubber are still continuing.

"A mobile consular team, led by the chief of the consular office in Turin, went to the place of the incident and the hospitals in the area to grant consular assistance. According to the preliminary data, among the persons who were killed in the incident discovered so far was also a Romanian citizen," informs MAE.

The consular team will continue its mission during the night and it will remain in permanent touch with the Cell Crisis created by the local authorities and also with the hospitals where the victims were transported.MAE sends condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic incident and wishes fast recovery to the persons who suffered injuries.MAE also reminds the Romanian citizens affected by the situation that they can ask for consular assistance by calling +39 011 249 57 75; +39 011 249 52 64; +39 011 249 50 64; +39 011 235 90 53, which calls will be redirected to the Contact and Support Centre for the Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS), where the Call Center operators will answer at any time, or to call the consular office emergency number: +39 338 756 8134."The General Consular Office of Romania in Turin is monitoring the situation as a priority and maintains permanent contact with the local authorities, granting the necessary consular assistance in such situations, including by releasing the necessary documents for the repatriation of the dead body and the release of the death certificate", says MAE.President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday attended in Constanta the celebrations occasioned by the Romanian Navy Day, according to a press release of the Presidential Administration.

The head of the state attended the festivities organized on the Constanta coast in front of the Fleet Command headquarters.

This is for the second time since taking over when Iohannis participates in the festivities celebrating Romanian Navy Day.On Wednesday there also took place the most impressive naval show of the year. The Romanian Naval Forces Exercise 18 took place between 10.00-12.30 am in Constanta, Mangalia and Tulcea.This is the first year when the Navy Day is being marked in seven cities across the country - Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Tulcea, Bucharest and Cernavoda.The Romanian Navy Day was first celebrated in 1902, in Constanta, on August 15, on the Assumption Day, as Virgin Mary is considered the protector of the marines.President Iohannis on Wednesday stated that Romania cannot be a relevant regional player and a powerful state without a strong army.

"Romania cannot really be a relevant regional player and a powerful state without a strong army, an army that would include the Naval Forces endowed with modern military technique, well trained, capable of successfully dealing with any kind of challenges," President Iohannis said in Constanta, on the occasion of the Romanian Navy Day.

He also revealed that, as a token of appreciation for its activity and special results he bestowed the Order "Marine Virtue" upon the General Staff of the Naval Forces in rank of Knight, with peace insignia for the military.Further on, the President said it was essential for Romania to have the capacity and wisdom to strengthen its position as a NATO member and credible strategic partner of the USA."We must be realistic and we must understand the global context we are facing today. For we are witnessing a new geostrategic landscape forming itself, which evolution is hard to anticipate or foresee. However, Romania remains like an oasis of stability and a regional supplier of security. There are real advantages that this status bring for us and it is essential that we have the capacity and wisdom to use the numerous advantages in order to strengthen our position as an important NATO member and credible strategic partner of the United States of America," said Iohannis.In his opinion, only international cooperation, based on the international norms, represents the solution for peace consolidation and global security."I am firmly convinced and this is the position that our country continues to support, that only international cooperation, based on the international norms, represents the solution for peace consolidation and global security. And, more than that, the economic dimension of this cooperation can bring real benefits to the countries in the South-East Europe, as well as to other interested states. We should never forget that Black Sea continues to represent an important bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, and that we have the possibility to capitalize on the Danube as natural corridor for transit between Central Europe, Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea," said Iohannis.Moreover, the President showed that, regardless of the country they came from, the marines are a great family.'Dear marines, this celebration is dedicated first of all to you. The marines, regardless of the countries they are coming from, are a great family, and they help each other in need. They are the living example of human solidarity, beyond any borders. Regardless if you serve in the Civil or Military Marine, you represent some of the best ambassadors of our country, promoters of the values that unite and define us as a nation. I congratulate you and I wish you great success and good health, with the Virgin Margin, the protector of the Romanian Marine, to protect you wherever you are!" said Iohannis.President Klaus Iohannis is deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred on Tuesday near Genoa, killing tens of persons, among whom two Romanian citizens, informs a release of the Presidential Administration remitted to AGERPRES.

"President Klaus Iohannis's thoughts are with the families of the two Romanian citizens who were killed in the Genoa bridge incident and with the mourning families of all those who lost their lives and he also wishes fast recovery to the persons injured," reads the release.

Moreover, Klaus Iohannis sent condolences to his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella and to the Italian authorities."President Klaus Iohannis and the entire Romanian people think about Italy and the Italian people during these tough moments," reads the release.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that two Romanian citizens were identified up tot his moment among the persons killed in the tragic incident that occurred on Tuesday, when a portion of the Morandi viaduct of the A10 motorway near Geneva collapsed.A second Romanian citizen, one who had double citizenship, was identified among the persons killed in the Genoa motorway bridge collapse on Tuesday, informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), accordind to Agerpres.

"A mobile consular team, led by the chief of the consular office in Turin, went to the place of the incident and the hospitals in the area to grant consular assistance. According to the preliminary data, among the persons who were killed in the incident discovered so far were also two Romanian citizens," informs MAE.

The consular team will continue its mission during the night and it will remain in permanent touch with the Cell Crisis created by the local authorities and also with the hospitals where the victims were transported.MAE sends condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic incident and wishes fast recovery to the persons who suffered injuries.MAE also reminds the Romanian citizens affected by the situation that they can ask for consular assistance by calling +39 011 249 57 75; +39 011 249 52 64; +39 011 249 50 64; +39 011 235 90 53, which calls will be redirected to the Contact and Support Centre for the Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS), where the Call Center operators will answer at any time, or to call the consular office emergency number: +39 338 756 8134."The General Consular Office of Romania in Turin is monitoring the situation as a priority and maintains permanent contact with the local authorities, granting the necessary consular assistance in such situations, including by releasing the necessary documents for the repatriation of the dead bodies and the release of the death certificates", says MAE.Photo: Contributed

True Leaf Medicine International continues to ride high as it grows its business internationally.

The Okanagan-based cannabis company announced late last month that its facility in Lumby is on schedule.

"The first phase of the project includes a two-storey 9,000 square foot central hub for the initial grow area, laboratory services, whole-plant extraction, and the production of therapeutic cannabis products, followed by a 16,000 square foot wing for cannabis cultivation."

Deep utilities, trenching, and other civil works began in early July and the formwork and structural steel construction of the administration area was completed by mid-June. Crews are now installing the roof and first-floor decking, leading up to completion of the building envelope by end of August."

Wednesday Tue Leaf announced it brought Dr. Katherine Kramer on as Founding Chair of its Veterinary Advisory Board.

"Dr. Kramer, a vocal advocate for the research and therapeutic use of cannabis for animals, is the Medical Director at the VCA-Canada Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital and has been practicing veterinary medicine for 16 years. She became interested in alternative treatment early in her career, blending herbs and acupuncture with Western medicine to promote optimal health.



Dr. Kramers study of cannabis is driven by the many successes her patients have had over the past six years and she is considered a pioneer in this field. She has been featured in local and national media in Canada and has become a resource for veterinarians across North America seeking information on the benefits of medicinal cannabis for pets.Photo: The Canadian Press Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer listens during a news conference in Vancouver on November 8, 2017.

Canada's police chiefs say in light of recent gun-related tragedies in Fredericton and in other cities across the country they are striking a committee to analyze data related to gun violence.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, which wrapped up its annual conference Wednesday in Halifax, says it wants to come up with evidence-based recommendations to help combat the problem.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer, the newly elected president of the association, said while gun violence "ebbs and flows" across the country, the chiefs believe there has been a spike in illegal firearm use over the past year.

"We are seeing in many cities, small and large throughout our country, an increase in gun violence whether its Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg or out here in the Maritimes, we are seeing an increase in that," said Palmer.

He said Canada's current gun control regime is "actually very good" and the association is not calling for any wholesale legislative changes related to gun violence. It also isn't calling for tighter restrictions for rifles and shotguns.

"But we are going to be looking at that issue (violence) and we may come forward with recommendations in the future."

Palmer said the association does support measures to strengthen certain aspects of federal gun regulations in Bill C-71, including rules around obtaining a gun licence and the transportation of firearms.

Last week, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair said the latest rash of shootings had added to a sense of public urgency for Ottawa to do more to keep deadly firearms out of the wrong hands.

Blair said the government's work would include looking at "any measure which will be effective.''

Palmer said the overall issue isn't law-abiding people who want to possess firearms, but rather people who are involved in criminal activity who obtain guns through illegal means.

Those means include getting illegal firearms from the U.S., through break-and-enters, and from legal gun owners without criminal records who purchase firearms and then sell them on the black market.

He said less organized street gangs are a particular concern for police.

"We are seeing a resurgence of lower level street gangs that are becoming quite violent, becoming ever more sophisticated and that are starting to connect themselves with organized crime at a higher level," said Palmer.

Still, Palmer said gun violence is a complex issue that will require many different approaches, from early education for children on the dangers of guns and gangs to better enforcement measures.

"We are looking at different strategies," he said. "We want to follow best practices in reducing violence."Photo: Colin Dacre

Oliver RCMP nabbed a pair of well-known crooks over the weekend.

Police were at South Okanagan General Hospital Saturday at about 9:30 p.m. to assist with a woman in distress in the ER, when a hospital staff member who had just gotten off shift ran inside to tell police she interrupted someone rummaging around in her car.

The staff member gave police a detailed description of the suspect and told officers he had fled toward the community centre.

Another officer in the area was alerted of the situation and arrested the suspect following a short foot pursuit. A number of stolen items were recovered in a search related to the arrest. The suspect is well known to Oliver police and the investigation continues.

The night prior, at about 12:15 a.m. officers on patrol in Oliver spotted a man riding a bicycle they recognized as Tyler Newton, who is on a curfew.

Officers arrested Newton immediately and located a weapon and drugs on him. He was also arrested for breach and mischief related to a separate investigation.

He appeared in Penticton court Wednesday on breach, weapons and mischief charges and had his bail revoked.

A number of these charges were possible due to a member of the community being proactive and bringing evidence forward that assisted police with obtaining charge approval, said Cpl. Christina Tarasoff. A job well done by all!Photo: 19 Wing Public Affairs

A military rescue helicopter from CFB Comox lifted an injured man from a fishing boat near Haida Gwaii on Tuesday.

The man was hurt in a fall on board the boat, which anchored in sheltered waters near Graham Island during the medevac operation.

Search and rescue techs from 442 Squadron lowered to the boat and lifted the fisherman to the CH-149 Cormorant helicopter.

He was taken to Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre.

 with files from CTV Vancouver IslandThrough the 1990s, during the terms of US President Bill Clinton, NATO relentlessly and inexorably expanded through Central Europe. Today, the expansion of that alliance eastward  encircling Russia with fiercely Russo-phobic regimes in one tiny country after another and in Ukraine, which is not tiny at all  continues.

This NATO expansion  which the legendary George Kennan presciently warned against in vain  continues to drive the world the closer towards the threat of thermonuclear war. Far from bringing the United States and the Western NATO allies increased security, it strips them of the certainty of the peace and security they would enjoy if they instead sought a sincere, constructive and above all stable relationship with Russia.

It is argued that the addition of the old Warsaw Pact member states of Central Europe to NATO has dramatically strengthened NATO and gravely weakened Russia. This has been a universally-accepted assumption in the United States and throughout the West for the past quarter century. Yet it simply is not true.

In reality, the United States and its Western European allies are now discovering the hard way the same lesson that drained and exhausted the Soviet Union from the creation of the Warsaw Pact in 1955 to its dissolution 36 years later. The tier of Central European nations has always lacked the coherence, the industrial base and the combined economic infrastructure to generate significant industrial, financial or most of all strategic and military power.

In fact the current frustrating experience of NATO, and the long, exhausting tribulations that faced Soviet diplomats and generals for so many decades was entirely consistent with the previous historical record going back at least until 1718.

From 1718 until 1867  a period of a century and a half  most of Central Europe, including even regions of Poland at the end of the 18th century, were consolidated within the Austro Hungarian Empire, However even then, the Habsburg multi-national empire was always militarily weak and punched beneath its weight. After Emperor Franz Josef recklessly proclaimed his famous Compromise of 1867, the effectiveness of the imperial army was reduced to almost zero. The autonomous and feckless conduct of the Hungarian aristocracy ensured a level of confusion, division, incompetence and ineptitude that was revealed in the armys total collapse against both Russia and Serbia in the great battles of 1914 at the start of World War I.

Germany moved in to occupy and consolidate the region in both world wars. But far from making Germany a global giant and enabling it to maintain its domination of Europe, the Central European regions  whether as part of Austro-Hungary during World War I or as independent nation-states allied to the Nazis in World War II  proved miniscule and worthless against the alliances of Russia, the United States, Britain and France that the Germans fought against in both global conflicts.

After the Soviet Union militarily destroyed the genocidal military power of Nazi Germany in World War II, Russias Great Patriotic War, the political consolidation of East Germany and Poland were strategically necessary for Russias security. But occupying and organizing the rest of the region was not. Far from strengthening the Soviet Union, those nations weakened and distracted it. Today, NATO is repeating the Soviet Mistake and that fatal move is inexorably draining the alliance of all its strength and credibility.

NATO is also repeating the disastrous mistake that France made in 1920-21 when it created a Little Entente of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania to supposedly counterbalance the revival of Germany. The plan failed completely.

Today those very same nations  enthusiastically joined by Hungary, Poland and the three little Baltic states  are relentlessly distorting both NATO and the EU. They generate weakness and chaos in the alliances they are in  not unity and strength.

As I have noted before in these columns, the great British historian Lord Correlli Barnett drew the important distinction between militarily powerful nations that are generators and exporters of security and those, either tiny or disorganized, pacifist and weak nations that have to import their security from more powerful states.

One might call such small countries feeder or parasite states. They siphon off energy and strength from their protector partners. They weaken their alliance partners rather than strengthening them.

The consistent lessons of more than 300 years of Central European history are therefore clear: Leading and organizing the tier of Central European nations in the Warsaw Pact did not strengthen the Soviet Union: Instead, those activities relentlessly weakened it.

Incorporating most of the small nations in Central Europe into any empire or alliance has never been a cause or generator of military or national strength, regardless of the ideology or religious faith involved. At best, it is a barometer of national strength.

When nations such as France, Germany, the Soviet Union or the United States are seen as rising powers in the world, the small countries of Central Europe always hasten to ally themselves accordingly. They therefore adopt and discard Ottoman Islamic imperialism. Austrian Christian imperialism, democracy, Nazism, Communism and again democracy as easily as putting on or off different costumes at a fancy dress ball in Vienna or Budapest.

As Russia rises once again in global standing and national power, supported by its genuinely powerful allies China, India and Pakistan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the nations of Central Europe can be anticipated to reorient their own loyalties accordingly once again.US President Donald Trump signed a $716 billion defense policy bill into law on Aug. 13. The United States allocates as much on its defense as the next eight nations combined. It outspends China by a factor of more than three-to-one.

The NDAA includes $616.9 billion for the base budget and $69 billion for overseas contingency operations. The sum of $21.9 billion for nuclear weapons programs goes to the Energy Department. Section 3111 authorizes the Secretary of Energy to develop low-yield nuclear weapons capable of more tactical use as the Nuclear Posture Report calls for.

Section 1663 seeks to accelerate programs to develop both a ground-based strategic deterrent and long-range standoff weapons. To preserve global footprint the military is working on next-generation aircraft, including and a sixth-generation fighter. The new US Air Force's new long-range stealth B-21 Raider bomber is to be fully funded. New aircraft carriers (the fourth Ford-class flattop) to preserve 10 strike groups, new surface ships (three LCS and three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers), attack (two Virginia-class submarines) and ballistic-missile submarines (a Columbia class boomer) are coming.

Non-MDAP (major defense acquisition programs), including hypervelocity drones, got a large share of the R&D funds to make the military a future-oriented force.

Active duty manpower is to grow by 24,100. The funds allocated for six icebreakers demonstrate the intent to boost military capabilities in the Arctic. The law adds $140 million to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for hypersonic defense capabilities and development of critical directed energy and space sensing projects. Funds are allocated for integrating Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems. The agency is authorized to work on space-based boost phase intercept systems. It means the arms race goes to space. If the technology is mature, live fire intercept capability is expected in FY22. The MDA will continue to work toward putting a laser on a UAV to strike missile at the initial phase of the trajectory. Its not all. Congress is still to pass a spending bill to fund specific priorities with the military.

According to the NDAA, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are adversaries to be countered. The National Defense Authorization Act 2019 strengthens the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is responsible for reviewing proposed foreign investments to weigh whether they threaten national security. This measure is obviously targeted at China.

The law delays the delivery of stealth warplanes to Ankara. The Secretary of Defense is directed to study whether Turkeys planned deployment of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system will risk the security of US-made F-35 fighter jets.

The NDAA does not authorize the use of military force against Iran but focuses on the policy to destabilize it, including identifying the countries, which cooperate with Tehran. The law does not say it openly but the countries to be affected are Russia, China and, probably, Turkey.

The NDAA pays much attention to strengthening defense and security ties with Taiwan, including military sales, to anger China. Defense assistance to Taiwan is to increase. Chinese investments are blunted as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is to be strengthened.

The document includes tough language on Russia. It says the funding goes to cyber warfare and influence operations to counter Russian aggression, cyber, and information warfare threats. The Open Skies Treaty (OST) is actually suspended (Section 1242). The Air Force cannot use certain funds intended to bring the United States into compliance with the OST. The NDAA (Section 3122) specifically prohibits any use of funds to enter into a contract with or provide assistance to Russia relating to atomic energy defense activities. This restriction may be waivered if the secretaries of State, Defense and Energy determine such action would be in the US national security interest. Using funds for any activity that recognizes the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over Crimea is forbidden.

The president is required (Section 1243) to provide relevant congressional committees with a determination as to whether Russia is in material breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and, as a result, whether related treaty provisions remain binding on the United States. The law says (Section 1244) Russias violations of the INF Treaty entitle the United States to suspend its operation. The president is required to inform Congress whether he has implemented certain sanctions and related measures authorized by the 2018 NDAA against individuals and entities who have contributed to Russias treaty violations by Nov. 1, 2018.

The president is to report on whether he raised the issue with Russia on including its new weapon systems (alleged strategic offensive arms) into the New START Treaty count and whether their position impacts the viability of that treaty or requires additional US responses. Obviously, the systems in question include the Sarmat ICBM, the Burevestnik nuclear powered cruise missile, the Kh-101 air-to surface long range cruise missile, the Poseidon underwater drone and the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle.

A total of $6.3 billion goes to European Deterrence Initiative to deter Russia. The provocative military presence near Russias borders will be strengthened.

Georgia is present in the document. The NDAA includes robust security sector assistance for Georgia, including defensive lethal assistance, to improve its interoperability with NATO forces. Military assistance, originally provided to Ukraine in the 2016 NDAA, will continue. The $250 million in assistance goes to Kiev, of which $50 million is designated specifically for delivery of lethal weapons.

In a nutshell, the new law restricts presidential foreign policy prerogatives to complicate the negotiation process with Russia. It does not emphasize the importance of maintaining the existing arms control agreements in force and puts into doubt the need to comply with them. The document uses tough language to paint Russia as a hostile state and forbids military-to-military contacts, which are needed so much, especially at a time the relationship is at a low ebb. The military should talk despite the political fluctuations.

The NDAA encourages space militarization and arms race in different domains. The break-up of INF Treaty in combination with boosting the EDI may lead to stationing intermediate range offensive forces in the Baltic States, Poland and Romania dangerously close to Russian borders. This is unacceptable for Russia but its hard to negotiate the controversial issues under the NDAA terms and in the environment it creates. This is a defense budget of confrontation giving preference to pressure instead of negotiations and diplomacy.The Philippines is receiving another four OV-10 aircraft from the U.S. These are being provided at no charge. The United States still has six or more OV-10s in government service and the Philippines has several in storage because of lack of money to get them flyable. Of the four just sent to the Philippines two had been used by NASA and two had been upgraded and sent to Iraq in a combat test. Those two OV-10Gs were upgraded with a new glass cockpit and a fire-control system that allowed it to fire APKWS laser-guided 70mm missiles. The 2015 test was considered a success but the U.S. Air Force opposed adopting an OV-10 as a light attack aircraft and that was that. The two OV-10Gs had their military gear removed but were otherwise serviceable. The Philippines is receiving the four OV-10s disassembled and is using its own OV-10 technicians to assemble them and make them combat ready for service by early 2019.

Several dozen OV-10s are still in use worldwide out of over 300 manufactured. In Vietnam, the OV-10 was used more for reconnaissance and directing air and artillery strikes, than in using its own firepower. Since the 1990s, the Philippines have received 36 used OV-10s from the U.S. and Thailand. By 2018 eight of them were flyable and these were regularly used for reconnaissance and ground attack missions. The OV-10 is a two-seat, 6.5 ton, twin prop aircraft that can carry over two tons of weapons and stay in the air for three hours per sortie. Max speed is 450 kilometers an hour. Wingspan is 12.2 meters (40 feet) and length is 12.7 meters (41.6 feet).

The first OV-10 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force, specifically for use in Vietnam, in 1968. The last one was produced (for export to Indonesia) in 1976. The U.S. Air Force and Marines were the primary users of OV-10s and the last of these was retired, by the marines, in 1994. Over a hundred were exported to Germany, Thailand, Colombia, Venezuela, Philippines, and Indonesia. In mid-2017 the remaining eight flyable Filipino OV-10s were frequently seen attacking ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) targets in the southern city of Marawi, where hundreds of Islamic terrorists tried and failed, to take control of the city. The air strikes and ground troops crippled the several Islamic terror groups that had joined together and embraced ISIL, believing that would guarantee them victory.

In 2012 the Philippines equipped some of its OV-10s to use American made JDAM (GPS guided bombs). In early 2012 OV-10s used these smart bombs to attack an Abu Sayyaf (Islamic terrorist) camp on Jolo Island. American UAVs provided reconnaissance, using heat sensors to spot the terrorist camp and night cameras to confirm who was there and provide the Filipino OV-10 with GPS coordinates. The attack was made before dawn and the American UAVs recorded video of the survivors dragging off the dead and wounded before Filipino ground troops showed up. The Philippines Air Force later denied they had used smart bombs but hitting a target like that, at night, is nearly impossible with unguided bombs. In any event, the aircraft delivering the 227 kg (500 pound) bombs was definitely an OV-10. Accepting American technical advice, including high tech weapons, is a touchy political subject in the Philippines, which may explain the denials.

Since the 1960s advances in technology (materials, electronics and aircraft design) made the propeller driven single engine basic pilot training aircraft more robust and adaptable. Noting this trend at the end of 2017 the Philippines ordered six Brazilian A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft. These A-29s will be in service by the end of 2019. The A-29 is basically an armed trainer. The Super Tucano already has most of the market for such trainer/warplanes. This single engine, single-seat aircraft was built for pilot training but also performs quite well for counter-insurgency work. The Super Tucano is basically a prop driven trainer that has structural features making it easy to equip it for combat missions as the A-29, which comes with armor for the pilot, a pressurized cockpit, and an ejection seat.

The A-29 has a max takeoff weight of 5.4 tons and can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons, including 12.7mm machine-guns (one under each wing), bombs and missiles. The Super Tucano has a GPS based navigation system as standard and can also carry a number of optional electronics systems. One is a FLIR (infrared radar that produces a photo-realistic video image in any weather) and a fire control system for bombing. Cruising speed is 500 kilometers an hour and average endurance is six hours. Max altitude is 11,300 meters (35,000 feet) and stall (slowest speed) is 150 kilometers an hour. Naturally, this aircraft can move in lower and slower than any jet can. A-29s can be equipped to use small (250 and 500 pound) GBU-12 and GBU-58 laser-guided bombs.

Several nations are using A-29s for counter-insurgency work. The aircraft is also used for border patrol. The Super Tucano costs $9 million each, and come in one or two seat versions. The Super Tucano suited Filipino needs much the same way the OV-10 did, but even more so and at greater expense. The A-29 demonstrates how a smaller, slower aircraft that can double as trainers. It's easier to train pilots to use the Super Tucano, cheaper to buy them, and much cheaper to operate them. It costs about $500 an hour to operate an A-29, which less than a tenth of what it costs for an F-16.

The Philippines selected the A-29 because of earlier experience with a similar aircraft, like the OV-10. By the 1990s it was obvious that these aircraft were suitable, and often superior, for counter-insurgency work. The A-29 is one of the best examples of that.by Austin Bay August 14, 2018

Critical facts on the ground don't support the cynical assessment that Yemen's chaotic war pits everyone against one another in a confused melee of carnage and starvation.

Stipulate the key combatant coalitions, the Saudi Arabia-led pro-Yemen government coalition and the Iran-backed Houthi rebel confederation -- both have political weaknesses. Despite their flaws, they manage to form two distinct sides with enough weapons and moral resilience to spill blood over issues and interests that affect Saudi Arabia and Iran, threaten the Middle East and torture Yemen.

With that larger circumstance acknowledged, local alliances can rapidly shift for intimate or transient reasons nation state spies fail to divine in Yemen. Criminals (particularly smugglers) frequently serve multiple belligerents since the crooks' real master is money. In anarchic circumstances like those afflicting Yemen, diplomats, spies and reporters may understandably confuse criminal violence with guerrilla combat.

Now for the significant qualification: In war, enemies can and do make opportunistic arrangements. World War One's tactical truces between British and German soldiers to retrieve the wounded are altruistic examples.

However, malign deals are also struck. That is one reason the Associated Press' sensational report that the Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition had paid "some" al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) commanders "to leave key cities and towns while letting others retreat with weapons, equipment, and wads of looted cash" got media and political traction.

The Saudi coalition quickly disputed the report and denied any deals with AQAP terrorists. So did the U.S. Department of Defense. The Pentagon said that since January, 2017, it had hit AQAP in "ungoverned space" with over 140 attacks. Earlier this month StrategyPage.com reported that the U.S. has conducted over 30 UAV attacks in Yemen in 2018.

Fighting al-Qaida in Yemen is old news that remains relevant. In November, 2002, a CIA-operated Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Yemen's Marib province killed six al-Qaida terrorists with a Hellfire missile. One of the terrorists was the brains behind the attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in October, 2000. The Yemen strike was the first time an American drone attacked Islamist terrorists outside of Afghanistan.

Yet America's 2018 war on al-Qaida in Yemen is a background conflict. So is al-Qaida's war with the Islamic State, the notorious Sunni Islamist terrorist organization. You missed that news? In mid-July, local sources in Yemen's Al Baida province reported firefights between al-Qaida and Islamic State fighters. Subsequent government reports provided an unconfirmed death toll: 18 Islamic State corpses, 11 Al Qaeda stiffs. Accurate? Who knows? But opportunistic arrangements between thugs usually end in mutual bloodshed.

Al-Qaida and Iran have opportunistic relationships that other media organizations have covered. Recently, The Weekly Standard reminded the world that Shia Muslim Iran's Lebanese Hezbollah Shia proxies provided al-Qaida's Sunni extremist terrorists with explosives training in preparation for al-Qaida's attacks on the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. Those attacks occurred two decades ago -- August 7, 1998.

The American war on Islamist terrorists and the Islamist terrorists' civil war amongst themselves flicker beneath the larger clash between the Saudi coalition and Iran's Houthi rebels.

The United Arab Emirates, a Sunni Muslim Arab nation and Saudi Arabia's primary ally in Yemen, is publicly incensed at the "deals with al-Qaida" accusation. A senior Emirati officer said the terror group is a regional and global threat and the UAE is "determined" to destroy AQAP.

If there was an opportunistic arrangement between coalition forces and local AQAP fighters, it sounds like the deal was very local, and extremely short-lived.The commander of the 21,000 AU (African Union) peacekeeper force has ordered peacekeepers to permanently attach themselves with army units and operate together as a joint force. This is another effort to deal with the poor discipline, corruption and uneven performance of Somali Army units. All the AU troops are African and, while Somalis have a high opinion of themselves, it will be interesting to see how they react to daily examples of other African soldiers demonstrating superior discipline and capability. This may be a cure or a source of fatal friction between the Somali soldiers and the peacekeepers.

Al Shabaab is also having personnel problems. Although the Islamic terror organization has established a new source of income (via providing immunity from attack in return for regular payments) this protection scheme enables al Shabaab to pay the salaries and benefits for leaders and monthly pay for full-time members. Al Shabaab always takes care of its payroll because it has discovered in the past that unpaid members often just walk away. The current pay levels are enough to keep most members on the job but not enough for expansion or foreign operations. Before 2011, when al Shabaab still controlled much of Mogadishu as well as other ports like Kismayo and a percentage of the pirate ransoms (which dried up after 2011) there was a lot more cash to work with and al Shabaab was a lot more dangerous. Now they are a persistent local problem. They are trying to establish themselves among the Somali minority in Kenya but that is proving difficult. In part, it is because most of the hundreds of Kenyan Somalis who joined al Shabaab in Somalia have died or deserted and returned home disillusioned. In Somalia, this means al Shabaab is concentrating more on recruiting via kidnapped or enticed children (teenaged boys). Until they get older and more experienced these recruits are cheap and expendable. Taking these kids is considered another form of taxation rural Somalis have to deal with.

Noisy Neighbors Next Door

Over the last week, there has been another outbreak of ethnic violence next door in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The governor of the region was replaced (after he was arrested) and federal forces were sent in to calm things down between ethnic Somalis and other groups (particularly Christians). Unrest among ethnic Somalis next door in Ethiopia was a problem for much of 2017 but by the end of 2017, the government had restored the peace and Ethiopians displaced by the violence began returning home. The Ethiopian government returned its attention to the Somali problem in Somalia.

The Ethiopian problem was not about violence against Somalia but between ethnic Somalis in eastern Ethiopia and the non-Somali Oromo people who live to the west. The Ethiopian province of Ogaden, which comprises most of eastern Ethiopia contains a largely ethnic Somali population. To the west of Ogaden is Oromia, where the largest minority in Ethiopia (the Oromo) predominate. There have long been territorial disputes along the Ogaden-Oromia border and these have flared up again in 2017 and took a while for the government and armed forces (many withdrawn from Somalia) to deal with.

Meanwhile, many Somalis believe Ogaden belongs to Somalia. Islamic radicals in Somalia have long sought to conquer Ogaden but the Ethiopians have been defeating these efforts for generations. That is not going to change, especially since oil and gas have been discovered in Ogaden, and drilling is underway. In 2015 Somalia and Ethiopia signed an agreement to not provide rebels from the other nations with sanctuary.

Earlier in 2018 Kenya hosted another round of peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the ONLF (Ogaden National Liberation Front). This was part of a larger effort to bring peace to Somalis throughout the region (mainly Somalia but also Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti). Somalia is playing a role in trying to make peace between Ethiopia and its Somali minority. For example, in August 2017 Somalia arrested Abdikarin Sheikh Muse, an ethnic Somali who was an Ethiopian rebel leader hiding out in Somalia. Muse was taken to the Ethiopian border and turned over to Ethiopia, which had requested this. That, as expected, caused some protest demonstrations by Somalis who believe Ogaden belongs to Somalia. The newly elected Somali president survived this and remains popular. Most Somalis have mixed feelings about Ogaden. The Ethiopians have been defeating Somali efforts to seize Ogaden for generations. That is not going to change, especially since oil and gas have been discovered in Ogaden, and drilling is underway. Abdikarin Sheikh Muse is a leader in the ONLF and Somalia has long been a convenient refuge. In 2015 Somalia and Ethiopia signed an agreement to not provide rebels from the other nations with sanctuary. Meanwhile, Ethiopia is having problems in Oromia, the region east of the Ogaden, which is populated by Moslems who are hostile the Christian Ethiopians who run the country and the Somalis in neighboring Ogaden. That is another issue that Ethiopia has to handle on its own but solutions never seem to last long.

August 8, 2018: In the south (Lamu, across the border in Kenya) al Shabaab raiders used a roadside bomb and gunfire to kill five Kenyan police, wound six and destroying their truck. Kenyan police believe these attackers were among the many hiding out in the nearby Boni Forest, which has long been a refuge for outlaws because the thinly populated woodlands are on both sides of the border. Kenya spends $20 million a year providing security for the 360 kilometers Somalia border. Because of the continuing al Shabaab violence in Somalia, there are plenty of people (refugees, smugglers) crossing illegally besides Islamic terrorists and bandits.

August 5, 2018: In Mogadishu, a bomb hidden in a truck went off near a popular restaurant leaving six dead. Al Shabaab was believed responsible, as it was an earlier incident where two al Shabaab gunmen were killed at a checkpoint. Some 30 kilometers southwest of the city an al Shabaab suicide car bomber attacked the entrance to the Afgoye army base, killing three soldiers. Al Shabaab gunmen then tried to get into the camp but were repulsed. There were more casualties on both sides before the Islamic terrorists fled.

August 2, 2018: Some 120 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu an American UAV used a missile to kill four al Shabaab men. That is the 19th such attack (UAVs and missiles) so far in 2018. There were 31 attacks in 2017 and 15 in 2015. The main purpose of the UAV operations in Somalia (including Puntland and Somaliland) is to deal with international Islamic terrorists like ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) or al Qaeda (which al Shabaab technically belongs to). There were some attacks against ISIL in 2017 but none in 2018. There are still some ISIL in Somalia but the few that remain are hiding out in the Puntland highlands getting by as bandits, too busy with that to pose much of an international threat. There are still some al Shabaab factions that show up (in chatter or whatever that foreign intel agencies can detect) as still trying to support violence outside of Somalia. Often this is other African states like Kenya or Uganda. Since these two countries supply many of the AU peacekeepers, the Americans go after any al Shabaab cells that appear to be planning violence in neighboring states.

July 30, 2018: Another thousand Ugandan soldiers deployed to Somalia. The contingent replaces the current Ugandan battle group serving with the AU peacekeepers.

July 23, 2018: In the south (outside Kismayo) about a hundred al Shabaab attacked an unused (but still guarded) base. Two suicide car bombs hit the main gate followed by gunmen. The initial attack killed four soldiers guarding the gate. About a dozen soldiers died before the guard force was ordered to retreat and let the reinforcements take care of the more numerous al Shabaab. The attackers fled when reinforcements arrived and took more losses in the process. There wasnt much (that was portable) to steal. At least six of the attackers were killed in the operation. Al Shabaab was apparently the victim of poor intelligence because although this camp sometimes hosted Kenyan and American troops that was not the case when the expensive (in terms of men and resources) al Shabaab attack took place.

July 20, 2018: In the north al Shabaab took control of the town of Urur, again. The government soon regained control. Al Shabaab got in because the garrison left before its replacements arrived and al Shabaab took advantage of that to do some looting. Taking Af Urur can be dangerous because in mid-2017 Puntland executed seven al Shabaab men who had been captured after they attacked both the military base and adjacent village of Af Urur and killed about fifty people. The village and base are near the coast and a main road south so the government fights to keep control.

July 19, 2018: The United States amended its description of al Shabaab (as an international terrorist organization) to include the Kenyan branch (Al Hijra). In the past (since it was formed in 2008) Al Hijra often described itself as a separate Islamic terrorist group but its members are almost all ethnic Somali Kenyans and the group survives because of its connections with al Shabaab.Bay of Plenty

We are looking for a storeman with an OSH forklift license. You will need to be physically for as the job is about 70% forklift...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nzAs striking primary teachers abandoned their blackboards today, the Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges went into bat for them.

All teachers deserve more money and better conditions, and one way or another, they will get it.

The Tauranga MP and Leader of the Opposition comes from a family of teachers. His mother, brother, sister and grandmother were teachers.

And we need to ensure teachers are acknowledged as highly respected professionals in our communities.

The Government had suggested the strike action by 30,000 primary teachers and principals was premature, that they should have continued negotiating. But Simon Bridges turned the heat back on the Government.

The strike makes clear the Government over-promised prior to the election. They were like Santa throwing out a Christmas present. And hard-working teachers thought they would be the children who would be getting a big gift. Sadly Santa hasnt got any gifts or them.

He says thats because the government has made its priorities.

And its decided to prioritise pet projects for Winston Peters and a bunch of other big spends like tertiary free fees.

And while the Government says it just doesnt have the money to pay the teachers, Simon says thats simply not true.

The Government has very strong books albeit with an economy coming off the heat a bit and the state of those books worsening.

The dispute is not just about pay but also conditions.

Thats why over the past few weeks I have been emphasising smaller class sizes. Because that in itself would allow teachers to focus on what matters to them and to parents - individual one-on-one time with kids.

Todays teachers strike was the first in 24 years. But Simon Bridges doesnt necessarily support direct action saying that, ultimately, they dont make New Zealanders richer.

If it were that simple it would be great.

He says its about having a strong business confidence and a growing economy, where businesses and the Government though its tax take, have the ability in a sustainable way to pay more.

With the nurses striking recently, and now the teachers, the national Party leader suggests New Zealand is in a period of great industrial unrest.

We have had more strikes and threats of them in the last few months than we have had over the last decade. Wheres it going to end?Census New Zealand is clearing up reports that field workers in the Coromandel were told to skip some houses in the region.

The allegations have been questioned by Coromandel MP Scott Simpson who says he is seriously concerned at the reports.

The potential impacts of this are huge for the Coromandel. If households were purposefully or even accidentally skipped this would seriously compromise the quality of the data and have wide ranging ramifications for Coromandel.

Our portion of over $10 billion of health funding allocated to DHBs each year is based on Census population data. If that data is not accurate and information about population size and demographics are not available this could mean that the Coromandel misses out on vital funding.

It would also affect our schools - the funding formula for the operating grants for our schools is derived from the Census, as are decisions about the allocation of resources in social services, police, sports, transport and many other services.

We know that the data for over 400,000 people is missing across the country  who knows what portion of this is from Coromandel. There are some serious questions to answer if it turns out that this year our geography proved too difficult.

Im also worried that people not just in the Coromandel, but in other remote parts of New Zealand have not had an opportunity to participate in this years Census.

The Minister needs to front up about the reports from experienced census workers that they were given instructions to simply skip some houses. This undermines the nationwide credibility of the entire caucus and puts at risk the public services in Coromandel.

He also needs to assure Coromandel locals that their data and the resulting funding allocations will not be affected by his Census shambles.

However Census New Zealand general manager Kathy Connolly says field workers were given specific instructions on how to carry out the work.

Our instructions to our field teams were to visit all the households on their lists, and to record any challenges, including any safety concerns, with visiting a property so that a decision could be made by their team leader about further follow up.

She say the census field team had been made up of contracted staff members, who received up to 21 hours of paid training before commencing their work with households before, and after, census day.

In some cases, field staff didnt work across all phases of the operation, so would not have had the experience of following up with households after census day.

The field officer who has raised her concerns worked with us at the beginning of the operation for nine days, and was not part of the follow up activity after census day.

Kathy says for the first time Stats NZ were able to track which households had completed their census forms and which households needed a follow up.

Our system was based on an address list that had been built from 2013 Census data, NZ Post data and a canvassing operation in July 2017, where we checked 80 percent of the records on our list in person.

Workloads were prioritised accordingly and our field team completed close to one million visits over seven weeks of follow up after census day.

As part of this process, field officers recorded a visit outcome so that we could see if contact had been made with a household, and whether the household was planning to send back postal forms or take part online, or was refusing to take part.

She says households that had been identified as not taking part were followed up with a combination of visits and reminder letters.

The follow up period after census day ran until 30 April so that we could reach as many people as possible who had not taken part in the census on or before 6 March.

Stats NZ is in the process of assessing the collection phase of the census operation, which closed in April 2018.

This assessment will include analysis of feedback from our field officers, and will feed into the wider review process for the 2018 Census.DOC's popular Kauaeranga Valley campgrounds, near Thames, may be unusable this summer thanks to severe damage caused by vandals.

Department of Conservation ranger Peter Hall says all nine DOC campgrounds in the Kauaeranga Valley near Thames had been damaged by vandals in 4WD vehicles on three separate occasions over the past month.

"The campgrounds have been turned from pristine grassy river flats surrounded by native bush, to churned up mud pits with barely a blade of grass left standing along with damage to the gates and facilities," he says.

"With the summer camping season just around the corner, this is a major concern to the Department of Conservation's Hauraki Area Office, as the camp grounds are now unusable and require significant rehabilitation."

Six of the campgrounds have been badly damaged and the other three were not quite as bad, however, it's currently too wet to repair the damage.

"We've got a local contractor lined up ... we'll get a bobcat in there to smooth it over and spread some grass seed and keep our fingers crossed but at the moment it's too wet.

"With DOC resources focused on some of the region's biggest issues such kauri dieback and high-risk structures, there is a possibility the campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley will be unusable this summer."

The Kauaeranga Valley is in the Coromandel Peninsula near Thames and boasts New Zealand's largest hut, the Pinnacles hut, popular hiking trails and one of the last remaining kauri driving dams. The campgrounds were very popular during the summer months.

"It's really, really popular, the locals go up there and camp for the night and use the river. The careless actions from these drivers will have a direct impact on both the local Thames users, and the hundreds of Kiwi families and tourists that visit the area over the summer months to enjoy the outdoor recreation on offer," says Peter.

The Kauaeranga Valley has only recently reopened to the public following a year of major repairs to the Kauaeranga Valley Rd after storm damage in April last year.

The Hauraki Area Office is now considering closing the Kauaeranga Valley between the hours of 4pm and 8am to prevent further vandalism.

- Stuff/Teresa Ramsey.In a major event, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court released a jury report on Tuesday stating a series of crime happened in the Catholic Church. The report revealed more than 300 priests were accused of child sex abuse and coverup effort by church leaders over 70 years. State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference that more than 1,000 child victims were identified in the report, however, the grand jury confirms there are more. Also Read: Top 10 best cities to live in the world; Vienna crowned most livable one

The investigation is the most comprehensive till date on Catholic Church sex abuse in the United States.

The 18-month probe, led by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, on six of the state's eight dioceses - Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg - and follows other stated grand jury reports that revealed abuse and coverups in two other dioceses.

Shapiro said that the report details a "systematic cover-up by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican."

The nearly 1,400-page report's introduction makes clear that few criminal cases may result from the massive investigation.

Also Read: Malaysia: Two women to be caned for having lesbian sex

"We believe that the real number of children whose records were lost or who were afraid ever to come forward is in the thousands," the grand jury report says.

"Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades. Monsignors, auxiliary bishops, bishops, archbishops, cardinals have mostly been protected; many, including some named in this report, have been promoted."

There were times that the mentioned sexual abuses in the report were difficult to read.

Also Read: Italy Bridge Collapse: Dozens dead and search operation started for victims as Italian highway went down in Genoa

As the grand jurors note, priests and other Catholic leaders victimized boys and girls, teens and pre-pubescent children.

Some victims were plied with alcohol and groped or molested, the report says. Others were orally, vaginally or anally raped, according to the grand jurors.

A child told in an interview that he was raped by a priest at his Catholic school in Berks County, Pa. The same priest, he said, sexually abused one of his childhood friends, who killed himself in 2009.

There were many victims who came forward and testified against this crime.

The article was first published in The Washington Post by Michelle Boorstein.

Read More On Catch: Economic attack: Turkey to protest against American electronic products; may get Samsung to boycott Apple's iPhone, says President ErdoganSince you are not allowed to have sex with a woman if you follow Islam. Two women have been sentenced to caning in Malaysia for going against their religion by having sex in contravention of strict Islamic laws, according to an official said on Tuesday, August 14. The women aged 22 and 32, were arrested in April by Islamic enforcement officers after they were found in a car in a public square in northern Terengganu state, one of the most conservative areas of the country. They were brought before an Islamic court on Sunday and admitted to breaking a sharia law that forbids sexual relations between women. Both women are sentenced to six strokes of the cane each and fined 3,300 ringgit, Mohamad Khasmizan Abdullah, a prosecutor with the Terengganu religious department told media agency AFP. Also Read:

"This is a serious case. The prosecutors urged the court to impose the maximum sentence," Khasmizan said.

He said if it happens, they would be the first women to be caned in Terengganu for breaking Islamic laws. They are free on bail and their sentence is set to be carried out on August 28, although they have the right to appeal.

Sexual intercourse between people of the same sex is forbidden in Islam. It is an offence and morally wrong, Khasmizan stated.

The punishment (caning) will take place in presence of people in Malaysia.

Also Read:

However, The caning would be carried out within the court premise, he added. Under the sharia rules, they will be whipped with a rattan cane on their back with their clothes on while they are seated.

Consensual sex between adults is not a crime. This is a precedence and it will increase discrimination toward LGBT people, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Read More On Catch:They're coming for your graaaaiiinnns.

The creator of the popular YouTube cooking show "The Vegan Zombie" is gearing up to film a movie in Syracuse with some big-name actors.

Chris Cooney launched a Kickstarter on Sunday for a feature-length film inspired by his love of the horror genre and the vegan lifestyle. Cooney will star, co-direct, co-write and produce the project, tentatively titled "A44," with co-director and co-writer Brooklyn Hudson.

The movie, aiming for a late 2019 release, is based on the plot of "The Vegan Zombie" and its accompanying graphic novel cookbook, "The Vegan Zombie - Cook & Survive," following a zombie outbreak originating from the meat and dairy supply. Vegans like Harley Landon (Cooney), his loyal dog Indy, and his love interest Vanessa are unaffected by the virus, but must search for a cure while others are infected and turned into violent and mindless killers.

"I've always done films and I love the horror genre, and I've been vegan for half my life," Cooney told syracuse.com in 2013. "So I wanted to incorporate everything that I like into one thing... I wrote a script for a movie called 'The Vegan Zombie' where the virus was transmitted through the meat and the dairy that the people ate, so naturally the vegans were one step ahead."

The production itself will also be entirely vegan. Cooney and Hudson are both longtime vegans, all catering on set will be meat- and dairy-free, and makeup artist George Schminky (Syfy's "Face Off") will use vegan plant-based meats to replicate internal organs and body parts, as well as vegan makeup products.

Cooney's Kickstarter page has already raised more than $13,000 since launching Sunday, more than 15 percent towards a Sept. 12 fundraising goal of $80,000. Supporters can donate as little as $1; larger contributions include rewards such as your name in the film credits, tickets to the movie premiere, a copy of the Vegan Zombie cookbook, and/or a chance to appear in the film.

The cast will not be officially announced until fundraising is complete, but "A44" has already lined up some A-list talent including:

An iconic actor from "E.T."

Legendary star of "Elf"

Beloved villain from "The Goonies"

Screen legend from "Platoon"

Cooney, a Chittenango High School graduate who lives in Liverpool, says the actors' agents are waiting to finalize contracts after funding is complete.

He successfully used Kickstarter in 2013 to fund the cookbook, raising $43,000 -- more than twice its original goal.

"The Vegan Zombie," still based in Central New York, has only grown in popularity over the past five years. The YouTube channel has more than 160,000 subscribers and its videos, featuring celebrity guests like Moby and Syracuse native Bobcat Goldthwait along with recipes for vegan pizza, omelets, breakfast burritos, chocolate cake and more, have been viewed nearly 10 million times.

But making a movie has always been Cooney's dream.

"I was 6-years-old when I first watched E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial and the film changed my life forever," Cooney said. "I became captivated by the big screen, and later, the genre of horror. My father played a huge part in my passion by making films with me, my siblings, and our friends, shooting on his super-8 camera. At age 16, when all my friends were buying cars, I saved my money and purchased a camcorder..."

"My story, 'A44,' is coming to life as an entertaining, emotional, and thought-provoking film, worthy of the big screen. 'A44' will make you think about the choices you make every day, and the impact they have on others."Hamilton, N.Y. - FoJo Beans, a Norwich-based coffee roaster, is moving its roastery to Madison County this fall.

The move is an expansion: FoJo Beans for the first time will have a cafe at the new spot at 10 Utica St., said FoJo co-founder Dan Joseph. The company will quadruple its roasting capacity and will bring at about six full-time jobs to the village, he said.

But the new FoJo home will be more than a coffee cafe. It'll be a place where customers can learn about coffee roasting and help make their own custom blends, Joseph said. And FoJo will also offer "coffee college," tasting sessions that help coffee drinkers learn about different flavors, beans and brewing methods.

"In the morning, the roastery will be quiet, more like a coffee shop," Joseph said. As the day goes on, the roasting will begin. Customers will be able to experience both side of the business, he said.

Joseph and Dan Foust started FoJo Beans in 2012. They sell teas and specialty-grade coffees, a top grade earned by meeting specific standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association.

It's the kind of coffee world where some tasters talk about notes of citrus and chocolate, hints of jasmine and melon. "People go overboard," Joseph said of some coffee tastings.

FoJo's coffee college and other tastings are meant to help people understand specialty coffees without being pretentious, he said.

FoJo Beans is moving from Norwich to Hamilton this fall.

Fo (Foust) and Jo (Joseph) buy beans from farms and single-estate coffee growers from central and south America, Eastern Africa and Indonesia. The growers are listed on their website, sometimes with photos of the farmers and information about their local tribe affiliation. "We know the farmers' names," he said.

Right now, FoJo coffee is available, whole bean or ground, in various locations in Oneida, Madison, Otsego and Chenango counties. The partners also sell their coffee at the Fayetteville Farmers Market on Thursdays.

Currently, they're roasting about 150 pounds of beans each week. The new space in Hamilton will quadruple that production, Joseph said. The coffee will continue to be roasted in small batches, he said.

The space at 10 Utica St. was most recently No. 10 Tavern. The building is owned by the Hamilton Initiative, an effort started by Colgate University to help with business development in the village.

As FoJo's, the space will have two sides. On one will be the cafe, with a barista bar, a place to get grab-and-go coffee, and seats for those who want to linger. The cafe will sell pastries made by bakers Joseph and Foust have met at farmers markets; they'll also offer some light fare made in-house.

The other side of FoJo's will be a "dry bar." That's where the roasting will happen. Customers can sit and watch and learn about coffee roasting. Eventually, FoJo will offer its coffee college events, which Joseph said they've been hosting at various places since the company formed.



FoJo is getting some help from the Partnership for Community Development in Hamilton. The partnership awarded FoJo a $45,000 grant and a $45,000 low-interest loan. FoJo must fill four full-time positions in return.

FoJo's is also a veteran-owned business. Foust was a U.S. Marine, and FoJo coffee is also available at Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango.

Joseph said he expects the Hamilton location to be open later this fall.OSWEGO, N.Y. -- Oswego County plans to do aerial spraying of mosquitoes as it investigates the death of a horse that may have had the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus spread by the insects.

The county health department is awaiting test results from a horse that died last week. The horse had neurological symptoms similar to encephalitis.

Four samples of mosquitoes collected last week from Toad Harbor Swamp in the town of West Monroe tested positive for EEE. It was the second time this season bugs with EEE have been found in the swamp.

The Oswego health department said it will spray the Toad Harbor Swamp area and will announce details when plans are finalized.

Onondaga County also intends to spray the Cicero Swamp after finding evidence of the virus.

Human cases of EEE are rare. About one-third of people who get EEE die from the disease and most survivors suffer brain damage. There have been eight reported EEE deaths in Central New York since 1971 -- five in Oswego and three in Onondaga.

There is no commercially available human vaccine to protect against EEE.

Public health officials say people should use repellent, wear protective clothing outdoors and remove standing water from their yards that can serve as mosquito breeding grounds.

EEE is spread through the bite of mosquitoes that become infected by feeding on infected birds. Freshwater swamps such as the Cicero Swamp in Onondaga County and Toad Harbor in Oswego County are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes carrying EEE.

The virus can cause encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. Initial symptoms, which usually start four to 10 days after the bite, can include fever, headache and vomiting. Illness can then progress to altered mental status, confusion, seizures, coma and even death. The greatest risk for infection with this virus is for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo set off a firestorm Wednesday when he took direct aim at President Donald Trump and his "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.

"We're not going to Make America Great Again," Cuomo said in Manhattan. "It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged."

Republicans quickly seized on the comment, suggesting that Cuomo's remark was offensive and unpatriotic.

New York Republican Committee Chairman Ed Cox said all Democrats should condemn Cuomo's comment.

"It's shocking that Andrew Cuomo would make such an offensive remark that insults the people of this country, the ideals upon which she was founded and the countless men and women who have fought and died to protect her," Cox said.

Marc Molinaro, the GOP candidate for governor, said Cuomo should be ashamed of himself and owes the nation an apology.

After seeing the backlash, Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever issued a statement expanding on the governor's remarks.

"Governor Cuomo disagrees with the president," Lever said. "The governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality. America has not yet reached its maximum potential."

Lever added, "When the president speaks about making America great again -- going back in time -- he ignores the pain so many endured and that we suffered from slavery, discrimination, segregation, sexism and marginalized women's contributions."

Cuomo may have picked a fight he can't win. A Washington Post reporter pointed out that a poll taken in 2016 shows only a small percentage of Americans agree with the idea the governor expressed Wednesday.

A 2016 poll showed just 7% of Americans agreed with the idea Cuomo just put forward: That America has never been greathttps://t.co/rHOCWIwI8L  Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) August 15, 2018

New York Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long joined Trump supporters who called Cuomo's comment "shameful."

"Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has benefited from being born in America, unlike thousands who have emigrated to be part of our great nation, has succumbed to the depths of dark cynicism when he states that America was never that great," Long said in a statement.

Cuomo's critics on the left were mostly silent about his comments. The governor faces Cynthia Nixon in a Sept. 13 Democratic primary. Nixon stuck to other issues on Wednesday, tweeting about criminal justice reform and affordable housing.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has lashed out at President Donald Trump and his popular campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."

"We're not going to Make America Great Again," Cuomo said Wednesday at a bill signing event in Manhattan. "It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged."

According to USA Today, Cuomo spoke at length about Trump while signing an anti-human-trafficking bill. Before targeting MAGA, he repeated many of the nicknames and insults Trump has directed at woman.

The Associated Press reports Cuomo accused Trump of wanting to return to an era of greater sexism, racism and intolerance toward immigrants. He says America has made great strides toward equality, but that it can't consider itself great until there's full equality for all.

Cuomo was swiftly criticized by Republicans for suggesting the United States is "not great." GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, said Cuomo should be ashamed and owes the nation an apology.

And Cuomo's Republican opponent @marcmolinaro is out with a statement on this pic.twitter.com/1iWUa6WJte  Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) August 15, 2018

Cuomo, a Democrat, has long clashed with President Trump. He released a statement on Monday sarcastically "welcoming" the Republican to Upstate New York for visits to Fort Drum and Utica.

In Utica, Trump claimed Cuomo had called him and said he'll never run for president against Trump.

"Oh, please do it," Trump told a crowd of supporters, mocking the two-term governor. "Please. Please! He did say that. Maybe he meant it. The one thing we know, and they do say, 'Anybody that runs against Trump suffers.' That's the way it should be."

Cuomo has been floated as a potential Democratic candidate for the White House in 2020. He's currently seeking a third term as New York governor this fall; a Democratic primary debate with challenger Cynthia Nixon is scheduled for later this month.

Update: Cuomo's press secretary issued a statement of clarification Wednesday afternoon.

"Jessica Proud, spokesperson for the Republican Party said, 'America is & always has been the greatest.' She should talk to President Trump who says make America great again - which obviously means he doesn't think it is great now," Cuomo spokesperson Dani Lever said.

"Governor Cuomo disagrees with the President. The Governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality. America has not yet reached its maximum potential.

"When the President speaks about making America great again - going back in time - he ignores the pain so many endured and that we suffered from slavery, discrimination, segregation, sexism and marginalized women's contributions. The Governor believes that when everyone is fully included and everyone is contributing to their maximum potential, that is when America will achieve maximum greatness."The University of East Anglia (UEA) Student Newspaper Concrete has revealed that Norwich based members of the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps, Cambridge University Air Squadron and Cambridge University Royal Naval Unit, found themselves subject to a motion at UEA Student Union demanding the societys membership should be subjected to a campus wide recruitment ban.

While the motion did not pass, the piece highlighted ongoing student concerns that the motion will reappear on the agenda at the next meeting of the Student Union Council. Membership to these Cambridge University societies often extends throughout the East Anglia region. The UEA Student Council motion outlined a number of reasons to prevent the societies from recruiting, including the UEA Students Unions alignment with the Stop The War Coalition. The motion was subsequently amended to demand that recruitment activity of these student groups should be restricted to the UEA Careers fair and exclude their presence from the Union Freshers Fair.

Concrete reported that the motion accused the Cambridge OTC, Air Squadron and RN Unit of employing a membership recruitment strategy based on economic conscription and accused the groups of deliberately exploiting the fears many students have of increasing fees and low levels of graduate employment, and is both misleading and unethical.

Speaking exclusively to The Cambridge Student, the commanding officer for Cambridge OTC Colonel Pollington said, Cambridge UOTC which has included the University of East Anglia (UEA) since 1981, welcomed the failure of a motion on Thursday 20 October to ban its presence at Union Events.

We should like to reiterate to all students at UEA, with whom the OTC enjoys considerable popularity, that it is dedicated to developing personal and leadership skills in university students and offering them life opportunities which would otherwise not normally be within reach. The role of the OTC is not to recruit into the Armed Forces but rather to introduce those attributes which Army officers depend upon for their success.

In contrast, a Cambridge graduate who declined to be named, said, Army recruitment is a totally unethical and untenable activity; it plays on the hopes, fears and aspirations of young people, often preying on the poorest and most underprivileged elements of society. Army recruitment uses a mixture of glamorous images, macho-masculine ideals, and promises of education and skills which the youth of today are so desperate for, but are increasingly denied access to by devastating government cuts to education. It is through such tactics that young people are drawn into a life of brutality and trauma, which, far from preparing them for a positive life-long careers, has astoundingly negative impacts on their lives.

Judith Welikala, Tessa Evans and Emily LoudIn a tragic incident, a 42-year-old Mumbai based Indian Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim was beheaded by the rear blade of a helicopter in Nepal's region's remote helipad, claims media reports. The deceased has been identified as Nagendra Kumar Kartik Mehta is Mumbai resident, who was en-route to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.

According to assistant chief district officer, Mahesh Kumar Pokharel, the helicopter was on the ground at the time.

As per the reports, the deceased was supposed to move away from the chopper after getting off it. But, he accidentally moved towards the rear part and was hit by the spinning tail rotor, according to the police.

The body has been taken to Simikot for a post-mortem and to hand over to the next to kin. The rear part of the helicopter was damaged. Well, Nepal's Simikot and Hilsa are connected to the rest of the world only by small aircraft or helicopters and there is no other way to travel in and out of these places.

The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage in Tibetan region of China is considered holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Every year, hundreds of Indian pilgrims undertake the 'yatra' which involves trekking under inhospitable conditions.Bottom line: While PC owners have the unbeatable combination of a keyboard and mouse, which offer a huge advantage in FPS and RTS games, there are some titles where a controller is essential. For those who prefer using the Xbox Ones pads with their computer, or own a Microsoft console, a pair of new products are arriving next month, one of which is the translucent Phantom Black Special Edition.

Much like Sonys special edition PS4 Pro and controller, the translucent body lets players see the Phantom Black Special Editions internals. Xbox Wire describes the design as fading from a high-tech translucent matte black" at the top to a "metallic champagne gold."

The controller features Bluetooth support, letting you play games wirelessly on Windows 10 PCs and tablets, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also comes with a champagne gold D-pad and textured rear grips. The Phantom Black Special Edition will be available worldwide on September 11 for $69.99 and can be preordered now from Microsofts store.

The second game pad is the Xbox Wireless Controller  Grey/Blue. While not as fancy as the translucent version, it does feature a sleek grey design with blue accents. It will cost $64.99 when launched in the U.S. and Canada on September 25, with the worldwide release set for October 9. The controller can also be preordered from Microsofts store.

In some markets, both controllers come with a 14-day trial for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass, which can be used with Windows 10 devices.Why it matters: 5G networks are starting to take shape but today's smartphones lack the necessary hardware to be compatible with them. If you're planning to purchase a new handset in the coming months, it may be worth waiting a bit longer to see what the first wave of 5G-ready phones have to offer.

Sprint is working with LG Electronics on a 5G-capable smartphone thatll launch in the US sometime in the first half of 2019.

Sprint said device specifications and a more specific launch window will be provided at a later date. Additional devices designed for Sprints 5G network will also be shared closer to launch.

In an interview with PCMag, John Tudhope, Sprint's director of product marketing, confirmed the LG/Sprint 5G phone is no longer in the prototype phase, but that it's already into testing, calling it a 100% integrated smartphone. This comment refers to Moto's Z3 approach which will use a mod to become 5G capable. Tudhope gave hints of a premium feeling smartphone, not much thicker than today's flagships that will primarily connect to Sprint's 5G network on the 2.5GHz frequency band. Although he wouldn't give up the specs, given the timing PCMag suspects this first 5G capable phone won't use Qualcomm's upcoming integrated 4G/5G Snapdragon 855 chipset, instead relying on the current top-end Snapdragon 845 SoC with an add-on X50 5G modem.

As is often the case with emerging technology, 5G mobile networks will initially be reserved for major metropolitan areas with dense populations. Sprint recently said its 5G network will first launch in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Kansas City, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. before rolling out to other markets.

Sprint highlighted the fact that Massive MIMO technology will be a key part of its 5G strategy, adding that such cell sites are capable of delivering up to 10 times the capacity of current LTE systems as well as significantly increased data speeds. No mention was made of other 5G technologies such as millimeter waves.

Motorola earlier this month unveiled its new Moto Z3 with support for Verizons upcoming 5G network via the 5G Moto Mod add-on accessory. Samsung recently said its Galaxy S10  likely to drop early next year  wont be the first handset from the electronics maker to offer 5G compatibility. A separate device will carry that distinction.Why it matters: Competition in the consumer cloud storage space is fierce with major players like Google, Microsoft, Dropbox and Amazon all competing for your business. Google's new price points and perks serve as a differentiator - now, how will the competition respond?

Google One, the search giants revamped cloud storage offering for consumers, is now available to everyone in the US following a limited rollout that began a few months back.

Pricing starts at $1.99 per month for 100GB of storage. Google is also offering a plan with 200GB of storage for $2.99 per month as well as 2TB, 10TB, 20TB and 30TB options for $9.99, $99.99, $199.99 and $299.99 a month, respectively. The 15GB of free storage is sticking around, it seems, although you only get storage  no extra perks.

Google One allows users to share their storage with up to five family members, each with access to all the other benefits of Google One.

With Google One, you also get one-tap access to tech support experts and, oddly enough, savings on hotels found through Google Search. Google is additionally handing out credits for Google Play although details on amounts and how to get them werent mentioned in todays post.

Business users will still be best served by G Suite.

Google One is available to users in the US and over the coming weeks, itll be expanding to additional countries. To upgrade your existing Google Drive account, simply head over to the Google One website.China isn't the only country the US has a rocky relationship with - Turkey is causing a few headaches for US leaders as well. The Eurasian country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on Tuesday that he would be calling for a boycott of all American electronics sold to the country's residents.

"Every product that we buy in foreign currency from outside, we will produce them here and sell abroad," Erdogan said in a speech, according to The New York Times. "We will boycott the electronics products of the U.S."

This is certainly a bold statement on Erdogan's part, but it hasn't come entirely out of left field.

Tensions between the US and Turkey have been steadily rising since American pastor Andrew Brunson was detained by Turkish officials on charges of terrorism and espionage. After that unfortunate event, both countries proceeded to impose hefty sanctions and tariffs on one another.

At any rate, it's not clear how Erdogan plans to enforce this boycott if indeed he intends to enforce it at all. It could merely be a way for the foreign president to gather support for his regime among Turkish nationalists.

Though Erdogan may not intend to institute a firm ban on American-made electronics, he did note that there's plenty of alternatives for those who are willing to stop using the devices. "If they have the iPhone, there is Samsung," the Turkish president said.

Image courtesy Associated Press via The New York TimesThe Samsung Galaxy S10 rumors that the smartphone will come with triple-lens cameras have heated up, with a new report that allegedly provides more information on the upcoming feature.

It has been said that there will be three Galaxy S10 models, just like the 2018 iPhone. Meanwhile, there were also reports that Apple will launch an iPhone with a triple-lens camera in 2019, following the Galaxy S10 that is expected to be unveiled early next year.

Galaxy S10 Triple-Lens Camera: Here's What We Know So Far

A translated report from ETNews revealed that triple-lens cameras will be a huge focus for Samsung starting next year, which is understandable considering the massive success of the Huawei P20 Pro.

It will all start with the Galaxy S10, with the triple-lens camera to be found in two of its three models. The two triple-lens Galaxy S10 models will feature a 12 MP wide-angle camera, a 13 MP telephoto camera, and a 16 MP super wide-angle camera, which will feature the widest field of view that has ever been included in a Galaxy S smartphone.

The third Galaxy S10 model, meanwhile, is said to be the basic version of the smartphone. It will only have two rear cameras, with reports not revealing which lenses it will feature. Most likely, it will be the 16 MP super wide-angle lens that will be missing in the third Galaxy S10 version.

The triple-lens camera will be one of the main selling points of the Galaxy S10. However, the feature will not be exclusive to Samsung's next flagship smartphone after the recently unveiled Galaxy Note 9.

In addition to the Galaxy S10, Samsung will include triple-lens cameras in its Galaxy A series of smartphones. The Galaxy S10 triple-lens cameras will be of higher quality, but the first Samsung smartphone to receive the feature may be a new Galaxy A model that will be announced as soon as December.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Rumors

Samsung may announce the Galaxy S10 as soon as January next year at CES 2019, partly to help boost its struggling smartphone sales and partly to give way to the Galaxy X, the company's rumored foldable smartphone.

Another circulating Galaxy S10 rumor is that Samsung will finally roll out its in-display fingerprint sensor technology in the smartphone. The feature, which was initially slated for the Galaxy Note 9, will use ultrasonic sensors to maintain a high level of accuracy.

The arrival of the in-display fingerprint sensor to the Galaxy S10 also reportedly means the removal of the iris scanner and the addition of 3D face recognition.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Elephants rarely suffer from cancer due to a so-called zombie gene, and understanding it may be the key to protecting humans from the dreaded disease.

A previous study that was published earlier this year took a look at why elephants rarely get cancer, despite being huge animals. More cells would mean a higher risk of at least one of them mutating and resulting in cancer, but that is not happening in elephants.

Elephants Should Be Dying To Cancer More Often, But They're Not

Research has shown that elephants are not more prone to cancer than smaller animals. In fact, it appears that elephants have a lower risk of contracting cancer compared to humans.

The study by University of Utah researchers discovered that the immune cells of elephants quickly repaired damaged DNA after being exposed to radiation, partially explaining their resistance to cancer.

New research published in the Cell Reports journal provided further information on why elephants are not dying to cancer as often as they should be.

The Cancer-Fighting Zombie Gene Of Elephants

Researchers have discovered a unique gene in elephants that aggressively kills cells that have had their DNA damaged.

This gene, over the centuries of evolution, became dormant among elephants. However, in some way, it was resurrected, granting it the moniker as a "zombie" gene.

The earlier research on elephants' resistance to cancer focused on the anti-cancer gene p53. While humans only have one copy of the gene, elephants have 20 copies. University of Chicago evolutionary biologist Vincent J. Lynch and his colleagues, however, looked further, and found the LIF6 gene.

LIF6 gene is apparently only found in elephants. When DNA is damaged, the p53 proteins in elephants activate the LIF6 genes, which make proteins that travel to the cell's mitochondria. The LIF6 proteins create holes in the mitochondria, allowing toxic molecules to flow out and kill the cell.

Experts are saying that more research is needed to confirm the findings made by Lynch and his team, and that there are even more steps before the discovery is tested or used for cancer treatment on humans.

University of Rochester professor of biology and Rochester Aging Research Center co-director Vera Gorbunova, who was not involved in the study, said that one of the steps may be injecting the elephant genes into lab mice, which do not possess the same cancer resistance.

Gorbunova also raised the fact that there are small animals that are resistant to cancer, such as naked mole rats, grey squirrels, and microbats.

"I think we have to study all of these cancer-resistant animals and then choose strategies that are most easy to apply to people," Gorbunova said.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Official press renders of the Motorola P30 have leaked, showing a smartphone that looks both like an Android iPhone X clone and a Xiaomi Mi 8 wannabe.

The smartphone marks Motorola's entry into smartphones with notches, though customers will likely be talking about the Motorola P30 as a copycat device.

Spot The Difference: Motorola P30, iPhone X, And Xiaomi Mi 8

The official press renders of the Motorola P30, which has not yet been announced, was obtained by AndroidPure.

The first thing that jumps out is the notch at the top of the display, followed by the negligible bezels with Motorola branding at the narrow bottom bezel. At the back, the dual camera module is aligned vertically with an LED flash in between the sensors. The Motorola logo is displayed at the center, doubling as a fingerprint sensor.

Save for the Motorola branding and logo, the Motorola P30 makes a great impression of the Xiaomi Mi 8, which in turn copied the iPhone X but with a fingerprint sensor at the back.

The Motorola P30 looks so much like the iPhone X that it looks like it will fit an iPhone X case, if not for the volume buttons being placed above the power button at the right side of the frame.

However, when placed side by side, a closer look is needed to distinguish between the Motorola P30, the iPhone X, and Xiaomi Mi 8. The Motorola P30 is nowhere as shameless as the $100 fake iPhone X filled with malware that was recently featured in a Motherboard report, but its near-identical look to Apple's flagship smartphone is certainly a head-scratcher.

What Else Do We Know About The Motorola P30?

The Motorola P30 looks like the Motorola One Power that was previously leaked, as the design of the two smartphones is very similar.

The device is said to be coming with a 6.2-inch FHD+ display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, and 6 GB RAM. There will be a 16 MP primary camera and 5 MP secondary camera at the back, with a 12 MP selfie camera in the front.

There will reportedly be three colors and two internal storage options for the Motorola P30. The colors are Aurora, Bright Black, and Ice Jade White, while the internal storage options are 64 GB and 128 GB.

The Motorola P30 is expected to be made available in China and South Korea first before reaching other countries. The smartphone's availability in the United States, however, is not yet confirmed.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The South Carolina firm that purchased Bon Carre Business Center paid $8 million for the Florida Boulevard property, according to documents filed Wednesday with the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Courts office.

The buyer was Edge 7389 Florida Blvd LLC, which has the same mailing address as EdgePWR, the South Carolina firm that announced two months ago it had purchased Bon Carre. The LLCs name includes Bon Carres address.Investigators looking into new information about what led a Clinton man to allegedly shoot four people, killing three of them, say his motive may have been linked to his ex-girlfriend, according to a source close to the investigation.

Investigators learned Monday that Ryan Sharpes ex-girlfriend, who has not been identified, had married soon before he allegedly killed his first victim in July and are looking into a connection between the ex-girlfriend and a possible motive, the source said.

The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office Chief Criminal Deputy Greg Phares declined to comment on what the new information entails, but was clear that it in no way changes Sharpe's culpability in the case. He said he is still confident Sharpe was the shooter in the four incidents.

Phares would only say that East Feliciana officials altered their plan to take the Sharpe case to a grand jury Tuesday, postponing it until November because of new information received Monday pertaining to a possible motive in the killings.

Officials have declined to comment previously on a possible motive, but continue to investigate the incident.

The source also said the tip that led officials to suspect Sharpe as the killer came directly from the 36-year-old Clinton-area man, who called the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office himself to admit his role in the string of shootings.

The source said Sharpe identified himself as the killer in two phone calls. After his first call, the Sheriff's Office called him back but got no answer; however, Sharpe later returned the call and again confirmed he was the shooter, the source said.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

East Feliciana Sheriff Jeff Travis has said that after they developed Sharpe as a person of interest, they began conducting surveillance on his home. When Sharpe left his Clinton-area home on Oct. 11 in a white Nissan Altima, which matched the description of the shooter's vehicle in the most recent fatal shooting, deputies pursued the vehicle.

Sharpe led deputies on a chase across a number of parishes after he refused to pull over outside his house, according to an East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office arrest report. He was finally apprehended on Lee Price Road in Clinton, armed at the time with a lever action rifle on the passenger seat, according to the report. Sharpe was the only person in the car at the time.

Sharpe is being held without bail in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count each of first-degree murder, assault by drive-by shooting and illegal use of a firearm in the Sept. 19 slaying of 66-year-old Carroll Breeden in Pride, just over the parish line from East Feliciana.

Sharpe also is accused in the killings of 62-year-old Tommy Bass, who was shot July 8 on La. 960, and 48-year-old Boy Scout ranger Brad DeFranceschi, who was shot Oct. 9 outside his house on La. 63 at the Avondale Scout Reservation, as well as in the non-fatal shooting of 47-year-old Buck Hornsby, who was wounded Sept. 12, also on La. 63.

A bartender at T's Country on La. 16, on the parish line between Livingston and St. Helena and a 15- minute drive from the Bluff Creek area, said Tuesday that Sharpe had met his ex-girlfriend at the bar in 2014. The bartender said Sharpe used to be a regular at the bar, but she hadn't seen him in at least six months.

"He would stay to himself, maybe crack a joke," said Colette Thibodeaux, a bartender at T's Country for the last four years. She said he would typically come in about 10:30 p.m., sit at the bar alone and drink one or two bottled Bud Lights.

"We're just all in shock," Thibodeaux said. "I thought he was a nice guy."

Thibodeaux said the ex-girlfriend, who also worked at T's Country, and Sharpe had been living together when the woman left her job, sometime in the first half of 2015. Thibodeaux said the ex-girlfriend had since gotten married, but not to Sharpe. Thibodeaux said she didn't keep in touch with the former employee or with Sharpe.

"He would come in here, I would see him.  It's crazy," Thibodeaux said. "You just never know people."A man accused of killing three Clinton-area men last year told investigators he shot them because  as though he were deer hunting  he was "filling five tags" the government had issued him, court filings show.

Ryan Sharpe, who on Tuesday was ruled incompetent to stand trial, told authorities he had killed a deer that was worth two of the tags but the three remaining tags had to be used on humans, according to a report of Sharpe's Oct. 12, 2017, confession. The document was filed with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court.

+8 Alleged East Feliciana serial killer found incompetent to stand trial, judge rules A judge in East Feliciana ruled Tuesday that alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe is not competent to stand trial, a decision that will halt crim

Sharpe has been charged with the murders of three men and the attempted murder of a fourth in separate shootings over a four-month span in 2017. He is accused in East Feliciana Parish of the July 2017 fatal shooting of Thomas Bass, 62; the September 2017 nonfatal shooting of Buck Hornsby, then 47; and the October fatal shooting of Brad DeFranceschi, 48. He is accused in East Baton Rouge Parish of the fatal shooting of Carroll Breeden, 66, which occurred just over the parish line.

Authorities say Sharpe confessed to each shooting and he gave a hauntingly similar description to authorities for how he selected the victims, drove toward them and watched them get hit by his bullets before driving home.

"Sharpe stated he killed the victims because he was filling five tags  given to him by the State Police and the Federal Government," the narrative written by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office says. After explaining two tags had been used on a deer he killed, Sharpe told authorities, the three remaining had "to be used on humans," the report says.

"He concluded by saying the reason he didn't kill Hornsby is because he didn't want to waste a tag," the last line of the narrative says.

In Louisiana, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues deer tags to hunters to track and limit the number of deer killed.

+3 Arrest warrant: Rifle at alleged serial killer's home matches bullets from 2 shootings Investigators have matched bullets from two fatal shootings to a rifle found inside the home of alleged East Feliciana serial killer Ryan Shar

Concerning behavior

Kathe Collette, Sharpe's ex-fiancee, said she has heard the entire confession Sharpe made and that it contains even more bizarre comments. A transcript for the entire confession was not available in court filings.

"I'm not justifying what he did, but he's clearly not mentally stable at all," said Collette, who dated Sharpe for about two years until their breakup in October 2016.

She said that when she dated and lived with Sharpe, she did not notice anything concerning about his behavior. Since his arrest, she said, he has seemed completely different as she visited him in-person and on the phone.

Sharpe's attorney, Tommy Damico, said he is looking into whether his client could have been affected by brain injuries. Collette and another friend of Sharpes interviewed by investigators said he suffered head injuries in a May 2015 bar fight. In a separate interview with investigators, Sharpe's father, Bill Sharpe, said his son injured his head in a bad vehicle crash about eight years earlier.

Collette noted Sharpe found out the week before the first shooting  in which Bass was killed in July 2017  that she had married another man in Texas. Sharpe's father also noted that to investigators in his interview, saying he informed his son about the marriage, court records show. The Advocate reported in October 2017 that investigators were looking into that incident as a possible motive, but it's not clear if anything became of that theory.

+3 Source: Alleged serial killer's ex-girlfriend had married soon before first killing Investigators looking into new information about what led a Clinton man to allegedly shoot four people, killing three of them, say his motive 

Other interviews with Sharpe's family and friends characterized him as a gun-wielding hunter and plumber who often told far-fetched stories. Some mentioned how he had struggled with drugs and often drank heavily. However, almost all those interviewed mentioned how Sharpe had been acting more strange in the year or two before the shootings.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Two friends told investigators that Sharpe had recently started closing the gate to his home, which he hadn't before, and many were worried he was doing hard drugs. Collette said he had almost completely stopped working in the months before the shootings, when previously he had worked as a plumber.

Sharpe's sister told investigators that the night before he was arrested she texted him, worried about the shootings in the area, and Sharpe responded that it was "getting close to hunting season and deer hunters get trigger happy," according to a record of the interview filed in court. Another friend told investigators a similar story.

Collette noted that Sharpe's comments about deer hunting seemed particularly off because he was never a big deer hunter; she said she can remember him hunting deer only once. She said he was primarily a rabbit hunter.

More evidence

It was clear from the narrative that Sharpe had known, at least in name, Hornsby. Sharpe told authorities he observed "a subject known to him as Buck Hornsby exercising" along La. 63, the report says. Investigators said Sharpe passed by several times before slowing down and shooting Hornsby. Sharpe said he watched the man fall, then get up and run away.

Sharpe did not know Breeden. The narrative says Sharpe had seen "an unknown male subject wearing a green colored shirt working in his front yard" while driving on Pride-Port Hudson Road. Again, Sharpe passed by several times before slowing down and shooting twice from his car. He told authorities he saw Breeden fall to his knees then onto his side, the report says.

The narrative was not clear on whether Sharpe knew Bass and DeFranceschi.

Sharpe admitted to authorities he pulled into Bass' driveway while the man had been working on his truck. Sharpe got out of the truck with a shotgun, walked up to Bass and shot him from a close range, the report says. Sharpe then returned home, and when he noticed the shell casing in the bed of the truck, he burned it in a fire pit in his yard, he told authorities, according to the report.

This was the only case where Sharpe drove his pickup truck and exited the vehicle  in the rest, he told authorities, he drove his girlfriend's white Nissan Altima and committed drive-by shootings.

Sharpe told authorities he saw DeFranceschi weed-eating near the road, and again he made several passes, then slowed down and fired at the man. Sharpe said he missed once, but fired again and saw the man fall onto his back, the report says.

The court filings also report in detail how Sharpe first became a suspect in the cases, when he called in directly to the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office, which The Advocate reported in October.

Sharpe called on Oct. 10, 2017, about 7 a.m. to the East Feliciana Sheriff's Office, claiming responsibility for the slaying of DeFranceschi, which had happened a day earlier, reports say. He said he "had some business to take care of and after he did he would probably turn himself in," according to a report from State Police filed into court records.

Despite no caller ID available from the first call, detectives found two numbers for Sharpe and tried to call him back, but got no answer, the reports say. But about 10 minutes later, Sharpe called again, and again admitted to the homicide in Clinton.

After Sharpe was arrested, detectives found a .351-caliber rifle at his home through a search warrant, records show. The two shell casings found separately at the shootings of Breeden and DeFranceschi, which were matched by ballistics, were also determined to have matched that rifle from his home.

The criminal case against Sharpe in East Feliciana was halted Tuesday after a judge ruled he was incompetent to stand trial. No rulings have been made on Sharpe's mental state at the time of the alleged crimes.

Doctors tasked in the criminal case in East Baton Rouge have still not ruled on his mental capacity, but that hearing is set for next week.Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commissionFor a morning she knew would be difficult, the wife of Brad DeFranceschi  one of four men authorities say was shot by alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe  wore a blue shirt that read 'Aloha!' on the front.

"It's bright like him," said Kaylene DeFranceschi, outside the Clinton courthouse Tuesday morning. "He would always say, 'Aloha,' or 'Konnichiwa.'"

Minutes earlier, 36-year-old Sharpe pleaded not guilty in the October fatal shooting of her husband.

"I knew I was going to most likely hear 'not guilty' ... but it's still frustrating and it's heartbreaking," Kaylene DeFranceschi said. "It does make you relive the day."

Fighting back tears, Kaylene DeFranceschi said she was home when her husband was shot in front of their house at the edge of the Avondale Scout reservation in Clinton. Officials have said Sharpe shot the 48-year-old Scout Ranger from the roadway in a white Nissan Altima.

Kaylene DeFranceschi said her husband did not know Ryan Sharpe.

However, she said she has since come to know the man's family, after they reached out to her following the killing. Kaylene DeFranceschi and her mother sat next to Bill Sharpe, Ryan Sharpe's father, and his wife Tuesday in court.

"My heart just breaks for them (as well)," Kaylene DeFranceschi said. "We know what Brad stood for, he was good. But for someone to do something like (what Sharpe is accused of), it's devastating."

On Nov. 28, Sharpe pleaded not guilty to charges for the first two of the four shootings: the July fatal shooting of Tommy Bass, 62, and the September shooting of 47-year-old Buck Hornsby, who survived.

Sharpe is being held without bail in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a separate count of first-degree murder in the September fatal drive-by shooting of Carroll Breeden, 66, in Pride, right over the parish line. Sharpe has not yet been charged in that incident.

All four shootings happened within a 25-mile radius, officials have said, and Sharpe confessed to the incidents. A source has said that before his apprehension, Sharpe himself called the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office to report that he was the shooter in the shootings.

Sharpe was represented by attorney Tommy Damico Tuesday, after state Judge William Carmichael ruled Sharpe does have sufficient funds to hire private counsel.

Damico said after the arraignment that his main concern is to ensure Sharpe receives a fair trial.

+13 Alleged East Feliciana serial killer pleads not guilty Tuesday to charges in two of four shootings Clinton  Suspected serial killer Ryan Sharpe, who's been accused of a string of four shootings within a 25-mile radius, pleaded not guilty Tu

"Every time I take a case, I believe I've got a shot at the case," Damico said. "We haven't had the opportunity to review all the evidence at this point."

Damico said he's spoken with Sharpe many times.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"I'm no expert on mental state, but he certainly communicates with me well," Damico said. He said it was intentional that his client didn't plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Bill Sharpe assumed power of attorney status for his son days after Ryan Sharpe was arrested in the four shootings in October, according to court records signed by both men. Bill Sharpe used that authorization to act on behalf of his son to attain Damico as his lawyer.

Damico said he was hired by the family to represent Sharpe. He said it had not yet been determined if he would also represent Sharpe in the case in East Baton Rouge Parish, which will most likely happen well after the East Feliciana cases.

Carmichael set the date for Sharpe's trial in the three East Feliciana shootings for August 27.

Sharpe was charged in East Feliciana with second-degree murder in the July 8 shooting death of Bass, who was killed outside his house on La. 960.

The attempted first-degree murder charge also filed in that parish was brought in the Sept. 12 non-fatal shooting of Hornsby, who was struck by dozens of shotgun pellets in front of his residence, which is not far from Bass' home.

Sharpe is charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 9 slaying of DeFranceschi.

Buck Hornsby and the Breeden family also attended the hearing Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if anyone from the Bass family was there.

Kaylene DeFranceschi, who has two children with her husband, said she still gets choked up speaking about her husband's death, but her support system has helped her keep going.

"Family is not just blood," Kaylene DeFranceschi said. "We have the community support, the scouts, and, of course, family and friends. That gets you through. ... The light shines on that dark."

On the back of the blue shirts for Brad DeFranceschi reads a scripture from the Bible's book of Revelation, which the family said they continued to hear from friends and family in their time of grief.

"God himself will be with them," the shirts read. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

Kaylene DeFranceschi's mother said she had the shirts made as a surprise for her daughter and grandchildren.

"We wore them on our family Christmas Eve," said Kelly Quebedeaux, Brad DeFranceschi's mother-in-law. "He was there, even though he wasn't there."A judge in East Feliciana ruled Tuesday that alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe is not competent to stand trial, a decision that will halt criminal proceedings and transfer the 37-year-old from a jail cell to a psychiatric hospital.

Reports from two doctors who evaluated Sharpe's mental capacity found that, at this time, he is unable to assist counsel, said his attorney, Tommy Damico. The doctors did not make a determination on Sharpe's mental status at the time of the crimes, Damico said.

+3 Attorney for alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe says he'll request sanity commission The attorney for alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe said Monday he hopes to file motions by week's end in East Feliciana and East Baton Rouge p

Sharpe is accused of killing three men and injuring another in four separate shootings in the Clinton area in East Feliciana and just across the parish line in East Baton Rouge over a four-month span beginning in July 2017. He was charged with first-degree murder in only one of the four shootings: the October 2017 homicide of Brad DeFranceschi, 48, outside his home on the Avondale Scout reservation in Clinton.

Sharpe was charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Tommy Bass, 62, outside his home and with attempted first-degree murder in another shooting that injured Buck Hornsby, both in East Feliciana Parish.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, Sharpe has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 66-year-old Carroll Breeden.

Damico said doctors are still evaluating Sharpe's sanity for the separate criminal proceedings in East Baton Rouge Parish and said that evaluation should be completed by next week.

+6 Alleged East Feliciana serial killer pleads not guilty in October slaying For a morning she knew would be difficult, the wife of Brad DeFranceschi  one of four men authorities say was shot by alleged serial killer R

"I certainly don't anticipate something different," Damico said, adding that he " wasn't surprised" by the East Feliciana medical findings.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Damico said it was clear early on that Sharpe's sanity would become an issue in the cases after watching Sharpe's statements to investigators. Damico, however, declined to comment further on the nature of Sharpe's statements.

Damico said his team is looking into a possible brain injury that could have affected Sharpe, saying his client had a head injury within the last 10 years. Again, the attorney declined to give details.

+3 'I'm in total shock,' says father of possible East Feliciana serial killer On Wednesday afternoon, Bill Sharpe said he posted on his Facebook page that he was hoping law enforcement had found their big break in the fo

Authorities first identified Sharpe as a suspect in the crimes after he called the East Feliciana Parish Sheriffs Office and admitted his role in the string of shootings. All four of the victims were middle-aged men and were targeted within a 25-mile radius. The last three had been near walking or working near the roadside when they were killed.

Bass was found dead the morning of July 8, 2017, his body lying on the carport floor outside his La. 960 home. About two months later, Hornsby was shot while walking along the border of his property close to La. 63. A week later, Breeden was killed while spraying weeds in his front yard on Port Hudson-Pride Road. Then DeFranceschi was fatally shot Oct. 9, 2017, while trimming weeds outside his house on the Avondale Scout Reservation, also on La. 63.

East Feliciana District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said his case against Sharpe is now on hold following the ruling. Doctors will continue to monitor and evaluate Sharpe at the Forensic Division of the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson.

"We can't do anything right now," D'Aquilla said. "When doctors say he's competent, then we'll start moving with the proceedings."Louisiana could soon become the first state well on its way to ridding its residents of the nation's most deadly infectious disease, under an unusual proposal that, nearly two years into efforts, appears to be gaining traction.

Hepatitis C is virtually curable, but the high costs of medication have made it unaffordable for thousands of Louisiana residents who are infected and rely on the state for health care coverage.

Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee has spent several months floating ideas to increase access to medication, and it appears that the state has landed on something that can win support from federal officials and pharmaceutical company heads. Gee said she believes 2019 is now a realistic goal for more affordable Hep C drugs to reach patients.

"I will probably never know what got this whole issue unstuck," Gee said in an interview with The Advocate this week. "I feel very hopeful because I have (federal health officials) and the (pharmaceutical) industry, at this point, saying 'Let's go ahead.'"

The idea is being referred to as a "subscription-based" model: The state will take the money that it currently spends toward Hep C treatment in Medicaid and the prison system, and find a drugmaker that will agree to be paid that amount for unlimited access to the medication, likely over a three-to-five year period.

"We're really optimistic that we may be the first state in the nation to get close to curing Hep C," Gee said.

Gee said some of the nation's biggest drugmakers have already expressed positive interest in the idea.

"They shouldn't care if we treat more people because they aren't getting a dime off of people who aren't being treated now," she said. "What we've come up with, we think is a win-win."

The bi-partisan National Governor's Association last week identified the subscription-based model as one of its key recommendations for states to consider as they look to improve access while ensuring fiscal sustainability.

The Hepatitis C burden is growing in conjunction with the opioid crisis, and while the price of new treatments has come down, the cost is still far too high to treat all those who need it in our state," Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said in a statement that accompanied the report.

+2 New work requirements, restrictions proposed for agency heads could impact Louisiana health secretary In a typical week, state Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee takes part in dozens of meetings and conference calls with health care professionals

The NGA report warned though that to pursue such an approach "states would need skillful economic analysis and negotiation approaches to achieve the best outcome for their residents and avoid the risk of financial commitment that does not reflect value."

The Louisiana Department of Health is currently in the process of soliciting input from the public on any potential ideas for the program. It will later select a drugmaker through a formal bid process.

Nearly 35,000 people in Louisiana's Medicaid program have the Hep C virus, which is spread through blood contamination and can lead to liver disease and cirrhosis. Because of the high cost of medication, which can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, just 384 Medicaid patients were treated for it last year.

The actual number of Louisiana residents living with the curable illness is likely thousands more  one LDH estimate put it over 70,000 residents.

"We're really optimistic that we may be the first state in the nation to get close to curing Hep C," Gee said.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Nearly half of the state's $29 billion budget goes toward health care, as about one out of every five residents, including children, the elderly and disabled, is on Medicaid.

"We ought to be in a situation where we are spending enough money we can solve whatever health challenge is in front of us," Gee said.

Gee initially made headlines when she suggested in early 2017 that the government could use a decades-old patent law to sidestep patents and cite public good to gain access to the drug at a lower price.

The proposal was met with resistance from the pharmaceutical industry, known for its intense, and powerful, lobbying efforts.

"Their job is to make sure that profits continue," Gee said. "To change the model and think about different ways, it wasn't an easy shift for the industry."

"We don't want to hamper the industry's ability to profit from cures in the future," she added.

Other experts, similarly prompted by frustration over the high cost of the treating medication, have suggested that the government could save money by purchasing a company that manufactures the drug.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, Baton Rouge Republican who specialized in hepatology as a doctor in the state's old Charity system, has also been an advocate of finding avenues to more affordable Hep C treatment. He said the benefits under the latest proposal will also extend to the state budget, which has been through chronic shortfalls and has continually directed more funding to health care.

"If we successfully treat those eligible, the state will save money down the road," he said.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, a former drug company executive who was in New Orleans last week, described the idea as "interesting."

The plan will ultimately require approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, so Azar declined to discuss specifics and stressed he was unable to speak to its approval on the federal level, as no formal proposal has been submitted.

But under the Trump administration, states are being actively encouraged to be more innovative with their health care delivery with a focus on obtaining better outcomes at better values.

"What if we simply said (to states) 'Deliver this outcome?'" Azar said. "If you deliver the desired outcome, why should we be micromanaging it?"

Gee said she believes the proposal being pursued for Hep C here is akin to a public-private partnership that people will benefit from, and she hopes other states can mimic it.

"We're saying 'Here's our problem; companies, help us solve this problem,'" Gee said. "In this country right now, we really need to have companies who are willing to work with us on this."

She said she also sees potential to use the plan, if successful, as a model for access to other costly treatments.

"Our end goal is to save lives and improve health," Gee said. "For me, whatever strategy we use to reach that goal is good."Louisiana River pilots are a well-to-do bunch. The government mandates they take control of seagoing vessels as they travel between the mouth With a cameo in a Drake music video and a new album out, New Orleans bounce artist Big Freedia is having a big moment right now.

But until this week, she was still hamstrung by a three-year federal probation imposed for defrauding the Section 8 housing voucher program. She had to make regular reports to a probation officer and ask for permission to leave Louisiana.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lance Africk granted the bounce rapper's request to end her probation one year early. In her request the day before, Big Freedia cited negative results from drug tests and praise from Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

Neither Big Freedias probation officer nor the U.S. Attorneys Office objected, the court filing said.

Attorney Tim Kappel said in the motion that Big Freedia sincerely believes that she has been rehabilitated and is a productive member of society.

Africk's decision to grant the request represented a marked turnaround for a relationship between a defendant and a judge that got off to a rocky start.

Federal prosecutors said that Big Freedia, identified in court papers as Freddie Ross, lied about her income on Section 8 voucher applications for a five-year span coinciding with her rise to national fame.

In her first application for Section 8 money in March 2009, she listed monthly income of less than $1,000. By the time she was a household name in 2014, she still claimed she earned just $12,000 a year and had only $250 in the bank.

Prosecutors said Big Freedia was making far more than the $21,700 maximum annual income stipulated by the program.

She pleaded guilty to the felony theft of $35,000 in government funds in March 2016.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Out on bail ahead of sentencing, Big Freedia tested positive for marijuana and methamphetamine use. She claimed that someone slipped her the latter drug at a show in Dallas but admitted to using marijuana.

An angry Africk warned her that she might face prison time as a result of the drug tests.

I dont know if you think theres a separate rule for Big Freedia, because youre an entertainer, but let me assure you that theres not, he said at one hearing.

Big Freedia apologized. In August 2016, Africk sentenced her to three years of probation, 100 hours of community service, $35,000 in restitution and a $35,000 fine.

In the court filing Monday, Big Freedias attorney said she had paid the fine and restitution. She has also exceeded the community service requirement by 40 hours, Kappel said.

Big Freedia has worked with local nonprofits like Upturn Arts, Dancing Grounds, Habitat for Humanity and Feed the Hungry, the filing said. In April, she spoke to prisoners at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel for an anti-drug and anti-violence program.

Most encouraging, Kappel added, was that Big Freedia had overcome her substance dependency, remaining clean and sober" during her probation.

Big Freedia avoided substance abuse even after the death of her younger brother in a shooting in Central City in January, Kappel said.

Kappel also said that Big Freedia counts among her supporters Cantrell. Big Freedia was an early endorser of the mayor and performed at her inaugural ball.

Cantrell took to Twitter to offer words of consolation after the death of Big Freedias brother.

My heart goes out to my friend and supporter, @BigFreedia, who lost her brother in a terrible act of gun violence. I love you, Freedia, and I'm praying for you and your family during this difficult time, Cantrell said.A Commonwealth Bank-owned wealth business had a policy of charging deceased clients fees for financial advice, a practice that was deemed to be acceptable as long as it was disclosed to members.

In a day of intense scrutiny of CBA's wealth management arm by the royal commission, it was also revealed the bank dragged its feet in moving 60,000 superannuation customers to no-frills accounts, despite the regulator's request for it to transfer the members more quickly.

The commission also heard some of CBA's top managers, including current chief executive Matt Comyn, lobbied the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), in an attempt to avoid a court-enforceable undertaking over its selling of bank-managed super accounts in its branches. The bank wanted ASIC to put out a media release instead of commencing court proceedings.

The executive general manager of Colonial First State, Linda Elkins, on Wednesday said the asset manager had detected the further problems in recent months within its Avanteos Investments Limited (AIL) trustee business. The commission first heard in April of CBA charging deceased customers.Seek chief executive Andrew Bassat says data breaches experienced by HR software provider PageUp has reinforced how important data protection is, as analytics and technology development become more crucial for the employment listings business.

The jobs classifieds site, which includes an Australian careers portal and global platforms, reported underlying net profit of $229.5 million on Wednesday, excluding significant items and early-stage ventures, compared with $220.8 million in fiscal 2017.

Seek chief executive Andrew Bassat told investors earlier in August that profits for fiscal 2019 would be flat. Credit:Darrian Traynor

A major source of future spending for the Australia, Asia and Zhaopin arms of the business focuses on optimising mobile, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Mr Bassat told Fairfax Media he remains committed to ensuring users of the platform have their personal information protected, saying the comapny intends to use data to improve personalisation of search outcomes for users.They're "the fabulous 50".

From the thousands of painters, sculptors, photographers, print-makers and digital media artists who studied at the National Art School, they have been chosen to represent the institution's impact on Australian culture over seven decades.

Photo media artist Anne Zahalka at the National Art School with her work Outlawed. Credit:Nick Moir

But for those former students miffed at not making the cut, all is not lost.

Steven Alderton, the school's chief executive, said this was the first of an intended series of biennial exhibitionsReturning from 24 August to 2 September, Melbourne Writers Festival is the highlight of Victorias literary calendar, bringing together the talent and ideas of the best writers from Australia and around the world. Festival director Marieke Hardy shares her top 10 must-see picks exclusively with The Age subscribers.

Dont forget, subscribers can save 20% on tickets across the full MWF program. For more information, click here.

This time last year I was a voracious and wide-eyed MWF punter and in 2018 Im humbled to be newly placed in a curatorial position, setting the traditional Festival experience on a light yet deliberate art-kook tilt. Along with the talks, ideas and sharing of passions Age subscribers have come to know and love from authors at MWF, were expanding the program to include theatre, performance, music, art, dance workouts andan Animal Church. Obviously.

This years theme A Matter of Life and Death explores all the rich, important motifs sitting under such an emotional umbrella. Survival, joy, grief, loss, love, determination. And most vitally empathy. Be curious, allow yourself to explore, and allow yourself to listen. Theres a wealth of human experience on offer for you to share and connect with. I look forward to seeing you there.The Turnbull government's claim its $444 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation would spur private donations has been disputed by a leading coral scientist who says funding for his own venture has dried up in the wake of the cash splash.

Charlie Veron, a marine biologist dubbed "the godfather of coral" for discovering more than one-fifth the world's coral species, said US donors to his Corals of the World website dropped plans to donate $60,000 once they saw "the Australian government was going to pour a fortune" into reef projects.

Charlie Veron, a global expert in corals, said the granting of a huge wad of funds to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation saw funding for his Corals of the World website dry up. Credit:Angela Wylie

"My source of funding has completely stopped," Dr Veron said.

Dr Veron said his website, a decade in the making, would be crucial for any future recovery work on the reef, such as the $100 million reef restoration and adaptation program that will now be under the foundation's stewardship.A controversial doctor, who heads an organisation described as a hate speech group in the US, headlined an event at Old Parliament House on Tuesday night despite objections from the community.

The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House declined protesters' requests to cancel the Australian Family Association event, which featured an address from Dr Quentin Van Meter.

Dr Quentin Van Meter, who headlined an event at Old Parliament House on Tuesday night. Credit:Facebook

Dr Van Meter is the president of the American College of Pediatricians, which split from the American Academy of Pediatrics over its stance on the rights of gay people to adopt children.

The college has been classified as a hate speech group by the US non-profit Southern Poverty Law Center for its views on LGBTI people.Anning, a man who is still living in the 1950s Fraser Anning's ham-fisted reference to a "final solution to the immigration problem" in his maiden speech to Parliament should set off alarm bells. He would like a return to Australia of the 1950s. I, too, wish he was back there. Shannon Brand, Carnegie We must call out every example of racism In response to Fraser Anning's speech, Malcolm Turnbull said he did not condone racism. Correct; he aids, abets and perpetrates it. Playing the "race card"  the coward's punch of public discourse  has become depressingly common, from the demonisation of certain ethnic or minority groups to dog whistling about "African gangs". It is the resort of tin pot commentators, rookie senators, aspiring leaders and the Prime Minister to achieve personal or political gain.

But how to respond? Every instance needs to be called out and juxtaposed with the harm that is done to those who are targeted, and to our civil society. If empathy for the victims of racist slurs is not sufficient, we should appeal to self-interest: if arbitrary decisions are made by those with power about who constitutes "us" and "them", we should all be afraid. Juliette Borenstein, North Fitzroy Despite the outrage, Anning's words ring true Many politicians and others are pretending to be aghast at Fraser Anning's maiden speech. However, in all honesty, it is difficult to doubt the accuracy and commonsense of most of his comments. George Norrish, Essendon

THE FORUM Why did the MPs stay? Dark questions arise after Fraser Anning's speech. Why did the politicians who were present not walk out in the face of such contemptuous and abhorrent words? Some actually shook his hand afterwards. Of course Senator Anning will say he is entitled to free speech and, sadly, many people will agree. Such a defence reflects their crippling short-sightedness. Freedom in any form comes with responsibility. How can we sing Advance Australia Fair again, "with joyful strains", knowing that the very spirit of our nation of immigrants has been defaced by our Parliament? Patricia Parkinson, Main Ridge

Such shameful words Fraser Anning's speech sent a chill down the spine of Australians. Such bigoted vituperation is totally inconsistent with our diverse multicultural society. The sentiments expressed in this speech and the language which framed them should be soundly condemned. Anne Tan, Forest Hill The victims of terrorism Senator Fraser Anning claimed that "certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims". I ask him if he considers the genocide of Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar army to be an act of terrorism.

Khizar Rana, Walkerville, SA Vote no to racism The pro-White Australia position spouted in Parliament demonstrates how dangerously racist some conservative politicians are. I look to the words of Nelson Mandela: "Racism is a blight on the human conscience. The idea that any people can be inferior to another, to the point where those who consider themselves superior define and treat the rest as sub-human, denies the humanity even of those who elevate themselves to the status of gods". I would never vote for a political faction which perpetuates racist behaviour. Corey Rabaut, Glen Iris A fine first step

It is great that Josh Frydenberg has called for "racial harmony" in response to Fraser Anning's racist comments. He should offer the same advice to Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton on "African gangs". Brian Henderson, Kallista Fumigation recommended Your editorial about "termites" in the finance industry (The Age, 14/8) was spot on. Given that these people think they are entitled, metaphorically speaking, to get away with murder, we must hope they are punished accordingly. But cynical me predicts this infestation will be treated with a slap on the wrist with a wet lettuce rather than serious, effective fumigation. Indra Liepins, Glenroy

The employees' right David Elia, the chief executive of the superannuation fund, Hostplus, claims corporate hospitality is for the sole purpose of retaining its membership. (The Age, 15/8). Has anyone told him that his members are employees, not corporates, and that they have a legal right to join any super fund they choose? Their corporate employers have a legal obligation to pay their employees' super contributions to the fund of the employees' choice. The corporates should require no "gifts" of hospitality paid for with members' money to obey the law. Bob Muntz, Ascot Vale The banks must give back

The royal commission has revealed multiple corrupt actions by our major financial institutions. They have been profiting exorbitantly from the ordinary people while lining their own pockets. Currently our farmers are desperate for help as the worst drought in years ravages our country. I propose that rather than a few million dollars "slap on the wrist" for the outrageous gouging, the banks should each be required to provide $1billion to be used for drought relief. The banks have taken enough. It is time for them to give back. Jon O'Neill, Waurn Ponds A story of two stations So Melbourne has lost its status as the world's most liveable city (The Age, 15/8). Thank goodness. Hopefully some of the complacency which went with that title will have also been lost. One small comparison might give some insight into the reasons why Vienna won. Compare its modern main train station with ours.

Flinders Street Station still has much the same facilities as were "modern" in 1920. Platforms which are open to the weather, slippery in winter and dangerous due to crowding at peak times. And, of course, the decaying mess that was the extension of platform one and the suburban parcel train depot still there for all see. Mike Trickett, Geelong West For some, very unliveable The news Melbourne is still a very favourable place to live, having slipped to second place as the world's most liveable city, would surprise some of its residents. I spend time as a volunteer with disadvantaged people in this fine city. Many cannot afford to pay for electricity. Surely, in 2018, to have to live in such harsh conditions does not seem very "liveable". Carmel Whelan, Mount Waverley

Blame the scare tactics OK, now Melbourne is the second most liveable city in the world. Thanks, Peter Dutton and Malcolm Turnbull. I am sure we have lost our first place because we can no longer eat out at our own restaurants. Mary Lane, Mornington Vienna, what's not to love? So. Just another New World city versus a historic, charismatic, Old World gem. Despite any statistics being bandied around, Vienna deserves its new position as the world's most liveable city, not to mention, one of the most beautiful.

John Cross, Richmond Plenty, let me tell you I am an Austrian emigrant, born in Vienna, and an Australian citizen of many years. My Australian family cannot understand why I prefer Melbourne to Vienna, but the reason is simple. Vienna, like many European cities, bathes in pollution from diesel transport, but more amazingly, cigarette smoke. I find it hard to breath in European cities. Melbourne has relatively clean air and an intelligent approach to smoking. It also has a restaurant scene which I have not been able to find overseas. Having lived in Vienna and visited it many times, I can say it is a nice city but not as liveable as Melbourne. My father returned to Vienna many times but in the end returned to Melbourne for good.

When I ask my Chinese friends what attracted them to Melbourne, many say the beautiful, old buildings. Unfortunately these are being demolished at an alarming rate, thereby stripping Melbourne of its most iconic environment. Our city and suburbs are our heritage from a "human-scale" era. Unless we do more to save this part of our city,it will lose its unique place in the world. Werner Engel, Deepdene Clarifying heritage overlay Residents' opposition to a heritage overlay on individual properties due to fears about devaluation of the property (The Age, 14/8) is often dismissed as being real estate agent-driven. The data would exist to provide transparency and evidence of the heritage overlay impact. Why don't the state and local governments fund the Real Estate Institute of Victoria to undertake a research study to introduce the facts into the long-running dispute? A distinction would need to be made between heritage precinct areas such as Albert Park and Hawthorn and individual properties for obvious reasons. Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills

What makes a teacher Thanks, Kay Moulton  "Teach your children well" (Letter, 14/8). At some time each year, politicians and the media present a range of inaccuracies about teachers and their education and they blame them, and universities, for most community woes. Let me tell you about a teacher I met last week. Now in a senior position in a suburban school, she was one of the first cohort of student teachers at Footscray Institute of Technology (now Victoria University) in 1985. Along with her fellow students she was selected through a panel interview and information provided on her school performance. These young people spoke enthusiastically about what they had learnt at school and, in many cases, recalled entering school with minimal or no English. They have now taught in schools for almost 30years: they understand and respond to the diversity of their communities and the complexity of the lives of recent arrivals and refugees. A high ATAR alone will never ensure that. Yes, education ministers Simon Birmingham and James Merlino, a conversation with long-term teacher educators and teachers may be illuminating.

Professor Maureen Ryan, Victoria University Give the cash to schools I am amazed and disgusted that John Allman, a former Education Department official embroiled in two separate corruption inquiries, has won a payout from the state after arguing his sacking left him mentally incapacitated for work (The Age, 15/8). The scam involved high-ranking education officials directing millions of dollars of funding earmarked for needy students into "banker schools" and then misusing the money Perhaps Mr Allman would feel better if he gave his compensation payments to schools. He could also volunteer as a school cleaner. As a retired teacher, I know how hard principals and teachers work to provide a caring teaching environment, often under difficult conditions. He should be ashamed. Pauline Duncan, Maffra

Fed up with the chuggers Well said, Mary Ward  "No surprise who the chuggers target" (Comment, 9/8). Somehow these "charity muggers" believe they have rights that others do not have  walking into your path, trying to shake your hand and making loud comments, such as calling me a "young man" (I am a senior. It's a "joke". Do you get it?). David Fry, Moonee Ponds AND ANOTHER THING

Politics Obviously Anning is a graduate of the Leyonhjelm school of free speech. David Seal, Balwyn North If Anning is worried about the "immigration problem", I think he's 230 years too late. Tim Thorne, Launceston

Re government electronic surveillance: So that's why they call him the Prying Minister. Martin de Boerr, Coburg Do Kennett and Stockdale still look smug when they receive their power bills? George Reed, Wheelers Hill Malcolm and Bill, it's not illegal to seek asylum, but locking up innocent people is a terrible crime.

Robert Preston, McKinnon That's two of us, Janet Donahoo (15/8). I can't get past "young and free" while children are in detention. Janet Pett, Kilsyth Dutton has turned back more than 30 boats. Can he guarantee that no refugee drowned on the way back? Bill Clark, Melbourne

Tony Abbott If Tony's for it, count me out. Truda Olson, East Ringwood Abbott's stance on climate change, and the media attention on it, is an affront to anyone with a grain of intellect. Leigh Ackland, Deepdene

If Malcolm were Bob Menzies, Abbott would be ambassador to Outer Mongolia by now. Ian Baxter, Point Cook Tony Abbott knows all about gobbledegook: he believes in transubstantiation. Bernard Cannon, Golden Square Furthermore

David Elia (15/8), do you have any "spare" tickets for the 2019 Australian Open? Or some unused Frequent Flyer points? Alan Whittaker, Kew East I'm glad the EPA has relieved Stawell residents of their tyre dump. But what happened to the tyres? Peter Valder, Toorak Vienna first, Melbourne second. There must be something special about countries that start with "Austr".Australias 25 million residents, half of whom were born overseas or have at least one parent who was, can be grateful to a lawmaker for whom only 19 of those citizens actually voted, for the galvanising effect of his call for a return to the so-called White Australia policy and for a blanket ban on Muslim migration.

With his first parliamentary speech, the Katter Australia Partys Senator Fraser Anning has managed to unite politicians and people of pretty much all persuasions in a rejection of his offensive and prejudiced position. That he invoked the same phraseology used in Nazi Germanys genocidal slaughtering of 6 million Jewish people in the Holocaust added to the national opprobrium. That he is refusing to apologise and is being cynically backed by party leader Bob Katter reflects poorly on both.

Jewish Liberal Party member Josh Frydenberg (left) and Muslim ALP member Ed Husic. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Our lawmakers rose as one in response to Senator Annings words, showing our Parliament at its best. In both houses, speech after speech denounced the bigotry. Some of the cultural diversity that is arguably this prosperous nations greatest strength was on display as senators and MPs of various ethic and cultural backgrounds  Indigenous, Muslim, Jewish, European, Asian, African  lamented the indecency.Everyone has a dream  even Mushu, a dog diagnosed with terminal cancer whose owners are determined to tick off her 'bucket list'.

With the help of Queensland Police in Mackay, Mushu took on the role of police dog for the day, visiting the Mackay Crime Prevention Unit and taking a ride in a police car.

Mushu looked the part as a police dog in her new gear. Credit:Queensland Police

Donning a snazzy pair of police-issue glasses, hat, and a high-vis vest, Mushu looked right at home in the passenger seat of a police patrol car with Constable Rachel Skill.

Queensland Police said they were approached by Mushu's owners, Kerry and Josh, to help them give Mushu a fine send-off and celebrate her time with her family.The "Green Spine" aims to be a "vertical city of green spaces", say designers.

The developers behind a proposal in Southbank for Australia's tallest skyscraper have employed lobbyists previously close to Treasurer Tim Pallas  but have not yet made an application for the project to Planning Minister Richard Wynne.

Beulah International have proposed the "Green Spine", a 365-metre high project featuring two towers, both with a twisting geometric glass facade and terracing.

One of the towers if built would surpass Q1 (322.5 metres) on the Gold Coast to take the title of Australia's tallest building.

Melbournes tallest building will soon be Australia 108 in Southbank, now under construction, and when complete will stand at 319 metres.Melbourne private school Trinity Grammar has paid out $500,000 to a former student sexually abused by a teacher the school heads had labelled a hero.

Christopher Howell was a senior teacher at the exclusive school for more than 40 years. He took his own life in January 2016, three days before he was due to face court on an indecent assault charge.

On the day of the scheduled court appearance, then headmaster Michael Davies and his deputy Rohan Brown paid tribute to Howells extraordinary legacy despite knowing he had been charged with the child sex crime.

To many, including those penning this letter, Chris Howell was, is and always will be the best educator we have known, they wrote in the letter to the school community.

He was a hero to many who worked with him and walked alongside him...he always worked in the best interest of the boys.A lawyer who paid an online resume company $600 to write her a job application for Australia's spy agency has successfully sued the business after it misspelt ASIO and used someone else's name to apply.

Jobseeker Susan Cole, aged in her 50s, filed a 136-page complaint with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal against 1300 Resume after missing out on her dream job because of a CV she says was "littered with errors".

The resume was 'littered with errors'.

Ms Cole hired the company, which specialises in government job applications, in early March to rework her resume and write a selection criteria response for a position in the graduate lawyer program at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

After a series of unsuccessful attempts at landing a job, the Master of Laws graduate said she bought the company's gold-level application package looking for the edge that could get her over the line.A woman found guilty of murdering a mother of four because she wanted the children as her own believes she was wrongfully convicted, her lawyer has told a court.

In June a jury found that Christine Lyons, 47, had murdered Samantha Kelly, who was bashed with a hammer by Lyons then partner Peter Arthur in a bungalow behind a house in the Bendigo suburb of Kangaroo Flat in January 2016.

Christine Lyons arrives for her plea hearing at the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:AAP

Lyons and housemate Ronald Lyons  who arent related  were also found guilty of attempted murder over a failed effort to fatally drug Ms Kelly with prescription medicine in the days before Arthur killed her. Ronald Lyons, 46, was found not guilty of murder.

Prosecutors told the jury the Lyonses and Arthur agreed to kill the 39-year-old so Christine Lyons could fulfil her dream of having children of her own, and because the men were devoted to seeing her happy. Arthur is serving a 22-year jail term after pleading guilty to murder but turned prosecution witness in the case against his housemates.Fraser Anning delivered an "absolutely magnificent" maiden speech by calling for a ban on Muslim immigration and invoking Nazi Germany's "final solution", according to his party leader Bob Katter.

Mr Katter, a long-serving lower house MP from far north Queensland, said the inflammatory speech was "solid gold" and Senator Anning's ideas were "everything this country should be doing".

That included the Muslim ban, a drastic reduction in Australia's migrant intake and a return to the discriminatory immigration system of the White Australia Policy, dismantled in the 1960s and '70s.

Bob Katter on Wednesday defended his new party member in the face of widespread condemnation. Credit:ABC

"I love it. Our phones are on fire. Ninety per cent of Australia have been waiting for someone to say it and believe it," Mr Katter said.A senator made a hateful and inflammatory speech in the federal Parliament on Tuesday evening, and by Wednesday it had already achieved two good outcomes.

By speaking the unspeakable, Senator Fraser Anning shattered one of the extreme rights most cherished claims to victimhood.

Senator Fraser Anning Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The aggrieved right fringe claims that its views are censored, that it speaks for a silent majority cowed into silence by the political correctness of a minority elite. Anning himself called for the restoration of free speech.

But, of course, there was no censorship. He delivered his speech on the floor of the Senate. He spoke for as long as he pleased. He was received politely. So politely, in fact, that some senators later rued shaking his hand as protocol demands for a senators first speech.Victorian households on the worst electricity deals in the market are paying almost $1000 more each year for the same amount of power as those on the best offers, new research shows.

Geography also has a major impact on the cost of energy for Victorians, with many of the most expensive offers applying in some of the poorest regions of the state.

St Vincent De Paul's Tariff Tracker report found households can save as much as $2675 a year by switching on energy deals. Credit:Michele Mossop

Analysis by the St Vincent De Paul Society released today reveals that households in towns including the Latrobe Valley and Sale in Gippsland, and Seymour, Wangaratta and Wodonga in the states central north, face some of the highest-cost energy offers in Victoria.

Meanwhile, households in a cluster of wealthy suburbs in Melbournes inner south-east, including Toorak, Armadale, South Yarra, Prahran and Caulfield, can pay the cheapest average rates for energy.To best understand the future of Chinas influence in Australias economic and political future, Peter Hartcher says, its worth noting an important fact.

If you look at the size of the Chinese economy compared to the US economy - how much one Chinese Renminbi can buy versus the equivalent number of US dollars - China actually has been the worlds biggest economy for four years, Hartcher says.

Its actually happened. Were now just waiting for the inevitable catch-up in market terms as well.

What that means for the world, however, remains to be seen.

Hartcher was one of four Age journalists who specialise in covering international affairs and how they relate to Australia who gathered at Arts Centre Melbourne on 30 July for The Age Live discussion on Chinas Growing Influence.Paris: Italy's euroskeptic Deputy Prime Minister has seized on the collapse of a bridge in the country's north to question whether it should respect European Union budget constraints.

Matteo Salvini who also heads the euroskeptic League told reporters in Catania, Sicily, that the failure of a roughly 50-year-old suspension bridge in Genoa showed how important it is to increase investment spending. He hinted that EU spending limits could put lives at risk.

Rescuers work to recover an injured person after the Morandi highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, northern Italy, on Tuesday. Credit:ANSA/AP

"If external constraints prevent us from spending to have safe roads and schools, then it really calls into question whether it makes sense to follow these rules," Salvini said.

"There can be no trade-off between fiscal rules and the safety of Italians."New York: Bishops and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over a period of 70 years, persuading victims not to report the abuse and law enforcement not to investigate it, according to a searing report issued by a grand jury Tuesday.

The report, which covered six of the state's eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a US government agency of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Victims of clergy sexual abuse, or their family members react as Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. Credit:AP

It catalogs horrific instances of abuse: a priest who raped a young girl in the hospital after she had her tonsils out; a victim tied up and whipped with leather straps by a priest; and another priest who was allowed to stay in ministry after impregnating a young girl and arranging for her to have an abortion.

The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for more than 15 years. The Pennsylvania report comes after the resignation last month of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors.In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Akilisi Pohiva said, "We should all get together for a weight loss competition."

The region's leaders are set to meet in Nauru next month for the Pacific Islands Forum, and this time, Tonga's Prime Minister apparently plans to suggest a new way to fight obesity in the region: a competition among leaders to see who can lose the most weight over the next year.

According to the CIA World Factbook's data from 2016, the top 10 nations with the highest prevalence of adult obesity were all in the Pacific: Nauru topped the list at 61 per cent, and Micronesia came in 10th with 45.8 per cent.

It should "last for an entire year, so when we meet the following year we will weigh in again and see who has lost the most," he said. "Once the leaders are adapting to that mindset they would be determined to get their people on the same aspect and go from there."

Experts cite an increase in the consumption of processed food as a major factor in the region's struggle with obesity. One World Health Organisation report said that according to its surveys, "in at least 10 Pacific island countries, more than 50 per cent (and in some, up to 90 per cent) of the population is overweight."

Levels of obesity in the Pacific Islands are high.

Some of the islands have made efforts to curb obesity, including by banning some junk food. In 2017, the Guardian reported that Torba province in Vanuatu planned to restrict unhealthy imports so that the community could rely on organic, naturally available products that were better for their health.

"At the moment we have an infiltration of junk food from overseas," Luc Dini, who served as chairman of the local tourism council, told the newspaper.-Century-old hangar designated an historic Ohio landmark

AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2018 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company's blimp hangar at Wingfoot Lake in Suffield, Ohio, will be officially recognized as a prominent Ohio landmark with the unveiling of an Ohio Historical Marker at the facility on Aug. 16 at 2 p.m.

The Wingfoot Lake facility, which has operated since 1917 and is the oldest airship hangar in the United States, joins more than 1,600 unique historical markers across the state of Ohio which tell the story of the people, places and things that have shaped the state's history.

"The Wingfoot Lake Hangar has a rich history of contributions to aviation in Ohio and our nation," said Paul Fitzhenry, Goodyear senior vice president and chief communications officer. "From training the first class of United States Navy pilots in lighter-than-air to building of airships for the defense of the nation during WWI & WWII and serving as the home base of our current airship fleet, this facility is an Ohio and American treasure."

The property on which the hangar sits, and an adjacent lake, was purchased by Goodyear in 1916 to provide water for tire manufacturing in nearby Akron and for airship construction for the United States Army and Navy. The lake is now part of Ohio State Parks and is open to the public. The hangar and surrounding property are still owned by the company which has used the facility in recent years to assemble and test its three new state-of-the-art airships. The newest addition to the fleet - Wingfoot Three - will be formally christened during a ceremony on Aug. 30.

Media are invited to attend the unveiling of the marker at the entrance of the facility at 841 Wingfoot Lake Road, Suffield, Ohio. After the unveiling, guided tours and historical background will be provided on request. The event is not open to the general public.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company:

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

MEDIA CONTACT: Ed Ogden (Office) 330-796-5297 (Cell) 330-283-4694

/PRNewswire - Aug. 15, 2018/

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

RELATED LINKShttp://www.goodyear.comMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 14)  President Rodrigo Duterte said the likes of Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero and former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos are better off as successors to the presidential post.

In a dinner with Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) officials Tuesday night, Duterte said Vice President Leni Robredo does not have what it takes to lead the country.

"Hindi niya kaya, that's my honest opinion ko lang. Kung na-sino lang sana diyan, in the likes of (Chiz) Escudero or Bongbong Marcos," Duterte said during the event in Malacanang.

(Translation: She cannot do it. That's my honest opinion. If it were other people, in the likes of Escudero or Bongbong Marcos)

Escudero and Marcos ran against Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race.

Earlier on the same day, Duterte, at the launch of the 'Pilipinas Angat Lahat' program of entrepreneur group Go Negosyo, said he has little confidence on the governing capacity of the Vice President.

READ: Duterte: Robredo cannot do anything to help PH

Duterte said he is 'hesitant' to suggest a constitutional succession, and that he doesn't think Robredo "can improve on anything here."

The President clarified he has nothing against the vice president.

"Wala akong galit kay (Leni) Robredo. Panalo na ako," Duterte said.

(Translation: I have nothing against Robredo. I already won.)

"Hindi ako nakikipag-away ng babae. Hindi nga ako sumasagot kung ano ang sinasabi nila. But sinabi ko, I think deep in my heart, if you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, hindi niya kaya," he added.

(Translation: I am not engaging in a fight with women. I'm not even replying to what they are saying. What I said, I think deep in my heart, if you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, she cannot do it.)

Duterte had earlier expressed his doubts about Robredo, citing the latter's 'incompetence' as an official.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party (LP), Robredo's party, said it is not up to Duterte to decide on who will take his place when he steps down.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the party said "the Constitution clearly provides that it (successor) should be the Vice President."

"The repeated threat of resignation also denigrates the presidency and the mandate given by the voters," the statement read. "The highest post in the land should not be treated like a club membership he can drop when he feels tired."Aswell as ripping people off and taking their money, The Commission is also sueing the site for giving false/misleading info such as:

That it was an 'official' seller, when it is not

That tickets were limited or about to sell out

That consumers were 'guaranteed' to receive valid tickets for their event

About the price of tickets, when it's 'headline' prices were unobtainable because of the addition of GST and various fees.

NZ now joins a "growing group of international enforcement agencies who are bringing similar cases against Viagogo" such as Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, the UK and Australia. Stuart Wallace, the Commission's Head of Consumer, said:

We acknowledge that this has been a longstanding investigation, and in large measure that is because of the complexity of pursuing a case against an online trader based offshore. We are pleased to have progressed matters to the point where we are now able to launch proceedings,



The Commission has also put out a message on their website advising people to "seriously consider whether buying tickets from ticket reselling website Viagogo is worth the risk."

We are currently investigating Viagogo and to date have received more than 300 complaints. Our investigation is focused on alleged false and misleading representations made by Viagogo which could breach the Fair Trading Act.



So if you're looking at buying some concert tickets in the future DO NOT get them from Viagogo and if you're someone who's been ripped off by them in the past, looks like justice could finally be served!2-Year-Old Boy Falls 24 Floors to His Death in Virginia

A two-year-old boy died after falling off a balcony 24 floors high from a building in Alexandria, Virginia on Aug. 13.

The incident occurred at 5600 Seminary Road, Baileys Crossroads. Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) investigated by interviewing people at the building to determine what occurred at the time of the fall. The police pronounced the child dead at the scene.

The FCPD found that the toddler was under the supervision of an adult caregiver at the time of the incident.

Prior to this incident, another two toddler deaths had been reported in Virginia.

One occured at a building in Fairfax County, Virginia, wheer a 3-year-old fell from a window in May.

Family members present at the time of the incident said that the toddler fell through an open bedroom window that was screened. It happened at 5601 Seminary Road at around 6 p.m. on May 30.

The toddler was pronounced dead when he arrived at a hospital.

County Building Official Brian Foley said that the balcony barriers had not been replaced since the building was first constructed, WTOP reported.

A month after that fall, another three-year-old fell from a window in Magnolia Lane, Falls Church, Virginia.

An investigation determined that the child had been playing in an upper-level room when he leaned against an open window with a screen and fell out of the building.

The toddler was also found to have died from his injuries upon arrival at hospital.

Statistics

Sorry, Gary. Windows opened from the top are safer for kids #WindowSafetyWeek #NPHW Learn more: https://t.co/FWphkjFVvd pic.twitter.com/8TRZN32Dkp  US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) April 4, 2018

According to a Safe Kids Worldwide survey, window safety is not a primary concern for many parents. In a report, the organisation said that 70 percent of parents have never used window guards or anything that would stop windows from opening.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), eight children ages five and under die each year from falling through windows and 3,300 are injured. Parents need to know that window screens are no substitute for window guards, as the structural integrity of the screen cannot stop a child from falling out.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Another potential danger around windows are blind cords. Almost one child dies every month from being strangled by blind cords.

While 73 percent of parents surveyed reported having heard of children dying from blind cords, only 23 percent have made changes to make their blinds more safe by removing the cord or installing tension devices.

Prevention

It has been reported by the CPSC that 5,000 children fall out of windows every year.

Here is a list from SafeKid.org of preventative measures that you can take to improve the safety of the windows around your home to prevent potentially deadly falls:Seven family members were killed in an Oregon crash on Aug. 13, 2018. (Oregon State Police)

7 People in Same Family Among 8 Killed in Oregon Crash

Seven people from the same Washington state family were killed in a brutal car accident in Oregon as they headed to Las Vegas, surviving family members said.

Jessie Tate said that her sister, Erika Boquet, 29, of Tacoma and her three children, along with another relative and that relatives two children, were killed in the Aug. 13 wreck.

They were traveling out of Town for a family vacation and never made it to their destination. Our family is at a complete loss. We are trying come up with enough money to bring them home and give them the proper burial they deserve, Tate wrote in a description for a GoFundMe fundraising page.

Erika was kind and always giving to others. Her heart was big and full of compassion. Words can not describe how much Erika, Bella, Elisa, and Tytis will be missed. Taken from us way too soon.

He told Q13 that Boquets children were Isabella, 11, Elisabeth, 9, and Tytis, 6, and that the family vacation was scheduled for Las Vegas.

Crash Killed Everyone

Oregon State Police said that a person driving a 1999 Toyota 4Runner veered into the opposite lane and struck another Toyota 4Runner being driven by the Boquet family.

The driver of the other vehicle was also killed. The crash happened about 10 a.m. on Oregon 78 near milepost 30, southeast of Burns, according to the police.

A picture from the scene shared by the police show both vehicles heavily mangled with one flipped upside down.

7 killed in eastern Oregon head-on crash were on family trip to Las Vegas, relative says https://t.co/161SFLN8Lf pic.twitter.com/BqitOD0Hif  The Oregonian (@Oregonian) August 15, 2018

Its a tragedy I wouldnt wish on anyone else, Tate told The Oregonian.

He said that he first learned about the crash from relatives who contacted him through social media websites, prompting him to call his father, who had been informed that Boquet was involved.

Tate said his sister often volunteered and she created her own nonprofit, Last Stop, that held an Easter Egg hunt and was planning a backpack drive when the family trip concluded. Her longterm plans included building a brand new park.

She was outgoing, personable, made friends everywhere she went, and her kids took after her, Tate said. They all just cared about everyone around them.

Car Crash Statistics

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, analyzing data from the Department of Transportation, there were 37,461 deaths from car accidents in 2016, the last year complete data is available for.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

The deaths occurred across 34,439 fatal motor vehicle accidents.

The number translates to 11.6 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.16 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, although those numbers can vary widely across states.

The majority of fatal accidents are single-vehicle crashes, the institute noted.

From NTD.tvAshamed Catholic Church Leaders Respond to Report on Sexual Abuse by Priests

A growing number of Catholic church leaders and diocesan officials are responding with sadness and shame to the sweeping state grand jury report released on Aug. 14 that details widespread sexual abuse by priests in Pennsylvania and the Roman Catholic Churchs systematic efforts to ignore, obscure, or cover up allegations.

Leaders from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a joint statement on the highly anticipated 884-page report.

As a body of bishops, we are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops, the statement said. We are profoundly saddened each time we hear about the harm caused as a result of abuse, at the hands of a clergyman of any rank.

The group plans to host a series of meetings this week on cultivating safe environments within the church and will give an update upon its conclusion.

The report lists 301 predator priests who are credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims, the majority of whom were boys. Due to continuing legal battles, more than a dozen names and related information remain redacted.

We believe that the real number of children whose records were lost or who were afraid ever to come forward is in the thousands, the grand jury report stated. Chuch leaders have acknowledged in the past that more than 17,000 people nationwide have reported being molested.

Many of the identified priests will not face justice as most are already deceased and for those still alive, the alleged crimes are too old to be prosecuted. The findings cover abuse by the clergy dating back as much as 70 years in six of eight Pennsylvania dioceses, including Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton. The findings in the other two dioceses were detailed in previous reports.

Uniform Response

Each dioceses response to the report was noticeably similar, with expressions of sorrow. Each also highlighted steps to protect children, while some also added new names of accused clergymen as a show of transparency. In the Diocese of Pittsburgh alone, 99 priests were accused, while, in others, the number hovered around 50. The investigation into the abuse is continuing.

Chuch administrators were accused of routinely covering up the claims of abuse by dissuading victims from reporting abuse, pressuring law enforcement to terminate investigations, or conducting their own biased investigations.

The Diocese of Greensburg on Aug. 13 responded by releasing a list of 21 clergy, with some new names who had credible and substantiated allegations against them. Some clergy on that list are deceased, while others have been removed from ministry.

Some of these names may be familiar to you; others may not, a statement from the diocese said. This is an evolving list of those who, based on prior credible and substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse submitted to the Diocese, should not be permitted to work with or around children, young people or vulnerable adults.

The Diocese of Erie followed suit by adding five new names to their publicized list of clergy as well as lay men and women. The total number now stands at 72.

The Diocese of Erie will not shroud abusers in secrecyno matter who they are or how long ago the abuse occurred, Erie Bishop Lawrence Persico said.

A week before the reports public release, the Diocese of Harrisburg posted its own list and said that it had removed positions of honor from any clergy named in the report. Bishop Ronald W. Gainer said on Aug. 14 that the diocese will continue to make amends for the sins of our past.

Previously, the Diocese of Pittsburgh said they would post the names of accused clergy from their diocese after the grand jury report is released, out of respect for the work. As of Aug. 15, the list hadnt been released.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, the Diocese of Allentown said the past abuse was abhorrent and tragic, while adding that much has changed over the past 15 years.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office led the investigation, fought for the report to be made public. He said of the church, Above all else, they protected their institution above all costs.A pedestrian walks past the People's Bank of China, also known as China's Central Bank in Beijing, 22 August 2007. China's bid to tighten liquidity while most central banks worldwide are battling to boost cash flows underlines the Asian giant's status as largely immune from the troubles afflicting global markets. AFP PHOTO/TEH ENG KOON (Photo credit should read TEH ENG KOON/AFP/Getty Images)

Bond Default in China May Signal Opportunity for US

A landmark bond default, the first of its kind in China, may indicate that the countrys debt crisis is beginning to bite.

The debt situation in China will bring greater pressure for depreciation of the yuan and will make it more difficult for China to sustain a trade war with the United States, an expert says. This could be an opportunity for the United States to push harder against the Chinese regime to reform its economic structure.

On Aug. 13, the Sixth Division of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps announced that it wouldnt be able to repay a 500 million yuan ($73 million) bond, marking the first public default within the so-called legendary City Investment Group system owned by local Chinese governments.

A report from Sina Finance questions whether that means the end of the City Investment legend, which has so far maintained a good record.

Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps, founded in 1954, is a quasi-military, governmental organization, the most important state-owned entity in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. It owns 93 percent of the Sixth Division of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps. The bond in question is 270-day Super & Short-term Commercial Paper, with a 5.89 percent coupon rate, issued through the City Investment system.

The City Investment Group or Corporation, a special system with Chinese characteristics, first appeared in 1991 as a local-government financing vehicle, and didnt own any assets.

The local governments gave their fiscal revenues, land and other assets to these City Investment Groups to operate projects such as infrastructure, road, railway, and real estate. After November 2008, under a 4 trillion yuan ($581 billion) fiscal stimulus program of the Chinese central government, commercial banks started injecting huge funds into the City Investment system, which experienced a boom.

As of Sept. 30, 2013, 11,002 companies appeared within this system, while total local government debt reached 17.89 trillion yuan ($2.6 trillion) at the end of that year, according to data from Chinas National Audit Office.

Economic analyst Qin Peng says the main problem with the City Investment system is that the state-owned and -run companies dont have the ability or incentive to create profits. For years, Qin said, the system has been borrowing more funds to repay old debts.

According to statistics from Chinas Ministry of Finance, as of the end of June 2018, local government debt totaled 16.8 trillion yuan ($2.44 trillion).

However, bonds issued through the City Investment system arent officially counted as government debts. The shadow or hidden debts reached 47 trillion yuan ($6.8 trillion) as of the end of 2017, according to Bai Chong-en, director of the National Institute for Fiscal Studies of Tsinghua University.

If this figure is true, total local government debt has surpassed 63.8 trillion yuan ($9.2 trillion), once the official debt of $2.4 trillion and the estimate of $6.8 trillion in shadow debts are added.

If coupled with central government debt, which was 13.4 trillion yuan ($1.95 trillion) as of the end of the first quarter of 2018, the debt/GDP ratio of China has reached 94 percent, far above the 60 percent warning level accepted by the international community.

In this sense, the City Investment system is a tremendous debt bomb, said Qin. The Sixth Division of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps is not the first exploded bomb, and will definitely not be the last.

Frank Tian Xie, a professor in business at the University of South Carolina Aiken, believes that Chinas debt crisis wont have much of an effect on the United States, but will directly affect the exchange rate of the yuan, and make the situation more difficult for China during the trade war.

He also believes that the White Houses trade war is taking a toll on China. This could force the Chinese Communist Party to make structural changessuch as ending currency manipulation and forced technology transfersthat the White House would like to see happen.China Looks to Replace GPS With New Military Satellite System

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allegedly brought its military replacement for the Global Positioning System (GPS) into full operation in the course of just over four months. It now plans to promote the technology first among nearby countries, then globally by 2020.

GPS, run by the U.S. government, had a nearly $56 billion economy in 2015, according to GPS World. The CCP is now attempting to tap into this market.

According to a July 30 report from Chinese news outlet DWNews, the CCP allegedly brought its Beidou Satellite Navigation System (BDS) into relative full operation over the last several months. It made a large breakthrough in its BDS technology with its Beidou No. 3 satellites. From Nov. 5, 2017, to March 30, 2018, the regime launched eight of the new satellites.

The report says CCP leaders want the system to eventually have 35 satellites, including five geostationary orbit satellites, 27 medium-Earth orbit satellites, and three tilt-synchronous orbit satellites.

GPS is currently used in nearly every major positioning technology, from Google Maps to e-commerce to social networks. Since the technology would be crucial in wartime for fighter jets, military communications, and missile guidance systems, similar technologies have been created by Russia with its GLONASS system, the European Union with its GALILEO system, and China with its BDS system.

BDS was launched by the CCP in 1994 with three satellites. The earliest system was filled with flaws, and its coverage was mainly limited to China. It did not advance significantly until the launch of the Beidou No. 3 satellites in November 2017.

For the CCP, the technology is a dual-use system: The regime is selling it to economic sectors, but as the technology advances, it will also increase the regimes military capabilities.

According to DWNews, the Chinese regime has already embedded BDS into various large-scale weapon launching platforms and in single soldier reconnaissance and group operations. It cites British news reports claiming that the BDS will increase the precision of CCP military weapons strikes.

The report says the CCP is currently developing capabilities in the BDS for reconnaissance, surveillance, command, and assisted attacks, among others.

The CCP is also being clear on its ambitions behind the BDS. In addition to its increased military capabilities, the report states that the multibillion-dollar market around the U.S.-led GPS system will drop as the CCP continues to push its system, and that it is already pushing BDS in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Pakistan.

It adds that the CCP is also in talks with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries, to adopt the BDS system in place of GPS.

The report states that as it pushes BDS, U.S. influence will drop as nations no longer fear losing access to GPS if they commit acts to anger the United States. It also notes that BDS is able to tap into GPS to leverage both technologies.

As the CCP continues to push for the advancement of its space technologies and weapons systems, it may also be ramping up its programs to steal technology from other nations. The United States is warning that the Chinese regime may increase its programs to steal space-related technologies. Even Russia, which has maintained otherwise close ties with China, has begun to call out the CCP on the issue.

VOA reported in Chinese that on March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the development of a new hypersonic missile system; and that on July 20, it was revealed that the missile technology had already been leaked. This led to a series of Russian news articles claiming the CCPs threat to Russian space technology is Russias greatest threat.

It cites Russian news portal Lenta.ru, which reported on July 24 that China has stolen Russian space secrets and has nothing left to steal.Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 27, 2018. (AAP/Lukas Coch/via Reuters)

Turnbulls Energy Policy Secures Partyroom Approval After Good Debate

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has garnered support for his energy policy following a Coalition partyroom meeting held on Aug. 14.

Turnbull addressed the press to say that after a good debate, the proposed policy and legislation changes packaged in the National Energy Guarantee (NEG), including a move to legislate the Paris CO2 emissions target of 26 percent, had received overwhelming support from both Liberal and National MPs.

The Paris target would mean a 50-52 percent reduction in emissions per capita and a 64-65 percent reduction in the emissions intensity of the economy between 2005 and 2030, according to the Department of Energy and Environment website.

Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg added that the NEG is expected to reduce the household average familys power bill by $550 a year and even more so for business.

Turnbull said that the NEG would provide cheaper and more reliable energy and at the same time, of course, meet our commitments to reduce emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

The Difficult Road Ahead

Despite support from a majority of the Coalition, a total of 10 MPs have chosen to reserve their right to cross the floor when Turnbulls energy policy eventually goes to Parliament, according to The Australian. These MPs include Barry OSullivan, Andrew Hastie, Tony Pasin, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, Craig Kelly, George Christensen, Tony Abbott, Andrew Gee, and Barnaby Joyce.

According to Newscorp, if these MPs choose to cross the floor and vote against the NEG, it will be very difficult for the government to pass its energy policy; especially if opposition leader Bill Shorten decides not to support the policy as well.

The Labor party has to decide whether they want to support cheaper and more reliability electricity, Turnbull told reporters.

You know, we have got to bring an end to the years of ideology and idiocy which have been a curse on energy policy for too long, and that is why industrywhether youre talking about big industrial consumers or small businessconsumer groups are calling on governments and oppositions to get behind this policy.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has been a vocal critic of the NEG, said that the Turnbull government policy is designed to get agreement from the Labor states.

The Liberal Party members want us to oppose the Labor Party, not to agree with the Labor Party, and the whole problem with the NEG is that its designed to get agreement from the Labor states, Abbott said.

According to Abbott, the NEG sets the path for even more renewable energy, up from 23 percent to perhaps 36 percent from projects already under construction or contracted with the government. Labor would want an even higher percentage of renewables as well as higher emissions targets of up to 50 percent.

In a speech on July 3, Abbott said, The government would like to crack the so-called trilemma of keeping the lights on, getting power prices down, and reducing emissions in line with our Paris targets.

Its just that theres no plausible evidence at all that all three can be done at the same time.

Liberal MP Craig Kelly told 2GB that he had grave concerns about the NEG.

When I look at the [Energy Security Boards] modelling, there is not more dispatchable power, there is actually less.

Kelly told 2GB that the modelling ultimately gives more unreliable, weather-dependent generation capacity.

An exposure draft of the proposed changes to National Electricity Law that will implement the NEG has now been released for stakeholder consultation. Submissions are due by Sep. 12.

Turnbull said he hopes to legislate the policy before the end of the year.

Watch next:

Alex Epstein and Dave Rubin Discuss the Climate Change DebateGao Weiwei holds a picture of her sister, Gao Rongrong, who was killed in communist China for her belief in Falun Gong, in Washington on June 22, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Defining a Genocide

Prestigious international journal publishes article characterizing Chinese regime's long-running Falun Gong persecution as a cold genocide

Whats the difference between a cold genocide and a hot genocide? Thats one of the weighty issues discussed in a peer-reviewed article headed by a Canadian researcher published recently in the worlds top journal on genocide studies.

University of Manitoba associate professor Dr. Maria Cheung explains in the article that a hot genocide is the violent destruction and killing of a victim group in a short period of time, whereas a cold genocide is a slow and often subtle multi-dimensional destruction of a group over a long span of time.

She argues that a cold genocide is not only about the physical destruction of a group, but that it is inseparably linked to the psychological, structural, and social destruction of the group as well.

No one will pay attention to it because its too slow to notice that this is actually a systematic killing with a clear intention, Cheung said in an interview. I think what makes a genocide is the intention, not the scale, of the killing. Its an intention to eradicate a group.

Cheung adds that the theory of cold genocide is still a new concept that remains open-ended and indeterminate.

Titled Cold Genocide: Falun Gong in China, the article was published in Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal. The publication is the official journal of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, an organization that seeks to further research and teaching about the nature, causes, and consequences of genocide and to advance policy studies on its prevention.

Genocide and Falun Gong

Two years in the making, the article was co-authored by Winnipeg-based international human rights lawyer David Matas, Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting executive director Dr. Torsten Trey, and Toronto lawyer Richard An.

The authors argue that the Chinese Communist Partys campaign against Falun Gong, launched in 1999, is a cold genocide. While it satisfies the classical definition of genocide, Cheung said that definition places too much emphasis on the physical aspect of genocide and doesnt capture the multi-dimensional nature of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong.

For the Falun Gong case, it is not only the physical. The physical cannot be separated from the psychological aspect, the mental aspect, and the social aspect, she said.

Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a traditional body-mind-spirit practice that was made public in 1992 and became widely practised across China in the 1990s. It is grounded in ancient Buddhist and Taoist philosophies that uphold the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

However, feeling threatened by Falun Gongs revival of traditional values and its immense popularity70100 million adherents by the late 1990sthe Chinese Communist Party launched a wide-ranging campaign of persecution against adherents on July 20, 1999, with then-leader Jiang Zemin issuing a formal order for the eradication of the group.

Millions who practise Falun Gong have been subjected to wrongful imprisonment, brainwashing sessions, and torture, with thousands of deaths confirmed in custody. The true number, however, is thought to be in the tens of thousands. The violent campaign has had a devastating effect on the lives of practitioners and their families.

Furthermore, the regimes systematic coverup of its actions has been effective in reinforcing the lack of visibility of violence against Falun Gong in China. As explained in the article, online search terms related to Falun Gong are censored, publicly available data is distorted or deleted, and propaganda and misinformation are spread by the media not only within China but internationally as well.

The prolonged misinformation and manipulation of the media by the regime have been used to cover up its involvement in any violence or discrimination against Falun Gong. As the article explains, this has led to practitioners being marginalized in Chinese society, so their suffering is oftentimes overlooked or discounted.

If there is a person who wants to look into it, unless they really dig deep into many aspects of the information, they cant really get a picture, Cheung said.

This lack of visibility stretching out over the past 18 years has created an environment under which a cold genocide can be sustained.

Forced Organ Harvesting

The most extreme aspect of Jiangs eradication campaign is the forced, live organ harvesting of imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners, which always results in death.

Matas co-authored the first report on the killing of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience for their organs in 2006, which was presented in book form in Bloody Harvest in 2009. He then co-authored an updated report, released in 2016, which found that the 169 government-approved transplant hospitals across China had the capacity to perform more than a million transplants since 2000, the year after the persecution of Falun Gong was launched.

Now its over 170 hospitals that are doing transplants, and it is just like a normal business, said Cheung. No one would know there is systematic killing unless they ask about the source of organs. So it becomes a daily activity, but under cover. It is a big crime.

Cheung said the invisibility of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is a key factor in qualifying it as a cold genocide; the invisibility makes it harder for observers, outsiders, and the general public to appreciate the full destructive potential of the persecution.

In the case of Falun Gong, the long-drawn-out, ongoing nature of the persecution; the governments systematic coverup; and the marginalization of practitioners have led to the normalization of the genocide within China.

Normalization means the violence becomes a regular and normal part of society and daily life, unrecognized for what it is by the public, Cheung said. The result is inattention, where the genocide can continue with little to no opposition.

I think people are very curious about why Falun Gong is considered a genocide, because a lot of people did not notice that it is actually a systematic killing for an extended period with a clear intention, she said.

Watch Next:

Why is Falun Gong Persecuted?

Although its freely practiced in over 70 countries, doing this in China can lead to unlawful arrest, imprisonment, torture, or even death.Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 7, 2012. Nelson is running for a third term. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Democrats Dont See Hope for Shift in Florida Voter Rolls

Until recently, Democrats had high hopes that changes in registered voters in the battleground state of Florida would work in their favor for the upcoming midterm elections. The latest and final numbers show the Democrat position has not strengthened and may even have weakened slightly.

There are two high-stakes statewide races. In the first, two-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson is running for re-election against two-term Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Recent polls show Scott leading Nelson by three to four points, and the Real Clear Politics average of polls has Scott up by 1.2 points.

The second race is for governor. The Aug. 28 primaries for both parties will decide their nominees for governor. Right now, Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis has a commanding double-digit lead; on the Democrat side, former Rep. Gwen Graham appears to be the favorite. Polling of a Graham-DeSantis race shows her with a three- to four-point lead.

The possible flipping of a Democratic Senate seat to the Republicans, as well as a highly competitive contest for governor, was not what Democrats hoping for a blue wave election had envisioned. They had counted on increased registration by Democrats, particularly among millennials and Hispanics, to tilt Floridas elections decisively their way.

After the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, Democrats had expected that anti-gun sentiment would bring millennials out to register. Politico reports that registration of voters ages 18 to 29 grew by 5 percent, while the overall voter registration rolls grew by 10 percent.

Democrats had believed that Hurricane Maria would bring Puerto Ricans to Florida and into the Democrat voter rolls. According to Politico, the Hispanic proportion of registered Democrat voters increased only one percentage point to 17 percent, from 16 percent. At the same time, however, the percentage of black voters decreased by 1 percent.

The overall voter rolls show Democrats declining by two points, while Republicans registration remained steady.Employee Stops Bear From Entering Liquor Store

Security camera footage captured the moment a bear tried to wander into the Crazy Bruce Liquor store in Bristol, Connecticut.

On Aug. 13, the black bear can be seen walking on the sidewalk before making its way to the liquor store through an open door.

The animal was not able to get inside the store due to an employee locking the second inner door at the entrance.

The bear then apparently wanders away, and the employee can be seen letting a man with a red shirt inside the store.

Instinct I guess, thats what Im thinking, Crazy Bruce Liquor employee Daniel Thibodeau told NBC Connecticut about why he locked the doors.

No one was injured in the incident.

(Video Credit: Crazy Bruce Liquor via Storyful)Father Gets Death Penalty for Honor Killings of Son-in-Law, Daughters Friend

A Jordanian immigrant was sentenced to death in Texas on Aug. 14 for his honor killings of his son-in-law and daughters close friend.

Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, 60, was found guilty of capital murder last month for the 2012 fatal shootings of his daughters new husband, Coty Beavers, 28, and her best friend, Gelareh Bagherzadeh, 30, who was an Iranian rights activist. After a five week trial, the Harris County jury deliberated for just 35 minutes before reaching their verdict.

The same jury took about nine hours to sentence Irsan to death.

Prosecutors allege that Irsan, a conservative Muslim who emigrated from Jordan in 1979, become enraged after his daughter, Nesreen, married Beaver who was a Christian and converted to Christianity. Investigators said that it was Bagherzadeh who had encouraged her friend to marry Beavers. The couple married in July 2012.

Police said that Irsan, along with his wife, Shmou Alrawabdeh, and son, Nasim, followed Bagherzadeh to her parents home in January 2012. Nasim then shot her in her car.

That November, the 60-year-old slipped into Beavers unlocked apartment near Houston, waited for his daughter to leave for work, and then shot his son-in-law, according to Alrawabdeh, who testified in her husbands trial as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.

Trial

Alrawabdeh testified at the trial that her husband tried to clean his honor with the killings. She told jurors her husband also planned on killing their daughter, Beavers twin brother and Beavers mother.

Irsan portrayed himself as a devoted father who became upset after his daughter ran away from home. At the trial, he told jurors that he wasnt involved in the deaths. He said his daughter had caused his family pain by marrying Beavers.

Nesreen testified that she had to obtain a protective order to prevent her family from harassing her after she moved out.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors alleged that Irsan killed a different son-in-law in 1999 because he did not approve of the mans marriage to his eldest daughter, The Houston Chronicle reported. Witnesses testified that Irsan blasted son-in-law Amjad Alidam with a shotgun after inviting Alidam to his home. Irsan then planted the pistol on Alidams body and escaped criminal charges by claiming he acted in self-defense.

Ali Irsan gets to be the judge, jury, and executioner of anyone who goes outside of Ali Irsans control, special prosecutor Marie Primm said during the trial.

Some of Irsans family also testified at trial that they lived in fear of daily beatings. One of his daughters said Irsan celebrated the 9/11 attacks on the United States and praised Osama Bin Ladan. He also had told his children they should offer to become suicide bombers.

In 2015, Irsan, Alrawabdeh, and another daughter were sentenced to federal prison for defrauding the Social Security Administration.

Irsans attorneys said they were disappointed in the verdict and noted that it would automatically be appealed.

Victims Families Speak Out

Beavers mother, Shirley McCormick, delivered a victim impact statement in court immediately after the death penalty was handed down.

On November 12, 2012, Ali Irsan and his family destroyed life as we knew it forever, she said, The Houston Chronicle reported.

That was the day they ambushed and murdered Coty, to restore honor to someone who never had any.

Beavers twin brother, Cory, told reporters outside court that the family would focus on the remaining suspects who are awaiting trial: Irsans adult son, Nasim, who is charged with capital murder, and his adult daughter, Nadia, who is charged with stalking.

Honor violence typically involves participation of multiple family members. We will continue to pray that everyone culpable in these murders are brought to justice, he said.

Bagherzadehs parents, who attended every day of the trial, speaking through a family friend Kathy Soltani said they were pleased with the outcome.

We came from a country where people fight for democracyfrom IranAli Irsan came from a country where they dont believe in democracy, either. But we came because we were in pursuit of happiness, and freedom of speech and democracy. So was Gelareh, she said.

She gave her life fighting for her friend, Nesreen. She believes in helping people and Ali Irsan obviously did not. But at the end of the day, this moment is what we all were waiting fordemocracy at its best.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD.tvFour Girls Fight Back After Man Attempts Kidnapping in Michigan

Four girls, ages 11 to 14, fought back after a man attempted to kidnap one of them.

Surveillance cameras captured 22-year-old Bruce Hipkins watching the four girls inside of a Speedway gas station in Millington on Aug. 10, around 10 p.m.

After they left the Speedway, the girls noticed Hipkins following them, so they crossed the street.

They decided to go across the street where the lights are, to a lit area, Millington Police Chief Jason Oliver told WJRT.

But Hopkins followed and tried to kidnap one of them on M-15 between Beckwith and Main Street.

He said, Youre coming with me. And like, he grabbed my face, Allison Eickhoff, 11, said.

This cannot be happening, like I thought it was a test at first but then Im like, this is real.'

Millington girl says she was grabbed by a man who told her youre coming with me. Sister threw coffee on him. He faces charges. Girls hope he gets the help he needs. @nbc25fox66 pic.twitter.com/ZbqjZK7kp2  Joel Feick (@joelfeick) August 13, 2018

Her sister Lauren Eickhoff, 13, was with her and quickly tried to fight off Hipkins.

I grabbed my drink and chucked it at his head. I tried to, I punched him in the head, she said. Seeing that your little sister was going to get taken is very scary.

The sisters said that their father had told them to fight back in any situation where they felt their lives were in danger.

Oliver, the police chief, said all the girls worked together to fight off the assailant.

Kicked, screamed, punched, clawed, threw their hot drinks, their slurpees, or whatever they had on them, they did what they needed to do, he said.

Hipkins let go of Allison but grabbed another girl, a 14-year-old who was hitting him.

He grabbed another one by the hair after he had let the little one go, and they continued to kick and punch him and scream until they let go and ran off, Oliver said.

This is the man who prosecutors say tried to kidnap several girls in Millington. Bruce Hipkins just appeared in court and is facing numerous charges. Read more: https://t.co/SfcLgzgHvu pic.twitter.com/TmLMHrNSZ4  Dave Bondy (@DaveBondyTV) August 13, 2018

After Hipkins fled, the girls ran to the Millington Inn, about a block away, and someone there called 911.

A deputy located Hipkins just a few minutes later. He confessed to wanting to kidnap one of the girls and was planning to rape her, reported WWMT.

Hes been charged with kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, assault and battery, and two sexual misconduct charges.

In the mugshot taken after his arrest, Hipkinss white shirt is stained with what appears to have been coffee.

Hipkinss father said that Hipkins has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, having Aspbergers and attention deficit disorder (ADD), and has been suicidal in the past.

Police officers said that the four girls were shaken up but that none were injured.

From NTD.tvAngelos Mitretodis (L) and Dimitris Kouklatzis, two Greek soldiers who were detained in Turkey after crossing the border, are welcomed by their parents after being released, at the airport of Thessaloniki, Greece, August 15, 2018. (Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis)

Freed in Turkey Before Spy Trial, Greek Soldiers Await Flight Home

ISTANBULTwo Greek soldiers facing espionage charges in Turkey are due to fly home early on Aug. 15 after a provincial court released them, in a ruling Athens said would help to improve strained ties between the two NATO allies.

The soldiers crossed into Turkey in March, in what Greece said was an accident while they were following the trail of suspected illegal migrants.

But a court in the western province of Edirne ordered their detention the same month on suspicion of attempted military espionage.

The same court ruled for their release on Aug. 14 after they said in a defense statement they had crossed the border by mistake, state news agency Anadolu said.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed the ruling. The release of the two Greek officers is an act of justice which will contribute to friendship, good neighborly relations and stability in the region, his office said in a statement.

The conditions of their release were not immediately clear, though Greece said it was sending an aircraft to pick them up.

The prime ministers office said his plane would fly them back to Thessaloniki, where they would be received early on Aug. 15 by the defense minister.

Long-time regional rivals Turkey and Greece have been at odds over a host of issues from ethnically divided Cyprus to rights in the Aegean Sea.

Rhetoric has recently been ratcheted up on both sides, particularly after the collapse of peace talks in Cyprus in July 2017.

But following a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in July, Tsipras said they had agreed to focus efforts on easing tensions in the Aegean.

Turkey has also called on Greece to return eight Turkish commandos who have sought asylum there after commandeering a helicopter to flee Turkey as a coup against Erdogan crumbled in July 2016. Turkey says they were involved, and has demanded they be returned to face trial.

In Brussels, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he was delighted by news of the Greek soldiers imminent release.

As I said (before) Turkey has nothing to fear from its European neighbors. We want to see a democratic, stable and prosperous Turkey, he posted on his Twitter feed.

By Humeyra Pamuk and Ali Kucukgocmen

Additional reporting by Michele Kambas and George GeorgiopouloThe New York Times building in New York City on July 27, 2017. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

How Did the Mainstream Media Become the Enemy of the People?

Since the 2016 elections, Donald Trump has been calling the so-called main-stream media the enemy of the people and a whole lot of those people have loved him for it.

Now the enemy is fighting back.

On Thursday, Aug. 16 more than 100 publications across the U.S. will publish editorials rejecting President Trumps accusations.

Orchestrated by the Boston Globes editorial board, each paper has committed to publishing its own editorial denouncing the presidents claim that the media is the enemy of the American people.

Rather than admit their obvious guilt, repent and reform, the enemies are doubling down, confirming to the world that the president, if anything, is understating the case.

But how did the most liberty-loving nation on the planet, the United States of America, get to the point where her media is almost completely dominated by the hard left?

How did Americas mainstream media go from upholding a sacred duty to inform the people to openly colluding to further misinform them?

Americas newspapers have been printing Marxist propaganda from the days that Karl Marx himself was still working as a journalist. Oct. 25, 1851, Horace Greeleys New York Tribune then Americas leading Whig (liberal) daily, published an article by the German philosopher bemoaning the failure of Germanys failed 1848 communist revolution.

The first act of the revolutionary drama on the Continent of Europe has closedThe powers that were before the hurricane of 1848, are again the powers that be.

Hundreds of failed German revolutionaries fled to America where they spread the new science of Marxism everywhere they could, including in the newspapers.

Co-leader of the Russian Revolution Leon Trotsky himself was living in the Bronx working at a communist newspaper in the East Village when the 1917 revolution broke out in Russia.

And who could forget the infamous Walter Duranty who won a Pulitzer prize filing Soviet-doctored reports from Moscow in the 1930s, which denied the existence of a deliberate famine in Ukraine that killed 10 million people?

Only decades later, after considerable public pressure did the New York Times acknowledge Durantys crimes against the people:

Taking Soviet propaganda at face value this way was completely misleading, as talking with ordinary Russians might have revealed even at the time. Durantys prize-winning articles quoted not a single oneonly Stalin, who forced farmers all over the Soviet Union into collective farms and sent those who resisted to concentration camps. Collectivization was the main cause of a famine that killed millions of people in Ukraine, the Soviet breadbasket, in 1932 and 1933.

Training Journalists

But enemies like Duranty were a tiny minority. Most American journalists learned their trade on the job. They started as cadet reporters on small-town newspapers. They covered the county fairs, the local scandals, and sporting events. They were normal Americans with normal American values.

After World War 2 everything began to change. Hundreds of thousands of returning servicemen, funded by a grateful America through the GI Bill flooded into the colleges and universities. These young men had grown up in the Great Depression, they had read communist-infiltrated military newspapers through the war years. Communist Soviet Russia had helped them defeat Hitler. Their British allies had ditched conservative Winston Churchill and elected socialist Prime Minister Clement Atlee, who then implemented a sweeping welfare state.

These returned servicemen were looking to build a world without want or war-they were very open to liberal and leftist ideas.

Into that perfect storm walked a man named Curtis MacDougall.

William David Sloan, the founder of the American Journalism Historians Association has said of MacDougall his many books, articles, and speeches helped set the tone and added to the debate surrounding journalism for a half century.

Newspapers, radio, and TV were now looking for journalists with college degrees. MacDougall was happy to train them.

In 1938 MacDougall had published his game-changing book Interpretative Reporting. To paraphrase MacDougall, the goal of journalism was not to accurately report the news, but to shape history. A good journalism must give the reader the appropriate context by which the correct opinions could be formed.

This was the birth of what we now call advocacy journalism. Idealist young journalism students lapped it up. Making history was going to be far more exciting than merely reporting facts. MacDougalls philosophy now seems to be the accepted norm in every major journalism school in the country.

Curtis MacDougall earned his masters degree in journalism from Northwestern in 1926. In 1933, he received his PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin.

He was Illinois state supervisor of the heavily Communist Party-infiltrated Federal Writers Project from 1939 to 1942, going on to teach journalism in Northwestern University until his retirement in 1971.

MacDougall was a leader of the communist-dominated Progressive Party. He was a sponsor of the Scientific and Cultural Conference for World Peace March organized by the Communist Party USA front National Council of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions in New York City, March 1949. In the early 1960s, MacDougall supported the Communist Party-controlled National Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee. As late as 1970 he was a Vice-Chairman of communist lead Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights.

Modern American journalism was founded by a man, who was at the very least, a committed Communist Party fellow traveler.

Izzy

Another icon of U.S. journalism was the late I.F. (Izzy) Stone. Even today journalists compete for a prestigious annual prize named in his honor, the Izzy Award.

Stones famous newsletter, I. F. Stones Weekly (195371), was ranked in 16th place among The Top 100 Works of Journalism in the United States in the 20th Century by New York Universitys journalism department in 1999. It was ranked in second place among print journalism publications.

Stone was an early Socialist Party member, who moved into Communist Party circles in the 1930s and 40s. He ended his days as an early supporter of Democratic Socialists of America.

In October 1988, I. F. Stone wrote a letter endorsing his good friend Bernie Sanders who was running for Congress in Vermont:

Ive been politically active all my life. I was a member of the Executive Committee of the Socialist Party in New Jersey, before I was old enough to vote.

Now Id like to ask you to join me in a historic step forward in American politics. My favorite MayorBernie Sanders of Burlington, Vermontis running for Congress, and with our help he can win an unprecedented victory for us all.

Izzy Stone was a major enemy of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, the anti-communist crusader from Wisconsin. Only later did de-coded World War 2 Soviet intelligence messages reveal that for some time in the 1930s and 40s Izzy Stone had been a paid Soviet agent.

Leftist Culture

Curtis MacDougall, I. F. Stone, and their leftist comrades in the journalism schools have created a leftist culture in American journalism.

According to the Media Research Center:

Between 1964 and 1992, Republicans won the White House five times compared with three Democratic victories. But if only journalists ballots were counted, the Democrats would have won every time.

Surveys from 1978 to 2004 show that journalists are far more likely to say they are liberal than conservative and are far more liberal than the public at large.

None of the surveys have found that news organizations are populated by independent thinkers who mix liberal and conservative positions. Most journalists offer reflexively liberal answers to practically every question a pollster can imagine.

Active in the 2008 Presidential election, JournoList was a ListServ (email group) of approximately 400 progressive and socialist journalists, academics and new media activists. JournoList members reportedly coordinated their messages in favor of Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, and against Sarah Palin and the Republican Party.

JournoList members included Jared Bernstein, chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden.

Other members included journalists from The American Prospect, Newsweek, POLITICO, Mother Jones, LA Weekly, In These Times, The New Republic, Bloomberg, The New York Observer, The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Chicago Tribune, Slate, Brave New Films, The Nation, Alternet, Newsweek, Washington Post, The New York Times, Harpers Magazine, The Hill, The Village Voice, Media Matters, The Baltimore Sun, National Public Radio, Salon, Slate, Huffington Post, even the Columbia Journalism Review and Kaiser Health News.

Many JournoList members were socialists, including Scott McLemee of the International Socialist Organization, and Democratic Socialists of America supporters Joel Bleifuss (In These Times), Todd Gitlin (Columbia University), John Judis, (senior editor of The New Republic), Michael Kazin (Dissent), Katha Pollitt (The Nation) and Robert Kuttner, co-editor of The American Prospect.

Journilistas were apparently willing to privately collude to attempt to steer public opinion in their desired political direction.

Nothing improved in the 2016 election cycle.

Conservative writer Jonah Goldberg wrote that according to a just-released study, more than 96 percent of donations from media figures to either of the two major-party presidential candidates went to Hillary Clinton.

Curtis MacDougall and Izzy Stone would have been so proud!

President Trump is right. The mainstream media is the enemy of the people. The President knows it, and the people know it. Only the mainstream media itself seems oblivious of its own contemptible status.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Italy Bridge Operator in Spotlight as Collapse Death Toll Rises

Prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation

As rescuers scoured the twisted steel and concrete wreckage of the collapsed viaduct in the Italian city of Genoa that killed 39, furious government ministers blasted the bridge operator, saying it should pay for the disaster and lose its concession.

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the private company that operated the bridge had earned billions from tolls but did not spend the money they were supposed to.

Imposing the highest penalties possible and making sure that those responsible for the dead and the injured pay up for any damages and crimes is the very least, Salvini said.

The 51-year-old bridge, part of a toll motorway linking the port city of Genoa with southern France, collapsed during torrential rain on Tuesday, Aug. 14, sending dozens of vehicles crashing onto a riverbed, a railway, and two warehouses.

Crumbled Like Papier-Mache

The scene is apocalyptic, like a bomb had hit the bridge, Matteo Pucciarelli, a journalist for the Italian daily La Repubblica, told the Guardian. There are about 200 rescuers working continuously. People are in shock.

Footage of the collapse, with cries from an onlookerOh God! Oh God!showed a flash of light as the bridge crumbled out of view.

Rescuers worked through the night, combing through the debris for survivors.

Were not giving up hope, weve already saved a dozen people from under the rubble, a fire official, Emanuele Giffi, told AFP. Were going to work round the clock until the last victim is secured.

So far four people have been pulled alive from cars found in the mangled ruins.

Eyewitness Ivan, 37, evacuated from a nearby building, described the collapse as unbelievable.

To see a pylon come down like papier-mache is an incredible thing, he said. Its been a lifetime that weve known there were problems. It is in continual maintenance. In the 90s they added some reinforcements on one part, but also underneath you can see rust.

Imposing the Highest Penalties Possible

Italys deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, said in a Facebook post on Aug. 15, Those responsible for the tragedy in Genoa have a name and a surname, and theyre called Autostrade per lItalia.

For years its been said that private management would be better than that of the state, Di Maio said. And so today, we have one of the biggest dealers in Europe telling us that the bridge was safe and there was no worry of it collapsing. Autostrade had to maintain it but didnt.

Autostrade, a unit of Milan-listed Atlantia group, said it had done regular, sophisticated checks on the structure before the disaster, relying on companies and institutions, which are world leaders in testing and inspections and that these had provided reassuring results.

These outcomes have formed the basis for maintenance work approved by the Transport Ministry in accordance with the law and the terms of the concession agreement, it said.

Danilo Toninelli, the infrastructures and transports minister, said on Wednesday the collapse was unacceptable and that if negligence was a factor whoever made a mistake must pay.

According to the Guardian, Toninelli called on the top level of Autostrade to step down first of all. He also told RAI television the government intended to cancel its deal with the company to manage the A10 toll motorway connecting Genoa to the French border.

I have given mandate to my ministry to start all proceedings to apply the agreement, that is to revoke the concession from these companies and seek significant sanctions, he said.

Autostrades Genoa area director, Stefano Marigliani, called the collapse unexpected and unpredictable.

Queues of cars and the volume of traffic cause intense decay of the Morandi viaduct structure on a daily basis, Marigliani said, the Daily Mail reported.

The bridge was constantly monitored and supervised well beyond what the law required, he said. There was no reason to consider the bridge dangerous.

Autostrade was about to launch a 20 million euro ($23 million) bidding process for major safety improvements to the bridge.

The tender would have covered strengthening of the bridges pier cables, including those of pier nine, the one that collapsed on Tuesday.

Italian prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the disaster.

Engineering experts say its too early to say why the bridge disintegrated, but point to a history of problems with its design.

A Tragedy Waiting to Happen

The aging bridge, designed by the renowned Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, was fraught with structural doubts.

That is how an article in the specialist engineering website Ingegneri.info referred to the structure, calling it a tragedy waiting to happen.

In its design, Morandi used a patented prestressed reinforced concrete technology, which later proved problematic.

Antonio Brencich, a professor of reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, told Radio Capitale that Morandis technology was affected by extremely serious corrosion problems and was over time shown to be a failure.

Guido De Roeck, professor emeritus at KU Leuven, a university in Belgium, told VRT news a vulnerable point of Morandis design was the limited number of cables, not steel cables, but pretensioned concrete cables, which are subject to corrosion.

Ian Firth, former president of The Institution of Structural Engineers, told the Daily Mail, It is too early to say what caused the tragic collapse, but as this reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor.

In the wake of the disaster, Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister, said that all infrastructure across the country needed to be double-checked. We must not allow another tragedy like this to happen again.

Toninelli echoed these concerns, saying that many structures in Italy suffer from insufficient safety checks.

There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed  almost all  during the 1960s, he said.

Italian civil engineering association CNR reportedly said structures as old as the collapsed Morandi bridge had exceeded their lifespan.

Tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s should be repaired or replaced.

Updating and reinforcing the bridges, CNR said, the Telegraph reported, would in many cases be more expensive than demolishing them and building new structures from scratch.

Reuters contributed to this reportKey Australian 5G Network Suppliers Have Ties With Chinese Communist Party

Two key potential participants in Australias 5G broadband network have been revealed to have ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which could possibly be perceived as a security risk for the planned network.

Serious questions about Nokia and Ericssonwhich already have contracts with the Australian governmentregarding their connections with the Chinese regime were revealed on Aug. 13, after Fairfax reported on the extent of the companies ties. Although Nokia is headquartered in Finland and Ericsson in Sweden, both companies manufacture their equipment in Chinese factories and have joint ventures led by Communist Party officials.

The Turnbull government was preparing to ban Huawei, a rival company to Nokia and Ericsson and the worlds largest maker of telecommunications network gear, from supplying equipment for its 5G network after intelligence agencies raised concerns that the CCP could force the company to hand over sensitive data, two government sources told Reuters in July.

Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Huawei, was a former officer in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). He continues to run the company today.

For years, intelligence agencies in the west have raised concerns about Huaweis connections to the Chinese regime and the possibility that its equipment could be used for espionage. But there is currently no public evidence to support those suspicions.

Nokias and Ericssons links to the Chinese regime could potentially be perceived in a similar manner to Huaweis.

Nokia and China Huaxin Post & Telecommunication Economy Development Center entered into a joint venture in May 2017. The joint company, named Nokia Shanghai Bell, boldly displays the Communist Party symbol on its website.

Nokia Shanghai Bells chairman, Yuan Xin, is the secretary of the companys Communist Party Committee. Government organisations and private companies are required to have communist party units in order to implement party policy in all aspects of society, according to a regulation passed in 2015.

Similarly, Ericsson entered into a joint venture with Nanjing Panda Electronics in March 2014, named Nanjing Ericsson Panda Communication. According to a Chinese regime website, the joint venture is responsible for the supply of and support to Ericssons mobile communication system equipment and program-controlled telephone switching systems in the Asia-pacific region.

Several directors of Nanjing Panda Electronics hold Communist Party positions including their chairman, Guofei Xu, according to the companys website.

In a statement to The Epoch Times, a spokesperson of the Department of Home Affairs said due to national security and commercial sensitivities, it would not be appropriate to answer questions about the two telecommunication companies ties to the Chinese regime.

The Australian Government recognises the opportunities 5G presents for economy-wide transformation, the spokesperson said.

The Government wants to support an environment that allows Australia to realise the benefits of 5G across the economy.

The telecommunications sector is key to our national security and the government will take the necessary actions to ensure its protection.

Huawei Tries to Allay Security Fears

Earlier in the year, Huawei lobbied against concerns to allay the federal government about worries that the companys links to the CCPs intelligence services pose a security risk. John Lord, chairman of Huaweis Australian unit, said he believes banning Huawei will not make the Australian telecom ecosystem safer.

The telecommunications company has promised that Canberra will have complete oversight of 5G network equipment, which could include base stations, towers, and radio transmission equipment.

That sort of model has been used by other countries such as the UK, where a special laboratory staffed with government intelligence officials checks all Huawei products, according to Reuters.

However, sources who claimed to have been briefed by British intelligence told Asia Times that core switches installed by the telecommunications company in an upgrade were behaving suspiciously. The sources claimed the switches were letting data in and out to a third party. These reports have yet to be publicly confirmed.

The federal government is yet to make a decision on whether it will ban Huawei for its 5G network. The company was previously banned in 2012 by the former federal Labor government from participating in the National Broadband Network.

Australian intelligence agencies had warned that there was credible evidence that Huawei was connected to the Third Department of the PLAan arm of the Chinese militarys cyber-espionage network, according to Professor Clive Hamilton, the author of the book Silent Invasion: Chinas Influence in Australia.

Hamilton says in his book that Huawei has spent time creating a public image of trustworthiness by setting up an Australian board as a front: Although it is not a state-owned company, it would be naive in the extreme to believe a company that with government support turned itself into the worlds second-biggest telecommunications equipment maker  did not have daily links with Chinas intelligence services.

From NTD.tv

Watch Next:

Australias China Experts Discuss Chinese Communist Party Infiltration in Australia

The conflicts between two different values systems, and the conflicts between the two political systems are issues that cannot be ignored.The car that was driven at pedestrians and cyclists in Westminster then crashed into the barrier outside the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday is seen in an image handed out by the Metropolitan Police in London, Aug. 15, 2018. (Metropolitan Police handout via Reuters)

Man Arrested After Suspected London Parliament Terrorist Attack Charged With Attempted Murder

LONDONThe man suspected of carrying out a terrorist attack by crashing a car outside the parliament building in London has been charged with attempted murder.

Salih Khater, 29, is a British citizen of Sudanese origin, a source said.

A car was driven into pedestrians and cyclists on Tuesday, Aug. 14, injuring three people before ramming a security barrier outside parliament.

The driver was arrested at the scene, but hasnt been named yet by police. Police are currently questioning him on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism and attempted murder.

The source told Reuters that Khater was from Birmingham in central England and was not previously known to security services.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that Khater had studied accountancy at Coventry University from Sep. 2017 to May 2018 but failed his first year and lost his place.

A Terrorist Incident

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that they had concluded searching two addresses in Birmingham and another in Nottingham. They continued to search a third address in Birmingham.

The priority of the investigation team continues to be to understand the motivation behind this incident, the statement said.

They added, Given that it appears to have been a deliberate act, the method used, and the iconic location, it is being treated as a terrorist incident.

Footage obtained from a CCTV camera showed a silver Ford Fiesta veering across the road and into a security lane leading to parliament before smashing into the barrier. No one else was in the vehicle at the time and no weapons have been found.

Police said the car used in the incident drove from Birmingham to London late on Monday, Aug. 13, arriving in London just after midnight. It remained in the Tottenham Court Road area in central London for around four-and-a-half hours before being driven to Westminster where most government departments are located.

At this early stage, there is no intelligence of further danger to Londoners or the rest of the UK in connection with this incident, police said.

Not the First Time

The incident could be the second terrorist-related attack in the area around parliament in under 18 months. In March 2017 a British-born Muslim convert killed four people on Westminster Bridge and stabbed a policeman to death, before he was shot dead.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he would like part of Parliament Square to be pedestrianised.

Ive been an advocate for a while now of part-pedestrianising Parliament Square, but making sure we dont lose the wonderful thing about our democracy which is people having access to parliamentarians, people being able to lobby parliament, and visitors being able to come and visit parliament, he told BBC radio.

But London police chief Cressida Dick said there was a balance to be drawn.

Vehicles are on our streets all the time, she told LBC radio. We have crowds on our streets as well. The terrorists want us to completely change our way of life.

She added, Were not going to just change our lifestyle but it is important that we take reasonable measures, as I think we have been doing over the last several months to try to make sure that the most iconic sites, including those in central London, are well protected.

Reuters contributed to this report.Man Lunges at Vegas Police With a Knife; They Shoot Him

(Warning: Video contains potentially disturbing content)

Recently released police body camera footage shows Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers shooting a man armed with a knife after he lunged at them.

In the video, police fired a Taser at him, but the man, identified as Spurgeon Daniels in local media reports, kept moving forward. When he approaches the entrance of a motel, he then lunges at an officer with a knife before officers shoot him.

News3 in Las Vegas reported on Aug. 10 that the officers were responding to a suicide situation. Motel management at the Kensington Suites near Bonanza Road and Tonopah Drive called the police to perform a welfare check on Daniels.

Detectives told News3 that Daniels was spotted running around naked in the motel.

Spurgeon Daniels was the suspect. He would have raced assault with a deadly weapon. pic.twitter.com/AphcjyxaPa  Antonio Castelan (@AntonioNews3LV) August 9, 2018

When officers entered his motel room, the room appears trashed and Daniels can be seen holding something behind his back. In the video, Daniels can be seen repeatedly refusing the orders of police. Officers fire a Taser at him, which doesnt work. Then, Daniels swipes at them with a knife, forcing the officers to retreat.

One officer was cut in the hand with the knife, police told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Officers fired another Taser. After that, he charged officers, forcing them to open fire. News3 reported that he was hit in the stomach.

The Review-Journal reported that Daniels, 62, later died at a hospital.

Police say this is he weapon Daniels had during police shooting. @News3LV pic.twitter.com/uUQ6Lg4Ta5  Antonio Castelan (@AntonioNews3LV) August 9, 2018

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Tim Kelly said that officers did everything they could to diffuse the situation. The person reporting told dispatch he was afraid something bad may have happened to Daniels because he was not answering the door, Kelly told the Review-Journal.

On each one of those incidents, we have to take a critical look to ensure all of our tactics are sound, he told News3, adding that the police department will investigate why the Tasers didnt work.

Basically, replay this was there better things that could have been done as opposed to putting the officer in that position. He was very lucky, he said.

The Review-Journal identified Dave Stockton as the officer who fired at Daniels.

If Daniels survived, he would have faced charges of battery with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, said Kelly.

Kelly told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that it was the third police officer-involved shooting in 48 hours.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

In my 28-plus years here, I dont recall us having this many (officer-involved shootings) in such a short period of time, Kelly said. Its unfortunate, but when you have individuals out there that are trying to cause harm, as a police agency its our job to take action to mitigate that threat.

The shooting marked the departments 13th of the year and the third in a 48-hour stretch that began about 1:15 p.m. Saturday when two officers fatally shot a man after an hourslong barricade. Later that night, an officer returned fire at a man who had shot at officers. That man was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Review-Journal reported.

The officer who was hurt by the knife was later released from the hospital, Kelly said.Two Buddhist monk delegates arrive the sixth plenary meeting of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 16, 2013 (Feng Li/Getty Images)

Monk President of Beijings Sanctioned Buddhist Organization Quits After Allegations of Sexual Assault

BEIJINGOne of Chinas highest-ranking Buddhist monks quit as the president of the Beijing-sanctioned Buddhist Association of China on Aug. 15 after a government investigation was recently launched into accusations of sexual misconduct.

Xue Cheng, 51, is an abbot of Beijings Longquan Monastery and heads the Buddhist Association, through which the Chinese regime monitors the activities of Buddhist practitioners in the communist country. He is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The Buddhist Association of China said in a statement on its website that it had accepted Xue Chengs offer to resign from the chairmanship and other posts on Aug. 15, without elaborating on the reasons.

Chinas religious affairs administration launched an investigation following accusations leveled against the abbot in a 95-page document prepared by Xian Jia and Xian Qi, former supervisors at the Longquan Monastery.

In the document, they claimed that Xue sexually assaulted his female disciples and psychologically manipulated them, causing some to become mentally unstable as a result. They included text conversations between Xue and his female disciplines on WeChat, a popular Chinese social media platform, as evidence of his allegedly inappropriate behavior.

On Aug. 1, Xue posted a statement on his Sina Weibo account, Chinas equivalent to Twitter, denying the allegations.

Xues wrongdoing went beyond alleged sexual misconduct. He was allegedly involved in a corruption scheme when 12 million yuan ($1.76 million) raised by a chief monk in July 2015 went missing, according to the 95-page document. Then, in March 2018, Puji Temple, an affiliated branch of the Longquan Monastery, transferred 10 million yuan ($1.64 million) to Xues personal accounts.

Xue was also involved in human rights violations when he started writing articles to attack the spiritual group Falun Gong, upon being appointed to director of the China Anti-Cult Association established by former CCP leader Jiang Zemin.

Falun Gong is a meditation practice that was hugely popular in China in the 1990s, before Jiang ordered a nationwide persecution of its adherents in July 1999. Jiang mobilized the states propaganda apparatus to spread defamatory claims that the spiritual group was a cult.

Xue is one of the most prominent officials to meet his downfall since the #MeToo movement began to gain momentum in China.

By Lusha Zhang & Philip Wen. Epoch Times staff member Frank Fang contributed to this report.NASA Astronauts, SpaceX COO Talk Crew Dragon

NASA astronauts who will be riding the SpaceX Dragon discussed the challenges theyve faced and what theyre looking forward to while speaking at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California on Aug. 13 ahead of the Crew Dragon mission.

NASA last week assigned the astronauts who will ride the first commercial capsules into orbit next year and bring crew launches back to the U.S.

Being able to fly a first flight of a vehicle as a test pilot is a once-in-a-generational type of opportunity, said astronaut Doug Hurley, who will be on the first crew of the SpaceX Dragon.

SpaceX and Boeing are shooting for a test flight of their capsules by the end of this year or early next, with the first crews flying from Cape Canaveral, Florida, by next spring or summer.

Nine astronauts were named to ride the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner capsulesfive on the first crew flights and four on the second round of missions to the International Space Station.

NASA has been paying billions of dollars to SpaceX and Boeing to develop the crew capsules to pick up where the shuttles left off, while also paying billions for cargo deliveries to the space station by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. The cargo missions started in 2012. The crew missions have been delayed repeatedly because of the technical challenges and difficulties of making spacecraft safe for humans. A recent abort test by Boeing resulted in leaking engine fuel.New Mexico Compound Detainee Handed to Immigration Services

One of the adults arrested for child abuse at a makeshift compound in the desert in New Mexico has been transferred to the custody of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency responsible for adjudicating immigration cases.

The transfer of 35-year-old Jany Leveille, also called Maryam Leveille, was announced on Aug. 14 by the Taos County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriff, Jerry Hogrefe, was not able to comment on her status with USCIS other [than] that a warrant was served this morning, he said in a Facebook post.

Leveille comes from Haiti and is one of five charged for keeping their 11 children (age 1 to 15) starving in deplorable conditions at the compound.

Prosecutors said the children received weapons training to conduct terror attacks, including school shootings, based on what some of the older children told the FBI.

Leveilles husband, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, 40, is among the five and also faces an allegation of abducting his severely disabled 3-year-old son in December from the boys mother. Prosecutors say the boy died at the compound during a ritual the defense likened to faith healing.

Remains of a child were found at the compound. Relatives believe the remains belong to the boy, though a medical examiner hasnt yet officially identified the body.

Main Culprit

All the defendants and the children are relatives of 68-year-old prominent Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj. Ibn Wahhaj is his son; Hujrah, 38, and Subhanah, 35, are his daughters; Luqman Morton is his son-in-law; and Leveille is his daughter-in-law.

Leveille used to work at the imams mosque, Masjid Al-Taqwa, as a secretary, according to a 2010 Patch article.

She was the mastermind behind the groups move to the desert, according to Tariq Abdur Rashid, whose daughter is married to Ibn Wahhajs brother, Muhammad.

He said Leveille convinced the group that she was a messiah and set herself up as the interpreter of Gods word. He also believed her legal presence in the United States had expired.

On Dec. 31, Morton delivered a letter to Muhammad that prosecutors believe was written by Leveille or Ibn Wahhaj.

Take all your money out of the bank and bring your guns, the letter stated. Allah says he will protect you always, so follow, until he makes you die as a martyr as you wanted and the only way is by joining the righteous (us).

Muhammad didnt join the group.

A person familiar with Leveille believed she authored the letter. The person wished not to be named so as to not antagonize the people involved.

She is the main culprit behind this whole situation, the person said. Everything they did they did it because she was telling them to do it because they really believed she was getting revelations from God.

State judge Sarah Backus allowed the defendants to be released on $20,000 bail on Aug. 13. The sheriff said, however, that the detainees remain in custody.

Siraj Wahhaj  is being held on an outstanding warrant from Georgia. The others remain incarcerated pending fulfillment of their conditions of release, Hogrefe said.New York Teacher Charged With Possessing Child Pornography

Officials said hundreds of images of child pornography were found on the teacher's Google account and on electronic devices.

A New York high school teacher from Long Island has been charged after images and videos of child pornography on his Google account and on electronic devices were obtained through a search warrant at his residence, officials said citing an unsealed indictment.

Joseph M. Zanco, 43, was charged with transportation and possession of child pornography. If convicted he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) statement.

Massapequa HS physics teacher pleads not guilty to child porn charges. Freed on bail but will be kept out of classroom and can only have contact with his 6 year old when another adult is present. pic.twitter.com/Co6AJL8IQT  GREG CERGOL4NY (@GREGCERGOL4NY) August 13, 2018

Zanco, a teacher at Massapequa High School, was arrested on Aug. 13, and has been accused of uploading hundreds of images of child pornography to the Google Drive storage feature of his Google account. Google flagged the uploads, suspended Zancos account and notified law enforcement, in accordance with its policies and federal law.

Search warrants were then obtained for Zancos residence and Google account, where child pornography was found. His laptop computer and cell phone also contained similar images and videos.

Case Particularly Troubling

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the alleged crimes were committed while he was employed in a position that was based on trust.

As alleged, Zanco possessed and transported hundreds of images of child pornography, crimes that contribute to the victimization of minor children, while he was employed in a position of trust as a teacher, United States Attorney Donoghue said in the statement.

The protection of innocent children is a priority for this Office and our law enforcement partners. We will continue to make every effort to ensure that those who contribute to the victimization of children will be brought to justice.

Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), said the case was particularly troubling.

This case is particularly troubling because the defendant allegedly committed these crimes while employed as a teacher, HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez also said in the statement.

HSI actively works with our law enforcement partners in the shared fight against those who are engaged in the spread of this content, especially those who have been entrusted with the education of our youth.

Zanco was released on a $300,000 bond with the conditions where he must refrain from using the Internet and wear a monitoring bracelet, reported NBC. He has also been placed on administrative leave pending the case.

Massapequa schools superintendent said in a statement, We take these allegations very seriously, as the safety and well-being of our children is our paramount concern, reported the news station.

The 43-year-old was arrested as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. The aim of the initiative is to to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by locating, arresting and prosecuting individuals who exploit children via the internet, and identify and rescue victims. The program is run in cooperation with the United States Attorneys Offices, the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, and state and local resources, according to the DOJ statement.

From NTD.tvOfficials Confirm Remains in Stolen Seattle Plane as Thief Richard Russell

Officials have confirmed that the human remains found inside the airplane stolen from Sea-Tac International Airport as those of the thief, 29-year-old Richard Russell.

FBI investigators found the remains while searching the Horizon Air plane after Russell crashed it on Ketron Island on Aug. 10.

The Pierce County Medical Examiners Office examined the remains and confirmed they belong to Russell, reported KIRO-7.

The black boxes, or the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder, were also recovered and have been sent to National Transportation Safety Board investigators for processing.

Low Pay May Have Been the Problem

A former co-worker of Russells, Robert Reeves, told KIRO 7 that Russell loved aviation but was unhappy with his pay.

He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. Hes worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasnt making $15 an hour, Reeves said.

Reeves noted that he left Horizon because he believes workers are overworked and underpaid.

The reason I left is in February of 2016 they were short staffed and they had me run three planes in the same time, Reeves said. Thats just not safe.

Russell appeared to blame the pay for his stealing the plane at one point in his conversation with air traffic controllers.

Minimum wage, well chalk it up to that. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said.

Russell pondered a request by one controller to land but decided against it.

Oh man. Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there, Russell said. This is probably jail time for life, huh?

Ive got a lot of people that care about me, he added later. Its going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. Never really knew it, until now.

Theft Highlights Danger

Experts said that for all the security aimed at preventing people from bringing dangerous weapons and other objects onto airplanes, the real potential danger comes from airport and airline workers.

The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat, Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert, told The Associated Press. Here we have an employee who was vetted to the level to have access to the aircraft and had a skill set proficient enough to take off with that plane.

The theft has prompted a review of security measures at the Seattle airport.

This is too big a deal. Its not going to go away, said Glen Winn, a former Secret Service agent who teaches at the University of Southern Californias aviation security program. Theres going to be a lot of discussion, a lot of meetings, a lot of finger-pointing, and its going to come down to: How do we stop it?

Others noted such a theft is very uncommon.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoire said its truly a one-in-a-million experience, but added, That doesnt mean we cant learn from it.

She said airport officials have been in touch with other airports and airlines to begin to assess procedures and that she expects the federal government will have some ideas about regulation.

From NTD.tvRonda Rousey Says Its Been Nonstop Work Juggling Hollywood With Pro Wrestling

Its been nonstop work for MMA fighter-turned-actress-turned-pro wrestler Ronda Rousey as she juggles Hollywood and the WWE.

Rousey did her first televised solo match on Monday Night Raw this week, then showed up a few days later at the Mile 22 premiere in Los Angeles Aug. 8. 2018but wasnt even able to stick around to watch the action movie.

Im going to jump straight on a plane and fly to Orlando to start preparing for SummerSlam. And its justit is what it is. I find a way to fit it all in, Rousey said.

That takes a whole lot of time, nonstop work, and luckily I have an amazing family thats been supporting me through this whole thing.

The 31-year-old performer says she was super, super nervous before Mondays wrestling appearance, and had minimal time to prepare.

That was the first time I had to learn a match and promos and all of that stuff in one daylike the day of. I showed up not knowing at all what was going to happen and I was really, really nerve-wracking. I was super, super nervous, she said. WWE has been amazing. Theyve been setting me up for success all along. They havent been giving me any bigger challenges than they know that I can handle. I appreciate their faith in me and hopefully I can keep laying the track in front of the train while its going and keep the ride going.

Rousey stars opposite Mark Wahlberg, Lauren Cohan and Indonesian action star Iko Uwais in Mile 22, opening in theaters in the U.S. on Aug. 17.Roundup Chemical Linked to Cancer Found in Childrens Cereals: Group

An ingredient used in Monsantos Roundup has been found in a number of breakfast cereals, according to an environmental group.

An activist group said that glyphosate has been found in Cheerios, Lucky Charms, and Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Fox Business reported. It comes days after a California jury awarded a school groundskeeper more than $289 million in damages after claiming that Roundup gave him cancer.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) said that almost three-fourths of the 45 food products that were tested had high levels of glyphosate.

Were very concerned that consumers are eating more glyphosate than they know, said Scott Faber, who is the vice president of government affairs at EWG. They did a lab test involving 45 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats, he said, CBS News reported.

In a statement Fox Business, a spokesperson for General Mills said that our products are safe and without question, they meet regulatory safety levels.

In a statement, Quaker told CBS News: We proudly stand by the safety and quality of our Quaker products. Any levels of glyphosate that may remain are significantly below any limits of the safety standards set by the EPA and the European Commission as safe for human consumption.

I was shocked, said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, the chief of the Council on Environmental Health for the American Academy of Pediatrics, CBS News reported. We dont know a lot about the effects of glyphosate on children, Lowry said. And essentially were just throwing it at them.

Monsanto Found Liable

A California jury on Aug. 10 found Monsanto liable in a lawsuit filed by a man who alleged the companys glyphosate-based weed-killers, including Roundup, caused his cancer and ordered the company to pay $289 million in damages.

Monsanto said on Aug. 13 it planned to challenge the verdict on the grounds that the judge should have barred scientific evidence presented by California school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnsons lawyers as insufficient.

Plaintiffs are putting forward junk science that is not based upon the 40 years of safe glyphosate use and studies, Scott Partridge, Monsantos vice president of global strategy, told Reuters. They attempted to color science with very emotional arguments designed to inflame jurors.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

But according to the EWG, Roundup was produced for decades by Monsanto, which this year merged with the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG. In the case decided last week, the jury found that Monsanto knew for decades of the products hazards and not only failed to warn customers, but schemed to publicly discredit the evidence. The California case that ended Friday was the first of reportedly thousands of lawsuits against Monsanto. These suits have been brought by farm workers and others who allege that they developed cancer from years of exposure to Roundup.

Monsanto has frequently disputed the allegations that Roundups glyphosate causes cancer, and it told CBS on Aug. 15 that glyphosate does not cause cancer and has a more than 40-year history of safe use.

Reuters contributed to this report.Taiwanese Presidents Visit to Paraguay Highlights Soybean Issue in SinoUS Trade War

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen arrived in Paraguay on Aug. 14 for a visit that has brought into focus how the continuing trade war between China and the United States will have a major impact on Paraguay.

Tsai met with both current President Horacio Cartes and president-elect Mario Abdo Benitez after her arrival in Paraguays capital, Asuncion. Tsai and Cartes attended a ceremony to mark the opening of a local university that was jointly established by the two countries, and on Aug. 15, Tsai is scheduled to attend Benitezs presidential inauguration ceremony.

According to Taiwanese English media outlet Taiwan News, Tsai and Benitez reached a consensus to strengthen the ties between the two countries, through trade, investment, and infrastructure projects.

Tsais visither second to Paraguay since she was elected president in May 2016is considered significant, as Paraguay is currently Taiwans only diplomatic ally in South America. Since Tsai took office, five countries in Latin America and Africa have cut diplomatic ties with TaiwanBurkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, and Panamaunder pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan is a full-fledged democracy with its own constitution and military, but Beijing considers the island nation a renegade province that one day will be united with the mainland, by military force if necessary. Meanwhile, the Chinese regime has strategically established alliances with nations that have diplomatic ties with Taiwanby giving large sums in loans and investmentsto pressure them into recognizing only one China.

Some have speculated that Paraguay is likely the next country to sever ties with Taiwan. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), while speaking at a Senate subcommittee hearing on U.S. leadership in the Asia-Pacific region in May, said he was worried that Paraguay would soon recognize Beijing and drop relations with Taiwan, according to Taiwan News.

In addition, the continuing trade war between China and the United States has intensified the speculation about Paraguays diplomatic moves. China, the worlds biggest soybean consumer, has recently started buying more soybeans from South America, including Paraguay, after it imposed retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on U.S. commodities, including soybeans, in early July. Many Chinese buyers have canceled U.S. soybean orders as a result of the tariffs.

Paraguay, the worlds fourth-largest soybean exporter, is a landlocked nation, so it must ship products to be exported to ports in neighboring countries first. Paraguays Industry Minister Gustavo Leite, when speaking to Reuters in April, explained that most of Paraguays soybeans went to Uruguay.

So, China registers those beans as Uruguayan exports, said Leite.

China imported 95.53 million tons of soybeans in 2017, 30.6 percent of which came from the United States, 26.2 percent from Brazil, and 43.2 percent from Argentina and Uruguaywith some of that percentage actually being from Paraguay, according to Chinas state-run media Xinhua and Peoples Daily.



Now, as Chinas reliance on Paraguays soybeans increases, Taiwanese media have speculated that China would make moves to lure away Paraguay from Taiwan, even though China and Paraguay currently dont have formal diplomatic relations.

Nevertheless, China and Paraguay are already trading partners. According to statistics reported by Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the total trade volume between the two countries topped $1.594 billion in 2017, an increase of 33.7 percent from a year earlier. Chinas exports to Paraguay stood at $1.56 billion, with imports at $330 million, increases of 33.4% and 47.5%, respectively, from 2016.

Before leaving Taiwan, Tsai spoke with local media about the purpose of her trip.

She said she would seek to consolidate relations with allies, noting that every diplomatic blow would only serve as energy for the next [diplomatic] breakthrough, according to Taiwanese newspaper United Daily. She added that it was her responsibility as the president to expand Taiwans international presence and recognition.

Tsai has faced a challenging situation since she was elected, as China has amped up its aggressive rhetoric and saber-rattling. Nevertheless, she has made it clear that Taiwan wont be intimidated.

During a stopover in Los Angeles on Aug. 13, she toured the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Tsai quoted the former U.S. president while speaking to the press, according to the Taiwan-based English newspaper Taipei Times, commenting on current relations between China and Taiwan.

Anything can be negotiated, except that our freedom and our future cannot be compromised, said Tsai. Reagan spoke these words in 1986, after he met with then-Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Iceland. At the time, the two leaders were negotiating on arms reduction and failed to agree on a compromise.

After visiting Paraguay, Tsai is set to visit another diplomatic ally, Belize, on Aug. 17. She is scheduled to give a speech at Belizes National Assembly during her three-day visit, then make a brief stopover in Houston, Texas, before returning to Taiwan on Aug. 20.30 Men, One Woman Charged With Sexually Abusing Girls in Northern England

LONDONThirty men and one woman have been charged with sexually exploiting five girls under the age of 18 over a seven-year period in northern England.

Nineteen of the suspects were named by police along with charges of rape, trafficking, and sexual exploitation.

The alleged victims were between the ages of 12 and 18 when the offenses are said to have occurred from 2005 to 2012 in the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.

Twelve men, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, are also charged with numerous offenses in connection with the same investigation.

The woman, Fehreen Rafiq, 38, is charged with two counts of facilitating the commission of a child sex offense.

The 30 men and one woman are due to appear in court on Sep. 5 and 6.

There have been a number of cases of child sexual abuse in the UK perpetrated by mainly British-Pakistani men, the most prominent in Rotherham, northern England.

It was estimated that 1,400 children, most of them white girls, were sexually abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, despite police and local lawmakers being made aware of the abuse.

Children were groomed, trafficked, and raped across the UK, but offenders were not prosecuted reportedly owing to fears around race.

In Halifax, which is about 5 miles away from Huddersfield, it was estimated that as many as 100 men of British-Pakistani origin could have been involved in child abuse between 2006 and 2011.

In 2016, 18 men were convicted for rape, trafficking, and sexual activity with children, and in Jan. 2018 a further 20 men were arrested for their involvement in the Halifax gang.

Investigators warned in 2017 that grooming gangs are still operating across the UK.

Chief constable Steve Ashman of Northumbria Police told The Independent, I think theres every likelihood that this is happening in every town and city across the country.

The defendants in the Huddersfield case are:Vermont Teen Running for Governor

One candidate in the Vermont Governors race is unusually young.

Young, as in not old enough to drive. Young as in about to be a freshman in high school. Young as in he is only 14.

Ethan Sonneborn is taking advantage of the fact that Vermont places no age restriction on candidates for its highest office. Hes been a resident for four years and has collected enough signatures to get on the ballot.

I think my campaign transcends age, he explained.

I want people to think of me as a pragmatic progressive who happens to be 14.

Sonneborn was motivated to get involved in politics after watching the news reporting on gridlock and ideological rigidity, with nobody willing to compromise across party lines.

I had a culmination of frustration with politics as usual, he told Fox News. It reached a boiling point after Charlottesville, referring to clashes between protesters in August 2017. Sonneborn registered for the Governors race later that month.

Sonneborn told NBC that he believed in governing by building coalitions. He cited Robert F. Kennedy as a role model in that respect.

During a debate hosted by Vermonts Channel 17, Sonneborn proved himself to be as well-spoken and as well-versed on the issuesat least on a conversational levelas the other candidates.

www.facebook.com/ethansonneborn2018/photos/a.1956475741349404.1073741830.1822787298051583/1956475601349418/?type=3

Sonneborn explained that his age would be a benefit, not a drawback.

I am obviously very different than the other four candidates at this table, Sonneborn said in Channel 17 debate. I think I am the candidate who best represents the change we need in Montpelier.

Our campaign is about making sure that when government gets down to it, we are making peoples lives better, he said in his closing remarks.

Win or lose, Ethan Sonneborn felt that his running for office was the right thing to do.

He told NBC news, I think if I can get one person who wasnt involved in the political process before involved now, then my campaign will have been a success.

From NTD.tv

Watch Next:

How Communism Seeks to Destroy Humanity

Communism has caused the deaths of more than 100 million people over the last century through famine, political killings, and genocide.Why Did Italys Genoa Bridge Collapse?

Thousands more structures are in dire need of repair or replacement, experts warn

Italian prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the Aug. 14 Genoa bridge collapse, which left at least 38 people dead.

Engineering experts are warning that tens of thousands of structures in Italy are at risk after the disaster, which was described by one witness as apocalyptic.

While experts say its too early to say what caused the bridge to disintegrate, they pointed to its troubled design and maintenance history.

Meanwhile, officials have rushed to blame the bridges private operator, demanding resignations, and are moving to strip its toll concession.

The Scene Is Apocalyptic

Vehicles plummeted onto a riverbed, a railway, and two warehouses when a 650-foot portion of the Morandi motorway bridge in northern Italy broke apart.

Footage of the tragedy, with the anguished cries of an onlookerOh God! Oh God!showed a flash of light as the bridge toppled out of view.

The scene is apocalyptic, like a bomb had hit the bridge, Matteo Pucciarelli, a journalist for the Italian daily La Repubblica, told The Guardian. There are about 200 rescuers working continuously. People are in shock.

Eye-witness Ivan, 37, evacuated from a nearby building, described the collapse as unbelievable.

To see a pylon come down like papier-mache is an incredible thing, he said. Its been a lifetime that weve known there were problems. It is in continual maintenance.

Rescuers worked through the night, scouring the tons of concrete and steel wreckage for survivors.

Were not giving up hope, weve already saved a dozen people from under the rubble, a fire official, Emanuele Giffi, told AFP. Were going to work round the clock until the last victim is secured.

So far, four people have been pulled alive from cars found in the mangled ruins.

The Blame Game

Italys deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, said in a Facebook post on Aug. 15, Those responsible for the tragedy in Genoa have a name and a surname, and theyre called Autostrade per lItalia.

Interior minister Matteo Salvini said bridge operator Autostrade had earned billions from tolls but did not spend the money they were supposed to, and its concession should be revoked.

Imposing the highest penalties possible and making sure that those responsible for the dead and the injured pay up for any damages and crimes is the very least, Salvini said.

Danilo Toninelli, the transport minister, said the collapse was unacceptable and that if negligence was a factor whoever made a mistake must pay.

Stefano Marigliani, Autostrades area director for Genoa, said the collapse was unexpected and unpredictable.

Queues of cars and the volume of traffic cause intense decay of the Morandi viaduct structure on a daily basis, Marigliani said.

The bridge was constantly monitored and supervised well beyond what the law required. There was no reason to consider the bridge dangerous.

The transport minister said that while the maintenance work was up to date, Autostrade was about to launch a 20 million euro ($23 million) bidding process for major safety improvements to the bridge.

The tender would have covered strengthening the bridges pier cables, including those of pier nine, the one that collapsed on Aug. 14.

A Tragedy Waiting to Happen

The 51-year-old Genoa bridge, designed by the renowned Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, was fraught with structural doubts.

That is how the specialist engineering website Ingegneri.info referred to the bridge, calling it a tragedy waiting to happen.

In its design, Morandi used his own patented pre-stressed reinforced concrete technology, which later proved problematic.

Antonio Brencich, a professor of reinforced concrete construction at the University of Genoa, told Radio Capitale that Morandis technology was affected by extremely serious corrosion problems and over time was shown to be a failure.

Guido De Roeck, professor emeritus at KU Leuven, a university in Belgium, told VRT news that a vulnerable point of Morandis design was the limited number of cablesnot steel cables, but pretensioned concrete cables, which are subject to corrosion.

But while rusting metal parts are by definition the weakest link in a construction like Morandis, it is very unlikely that corrosion bad enough to cause a collapse would have gone unnoticed, according to Agathoklis Giaralis, deputy director of the University of Londons Civil Engineering Structures Research Centre, who spoke to the Daily Mail.

I would say that most probably something went wrong with the foundation or supporting ground rather than with the pier, the deck, or the cables, he said.

Ian Firth, former president of The Institution of Structural Engineers, told the Daily Mail that it is too early to say what caused the tragic collapse, but as this reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor.

Tens of Thousands Need To Be Replaced

In the wake of the disaster, the integrity of other structures across Italy is now in question.

Transport minister Danilo Toninelli said that many structures suffer from insufficient safety checks.

There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts in Italy constructedalmost allduring the 1960s, he said.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said all infrastructure across the country needed to be double-checked. We must not allow another tragedy like this to happen again, he added.

Diego Zoppi, former president of the Genoa branch of the order of architects, told reporters on Aug. 14: The Italy built in the 1950s and 1960s is in urgent need of renovation. The risk of collapses is underestimated, the works built at that time are coming to an age when they are at risk.

Italian civil engineering association CNR reportedly said structures as old as the collapsed Morandi bridge had exceeded their lifespan.

Tens of thousands of bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s should be repaired or replaced.

CNR said updating and reinforcing the bridges would in many cases be more expensive than demolishing them and building new structures from scratch, the Telegraph reported.Woman Accused of Abuse at New Mexico Compound Transferred to Federal Custody

Taos County Sheriff reveals one of the five suspects has been moved to federal custody

One of the five suspects accused of child abuse at the New Mexico compound, where 11 children were found living in squalid conditions earlier this month, has been transferred to the custody of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), according to the Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe.

Hogrefe said on Aug. 14 that Jany Leveille, the wife of another suspect Siraj Wahhaj, had been moved to federal custody. He did not give further details about the transfer, reported Fox News.

The sheriff added that the other suspects are still in custody. Siraj, 39, is still being held on an outstanding warrant from Georgia for a kidnapping charge while the other three suspectsSubhannah Wahhaj, Lucas Morton, and Hujrah Wahhajare still not released yet pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions, the news station said.

All five suspects are accused of training the children to use firearms in furtherance of a conspiracy to commit school shootings and were each charged with 11 counts of felony child abuse. Siraj was also charged in the alleged abduction of his son from his mothers Atlanta home last December.

Eleven children, aged between 1 and 15, were found malnourished and living in squalid conditions on a property in the New Mexico desert. The sheriff described that the children looked like third-world-country refugees and had only dirty rags for clothing when first discovered.

Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said in a statement on Aug. 4 that officials discovered that the occupants were most likely heavily armed and considered extremist of the Muslim belief.

We all gave the kids our water and what snacks we hadit was the saddest living conditions and poverty I have seen, he said.

After searching the compound, authorities believe that Siraj, 39, was conducting weapons training with assault rifles with the children at the compound near the Colorado border. They found him armed with multiple firearms and uncovered a suspected firing range on the property.

According to Lovelace, Siraj told police at the time that he had the guns because he worked for an executive security business and that he was going on a camping trip in New Mexico.

Judge Grants Suspects Bond

In a hearing on Aug. 13, prosecutors told the court that another child, 3-year-old Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, who has been missing since December, allegedly died in February this year during a ritualistic religious ceremony aimed to cast out demonic spirits.

It was a religious ritual carried out on Abdul-Ghani, a ritual intended to cast out demonic spirits, Taos County Prosecutor John Lovelace said.

One of the children, 15, told investigators that a suspect, who has since been arrested for child abuse at the compound, told him that the 3-year-old would return as Jesus to identify teachers and government institutions as targets for them to attack, according to NBC.

They were awaiting for Abdul-Ghani to be resurrected to let them know which government institutions to get rid of, Lovelace said.

District Judge Sarah Backus set the bail at $20,000 for each defendant and ordered them to wear ankle monitors and meet weekly with their attorneys. Backus said she was not satisfied that the defendants would be dangerous if released awaiting trial.

Backus was appointed in 2011. Before that, she was a deputy attorney general in California and deputy public defender in San Francisco. Shes a lifelong Democrat and the New Mexico Democratic Party appointed her to head election protection efforts in 2008 and 2010, The Taos News reported.

The USCIS is the federal agency that oversees lawful immigration, according to its website.

Reuters and The Epoch Times Petr Svab contributed to this report.

From NTD.tvHundreds of employees will lose their jobs and residents of Bridgeport Manor will be displaced in the coming months following the closure of North End nursing home.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Bridgeport facility at 540 Bond St., which is an affiliate of Bridgeport Health Care Center, is preparing to shut down, leaving roughly 200 employees jobless and officials with the task of finding new homes for residents.

Employees are really waiting to see what happens, said Sherrie Weller, president of AFSCME Local 1522, which represents the workers. There is almost a sense of relief in the fact that there is something being done, because the limbo was too much to bear. Not that anyone is exactly happy about the way that this is going to play out, but I think some level of closure is the best we can offer them.

The nursing home had been in financial disarray for the past several years, which Weller attributed to mismanagement of funds at the hands of the health care centers chief financial officer.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor sued the officer for allegedly diverting $4 million in retirement plan assets to a New York-based religious corporation and to himself.

While the facility is under federal investigation, Weller said the misconduct included misappropriating funds for patient care and other labor. This resulted in workers checks not being honored, insufficient funds in the credit union and failing to pay a third-party administrator that manages the workers health care benefits, among other things.

This has been escalating for the last two years, but the employees have shown up to do their jobs every single day regardless of whether or not their checks would be valid, whether or not their pension money is actually accountable, Weller said. They have shown up every day to take care of those residents, because they are their first priority.

These issues came to a head in mid-April after Bridgeport Manor filed for bankruptcy, said Jon Newton, who was appointed as trustee earlier in the summer by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut to oversee a viability study of Bridgeport Manor.

After the study, Newton concluded that the health care facility was no longer sustainable as it had been losing money monthly, he said.

Its unfortunate and I dont relish this at all, but the situation was such that it really wasnt going to survive the long term, Newton said, adding that 240-bed nursing home wasnt coming close to filling the numbers needed to last.

As a result, he motioned for the facility to be permanently closed.

While an official closure date hasnt been set, officials are working with the state government to relocate residents. Several residents have already been moved to different facilities in close proximity, including the Bridgeport Health Care Center.

Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.comAll the qualities that make Sao Paulo Brazil's art hub pop - its sophistication, experimentation, and international and local mix - can be applied to its food scene.

Take Futuro Refeitorio (Cafeteria of the Future), an ambitious new restaurant with an open kitchen and neon signage inside a former parking garage. Depending on when you go, the place functions as a bakery, coffee roaster, fish smoker, restaurant, or cocktail bar - but Refeitorio easily wins the title for best brunch scene in Sao Paulo. On Sunday mornings, locals will wait in line for an hour to get an order of airy doce de leite pancakes, house-made nutella, and cinnamon-y "cruffins" fresh out of the oven.

If it had opened a few years ago, Refeitorio would have flopped. As recently as the early 2000s, Sao Paulo's food scene was dominated by heavy, indulgent, European-style menus that focused on caviar, foie gras and lobster. "There was plenty of pasta and risotto made with [the wrong kind of] rice, and the public praised it highly," said Rodrigo Caetano, editor of Gastronomix, a Brazilian food and drink directory.

While post-recession globalization brought a sophistication to palates, the recent economic instability has had just as profound an effect on the local food scene. It's caused the city's chefs to get creative and turn to the delicacies in their own backyard.

"Brazilian people are proud of their own culture because they can access ingredients you can only get here," said Alex Atala, whose restaurant, D.O.M., blazed the trail for haute Brazilian cuisine. Since 2014 he's been democratizing that philosophy at the city's 40-year-old Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros, which he overhauled to feature obscure Amazonian and Brazilian ingredients such as jumbo vanilla pods, pequi nuts and cashew vinegar.

Add a patchwork of vibrant immigrant communities - primarily Arabic, Japanese, and Lebanese - and a staggering uptick in culinary schools, and Sao Paulo is at the beating heart of Brazil's food revolution. Here's where to make your reservations.

The Newcomers

- Balaio IMS

Inside the Instituto Moreira Salles, a glass-enclosed cultural center on Avenida Paulista, you'll find a culinary oasis that focuses on lightened Brazilian classics. The star of the show is Chef Rodrigo Oliveira's vegan moqueca. Traditionally a fish stew simmered in a zesty, dende oil-spiked broth, this meatless version relies on hearts of palm, banana, and dehydrated cashew fruit for its heartiness and flavor. Order it for the table, along with flaky, deep-fried pasteis stuffed with mustard greens and canastra cheese.

- Futuro Refeitorio

It took co-owners (and sisters) Karina and Gabriela Barretto two years to secure the lease for this unconventional, charmingly industrial bakery that turned a neglected parking garage into a stylish mess hall. Go for the first meal of the day. Karina suggests cobbling together a multicourse affair, first with pastries and walnut-laden banana bread, followed by breakfast sandwiches made with home-baked sesame buns, mild queijo minas, and perfectly gooey eggs. Don't forget the house-roasted Meia Noite coffee.

- Tangara Jean-Georges

The year-old Palacio Tangara, a 141-room sister hotel to Le Bristol in Paris and the Lanesborough in London, is worth the trek to Burle Marx Park on the far southern edge of town, if only for its Michelin-starred restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. With 33 Brazilian labels in its glass-encased wine cellar and French doors overlooking an illuminated pool, the restaurant has become a sought-after date nightspot for wealthy Paulistas. Prioritize the sea scallops with passion fruit and browned butter; then have the show-stopping Atlantic sea bass, sourced locally and served in a lip-smacking caramelized mushroom sauce.

- Fito

This bright, wood-paneled spot in Pinheiros centers heavily around the cuisine of Piaui, a little-visited state north of Bahia. The all-female staff can guide you through options such as carne de sol, a type of sun-dried meat stew made with salted and cured cuts, or baiao de dois, which stacks creamy, roasted pumpkin flesh and white cheese atop rice and black beans. Sundowners on the terrace are a must - as is dessert. The treacly coconut flan is just one of the reasons this place was listed among the best restaurants of 2017 by a variety of local newspapers and magazines.

- Gastronomia Periferica

The latest project from Sao Paulo-born and Lisbon-trained Chef Edson Leite means "gastronomy on the periphery" and is located inside a triplex apartment in Chacara Santana, a favela south of the city center. Leite's goal is threefold: to destigmatize these sprawling communities, to elevate their street foods for an international audience, and to train disadvantaged youth in everything from kitchen prep to serving. It may sound like a hard sell, but the proposition is catching on. Paulistas are raving about such dishes as the spicy skewered churrasco, marinated in Bahian spices, and the chewy tapioca crepes filled with molten chocolate for dessert. "This is a special place for me, because it's my home," said Leite, who grew up around the corner. "I have an opportunity to show [visitors] the truth of this place."

The Can't-Miss Classics

- D.O.M.

Going on a gastronomical tour of Sao Paulo and not splurging on the 14-course tasting menu at D.O.M. is like going to Rome without eating pizza. Atala is famous for creative use of hard-to-find Amazonian ingredients, such as Yanomami mushrooms and gargantuan hearts of palm, which he cuts into strands of fettuccine dressed with dried shrimp furikake. Although it's less talked about, his use of Brazilian seafood is equally a standout. Take D.O.M's Santa Catarina oysters on the half shell: They're fried, tossed with translucent tapioca pearls, and plated inside a delicate piece of porcelain. "Getting people to come out of their comfort zone . . . [is my] main goal at D.O.M.," the chef told Bloomberg. On that level, and many others, he delivers.

- Mani

From the moment you walk through the tropical pink hallway to the main dining room, it's clear that Mani is a special, if eccentric, place. Here, Helena Rizzo offers a three-course tasting menu that, at 210 reals ($52), is one of the best deals in town. The bread alone, smeared with peppercorn-studded goat cheese and smoked paprika yogurt, is worth the arduous reservation process. (Have your concierge snag a table, or plan to book four weeks ahead.) Follow it up with the Mani Egg, a slow-simmered single yolk framed in white pupunha foam, or the tortelli, which are stuffed with a creamsicle-like pairing of Brazilian tulha cheese and sweet melon.

- Mocoto

This rustic, 44-year-old family-run eatery in far out Vila Medeiros shot to fame when second-generation chef Rodrigo Oliveira revamped the entire menu in 2006. The dish that catapulted him to fame? Dadinhos de tapioca, an addictive tapioca fritter - golden crispy on the outside, succulent in the middle - that gets dipped into a tangy sauce made with garlic, Cachaca, and mango vinegar. On weekends, the cafe draws more than 1,000 customers a day. To skip the line, head to the second floor of the Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros and the lush outdoor terrace, where offshoot Mocoto Cafe serves the same dish with a Bamberg Mocoto beer.Connecticut health centers will get a total of $2,387,361 in federal grant money to help improve services.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that 16 health centers in the state will get the grants, funded by the Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, which will be used to continue to improve quality, efficiency, and the effectiveness of healthcare delivery in the communities they serve.3 1 of 3 Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Connecticut school districts that took in students displaced by last years hurricanes will share in $10.64 million from the federal government.

The announcement came this week and the state has yet to determine which school districts will get what.WILTON  The jackhammer could be heard from the Cannondale Train Station, a few hundred feet away, shattering chunks of concrete and stone from a dam that has been around some 200 years.

A crew of roughly 15 people from the Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection worked Wednesday from the banks of the Norwalk River and on top of the Cannondale Dam. The purpose was not to destroy or remove the 19th-century dam, which was no longer functioning and prevented the natural migration of fish, but to broaden a naturally created hole to allow for freer flow of the water.

Weve been working to remove all dams on the lower Norwalk River since the early 1990s, said Jeff Yates, director of volunteer operations for Trout Unlimited. One of the best things you can do for a river is reconnect sections blocked off by dams.

Most of the crew arrived Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. and planned to stay until 5 p.m. They worked in groups, with one man jackhammering from a rock above the dam while another stood in the water to gather the crushed debris and large pieces before they could be swept downstream by the current. Others in the crew operated a hand winch to lift a more recently built top layer of the dam and to remove branches from a tree that fell in a storm last weekend.

The top was a poured concrete cap. They took a stone saw and cut that off, then used a hand winch and pulled off the cap, said Bill Carpenter, a volunteer with Trout Unlimited, there helping with his son, Weston.

Trout Unlimited and DEEP identified the Cannondale Dam as problematic as early as 2003, but at first were unable to convince the property owner to allow work to be done. Instead, a fish passageway  a small channel circumventing the dam  was built.

But according to Steve Gephard, a fish biologist with DEEP, when a natural hole opened up in the dam in April  too small to allow fish passage  it lowered water levels in the fish passageway and stopped migration upstream.

The goal Wednesday was to create an open section of dam about three feet wide and between three and four feet deep to enable natural travel of fish like trout, alewife, American eel and blueback herring.

The whole ecosystem is going to rebound because of these projects, Yates said, referencing the recent removal of the Flock Process Dam a few miles downstream in Norwalk earlier this month.

The opening of a third dam, the Dana Dam in Wilton, will be the final piece, Yates said, allowing fish passage from Long Island Sound all the way to Georgetown. But the project will be expensive because of heavy metals, lead and arsenic that sit in sediment behind the structure, he said.

Wed have to remove those contaminated sediments. Its going to take some time, Yates said.

Gephard said they are still in the idea stages for the Dana Dam.

But still, progress has been made.

The property owner, Marc Gueron, was on hand watching the work.

I want to support the environment and wildlife. This is a good cause to make the river healthier, Gueron said.

Next to the dam was a house owned by Gueron converted from a former mill, powered by the dam.

Dams have a life cycle. It lost its purpose, Gueron said.

Work to breach the dam was expected to continue into Thursday.

Two dams in two weeks, thats pretty awesome, Yates said.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586NORWALK  Doug Stern, an at-large councilman and former city zoning commissioner, swept the Democratic nomination for Norwalk-Wilton judge of probate.

Im a criminal defense attorney, so Im fairly connected to aspects of the population here and I love to serve, said Stern, standing outside the polling place at Columbus Magnet School Tuesday. I think over the years, Ive developed a temperament and a style and a caring about folks that might make me a good fit for probate judge and folks can make the decision for themselves.

The Norwalk-Wilton Probate District  one of 54 districts statewide  has jurisdiction over the city of Norwalk and the town of Wilton. The court handles the administration of estates, guardianship/parental rights, helping persons with mental or physical challenges with legal issues, wills and trusts and name changes.

District-wide Stern received about 73 percent of the vote to former Norwalk NAACP President Darnell Croslands 27 percent.

Crosland, a fellow criminal defense attorney, said he spent primary day going between polling places at Columbus Magnet School and Kendall Elementary School in Norwalk. He said he reminded voters that he performed well against Republican incumbent Anthony DePanfilis in the race for the probate judge seat in 2014. He cast his current candidacy as a battle also against the Norwalk Democratic Town Committee.

I wanted to remind them (voters) that the although the DTC chose to nominate a candidate that hasnt showed the performance that I showed, I still wanted them to remember that their votes count and that I need them to march on, Crosland said Tuesday evening.

Stern spent much of his day at Columbus Magnet School. He expressed confidence in his chances, based upon his work, public office experience and message to voters. Stern and his supporters handed voters campaign cards describing him as possessing integrity, empathy and compassion.

At the Democratic convention earlier this summer, Stern defeated Crosland, 35 to 16 votes, with three abstentions. Croslands winning of at least 15 percent of the delegates secured his name on the ballot in Tuesdays primary.

Crosland ran for Norwalk-Wilton judge of probate in 2014. He lost to DePanfilis, a Republican who is retiring this year after two decades service.

Stern will face Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., an attorney and former state House Republican leader, in the November general election for probate judge.Currently Reading

Area school districts still hiring for the 2018-2019 school yearGov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill into law making it illegal for Illinois lawmakers to silence sexual harassment victims with taxpayer money.

Even though the bills sponsor isnt aware of it happening, given Springfields secretive nature, he said its best to get ahead of it.

State Rep. David McSweeneys bill is straightforward. It says no public funds shall be paid to any person in exchange for his or her silence or inaction related to an allegation or investigation of sexual harassment.

With news coming out that members of Congress had done this, McSweeney said laws need to be in place to protect Illinoisans taxpayer money from any type of similar behavior.

As we saw in Congress, taxpayer money should not be used to silence sexual harassment claims, he said.

Last year, news reports out of Capitol Hill showed since 1997, Congress paid out more than $17 million from a taxpayer fund to settle claims against members of Congress.

A number of anonymous allegations of misbehavior by Illinois lawmakers were highlighted in an open letter last October, but only a couple have been publicly named.

The punishment for breaking this law would be up to the states attorney general.

Like Congress, McSweeney said Illinois lawmakers have a lot of leeway on operating funds in their districts.

Theres a lot of member discretion around the funds made available for district offices, he said. We wanted to make explicitly sure that none of that money can be used in the future to silence harassment claims.

Cole Lauterbach reports on Illinois government and statewide issues for INN. Lauterbach has managed and produced shows for news/talk radio stations in both Bloomington/Normal and Peoria, and created award-winning programs for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  President Rodrigo Duterte made no mention of the reported troubles of his political party at an event celebrating the anniversary of its humanitarian arm Wednesday.

RELATED: PDP-Laban factions to meet with Duterte again on Sept. 1

The President unusually read a prepared speech, and thanked his partymates for their continued support.

Duterte asked PDP-Laban and its partners to help the government find solutions to the challenges facing the country, and asked members to create policies for the poor and marginalized, promote respect for religious beliefs, and create equal opportunities for all.

"As we go for reforms in this administration, our unity is now important more than ever. I therefore ask for the continued support of PDP-Laban and its partners in creating practical solutions to address root cause of our nation's problems," he said.

He also urged members to push the party's core agenda, federalism, forward.Phuket officials concerned over tourist drug users, epidemic in Patong

PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok has expressed his concern over the growing number of tourists in Patong that are drug users.

patongdrugscrimetourism

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 15 August 2018, 03:59PM

Phuket Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok expressed his concern over the growing number of tourists in Patong that are drug users. Photo: PR Dept

Vice Governor Snith revealed his concern at a meeting with other officials involved in the official campaign against drugs at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 14).

Officials at the meeting were told that Phuket is on high alert with respect to drugs in all three districts on the island.

In the Kathu area, there is a drug epidemic in Patong. The number of drug users in Patong is not decreasing, and the tourists who are drug users is increasing, V/Gov Snith said.

"In Thalang District, there is widespread drug use in 11 villages. Drug dealers tend to deliver drugs to rental rooms in this area. The main users drivers, hotel workers, labours and migrants, he added.

In Phuket Town, drugs are sold over the phone. The seller will drop the drugs off at an appointed location, then the buyer will come to pick the drugs up, and the two never meet each other, he explained

Drugs brought into Phuket by post and other parcel delivery services also remained a concern, he said, adding that 70% of these are delivered by private company.

Commenting on the drug-use situation throughout Phuket, V/Gov Snith noted, Overall, the number of drug users in Phuket is not increasing, but we must remain vigilant on this issue.

Kratom is the most widely used, followed by amphetamine, marijuana and heroin respectively, he said.

Also, he noted that drug manufacturers were starting to produce methamphetamine pills (ya bah) in blue, as opposed to the long-standing orange-coloured pills.

I will request that the Thailand Post officers in Phuket inspect parcels delivered by post more thoroughly, V/Gov Snith said.

Also officials need to watch out for the increasing use of heroin in Phuket, he added.

V/Gov Snith just last month announced that Phuket was already on high alert against the spread of heroin following a spate of heroin-related arrests in news that made national headlines. (See story here.)

That warning followed V/Gov Snith voicing his concern over the growing incidence of kratom in local drug arrests and called for local officials and law enforcement to step up their efforts against illegal use of the indigenous plant. (See story here.)School burqa row riles Prime Minister

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday (Aug 14) ordered the Education Ministry to settle a dispute over a ban on students wearing Islamic dress at a school in Pattani in the insurgency-plagued deep South.

religion

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 15 August 2018, 05:41PM

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Education Ministry to settle the dispute at a large Pattani school over Islamic dress. Photo: Bangkok Post / File

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, he said a deputy education minister was told to hold a meeting to determine whether the clothing was considered appropriate to wear in class.

He said this issue should not be presented to the government to resolve.

The issue is about rules and if the rules are not followed, the problem will never end, said Gen Prayut.

The dispute erupted at Anuban Pattani School in Muang district in May after some Muslim parents asked the school to allow their daughters to wear headscarves to school and let boys wear long trousers.

The request to wear Islamic dress goes against a school regulation that has been in place for over four decades. The school is located on the property of a Buddhist temple.

Some parents ignored this however and pressed on with their demands.

Their persistence led to the Education Ministry revising its rules in June by allowing students who attend schools situated on the grounds of a Buddhist temple to wear religious clothing as long as the school in question agrees.

The ministry clarified later that month that in the event of a dispute, the school would have the final say.

Anuban Pattani decided to stick to its guns and keep the prohibition on Islamic clothing during school hours in place, after which the situation escalated as some of the parents retaliated by sending their kids to class in banned headscarves.

Buddhist parents were inflamed. A group issued a statement saying their children would dress however they pleased and flout the school uniform rules until all students complied.

Since then about 70 Buddhist students have been attending classes in regular clothes rather than the designated uniform.

As the situation intensified, school director Prachak Chusri held a meeting on Aug 1 with Pirom Jinda, chief of the Pattani Primary Educational Service Area Office 1, as well as some of the parents.

They concluded that Buddhist students who wear ordinary clothes and Islamic students who don Islamic dress to class were both violating the schools rules.

Mr Pirom was assigned to talk with the Muslim parents and urge them to dress their children properly in line with the rules. If they complied, Buddhist students must do likewise, a source at the meeting said.

Until the problem is fully resolved, teachers were told not to admonish students for wearing ordinary clothes at school.

Any teachers found doing so will be reported to the local educational office for disciplinary action, according to the source.

Critics of the de facto burka ban say it is unreasonable to allow monastic landlords to govern what children wear at school when students follow different religions and come from very different backgrounds.

Read original story here.CALGARY  Eight months after her son William was born, Lindsey Salloways paid parental leave was up. As an adoptive parent, she wasnt eligible for the extra 15 paid weeks that maternity leave would provide.

Now, the Calgary mother is hoping to change those laws.

When her 35 weeks of parental leave came to an end, Salloway made the difficult decision to stay another 15 weeks with her child, without pay.

I think if my company had told me that I had to, it would have been a very very difficult decision, but I cant imagine I would have been able to go back, said Salloway.

It was tough ... Im really lucky that my work allowed me to extend to the full year, but we had 15 weeks where we didnt have any kind of income or insurance or anything coming from me.

Earlier this year, Salloway set out to change the way the laws are structured.

I reached out to couple (of) people in Parliament  (Tom Kmiec, Calgary Shephard MP) personally reached out to me and immediately wanted to help as much as he could.

Together the two launched an online petition in May, calling on the government to change how maternity and parental benefits work.

The goal was to get at least 500 signatures by the end of August, when the petition closes. So far they have around 1,500.

Read more:

Calgarys daycares near capacity as parents struggle to find spots for tots

Alberta reverses decision to deny evangelical Christian couples adoption application

More Alberta families worked part-time, or part year, as the provinces oil economy took a downturn, Statistics Canada study shows

Chantelle Beach, a social worker with Adoption Options, said biological mothers in Canada receive 15 weeks of maternity benefits in addition to 35 weeks of parental benefits. Adoptive parents do not receive maternity benefits.

Beach said this poses many issues for adoptive parents.

Taking the 15 weeks off is a real financial strain, and these people are already having to pay adoption fees, said Beach.

They also dont have nine months where theyre pregnant and bonding with this baby in utero. They are placed with this child, without much notice sometimes, and then they have to bond a lot more quickly, and for the childs sake they could benefit for that extra bonding time.

Salloway said that her and her husbands post-adoption journey has been tough.

After a three-year process, the couple found out they would be the parents of a baby boy in November 2016, a month before he was born.

It was a hectic period, said Salloway. In addition to learning how to care for William, they had to deal with the passing of the revocation period  the time in which a birth mother can revoke the adoption  as well as finalize the adoption, legally change their sons surname and secure a birth certificate.

The anxiety of deciding whether to go back to work early or forgo financial security was also plaguing her. Salloway said that extra 15 weeks is crucial to adoptive parents.

The explanation I got was that (maternity leave is) for the physical and emotional recovery from childbirth ... I went through a lot of emotional and recovery changes as well, said Salloway.

Its physical, its emotional. Its not labour, but theres a lot to it thats exactly the same as being a biological mom.

Salloway said that Kmiec plans to table the petition in the House in September. To add your name, visit Petition to the Government of Canada  E-1563 Adoption.

Read more about:CALGARYBolante Alo, the Nigerian man who died after an altercation with Canada border services officers last week, promised he wouldnt go quietly if ordered out of the country, his detention hearing documents show.

Evidence submitted by Kenzie Wingert at the first of Alos two detention hearings outlines how his refusal to co-operate with any potential deportation order escalated over time.

You will have to carry me like a dead man, because Im not going to my death, Alo is quoted as saying in evidentiary documents submitted by Wingert  the legal counsel representing minister of public safety and emergency preparedness Ralph Goodale  on July 26 at Alos first detention hearing.

By that point, Alo had been detained for 48 hours. This was his first detention hearing, administered by the immigration division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Alo died Aug. 7 after an altercation with Canada Border Services Agency officers while on a KLM airlines plane bound for Amsterdam. The plane hadnt yet departed Calgarys airport when the 49-year-old Alo went into medical distress; he was pronounced dead at Peter Lougheed hospital about 90 minutes later.

Read more:

Widow wants the full story on detainees altercation with border officers

No charges expected in death of foreign national following altercation with border services on plane

Man dies after altercation with Canada Border Services Agency officers in Calgary

Wingert drew attention to two statements in the documents she submitted for Alos July 26 hearing. The first: On that day (of deportation), I will be the dog on a leash, and you will have to drag me through fire. I am a dead man. I have nothing to lose. The second: I understand that you have concerns that I will cause an issue that will disrupt my removal. You are absolutely correct about this. I will cause a big issue and will not go.

The July 26 transcript, obtained by the Toronto Star, details how Alo first began immigration procedures in October 2005.

According to Immigration and Refugee Board member Jerry Cikes, who was overseeing the detention hearing, the Nigerians refugee claim was rejected. After that, both of Alos applications to remain in Canada based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds were rejected, as was his pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA).

According to the Government of Canada website, a PRRA is an opportunity for people who are facing removal from Canada to seek protection by describing, in writing, the risks they believe they would face if removed. Persons whose PRRA applications are approved may stay in Canada.

Some of Alos testimony in the transcripts provides a glimpse into his fear of returning to Nigeria.

During his regularly attended meetings with CBSA officials, Alo says, I (am) always insisting that going to Nigeria would be a very dangerous trip for me  I still have some bullets in my body that are yet to be extracted.

Alo also alludes to his younger brother, who he says wasnt that lucky. The Calgary-based lawyer representing Alos widow, Elias Munshya, said he wasnt clear on the specifics of why Alo feared a return to his home country.

But Munshya said he was led to believe that the Nigerians younger brother had been killed, which may have caused him to fear for his own life.

Late Monday night, a Prairie region spokesperson for the CBSA said the agency cant respond to specific questions about Alos case because the Calgary Police Service is investigating.

Police spokesman Corwin Odland said there are few details the service can share.

We are still working to track down and interview witnesses from the flight and dont want any information we release to influence their recollection of events before we can get their statements, Odland said in an emailed statement.

Albertas Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is working to determine Alos cause of death, he said.

A spokesman at the office of Ralph Goodale, public safety and emergency preparedness minister, said staff there are working on legislation to create a new way to review CBSA officer conduct complaints and conditions.

Right now, complaints about employee conduct can be made to the agency itself, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, spokesman Scott Bardsley said.

With files from Brendan Kennedy, Toronto Star

Evan Radford is a reporter/photographer for StarMetro Calgary. Follow him on Twitter: @EvanRadford

Read more about:BANFF, ALTA. Parks Canada says two bison bulls have wandered out of Banff National Park  just a week after the herd became free-roaming animals.

Officials said the bison left the 1,200-square-kilometre reintroduction zone separately last week and have been grazing on provincial land northeast of the national park.

Were monitoring their behaviour and their movements closely, Bill Hunt, manager of resource conservation with Banff National Park, said Tuesday.

Safety is our No. 1 priority with this so weve made sure weve notified people in the nearby campgrounds.

He said wildlife staff have visited two equestrian campgrounds in the area to help educate campers and riders on how to deal with bison.

Read more:

New bison calves in Banff are the beginning of a dream come true for Indigenous elders

Made-in-Banff bison calves born in the backcountry for first time in 140 years

Who moved Yellowstones baby bison, causing it to be euthanized? A Canadian

Sixteen plains bison from Elk Island National Park were reintroduced as part of a $6.4-million plan in February 2017 into the remote Panther River Valley, about 40 kilometres north of Banff.

Ten of the females had calves last year and seven of those animals have now given birth again this year  including two on Aug. 5.

The two bulls, along with the other 31 bison in the herd, are being monitored both electronically and by staff on the ground.

Officials said they were prepared for the possibility the bison would roam and are working closely with the province and landowners in the area to guide the animals back to the park.

Wed like to make sure they stay in the park as much as possible and we dont want to run the risk of them encouraging other animals out, said Hunt.

We are making efforts to get them back westward but, right now, where they are is not problematic in terms of safety or coming into contact with livestock.

They need to go and see whats around and get a sense of where they are living and whats available.

Hunt said its possible the bison will start making their way back toward the rest of the herd once the breeding season  known as the rut  starts in the coming weeks.

Plains bison on provincial land arent considered wildlife in Alberta.

Environment Minister Shannon Phillips has said she will protect the Banff herd with a special ministerial order, but its not yet in place.

The process of drafting this order is underway, but was recently delayed by a fire in an Environment and Parks office building that displaced some staff working on this order, she said in a statement. We expect to sign this order before the end of the month.

In the meantime, Phillips asked people who live, work or recreate near Banff National Park to let officials know if they see a bison on provincial land.

We ask hunters to show restraint if and when they see bison on public lands, said Phillips. Bison are an important species to Albertans and Canadians, as such, I ask Albertans to help us ensure the success of the reintroduction to Banff National Park.

If you see a wild bison, officials said its also important to give it space and back away slowly.

They said theres four domestic bison at Ya Ha Tinda Ranch should riders want to familiarize their horses with the animal before heading into the backcountry.

Read more about:EDMONTON  Police in Edmonton say a 10-year-old girl whose disappearance was described as out of character has been found safe.

Jathiya Okyere had been missing since about 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Police say family members found her Wednesday afternoon.

No further details were released.

The girl had last been seen riding her bicycle toward a recreation centre in the citys northeast.

Read more about:Theres not much to the block-and-half-long stretch of street between the Eaton Centre and Old City Hall, poking north from Queen St. just a few steps west of the downtown malls elevated walkway.

You might not even know its called James St. unless, like countless unfortunates before you, you ducked into it looking for parking only to fall prey to a hotbed of no-standing zones and the parking cops who zealously protect them.

If James St. and its even shorter companion, Albert St., seem like offcuts in a city plan tailored to broader, more car-friendly byways, its because they are. Vestiges of a city long gone, theyre two of the scant few leftovers of St. Johns Ward, the vibrant, tumbledown neighbourhood that now lies under the thick concrete slabs of Nathan Phillips Square, a casualty of urban renewal schemes popular in the early 1960s when the new city hall was built.

In that erasure lies a dark irony. The Ward, as its known to popular history, was the original expression of what has become contemporary Torontos international civic brand: a pocket of difference, where recent immigrants from all over the world mixed freely in a mosaic of dynamic diversity.

Theres no going back, but, for one night this fall, well get a taste of what might have been.

When Nuit Blanche lands on Sept. 29 for its annual spurt of overnight contemporary art hijinks, at least one project will be more meaty than most: James St. will host Ken Lums International Dumpling Festival, a night market featuring a United Nations of dumpling stands from the four corners of the globe.

This is not just a conceptual project. Bring your appetite and your wallet.

For Lum, theres an obvious implication and, within it, a subtle critique.

Share your thoughts

Dumplings are a completely international food; its something everyone can identify with, every culture, he explained, listing a coalition of countries to be united here. Well have stands from Tibet, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ecuador, Poland, Finland. Its a strange one, though, because even though every country has a version of it, dumplings are still this slightly ethnic signifier. And obviously, its an allegory of Toronto, with its working-class roots. Its a peasant food, with immigration built right in.

Lum is the torch bearer for The Things They Carried, one of Nuit Blanches three official zones, this one curated by Tairone Bastien. While the events big-tent theme is You Are Here, a nod to the citys past and present as significant immigrant destination, Bastiens zone centres on how the burgeoning downtown property market has all but purged its immigrant roots.

Lum, who now teaches at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, fits the bill. He made his name in Vancouver in the 1980s and 90s, allied with that citys globe-trotting artistic elite such as Jeff Wall and Rodney Graham. But Lum, a student of Walls, veered into much more fraught terrain than the chilly observational tone his mentors favoured.

Like them, he favoured the pliability of photography as a favourite medium, but co-opted its hucksterish side with sardonic glee. Lum captured unremarkable people in mundane situations with absurdly amplified salesmanship: Melly Shum HATES her job! read the sloganeering signage for one piece, featuring a photo of a meekly smiling young Asian office worker; a stiff portrait of an Asian man is fitted with the name STEVE printed in giant, superheroic font towering above the picture.

Smoothed over by the humour was the tension between the blithe visual language of advertising and the hardships of urban living for generations of immigrants  a tension Lum himself, the first-generation child of Chinese immigrants to Vancouver, knew well.

Bending advertising esthetics into social critique meant an embrace of things like billboards and signage (a 2014 piece, shown at the Whitney Biennial that year, is an aggregate of ethnic businesses quilted together into a single, massive sign for a fictional strip mall), which led naturally to public art, of which Lum has made plenty.

But lest you think of the anodyne sculptures that litter this city with their esoteric blandness, Lums priorities have always been clear. The disconnects brought on by the collisions of culture in fast-growing urban centres have always been grist for his mill, and histories subsumed by the churn of constant newness loom large.

The inequities that grow, viruslike, in the void of that collective civic amnesia loom even larger. A memorable piece installed above the reflecting pools of a set of downtown office towers in Vancouver recreated squatters shacks that once sat on the citys low-tide mud flats: a direct critique of the citys housing crisis and the high-priced condos that rose to meet it.

In 2009, on the roof of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Lum installed Four Boats Stranded: an Indigenous longboat, a Chinese cargo ship that carried illegal migrants to Vancouver in the 90s, an infamous cargo ship filled with migrants from India that was forced to turn back in 1914, and the ship of Captain George Vancouver, the citys colonial founder. Those four forms told an uncomfortable tale of transience and ownership on lands that remain contested by their first peoples; and of a country perhaps less welcoming, and less humane, than its reputation suggests.

His canny observations of the disconnects to be found in any contemporary urban landscape translate just as easily here, and to Torontos celebrated diversity Lum brings some of that jaundiced eye.

Its diverse on the street level, he shrugs. I dont know how diverse it is on an elite level.

So for Nuit Blanche he will stage an intervention to make a point. Right here, in this sliver of leftover street from a long-ago Toronto whose accident of diversity made it expendable instead of lionized, Lum will introduce a branding effort of his own. Each of his dumpling purveyors  all the real deal, no performers here  will see their humble stand outfitted with a giant banner portrait, looming over them as they boil and fry.

If you see an echo of those long-ago works about Melly and Steve, youre not wrong  in a city that seems to blithely ignore the paradox of its banner-waving of diversity at the same time as an exploding real estate crisis purges the citys core of more and more culture and economic difference every day, a little social satire seems more than well placed. But theres a sincerity at its core, too.

I like to think of it as a bit of pushback to the idea of this marketed ghost city; everything goes into this blender of ethnicity thats really for the tourist trade, he says. Thats the image of Toronto we all want to believe, but what gets buried is the authenticity of the people themselves. Thats not a city; thats a brand. And a brand is not an authentic thing.

On Sept. 29, on small, forgotten strip of street from a city long gone, huge banners will declare some very real people to be important to a city hellbent on branding in a language it can understand. For one night only, though? Intentionally or not, Nuit Blanche has become its own critique: In this rough civic moment where downtown has become a place for the moneyed few, that seems about right.

Nuit Blanche announced its full program Wednesday morning, which can be found at nbto.com. Here are a few of the other projects folded under its broad umbrella:

1. Dream Time: We all Have Stories

Curated by Karen Alexander, this work is centred on Nathan Phillips Square and what lies underneath: the Ward, the core of Torontos diverse identity until 1960, when it was bulldozed to make way for our new city hall. The installation, inspired by the citys latent memories of immigration, gay rights, housing, economic development, colonization and the ongoing struggle for self-determination, will present eight pieces by artists Gayle Chong Kwan, Dubmorphology, Harold Offeh, Ibrahim Mahama, Maria Amidu, Meghan Ross, Tal Rosner, Nichola Feldman-Kiss and Christopher Mayo.

2. Styll

In a welcome change, Nuit Blanche heads to the suburbs for the first time this year. Curator Alyssa Fearons exhibition will take place at the Scarborough Civic Centre, where she promises to disrupt boundaries and blur borders between downtown and the suburbs, the centre and margins, ourselves and each other. Her all-Scarborough cast of artists includes Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone, David Delisca, Diana Reyes, Judi Lopez, Mahlikah Awe:ri, Timothy Yanick Hunter, Ekow Nimako & Director X, Bisahra Elmi, Hiba Abdallah, Alyssa Bistonath, the collective Reaching Intelligent Sounds Everywhere (RISE), Andrew Finlay Stewart, Amanda Parris, Cameron Bailey, Carrianne Leung, David Chariandy, DLyfe Dance Company, Julia Gibran, V.T. Nayani and Jessica Patricia Kichoncho Karuhanga.

3. The things they carried

Focused on the fading presence of Torontos storied immigrant diversity from the citys core, Tairone Bastiens exhibition, spread from Yonge-Dundas Square along Yonge and Bay Sts. to Queen St. W., and then along the Bloor subway all the way to Scarborough, invites viewers to recall the journeys that brought many of us here, and provoke consideration of the material and immaterial things we forgot or carried with us along the way. In addition to Ken Lum, artists include Brendan Fernandes, eL Seed, Shalak Attack, Planta Muisca, Tabban Soleimani and MEDIAH.

Read more about:Edouardo Jordan went to culinary school to be a chef, he said, not to be a Black chef. To avoid being pigeonholed early in his career, he strayed from the Southern fare he found most familiar and instead pursued Italian and French cuisines  two of the most popular in fine dining, both of which shine at his Seattle restaurant Salare.

I needed to diversify my culinary knowledge, he said, even if that meant not technically being able to cook my own food.

Once Salare earned local renown, Jordans fears of feeling boxed in abated, and he opened a soul food restaurant called JuneBaby last year. The chef, 38, went on to score a rare double victory at the James Beard Foundations awards ceremony in May  Best New Restaurant for JuneBaby and Best Chef: Northwest for Salare.

The Beard Foundation has made a concerted effort to increase the diversity of its awardees, joining a number of organizations that work to highlight the talents of racialized chefs. But Black chefs say discrimination and restricted upward mobility make it difficult for them to achieve Jordans level of success.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. reports that 13.9 per cent of food service workers last year identified as Black or African-American  slightly higher than the corresponding percentage of the American population  but people of colour remain concentrated in the lower ranks when it comes to fine dining. A study published by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United in 2015 found that 81 per cent of management positions in 133 fine-dining restaurants were held by white employees. Among workers who had been denied a promotion, 28 per cent cited race as the main reason.

The inequity begins as early as the hiring process. ROC United co-founder Saru Jayaraman once conducted a study in which she sent 400 pairs of white and racialized applicants to fine-dining restaurants in New York, Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans. She found that white applicants were twice as likely to land a position, even in situations where the person of colour had a better resume.

White people were hired pretty much without experience, Jayaraman said, and people of colour were really grilled as to whether they really had the experience listed on their resume.

After the struggle to enter the industry comes the fight for recognition, according to Brian Hill, owner of Chef Brians Comfort Kitchen in downtown Washington. Hill, 49, has worked as a personal chef for the likes of Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey. He now works private events from time to time, during which satisfied diners will walk into the kitchen and ask him where Chef Brian is.

Mind you, I have a white jacket on that says Chef Brian,  he said. Theyre looking for someone non-Black.

Michael Bowling, a private chef in Charlotte, N.C., can relate. Back when he owned a successful food truck  he is particularly proud of the ramen and homemade corned beef  appreciative customers would skip right over him and thank the sous-chef instead.

Id just stand there and let him talk, he said. At the time, I wasnt bold enough to be, like, No, because I was scared people wouldnt support my truck because it was Black-owned.

Bowling, 41, founded Soul Food Sessions with four other chefs in 2016. The Charlotte-based organization hosts pop-up dinners to highlight the often overlooked talent of Black people in the industry. In late July, the group hosted a Southern-inspired meal at Washingtons Mess Hall.

Shortly before they served the first of seven courses, the five founders  along with a few other chefs brought on board for the night  huddled in the open kitchen. They whispered encouraging words to one another, then separated to do their thing.

While hosting the dinner, Bowling invited guests to drink and yell across the table to one another. This night was all about applauding good food and the people who make it.

Laughter echoed through the hall, and there was a debate about Coca-Cola (whose distributor, Coca-Cola Consolidated, was the nights sponsor) versus longtime rival Pepsi once Bowlings course arrived. His dish  seared trout and five-pea succotash, with grits and collard greens  was the only one paired with the sponsors soda.

The chef roamed the hall with a smile on his face. He wants the next generation of Black cooks to experience first-hand the joy of putting on a dinner with people who look like them. He also wants it to be normal for diverse groups of chefs to cook together. It shouldnt be a shocker when women or people of colour win big at the James Beard awards, he said.

For me, its a ground-roots movement and a push to change things on a broad scale, Bowling said. That starts with that one Black chef, that one Latinx chef in a kitchen.

Greg Collier, a Soul Food Sessions founder and co-owner of the Yolk diner in Rock Hill, S.C., said it is so commonplace to be the only Black person in the kitchen. After attending culinary school in Scottsdale, Ariz., he worked in a fine-dining restaurant with a majority-white staff. He remembered the first time he encountered another Black cook on the job.

We were like, Yo, wassup, man!  said Collier, 36. It was kind of the kindred spirit thing. We were both like, Were the only Black people in this whole kitchen, man. 

Pastry chef Jamie Suddoth stood in front of the Mess Hall kitchen, facing a crowded room of diners and eager to conclude the meal with her praline chocolate torte. The elaborate dessert featured an orange creme, complemented by candied hazelnuts and a little glop of cherry pearls.

I poured my heart and soul into this, she said, beaming.

Suddoth, 37, works at a market-cafe hybrid called Earls Grocery and runs Jamies Cakes and Classes, both in Charlotte, but she has dabbled in other specialties. No matter what part of the kitchen she walks into, she feels a need to prove her talent as a woman of colour.

Its a male-dominated field, Suddoth added. I dont get respect right off the bat.

Jennifer Hill Booker, the only other female chef at the event, said women are rarely welcome with open arms. Booker, cookbook author and owner of a catering business, was responsible for the dinners vegetable course: roasted sweet pepper and hominy grits, served with Vidalia onions and a smoky tomato-okra gravy. Her dish elicited passionate commentary from diners: one remarked how similar it tasted to a stew his grandmother used to make. Another marvelled at the okras lack of goopiness.

Collier said he wishes the public understood how important the Black woman is to Southern cookery in general, and he noted that Soul Food Sessions plans to host an all-female chef dinner one day. If youve ever seen a kitchen run by a female chef, the kitchen is neater, its cleaner, its quieter, its more organized, he said. We want to let them do their thing, and well be there to support it.

Two Black women received Beard awards in May: Dolester Miles of Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Ala., won Outstanding Pastry Chef after being nominated for three years in a row, and Compere Lapin owner Nina Compton became the first Black woman named Best Chef: South. Barbecue pitmaster Rodney Scotts Best Chef: Southeast honour recognized all he has done for whole-hog barbecue, and Jordans Best New Restaurant win made him the first Black person to receive that honour.

Collier applauded a Black chefs being recognized for soul food. Like Jordan, he once feared being pigeonholed, but after moving to the South, he was bothered by mostly white chefs getting lauded for cooking the things our ancestors are responsible for.

So he decided to return to soul food, which involved proving that he could elevate Southern ingredients. While some chefs, including Hill, view this as perpetuating a stereotype, Collier considers it a way to honour his ancestors. By putting a fresh spin on the classics, the Soul Food Sessions dinner showcased the chefs innovation.

The hors doeuvres were both Colliers: crab salad, pickled okra and charred orange served on a tomato rice cracker and topped with brown butter vinaigrette, and corn butter and strawberry sofrito spread on a smoked paprika biscuit. The latter had a smokiness also found in the meat course, courtesy of chef Jerome Grant: smoked short rib and charred corn with popcorn rice, accompanied by a burnt sweet potato sauce.

Like Jordan, Grant, 36, who helms the National Museum of African American History and Cultures Sweet Home Cafe, said he never wanted to be looked at as a Black chef or a chef that cooked Black food. For me, the goal was to be the best chef possible. But he discovered that one way to do that was to showcase his diverse family history through food  even perfecting his fathers crappy fried chicken.

This nation was raised on food cooked by Black people, he said, and events such as the Soul Food Sessions dinner showcase a piece of American history.

This style of food was brought over on the backs of African women that were able to make what we have now from the things they used to have, he said. No matter what anyone said, African-Americans were always behind some of the greatest meals we have in history.

Only five Black chefs have ever been nominated for the Beard Foundations Best Chef award. But, as Bowling noted in his closing address at the Soul Food Sessions dinner, early victories pave the way for later ones.

Barack Obama wasnt the only Black president, he said. He was the first.Two prominent water scientists say a debate over Canadas largest national park has become politicized and industrial development is being blamed for changes it didnt cause.

Brent Wolfe of Wilfrid Laurier University and Roland Hall from the University of Waterloo say BC Hydros Bennett Dam on the Peace River has had only a marginal effect on northern Albertas Wood Buffalo National Park.

After 20 years of research and nearly two dozen published papers, they conclude climate change has been drying out the worlds second-largest freshwater delta for more than a century.

And that there may be nothing anyone can do about it.

What our research shows is that this landscape is overwhelmingly influenced by natural processes, says Hall. Youre going to end up wasting a lot of effort.

Their conclusions are disputed by the author of a report done for the federal government, as well as by another leading researcher.

Wolfe and Hall criticize the 561-page study that was done in response to concerns the parks environment has deteriorated, which potentially threatens its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The study concluded that 15 out of 17 measures of environmental health are declining in the area, mostly because of lower river levels and fewer floods to replenish lakes. It said industry and dams, as well as climate change and natural cycles, are behind the problem.

Wolfe and Hall say sediment cores in area lakes show that the Wood Buffalo region has been drying out since the early 1900s.

All of our evidence suggests that drying began in the early 20th century, Wolfe says. We also have evidence that the flood frequency has been declining.

This has led us to conclude that the main cause of drying is long-term climate change.

The two say the federal study ignores their findings because they are politically inconvenient.

Society is familiar with attempts by large corporations to obscure the debate with misinformation to stifle credible evidence of their environmental footprint championed by scientists and environmentalists, they write in a document released to The Canadian Press.

But we have less experience when the situation is reversed  when environmental NGOs, aboriginal organizations and government agencies ignore scientific evidence that runs counter to what they perceive.

David Schindler, a retired University of Alberta ecologist who has extensively studied Wood Buffalo, says theres little doubt that the dam has changed flood patterns on the Peace River.

Hydro dams are designed to damp high flows and hold back water for low flow periods, he said in an email.

Don Gorber, who wrote the report for the federal government, says Wolfe and Halls research was consulted. He says the dam does play a role in changes to the park, but adds that his study agrees that climate change is a major factor.

Gorber says whats important is trying to decide how to preserve Wood Buffalos environment and the livelihood of the First Nations who depend on it.

Were not denying the fact for the past 100 years theres been a decrease (in water), he says. Im hoping that these people will help try to find a solution as opposed to criticizing one side or the other.

Parks Canada is developing plans to address concerns.

Wolfe and Hall say there may be no solutions to be found.

Deltas change, they say, and perhaps should be allowed to.

The kind of viewpoint thats being forwarded is that to maintain this UNESCO World Heritage Site it has to be held in this state that existed the year before the dam, Wolfe says.

This is leading towards a call for more water in the delta. Where are you going to get that water from if its not flowing down those rivers in the volume that it used to?

It could lead to a lot of expensive restoration projects that will have limited or no success.

Read more about:SAGUENAY, QUE.Quebec provincial police say two Hells Angels members have been arrested in a crackdown on an alleged drug trafficking ring in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.

Police say those arrested include the alleged head of the network, Bernard Plourde, who is described as a member in good standing of the gangs Trois-Rivieres chapter.

In a release, police say the 55-year-old Plourde is facing charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy and gangsterism.

Police say a warrant was executed at his Saguenay-area home and that vehicles belonging to Plourde were also seized.

Another Hells Angels member, Jean-Francois Bergeron, of Desbiens, was also arrested along with two other men.

Provincial police say the arrests are the second phase of an operation dubbed Nocif (Toxic) aimed at dismantling a vast network.

Last November, authorities made 24 arrests in the Saguenay region as well as Montreal and the Monteregie area in southwestern Quebec.

Ahead of a gathering of Hells Angels last weekend, a police spokesman said the Angels control between 95 and 98 per cent of drug trafficking market in the province.

Read more:

Hells Angels annual gathering ends with 300 police-administered tickets

Hells Angels arriving near Montreal for weekend national meeting

RCMP blame TVs Sons of Anarchy for alleged rise in outlaw motorcycle gang activity in Nova Scotia

Read more about:Update - June 24, 2019: The Court of Appeal overturned Justice Morgans decision in May 2019, finding that Lawrence Sax was entitled to be paid $100,000 for his work on behalf of Newell. The Court of Appeal found Sax was entitled to be properly compensated for the value of his work. The Court of Appeal also found that there was no reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the assessment officer.



A Toronto judge has drastically reduced an elderly womans six-figure legal bill after finding her lawyer was unable to explain how he reached the amount.

None of the respondents figures are credible; he was obviously making it all up as he went along, Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan wrote in a July decision about the fee lawyer Lawrence Sax charged 92-year-old Eileen Newell.

The judge also chastised the hearings officer at the Toronto assessment office, who had originally adjudicated the dispute over the legal bill, finding she demonstrated inexplicable animus toward Newell.

With Morgans decision, Newell saw the $165,000 fee  which worked out to about $2,200 an hour for what her lawyer claimed was 75 hours of work handling the sale of a commercial building  cut down to just over $26,000.

Newell had first taken her case against Sax to the assessment office, which handles disputes between lawyers and clients over their legal bills. Morgan was critical of the handling of Newells file by assessment officer Angelique Palmer.

The assessment officer states candidly that the solicitor determined what his fees should be based on criteria that could not be demonstrated or explained to the court, Morgan wrote.

Despite the shortcomings of (Saxs) account and of his evidence in support of it, the assessment officer upheld the account as fully payable. While it is hard to fathom how this could occur, the assessment officers reasons do give some insight.

Palmer had noted in her decision that Newell, who was 91 at the time her bill was being assessed, did not attend the assessment hearing, although she was represented by a lawyer throughout the proceedings.

Despite the fact that the applicants non-attendance caused no delay in the proceeding, the assessment officer seems to have taken umbrage at the fact that the applicant was not present. In fact, she devoted four paragraphs in her reasons for decision to a discussion of the failure of the client to appear at the hearing, Morgan wrote.

In the course of these paragraphs, the assessment officer was highly critical of the applicant. Counsel for the applicant submits that she exhibited what can only be described as an inexplicable animus toward the applicant. From a reading of the assessment officers reasons for decision, I am compelled to agree.

Morgan said Palmer admonished Newells lawyer at the assessment hearing for not submitting a doctors note for why she could not attend.

In doing so, she effectively treated the applicant like a child in school whose teacher is skeptical that she really stayed home with a cold, Morgan wrote.

The assessment officer then stated ... that she was drawing an adverse inference from the applicants non-attendance  the adverse nature of the inference apparently being that a 91-year-old litigant sending a lawyer to represent her rather than personally sitting through a litigious proceeding could only be explained by the 91-year-old having something to hide.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General declined to comment on Palmers behalf.

At the assessment hearing, Palmer did reduce by 20 per cent Saxs overall bill of $187,000, which included fees, taxes and disbursements, noting a deficiency in the degree of responsibility to the client. Palmer had found he should have kept a record of the actual time spent working on Newells case, and should not have transferred the fees from the proceeds of the sale of the commercial building without first getting Newells authorization.

Newell declined to comment to the Star through her lawyer, Robert Tanner, who represented her at the assessment hearing and in the case before Morgan.

Sax, who was called to the bar in 1957, intends to appeal, his lawyer David Sloan said.

Regarding Sax billing Newell for 75 hours of work, Morgan found there was clear evidence in the record of false and extravagant time estimates and time that is attributable to other old files.

He said Sax had also admitted during testimony that he included unbillable tasks, such as looking for files in his storage system.

Morgan reduced the number of hours to 50. He also set Saxs rate at $450 an hour, noting that Sax had testified at one point that his rate was $650 an hour, and then at another point said it was $850 an hour.

He also took issue with Palmer limiting cross-examination of Sax to only questions that were in direct response to what Sax raised in his testimony.

That, of course, is not the law, and effectively cut off applicants counsel from a large part of what he legitimately would have covered in his cross-examination, Morgan said.

Finally, the judge ordered Sax to pay Newell $48,500 in costs for the assessment hearing and subsequent court hearing.A Toronto pastor and self-proclaimed prophet cant keep his identity secret in a paternity case just because the publicity could damage his reputation and hurt him financially, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Fred Myers dismissed a request by Martin Kofi Danso to extend a publication ban and sealing order on a court file related to allegations that he fathered a child with former congregant Chris-Ann Bartley.

Publication bans in family court matters are typically used to protect the identities of children involved, while Danso cited the risk to his significant commercial/financial interests as a reason for requesting a ban.

His request also said the matter concerns the paternity of a child which is disputed.

Bartleys lawyer, Theodora Oprea, told the Star after Tuesdays hearing that a DNA test has since confirmed Danso is the father of her clients baby boy, who is now 6 months old. The test was not directly addressed during the court hearing.

In a sworn affidavit filed with the court, Danso claimed he had never had intimate relations with Bartley. On Tuesday, Myers called that Dansos Bill Clinton moment, referring to the former U.S. presidents false denial that he had sex with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Read more:

Publication bans too often a bit of a guessing game

Superior Court of Ontario to notify media of publication ban requests by email

Opinion | Public Editor: Secrecy and the open courts principle

Dansos lawyer argued that without anonymity, his client will face emotional, harm, and stress, particularly if allegations involving other members of the church  which have been posted on social media  are released to the broader public.

Hes a public figure ... he is not someone who will not be harmed by certain allegations, Daniel Robertson said.

It cuts both ways, doesnt it? replied the judge. That also brings about the possibility of a public interest when somebodys out there with 17 churches raising charitable money and tells a couple of big, fat whoppers in a sworn affidavit.

Danso is the founder of Miracle Arena for All Nations, which operates 17 churches including chapters in Toronto.

Bartley opposed the publication ban and sealing order on the court file, which another judge imposed at the end of July. Myers said he would release his written reasons later on why he rejected Dansos arguments that a ban was needed to protect his significant commercial and financial interests.

While there are currently no other court proceedings underway, Oprea said the issue of child support and custody are still to be determined.

There is significant public interest in this case, Oprea told the court. He presents himself as a leader of a church  a moral, religious, family man, an image that runs counter to someone who has fathered a child in an extramarital affair.

According to the Miracle Arena website, Prophet Danso is a devoted father of four who travels the world impacting and empowering millions of lives through his powerful preaching and teaching ministry. His wife, JoAnne Danso, is a reverend in the church known as Mama. Court heard Tuesday she is expecting twins in the near future.

A 2016 article posted on Modernghana.com reported Danso travels aboard a private jet given to him as a birthday gift by his church.

Robertson acknowledged in court Tuesday that seeking a publication ban and sealing order on a family law matter was an extraordinary remedy but argued it was necessary for an extraordinary situation. His client, dressed in a dark purple suit, appeared grim-faced and tense during the hearing.

Once my clients reputation is damaged, its over for him, Robertson told Myers, adding that could also potentially hurt the child, who may be dependent on his income.

Because of allegations circulating on social media, Dansos churches are already losing significant number of members, Robertson told the court, and a drop in numbers means a drop in donations.

A publication ban in family law cases is usually granted to protect a childs identity, said Toronto family lawyer Ron Shulman, who is not connected to the case.

In cases which do not involve children, it is rarely granted, as the need for transparency of (the) court process (which is seen as fundamental to public interest) often outweighs private considerations. It is often see in cases of vulnerable individuals who need protection, Shulman wrote in email.

In considering the request, court tries to balance the public interest for transparent and open administration of justice with the potential harm to an individual.

The judge ordered Danso to pay $4,500 to cover Bartleys legal costs.

Robertson did not immediately return the Stars request for comment. Bartley left the courtroom in tears.A man who bled profusely from a gunshot wound to the neck is likely going to survive after an officer performed life-saving first aid before paramedics arrived, Toronto police say.

Police responded to a call shortly after 11:45 p.m. Tuesday near Ontario St. and Wellesley St. E.

Five shots were heard and a man was seen lying on the ground, police said.

Officers found an unconscious man with a wound to the neck when they arrived on scene, Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said.

The shot was in-and-out through the neck, Sidhu said. Officers performed life-saving first aid on the man, applying pressure to his wound while they waited for the ambulance to arrive, as he was bleeding profusely.

The victim is in serious condition, Sidhu said.

I heard the gunshots, and its not super unusual in this neighbourhood, Andrew Gentile, an eyewitness, told the Star. When he heard the shots rang out, he rushed to his sixth-floor balcony and saw the victim laying on the ground.

Hes kicking, hes not yelling. Over the next couple of minutes the pool of blood was just barely visible from his neck and then it was growing and growing and growing, Gentile said.

Sidhu said officers initially spotted the suspect hiding behind a vehicle, but he ran into a backyard where he was captured.

A firearm and ammunition were also seized, police said.

Keeron Tashmel Creary, 26, of Toronto, faces 10 different charges, including attempted murder and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

Police have yet to release the identity of the victim, believed to be in his 20s or 30s.

Correction  Aug. 15, 2018: Police initially misidentified the make of the gun used in the shooting. The gun was a Walther P99 pistol.With files from Claire Floody and Ilya BanaresForging ahead, or bulldozing?

As MPPs settle back in their ridings after a rare and raucous summer session of the Ontario Legislature following the June 7 election that brought Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives to power, battle lines are firmly drawn for the next four years.

Tempers flared frequently in the heat as the first PC government in 15 years pushed ahead on promises to scrap cap-and-trade, as well as subsidies for energy-saving windows and electric cars, and to return to the old sex-education curriculum.

The Tories pushed the envelope with a bill to cut the size of Toronto's city council by half, a move not telegraphed on the hustings, and cancelled a basic income pilot project for welfare recipients that Fords campaign had pledged to keep while chopping a three per cent social assistance increase by half.

Fords Toronto legislation, which also scraps elections for regional chairs in Peel, York, Niagara and Muskoka, came as a surprise early this month when even his cabinet ministers had expected the summer recess to finally begin.

The one thing I learned about our premier over the last couple of weeks is that he loves this place, he loves keeping his promises, and he doesnt like to keep people waiting, said Government House Leader Todd Smith.

Read more:

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Doug Ford savours his summer of love

Its been very productive, as weve accomplished a heck of a lot.

Other measures include turning recreational cannabis sales over to the private sector once weed is legalized Oct. 17, cancelling green energy contracts, allowing breweries to sell beer for a dollar, order striking York University staff back to work, ousting Hydro Ones chief executive officer and replacing the companys board of directors, launching a government-wide spending audit and freezing salaries for public sector executives.

One key promise not yet kept in time for summer vacations: a 10 cent per litre cut in the price of gasoline.

The session was all about driving our province backwards, said the NDPs Andrea Horwath, leader of the Official Opposition, calling the Toronto council legislation rushed through with no public consultation or public warning a lie of omission.

This is highly undemocratic, and it shows a government thats prepared to bulldoze forward, Horwath said.

Ford quickly came to relish the rough-and-tumble of the legislatures daily question period, heckling opposition members, often with a grin, as much as they taunted him.

Horwath wants the testy atmosphere to mellow when the legislature returns Sept. 24, two weeks later than scheduled to allow more time for cabinet ministers, and MPPs from all parties, to hire staff and get up to speed. There are more than 70 new members learning the ropes.

Well have a session thats actually a little bit more based on policies instead of name-calling and sticks-and-stones throwing, Horwath, who has called herself the Steeltown scrapper, told reporters after the legislature adjourned.

And, lets face it, thats happened all the way around the chamber. I would say thats definitely been one of the challenges  but I would hope that things begin to take a different tone if the premier decides to behave in a different way.

For much of the session, the Conservatives seemed to remain in campaign mode, clapping and gleefully giving standing ovations to cabinet ministers as they provided answers to Horwath and opposition MPPs in question period  much more often than usually seen at Queens Park.

Government political staff were also showing up at news announcements by Ford and his ministers to clap  as PC volunteers did during the campaign  drowning out media questions as politicians walked away from the microphone. Reporters were told at a news conference earlier this week that the practice, which Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter called combative and negative, will stop.

Were going to have to keep that in check, Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod said .

I dont think that this is necessarily the barometer for the next four years, MacLeod added, issuing her own mea culpa for dubbing news reports on the broken promise over the basic income pilot fake news.

I regretted the fake news the minute it came out of my mouth, she told reporters. I shouldnt have said that, and I apologize.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner credited the Conservatives for the cost-saving shift to private-sector pot sales next year in place of the defeated Liberal governments plan for government-owned shops, but harshly criticized legislation to axe the cap-and-trade program fighting greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

The premier, in the last leaders debate, said he believes climate change is real and that humans are causing it, so its one thing to dismantle the cap-and-trade program, he said.

To not have a plan to replace it, given the crisis were facing, given that climate change has already cost us $696 million this year in insurable losses alone, is irresponsible and reckless.

Schreiner also warned the plan to tear up almost 800 green energy contracts with power companies sends a message that Ontario is closed for business. Energy Minister Greg Rickford said pulling the plug on unnecessary and wasteful projects will result in a net savings of $790 million as the Ford government meets its promise of $6 billion in spending cuts.

This session has been about dismantling, said interim Liberal Leader John Fraser, representing the seven of his partys MPPs  including former premier Kathleen Wynne  who survived the election drubbing by Fords team.

Correction  Aug. 16, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that said the PC government has kept its promise to cut gasoline taxes in time for summer vacations. In fact, it has not cut gasoline taxes.

Read more about:TEL AVIV, ISRAELAfrican migrants in Israel have been detained, threatened with deportation and faced hostility from lawmakers and residents. Since last year, they face another burden: a de facto 20 per cent salary cut that has driven them further into poverty.

Israels roughly 35,000 African migrants and the groups that support them say the recent law  in which Israel withholds the money from their paycheques every month and returns it only if they leave the country  is yet another attempt by an anti-migrant government to force them out.

I feel that they started the deposit law to make our life miserable, said Salamwit Willedo, a migrant from Eritrea who came to Israel in 2010. We suffer for eight years here. If I had a country, why am I living here?

The Africans, mainly from war-torn Sudan and dictatorial Eritrea, began arriving in Israel in 2005 through its porous border with Egypt after Egyptian forces violently quashed a refugee demonstration and word spread of safety and job opportunities in Israel. Tens of thousands crossed the desert border, often after enduring dangerous journeys, before Israel completed a barrier in 2012 that stopped the influx.

Since then, Israel has wrestled with how to cope with those already in the country. Many took up menial jobs in hotels and restaurants, and thousands settled in southern Tel Aviv, where Israeli residents began complaining of rising crime.

While the migrants say they are refugees fleeing conflict or persecution, Israel views them as job-seekers who threaten the Jewish character of the state.

Read more:

Israel gives thousands of African migrants a choice  go to jail, or be deported to a country youve never seen before

Israeli PM backtracks on deal to resettle African migrants in western countries, including Canada

Israel agrees to halt deportations of Canada-bound asylum-seekers

Israel has gone from detaining them in remote desert prisons to purportedly reaching a deal with a third country, believed to be Rwanda, to have them deported there.

In April, Israel reached an agreement with the United Nations to have many, but not all, of the migrants resettled in Western countries, with others allowed to stay in Israel. But the government quickly scrapped the deal after an outcry by hard-line politicians and residents of the hardscrabble areas where many of the migrants live.

The measures have kept the migrants living in limbo. The overwhelming majority have not been granted asylum and they lead a tenuous existence, often at the whims of the government. Some say they are victims of racism.

Israel rejects such accusations but doesnt hide its intentions behind the deposit law, which according to the Interior Ministry, is meant to make Israel a less attractive option for migrants.

The law requires migrants employers to hand over 20 per cent of their salaries to the state, which says it keeps the money until the migrants leave, at which point they can reclaim the cash.

Unlike a tax, the withholding doesnt grant the migrants any additional social services, to which their access is already limited. Employers are also tasked with storing an additional 16 per cent of migrants salaries toward a pension fund, making this social benefit inaccessible until asylum seekers choose to leave Israel.

Employers who hire migrants must also pay an additional tax, implemented to encourage employment of Israeli citizens over foreigners, which makes finding work an even greater challenge for the migrants.

While Israel doesnt shy away from the laws goals, a spokesperson suggested the money serves as a savings account for migrants choosing to leave Israel.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Sabine Haddad said the savings provide a proper starting point for the beginning of the migrants new lives outside of Israel.

She said the state is currently holding nearly $40 million in the deposit accounts of more than 13,000 migrants. Of the thousands who have left Israel voluntarily, 400 have withdrawn their money, she said.

However, the law is being challenged in the countrys Supreme Court, and many migrants view it as another attempt by the Israeli government to compel them to leave the country voluntarily. Under international law, Israel cannot legally deport asylum seekers.

Always we are living under threat and uncertainty, said Ghebrehiwot Tekle, an Eritrean who has lived in Israel since 2006 and works as a translator for an aid group. Every year there will be a new law that can make our life hard.

A year after the laws implementation, the 20 per cent salary reduction has been deeply felt by Tel Avivs community of asylum seekers.

According to accounts from various advocacy groups and asylum seekers, the impact ranges from people switching to black market jobs that pay them in cash to more women entering prostitution.

Families are also being forced to move into smaller apartments, choosing to place their children with uncertified, often unsafe babysitters, and giving up on paying for their childrens health insurance.

ASSAF, an Israeli aid group for migrants, has tracked the laws effects since it was enacted. It said that requests to the group for food assistance by migrants have increased by a third over the past year. Inquiries regarding job loss increased by more than half and there was a more than 80 per cent increase in migrants registering concern over homelessness.

They used to be poor before as well. Now they are more poor, said Sigal Rozen, public policy director of the Israeli aid organization Hotline for Refugees and Migrants.

Willedo, the Eritrean migrant in Israel since 2010, said her family has tried to reduce their cost of living because of the deposit law, but its difficult given that most of their income is dedicated to paying rent. Instead, Willedo said they try to make up the difference by skimping on many of her childrens expenses, such as health insurance, diapers and formula.

For some migrants, even the inhospitable measures are not enough to convince them to leave Israel. Tekle, the translator, believes his fate could be much worse if he were to leave and pursue the same perilous journey other migrants have taken to Europe.

There is no better situation, he said.

Read more about:LONDONBereaved families are marking the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing, the deadliest attack in Northern Irelands four decades of violence.

On Aug. 15, 1998, a car bomb ripped through crowds of shoppers, workers and tourists in the market town, killing 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins. Police blame an Irish Republican Army splinter group that was opposed to Northern Irelands peace process, but no one has been convicted of the bombing.

Relatives are gathering Wednesday at the bombing site for a ceremony that will include the tolling of a bell and the scattering of flower petals in a memorial garden.

Nuala OLoan, who investigated the bombing when she was Northern Irelands police watchdog, says she thinks it could have been prevented if intelligence services had co-ordinated better.VANCOUVERA Revelstoke, B.C. woman is feeling confused and slightly embarrassed after she got trapped in the small Kootenay towns only post office Monday night.

The only silver lining for 25-year-old mom and lumber grader Chelsea Duplessis is that shes not alone: Others came forward to tell her that they, too, were trapped inside by the buildings automatically locking door.

Her troubles began when she went to check her community mailbox after post office hours, just before 8 p.m. She realized almost immediately that the exit door would not open. She pushed harder, to no avail, and became increasingly panicked as she pushed button after button, even a switch above the door, without success.

It started to sink in that I was locked in, she said in a phone interview Tuesday. I went to reach for my phone, but it was the one time I didnt bring it with me from the car. I saw a group of people walking by but I missed them.

Eventually, a cyclist happened by. The pair tried unsuccessfully to push and pull more firmly on the door, until the man found a sticker with a phone number to call in the event of an emergency  a sticker that only faced outward toward the street. He phoned it.

He said, Theres a lady locked in the post office, she recalled. They must have asked her, Are you sure? because he replied, Yeah, Im staring at her right now.

Read more:

Police rescue Bradford woman stuck in bathtub for nearly three days

Woman has finger ripped off at West Edmonton Mall waterslide

Water was approaching our necks. Men trapped in flooded elevator describe their stunning ordeal

After roughly 20 to 25 minutes, a police officer arrived and the three of them forced the door open.

Duplessis said she never had a chance to thank the cyclist who stayed with her through her trial.

I didnt mean to be rude, Duplessis said. I just wanted to get out of there fast and go home.

She sheepishly posted her ordeal to a local Facebook group in hopes of reaching the man who helped her. Instead, three other people described their own run-ins with the Revelstoke mailbox room.

This happened to me a few months ago as well, said local resident Eric Low in a Facebook reply.

It happened to me a while ago, wrote fellow group member Kelly OBrien, and a lady told me what to do  There is a way to get out.

It turns out the problem is not a new one for residents of Revelstoke, a popular ski resort and snowmobiling community 300 kilometres west of Calgary. The municipality of 7,000 people has only one Canada Post office.

Same thing happened to me and a friend about seven years ago, wrote another local resident, Meghann Asher. Others expressed bewilderment that a simple trip to the post office could turn into such an ordeal.

There is a sign, said Courtney Adams, but I never thought it meant that you could potentially be locked in! I assumed you would be able to exit but not enter.

A Canada Post employee at the branch  who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to media  said at least one of the nighttime incidents had come to the branchs attention but that the auto-locking door system was the responsibility of the rental buildings manager.

Its not a Canada Post building, the employee said in a phone interview.

It seems there are two blue buttons with a wheelchair symbol next to the door. One of them bears a message: If the auto door locks, press the blue button as you push the door to open.

The way it works  and dont ask me why  is you actually have to press it and hold the door at the same time, the employee said. Ive never heard of that before, but the building tells us its standard. Honestly, weve asked for them to put better signage on it. Most people usually figure it out more quickly.

A test of the door by another local suggested that simultaneously pushing the button and the door would require awkwardly reaching at least one metre to the far side of the exit, away from its hinge  and possibly propping the door with ones foot.

A Canada Post spokesperson confirmed by email the Crown corporation leases the building, adding: This is an isolated incident, and were going to follow up with the building manager to find a solution that works better for customers.

Duplessis admitted she feels a bit silly now everythings said and done but feels like less of an idiot knowing others experienced the same confusion.

One told me, Its good you let everybody else know, not to have it happen to them.

Read more about:TLETINQOX NATION TERRITORYLittle bursts of smoke erupt around Maurice Hinks feet as he soaks the scorched earth with a fire hose.

Hink, a member of the Stone wildfire crew and Harvey Dicks Tletinqox Nation wildfire crew spent the majority of the past two months sitting idle while huge sections of British Columbia burned. Dick said his crews wanted nothing more than to get out on a fire line and do what theyre trained to do, but the B.C. government waited weeks before activating them.

Instead, they called in help from Mexico, New Zealand and across Canada, while crews like Maurices were denied their chance to contribute.

It wasnt until Tuesday, the day before the B.C. government declared a province wide state of emergency, that the last of the Tletinqox crews on standby were deployed.

They put Mexican guys out on the fires before they put our guys on those fires, said Chief Joe Alphonse at the Tletinqox Nation government office outside Williams Lake. He said he has an additional 80 firefighters not on standby who are trained and could be mobilized within a few days. I dont know if weve been blacklisted or what.

Read more:

Hope for rain: Feds to send 200 troops, planes after B.C. makes urgent wildfire plea

First Nation that defied evacuation order, stayed to fight wildfire maintains it was right call

B.C. Grand Chief urges action to prevent catastrophic climate chaos as costs of Trans Mountain pipeline rise

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said the Tletinqox Nations wildfire fighters have been deployed for a total of 26 days this season and on standby for 42 days.

These are Emergency Fire Fighter Crews and thus have limited deployment use. B.C. is using them to the maximum amount possible, Brett Lowther said in an email.

Not all fire crews can be deployed at the same time, and it is critical to maintain a set of crews on standby to deploy as new starts arise. This strategy was reaffirmed yesterday as the (Tletinqox) crew was available to help action new starts, he said.

Close to 560 wildfires are burning across B.C., with only hot, dry weather in sight. Its the second year in a row the province has declared a state of emergency in response to the wildfire threat  a measure that before 2017 hadnt been implemented since 2003, and before that, 1996.

Kevin Skrepnek, B.C. Wildfire Services chief information officer, said this season is playing out very differently from last year, with smaller but significantly more numerous fires. Yet both have been severe, and its not clear when this season will end.

So far, there are more than 1,500 properties under evacuation order and more than 10,000 under an evacuation alert.

Given the fire activity were seeing out there and given the fact that we really see no relief in sight from the weather, theres definitely potential the seasons going to get worse before it gets better, Skrepnek said.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth explained in a Wednesday morning briefing that declaring a state of emergency gives the province extraordinary powers to requisition equipment, municipal firefighters and police officers and to control movement into and out of certain areas.

It is set to be in place for 14 days but can be extended or rescinded at any time, Farnworth said. He added that it does not affect federal assistance, which was already on the way in the form of Canadian Armed Forces troops and aircraft.

There are almost 3,400 personnel working to manage the wildfire situation, including front-line firefighters, contractors from the forest industry and people working out of co-ordination centres. Two Metro Vancouver fire halls announced Wednesday that they are sending crew members to help out in the interior following the governments call for support Tuesday.

Many of the firefighters Alphonse says still arent even on standby are the same people who managed to hold back a massive wildfire that reached the Tletinqox Nations doorstep last summer. They stayed behind, in defiance of an evacuation order, and fought the fires with heavy machinery.

Alphonse said that if his fire crews had heeded the order to leave, it would have cost the community 80 homes  nearly half its total housing stock.

A key recommendation from a B.C. government-commissioned report released three months ago, examining its response to last years destructive fires, was that the government should make better use of local resources such as Indigenous firefighters before calling in help from outside.

George Abbott, the reviews author and a former cabinet minister, said in a May 10 interview that when the resources of B.C. Wildfire Service were stretched well, well beyond their limits, having trained and equipped allies on the land base can only be helpful.

Hereditary chief Martin Louie of the Nadleh Whuten First Nation, near Prince George, said his Dene community and its neighbouring reserve have at least 40 firefighters trained up to respond but have not been called on. Their community is now crafting its own internal strategy for the approaching blaze.

In the media briefing Wednesday, Forests Minister Doug Donaldson said his ministry has acted on a number of the recommendations outlined in the B.C. wildfire review that have made a difference to the fire response this year, including deploying crews and aircraft sooner and increasing communications with stakeholders  such as First Nations, local equipment operators, industry and local governments  earlier in the season.

Correction  Aug. 20, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Maurice Hink is a member of the Tl'etinqox Nation wildfire crew. In fact, he is a member of the Stone wildfire crew. Incorrect information was provided to the Star. This article also previously misstated Harvey Dick's name.

Read more about:VANCOUVER  Two months before the municipal election, a Vancouver city council candidate was sentenced to seven days in jail on Wednesday, for an issue that has seen more than 200 people arrested for breaking a court injunction to oppose a pipeline.

Jean Swanson  along with Susan Lambert, Adrian Long and four others  was arrested at the gates of the Burnaby Mountain tank farm, a Kinder Morgan site, for civil disobedience on July 30.

Standing before supporters at the B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday morning, 75-year-old Swanson thanked the people imprisoned before her.

The pipeline we are protesting is dangerous, she said to the crowd. Laws can be bad. Laws permitted slavery. Laws permitted the theft of Indigenous land. The laws that led the Trudeau government to buy this pipeline are bad laws.

The federal government has promised to buy the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, at the estimated cost of $4.5 billion, money which Swanson said could be used for other things, such as building homes or providing clean water.

Swanson, backed by left-of-centre party COPE, said in an interview on Wednesday morning that she plans to continue opposing the pipeline when released.

I dressed for jail. I have big socks for shackles, I have a warm jacket for the cold basement, she explained. I have a lightweight blouse for a hot four-hour car ride out to the jail.

Vancouvers independent mayoral candidate Kennedy Stewart, who was also arrested but did not serve time, stood to support Swanson and others before the courthouse on Wednesday. In a statement, Stewart said the people deserve better and its disgraceful that Justin Trudeau continues to send grandmothers and Order of Canada members to jail.

On Tuesday, Ruth Campbell, retired civil lawyer for the B.C. Attorney Generals Office, was sentenced to seven days in jail. Faith leaders Rev. Emilie Smith and former Mennonite pastor Steve Heinrichs are currently serving their jail sentences, according to a press release, while Laurie Embree, grandmother and 108 Mile Ranch resident, was released for good behaviour last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the same day, four others were arrested while blocking the gates of Kinder Morgans marine tanker terminal on Burrard Inlet. A 17-year-old Kwakwakawakw protester, arrested in March, is also in court this afternoon, the release noted.

Read more:

Cost to twin Trans Mountain pipeline $1.9B higher than expected, Kinder Morgan documents show

70-year-old sentenced to week in jail for blocking Kinder Morgan gates

B.C. Supreme Court judge sends reverend, former pastor to jail over Trans Mountain protests

Former head of the BC Teachers Federation, Susan Lambert, among seven others arrested with Swanson, told the crowd she was daunted by the prospect of facing jail time.

But while Lambert said she respects the rule of law, there is a standoff between the state and the people on the issue of the environment.

People are the only thing that will stop unjust laws, Lambert said in an interview, noting shes been speaking out against the pipeline expansion for more than 10 years. It cant fall on the shoulders of a few. Its too important.

Protect the Inlet, the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, and some First Nations have raised environmental concerns about the expansion project, which would twin the existing 1,100-kilometre pipeline, triple its flow of diluted bitumen and increase tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet sevenfold.

And for criminal contempt-of-court proceedings involving Trans Mountain protesters, the B.C. Prosecution Service notes the sentencing for injunction breaches and mass demonstrations generally varies from fines to imprisonment, or both.

It notes that in the case of anti-logging protests at Clayoquot Sound in the early 1990s, the initial penalties were $500 fines and suspended jail sentences. But they grew to $1,000 fines for continually breaching court orders, and were later lifted for inability to pay. Ultimately, jail sentences of 30 and 45 days were handed out.

For the Trans Mountain protesters, the Crowns position is that defendants arrested before April 16 who pleaded guilty no later than May 28 should be fined $500 or ordered to perform community service if they are unable to pay.

The Crown says protesters arrested after Aug. 2 who plead guilty within a month of making their first court appearance should be given 14-day jail terms. Protesters who plead guilty on the first day of the trial should face 21-day jail time and, if the trial continues and they are found guilty, the Crown says they should be sentenced to 28 days.

COPE released Swansons statement in a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon which read, Over 900 people joined together to protect Clayoquot Sound. Arrests didnt deter them, and Clayoquot Sound still hasnt been clear-cut because of them.

Swanson told StarMetro that she would like to see the province step in.

The province is supposed to be against the pipeline and theyre in charge of the court, she explained. I would like to see [them] take action to stop having such harsh penalties for people who are engaged in civil disobedience.

With files from Ainslie Cruickshank

Read more about:ALTON  Nineteen months after the Alton Fire Department initiated the citys first ambulance service, its trucks now are second in line to respond to emergency medical calls to neighbor East Alton.

I changed my ambulance calls to Alton Fire Department as second on the dispatch protocol list, said Chief Rodney Palmer of the East Alton Fire Department. If Alton Memorial Ambulance Service does not have an ambulance available, we go down the list.

Abbott Ambulance Service Inc. had been the second option for East Alton telecommunicators to call until about two weeks ago, when Palmer made the change, with Alton previously being third on East Altons list to contact. Now, if ambulances are not available from Alton Memorial, or Alton Fire Department, Abbott is third in line, he confirmed.

As of Monday, Altons ambulances had made three runs into the village, with two of the calls last weekend, said Chief Bernie Sebold of the Alton Fire Department.

Palmer said it was Sebolds idea for Alton to respond to calls in East Alton if Alton Memorials private service does not have an ambulance available. The two municipalities abut, and Alton sent ambulances to East Alton from relatively nearby Station 2, at 3212 College Ave. AFD usually has two ambulances in service, with a third truck in reserve.

Its closer to provide ambulance service quicker, Palmer said of AFD. I think very highly of the Alton Fire Department.

Sebold said Abbott usually sends its trucks from the Pontoon Beach area.

This is leading to extended wait time for a patient to go to a hospital, he said.

Besides close proximity of Alton Memorial and AFD ambulance services to East Alton, the EAFD is needing ambulances to respond to a jump in emergency medical calls. We are projecting 1,545 calls this year, Palmer said, based on year-to-date totals. Last year we recorded 1,279 EMS calls.

One reason for the increase is opioid overdoses in the region.

It adds to it, he said.

Sebold said the issue came up at a fire chiefs meeting. After consulting with Alton Mayor Brant Walker, Sebold said the mayor gave his approval for Alton ambulances to respond to East Alton calls on a secondary basis.

The two departments already had been cooperating, as they provide mutual aid for structure fires through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. The ambulance dispatch call list then follows suit.

We have been treating it like a mutual aid agreement, like with fires, Sebold said. It gets their citizens to the hospital quicker.

Alton implemented the ambulance service with two trucks on Jan. 17, 2017, transporting 2,350 patients its first year. There were 3,780 total emergency medical calls last year, with 2,722 of them for ambulances. Of those, Alton referred 870 of the calls to the two private ambulance services in Alton, according to a report Sebold released earlier this year.

The two ambulances generated $442,613 during the inaugural year. The chief then put the third ambulance into service on Jan. 12, 2018.

He obtained approval from the mayor and aldermen to purchase the trucks, equipment and begin the service in order to bring in revenues, particularly for the Firemens Pension Fund. Initially, 70 percent of the income went into the pension fund, with the remaining 30 percent going toward supplies and expenses of running two ambulances.

In March, the City Council changed the ratio to 60/40 percent, with the 10 percent increase needed for costs of operating and maintaining a third ambulance.

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_WellerEDWARDSVILLE  A reforestation effort is being planned for October that would begin with the removal of honeysuckle and other invasive species from Bohm Woods and culminate in a tree restoration project for the nature preserve.

Those plans to transform what is now called William C. Drda Woods have eased earlier concerns from people in the community that development of a student housing complex nearby would disturb one of the few old growth forests left in Madison County.

But on Sept. 1 the city is expected to receive a nearly $1 million grant from an independent foundation known as The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. The Edwardsville City Council approved the grant in May.

They had to meet the grant requirements and make a restoration plan before the foundation would give them the money, says Mary Vandevord, president and CEO of Heartlands Conservancy, which wrote the grant application on behalf of the city.

The money is allowing the city to purchase 71 acres of property adjacent to the Bohm Woods Nature Preserve. The acquisition allows the city to protect giant hardwood trees and dozens of rare migratory birds inside the preserve, which is at the intersection of New Poag Road and Bohm School Road.

Tucked into the grant is an additional grant of $10,000 to be applied to habitat restoration.

Once the city formally takes over the property, the city will announce the date for a community work day during which volunteers can sign up to work with city workers, professional tree trimmers and other professionals to rid that section of the property of invasives.

The first 50 or 60 feet of that woods is nothing but invasives  garbage trees, really, said Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton. Once those trees are gone, workers will begin planting a cover crop - probably a grass  and eventually add other trees. It will be a neat transformational buffer between Bohm Woods and Reserve, the $30 million student housing project now being built adjacent to it.

Contegra Construction is scheduled to have the project finished by May of 2019. Students are expected to begin moving in three months later, according to information supplied by the city.

Details of the restoration plan have been ironed out in meetings between some SIUE professors, a group of master naturalists from the University of Illinois Extension, Heartlands Conservancy and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Patton said the volunteers will likely be comprised of people from the business community and SIUE students and professors.

Anyone wanting to help can contact Vandevord at (618) 566-4451, ext. 20.

I honestly envision a day when we have over a hundred volunteers out there working on different aspects of this, Patton said. Were trying to clean it up so we can get it restored and have something that everybody can be proud of and preserve it for future generations.

IDNR is particularly happy to see the city and Heartlands coming together to clean out the invasives.

The area targeted for restoration includes about 12 acres of bluff area that affords a view of the American Bottoms below and, beyond that, the city of St. Louis. The bluff itself is all forested with trees and well be connecting that with 33 acres on top, Patton said. Long-term we might try to incorporate a viewing mound there where you would be able to go up on an elevated mound and look down over the Bottoms toward St. Louis city as well as the area of the lower Mississippi Valley.The Rauner Family Foundation is contributing $1 million to the Illinois State Fair for the naming rights to The Coliseum, a 117-year-old, 60,000-square-foot amphitheater on the state fairgrounds.

Diana and I want to make this The Peoples Coliseum just as we made the Governors Mansion the Peoples House, Gov. Bruce Rauner said. In that spirit, we are going to ask Illinois school children to help us to name the coliseum in a naming contest. This building belongs to the future, so it is fitting that we let the young people who are the future do the naming.EDWARDSVILLE  On Sunday, Aug. 19, Brad Winn will be the featured speaker for a program on the Lewis and Clark Encampment in Illinois.

The program will begin at 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Immanuel United Methodist Church at 800 N. Main St. in Edwardsville.ALTON  As state treasurer, Michael Frerichs is charged with collecting and keeping your hard-earned tax dollars safe.

Through a new initiative, Frerichs has taken an interest in more Illinois residents keeping more of their money safe as well.

Frerichs was in the Riverbend Thursday morning touting Secure Choice, a program administered by the Illinois State Treasurers Office that will help an estimated 1.2 million Illinois workers not currently saving money for retirement through an employer-offered plan put away some money for their golden years.

Frerichs said the idea came about as a way to combat a growing trend of adults and seniors entering retirement years with little or no savings. Nearly half of working-age adults, according to Frerichs, have less than $5,000 saved for retirement, and about one-third of retirees in America rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their retirement income, two statistics that impact not just those affected, but everyone, he said.

We as sympathetic human beings should feel bad about those people who are not going to be able to enjoy their golden years, are not going to be able to have a retirement with dignity. But also, when those people retire without a good source of income, their spending drops off considerably. When their spending drops off, it hurts our local economy. And, if they start accessing state services earlier, that costs all of us, Frerichs said. So we all have a shared interest in making sure people are saving for retirement.

The program will only be offered to individuals not currently offered a retirement savings option through their employer. Employers wont have any financial obligation, but failure to enroll when prompted could result in fines and penalties.

A seven-person board will oversee the program, but investment management and administrative services will be contracted out to a third-party provider through competitive bidding processes, Frerichs said. The program is not connected to the states pension system, and the state does not make any contribution or have any financial obligations related to Secure Choice.

The program will be rolled out in waves. The pilot phase began in May, and employers with 500-plus employees will be enrolled starting in November. From there, the second wave, in July 2019, will include employers with 100 to 499 employees, and the final stage will take place in November 2019 and include employers with 25 to 99 employees. Frerichs said if the program is a hit and more employers and employees inquire about participating, they may pursue expanding the program down the road.

Employees will have the option to opt out of the program if desired, Frerichs said, but he expressed hope that getting people enrolled will be the positive momentum they need to start saving for retirement.

One of the most powerful forces in the universe is inertia  once something is set in motion, it tends to continue in motion. Once you sign up for an account where its automatically deduced, people dont change very easily, Frerichs said. And the opposite is true  if it hasnt started, its difficult to get it moving.

Once you get in a habit they continue, but its tough to start a new habit. And so, we think the answer is to make sure more people have workplace retirement savings options with automatic payroll deduction. And thats what Illinois Secure Choice is.

For more information, visit www.illinoisretirement.gov.

Reach managing editor Nathan Grimm at 618-208-6456.EDWARDSVILLE  A Madison County judge is waiting for briefs to be filed by attorneys before considering an emergency stay on an administrative law review of Madison Countys 911 consolidation plan.

Associate Judge Clarence Harrison questioned whether he had jurisdiction to issue a ruling to delay the hearing, but also questioned St. Clair Countys standing to object to the delay.

He gave Madison County 911 attorneys Ben Marble and Heidi Eckert, St. Clair County 911 attorney Kevin Kaufold and Assistant Illinois Attorney General Anapama Paruchuri until Monday to file documents supporting their positions. Harrison said he hoped to have a ruling by the end of next week.

Madison County 911 had requested an emergency stay on plans to hold an administrative law hearing on the 911 consolidation plan set for Aug. 30-31 in Springfield.

The hearing had originally been scheduled in late May, then switched to early June and then July. Part of the reason was the filing of an objection to the plan by St. Clair County 911.

Madison County 911 has filed a suit in Edwardsville seeking to determine that St. Clair County has no standing in the state hearing.

St. Clair County has challenged the legality of Madison Countys 911 plan, which calls for reducing 911 call centers, called pubic service answering points, to eight from 16. St. Clair County went to a single call center.

One issue is there are three jurisdictions  the cities of Madison and Collinsville, and the State Park Fire Protection District  that overlap both counties.

The challenge has put plans to implement the 911 consolidation, which was to have been completed already, on hold. Also on hold pending the outcome of the legal battles is a service contract with AT&T.

Wednesdays hearing had originally been scheduled to be held in front of Circuit Judge David Dugan, but he was tied up in a jury trial.

After a preliminary statement by Marble, Harrison questioned whether he had jurisdiction to rule on another courts hearing, or if the law required that he wait until the administrative review judge issued a ruling.

No disrespect, he said. Im not convinced.

He also told Kaufold, who arrived late to the hearing, that he was also not convinced that St. Clair County 911 had standing to object to Madison Countys request.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.With a blink of an eye, summer vacation has ended and students are returning to the campus at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for a new academic term.

On this weeks episode of Segue, the Universitys premier radio program, SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Greg Budzban look back at what happened in 2017-2018, and ahead to what students and faculty might be seeing on campus or in their classrooms in 2018-2019.

This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 on WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound.

Once again, we have a state budget! We emerged from our regular legislative session with a budget on time, Budzban mentions. How did that change things on campus?

It certainly changes the way we do our planning, Pembrook replies. We had a two percent increase in our state budget, which allows us to move forward with improvements and innovations. It has reignited citizens confidence in state higher education institutions, and as you know, that is important! Unfortunately, when the budgets were tied up, it gave surrounding states the opportunity to raid the brainpower of Illinois.

The SIU System also welcomed its new interim president, J. Kevin Dorsey, PhD, MD. He previously served as the dean and provost of the SIU School of Medicine for 14 years.

Ive spoken with him four or five times, and one of the things I think is helpful in the current situation is his profession, Pembrook says. He is using metaphors of healing and opportunities for the System as a whole to become healthier than it has been over the past few months.

As an individual, he had a PhD background before he received his MD, so he thinks from an interdisciplinary standpoint. The conversations weve had revolved around interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of new opportunities to meet the needs of Illinois citizens.

Those who have been to SIUE during the summer could not help but notice the plethora of construction projects occurring across the 2,660-acre campus.

Were about to reopen our large science complex after a $30 million building and renovation project. What other projects have you been excited about? Budzban inquires.

Well soon be cutting the ribbon on our Science East Building, Pembrook says. Combined with the building of Science West, this has been the second largest building project in higher education in Illinois in the last two or three years!

Additionally, Art and Design East received interior and exterior renovations that not only improved its aesthetics, but also its energy conservation and efficiency.

The Morris University Centers Goshen Lounge also received an update. New glass was installed in its massive sky light fixture; a project Pembrook explains took place during a major rainstorm.

The Goshen has taken many formsa sand volleyball court, a skating rink during that storm, it was also a waterfall, Pembrook recalls.

Aside from a few other cosmetic projects, such as improving sidewalks and walkways, other large projects are about to get started, including the massive overhaul of Founders Hall. Lovejoy Library and other aspects of Library and Information Services are also revamping their methods in order to better serve students and faculty.

In addition to the new buildings and renovation projects on campus, Pembrook outlines some of the new programs coming soon to campus (or to a computer screen near you).

In 2018-19, we will have an online criminal justice policy masters program, a new online MBA, a masters in nutrition and an MFA in creative writing, Pembrook says. Well also soon have a masters in public health, which is expected to receive final approval for the 2019-20 term.

As always, SIUE will continue to emphasize interdisciplinary degree opportunities and international programs, as well as expand its doctoral degree programs.

You will hear a lot of talk about doctorates in occupational therapy and physical therapy, cyber organization or management from the School of Business, or something hardware or software-based in cyber security from the School of Engineering, Pembrook says. These programs will also be locally developed.

With everything you hear about elections being compromised or even corporate internal warfare, the amount of infrastructure you need to keep your data safe is intense, Budzban says. Im glad that there are areas out there in need of those students.

To hear the entire conversation between Pembrook and Budzban, listen to this weeks episode of Segue at 9 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 19, on WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound.

.

By Madelaine Deardeuff, SIUE Marketing & CommunicationsMy grandmother had a saying, No one is entirely worthless. They can always be used as a horrible example.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Donald Trump. We now know what a really bad president looks like. Self-aggrandizement sits on a throne in the Oval Office. Lets hope we vote more intelligently in the future.

When, as a child, my mother caught me misbehaving, I would sometimes play the Satan card and claim that the devil made me do it. That may be, she would say, but right now you and the devil are so close together I cant tell the difference, and then she would spank me with loving gusto.

Is it possible to separate the sinner from his sins? Jesus thought that it was, as we see in this passage from the Sermon on the Mount: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you. (Luke 6: 27-28)

The point I wish to make is this: Attack the sin, but love the sinner. The next time you visit London, go to Trafalgar Square and pay homage to Admiral Lord Nelson, perched on his pinnacle.

One day, when Nelson happened to be in the House of Commons, a backbencher asked him what his strategy would be when he finally cornered the French fleet and force them to fight. My strategy, he said, will be to attack the enemy on sight and to pursue him until he is destroyed.

Our enemy is not Donald Trump. We can attack his stupid lying, and we should pursue it until it is destroyed, but we must also, as followers of Jesus, love the sinner and try to bless him.

Vendors around the Trafalgar monument will sell you postcards which picture the statue of Nelson up close. He is not looking down at the people in the Square. He is looking out to sea, hoping for a glimpse of the first enemy sail.

Nelson was a freedom-fighter, and so was Jesus. Ye shall know the truth, he said, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32).

Our President needs to shake off his shackles and become a new person. He can do this, and we can help him by prayerfully separating the sin from the sinner in our thinking. Healing is possible. Born afresh! What a boon that would be for him, for us, and for the USA.

As the apostle John reminds us: He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20) Love is the liberator.

Colin Campbell

ElsahWhen the Left resorts to digging up someones uncle to smear someone, then you know they are getting desperate. Yet that is the pathetic length to which the Trump-haters are going, to try to stop the most effective adviser in the White House.

Stephen Miller has been the guiding light on President Trumps agenda to make America safe again after decades of illegal immigration and open borders. He is extraordinary in how he both writes Trumps speeches on many topics, while also giving him substantive advice on the most important issues.

It has taken the media awhile to recognize that the low-key Miller is the Rock of Gibraltar in the White House amid the storms that fake news repeatedly creates. Miller is the one who stayed strong while House Speaker Paul Ryan and other sellouts on Capitol Hill demanded that Trump cave on DACA and other immigration controversies.

Phyllis Schlafly praised Miller back when he was crafting immigration policy for then-Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Miller authored detailed, highly effective reports against open borders while he worked for Sen. Sessions, which Phyllis then distributed nationwide.

When John McCain ran for president in 2008, Phyllis educated the grassroots in Iowa about the immigration issue and urged them to question McCain at gatherings he attended around the state. He expressed surprise and dismay afterwards about how significant the immigration issue had become in rural Iowa.

Significant indeed. Since then Miller first guided Senator Sessions and then President Trump on the issue, championing the needs of America against those who hate us around the world.

Enter Dr. David S. Glosser, a retired neuropsychologist and Millers uncle who wrote a recent article highly critical of his nephew Stephen Miller in Politico.com. It is unclear if Dr. Glosser knows Miller well enough to criticize him on a personal level; instead, Dr. Glosser relies on how Millers maternal grandmother immigrated through Ellis Island more than a century ago without being able to speak English.

But those immigrants worked hard to learn English and assimilate fully into American society, and they raised their children to love America. Many of the Ellis Island immigrants, like Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, were highly patriotic and outspokenly supportive of America.

Justice Frankfurter, for example, was so patriotic that he voted against a constitutional right for any schoolchild to refuse to salute the American flag. The Supreme Court ultimately decided that issue in favor of a First Amendment right not to salute, but the immigrant Justice Frankfurter passionately dissented in support of West Virginia and its mandatory salute to the American flag in public school.

Stephen Miller has described how his experiences at his own public high school helped shape his views. He quoted President Teddy Roosevelt in his high school yearbook: There can be no fifty-fifty Americanism in this country.

Now Stephen Miller is reviving the public charge doctrine to reduce public welfare handouts to immigrants. If someone has been milking the taxpayers for Obamacare and other welfare programs, then why should he be granted American citizenship?

We do not have enough resources in the United States to give perpetual handouts to the rest of the world, and we should not be attracting immigrants who want to live on such entitlements here. Miller should take sensible steps to tie citizenship to self-reliance, and he does not need approval by Congress to do so.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the Trump Administration is committed to enforcing existing immigration law, which is clearly intended to protect the American taxpayer by ensuring that foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in the U.S are self-sufficient. The Department added that it takes the responsibility of being good stewards of taxpayer funds seriously and adjudicates immigration benefit requests in accordance with the law.

Bravo! But liberals are howling mad, decrying how this could affect one million people in New York City alone.

Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, explained decades ago that in a welfare state  the supply of immigrants will become infinite. In other words, the combination of immigration and the welfare state is a recipe for economic disaster.

For example, liberals want Medicare for All, by which they mean all residents, legal and illegal. That is projected to cost the American taxpayer an astronomical $32.6 trillion over ten years.

President Trump can save us from that by enforcing public charge doctrine, by which all participants in such government handouts will be disqualified from obtaining American citizenship. This will advance Trumps goal of attracting the best from other countries, not those who are least willing to work.

We are grateful to Stephen Miller for his courageous stance on immigration. Not even the welcoming poem at the Statue of Liberty invites those who are coming here for a handout.

John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the continuing Phyllis Schlafly Eagles organizations with writing and policy work.It seems satirical video explainers are the 'in thing' for Indian political parties these days to explain complex issues like the contentious Rafale deal! After the BJP and Congress released videos explaining their position on the Rafale deal, the Aam Aadmi Party jumped into the fray with its own Rafale deal video on Wednesday.

Like the Congress and BJP videos, the AAP video also tries to explain the Rafale deal using a housing society example. But unlike the Congress and BJP, AAP enlisted Preeti Sharma Menon, one of its national executive members, instead of an actor.

Like the Congress and BJP videos, Menon gives the example of a housing society buying locks from a French company, but snidely labels both the main national parties as corrupt. The AAP video also refers to other aspects of the Rafale deal not included in the Congress and BJP videos such as Egypt buying the aircraft for a lower price. Not surprisingly, the AAP Rafale video, at over three minutes, is longer than the ones from BJP and Congress.

By claiming, she would suggest to Arvind to start an andolan, Menon seems to hint that AAP could resort to an agitation over the Rafale deal.

Trapped in the web of lies on #RafaleDeal? Watch this simplified explanation. pic.twitter.com/57BY6vKrwM  BJP (@BJP4India) August 13, 2018

On Monday, the BJP attempted to defend the decision of the Narendra Modi government to buy 36 Rafale fighters from France by releasing a video featuring actress Pallavi Joshi, with party IT cell chief Amit Malviya calling it Rafale deal for dummies. Joshi used the example of a housing society buying safety locks from a French company to argue how the Modi government obtained a better deal for the Rafale, claiming it saved Rs 12,500 crore.

The Congress responded on Tuesday by releasing a video featuring a woman artiste talking about a housing society secretary negotiating for locks from a French company to show how the Modi government cancelled a better deal negotiated by the Congress-led UPA government for 126 Rafales.

Trapped in the web of lies on #RafaleDeal? Watch this "real" explanation.



P.S. To the @BJP4India 'mitrogen' is clearly getting to your head. pic.twitter.com/JC9jN2ZCRo  Congress (@INCIndia) August 14, 2018

In addition to using an indirect example (of a housing society) to explain their views on the Rafale deal, all three parties have fired subtle volleys at their main rival leaders. If in the BJP's video, Joshi pokes fun at Rahul Gandhi's 'potato factory' remark in Uttar Pradesh two years ago, both Congress and AAP take jibes at Modi's recent claim of methane from sewers being used to provide gas to make tea.

Since the general elections are still months away, many more 'Rafale explainers' may well be on the way.The suspension of operations at Cochin International Airport will continue till 2pm on Saturday (August 18), the airport's managing director said.

Cochin International Airport had initially announced that operations would be suspended till Wednesday afternoon. V.J. Kurien, managing director of Cochin International Airport Limited, explained the suspension of services was necessitated by increase in level of water as a result of flooding from the Periyar. Currently about 1,100 cusecs of water per hour is flowing from the river in the vicinity of the airport, but this is expected to increase to 1,500-1,600 cusecs per hour by Thursday.

Cochin International Airport's official website showed that several flights had been diverted, cancelled and indefinitely delayed.

The decision to suspend the operations was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened on Tuesday evening to release excess water. The Cochin International Airport is situated near the Periyar river bank.

The arrival operations at Cochin International Airport were suspended for two hours on August 9 in view of possible inundation in the airport area. The operations were resumed later on.

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala over the past week.

Flight updates

Cochin International Airport has provided emergency numbers on its website. These emergency room numbers are 0484-305 3500 and 2610094.

Vistara announced on Twitter that the UK883 and UK882 flights to/from Cochin have been cancelled for Wednesday, while SpiceJet has advised travellers to visit the airline website to get updated information. Jet Airways and Air India has also advised fliers to refer to the airline website for status of its flights from Cochin.

(With PTI inputs)The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...A strike called by separatists against Independence Day celebrations affected normal life in parts of the Kashmir valley on Wednesday.

However, stringent security measures were put in place across the Kashmir valley for the celebrations, a police official said.

Shops, private offices, fuel stations and other businesses were shut in Srinagar, the official said.

The official said Srinagar wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off roads. Only a few private cars were seen plying.

The police official said reports of shutdown protests were also received from other district headquarters in the Kashmir valley.

The separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership had asked people to observe a "black day" on Independence Day.

The JRL comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik asked people to observe a complete strike on Wednesday.

The official said security forces have been deployed across the Kashmir valley, especially at sensitive places, to maintain law and order.

Authorities also barred mobile telephone services, including internet facility on handheld devices, as a precautionary measure.Around 35 people were killed when a section of the Morandi bridge collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa, police said on Wednesday. Firemen worked through the night looking for any survivors buried under the rubble.

"The latest official number is 35 but we can't rule out it could rise further," a spokeswoman for the police in Genoa said.

A 50-metre (160-foot) high section of the bridge, including a tower that anchored several stays, crashed down with as many as 35 vehicles driving on it on Tuesday. Huge slabs of reinforced concrete plunged onto two warehouses, train tracks and a riverbed.

The cause of the disaster, which occurred during torrential rain, was not immediately clear but questions had been raised about the safety of the structure. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed to bring anyone responsible for the collapse to book.

The Morandi Bridge, built in the 1960s, stands on the A10 toll motorway, an important conduit for goods traffic from local ports, which also serves the Italian Riviera and southern coast of France.

Italian Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli on Wednesday said the government will conduct safety audits on ageing bridges and tunnels across the country, adding that the top management of Autostrade, a unit of the infrastructure group Atlantia which manages the section of the toll highway that collapsed, must resign.

The minister also said they will seek "significant sanctions" that can reach up to 150 million euros (S$235 million) based on concession terms and the process to revoke motorway concession has begun.Alfa Aesar, now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific is a leading manufacturer and supplier of chemicals, metals, and life science products for research and development.







For more than 50 years, scientists have relied on Alfa Aesar to supply high purity raw materials for a variety of research and development applications. Today we offer over 46,000 products in stock, in sizes from gram-scale catalog items to semi-bulk and bulk production quantities. With custom manufacturing capabilities to supply many more specialized items, we are a one-stop source for research chemicals, metals and materials.



Our product line consists of a comprehensive range of inorganics, organics, organometallics, pure metals and elements, precious metal compounds and catalysts, biochemicals, fuel cell products, nanomaterials, rare earths, analytical products, select laboratory equipment,



We have over 5,000 biochemical products within our range of 46,000 research chemical products. This provides a complete selection for all your research needs.



Our continually growing range of products for life science research cover applications such as; genomics, proteomics, immunology, cellular & molecular biology, and vascular research amongst others.



Alfa Aesar is a trusted, service-oriented company. Product quality is of paramount importance, but production expertise is just the beginning. Factors such as product availability, packaging and delivery are just as crucial to meeting and exceeding your expectations. Our established quality process ensures a high level of service and a promise of continually striving for perfection. With most catalog items in stock for same-day shipment, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff, we provide customers with an unsurpassed level of service.Karachi, Aug 15 (PTI) At least three persons were killed and over 35 others, including children and women, injured in

various incidents of aerial firing and firework displays by the revellers during Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations, media reports said today.

A large number of residents came out on the streets of Karachi on Monday night and as the clock struck 12, they started celebrating the 72nd Independence Day by resorting to aerial firing and bursting firecrackers, the police said.

During the celebrations, 22-year-old Salman Shakoor, who was part of one such the revelry near Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad area, was hit by an exploding firecracker, The News reported.

Apart from Shakoor, a 21-year-old man was also hit on his face by the rogue firecracker. They both were rushed to a hospital but Shakoor died during treatment.

In another incident, a 26-year-old Sarmad Shabbir lost his life due to awry fireworks.

Shabbir, who had come to Pakistan from Dubai on a holiday, was hit on his head by a firecracker and died during treatment, the Express Tribune reported.

One more person was killed in the city during the independence day celebrations.

Over 35 persons, including women and children, got injured by stray bullets fired during the celebratory firing.

The trend of aerial firing become common during chand raats, New Years Eve, Independence Day and Shab-e-Baarat over the years, the report said.

Cases of aerial firing can be registered under Section 337 (H) (II) of the Pakistan Penal Code for a negligent act of endangering lives, but with only three months imprisonment, and an undefined fine.

In severe conditions, cases can also be registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, it added.

At least 19 people were injured in various parts of Karachi due to aerial firing on the New Year, it said. PTI SMJ SMJ

SMJColombo, Aug 15 (PTI) Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa will be questioned by the police in connection with a probe into the alleged abduction and assault of a journalist 10 years ago, a top police official said today.

Keith Noyahr, a journalist with The Nation newspaper, was abducted by unknown men in May 2008. He was released next day allegedly after being tortured.

Following his disappearance, it is said that Rajapaksa's intervention was sought to save Noyahr's life.

"A team of crime investigation officers will meet Rajapaksa on August 17 (Friday) to record his statement," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Rajapaksa was the president at the time.

The police has recorded statements from the parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Rajapaksa's brother Gotabhaya, who was a senior defense ministry bureaucrat at the time.

Jayasuriya, the then minister, had reportedly alerted Rajapaksa on the abduction.

Six senior military officials, including the then Director of Military Intelligence, were arrested in connection with Noyahr's abduction, but later, they were released on bail.

Noyahr is believed to be living in Australia after fleeing the country with his family after the incident. PTI CORR SMJ

SMJMelbourne, Aug 15 (PTI) A Muslim woman was today appointed as a member of the Australia's Senate, becoming the first female from the minority community to achieve the position amid a bitter row over racism in the country.

Mehreen Faruqi, the Pakistani-origin Greens Party MP for New South Wales, was selected by the legislative council to fill a vacant senate seat.

"The New South Wales Parliament has selected Dr @MehreenFaruqi to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator @leerhiannon," the Australian Senate tweeted.

Faruqi, who will sworn in next week, became the first Muslim to hold any political office in Australia when she was elected to the state parliament in 2013, the BBC reported.

She had migrated from Pakistan to Australia in 1992 with her young family. Prior to entering politics she held a distinguished career as an academic and has a doctorate in environmental engineering.

Faruqi, who is in her 50s, said she would use her new role as senator to fight for a "positive future for Australia where we are stronger for our diversity".

Her joining coincided with the row sparked by Senator Fraser Anning who has sought a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration.

In his maiden speech in Parliament yesterday, Anning alleged that Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare. Muslims account for less than three per cent of Australia's population, census data shows.

"The final solution to the immigration problem is, of course, a popular vote," Anning concluded, before proposing a plebiscite "to allow the Australian people to decide whether they want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the Third World and, in particular, whether they want any Muslims".

Commenting on Anning's remarks, Faruqi said the Australian Party senator had "spat in the face of millions of Australians, spewing hate and racism" in his first speech to parliament. PTI SMJ

SMJGuj govt committed to tackle water scarcity by 2050: Rupani

Ahmedabad, Aug 15 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay

Rupani expressed his government's resolve today to make the

state free of water scarcity by 2050.

To achieve 'water security', farmers need to walk the

path shown by Israel for water conservation, Rupani said at

the main Independence Day function held in the neighbouring

Surendranagar town, about 100 km from here.

"My government is committed to make Gujarat free of

water scarcity by 2050. We want to provide water security to

people. I am confident that scarcity will be a thing of the

past with our collective efforts," Rupani said addressing

people after hoisting the national flag at the event.

"Israel has shown us how we can grow more crops using

very less water. We have to adopt those irrigation techniques

to achieve our target. We have also planned to set up 10

desalination plants to convert sea water into fresh water," he

said.

Notably, three Israeli companies have been working on

drip irrigation projects in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Rupani said thanks due to the vision of Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, Gujarat has become a "role model" for other

states in terms of development.

Giving details about the Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be

held in January 2019, he said small and medium enterprises

will be the focus during the mega event.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel

attended an Independence Day function at Kandari village in

Vadodara district.

State Governor O P Kohli celebrated the day at the Raj

Bhawan in Gandhinagar while Gujarat High Court Chief Justice R

Subhash Reddy unfurled the national flag in the court premises

here in the presence of other judges, lawyers and officials.

Besides, several ministers and leaders attended

programmes organised at different places across the state. PTI

PJT PD

GK GK

GKPatna, Aug 15 (PTI) In an indirect reference to the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today said his government is committed to bringing to justice those found guilty in some glaring incidents that have recently come to light.

He was speaking at the historic Gandhi Maidan here at the 72nd Independence Day celebrations. His deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and state assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, among others, were present on the occasion.

"Some glaring incidents have recently come to light. The guilty will not be spared. Our emphasis is on quick investigation, arrests of the accused and speedy trial. We will try to uphold law and order under all circumstances," he said.

Kumar was apparently alluding to the horrific sexual abuse of girls at a state-funded shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur city which sparked nationwide outrage. Medical examinations of 34 of the 42 inmates of the shelter home confirmed they were sexually exploited.

In another incident, two women inmates died under mysterious circumstances at a shelter home for mentally challenged women in Patna.

Speaking about corruption, Kumar asserted his government will never compromise on it.

"We have never compromised on the issue of corruption nor will we do so in future. Whoever is found involved in corruption, be it a public servant or an organisation, nobody will be spared," he said.

Kumar had walked out of a 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of the opposition with the Congress and the RJD last year after the latter's leader and his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav, facing graft charges, refused to step down.

In an apparent message to his current ally, the BJP, Kumar said his government is striving to maintain an atmosphere of communal harmony in the state.

"We make constant efforts to ensure that an atmosphere of communal harmony always prevails in the state," he said.

Various districts of Bihar witnessed a spate of communal clashes around the festival of Ram Navami this year, leading to criticism from the opposition parties that Kumar was not able to rein in attempts by the BJP to communally polarize society.

The chief minister announced that a rural transport scheme would soon be launched wherein youths belonging to the SC, ST and OBC communities will be provided with grants of up to Rs one lakh for purchase of vehicles with a capacity of four to 10 passengers.

He also announced that contractual employees in various government departments will soon be provided with a number of benefits based on recommendations made by a high-level committee set up for the purpose.

Kumar said a centralized police control room was being set up which will enable people to seek assistance in case of a mishap or a crime in any part of the state by dialling 100.

Later, he participated in another function at a 'Mahadalit tola' where he apprised the people of the steps being taken by his government for the betterment of the SCs and STs.

Kumar visits a Mahadalit settlement every year on the Independence Day to hoist the tricolour.

Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik also unfurled the national flag at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of Bihar police personnel, officials and school children and greeted the people of the state. PTI ANW NAC SNS DIV

DIVA new type of energy storage system could revolutionise energy storage and drop the charging time of electric cars from hours to seconds.



In a new paper, chemists from the University of Glasgow discuss how they developed a flow battery system using a nano-molecule that can store electric power or hydrogen gas giving a new type of hybrid energy storage system that can be used as a flow battery or for hydrogen storage.



Their hybrid-electric-hydrogen flow battery, based upon the design of a nanoscale battery molecule can store energy, releasing the power on demand as electric power or hydrogen gas that can be used a fuel. When a concentrated liquid containing the nano-molecules is made, the amount of energy it can store increases by almost 10 times. The energy can be released as either electricity or hydrogen gas meaning that the system could be used flexibly in situations that might need either a fuel or electric power.



One potential benefit of this system is that electric cars could be charged in seconds, as the material is a pumpable liquid. This could mean that the battery of an electric car could be recharged in roughly the same length of time as petrol cars can be filled up. The old battery liquid would be removed at the same time and recharged ready to be used again.



The approach was designed and developed by Professor Leroy (Lee) Cronin, the University of Glasgows Regius Chair of Chemistry, and Dr Mark Symes, Senior Lecturer in Electrochemistry, also at the University of Glasgow with Dr Jia Jia Chen, who is a researcher in the team. They are convinced that this result will help pave the way for the development of new energy storage systems that could be used in electric cars, for the storage of renewable energy, and to develop electric-to-gas energy systems for when a fuel is required.



Professor Cronin said: For future renewables to be effective high capacity and flexible energy storage systems are needed to smooth out the peaks and troughs in supply. Our approach will provide a new route to do this electrochemically and could even have application in electric cars where batteries can still take hours to recharge and have limited capacity. Moreover, the very high energy density of our material could increase the range of electric cars, and also increase the resilience of energy storage systems to keep the lights on at times of peak demand.Two die as rain pounds Odisha for third day

(EDs: Updates with more details)

Bhubaneswar, Aug 15 (PTI) Two persons lost their lives

and one went missing as heavy rain pounded five districts in

Odisha for the third straight day today, official sources

said.

Bo respite is likely soon as the Met office has

forecast more rains in the next 48 hours.

The districts that have been severely hit by the rain

include Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur in southern region

and Bolangir and Kalahandi districts in the western parts of

the state.

While the state government has put the district

collectors on alert in view of the rains, the East Coast

Railway has asked its employees to remain vigilant to possible

flooding of tracks in different places.

"So far, two deaths have been reported and another

person was missing due to rain related incidents," Special

Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said adding that 17

persons confined due to flood water have been rescued from the

tappoo (island) of river Tel at Banjipali in Titilagarh area

in Bolangir district by the Fire Services unit.

Manguli Muduli of Rajubidei village of Rajput gram

panchayat of Koraput district died in rain related incident

while Sadashib Sahu of Bargaon village died in Kalahandi

district.

Another person was missing in Koraput district, the

sources said.

A report from Koraput said at least 13 blocks have

been affected due to the flash floods. About 45 houses were

damaged and a free kitchen was opened to feed the affected

people.

Personnel of fire services and Orissa Disaster Rapid

Action Force (ODRAF) have beenc engaged for relief and rescue

operation in Koraput district.

Meanwhile, IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall

tomorrow in one or two places in Baragarh, Nuapada, Balangir,

Sundergarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts of Odisha.

The average rainfall of the state recorded for the

last 24 hours is 31.7 mm. Kalahandi district received the

highest average rainfall 139.7 mm, SRC B P Sethi said adding

that four districts received average rainfall between 50

mm and 100 mm.

Sethi, however, said that all major rivers were

flowing below the danger level and there was no fear for flood

now.

Meanwhile, sources in the ECoR said that the

authorities have put the railway men on alert in view of the

flooding of tracking. Track patrolling and inspection of

bridges were being conducted by senior officers.

Railway tracks affected due to rain water and

landslides were located in Titlagarh-Rayagada and

Rayagada-Koraput sections. While five trains have been

cancelled, four other trains will be controlled in some

stations, an official said. PTI AAM

JM JM

JMEds: Updating with Kejriwal's reaction, more details

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) In a jolt to the AAP, one of its top leaders, Ashutosh, announced his resignation from the party today, citing "very very personal reasons", although Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he will not accept it "in this lifetime".

Ashutosh's resignation is being interpreted differently with some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) insiders claiming that he was unhappy over the party's decision to send a businessman to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi. Others claimed that he was "angry" over being denied a Rajya Sabha ticket by the party.

The convenor of the AAP's Delhi unit, Gopal Rai, said Ashutosh was not "angry", adding, "Everyone has the right to take personal decisions."

Ashutosh described his association with the Kejriwal-led party as "beautiful and revolutionary", while urging the media to respect his privacy and not to chase him for sound bites.

Reacting to the development, Kejriwal, who is the AAP national convener, tweeted: "How can we ever accept ur resignation (sic)?," and added in Hindi, "Na, is janam mein to nahin (not in this lifetime)".

The chief spokesperson of the AAP's Delhi unit, Saurabh Bhardwaj, told PTI that Ashutosh's resignation was not accepted and he was urged to reconsider his decision.

"Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party/requested PAC to accept the same.

"It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me throughout," Ashutosh tweeted earlier.

The party also rushed Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Labour Minister Gopal Rai and AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey to pacify Ashutosh, but he was not at his residence, sources said.

The journalist-turned-politician had joined the party after it first tasted power in December 2013. A known television personality, his joining the party had become a talking point at that time as he had quit as an editor of a noted Hindi news channel.

He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket and managed to bag over three lakh votes, more than Congress veteran Kapil Sibal and over a lakh less than the BJP's Harsh Vardhan.

He was one of the key negotiators between Yogendra Yadav-Prashant Bhushan duo and Kejriwal when the founder leaders had crossed swords. He was also instrumental in bringing the rebel party MLAs like Devender Sehrawat and Pankaj Pushkar back in the party-fold.

In a short-span, he won the confidence of party leadership and was also inducted in the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the AAP's top decision-making body mostly comprising the founder-members and close confidants of Kejriwal.

However, over the past few months, it was observed that Ashutosh, a regular party face before the media, had reduced his participation in the regular press conferences.

A sequence of tweets and retweets by Kejriwal and Ashutosh is also indicative about unease between the two.

Ashutosh last tweeted an article about the party and Kejriwal on August 1. He has not retweeted any of Kejriwal's tweet.

Kejriwal, known to retweet tweets critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party by scribes, fellow party men, and even Congress leader P Chidambaram, has not retweeted any of Ashutosh's tweets that have been lambasting the prime minister and his party over the last one month.

Senior AAP functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back."

He, however, added that his relationship with Ashutosh as a "true and dependable friend" will continue lifelong.

"His separation from the party is not less than a heart rendering incident for me," Singh tweeted.

Ashutosh, who was a member of the top decision-making body of the AAP -- the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) -- was "indifferent and less active" towards the party matters of late, a senior party leader said. PTI GJS VIT TDS RC PR SMN

SMNNew Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Asserting that the rule of law is supreme for his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for giving wide publicity to the cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with "demonic mindset".

"The country, our society need to be rid off this demonic mindset," he said during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort.

"The rule of law is supreme for us and there can be no compromise with this," he said.

Modi said the society needs to feel a million times more pain a rape victim endures.

He spoke about fast-track trial of rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the convicts were condemned to death within days and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes.

"The more the publicity, the more the fear it will instill in people with demonic mindset," Modi said.

He asked people to inculcate values and respect for women in their children.

The prime minister referred to the elevation of two women as judges of the Supreme Court.

"Now, in a first, there are three women judges in the top court," he said.

Justices Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee were recently elevated as judges of the Supreme Court.

Malhotra was the first senior woman advocate to be directly appointed as the judge of the top court.

Among the three sitting women judges, Justice R Banumathi is the seniormost and was elevated to the court on August 13, 2014. PTI NAB KR NAB ABH

ABHNew Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) The government is committed to bring in a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today even as he blamed "some people" for stalling its passage in Parliament.

In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament.

He blamed "some people", an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon session.

The bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and seeks prison term of up to three year for the men.

He said the government had once again pushed for the passage of the bill in the Monsoon Session.

"The practice of triple talaq has created problems in life of Muslim women ... we brought law in Parliament, but some people are not allowing to pass it. I assure you that you would not be let down. I will do all it needs (to bring the law)," he said.

While the bill has been passed by Lok Sabha, it is pending in Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.

To make the proposed law palatable to the opposition, a provision of bail for the accused from a magistrate has been added. Also, the amendments to the bill cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, make provision for settlement between the husband and the wife.

The FIR can now only be lodged by the victim, her blood relations and those who have become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Others, like neighbours, cannot lodge an FIR to prevent misuse of the proposed law. PTI NAB KR AAR

AAR(Eds: Updating with reaction from party)

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) AAP leader Ashutosh today resigned from the party citing a "very very" personal reason even as the party asked him to reconsider the decision.

"Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party/requested PAC to accept the same.

"It is purely from a very very personal reason.Thanks to party/all of them who supported me throughout," he tweeted.

AAP's Delhi unit spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said his resignation has not been accepted yet and he has been asked to reconsider it.

The journalist-turned-politician had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket.

Senior party functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back."

AAP's Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai said, "It is sad. We will talk to him". PTI GJS VIT TDS AAR

AARNew Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) India's first all-women SWAT team from the north east beamed with pride as it provided security cover to the historic Red Fort today on the Independence Day.

The 36-member all-women Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team has been trained by the NSG for anti-terrorism duty under the Delhi Police's Special Cell.

Sumata Rabta, a member of the team, said it has been her life-long dream to protect the country.

"I will always remember this day when I got the opportunity to provide security on one of the key events in the country," Rabta said.

Dipti Barman, another member, said to hear the prime minister speak on her team made her beam with pride.

"I can feel the responsibility and my team would give its complete support in fulfilling every task assigned to it," Barman said.

She hoped people change their perception towards the citizens of the north east and realise their capability.

Another team member, Mihnhunsa, felt proud to don the uniform.

"Even though it is difficult task to change people's set notions about our region, we can try to do so through our uniform," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, said the government has brought Delhi close to the north east and the region has become an inspiration for everyone.

The 36 women commandos, who broke the traditional male stronghold to enter the SWAT team, were formally inducted on August 10.

They are equipped with AK-47 rifles, MP5 machine guns, Glock 17 or 26 pistols and corner shot devices for enhanced night vision. The women commandos were also trained in Krav Maga, which is a self-defence system developed for the Israel Defence Forces, the police said.

The women commandos were trained to undertake complex operations during terrorist attacks at crowded markets, residential complexes or government premises. PTI UZM

DPBLucknow, Aug 15 (PTI) Two 'sadhus' were killed and another injured by unidentified persons early today triggering tension in the Bidhuna police station area in Auraiya district, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Auriaya, Rajesh Kumar Saxena told PTI, "The incident took place in Bhayanak Nath Mandir in Kudarkot area under Bidhuna police station around 3 am, when three 'sadhus' (Hindu monks) were attacked by unidentified men."

Auraiya is around 180 km from Lucknow.

Police suspect the monks were attacked as they opposed some people who were allegedly into cow slaughter.

"They were tied to a charpoy and attacked. Two of them were killed," Circle Officer, Bidhuna, Bhaskar Verma said.

The deceased were identified as Lajjaram and Halkeram, while Ramsharan received serious injuries, he said adding all the three victims were in the 50-60 year age group.

Tension gripped the area as the news spread, but the situation was now under control, officials said.

Heavy deployment of police was made to prevent any untoward incident, they added. PTI NAV SMI ADS

ADSNew Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani visited AIIMS this evening to enquire about the health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute.

There was no official update on Vajpayee's health condition.

Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output.

The 93-year-old BJP leader, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. PTI PLB SLB SMN

SMNLudhiana, Aug 15 (PTI) On the occassion of Independence Day, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today called for freedom from drug menace and launched a programme to take the war against narcotics to schools and colleges.

The chief minister, who unfurled the tricolour here, also launched the second phase of the debt waiver scheme for farmers against loans taken from commercial banks, besides rolling out the 'Bhai Ghanayia Sehat Sewa Yojana', a health scheme.

In his speech after the march past, the chief minister called upon the people of Punjab to take a pledge to wipe out the menace of drugs.

Lauding the Special Task Force's efforts to check drug abuse, Singh said that after the success of 'Drug Abuse Prevention Officers' programme, another scheme 'Tu Mera Buddy' would take the anti-drugs campaign to the grassroots level.

The project will involve principals, teachers, students and their parents. The buddy project will be led by teachers and will be supervised by the principals and district education officers (DEOs), he said.

Singh reiterated his government's zero tolerance policy against drugs and warned those involved in exploiting and ruining the youth that they would not be spared.

Nearly 20,000 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, involving about 22,000 alleged drug peddlers and distributors, while the state is working to ensure forfeiture of illegally acquired property of drug traders and to secure death penalty for them, he said.

Expressing satisfaction at the performance of 118 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) Clinics started in the state for treatment of the addicts, the chief minister said another 80 OOAT clinics would be set up by September this year.

He said 26,000 addicts have been treated so far in these clinics and the OPD footfall was over 5.3 lakh.

Unveiling the 'Bhai Ghanhya Sehat Sewa' scheme, the chief minister handed over cards to some beneficiaries of the scheme, aimed at providing cashless healthcare facilities and treatment to members of cooperative societies and their families.

Every beneficiary is entitled to cashless treatment up to Rs 2 lakh on family floater basis in any approved hospital, and on reimbursement basis in any government hospital in Punjab.

Launching the second phase of the debt waiver scheme, the chief minister handed over 'waiver certificates' to 10 farmers to extend to them the benefit of outstanding loan waiver of commercial banks up to Rs 2 lakh.

The scheme would cover crop loan disbursed to farmers in the state by scheduled commercial banks, cooperative credit institutions, including urban cooperative banks and regional rural banks.

The chief minister said the farmers were expected to be provided a total relief of Rs 1,000 crore.

Handing over keys and allotment letters of flats constructed under the BSUP (basic services for urban poor) scheme to 10 beneficiaries out of 750 under the 'Punjab Shehri Awas Yojana', Singh said the new housing scheme would provide free home facilities to eligible candidates from SC/ST/BC communities in urban areas.

To manage crop residue, Singh launched a scheme to provide subsidised agri- machinery which would be helpful to curb the trend of stubble burning.

The machines included Hydraulic Reversible Mould Board Plough, with a subsidy of Rs 70,000 on a total cost of Rs 1,40,000, and Paddy Straw Mulcher, with 50 percent subsidy of Rs 78,400.

Under super straw management system, Happy Seeders would also be provided to farmers on subsidy of Rs 75,600 on total cost of Rs 1,51,200. The chief minister handed over these machines to three farmers of Ludhiana. The agriculture department has placed an order of 500 such machines, which would be provided to farmers in the next two months, he added.

Reiterating his resolve for revival of industry, he said that the Congress government was making all possible efforts to revive the state's economy.

He said the number of micro industrial units set up in 2017-18 had gone up to 18,172 from 8571 in 2016-17, an increase of 112 percent. Punjab has signed 305 MoUs during the last 16 months for investment of Rs 50,650 crore with an employment potential of about 1 lakh, he said.

Singh said that under his government's flagship 'Ghar Ghar Rozgar programme' nearly 2 lakh jobs were provided to the youth and the government aimed to create about 3 lakh jobs in 2018-19.

He also said the promise to give smart phones to eligible youth was in the final stages of implementation. PTI SUN ADS

ADSNew Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Nitin Sandesara, an absconding director of a Gujarat-based pharma company which is being probed in a Rs 5,000 crore fraud case, has been arrested in Dubai, officials said.

Officials said Sandesara was arrested by Dubai police based on a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Indian court.

"The legal process post the arrest is taking place in Dubai. We are waiting for details. Indian agencies will try to get him deported," a senior official said.

Reportedly, Indian probe agencies had information on Nitin Sandesara being in Dubai, following which the authorities alerted the officials in United Arab Emirates.

The company and its directors are being probed. CBI has booked Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech, its directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant Hathi, former director Andhra Bank Anup Garg and some unidentified persons in connection with the alleged bank fraud case.

It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which had turned into non-performing assets.

As per the FIR, the total pending dues of the group of companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. The ED has taken the FIR into cognisance.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested few people in this case including Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan, former Andhra Bank director Anup Garg and Sterling Biotech Ltd director Rajbhhushan Dixit.

Multiple prosecution complaints or charge sheets have also been filed by it before a special court here.

It had also attached assets worth over Rs 4,700 crore of the pharmaceutical firm in June this year. PTI NES IND

INDFifteen of the software companies on this years list are in Chicago, where the city routinely touts technology hires and company growth. But Chicago has a diverse economy with no one dominating industry. A separate report released earlier this year by Downers Grove-based trade association CompTIA found that tech jobs as a share of the total workforce in the Chicago metro area remained steady at 7 percent. In other words, there is growth in some areas of the industry, but tech workers arent taking over the city just yet.Most HC judges conspicuous by their absence at Guv's reception

(EDS: Adds a para)

Chennai, Aug 15 (PTI) A majority of the Madras High

Court judges were conspicuous by their absence at the "At

Home" reception hosted by Governor Banwarilal Purohit today,

days after one of them flagged protocol breach in the seating

arrangement for them during the Chief Justice's swearing-in.

Besides Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani, a

few other judges of the court participated in the reception

held on the occasion of the independence day.

Most of the chairs reserved for judges were seen

unoccupied.

Court sources said most of the judges did not want to

participate in the At Home reception.

A Raj Bhavan release said the Chief Justice

Tahilramani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his

deputy O Panneerselvam were among those who attended the

reception.

The thin attendance of judges at the event comes days

after they were upset over being made to sit in the second row

behind ministers and police officials at the swearing-in

function of Justice Tahilramani on August 12.

Purohit had administered the oath to justice

Tahilrmani during the swearing-in at Raj Bhavan.

Justice M S Ramesh in a WhatsApp message had expressed

his displeasure over the seating arrangements of judges at the

event, calling it a protocol breach.

In his address at the reception, Purohit said India of

today was on a proud forward march in the comity of nations.

"It is the fastest growing emerging economy of the

world. It is on the cusp of reaping the benefits of the

demographic dividend," he said.

He reminded that the country owed all this in

substantial measure to the freedom fighters.

Purohit said anyone who worked against the nation was

actually doing disservice not only to the rest of the

population but also ruining the future of succeeding

generations.

"It is therefore important that patriotism should

reside in our thoughts and care and concern for the people of

India should dominate our hearts," he said.

Noting that India was a nation with a glorious past,

he said it was now asserting itself vigorously "inspired by

the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister." PTI CORR SA VS

BN BN

BNThiruvananthapuram/Kochi, Aug 15(PTI) The death toll in Kerala has risen to 44 as there is no let up in heavy rains and the operations of the Kochi airport have been suspended till Saturday.

Flights are being diverted to other airports as the state has been battered by torrential rains since August 8.

In Munnar, a man hailing from neighbouring Tamil Nadu was killed and six persons were rescued after a mound of earth fell on a hotel last evening, official sources said.

In a similar incident in Kondotty, a heavy mound of earth fell onto a concrete house at 1 am today, claiming a couple's lives. A search is on for their six-year-old child who was asleep in the same room with them, district authorities said.

A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur as he came in touch with a snapped electric wire.

Kochi airport operations have been temporarily suspended till Saturday 2 pm since the inflow of water is still on a rising trend, a Kochi airport spokesperson said.

"We are working hard to drain out the storm water. All are requested to cooperate," the spokesperson said.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, had earlier said the airport would be shut till 2 pm.

It later issued another advisory saying the operations have been suspended till Saturday.

Weathermen have warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts.

With almost all rivers in spate, reports of landslides have come in from Malappuram and Munnar in Idukki this morning.

A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni to 12 nautical miles off Alappuzha Coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it.

"A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting," he said.

Over 1,000 people living on the banks of Periyar river have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure after the Mullaperiyar dam's shutters were opened and water released through spillway early this morning.

Though initially 13 shutters of the dam were opened early by 4.30 am, three were closed and discharge through the spillway reduced to 3,480 cusecs.

The water level in the dam has touched 140 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet.

Many parts of Thiruvananthapuram are also receiving heavy rains since early this morning.

Unabated rains have forced the state government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations and the amount set apart for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations.

Governor P Sathasivam also decided to cancel the reception to be hosted by him today as part of Independence Day celebrations due to the floods in the state.

Ayyappa devotees have been asked not to visit the hill shrine at Sabarimala as the rain-fed Pampa rose menacingly.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, the district authorities and the police have issued alerts to devotees and decided to stop them at various points till the water receded. PTI UD TGB ROH AAR

AARLucknow, Aug 15 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has approached the Centre for its approval to rename the airports in Bareilly, Kanpur and Agra, a move that comes close on the heels of rechristening the iconic Mughalsarai Railway Station in the state after RSS thinker Deendayal Upadhyay.

Since all the three are defence airports, the state

government and the Airports Authority of India are in the

process of consultations at various levels to facilitate flyers

under the regional connectivity scheme, an official spokesman

said today.

According to a proposal from the state civil aviation

department, the Bareilly airport is to be named 'Nath Nagri', which is believed to be an ancient name of the city for its history of having ardent worshippers of Lord Shiva.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who belongs to the Nath sect, had earlier renamed the civil terminals of IAF's Gorakhpur airport.

The civil terminal of Gorakhpur airport was named after Maha Yogi Gorakhnath, founder of 'Nath Pant' (monastic

movement). The chief minister is the 'Mahant' (priest) of Gorakhnath temple.

UP Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Nandi said renaming of the three airports was long awaited.

"We have reached out to the Centre to get the airports

renamed. A meeting with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation

is expected soon," he said.

The proposal speaks about Bareilly in great detail. It says that the city is surrounded on all sides by as many as

seven Lord Shiva temples--Alakhnath, Trivatinath, Marhinath,

Dhopeshwarnath, Vankhandinath, Tapeshwarnath and

Pashupatinath.

Kanpur's Chakeri airport is proposed to be named after

freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. The proposal says that Kanpur was earlier known as Kanha Pur and was founded by Sachendi King Hindu Singh.

The Agra airport is proposed to be named after RSS thinker Deendayal Upadhyay.

PTI SMI SRY

SRYGlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  President Rodrigo Duterte said he is having second thoughts about pushing through with his visits next month to Israel and Jordan.

Duterte expressed his hesitation in a speech late Tuesday, citing travel costs, just hours after his spokesman officially announced the scheduled trips at a media briefing.

"It's expensive to be flying around. I'm having my second thoughts about going to Jordan and Israel because of the expense," said Duterte, who is known for his verbal and policy U-turns.

He said taking a commercial flight isn't an option, joking he might get hijacked.

"The last time I went commercial. But they said that if we go commercial in that area, it's not good. You get hijacked, you get hit by a guided missile, and your purpose was just to visit Netanyahu and pray to God," the President said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier told reporters Duterte was slated to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits Israel in September. From there, he will fly to Jordan.

The President's planned visit to Israel from September 2 to 5 comes two years after his controversial remarks comparing his anti-drug campaign to the Holocaust.

Duterte and Netanyahu are expected to discuss common concerns and ways of expanding cooperation in the areas of labor, tourism, trade, agriculture, counterterrorism, and security and law enforcement.A Park Ridge police report, obtained by the Tribune in December through a Freedom of Information Act request, revealed little about the circumstances of Gembaras death, with nearly every page completely redacted. What is known is that Gembara, a Palos Hills resident, died in the Park Ridge residence of Renata Matczuk, who was the last person to see him alive, according to the report.The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited.The following companies are subsidiares of Carnival Co. &: 1972 Productions Inc., 6348 Equipment LLC, A.C.N. 098 290 834 Pty. Ltd., A.J. Juneau Dock LLC, AIDA Kundencenter GmbH, Adventure Island Ltd., Air-Sea Holiday GmbH, Alaska Hotel Properties LLC, Barcelona Cruise Terminal SLU, Bay Island Cruise Port S.A., Belize Cruise Terminal Limited, CC U.S. Ventures Inc., CCL Gifts LLC, CSSC Carnival Italy Cruise Investment S.r.L, Carnival (UK) Limited, Carnival Bahamas FC Limited, Carnival Bahamas Holdings Limited, Carnival Corporation & plc Asia Pte. Ltd., Carnival Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Carnival Corporation Korea Ltd., Carnival Corporation Ports Group Japan KK, Carnival Finance LLC, Carnival Grand Bahama Investment Limited, Carnival Investments Limited, Carnival Japan Inc., Carnival License Holdings Limited, Carnival Maritime GmbH, Carnival North America LLC, Carnival Port Holdings Limited, Carnival Ports Inc., Carnival Support Services India Private Limited, Carnival Technical Services (UK) Limited, Carnival Technical Services Finland Limited, Carnival Technical Services GmbH, Carnival Technical Services Inc., Carnival Vanuatu Limited, Costa Crociere PTE Ltd., Costa Crociere S.p.A., Costa Cruceros S.A., Costa Cruise Lines Inc., Costa Cruise Lines UK Limited, Costa Cruises Shipping Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Costa Cruises Travel Agency (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Costa Cruzeiros Agencia Maritima e Turismo Ltda., Costa Group Digital & Strategic Services GmbH, Costa International B.V., Costa Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Cozumel Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Creative Travel Lab Ltd., Cruise Ships Catering & Services International N.V., Cruise Terminal Services S.A. de C.V., Cruiseport Curacao C.V., D.R. Cruise Port Ltd., Ecospray Technologies S.r.L., F.P.M. SAS, F.P.P. SAS, Fleet Maritime Services (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services International Limited, GXI LLC, Gibs Inc., Global Experience Innovators Inc., Global Fine Arts Inc., Global Shipping Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Grand Cruise Shipping Unipessoal LdA, Grand Turk Cruise Center Ltd., HAL Antillen N.V., HAL Beheer B.V., HAL Cruises Limited, HAL Maritime Ltd., HAL Nederland N.V., HAL Properties Limited, HAL Services B.V., HSE Hamburg School of Entertainment GmbH, Holding Division Iberocruceros SLU, Holland America Line Inc., Holland America Line N.V., Holland America Line Paymaster of Washington LLC, Holland America Line U.S.A. Inc., Ibero Cruzeiros Ltda., Iberocruceros SLU, Information Assistance Corporation, International Cruise Services S.A. de C.V., International Leisure Travel Inc., International Maritime Recruitment Agency S.A. de C.V., Milestone N.V., Navitrans S.R.L., Ocean Bahamas Innovation Ltd., Ocean Medallion Fulfillment Ltd., Operadora Catalina S.r.L., P&O Princess American Holdings, P&O Princess Cruises International Limited, P&O Princess Cruises Pension Trustee Limited, P&O Properties (California) Inc., P&O Travel Limited, Prestige Cruises Management S.A.M., Prestige Cruises N.V., Princess Bermuda Holdings Ltd., Princess Cays Ltd., Princess Cruise Corporation Inc., Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., Princess Cruises and Tours Inc., Princess U.S. Holdings Inc., RCT Maintenance & Related Services S.A., RCT Pilots & Related Services S.A., RCT Security & Related Services S.A., Roatan Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Royal Hyway Tours Inc., Santa Cruz Terminal S.L., SeaVacations Limited, SeaVacations UK Limited, Seabourn Cruise Line Limited, Shanghai Coast Cruise Consulting Co. Lda, Ship Care (Bahamas) Limited, Sitmar Cruises Inc., Spanish Cruise Services N.V., Sunshine Shipping Corporation Ltd., T&T International Inc., Tour Alaska LLC, Transnational Services Corporation, Trident Insurance Company Ltd., Westmark Hotels Inc., Westmark Hotels of Canada Ltd., Westours Motor Coaches LLC, Wind Surf Limited, and World Leading Cruise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd..Tesla announced Tuesday that its board had created a special committee to review a potential proposal by Elon Musk, the company's chief executive, to take the company private.

The board, caught by surprise last week after Musk posted a cryptic tweet about having "funding secured" for a possible buyout of the electric carmaker, said that it had yet to receive a formal proposal or reach "any conclusion as to the advisability or feasibility of such a transaction."

The three independent directors who make up the special committee, Brad Buss, Robyn Denholm and Linda Johnson Rice, "have the full power and authority" of the board to evaluate and negotiate any potential transaction to take Tesla private, the company said.

The company stressed Tuesday that "no assurances can be given" that any proposal from Musk would be accepted.

Tesla said that Latham & Watkins was serving as legal counsel to the special committee, which plans to bring on an independent financial adviser once it receives a formal proposal. The company said it separately hired the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati "as legal counsel in this matter."

Monday night, Musk posted on Twitter that he was working with Silver Lake and Goldman Sachs as financial advisers on a proposal to take Tesla private. He also wrote that he had hired two law firms  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Munger, Tolles & Olson  as legal advisers.

Silver Lake's aim is to invest in the carmaker as part of its potential delisting, which could be worth tens of billions of dollars, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The firm is not going to be paid for any work it does to help the Tesla co-founder explore his options, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential negotiations.

Senior executives of Silver Lake, one of the biggest technology-focused private-equity investors, have known Musk for years and have had him speak at an annual meeting of its portfolio companies on at least one occasion. An arm of the firm, Silver Lake Kraftwerk, had invested $100 million in SolarCity, the solar-power company that Musk co-founded and that is now part of Tesla.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The people would not say when Silver Lake began working with Musk. A spokeswoman for the investment firm declined to comment.

Tesla's efforts to wrest the situation from its unpredictable chief executive and co-founder come after Musk declared in a blog post Monday that he had communicated for more than a year with a Saudi sovereign wealth fund about taking the company private. He said he had left one recent meeting "with no question" that a deal with the fund could be closed, though people familiar with the workings of the fund cast doubt on his account Monday.

The blog post appeared to be an attempt to address investors and financiers who were caught off guard by his initial tweet on Aug. 7 announcing that he was "considering taking Tesla private at $420." Such disclosures are usually made in regulatory filings; the tweet led to an inquiry from the Securities and Exchange Commission about Musk's choice of forum.

In his blog post, Musk said that "the right thing to do was to announce my intentions publicly" to all shareholders. But according to people familiar with the situation, Musk told an informal adviser that he had posted on Twitter impulsively and as an angry reaction to critics."There's obviously some judgment calls involved in how proposals are rated, but those judgments have to at least be defensible and consistent with the factual record," procurement lawyer Frank Murray Jr. said in an email. "If the evaluation shows that Amazon is the best value and should win" the award, "it would be a violation of procurement law for Trump" or another high-ranking official "to say, 'You can't award to Amazon, pick again. Troy

Capital CarShare, a local nonprofit that offers a fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles to share locally, unveiled its first electric vehicle Wednesday morning in Troy.

The vehicle, a BMW i3, has a range of 116 miles as well as a supplemental gas engine that can take the vehicle another 70 miles. BMW North America donated the charging station, which was installed on Sixth Avenue at The News apartments. Rosenblum Companies, which built The News, is contributing the electricity.

Residents of The News will be able to use the vehicles at a discount, thanks to the arrangement with Rosenblum.

"Getting infrastructure for electric vehicles can be extremely difficult, but when all parties work together it accomplishes great things," said Melanie Beam, executive director of Capital CarShare. "Adding a zero emission vehicle to our fleet will continue to reduce the capital region's carbon footprint while increasing the amount of people who can utilize our services."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

And while the i3 is compact, "it kind of feels like you're in an SUV," said Beam, as local officials explored the interior and the trunk space.

More details on Capital CarShare may be found at capitalcarshare.orgAlbany

The move by the state Public Service Commission to kick Charter Communications out of New York state and force it to sell its Spectrum cable TV and internet system to another provider has provoked anxiety in some parts of rural western New York where high-speed internet can be hard to come by.

"This revocation creates large issues for my constituents and residents across New York state," State Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, wrote in a letter to PSC Chairman John Rhodes.

Ortt's district includes all of Niagara and Orleans counties, reaching from Niagara Falls to the western edge of Rochester.

According to the state's broadband office, there are more than two dozen pockets in Ortt's district in towns like Albion, Barre and Shelby where internet service is only available by satellite and is extremely slow by today's standards.

Residents in those internet dead zones had been depending on Charter to extend Spectrum to their homes in the coming years as part of an agreement Charter has with the PSC to bring high-speed internet service to 145,000 underserved homes in the state by 2020.

Charter's agreement with the PSC, a condition of its 2016 acquisition of Time Warner Cable's New York state cable TV network, was designed to complement the state's $500 million New NY Broadband Program that provides subsidies to cable TV operators to extend their equipment into rural areas where the costs are typically prohibitive.

Charter was expected to have to spend about $300 million on its own program, which was designed to fill in the gaps around the state's broadband program. The state program completed its final round of funding in March.

However, the PSC had grown increasingly upset that Charter was trying to satisfy its obligations by expanding its network in New York City and densely populated upstate cities where the work is much cheaper.

After making repeated warnings and fining Charter millions of dollars, the PSC told Charter to find a replacement to take over Spectrum.

Ortt, a potential Republican candidate for the House seat being vacated by U.S. Rep Chris Collins, says that without Charter to bring broadband to his district, the state has to come up with a new plan to ensure his constituents don't get left behind.

Niagara and Orleans counties are in line for just $234,000 in state broadband grants combined, far less than other rural areas of upstate. That money was awarded to Hughes Network Systems to provide low-cost satellite internet service to 1,323 households, although that service is not as fast as Spectrum or other landline internet systems.

"Although this funding disparity is alarming, residents were reassured that the disparity did not mean that they would be without broadband," Ortt wrote in a letter to PSC Chairman John Rhodes. "Since Charter's merger required them to build to 145,000 addresses at no cost to the state, it seemed that my district would be receiving broadband without an investment from the (state)."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

However, that notion is no longer valid if Charter is gone, Ortt reasoned in his letter to Rhodes.

"It Charter's merger is denied and it cannot operate in New York, Charter will not

continue to build broadband to New Yorkers," Ortt wrote. "Since all of the New NY Broadband funding has already been awarded, communities that were supposed to receive broadband from Charter will be left in the dark."

Indeed, it was the PSC's fear that Charter would short-change rural areas like Niagara and Orleans in favor of cheaper line extensions in New York City that helped to sway its decision to act against the cable giant.

"Charter's actions and accounting practices have negatively impacted citizens living in various counties such as Yates, Steuben, Niagara, Genesee, Franklin and Clinton counties," John Sipos, a PSC attorney said before the July 27 PSC vote against Charter. "And that is because there is an inverse relationship for addresses that are in New York City. If they are to be added, there are addresses in upstate areas that are subtracted."

Ortt is asking Rhodes to work with the state's broadband office and the state Legislature to set aside additional funding to pay for broadband expansion in areas where Charter was supposed to do the work.

"Although I agree with the Commission's sentiment that Charter's pace has been unacceptably slow, I fear that, without proper planning, this penalty could end up harming the residents it was intended to protect," Ortt wrote."Avengers: Infinity War": This isn't just another production in the comic book film universe. It's the combination of the best of what the makers of all the past Marvel-inspired films have been giving viewers since "Iron Man" in 2008.

Thanos (Josh Brolin) is on a quest to find elements for his Infinity Gauntlet, which would give him the power to complete a galactic plan that only a crazed supervillain would think makes sense.

Standing in his way are a collection of heroes, including Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the majority of the Avengers, a large group of Black Panther's team and Spider-Man (Tom Holland). "Avengers: Infinity War" has taken all of the elements that have made past films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe work and turned up the volume to 11.

"Arrow: The Complete Sixth Season": There is a good reason "Arrow" is the CW's longest-running DC series  multiple reasons. Not only is each episode filled with action, the stories deal with a lot of personal issues that give the characters a three-dimensional feel. And the writing is crisp and smart.

Stephen Amell has never gotten the kudos or attention he deserves playing the characters of Oliver Queen and the Arrow. Queen's role as the mayor has put him in a lot of political battles to go along with his efforts to be a father and friend. Amell makes both the scenes in a business suit and the arrow garb work.

The release contains all 23 episodes from the sixth season, plus the show's 2017 Comic-Con Panel and the crossover featurette.

Also new on DVD

"SEAL Team: Season 1": David Boreanaz plays the leader of a team of top soldiers in the CBS drama.

"Steven Universe: Heart of the Crystal Gems": Steven must bring the team back together when the Crystal Gems are falling apart over revelations about Rose Quartz.

"The House of Tomorrow": The coming-of-age drama written and directed by Peter Livolsi stars Ellen Burstyn.

"The Blacklist: Season Five": Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) rebuilds his criminal empire.

"To Auschwitz & Back: The Joe Engel Story": Joe Engel recounts his life in Poland during World War II. The documentary is the first film to be released by the Holocaust Education Film Foundation.

"Arthur: D.W. and the Beastly Birthday": Includes two episodes from television's longest-running children's animated series.

"Sid Caesar: The Works": Set contains more than 11 hours of fan favorites and previously unreleased material plus a 20-page book of history, rare photos and notes.

"Strike Back: The Complete Fifth Season": Section 20 has new members in this action-packed Cinemax series.

"Affairs of State": Young D.C. aide gets his government career started by sleeping with powerful women. David Corenswet stars.

"The Unborn": The '90s horror film about a woman who joins an experimental in-vitro fertilization trial that leads to weird results is being rereleased.

"The Suffering of Ninko": Buddhist monk is irresistible to women.

"Power Rangers Ninja Steel: The Complete Season": The evil Galvanax sends his warrior contestants down to Earth to steal the Ninja Power Stars.

"Return of the Living Dead  Part II": Writer/director Ken Wiederhorn offers a fun and gory look at the zombie apocalypse in this classic.

Available on digital HD

"Action Point": Johnny Knoxville plays the owner of an amusement park where safety is not a concern. It will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on Aug. 21.

"Book Club": Lives of four lifelong friends are turned upside down when their book club tackles "Fifty Shades of Grey." Will be on DVD and Blu-ray Aug. 28.

- Rick Bentley, Tribune News ServiceA key concept in quantum physics is transformed into a metaphor for life. Through an evening of theater it is embodied by a pair of actors caught up in an unexpected love affair.

The play is called "Heisenberg," named for Werner Heisenberg, a pioneering German physicist, and it opens Friday night  after being in previews since last week  with Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Mass. where it runs until Sept. 2.

"What he said was that if you watch particles or a thing or an object closely enough, you can't see where it's really going or how long it will last."

That layman summary of Heisenberg's famed uncertainty principle comes from Tina Packer, founder of Shakespeare and Company, and director of the upcoming play. Heisenberg spelled out his full ideas in a landmark 14-page article that had deep implications for the field of nuclear science.

"We never know the nature of things as we're trying to pin them down in the here and now," says Packer. "We can't see the trajectory and that becomes a metaphor for relationships."

"Heisenberg" was written in 2015 by Simon Stephens, a prolific British-born playwright. His best-known work is "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," which was a sensation on Broadway in 2014, winning five Tony Awards and running for 800 performances. (The national tour came to Proctors two years ago.) It tells the story of a teenage boy with autism who investigates the death of a neighbor's dog. The show featured an eye-popping stage presentation.

"Heisenberg" isn't of the same magnitude, at least visually. It's a two-person play about a May-December relationship. Alex is a mild mannered, rather withdrawn 75-year-old butcher. His life is turned upside down by the vivacious 42-year old Georgie. The latter role was played by Mary-Louise Parker in the 2015 off-Broadway production.

In addition to the surprising personal chemistry they've found together, each character also has a back story that illustrates the Heisenbergian principle of unexpected occurrences happening right under your nose. As a young man, Alex was left at the altar by his fiancee. When Georgie's son turned 18, he bolted for America, never to be seen or heard from again.

While a production of "Heisenberg" doesn't demand the same visual flash as "Dog in the Night-Time," the script does contain directives about how the changes of costumes and sets must be carried out. Specifically, the process should be conducted in full view of the audience.

"The instructions are that the audience needs to see it's theater," explains Packer. "We're actors on the stage carrying these different parts of the world, changing the set from London to New Jersey, and you can see it's all in your imagination."

Being attentive to the interstitial aspects of a play is part of Packer's method of learning a new work.

"With Shakespeare the subtext, or the underlying philosophy is held in the language and is what I call the atmospheric depths of the words. You do a close reading and see how it affects you in the body and develop your character out of that," says Packer. "In a modern play, there are less clues in the texts so you're studying the silences."

According to Packer, the script to "Heisenberg" almost demands that the actors pay special attention to the pauses and the breaks. The clue comes in a brief scene during which the characters discuss how to listen to music.

"He says you're not listening to the silence between the notes," explains Packer. "And that's another metaphor for the play."

As a director, actor and educator, Packer has a lifetime of experience unlocking the meaning of plays. And not just with Shakespeare, though that august body of work is obviously her specialty. Contemporary works are a near constant for her, sometimes with major roles.

During the 2011-12 season in Lenox she played the late political humorist Molly Ivins. "I had an appalling Texas accent," she says. "But I love Molly Ivins and think I got her." Another standout came three summers ago when she played the mother of Joan of Arc in Jane Anderson's "The Mother of the Maid."

About once a year at Shakespeare and Company, Packer is either directing or performing, usually at the behest of artistic director Allyn Burrows. "I can suggest things if I want to, but I'm an employee and it's just fine," says Packer.

Of course Packer is more than just another employee. After all, the main theater is named the Tina Packer Playhouse. While no longer artistic director, she's still full-time with the troupe, teaching summer programs and special workshops, on top of acting and directing. She's also deeply involved with fundraising. "I've always been plenty good at that," she says.

An ongoing side project, if you can call it that, has been writing. Her first book, "Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare's Plays" was issued in 2015 and recently came out in paperback. She's currently at work on a follow-up about sexuality in the Bard's writing and the sensuality of performing his roles. "He was a gender fluid person par excellence," says Packer, "as all the women's parts were written for boys."

Bring up the word "retirement" to Packer and she lets out a hearty and prolonged laugh.

"I stepped aside, but I didn't step down," she say "The company was created so I could do my work and I can't do it anywhere else.

Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy.NEW HAVEN, Conn.  As many as 71 people overdosed in the city in 24 hours  many on the Green Wednesday  as emergency crews raced to save lives and one man was arrested as a person of interest in the case, police said Wednesday.

The man, whom investigators identified only as a person believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses, was found in possession of drugs, police said. The man was out on parole when he was arrested Wednesday and is known to police, Police Chief Anthony Campbell said.

More than 70 people had overdosed since Tuesday evening from what is believed to be the synthetic cannabinoid K2, which may or may not have been laced with fentanyl, officials said. Dozens of overdoses were reported on the Green Wednesday, Fire Chief John Alston said. As of Wednesday afternoon 34 people had been taken to the hospital citywide and five refused treatment, he said.

Three of the overdoses occurred on the Green Tuesday night, and police had been stationed there since then, according to City Office of Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana.

Fontana said 71 people overdosed between 8 a.m. and 9:28 p.m. Wednesday, but he expected the number to keep going up as night went on.

The majority happened on the Green but there also had been seven between Fair Haven and Westville, he said.

Dr. Kathryn Hawk, an Emergency Department physician at Yale New Haven Hospital, said Wednesday evening that the DEA confirmed the presence of K2 mixed with fentanyl, a powerful opioid.

But Fontana said that the DEA office in New York confirmed that what was in a joint taken from one victim was smoking was K2, a potent, synthetic cannabinoid, and was not laced with any opioid.

Late Wednesday, a release from the office of Mayor Toni N. Harp said there were as many as 46 confirmed overdoses in the city  a number that has since been surpassed. Today New Haven was on the front lines of a coast-to-coast struggle to combat the public health menace of illicit distribution and use of what appear to be tainted street drugs... Harp said in the release. Im extremely grateful for the timely and effective work of first responders who helped revive, transport, and save these victims.

Police, fire crews and other emergency crews spent hours working to treat victims at the scene and transport them to nearby hospitals.

We are asking people to not come down to the Green to purchase what is K2. Clearly there is a bad batch, Campbell said.

He said officers and firefighters will be on Upper and Lower Green to deter people from trying to purchase and sell.

We really need to get to the heart of where this is coming from and whos distributing and make arrests, he said.

We have a guy laid out in the alleyway, unresponsive, eyes wide open. Hes out cold, an unidentified bystander shouted as emergency personnel were giving an update to the press at 11 a.m. on the Green.

Fontana said the patients were taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and the YNHH St. Raphael Campus. There had been no reported deaths, he said.

Alston said at shift change, just after 8 a.m., the dispatch center received multiple calls reporting that people on the Green were experiencing overdose symptoms, including that some were passed out on the ground, or vomiting or reporting being nauseated.

Alston said multiple Fire Department units responded, and after about the sixth one we knew we were going to have multi-casualty incident and we were also concerned about our people on the Green responding to the same types of calls within the short amount of time.

Jose Diaz said he and a friend called 911 after they saw a man experiencing overdose-like symptoms. All I know is that he was sitting on the chair first, then on the ground, back on the chair and then back on the ground, shaking like crazy.

YNNH Center for EMS Medical Director Sandy Bogucki said American Medical Response crews were having to run, and then resuscitate and then having to transport faster than they might normally to turn around and get the cars back out, he said.

Alston added even as the ambulances were trying to return to service, EMTs were passing victims on the ground.

Lt. Ernest Jones, an EMT for the New Haven Fire Department, described the experience as unlike any normal day.

This was a particularly odd, rare occasion where (there was) call after call for man down, obviously with symptoms of some kind of overdose, and at the time of getting that patient packaged and transported to the hospital, wed see another immediately fall down, right there, Jones said. At that point, wed go help that patient, and while helping that patient, another person went down. So it became a domino effect.

Jones said since the Green is so big, they had to sweep every inch to make sure they didnt miss anyone. In his five years of being with the department, hes never seen anything like it.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Based on the information available at the scene, Alston said the drug was suspected to be K2, or spice, a synthetic cannabinoid  weve heard some reports of people smoking things, Alston said  but its impossible to say with certainty and if all victims received the same substance.

Bogucki said K2 frequently is laced with other drugs.

We heard from people on the Green this morning that it could potentially be laced with PCP and some of the reactions of the patients in the emergency department would suggest it was an opioid involved, as well, she said.

She said patients who didnt respond to naloxone (an overdose reversal drug) administered on the Green showed some improvement after receiving higher doses over a period of time at the hospitals.

The Rev. Luk De Volder, rector of Trinity Church on the Green, said there were ambulances on the Green Tuesday night as well.

We have far fewer sleeping on the Green but the drug use is terrible, he said. We find white powder here on the Green of people who used cocaine.

Ioanna Gutas said she was on her way to the U.S. Courthouse to protest the bombing of a bus full of Yemeni children in Saada, Yemen, when she saw the Green surrounded by emergency vehicles with lights flashing.

I had no idea. I thought somebody had fainted or something like that, but then I hear overdoses, Gutas said, putting her hands to her face in horror. There were over 20 overdoses. Here, on the Upper Green. ... Wow, thats really. I have to take a deep breath.

Gutas said in her 50 years of living in the city, shes never seen or heard anything like this.

Abiance Scott said when she got off the bus and saw a massive presence of emergency crews, her first thought was that someone had called in a bomb threat. After seeing numerous paramedics and EMTs, she said she realized something else, potentially multiple overdoses, as that had happened before.

The Police Department is aware of a high number of patients that were treated since last night. ... The majority of cases are centered on the New Haven Green. Thus far, (a large number of) patients have been transported to area hospitals for overdose related illnesses, police spokesman Officer David Hartman said in a release early Wednesday.

One patient was non-responsive to Naloxone  a drug used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergency situations, and is very sick, according to Fontana, Hartman said in the release.

Alder Richard Furlow, D-27, said, Well, this is terrifying; its terrifying, but this is not exclusive to New Haven.

This is an urban problem, and its nationwide, he said.

In January, authorities issued a public health alert after five reported overdoses from an unknown drug resulted in at least one fatality in the city over a one-hour span.

Alston said at that time that based on information from people at the scene, the drug was suspected to be K2.Alexandria, Va.

Paul Manafort's lawyers declined Tuesday to call any witnesses to defend him against charges of bank and tax fraud. Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, also told the judge that he did not want to testify, clearing the way for closing arguments from both sides and the start of jury deliberations Wednesday.

The decision by the defense to rest without presenting its own evidence was not unusual. "The defense believes it has made its point through cross-examination," said Nancy Gertner, a Harvard Law School professor and a former federal judge.

Earlier Tuesday, Judge T.S. Ellis III of the U.S. District Court in Alexandria also denied a motion by Manafort's lawyers to acquit him on all 18 charges without giving the case to the jury, another standard defense tactic as trials wind down. He closed the courtroom for more than two hours to discuss another defense motion that has been sealed, along with the government's response.

Prosecutors for special counsel Robert Mueller rested their case Monday after calling roughly two dozen witnesses and introducing hundreds of exhibits. Manafort, 69, is accused of evading taxes on roughly $16.5 million in income that he earned working for pro-Russia political forces in Ukraine.

When that income ran out, prosecutors claim, he fraudulently obtained more than $20 million in bank loans so he could maintain an extravagant lifestyle.

Defense lawyers made a special effort, including submitting a last-minute brief, to persuade the judge to throw out four bank fraud charges involving $16 million in loans that Manafort obtained from a small Chicago bank in late 2016 and early 2017. Richard Westling, one of Manafort's lawyers, argued that the bank, Federal Savings Bank, was not defrauded because its chairman, Stephen M. Calk, was determined to do business with Manafort despite questions about Manafort's wherewithal. He also argued that bank officials were well aware of Manafort's true financial situation.

Emails cited by the prosecution showed that Manafort was trading heavily on his connection to the Trump campaign in seeking those loans, one of which he used to prevent another creditor from foreclosing on one of his homes.

In August 2016, before he was forced out of his position as campaign chairman, Manafort arranged to add Calk to Trump's economic advisory committee.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

In November, just days after the election, Calk sent Manafort a long list of top administration jobs for which he wanted to be considered.

Manafort then emailed Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, recommending Calk as someone who would "be totally reliable" and would "advance D.T. agenda," referring to the president-elect. Calk's "preference is secretary of the Army," he wrote.

In the next two months, Calk overruled his underlings and granted Manafort more money than any of the bank's other borrowers had obtained, bank officials testified.

Westling argued that the bank was not victimized because it would have approved Manafort's loans "regardless of the information" he had submitted. But the judge ruled that was a question for the jury to decide, not him.Its amenities like those that drew in residents like Peter Nguyen, 29, who was living in a building sans perks when he got FOMO  fear of missing out on amenities. Five years ago he decided to move 1 blocks away to the Amli River North building, paying 20 percent more than he previously spent on rent, in order to live in a building that had a pool, outdoor grills, a fancy gym and an indoor common area.ALBANY  A 54-year-old repeat felon who moved cocaine from New York City to Schenectady has pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge in U.S. District Court.

Darren Charles Robinson, known as "Mountain," who has addresses in Schenectady and Teaneck, N.J., admitted in court Tuesday he distributed between 3.5 kilos and 5 kilos of cocaine, federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Robinson admitted he worked with others to move heroin, cocaine and crack in Albany and Schenectady counties from August 2016 to May 2017.

Robinson's plea agreement said he picked up cocaine from a co-defendant, Jose Gilberto Harris, 58, of Manhattan, who has since pleaded guilty.

Robinson stashed the drugs in Schenectady at a home he shared with a co-defendant, Lashaunda Tarver, known as "Shaunda," 39, who previously pleaded guilty, U.S. Attorney Grant Jaquith's office said.

Prosecutors said the home was raided on May 11, 2017 when investigators seized approximately 300 grams of cocaine, 75 grams of heroin and 25 grams of crack cocaine. Robinson had glass mixing cups, digital scales, cutting agents and packaging materials "used in the packaging and distribution of drugs," they said.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

One day earlier, authorities in Ulster County found a bag containing approximately 100 grams of cocaine hidden in the engine compartment of a car Robinson was driving, prosecutors said.

Robinson faces at least 10 years in prison when sentenced on Dec. 14 by Judge Mae D'Agostino.

The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett, involved the FBI, Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Schenectady police, Schenectady County prosecutors, Albany County Sheriff's Office, State Police and state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.Harrisburg, Pa.

More than 1,000 children  and possibly many more  were molested by hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses, while senior church officials took steps to cover it up, according to a landmark grand jury report released Tuesday.

The grand jury said it believes the "real number" of abused children might be "in the thousands" since some records were lost and victims were afraid to come forward. The report said more than 300 clergy committed the abuse over a period of decades, beginning in the mid-1950s.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the two-year probe found a systematic cover-up by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican.

"The cover-up was sophisticated. And all the while, shockingly, church leadership kept records of the abuse and the cover-up. These documents, from the dioceses' own 'Secret Archives,' formed the backbone of this investigation," he said at a news conference in Harrisburg.

Significantly, the report faulted Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the former longtime bishop of Pittsburgh who now leads the Washington archdiocese, for what it said was his part in the concealment of clergy sexual abuse. Wuerl, one of the highest-profile cardinals in the United States, released a statement Tuesday that said he had "acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse."

The grand jury scrutinized abuse allegations in dioceses that minister to more than half the state's 3.2 million Catholics. Its report echoed the findings of many earlier church investigations around the country in its description of widespread sexual abuse by clergy and church officials' concealment of it.

Most of the victims were boys, but girls were abused, too, the report said. The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape.

"Church officials routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling and inappropriate conduct. It was none of those things. It was child sexual abuse, including rape," Shapiro said.

The panel concluded that a succession of Catholic bishops and other diocesan leaders tried to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability by covering up abuse, failing to report accused clergy to police and discouraging victims from going to law enforcement.

Yet the grand jury's work won't result in justice for the vast majority of those who say they were molested by priests as children. While the probe yielded charges against two clergymen  including a priest who has since pleaded guilty, and another who allegedly forced his accuser to say confession after each sex assault  the other priests identified as perpetrators are either dead or will avoid arrest because their alleged crimes are too old to prosecute under state law.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

"We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated," the grand jury said.

The Pennsylvania grand jury, convened by the state attorney general's office in 2016, heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than a half-million pages of internal documents from the Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton dioceses.

Some current and former clergy named in the report went to court to prevent its release, arguing it violated their constitutional rights to reputation and due process of law. The state Supreme Court said the public had a right to see it, but ruled the names of priests and others who objected to the findings would be blacked out pending a September hearing on their claims.

The identities of those clergy members remain under court seal.

A couple of dioceses decided to strip the accused of their anonymity ahead of the report and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct. On Friday, the bishop of Pittsburgh's diocese said a few priests named in the report are still in ministry because the diocese determined allegations against them were unsubstantiated.RENSSELAER  The gondolas envisioned carrying 900,000 passengers annually across the Hudson River have glided into the city Planning Commission review process that will determine if the $25 million proposal will fly.

Representatives of Albany-based Capital Gondola in their application for the Capital District Gondola told the Planning Commission that they have secured up to 80 percent of the funding for the project from private sources. They further indicated they are applying for grants to cover the remaining construction costs, Charles Moore, the Rensselaer director of planning and development, said Tuesday.

Theyre still planning it. They want it to go ahead, Mayor Daniel Dwyer said.

Its all private funding. Theyre going for a grant, Dwyer said, confirming what the Planning Commission was told.

If fully funded, the application states, the first gondola would cross the river between Rensselaer and Albany sometime in early 2020 making the Capital Region a national leader in this rapidly emerging urban access technology.

On Monday night, the Planning Commission assumed lead agency status for the state environmental quality review of the project. Rensselaer will have control over the review process. Eleven of the property parcels impacted by the gondola project are in Rensselaer and the other nine parcels are across the river in Albany. The project needs a special use permit.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Capital Gondola is currently negotiating to secure the air rights and easements it needs to erect the towers and lines and to have the gondolas pass overhead, according to the application submitted to the Planning Commission.

The Site Development Proposal outlines how the gondola system operate and the route between the two cities. There will be a 4,500-foot aerial gondola between the two cities with 11 towers, ranging from 40 feet to 133 feet high, to support the gondola cables, the application states.

The proposed gondola would extend from the Rensselaer train station to cross the Hudson River and land downtown in the Times Union Center area. There will be stations to get on and off at each end of the tramway, according to the application.

The gondola service will consist of 26 cabins that will each carry up to eight people, providing ADA (American with Disabilities Act), carriage and bicycle access as well. Two 5,000-square-foot stations will be developed, one at the CDTA/Amtrak Rail Station in Rensselaer and one in downtown Albany, the application said.Rotterdam Police Department

ROTTERDAM - A 35-year-old Amsterdam Avenue man is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl, police said.

Gary F. Cherny Jr. was arrested Wednesday on charges of first- and second-degree rape. He was accused of attacking the girl, police said.TROY  Rensselear Polytechnic Institutes student union has a new director, but not everyone is happy about that. Students have nothing against the new director, Charlie Potts, but instead are protesting what they say is his unilateral appointment by RPI President Shirley Jackson, which they believe violates the schools own rules and traditions.

Because of that, students are drafting a formal complaint to the state Board of Regents, which oversees education in New York.

Its the latest episode in a conflict that began almost a year ago when Jacksons administration moved to take control over the student union, which has historically been governed by the students. That moved sparked a protest during a fundraising gala at the school in October.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Dr. Charlie Potts as Director of the Rensselaer Student Union for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jackson announced in a mass email Wednesday.

Potts previously oversaw student life at Indiana State University, where he carried out several projects and initiatives.

Thats fine, but members of the student unions executive board are supposed to be consulted on hirings according to the union's constitution, said Justin Etzine, president of the student union.

I believe it violates policy, said Etzine, who added that the board only learned about the appointment on Tuesday. It blindsided us, he said.

The school could potentially get around that, however, by paying the director from funds that dont come from the student union. But the school indicated the personnel director will be funded from the student union.

Etzine added that the RPI trustees approved a resolution last year that could enable the hiring.

The upset about the hiring relates to the unusual nature of RPIs student union, which has a $4.5 million budget and operates some 150 clubs that span a range of activities including TV sportscasts, a volunteer ambulance service, computer game development and anti-cancer fundraising.

Unlike most schools, the union is operated and governed by students. We are unique among student unions, Etzine said.

More for you RPI eases Greek crackdown, will allow rush in October

RPI spokeswoman Richie Hunter said administrators plan to explain the hiring process in an upcoming message. She added that the hiring "included significant student involvement."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The dispute over the student union comes as members of the schools Greek housing system and alumni members continue to battle the schools crackdown on fraternities and sororities.

Jackson earlier in the year said the school was putting a hold on the sorority and fraternity fall rush period  in which new members are recruited at the start of the year. That provoked an outcry by Greek life supporters including alumni. The school has since eased that stance, saying that rush is on hold until Oct. 18.

Additionally, the school created a panel to examine the ins and outs of Greek life. That includes an exploration of the problems, including sex assaults as well as alcohol abuse, that Jackson cited in her initial crackdown.

The panel has recently started to post some of those findings online. But Greek supporters are growing nervous as the school year  and the crucial rush period  approaches.

Whats happening here is that things are getting compressed. The school year is going to start, said Brian Leitten, an alumni and Greek life supporter. They really kind of fired with this thing before they aimed.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTUALBANY - Democratic state Senate candidate Aaron Gladd is promising a "guaranteed job" to veterans in New York.

A platform he unveiled Tuesday would give veterans preferential treatment on the eligibility lists for state and local government jobs, develop agriculture opportunities, expand training in collaboration with unions, increase tax credits for hiring veterans and create payroll tax exemptions for veterans who served overseas.

He is running against Republican Daphne Jordan to replace retiring Sen. Kathy Marchione, a Halfmoon Republican.

"When I was in the military, we made a promise to each other that no matter what happens nobody gets left behind," Gladd said in a statement.

"I'm tired of meeting veterans on the street who can't find a job and are being lost in a system that takes service for granted," he said. "We need to serve our veterans as well as they served us. That's why I commit to every veteran who has served us that when they come home, they will have a guaranteed job in New York."

Gladd served as a platoon leader in Afghanistan for the U.S. Army.

His plan also includes free transportation for veterans to workforce development centers and to visits at Veterans Affairs' hospitals. Additionally, he wants to waive the fee for a commercial driver's license.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Senate Republican spokesman Scott Reif countered by touting legislation that he said Jordan helped pass, in her role as Marchione's legislative director, which honored and benefited veterans across the district.

"Daphne looks forward to building on that record of accomplishment as the district's next state senator," he said.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87ALBANY  In his role as president of their statewide association, Albany County District Attorney David Soares is asking fellow district attorneys not to serve on a proposed commission on prosecutorial misconduct.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has until Aug. 20 to sign or veto legislation to create a "State Commission on Prosecutorial Misconduct," an 11-member body modeled after the state's Commission on Judicial Conduct, a watchdog panel that has the power to discipline and remove judges.

On Tuesday, Soares sent a letter to fellow prosecutors in the District Attorney Association of the State of New York reminding them that Attorney General Barbara Underwood questioned the constitutionality of the proposed commission.

Soares noted that Underwood determined the proposed panel would violate the separation of the powers between the legislative, judicial and executive branches of state government and also improperly expand the role of the judiciary.

"We are in the process of advancing an expedited constitutional challenge to this bill and until we get a ruling we must all refrain from accepting any role," Soares wrote.

Soares wrote he believed there was a "likelihood" Cuomo would sign the bill, and he said he assembled a "small team of prosecutors to begin preparation for litigation."

The bill, sponsored by Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, and Assemblyman Nick Perry, D-Brooklyn, would create a panel that would include two appointees each from the governor, Senate majority leader and Assembly speaker. The Senate and Assembly minorities would each have an appointee. The state's chief judge would appointee the other three members.

Soares noted the commission could have as many as four prosecutors  and urged his counterparts not to accept such appointments.

"I trust that we are united in the view that if any elected district attorney is asked to serve on this commission that he or she will defer until the constitutionality of the bill is determined," Soares wrote.

"I believe to serve under these circumstances, when we deem the bill is unconstitutional,would violate our oaths as elected district attorneys. I also ask you to discuss this with your assistant district attorneys and direct them to also defer accepting appointments if they are asked and that they notify you immediately upon being solicited to participate in the commission in anyway."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

If Cuomo signed the bill, the commission would take effect in January. It would have the power to receive complaints and investigate allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

"Prosecutors have an extraordinary amount of discretion regarding investigation and prosecution of charges," stated a justification for the bill included by the sponsors. "They have wide latitude in determining how to prosecute and whether to prosecute certain offenses against certain defendants. It is vitally important there exist in law a tribunal to oversee that discretion, to protect the rights of defendants, and make certain they are not violated. The liberties at stake in criminal prosecutions call for this level of scrutiny."

The panel would have the power to discipline prosecutors.

Prosecutors - and all attorneys in New York - can already be investigated and accused of wrongdoing by the attorney grievance committees within the state's four Appellate Division departments. The Appellate Divisions, in turn, can impose punishment ranging from private discipline to censure to disbarment.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor, said the bill remains under review.SARATOGA SPRINGS - Sean Spicer hasn't been the White House's press secretary for nearly a year. Yet on Wednesday morning after a signing copies of his biography "The Briefing: Politics, The Press and The President," Spicer was still defending President Donald Trump against attacks, mainly those lobbed by former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman who wrote her own book.

"The idea that in January she publicly praised him, talked about who she was as a person and why she supports him and then in weeks she completely changed her opinion if there is money in it, that speaks to the nature of someone's character." Spicer said after his signing about 65 books for fans at Northshire Bookstore. "It's unsettling that someone would take a position of trust like that and then abuse it."

He also said that he never heard the President use the "n-word," Newman's most explosive charge.

But Spicer was not in the Spa City to talk about Newman's controversial book "Unhinged." He was there to promote his book, make a stop at Saratoga Race Course with Saratoga County Republican Party Chairman Carl Zeilman and top off the day with a GOP fundraiser for the state committee at the home of Julie Chlopecki on Union Avenue. Outside of the fundraiser, a gathering of protesters were expected to rally against Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-21) and the Trump Administration, both of which they say is treasonous.

"We don't want to normalize treason that is obvious in this administration," said organizer Joe Seeman. "This is a pro-American rally."

Spicer was unfazed.

"It's great," Spicer said of the protest that was to include an inflatable chicken with a Trump head. "This is what's makes our country better than any other. People are free to express themselves."

It's uncertain if Spicer can fully express all of his feelings about his eight months in the White House. He said he signed a non-disclosure agreement when he joined the administration, which would bar him from a tell-all book. Instead, his book centers on his rise from a middle-class family in Rhode Island, his time in the Navy Reserve through to his years as a GOP operative  the job that led him to the White House. The book includes flattering passages about the President including that he is "caring, kind and gracious" as well as a description of the day he resigned from what he called his dream job as White House press secretary.

"It was the right time," Spicer said. "I probably could have stuck around a few more months. But it would not have ended well because I was becoming the story too often."

Spicer, whose confrontational style was parodied by actor-comedian Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live, said on Wednesday that he did not see the press as the enemy of the state. He does admit to mistakes during press briefings.

"There were things I could have done or said that would have been more effective," he said. "From the largest to the smallest."

He also said that there were many pressures in the White House that he didn't anticipate.

"The intensity, the scrutiny, I didn't expect," said Spicer who at one point told CSPAN that the daily press briefings were "not worth it." "I talked to a lot of my predecessors. The pace was faster for this administration. This administration is going faster and at a more hectic pace."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

He also said that he was never asked to lie for the President.

"There were plenty of times when the President said this is my view on something and I didn't agree with it, but that's vastly different than categorically stating something (that's not true)," Spicer said. "If I couldn't talk about things I disagreed with, then I would be in the wrong profession."

Judging from Wednesday's book signing, Spicer has moved onto a higher level of the GOP stratosphere  as a star who has the ability to bring out Republican supporters and inspire them to open their wallets. He says he's happy to do that, especially for someone like Stefanik.

"Elise is a friend. I have known her for a while," Spicer said. "She's a great person, but she's also a great Republican. But being in the spotlight, for me, takes a little getting used to."

Despite his continued loyalty to Trump, he said country and party loyalty is what he values more than any candidate. Yet, in the end, he goes back to noting that Trump is a compassionate man, a side that most don't see.

"He has built an image over the years, as a business man and TV star, as a tough negotiator," Spicer said. "That is where the focus is. Some of it is the media, but mostly he wants the focus to be on the tough negotiator in business."

In the end, Spicer said, "The President does it his way and for the most part it comes out better that way."

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported Sean Spicer was to attend a fundraiser Wednesday for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro. The fundraiser was for the state Republican committee.We may be living in the golden age of food television. Twenty years ago, you had to wait for Julia Child and a few others every week on PBS. Today, it's such a hot commodity that ABC is canceling soap operas and replacing them with a foodie version of "The View" hosted by chefs.



Here are ten things you should be watching right now:



1. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Britain's charming food nag returns to the U.S. to fight against obesity, this time in L.A. It debuted last week with Oliver getting shut out of the city's schools by a school board that decided it didn't want to be embarrassed on national television. (Although, mysteriously, they decided to change menus the week the show aired. Hmmmmmm). Frankly, I'm still kind of stunned that ABC would devote any amount of prime time to a series which says, essentially, Americans eat a lot of junk and it's killing us. It's not exactly the kind of escape television most people have in mind. But full credit should go to Oliver for putting on a good show and making the most entertaining issue television since Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days" series. (ABC)



2. America's Test Kitchen. This is a fantastic show for the home cook. I have never failed to take something away from the pushing, prodding and poking they do with every recipe just to get things right. Dishes are well-researched and options explored. The show embodies host Christopher Kimball's Yankee earnestness (and sometimes his goofy charm). You just trust the guy. It's like the most delicious version of Consumer Reports you can imagine. (PBS)



3. The Four Coursemen. The Cooking Channel has done an intriguing series of one-off shows and this one, about a group of friends who run a weekend dinner club in Athens, Ga., was rightfully nominated for a James Beard award. The group travels throughout the state gathering items for the dinner  to Ossabaw Island for a heritage breed hog, for example  and then prepares it for 30 or so diners. The cinematography is achingly beautiful, the friends seem like people you'd want to hang out with and the food will make you hungry. This is Grade A food porn. (Cooking Channel)



4. French Food at Home. If this show had come out 10 years ago, Laura Calder could have become the Canadian Nigella Lawson. Smart, funny and attractive, Calder walks viewers through the ins and outs of straight-up French fare like boeuf en croute and confit de canard. And, like the self-styled "domestic goddess," Calder's show is shot in the same fuzzy, come-hither style. She may not have Nigella's fame yet, but for now she does have a Beard award and a growing following. (Cooking Channel).



5. Mexico, One Plate at a Time. For seven seasons, Chicago's Rick Bayless has taken PBS viewers all over our southern neighbor to highlight the subtleties and regional variations of Mexican cooking. He's like the college professor we wish we had, diving into the origins of dishes and balancing authenticity versus modern variation. (PBS)



6. Chuck's Day Off. The first time I watched this show, I would have sworn Chuck Hughes was tweaking on something. After meeting him, I realized that's his natural state. He has an almost manic energy that melds in a fun way with an earnestness which makes a really compelling show. A well-respected chef in Montreal, the premise is that he's cooking for friends on his day off. The fare is mostly comfort food (poutine, prime rib, pork chops) and the vibe is very laid back. (Cooking Channel)



7. Top Chef Masters. At some point, the growing carousel of "Top Chef" titles is going to kill the franchise. But not yet. You know a show's got juice when it can pull chefs who are multiple restaurant owners for 3-4 weeks of taping. The talent level is high (with the likes of John Currence, Tracy Des Jardins and Hugh Acheson) and the personal drama is kept to a minimum. The show got better by ditching the star rating system of the past two seasons and replacing critic Gael Greene with Ruth Reichl. (Bravo)



8. Luke Nguyen's Vietnam. The show follows Aussie chef Nguyen through Vietnam as he connects with his native land and, really, the scenery is the star of the show. Whether it's in bustling Hanoi or up in the mountains, all Nguyen needs is a burner and a place to chop things up (even his lap) to showcase the flavors of the country. His fascination with traditional methods and dishes takes viewers places where almost no one on TV is going. (Cooking Channel)



9. Good Eats. Still going strong almost 13 years after its debut on Chicago's WTTW, Alton Brown's science-filled show is the best thing on Food Network. Period. How many cooking series could pull off back-to-back episodes on water? Or lentils? Or feature titles like "Dr. Strangeloaf  How I learned to stop worrying and love the bread"? It's frequently goofy but always informative. Anyone considering frying a turkey should watch "Fry Turkey Fry" as it's one of the best safety primers out there. (Food Network)



10. Cook like an Iron Chef. If Bobby Flay is the ubiquitous face of the Food Network and its brands, Michael Symon gives it a soul with his quick laughter and self-deprecating sensibility. On "Cook" he has a vehicle that showcases his boundless enthusiasm and displays the formidable skills that have made him the hardest of the Iron Chefs to beat in Kitchen Stadium. He takes one ingredient and prepares it three ways, all to delicious effect, and he emphasizes proper technique throughout. It's also the best lit show on the network. (Cooking Channel)NORTH GREENBUSH  The State Police have opened an investigation into the questionable ethical practices of town Supervisor Louis J. Desso, who took office in January 2016.

State Police investigators assigned to the Schodack barracks have recently been asking questions about a sewer line the Republican supervisor had extended to his Wynantskill home, free fill delivered to his house in June by a developer with active business before the town, and campaign finance disclosures he has made to the state Board of Elections, according to people familiar with the probe.

Last Friday, State Police investigators interviewed Ron Sinico, a former Democratic candidate for North Greenbush supervisor, and Charles Smith, a longtime Democratic activist in town, at the Schodack barracks, according to sources with knowledge of the meetings.

The investigation follows a Times Union story published last month that detailed the large campaign donations that Desso received from developers with projects before the town, as well as the official town actions that have benefited him personally since the former town board member became supervisor.

Sinico declined to comment about the meetings with State Police.

"There's been enough in the Times Union to attract the interest of state and federal investigators," Smith said, declining to say anything further.

Troy Attorney Joseph Ahearn contacted the Times Union Wednesday after the newspaper reached out to Desso for comment. Ahearn, who is friends with Desso, answered questions by phone with Desso sitting next to him in his law office. Ahearn has not been retained by Desso as his attorney.

"Anyone can walk into State Police barracks and file a report. It's not indicative of any wrongdoing," Ahearn said. "It's politics as usual in North Greenbush, unfortunately."

Sources said investigators are probing the specifics of a sewer line Desso got the town to extend to his house.

The supervisor, after failing to convince all of his neighbors to get sewer extensions to their properties, received Town Board approval for an extension that would reach his Stephen Drive residence as well as an adjacent parcel he subdivided off for his son. The line also services the residence of his neighbor.

The sewer line was installed by J.R. Casale, a childhood friend of Desso's. Desso used the town's contracted engineer, LaBerge Group, to do the engineering for his extension. It's unknown how the engineering firm was compensated for its work.

Casale told the Times Union last month that he had connected the neighbor's home to the sewer line and the neighbor paid. However, Casale said he had not yet connected the extension to Desso's home, so he had not billed Desso for the work.

When asked about that Wednesday, Desso could be heard saying over the phone in Ahearn's office that the line is connected and that he had paid Casale $10,000.

"He privately paid the contractor with no town resources used," Ahearn said. "There is nothing out of the ordinary about it."

Rensselaer County recently informed the town that it had failed to alert its water and sewer department about the sewer extension on Stephen Drive and therefore service was being provided at no cost. The discovery, made when Desso's neighbor went to sell their home, prompted a review in which the county found that dozens of properties in North Greenbush had been connected to sewer but not reported to the county for at least a year.

Rensselaer County is investigating the unreported hookups, which number 30 thus far, according to county officials.

Desso previously said it had been standard practice for the town to tell the county about sewer connections once a year. The supervisor said Wednesday that the town has a meeting with the county later this week to discuss the missing sewer hookup information.

State Police are also looking into the circumstances of fill delivered to the subdivided property next to his house in June.

The free fill was arranged to be delivered to Desso by developer David Mulinio, also a friend of Desso's who has development projects on Route 4 near Hudson Valley Community College.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Mulinio previously said the fill was from a subcontractor working at HVCC. HVCC has told the Times Union it had no knowledge of the delivery, or the daily comings and goings of the contractors onsite. Desso has said he didn't see a problem with the transaction.

Reporting from Desso's campaign committee has also drawn investigators' attention, particularly in light of a small-claims' case he lost earlier this year to restaurateur Michael Moscatiello, owner of Moscatiello Family Italian Restaurant on Route 4. Moscatiello filed the claim after he said Desso failed to pay a bill of more than $6,000 for a political fundraiser at the restaurant in 2015.

Desso has claimed that Moscatiello offered the fundraiser's cost as an in-kind contribution  despite the fact that there is a $1,000 campaign contribution limit per election cycle in North Greenbush. A Rensselaer City Court judge ruled in January that Desso had to pay Moscatiello $5,000, the most a small claims case can award.

During the dispute over the last few years, Desso's campaign put in different numbers under his campaign filings to allegedly address the restaurant bill. He filed a report that Moscatiello provided a $750 in-kind contribution, and that Desso's campaign gave Moscatiello $1,300 as a gratuity for the event. Desso's campaign then listed the event as a $7,000 in-kind contribution, which was an apparent violation of the town's contribution limit.

Desso has not amended his campaign filings to reflect the $5,000 payment to Moscatiello.

On Wednesday, Ahearn said he wasn't familiar with campaign finance law, but that he will tell Desso to update his campaign filings.

Moscatiello also made a report to State Police in September concerning threatening anonymous texts he received, including one that stated: "Just keep desso out of your conversation, U r creating big problems for yourself." Moscatiello said police told him they could not find the owner of the disposable phone used to send the text messages and no charges were filed. Desso said he had nothing to do with the texts.

As far as the current investigation, sources said Sinico was contacted by investigators after he wrote to State Police asking them to examine Desso's activities.

Sinico had originally requested that Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the probe. Abelove said in a July 19 letter that there was no criminal investigation pending in his office so the request was premature. Desso's son, Jonathan, works in Abelove's office as a spokesman.

Abelove wrote Sincio, advising, "I encourage you to contact either the New York State Police troopers or the Rensselaer County sheriff to file a complaint or request a criminal investigation concerning the allegations you reference in your letter."ALBANY  Research scientist James Schwab and astronomer Janie Schwab fell in love launching a 5 million cubic foot balloon in the tiny town of Palestine, Texas. The weather balloon, funded by a NASA grant, carried 2,000 pounds of telescopes as it zoomed skyward.

Years later, the married duo works for University at Albany, using weather balloons for the LISTOS (Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study) Project. LISTOS teams include NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Still in love with their work and each other, the Schwabs steal a kiss during a photo op.

James earned his doctorate in chemical physics at Harvard and became senior research associate at UAlbany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center with expertise in air pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion, ground-level ozone pollution and climate change. Janie earned an astronomy degree from Wellesley College and was Dudley Observatory director for nine years. She is now the research technician for James' team, which is busy at work this summer.

"We're tracking where the winds blow air pollution, measuring the ozone, that is produced by the New York City metro area but could end up hundreds of miles away," James Schwab said. "NASA has a plane that flies out of Langley, Virginia to collect air quality data over cities along the I-95 corridor. "

"Ozone pollution harmful to human lungs forms when pollutants from cars, power plants, factories, chemical plants react chemically with sunlight and water," Janie Schwab explained. The ozone pollution that's a threat to Earth-dwellers isn't to be confused with the planet's ozone layer, which Janie says "absorbs some harmful rays."

Instead of a plane, James' students use a van with a mobile lab inside and pale peach, 150 cubic foot helium balloons.

"The balloons expand from seven feet across when launched to 38 feet when they hit the stratosphere," said research team member Chris Conover, a meteorology major and mathematician.

Each balloon carries a sensor the size of a beer can called a "sonde" into the stratosphere to measure ozone pollution. Each sonde goes inside a Styrofoam cube that protects the sonde from minus-60 degree stratospheric temperatures and the 100,000 foot plummet to Earth when the balloon explodes. An orange plastic parachute softens the box's landing.

Long island police and boaters often fish sondes from the water. Sondes are made of two vials of potassium iodide, a bit scary looking. Each box bears a tag saying "UAlbany Air Sampler NOT HARMFUL" with Janie's email. Long Islanders regularly return sondes to her.

Other research team members are meteorology major Brennan Stutsrim, physics graduate student Bhupal Srestha and student Je Zhang, an air quality expert who chases ozone in the van lab. Zhang marveled over how ozone pollution can pound one town leaving another 12 miles away ozone-free. Another mystery: when Albany gets hammered by ozone, Philadelphia grime is normally the culprit, not New York City's.

Agencies collecting LISTOS data will now compare and study it.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

James Schwab is a generous team leader, constantly crediting his students accomplishments. He hopes for 2019 funding for a LISTOS followup. The nonprofit Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management gave his team a $70,000 grant to participate in LISTOS this year. The Environmental Protection Agency chipped in $25,000 for travel and salaries.

"LISTOS focuses on weather more than climate," James mused. "President Trump understands the importance of accurate weather information, that it can be life and death. I really believe humans are at a point where we can decide to save our species by altering our behavior."

Indeed, NASA announced last year that the hole in the ozone layer was the smallest it's been in 19 years at 8.9 million square miles, an improvement attributed this to burning less fossil fuels.

The couple share basic optimism about such developments. However they can have a spirited disagreement about which industries will change their polluting way first.

When Janie disagrees with James' hopeful view of a notorious industrial polluter, she intervenes as scientist and spouse.

"My last name is Schwab, too; remember you'll continue this discussion with me at home," she said.

He grinned.As part of the Warrant Wednesday initiative, State Police are looking for seven men for a variety of charges.

One man who posted bail and did not return to court is considered violent. He has ties to California and earlier was arrested there and extradited to New York state on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon.Theres a focus on wine, something we didnt do at Bar DeVille, said Bolt, referencing his now-closed, pioneering bar that ushered in Chicagos relaxed, high-quality cocktail scene. ( Thebar closed in 2017, though Bolt and partners Kevin Heisner and Matt Eisler plan to reopen at a new undisclosed location next year.) NWs concise wine list includes a couple of reds and whites, plus a rose and a sparkling wine, all by the glass, as well as seven Champagnes by the bottle. Neon Wilderness will also offer happy hour specials daily from 5 to 7 p.m.A bear trapped in a car burst out and gamboled to freedom after a sheriff's deputy fired his gun at the rear window in South Lake Tahoe, video released Tuesday showed.

The unexpected furry intruder was rooting through a Honda Civic in South Lake Tahoe when the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office got a call asking for help dealing with the situation.

MORE: Video captures bear casually opening car door, stealing snack

"He does not seem very happy," the caller can be heard telling the responding deputy in video of the incident. "He's huge."

"Well, it's a small car," he replies with a chuckle.

Rather than open the car door and risk getting close to the bear, the deputy fired several beanbag rounds to break the vehicle's rear window.

"Alright, he's done a little bit of damage in there," he notes. "We're gonna try and get him out, because he's not happy at all. I'm going to try to break out the back window with a beanbag."

ALSO: Man who always wanted to see mountain lion finds four on his porch

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Sure enough, after three shots, the safety glass gives in, and after four, the bear pops its head out, leaps into some bushes, and scrambles across the driveway into the trees, to freedom.

"Yes... bears can open doors," the Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook. "A reminder from EDSO to leave your vehicles locked and remove all food from inside, especially in bear country."

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on TwitterThieves who stole copper cabling from the railway line between Cloughjordan and Roscrea have been warned they are putting themselves and others at risk by their action.

The warning from Irish Rail came after 6,000 worth of wire was stolen on two separate nights at Bantiss outside Cloughjordan.

The thefts are being investigated by the Gardai in Nenagh.

The first theft occured on August 4 and the cable was replaced, but the thieves returned on August 8 and stole more cable amounting to several hundred metres.

The company said it would cost 10,000 to replace the cable, which is used to guarantee safety on the line.

We are warning people of the dangers of trespassing on railway lines. There is a risk of electrocution and you are endangering yourself and others. Don't do it again, an Irish Rail spokesperson told the Tipperary Star.

It can take up to a quarter of a mile for a train to stop.

While services were not disrupted, the company is having to use bus transfers on some days this week between Roscrea and Birdhill.

The company operates a fail safe system on the line which sees train drivers receiving a token at Roscrea signal cabin that tells them the line ahead as far as the cabin in Birdhill is clear. However, the theft meant that the token could not be released and therefore, it was not possible to guarantee the line was clear.

Who ever took it obviously had a market for it, said Jim Gallivan, Irish Rail district manager based in Limerick. It is heavy and it was taken with intent.There will be a talk on barn owls, in association with Rathmoy Residents Association, in the Borrisoleigh Community Centre this Thursday, August 16, at 8pm.

Aine Lynch and Tom Gallagher will give the talk on Barn Owls of Tipperary.

Tom is a retired school teacher with extensive knowledge of barn owls in the Premier County.

He first started a nest box scheme for barn owls in the 1980s and has been working on their behalf ever since.

Aine is the wildlife ranger for Mid-Tipperary for the last 10 years.

She has been assisting John Lusby of Birdwatch Ireland on and off over the last 10 years on various aspects of his barn owl work.

The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is a characteristic farmland bird which has undergone a documented decline in its geographical range in recent times.

They are a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Concern In Ireland due to a decline of over 50 per cent in their population during the past 25 years. They are also listed as a Species of European Conservation Concern (SPEC3) having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe.

The reasons for the barn owl's decline are not fully understood, but can most likely be attributed to the loss of suitable habitat due to various aspects of agricultural intensification and the increased use of harmful second generation anti-coagulant rodenticides.

Other factors that have been implicated in their decline are the loss of suitable nest sites, an expansion of major road networks and the increased severity of winters.Patience finally paid off for the 2,169 Tipperary students eagerly awaiting their Leaving Certificate results as hundreds filed into their former schools to collect the all important document from 9am this morning.

Schools across the county reported "incredible results" with a number of students scoring the maximum points available in the exam.

In Thurles, Colaiste Mhuire Co-Ed student Scott Beaton achieved 7 H1's with top marks in Business, Biology and French earning him a place at the University of Edinburgh to study Middle Eastern Studies this September. The Templetouhy native will now follow in the footsteps of his grandmother and uncle who also attended the prestigious college and says he hopes to go on to join the United Nations after being inspired by his parents who both work with the HSE.

"My mother is a Community Mental Health nurse and my dad also works in the HSE so I knew I wanted a career that can help people. Joining the UN would be my dream," says the ambitious student who has already started studying Arabic ahead of his course start date next month.

Colaiste Mhuire Co-Ed Deputy Principal Clare Wallace said students at the school "excelled" in the Leaving Cert and Leaving Cert Applied examinations with all students securing enough points to get into their chosen career field.

"Everyone got the points they wanted and our students can't wait to get their CAO offers on Monday to study courses in teaching and nursing. Several of our students have also decided to go down the apprenticeship route to become electricians and carpenters which is also very encouraging," she added.

Pic: Colaiste Mhuire Co-Ed student Scott Beaton who achieved 7 H1's pictured with his parents. Scott is from Templetouhy

At Thurles CBS, Acting Principal Kathryn O'Brien says the clear delight on the 130 students who collected their results this morning makes everything worthwhile for the entire teaching staff.

"We are absolutely delighted with their success. Their hard work and effort are to be commended. Today is a day they will remember for their whole lives and we wish them all the best in their career options."

"Our students scored particularly well in maths and practical subjects and we are completely thrilled with their success. It's an incredibly exciting time for them and we can't wait to see what they'll do in the future. Our interest doesn't stop today, the CBS connection is longer than their six years in school and we want them to keep in touch and visit us in years to come," added Ms O'Brien.

Pic: Thurles CBS students Elliott Doherty, Bill Shanahan and Eoghan O'Regan after picking up their leaving Cert results. Photo by Eamonn McGee

In the Presentation Secondary School Thurles, celebrations were in order for all 115 students who walked through the doors this morning with Principal Marie Collins saying the entire staff were "over the moon" for the class of 2018.

"Their smiling faces say it all," Ms Collins told the Tipperary Star, as dozens of students hurried about the corridors celebrating with friends.

"Our students are hoping to study Medicine and Veterinary with a very high percentage receiving over 500 points so we are confident they will get their first choice offers on Monday," she added.

Similar celebrations were also in order at the Ursuline with Deputy Principal Mary Slattery commending the high volume of students who "broke the 500 points barrier."

"Overall our students were very happy with their results and we expect many to get their first choice offers on Monday. We are also immensely proud of the students who had to work that little bit harder to get what they wanted and we are confident they will reap the fruits of their labour," she added.

Pic: Pres Thurles students Kaya Jordan Tait, Iris Treacy and Cliodhna Brennan are pictured after receiving their fantastic results in this years Leaving Certificate

Special congratulations were also in order for St Joseph's College, Borrisoleigh student John Ryan who achieved 7 H1s, and 625 points in the Leaving Cert - the maximum number of points possible.

The gifted student, who has excelled in the Young Scientist awards and computer science, is now contemplating studying at one of Oxfords prestigious Universities this morning, after receiving his Leaving Cert results.

The world is his oyster, said St. Josephs Principal Kevin McCarthy.

Schools around Nenagh were also happy with the Leaving Cert and Leaving Cert Applied results.

"We are delighted with with results and most students seem to be pleased," said Michael Dineen, principal of St Mary's Convent Secretary School in Nenagh.

A number of students got over 500 points, he said, and once again, the school had high academic achievements.

A total of 102 students sat the Leaving Cert, with a further seven taking the Leaving Cert Applied. These students had also performed well, with teachers pleased with the results.

In Nenagh CBS, deputy principal Karen O'Donnell said the results were excellent.

"We are very happy," said Ms O'Donnel. "We had a couple of students with over 500 points."

Ms O'Donnell said that they had "no evidence" of reports nationally that there had been a high failure rate in Maths.

Nenagh CBS also follows the Leaving Cert Applied course and Ms O'Donnell said that the 12 students who sat the exam had either received merits or distinctions.

Over in Nenagh College, principal Damien Kennedy was "more than happy" with the Leaving Cert results, saying they were in line with national norms.

"The results were in line with what we expected," he said.

Mr Kennedy also said they had no issue with Maths results.

Leaving Cert Applied students also had excellent results,with 80 per cent of them receiving a distinction.

Borrisokane Community College principal Matthew Carr was also happy, with a number of students gaining over 500 points.

He also had no issue with Maths results. A total of 94 students sat the Leaving Cert and he said that the focus now for those students would on next Monday when the first college offers were made by the CAO.

Mr Carr was also happy with the Leaving Cert Applied results. Eight students took the exam with a number gaining distinctions or merits.[August 14, 2018] UrtheCast and Land O'Lakes, Inc. Announce Term Sheet for Purchase of Geosys

Acquisition will create a unique, fully integrated imagery data and geoanalytics solution in the agribusiness industry. VANCOUVER, Aug. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - UrtheCast Corp. (TSX: UR) ("UrtheCast") and Land O'Lakes, Inc. ("Land O'Lakes") today announced they have entered a binding term sheet for the purchase of Geosys Technology Holding LLC ("Geosys"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O'Lakes, for a purchase price of US$20 million. This landmark deal is expected to bring unprecedented value to agribusinesses worldwide through the enhanced relationship between imagery data and geoanalytical solutions. The closing of the transaction is subject to confirmatory due diligence, entering into definitive agreements, respective board approvals and other conditions customary for transactions of this nature. Upon the first closing, UrtheCast will take ownership of Geosys' software for accessing, processing, cataloguing and retrieving of images. Land O'Lakes, through its WinField United crop inputs and insights business, will retain ownership of all intellectual property connected to its R7 Tool and farm-gate applications. Beth Ford, President and CEO of Land O'Lakes, said, "At Land O'Lakes, we are constantly looking for the best ways to provide long-term support to our member-owners and our customers. This transaction will enhance our proprietary R7 Tool's ability to identify the right places for farmers to make incremental in-season input investments to drive yields and profitability  in real time." Donald Osborne, CEO of UrtheCast, commented, "This important acquisition would bring together the best-in-class imagery capabilities of UrtheCast with the proven geoanalytics power and deep agribusiness industry relationships of Geosys. By unifying these companies, UrtheCast will be well positioned as the leader in fully integrated geoanalytics solutions for the agribusiness industry. The expanded capabilities allows UrtheCast to bring unprecedented capabilities to customers across a global value chain that spans from retailers to insurance companies, banks, and commodity trading houses. By enabling us to realize an immediate expansion of our capability set, customer footprint and revenue stream, the addition of Geosys will strengthen our business while moving UrtheCast another step closer to the launch of the groundbreaking UrtheDaily constellation." Upon the first closing, UrtheCast will continue to provide Land O'Lakes with all the services currently provided by Geosys but with an expanded utilization of data once the UrtheDaily constellation is fully operational. Services would be provided by UrtheCast pursuant to a 13-year agreement with total potential fees payable to UrtheCast over the term of the agreement in excess of US $100 million. The first closing is expected to occur by November 6, 2018, and full completion of the transaction is expected to occur in approximately 24 months. About Geoys



Geosys is the first global digital agriculture company founded by agronomists. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Geosys provides clients with data, analysis and insights needed to make more informed decisions. Services range from worldwide risk management and monitoring agricultural commodities, to input sales and precision farming support by using the latest research in agronomics, information technologies and remote sensing. Geosys also develops highly customized business solutions for large, multinational agricultural companies. Acquired by Land O'Lakes in 2013 as an independent business, Geosys is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in France, Switzerland, Australia, and Brazil. For more information, visit www.geosys.com. About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2017 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 216 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 97 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including LAND O LAKES Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Land O'Lakes SUSTAINTM. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota. SOURCE Land O'Lakes, Inc.

www.landolakesinc.com About UrtheCast UrtheCast Corp. is a Vancouver-based company that serves the rapidly growing and evolving geospatial and geo-analytics markets with a wide range of information-rich products and services. The Company currently owns and operates two Earth Observation (EO) satellites, Deimos-1 and Deimos-2. Together with its exclusive partnerships, spanning an additional 20 satellites, UrtheCast processes and distributes imagery data and value-added products on a global scale to partners and customers in multiple markets. UrtheCast is also launching UrtheDaily, a satellite constellation that will be the most advanced change detection system in the world, designed to capture daily, scientific grade, high-quality, medium resolution optical imagery of the Earth's entire landmass (excluding Antarctica). UrtheCast is also developing OptiSAR, a constellation of SAR satellites which together with UrtheDaily, will form the world's first fully-integrated optical and SAR constellation. Common shares of UrtheCast trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ticker "UR". For more information, visit UrtheCast's website at www.urthecast.com. Forward Looking Information This release contains certain information which, as presented, constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that relate to future events and often addresses expected future business and financial performance, containing words such as "anticipate", "plan", "explore" and "expect", statements that an action or event "may", "should" or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions and includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: UrtheCast's expected completion of the transaction on the terms set out in this press release, the definitive documentation related thereto, or at all; UrtheCast's expectations with respect to its ability to pay the aggregate purchase price; and UrtheCast's expectations with respect to the revenue to be generated by the service agreement. Such statements reflect UrtheCast's current views with respect to future events. Such statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by UrtheCast as at the date of this press release, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause UrtheCast's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others: UrtheCast's inability to enter into definitive documentation, including the service agreement, or satisfy any of the other conditions to the completion of the transaction; UrtheCast's inability to complete the first or second closing; UrtheCast's inability to fund the purchase price; UrtheCast's inability to generate the expected revenue from the service agreement; UrtheCast's inability to raise proceeds from a subordinated debt or equity offering, achieve the required leverage and contracted revenue ratios or otherwise satisfy the first drawdown conditions or the final drawdown conditions under the credit agreement described in its May 23, 2018 press release in a timely manner or at all; as well as those factors and assumptions discussed in UrtheCast's annual information form dated April 2, 2018, which is available under UrtheCast's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. UrtheCast cautions readers that such factors and uncertainties are not exhaustive and that should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying estimates or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements may vary significantly from those expected. There can be no assurance that the actual strategies, results, performance, events or activities anticipated by the Company will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. UrtheCast undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by Canadian securities laws. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/urthecast-and-land-olakes-inc-announce-term-sheet-for-purchase-of-geosys-300697245.html SOURCE UrtheCast Corp.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 14, 2018] UrtheCast Reports Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

UrtheCast entered into a binding agreement to purchase leading geoanalytics firm Geosys, including a 13-year service level agreement with a total contract value in excess of US$100 million





Total UrtheCast revenue backlog now in excess of C$275 million VANCOUVER, Aug. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - UrtheCast Corp. (TSX:UR) ("UrtheCast" or the "Company") today announces financial results for the three and six months ended on June 30, 2018 and provides an update on its financial condition. Q2 2018 Financial Results







(in millions of Canadian dollars) Q2 2018 Q2 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Revenue $ 3.4 $ 11.9 $ 7.6 $ 21.2 Operating costs 15.6 16.4 31.0 32.0 Net loss (13.3) (3.9) (24.3) (9.0) Adjusted EBITDA (1) (7.4) 0.9 (13.4) (0.4)

1 Non-IFRS earnings measure. See reconciliation to Net Loss later in this press release.

Revenue decreased by $8.5 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter last year. Revenue from engineering services decreased by $7.0 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to a change in the expected completion date of one of our engineering services contracts, which resulted in the remaining revenue being recognized over a longer period. Earth Observation ("EO") imagery sales decreased by $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter last year, due to lower contract volume in the current year and a delay in securing a major contract award, which was announced subsequent to June 30, 2018 as described below in "Business Highlights". The net loss of $13.3 million and negative adjusted EBITDA of $7.4 million in the second quarter of 2018 were lower compared to the net loss of $3.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $0.9 million in the same quarter last year, primarily due to the decrease in revenue. Donald Osborne, CEO of UrtheCast, commented, "UrtheCast is at a major inflection point in the Company's history, having recently achieved a significant milestone by securing financing for the groundbreaking UrtheDaily Constellation and undergoing a leadership transition. While our financial results for the second quarter reflect the extent of the changes that are currently underway, we are taking decisive action to strengthen the Company in a number of ways, including through the acquisition of Geosys, which expands our customer footprint and moves up the geoanalytics value chain. In this way, we believe that we can unlock the vast potential of UrtheCast's deep industry experience and best-in-class technology portfolio to establish clear market leadership and create lasting value for our shareholders." Business Highlights Geosys Acquisition UrtheCast and Land O'Lakes, Inc. today announced that they have entered a binding term sheet for the purchase of Geosys Technology Holding LLC ("Geosys"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O'Lakes for an aggregate purchase price of US$20 million . This landmark deal brings unprecedented value to UrtheCast, ultimately enabling the Company to offer to its agribusiness customers a full solution of imagery data and geoanalytical solutions.





. This landmark deal brings unprecedented value to UrtheCast, ultimately enabling the Company to offer to its agribusiness customers a full solution of imagery data and geoanalytical solutions. Upon the first closing, UrtheCast will continue to provide Land O'Lakes with all the services currently provided by Geosys but with an expanded utilization of data once the UrtheDaily constellation is fully operational. Services would be provided by UrtheCast pursuant to a 13-year agreement with total potential fees payable over the term of the agreement in excess of US$100 million .





. The Geosys acquisition would bring UrtheCast's total contracted revenue backlog to in excess of $275 million . Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility The Company has reached an agreement in principle with 1112099 B .C. Ltd., the backstop party which entered into the conditional backstop agreement with the Company in connection with the private placement that closed on May 3, 2018 , to extend to the Company an unsecured revolving credit facility of up to US$20 million . The revolving credit facility and the terms and conditions thereof remain subject to, among other things, the entering into of definitive documentation and the receipt of all necessary consents and approvals. Major EO Contract Award On July 12, 2018 UrtheCast and its subsidiary, Deimos Imaging, announced that they have been awarded a multi-million Euro contract through a consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space to provide a very large set of EO products and services to the European Commission and the European Space Agency (the "ESA"). UrtheDaily Financing On May 18, 2018 the Company entered into a US$142 million senior secured credit facility (the "Credit Agreement") to finance the construction, launch, and deployment of the six-satellite UrtheDaily Constellation, as well as related working capital and general corporate purposes. The loan will be available in two equal drawdown amounts, subject to the Company meeting certain conditions precedent. In May and June 2018 , gross proceeds of approximately $21.7 million were released from escrow to the Company from the private placement that closed on May 3, 2018 .





, gross proceeds of approximately were released from escrow to the Company from the private placement that closed on . On July 10, 2018 the Company entered into an Escrow Release and Amending Agreement to release the remaining $5 million principal amount of brokered private placement debentures held in escrow, as further detailed in the Management Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 Changes to the Board of Directors and Management On June 19, 2018 Don Osborne was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of UrtheCast and assumed his role on July 5, 2018 . Mr. Osborne is a seasoned technology executive, having spent more than 30 years in the satellite, space and defence industries. Most recently, from 2009 to 2017 he was a senior executive at MDA, a Maxar Company, including as President of the MDA Information Systems Group where he was responsible for MDA's Canadian businesses.





Don Osborne was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of UrtheCast and assumed his role on . Mr. Osborne is a seasoned technology executive, having spent more than 30 years in the satellite, space and defence industries. Most recently, from 2009 to 2017 he was a senior executive at MDA, a Maxar Company, including as President of the MDA Information Systems Group where he was responsible for MDA's Canadian businesses. On June 25, 2018 the Company announced the results of its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders, including the election of all management nominees to the board of directors. The nominees included two long-serving directors, William M. Evans (director since June, 2013) and James Topham (director since May, 2015) along with two directors appointed on May 25, 2018 , namely Mark J. Piegza and Adam M. Vore , and two other highly-qualified candidates, Andreas M. Georghiou and John (Jack) Shannon .





the Company announced the results of its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders, including the election of all management nominees to the board of directors. The nominees included two long-serving directors, (director since June, 2013) and (director since May, 2015) along with two directors appointed on , namely and , and two other highly-qualified candidates, and . On August 13, 2018 , Don Osborne was appointed to UrtheCast's board of directors. Outlook We refer you to the Company's condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and the related Management's Discussion & Analysis for further details relating to the Company's liquidity position. The Company has taken steps subsequent to the quarter ended June 30, 2018 to ensure that it is able to continue as a going concern and that it has adequate liquidity in the near term. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION The following table provides selected financial information of the Company, which was derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the respective periods. All financial information is in thousands of Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted, and except for per share amounts.

Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,



2018

2017

2018

2017 Revenue $ 3,377 $ 11,854 $ 7,644 $ 21,250 Other operating income

37

61

232

111



3,414

11,915

7,876

21,361 Operating costs















Direct costs, selling, general and administrative expenses

10,476

10,894

20,696

21,403 Research expenditures

306

112

612

388 Depreciation and amortization

4,291

4,188

8,659

8,662 Asset impairment

-

309

-

309 Share-based payments

520

878

1,049

1,211



15,593

16,381

31,016

31,973 Operating loss

(12,179)

(4,466)

(23,140)

(10,612) Net finance costs

(5,904)

(436)

(6,448)

(878) Gain on derivative financial instruments

4,169

681

4,371

923 Foreign exchange gain (loss)

534

(986)

696

(1,205) Loss before income taxes

(13,380)

(5,207)

(24,521)

(11,772) Income tax recovery

127

1,302

210

2,788 Net loss

(13,253)

(3,905)

(24,311)

(8,984) Other comprehensive income (loss)

(1,355)

2,463

901

3,004 Comprehensive loss $ (14,608) $ (1,442) $ (23,410) $ (5,980) Net loss per share  basic and diluted $ (0.11) $ (0.03) $ (0.20) $ (0.08) NON-IFRS EARNINGS MEASURES The following table reconciles our Non-IFRS earnings measures to Net Loss prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,



2018

2017

2018

2017 ADJUSTED EBITDA:















Net loss $ (13,253)

(3,905) $ (24,311) $ (8,984) Add back (subtract):















Depreciation and amortization

4,291

4,188

8,659

8,662 Net finance costs

5,904

436

6,448

878 Income tax recovery

(127)

(1,302)

(210)

(2,788) EBITDA

(3,185)

(583)

(9,414)

(2,232) Impairment of assets

-

309

-

309 Share-based payments expense

520

878

1,049

1,211 Gain on derivative financial instruments

(4,169)

(681)

(4,371)

(923) Foreign exchange (gain) loss

(534)

986

(696)

1,205 ADJUSTED EBITDA $ (7,368) $ 909 $ (13,432) $ (430) About UrtheCast UrtheCast Corp. is a Vancouver-based company that serves the rapidly growing and evolving geospatial and geo-analytics markets with a wide range of information-rich products and services. The Company currently owns and operates two Earth Observation (EO) satellites, Deimos-1 and Deimos-2. Together with its exclusive partnerships, spanning an additional 20 satellites, UrtheCast processes and distributes imagery data and value-added products on a global scale to partners and customers in multiple markets. UrtheCast is also launching UrtheDaily, a satellite constellation that will be the most advanced change detection system in the world, designed to capture daily, scientific grade, high-quality, medium resolution optical imagery of the Earth's entire landmass (excluding Antarctica). UrtheCast is also developing OptiSAR, a constellation of SAR satellites which, together with UrtheDaily, will form the world's first fully-integrated optical and SAR constellation. Common shares of UrtheCast trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ticker "UR". For more information, visit UrtheCast's website at www.urthecast.com. Non-IFRS Financial Measures The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. This release includes certain non-IFRS financial measures, such as EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA. The Company uses these non-IFRS financial measures as supplemental indicators of its operating performance and financial position. These measures do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and therefore are unlikely to be comparable to the calculation of similar measures used by other companies, and should not be viewed as alternatives to measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS or considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should be read in conjunction with the Company's financial statements and accompanying MD&A. Forward Looking Information This release contains certain information which, as presented, constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that relate to future events and often addresses expected future business and financial performance, containing words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "guidance", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could" or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions and includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: UrtheCast's expectations with respect to: UrtheCast's expected completion of the Geosys acquisition on terms set out in this press release, the definitive documentation related thereto, or at all; UrtheCast's expectations with respect to its ability to pay all installments making up the aggregate purchase price; UrtheCast's expectations with respect to the revenue to be generated by the service level agreement; Deimos Imaging's expected ability to deliver data produced by Deimos-2 to the consortium and fulfil its other obligations under the consortium agreement with Airbus Defence and Space; UrtheCast's expected completion of the UrtheDaily Financing and beginning of the UrtheDaily Constellation build phase; UrtheCast's expectations with respect to its ability to raise proceeds from a subordinated debt or equity offering, achieve the required leverage and contracted revenue ratios and otherwise satisfy the first drawdown conditions and the final drawdown conditions under the Credit Agreement in a timely manner; opportunities to renegotiate current and future customer contracts; and the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. Such statements reflect UrtheCast's current views with respect to future events. Such statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by UrtheCast, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause UrtheCast's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others: UrtheCast's inability to enter into definitive documentation or satisfy any of the other conditions to the completion of the Geosys transaction; UrtheCast's inability to fund the installments for the purchase price of the Geosys transaction; Deimos Imaging or any other imaging provider supplying data to the consortium being unable to deliver imagery products meeting the minimum specifications required by the consortium agreement; interruptions to or failures of Deimos' infrastructure or the infrastructure of any other imaging provider supplying data to the consortium; Airbus Defence and Space's inability to satisfy its payment obligations under the consortium agreement; ESA's inability to satisfy its payments obligations under the head contract with Airbus Defence and Space; legal and regulatory changes; UrtheCast's inability to raise proceeds from a subordinated debt or equity offering, achieve the required leverage and contracted revenue ratios or otherwise satisfy the first drawdown conditions or the final drawdown conditions under the Credit Agreement in a timely manner or at all; and uncertainty about UrtheCast's ability to continue as a going concern; as well as those factors and assumptions discussed in UrtheCast's annual information form dated April 2, 2018 (the "AIF"), which is available under UrtheCast's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. UrtheCast undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by Canadian securities laws. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. SOURCE UrtheCast Corp.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]It sounds like Hollywood is becoming a kennel with cameras, but there's a long cinematic heritage for history of canine stars jumping through hoops for filmmakers. Rin-Tin-Tin, a German Shepard rescued from the battlefields of World War I by an American soldier, became an international star in the silent era and made more than two dozen pictures. The 1943 movie Lassie Come Home" introduced the collie character to the movies. There were more than a half dozen sequels and follow-up films, as well as hit shows on television and radio. Disney's heart-tugging 1957 hit Old Yeller" has been seen by generations  although the film's 1963 sequel, Savage Sam, was a commercial runt (and dismissed by the Washington Post reviewer as a dogged, listless effort.[August 14, 2018] TUV Rheinland DPO Certification Program Reaches Another Milestone

MAKATI, Philippines, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV Rheinland Philippines Data Protection Officer (DPO) Training and Certification Program has officially certified more than 100 DPOs in the country -- a testament to the increasing need for DPOs to be equipped with the tools and knowledge to effectively perform their function. The Data Protection Officer (DPO) PersCert TUV Training and Certification Program is a 5 day intensive training which probes into the Data Privacy Act of 2012, its IRR, the duties and responsibilities of a DPO, and an introduction to international standards including EU GDPR. After the training, participants will take an exam that will qualify them as a TUV Rheinland Certified Data Protection Officer to which after, they earn a certificate and a signet that is valid for 3 years. Although appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO) is a legal requirement in the Philippines, certification isn't, which means that the standard of protection can vary significantly from individual-to-individual and company-to-company. "We see this milestone as an acknowledgement from both private and public organizations that being an appointed DPO is not just a role but a crucial responsibility. This program was carefully crafted with a team of experts in data privacy and the local regulations of the Data Privacy Act (DPA)," said TUV Rheinland Philippines Managing Director, Tristan Arwen Loveres. The Philippines' DPA is aimed at protecting the fundamental human right of privacy of communication while ensuring the free flow of informaton to promote innovation and growth. Borrowing heavily from some of the advanced data protection concepts found in European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the finalized rules came into force in September 2016, mandating all companies in the Philippines employing 250 or more employees and possessing more than 1,000 personal data to comply with the requirements.



"Personnel Certification is the proof of verified competence of experts in an organization. After completing a course recognized by TUV Rheinland and passing exams set by the TUV Rheinland personnel certification body, successful candidates receive a certificate that is valid for a defined period. The certification scheme will reassure companies the DPOs they assign are not just competent, but also fully qualified," said Mr. Loveres. TUV Rheinland Philippines is the first independent testing, inspection and certification services organization to offer Personnel Certification for Data Protection Officers (DPO) in the Philippines. The move follows the signing of a cooperation agreement with the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP).

NADPOP is a non-stock, non-profit organization that empowers, serves and protects Data Protection Officers (DPO) in the Philippines. Full details of the DPO Personnel Certification Scheme are available on Certipedia -- TUV Rheinland's state-of-the-art certificate database. Specifically articulately designed to be a user-friendly online reference source, Certipedia is QR code capable and IoT-enabled, which saves time and eliminates the need to search through an entire site. Certipedia can be accessed 24x7 anywhere in the world by anyone with an Internet connection. About TUV Rheinland TUV Rheinland is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded 145 years ago. The group maintains a worldwide presence of more than 20,000 people; annual turnover is nearly EUR 2 billion. The independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TUV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products and services, oversees projects, and helps to shape processes and information security for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, TUV Rheinland employs a global network of approved labs, testing and education centres centers. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.TUV.com SOURCE TUV Rheinland Philippines

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 14, 2018] Crypto Night Returns with a Blockchain Crash Course by Developers, Crypto Analysts and Industry Experts

SINGAPORE, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- If the Blockchain Hub's first ever Crypto Night was summed up as an all-in-one buffet spread of Singapore's blockchain scene, its succeeding follow-up would be an elaborate main course. The highly anticipated August rendition of Crypto Night, hosted by Talenta and BlockConnectors, featured a lively programme lineup delivering in-depth blockchain education, interactive panel debates and of course, night-long chances to network with industry leaders, up-and-coming ICO projects and fellow blockchain enthusiasts. What's New: Less Pitching, More Educational Sharing Whilst the first Crypto Night showcased a full-throttle lineup of six ICO pitches and two panel discussions, August's programme aimed at cementing connections and community via education. The two hour-long session was kickstarted by the sole ICO pitch of the night from CoinExis and followed up by educational talks: "Hard Work Behind an ICO" by Aly Madhavij from Blockchain Founders Fund, "Portfolio Management" by Ong Jun Hao, a crypto influencer called CryptoJH, and two panel discussions on topics submitted by the audience. Interactive Panel Sessions and Perspectives from Industry Experts The first panel revolved around the pertinent concern: "How ready ae Singaporeans and businesses in embracing blockchain technology?" Comprised of a vast array of perspectives from security consultants, blockchain developers and cryptocurrency advocates, the panelists (pictured above) ultimately agreed on the pressing need for blockchain education in order to spearhead mainstream adoption of blockchain technology.



The second panel unpacked the pertinent topic of "What makes an ICO worth investing in?", and was engagingly handled by industry experts Floyd Dcosta, Co-Founder of Block Armour and CEO of Blockchain Worx, Zac Tow, a cryptocurrency analyst at BCoin, Lim Chuan Ji from Gilbraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX), one of the industry's pioneering cryptocurrency exchanges, Aly Madhavij from Blockchain Founders Fund and Lawrence Lim, Southeast Asian Market Launcher at IOST. Crash Course: How to Educate Oneself About Blockchain

A member of the audience questioned how traditional business owners could adopt blockchain technology and that kickstarted a free-and-easy panel sharing on do-it-yourself blockchain education. Amongst the expert responses, Jorden Seet, Security Consultant at BlockConnectors, shared his own personal experience; he directed the audience to tried-and-tested blockchain courses that were recognised, valuable, and free-of-charge. Close-knit Networking Among a Like-minded Community Jovial handshakes and name cards were the currencies exchanged throughout the night. With a refreshing profile of seasoned attendees, blockchain newbies, enthusiasts, and distinguished panelist speakers, Crypto Night culminated in a night full of educational fun, communal mingling and productive network-building. Floyd DCosta, CEO of Blockchain Worx SG and Co-Founder of Block Armour shared his thoughts on the event's significance in spurring the move towards blockchain adoption in Singapore: "Interest in digital assets is rapidly growing. Individuals and institutions are looking for ways to participate in the token economy. It's sessions like these that bring together eager newbies with Blockchain experts to learn, exchange notes and evolve partnerships that will propel the crypto economy forward. Returning panelist speaker, Lim Chuan Ji from Gilbraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX), posited a light-hearted view on the cozy event's networking opportunities. "Great evening, met up with quite a few friends again. Great event to reconnect!" he said. Crypto Night was jointly hosted by Talenta and BlockConnectors, and officially sponsored by Edge Neo. As a festive gesture in lieu of National Day and in collaboration with Crypto Night, Edge Neo offered its Hardware Wallet at a special discounted price of $115 (terms and conditions apply). About Talenta Based in Singapore and operating globally, Talenta is a professional management consulting company that provides one-stop solution to blockchain projects and crowdfunding campaigns. Their services cover the entire project process, including technology, marketing, PR, white paper, legal and compliance and token sales. About BlockConnectors BlockConnectors is the first-stop solution for blockchain advisory services in Singapore. They connect the ecosystem partners and provide core services such as whitepaper drafting, web development, token placement, community management and smart contract deployment. BlockConnectors streamline and provide the entry point for blockchain projects to market in the shortest time possible. About Edge Neo Edge Neo is a marketplace for up-and-coming technologies and gadgets. Its mission: to bring enthusiast-grade products to the masses, providing a platform for shoppers to connect, vote and purchase products based on peer insights and recommendations. It stirs up the market by partnering with premium brands to offer top products at honest prices chosen by the consumer. Contact:

Charlotte Kng

Tel: +65-8862-6187

E-mail: charlotte@talentagroup.com Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180814/2211441-1 SOURCE Talenta

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 14, 2018] Razer And Tribe Gaming Enter Content And Mobile eSports Partnership

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Razer announced today a strategic partnership as the official phone and headset provider for Tribe Gaming, the leading mobile esports organization in North America. The deal includes an eight-episode docuseries slated for release by year-end, which follows the reining Vainglory world champions this year as they defend their title using Razer equipment. "The addition of Tribe Gaming to Team Razer further underscores our commitment to mobile esports," said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. "I'm a fan of Chief Pat and OJ, and I look forward to watching them dominate this year with the added performance of Razer Phones in-hand." Tribe Gaming won last year's Vainglory finals in front of a sold-out theater in Singapore and more than 100,000 concurrent viewers online. The team is also a significant player in Clash Royale and is currently the only mobile-centric esports organization in the North American Clash Royale League. They are eyeing rapid expansion into other games as well, and recently organized a new team for Fortnite Mobile. "Working with Razer is a milestone moment for Tribe, and I'm excited about the opportunity to not only partner through their world-class product but also in showcasing the world of mobile esports," said Patrick "Chief Pat" Carney, CEO of Tribe Gaming. "Mobile esports is seeing explosive growth right now, so I look forward to working with the Razer team to keep pushing the industry forward and exposing it to new fans globally." The relationship with Tribe Gaming marks Razer's first official partnership with a mobile-centric esports organization in North America. Designed "For gamers, by gamers," the Razer Phone is the perfect handset for high-leel mobile esports with its 120Hz refresh rate display, ample 4,000 mAh battery, dual front-facing speakers and Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.



Full-service esports marketing firm Ader represented Tribe Gaming in the partnership deal with Razer. Razer's "This is Esports" campaign and athlete roster can be found at www.razer.com/team.

About Tribe Gaming Tribe Gaming is the leading mobile esports organization in North America. Founded in 2017 by legendary mobile gaming influencer Patrick "Chief Pat" Carney, Tribe Gaming teams compete in Fortnite and ClashRoyale, and are the are the current world champions in Vainglory. For more information, visit tribegaming.gg About Razer Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services. The award-winning hardware of Razer includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone. Razer's software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher). Razer services include Razer zGold, one of the world's largest virtual credit services for gamers, which allows gamers to purchase virtual goods and items from over 2,500 different games. Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has nine offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337). Press Contacts: Global

Alain Mazer

Alain.Mazer@razer.com Americas

Kevin Allen

Kevin.Allen@razer.com Europe/Africa

Jan Horak

Jan.Horak@razer.com Asia Pacific

Raymond Lau

Raymond.Lau@razer.com China

Evita Zhang

Evita.Zhang@razer.com Razer  For Gamers. By Gamers. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/razer-and-tribe-gaming-enter-content-and-mobile-esports-partnership-300697266.html SOURCE Razer

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 14, 2018] Group President of Maxar's MDA outlines opportunities, challenges for Canada's next role in space

Speech to the Aerospace, Defence and Security Expo continues discussions around Canada's innovation potential in space exploration BRAMPTON, ON, Aug. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Canada's role and potential involvement in the growing new space economy requires a commitment from the Government of Canada for a new space strategy, the Group President of MDA, a Maxar company, said in a speech to the Aerospace, Defence and Security Expo. "The most pressing question is whether Canada will participate, or not, in the international space community's next big exploration project," said Mike Greenley, Group President of MDA. "The United States, Europe, Japan and Russia are currently planning a return to the Moon in the 2020s. NASA will build a small space station that orbits the Moon, as a base for lunar exploration and as a Gateway to explore deeper space. The international community expects Canada to participate in this mission and to provide advanced AI and robotics  our traditional and strategic role." Greenley said the international community expects and wants Canada to participate. "Making a commitment to participate in the Lunar Gateway as part of the upcoming space strategy would signal to the world that Canada plans to claim its place in the new space economy," Greenley said. "The current space-related global market opportunity is commonly estimated to be US$380 billion, which analysts forecast will grow to be a multi-trillion-dollar market in coming decades." Greenley said the needed commitment is not enormous. Part of Canada's commitment would help fund Canadarm 3, the next generation of the iconic Canadian technology featured prominently on the Canadian 5 dollar bill. "The next generation of Canadarm would provide highly visible, innovative and critical Lunar Gateway operations, including the assembly of the Gateway itself (and its ongoing maintenance), the capture of visiting spacecraft; and would enable science to be conducted in the lunar vicinity," Greenley said. Greenley said MDA and other partners in the Canadian space industry ill spend the summer and fall of 2018 talking to Canadians and elected officials about the possibilities of space.



About MDA



MDA is an internationally recognized leader in space robotics, space sensors, satellite antennas and subsystems, surveillance and intelligence systems, defence and maritime systems, and geospatial radar imagery. MDA's extensive space expertise and heritage translates into mission-critical defence and commercial applications that include multi-platform command, control and surveillance systems, aeronautical information systems, land administration systems and terrestrial robotics. MDA is also a leading supplier of actionable mission-critical information and insights derived from multiple data sources. Founded in 1969, MDA is recognized as one of Canada's most successful technology ventures with locations in Richmond, Ottawa, Brampton, Montreal, Halifax and the United Kingdom. MDA is a Maxar Technologies company (TSX: MAXR; NYSE: MAXR). For more information, visit www.mdacorporation.com.

About Maxar Technologies As a global leader of advanced space technology solutions, Maxar Technologies (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates) is at the nexus of the new space economy, developing and sustaining the infrastructure and delivering the information, services, systems that unlock the promise of space for commercial and government markets. As a trusted partner, Maxar Technologies provides vertically-integrated capabilities and expertise including satellites, Earth imagery, robotics, geospatial data and analytics to help customers anticipate and address their most complex mission-critical challenges with confidence. With more than 6,500 employees in over 30 global locations, the Maxar Technologies portfolio of commercial space brands includes MDA, SSL, DigitalGlobe and Radiant Solutions. Every day, billions of people rely on Maxar to communicate, share information and data, and deliver insights that Build a Better World. Maxar trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information, visit www.maxar.com. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements and information, which reflect the current view of Maxar Technologies Ltd. (the "Company") with respect to future events, performance and operational capabilities. The forward-looking statements in this regard include statements as to management's expectations with respect to future growth and operational capabilities of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this release. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, plus additional risks or factors, reference should be made to the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website at www.mdacorporation.com. Contact Wendy Keyzer | MDA Media Contact | 1-604-231-2743 | wendy@mdacorporation.com

Keelan Green | 613-220-2016 | green@prospectus.ca SOURCE Maxar Technologies Ltd.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 14, 2018] TAL EDUCATION 72 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 72 Hours Remain; Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against TAL Education Group - TAL

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with large financial interests that they have only until August 17, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against TAL Education Group (NYSE: TAL). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's securities between April 26, 2018 and June 13, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. What You May Do If you purchased securities of TAL and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-tal/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by August 17, 2018.



About the Lawsuit On June 13, 2018, a report by Muddy Waters Research alleged a wide range of illicit activity by TAL, including that it "has been fraudulently overstating its profits since at least FY2016," and that "TAL combines the old school China fraud playbook of simply penciling in more favorable numbers with the more sophisticated asset parking fraud of Enron." On this news, the price of TAL's shares plummeted.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180814005735/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] DATAVLT Partners Hacken to bring the Forefront of Cybersecurity to ASEAN

SINGAPORE, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DATAVLT, the blockchain integrated data analytics company, based in Singapore, has entered into a partnership with Hacken, a global cybersecurity consultancy firm, to become an Authorized Reseller in the ASEAN region. This alliance will also open potential avenues into R&D for security with blockchain utilization as adoption grows. "This is an exciting opportunity for us, since we see a lot of synergy between our companies to help mitigate cybersecurity threats for both traditional business, regardless the size, and blockchain-based technology start-ups. Combining efforts, we see a huge potential to better serve our customers in ASEAN Region," said Andrii Matiukhin, HACKEN CTO. Today cyber threats are increasing at an extremely fast pace, and the teams at DATAVLT and Hacken take a pragmatic approach to cybersecurity: with focus on pre-emptive transaction security, protection against negligent or malicious insiders, and network infrastructure security by emloying both in-house cybersecurity experts as well as crowdsourced vulnerability research. Both companies are driven to provide best-of-breed cybersecurity services across all technology domains.



"We live in a world where valuable data must be protected, and Hacken provides us with the opportunity to be a part of a strong portfolio offering to serve organizations striving for security. It means that customers, users and communities can be assured that their data is protected as best as possible. We want to bring cybersecurity to a new level," said Benny Low, Co-Founder of DATAVLT. DATAVLT in collaboration with Hacken is a powerful partnership that will redefine the digital future. As a blockchain integrated data analytics company, DATAVLT acknowledges the vital necessity to be consistently vigilant when it comes to protecting valuable data.

HACKEN operates as an independent entity, and offers their clients the same level of professional service the brand has come to be known for. At the same time, DATAVLT represented by parent-company XYPHER Pte Ltd, becomes HACKEN Authorized Reseller in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. About DATAVLT DATAVLT is a blockchain data analytics platform, designed to deliver affordable business intelligence to small and medium businesses. DATAVLT employs correlational algorithms to integrate your enterprise data and consumer behavioral data to meet the ever-changing requirements of the business landscape. Assisted by Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Learning, DATAVLT platform enables you to tailor the data analysis to your business needs and preferences. About HACKEN HACKEN is a community-driven business organization created to nourish the connection between blockchain and cybersecurity communities, promote hacker ethics, and encourage legitimate security research of IT solutions and software. The organization allows customers to acquire cybersecurity services in a timely and quality manner. Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180607/2154400-1LOGO SOURCE DATAVLT

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]EZShield Acquires IdentityForce

EZShield, a portfolio company of The Wicks Group ("Wicks") and the leader in digital identity protection and resolution, today announced it has acquired IdentityForce, the #1 rated identity theft protection provider for businesses and consumers. The acquisition expands EZShield's identity protection ecosystem by nearly 50 percent, providing partners in every industry, businesses of all sizes, and consumers with the most secure capabilities and rapid restoration services. The pervasiveness of cyber fraud incidents and data breaches is estimated to cost $6 trillion annually by 2021.

"IdentityForce is a trusted, top-ranked leader in identity theft protection and their business is comprised of a highly customer-centric team of experts who are committed to combating identity theft," said Dale Dabbs, President and CEO of EZShield. "Whether it's EZShield's focus on exceptional customer service or robust cybersecurity tools, or IdentityForce's award-winning mobile app and Social Media Identity Monitoring features, our companies bring unique and in-demand capabilities to fraud protection. Together, EZShield and IdentityForce will continue to deliver best-in-class solutions that raise industry standards in digital identity theft protection and cybersecurity."

IdentityForce was co-founded by siblings Steven Bearak (CEO) and Judy Leary (President) in 2005. Since then, IdentityForce has grown to serve consumers, businesses, and governmental agencies. EZShield was launched in 2001 to help consumers and small businesses defend themselves against financial and payment fraud. Today, EZShield protects U.S. consumers and small businesses against fraud and identity crimes by partnering with enterprises, financial institutions, insurance companies, benefits providers, and warranty companies. Both companies share a powerful commitment to educate and develop identity crime prevention strategies. For example, EZShield sponsors the website, Fighting Identity Crimes, and IdentityForce offers consumers and businesses tips via its consumer and business blogs, monthly protection newsletter, and an annual eBook: Protecting What Matters Most.







"This acquisition unites two best-in-class leaders focused on world-class support with solutions built on integrity, security, and trust," said Bearak, CEO of IdentityForce. "As cybercrimes increase in number and complexity, our combined expertise and our superior Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) ratings will enable us to provide the greatest digital security measures available. That's our commitment to our customers."

"We're thrilled to bring these two companies together, with the goal of creating a combined identity protection and cybersecurity powerhouse," said Daniel L. Black, Managing Partner at Wicks. "As we continue to educate businesses and consumers about protecting both their identity and their data, we're excited about the acceleration plans ahead for EZShield and IdentityForce. This collaboration also makes tremendous financial sense. We expect to evaluate more meaningful acquisitions and organic growth opportunities as this sector undergoes rapid expansion."

"The threats against identities and data are more significant than ever, and as such, the need for protection has never been greater. IdentityForce and EZShield are leaders in the identity protection space, and their consistently strong performance in Javelin's ratings is a testament to their deep understanding and appreciation of the threat landscape and the needs of customers," said Al Pascual, SVP and Head of Fraud & Security at Javelin Strategy & Research.

Dabbs and Bearak provide their perspective regarding the acquisition:

Read the EZShield blog here.

Read the IdentityForce blog here.

About EZShield

EZShield helps trusted partners protect their most valuable asset - their customer relationships - through secure, digital identity protection and resolution services that enhance the value of existing products. The company is consistently recognized by Javelin as a leader in Identity Protection. Owned by the Wicks Group of Companies, L.L.C., EZShield supports thousands of financial institutions through its award-winning solutions, delivered on a secure, flexible platform that is backed by best-in-class customer support. Follow EZShield on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, engage with us on LinkedIn, and join us on Google+. Learn more at www.ezshield.com.

About IdentityForce

For 40 years, IdentityForce, Inc. has provided best-in-class, highly scalable, award-winning identity theft, privacy and credit protection solutions to consumers, businesses, and government agencies. With IdentityForce, members benefit from the most robust and award-winning identity protection, going as deep as Dark Web monitoring to keep personal information safe. A pioneer of identity protection, IdentityForce's innovation and customer-centric approach has made the company a trusted partner for both organizations and individuals. IdentityForce also provides custom-tailored programs to organizations enabling them to build closer relationships and additional revenue streams. In 2015, the U.S. government awarded IdentityForce elite Tier One status as an approved provider of identity protection services for data breaches affecting over 21.5 million people. Follow IdentityForce on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, engage with us on LinkedIn, and join us on Google+. Learn more at www.identityforce.com.

About The Wicks Group

The Wicks Group is a private investment firm based in New York City that invests in lower middle market information businesses that create and deliver niche content and services to the business, consumer and education markets. Since its founding in 1989, Wicks has invested over $1 billion of capital in more than 30 platform companies and approximately 100 add-on acquisitions. The firm has applied a consistent investment strategy since its founding, partnering with high-quality, experienced management teams to build businesses organically and through acquisitions. Learn more at www.wicksgroup.com.

2018 EZShield Inc. and IdentityForce, Inc. All other trademarks or trade names are properties of their respective owners.

All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005114/en/[August 15, 2018] Body and Mind Inc. ("BAM") Completes Nevada Facility Expansion and Initiates Ohio Construction

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM, US OTC: BMMJ), (the Company or BAM) announces the completion of its Phase II cultivation expansion on its facility located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cultivation has commenced in the newly renovated areas and has provided the Company with enough operational space to add approximately 40% additional high pressure sodium lights to its facility.

The company initiated its Phase II expansion plans in early 2018 and has completed the cultivation expansion on time and on budget. Clones were prepared in advance of final approvals from the State of Nevada and the clones have been moved into the new Phase II cultivation space. The new grow space includes an automated micro dose watering system and proprietary HVAC and control systems. The newly renovated areas have been prepared for a carbon dioxide delivery and control system which will be activated following state inspection. Clones for the new grow areas include strains of GG4, True Power and Sequoia Strawberry. Robert Hasman, BAM director commented, We are excited to be growing in the new expansion space and have initiated a perpetual harvest system which is expected to deliver a more consistent harvest schedule. Our fully funded expansion will increase cultivation with a positive impact to our future production and revenues. The new processing areas were designed for growth as we continue to expand our popular Body and Mind brand product offerings. The Phase II renovations also included work to expand production space, trim area, dry room and packaging areas. The areas are now complete and include recently installed packaging and processing equipment. The improved layout and automation process is anticipated to increase efficiency of packaging Body and Mind brand edibles, oils, shatter, topicals and pre-rolled products. The State of Nevada anticipates annual taxable sales of all cannabis and cannabis related products to exceed USD $500 Million in its first year of authorizing sales of both medical and adult-use cannabis products. The State of Nevada sales numbers continue to increase and the net state tax revenue for June 2018 is anticipated to be pproximately USD $70 Million.



Ohio Dispensary Body and Mind Inc. and its strategic in-state investment partners are rapidly moving forward with construction and state approvals for the recently awarded dispensary in Elyria, Lorain County, Northeastern Ohio. (see news release dated June 7, 2018). A demolition permit has been awarded and the interior of the building is progressing to prepare for renovations.



Architect drawings for the new interior are complete and have been submitted to local and state authorities for construction approval. The Ohio state authority has approved various advertising and marketing materials and the Company is working to engage and educate local patients during the construction phase. The Ohio medical marijuana program provides access to medical cannabis products such as edibles, oils, patches and vaporizers to authorized and approved patients having one or more of 21 medical conditions. Medical marijuana patients and their caregivers will be required to register with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to receive patient identification cards necessary to buy medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries. Patients and their caregivers will be allowed to possess up to a 90-day supply. 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. For further information regarding Body and Mind Inc . please contact: Michael Mills

778-389-0007

mmills@bammarijuana.com About Body and Mind Body and Mind is a publicly traded company investing in high quality medical and recreational cannabis cultivation and production. Our wholly owned Nevada subsidiary was awarded one of the first medical marijuana cultivation licences and holds cultivation and production licenses. Body and Mind products include dried flower, edibles, topicals, extracts as well as GPEN Gio cartridges. Body and Mind marijuana strains have won numerous awards including the Las Vegas Hempfest Cup 2016, High Times Top Ten, the NorCal Secret Cup and the Emerald Cup. Body and Mind continues to expand operations in Nevada and Ohio and is constantly reviewing accretive expansion opportunities. For more information please visit our web site at www.bammarijuana.com Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statement address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including the inability of the Company to obtain shareholder and exchange approval, or to raise additional equity as well as the various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Body and Mind Inc. undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law or the Canadian Securities Exchange. We seek safe harbour.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Katana Safety Stands Up Against Sexual Assault with the First Personal Security System Attached Directly to Smartphones

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Experts estimate that in the United States, up to 28 percent of college women will experience some form of sexual assault, with one American being sexually assaulted every 98 seconds. Launching today, Katana Safety is determined to change these numbers by making personal security available and affordable to anyone with a smartphone.

After learning these staggering statistics, Katana Safety co-founder and CEO Todd Baldree began researching the personal safety market to find what was missing. A personal safety solution is only helpful if you have it with you when you need it," says Baldree. Anyone can find themselves in a vulnerable situation when they least expect it, so accessibility was paramount. We realized that the perfect safety solution was an alarm and relay device that attached directly to a users smartphone - the one thing almost everyone has with them at all times. With this in mind, Baldree and co-founder Ben Holbrook developed the Katana Arc, the first of three layers of defense in the Katana Safety solution. The patent-pending, ultra-slim Arc is both an audible alarm and relay panic button in one device, designed to attach to any smartphone or case. The Arc features two types of alarms  a piercing, audible siren that can be activated with just the flick of a finger or by using a hidden wristband, and a discreet silent alert button for situations when a loud siren isnt appropriate. Both alarms bypass the users locked home screen to alert the secod layer of defense, the Katana 24/7 Response Center, which grants access to trained support agents. Critical to the system, Katanas technology can detect a users location once an alert is activated, allowing agents to contact the closest emergency services, as well as initiate Katanas third layer of defense  texting and calling the users Katana Circle. A users Circle consists of up to seven pre-determined contacts who will receive location information. The Circle can also join a private conference call to coordinate next steps.



Based on the belief that personal safety is a human right, Katana is revolutionizing personal safety in a way thats never been done. We felt it was imperative that we create a solution that met the three basic criteria of always, anywhere, anyone to fill the void with other solutions on the market, said Holbrook. The Katana Arc is always with you because its attached to your cell phone; its not considered a weapon so users can take it anywhere they go, such as classrooms, dorms, their workplace or even through airport security; and unlike pepper spray or a stun gun that can have age requirements to carry, anyone with a smartphone can use the Arc. The full Katana Safety offering is the only three-layered solution giving the user a layer of self-defense with the piercing audible alarm - studies show that the majority of crimes are averted once an alarm is sounded - as well as notifying both a 24/7 Response Center and a group of the users contacts.

We believe now is the time to stand up and outsmart assault together, said Tracy Carson, Katanas Director of Communication and Education. As a clinical counselor, Ive dedicated much of my career toward sexual assault prevention on college campuses. Unfortunately, the majority of the time I see clients after the assault has occurred. Im excited that both women and men finally have a product to help when they find themselves in a compromised or unsafe situation before the assault occurs. Though the genesis for the company was to stop the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses, the Katana Safety team believes their solution will help in countless other situations, as well. Whether its a college student, latchkey child, runner, shared-ride passenger, solo travelers or even a senior living alone, Katana has created a solution that offers peace of mind to everyone. The Katana Arc is available for $99, subscription to the 24/7 Response Center is only $15 per month when paid monthly or $12 per month with an annual subscription, and the Katana App with your Circle of seven is free. To purchase and subscribe, visit www.katanasafety.com . About Katana Safety

Katana Safety is a mission-driven company dedicated to Using The Tools of our Time to Prevent Sexual Assault and Other Vulnerable Situations. The Katana Safetys three-layer personal security solution  the Katana Arc, 24/7 Response Center and App - is the first personal security system that attaches directly to a smartphone. Though born out of preventing sexual assault on college campuses, the solution can be helpful to anyone that may find themselves alone such as latchkey children, college students, runners, seniors, air travelers or those with a medical concern. The company has offices in San Francisco, CA and Greenville, SC. For more information about Katana Safety visit www.katanasafety.com Press contact:

Matthew Bryant

Uproar PR for Katana Safety

mbryant@uproarpr.com

(312) 878-4575 x246



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Vantis CEO Peter Tedone Announces Retirement

Longtime CEO of Vantis Life Insurance Company Peter Tedone has announced that he will retire at the end of the year from the company where he has served as President, Chairman and CEO for the past 18 years. Over a 31-year career at Vantis, Tedone, of Simsbury, CT, transformed the company into a leading provider of life insurance for mid-market and emerging affluent customers by marketing through banks and now direct-to-consumer. Tedone will be succeeded in his position as Chairman and CEO by Ray Caucci, who currently serves as Senior Vice President of Product Management, Underwriting and Advanced Sales at Penn Mutual, a Pennsylvania-based life insurance company. Tedone engineered the integration of Vantis when it was acquired by Penn Mutual in late 2016. Concurrent with Caucci's appointment, Scott Smith, current Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Vantis, will be promoted to President and COO. "Under Peter's leadership, Vantis secured a leadership position in the financial institution marketplace andintroduced state-of-the-art technology platforms to provide superior life insurance products for America's working families," says Eileen McDonnell, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Penn Mutual. "His leadership played an important role in our decision to acquire Vantis and diversify Penn Mutual's growth plans. We appreciate Peter's long track record of contributions to Vantis' success and wish him well in retirement."



While leading Vantis, Tedone was responsible for transitioning the company from a single-state insurer to a nationally licensed institution, overseeing the company's expansion in the banking and direct-to-consumer market and spearheading Vantis' implementation of next-generation underwriting technology. Tedone will continue to serve on the boards of the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Hartford Stage and the University of Hartford's Barney School of Business. In addition, Tedone will continue to serve as an EMT for Simsbury EMS and as a Police Commissioner for the Town of Simsbury. Caucci comes to Vantis with over 30 years of experience at Penn Mutual. A Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, Caucci is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, holds the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation from The American College, is Chairman of the Pennsylvania Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association Board of Directors and sits on various boards and committees within the Penn Mutual enterprise.

Smith joined Vantis 20 years ago and quickly progressed through the leadership ranks to his current role as COO, which commenced in 2007. Smith was named Executive Vice President of Vantis in 2011 and Director of the Board at Vantis in 2017. About Vantis Life Established in 1942, Vantis Life Insurance Company's primary goal is to provide families with affordable life insurance products. Vantis Life markets its products through financial institutions and direct-to-consumer. The Company prides itself on providing simple, easy-to-afford products to middle-income American families and supporting these products with attentive and personal customer service. Vantis Life is a separately operated subsidiary of The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005092/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]The pilot bus route was launched in 2016, and runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The CTA has extended the term of the pilot several times to see if the route could get to to the goal of 830 daily rides. In July, the route saw an average of 298 daily rides, or about 14 rides per hour, one of the lowest rates of CTAs 128 bus routes, the CTA said.[August 15, 2018] Data Sharing and Standardization Technology Provider Validis Strengthens Public Relations Efforts by Partnering with William Mills Agency

Validis, a pioneer of data sharing and standardization technology used by three of the big four accounting firms and 80 percent of the Tier 1 banks in the U.K., has partnered with William Mills Agency, the largest independent public relations and marketing firm specializing in the financial industry. Validis is changing how financial institutions lend to businesses. The unique technology provides an efficient way for lenders to acquire a small business borrower's financial data by connecting them directly to the borrower's accounting application. In just minutes, lenders receive current, complete data in a consistent format allowing for fast, confident lending decisions. There is no configuration by the lender or preparation by the borrower required. With Validis, financial institutions gain a complete view of the borrower's financial health which empowers lenders to deliver real insights to customers. Validis is led by board members and a senior management team who have more than 230 years of combined experience in financial services and technology. The Validis board is headed by Don Robert, former CEO of Experian, Lindsey McMurray, founder of Pollen Street Capital, and Joe Schull who brings over 20 years of experience and also serves as head of Europe for private equity firm Warburg Pincus (News - Alert) ("WP") and chairman of Warburg Pincus International LLC. The senior management team is led by Joel Curry, who has more than 15 years of experience in software sales and led high growth businesses for Experian. Also on the senior management team is Steve Brennan, Senior Vice President of Lending Technology, who was formerly with Baker Hill and brings over 20 years of experience to the team. Validis provides a direct connection to a business borrower's accounting package. The financial data is encrypted, interrogated for accuracy, and standardized. Lenders receive the borrower's data in a consistent, normalized view regardless of the accounting package. The data may be viewed in our online portal or integrated into the financial institution's existing systems The result is greater insights, improved decision making, and increased efficiency.



"Partnering with William Mills Agency for Public Relations was a natural decision for us as we continue rapid growth, especially in the U.S.," said Joel Curry, CEO of Validis. "Both of our teams possess years of experience and deep ties to the financial industry. This was a key factor in our decision to partner with them, and we're confident they will be critical to our mission as we expand and grow." "With more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, our agency has the skillset and perspective to support our clients in truly unique ways," said William Mills, CEO of William Mills Agency. "For companies like Validis, we leverage our experience and strong industry relationships to help them better tell their story in a way that aligns with their strategic business objectives."

About Validis Led by experienced and influential finance and technology experts, with headquarters in the United Kingdom and offices in North America, our mission is to be the place where businesses come to share financial data. Validis provides a data pipe for commercial lenders and accountants to their clients' accounting application. The technology collects financial data from a business' accounting application and transforms that data into a standardized format, empowering commercial lenders and accountants with fast and secure access to financial data. The system connects to online and desktop accounting applications used by 80 percent of the SMB market, and is currently used by three of the top four accounting firms and 80 percent of the Tier one banks in the U.K. For more information, please visit www.validis.com Follow Validis: LinkedIn (News - Alert) : Validis LinkedIn Twitter (News - Alert) : Validis Twitter YouTube (News - Alert) : Validis YouTube About William Mills Agency Founded in 1977, the Atlanta-based company has established its reputation in the industry through successful execution of media relations, marketing services and crisis communications campaigns for hundreds of companies ranging in size from entrepreneurial start-ups to large, publicly traded corporations throughout North America, Europe and India. For more information, please visit www.williammills.com. Follow William Mills Agency: LinkedIn: WMA LinkedIn Twitter: WMA Twitter Facebook (News - Alert) : WMA Facebook View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005084/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Lumiant Corporation Awarded 'Build in Canada Innovation Program' Contract

The Government of Canada Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) has awarded Lumiant Corporation an $884,000 CAD contract to provide TitanMade ballistic armour tiles for testing by Defense Research and Development Canada (DRDC).

Meeting the growing demand for lightweight materials in challenging application environments, TitanMade is a patent pending Titanium Aluminide composite material exhibiting favourable mechanical properties per unit mass vs. other technical ceramics. In ballistic armour applications, TitanMade properties enable armour to be thin, light, and durable helping to improve the mobility and survivability of military vehicles.

"I am confident that TitanMade will provide great benefit to our Canadian Forces," stated Mr. Kevin Harper, Director of Business Development, and added, "I appreciate the support from the Government of Canada to accelerate TitanMade commercialization with the BCIP contract award."







The Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) helps Canadian companies of all sizes move their state-of-the-art goods and services from the laboratory to the marketplace. The program helps innovators land a first major reference sale, sell their innovation, but keep the intellectual property, get their innovation tested in a real-life setting, and gain feedback to help get products to market faster. The program pays up to $500,000 for non-military innovations and up to $1,000,000 for military innovations.

About Lumiant

Lumiant Corporation, based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, is a market-driven materials science company focused on discovering, developing, and producing breakthrough materials for next generation industrial products. For more information, visit the Lumiant website: http://www.Lumiant.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005195/en/[August 15, 2018] TransPerfect Moves State of Incorporation from Delaware to Nevada

TransPerfect, the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business, announced that it has moved the state of its incorporation from Delaware to Nevada, effective August 6, 2018. The company's global headquarters will remain in New York, NY and the company will continue to service clients through more than 4,000 employees operating in over 100 offices worldwide. In 2017, the Delaware Court of Chancery ordered the auction of a private, profitable, rapidly-growing, industry leader, TransPerfect Global (the parent company of TransPerfect) against the wishes of two out of three owners, the first ruling of its kind in U.S. history. Phil Shawe was forced to compete in an auction to retain the company he co-founded and co-owned, while simultaneously contesting its legality and constitutionality. Shawe prevailed in that auction and successfully gained ownership and full control of the company, allowing it to move forward under its existing and unified management team. However, the litigation was protracted, disruptive to TransPerfect employees, and costly to both the company and its co-founders. Many believe that the unprecedented manner in which the Chancery Court handled the case was a key factor in Delaware plummeting from its #1 ranking in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce business litigation survey to #11. TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe said, "For many years, most companies, including ours, considered Delaware the default option for incorporation. But times and circumstances have changed. Other states, Nevada chief among them, now represent compelling alternatives." Fellow TransPerfect shareholder, Shirley Shawe, added, "The expense burden some jurisdictions place on resident companies through overly high litigation costs is simply staggering; our situation in Delaware was a perfect example. Without significant legislative reform, I would not be surprised if TransPerfect's 'Dexit' becomes pat of a larger trend." She went on to say, "Nevada has a reputation for a rational and predictable judiciary, as well as one that operates with lower litigation costs and promotes settlements."



Following the May 7, 2018 closing, TransPerfect announced record-breaking first and second quarter financial performances. Commenting on the company's performance, Phil Shawe said, "TransPerfect is up 20% year-to-date and we expect to exceed $700 million in revenue in 2018. With all appeals having been exhausted or forgone, our new incorporation domicile in Nevada, and our experienced management team and workforce, TransPerfect has truly begun a new chapter. We are poised to continue our successful business model and to make the necessary investments to drive innovation and growth." About TransPerfect

TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language services and technology solutions for global business. From offices in over 90 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 170+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 4,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink Product Suite to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005430/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Awards Flowing for Virginia Winery Distribution Company

A full website redesign for the Virginia Winery Distribution Company (VWDC) was completed in October of 2017 and has since brought home a barrel of digital and creative awards. VWDC tapped Richmond, VA based e-government specialists Virginia Interactive to execute a fully customized online marketplace, tailored to the needs of the small farm wineries served by VWDC. The project includes website hosting, farm winery and retailer registration, retailer ordering and payment, winery inventory and order fulfillment, and a VWDC administrative area. The result of this joint effort from Virginia Interactive and Virginia Winery Distribution Company has been lauded with 11 awards to date, including recognition from: AVA Digital Awards - Gold Winner

DotComm Awards - Gold Winner

Hermes Creative Awards - Gold Winner

Horizon Interactive Awards - Silver, Bronze awards

Summit Creative Awards - Bronze award

American Business (Stevie) Awards - Bronze award

Summit Emerging Media Awards - Leader award, Innovator award

Communicator Awards - Distinction VWDC isa non-profit, non-inventory corporation, created by the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide wholesale distribution services for Virginia farm wineries. Small farm wineries had previously been exempt from the Commonwealth's distribution system of producers, distributors, and retailers. Legislation passed in 2006 brought them under the traditional distribution system. VWDC was created in 2007 to ameliorate negative impact on smaller producers by allowing distribution of up to 3,000 cases of their own wine through the VWDC.



About Virginia Interactive Virginia Interactive, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NIC (News - Alert) , Virginia Interactive is part of the NIC family of digital government service providers, making life simple for the citizens and businesses of the Commonwealth of Virginia. www.virginiainteractive.org

About NIC Founded in 1992, NIC (EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of innovative digital government solutions and secure payment processing, which help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides digital government solutions for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the "100 Best Small Companies in America" six times and the company has been included four times on the Barron's 400 Index. Additional information is available at http://www.egov.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005441/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Ping An Academy of Financial Security helps set up Financial Industry Security Research Center in collaboration with other institutions

SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 13, the National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology - Financial Industry Security Research Center was inaugurated in Beijing, China. The Research Center was set up under the guidance of China's National Development and Reform Commission and initiated by the National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology, Ping An Academy of Financial Security, Ping An Financial OneConnect and 360 Enterprise Security Group. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Shen Changxiang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chief Expert of the Expert Panel of the Financial Industry Security Research Center; Lv Xin, Deputy Director of the Office of State Information Center; Li Bin, Assistant to the Director of China Information Technology Security Evaluation Center; Cao Yue, Deputy Director of the Financial Security Division of National Research Center for Information Technology Security; Qu Xiaodong, Deputy Director of National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology and Senior Vice President of 360 Enterprise Security Group; Zheng Xinhua, Senior Researcher of National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology; Ericson Chan, CEO of Ping An Technology and Director of the Financial Industry Security Research Center; Chen Jian, Chief information security officer of Ping An Technology; Li Yang, Executive Vice President of Ping An Academy of Financial Security and Executive Director of the Financial Industry Security Research Center; Shi Lirong, General Manager of Smart Security of OneConnect. According to Shen Changxiang, financial security is an important part of national security. While the financial industry upgrades its businesses and services with the help of information echnology, it is necessary to build up information security to escort the IT construction of the financial industry.



Ericson Chan said that the establishment of the Financial Industry Security Research Center is aimed at providing strong technical support to enterprises, industries and the country, and making scientific and technological contributions to the information security construction of financial institutions and the national financial security in the information age. The Financial Industry Security Research Center is undertaken by Ping An Academy of Financial Security and technically supported by 360 Enterprise Security Group. Shen Changxiang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, is Chairman of the Technical Committee; Ericson Chan, CEO of Ping An Technology and Director of Ping An Academy of Financial Security, is Director; Li Yang, Executive Vice President of Ping An Academy of Financial Security and one of the "1000 Network Security Experts of China", is Executive Director. The Research Center will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as big data system security situational awareness early warning technology and threat intelligence-driven collaborative disposal, and promote the development of fintech network security technology through the collaboration of enterprises, universities and research institutions, to help strengthen the country's financial technology and network security control capacity.

Li Yang said, the network security guarantee ability construction is changing from the static threat defense to the dynamic risk prevention, and the security monitoring and early warning based on big data analysis has become the mainstream development trend. Qu Xiaodong said that National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology - Financial Industry Security Research Center will become a practitioner and explorer of "data-driven security" serving the financial industry, and a player in the security ecosystem driven by big data. As a specialized company of Ping An Group devoted to fintech services, OneConnect has accumulated rich technology-enabled financial practices, and by using advanced technologies such as blockchain, it can provide a safer trading environment for small and medium-sized banks. These best practices of OneConnect will help the Financial Industry Security Research Center to move into deeper research domains. It's a strategic goal of Ping An Group to become a global leading technology-driven personal financial life service group, focusing on finance, healthcare, technology and other industries and areas. Ping An Technology as the core technology arm of Ping An Group not only assumes the Group's IT governance and provides cloud services, but is also responsible for scientific and technological research and innovation, and serves as a powerful incubator of technology enterprises of the Group. National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Collaborative Security Technology is China's first national scientific research institution in the field of big data security formally approved by National Development and Reform Commission. The establishment of the Research Center will promote the research of innovative security protection technologies and systems in the financial industry, and create a more favorable security environment for financial business innovations. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ping-an-academy-of-financial-security-helps-set-up-financial-industry-security-research-center-in-collaboration-with-other-institutions-300697581.html SOURCE PingAn Tech

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] World's Exponential Technology Leaders Plan for the Next 10 Years at Singularity University Global Summit in San Francisco

Singularity University (SU), a global community with a mission to educate, inspire, and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity's grand challenges, will host its third annual SU Global Summit, August 20-22, 2018, at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco. This Summit's theme is The Power of 10, celebrating SU's 10th anniversary, the positive impact of technology over the past ten years, the anticipated breakthroughs in the next ten, as well as the tens of thousands of community members launching impact initiatives that leverage exponential technologies to positively impact billions of people around the world. To view the 2018 agenda, visit the SU Global Summit webpage. More than 1,500 participants from 64 countries are expected to attend the Summit. They include executives from large enterprises, governments, and nonprofits, impact entrepreneurs, policy makers, investors, and engaged citizens. They all share an interest in learning how exponential technologies will impact the future, and how they can be used to address the world's biggest challenges-from water, food, and shelter, to the environment, health, and education, among others. At the Summit, they will engage with world-renowned experts and practitioners discussing the latest technology developments; exchange stories of their own achievements and impact; learn about new programs and methodologies for launching moonshot projects, embracing an exponential mindset, and creating more resilient, adaptable organizations; and discover unique opportunities for collaboration and co-creation. "In our first ten years, Singularity University became leader in understanding and educating the world about the growth, convergence, and future implications of exponentially accelerating technologies and how they can unlock solutions to the world's biggest problems," said Rob Nail, CEO and Associate Founder of Singularity University. "We also built a global community that's using technology to create impact together around the world. In our next ten years, we will grow our capabilities, reach, and impact through our expanding ecosystem of partners, making exponential thinking and insights about the future accessible to anyone, anywhere and catalyzing connections to ensure a better future becomes a reality." "The Global Summit is where the world's exponential leaders unite to drive positive change in new ways," said Will Weisman, Executive Director, Singularity University Summits. "We invite you to join us on this mission and learn what you can do to impact humanity and usher in a new era of prosperity." In line with The Power of 10, SU will announce a variety of new initiatives that will support the efforts of the SU community for the next decade and beyond, among them: Global Startup Program - A flagship program since 2008, SU revamped the formerly named Global Solutions Program (GSP) this past year to make it available to more people. The GSP will focus on helping startups 10x their ideas, go global, and build for the billion scale. SU will showcase the new program and begin taking applications for the spring 2019 cohort.

- A flagship program since 2008, SU revamped the formerly named Global Solutions Program (GSP) this past year to make it available to more people. The GSP will focus on helping startups 10x their ideas, go global, and build for the billion scale. SU will showcase the new program and begin taking applications for the spring 2019 cohort. SU Ventures Demo Faire - Over the course of the Global Summit, SU Venture companies will showcase their latest breakthroughs and products in the Expo.

- Over the course of the Global Summit, SU Venture companies will showcase their latest breakthroughs and products in the Expo. Digital Learning Platform - In August, SU will launch its digital learning platform including digital resources and new online courses. The new digital content is designed to bring SU and its exponential thinking and programs to more people around the world in an affordable, scalable format.

- In August, SU will launch its digital learning platform including digital resources and new online courses. The new digital content is designed to bring SU and its exponential thinking and programs to more people around the world in an affordable, scalable format. Enterprise Solutions - SU helps organizations reinvent themselves to successfully chart and pursue a path to a better future. SU will showcase its portfolio of enterprise solutions that help executives define a future vision and strategy that includes both profit and purpose; harness exponential technologies, digital tools, and new business models to create future businesses that leap ahead of new competitive forces; cultivate future leaders armed with an exponential mindset and toolset; and create a more resilient, adaptable, and creative culture. SU will also share new insights from DASH, a new digital platform that leverages predictive analytics to help leaders forecast nd respond proactively to exponential trends and technologies, and advance their leadership and innovation capabilities through diagnostics, customized content, and courses.



Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Co-founder, Singularity University, The Future is Faster Than You Think

Rob Nail, CEO and Associate Founder, Singularity University, SU State of the Global Union: Building a Global Community

Ray Kurzweil, Co-founder, Singularity University, Director of Engineering, Google (News - Alert) , The Power of 10: An Exponential 10 Years

Erik Anderson, Chairman of the Board, Singularity University, Founder & CEO, WestRiver Group, SU in the Next 10 Years and Exponential B usiness Models workshop

and B workshop Kay Firth Butterfield, Head, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, World Economic Forum, Building Ethical AI

Meighan Stone, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; David Kirkpatrick, Founder, Techonomy , Social Media & Responsibility

Vivienne Ming, CEO, Socos, Future of Human Potential

Andrea Hoffman (News - Alert) , Founder and CEO, and Peter Classen, Chief Transformation Officer and Sr. Strategist, Culture Shift Labs, The Path to Growth, Innovation, and Abundance Through Diversity and Inclusion

Raj Kapoor, Chief Strategy Officer , Lyft , Thoughts from the Front Line of Autonomous Transportation

Chief Strategy Officer Lyft Dr. Daniel Kraft, Chair, Medicine & Neuroscience, Singularity University, Digital Medicine

Danica Remy, CEO, B612, Mapping the Solar System

Neil Jacobstein, Chair, AI & Robotics, Singularity University; Dr. Mary Lou Jepsen, CEO & Founder, Opnwatr; Pablos Holman, Intellectual Ventures, T he Ethics of Exponential Technology moderated by Georgia Frances King, Ideas Editor, Quartz

moderated by Georgia Frances King, Ideas Editor, Quartz Dioselin Goselin, Sr. Director of Engineering, Mixed Reality at Work, Microsoft (News - Alert) , Ubiquitous Mixed Reality: People, Places, and Things

Anne Connelly, Vice Chair of the Board, Blockchain Canada; Cara LaPointe, Sr. Fellow, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, Georgetown University, Blockchain for Good moderated by Laura Shin, Crypto Journalist & Host, Unchained Podcast

moderated by Laura Shin, Crypto Journalist & Host, Wolfgang Fengler, Lead Economist, World Bank , Making Everyone Count: How Data Can Change the World

Mei Mei Hu, CEO, United Neuroscience, Democratizing Brain Health

Jun Axup, Chief Scientist, IndieBio, Food is Exponential Medicine

Suzanne Gildert, Founder & CEO, Sanctuary.ai, Introduction to Exponentials: Robotics

Allan Cook, Managing Director and Digital Reality Business Leader, Deloitte (News - Alert) Consulting LLP, Digital Reality: Transforming the Enterprise

John Hagel, Co-Chairman, Center for the Edge, Deloitte Services LP, Future of Work and the Individual, and Symposium: Moving from Pressure to Opportunity - the Challenge of the Big Shift

and Steve Hatfield, Principal, Future of Work Market Leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Organizations and the Future of Work

Geoff Tuff, Principal, Innovation and Applied Design Practices Leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Panel: Turning Exponential Insights into Action "We live in a time where unprecedented change is disrupting nearly every way we work and live. Our personal and professional lives are shifting in response to new technologies and business models. These forces challenge us to respond and adapt, or fall behind. In particular, organizations must adopt new ways of partnering externally to rapidly develop new capabilities and offerings. Singularity University provides critical impetus and education to help organizations accelerate their innovation transformations-and Deloitte is focused on innovating towards a technology-driven future by serving our clients' multi-faceted needs, beginning with operating the latest technologies, exploring new business models, and leveraging a broad ecosystem of collaborators and startups globally. Deloitte creates transformational solutions and operationalizes change, innovation, and preparedness," said Nishita Henry, Chief Innovation Officer, Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Deloitte is the Platinum Sponsor of Singularity University Summits, which includes the Global Summit, Exponential Medicine and SingularityU International Summits, which take place throughout the world. Deloitte is a founding member of SingularityU Netherlands. To learn more about SU programs and events, go to www.su.org. Deloitte innovation resources are available at https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/strategy/topics/innovation-consulting.html. ABOUT DELOITTE Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including more than 85 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to make an impact that matters-delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. ABOUT SINGULARITY UNIVERSITY Singularity University (SU) is a global learning and innovation community using exponential technologies to tackle the world's biggest challenges and build a better future for all. SU's collaborative platform empowers individuals and organizations across the globe to learn, connect, and innovate breakthrough solutions using accelerating technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology. A certified benefit corporation headquartered at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, SU was founded in 2008 by renowned innovators Ray Kurzweil and Peter H. Diamandis with program funding from leading organizations including Google, Deloitte, and UNICEF. To learn more, visit SU.org, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @SingularityU, and download the SingularityU Hub mobile app. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005445/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] U.S. Bank Names Jodi Richard Vice Chairman, Chief Risk Officer

U.S. Bank announced today that industry veteran Jodi Richard will become its new vice chairman and chief risk officer, succeeding P.W. (Bill) Parker, who previously announced his intention to retire this fall. In her new role, Richard will oversee the company's Risk Management and Compliance efforts as it continues its legacy of developing and maintaining strong risk management capabilities. The handoff between leaders will begin in the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition, with an effective date of Oct. 1. Richard will join the company's Managing Committee and will report to Chairman, President and CEO Andy Cecere in her new role. "Jodi is a strong, capable leader who has helped us transform our operational risk approach, and she will lead the Risk Management and Compliance team well," Cecere said. "She understands our culture and the importance we place on effective risk management. We are pleased with the quality of talent we continue to attract, retain and develop into leadership roles." Richard is currently the company's chief operational risk officer, overseeing operational risk management and independent testing functions, which encompasse everything from operational loss mitigation and risk control assessment to consumer complaint management, fraud risk management, third party risk management, data protection and governance, model risk, payments risk, enterprise security and crisis management. Prior to that role, she spent more than a decade at HSBC in positions of increasing responsibility in risk management and regulatory compliance. She also spent 12 years in the Office of The Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as a national bank examiner specializing in retail credit and worked as the chief compliance officer at a large credit card bank. Among her notable board memberships are the Minneapolis Board of Directors for Catholic Charities and industry boards for O.R.X. and the RMA Operational Risk Council. Born and raised in Iowa, she earned her bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Northern Iowa. She will continue to be based in Minnesota.



About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with 74,000 employees and $461 billion in assets as of June 30, 2018, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with mobile and online tools that allow customers to bank how, when and where they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial and corporate, and investment services customers across the country and around the world as a trusted financial partner, a commitment recognized by the Ethisphere Institute naming the bank a 2018 World's Most Ethical Company. Visit U.S. Bank online or follow on social media to stay up to date with company news.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005456/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Emerson Names Lal Karsanbhai to Lead Automation Solutions Platform

Emerson (News - Alert) (NYSE: EMR) announced today that Lal Karsanbhai will succeed Michael Train to become executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions, effective October 1. As previously announced, Train will take over as Emerson's president and will also serve as chairman of Automation Solutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005523/en/ Lal Karsanbhai will become executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions, effective October 1. (Photo: Business Wire) Karsanbhai, who has served as group president of Emerson's Rosemount Measurement & Analytical business since 2016, has more than 23 years of experience with Emerson in a career that spans the globe. He served as president of Emerson's former Network Power business in Europe, Middle East and Africa from 2014 and has held leadership roles throughout Emerson, including vice president of corporate planning, president of Emerso's Fisher regulator technologies, and vice president and general manager of its natural gas unit.



"Lal brings deep expertise and knowledge in not only automation technologies, but also the growing global footprint of the industries we serve," said Emerson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David N. Farr. "He will continue the evolution and incredible success of our Automation Solutions platform, as we help our customers navigate the shifting business landscape and adopt transformative digital technologies that improve the safety, cost and reliability of their operations." In his new role, Karsanbhai will oversee a business with expected 2018 sales of $11.4 billion and more than 53,000 employees across the globe. Emerson Automation Solutions serves a number of industrial manufacturing industries, including oil and gas, chemical, power, food and beverage, life sciences and water and wastewater. He also will join the Office of the Chief Executive, which is responsible for the company's global business strategies.

"Lal has been a thoughtful and dynamic leader for our business for many years, and I look forward to working closely with him in his new role," Train added. "His intensity on behalf of our customers and his drive to create and deliver best-in-class technologies and services will spur success and value for all of our stakeholders." Karsanbhai holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a master's of business administration degree from Washington University in St. Louis. About Emerson Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. Our Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical may be "forward-looking" statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, and Emerson undertakes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect later developments. These risks and uncertainties include economic and currency conditions, market demand, pricing, protection of intellectual property, competitive and technological factors, and the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among others, as set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the SEC (News - Alert) . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005523/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]$7.1 Bn Blockchain in Energy Market by Type, Component, End-user, Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "Blockchain in Energy Market by Type (Private, Public), Component (Platform, Services), End-user (Power, Oil & Gas), Application (Energy Trading, Grid Management, Payment Schemes, Supply Chain Management), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The blockchain in energy market is projected to reach USD 7,110.1 million by 2023, from an estimated USD 394.3 million in 2018, at a CAGR of 78.32%.

This growth can be attributed to the increasing popularity of the blockchain technology in the energy sector, high transaction speeds and immutability, and the rising security concerns across the globe. Lack of a common set of regulatory standards and the uncertain regulatory landscape can hinder the growth of the market.

The private segment held the largest market share in 2017 and is estimated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. The private segment provides more security over public blockchain. It can be utilized for various use cases including smart contracts, asset registry, and digital identity for various application such as energy trading and payment schemes.







The Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for blockchain in energy market in 2023 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Australia accounted for the largest share of the blockchain in energy market in the Asia Pacific in 2017 as it is one of the early adopters of the blockchain technology in the region.

For instance, Origin Energy, one of the leading energy providers of Australia, in a partnership with Power Ledger plans to adopt new energy trading platforms to maintain the record of buying and selling energy. The Australian government is also planning to invest more to gain the benefits of blockchain in energy market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 Blockchain in Energy Market, By Type

7 Blockchain in Energy Market, By Component

8 Blockchain in Energy Market, By End-User

9 Blockchain in Energy Market, By Application

10 Blockchain in Energy Market, By Region

11 Competitive Landscape

12 Company Benchmarking

Accenture (News - Alert)

AWS

Bigchaindb

BTL

Deloitte

Drift

Electron

Enosi

Grid+

IBM (News - Alert)

Infosys

Lo3 Energy

Microsoft

Nodalblock

Oracle

Power Ledger

SAP (News - Alert)

Wepower

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t77pxs/7_1_bn?w=4

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005578/en/[August 15, 2018] Wpromote Recognizes Company Growth with Strategic Hires and Launch of Inaugural Challenger Summit

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wpromote, the nation's largest independent digital marketing agency, today announced mid-year company growth, including the hire of vice president of paid media and the launch of its inaugural Challenger Summit conference. "Our unique approach to client service, innovation in digital marketing and expansive list of top tier clients is turning heads in the marketing industry. I am honored and humbled to be celebrating our 10th year on the Inc. 5000 list," said Michael Mothner, CEO and founder, of Wpromote. "As we continue to grow, we will look for creative ways to add value for our clients and our new roster of talent and groundbreaking Challenger Summit will help us do just that." Wpromote has tripled its workforce in the last five years, growing to over 350 employees as of July 2018. The strategic hire of Tom Hammel as vice president of paid media empowers Wpromote to offer clients a fully-integrated, profit-driven advertising service that goes beyond revenue and ROI to accelerate bottom-line growth for clients. Hammel comes from Google, where he pioneered new ways to integrate margin data and customer lifetime value modeling into AdWords. This strategy helped brands balance existing budgets and bids to optimal profitability, while also allowing them to identify and predict which customer segments they could target to take new market share profitably. He's now joined Wpromote to integrate profit automation technology across paid media services. Wpromote's client roster is also growing, with the addition of 75 new accounts in 2018 alone. Notable new clients join from across the retail, hospitality and fintech industries. Clients such as Frontier Airlines, Home Depot, The Honest Company and Benefit Cosmetics lookto Wpromote for services to help their brands compete.



"We've enjoyed working with Wpromote because they've proved to us that thinking like a 'challenger' isn't just a tagline, but rather their working style. Through our partnership, they have constantly brought new revenue-driving ideas and continue to push us to be better. The data, learnings and insights we receive are invaluable and have drastically increased our cross-channel performance. We are very happy with our decision to partner with Wpromote and can't wait to see where they take our business," said Christina Sokol, Marketing Manager for Frontier Airlines. Next month, Wpromote will host its inaugural Challenger Summit- a marketing conference geared toward chief marketing officers, vice presidents and private equity leaders that will disrupt the traditional event model and give a true insider's look at what works and what doesn't in marketing. In partnership with Google and Facebook, Wpromote will offer marketers the chance to mingle, share and learn with keynote speakers and break-out panels with experts.

The Inc. 5000 list evaluates the fastest-growing private companies in America and Wpromote is honored to be on the list. 2007 was the first year Wpromote made the Inc. 5000, at the time garnering over six million dollars in revenue and number 62 on the list. Now, ten years later, Wpromote has continued to rise the ranks with over 40 million in revenue, as it earns a spot on the honor roll of companies able to secure this repeatedly over five and ten years. About Wpromote:

Wpromote is an award-winning, rapidly expanding digital marketing firm with eight offices across the United States, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas. Named one of the Best Places to Work in the US by AdAge two years running, Wpromote and its 350 employees have helped hundreds of clientsfrom startups to Fortune 500 companiesgrow their businesses online with end-to-end digital solutions. Wpromote helps major brands Think Like a Challenger including Marriott, Bayer HealthCare, Verizon, CIT Bank, Z Gallerie, Coffee Bean, Shutterstock, J.D. Power, and Forever 21. Wpromote utilizes integrated search, mobile, and social marketing tactics to challenge its clients' top competitors. For more information, visit http://www.Wpromote.com. Contact: Whitney Wells

BAM Communications

whitney@bamcommunications.biz

C: 541-530-1677 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wpromote-recognizes-company-growth-with-strategic-hires-and-launch-of-inaugural-challenger-summit-300696012.html SOURCE Wpromote

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]If you are out in the neighborhoods and you are talking to people in our city, you will discover that there is like a silent mass trauma of untold numbers of children that experience this , Hofeld said. Its been so normalized by Chicago policing over the decades, and it happens with such regularity, that many of the citizens on the South and West sides that I talk to do not even know that its illegal policing to point a gun at a child for no reason.[August 15, 2018] Wyoming Virtual Set to Begin 2018-19 School Year

Students at Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) will begin their 2018-19 school year on August 22, simply by turning on their computers. An AdvancED-accredited online public school program of Niobrara County School District #1, WYVA is available to full-time students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students choose the public school at home option from across the state of Wyoming, many attending from remote areas where they may not otherwise have the opportunity to access an education like WYVA. Combining innovative technology with a rigorous curriculum led by state-certified teachers, WYVA offers each student a personalized learning experience, including small-group instruction opportunities and one-on-one teacher interaction. "Enrolling our daughter in Wyoming Virtual Academy has been the best decision we've ever made," said Linda Bates, whose daughter, ShaiLyn, is a rising 11th grader on the autism spectrum. "The virtual setting allows me to be actively involved in her education, and we feel so supported by her wonderful teachers, as well as the services she receives from the school. Not only is she thriving academically at WYVA, but she is growing as an individual, as well." Students in all grade levels take a full course load across the core subjects of English/language arts, math, science, history, world languages, art ad music, as well as electives, honors and Advanced Placement courses.



Eligible students can also earn college credit tuition-free while still in high school through concurrent enrollment in online courses at Eastern Wyoming College, with credits easily transferable to the University of Wyoming. Students can receive up to 32 credits to apply both to their high school diploma and post-secondary degree. WYVA's dedicated teachers facilitate lessons during live, interactive online classes, and interact with students and families via phone, email, web-based classrooms and online discussions, building close partnerships with parents and students to support academic success. The online platform enables students to enjoy a safe learning environment while connecting with classmates and teachers from across the state.

Throughout the school year, WYVA builds a sense of community through in-person field trips, monthly social outings and service learning opportunities. WYVA celebrates the end of the school year with an in-person prom and honors graduating seniors with an in-person commencement ceremony in the spring. Virtual clubs and student organizations also allow students to further explore their interests together in the online setting. WYVA is currently accepting enrollments for the fall. Interested families are encouraged to attend online information sessions hosted by the school. To learn more, visit wyva.k12.com or download the K12 enrollment app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices. About Wyoming Virtual Academy Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) is an AdvancED-accredited full-time online public school that serves students statewide in kindergarten through 12th grade. A public school program of Niobrara County School District #1, WYVA is tuition-free to Wyoming students, giving parents and families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about WYVA, visit http://wyva.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005543/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Sysmex Introduces New Standard In Diagnostic Device Training With Opening Of Center For Learning

VERNON HILLS, Ill., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sysmex, one of the fastest growing providers of diagnostic hardware and software in the U.S., officially opened its new, state-of-the-art, 98,000-square-foot "Center for Learning" today in Vernon Hills, Ill., another major milestone for the company as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. "Breakthrough innovation and ingenuity is in our DNA at Sysmex, from our products to the training we provide that help our customers realize the full potential of how investments in our technology can improve patient care," said Stephanie Post, senior director of Marketing Communications, Commercial Operations Training and Development, and Program Management. "This facility builds on the training programs that clinical laboratory professionals have come to expect from Sysmex, which are unlike any other training curriculum in the medical device industry." Since 2003, training has been the centerpiece of the unique package of support that Sysmex America provides its customers in the U.S. and Canada. Each product purchase includes a number of training "slots," used by customers to help key staff learn the skills needed to operate their recently purchased high-tech equipment. Designed to meet the changing training needs of Sysmex's growing customer and employee base in the U.S. and Canada, the multi-million-dollar facility more than triples the training capacity of its previous Center for Learning with classrooms for laboratory professionals and six classrooms for Sysmex's own technical engineers. "Our new Center for Learning is a major investment in our customers and our people," Post added. "It also demonstrates our commitment to leverage technology from a variety of fields to help drive innovation in healthcare." The new Center for Learning will have the capacity to train up to 4,400 people per year, including 3,000 customers - both virtually and on-site - and 1,400 Sysmex employees working in field service, the company's technical assistance center and clinical application specialists. Approximately 40 Sysmex employees are based at the new Center for Learning. When classes are in session, up to 80 staff and students are working at the center. Located less than three miles from the Sysmex America regional headquarters in Lincolnshire, Ill., the facility is already receiving rave reviews from customers, employees and visitors. Due to Sysmex's growth, the location of the former Center for Learning will be converted into a final assembly and staging location for the company's new XW-100 complete blood count (CBC) analyzer. Smart features abound Throughout the new facility, space is utilized to maximize flexibility, interchangeability and create a highly collaborative learning and working environment with smart features such as: A "Skyfold"wall dividing a large training room into two smaller rooms that transforms into a giant, erasable white board that students can write on

Open lobby areas arranged to also be used as breakout spaces for smaller groups

Use of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in the broadcast studios, which consume less energy, emit less heat and require less frequent replacement

Video monitors throughout the facility that post customer messages, so they can be shared without the involvement of staff or the disturbance of an announcement

Purpose-built technology infrastructure allowing training video files to be accessed, stored and edited much faster, increasing production staff efficiency as they are no longer waiting for time-consuming file downloads

Locating diagnostic equipment used for training purposes on outside room walls to maximize open space and natural light



More than triples number of studios for innovative Virtual Instructor-Led Training

When demand for customer training rapidly increased due to sales growth, the Sysmex learning staff created a new training model called Virtual Instructor-Led Training  or VILT. VILT involved taking the very best of conventional training, such as live, instructor-led learning, a combination of sharing information and performing hands-on exercises, and real-time question and answer opportunities with expert instructors, and combined it new technologies to make the experience as "classroom like" as possible. To do that, the Sysmex team used high-definition, live video streamed over the Internet broadcast from commercial-grade studios, equipped with the same instruments the students are learning to use in laboratories where they work. VILT has been embraced by Sysmex customers and allowed the company to make training available to many more laboratory professionals throughout the U.S. and Canada. While the older Center for Learning offered two VILT studios, the new one has seven, each one fully equipped with the most high-tech and environmentally friendly technology to make maximum use of the space. The learning team collaborated with outside studio consultants, and considered lessons learned as the company gained more experience with VILT. Once customer laboratory staff have completed a curriculum of VILT classes, they are extended exclusive invitations to attend advanced classes, in-person, at Sysmex's new Center for Learning. In addition to live classroom and broadcast programs, Sysmex customers have an array of on-demand training options at their fingertips - available 24 hours a day, seven days per week - including eLearning, Webinars and more. Across its an entire menu of training options, Sysmex America customers attend more than 14,000 classes per year. About Sysmex's Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Leaders from Sysmex's Corporate Learning Team have guest-authored articles for Training Industry, the most trusted source of information on the business of learning. A January 24, 2018 "e learning" article provides an overview of VILT. A July 5, 2018 "learning technologies" article discusses new technology used to bring VILT up to the level of broadcast quality it offers today. About Sysmex America Sysmex America is lighting the way to better health with diagnostic solutions that transform the future of healthcare and contribute to healthier lives. Its innovative hematology, urinalysis and flow cytometry testing technology is reshaping the world of diagnostics. As Americas regional affiliate of Kobe, Japan-based Sysmex Corporation  a trusted global leader respected for optimizing the efficiency, operations and financial performance of clinical laboratories  it offers diagnostic products that equip patients and the healthcare professionals who treat them with the information needed to make decisions with greater trust and confidence. Sysmex, founded in 1968, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Forbes magazine named Sysmex one of the most innovative companies in the healthcare equipment and services category, and the Center for Companies That Care named Sysmex America to its "Honor Roll." To learn more about Sysmex America, please visit www.sysmex.com/us. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-introduces-new-standard-in-diagnostic-device-training-with-opening-of-center-for-learning-300697703.html SOURCE Sysmex America

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Miller Law, LLC and Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Announce Partial Settlement for Purchasers of Liquid Aluminum Sulfate

If You Purchased Liquid Aluminum Sulfate From January 1, 1997 Through February 28, 2011, You Could Be Affected By A Proposed Class Action Settlement announced by Miller Law, LLC and Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Please read this entire Notice carefully. Partial settlements of the lawsuit may affect your rights. A partial settlement in a lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey ("the Court") against the following Defendants, General Chemical Corporation; General Chemical Performance Products, LLC; General Chemical LLC, GenTek Inc., Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund; Chemtrade Logistics Inc., Chemtrade Chemicals Corporation; and Chemtrade Chemicals US, LLC.; Chemtrade Solutions, LLC; C&S Chemicals, Inc., USALCO, LLC, Kemira Chemicals, Inc., Southern Ionics, Inc., GEO Specialty Chemicals, Inc., Frank A. Reichl, Vincent J. Opalewski, Alex Avraamides, Amita Gupta, Milton Sundbeck, Kenneth A. Ghazey, Brian C. Steppig, American Securities LLC, Matthew Lebaron, and Scott Wolff. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that Defendants hurt competition and violated state antitrust, consumer protection, and other laws by allocating customers and markets and fixing the price of Liquid Aluminum Sulfate ("Alum"), thereby causing indirect purchasers to pay too much for Alum. Defendants deny any wrongdoing. A Settlement has been reached with Defendant GEO Specialty Chemicals Inc. ("GEO"), Kenneth A. Ghazey ("Ghazey") and Brian C. Steppig (the "GEO Settling Parties"). The lawsuit will continue against the other Defendants (collectively, "Non-Settling Defendants"). WHO IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS? The Indirect Purchaser Settlement Class consists of all persons or entities in AL, AR, AZ, CA (News - Alert) , CO, DC, FL, HI, IL, IA, KS, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WV, and WI that purchased liquid aluminum sulfate, not for resale, which was manufactured, produced or supplied by Defendants or their unnamed co-conspirators from January 1, 1997 through February 28, 2011. Excluded from the Class are Defendants, co-conspirators and their respective parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates. WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE? GEO and the Settling Parties agreed to pay into an Escrow Account the sum of up to $4,375,000 (the "Settlement Funds") as follows. GEO shall use its best efforts to cause its insurers to pay $801,074 directly into the Indirect Purchaser Escrow Account within thirty (30) days of Final Judgment. GEO shall also pay $898,926 into the Indirect Purchaser Escrow Accunt (collectively, the "First Installment"). GEO shall make one additional payment of $1,675,000 that shall be paid into the Indirect Purchaser Escrow Account on or before the first anniversary of the First Installment. GEO will undertake a marketing process for a sale of all or substantially all of its equity interests, a merger of GEO and another entity, or a sale of all or substantially all of its assets (collectively, a "Sale") that will commence no later than thirty (30) days after entry of Final Judgment. If this marketing process is successful, upon the closing of the Sale, the Indirect Purchaser Settlement Class shall be entitled to receive from GEO additional compensation pursuant to an equity value formula up to $1,000,000.



At this time, Interim IPP Lead Counsel are not seeking attorneys' fees in connection with this Settlement. Interim IPP Lead Counsel intends to ask for reimbursement of certain of their out of pocket expenses incurred so far in this litigation, including expert witness expenses incurred to date, as well as service awards for the class representatives of up to $25,000.00 each from the Settlement Fund in recognition of their efforts to date on behalf of the Class. At a later date, Interim IPP Lead Counsel may seek up to one-third of the aggregate of funds achieved for the Class, and from any future recovery that may occur in this Class Action against the Non-Settling Defendants. HOW DO I RECEIVE A PAYMENT FROM THE SETTLEMENT? No money will be distributed yet. The Interim IPP Lead Counsel will continue to pursue the lawsuit against the Non-Settling Defendants. All Settlement Funds that remain after payment of the Court-ordered attorneys' fees, incentive awards, costs, and expenses will be distributed at the conclusion of the lawsuit or as ordered by the Court.

You may visit the website www.LiquidAluminumSulfate.com for updates on the status of the lawsuit. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS? If you wish to remain an Indirect Purchaser Settlement Class Member, you need not take any action at this time. You will give up your right to sue the GEO Settling Parties for the claims that the Settlement with them will resolve. If you want to keep the right to sue or continue to sue the GEO Settling Parties about the legal issues in this case, then you must exclude yourself from the Class. If you exclude yourself from the Indirect Purchaser Settlement Class, you will not get any payment from the Settlement. To exclude yourself, you must send a letter to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked no later than October 2, 2018. You may also comment on or object to the proposed Settlement. Your objections must be filed no later than October 2, 2018. Details on how to request exclusion, comment, or object to the Settlement are available on the Settlement website, www.LiquidAluminumSulfate.com. WHO REPRESENTS ME? The Court appointed Jay B. Shapiro of Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. and Marvin A. Miller of Miller Law LLC as Interim IPP Lead Counsel to represent the Indirect Purchaser Settlement Class on an interim basis and for purposes of the Settlement. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense. The Court will hold a final fairness hearing to decide whether to approve the terms of the Settlement at 10:00 a.m. on November 14, 2018, at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building & U.S. Courthouse, 50 Walnut Street, Newark, New Jersey 07101. If there are objections, the Court will consider them but may still approve the Settlement. You may appear at the hearing, but you are not required to do so. The hearing may be rescheduled without notice to the Class, so if you plan to attend, please periodically check the Settlement website for any updates. This notice is only a summary. For more information, please visit the Settlement website, www.LiquidAluminumSulfate.com or call 1-866-217-4455. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005124/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] STEM Premier Announces Strategic Investment from K12 Inc.

STEM Premier, an online platform linking current and future workforce talent with recruiting needs, announces a $9 million strategic investment from K12 Inc., a leading provider of online curriculum. STEM Premier's platform will be incorporated into K12's nationwide Career Technical Education programs in order to match students with hard-to-fill careers in healthcare, IT, construction and manufacturing. Co-founded by Casey Welch, STEM Premier's platform has proven to be an effective approach to tapping into the future workforce in South Carolina. The company partnered with South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance in a proactive initiative called SC Future Makers to address common workforce issues. SC Future Makers is addressing the ongoing challenge of identifying emerging talent and developing skilled manufacturing associates. "The resources in South Carolina have been critical to our growth. We have been honored to partner with many organizations in the State to address the workforce challenge," said Casey Welch, STEM Premier CEO. "Attracting the investment of a national leader in educational technology will provide us the opportunity to accelerate both of our companies' missions." STEM Premier is located in Mt Pleasant, employs more than 15 people and boasts more than 370,000 talent profiles from more than 19,000 schoos across the country. The company has received investments and support from notable South Carolina organizations such as Home Telecom, SCRA's investment collaboration SC Launch, Inc. and Comporium, among others.



"This investment is affirmation of the hard work being done by the team and the impact they have already created," said Lee MacIlwinen, SCRA Regional Manager and STEM Premier Board Member. "STEM Premier has been a Client Company of SCRA's since 2014 and it is rewarding to see this next phase of growth." "Having K12 Inc., a leading nationwide online curriculum provider, invest in STEM Premier validates the work that has been done in South Carolina to make the online recruiting tool for students, educators and employers a leader in this space," said William S. Helmly, Home Telecom President and CEO. "I am pleased with the new partnership and excited to see the exponential growth now possible from the added resources."

"K12's investment is about more than just a capital infusion, it's about opening new avenues for students and employers to connect. That's what makes this really exciting," stated Comporium's Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, John Barnes, Jr. "Comporium and STEM Premier have common goals in connecting people and in fueling workforce development. We're pleased that STEM Premier is getting an increased opportunity to expand its capabilities in both areas." About STEM Premier STEM Premier is the first online app that assists students in designing a career pathway, educators in recruiting top talent to their schools, and employers in developing a stable, continuous talent pipeline. Through a mobile digital portfolio, students (age 13+) showcase their skills and abilities, receive personalized career guidance, match with over $20 billion in scholarships, and get directly connected with post-secondary institutions and companies looking for the next generation of talent. For more information, visit www.stempremier.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005621/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Texas-Based Company Launches #AllSmilesNoGuns Back to School Giveaway

In an effort to help prevent gun violence, Houston-based Karya Property Management-the third largest property management company in Texas, which manages 15,000 apartment units in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin-has handed out free clear backpacks to children who live at its 49 Texas properties. According to the latest statistics, gun violence in the United States takes the lives of more than 2,700 teens and children and injures more than 14,500 every year. A rising number of these incidents are taking place in schools. Lockers have traditionally been the storage place for students during the school day, but backpacks have been taking over that role in many schools nationwide. Recent health and security issues have caused concern about backpacks being used to hide drugs, knives and guns - causng a number of schools to require students to carry only clear backpacks.



Karya Property Management believes that as an emerging multifamily housing company, there is a social responsibility to unite and raise one voice as a community. With this clear backpack initiative, Karya plans to send a message of awareness to its residents who are also parents or students and might have faced this situation. "Karya Property Management would like to thank the Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department and Harris County Sheriff's Department for their participation at all of the back to school events in Houston and surrounding areas where most of our properties are currently located," said Swapnil Agarwal, CEO, Karya Property Management. "The officers, firefighters and deputies interacted with the parents and children, providing them with important information about how to stay safe when both in and out of school, and we truly appreciate their participation."

For #AllSmilesNoGuns photos, click here. Social Media Hashtag: #AllSmilesNoGuns Click here for Link to #AllSmilesNoGuns Photos View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005641/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Zomedica Announces 2018 Annual Meeting Results

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zomedica Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NYSE American:ZOM) (TSX-V:ZOM) (Zomedica or Company), a veterinary diagnostic and pharmaceutical company, today announced that all ordinary and special resolutions were passed at the Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders, which was held today in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. An aggregate of 62,390,126 shares (67.15%) of all issued and outstanding shares of the Company were represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. The following five nominees were re-elected as Directors of the Company to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, or until their successors are elected or appointed: Gerald Solensky Jr., Shameze Rampertab, Jeffrey Rowe, James LeBar, and Rodney Williams. The following additional resolutions were passed at the Annual and Special Meeting of Company Shareholders: Fixing of the number of directors of the Company at five (5)

Approval of the appointment of MNP LLP as the independent registered accounting firm of the Company for the ensuing year; and

Approval of the Companys 2018 Stock Option Plan About Zomedica

Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zomedica (NYSE American:ZOM) (TSX-V:ZOM) is a veterinary diagnostic and pharmaceutical company creating products for companion animals (canine, feline and equine) by focusing on the unmet needs of clinical veterinarians. Zomedicas product portfolio includes novel diagnostics and innovative therapeutics that emphasize patient health and practice health. With a team that includes clinical veterinary professionals, it is Zomedicas mission to give veterinarians the opportunity to lower costs, increase productivity, and grow revenue while better serving the animals in their care. For more information, visit www.ZOMEDICA.com. Follow Zomedica Email Alerts: http://www.zomedica.com/investor-information/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zomedica

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zomedica/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zomedica



Reader Advisory

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 the release. Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is 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 anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships; risks pertaining to permits and licensing, intellectual property infringement risks, risks relating to future clinical trials, regulatory approvals, safety and efficacy of our products, the use of our product, intellectual property protection and the other risk factors disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Investor Relations Contacts

Shameze Rampertab, CPA, CA

srampertab@zomedica.com

+1 647.283.3630 PCG Advisory Group

Kirin Smith, COO

ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

+1 646.863.6519

www.pcgadvisory.com Media Contact

Andrea Eberle

aeberle@zomedica.com

+1 734.369.2555

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Lufkin Homeowners Benefit from $23K Partnership Grant

A Lufkin, Texas, nonprofit that assists homeowners in updating and rehabbing their homes got a boost yesterday with a $23,000 Partnership Grant Program ( PGP (News - Alert) ) award from Austin Bank, Southside Bank, Citizens National Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005698/en/ Lufkin, Texas, nonprofit Neighborhood STRONG received $23,000 in Partnership Grant Program funds from Austin Bank, Southside Bank, Citizens National Bank and FHLB Dallas to benefit local homeowners. (Photo: Business Wire) Neighborhood STRONG partners with local foundations, charities and corporations as well as city, state and federal agencies to assist homeowners of Wards 1 and 2 in the city of Lufkin with enhancing and/or renovating their properties. The organization will use the PGP funds to help with administrative costs. "When learning that we were awarded this grant, we were extremely thankful," said Dr. Wayne Lawrence, executive director of Neighborhood STRONG. "We have limited funds to go toward administrative assistance, office space and supplies. The grant will tremendously help us with these costs." Through this unique grant program, FHLB Dallas member institutions contribute $500 up to $4,000 to a CBO, which FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio to provide the CBO up to $12,000 in grant money. "We appreciate the opportunity to partner with FHLB Dallas to invest in the quality of life for North Lufkin residents," said Southside Bank Vice President and CRA Officer Brooke Mott. "Through the vision of Neighborhood STRONG, we look forward to seeng the impact the grant will have on the community."



Citizens National Bank's Senior Vice President and Central Regional Manager Jon Moore also emphasizes the value of the PGP. "The Partnership Grant Program has been a wonderful benefit for our bank," said Mr. Moore. "We truly value the importance of giving back to the community through financial assistance and this program is the perfect way of doing so."

In 2018, FHLB Dallas has awarded $300,000 in PGP funds through 31 member institutions to assist 32 community-based organizations. Combined with the $114,010 contributed by FHLB Dallas members, a total of $414,010 has been awarded to the organizations. Austin Bank CRA Officer Debbie Braune said the bank's community has benefited from the PGP. "We really appreciate the partnership aspect of the PGP because it opens the door for Austin Bank to positively affect the community," said Ms. Braune. FHLB Dallas Vice President and Affordable Housing Program Manager Bruce Hatton said the PGP was designed to strengthen partnerships. "Our members' partnership on this particular grant is a testament to their commitment to the community," said Mr. Hatton. "One of the goals of the PGP is to build stronger relationships, especially for our members and their communities." Neighborhood STRONG's Dr. Lawrence said the nonprofit needs grants from programs like the PGP to operate sufficiently. "We are incredibly grateful for FHLB Dallas and their members' assistance," said Dr. Lawrence. "Their work is essential for us to carry out our mission." To learn more about the PGP or other Community Investment programs from FHLB Dallas, visit fhlb.com/community. About Austin Bank Austin Bank's lengthy legacy is the foundation of its philosophy to provide the financial stability and trust that contributes to the growth and prosperity of the communities it serves. With 32 locations in 23 cities and 11 counties, Austin Bank is a trusted financial source for the families and businesses it serves in East Texas. About Southside Bank Southside Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Southside Bank, is headquartered in Tyler, Texas. With approximately $6.37 billion in assets, Southside Bank operates 59 banking facilities in East, North, Central Texas and Southeast Texas. The bank also operates a network of 84 local ATMs/ITMs, and is affiliated with more than 55,000 foreign ATMs worldwide. Established in 1960, Southside Bank is a community-focused financial institution that offers a full range of financial services to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. These services include: consumer and commercial loans; mortgages; loans to municipalities; personal, small business and commercial deposit accounts; safe deposit boxes; business services; credit cards; ATMs; trust and wealth management; brokerage services; and an array of online and mobile services. About Citizens National Bank Citizens National Bank was established in 1930 at the height of the Great Depression. With their recent acquisition of Union State Bank, they are now a $2.2 billion community bank that serves East and Central Texas with a combined network of 36 conveniently located branches. CNB also has trust assets under management of $650 million. Throughout its existence, CNB has remained committed to providing excellent personal service with the latest in banking technology. Citizens National Bank can be found online at CNBTexas.com. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank system created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $75.9 billion as of June 30, 2018, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced advances and other credit products to approximately 825 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. Visit fhlb.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005698/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][August 15, 2018] Jackson Hole hosts the 4th annual Aspiration Summit

WESTLAKE, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4th annual Aspiration Summit, a special 4-day event for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and related profiles, will be held September 5-9 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The program is sponsored by Solera Holdings, Inc. (Solera), in partnership with Aspire, a Mass General Hospital therapeutic program, and Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Association (JHTRA). The Summit benefits attendees with a transformational experience by enabling them to bond with trained therapy horses, the great outdoors, and each other. During the Summit's 4 days, the participants are taught how to ride and care for their own horsegrooming the animals and practicing a handful of training tactics. Professional trainers from JHTRA walk beside each participant and horse to provide encouragement along the ride. Beyond the training paddock and the JHTRA facilities is an expansive stretch of mountains and breathtaking scenery. In addition to daily horse training, the Summit includes a number of outdoor team-building activities, enabling participants to test new skills, build confidence to take on everyday challenges and establish authentic relationships in picturesque Wyoming.



Ryan Marquez , former Aspiration Summit participant. "I feel like this provided me a good foundation and a good environment to learn about myself." Solera, a global leader in data and automotive technology, has woven the principles of generosity and community into its DNA. Founder and CEO, Tony Aquila, lends his ranch to the Summit and spends an evening with the participants, an activity he relishes the most.

"This is an event that I really look forward to every year," said Aquila. "Philanthropy has always been a big part of my life and something that I've brought to Solera. We've been able to play a small role in bettering the lives of these participants through the Summit, and that's something I don't take for granted." For more information, visit aspirationsummit.com. About Solera Holdings, Inc.

Founded and continuously led by inventor and entrepreneur Tony Aquila, Solera is a global leader in digital technologies that connect and secure life's most important assets: our cars, trucks, homes and identities. Today, Solera processes over 300 million digital transactions annually for approximately 235,000 partners and customers in nearly 90 countries. For more information, please visit solera.com. About Aspire

Aspire is a highly successful, therapeutically-based program that annually serves more than 240 children, teens and adults with high-functioning autism and related profiles. The program supports more than 22 area school districts and conducts workshops serving 750 professionals each year. For more information, please visit massgeneral.org. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jackson-hole-hosts-the-4th-annual-aspiration-summit-300697892.html SOURCE Solera Holdings, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Verify announces New Canadian Subsidiary

Verify, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Company has opened a new wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, Verify Canada to provide the full suite of Verify's Supplier Performance Management (SPM) solutions.

"Verify has been providing SPM services to our Canadian customers for many years while at the same time providing our international customers with support across all Canadian provinces," explains Verify's Chief Operating Officer, Alan McIntosh. "However, the launch of our Verify Canada business will mean that Verify has a local Canadian management team dealing with local issues in full alignment with our global strategy."

Verify Canada's Head Office is located at:

1000, rue De La Gauchetiere Ouest, bureau 3700

Montreal, Qebec H3B 4W5









To find out more about Verify Canada or the Verify global enterprise, please visit www.verifyglobal.com.

About Verify:

Verify, Inc. is a leading provider of supplier performance management solutions for aerospace, high-technology, and quality critical applications. Since 1976, Verify services have improved supplier and program performance while reducing cost of poor quality. Headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices located throughout America, Europe, and Asia, Verify supports over 400 customers at more than 7,000 supplier locations in 53 countries helping customers receive quality product on-time from their suppliers.

About Verify Canada:

Established in 2018, Verify Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verify, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005734/en/[August 15, 2018] David Perez to Retire as President and CEO of Terumo BCT on March 31, 2019; Antoinette Gawin Named Successor

LAKEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Terumo BCT announced today that David Perez will retire as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Terumo BCT and that Antoinette Gawin, executive vice president, global commercial, will succeed him in both roles. Antoinette will become president on October 1, 2018 and will become CEO at the start of fiscal year 2019 on April 1, 2019. David also serves on the Terumo Corporation board of directors and will retire from this position at the end of his current term in June 2019. David has served as an exemplary leader since he began his career with Terumo BCT, then called COBE BCT, in May 1999. He guided the company through multiple changes in ownership, including Gambro BCT and CaridianBCT and when the company joined Terumo Corporation in 2011. "David is an established leader in the global blood management and transfusion medicine industry and will leave behind an enduring legacy of leadership, impact and influence. Under his leadership, the company grew revenue almost sixfold, nearing $1 billion, and introduced multiple innovative products that have fundamentally changed and improved blood transfusion and cellular therapies. I would like to thank David for his contributions over many years and wish him every success in the future," said Shinjiro Sato, President and CEO of Terumo Corporation, Terumo BCT's parent company. David Perez said: "It has been an honor and a privilege to lead Terumo BCT and to serve on Terumo's Board of Directors. I have a deep emotional connection to the company, to our associates and customers, and to the patients we ultimately serve. When I retire, I will have been leading the company for almost 20 years and I am trul thankful for the incredible experiences that have shaped my life and will forever be part of who I am. I have complete confidence in Antoinette and her ability to build on our success and take the company to the next level by diversifying and expanding into growth areas."



Antoinette Gawin joined Terumo BCT in 2016 and has made significant contributions to the company through her strong focus on the voice of the customer. Prior to Terumo BCT, Antoinette served in leadership roles at Baxter overseeing global market access, commercial excellence and strategy. For 22 years prior to that, Antoinette worked in leadership positions at several GE subsidiaries, including GE Healthcare Technologies, GE Industrial and Power Systems, GE Information Services and GE Corporate. Living in Switzerland, London and the U.S. during her tenure at GE, she led global organizations and served in a broad range of influential roles, including chief marketing officer, chief executive officer and general manager. Shinjiro Sato said: "I am very pleased to announce Antoinette's appointment after a very comprehensive selection process. David and I share the belief that Antoinette is the right person to lead Terumo BCT into the future. She is an outstanding leader with highly valuable experience and a strong track record of delivering growth and driving performance in healthcare."

Antoinette Gawin said: "I joined the Terumo BCT community to help shape healthcare. The solutions and clinical expertise we bring to the frontiers of medicine truly can unlock the potential of blood and cells to advance therapies. I am honored to be selected as David's successor. I'm looking forward to working with David and other leaders over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover and continue to develop plans for 2019 and beyond." About Terumo BCT

Terumo BCT, a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy technologies, is the only company with the unique combination of apheresis collections, manual and automated whole blood processing, and pathogen reduction technologies. We believe in the potential of blood to do even more for patients than it does today. This belief inspires our innovation and strengthens our collaboration with customers. About Terumo Corporation

Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation is one of the world's leading medical device manufacturers, with over $5 billion in sales and operations in more than 160 nations. Founded in 1921, the company develops, manufactures and distributes world-class medical devices, including products for use in cardiothoracic surgery, interventional procedures and transfusion medicine; the company also manufactures a broad array of syringe and hypodermic needle products for hospital and physician-office use. Terumo contributes to society by providing valued products and services to the healthcare market and by responding to the needs of health care providers and the people they serve. Terumo Corporation's shares are listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (No. 4543, Reuters symbol <4543.T>, or Bloomberg 4543: JP) and are a component of the Nikkei 225, Japan's leading stock index. Media Contact

Terumo BCT

Bradley Hein

+1.303.542.5396

press@terumobct.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/david-perez-to-retire-as-president-and-ceo-of-terumo-bct-on-march-31-2019-antoinette-gawin-named-successor-300697123.html SOURCE Terumo BCT

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]According to the indictment, Cochran took a bribe from a liquor store owner  identified as Individual B  in 2015 in exchange for his support of an ordinance amending the municipal code to allow liquor sales in a two-block stretch of South Cottage Grove Avenue in the 20th Ward. The owner wanted to sell the business, but the area had since gone "dry," and the amendment was needed for the buyer to continue to sell liquor there.Sometimes, it's hard to believe how quickly mobile cameras have advanced in the past couple of years, as newly launched devices look to outdo the class leaders every few months. Now, it's the Samsung Galaxy Note 9's turn for a shot at the crown.

Google Pixel 2 XL (left), Apple iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (right)

Armed with a dual-lens, 12-megapixel camera that combines a variable-aperture shooter with a telephoto lens for 2x optical zoom and bokeh-effect portraits, the Galaxy Note 9 borrows much of the technology powering the cameras in the Galaxy S9+. The difference is a new AI-aided Scene Optimizer feature, which identifies your surroundings to tune each shot based on the type of scenario, such as greenery, waterfalls, skyscrapers and, of course, night environments.

We traveled around New York City with Samsung's latest phablet, as well as a Pixel 2 XL and an iPhone X, to determine how the Note 9's dual cameras and Scene Optimizer compare to the best phones for photography.



Rear Camera Front Camera Price Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Dual: 12 MP (f/1.5 or f/2.4), 12 MP telephoto (f/2.4) 8 MP (f/1.7) $999 (128GB)/$1,249 (512GB) Apple iPhone X Dual: 12 MP (f/1.8),; 12 MP telephoto (f/2.4) 7 MP (f/2.2) $999 (64GB)/$1,149 (256GB) Google Pixel 2 XL Single: 12.2 MP (f/1.8) 8 MP (f/2.4) $749 (64GB)/$849 (128GB)

We used all three phones to shoot eight photos and then awarded points to each device based on the results. For each round, the winner received 3 points, second place got 2 points and third place earned 1 point. Every photo from the Note 9 was shot with the Scene Optimizer feature turned on. Here's what we found.

Google Pixel 2 XL (left), Apple iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (right)

Grand Central Station

The main hall of Grand Central Station is one of the most telling tests for any camera, because it has a little bit of everything. There are intense highlights from the clock and backlighting, deep shadows in the corners, fine details in the brick walls and a warm ambience that really puts your shooter's auto white balance and metering on trial.

That makes it an excellent place to start. And right off the bat, we see the Note 9 actually produces a slightly darker frame than what you witness in the iPhone X's and Pixel 2 XL's best efforts. The Note 9's photo is also not quite as sharp, with the lines of the brick walls getting a bit fuzzy in the distance and greater degrees of noise appearing the farther up you look.

Click above to expand

That said, the Note 9 did the best job of reining in the backlighting from the center window, as well as the intensity of the light emanating from the clock and the text underneath it.

Still, the Pixel 2 XL took the victory in this test, with the best balance of brightness, sharpness and realistic colors. Meanwhile, the iPhone X failed, showing a complete inability to navigate those highlights. View full-size image

Round #1: Grand Central Station

1st place: Pixel 2 XL

2nd place: Galaxy Note 9

3rd place: iPhone X

Greenery

Another AI-suggested scene for the Note 9 pertains to greenery, and that's what the camera suggested for this round, shot in Bryant Park.

This one's tough, as all the phones produced great pictures, albeit in different respects. The Note 9 nailed the contrast, with strong shadows producing a sense of depth that other devices lacked. However, the decidedly cool white balance was far from ideal. The Pixel's shot was free of noise and conveyed rich color from the pink roses, but it was also the darkest of the bunch. Meanwhile, the iPhone turned in another photo that exhibited its penchant for the brightest images, though the roses ended up far too blown out.

Click above to expand

Once again, it was Google's phone that got the closest to the actual conditions and replicated the warmth we witnessed at the time. However, the Note 9's strong detail earns it a well-deserved second place. View full-size image



Round #2: Greenery

1st place: Pixel 2 XL

2nd place: Galaxy Note 9

3rd place: iPhone X

Portraits

Interestingly, Scene Optimizer applies only in the Note 9's Auto shooting mode. Once you try a Live Focus shot  Samsung's portrait mode by another name  AI doesn't play a factor.

Still, the Note 9 delivered a solid shallow depth-of-field portrait of my colleague Caitlin. The detail wasn't quite up there with the Pixel's, and Caitlin's skin tone was a bit lighter than in real life  a factor both Google's and Apple's handsets addressed. However, I like the brightness of the Note's attempt, as it more accurately conveys the light falling on the scene from the window out of frame to the left.

Click above to expand

When it came to the background blur, though, only the Pixel got it right. The iPhone strangely blurred out Caitlin's hair, while the Note 9 mostly fared better but preserved the pillar to the left perfectly in focus. That created some odd artifacting near her ear, where you can clearly see the point where Live Focus' software unconvincingly began applying the bokeh effect. It's a small mistake that brought down an otherwise great portrait. View full-size image

Round #3: Portraits

1st place: Pixel 2 XL

2nd place: Galaxy Note

3rd place: iPhone X

Skyline

We headed back to Bryant Park for some lovely shots of skyscrapers on a summer evening. And once again, the iPhone and Note committed the same cardinal sin, by washing out the entire frame in an attempt to keep the darker regions visible.

For this particular example, the Note 9 employed its backlighting AI mode, which pumped up the saturation ever so slightly against the bright summer sky. Samsung's superwide f/1.5 aperture pulled in detail from the depths of those trees, but it was a bit overzealous with the grass and the building to the left, which should have been more beige than gray.

Click above to expand

Remember, this was the beginning of dusk on a sunny day, so the cool haziness that Samsung's and Apple's HDR software dialed into the scene didn't really apply, giving the Pixel another W. View full-size image

Round #4: Skyline

1st place: Pixel 2 XL

2nd place: Galaxy Note 9

3rd place: iPhone X

Bakery

The cinnamon swirl you see below produced wildly different results on the three phones. Neither the Note nor the iPhone could compete with the Pixel's ability to pick up those glimmers of light in the surface of the pastry. Then again, Apple's device managed a brighter and warmer shot, which also painted an appetizing picture in its own right.

Click above to expand

The Note 9, on the other hand, dialed the saturation up to 11 for a photo that resembled an Instagram filter gone horribly wrong. The phone knew it was looking at food, but I suspect it didn't account for the particular type of food it was presented with, as the subtle shades of brown transformed into an eye-searing, neon-infused orange.

Thankfully, the effect can be toned down if you opt to switch off the Scene Optimizer. Nevertheless, it's disappointing that the Note 9's headline camera feature actually made a photo objectively worse in this instance. View full-size image

Round #5: Bakery

1st place: Pixel 2 XL

2nd place: iPhone X

3rd place: Galaxy Note 9

Flower

Although you could argue that the Pixel and the iPhone did a better job of capturing the texture of the petals in this nighttime shot of a flower, the subject also appears subtly out of focus on both cameras. It's actually more of an issue on Google's handset, which seemed to have a hard time exposing the details because of the absence of light.

Click above to expand

The Note 9's rendition may come across a bit oversaturated for some in our jury. But it's considerably crisper, and the background is significantly more visible, thanks to the Scene Optimizer recognizing that this was a night scene and pumping up the brightness in accordingly. View full-size image

Round #6: Flower

1st place: Galaxy Note 9

2nd place: iPhone X

3rd place: Pixel 2 XL

Building

During the bulk of this face-off, I struggled to find examples in which the Note 9's AI processing clearly worked to a scene's benefit. Thankfully, all that changed once we started shooting photos at night.

Click above to expand

In low light, the Note 9's Scene Optimizer, combined with that superwide f/1.5 aperture setting, can pull off some amazing tricks. Notice how it renders each leaf of the trees overhead in far better clarity than the iPhone or the Pixel. You can actually make out the shades of green that make up the canopy. The facade of the building is also properly exposed, highlighting the terra-cotta hue of the stone. In the other two attempts, the building just looks vaguely gray. View full-size image

Round #7: Building

1st place: Galaxy Note 9

2nd place: Pixel 2 XL

3rd place: iPhone X

Ticket Counter

Perhaps you're noticing a theme here. The Note 9's cameras are good, but they prioritize visibility in low light more highly than accurate color, which is every bit as important.

If the Note 9 and iPhone X have one advantage over Google's phone, it's their telephoto lenses. The Pixel 2 offers only a single lens, so it can't switch to a secondary camera for optical zoom. That results in a blurry mess when you try to pinch for close-ups on faraway subjects, as we were forced to do here.

Click above to expand

You could argue that the other two phones' cameras are more versatile for that reason, despite their faults. And the Note 9 demonstrated the benefit of its second lens with a crisp, evenly lit picture of a few ticketing stalls inside Grand Central Station. Everything's well exposed, and Samsung's shot was by far the least noisy of the bunch  though the clarity of the text on the boards in the iPhone's attempt helped Apple's hardware win back some credit here. View full-size image

Round #8: Ticket Counter

1st place: Galaxy Note 9

2nd place: iPhone X

3rd place: Pixel 2 XL

Overall Winner: Google Pixel 2 XL

Samsung has once again developed an excellent low-light shooter, and the Note 9 also produced a better-looking flower close-up than the competition. However, for most other occasions, outdoors or in, the Pixel 2 XL still edges out Samsung's flagship. Meanwhile, the iPhone X has seen its stock diminish as progressively better mobile cameras have hit the market.

Of course, that could change in September, when we see what Apple's been cooking up for the cameras in the next batch of iPhones. But as it stands now, we've seen everything Samsung's flagships have to offer in 2018, and although the Note 9's cameras are very good, the company still has a little work to do to take the lead  particularly when it comes to HDR and, of course, those new AI features.



Galaxy Note 9 iPhone X Pixel 2 XL Grand Central 2 pts 1 pt 3 pts Greenery 2 pts 1 pt 3 pts Portraits 2 pts 1 pt 3 pts Skyline 2 pts 1 pt 3 pts Bakery 1 pt 2 pts 3 pts Flower 3 pts 2 pts 1 pt Building 3 pts 1 pt 2 pts Ticket Counter 3 pts 2 pts 1 pt Overall 18 pts 11 pts 19 pts

Most of the time in our testing, the Note 9 produced shots that were a bit too blown out, overly cool and not quite as sharp as they should have been. Scene Optimizer proved to be a revelation when things got really dark outside, but otherwise, it tended to pump colors up too vividly, consequently producing less-realistic results.

That leaves us with a simple verdict: If you want the best phone for taking photos of a night on the town, the Note 9 is a stellar choice. But if you want the best phone for taking photos everywhere else, the answer remains the Pixel 2 XL  at least for now.

Credit: Tom's GuideSo we know the Galaxy S10 won't feature 5G support, but that hasn't stopped Samsung from making a significant announcement on the 5G front.

It comes in the form of a new modem  the first 5G modem Samsung has ever produced, that will enable exponentially faster data speeds in its future products.

Samsung has unveiled the Exynos Modem 5100, a chip built on the latest 5G specification agreed upon by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project). The modem can reportedly deliver throughput up to 2Gbps when running in sub-6GHz mode, and a maximum of 6Gbps when using mmWave networks.

To ensure a seamless transition between existing LTE infrastructure and nascent 5G networks, the Exynos Modem 5100 also supports all modern standards, from 2G GSM and CDMA all the way up to 4G. That's a critical detail, as LTE is still improving even as 5G takes shape, and will continue to from the backbone for carriers' networks for some time.

The most interesting thing about Samsung's new piece of kit, though, is when it's expected to launch. While 5G might seem years away, the company says it expects to implement the Exynos Modem 5100 in consumer devices before the end of 2018.

That's an ambitious claim, though it's also a bit confusing. Again, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S10, likely releasing next spring, will not support 5G. The Galaxy Note 9 has already launched with no provisions for 5G, so it's unclear what product this chip will find a home in.

MORE: Moto's 5G Mod Is a Big Risk, and We're the Guinea Pigs

Furthermore, even if the Exynos Modem 5100 does see the light of day before January, we're still in very early days for mobile 5G. Sprint made headlines earlier this week when it said it would release its first 5G phone, an LG-made device, in the first half of next year. The carrier expects to roll out 5G support in nine cities in over that timeframe: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, Verizon is embarking upon 5G with a 5G Moto Mod for the upcoming Moto Z3, though so far the company has only shed light on its residential 5G gear.

It'll be interesting to see how the first 5G devices operate in real-world environments. Early 4G LTE phones were crippled in battery life, even though they delivered what was, at the time, phenomenal data speeds. Perhaps Samsung is waiting for a point when it feels it can deliver an experience as consistent as that of its current handsets  at that point, maybe we'll see modems like the 5100 inside the Galaxy S11 or perhaps the Note 10 in a year's time.

Photo Credit: Caitlin McGarry/Tom's Guide(Image credit: Google)

Google is today allowing users in the United States sign up for Google One, its new consumer storage service with a new name and pricing. Users with paid Google Drive plans may have already been upgraded.

If youre not in the U.S., youll have to wait a bit. Google says that it will open up One to more countries in the coming weeks.

Google One plans start at $1.99 per month for 100GB, $2.99 for 200GB or $9.99 per month for 2TB. Users with 1TB plans are automatically upgraded to the 2TB plan, and the 200GB option is brand new. Of course, you still get 15GB of free space with Google services, but none of the extra benefits. One does not replace Drive, but rather allows for space across all the entirety of Googles ecosystem.

15GB Free 100GB $1.99 per month 200GB $2.99 per month 2TB $9.99 per month 10TB $99.99 per month 20TB $199.99 per month 30TB $299.99 per month

Additionally, Google One allows for a family plan, so you can have as many as five people sharing storage on a single bill. This is similar to Microsofts Office 365, which provides 1TB of storage for up to five users (plus five Office installs).

But Google Ones plans are a bit cheaper than Microsofts OneDrive, which offers 5GB of storage free, 50GB for $1.99 per month, 1TB for $70 per month, which includes Office 365, and 5TB with Office 365 (5 installs) for $99.99 per year.

Google One also adds 24/7 customer service to answer user queries. I had a chance to go hands-on with it. A little after 6:30 p.m., I contacted support to ask about how to access Gmail offline. I had to be transferred to another representative, but despite the simple question, the Google rep never made me feel dumb (and even backtracked when I pretended to be confused).

Additionally, Google is adding rewards to Google One members using its services. The company states that it has begun by issuing Google Play credits and deals on hotels found through Google Search (another odd echo of Microsofts Bing Rewards). Google suggests that in the future, deals on Google Express and the Google Store could become available.

Again, if youre not in the U.S., youll have to wait a bit. Google says that it will open up One to more countries in the coming weeks.

Users who want to join Google One can go to the website for more details.More than two decades after New York launched an annual music festival to honor the Kansas City icon who propelled jazz into a modern era - that'd be Charlie Parker - the group KC Jazz Alive organized its first celebration of the man.Is KC becoming liverwurst?! Our beloved town seems to be turning into a disgustingly cheap, yucky form of "meat"! Kansas City! Do we want to be what is essentially ...

More than a few of you d-bags have asked about this crazy little blog on the side bar that pops up from time to time . . . It's certainly an acquired taste but the metaphorical turn of a phrase is intriguing as both local foodie review and social commentary.Checkit:A St. Louis area woman's Facebook post is going viral after she was denied a job with a local company because of her "ghetto" name. Hermeisha Robinson posted to her page Monday that she applied for a customer service representative position with Mantality Health in Chesterfield.A bridge in the northwest Italian city of Genoa collapsed on Tuesday, killing 26 people, injuring 15 others, and sending cars crashing from heights of more than 150 feet on to rail tracks, buildings, and a river. The catastrophic scene unfolded just as heavy rains pummelled the Italian city. Its unclear what led to the bridges collapse, but Italys Interior Minister Matteo has vowed to get to the bottom of the issue, including holding those responsible accountable for the disaster.

This is about as frightening a scene as you can imagine. As expected, reports are still coming in about the incident, but it appears that investigations on why the bridge collapsed will go on for a few more days. There have been conflicting reports from witnesses, including one who said that lightning struck the bridge moments before one of its huge supporting towers crashed down during the torrential downpour. Engineers, on the other hand, said that lightning is unlikely to be the reason and that its still too early to determine the cause of the collapse.

Whats clear at this point is that the disaster brought about unspeakable heartbreak to a lot of people. So far, multiple reports say that 26 people have died from the accident, including a child, according to Angelo Borrelli, the head of Italys civil defense agency. 15 more people are reportedly injured, though those numbers are expected to climb as rescue workers continue searching for people trapped in the rubble.

For now, rescue operations take precedence over everything else. Genoa police spokesperson Alessandra Bucci made that clear in an interview with Reuters. "We are continuing with the rescue operations because we think there are other people alive under the rubble, Bucci said. "We have extracted people from the rubble, and now we are focusing on assisting the people, and later, we will understand what caused the collapse of the bridge."

Its hard to put into words our reactions upon watching videos of the horrific disaster happen in real-time. Its not something you wish to happen to anybody, let alone innocent people who were going about their day without any knowledge of the hand that they were about to be dealt. Hopefully, the rescue operations find more injured people than dead ones. But to those who have perished, we send our thoughts and prayers to their families and friends. This kind of tragedy couldve been avoided, and those who died didnt have to lose their lives.China may be ground zero for hundreds of startup EV automakers, but that doesnt mean success is on the horizon for a lot of these companies. Thats the sentiment shared by NIO Capital Managing Partner Ian Zhu, who told Bloomberg that 99 percent of all Chinese startup electric car makers will fail to get off the ground because of a lack of significant investment in the technology.

Its a very complicated system that needs abundant investments and a large group of people to be able to build a car from scratch

NIO Capital Managing Partner Ian Zhu makes sense, even though it must be noted that he runs a venture capital fund thats partly backed by NIO, a Chinese EV company that has the record-setting Nio EP9 in the fold. The EP9, for those who are unaware, set the lap record for an electric car at the Nurburgring when it posted a lap time of 7:05.12 back in November 2016.

While it is strange for Zhu to dismiss the potential of startup electric car makers in China, he does make a point as far as his reasons are concerned. Its a very complicated system that needs abundant investments and a large group of people to be able to build a car from scratch, Zhu said in an interview with Bloomberg. Therefore, the survival rate of all these EV startups will be very low.

Zhus concerns stem from the number of technological investments a lot of these companies have to make to get their projects off the ground. These tech investments need money  lots of it  and finding that money is going to be much more difficult now that there are more companies who are looking to do the same things.

Put these elements together and sprinkle in the rising competition among these companies and its easy to see Zhus point. Weve even seen signs of what Zhu is talking about with other Chinese EV startups, particularly those who made huge promises in the beginning, only to falter when money started becoming tight. Remember Faraday Future? The Chinese EV ecosystem is becoming more and more competitive as more brands start jockeying for position at the dinner table. There just arent enough seats and enough meals to go around for all of them.

Were probably going to see more firms be born as long as China remains true to its goal of becoming the world leader in producing electric cars

Still, the cloud that hangs over all of these companies hasnt stymied attempts by these companies to exceed expectations. In fact, were probably going to see more firms be born as long as China remains true to its goal of becoming the world leader in producing electric cars. Billions of dollars have been poured into startup companies, a lot of whom see Tesla as an example of what the possibilities are if they play their cards right. Companies like Xpeng Motors and NIO, which is backed by tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., have done right by their goals. Even Geely-owned Lynk & Co. is on the right track to become successful in its field.

As pessimistic as Zhu paints the future of most Chinese EV startups to be, there remains a palpable sense of enthusiasm among these companies. Its not going to be easy for them to get to where they want to, especially if they dont have the funding in place, but for as long as China remains steadfast in its goal of being the world leader in electric car production, there should at least be optimism that more of these startups will succeed than fail. There will be casualties, sure, but for the sake of the future, heres to hoping that these casualties wont make up 99 percent of all those who tried.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Nio EP9.

Read our full review on the 2018 Faraday Future FF 91.

Source: BloombergHadiyas killing garnered national headlines and became emblematic of Chicagos persistent gun violence. Eight days before she was killed, Hadiya performed at President Barack Obamas second inauguration festivities. And the shooting took place about a mile from the former presidents Kenwood home. First lady Michelle Obama attended her funeral. In the years since her death, her parents, who sat in the second row at the trial Tuesday, have been outspoken about the implications of gun violence on families and the city.Lambo introduced the SV model at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show, a full five years after the Diablo went into production. It was essentially a more powerful version of the regular Diablo. It had larger brakes but lacked the all-wheel-drive system in the VT. The Diablo SV was updated alongside the other trims when Lambo facelifted the supercar in 1998, but it became the lineups base model and was discontinued after just one year on the market, replaced by the GT. Production of the Diablo continued two years after the SV was retired until 2001.

The Lamborghini Diablo arrived at a difficult time for the Italian firm. Barely out of bankruptcy and purchased by the Mimran brothers in 1985, Lamborghini began working on a successor for the aging Countach. Development took no fewer than four years, with the final car unveiled in 1990. Just like its predecessor, the Diablo was made available in various versions, including an SV model, reviving the Super Veloce name for the first time since the Miura SV was discontinued in 1973.

Lamborghini Diablo SV Exterior

Originally designed by Gandini

Revised by Chryslers Tom Gale

Wedge-style inspired looks

Pop-up headlamps

Some extra features

Rear wing

While modern vehicles are usually updated once every three or four years, the Diablo carried over unchanged until 1998

The Diablo has an interesting design story, as its looks were revised heavily before it went into production. Lamborghini contracted Marcello Gandini, who had already designed the Miura, Espada, and Countach, to pen the Diablo, the final result being a supercar with daring, sharp edges. Chrysler, who had purchased the firm in 1987, rejected the idea and gave the project to its own design team, led at the time by Tom Gale, who envisioned the Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler. Gale revised the Diablo by softening the wedge-style design.

Unhappy with the result, Gandini used his design for the Cizeta-Moroder V16T, a supercar developed by a group of former Lamborghini employees.

Up front, Lambo altered only the bumper, which gained big vents and revised foglamps

While modern vehicles are usually updated once every three or four years, the Diablo carried over unchanged from 1990 to 1998. The same goes for the SV, which had the same design since its introduction in 1995 and until the Diablo was upgraded in 1998. Compared to the standard model, the SV gained very few extra features.

Up front, Lambo altered only the bumper, which gained big vents and revised fog lamps. The turn signals on the sides were repositioned above the bumper and reshaped into smaller, round lights. Revisions to the side panels were barely noticeable, but the SV received new wheels, including an optional two-tone design.

The 1998 facelift affected the SV as well, which had the pop-up headlamps replaced with fixed, composite lenses

Around back, the reverse lights from the small grille were moved into the bumper, making way for a new "Diablo" badge and an "SV" logo. The trim around the grille and taillights was also changed from body color to black. Finally, Lambo added a new, wider wing, and a revised engine lid that featured two extra vents at the top.

The 1998 facelift affected the SV as well, which had the pop-up headlamps replaced with fixed, composite lenses, and gained new wheels and minor changes to the bumpers.

Lamborghini Diablo SV Interior

More ergonomic design

Luxury features

Fine leather

Audio system

Redesigned in 1999

The Diablo's interior was a massive departure from the Countach

The Diablos interior was a massive departure from the Countach. Not only it looked decidedly more modern, but it also had better materials and a more ergonomic layout. It also looks more organic thanks to the flat and angled dashboard and separate, upright instrument cluster binnacle. It also gained an angled center stack, which has since become the norm in modern supercars.

While it looks somewhat standard to todays standards, the Diablo featured fine, hand-stitched leather, fully adjustable seats and steering wheel, electric windows, and an Alpine audio system. It was also more comfortable to get in and out of thanks to the revised doors that opened wider, while visibility was much improved on the sides and toward the back.

Options included a custom-molded drivers seat, remote CD changer, a luggage set, and an exclusive Breguet clock

Options included a custom-molded drivers seat, remote CD changer and subwoofer, a luggage set, and an exclusive Breguet clock priced at a whopping $10,500. The SV was pretty much identical to the regular Diablo inside the cabin.

The facelift brought major changes inside the cabin. The dashboard was redesigned on a clean sheet and features an integrated wave-shaped design. A thin strip of black glass ran the length of the dash on the driver side and contained various gauges and warning lamps. This design was inspired by Bang & Olufsen products from the era. Lambo also added improved fabrics and new upholstery options. The range-topping VT model also gained carbon-fiber trim, but these werent available for the SV, which had become the base model.

Lamborghini Diablo SV Performance

5.7-liter V-12

510 horsepower

Upgraded to 529 horses

0 to 60 mph in as low as four seconds

Top speed rated at 204 mph

The SV had 510 horses and 428 pound-feet of torque. Unlike the VT model, the SV remained a rear-wheel drive car

Originally, the Diablo was powered by a 5.7-liter V-12 based on the same design that Giotto Bizzarrini created back in 1963 in the form of a 3.5-liter unit for the 350GT. The Diablo had a 48-valve version of the V-12 and featured dual overhead cams and computer-controlled multi-point fuel injection. Just like in the Countach, the engine was mounted behind the seats and used a five-speed manual transmission to send its power to the wheels.

The mill came with 492 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque on tap, but power increased as Lambo rolled out new versions of the supercar. The SV gained 18 horsepower, while torque remained unchanged, with total output set at 510 horses and 428 pound-feet. Unlike the VT model, the SV remained a rear-wheel drive car.

The SV needed 4.2 seconds to hit 60 mph, a benchmark that made it three tenths quicker than the base model

Other drivetrain updates over the base model included an extra set of front brake cooling ducts, a ducted engine lid similar to the Diablo SE30 Jota, and larger diameter front brakes.

The SV needed 4.2 seconds to hit 60 mph, a benchmark that made it three tenths quicker than the base model. However, the SV was far from being the quickest or most powerful Diablo, with the SE and SE Jota delivering 523 and 595 horsepower, respectively. These were the only Diablos to hit 60 mph in less than four seconds. As far as top speed goes, the SV was on par with the base model and the VT at 204 mph. Still, it was rather impressive as the Diablo was the first Lamborghini to surpass the 200-mph mark.

The tried-and-true V-12 was upgraded to 529 horsepower with the facelift

The facelift brought a more powerful engine in the SV. The tried-and-true V-12 was upgraded to 529 horsepower and 446 pound-feet, a 19-horsepower and 18-pound-foot increase. The mill also gained variable valve timing, while the braking system received larger rotors and a Kelsey-Hayes ABS unit. The 0-to-60 sprint time decreased from 4.2 to four seconds, while top speed remained locked at 204 mph.

The SV model was replaced after just one year into the facelift with the GT, which had a larger, 6.0-liter V-12 rated at 575 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.

Lamborghini Diablo SV Production & Pricing

Even though it was more powerful than the base model and had a few extra features, the SV was priced as the entry-level model

When launched in 1995, the Diablo SV retailed from $229,000. As a somewhat weird fact, even though it was more powerful than the base model and had a few extra features, it was priced as the entry-level model in the Diablo range, costing a bit less than the standard version.

Specific production figures for the pre-facelifted model are unknown, but Lambo likely built less SVs than standard models, estimated at 900 units. In 1999, Lambo built around 100 facelifted SV cars. In addition to the coupes, Lambo also produced around six roadsters and a custom-made VS Special for Victoria Secret.

Used Diablo SV models usually retail from around $150,000 to in excess of $250,000

The pre-facelift run also included the SV Monterey Edition, a U.S. exclusive model limited to 20 units. These had SE30 air intakes in front of the rear wheels and unusual, more vibrant exterior colors. In 1999, Lambo built the SV SE35 special edition for Swiss importer Roland Affolter to commemorate the companys 35th anniversary. Only nine were built with the only unique feature being a bull decal on the sides of the cars.

Used Diablo SV models usually retail from around $150,000 to more than $250,000 depending on condition and options. Facelift models with fixed headlamps are usually more expensive, mostly because production lasted only a year with around 100 built. However, some pre-facelift models can fetch in excess of $300,000 if mileage is below the 30,000-mile mark.

Lamborghini Diablo SV Competition

Essentially an evolution of the Testarossa, the 512 TR arrived in 1991 as a direct competitor to the Diablo. In 1994, Ferrari updated the supercar and renamed it the F512 M. The 4.9-liter V-12 under the hood was also enhanced to deliver 440 horsepower and 370 pound-feet. The sprint to 60 mph took 4.6 seconds, while top speed was rated at 196 mph. Granted, the F512 M wasnt as quick and powerful as the Diablo SV, but it had the exotic looks and the lavish interior to compete with its Italian rival. Unfortunately, the F512M was discontinued in 1996, one year after the Diablo SV broke cover when it was replaced by a front-engined car, the 550 Maranello. Originally sold for around 200,000, the F512 M can now be purchased starting from $100,000. However, low-mileage models can fetch as much as $500,000.

Read our full review on the 1994 - 1996 Ferrari F512 M.

Unlike the Diablo, the XJ220 was a limited-edition supercar produced for only two years. The British coupe was already out of production when the Diablo SV arrived, but its one of the few from the era that matched the Lambo in terms of power and top speed. Because Jaguars available engineering resources went into other vehicles, the XJ220 was co-developed with TWR, with which the Brits had an existing joint venture. This cause some problems and Jaguar eventually replaced the V-12 in the concept car with a twin-turbo, 3.5-liter V-6 unit from Austin Rover. The XJ220 arrived with 542 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, and it was quicker than the Diablo SV, needing 3.6 seconds to hit 60 mph. Its top speed was also superior at around 210 mph. Less than 280 cars were built and sold from 470,000. Nowadays, an XJ220 will set you back at least $600,000.

Read our full review on the 1992 - 1994 Jaguar XJ220

Conclusion

The Lamborghini Diablo had a pair of really big shoes to fill when it arrived in the early 1990s, as it had to replace one of the most iconic supercars ever made, the Countach. Fortunately, and despite throwing away Gandinis rather unconventional design, the Diablo created quite a stir, and it was described as "the biggest head-turner in the world" by Top Gears Jeremy Clarkson. This remains true to this day when Diablo continues to take the spotlight at classic car shows and Lamborghini gatherings. While the SV wasnt the most powerful or the quickest Diablo, it remains a solid option if you want some of Lambos iconic wedge-style design without the aggressiveness of the Countach.

Love it Flamboyant design Luxurious cabin Powerful V-12 engine

Leave it Not the fastest Diablo Still expensive as a used car



Further reading

Read our full review on the 1990 - 2001 Lamborghini Diablo.

Read more Lamborghini news.The three-day third round of negotiations on the Mauritius-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) opened on Monday, 13 August 2018 at the Hilton Hotel in Flic en Flac. The FTA aims at further expanding bilateral trade and investment exchanges between Mauritius and the Peoples Republic of China.

The Mauritian delegation is being led by Dr Sunil Boodhoo, Director, International Trade Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade. The twelve-member Chinese delegation is headed by the Deputy Director General, Ministry of Commerce, Mr Hu Yingzhi.

In his opening statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, pointed out that the substance of the FTA should be that of a framework agreement which shows the way forward and conveys that both countries mean business. It should add the block and structure to make Mauritius and China an example of friendship, common interest and win-win situations to the rest world, he emphasised.

The FTA, the Minister pointed out, will in fact materialise and give substance to a strong friendship which has existed for so long between our two countries. China-Mauritius represent a beautiful story of friendship based on the principle of working together in the interest of each other, he said.

Speaking about Africa-China cooperation, Mr Lutchmeenaraidoo highlighted that it is necessary to find a solution which is related to the finalisation of two agreements namely: the first FTA which China is currently negotiating with an African country that is Mauritius; and, the Road and Belt initiative. The latter initiative implies that China wants to play more and more a positive and substantial role when it comes to the development of the whole planet, he stated.

The Minister also spoke how Mauritius although small in land size can act as a transmission belt and connecting link between the philosophy of China and the vision of Africa. This is where we are today, a new world and planet which is developing and where we are moving away from the West to the East and where the East wants to be present in world affairs, he said. It is on this basis that we are working collaboratively on these two initiatives, he remarked.

For his part, the Head of the Chinese delegation, Mr Hu Yingzhi, observed that the negotiations on the FTA have already reached an advanced stage within a short span of time. In addition, he expressed hope that the establishment at an earlier date of a Free Trade Area between both countries will help in further strengthening our long-lasting friendship. The FTA is also of great significance in ensuring the promotion of Africas economic, trade and investment cooperation with China, he stated.

Mr Hu recalled the recent friendship visit effected by Chinese President Xi Jinping two weeks earlier to Mauritius. This visit has not only brought new impetus to Mauritius-China friendly ties but has further triggered Chinese peoples interest towards Mauritius, he added.

Moreover, Mr Hu observed that President Xi and the Mauritian Prime Minister, Mr Jugnauth, acknowledged the progress made so far with regards to the FTAs negotiations and the two leaders expressed hope that both the Chinese and Mauritian delegations will work closely with accelerated efforts to advance the negotiations with the aim to achieving a comprehensive high level and mutually beneficial FTA in the near future.

The FTA is expected to be finalised by the end of August this year. It will be signed in Beijing in September 2018 during the Forum on China Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit in the presence of Prime Minister Jugnauth and Chinese President Xi.

The first round of negotiations on the Mauritius-China Free Trade Agreement kicked off in April 2018 while the second round was held in June.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15)  Maynilad announced service interruptions in several areas due to high turbidity levels in Ipo Dam, which made it impossible to distribute water to its customers.

"Turbidity" refers to the muddiness or murkiness of the raw water, which is caused by strong Habagat rains stirring up sediments in the water of Ipo Dam.

Maynilad said while the turbidity level of raw water from Ipo Dam has improved, it was still way above the usual levels.

The company apologized for not being able to do anything until rains over Ipo stopped and turbidity levels normalized, but assured customers the company is doing everything to lessen the impact of the supply interruption.

Maynilad cited areas without running water water from Wednesday, August 15, until Friday, August 17, particularly portions of Meycauayan and Obando in Bulacan, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Manila, Makati, Pasay, Paranaque, Las Pinas, and Cavite.

Maynilad said it would be implementing "rotational water supply availability schedules", starting Wednesday to ensure all customers would have a share of the limited supply. The supply schedules for the different areas were posted on its Facebook page.

The water supplier added it would be deploying water tankers to deliver potable water to the affected areas.

Maynilad also advised customers to expect some discoloration in the water supply when services resume.

"Should this happen, let water flow from your faucet for a few seconds until the water clears," it said.Livingston was one of the main organizers behind this months demonstration that temporarily shut down Lake Shore Drive, snaked through the streets of Lakeview and ended outside Wrigley Field. He and a couple hundred protesters said they took their anti-violence message to the North Side  a part of the city that organizers say gets more resources than neighborhoods where most of the shootings have taken place  to draw attention to police-involved shootings. Organizers also called for the resignations of Emanuel and Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson.Meet the 'Japan pig,' a newly discovered pygmy seahorse that is as tiny as it is beautiful.

The Syngnathidae family is a wonderfully odd bunch of fish. Including curious creatures like pipefishes, pipehorses and seadragons, the family also boasts seahorses amongst its members. And now theres a new member of the tribe, the Japan pig.

Named for its cute little snout that reminded local divers of a pig, Hippocampus japapigu, is not actually new, of course, but newly discovered as its own species.

The Japan pig is one of just seven known pygmy seahorse species, named for their diminutive size. The Japan pigs fit right in at a mere 15 millimeters long. The newfound seahorse is about as long as a grain of rice. Or, small enough "to fit two or three on the nail of my pinkie, says Graham Short, ichthyologist at the California Academy of Sciences and lead author of the paper describing the discovery.

Richard Smith/ZooKeys/CC BY 4.0

Occurring exclusively in Japan, very little is known about them, and about pygmy seahorses in general, says Short. Though he says that they are not that rare and they appear to have a fun side, noting that They seem to be quite active, even playful."

It comes as little surprise that Japan would play host to such an exquisite little fish. Recognized as a global hotspot of marine biodiversity, the authors note in the paper, the waters of Japan are home to 53 recorded species of syngnathids, including ten species of seahorses of which four are true pygmy seahorses.

Given their tiny stature and clever coloring, which helps them blend in with the seaweed and algae of their habitats, its kind of amazing that they were seen in the first place. Which will hopefully work to their advantage. Tragically, the numbers of larger seahorses are plummeting thanks to the aquarium trade and their popularity for use in traditional Chinese medicine, notes Short.

Thankfully, Short says, This will never be an issue for pygmy seahorses, because they are just too hard to find.

Read the full paper at ZooKeys.

Via National GeographicTreehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors)Since both require the same habitat, scientists are worried how primates will survive the expansion of industrial oil palm plantations.

As palm oil plantations spread throughout the African continent, primates will struggle to survive. The two are at odds with each other, according to a new study published in PNAS, since oil palms require the same forested equatorial land that primates inhabit. In order to grow the oil palms, the original forest is cleared and the primates lose their irreplaceable habitat.

This pattern has already been demonstrated in Indonesia and Malaysia, the two biggest producers that supply 30 percent of the world's palm oil. But as less land becomes available in those countries and other tropical countries look for ways to boost their income, it is believed that most future palm oil expansion will take place in Africa.

Scientists are deeply concerned about this because primates in Africa are already in such trouble. Thirty-seven percent of mainland species and 87 percent of species in Madagascar are at risk of extinction, affected by agriculture (including oil palm cultivation), logging, and mining, as well as poaching. Companies have shown unwillingness to compromise by growing oil palms in areas of low importance for primate conservation. From the BBC:rchopra@tribunemail.com

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune news service

Chandigarh, August 15

A new housing scheme for the residents of the city has been announced by Chandigarh Administrator VP Singh Badnore at a function organised to celebrate Independence Day here.

Badnore unfurled the Tricolour at a function held at the Sector 17 parade ground on Wednesday morning.

While addressing the gathering, Badnore recounted the achievements the city had made in the past one year in the fields of education, health, infrastructure and digital payment system.

The administrator said the administration had provided houses to the economically weaker sections. The Chandigarh Housing Board will launch a new housing scheme for the general public by the end of the year. A proposal for developing a habitat project at the IT park for residential and commercial developments is also under consideration.

The administration has announced Thursday as a holiday in all government and private schools of the city.

Meanwhile, mayor Davesh Moudgil unfurled the national flag at a function held at the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation office.

Moudgil said the MC would construct three more multilevel parkings at Sectors 34, 22 and 17. The Mayor has also vowed to make Chandigarh number one in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan this year.

He said the city residents would soon get additional water supply as the work on the project of improving the water supply was almost complete.

The Administartor and mayor also gave awards to those excelling in various fields. Cultural programmes were not held in the wake of the demise of Chhattisgarh Governor and former Punjab deputy CM Balramji Dass Tandon on Tuesday. The At Home functions were also cancelled by the Governors of Punjab and Haryana.monicakchauhan@gmail.com

New York, August 14

Over 100 people, including some Indians, have been detained by the US border patrol and immigration officials in enforcement action for illegally entering and living in the country.

Federal officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 45 people in the Houston area for violating US immigration laws during a five-day enforcement action.

The agency did not give the total number of Indian nationals arrested during the operation.

Individuals arrested included nationals from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Cuba, Nigeria, India, Chile and Turkey, ICE said in a statement.

The local enforcement operation targeted at-large criminal aliens, many of whom had absconded from prior immigration proceedings, it said.

The agency said some of the individuals arrested during the operation would face federal criminal prosecution for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation.

Arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted would be detained in ICE custody and administratively processed for removal from the US, it said.

In a separate action, US Border Patrol agents discovered 78 illegal aliens inside a locked refrigerated trailer at a checkpoint in Texas last week.

The illegal aliens were found in good health and identified as being from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Brazil, Ecuador, India and Dominican Republic.

"These criminal organisations continue to use tractor trailers and view these individuals as mere commodities without regard for their safety.

"The blatant disregard for human life will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law-enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle these organisations and prosecute those responsible," said Laredo Sector, Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens.

Earlier, nearly 100 Indians, mostly from Punjab, were detained at two immigration detention centres for illegally entering the US through its southern border.

President Donald Trump had reversed his controversial decision on immigration by signing an executive order to end the separation of immigrant families on the US-Mexico border, following widespread protests against the move of his administration to separate children from their parents who illegally enter the country. PTIThe prize cattle typically are slaughtered, and in the past the governor has donated the meat to the University of Illinois, according to reports. Proceeds of the sale this year will go to 4-H clubs, the Illinois Future Farmers of America and the individual exhibitor, according to a news release.amansharma@tribunemail.com

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, August 15



A group of Dalits in Jind city on the Independence Day claimed to have converted to Buddhism as their demands were not fulfilled despite protesting for the past 188 days.

Monks from the Buddhist Society of India were present on the occasion to fulfil the rituals and documentation of religious conversion.

Though they got conversion forms filled by the volunteers today, they refused to give a number of those who embraced Buddhism.

Dinesh Khapad, leader of the protesters, alleged that socially oppressed castes had been marginalised in Haryana and made a victim of politics.

He blamed the BJP for being anti-Dalit.

Khapad alleged the RSS and its affiliating outfits react to the atrocities on Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries but remained mute spectators, when Dalits were harassed and abused in the BJP-ruled states in India.

On June 4 this year, a group of more than 100 Dalits under Khapad had claimed to have embraced Buddhism in Delhi.

We have been demanding a CBI probe into the alleged suicide of my uncle Ishwar Singh and the alleged rape-murder of a Dalit girl from Jhansa in Kurukshetra. Also, the widow of a Dalit CRPF jawan, Satish Kumar from Jinds Chhatar village, was subjected to humiliation by the state government by not giving her a regular job. No public place has been named after the late CRPF soldier who was killed in Kathua in 2015, he said.

Khapads uncle Ishwar Singh was a contractual employee of Confed at Jind.

On January 19 last year, Ishwar committed suicide by hanging himself at his house. The police had found a two-page note from his possession in which the deceased had accused three persons  the then Jind DFSC Ashok Rawat, the then Julana SHO sub-inspector Ram Niwas and a government contractor of forcing him to commit suicide.

The authorities are shielding the accused. The police have also failed to file a chargesheet in the abetment of suicide case, claimed Khapad, a complainant in the Ishwar suicide case.

Meanwhile, the monk Bhikkhu Sagar, who oversaw the conversion, told reporters that Buddhist organisations from China, Myanmar and other countries would soon come out in the support of those who embraced Buddhism today.

Jind Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri said the widow of the CRPF jawan was illiterate and she had joined the ad hoc job in the Asset Management Cell in Jind. But she stopped attending the duty for unsaid reasons, he said.

The DC said the panchayat of Chhatar village had yet to pass a resolution for naming a public place after the CRPF jawan from their village.

Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar, who was in Jind for Independence Day function, said a decision to change religion for demands was unfortunate.

He urged the protesting Dalits to approach the state and district authorities for redressal of their demands and to raise objections.rchopra@tribunemail.com

Hisar, August 15

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday announced a slew of incentives for the people of the state, including the Ayushman Bharat-Haryana health protection scheme and 24-hour power supply to 507 more villages.

Delivering his Independence Day address here, Khattar said dependents of security personnel killed in the line of duty would be given government jobs in Group B category based on educational qualifications.

He said the Rohnat Freedom Trust would be set up to work towards uprooting malnutrition, diseases and unemployment from Rohnat village of Bhiwani district.

Speaking after unfurling the national flag, Khattar announced that government employees would no longer be required to take No Objection Certifications (NOCs) from their head of departments before applying for higher posts in other departments.

He said from October 2, every household in the state would have a gas cylinder, and from November 1, the social security pension, including old-age allowance, widow pension and pension to physically challenged persons, would be increased from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per month.

The chief minister said that on a pilot basis, the Ayushman Bharat-Haryana health protection scheme was being implemented in 25 government hospitals, including one main government hospital each in 22 districts, the ESI Hospital in Faridabad, the PGIMS in Rohtak and the Kalpana Chawla Medical College in Karnal.

Under this scheme, 15.5 lakh eligible families would get free medical treatment facilities of up to Rs 5 lakh.

Any member of such families would get free treatment facility in any of these 25 hospitals from today, he added.

Referring to the Mahra Gaon Jagmag Gaon scheme, he said that from today, 507 more villages in the state would get 24-hour electricity supply. These include villages of Hisar, Bhiwani, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Rewari, Palwal and Mahendergarh disricts.

With this, the number of villages getting 24-hour power supply goes up to 2,887 from 2,380. Khattar said all villages of Panchkula, Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts were already getting 24-hour power supply.

The chief minister said the present BJP government in the state was committed to the welfare of freedom fighters and their dependents, and ex-servicemen and serving soldiers.

Government jobs had so far been provided to the 221 dependents of martyrs in various government departments, he added.

He said that till now, government jobs in Groups C and D were provided. However, now the dependents of martyrs would also be given Group B jobs on the basis of their educational qualification.

The chief minister said that during his visit to Rohnat village in Bhiwani district on March 23, he had discussed setting up of a Freedom Trust to rid people of various problems.

On the occasion of Independence Day, the Rohnat Freedom Trust had been constituted and it would start working soon, he added.

Khattar said the BJP government in the state had succeeded in keeping a check on corruption and nepotism which prevailed during the previous regime.

While describing the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal as the lifeline of Haryana, the chief minister lamented that people with vested interests were trying to misguide citizens on the issue just to gain political mileage.

We are committed to get the legitimate share of the Ravi-Beas waters, he asserted. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 14

The Indian Army avenged the killing of its soldier when it killed two Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Tangdhar sector of frontier Kupwara district.

Sepoy Pushpendra Singh of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, was killed during a counter-infiltration operation in the sector on Monday.

It is learnt that the Army targeted a Pakistani post which was giving covering fire to the infiltrators. On Monday, the Army had said a group of armed infiltrators were pushed back to the other side of the LoC, and in the gunfight Sepoy Pushpendra was killed. However, some reports suggested that the Army man was critically wounded in Pakistans sniper fire, and later succumbed to his injuries. The Indian and Pakistani armies also exchanged fire in the neighbouring Saidpora area of Tangdhar. There was no loss of life in the firing at Saidpora, a police officer said.

This is the first major ceasefire violation along the LoC in Kashmir after the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan agreed in May this year to fully implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in letter and spirit.

Despite the agreement, militants backed by the Pakistan army have been making attempts to infiltrate into Kashmir.

Sources claim that this year nearly 70 militants have infiltrated into the Valley and nearly 30 have been killed in various operations. Meanwhile, the Army on Tuesday paid a befitting tribute to Sepoy Pushpendra Singh who had joined the Army in 2011.rchopra@tribunemail.com

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 15

Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra on Wednesday said the state located at one end of the country was faced with many difficulties where steady growth and advancement suffered because of the continued violence during the past nearly three decades.

The governor was addressing at the main Independence Day function at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium under tight security arrangements here.

All routes leading to the SK Stadium were sealed off where the senior officers of the police and civil administration and other security forces participated in the celebrations.

Normal life was affected in response to the bandh call of separatists across the Valley today.

The governor unfurled the Tricolour and inspected the march past presented by various contingents of the police, other security forces and school children.

Those in attendance included National Conference president and Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah, former chief ministers, Omar Abdullah (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), other legislators and political leaders.

Our people in the Valley have been facing continuing difficulties and sufferings on account of the recurring disturbances, the governor said.

He added that every call for a hartal affected the functioning of public delivery systems, stoppage of transport, tourism, trade and business and closure of all educational institutions.

He lamented that almost every activity comes to a halt, with consequential difficulties for the people and losses on all fronts.

The recurring unrest, the governor pointed out, has most seriously affected the academic schedules and the future careers of the youth.

For the past nearly two months since the imposition of Governors Rule in the state, consequent to certain developments, the governor said that it has been my unflinching endeavour to see that the functioning of the entire administrative apparatus functions with promptitude, efficiency and complete accountability.

He also referred to the decisions taken to hold the elections for urban local bodies between September-October and panchayat elections in October-December this year.

The governor reiterated his appeal to the leaders of all the political parties in the state, and to all those at the helm of various social, cultural, religious and other influential organisations, to ponder over what exactly has been gained from the endless turmoil, the continuing human and economic losses and the sufferings which our people have been undergoing in the past several decades.

It also needs to be recognised that the activities of all those whose sole objective has been to stoke unrest have resulted only in branding our state with a negative profile which has discouraged tourism, external investments and adversely affected the economic advancement of the state, the governor said.rchopra@tribunemail.com

Srinagar, August 15

A strike called by separatists against Independence Day celebrations affected normal life in parts of Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.

However, stringent security measures were put in place across the valley for the celebrations, a police official said.

Shops, private offices, fuel stations and other businesses were shut in Srinagar, the official said.

He said the city wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off roads. Only a few private cars were seen plying.

The police official said reports of shutdown were also received from other district headquarters in the valley.

The separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership had asked people to observe a black day on Wednesday. The JRLcomprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malikhad asked people to observe a complete strike.

The police official said security forces had been deployed across the valley, especially at sensitive places, to maintain law and order.

Authorities have barred mobile telephone services, including Internet facility on handheld devices, as a precautionary measure. PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

United Nations, August 15

India and China, the most populous nations in the world, are key to making the United Nations relevant to everyone, President-elect of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has said.

Garces visited the two countries this month as she prepares to assume the role of President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in September.

The 193-member UN body had in June overwhelmingly elected Garces as its next president, making her only the fourth woman to lead the General Assembly in its 73-year history.

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, veteran Indian diplomat and sister of Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first woman to be elected President of the General Assembly in as early as 1953.

Home to more than a third of the worlds population, China and India are key to making the United Nations relevant to all people, Garces tweeted.

The insights I gained during my visit to these countries will be invaluable as I prepare for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Garces added.

In India, the President-elect met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, besides holding discussions with members of prominent think-tanks and civil society.

Garces said she had a successful meeting with Modi in New Delhi where the two leaders agreed on the importance of improving the efficiency of the UN.

Successful meeting with the PM of India Narendra Modi on my arrival to Delhi. I shared my priorities. We agreed on the importance of implementing commitments and improving the efficiency of the UN, she had tweeted.

Garces also expressed gratitude for Indias support to her office.

We will continue working together, she added.

Garces shared her priorities for the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly and the two leaders discussed the need for a stronger UN action on major global challenges including terrorism, a statement from the Prime Ministers Office said.

In her meeting with Swaraj, the top UN official discussed revitalization of the UN, including reform of the Security Council, strengthening global counter terrorism legal framework and other global issues.

In China, she had met Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, August 15

The government is committed to bringing in a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday even as he blamed some people for stalling its passage in Parliament.

In his Independence Day address here, he underlined his commitment to the passage of the instant triple talaq legislation in Parliament.

He blamed some people, an apparent reference to opposition parties like the Congress, for stalling its passage in the recent Monsoon Session.

The bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and seeks prison term of up to three years for the men.

He said the government had once again pushed for the passage of the bill in the Monsoon Session.

The practice of triple talaq has created problems in life of Muslim women...we brought law in Parliament, but some people are not letting it pass. I assure you that you would not be let down. I will do all it needs (to bring the law), he said.

While the bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha, it is pending in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.

To make the proposed law palatable to the opposition, a provision of bail for the accused from a magistrate has been added. Also, the amendments to the bill cleared by the Union Cabinet last week make provision for settlement between the husband and wife.

The FIR can now be lodged only by the victim, her blood relations and those who have become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Others, like neighbours, cannot lodge an FIR to prevent misuse of the proposed law. PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, August 15

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed as policy paralysis under the UPA, as he announced the launch date of his signature health care scheme covering 50 crore Indians.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day, his fifth speech after the NDA came to power in 2014, Modi also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces and a plan to send Indian astronauts into space by 2022.

When 125 crore people move towards achieving a goal, there is nothing that cannot happen. In 2014, the people of the country did not just stop at forming the government. They moved together towards nation-building and are continuing to do so, he said.

In the nearly 80-minute speech, Modi devoted much of the time in presenting the report card of his government and also touched on a host of burning issues, including the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, crime against women, legislation on instant triple talaq and state of the farm sector.

Accused by the opposition of running a pro-business and pro-rich dispensation, Modi dwelt at length about his governments initiatives to improve the lives of the poor and the backward sections of society and claimed that five crore people had been lifted out of poverty in the last two years.

Showcasing achievements of his government, Modi said negative reports about India, delayed reforms, fragile economy and red tape were the terms often used for the country under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) while it is being looked at as multi-trillion dollar economy offering red-carpet welcome to investors.

India was earlier a sleeping elephant which has woken up now and started running, said Modi, who was wearing a saffron-and-red Rajasthani-style turban.

On Kashmir, the Prime Minister said, We will move forward by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse.

Hitting out at the Congress regimes, Modi said if the country had moved forward at the same pace as in 2013, the last year of the UPA government, it would have taken decades to accomplish what had been achieved in the last four years.

Quoting Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharti, Modi said in Tamil, India will show the path to the world in ridding it of problems.

Among the dignitaries present at the Red Fort were BJP president Amit Shah and his wife who was sitting next to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda also attended the celebrations along with cabinet ministers, chiefs of the three services, top echelon of judiciary, civil servants as well as thousands of schoolchildren.

One of the big announcements Modi made was the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, described as the worlds largest health care measure, on September 25, the birth anniversary of BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. He said the scheme would initially cover nearly 50 crore people from 10 crore families.

He also announced permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces.

Women officers inducted into the short service commission (SSC) will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts, the Prime Minister said.

He did not elaborate whether it would be applicable to women in combat roles or in non-combat fields such as IT, military police, engineering, etc.

Referring to recent incidents of rape, the Prime Minister said the law is supreme, and asserted that society must be free from this demonic mindset. He hailed the recent judgement by a fast-track court in Madhya Pradesh to hang a rape convict. He made no specific mention of recent cases of lynching.

Modi also highlighted his governments efforts to protect the interests of Dalits and backward classes--the two communities being wooed by the ruling BJP ahead of the crucial elections--and said the recent Parliament session was totally dedicated to social justice.

The Prime Minister said that by 2022 India would send a son or daughter to the space with the national flag in hand.

Modi also vowed not to spare corrupt and black money hoarders, saying efforts of his government had freed corridors of power from brokers, enhanced the number of taxpayers and saved Rs 90,000 crore by eliminating bogus beneficiaries of many schemes.

Modi also thanked honest taxpayers for their contribution in the development of the country, which is now the worlds sixth largest economy.

Listing measures that had brought the untaxed in the tax net, he said the number of income taxpayers had increased to 6.75 crore from 3.5 crore before 2014.

Modi said the government is committed to a law banning the practice of instant triple talaq and blamed some people, an apparent reference to opposition parties, for stalling its passage in parliament.

He recited a poem to describe how his government was changing Indias destiny and that it was capable of taking tough and courageous decisions in the interests of the country.

Modi ended his speech with a call for housing, power, cooking gas, sanitation, health, connectivity and water for all and said his government is working with this mantra. PTIgspannu7@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15

Over 600 members of the Indian community and friends of India gathered at India House  the ambassadors residence in Wassenaar, Netherlands, on Wednesday morning to celebrate the countrys 72nd Independence Day.

This was the largest Independence Day gathering ever in the Netherlands and organised the second time at the India House in Wassenaar.

For the first time, mayors of two leading cities of the Netherlands  Utrecht and Wassenaar namely, Jan van Zanen and Frank Koen, also took part in the celebrations.

The celebrations began with the hoisting of the Indian flag by Ambassador Venu Rajamony, singing of the national anthem and reading out President Ram Nath Kovinds address to the nation.

This was followed by a performance of patriotic songs by the local music group Madras Chorus and kathak and odissi fusion dance performance by Netherlands Marathi Mandal. The celebrations were followed by delicious Indian snacks.

India and the Netherlands have a long history of friendly bilateral relations going back to more than 400 years encompassing many areas of shared interest.

The Netherlands is one of first three countries that established diplomatic relations with independent India in 1947.

Prime Minster Narendra Modi visited the Netherlands on June 27 last year. During his visit, he met with King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Rutte as well as his senior cabinet colleagues.

He participated in a CEOs Roundtable and interacted with Queen Maxima in her capacity as UNSGs special advocate for financial inclusion.

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited India in May 2018 along with high-level delegation comprising of four cabinet ministers and mayor of The Hague. He was also accompanied by a trade mission comprising of 131 companies/institutions and nearly 200 trade representatives, which was the largest trade mission to India from the Netherlands.

Both countries have strong economic interests in each other. There are about 200 Indian companies based in the Netherlands and over 200 Dutch companies in India.

The Netherlands was the third largest investor in India in 2017, after Mauritius and Singapore, with investments worth US$ 3.2 billion in 2017.

The total investment from the Netherlands to India in the period 2000-2017 comes to around USD 23 billion cumulatively. Around USD 9.2 billion has come to India in just last three years.

The Netherlands is also major destination for Indian investments with total investments by Indian companies estimated at USD 12.8 billion as on 31 March 2017.gspannu7@gmail.com

Kolkata, August 15

A special border personnel meeting between the Indian Army and Chinas People Liberation Army (PLA) was held on the Indian side at the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim on Wednesday to jointly celebrate Indias 72nd Independence Day.

Besides interactions between the two armies, cultural programme portraying the rich cultural diversity of the two countries were presented by both sides to celebrate the occasion, a Defence press release here said.

The celebration took place in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, with an aim to enhance mutual trust and promoting border peace and tranquility, it said.

Pleasantries were also exchanged in north Sikkim at Kongra La.

The joint participation of PLA is seen as a reciprocal gesture as the Indian Army had earlier participated in PLA Foundation Day on August 1, 2018.

Such interactions between the two armies have resulted in enhancement of goodwill and mutual understanding between the two nations, it said.

Indian Army troops deployed in remote and high altitude areas of north Sikkim also celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at different forward posts with great zeal and enthusiasm, the release said.  PTIWhat choice do you have? Do you want to wake up tomorrow and look at Illinois with J.B. in office, knowing the maps going to get redrawn, knowing that theres probably no chance to ever change (the legislation Rauner signed to expand taxpayer-funded abortions), and know that youre taxes are going up? If I had to wake up the morning the day to vote, think about that. I would seriously think about that, she said.pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, August 15

The Congress on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken the truth in the last Independence Day address of his term instead of making a hollow speech and urged him to accept party chief Rahul Gandhis challenge of a debate on issues such as corruption, mob lynching and Chinese incursions.

In his last Independence Day speech before Lok Sabha elections, Modi presented a picture of rising India under his government, contrasting it with what he termed was policy paralysis under the UPA.

Congresss communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister in his address did not utter a single word that was meaningful to the common man.

Surjewala claimed that people were now tired of the fake achche din promised by the BJP and were waiting for sachche din (days of truth) when he departs as the Prime Minister of the country.

In 2013, Modi had created a Red Fort-like replica in Chhattisgarh and from there he had challenged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, falling rupee and failing economy, rampant unemployment as also discrimination vis-a-vis farmers and Indias women, Surjewala said.

We ask you Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, five years after you have taken over as Prime Minister, are you ready for a debate on these very issues with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Will you debate on the issue of corruption and Rafale and Vyapam and other corruption scams of your government for you did not utter a single word from the precincts of the Red Fort on corruption, he told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Gandhi had dared the Prime Minister to a debate on the Rafale deal and claimed that he will not be able to answer his questions on the issue even for a second.

Surjewala also asked if Modi was ready to have a debate with the Congress president on issues such as the state of Indias farmers, mob lynching that is happening under the instigation and protection of BJP leaders and insecurity of women.

You (Prime Minister) did not utter a word, whether on Bihar or Unnao or any other rape incident that happened in the country, Surjewal claimed, referring to the shelter home case of Bihars Muzaffarpur district and the rape case in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao involving a BJP MLA.

Will you today debate on the failing economy and falling rupee, for the rupee has hit a new low that is 70 and the trade deficit has gone over USD 18 billion. Will you today debate as to the manner in which China has occupied Doklam, they are intruding into Ladakh and has been engulfing India from all sides, the Congress spokesperson alleged.

He also urged the prime minister to debate on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and rampant unemployment in the country.

The last speech of Modis tenure as Prime Minister has proved to be hollow because neither he made a mention of corruption in the Rafale deal nor did he say a word about the Vyapam or the PDS scams.

He also did not talk about incursions by China in Doklam and other places. He also did not speak about the environment of hate in the country, on the conspiracy of making brothers fight and how people are killing each other, on how hate is being propagated on the basis of religion, caste, regionalism, colour, dress and food, he said.

We wish that at least in his last speech, he would have spoken the truth, and if not mann ki baat, he could have at least done kaam ki baat, Surjewala said, taking a swipe at Prime Ministers Mann ki Baat Radio programme.

The Congress leader also said there was a need to fight a second struggle for independenceindependence from discrimination, independence from unemployment, independence from poverty, independence from lack of opportunities and from empty rhetoric and promises.

Asked about the remarks of Modi that Indias stature rose on the world stage in the last four years, he said the prime minister should not undermine Indias contribution in the last 70 years.

India was always a power and it did not happen in the last four years, he said, adding that the prime ministers statement of this nature was myopic, parochial and uncalled for on a day like the Independence Day.

He (Modi) makes promises to break them. His and his partys path has been one of spreading hate and divisiveness, Surjewala said. PTIamansharma@tribunemail.com

London, August 15

A 12th century Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago was returned to India on Wednesday by the UK's Metropolitan Police as part of a ceremony here to mark India's Independence Day.

The bronze statue with silver inlay is one of the 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museum in Nalanda and changed several hands over the years before surfacing at a London auction.

Once the dealer and the owner were made aware the sculpture was the same one that had been stolen from India, the Metropolitan Police said they cooperated with the Met's Art and Antiques Unit and agreed for the piece to be returned to India.

The statue was identified at a trade fair in March this year by Lynda Albertson of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA) and Vijay Kumar from the India Pride Project, who then alerted the police.

Scotland Yard returned the stolen statue to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Y K Sinha, as part of the ceremony to mark Independence Day at India House in London today.

"I am delighted to return this piece of history. This is an excellent example of the results that can come with close cooperation between law enforcement, trade and scholars," said Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Stewart, who was accompanied by officials from the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the handover ceremony.

"Although this was stolen over 50 years ago, this did not prevent the piece being recognised and the credit must go to the eagle eye informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years," she said.

Sinha described the return of the "priceless Buddha" as a "wonderful gesture" and a particular honour given his own roots in Bihar.

"I hope it will now go back to where it originally belongs... On our Independence Day, it (return of the statue) highlights the multi-faceted cooperation between our two countries," he said, after a Tricolour-hoisting ceremony to mark India's 72nd Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in London.

Detective Constable Sophie Hayes of the Met's Art and Antique Unit said that it had been established that there was no criminality by the current owner or the dealer who had been offering the stolen statue for sale.

"Indeed, from the outset they have cooperated fully with the police to resolve this matter and they have made the decision to return the sculpture via the police," Hayes said.

"We are delighted to be able to facilitate the return of this important piece of cultural heritage to India," she added.

The Art and Antiques Unit was founded 50 years ago and is one of the oldest specialist units in the Metropolitan Police Service. The unit prides itself on a "long history of reuniting owners with their stolen property".

Michael Ellis, UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: "As we celebrate India's Independence Day, I am proud to highlight the latest example of the UK's cultural diplomacy in action. Thanks to the work of the Metropolitan Police's Arts and Antiques Unit, we are one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues stolen from Nalanda nearly 60 years ago.

"This underlines how law enforcement and the London art market are working hand in hand to deliver positive cultural diplomacy to the world." - PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15

Four months after the Centre told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission (PC) to short service commission (SSC) women Army officers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made an official announcement to this effect.

This will change the career paths of a few hundred serving women officers in the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) besides opening the doors of opportunity for women who may join in the future.

The PM during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort said, Women officers who have been selected through the Short Service Commission in our defence forces will now have the option to take up permanent commission.

Women officers would get the same opportunities as their male counterparts, he added.

In the Army, there are two separate entry streams for both men and women. One is the direct permanent commission allowed to men in all streams and to women only in select streams like JAG, Army Education Corps (AEC) and the Military Police.

The scope is broader for women in the SSCthe option is to work for 10 or 14 yearsthey are allowed entry into Army Service Corps, Ordnance, Education Corps, JAG, Engineers, Signals, Intelligence and Electrical & Mechanical Engineering branches.

Men, who join the SSC, on same service rules as women, are given an option after 14 years to become regular commissioned officers of the Army and compete for ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Maj General and Lieut General. Women do not have the option, so Modi has announced a change in that.

However, since women so far are not allowed in direct combat arms like Infantry, Armoured, Mechanised Infantry, Aviation and Artillery, the move will not change the existing set-up in these branches.

The same two-stream entry formula applies to the IAF and the Navy; however, both have opened up some combat roles for women. The IAF has pioneered the entry of women as officers in flying and ground duty. In the IAF, women SSC officers are helicopter pilots, transport pilots and now even fighter pilots, besides being law officers, and in education and intelligence branches.

In Navy, women officers are inducted through SSC in Logistics, Law, Observers, Air Traffic Control (ATC), Pilots (Maritime Reconnaissance Stream), Naval Armament Inspectorate cadre (NAIC), Naval Architecture and Education Branch.

There are 1,561 women officers in the Army, 1,594 in the IAF and 644 in the Navy.

Women are recruited only as officers and not as troops.gspannu7@gmail.com

Patna, August 15

In an indirect reference to the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said his government is committed to bringing to justice those found guilty in some glaring incidents that have recently come to light.

He was speaking at the historic Gandhi Maidan here at the 72nd Independence Day celebrations.

His deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and state assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, among others, were present on the occasion.

Some glaring incidents have recently come to light. The guilty will not be spared. Our emphasis is on quick investigation, arrests of the accused and speedy trial. We will try to uphold law and order under all circumstances, he said.

Kumar was apparently alluding to the horrific sexual abuse of girls at a state-funded shelter home in Bihars Muzaffarpur city which sparked nationwide outrage. Medical examinations of 34 of the 42 inmates of the shelter home confirmed they were sexually exploited.

In another incident, two women inmates died under mysterious circumstances at a shelter home for mentally challenged women in Patna.

Speaking about corruption, Kumar asserted his government will never compromise on it.

We have never compromised on the issue of corruption nor will we do so in future. Whoever is found involved in corruption, be it a public servant or an organisation, nobody will be spared, he said.

Kumar had walked out of a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) of the opposition with the Congress and the RJD last year after the latters leader and his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav, facing graft charges, refused to step down.

In an apparent message to his current ally, the BJP, Kumar said his government is striving to maintain an atmosphere of communal harmony in the state.

We make constant efforts to ensure that an atmosphere of communal harmony always prevails in the state, he said.

Various districts of Bihar witnessed a spate of communal clashes around the festival of Ram Navami this year, leading to criticism from the opposition parties that Kumar was not able to rein in attempts by the BJP to communally polarise society.

The chief minister announced that a rural transport scheme would soon be launched wherein youths belonging to the SC, ST and OBC communities will be provided with grants of up to Rs one lakh for purchase of vehicles with a capacity of four to 10 passengers.

He also announced that contractual employees in various government departments will soon be provided with a number of benefits based on recommendations made by a high-level committee set up for the purpose.

Kumar said a centralised police control room was being set up which will enable people to seek assistance in case of a mishap or a crime in any part of the state by dialling 100.

Later, he participated in another function at a Mahadalit tola where he apprised the people of the steps being taken by his government for the betterment of the SCs and STs.

Kumar visits a Mahadalit settlement every year on the Independence Day to hoist the Tricolour.

Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik also unfurled the national flag at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of Bihar police personnel, officials and school children and greeted the people of the state.  PTIamansharma@tribunemail.com

Lucknow, August 15

Two 'sadhus' were stabbed to death and another injured inside a temple premises by unidentified persons today triggering mob violence in the Bidhuna area of Auraiya district, police said.

Enraged at the killings, a mob set some shops ablaze and pelted stones forcing the police to fire in the air, they said. The situation was brought under control even as there was a heavy deployment of security personnel to maintain law and order, they said.

The exact motive behind the crime was not immediately clear, police said adding they suspected the victims' opposition to cow slaughter could be one reason.

Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed top officials, including the Principal Secretary (Home) and the state DGP, to ensure the case was worked out within 48 hours and strict action was taken against the culprits.

The chief minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the two deceased sadhus and Rs 1 lakh for the injured monk, an official spokesman said in Lucknow.

Additional DG (Kanpur range) Avinash Chandra said the priests were found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds on their necks and other body parts inside the Bhayanak Nath temple in Kudarkot area under Bidhuna police station.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Auraiya, Rajesh Kumar Saxena told PTI, "The incident took place around 3 am, when three 'sadhus' (Hindu monks) were attacked by unidentified men." Auraiya is around 180 km from Lucknow and falls under Kanpur police zone.

"They (sadhus) were tied to a charpoy and attacked. Two of them were killed," Circle Officer, Bidhuna, Bhaskar Verma said.

Infuriated at the killings, a mob attacked shops and set some of them afire and hurled stones and brickbats, prompting police to open fire in the air, an official said, adding the situation was soon brought under control with heavy deployment of police to prevent any untoward incident.

The deceased were identified as Lajja Ram (65) and Halke Ram (53), residents of Bakewar, Etawah.

Another monk, Ramsharan (56), received serious injuries, police said. A resident of Bidhuna, he was shifted to Saifai hospital, they said.

The three were rushed to the district hospital where Lajja Ram and Halke Ram were declared dead upon arrival, while Ramsharan was shifted to Saifai hospital in a critical condition, ADG Chandra told PTI.

Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range), Alok Singh, rushed to Auraiyya to supervise police action and to maintain law and order.

"People were generally complaining that the area where the murders took place was witnessing cases of cow slaughter and the victims were opposing it. That could be a possible motive behind the attack," the IG said, adding, Station House Officer, Akhilesh Mishra, was placed under suspension on charges of negligence.

Around a dozen police teams headed by senior officials were formed to investigate the double-murder.

Special surveillance teams were sent to Auraiya from Kanpur to assist the local police in cracking the case and in dealing with rumour-mongers, officials said.

The exact motive behind the gruesome killings was not known immediately, the ADG said, adding they were exploring all angles. - PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Chandigarh, August 15

Punjab, Haryana and their joint capital Chandigarh on Wednesday celebrated the Independence Day amid tight security arrangements.

Patriotic fervour and gaiety marked the occasion across the two states and the Union Territory as flag-hoisting ceremonies were held at district headquarters, educational institutes and other places, officials said.

Independence Day celebrations passed off peacefully in the two states, the officials said.

Freedom fighters, who played a vital role in the struggle for Independence, were remembered on the occasion.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore unfurled the Tricolour at a function in Chandigarh and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki hoisted the flag in Yamunanagar.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh unfurled the Tricolour at a state-level function in Ludhiana.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unfurled the tricolour in Hisar.

The Governors of Punjab and Haryana cancelled their At Home functions in the wake of the demise of their Chhattisgarh counterpart Balramji Dass Tandon, 90, in Raipur on Tuesday.

Tandons last rites will be performed in Chandigarh in his native state on Thursday with full state honours.

At Home function is the annual reception held at the Raj Bhavan as part of Independence Day celebrations on August 15. PTIamansharma@tribunemail.com

Kabul, August 15

The death toll from a suicide blast at an educational centre in a mainly Shiite area of the Afghan capital on Wednesday reached 48, with another 67 wounded, the health ministry said.

A suicide attacker struck an education centre in a minority Shiite area of western Kabul on Wednesday, officials said .

"We can confirm the attack was caused by a suicide bomber on foot. The bomber detonated himself inside the education centre," police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said.

There was no immediately claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban quickly denied they were involved.

Afghanistan has been reeling from a recent upsurge in militant violence, including a massive, days-long Taliban onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni.

Analysts have said the assault on Ghazni was a military and psychological victory against the government in Kabul, proving the insurgents have the strength to strike a strategically vital city near the capital at will and remain entrenched there for days.

At least 100 security forces were killed in the fight for Ghazni, officials have said, with unconfirmed fears that at least as many civilians died.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and low morale, have taken staggering losses since US-led NATO combat forces pulled out at the end of 2014.

But it is ordinary Afghans who have taken the brunt of the violence in the grinding conflict, especially in Kabul, which the United Nations has said is the deadliest place for civilians in the country.

Militant attacks and suicide bombs were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, a recent UN report showed.

The uptick in violence comes as US and Afghan forces intensify ground and air offensives against the Islamic State (IS), and the Taliban step up their turf war with the group.

The Taliban have not claimed a major assault in Kabul for weeks.

IS, however, has carried out multiple attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad and the capital in recent months, targeting everything from government ministries to a midwife training centre. - AFP/Reuterspardeepdhull@gmail.com

Karachi, August 15

At least three persons were killed and over 35 others, including children and women, injured in various incidents of aerial firing and firework displays by the revellers during Pakistans Independence Day celebrations, media reports said on Thursday.

A large number of residents came out on the streets of Karachi on Monday night and as the clock struck 12, they started celebrating the 72nd Independence Day by resorting to aerial firing and bursting firecrackers, the police said.

During the celebrations, 22-year-old Salman Shakoor, who was part of one such revelry near Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad area, was hit by an exploding firecracker, The News reported.

Apart from Shakoor, a 21-year-old man was also hit on his face by the rogue firecracker. They both were rushed to a hospital but Shakoor died during treatment.

In another incident, a 26-year-old Sarmad Shabbir lost his life due to awry fireworks.

Shabbir, who had come to Pakistan from Dubai on a holiday, was hit on his head by a firecracker and died during treatment, the Express Tribune reported.

One more person was killed in the city during the Independence Day celebrations.

Over 35 persons, including women and children, got injured by stray bullets fired during the celebratory firing.

The trend of aerial firing become common during chand raats, New Years Eve, Independence Day and Shab-e-Baarat over the years, the report said.

Cases of aerial firing can be registered under Section 337 (H) (II) of the Pakistan Penal Code for a negligent act of endangering lives, but with only three months imprisonment, and an undefined fine.

In severe conditions, cases can also be registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, it added.

At least 19 people were injured in various parts of Karachi due to aerial firing on the New Year, it said. PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Seoul, August 15

A third summit of Korean leaders planned for next month will be a further step towards denuclearisation of the peninsula and a peace treaty to end the Korean War, South Koreas President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to work toward denuclearisation at a landmark summit in Singapore with US.

President Donald Trump in June, but the two countries have since struggled to agree on how to reach that goal.

Advancement in ties between North and South Korea is the driving force behind denuclearisation, Moon said in a speech, lauding Mondays pact for next months summit in Pyongyang, the Norths capital.

The two leaders will take an audacious step to proceed toward the declaration of an end to the Korean War and the signing of a peace treaty as well as the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Moon added.

The neighbours remain technically in a state of war since the Korean War of 1950 to 1953 ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Moon said he hoped for speedy progress in talks between the United States and North Korea, with steps by Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programmes matched by corresponding comprehensive measures from Washington.

When the deep-rooted distrust between the two Koreas and between the North and the United States is lifted, the mutual agreement can be implemented, he said on the peninsulas 73rd anniversary of liberation from Japanese rule, which lasted from 1910 to 1945.

During their first summit in April, Moon and Kim had agreed to push for an end to the Korean War together with the United States this year, but Washington has said its focus is on denuclearisation, although Trump in Singapore had promised security guarantees for the North.

When peace is established on the Korean peninsula along with complete denuclearisation, economic cooperation can be carried out in earnest, Moon said.

Plans to build a railway across the peninsula will kick off this year, he added, proposing an East Asian railroad community that groups China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia and the United States.

Moon seeks to resume business cooperation with the North, including the railroad and a joint industrial park, but has been cautious because of international sanctions, chiefly spearheaded by Washington, over Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programmes.

Moon said he aimed for unification economic zones along border provinces when military tension eases and there is lasting peace.

He estimated cross-border economic cooperation could be worth at least 170 trillion won ($149.9 billion) over the next 30 years, citing a study by a state-run think tank. ReutersThe cancellation is of course disappointing, but it is clear that the circumstances are simply unavoidable. We all hope he gets well soon and Im sure hell be back campaigning for Democrats in Illinois and across the country in no time, he said.Success is measured not by having a degree but by how you impact the lives of others.

This was the message to graduates of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Faculty of Social Sciences yesterday by construction magnate Sieunarine Coosal.

Coosal, who is the executive chairman of the Coosals Group of Companies, was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) by The UWI during the virtual graduation ceremony.There has been no shortage of information on the coronavirus pandemic and the Covid-19 vaccines, but the challenge remains in sifting through the advice of the experts and that of social media.

This, according to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, has resulted in a lack of demand for vaccines.It has been a good week for heritage art.

Two different sets of stolen cultural treasures were returned to their rightful owners earlier this week from the countries which had stolen them.

The most famous of the lot was the Benin Bronze depicting Oba, the King of Benin, which was looted by British soldiers in 1897. The sculpture, valued at US$4 million, was returned to Nigeria by the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Zabul province early Wednesday, killing four police, according to the provincial police chief, Mustafa Mayar, who said another three officers were wounded. He said seven attackers were killed and five were wounded during the battle, in which the Taliban used artillery and heavy weapons.Hello, I am looking fo a bit of help finalizing a 3 week (24 days on the ground) family vacation to Australia in September. Traveling will be me and the wife and two kids, aged 4 years and an infant 2 months. We are flying in and out of Sydney and will spend ~6 days each in Sydney and Melbourne and looking to see how best to allocate remaining days:

We are trying to see if we spend 6 days in the South Coast in Byron and Noosa. Partial concern with South Coast is it will be the 2nd week of September and the weather may not be ideal to best take advantage of the local.

1. We are also debating if we should drive up from Sydney or fly?

2. Is it better to go further north to Port Douglas or Darwin?

The other 6 days we are trying to decide on two itineraries, but are also open to other thoughts:

1. Break up into 3 day drive on the Great Ocean Road and the other 3 days in Tasmania

2. Fly to Christchurch and drive down to Queenstown before heading back to Sydney to return home

Thank you much for all your suggestions and input. Happy Travels!Hi Mike

You cant do a half day tour from Melbourne along The Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles & return, unless you do it in a helicopter or light plane.

A full day tour in a bus is about 13/14 hours and only touches the highlights. ATWAD is a popular operator, but I have no personal information.

You may wish to take a look at this Great Ocean Road blog.

Its about 4 1/2 hours drive from Melbourne to Port Campbell, provided youre not in holiday traffic.

Google maps is a useful tool for plotting trips. So is Rome2Rio.

Penguins - come ashore after dusk. You may see them at St Kikda. Or take a trip down to Philip Island- opposite direction to GOR. I dont know if theres anywhere along the GOR that they come ashore. Locals may do.

Edited: 3 years agoDo head over to travellers point, as recommended above. Thats where the WHV, backpacking crowd hang out & they will have more relevant information for your situation.

In the meantime, I think you need to get your head around the size of Australia relative to our population of 25m.

Unlike Europe, we have neither the population (phew!) nor close settlement to run long distance buses or trains as frequently, fast or cheaply as they do. 50+ years ago, we had an extensive intrastate rail network in NSW, but successive State Governments have virtually killed it off and damaged our roads along with it, in forcing the bulk of freight onto roads & passengers either onto the roads in cars or into the air.

Air travel is relatively cheap here, considering the distances travelled, especially if you book ahead on the specials offered by the airlines. Join their online subscriptions to get advance notice. Qantas & Virgin are full service carriers; Jetstar & (fewer routes) Tiger are LCCs. Make sure you read the T & Cs BEFORE you hit pay.

Public transport in the major cities is very good, so you would not need a vehicle in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide. Canberra can be done without a car, but its useful to have one. Ive no experience of public transport in Darwin,Launceston or Hobart, have always had a car. Daytrips out of the major centres are often more easily done with a car -and IMO you need one in the regional centres like Cairns & FNQ.

However, lots of backpackers & WHV travellers meet up & share car trips .... so .... see what you find on that website.

In any case, you dont need to decide on the car before you get here.

If you havent already done so, I would recommend you join YHA. We have some great hostels, often in picturesque places.Hello,

I have booked paradise hot spring resort in la fortuna for three nights starting Aug 19th. Due to medical reason we have to cancel our trip and due to hotel policy they are only allowed to change the name on the booking but not cancel the booking.

I would like to know if anyone will be interested staying in this resort. Hotel also allows to have the booking dates changed if there is availability.

Please pm me if interested and i can help you with the booking at much discounted rate.Hi again,

I have been rethinking my itinerary for April, (9th-19th). I don't want to take buses, (will have a 7 day JR pass) and don't want to spend all my time on trains at the expense of actually enjoying a destination. I would love to visit the Takato Castle ruins but getting there seems very time-consuming.

This is what I have so far:

Arrive Tokyo 9/4 - stay in Asakusa for two nights, (we enjoyed this area this year)

Depart Tokyo 11/4, (activate JR pass) and go to Hiroshima - arrive early afternoon and stay overnight in Miyajima

Depart Hiroshima 12/4, (after a morning's sightseeing) for Kyoto for two nights, (staying near Kyoto Station)

Depart Kyoto 14/4 for Takayama for the spring festival for one night. Aim to arrive by early afternoon, (1pm)

Depart Takayama 15/4 for Nagano (after a morning's sightseeing). Aim to arrive by mid afternoon, for one night

Depart Nagano early morning of 16/4 for day trip to Takato Castle ruins for the cherry blossom festival

Leave mid-afternoon of 16/4 for Tokyo. Three nights - probably in Shinjuku or the Tokyo station area

My questions are:

Will I have enough time in Takayama to see anything of the festival with my proposed intinerary? I haven't been able to find out when the procession starts from my research so far.

Is it worth considering a day trip to Takayama for the festival from Kyoto instead of staying overnight? (I have only been able to find a room in Takayama with shared bathroom facilities and my son is not pleased at the prospect!)

If we go to Nagano as above, is there any chance of fitting in a visit to the snow monkeys?

I picked Nagano for overnight as it seemed a sensible place to break the journey between Takayama and the Takato Castle Ruins. Is there a better option?

I'm travelling with my young adult son and he doesn't want to stay in Takayama or Miyajima any longer than overnight.

Thanks very much for any suggestions.

:)Hi,

We are about to book our trip to Fiji with my partner and 2 yo daughter. Wed like to spend 8 nights on an island and are hesitating between Sheraton Tokoriki and Castaway island. Were looking at spending some relaxed time on a beautiful island with white sandy beach, crystal clear waters, well accommodated (as we will be with our daughter) and providing nannies to be able to rest a bit..

Is there anyone who would be able to let us know which one would be best?

ThanksHey, Im planning on traveling in Japan and am currently in process of sorting out my trip itinerary.

Im going to stay in Tokyo for 3-4 days, then I have few days spare, before I go to Kyoto for 3-4 days, where my trip ends.

Id like to stay in some picturesque village / small lakeside or beach city in between my trip from Tokyo to Kyoto - can u recommend some places? Around Lake Biwa maybe? Or around Ise Bay area? Im gonna travel during spring/summer period..

Im open for suggestions - am a 29 years old guy, into picturesque places, getting to know local culture, experiencing local life..First of all, Thank you so much to everyone for being so kind and taking time out to guide.

I see everyone replying in detail on all my queries which is great.

My Jersey city hotel is free cancellation until 20th and by that time I have shortlisted couple of suite hotels in times square and I am checking on price drop and hoping for a better deals by that time.

Reason of Hyatt House is considering a requirement of a separate rooms which ensures privacy instead of booking room with 2 double beds which is the case with most of the hotels.

My budget is close to 200 dollars per night but priority is to have a separate room with living room, basically a suite room.

Have shortlisted Double tree suites and hotel Edison at times square which is perfectly located and hoping for a deal in 3-4 days time.

About attractions, I am now clear about free ferry which goes to Staten island from somewhere in Manhattan which is ok for me and thanks for clarifying this :)

Please suggest shopping street which may give me a clear idea if an hour long bus ride is worth to visit woodbury.

List includes clothing for all, bags, shoes, etc

Will get the combo ticket of Rockefeller and to of the rock.

I will check central park zones of interest and go walking, of course with baby stroller on all days anyway. :)

If any one can suggest a suite hotel if my interest in good location in NYC would be great help.

As sometimes at night me and my wife would go for a drink or 2 close to our hotel in case baby (9 months old cute little girl) calls for mom.

And yes this helps to know that we will be in need to go to hotel room in between the day for baby to take a nap. I am checking hotels on a daily basis and looking for a deal and that's the reason earlier just booked a Hyatt House Jersey city free cancellation with a long suite room and full kitchenette though a microwave is sufficient.

Once again thanks a lot to all :)White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders takes questions from the media on Aug. 14, 2018, at the White House. (Oliver Contreras / Tribune News Service)Acts chapter 16 verse 25 to 34 documents the story of Paul and Silas praying and giving thanks at midnight until the jail doors opened. Most Christians have heard about this story and many more in the Bible where people prayed for a breakthrough. In fact, stories like this should motivate you to continue praying and giving thanks. The best thing about having a rich prayer life is that there is no right and wrong time to pray. But, today, we will solely focus on the effectiveness of midnight prayers.

READ ALSO: Prayers have power to change your life. Get the 7 best!

So, what does prayer mean to you and how often do you pray? Most of the time, people get so caught up in this world that they forget the whole purpose of prayer. It is not about asking God to bless you alone; prayer is a chance for you to worship and communicate with God.

Importance of midnight prayers

An active prayer life helps you connect with God. Here some more reasons while prayers at midnight are essential.

You draw closer to God

As a child of God, your sole motivation should be to draw closer to your father. You will only do this by following His word (Bible teachings) and praying.

Prayer helps you get rid of negative habits

When you focus on God and His word, you are more likely to want to live a life that is pleasing to Him. In the process, you can be able to overcome temptations and habits that are not in line with Gods commandments. Also, as you pray and evaluate your life, you will be able to take stock of your life and ask for forgiveness.

Prayer helps you deal with the enemy

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 states that the believers battle is against spiritual forces. As such, the Bible urges Christians to stay in the word of God (Ephesians 6: 10-18) and to be alert and pray all the time.

Prayers enable breakthroughs in your life

If you need midnight prayers testimonies of breakthroughs, refer to the book of Acts chapter 16. Also, there are other instances in the Bible where people received breakthroughs because they sought God in prayer. So, go on your knees and present all your worries and expectations to God.

How to Pray midnight prayers

Now that you know the importance of midnight prayers in Christianity, below is a guide to help you make effective prayers at midnight.

1. Listen to God

God will hear your pleas for mercy, grace, and blessings but, how often do you stop and listen to Him first? Through reading and meditating on the scripture, you will be able to know what God wants and expects. Also, you will learn about all the promises God made for his children. In fact, you can reference some prayers made in the Bible by great men and women including Daniel (Daniel 9: 1-19) and Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-20).

2. Evaluate yourself

With the knowledge of God words, search your heart and mind and see if there is something you have done that is not pleasing and repent. John 5:17 urges Christians to keep Gods word at heart so that when you ask for anything via prayer, you may receive it. When praying, you should get rid of all destruction including the mental and physical barriers.

3. Thank God

The best way to start a prayer is by acknowledging what God has already done for you. Do not primarily focus on material benefits or blessings. Instead, thank God for the gifts of joy, patience, peace, and grace. Remind yourself how He has walked with you throughout your life and thank Him for his goodness.

4. Express your desires with emotions

Do not be afraid to tell God how you feel. In Psalms 141, David cries out to the Lord to shield him from his enemies and temptations. Similarly, Daniel pleaded with God in prayer to turn away His wrath from Jerusalem. While you do this, acknowledge the nature of God as Daniel did in Daniel 9:18.

5. Ask with faith

When offering midnight prayers for a breakthrough, make sure you ask for what you need. Matthew 7:7 and James 4:2 reminds Christians that you lack because you fail to ask.

6. Keep in mind Gods will and timing

Maybe, your breakthrough has not happened because it is not in line with Gods word. In other cases, your breakthrough is dependent on Gods timing. Therefore, when you ask according to Gods purpose in your life, He will surely answer (1 John 5:14).

7. Demonstrate your seriousness

Even after asking, show God how much you need the breakthrough. You can do this by emulating Daniel who committed to fast for 21 days and practiced spiritual discipline. Better yet, you can present the same issue to God each day until He answers.

8. Testify of Gods goodness

When you receive an answer, give thanks and testify to others what God has done for you.

9. Continue seeking God

Prayer does not stop at the breakthrough. Make seeking God part and parcel of your daily life. The Bible encourages Christians to prioritize the Kingdom of God then you shall receive all you need (Luke 12:31). Also, Hebrews 11:6 reminds believers that God rewards those who seek Him tirelessly.

The effectiveness of midnight prayers

Prayers offered to God at any time including midnight will work. Paul and Silas serve as an example of brethren who received their breakthrough because of midnight prayers. As a believer, it is your understanding of God that primarily shapes your prayers life and the likelihood of success (breakthrough). So, if you see God as a father you can be able to take your pleas, and petitions before Him confidently. But if you misunderstand the nature of God, prayer becomes but a duty or standard procedure.

Scriptures on midnight prayers

Apart from Acts 16:24-35 here are some verses that speak about midnight prayers.

Psalms 119: 62

The Psalmist states that he will wake up at midnight to give thanks to the Lord.

Lamentations 2:19

The verse encourages believers to wake up at night and pour out their Heart to God.

Luke 6:12

Even though this verse does not primarily talk about midnight, it shows us how Jesus led by example when he went to the mountain to pray all night.

READ ALSO: These 5 prayers help you to heal your emotions

While you offer midnight prayers, always remember Gods promises and his nature. Isaiah 59:1 reminds believers that God saves and God hears. Therefore, keep on praying and hoping, your breakthrough may be right around the corner.

READ ALSO:

Photos of 3 year-old girl deep in intercessory prayers with mum excites Kenyans online

GOD IS GREAT! Kenyan man's prayer saves his car from raging floods (video)

I fasted and prayed for years before my big breakthrough - Citizen TV presenter Willy M Tuva

10 Bible verses to bless your kids with and learn parenting

5 best back-to-school Bible verses for kids and parents

Source: Kenya Breaking News Today- Museveni travelled to Arua to campaign for NRM party candidate, Nusura Tiperu

- Tiperu was one of the candidates seeking to replace late MP Ibrahim Abiriga

- The other candidate in the by-election race is Kassiano Wadri Kassiano

- Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) was also in Arua to campaign for Kassiano

- Chaos erupted shortly after the rally ended, during which Wine's driver was shot dead and Museveni's motorcade attacked

President Yoweri Museveni's motorcade was on the night of Monday, August 13, attacked and his car smashed by people believed to be hooligans following a chaotic political rally in Arua town, northern part of Uganda.

The Ugandan strongman had travelled to the constituency to campaign for National Resistance Movement (NRM) party candidate, Nusura Tiperu, who was one of those eyeing the seat of the late Arua MP Ibrahim Abiriga who was assassinated in June 2018 at his home in Matugga area.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni's car was smashed and vandalised by hooligans following a chaotic political rally in Arua town, northern part of Uganda.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Uganda MP who predicted own death shot dead alongside his bodyguard

TUKO.co.ke on Tuesday, August 14, established both Museveni and Kyadondo East MP and musician Robert Kyagulanyi, best recognised by his stage name Bobi Wine, were in Arua to campaign for their candidates.

According to the Ugandan news outlets, Wine and his team campaigned for independent candidate Kassiano Wadri Kassiano as Museveni rallied support for Tiperu ahead of the by-election slated for Wednesday.

READ ALSO: United Kingdom and South Sudan lead in congratulating Uhuru on his Supreme Court victory

Chaos erupted along Dorcus Inzikuru Street when Tiperu and Kassiano reportedly marched to their respective offices accompanied by their supporters after the highly charged political rally in Arua.

Police allegedly opened fire on Tiperu's supporters in attempts to scatter them and in the process shot dead Kyadondo East MP's driver.

READ ALSO: DCI sleuths arrest vocal Kilifi politician over KSh 25 million theft

Tiperu's men responded by throwing stones at the security officers.

Moments later, Museveni's motorcade was ambushed and the president's lead car smashed from behind and vandalised.

TUKO.co.ke understands Museveni was not part of the political processions but his agents and security details were present.

READ ALSO: Aspiring MP among cons posing as DP Ruto's security arrested with over 700 laptops

Meanwhile, tension remains high in Uganda following the shooting of Wine's driver and after the vocal Kyadondo East legislator went missing, together with seven of his team members, following the Arua chaos.

Barbie Kyagulanyi, the MP's wife, said her husband and and his team members lost touch with the family after the bloody political event and their phones have been off since then.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Top 5 Tone-Deaf Quotes About Africa - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko- The Head of State said NYS should cease to be a channel of public money theft

- He called on Otieno to implement new reforms he approved on the management of NYS

- Uhuru chaired a cabinet meeting in which major reforms on NYS were agreed

President Uhuru Kenyatta has prevailed upon newly appointed Youth and Gender Principal Secretary (PS) Francis Otieno to streamline and sanitise the otherwise corruption laden National Youth Service (NYS).

Uhuru was categorical that NYS was not established to become a swindling channel for corrupt government officials but as an institution to empower and positively transform lives of the majority youth population.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

President Uhuru Kenyatta with newly appointed Principal Secretaries Francis Otieno (Youth and Gender) and Esther Koimett (PS). Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Uhuru kicks out cabinet secretaries as he announces new names

Speaking at State House on Tuesday, August 14, Uhuru, in application of his executive powers directed Otieno to resolve all financial and administrative problems at the department.

He raised concerns billions had been allegedly lost through the department thus denying youth an opportunity to improve their lives and called on Otieno to commit to turning around the institution.

"We expect the highest degree of integrity and loyalty to the people. You are principal accounting officers in your departments and have the final say on implementation of every activity," Uhuru said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and newly appointed Transport Principal Secretary Esther Koimett and State House. Photo; Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: IMF can keep its KSh 150 billion loan, Kenya does not need it - Uhuru's advisor

TUKO.co.ke understands Uhuru graced the swearing in of the two executive appointees after chairing a cabinet meeting where there was a consensus to restructure NYS for prudence management of finances and sustainability of projects.

Uhuru approved proposed changes which included establishment of an oversight board which would make NYS a fully-fledged corporate body whose director general would act as the CEO.

The Cabinet called for a clean up of the organisation's supply chain alongside budgetary reforms and internal audits.

"The oath of office and accountability pledge you have taken is a personal commitment to integrity and effective service delivery to the public," Uhuru said.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Kenya News: Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charge| Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko.co.ke- Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko said his Kiambu counterpart Ferdinand Waititu did not know what riparian land was

- He even shared a diagram to illustrate what riparian land was

- The Nairobi county chief said Waititu had low intelligence quotient and used to copy his answers during exams

- He accused Waititu of tolerating corruption by defending individuals who had built houses in riparian land

Even with backing from philosophical former presidential candidate Abduba Dida, Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu is still a man under siege over his miraculous solution to buildings sitting on riparian lands attracted much ridicule.

Waititu's efforts to contribute to the debate of massive demolition of premises in riparian areas worked against him with even his political friend Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko mercilessly shredding his persona.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens.

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko said his Kiambu counterpart and friend Ferdinand Waititu was too dumb to know what riparian land was. Photo: Mike Sonko/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Waititu is right, rivers can be moved instead of demolishing buildings - Abduba Dida

Sonko first of all said the Kimabu governor was afraid of the demolitions aimed at repossessing grabbed wetlands and road reserves because he was part of individuals who had illegally encroached on public land.

Seemingly ready to lose his friends like President Uhuru Kenyatta resolved, the Nairobi governor went ahead to refer to Waititu as an illiterate person who did not understand what riparian land meant in the first place.

"My good friend and colleague should concentrate on his county. He should know we don't mix friendship with work. Maybe he does not know what the definition of riparian land is. That is why even in campus he was copying me during CATS," Sonko stated in his Facebook post of Tuesday, August 14, seen by TUKO.co.ke.

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu (centre) proposed for the diversion of river courses instead of demolishing buildings on riparian land. Photo: James Nyoro/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Kipchumba Murkomen introduces his youthful dad and Kenyans cannot believe it

In the post backed by a diagram illustrating what a riparian space was, Sonko said impunity among leaders would not be tolerated.

READ ALSO: Uhuru orders incoming PS to clean up corruption-riddled NYS

"Even Weston Hotel, my Buruburu Casurina Cocobeach plot; Taj mall and many other buildings shall not be spared if found to be on riparian or public land. In fact he needs to tell us the status of a petrol station constructed on a grabbed public access at the junction of Mihango and Njiru," the Nairobi governor added.

Sonko and Waititu are known to be close friends who do not blink twice to get into controversy with their combative style of leadership.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Kenya News: Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charge| Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko.co.ke- The officer was suspended for allegedly approving construction of South End mall and Gem Suites

- John Ojwang was given 14 days to state why disciplinary action should not be taken against him

- This came days after Uhuru said officers who approved buildings on wetlands would also be punished

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has suspended an officer who was allegedly involved in the approval of buildings constructed on riparian land.

John Ojwang who works at the Urban Planning Department was accused of approving construction of South End Mall and Gem Suites in Riverside estate on wetlands.

Send News' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Police begin manhunt for officials who approved buildings on riparian land after Uhuru's order

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has suspended an officer who was allegedly involved in the approval of buildings constructed on riparian land. Photo: UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: DPP swings into action after Uhuru orders arrest of officials who approved buildings on riparian land

"Ojwang has been issued with a notice to show cause within 14 days why disciplinary actions should not be taken against him, including termination of his employment," read the statement seen by TUKO.coke on Tuesday, August 14.

He was found responsible of authorising the construction in a preliminary investigation that was initiated by Sonko.

In the statement, the governor noted a majority of the approvals were done in the 1980s and 1990s and the staff who approved them have since retired or left work at City Hall.

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

This came after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to arrest all the officials who approved the construction of buildings on riparian land.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Kenya News Latest: Kenya Marks 20th Anniversary of Embassy Bombing | Tuko TV

Source: TukoColyer accepted defeat after a review of some provisional ballots from most Kansas counties failed to find enough votes for him to overcome a deficit of 110 votes at the time of poll closing in the Aug. 7 primary, out of more than 311,000 votes initially counted.- Waititu took to explain what he meant by moving rivers instead of demolition of malls

- His sentiments on Monday led to a lot of online ridicule from the public and leaders

- But Waititu explained that he meant redirecting the rivers would be a plausible solution

Amid the ridicule, mockery and online back clash that came with Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititus sensational suggestion in the contentious demolition of buildings in Nairobi to reclaim riparian lands, the governor has once again struck, this time with a more plausible statement.

Waititu for the better part of Monday, August 13, had his leadership credentials severely tested after he seemed to suggest buildings sitting on riparian land could be spared if only the rivers could be moved.

Send News' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Waititu sticks to his opinion of moving rivers

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Uhuru tells Kenyans to take war on graft in their hands, arrest the corrupt

A number of respected leaders including Nairobi governor Mike Sonko and former presidential aspirant Abduba Dida have already come forward with contrasting sentiments on the Kiambu county leader's suggestion, with many going with the notion that Waititu was out of order.

But the governor on Tuesday, August 14, stuck by his rather confusing solution a day earlier, only this time, he took to divulge on exactly what he meant.

In an interview with Milele FM, Waititu gave a candid explanation on how impunity can be fought without necessarily having to incur heavy losses.

Ukay Mall was against the odds brought down for sitting on illegal land

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: If Raila was in Opposition, ongoing demolitions would not have been done - Mutahi Ngunyi

The governor explained that while he suggested rivers should be moved instead of demolishing malls, he further clarified that moving of rivers simply entailed diverting its course away from a building on its path.

Ive been in developed countries on several occasions and I can tell you Ive seen rivers follows a canal because it is being guided by well-built walls. So long as it is not a river source it can be redirected, he explained.

READ ALSO: Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara confirms legislators were bribed to save Uhuru allies

Waititu seemed adamant that destruction of buildings was a painful loss not only to the owners, but investors who could fear to invest in the city.

As TUKO.co.ke reported earlier, a number of buildings have already been reduced to rubbles including the Ukay mall in Westlands and South End along Langata road.

Sonko who did not take Waititus comments lying down accused his counterpart of having established a building on riparian land hence his unique take on the governments initiative to fight impunity.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Phenny Awiti Story: Meet HIV Positive Mom Raising HIV Negative Kids | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko News- The trade union boss commended Uhuru for standing firm in the war against graft

- He suggested if corruption does not end by 2022, then Kenyans should re-elect Uhuru

- Atwoli however took issue with EACC and MPs for not doing enough to support the graft war

Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has praised President Uhuru Kenyatta for the spirited fight against corruption and impunity and urged Kenyans to consider extending his rule.

Atwoli however accused the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Members of the 12th Parliament of not doing enough to help the president root out impunity and put a stop to the costly graft menace in Kenya.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli has given President Uhuru Kenyatta a thumps up in the fight against corruption but urged other leaders to pull up their socks.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: KSh 10,000 is too little to bribe MPs - Wajir Woman Rep

Addressing African Union representatives on Tuesday, August 14, during the international labour organisation training workshop at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, the COTU boss said Kenyans should add Uhuru another five years if his term ends before he finishes corruption.

"I want to thank the president for the good job he is doing...Wacha tumpe another five years atumalizie ufisadi ( Let us give him another five years so he can finish for us corruption)," he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had warned no one would be spared in the war against corruption no matter how rich and powerful they are. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Wajir Woman Rep Fatuma Gedi on the spot for allegedly bribing MPs to shoot down sugar report

Atwoli warned Kenyans to be very careful when electing their leaders because some politicians can be irredeemably corrupt.

"What I know there are some people if you give them leadership, particularly those who are yearning for leadership, they would run away with the Central Bank of Kenya. I am sure. That one I can tell you," he said.

READ ALSO: Kisumu residents put lives at risk, scoop oil from leaking pipeline in Kondele

Although Atwoli did not mention any names, some Kenyans believe he was referring to Deputy President William Ruto who has in the recent past been criss-crossing the country in efforts to persuade Kenyans to consider him for the presidency come 2022.

The DP has also been entangled in past corruption allegations which he denied.

He was once charged with grabbing land belonging to a farmer and forced to return it to its rightful owner by the court.

The DP has also been accused of using graft money to make contributions in harambees but he has dismissed the claims saying he uses his hard earned cash.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenyans React to Loss of Public Funds - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko- Mwaura said Rotich had contributed little to the economy despite being one of the longest serving cabinet secretaries

- The senator was reacting to claims MPs took bribes to save the CS who had been implicated in sugar import scandal

- He called on Uhuru to appoint a new Treasury boss because in his view, Rotich was not fit to lead the crucial docket

Nominated Senator Senator Isaac Mwaura has called for the sacking of embattled National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich claiming the CS was no longer fit to be Kenya's exchequer boss.

Mwaura argued Rotich was one of the longest serving cabinet secretaries who had contributed little to the growth of the country's economy and therefore there was need to send him packing.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Nominated Senator Senator Isaac Mwaura wants the embattled National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich out of the way claiming he had failed to deliver.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Speaker Justin Muturi puts MPs on the spot over bitter sugar bribery claims

Speaking on Citizen TV's morning show programme on Wednesday, August 15, the senator said the time had come for Kenya to have a new Treasury CS because the one holding that docket had failed tremendously.

"It is time to question the capacity of Henry Rotich. He is probably the longest serving CS and time has come for him to go. I challenge the appointing authority to look into the issue," the senator opined.

Treasury boss Henry Rotich was implicated in the sugar import scandal but survived the chopping board after MPs allegedly took bribes to kill sugarreport.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Wajir MP, Kimilili counterpart in fierce war of words over sugar report bribes

Mwaura was reacting to allegations that a section of MPs took KSh 10,000 bribe each and conspired to shoot down the sugar report in which Rotich and his former Industrialisation counterpart Aden Mohamed were implicated.

"We need to pin down people and prosecute them so that MPs can know they do not have a blank cheque to use their privilege of Parliament for self gain. For an MP to be given KSh 10,000, it is really the highest disrespect, the value is too low," Mwaura protested.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenya Trending News: Nazlin Umar - Ruto Is Behind The Sugar Scandal - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest- KCAA alleged the plot located on Langata Road, Nairobi, was one of its parcels that was stolen

- KCAA's boss disclosed they have been trying to repossess the land in vain and that the matter is in court

- Economist David Ndii also alleged Weston Hotel was built on public land and therefore should be demolished

- Uhuru warned no property would be spared, no matter who the owner is, if found to have been built on riparian land

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has declared it is the rightful owner of the land on which Deputy President William Ruto's Weston Hotel is built.

The revelations came a day after NASA coalition top strategist David Ndii called for demolition of the hotel claiming it stands on grabbed land.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Deputy President William Ruto was accused of grabbing land on which he built Weston Hotel located on the Langata Road, Nairobi.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: NEMA to demolish multimillion house in Riara estate where former MP lives

The Aviation Authority on Wednesday, August 15, alleged the DP grabbed its plot L.R. No. 209/14372, located on Langata Road, opposite Wilson Airport, Nairobi.

According to an article published by The Star newspaper on Wednesday, KCAA further alleged the land on which Weston Hotel sits was one of its many parcels that had been stolen and which they now want returned.

We have been trying to repossess the land. We are in court with several cases and the rest is with National Land Commission. Weston Hotel is part of the land but the case is with NLC, KCAA's boss Gilbert Kibe told the newspaper.

Kenya Civil Aviation Aauthority boss Gilbert Kibe alleged DP Ruto's Weston Hotel was built on their land and they want it back. Photo: KCAA/Youtube.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenya's 400 meters champion Nicholas Bett dies in road crash

As was previously reported by TUKO.co.ke, Ndii had also alleged Ruto irregularly and illegally acquired the land on which he built his multi-billion hotel.

The economist challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to have the DP's property demolished, just like several others that had been brought down for similar reasons.

"This is public land. One more friend you need to lose. And once you are done with him, turn yourself in," he tweeted.

READ ALSO: You have 45 million Kenyans behind you, don't fear losing friends - Citizens tell Uhuru

The government embarked on a demolition spree targeting buildings erected on wetlands or public land including road reserves.

Some of the iconic buildings that have been destroyed so far include Ukay Centre in Westlands and South End Mall on Lang'ata Road.

READ ALSO: Kiambu governor wants rivers moved instead of demolishing malls

Uhuru on August 12 reiterated the demolition exercise would not spare anyone, regardless of who they were in the society.

"No matter how much money you have, no matter how many people in high offices you know, we will not be prevented from achieving our dreams because of impunity," he warned.

It is now a matter of wait and see if Weston Hotel would also go down if it indeed sits on public land.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenya Trending News: Nazlin Umar - Ruto Is Behind The Sugar Scandal - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Kenya- The Ugandan president accused Bobi Wine and Kassiano Wadri of stoning his vehicle

- Museveni warned the Opposition that no person had the right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or deed

- His response to the death of Bobi Wine's driver came just a day after the arrest of the MP by security forces in Arua

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has come out to defend the actions of the police on Monday, August 13, which left Bobi Wine's driver dead.

According to Museveni, the Opposition leaders including Wine, Kassiano Wadri and others stoned his convoy, including his own vehicle prompting the police to shoot.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Musevein explains why Uganda police killed MPs driver

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine escapes death, driver shot dead by police

In a statement released by the president on Wednesday, August 15, Museveni claimed the stones broke the rear glass window of his car which is not armoured.

"It is a big shame to have such confused people who want to use violence to intimidate Ugandans. Nobody has a right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or action," said Museveni

"Fortunately, my convoy did not react with fire in response to this attack. This was because we were not equipped for anti-riots. Our intervention could have resulted into people's death because we only had live bullets," he added.

READ ALSO: Aspiring MP among cons posing as DP Ruto's security arrested with over 700 laptops

Museveni claimed the stones broke the rear glass window of his car which is not armoured.

Source: Facebook

He further noted some of the leaders had been acting with impunity leading to the death of one person in Bugiri and Wine's driver in Arua.

"We went to the bush to fight for the right of making political decisions by Ugandans without intimidation by word or action. Anybody who threatens this will have himself to blame," noted Museveni

Prior reports by TUKO.co.ke indicated Wine's driver was shot dead when chaos erupted after holding campaigns in Arua for former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) MP, Wardi.

READ ALSO: COTU boss Francis Atwoli terms MPs cheap as bribery claims threaten split Parliament

The musician-turned-lawmaker is viewed by many as a potential political threat to Museveni's 32-year grip on powe

Source: Twitter

It later emerged Wine and seven of his team members lost touch with the family after the incident happened and their phones went off.

The legislator earlier announced his hotel was cordoned off by the police following the incident.

The musician turned lawmaker is viewed by many as a potential political threat to Museveni's 32 year grip on power

Wine has apparently been targeted previously  his home came under attack on October 3, 2017, when two grenades exploded. However, no one was injured and no arrests were made.

He won a parliamentary seat in 2017 after beating two seasoned candidates.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Phenny Awiti Story: Meet HIV Positive Mom Raising HIV Negative Kids | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News- Senator Gichuhi said she had been racially attacked by a fellow senator at a public rally

- She insisted she is a citizen of Australia after acquiring mandatory documentation

- Born in Kenya, Gichuhi said she has been living in Australia for the past 20 years

Kenyan born Australian Senator Lucy Gichuhi mercilessly tore into his counterpart Fraser Anning over his remarks that people who cannot not easily integrate with the State's ethnicity be locked out.

Gichuhi who represents South Australian State raised concerns in the Senate saying the country, despite being first world, portrayed lack of civilisation yet it was a multicultural nation and that Kenya was more civilised.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Picha ya watangazaji wa Citizen TV, Lulu Hassan na mumewe, yathibitisha walipendana kabla ya utajiri na umaarufu

Kenyan born Australian senator Lucy Gichuhi said she did not need to be questioned about her originality every time she was in Senate. Photo: The Standard.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: After Obama, Kenyan born woman elected Senator in Australia

In a video clip which has gone viral and seen by TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday, August 15, the senator passionately challenged Annings' archaic logic, saying it was unfortunate such racial statements came from a person in a legislative house.

"Today and precisely last night was a very sad day for me.I have evidence this is multicultural at work. How on earth do we have a public leader with status of a Senator in Australia, first world, not third world country use those kinds of words in public forum?" she posed to a still house.

The first black African senator to the Australian Senate said she was tired of discriminatory terms like passive, hard right, hard left and being questioned about her originality as it was happening to other non-native Australians who were anyway legal citizens.

Lucy Gichuhi said it was time for Australian leaders to put aside their prejudices and act civilised saying Kenya was more civilised and had brought her up well. Photo: Salt magazine.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Aviation Authority confirms DP Ruto grabbed its land to build Weston Hotel

"At what point are we going to say you are Australian, you are Australian. Full stop. Period. Finished. I do not have to be born here, all I need is to hold that citizenship certificate. Mine has been questioned many times . I happen to be Kenyan, Briton and Australian that is my history. Nobody in this Senate put me here except the High Court because Australian systems work and support multiculturalism," she said.

The senator who was on the spot for misuse of public resources went ahead to defend her upbringing back in Kenya, her political standing and position as a woman in the society, challenging his colleagues to be on the forefront of eliminating prejudices in Australia.

"I grew up in a civilised society. Call it third world, but it was civilised enough to prepare me to serve Australia in this Senate. I do not have to be asked where I came from, I know. What I'm asking this Senate whether I am here for a day or two is that can we deal with our prejudices first," argued Gichuhi.

READ ALSO: Waititu pleads with Mike Sonko to have wife released following arrest over illegal buildings

The native of Nyeri county said Australia needed to accept it was still struggling with mono culture biases, saying they could be third generation Australians but still there were challenges of the first generation which they were still battling.

"Senator Anning has startled me. What happened to diversity training? It is not going to work for Australia 2018, take it or leave it. It doesnt matter who gets to power next but someone has to deal with this mess. I am in Liberal party by choice, I don't have to tiptoe about being a woman, about being black because the hard right dont like it. This is Australia, this is first world," she firmly stated.

The senator who moved to Australia in 1999 subsequently changing her citizenship in 2001 said the racist aspects in the State needed to be eradicated to ensure equality in schools and workplaces.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Chaos at Muthurwa Market as Hawkers Protest - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko- Susan Wangari was nabbed by Nairobi city county officials on Wednesday

- The group were accused of erecting illegal structures in Nairobi

- Preliminary claims indicated they had established an eight-storey building without approval from relevant authorities

- She was detained at City Hall cells with Sonko promising Waitutu he would have her released

- Her arrest came few days after Waititu firmly opposed the massive demolition exercise and proposed for diversion of rivers

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu's wife Susan Wangare has been arrested for allegedly constructing buildings without observing set laws.

She was arrested with 14 other people on Wednesday, August 15, just two days after her husband opposed government's massive demolition exercise aimed at rehabilitating riparian space and repossessing grabbed public land.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Kutana na bintiye Gavana Ferdinand Waititu; ni mrembo ajabu

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu (in blue suit),his wife Susan Wangare (with red handbag) in a past event. Wangare was arrested by Nairobi County officials over illegal buildings. Photo: The Star.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: I will criticise demolitions of illegal building despite my friendship with Uhuru - Ferdinand Waititu

TUKO.co.ke understands Wangare was arrested alongside Jamii Bora and Delta Hotel owners for allegedly building an eight-storey building in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) without obtaining all required approvals.

Sources intimated to TUKO.co.ke that Waititu's wife was pounced on by officials from Nairobi City County over the building which stands along Koinange Street and was detained at City Hall for several hours.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko released a recording of him speaking with Waititu on phone and promising the Kiambu leader that he would have her wife released on a cash bail of KSh 10,000.

The Kiambu Governor was on the spot after he opposed demolition of houses to reclaim riparian and public land and proposing for diversion of rivers instead. Photo: Ferdinand Waititu/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Aviation Authority confirms DP Ruto grabbed its land to build Weston Hotel

But that seemed not to have happened as Wangare was taken before a City Hall magistrate to take plea.

The Kiambu governor dominated the headlines and was a subject of social media ridicule following his remarks to have rivers 'moved' or their courses diverted instead of demolishing structures erected on riparian land.

He made the remarks on Sunday, August 12, after which he was mercilessly bashed, with Kenyans including his political and personal friend Sonko who said his friend opposed the demolitions because he had built houses on restricted land.

Waititu confirmed Sonko's allegations saying he had land bordering rivers but reiterated for an alternative solution rather than demolition.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News:

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charge| Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko- The Atheists' leader Harrison Mumia want the government to include non-believers in the team

- He alleged the state was favouring Christians and discriminating against atheists

-Mumia warned if their demand would not be met then they would petition Parliament to investigate misuse of taxpayers' money

Atheist in Kenya President Harrison Mumia has protested decision by the government to sponsor 46 Christian musicians for a tour to Europe to showcase Kenya's culture, arguing the move was discriminatory.

Mumia held that exclusion of atheists and members of other religions in the team was not consistent with Article 27 of the Constitution of Kenya.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Picha ya watangazaji wa Citizen TV, Lulu Hassan na mumewe, yathibitisha walipendana kabla ya utajiri na umaarufu

Atheist in Kenya boss Harrison Mumuia wants government to include non-believers in team it plans to sponsor 46 to Europe. Photo: Harrison Mumia.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: God has done nothing to me this year - president of Kenya's atheist says and angers Kenyans

In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday, August 15, Mumia claimed the government was favouring Christians and discriminating against members of other religions and non-believers in violation of the Constitution.

"We are concerned at how the state has in recent past treated Christianity with privilege and made the Christian belief a social norm in Kenya. The state should end marginalisation of atheists and members of other religions through institutional religious discrimination," he said.

READ ALSO: Govt rejects Atheists in Kenya registration request

The Atheist leader asked the Ministry of Culture and Heritage to cancel the European tour slated for August 21 unless the team to be sponsored to the foreign land is reconstituted to include non-Christianity believers.

"We urge the ministry to re-constitute the team that will visit Europe so that those who adhere to non-Christian beliefs form part of the team," he said.

READ ALSO: Atheists in Kenya oppose Uhuru's nomination of Bishop Wabukhala

Mumia warned they would proceed to petition Parliament to investigate the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Heritage over misuse of taxpayers' money if their demands would not be met.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Tuko Buzz: DJ Sadic Inteview - One on One with DJ Sadic - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko- Wetangula said the government should learn from developed countries which have buildings on riverbanks

- He called for better ways to be explored in saving riparian reserves

- The government for the last two weeks has carried several demolitions on properties said to have been built on wetlands

- Among those demolished include Ukay Centre in Westlands and South End Mall on Lang'ata Road

The government has been urged to explore better ways in saving riparian land instead of pulling down structures worth billions of shillings built on such areas.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula on Wednesday, August 15, asked those charged with the demolitions to learn how to go about the exercise without appearing insensitive to investors' plight.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: We will continue to demolish buildings on riparian land - Uhuru

Kakamega Senator Moses Wetang'ula asked those charged with the demolitions to learn on how to go about the exercise in a more sensitive manner. Photo: TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja?

The dethroned Senate Minority leader termed the ongoing demolitions an "inanity"

At the same time, Wetang'ula proposed the Nairobi Regeneration Committee to visit London, Moscow, New York, Bangkok, Cairo and Perth where structures sit close to rivers.

"Those demolishing riverbank properties should visit London, Moscow, New York, Bangkok, Cairo, Perth etc. They will rethink their inanity," tweeted the NASA co-principal.

READ ALSO: NEMA to demolish multimillion house in Riara estate where former MP lives

President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to continue with the crackdown on illegal buildings on both road reserves and wetland despite protestations. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Sonko talks tough on city land grabbers as ex-governor Kidero spends night in police cells

On Thursday, August 9, President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to continue with the crackdown on illegal buildings on both road reserves and wetlands despite protestations.

Uhuru said the government was taking various steps to enhance physical infrastructure and to improve business environment.

"We will continue to demolish properties constructed on riparian lands, equally punish officials who made approvals for those properties.

"We are doing everything to discourage corruption. It is possible to do clean business in Kenya, this is what we want to encourage," he said.

So far, landmark buildings that have been flattened include Ukay Centre in Westlands and South End Mall on Lang'ata Road.

For now, the public is waiting to see whether Taj Mall now Airgate Mall and Weston Hotel on Outering and Lang'ata Roads respectively will go down.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Gikomba's Biggest Fire Destroys Property Worth Millions of Shillings - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Kenya- Three MPs were arrested following political chaos that erupted in Arua town, northern Uganda

- Police admitted they had the three lawmakers in custody in connection with an attack on Museveni's convoy

- It however remained unclear where the politicians, among them musician Bobi Wine, were being held

- Opposition MPs demanded to see the arrested colleagues after photos emerged showing one of them had been tortured

- Other unconfirmed local reports indicated Wine and his candidate Wadri were facing treason charges

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Uganda, Rebecca Kadaga, was on Wednesday, August 15, forced to suspend Parliament after Opposition MPs demanded to know the whereabouts of their colleagues who were arrested following political chaos in Arua town, northern Uganda.

Kadaga suspended the House business for about an hour and tasked Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to find out where the three Opposition lawmakers were being held.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja?

Uganda's National Assembly Speaker Rebecca Kadaga was on forced to suspend business of the House as MPs demanded to know whereabouts of their missing colleagues. Photo: NTV Uganda.

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: Tension in Uganda as MP Bobi Wine goes missing after murder of his driver by police

Reports by Uganda's major news outlets including NTV Uganda and New Vision quoted the country's Opposition leaders condemning the manner in which their colleagues, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), Mityana legislator Francis Zaake and another unnamed lawmaker were being treated.

"The MPs are being tortured. Going by what I saw in Arua, the generation is being killed," Olanya Gilbert alleged.

"No discussing business as usual when MPs are missing," Ochen Julius added.

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine escapes death, driver shot dead by police

The missing politicians and several other people were arrested on Monday, August 13, in connection with the attack of President Yoweri Museveni's convoy after chaos erupted in Arua following by-election campaigns.

Wine's driver was shot dead during the political confrontations between supporters of Kassiano Wadri and NRM party's candidate Nusura Tiperu who are angling for the seat left vacant by slain Arua MP Ibrahim Abiriga.

READ ALSO: I know the people who want me dead - Likuyani MP

Other unconfirmed reports seen by TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday evening indicated Wine and Wadri were facing treason charges for allegedly being in possession of illegal firearms besides attacking the president's convoy.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Massive Demolition in Kileleshwa with JAVA House and Shell Station down - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.keAlex Kuizon covers his face as he stands near dead fish at a boat ramp in Bradenton Beach, Fla., on Aug. 6, 2018. From Naples in Southwest Florida, about 135 miles north, beach communities along the Gulf coast have been plagued with red tide. Normally crystal clear water is murky, and the smell of dead fish permeates the air. (Chris O'Meara / AP)Ugandan police are holding a driver of a vehicle allegedly used to ferry two children who were kidnapped from Nairobi's Kawangware slums.

A Facebook user by the name Akao Patricia first raised the alarm on Tuesday, August 14, when she stumbled upon the innocent two kids aboard a matatu heading to Busia.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Picha 5 za Sheila Wetangula, binti mrembo wa Seneta Moses Wetangula

Facebook user by the name Akao Patricia had first raised the alarm on Tuesday, August 14, when she stumbled upon the innocent two kids aboard a matatu heading to Busia. Photo: Akao Patricia/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Mombasa man serving life sentence orchestrates kidnapping and total silencing of Asian businessmen

Akao said the unnamed boys were crying by the time she entered the car registration number UAM 145C and upon inquiry, one of the boys told her he wanted his father.

On sensing something was amiss, the brave lady approached the driver who claimed he was the real dad.

"Hi guys please if anybody knows this little boy please he is in a taxi going to Busia UAM 145 C crying a lot and the driver is claiming that he is the father but the boy is saying he is not his father and there is another kid in the taxi too just afraid they may be smuggling them," she posted.

The children's aunt Joan Wesonga later confirmed after the photos went viral the two lived in Kawangware's Ratina estate with their parents until they disappeared.

Though Wesonga said they hailed from Busia, it remained unclear how a matatu with a Ugandan number plate entered Kenya.

Ugandan police intercepted the vehicle and rescued the two minors.

They were held at Iganga Police station as the authorities launched investigations into the matter.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

How street Women In Kenya Deal With Periods | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko NewsAfter appointing several heads of mission last week, at least one has taken up duties.Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) blocked the illegal storage and sale of weapons and ammunition in various regions of the country as part of the campaign for countering sale of weapons, the SBU's press center has said.

"The operatives of the SBU directorate in Kharkiv region, under procedural control of the prosecutor's office, documented two cases of the sale by a resident of Dnipropetrovsk region of seven RGD-5 and F-1 grenades, five RPG-22 and RPG-26 grenade launchers and almost 1,500 cartridges to a Kalashnikov machine gun. The culprit sold military means of defeat on the territory of Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions," the statement reads.

In addition, law enforcement officers detained a weapons dealer in a populated locality in Dnipropetrovsk region after the illegal sale of means of defeat. The detainee has currently been informed of a suspicion of committing a crime, and the issue of choosing a preventive measure for him in the form of detention is being decided. Criminal proceedings were opened under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The investigation is ongoing.

Also, in Dnipropetrovsk region, SBU operatives and the police found weapons and ammunition in the home of a resident of Petropavlivka district. He stored military means of defeat in the courtyard of his own home.

During the searches conducted at the place of residence of the offender, law enforcement officers seized two RPG-26 hand-held anti-tank grenades, two RGD-5 grenades, a VOG-M grenade launcher round, three igniters and more than a hundred 5.45mm cartridges.

opThis is ironic: In the mid-20th century, the Army and the Navy fought tooth and nail to prevent the creation of  the Air Force. The arguments at the time were much like those we hear today: We don't need to create another bureaucracy; we are doing this just fine with the Army and Navy each having its own operations; this isn't really a new theater of operations, only a zone in which maritime and land strategies achieve their objectives. Those were faulty arguments then and today.Kyiv is interested in Israeli technologies in the sector of city management. First of all, projects relate to energy and water saving, waste processing and introduction of Smart City technology.

Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko said this during a meeting with Minister of Environmental Protection, Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister of Israel Ze'ev Elkin on Tuesday, the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration reported.

"Kyiv and Israel have an experience of successful cooperation. In particular, the Ukrainian capital has adopted several projects that were implemented in Tel Aviv. Today, the data center for processing of video surveillance data successfully operates in the capital. More than 6,000 surveillance cameras were installed. And we will develop these developments in the field of security. We are interested in the experience of Israel in the development of tourism potential under terrorist threats. We are very interested in cooperation in the tourism sector," Klitschko said.

He also thanked the minister for Israels support provided to Ukraine and for the unchanged position on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

In turn, Ze'ev Elkin confirmed Israel's readiness to provide any assistance to Ukraine. In particular, he noted the interest to take part in the implementation of the project on construction of a modern waste-processing plant in Kyiv.

The parties also discussed the issue of creation of the memorial to the victims of Babi Yar in Kyiv. Klitschko expressed confidence that the memorial in the capital will be built in a few years.

ishOn August 16, 2018, the Ukrainian-Emirates Business Forum will be held at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The business forum will be held within the framework of the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Emirates Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

The participants of the event will have a unique opportunity to hold negotiations with the representatives of the UAEs companies, find reliable business partners and explore the prospects of long-term trade relations.

During the forum, B2B-talks will be held between the business communities of Ukraine and the UAE.

ishRussia's actions in the Sea of Azov are an attempt to destabilize Ukraine, the U.S. State Department has said in response to a question from the Ukrainian Service of the Voice of America.

According to the response, the U.S. considers barriers from Russia to international transport shipping in the Sea of Azov another example of attempts by Russia to destabilize Ukraine. The United States continues to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and calls on Russia to stop creating barriers to international shipping in the Sea of Azov, the State Department said.

As reported, over the last few months, Russia has detained a number of vessels that headed to the ports of Berdiansk and Mariupol. Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan stated that Ukraine was holding talks with EU countries and the U.S. to impose sanctions against Russia in response to the blockade of the Azov Sea.

Earlier, experts in Washington warned that Russia had approached annexation of the Azov Sea and that Kyiv has almost no tools to prevent it.

opThe policy of restraint of Russia by the West through sanctions was unexpected for the Kremlin.

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker said this during a discussion devoted to the tenth anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war, according to the Ukrainian Service of the Voice of America.

Putin expected the reaction of the West to his actions in Ukraine to be insignificant, Volker said. In the case of Crimea, he was right, as there was no significant reaction, he said. There were certain sanctions, but they were not strong enough. Only when the Russian occupation affected eastern Ukraine, the West went further and began to act. The attitude of many Western European countries towards Russia has also changed, Volker said.

In his opinion, Western countries realized that they could no longer ignore Russian aggression and should oppose it.

opDeputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar held a meeting with Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Ukraine Mohammad Beheshti-Monfared on the occasion of completion of his diplomatic mission in Ukraine, the ministrys press service reports.

In the course of the meeting, the Deputy Minister highly appreciated the Ambassador's personal contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Iranian relations and noted the prospects for their further progress, reads the report.

Mohammad Beheshti-Monfared, in his turn, emphasized the achievements of bilateral relations of recent years, constructive atmosphere of interstate cooperation and thanked the leadership and people of Ukraine.

iyMustafa Dzhemilev, the Member of Parliament, the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for the Affairs of Crimean Tatars, has urged Indonesia to co-author and support the current UN General Assembly resolution on human rights in the occupied Crimea.

"The Indonesian side was informed about the developments in and around Ukraine amid the continuing aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular, the situation in the east of our country and in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the current human rights situation in Crimea, especially the systematic violation of rights of the Crimean Tatar people by the de facto Russian authorities. In this regard, Dzhemilev called on Indonesia to co-author and support the current UN General Assembly resolution Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine," the press service of the Embassy of Ukraine in Indonesia reports following the meeting of Dzhemilev with Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Jusuf Kalla in Jakarta.

As the embassy informs, Dzhemilev thanked the Vice President for Indonesias support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in particular, Indonesia's vote in favor of the resolution of the UN General Assembly "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" of March 27, 2014.

During the meeting, the sides noted the significant prospects for Ukraine-Indonesia trade, economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation.

olHanna Hopko, the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs, believes that the visit of Trump's national security adviser John Bolton to Ukraine will be important for coordinating efforts to de-occupy Crimea and stop Russian aggression in Donbas.

"Bolton's visit is very important for the continuation of diplomatic efforts made by President Poroshenko during telephone conversations and meetings with President Trump in order to coordinate efforts in de-occupation of Crimea, matters of peaceful settlement, termination of war, Russian aggression in Donbas, making Russia fulfill at least a security component," Hopko said on the air of 112 Ukraine TV channel, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

She also emphasized that the sides would discuss possible deployment of a peacekeeping mission in Donbas.

As reported, President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton plans to visit Ukraine next week as part of his tour to Europe and the Middle East.

olUkraines official brand - Ukraine NOW - is planned to be presented in New York (USA), Toronto (Canada) and Australia in the end of September.

"We are completing a tender for releasing Ukraine NOW brand on foreign TV channels. In early September, the brand promotion will be launched. Moreover, relevant posters have already been placed in several countries, including at the stations in London. We plan to hold the presentation [of the brand] in New York, Toronto and in Australia in end of September," State Secretary of the Information Policy Ministry of Ukraine Artem Bidenko said during a press conference at the Ukrinform news agency.

He recalled that the brand presentation had been recently held in London.

Bidenko added that the Ukraine NOW brand would be popularized during the Ukrainian Fashion Week.

The official stressed that Ukraine NOW brand is one and the same for all the government authorities and implicates that Ukraine is a country of opportunities, a country of prospects and startups. The brand is open, so anyone can use it, Bidenko added.

olThe invaders are still seeking to secure the 20 for 300 exchange formula.

First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko says that Ukraine is ready to pardon "several dozen criminals" who fought in the ranks of Russian-controlled militants to ensure the liberation of Ukrainian hostages in Donbas.

"Oleh Sentsov continues his hunger strike demanding the release not only of himself but all Ukrainian political prisoners held in the Russian Federation. The same demand is made by the Ukrainian side at all negotiations," Gerashchenko said.

She recalled that, according to the information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and human rights organizations, which carefully document all the facts of illegal detention of Ukrainians, today in the prisons of Russia and in the occupied Crimea, about 70 Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars are being held illegally, for political reasons. "A few dozen Ukrainians - military and civilians  are being illegally kept by the gangs in the occupied parts of Donbas," said Gerashchenko.

Read alsoOver 100 Western filmmakers call on Russia to free Sentsov

"Ukraine has not received a response to the initiative to transfer 36 Russians - criminals and terrorists - for the sake of liberation of our people, and we are also ready to pardon several dozen criminals involved in the war in Donbas in the ranks of pro-Russian gangs in order to get our people out of there. We do not draw a difference between Ukrainians held in the prisons of Russia, Crimea and Donbas  our priority is the liberation of all of them," Gerashchenko stressed.

According to her, "representatives of ORDLO in Minsk are trying to play a Kremlin scenario of 'exchanging all who are confirmed for all confirmed [on the other side]', arguing that there are only 20 Ukrainians in their dungeons, while demanding 300 from us. It is a shame that some OSCE representatives do not go into details and publicly play along with these shameful and unacceptable scenarios."

Read alsoRussia confronted at UN over torture in occupied Crimea

"We stand for a different formula: Ukrainians illegally detained in the Russian Federation are on the list of confirmed individuals, as the whole world knows where Sentsov, Sushchenko, Balukh, Karpuk, Panov, Kuku, Kolchenko, and others are being held. We are waiting for Russia to respond to our proposal: take away 36 of yours - give back ours! Give your puppets in Donbas an order to pick up a few dozen criminals and give back our heroes," Gerashchenko said.

"We proposed that the Ukrainian Ombudsperson, Liudmyla Denisova, meet with her Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova in Minsk on August 21-22, within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group, and make efforts to unblock the process of releasing the detainees. Ukraine is ready for this," Gerashchenko said.

"We stand on the position of Oleh Sentsov and demand to release everyone!" she stressed.The U.S. calls on Russia to stop creating obstacles to international shipping in the Sea of Azov.

The U.S. Department of State has said the Russian Federation is trying to destabilize Ukraine by its actions in the Sea of Azov.

"We consider Russia's obstacles to international shipping in the Sea of Azov as another example of Russia's attempts to destabilize Ukraine," the U.S. Department of State told Voice of America's Ukrainian Service.

Read alsoUkraine's Turchynov: Russia considers Azov-Black Sea region important springboard for further expansion

"The U.S. continues to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. We also call on Russia to stop creating obstacles to international shipping in the Sea of Azov," it said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Deputy Minister for temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced persons George Tuka said the use of force to unlock the situation around Ukrainian navigation in the Sea of Azov was among the possible scenarios.

What is more, the Ukrainian Navy's Command unveiled its strategy for the development of the Ukrainian Navy until 2035, which foresees measures to counter Russian aggression.Yes, there has been a lull in the pattern of aldermen trudging off to jail. In 2008, after a similar interlude, we speculated that maybe aldermen had shed their sense of entitlement, their Wheres mine? attitude. Or maybe they'd finally wised up after decades of seeing their colleagues and predecessors in handcuffs. Or maybe, as some cynics theorized, theyd grown craftier at hiding their criminal activities.Sentsov's mother sent a letter to Putin's office, asking for pardoning her son.

Russian human rights activist Pavel Chikov has said that illegally convicted Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov will not write any letter of pardon to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to free him.

"The regime is designed to make people cave in to its demands. But Oleh will not write any petitions, it's obvious. Despite mediators and their hints of such a need," Chikov wrote on his Telegram channel, commenting on the information that Sentsov must personally write a pardon letter.

Read alsoKremlin may have decided to let Sentsov die as example to others - media

As UNIAN reported earlier, the office under the Russian president's administration for ensuring citizens' constitutional rights informed Sentsov's mother, Liudmyla Sentsova, in response to her request to pardon her son that for the pardoning procedure to be launched, Sentsov in person must appeal to Putin with the corresponding request.

The Putin administration also noted that the final decision is to be taken by the Russian president.

UNIAN memo. Sentsov was arrested in Russian-occupied Crimea in spring 2014 and in August 2015 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison following an unfair trial where he faced "terrorism" charges stemming from his opposition to Russia's occupation of Crimea. He has been serving his term in a penal colony in the town of Labytnangi, Russia's Yamal. Sentsov began his hunger strike on May 14, 2018, in protest against the politically motivated jailing of dozens of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation.Meanwhile, the Kremlins premier instrument for subverting Ukraine is to keep Donbas as an open bleeding wound that will eventually cause Ukraine to implode.

The war in eastern Ukraine grinds on, forgotten by many. Theres no obvious way out. The ceasefire agreements have been continuously broken, high-level dialogue between Russia and the United States stopped months ago, and the unarmed OSCE monitors in conflict zone are continuously harassed.

Some analysts suspect that Moscow is waiting until March when Ukraine holds its presidential election. The Kremlin wants to see who the next president will be before taking any new steps, and time is on Russias side. But time is not on Ukraines or the European Unions side, Andreas Umland wrote for the Atlantic Council.

The Donbas conflict should be understood anew, approached differently, engaged with directly, and solved sustainably. It should start with clearer communication of the EUs stake in the crisis. Tighter economic and individual sanctions should be accompanied with positive offers to change Moscows behavior. For a transition period, the Donbas should be put under the control of an international administration and UN peacekeeping forces. Finally, Ukraine and the West need to find a way to secure control over a reintegrated Donbas while formally implementing the Minsk Agreements.

Umland elaborates on several phases on Ukraine's path to peace.

Phase One: Re-Imagining the Stakes

Todays confrontation in the Donbas is often compared to the frozen conflicts in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova, and this is false. A communications campaign needs to correct this misperception; the Donbas war is a hot conflict that challenges Europes security as long as one of the largest European states remains on the brink of collapse. The reasons for this risk are neither domestic political tensions nor Ukraines grave economic difficulties. Ukraine experienced massive upheaval at least four times since independence, yet none seriously endangered the integrity of the nation. Ukraines economic situation throughout the 1990s and 2008-2010 was difficult, but neither downturn threatened European security.

Read alsoPeacekeepers may be deployed in Donbas as early as 2019  Interior Ministry

The Wests large-scale financial help for Ukraine is sometimes misconceived as a major instrument to solve the crisis. Western help for Ukraine should continue, but its no substitute for actually solving the Donbas conflict. Moscows shrewd combination of crude military and non-military methods is meant to subvert Ukraine as a socio-political community. The Kremlins premier instrument for achieving this aim is to keep Donbas as an open bleeding wound that will eventually cause Ukraine to implode. A seemingly domestic Ukrainian collapse can then be used by the Kremlin to demonstrate to Russians the impotence of European integration and foolishness of post-Soviet democratization.

While this is a rational strategy in terms of short-term Russian regime stability, it is a hazardous enterprise. Western opinion shapers need to better communicate why and how Ukraines possible future collapse entails transnational risks. For instance, millions of Ukrainian refugees would flow into the EU. In a worst-case scenario, if Europes largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia were to malfunction (its less than 300 miles away from the war zone), this could have repercussions worse than Chornobyl.

Phase Two: Prioritization

Read alsoUkraine may get another IMF tranche this fall  central bank official

A new understanding of the Donbas war should lead the EU to prioritize this conflict. Sanctions on Russia are not trivial but they are wrongly apportioned. According to Moscows Skolkovo School of Management, EU sanctions are capable of jeopardizing Russias production of gas and, particularly, oil in the future. The West hopes that future income losses for the Russian state will lead the Kremlin to modify its policies toward Ukraine today. Yet Moscows logic may be different. If the Ukrainian state were to collapse as a result of Russias successful hybrid war, that would compensate for declining future energy exports.

To counteract this scenario, the West should develop a tougher combination of carrots and sticks. First, sanctions need to generate earlier effects. Russian access to Western financial markets should be further reduced, and the Nord Stream-2 pipeline should be frozen. Second, the West needs to crackdown through individual sanctions (visa bans, assets seizure, accounts freezes, etc.) on the regimes major stakeholders as well as their immediate family members to generate more dissatisfaction and infighting within Putins system. Third, a forward-looking vision for improved Russian-Western relations should be communicated throughout Russia. The West could offer a less aggressive Moscow joint energy projects or a free-trade zone between the Eurasian and European unions. Western rewards to Russia for even more comprehensive solutions to all disputed conflicts in the former Soviet Union could comprise an Association Agreement (including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) with the EU, visa-free regime with the Schengen Zone, and a Membership Action Plan with NATO. Think tanks and NGOs should communicate such ideas, and as they become widely known, national governments and international organizations could voice such proposals in meetings with Russian governmental and non-governmental actors. The offers should be made officially, explicitly, and repeatedly to feed societal pressure for a change in Russias foreign policy.

Phase Three: Pacification

Read alsoSupport for pro-Moscow candidates in upcoming elections Putin's "final stake"  Russian analyst

Once Moscow takes a more compromising position, the real work can begin. Western experts, diplomats, and politicians should explore future financing, the mandate, and the shape of an international peacebuilding operation across the Donbas. A temporary third-party intervention would provide a transition between Moscows crypto-occupation and the territories subsequent return to Kyivs control. A UN mission with up to 30,000 peacekeepers could serve the Kremlin as a face-saving mechanism.

The UNs primary task would be to demilitarize, disarm, demine, re-reset local self-governance, allow for the return IDPs, create a new police force, as well as prepare for local elections. Armed UN detachments would have to come from non-NATO and non-CSTO countries to preempt accusations of instrumentalization.

Phase Four: Reintegration

Restoring Ukrainian control over the Donbas means putting the political provisions of the Minsk Agreements into place, which will not be easy. The Minsk Agreements include a number of provisions intended by the Kremlin to infringe upon Ukraines sovereignty. Moscow supports the Donbass official autonomy in order to increase its own unofficial influence there. Today Ukraines major stakeholders reject the political parts of the Minsk Agreements. Western and Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, and experts need to find a way out. A possible solution could be a joint Ukrainian-Western reinterpretation of the Minsk Agreements. A new reading of Minsk IIs call for a special status of the Donbas could, for instance, mean stronger control over the occupied territories by Kyiv.Public opinion demonstrates a strong desire for a united church and that the Kyiv Patriarchate should become the basis for it.

One of the biggest differences between Eastern and Western Europe is the role of the church. On paper, they are separate, but in Eastern Europe, tradition trumps the law and the influence of the church is immense.

In Ukraine, the church is the most trusted institution, which is a good thing, but the fact that one of its strongest branches openly sympathizes with Russia means that the secular world cant choose to ignore this issue any longer, Kateryna Kruk, a Ukrainian political scientist and communications expert fellow at StopFake and the European Values Think Tank, wrote for the Atlantic Council.

The split between the Kyiv and Moscow Patriarchates took place in 1992 on the grounds that an independent country should have its own church. Since then, there were numerous attempts to unify the church from the inside but the ideological differences seemed too wide. The Kyiv Patriarchate was known for its strong pro-Ukrainian position, while the Moscow Patriarchate was seen as a supporter of Russkiy mir ideology (Russian world) and unity between Russia and Ukraine. This stereotypical division was confirmed by the churchs reaction to the Euromaidan and the subsequent Donbas war.

But the Moscow Patriarchates real face was revealed when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. The church turned a blind eye to Russias direct involvement in the war, calling it a civil war instead. It also managed to outrage Ukrainians by its numerous refusals to bury dead Ukrainian soldiers as heroes who fell defending their country. This didnt go unnoticed by worshipers.

Read alsoGreece denies visas to Russian Orthodox Church's priests after worsening relations due to Ukraine

The actions of the Moscow Patriarchate became a catalyst for renewed talks about an independent and united Ukrainian church. The unity of power branches on the issue signals that Ukrainian society is ready for this step.

Public opinion demonstrates a strong desire for a united church and that the Kyiv Patriarchate should become the basis for it. Although not officially recognized by Constantinople, the Kyiv Patriarchate is the biggest and most influential church in Ukraine.

Most experts and religious authorities say that granting the Ukrainian Patriarchate Tomosor a document from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople recognizing its autocephaly so the bishop doesnt report to any higher authorityis almost a done deal and just months away. Doing so would redraw the religious borders of Eastern Europe for the first time in almost 400 years.

Read alsoConstantinople ahead of Russia in church diplomacy game

The importance of this decision is hard to overestimate. The Orthodox church and its influence on its neighbors is one of the last remnants of the Russian empire. It is also one of the most effective instruments to spread Russian narratives and influence opinion. In the case of Ukraine, the stakes are even higher because it gives the aggressor-state direct access to the hearts and minds of Ukrainians. Its not an overstatement to regard Ukraines independent church as a matter of national security.

Second, an independent Ukrainian church will strongly diminish the position of the Russian Orthodox Church. Without its Ukrainian parishes, it will no longer be the worlds largest Orthodox church Russian priests have used to demand more rights and a stronger position among the global orthodoxies. For Russia, it will be a double blow: losing both Ukraine, and its international position in the religious world.

Finally, a united church will impact Ukrainian political life. If successful, Poroshenko will get the credit. However, many still speculate if church unification will increase Poroshenkos popularity and whether those supporting the idea will become Poroshenkos supporters by default. Undoubtedly, Poroshenko will use the church as one of the cornerstones of his presidential campaign, along with strengthening the army and the status of the Ukrainian language.

Granting a Tomos to Ukraines Kyiv Patriarchate will be an important milestone, but it will be just the beginning of a long process to unify the Ukrainian church. Parishes then will have to decide if they want to join the new church, a question that revolves around power and property. However complex and long, this process must start. A united national church is the last missing piece to make Ukraine truly independent.Over a third of them say they are not coming home even after the war ends.

Less than a third of internally displaced persons (IDPs) interviewed by sociologists - 28% - said they are willing to return to their permanent place of residence in eastern Ukraine's regions once hostilities halt, according to a survey presented by the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine and Ministry for the temporarily occupied territories and IDPs, an UNIAN correspondent reports.

As of early June 2018, the share of of IDPs who stated their intention to return to their homes after the end of the conflict was at 28%. In March this year, it was below 25%.

At the same time, the share of those who do not intend to return even after the hostilities halt remains unchanged (38%).

The research notes that since March 2018, the share of IDPS who voiced their intention not to return continues to prevail over the share of those who are willing to do so once the conflict is over.

Read alsoModular towns for IDPs from Donbas becoming "depressive ghettos"  journalists

At the same time, 18% of respondents could not answer the question definitively.

According to the researchers, these results may indicate the uncertainty of the settlers as regards their future. Another 12% said that they might return in the future, 3% had no answer, and only 1% said they were ready to return soon.

When asked about their plans for the next three months, the overwhelming majority of IDPs (84%) expressed their intention to stay in their current place of residence. The rest sad they would move back home (2%), moving to another region (resettlement within Ukraine), and moving abroad (2%), while 8% found the question "difficult to answer," and 2% did not provide any answer.

During the study, 2,406 IDPs were interviewed in person, and 4,006  by phone.Three enemy troops were reportedly killed and another seven were wounded in fighting with Ukraine's Joint Forces.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 46 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action (KIA) and another three as wounded in action (WIA).

"According to intelligence reports, three occupiers were killed and another seven were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on August 15, 2018.

Read alsoOSCE spots amassing of heavy weapons, new ammunition crates in occupied Donbas

The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire mainly from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the towns of Svitlodarsk, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka and Zolote. Under fire were also the villages of Krymske, Troyitske, Maiorsk, Zaitseve, Opytne, Pisky, Novotroyitske, Chermalyk, Hnutove, Lebedynske, Pavlopil, Vodiane, and Shyrokyne. In certain areas, the enemy engaged infantry fighting vehicles.

Along with this, the enemy shelled the defenders of Krymske, using 152mm artillery systems, while the defenders of Hnutove, Vodiane and Shyrokyne were attacked with the use of 122mm artillery systems. In addition, the Ukrainian positions near Krymske, Maiorsk, Zaitseve, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, and Vodiane came under mortar fire.

"Since Wednesday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted two attacks on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Novozvanivka and Maryinka," the report says.Personnel of the Ukrainian Navy have expressed sincere condolences to the relatives.

Fedir Balakhchi, a Ukrainian marine and a senior seaman, has been killed in the area of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas.

Read alsoTwo members of Russia-led forces eliminated by Ukraine's army in Donbas (Photo)

"The command, the entire personnel of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are deeply mourning and express their sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased," the Ukrainian Navy's press center said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 46 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and another three as wounded in action.Russian-backed militants are "adept at identifying Ukrainian positions by their electrometric signatures."

As the war in eastern Ukraine rages on, so too does Russia's invasive electronic warfare  and it's changing how war is fought by sending threats to individual soldier's phones, and those of their families.

Since the war began in 2014, Russian-backed militants have repeatedly employed all kinds of electronic and cyberwarfare tactics against Ukrainian troops, according to Business Insider.

Although Russia's use of electronic warfare was limited during its 2008 invasion of Georgia, Russian-backed separatists, who are funded by the Kremlin and at times commanded by Russian troops, have used it proficiently in the Donbas, a section of southeastern Ukraine where the war is fought.

Russian-backed militants are "adept at identifying Ukrainian positions by their electrometric signatures," U.S. Army Col. Liam Collins wrote in late July.

They "use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground systems to conduct electromagnetic reconnaissance and jamming against satellite, cellular and radio communication systems along with GPS spoofing and electronic warfare attacks against Ukrainian UAVs."

Read alsoReports suggest Russia engages in psychological warfare in Avdiyivka - media

Russian-backed militants are adept at psychological warfare tactics too, often in the forms of threatening text messages from cell-site simulators meant to shatter morale.

"Murderer from UAF [Ukrainian Armed Forces]. The East won't forgive you and the West won't remember you!" another text Ukrainian troops at a checkpoint received in November 2015 said.

But sometimes, the separatist texts are disguised as being sent by Ukrainian troops themselves and meant to sow confusion and discord.

"The company commander ran away to Kramatrosk. It smells like trouble. Tonight we are also leaving," one text Ukrainian troops in Debaltseve received in February 2015 read.

Other times, the texts appear to come from the Ukrainian government in Kyiv.

"Balance of your account was reduced on 10UAH. Thank you for supporting ATO," read one text that Ukrainian troops have received.

UAH is the Ukrainian currency, and ATO is the Anti-Terrorism Operation (now called Joint Forces Operation), which commands Ukrainian forces and law enforcement in the Donbas.

In 2017, the Associated Press compiled a spreadsheet of several such Russian-backed separatist texts that have been sent since the war began.

Russian hackers were reportedly even tracking and targeting Ukrainian artillery units with a once popular Android app between 2014 and 2016.

Militants took their efforts to a whole new level, sometimes coupling the texts with artillery strikes and even bringing the families of Ukrainian troops into it.

"In one tactic, soldiers receive texts telling them they are 'surrounded and abandoned,'" U.S. Army Col. Liam Collins wrote.

Read alsoInfowars: Russian TV channels shooting staged scenes with "Ukrainian Army weapons" near Debaltseve, intelligence says

"Minutes later, their families receive a text stating, 'Your son is killed in action,' which often prompts a call or text to the soldiers," Collins wrote. "Minutes later, soldiers receive another message telling them to "retreat and live," followed by an artillery strike to the location where a large group of cellphones was detected."

"Thus, in one coordinated action, electronic warfare is combined with cyberwarfare, information operations and artillery strikes to produce psychological and kinetic effects," Collins added.

Collins suggests that U.S. "garrisons" should teach their troops more land navigation and map reading so that they don't have to rely on GPS if it has been compromised.

Read alsoRussia employing "psychological warfare" tools targeting phones of Ukraine troops

He also suggests that U.S. forces should use less technology at times and become more comfortable deploying small units without knowing every little move they make.

He lastly advises that tactical operation centers should move antenna farms far away from their location or bombard the area with false signals, that the military should teach troops about electronic warfare in the beginning of training, and continually "develop and refine [its] electronic warfare capabilities."Manafort's decision not to testify and not to call witnesses was announced after a more-than-two-hour court hearing that was closed to the public.

U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has declined to testify in his own defense and his lawyers rested their case in his trial on tax evasion and bank fraud.

The decision not to call witnesses on August 14 clears the way for closing arguments on August 15 in the first trial to emerge from U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, RFE/RL wrote.

Manafort is accused of evading U.S. taxes by hiding millions of dollars in income he received from advising Ukrainian politicians in the years before he became Trump's campaign chairman in 2016.

Read alsoU.S. prosecutors rest case in trial of Trump ex-campaign chairman Manafort  media

The defense sought to put the blame for Manafort's financial maneuvering on his former deputy, Rick Gates, who was the prosecution's star witness. Defense attorneys sought to undermine Gates' testimony by portraying him as a liar, philanderer, and embezzler.

Manafort's decision not to testify and not to call witnesses was announced after a more-than-two-hour court hearing that was closed to the public.

The judge did not give any explanation for the sealed proceeding, only noting that a transcript of it would become public after Manafort's case concludes.

Defense lawyers said they didn't call anyone to testify because they believe "the government has not met its burden of proof" in the case, even though the judge on August 14 rejected their motion to dismiss the case on those grounds.

The government says Manafort hid at least $16 million in income from U.S. tax authorities between 2010 and 2014 by disguising the money he earned advising pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine as loans and hiding it in foreign banks.

Then, after his income from Ukraine dried up, they allege he defrauded banks by lying about his income on loan applications and concealing other financial information.Her husband, a Polish national, is convinced that the government has made the move in revenge for his public activities.

Lyudmila Kozlovska, a Ukrainian national who has lived in Poland with her Polish husband for 10 years, has been deported from the country in a move widely viewed as linked with the couples open criticism of the current governments attack on the independent judiciary.

Given the EUs concern about precisely the same dangerous assault on rule of law in Poland, it is galling that Kozlovska was first deported from Brussels after Poland included her in the Schengen Information System as a person to be denied entry to the EU, according to the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.

Kozlovska founded the Open Dialogue Foundation [Fundacja Otwarty Dialog] in 2009 to defend human rights, democracy and rule of law in the post-Soviet region. She remains the Director of the Foundation, which she runs together with her husband Bartosz Kramek.

Kramek is convinced that the Polish PiS [Prawo I Sprawiedliwosc] government has initiated this move against his wife in revenge for his public activities and criticism of the government. Both say that they had long anticipated that the government would use the deportation card because of her citizenship.

Kozlovska writes that they had still, nonetheless, hoped that Poland would not sink to the level of Kazakhstan / Russia / Moldova, where they persecute members of a persons family for dissident views.

Read alsoPoland looking at Ukrainian modernization package for T-72 tanks

She told Wyborcza that she is beginning to feel like a political refugee.

Marcin Wyrwa, writing on Onet.pl, calls Kozlovskas deportation the latest step in the Polish governments offensive against Open Dialogue which he clearly links with Krameks involvement in the protests outside the Sejm and the courts.

The main confrontation began in July 2017 as the PiS government, which has a majority in the Sejm, began speedily pushing through laws essentially giving it political control over the Supreme Court and ordinary level courts. There were mass protests against this attack on the courts, and Polish President Andrzej Duda, who usually rubberstamps all the PiS moves, however unconstitutional, did veto two of the three dangerous laws. This, however, merely gained some time since the revised laws were no better and have led to the EU initiating proceedings against Poland under Article 7 of the Treaty on the EU.

Kozlovska notes that the country which includes a person in the Schengen Information System normally gives the reason, making it easier to lodge an appeal. Here no explanation was provided.

Read alsoRussia rejects Poland's crash reconstruction bid in Kaczynski probe

Any state has the right to decide whether foreign nationals may or may not live in their country. In this particular case, Kozlovska has lived in Poland for ten years and has a Polish husband. There may well be grounds for seeing this as a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention regarding the right to family life.

The situation here is of particular concern since Polands action has blocked Kozlovska from entering any EU country. Poland has thus used its membership of the EU to extend an action which very many see as punitive and linked with her husbands public protests.Aberdeen City Council has taken possession of a 17m JM Architects school, offering places for up to 150 young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN).



Delivered in partnership with Hub North Scotland and Ogilvie Construction Orchard Brae is the first of its kind in Aberdeen, replacing a number of existing schools and services which had previously been scattered around the city.



In addition to providing a learning environment the school doubles as a community hub for parents, families and charities as well as offering a range of outreach services for speech and language, autism and social work.